The Times-Picayune 01-18-2026 by The Advocate

‘LOUISIANA IS ALWAYS MY PRIORITY’

Aftertwo yearsasgovernor, Landry boasts bigwins, flashesofcontroversy

BY TYLER BRIDGES Staffwriter

Favorable political winds provided plenty of liftwhenJeff Landry became governor in January 2024.

He inheritedanoverflowing statetreasuryfrom his Democratic predecessor, JohnBel Edwards, and he took ofﬁce with a Republican supermajority in the Legislature, the first GOP governor in modern times with that beneﬁt.

Landry has moved aggressively to take advantage sincethen, securing conservativewins that havetoughened anti-crimelaws, reduced income tax rates and allowed more parents to send their children to private schools with taxpayerdollars.

At the same time,Landryhas shown apenchant for jumping into controversial issues with inflammatory comments that have won him headlines —not always favorably He called for theexecution of Venezuela’soustedpresident Nicolás Maduroand won plaudits on Fox News. He demanded the resignation of LSU’sathletic director,saying he’d “rather let Donald Trumppickthe next coach,” and was roastedby

ä Tracking Landry’sagenda. PAGE 7A

sports columnists nationally Now,ashebegins his third year,Landry is facing questions of whether hisappointment as Trump’sspecial envoy to Greenlandwill distract him fromservingthe needs of Louisiana.

Not at all, Landry told The Times-Picayune |The Advocate during a45-minute interview at the Governor’sMansion.

“Louisiana is always my priority,” he said Nor,headded,doeshis newinternational role mean he’s looking to move on to ahigh-proﬁle role in Washington.

“The voterscan kickmeout,” he said. “But I’mnot leaving Louisiana.”

Landry has been raising money for his reelection campaign in 2027. No challenger has surfaced yet.

Landry, 55, was elected as Louisiana’s57th governor in 2023 in theprimary,without having to contest arunoff, after leading during the entire campaign. Voters liked his exuberant Cajun personality,his conservative

ä See LANDRY, page 6A

Prayers, griefafter killing in Treme

OystermengrieveHondurandeckhand

Attacker pursued victim into Dooky Chase’s

BY JAMES FINN Staff writer

The day after a19-year-old Trememan was shot dead inside historic DookyChase’sRestaurant during dinner hour,the business’s ownersprayed, theman’s family grieved and awidening law enforcementhuntfor theshooter neared its 24th hour Policesaidthe victim, identiﬁedbyhis family Saturday as Kareem Harris, was running from an attacker near his Treme home at around 8p.m. Friday when he sought refuge inside the venerated OrleansAvenue restaurant. But the shooter followed him into the building, opening ﬁre in an entryway,striking Harrisand three nearby patrons. Harris diedatthe scene. The three patrons, all women,were taken to local hospitals by paramedics with nonfatal bullet wounds. Two of them were in critical condition that night.

Harris’ sister and mother planned to address reporters Saturday to describe “what type of person he was and what happened last night,” said Michael Willis, a friend andspokespersonfor the family.But they ultimately felt too grief-stricken to go forward with the interviews, Willis said. The carnage struckata landmark New Orleansbusiness known for decades as acultural hub in majority-Black Tremeand laterasa bastionofCivil Rightsera organizing. And it cameafter ayear in which New Orleans enjoyed ahistoric dropinviolent

ä See KILLING, page 8A

BY JOHN SIMERMAN and SOPHIE KASAKOVE Staff writers

Aweek before Christmas, a whiteminivanpulled up to the docks in Hopedale, and fourU.S Coast Guard agents jumped out in black vests. Aboard the Rambler,anoyster boat that had docked to ofﬂoadits haul, two deckhands from Honduras acted fast. They fearedthe same fate as other immigrants working at the bottom reaches of St. Bernard Parish whowere arrested in a sweep on thewater in early November

The younger of the two deckhands hidinthe Rambler’scabin, he said.His coworker,Walter Cerrato, afather of three with awife in Houston, ducked into acooler on thedeck. The agents approached the boat and the young deckhand rushed to Cerrato, who he called “hermano” —brother —and told him he would jump, he saidina phone interview in Spanish. Cerrato worried the agents would catch up with them, he told his friend. But after the younger

into BayouLaLoutre in Hopedale to avoidbeing arrested by U.S.

mandropped into Bayou La Loutre, the older onefollowed. Waterrushed into the younger man’sboots andastrong current swept him away from the boat, he said. By thetime he reached the other bank and looked back to see Cerrato’shead sink beneath the water’ssurface, “itwas already too late.”

Walter Francisco Cerrato Cabrera drowned in his white shrimp boots after 20 years working on oyster boats around Hopedale. He was 48. Friends said he couldn’tswim.

Awoodencross memorial now juts from ashort post by abank

of oyster shells near where he jumped.

His loss has stung this small community of oystermen and fishing guides down Hopedale Highway,raising concernsamong some over the

Mandrowned fleeing Louisiana immigrationsweep ä See CERRATO, page 4A

outpace

BY JOSIEABUGOV Staff

Louisiana has been among the nation’sbiggest greenhouse gas emitters due to its heavy industry, but new data shows the state may be at least temporarily bucking a trend. Whileclimate-warmingemissions increased nationwide last year,Louisiana’sshare has slightly declinedoverthe past fewyears and wasrelatively ﬂat in 2025, the preliminary data from an independent research group shows. Anyreduction in greenhouse gases classifies as good news. But industry andenvironmental analysts caution that Louisiana’s

Governor Jeff Landry STAFFFILE

PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

Awooden cross memorial on pilings has been placed near where deckhand Walter Francisco Cerrato Cabrera died in late December after he jumped

Coast Guard agents.

Cerrato

BRIEFS FROM WIRE REPORTS

Blast of winter weather hits Midwest, East Coast

HOUSTON A blast of winter weather brought snowfall and subfreezing wind chills across the Midwest and East Coast on Saturday as well as near-freezing temperatures in parts of the South, including normally balmy Florida.

In northeastern Ohio, sudden bursts of heavy snow and gusty winds created whiteout conditions, according to the National Weather Service Snow squall conditions moved into the Cleveland metro area and were expected to continue east into Pennsylvania and parts of eastern New York.

Below-average temperatures in the Central and Eastern U.S. were predicted for the weekend and into early next week

“The next few nights are forecast to be very cold for much of the Central and Eastern United States,” the Weather Prediction Center part of the National Weather Service, said. “Subzero wind chills are forecast from the Plains to the Midwest and Northeast, with the coldest wind chills expected in the Upper Midwest on Sunday night.”

“Impactful snowfall” was forecast to begin late Saturday up and down the East Coast, from the western Florida Panhandle to Maine, according to the prediction center Snow was expected to blanket Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island by Sunday night, with some areas getting up to 4 inches of snow Meanwhile Oklahoma, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida were expected to have near-freezing temperatures at least through the weekend.

In Tallahassee, Florida, there could be some snowfall Sunday morning, according to the National Weather Service. But it should not last long.

EU, South American nations sign trade deal

ASUNCIÓN,Paraguay The European Union and the Mercosur bloc of South American countries formally signed a long-sought landmark free trade agreement on Saturday, capping more than a quarter-century of torturous negotiations to strengthen commercial ties in the face of rising protectionism and trade tensions around the world.

The signing ceremony in Paraguay’s capital, Asunción, marks a major geopolitical victory for the EU in an age of American tariffs and surging Chinese exports, expanding the bloc’s foothold in a resource-rich region increasingly contested by Washington and Beijing.

It also sends a message that South America keeps diverse trade and diplomatic relations even as President Donald Trump makes an aggressive push for geopolitical dominance across the Western Hemisphere.

Mercosur consists of the region’s two biggest economies, Argentina and Brazil, as well as Paraguay and Uruguay. Bolivia, the bloc’s newest member, can join the trade deal in the coming years. Venezuela has been suspended from the bloc and isn’t included in the agreement.

Former Nickelodeon star killed in hit-and-run

NEW YORK Law enforcement ofﬁcials say Kianna Underwood, a former Nickelodeon child star, was killed Friday in a hit-and-run in New York. She was 33. According to the New York Police Department, Underwood was crossing an intersection in the Brownsville neighborhood of Brooklyn when a black Ford Explorer SUV hit her in the morning. While lying in the street, she was then “subsequently struck by a black and gray sedan,” NYPD said in a statement. Underwood was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police say both drivers left the scene and have not been identiﬁed. The investigation remains ongoing.

Underwood starred in Nickelodeon’s popular children’s sketch comedy show, “All That,” over seven episodes in 2005. Between 1999 and 2004, Underwood voiced the character Fuschia Glover in the Nick Jr show “Little Bill.” She also spent a year on the ﬁrst national tour of “Hairspray” as Little Inez.

MINNESOTA

Pro- and anti-ICE demonstrators clash

Governor announces mobilization of National Guard amid unrest over immigration crackdown

BY JACK BROOK Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS Protesters for and against the Trump administration’s latest immigration crackdown clashed in Minneapolis on Saturday as the governor’s ofﬁce announced that National Guard troops had been mobilized and stood ready to assist state law enforcement, though they were not yet deployed to city streets.

There have been protests every day since the Department of Homeland Security ramped up immigration enforcement in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul by bringing in more than 2,000 federal ofﬁcers

A large group of protesters turned out in downtown Minneapolis and confronted a much smaller group of people attending an anti-Somali and pro-Immigration and Customs Enforcement rally They chased the pro-ICE group away and forced at least one member to take off a shirt they deemed objectionable.

Jake Lang, who organized the anti-Islam and pro-ICE demonstration, appeared to be injured as he left the scene, with bruises and scrapes on his head. He said via social media beforehand that he intended to “burn a Quran” on the steps of City Hall, but it was not clear if he carried out that plan.

Lang was previously charged with assaulting an officer with a baseball bat, civil disorder and other crimes before receiving clemency as part of President Donald Trump’s sweeping act of clemency for Jan. 6 defendants last year Lang recently announced that he is running for U.S. Senate in Florida.

In Minneapolis, snowballs and water balloons were also thrown before an armored police van and heavily equipped city police arrived.

“We’re out here to show Nazis and ICE and DHS and MAGA you are not welcome in Minneapolis,” protester Luke Rimington said. “Stay out of our city, stay out of our state. Go home.”

National Guard ‘staged and ready’

The state guard said in a statement that it had been “mobilized” by Democratic

Gov Tim Walz to support the Minnesvota State Patrol “to assist in providing trafﬁc support to protect life preserve property and support the rights of all Minnesotans to assemble peacefully.”

Maj. Andrea Tsuchiya, a spokesperson for the guard, said it was “staged and ready” but yet to be deployed.

The announcement came more than a week after Walz, a frequent critic and target of Trump, told the guard to be ready to support law enforcement in the state.

During the daily protests, demonstrators have railed against masked immigration ofﬁcers pulling people from homes and cars and other aggressive tactics.

The operation in the deeply liberal Twin Cities has claimed at least one life: Renee Good, a U.S. citizen and mother of three, was shot by an ICE ofﬁcer during a Jan. 7 confrontation.

Living in fear

During a news conference Saturday, a man who ﬂed civil war in Liberia as a child said he has been afraid to leave his Minneapolis home since being released from an immigration detention center following his arrest last weekend.

Video of federal ofﬁcers breaking down Garrison Gibson’s front door with a battering ram Jan. 11 become another rallying point for protesters who oppose the crackdown.

Gibson, 38, was ordered to be deported, apparently because of a 2008 drug conviction that was later dismissed. He has remained in the country legally under what’s known as an order of supervision After his recent arrest, a judge ruled that federal ofﬁcials did not give him enough notice that his supervision status had been revoked.

Then Gibson was taken back into custody for several hours Friday when he made a routine check-in with immigration ofﬁcials. Gibson’s cousin Abena Abraham said Immigration and Customs Enforcement ofﬁcials told her White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller ordered the second arrest

The White House denied the account of the rearrest and that Miller had anything to do with it.

Gibson was ﬂown to a Texas immigration detention facility but returned home following the judge’s ruling. His family used a dumbbell to keep their damaged front door closed amid subfreezing temperatures before spending $700 to ﬁx it.

DHS said an “activist judge” was again trying to stop the deportation of “criminal illegal aliens.”

U.S. launches another retaliatory strike on Islamic State target

Leader tied to group reportedly killed in Syria

By The Associated Press

WASHINGTON A third round of retaliatory strikes by the U.S. in Syria resulted in the death of an al-Qaida-afﬁliated leader, who ofﬁcials say had a direct tie to the Islamic State member responsible for last month’s ambush that killed two U.S. soldiers and one American civilian interpreter in the country

U.S. Central Command announced that the strike in northwest Syria on Friday killed Bilal Hasan al-Jasim, who they claim was “an experienced terrorist leader who plotted attacks and was directly connected” to the Dec. 13 attack that killed Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard and civilian interpreter Ayad Mansoor Sakat

“The death of a terrorist operative linked to the deaths of three Americans demonstrates our resolve in pursuing ter-

rorists who attack our forces,” Adm. Brad Cooper CENTCOM commander said in a statement. “There is no safe place for those who conduct, plot, or inspire attacks on American citizens and our warﬁghters. We will ﬁnd you.” It was the latest strike as part of a broader U.S. operation ordered by President Donald Trump following the ambush of the Americans to target “ISIS thugs” trying to regroup after the ouster of autocratic leader Bashar Assad a year ago

The Republican president has stressed that Syria was ﬁghting alongside American troops as the U.S. military is expanding its cooperation with security forces as part of a coalition ﬁghting the militant group. He added at the time that Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa was “extremely angry and disturbed by this attack.”

CENTCOM said that the operation, titled “Hawkeye Strike,” has resulted in U.S. and partners like Jordan and Syria targeting more than 100 Islamic State infrastructure and weapons site targets.

Judge: Feds can’t detain, tear gas peaceful protesters

BY AUDREY MCAVOY and STEVE KARNOWSKI Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS Federal ofﬁcers in the Minneapolis area participating in its largest recent U.S. immigration enforcement operation can’t detain or tear gas peaceful protesters who aren’t obstructing authorities, including when these people are observing the agents, a judge in Minnesota ruled Friday

U.S. District Judge Kate Menendez’s ruling addresses a case ﬁled in December on behalf of six Minnesota activists. The six are among the thousands who have been observing the activities of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol ofﬁcers enforcing the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area since last month.

Federal agents and demonstrators have repeatedly clashed since the crackdown began. The confrontations escalated after an immigration agent fatally shot Renee Good in the head on Jan. 7 as she drove away from a scene in Minneapolis, an incident that was captured on video from several angles. Agents have arrested or brieﬂy detained many people in the Twin Cities.

The activists in the case are represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota, which says government officers are violating the constitu-

tional rights of Twin Cities residents. After the ruling, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin issued a statement saying her agency was taking “appropriate and constitutional measures to uphold the rule of law and protect our ofﬁcers and the public from dangerous rioters.”

She said people have assaulted ofﬁcers, vandalized their vehicles and federal property, and attempted to impede ofﬁcers from doing their work.

“We remind the public that rioting is dangerous — obstructing law enforcement is a federal crime and assaulting law enforcement is a felony,” McLaughlin said.

The ACLU didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment Friday night. The ruling prohibits the officers from detaining drivers and passengers in vehicles when there is no reasonable suspicion they are obstructing or interfering with the ofﬁcers.

Safely following agents “at an appropriate distance does not, by itself, create reasonable suspicion to justify a vehicle stop,” the ruling said.

Menendez said the agents would not be allowed to arrest people without probable cause or reasonable suspicion the person has committed a crime or was obstructing or interfering with the activities of officers.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By yUKI IWAMURA

A pro-immigration protester lifts up the vest of Jake Lang who organized the March Against Minnesota Fraud rally after an altercation Saturday near Minneapolis City Hall in Minneapolis.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ADAM GRAy

Federal immigration officers stand outside Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis as tear gas is deployed Thursday.

ﬁgures should be taken with aheavy dose of caution.

The uptick in nationwide emissions reverses atrend of decreases over the past two years, note analystsat the Rhodium Group, which used U.S. Environmental Protection Agency data for its report. Much of the increasewas duetoutilities burningmore coal to help meet the growing power needs of artificial intelligence data centers and residents heating their homes during cold winter weather, the analysts say But some of the underlying factors are different in Louisiana.

At the national level, power generation drives greenhouse gas emissions, said David Dismukes, professor emeritus at the LSU Center for Energy Studies. But nearly 60% of Louisiana’s carbon emissions came from industry as of 2023.

“Wehave amuch higher industrial base than the averagestate,and we also have alower population,” said Dismukes. “Where industry goes is where our greenhouse gas emissions are goingtogointhe state.” It is precisely for that reason that the reductions may come as asurprise to some. The state has welcomeda variety of industrial plants in recent years,from a boomingliquefied natural gas exportsector to continued petrochemical production along the Mississippi River corridor.Arangeof projectsare also slatedto begin operations in the coming years, such as anearly $6 billionHyundai steel mill andMeta’spower-hungry AI data center

Dismukes attributes Louisiana’sdecreasing emissions to improved efﬁciency when it comes to both power generation and industry.He highlighted utilities phasing out old generators and replacing them with newer, less polluting, models.

“Even though it’snatural gas and it’snot renewable, we’re emitting far less greenhouse gas emissions for that power generation,” Dismukes said.

The same is true on the industrial side, Dismukes said, as Louisiana expands its productive capacity without making substantial changes in emissions at ammonia plants, methanol plants and reﬁneries. Greg Upton, the current director of theLSU Center forEnergyStudies, alsonoted that many industrial plants aretrying to connect to thegrid, which could reduce emissions if the energy being transmitted there is cleaner

“It’snot just about reducing carbon emissions,” said Justin Carr,acarbon capture asset manager for ExxonMobil. “It’sabout consuming less energy and natural gastosave cost,too. There’s always apush to makethe products withlessinput.”

Amixed result

Carr argued that Louisiana has the opportunityto decrease emissions “without sacriﬁcing its ability to be amanufacturing powerhouse” throughcarboncapture —but that technology is highly controversialand it is unclear how intensively the state will pursue it in the future. Carbon capture involves piping C02emissions deep underground for permanent storage, but it has faced heavy opposition in rural areas.

Another concern is thatan inﬂux of new industrycould outpace improvements.

“On one hand, you’ll have the emissions intensity of products decline, but on the other hand, you have these billions of dollars of investment in facilities thatare going to come online,” Upton said. “Even if they’re producing avery low carbon product …that can actually increase the total amount of emissions.” Kimberly Terrell, aresearchscientistatthe Environmental Integrity Project, said that even asingle large facility can change theoverallpicture forthe state’semissions. She pointed to year-to-year changes in state emissions data, noting

that 2023emissions ﬁgures were similar to nearlyadecadeprior

Decreasing emissions from 2023 to 2024largely came from reductionsin naturalgas pipelinetransport, shesaid, even as other sectors increased their emissions.

“If we removethat one source of natural gas transport, that takes away most of the decrease,” Terrell said. “Individual sectors in Louisiana have been remaining steady or increasing slightly.”

Over thelast two decades, carbon emissionsdropped 9% inLouisiana, according to the Rhodium Group, mirroring alarger national trend to aless dramatic degree. Across the countryas awhole, emissions declined by 18% in the sameperiod as thecountry phased out coal power in favor of mostly natural gas and some renewableenergy

Butthere arewarnings that the Trump administration’s opposition to renewable energy and embrace of coal could reverse many gains.

Thenationallevel

Competing forces are also playing outonthe national level, the Rhodium Group’s estimates show Last year,solar power was thefastest growing source of electricity.But higher demand in the power sector, largely fueled byAI data centers, andthe resurgence of coal due to high natural gas prices —in part spurred by liqueﬁed natural gas exports— ultimately trumped thesurgeinsolar,the researchers found.

“When power demandis growing substantially,both things can be true: Youcan be bringing arecord amount of renewables online, but at thesame time you’re notreally reducingemissions,” said Michael Gaffney,alead author of thereport

Gaffney noted that Louisiana has seen some emissions reductions in the powersector,asnatural gas has reduced thegrid share of coal. Conversely, emissionsfrom LNG exports have increased as morecapacity forthe facilities come online. Louisianaisthe global epicenterof the carbon-intensiveindustry,and President Donald Trump has pushed to expand the sector further

The threeexisting LNG export terminals in Louisianawere all amongthe top 10 carbon emittingfacilities in thestate as of 2023, accordingtodata from Upton. Thereare more than adozen more terminals approved or proposed for Louisiana. Theother top emitterswere chemical plants andreﬁneries.

Terrell noted that Rhodium’s low,medium and high emissions predictions forLouisiana all project a “massive increase in emissionsfromLNG,” even as the state’s holistic emissions ﬁgures are more varied.

TheRhodium Group found that some of the national emission changes resulted from Trump repealing climate regulations and curbing clean energy taxcredits passed under the Biden administration.More effects of policy changes may be felt in the coming years,

Gaffney said. Upton and Dismukes similarlypointed to theimpact of the shutteredtax credits, butthey cautioned against giving too much weight to some domestic political changes.

Email Josie Abugov at josie.abugov@theadvocate. com.

“I know broadly where the policy is going, and it doesn’t matter whoitis,” Dismukes said. “It’sgoing to be more efficient and having lower emissions and delivering productand commodity at thelowest cost,bothenvironmentally and economically.”

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STAFF FILEPHOTO By DAVIDGRUNFELD

Over the past two decades, carbon emissions dropped nine percentinLouisiana, according to theRhodium Group, mirroring alarger national trend to aless dramatic degree. Across the countryasa whole, emissions declined by 18% in the same period.

immigration crackdown from President Donald Trump’s administration.

They describe stepped-up arrests in lower St. Bernard, including the raid on boats in Drum Bay over a few days at the start of oyster season.

Trump’s administration also sent more than 200 U.S. Border Patrol agents to south Louisiana early last month, fanning out from New Orleans to Baton Rouge.

Republican state leaders, including Gov Jeff Landry and Attorney General Liz Murrill, have welcomed the federal ofﬁcials, saying they will help to rid the state of crime. Democratic leaders of New Orleans have opposed them.

The operation, dubbed “Catahoula Crunch,” has netted 560 arrests so far, federal ofﬁcials said, though the vast majority have not had criminal records.

Oystermen say the campaign has instilled fear among immigrants in an industry few Americans are eager to work.

“They’ve been really spooked out ever since Border Patrol and ICE have been in New Orleans,” said Anthony Tesvich, the Rambler’s captain, who described the Coast Guard van that pulled up as unmarked.

The Coast Guard conﬁrmed its presence that day but said in a statement that it didn’t learn of the two Honduran men, or that one of them drowned, until later Oysterman Greg Perez, who often employed Cerrato, said he had a work visa at one point but that it likely had lapsed. Perez said he knew Cerrato couldn’t swim, having fished him out of the water about ﬁve years ago.

The younger deckhand, who asked that his name not be published over fear of immigration ofﬁcials, said it’s a hard time for those in his circumstances.

“Given how things are right now sometimes we react in a way that we don’t see the consequences of what’s going to happen,” he said.

He credited his survival to a floating tree branch he used to buoy himself to the far banks of a bayou about 120 feet across.

“I was drowning, literally drowning, swallowing water,” he said, adding that nobody saw them be-

A wooden cross memorial on pilings has been placed near where deckhand Walter Francisco Cerrato Cabrera died in late December after he jumped into Bayou La Loutre in Hopedale

pling hooks into the bayou until St. Bernard Parish deputies with longer lines recovered Cerrato’s body after nightfall, about 7 p.m., according to a sheriff’s report

“I sure hope God made him an angel, because he was a good, good guy Anything you asked him: ‘I got it.’ Just an A1 guy,” said Robbie Campo, of Campo’s Marina. He also knew that Cerrato, whom he described as “far from a troublemaker,” couldn’t swim.

“Whoever needed a deckhand, he was just a hardworking dude,” Campo said, adding that Cerrato was bilingual.

“Walter made himself that way I remember when he couldn’t speak a bit of English at all. He just picked it up really quick.”

Mary Hand, an attorney for the St Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Ofﬁce, said a records search found no warrants, attachments or criminal history for Cerrato.

describing the November sweep as a two-day “Border Patrol-led interagency operation that took place in Biloxi Marsh,” which encompasses Drum Bay

The statement said the operation resulted in “10 illegal alien arrests,” and that the Coast Guard issued 33 violations

Among them were “three violations where more than 25% of the total number of unlicensed seamen on the vessel were aliens not lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence and one violation for a vessel operating with a non-U.S. master.”

It said the Coast Guard’s presence in Hopedale six weeks later, on the afternoon that Cerrato drowned, “was not a joint operation and was not connected to previous boardings in November.”

“On December 18th, while U.S. Coast Guard Sector New Orleans Boarding Team was conducting a standard Ports Waterways Coastal Security (PWCS) patrol around Hopedale Hwy, they conducted a small vessel security boarding on a commercial fishing vessel off-loading catch,” the statement read.

“The master of the ﬁshing vessel stated there were only two persons on board.”

Hours later, the Sheriff’s Ofﬁce alerted the Coast Guard, which had left the scene, “that the vessel had a third crew member who entered the water prior to the boarding,” the statement said.

The Coast Guard said it returned to help with the search and didn’t know Cerrato’s legal status until after his death.

An American was detained on an outstanding warrant during the Coast Guard operation. At the time, Tesvich didn’t let on about the two Honduran men, he said.

After the mass arrests on Drum Bay, “you couldn’t ﬁnd a deckhand for weeks,” Campo said. Oystermen agreed that the immigrants do work few locals embrace.

“Ninety percent of them are lazy You can’t ﬁnd nobody to work down there. It’s pitiful. The ones that do work, they doing dope,” Campo said.

“What you have with these Hondurans, or Mexicans or whatever, Guatemalans — those guys are there to make money and get back in (to shore),” he said. “I know they’re here illegally, you know what I mean? But ICE got ’em so damn scared.”

Cerrato was quick to request his IRS tax forms each year, Perez said. He was also frugal and drove the same old Nissan Sentra until it died Cerrato would return home every few weeks to Houston and his family

“When the phone would ring and it was his kids, he would just change into the sweetest tone you’d ever want to hear speaking to a child,” Perez said. “It’s beautiful.”

He said Cerrato sometimes talked about Honduras.

“He had a few investments over there he was proud of. He made a little apartment complex, the way it sounded,” he said.

Perez said he awoke this week from a dream in which Cerrato had appeared, surviving, before he recognized it had not happened. Politically, he said, it’s been hard to know where to land.

“I understand Walter and them, being illegal. My mother’s from Havana, Cuba. I feel a sympathy But at the same time, I know we have a problem with our borders,” he said. “I’m kind of on both sides.”

La Loutre as U.S Coast Guard officials approached.

cause they were blocked from view. “I was resigned to dying; I had given up.”

‘A good, good guy’

As the sun set on Dec. 18, Perez and other oystermen hurled grap-

Another longtime oysterman, Brock Buras, estimated that about 30 immigrant deckhands remain working in the community two decades after they arrived in the U.S.

“They’re all good people, really good people It’s a horrible thing,” Buras said “If they’re gone, I’m out of business, plain and simple.”

In response to questions, the U.S. Coast Guard released a statement

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Tesvich said he was torn about when to report the possible drowning. He delayed calling authorities for a few hours that afternoon as he and others searched, records show Cerrato’s family held a service on Christmas Eve in Houston before ﬂying his body to Honduras for burial, Perez said. Attempts to reach family members were not successful.

Deckhands hard to find

Around Hopedale, a ﬁshing enclave built by Islenos after the Civil War, oystermen said the immigration focus has taken a toll.

The younger deckhand said that he and Cerrato worked together every day for a year

Cerrato was “a hardworking man who didn’t smoke, didn’t drink,” he said. “He left a big void.

Everyone knew him.”

The deckhand said he’s mostly stayed at home since Cerrato’s death.

He’s considering leaving the country and leaving his son behind to follow the path of many friends in recent months who have returned home, he said, rather than live in the U.S. in fear

Staff writers Lara Nicholson and James Finn contributed reporting.

PROVIDED PHOTO

Walter Cerrato, 48, a longtime oyster boat deckhand around Hopedale in lower St. Bernard Parish, drowned on Dec. 18 after jumping into Bayou

STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

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message and his record of taking on Democrats during his eight years as attorney general.

Hyperactive sincehewas akid

in St. MartinvilleinSt. Martin Parish, Landry doesn’twalk into rooms. He bounds in, full of energy,smiles and claps on the back But he’ll turn combative when his point of view is challenged

During his two years asgovernor,Landry has embraced Trump’s MAGA policies of aggrievement, while cutting deals with Democrats when necessary to advance his policy goals.

“I think Gov.Landryhas been an extraordinarily successful governor in achieving the goals he has set forth for his administration,” said Robert Hogan, who chairs LSU’spoliticalscience department. “His list of accomplishments read like awish list that most any Republican governor would hope to accomplish.” Hogan added that Landryhas shown adeft politicaltouch and has been fortunate not to have “a revenue crisis or set of conditions that require painful cuts to services or the imposition of taxes, so this makes governing much easier Also, he has large majorities of fellow partisans in both chambers, again, another fundamental condition that results in success.”

The House under Speaker Phillip DeVillier,R-Eunice, has given Landry virtually everything he has sought, while the Senate,under President Cameron Henry,RMetairie, has rejected some of his initiatives.

“He’sevolved every year as governor,” Henry said. “He wentin with an approach of telling elected ofﬁcials what to do. He’sevolved into making decisions more collaboratively.Henow asks, ‘What’s the best way to proceed? How can we get things done?’ We allhave the same desire to have Louisiana succeed, but sometimesour approaches are different.”

Abusysecondyearinoffice

In his second year as governor, Landry won praise for overseeing planning fora highly acclaimed Super BowlinNew Orleans, for therole of Troop Nolain contributing to the continued drop in crime in New Orleans and for promoting big investment projects in Louisiana.

In March, Landry and Trumpannounced that Hyundai isplanning to spend $5.8 billion to build asteel mill in Ascension Parish Business Facilities magazine, which reports on economic development projects, nameditthe country’s“Platinum Deal of the Year” in 2025 —ayear after the publication gave the same award for Meta’s$27 billion artiﬁcial intelligence data center under construction in Richland Parish in northeast Louisiana.

His opposition led state ofﬁcials, citing highercosts,tocancel the Mid-Barataria Diversion,which aimed to rebuild wetlandsasLouisiana’sbiggestcoastal project

He welcomedthe federalimmigration crackdown in theNew Orleansarea that led to 560 arrests, according to the Department of Homeland Security,and opened up aclosed wing at Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola for detained immigrants.

Landry also encountered setbacks during his second year in ofﬁce.

He suffered what he acknowl-

edges was his biggest defeat when voters in March, by a2-1 margin, rejected changes he sought to the state’sbudget and tax laws.

In April, just before the legislative session began, anews story reporting he and several key legislators went turkey hunting in Texaswith trial attorney Gordon McKernan prompted conservatives to question his commitment to adoptpro-insurance changes that conservatives said would lower home and property insurance rates.

As the session wasabout to end, Landry trumpeted passage of legislation favored by theinsurance industry.But he faced his first major defections among House Republicans when they opposed ameasure that Landry said wouldallow Insurance Commissioner TimTemple to lower rates —but that insurance industryofﬁcials said would discourage them from investing in thestate.

Concerned aboutpossible ballooning costs, thestate Senate has been willing to give Landry onlyhalf the money he has sought for LA GATOR, which gives parents taxpayer money to send their children to privateschools.

ated from the UniversityofLoyola Law School at 33.

As governor,Landry put so many demands on then-LSU President William Tate that that was afactor in Tate’sdecision last year to leave to become president of Rutgers University, said two members of the LSUBoard of Supervisors.

Landry madeitknown that he favored then-McNeese State President Wade Rousse to be LSU’snext president.The LSU board went along with him.

“Any time we are engaging in policydebates that Ibelieve are good for the peopleofthe state, Iwill go to allextremes to ensure that the peopleget what they deserve.”

GOV. JEFFLANDRy

In January,Landry hailed big gainsinnational fourth grade reading scorerankings compared to other states, but thechanges creditedfor thoseimprovements took placebeforehetook ofﬁce.

Landry showed an appetite for political retaliation: Afull 16 of the 17 line-item vetoesthat he issued in 2025 targetedspending projects sought by Republican legislators who had opposed that measure.

Landry later showed his political muscle by getting the House Republicans to choose state Rep.Michael Echols of Monroe to be their caucuschair overRep. John Illg of Metairie, an unusualinterventionfor agovernor.Illg hadvoted against theinsurance measure.

The governor has paid unusually close attentiontoLSU, which may be asurprise to some, given that college was not apriority for Landry after he graduated from St.Martinville High School. He worked in alocal sugar cane ﬁeld initially before moving on to other jobswhile attending what is now called theUniversity of Louisiana at Lafayette. He completed his studies there at age 28 and gradu-

Daysearlier, Landry complained about LSU’splan to raise ticket pricesfor next year’sfootball games after getting blown out by Texas A&M at home,and universityofficials reversed course. But any goodwill he gained there was offset when he was accused of meddling by calling for theresignation of Athletic Director Scott Woodward and complaining that LSU had givenanoverly generouscontract to coach BrianKelly,who had just beenfiredand was now owed $54 million. Critics had afield day after LSUthengave Lane Kiffin, the new coach, acontract that seemed to be as generous, including ahuge payout if he was fired, and Landry expressed his delight at the hire.

“Canyou smell what’s coming out of LSU? That would be theunforgettable odor of mendacity,” wrote acolumnist for Front Ofﬁce Sports, an online news organization that coversthe business of sports.

In theinterview,Landry said Kifﬁn’scontractisbetterfor LSU because the payments to the coach are front-loaded andbecause the contract expressly says the Tiger Athletic Foundation, aprivate entity,would cover aKifﬁnbuyout. (Thefoundation is expected to pay themoney owed to Kelly.)

“All of those critics?” Landry said. “It’s hogwash. Again, Iwas right.They were wrong.”

In themeantime, Landry has continued to operate less transparentlythan his predecessors, not explaining why he traveled to Argentina in December andhavinghis staff scrub details of his daily schedule before releasing it to thepress.

In Landry’sview,all of this is background noise. In his view,the statehas never seen amore effectivegovernor

“The people of Louisiana said they wanted change,and we have absolutely delivered that positive change,” he said. “Some people maynot like the way we ﬁxed the problem. But ultimately,weﬁxed theproblem.”

He added,“Even in light of setbacks, everything that we promised to the people of this state, we delivered on.Crime? Going down. Education? Our numbers are better.The economy?Historic. Infrastructure improvement? Historic. Budgetstabilization? Historic. Fiscal responsibility? Historic.”

LouisianaEconomicDevelopmentreports that companies planned to invest $61 billion in the statein2025, up dramatically from $16 billion in 2024 and $16 billion in 2023.

“Thegovernor is correct,”said economist Loren Scott. “Wehave never seen anything like this.”

By thenumbers

Butbyother,broader measures, the economic gains aren’texactly historic.

From when he becamegovernor through November 2025, when the latest numbers are available,Louisiana mirrored the national average with an increase in nonfarm employment of 1.5%. That translated into about 29,000 more jobs in Louisiana.

The state unemployment rate ticked up to 4.3% in November from 4.2% when Landry took ofﬁce.

Economist Jim Richardson hails theplans fornew investments but notes that mostofthe job creation will come during the construction phase,not afterthe new facilities are open, because mostofthe new projectsare capital-intensive.

Landry and other conservatives blamed Gov.Edwards’ policies for adrop in the state’spopulation during his tenure. No reliable census ﬁgures exist yettoshow whether the population loss hasbeen reversedunder Landry.Atlas, the big moving company,provided ﬁguresrecently to suggest that it hasn’t.

Atlasrecently reported that, on apercentage basis, Louisiana had moreoutbound moves with the company than any other state from Nov.1,2024, to Oct. 31, 2025. Louisiana hadtwo outbound moves for every inbound one, the company said.

Landryhas benefited from having plenty of money to spend, inheriting a$325 million budget surplus from Edwards and seeing the surplus grow to $577 millionbythe endof2025. But state officials are projecting a$130 milliondeficit for next year anda $609 million deficit for theyear after that. Statelaw requires the Legislature and governor to approve a balanced budget each year

The state’stwo reserve accounts —the Budget Stabilization Fund andthe Revenue Stabilization Fund —had $3.23 billion two years agoand nowhave $3.6 billion.Lawmakers face restrictions on how they can spend that money Landryisbeing “very prudent, which anygovernor should do,” Richardsonsaid.

While Landry has called forless government, the number of state employees rose slightly from 69,135 in 2024 to 69,630 in 2025, according to Richardson.

Landry said he has positioned Louisianafor an investment boom and population gains by getting the Legislature in November 2024 to approve anet taxcut. The lawmakers reduced the top individual and corporatetax rates and abolished the much-maligned corporate

franchise tax, which was atax on corporate assets —but they also raised the state sales tax.

The TaxFoundation, aWashington, D.C.-basednonproﬁt favored by conservatives, moved Louisiana in its State TaxCompetitiveness Index from 37th nationally to 31st.

“You could say Louisiana moved only six places, but it’sclearly moving in the right direction,”said ManishBhatt, thegroup’sstate tax policy director

Landry said he hopes to convene aspecial legislative sessionlate in the year to reduce income tax rates even further

But while reducing the tax rates 14 months ago, Landry and the Legislature offset thatbyraising the state sales tax from 4.45% to 5%.

Louisiana has the highest combined state and local sales tax rate in the country and went from the 48th-ranked state sales tax system to the 50th, according to The Tax Foundation.

Economist Greg Albrecht found the changesare making Louisiana’stax system slightly moreregressive by giving tax cuts in percentage terms to the wealthy while the poor are paying slightly more. What’s next?

Afterpushing through major changes during his ﬁrst twoyears, the governor has yet to explain his major initiativesfor the regular legislative session that convenes on March 9. It appears he is focusedonconsolidating the conservative policies that he says are offering the right recipe for Louisiana.

However,legislators, including conservatives, aregrumbling privately more andmoreatLandry’s style, whichsomecall overbearing.

“Any time we are engaging in policy debates that Ibelieve are good for the people of the state, I will go to allextremes to ensure that the people get what they deserve,” Landry said. The governorhas traveledrepeatedly to Washington, D.C., to cultivate ties withTrump and otherkey ﬁguresinMAGA world. This led Trumplast month to appoint Landry as the president’s special envoytoGreenland.

“He seems more focused on being Donald Trump’spet projects coordinator than tending to our problems andneeds in Louisiana,” said Dustin Granger, aDemocrat who lost the 2023 race to be state treasurer.

Landry’snew role puts him in theinternational spotlight —he told Fox News on Friday that he plans to travel there in March, followingahigh-levelmeeting in WashingtononThursday— as Trumpfaces offwith leaders from Greenland, Denmark and Europe over the island’sfuture.

“It’sanhonor to serve youinthis volunteer position to make Greenland apartofthe U.S,”Landry said in apost on Xaddressed to Trump in his first statementon Dec. 21.

In theinterview, Landry offered asofter approach, saying, “This is an opportunity to go talk to some folks andsay,‘Hey, would y’all be interested in engaging in arelationship with the United States that’sbetter than the one you have in Europe?’”

Asked about his lack of experience in foreignaffairs and knowledge aboutEurope,Landry asked, “You have to have adegree in diplomacy from Harvard to be able to converse with different people?”

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In his first twoyears in office, Gov. Jeff Landryhas pursued an ambitious conservativeagenda and courted national controversy

LAWAND ORDER

n TOUGHERCRIMINAL JUSTICELAWS

In one of his first acts as governor, Landrysummoned lawmakers to a special legislativesession on crimeto pass aslewofbills aimed at cracking down on crime.The packageended mostparole and slashed the time inmates could gettaken off their sentences for good behavior.Another lawautomatically placed 17-yearolds into the adult justice system, and other measures createdharsher penalties for crimes.

It was asea changefrom the approach lawmakers took in 2017, when abipartisan coalition passed apackageofbills to increase early release opportunities for nonviolent offenders and free up moneyfor rehabilitativeservices.

Landryand his supporters said those changes went too far,and the state needed to crack down on crime. Opponents argued Louisiana was seeking punishment instead of rehabilitation and would pour more people intoprisons —the statehas one of the highest incarceration rates in the world.

RESTARTING EXECUTIONS

Landryin2024 pushed the Legislature to add electrocution and nitrogen gastothe state’slist of approvedexecution methods.

That set the stagefor the state’s first execution in 15 years: Last March, the state used nitrogen gastoexecute Jessie Hoffman Jr., whohad been sentenced to death for the 1996 abduction, rape and execution-style slaying of 28-year-old Mary“Molly” Elliott in rural St.TammanyParish.

The state’spause in executionswas partly due to an inability to obtain the drugs for lethal injection, thestate’s only approvedexecution method before Landrytook office.

n EMBRACING TRUMP’S IMMIGRATIONCRACKDOWN

Landryhas embraced President Donald Trump’snationwide push to detain and deportimmigrants in recordnumbers.

More ICE detainees are held in Louisiana than in anystate otherthan Texas. Landryhas worked to intensify that role. During his term, state law enforcement has partnered with ICE to aid in immigration enforcement; Landryhas urged local police to do the same.

In September,the governor unveiled anew ICE detention center,known as Camp 57 or the Louisiana Lockup, on the grounds of the Louisiana State PenitentiaryatAngola.

Several months later,Landry welcomed the U.S. Border Patrol agents to the NewOrleans area for acrackdown,dubbed “Catahoula Crunch,” that resulted in the arrests of about 560 undocumented immigrants, according to the U.S. Border Patrol.

CHANGING STATE GOVERNMENT

OVERHAULING TAXES

In 2024, Landryand the Legislature overhauled Louisiana’stax system. Theycut the corporate income tax from athree-tiered system, witha top rateof7.5%, to one flat rateof5.5%. Theyconsolidated income taxes from three brackets, with atop rate of 4.25%,toa flat rate of 3%.And they axed the corporate franchisetax on business capital.

To makeupfor the lost revenue, Landrysigned an increase in the state sales tax to 5%.

Supporters saythe taxes will make the state much more competitivefor businesses. Critics sayitmadethe taxsystem more regressivebyraising Louisiana’ssales taxes to among the highest in the country.

Part of Landry’soverhaul failed after voters rejected amendments to the state Constitution that would have given the Legislature more flexibility to decide howtofund state government

TRACKING LANDRy’S AGENDA

Along with Republican supermajorities in the Louisiana Legislature, Gov.JeffLandry andhis cabinet have pursuedanaggressive agenda in his first twoyearsofoffice. Here aresomeofthe mosthigh-profile actions state leaders have taken since Landry took office in 2024.

Gov. Jeff Landry’s twoyears

Here is what’shappened on his watch

Source:Louisiana Economic Development

Source:The TaxFoundation

Source:DivisionofAdministration

everto fight coastal land loss.The $3 billion project would have allowed sediment from the Mississippi River to flow out, restoring marshesthe way nature did before leveesystems were built.

sayitimpingesonstudents’ religious freedom. Landryhas been unmoved by the backlash, saying parents who oppose displaying areligious textin public school classrooms should “tell the child not to look at it.”

Department of Corrections

and what tospend the moneyon.

n CONGRESSIONAL REDISTRICTING

Landryhelped put Louisiana at the center of amajor voting rights and redistrictingdebate when he backed anew versionofLouisiana’ssixdistrict congressional map.

The map added asecond majorityBlack districtthat favored Democrat Cleo Fields andhelped oust from theseatGarret Graves, aWhite Republican. Landry has saidthe new map was meant to satisfyanorder from afederal judgeinresponse to a voting-rights lawsuit.

Butagroup of White voters challengedthe map,setting up alawsuit thatisnow before the Supreme Court, which asked the parties to addresswhether it’s constitutional to useraceasafactor to drawvoting districts. Louisiana has taken the position that race should neverbeusedasa factor in redistricting.The state’smap couldbe redrawn to have onemajority-Black seat —ornoneatall.

n CLOSED PRIMARIES

Louisianaswitched fromanopen “jungle” primarysystem,where all candidates compete against each other on the same ballot, to a closed partyprimary system, where Republicans andDemocrats hold separateprimary contests to select their nomineesfor ageneralelection.

The change,madeinearly 2024, only appliestoraces for Congress, theLouisianaSupreme Court, Public

Administration officials argued the project’scost wasspiraling out of control and that it would destroy the livelihoods of oystermen in the affected areas.But many coastal scientists and environmental advocates arguedthe diversion was the best waytopersistently rebuild coastline—and more than $600 millionhad alreadybeen spent State officials nowsay the coastal restoration strategy is focusedon land bridges and barrierislands.

n ACARBONCAPTURE MORATORIUM

OTHERISSUES

n BIGINDUSTRIAL COMMITMENTS

Landrylast Octoberannounced apause on newcarbon capture projects, wading into adebate of growingimportance in Louisiana. Industrial companiessay carbon capture —a process of storing carbon deep underground instead of intothe atmosphere—isanimportant stepto meeting climate goals frominvestors and other countries, and could generate significant jobs in Louisiana. But opposition is mounting from property owners upsetabout property being expropriated forwells and pipelines,residents upsetabout safety and pollution risks, and environmentalists whoargueit’s stallinga transition away from fossil fuels

Landryhas pushed forLouisiana to become acenterof“thenew industrial South,”inking major deals withinternational businesses to build enormous facilitiesinthe state. Meta is building a$27 billion artificial intelligence datacenter in Richland Parish, which is expected to create hundreds of jobs and potentially transformasection of northeast Louisiana that has languishedrecently.Hyundai has announceda $5.8 billion steel mill project forAscension Parish, which is also expected to be amajor job creator Those twodeals were named “Platinum Dealofthe year” by Business Facilitiesmagazine,making Louisiana the first state to win the award back-to-back.

n CARINSURANCE AND LAWSUITS

At the startofthe regular 2025 legislativesession, Landrydeclared that both personal injurylawsuits and bad behavior by insurance companiesweredriving up thecost of car insurance

Landryissuedanexecutiveorder freezingnew projects, and regulators have selectedsix projectsfor priority approval. Landrysaid the goal is to “provide aclear road mapfor citizens and localofficials.”

EDUCATION

n LA GATOR

With his backing,the legislature passed several laws changing the rulesfor howthose lawsuitsare handledincourt. Supporters said that will curtail frivolous lawsuitsthat drive up the price of insurance;opponents said it would make it harder for people whoare injuredinwrecks to getcompensated.

Service Commission and the Board of Elementaryand Secondary Education.

Supporters of the changesay only members of aparty shouldhaveasay in pickingthe nominee.Opponents of the closed system sayitexacerbates partisanship.

n DOTD OVERHAUL

In abid to fixthe state’s notoriously decrepit roadways more quickly,a plan to restructure the Louisiana Department of Transformation and Developmentwon bipartisan approval in the Legislature in 2025. Landry had ordered a“reformation and optimization” of the agency The governor backed the creation of abrand-newoffice, completely independentofDOTD, to handle repairs and construction of the state’s smaller bridges and roads. Lawmakers also revamped DOTD’s organizational chartwith an eyetoward speedingupproject delivery.Theycreated anew Office of Transformation dedicated to “operational efficiency” and combined engineering and project deliveryinto one office, which is now also required to privatize services whereverpossible.

COAST AND THE ENVIRONMENT

n MID-BARATARIA

SETTLEMENT DIVERSION

The Landryadministration halted the Mid-BaratariaSettlement Diversion, Louisiana’slargest project

Landry’ssignature education policy, called LA GATOR, is arevamped version of Louisiana’slong-standing school voucher program.Like vouchers, the program gives families tax dollars to payfor privateschool tuition, but it also allows them to spend the stipends on other education-relatedexpenses— such as textbooks or laptops —that could be usedfor homeschooling

Landryhas vowed to eventually open the program to all private school families —which would cost overhalf abilliondollars, according to some estimates —but so farhe’sbeen stymied by state lawmakers wary of the hugenew expenses. Last year, Landrysought about $94 million forLAGATOR, but the Legislature allocated just $50 million— roughly howmuchthe state spent on the old voucher program

READING GAINS

Louisiana students have made big gainsinreading in recent years, a remarkableturnaround forastate challengedbylow literacy rates.The state’sfourth graders ledthe nation in reading progress on aclosely watchednational test in 2024, rising to 16th place nationally,upfrom 42nd place in 2022.

The widely heraldedimprovements have been attributedinlarge part to aseries of state laws and policy changes that overhauledhow reading is taught in public schools. The literacy reformsbegan during the tenure of Gov. John BelEdwards, Landry’sDemocratic predecessor, and took several years to roll out

n TENCOMMANDMENTS

Louisiana is at the front linesof alegal battle overchurch-state separation thanks to astate law requiring public schools to post the TenCommandments. Landryhas been an outspoken proponent of the law, which afederal judgeruled unconstitutional and the 5th U.S. Circuit CourtofAppeals is setto reviewthisweek. Proponents saythe lawreflectsthe country’sChristian roots, while critics

Landryalso pushedhardfor a newlaw that gives the insurance commissionerauthority to reject rate increaseshedetermines to be excessive. CommissionerTim Temple and someotherRepublicans objected, saying it gives toomuch arbitrarypower to agovernment official; Landryhas said Temple will be to blame if ratescontinue to rise n BANNINGABORTIONPILLS

Louisiana became the firststate to classify twoabortion medications, misoprostol and mifepristone,as dangerous controlledsubstances. Having the drugs without avalid prescription is nowa crime and could lead to 10 years in prison, though pregnant women are exempt from penalties underthe law.

Supporters arguedthe change closedanunsafeloophole for abortions afterthe state banned theminthe wake of aSupreme Courtdecision overturning Roev Wade. Some doctors have pushed back on the change.Theyarguethe newclassifications createhurdles to administering the drugs, which have usesotherthan abortion, such as managing miscarriages n INTERVENINGIN

NEWORLEANS

Landryhas repeatedly intervenedin NewOrleans, saying at thestart of his term that city leaders were ineffective and local lawenforcementwas “in shambles.”

In somecases, political leaders have accusedLandryofinterfering in what should be local issues and using the city as apolitical punching bag But in others, likethe deployments of Troop Nola and the National Guard, and in Landry’spersonal role in gearing the city up forthe Super Bowl and Mardi Gras in 2025, they have praised aclose and productive relationship.

Oneavenue wherehis priorities are alreadybeing enacted is through the selection of newmembers on powerful state-controlled boards that overseethe Superdome, the Convention Centerand thecity’slevee system.

crime, with 2025 marking the third straight year of declining homicides in the city

“Dooky Chase’s Restaurant has always been a place of gathering, culture, and care,” the Chase family, which has operated the restaurant since it opened in the 1940s, said in a written statement. “As a family rooted in faith and community, we lift up in prayer all those impacted by this random and tragic incident.”

Law enforcement and elected officials said neither the restaurant nor any diners were targets in the shooting.

After chasing Harris through the entrance, the attacker “continued to shoot so innocent bystanders who were patrons were actually hit, but they were in no way targets, nor was this restaurant,” New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said at the scene.

“(The victim) was a person who was being chased,” Mayor Helena Moreno said Saturday, “and this person ran into the restaurant, and that’s when the shooting occurred.” Moreno met with the members of the Chase family inside the restaurant Friday night. “Obviously this has been a very traumatic situation,” she said. Harris appeared to have ﬂed by running across Orleans Avenue and through the restaurant’s dining room entrance on North Miro Street. Crime scene tape blocked a section of Orleans on Friday night as NOPD ofﬁcers and FBI agents gathered evidence inside and outside the building. Police crowded the North Miro entrance, and bullet casings were strewn on the ground near that doorway More than a dozen emergency vehicles surrounded the restaurant. Police had not identified

a suspect in the case by Saturday evening, though Kirkpatrick said investigators believe the shooter wore a black hooded sweatshirt. She asked residents to review surveillance camera footage and to contact authorities with information. Greater New Orleans Crimestoppers is offering $5,000 — double a previous reward of $2,500 — for any tip that “leads to the arrest of the shooter,” said Darlene Cusanza, the group’s president. By Saturday, the manhunt had drawn in state and federal agents as well as NOPD ofﬁcers. The restaurant’s doors were shuttered the day after the shooting. The building was quiet, save for a pair of workers pressurewashing the cobblestone sidewalk along Orleans Avenue and the concrete walking ramp up to the dining room entrance. Several neighbors declined to discuss the attack, citing fear of retaliation.

Starting as a shop that peddled sandwiches and lottery tickets, Dooky Chase’s opened as a fullﬂedged restaurant in 1941. It would swiftly emerge as a community hub in Treme, among the oldest majorityBlack neighborhoods in the country During the Civil Rights

era, the restaurant hosted Martin Luther King Jr., Oretha Castle Haley, future Mayor Ernest N. “Dutch” Morial and many other leaders of the movement for marathon organizing sessions, often in its upstairs dining room. That upstairs room reopened a year ago after undergoing renovations, including new murals commemorating moments from the Civil Rights Movement.

Friday’s fatal shooting marked at least the sixth homicide of 2026 in New Orleans, according to TimesPicayune records.

Moreno, who campaigned at Dooky Chase’s in last year’s mayoral race and took office just under a week before the shooting, spoke to reporters at the scene Friday

She addressed the shooting again on social media the following day, asking New Orleanians to patronize the business when its doors reopen.

“I will certainly be there when the restaurant reopens, and I ask that you do the same to show support for this family that’s done so much for this city and our community,” Moreno said.

Email James Finn at jﬁnn@theadvocate.com.

One week into her new job, New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno, left, walks with New Orleans police as they work the scene of a fatal shooting at Dooky Chase’s Restaurant in New Orleans on Friday.

STAFF PHOTOS By CHRIS GRANGER

One week into her new job, New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno, back left, stands with New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick, center, and former NOPD Superintendent Michael Harrison outside Dooky Chase’s Restaurant in New Orleans as the police investigate a fatal shooting inside the historic restaurant on Friday.

Evidence markers are seen next to Mardi Gras

Trump: 8 European countries will face 10% tariff

President says levies to be placed over opposition to Greenland takeover

BY JOSH BOAK, EMMA BURROWS and DANIEL NIEMANN Associated Press

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Presi-

dent Donald Trump said Saturday that he would charge a 10% import tax starting in February on goods from eight European nations because of their opposition to American control of Greenland, setting up a potentially dangerous test of U.S. partnerships in Europe.

Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland would face the tariff, Trump said in a social media post while at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida. The rate would climb to 25% on June 1 if no deal was in place for “the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland” by the United States, he said The Republican president appeared to indicate that he was using the tariffs as leverage to force talks with Denmark and other European countries over the status of Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark that he regards as critical to U.S. national security

The tariff threat could mark a problematic rupture between Trump and America’s longtime NATO partners, further straining an alliance that dates to 1949 and provides a collective degree of security to Europe and North America Trump has repeatedly tried to use trade penalties to bend allies and rivals alike to his will, generating investment commitments from some nations and pushback from others, notably China

Trump is scheduled to travel on Tuesday to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where he likely will run into the European leaders he just threatened with tariffs that would start in little more than two weeks.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said Trump’s move was a “surprise” given the “constructive meeting” with top U.S. ofﬁcials this week in Washington.

The European Commission’s president, Ursula von der Leyen, and the head of the European Council, Antonio Costa, said in a joint statement that tariffs “would undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral.” They said Europe would remain committed to upholding its sovereignty.”

There are immediate questions about how the White House could try to implement the tariffs because the EU is a single economic zone in terms of trading, according to a European diplomat who was not authorized to

“The United States of America is immediately open to negotiation with Denmark and/or any of these Countries that have put so much at risk, despite all that we have done for them,” Trump said on Truth Social.

installations to 200 at the remote Pitufﬁk Space Base in the northwest of the island, the Danish foreign minister has said. That base supports missile warning, missile defense and space surveillance operations for the U.S. and NATO.

Resistance has steadily built in Europe to Trump’s ambitions even as several countries on the continent agreed to his 15% tariffs last year in order to preserve an economic and security relationship with Washington.

French President Emmanuel Macron, in a social media post, seemed to equate the tariff threat to Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine.

translated post on X.

Earlier Saturday, hundreds of people in Greenland’s capital, Nuuk, braved nearfreezing temperatures, rain and icy streets to march in a rally in support of their own self-governance. Thousands of people also marched through Copenhagen, many of them carrying Greenland’s flag Some held signs with slogans such as “Make America Smart Again” and “Hands Off.” “This is important for the whole world,” Danish protester Elise Riechie told The Associated Press as she held Danish and Greenlandic ﬂags. “There are many small countries. None of them are for sale.”

comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity It was unclear, too, how Trump could act under U.S. law, though he could cite emergency economic powers that are currently subject to a U.S. Supreme Court challenge.

Trump has long said he thinks the U.S. should own the strategically located and mineral-rich island, which has a population of about 57,000 and whose defense is provided by Denmark. He intensified his calls a day after the military operation to oust Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro earlier this month.

The president indicated the tariffs were retaliation for what appeared to be the deployment of symbolic levels of troops from the European countries to Greenland, which he has said was essential for the “Golden Dome” missile defense system for the U.S., He also has argued that Russia and China might try to take over the island.

Iran’s leader calls Trump a ‘criminal’ for backing protests

BY ELENA BECATOROS Associated Press

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday branded President Donald Trump a “criminal” for supporting protesters in Iran and blamed demonstrators for causing thousands of deaths.

In a speech broadcast by state television, Khamenei said the protests had left “several thousand” people dead — the first indication from an Iranian leader of the extent of the casualties from the wave of protests that began Dec. 28 and led to a bloody crackdown.

“In this revolt, the U.S. president made remarks in person, encouraged seditious people to go ahead and said: ‘We do support you, we do support you militarily,’” said Khamenei, who has ﬁnal say on all state matters. He reiterated an accusation that the U.S. seeks domination over Iran’s economic and political resources.

“We do consider the U.S. president a criminal, because of casualties and dam-

ages, because of accusations against the Iranian nation,” he said. He described the protesters as “foot soldiers” of the United States and said they had destroyed mosques and educational centers.

“Through hurting people, they killed several thousand of them,” he said. In response Trump called for an end to Khamenei’s nearly 40-year reign.

“The man is a sick man who should run his country properly and stop killing people,” Trump told Politico in an interview Saturday “His country is the worst place to live anywhere in the world because of poor leadership.

“It’s time to look for new leadership in Iran,” he added.

The back-and-forth rhetoric came a day after Trump sounded a conciliatory tone, saying that “Iran canceled the hanging of over 800 people,” and adding that “I greatly respect the fact that they canceled.” He did not clarify whom he spoke to in Iran to conﬁrm the state of any planned executions. His comments were a sign he may be backing away from a

military strike.

The official IRNA news agency reported that Tehran Prosecutor Gen. Ali Salehi, referring to Trump’s remarks about the cancellation of the death sentence of 800 protesters, said: “Trump always makes futile and irrelevant statements. Our attitude is severe, preventive and fast.” He did not elaborate.

In recent days, Trump had told protesting Iranians that “ help is on the way ” and that his administration would “act accordingly” if the killing of demonstrators continued or if Iranian authorities executed detained protesters.

In his speech, Khamenei said rioters were armed with live ammunition that was imported from abroad, without naming any countries.

“We do not plan, we do not take the country toward war But we do not release domestic offenders, worse than domestic offenders; there are international offenders. We do not let them alone either,” he said, and urged ofﬁcials to pursue the cases.

The U.S. already has access to Greenland under a 1951 defense agreement. Since 1945, the American military presence in Greenland has decreased from thousands of soldiers over 17 bases and

“No intimidation or threats will influence us, whether in Ukraine, Greenland or anywhere else in the world when we are faced with such situations,” Macron said in a

The rallies occurred hours after a bipartisan delegation of U.S. lawmakers, while visiting Copenhagen, sought to reassure Denmark and Greenland of their support.

Lafayetteandthesurroundingareashostafamily-friendlyCarnivalcelebration everyyearthat is as culturally rich as it is colorful.Grandiose parades,authenticCajun&Creolecuisine,endless live music, andage-old community traditions cometogethertocreateaMardiGraswonderland “Lafayette Parish is agreat placetoexperience MardiGras,”saidBen Berthelot, presidentand CEOofLafayette Travel.“Theeaseofattending events andthe hospitalityheremakeitspecial Everyone makesyou feel welcome.”

Readily availableparking,ﬁrstresponders on duty,afullybarricadedparaderoute,and nearbyrestaurantsandbusinesseswhereyoucan refreshthroughoutthe dayensurethe Lafayette MardiGrasexperience stayssafeand enjoyable forparade-goersofall ages

ThetwoweekendsleadinguptoFatTuesday arebrimmingwitheventsandparades.OnFriday February 6, KrewedeCanailles WalkingParade will getthe partyoff on theright foot with their latestthemeof“RoadsideAttractions”—celebrating theweirdandthewild.ThenKreweofCarnivale enRiowillroundtheweekendout,rollingthrough Downtown Lafayetteenroute to CajunField on February 7.

On Friday,February13, theKrewe of Allons warmsupMardi Gras revelers with the“KickOff”Parade. Valentine’sDay,February14, The Children’s Parade andKrewe of Bonapartewill gracethe streetsofDowntownLafayette.Queen Evangeline’s Parade willrideonFebruary16, lightinguptheLundiGrasnight,andKingGabriel’s Parade will usherinthe festivitiesMardi Gras morning, followed by theIndependent Parade andthe LafayetteMardi Gras Festival Parade TheLafayetteparaderouteconcludesatCajunField whereLeFestivaldeMardiGrasàLafayettetakes place. This lively,multi-day festival boasts rides, music, food,and more andrunsfromFebruary 13—17. TheGreater SouthwestLouisiana Mardi Gras Associationhosts thefestivalasanannual fundraisertosupportthecity’spublicMardiGras traditions. Formoreinformation or to purchase tickets, visit: https://www.gomardigras.com/ festivities/festival/. Thepartydoesn’tstopwhenyouleaveLafayette’s city limits.Neighboring cities,suchasEunice, Youngsville,New Iberia,Carencro, Opelousas, andScott,rollouttheirownparadesandexciting events,too.Eunicehosts aLundi Gras bouche-

rie—atraditional Cajuncookout.OnMardi Gras Day, Opelousashosts Zyde Gras on theSquare, a public,outdoormusiceventfeaturingartistKeith Frankand theSoileau Zydeco Band Oneofthemost uniquetraditionscelebrated throughout theregion’srural municipalities is knownasthe Courir de MardiGras. Groups of costumed riders, themajorityofwhomare on horseback,travelalongcountryroads,stoppingat homesto“beg”foringredientstomakeacommunal gumbo. Throughout theride, theparadeleader knownasthecapitainewillperiodicallyreleasea chickenfor theparticipants to catch. Vermilionville Living HistoryMuseum& Folklife Park in Lafayetteishosting afun-ﬁlled,family-friendly Courir de MardiGrasevent on February 8from 10AM to 4PM, for thoselooking to experience a tasteofthisspecial custom.For more information,visit:https://bayouvermiliondistrict.org/ vermilionville/. WhileeveryCarnivalseasonisitsownburstof technicolor,thisyearbringsanexcitingcrossover betweenMardi Gras weekendand Valentine’s DayonFebruary14th. Thereare myriad brunch spots, Cajundance hall experiences, andMardi Gras-themedcocktails anddessertsperfect for aMardi Gras-lentine date.Manyrestaurants, bakeries,and grocerystoresoffer theirown uniqueiterationsofthekingcake—aMardiGras dessertstaple. Poupart’sBakery, Meche’sDonut King,and Keller’s Bakery area fewwell-loved king cake spotstoget youstarted WiththeMardiGrasfestivitiesandthemany heritagesitesandnaturalareastoexplore,Lafayette is an excellentdestination foranunforgettable family getaway. Fora complete weekenditinerarythatwillhaveyourfamilyrecountingfond

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JULIA DEMAREE NIKHINSON

President Donald Trump points after arriving Friday at Palm Beach International Airport on Air Force One in West Palm Beach, Fla.

Billy Nungesser

Lieutenant Governor, Louisiana Office of Tourism

Dustin Yates Mayor, City of

Chris Daigle Parish President, IbervilleParish Government

At atimewhenmuchofthe national conversation around journalism focusesoncontraction,our organization grew We expandedour audience,increased subscriptions, and strengthened ourposition as Louisiana’sleadingsourceoflocal news andinformation.Asthe proudowner of esteemed brands such as TheTimes-Picayune, NOLA.com, TheAdvocate, The AcadianaAdvocate, Gambit andthe Shreveport -Bossier City Advocate,our journeyreflects commitment to preserving local journalism whileembracing opportunities acrossLouisiana. Thoseresults did nothappenbychance. They reflectintentional choices—about whereweinvest, howwetellstories, andhow we serveaudiences andadvertisers whovalue credible,local journalism andcompellingstorytelling.

2025:A Year of Audience and Subscription Growth

In 2025, ourdigital audiencecontinued to grow acrossour markets, with strong gainsinoverall page viewsand engagement More importantly, we sawcontinued growth in digital subscriptions, confirmingsomethingwebelieve deeply:when

LBuilding Momentum and Looking Ahead

Asweturn the page on 2025, it’s worthpausing to recognizesomething thatcan be easy to overlookintoday’smedia climate: GeorgesMediamademeaningful progress this pastyear

journalism is relevant,useful, andlocal,readers arewillingto supportit. That growth tellsustwo things. First,there is real demand fortrusted reportingrootedinour communities. Second,our focusonlocal accountability,enterprisereporting,and highinterest coverage—news, sports, culture, andcommunity life—is resonating Subscriptionsare nowa central pillar of ourbusiness, and that relationship with readersbringsbothresponsibilityand opportunity.Subscribers expect value, consistency, andtrust andearning that trustevery dayremains ourmostimportant job. Expanding HowWeReach Audiences Anotherimportant area of progress in 2025 washow audiences consumeour journalism.Readersincreasinglyengagewithus acrossplatforms—web,mobile, newsletters,social, andvideo. Video, in particular,representsagrowing opportunity.Whether it’s breaking news, sports, community storytelling,orliveevents, videoallowsustomeetaudiences wheretheyare andpresent local journalism in compellingnew ways. We seethisasan

ouisiana’s tourismindustrycontinued itsstrongupward trajectory in 2025, with visitation on pace to exceed the impressive performanceof2024. That year,wewelcomed 44.5 millionvisitorswho generated$2billioninstate andlocal taxes, saving each Louisianahousehold roughly $1,135. Tourismremainsa majoreconomic engine,supporting approximately 225,000 jobs in Louisiana.

In September, Ijoinedadelegation of tourismpartnersonan outreach missiontoCanada, ourlargest internationalmarket. In 2024, more than 85,000 Canadian visitors contributednearly$194 milliontoour economy, andinterestintravelingtoLouisiana remainsstrong–making theserelationships vital to expandingour global reach.

Louisiana’sculinary reputation also continues to rise on the global stagethrough ourpartnership with theMICHELINGuide

American Southwhichrecognized 34 Louisianarestaurantsinthe first year andwill help drawevenmorevisitorseager to experience theauthenticity anddiversity of ourcuisine

Forthe fifthyear, Louisianaproudly participatedinthe Rose Parade.Withanestimated 10 billionnationaland international viewersand nearly $58 millioninadvertisingvalue generated, theparade remainsone of ourmosteffective toolsfor showcasing Louisiana’sculture andhospitality.

Louisianamade significant investmentstoattract premier sporting events in communities throughout thestate,hosting youth, amateur collegiate,and professionalcompetitionswhichgeneratedmore than abilliondollars in impact andsupported tens of thousands of jobs. This momentumcontinues with severalnational fishing tournamentshostedacrossthe state.

Lookingahead,2026 marksLouisiana’s Year of Outdoors,an initiative spotlightingour stateparks, historic sites, theUNESCO site at PovertyPoint,morethan400 festivals, vibrantmainstreets, outdoorconcerts, andopen-air dining. This effortwillfurther accelerate thestrongyear-over-yeargrowthinvisitationtoour state parksand deepen therenewed enthusiasm forexploring Louisiana’s naturallandscapesand outdoorexperiences. We closed 2025 with record resultsand arepoisedtobuild on this successwithnew programs that continue to position Louisianaas oneofAmerica’s toptraveldestinations.

Aswemoveinto2026, we want everyone to know that St George is open forbusiness andset apartfor economic growth That’s whywe’re investinginprojectsthat keep ourcitystrong, competitive, andfocused on the future.We’re zeroed in on practicalimprovements andlongterm investmentsthatmakeiteasierfor businesses to grow here

Forexample,our Public WorksDepartmentcontinues to expand drainage improvements andmakeroadway repairsfor saferstreets,while also strengtheningthe everyday services residentsdependon. Additionally,the rolloutofour newGIS Hubwill further enhancetransparencybygivingthe public andlocal businesses real-timeaccess to mappingtools,project updates, andservice information,asignificant accomplishment foranemergingcitylikeSt. George

Oureconomicprioritiesfor 2026 center on creating stability, predictability,and confidencefor families and investors. We’realsoworking closelywithregional partners to alignSt. George with parishwide planning,workforce programs andlong-term transportation investments.

As ayoung andfast-growingcity, fiscal responsibility remainsatthe heartofevery decision we make.Webudget conservatively,build efficiently, andfocus ourresources on services that directly supporteconomicgrowth, creating more opportunityfor thecitizensofSt. George

Whetherit’sour long-termbusiness partners that are already growinginSt. George,orthe newbusinessesthatare making decisionstorelocatehereinthe future,wewantthem to know we’reinvesting in strategicprojectsthatsolidifyour position as acompetitive,well-managedmunicipalitywitha greatquality of life.

Aswewrapup2025,Ireflectonwhathasbeenanother remarkableyearforIbervilleParish.Itremainsanhonorto serveasyourParishPresidentandtoworkalongsidesomany residents,communityleaders,andpartnersdedicatedto movingIbervilleforward Theyearbeganwithamomentwewon’tsoonforget—ahistoric Januarysnowfallthatremindedusofthestrengthandunityofour community.Fromthatmemorablestart,progresscontinuedacrossour parishwithinitiativesthatwillshapeIberville’sfutureforyearstocome OneofourtopprioritiesremainsthenewMississippiRiver Bridge—aprojectvitaltoboththeBatonRougeregionandIberville Parish.Asoneoftheonlyparishesalongtheriverwithoutabridge,this infrastructureisessentialforreducingcongestionandopeningnew growthopportunities.Thisyear,theprojectadvancedasweenteredthe federalNEPAphase—theNationalEnvironmentalPolicyActprocess —whichrequiresathoroughreviewofenvironmental,community,and economicimpactsbeforeafinalbridgelocationcanbeselected.Wenow awaitthestudy’sresultsandremainsteadfastinadvocatingforfunding andcontinuedmomentum Wealsomademeaningfulprogressacrossparishservicesand amenities.WeexpandedearlyvotingaccessinEastandNorthIberville celebratedIbervilleDayattheCapitolonMay6th,andbothbroke groundandheldaribboncuttingwithCPRAforthenewBayouPigeon BoatLaunch—aprojectthatwillgreatlyenhancerecreation,access andtourismalongourwaterways.Inaddition,westartedthebeginning phasesofdevelopingOneIberville:ShapingTomorrowTogether,the firstcomprehensiveMasterPlanupdateinmorethan20years,to guideresponsiblegrowthandstrengthenourcommunityforthenext generation EconomicdevelopmentcontinuestoaccelerateinIberville.Our parishisopenforbusinessandpoisedforsubstantialgrowthalong theI-10corridorinNorthIbervilleandalongtheMississippiRiver, supportedbystrongregionalpartnershipsandexpandinginfrastructure. Together,wearebuildingastronger,moreunitedIberville.Iseea brightfutureahead,builtoncollaboration,innovation,andcommunity pride.WishingyouandyourfamilyahappyandprosperousNewYear!

SusanB.Bourgeois, Secretary, Louisiana Economic Development

Clint Cointment Parish President, Ascension Parish

Lori Melancon President &CEO, GreaterBaton Rouge Economic Partnership

extensionofour reporting, nota replacement—and we will continue to buildinthisspace Looking to 2026: Growth with Purpose As we look aheadto2026, ourexpectationsare clearand realistic. We

LastyearLouisiana said we were positioningourselves to win, this year we arenot only winning, butleading.

In everycornerofthe state, growth is reshapingour economy andcreatingnew opportunities forLouisiana workersand communities Energy projects areadvancing, portsare expandingand homegrownand global companiesalike areinvesting in the partnerships andinfrastructurethatkeepour statecompetitive Theseinvestments arestrengtheninglocal economiesand reaffirmingLouisiana’s role as aleaderinAmerica’s industrial renaissance.

This administration is focusedonsustainingthatmomentum. By cuttingred tape,improving coordination andpartneringdirectly with industry andlocal leaders, we areensuringthatprogress continues andthatopportunity reachesevery corner of ourstate When stategovernmentworks efficiently,projectsadvance faster, communities benefitsoonerand successspreads farther. Andthe resultsspeakfor themselves

SinceJanuary 2024, thestate hasannounced $70 billionin newinvestmentprojects, representing oneofthe strongest industrial pipelinesinthe nation This activity includes worldscaleinvestments in LNG, hydrogen andbiofuelsaswellasnew manufacturing andmaritimefacilities that areredefiningthe future of American energy security Thesecommitments reflectthe strength of Louisiana’seconomy, theskill of ourworkforce andthe confidence investorshaveinour abilitytodeliver results. We arenot waitingfor thefuture.Weare buildingitnow TheLouisiana opportunity is here,powered by innovation, grounded in industry anddrivenbydeterminationthatcontinues to move ourstate forward.

AscensionParishhas emergedasthe powerhouseof economic growth in Louisiana, delivering levels of investment andopportunity unmatched anywhere else in thestate.Nowhere else in Louisianadowesee thescaleof investment,momentum, andopportunity that is unfoldingright here at home.Our strategiclocation, strong infrastructure, and exceptional workforcehavepositioned Ascensionasapremier destination forindustryand innovation, andthe resultsspeak for themselves.

On theWestBank, ourgrowthisunmatched.WithHyundai Steel, Linde, CF Industries, AscensionClean Energy (ACE), and NEMOIndustries (Phase I) underway, we nowreflect $20.7 billioninannounced projects supporting 2,288 newpermanent jobs.Manyofthese positionscarry average annual salaries exceeding$110,000, bringing transformational,generational changefor familiesonthe West Bank andstrengtheningeconomic opportunity parish-wide.Onthe East Bank five additional projects total $540million in investment and 270 newjobs,bringingour parish-wide total to more than$21 billion in active or announced capital investment and 2,558 associatedjobs, notincludingthe potential~$7 billionAir Productsproject. Athrivingeconomy depends on astrongeducation system, and Ascensionisfortunate to have oneofthe top-performingschool districtsinLouisiana The West AscensionEarly Learning Center nowinits second year,isproviding ouryoungestlearnerswith apowerfulfoundation, strengtheningour long-termworkforce pipeline, andcompletingthe cradle to career philosophy Meanwhile, RiverParishesCommunity College continues expandingprogramsthataligndirectlywithindustryneeds, preparingstudents forhigh-quality, high-demandcareers Ourfuture pipelineremains robust,with 35 prospectiveprojects representing $11 billion in potentialcapital investment and 926 newjobs,demonstrating industry’s continuedconfidence in AscensionParish. Beyond theeconomic metrics, theseinvestments bring meaningfulbenefits to ourcommunity,includingphilanthropy, workforcedevelopment initiatives, scholarships,and hands-on internshipsthatprepare ouryoung people forsuccess. AscensionParishisnot only experiencingextraordinary growth butisalsobuildingaresilient, innovative,and prosperous future forgenerations to come

The Capital Regionclosed 2025withone of themost consequentialeconomicdevelopment yearsinits history. Companies announcednearlymorethan$10 billioninnew capital investment –anall-timehighfor ourregion. Hyundai Steel’s$5.8billionfacility in Donaldsonvilleanchoredthatmomentum, joined by advanced manufacturing projects that broaden andstrengthen oureconomicbase. Together,thesecommitments will generate over 2,000new direct jobs, $196 millioninnew annual payroll, andmulti-year construction activity across theregion.

Severaloftheseprojectswillbreak ground in 2026, particularly thoseonthewestsideofthe riverinAscensionParish. Thescaleofthese investmentswillaccelerate commercial andresidentialgrowthinthe surroundingcommunities. This is notmarginalchange; it is astructural shift in theeconomictrajectoryofthe Capital Region. Butopportunityofthismagnituderequirespreparation.The workforcedemandstiedtotheseprojectswillreshapecommuting patterns;weneedtransportationsolutionsthataccountnotonlyfortoday’s congestionbutforthevolumeofworkerswhowillmovebetweenjobsites, trainingcenters,andcommunitiesinthecomingdecade.Ourhighschools communityandtechnicalcolleges,anduniversitiesmustcontinuealigning programswiththehigh-wage,high-skillrolestheseemployersarecreating. This work requires theregiontooperate as oneunified economic area,withprogressdependentoncollaboration across parish lines, governingbodies, andinstitutions Earlyindicatorsshowwearemovingintherightdirection.Regional householdincomesareup7%overtheyear,outpacingthenational averageandmostpeermetros.Residentswithabachelor’sdegree increased8%,drivenlargelybygraduatesmovingintotheregion These arestrongsignsthattheCapitalRegionisentering2026withmomentum, clarity,andanunprecedentedpipelineofopportunity

Kevin Hall President and Publisher Georges Media

St.George

Jill Kidder President &CEO Visit BatonRouge

In2025,tourisminBatonRougemadeheadlines–andhistory. Fromourcity’sfirst-everMichelinrecognitionofElsie’sPlate&Pie

toaJamesBeardsemifinalistnodformixologistAlanWalter,our culinarysceneearnednationalacclaim.Sportstourismtookcenter stagewithmorethan58,000amateurbowlerscompetingattheRiver CenterforfivemonthsasapartoftheUnitedStatesBowlingCongress OpenChampionships.

VisitBatonRougeproudlylaunchedaboldnewbrandthatreflects theenergy,authenticityandeverydayrichnessofourcity.Webuilt localprideandempoweredourcommunitythroughthelaunchofthe CapitalCityChampionsAcademy,ourfreeonlinehospitalitytraining course.VisitBatonRougealsosupported64localfestivalsandcultural eventsineverycornerofourparishthroughout2025. Lookingaheadto2026,themomentumcontinues.Majorconcerts inTigerStadiumasapartofDeathValleyLive,agrowingcalendar ofconventions,andtheexpansionofyouthandamateursportswill bringevenmorevisitorstoourcity.We’realsoworkingcloselywith cityleadersontransformativeprojects,fromtheredevelopmentof theRaisingCane’sRiverCentertoensuringthelong-termsuccessof riverboatcruisedockingsdowntown.

VisitBatonRougeremainslaser-focusedonourmission:attracting morevisitorsandincreasingtheirspendinginwaysthatbenefitour residents.We’retargetingtherightkindoftravelers,thosewhostay longer,spendmore,andengagedeeplywithourcommunity.Backed byresearch,weknowwhotheyareandhowtoreachthem.

In2026,we’llcontinuetomarketaggressively,strengthenpartnerships, andensurevisitordollarscirculatelocally

OurgoalcontinuestoberaisingthebarfortravelandensuringBaton Rougeremainscompetitive,resilient,andreadyforwhat’snext

Edgardo Tenreiro

President &CEO, BatonRouge General

MatthewShirley 2026 President, GreaterBaton Rouge Association of REALTORS Commercial Investment Division

Next year’seconomic outlookfor healthcare in Baton Rougeisshaping up to be amix of challengesand new opportunities. Oneofthe biggestquestionmarks involves changes in stateand federalregulations that couldaffect

Medicaidreimbursement. Even though Louisianarecentlyincreased rates, thereisgrowing concernthatupcomingpolicyshiftsmight reduce payments or tighteneligibility. Forhospitalsand clinics in BatonRouge that care foralarge Medicaidpopulation,any drop in reimbursementcould putrealpressureonbudgetsand services.

At thesametime, therapid growth of AI in healthcare offersa promisingcounterweight.Moreorganizationsare turningtoAItools to streamlinescheduling, documentation, claims work,and patient communication Thesetechnologiescan help teamsworkmore efficiently, reduce errors,and cutdownonadministrative headaches. Formanyproviders, AI maybecomeone of themostpractical ways to manage risingcosts andkeepcareaccessible. That mattersbecause staffing shortagesare still amajor issue andshownosignofeasing. Turnover remainshigh, burnoutis widespread, andthere simplyare notenoughnursesand support staff to meet thedemand createdbyanaging population with more chronic needs.

On theother hand,Baton RougeGeneralisbetting on growth Thesystemisplanninganew 40,000-square-foot“neighborhood hospital”inLivingstonParish, with a14-bed emergencyroom, 12bedinpatientunit, outpatientservices, andphysician practices. We’re also addingphysiciansinall areas, increasingaccessand making it easier to getcarewhenyou need it Takentogether, thecomingyearwilllikelypushBaton Rouge healthcare organizationstomakethoughtful financialdecisions whileembracinginnovationand growth Thosethatinvestin smarter workflows, expandaccess, andadopt creative staffing solutions will be in astrongerposition to stay resilientand continue delivering qualitycaretothe community

Fourengines powerBaton Rouge’seconomy.Industrial operationsalong theriver arethe bell cow, statecapital status ensuresconsistentcapital flow,arobusthealthcare sector provides stability, andLSU anchorsthe southern metro.

Father Time is healing2022’sunprecedented rate shock. Commercial lending hasretreated from ~8% to ~6%, improvingdealfeasibility TheFederal Reservewalks a tightropebetweenemploymentand inflationwhile public pressure mounts forlower rates. Officialsremain cautious learningfrom2021-2022 missteps.

My reality: rent growth in office andretailhas plateaued. Food &Bev remainsinsanelycompetitive,offeringhandsome rewardsfor topperformersand disaster foroperators in the caboose.Elevatedinterestrates plus flat rentsplace heavy downward pressure on assetvalues. Best-in-class tenantsthrive whilethose competingprimarily on price face aperilousroad. TheK-shapedeconomy is undeniable.Act accordingly. Followingbanneryears in 2021-2022,our firm’s volume remainsbuoyant.Stayprincipled, usediligence andleverage personal relationshipsasthe bedrockfor deal flow Icannotstressthisenough: engage with AI toolsnow if you haven’talready.Use it to curate andoptimizeyourlife. Nothing stopsthistrain.

Janet Simmons Superintendent, BREC

AWhitney Hoffman Sayal Executive Director Downtown Development District

Thad E. Rispone President, ISC Constructors, LLC

sBREC looksahead to 2026, theagencyentersthe newyearwithstrongmomentumand aclear vision forhow parksand recreation will continue supporting qualityoflifeand theoverall vitalityofEastBaton RougeParish. After ayearmarkedbymeaningful progress and renewedcommunity confidence,BREC is preparingtoadvance initiatives that strengthen neighborhoodsand enhancethe parish’s appeal as aplace to live,work, visitand play In thecomingyear, BREC will focusonsmart reinvestments in community assets—updatingaging facilities, modernizing recreation spaces,and enhancingparkexperiences that promotewellness, connection,and asense of place.Each projectisguidedbyacommitmenttoworking smarter by maximizingresources andensuringimprovementshavelonglastingimpact.

Operationally,BREC will continue prioritizing efficiency, safety,and data-informeddecision-making.Streamlined processesand thoughtful internal improvements will help ensure that taxpayer dollarsare used wisely andthatservices remain responsive to communityneeds. Environmental stewardshipalsoremainscentral,withongoing conservation efforts that protectnaturalspaces andexpandopportunities for outdooreducation acrossthe parish

Strong partnerships will be keyin2026. By workingclosely with community groups, local governments, schools, and businessleaders, BREC aims to broaden access to programs, strengthen regional connectivity,and create welcomingspaces that serveresidents of allages.

Guidedbythe ImagineYourParks 3planand strong leadership,BREC is well-positionedtomake2026 another year of meaningfulprogressand remainsdeeplycommitted to itsmissionofenrichinglives throughparks, recreation,and nature

In2026,Downtownispoisedfor significant redevelopment, fueled by strong investmentsinthe entertainmentsector, new office space,and expandedresidentialopportunities. We are leveraging partnerships to capitalizeonthe momentum from Plan BatonRouge IIItopropelDowntownforward Plan BatonRouge III, thenewestcommunity-driven master plan guidingthe next era of growth,isset to be completed in early2026.Aswenearthe endofthe planningprocess, we preparetoshift toward implementation -focusingonenhancing theriverfront, expandinghousing opportunities, andenhancing retail andcommercialactivity. Plan BatonRouge IIIwill build on thesuccessofthe previous twomasterplans andcompleted projects to propel Downtown BatonRouge’s economic growth In 2025, majorprivate investmentswereintroducedtothe economic landscape.Two downtown casinos have committed more than $200 millioninlandside development, signaling a powerfulnew chapterfor theregion’sentertainmentand tourism sectors. Theseinvestments attractvisitors, generate jobs, and strengthen Downtown’s riverfront as apremier destination Downtown hotels arealsoexperiencingaresurgence, with multiple properties completingsignificant renovations, elevating thehospitalityexperience andsupportingthe continuedgrowth of leisure andbusinesstravel.

Demand fordowntownlivingremainsstrong. Residential occupancyinthe CentralBusinessDistrictstands at 94%, underscoringthe high desirability of urban living and continuedneed foradditionalhousingoptions This momentum highlightsDowntown’sroleasavibrant,in-demand residential neighborhood As we look aheadtoamomentous 2026,wethank allwho live,work, invest,and explore downtown.Yourcontinued supportpropels oursharedvisionfor athrivingand dynamic Downtown BatonRouge

Aswelooktothe future,the evolving landscape of our local economyisclear.Nationalregulatory policies, highinterestrates, downturnsinnew housing, and global market fluctuations aresomeofthe factors shapingour path forward. Louisiana’straditional industries—oil,gas,and chemicals—remainessential to ourcommunities, yet, they face short-termchallengesthatrequire proactivesolutions Despitethese hurdles, ourstate is on thecuspofexciting andsignificant transformation.Alongside thefamiliar industry giants like ExxonMobil,BASF, andShell,weare now welcominginnovativecompanies like Meta,Google, and Hyundai. Investmentsinartificial intelligence facilities, steel andlithium batterymanufacturing,and powerinfrastructure upgrades promisesubstantial opportunities as thesesectors are poised forrapid growth.Withstrongresources,infrastructure, andwelcomingculture,Louisiana offersanideal environment forbusinessestothrive.

Forover35years,ISC Constructors,based in BatonRouge, hasbeennationallyrecognizedfor providingasafe, skilled workforcecombinedwithinnovationand cost-savingexpertise We believe that acompany’s strength lies in itspeople, and ourassociatesare knownfor their integrity andhighmoral standards. Lookingahead,wesee afuture filled with promiseand purpose.Here’stobuildingastrongerLouisiana together.We wish everyone asafeand blessed2026.

Ed Silvey CEO, TheBaton Rouge Clinic, AMC

As TheBaton RougeClinic,AMC approaches its80thyear, wereflectona legacy builtbygrowth, innovation,and an enduringcommitmenttoexceptional patientcare. What beganin1946withfourphysicianshas developed into a multi-specialtymedical groupofmorethan300 providers. Today, The Clinic offersabroad andevolvingrange of services to patients across the CapitalRegionand thestate,demonstrating both itslongevity and itsability to adapttothe community’sevolvinghealthcareneeds Theyear2025 marked aperiodofmeaningful expansion. Along with welcomingnew physicians, TheClinicbroadened itscapabilities andreach.Adedicated EyeCarefacilityopenedonthe Perkins campus,and thenew ZacharyInternalMedicineClinic began serving patients,bothdesignedtoimprove access to comprehensive care. TheClinicalsowelcomedLouisiana Urologyintoits family of physicians, strengtheningspecialized urologic services andadding newlocations in Plaquemine, Zachary, Livingston, andanadditional locationinBaton RougeonBluebonnetBlvd. Theadditionofphysiciansacrossmultiplespecialties brings expertisethatsupports TheClinic’sstandards of excellence and enhances thebroader healthcare infrastructure This ongoing growth of oneofthe region’s most establishedhealthcare organizationsand itscommitmenttoserving arapidly evolving population,togetherwithour continuedaffiliationwiththe Mayo Clinic Care Network, ensure patients benefitfromleading clinical knowledgeand innovative resourcesthroughoutthe state. Lookingahead to 2026, TheBaton RougeClinic remains focusedonexpanding access to care andsupportingthe health of thecommunities we serve. TheCliniccontinues to play avital role in thelocal economy, supporting jobs, attracting healthcare talent,and contributing to theoverall well-being of theregion With astrongfoundationand aforward-looking approach, The Clinic is well positioned to meet thehealthcarechallengesand opportunitiesofthe yearsahead

Jennifer Hebert 2026 President, GreaterBaton Rouge Association of REALTORS

Bill Hines

Managing Partner Jones Walker LLP

Aswemoveinto2026, I’mencouragedbythe steady grounded strength of theBaton Rougerealestate market.Our area hasnever been onefor dramatic swings,and that consistencycontinues to be oneofour greatest advantages.Evenwiththe shiftswe’ve allnavigated— interest rate changes,evolvingbuyer expectations, andtighter inventoryinrecentyears—our market continuestohold firm in away that givesbothbuyersand sellersconfidence Thegoodnewsisthatinventory is slowly improving, offering buyers more optionswithout creating an oversupply.Sellers arestill benefiting from thesteadydemand driven by strong employment,adiverse local economy, andcontinued growth throughout East BatonRouge,WestBaton Rouge, Ascension, Livingston,and Pointe Coupee.Peoplewanttobehere, and that stabilityshows up in ournumbers monthafter month. Interest rateswill remain an importantfactorthisyear. Whilethey’re higher than theunusually lowlevelswe sawearlier in thedecade, consumersare adjusting, and lenders aresteppinginwithcreativesolutions that help keep homeownershipwithin reach. That shift hasbrought a healthier balancetoour market—morerealistic expectations, more constructive negotiations,and apace that allows buyers to make thoughtful decisions. Lookingahead,Iexpectmoderate price appreciation, continuedinvestmentinnew construction,and growing consumer confidence as conditions levelout.Baton Rouge hasalwaysthrived on steady,sustainablegrowth, and2026 is shapinguptofollowthatsamepositive trajectory Ourregion’sstrengthhas always been itspeople, itsresilience,and itssense of community—andthose fundamentalscontinuetopushour market forward. Here’s to astrongand promisingyearahead forrealestateinGreater BatonRouge

Jones Walker LLP is confidentinLouisiana’s 2026 economic outlook. As oneofthe state’slargest law firms, we partner with businesses to navigate complextransactionsand regulatory landscapes, ensuring strategicsuccessacrossthe energy,healthcare, andtechnologysectors,among others Louisiana’soil andgas industry remainsacornerstoneof growth,while emerging markets fornaturalgas,lithium, and biofuels presentnew investment opportunities. Thestate’s balanced approach to energy developmentcreates afavorable environmentfor innovationand long-termreturns,and it is ourdutytoeducate businesses on thelegalimplications and regulatory developments involved in theenergyevolution Similarly, as ourhealthcaresectorcontinues to advance, we recognizethe progress Louisiana hasmade as aleader in the digital healthcare industry andsee 2026asa year in whichit growsexponentially. At JonesWalker, we strongly believe in leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to supportthe success, development, and prosperity of businesses in Louisiana. Furthermore, AI presents significant prospectsfor large-scaleeconomicgrowth, as evidencedbythe ongoingconstructionofdatacenters within the state. Our firm actively promotes Louisianaasanideal location for both business developmentand investment.Our economic developmentaffiliate, AvidentAdvisors, continues to leverage itsteam’sextensive knowledgeand experience to offer effective location advisory servicesand guidance across varioussectors Theseinclude carbon captureand sequestration, portsand terminals,aswellasmanufacturing fields such as automotive aerospace/defense,shipbuilding, steel, rail,and petroleum/ petrochemical Louisianaoffersa compelling valueproposition forforwardthinking investors. JonesWalkeriscommitted to servingasa trustedpartner in unlockingthese opportunities in 2026.

Kristin W. Wall President &CEO LWCC

AE.J.Kuiper President &CEO FMOL Health

Todd Graves Founder,CEO, Fry Cook &Cashier RaisingCane’s

LtLWCC, ourpurpose of helpingLouisiana thrive guides everything we do.Asthe state’s largestworkers’compensationcarrier,we arededicated to protecting the18,500Louisiana businesses we serveand caring fortheir employees. We work alongsidepolicyholders to create safer workplaces that reduce risksand preventinjuries, becausethe best workplaceisone whereaccidents neveroccur.Yet when they do,weare therewith compassionatecareand expert support, helping injuredworkers recoverand return to work and ameaningfullife. Throughpreventionand care we remain focusedonstrengtheningLouisiana’s workforceand supporting long-termsuccess

Ourrealstrengthliesinpartnership.Asa private mutual insurancecompany,LWCCoperates with our policyholders’ best interestsatheart,recognizing that when they succeed,wesucceed.Through one of themostconsistentdividendprogramsinthe nation,LWCChas returned more than $1.5 billion to Louisianabusinessesoverthe past22years.These arefunds that they reinvest in theirbusinesses, employees, andcommunities,helping to strengthen ourstate’s economy.

Together,weare shapingastrongerfuture forLouisiana.Guidedbyour purposeand driven by care,LWCCcontinues to invest in innovation, expertise,and relationshipsthatprotect people strengthen businesses,and fuel economic growth across ourhomestate.Because it is more than our jobtohelpLouisiana thrive.Itisour purpose. Andit meanseverything.

ouisiana’s healthcare landscapecontinues to progress throughinnovationand partnership, andI’m encouragedaswelooktothe year ahead. At FMOL Health,wecontinuetomakestrategic capital investments in technology that sharpens diagnostics, speedstreatment andcreates more convenienthealthcare. Theseinvestments strengthen care todaywhile supporting long-termeconomic growth andhealthier communities tomorrow BatonRouge is aclear exampleofthatprogress. Long known as aproud sports town,the region is seeingrapid growth in athletic participation That momentum brings significant economic opportunity,driving activity,attracting visitors andincreasingdemand forcomprehensive sports medicine services.

Sports medicineisapowerfuldriverofBaton Rouge’sfuture, andFMOLHealth|Our Lady of theLakeleads theway Throughnationallyrecognizedcare, astrongacademicmission andstrategic partnerships with LSU, Southern University, BatonRouge OrthopaedicClinic andTraction Sports Performance, we’remaking bold investmentstoposition Baton Rougeasasportsmedicinehub forthe Gulf South. Expandingaccess also strengthensour local economy. As our communities grow,sodoesthe need forhigh-quality primary andspecialty care.We’re openingnew clinics, enhancing services andaligningresources so families canreceive exceptional care closetohome. Developing astronghealthcareworkforce remainsessential ThroughFranU andour graduate medicaleducation programs we arepreparing thenextgenerationofproviders andbuilding durabletalentpipelines that supportthe region’s long-term economic vitality. As we begin2026, I’moptimistic aboutwhatliesahead.With theright partnerships, talentand vision,wewill continue to elevatecareacrossour stateonand off the field.

025 wasanother greatyearfor RaisingCane’saswe served Caniacs500 milliontimes andpartnered with over 45,000local organizationstodonatemorethan $30M to ourlocal Communities. We grew to nearly 1,000 Restaurantsacross43statesand became theNo. 3chicken chaininthe US whilecontinuingtoleadthe industry across allmetrics. We activatedaroundmajor culturalmoments with awidearray of familiarfaces includingSaquonBarkley CynthiaErivo,Cardi B, Luke Bryan, Post Malone,FlavorFlav, HalleBerry,Ice T, SnoopDogg, Paul Skenes, MeganMoroney PeterBillingsley andmore. Lookingahead to 2026,I’m excited to continue ourmomentumasweexpandintothe UK and Mexico,openour milestone 1,000th Restaurant,and celebrate 30 yearsofCraveable ChickenFingerMeals.I’m so proudof allwe’ve accomplished and, in many ways,feellikewe’re just gettingstarted.Iowe everythingtoour incredible 70,000+ Crewmembersaroundthe worldand can’twaittocontinue building this Brandalongside them.

MarkT.Emonet President&COO Lipsey’s

Lipsey’s2026Economic Outlook Lipsey’senters2026withconfidenceandmomentumafterachievingthemost successfulyearinourhistory,despiteachallengingindustrymarket.While manycompaniesfacedheadwinds,Lipsey’scontinuedtogrow,gainmarket share,andinvestinthefuture.Ourcommitmenttoinnovationwasevidentinthe introductionofadvancedautomationtechnology,whichisalreadytransformingour operationsandpositioningusforlong-termsuccess

OurStrength: OneTeam, OneRoof AkeydriverofLipsey’ssuccessistheuniqueadvantageofhavingourentireteamworking togetherunderoneroof Thisstructurefostersreal-timecommunication,collaboration andproblem-solvingacrossallareasofourbusiness. Itenablesustorespondquickly tomarketchanges,strengthenrelationshipswithpartners,andcontinuouslyimprove customerexperience.Inanerawheremanycompaniesarefragmented,ourunified approachremainsapowerfulcompetitiveedge AYearofResilience andGrowth 2025demonstratedthestrengthofLipsey’sbusinessmodelandthededicationofour team.Byfocusingonrelationships,operationalefficiency,andstrategicinvestments, wenotonlyweatheredadownmarketbutsetnewperformancerecords These achievementsreaffirmourbeliefthatadaptabilityandinnovationarekeydriversof sustainablegrowth. Looking Aheadto2026 Thecomingyearpromisesexcitingopportunities.Lipsey’swillcontinuetoexpandin theGreaterBatonRougearea,creatingnewjobsandstrengtheningourroleasavital contributortothelocaleconomy.Ourfocuswillremainonthreepillars: •Innovation:Furtherautomationandtechnologyintegrationtoimproveefficiencyand customerexperience

•Growth:Continuedmarketsharegainsandexpansionofourdistributioncapabilities •Community:Deepeningourcommitmenttophilanthropyandlocalpartnershipsthat makeameaningfulimpact

OurFoundation Remains Strong Lipsey’ssuccessisbuiltonfamilyvalues,hardwork,andanunwaveringcommitmentto ourcustomersandemployees.Withover70yearsofservice,wehaveevolvedinsizeand scope,butourcoreprinciplesremainunchanged.UndertheleadershipofChairwoman andCEOLaurieLipseyAronsonandaseasonedexecutiveteam,wearepreparedto navigatechallengesandseizeopportunitiesin2026andbeyond. Aswelookforward,Lipsey’sremainsdedicatedtoexcellence,innovation,andcommunity engagement.Weareconfidentthattheyearaheadwillbringcontinuedgrowthandnew milestonesforourcompany,ouremployees,andtheGreaterBatonRougeregion.

JayHardman, P.E.

Executive Director Port of Greater BatonRouge

2

025 hasproventobeanother good year forthe Port of GreaterBaton Rouge. Ourprivate sector tenantsand stakeholdershavecontinued to grow theirbusinesses andimprove their cargo-handling capabilities. 2026 will seethissamegrowthand developmentcontinuewiththe commencementofconstructionfor therehabilitationofthe Port’s northernmost deep draft,liquidbulk cargo transfer dock.Oncecompleted in 2027/2028thisberth will provide additionalgrowthpotential forvarious types of liquid bulk cargoes. In early2026, fabricationofa hopper barge and supplemental conveyance will begintofacilitate barge to ship graintransfers forthe grainelevator. In addition,engineering hasbegun on newrailand conveyance infrastructurethat will facilitate theexportofone milliontonsannuallyofan additionalagriculturalcommodity.Helping to expandthe MississippiRiver’s dominanceincargo movementshas been thecompletionofthe LowerMississippi RiverCommodity Studyand thecontinued developmentofalower Mississippi RiverStrategic MarketingPlanbothofwhich arecollaborative efforts funded by the five deep waterMississippi Riverports. In conjunction, theUSACE continuesinits efforts to deepen theMississippi Rivertoa maintained 50-foot depth to Baton Rouge. Theseare buta fewofthe ongoingprojectsthatwill enablethe growth andsuccessofthe Port of GreaterBaton Rouge, notonlyfor 2026but foryears to come.Asalways, the staff andcommissioners of thePortwill pursuenew maritime opportunities that contribute to thegrowthand economic viabilityofthe region andthe StateofLouisiana.

Rene Ragas, FACHE President &CEO, Woman’s Hospital

Woman’s Hospital hasproudly served patients from communitiesinour surroundingareaand across thestate formorethan57years.Lastyear, we reachedasignificant milestone,deliveringmorethan400,000 babies, andour counterisstill goingstrong. In 2025 alone, we served patients from nearly all64parishes, from delivering babies, caring forsomeofthe smallestpatientsinour Newborn IntensiveCareUnit, thelargest in thestate,totreating thousandsofcancer patients. Throughthe six locationsofour Maternal Fetal MedicineClinics, we provided care during more than 13,500 high-riskpregnancy visits.

Since firstopening in 1968, ourservices have expandedto meet thegrowing needsofour patients.While knownasthe singlelargest birthing hospital in Louisiana, Woman’sbegan with an emphasis on cervicalcancer research.Innearlysix decades Woman’sCancer DetectionLaboratoryhas processed more than 3.3 millionPap smears.Using thelatesttechnology andspecialized treatmentplans,wehaveprovidedmorethan 1.1 millionmammogramsthrough both ourimaging center andmammography mobile coachprogram

In 2024, Woman’sopenedLouisiana’s firstin-patient Perinatal Mental Health Unit (PMHU),offeringunique mental health care forpregnantand postpartum women. Recognizing theprevalence of perinatal mood andanxiety disorders, which affectone in sevenwomen, we respondedtothe urgent need to care forthisspecial population of patients.Todate, thePMHU hashelpedmorethan280 patients from Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, andFlorida.Improving the livesofwomen andinfants is ourmission that guides us and sets thepacefor providing excellentcarefor ourpatientsand their families todayand forgenerationstocome.

BoardofPeace formingwitheye toward widermandate

Groupapartof Gaza ceasefire agrement

BY MATTHEW LEE AP diplomatic writer

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump’s“Board of Peace,”which was initially seen as amechanism focused on ending the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, is taking shape with ambitionstohave afar broader mandate of other global crises, potentiallyrivaling the United Nations in what would be amajor upheaval to the post-World War II international order In letters sent Friday to various world leaders inviting themtobe“founding members” of the board, Trump says the body would “embarkonabold new approach to resolving global conﬂict.”

Invitation letters from Trump to Argentine President Javier Milei and Paraguay’s leader Santiago Peña, that were postedSaturday to their official social media accounts note thatTrump’s 20-point Gaza ceasefireplan, which includesthe creation of the Board of Peace, was endorsed by the U.N. Security Council and indicates that the panel of world leaders may not confine their work to Gaza.

“Now it is time to turn all of these dreams into reality,” Trump wrote. “At the heart of the plan is the Board of Peace, the most impressive andconsequential board ever assembled, which will be established as anew International Organization and Transitional Governing Administration.”

Other leaders whose governments have confirmed

ASSOCIATED

U.S. envoySteve Witkoff,left, and businessmanand

President DonaldTrump’sson-in-lawJared Kushner attend anewsconference after the signing of the declaration on deploying post-ceasefire force in Ukraineduringthe ‘Coalition of the Willing’ summit on security guarantees for Ukraine on Jan.6 at the Elysee been named to Trump’sBoard of

receiving invitation letters include Canadian Prime MinisterMarkCarney,Egyptian PresidentAbdel-FattahelSissi and Turkish President RecepTayyip Erdogan. It was not immediately clear how many or which other leaders would receive invitations.

Trump’sapparentaspirations to turn to the Board of Peace into an international institutionthat couldprovide an alternative to the United Nations is sure to be controversial and opposedby numerous countries, including China and Russia, which hold veto powerinthe U.N. Security Council and have signiﬁcantinterests in opposing any radicalchange in the world order

Smaller nations arealso likely to haveobjections as the U.N. system has given them at least avoice in major international decisions since the endofthe Second World War.

Israel objectstoU.S. announcement of BoardofPeace leaders

BY NATALIE MELZER Associated Press

NAHARIYA, Israel Israel’s government is objecting to theWhite House announcement of leaders who will play arole in overseeingnext steps in Gaza as the ceaseﬁre moves into its challenging second phase.

The rare criticismfrom Israel of its close ally in Washingtonsaid the Gaza executive committee “was notcoordinated with Israel and is contrary to its policy,” without details. Saturday’s statement also saidPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told the foreign ministry to contact Secretaryof State Marco Rubio.

The committee announced by the WhiteHouse on FridayincludesnoIsraeli ofﬁcial but has an Israeli businessman,billionaireYakir Gabay.Other members announced so farinclude two of President Donald Trump’s closest conﬁdants, aformer British prime minister,a U.S general and representatives of several Middle Eastern governments.

The White House has said the executive committee will carry out the vision of a Trump-led “Board of Peace,” whose members have not yet been named. The White

House also announcedthe members of anew Palestinian committeetorun Gaza’s daytoday affairs, with oversight from the executive committee.The Palestinian committee met forthe ﬁrst time on Thursday in Cairo.

The executive committee’s members include Rubio, Trump envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump’sson-in-law Jared Kushner,former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Apollo Global Management CEO Marc Rowan, World BankPresident Ajay Banga and Trump’sDeputy National SecurityAdviser Robert Gabriel. Committee membersalso include adiplomat from Qatar,anintelligencechief from Egypt and Turkey’sforeignminister —all countries have been ceaseﬁre mediators —aswellasa Cabinet minister for the United Arab Emirates Turkey has astrainedrelationship with Israel but good relationswith Hamas and could play an important role in persuading the group to yield power and disarm. Hamas has said itwill dissolveits government in Gaza once thenew Palestiniancommittee takes ofﬁce, but it hasshownnosignthat it will dismantle its military wing or security forces

By The Associated Press

KYIV,Ukraine AUkrainian delegation arrived in the United States for talksSaturday on aU.S.-led diplomatic push to end the nearly 4-yearold war as Russian attacks again took aim at Ukraine’s power grid, cutting electricity and heating in freezing temperatures.

Kyrylo Budanov,Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’schief of staff, said he arrived in the U.S. to discuss “thedetailsofthe peace agreement.” Writing on the Telegram messaging app, Budanov said

he,togetherwithUkrainian negotiators Rustem Umerov andDavydArakhamia, would meet withU.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’sson-in-law Jared Kushnerand U.S.Army Secretary Dan Driscoll. Also on Telegram, Zelenskyy said Saturdaythatthe principal task for the Ukrainian delegation was to convey howongoing Russian strikes are undermining diplomacy Thestrikes, he said,are “constantly worseningeven the small opportunities for dialogue that existed. The American side must understandthis.”

The ofﬁcial, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal Trump administration thinking, did not say theBoard of Peace is intended to replace theUnited Nations but suggested that it couldperhaps galvanizethe world body into action.

The Trumpadministration has often been at odds withthe United Nations as it zeroed in on eliminating billionsofdollars in funding to international organizations and humanitarian assistance at large. Trump and his allies have blastedthe world body for not reaching its potential andfor “bloated” and redundant agencies that push “woke” ideology

The letters follow Trump’s post on social media Thursday,saying theBoard of Peace had beenformed and that the names of its members would be announced “shortly.” Officials saya formal announcementisexpected to be made next week during the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland. It comes after the White House on Friday evening released the names of some of the leaders who will play a role in overseeing next steps in Gaza, including an executive board that will work to carry out the vision of the Board of Peace. Israel’sgovernment objected Saturday, saying it “was not coordinated with Israel and is contrary to its policy That executive committee includes Trumpadministration officials Secretary of State Marco Rubio and envoy Steve Witkoff as well as businesspeople like Apollo Global Management CEO Marc Rowan andothers like former British Prime MinisterTonyBlair andWorld Bank President Ajay Banga. The White House did not respond to arequest forcommentSaturday on Trump’s ambitions forthe Boardof Peace nor the letters posted by leaders.The United Nationsalso did notimmediately respond.

PRESS FILE PHOTO By LUDOVIC MARIN

EDUCATION

La.community colleges getbig bang forthe buck

BY MARIE FAZIO Staff writer

Richard Nelson has racked up many miles on his Chevy Silverado over the years —ﬁrst while serving in the Louisiana Legislature, then while running for governor and working as secretary of revenue.

Duringthe nexttwo weeks, he’ll traverse the stateagain, this time to tour Louisiana’s12community and technical colleges as the system’snewly appointed president. Nelson said he admires the system,which receives limited state funding but helps its students— manyofwhom are older than traditionalcollege students and have families —improve their skills and job prospects.

“They’re taking people who aren’tworried about football or the experience,” said Nelson, who started as president on Jan. 1. “They’re there to get ajob and the credentials they need so they can provide for their families.” Nelson, who lives in Mandeville, was astate lawmaker for four years, during which time he led efforts to revamp how elementary school students learn to read. The policies havebeen cited as one driver behind Louisiana’sbig literacy gains over the last few years. After an unsuccessful runfor governor,Nelson was tapped to lead the Department of Revenue in 2024. In October,the Louisiana Community and Technical Col-

Q&A WITH RICHARD NELSON HEAD,COMMUNITy,TECHNICAL COLLEGE SySTEM BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

densed and editedfor clarity.

Do yousee anyconnectionbetween your work as alawmaker and your new role?

Iwas in the Legislature for four years, andthe two things I worked on alot were elementary literacyand the taxsystem. Isaw those two things as root causes of some of Louisiana’s ills.

WhenI was ranting on the House ﬂoor, questioning thereturn on investmentfor thestate forthe taxpayers’ money,I would always referencethe community andtechnical college system, whichisrelatively underfunded comparedtowhatother states put up to it,but Ithink oneof the best returns on investment across the board.

billionbeing invested in thestate —which means tensofthousands of jobs are going to create additional strain on thesystem

As astate, we have to make investments so we’rereadytoaddress that on thefront end. When you’re bringingin80,000 new jobs, mostofthose are going to be graduates of thecommunity technicalcollege system.That’s where these construction workers andoperators andwelders andelectricians come from. And that’sgoingtocreate amuch largeradditional burdenonus andit’sgoing to takesome investment on behalf of thestate in order to fund that.

legeSystem board selected Nelson to succeed Monty Sullivan, who held the role for morethana decade and helped triple the system’s enrollment.

Thesystem educatedmore than 92,000 students last year,about a thirdofthe state’scollege population.But Nelson says it will need more funding to meet thestate’s demand for skilled workers for upcoming large-scaleeconomic projects.

Nelson spoke with The TimesPicayune |The Advocate about thebiggest challengesfacing thesystem and how two-year colleges help power Louisiana’s economy

This interview hasbeen con-

You’re taking somebodyfrom maybe making $10 an hour and then, aftertwo yearsatmostor sometimesa couple weeks, you could double or triple their wage. Idon’t knowthatthere’s abiggerreturn on investmentfor the state thanthe communitytechnical college system.

What are the biggestchallenges facing community colleges?

The collegeshavebecome victims of their own success. Enrollments across the board are increasing andthere’s alot more demand on the colleges

At the same time,funding from the state hasbeen thesame for asigniﬁcant periodoftimeand tuition is basically stagnant while institutions have all these costs that areincreasing. How do yousee demand changing?

We’re getting huge economic development projects —like $80

Do youplan to ask the state for more funding?

Yes, it’snecessary. Whenyou look at the scopeofthe problem as farasthe demand for people to fill thesejobs, it’s going to take money to trainthem, outfitthe facilitiestomakesure that they have the skills they need Ijokethat we used to be in the gator-catching business,but nowwehavetobeinthe gatorskinning business.We’vegot all these projects, but we have to be able to closethe loop on that. I’ve heard concernsthatpeople are going to come from TexasorTennesseetowork on those projects and the answer to that problemis the communitytechnical college systembecause we can make sure Louisianans have theskills they need to fill thosejobs. As people debate the value of four-year colleges, how do you plan to pitch the twoyear routeasaviable alternative?

Four-year universitieshave theirpurpose. Butthe waythe economy is going andthings are changing, people are going to have to be continuous lifelong learners. Youmight start at a two-year (college), maybe geta welding certiﬁcate or acredential to getintothe workforce, then usethattoget adegree at afouryear university down theroad We need to work as astate higheredecosystem to make it as easy as possible forpeople to retrain, getcredentialsand stack those things so we can have amobile andcapable workforce. It’s notlike it was100 years ago, whenyou could do thesame job in thesame place without ever having to worry. Now,technology could be completelydifferentbythe time youﬁnish your four-year degree. We have to be nimble —and two-year colleges are really in agreat spotfor that because of theirrelationships withbusiness andindustry

Monty Sullivan, previouspresident, left afteradecade. Did he share anywords of advicewith you?

We have asimilarapproach to this in that we see thereturn on investmentfor thestate andthe change,the impact this hason people’s lives. The system’sbeen put in agreat place. We’vebeen doing great work.

Now,how are we going to take it to thenextlevel in addressing some of these neweconomic development challenges—with allthese projects, allthese jobs andthatchanging dynamic with AI andtechnology.How are we going to prepare forthe next 10 years?

Email MarieFazio at mfazio@ theadvocate.com.

WE’RE ASKING EXPERTS ACROSS THESTATEHOW TO TACKLE THEBIGGEST CHALLENGES FACINGLOUISIANA SCHOOLS. HAVE AN IDEA? EMAIL PATRICK.WALL@THEADVOCATE.COM

LOUISIANAPOLITICS

ICEshootingsslowpassage of appropriation bills

WASHINGTON —Despite narrow margins, the U.S. House is passing the appropriations bills needed to avoid another government shutdown in two weeks —so far Representatives are doing so by working across party lines, which is unique for aCongressthat lately has operated under strict partisanship.

Mark Ballard

By the time the two congressional chambers left Capitol Hill for the weekend, the House had moved eight of the 12 bills that set appropriations for individual federal agencies for the ﬁscal year.The Senatehas sent six of those instruments to the White House for the president’ssignature. The bills won enough votes fromboth parties toovercome dissidents.

All 12 bills —ora continuing resolution to postpone —need to be signed by President Donald Trump by Jan. 30 or much of thefederal government will shut down again.

“Maybe by next week we’ll ﬁnish,” House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, RJefferson,said Tuesday

But the four remaining spending packages are the most controversial and represent most of the federal government’s discretionary funding.

Negotiations are ongoing tosort out the issues with funding the departments of Defense, Health &Human Services, Transportation, and Housing &Urban Development. At the top of the House’sto-do list is the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’sannual appropriation.

That’sthe funding facing thebiggest hurdles,most of which have emerged in the last couple of weeks

The Homeland Security budget had been teed up for aHouse votelast week, but was removed from consideration by House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, and his leadership team, which includes Scalise.

Madison Sheahan running for Congress

Madison Sheahan, who served as the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife &Fisheries for ayear before leaving for atop job at ICE in 2025, is running for Congress.

Sheahan

Sheahan, who is leaving her post as deputy director at ICE so that she can campaign,is campaigning for aHouseseat this fall representing Ohio’s9th CongressionalDistrict.

Democrat Marcy Kaptur, Congress’ longest-serving woman, has held that seat for 22 terms.

Trump won the increasingly Republican district by 7 points in 2024, when Kaptur held off aRepublican challenger by less than a percentage point.

In avideo launching her campaign, Sheahan described herself as a “Trump conservative” and boasted of her role in President Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign

Speaker of the House MikeJohnson, R-Benton, center,prepares for anewsconference at the Capitollast week in Washington.

Congressional pushback, mostly by Democrats but including some Republicans, was sparked by violent incidents involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents across the country,but particularly in Minneapolis, where Renee Good, aU.S. citizen and mother of three, was shot to death.

Thesituation was further inﬂamed when Vice President JD Vance and Homeland SecuritySecretary Kristi Noem claimed that Good was an “agitator”out to hurt ICEagents, beforeany investigation and without presenting proof.

President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened to invoke theInsurrection Act of 1874 toallow themilitarytooperate

“Louisiana knows Madison as a proven conservative ﬁghter who serves with astrong commitment to America First values,” he wrote.Trump“needs people in Congress who will ﬁght for the MAGAagenda, and never cower to the Left. Madison is that person.”

Millard Mule leaving Landry’s office

Atop aidetoGov.Jeff Landry whoheaded manyofthe governor’sNew Orleans-focused initiatives is leaving state government to work in theprivatesector

Millard Mule has performed numerous jobs for Landrysince his 2010 Congressional term, serving as communications director when Landry was stateattorney general andnow as policy director in the governor’s ofﬁce.

Capitol Buzz STAFF REPORTS

“In less than one year at ICE, I’ve stopped more illegalimmigrationthan MarcyKapturhas in her 43 years in Washington,” Sheahan said in the video.

Louisiana Gov.Jeff Landry endorsed Sheahan in apost on X.

In his latest role, he crafted legislation and lobbied lawmakers on the Republican governor’s priorities —including tougher state criminal justice laws, New Orleans water system upgrades and planstoplace an immigration detention facility at theLouisiana StatePenitentiaryatAngola.

At theend ofJanuary, Mule is launching aprivateconsultancy to advise “companies in highlyregulated or scrutinized industries, tradeassociations

as police in American cities. The law was last used in 1992 when President George H.W.Bushsent 3,500 soldiers andMarines to Los Angeles,atthe request of California’sgovernor,onthe fourth day of deadly riots after the acquittal of police ofﬁcers who beat motorist Rodney King on videotape.

Many Democratsnow are demanding concessions in exchange for their support of the Homeland Security funding bill.

“Right now,there’snobipartisan path forward for the Department of Homeland Security,”House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., told reporters Wednesday.“ICE cannot conduct itself as if it’s above the law.”

and coalitions, nonproﬁts, advocacy groups, and issue-driven campaigns,” he said in an email this week announcing his departure.

According to a person familiar with his plans, one of those causes will likely be advising Landry in apolitical capacityonhis duties as President Donald Trump’sspecial envoy to Greenland.

Trump, who has said he wants theU.S. to take over the Danish territory tosecure its rare earth minerals andfor national security, tapped Landry for that role in December,though it remains unclear what the governor’sduties will be.

Mule declined to provide specifics on clients or causes he will work with in theprivatesector

“I will still be working hand-inhand withJeff as Ihave forever, just moreonthe political side,” Mule said Wednesday

Mule’sdeparture means Landry’steam is losing aveteran staffer who played aprominent role in thegovernor’sdesigns for New Orleans. He has “been there at every step on all the major issues” for the city,said Greg Rusovich, CEO of Transoceanic Development and alongtime civic leader

AJesuit High School gradu-

The seniorDemocrat on the House Appropriations Committee, Rep. Rosa DeLauro,ofConnecticut —towhom Chair TomCole, R-Okla., has given muchcredit for helping to craftspending bills acceptable to Democrats —saidinastatement she wants constraints on spending and more accountability

“I am looking forpolicyriders in the Homeland Security bill to be able to rein in ICE. President Trump provided $75 billionfor ICE in the One Big Beautiful Bill, (whichbecamelaw on July 4).I votedagainst this bill. ICE is terrorizing ourcommunities, andIhave calledon masked, armed ICE agents to leaveour towns,” she said.

Actualwording for the four bills should come outoverthe weekendand the full House is expected to vote next week Johnsonand Scalise also are dealing with atiny GOP majority —218 seats, the bare minimum —and have to overcome absences amongRepublicans whenever a vote is called. Most of the bills passed last week were with the help of Democrats. Still, Johnsonisoptimistic that all 12 appropriations measures will clear the House andreverse the trend over the past decadeofapproving continuing resolutions until the four leaders of both parties andbothchambers agree to an all-encompassing spending bill foranup-or-down vote at the last minute.

“Wewill getthatover the line and get it to the president’sdeskfor signature. This is howappropriations is supposed to work,” Johnsonsaid. “WecannotgovernbyCRoromnibus. When we do that, it also losesCongress’sopportunity and credibility.And so we’re really proud aboutrebuilding this muscle memory.” Johnsoncontinued, “I promisedwhen Ibecame speaker to jump-start this. It’s takena while, but we are ﬁnally moving thatboulderupthe hill.”

Email Mark Ballardatmballard@ theadvocate.com.

ate whose father,Salvatore T. Mule, was alocal judge, Mule led talks for theGovernor’sOfﬁce on legislation to reform the city’s beleaguered Sewerage &Water Board. Later,heheaded efforts to relocate homeless people to a state-run shelter in the run-up to Super Bowl LIX, among aslew of other policies.

Someelected NewOrleans Democrats said Mule has often emerged as the face of the governor’sagenda in the city

“He really understands what’s going on downhere,” said state Rep.Mandie Landry,anUptown Democrat whoisnot related to thegovernor State drops affirmative action statement

Responding to an executive order President Donald Trump signed ayear ago aimed at ending so-called diversity,equity and inclusion practices across government, Louisiana has removed an afﬁrmative action statement from its hiring policy

Gov.Jeff Landry celebrated thechange in asocial media post Monday

“DEI has been swept out of Civil Service,”hewrote. “Now employment decisions will be based strictly on the basis of merit theway it SHOULD be!”

“DEI” refers to “diversity,equityand inclusion” policies that Landry,Trumpand other conser-

vatives have long derided.

For morethan four decades, state agencies had been required to have “an afﬁrmative action program to assure equal employmentopportunity in the Classiﬁed Service of State government,” according to Louisiana’scivil service rules, which govern employment practices forthe state workforce.

Now,agencies are simply required to have policies that ensure “equal employment opportunities for all” and are “based upon merit and without regard to religious or political beliefs, sex, race, or any other nonmerit factors.”

Afﬁrmative action plans have provided acomparison of the number of minorities hired and promoted in an agency’sworkforce to the broader labor market, but they didn’tinclude hiring quotas or require speciﬁc actions by hiring managers, State Civil Service Director Byron Decoteau Jr.said in an interview

“From apractical standpoint, there is no substantive change,” in the hiring process or decisions, he said.

Sherri Gregoire, general counsel forState Civil Service, at a meeting last month said Trump’s executive order meantLouisiana agencies could risk losing funding forhaving an afﬁrmative action plan.

The commission approved the change at its January meeting without objection.

Mule

THE GULF COAST

BelovedTikTokstarwill open Gulfport restaurant

BY POET WOLFE Staff writer

Matthew Boundsdoesn’t consider himself achef.

The creator behind the TikTokaccount “Your Barefoot Neighbor,” where he shares home-cooked recipes with more than 2million followers, rejected the label Monday morning in Gulfport, standing inside apartiallyguttedspacethat once housed Downtown Bistroand will soon become his ﬁrst restaurant, Neighbors Table &Tap.

The restaurant, aproject he and his husband,CJ, have been working on since November of last year,isslatedtoopen in March in what Bounds described as a “moody and cozy” addition to awaterfrontcorridoralreadylinedwitheateries.

While thefullmenuisstill beingdeveloped, Bounds said it will servelunch andsmall plates, includingsome entrees offered as dinner specials, along with cocktailsand wine.Itwillalsoremain open late on Fridays and Saturdays, with aseparate late-night menu.

He characterizedthe offeringsas “fun” and “creative,” avoidingthe “typicalseafood”options common atmany restaurants along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

“Not everybody who walks in the door is going to know who Iam, so Iwant this restaurant to stand on its own twofeet and have itsown identity,” Bounds said. “While we may sprinkle in afew of my viral recipes that everybody knows,the menu isnot going to be built aroundme exclusively.”

Neighbors Table& Taparrives as the Gulf Coast’sdining scene has expanded in recent decades,with avant-garde restaurants reshaping the culinary map —some even earning Michelin recognition in 2025. The region has increasingly positioned itself as afooddestination beyond neighboring New Orleans, long aculinary powerhouse, drawing both newcomers and visitorsfrom across the country Bounds has contributed to that evolution, carrying his onlinepresence into the real world with abrick-and-mortar restaurant and cookbooksthat made him

PHOTO By HANNAHRUHOFF/SUN HERALD

MatthewBounds, also known as @yourbarefootneighbor on TikTok, is opening arestaurantinGulfport, Miss.

aNew York Times-bestselling author

Bounds said the space, featuring long high-top tables, sofas and armchairs surrounded by an emerald-green interior,is designedtoencourage conversation and lingering

“I want this to really be alanding place for people,”hesaid. “I want this to be a place where people want to be and want to hang out.”

Bounds will focusonits hospitality,a longtime passion that has always kept him“at thefront of the house,”while another chef oversees the kitchen.

Though he did notlearn how to cook until laterinlife, Bounds long dreamed of opening arestaurant. Hisintroductionto theindustry came as ateenager,washing dishes in akitchen

During theCOVID pandemic, while working from home,hebegan teaching himselfhow to cook andstarted posting videos on TikTok as “YourBarefoot Neighbor” —a caricatureofashoeless neighbor who always greets you witha beer in hand

Whatbegan as apage documenting do-it-yourself projects —fromplanting ﬂower beds to building afence —gradually shifted into aseries of kitchen videos showing what he was making for dinner His audience, and his reach,grew quickly.

“You getatastefor it,” Bounds said, “And you either love it or youhate it. I loved it.”

PopularBay St.Louis beach barand restaurant shutters

Tripletailshad been open foryears

BY POET WOLFE Staff writer

Tripletails Restaurant,a longtime eatery along South Beach Boulevard in Bay St. Louis,Mississippi,closed itsdoors this week after yearsofofferinglivemusic andserving seafood tothe coastal community

Jonathan Allen, who co-owns the restaurant andbar with David Potter,said on Tuesday afternoon that the rising cost of running a business —including rising insurance rates andfood prices drivenbyinﬂation —made it increasingly difﬁcult to continue operating thebusiness. He described therestaurant industry as “just atough business to be in.”

“Weenjoy being in Bay St. Louis very much,” Allen said. “The town is doing fantastic. When it’sbooming, it’sreally good. When it’sbust,it’stough.”

Tripletails sat in the heart of Bay St. Louis’ waterfront entertainment district, surrounded by other popular restaurants,including The Blind Tiger, Rags to Riches, Buoy’s, 200

North Beach, Cuz’sand

Trapani’sEatery

It is the latest of several restaurants along the Mississippi Coast to close as the region’s culinary sceneevolves. Modern eateries have earned accolades in recent years, including Michelin recognition in 2025, while longtime establishments owned by retiring restaurateurs have shuttered.

Tripletails opened morethan adecade ago, before Allen purchased the building in 2021. Since then, the restaurant continued drawing asteadyclientele of localsand visitorstraveling from other partsofthe Gulf Coast,including New Orleans.

Allen ﬁrst announced the sudden closure in aFacebook post that garnered dozens of likesand comments fromcustomerswho said theywould missdining at the restaurant, with manymentioning its po-boys, beer and cocktails. In the post, Allen also said the building will be forsale soon, sharing aphoto of the multistory beachfront property lit in neon green and framed by palm trees.

“It’sbeen afun ride owning this placefor the past 4years,” Allen said, “But we need to turn it over to anew businessready to tackle the challenges of the modern restaurant world.”

Tripletails Restaurant in BaySt. Louis,Miss.,offered outdoor dining

(Travis), Fallon Porter (Salman); and great-grandchildren MillerMcMahon and Jackson Oates. She is also survived by her sisterin-law, Estelle PGregory (Ken), and numerous nieces and nephews. Instilled by her mother Carol was taught and found her calling to help others. Throughout her life she volunteered and belonged to many organizations, always volunteering her time and service to help others. Up until her death, she was an active member in the Council of Catholic School Cooperative Club, and Les Nouvelles. Carol had a strong catholic faith and was an active parishioner of St.Angela Merici. She was especially devoted to her loving family and faith. Carol enjoyed traveling the world, especially our annual family Destin beach trips and annual New York City trips. She enjoyed playing bridge, sewing, knitting, andbaking angel food cake. In typical New Orleans fashion, she could never have enough king cake or have too many snowballs.

The Family would like to give special thanks to Carol's devoted caregiver, Cindy, and her daughter, Lacey, who provided adoring care and companionship. The family also extendstheir thanks to VitalCaring Hospice.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend the visitation at St. Angela Merici from 10:30 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 24th. Funeral Mass begins at 12:00. Private Interment to follow

Ross,Frances Rose Falcone

FrancesRoseFalcone Ross, reveredasa pillar of strength, andanamazing woman whowould go above andbeyondfor those sheloved,passed awayonJanuary 13, 2026

A life-longWestBanker, born on March25, 1941,

DEATHS continued from Franceswas knownfor her "tell it like it is"authentic‐ity,her spunkynature, and her zest forlife, laughter and adventure. Franceswill belovinglyrememberedby her belovedchildren, Rena RossWhite (Doug) and Lenny FrankJosephRoss (Lauren), andNanatoLilly, Mason,Francesca,Mar‐garet andSam,and by her littlebrother"JosephFal‐cone(Jeanine) andtheir daughterAngela, stepdaughterDonna Kramer (Gary)and theirsons, Chad, Douglasand Lance, and so many wonderful friends andextendedfam‐ily.She is joined in rest by her mother,Rena, herfa‐ther, Frank, andher hus‐band, Lenny, alongwith manyother lovedones throughouther life.When you were lovedbyFrances, you knew it.She worried about you, brought youa pot of herheart-warming chicken soup whenyou were sick,belly-laughed until happytears were shed, andstood by you through allthe hard times. She hadyourback, andshe often puther ownneeds onthe back-burnertocare for those sheadored. Frances wasproud of her Sicilian heritage,and loved lunching with herItalian cousins Catherine, Patti and Mickie.FromRed Hat’s toGolden Ages,Frances got akickout of hersocial clubs,and remained ex‐tremely active before her cancerdiagnosis.She was anavidlinedancerwho could teachyou allthe groovysteps,and per‐formed with herfriends at their club functionsand dances. Sheloved taking cruises out of NewOr‐leans,and hasbeenon over20Caribbean cruises inher lifetime.But,her fa‐voritegetaway by far was enjoyingthe easy breezy lifestyle alongthe Missis‐sippi gulf coastwithfamily and friends. Floating along ina bright yellow inner tubeinthe lazy riveratthe Hollywood Casino wasthe bees kneesfor Frances. She also lovedsailingwith her family andfriends on Lake Pontchartrain, the VirginIslands,Miami and the Keys.Frances hada green thumb, andworking inher colorful garden and sharing plants with friends and lovedonesbrought her such satisfaction.She was so happytosee her prizedjaponicatreefullof blooms, andensured us thatitwillbe overﬂowing withsweet fruitbyspring. Frances worked hard,and after leavingthe 9to5 at McDermott to raiseher children,she decidedto

runa successful childcare businessout of herhome for many years. Shetook careofsomanyamazing kids, andbeing apartof their earlychildhood de‐velopment wassoreward‐ing forFrances.She retired for abit,but then came out ofretirementinher mid 60s to open agym with her daughterRena, andthey had ablast servingthe community of Gretna Frances enjoyedweekly gamenightswithher DominoesDivas andalso embracedher creativity by takingpainting, pottery and beadingclassesdur‐ing herlifetime. Frances was aforce to allwho knewand lovedher.Just ask herlifelongfriend since theirtoddler years, Linda Lee, herhonorary sister! Hermemorywill continue to live on andin‐spire strength,resilience, and generosity in those whose livesshe touched. Her funeralserviceswillbe heldatMothe Funeral Homeat2100 Westbank Ex‐presswayinHarveyon Monday, January26thwith visitationatnoon and massat1:30pm. Interment toimmediatelyfollowat WestlawnMemorialPark, 1225 WhitneyAve,Gretna, LA. Thefamilykindlyin‐vites youtoshare thoughts, fondestmemo‐ries, andcondolences on‐lineatwww.MotheFunera ls.com.

DianaSavoie, age88, passedawayonDecember 31, 2025. Shewas born Feb‐ruary 23, 1937, in NewOr‐leans,LAtothe late Frank and TheresaComberrel Diana,lovinglyknown as Dee Dee, wasa devoted mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. Her familywas thecenterof her life,and shetook great joy in everymomentspent withthem. In fact, shewas surrounded by theirpic‐tures on everyinchofher walls. Sheunconditionally

lovedher ﬁve children with the late Thomas Savoie Sr.:ToniLedet,Tammy Savoie, Thomas Savoie Jr., Terri Savoie,Troy(Heather) Savoie, Sr., herninegrand‐children: KatieBuchert Jessica Savoie,Thomas Savoie, III, JulienSavoie, Ju‐lianStamper,Kaliyah Berg‐eron, ShawnCollins,Troy Savoie, Jr.and Samantha Savoie, andher 5great grandchildren.Her love spreadwideand far,in‐cluding hersisters,broth‐ers andtheir spouses: Frank andBarbara Comberral,Wayne and CarmellaComberrel,the lateSharonComberrel, Karen andthe late Pat King. DeeDee wasalways onthe go anddeeply en‐joyed stayingsociallyac‐tive. Shetreasured her friendships throughthe Re‐demptorist High School Group,Group Therapy, and the CousinsGroup.She es‐peciallyloved dancingand traveling activities that brought herlaughter, con‐nection,and joy. Shewill bedearlymissedbyfamily and friends. Relativesand friends areinvited to at‐tenda visitation at 12:00 pmonWednesday,January 21, 2026, at Greenwood Fu‐neral Home,followedbya memorialservice at 1:00 pmwitha social gathering following theservice.In lieuof ﬂowers, please do‐natetoCovenantHouse in New Orleans.

Obituary forGloria

Elaine (née Allocca)Siegel With deep love and profound gratitude forher life, thefamily of Gloria Elaine (née Allocca) Siegel of Newnan, Georgia, announces her passing on January9,2026, at theage of 92, following complications fromdementiaand chronic kidney disease. Gloria is lovingly remembered by her children—Robert J. of Newnan; TimothyofDallas, TX; Christopherand daughter-in-law Monica and their daughters Isabella and Sophiaof Newnan; and Victoriaand son-in-law Todd DeMonte, and their children Thomas,

Emma, and Juliaof Wisconsin. Sheisalso survivedbyher granddaughters Kate, Ellie,and Alex (Matt Dragich);greatgrandchildrenTommy, Cal, Miles, and Mattie; hersisterMarian Aberle of Las Vegas; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Edward and AudreySiegel of California; andmanycherished nieces andnephews. Shewas preceded in death by herbeloved husband of 69 years, Robert L., whopassed away just four monthsearlier;her parents Maeand Emil Allocca of NewYork; hersister June Alloccaof Charlottesville, VA; brother -in-law AlbertAberleofLas Vegas; and herdear grandson Luke Siegel of Lubbock, TX. Born on June 19, 1933, in St.Albans,Queens, Gloria grew up in ahome filled with imagination,music, andthe closeness of family. Sheand hersisters played dress-up withrose petalsfromtheir mother's gardenand treasured visitstotheir AuntJenny's shopinBrooklyn for sweets. Herremarkable intellect—reflected in an IQ of 148—led hertoskip two grades.Summers spentin Haynes Falls, NewYork, became some of hermost cherished childhood memories.

Gloria's love of music emerged early. Shestudied voiceinManhattan with tenorGiuseppe Gaudenzi and performed at her eighth-gradegraduation

After herfather's passing, hersister Marian often accompaniedher on piano, a partnership that brought comfortand joytoboth. Gloria sang in church choirs in NewYorkand later at Atonement Lutheran Church in Metairie, Louisiana, sharingher gift with thecommunitiesshe loved.

Adedicated scholar, Gloria graduatedassalutatorian from Andrew Jackson High School and attendedQueensCollege, whereshe was inducted into PhiBetaKappa for her academic excellenceand character. It was there that she met Bob, thelove of herlifeand herpartner for nearly seven decades. She earneda master's degree in education from Hofstra University and began her teachingcareer at the Kellum Street School in Lindenhurst,NY. In 1965, Gloria andher familymoved to Metairie, Louisiana. There she cultivated lush, award-winning

gardens—earning Garden of theMonth honors—and formed lifelongfriendships on thetenniscourtsof Beach Club. After further study at theUniversity of NewOrleans,she joined thefacultyofSt. Martin's Episcopal School, where she taughtfor 29 years and washonored as Teacherof theYear. She is fondly rememberedbygenerations of students andcolleagues for herwarmth,dedication, andunwavering commitmenttoeducation. In 1978, thefamily moved to Kenner,where Gloria continuedtonurture herpassionsfor gardening andtennis, joining Chateau'sThursday Night LadiesLeague. Hergarden flourished with vibrantannuals, gracefulshrubs, and herbeloved redroses. Gloria wasa devoted motheroffour, fillingher home withmusic,delicious meals, encouragement, andunconditional love Sheand Bob shared adeep appreciationfor the arts andfor travel, creating rich memories with their childrenthatspanned decades andcontinents. In 2023, Gloria and Bob relocatedtoNewnan, Georgia, to be closerto family. Sheembraced her newhomewith joy—sharingmeals, stories,and celebrations with herchildren,grandchildren,and great-grandchildren,and tending anew garden alongside Bob. Gloria spent herfinal years in thecomfort of her home, surrounded by family andsupported by acompassionate caregiving team. Sheremainedwhere she washappiest, enjoying herfavorite gardening program, themusic that filled thehouse, and the steady presence of those she loved. Herson Bobby often played pianofor her, agift that brought peace and beautytoher days. Gloria leaves behind a legacyoflove, learning, andbeauty—reflected in hergardens,her music and thecountless lives she touched. Shewill be deeply missed and forever rememberedbyher family, friends, andformer students

Local support. Local impact.

Siegel,GloriaElaine

Savoie,Diana

Strecker, Louis H. 'Louie'

Louis "Louie" H. Strecker, Jr. of Metairie, LA passed awayon Tuesday, January 13, 2026. He was born on October 21, 1947, in New Orleans, LA, to the late Louis H. Strecker, Sr. and Cecile Neupert Strecker. Louie grew up playing baseball with his two younger brothers and neighborhood friends. His physical energy only increased as he got older. That energy became a lifelong discipline. For more than 30 years, Louie began each day at 4:30 a.m., heading to the gym for cardio and weightlifting, followed by breakfast with his longtime "breakfast boys" at Lagniappe Restaurant. The routine was non-negotiableand became as much about friendship andconsistency as it was about fitness. He proudly servedinthe Army NationalGuard,a commitment that reflected his strength, discipline, and sense of duty Louieowned and operated Strecker Construction for 50 years. Known for his meticulous carpentry and fair pricing,hebuilt abusiness founded on loyalty and trust. His right-hand man, Benny Ray, became a third brother to him, and together they earned deep respect from clients. Louie was known for his colorful language, unapologeticpolitical incorrectness, and razor-sharp wit. He said the things most people only thought and his delivery and timing made it impossibletotake offense. What might have been shocking from someone else became part of his charm, and those who knew him best loved him all the more for it. He was obsessed with LSU, which surpassed even his love of golfing and fishing. His strength never failed him. Louie fought his illness to his final breath. During this time, his faith grew deeply as he formed

apersonal relationship with Jesus Christ. He faced his illness with hope and peace,confident that when he met Jesus,his loving parents wouldbethereto hold him in theirarms once again. Louieissurvived by his daughters, Melissa Scheuermann (Dr. Rob), Amy Strecker, and Ashley Strecker (Daniel Guzman); two granddaughters, Brittany Wilson and Sophie Guzman, agrandson, ParrishScheuermann; two brothers, Tommy (Vicki) Streckerand Greg (Kristi) Strecker. Also survivedby his stepmother, Marcella Strecker; three ex-wives with whom he was on goodterms,Karen Strecker,CarmenBentley (Mike),and Marilyn Strecker; nieces, nephews, and great-niecesand great -nephews

Visitationwillbeheldat Leitz-EaganFuneralHome, 4747 Veterans Memorial Blvd.,Metairie, LAon Thursday, January 22, 2026, from 5:00 pm -8:00 pm. Eulogies willbeshared at 7:00 pm. On Friday, January 23, 2026, visitation will begin at 10:00 am followed by aFuneral Mass at 11:00am in Leitz-Eagan Funeral Home's chapel. Interment willbeinGardenof Memories Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributionsmay be made to WoundedWarriors Project or St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital Fondmemoriesorcondolences may be sharedat www.leitzeaganfuneralho me.com

DavidGlass Tees,a vi‐sionary leader in theen‐ergyindustryand ade‐voted advocate forengi‐neeringeducation,passed awayonJanuary 2, 2026, at the ageof81. Born on July 22, 1944, in Houston, Texas,

to Grifﬁth andHenrietta Tees,David earned both his bachelor’s (1966) and master’sdegrees (1973) in engineeringfromTexas A&M University.David’s ca‐reer beganatHouston Lighting& Power(HL&P)in 1966 andcontinued there and with successorcom‐paniesfor 40 years. His leadershipencompassed power plantoperations and maintenance, engi‐neering, construction,and environmental safety.He heldexecutive roleswith HL&P, CenterPointEnergy, Houston Industries,Inc., Reliant Energy,and Texas Genco Holdings,Inc (Genco),managingpower generationacrossthe UnitedStates, SouthAmer‐ica,and Europe.In2006, David retiredasPresident and CEOofGenco.David continued to shapethe en‐ergyindustryasa senior advisor at Zachry Project Managementand Consult‐ing,LLC,and as adirector ofEcono PowerInterna‐tionalCorporation.Healso servedasa member of the Texas A&MDeanofEngi‐neeringAdvisoryCouncil and as an instructor at RiceUniversity’sExecutive ManagementSchool.His commitmenttoenviron‐mentalstewardship con‐tinuedserving as Director and Vice PresidentofFi‐nance of HoustonRegional MonitoringCorporation and as aDirectorand Chairmanofthe Boardof South TexasProject Nu‐clear OperatingCompany David will be remembered for motivating andvaluing his employees,his brilliant leadership, integrity, and unwaveringdedicationto clean andreliableenergy. David is survived by his wife, Valerie; sons Jared (Beth), Carl Burch (Christie), andTye Burch (Stephanie);and seven grandchildren

death by her parents, Lawrence E. Hedrick and Naomi Dominguez Hedrick, her sibling, Daniel Hedrick, and granddaughter, Madeline Walsh. She is survivedbyher husband of 63 years, Terence "Terry" Walsh; her children, Thomas (Christine Ward), Michael (Stacey),Julianne, and Gregory (Stephanie); 15 grandchildren, Mary Margaret McIntire, Peter, Claire,Lillian,Frances, and LuciaWalsh, Hannah Marshall, CullenWalsh Emma Seicshnaydre, and Caleb Walsh, Milesand Max Kroeker, and Ty and Finn Walsh, and 4greatgrandchildren. Lindawas born in New Orleans where she had deep family rootsacross generations. Her family moved with her father's workand she spent her highschoolyears in Palo Alto,California.She returnedtoNew Orleans to attend LoyolaUniversity, where she met Terry, the love of her life Her life was devoted to caring forothers, having raised four children while also supporting her mother and brother. She cherishedher role as "Lindy" to her 15 grandchildrenand

hada remarkablegift for soothing fussy babies much to thereliefofnew parents. Agiftedand passionate needleworker Linda loved to sew, especiallyfor hergrandchildren Linda was awarded the OrderofSt. Louis IX Medallion by the ArchdioceseofNew Orleansinrecognition of heroutstandingservice to herparish,St. Pius X, whereshe hadbeen an active member since 1964. Herfaithlifewas central to whoshe was. Shewas deeply committedtothe Sodality of Mary, thelongstanding Thursday MorningPrayerGroup,and theCatholic Couples group, of whichshe wasa core memberfor nearly 25 years. Shealso served faithfully as aEucharistic Minister and Lector. Shewill be remembered for herthoughtfuland generousspirit,her devoted caregiving, andher warm hospitality, especially welcoming hercollege kids' friends.

Linda wasabeautiful person,inside andout, wholived herlifeinservice to herfaith, family, and friends. Shewas deeply lovedand tenderly cared

for in herfinal years by her devotedhusband, children, andcaregivers, including Mary Williams, Inez McKenzie,DeborahButler, andDarleneKing.

Afuneral service will be held on Monday, January 19, 2026, at St.PiusX Church,6666 SpanishFort Boulevard, NewOrleans Visitation willbefrom9:00 to 11:00 a.m., with aMass to begin at 11:00 a.m. Areception willfollow In lieu of flowers, donationsinher memory may be made to Catholic CharitiesArchdioceseof NewOrleans,POBox 58009, NewOrleans,LA 70158-8009, St.PiusX Church,orthe charity of yourchoice

mate Ev arsal Din Weddin

Walsh, Linda Hedrick

Linda Hedrick Walsh passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on January14, 2026. She wasborn on June 17, 1940, and was anativeand resident of NewOrleans. She wasprecededin

Tees,David Glass

NOLA.COM | Sunday, January 18, 2026 1Bn

UNICORN MULE IS A FRENCH QUARTER STAR

Claudia and her dedicated driver delight tourists

BY JENNA ROSS Staff writer

As Claudia trotted through the French Quarter on a recent night, heads turned, phones ﬁlmed and a girl tugged her mom’s arm.

“Unicorn,” she whispered, her eyes wide.

Other mules, pulling carriages, pass by Jackson Square with little fanfare. But with a white horn on her head, glowing wings on her back and purple glitter on her hooves, Claudia inspires stares, paintings and Instagram posts.

That’s thanks to her driver Kaliecia Smith As a kid, she dreamed of a flying unicorn and now, each night, she guides one through New Orleans’ historic streets with carrots, kisses and voice commands that sound more like songs.

“Claudia,” Smith intoned as they ambled down Dumaine Street, “step right, please.”

Each year for Krewe du Vieux, Smith dresses up Claudia the Muliecorn in an extravagant, exuberant costume. This year’s ensemble is still secret, but several years ago, as Big Bird, her face was framed by yellow feathers. Smith, in turn, wore a blue Grover tee.

But the pair matches most nights as they entice tourists in Jackson Square to take a carriage tour.

“This is how you know I belong to her,” Smith said, pointing a sequined boot beside Claudia’s sparkly hoof.

It’s more than a glittery gimmick. Smith, 44, has driven Claudia for 13 years The mule has been there while her driver, known as “Sparkles,” has struggled with lupus, been injured in two car wrecks and had a hysterectomy (A kick from Claudia also led to four root canals, but Smith is quick to explain: “She didn’t mean to.”)

With each setback and each surgery, Smith works to return to her mule.

“I’m ﬁghting so hard to be with my girl,” she said.

Last year, Smith made a deal to adopt Claudia after she retires. The owner of Mid-City Carriages commissioned a massive artwork from Smith, an artist, of his beloved horse

It’ll be $10,000,” she told him, “or one mule.” Smith framed the resulting paperwork, displaying it in her living room on “my Claudia wall,” filled with paintings, photos and

drawings.

“She’s my everything,” Smith said. She’s my love.”

Since she could pick up a crayon, Smith has been drawing horses. Unicorns, at ﬁrst, but her father, a computer programmer made clear they weren’t real. “So from a very early age, I thought, ‘Well, I’m just gonna have to settle for a horse.” She asked for a horse for “every birthday, every Christmas, every everything.”

Before moving to New Orleans from Salt Lake City Utah she visited, drawn in partly by a documentary about the city’s artists.

“There was something about her that said she belongs in New Orleans,” said Dawn Kesslering, a friend who met her on one of those visits. “Or, to be more speciﬁc, New Orleans wanted her

Teachers angry over change in bonuses

More than 1,000 didn’t get merit pay

BY ELYSE CARMOSINO Staff writer

Fewer than 200 Jefferson Parish Schools teachers received performance-based bonuses last month, a sharp reduction from last year that has left hundreds of teachers who had been counting on the extra money empty-handed. Each year, the school district gives pay bumps of $1,000 to $2,000 to teachers who achieve the top evaluation rating, which until recently had been “highly effective.” About 1,300 of Jefferson Parish’s roughly 3,200 teachers earned that rating last school year, according to numbers provided by district ofﬁcials. Most were expecting a stipend when the district issued them in December

However, the district changed its policy last year to reﬂect the state’s updated evaluation rubric, which created a new top rating, “exemplary.” Under the new policy, only 162 teachers qualiﬁed for the merit pay

“People are mad,” said Melanie Cade, a special education teacher at Jefferson Elementary School who was rated “highly effective” last school year and had been banking on the bonus to help pay for Christmas presents. “They shortchanged a lot of us.”

At a School Board meeting this month, board member Steven Guitterrez said he has been “bombarded” with emails from teachers who told him they weren’t notiﬁed in advance about the change. He argued that applying the new performance-pay policy to last school year’s ratings amounts to “pulling the rug” out from educators.

“I don’t think that’s fair,” he said.

Guitterrez proposed paying bonuses to teachers rated “highly effective” last year, in addition to those who scored “exemplary.” The board will vote on his proposal next month. But district ofﬁcials said it isn’t feasible to give stipends to the 1,300 teachers deemed “highly effective” — a big increase from the 643 who received bonuses for their 2023-24 ratings. They also argue that the district’s practice of giving bonuses to the highest-rated teachers has not changed.

“Our previous language awarded a stipend to those who were at the highest level,” Jefferson Parish Schools Chief Financial Ofﬁcer Sarah Caruso said during last week’s board meeting “That is what we are continuing to do.”

The debate comes as Louisiana rolls out its new teacher-evaluation standards, which school systems had the option to adopt last year and which ofﬁcially launched statewide this year

The new rubric grades teachers on a ﬁve-tier scale — from “ineffective” to “exemplary” — instead of the previous system’s four-point scale, and it incorporates teacher self-assessments into ratings. State ofﬁcials have said the changes are intended to give teachers better professional feedback.

Jefferson Parish Schools opted to start using the new rating system last school year, but the district did not update its bonus policy until after the school year ended, School Board documents show The board approved changes to the district’s salary chart last July, but Guitterrez said at last week’s meeting that he and other board members had not been aware that the

WWL meteorologist pausing forecasts for motherhood

Alexandra Cranford looking forward to spending time with her son

BY KEITH SPERA Staff writer

As a political communications major at LSU, Alexandra Cranford was often caught off guard by the weather She rarely knew what to expect as she crisscrossed campus. She once repurposed a

trash bag into an emergency raincoat on the way to class.

And yet she found her calling in meteorology

Since 2012, she has kept WWL Louisiana viewers informed about heat, hurricanes and rain, winning awards and building a large, loyal following on TV and online.

But she’ll soon revert to being surprised by storms.

Her Jan. 7 announcement that she was leaving WWL stunned her many fans. She’ll deliver her ﬁnal forecast during WWL Louisiana’s 10 p.m. Sunday newscast.

The next day, she’ll slip into her new role as a full-time mom to her 15-month-old son, Marius.

“I realized how much I loved my days with him,” she said this week. “And I just think that’s the most important thing right now.” Cranford, who is 38, grew up in Slidell and has lived her entire life in Louisiana.

From Slidell High School, she entered LSU, unsure of her career path. She focused on her fondness for science and

A horn glows in front of Claudia the Muliecorn.

STAFF PHOTOS By SOPHIA GERMER

Kaliecia Smith stands with Claudia the Muliecorn in front of Jackson Square on a quiet evening recently in New Orleans.

JEFFERSON PARISH

WWL Louisiana meteorologist Alexandra Cranford stands by her teleprompter and camera during her last week of work at the New Orleans station on Wednesday.

STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

Some workers exempt from N.O. furloughs

BY CHAD CALDER Staff writer

Mayor Helena Moreno’s administration said Saturday that planned furloughs at City Hall will be weighted toward the highest-paid employees, effectively sparing those who make less than $40,000 a year

This, the mayor said in a news release, “places the burden on those that are most able to manage the difﬁcult measures, while freeing those that are likely least able to absorb cuts from furloughs.”

The furloughs have been in the works for months as Moreno’s administration works to balance a budget after inheriting a $222 million deﬁcit. Saturday’s announcement comes following meetings with the union representing city employees.

UNICORN

Continued from page 1B

“Certain people New Orleans just falls in love with, and she’s one of them.”

A job with Marriott allowed her to make the move. Later she began driving a mule named Claude, affixing butterﬂy wings to his back.

Those making less than $40K won’t be affected “There

“After meeting with the AFSCME 2349 the local City Workers Union, I promised to protect the most vulnerable city employees from further ﬁnancial strain — and through the dedicated work of our team, we were able to do just that,” the mayor said, “These are difﬁcult times, but I believe this is the fairest, most equitable way to get us through while we work to mend this broken budget.”

Chief Administrative Ofﬁcer Joe Giarrusso characterized the furloughs as a necessary last resort and noted public safety and other emergency personnel are exempt

The furloughs will begin in the Feb. 15 payroll period. It was not clear whether the changes announced Saturday were revenue neutral compared to the previous, across-the-board plan.

Earlier this month, Moreno’s transition team announced plans to cut 36 unclassiﬁed positions, an effort expected to save the city about $27 million. The mayor is also looking at cutting up to 62 probationary-status employees, those who have worked for the city for less than a year Moreno’s plan to balance the budget also includes nearly $150 million in spending cuts and a hiring freeze across 134 vacant positions.

Email Chad Calder at ccalder@theadvocate com.

FORECASTS

Continued from page 1B

reading.

“I realized there’s this job that kind of combines the two,” she said, “and I decided I would do meteorology on TV if I could.” She made her broadcast journalism debut on LSU’s campus “Tiger TV” station and graduated summa cum laude. She later earned a master’s degree in applied meteorology from Mississippi State University After stops at TV stations in Monroe and Shreveport where she discovered that early-morning shifts didn’t suit her she joined WWL’s weather team in 2012. Personable, relaxed and unassuming on air, she sometimes wore clothes handcrafted by a friend. On social media, her posts ranged from photos of her baking and biking adventures to weather explainers. She gets equally geeked out over enriched dough, Harry Potter, rainbows, sundogs and other “atmospheric optics.”

TEACHERS

Continued from page 1B

changes included the new bonus pay cutoff.

He also said that teachers were not notiﬁed about the policy change — a claim echoed by several educators. The lack of communication meant that many teachers discovered during the holiday season that the extra pay they’d anticipated would not arrive, Guitterrez said.

He added that the new policy should only have been applied to this school year and after not last school year “If we’re looking at the future and changing it to ‘exemplary,’ that’s fine,” he said “But we’re talking about retroactively (doing) this.” Jefferson Parish Schools did not respond to a request for comment.

Superintendent of

She switched companies, and after finding out she’d worked with a mule named Claude, they introduced her to Claudia Kismet, she ﬁgures Smith didn’t know that this white mule didn’t like having her ears touched. She brushed them while putting on her bridle. Claudia “picked me up with her head and threw me into a pole,” she said, laughing.

Then, Claudia ran to her stall and stuck her head into a corner “She knew she had done wrong,” she said.

Smith fell in love.

Now she lists her mule’s likes and dislikes with great affection. Claudia hates motorcycles, metal grates and pumpkin spice cupcakes. She loves alfalfa cubes and apples, sliced with cinnamon.

She’s sweet with kids. For a carrot, she will give you a big, toothy kiss.

And she doesn’t seem to mind the horn, Smith said. It sits in her blind spot and, importantly, never touches her ears.

When Smith started with the glitter and the glam, some folks objected, saying it was disrespectful, said Kesslering, general manager of the Vampire Cafe in the French Quarter But Kesslering had seen how Smith cared for Claudia. How she showed up at the barn even on her days off.

How she scooped and cleaned her stall How she filled her home’s fridge with carrots.

“What she showed them is that she wasn’t dressing her up out of disrespect,” Kesslering said, “but out of love.”

‘Hard to forget’

On a quiet Thursday night, the carriages lined

She loves forecasting, even if severe weather made her nervous. “I didn’t want to leave anything out or miss something,” she said “I wanted to do a good job on those days where it was really important.”

She’s quiet by nature Going to work “was my designated time to be social I always loved interactions with my co-workers. That’s the time where you do that, then you get to go home and be quiet.”

Getting a ‘bundle of joy’

Motherhood wasn’t necessarily on her radar. When she and her engineer husband, Charles Babbitt, found out she was expecting, she ﬁgured she would “take life as it came. That’s just kind of how I live.”

In September 2024, just before she went on maternity leave, she posted about impending motherhood: “I hear this next project can be harder than a hurricane forecast, but also more fun.”

The first few weeks of sleep deprivation following Marius’s birth were indeed tough. But once he got on a regular sleep schedule, the

Schools James Gray said at the board meeting that the intention was not to hide the change from educators, adding that the district only updated the bonus policy to match the state’s new rating tiers.

“Our teachers are our most precious resource,” Gray said. “The state made some changes. We’re following those changes.”

Teachers feel blindsided Cade, the special education teacher, said she repeatedly checked her bank account on the day the bonuses were scheduled to drop last month When she received her regular paycheck but no stipend, she checked Facebook and saw she wasn’t alone. Several teachers across the district were also posting that they hadn’t gotten the extra pay they had expected. Some pointed out that a district salary guide says on one page that

up along Decatur Street, their drivers on the lookout for tourists. Most mules were brown, most buggies black. But for their tour Jenny Hawkes and her husband Beau Baez had picked the white mule hitched to the white-and-green carriage. They laughed as they stepped off, an Aunt Sally’s bag in hand, bantering with Smith. The couple, in town from Ohio for a conference, had remembered seeing Claudia on a previous trip.

“With her unicorn horn and all, she’s hard to forget,” Hawkes said. They were charmed by Smith’s offbeat approach and loved that, along the way tour guides and people who work in French Quarter shops greeted Claudia, sometimes stopping to feed her a carrot. “There’s a fan club, I think,” Hawkes said. Claudia is now part of French Quarter lore. Portraits of the pair appear in photo books. A painting of her hangs in the Royal Frenchmen Hotel. A real

family settled into a happy routine.

“That cliché of ‘bundle of joy’ is real,” Cranford said. “That’s really what he is: a small package of joy.”

She was still on maternity leave during New Orleans’ most dramatic weather event of 2025: the Jan. 21 blizzard.

“I relied on my husband to tell me what was going on with the snow, because I was completely absorbed in this other activity at the time,” she said “I was completely in a different mind space.”

Back to work

She returned to the airwaves in February Marius didn’t make it easy by suddenly refusing to be fed by a bottle. Cranford would dash home at lunchtime to breastfeed, then hurry back to WWL’s French Quarter studio.

“It was so stressful, some of the most stress I’ve ever felt in my life,” she recalled. “My baby is completely dependent on me for sustenance, and I have to go to work.”

With her husband busy with his engineering soft-

“highly effective” teachers are eligible for the bonus, but on a different page, it says “exemplary” teachers are eligible.

A ﬁrst grade teacher, who asked not to be identified out of concern about retaliation from the district, said she had planned to put the bonus toward a vacation with her children.

She said she’s upset the district was not more transparent about the change

“We went through the whole school year and the summer thinking we were going to get this stipend,” she said.

In an interview, Guitterrez credited teachers as the driving force behind the school system’s recent academic growth and said they deserve compensation for their hard work.

“Some people are going to look at this as a cost,” he said, “but this should really be considered an investment in our teachers.”

DAWN KESSLERING, friend of Kaliecia

estate listing, taped to brick wall, includes a photo of the mule.

After the Ohio couple left, the sidewalk on this comfortable January evening was empty It was a slow time of year between the holidays and Mardi Gras. For two weeks, over the holidays, Smith picked up day shifts, trying to sock away some money for the land she’d like to buy for Claudia, someday. (She figures she needs about 10 acres.) But, partly because lupus symptoms are triggered by sunlight, her body rebelled. Her skin broke out in rashes. Her joints swelled so much she couldn’t close her hands. She’s still in pain from past injuries, too. “Every day sin-

ware startup, Blockpad, Cranford’s mother and Babbitt’s parents pitched in to watch Marius three days a week.

Cranford enjoyed being back at work. But with her WWL contract set to expire this month, she’d need to sign a new contract — or not.

Maybe she wanted more time with Marius.

“I really was trying to move through it and not think too much until it was time to make the decision,” she said.

Eventually, “things just kind of became clear I think God really gave me a lot of guidance on this Sometimes he’s kind of quiet on issues. But this time, I prayed a lot and I think he showed me the way forward.”

WWL had offered her the daytime shift she’d always wanted. But accepting the offer would mean she’d no longer have Thursdays and Fridays off to spend with her son.

She declined the daytime shift and decided not to sign a new contract.

“I realized that if I valued those (off) days so much

that I’m not taking that new shift, then maybe (Marius) is where my time should be spent.”

Social media hiatus

She’s saying goodbye for now, but not necessarily forever She may return to TV when Marius is older. “I love weather I love my job. I think for sure I would like to do something in the future.”

Until then, she’s stepping back entirely Retired WDSU meteorologist Margaret Orr still posts frequent forecasts online. Cranford, by contrast, has no intention of posting weather updates after Sunday

She’s not only stepping away from meteorology, but from social media in general. A social media hiatus “is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. Just to be present more and try to live moment to moment with God and the people who are actually in front of me. To live more in real life.”

Beyond motherhood, she’s not entirely sure what real life will involve. More baking, probably And reading. And long walks and bike

gle day,” she said, brightly “all the time.” But she shows up for Claudia: “As long as there’s a breath in my body, I will be with that mule.”

Around 8 p.m., Smith stepped back onto the carriage, leading Claudia out of the line and onto the street.

“Easy, love,” she called to her

Heading back to the barn, they exchanged cues, Smith watching the direction of Claudia’s ears. Smith encouraged each tour group she passed to “tip your terrific tour guide!” She joked with tourists: “I see you checking out my ass!” In the barn, between carrots, she began removing the jangling equipment from Claudia’s back, neck, head. She dabbed zinc oxide on a bare patch of skin. She tickled one hoof, applying cream, then another She spread fresh hay in Claudia’s stall, and Claudia, now naked, came running. Then the two stood together in the barn’s warm light, Smith chatting about the night and Claudia leaning in for kisses.

rides. And once again being surprised by storms. A few weeks ago, she took Marius for a walk in the rain. He was puzzled by the need for an umbrella — he preferred to feel the water falling from the sky The irony wasn’t lost on his mother “Most of my career has been telling people when it’s going to rain so they can stay out of the rain,” Cranford said. “He’s like, ‘Let’s get out in it.’”

Email Keith Spera at kspera@theadvocate.com.

LOTTERY

FRIDAY, JAN. 16, 2026

PICK 3: 5-8-1

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Kaliecia Smith in sequin shoes stands next to Claudia the Muliecorn with glittered hooves by Jackson Square recently in New Orleans.

Bankston, Lawrence

Bertaut, Marie

CarbineIII, James

Caruso,Lucille

Coleman, Victoria

Duhon, Norma

Eumont Sr., Jack

Flettrich, Leon

Gerhardt,Lynn

Hamer, Jean

Hanemann Jr.,Albert

Hopkins,Brian

Horton, Renee

Howe-Frilot, Laura

Hughes, Victoria

Jahncke Jr., Davis

Klein, Marilyn

Koschel, George

Kryssing, Evelyn

Lucas,Andréa

Mackin,Cooper

Marcell, Gloria

Negrotto,James

Olin,Julio

Penniman, Joan

Petrovich,Anthony

Porter,Carol

Ross, Frances

Savoie, Diana

Siegel,Gloria

Strecker,Louis Tees,David Walsh, Linda EJefferson

Leitz-Eagan

Olin,Julio

Strecker,Louis

Tharp Funeral Home

Horton, Renee NewOrleans

Boyd Family

Lucas,Andréa Charbonnet

Marcell, Gloria

Greenwood

Bankston, Lawrence

Savoie, Diana JacobSchoen

Eumont Sr., Jack Howe-Frilot, Laura

Koschel, George Lake Lawn Metairie

Bertaut, Marie CarbineIII, James Flettrich, Leon Gerhardt,Lynn

Jahncke Jr., Davis Klein, Marilyn Porter,Carol Walsh, Linda River Parish

HC Alexander

Duhon, Norma St Tammany

Grace Funeral

Hughes, Victoria West Bank

Mothe

Petrovich,Anthony

Ross, Frances Robinson FH Coleman, Victoria

Bankston,Lawrence Andrew

Lawrence Andrew Bankston died on Friday December 26, 2025. He was thelifepartner of 30 years to Troy Sylvia.Hewas pre‐cededindeath by hispar‐ents,Leonard J. Bankston, Sr.and Iris Locantro Bankston.Hewas the brotherofLenny (Brenda) Louis, Lionel (Robin), and Linda.Lawrencewas the uncle to severalniecesand nephews, greatnephews anda greatniece.Hewas aresidentofTerrytown,LA andgraduated from West JeffersonHighSchool and theUniversityofNew Or‐leans. In lieu of ﬂowers, please make adonationto your favorite charity. A memorial Mass will be held on Tuesday, January20, 2026, at 12:30 pm at Christ theKingChurch,535 Deer‐ﬁeldRoad, Terrytown, LA Visitation will be at 10:30 until Mass time.Memories andcondolences canbe shared at green‐woodfh.com

Bertaut,Marie Celeste Marie CelesteBertaut passedawayonTuesday, January13, 2026 at 76 years of age. Shewas born in New Orleans, LA on September 27, 1949, and was aresident of Metairie, LA for most of her life and currently living in Bush, LA Shewas preceded in death by her parents, Irene Loup Bertaut and Ernest A. Bertaut, Sr., and siblings, John F. "Rick" Bertautand Denise B. Parra. She is survived by hersiblings, Alice B. Weilbaecher,Michele B. Albares (Steven), ReneeB Huhner(Judge),ErnestA Bertaut, Jr,and numerous nieces and nephews. Special thanks to the Fuegi/Peschlow familyfor their constant care and loveofCeleste.The services willbeheldon Monday, January 19, 2026 at St. Catherine of Siena CatholicChurch, 105 BonnabelBlvd, Metairie, LA 70005.The visitation will begin at 11:00a.m.until the funeral massat12:00p.m. Theinterment willbeprivate. In lieu of flowers, masses are preferred.

CarbineIII,James Michael

James MichaelCarbine III,illustrious designer, builder,restorer,and steward of countlesshomes in NewOrleans and around the South, diedathome on December 28th, aftera series of healthchallenges. Born to Marjorie Geary Carbine and James M. Carbine Jr. on January31, 1951.Michael was always curious about thespaces around him. At fourteen, he draftedhis firstrenovation planfor hismother so she couldhavemore room forher burgeoning family Michael attended De La Salle,graduated number one from LSU Baton Rouge in the inaugural class of the School of Construction Technology,and went on to receivehis mastersin Historic Preservation from Columbia University Recognized by one of his professors as an intuitivepreservationist, Michael was recommended to the B&O Railroad Company to be the inhouseleadonextensive renovations to the stations and creation of amuseum forthe 1976Centennial celebrationinBaltimore and Washington DC Michael's true love was houses, and he returned to NewOrleansand opened M. Carbine Restorations ltd, in 1978. Over his fiftyyear career,Michael brought reverence, discernmentand an obsessive attention to detailto his projects. Hisinnate

sense of proportion and visionallowedhim to coax century old, sometimesdeteriorating mansionsinto the21st century all while preserving their architectural integrity. As part of this process, Michael recognized the value and importance of theelementsthatmade these homes. He saved barge boardbeforeitwas de riguer. He collected spindles,hinges,and any architectural elements others may have discarded In 1991, he and his wife, Basi (ElizabethMcAshan) openedMac Maison, ltd. an antique shopon Magazine St,reflectinghis lifelong devotion to craftsmanship and antiques. Mac Maisonquickly became thedestination for locals and in-the-know touristsseeking to emulate therooms picturedin theplethora of articles publishedabouthomeshe renovated Michael had no time for fanfare and eschewed fame at all costs. He preferred to be thequiet back bone of preservation, allowing theinteriordecorators, clients and most importantly thehomes to take centerstage.Hewas a natural teacher, employing youngarchitectstoengineerhis perfectly proportioneddrawings whileinstilling in them how to open their mindsand "listen" to what thebuildings were needing.Hewas blessed with acrew of talented and hardworking laborers, craftsmen, and artists.

Married for40years and lifelong friends, one might say that Michael's fascination with design was influenced by Basi's life.As teenagers, Michael and Basi were known to throw afew partiesamidst the antique filledbackdropof Basi's stepfather, and renowned architect, Myrlin McCullar's coveted home on First Streetand Prytania, which he builtfor Basi'smother, thoroughbred breeder and formidable character, Lillie Wier FranzheimMcCullar Webb of Paris, Kentucky. Guestsatthese infamous partiesnever knew what surprises awaitedthem in theazaleabushes.

Michael and Basi's friendship started at Valencia where thetwo were instant friends and found solace togetheron thedance floor. The jitterbugwas theirfavorite. Theirinevitablemarriage was fueled by their mutuallyinsatiable appetite for life,travel,laughter, and storytelling. Theirunion can be summed up by the phrase, joie de vivre.The joy of living was nota slogan forthem, buta way of being.Their connection to this city, itstraditions and people fromall walks of life was infectious and palpable.

Michael had adevoted daughter, Margaux Simms, and alovingstepdaughter, Lillie CelesteRuschell Simms frequently accompaniedhim on buying trips to Paris. Although Michael was captivated by few thingsother than houses, he was instantly smitten with his grandson, James Ware, for whom he invented the'sconce walk', a sure way to quiet afussy infant and relievea new mother. He was anxiously awaiting thebirthofhis second grandchild Margaux Elizabeth, born shortly after his death, who willsurely carry on thetraditioninthe arms of her mom, grandmother, and aunt To knowMicheal was to admire him. His unexpected deathhas shocked the city and cast awidenet of loss for themyriadsof liveshetouched.

M. CarbineRestorations, ltd. had numerous projects underway,and Michael was notoriouslygiving directives and calling his clients even from hishospitalbed.His projectswill be completedand his visionimplemented under theguidance of his longtime Project Manager, JerryEames, with help fromformeremployees, MattFox and William Sonner. Michael's brother, GearyCarbine,willmaintain M. Carbine Restorations, ltd. at Michael's request and to hisexacting standards.

In addition to theincredible team of doctors at Ochsner, thefamily would like to thank Dr. Chip Grant, friend Vesta Fort, and especiallyCarmen,his house manager. He is survivedbyhis wife Basi; daughter, Simms Carbine Verret (Jody); grandson, James Ware Verret;granddaughter, Margaux Elizabeth;stepdaughter, Lillie Celeste Ruschell (Mary Tobin); and his siblings; Mollie Carbine Rogers, Geary Christopher Carbine (Cloe),Bonnie Carbine McCullar,and Christopher Robert Carbine (Ann), and his

niecesand nephews. Michael's aesthetic is builtinto NewOrleans. His devotion to his craft ensured his incredible talent for creating beauty willbe reflected throughout the city for generations to come. Services willbeheldon his 75thbirthday, January 31st,at11:00am, at The Holy Name of Jesus Church. In lieu of flowers, donations in his name can be madetothe PreservationResource Center of NewOrleans or to Columbia University. To view and sign theonline guest book, please visit www.lakelawnmetairie.co m

Caruso,Lucille

LucilleLesa Caruso passed away peacefully at home with loving family on Saturday, January3,2026, at theage of 89 after battling alongillness. She was preceded in death by her parents Anthony Lesa and Josephine Catalanotto Lesa, her sisters,Marie Lesa Grumbine,Josephine Lesa Surgiand Frances Lesa Di Christina. She is survivedbyher loving husband of 67 years James "Jim"Caruso and loving son Paul Caruso. Also survivedbymany nieces and nephews. She was born June 24, 1936 and raised in New Orleans until 1962 when they moved to Metairie, LA.She was amember of MetairieDelta LionsClub LadiesAuxiliaryand later DeltaLions Club forover 47 years and was adedicated servant to those in need. She enjoyed traveling to Lions functions around the state and country, meeting

many friends. Sheenjoyed travelingingeneral. She wasloved by all whoknew her. Therewill be a CelebrationofLife at MetairieDelta LionsHome at 1725 HickoryAvenue, Harahan,LAonSunday January25, 2026 from 2:00 pm until5:00 pm.

Coleman, Victoria Parker

visitwww.robinsonfamilyf

Duhon, Norma St. Pierre

Victoria Parker Cole‐man, age71, peacefully transitioned into eternal rest on Saturday,January 10, 2026. Shewas aresi‐dent of Sunrise, LA.Daugh‐terofthe late Olivia Dur‐denParkerand Oliver Parker,Sr. Stepdaughter of Stella AncarThomas. De‐votedmotherofCraig (El‐isha)Parker, Sr., Patricia (Carlos) RileyFlucker MichaelParker, Knedia (Avery)ParkerDiazand Leslie Parker, Sr.Beloved sister of Oliver (Ann) Parker,Jr.,JohnParkerand thelateErwin Parker.Step‐sister of Elvin(Loretta) Thomas,Jr. andJules (Robin)Thomas, Sr.and thelateKenneth Ancar, Sr andGregoryThomas. Proudgrandmother of Teiraney,Craig,Jr.,Chas‐min, Tamaya,Deshon, Jon‐aye, Kei'Janae, Mikailyn Mikiah,Chanell,Gabriella, Jorge, Josiah,Knensley, Leslie,Jr.,Aubriney, Ivaney andthe late Shaybrel.Lov‐inggreat grandmotherof Craig, III, Khouri,Sebastian, Julian,Teagan, Brayden andSabryn. Victoria is also survived by severalnieces andnephews,other rela‐tivesand friends. Relatives andfriends areinvited to celebratethe life of Victo‐riaonMonday, January19, 2026, at FirstMt. Zion Bap‐tist Church locatedat 32471 LA-23, Empire,LA 70050. Thevisitationwill beginat9:00amfollowed by an 11:00 am service. Pastor Reginald H. Burl,Sr. will ofﬁciateand interment will be private. Funeral planning entrustedto Robinson Family Home 9611 LA-23, BelleChasse, LA 70037 (504) 208-2119. For online condolences, please

Norma St.PierreDuhon passedaway peacefullyon Thursday, January8,2026, at the age of 79 at Ormond Nursingand CareCenterin Destrehan.She retired from St.Charles Borromeo andhad alove of cooking anddancing.She is precededindeathbyher lovinghusbandof49years James"Smokey" DuhonJr. Sheisalso preceded in death by herparents Joseph Numa St Pierre and Neva Marie St Pierre and hersiblings EdithStPierre Martin, McLeon St Pierre, Vernon St Pierre,JuliaSt Pierre Beeland, Juanita St Pierre Rodriguez, GeneSt Pierre,Rita St Pierre Templain, andGerald St Pierre Sheissurvivedbyher children; Todd M. Duhon (Angela), David J. Duhon (Vickie),MichelleD.Bourg (Kevin) andMelissa D. Mollere(Matt). She will live on in hergrandchildren;Kevin andShawn Bourg,Glenn,Katelyn Haileyand Cody Duhon andMadison, Michael and MasonMollere and her10 great grandchildren Sheisalso survived by many nieces, nephews, familymembersand friends whowill miss her dearly. We wouldliketogive special thanks to those whotook such goodcare of her. Hercaregivers Jody McDaniel and thelate Paulette Cambre, Ormond Nursingand CareCenter andSt. Catherine Hospice Serviceswilltake place on Tuesday, January20, 2026, public visitation at 10:00 am andMass to follow at 12:00 pm. Burial will follow themass. Allserviceswilltake place at St

Charles Borromeo Church, 13396 River Road, Destrehan, LA 70047

Sr., Jack Victor

Jack Victor Eumont Sr 97, of Gretna,Louisiana, peacefullypassedawayon Tuesday,January 13, 2026, athis home,surroundedby the comfortoffamilyand a lifewelllived.Hewas born inNew Orleans, Louisiana, onDecember6,1928, to Lenaand Clarence Eumont Heattended St.Aloysius HighSchool, graduated fromLoyolaUniversity, and married theloveofhis life Joyce Raphael, on March3, 1951. Together,Jackand Joyce builta beautifullife rooted in love,faith,and family. Jack devotedover 30years of hisprofessional lifetothe LouisianaLand and Exploration Company, retiringin1988. He proudly servedhis countryinthe UnitedStatesAir Force, a commitmentthatreflected his deep senseofdutyand integrity.A manofgen‐erosity andvision, Jack gaveselflesslyofhis time and leadership to count‐lesseducational,civic,and charitableorganizations, including DillardUniver‐sity, Xavier University,Loy‐ola University,Dominican College,the DominicanSis‐tersinRosaryville,United Way,BoysHopeGirls Hope, the City Park BoardofDi‐rectors,and theHarry Tompson Center.His many honorsinclude theD.H HolmesStudent Athlete Award,Alumnus of the Yearfor Loyola University’s BusinessSchool,and in‐duction into theLoyola UniversitySportsHallof Fame, recognitions that re‐flectedbothhis achieve‐ments andhis enduring impactonothers. Jack was precededindeath by his parents;his sister and brother-in-law, Yvonne and NickMatulich; andhis cherished wife of 69 years, Joyce Eumont,withwhom heshareda lifetime of un‐waveringloveand devo‐tion. He is survived by his six loving children:Janelle Rodrigue(Rick), Jack Eu‐montJr. (Leah),Judy Archer(John),Jill Melito (Chuck),Jeffrey Eumont and Jerry Eumont (Kristi) Hewas aproud andde‐voted grandfatherto17 grandchildren anda joyful great-grandfather to 27 great-grandchildren,each ofwhombrought himim‐mense prideand happi‐ness. ThefamilyofJack wishestoextendheartfelt gratitude to hisdevoted caregiversShanitra, Adri‐enne, Janice,Dorothy Derenda andtothe com‐passionateteamatSt. JosephHospice,whose kindness, dignity, andcare brought comfortduringhis finaldays. Jack will be re‐memberedfor hiskind‐ness, quietstrength, deep faith,and unwavering love for hisfamily. Hislegacy lives on in themanylives hetouched andthe gener‐ationswho carry hislove forward.Visitationwillbe heldfrom10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, January 24, 2026, at Jacob Schoenand SonFuneral Home. Funeralserviceswill followat11:30 a.m. at theJ Garic Schoen Chapel of Jacob Schoen andSon Fu‐neral Home,3827 Canal Street,New Orleans, Louisiana 70119,withFa‐therAnthony McGinn,S.J officiating. Interment will beprivate

distinct honorofworking alongside his son, Dr.Leon Flettrich IV, who followed in his footsteps as adentist—anexperience that brought him immense pridebeforehis retirement. He wasalsoexceptionally proud to seehis daughter, Lauren Flettrich, graduatewith her Doctor in Nursing Practice (DNP) degreeand work as apediatric nurse practitioner. Leon is survivedbyhis beloved wifeof37years, Ellena Flettrich; his son, Leon Flettrich IV; his daughter,Lauren Flettrich; andhis sister, Dawn Flettrich Rolfes(David). He waspreceded in deathby his father, Leon Flettrich, Jr.; his mother, Joanne Flettrich; and hisbrother, Kirk Flettrich. Leon willbe rememberedfor hisdedication to his family, hispatients, and his profession His commitment to excellence, quiet strength, and pride in his children will leave alastinglegacy. Relatives andfriendsare invited to attend a Memorial Mass at Lake LawnMetairieFuneral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd. on Saturday, January 24, 2026,at11:00AM. Visitationwillbegin at 9:00 AM. Interment will follow the serviceinAll Saints Mausoleum. In lieu of flowers, masses preferred or donations to Jesuit High School in his memory

It is with deepsorrow that we announce the passing of Lynn Joy Landry Gerhardt, age91on January 12, 2026atCrosby, TX

Anative New Orleanian, Lynn was born to the late Dr. Lloyd JosephLandry and FlorenceMaryann Warren Landry. She was preceded in death by her husband, Maurice William Gerhardt, Sr. Lynn and Mauricelived in New Orleans,Buena Park CA, Westminster CA, Marrero LA and Hammond LA. Several years after Maurice's death, Lynn made her home in Humble TX

Lynn grewupin Lakeview, the eldest of six daughters and was sister to Maryann Landry,the late Jeannine Palmisano (late Lester), the late Jeanne Landry,Ella Adams (Don) and the late Elaine Frey (Fred). Shewas halfsister to the late Lloyd Landry, Jr.and Gene Landry.

Lynn was ateacherat Visitationofour Lady CatholicSchool in Marrero and TerrytownAcademy in Gretna.She taughtreligious education classesat VisitationChurch as well as St. Margaret's Catholic ChurchinHammond. She was alsoactivewiththe Knights of Columbus Auxiliary, volunteered with Meals-on-Wheels, St. Vincent de Paul,and local libraries as an adultreading tutor.She gave private piano lessons formany years. Lynn loved to travel and visited manycountries throughoutthe world.

Lynn is survivedbyher children, TheresaHealy (Kerry) of Crosby, TX, Maurice,Jr. (Dianna) of Crosby, TX,and Ronald of Trinity, TX.Lynn was "Granny"toKatie Palmer, Sean Phillips, Ryan Gerhardt,ErinPotts Veronica Fratus, Joshua Gerhardt, Lauren Hansen, Tobey Healy,MaridethTye, and AlexanderNees. She issurvived by many greatgrandchildren, nieces, nephews and friends. The services willbeheld on Monday,February 2, 2026 at Lake LawnMetairie Funeral Home,5100 PontchartrainBlvd.New Orleans,LA70124. The visitation willbegin at 10:00 a.m. until the funeral mass at 12:00 p.m. The interment willfollow withinMetairie Cemetery. If youwish, in lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in Lynn'smemory to Tunnel To Towers Foundation.

(LeslieFelgerHamer). She is survivedbyher brother Collin Bradfield Hamer, Jr. (the late JacqulinGrant Hamer), and sisters Sharon David (the late Alfred David,Jr.), CarolCarvajal (Donald), and Faye Brown (Raymond); niece Jan Alexandra Hamer;and nephews Bruce William Gerard Hamer, Grant Douglas Hamer, Michael David Hamer,Gary Stephen Hamer,Donald Hamer Carvajal,Stephen Matthew Carvajal,and Thomas AndrewCarvajal; and ahost of extended family.Miss Hamerwas born in NewOrleans, Louisiana on October28, 1947. In 1969, she received her B.A. in Psychology fromLouisiana State University in NewOrleans. She lovedbirding and nature.She willbeinterred in Hope Mausoleum in New Orleans, LA

HanemannJr., Albert 'Pete'

Albert H. "Pete"

Hanemann,Jr.,known for his quietintegrity, intellect, drywit,and devotion to family,passedaway peacefully at his home in Cornelius, North Carolina, on December 31, 2025. Born February 17, 1936, to Albert andMarie Blancq Hanemann,Petewas alifelong resident of New Orleans. After graduating fromJesuitHighSchool (1953), Tulane School of Business, and Tulane School of Law (1959), Pete practiced lawwithdiligence and fairness. He earnedthe respect of his colleagues at Lemleand Kelleher, fellowattorneys, judges, and themany clientshesteadfastlyrepresented formorethan46 years. He believed deeply in theruleoflaw, personal responsibility,and service without fanfare.

Though accomplished professionally, he remaineda humble man, who preferred substance over recognition. He valued hard work, faith and tradition, living his conservative principlesbyexamplerather than words. Outside of his professionallife,Petefound immense joy ~and thelove of his life,JerrilynHuston Hanemann ~inthe great outdoors. He was an avid camper and canoeist. A longtime member of the Sierra Club,Petewas a conservationist and embodied theprinciple of "leavenotrace".Oncamping trips, Pete was thefirst up,brewing coffeeand cooking breakfast over an open campfire. Pete was also alifelong runner and activeinthe NewOrleans running community,participating in the first Crescent City Classicin 1979.

Pete was devoted to family and took great pride in being asteadypresence in their lives. He is survivedbyhis wife of 53 years, Jerri; his children, MicheleGiammolva, Eric Hanemann(Linda), and Spence Hanemann(Lily); five grandchildren, Jordan Wheeler (Michael), Jason Fortenberry, Liam Hanemann,Ella Hanemann,and Gertrude Hanemann;two greatgrandchildren, Emerson and EvelynWheeler;and his brother, Carl Hanemann (Cherie) and brothers-in-law, Michael Huston (Kay) and Scott Huston. He was preceded in death by his parents and sisters,AimeeHanemann and SusieHanley. In lieu of flowers,donations may be madeinhis name to JesuitHighSchool of NewOrleans (jesuitnola.org/donate).

Avisitationwillbeheld from10:00 AM to 11:00 AM on 2026-01-20 at Basilica of St Stephen, 1025 Napoleon Ave. Amass of christianburial will be held from11:00 AM to 12:00 PM on 2026-0120 at Basilica of St Stephen, 1025 Napoleon Ave.

2026 after struggling with cancer for morethantwo years. Tylerwas born in NewOrleans in 1983 and graduated from JesuitHigh School in 2002. He met his future wife in 2009, and they and their threecats moved to Washington, DC in 2016 and then to Blue Ridgemountains of Virginiain2020. He loved living in themountains and enjoyed hiking, camping, and learning aboutthe local flora and fauna.When not outside, he relished spending time shopping fortools, completing home improvement projects, studyingand discussing history,and debating political philosophy. He is survivedbyhis wife, NicoleMeyer; his mother, Anne Hopkins;his father Charles Hopkins; his sibling, Lees Hopkins;and an array of friends, aunts, uncles, cousins,and inlaws. He was preceded in death by his brother, Kevin Patrick Hopkins.

Acommitted communist and anti-imperialist,Tyler advocated staunchlyfor therightsand dignities of allpeople.Remembrances may be madetothe Shenandoah LGBTQ Center (shenlgbtqcenter.org)or thePalestinian Children's Relief Fund (pcrf.net).

Allwho knew Tyler are invitedtojoinhis family and friends in acelebration of his life to be heldat Parkway Bakery and Tavern in NewOrleans at 4pmonSaturday, 28 February 2026.

Renee SaymonHorton, age 88, passed away peacefully on Friday, January 16, 2026 surrounded by her family.Renee was thebeloved wife of thelate Monroe Horton and adevoted mother of Michelle Horton, Susan Pancamo (Daniel), and Dana Socia (Todd). Renee is also survivedbyher grandchildren, Alix D'Angelo(PeterLundberg), Adam D'Angelo(Leigh), Andrewand Max Pancamo, Ryan Socia (Shayna), and LaurenSocia as well as her greatgrandchildren, Amelleand Ardenne Lundberg and Sonny and Norah D'Angelo. Bornand raised in Brooklyn, New York, Renee carried her roots with her throughout her life.She married her husband Monroein1957 and immediatelymovedto Oklahoma City where they had theirthree daughters. After several moves, they settled in NewOrleans where they havelived for 60 years. Renee workedin themedical field, retiring in 2004. She was an avid mah jong,rummikub,and bingo player.She is a member of Congregation Gates of Prayer. Renee's family wishes to thank her generous team of caregivers at Inspired Living as well as all of theamazing friends she madethere. Relatives and friends are invitedtoattend a Graveside Service at Gates of PrayerCemetery, 1428 JosephStreet,New Orleans, LA 70115 on Monday, January 19, 2026 at 1:00 PM.Inlieuofflowers, please considermaking adonation in hermemorytoCongregationGates of Prayer or to theNational Tay Sachs &AlliedDisease

Association at 2001 Beacon Street,Ste 204, Boston, MA 02135. Arrangements entrustedtoTharp Funeral Home. Expressions of love andsympathy may be placedand viewedat www.tharpcares.com.

Howe-Frilot, Laura Katherine

LauraKatherine HoweFrilot, lovingly knownas Katherine,”age 63, passed awayonJanuary 4, 2026, in New Orleans, Louisiana. She wasbornonSeptem‐ber 22, 1962, in Corpus Christi,Texas.Katherine is survivedbyher husband, Brian Frilot;her son, Fran‐cis Mark Howe;her daugh‐ter,Katherine Cade Howe von derRosen (Wolfgang); her sister,Elizabeth Howe Loggie; hernieces, Olivia, and EleanorLoggie; and her stepdaughters, Caro‐lineFrilotCrosby(Thomas Allain), andMaitlandFrilot DeGenova(Alex). Shewas precededindeath by her mother, LauraFrances Jackson Howe,and herfa‐ther, LarryLyleHowe. Katherine grew up on a ranch in Kerrville, Texas, and wasa seventh-genera‐tionTexan,a heritage she deeply cherished. Sheat‐tendedSaint Mary’s Hall in San Antonioasa boarding student,graduatingin 1982. Shecontinued hered‐ucation at TexasTechUni‐versity andSchreiner Uni‐versity,earning aBachelor ofArtsinFinance in 1985 Katherine beganher pro‐fessional career in hospi‐talitymanagement, a ﬁeld well-suited to hernatural warmthand attentiveness, beforetransitioning into banking,where shetruly found hercalling.She was exceptional at fostering meaningfulrelationships withaninnateability to anticipatethe needsofher colleaguesand clients alike.She spentover17 years with Wells Fargoin San Antonio, Texas, where she mether husband, Brian.In2020, they relo‐cated to NewOrleans where Katherineservedas a head of Commercial Lending with Credit Human Federal Credit Union. Katherine generously gave ofher time,talent, and treasuretonumerousor‐ganizations andcauses. She hada deep passionfor lifting others up andhelp‐ing them recognizeand reach theirfullpotential She mentored high school studentsatBusinessCa‐reersHighSchool,served onthe BoardofDirectors for Merced HousingTexas was Treasurerofthe Alamo KiwanisClubfor six years,and wasdeeply in‐volvedinCREWNetwork, anorganizationdedicated toadvancing womeninthe commercialrealestatein‐dustry. Katherinewas a memberofCREWSan An‐tonio for11years,serving asPresident,and upon movingtoNew Orleans, continued herleadership asPresident of CREW New Orleans.Inaddition, Katherine served as Presi‐dentofNAWBO SanAnto‐nio andwas devotedto mentoring andleadership development forfemale businessowners. She servedasMotherAdvisor and GrandDeputyfor the San Antoniochapter of the InternationalOrder of the Rainbow forGirls,guiding and supporting girlsduring their formativeyears Katherine wasalsoa men‐tortoat-risk teenagegirls

throughYouth Empower‐mentinSan Antonio, help‐ing them build financiallit‐eracy,confidence, andthe skillsneededtoplanfor their futures. Awoman of faith,Katherine wasanac‐tivememberofChrist Church CathedralEpisco‐pal Church in NewOrleans, where shecoordinated parishmeals andcelebra‐tions.She wasa member ofthe AltarGuild,Flower Guild,and Congregational Development Committee She andBrian couldoften befound ushering together onSundaymornings. She was also adevoted mem‐ber of theOrder of the Daughters of theKing, an international organization dedicated to prayer,ser‐vice, andspiritual growth She served on boards of several ministries of Christ Church Cathedral: Camp AbleNew Orleans, apro‐gramdedicated to enrich‐ing thelives of children withdisabilitiesand their families;Jericho Road,the Episcopal HousingInitia‐tive, andEdenHouse,the firstrecoveryhomethat servedadult victimsof human traffickingand commercialsexualex‐ploitationinthe Greater New Orleansarea. Throughouther roles, Katherine’s commitmentto service,mentorship, and empoweringothersre‐mainedconstant.

Above all,Katherine wasa de‐voted wife,mother, sister and aunt.She embodied the truest senseofhospi‐tality—whether hosting gatherings, pullingto‐gethera tailgate party, or designing anddecorating for anyoccasion.She hada remarkablegiftfor making everyonefeel welcomed valued, andspecial Katherine’s lightwas very bright, anditwillcontinue toshine in thelives of all who were blessedtoknow and love her. AFuneralSer‐vicewillbeheldatChrist Church Cathedral, 2919 St Charles Avenue,New Or‐leans,Louisiana,onJanu‐ary 22 at 10:30 am with vis‐itation precedingat9:30 am. Receptiontofollowin Stewart Hall.Inlieuof ﬂowers, memorialsmay be madetothe Katherine Frilotmemorialfund at CREWNew Orleans, or to ChristChurch Cathedralin support of itsmanymin‐istries which were so im‐portant to Katherine. crewnetwork.org/crewnetwork-foundation/inmemoriam/katherinefrilot-memorial-fund CCCNOLA.org

Victoria

Victoria Margavio Hughes passedaway peacefully in hersleep on Sunday, January11, 2026, at the age of 94. Shewas born on September5,1931, in NewOrleans,LA, to Joseph and Theodora Margavio, both of New Orleans. Vickiwas thewife of herlifelongsoulmate, thelateHowardSanders Hughes of Hammond. Vickiand Howard were introducedbycollege friends in 1955 on ablind dateand marrieda year later.Together theyhad threechildren:the late David Sanders Hughes, Christine HughesPerrin, andthe

Eumont

Horton,Renee Saymon

Gerhardt,Lynn JoyLandry

Hughes,

Margavio

Hughes. Christine is married to Ignace Perrin, III. They have two sons, Ignace IV (Caroline) and Nicholas. In 2024, the family welcomed Vicki'sgreat grandson, Henry Arthur Perrin.

Vicki was very close to her parents and four brothers;the late Joseph Margavio, the late Matthew Margavio, andis survived by younger brothers Anthony Margavio and Frank Margavio. She describedherself as a tomboy, often reflecting on fond memories of tagging along with her brothers as achild.

Vicki was agraduate of IncarnateWordCatholic School and St. Mary's Dominican High School

She attended Tulane University, where she chose to work after high school so that she could attend classes. She also worked in the tax department at New Orleans Public Service Department. After raising her children, she returned to Tulane University as an executive assistant, typing and editing manuscripts.

Vicki was proud of her Italian heritage and became amaster of Italian cooking. She was aconnoisseur of the arts, especially theatre and music. She performed on stage in school and local productions as achild and was trained in voice. As a young adult, Vicki continued delighting others as a vocalist. She sang in various choirs, and as an occasional guest on local radio

Aftertheir marriage, Howard and Vicki livedin Uptown New Orleans and Metairie, where they were actively involved in the community. Following retirement, Howard and Vicki moved to the Northshore and resided in Covington.

Relatives and friends are invited to gather for visitation at Grace Funeral Home, 450 Holy Trinity Drive, Covington, LA 70433 on Tuesday, January 20th at 10:00 AM, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00AM. Words of Remembrance will be shared prior to Mass. Vicki will be laid to rest next to her beloved husband in the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Cemetery in Slidell, on Wednesday morning during aprivate gathering of close family members. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.gra cenorthshore.comfor the Hughes family.

Lee

Davis Lee Jahncke, Jr.,a brilliant New Orleans architect whose body of work leaves alasting imprintacross New Orleans and the Southeast, died Saturday,January 10th, in Uptown New Orleans, age 82. He was born in New Orleans on November 3, 1943. Son of the late Davis Lee Jahncke and Elizabeth Carter Cutting Jahncke; brother of Robert Cutting Jahncke and Thomas Carter Jahncke. He attended the Miss Edith Aiken School followed by Woodberry Forest School St. Martin's Episcopal School, and then Tulane University where he earned aBachelorand Master of Architecture, a Master of Business Administration and was a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity.

Mr. Jahncke practiced architecture for over fifty years, founding his eponymous architecture firm in New Orleans in 1976, after spending several years sharpening his skills in Boston, Massachusetts under Benjamin C. Thompson at The Architects Collaborative. His vast portfolio of residential projects included dozens of notable private homes in the Garden District and across the Southeast. One of his cherished accomplishments wasthat he designed and helped found Camp Pleasant, which helped reshape the Garden District. Other major engagements included select projects at the Solomon

Historic New

both

School, and iconicrestaurants, such as Galatoire's, Antoine's,Commander's Palace,and Bouligny Restaurantwhich he also co-founded. He was known for his humor, impeccabletaste, exacting attention to detail, sense of colorand space, and reputation in historic renovation,restoration and adaptive reuses. Hewas extremely proud of his German heritageand the impact that his family had on the formativeyears of New Orleans. Mr. Jahnckewas a proud memberofthe Boston Club, the Lake ShoreClub, the Society of the ColonialWars, the Sons of the Revolution, and of several Carnivalorganizations. He is survived by his lovingand caring wife of 53 years, Pickslay Pipes Jahncke,two sons,Davis Lee Jahncke III (Noelle) and Minor PipesBlanc Jahncke (Mia), and five grandchildren, Smith Davis Jahncke, Pike Minor Jahncke, DavisLanier Jahncke, William Fritz Minor Jahncke, and Mary Irene Jahncke. Amemorialservicewill be held at TrinityEpiscopal Church,1329 Jackson AvenueinNew Orleans, on Saturday, January 24th, 2025,at12:00PM. Visitationwillbeheldat the Church beginning at 11:00AM. The interment willbeprivate. Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. In lieu of flowers, please consider memorial donationstoTrinityEpiscopal School, 1315 Jackson Avenue, NewOrleans, Louisiana 70130 To view and signthe online guest book,please visit LakeLawnMetairie.com

Klein, Marilyn Jo Jacob 'Jody'

MarilynJo'Jody'Jacob Klein, 88, of El Paso, Texas, passed awayJanuary 13, 2026.She was born in Louisville, Kentucky,on July 21, 1937, to Florence and WilliamJacob. Jodymoved to Chattanooga, Tennessee in thesummergoing into 3rd grade. On thefirstday of school,she met ayoung girlnamedTeddi, who would become her best friend and sister forlife Jody enjoyed her summers in the mountains at Camp Bellaire,taking long hikes and enjoying allwateractivities. She attended Brainard Junior High and then went to Chattanooga High School. Upon graduation, she movedtoNew Orleans to attend Charity Hospital School of Nursing, where she wouldmeetthe love of her life,MartinKlein, then apediatricresident. Together, they shared62 yearsofmarriage.Jody workedfor many yearsas an operating room nurse at East Jefferson General Hospital. Jody lovedher New Orleans- the culture, the foods, and the festivals. She immersedherself into it fully, developing many close friendships. Sheand Marty eventually movedtoElPasoafter Hurricane Katrina to be close to herchildren, and there, she startedher life allover again. And justlike Jody had beeninNew Orleans,she embraced El Paso -the peopleand the culture and became very active in Temple life. She developed manymore lasting and treasured relationshipswith her new friends. Jody was awonderful and devoted motherand grandmotherand aloving aunt to many nieces and nephews. Alifefullof many blessings. Jody was precededin death by her parents; husband, Martin H. Klein,MD; sisters, Vivian Levinson (Stanley)and Jeri Klein (Donald). Survivorsinclude children, Kent Klein, Terren Klein, MD,and Anne Sere Hernandez(Al); grandchildren, Sara Ashley Moreno, Gabrielle Langley(John), ConnorHernandez,Taylor Brady(Chris),Reece Klein, and WilliamKlein; great grandchildren, Mason and Marty Moreno and Lincoln and Kelly Langley

Care-Vanessa, Erica, Donna, Alejandra,Adriana and Gabby.

Visitation willbefrom 10:30 am until 11:00 am on Thursday, January 22, 2026, at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home,5100 Pontchartrain Blvd in New Orleans. The funeral service willtakeplace in the chapel at 11:00 am with Rabbi Daniel Shermanof Temple Sinai, NewOrleans, officiating.Burial willbein Metairie Cemetery. Condolences may be expressed at lakelawnmetairie.com.

In lieu of flowers, memorialsmay be madeto Temple Mt.Sinai in El Paso, TX where Jodywas an active member. Donations may be mailed to:4408 NorthStaton, El Paso, TX 79902. 915-532-5959

George Koschel'sanxi‐ety attack endedonJanu‐ary 13, 2026. Born on Febru‐ary 18, 1948, the firstwords out of hismouth were:"my bad". Afull-time ZenNeu‐rotic andpart-time Disco Curmudgeon, therewasn't a dirtyjokehedidn'tap‐preciate. The firstoneshe heard in firstand second grade:one hadtodowitha slice of bread, theother witha mouse. Notsurpris‐ingly,wheneverheentered a room,mostpeoplere‐mainedstrangers;some becamehis swornene‐mies. Even though he didn'tbelieve in heaven,he would have no problemif Jesus were theDivineSon ofGod.But,comeonre‐ally? On theother hand,he didn'tbelieve in hell,not as a worshipper of Satan, but moreorlessasanexisten‐tial"thingy

Kryssing, Evelyn 'Eve'

Dr. Eve Kryssing, daughterofGeorgeBernard Kryssingand Clara Muti KryssingofLong Island NewYork, passed away April29thatthe age of 87. She is survivedbyher four children: Victoria (Scott) Walker, Mario Feola III, Dawn (Conrad)McGarry and Kristianne (Royal) Stewart;her eight grandchildren: Dawn Halter, Laura Jensen, Erika Jensen, ElenaClarke,Gabrielle Harris, Adam Feola, ElizabethStewart and Annelise Stewart;her four greatgrandchildren: Cora Halter, Grant Halter, Theo Clarke and Eilianna Clarke allofwhom she dearly loved.

Aretiree from the Orleans ParishSchool System, Evebegan as a high schoolteacher, was promotedtothe principalship, followedbyanappointmentasDirector of Policy Development forthe Orleans Parish School Board.

Dr. Kryssinggraduated with aPhD. fromthe University of NewOrleans, an MA fromthe University of Nebraska, aBAfrom LindenwoodCollege,and an AA fromVictor Valley CollegeinCalifornia. She wasa member of thefollowing honorsocieties: Alpha Gamma Sigma, Delta PsiOmega, Kappa DeltaPi and PhiDelta Kappaas well as an active member of the following organizations: LASCD, ASCD,LASE, PANOPSI and The Alliance for GoodGovernment

Civic Light Opera, was enthusiastic about Duplicate Bridge and pursued alifelong quest forlearning. She willbesorely missed Celebrationoflifeservice willbeheldatFirst Baptist Church March 26th, in the chapel located at 16054 Murphy Road Covington, LA 70433. Visitation beginsat10:00 and serviceat11:00.

In lieu of flowers please considerdonating to your favorite charity.

Andréa TylerLucas,78, was called to hereternal restonTuesday,December 30, 2025, at TouroHospital. Andréawas born on March 8,1947, in NewOrleans Louisiana.She wasone of fourchildrenbornto Solomon M. Tylerand Alice NelsonTyler.Andréawas a graduateofXavierUniver‐sityPreparatory High School (The Prep)and at‐tendedthe University of New Orleansand Xavier University. Andréa was unitedinholymatrimony toJohnVernonLucas,Jr. To thisunion threechildren wereborn: Andréa Lucas Bercy (Walter),Tracey Lucas Williams (Timothy), and John V. LucasIII (Ter‐mica).Andréawas pre‐ceded in deathbyher hus‐band, John V. Lucas, Jr her parents,Solomon Tylerand Alice N. Tyler, herbrother Barry M. Tyler, andher brother-in-lawNorman Palmer, Jr.Andréa’scareer began at CharityHospital ofNew OrleansasanExec‐utive Assistanttothe Di‐rectorofthe Department ofInfectiousDisease Con‐trol. From thereshe moved ontobecomeanexecutive assistant at J. RayMcDer‐mott, Inc. Sheretired after twentyyears of service. After abrief retirement, Andréarounded outher career as aCourt Reporter for theSocialSecurityOf‐ﬁce of Appeals. Though she retired, shedid not stopworking.Lovingher familywas atop priority, but shealsoloved the Knights of PeterClaver, LadiesAuxiliary,and the OriginalExclusive Twen‐ties, Social Aide andPlea‐sureClub. Andréa joined St, TheresaLittleFlower, Ct.52, Junior Division,KPC LAatthe ageoften.Atthe age of eighteen shetrans‐ferredtothe senior divi‐sion. As amemberofSt. Theresa LittleFlower, Ct.52, she served as National Secretary,for Knightsof Peter Claver,LadiesAuxil‐iary. Shewas also amem‐ber of ML Lunnon Chapter #4. Andrea wasa Silver Medal Recipient, National Court,KPC,LAShe leaves tocherish hermemory, her son,JohnV.Lucas III(Ter‐mica),her daughters, An‐dreaL.Bercy (Walter),and TraceyL.Williams(Timo‐thy). Shealsoleavesher sister, JhanaT.Palmer, and her brothers,S.Gregory, and DavidTyler,seven grandchildren,one great grandchild, anda host of nephews,relatives and friends.Familyand friends are invitedtoattend the Celebration of Life Service onMonday, January19, 2026, for10:00 a.m. at St Katherine Drexel Catholic Church,2001 Louisiana Ave,New Orleans, LA 70115. Visitation will begin at8:30a.m.FatherTonyRo‐goliOMI,ofﬁciating. Inter‐ment will follow at Rest‐

lawn Memorial Park,Avon‐dale, LA.Guestbook Online: www.anewtraditionbegins com (504)282-0600. Linear BrooksBoydand Donavin D.BoydOwners/FuneralDi‐rectors

Mackin,Cooper Richerson

Mackin,Cooper Richerson. Cooper R. Mackin, age 92, died peacefully in Roanoke on January 2, 2026, after a brief illness. He is survived by hiswife of 40 years, the Rev. Mary RuettenMackin; threechildren-Michele Mackin (Mark), Patrick Richerson Mackin (Shana) andDaniel Barragy Mackin (Carrie); fivegrandchildren -AshleyMackin, Jessica Mackin (Thomas), Emily Fucello (Jarred),Allison Mackin (Jacob), and Pamela Fucello;fivegreatgrandchildren; threebrothers-John Mackin (Cheryl), Steve Mackin(Linda), and Jimmy Mackin (Joy); and foursisters-Cecelia Hughes, Janis Winslett (Stan), Sylvia Odom (Wayne), andLeah Washburn (George). He waspredeceased by his first wife, thelate CatherineBarragy, in 1984; hisfather,the lateThomas Richerson Mackin, in 1973; hismother, the lateMuriel Green Mackin,in2005; a babysister,Gloria, in 1951; abrother,the lateDan Mackin,in2007; and a brother, thelateTom Mackin,in2021.

Dr.Mackin wasbornon April 26, 1933, in Selma, Alabama, and grew up there. He lived in New Orleansfor 42 years, from 1963 until2005, when he andhis wife moved to Roanoke in theaftermath of Hurricane Katrina. He served in theU.S. Army, 1953-55. He held amaster's degree in English fromTulaneUniversity

(1958) and aPh.D. in English literature fromRice University (1962). He was along-time facultymemberatthe University of NewOrleans (1963-97), wherehewas aProfessor of English specializingin 17th-century English literature,and whereheserved successivelyasChairman of theEnglish Department, Dean of theCollegeof Liberal Arts, Vice Chancellorfor Academic Affairs andProvost,and Chancellor. He wasanactive memberofSt. John'sEpiscopal Church in Roanoke.He wasa faithfulmember of thechoir, andatone time amember of thehandbell choir too, as well as avolunteer receptionist. Also, he completed thefour-year programinEducation for Ministry. Amemorial service will be held at St.John'sata later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St.John's Episcopal Church,1 Mountain Ave., SW, Roanoke,VA24016. Condolences may be shared with hisfamilyat www.Oakeys.com.

It is with deep sorrow thatweannouncethe passing of Gloria L. Marcell onThursday, January8, 2026. AnativeofHouma, LAand an educator for over35years with theOr‐leans Parish School Sys‐tem,Mrs.Marcell wasan activeand proudmember ofDelta SigmaTheta SororityIncorporatedand manyother organizations. She wasprecededindeath byher husband,GeorgeR Marcell andson,Kennard D.Marcell.Survivors in‐clude ahostofnieces, nephews,Godchildren, other loving relativesand friends.A Mass of Christ‐ian burial honoring thelife and legacy of thelateGlo‐ria L. Marcellwillbeheld atSt. MariaGoretti Catholic Church,7300 CrowderBlvd.,New Or‐

and

The family wouldlike to give special thanks to the caring and compassionate help from In Home Elderly

Family members and friends who knew her intimately,willtellyou that Eve cherished her family and was guidedbyher faith. She also had many diversified interests. Eve was: multi-lingual, an artist,helda privatepilot's license, modelled in national hair stylingcompetitions, had thelead in acollege musical,turned down twooffers formajor roles withthe San Bernadino

Lucas, Andréa Tyler

Koschel, George

Marcell, Gloria L.

See more DEATHS page

Jahncke Jr., Davis

OUR VIEWS

MLKJr. showed howtomove from activism to enduring action

Editor’snote:Versions of thiseditorialhaveappeared at earlier holidays.

It was 43 years ago that PresidentRonald Reagan made the third Monday in January an ofﬁcial federalholiday to honor Martin Luther King Jr.’sJan. 15 birthday.

With King’swidow Coretta Scott King, thenVice President George H.W.Bush andthen-U.S Sen. Joe Biden and others standing with him outside the White House, Reagan told those listening and watching that Kinglivedoninour collective nation’sheart.

“In America in the ’50s and’60s, oneofthe most important crises we faced wasracial discrimination,” he said. “Theman whosewords anddeeds in thatcrisis stirred ournationtoits very depths and soul was Dr.Martin Luther King Jr

“In anation that proclaimed liberty andjustice for all, too many Black Americanswereliving with neither.”

Reagan notedthat King hadlived hislife ﬁghtingfor equality while usingnonviolence as a central method for his brandofadvocacy and activism.

As effusive as Reagan was when hesigned HR 3706, gettingto thatday wasajourney. He had initiallyopposed creating afederalholidayto recognize King. Throughout his life, King changed,too, although his clear commitment to nonviolence continued throughout his life.

Long before he was assassinated at 39 while ﬁghting for better pay and conditions forBlack sanitation workersinMemphis, King’srise to worldwide prominence began when heentered Morehouse College in Atlanta at just 15 years old. He attended Crozer Theological Seminary and was ordained at 19 before receivinghis theology doctorate from Boston University King’sreputationasanorator,scholar, theologian and activist committed to improving lives at the grassroots level grew as hemoved with his wife from Montgomery to Atlanta.His civil rights work with the Southern ChristianLeadership Conference took him from community to community,focusing on local issues with national implications.

King had anumber of Louisiana connections. In 1957, he and others were at theNew Zion Baptist Church in New Orleans whenthey founded the SouthernChristian Leadership Conference. TheLouisianaConference of The United Methodist Church is fondofpointingout that King attended vespers at Southern University It should be noted that the famous Montgomery bus boycott wasmodeledafter a1953 Baton Rougebus boycott Democracy should include all of us. Andyes, sometimes that canmean argumentand protest. Toooftentoday,wesee leaders whoseek only to inﬂame, yet constant provocation will never forge the kind of movement thatcan truly change anation. That’swhy someone like King will long be revered. We maynot appreciate the agitation at the time, butyearslater,wecan seehow King was able to take the energy of a people hungry for justice and hone it into an instrument to achieve positive, lastingchange

OPINION

Asimpletwo-prong test formedia

legitimacy

GUIDELINES: Letters are published identifying name, occupation and/or title and the writer’scity of residence

TheAdvocate |The Times-Picayune require astreet address andphone number for verification purposes, but that information is not published. Letters are not to exceed 300 words. Letters to the Editor,The Advocate, P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0588, or email letters@ theadvocate.com.

TO SEND US A LETTER, SCANHERE

Earlier this week, acompelling videocirculated on Instagram. In the reel, aSouthern-accented narrator, who is not seen, describesand shows somecrumbling bridge pilings as he navigates his boat between them.

The caption on the video states that the pilings are under the Interstate 10 bridge over the Atchafalaya Basin between Baton Rouge and Lafayette.

to question.

The video, as of Thursday, has garnered morethan 45,000 likes and 3,000 comments, many of thembemoaning the state of Louisiana’sinfrastructure and complaining about politicians and state government

The problem? That bridge isn’teven in Louisiana. It’sactually in Florida. The crumbling partsmay noteven be loadbearing. In other words, the video is grade-A bunk.

For many,that won’tmatter.Louisiana’sinfrastructure is bad, and bridges are aparticular area of deﬁciency —just ask the folks who live on either side of the U.S. 90 bridge on the Louisiana-Mississippi border

The video justfeeds anarrative many already believe and don’tbother

Somedid jump into the comment stream to try to fact-check it, including Gov.Jeff Landry,who commented from his ofﬁcial account that the bridge is “NOT in Louisiana,” including alink to astory in this newspaper. It would be funnier if this sort of social media nonsense were notascommon as it is. And it’s notasifit’snew:Bots and other badactors have been using social media to scam and manipulate for years. This bridge post shows it still works.

But rather than let this column serve as yet another critique of the problemswith Facebook, X, TikTok, et. al., let me instead offer instead a quick two-question test for any outlet serving up “information.”

First,consumers should focus on transparency. Reliable outlets attach namestoeach story in the form of bylines. Youcan know that ahuman reporter is behind that story

Those reporters also are clear about howthey got their information, whether it be from sources, documents,video analysis or something else.

The second test is how an outlet handles any errors. Everybody makes

mistakes, including media outlets with layers of review and editing. Do they acknowledge those missteps? For newspapers, corrections get printed. For TV outlets, corrections are aired. Online, corrected stories will contain an editor’snote at the bottom.Credibility demands admitting when you’ve made amistake. If an outlet has never admitted an error, then it’snot reliable.

Just applying these two simple questions could save us all alot of timeand frustration. They can save stress by helping to prevent us from falling for dubious information that ﬁts our accepted narratives and beliefs. Needless to say,aquick examination of the account that posted the bridge video shows it fails both prongs of this test. Yetthousands of people, including high state ofﬁcials, devoted time— far more than legitimately warranted —tocommenting, fact-checking and correcting the video’sassertions. It’sjust not worth it.

I’m not suggesting that people stop scrolling —Ispend plenty of timeon my social feeds. But only for entertainment, not for reliable information.

Email Faimon A. Roberts III at froberts@theadvocate.com.

Internationalissuesdon’t feel so faraway

Most of our readers are concerned about issues close to home, and that’s natural. The price of milk and eggs means more to the average person than what is going on thousands of miles away

Butrecently,international issues have begun to resonate among readers, particularly as U.S. foreign policy reaches into places like Greenland and Venezuela.

policy experts. When Itravel, Ilike to read local news sources. Iﬁnd it gives me afeel for what people in the place I’mvisiting really care about.

Many Americanshave questions about our involvement in conﬂicts overseas and wonder if some foreign interventions are ultimately in our national interest.

We strive to bring you amix of opinions on these very weighty issues, but we also know there may be those in our communities with expertise in foreign affairs who want to share their insights. We invite you to writea letter to theeditor if you have direct experience in any of the countries in thenews these days. Often,those who have lived or worked in acountry have adifferent opinion from the foreign

Nowadays, though, even without leaving home, it’seasy to access news from around theworld online. Even if you don’tread the language of the country in question, Google Translate makes it easy to get the latest news from websites in foreign countries. It’sinteresting and instructive to see our world through other lenses. Andthere are hard-working journalists around the globe whodotheir jobs often at great risk to their own safety That’swhy repressive governments often trytostop news from getting out.

Readingabout theinternet blackout in Iran amid widespread protests against theregime should make us all aware of the power of news. Repressive governments that struggle to maintain the illusion of popular support don’twant

the rest of the world to know what they are doing. But in our increasingly connected world, it has becomeharder for them to hide.

Turning to our letters inbox, we received 75 letters forthe week of Jan. 8-15. The Immigration and CustomsEnforcement operation in Minnesota that led to the fatal shooting of Renee Good, aU.S. citizen, was the topic that brought the mostletters. We had eight letters on the topic, with nearly all criticizing the actions of federal agents. Immigration in general was next on the list of your concerns, with seven letters received.

Lastly,the continued wrangling over Greenland wasalso on your minds. We received four letters on the topic, all focused on our governor’sunique role as special envoy to the country Sometimes, foreign issues do hit close to home.

Arnessa Garrett is Deputy Editor | Opinion Page Editor.Email her at arnessa.garrett@theadvocate.com.

Faimon Roberts

COMMENTARY

Meritlesseco-lawsuit coulddeter localeconomies

Quin Hillyer

Court cases involvingfew immediate, practical effects can nonetheless have far more important downstream ramiﬁcations. Witness what essentially is anuisancelawsuit, putatively about environmentalconcerns, in St. James Parish. The case,however,has major statewide implications To preserve local autonomy and protect economic development projects from endlessrounds ofjob-killing reviews, the Louisiana Supreme Court should rule in favor of the parish and of the Koch Methanol company, against achallenge from environmental activistsaided by the Tulane Environmental Law Clinic. At issue before the high court Jan. 22 is atechnical procedural dispute.No matter which side wins the proceduraldispute the methanol plant will continue operating exactly as it is now,without asingle change in environmental effects. Yet, if Koch and St.James Parish lose their procedural argument, astatewide precedent could be set that hobbleslocal commerce. It sounds confusing. Let’s simplify: Koch has along-existing plant in St. James, operating well within environmental laws. Koch wanted to expand its capacity To do so, it needed moreethane gas. An ethane pipeline already existed nearthe plant, in an area ofﬁcially designatedaswetlands

To access the existingpipeline would require merely 1,000 feet —lessthana ﬁfth or amile, about three-fourths of the backstretchatthe New Orleans Fairgrounds of new,8-inch pipe.

Only 400 feet —the distancefrom home plate to center ﬁeld in most ballparks— actually would cross wetlands.

Nobody (apparently) contends the expandedoperations would violatelegal standards foremissions setbythe federal Environmental Protection Agencyorthe state Department of Environmental Quality.Still, the activists nonetheless fear that additional emissions will add to the environmental problems that have led to theparish being part of so-called “Cancer Alley.

Unlessaproject runs afoul of environmental legal standards, though, its approval is alocal zoning issue,subject toreview by the parish’splanning commission and then approval by theelected parish council. At the planning commission meeting, not a single person objected to therather routine expansion. The commission recommended approval, and only after that did anyone object. Having considered theobjections, the parish council laterapprovedthe project, and astate district court ruled thatthe projecthad been duly approved.

The new pipe was built and has been operatingsinceJune 2024.

The activists, however,appealed to the state FifthCircuit Court of Appeals, contending thatbecausethe pipeline entered wetlands,the planning commissionand parish council should have subjected the project to amorestringent level of review

The parish and thecompany say the review was thorough. The applicable local law says that “wetland areas should [note: “should,”but not “must”] remain unoccupied except for unique circumstances.”The planning commission, and by extension the parish council, had consideredthe question andhad decided thathaving an already-existing ethane pipeline in the wetlands was a “unique”circumstance that justiﬁed avery minor new connection tothe same pipeline. No big deal.

By a3-2 vote, however,the appeals court reversedthe decision. It said the parish council had misinterpreted itsown lawby applying only amidlevel (calleda“Tier 2”) reviewrather than amorestringent “Tier 3” analysis

Believe it or not, this this —isthe crux of the matter.Bynow,the pipeline already is in operation safely,inservice of creating methanol, which(remember) is acomparatively clean-burning fuel that environmentalists usually support. The question really isn’tabout whether the 1,000-foot pipe is harming the wetlands, muchless if plant emissions are violating environmental laws, whichthey aren’t.

The question, instead, is whether courts can interfere in local interpretations of a locality’sown zoning rules, to force new rounds of environmental reviews even whennostate or national laws are violated.

As described in the latest brief on behalf of the parish, “If allowed to stand, the Fifth Circuit’sdecision below would forcethe parish council to makea decision on every pier,culvert, boat ramp, drainage ditch, weir,and pipeline crossing in the Wetlands, regardless of how trivial.”

The point of the suit now is exactly that: to give activist groups more opportunities to tie up projects with endless reviews and endless litigation.

Now get this:While appealing the Fifth Circuit decision, Koch went ahead and resubmitted its application under Tier 3 review anyway,just to be on the safe side Again,the new pipeline wasapproved. So, what’snow the point?

Well, the state Supreme Court still ought to overturn the appeals court’sdecision, to make clear that local entities should interpret local laws and that activist groups can’tuse courts to harass businesseswith repeated, meritless rounds of lawsuits.

In sum, the Supreme Court should clear the proverbial legal pipeline.

Email Quin Hillyer at quin.hillyer@ theadvocate.com

Murrillsteps up public face on abortion pills

If you think amedical practice is unsafe, there’sapretty obvious solution: Don’tforceitinto the shadows. Yetthat’sexactly what Louisiana’scrackdownon widely used drugs used to perform medical abortions does. And it’swhy Attorney General Liz Murrill’stoo-clever insistence during aU.S. Senate committee hearing last week that state law is meant to protect women was so insulting. In Murrill’stelling, the 10,000 Louisiana women who seek these pills by mail annually —a figure she grudgingly acknowledged as the only data that we have” after first dismissing it as offered by a“pro-abortion advocacy group” —are victims of “out-of-state abortion pill traffickers” and those who would coerce them into abortion against their will. They are women who would jeopardize their own safetybyaccessing pills by mail rather than under in-person medical supervision —even though lawmakers have

Stephanie Grace

made the supposedlysafer option illegal and Murrill herself has vowed to prosecute thosewho offer it. What they somehow never are,inher framing, are constituents making difﬁcultand immensely personal decisions. Those decisions were considered private under the U.S. Constitution until 2022,when theSupreme Courtoverturned the nearly halfcentury-old Roe v. Wade decision and gave controlofabortion to the states. Louisianathen moved with haste to outlawmostabortions andtoimpose criminal penalties on those who help womenattain them.

And Murrill is not alonein seeking to restrict access. The Louisiana Legislature enacted thelaws sheenforces with such zeal. The Senate hearing was called byU.S.Sen.Bill Cassidy, whochairs the Health, Education, Labor andPensionsCommittee, andwho argued that thepills are particularly dangerous when pre-

scribed without an in-person visit with aprovider who can confirm gestational age, rule out ectopic pregnancy or determine whether awoman is being coerced. Murrill, though, has stepped up as the state’smost public face on theissue. Lastweek, she charged aCalifornia doctor with mailing pills to aSt. Tammany woman. Lastfall, she suedthe FDA for removing the requirement that mifepristone,one of twodrugs often used in medication abortion, be dispensed in person by acertified provider She’salso been an avid advocate of the Legislature’sunique, medically dubious decision to label mifepristone and the other drug in theregimen, misoprostol, controlled dangerous substances. That designation is generally used for addictive drugs, and the classification has mademisoprostol more cumbersometoaccess following deliveries, when it’s sometimes used to stanch dangerous hemorrhaging. So again, there goes state law making women less safe, not more.

It should be said, loud and clear, that medical groups consider these pills extremely safefor ending apregnancy of up to 70 days of gestation

It is also obvious on its face that not allowing womentogototheir own health care providers in Louisiana and other red states makes coercion easier and keeps women from getting guidance they may seek. It also surely prompts some to not fullydisclose their situationsinanemergency due to fear of legal jeopardy

Yetwhen Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, the ranking memberof Cassidy’scommittee, spoke up for the rights and highlighted the concerns of those 10,000 Louisiana women, Murrill showed little interest.

“It is illegal,itisunethical, and it is immoral …for anyone to send pills to someone with no medical supervision and then tell them to lie at the hospital,” she said.

“But that happens because of thelaws of your state,” Sanders pointed out.

“No, it happens because people from outside our state are sending them into our state to nullify our state laws,” she responded. About all Murrill offered the women whohave to live under those lawswas asuggestion that they “seek that care in another state,” aresponse that echoed an earlier,equally tone-deaf quip from her former boss, then-A.G and now Gov. Jeff Landry: “If you don’tlike Louisiana’slaws or Louisiana’sconstitution, you can go to another state.” Quite an attitude from leaders of astate that suffers from chronic out-migration. The truth is, though, that Louisiana ofﬁcials really don’tneed to come out and tell people they’re welcome to leave. Their actions on these difﬁcult medical issues —and their refusal to fully consider the real-lifecircumstances of the manywomen affected are enough to point people toward the exits.

Email Stephanie Graceat sgrace@theadvocate.com.

The recent Verizon outage gave me awake-upcall

I’m sooooo reliant on my phone that Ihad trouble adjusting to not having service much of Wednesday Iknew Iwas stuck on tech some years ago. I use my phone for some of everything. News alerts, reading and watching news stories. Looking at multiple social media platforms for the serious, and the not-so-serious. I take photographs and record video.Idosome writing andediting. Some might call me acellphone addict. According to the Pew Research Center,nearly all Americans have acellphone. As of 2025, 99% of those 18-49 years old have one. About 95% of those 65 years old and older have one. About 16% of we chronologically gifted have acellphone, but not asmartphone. Seven percent or fewer have cellphones but not smartphones in the other age groups. No, I’m

not including the children. Some of them shouldn’thave phones. Period.

then not being able to make or takecalls or texts or pull up apps and more.

Will Sutton

Iwoke up Wednesday morning planning to have anormal work day with my phone always in my hand, in my pocket or somewhere close where Ican see it and easily grab it to randomly check to see whether Imissed acall, a text or some news. There are times Ican detach from my phone. Just recently,Idid it for at least ﬁve minutes. On Wednesday,Iwas off my phone for hours, like about 1millionotherVerizon customers. My New Orleans Verizon outage experience was not good. As Imoved from aradio station to our newsroom inthe Central Business Districttodosome work at CC’s on Esplanade and home, Iwent from normal smartphone use to wondering what the heck was happening. Iwent through the dayconnecting to Wi-Fi to do some things, then trying to useasatellite connection,

When you’reasconnected to aphone almostasmuch as to a loved one, it’s bad. The outage lasted for several hours, and Iwasn’tthe only one affected by it.

“MyVerizon service was noticeably out between noon and 7p.m.,” shared Cami Geisman, executive vice president for external affairs at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston. “I could still textand useinternet as long as Iwas on Wi-Fi.” Herhusband has Verizon,too. Buthis service wasn’tout as long. Because she was on Wi-Fi much of the day,“it didn’tdisrupt much.”

But, shecontinued, “The most annoying part was not being able to listen to Spotify on my way home from work.”

Ihad more trouble. Ihad no networkbars. Ikept seeing “SOS,” “callfailed,” and “textnot delivered” messages. The Verizon outage didn’timpact only Verizon users.

Ashley Shelton, president and CEO of the Power Coalitionfor Equity and Justice, works in Baton Rouge, New Orleans and around the state.She wasinNew Orleans on Wednesday.Her mobile service providerisAT&T She didn’thaveany AT&T problems.She hadVerizon problems becausesome of herpeople have Verizon,and theycouldn’tconnect

“Wehad conferencecalls and we had to use Signaland some of theother web-based services to try to connect with people,” she said. Andree Miller, aself-employed smallbusiness ownerinBaton Rouge, usesVerizon, and it wasn’tagreat day. “At ﬁrst Iwas annoyed by the lack of connectivityand notbeing able to make and receive calls,” she said, “but then it brought me back to 1988 when surely the cute boy from school had calledmewhile I wasn’thome. And it’snot because he just didn’tcall.” Verizon hasoffered a$20 account credit to average users like

Geisman, Miller and me

Isought commentfrom multiple Verizonrepresentatives. All of themsentmethe same statement Ihad read in various news reports. One said it wasa software issue,and it wasresolved that night. “A thorough investigation is underway,”she added. As the investigationcontinued Thursdaynight, Icouldn’tmake or take calls. Usererror? Perhaps.

Verizon, if you’re reading this or listening to the computer voiceread my words, you really messed up my day. Whata lessonIgot that day.It’s time to look for my old address book andjot down some of the many contactsonly in my phone. It’stime to think about where I use Wi-Fi without thinking about it. It’stime to consider how much it might costfor average folks like me to use,gulp, ElonMusk’s Starlink.

Email Will Sutton at wsutton@ theadvocate.com

STAFF FILEPHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

The Koch Methanol St.James facility is located in St.James Parish.

with meteorologist DamonSingleton

Onceagain today, there’s aSmall Craft Advisory in effect due to winds of 20 to 25 knots with gusts to 30 knots.Seasof5to8feet are possible, so it’s not agreat daytotakeout the boat. Temperatures thismorning are in the upper20s to low30s on the North Shore, mid- to upper30s on the South Shore.The wind chill on the North Shore is from 20 to 22. Otherwise, expect amostly sunny, cold,breezy day. Temperatures will rise to the mid- to upper 40s. No rainisexpected today.

leans, LA 70127 on Tuesday, January 20, 2026at11am. IntermentMtOlivetCeme‐tery. Visitation 9aminthe church. ARepasswillfol‐low theburialatThe Na‐tionalAssociationofLetter Carriers, 4200 Elysian FieldsAve., NewOrleans, LA. Please sign online guestbook at www.cha rbonnetfuneralhome.com. Charbonnet LabatGlapion, Directors (504)581 4411.

Negrotto, James David 'Jimy'

James DavidNegrotto "Jimy," affectionately known as "Papa J," passed away on December 24, 2025. He was 71 years old. Jimy was married to his soulmate and best friend, Chrissy Woolbert Negrotto, for 28 years. He was anative NewOrleanian and a graduate of St Aloysius/ Brother Martin's class of 1972. Jimy was agifted artist and musician. Atalented drummer, he enjoyed sharing memories of his time performing with the band, RZA, and continued to express his creative spirit through graphic arts and photography. Throughout his life, he took pleasure in playing golf, writing music, and cheering on the Saints. Jimy willberemembered by many as an unforgettable presence and one of the coolest men to walk the planet. Truly one of a kind, he will be greatly missed by allwho knew him. Jimy was preceded in death by his parents, Walter C. M. Negrotto Sr. "Bunny," and Anna Landry Negrotto; brother, Walter C.M. Negrotto Jr., "Wally"; father-in-law, Richard Edgar Woolbert II, "Bumps"; and mother-inlaw, Sally Hess Woolbert, "Banny." He is survived by his wife Chrissy Woolbert Negrotto; step-daughter

(whom he loved as his own) ColleenDupepe (Derek); grandchildren Payton Dupepe, Dylan Dupepe and Porter Dupepe; four-legged fur baby, Joe; sistersBarbra Negrotto Muller (George), Christine Negrotto Caccioppi, Laurie Negrotto Orgeron (Curtis);brother Lawrence(Larry) Negrotto; sisters-in-law Carol Renaudin Negrotto,Carrie Lynn Woolbert, Polly WoolbertLinton(Donald); brother-in-law Richard Edgar WoolbertIII (Lisa); and his nieces, nephews, and friends who love him deeply. Specialthanks to the nurses and staff of the Neuro ICU at East Jefferson Hospital fortheircompassionate care and support ACelebrationofLifewill take place at alater date.

Julio CesarOlin passed awaypeacefully surrounded by his familyathis home in St. Rose, LA, on January 13, 2026, at the age of 92. Mr. Olin was the beloved husband to his late wifeMaryMahomar Olin for63years. Heissurvived by his sonsJose Enrique Olin, Edward Salvador Olinand hiswife Robin and his daughter Gina Olin Radecker and her husband Mark. Hisgrandchildreninclude Jennifer Neil and her husband Jerry, Eric Radeckerand his wife Kelly,Alyssa Brown and her husband Dustin, Jessica Olin and her husband John Clark,Olivia Marshall and her husband Austin, SarahOlinand Claudia Olin as well as eight great grandchildren. He is also survived by numerous beloved family members in Honduras. Mr.Olin, anative of Utila, Honduras, Central America, broughthis family with his dear wife Mary to New Orleans fora better life in the United States. Mr. Olin'spassions included playingbaseballfor the Honduran National Team, ballroomdancing, playing golfregularly andwood-

working as he helped many family members with amultitudeofhome projects. Mr. Olin willbe dearly missed by allhis family and friends. Relatives and friends of thefamily are invitedtoattend theMass of Christian Burial at Leitz-Eagan Funeral Home,4747 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie,LAonMonday, January 19, 2026 at 11:00am. Visitationwillbe held from 10:00am until 11:00am. Interment willfollowinGarden of Memories, Metairie, LA Mass are preferedin lieu of flowers

Penniman,Joan Calder

Joan CalderPenniman

Joan CalderPenniman, 91, died December 16, 2025, in LongleafMemory Care at Christwood Retirement CommunityinCovington, Louisiana. Joanie livedat Christwood forthe past four years where she received exceptional kindness and care. She was preceded in death by her husband, Graham Allen Penniman, Jr., her parents, Hugh Gordon Calderand Gladys EdwardsCalder, her sister Lorayn Calder and brother Hugh Calder. Shewas born in WilkesBarre, Pennsylvania on January8,1934. Joanieattended Vassar Collegebeforemarrying John BaxterAtkins, Jr.in Shreveport,Louisiana in September of 1953. Together, they had three children, Lila, Caroline and Gordon. Joaniecreated a warm, inviting home for herselfand her children, filled with musicand the beauty of nature.Her home was agathering place and asanctuary. Joaniewas alover of beauty. Everytable was astill life,witha single flower, a

branch, aceramicfrog, or an openart book. Allthe colors of the spectrum were celebrated in her home, her clothes, and her garden. During these years, Joaniedevotedly served as thePresident of theJunior League of Shreveport.She served on theboard of the Caddo-Bossier Councilon Alcoholism and Drug Abuse.She attended First United Methodist Church whereshe was aSunday School teacher.OnApril 16, 1975, she married G. Allen Penniman, Jr. and moved to Baton Rouge,where she livedfor the next 45 years. Their home was filledwith thetwo families,their many friends, and lots of happy celebrations. Joanie faithfullyattended the UnitarianChurch of Baton Rouge. Throughout her life, Joaniewas acourageous advocate forwomen, childrenand many less fortunatethanherself. Along with acoregroup of friends, she was instrumental in creating thefirst free women's health care clinic in BatonRouge. Her love forpeopleand her generosity of spirit made a difference in thelives of so many. Her big heartand beautiful smile touched everyone in her path. She is survivedbyher daughters; Lila Atkins Mulkey, her husband Randolph Mulkey of Santa Fe, NewMexico, and Caroline Atkins Coutret, her husband Henry Charles Coutret, of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and her son GordonEdward Atkins,his wife Susan Hardtner Atkins of Covington, Louisiana, nine grandchildren; Sarah Mulkey Hussion, Claire Mulkey Bourne,Amy Mulkey Deutsch, William Charles Coutret,Gordon CalderCoutret, Eloise Maverick Coutret,Mary KatherineAtkins Jorgensen, GordonEdward Atkins, Jr., HenryBaxter Atkins, nine greatgrandchildren; Lily Hussion, Claire Hussion, Hailey Bourne,CalderBourne, OwenDeutsch, Dylan Jean Deutsch, Griffin Coutret, Archer Coutret, and Jane Atkins Jorgensen. She is also survivedbyher late husband, AllenPenniman's childrenand grandchildren;Laurieand Al McDuff, Mary VirginiaRuiz and Kate McDuff,Mary Crain and Bill Brumback and Jake Brumback, Margaret Boudreaux, Elliot Boudreaux and Anne McAloon, Graham and

MaureenPenniman, Alyce Penniman,Rita Penniman, Mary Margaret Penniman William Penniman and CatherinePenniman, Robert andRebecca Penniman,George Penniman,Jack Penniman andElizabeth Penniman

Thefamilywould like to thank thecaregiversfrom Christwood Longleaf Memory Care, andHospice for theirgenerouslove and care.There will be aprivateburialinShreveport, Louisiana. Amemorial service will be held in the historicchapelatChrist Episcopal Church in Covington,Louisiana at 11a.m. on Saturday, January31, 2026. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Christwood Foundation or thecharity of yourchoice. Amemorial service will be held at 11:00 AM on 2026-01-31 at Christ Episcopal Church,129 N. NewHampshire st..

Petrovich, Anthony Matthew

ciation. Age90, anativeof Empire, LA andresidentof Luling, LA forthe past 20 years.Mostrecently, ares‐ident of Ashton ManorAs‐sistedLivinginLuling, LA where he received thebest carefromthe nurses,care‐takers, andstaff. He will be deeply missedbyall. In lieuof ﬂowers, please makememorialdonations toSecondHarvest Food BankorSt. Jude Children’s Hospital. Relativesand friends of thefamilyare in‐vited to attend theFuneral Massinthe Chapel of Mothe FuneralHome, 2100 WestbankExpy.,Harvey, LA onTuesday,January 20 2026 at 11 a.m. Interment Nairn Cemetery,Nairn,LA. Visitationwillbeheldfrom 9 a.m. untilservice time

AnthonyMatthew Petro‐vichentered into eternal restonJanuary 14, 2026 Beloved husbandofthe lateFrances Morovich Petrovich.FatherofVinca P.Oubre (Brian), Thomas Petrovich (Chantelle), and the late StephenPetrovich Grandfather of Jonathan Oubre andStephanie Oubre.Step-grandfatherof AmandaPrice (Alex) and DennisMcInerney.Son of the late Vicenza“Vinca” Farac Petrovichand Troje Petrovich.Brother of the lateTroy“Rudy”Petrovich (Gail). Brother-in-law of the lateTom Morovich (Car‐olann).Uncle of Troy Petro‐vichJr. (Karla), Tory Petro‐vich(Marcie), Cheryl Mo‐rovich, andTom Morovich, Jr. Anthonywas agraduate ofHolyCross High School class of 1953. He wasa U.S. Armyveteran.Anthony playedbaseballprofes‐sionallyinthe minor leagues.Hewas retired fromhis retail hardware business. He wasa mem‐ber of Holy Family Catholic Church,Luling, LA andthe Croatian Benevolent Asso‐ See more DEATHS page

Carol Mercante Porter gainedher angelwingson January10, 2026, days after her98th birthday. Sheis preceded in death by her onetruelove, Ronald M. Porter,also known as "Spots." Theywerehappily marriedfor forty-two years before he gained his wings. Carol is also precededindeathbyher sister and best friend, Patricia Linn "Sally," and twobrothers, Joseph Mercante andFrank Mercante Jr.Carol was born in NewOrleans and grew up in the vibrant neighborhood of Gentilly. Shewas agraduate of St Joseph Academy and was astrongsupporter for both St.Joseph'sand Jesuit High School, whereher husband, son, and grandson all attended. Sheissurvivedbyher loving childrenDr. Ronald Porter Jr (Mattea), Darlene Cohen (Jean), Bonnie Porter (Lewis); hergrandchildren, BrittanyOates (Kenneth), Courtney McMahon(Mark), Brandon Cohen,Brooke Porter

DEATHS

Olin, Julio Cesar

Porter, Carol Mercante

SPORTS

Pels taking achance on Morant worth considering

How bad has this season been forthe New Orleans Pelicans?

So bad that when areport came out Friday that the Pelicans have shown interest in trading for Memphis Grizzlies’ guard Ja Morant, it was enough to make some people say,“Hey,the waythings are going, that might not be abad idea.”

Confession: I’m one of those people Althoughnot completely sold on the idea, there is a path to sway me.

Rod Walker

If, and only if, Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations Joe Dumars can ﬁnd thetype of deal you ﬁnd in theclearance bin at aDollar General.

ä Pelicans at Rockets

6P.M.SUNDAy WVUE

NBA Insider Michael Scotto reported Friday that the Pelicans wereone ofthe teams showing interest in Morant, whose time in Memphis is clearly nearing the end. The other teams showing interest in Morant, according to the report, are the Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, Sacramento Kings,and Toronto Raptors.

It’sunclear how strong thePelicans’ interest (if any) has been for Morant, who has two years and alittle over $80 million left on his contract.

My initial reaction was “Heck no. Nope, not worth the risk.”

Then IwatchedFriday night as the Pelicans lost to the Indiana Pacers, theonly NBA team with fewer wins than the Pels entering thegame.

The Pelicans are 10-34 heading into Sunday’sroad game against theHouston Rockets. The Pels are on pace to ﬁnishwith aworse record than last year,whenthey

ä See WALKER, page 5C

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant drives the ball againstthe Philadelphia 76erson Dec. 30 in Memphis, Tenn. Reports saythe Pelicans have interest in Morant.

WBY WILSON ALEXANDER and REED DARCEY Staff writers

LSU announced at midnight Saturday that it has signed Ole Miss linebackerTJ Dottery,adding an experienced player to the middle of its defense

The addition gave the Tigers alikely starter at linebacker alongside Whit Weeks, who’sreturning for his seniorseason instead of entering the NFL draft. LSU wanted to ﬁnd aplug-and-playlinebacker to replace senior West Weeks, anditfound one with Dottery

The ﬁfth-year senior started 27 straight games for the Rebels after beginning his career at Clemson. He has recorded 176 tackles, 10 tacklesfor loss and 3 1/2 sacks in his career,and he has onemore year of eligibility LSU has now landed 38 transfers —more than twice as manyasitsignedlast offseason. Only nine of those newcomers are defensive players, in large part because coach Lane Kifﬁn retained defensive coordinator Blake Baker andthe bulkofhis staff not long after he took over the pro-

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

hen Jada Richard found out LSU was hiring coach KimMulkey,she picked up her phone and called her mom.

Cynthia Guillory hadn’theard the news. She was still at work. In fact, she still isn’tsure how her daughter caught wind of it when she did —orhow she could be so conﬁdent that Mulkey was indeed making the move before it even hit thenews.

“And that’swhen shestarted talking about LSU,”Guillory said.

Now,ﬁve years later,Richard is starting at point guard for the LSU women’s basketball team, which means shehas Mulkey’stoughest job.The Hall-of-Fame LSU coach often compares her lead ballhandlers to quarterbacks because she asks them to juggle extraresponsibilities. They have to initiate theoffense. Theyhave to setupthe defense They have to tee up their teammates for open shots —and they have to do it all underthe watchful eye of a coach who excelled in thatrole herself when she was playing college basketball. Other, moreexperienced players have had rocky seasonsinthat role theprevious two years. But it seems to ﬁt Richard’sskillset

graminDecember.The Tigers hadmore needstoaddress on the offensive side of the ball. Baker and his staff have already signed former Boise State star Ty Beneﬁeld,one of the cycle’stop transfer safeties. The rest of their portal haul includesthree edgerushers —Tennessee’sJordan Ross (Tennessee), Jaylen Brown (SouthCarolina) andAchilles Woods (South Alabama) —and two defensive tackles —Stephiylan Green (Clemson) and Malik Blocton (Auburn) LSU landed acommitmentFriday from Ohio State freshman safety Faheem Delane. He’saformer top-100 recruit, accordingto247Sports composite rankings,and the younger brother of the Tigers’ former All-American cornerback MansoorDelane. Dottery is one of three Ole Miss playerswho havefollowedKifﬁn to LSU.The other two are freshman wide receiver Winston Watkins andfreshman offensive linemanDevin Harper —aShreveport native and former top-100 recruit who also committed Friday

The 5-foot-7 sophomorefrom Opelousas can defendthe point of attack.She can drain both catchand-shoot 3-pointersand off-thedribble mid-range jumpers. She also knows howtoprevent theoffense from stalling —something she’ll have to continue to do at 2p.m. Sun-

daywhenthe No.6Tigers (16-2, 2-2 SEC) face No. 13 Oklahoma on the road (ESPN2). Richard was not ahigh-proﬁle recruit.ESPNsaidshe wasonly the 90th-best prospect in her class. She’s also the only regular LSU contributor who didn’tplay on an AAU team that competed on one of the nation’s premier circuits, and she hardly saw the ﬂoor whenshe was afreshman last season.

ä See RICHARD, page 5C

BY WILSON ALEXANDER Staff writer

sophomore guard JadaRichard

Maravich Assembly Center STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

AP PHOTO By JULIO CORTEZ

Miami wide receiver CJ Daniels waits for playtoresume during the Cotton Bowl against Ohio State on Dec.31in Arlington, Texas.

AP PHOTO

BRANDON DILL

Friends, assistants face off for CFP title

IU, Miami defensive coordinators Haines, Hetherman on opposite sides

BY TIM REYNOLDS Associated Press

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — It’s not uncommon for Indiana defensive coordinator Bryant Haines and Miami defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman to jump on their phones during game weeks, see how the other is doing and come up with ideas on how to stop their next opponent. They’re close friends. It’s normal for them. Such talks aren’t happening this week — for obvious reasons. Haines and Hetherman will be on opposite sides of the College Football Playoff national championship game on Monday night, with the undefeated Hoosiers (15-0, No. 1 CFP) taking on the Hurricanes (13-2, No. 10 CFP).

“It’s probably the same for both of us. I think we’re both competitors. Both of us, it’s all about being 1-0,” Hetherman said. “For us, there’s nothing that changes. It’s

TITLE

Continued from page 1C

morning, but he wished Lacy were playing somewhere in the NFL right now

“I think I’m to the point where I use it as fuel,” Daniels said. “That’s something he would want me to do. I kind of use his energy to pass on to other people because he was ﬁlled with joy and extreme competitiveness, so I try to use that as fuel.”

It has been nine months since Lacy died from an apparent selfinﬂicted gunshot wound, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Ofﬁce. Lacy had been accused of causing a fatal car crash in December 2024 in Lafourche Parish that killed 78-year-old Herman Hall, and a grand jury was scheduled to begin hearing evidence in the case the next day He was 24.

“It’s kind of bittersweet sometimes,” Daniels said. “Some days, it can be a little bit of grief But on game day I’m putting it all out for him.”

Daniels’ one season at LSU was not what he envisioned when he transferred from Liberty He had recorded 1,067 yards and 10 touchdowns as a redshirt junior, and he wanted to prove himself in the SEC. But he only caught 40 passes for 480 yards and no touchdowns. Daniels played through a chunk of the season with an injury to the ﬁfth metatarsal bone in his foot.

LSU wanted to keep Daniels, and then-LSU coach Brian Kelly said in late November 2024 that Daniels would return for another year Daniels told The Advocate at the time he was “very ﬁrm on coming back,” saying, “I think it would be best for me” as he tried to improve his draft stock. Instead, Daniels entered the transfer portal.

“I just went back to reflect on the season, talked to my family and really figured out what’s going to be the best opportunity for me to succeed?” Daniels said. “When I went back and reflected, I thought it was right for me to go my separate ways with LSU.” Miami offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson liked what he saw when he watched Daniels on tape, even though Dawson said “he would probably admit that

‘block out the distractions, block out the noise and focus on what you can control.’ As long as we can control the controllables and focus on going 1-0 and the normal process we have every week, that’s what it’s all about for us. It’s no different than any other game, the way we look at it.”

Except, well, it is different. There are ties that bind all over this game: Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza went to the same high school as Miami coach Mario Cristobal and Hurricanes offensive line coach Alex Mirabal did, Mendoza’s mother played tennis at Miami and the Mendoza family home is less than a mile from the Hurricanes’ campus.

The list doesn’t stop there: Hetherman — in his ﬁrst year at Miami worked for Indiana coach Curt Cignetti at James Madison from 2019 through 2021. Cignetti was head coach and Hetherman and Haines shared the defensive coordinator duties.

“I loved him. I didn’t want him to leave,” Cignetti said of Hetherman. “We had a great relationship. I really thought a lot of him. Corey is a great football coach. He’s done a great job here.”

That he has. So has Haines. Indiana might have the Heis-

man Trophy-winning quarterback in Mendoza and Miami might have a high-octane offense fueled by Carson Beck and Malachi Toney, but it’s the defenses that have ensured that the Hoosiers and Hurricanes made it to the title game at Hard Rock Stadium.

Indiana is No. 2 nationally in scoring defense this season at 11.1 per game; Miami is No 5 at 14.0 per game. Indiana has 28 takeaways, Miami 25, both teams ranked among the top 10 nationally this season in that department. With numbers like those, it’s easy to see why both Haines and Hetherman are finalists for the Broyles Award — presented annually to college football’s top assistant coach.

“Coach Hetherman is an awesome, awesome football coach, and I love him as a human being, too,” Haines said. “But it’s pretty easy to separate work with the relationship externally So, not hard to separate it, but yeah, he’s a good football coach.”

And they’re close, too — Haines was in Hetherman’s wedding. They even share notes on fatherhood. Hetherman said he picks Haines’ brain about things his daughter is going through, knowing that Haines has been through

the same things.

“We’ve stayed very close because I think we are very similar in our beliefs in football and life and everything else that we handle,” Hetherman said. “We’ll remain close. Obviously this week it’s one of those things. He’s on the other sideline. There’s been times this year, last year I coached against close friends. You just don’t pick up the phone that week. You block out the noise and focus on what you can control. It’s all about going 1-0 this week.”

Miami missed the CFP last year in part because its defense fell apart at the end of the season. Cristobal targeted Hetherman quickly as a potential hire entering the offseason, believing he would be the right person to take Miami to the next level.

Hetherman believed in what Cristobal was selling.

“He has great answers,” Cristobal said “He knows the system inside and out, he knows the strengths, he knows what errors are going to be attacked and to be able to communicate that and get that done with the football players, absolute difference maker for us.” So, it turns out, Cristobal was right. Cignetti and Haines probably suspected he would be.

LSU didn’t go exactly the way he wanted it to go.” Miami was going to have a young group of wide receivers this season, led by star freshman Malachi Toney, and it liked the idea of adding a sixthyear senior

“I kind of had an idea of the player I was giving, but a lot of times, especially with the transfer portal, you don’t have an idea of the person you’re giving,” Dawson said. “You try to do as much research as you can do, but where we knocked it out of the park with him was with his character and his leadership. I don’t know if we necessarily knew that. We kind of got lucky with that in a way.”

When Daniels arrived, Miami wide receivers coach Kevin Beard noticed someone who needed to regain his conﬁdence, so he taught Daniels that it’s OK to fail, as long as one learns to understand why they failed so they don’t repeat the mistake. But Daniels was also the guy

Going into the national championship game at 6:30 p.m. Monday against Indiana, Daniels has 46 receptions for 496 yards and seven touchdowns, the second-most on the team behind Toney He missed three games earlier in the year because of an injury but said he feels healthy now

“He’s had a bigger impact on our offense with leadership and character,” Dawson said. “He is the one in that receiver room that keeps everything going in the right direction. He blocks his a** off. He does the dirty work, and I think everyone follows suit.”

If Miami wins a national title in its home stadium, Daniels will play a part. And he’ll be out there with his tribute to Lacy

IN BRIEF FROM

Giants get top choice, hire Harbaugh as head coach

John Harbaugh agreed Saturday to become coach of the New York Giants, ﬁnalizing the big-market longstanding franchise’s all-out pursuit of its top candidate.

Owners John Mara and Steve Tisch made the hire official less than 72 hours after a lengthy interview and dinner with Harbaugh that sealed the deal. The sides began working on a contract Wednesday night when it was clear Harbaugh was a fit and he canceled meetings with other teams. Harbaugh is expected to report directly to ownership, rather than general manager Joe Schoen. Harbaugh joins the Giants less than two weeks after he was fired by the Baltimore Ravens, who made the playoffs 12 times in 18 seasons under him and won the Super Bowl in the 2012 season.

All-Star reliever Pressly announces his retirement

Two-time All-Star reliever Ryan Pressly has retired after a 13-year career in which he collected 117 saves and helped the Houston Astros win the 2022 World Series. Pressly, 37, recorded six saves and allowed only one unearned run over 11 innings during Houston’s 2022 postseason run. He compiled two saves and gave up just that one unearned run over 5 2 3 innings in the Astros’ 4-2 World Series victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. He went 37-39 with a 3.33 ERA to go along with his 117 career saves with the Minnesota Twins (201318), Astros (2018-24) and Chicago Cubs (2025). He made 667 career relief appearances and struck out 721 batters in 6911⁄3 innings. Pressly made All-Star teams with Houston in 2019 and 2021.

U.S. driver wins World Cup monobob race

Kaillie Humphries Armbruster won Olympic gold when she was in her 20s. She won another Olympic gold in her 30s. And now 40, she seems ready to chase again. Humphries Armbruster — who missed some of this Olympic cycle while becoming a mother for the first time — heads into next month’s Milan Cortina Games with momentum. She won the monobob World Cup season ﬁnale at Altenberg, Germany, on Saturday At 40 years and 4 months, Humphries Armbruster is now the oldest woman to win a World Cup monobob race. Humphries Armbruster, Elana Meyers Taylor and reigning world champion Kaysha Love will all be nominated to the U.S. Olympic team on Monday

French pair wins ice dance title ahead of Olympics

SHEFFIELD, England — France’s Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron won the ice dance at the European figure skating championships on Saturday after the buildup was overshadowed by a dispute between Cizeron and his former dance partner Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron scored 135.50 points for their free skate to music from the movie “The Whale” for a total 222.43. That’s the highest total score in ice dance by anyone this season and underlined their status as challengers to American pair Madison Chock and Evan Bates at next month’s Olympics. Cizeron won the Olympic gold medal in 2022 with Gabriella Papadakis, who has published a book describing him as controlling and their partnership as unequal. Cizeron has called the comments part of a “smear campaign.”

Oliva Pinto surges to lead at Latin American Amateur

who asked him to create a group text for all the wide receivers and make sure they showed up to catch balls on the jugs machine.

“I went to battle with him every day man, and he was a brother to me,” Daniels said. “It was really something I wanted to use as fuel, as motivation because he was a guy I went to battle with, and I know he would do the same thing for me.”

LIMA, Peru Segundo Oliva Pinto made ﬁve birdies in an eight-hole stretch around the turn Saturday on his way to a 6-under 64, giving him a one-shot lead in the Latin American Amateur and setting up a sprint to see who gets a spot in three majors this year Pinto made seven birdies in his round that took the Argentine from seven shots back to a 54-hole lead in the championship that awards the winner a spot in the Masters, U.S. Open and British Open this year He was at 5-under 205, one shot ahead of Eduardo Matarazzo of Brazil (66) and Andy Schonbaum, the 34-year-old Argentine who has played in all but one of the 11 editions of this event. Schonbaum, the 36-hole leader had two double bogeys on the back nine for a 72.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ROSS D FRANKLIN Miami wide receiver CJ Daniels is tackled by Ole Miss cornerback Chris Graves during the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 8. Daniels honors his friend and former LSU teammate Kyren Lacy in every game he plays.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON LSU wide receiver Kyren Lacy watches a play in a game against Nicholls on Sept. 7, 2024, at Tiger Stadium. Lacy died from an

NFL

Saints ranked NFL’s top rookie class in ’25 by ESPN

BY LUKE JOHNSON Staff writer

If it felt at times like the New Orleans Saints may have had the most impactful rookie class in the NFL this season, at least one set of postseason rankings agreed with that notion.

Compiling his annual list of the rookie classes that produced the most for their teams for ESPN, Aaron Schatz ranked the 2025 Saints crop at the top of the heap Schatz is an analytical pioneer who created the DVOA metric for Football Outsiders and now works for FTN Network. He based this year’s rookie rankings on several data points, starting with Sports Info Solutions’ Total Points system, which attempts to assign value to individual players He then adjusted his rankings based on positional importance, ESPN tracking data and his own DVOA formula.

These rankings are meant to organize the draft classes by the impact the rookies had on this year’s teams rather than trying to assess future value or potential — which hurt teams such as the Jacksonville Jaguars, who only got seven games out of No. 2 pick Travis Hunter.

New Orleans ranked No. 1 on Schatz’s list because of the contributions it received from quarterback Tyler Shough and left tackle Kelvin Banks — its top two picks — but also because several other members of the class contributed in a positive way

Some other sources back up Schatz’s rankings: Pro Football Reference keeps a proprietary statistic (Approximate Value, or AV) which attempts to quantify a player’s value to a team in a given season.

This year, Pro Football Reference found 35 players from the 2025 draft class to post an AV of 6 or better The Saints accounted for three of them — Shough (7), Banks (6) and safety Jonas Sanker (7). The only other teams with three or more players to reach that benchmark were the Patriots (4) and Bears (3).

Each of the nine players the Saints selected in the 2025 draft appeared in at least one game this season, though seventh-rounders Moliki Matavao and Fadil Diggs spent most of the season on the practice squad, and third-rounder

Vernon Broughton missed the ﬁnal 15 games of the season with a hip injury

Shough was the gem of the Saints’ class — for the 2025 season, at least having recently been named a ﬁnalist for the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year despite starting only nine games

He finished a close second to Giants QB Jaxson Dart (91.7) in QB rating (91.3) and led all rookie passers in passing yards per game (216.7) and completion percentage (67.6 %). Most importantly, Shough also won ﬁve of his nine starts — the only rookie to lead his team to a winning record in his starts.

In Shough and Banks, the Saints found two foundational players at

premium positions to accelerate their rebuild with their top two picks. But they also hit on some defensive starters on Days 2 and 3 of the draft.

Sanker played solid football throughout the season after taking over as the starting safety in Week 2 following Julian Blackmon’s season-ending shoulder injury The third-rounder was one of ﬁve rookies to record at least 80 tackles and two interceptions this season.

Quincy Riley took over as a starting outside corner after the first quarter of the season and impressed the Saints with his play-making ability, finishing fourth among NFL rookies in passes defended (10). Linebacker Danny Stutsman finished eighth among rookie linebackers in tackles (53) despite playing only 19 % of the Saints’ defensive snaps. The Saints were one of three NFC South teams to rank in Schatz’s top six, with the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons checking in at the No. 5 and 6 spots, respectively. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers checked in at No. 16.

Carolina (Tetairoa McMillan) and Tampa Bay (Emeka Egbuka) both drafted receivers who will at least draw consideration for Offensive Rookie of the Year — and in McMillan’s case, probably win it. Atlanta, meanwhile found three impact defensive players in James Pearce (rookie-high 10.5 sacks), Xavier Watts (rookiehigh 5 interceptions) and Jalon Walker

Texans’ top-ranked defense look to slow down Patriots in divisional matchup

FOXBOROUGH, Mass Drake Maye made his ﬁrst NFL start against the Houston Texans. The New England Patriots’ second-year quarterback has come a long way in the 15 months since. “That feels like, shoot, 10 years ago. It’s been a long journey,” Maye said. “Running out there with the first-snap jitters was pretty cool. It was fun to look back on We’ll hopefully have a different outcome from (that) game.”

Maye and C.J. Stroud each threw three touchdown passes that day, but Maye also was intercepted twice and sacked four times in the Texans’ 41-21 win. Houston (13-5) and New England (15-3) meet again Sunday, this time with a trip to the AFC championship game at stake.

The Patriots are seeking their ﬁrst appearance in the title game since the 2018 season, when they went on to win a sixth Super Bowl. The Texans have never made it

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2 P.M.SUNDAy NBC

that far, having lost in the divisional round in each of the past two seasons under third-year coach DeMeco Ryans.

“We’ve been in this position before. I think we’ve learned from those things. Now it’s time to go put it on tape,” Stroud said. Both teams have exceeded expectations. The Patriots went from worst to ﬁrst in the AFC East, while the Texans recovered from an 0-3 start and are riding a 10-game winning streak. It’s a matchup of strength against strength. The Patriots averaged an AFC-best 28.8 points per game, and the Texans have the NFL’s topranked defense.

“I respect how hard they play,” New England coach Mike Vrabel said “They’re not only talented, but they have a play demeanor that I can appreciate.”

Ryans believes much of the Patriots’ offensive success can be traced to Maye’s growth un-

Broncos advance to AFC title game after beating Bills in OT

BY ARNIE STAPLETON AP pro football Writer

DENVER Ja’Quan McMillian intercepted Josh Allen’s deep throw in overtime, and Bo Nix led the Broncos into position for Wil Lutz’s 24-yard ﬁeld goal that sent Denver to the AFC championship game with a 3330 win over the Buffalo Bills on Saturday

McMillian’s pick was Denver’s ﬁfth takeaway of the game. He wrested the ball away from Brandin Cooks at the Broncos 20-yard line when a ﬁeld goal would have won the game for Buffalo. The Broncos (15-3) will face either New England or Houston for the AFC title next Sunday at Empower Field at Mile High, where

Denver has won 14 of its last 15 games. The Bills (13-6) were flagged for pass interference twice on Denver’s ﬁnal drive.

Former Broncos kicker Matt Prater nailed a 50-yard ﬁeld goal with 5 seconds left in regulation, knotting it up at 30-all. That came after Nix’s 26-yard touchdown throw to Marvin Mims Jr with 55 seconds left had given Denver a 30-27 lead.

Allen, who hadn’t turned the ball over in his previous six playoff appearances, threw two interceptions and lost two fumbles on strip-sacks by Nik Bonitto. P.J. Locke also picked off Allen, ending the QB’s streak of 204 consecutive completions in the postseason.

Rams collide with resurgent Bears in divisional round

BY ANDREW SELIGMAN AP sportswriter

LAKE FOREST Ill. — Ben Johnson spent plenty of time studying Sean McVay’s offense, though not necessarily for a moment like this.

Back then, he wanted to know what worked for Jared Goff. Now, he’ll try to stop Matthew Stafford. And the stakes are high with the Chicago Bears set to host the Los Angeles Rams in a divisional game on Sunday

“(McVay) does a phenomenal job,” Johnson said. “He has ever since he’s gotten to LA. All of his teams are really well prepared. There’s no doubt that he’s super sharp in the offensive side, but I think how he does it as a head coach, bringing all three phases together is really critical to their success. I think he does a great job, knows how to speak to the team with the pulse of the team and get the most out of them.

“There’s a reason why they’re in it every year since he’s been there.” Johnson was an assistant in Detroit when the the team kicked off a rebuild by trading Stafford to Los Angeles for Goff and several draft picks, including two ﬁrst-rounders, following the 2021 season.

ä Rams at Bears. 5:30 P.M.SUNDAy,NBC

lifting the Rams to a 34-31 win. Now, two teams with high-powered offenses and a ﬂair for the dramatic are set to go at it The winner will play Seattle or San Francisco next week for a spot in the Super Bowl.

“Ben does a good job of being able to create matchups,” McVay said. “They mix up their personnel. They’ve got backs that can obviously run the football, but they’ve got skills in the pass game with tight ends and receivers that can do the same thing. It’s a great challenge.” Holding the line

der offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. He’s impressed with how much freedom Maye the league’s most accurate passer — has been given to run.

“I think he is doing a really good job of not making bad decisions with the football,” Ryans said “Where he’s taking that next step is his ability to escape the pocket. I think it really doesn’t get talked about much, but his athletic ability, his ability to escape the pocket has been really clutch for them.”

Texans thin at receiver

The Texans’ top receiver, Pro Bowler Nico Collins, will miss the game after sustaining his second concussion of the season in Monday night’s wild-card win at Pittsburgh. Receiver Justin Watson (concussion) was also ruled out on Friday Christian Kirk had a big game against the Steelers and the Texans are hoping for a repeat performance. The eight-year veteran set a career high and franchise playoff record with 144 yards receiving.

Now, after a successful run as the Lions’ offensive coordinator, he has orchestrated a remarkable turnaround in his first season as the Bears’ head coach. Chicago (12-6) went from worst to first in the NFC North and posted a winning record for the first time since the 2018 team won the division. Quarterback Caleb Williams took big steps in his second year for the Bears, who advanced in the playoffs for the first time since the 2010 season by rallying for a 31-27 wild-card victory over rival Green Bay They trailed by as much as 18 on the way to their seventh fourthquarter comeback win, outscoring the Packers 25-6 in the final period. The Rams (13-5), who won the Super Bowl four years ago, established themselves as championship contenders during an 11-3 start. But they needed Stafford to lead one of his vintage comebacks to beat Carolina last week. The All-Pro threw a perfectly-placed 19-yard touchdown pass to Colby Parkinson with 38 seconds left,

The Rams are hoping right guard Kevin Dotson returns from a three-game absence with a sprained ankle to complete their optimal offensive line. While Stafford and Puka Nacua get all the attention, Los Angeles’ line has been the foundation of the NFL’s most productive offense, clearing the way capably for Kyren Williams and Blake Corum while largely keeping Stafford upright long enough to get the ball to the record-setting Nacua or to NFL touchdown receptions leader Davante Adams. Run down

The Bears were third in the NFL in rushing during the regular season. They’re just not getting those big ground gains in recent weeks.

Chicago was the only team with two 750-yard rushers, with veteran D’Andre Swift running for 1,087 yards and rookie Kyle Monangai going for 783. But the Bears have struggled to run the ball the past two games.

Chicago fell into an early hole against Green Bay and ﬁnished with 93 yards rushing after being held to a season-low 65 in a loss to Detroit.

“Certainly late in the season, we wanted that to pick up, playoffs, weather games like this,” Johnson said. “You certainly want to be able to lean on your run game. So those are some elements we’re looking at. What can we do to help ignite that? It’s both efficient runs to stay on track and ahead of the chains and also explosive runs as well. Where can we ﬁnd a few of those?”

STAFF FILE PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Saints safety Jonas Sanker celebrates intercepting New york Jets quarterback Brady Cook during the second half of a game on Dec. 21 at the Caesars Superdome.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ERIN HOOLEy Chicago Bears’ Caleb Williams celebrates after an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Green Bay Packers on Jan. 10 in Chicago.

Golden Tempo finishes strong to edge Mesquite

Colts give trainer DeVaux 1-2 finish in Lecomte Stakes

BY LES EAST

Contributing writer

Cherie DeVaux has had a very successful career as a trainer but she has yet to saddle a horse for the Kentucky Derby or the Kentucky Oaks.

That might be about to change. DeVaux-trained horses finished one-two as Golden Tempo held off Mesquite to win the 83rd Lecomte Stakes to climax Road to the Derby Day on Saturday at the Fair Grounds. Though another DeVaux duo didn’t fare as well in the 34th Fasig-Tipton Silverbulletday Stakes for ﬁllies earlier in the day, things are looking good for DeVaux on the road to Churchill Downs in May Golden Tempo earned 20 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby and Mesquite earned 10. “I’ve been fortunate to have a lot of success in my career,” said DeVaux, who has 22 graded stakes wins and a Breeders’ Cup win since 2021. “I’ve never had a realistic opportunity for the Oaks or the Derby If we don’t have a strong contender in both the Oaks and the Derby, I’ll be disappointed.”

She wasn’t disappointed in the Lecomte, though there was a wide range of emotions during Golden Tempo’s trip over the mile and 1/16 in 1:44.98 DeVaux said she tries to remain “objective” when she has multiple horses in the same race

Jockey Joe Ortiz adroitly negotiated Golden Tempo’s path

through a congested stretch run to ﬁnish three-quarters of a length in front of Mesquite.

“Jose is a great rider, and he’s patient,” DeVaux said. “I was hoping immaturity wouldn’t show up because of the horses’ lack of experience, but I couldn’t be more pleased. So excited for both horses, elated for the owners (Phipps Stable and St. Elias Stable).

Golden Tempo went off as a 5-2 favorite but started slowly as he did in a last-to-ﬁrst sprint victory in his debut Dec 20 at the Fair Grounds.

DeVaux said during the week that she thought Golden Tempo was “a little bit more mature mentally” than Mesquite, even though Mesquite had two previous starts, including one around two turns, and Golden Tempo had just the one start and would be experiencing two turns for the ﬁrst time in the Lecomte.

“I was just very patient,” Ortiz said. “I followed Mesquite until the 3/8th pole. He went outside and I went inside. Luckily, I got an opening and the horse did the rest. I’m very impressed. I was a little bit worried because you never know how a horse is going to react going two turns for the ﬁrst time and he was facing stakes horses for the ﬁrst time. I was very happy with him.”

Golden Tempo paid $7.40, $4.20 and $3.40, Mesquite paid $4.80 and $3.80 and Carson Street, who led for much of the race before ﬁnishing a neck behind Mesquite, paid $6.80 to show in the Grade 3 $250,000 race, claiming six qualifying points.

“He was a real pro,” Mesquite jockey Flavien Prat said of his horse “It was a good trip and he kept coming. He’s figured out a lot.”

Chip Honcho ﬁnished fourth to

New Orleans on Saturday.

earn four points, and fifth-place

Quality Mischief got two points. Ocelli was scratched, leaving a 10-horse ﬁeld.

In the $150,000 Silverbulletday for fillies, Taken by the Wind led virtually wire to wire and held off a persistent challenge from Luv Your Neighbor to win by a neck after covering the one mile and 70 yards in 1:43.58 and paid $10.80, $7 and $2.80. Taken by the Wind, trained by Kenneth McPeek and ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., went off at 4-1 and earned 20 qualifying points for the Kentucky Oaks. Luv Your Neighbor who paid $8.20 and $3.40, earned 10 points, and betting favorite Atropa, who paid $2.10, earned six points.

Pashmina earned four points and Dancin In Old Town earned two. DeVaux trained Atropa and White Smoke, who ﬁnished last in the six-team ﬁeld.

zmeier, Can’t Deny It, High Front.

Opinion, Louisiana Jess, F T W Slam, House Bourbon. Race Time: 1:09.99 Daily Double (1-4) $6.90; Exacta (4-2) $8.30; Superfecta (4-2-5-7) $9.08; Trifecta (4-2-5) $15.65; Pic 3 (4-1-4) $31.15

Claimed: F T W Slam ($20,000.00, Owner: Riley Blanchet, Trainer: Justin Jeansonne) Fifth Race — Purse $60,000, Maiden special weight, 3 yo, Six Furlongs 10-Just Blufﬁng (Cannon D.) $44.00 $13.60 $6.60 13-Goodall (Lopez P.) $5.00 $3.60 2-Tap to Open (Ortiz, Jr. I.) $5.60 Also Ran: Love and Trust, Kayla’s Komet, Isabelle’s Music, Feeling Groovy, Thesewallshaveears, Callmeyourmajesty, Funny Bunny, Constructively, Winning Matters

Late Scratches: Zsa Zsa Race Time: 1:10.33 Daily Double (4-10) $69.50; Exacta (10-13) $181.90; Superfecta (10-13-2-12) $458.66; Trifecta (10-13-2) $996.00; Pic 3 (1-4-10) $55.15; Pic 4 (4-1/3-4-10) $599.75; Pic 5 (3-4-1/34-10) $4,635.85 Sixth Race — Purse $60,000, Maiden special weight, 3 yo, Six Furlongs 6-Knock It Off (Lopez P.) $18.80 $11.00 $5.80

12-Trouble Calling (Saez L.) $10.00 $3.80

5-Mojacar (Prat F.) $2.20

Also Ran: Bearister, Double Entendre, Classic Tap, Get Them Roses, Cowboy Roy, Guns Allowed, Hot Days Ahead, McBridge. Late Scratches: Tapit’s Gunner, Special Ops Race Time: 1:09.47 Daily Double (10-6) $339.60; Exacta (6-12) $80.50; Superfecta (6-12-5-4) $477.64; Trifecta (6-12-5) $90.10; Pic 3 (4-10-6) $236.20 Seventh Race — Purse $100,000, Stakes, 4 yo’s & up, Five And A Half Furlongs 4-Usually Wrong (Castillo I.) $5.00 $3.20 $3.20

8-Mondogetsbuckets (Ortiz, Jr. I.) $10.40 $6.80

3-Bear River (Graham J.) $4.60 Also Ran: Wendelssohn, Petcoff, Heart Headed, Schwar-

Late Scratches: Frost Free, Step Forward, Monsieur

Candy, Tough Catch Race Time: 1:01.63

Daily Double (6-4) $53.90; Exacta (4-8) $26.90; Superfecta (4-8-3-1) $115.31; Trifecta (4-8-3) $104.95; Pic 3 (10-6-4)

$283.30

Eighth Race — Purse $60,000, Maiden special weight, 3 yo, One And One Sixteenth Miles 7-Reagan’s Honor (Prat F.) $16.20 $8.00 $5.60

9-Kelz (Hernandez C.) $65.40 $24.60

12-Ocelli (Curtis B.) $3.80

Also Ran: Silver Shot, Gethsemane, Market Runner, Roguishness, Liberty Valance, El Capo, He’s a Charmer, Sunset Skip, La Norme de Jour.

Race Time: 1:45.03

Daily Double (4-7) $22.80; Exacta (7-9) $525.80; Superfecta (7-9-12-5) $3,360.58; Trifecta (7-9-12) $2,160.25; Pic

3 (6-4-7) $144.20

Ninth Race — Purse $100,000, Stakes, 4 yo’s & up, One And One Sixteenth Miles

5-Medoro (Ortiz J.) $4.20 $3.00 $2.60

1-Cupids Crush (Pedroza, Jr. M.) $15.00 $10.20

4-Lucky Speech (Graham J.) $16.40

Also Ran: Nanda Dea (ARG), Strikingly Spun, Sweet Treasure, Stylish Sue, Triumphant Spirit, Epic Style Lakota Spirit. Late Scratches: Wild Bout Hilary Race Time: 1:42.17 Daily Double (7-5) $19.30; Exacta (5-1) $25.50; Superfecta (5-1-4-8) $846.85; Trifecta (5-1-4) $448.20; Pic 3 (4-7-5)

$35.50; Pic 4 (6-4/7/10/11/13-7-3/5) $417.55; Pic 5 (10-64/7/10/11/13-7-3/5) $12,505.95 Tenth Race — Purse $150,000, Stakes, 3 yo, One Mile Seventy Yards

4-Taken by the Wind (Hern., Jr. B.) $10.80 $7.00 $2.80

5-Luv Your Neighbor (Concepcion A.) $8.20 $3.40 1-Atropa (Ortiz J.) $2.10

Also Ran: Pashmina, Dancin in Old Town, White Smoke. Race Time: 1:43.58

Djokovic is gearing up for another shot at a 25th Grand Slam title

BY JOHN PYE AP sportswriter

MELBOURNE, Australia Novak

Djokovic can still crack a joke when discussing the Carlos Alcaraz-Jannik Sinner rivalry that for two years has prevented him from becoming the most decorated tennis player ever

“I lost three out of four Slams against either Sinner or Alcaraz,” in 2025, he said Saturday, on the eve of the Australian Open.

“We don’t need to praise them too much,” he added, smiling. “They have been praised enough! We know how good they are, and they absolutely deserve to be where they are. They are the dominant forces of the men’s tennis at the moment.”

Djokovic is starting a third season in pursuit a 25th Grand Slam singles title, and has reﬁned his ap-

proach for the Australian Open. He withdrew from his only scheduled tuneup tournament, knowing he’s lacking “a little bit of juice in my legs” to compete with two young stars at end of the majors and that he has to stay as pain-free as possible. Djokovic worked out how to beat Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, the established rivalry before he turned it into the Big Three and then surpassed them both. A winner of 24 major championships — a record for the Open era and tied with Margaret Court for the most in the history of tennis — the 38-year-old Djokovic is doing everything to keep himself “in the mix.”

Djokovic last won a major title at the 2023 U.S. Open. Sinner and Alcaraz have split the eight since then. Sinner has won the last two Australian titles. Alcaraz is in Aus-

tralia determined to add the title at Melbourne Park to complete a career Grand Slam. Despite being hampered by injuries, Djokovic reached the semifinals at all four majors last year A torn hamstring forced him to quit his Australian Open semifinal, after he’d ousted Alcaraz in the quarterfinals.

By reminding himself that “24 is also not a bad number,” Djokovic said he’s taking the “now-or-never type of mentality” out of his every appearance at a major because it’s not allowing him to excel at his best.

“Sinner and Alcaraz are playing on a different level right now from everybody else. That’s a fact,” Djokovic said, “but that doesn’t mean that nobody else has a chance.

“So I like my chances always, in any tournament, particularly here.”

The 10-time Australian Open

champion starts Monday in a night match on Rod Laver Arena against No. 71-ranked Pedro Martinez of Spain. Seeded fourth, he’s in the same half of the draw as Sinner That means they can only meet in the semiﬁnals here.

Fitness

Djokovic hasn’t played an ofﬁcial tournament since November.

“Obviously took more time to rebuild my body, because I understand that in the last couple of years, that’s what changed the most for me takes more time to rebuild, and it also takes more time to reset or recover,” he said.

“I had a little setback that prevented me to compete at Adelaide tournament but it’s been going on very well so far here.” He said there’s “something here and there” every day in terms of aches and pains, “but generally I

feel good and look forward to competing.”

PTPA

Djokovic cut ties earlier this month with the Professional Tennis Players Association, a group he co-founded, saying “my values and approach are no longer aligned with the current direction of the organization.”

Djokovic and Canadian player Vasek Pospisil launched the PTPA in 2020, aiming to offer representation for players who are independent contractors in a largely individual sport.

“It was a tough call for me to exit the PTPA, but I had to do that, because I felt like my name was overused,” he said. “I felt like people, whenever they think about PTPA, they think it’s my organization which is a wrong idea from the very beginning.”

STAFF PHOTOS By ENAN CHEDIAK

Fans watch from the sidelines as jockeys compete in the 11th horse race at the Fair Grounds race course in

Jockey Brian Hernandez, Jr and his horse Taken by the Wind left, maintains a narrow lead during the 10th horse race at the Fair Grounds race course in New Orleans on Saturday.

LSU defeats Mizzou, earns first SEC win

BY TOYLOY BROWN III Staff writer

LSU basketball joined the rest of the Southeastern Conference by getting its ﬁrst conference win

After a dramatic home loss at the buzzer to Kentucky on Wednesday, the Tigers beat Missouri 78-70 on Saturday at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center

“We got better this week,” coach Matt McMahon said. “Our team improved. We didn’t get the result we wanted in our last game, but we got a lot better. You saw that today We’ve been turning the ball over too much. We only had seven turnovers today We won the turnover battle by ﬁve for the ﬁrst time in league play We had 16 offensive rebounds. We won the glass.” Marquel Sutton had 26 points on 7-of-14 shooting. He also made 10 of 14 free throws and had six rebounds and two steals. Max Mackinnon had 20 points and made 4 of 10 3-pointers.

“It feels amazing, you know, to get our ﬁrst SEC win, especially how we bounced back (from) the last game,” Sutton said. “I thought we were composed, and we didn’t let the last game affect us. And we played together for 40 minutes.”

LSU (13-5, 1-4 SEC) avoided a fifth straight loss in conference play The last time it lost that number of games consecutively was during the 2009-10 season. Dedan Thomas missed his ﬁfth straight game with a lower leg injury he suffered on Jan. 2.

LSU got off to a fast start, which had plagued it previously in conference play It led 10-0 after ﬁve minutes as the group piled stops and played unselﬁshly

The eighth point came from a Sutton 3-pointer on the right wing in transition. He was the recipient

of a cross-court pass from Mackinnon, who used his eyes to fool a defender to prevent a pass in the paint transition. Sutton, a ﬁfth-year Omaha transfer canned a second 3-pointer before halftime and his aggression as a scorer was a big part of LSU’s early success. He was decisive as a driver from the high post and frequently sought contact He made 7 of 8 from the free-throw line in the ﬁrst half.

He had 19 points as LSU led 3727 over Missouri (13-5, 3-2) at halftime.

“My team gave me the ball in spots where they seen I had an advantage in,” Sutton said. “They were kind of giving me the ball (in the high post), just letting me go to work and I’m grateful that they trust me with the ball.”

Missouri made its first field goal at the 14:18 mark, after missing its first nine shots. The defense was solidified in large part due to backup center Robert Miller He substituted in with 16:59 left in the first half after Nwoko picked up a second foul while fighting for a rebound.

The sophomore Miller immediately contributed to LSU’s impressive start as he was impactful as a rebounder and defender He had two points, four rebounds and a couple of deflections in his first five minutes.

At the 9:24 mark, Miller blocked Missouri’s leading scorer Mark Mitchell. The 6-8 forward averages 17.5 points and had the thirdmost free-throw attempts (127) in the SEC.

Miller ﬁnished with four points, seven rebounds, one steal and a block.

“Rob Miller, he just keeps getting better,” McMahon said. “He’s been fantastic. His offensive efﬁciency numbers in the league are

STAFF FILE PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant scores against the Pelicans during a game on Dec. 19, 2023, at the Smoothie King Center

WALKER

Continued from page 1C

ﬁnished 21-61, the second fewest wins in an 82-game season in franchise history

The remaining 38 games will likely follow a familiar script as the ﬁrst 44.

Plenty of sharp-shooting nights from Trey Murphy.

An unstoppable game from Zion Williamson, scoring at will here and there

A Derik Queen triple-double thrown in from time to time to remind you how good his future could be.

A performance by Saddiq Bey that makes you appreciate how he comes to work every single game. More often than not, those stellar performances will end up resulting in a loss.

The Pelicans have won just 31 games since the start of last season. There is a segment of the fanbase that has accepted the growing pains and is focusing on building for the future around young, promising pieces like Queen and Jeremiah Fears. Others have completely checked out, as evidenced by the many empty seats often seen at the Smoothie King Center

One way to get fans back in and get butts back in the seats would be acquiring a player with Morant’s star power. The stardom may not be what it was in his ﬁrst few seasons in the league, but it’s still there.

I’m not sure how long the buzz would last, but the ﬁrst wave would have the arena rocking like it was the night Williamson played his very ﬁrst game for the Pelicans six years ago.

The concerns, though, are the headaches that could come with the star Morant’s off-the-court issues, including suspensions and ﬁnes

didn’t last forever as it went on a 7-0 run to trail 45-38 with 15:30 left. Backup point guard Reece promptly made a 3-pointer from the top of the key as Missouri left him open.

Missouri wasn’t deterred as it made its first three 3-pointers in the second half and was noticeably more aggressive on both ends, chipping away Missouri’s Jayden Stone caught fire, making all three of his team’s 3-pointers in the second half. He picked up 12 second-half points in 10 minutes. The 6-4 guard finished with 20 points.

With 8:49 remaining in the contest, LSU led 55-52 as Missouri continued to storm back. When the Tigers needed a score late in the shot clock, Tamba to the hoop around the restricted area and kicked the ball out to King, who made a left wing 3-pointer with less than a second on the shot clock.

On the following possession, Nwoko got a block, which instigated a fastbreak layup for Sutton that extended LSU’s advantage back to 60-52 at the 7:46 mark. Nwoko finished with six points and eight rebounds in 13 minutes.

for ﬂashing guns on Instagram

Live, have raised red ﬂags that the Pelicans try to avoid.

His availability since the Grizzlies drafted him one pick after the Pelicans drafted Williamson in the 2019 draft could be a deal

breaker Morant has played in just 79 games since the start of the 2023-24 season The most games he’s played in a season is 67, his rookie year And who knows how he would jell in the locker room and on the court with the current roster

The Pelicans have a close-knit group that doesn’t need to be disrupted Maybe it helps that Morant has a connection with Williamson. The two of them were AAU teammates in South Carolina.

Perhaps this could be a fresh start for both Morant and the Pelicans.

Morant, a second-team AllNBA player in his third season and a two-time All-Star, has averaged 22.4 points and 7.4 assists in his career

Obviously, there is not enough room on the roster for Morant, rookie Jeremiah Fears, Jordan Poole and Dejounte Murray Fears, a starter, isn’t going anywhere. Murray hasn’t returned from his torn Achilles injury And Poole, the second-highestpaid player on the Pelicans’ payroll, comes off the bench. If Dumars could get Morant for Poole or Murray, he’d have to strongly consider it

There will likely be other offers out there for Dumars to consider as the Feb. 5 trade deadline approaches. With no ﬁrst-round draft pick this year, something has to be done.

Morant is risky The cons may even outweigh the pros. But given the way things are going, it’s worth thinking about it.

What is there to lose?

Well, other than more games.

Email Rod Walker at rwalker@ theadvocate.com

off the charts.”

The LSU defense disrupted Mitchell’s rhythm offensively as he had two points and two turnovers in the ﬁrst half. Pablo Tamba drew a charge, which gave Mitchell his second foul with about seven minutes remaining in the ﬁrst half. Missouri mixed in a zone defense

RICHARD

Continued from page 1C

Now Richard’s playing almost 30 minutes per game. How did she earn herself such an important role?

“She’s another Kim Mulkey,” said Errol Rogers, Lafayette Christian Academy’s longtime girls’ basketball coach. “That’s why. I mean, we’re talking about a kid who had the aspirations to be great.

“She’s the type of person, if I went to a dark alley, I’d want her on my backside.”

Guillory, Richard’s mother, played college basketball at Southern. She was a guard, too, but she was more of a scorer, and because she played most of her prep career at Plaisance High School without a 3-point line, she used a set shot — a lower, slower, more stationary shooting form. She wished then that she had developed more of a jumper instead. So she taught her daughter how to get off the ground and shoot.

Richard was only about 6 or 7 years old. After school, she and her mother would pull up to their house, throw their bags inside and work on her game outside. Guillory would tie Richard’s right arm behind her back so she’d learn how to use her left hand, while encouraging her to wait patiently for her jumper to feel more comfortable. One day, she’d be strong enough to enjoy more ﬂuid mechanics.

Once Richard began eighth grade, Guillory found her a Lafayette-based trainer named Marcus Onezime. She also started playing her AAU ball for Louisiana United, a club that competes outside the state but not against the teams that play in the major tournaments sponsored by Nike, Under Armour and Adidas.

“But that’s not because they didn’t ask,” Guillory said.

Guillory said some of those teams would call and email her to see if Richard would be interested in joining them. She, however, left the decision up to her daughter, who chose to be “loyal to her team.”

“Now, mind you,” Guillory said, she didn’t know that she was gonna miss out on the perks of playing on the circuit because we didn’t know anything about all of that. She just wanted to play ball.”

Richard started working with Onezime, her trainer, in two-hour sessions they’d hold six or seven times per week. There wasn’t much time left for anything else.

Richard did sing with her church choir, though, and she did perform well enough in school to be named valedictorian of her graduating class. But Onezime has had to force her to take time off from basketball, and Rogers had to nudge her into things that more ordinary high school students do for fun. Things like trying to land a spot on the homecoming court

“She would have rather been in

throughout the game as it trailed by as many as 14 points. The Tigers were patient with it and continued to find Sutton in the soft spot around the free-throw line.

Point guards Jalen Reece and Rashad King combined for 14 points, seven assists and three turnovers. Missouri’s scoring struggles

The Tigers were challenged but didn’t look back. King made a clutch runner to give LSU a sixpoint lead with 1:04 remaining. Tamba, who finished with eight points and five rebounds, made two late-game free throws to redeem himself from his end-ofgame misses against Kentucky He sealed the win with a steal on defense to put the game out of reach with 18 seconds left.

LSU’s next game is against Florida (13-5, 4-1) at 6 p.m Tuesday at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center in Gainesville, Florida.

the gym than on the homecoming court,” Rogers said. “So that’s the difference That’s why she was able to compete with everybody else.”

The first thing Richard rehearsed with Onezime was shooting off the dribble — a skill that she used to become one of Louisiana’s top players.

As a sophomore, Richard dropped 52 points in an afternoon win over Southern Lab in the Sugar Bowl Classic, then returned to the ﬂoor a few hours later to hang 55 points on coach Temeka Johnson’s John Curtis team. A month later she scored 39 points in Lake Charles against Mikaylah Williams and Parkway High.

Mulkey was there to see Williams — one of the nation’s most coveted recruits at the time. But Richard stole the show

She wound up leading Lafayette Christian to four state championships and scoring nearly 3,000 career points. Her scholarship offers came mostly from mid-major schools, but programs such as SMU, Arizona State, Ole Miss and LSU recruited her as well.

“She handled her business,” Rogers said. “So sometimes, we think that we got to chase a dream, going all over the country when sometimes our dream is right there in front of us.”

Richard played only a handful of minutes per game in SEC play last season. Guillory said she “lost her confidence” as a result, then quickly committed to building it back up. Over the summer, Onezime helped Richard learn how to play without the ball in her hands. He simulated typical LSU games — back-and-forth, fast-paced and physical by having her run the floor four or five times, stop at the

3-point arc, relocate to a different spot and set up for a catch-andshoot opportunity

Richard already knew how to handle the ball and create her own shot. What she needed to figure out, if she’d start at point guard as a sophomore, was how she could best complement Williams, Flau’jae Johnson and the post players in charge of scoring around the rim.

“She’s very very very strong mentally,” Guillory said “Very, very strong. Some of these kids, they don’t bounce back as soon, conﬁdence-wise. But she did, and this year she said it was going to be different. She was gonna have that chip on her shoulder.”

Now, through LSU’s first four games of league play, Williams and Johnson are the only Tigers who have played more minutes than Richard. MiLaysia Fulwiley — the star junior who transferred from South Carolina to LSU — is still coming off the bench. She’s seeing the floor for roughly four fewer minutes per night than Richard.

“Jada will guard you,” Mulkey said. “Jada takes things that you say and tries to be the coach on the ﬂoor, even at a young age.

“So yeah, I want the ball in Jada’s hands. I mean, she’s the best freethrow shooter we have.”

Richard had to earn that trust. It was a long, hard process — one that began in earnest when she ﬁrst learned that Mulkey was moving to Baton Rouge.

“She believed that she was gonna play at LSU,” Rogers said. “And whatever it took, whatever she needed to do to do that, she made sure she did that.”

Email Reed Darcey at reed. darcey@theadvocate.com.

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU guard Jada Richard defends Texas guard Rori Harmon in the third quarter last Sunday at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU forward Marquel Sutton reacts after scoring a 3-pointer against Missouri on Saturday at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center

THE VARSITY ZONE

LOUISIANA CLASSIC

Sweet satisfaction

St. Paul’s Shartle takes title, cherished blue sweatshirt

BY CHRISTOPHER DABE Staff writer

St. Paul’s senior Caleb

Shartle knew the feeling that came with reaching the ﬁnal at the Louisiana Classic and leaving without one of those navy-blue hooded sweatshirts. He did not want to experience it a second time.

“Getting second, everyone thinks making it to the ﬁnal, that’s good enough,” Shartle said. “That’s way more painful than getting (knocked) out in the first round of a tournament.”

Shartle, who wrestled in the 190-pound weight division, was among six New Orleans area competitors Saturday to leave the Lamar Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales with a blue hooded sweatshirt that is awarded to a champion in each weight division

Other winners included Brother Martin senior William Fontenot (106 pounds), St. Paul’s sophomore Connor Ayala (113), Rummel junior Dominick Durham (150) and Jesuit senior Will Berry (285), plus Riverdale senior Layla Higgins (107) in the girls’ tournament.

Holy Cross had the highest team placement among area schools by finishing third behind champion CatholicBaton Rouge and runner-up

St. Thomas More. Brother Martin was fourth, Jesuit ﬁfth and St. Paul’s sixth Shartle won against Teurlings Catholic junior Carter Macha 11-7 taking away any suspense at the end with a late takedown for three points.

The bout between reigning state champions — Shartle in Division I and Macha in Division II — came after Shartle lost in previous seasons against former Teurlings standout Braeden Simoneaux.

“That motivated me this year and it’s going to continue through the state tournament,” Shartle said. “I’m ready to get gold this year.” Other area winners also rebounded from past shortcomings to become a champion at the Classic. Fontenot, from Brother Martin, didn’t feel well on the bus ride from school last year and “started throwing up,” he said, before he wres-

St Paul’s Caleb Shartle grabs the leg of Teurlings Catholic’s Carter Macha in the 190-pound class final at the 53rd Louisiana Classic on Saturday at Lamar Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales. Shartle won 11-7 in a battle of reigning LHSAA state champions.

FINAL RESULTS

Final results from the Louisiana Classic wrestling tournament held Saturday at Lamar Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales. MD (major decision); DEC (decision); TF (technical fall); F (forfeit); UTB (ultimate tie-breaker).

Boys

106 pounds: W. Fontenot, Brother Martin over P. Evans, Catholic High MD (13-3)

113: C Ayala, St. Paul’s over J. Thiele, Rummel MD (10-2)

120: Z. Blanchard, Southern Lab over M. Barnett, DEC (5-4)

126: A. Rozas, Teurlings Catholic over C. Kirk, Catholic High, TF (4:42)

132: F. Peterson St. Thomas More over A. Oubre, Holy Cross, Dec (7-0)

138: O. Gray, Acadiana over M. Evans, Catholic High, F (3-0)

144: J. Rebstock, St. Thomas More over M. Krail, Holy Cross, DEC (2-1)

150: D. Durham, Rummel over J. Lara, Brother Martin, MD (10-2)

157: D. Kizer, Del City over K. Scott, Catholic High DEC (12-5)

165: B. Stewart, East Ascension over M. Asevado, St. Amant, TF (5:12)

175: Z. Cestia, St. Thomas More over R. Reeves, Holy Cross UTB (7-6)

190: C. Shartle, St. Paul’s over C. Ma-

tled three times and lost his ﬁnal match in overtime This year he pinned four of his six opponents and scored a major decision in the final against Paul Evans of Catholic-Baton Rouge.

“They call it the ‘battle of the weight class,’ so it feels good getting the Classic title going into state,” Fontenot said.

Durham, from Rummel, placed once at the Classic when he “got the bottom of the podium” when he was a freshman. “I didn’t like it,” said Durham, who pinned

cha, Teurlings Catholic, DEC (11-7)

215: B. Edmonston, Live Oak over J. Martinez, St. Paul’s, Dec (15-8)

285: W. Berry, Jesuit over J. Hollins Slidell, Dec (9-2)

Girls

100 pounds: A. Jackson, East Ascension over S. Gagliano, Lakeshore, F (4:42)

107: C. Booty, Central over L. Higgins, Riverside TF (18-3)

114: L. Johnson, Dutchtown over M. Thomas, MD (13-1)

120: R. Blanchard, Lafayette over M. Penberthy, Niceville, Dec (7-3)

126: Q. Guevara-Tapia, Lafayette over A. Wade, Benton, Dec (8-3)

132: L. Grifﬁn, Live Oak over S Bolton, Del City, F (1:41)

138: L. Guillory, East Ascension over O. Maxie, Baton Rouge High, F (5:35)

145: S. Camarata, Albany over S. Cervenka, South Beauregard, MD (18-7)

152: A. Dial, Del City over M. Stutes, Acadiana F (3:15)

165: S. High, Del City over B. Arbic, Niceville, F (0:26)

185: C. Daniels, Del City over I. Harrison, Brusly, Dec (7-6)

235: Z. Williams, Dutchtown over A. Flores Hernandez, Baton Rouge High, F (2:31)

five opponents and then avenged an earlier loss to Brother Martin senior Joshua Lara in the ﬁnal.

“I wanted it more than whoever else was on the mat with me,” Durham said.

Higgins, the girls winner from Riverside, avenged an earlier season loss by scoring a technical fall against Carsyn Booty of Central-Baton Rouge.

“It’s still in me, it’s still glowing in me, I still feel it my chest, I’m never more happier than when I win,” she said.

Holy Cross advanced three to the finals as Matthew Krail (144 pounds) and Rylee Reeves (175) each lost by one point — including the two-overtime loss by Reeves against Zach Cestia of St. Thomas More. Anthony Oubre also reached the ﬁnal and lost 7-0 to Foster Peterson of St. Thomas More.

Two-time Classic champion Michal Barnett of Jesuit lost to Southside’s Zane Blanchard 5-4 in a bout between two returning Classic champions.

In other finals, Ayala, of St. Paul’s, won by major decision over Rummel’s John Theile and Jesuit’s Berry won by decision over Jayvier Hollis of Slidell.

The Classic is the final statewide checkpoint before the LHSAA state championships Feb. 6-7 in Bossier City, where schools are broken up into three enrollment classiﬁcations for the championships Jesuit has won the past three Division I state titles.

“It’s one of those years where I think you could see it totally flip-flopped and see it totally different three weeks for us,” Jesuit coach Jonathon Orillion said. “I think Catholic, Brother Martin, Holy Cross and us, I think we’ve all got really quality teams, all being very well coached. It should be an exciting state tournament.”

Tulane G Woods

BY GUERRY SMITH Contributing writer

Senior guard Asher Woods, one of two current Tulane scholarship basketball players who was on the team when star forward Kevin Cross allegedly tried to shave points twice during the 2023-24 season, said Saturday he had no inkling of what was going on back then.

Cross was indicted Thursday in a Pennsylvania federal court after a widespread game-ﬁxing probation that extended to more than 39 players on 17 NCAA teams an investigation that revealed he was paid $20,000 for underperforming in a 15-point loss at East Carolina and agreed to underperform in a loss at Florida Atlantic in which the Green Wave covered the point spread.

Reserve center Percy Daniels, who is recovering from a knee injury, is the only other remaining player from 2023-24.

“I’m very surprised (about the indictment of Cross),” said Woods, who played 11 minutes in the East Carolina game and did not get off the bench against Florida Atlantic. “I was unaware of it. Just being teammates with the guy, it’s deﬁnitely surprising.”

The two 2023-24 games in question were part of a season-ending stretch when Tulane lost 11 of 13 games and sank to a tie for last in the American Conference after entering the year as an expected title contender Cross, a versatile big man who had backto-back triple-doubles early in the year and averaged a team-high 17.5 points took just two shots in 32 minutes against East Carolina.

Coach Ron Hunter addressed the team after the news broke Thursday, and Woods said he did not expect the allegations to affect Tulane (12-5, 3-1 American Conference) moving forward. After losing Wednesday to UAB, the Green Wave enters Sunday’s home game (4 p.m., ESPN2) against North Texas (10-7, 1-3) in a ﬁve-way

tie for ﬁrst place in the loss column.

“(Hunter) basically said hey, it doesn’t affect you and w’ve got to keep focusing and keep responding,” said Woods, who added he never was approached about fixing games “We just came off a loss, so that was at the forefront of our minds and making sure we understand we have to be better and what we can do to play at a championship level. As far as the atmosphere of this team, we’re just focused on the now We’re just focused on preparing to go 1-0 on Sunday.”

In Louisiana alone, players from UNO, Nicholls State and Northwestern State also were indicted Thursday for point shaving. With the spread of legalized sports betting across the nation over the past several years, the opportunity for these problems is much easier than it was in the 1980s, when Tulane shut down its basketball program for three years after another point-shaving investigation. Contact from outside bettors is constant.

“Players get DMs all the time, every single game like literally (from people) betting on your rebounds, your assists,” Tulane point guard Rowan Brumbaugh said. “There’s a million bets people do for money It’s crazy, but at the same time in my opinion, since we’re getting paid, we’re basically professionals now, so we have to deal with that and we have to be mature enough to make those decisions and handle those hate comments or whatever and push them aside.”

Echoing Woods, Brumbaugh does not anticipate the news about Cross having any long-term effect on this team.

“It’s like a one-day ordeal,” he said. “It was a player two years ago and obviously a great player, but this is a different team. We’re just worried about (Sunday’s) game honestly.”

BY CHRISTOPHER DABE Staff writer

Jesuit senior Sven Jensen arrived at the school in eighth grade believing football would be his primary sport He also played basketball that year, and when the season ended, decided to shift his full focus to the hardwood.

Now a 6-foot-4 forward, Jensen delivered his biggest varsity performance yet Friday night, scoring a career-high 18 points in Jesuit’s 48-41 win at Brother Martin.

Jensen showed soft touch around the rim early, scoring eight of his team’s first 10 points as the Blue Jays jumped out to a 14-4 lead by the end of the first quarter He added baskets in each of the final three quarters as Jesuit (15-5) maintained control throughout.

“He was playing with a lot of conﬁdence,” Jesuit coach Chris Jennings said, adding that Jensen “had a little size advantage” against Brother Martin, “and he took advantage of it.”

“He also made some real nice moves around the basket,” Jennings said Jensen said he comes form “a big football family,” but basketball became his main sport because of the impact he can have on both ends of the ﬂoor

rowed the deﬁcit to 42-36, but Jesuit sealed the win by making six of eight free throws down the stretch.

Brother Martin junior Noah McDaniel led the Crusaders with 12 points, including a 3-pointer Senior Jax Wilklow and sophomore Greyson Taylor each made a pair of 3-pointers. Taylor scored 10 points.

The Crusaders trimmed the lead to 18-15 in the second quarter but could get no closer

“We didn’t shoot the ball as well as we need to shoot the ball against a bigger team,” Laurendine said. “It’s obvious, they’re bigger than us in every position But we needed to make some more shots in the beginning.”

With the Catholic League playing only one round of district games, the game did not count in the district standings The teams will meet again in a district matchup Feb. 10 at Jesuit

BY DARRELL WILLIAMS Contributing writer

Tulane founds itself in a scoring drought at the most inopportune time, coming down the stretch of its game Saturday against Alabama-Birmingham.

It appeared to be leading to another close loss, and at home, nonetheless.

However, Kanija Daniel blocked a shot that led to freshman guard Mecailin Marshall’s go-ahead 3-pointer with 50.7 seconds left on the way to a 73-68 American Athletic Conference victory at Devlin Fieldhouse.

It marks the first time this season that Tulane (810, 3-3) has gotten backto-back victories. UAB (711,0-6) lost its sixth game in a row

“Kanija’s block at the end was crucial, and Mecailin’s shot was huge,” said center Dyllan Hanna, who had 12 points and a game-high 10 rebounds, her second consecutive game with that many rebounds. “It feels good winning back-to-back games, coming off the win at Temple. We’re looking to keep trending in the right direction.”

“He was really a problem for us tonight,” Brother Martin coach Wesley Laurendine said about Jensen. “We didn’t execute the game plan we were trying to do on him.”

After halftime, Jensen scored twice more and senior Tanner Hughes (nine points) hit a 3-pointer that sparked a 13-2 run that carried into the fourth quarter Brother Martin (14-7) nar-

“I like to score and play defense,” he said. “I love to put the ball in the hoop.” After the opening quarter Jensen continued to score off feeds from Jesuit’s usual leading scorer Zach LaGraize, who ﬁnished with eight points.

“It’s a great rivalry,” Jensen said. “When we walked in, it was already packed for the (junior varsity) game, so we knew it was going to be a big game when we came out for warmups. It was electric.”

“When I played,” added Jennings, who played for Jesuit, “the gym was packed every night. When you played Brother Martin, it was packed. When you played De La Salle, it was packed. And that’s what this was tonight. We don’t get it as much anymore. It’s just a lot of fun.”

Five Green Wave players scored in double figures, led by 13 points by power forward Amira Mabry Forward Jayda Brown scored 11, and Daniel and freshman back-up point guard Shiloh Kimpson each had 10. Simpson also tied for a game-high ﬁve assists. Guard Cali Smallwood led four Blazers in double

figures with 17 points, and point guard Sofia Munoz had 14. However, Smallwood did not score in the second half, and Munoz scored two points. The victory was keyed by Tulane’s 42-30 rebounding advantage, as it finished with big margins in points in the lane (36-22) and second-chance points (17-4). Still, the Green Wave found itself in another close battle down the stretch. In a back-and-forth battle, Tulane took a 64-63 lead on point guard Kendall Sneed’s drive at 5:26 of the fourth quarter However the Wave did not score until Hanna was fouled in the lane at the 1:22 mark. Hanna, who has struggled from the line, made both free throws, bringing the Wave to within 68-66. Daniel’s big block came with 58 seconds left. She dribbled the ball into the fore court and passed to Sneed, who found Marshall open behind the 3-point line. The shot gave Tulane a 69-68 lead with 50.7 seconds left. It was the Wave’s first basket since the 5:26 mark. A UAB turnover on the ensuing inbounds pass led to two free throws by Sneed for a three-point margin. Daniels made one free throw and Sneed two in the final 23 seconds to seal the win. UAB led 40-38 at halftime behind blistering 3-point shooting (8 of 17), including 5 of 8 in the second quarter. The Blazers shot 48.3% in the half overall against Tulane’s

STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

OUTDOORS

‘Lifetime’ buck

Rob Gonzales took full advantageof hunting deer during the peak of the rutting season when he took this massive 13-point buck on atrip intoWest Feliciana Parish. Gonzales hunted the area 14 days without firing ashot. His persistence paid off for what he called ‘a lifetime buck, taken with a300yard shot and which scored 152 on the trophy-buck scale He will have to wait acouple of more months to have his buck officially scored for the Louisiana Big Game Records Program. There are several categories for deer in this program. For details about the state’sBig Game Records, call Johnathan Bordelon at (318) 487-5334 or email: jbordelon@ wlf.la.gov

PROVIDED PHOTO

BY JOE MACALUSO

Contributing writer

Louisiana haslostanother round in the battle against Chronic Wasting Disease.

Last week, Wildlife and Fisheries ordered aDeclaration of Emergency extending the CWD control area after ahunter took adiseased whitetail buck on the Richard K. Yancey Wildlife Management Area in Concordia Parish in December Examination and documentation of this buck means the emergencydeclaration extends the control areato include Catahoula and Concordiaparishes andparts of Avoyelles, LaSalle, Pointe Coupee and Rapides parishes.

Landowners and hunters in those newly named areas must become aware of the terms “control area” and “buffer zone.”

All baiting and feeding is banned in aCWD Control Area’sEnhancedMitigation Zone, while varying restrictions on bait and feeding apply in abuffer zone.

Baiting and feeding restrictions become effective Feb.1 in the control area along withrestrictionson deer carcass transport rules and with moving certain parts of any deer from the

control area. The emergency declarationwill be in effectfor 180 days. After that, the Wildlife and FisheriesCommission will have to consider anoticeofintent to make permanent those appropriate CWD restrictions andbans.

In thecase of thediseased deer, the hunter taking the 31/2-year-old buck voluntarily submitted it for sampling andthe presence of CWD wasconﬁrmedbythe Iowabased National Veterinary ServicesLaboratory. It’s the first confirmed CWD case found in Concordia Parish. For CWD info, go to the state agency’swebsite: wlf. louisiana.gov/page/cwd BOW

Onlinelottery applications for the March 20-22 Becoming an Outdoors Woman Workshop will be accepted by Wildlifeand Fisheries throughJan. 28. Thesepopularworkshops fill fast,and the agency decided on alottery for this one instead of filling it on a first-come, first-served basis.

Forthe application, instructions andother infor-

mation, use this address: bow@wlf.la.gov

BOW is ahands-on program for women 18 and oldertolearn abouthunting, ﬁshing, marksmanship, kayaking, outdoor cooking and archery

It’s held at Camp Grant Walker in Pollock,and there is afee to covermeals and lodging. The department notes “scholarships are available for qualifying participants in need of ﬁnancial assistance.”

Otherlotteries

There’saFeb.7 deadline to put your name in for the annual wildlife management area turkeyhunt and the While Lake Wetlands Conservation Areafishing lotteries.

Applicationsare available on this Wildlifeand Fisheries website: louisianaoutdoors.com/lottery-applications.

If youdon’t have one, you’ll need to createa“customer account”tosubmit the lotteryapplication and paythe $5 administrative and transaction fees.

General turkey lottery hunts will be held on Clear Creek, J.C. Gilbert, Pearl River, Sabine and West Bay WMAs this, and youthlot-

teryhuntsare set for Clear Creek, FortPolk North/Fort Polk-Vernon,Sandy Hollow, TunicaHills andWestBay WMAs.

Call David Hayden at (381) 487-5353 or email:dhayden@ wlf.la.gov formore information

TheannualWhite Lake lotteryselects 100 fishing accesspermitsfor the 2026 ﬁshing season. Lotterywinners will have to pay $40 for the permit. Go to this website: wlf.louisiana.gov/page/ white-lake-lotteries.

Need more? Call Lance Ardoin at (337) 536-6061 or email: lardoin@wlf.la.gov

Rehabbingwildlife

Wildlife rehabilitators across the state are celebrating the offering of anew online wildlife rehabilitation training course offered by Wildlife and Fisheries. Successfully completing thefour-part training course—there is an exam —isneeded to secure awildlife rehabilitator’spermit Three of thefourparts are free of charge on this website: wlf.louisiana.gov/page/ approved-wildlife-rehabilitation-courses Fordetails, call the Wildlife Permits Ofﬁceat(225) 763-5499.

TUESDAY

CALENDAR

LA. CRAB TASK FORCE MEETING: 10 a.m., Terrebonne ParishMain Library,151 Library Dr., Houma. MORGANZA-TO-GULF PUBLIC MEETING: 2-4 p.m &6-8 p.m BollingerSisters Suite, University Dining & Conference Center,Nicholls State, Thibodaux. Public comments on Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction Project. LAFAYETTE KAYAKFISHING CLUB MEETING: 6p.m., Pack and Paddle, 601 E. Pinhook, Lafayette. Also Feb. 17, March 17, April 21, May19, June 16, July 21, Aug. 18, Sept. 15, Oct. 20, Nov. 17, Dec. 15. Call (337) 232-5854. Website: www.lafayettekayakﬁshing.com.

WEDNESDAY

LAKE PROVIDENCE COUNCIL INFO MEETING: 11 a.m., LP Country Club,190 La. 134, LakeProvidence. Naturebased solutions to ﬂooding, water quality &aquatic habitat loss. Call Ryan Daniel(318) 343-4044/email: rdaniel@wlf.la.gov

FLIES&FLIGHTS: 7-9 p.m Rally Cap Brewing, 11212 Pennywood Ave., Baton Rouge.Casual fly tying. Open to public. Also: Feb. 18, March 18, April 15, May 20, June 17, July 15, Aug. 19, Sept. 16, Oct. 21, Nov. 18, Dec. 16.Email Chris Williams: thefatfingeredflytyer@ gmail.com

GULF COUNCILSSC VIRTUAL MEETING: Analysisoflane snapper and gag &red groupers. Website: gulfcouncil. org

THURSDAY ACADIANA BUGS &BREWS: 6p.m., Pack and Paddle, 601 E. Pinhook, Lafayette. Casual ﬂy tying and local beersprovided. Open to the public. Also Feb. 26, March 26, April 23, May28, June 25, July 23, Aug. 27, Sept. 24, Oct. 22. Email DarinLee: cbrsandcdc@gmail.com. Website: www.packpaddle. com

SATURDAY CENLAFLY FISHINGFESTIVAL: 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m Kees Park Civic Center, La. 28 East, Pineville.Free. Seminars,ﬂytying demos casting clinics, exhibitors.Beneﬁts Greater Food BankofCentral Louisiana. Kisatchie FlyFishers event. SACK UP FORCLEAN WATER: 9a.m.-noon, Monte Sano Park, 2727 Greenwell St., Baton Rouge.Red Stick Fly Fishersevent.Website: rsff. org

HUNTINGSEASONS

DEER/MODERN FIREARMS: Through Jan. 18, State Deer Areas 1&4,still-hunt only either-sex takeallowed; State Deer Area 6, with/without dogs,either-sex take allowed; State Deer Areas 5&9,with/without dogs bucks only

DEER/PRIMITIVE FIREARMS: Through Jan. 18, State Deer Area 2.

DEER/PRIMITIVE FIREARMS: Jan. 19-31, State Deer Areas 1, 4&6,either-sex takeallowed; State Deer Areas 5& 9, bucks only

DUCKS/WESTZONE: Through Jan. 25, includes coots &mergansers; Jan. 31Feb. 1, veterans-only special weekend.

DUCKS/EAST ZONE: Through Jan. 31, includes coots & mergansers.

DEER/ARCHERY: Through Jan. 31, State Deer Areas 1, 2 &4.Either-sex takeallowed. WOODCOCK: Through Jan. 31, statewide.

GEESE/WEST ZONE: Through Feb. 1. Includes Canada, blue,snow& Ross’ &specklebellies. Take of Canada geese prohibited in portions of Cameron& Vermilion parishes.

GEESE/EASTZONE: Through Feb. 7. Includes Canada, blue,snow& Ross’ &specklebellies

DEER/ARCHERY: Through Feb. 15, State Deer Areas 5, 6 &9,either-sex takeallowed. QUAIL, RABBITS &SQUIRRELS: Through Feb. 28, statewide, private landsonly SNIPE: Through Feb. 28, statewide.

LOTTERYHUNT

YOUTH RABBIT HUNT: Jan. 30 application deadline for ﬁve youthhunters(ages 10-17) on Dewey Wills WMA Feb. 21. Youths musthavehunter safety certiﬁcation, have 20-gauge or .410 shotgun & wear Hunter Orange. Other rules&details,email Cliff Dailey(WMA supervisor): adailey@wlf.la.gov

AROUND THECORNER

JAN. 25—SOUTH

state championship &IronMan). Call Mike Burke(337) 380-8120. Email: SouthLAHighPower@ hotmail.com

FISHING/SHRIMPING

SHRIMP: Outside waters open statewide; fall inshore seasonclosed in Zones2&3 &portions of Zone 1. OPEN RECREATIONAL SEASONS: Flounder;lane, blackfin, queen and silk snappers&wenchmen among othersnapper species; all groupersexcept closed for goliath& Nassau groupers in state/federal waters. CLOSED SEASONS: Red snapper; greater amberjack; gray triggerfish; bluefin tuna; gag, goliath& Nassau groupersinstate/federal waters. Commercial greater amberjack seasonclosed.

LDWF UPDATES

CLOSED: All roads on Bogue Chitto WMA (ﬂooding);Hope Canal Road/boat launch (MaurepasSwamp WMA, leveeconstruction)

ROAD CLOSURE: Section of La. 975 through Sherburne WMA closedthrough June 12, 2026 (replace bridge) access from U.S. 190 and I-10 open

DRAWDOWNS: Underway on HendersonLake, Lake Bistineau, Saline,Kepler, Iatt, Black &Clear lakes, Clear-Smithport Lake&Lake Martin.

EMAIL: jmacaluso@theadvocate.com

The eternal life of the Cairo Datum

BY RICHARD CAMPANELLA Contributing writer

New Orleans prides itself on its relics —home to the region’soldest building, for example, as well as the oldest family-run restaurant in the nation and the oldest continuallyoperating urbanrailroad in the world. Cultural vestiges such as jazz funeralsand St. Joseph’sDay altars also endure locally,asdolinguistic relicslike lagniappe, jockomo and pocky-way

Being something of an engineering marvel, New Orleans also preserves some technical artifacts that are, shall we say, abit less prideful anda whole lot more problematic.

Some generators of the Sewerage &Water Boardstill produce 25 hertz electricity, acentury afterthe restofthe world moved on to 60 hertz. Likewise, all too many service lines in our water-distribution system are made of lead, artifacts of atime when we valued the ﬂexibility and durability of this heavy metal more than we understood its toxicity

NEW ORLEANS SEWERAGE &WATER BOARD

Adetail of the 1895 Linus Brown contour map shows Cairo Datum elevations of downtown andAlgiers

And then there is the more arcane engineering relic known as the Cairo Datum. Adatum, in the contextof surveying and mapping, is an agreed-upon benchmark from which terrain is measured, in both the horizontal and vertical dimensions. Today,wegenerally understand sea level to be the vertical datum (baseline) from which we measureland elevations. But in the 1800s, as Americans moved westward, frontier mapmakers struggled to relate their terrainmeasurements to distance seacoasts. So they instead adoptedlocal baselines, such as valley ﬂoors or village greens, to measure river heights or surrounding hills. As government expeditions entered the picture,

ä See GEOGRAPHIES, page 5D

BY RACHEL MIPRO

Contributing writer

Decades ago,“eccentrics,” “nut cases” and other New Orleans personalitiesenjoyed the spotlight of alate-night TV show.One reader’squestion brings backrecollections of the memorable “New Orleans Nite People.” The question: “I remember hearing about ashow called ‘Late

Carnival season had just begun, with king cake on thetable and purple, green and gold decorationsflying again. Already though, we wereseeing red, as in boiled crawfish red Afriend caught wind of an impending earlydelivery of crawfish from Acadiana to oneof the top local boilers in the game, Jason SeitheratSeither’s Seafood in Harahan, 279 Hickory Ave. And, just like picking up awhiffofan appetizing scent you’ve been missing, the suggestion swiftly became acompulsive craving.

There is atime and place for crawfish, and typically for me, that is abit later in theyear It’sabout more than the flavor. There are seasonal andsocial cues tied up with it.Crawfish season means backyard gatherings with full ice chests, or choice picnic tables outside on

HEAT WAVE

‘Ferocious demand’for early-season crawfish has some NewOrleans restaurantsstockingup

seafood restaurant patios. It means festival timeand trees sprouting green again andgardens in bloom after whatever kind of winter we had. Butafter Iagreed to tag along for aboil outing, any reservations

around having crawﬁsh too soon evaporated into cayenne-scented steam

It’stypical forcrawﬁsh to turn up in the NewOrleansareathis time

See CRAWFISH, page 5D

David Cuthbert, longtimeNew Orleans reporter and former writer forThe Times-Picayune, had somewhat unﬂattering memories of the program “Ifmemory serves …(the show)involved an ever-changing array of people yearning to be thought of as New Orleans ‘characters,’ whose entertainment Does anyone remember

NightNew Orleans People.’ When did it air and where did it air? What was the format of theshow?” Delving into theoften inscrutable landscapeofold New Orleans media withthe help of seasoned TV producers turned up two possibilities: “Late Nite New Orleans” and “New OrleansNite People.”

“New OrleansNite People” was ashow that elicited strong, although mixed,reactions from the viewing public. Local DJ “Captain Humble,” aka Hugh Dillard, created the show in 1968, envisioning alocal spin on the classic “Tonight Show” formula. The show aired on WGNO from 1968-70 and was brieﬂy brought back foraone-hour special in October of 1987. Characters such as Ruthie the Duck Girl, Harry the Singing Mailman and Ding Dong the Singing Bird contributed to mingled feelings about the show,which was often accused of mining forshock value —one guest is said to have bit off achicken’shead on air

STAFF PHOTOSByDAVID GRUNFELD

Dave Furano gets readytodig in to boiled crawfish at Seither’sSeafood in Harahan.

Crawfish is hot

ARTS &CULTURE

N.O. jazz wasn’tjustinStoryville, exhibitshows

Dave Walker Romance isn’tquite the right word, but the romantic narrative is that jazz was born in Storyville, the French Quarter-adjacent designatedsector for sin from 1897 to 1917.

In the New Orleans Jazz Museum exhibit “The District: Music and Musicians in Storyville,” that narrative is corrected.

“It was happening in Storyville as we know it, but there was also jazz that was ﬂowering everywhere in New Orleans,” said David Kunian, music curator for themuseum. “It was Uptown, downtown, back of town, in the Quarter,inthe Treme. This was happening everywhere.”

That the new genre was proliferating beyond Basin Street, and the rugged blocks behind it, also elevates its evolution.

“Though jazz and vice have been associated togetherfor a long time, that cheapens the music and makes people think, ‘Oh, you know,jazz is justwhorehouse music, and of course it’smuch more,’”Kunian said. “So, theway Iwanted to approach it, especially because we’re amusicmuseum, is to focus less on thevice and the prostitution —though you have to have alittle bit of that and more on the music andwhere the music was played.”

TheDistrict’s‘professors’

Jazz bands rarely entertained brothel customers. Rather, madams mostly employed solo pianists for their parlors,tobetter focus the commerce in other roomsof the sporting houses.

Jelly Roll Morton, Tony Jackson, Kid Ross and Manuel Manetta were some of those players, often referred to as “professors.”

“Most of that was because these guys had to play whatever anyone wanted to hear,” Kunian said “It wasn’tjust kind of early jazz, ragtime, blues, but there were operas, opera themes, arias, mazurkas …all sorts of differentkinds of music depending on what the patrons of these places wanted to hear.”

Venues in segregated Black

HAPPENINGATMUSEUMS AROUND NEWORLEANS

n The Ogden Museum of SouthernArt will mark Martin Luther KingJr. Day with freeadmissionand family-friendlyactivities from10a.m.to2 p.m Monday.ogdenmuseum.org.

n Friendsofthe Cabildo will screen the film “Member of theClub: Black Aristocracy through the Eyes of an AfricanAmericanDebutante and her Matriarchal Family” at6 p.m.Wednesdayatthe NewOrleansJazz Museum. friendsofthecabildo.org

n The NewOrleans Museum of Artwill host astop-actionanimation workshop at 5p.m.Wednesday. noma.org

n The Museum of the SouthernJewishExperience will present an event markingthe closing of the exhibit “MostFortunate Unfortunates: The Jewish Orphans’HomeofNew Orleans” at 6p.m.Thursday.The free event will be offered in-person and online. msje.org

n An International Holocaust Remembrance Daycommemorativeprogram will takeplace Jan.27atthe National WWII Museum.A5 p.m.reception will precedethe free 6p.m.program, which will be presented in-person and online. nationalww2museum.org

n The exhibit “Origins of NewOrleans BlackCarnivalSociety: The Storyofthe Illinois Clubs” will open Jan.29atthe Presbytère. louisianastatemuseum.org

Storyville, located afew blocks toward Uptown,featured spaces where larger bands would perform. The saloons, cabarets anddance halls located behind Basin’s bordello mansions were also hotbedsofensemble playing. Enduring compositions with ties to Storyville or Black Storyville include “Mahogany Hall Stomp,”

“Basin Street Blues,” “Funky Butt Blues” and Louis Jordan’s“Saturday Night Fish Fry.” Gettingits nickname

The District, as it was known to themusicians, was nicknamed Storyville by itspatrons for Sidney Story,the politician whose 1897 ordinance established the

District’sboundaries in an attempttoconsolidate the city’s vice intoone neighborhood. Like theNew Orleans Storyville Museum on Conti Street, the exhibit doesn’tbackdown from the dark side of the lives of the sector’ssex workers.

“In reality,the District was squalid, with dirty cribs and open gutters,” says descriptive wall text. “Beyondthe environmental conditions, drug addiction was common; it was easy to get heroin, morphine and cocaine, often at the neighborhood pharmacy Sexually transmitted disease was prevalent, with people turning to ineffective patent medicines. In summary,Storyville wasnothing like the elegant depictions of popular culture.”

Key objects in the exhibit include patent-medicine bottles and apair of dice excavated from theStoryville site, furniture and fashions seen in the houses, and avideo display demonstrating someofthe steps that would’ve been danced to the music performed there.

“I don’tthink there was awhole lot of dancing (in) the brothels, but there wassome and certainly at the saloons and cabarets and music establishments of the District,” Kunian said. “These are the

The exhibit ‘The District: Musicand Musicians in Storyville’isnow open at the NewOrleans JazzMuseum. At left rear is amantel from Hilma Burt’sBasin Street brothel,onloan fromthe NewOrleans Storyville Museum

The dress is acostume designed by Veronica Russellfor her portrayal of Storyville madam Jose Arlington. The video playingatright demonstrates dances that were popular in Storyville’s time.

PHOTO By DAVEWALKER

kind of dances that they weredoing to the period music.”

Along with music, oral histories and interviewswith musicians whowere ﬁrsthand witnesses to the District’sestablishments play in the exhibit.

One of the marquee objects on view is the carriage stone from the entrance of Lulu White’sMahogany Hall. An early ﬁnd by a member of the New Orleans Jazz Club (whose collection makes up much of the museum’s holdings), the stone has been in storage basically since Hurricane Katrina.

“I’ve been wanting to bring this out ever since Istarted at the museum almost 10 years ago,” Kunian said. “Itwas the carriage stone outside Lulu White’s, where people would get out of their carriages and step on this to avoid stepping in the gutter or the grass or whatever and then step onto the sidewalk and then into Lulu’s.

“You never know whomight have stepped on this while walking into one of the fanciest brothels in the country.”

Dave Walkerfocuses on behindthe-scenes coverage of the region’s many museumshere and at www.themuseumgoer com. Email Daveatdwalkertp@ gmail.com.

Nell Nolan SOCIETY

n The Pickwick Club

“It will warm my heart to witness the happiness of those friends who are dearest to me, beneath my own roof.” So scripted Charles Dickens in his satirical and humorous novel, his ﬁrst one, titled “The Pickwick Papers.” It followed the adventures of Samuel Pickwick and his companions as they travel England after founding the Pickwick Club. The work was ﬁrst published in monthly installments from March 1836 to November 1837 and was completed for publication as abook in 1837.

Contact: nnolan@theadvocate.com

In 1951, the Pickwick Club of New Orleans presented debutantes of the season for the ﬁrst time, leading to atradition “beneathits (sic) own roof.” Recently,members’ daughters once again were showcased at the annual Debutante Presentation. The evening’s festivities commenced with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres with the presentation an hour later.Mothers of the debutantes had special assigned seating Post presentation, dancing to the music of the Jimmy Maxwell Orchestra occurred, as did the treats of asumptuous breakfast buffet.

Processing were Misses Emily Bashline Blessey granddaughter of Mr.and Mrs. Emanuel Blessey; Taylor Lee Elliott, daughter of Mr and Mrs. Edward SporlElliott; Kelsey Grace French, daughter of Mr William Darwin French and Ms. Kara VandeCarr and stepdaughter of Mr Daryl Glynn Byrd; CatherineCarlisle Martin, daughter of Mr.and Mrs Hamilton Loftin Martin; MaryLauren Mason, daughter of Mr.and Mrs. MichaelGriffin Mason; Lucile McGlinchey Monsted,daughter of Mr.and Mrs. Charles NielsMonsted IV; Mason Elisabeth Poole, daughter of Dr.and Mrs. Jeffrey Carter Poole; and Kathleen Brewer Ready, daughter of Mr.and Mrs. MiltonDavis Ready And, Misses BrookeColeman Reiss, daughter of Mr.and Mrs. James JosephReiss III; Elizabeth Kathleen Robert, daughter of Dr.and Mrs. Kearny Quinn RobertIII; Elizabeth McLundie Bolton Schmidt, daughter of Mr and Mrs. Justin Burton Schmidt;and Helen Claire Thompson, daughter of Mr.and Mrs. Charles David Thompson Jr Applause was effusive for the lovely dozen Club ofﬁcers included Messrs. Millard B. Morrison Sr., John C. Hazard Jr ,and David G. Bailey,respective president,vice president and secretary-treasurer and past president David F.Waguespack. Messrs Benjamin A. Dupuy and R. Duncan Brown served as chairman andvice chairman of the reception committee that also countedMessrs. W. Ryan Acomb, GeorgeC.Drennan, Conor T. Lutkewitte,Joseph S. Mann, James J. Reiss III, St. DenisJ.VillereIII, Charles T.Walsten and John S.Woodard. The joy of Pickwickian hospitality was certainly to the fore.Tothe ﬂoor were numerous pairings, who danced the night away to the Maxwell music

Presentations!

n Mid-Winter Cotillion

The NewOrleans Country Club was the location fordebutante loveliness and legacy when the Mid-Winter Cotillion held its annual presentation. Prior to their entrance in the club’sballroom, the debs and their parents enjoyed areception in the Founder’sRoom, where the former weretoasted by Mid-Winter Board of Governors President AlexanderMcCall. Richard Bienvenu provided the pianism,and Villere’sFlorist, the corsages and boutonnieres forthe presentees and Mid-Winter members.

Notable among them were president Alex McCall, vice president Walker Montgomery,and board members MichaelBaumer, David Beahm, Jack Beahm, Dickson Chamberlain, LyntonCook, Jack Currence, ShelbyFriedrichs, Beau Gibbons,Will Gottsegen, CoalterMcCall, Penn McCay, James Nieset, James Rogers, Jack Schwing,MichaelTalbot and Saint Villere.

After the ladies in the audience wereseated —the men stood James J. Reiss III,aformer Mid-Winter president, opened the formalities as master of ceremonies. Miss Cecile Amanda Abbott, daughter of Mr.and Mrs. HerschelLee Abbott III, was the ﬁrst debutante to appear The honorees were escorted by MidWinter members to the steps of the stage. Then president McCall and vice president Montgomery escorted the debutantes to their placement on the stage, which wasbacked by a lush black drapery.Two dozen white poinsettias, along with afew red ones, bedecked the dais. The following debs entered alternately from two doors of the Founder’sRoom into the ballroom.They wereMisses Marche Marie Beals,daughter of Mr.and Mrs.Willlard ChesterBeals; Adelaide Elizabeth Benzman,daughter of Mr.and Mrs. Scott JayBenzman; LydenHenriette Bland, daughter of Mr.and Mrs. ClayVallonBland; Alice Lane Read Calhoun, daughter of Dr AndrewCalhoun and Mrs. Charles J. Moll III,and stepdaughter of Mr.Moll and Mrs. Calhoun; HazelKathryn Drury,daughter of Mr and Mrs. Lloyd Leonard Drury; Taylor Lee Elliott, daughter of Mr.and Mrs. Edward Sporl Elliott; MaryRoberts Favor, daughter of Mr GeorgeMichaelFavor and Ms. Joy RobertsFavor;and PiperKatherine Franks,daughter of Mr.and Mrs. ZeljkoStephen Franks. Also, Misses Julianne QuaidGood, daughter of Mr William AllenGood and Mrs. Lyle Anthony Moreau,and stepdaughter of Mr.Moreau and Mrs. Good;Elizabeth Adlynn Johnston, daughter of Mr Robert Reed Johnston and Ms. Michelle Kirtley Johnston; Vivian Bryce Jones, daughter of Mr James Rufus JonesIII and Mrs. Samuel Wagner V,and stepdaughter of Mr.Wagner; Samantha Jordan Knister daughter of Mr Terrence Kent Knister and Ms. Anne Pettigrew Birdsong; Madeleine PaigeMorrison, daughter of Mr.and Mrs. deLessepsStoryMorrison III; AlexandraKay Murphy,daughter of Mr Curt AndrewMurphy and Mrs. Nicolas Guillermo Bazan III, and stepdaughter of Mr.Bazan; Sloane AlexandraPaysse, daughter of Mr.and Mrs. René Sylvain Paysse Jr.; Mason Elisabeth Poole,daughter of Dr.and Mrs. JeffreyCarter Poole;and Taylor Alexis Stokes,daughter of Dr.and Mrs. LarrySteven Stokes. “You Are the Sunshine of My Life,” “Isn’tShe Lovely” and “ItHad to Be You” werethree of the accompanying, and appropriate, songs played by the BRWBand during the presentation. When all 18 debutantes were on the stage, emcee James Reiss called foraround of applause forthem,and issued anod to the forthcoming Carnival season. He then announced, “Itismyhonor to present to you (the audience) the 2025 Mid-Winter Cotillion.” After curtsies, the debutantes descended the stage to dance with their fathers or stepfathers to “Thank Heaven forLittle Girls.”

The floor wasthen cleared of the chairs, which wereplaced at tables in the flanking roomswhere everyone sat forthe bounty of breakfast. Among the featured menuitemswere grillades and grits, scrambled eggs, chocolate chip cookies, and brownies with peppermint icing. Bee’sFlower Shop did the entrance flowers and those centering the tables. Meanwhile, the BRWBand was revving up and ignited the area with “Fire.” Anext number was“All Night Long,” which augured wellfor the forthcoming dance-floor fun.

PHOTOSByJEFF STROUT

Seated:Taylor Elliott, Emily Blessey. Standing:Duncan Brown, Ben Dupuy

MaryLauren Mason, BrookeReiss, Kathleen Ready

Helen Claire Thompson, St. Denis Villere III

Seated:Catherine Martin, Mason Poole. Standing: KelseyFrench, Lucile Monsted

Elizabeth Robert, Millard Morrison Sr.,Ellie Schmidt

PHOTOSByKENNy MARTINEZ

Walker Montgomery, Cecile Abbott, Marche Beals, AlexMcCall

Mason Poole, Samantha Knister,MaddieMorrison, Sloane Paysse, Alexandra Murphy

James Rogers, Jack Schwing,Coalter McCall, Will Gottsegen

Adelaide Benzman, Lyden Bland, LaneyCalhoun, Kate Drury

Dickson Chamberlain,Vivian Jones

MaryRoberts Favor, Piper Franks, Taylor Elliott Julianne Good, Saint Villere, Elizabeth Johnston

Michael Talbot, Taylor Stokes

TRAVEL

Travel-friendlyfamilyprojectskeepthingscrafty

BY MYSCHA THERIAULT Tribune News Service (TNS)

Need afamily-friendly art activity conducive to travel?

Something you can enjoy, but will also keep thekids entertained during avisit with the grandparents? I’ve fieldtested thefollowing ideas in anumber of settings around the world, and witha wide range of agesto boot Bonus? These crafts can be cranked out even in the absence of aformal art supply store. That’sright. Using only free items pulled from the recycling and inexpensive supplies from small discount stores, you can create mail art, impromptuparty decorations and more. Try these projects during your nextfamilyvacation.

Sculptures

If the word “sculpture” leaves you feeling overwhelmed with visions of wood-carving tools, messy clay,and the mayhem either could cause in the hands of younger artists on family holiday,bestressed no more. Aphenomenally versatile supply exists right next to your toilet. Yup, those little cardboard tubes at the center of your bathroom tissue rolls are good for more than preschool puppet theater While there is no shortageof repurposing ideas for these things, the one that really caught my eye this past year was mask sculptures. Some of the most inspirational ones out there were created by artist JuniorFritz Jacquet, whose finished faces have provided inspiration for afair number of teachers, students, and art content creators.

The more complicated examples will require afairly

deep dive. However,there are simpler approaches which still look amazing, even for young beginners. A simple internet search and oneofthe empty rolltubes will get you started. From there, you can addembellishmentsasIdid, or simply choose one basic pigmentto layerover thecardboard Youcan also use apiece of charcoal, or dark colored pastel to add morevisual depth to the nooks and crannies

Theﬁrst time Itried one of these, Ihad difﬁculty with some of the tighter folds. During my practice session however,Inoticed that after afew scrunches and squishes, Icouldmanage a sculpted face which looked

TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER

By ChristopherElliott

very much like an Easter Island statue or aPolynesian tikicarving. So that’sthe direction Itook. Frankly, Ihad aball. So did several of my friends and neighbors. After producing afew examples on the road, Ibrought theconcept home and hosted acommunitycraft night on the back porchofmyfavorite watering hole.

Free suppliesincluded thecardboard tubes, along with sticks, pine needles, and mossfromanature hike. Other items Ipicked up at acreative reuse center,including remnants of upholstery trims, artyarn scraps, partially used tubes of craft paint, and acouple of costume wigs to cut apart

for hair.Intowns without a creative reuse center,I have found similar items at thrift anddollarstores. Wrapping sticks with threads, trims, andother bits, then attaching themtoﬁnished masks produces acollection of tiki totems you can enjoy in a number of ways. Placeafew in acontainer with greenery to add ﬂair to atropical cocktailevening, or put a haunted island spin on your next murder mystery dinner party.

Prints

While there are several typesofprintmaking achievable on the road with minimal equipment,I’ve found hand-carved stamps to be the easiest. If you don’thave atravelset of linocutblades to carve rubbermats or old vinyl erasers intoyour scene of choice, one of the most accessible solutions is flat styrofoam packaging and your averageballpoint pen. Simply save andsanitize the foam trays from meat andtakeoutpurchasesand slicethe curved parts away, leavingonlythe ﬂatportion Cuttoyourdesiredsize, and trace adesignintothe foam, leaving grooves which will form the details of your print. Be advised that younger hands will be more successful with larger pieces of foam and less detail.

The only other supply you need is amoistened ink pad. Ihaveasmall oneI usually make room for in my luggage, which Istoreina leakproof bag. If you’d rather not takethat risk, Ihave seen these in some fairly smallvillage markets. I’m speaking of the type wherethey stock everything from basicschool suppliestokitchen towels andtea kettles. Inkpadsare

pretty easytoaccess. If you run into problems, youcan always use craft paint. At this point, you’re basically ready to press your stamp into the pigment and stamp on your paper of choice. Smaller stamps provide awider range of options for using repurposed paperitems. The brown craft paper that comes wrapped around shipped items, bits of business envelopes from themail, and even empty sectionsofprinted documents can comeinto play if archival paper isn’tat your disposal. For example, I’ve found that black ink stamped on brown packing paper with torn edges can look quite striking on a black background. If you’re worried about havinglimited pattern-drawing experience,don’t be.I’ve done pencil-carvedfoam stamps in remote locations with students as young as 7. These pint-sized prints can serve anumber of purposes. I’ve personally used them to add dimensiontoanart journal entry,ashandmade gift tags, andtodecoratethank younotes.Givingthemasa gift? Tryadding abacking, or acoordinating mat and frame to elevate the look.

Postcards

I’ve been making homemadepostcards and sending them to friends for afew years now.The skill-level barrier for creating them is extremely low,while the freedom to elevate the end productasyourartistic talents grow is virtually unlimited.This means that in addition to being quitea bit of fun to do, they are also achievable fortravelers of manyages and abilities. The best part? People are legiti-

mately tickled to find these in their mail, no matter how abstract,rustic, or quirky their particular postcard is. There’sareason ideas and tutorials formail art and pen-pal clubs have had a resurgence. There’ssomething heartwarming about gettinganiteminthe post that isn’tabill or asale flyer It makespeople feel seen. And the more real and vulnerable you are withthe postcards youmake, the morethe people who receive themwill feel they canreally see you too. While you can certainly spend asmall fortune on supplies to start this project, it is absolutely unnecessary In many parts of the world, it isn’tpossible to overspend anyway, as supply sources arefew andfar between. Someofthe mostbasic cards canbecreated with empty food boxesfromthe pantry, tourism brochures, anda few readily available basics such as scissors, aglue stick, and somecrayons. You’llalsoneedsomething to glue on the imaged side of the card you cut from the food box so you can decorate it. Blank index cards are usually my first choice, but do what works foryou. From there, just colorina background, cut an interestingimage from oneofyour brochures to collage on top of it,and addyour address and message to the plain background. Bottom line? There are a number of ways to be creative while traveling, many of which don’trequire lugging along aton of tools and equipment in your pack With alittle ingenuity and abit of leftover packaging, youcan createmoreart than you might expect.

Refund sought forcanceledAlaskaAirlinesflightfromExpedia

cancellation!).

My daughters and Iwere set to flyto

Cambodia from Eugene, Oregon, via Seattle.

Christopher Elliott

The first legwas on Alaska Airlines,with aconnection to EVAAir in Seattle.The Alaska flight wasthe first legofour tripto Cambodia. Hours before departure,Alaska canceled our flight because of acrew shortage.No rebooking options existed, so we drove five hours to Seattle, missing aday of our vacation Ibooked through Expedia, so Icontacted the online travel agency first.What followed was months of maddening runarounds: Expedia’s chatbots bounced me to agents whoclaimed Alaska marked us as “no-shows”(absurd, since Alaska’sown email confirmed the

AgentsinsistedExpedia couldn’trefund us and told me to pester AlaskaorEVA Air EVAreplied,“ContactExpedia,”whileAlaska said,“Expedia holdsyourfunds. Iescalated my case to Expedia’s“Premium Traveler Care”department, onlytohear, “Wenolonger have access to yourtickets.”

I’ve saved everyemail and chat log, which proves Expedia’sindifference.Whydid Expedia, the middlemanIpaid, refuse to process arefund even afterAlaska admittedfault? How manyhoopsmustacustomer jump through? Can you helpmeget my money back? —Laura Hughart, CottageGrove, Ore. Expedia should have refunded youimmediately.You paid Expedia —not Alaska or EVA. Expedia’sterms of service arenoncommittalwhen it comes to airline refunds. It says any refunds will

be transferred back to you by the party thattook your original payment —inother words, your airline.

It adds, “Wedonot have visibility of aTravel Provider’srefund process.”

Butthe Department of Transportation (DOT) is clear about who’sresponsible. Its regulations mandateautomatic refunds for cancellations, regardless of cause —noloopholes for “stafﬁng issues.”Ithink theDOT might hold Expedia responsible, especially if it charged your credit card.

Expedia played ashell game with your money,wasted your time with useless chatbots and ignored paper trails. Come on. Youwisely documented every

interaction, saved Alaska’scancellation conﬁrmation and persistently escalated your request. Still, Ihave three tips fornext time: First, demand refunds in writing within 30 days —companies stonewall, hoping you’ll quit.Second, when frontline reps shrug, skip the chat roulette and email Expedia’sexecutives. I publish their contacts on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org, for this exact purpose. Finally, you can contact the DOTwhen an airline or online agency won’trefund you. Typically,that will get a quick response. By theway,I wanted to commendyou on your choice of a vacation destination. Cambodia is rich in culture and history and

one of my favorite places. Ihope it was worth the five-hour drive to Seattle to makeyour flight. Icontacted Expedia on your behalf and separately,you also reached out to EVA’sexecutives, which controlled your ticket. Finally,almost ayear after your flight cancellation, you received your $500 refund from EVA. While I’mglad EVAfinally did the right thing, it should have not taken ayear or an advocacy team to fix this mess.

Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy,anonproﬁt organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@elliott.org or get help by contacting at elliottadvocacy.org.

TNSPHOTO By MySCHA THERIAULT

Postcards are asimple artactivity and afun souvenir to mail home from the road.

STAFF PHOTOSByDAVID GRUNFELD

Adeliveryoffreshly harvested crawfish from Mamouarrives at Seither’s Seafood inHarahan.

CRAWFISH

Continued from page1D

of year.Also typical: critique that they’re too small and too pricey But small and pricey are relative terms. What wouldbeunacceptable in April can provepersuasive in January. From seafood markets to restaurants, I’vefound hot crawﬁsh ranging from $9 to $13 apound in early January,and size seems to be improvingbythe week.

My own spring associations notwithstanding, crawﬁshseason really is guided by what the weather doestothe harvest,and the demand that people bring to the market. By thatmeasure, crawﬁsh is at the very least in pre-season mode around New Orleans.

More to come?

So just afew days after Twelfth Night, Ifound myselfcrunching along the oystershell parking lot outside of Seither’sSeafood Shane Granger,proprietor of Shane’s Seafood in the crawﬁsh and rice town of Mamou, had just pulledupwith asmall supply of crawﬁsh sacks bumping along in back. He also brought encouraging news that much more was coming.

Crawﬁsh experts toe adelicate line when it comes to callingthe season. Specialists with the LSU AgCenter have been expressing high hopes for astrong harvest this year,while emphasizing that predictions always come with caveats. Aforecast can expire with the next cold front. Granger concurs.

“Anything can happen;Mother Nature rules this industry,” said Granger Still, the ﬁelds were giving enough to make early harvests and smalldeliveries worthwhile.

“People go six months without them, and they want it,” Granger observed. “By May,June, everyone’shad alot of crawﬁsh.But right now,it’snew again.They want it.”

For the small early batch, Seither ﬁred up apot in his boil room, one that is only small by the standards of professional boil masters. In afew weeks, he’ll be using the hot tub-sized boiling rig mounted on atrailer outside. The retail side of supplying sacksto home boilers will surge too, as seasonal traditions crop up again, from Super Bowl boilstoMardi Gras parade parties.

What will be an avalancheof crawﬁshduring spring is still a trickle now.But that trickle is being lapped up by crawﬁshlovers who have been looking, nomatter the price.

‘Bananas’for mudbugs

In Mid-City, Clesi’sSeafood Restaurant &Catering (4323 Bienville St.) has been serving hot crawﬁshsince early December

“It’saferocious demand,” said co-owner James Clesi. “People have been losing their bananas.”

On New Year’sDay,aholiday more closely associated with black-eyed peas, hordes turned up to try their luck with mudbugs instead. While minding theboiling pots, Clesi periodically looked

upfromthe worktosee people queuing through the gates tostart thenew year with crawﬁsh. Still, gettingasteady supply at this timeofyear is trickier.Larger producers may wait until the supplyisreally rolling to make it worth stafﬁngupand dispatching their trucks.

Andthere are newquestions aroundthe workforce this season. The industry relies on migrant workers, typically from Mexico, whoare hired seasonally on federal visa programs. Processing those visas was reportedly slowed by thefederal government shutdown late last year, and immigration sweeps could impact workers’ willingness to return.

Butcrawﬁsh is still ﬂowing. Clesi has been scouring south Louisiana for asack or two from one producer or another to build up what he calls his “pre-season” supply “People just love it. When you don’thave it, they’re so disappointed,soyou make theeffort,” he said.

Firsttaste

At Seither’s,where theboil was in the final stages, acouple crawfish-inspireddishescameout from the kitchen. There was athick crawfish queso,with house-made tortilla chips to scoop it up, and a flank of friedredfish over crawfish pasta, withthe sauceonly slightly less rich than the queso.

Cooked crawﬁsh dishes are available year-round with frozen product.Boiled crawﬁsh has to be fresh to beworthwhile at all, and that was themain act we awaited at Seither’s.

Soonenough, out came the plastic serving trays, one pressed over theother.Lifting the lid in aburst of steam wasthe seafood jointequivalent of opening the ﬁrst box ofkingcake. There were oohsand ahhsand camera clicks. They were tasty,soaked throughwith ﬂavors of garlic andbay leaf visible between the shells and thespicewithin.

There was also the time spent snapping tails and peeling shells andtalkingwith friends at the table, apart of the crawﬁsh experience as integral as cayenne. Friday longnecks were easily justiﬁed. Thepace of abusy week slowed pleasurably

There will be atime soon when thecrawfish will be twice as big and cost half theprice. That will be the shankofthe season when crawfish will beeverywhere. Rightnow,gettingour hands on thefirst few tails feels like getting back into practice for the full season ahead.

GEOGRAPHIES

Continuedfrom page1D

surveyors established more formal vertical datums, in the hope that other mapping projects would adopt the same standards and the resulting charts could be integrated.

Because such efforts had varying goals and timetables, what resulted was aconfusing assortmentofhorizontal and vertical datums. Amongthe vertical baselines were theEllet Datum of 1850, which engineer Charles Ellet established for mapping theOhio and Mississippi rivers; theDelta Survey Datum of 1858, developed by therival team of Andrew A. Humphreys and Henry L. Abbot;and theMemphis Datum of 1858, based on an adjustmentofthe high watermark in that Tennessee city.

In asubsequent attempt at standardization, engineersin1871 selected the low watermark at Cairo, Illinois, and designated an imaginary plane 300 feet below thatlevel to be theCairoDatum

Why Cairo? Because that’s where theOhio River joinsthe Mississippi, morethan doubling its volume as it continues southward to thesea.

Why 300 feet?Because that was the engineers’ best estimate of how much theMississippi River would drop over the next 500 miles until it discharged into thesea.

The Cairo Datum, which was reﬁned in 1876, thus “made room”toinclude coastal Louisiana on the sameelevational ranges that would also accommodate inland hills and prairies. Through thelate 1800s, it became the favored vertical datum for mapping projects throughout theMississippi Valley Which brings us to New Orleans Acityunder water

In 1893, after decades of disappointment, thecity ﬁnally funded ateam of top-notch engineers to design amodern municipal drainage system.Known as the AdvisoryBoard on Drainage, the engineers quickly realized they had no reliable mapsofthe city’s meager topography —critical information if you’re going to dewater anearly ﬂat plain.

Under the direction of city engineer Linus Weed Brown, surveying crews set out to measure an interlace of baselines, offsets, proﬁles and spot elevations, from river to lake and in Algiers. The crews passed theraw ﬁeld data to a“computer” (mathematician) and adraftsman to plot out onefoot contours on aseries of enormouslinen panels.

The Brown map, released in 1895, revealed subtle but crucial topographical features such as thenatural levee of the Mississippi; theEsplanade, Metairie and Gentilly ridges; and the lowlying backswamp. In accordance with the standards of the day,the mapmakersreferenced all elevationstothe Cairo Datum, despite that the sea was only ashort dis-

CURIOUS

Continuedfrom page1D

value was nil,”Cuthbert said.

The show underwent moreof atonal shift when then-station owner Dave Wagenvoord took over as host. Wagenvoord reportedly dedicated more air time to sponsors, such as water bed promoter Red Kagan

“New OrleansNite People” was canceled shortly after the station was sold, according to TimesPicayune reporting. From the samescorching Times-Picayune account of the show: “It was deranged. It was disgusting. It was discontinued. …Anhour long edition of ‘Stupid Human Tricks’ featuring any eccentric or nut case who popped up in thestudio audience or walked through the studio doors.”

The show has largely disap-

NEWORLEANS SEWERAGE &WATER BOARD

An 1895 Linus Brown contour map usesthe Cairo Datum to define elevations around NewOrleans

tance away As aresult, the contours measured the French Quarter riverfront as being alofty 37 feet high; theMetairie-Gentilly Ridge as 25 feet high and the lakeshore as around 20 feet high.

Acasual reader might interpret theseelevations to be above sea level.Ifonly! In fact, theywereabove that imaginary plane positioned300 feet below the lowwatermark at Cairo, Illinois, in the hope thatthat planewould roughly match sea level. As it turnedout, it missed it by nearly two dozenfeet

Staring in the 1880s, engineers began measuring the actual level of the sea, using tidal gauge stationsinplaces like Biloxi, and extended this new “true” vertical datum inland, to places like Memphisand Cairo —the reverse direction of times past. What they found wasthat the old Memphis Datum turned out to be 8.13 feet below the mean level of the sea, and that the Cairo Datum wasfully 21.26 feet below that level.

Subtract 21.26 feet from those aforementioned elevations, and you get amore reasonable 16 feet above sea level forthe French Quarter riverfront; about 4feet for the ridge systems; and afoot or so along the Lake Pontchartrain shore.

Still adatapoint

Nevertheless, because the entire system rested on Brown’s contour map,those Cairo Datumelevations got ingested into countless engineering documents, calculations and contracts —todig canals and design pumps, andafterwards, to maintain,operate and expand one of theworld’smost complex urban drainage systems.

Andbecause the Brownmap proved so useful to subsequent urbanization upon the nowdrained backswamp, the Cairo Datum contours got propagated into countless other projects. Real estate developers in 1909, for example, cheerfully described their new Gentilly Terrace subdivision as being “twenty-seven feet above the Cairo Datum Line,” aﬁgure drawn from 1895 map but erroneously construed to mean “that it is the mostelevated residential section in the City of NewOrleans.”

Only engineers knew to subtract out 21.26 feet to get those ﬁgures to sea-level standards, an

peared from the collective consciousness. Former WGNO producer DavidJones, whojoined theorganization in 1980, said the involved parties had already left thestation. Jones later tried to track down acouple of the characters to include in anew weekly series, but the search proved unsuccessful.

“In the’70s they did produce a lot of oddball shows,” Jones said via email

The other show,alternately referred to as “Late Night New Orleans,” and “Late Nite New Orleans” wasalso treated none too gently in the local paper.Current WLAE-TV staffmembers did not have recordsofthe show,but a Times-Picayune search turned up someinformation —inthe form of another scathing review

The show was announced as a jointproject between radio station WTIXand WLAE. DJsTony Ponsetiand Jay Richards headed

adjustment made more complicated by the fact that municipal drainage had triggered soils to subside below the level of the sea. In fact, aclose reading of Brown’smap reveals that two spots had already subsided by 1895, due to earlier attempts at swamp drainage. One wasintoday’sBroadmoor/Mid-City area, and the other wasinthe central Seventh, Eighth and Ninth wards. Brown’smap measured those bowls at about 20 feet above the Cairo Datum,meaning they had dropped to 1to2feet below sea level. To my knowledge, this is the ﬁrst scientiﬁc evidence that NewOrleans was subsiding below the mean level of the sea. Today,those sameareas are 5to 6feet below sea level.

In the early 1900s, new sealevel research called forfurther adjustments to be madetoold datums; forexample, the New Cairo Datum of 1910 updated the conversion to be 20.434 feet below the 1870s plane. Mapmakers in the 1930s replaced the old baselines with the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929, which used 26 tide gauges all around the continent.

Decades later,geodesists (scientists whomeasure the earth) adopted the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 to infer mean sea level, and will soon transition to the GPS-measured North American-Paciﬁc Geopotential Datum of 2022.

But because so much of our regional engineering relies on legacy data, relict datumsmanage to live on. Writing in 1979, Clifford J. Mugnier,Louisiana’spremier expert in geodesy,reported that vertical datumsfrom 1899 and 1911 remained in extensive use, and that the Cairo and Memphis datumsstill appeared in ﬂood insurance maps.

To this day,certain tasks within the Sewerage &Water Board still require grappling with the 150-year-old Cairo Datum,by either subtracting or adding that adjustment, depending if you’re going forward or backward in time.

Youcan even find arelict datum still in use right here in this newspaper.Turn to the Weather Page, look under River Stages, and find today’sriver stage. You’ll see apreposterously low reading forMemphis, as if the Mississippi wereflowing backwards from the higher stages reported forNatchez, Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

Rest assured, this is no hydrological vortex. It’s just the old Memphis Datum of 1858, still at work.

Richard Campanella,a geographerwiththe Tulane School of Architecture and Built Environment, is the author of “DrainingNew Orleans;” “Crossroads, Cutoffs, andConﬂuences;” “Bienville’s Dilemma;” and other booksfrom LSU Press. He maybereached at http://richcampanella.com, rcampane@tulane.edu, or @nolacampanella on X.

the show,set to launch September 1992. The twowere meant to host “Late Nite NewOrleans” every Tuesday,with new live musical acts broadcasted from the Palm Court Cafeinthe French Quarter.But by December,multiple delays and alack of funding led the Times-Picayune to term the show a“dead issue.” From the December 1992 article on the show:“Once touted as its mostambitious local production ever,‘Late Nite NewOrleans’ instead has turned out to be one of WLAE’sbiggest busts.” While the twoshowswere ultimately short-lived, memories of the programming lives on.

Do you have aquestionabout something in Louisiana that’s got you curious? Email your question to curiouslouisiana@ theadvocate.com. Include your name, phonenumber andthe city where you live.

Crawfish is the specialty at Seither’s Seafood

‘Boudin Boy’ blends art, storytelling, Cajun culture

Author, illustrator releases new books for children

BY LAUREN CHERAMIE Staff writer

Paul Schexnayder has been a professional (colorblind) artist for more than 30 years He is frequently featured as a festival poster artist, and his work has been placed in galleries and shows throughout Louisiana.

Schexnayder is also an author/ illustrator of several children’s books, including “I Know My Louisiana Colors” and “The Gumbo Gators series.”

His most recent release, “The Adventures of Boudin Boy” is his ﬁrst young reader book The story centers around an old Cajun couple who uses their famous boudin recipe to make a son who goes on wild adventures throughout the swamps of Louisiana. In the fall, Schexnayder will release a second book of Boudin Boy’s adventures, titled “Boudin Boy Meets Cracklin’ Dog.”

How does art and writing intersect in your life? How did it culminate into a children’s book? I always get the story from the art. I’ll do something and think, Who is that character? What are they doing? Where are they going, or where are they coming from?” That has always been where I start. Now, maybe a phrase or something visual that I see is where the stories usually come from, especially the last couple of books

that I’ve done For this book, I wrote the story a long time ago, but it was too long to be a picture book. So I shelved it and then my publisher recommended a young reader/middle grade chapter book. I sent it to them and they asked for it to be a little longer to be

a chapter book. I did, and it all worked out.

Children’s books tend to have this sort of whimsy to them that you can have fun with the plot and the characters.What was the appeal for you to write a young reader book? The fun. I always forget, like,

wait, he’s a boudin boy He could do anything. I always think that he’s a little boy and he has to do certain things. No, he can’t. I could go crazy That is what really opened up the second half the book that they wanted to make it longer I could make him do anything. I just have to remember that. Somebody told me that he could blast off in a rocket and take his boudin around space. And I’m like, yes! I could do that. It’s wide-open. As an adult, I forget that sometimes. What are some of your favorite spots to get boudin in Louisiana?

I have not tasted a boudin that I haven’t liked. I don’t eat it all the time, so it’s always a treat when I do.

Everybody loves The Best Stop. Kartchner’s in Scott was so good. Legnon’s Boucherie in New Iberia is really good. I have to say this: My ultimate favorite is no longer with us, because when the husband and wife died, the recipe went away It was Nook’s Boudin in New Iberia. She did everything by hand. Did you pull any inspiration from your childhood to write about Boudin Boy’s Cajun adventures?

There’s a little bit. I think he’s a very curious kid but also respects and loves his parents. That’s always in the back of his head, and I love my parents. I always try to do the right thing. That’s me in there in him. He’s very observant of things, and I wanted to put that in there.

Not just of nature but kind of oldfashioned things. I’m about to be 60, and I’m the youngest of ﬁve, so I’ve taken on that role, growing up as the baby, watching everything and learning the good and the bad.

Now Boudin Boy is an only child. He’s got a lot to learn.

The premise of the story is that the main character is a food, and you mention a secret batter in the book that helps to create him. How was food integrated in your family growing up?

It was more of a ritual, once-aweek thing. I remember my dad always cooking barbecue chicken on Sundays while we were in the pool, with the smoke everywhere. We had a large family, and my parents were good friends with other people who had big families. Every holiday we’d all be together, so it’d be ﬁve or six different families all celebrating Thanksgiving. We’d have over 100 people, and everybody had to bring a dish. It was this ritual every year for Thanksgiving, Easter New Year’s Day Labor Day, etc.

It was wonderful, and that’s such a great memory I’ve done so many paintings of the different homes we were at some on the bayou and some in the country The food part, the tradition and culture, it was infused in our everyday life.

Schexnayder will host a book release party from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 14 at A&E/Paul Schexnayder Gallery 335 West St. Peter St., New Iberia, with crafts, boudin boy cookies, boudin bites and book signings. Additional events and book signings include: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 21 at Barnes & Noble, 3721 Veterans Blvd., Metairie; 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 21 at Barnes & Noble, 1200 S. Clearview Parkway, New Orleans; 9 a.m. to noon March 7 at Legnon’s Boucherie, 410 Jefferson Terrace Blvd., New Iberia and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 11 at Books Along the Teche Literary Festival, The Bazus Building, 210 E. Main St., New Iberia.

Email Lauren Cheramie at lauren.cheramie@theadvocate. com.

Author explores the mythology of Mississippi Delta

BY RIEN FERTEL

Contributing writer

“When It’s Darkness on the Delta,” by W. Ralph Eubanks, Beacon Press, 264 pages.

The Mississippi Delta has long haunted Ralph Eubanks, a professor and writer in residence at the University of Mississippi’s Center for the Study of Southern Culture, as a study in contrasts and contradictions.

“I have come to think of the Mississippi Delta,” he writes in his new book, “When It’s Darkness on the Delta,” as “a liminal space of madness where my thoughts are sometimes lost between the darkness and the intermittent light that can be found in this land’s glowing sunsets.”

Raised in the piney-hilled woods of south-central Mississippi, a young Eubanks often accompanied his father to the unincorporated Delta town of Mileston He still remembers those visits, “dropping down that hill at Yazoo City and how everything just changed,” he tells me. “Like I was in this other world.”

Decades earlier, a New Deal program purchased 10,000 acres of former plantation lands surrounding Mileston with the intention of transforming the lives of 110 Black sharecropping families, transforming them into shareholders in a farm cooperative and eventually landowners In 1949, the elder Eubanks, a young and idealistic Tuskegee grad with a degree in agronomy

moved to town to advise farmers enrolled in the program Hostility by White residents, especially wealthy descendants of the Delta’s planter class, forced him out by 1956

Mixing history, journalism, photography and memoir, Eubanks challenges our understanding of a place that has become, in the minds of many, a pilgrimage site for Blues fans.

“To understand the Delta,” he writes, “you must experience it not just through the history and rhythm of the blues, but through the struggles and stories that created the music.”

This interview has been condensed and edited

Why does the Mississippi Delta continue to capture the imaginations of not just Americans? You make the point that it’s

never completely been about the music.

The person that I think put it the best was June Jordan, when she said it’s one of those places that’s mythical. It’s like Plymouth Landing. Like Harlem All of these are really big places that we have mythologized. And the Delta’s mythology has gone from the South to the rest of the world. And why is that? I think it’s just because it is one of those places that’s wrapped in stories, layered stories.

When you get people talking about it, they all go at different layers of it all. Some of it is true, some of it is myth. And sometimes even when you’re exploring the myth, when you dig through that, you can get to the truth.

And Blues music, one of the first popular musical forms in this country, was a way of storytelling It wasn’t a way of storytelling; it was a way of protest The ways this art form has traveled around the world is endlessly fascinating to me. I was in Berlin a couple years ago, in the Stasi archives, and one of the things I did not know about is something called the Blues Masses, where they used the Blues to protest the repression that was happening in East Germany

When people are oppressed, they have to ﬁnd some way to release that, and that very often comes through art. In this case, the Delta came through the Blues.

There’s this poignant moment in the book that I can’t let go of.You’re reporting on a school play that tells the story of a family who integrated the school system in the

town of Drew And you end up joining the production.

I’m doing these interviews with Gloria Carter Dickerson about her organization, We2gether Creating Change. And they need an adult from the community to play (prominent local Civil Rights leader) Amzie Moore. And I’m thinking, I can do this, and I can see what it is that’s happening with this group. But I also saw that there was this piece that was missing. As I’m looking out, I know every White face in the crowd it’s every White liberal in the Delta and I realize there’s no White person under age 25. We’re maybe 2 miles from North Sunﬂower Academy (a private school, established in 1966, to provide a segregated education for White students). They are present. But why aren’t they here?

Each night, we were talking about the “cruel and intolerable burden.” That was the last line of the play (spoken by an actor

playing activist Marian Wright Edelman). And that line just kept bumping off my head. The intolerable burden is still with us. It’s just taken a different form. And realizing these kids are opting out of school integration, and they’ve never been to an integrated school. That’s the great irony of it all.

What do you think your father would think if you could take him back to the Delta today?

He went there with a great deal of idealism, and I think he truly believed that things like Mileston, this idea of farm cooperatives, could be transformative for Black people in the Delta. Lots of people believed that. In the post-war era, this is what was going to change the lives of Black people in the South. And I think he would be saddened to see that what he thought was going to happen didn’t happen. My father would have been 100 years old on New Year’s Eve, and had he lived, I think he would have seen the Delta of today pretty close to what it was when he arrived there in 1949. Everyone underestimated the ways that the plantation power structure would work so hard to maintain their dominance. It is in that struggle for power that we see the problems in the Mississippi Delta. It is that eternal power struggle. And it is one that is rooted in economics rather than politics.

Rien Fertel is the author of four books, including, most recently, “Brown Pelican.”

W. Ralph Eubanks

Schexnayder

Olympiansballcelebrates‘Sweatin’ with theOldies’

Ellen Margaret Daly,queen of Olympians 2026

TheLotusClub entertained guestsatits 123rd annual OlympiansBall on Friday in the tented Royal Quarters on thegrounds of theNew OrleansCountry Club. Olympians continued its tradition of presenting a satirical tableau withthis year’stheme paying homageto“Sweatin’withthe Oldies” in theUnderworld. Reigning as queen ofthe ballwas Miss Ellen Marga-

Franks

ret Daly, daughter of Mr and Mrs. Michael McNellis

Daly Serving as amaid in the court was Miss Piper Katherine Franks, daughter of Mr.and Mrs. ZeljkoStephen Franks II. Princesses in thecourt

were Misses Mia Louise DeLouche, daughter of Mr and Mrs. R.J. DeLouche; Rain Elizabeth Halpern, daughter of Mr.Seth Elliot Halpern and Mrs. Gretchen Bertel-Merritt Cazalot Halpern; Kinsley Evelyn and Scarlett Odella Kiger, daughters of Mr.and Mrs. ScottJoseph Kiger Sr.; and Natalie Florence Sharpe, daughter of Mr.and Mrs. Matthew S. Sharpe. Pages to thecourt were

Masters Alexander Louis Gallois, son of Mr.and Dr Ryann Louis Gallois; Jax Patrick Wolford, son of Mr and Mrs. Larry GeneWolford; and William Prescott Worsley Jr., son of Mr.and Mrs. Worsley Immediately following the ball, the queen, her court and their guests were entertained at asupper of sumptuous treats and seasonal favorites. The Jimmy Maxwell Or-

chestra provided music for the ball, and The Boogie Men provided entertainmentatthe supper

Messrs. Douglas W. Tyler and Arthur S. Mann III served as general chairmen of the ball; Alan G. Brackett chaired the court committee with Ralph G. Breaux chairing the reception committee and William S. Nalty chairing the ﬂoor committee. Dr.Wesley W. Bryan served as vice chairman.

CaliphstraveltoSalon of Parisfor Carnival revelry

Saturday in the Royal Tent at the New Orleans Country Club, the Caliphs of Cairo traveled to late 19th-century France and the Salon of Paris.

The renowned artist John Singer Sargent was present along with some of his most famous —and perhaps infamous —subjects. Ahost of French characters,both old and new,entertained with song and dance.

The audience was intrigued by the seductive ways of Madame Xinher stunning black evening gown and delighted by a group of cancan dancers As is their custom, the Caliphs engagedinabit of theatrical embellishment to bring all together in the salons of Paris.

Reigning as queen was

Sloane Alexandra Paysse, queen ofCaliphs of Cairo 2026

Miss SloaneAlexandra Paysee, daughter of Mr.and Mrs. René Sylvain Paysee Jr Maidsinthe court were Misses Marché Marie Beals, daughter of Mr and Mrs. Willard Chester Beals; Alice Lane Read Calhoun,stepdaughter of Mr.Charles J. MollIII

and daughter of Mrs. Jaye Michele Calhoun; Hailey ReeseSisung, daughter of Mr.Robert Lane Sisung and Mrs. Donna Marie Ritchie; and Taylor Alexis Stokes, daughter of Dr.and Mrs. Larry Steven Stokes. Ladies-in-waiting were Misses Francois Lolol Beals,daughter of Mr.and Mrs. Beals;Colleen Patricia and Erin Kathleen Collins, daughters of Dr.and Mrs. Sean Michael Collins; Olivia Andreé Hainkel, daughter

of Ms. Alexandra McClees Hainkel; Emerson Burke Keen, daughter of Mr.Steven Edward Keen and Ms. Leslie Louviere Keen; Charlotte Clara Jenkins, daughter of Mr.and Mrs. Christopher Michael Jenkins ; Drew Diane Mills, daughter of Mr.and Mrs. Shawn Michael Mills; Abigail Kathryn Munson, daughter of Mr.and Mrs. David Michael Munson; Maria Cristina Rioja, daughter of Mr.and Mrs. Felix Wilde

Rioja; Chloé Elise Shannon, daughter of Mr.and Mrs. Jay Laird Shannon; and Teresa Marie Vinas, daughter of Ms. Maria Noemi Vinas. Princesses in the court were Misses Phebe Weller Glass, daughter of Dr.and Mrs. Jon Ryan Glass; Addison Leigh Guidry,daughter of Mr.Jonathon Lee Guidry and Dr.Angelle Marie Gelvin; Aubrey Elizabeth Kramer,daughter of Mr and Mrs. Kurt Richard Kramer; and Catherine Anne Soskin, granddaughter of Mr.and Mrs. Theodore Davis Ruddock III. Pages were Masters Jax Patrick Wolford, son of Mr and Mrs. Larry Gene Wolford; and Jack Thomas Akenson, son of Mr.Andrew Nathaniel Akenson and Ms. Meghan Elizabeth Hall.

The 2025 queen, Miss Katherine Olivia Lorusso, daughter of Mr.and Mrs. Nicholas Joseph Lorusso, was presented to the monarchs and received roses from the king.

Mr.Alan Guy Brackett served as general chairman of the ball. Messrs. Joseph Michael Guillot served as the chairman of the court committee; Ralph Gerard Breaux served as chairman of the reception committee and William Sellers Nalty served as chairman of the ﬂoor committee. Vice Chairmenwere Dr.Michael Philip Kiernan and Brig. Gen. John Bettes Dunlap III. Following the ball, a breakfast washeld at the NewOrleans Country Club in honor of the queen, with music provided by BRW.

King Arthur celebrates with balmasquehonoringlegend

In keeping with tradition, for the 49th year,the Krewe of King Arthur honored the legend of The Knights of the Round Table that protected Camelot, the Lady of the Lake, Lancelot and Excalibur and the Sword in the Stone, at their annual bal masque Saturday at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans. The theme celebrated was “Cooking Across America,” celebrating the United States’ 250th birthday Reigning as Queen Guinevere XLIX was Miss Victoria Alexis Jordan, daughter of Ms. Roxanne Jordan. A student at Louisiana State University,her majesty wore aDupioni silk gown embellished with Austrian rhinestones and lace inlays. Her tunic was adorned with sapphire Swarovski crystal. Her mantle was made of silk and centered with King Arthur emblem. Her matching crown and scepter were also adorned with

VictoriaJordan, queen of KingArthur 2026

jewels. Serving as scepter princess was Miss ElliottInés Bitoun,daughter of Dr.and Mrs.Jacob Philip Bitoun. Junior maidsincluded MissesElise Marie Brown, thedaughter of Mr.and Mrs.Stacy BreauxBrown; Cynthia Louise andMadeleine Jane Smith, daughters of Dr.Michael D. Smith and Mrs.Dawn AlpaughSmith.

Maids in thecourt were were Ms. Adessa D’Bran, daughter of Mr.Carlos D’Bran and Ms. Mercedes Hernancez; Mrs. Heartley Sarah ElizabethFerrara, married to Mr.Jason Ferrara; Ms. Audrey “Arden” Hof, daughter of Dr.Scott Hof and Ms. Dana Hof; Mrs. ElizabethLowery married to Mr.Michael Lowery; and Ms. Josephine Toler,daughter of Mr James Toler and Dr.Stephanie Skelly.Portraying Morganna Le Fay was Dr.Clarissa A. Preston, daughter of Ms. Clarissa M. Preston and the late Mr.Andrew Preston Jr The captain and founder, 51 years in Carnival, was

Mr.Philip F. FricanoJr.,the youngest captain toform a krewe in 1977. He wore a silver and bronze silk tunic trimmed in Austrian crystals.His collar featured the dragon of the legendary Camelot.

The captain’sshadows, Masters Isaiah Jordan and Arthur “Archie” Holden Bitoun, sons of Dr.and Mrs. Bitoun, arole previously held by Dr.Bitoun. Other characters portrayed during thepresentation included Messrs. Ricky Doiron (Sir Dagonet); Scott Discon (Sir Lancelot Du Lac); andJoshua David Allison (Merlin theMagician). Master Cameron Preston, son of Dr.Clarissa A. Pres-

ton, announced the arrival of the king as herald of arms. King Arthur XLIX, Dr Paul Gordon, woreanImperial-style tunic of imported Dupioni silk, trimmed in platinum and sapphire, and featuring rhinestone appliqués matching the queen’s gown. His mantle featured the samedesign as her majesty.His Arthurian crown was adorned with sapphires and he carried Excalibur Serving as pages were Master Roy Keith Burns IV,son of Mr.Burns III and Ms. Margaret Burns; and Joshua David Allison Jr., son of Mr.Allison and Mrs. Nicole Bergeron Allison. The prince of the sword

wasportrayed by Master Joseph P. Untz III, the son of Mr.Untz II and Ms. Lauren Lala Untz. Dukes wereDr. Steven H. Kenney Jr.and Messrs. Patrick J. Davis, Nicholas Breaux-Fujita, Michael Lowery and Andre Dozier Ofﬁcers include Mesdames Vera P. Vedros, Genevieve Anne Brown, Ms. Ashley-Marie C. Robichaux and Messrs. Joshua A. Bitoun, John P. Wambsgams, Michael A. Knight, Dr.Jacob P. Bitoun, Jared W. Hydell, Kevin O’Shaughnessy and Darryl Martin. Following the presentation, further festivities included music from No Idea. General chairman of the ball wasDemetrie Ford. Vice general chairmen were: Drs. Dave Mulnick, Maurice Sholas, Steve H. Kenney Jr.and Messrs. Michael Trupiano, Roy Woods, Robert Brown, Danny Meeks and Brian Plauche.

Combining the traditional introduction of its Royal Court with apresentation of entertaining skits, the Krewe of Janus celebrated the Carnival seasonSaturday at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel.

Uniquely able to gaze into the past and the future, the god of beginnings began by introducing members of the 2025 royal court. The Captain made his entrance, followed by the parade of krewe members and masked lieutenants.

Janus toured theballroom and ascended to his throne on the stage. The two-headed Roman deity then turned

hisfocustothe present with theintroduction of his queen, Miss Jade Marietta Thiel, the daughter of Mr Stephen Thiel and Ms.AimeeBurslem

Her majesty woreagown of gold fabric. The skirt was overlaid with embroidered gold and whiteﬂoral lace. Her sleeveless bodice with acurved Basque waistline and sweetheartneckline, was embellished with appliqués inlaid withrhinestones and gold ﬂoral beadwork. Swarovski crystals were placed over the entiregown.

Her Medici collar of ﬂoral lace was trimmed in gold and silversequins,with strips of rhinestones and teardrop crystals.A 12-foot purple and gold mantle displaying the krewe’slogo and she carriedthe Janus scepterand traditional heirloom crown.

Maids in thecourt were Misses Adelaide Kathleen

Friel, daughter of Mr.and Mrs. Daniel Friel; Vida Valentina Alvarado, daughter of Mr.Humberto Alvarado and Mrs. Maria De la Torre; and Caroline Grace and Julia Claire Zimmermann, daughters of Mr.and Mrs. Eric Zimmermann.

The college coaching carousel, mayoral “accomplishments,” king cake rivalries and the infamous Tulane monkeys were presented in typical Janus satirical fashion.

Following the skits, the monarchs madeapresentation to the 2025 queen, Miss Kennedy Elizabeth Duggan.

The ﬁnale was amedley of K-pop songs reenacted in dramatic fashion that both demons and hunters enjoyed. Music by the Carnaval Orchestra under the direction of B.J. Perez III provided accompaniment forthe tableau. After the traditional callout dances, His Majesty Janus hosted a dinner and dance. Crescent City Soul performed.

Mr.Charles E. Dickey III waschairman of the court committee. Mr.Stephen Dickey headed the reception committee while Mr.Christopher Duggan chaired the ﬂoor committee.

Calhoun Beals

Stokes Sisung

D’Bran Hof

Preston Ferrara Lowery Toler

Okeanos queen tapped by traditional golden rose

Once again, fate stepped in to determine the young lady who would serve as the queen of Okeanos In an elaborate backdrop of regal splendor, and on the 77th anniversary of the founding of the krewe, Miss Simone Michelle Miller, daughter of Mr and Mrs. Robert G. Miller, was selected to reign.

The krewe recently held its coronation ball at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel, transformed into an opulent setting of purple, green and gold.

As is the krewe’s tradition, the queen was unknown until the ball, as she was an selected from the Okeanos maids. The quartet, dressed in white gowns, were escorted to

Miller, queen of

their dukes by ofﬁcers of the krewe.

The maids represented a desire to see or do something that would leave a lasting impression or, perhaps, to go back in time to

witness again to go with the theme “I Wish...” The maids were emblematic of such diverse and far-ﬂung wishes as desiring to be a geisha, running away to join a circus, traveling to France to sightsee, or taking a wistful return to Pontchartrain beach.

Maids in the court were Misses Hannah Isabella Catsulis, daughter of Mr Ernest William Catsulis Jr and the late Ms. Kimberly

Grizzard Catsulis; Samantha Grace Goar, daughter of Mr and Mrs. Justin M. Goar; and Moira Mae Miller, daughter of Mr and Mrs. David K. Miller

The maids were instructed, in a predetermined order set by lot, to select one of four identically wrapped golden boxes. Each box held a bouquet of red roses with one covered in silk damask.

Earlier, the ﬂoat lieutenants arrived and signaled the entrance of the captain in a gold brocade costume bedecked with a collar of im-

ported Austrian crystals and a gold headdress with white plumed ostrich feathers.

At the captain’s order, the maids uncovered their roses. One bouquet held a single golden-yellow rose.

Even though Miss Simone Miller picked last, that box held the bouquet with the yellow rose. She was immediately crowned and escorted around the room by the captain, establishing her yearlong reign.

She was joined by the 2026 king who wore a costume of imported French white silk trimmed in gold.

Both monarchs wore trains trimmed in white fur bearing the crest of the krewe, matching silver crowns and scepters featuring sparkling imported Austrian

crystals. Music accompanying the tableaux was provided by Smasonics, while The Benchwarmers provided entertainment after the tableaux for general dancing. The general chairmen of the coronation ball were Messrs. Craig J. Singletary and David Lapuyade. Vice chairmen of the ball were Mrs. Jo Ann Fischer and Messrs. Steve Campo, president; Ernest William Catsulis Jr.; Peter W. Doughterty, Daniel Louis Dubuc, Daniel E. Jones, Michael J. O’Shello, Dow M. Straubmueller and Baldo J. Mannino, captain emeritus. Members of the committee were Messrs. J. Ronald Atchley, Matthew Hedrick Jr and Jake Romano.

Krewe of ALLA ‘Shoots for the Stars’ at 94th ball

The Krewe of ALLA ushered in the 2026 Carnival season with a tribute to its storied history at the annual ALLA Bash held at the Le Méridien Hotel. Celebrating its 94th year as the ﬁfth-oldest parading organization in Carnival, the captain welcomed guests, reminding all that the krewe will parade later in the season under the theme “ALLA Shoots for the Stars.” Guests were transported

into the glamour of the 1950s space race, with a nod to krewe’s past as the maids and dukes were presented in modern interpretations of original costumes designed by John Schefﬂer for the 1959 ball, themed “To The Moon & Beyond.” Reigning over the royal court were King ALLA XCIV, Mr Les Leathem, and Queen ALLA XCIV, Mrs. Debbie Kerr-Leathem.

His majesty, a native of Old Algiers, is a retired

By The Associated Press

pharmaceutical executive, a board member of Bike Easy and a mentor for Son Of A Saint. The queen, originally from New Jersey, is a retired clinical research professional and volunteer with Dress for Success New Orleans and the Animal Rescue of New Orleans. Together they are also volunteers at the Military Lounge at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport and co-cooks for the Irish Channel Commu-

nity Cooks. Serving in the court were Alisha Little Quagliana and Wouter de Bie, representing the Evening Star; Marcy Grant and David Ferguson, representing Celestial Comets; and Amy Corcoran and Dale “Mikey” Corcoran Jr., representing the Milky Way. Pages in the court were Jason Sansoni and Bennett Matrana. Princesses were Sophia Zambrano and Amelia Cocurulla.

The krewe introduced its grand marshals, Landon Bryant, a Southern storyteller known for his viral videos and podcast, and his wife and creative partner, Kate. They were recognized for their work in bringing Southern culture to a national audience. A highlight of the evening came as her majesty joined The Amelia Earhawts dancing troupe for a performance that brought the formal tableau to an end.

BY HILLEL ITALIE

AP national writer

NEWYORK

— The publishing arm of Mattel Inc. is teaming with million-selling novelist Alex Aster on a Barbie young adult novel in which the iconic doll embarks on a journey across “treacherous, magical lands.”

“Barbie: Dreamscape,” scheduled for July 28, is the first novel for young adults out of Mattel Publishing since the imprint was announced three years ago. The novel is not tied to the blockbuster 2023 “Barbie” movie and no screen adaptation is currently planned, according to Mattel.

The toy and family entertainment company is calling Aster’s book a “coming-of-age story” that ﬁnds Barbie declared “Fateless” at the graduation ceremony of the “enchanted” Swancrest Academy

“To earn a Fate, she must journey across treach-

erous, magical lands in search of the mysterious beings who control the destinies of everyone in Heartland and the buried truths that could change her world forever,” Thursday’s announcement reads in part. “Because to forge her own path, Barbie must step out of the box and into the unknown.”

The publishing imprint is focused on Mattel’s “extensive catalog of children’s and family entertainment franchises,” including Barbie, Hot Wheels and Polly Pocket. Earlier this week, Mattel Inc. announced it had created an autistic Barbie doll, part of the Fashionistas line committed to diversity Aster, a social media favorite best known for her “Lightlark” series and for the adult novel “Summer in the City,”

Today is Sunday, Jan. 18, the 18th day of 2026. There are 347 days left in the year Today in history: On Jan. 18, 1958, Canadian Willie O’Ree became the ﬁrst Black player in the National Hockey League as he made his debut with the Boston Bruins.

Also on this date: In 1778, English navigator Captain James Cook reached the present-day Hawaiian Islands, which he dubbed the “Sandwich Islands.”

In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson asked Congress in a conﬁdential message for $2,500 in funding for exploration of Western lands all the way to the Paciﬁc, an early step in the eventual formation of the Lewis and Clark expedition that would ultimately accelerate American expansion westward beyond the Mississippi River

In 1911, the ﬁrst landing of an aircraft on a ship took place as pilot Eugene B. Ely brought his Curtiss biplane in for a safe landing on the deck of the armored cruiser

USS Pennsylvania in San Francisco Harbor

In 1977, scientists identiﬁed the bacteria responsible for the deadly form of atypical pneumonia known as Legionnaires’ disease.

In 1990, Washington, D.C., Mayor Marion Barry was arrested after FBI agents caught him smoking crack cocaine in a hotel room in a videotaped sting. (Convicted of drug possession, Barry spent a few months in prison, returning to win a D.C. Council seat in 1992 and his fourth and ﬁnal mayoral victory in 1994. He died in 2014.)

In 1993, the Martin Luther King Jr holiday was observed in all 50 states.

In 1996, Lisa Marie Presley ﬁled for divorce from Michael Jackson, citing “irreconcilable differences” after less than two years of marriage.

In 2013, former Democratic New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin was indicted on charges that he’d used his ofﬁce for personal gain, accepting payoffs, free trips and gratuities from contractors while the devastated city was struggling

to recover from Hurricane Katrina. (Nagin was later convicted, served time, and was released from prison in 2020.)

In 2019, Jason Van Dyke, the White Chicago police ofﬁcer who gunned down Black teenager Laquan McDonald in 2014, was sentenced to nearly seven years in prison.

In 2025, a gasoline tanker exploded in Nigeria, killing at least 70 people as individuals sought to transfer

gasoline from one tanker into another truck as numerous bystanders looked on. Today’s birthdays: Actor-ﬁlmmaker

Catsulis Goar Miller

Simone

Okeanos 2026

Debbie Kerr-Leathem, queen of ALLA 2026

Kevin Costner is 71. Actor Mark Rylance is 66. Actor Dave Bautista is 57. Actor Jesse L. Martin is 57. Rock singer Jonathan Davis (Korn) is 55. Football Hall of Famer Julius Peppers is 46. Actor Jason Segel is 46. Actor Carlacia

Presumegoodintentions— most of thetime

Dear Miss Manners: Whendid people become so insecure that they take offense at pretty much everything?

I’ve noticed ahuge shift. Compliments given by strangers are now considered an insult or an attack against their feelings. A mom is insulted, awoman with apretty hairstyle is offended, someone with a nice outﬁt is annoyed. “You look nice today” is taken as saying she looks bad the rest of the week. What’swrong with people? Whatisasociety when nobody talks to anyone, and we let insecurities turn us coldand isolated?

Dear Heloise: The letter about preventing carbon monoxide poisoning by getting amonitor for your home is amust but, it didn’tgofar enough.

Youshould get amonitor that you can also travel with. How many articles have we read about carbon monoxide poisoning in vacation rental homes, condos and even hotels? Vacations are arelaxing getaway,but you shouldn’t let your guard down while you are staying in places that probably do not have an installed monitor.Taking that home monitor with you, or aseparate unit, could saveyour life. —Kagey in Prescott,Ariz.

Kagey,it’salways good to have acarbon monoxide detector in the home, office and/or in ahotel room. However, if you have a fire going in your fireplace, it may cause the detector to sound an alarm. In that case, just crack awindow alittle or put out the fire. Heloise Hiccups

Dear Heloise: Ihave to offer my tip to stop hiccups instantly To stop hiccups, hold about 20 milliliterswater in yourmouth andatthe same time plug both your ears with your ﬁngers. After a few seconds, spit the water out of your mouth. Hiccups should stop instantly —Jay M., Richmond,Va Jay,that’sanew one I hadn’theard about before. People usually adviseswallowing water —Heloise Lint

Dear Heloise: Ilove reading your column on adaily basis.Iwish to add to the hints about removing clothes dryer lint.

My laundry room is right next to my workshop, where Ihave amediumsize shop vacuum. Youcan use the vacuum hose to remove dryer lint in aboutﬁve seconds—it’s quick and easy —Tim Hammond, Buckeye,Ariz. Foaming soap

Dear Heloise: Iuse refillable foaming soap bottles at all my sinks. One day Iaccidentallybought aliquid soap refill instead of foaming. Ifound out that if Iput about an inch of liquid soap in the empty bottle then water up to the fill line it makes perfect foaming soap. I’ve had the refill for a year now,and it’snot even close to halfway gone. This bottle will last me years. Best money-saving mistake Iever made. —SandraG., in Reseda, Calif.

Removing moldycheese

Dear Heloise: We’ve all had cheese mold afterusing some and saving the rest in the refrigerator Cheese mold isn’tharmful, but not something we want to eat. Rather than throwing the whole chunk of cheese away,many of us willcut off the moldy part and use the rest. The easiestway to removethe affected area is

Judith Martin MISS MANNERS

Then youhave people saying, “I’m lonely andno one talksto me.” Well, what did you expect? Duetobeing asingle mom, people often ask what happened to cause my divorce. Ijust laugh and tell thetruth—that Iwas youngand dumb —and everyonealways laughsinagreement.This hasstarted some very funny conversations,and it hasalsostarted conversations with women who are struggling in their own marriages and need someonetotalk to. Due to ﬁnancial struggles, Ihavepurchased 99% of my clothes at resale shops or garage

to use your potato peeler.It doesasuperjob,and does so while minimizingthe amountofgood cheese that is removed. —Don B.

Shellac

Dear Heloise: Recently a neighborgave me awooden salad bowl set. Theindividualbowlsare ﬁne, but thelargebowl shows areas where it most likely was shellacked. How can Isafely removethat coatingwithout damaging the wood? —Donna C.,Tucson, Ariz.

Donna, Irecommend goingtoahardware store and havingone of the salespeople help you ﬁnd thecorrect remover.You’ll needone that won’t leave a residue.

Be sure to tell them that this is awooden bowl and that youwill be using it with food. They mightrecommend that you re-shellac the bowel to keep oils from soaking into the wood Heloise Emailheloise@heloise. com.

sales. Ihave always gotten complimentsonmyclothes; some women even ask where Ibought my blouse, jacket, etc. Do Iget insulted, and say,“Oh my gosh, how dare she intrude in my life struggles”? No. Isay, “Thank you —and you know,I’ve haditsolong Idon’tremember where Ibought it.” Compliment given, compliment accepted. My faithkeeps me motivated to be happy and kind to others. Here’sa ﬁnal thought: If you use your time and energy to be happy and kind to others, you won’thave thetime to look for insults where no insult exists. Acompliment to astranger might just be what they need that day!

GentleReader: Or not. YetMiss Manners agrees that theunpleasant habit of taking insult when none wasintended is widespread She admires andappreciates your behavior.Indeed, the world would be alot morepleasant if people presumed goodwill in others. There areexceptions, of course: compliments that are salacious, for example. Questions that imply aslur.Orplain nosiness, which is also rampant. No one should feel forced to answer personal questions.

Butbarbed comments from strangers may be ignored, and nosy questionsmay be deﬂected.

All Miss Manners asks is that they not inspire further rudeness. Dear Miss Manners: Iam56years old and have aspecial person in my life. When we go out and meet people, how do Iintroduce her? As my girlfriend, my lady friend, my pillow pal? Please help.

Gentle Reader: Only if you expunge the term “pillow pal,” which has leftMiss Manners with amental picture she would prefer not to entertain.

The accepted term foranestablished unmarried couple is now “partner.” Short of that is “friend.”

Email Miss Manners at dearmissmanners@gmail.com.

Hints from Heloise

LOUISIANABAKES

Forthe biggame, make theplayofthe dayacrowd-pleaser

The College Football Playoffs and the NFL Super Bowlaren’tjust about the action on the ﬁeld; theseevents are about gathering with friends, family and fellow fansfor good food and great memories.

Olivia Regard

Even thoughour beloved Louisianafootball teams have reached the end of their respective seasons, afew big games remain. While chips, burgers andwings are staples for anygame day gathering, adding special dishes to your menu can turn awatch party into an unforgettable celebration

Sure, you could fret over whipping up afancy spread,but why bother? With alittle planning and creativity, baking for football playoffs andthe Super Bowl can turn your homeintothe ultimate fan zone.

Start with crowd-pleasers like this riff on pimento cheesedip served with southern “ﬁre crackers”for an extra punch. Elevate your charcuterie board with aﬁgand prosciutto baked brie

The “ﬁre crackers” cometogether with just afew simple ingredients and one key trick: Make suretorotatethe crackers oftenbeforeletting them sit overnight so they soak upthe bold ﬂavor in the marinade. The result is easy, tasty and asoon-to-be obsession

The baked brie combines warm, creamy brie withgently spiced ﬁg jam and crispy prosciutto for asavorysweet appetizer.The brie bakes directly in its crate,allowing thecheese to soften while the prosciuttoturns golden and the jam settles into the scored surface. It has that perfect balance of salty,sweet and alittle smokywithout needing along ingredient list or any tricky steps. Enjoy the baked brie with crudites, crackers or toast points warm from the oven.

It’seasy to love that thefood sometimeseclipses the game itself. By the time next season rolls around, you may not remember whowon the biggame, but you will never forget these recipes that are easy to prepareinadvance and will elevate your game day spread

So, pass around these dishes at the next football watch partyand end the epic game on adelicious note, nomatter who wins.

Fire Crackers

Makes 11dozen crackers.

11/2 cups olive oil or vegetable oil

1teaspoon garlic powder

1teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

4tablespoons (about 2packages) ranch dressingmix

3tablespoons red pepper flakes 16-ounce package saltine crackers

1. Usingalarge gallon zip-top plastic bagorlargeplastic container witha tight-ﬁtting lid,pour in theolive oil, seasonings and spices. Close thebag andknead the marinade to thoroughly mixthe ingredients together

2. Addall four sleeves of crackers to the marinade, re-seal and gently turn the bag over several times to coat the crackers with the spice mixture. Continue rotatingthe bag every so often.

3. Letthe bag sit for at least eight hoursorevenovernight

4. Preheat oven to 250 F. Linemultiplebakingsheetswith parchment paper orfoil.Place thecrackers in one layeronthe lined baking sheets

5. Bakecrackersfor 15 minutes.Let cool and serve.

Note: Store in an airtight container foruptotwo weeks. Crackersgowell with pimentocheese dip and make a tasty addition to soup.

Many Americans are fortunate to have dental coverage fortheir entire workinglife, through employer-providedbenefits. When those benefits end with retirement,paying dental billsout-of-pocket cancome as a shock,leading peopletoput off or even go without care.

Simply put —without dental insurance, there may be an important gap in your healthcarecoverage.

When you’re comparingplans ... “Medicare&You,” Centersfor

 Look forcoverage that helps pay formajor services. Some plans may limitthe number of procedures —orpay forpreventive care only.

 Look forcoverage with no deductibles. Some plans mayrequire you to payhundreds out of pocketbefore benefits are paid.

 Shop forcoverage with no annual maximum on cash benefits. Some plans have annual maximums of $1,000.

Medicare doesn’tpay for dental care.1

That’s right. As good as Medicare is, it wasnever meanttocover everything. That means if youwant protection,you needto purchase individual insurance.

Early detection canprevent small problems from becoming expensiveones.

The best way to preventlargedental bills is preventive care.The American Dental Association recommends checkupstwiceayear.

Previous dental work canwear out.

Even if you’vehad qualitydentalwork in the past,you shouldn’t take your dentalhealth forgranted. In fact, your odds of havinga dental problem only go up as youage.2

Treatment is expensive— especiallythe servicespeople over 50 often need.

Consider these national averagecostsof treatment. $274for acheckup $299 for afilling $1,471 foracrown.3 Unexpected bills likethis canbeareal burden, especially if you’re on afixedincome.

Figand Prosciutto

Baked Brie

1round of French Briecheese in woodencontainer

4-6 tablespoons figpreserves 1(3-ounce)container of prosciutto Fresh rosemaryorthyme (optional), chopped Red pepper flakes Olive oil Crackers, crudites or French baguette slices forserving

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

Gouda Cheese Dip

Serves 8-10. Adapted from Food &Wine.

1/2 purpleonion, diced 4-ounce jarpiquillo peppers, drained and finelychopped (about 1/2 cup)

2tablespoons applecider vinegar 1teaspoon hot sauce

4ounces extrasharp cheddar cheese, finelyshredded 4ounces smoked gouda, finely shredded 1/2 cup mayonnaise

Saltand black pepper to taste

1. Grate purple onion on large holes of abox grater.Place onion in a paper towel and squeeze out the excess liquid.

2. Stir together the grated onion, peppers, mayonnaise, vinegar and hot sauce.

3. Fold in grated cheeses.

4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes

5. Serve with crackers (ﬁre crackersare great with this), toasted crostiniand/or crudités.

3. Cut diagonal lines into the cheese in both directions, stopping before the edge and without cutting through the base.

4. Spread ﬁg preserves into the cuts and on top of the brie round.

5. Place pieces of prosciutto into the cuts, pressing gently into the cheese. Note: Depending on the size of the brie, you may not need all of the prosciutto.

6. Sprinkle with herbs and apinch of red pepper ﬂakes, then drizzle with olive oil.

2. Remove cheese from the plasticwrap; save the wood container.Line the wood container with parchment paper andremove any long overhangs. Place the cheese in the parchment-lined wood container

7. Place cheese on asheet pan and bake for20minutes. Remove from oven and serve.

PHOTOSByOLIVIAREGARD

Gouda Cheese Dip andFire Crackers

Figand Prosciutto Baked Brie

BY RICH COLLINS

Staff writer

FifthCircuit

IDEAS INNOVATION &

Electric wires on poles? Most people don’twaste asecond thinking about that kind of thing. They’re just glad they can plug their smartphone in at nightor heat up leftovers in the microwave. But “most people”doesn’t include the foundersofAmpirical,a 20-year-old Covingtonengineering firmthat hasparlayed its expertise in power delivery to grow from astartup with sixemployees and ahandful of small contractsinto a600-person powerhousewithrevenues of roughly$500 million.

Ampirical is oneofLouisiana’s under-the-radar business successes, and it’sone built on good decisions

PROVIDED PHOTOS Ampirical team members visit asite.

—and fortuitous timing. The company’sfounding partners hung their shingle in the early 2000s,wheninvestment in power delivery was increasing because of efforts to upgrade the nation’s aging grid infrastructure. Also, policy

was shifting toward new, cleaner types of power generation. More recently,afocus on grid resilience and atech industry-fueled data center construction boom have made

ä See GRID, page 2E

Asubstation expansion in Barataria led by Louisiana engineering firm Ampirical was designed to improve system reliability.

forces deals. In its Monday decision, a three-judgepanel said Vetter reclaimed total ownershipof his1960s hit “Double Shot (Of My Baby’sLove)”when he terminatedhis contractwith music publisher Resnik Music Group in2022. Under previous interpretationsofthe law,Vetteronly gained U.S. rights to the 64-year-oldsong, which has been covered by Bruce Springsteen and other notables.

Vetter initiated the legal challenge in 2023 after he got intoa disputewiththe publisher over whocould grant the rights for thesong’suse in aTVshow that was to be streamed internationally.The disagreement grew into acasethatquestions the way music copyright law has been applied for generations. By law, creatorshavethe right to takeback ownership

ä See COPYRIGHT, page 2E

Cyril Vetter,center was amember of the Greek Fountains, a1960s rock band fromBaton Rouge that signed with MercuryRecords. With him, fromleft, are bandmembers Don Chesson, Tommy Miceli, Vetter, DukeBardwell and DannyCohen. PROVIDED PHOTO

power delivery an even bigger priority,fueling growth for companies that know how to design and string togetherthose wires on poles

Over two decades, Ampirical has steadily expanded its geographical footprint, its team, the size of its contracts, and the products and services it offers.And,in 2024,it landed its biggest job to date: designing and overseeing construction of power transmission for thenew Meta Hyperionartiﬁcial intelligence data center in north Louisiana.

Matthew Saacks, Ampirical’scofounder and CEO, said the project reﬂects his company’sevolution into anational player “It’sunprecedented the way the grid is transforming,” Saacks said during an interviewatthe firm’s 4-year-old Covington headquarters last week. “It’s not the staid old industry of the 20th century,and there’sa need for people to come up with solutions.”

Twodecades of growth

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, three New Orleans-based Entergy Services engineers

Saacks, Mike Sulzer and Mark Stephens —decided to establish their own firm. All born and raised in Metairie, the trio worked for an unregulated division of the utility that provided power delivery solutions to industrial clients and other utilities nationwide. But that type of work was increasingly being outsourced, so the colleagues decided to go intobusiness for themselves They soon were joined by three other Entergy alumni and got to work on acouple of smallcontracts

COPYRIGHT

Continued from page1E

of their copyrights after acertain time period, but publishers and labels have asserted their global rights to works even afterward. Because of itsfar-reaching implications not only for some of Louisiana’s most iconic musicians and their heirs but songwriters nationwide, thecase already hasprompted criticism from industry groups and cheers from those who represent the creative community New Orleans attorney TimKappel, who leads Vetter’srepresentation, said the court is respecting what U.S. Congress intended when it created the nation’s modern music copyright laws in 1909 and updated them seven decades later

“Copyright’spurpose is to allow creators to reap the rewards of their labor,”Kappelsaid.

“This case is about getting atrue second bite of the apple when adeal is done.”

Investments in grid resilience are among the factors that have fueled thegrowth ofCovington-based Ampirical, which designs powerdelivery systems across theU.S

handed off from the utility.

Operating out of asmall ofﬁce in Covington, the nascent firm of civil and electrical engineers startedlanding jobs that involved designing everystep of the power delivery systemprocess: the highvoltage power lines that move electricity long distances, the lower-voltage lines that distribute it to users and the substations that connect the two systems.

“I always use adriving analogy to explain to peoplewhatwedo,”

Saacks said.“The big transmission lines are likethe interstate highway system,and the substations are the on ramps and off ramps. We design it all.”

An engineering job for San Antonio’selectricutility was an early win,followed by more gigs for Entergyand other customersinthe GulfSouth.Aproject in California in 2009 opened thatmarket.Eventually the company set up permanent ofﬁcesnear San Diego andthe Bay Area to takeonvarious jobs, including upgrading existing towers, poles and wires to makethem less likely to cause ﬁres.

point purchasing Smith’s rights to the song from his heirs.

In 2022, after the originalpublisher’sinterest in thesong had been sold to Resnik, abroadcaster approached Vetter for permissiontouse thesong in an episode of the 1980s hit TV show“Moonlighting” that would be streamed internationally.The song had always been part of theepisode, but it had never aired outside the U.S. Resnik stepped in to assert its ownership of the global rights, claiming a percentageofthe revenue from the song’suse, and Vetter decidedtoﬁght the system. He filedsuitin 2023, hiring Kappel to eventually make his case before the U.S. District Courtfor the Middle District of Louisiana in Baton Rouge.

The story of “Double Shot (Of My Baby’sLove)” began in 1963, when Louisiana songwriters Vetter and Don Smith wrote aslightly raunchy garage rocktune that became popular on the frat party circuit after being recorded by several bands. Aversion of the song performed by agroup called the Swingin’ Medallions became aBillboard hitafew years later,reachingNo. 17 on the charts. As aspiring creatives often did at the time, Vetter and Smith sold their copyright interests in the song’s music and lyrics to amusic publisher that offered access to record labels, radio programmers and the other industry players that could make the song ahit. Windsong, the publisher,paida fee of $1 for the copyright, according to legal documents.

The song’s success was amusic career peak for Smith, who died tragically in aplane crash adecade after he helped write it. Vetter, meanwhile, continued to play music —eventually being inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame —and went on to become asuccessful TV and radio station owner in Baton Rouge. Over the years, he continued to manage his interest in “Double Shot,” at one

In asummary judgement in early 2025, U.S. District Judge Shelly Dick ruled in favor of Vetter,saying he was the sole owner of the song’s copyright throughout the world. Resnik’steam appealed thedecision, and the case went tothe 5th Circuit. Lawyersfor theplaintiffs and defendantspresented oral arguments inNovember In its ruling,the judges upheld Dick’sopinion, saying, “Overall,the district court did noterr by holding thatVetter is the sole owner of DoubleShot’s copyright throughout the world. This holding is supportedbystatutory text and purpose.”

The ruling was signed by Judges Jerry Smith, Carl E. Stewart and Irma Ramirez. It is unclear whether Resnik will seek arehearing from the full 5thCircuit or ask theU.S. Supreme Courtto hear the case. His attorney,Bob Clarida,arespected copyright expert from New York, declined to comment Global marketplace

The case underscores the oftentimes convoluted way themusic industry does business.

One featureisthatwhen songwriters sell aportion or all of their work toa publishing company,the deals don’tlast forever.Before the 1976 copyright act,they couldcontinue for two 28year terms, after which the song’sdomestic ownership could revert toits creator In practice, that limited geographic control means songwritersortheir heirs

Thejobskeptgetting bigger, and theAmpirical staffgrewsteadily along with them. In addition to its 78,000-square-foot headquarters, thecompanyalsohas asatellite officenearMandeville, onein Metairie and several out of state. This month, constructioncrews aredriving piles on land adjacent to the headquarters to expand capacity

Hittingcriticalmass

From the start, Ampirical’s founders aspired to provide engineering, procurement andconstructionservices (known in the industry as “EPC”), aturnkeyapproach that’ssimilar to the role a developer hasinareal estate project. Instead of acting as ahired consultant,anEPC engineer takes on ﬁnancial risk and needs thecash on hand to qualify for bonds that protect customers.

Ampirical wasn’t bigenoughat first to take on substantial EPC jobs, but its leaders decidedtoreinvest proﬁts over theyears to build up the capital that couldunlock those biggercontracts.

don’thavecomplete control of their work, because many uses will extend beyond U.S. borders.

If movie producers want to use asong, for instance, they’ll want the rightsto use it everywhere. And streaming services cross bordersaswell.

“It’sone big global marketplace at this point,”said Kappel, whoalso is afulltime professor at Loyola University New Orleans.

Often,publisherswilluse globalrights as leverage to make anew deal with songwriters when successful songs or catalogs areset to return to songwriter’s control. But Monday’s5th Circuit ruling changes the equation, according to Kappel.

“The ruling conﬁrmsthat Cyril should getback the full scope of what he gave away —not just ageographic sliver,” he said.

The decision runs contrary to years of industry practiceand caught the attention of the nation’smusic industry, whichhas taken sides in thecase.

Powerful groups like the RecordingIndustry AssociationofAmerica known for issuing gold and platinum records— and the Academy of Motion Picture Artsand Sciences —the Oscars people —ﬁled “friend of thecourt” briefs supporting Resnik’sposition. They argue the decision threatens business certainty,ignores decades of standardpractice and overstepsU.S. authority related to copyright laws in other countries.

“Attention, foreign nations: the United States is no longercontenttocome foryour oil, your rare earthminerals, or your TikTok. We’re coming for your copyrightstoo,” wrote Aaron Moss, aLos Angelesbased copyright attorney andblogger, in aMonday post.

This “threatens to destabilizeinternational expectations for authors, rightsholders, and anyone dealing in cross-bordercopyright exploitation,” he said.

The performersunion SAG-AFTRAand the SongwritersGuild of America lined up behind Vetter,and they are joined by songwriter Jim McCormick, aNew Orleans native whosplits timebetween his hometown and Nashville, Tennessee.

“This is astrongly protective rulingfor songwriters andtheir families,” said McCormick, who has cowritten three No. 1country hits. “Bythe endof35

The first one of note came in 2007,whenanindependent power plant in Colorado hired Ampirical to design more connections to the grid. Another followedsoon after near Sacramento,California Afew yearslater, Louisiana electric utility Cleco hired the engineering ﬁrmfor several initiatives worth tens of millions, and, by 2014, Entergy begansending even bigger jobsthe company’s way.Today,the ﬁrm hascompleted dozens of EPC projects forthe regional utility.

“Weusedtohaveaproject here andthere,but when we connected with Entergy’scapital projects group,that’sreally whenour EPC work really hit critical mass,” Saackssaid

NowAmpirical’s portfolioof engineering and EPC projects stretches from California to Florida with growing activityinthe Mid-Atlantic andOhio Valley.

Buying andselling

Ampirical also has begun to grow through acquisitions.

In 2020, the company scooped up aboutiqueAtlanta engineering ﬁrm that designs transmission infrastructure throughout the Southeast with afocus on smaller, customer-owned utilities in the Carolinas andVirginia. That deal came just before the boom in construction of data centers along the I-95 corridor on the East Coast andled to several big jobs in the region.

“When that hit, we looked like geniuses,”Saackssaid. “Theyneeded EPC projects, which co-op utilities typically didn’tdo, but now they are, and we have the capability.”

Ampiricalhas acquiredtwo other companies since, but itsbiggest move to date camein2024, when, after nearly twodecades of bootstrapping, it sought abuyer of itsown, finding interest from competitors, private equityfunds, public companiesand others. Ulti-

years, musicpublishers and record companiesare long past recouping their expenses. I’d liketosee these terminations happen in half thetime.”

Susan Genco, of the Music Artists Coalition, agreed: The “casecould setacrucial precedent for creators in today’sglobal marketplace,” she is quoted as saying.

mately,the company chose adeal with nationalprivate equity ﬁrm SkyKnight Capital, whichwas looking for away into the energy infrastructure space.

SkyKnight took a60% stake in Ampirical, left the leadership intact, and collaborated on aﬁveyear plan that includes more acquisitions, more biddingfor bigjobs, andsellingproprietarysoftware for asset management and grid monitoring.

The transaction occurred as Ampirical was securing its biggest EPC contract to date: connecting Entergy’s gridtoHyperion, Meta’s $27 billion AI data center in Richland Parish near Monroe.

Saacks said the job is worth “hundreds of millions,” anditis leading to morework in that category,including aproject foradata center near Phoenix. He estimates investments like thatcould make up aquartertoathird of all of his company’sportfolio projects.

Lookingahead,Saacks sees some potential challenges, including supply chain constraints that could moderate growth, problems ﬁnding corridors for long transmission lines because of “not in my backyard” thinking, and rapid expansion putting pressure on rates.

But, overall, he says the data center jobs, grid hardening efforts, renewable power facilities —and industrial customers starting to developtheir own power generation —all add up to opportunities forforward-thinking companies.

“When the grid wasbuilt and regulations werewritten, it wasto manage power delivery to schools, homes, businessand factories,” Saacks said. “It wasn’tshipping solar power across four states. We can be essential because we understand the engineering, labor and capital needs forprojects like that.”

Email RichCollinsatrich. collins@theadvocate.com.

For now,the decision is thelaw only in the U.S. 5th Circuit, which includes Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. For the ruling to be adopted nationwide, there would have to be more lawsuits in other jurisdictions that result in the same conclusion, or the SupremeCourt would have to issue aruling, Kappel said.

“Everyone in the industry is digesting this opinion andtrying to ﬁgure outits implications,” he said.“The creative community is celebrating thesuccess of a legal position that hadbeen dismissed in very derisive tones.”

EmailRich Collins at rich. collins@theadvocate.com.

Saacks

Vetter

STAFF FILEPHOTO By MATTHEWPERSCHALL

LOUISIANA’SSTORY: POSITIVE CHANGES=A

GROWINGECONOMY

Some of thelargest businesses in theworld have committedto $76billion in newinvestments righthereinLouisiana,with 70,000 jobopportunities

Thesetremendousinvestments areadirectresult of new, smart, competitive policyand taxmodernizationsthatmeanrealresultsfor ourstate

REAL TAXREFORM

A Top10 corporatetax climate,a 5.5% corporateincometax rate,the eliminationofthe corporatefranchise tax andthe 2ndlowest flat income taxinthe U.S. createanideal business andlivingclimate forLouisiana.

PREPARINGOUR WORKFORCE FORHIGH-WAGE JOBS

Louisianaworkforce programs areleading thenationand producing thousands of high-skilled,job-ready workers.Additionally, the salaries of newjobscoming to Louisiana tops $90,000.

ASTRONGER BUSINESS CLIMATE

Louisiana’sbusinessclimate is improvingfasterthananywhereelseinthe country and ranksamong the top10 states fordoing business.Bystreamliningefforts, thestate has strengthened itsfoundation forgrowthand alignedpolicywithits naturalresources andstrategic rail andportnetwork,helping businesses compete nationallyand globally.

LOUISIANAISTAKINGBOLDSTEPS ANDWINNING AS ARESULT.

TALKING BUSINESS

ASK THE EXPERTS

Parish Brewing expanding as state’s craft future in flux

Owner says THC ban a letdown but won’t tap industry

BY ADAM DAIGLE Acadiana business editor

So what do you do when your attempt at diversifying your brewery business gets spiked by the federal government?

“That’s a good business question,” Parish Brewing Co. owner and operator Andrew Godley said Starting in November, the Broussard-based brewery will no longer produce and sell its line of Veri, a THC seltzer that has been wellreceived since it debuted in the spring. It’s due to the move from Congress and the Trump administration to outlaw sales of intoxicating hemp-based drinks and other products.

It was a way to diversify in a business that is been on a downward slide in recent years. More craft breweries closed last year than opened, and a recent Gallup indicated 54% of Americans — the lowest percentage in its 90 years of doing the poll — indicated they drink alcohol. At Parish, sales are strong enough that there are still other drink markets it can wade into. The 15-yearold company, which employs 35, will launch an expansion this year that will double its footprint and triple its capacity But, Godley admitted, it’s a shame that it came to this with THC drinks.

grow 10% or 20%, it will more than

pay for the additional expense If we fully fill out that facility, we should be looking at more than doubling the employee count.

You’re known for your hazy IPA Ghost In

Q&A WITH ANDREW GODLEy

“It’s fine with us. It’s not something we really want to fight for,” Godley said. “I definitely think it’s a shame that the approach is to completely ban it instead of adding regulations and tightening it up. There are a lot of consumers who have chosen this product instead of alcohol.” In this week’s edition of Talking

Business, Godley — a native of South Africa talks about why the THC drink market has taken off, how the company’s Ghost in the Machine beer remains popular outside Louisiana, the upcoming expansion project and how the state’s population loss in recent years could spell trouble in the future.

This interview has been edited for clarity

I’m curious from an inebriation standpoint why the THC drinks got banned. How does that affect your judgement compared to an alcoholic beverage?

Alcohol slows people down, and THC, I don’t believe, acts in the same way It doesn’t slow your motor functions down like alcohol does. It does soften people’s general perception awareness I can’t

say that it’s any safer than alcohol, but a lot of our consumers would tell you that.

I’ve talked to consumers here that used to drink one of our beers every day, and they tell me if they want to chill during the week, they drink a THC beverage because it doesn’t leave them with any dehydration or hangover like alcohol.

Tell me about the expansion project. Your application with Louisiana Economic Development indicates it will double your square footage and triple your production.

Our neighbors on Jared Drive are having a hard time because every day we have two, three or four 18-wheelers in here to deliver or take stuff away

On average, we’re shipping more than a truckload of beer every day I don’t expect us to sell triple the capacity, but it’ll open us up to be able to grow into that. If we can

The Machine. Is that still wildly popular in markets outside Louisiana?

Most Louisiana breweries do well in Louisiana even more so in their individual cities, and the further you get away, it gets tougher and tougher to sell products.

I sell more Ghost in Houston than I do in Lafayette or New Orleans.

I sell more Ghost in Atlanta. (In) China, Europe and Thailand, we sell it. It’s a great export for us as a company and the state in general. It was very clear I needed to build my beer around that product because of the response. I launched it in 2014, and people used to be lined up down the street to buy it.

The craft brewery explosion during that time was well-documented, but last year, there were more craft breweries that closed than opened. What has happened since then?

What’s happening is the cream

is rising to the top Consumers have tried everything and they’re coming back to the products they know and love. These people trying a new beer just for the sake of trying something new is a thing of the past. I know in Louisiana, there were 20 to 30 breweries, and most have gone away

The recent reports that alcohol consumption by young adults being down got some people talking Do you think that was accurate? Is the younger generation drinking less beer?

If you think about what 21-yearolds were drinking when we were all in college, it was light beer Nobody was drinking craft beer

It’s true that the younger demographic is drinking less beer, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the adult beverage market is shrinking. People are trying new things, and THC was a part of that. They might be moving their beverage of choice from beer to something else, but the total amount of adult beverages (consumed), I don’t believe, is changing overall.

What do you think the next five to 10 years looks like for Parish and the industry as a whole? Is there still more room for contraction or will things settle down?

The market has been shrinking, but our business has been very strong. I wouldn’t say that our sales are through the roof, but we’re fine. We sell the same amount of beer every year The biggest challenge facing Louisiana breweries is the population of Louisiana and economics in Louisiana. I’m sure you’ve seen in the press about the net migration in Louisiana, and it’s something I’ve been aware of for years. Louisiana is definitely our weakest state. When people are leaving Louisiana more than they’re coming into Louisiana, there’s going to be less economic activity, and that’s the biggest factor that’s going to influence the success of breweries here.

Email Adam Daigle at adaigle@ theadvocate.com.

STAFF PHOTOS By LESLIE WESTBROOK

ACROSS THE REGION

Private equity fund aims to bolster established companies

BY RICH COLLINS Staff writer

Three local investors have closed on a ﬁrst round of fundraising for a new private equity fund they hope will provide backing to keep more Louisiana companies in the state.

The Louisiana Impact Fund, founded in 2025 by New Orleans investment bankers Joseph Seremet and Joshua Cummings and Lafayette-based tech executive Jared Quoyeser, has raised $23.4 million so far, according to a ﬁling with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

The fund’s founders hope to raise $100 million by 2027

The partners created the fund backed by Ochsner Health, b1BANK and Acadian Ambulance Service, as well as other institutional and individual investors — to fill what they say is a need in the state for capital to help small and midsized companies grow The fund will target ventures valued between $10 million and $50 million.

Unlike angel investors and venture capital funds, which help seed startups or early-stage companies, the new fund will seek to acquire stakes in local companies looking to grow or sell.

Last year, Louisiana lost ownership of several high-proﬁle companies including Canal Barge, Bisso Towboat Co., Elmer Chocolate, Gallo Mechanical and CSRS — to out-of-state buyers, though the businesses continue to operate in the state. Latter & Blum, a century-old Louisiana real estate brokerage, was sold to a national buyer in 2024.

Quoyeser hopes to stem the tide.

“LIF exists to provide founders with local alternative for scaling or exiting their businesses,” he said in a phone interview Monday.

“Our primary metrics are ﬁnancial returns, but we are equally committed to ensuring that capital, decision-making, and leadership talent remain rooted in our community rather than being exported to out-of-state interest.”

The new fund is designed to ﬁll

a gap between the state’s growing number of venture capital providers supporting early-stage companies and larger private equity ﬁrms, like Bernhard Capital Partners, which target companies worth hundreds of millions or more. The amount of startup capital

in the state has grown in recent years because of rising interest and support from federal and state programs, which provide matching funds to some investors. But Louisiana and the Gulf South region lack the deep pockets found in other parts of the country to invest in or buy established companies.

“Too many great Louisiana companies get sold to out-of-state buyers — and with them go decisionmaking and, eventually jobs,” Seremet said in a prepared statement. “We’re here to change that trajectory by giving founders a competitive, values-aligned option to stay rooted in Louisiana while accessing the capital and capabilities they need to scale.”

Decades of experience

Prior to creating the fund, Quoyeser spent more than two decades as an executive at global tech company Intel. Seremet and Cummings have been principals for decades at New Orleans investment banking ﬁrm Johnson Rice & Co.

The trio, which formed a management company to run the new fund, will continue to raise funds from Louisiana organizations, family ofﬁces and individuals for a second round, targeted to close this summer, and then will focus on institutional investment.

Quoyeser said he and his partners are doing due diligence on potential investments now They plan to make majority or “signiﬁcant minority” investments in es-

tablished Louisiana businesses, focusing on industrial services, engineering and construction, distributed power solutions, infrastructure, energy, technology and innovation, advanced manufacturing, health care, logistics and software.

The fund’s “lower middle market” thesis targets companies with at least $10 million up to several hundred million in annual revenue, which private equity investors think of as having growth potential.

Louisiana Economic Development officials championed the fund’s announcement, saying it’s a chance to create quality jobs and attract new investment across the state.

“If we can buy Louisiana small businesses with Louisiana capital, it’s a win for the state,” said Josh Fleig, LED’s chief innovation ofﬁcer “There’s less of a threat of them ripping out their back ofﬁce and moving it away We need 20 more of these guys.”

Tuesday’s announcement of the initial closing means the fund has received commitments from investors but has more to raise toward its ultimate target.

Jude Melville, b1Bank chair and CEO, said the investment thesis behind the fund, with is focus on growing and keeping Louisiana businesses in the state, makes sense, which is why the bank was an early investor in the fund.

“It is not going to be the magic bullet, but I do think there are companies that would prefer to have local ownership,” Melville said. “So I think there will be some opportunities for investment success that they might not have if they didn’t have that approach.”

“Whatever groups they are successful with will benefit Louisiana because there will be less of a chance of them cutting jobs and moving elsewhere,” he added.

Jones Walker serves as fund formation counsel to the fund. Bennett Thrasher is LIF’s third-party fund administration adviser Email Rich Collins at rich. collins@theadvocate.com.

Louisianahas long relied on science to guidehow it managesits naturalresources.Fromenergy to agriculturetofisheries, legislatorsand regulators have invested in research,monitoring, andexpert oversightto ensure decisionsare grounded in evidenceratherthanassumption. That commitmentisnow beingtestedasthe LouisianaWildlifeand FisheriesCommission reviewsthe state’smenhadenbuffer zone HowWeGot Here Fordecades, Louisiana’smenhadenfishery operated under strict coastallimitsand remained sustainable. Thefisheryhas been continuously monitored, independentlyassessed, andconfirmed as healthybypeer-reviewed stockassessments Menhaden arenot overfished, andoverfishingis notoccurring.

Butbeginning in 2021,additionalblanket buffer restrictions were imposedtoreduceuserconflict with therecreationalfishingsector. Many of these measures were accepted in good faith, even though Louisiana-specific data didnot yetexist to support them.The rulesapplied aone-size-fits-allapproach to acoastline that is anythingbut uniform. To putthe issueinperspective,Louisiana has

more than 400,000 licensed saltwateranglers and just 27 menhaden vessels. Yetbroad restrictions closed traditional fishinggrounds that science later showed posedlittleenvironmental risk.The result wasrealeconomicharmtoLouisiana menhaden fishermen,processingplant workers, andcoastal communitiesthatdependonthese year-round commercial fishing jobs Recognizingthe need for clarity, theLouisiana Legislatureauthorizeda $1 milliontaxpayerfunded bycatchstudy to replaceassumptions with data.Thatstudy,conducted by LGLEcological Research Associates andoverseenbythe Gulf States Marine FisheriesCommission, is now complete.Using onboardobservers anddirect monitoring,itconfirmed that themenhaden fisheryissafe, sustainable,and well-managed Bycatchlevelsremainedwellbelow Louisiana’s statutorycap,and no measurable impactswere foundon reddrumorspeckledtrout populations in theareasevaluated What theNOI Does After reviewingthe full coastlineand bycatch studyfindings,the Commission hasadvanced aNoticeofIntent(NOI) to update thestate’s menhaden buffer zone regulations usingamore precise, science-basedframework Contrary to claims that theproposedNOI weakensprotections,itdoesthe opposite Theruleincreases totalprotected buffer area statewidebymorethanfourpercent.Thatmeans more coastalwater will be closed to menhaden fishingthanunder thecurrent regulation It strengthensprotections in Louisiana’smost sensitiveand high-priority areas, including significant expansions around theChandeleur Islandsand Isle Dernieres. Theseareas receive some of thehighest recreational useand deserve thestrongest safeguards

Theproposalalsoreplacesbroad,arbitrary distance lineswithprecise GPS-defined boundaries.Thatchangeimprovesclarity for enforcement, reducesconfusion on thewater,and aligns regulationswithactualcoastal conditions rather than abstract measurements

Most importantly, theNOI basesdecisions on independentscience andreal-worlddata, not on uniformrules that ignore Louisiana’s diversecoastline Wherethe NOIMakes Changes TheNOI restores limitedaccessonlyinasmall number of locationswhere scienceshows minimal environmental risk andlittlerecreationalpressure. At thesametime, it expandsand strengthens protectionsinthe state’smostsensitive andheavily used recreational areas. TheChandeleurIslands seeamajor expansionofprotected waters.Isle Dernieres receives additional safeguards Thenet result matters. Even afterthese targeted reﬁnements,moretotal coastalwater willbeclosed to menhaden ﬁshingthantoday

This is notderegulation. It is reﬁnement. WhyThisApproach Is Better forLouisiana Theproposedframework delivers stronger protectionswhere they matter most for environmentaland recreational interests. It also supports Louisianaworkers andcoastal communitiesinareaswhere scienceshows menhaden ﬁshing is safe

By expandingoverall protectedwaterswhile restoringlimited accessonlywhere data justifyit, theNOI improves conservation outcomes without imposing unnecessary economicdamage. It also reduces conﬂict. Separating user groups basedonactualpatternsofuse andecological sensitivityisfar more effective than blanketrules that fuel confrontationand resentment Commercial andrecreationalsectors both

matter to thestate’s economy andculture.Sound policy does notrequire choosing oneoverthe other. It requires applying evidenceconsistently. TheQuestion Before theLegislature Legislativeoversight exists to ensure agencies follow thelaw,respect evidence, anduse taxpayerfunded research responsibly.Following action by theCommission, theproposedNOI willmoveinto thelegislative oversightprocess, wherelawmakers willhavethe opportunitytoreviewits consistency with statute, science,and legislative intent Louisianainvestedinindependentscience to answer hard questionsabout menhaden ﬁshing That science nowclearly supports amoreprecise, data-drivenapproach. Oversightworks best when conclusionsare evaluatedonthe qualityofthe evidence itself,not on whetherthe ﬁndingsare universallypopular or politicallyconvenient. If verified studies, direct monitoring,and peerreviewed assessmentsare treated as optional rather than decisive,thenfutureresearch losesits value. Thecredibility of science-based governance is at stake. As lawmakersconsidertheir oversightrole, the question is simple.Ifscience does not guidepolicy, what will? Louisiana’scoastal future dependson theanswer.

PROVIDED PHOTO

The Louisiana Impact Fund was founded in 2025 by New Orleans investment bankers Joseph Seremet, from left, and Joshua Cummings and Lafayette-based tech executive Jared Quoyeser

STAFF FILE PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

The Louisiana Impact Fund, which aims to help Louisiana’s small and midsized companies grow, has raised $23.4 million so far, according to a filing with the U.S Securities and Exchange Commission.

Staff report

South Louisiana businesses and nonproﬁt groups recently announced the following promotions and new hires.

New Orleans

Joey Roberts has been hired as executive director of the Children’s Museum of St Tammany Roberts, a member of the Covington City Council, previously served as the executive director of the Covington YMCA.

Walter “Fritz” Metzinger, III, has been promoted to member of Stone Pigman Metzinger, an associate at the ﬁrm since 2017, focuses on business and insurance disputes and also works in matters of gambling regulation and sports law

Jones Walker announced a dozen new partners, including six in its New Orleans ofﬁce: T. Gregory Schafer; Giles Detwiler“Det”Beal,IV; Shawn Daray; Sara Kuebel; Zachary Montgomery; and Samantha Oppenheim Their new positions took effect Jan. 1.

Anthony Jacob has been promoted to vice president of Boh Bros. Construction. Jacob, a manager of the piling and marine department, is an 18-year veteran of the general contractor

Michael Schmidt has acquired a “signiﬁcant equity interest” in Chaffe & Associates and its broker-dealer subsidiary, Chaffe Securities.

Schmidt, who previously coheaded the energy practice as the independent New York-based investment bank Seaport Global Securities, immediately assumed the positions of head of investment banking at Chaffe & Associates and president of Chaffe Securities. As part of the transition, G.F. Gay LeBreton, a managing director will step back from the day-to-day operations of corporate ﬁnance.

Tony Adams, the New Orleans market president for Memphis, Tennessee-based ﬁnancial services company First Horizon, has been named Gulf States regional president

Meanwhile, private client group leader Jimmy Dunn was promoted to New Orleans market president.

Ryan Gootee General Contractors announced several promotions and recent hires. Peyton Hancock and Darrell Young Jr , were both promoted to superintendent. Cole Ross was promoted to project manager and Kian Badie was promoted to assistant project manager New hires include Grant Hubbard, Avery Noah and Jonathan Pottharst as assistant project managers. Geoff Kinnard was hired as an assistant project superintendent; Brent Madison was hired as a laborer

Adair Kingsmill was elected as partner of Hinshaw & Culbertson at its New Orleans ofﬁce. Kingsmill advises ﬁnancial services companies on compliance with consumer finance and protection laws and helps clients assess regulatory risk.

Danielle Riera was elected partner at the New Orleans ofﬁce of Bostonbased MG+M The Law Firm Riera serves as local counsel in Louisiana for a global aerospace company in

toxic tort litigation and is part of the national coordinating counsel team for several long-standing clients.

Nicholas Grest was promoted to partner of Maron Marvel at the New Orleans ofﬁce of the Delaware-based litigation defense ﬁrm Grest defends insurance companies in cases involving car accidents, injuries and defects. He also has experience defending oil companies and industrial manufacturers in asbestos claims.

Baton Rouge

Brandi Bush Roberts was hired as the new chief financial officer of the LSU system. Roberts, who has experience in accounting and leading financial operations, previously worked as LSU’s associate vice president and chief of staff for finance and administration.

The Baton Rouge General Foundation announced the election of three new members to its board of governors. Dr Henry Banham, a rhinologist with BRG Sinus and Nasal Specialists of Louisiana; Amanda Martin,

the founder and CEO of Studyville; and Hendrick Wood the longtime general manager of Audi Baton Rouge, will all serve three-year terms on the board

Alexa Candelora was named a partner of Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson in the casualty litigation section. Candelora handles cases involving medical malpractice, behavioral health, insurance defense, personal injury and general liability

Tiffany Dupree Katherine Herbert and Lauren Tarver-Tatman were elected partners at Jones Walker All three work out of the Baton Rouge ofﬁce.

The consulting firm Emergent Method announced more than a dozen promotions to start the year Luisa Cantillo Brittany Francis and Keesler Morrison all become senior managers. Nikki Carr, Makenzie Morgan, Alyssa Panepinto and Melanie Turner were promoted to manager Brooks Belanger, Shellie Milliron and James Trammell are now senior consultants. Ashlee Summers, a certiﬁed public accountant, was promoted to controller and Han-

Southern and Brittni Wheeler were named senior associates.

The commercial real estate brokerage Eliﬁn announced a series of promotions.

Alex Ruch and Fabian Edwards, who are both based at the Baton Rouge office, were both promoted to senior vice president. Mark Johns, of the Lafayette office, Caden LeBlanc, of the Houma office, Peter Laville and Noah Loveland, of the Baton Rouge office, were named vice presidents. Adrien Foley and Brady

nah Walters was promoted to talent manager, while Chiquita

BY THE NUMBERS

A growing economic engine faces political headwinds

BY ANTHONY McAULEY Staff writer

Long before Hurricane Katrina

reshaped New Orleans’ economy and population, the city had already been shaped by deep and often overlooked ties to Latin America.

Today, those ties underpin a growing share of south Louisiana’s workforce and small-business economy.

Hispanic residents account for a rising portion of the New Orleans metro population, dominate key industries from construction to hospitality and own tens of thousands of businesses statewide. But business leaders and advocates warn that intensiﬁed immigration enforcement and a fractured federal system are beginning to disrupt labor markets, consumer activity and tax revenue putting at risk an economic engine that has powered much of the region’s post-Katrina growth.

“Post-Katrina was when we saw the influx of Latinos moving to the state,” said Lindsey Navarro, founder and executive director of El Centro, a New Orleans-based nonprofit that provides financial coaching and business support to Hispanic individuals and entrepreneurs. “In the last 20 years, the Latino population has essentially doubled in the metro area.”

population growth.

Post-Katrina demographic shift

As of the 2020 census, Louisiana had about 322,500 Hispanic residents, making up 6.9% of the state’s population, according to The Data Center While modest by national standards, the population is heavily concentrated in south Louisiana, particularly in the New Orleans metro area.

According to The Data Center’s analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data, about 148,895 Hispanic residents lived in the metro area as of July 2023, representing roughly 12% of the metro population (9% in Orleans and 19% in Jefferson Parish). The number has grown every year since Katrina. From 2010 to 2020, Hispanic residents accounted for the majority of the metro area’s

That surge was driven largely by reconstruction work after Katrina, when thousands of Central American laborers arrived to rebuild homes, businesses and infrastructure. Many stayed, formed families and opened businesses, reshaping the region’s labor force and consumer base.

Navarro, who was born and raised in south Louisiana to Panamanian immigrant parents, said the shift is visible in everyday commerce.

“Pre-Katrina we had like three grocery stores,” she said. “And now we have — I can’t even tell you the number of grocery stores that we really have serving the population.”

Unlike the national profile

Metro New Orleans’ Hispanic population differs sharply from the national Hispanic proﬁle. While people of Mexican descent make up about 59% of the Hispanic population nationwide, they represent about 20% of the Hispanic population in the New Orleans metro area.

In contrast, Hondurans made up about 32% of the metro area’s Hispanic population in 2022, despite accounting for only about 2% of the national Hispanic population.

Statewide, Hispanic workers made up about 5.6% of Louisiana’s

workforce in 2022, with particularly strong representation in construction, hospitality, food service and general services industries central to south Louisiana’s economy.

Latino residents in Louisiana start businesses at a higher rate than in any other state. According to the Latino Donor Collaborative, 15.9% of Louisiana’s Latino population are entrepreneurs — the highest share in the U.S.

Data from the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2022 Annual Business Survey and Nonemployer Statistics show that about 5.9% of all businesses in Louisiana are Latinoowned, including roughly 28,002 Hispanic-owned businesses statewide. Of those, 2,002 are employer ﬁrms, meaning about 7% of Latinoowned businesses have at least one employee.

“It’s a lot easier to create a job for yourself, as opposed to applying to get hired,” Navarro said, adding that many businesses operate in an informal economy, largely because of language barriers and limited access to information.

“There’s just a really high level of informality, or an informal economy, within our community,” Navarro said.

Enforcement fears

As immigration enforcement has intensified, business leaders say

Beyond Boundaries.

Thehealthcareindustryhas asingle constant:change.

As thefastest growingsectorofthe American economy, theindustryisalwaysinastate of change in responsetomacroeconomic forces,the public’s demandfor high-quality andaccessible health care,and ﬁscal constraints. We help our clients successfullynavigateachallenging andconstantly evolving business andregulatory landscape as they create, andrespond to,new delivery models to meet thesenew challenges.

William H. Hines

Managing Partner bhines@joneswalker.com 504.582.8000

201St. CharlesAvenue NewOrleans,LA70170-5100 joneswalker.com

Navarro said the effects were immediate and visible on the ground. Businesses adjusted quickly, limiting access points or temporarily closing Workers and customers alike became hesitant to travel. Income gaps, housing disparities

Despite high workforce participation and entrepreneurship, economic disparities remain pronounced. In 2022, Hispanic households in metro New Orleans had a median income of $63,114 — about 31% less than White households, which had a median income of $91,148.

About 19% of Hispanic residents in the metro area live in poverty, compared with 10% of White residents. Among Hispanic children, 26% live in poverty

Homeownership also lags. In 2022, about 55% of Latino residents in the metro area owned their homes, compared with 77% of White residents.

fear is spreading through workplaces and commercial corridors.

“I think we all agree that laws should be enforced, and deﬁnitely we want criminals and anything that will jeopardize our communities taken away,” said Mayra Pineda, CEO of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana. “But unfortunately, we’re dealing with more than that; we’re dealing with a broken immigration system.”

Pineda said enforcement uncertainty is already affecting business activity across the state.

The chamber will hold its annual Baton Rouge Business Luncheon on Thursday at the Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center, where Gov Jeff Landry is scheduled to speak

“The biggest concern here is the economic impact on businesses,” Pineda said. “There are nearly 29,000 businesses registered to Hispanic owners in Louisiana, and if they’re not generating income, they’re not paying taxes.”

The recent large-scale federal immigration enforcement operations began in the New Orleans metro area on Dec. 3, with the ofﬁcial launch of “Operation Catahoula Crunch.”

Despite its size and economic importance, Louisiana’s Latino population remains largely absent from the ballot box A 2020 study by Voto Latino found that of just over 175,000 eligible Latino voters in Louisiana, about 76% did not vote.

“I think there is a level of civic engagement, of increased civic engagement, that needs to happen in the Latino community,” Navarro said.

She pointed to the election of New Orleans’ first Latina mayor as a signal of what representation can mean

“If you can’t see someone who looks like you, sounds like you, has a similar shared heritage to you doing it, you cannot be as inspired,” Navarro said

For Navarro, the stakes extend well beyond politics and into the long-term future of the region

“Latinos have always been part of the fabric of south Louisiana community but there has been quite a shift in the colors of that fabric since Katrina,” she said “The concern is that tapestry could completely change because of the current political climate.”

Email Anthony McAuley tmcauley@theadvocate.com.

Digitalhealthcareinthe United States is continuously shaped by acomplex patchwork of federaland statelawsand regulations.

Federallawsgovernprivacy,while federal agencies regulate medicaldevices and certainsoftware. Telehealth rulesvaryby state, though Medicare andmanystates have expanded coverage andlicensure ﬂexibility,and oversightcomes from multiple agencies. However, challengespersist regardingthe regulation of AI,cross-state telehealth practices, cybersecurity, anddata notcovered by federallaw,sopolicymakers continue to pursue reformstoensure innovationaligns with patientprotections

Ourﬁrm is proudtohelpleadthe wayforward forLouisiana healthcare providersand supportcompanies as they undergo digitaltransformationand navigatethisevolving andcomplex legal andregulatoryenvironment.

Navarro

window recently

AllisonBell Nadiadela Houssaye

Gallagher: LessonsinResilience

On the recent 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the Gallagherteam has been looking backat theexperienceand howitshaped today’sinsurance industry.

NancySylvester is an area executive vice presidentatGallagher,based in Baton Rouge. Sherecentlysharedher story of Hurricane Katrina, the challenges the insuranceindustry facedand howresilienceshaped the path forward.

With damages exceeding USD200 billion, Katrina notonly altered the city’sphysical landscapebut alsoreshaped global perspectives on disasterpreparednessand response.Today, 20 yearsafter Hurricane Katrina struck NewOrleans, its impact remains deeply felt acrossthe affectedcommunities as the costliestand one of the ﬁvedeadliesthurricanes in US history.

Q: Take us back to Augustof2005. Howdid youexperience the landfall of the hurricane?

IliveinBaton Rouge,70milesfromNew Orleans. That weekend, my oldestson wasﬁshing in the Gulf of Mexicoand when we urged him to come back inland, whatshould have been an hour’s drivetook about 12 hoursdue to the worseningconditions. The news reports initiallysaid things were under control, butby lunchtime on Monday, the levees began breaking and things quickly spiraled out of control.

Q: What were the ﬁrstdayslikewhen family andfriendssought shelter at your home,far from the mostaffectedareas?

Iwelcomed my family from NewOrleans,expectingittobe manageable,but soon found myselfhosting 26 people.Islept undermydining room table,the only privatespaceleft. Wandering into the kitchenatnight, I’dmeetstrangers saying, “I work foryour cousin. He said it would be OK.”Ireassured everyone,“Yeah, everything’s ﬁne.”

Q: Howwas daily lifeimpactedinthe aftermath of Hurricane Katrina?

My usual 15-minutedrivetothe office would takehours due to the crowds seeking refuge in BatonRouge and justtrying to get somewhereelse. Schools also faceda suddensurge in students, andthe schoolofficeswould announcewherepeople could ﬁnd food.

Blackhawk helicopterswereconstantly ﬂying overhead, transporting the injured from NewOrleans to Louisiana State University(LSU), where the athletics departmentbecame a makeshift emergency hospital. TheLSU studentbody even donatedclothingtothose in need, and youcouldsee people wearing purple andgold, thecolorsofthe university. It wasa touching displayofhumanity after Hurricane Katrina, with everyone welcomed and cared forasbestaspossible

Q: Howhaveyour clients’ perspectives on extremeweather risks evolved since Hurricane Katrina?

BeforeKatrina, redundancies were oftenviewedasunnecessary expenses. Today, having backups is understood as essential. Clients nowprioritizestrengthening buildings to ensuretheir facilities can enduresevereweather,addressing all potential exposures on supply chains or backup power, forexample Everyoneisfocused on preventing businessinterruptionclaims and avoiding closingtheir doorsbecause, once theydo, theymay neveropen again. We knowthatFEMA [Federal Emergency ManagementAgency] has stated 40%ofcompanies don’t reopen after adisaster, and another 25% fail within oneyear

As acommunity, we’realso massively investing in roof resilience to withstand strong winds and preventpiercings. When damage or lossoccurs, my clientsaren’tinterestedinjustrebuilding what wastherebefore; they’refocused on constructing to newercodes and following thehighestbuildingstandards

An article from Gallagher

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LOUISIANA

‘RARE IN THIS WORLD’

Memory cafes provide community for patients, caregivers

BY RACHEL MIPRO

Contributing writer

A small-scale Uptown program ﬁlled with music, art and discussion provides new life for people with dementia.

The New Orleans Jewish Community Center’s Alzheimer’s Care and Enrichment Program has become a lifeline for families dealing with dementia

Rachel Ruth, director of adult programs at the center said the program’s half-day format and small size — limited to 12 participants at a time — promotes a comfortable atmosphere for participants.

“They can sit around one table,” Ruth said. “They might not remember each other’s names, but they know their faces. They know each other.”

The small program meets three times a week and is geared toward people who live at home, to give caregivers some respite.

The schedule includes dancing, games and art. Children in the nursery program visit and the two groups read or do other activities together Participants will regularly listen to music, play games like Bingo or Hangman or do other activities before helping prepare their lunch. Each participant gets a task suited for their ability, whether this is cutting up fruit, squeezing lemonade or other lunch preparation tasks.

“We serve people at all different lev-

els of the disease,” Ruth said. “People from early stages to people who are nonverbal. Even if they’re nonverbal, we still address them when we’re asking questions.”

Questions start with:

n Where were you born?

n Where did you grow up?

n What kind of family do you have around you?

ä See MEMORY, page 2X

Hospital commits $5M to maternal health workforce at Southern

Staff report

Woman’s Hospital has committed

$5 million over the next three years to support the expansion of the Southern University and A&M College of Nursing and Allied Health, in partnership with the Southern University System Foundation.

The funding will double the college’s enrollment capacity in efforts to strengthen Louisiana’s nursing workforce and expand care in maternal care deserts in the sate.

Vaccine from Tulane could prevent emerging disease

Melioidosis is a little-known, and likely underreported, worldwide tropical disease now seen as an emerging public health threat.

The disease is caused by bac-

HEALTH NOTES

teria that live in soil and groundwater, and no vaccine exists to prevent infection Melioidosis can cause life-threatening pneumonia or sepsis within three days.

Now, researchers at Tulane University have developed the first vaccine shown to successfully protect nonhuman primates from melioidosis.

The findings, published in Nature Communications, are a key step toward human clinical trials and preventing a bacterial infection that’s often resistant to treatment — and which public health experts see spreading to areas it was not previously found.

While the vaccine has not yet gone to human clinical trial, it was tested on human immune cell sam-

ples. The resulting antibody and T cell responses “suggested that the vaccine will produce the desired immune responses for protection in humans,” Dr Lisa Morici, a corresponding author and microbiologist and immunologist, said in a statement from Tulane.

Development of the vaccine has taken more than a decade and required global collaboration between Tulane University, Northern Arizona University, University of California Irvine and Charles Darwin University in Australia.

Experts at LSU LCMC publish cancer research

Researchers at the LSU LCMC Health Cancer Center and LSU Health New Orleans published

ä See NOTES, page 3X

Melioidosis is a tropical disease caused by bacteria found in water and soil that can be ingested, inhaled or enter open wounds of someone walking in a rice paddy, for example. Researchers at Tulane University have developed what may be the first vaccine capable of protecting against the disease.

STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Alice Clanton, assistant director of adult programs at the Jewish Community Center on St. Charles Avenue, helps Ron Knill, 93, a retired Tulane math professor who receives memory-care services at the Uptown campus on Dec. 19.

PROVIDED PHOTO

HEALTH MAKER

N.O. nurse dedicates 20-year career to NICU families

BY MARGARET DeLANEY Staff writer

Paula Simon has worked at Ochsner for nearly 20 years, guiding families through their most fragile moments, shaping the culture of one of the region’s busiest neonatal intensive care units and mentoring the nurses who carry out some of the most delicate work in medicine. Today, as unit director at Ochsner Baptist Hospital, she oversees a team that cares for thousands of Louisiana’s smallest patients each year Simon found herself in this role because of personal experience. While in nursing school, she gave birth to triplets — Tyler, Dylan and Kylie — at 31 weeks old. The trio were discharged from the NICU at various times over their two-month stay and are now 23 years old, living in New Orleans. Why nursing in the neonatal inten-

sive care unit, or NICU? I went into nursing because I thought I wanted to be a midwife. My goal was to be a labor and delivery nurse and then go back to school.

Simon

During nursing school, I became a NICU mom myself to triplets born at 31 weeks They weighed 2 pounds, 6 ounces; 3 pounds, 2 ounces; and 3 pounds, 1 ounce Each one had their own challenges. My husband and I were ﬁrst-time parents, overwhelmed and terriﬁed but also incredibly grateful. The nurses and providers who cared for our babies didn’t just take care of them, they took care of us, too. They became our lifeline during that time, helping us navigate everything from feeding schedules to fear of the unknown.

That experience gave me a very personal understanding of what our families go

through. It was humbling and life changing. I already knew personally what a difference this team could make, and I wanted to be a part of that for other families.

When I went back for the end of my degree at LSU Health New Orleans, I still wanted to be in labor and delivery My senior year, Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. Finding a mentor was very difﬁcult — and everybody in my class seemed to want to be in labor and delivery I didn’t get my ﬁrst choice.

I ended up being in the NICU with a nurse in the same unit that my kids were in just a year before. I fell in love with it I realized that this is what I’m supposed to do. There was a reason that there weren’t any labor and delivery positions for me.

How has your personal experience impacted your work in the NICU?

Being a NICU mom has shaped every part of who I am as a nurse and a leader I know what it’s like to sit be-

side an incubator, watching monitors and praying for stability I know what it’s like to count the hours between updates and to feel both hope and fear in the same breath. That perspective drives how I lead, how I communicate and how I advocate for both families and staff.

It’s also taught me the importance of supporting our nurses. The work they do is demanding and emotional, but it’s sacred work. My goal is to make sure they always have the tools, the support, and the recognition they deserve.

What major changes have happened in the NICU space in your 20-year career? What changes are on the way?

When I was a parent in the NICU, things were very different. I was not allowed into the unit when the physicians were doing rounds with the nurses and making the plan of care.

We were allowed to come into the NICU at 12:30 p.m. I talked to a physician twice

in the time my children were in the NICU — over two months. That lack of communication is something we have worked really hard to change. Our physicians do rounds on our babies every day The call families every day, giving them an update. Parents are allowed in the unit 24/7. Parents aren’t visitors in our space. They are a part of our care team. So much technology has changed in the last 20 years as well. It’s really crazy Over the last few years, some of the technology has allowed us to monitor babies without having to draw blood.

The transcutaneous bilirubin meter, or TCB, is implemented to check if a baby had jaundice. We can just check the skin with this device. We’ve saved babies lots of pokes with that new technology

We just introduced transcutaneous CO2 monitoring as well. That’s been a huge impact for our babies be-

cause we can tell how well we’re ventilating them with their respiratory support without having to draw gas. We’re not taking blood that they need to transport oxygen to all of their vital organs. We’re also saving them the pain of that poke.

Any idea how many babies you’ve helped?

During my bedside years, I was the primary nurse for more than 20 families, but honestly, the number of babies and families I’ve had the privilege of helping over the years is impossible to count. It’s in the thousands by now

What I love most is that the impact looks different now Back then, it was about holding a parent’s hand or celebrating a baby’s ﬁrst bottle. Now it’s about mentoring the nurses who create those moments every day The circle of care just keeps growing.

Email Margaret DeLaney at margaret.delaney@ theadvocate.com.

Experts weigh in on health benefits of banana water

BY DEBORAH VANKIN

Los Angeles Times (TNS)

If a can of coconut water and a banana smoothie had a baby, it might be banana water The latest plant-based hydration beverage on the market is being touted as “the peel good beverage” that offers “a bunch of nutrients.” And it’s drumming up attention on social media.

“Boyfriend says it has aromatics of slightly overripe banana,” one Reddit user leemoongrass, commented, adding, “It honestly isn’t that bad.”

“It smells like baby food,” lsp2c said on Instagram.

Not to be confused with banana water for plants, which is a DIY fertilizer made by soaking banana peels in water to extract nutrients, such as potassium and vitamin C. Nor homemade banana drinks, such as hot water steeped with banana peels and strained, or blended banana smoothies.

The new drink, sold in supermarkets, is being marketed as an alternative to sports drinks, a sort of coconut water 2.0. But some have taken to social media with questions: “How do you think you juice a banana?!” tybottofficial asked on TikTok, while unpacking a box of organic banana water from Woodstock. “I wonder if they’re just in a factory, like, you know, really milking these bananas, I guess?” (He gave the drink a 7.5 out of 10.)

Both Woodstock and Banagua, leading manufacturers of banana water, make their banana water in Thailand

MEMORY

Continued from page 1X

n What work did you do?

n How did you meet your husband?

n What are your interests?

Ruth said the team uses the information to pull them into conversation when something comes up.

Melanie Bronfin, whose 68-year-old husband, Danny, is enrolled in the program, described the program as a blessing.

“There’s so little he can do now that he can enjoy,” Bronfin said. “He can’t sit and watch a TV show for long; he doesn’t register what’s going on. So to have a place where you can go and get stimulation and activity and camaraderie is just a godsend because it’s hard for me to provide that for him in any way otherwise.”

Caregiver Nicki Hurst’s husband, Kenny, was diagnosed ﬁve years ago. After a year and a half on the waitlist, Kenny entered the program in October She remem-

from organic “Thai golden” and “Thai cultivated” bananas, which are shorter and stubbier-looking than the standard yellow bananas sold in most American supermarkets and which have a slight pinkish tint. The fruit gets pinker in the processing and the drink has a pinkish hue. If you’re a label ogler, the ingredient list will put you at ease. Banana water contains just one ingredient: bananas. There’s no signiﬁcant water added to it. A banana is 80% water, Banagua co-founder Rob Smithson says, and the processing of the drink (an “enzymatic process”) separates the water from the pulp — the drink is slightly viscous but not pulpy. Woodstock’s bananas are steamed and mashed with “proprietary enzymes” to release nutrients. “Think of it as liqueﬁed bananas,” says Bruce Bruemmer, vice president of brand management at UNFI Brands+, Woodstock’s parent company

The upshot? Both companies say their banana water is especially healthy, brimming with electrolytes like potassium, B6 and magnesium, as well as minerals and antioxidants such as vitamin A and C. The drink has no added sugar and zero fat, sodium and cholesterol, though a 330ml can does have about 13 grams of carbohydrates, slightly less than Naked coconut water’s 14 grams in a container of the same size. So how healthy is banana water, what does it taste like, and is it worth the hype? Here’s the deal.

bers researching programs in her spare time, trying to find a suitable fit. “This program was the most reasonable program ever,” Hurst said. Bronfin and Hurst participate in the accompanying Caregivers Support Group as well, where people whose loved ones have dementia can meet up and offer support and advice to another

During a December support group meeting, she and other wives of people diagnosed with dementia described the emotional and ﬁnancial hardships of the disease

Around 95,000 people aged 65 and older have Alzheimer’s in Louisiana, according to statistics from the Alzheimer’s Association. The Alzheimer’s Association’s study of 2020 statistics found Louisiana had the ﬁfthhighest rate of Alzheimer’s dementia compared to other states in the country sitting at a rate of 12.4% for Alzheimer’s disease in people over 65. The same group estimated 252,000 family caregivers provide essential support to people living with

Manufacturer’s claims:

“Our banana water has 205 mg of magnesium 50% of the daily value,” Smithson says of Banagua’s Original Banana which went on the market in July 2025. “And it’s especially hydrating — probably 2-3 bananas per can, which you can bring anywhere and you don’t have to worry about moldy bananas And just 50 calories — Naked’s coconut water has 60.” Woodstock’s 500ml can of banana water, which went on the market in March 2024,

dementia in the state.

For these family caregivers, the situation can feel helpless When asked about the available resources for dementia patients in the city and in the state, caregivers within the program described the situation as desperate. The waitlist for the Alzheimer’s Care and Enrichment program is more than a year long. Few programs like it exist across Louisiana.

Bronfin, a longtime early childhood education advocate, has continued to be outspoken about the challenges of dementia services in the state. She stressed the hidden costs of dementia care, which pile on top of the emotional toll of caring for loved ones suffering with the disease. “I’m so lucky because I was able to retire and take care of my husband,” Bronﬁn said. “But people are trying to work or take care of kids, and have no help and no funding stream for help for their loved ones, unless they impoverish themselves to get someone into a nursing

has just 80 calories. “Our Woodstock Organic Banana Water stands out for its great taste and natural hydration,” Bruemmer says, “delivering 765mg of electrolytes — similar to many sports drinks — without any artificial colors, flavors or preservatives.”

Nutritionists’ take: “It’s probably a sequel to coconut water,” says Dr Thomas Sherman, a professor of pharmacology and physiology at Georgetown University Medical Center “It

home.”

Bronfin said instances of older spouses taking care of spouses who need help are not in line for funding streams.

“Frankly, it is to me, an abomination that there is no help,” Bronﬁn said. Barbara Knill has been in the program several years for her 90-year-old husband, Ron, who was diagnosed about eight or so years ago. Although he started showing symptoms much earlier; she remembers having a conversation with nurses about the situation right after Hurri-

would appeal to people who are worried about animal wellness and saturated fat in their milk drinks or who are worried about too high sugar so this ﬁts the bill But I question its effectiveness — these types of beverages offer such trivial amounts of electrolytes compared to what’s already in our food. And it’s expensive.”

Sherman says that, in the end, it comes down to the consumer’s intentions for choosing banana water

“If you’re buying it be-

cane Katrina. “It’s progressed, and you don’t even realize how long it is, because you just kind of go along with it. This is life,” Knill said. “You suddenly realize, ‘Oh, yeah, there was a different life then,’ You roll away with it because what else can you do? And you realize that there are still good times and you relish those.”

Their husbands, downstairs in one of the center’s rooms, were grouped around a white board with the rest of the program participants, playing a word game before

cause of the taste, and you want to support a plantbased beverage, and (because) it’s fairly low sugar, then ﬁne,” he says. “But if you’re buying it because you’re interested in getting more potassium and magnesium and calcium with low sodium, then it’s silly because just eat plants, eat food, that’s going to supply hundreds of times more potassium and calcium and magnesium.”

Categorizing banana water as a sports drink is problematic, adds Vanessa King, a registered dietitian nutritionist specializing in supplements.

“Sports drinks replace electrolytes,” King says. “The problem with banana water is that while bananas are very high in potassium, the electrolyte that you predominantly lose when you exercise is sodium and it doesn’t provide sodium. I would not choose it over a sports drink.” King points out that “banana juice,” as she calls it, suffers from the same concerns as other juices: “It’s more concentrated sugar without the ﬁber you’d get from the fruit version.” But any amount of potassium, magnesium, vitamin A and C all key nutrients in banana water — is helpful, King says. “They’re all nutrients that are generally under-consumed by Americans. But bananas also have those nutrients!” The taste: We found it sweet and tropical-tasting, slightly viscous but surprisingly refreshing. However, we didn’t go bananas for it.

listening to a Dolly Parton song.

Danny Bronfin helped pass around a yellow balloon for a quick game ahead of the group’s holiday party “In this world where access to everything for our loved one is such a battle, just because there are so few resources — to have a place where you just don’t have to fight — well, you have to fight to get in. But once you’re blessed to be in, you’re welcomed, and they’re accessible,” Brofin said “That is just so rare in this world.”

WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU

The Louisiana Health section is focused on providing in-depth, personal accounts of health in the state.This section looks at medical innovations, health discoveries, state and national health statistics and reexamining tried and true methods on ways to live well.

Health editions will also profile people who are advancing health for the state of Louisiana. Do you have a health story? We want to hear from you. Email margaret.delaney@ theadvocate.com to submit health questions, stories and more.

FILE PHOTO By PETER FOREST

Banana water is being marketed as an alternative to sports drinks

Jcollective little as many, and Cat naturally renewal, Free annual Mardi designed ab us how The abstinence; fresh shape includes post-challenge body af photos. health grounded over

THENUMBERS

NEW CANCER CASESINTHE U.S. IN 2025

According to the AmericanCancer Society, more than 2million newcancer cases are estimated to have been diagnosedinthe U.S. in 2025, excluding nonmelanoma skin cancers.

Everyone is at risk of developing cancer, according to the society,althoughincidence increases greatly with age; 88% of people diagnosed with cancer in the USare 50 years or older, and 59% are 65 or older

The state averageinthe U.S. was 614 new cancer cases per 100,000 people Louisiana had 29,980 newcancercasesin 2025 at arate of 650.7 per100,000 —the 13th-highest rate of newcancercasesinthe country.

These states had the highest ratesofnew cancer cases in 2025:

n Maine had 11,080 newcancercasesata rate of 785.6 per 100,000; n West Virginia had 13,250 newcancercases at arate of 748.9 per 100,000; n NewHampshire had 10,290 newcancer cases at arate of 726.8 per100,000; n Florida had 171,960 newcancercasesata rate of 721.3 per 100,000;

NOTES

Continued from page1X

groundbreaking findings in NPJ Breast Cancer that shed new light on triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of breast cancer

The research examined tumors from more than 250 Black and White womenacrossLouisiana.

The research found:

n Race is not an intrinsic predictorofsurvival. Despite well-documented differences in canceroutcomes, this study found thatworse outcomes for Black women with TNBC aremore likely linked to later diagnosis and socioeconomic challenges to care rather than tumor biology alone.

n Anew molecular subtypewas identiﬁed. Researchers discovered

n Vermont had 4,680 newcancer cases at a rateof 720.3 per 100,000;

n Delaware had 7,680 newcancer cases at a rateof 719.5 per 100,000;

n Pennsylvaniahad 90,240 newcancer cases at arateof 686.8 per 100,000; n RhodeIsland had 7,480 newcancer cases at arateof 667.1 per 100,000; n Wisconsin had 39,940 newcancer cases at arateof 666.6 per 100,000; n Montana had 7,560 newcancer cases at a rate of 661.3 per 100,000

These states had the lowest rates of new cancer cases in 2025:

n Utah had 14,120 newcancer cases at a rateof 396.2 per 100,000;

n Texas had 150,870 newcancer cases at a rateof 473.6 per 100,000;

n Coloradohad 29,020 newcancer cases at arate of 482.6 per 100,000;

n Alaska had 3,670 newcancer cases at a rateof 493.4 per 100,000; n California had 199,980 newcancer cases at arate of 504.2 per 100,000;

n Nevada had 17,540 newcancer cases at a rateof 528.2 per 100,000;

apreviously unrecognized group of TNBC tumorswith distinct biological features, potentially opening the door tonovel, targeted treatment strategies n Immune differences may hold the key to future therapies. Tumors from Black women showed higher levels of certain immune cells, particularly Bcells, which are associatedwith better responses to treatment andlonger survival. These ﬁndings suggest newopportunities for precision immunotherapy

LDH announces rural healthfunding program

Louisiana will receive over $208 million through the Rural Health TransformationProgram, established under President Donald Trump’sWorking Families Tax Cuts legislation.Louisiana’saward amount is among the highest in the

Newcancercases in 2025

AlcoholFreefor40 ChallengeDetails: RegisteratAlcoholFreeFor40.com bymidnightFeb.15.

OnFebruary19,OchsnerEatFit willhostkick-offeventsinsix citiesacrossLouisiana—New Orleans,BatonRouge,Covington, Lafayette,ShreveportandMonroe —whereparticipantscangettheir pre-challengelabsandmetrics. Then,just40dayslater,onApril2, werepeatthoseteststodeliver yourpost-challengemetrics.

Theestimated number of newcancercases,per 100,000, by statein2025. More

650to699 550 to 599 Less

Source:AmericanCancerSociety

n Kansas had 15,810 newcancer casesata rate of 528.9 per 100,000;

n NewMexico had 11,540 newcancercases at arate of 539.4 per 100,000;

n Arizona had 42,560 newcancercasesata rate of 553.3 per 100,000;

n North Dakota had 4,510 newcancercases at arate of 560.9 per 100,000

country, andamong the topthreein theSoutheast.

The LouisianaDepartment of Health willprovide resources, facilitate collaboration across agencies and reinforcestate policy changes needed to address pressing health care disparities, according to arelease from the department.

The program targets residents facing the greatest barriers those with chronic disease, behavioral health needs,perinatal risks or cancer disparities —while also investing in theproviders,workforce and infrastructure needs.

Julie Foster Hagan, executive directorfor theRural Health Transformation Program, will lead the implementation of thefunding.

Tulane professor named National Academyfellow Tulane University biomedical

Total newcasesare roundedtothe nearest 10 and do not include basal and squamous cell skin cancers and in situcarcinoma except urinarybladder. Cancerincidence rateswerecalculatedusing the American CancerSociety’s 2025 newcase estimatesand 2025 state populations from WorldPopulation Review

engineering professor J. Quincy Brown, aColumbia Heights native, has been named a2025 fellowofthe National AcademyofInventors for his groundbreaking work developing cutting-edge imaging technologies that will save lives by making cancer easiertodetect, understand and treat

“When Iwas growing up, Ialways dreamed of oneday becoming an ‘inventor,’but neverinmywildest dreams could Ihave imagined being counted amongthe National Academy of Inventors,”Brown said in astatement from Tulane.

In 2024,Brown’s Tulane-based project, MAGIC-SCAN, received national attention witha presidentialvisit and up to $23million in funding. The goal of MAGICSCAN is to give doctors theability to conﬁrm —withinminutes after surgery —that they have removed all remnants of cancer from the

surgery site. Being named aNational AcademyofInventors Fellow is further recognition of the value of Brown’s work, as it is the highest professional distinction awarded solely to inventors.

“I am extremely humbled and honored by this, but moreimportantly,I am grateful to have been able to work alongside manybrilliant people along the way who have helpedbring these ideas and technologies to life,” Brown said. “I hope that the inventions that come out of our work are able to contribute meaningfully to society,which would be the ultimate honor.”

HealthNotes is an occasional listing of healthhappenings around Louisiana.Have something you’d liketoshare? Contact us at margaret. delaney@theadvocate.com.

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LOUISIANA

Book shelves nowoccupy the spacethat once was the sanctuaryfor the former First Presbyterian

The church has beenhome toAudubon Regional Library’sClinton branch since 2023. The librarypreviously was locatedonLawyers’ Rowacross from the East Feliciana Parish Courthouse.

‘Fromaplace of worship to aplace of knowledge’

Former church nowthe Audubon Regional Library

BYJOY HOLDEN Staffwriter

Nestled in the East Felicianawoods is ared brick church with white columns built in 1953. However,upon closer inspection, thisplace for worship is now aplace of knowledge, the Clinton branch of theAudubon Regional Library

Formerly the Clinton Presbyterian Church on 11023 Bank St., the Audubon Regional Library now is full of shelvesand booksinstead of pews and hymnals. Multiple panes of stunning stained glass linethe walls of the library,and original wood ﬂoorsand wooden trusses still evokeahallowed atmosphere. Original pendant lights emitasoft glow

But on Sundays, the doors are closed. Every other day patrons are free to walk in, use the computers use the internet, choose andcheck out books.

Repurposingsacredspace

Before inhabiting the former church, the Clinton branch had been located in Lawyers’ Rowsince 1917. Lawyers’ Rowisa stripofwhite,historical buildings behind the parish courthouse, and although theexterior of the former library was beautiful,

historical buildings as much as they can, as opposed to tearingsomething down and building something brandnew.Ithink it was good that we were able to update the space,” LeGette said.

Clinton Presbyterian Churchwas founded in 1855 but had moved into the building located on Bank Street in 1953. Astrong presence in the community at one time, membership and attendance dwindled over time.

In 2020, theClintonPresbyterian Church congregation wasdown to four members, and they were discussinghow to responsiblytake care of theirproperty and dispense with it

Presbyterian minister Betsy Irvine was serving there at the time, and she helped them ﬁnd asolution.

“Wedidn’twant it to be torn down andbecome ahousing development or turn into an insurancecompany. We wanted something that was somewhat in linewiththe mission of achurch,” Irvine said.

theinside was limited in space. Aubrey LeGette, aClintonnative and the library branch manager,grew up going to the old location. While historic, the space wascramped and tight, he said.The new location,however,has plenty of room for more books, achildren’sroom and space for programming.

“In Clinton, people like to retain the

Irvine and the church members started having conversationswith people in town, and several mentioned that thelibrary was atinyspace. The church and the library board met,and thechurch offered thebuilding and land to the Audubon Regional Library

“Wethought it wouldbeamarvelous space foralibrary.It’sclose to town.You canwalktoit. It’s big, it’s open. It haslovelypropertywithgrass and trees, so you couldhave aplayground,” Irvine said.

After getting the community in-

ä See KNOWLEDGE, page 2Y

For most of my life, Ihaven’thesitated to hang things on the wall. My husband can verify that I’mnot good at waiting in most circumstances —and that applies to putting art on walls too. Even so, he hangs art faster than Ido.

While Idon’toverthink the process, Idolike to at least consider the possibilities of the biggerpicture —what goes where and with what. Meanwhile, my husband will just start willy-nilly hanging pictures on awall with what sometimes looks to me like little rhyme or reason. Our different approaches to picture hanging have ledtomore than one, shall we say,conversation. Over the years, we’ve worked through the process. He haslearned the wisdom of consulting me before too many nails go in the wall, and Ihave learned the wisdom of letting some things go Thebottom line, though, is that both of us like our surroundings to feel finishedand full of things we believe are beautiful. Afterour house fire in August, we were able to recover most of our art, thanks to the firefighters who recognized —without ever having met us —thatthe art on the walls mattered to us. They saved many of our treasures. Once the artwork was cleaned and sanitized, we were able to bring it to our rental as work continues on the rebuilding process of our home. On the first daythe artwork arrived, I was notsurprisedthatmyhusband had hammer and nails in his hands and was getting the pictures up. We don’texpect to be here forvery long, but still the pictures are on the walls. For the first time, Igave him freerein to hang the pictures however and wherever he wanted. Their topsy-turviness is endearing and what adifference they’ve made. They brought afamiliarity that was almost unsettling at first. Still, the walls did their job and helpedhold our story Hanging the artwork during this tumultuousand uncertain time hasreminded me of another period of my life. Years ago, when Iwas young and living farfrom home, waiting on the next thingtobecome clear,Istopped hanging things on the wall. Not intentionally Not as adeclaration. Ijust… didn’tdoit. Pictures leaned against dressers. Art lived in closets.

After months of something nagging at me, Irealized it was the lack of art on the walls.

Even though Iwas ababy adult, Ihad neverbeen someone who didn’thang pictures on the walls.

Bare walls almost felt wrong —like I was pretending nottobewhere Iwas. Like Iwas refusing to admit that this place, however temporary it felt, was still my life.

Thefeeling begantobother me so much that Imentioned my unease to a friend. He asked why Ihadn’thung the pictures. IexplainedthatI didn’tknowhow much longer Iwould be there and didn’t knowifhanging them would be worth the effort.

From there, he asked asimple quesPictures

ä See RISHER, page 2Y

STAFF PHOTO By ROBIN MILLER

Church of Clinton.

STAFFPHOTO By JANRISHER

Pictures hanging in Jan Risher’s temporaryhome are somewhat topsyturvy but have added asense of needed familiarity and warmth. an Rishe

STAFF PHOTO By JANRISHER

The Rev. Betsy Irvine, of Baton Rouge, wasserving as minister at the Clinton Presbyterian Church in 2020. She helped the dwindling membership find asolution on agood use for their building— so that it could still serve the community.She is pictured in the church-turned-library.

INSPIRED DISCUSSIONS

ASK THE EXPERTS

Firefly pollinator project underway in Jean Lafitte

LSU entomologist creates ideal habitat for larvae to increase population

BY JOY HOLDEN Staff writer

Chalmette native Christine Gam-

bino grew up on a rice farm in Mamou, where she used to see ﬁreﬂies regularly She left the farm to attend LSU and graduated in 2016 with a degree in horticulture. Since then, she has been working in extension with the LSU AgCenter. She is stationed in the Entomology department at LSU where she is working toward her master’s degree.

Gambino and Aaron Ashbrook, another LSU AgCenter entomologist, have been working with the small town of Jean Lafitte, which is located on Bayou Barataria 23 miles south of New Orleans, to restore the firefly population.

How did this fireflies project come about?

The then mayor of Jean Lafitte, Tim Kerner Jr., reached out to me and Aaron as extension personnel within the department. We’ve had a few pollinator projects in our back pocket now In the Wetland Trace, where (Kerner was) growing up, he used to see fireflies all the time, and he had some other city folk around to talk to us about the historic fireflies that were in the area. We were wondering if we could try to get them back because it’s such a loss to their community to have that gone. What actions did your team take?

We surveyed the site for fireflies to see if they even had a baseline population, and we went back multiple times. Sadly, we came up short in that there was no evidence. But there is still a chance. They could be where we didn’t sample. Then we did research on fireflies,

KNOWLEDGE

Continued from page 1y

volved and going through the proper channels, the exchange was made, and the church even donated money for repairs and renovations. The church had one stipulation — that a small room be set aside for church history and church objects. Today that small room also functions as an ofﬁce, but it has a large display case of church photographs, old Bibles and church artifacts

“I’ve always been interested, ever since I graduated from seminary many years ago, in how churches can share space, and how we can make sacred space also community space. It brings me joy to reuse things responsibly, and it’s a win-win for everybody involved,” Irvine said The library just recently celebrated two years in the location, having opened Dec. 27, 2023.

Preserving the unique beauty of the space was a priority both for the church and for the library Trevor Collings, library director of Audubon Regional Library, has been there for three years and oversaw the renovation. He is proud that the

because neither me nor Aaron are experts in fireflies. We have those academic resources at our disposal to be able to find out ways to restore their habitat. We really focused on restoring the habitat for the fireflies to come back.

One of the biggest issues with fireflies is what I call the Triple P — people, pesticides and population. People are moving into the area and shining their lights, which disrupt the firefly mating patterns, and building houses where the fireflies historically lived. Then, pesticides are impacting them just like they’re impacting our honeybee population. There’s lots of correlations between the two. And their populations are declining because our populations are increasing in the area.

And also in Jean Lafitte, Hurricane Ida came through the area and completely disrupted their whole way of life. We’re also thinking that the wetland area was ﬂooded by this hurricane and could have drawn all the larvae back into the swamp.

How did you create the habitat for the food that the fireflies eat?

Q&A WITH CHRISTINE GAMBINO ENTOMOLOGIST

landscaper’s plant nursery, Sweet Fern Landscapes, and she grew out a long list of plants for us. Her nursery worked with Jean Laﬁtte to get them transported from St Francisville.

They got those delivered, and the community worked so hard. We planted them around a 1,500-squarefoot area that serpentines along their little bayou, which already has some established native trees in the area. They’re old growth trees that hopefully will support the mating of the lady ﬁreﬂies.

We scheduled a day with the town of Jean Lafitte to plant all these plants and we had around 30 volunteers come out The trail maintenance guard, Joe Horne, put fire ant bait out on all of the anthills because fire ants are a very big predator of firefly larvae. Tim Kerner Jr who won the race for district councilman, was replaced by Mayor Yvette Crain. We have a really good working relationship with her Is your working relationship with Jean Lafitte going to continue?

That is the plan. Me and Aaron will take another trip out there probably in the middle of January Tim Kerner Sr and Jennifer van Bracken, the council member at large of the area, came and supported us as well. They were instrumental in really making this happen and coordinating with the leaf litter folks.

Firefly larvae are voracious predators. They actually inject a neurotoxin into their prey that paralyzes them so then they can eat them while they’re still alive. The larvae live in leaf litter areas and areas where there are slugs, snails and all sorts of little insects running around for them to paralyze and eat.

architectural integrity of the church was maintained through the transition

In fact, the library was featured in Library Journal‘s 2024 architectural showcase for renovations of small libraries.

Two reminders of the sacred purpose of the building hang above the circulation desk two Art Nouveau stained glass windows that portray angels and a woman clutching a stone cross among the waves. These windows were gifts from St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church in New Orleans.

Sanctuary of knowledge

“I think we were able to retain the history but modernize it and create a space that is good for the public,” Collings said. “It’s not a place of worship anymore, but it is a place of knowledge, and I think that’s still honoring the intent.”

Audubon Regional Library is a two-parish library system which includes East Feliciana and St. Helena Parish. Both parishes understood the importance of a library to their communities and partnered together to offer library services for all The three branches are in Clinton, Jackson and Greensburg.

The first step we took was to get the community to gather up all the leaf litter that they could and distribute it in specific sites around the Wetland Trace that me and Aaron deemed were less likely to be impacted by floods, yet close enough

“I like creating spaces and places that people will be able to use for years to come to help themselves grow and move forward in whatever way they choose. So this is one of my favorite aspects of librarianship,” Collings said.

The Clinton branch has recently made some improvements that will open up more opportunities for the community — a new fence, parking lot, playground, sidewalks and a covered outdoor area Collings and LeGette say the playground ribbon cutting should happen at some time in the next couple of months.

“It seems to have been a popular thing to do. People are very eager for it to open up,” said LeGette. Collings is looking forward to expanding outdoor programming like movie nights and nature story time. He noted that children’s librarianship is important because it can make a difference in someone’s reading habits and intellect

“However you want to deﬁne the problems in the world, in small ways, not always huge ways, libraries are always part of the solution,” Collings said. “I’ve never in my life had trouble going to sleep at night from working in a public library.”

to the area where we planted all the native plants. So when the females are ﬂying around, they’ll be like, “Oh my gosh, this is such a great place to have my babies.”

We established those about seven months ago during the springtime.

If there were ﬁreﬂies in the area, hopefully they would go and have their babies there. Then we worked with a native

RISHER

Continued from page 1y

tion.

“How long would you need to live somewhere,” he said, “to have the mindset that you’d hang things on the wall?”

I thought for a moment and said, “Two years.” He nodded. Then he said something that has stuck with me

“Well then, since you don’t know how long you’re going to live there, assume that it’s two years,” he said, “and hang the pictures.”

So, I did.

And the relief was incredible. The walls didn’t just change the room. They changed me.

Hanging the pictures felt like stepping back into myself — like reclaiming a way of living I’d temporarily misplaced. It wasn’t really about commitment to the place. It was more about staying in relationship with my own life.

Right now, in a rental house ﬁlled with rental furniture, 67

It’s our plan to keep close in touch. Aaron and I got a grant for this through the LSU Student Sustainability Fund, and we were able to hire a student worker, Briana Carpenter, to work on this grant with us. Is the Jean Lafitte fireflies project something that can be expanded to other areas?

We’re looking to do a project just the same at Burden Botanical Gardens in Baton Rouge, and Briana will take the lead on growing the plants out and surveying the area. In surveying for insects and for fireflies in Jean Lafitte and at Burden, we can compare the two and maybe learn from them.

pictures hang on the walls. (Yes, middle schoolers, it really is 67 pictures.)

My husband and I have taken turns reminding each other that this rental isn’t just a placeholder — it is where we are now If the ﬁre has taught us anything, it is that we can’t wait for certainty

Certainty is an illusion. My husband knows instinctively what my wobbly season helped me relearn: You don’t postpone living just because the future hasn’t checked in yet. Looking back, that bare-wall season tells me something important.

It wasn’t evidence that I’m cautious or hesitant by nature, because I am not. It was proof of how disorienting that time felt — a moment when my internal compass wavered. For most of us, it’s the small departures from our usual habits that tell the biggest truths. And now, whether it’s a house, a season or a temporary address, I don’t hesitate. I don’t need certainty to hang the pictures. I just need a wall.

PHOTO PROVIDED By EDDy PEREZ

Christine Gambino, entomologist at LSU AgCenter

PROVIDED PHOTO

Christine Gambino plants native plants to attract fireflies to Jean Lafitte’s

Wetland Trace with colleague Aaron Ashbrook.

THERE’S GOOD NEWS, TOO

These are stories of global progress, compiled by the media group Fix the News and shared in partnership with The Advocate/The Times-Picayune.

GLOBAL POVERTY

The Quarterly Journal of Economics, edited by the Department of Economics at Harvard, published an article from economist Amory Gethin about the role of education in the reduction of global poverty. Gethin introduces a “distributional growth accounting” method to measure how education has driven global economic growth and poverty reduction from 1980 to 2019. He found that “education can account for about 45% of global economic growth and 60% of pretax income growth among the world’s poorest 20%” during that time frame. His research emphasizes that schooling has played a major role in the reduction of global poverty, along with its importance for growth in the future.

PROSTATE CANCER

Prostate cancer, one of the most common cancers affecting men, may have a new and improved treatment, according to a study by scientists from Flinders University in Australia and South China University of Technology.The international study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals that two enzymes, PDIA1 and

PDIA5, play a role in helping prostate cancer cells grow, survive and resist treatment. Blocking these enzymes destabilizes the androgen receptor (a key driver of the disease), causing cancer cell death and tumor shrinkage in laboratory and animal models. This discovery reveals a new vulnerability in prostate cancer and suggests that targeting these enzymes could improve therapies, though safer drugs need development before clinical use.

AUSTRALIAN WHALES

Eastern Australian humpback whales have rebounded dramatically, with a new estimate suggesting at least

50,000 individuals in 2024, surpassing their numbers before commercial whaling began.According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, scientists say the recovery from a low of around 150 whales in the 1960s is “remarkable,” with the population likely near or even above historical levels.The estimate comes from decades of sightings and photographs collected by researchers and citizen scientists. Experts aren’t sure why this population has rebounded so successfully compared to others, but factors like long coastline habitats for mothers and calves and less food competition may help.

Numbers are expected to plateau as the whales reach the maximum population size that the environment can sustain.

STUDY THE BRAIN

One of the world’s fastest supercomputers has helped researchers to create one of the most detailed virtual brain simulations ever, according to the Allen Institute The researchers digitally replicated the entire cortex of a mouse with nearly 10 million neurons and 26 billion synapses. Powered by the Japanese Fugaku supercomputer which performs quadrillions of calculations per second, the simulation models brain

structure and activity at a biophysical level, capturing how neurons fire, transmit signals and interact. This virtual cortex lets scientists conduct “experiments” that were previously only possible with real brain tissue — enabling them to explore disease progression (like Alzheimer’s or epilepsy), understand brain waves and test hypotheses about neural processes in unprecedented detail.

MIDWIVES IN UGANDA

In Uganda, midwives are intensifying their efforts to prevent and treat postpartum hemorrhage through enhanced training, tools and supplies. Globally, the leading cause of death for pregnant women is obstetric hemorrhage (severe bleeding),

Sespecially after childbirth.With help from the United Nations Population Fund, facilities like the Kawempe National Referral Hospital are training their health workers to use calibrated drapes, massaging techniques, tranexamic acid and IV fluids to quickly stop severe bleeding after childbirth, saving lives.Along with the UNFPA, the Ministry of Health, National Midwives Association of Uganda and partners are rolling out updated protocols and training materials to strengthen frontline responses.

Fixthenews.com is a solutions journalism newsletter that ﬁnds stories of progress and shares them with readers from across the world. Acclaimed author Steven Pinker calls Fix the News “the best source for positive news on the internet.”

HelpingSmall Businesses Thrive

herri Utleyand MaryAlvarez,two longtime friends, put together asmall church fundraiser in Ascension Parish, Louisiana. On thetable were candles, handpoured, carefullycrafted, and scented to sparkmemories. Theevent conﬁrmed whattheysuspected: People loved theplayful designs and nostalgic scents. It wasthe beginning of Blessed BayouCandles, acompanyrooted in faith, friendship, and thesimple desiretobring joy.

Theircandleswould eventuallytravelfar beyond Louisianato Oregon, NewJersey, Denmark, Mexico, and even Scotland, after thetwo women appliedtothe Shell LiveWire program, a businessaccelerator forentrepreneurs. Theprogram gavethem morethan training;itoffered community, coaching,and practical lessons on ﬁnance,marketing,and contingencyplanning.

“Wedidn’t even have ducks yet, but theShell LiveWire Programtaughtushow to line them up.”

PROVIDED PHOTO

EARLY PARTNERS

Economist Amory Gethin’s research emphasizes that schooling has played a major role in the reduction of global poverty along with its importance for growth in the future. In this file photo, teacher Shada Lassai reads to preschool students at Early Partners in New Orleans.

FAITH & VALUES

New pipe organ signals rebirth for church

Episcopal parish grows after fire, flood and ‘plague’

BY KATHRYN POST and ADELLE M. BANKS Contributing writers

The organ arrived from Utah on a warm August morning Greeted by holy water, incense and slide whistles, it came in a 53-foot-long truck that was double-parked on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.

The Church of the Epiphany’s priests clambered up on the truck’s loading dock, tossed on stoles and blessed the long-awaited instrument. Their prayers were punctuated by the sound of confetti cannons shot off by about 30 parishioners.

Then, for hours, children, adults and elders into their 90s hoisted pipes and boxes up ﬂights of stairs to the church’s second-ﬂoor sanctuary The biggest spectacle was the entrance of the 600-pound organ console, which parishioners and organ builders spent over 30 minutes wrangling up an external staircase.

“What has been the most beautiful part of this organ is the way it has brought our entire community together,” Denise Cruz, a vestry member, speech pathologist and mother of two, told RNS. “It was all hands on deck.”

Even with reports of declining worship attendance in the U.S. — and an overall reduction in the numbers of professional organists — some churches are investing in new versions of the age-old instrument to ﬁll their sanctuaries with music and possibly attract community members to come inside. The new organ on East 74th Street joins others in New York City, where special concert series introduced new instruments at Trinity Church in September and at St. Thomas Church in 2018.

To the Rev Matthew DaytonWelch, the new, handcrafted organ at Church of the Epiphany represents more than a commitment to quality music; it’s emblematic of the ﬁnal phase of a multiyear, $70 million effort to relocate and rebuild the Episcopal congregation, an investment in community as much as sound. The organ costs totaled $2.5 million. “So many churches make dif-

ficult decisions because they’re shrinking and they’re consolidating and they’re trying to survive. And that wasn’t the case here,”

Dayton-Welch, the church’s rector told RNS. “This was the church that was healthy, but it was still willing to risk everything it had in order to create an even better platform in a city where churches don’t get up and move.”

In 2018, space constraints led the nearly 200-year-old Episcopal parish to consider moving from its location at the time, on York Avenue. The congregation set its eyes on the former Jan Hus Presbyterian Church, a larger space just one block west that needed a remodel. But, as Dayton-Welch put it, “crossing First Avenue, for us, we might as well have been crossing the Red Sea.”

The church’s then-rector, the Rev Jennifer Anne Reddall, was elected bishop of Arizona, propelling Church of the Epiphany into an unexpected rector search. Then, a 2020 excavation of the new property revealed that it sat over a natural creek, and the threat of flooding required a redesigned

building foundation.

“We had things ﬂood in the basement of the church,” said Christian Vanderbrouk, who has attended Epiphany for about a decade.

Located in the middle of a medical hub, the church’s community was also hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Congregants recall refrigerated morgue trucks circling the neighborhood. And in 2021, hot steel beam rafters didn’t cool as expected, briefly setting the church ablaze.

“You had a flood, a fire and a plague,” said Dayton-Welch, who arrived at the church in 2023, by which time the church had ofﬁcially moved to its current location on East 74th Street.

Meanwhile, Church of the Epiphany contracted with Bigelow & Co. Organ Builders in American Fork, Utah, in 2020 to design a new organ for the new space. Bigelow founder Michael Bigelow is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and his workshop is in an old LDS church building whose tall ceilings allow for organ assembly In April, RNS visited Bigelow’s

workshop, where builders were completing the trackers, the mechanical linkages that pull open the valves releasing air into the correct pipe. Like most of Bigelow’s organs, the Epiphany organ uses mechanical tracker action in contrast to electric-action pipe organs, where pressing a key sends an electric signal to open the valve under the corresponding pipe.

Initially the organ’s sound had a German ﬂair, focused on volume and power, but church leaders’ feedback led the builders to swap some of the neo-Baroque style stops in favor of producing a more expressive, versatile sound.

“That decision was made basically to better serve the Anglican style of liturgy,” said Conner Kunz, an experienced woodworker and member of the Bigelow team. He said Bigelow added a Flute Celeste stop, creating an “ethereal, sort of wavy, shimmery effect” that is “less boisterous than our shrieky little harmonic pipes that are sort of traditional in the neo-Baroque style.”

Builders were also completing an initial phase of voicing the pipes, cutting the ends, adjusting the openings and nicking the edges to shape the sound. David Chamberlin, the tonal director and vice president of Bigelow, is also an organist, with a master’s degree in organ performance. He oversaw the voicing, blowing on each pipe to test the sound quality

“We want to do something that will create, uplift, enrich, spiritually, the lives of our listeners,” he said.

By late summer, the organ had been disassembled and loaded into tractor-trailers. To prepare for its arrival, the church building underwent a litany of preparations.

A team of engineers and HVAC workers reset electrical lines, adjusted the temperature and humidity, and excavated holes in the 140-year-old brick wall to create pathways for the air system “so the organ’s lungs can breathe,” Dayton-Welch explained.

He said that, typically, you build an instrument after a room, but the construction of the new location created an opportunity for both to be designed in tandem. “The room is part of the organ, the room is part of the instrument,” he said.

Church of the Epiphany leaders envision the organ not solely as a source of music for their sanctuary but as a tool to bring people in

— and not solely for Sunday morning worship, where 60 to 80 people gather each week. They are hoping to build on already developed relationships, with decades-long members going to dinner with young couples who are newly attending, and the church continuing its Wednesday night dinner program that feeds housing-insecure neighbors, college students and others needing a meal.

“What we’re trying to do is meet the needs of our community by creating a place of belonging,” Dayton-Welch said. “And our hope is that the music program facilitates that.”

Alex Nguyen, who began as Epiphany’s new director of music in September, envisions using nontraditional ways to introduce the organ to the community, such as hosting jazz ensembles or multimedia events.

“Of course we will have recitals, but I think we’d like to try some different things, unconventional pairings with the organ, doing things with the kids to help create that interest,” he said.

Cruz, who lives near Epiphany and was ﬁrst inspired to attend in 2023, after a hospitalization, said the church has “felt like home” since day one. Anticipating the organ, she said, has been part of what’s drawn the congregation together, and she compared the instrument’s arrival to a birth.

“The organ has almost breathed a new sense of life or purpose, and we get to share now this musical ministry with our community,” she said.

Andrew Gingery, vice president of Associated Pipe Organ Builders of America, a trade organization, said some churches — often Catholic, Episcopal, Lutheran or Presbyterian continue to appreciate pipe organs. And highquality organ building companies are “all very busy right now,” since the end of the height of the pandemic.

“There are still churches with means, and they want to have good music,” said Gingery, who is also executive vice president of C.B. Fisk, a pipe organ builder based in Gloucester, Massachusetts, which is developing an organ for the St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral in New York for 2027 “That’s one of the things that makes them an active church. Frankly, you put on a good show and people are likely to come.”

Firewood banks offer heat, hope to rural homes in need

BY BENNET GOLDSTEIN

Wisconsin Watch

When Denny Blodgett learned his northwest Wisconsin county intended to burn wood harvested during a road-widening project near his home, he thought it would be unthinkable for that fuel to go to waste. As Blodgett recalls, he offered some of the harvested wood to an elderly man from his church, and word spread around his community of Danbury that he had ﬁrewood to give.

“And pretty soon, we’re helping 125 families,” said Blodgett, who founded Interfaith Caregiver’s Heat-A-Home program

That was three decades ago.

Last year, volunteers delivered nearly 200 loads of split wood to local households. And as the cost of living increases amid federal cuts to social safety net programs, struggling families increasingly face a winter of tough choices as they try to meet their basic needs.

Food, medicine or heat?

Interfaith is one of about 250 known firewood banks across the country that seek to ameliorate the demand for energy assistance. There isn’t a clear definition for firewood banks, which have been around since at least the 1970s, but have roots in Native traditions since time immemorial. They can take the informal form of Good Samaritans delivering logs to neighbors to large take-what-you-need distribution sites operated by cities or Indigenous tribes.

But the common denominator to these networks is their low- or no-cost service to people who lack the means to purchase alternative forms of heat or to process their own ﬁrewood. Often, both factors stem from the same issue, such as illness or aging.

The U.S. Census Bureau estimated as of 2020 that 2.3 million households in the United States rely on

ﬁrewood as their primary source of heating fuel.

Tree rich, fuel poor

But one of the great paradoxes of what researchers term “fuel poverty” is that those struggling to keep their homes warm in rural, often heavily forested areas lack ready access to wood.

“I’ve got 20 acres of oak and hardwood here and a chainsaw and a log splitter, but I’m pretty much unable to really do much with it,” said Danbury resident Peter Brask, 78, who struggles with neuropathy “I just still feel embarrassed asking for help because I’ve been so self-sufﬁcient all my life.”

Last year’s wood delivery from Interfaith was a “lifesaver” for getting through the winter, the retired IBM software specialist said. Blodgett, a former U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel, purchases and accepts donated wood, delivered to a yard adjacent to his home. A processor cuts “cattywampus” piles of timber into smaller pieces, and volunteers split them into burnable portions.

The wood dries until it’s seasoned. The less moisture in a log, the cleaner and more efﬁciently it burns.

Interfaith purchased two trailers a few years ago with money the group obtained from the Alliance for Green Heat, a nonproﬁt that advocates for the use of modern wood-burning heating systems.

Buoyed with money from the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, it has issued more than $2 million in grants to ﬁrewood banks that help them purchase safety equipment, chainsaws and wood splitters, as well as smoke detectors for wood recipients.

Overlooking a renewable resource like wood at the potential cost to human health is unthinkable, said the organization’s founder John Ackerly especially when so much potential ﬁrewood

ends up in landﬁlls — the “scraggly stuff” that lumber mills can’t offload. The U.S Environmental Protection Agency calculated 12.2 million tons of wood ended up as municipal solid waste in 2018.

“Usually, ﬁrewood is not a very proﬁtable thing to sell, very laborintensive and very heavy,” Ackerly said.

Another opportunity presented by firewood banks is providing a local outlet that avoids spreading wood infested with invasive species Banks also avert the dumping of wood sourced from storm-damaged trees, exacerbated by climate change-magniﬁed severe weather — winds and snow

“We’re losing our power our electricity in these storms all the time,” said Jessica Leahy, a University of Maine professor, who co-authored a guide to starting community wood banks. “It would be great to have everybody in the most carbon-neutral heating source for their house. That sounds great, but there are people burning their kitchen cabinets in order to stay warm.”

Shifting priorities

The Alliance for Green Heat has issued grants with federal dollars for four years.

But this grant cycle, the Trump administration is changing the program’s focus, pushing for increased timber harvests on federal lands in the name of national economic security

So this year, ﬁrewood banks seeking grants must source wood from actively managed federal forests, a potential problem for the 10 states that lack them.

The Alliance has rebranded.

“Before, we really touted the program as serving ‘low-income populations’ with a ‘renewable, low-carbon fuel,’” Ackerly said. “We had to remove that language, but we were able to keep doing what we had been doing the same way.”

Researchers who mapped wood banks across the U.S. identiﬁed a second in Wisconsin — the Bear Ridge Firewood Bank, sponsored by the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians — and a handful in other Midwestern states, including Indiana, Michigan and Minnesota.

Clarisse Hart director of outreach and education at Harvard Forest in Petersham, Massachusetts, and one of the researchers — said firewood banks often go by different names depending on the region: firewood assistance program, firewood for elders, firewood ministry, wood pantry and charity cut, to name a few

Other exchanges happen behind the scenes, she said, often on private, community social media pages — making banks harder to identify

Often, the operations depend on the commitment of volunteers.

“A lot of people want to give back, but they don’t know what to do,” said Ed Hultgren, who started an Ozark, Missouri, wood bank in 2009. “It doesn’t have to be wood ministry You ﬁnd a gap in your area and see if there’s something you can do to ﬁll it.”

Wayne Kinning, a retired surgeon who volunteers with his Fenton, Michigan, Knights of Columbus council, is one of a dozen or so men from St. John the Evangelist parish who cut, split and sell low-cost ﬁrewood. The proceeds support local charities.

“We donate all our time and even our chainsaws,” he said. “That, of course, then gives a person a sense of meaning in their day and a sense of worth in their giving.”

Year-round work

Among Blodgett’s helpers at Interfaith’s program in northwest Wisconsin are a snowmobile club, several churches and a Jewish summer camp. One dedicated volunteer — Wendy Truhler, 74, of Danbury has assisted Blodgett for nearly two decades, since her spouse died.

“Listen I helped my husband split for 30 years. I know how to lift and work a splitter and this and that,” she told Blodgett when she started. “I would rather be outside than glued to a little 12inch computer screen.”

PROVIDED PHOTO By KATHRyN POST

Mike Bigelow stands amongst the organ being built for Manhattan’s Church of the Epiphany at Bigelow & Co. Organ Builders on April 25 in American Fork Utah.

PROVIDED PHOTO By BENNET GOLDSTEIN

Denny Blodgett, Interfaith Caregivers of Burnett County founder, splits firewood in Danbury, Wisconsin, on Oct. 3.

SUNDAY, JANUArY 18, 2026

CURTIS / by Ray Billingsley

SLYLOCK FOX / by Bob Weber Jr

GET FUZZY / by Darby Conley

HAGAR THE HORRIBLE / by Chris Browne

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM / by Mike Peters

ZIGGY / by Tom Wilson

ZITS / by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

SALLY FORTH / by Francesco Marciuliano & Jim Keefe

PEARLS BEFORE SWINE /byStephan Pastis

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.

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 — LABorious: luh-BORee-us: Requiring sustained effort; arduous.

Average mark 38 words Time limit 60 minutes Can you find 51 or more words in LABORIOUS?

ken ken

instructions: 1 -Each rowand each column must contain thenumbers 1through4 (easy) or 1through6 (challenging) without repeating 2 -The numbers within the heavily outlinedboxes, called cages, must combine using thegiven operation (inany order)toproduce the target numbersinthe top-left corners. 3 -Freebies: Fillinthe single-boxcages withthe numberinthe top-left corner

instructions: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 gridwith several given numbers. The object is to placethe numbers 1to 9in theempty squares so that each row,each column and each 3x3 boxcontains the same number only once. The difficultylevel of the Conceptis Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday

directions: Complete thegridso that numbers 1–132 connect horizontally, vertically or diagonally

Sudoku

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

super Quiz

Good bidding, maybe

South in today’s deal was Chinese World Champion Jack Zhao, who has lived in Boca Raton, Florida, for many years

The auction at the table is unknown to us, mainly because Zhao refuses to disclose it. We offer the possible auction above, where South’s two-club cue bid created a game force. The reason for West’s spade lead, rather than a high club, is also unknown to us, perhaps for the same reason. Zhao won the opening spade lead in hand with the king to lead a diamond. West rose with his ace and led another spade to dummy’s ace. Zhao led a heart to his 10, winning the trick, and led his remaining diamond. West played the jack and Zhao made the excellent decision to play low from dummy!

Should East overtake to give West a diamond ruff, Zhao would discard a spade from hand and eventually discard two more black losers on good diamonds in dummy West’s jack won the trick, and he shifted to the king of clubs. Zhao won with his ace, cashed the king of hearts, and led a heart to dummy’s ace. This drew the trumps and Zhao

led the queen of diamonds for a ruffing finesse. East covered and Zhao ruffed with his last trump. The queen of spades was an entry and dummy took two diamond tricks to give Zhao his contract. Very nicely played!

Tannah Hirsch welcomes readers’ responses sent in care of this newspaper or to Tribune Content Agency inc., 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, Ny 14207. E-mail responses may be sent to gorenbridge@ aol.com. © 2026 Tribune Content Agency

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Engage in events that excite you. Participation will lead to interesting conversations, potential opportunities and a rush of ideas. A new look, style or pastimewillgiveyouapositivepush in the right direction.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) You are on the right path, so don’t let anyone convince you otherwise. Stick close to home, work hard to get your house in order and prepare for new beginnings. What you achieve will put your mind at ease.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Engage in outings that free your mind. A change of atmosphere, people and

places will renew your perspective. Participate in events that address yourconcernsorhelpyoumeetyour expectations.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) You’ll gain the most if you play catch-up and focus on unfinished business. Seek professional changes that make your life more fulfilling. Sometimes it’s not the money that matters, but peace of mind.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) A positive change is heading your way Take a leap of faith, trust your instincts and make whatever move feels right. An opportunity will lead to fulfillment and happiness.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) A change is overdue, and the best place to begin is with you. Start by assessing how you present yourself physically, and update your look to reflect how you feel and the direction you want to head in.

SUBJECT: FIVE-LETTER

GEOGRAPHY

Provide the five-letter answer (e.g., Country shaped like a boot. Answer: Italy.)

The capital city of Egypt.

“The City of Light.”

The 38th parallel divides this peninsula into two countries.

Islam’s holiest city

Honshu is its largest island.

cess.Enjoythecompanyofsomeone you love and let romance grow VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Sign up for something that interests you. What you discover about yourself and the people you meet will give you the hope and desire necessary to launch something you want to pursue.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Be open to new ideas and concepts. Using your skills uniquely will open a window of opportunity that can change your perspective or direction. Positive feedback will promote greater confidence and prospects.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Partnerships are on the rise and personal relationships will be crucial to your suc-

Take this Super Quiz to a Ph.D. Score 1 point for each correct answer on the Freshman Level, 2 points on the graduate Level and 3 points on the Ph.D. Level.

people confuse you or muddy how you think or feel about the choices you make. Do what makes you feel alive.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Pay attention to how you present yourself to others. Dress the part and finish what you start, and you will attract the right crowd. Trust only what’s tangible and dismiss what wastes your time. wuzzLes

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct 23) Indecisiveness will weigh you down and cast shadows on what you should be doing. Shake off negativity and replenish yourself with innovation and imagination.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Be patient. Listen, learn and revisit and refashion old ideas. Refuse to let negative

goren Bridge

1. Cairo. 2. Paris. 3. Korea. 4. Mecca. 5. Japan. 6. Dover. 7. Haiti. 8. Malta. 9. Volga. 10.Hanoi. 11. Kabul.12. Osaka. 13.Crete. 14. Tibet. 15. Incas.

SCORING: 24 to 30 points —congratulations, doctor; 18 to 23 points—honorsgraduate; 13 to 17 points —you’replenty smart, but no grind; 5to12points —you really shouldhit the booksharder;1point to 4points —enroll in remedial courses immediately; 0points who reads thequestions to you?

Saturday's Cryptoquote: Want to knowthe key to along-lasting relationship?Don't go withyour loved one to IKEA. —JuanWilliams

by Gary Brookins &Susie MacNelly