The Advocate 02-15-2026 by The Advocate

ELECTION 2026

La.’s two biggest races lack major Democrat

U.S. Senate,5th District contests reveal party’s weakness in state

BY TYLER BRIDGES Staff writer

Republicans are ﬁelding candidates with winning records at the ballot box for the U.S. Senate and the 5th Congressional District, thetwo marquee political races thisyear Louisiana’sDemocrats? Not at all.

It’sthe latest sign of Democrats’ weakness in the Bayou State,where Republicans hold all the statewide elected ofﬁces andtwo-thirds of the seats in the state House and Senate Former Gov. John BelEdwards, state Sen. Jay Luneau, state Sen. GaryCarter,former U.S. Rep. Chris John and former Senatecandidate Luke Mixon —all took apass when Louisiana DemocraticParty chairRandalGaines asked them to considerrunning forthe U.S. Senate seat

The three-day qualifying period for this year’selections ended Friday Gaines alsocouldn’t recruitstate Sen. Katrina Jackson of Monroetorun for the 5th Congressional District, which stretches from Baton Rouge to Monroe. Jackson said that, afterpraying on it, she decided itdidn’t present agood opportunity for her.

ä See RACES, page 5A

Freshman applications breaking recordsat LSU

Andmostofthemare from outofstate,officialssay

BY HALEY MILLER Staff writer

In the past decade, the number of students applying to LSU has nearly tripled—and the number of applicantsfrom out of statehas soared.

More than 62,000 potential incoming freshmenhave applied this cycle, university ofﬁcials say, compared with 29,000 in 2020. While the pool of applicants swells, so does theproportion of out-of-state students interested in becoming Tigers. Astaggering 82% of applications came from non-Louisianaresidents, up from 49% in 2017.

ä See LSU, page 4A

ABOVE: Apainted pup named Blackpink watches as the Krewe of Spanish Town rolls on Saturday ABOVELEFT: The Golden Guys perform at the Spanish Town parade. LEFT: Paradegoers revel in bubbles during the parade.

STAFF PHOTOSByHILARy SCHEINUK

Town rolls throughits namesake neighborhood on Valentine’s Dayindowntown Baton Rouge on Saturday.The parade, in

itshot pink glory,is organized by the Mystic Krewe for the Preservation of Lagniappe in Louisiana.

Russia poisoned Navalny with frog toxin, U.K. says Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny was poisoned with a deadly toxin found in the skin of Ecuador dart frogs, the U.K.’s foreign ofﬁce said on Saturday

The toxin — epibatidine — was found in samples from Navalny’s body and “highly likely resulted in his death,” according to a statement issued by U.K. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper at the Munich Security Conference.

“Only the Russian state had the means, motive and opportunity to deploy this lethal toxin to target Navalny during his imprisonment in a Russian penal colony in Siberia, and we hold it responsible for his death,” the statement said.

Navalny, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s most prominent opponent, died in February 2024 at the age of 47 in a camp where he was serving a 19-year sentence for extremism. His supporters and Western governments blamed the Kremlin for his death.

The joint statement made with Sweden, France, the Netherlands and Germany — said Russia had “brazenly” developed and deployed the poison in violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention.

Four new astronauts arrive at space station

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — The International Space Station returned to full strength with Saturday’s arrival of four new astronauts to replace colleagues who bailed early because of health concerns

SpaceX delivered the American, French and Russian astronauts a day after launching them from Cape Canaveral.

Last month’s medical evacuation was NASA’s ﬁrst in 65 years of human spaceflight. One of the four astronauts launched by SpaceX last summer suffered what officials described as a serious health issue, prompting their hasty return. That left only three crew members to keep the place running — one American and two Russians prompting NASA to pause spacewalks and trim research.

Moving in for eight to nine months are NASA’s Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, France’s Sophie Adenot and Russia’s Andrei Fedyaev Meir, a marine biologist, and Fedyaev a former military pilot, have lived up there before During her first station visit in 2019, Meir took part in the first all-female spacewalk. Adenot, a military helicopter pilot, is only the second French woman to fly in space. Hathaway is a captain in the U.S. Navy

Another alleged drug boat struck, killing 3

WASHINGTON The U.S. military said Friday that it has carried out another deadly strike on a vessel accused of trafficking drugs in the Caribbean Sea.

U.S. Southern Command said on social media that the boat “was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Caribbean and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations.” It said the strike killed three people A video linked to the post shows a boat moving through the water before exploding in flames.

Friday’s attack raises the death toll from the Trump administration’s strikes on alleged drug boats to 133 people in at least 38 attacks carried out since early September in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Paciﬁc Ocean.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declared last week that “some top cartel drugtrafﬁckers” in the region “have decided to cease all narcotics operations INDEFINITELY due to recent (highly effective) kinetic strikes in the Caribbean.” However, Hegseth did not provide any details or information to back up this claim, made in a post on his personal account on social media.

President Donald Trump has said the U.S. is in “armed conflict” with cartels in Latin America and has justified the attacks as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs. But his administration has offered little evidence to support its claims of killing “narcoterrorists.”

TSA again working without pay

Airport security caught up in Homeland Security shutdown

BY RIO YAMAT AP airlines and travel writer

A shutdown of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that took effect early Saturday impacts the agency responsible for screening passengers and bags at airports across the country Travelers with airline reservations may be nervously recalling a 43day government shutdown that led to historic ﬂight cancellations and long delays last year

Transportation Security Administration ofﬁcers are expected to work without pay while lawmakers remain without an agreement on DHS’ annual funding. TSA ofﬁcers also worked through the record shutdown that ended Nov 12, but aviation experts say this one may play out differently

Trade groups for the U.S. travel industry and major airlines nonetheless warned that the longer DHS appropriations are lapsed, the longer security lines at the nation’s commercial airports could get Funding for Homeland Security expired at midnight. But the rest of the federal government is funded through Sept. 30. That means air traffic controllers employed by the Federal Aviation Administration will receive paychecks as usual, reducing the risk of widespread ﬂight cancellations.

According to the department’s contingency plan, about 95% of TSA workers are deemed essential personnel and required to keep working. Democrats in the House and Senate say DHS won’t get funded until new restrictions are placed on federal immigration

operations. During past shutdowns, disruptions to air travel tended to build over time, not overnight. About a month into last year’s shutdown, for example, TSA temporarily closed two checkpoints at Philadelphia International Airport. That same day, the government took the extraordinary step of ordering all commercial airlines to reduce their domestic ﬂight schedules.

John Clark, arriving at Detroit Metropolitan Airport from a business trip in Mississippi, said he was impacted by that earlier shutdown and is worried.

“You might not be able to get home if you’re already out, or it might delay if you worked all week and you’re trying to get home,” said Clark, who frequently travels for his job balancing machines.

Canada’s PM, opposition leader hold hands at vigil

BY JIM MORRIS and ROB GILLIES Associated Press

VANCOUVER, British Columbia Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and the country’s main opposition leader held hands Friday as they paid tribute to the victims of one of the worst mass shootings in the country’s history at a vigil in a devastated British Columbia town.

Carney and Opposition Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre joined hands as an Indigenous leader sang a prayer outside the town hall in Tumbler Ridge.

Carney and Poilievre also spoke. The prime minister named each of the six people killed at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and said the mother and brother of the shooter who were killed also “deserve to be mourned.”

Authorities said the 18-year-old alleged shooter, identified as Jesse Van Rootselaar killed her 39-year-old mother, Jennifer Jacobs, and 11-year-old stepbrother, Emmett Jacobs, in their home on Tuesday before heading to the nearby Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and opening fire, killing five children and an educator before killing herself.

Carney said he sat with people who are “living through something no one should ever have to endure.”

“When you wake up tomorrow, and the world feels impossible, know that millions of Canadians are with you. When the cameras leave and the quiet sets in — know that we will still be here,” Carney said.

A crowd of hundreds attended the vigil. Some held photos of loved ones they lost Carney said the community has always

been deﬁned by people caring for each other “And when the unimaginable happened on Tuesday, you were there again. First responders at the school within two minutes. Teachers shielding their children,” he said.

Poilievre commended Carney for his “tremendous grace.” Canada’s political leaders ﬂew from Ottawa together British Columbia Premier David Eby said the students of the school won’t ever have to return to the building if they don’t want to.

“I will promise that not one of you will ever be forced to go back to that school. We will provide a safe place for you to go back to school,” Eby said.

Authorities on Thursday identified those killed at the school as Kylie Smith, Abel Mwansa, Zoey Benoit and Ticaria Lampert, all age 12, as well as 13-year-old Ezekiel Schoﬁeld and assistant teacher Shannda Aviugana-Durand, 39. Maya Gebala, 12, who was wounded in the head and neck, and Paige Hoekstra, 19, who also suffered bullet wounds, remain hospitalized in Vancouver

Dwayne McDonald, the deputy commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in British Columbia, said earlier Friday that the alleged shooter did not appear to be searching for a speciﬁc target at the school.

“This suspect was, for lack of a better term, hunting,” McDonald said. “They were prepared and engaging anybody and everybody they could come in contact with.”

Four guns were seized, two from the family home and two from the school, he said.

Rio police in costume arrest phone thieves

By The Associated Press

RIO DE JANEIRO Rio de Janeiro police officers kitted themselves out as thieves from the series “Money Heist” and as Jason Voorhees from the “Friday the 13th” horror movie franchise to blend in with crowds celebrating Carnival and catch criminals stealing cellphones. Carnival officially kicked off on Friday in Rio, and for many revelers participating in the megalopolis’ raucous, dazzling street parties, one of the biggest concerns is holding on to their phones — as thefts are all too common. To tackle this phenomenon, officers in the Santa Teresa neighborhood Friday donned costumes to fly under thieves’ radar The undercover agents noticed a woman snatching a cellphone from someone’s hand, followed her and saw her hand the device to an accomplice,

Rio’s civil police said in a statement Saturday Police arrested the pair and found five cellphones in their possession. That wasn’t the first time Brazilian police officers wearing costumes have sought to mingle with the crowds during festivities to catch wrongdoers. Last Sunday police officers dressed as characters from “Ghostbusters” caught a woman with 12 cellphones stolen in downtown Sao Paulo. A day prior, officers in alien outfits caught a man with three phones hidden under his clothing. Cellphone thefts have declined overall in Brazil, according to the 2025 annual report by the Brazilian Forum on Public Safety think-tank. They dropped from approximately 980,000 per year in 2022 to some 850,000 in 2024.

But fear of both armed robberies and discreet pocketing of cellphones remains high.

“It’s really bad.” John Rose, chief risk ofﬁcer for global travel management company Altour, said strains could surface at airports more quickly this time because the TSA workforce also will be remembering the last shutdown. “It’s still fresh in their minds and potentially their pocketbooks,” Rose said.

It’s hard to predict whether, when or where security screening snags might pop up. Even a handful of unscheduled TSA absences could quickly lead to longer wait times at smaller airports, for example, if there’s just a single security checkpoint. At the airport, Rose said, remember to “practice patience and empathy.”

“Not only are they not getting paid,” he said of TSA agents, “they’re probably working with reduced staff and dealing with angry travelers.”

At least 3 detained in Guthrie case, but still no arrests made

BY BRIAN NIEMIETZ New york Daily News (TNS)

Heavy police activity in Tucson, Arizona, late Friday night resulted in at least three people being detained in connection to Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance, but ended without any arrests. Two individuals a man and a woman — were taken out of a Pima County home during an operation involving a SWAT team, according to News Nation. More than a dozen vehicles, including those from SWAT and forensics, were seen at the residence roughly 2 miles from Guthrie’s home. Investigators were said to have spent several hours searching the property

The Pima County Sheriff’s Department confirmed on Saturday that a federal court-ordered search warrant was carried out at the home and was “based on a lead” received by detectives.

Sheriff Chris Nanos told local CBS afﬁliate KOLD 13 that there were no signs of Guthrie at the residence

and no arrests were made. A third person of interest was simultaneously detained in connection with the case during a traffic stop in the parking lot of a nearby restaurant. The male driver was cooperative and later released, Nanos said. What led law enforcement to those three individuals wasn’t clear on Saturday The PCSD did not provide details on the lead they received, saying the FBI requested that no further information be publicly shared. The late-night activity came just hours after authorities revealed that DNA collected from Guthrie’s property didn’t belong to her or those in close contact with her During an appearance on CNN Saturday morning, TMZ founder Harvey Levin said he’d been unable to confirm if the DNA was a factor in the detainments. However, he did say a law enforcement source told him the ransom notes and reward demands received by his outlet were “not the trigger.”

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CANADIAN PRESS PHOTO By CHRISTINNE MUSCHI Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney and his wife Diana Fox Carney place flowers at a memorial for the victims of a mass shooting Friday in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia.

EpsteinusedtiestoNobel PeacePrize to entice elites

BY MARK LEWIS Associated Press

STAVANGER, Norway Jeffrey Epstein repeatedlyplayed up his ties to the former head of the Nobel Peace Prize committee in invitations to and chats with elites like Richard Branson, Larry Summers, Bill Gates and Steve Bannon, atop allyofPresidentDonald Trump, the Epstein ﬁles show Thorbjørn Jagland, who headed the Norwegian Nobel Committee from 2009 to 2015, turns up hundreds of times in the millions of documents about theformer U.S. ﬁnancier andconvicted sex offender that were released by the U.S. Justice Department last month. Since the release, Jagland, 75, has been charged in Norway for

“aggravated corruption” in connectionwithaninvestigation prompted by information in the ﬁles, theeconomiccrime unit of Norwegian police Økokrim said. Økokrim has said it would investigatewhether gifts, travel and loans were received in connection with Jagland’sposition.

Itsteams searched his Oslo residence on Thursday,plus two otherproperties in Risør, a coastal town to the south,and in Rauland to the west.

His attorneys at Elden law ﬁrm in Norway said Jagland denies the charges,and was questioned by thepolice unit on Thursday While thereisnoevidence in the

documents seen so farofany outright lobbying for theNobel Peace Prize, Epsteinrepeatedlyplayed up hostingJaglandathis properties in New York and Paris in the 2010s.

In September 2018, during Trump’sﬁrst term andinanapparent allusiontohis interestin thepeace prize, Epstein had avaried text-message exchange with Bannon, at one point writing —in one of many messages with untidy grammar: “donalds head would explode if he knew you were now buds withthe guy who on monday will decide thenobel peace prize.”

“I told himnext year it should be youwhenwesettlechina,” he added, without elaborating.

In oneemail from 2013, mixing in investmenttips andpraise for PR tips, Epstein told British en-

trepreneur and magnate Richard Bransonthat Jagland wouldbe staying with Epstein in September thatyear,adding: “if you are there, youmight ﬁnd him interesting.”

Ayear after she left ajob as White HousecounseltoPresident Barack Obama, in 2015, Kathy Ruemmlergot an email from Epstein saying:“head of nobelpeace prizecoming to visit, want to join?”

In 2012, Epsteinwrote former Treasury Secretary andHarvard University president Larry Summers about Jagland, saying “head of thenobelpeace prize staying with me, if you have any interest.”

In thatexchange, Epsteinreferred to Jagland —also aformer Norwegian primeminister and former head of theCouncil of Europe, ahumanrightsbody—as “notbright” but someone whoof-

fered a“unique perspective.”

The ﬁnancier wrote Bill Gates in 2014, saying that Jagland had been reelected as head of the Council of Europe.

“That is good,” the Microsoftcofounderand formerlythe world’s richest man, wrote. “I guess his peace prize committeejob is also up in the air?”

During Jagland’stenure as chair of thecommittee, it gave thepeace prizetoObama, in 2009,and the European Union in 2012. Jagland wasbrought into Epstein’sorbit by TerjeRød Larsen, aNorwegian diplomat whohelped broker the Oslo Peace Accords between Israel and Palestinians. Larsen and his wife are also facing corruption charges in Norway due to their association with Epstein.

Some schoolscancelclass pictures afteronlineclaimsabout Epstein

BY JOHN HANNA and KENDRIA LAFLEUR Associated Press

MALAKOFF,Texas Some school districts in the U.S. droppedplans for class pictures after widespreadsocial media posts linked abillionaire withtiestoJeffrey Epstein to the photography giant Lifetouch,which on Friday called the claims “completely false.”

The disruption to school picture plans in Texas and elsewhere began after online posts linked Lifetouch, which photographs millions of students each year,tothe investment fund manager Apollo Global Management Apollo’sformerCEO is billionaire investor LeonBlack, who met regularly with Epstein and was advised by Epstein on ﬁnancial matters. Black led the company in 2019, when funds managed by Apollo bought Lifetouch’s parent company,Shutterﬂy

The $2.7 billion deal closed in September 2019 —a month after Epstein’sdeath by suicidebehindbars as he awaited trialover allegationsfromfederalprosecutors that he sexually abused and trafficked dozens of girls.

Both Lifetouch and Apollo noted that timeline in statementsFriday, twodaysafter Lifetouch CEOKen Murphy said in an Instagrampost that neither Black nor any of Apollo’sdirectors or investorsever had any access to Lifetouch photos.

“No Lifetouch executives have ever had any relationship or contact with Epstein and we have never shared student images with any third party,including Apollo,” Lifetouch said in its statement Friday.“Apollo and its funds also have no role in Lifetouch’sdaily operations and have no access to student images.”

The canceled school pictures are another ripple effect over the release of millions of ﬁles from the Epstein investigation, including documents showing Epstein’sregular contacts with CEOs, journalists, scientists and prominent politicians long after a2008 conviction on sex crimes charges.

In the small Texas town of Malakoff, the local school

district canceled astudent picture day after several parentstoldthe districtthey weren’t comfortable with Lifetouch photographing their children,spokesperson Katherine Smith said in astatement e-mailed Friday

Several other schools and districts in Texasalso canceled or changed plans,as well as acharter school in Arizona, according to Facebookannouncementsposted by theschools.

“Wedecided ourstudents and familieswouldbebest served by keeping all ofour pictures in-house forthe rest of this year,and we are looking at all of our options forthe 2026-2027 school year,”Smith said Parentsconcerned about Lifetouch included MaKallie Gann, whosechildrenattendschools in Howe, about 60 miles north of Dallas. She said shewas worriedabout howmuchinformation Lifetouch collects on students.

“Whenever you order the pictures, it has their name. It has the age, of course. It has their grade, their teacher theschool that they’re in,” she said.

No evidence of Epstein or anyone in his orbit seeing Lifetouchphotos has emerged from news organizations’ review of thousands of documents released this monthbythe U.S. Department of Justice, though there are at least 1.7 million records.

Thereview shows Black’s name appeared8,200 times, though that figure likely includes someduplicate records. Black stepped down as Apollo’s CEO in March 2021, saying he wanted to focus on his family,health, and “manyother interests.”

That wastwo months aftera committeeofthe company’sboard issued areport concludingthat Epstein had advised Black personally on estateplanning,tax issues, charitable giving and running his “family ofﬁce,” but providednoservices to Apollo or invested in no

Jagland

“That is a trend across all institution types, whether it’s a regional, public or a flagship, even private institutions seeing more students choose to come to the Southeast than ever before,”

LSU Vice President for Enrollment Management Emmett Brown said. “This region, in general, is growing. We happen to both be the type of institution that’s grown the most but also in a region that’s in demand.”

Officials say LSU benefits from a confluence of factors which might help it head off the dreaded “demographic cliff” that is worrying other universities as the number of high school graduates in the U.S. ebbs due to population decline.

The appeal of the SEC, the university’s resources as a ﬂagship institution and a vibrant student experience attract the “best and brightest” from Louisiana and other states, they said.

“If they’re not from the state or from the region, they see us on ESPN on a Saturday night,” Brown said “There’s some of that big brand piece that exists there. But then they turn around and they see that we have hundreds of student organizations, they see that we have phenomenal leadership preparation with our student government, with our Greek life.

While the number of out-of-state applicants has soared, a majority of the students who actually attend are from Louisiana. For the class that entered in 2025, 78% of applicants were from out of state, but out-ofstate students made up only 37% of those who enrolled

Still, the percentage of students who enroll from out of state has increased in recent years, ofﬁcials say As out-of-state interest grows, LSU continues to market itself with an increasingly national brand Under new System President Wade Rousse and

Chancellor Jim Dalton, the university has initiated an extensive reorganization, swapping out high-level executives and integrating Pennington Biomedical Research Center, the LSU AgCenter and the health sciences centers in Shreveport and New Orleans into the flagship. Their main goal for the reorganization is to achieve “top 50” research university status from the National Science Foundation and elevate its national proﬁle.

“Weareontracktonotonly continue but increase our recruitment of and attraction of literally the top talent, not only just within the state of Louisiana but also across the country,” LSU Provost Troy Blanchard said.

Regional trends

LSU officials said the steady application and enrollment growth is both speciﬁc to LSU and in line with broader demographic shifts, which show students ﬂocking to the South in droves.

“More students from the North are now actually coming to the SEC than ever be-

fore,” said state Rep. Dixon McMakin, R-Baton Rouge, who is the Tiger Stadium announcer “I think that reason is because of the quality education where they’re not going to be indoctrinated like they might be in the North, and of course, the atmosphere we have and the fun times that you can have.”

Brown said sports culture

might serve as the introduction to LSU for many out-ofstate students, but they end up impressed by the academic opportunities and array of student organizations and extracurriculars.

“We’re really lucky to be in a position where the kind of education that we offer is in high demand,” Brown said. “We’ve also reached out further to focus in on

our neighboring states and really all around the country where we see interest to try and engage with those students earlier and more often.”

The focus on out-of-state recruitment is partly driven by the need to insulate LSU from looming “demographic cliffs” that threaten universities across the country, he said.

“That really just means that we’re going to be seeing, for the next 10 to 15 years, fewer high school graduates nationally,” Brown said. “That’s major demographic trends that are stemming from the ﬁnancial crisis in the late 2000s.”

Ofﬁcials emphasized that in-state students will not be sidelined even as the university assumes a greater national proﬁle.

Blanchard said LSU always starts with in-state recruitment.

“That’s a top priority for us,” Blanchard said. “We want the best and the brightest in Louisiana to stay in Louisiana.”

McMakin said it is a “win overall” for Baton Rouge,

in Baton Rouge on Thursday.

LSU and Louisiana the more students the university can enroll residents and nonresidents alike.

“I look forward to those numbers just keep going up and people wanting to come and be a part of our culture,” McMakin said.

The university balances the burgeoning application pool with realistic institutional capacity, Brown said. The acceptance rate will likely be lower for the 2026 fall semester than in years past, which hovered around 70%, he said.

Growing enrollment and increased selectivity are good news for the state, he added.

“One of the things that we really pride ourselves on is there are not as many organizations like this that import talent from outside the state,” Brown said. “That’s something we really want to do. We want to be bringing the best and brightest students, yes, in our home state, absolutely, but also importing great, talented students from across the country to fill Louisiana’s workforce.”

Little-known candidates

“Theyare worried about risking their political capital on arace that won’tproduce alikely win,” Gainessaid Friday. “Wecan’tcoerce anyone to run.”

Meanwhile, Republicans are suffering from an embarrassment of riches that is already turning the Senate and 5th Congressional District races intointraparty slugfests.

U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow,R-BatonRouge, and state Treasurer John Fleming are challenging Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, in the May 16 Republican primary Fleming is attacking Letlow and Cassidy as not being conservative enough, while Cassidy is calling Letlow “a liberal.” She is highlighting the fact that she has President Donald Trump’s endorsement, and they don’t.

No one is attacking the Democrat candidates in the Senateand 5th Congressional District races because they aren’t relevant enough —and might never be TheDemocrat Senatecandidatesare: Nick Albares, a former aide to Edwards who has worked most recently as vice president of strategicaffairs for Volunteersof America in New Orleans; Jamie Davis,a farmer in northeast Louisiana who served one term on theTensas Parish Police Jury, and Gary Crockett, abusiness executive of New Orleans.

Letlow is vacating her 5thCongressional District seat to challenge Cassidy.Inthe race to replace her,two Republican legislators —stateSen. Rick Edmonds of Baton Rouge and state Rep. Michael Echols of Monroe —are hammering athird legislator,state Sen. Blake Miguez of Erath, for living about 100 miles outside of the district’sboundaries. Candidates can run for congressional seats even if they don’tlive inside the district. Miguez is emphasizing his endorsement by Trump. Another Republican candidate, Misti Cordell, ahealth care consultant in Monroe and chair of the state BoardofRegents who is personally close to Gov. JeffLandry and his wife Sharon, sniped at Miguez, butatalowervolume than the others

The 5th Congressional District Democrat candidates are: Jessee Fleenor of Loranger, LarryFoy of Winnsboro, Lindsay “Rubia” Garcia of Walker, Dan McKay of Bunkie and Tania Nyman of Baton Rouge

Fleenor reflects the Democrats’ predicament Wearing rubber boots while talking to reporters after qualifying Wednesday,Fleenor seemed like he couldbe aDemocratwho could connect with rural voters who have deserted the party. He emphasizedhis work as afarmer,blasted Trump for his ties withconvicted sex offender Jeffrey Epsteinand saidthe tax cuts passed last year by Trump and Congress favor the wealthy Butinaninterview afterward, Fleenor acknowledged heis little known in the district and hasn’t raised much money for the campaign.

Albares, who filed on Friday to run, said he understands that he will be viewed as along shot but felt acalling to runnonetheless.

“I am acandidate who focuses on solutions for Louisiana and proximity to the

people in Louisiana and not to out-of-state politicians,” Albares said. He was referring to Trump, who instantly made Letlow and Miguezviable candidates by endorsing them. “Wehave to do something aboutaffordabilityfor housing, insurance andeverydaygoods.”

Yearsofebbinginfluence

After the endofthe postCivil WarReconstruction Era, when Republicans briefly held power, Democrats held sway over Louisiana for decades. Not until 1979 did Louisianaelect another Republican governor,David Treen. Twomore Republicans had been electedgovernor Mike Foster andBobby Jindal, by thetime Republicans gained amajorityof seatsinthe Louisiana Legislature in 2010.

In Louisiana, and indeed throughout theSouth, White voters have deserted the Democratic Party.Almost two-thirds of Democrats in Louisiana today areBlack voters, according to statistics compiled by JohnCouvillon, aBaton Rouge-based pollster and demographer No Black candidate has won astatewide election in Louisianasince Reconstruction “Democrats are aparty that hasadesperate need forrebuilding andtodistinguish itself from theparty’s nationalculture wars,” said Pearson Cross, apolitical science professor at the University of Louisiana at Monroe.

‘A long-termstrategy’ Gaines said he is rebuild-

ing the party by undertaking adrive to register young voters as Democrats, training Democrats to run forlower offices to build abench forhigheroffices andestablishing chapters of College Democrats on campuses. “The party’singreat shape in building for the future,” Gaines said. “We’re engagedina long-term strategy.”

Gaines noted that Chasity Verret Martinez, aDemocrat, just won aspecial election by defeating her Republican opponent, 62%38%, to represent Iberville and part of Assumption Parishinstate House District 60. Trump won that district by 13 points in 2024.

Democrats still cancount on the organizing efforts of

such groups as the Power Coalitionfor Equity and Justice, Louisiana Progress andthe NAACPthatworked to get Black people in particulartovote in therace that Martinez won. It had thehighest turnout of any of the ﬁve legislative races on the ballot that day

“Wephone banked andvisited Black churches, barber shops andgrocerystores,” said Lady Carlson, alead organizer with the Westside Sponsoring Committee. She noted that progressive groups played arole in organizing voters to defeat four constitutional amendments sought by Landry in March. It was thegovernor’sbiggest political defeat.

“Politics is about timing and opportunity,” Gaines said.

Rubio’sspeechtoEuropeanalliestakes softer tone

BY MATTHEW LEE, EMMA BURROWS and GEIR MOULSON Associated Press

MUNICH U.S. Secretary of State MarcoRubio offered areassuring message to America’sallies on Saturday,striking aless aggressive but still ﬁrm tone about the administration’sintent to reshape the transAtlantic alliance and push its priorities after more than a year of President Donald Trump’soften-hostile rhetoric toward traditional allies.

Reminding his audience at the annual Munich Security Conference about America’s centuries-long roots in Europe, Rubio said the United States would remain forever tied to the continent even as it pushes for changes in the relationship and the institutions that have been the bulwark of the post-World War II world order

Rubio addressed the conferenceayear afterVice President JD Vance stunned the same audience with a harsh critique of European values. Aseries of Trump administrationstatements

and moves targeting allies followed, including Trump’s short-lived threat last month to impose new tariffs on several European countries in a bidto secure U.S. controlof Greenland, asemiautonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark.

On Friday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz had opened this year’sgathering by calling for the U.S. and Europe to “repairand revive trans-Atlantic trusttogether,” saying that even the U.S. isn’t powerfulenough to go it alone in an worldwhose old order no longer exists. But he and other Europeanofﬁcials made clear that they will stand by their values, including their approach to free speech,climatechange and free trade.

‘A childofEurope’

While offering acalmer andmore reassuring tone, Rubiomadeclear that the Trump administrationis stickingtoits guns on policy.Hedenounced “a climate cult” and “an unprecedented wave of mass migration that threatensthe cohesion of our societies.”

Rubio argued that the euphoria” of the Western victory in the Cold Warled to a “dangerous delusion that we had entered ‘the end of history,’ that every nation would

now be aliberal democracy thatthe tiesformed by trade and by commercealone would now replace nationhood …and that we would now live in aworld without borders where everyone became acitizen of the world.”

“Wemade these mistakes together and nowtogether we owe it to our people to face those facts and to move forward to rebuild,” Rubio said.

“Thisiswhy President Trump demands seriousness and reciprocity from our friends here in Europe.”

Rubio said thatanend of the trans-Atlantic era “is neither ourgoal norour wish,” adding that “our homemay be in theWestern Hemisphere, but we will always be achild of Europe.

He acknowledgedthat “we have bled and died sideby-side on battleﬁelds from Kapyong to Kandahar,” a contrast withdisparaging remarks by Trump about NATO allies’troopsinAfghanistan that drew an outcry. “And I’m here todayto make it clear that America is charting the path for a new century of prosperity. andthatonceagain, we want to do it together with you, our cherished allies and our oldest friends.”

U.S.officials accompanying Rubio saidhis mes-

Zelenskyy: Questionsremain forUkraine security guarantees

BY SAMYAKULLAB, EMMA BURROWS and ELISE MORTON Associated Press

KYIV,Ukraine Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked his international allies for their support but suggested there were still questions remaining over the future security guarantees for his country Speaking at the Munich Security Conference in Germany,Zelenskyy repeatedly thankedAmericanand European allies for helping Ukraine by providing air defense systems that protect infrastructure like power plants and “save lives.”

Previous U.S.-led efforts to find consensus on ending the war,most recently tworounds of talks in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, have failed to resolve difﬁcult issues, such as the future of Ukraine’sDonbas industrial heartland that is largely occupied by Russian forces.

Later with reporters, Zelenskyy questioned how the concept of afree-trade zone —proposed by the U.S. would work in the Donbas region which Russia insists Kyiv must give up in order to get peace. He also said the Americans want peace as quickly as possible and that U.S. team wants to sign all the agreements on Ukraine at the same time whereas Ukraine wants guarantees over the country’sfuture security signed ﬁrst.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO Ukraine’sPresident Volodymyr Zelenskyy aknowledges the audience after delivering an address duringasession at the MunichSecurityConference in Munich, Germany, on Saturday.

European nations,including the U.K. and France, havealreadysaid they will committroops to Ukraine to guarantee its future security.The U.S. is also expected to be involved and discussions are currently ongoing about the nature of America’ssupport.

Russian officialsare opposed to any foreign troop presence in Ukraine, Zelenskyy suggested, because Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to have the opportunitytoattackUkraine again

Zelenskyy also said he was surprised thatMoscow had replacedthe head of its negotiating team before another roundofU.S.-brokered talks and suggested

the move was deliberately aimed at delaying negotiations.

The talks takeplace against abackdropofrelentless Russianbombardment of civilian areas of Ukraine and the country’spower grid and Kyiv’salmost daily long-range drone attacks on war-related assetsonRussian soil.

During negotiations,Russian ofﬁcialshaveinsisted Ukraine give up more territory in the eastofthe country to end the war.But Zelenskyy told The Associated Press that it was “a littlebit crazy” to suggest Ukraine withdrawfrom its own territory or exchange it

Thousands of Ukrainians have been killeddefending thecountry’s Donbas region, he said, pointing out that 200,000 people alsolive there and it would not be acceptable to effectively hand them over to Russia.

Zelenskyy also questioned howthe conceptofa free economic zone would work.

“Imagine,” he said, if foreign soldierspatrolled the zoneand Putin provoked them and they left.

In that case, he said, there could be a“big occupation”ofUkraine and alot of losses. If Putin is given any opportunityfor victory“we don’tknow what he will do next,” Zelenskyy said.

Suchamodel,Zelenskyy told the AP,would have “bigrisks” for Ukraine and for any countrywhich committed to guaranteeing Ukraine’ssecurity

sage was much the same as Vance’slast year but was intended to have asofter landing on the audience.

Notcomplacent

The president of theEuropean Union’sexecutivecommission, Ursulavon derLeyen, said Rubio’s speech was “very reassuring” but noted that “in the administration, somehave aharsher toneon these topics.”

In her speech to the conference, shestressed that “Europe must becomemore independent,” including on defense.She insistedon Europe’s“digital sovereignty” —its approach to hate speech on social media.

British Prime Minister KeirStarmer said that “we shouldn’t getinthe warm bathofcomplacency.He said the U.K. must reforge closer ties with Europe to help thecontinent“stand

on our own two feet” in its own defense, and said there needs to be investment that “movesusfromoverdependence to interdependence.”

HannoPevkur, thedefense minister of EU and NATO member Estonia, said it was “quite aboldstatement to say that America is ‘a child of Europe’.”

“Itwas agoodspeech, needed here today,but that doesn’tmean that we can rest on pillows now,” he told The AssociatedPress. “So still a lot of work has to be done.”

Rubiodidn’tmention Greenland. After last month’sescalation over Trump’sdesigns on the Arctic island, the U.S., Denmark and Greenland started technical talks on an Arcticsecurity deal.

The Secretary of State metbriefly in Munichon Fridaywiththe Danish andGreenlandic leaders, a

meeting Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen described as constructive. But Frederiksensuggested Saturday that although thedispute hascooled, she remains wary. Asked whether thecrisis haspassed, she replied: “No, unfortunately not. Ithink the desire from the U.S. president is exactly the same. He is very serious aboutthis theme.”

Asked whethe r shecan put apriceon Greenland, she responded “of course not,” adding that “we have to respect sovereign states …and we have to respect people’s right for self-determination.And the Greenlandic people have been very clear,they don’t want to become Americans.”

Rubio Frederiksen

Buddhist monks end 15-week Walk for Peace

BY DEEPA BHARATH and TIFFANY STANLEY Associated Press

A group of Buddhist monks ended their 108-day Walk for Peace from Texas to Washington with a ceremony Wednesday afternoon at the Lincoln Memorial, where thousands gathered to hear them speak.

The 19 monks — led by the Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara and joined by his dog, Aloka — walked 2,300 miles across several Southern states — sometimes in frigid conditions drawing large crowds in churchyards, city halls and town squares. The group, with its message of peace, captured hearts across the nation and globe, earning it millions of online followers.

From the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, Pannakara urged everyone to practice mindfulness and to always choose kindness, compassion, love, harmony and hope

“The Walk for Peace is not a protest, it is not to convert,” the monk said, his words ringing out in pin-drop silence “It’s a reminder that hope still exists when people are willing to care. Hope is the ﬁnal light that must never go out.”

On Wednesday morning, the monks walked single ﬁle under bright blue skies, on the warmest day since a snowstorm hit the region more than two weeks ago The group was followed by about 100 other monks and nuns who had joined them in Washington.

Behind them was a sea of people marching silently, some carrying peace signs. More than 21,000 people followed the livestream online from around the globe, posting messages in Spanish, Hindi, Thai, Portuguese, Sinhalese and many more.

Several monks represent-

ing Buddhists in Canada Myanmar, Cambodia and Thailand commended the monks’ effort. The Venerable Ratanaguna, abbot of the Fort Worth temple and Pannakara’s teacher, said he was happy to see the walk bring together such a diverse group of people in Washington.

Dalai Lama’s message

Tencho Gyatso, niece of the 14th Dalai Lama and president of the International Campaign for Tibet, read a commendation from the 90-year-old monk appreciating the monks’ commitment to “promote national healing, unity and compassion.”

“Their initiative illustrates how religious practitioners can contribute in a constructive way to social harmony and public dialogue,” the Dalai Lama said in the statement Crowds cheered and thanked the monks from sidewalks as they walked from George Washington University, where they stopped for the night, to Capitol Hill.

Pannakara walked barefoot on Wednesday, holding his staff in one hand and a long-stemmed yellow rose in another. His robe was covered in pins given by municipal and law enforcement ofﬁcials the monks met and interacted with along the way People crowded on sidewalks trying to capture a shot of the monks on their cellphones. Many shouted out “thank you” and “we love you,” which the monks acknowledged with smiles and waves.

On Tuesday, they made stops at American University and the Washington National Cathedral for an interfaith conversation where thousands thronged to hear Pannakara speak about mindfulness and lov-

ing kindness.

The group left from the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center, a Buddhist temple in Fort Worth. Long Si Dong, a temple spokesperson, said Wednesday that approaching the U.S. Capitol, he felt “deeply humbled and grateful to witness the large crowd walking quietly behind the monks.”

“Seeing so many people move together in respect, calm and shared purpose was a powerful reminder that peace is not a solitary act — it is something we create together,” he said.

Monk’s leg amputated

The monks’ trek has had its perils. In November, outside Houston, the group was walking on the side of a highway when their escort vehicle was hit by a truck. Two monks were injured; Venerable Maha Dam Phommasan had his leg amputated. Phommasan, abbot of a temple in Snellville, Georgia, rejoined the monks near Washington and entered American University’s arena in a wheelchair and joined the group on their walk to the Capitol.

Pannakara gave Phommasan the floor before he spoke during Wednesday’s closing ceremony Phommasan told the crowd he was feeling cold, “but you all make my heart warm.” He said practicing mindfulness made him face the difﬁcult moments after the accident and his amputation with equanimity

He thanked Pannakara, who he said taught him to be strong.

“He walks like how I run,” Phommasan said as the crowd laughed. “When we walked together, we were very tired, we were cold and we were hot. But, we never gave up.”

Peace walks are a cher-

Wednesday

BY DAVE GOLDINER

New york Daily News (TNS)

ished tradition in Theravada Buddhism. Some of the monks have walked barefoot or in socks during parts of thejourneytofeeltheground directly and help them be present in the moment.

The monks practice and teach Vipassana meditation, an ancient Indian technique taught by the Buddha that focuses on breath and the mind-body connection. Pannakara’s peace talks, given

at stops along the way have urged listeners to put down their phones and ﬁnd peace within themselves.

After an appearance at the Maryland State House, a bus took them back to Texas.

By Amanda McElfresh| amcelfresh@theadvocate.com

This articleisbrought to youbyFMOLHealth| OurLadyofthe Lake

Weylin Robichaux’shealthdecline started quietly.

In 2024, he noticedhis heart racing more oftenand felt unusuallytired afterwork. He assumeditwas stress or just gettingolder

Then,duringa family trip betweenChristmas andNew Year’s,hecamedownwithwhathe thoughtwas astubbornsinus infectionthat neverseemedtoclear up

By mid-January2025, everythingchanged

OneSundayafternoon,Robichaux stoodup from thecouch to geta drinkofwater andnearly collapsedinhis kitchen. He caught himselfand satdown, shaken but notinpain. Later, hiswife foundhim lyinginbed –something he never does during theday “Mywifewantedmetogotothe emergency room,but Ididn’twanttogo,”hesaid. “The next morning, Ifeltgood, so Iwenttowork. Ididn’thavethe feelingofpassing outagain But, my wife stayed on my case andmademe an appointmentfor Wednesdayafternoon.”

When Robichauxarrived at that appointment,his heart rate was177 beatsper minute Hisphysician immediatelysenthim to the hospital.Whatfollowedwas arapid medical freefall

“ByWednesday night, my heartwas at 15 percentcapacity. Icoded on Thursday andmy heartfunctiondropped to 6percent,” Robichaux said.“Iwas on aventilator. They were talking abouta hearttransplant, but thedoctors didn’t know if Icould survivethe helicopter ride from NewIberiatoa larger hospital.I wasinlimbo.”

Then,onFridaymorning, avisitingphysician whohadheardaboutRobichaux’scasesteppedin “Helookedatmywifeand said,‘Ican help,’ Robichauxsaid.

believethe virushecontractedweeks earlier likely attacked hisheart,triggeringsevere symptoms andworseningany pre-existing conditions

TheECMOprogram started at OurLadyof theLakein2024, becoming theﬁrstprogram of itskindinthe BatonRouge region. Sincethen, it hasbecomea beacon of hope for patients like Robichauxwho areoften some of thesickest in thehospitaland arefacingsomeofthe most dire health challenges.Lastyear, theprogram received theSilverPathtoExcellenceAward from theExtracorporealLifeSupport Organization. Theaward is giventoprogramsthat demonstrate outstandingprocesses, procedures andsystems in patientcare.

“It’sa huge accomplishment, especially for anew program. It’s very rare to hear of anew programwithin theﬁrsttwo or threeyears to getthe Silver Award,”saidDavid Hebert,ECMO programmanager at OurLadyofthe Lake.“The successofthisprogram is totalsupport and collaborationwithall of thedifferentparticipants andsupport groups of this hospital.”

Robichauxdoesn’t recall much of histime on ECMO, although he didcatch bits andpieces of conversationsashis health improved andhe became more awareofhis surroundings. Oneof hisﬁrstquestions waswhether hisdaughter’s weddinghad takenplace.The ceremony had been scheduledfor January31, butthe couple hadpostponed untilJulywhenRobichaux’s health crisis struck

“I remember tellingmywife, ‘IfIdon’t make it,I want ourson to walk herdownthe aisle. Shekeptsaying, ‘You’regoing to do it yourself We’regoing to getyou better,’”Robichaux said “She wasabsolutelyright.I walked my daughter down theaisle on July 11.Thatmeant theworld to me.”

Virginia’s supreme court Friday gave the green light to a planned referendum on a Democratic redistricting map that aims to flip four Republican congressional seats, although the justices are still hearing arguments about whether the plan would be legal. In a procedural win for Democrats, the court ruled Virginia may go ahead with the statewide April 21 vote on the proposed map, with early voting starting early in March The map, passed by the state legislature, could result in a 10-1 Democratic congressional delegation in the midterm elections It is currently a 6-5 Democratic edge. But the court also agreed to hear arguments about whether the Democratic mid-decade gerrymandering push is legal, regardless of whether voters approve the referendum Democratic-aligned voting rights attorney Marc Elias called the ruling “a big win,” in part because a lower court had blocked the referendum while the legal sparring plays out.

Democrats, who swept to a landslide victory in off-year elections in Virginia, passed the aggressive new map last week Newly elected Gov. Abigail Spanberger gave it her blessing despite earlier misgivings.

That doctorcontacted Dr.OwenStell medicaldirectorofthe ECMOprogram at FMOL Health |Our Lady of theLakeinBaton Rouge. Dr.Stell guided theteamatthe hospital in NewIberiaonthe immediatenextsteps andpreparedhis staff forRobichaux’s arrival. Within 90 minutes, he wasatOur Lady of the Lake Heart &VascularInstitute,where he was placed on ECMO– extracorporealmembrane oxygenation– alongwitha ventilator,afeeding tube and24-hour dialysis

“Prettymuchnameitand Iwas on it,” Robichauxsaid.

“Virginia Democrats are now one referendum vote away from a 10-1 congressional map,” Elias tweeted.

If the map passes legal muster, it will mean Democrats have so far mostly fought President Donald Trump and his Republican allies to a stalemate in the unprecedented mid-decade redistricting fight that Trump started in Texas. Democrats are confident they will flip the House, where Republicans now hold only a narrow four-vote majority

ECMOisanadvancedformoflifesupport used in themostcriticalcases,whenthe heart, lungsorbothare tooweaktosustain thebody. Themachinestemporarily take over circulation andoxygenation,allowingorganstimetorest andrecover

“The machines do nothealthe patientbut allowtheir body time to rest whileother therapieshelpthemtoget better,” Dr.Stell said “Thisisanoptionwhenother treatmentshave failed andthe patientcontinues to worsen and is notgetting enough oxygen or bloodﬂow.”

RobichauxremainedonECMOatOur Lady of theLakefor abouta month. He said doctors

Themomentwas made possible afterRobichauxcompleted an intensivesix-weekrehab programatOur Lady of theLake. At ﬁrst,he couldn’t situpinbed.Slowly, he wasabletowalk with awalker, then acane, then unassisted.The team also helped him readjust to eating normal foodsand handling day-to-day activities That continuumofcarehas become ahallmark of theECMOprogram at OurLadyofthe Lake.Overall,the programteamhas more than 30 yearsofexperience with ECMO management andtransport andcontinues to undergo intensivetraining on thelatestinnovations and protocols. Theclinicalteamincludesphysicians, nurses,therapists, surgeons,socialworkers, case managers, nutritionistsand others

“Everyoneatthe Lake gets ﬁvestars from me.Theytreated us like family.Westill go and visitthem sometimes,”Robichaux said.“It was as greatofanexperienceasitcould be consideringthe circumstances. It’s only becauseofthe doctorsatOur Lady of theLakeand thegood Lord that I’mhere. There’snoway Iwould be here withoutthem.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By RAHMAT GUL

Buddhist monks walk near the U.S Capitol on Capitol Hill during the Walk For Peace on

in Washington.

Crown prince urges world to stand with people of Iran

About 250,000 demonstrate in Munich, 350,000 in Toronto

BY STANISLAV HODINA Associated Press

MUNICH About 250,000 people demonstrated on Saturday against Iran’s government on the sidelines of a gathering of world leaders in Germany, police said, answering a call from Iran’s exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi for cranked-up international pressure on Tehran.

Banging drums and chanting for regime change, the giant and boisterous rally in Munich was part of what Pahlavi described as a “global day of action” to support Iranians in the wake of deadly nationwide protests. He also called for demonstrations in Los Angeles and Toronto.

Police said in a post on X that the number of protesters reached some 250,000,

more than the organizers had expected. “Change, change, regime

change” the huge crowd chanted, waving greenwhite-and-red flags with

lion and sun emblems. Iran used that ﬂag before its 1979 Islamic Revolution that toppled the Pahlavi dynasty

At a news conference, Pahlavi warned of more deaths in Iran if “democracies stand by and watch” following Iran’s deadly crackdown on protesters last month.

“We gather at an hour of profound peril to ask: Will the world stand with the people of Iran?” he asked

He added that the survival of Iran’s government “sends a clear signal to every bully: kill enough people and you stay in power.”

An estimated 350,000 people marched on the streets of Toronto as part of the Global Day of Action Rally, Toronto Police spokesperson Laura Brabant said.

At the Munich rally demonstrators sported “Make Iran Great Again” red caps, mimicking the MAGA caps worn by U.S. President Donald Trump’s supporters.

Among those sporting the caps was U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina who gave a speech to the crowd during which he was photographed holding up the headwear Many at the rally waved placards showing Pahlavi, some that called him a king. The son of Iran’s deposed shah has been in exile for nearly 50 years but is trying to position himself as a player in Iran’s future. The crowd chanted “Pahlavi for Iran,” and “democracy for Iran” as drums and cymbals sounded.

“We have huge hopes and (are) looking forward that the regime is going to change hopefully,” said Daniyal Mohtashamian, a demonstrator who traveled from Zurich, in Switzerland, to speak for protesters inside Iran who faced repression.

“There is an internet blackout, and their voices are not going outside of Iran,” he said.

Iranian security uses dragnet spanning the country to arrest protesters

BY AMIR-HUSSEIN RADJY Associated Press

CAIRO The Iranian security agents came at 2 a.m., pulling up in a half-dozen cars outside the home of the Nakhii family They woke up the sleeping sisters, Nyusha and Mona, and forced them to give the passwords for their phones. Then they took the two away

The women were accused of participating in the nationwide protests that shook Iran a week earlier, a friend of the pair told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity for her security as she described the Jan 16 arrests. Such arrests have been happening for weeks following the government crackdown last month that crushed the protests calling for the end of the country’s theocratic rule. Reports of raids on homes and workplaces have come from major cities and rural towns alike, revealing a dragnet that has touched large swaths of Iranian

society

University students, doctors, lawyers, teachers, actors, business owners, athletes and ﬁlmmakers have been swept up, as well as reformist ﬁgures close to President Masoud Pezeshkian.

They are often held incommunicado for days or weeks and prevented from contacting family members or lawyers, according to activists monitoring the arrests.

That has left desperate relatives searching for their loved ones.

The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency has put the number of arrests at more than 50,000. The AP has been unable to verify the figure. Tracking the detainees has been difficult since Iranian authorities imposed an internet blackout, and reports leak out only with difficulty

Other activist groups outside Iran have also been working to document the sweeps. “Authorities continue to identify people and detain them,” said Shiva Nazarahari, an organizer with

one of those groups, the Committee for Monitoring the Status of Detained Protesters.

So far, the committee has veriﬁed the names of more than 2,200 people who were arrested, using direct reports from families and a network of contacts on the ground. The arrestees include 107 university students, 82 children as young as 13, as well as 19 lawyers and 106 doctors.

Nazarahari said authorities have been reviewing municipal street cameras, store surveillance cameras and drone footage to track people who participated in the protests to their homes or places of work, where they are arrested.

The protests began in late December triggered by anger over spiraling prices, and quickly spread across the country They peaked on Jan. 8 and 9, when hundreds of thousands of people in more than 190 cities and towns across the country took to the streets.

Security forces responded by unleashing unprecedented vio-

lence. The Human Rights Activists News Agency has so far counted more than 7,000 dead and says the true number is far higher Iran’s government offered its only death toll on Jan. 21, saying 3,117 people were killed. The theocracy has undercounted or not reported fatalities from past unrest.

Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejehi, a hard-line cleric who heads Iran’s judiciary, became the face of the crackdown, labeling protesters “terrorists” and calling for fasttracked punishments. Since then, “detentions have been very widespread because it’s like a whole suffocation of society,” said one protester, reached by the AP in Gohardasht, a middleclass area outside the Iranian capital. He said two of his relatives and three of his brother’s friends were killed in the ﬁrst days of the crackdown, as well as several neighbors.

The Nakhii sisters, 25-year-old Nyusha and 37-year-old Mona, were ﬁrst taken to Tehran’s notorious Evin prison, where they were

allowed to contact their parents, their friend said. Later, she said, they were moved to Qarchak, a women’s prison on the outskirts of Tehran where rights groups reported conditions that included overcrowding and lack of hygiene even before the crackdown. Despite the crackdown, many civic groups continue to issue deﬁant statements.

A national council representing schoolteachers urged families to speak out about detained children and students. “Do not fear the threats of security forces. Refer to independent counsel. Make your children’s names public,” it said in a statement.

A spokesman for the council said Sunday that it has documented the deaths of at least 200 minors who were killed in the crackdown That ﬁgure is up several dozen from the count just days before.

“Every day we tell ourselves this is the last list,” Mohammad Habibi wrote on X. “But the next morning, new names arrive again.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By EBRAHIM NOROOZI

Supporters of Iran’s exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi attend a demonstration Saturday during the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany.

Minnesota welcomes immigration drawdown

But state officials and residents say effects will linger

BY MARK VANCLEAVE and HANNAH FINGERHUT Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS The Trump administration’s drawdown of its immigration enforcement surge in the Twin Cities area has been met with relief, but state ofﬁcials and residents say its effects on Minnesota’s economy and immigrant communities will linger

Thousands of officers were sent to the Minneapolis and St. Paul area for Operation Metro Surge, which the Department of Homeland Security called its “largest immigration enforcement operation ever” and touted as a success. But President Donald Trump’s enforcement campaign came under increasing criticism as the situation grew more volatile.

The shooting deaths of U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal ofﬁcers drew condemnation and raised questions over officers’ conduct, prompting changes to the operation

And despite the announced end to the surge, Democratic Gov Tim Walz urged Minnesotans to remain vigilant and said the damage would be lasting

“The fact of the matter is they left us with deep damage, generational trauma,” Walz said. “They left us with economic ruin, in some cases. They left us with many unanswered questions.”

Following the announcement Thursday, some residents held a vigil at a makeshift shrine that went up where Good was shot in Minneapolis.

Mark Foresman, an attendee from the suburb of St. Louis Park, said he is skeptical that the agents will leave.

“The Trump administration has created an atmosphere of distrust for government in general,” he said, suggesting the Trump administration’s tactics seemed designed to sow fear “They’ve repeatedly been caught in lies.”

John Schnickel, a local who attended the vigil, disputed Trump ofﬁcials’ claims that the operation had made Minnesota safer

“I don’t even want one ICE person here, if they act the way they’ve been acting,” said local attendee John Schnickel. “They talk about how the murder rate is down, and yet they’ve added two people to it,” he said.

Most U.S. adults say they think Trump’s immigration policies have gone too far, according to a recent APNORC poll.

Border czar Tom Homan told reporters Thursday that “extensive engagement” with state and local ofﬁcials allowed for a formal end to the operation.

Trump shifted his tone

and dispatched Homan to reduce tensions after the Jan 24 killing of Pretti, saying that he and Walz were on a “similar wavelength” after weeks of barbs between the two leaders.

Homan on Thursday highlighted examples of newfound cooperation with state and local entities, including law enforcement being increasingly responsive to requests for assistance and agreements on how jails handle deportable inmates.

The White House had long accused Minnesota of protecting criminals from deportation with so-called sanctuary laws. But Homan shifted that narrative dramatically in recent days, saying there was now “unprecedented collaboration” between immigration officers and Minnesota law enforcement.

But he never explained what had changed

Many of Minnesota’s county jails, as well as the state’s prison system, have long shared information with federal immigration authorities so they can take custody of arrested immigrants

The major exception is the Hennepin County Jail, which serves Minneapolis and which doesn’t work with immigration authorities unless an arrest warrant has been signed by a judge

On Friday, Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt, who oversees the jail, insisted no policies had changed.

Homan announced that 700 federal officers would leave Minnesota, but that still left more than 2,000 in the state. He said Thursday that a “significant drawdown” was already underway and would continue through this week

Homan said he would be on the ground for a “little longer” and that a small team would facilitate the transition, in part ensuring continuing cooperation from state and local authorities.

He did not specify how many ofﬁcers would remain, but he said targeted enforcement would continue in the Twin Cities. Todd Lyons, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s acting director, said during a congressional hearing Thursday that the agency is still searching for about 16,840 people in Minnesota who have ﬁnal orders of removal.

Homan also made clear that the administration would continue to deliver on Trump’s promise of mass deportations across the country, and said ofﬁcers leaving Minnesota will report back to their stations or be assigned elsewhere.

The focus on the Twin Cities, which Trump had pushed for partly because of fraud allegations involving Somali residents, followed increased deployments in big cities and small towns run by Democrats, including Los Angeles, Chicago, Charlotte and New Orleans.

The effects of the Minnesota crackdown will also

continue to play out in court, as federal prosecutors pursue cases against protesters and deportation cases slowly proceed.

A federal judge issued a temporary emergency order Thursday, ﬁnding that immigrants detained at a federal building in Minnesota have too many barriers to legal counsel. A DHS spokesperson maintained in a statement that detainees are provided access to phones, adding that the building is a processing facility, not a detention center

States miss deadline for Colorado River water deal

By The Associated Press

PHOENIX The seven Western states that depend on the Colorado River missed a deadline for the second time Saturday to agree on a plan addressing record drought and water shortages.

Arizona Gov Katie Hobbs, California Gov Gavin Newsom and Nevada Gov Joe Lombardo released a joint statement calling on Upper Basin states to offer more concessions. Those states include Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.

“The Colorado River is essential to our communities and economies, andourstateshaveconservedlarge volumes of water in recent years to stabilize the basin’s water supplies for years to come,” the governors said. “Our stance remains ﬁrm and fair: All seven basin states must share in the responsibility of conservation.”

Arizona, California and Nevada have offered to decrease Colorado River allocation by 27%, 10% and 17%, respectively, according to those states.

Colorado Sen. John Hickenlooper, who helped negotiate a river contingency plan in 2019 as governor, called the situation in the Colorado Basin “dire,” pointing to the state’s low snowpack.

“If we don’t address this problem together — head-on and fast — our communities, farms, and economies will suffer The best path for-

ward is the one we take together Litigation won’t solve the problem of this long-term aridification,”

Hickenlooper said in a statement.

John Entsminger, the general manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority, also expressed frustration at the lack of progress.

“The actions we have taken over the past two-plus decades are less

about raising Lake Mead’s elevation than they are about protecting ourselves if things go from bad to worse,” Entsminger said in a statement. The states previously let pass a November deadline set by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to devise a strategy to face water shortages after this year, when current

guidelines will expire. Over 40 million people across these states along with Mexico and Native American tribes rely on Colorado River water The river is crucial to farming as well as water and electricity for millions of homes and businesses. Much of the water starts out as winter mountain snowfall in the Upper Basin, which

amasses far more that way than it consumes. Lower Basin states, including agriculture-heavy regions, are bigger consumers.

Major cities including Denver, Salt Lake City Albuquerque, Las Vegas, Phoenix and Los Angeles are also big water consumers. Chronic overuse, drought and rising temperatures linked to climate change have lessened water ﬂows.

How the water is allocated — especially in dry spells — and conserved has been the center of agreements among the states for decades. The original 1922 Colorado River Compact was calculated based on water amounts that doesn’t exist today especially with the long-term drought.

The current round of negotiations among states have been going on over two years. If no consensus can be reached, the federal government could step in and devise a plan that leaves parties dissatisﬁed and could even result in litigation.

Scientists recently found snow cover and snow depth in the West are at their lowest in decades. Some areas have seen their warmest December through early February Normally, snow cover this time of year spans 460,000 square miles — about the size of California, Utah, Idaho and Montana. But, this year it is only California-sized, about 155,000 square miles, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center

Mistrial declared in case of Stanford pro-Palestinian protesters

BY OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO A judge declared a mistrial Friday in the case of ﬁve current and former Stanford University students charged after proPalestinian protests in 2024, when they barricaded themselves inside the university president and provost executive ofﬁces.

The trial in Santa Clara County was a rare instance of demonstrators facing felony charges from protests over the Israel-Hamas war that roiled campuses across

the country The two sides argued over free speech, lawful dissent and crime during the three-week proceedings.

The jury voted 9-3 to convict on a felony charge of vandalism and 8-4 to convict on a felony charge of conspiracy to trespass. After deliberating for five days, jurors said they could not reach a verdict. Judge Hanley Chew asked each one if more time deliberating would help break the impasse, and all answered, “No.” “It appears that this jury is hopelessly deadlocked, and

I’m now declaring a mistrial in counts one and two,” Chen said. He then dismissed the jurors.

Demonstrators barricaded themselves inside the ofﬁces for several hours on June 5, 2024, the last day of spring classes at the university Prosecutors said the defendants spray-painted the building, broke windows and furniture, disabled security cameras and splattered a red liquid described as fake blood on items throughout the ofﬁces.

Defense attorneys said the protest was protected

Viral AI-generated video shakes Hollywood

BY CERYS DAVIES

Los Angeles Times (TNS)

LOS ANGELES A viral AIgenerated video of Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise ﬁghting atop a building is causing a stir online.

The 15-second video comes from the latest AI video-generation platform, Seedance 2.0. The platform was launched this week by its owner, ByteDance, the same Chinese parent that oversees TikTok. As the video circulates online, the Motion Picture Association and other industry stakeholders have called out the video for its unauthorized use of copyrighted works.

MPA’s CEO, Charles Rivkin, wrote in a statement that the company “should immediately cease its infringing activity.”

“In a single day, the Chinese AI service Seedance 2.0 has engaged in unauthorized use of U.S. copyrighted

works on a massive scale,” wrote Rivkin. “ByteDance is disregarding well-established copyright law that protects the rights of creators and underpins millions of American jobs.”

The video was posted on X by Irish ﬁlmmaker Ruairi Robinson. His post said the 15-second video came from a two-line prompt he put into Seedance 2.0. Rhett Reese, writer/producer of movies like the “Deadpool”trilogyand“Zombieland,”respondedtoRobinson’s post, writing, “I hate to say it. It’s likely over for us. He goes on to say that soon people will be able to sit at a computer and create a movie “indistinguishable from what Hollywood now releases.” Reese says he’s fearful of losing his job as increasingly powerful AI tools advance into creative ﬁelds “I was blown away by the Pitt v Cruise video because it is so professional. That’s

exactly why I’m scared,” wrote Rhett on X. “My glass half empty view is that Hollywood is about to be revolutionized/decimated.”

Rhett isn’t alone in thinking AI could potentially “decimate” Hollywood and take away jobs. Creating protections against AI was one of the main reasons both SAG-AFTRA and the Writers’ Guild went on strike in 2023. But some members argue that those measures — now nearly three years old — did not go far enough.

As SAG-AFTRA reentered contract negotiations with the studios earlier this week, AI is still one of the union’s highest priorities. It’s expected that the actors’ union could propose what has been called the Tilly tax, a fee that studios would have to pay to the union in exchange for using an AI-generated actor a response to the introduction of Hollywood’s ﬁrst AI actor Tilly Norwood.

speech and there was insuf-

ﬁcient evidence of an intent to damage the property

They also said the students wore protective gear and barricaded the offices out of fear of being injured by police and campus security If convicted, the defendants would have faced up to three years in prison and been obligated to pay restitution of over $300,000.

Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen said he would pursue a new trial. “This case is about a group of people who destroyed someone else’s prop-

erty and caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage,” Rosen said in a statement. “That is against the law and that is why we will retry the case.” As the mistrial was announced, the students, some wearing kafﬁyehs, sat on a bench in the courtroom and did not show a visible reaction.

“The District Attorney’s Ofﬁce had Stanford University supporting them and other multibillion-dollar institutions behind them, and even then the district attorney was unable to convict

us,” Germán González, who was a sophomore at Stanford when he was arrested, told The Associated Press by phone later “No matter what happens, we will continue to ﬁght tooth and nail for as long as possible, because at the end of the day, this is for Palestine.” Authorities initially arrested and charged 12 people in the case, but one pleaded no contest under an agreement that allows some young people to have their cases dismissed and records sealed if they successfully complete probation.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By ROSS D FRANKLIN

The Colorado River in the Upper Basin is seen May 29, 2021, in Lees Ferry, Ariz., near the Utah border

GoldmanSachs lawyer outoverconnections

BY KEN SWEET Associated Press

NEW YORK Goldman Sachs general counsel Kathy Ruemmler has had astoried legal career.As afederal prosecutor,she helped successfully prosecute Enron executives including Ken Lay and Jeffrey Skilling. Shewas part of President Barack Obama’sadministration, working in various roles for much of his two termsinofﬁce, including as White House Counsel. She was evenbrieﬂy considered by PresidentBarack Obama as a candidate for attorney general.

On Thursday,Ruemmler,54, announced that she plans to resign from the toplegal post at Goldman after atrove of emails and correspondence between her and disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein showed the two individuals were especiallyclose,years after Epstein’s2008 conviction on sex crimes charges, when he became aregistered sex offender.

Ruemmler previously down-

played her relationship withEpstein. She called hima“monster andsaid she regretted ever knowing him. Ruemmler hasrepeatedlydescribed their relationship as professional,citing her jobas aprivate defenseattorney before she ever joined Goldman Sachs. But documents released in recent weeks and reviewed by The AssociatedPress depict adeeper relationship than had previouslybeen characterized by Ruemmler and Goldman Sachs. Theseincluded intimate emailexchanges,social plans and gifts that went beyond formal legal work.

she advisedEpstein on howhe might go about trying to repair his image and defend himself publicly againstnew claims of misconduct.

Roughly 8,400 documents involved Ruemmler or referenced her.Some correspondence shows that Ruemmler was aware of the extent of the allegations that Epstein hadfacedinvolving underage girlsinFlorida. In some instances,

The gifts Epstein gave to Ruemmler havebeen documented in news reports: the spa treatments, thehandbags fromHermes,an Apple Watch,aFendi coat, among many others. But some of the interactions between Epstein and Ruemmlerdescribed throughout their correspondenceindicates thatEpstein andRuemmler didnot simply have alawyer-client transactional relationship, as Ruemmler previously attested to.

“Itmakes him happy to see you happy,” Epstein’sassistant wrote to Ruemmler in 2016, after Epstein prepaid for aspa treatmentfor her In October 2018, Epsteindirected one of his assistants to send ﬂowersand chicken soup to Ruemmler becauseshe has“not been feeling well.” It would not be theﬁrst time that Epstein would send her asmall token of appreciation when shewas sick. They

Brazilianau pair gets 10 yearsfor plot to kill lover’swifeand anotherman

BY OLIVIA DIAZ Associated Press/ Reportfor America

FAIRFAX,Va An au pair who schemed with her employerturned-lover to kill his wife and another man received a 10-yearprisonsentence on Friday Prosecutorshad recommended Juliana Peres Magalhãeswalk free after she pleaded guilty to a downgraded manslaughter charge in the February 2023 killing of Joseph Ryan Instead of being tried for second-degree murder,she became their star witness, testifying that she had fatally shot Ryan as Brendan Banfield was fatally stabbing his wife, Christine, in the couple’sbedroom.

Brendan Banﬁeld was convicted by ajury this month of aggravated murder in the deaths of his wife and Ryan

“I know my remorse cannot bring youpeace,” Magalhães told the victims’ families on Friday, wiping away tears andmufﬂing sobs. “I hope you can someday understand that Ireally did not believehis plan wouldactually happen

Instead of sentencing her to time served, Judge Penney Azcaratedelivered the maximum possible sentence to thewoman from Brazil.

“Let’s get it straight: You do not deserve anything other than incarceration and alife of reﬂection on what youhave done to thevictim andhis family.May it weigh heavily on your soul,” the judge said.

At Banﬁeld’strial, Magalhães testified that she and the IRS agent created an account in the name of his wife, apediatric intensive care nurse, on asocial media platform for people in-

terestedinsexualfetishes.

Ryan connected with the account andagreed to meet for asexual encounter involving aknife.

Magalhães, then22, said she andBrendan Banfield took the couple’s4-year-old child to the basement, and then foundRyan surprising Christine Banfield with aknife in the couple’s bedroom. She said Brendan Banfield shot Ryan and then beganstabbing his wife in the neck. When she saw Ryanmoving, Magalhães said, she fired the second shot that killed him The au pair wasn’tarrested until eight months later andhasn’t left jail since. Prosecutors raised concerns that if she were to be allowedbail, shewould flee to Brazil or be deported by immigration officials.

Ajudgehas said Banﬁeld will be sentenced in May

talked about dating issues, made jokes about both the wealthy and everyday people,and shared laments abouttheir careers and dating lives. They wouldmessage each other aboutmundane things like their mutual distaste for seeing babies in business classonflights and would repeatedly plan to have dinner or drinks in various places.

During her timeinprivate practice after she leftthe White House in 2014, Ruemmler received several expensive gifts from Epstein, including luxuryhandbags and a fur coat. The gifts were given after Epsteinhad alreadybeen convicted of sex crimes in 2008 and was registered as asex offender Ruemmler wasalso involvedin Epstein’slegal defense effortsafter he was arrested asecondtime for sex crimes in 2019 and later killed himselfinaManhattan jail.

“So lovely andthoughtful! Thank youtoUncle Jeffrey!!!” Ruemmler wrote to Epstein in 2018.

She joined Goldman Sachs in 2020

and became its top lawyer in 2021. The ﬁrm’sleadership backed her publicly amid the revelations. But the embarrassing emails raised questions about Ruemmler’sjudgment.Historically,WallStreet frowns on gift-giving between clientsand bankersorWallStreet lawyers, particularly high-end gifts that could pose aconﬂict of interest.

BloombergNews, TheWall Street Journaland other media outlets reported that Goldman’s partners, whoare the firm’s most senior andwell-regarded members going back to when the investment bank was privately held, hadbegun to question why the firm washolding Ruemmlerinsuch high regard when otherlawyers were just as qualifiedtoholdthe top legal job.

Goldman CEO David Solomon he respected Ruemmler’sdecision to resign. The firm said she would wind down her work at the bank “to ensure asmoothtransition,” before her last day on June 30.

Love in the air for Valentine’s Day at Winter Olympics

BY FERNANDA FIGUEROA and JENNIFER MCDERMOTT Associated Press

MILAN At the Milan Cortina Olympic Games, winning medals isn’t the only thing making hearts swell. From the ice rinks to the snowy hills, love is in the frozen air Some competitions already seem to have Cupid in attendance.

Dutch skater Jutta Leerdam set an Olympic record in the 1000-meter race, then turned to find her fiancé Jake Paul in the stands; both visibly weeping, they made heart signs to one another with their hands. And downhill skiing champion Breezy Johnson’s longtime boyfriend proposed to her near the finish line Thursday while surrounded by members of the U.S. Ski Team.

Valentine’s Day for athletes and attendees at the Games doesn’t usually mean grand gestures, but it’s no less special.

Competing on Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day was the finals for the women’s skeleton event. That means that Kim Meylemans of Belgium and Nicole Rocha Silveira of Brazil — an international couple who play for their separate national teams — will be too busy for a romantic dinner They told The Associated Press they didn’t even bring gifts to exchange. But since they are together all the time, “It’s always a bit of a Valentine’s Day,” Meylemans said “It is part of our sport every day, our love.”

The two feel fortunate their national Olympic committees arranged for them to bunk together at Cortina d’Ampezzo’s Olympic village, since typically only teammates share housing. Half their room is decorated for Belgium, the other half Brazil

Rocha Silveira was new to the sport in 2019 when Meylemans was already competing in World Cup races. They fell in love during the pandemic while sharing shortterm rentals, since many hotels closed.

Fast forward to 2024, and they unknowingly bought identical engagement rings and planned proposals for the same boat trip in Brazil while on vacation. They married last August. When they compete, they high-

ﬁve and kiss before each run, wishing the other well.

“It doesn’t matter which one is on the podium. At the end of the day, it’s a victory for our team,” Meylemans said.

Rocha Silveira said it’s important their relationship appears during these Games in Italy, where samesex marriages aren’t recognized and only married heterosexual couples are allowed to jointly adopt. It’s a great place to “show it even more,” and “encourage and inspire people that they can be themselves,” she said.

Volunteer valentines

Lori and Curtis Brown have been married for over 30 years and will be spend Valentine’s Day at the skating arena where they are volunteering for this year’s Winter Olympics.

About 18,000 volunteers are spread across the venues in northern Italy — a sea of navy blue uniforms keeping the Olympics running around the clock, with duties such as giving directions, accompanying athletes to venues, crowd

control and medical support.

Curtis 60 said neither of them had realized they were scheduled to work. Now, they’re hoping they can coincide their breaks to have dinner together, perhaps surrounded by the rest of the volunteers, he joked.

“This is the most special Valentine’s Day of our lives,” Curtis said “Because we’re both here, we’re both on the same page, we’re both enjoying this adventure together.”

While presents are neither’s love language, Lori, 61, told the AP she bought boxer briefs from the ofﬁcial Milan Cortina souvenir store. Curtis hadn’t bought anything for her

“It’s not so much about gift giving, just going out and doing something together,” said Lori, 61. She spoke while sitting beside Curtis, so perhaps she’ll be surprised on Saturday

Canadian pair has date on ice

Canadian hockey forward Laura Stacey and her wife, team captain Marie-Philip Poulin, had a different kind of date: playing Germany’s

team in the quarterﬁnals in Milan.

“We have a game, we have a big game, so spending it together

We’re pretty lucky,” Stacey said.

“Most people don’t get to do what they love, chasing their dreams together, and we do. So I think on February 14th, I think it’s important for us to just appreciate that and not take it for granted.”

Aside from taking on Germany, they didn’t have plans — but Stacey said they will surely at least give each other cards.

Other Olympian couples

Many other couples are at the Olympics, some teammates and others competing against each other

n The record-breaking face of the U.S. women’s hockey team, Hilary Knight, is in Milan with her girlfriend Brittany Bowe, a speedskater from the U.S. skating team.

On Saturday, she posted a photo of a pink, heart-shaped carabiner on her Instagram.

n American ﬁgure skaters Madison Chock and Evan Bates were married in 2024 and won a silver

medal on Wednesday

n U.S. bobsledding has a power couple with reigning women’s monobloc world champion Kaysha Love engaged to men’s push athlete Hunter Powell. She’s in the Olympics for the second time, while he’s making his debut.

n U.S. Alpine skiing star Mikae-

la Shiffrin — that sport’s all-time wins leader — is engaged to Norway’s Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, who returned to racing this season after dealing with major injuries.

n Italy’s luge team Dominik Fischnaller and the U.S.’s Emily Sweeney married last year after dating for almost 15 years.

n Latvia’s luge team includes the husband-and-wife pair of Martins Bots and Elina Bota, both single sliders.

n Curling may have the most well-known couples of any sport. Norway’s Magnus Nedregotten and Kristin Skaslien have been together since 2008 and won bronze in Pyeongchang Jocelyn Peterman and Brett Gallant of Canada married in 2022 and were favorites this year There are Switzerland’s Yannick Schwaller and Briar Schwalller-Huerlimann, too; they brought their baby and photos of him carrying a curling broom twice his size went viral. He looked like a curling Cupid. McDermott reported from Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy Associated Press writer John Wawrow in Milan contributed to this report.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JACQUELyN MARTIN

AP PHOTO By FATIMA SHBAIR Switzerland’s yannick Schwaller and Briar Schwaller-Huerlimann kiss Feb 8 during the mixed doubles round robin phase of the curling competition against Britain at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy

White Castle transforms restaurants for Valentine’s Day

BY COREY WILLIAMS Associated Press

DETROIT Valentine’s Day dinner at White Castle with candles, attentive wait staff and white tablecloths was a treasured experience for Krystal Gray and her mother, Cornelia Murphy

This year, Gray will bring along a photo of her mother, who died last spring at age 80, and place it on the table she has still reserved at one of the fast-food chain restaurants in the Detroit suburb of Ferndale.

“It wouldn’t be the same without her,” Gray said. “I wanted something to make me feel better about her not physically being able to come.”

For 35 years, White Castle has invited lovers, loved ones and the soon-to-be in love to have an intimate meal at its restaurants. This year the 325 White Castles with a dining room in the U.S. are taking part in the promotion according to Jamie Richardson, chief marketing ofﬁcer of the Columbus, Ohiobased restaurant chain.

“That one day White Castle becomes love castle,” Richardson said. “It’s something our customers look forward to. Many are repeat visitors on Valentine’s Day.” ‘Quirky’ promotion finds fans

The promotion started in 1991 and was only offered at White Castles in St. Louis and Minneapolis. Richardson said the goal was to offer “something kind of fun and quirky and see if anyone wants to come out have a fancy Valentine’s Day dinner at White Castle.”

Each participating eatery is given a budget for decorations which can include red balloons, garland and ﬂowers Reservations are required and opened in early January About 32,000 people cel-

ebrated Valentine’s Day dinner at a White Castle in 2025. Richardson says they are on target for more than 35,000 this year

“Some people show up in limousines,” he said. “We’ll have people dress like it’s their wedding. We had over 200 White Castle weddings over the years.”

Sliders and memorable moments

There’s just something about the thin slice of steam-grilled beef, slathered in mustard and ketchup with diced onions, cheese and a pickle slice on a dinner roll

that many can’t resist. Crinklecut French fries and a soft drink typically ﬁll out orders. The onion chips and chicken rings also are popular

“It’s all the ambiance, all the love and all the great memories for a fraction of the price,” Richardson said. “For a couple, if they are really splurging, it’s right around $20, or $25 if you’re getting dessert on a stick.”

Ann Tubbs, district supervisor of nine “Castles” in the Detroit and mid-Michigan areas, said customers tell her that the affordable

Trump administration doubles down, says Pride flag can’t fly at Stonewall

BY REBECCA WHITE and THOMAS TRACY

New york Daily News (TNS)

NEW YORK The Trump administration won’t be conceding to the demands of LGBTQ New Yorkers who want to see a Pride rainbow flag fly above the Stonewall National Monument in Greenwich Village, with the federal Department of the Interior claiming it won’t allow any exceptions to the existing rules. Word of the federal government’s line in the sand over its new rules that only U.S. flags can fly over monuments cared for by the National Park Service came as scores of queer couples traveled to the monument on Valentine’s Day to celebrate the holiday and ensure their love won’t be stamped out “It was just confirmation (that they) can’t erase us,” 60-year-old Chris DiPietro said Saturday as he and his partner stared up at the Pride flag. “We’re here. This national monument is for this community and it needs to stay here.”

On Thursday, throngs of people showed up at the monument to raise the Pride ﬂag back into place after it was removed from the monument ﬂagpole last weekend.

National Park Service em-

ployees removed the ﬂag following orders from a Jan 21 memo from the U.S Department of the Interior that indicates ﬂagpoles and buildings under the jurisdiction of the U.S General Services Administration, including at the Stonewall monument, “are not intended to serve as a forum for free expression by the public.”

“Only the U.S. flag, flags of the Department of the Interior, and the POW/MIA flag will be flown by the National Park Service in public spaces where the NPS is responsible for the upkeep, maintenance, and operation of the flag and flagpole,” the memo states.

In a statement given to NY1, a Department of the Interior spokesman called Thursday’s raising of the Pride ﬂag “political pageantry” that “shows how utterly incompetent and misaligned the New York City ofﬁcials are with the problems their city is facing.”

“Recent adjustments to flag displays at the monument were made to ensure consistency with federal guidance,” the agency said about the Pride flag’s removal. “Stonewall National Monument remains committed to preserving and interpreting the history and signiﬁcance of this site through

its exhibits, programs, and educational initiatives.”

Queer New Yorkers disagreed, claiming that the true significance of Stonewall cannot he appreciated without the Pride flag fluttering high overhead. Days of protests were held at the monument last week, ending in the flag-raising on Thursday with more than 2,000 people in attendance flooding Christopher Park and the surrounding streets.

The monument in Christopher Park is across from the site of the Stonewall Riots of 1969 that sparked the gay civil rights movement.

Although a larger flagpole stands outside the park, a smaller one — located inside the park — was added under the Biden administration expressly to fly a Pride flag as part of the Stonewall National Monument, which was designated under President Barack Obama, officials said. Dozens of smaller Pride flags remained peppered throughout the park on Saturday, which the federal government has indicated it won’t remove.

“It’s a great day,” DiPietro said, gazing around the history-laden park and noting the holiday “We can be here arm-in-arm and comfortable in our own skin in a city that we love.”

cost helps but people keep coming because of the tradition and memories.

“I’ve had a couple who announced their pregnancy,” Tubbs said. “We’ve had people come in with their children just to make those moments, and others who have gotten engaged.”

Amy Richardson, 41, of Lincoln Park near Detroit, makes sure that she, her three children and her signiﬁcant other also dress the part, wearing something pink or red and at times matching each other

She said she has spent Valen-

tine’s Day at a White Castle every year since 2012.

“I had just gotten into a new relationship and I had a 3-year-old daughter,” she said of the ﬁrst time. “We wanted to make it somewhere kid-friendly All three of us packed up and went out on our date.”

The couple has since added two younger children and spend about $30 on their Valentine’s Day meals for a family of ﬁve.

“We usually get the sliders and the chicken rings and the mozzarella cheese sticks,” Amy Richardson added. “It’s more of a nostalgia thing. It may be fancied up, but it’s not a fancy restaurant where people frown on you bringing a young child or children.”

Wafﬂe House, another national restaurant chain, also will mark its 18th year of offering a special themed dinner on Valentine’s Day

This was the ﬁrst year online reservations were taken and many of the 218 Wafﬂe House locations taking part were booked by the end of last week, according to spokesperson Kelly Bruner

Carrying on a family tradition Gray has made Valentine’s Day at White Castle sort of a tradition, having done it about 10 times. Gray will be among 14 fans inducted in May into the White Castle “Craver’s Hall of Fame.” They were selected after submitting their White Castle stories.

This year, she also will share the day with her two young daughters as a tribute to her mother’s mem-

‘I swingfor thefences’:LCTCS PresidentRichard Nelson embraces newrolewithambitionand abold vision forworkforce growth

By Amanda McElfresh,amcelfresh@theadvocate.com

Thisarticle is broughttoyou by theLouisiana Communityand TechnicalCollege System

When RichardNelsonthinksabout thepower of education, hismindgoesbacktoAPCalculusclass at Mandeville High School

Histeacher,Ms. FanDisher, waswell-regarded as oneofthe topcalculusteachersinthe nation.Every studentwho passed throughher classroomearned atop scoreonthe AP exam,securingcollege credits andsavingtuition dollarsbeforeeversteppingfoot on acampus.

“ItamazesmewhenI thinkabout theimpactshe hadonsomanystudents. Hermotivationand drive wassecondtonone. It remindsmeofhow teachers cantruly make adifference andcreate arippleeffect for theirstudents,” Nelson said That earlyfoundationshapedNelson’spathinto biological engineering, andlater,intolaw,politicsand stateleadership.Ashebeginshis newroleaspresident of theLouisiana Communityand TechnicalCollege System (LCTCS), he sees educationnot as an abstract ideal, butasa practicalenginefor economic mobility for Louisianacitizens.

“I seeLCTCS as thesystem that connects thegaps betweenskills, population andemployers. Ourjob is to make sure thestate hasa highly-educatedworkforce thatmatchesbusinessneeds.Thenumberonepurpose forustoget people into high-payingjobs,”Nelsonsaid. “Wewantpeopletowalkout of ourinstitutionswith adegreeorcredentialthatwillleadtothemhavinga better life.”

Nelson arrivesatLCTCS during what he callsone of themostpivotal momentsinLouisiana’s modern history. Billions of dollarsineconomicdevelopment projects have been announcedinrecent months encompassing industries such as information technology,manufacturing,energy, transportation andmore. Nelson said theseinvestments areexpected to generate at least70,000 to 80,000 newjobsacross Louisiana– many of whichwillrequire an associate degree or technicalcredentials “Wewantthe citizens of Louisianatobeneﬁtfrom theseinvestments.Ourgoalistoconnectourcitizensto thesenewjobopportunities,”Nelsonsaid.“Asasystem, wealreadyhavedeepconnectionswithmanyemployers, andeachLCTCS institutionhas collaborations with industriesintheirregion.Wewanttostrengthenthose tiesandbuildnewonesasmorecompaniescometoour state. We know theseemployers will need people.It’s just as important, if notmoreso, than infrastructure andutilities.Wehavetobeabletoprovide thehuman resources they need.”

With priorexperienceasa diplomatwiththe U.S. ForeignService,aLouisiana staterepresentativeand theSecretaryoftheLouisianaDepartmentofRevenue, Nelson brings awidelenstohis newrole. He haslived andworkedall over theworld,but hispulltoLouisiana always remained strong “Everythingisconnected in Louisiana. This is a statethatisbuilt on relationships,”Nelsonsaid. “I’m gratiﬁed to have builtalot of connectionswithparish officials, lawenforcement leadersand school board membersacrossLouisiana.Thosekindsofrelationships arecrucial to success. Systemic projects like theones we areseeinginLouisiana take involvementfrom everyone from thecouncilmantothe school board

presidenttothe sherifftothe governor.Everybody hastoberowinginthe same direction. As he hasseenthe implementation of newpolicies to strengthen thestate’s economic landscape, he has been filledwithpride andoptimism. “The discussion fora long time wasabout how to keep kids in Louisiana. Now, that discussion has changedintohow to getLouisiana kids into these jobsbeforepeoplefromother states move in.That’s an exciting conversation to have,” Nelson said.“We’re seeing rapidchanges in economic investment,the tax code andinsurance regulations. As theeffects of these continue to be felt,it’sgoing to completely change the future of thestate.” Nelson said he believes the12LCTCS institutions arewell-positioned to play akey role in that future During hisvisitstocampusesinrecentmonths,he’s beenimpressed by thetop-tier facultyand advanced technology systemsthatare in placetoprepare and trainstudents forlucrative careers. Witnessing that work across thestate hashelpedNelsondefine several keyprioritiesaspresident—among them ensuring that each institutionhas theresources to meet studentand workforcedemands andsimplifying pathways for students to geta degree or certification

“Ifyou’reahighschoolstudent whowants to take classesatanLCTCS college, thereshouldbea straightforwardwaytodothat.Ifyou’reaworkingparent whowants to getyourdegree, thereshouldbeenough optionsforyoutodothat.Ifyouwanttogetabachelor’s degree aftercompletingyourLCTCS education, those creditsshouldtransfereasily,”Nelsonsaid. “I want to help cleara path andstreamlinethose processes. With strong programs,accessibility,affordability andwell-paying jobsready to be filledclose to home Nelson said he believes thefutureisbrightfor the people of Louisiana. Over thenextfew years, he hopes to grow LCTCS’ overallenrollmentand elevatethe state’sreputationasonethatproduceshighly-qualified graduateswho areready for theworkforce “The status quoisabsolutelynot whyI’m here,” he said.“Iswing forthe fences.You aimfor thebestideal solutionandthenfilteritthroughthepoliticalrealities Iunderstandthateverythinghas to be ajoint effort. There’snothingI candoalone,and Ifeelthatwehave agoodfoundationtobuild on to graduate Louisiana citizens,givethema pathwaytoa joband keep them in ourstate.”

PHOTO PROVIDED By KRySTAL GRAy

Krystal Gray, 43, of Detroit, and her mother, Cornelia Murphy, celebrate Valentine’s Day inside a Detroit-area White Castle.

LOUISIANAPOLITICS

Criticssay voting bill wouldsuppressLouisiana voters

Johnsonsayssurvey shows84% areOK with showing ID

WASHINGTON —Upon returning to Capitol Hill aweek from now,the U.S.Senate faces another Housepassed bill that adds stringent new requirements for voters in this fall’scongressional midterm elections.

The latest version, called the SafeguardAmerican VoterEligibility Act, or SAVE America Act, cleared the House Wednesday on a218-213 vote in which only one representative crossed partylines.

Mark Ballard

Louisiana’sfour Republican representatives voted for the measure and thetwo Democratic House members against.

The bill would require registrants to present acertiﬁed birth certiﬁcate, passport or other documentation to prove citizenship when they register to vote. Voters in all 50 states would be required, as Louisiana already does, to show government-issued photo IDs at the polls. And election workers could face criminal charges for failingtofollow the rules.

The bill would go into effect upon the president’ssignature andthus impact November’scongressional midterm elections.

But Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said Republicans don’thave “anywhere close” to enough votes to overcome the procedural hurdles needed to pass the bill, and Democratsare uniformly opposed.

Democrats say the requirements would create so many obstacles that millionswould become disenfranchised.

The Brennan Center for Justice, anonpartisan but progressive-leaningpublic policy institute in New York, says its researchshows more than 21 mil-

Kennedycalls for Krewe of Carrollton prosecutions

House Speaker Mike

reads notes before speaking about the

on Capitol Hill in Washington on Wednesday.

lionAmericans lack ready access to those documentsand another 2.6 million don’thave agovernment photo ID.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer,D-N.Y., likened theprocedures tothe literacy tests and poll taxes of the segregation era.

“It’sJim Crow 2.0,” he said. Republicans argue the bill would restore conﬁdence in the electoral process by ensuring only U.S. citizens cast ballots.

“They’retalkingabout voter suppression,” House Majority LeaderSteve Scalise, R-Jefferson, said of Democratic criticsafter

the House vote. “Try getting on an airplane and ﬂying home tonight without showing apicture ID.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton,pointed to aGallup survey that showed 84% of Americans were OK with showing photoIDs and 83% with proving citizenship at registration

“Weare encouraging all of our SenateRepublican colleagues who believe in thisjustaswedo, to try to get this thing through thesystem,” Johnsonsaid at a news conference after the House vote. “We’re hoping that some Democrats in the Senate will

come to their senses and do the right thing forthe people.Otherwise, they gota lotofexplaining to do, as we saydowninthe South.”

Ashley Shelton, who leadsthe New Orleans-basedvoting rights group Power Coalitionfor Equality& Justice, said she hasan explanation.

Voting is alreadyillegal for noncitizens, she noted to start. Registrantsalreadyare open to perjury charges if theylie about theircitizenship. Andnoevidenceexists showing signiﬁcantnoncitizen voting.

Only 79 noncitizens have voted in Louisiana elections since the 1980s,a Louisiana Secretaryof State’s audit found in September

The real issue forLouisiana voters is that so few— only 29.1% have apassport. And if Louisiana is like the national estimates, then 1out of 10 have no access to their birth certiﬁcates, she said.

Many voters already registered—those who move or need to altertheir registration —are going to need to find that birth certificateortheir passport or apply fornew ones. Married voters who took their spouse’s last name will need birth and marriage certificates along with otherdocumentation to prove their current last name

The resulting complicated, expensive andtime-consuming procedure could becometoo burdensome formany in astate where annualpay is well below the nationalaverage and where the poverty rate is well above, she said.

“In astate like Louisiana, where we alreadyhavelow turnout, we’re going to seeeven lowervoter registration,” Sheltonsaid.

The Secretary of State’sOfﬁce showsthe 2.96 million registered voters on Feb. 1isthe lowest for February since 2019. Louisiana has about 3.5 million people 18 years or older,the legal voting age.

Louisiana SecretaryofState Nancy Landry’sofﬁce cited ongoing litigation in refusing to address the speciﬁcsofhow the SAVE AmericaAct would impact Louisiana voters. The state was suedinBaton Rouge’s federal districtcourt afterthe Legislature approveda law requiring proof of citizenship whenregistering.

“Louisiana hasbeen ranked as oneofthe topstates in the nation when it comes to the integrity of its elections,” herofﬁce said in a statement.

Email Mark Ballardat mballard@theadvocate.com.

U.S. Sen. John Kennedy, RMadisonville,said in aspeechon the Senate ﬂoor that the “knuckleheads” in the Krewe of Carrollton who are accused of aggressively throwing objects at police ofﬁcers should be prosecuted.

Kennedy

“I want to choose my words carefully here because Ilove Louisiana,” Kennedy said in the speech Wednesday. “But sometimes some of my people do dumb things. We’reall human. And something justhappened at Mardi Gras that turned my stomach.” Krewe organizers said 41 people were removed from afloat midway through the parade. The NewOrleans Police Department said “beads were intentionally thrown from the float in an aggressive manner toward officers along the parade route.”

“It’sembarrassingfor me to have to saythis, that this happened in my state and my city,but it did,” Kennedy said in his speech.

If investigators conﬁrm that thepeople intentionally targeted theofﬁcers, the consequences should be moreseverethan just aban on riding,Kennedy said.

secretary,effective Feb. 2, according to arelease.

“They need to prosecute, and people in New Orleans needtodemand it,” Kennedy said. “Actshave consequences, and you don’t have the right to hurt cops just because you don’t like them.”

Landry names new juvenile justice leader

Anew leader is heading up Louisiana’sjuvenile justice system after Kenny Loftin,who headed the Ofﬁce of Juvenile Justice for two years, retired, ofﬁcials said.

In January,Gov.Jeff Landry appointed Courtney Myers, a former prosecutor in East Baton Rouge Parish,asOJJ’sdeputy

As deputysecretary, Myers now oversees the entire agency,which is an arm of theDepartment of Public Safety& Corrections.

The release says Myers previously headed up the juvenile section of the East Baton Rouge district attorney’sofﬁce. She joined theOJJ in January 2023, serving as an assistant secretary to Loftin.

“Courtney Myers has been a great Assistant Secretary at OJJ, and Iamconﬁdent she will continue her strong track record now serving as DeputySecretary of YouthServices,”Landry said in a statement.“She is aproven leader who will work tirelessly to reform and improve our State’sjuvenile justice system.”

Loftin had always planned to retire after acouple of years, said stateSen. Heather Cloud, R-Turkey Creek, who works on juvenile justice legislation. She praised his work at theagency Cloud said that “this is thebest

run that I’ve ever seen OJJ” have during her timeinthe Legislature.

“It’s reﬂective in the secretaries,” she added. “Webrought Kenny Loftin in because of his extensive knowledge and his ability.”

Loftin’s appointment as deputy secretary raised eyebrows in the early months of 2024 because he previouslyheaded up the Ware YouthCenter in Coushatta, aRed River Parish juvenile detention facility that came under scrutiny in 2022 after aNew York Times investigation unearthed araft of child abuse allegations there.

Loftin,who was never personally accused of abuse, denied the claims. The Louisiana Senate conﬁrmed him in June 2024.

LABI namesScott Ballard as board chair

ScottBallard, wholast week stepped down as chairofthe LSU BoardofSupervisors, has been named the chairman of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry’sboard of directors.

LABI,the state’slargest chamber of commerce and business advocacy group, announced its full 2026 board of directors and leadership, including Ballard’s new role, on Thursday Ballard remains on the LSU board and owns the PJ’scoffee shop chain with his business partners. He succeeds TomCox, founder and executive chairman of Golfballs.com,who now becomes the immediate past chair Scott Poole, president and CEO of RoyOMartin, will serve as vice chair,Eric Danos, owner of Danos Ventures, will serve as secretary and Kristin Wall, president of Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Corporation, will serve as treasurer

“Historic investments are pouring into Louisiana, and that’s atestament to our economic potential,” Ballard said in aprepared statement. “Our job now is twofold: continue attracting businesses and capital, and ensure Louisiana is agreat place forpeople to live and thrive. Sustainable growth depends on both.”

Capitol Buzz STAFF REPORTS

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOByTOM BRENNER

Johnson, R-Benton,

SAVE America Acttoreporters

Maryland’s oyster season collapse prompts calls for aid

BY JOSH DAVIS

The Baltimore Sun (TNS)

Maryland ofﬁcials are asking for federal help after what they describe as one of the worst oyster seasons in state history, a collapse they say threatens both watermen and a cornerstone of the Chesapeake Bay economy

U.S. Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md., earlier this month asked the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to declare an economic ﬁshery disaster under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Such a designation can unlock emergency federal assistance for ﬁsheries harmed by natural or market conditions.

“Severe weather this year, combined with shrinking market access and increased competition, left many crews effectively tied to the dock, with watermen able to ﬁsh for just one or two days all season,” Harris said in a statement. He said immediate relief is needed to offset ﬁnancial losses.

Eastern Shore lawmakers say a combination of factors prolonged freezing weather, weak demand and growing competition from out-of-state oysters devastated the winter harvest

State Sen. Johnny Mautz, R-Middle Shore, said the normal Thanksgiving-toChristmas peak selling period largely vanished.

“That is prime time oyster sales. This year, it just did not exist,” Mautz said. “There has not been a demand to buy Maryland oysters.”

Boats docked

Because watermen typically only harvest when buyers are lined up, the lack of orders kept many boats docked, lawmakers said.

Del. Jay Jacobs, chair of the House Waters Caucus,

Oyster shells, with younger oysters growing on them, sit in a bucket after being dropped off by oyster gardening program volunteers at the Philip Merrill Environmental Center at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation headquarters in Annapolis, Md

said Maryland once held a dominant share of the East Coast oyster market, but increasing supply from other states has cut into demand. He said legislators are exploring stronger marketing efforts and plan to review strategies used by other seafood programs.

Lawmakers also warned of environmental consequences if the industry stalls. Mautz said working oyster bars moving shell and tending bottoms — helps prevent sediment buildup and supports oyster reproduction. Reduced harvesting, he said, could slow the Bay’s ongoing oyster recovery “The fear is not only economic,” Mautz said. “This could set us back a decade if the bottoms aren’t worked the way they need to be.”

Mautz credited Harris and Maryland Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks with seeking federal relief and called on Gov Wes Moore to support the request.

In a statement, Van Hollen said watermen were hurt “through no fault of their own” and urged approval of the request.

“This is about safeguarding the future and economic livelihood of our watermen, whose success is vital to the health of the Bay economy,” Van Hollen said. How does it work?

According to NOAA ofﬁcials, the disaster review process is typically initiated by a governor or other elected official and evaluated by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Mautz said it’s needed for several reasons.

“Federal disaster relief brings a number of things, including some monetary relief, but it also stays home foreclosures, bank notes, things like that. It’s a temporary thing, but at least it gives the people who are affected a little bit of wiggle room to ﬁgure things out,” he said.

At this point, Mautz said they’re awaiting a response to the disaster relief request “I just appreciate everyone is taking the time to take the request seriously and appreciate the magnitude of how this is affecting our district and all the districts that have shoreline and working waterfronts. It’s a terrible situation right now,” he said.

Mexican long-nosed bats head farther north in search of nectar

BY SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN Associated Press

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M — Mexican long-nosed bats have a taste for agave, their tongues designed to lap up the famous desert plant’s nectar during nightly ﬂights.

It’s not just a means of satisfying taste buds. It’s a matter of fueling up for an arduous journey

The endangered species migrates each summer from Mexico into the southernmost reaches of the United States. Big Bend National Park in Texas is a destination, as is Hidalgo County in an area known as the Bootheel in New Mexico.

It wasn’t until last year that DNA evidence helped

to add Arizona to the list.

Bat Conservation International announced earlier this month that swabbing agave plants and hummingbird feeders on the fringes of New Mexico’s Gila National Forest also turned up proof that the bats are farther north than ever before.

The research shows they’re traveling about 100 miles beyond their known roosts in New Mexico.

The state’s Bootheel region has been hit hard by drought, and agaves there don’t seem to flower as much as they used to, said Kristen Lear, director of the Agave Restoration Initiative at Bat Conservation International.

“We think these bats are trying to look for healthy

agave food sources elsewhere,” she said. “So that’s kind of driving them farther north, where the agaves are a little bit less hit by drought.”

Traveling another 30 miles can add another night to a bat’s journey To keep the sweet nectar ﬂowing along the route, researchers on both sides of the international border say restoration of desert grasslands on the fringes of where the bats have been found in the past will be key to ensuring the future of the winged mammals and the genetic diversity of agaves. The Mexican long-nosed bat was added to the endangered species list in 1988. It’s estimated that fewer than 10,000 remain.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO

EDUCATION

Custodian

BY MARIE FAZIO Staff writer

Donella Wagner, the head cus-

todian at Raintree Elementary School in Baldwin, is often the ﬁrst to arrive each day sometimes before dawn — to unlock the doors and turn on the lights. Every morning as children hop off the bus, she greets them with a cheery “Good morning” and usually a hug.

“She sets the tone for the day,” said Raintree Principal Marie Cole. “She’s got a beautiful smile and spirit and is always happy and it makes everyone else happy.”

Wagner who has fostered relationships with countless students during her 16 years at the school, often goes by “granny” or “mawmaw.” Students share details about their personal lives and know they can ask her for help if they come to school without clean socks or a belt.

Wagner stocks a school uniform closet with those and other items, including shoes and backpacks, through donations that she solicits from the community.

She also started a “Boys and Bowties” mentorship group after noticing behavioral issues among students, and she’s known to put up seasonal decorations for Christmas or Mardi Gras or Black History Month — throughout the building.

“She goes above and beyond,” Cole said. “I wish every school could have a Ms. Donella.”

Now Wagner, a grandmother

of six who has worked in the St. Mary Parish school system for nearly 30 years, is being recognized on a national stage for her service and spirit

Wagner recently won the national Recognizing Inspiring School Employees, or RISE, award. Each year, states nominate outstanding school support staffers such as paraprofessionals, bus drivers and secretaries and the U.S. Department of Education chooses a winner This year, Wagner was chosen from among 36 nominees from 20 states and jurisdictions, according to the department.

“Donella Wagner is the epitome of what it means to be a good leader,” Gov Jeff Landry said in a statement We are grateful for Donella’s commitment and service to children, and we are proud to call her Louisiana’s own!”

During a visit to New Orleans last month, U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon invited Wagner and Cole to breakfast at the Four Seasons, where she surprised Wagner with the RISE award.

“Education support professionals like Ms. Wagner are the backbone of our schools and local communities,” McMahon said in a statement. “It was an honor to learn about Ms. Wagner’s dedication not only to Raintree Elementary School where she greets every student with a smile, but also to the Baldwin community.”

The Times-Picayune spoke with Wagner about her experience at Raintree Elementary, her impact

on students and what it’s like to be nationally recognized for her work. This interview has been edited for clarity

How long have you worked at Raintree Elementary?

I’m from Jeanerette, Louisiana. It takes me about 8 minutes to get to work every morning from where I live.

I’ve been here for 16 years and I’ve been in the school system for 27 years. I was in the cafeteria when I ﬁrst came on. I worked for several different schools in the area. Then I switched to janitorial.

How do your duties go beyond keeping the school clean?

Greeting the students in the morning is the beginning of my day When they get off the bus in the morning, they come through the bus entry and I tell them, “Good morning, open your book bags,” and some of them come with little sad faces so I give them a hug and brighten them up.

I greet the teachers. I have several teachers I know come early, and if they’re not here early I know I need to make a phone call to check to see where they are.

How do students respond when you greet them in the morning?

It makes a difference.

When they come in, I don’t know what happened on the bus or on their way to school. But when they get here and see my face, some of them light up, some of them are ready with a hug before I even ask them if something was going wrong the day before or the night before.

What is a time you really felt like you made a difference? From second grade to ﬁfth grade, they feel comfortable coming to me and talking. Some of them call me granny or mawmaw or nanny The older kids talk to me about their boyfriends. We had a little incident here at school where the boys needed to be mentored so we started Boys and Bowties. We have a meeting once a month with the boys and they get to say what’s going on in the community or what’s going on with them and we talk about it. What did it feel like to receive the award from the U.S. Department of Education? I felt very honored and appreciated for all the little bitty things I do for education.

WE’RE ASKING EXPERTS ACROSS THE STATE HOW TO TACKLE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES FACING LOUISIANA SCHOOLS. HAVE AN IDEA?

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Trumphas unprecedentedsum of $1.5Binpolitical funds

Howhechooses to spenditcould rock themidterms

BY WILL WEISSERT and BRIAN SLODYSKO Associated Press

WASHINGTON President DonaldTrump hasbragged about building apolitical war chest exceeding $1.5 billion —astaggering sum that he can wield at his whim to shape November’smidterms and the 2028 race to succeed him.

Trump’sstockpile —which dwarfs any amounts raised by his predecessors in their second terms —isnot easy to precisely calculate given that much of it is beingcollected by groups that aren’t required to ﬁle regular ﬁnancial disclosures.

Current and formerstaffers, as well as othersin Trump’sorbit, wouldn’tsay exactly where his political bank account stands six months after the president announced on social media that he’d raised, just since Election Day 2024, “in various forms and political entities, in excess of 1.5 Billion Dollars.”

But what is not in question is that it represents a mountain of cash that could reshape Republican politics for years to come —ifhe chooses. He’sbeen reluctant to spend money on other people’sraces in the past, and he’seven found ways to funnel some cash to his own businesses.

The $1.5 billion Trump claimed is roughly equal to what he andoutsidegroups spent on his successful 2024 reelection bid, accordingto OpenSecrets, anonpartisan group that tracks political spending.

By comparison, Democratic President Joe Biden’s various super PACs, political groups and nonprofits, as well as the Democratic National Committee, raised roughly $97 million during his first yearinoffice, according to public disclosures. That’sonly about7% of Trump’stotal, and Biden was gearing up for areelection run Trump isn’t allowed to make.

“I think alot of people are asking, ‘Whatisitall for?’” said Saurav Ghosh, federal campaign finance reform director at the Washington nonprofit Campaign Legal Center

Midterms andbeyond

People close to Trump say the main benefit of all that cash is unmatched influence heading into November They insist Trump is eager to help Republicans so his politicalagendaisn’t stymied, like when Democratic victories derailedhis firsttermagenda after 2018’s midterms. His stockpilehas helped the GOP build asizable cash advantage over Democrats ahead of November,atleast so far

“Oneofthe main reasons alame-duck president might want to amass this much money is to maintainpolitical relevance,” said Daniel

President DonaldTrump’sstockpile of fundsdwarfs any amountsraised by his predecessors in their second terms.

Weiner,aformer Federal Election Commission attorneyand current directorof theBrennan Center’sElections and Government Program. “Certainly he’sbeen far more aggressive about this than any of his predecessors.”

Trump last week vowed political consequences for Republicans opposing his tariff policies, and could spend big to hurt them in GOP primaries.Chief among histargetsisKentucky Rep. Thomas Massie, who opposed Trump’stax and spend package and deﬁed theWhite Houseinhelpingforce therelease of federal ﬁles on Jeffrey Epstein.

Trump hasalso endorsed aprimary opponent ofSen Bill Cassidy, R-BatonRouge, after hevoted to convict Trump during his2021 impeachment trial over the mobattack on the U.S.Capitol. Still, the extenttowhich Trump will open his pocketbookincongressional races remains to be seen

“WhatI’m alittle surprised about is that Trump hasnot leveraged —atleast overtly —the money he controlsgoing into thatelectiononhis congressionalagenda,” said Jason Roe, aRepublican strategist in Michigan

Indeed, Trump has ahistory of notspending big on races where he isn’t running. In 2018, Trump’s America FirstActionsuper PACspent lessthan $30 million —apittance given that super PACs spentabout $820 million that cycle, according to OpenSecrets He doesn’talwaysfollowthrough on histhreats, either.Despite pledging to travel to Alaska to help defeat RepublicanAlaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski in 2022, aTrump-affiliated PACinsteadgave$1.5million to agroup opposingher Murkowski was reelected anyway

Thepresidentalsohas made no majormoves so far to oppose statelawmakers in Indianawho refused toback newcongressional maps championed bythe White House.

Trump’scampaign bank account also would let him play adecisiverole in the next presidential race. Vice President JDVanceand Secretary of State Marco Rubio are theearly favorites, with Trump suggesting pairing them on aGOP tickethe says would be formidable. ‘A slushfund’ Much ofTrump’spolitical

cash comes from the MAGA Inc. super PAC, which raised $100-plus million in the last six months of 2025 and entered this year with more than $300 million.The Republican National Committee reported raising $172 million last year

There’salsoa constellation of pro-Trump nonproﬁts, includingSecuringAmerican Greatness, which are only requiredtorelease limited information abouttheir finances. Donations toone Trumpentitycan be moved through thevarious nonprofits and super PACs, making it difficult to track what’s spent where.

“Becausethereare virtually no restrictions on what superPAC money can be usedfor,itessentially can be operated as aslush fund at the disposalofwhoever controls it,” Weiner said.

There are manyways Trumphas used political funds to enrichhis businesses in the past, including billing his campaign for the use of his own airplane.Hecould also stage political events at his properties in Floridaor New Jersey,orhis golf club outside Washington.

At least $26 millionhas been spent by conservative groups and Republican committees at Trump properties since 2015—and theactual ﬁgure is likely highersince some groups don’thave to offer detailed spending ﬁgures.

Though federal rules govern thewayspolitical donations can be spent, they canalsobeskirted.In2020, Trump’scampaign paid tens of millionsofdollars to limited liability companies controlled by aides, amove that satisﬁedfederal disclosure rules, but masked the ultimate recipient of the money In 2024, hispolitical operation clawed back millionsof dollarsindonations it made to asuperPAC supporting Trump’srun andused the moneytoinstead pay legal bills that mounted after his indictments in fourfederal criminal cases while also facing civil trials

“As with so many things Donald Trump, he is sometimes pushing theenvelope on what’s permitted, sometimes blowing right through what arepretty clear legal limits,” said Ghosh, of the Campaign Legal Center Who’shelping Trump Trump’sfundraising effortsare tireless. The day after his 2024 election win, he ordered stafftobegin fundraisinganew,and he’s

since attended frequent fundraisers. His allies send out emails seeking donations constantly,often multiple times daily

“I’m sitting here.Alone. In the war room. Fightingfor you,” Trump wrote in onesuchmessage last month.Inanother,aTrumpafﬁliated group tried to spur on donors to give by asking, “Does ICE need to come and track you down?”

During his ﬁrst presiden-

tial run, Trumpreliedheavily on small donations. But much of his operation now reliesonlarge checksfrom uber-wealthy donors and well-connected businesses.

Greg Brockman, co-founder of OpenAI,and his wife, Anna,donated $25 million to MAGA Inc. last year,as Trump talked constantly about helping ensure U.S. companiesdominatethe artiﬁcial intelligence ﬁeld globally

Other big donations came fromcrypto interests that have hadfederal investigations dropped and big tobacco companies hoping to ease regulations. The parents of Howard Brodie, Trump’sambassador to Finland, donated $500,000 to MAGAInc., while Isabela Herrera gave $3.5 million beforeher father, Venezuelan banker Julio Herrera Velutini, was pardoned by Trumponbribery charges.

By Amanda McElfresh|

ForSouthernUniversitystudent-athletes, successis notdeﬁnedsolelybywinsandlosses.Throughanewleadershipandprofessionaldevelopmentinitiativeknownas Uncaged:BuildingBeyondTheBluff,Jaguarsaregaining toolsthatprepare them notjustfor competition, but for lifeandcareersbeyondathletics.

Membersofthe inauguralUncaged cohort saythe programhas reshaped howtheysee themselves,their potentialandtheirfutures

“I thinkthe cohort brings outa different side of knowingthings aboutyourselfthatyou didn’t know you werecapableof,”saidHermanBristerIII,asafetyonthe SouthernJaguars football team.“Thecohortallowsme tounlockthosecharacteristicsaboutmyselfthatIdidn’t evenknowIhad.”

Brister III said some of themostvaluablelessons he haslearned throughUncaged have been around content creation,mediainterviewskillsandhowhecanuseName, ImageandLikeness(NIL)rulestohisadvantage.Hehopes to hone thoseskillsoverthe next severalmonthsashe rehabsfromaninjuryand prepares for hisﬁrstseason undernewHeadFootballCoachMarshallFaulk

“I’m beyond excited. CoachFaulk brings adifferent energy to thecampus. Youcan expect alot of change,” BristerIIIsaid.“Ithinkit’sgoingtobringachampionship culturebecauseheknowshowtowin.Wehavenochoice buttofallinlineorgetleftbehind.”

On thesoftballfield, junior infielder Kira Johnsonis knownfor bringing theenergytothe dugout andhyping up herteammates.Yet,Johnson said shecan oftenbe more reserved in everyday life.Thatwas amainreason shewantedtoparticipate in thefirstcohortofUncaged Sofar,theexperienceispayingoff “The biggestlessonthe cohort hastaughtmeisnot to limitourselves.Ithinkourmentalchallengesareusually what stop us,” Johnsonsaid. “Thishas taught me more aboutnotonlyhowIpresentmyselftotheworldbutalsolife skillsthatcanhelpmeintheworkforceandeverydaylife.”

“Iwanttobeabletoplanformyfuturebeyondthecourt,” shesaid.“I’mlearninghowtosellmyselfasaperson. Inparticular,WincesaidshewasgratefulforUncaged sessionssuchasarecentmeetingwithcorporatesponsors wherecohortmembers talked to business professionals abouttheir goalsafter graduation.She’s also eagerto providefeedbacksothatfutureUncaged cohortscan reapthebeneﬁts.

“It’sbeena greatexperiencefor me so far,”she said “It’sgoodtoknowwe’re leavinganimpactonthe Jags thataresoontocome. ProgramslikeUncagedaremadepossiblebygenerous donationsfromSouthernUniversityalumni,stakeholders andcommunity supporters.Contributionsareaccepted year-round,but canalsobemadeduringthe upcoming Jag-A-ThononFriday,March27

Thisyear’sJag-A-Thonwillbeacombinedin-personand virtualeventencompassingphonebanking,livestreaming andsocializing.Alivestreamwillbeavailablefrom9a.m to 5p.m.onJaguarsSportsNetwork.com, Facebook and YouTube.ItwillalsobebroadcastliveonCumulusRadio: Max94.1,Q106.5,Heaven95.7andClassicHits103.3. Jag-A-Thondonationsmaybemadeinthefollowingways: •Phone:Call225-771-2436onthedayoftheevent •Online:https://foundation.sus.edu/jag-a-thon/ •Inperson:LeonR.TarverIICulturalandHeritage Center(9a.m.to5p.m.March27) •Mail:SouthernUniversityAthletics,P.O.Box9942, BatonRouge,LA,70813

Visitwww.gojagsports.comtolearnmoreaboutSouthern UniversityAthletics.

Thenextfew months will be bigfor Johnsonasthe cohortprogressesandsoftballseasongetsunderway.She said sheisready to embracethe opportunitiesthatboth programspresentfornotonlybuildingherownbrand,but highlightingothercollegesandfemaleathletes “I’mhopingtoshowcasenotonlyHBCUsbecause,aswe know,theyareveryunder-represented,butalsoshowcase morewomeninsports,”shesaid.“Althoughwearewomen wearenottobecountedout.” AnotherSouthernUniversityfemalestudent-athlete, seniortennisplayerKaiWince,saidUncagedhasproven that herparents’instincts were right. Wincesaidone reasontheyweresoexcitedsheearnedtheopportunityto playtennisatSouthernisthattheyfeltthecoachescared aboutstudent-athletesasindividuals,notjustplayers.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MARK SCHIEFELBEIN

THE GULF COAST

BlackMardi Gras krewebringsBay St.Louis together

BY POET WOLFE Staff writer

When Rickey Lewis moved north as achild in the 1980s, he spent the next five years missing Bay St. Louis, afeeling thatdeepened every Mardi Gras when thestreets of his hometown werefogged with barbecue smoke and littered with beads. Lewis returned during Carnival twice, and each time he struggled to accept he wouldhavetoleave again. That truthfelt especially heavy on Mardi Gras Day during those visits, when the Krewe of Real People rolled through a thriving Black business hublocals then called the Back-of-Town in convertiblecars, horse-drawn carriages and ﬂoats.

The parade wasone of his favorites.

His earliest memory of it came when he was5or6years old, riding on afloat painted blue and wearing astore-bought Phrygian cap. Lewiswas dressedasaSmurf, for reasons that only make sense during Mardi Gras.

“Mardi Gras meant home,”he said. “The Krewe of Real People meant we were around family.”

The krewe meant family,both by blood and by community.Growing up, Lewis’sgrandparentsand aunt were part of the original Krewe of Real People, which remains the only Black krewe on the Mississippi Coast withaMardi Grasparade.

Now 48, Lewis is continuingthat tradition as an organizer for the Krewe of Real People: Next Generation, renamed after the previous leadership stepped down.

The parade marches on in downtown, drawing swarms of new revelers as the population surges in Bay St. Louis, one of the fastestgrowing cities on the Gulf Coast

“Itmeans so much to me for us to keep it going,” Lewis said. “If we don’t, it’svery possible that it fades, and abig parade wouldno longer exist. This has been apart

‘Real People signifies the everyday person in ourcommunity,whether it be the highly educated professional, or it be just aregular working class momordad,whether it be the teenagers in college,’saysorganizer Rickey Lewis.‘It’sjust areal slice of Mississippi, areal slice of America, just aslice of the peoplethat makeupthe community.’

of my life forever.”

Howthe krewestarted

To outsiders, Carnival can look likeanexcuse to drink too much, eat too much andcollect too many throws that lose valueoncethe holiday has passed.For Lewis and others who celebrate, its meaning runs deeper MardiGras haslong served as areason to bring people together, even through some of theSouth’s darkest moments— wars, hurricanes, pandemics.

Thework begins well before Carnival, as artists build floats from papier mâché, bands rehearse brass lines anddrum cadences, and MardiGras Indians spend months sewing sequined costumesadorned with crystals andfeathers.

Sandra Priceand agroup of Mississippi coast residentsstarted the Krewe of Real People in 1981 for

that very reason: to foster communityafter theMerry Makers,one of the ﬁrst Black krewes in Bay St Louis,discontinued.

“Mardi Gras would come, people would cook at their house or whatever,but there wasnounion,” Price said.

Money was tight,but that did not discourage the krewe’sfounders. The smallgroupcould not afford beads, so they created their own throws with chicken wire, while Price created and ledher own dance krewe, theEbony Pearls

Making do with limited resources wassomething they learned from earlier generations, including an olderkrewe called theMoss Men, who Price remembered decorating their clothing with moss.

“I knowitdon’tsound like much,” Price said. “You know,back in the day,wedidn’thave much.”

Even the krewe’s name reﬂected the community Price and the

other founders grew up around. Originally,the groupwas torn between two names— Almost Anything Goes and Real People —both taken from television shows. Price pushedfor Real People because, to her,itmeant “realistic,energetic and loving people.”

To Lewis, the name carries a similar meaning.

“Real People signifiesthe everyday person in our community, whether it be thehighly educated professional,oritbejust aregular working class mom or dad, whether it be the teenagers in college,”

Lewis said.“It’s just areal slice of Mississippi, areal slice of America, just asliceofthe people that makeupthe community.”

‘Can’t take it outmyblood’

The Krewe of Real People: Next Generation looksmuchdifferent from the one Price helped build. The organizationnow has more

funding to support its Mardi Gras Dayparade, when car clubs, motorbikes and ATVs ﬁll the street as krewemembers throw everything from NewOrleans Saints jerseys to paintings. Beyond Carnival, the krewe hosts food and toy drives for Thanksgiving and Christmas and offers scholarships, working yearround to support the community it represents. Itsannual Mardi Gras ball is itslargestfundraiser,with ticket sales used to fund thoseefforts, said the krewe’spresident, Lonnie Bradley, whose fatherwas its ﬁrst king.

Theballcarries adifferent themeevery year,with past celebrations including Harlem Nights and Coming to America. On Saturday,the ball honored historically Black colleges and universities athemethat resonated with many members, including this year’s king and queen, Paul and Joni Farve, both HBCU graduates.

The kreweisdoing exactly what Bradley hoped for seven years ago, when he agreed to become the organization’spresidentunderone condition: that it emphasize community over Carnival.

Afterhelosthis son to gun violence, he said, the work became“a testimony —the reason whywedo what we do.”

“Weneed to wrap ourhands around our community,and I’mnot talking aboutBlack andWhite,” Bradleysaid. “I’m talking about community,period.”

Somethings, however,have not changed. The parade routeremains the same, rolling each year past thecorner of Sycamore and St. Francis streets in Back-ofTown. During segregation, it was one of the fewplaces where Black residents couldcelebrate Mardi Gras.

Price never wants to see the route change.

“(Back-of-Town)goes wayback, way before Iwas born.Itwas pretty much our square,” Price said. “I don’tknow howelsetoput it.You can’ttake it out of my blood. It’s embedded in me, you know? I’m grounded in it.”

Palestinians look to salvageGaza’shistory from theruins

TheGreat Omari Mosque washit by an Israelistrike

BY MARIAM FAM and WAFAA SHURAFA Associated Press

GAZA CITY,Gaza Strip Muneer Elbaz remembers the joy of visiting the Great Omari Mosque in Gaza with his family,praying at asite where people have worshipped overcenturies as empires came and went.

“These were the best days,” Elbaz said, as he recalled promenading through the lively markets around the mosque before the Israel-Hamas war.“This place transports us from one era to another.”

Today,much of the mosque stands in ruins —like most of Gaza —after being hit by Israeli strikes in the twoyear war mufﬂed by an uncertain ceaseﬁre. The sight of the rubble brings to mind “a tree that had been uprooted from the land,” said Elbaz, aPalestinian heritage consultant involved with recovery work at the site.

Israel’smilitary offensive killed over 72,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry,and erased entire extended families.

Gone too is some of the heritage of aland with a rich history going backto ancient times.The mosque was built on asite where a Byzantine churchhad stood, andchanged handsand even religions as one invader followed another

With major military operations halted, Palestinians are gaining aclearer pictureof the destruction. Some organizations are trying to save what they can at historical sites, even as full-scale restoration —and the broader reconstructionofthe territory —face major obstacles.

Dozens of sitesdamaged Israel launched its offensive after Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took another 251hostage in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack. The military accusesHamas of concealing military assets beneath or near heritage sites, as well as othercivilian structures.

The U.N. culturalagency in an ongoing assessment basedonsatellite images, says it hasveriﬁeddamage to at least 150 sites since the start of the war.They include 14 religious sites, 115 buildings of historicalor artistic interest, nine monuments and eight archaeological sites. They are fragmentsof Gaza’ssoul, connecting Palestinians to aplace and ahistory that many fear is at risk of being erased.

“These sites were an important element that solidiﬁes the presence of the Palestinian people on this land and that represents the continuity of their cultural identity,” saidIssam Juha, co-director of the Centre for Cultural Heritage Preservation, based in the Israeli-

occupied West Bank.

“They want toerase the Palestinianidentityand Palestinianheritage and. to remove any connection that keeps the Palestiniansociety clinging to this land,” he said.

Thecenter is doingurgent rescue workatthe badly damaged Pasha Palace, which housedcenturies-old artifacts, many of which appear to have been looted, Juha said. Among the missing items are an Ottomanera Quranic manuscript, jewelry from themedieval Mamluk era and aRomanerasarcophagus from which only some fragments have been recovered, according to Hamouda al-Dohdar,an expert workingatthe site

The Israeli militarysaid it struck “a Hamas military compoundand an anti-tank missile array” at the site. It said itsforcesstruck a “terror tunnel” at the Omari mosque. It did not provide evidence in either case.

Amir Abu al-Omrain, an ofﬁcial with Gaza’sendowments ministry,part of the Hamas-run government, deniedthe allegation about the mosque.

UNESCOdoesnot have a mandate to assign responsibility for the damage it assesses.

An independent commission established by the U.N.’sHuman Rights Council said it was not aware of any evidence of atunnel shaft in the mosque. Noting theIsraeliallegations about the mosque, it said thateven the presence of a“legitimate military objective …would nothave justiﬁed the resultingdamage.” Israel haspreviously accused the commission of bias.

The centuries-old Saint PorphyriusOrthodox church complex, whichhad beensheltering displaced Palestinians, was also hit in an Israeliattack earlyin thewar,causing deaths and injuries.The military said it had targeted anearby Hamas command center UNESCOsaidthe church complexwas moderately damaged.

Some of Gaza’s heritage sites appear to have been spared. UNESCO said ithas

found no evidence of damageatthe SaintHilarion Monastery,dating to the 4th century

Under international law, cultural property should not be targeted or used for militarypurposes.

TheIsraeli militarysays it takes the sensitivityof cultural and religious sites intoaccount, aims to minimize damage to civilianinfrastructure andadheres to international law

Arichhistory

Artifacts andaccounts stretching back thousands of yearstestify to Gaza’s long history of commerce and conflict.Egypt’spharaohs sent chariots through thelow-lying coastalstrip in their wars with theHittitesinmodern-day Turkey Traders in Gaza did brisk business withthe ancient Greeks.

The Omari mosque, named forIslam’ssecondcaliph, wasinitially builtinthe seventh century.Centuries later,the Crusaders converteditintoa cathedral, anditwentback to beinga mosque after theywereexpelled, said Stephennie Mulder, associate professor of Islamic art at theUniversity of Texas at Austin.

The mosque was damaged during World WarI,when theBritish shelled Gazain their campaign againstthe Ottoman Turks, and was later rebuilt.

“The building itself told the story of Gaza’spast as a crossroads of trade, armies, empires,and religious traditions,” saidMulder.“For manyGazans,the Omari mosque stood as abeloved symbol of multiplicity,resilience and persistence.”

More than stones

Mohammad Shareef, 62, remembers attending prayers at the mosque with hisfatherwhenhewas a child,and studying for exams in its quiet confines. Yearslater,hewould bring his own children there. He wept when it was hit.

“Wewereraised in it and around it, and there’sno stoneherethatwehaven’t steppedon,”hesaid.

“For the people of Gaza, this is

their history.”

Theloss will feel particularly acute during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which begins later this month.Before the war, thousands converged on the mosque for Ramadan prayers amid afestive atmosphere. This year,alarge tented structure hasbeen

erected.

In recent days, workers have been ﬁlling wheelbarrows in the shadowofadamaged minaret.

Hosni Almazloum, an engineer working at the site said themosque’s prayer hall ceiling had collapsed andcolumns hadcrumbled. He said it could be rebuilt, if construction supplies are allowed in. For now, teams have been focused on recovery and preventing further damage, sifting through and storing stones.

TheU.S.-brokered ceaseﬁre agreement, whichhalted most of thefightingin

October,givesnotimeline forGaza’sreconstruction, which may prove impossibleifIsrael maintains the blockade it imposed on the territory when Hamas seized powerin2007, after themilitantgroup wonPalestinian elections in 2006. Elbazsaysthatbeforethe ceaseﬁre, grief wasaluxury he couldn’tafford —his family wasjust trying to survive. “What would you begin to cry over?” he asked. “The historic mosques or your home or your historyor your children’sschoolsor the streets?”

THEADVOCATE.COM | Sunday, February15, 2026 1bn

Poweroutagerecoveryhub unveiled

Batterysystemprovideselectricity if needed

BY IANNE SALVOSA Staff writer

Baton Rouge has anew recovery hub for power outages.

Leaders unveiled the latest Community Lighthouse, asolar power and battery system that provides electricity during power outages, at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers No.995 Training Center

Nexus begins building downtown office

Business incubator will havespace for virtualreality program

BY IANNE SALVOSA Staff writer

NexusLouisianaisgettingcloser to moving into its downtown headquarters. Earlier this month, the business incubator started construction on aportion of 440 on Third,amixeduse building withgrocery, corporate ofﬁce spaceand apartments, aiming for completion by their July 1move-in date. In August, Nexus announced itsdeparture from the Louisiana Technology Park, its home for more than three decades, in an effort to be closerto other players such as LSU,Southern University, IBMand Louisiana Innovation.

Nexus will occupy the second, eighth and ninth floors of the building, acombined 28,000 square feet that was previously used as office space. Matherne’sMarket occupies thefirstfloorofthe building and floors three to seven areapartments. The second floor will serve as anetworking space witha“hotel lobby environment,” said Tony Zanders, Nexus Louisiana president and CEO. The eighthfloor will be workspace for techstartups and the ninthfloorwillbededicated to Nexus staff and board, both floors connected by an additional stairwell.

Total cost of the renovations is notyet determined, Zanderssaid, but much of the ﬂoors’ structure will remain the same and changes are largelyrelated to interior design.

Southern University’sVR Jags program, which develops virtual reality technology,will also have adedicated space in Nexus’ downtown ofﬁce. Nexus members will gain accesstoSouthern’shardware labs and equipment as aresult of the partnership.

The organization has alongstanding, formalized relationship with Southern and LSU. When Zanders took over the helm of Nexus in February 2025, he underscored the organization’s opportunity to connect with talent from local colleges. Over the past year,Nexus has hosted competitions prompting students to conjure solutions to problems in industries from health care to energy and “Tech Tailgates” using LSU sports as a way to connectstudentswith innovators.

Zanders said the VR Jags’ space in the Nexus headquarters is a “natural evolution” of thepartnership with theuniversity

The VR Jags program has worked with the public sector to create virtual reality courses, suchastraining programs for emergency readiness and human

TheCommunity Lighthouse is the19threcovery center of its kind in Louisiana andthe ﬁrstinBaton Rouge.

The project was led by Together Baton Rouge, agroupofcommunity organizations and congregations thatispart of the statewide organization, Together Louisiana, which has agoal to have alighthouse within 20 minutes from every resident in the state. To-

gether New Orleanshas plans for 86 lighthouses, with 16 underway, and thereare two lighthouses in Shreveport

Thelighthouses serveasa place for residentstocome in and charge their phones and medical devices when the main power grid is down due to events like natural disasters. It also gives electrical workers aplace to rest while working during power outages. They’re

typically housed in accessible community spaces like churches.

Together Baton Rouge leader Edgar Cage said the organization will conduct outreach to medically vulnerable residents during power outages.

“The purpose of thelighthouses aretoconnect with people in the community,” Cage said.

Jason Dedon, business manager of IBEW No. 995, said linemen tendtosleep and bathe in their trucks when ﬁxing power outages, risking their health and safety

One of the electrical union’sconcerns is thesafety factor,having employees out“way too long on the job where maybe they’re not as sharp as they were yesterday, because they’ve been working for 23 hours,”Dedon said. “Weworry about those mistakes that can happen, that can eventually cost somebody something really serious.”

IBEW electricians and apprentices conducted the installation of the lighthouse andwill maintain

PINK ON PARADE

BYMATTBRUCE Staff writer

ABOVE: The Krewe of Spanish Town rolls through its namesake neighborhood on Valentine’sDay in downtown BatonRouge

BELOW: The crowd begs forthrows

ABaton Rougedrug dealer was sentenced to 30 years in prison Tuesday, months after he admittedtoselling awoman abatch of fentanyl-laced pills the day she died. Malcolm HallIII, 31, pleaded guiltytomanslaughter during a Nov.24hearinginside the 19th Judicial District Courthouse. District Judge Brad Myersimposed the30-year sentence during a hearing on Tuesday inside his courtroom, court records show Hallwas initially indicted on a charge of second-degreemurder

and pleaded guilty to the lesser charge to avoidthe prospect of amandatorylife sentence. Court records show prosecutors dismissedanobstruction of justice indictment in exchange for Hall’s manslaughter plea. The case stems from the death of Cathryn Arceneaux, a41-yearold woman, found dead inside her Baton Rouge apartmentonSept. 6, 2023. According to arrest reports, the victim’sfather called East Baton Rougehomicidedetectives in November after he found herold cellphonewhile removingproperty from herapartment. Arceneaux’sfather said he recovered

textmessages and phone call logs that linked Hall to her overdose. Sheriff’s deputies later determined the father was right and useditasevidencethatHallsold thewoman Xanax andPercocet pillsoverseveral months,including the day before she was found dead. Deputies raided Hall’shouse and seized a“large quantity” of fentanyl andprescriptionmedications in January 2024. When they questioned him later,Hall admitted he sold thewoman “blues” and “whites” pills on Sept. 5, then returned to her residence the followingday and found her unresponsive in her bathroom, arrest

records state. He told detectives he took thewoman’sphone and threw it in adumpster to keep law enforcement from learning about their history of drug transactions, deputies indicate. Records showHallwas previously convicted of drug possession after Baton Rouge narcotics ofﬁcersnabbedhim with agun, about $1,400 in cash, twobags of ecstasyand other drugsduring an April 2019 traffic stop. Hall pleaded guilty to possessionof MDMA and completed ayear of probation.

Email Matt Bruceatmatt. bruce@theadvocate.com.

BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff writer

Morethan18months afterunveiling plans for ahotel on the edge of the French Quarter, New Orleans real estate developer Sam Solomon is moving forward with ascaled-down version of theproject.

Solomon, whose family built hundreds of movie theaters and shopping centers across the south in themid-20thcentury, recently securedapproval to build atwostoryhotel on theparking lotnear the intersection of North Rampart andBarracksstreets across from the former Carmelite Convent, which he bought in 2019 and converted to luxury apartments.

Thehotel is thelatestofseveral new hybrid hotels that have opened in thedowntown area over the past two years as the city has cracked down on commercial short-term rentals.Though licensed as ahotel, ahybridhotel functions as acomplex of shortterm rental units, each with multiplebedrooms,under asingle roof

Theproperties are designed to appeal to groups whotraveltogether for celebratory gatherings and festivals and have proven particularly popular as the city grows its reputation as adestination for bachelor parties and weddings.

“There is abig demand forthis

type of product,” Solomonsaid.

“A lotofnew developments have come up acrossNew Orleans to help ﬁllthatneed, but thereisstill more demand.”

Solomon revised his plans for theproject after neighbors from the ColonialCondominiums directlyacross BarracksStreet from the site raised concerns about thesizeofthe structure and its potential impact on parkingand noise.

Thenew plans, approved by the city’sHistoricDistricts Landmarks Commission and the City Planning Commission, address some of those issues, several neighbors said this week. Instead of athree-storybuilding that would have exceeded the maximumheightlimit in the neighborhood,the new building is two storieswith asloped roof and dormers.

Plans show the10,000-squarefootbuilding will be about onethirdsmallerthanthe threestory, 15,000-square-foot project Solomon originally proposed in mid-2024.

Despite its smaller size,the hotel will have nearlyasmany bedrooms as originally planned —26 instead of 27 —infour large apartment-style units instead of seven. One of the units will have two bedrooms, and twounits will have seven bedrooms each. The largest unit will have 10 bedrooms.

Still, neighbors said they remain concerned that the large units will amount to“Airbnb-styleparty pads.”

“They basicallyjust squeezed

thesame thing intoa smaller space,” saidPhil Kurica, who lives in theColonial Condominiums.“We don’tmind them buildingsomething.It’swhattheyare building that concernsus.”

Solomon notedthatthe plans comply withall city regulations andsaidhybrid hotels are popular with families as well as groups of friends. Another sticking point with neighborsiswhether thehotel will have an on-siteproperty manager

thesystem. Dedon said IBEW will also train local studentsonhow the lighthouse works.

Howitworks

Thebackuppowersystem is made up of 88 solar panels on theroof of the IBEW Training Center on TomDrive,whichcan generate up to 69,000 kilowatts of electricity peryear,and abackup battery system. That’s enough energy to power nearly five houses for an entire year.The batteries power thebuilding at night and are recharged by the solar panels during the day

or concierge,which is required of hotels by city law.

TomNeyhart, another resident of the Colonial Condominiums, said Solomon has not committed to 24/7 on-site management.

SolomonsaidWednesday that “if it’srequiredbythe city,then we’ll have it.”

Solomon is in theprocessof seeking ﬁnancing for the project, whichisexpected to cost less than $2 million.

Revisions to the plans have low-

ered thedeveloper’scosts at a time when interest rates are more favorable than when theproject started, he said. Insurance rates also appear to be holding steady after several years of double-digit increases

“Interest rate decreases have helped alot of projects to start up,” he said. “I think there is a general optimistic view about New Orleansright now.” He hopes to begin construction by midsummer.

NEXUS

Continued from page1B

Rouge lighthouse.

The lighthouse disconnectsfrom themain power grid in theevent of an outage, providing electricity without puttingpower back ontothe grid and endangering electrical workers repairing theoutage. When power is restored, thelighthouse returns to its normal operations with no manual switch needed.

Amonitoring systemdisplays how much energy the lighthouse is producing at agivenmoment, which is accessible to technicians beyond Baton Rouge who can provide support in case of an emergency.The lighthouses aremade to withstand 160 mph winds.

Community Power South and127 Energy worked to assess the numberofsolar panels needed and the storage capacity of the Baton

“It’s intended to be easy andintuitive so that the IBEW can focusonprovidingsupport for communitygroups and not have to waste precious resources scrambling to find power for theirown facility,” Pierre Moses,president of 127 Energy,said at the event. “The goal is to have aCommunity Lighthouse in every neighborhood so that we can work together as anetwork truly resilient Louisiana.”

ExpandingtoBR

Conversations about buildinga Community Lighthouse in Baton Rouge started in 2024 among Together Baton Rouge, former Mayor-President SharonWeston Broome and the Metro Council. The council appropriated $500,000 for theproject,accordingto

Metro Council member Cleve Dunn. Together Louisiana matched the funds from thecity-parish, whichthe organization will earn back withtax rebates,according to Joshua Cox, CEO of Community Power South, which handled thefunding and contracts of the project. The U.S. Department of Energy provided about $3 million in funding to TogetherLouisiana to support the overallCommunity Lighthouse network. There are two morelighthouses plannedfor Baton Rouge,with atimeline not yet determined.

“A CommunityLighthouse such as this is so powerful to help give heating and cooling and charging and give first responders time to come andrecover, Dunn said at the ribboncutting.

anatomy visualizations for health care students Michael Stubblefield, vicechancellorfor research andstrategic initiativesatSouthern, said the extension of the VR programinto Nexus’ office will diversify its services andconnect students with private-sector opportunities. Students in the VR Jags program will workwith entrepreneurs in Nexus’ orbit and build business acumen, potentially building apipeline into the workforce with connectionsmadethrough the business incubator, Stubbleﬁeld said.

“One of the great things of having aphysical presence at Nexus’ site is that people can see what they’re doing,” Stubbleﬁeld said.

STAFFPHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Pierre Moses, Presidentof127 Energy, points to amonitor displaying the energyproduced by the building’s solar panels during the ribbon cutting forthe International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers’ Community Lighthouse on Tuesday.

PROVIDED RENDER

Next generation stepsintoMardi Gras tradition

Thepassing-down of costuming, dancing ‘help keep us aliveinit’

BY JENNA ROSS Staff writer

After school was out, band practice over anddinner eaten, Horace Xand his11-year-oldson Hayden pulled out their canvasses and began to bead.

It was four weeks until MardiGras,and they were behind.

“Start with the green, son,” Horace said, tapping on asmall container of greensequins.

The pair of intricately beaded, dramatically plumed suits they worelast year stood tall in the living room’scorners, egging them on.

Horace and Hayden are spy boys of theCreole Wild West and keepers of the Mardi Gras Indian tradition, leading the procession of the oldest Mardi Gras Indian tribe. Hayden’sfate was sealed in the womb:

When Horace’swife Letittica was pregnant, they decided that if he were a boy,hewould join the Black masking tribe.

At just 8weeks old, a photo shows Hayden’s sleeping face surrounded by gold beads, red lace and ababy bottle. He was “the youngest ever to mask,” his father,formerly Horace Anderson, claims.

Now,he’sSpyboy Trouble, one of several children playing key roles —spy boy and ﬂag boy among them in these exclusive, elusive tribes that emerge on Mardi Gras morning in elaborate suits, ready to square off. They areexpectedtohandle many of the same responsibilities as their older counterparts: to danceand to practice, to sew and to bead, ever more frantically as Mardi Gras approaches.

The tribes, in turn, are changing around them. Practices once held in bars have moved into community centers.

“It’sthe old phrase, when you know better,dobetter,” said Juan Pardo, big chief of the Golden Comanche. When adults dominated the culture, bar practices weren’tanissue. “With tons of youth being involved now,you want to create the best environment.”

But, he added, “some of this is because it was asecret culture, and that was by design.”

The young spy boy he relies on is 11-year-old Demetris Williams Jr., who earned his tribal name Spark because, even as a little kid, he’d grab whatever suitpieces he could and parade up and down the sidewalk. He doesn’tneed an OK, Pardo said, “he just goes.”

“Theygiveusthatenergy,” he said, of the tribe’s younger set.“They help keep us alive in it.”

Abum knee keeps Horace, now 52, from hopping as fast or as high as he once did, while Hayden is light on his feet. Horace needs a headlamp to thread his needle now,but Hayden beads quickly,plucking asequin with ease. At one point in his life, Horace loved the sparring. Now, on Mardi Gras, he steps back andwatches his two sons, he said. “That’s my biggest joy.”

‘The culturekid’

Eight weeks before Mardi Gras, kids arrived at the Backstreet Cultural Museum, tiny tambourines in hand.

“Good afternoon, good afternoon,” said Horace, avolunteer tour guide at the museum, atrove of Mardi Gras Indian artifactsinthe heart of the historic Treme neighborhood. “When Icame up” in this culture, he explained, “we were in the barroom.”

But on this day in late December,families packed the museum’smain room, surrounded by big chiefs’ suits from years past, topped with tall headdresses and framed by dramatic puffs of plumes.

Horace’sparentswere part of theWild Magnolias, andhe grewupinthose spaces, running and playing and, importantly,watching. When, in his teens,hedecided to mask,hejoined the Creole Wild West.

“I was like, ‘I’m going with theyoung crowd,’” he said.

“And the rest is history. Letittica knew that marrying Horacemeant marrying the culture.But she didn’tstart making suits until havingHayden.Now, in bed watching “Chicago P.D.” and “Law and Order,” shesews andbeadsthe bulk of her two sons’ suits. Ahundreddaysout from Mardi Gras, Horace woke up at 3a.m. to use the bathroom anddiscoveredLetittica sewing

“That’s my apron,” he toldher.“And she was like, ‘Yeah, Ineed you to catch up.’ Haydenbeads hispatches.He’sstill achild, Letittica said,busywithother interests,including baseball. This Carnival season, he will play tuba in six parades.

Butevenasa baby, Hayden loved sportinga suit. As soonashecould talk, he’d ask folksifthey’d want to take apicture of him in it. As he grew older, he listened as hisfather taught him the history of theculture. Hisyounger brother,West,bycontrast, has always been more focusedonother interests, such as soccer. West’ssuit this year featuresbeaded soccer ball patches.

“Hayden is the culture kid,”Letitticasaid, justas his father was before him.

“Their relationshipisona different level.”

At the museum, Hayden was among thekidslistening quietly as hisfather and Pardo explained the respect behind the ceremonies,the ideas behind the movements.

“If Idothis real quick,” Pardo said, throwing his arm up and his hand out, “visually,from aspiritual realm, you’ve got ashield. Protection.”

Then, Pardo and other tribal leadersbegan beatingtheir tambourines, singing. The kids joinedin, singing and tapping, taking turns steppingintothe circle’scenter.Little queens danced.

The room grew hot. Sweat drippedtothe ﬂoor Horace entered the circle, and Pardo responded by

ducking behind Williams, his young spyboy.Then, as Pardostepped back, Williams stepped forward. Williams spun, his armsloose, facingoff with Horace directly.Horace shook his tambourine as he moved

Then he turned to his son, Hayden, tapping him on the shoulder,inviting him in.

‘Nogifts,nokingcake’

Work on this year’ssuits started nearly ayear ago, thenight of Mardi Gras.

Lying in bed, just hours after debuting their peachplumedbeauties, Horace andLetittica dreamed up what they might do for 2026. “The next day, we settled on afew ideas, andI wentto my artist, andheput it on a piece of canvas,and it was on from there.”

Each suit is new,front and back. The design, theme and even color scheme stay secret until Mardi Gras morning.

But Horace will saythat this year’ssuit was inspired by his wife, by Black women,bythe birth of creation. So to honorher,heisusing smaller,size10beads, which will make the patches look more intricate, more multifaceted.

“Use8,” thesayingabout beadsgoes, “you won’t be late.” Their family could be late this year

“My anxiety is through theroof,” Letittica said, one week until Mardi Gras.

Thegoalistoimpress fellowtribal members and other tribes, with “pretty beingthe ultimatecompliment.But thereare challenges. This year,tariffs have made procuring and paying forboth beads and plumes more difﬁcult

Horace, who works nights at Amazon, hasa January birthday, andfriends and family know that “I don’t want no gifts, no king cake.

“Listen,Ineed you to chip in,” he said, chuckling. “I’vegot a$2,000tab running right now at Jefferson Variety,” theMardi Gras Indians’ go-tospot for suitmaking supplies

But fourweeks out, the family hadall the supplies theyneeded.Itwas just a matter of putting each bead, each feather in place.

As they worked,Horace played YouTube videos of past Mardi Gras on the bigscreen TV.Hepaused it, at onepoint,totakea closer look at his socks. Black,he said, shaking his head,when

theyshould have been orange. Hayden worked quietly on abird thathe’ddrawn onto his canvas, his own design.

“I really learneditfrom my little brother,”hesaid, of his drawing skills.

Older clips beganplaying, one after another,from PBSdocumentaries about thelongand storiedhistory of Mardi Gras Indians. Hayden kept lookingup, between sequins, to watch. When agroup of Indians past begansinging “Indian Red,” Hayden stared for a long stretch. He kept hold of his needle, but his left hand started tapping, as if on atambourine.

family, at the age of 79.

Anative of Moss Point, Mississippi, Joewas a graduate of Moss Point High School whereheexcelled in sports. He earned hisundergraduate degree from Mississippi Collegein Clinton,Mississippi followedbyearninghis masters degree in Chemistry fromthe GeorgiaInstitute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia. He later fulfilled hislifelongcalling to medicine, obtaining his DoctorateofMedicine from theUniversity of Mississippi Medical School, in Jackson,Mississippi.

After completingresidencyinMobile,Alabama, Dr.Bullock moved his young familytoBaton Rouge,Louisiana andhe devoted25yearsserving as acompassionate and dedicated Obstetrician and Gynecologist. He deeply lovedhis patientsand took great pride in thecountless babieshehelped bring into theworld. Hiscommitmenttocare, kindness, and excellenceleft alastingimpact on generations of families.

Outside of medicine, Joe cherished theoutdoors. He foundhis greatest joyat hisbeloved farm, spending time huntingand fishing alongside familyand friends. Thesemomentsof laughter, storytelling, and togetherness were among hismost treasured memories Joewas preceded in

PROVIDED PHOTO By LETITTICA X Hayden Xwas just eight weeks old when he first masked for Mardi Gras.

SpyboyHayden ‘Trouble’ X, of the Creole Wild West Black maskingIndians, works on asuit next to his father,Spyboy Horace X, at theirhomerecently in NewOrleans.

Spyboy Horace Xwatches old videos of maskingIndians withhis son SpyboyHayden ‘Trouble’ X.

4B ■ Sunday, February15, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate death by his. father, M.J. "Red" Bullock, Sr. and his mother, Ida Belle Richardson Bullock.

He is survived by his son, Josh; daughter-in-law, Amanda; and his three adored grandchildren, Caroline, Luke, and Anna Katherine Bullock, all of Austin, Texas. He is also survived by Dorothy "Dot" Morrison of Diamondhead, Mississippi; Linda and Julie Bullock of Moss Point, Mississippi; and his niece and nephews, Becky Morrison, Chris Morrison, and Chuck Morrison.

In accordance with his wishes, no funeral or memorial service willbe held. In honor of Joe's memory, donations can be made to Dantzler memorial Church online at www.dantzlermmc.org or by mailing acheck noted Joe Bullock to P.O. Box 8704 Moss Point, MS 39562.

LA 71360.

Joe's legacy lives on through the many lives he touched as aphysician, mentor, father, and friend. He will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered. EvergreenLife

Fannie Samuel Compton passed away at the age of 86 on January 30, 2026,at her home in Baton Rouge, surrounded by her loving children and grandchildren. Born on April 23, 1938, in Baton Rouge, Fannie was the only childofFannie Loret Samuel and Frank Burnett Samuel. She attended Dufrocq Elementary Schooland spent many cherished hours with her familyattheir ancestral home, "The Cottage," on River Road -memories that remained close to her heart throughout her life

Fannie graduated from Baton Rouge High School and went on to Louisiana State University, where she earned aBAdegree in Journalism and was a member of the Chi Omega sorority. During her first week at LSU, she met the love of her life, John Compton, Jr., of Cheneyville, Louisiana. They shared 62 devoted years of marriage and made their home in Baton Rouge, where they raised their three children. Fannie had adeep love of words, ideas, and staying informed. She faithfully read The Advocate from cover to cover each day and delighted in thoughtful conversation about current events. She generously gave her time and talents as an adviser to the Chi Omega sorority at LSU for many years and served on the Louisiana Mental HealthBoard formore than adecade.

Alifelong member of St. James Episcopal Church, Fannie was actively involved in awide range of civic, cultural, and social organizations, including the Junior League of Baton Rouge; the National Society of Colonial Dames of America; the Daughters of the American Revolution; The Reviewers; The Baton Rouge Assembly; La Tertulia Study Club; Potpourri Study Club; and the St. James Foyer Group. She was also deeply engaged in many aspects of her husband's work during his tenure as Louisiana's Deputy Commissioner of Agriculture.

Among Fannie's greatest joys were her friendships. One of her most cherished groups, affectionately known as the "La Girls," met each month for lunch, laughter, and spirited discussions of world events.

Fannie is survived by her three children, John Compton III; Frances Compton Rambo and her husband, Rick Rambo; and Elizabeth Ann Compton; and by her two grandchildren, John Compton Rambo and Rachel Lauren Rambo, who brought her immense pride and joy. The family extends heartfelt gratitude to her devoted caregiver, Brandy Jouette, whose kindness, compassion, and constant presence provided comfort and peace to Fannie and her family during her final years. Fannie willberemembered for her sharp intellect, quick wit, loyal friendships, and unwavering love for her family and community.

Amemorial service will be held Friday, February 20, 2026, at St. James Episcopal Church, with visitation starting at 11:30 a.m., followed by aservice at 1 p.m. In lieuofflowers, contributions in Fannie's memory can be made to

Dotson, Alneda

AlnedaDotson, acherishedsoul and devout Christian,completed her earthlyjourney on February 12, 2026, in Baton Rouge,LA, .She wasa beacon of light and love toall who knew her.She dedicated herself to living alife of service and compassion. Alneda Dotsonwillbe deeply missed

Afuneral service willbe held at 10:00AMonSaturday,February 21, 2026, at MckowenMissionary Baptist Church, 1255Louise Street. Baton Rouge,LA.

Everson, Michael Paul Please join friends and family of Dr.Michael Paul Everson for amemorial serviceonMonday, February16, 2026 at St.James Episcopal Church (205 N. Fourth Street, Baton Rouge 70801). Visitation with the family at 10am; service at 11:30am.

Jason PaulFreeman, 49, aresidentofSt. Francisville,died unexpectedly as aresultofanautomobile accident on January 28, 2026. Visitation willbe on Saturday, February21, 2026atMiraclePlace Church, Highway19, Baker from 9:30 am until memorial service at 11:00amconducted by PastorRaymond Authemont. Jason is survivedbyhis wifeof21years,Traci Freeman, daughter,ViviAnn Presley Freeman, sons, BraydenFreeman, Wyathe Freeman, Liam Freeman,Camen Sonnier andReillySonnier,parents, Steve and Regina Freeman, brothers, Justin Freeman (Jennifer)and Brandon Freeman (Michelle).Heis precededindeath by his grandparents, Perry Stapleton, VivianErnestine, Archie Freemanand Evelyn Freeman. Jason graduatedfrom West Feliciana High School. He lovedbeing with his children and family. He loved to hunt and fish. Jason nevermet a strangerand was kind to everyone.The care thathe wouldgive you "The shirt off his back".Hemade people laugh. Jason'ssmile wouldlight up the room. He was very resourceful. He willbedeeply missed by allwho knew and loved him.

Grim,Tony

Aresidentand native of Baton Rouge, he transitionedat1:45pm Friday,February6th, 2026. He was 68. Visiting at Hall, Davis& SonFuneral Home, 9am Friday, February20th, 2026,until religious services at 11am, conducted by Rev. Donald Grim. Interment at Louisiana National Cemetery. He is survived by his daughter, ToniCrystal Kaglear;two sons,Tony Grim Jr. &AnthonyKaglear Sr.; foursisters, Diane Grim, Joann Grim, Trena (Gildon)Walker,Monika Tennell; two brothers, DonaldGrim& BrianGildon; two granddaughters, Tre'Miyah Scott& Ife Kaglear and two grandsons, Anthony Kaglear Jr.& Nathen Bates. Proceededin deathbyhis wife,Diane Jackson Grim;mother, Rosa (Grim) Gildon;father, Bobby Monjet;grandmother,Rosa Lewis; sister,Linda (Grim) Jones; brother, Erroll Monjetand two nieces, KiaraGrim &Ayamma Gildon.

Yazmine Marie Hernandez, of DenhamSprings, Louisiana, passed away on Saturday, February 7, 2026, at theage of 36. She was born on Thursday,September21, 1989, in Hammond Louisiana. She attended Sacred Heart Academy in NewOrleans, Louisiana, and she graduated from St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Hammond, Louisiana. Yazmine received her BachelorofScience: Occupational Safety, Health& Enviromental Degree fromSoutheastern Louisiana University in Hammond Louisiana. She also received her Master of Science in Healthcare Administration, from Franciscan Missionaries of Our LadyUniversity, in Baton Rouge.Yazmine is survived by her mother, Dana Inzinna, her daughter, Giuliana Dykes, and her son, Collin King; grandmother, Emily Breaud Inzinna;brothers, JacobTalley, Thaddeus Bobo and Lukas Bobo; uncle and Aunt,Toddand Catherine Inzinna, uncle and aunt,Brody and Tara Inzinna, aunt,Tina Inzinna Martello. She was preceded in death by her husband, William Kerry King; grandfather, NunzioPete Inzinna; uncle, Brandon Martello. Familyand friends willbereceivedat Harry McKneely &Son Funeral Home -Hammond 2000 N. Morrison Blvd, Hammond, Louisiana 70401 on Monday, February 16, 2026 from 9:00 am until 11:30 am. AFuneral Service willbeheldatMater Dolorosa CatholicChurch, 620 3rd St., Independence, Louisiana 70443 on Monday at 12:00 pm, with Father Jason Palermo, officiating Interment will follow at Colonial CemeteryinIndependence, Louisiana. Arrangementshavebeenentrusted to Harry McKneely &Son FuneralHomeand CrematoryofHammond and Ponchatoula. An online guest book is available at www.harrymckneely.com.

Maxine RuthJones, 95 years, passed peacefully from this life in her home on theevening of February 4, 2026. She was surrounded by her lovedones who were caring for her, including her husband Bobby, son Jeffery, and nieces Mary Alice and Sandi. Maxine was born in Mize, Mississippi to Hinrich and EdmoniaLeihr. She was preceded in death by her sisterDorothy and husband GeorgeSumrall; sisterSarah ElizabethLeihr Gentry, brother HenryIvan Leihr, WoodrowLeihr, FloydLeihr, WalterLeihr; mother-in-law Doris Jones and brother-in-law Calvin H. Jones. Maxine is survivedbyher loving husband Bobby Jones and their adoptedson Jeffery Jones; her sister-in-lawLoraine Jones and Alice Leihr. Maxine met her husband Bobby who was employed at Louisiana Geological Survey, Department of Conservationwhileshe was supervisor of theAuditDivision of thedepartment.They were both members of the First United Methodist Church. She was amember of theBeta Phisorority, theGeological Society Auxiliary and Chairman of the Desk and Derrick Club.She had many friendsand was devotedtoher nieces and nephews. Family and friends are invitedtoattend thevisitationonSaturday, February 21, 2026, from11AM until noon at First United Methodist Church, Baton Rouge. The service willbegin at noon

Linda Lue Kelly, aresident of BatonRouge, Louisiana, passed away on February 4, 2026, at theage of 86. Lindawas alifelong Social Worker and achievedmany accomplishments. She willbe deeply missed by her family,friends, and allthose whose livesshe touched. Please refer to www.rabenhorst.comfor thefull obituary.

Helen "Janie" Landry passed away at her home in Walker, LA on Sunday, February 8th, 2026, at the ageof84. She is preceded in death by parents, GeorgeLandy, Sr.and Bessie BerthelotLandry; and brother, George, Jr. Janie is survivedbyher sons, Joey Sharonwife Monica,Jeffrey Sharon wife Michelle, and Steve Sharonwife Melody; daughter, Joanie Sharon; five grandchildren; and three greatgrandchildren. Janie enjoyed reading, traveling,and lovedliving in Coloradofor 10 years beforereturning to Walker, LA afew years ago. Jane's wish was to donateher body forscientificresearch, and we carried out that wish for her. In lieu of flowers we ask that memorial donations be madeto theUnitedWay Literacy Program in support of her love forreading.A celebration of life will be scheduled at alater date.Please share memories online at www.wilbertservices.com.

held on Monday, February 16, 2026, at OursoFuneral Home, locatedat13533 Airline HighwayinGonzales Louisiana. Visitation will be held from9:00 a.m. until thefuneral service at 11:00 a.m. Please join us as we celebrate herlife. She will be laidtorest at Hope Haven Mausoleum, 604 East Highway30, Gonzales, Louisiana. Evey will be rememberedfor herloving spirit herdevotion to family, and thewarmth shebrought into thelives of all who knew her.

members, includingnieces, nephews,and others who werefortunate enough to callhim family. Thomas was preceded in deathby his son, MichaelMuchow; his parentsThomasand Loretta Muchow;and his siblings, HenryMuchow and Loretta Wolffe.Those who knew Tomwillremem‐ber himfor hiswarmthand positivity, hisgenerosityof spirit, andhis unwavering lovefor hisfamily. His presencewillbedeeply missed, buthis legacy of kindnessand friendship willliveoninthe many lives he touched. Amemor‐ial servicewillbeheldon Saturday, Feb. 28 at 4p.m atThe UnitarianChurch of Baton Rouge. In lieu of ﬂowers, thefamilyencour‐agesdonations to The TrevorProject in memory of Tom’sson Michael.

TressieAlexander Ogden, aresident of Baker, passedawaypeacefullyon Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. She was85yearsold andwas retiredfromEast Baton Rouge Parish School System. Visitation will be on Monday, Feb. 16, 2026 at Charlet Funeral Home, Zacharyfrom9am until service at 11am conducted by Dr.JoelWilliams. Burial will be in RoselawnCemetery, Baton Rouge.She is survived by 2daughters, Sherry Elizabeth Ogden Russell and Kaye Ogden Buxton andhusband, Myron. Sheissurvived by her sisters, Sarah Tomlinson andhusband, James, and Vickie Cader. 4grandchildren,Nicklaus Russell Samuel Russell,Chassidy Artigue, and DustinDier. Great grandchildren, PresleyRayburn, VictoriaArtigue, Robert "Bo"Russell, John HenryRussell,Landon Dier and McKenzie Dier Sheisprecededindeath by herhusband, CurtisOgden, parents,Nolin and Leoma Alexander, four brothers andtwo sisters. Pallbearers will be NicklausRussell,Samuel Russell, Presly Rayburn,Myron Buxton,Val Buxton, and JoeMorgan.She wasa graduate of LSUand was an elementary teacherfor over 20 years. Tressiewas an active member of First Baptist Church of Baker Sheloved to sing andplay thepiano.She and herbest friend, Barbara Foote,traveled theworld together andmade friends along theway.She shared her retirement years with teacher friends "Out to LunchGroup"every Wednesday. Shewas an avidreader.Inlieuofflowers, donations may be made to St.Jude Children's Hospital or Friends of the AnimalsBR. Share memories at www.CharletFunera lHome.com.

Evelyn"Evey" Lenard,a resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, passed away on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, surrounded by her loving family.She was 86 years old. Evey was awoman who truly enjoyed life's simple pleasures. She lovedvisiting thecasino, whereshe found excitement and joy, and she was known as an amazing cookwhose meals brought family togetherand created lasting memories.Aboveall else, Eveydeeplyloved her family. Herhome and heart were always open to those she cherished.She made friends easilyand kept them close with her gift of hospitality. She is survivedbyher sonand daughter-in-law Simon and LydiaYoung; grandchildren, Clay Young (Joli), Cary Young (Valerie), Chantelle EvelynHowington(Adam), and Wesley "Wes" Broussard (Barbara); great-grandchildren, JacobYoung (Kayleigh), Lane Young, Anthony Zimmerle, Jase Lejeune, Amariah Broussard,Eli Broussard,Canaan Broussard,BlazeBroussard Wesley BroussardJr.,and Zachary Broussard; her sister, CarolynNicolosi. She was close to her nieces, nephews, greatnieces, and great-nephews and her first great-great grandchild.She was preceded in death by 2children,Kathryn Mary, age 5 and Lane Joseph, age 17; her parents, Ansell "Pete" and JuanitaWebbMcAlister; and 4brothers, Robert "Bobby" Walker, Muncy McAlister, OscarMcAlister, and Ansell McAlister Jr Servicesfor Evey willbe

Roger Dale Martin, known for his kindness andgenuine nature, went to hiseternal rest on January 19, 2026. Born on March6,1946, in the East Texas townofCenter, he made his home in Louisiana formuchofhis life butremained aproud Texan at heart. Roger didnot hold advanceddegrees, but he wasa well-traveled "renaissance man" whopossesseda deep knowledge of history, politics, science andthe natural worldthat wouldrival any academic. More importantly, Roger wasa man of great integrity. He lovedJesus andhis faithwas reflected in the gentle andthoughtful ways he caredfor hisfamily, hisworkfriends andhis faithfamilyatMontpelier Baptist Church Aresident of Greensburg, Louisiana Roger was agiftedindustrial draftsman and pipingdesigner. He workedatnumerous engineeringand manufacturingcompaniesthroughouthis career.Hemost recently retiredfromDeltak Manufacturing. Theson of thelateThelma Oates Hughes andClifford C. Martin, Roger graduated from Center High School in 1965. On February 12, 1966, he marriedthe love of hislife, Anna Jane RivetMartin. They were marriedfor 45 years. He wasprecededin death by hisparents as well as hisbeloved wife. Roger is survivedbyhis sister,JoAnn MartinCreel Cameron, brother, James CurtisMartin, andhis brother-in-law, JC Rivet. He is also survived by his nieces Henrietta Creel Thompson,Carrie Cameron, andStacy FurlowGreen;nephewsJoel Creel, Michael Furlow, Chris Furlow, Jason Rivet, Jonathan Rivet, Danny Rivet,and Donnie Rivet; as well as numerous greatnieces andgreat-nephews Visitation will be held on Saturday, February 21, 2026, at Seale Funeral Home in Denham Springs, Louisiana from10:00 AM untilNoonwith amemorial service in hishonor at Noon.

Thomas L. Muchow of DenhamSprings,La., passedawayonFeb.5 2026. Born on Nov. 18, 1940, inBrooklyn, Tomspent his early yearsinNew York be‐forestartinga familyin Florida andeventually makinghis home in Den‐ham Springs, where he lived fornearlythirty years.Hebuilt aliferooted infamily, friendship,and kindness, andhenever met astranger. Tomwas a beloved husband, father, and grandfather, anda friendtoeveryonehemet Heissurvivedbyhis loving wife, Dianne Muchow;his childrenand stepchildren Chuck(Charles) T. Mu‐chow, Tom(Thomas)L.Mu‐chowIII andwifeChristine, Susan Klugel andhusband Jeff, MarlaElsea andhus‐bandTim,Melanie Todd and husbandJason,and Clayton Smith; as well as his cherishedgrandchil‐dren, Connor Elsea, Sean Elsea,Emma Elsea, McKenna Fussell, Finn Todd, Nicole Osmon, Benny Osmon,and ChuckEaddy Heisalsosurvivedby many extended family

Ruth MartinPatrickwas born November 4, 1930, on asmall farminNortheast Louisiana to Alfred and Birdie Martinand died in Baton Rouge La. on February 9, 2026, at theage of 95. Shewas theoldest of their four children. She grew up helpingher familyontheir farm, canningvegetables, working in thecotton fields, baking breadand helpingher mother cook for thefamily. She attended atwo-room elementary school in Forest, La., skippedsecondgrade, and graduatedfromLake Providence High School at 15 years of age. Like many small depression erafarmingfamiliesofthe day, her familywas poor. Sheborrowedmoney for herfirst year of college from a friendofthe familywho wasimpressedwith her work ethicand ambition, with theunderstanding she wouldhave ajob while in school, winanacademic scholarship forfuture tuitionand repay the loan whichshe did. Sheentered Northeast Louisiana State University in Monroe, La., whichwas then ajunior collegeand partofLSU,

Hernandez, Yazmine Marie

Kelly, Linda Lue

Martin,Roger Dale

Ogden, Tressie Alexander

Landry, Helen 'Janie'

Compton, Fannie Samuel 'Fifi'

Freeman, Jason Paul

Jones, Maxine Ruth

Lenard, Evelyn 'Evey'

Patrick, PhD, Ruth Martin

Muchow,ThomasL.

college part where she thrived academically and socially. After two years at Northeast, she transferred to LSU in Baton Rouge where she graduated with honors at 19 years of age with a bachelor's degree in science in 1950. She then obtained an assistantshipto work on amaster's degree in Home Economics at LSU. At LSU she met two individuals who would have profound impacts on her life, her major professor Dorothy Mochette, whom she revered and admired, and her future husband, William H. Patrick Jr., who was also an LSU student on the GI Bill after serving in the Army in the Philippines and Japan during World War II. She obtained amaster's degree and in December 1951, she married Bill Patrick in aceremony officiated by Dr William E. Trice in the brand-new sanctuary of University Methodist Church on the LSU campus. Like many post-war married couples, she and Bill soon began having afamily and welcomed Terry, Billy, Carol withina four-year period, and Henry afew years later. During her early child rearing years, Ruth concentrated on raising her small children and supporting Bill's career. However, she had sufficient energy to become heavily involved in community activities. She helped launch Baton Rouge's Operation Upgrade, which combatted adult illiteracy, and Small World, agroup which taught "American life and culture" to wives of foreign students who were studying at LSU. She was president of the PTA of the recently built Magnolia Woods Elementary School, where she helped raise funds to air condition the school. She was a charter member of the Board of Directors of the Capital Area Literacy Foundation. As her older children reached high school age, she began working on aPhD degree in Food Science at LSU. She obtained her PhD, graduating the same year (1971) that her daughter Terry graduated from high school. Ruth began work as anutritionist in the Extension Service at LSU in 1971 and became a State Nutrition Specialist. She loved putting on seminars, workshops and educational programs with the latest information on nutrition, food safety and food preservation, and she extensively traveled the 64 parishes of Louisiana to do so. Soon she knew every highway and local road in Louisiana and people from all over the state. The health and wellbeing of thousands of Louisianians were improved significantly through the numerous bulletins she wrote, as well as her video, news articles and public presentations, and her Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning nutrition programs on WBRZ TV in Baton Rouge. She loved her years working at Channel 2and remained friends with the talented individuals she worked with there. Through her seminars, publicpresentations and regular television programs, Dr. Ruth was easily recognizable in the community because of her colorful and stylish attire, her striking red hair, and especially the trademark hibiscus flower which she wore on her lapel every day. When Pennington Biomedical Research Center opened, she became Chief of Nutrition Education for Pennington, ajob she enjoyed until her retirement in 2004. In that role, she helped translate and communicate Pennington's scientific research to the general public, which was anatural corollary to her continuing responsibilities as aNutrition Specialist in the LSU Extension Service. Her work was not restricted to the state of Louisiana.She traveled extensively in the U.S. and internationally, presenting seminars and speaking at scientific and trade association meetings. Of special importance to her, in 1994 she spent a month in Uganda to help establish afood science department at Makerere State University in Kampala. She was amemberof numerous honor societies and professional organizations. She was proud of her 60 year affiliation with the national honor society of Phi Kappa Phi where she was on the national board of directors and was the Director of Fellowships and of her service as amember of the board of directorsof the AmericanHeart Foundation. She was aFellow of the International Institute of Food Technology and received an IFT national award presented by Secretary of State Colin Powell. She received many other awards and honors during her career, including being recognized as Alumnusof the Year for the LSU Agriculture Center, aYMCA

culture Center, aYMCA Woman of Achievement and receiving aLifetime Achievement Award from Pennington Biomedical. Even in retirement, she remained active,becoming a member of the Downtown Kiwanis Club of Baton Rouge. But educational and professional workdid not exclusively dominate her life. Dr.Ruth found time each year to bake her renowned Christmas cinnamon rolls (recipe can be found in an Extension Bulletin) for friends and family. She hosted each year the carolers from the annual Christmas Caroling Party started in 1971, upon their completion of caroling at Lady of the Lake Hospital, Ollie Steele Burden nursing home and St. JamesPlace. The caroling party in herhome always concludedwith an impressive singing of Handel's Hallelujah Chorus. Dr. Ruth was an active Grandma Ruthie (or GRuthie" as her grandchildrencalled her behind her back) to her 12 grandchildren. Her home was especially abuzz over theChristmas holidays. With her husband she brought the grandchildren to Washington D.C. when theyreached 11 years old. She also visited her Pisarello grandchildren in Buenos Aires, frequently bringing othergrandchildren with her to visittheir Argentine cousins. Ruth and her husband, Bill, were active members of the University Methodist Church since 1950, and both servedinmany leadership rolesover the years. Among their most cherished lifetime friends were Dr. W.E. Trice and hiswife, Leora, and Bishop Benjamin Oliphint and his wife, Nancy, with whom in retirement Ruth and Bill vacationedoftenatthe Oliphint's Colorado mountain cabin. In 2004, Ruth and Bill became the first couple to receive 50 year pins recognizing their lengthy service and tenure as students and faculty members at LSU. They never overlooked or underestimatedthe importance of LSU and the university community to theirlives, and over the years they establishedlectureships and academic scholarships through the LSU Foundation in the areas of food science and coastalstudies at LSU. Ruth was precededindeathbyher husband, Dr. William H. Patrick Jr.; parents; and her brother, Joseph Garland Martin. She is survivedbyher four children, Terry PatrickHarris (Joseph), WilliamH Patrick III (Melanie), Dr. Carol Patrick Pisarello (Jorge)and Dr.Henry Carr Patrick (Randa); 12 grandchildren, Dr.Catherine Harris Boston (Van), Anna Pisarello (Chris), Benjamin Harris (Sarah), Laura Pisarello (Augusto), Meredith Patrick Pace (Drew), Nicolas Pisarello (Katie), Madeleine Patrick (Tom), Dr. Clayton Patrick (Paige), Dr. HayesPatrick(Kate), William Patrick IV (Claire), Dr. Henry "Hank" Patrick III, Molly Patrick;and 14 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her brother, James M. Martin (Jeannette); sister, Ann M. Elliot; sister-in-law, Louise F. Martin; and many nieces, nephews, and grand nieces and nephews. Acelebration of her long lifewill be held at 2:00 PM on Saturday, February 21, 2026, at University United Methodist Church, 3350 Dalrymple Drive in Baton Rouge,LA, with Rev. Katie McKay Simpson, Rev. Ken Irby and Dr. WilliamFinnin presiding. There will be a visitation and reception before the service at 12:30 PM in the Fellowship Hall. Immediately following the funeral, there will be a family graveside service and burial next to her husband at the Resthaven Gardens of Memory.Pallbearers will be hergrandsons, Benjamin, Nicolas, Clayton, Hayes, William, Hank, and her nephew, Flint Martin. In lieuofflowers, donations in memoryofRuth can be made to the "Ruth M. Patrick Endowed Scholarship in Food Science", care of the LSU Foundation, 3796 Nicholson Dr, Baton Rouge LA 70802, http://givelsu.org/ruthp atrick, telephone (802)7356732 or to University United Methodist Church, telephone (225)344-0343. The family is grateful to the care team at St. James Place Highland CourtMemory Care, and to Hospice of Baton Rouge.Many heartfelt thanks to her longtime caregiver, Ms. KrisPettigrew, who treated her with respect, love,patience and dignity as the years gradually overcame Dr. Ruth's physical health,intelliand dynami gence

Pechman, Robert Delaine 'Bob'

We invite friends and colleagues to join the family as we celebratethe life and legacy of Dr. Robert D. Pechman, Jr. Amemorial service will be held from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM on Sunday, February 22, 2026, at LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, Room 1205 (Jim Rumore Classroom).

Penny, Ethel Mae Walls

Ethel Mae Walls Penny, 76, aresident of Port Allen, LA passed away peacefully on February 9, 2026 at her residence. She was married to the lateJosephPenny and she leaves to cherish her memory to her daughters Dana Ayoand Latashia Penny Wicks. She was adevoted wife, mother, grandmother and greatgrandmother. Visitation will be held on Monday, February 16, 2026 from 10:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m. and services at 12:00 p.m. at Antioch Full Gospel Baptist Church located at 5247 Ford St., Baton Rouge, LA. Burial will be held on Wednesday, February 18, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at Pride Port Hudson National Cemetery. Bishop Gregory Cooper, Sr. officiating. A funeral service will be held from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM on 2026-02-16 at Antioch Full Gospel Baptist Church, 5247 Ford St.

Lester J. Poirrier, aged 89, anative of Donaldsonville and aresident of Addis, LA passed away on February 10, 2026. He served in the National Guard.Hewas amember of the Green Berets of the United States Army Special Forces and amember of the 82nd Airborne Division, Chapter XXX SFA with an honorable discharge in 1966. He was an employee of Dow Chemical for 33 years and retired for 34 years. He enjoyed woodworking, hunting and spending time with his family and friends. He was aloving husband,father, grandfather, great-grandfather and uncle who will be greatly missed.Heis survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Lorraine Theriot Poirrier; twosons, Lester J. Poirrier, Jr. and Timothy J. Poirrier (Gwen); two daughters, Karen A. Poirrier (Grant) and Shelley P. El-Hitamy (Wally); nine grandchildren, Devin (Hannah), Morgan (Chase), Lauren (Michael), Erin (Ryan), Kelsey, Benjamin (Brittney), John, Logan and Lila; great-grandchildren, Braelynn, Brynleigh, Ellis, Adrienne, Parker, Saige, Wesley, Noah, Emma, Oliver and Adeline; along with ahost of nieces and nephews. He was preceded in deathbyhis parents, Leo and Martha Poirrier; three brothers, Leo C. (Ella Mae), Lynn (Jess) and Louis (Frances); sister, Doris Hymel (Russell); inlaws, Leonie Jr. and Elise Theriot;and great-grandson, Braxton. Avisitation will be held on Monday, February 16, 2026 from 10:00 am until the Mass of Christian Burial at 12:00 pm at St.John the Baptist Catholic Church in Brusly, Louisiana. Interment to fol-

Melody Lauren Seward was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana to Donald & Sharon Seward. She grew up in the Gonzales and St. Amant area. On March 7, 2026, there will be aService at 11:00am followed by aCelebration of Life until 2:30pm at Ourso Funeral Home (Cypress Room) in Gonzales. For full details, please visit the Ourso Funeral Home websiteat: https://www.dignitymemo rial.com/obituaries/gonzal es-l a/me lo dy-s eward12727211

Charles Harris Sides, Sr. passed away Monday afternoon February 9, 2026 peacefully at home in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Charlie was born in Baton Rouge in 1944. He was agraduateofCentral High School where he was a standout basketball and baseball letterman. He attended Louisiana State Universityprior to graduating from Northeast Louisiana University School of Pharmacy. He was apracticing pharmacist at Sides Pharmacy and also served thecommunity through St. Vincent de Paul Community Pharmacy and Pennington Biomedical Research Center throughout adistinguished career spanning more than five decades.

Charlie was an active member of Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church for over 50 years. He loved all things outdoors and athletics, specifically those of his children, grandchildren and theLSU Tigers, apassion he shared with all of his family and those who knew him.

Charlie was preceded in death by his parents, Florence and GeorgeSides, his sister, Carolyn Sue Danburg, and brother, William Sides. Charlieissurvived by his devoted wife of 57 years, Janet Moses Sides, children Charles (Holly) Sides, Jr. of Baton Rouge, Amy (Chris) Casbarian of New Orleans, Mary (Andy) Roddenbery of Columbus, Georgia, grandchildren, Harris, Thomas, John Prescott and Sutton Sides; William and Jack Anseman and Francie Casbarian; and Mimi, Anderson and George Roddenbery. He is also survived by his sisterin-law, Sandra Moses, and brother-in-law, Owen (Jean) Moses, as well as dear nieces and nephews.

Avisitation will be held from 9:00 am to 10:00 am on Friday, February 20th at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church with afuneral Mass to follow. In lieuof flowers, memorial donations may be made to Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church or The Societyof St. Vincent de Paul.

Dorothy Mae Smith, born in New Orleans, LA, passed away on February 12, 2026, at theage of 78 in Baton Rouge. The full obituary can be found at www.rabenhorst.com.

Stephens, Janel W.

Janel was born to Lee and Jeantine Watts in French Settlement, Louisiana. Sheand Billy Stephensmarried in 1958 and lived in Baton Rouge. After graduating from Southeastern Louisiana University, she taught in several EBR schools. Upon her retirementshe and Billy enjoyed travelingand babysittingthe grandkids. She wasa long-time member of Woodlawn Baptist Church and Florida Blvd Baptist Church. Preceded in death by herparents, siblings, great-granddaughter Daphne, andother family members. She is survived by her husband Billy, of nearly 68 years; daughters Mary (William) Day, Mar'Sue WoodsCreery (Brian), andson Kyle (Lori) Stephens; 6 grandchildren, Tara(Miles)Landry, Madeline (Eli) Smith, Benjamin (Alana) Day, Landon (Brooke) Woods, Emily (Nick) Brooks andJoshua Stephens;13 great grandchildren,Walker, Locky, Ezekiel, Rex, Dawson,June, Levi, Dean, Watts, Violet, Malachi, Graham and Declan. The servicewill be conducted by Dr. Lewis Richarson andDr. Benjamin Day. Pallbearers will be William Day, Brian Creery, Landon Woods, Joshua Stephens, Nick Brooks and Dr. Miles Landry. Friends and family are invited to attend visitation on Tuesday, February 17,2026 from 9:00-11:00 a.m., at Rabenhorst Funeral Home East, 11000 Florida Blvd, followed by aservice at the same location. Burial will take place at Greenoaks Memorial Park, 9545 Florida Blvd. following the service.

Sullivan Jr., Joseph 'Jay'

Joseph M. (Jay) Sullivan Jr. passed away peacefully at home in Dallas, TX, on January 26, 2026. Born in Slidell, LA, as the oldest of four boys and grew up in a lively shotgun house on Bruxelles Street in New Orleans, filled with family, humor andthe stories he loved to share throughout his life.

Jay proudly served as a U.S. Air Force First Lieutenant and pilot from 1955 to 1963, flyingSuper Constellation (C-121) aircraft across Europe, the Middle East and South America. After his service, he earned abusiness degree from Tulane University and alaw degree from Loyola University, commutingevery weeknightfrom Baton Rouge to New Orleans while working full-time. His career included positions with IBM, Whitney Bank, Texas Commerce Bank, LouisianaNational Bank andVerizon before he completed his professional life as an attorney at Bracewell LLP in Dallas. In retirement, Jay devoted time to theFrontiers of Flight Museum and Scottish Rite for Children. Atalented woodworker and stained-glass artisan,he found joy in creatingmodel airplanes and handmade stained-glass pieces for family andfriends. Jay is survived by his wife, JaneSullivan; daughters Erin Sullivan and Danielle Diliberti (Tom), and is reunited in heaven with his daughter Colleen Aymond; grandchildren Mark Aymond and John Aymond; great-grandchildren Owen, Beau, Henry and Leah; and brothers Bob Sullivan,Johnny Otis and Jimmy Otis. The family is grateful to Linda Phillips for her kind and compassionate care. Following interment at Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery, amemorial service will be celebrated at 11:00 AM on Thursday, February 19, 2026, at Grace United Methodist Church, 4105 Junius, Dallas, TX. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorials be directed to

memorials be directed to Frontiers of Flight Museum (www.flightmuseum.com/ support-us) or Scottish Rite for Children (scottishri teforchildren.org/donations).

Waguespack, Joanne

Joanne Waguespack, age 69, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by herfamily on February 11, 2026. Alifelong residentofSaint Amant, Louisiana. Joanne was known for her loving heart, strongfamily devotion, and generousspirit toward everyonewho knew her.She was adevoted wife, mother, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother, andfriend whose greatest joy in life was her family. She shared warmth, kindness, and unwavering support with those she loved. She is survived by her three sons: Benjy Dedon; Brent Dedon and wife April Dedon; and Kenny Dedon. Shealso leaves behind her beloved grandchildren:Caitlyn Dedon, Emily Dedon, Hunter Dedon, Chantel Dedon, and Kinsley Dedon;step-grandchildren:JaceMoody and Cayson Moody; and greatgrandchildren:Brinley Segura, Beau Segura, and Skye Guedry. She is also survived by her godchild, Steven Schillings. Joanne is further survived by her siblings: Benny Schillings and wife Bonnie Schillings; Glen Schillings and wife Nesty Schillings; Suzie Parker and husband Percy Parker; Judy Savoy and husband Robbie Savoy Sr.; Jeff Schillings; and Kitty Walraven and husbandDaleon Walraven. Shewas preceded in death by her husband, Ronald Waguespack; her parents, Melanie and Elvin Schillings; her former husband, Mark Dedon; and hernephews, Robbie Savoy Jr. andClint Delaune.

Visitation will be held at Holy Rosary Church on Thursday, February 19, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. Afuneral service will follow, with burial immediately afterward. Family and friends are invited to attend and celebrate Joanne's life.

Nelda J. "Nell" Watson was born in Winnfield, LA on September 15, 1933, and passed away in Baton Rouge, LA on Saturday, February 7, 2026, at the age of 92. She was aretired banker, where shewas vice presidentofbranch operations. She wasthe first female bankvice president, at the time, in the state of Louisiana. She loved to travel with friends in the One Americans Club, absolutely loved and followed LSU sports (especially Men's Baseball and Women's Basketball), and adored flowers and plants (especially poinsettias at Christmas). She also loved reading to younger members of theBoys andGirls Club of Louisiana. Sheis survived by her son, Lt. Col. Clark Emmett Watson, USMC Ret.; herstepson Robert Lee Watson and wife Robin; nieces:Reggie Ann Wyatt and JoEllen Kasparek; andnephew,Col. Thomas Plunkett. She is preceded in death by her husband, Major C.E. Watson, Jr., USMC Ret., her mother andfather, Lois Inez Jenkins and Andrew Jenkins; and two sisters, Eloise Plunkett and Emma Jo Carpenter. Visitation will be on Monday, February 16, at Rabenhorst Funeral Home East, 11000 Florida Blvd, from 5:30pm until 7pm. Visitation will resume on Tuesday morning at 8:30am until service at 9am in the funeral home chapel. Burial will be at Port Hudson National Cemetery in Zachary, LA at 11am.

Seward, Melody Lauren

Sides, Charles Harris

Poirrier, Lester J.

Watson, Nelda J. 'Nell'

Smith,Dorothy Mae

OPINION

OUR VIEWS

Arthur Hardywill always be our favorite Mardi Gras guide

When Louisiana bidsfarewell to the ﬂesh this week, it will also say goodbye to amainstay of Carnival. Come Ash Wednesday, Arthur Hardy is boxing up his throws,hanging up his beads and rolling into awell-earned retirement.

As author of the Mardi Gras Guide,which he launched in 1977 along with his wife, Susan, and hislateassociate John Drury,Hardy’s name has long since been synonymous with our area’sunique celebratory season. Over half acentury,his startup publication, modeledinparton theonce-popularTVGuide,grew into an annual treasure trove of stories, trivia and loreabout krewes largeand small, urban and suburban, as well as ahandy collection of news-you-can-use —including those all-important daily parade maps. He’sdocumented explosive growth and cultural changes, from throwtrends to the riseof women’skrewes andthe nowubiquitous cheeky adultdance troupes.

Hardy’salso been aﬁxture on localtelevision, something that soon will end, too. Indeed, much of what many of us know about Carnival can likely be traced back to his painstaking research and documentation. It should surprise nobody who’sfollowedhis work that Hardy started as an educator, teaching music and leading the band at Brother Martin High School in New Orleans for many years.In theWYES-TV documentary “Arthur Hardy: Our Mardi GrasGuide,”hesaid he and Susan were looking to make somemoney on theside and ﬁrst set out to publish abar guide,but switchedgears and came up with the idea of aparadeguide After some early hits and misses, it eventually took off once Hardy started appearing regularly on TV to talk about the paradesand the throws, the stories behind each krewe and the artwork, which he collects.

Over time, he became atrustedexpert, to the pointwhere he occasionally corrected krewe leaders on their own organization’searly exploits. This Carnival season hasbeensomething of amonthslong celebrationofHardy’simpact, completewithproclamations and ﬂoats bearing hisimage. We’re happy to report, though, that the tradition he started isn’tgoing away.The guide will still be produced by GeorgesMedia,which owns this newspaper and purchasedthe guide in 2023. And it will continue to bear his name,“ensuring that his name and hislife’swork remain forever tied to the celebration he loves,” publisher Kevin Hall said. Hardy himself isn’tgoing anywhereeither With more time on his hands, “nowI cango to more parades than ever,” he told WYES. We look forward to seeing him out there,passing agood time on the neutralground for years to come. And aﬁnal note to our many readerswho ride in Carnivalparades:Thisshouldgowithout saying, but if you spot ArthurHardy on theroute, go ahead and throw him something, mister— or sister He’scertainly earned it after 50 years of ajob very well done.

LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR ARE

HERE AREOUR

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

considered thenew submission

Somelisteners who are not entirely sold on Chappell Roan’s artistry brush off her songs and bawdy stage persona as “campy and loud.” They see aﬂashy, attention-grabbing circus act. And even as Roan marketsherself as an over-the-top lesbian, thestyling still reads as catering to the male gaze. At therecent Grammy Awards, she drew maximum notice withexposed breasts and rings punched through thenipples. From thosecontraptions hung her dress straps.

“I want tohear themusic,” a rock critic told me. “I don’tnecessarily want to see thebazooms.” (He’sseen lots of them,hesays. More than he can count.) “The really great female performers don’tdothat,” the critic added.

Packagingsymbolic acts of submission as amark of sexual power takes someserious mental gymnastics. For starters, having holes punched through one’snipples and sticking metal objects through them is apainful process and arisk for infections.

Pierced nipples are said to be an emblem of nonconformity. So would driving arod through your hand.

Award showshave turned intoakind of runway contest in boundary-pushing nudity.How much of thepubic area can they show? Howmuch rear end can be revealed? Andhow little can be stuck over the breast and still count as “dress?” The spectacle often

Much like Mardi Gras, our lettersinbox offers something for everyone. Iwas recently asked what letters Iparticularly enjoy reading. And Ihadn’treally thought alot about it. Iamglad that so manypeople take the time to write to us. Likemany of you, I’m sure, Ienjoy well-informed views that raise issues Ihadn’t thought about. We have lotsof readers with very specialized knowledge of technical topics, so Iam always glad when letter writers teach me something new Ialso enjoy the letters that use humor or satire to makeapoint. There are several readers who are very clever and whose writing is just laughout-loud funny.Humor is atool that can bring people together if used correctly,though sarcasm can sometimes be aturnoff. It’s aﬁne line, and some

feels inversely related to the talent on display Men aren’texpected to sell themselves that way.Atthe Grammys, Bad Bunny showed up fully covered in an elegant black velvet tuxedo from Schiaparelli couture. Irecently joined friends at ahip urban restaurant on abrutally coldnight. All themen and smart-looking women were dining bundled up in sweater layers and puffy vests, somewith wool scarves still wrapped around theneck. In walked six young women in sleeveless shift dresses that ended about mid-thigh. They woreheels you wouldn’twant to test on the ice outside. It was aSaturday night, and fellow diners speculated that “the girls” were there to get picked up by someofthe well-to-do male customers whofrequent theplace. The pretty young women looked quiteavailable, but they leftthe restaurant unescorted. If they werelooking for adate, they’d probably have done better browsing the stacks at a nearby bookstore. At the very least, they’d look less desperate. Valentine’sDay has away of exposing the lopsided gender bargain. It’s supposed to be adressed-up night out —reservations, candles, the whole thing —yet far too often, only one half of the couple gets the memo,

the female half.The womanarrives dolled up in asparkly dress and spiky sandals. Her hair and makeup are done, her nails freshly polished. Her malecompanion? He’sfrequently in a sweatshirt and scruffy jeans. I’ve seen malepartners in white-tablecloth restaurants with backward baseball caps and bellies spilling out. No lie: I’ve even seen men in ribbed, sleeveless “wife-beater” undershirts. And this inequality will continue through summer’s water play.The girls will be wearing tiny patches of cloth on their breasts and bottoms, while the boys rompfreely in baggy surﬁng shorts. The shorts’ looser cut is built formovement, comfort and coverage. But note how the girls on surfboards are still in that barely-there swimwear I’dbet that, come Valentine’sDay, somewomen will get nipple piercings to makethemselves seem more desirable, at least in their minds. Then they’ll be told to watch forredness, swelling, fever and yellow-green ooze. Sold as rebellion, it’sthe high price that somewomen pay to satisfysomeone else’sfantasies.

Hurting yourself to play sex toy reads less like empowerment and morelike submission —atleast to me. But what do Iknow?

Froma Harrop is on X, @FromaHarrop.Emailher at fharrop@gmail.com.

readers know how to paint scenes that have us rolling in the aisles or toss off zingers that hit home. Politicians are often the target of these letters, and that’sprobably because they give readers so much material to work with. We get lettersfrom all corners of the state, and Iparticularly appreciate readers who care deeply about issues affecting their local communities.Whether it’stopraise or criticize, readers who write to raise awareness of something that may not be in the spotlight always earn my respect. It’s good for ofﬁcials toknow that citizens are paying attention to what they do. Lastly,Ialways am happy to see letters that are steeped in Louisiana history and lore. We live in an amazing part of the country with aunique shared history,sowhenever readers

give aparticularly Louisiana perspective on the news, I’mreminded of how special this place is. Even though our politics has becomemore similar to other Southern states, there are still a fewissues where the Louisiana view is just different, and readers point that out. With Mardi Gras on the horizon, I don’thave the count of letters we received foryou this week. Ihope you are taking time away from the news to enjoy this season of revelry.The newswill always be here, and we’ll be waiting foryour opinion on it. In the meantime, enjoy the parades. Along the route, differences of opinion don’t matter.All that matters is that everyone is having agood time.

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

Arnessa Garrett

Hardy

Froma Harrop

COMMENTARY

Lawmakersshouldworktoscale up LA GATOR

Parents matter.They,not the government,should control their children’schoices relatedto education. That simple insight should lead the Louisiana legislature this year to approveGov Jeff Landry’s full request for funding of the LA GATOR initiative, which is the innovative school-choice program that parents love.

State Senate President Cameron Henry,R-Metairie, last yearwas loath to meet Landry’sbudgetary request, but there’snogood reason for him to do so again.Indeed, he and Landry should taketime beforethe March9start of the legislative session to put torest any concerns and work outany differences.

With amassive, unexpected surplus from the 2025 budget year, there is no goodﬁscal reason to rejectLandry’srequest. And with tens of thousands of Louisiana families last year denied participation in LA GATOR despite having applied for it, the actual education marketplace is screaming for legislators to more fully ﬁnance this bold, effective policy LA GATOR isn’tjusta“voucher” program like the old one in Louisiana that led to mixed results. Instead, it provides educational savings accounts that familiescan use not just at private schools but

fora widearrayofeducational courses, services and products such as tutoring, standardized test preparation, onlinecourses, extracurricular programs, special-ed offerings andmore.

Thenumbers are telling. Last year, Landry requested nearly $94million for LA GATOR, but thelegislature, withHenry leading the opposition, approved only $43.5 million.There were almost 40,000 students whose parents applied for the grants, but only 5,600 grantswere awarded. Worse, theimplementation of theprogram discouraged parentsfrom using choice even to start their children’s educational careers, with just apaltry 80 kindergart-

ners gettinggrantsdespite 4,500 kindergarten applicantsbeing eligible.

This year,Landry is asking for $88 million for theprogram, which essentially would double thenumber of studentswho could use it.State House Speaker Phillip DeVillier,R-Eunice, listed support for LAGATOR among his seven key policy issues in a statement released Feb. 12, while acknowledging that the state Senate still has “questions around what the actual functions of LA GATOR look like.”

Henry,for his part, continues to express skepticism and says moreinformation is needed about how families can spend the

money Those questions, though, already amplyhave been answered, if only he will look. Between the statelaw that created the program and aregulation of the state BoardofElementary and Secondary Education knownasBulletin 133 —which was shared with all legislators and on which not asingle legislator commented, much less complained —the requirements andlists of approved expenditures are clearly laid out, along with provisions forprogram evaluation, monitoring and compliance.

“There are deﬁnitely guardrails and expectations,” said Erin Bendily,asenior vice president of the conservative Pelican Institute thinktankwho spent nearly 10 years as theAssistant Superintendent of Policy andGovernmental Affairsatthe Louisiana DepartmentofEducation. “Audits, reviews andreporting requirements areall strict,” and with instructions that they be “nondiscriminatory.” Meanwhile, ﬁscal concerns, especially in the short run, are unwarranted. Louisiana was blessed with awhopping $577 million of surplus revenues from the 2025 budget year that ended last June 30.

Of that, $144 million will go into an already substantial “rainy day” savings account and $144 million to early payoffofcapital debt,both of which obviously put

the state in better shape to handle any future economic downturns. That still leaves $289 million forother purposes. If Landry thought the state could afford $50 million morethan it spent forLA GATOR from its regular budget last year,then surely it can afford $44.5 million more(the difference between last year’s$43.5 million actual allocation and Landry’s$88 million request) in the coming ﬁscal year,just using those surpluses alone.

Henry said on Feb. 6that he is worried about “doubl[ing] this program every single year,” but nobody is suggesting anything of the kind. Even if they double last year’sallocation, all it would do is approach (but not yet meet) Landry’soriginal request from a year ago, and with no indication that any redoubling is expected in the future.

In short, Louisiana clearly can afford this program forthe foreseeable future at the level the governor wisely is requesting —all while rigorous monitoring already is part of the package. With this initiative, Louisiana has joined the vanguard of states creatively adopting parent-centered education reform. With so manyfamilies clamoring to participate in LA GATOR, now is not the timefor legislators to crawﬁsh away from paying forit.

Email Quin Hillyer at quin hillyer@theadvocate.com

Photos,stories andreckoning with thepast

Astreetcorner in Baton Rouge ANew Orleans restaurant. The courthouse in Clinton. They’re just places or buildings. But much like the ghosts and memories that ﬂoat through their rooms and halls, these old structures tell stories. Not so much in words, but in wood, brick, stone and time.

Those sites —and the stories they tell —lie at the center of anew exhibit at the Old State Capitol in Baton Rouge, one that puts aphotographic lens on Louisiana’s history of embracing and ﬁghting segregation.

thoughts, accomplishmentsand heroes of our past For too long, it wasn’tso.

The exhibit, called “Present Day Traces of Segregation, Civil Rights, and Collective Memory in Louisiana” and curated by acommittee from the LouisianaPhotographic Society,isfree andopen to the public through March14. Its stark images recountand remind those who see them of decades of Louisiana history that, whether we like it or not, must be considered alongside the great

WhenIstartedkindergarten in the late 1970satSacred Heart SchoolinBaton Rouge, forinstance,myclasses hadboth Black and White students. By the time I reachedhigh school in the 1980s, lessons about segregationdownplayedits ugliness and taught it as a relic of the past that ended in 1964 with the passage of the Civil Rights Act. Consequently,I was an adult before Ilearned how fragile that scholastic racialcommingling of my early years was. And how muchstruggle had gone on in the years immediately beforetobring it about.

These arestories with which I—and Isuspectmany others continue to grapple.

That bringsmeback to the exhibit. Each of the pictures exploressegregation andcivil rights in adifferent way,sometimes through the tight, focused lens

of an individual’sstory, at others through photographic depiction of landmarks that, for whatever reason, tell some aspect of the story of the ﬁght for equality in Louisiana.

There are statues, courthouses, cemeteries and shops. There are houses, historical markers and portraits.

One photo shows the towering Confederate soldier statue in front of the East FelicianaCourthouse, which remains to this day.Another,the obeliskmonument in a Colfax cemetery thatisdedicated to threeWhite men who died “ﬁghting for Whitesupremacy” during the 1873 massacreofBlack residents.

Some show important incubators of the ﬁght againstsegregation: Dooky Chase’sTreme restaurant, wherecivil rightsleadersgathered to plan strategy in the ﬁght for equality,orNorth Boulevard just outside theOld StateCapitol, amajor staging ground for the 1953 BatonRouge Bus Boycott.

One photo simply shows agolf ball on atee, and the attached

placard recounts the 1991 actions of the St. Frederick’sHigh School golf team, whose lone Black member was denied entry to Caldwell Country Club in Columbia, where ahigh school tournament was scheduled. In response, the rest of his teammates also refused to play

All of thephotos in the 85-item display were taken by volunteers withthe Louisiana Photographic Society in response to arequest from the folks who run the Old State Capitol. The society’smembers fanned out across the state, capturing places and people whose lives remind us that segregation’s structuresremain part of our landscape today

Sometimes even the photographers learned new things.

“I didn’tknow whatpeople went through,” Linda Medine, who has severalshots in the show,told me Stacey Pearson, who helmed the LPS committeethat took the photos, said the project’sgoal was multifaceted: “not only memorializethe places but to honor the Louisianans who fought against

segregation.”

History has always been about the stories we tell, mostly about ourselves. Sometimes those stories come in documents, artifacts or movements. Sometimes the stories are told through places, structures and monuments. Photos can bring all of those together,combining the whole range in atwo-dimensionalprint. That’s whatthese pictures aim to do: Foregroun in our consciousness stories that for too long were left in the background.

Pictures don’tyell, judge or harangue. They confront, reproach and correct.

No mere photograph or even a collection of them,ofcourse, can tell the full story of Louisiana history.But the narratives these photos recount are not only important; they’re necessary Especially if we expect our story to ever get close to whatwemight call truth.

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

Bringing thousandsofDemocrats to N.O. nota badthing

The Democratic National Committeewill have ageneralmeeting in Louisiana for the firsttime in recent memory Yep. The blue Democrats are coming to ruby red Louisiana. If past such meetings are any example, there willbe thousands of attendees. The early estimate is 2,000 to 2,500 Democrats.But, c’mon. When other Democrats find out that there’sa party gathering with like-minded people in New Orleans, youknow that number is going to go up. That business meeting isn’tthe place for those who are merely registered to vote as Democrats, casting ballots only during presidential elections. It’sfor the diehard party faithful, the people who are apart of the day-to-day operations of state Democratic party organizations,the people who dig into the weeds of the party’sbylaws, the people who care deeply about which committees are formed, expanded or disbanded. This is not like the national party convention you see on television everyfour years when it’stime to officially nominate apresidential nominee.

But, though not as big, it is important.

U.S. Reps. Troy Carter,D-New Orleans, andCleoFields, D-Baton Rouge, have been active in theirparty fordecades, but this meeting isn’tordinarily on their calendars. Thereare Democratic elected ofﬁcials there from time to time,but usually at sessions as invited guests. Neither Carter nor Fields remembers the national party hosting ameeting in Louisiana.

Like the Republican National Committee, the DNC takes care of business year-round, not just on election day,during early voting and during campaigns. That takes meetings like the one thatwill be held at the Hilton Riverside Hotel at thefoot of Canal Street in downtown New Orleans, April 7-11. Since 2016, the DNC has had meetings in cities including Atlanta,Austin, Brooklyn, Charleston, Denver,Detroit, Las Vegas, Long Beach and Minneapolis. Philadelphia, Santa Fe, San Diego, San Francisco, San Juan, St. Louis and Washington, D.C. also hosted some of thesemeetings. I’ve been to most of these places.

They’re nice. Each has itsown charm,ﬂavor and history.But, c’mon. None of themare New Orleans.

Carter told me he’sbeen working to get anational meeting here for some time, and people warmed up to the possibility several months ago. Now thatit’sscheduled, he feels he’scleared abig hurdle to get the attention of the national party Fields said, “It’salways good to have the national party in your state,” adding that“the people who comeinApril will enjoy the hospitality” and see why the party should be in New Orleans and Louisiana. For them, it’snot just about hosting the DNC meeting.

Just this month, Democrat Chasity Verret Martinez won the state Representative District60seat with62% of the vote —inadistrict thathas voted for Trumpmultiple times.

“Louisiana should always be in play,” Carter told me.“Louisiana is ablue state if everyone votes.”

He’sright. There are moreregisteredDemocratsthan Republicans in Louisiana. But you wouldn’t know thatlooking at our state’svoting history

Some 36.4% of the state’s 3mil-

lion registered voters are Democrats. About 35.5% of the voters are Republican.

YetPresidentDonaldTrump overwhelmingly wonLouisianain each of his three presidential campaigns. In the last four decades, only four Democrats have been elected governor

It maybesome time before a Democrat gets elected to astatewide federal or state ofﬁce again. And it may be sometime before a Democraticpresidentialcandidate wins Louisiana. It can happen, Carter said, “ifyou invest themoney and the time.”

Making that happenmight just start in April.

Maybe Louisiana Democrats —and Republicans —can dream bigger Why can’tNew Orleanshost aDNC? Thousands attendfrom across the nation andthe world. It’s ahigh-proﬁle convention withlots of media attention, anditisabig boost to the local economy wherever it goes.

Since 1932, the DemocraticNational Convention hasbeen held in Colorado, Florida,Georgia,New Jersey and North Carolinaeach once; California,New York and Pennsylvania each thrice, and Illi-

nois yes, Illinois has hosted the big convention EIGHTtimes.

Ilike Chicago forlots of reasons, except forabout four months of the year.But New Orleanshas aricher culture, signiﬁcantlybetter food moreincredible peopleper capita. Plus,wehave theMorial Convention Center,named after aDemocrat, and theCaesars Superdome, twoplaces within walking distance of hotels.

The GOPchose GeorgeH.W Bush as itspresidential nominee in NewOrleansin1988. DNC Executive Director Roger Lau said in astatementthatplanning for the2028 convention hasstarted. The Request forProposal is out. Will NewOrleans Democrats, and Louisiana Republican leaders, go forit?” Carter,Fields and other Democrats expect asuccessfulDNC visit,and they want something better andbigger.Republican Gov.Jeff Landryand U.S. Sens. Bill Cassidy andJohnKennedy andall Republican congressional representatives should want thesame. It would be good forall of Louisiana.

Email Will Sutton at wsutton@ theadvocate.com

Quin Hillyer

Will Sutton

Faimon Roberts

STAFF FILEPHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Senate PresidentCameron Henry

Tigers just can’t slay their dragon

They came. They played. They sold every ticket. They wore black. And they were conquered

SPORTS

Heartbreaker

Like so many times over what is now astunningly longrun stretching back to 2012, LSU was conquered again in awomen’s basketball game by South Carolina, this time by a 79-72 count When you think about it, to simply say this was agameisaserious understatement. This was acrusade for LSU. Acrusade to win ahuge one on the national stage (the game was televised in prime time on ABC) with big implications in the Southeastern Conference race and in the run up to the NCAA Tournament.

This was LSU tryingtoslay the dragon that has become the premier power in SEC women’shoops. Yes, they played Saturday beneathLSU’s 2023 NCAA championship banner, but it’sthe Gamecocks that continue to be the team to beat in theSEC. LSU has been chasing.The chase continues in astreak that now

See RABALAIS, page 3C

LSU guard Flau’Jae Johnson goes for alayup against South

on Saturdayatthe Pete Maravich Assembly Center

LSUdrops 18th in arow to SouthCarolinadespite tightbattle

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

Once again, theLSU women’sbasketballteamfound itself in primeposition to end its 17-game losing streak to rival SouthCarolina.

Butthe No. 6Tigers fell just short —again. This time, they lost 79-72 on Saturday in thePeteMaravich Assembly Center Even though Flau’jaeJohnson and Mikaylah Williams combined to score 32 points, LSU couldn’tstringtogether enough stops late in the fourth quarter to wina game it hasn’twon in almost 15 years. Johnson earneda trip to the free-throw line witha chance to give the Tigers (22-4, 8-4 SEC) a74-73 leadwith 45 seconds to play. She missed both freebies, allowing theNo. 3Gamecocks to seal thewin with alayupand two free throws at theother end. South Carolina scored the last six pointsafter Johnson buried a20-footer to pull LSU within 73-72 with 1:16 to play LSUisnow 0-6 against South Carolina (25-2, 11-1) under coach KimMulkey

LSUgetsMoore

Tigers starterdominant in winoverMilwaukee

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

If Zac Cowan demonstrated anything last season, it was the power of adominant changeup. He used it against righties and lefties. He threwittobothsidesoftheplate.Itdidn’tmatter what the count was or the situation, it was the pitch he could always lean on. Despite throwing afastballthatrarely eclipsed 91 mph, Cowan could still fool Southeastern Conferencehitters thanksto his changeup.

ä Milwaukee at LSU

The senior right-handerisback with the Tigers in 2026, but this season,hewon’tbe alone in the dominant changeup department.LSU fans, meet Kansas transfer CooperMoore. Moore,inhis ﬁrst startfor theTigerson Saturday against Milwaukee, struck out 11 batters in six innings during LSU’s5-3 winatAlex Box Stadium. Themajority of the right-hander’sstrikeouts ended on the changeup,ashealso mixed in afastball that sat around 92-93 mphand abig curveball. Moore allowed only one earned run —asolo homerun in the fourth inning. “Bynomeanscomparing, but it’s asimilarthing to Kade Anderson,”LSU coach Jay

Johnsonsaid. “He’s really hard to plan against because he has alot of waystoget hitters out.”

Moore’sonly mistake came on afastball thatBradynHorn blasted into theleft-ﬁeld stands. He exited the game after the sixth inning but later arrived at the news conference with acut on his right index ﬁnger and bloodied pants.

“I think the pantsare going to make it,” Mooresaid, “and theﬁnger is goingtobe just ﬁne.”

Moore was among LSU’sbest pitchers throughout thefall and during preseason scrimmages.Hethrew strikes and missed batswithhis off-speed pitches, mostnotably his changeup. That continued on Saturday as 61 of his76pitcheswere forstrikesand

ä See LSU, page 3C

ä See BATTLE, page 3C

LSUpitcher

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Cooper Moore delivers apitch against Milwaukee in the top of the first inning on Saturday at Alex Box Stadium. In his first startwithLSU,Moore struckout 11 batters in sixinnings.

STAFFPHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Carolina guard RavenJohnson in the firstquarter of their game

Scott Rabalais

LSU coach Kim Mulkey STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Steven Milam LSU Baseball, Infielder

2p.m. Syracuse at LehighValleyNHLN

1:30 p.m. NASCAR: Daytona 500 Fox MEN’SCOLLEGE BASKETBALL

11 a.m. Utah at Cincinnati ESPN

11 a.m. UTSA at Charlotte ESPNU

11 a.m. MarylandatRutgers FS1

Noon Indiana at Illinois CBS Noon DenveratOmahaCBSSN

1p.m. South Florida at FAUESPN2

1p.m.Tulane at UABESPNU

2p.m. DrakeatN.Iowa CBSSN

3p.m. Davidson at Dayton ESPN2

3p.m. E. Kentucky at N.Alabama ESPNU

4p.m. Coll. Of Charl. at Campbell CBSSN

5p.m. Belmont at MurraySt. ESPN2

5p.m. Seton Hall at Butler FS1

6p.m. Towson at MonmouthCBSSN WOMEN’S COLLEGEBASKETBALL

11 a.m. Pittsburgh at SMU ACCN

11 a.m. Vanderbilt at GeorgiaSECN

Noon NorthCarolinaatDukeABC

1p.m. Virginia at Stanford CW

1p.m. Kansas St.atIowaSt. ESPN

1p.m. Maryland at Ohio St. FS1

1p.m. Ole Miss at Kentucky SECN

2p.m. TexasatTennessee ABC

2p.m. Indiana at UCLA Peacock

3p.m. NorthwesternatPennSt. BTN

3p.m. NC State at Notre Dame ESPN

3p.m. Michigan St. at MichiganFS1

3p.m. Oklahoma at Alabama SECN

4p.m. Villanova at Creighton TRUTV

5p.m. Florida St. at Louisville ACCN

5p.m. Minnesota at WisconsinBTN

5p.m. AuburnatTexasA&M SECN

7p.m. Oregon at Washington BTN

7p.m. West Virginia at TCU FS1

WOMEN’S COLLEGE GYMNASTICS

3p.m. ClemsonatPittsburgh ACCN COLLEGESOFTBALL

8a.m. Missouri vs.DukeACCN

8a.m. JamesMadison vs.TexasA&M SECN

9a.m. LSU vs. UCLAESPN2

11 a.m.Northwesternvs.TexasA&M ESPN2

ROUNDUP

5p.m.Texas Tech vs. Nebraska ESPN

7p.m.Tennessee vs. Florida St.ESPN COLLEGEWRESTLING

11 a.m. Nebraska at Indiana BTN

1p.m.Oklahoma St. at Virginia Tech ACCN

1p.m.IllinoisatNorthwestern BTN FISHING

7a.m.LippertBassmasterElite FS1 GOLF

Noon PGA: Pebble Beach Pro-Am Golf

2p.m.PGA: Pebble Beach Pro-Am CBS

2p.m.Champions: Chubb Classic Golf HORSE RACING

2p.m.America’s Dayatthe RacesFS2 NBA

4p.m.NBA All-StarGame NBC, Peacock MEN’S SOCCER

5:30 a.m. Leeds United at Birm. City ESPN2

7:55 a.m. Celtic at Kilmarnock CBSSN TENNIS

5a.m.ATP &WTA Tennis

1a.m.(Mon.) ATP& WTATennis

5a.m.(Mon.) ATP& WTATennis

No.1Arizona drops2nd straight game

By The Associated Press

TUCSON,Ariz. JT Toppin scored eight of his 31 points in adominant overtime performance andNo. 16 Texas Tech sent No. 1Arizona to its second straight loss, shocking the Wildcats 78-75onSaturday Texas Tech (19-6, 9-3 Big 12) beat theNo. 1teamfor thethird time in school history.The Wildcats (23-2, 10-2) were 23-0 before losing to No. 9Kansas on Monday Arizonahad a64-57 lead with 3:29 left in regulation,but Texas Tech responded with 9-0 run, capped by DonovanAtwell’scorner 3-pointer with 25 secondsleft for a66-64 lead. Arizona’s Ivan Kharchenkov tied it at66with two free throws and Christian Anderson couldn’thit acontested jumper as time expired.

NO.5 IOWA STATE74, NO.9 KANSAS 56: In Ames, Iowa, Milan Momcilovic scored 18 pointsand No. 5Iowa State shook off aslow start to beat No. 9Kansas, snappingthe Jayhawks’ eight-game winning streak. The Cyclones (22-3, 9-3Big 12) began afive-gamestretch in which they play four ranked teams by taking control of this gamein the first half despite struggling to make shots in the opening minutes. Iowa State’sdefense held Kansas (19-6, 9-3)to31.6% shooting from the field in the secondhalf. NO.2 MICHIGAN 86, UCLA 56: In Ann Arbor,Michigan, Yaxel Lendeborg had 17 points and eight rebounds to lead No. 2Michigan overUCLA. Michigan is in position to be ranked No. 1inthe AP Top25for the first time since 2013.

No. 1Arizona lost its ﬁrst game Monday on the roadagainst No.9 Kansas, giving the Wolverines (24-1,14-1 Big Ten) apathtothe top spot in the pollwith their 10th straight win. TheBruins (17-8, 9-5)had won ﬁve of six games.

NO.3 HOUSTON78, KANSAS STATE64: In Houston, EmanuelSharp had 23 points and six rebounds as No.3 Houston rallied from an early deficit to beatKansas State forthe Cougars’ sixth straight win Sharp scored 14 points on 4of10 shooting in the ﬁrst half as Houston (23-2, 11-1 Big 12) built a33-19 halftime lead.

P.J. Haggerty scored 23 points to lead Kansas State (10-15, 1-11) NO.4 DUKE 67, NO.20CLEMSON 54: In Durham, North Carolina, star freshman Cameron Boozerhad 18

points and No. 4Duke held No. 20 Clemsonto35% shooting. Isaiah Evans added 17 points for theBlueDevils (23-2, 12-1 ACC), who made 11 of 16 shots after halftime and pushed a31-26 edge pasta 20-pointmargin midway throughthe secondhalf.

Carter Wellingscored12points for theTigers (20-6, 10-3).

NO.6 CONNECTICUT79, GEORGETOWN

75: In Storrs, Connecticut, Solo Ball had 20 points andAlex Karaban scored 13 of his 18 points in the second half as No. 6UConn held off asecond-half rally

Silas Demaryhad 15 points,12 rebounds and nine assists, and freshmenBraylon Mullins and Eric Reibe scored 10 points apiece for UConn(24-2, 14-1 Big East).

NO.7 NEBRASKA 68, NORTHWESTERN 49: In Lincoln,Nebraska,Pryce Sandfort scored 29 points, Sam Hoibergadded 14 andNo. 7Nebraska shook off aslow start. TheCornhuskers (22-3, 11-3 Big Ten) overcame aseasonhigh-tying 18 turnoversand poor shooting in the ﬁrst half to sweep the season series with the Wildcats (10-16, 2-13).

NO.11NORTH CAROLINA79, PITTSBURGH 65: In ChapelHill, North Carolina, JarinStevensonand Seth Trimble scored 19 points each to help No.11North Carolina beat Pittsburgh and secure

another 20-win season.

Luka Bogavac and Zayden High each scored 15 points for North Carolina (20-5, 8-4 Atlantic Coast Conference).

Cameron Corhen had 23 points and Roman Siulepa added 14 pointsfor Pitt (9-17, 2-11).

NO.13PURDUE78, IOWA 57: In Iowa City,Iowa, C.J. Cox and Gicarri Harris each had14points to help No. 13 Purdue beat Iowa.

The Boilermakers (20-5, 11-3 Big Ten),wrapping up astretch of sixofeight games on theroad, extended their winning streak to four with an efﬁcient offense that consistently found openings. Iowa (18-7, 8-6),which had won six of seven,lostfor thesecond time this week.

NO.14FLORIDA92, NO.25KENTUCKY

83: In Gainesville, Florida, Xaivian Lee scored 22 points, Urban Klavzar had 19 and No. 14 Florida won its 10th game in its past 11 outings. Lee andKlavzar took advantage of Florida’spaint presence andhit acombined nine 3-pointers. Florida(19-6, 10-2 Southeastern Conference) had been 1-4 against Kentucky (17-8, 8-4) under coach Todd Golden. But the Gators led wire to wire in this one and ﬁnished with a45-37 rebounding advantage.

NO.15VIRGINIA 70, OHIO STATE66: In Nashville, Tennessee, Malik Thom-

Reports: LSUsafetiescoach

BYWILSON ALEXANDER

Staff writer

LSU safeties coach Jake Olsen is expected to be hired by theWashington Commanders, according to multiple reportsFriday night, giving the Tigers avacancytoﬁll on their defensive staff.

Olsen coachedthe LSU safeties the past two seasons afterreturning with defensive coordinator Blake Baker from Missouri. Olsen was previously an analyst who worked with the LSU linebackers in 2021, when he overlapped for one year with new Commanders defensive coordinatorDaronte Jones in BatonRouge.

returned with Baker when LSU overhauled its defensive staff before the 2024 season. Baker now has to address the openingbefore the startofspring practice March24. Though listed as the secondary coach, Corey Raymond focusedoncornerbacks the past two seasons.

The rest of the LSU defensive staff has undergonea couple of changes going intohead coach Lane Kiffin’sfirst season.LSU hired anew interior defensive line coach inSterlingLucas from South Carolina, and Chris Kifﬁn was namedco-defensive coordinatorand linebackerscoach.

as and Sam Lewis each scored 13 points andNo. 15 Virginia beat Ohio State

TheCavaliers (22-3) extended their winning streak to six. Bruce Thornton scored 28 pointsfor Ohio State (16-9).

NO.17ST.JOHN’S 79,PROVIDENCE 69: In Providence, Rhode Island, Dylan Darling had 23 points and No. 17 St. John’sscored eight straight points after afracas that resulted in six ejections to take the lead and earnits 11th straight victory Bryce Hopkins hadnine points andninereboundsfor theRed Storm (20-5, 13-1Big East), andthe ex-Friarsstarwas in the middle of it all when he was taken down by a hard foul with 14:25 left and Providence (11-15,4-11) up 40-39. By thetimethingsweresorted out, fourSt. John’sand two Providence players had been ejected, andthe RedStorm wasonits way toaleadthatwasneverthreatened.

NO.19VANDERBILT82, TEXAS A&M 69: In Nashville, Tennessee, Tyler Nickel scored 25 points to lead No. 19 Vanderbilt. AK Okereke added aseasonhigh 23 points while Devin McGlockton had17for theCommodores(21-4, 8-4SEC),who have won ﬁve of six since athree-game losing skid in mid-January Marcus Hill had 20 points for theAggies (17-8, 7-5 SEC).

NO.21ARKANSAS 88, AUBURN 75: In Fayetteville, Arkansas, Darius Acufftied acareer high with31 pointsand Billy Richmond scored acareer-high 25 in No. 21 Arkansas’ win over Auburn.

Acuffmade three straight 3-pointers early in the second half as the Razorbacks (19-6, 9-3 SEC) went on a19-4 run before the ﬁrst media timeout after leading by six at halftime.

NO.22BYU 90, COLORADO 86, OT: In Provo, Utah, Rob Wright scored a career-high 39 points and No. 22 BYU beat Coloradoinovertime.

It was Wright’ssecond straight 30-point-plus game. AJ Dybantsa added 20 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists to help the Cougars (19-6, 7-5 Big12).

NO.24LOUISVILLE 82, BAYLOR 71: In Fort Worth, Texas, standoutfreshman Mikel Brown wasaforce during Louisville’s go-ahead run early in the second half

The Cardinals (19-6) went ahead to stay withan11-3 run that started when Brown hadthe assist on a basket by J’Vonne Hadley

Central Florida softball takes down No. 12 LSU

The No. 12 LSU softball team suffereda5-1 loss to Central Florida on Saturday at the Eddie C. Moore Complex in Clearwater, Florida.

The loss dropped LSU to 7-3 on the seasonwhile UCFimproved to 8-2.

LSU pitcher Tatum Clopton (21) took the loss, allowing six hits, two earned runs and two walks in 32/3 innings. Reliever Cece Cellura pitched thelast31/3 innings with two strikeouts, ﬁve hits, two unearned runs and one walk.

Jalia Lassiter turned in amultihit gamefor LSU, finishing 3 for 3and scoring one run. Maci Bergeron went 2for 4and had the lone RBI forLSU UCF pitcher Isabella Vega (3-1) snagged the winafter 31/3 innings in relief

No. 1Connecticutwomen pick up 43rd straight win

Azzi Fudd scored 25 points, Sarah Strong had19ofher 22 in the second half, and No.1UConn remained unbeaten with a71-56 victory over Marquette on Saturday in Milwaukee.

UConn (27-0, 16-0 BigEast) has won 43 straight games andhasn’t lost since an 80-76 decision at Tennessee more than ayearago. The Huskies also have won 63 straight Big East games, counting regularseason and tournament matchups. Marquette (16-10, 10-7) did manage to end one UConn streak. UConn hadwon 21 straight games by at least 25 points ,which represented thelongest such streak in thelast25seasons.The last team to lose to UConn by fewer than 25 points wasNo. 7Michigan, which fell 72-69.

Bhatia overcomes weather, takes Pebble Beach lead PEBBLE BEACH,Calif. Pebble Beach started to show anasty side Saturday with wind that wobbledgolf ballsonthe greens in chilly Paciﬁc air.Akshay Bhatia did enough early with six birdies in seven holes thatcarriedhim to a4-under68 and atwo-shot lead in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Butthe worst might still be to come. Starting times weremoved up one hour for the ﬁnal round with aforecast of big wind and rain. Low scores were still available. CollinMorikawa, the two-timemajor champion trying to end more than two years without avictory, had11birdies in hisround of 62 thatshothim up 25 spots on the leaderboard to athree-way tie for secondwith JakeKnapp (66) and Sepp Straka (67).

Diamondbacks

bring back RHP Gallen on 1-year deal

Right-hander ZacGallenhas agreed to a$22,025,000, one-year contract to return to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The 2023 All-Star,aclient of agentScottBoras,was seeking a multiyearcontract, butafter nothing acceptable materialized, he’s coming back to the desert where he’s spentthe majorityofhis bigleague career The value of the contractisequal to the qualifying offer that Gallen turneddowninNovember after he becameafree agent.

Gallen had his worst season in 2025, ﬁnishing with a13-15 record and 4.83 ERA. But his velocity was still good and he performed better after the All-Star break with a3.97 ERA over his ﬁnal13starts.He had a$13.5 million salary

Southernmen,

women get road sweep of Prairie View PRAIRIE VIEW,Texas Terrance Dixon’s24points helped Southern defeat PrairieView87-82 on Saturday Dixon had 11 rebounds for the Jaguars (12-13, 8-4 Southwestern Athletic Conference). Cam Amboreescored 16 points while shooting 3for 8and 10 of 10 from the free-throw line. Michael Jacobs added 15 points. Dontae Horne ledthe Panthers (9-16, 4-8) in scoring, ﬁnishing with 46 points. In the women’sgame, Zaria Hurston led Southern with 17 points in a60-45 winover Prairie View Olivia Delancy added12points forthe Jags (13-11, 9-4 SWAC). ThePanthers (2-22, 0-13) were led by CrystalSchultz with 12 points, as well as CJ Wilson and Alana Shields, who put up 10 points each. On TV

Olsen, aNorth Dakotanative, has spent most of his coaching career in Louisiana. He had stints at Nicholls State, UL-Monroe and Northwestern Statebeforecoming to LSU for the ﬁrst time. He then went to Missourifor twoseasons as the linebackerscoach and

At safety,LSU brought back potentialstarters in redshirt junior TamarcusCooley and junior Dashawn Spears. It also added BoiseState senior Ty Benefield and Ohio State sophomore FaheemDelane last month as part of

STAFF FILEPHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

LSU safeties coach JakeOlsen reportedly is leaving the team forajob withthe Washington Commanders.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By RICK SCUTERI TexasTech forward JT Toppin drives past Arizona center Motiejus Krivas duringtheir game Saturday in Tucson, Ariz. The Red Raiders won78-75.

Continued

nineofhis 11 strikeouts came in the opening four innings

“I’m really confident in my changeup; it’sareally good pitch,” Moore said. “But Ithink all of my otherpitches complement it really well.”

Despite dominating Panther hitters,Moore exited with justa one-run lead, leaving it up to the bullpen to maintain the Tigers advantage. LSU ﬁrst turnedto sophomore right-handerMavrick Rizy,who tossed 12/3 inningsbeforehitting abatter andexiting with two outs in the seventh.

Junior-college transfer Ethan Plog replaced Rizy,but the lefthander struggled in his ﬁrst appearance for LSU. He surrendered asingle and threw awild pitch that put two runners in scoring position. He thencame outfor right-handed Division II transfer Dax Dathe.

Entering the game on a1-1 count, Dathethrew twosweepersand aslider to record LSU’s 15thstrikeout of the daytoescapethe jam.He letout ayell as he hopped offthe mound, sending ashockwave of energy through atense crowd.

“Wefeelgoodaboutwhathecan do for this team,” Johnson said of Dathe. “Just maybe aname that we haven’ttalked aboutawhole bunch, but Ithink we will.” Milwaukee (0-2) eventually got two runs off of the LSU bullpen in the ninth, but by thenitwas too late. LSU (2-0) had scored three runsintheeighthtotakea5-1lead.

“Wehaven’tplayedour brand of baseball that we want to play,” junior Steven Milamsaid, “but youcan skin acat in many different ways.”

The LSU bats got off to another slow start Saturday.The Tigers didn’tput adent in the scoreboard until the third inning, when sophomore Derek Curiel hitasacriﬁce ﬂy and juniorJake Brown singled home another run to give LSU a2-0 lead.

LSU continued to struggle after the third. Outside of that inning, the Tigers were 1for 18 at the plate heading into the eighth. They had just one extra-base hit before Milam cracked atwo-run double into the left-center gap in theeighth.

“I’ll tell you this game reminded me alot of the Omaha game last year,but we won (this time). And Ithink that’sa good sign,” Johnson said. “But there were alot of similarities. The third time through the batting order was awful. Imean, it was awful from just …itwas bad AndI don’t want to get intothe speciﬁcs of it, but they’re totally controllable things that we can

RABALAIS

Continued from page1C

stretches to 18 straight losses. Talk about ablackout.

LSU had its chances. Goodness knows, the Tigers did. Trailingthe entire second half in deﬁcitsranging from one to eight points, LSU fought and scrapped and whittled away until the Tigers ﬁnally saw daylight.

Down 73-72 with 45.5 seconds left, Flau’jae Johnson —who Euro-stepped to the basket all night long —went to the line for two free throws after fouling out South Carolina star forward Joyce Edwards. And she missed. Both. It’soverstating things tosay that moment cost LSU the game, but who knows how the game might have transpired if she made them. Or at least one. The Tigers wouldn’thave been in the game with achance to take the lead if not for the rap star senior’sbrave play,but the sequence was emblematic of the way the fourth quarter wentfor LSU. The Tigers were 3of8 from the free-throw line and 0of6 from 3-point range in theﬁnal 10 minutes. For the game, LSUwent 14 of 23 at the line whileSouth Carolina was 15 of 17. Just as in the PMAC two years ago, when South Carolinapulled away from alate 70-70 tie for a76-70 win after Angel Reese fouled out, LSU simply couldn’t execute offensively when it had to have points. Conversely,the Gamecocks were 8of8atthe free-throw line in the fourth and made the quarter’sonly 3-point shot. Ballgame.

“You miss nine free throws, you’re not going to beat ateam as good as South Carolina,” LSU coach Kim Mulkey said. “Weoutrebounded them, we had thesame number of ﬁeld goals (28)but it was just free throws.”

ShorthandedLSU falls afterbattlevs. Vols

2b 311 0Serna Jr. c3 00 0 Holmesss4 01 0Stanﬁeldlf3 12

Ellis 3b 400 0 TOTALS 36 39 3TOTALS 30 585

000 100 002— 39 1 LSU 002 000 03X —5 80 E— Holmes (2). DP —Milwaukee 1. LOB— Milwaukee 9; LSU 4. 2B —Kibler (1);Schmidt (1); Milam (2); Arrambide (2); Caraway (1); Stanﬁeld (1). HR —Horn (1). HBP —Kibler; Ross; Schmidt. SF —Curiel (1).SB-Curiel (1). Milwaukee IP HR ER BB SO

Ehmke, L(0-1) 7.04 21 23 Hrin 1.04 33 00

LSU IP HR ER BB SO

Moore, W(1-0) 6.04 11 011 Rizy 1.20 00 03

Plog 0.01 00 00 Dathe 0.11 11 01

Cowan0.2 31 102

Fontenot, S(1) 0.10 00 00

WP —Mueller 2, Riel, Kuhnke 2. HPB —by Evans (Spence), by Williams (Ross),by Andrews(Yorke), by Riel (Milam), by Kuhnke (Harden). BK —Mueller.PB–Arrambide.

Umpires —HP: JaverroJanuary 1B:Danny Cricks 2B: Brandon Folks 3B: Clayton Hamm, Time —3:37. A— 11,582 ON DECK

WHO: Milwaukee(0-2) at LSU (2-0)

WHEN: 1p.m. Sunday WHERE: Alex BoxStadium ONLINE: SECNetwork+

RADIO: WDGL-FM, 98.1 (Baton Rouge); WWL-AM,870 (New Orleans); KLWB-FM,103.7 (Lafayette)

RANKINGS: LSUisNo. 2by

D1Baseball; Milwaukee is not ranked

PROBABLESTARTERS: LSU —RHP

William Schmidt (0-0, 0.00 ERA); Milwaukee —LHP RileyPeterson (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

PREGAME UPDATES: theadvocate. com/lsu ON X: @KokiRiley

WHATTOWATCH FOR: Schmidt made the first weekend rotation after dominating hitters in his final outing of thepreseason. He posted a4.73ERA in six starts (17 appearances) last year as afreshman after turning down the opportunity to potentially become a first-round pick in the MLB draft. Peterson had a1.84 ERA in 291/3 innings with 24 strikeouts ayear ago.

—Koki Riley do better,and we will do better.”

LSUﬁnishes its three-gameseries with Milwaukee at Alex Box Stadium on Sunday.First pitch is set for 1p.m., and the game will be available to stream on SEC Network+.

Email KokiRiley at koki.riley@theadvocate.com. For more LSU sports updates, sign up for our newsletter at theadvocate.com/lsunewsletter

BY TOYLOY BROWNIII Staff writer

LSU found itself shorthanded Saturday without juniorpoint guard Dedan Thomas and senior backcourt mate Max Mackinnon, who sufferedaknee injury in LSU’slast game.

Even without the two guards, the Tigers battled Tennessee throughout, but they didn’thave enough as LSUlost 73-63 to the Volunteers at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee. “I really love the spirit,the competitiveness, and someofthe ﬁght and toughness thatwas shown by ourplayers,”LSU coach Matt McMahon saidonthe LSU sports radionetwork after thegame. “Obviously disappointed in theresult, but Ithought we had alot of ﬁght in us here tonight.”

Marquel Sutton had 15 points, allinthe second half,and nine rebounds for LSU. Jalen Reece had a career-high 15 pointsand four assistswhile playing all 40 minutes.

The second-half start wasexceptionalfor LSU(14-11, 2-10 SEC).Itmade its firstfour field goals, including three 3-pointers. The fourthscore wasa left-wing 3-pointer by Reece, who knotted thegame at 40-40.

The second-half start was in contrast withthe beginning of the game, when LSU was 2of14from the field after nine minutesand LSUtrailed 23-11. The Vols settled for a35-29 halftime lead.

LSU forward Pablo Tamba,who ended with 13 points, was the aggressorearlybut missed multiple layupstostart.Suttontriedtopound theballinsidewithhis6-9frame.He passed up outside shots, missedhis ﬁrst fourﬁeld goals andwas scoreless with two rebounds and two fouls before the second half.

Mike Nwoko had acouple of early offensive rebounds thatled to hisfirst few paint shots. Thelength and activity of Tennessee (17-7, 7-4) bothered himasheopened0 of 3. The junior eventually found a rhythm in thepost and at the freethrow line, finishing with 10 points and five rebounds.

J.P.Estrella was one of the better defenders for Tennessee around the basket. He was also an early scoring option.The 6-11 sophomore had nine pointsbyhalftime and 16 overall. And 6-10 freshmanNate Ament had agame-high 22 points

At halftime, Tennessee had 24 rebounds to LSU’s10. Whatdidn’t help LSU’scause on theglass was Nwoko’sfoultrouble. The6-11, 261-pound center pickeduphis

SouthCarolina’ssize was a problem forLSU throughout the game.The Gamecocksplayed fourplayers whowent 6-foot-3 to 6-foot-7. At one point, Ithought I sawanLSU cheerleader pulled into the orbit of Madina Okot, SouthCarolina’sdreadnoughtclass 6-6 center who went for 12 pointsand 17rebounds. LSU survived to beat Texas here Jan.11byascore of 70-65 despite similarly mammoth Longhorns center KylaOldacre going off for 16 points and16rebounds.But the Gamecocks’ size came at the Tigers in waves, and therewere enough crucial sequences where height tippedthe ball SouthCarolina’sway for crucial baskets Theatmosphere was as promised —electric and loud, with mostofthe spectatorsintheir seats an hour before the game. Andwhy not?Folkseither had season tickets, promised unknown favors to family and friendswho had tickets, or paid outrageous prices on thesecondarymarket. To that end,beforethe game

LSU forward PabloTamba shoots afree throwagainst Kentucky on Jan. 14 at the PMAC. Tamba had 13 points in Saturday’sloss

LSU PG THOMAS SET FOR FOOT SURGERY

LSU point guardDedanThomas will have season-ending foot surgery, the program announced Saturday. The UNLV transfer injuredhis left foot on Jan. 2, the daybefore the SoutheasternConference opener, and reaggravated the injuryonJan. 28 in agame against Mississippi State.The junior will have surgerynext week. Thomas was averaging ateam-high 16.2 points on 49.3% shooting,an SEC-high7.1 assists and only 1.8 turnovers per game beforethe first injury

—Toyloy Brown III

thirdfoul with 1:25 leftinthe ﬁrst half andhis fourth foul at the 12:14 mark of the secondhalf. He played just 21 minutes. “The story of the game… we couldn’tget enough defensive rebounds andtheir size andphysicalityaround the goal,” McMahon said. “I thought Estrella really dominated the paint, andthenAment showed why he’s atop-ﬁvepickin the draft coming up in June.”

TheTigersnever ledinthe ﬁrst half but stayed within striking distance.

Success from 3-point range was strong for LSU. The team was 7 of 13 from beyond the arc 24 minutes into the game. In its last two

BATTLE

Continued from page1C

The previous threematchups in the series were also close contests.They were each decided by 10 points or fewer. South Carolina settled thelast one staged in Baton Rouge late in the fourth quarter,when it broke a70-70 tie with ago-ahead 3-pointer from thecorner.Johnson wasa sophomore, and Williams was afreshman On Saturday,those twostars gave LSU the offense it needed to battle through another tight matchup. They combinedtoshoot 14 of 30 from the ﬁeld forasquad thatfound open looks in the half court, defended the paint, minimized itsturnovers andwon the rebounding battle. South Carolina just hit more buckets when it counted.

gamescombined, LSUmadea total of eight.

Theperimeter shooting success began to surge withMazi Mosley When LSU missed nine shots in a row at one point in the first half,the 6-5 freshman guard made apull-up 3-pointer to makethe score 17-10 with10:58 left in thefirst half. A fewminutes later,hehit another 3 after getting adefendertoflyby after apumpfake.

Reece, who shoots 24% from 3on the season, also excelled frombeyond thearc,makinga career-high 3of5 3-pointers.

Sutton camealive in the last 20 minutes. He ran hard forfast scores when defenders relaxed. He also found his touch around the hoop and made one 3-pointer.The ﬁfth-year senior made 6of11shots in the second half.

“I thought Marquel Sutton in the second half,tremendous effort,” McMahon said. “You know, we challenged him at halftime. We needed his scoring. He cameout and scored 15.”

The Tigers took a46-43 lead after ahook shot from Robert Miller with 13:29 remaining in the game. The Tigers’ efforts were not rewardedbecause of an inabilityto shrink therebounding margin and cold 3-point shooting to endthe game, going 1of10ontheir ﬁnalattempts.LSUwasoutreboundedby21 andwent8of23frombeyondthearc.

LSU’snextcontest is against Texas (15-9, 6-5) at 8p.m. Tuesday at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas.

of their ﬁrst 12 looks at the rim

Thesecond halfwasn’t as smooth for the Tigers, who trailed 41-40 at the break. They missed sevenoftheir ﬁrst eightshots of the third quarter,allowing South Carolina to takea50-42 lead by thehalfwaypoint of thequarter Mulkey called atimeout, and LSU emerged fromthatbreak without Williamsand Flau’jae Johnson on the ﬂoor

Istopped to speak toawoman in agarnet T-shirt sittingabout seven rows up across from the SouthCarolina bench. Obviously she wasn’tfrom Grosse Tete, so Iasked her how much she’d paid for her ticket. The answer: $780. Guessing by theﬁnal score, she probably thought it was money well spent.

This certainly may notbethe last chapter of thestory between LSU andSouth Carolina this season. Theycould playagain forsomething meaningfulinthe SEC Tournament next month, or something much more meaningful in an NCAA regionalﬁnalorthe FinalFour. ButLSU is now 1-3 combined against theSEC’steams ahead of it in the standings: SouthCarolina, Vanderbilt and Texas. The Tigers are avery good team but as Saturday night’sgameproved, they probably aren’tquiteagreat team. Alittle too young in places. Alittle too small in others. In theend, it all added up to a familiar refrain against South Carolina.

LSU freshman forward ZaKiyahJohnsonadded seven points andthree rebounds in her third start of SEC play.Junior guard MiLaysia Fulwiley—inher first appearance against herformer team —tallied six points, three assists, fourstealsand three turnovers in 24 minutes offthe bench, butshe was only 1of8 from the field. South Carolina’stwo leading scorers weretwo of its three lead guards. JuniorTessa Johnson scored 21 points, andfifth-year senior Raven Johnson chipped in 19. The Gamecocks shot 8of17 from beyondthe arc while LSU was 2of12. The two teams spent the first two quarters trading difficult outside shots. Williamsand Flau’jae Johnsonhit 10 of theirfirst 15 looks, while RavenJohnsonand Tessa Johnson teamed up to drain seven of the first 10 3-pointers they tried. LSU contestedmost of those shots. The Gamecocks just kept nailing them, andthey hit more than enough to makeup for thefact that they missed nine

The unit Mulkey threw out instead managed to build a13-6 run across acrucial four-minute stretch of the third. Freshman guard Bella Hines hit twoimportant shotsonone end andtook on theassignment of defending Tessa Johnson at the other Williamsand Flau’jae Johnson missed the first five shots they took in the secondhalf. They started to heat up again around thehalfwaypoint of the fourth, when Johnson euro-stepped into areverse fast-break layup. LSU mademore shots like that one in the last fewminutes of the game, but South Carolina made more. The Gamecocks converted ﬁveoftheir 12 ﬁeld-goal tries in the fourth.

TheNCAAselectioncommittee revealed its current top 16 teams shortly before tipoffSaturday LSU was ranked No.8overall, penciled into the bracket as the No.2seed of the Fort Worth 1region. South Carolina was aNo. 1 seed. The Tigers couldhavepreserved whatever’sleft of their hopes of landing one of those four No. 1seedshad they beaten theGamecocks, but now they’ll try to hang on to their No. 2seed through thelastfour games of their regular season and run through the SEC Tournament That stretch will begin Thursday,when LSU is scheduled to face No. 14 OleMissonthe road

Email Reed Darcey at reed. darcey@theadvocate.com.

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU guard MiLaysia Fulwileydrives past South Carolina guard Ta’Niya Latson in the first quarter on Saturdayatthe PMAC.

STAFFPHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

to Tennessee.

MI LA N CORT IN A OL YM

Stolz wins speedskating gold again

American drawing comparisons to legend Heiden

BY HOWARD FENDRICH Associated Press

BRAZIL SKIER GIVES SOUTH AMERICA ITS FIRST WINTER

OLYMPICS GOLD: The party in Brazil this week isn’t limited to the annual Carnivale in Rio de Janeiro.

Alpine skier Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, pictured above delivered the first gold medal by a South American athlete at the Winter Olympics by surging to victory in the giant slalom.

The 25-year-old, whose father is Norwegian and mother is from Brazil, posted a two-run time of 2 minutes, 25 seconds, beating defending champion Marco Odermatt of Switzerland by 0.58 seconds. Odermatt’s teammate, Loic Meillard, earned bronze on the snowy and slippery Stelvia course.

“I was skiing with my heart, and when you ski the way you are, anything is possible,” Pinheiro Braathen said.

FLOCK EARNS FIRST SKELETON

OLYMPIC GOLD AT 36: Janine Flock’s long road to Olympic gold is over The 36-year-old Austrian skeleton slider — winless in 16 all-time appearances at the Olympics or world championships won gold at the Cortina Sliding Centre, the biggest victory of her long career Flock jumped to the front during her first run and stayed there throughout the competition. She navigated four runs in 3 minutes, 49.02 seconds. Susanne Kreher and Jacqueline Pfeifer both of Germany, took silver and bronze.

“I can’t believe it. It doesn’t feel real right now,” Flock said.“It’s a dream to do this.”

DUTCH SKATER PICKS UP

SECOND GOLD IN SHORT TRACK: Jens van ’t Wout of the Netherlands won the gold medal in 1,500-meter short track speedskating, adding to his Olympic haul after winning gold in the 1,000 earlier this week.

South Korea’s Daeheon Hwang took the silver medal and Roberts Kruzbergs of Latvia was third for bronze as Canadian short track star William Dandjinou had to settle for fifth. Van ’t Wout raised his arms after crossing the line in 2 minutes, 12.219 seconds and skated over to a sea of orange-clad teammates to share hugs at the Milano Ice Skating Arena.

ANTHONY EARNS SECOND GOLD

IN MOGULS: Jakara Anthony produced another gold in freestyle skiing for Australia, winning in the Winter Olympics debut of dual moguls. Anthony avoided mistakes during all five of her single-elimination races to win the second gold of her career — he was the Olympic champion in individual moguls four years ago — and second gold for Australia in Livigno Countryman Cooper Woods upset Mikael Kingsbury in the men’s individual moguls early in the Games.

American Jaelin Kauf took silver, the third silver medal of her Olympic career Teammate Elizabeth Lamely, who won gold in individual moguls earlier this week, earned bronze.

— Associated Press

MILAN For a while now, Jordan Stolz’s talent and dominance as a speedskater, and his much-anticipated potential for Olympic success, prompted many to repeatedly mention his name — prematurely, no doubt alongside that of Eric Heiden. Now they really do belong in the same sentence, at least in one regard.

Stolz established himself as a two-time Olympic gold medalist, midway to his goal of four at the Milan Cortina Games, by winning the 500 meters on Saturday to follow up his victory in the 1,000. Those twin triumphs allowed Stolz, a 21-year-old from Wisconsin, to join Heiden as the only men to complete the 5001,000 double in speedskating at one Olympics.

“I mean, I guess it’s halfway but it’s hard to say it’s like a 50% chance to get the other two,” Stolz said. “Because you never know what can happen.”

Heiden of course, completed a record sweep of all ﬁve individual events at the 1980 Lake Placid Games for the U.S., taking everything from the 500 to the 10,000. With Heiden in the stands Saturday, Stolz ﬁnished the 500 in an Olympic-record time of 33.77 seconds, after also setting a Games mark in his win in the 1,000. Both times, the silver went to Jenning de Boo of the Netherlands, who clocked 33.88 in the shortest speedskating event. Both times,

they raced head-to-head in the same heat.

“We push each other He’s really strong. I’m also really strong. It’s really cool to see,” Stolz said “I guess I like being paired together It makes it more fun for the viewers.”

Stolz figured the 500 would be his toughest test in Milan He was leading out of the final curve. They were even entering the last stretch. But Stolz, who overcame a deficit in the 1,000, turned on the speed and leaned across the line first again. De Boo slipped and fell into the wall afterward,

while Stolz skated past and shook his right ﬁst. Canada’s Laurent Dubreuil got the bronze in 34.26. The last American to win Olympic gold in the men’s 500 was Joey Cheek in 2006. The soft-spoken Stolz acknowledges that, yes, his aims are high, and, sure, he is ﬂattered by the comparisons to Heiden. But Stolz, who isn’t entered in the 5,000 or 10,000 in Milan, also knows he isn’t trying to recreate the same sort of unprecedented and all-encompassing performance turned in by Heiden.

Ukrainian skier gets Valentine’s proposal

Freeskier Kotsar says yes after big-air qualifier

BY JOSEPH WILSON and EDDIE PELLS Associated Press

LIVIGNO, Italy Love was in the air — make that the big air — for freeskier Kateryna Kotsar of Ukraine on Valentine’s Day

On a cold, perfect evening in the Italian Alps, Kotsar got the sweetest gift of all after she qualified for the Olympic big air ﬁnal Friday night Her boyfriend, Bohdan Fashtryha, dropped to one knee and popped the question

Kotsar said yes.

Isn’t that romantic?

“I think he was nervous enough. It was so cute, to be honest,” Kotsar said, showing off her glittering diamond ring while still in her crash helmet and snow-splattered ski suit.

“I’m still excited and can’t understand what happened tonight because it’s two really huge things for me,” she said after qualifying for Monday’s big air ﬁnal, where the 25-year-old will compete against defending champion Eileen Gu and 10 others for a spot on the podium. Kotsar, a Kyiv native, is well aware her Olympic engagement offers a welcome distraction from the realities in her wartorn country

“You live without electricity without heating, without opportunity to wash your clothes and do some pretty simple things”

big-air qualifications in Livigno, Italy on Saturday.

in Kyiv, she said.

Kotsar also spoke of the tinge of guilt she experiences when she is abroad, training in Austria or Switzerland for long spells.

“I have time to relax in a warm shower and something like that,” she said, contrasting that experience with what her family is going through. “And they don’t have this opportunity so much like me So it’s really hard for them.”

Kotsar, who ranks ﬁfth in the big air standings this season, said she had a premonition something important was going to happen when she woke up Saturday. But even though it was Feb. 14, having her boyfriend of two-and-a-half years ask for her hand was not what

she was thinking.

“(Sometimes) I have some feelings that something great will happen and today I had that feeling, but I (thought) it’s about ﬁnals,” she said with a laugh.

As if Saturday night wasn’t special enough, Kotsar’s parents were with her in Livigno to watch her jump in person for the very ﬁrst time.

“Usually my mom said it’s too nervous for her, and she just waits for my call after competition when I said everything OK, I didn’t crash,” Kotsar said.

On this memorable night, everything was more than OK.

Now that she has a diamond, could there be some gold, silver or bronze to go with it?

“I have a few tricks to try here, and we’ll see,” she said.

HIGHLIGHTS

Still, Stolz does have a real shot at the four medals, maybe even four golds, he is seeking at his second Winter Games.

“He goes to the starting line,” said Heiden, who’s also from Wisconsin and, like Stolz, learned to skate on a backyard frozen pond, “and I would suspect he thinks he’s probably going to win.” Heiden greeted Stolz when he left the ice with the gold after the 500 and gave him a hug.

The first gold? Stolz’s father, Dirk, said Jordan slept with it on his pillow the night after the 1,000.

U.S. men rally past Denmark

BY STEPHEN WHYNO Associated Press

MILAN Jack Eichel scored off his own faceoff win a minute after setting up Brady Tkachuk’s ﬁrst of two goals the same way, and the U.S. rode its top line to a 6-3 defeat of Denmark on Saturday night, keeping pace with also-unbeaten Canada for the top seed in the men’s hockey tournament at the Olympics. The U.S. bounced back from goaltender Jeremy Swayman getting beaten by a shot from 95 feet away, just inside the center red line, 11 minutes in. Swayman won’t have to kick himself too badly for the blunder after some of his most talented teammates stepped up to make the long-distance goal from Nicholas B Jensen and another soft one from Phillip Bruggisser with 2.6 seconds left in the second period moot. The goals by Tkachuk and Eichel — two-thirds of the top line along with Brady’s brother, Matthew — midway through the second period tied it and gave the U.S the lead. Defenseman Noah Hanifin added another when his shot got through Mads Sogaard and trickled over the goal line a bit later, providing some breathing room. Jake Guentzel ﬁred a one-timer past Sogaard with a little more than 12 minutes left, and Brady Tkachuk scored his second off a feed from Jack Hughes after Sogaard exited with injury and was relieved by Frederik Dichow

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By LUCA BRUNO

Gold medalist Jordan Stolz of the U.S celebrates after the men’s 500 meters speedskating race on Saturday in Milan.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ABBIE PARR

Kateryna Kotsar of Ukraine gets a proposal from Bohdan Fashtryha, front, as she competes in the women’s freestyle skiing

Would18 NFLgames affect SuperBowls in N.O.?

An 18-game NFL seasonis coming. It’snot amatter of if but when it happens.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell wants it. Team owners want it. And by and large, fans want it.

Jeff Duncan

It’sgoing to happen, despite the posturing by NFL Players Association interim director DavidWhite, who recently said the union has “no appetite for aregular-season 18th game.”

The league and union will need to negotiate issues such as roster expansion andextra bye weeks to mitigate the effect on player health and safety,and players understandably willwant acut of the extra revenue, but those are formalities. The 18-game season is an inevitability Goodell set agoal of growingNFL revenue to $25 billion by 2027, and addingan18th regularseason game to the schedule wouldseal the deal. It wouldincrease the regularseasonTVinventory by 16 games and allow the league to charge media partners more for the inventory.It alsowould make fans happy by trading apreseason game for aregular-season one in their 10-game seasonticket packages.

“Wealways say,‘What do

the fans want? Whatdothe fans really thinkisimportant?’ ”Goodellsaidbefore last season. AndIthink it’s clear they want more regular-season games versus preseason games.”

Such amove would createaripple effect on the NFL calendar,though. It likely wouldpushthe Super Bowl to PresidentsDay weekend. League ofﬁcials believe that holding theSuper Bowl on the three-day PresidentsDay weekend would make it moreconvenient for people to travelto thebig game and host Super

Bowl parties “I think 18 weeks would get you to that point,and I think it would be areally great move,” Goodell said.

So when will it happen?

Some think it could come as early as 2027.

The lingering absence of aspeciﬁc datefor Super Bowl LXII in Atlantaistied directly to thepossibility of the games expanding for the 2027 season, according to areportbyMike Florio of NBCSports.

Likewise, I’ve heard the league has asked cities that plan to bid on future Super

Bowls to block out hotel rooms for three weeks in February in casethe league schedule changes in 2029 and 2030.

In most cities, having the Super Bowl pushed back to mid-February isn’taproblem. But in New Orleans, mid-February often means Mardi Gras. And that could be something the city has to deal withifthe NFL expands the regular season to 18 games and pushes theSuper Bowl intomid-February

Nevertheless, Jay Cicero, president and CEO of the Greater New Orleans Sports

Foundation, said we need not worry “Wedon’tknow what the NFL is going to do, but we’re not concerned with it,” he said. Cicero said he and his staff have considered all future options, even in 2031, whichisthe city’snext Super Bowl target. If the NFL goes to an 18-gameschedule, it likely would push the 2031 Super Bowl to Feb. 16. Mardi Gras Day is Feb. 25 that year

By my count, there would be only two Super Bowls between now and 2050 that

wouldn’tfall within the two-week window of Mardi Gras: 2038 and 2041.

“We’re not concerned with it,” said Cicero, who, along with New Orleans Saints ofﬁcials, helps spearhead the city’sbid for Super Bowls. “Wecan handle it.” There is precedenthere. In 2002, thecitymoved Mardi Grasparades to accommodate theSuper Bowlafter it wasmoved back aweek because of Sept.11-related delays. Parades scheduledfor theweekendofthe game were moved to thepreviousweekendtomanage security, trafﬁc andpolice resources.The city compensated Carnival krewes for losses.

Similarly,Cicero said city ofﬁcials have plenty of time to plan around potential conﬂicts in the future. He said his staff has plotted out the potential scenarios for future Super Bowls in case an 18-gameNFL season becomes areality.It’snothing the city can’thandle with proper planning. “It won’taffect us any more than it has in the past,” Cicero said. “Mardi Grasalways movesaround. It’sthe same challenge we have for every other event.” Let’scertainly hope so. New Orleans is famous for hosting Super Bowls and Mardi Gras. No one wants it to become an either/or proposition.

NBAtryinganother format forthe All-Star Game

BY GREG BEACHAM AP sportswriter

INGLEWOOD,Calif. The NBA is trying its fourth All-Star Game format in four years this weekend as it attempts once again to answer oneof the bigger existential questions in professional basketball. How do you get boththe players and their fans to care about this midseason showcase?

The newest scheme appears to be the most promising yet, at least according to people like Victor Wembanyama who still believe this game should matter.A team of veteran American All-Stars, ateam of younger U.S. players and athird team representing the rest of the world will play around-robin tournament of 12-minute games Sunday,with the top two meeting again in the ﬁnal.

It’sbold and different, but willitmake theAll-Stars give more effort than they’ve

ä NBA All-StarGame, 4P.M. SUNDAy,NBC

providedinthese glorified pickup games over the past twodecades? Andwill this setup draw in TV viewers whoare alreadyina nationalistic mood from watching the WinterOlympics?

“I think it definitely has achance to, and the reason is simple, in my opinion,” Wembanyama saidSaturday.“We’ve seen thatmany of thebest players have been increasingly foreignplayers, so there is some pride on that side. Iguess there is some pride also on the American side, which is normal. So I think anything thatgetscloser to representing acountry brings up the pride.”

Others aren’tsosure, to put it bluntly

“Withthe teamssplit up, youdon’treally know who you’re playing with or what the score is,” Kawhi Leonard said. “I’d rather it just be East and West,and just

go out there and compete andsee what theoutcome is.Idon’t think aformat can make you compete.”

“Yeah, it is what it is at this point,” Minnesota’sAnthony Edwards said with asmirk.

This newconceptisdebuting in the NBA’snewest arena: Intuit Dome, thefuturistic $2 billion basketball shrine opened in 2024 by LosAngeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer. All-Star Saturday featured Damian Lillard’sthird career victory in the 3-Point Contest, followed by Miami’sKeshad Johnson winning the Slam Dunk Contest.

While theplayersgot awelcomeweekend in the Southern California sun, theleague is optimisticthey’ll alsoprovide amoreentertaining product on Sunday

“I’ve hadconversations withour guys and our guys arecoming to play,” said Detroit’sJ.B. Bickerstaff, whowillcoach the younger American team. “They’re going to setatone. Iknow that

Johnsondunks,Lillard launches forcontest titles

BY BETH HARRIS AP sportswriter

INGLEWOOD,Calif. Keshad

Johnsonofthe Miami Heat won the Slam Dunk contest at NBA All-Star Saturday overcomingperfect scores by SanAntonio rookie Carter Bryant on his first dunk in the final round. For his final dunk,Johnson started behind the judges’ table, took off from the free-throw line and threw down aonehanded windmill jam.His first dunk earned aslightly higher score for abetweenthe-legs move. Bryant earned the contest’shighest scorefor his first dunk in the final. He bounced the ball in front of him, caught it between his legs and dunked with his right hand, earning perfect marks from all five judges.

But Bryant struggled on his second dunk. He missed his ﬁrst two tries, pausing to talk to Vince Carter in between. He attempted bouncing the ball off the glassand throwing down areverse but it rolled around the rim and out. He settled for a less flashy butsuccessful dunk on his third and ﬁnal

attempt.

It wasn’tenough, giving theNBA anew slam dunk champion in Johnson. He accepted thetrophy from Hall of Famer Julius Ervingafter shaking hands with all ofthe judges.

“All the kids out there, keep dreaming,anything can happen,” Johnson said. “I just cameout here and showed people.”

Three-time dunk winner Mac McClung —currently on atwo-way contract with theChicago Bulls —didn’t participate. Hewas the only competitor in history to haveaperfect contest, scoring 50s from every judge onall of hisdunks last yearinSan Francisco.

It was afour-man ﬁeldfor thefifth consecutiveyear with Jaxson Hayes of the Lakers andJase Richardson of Orlandojoining Johnson and Bryant.But Hayes and Richardson didn’tadvance to the ﬁnal 3-point contest

Damian Lillard isn’tplaying this season. He still scored biganyway,winning the 3-pointcontest over Devin Booker Lillard tied Larry Bird and

Craig Hodges with histhird title, mostinthe contest’s history.Reigning champion Tyler Herro of theMiami Heat didn’tcompete.

Lillardscored 30 points in the finalround, edging Booker,who got hot early but tailed off and finished with27. Booker of the PhoenixSuns was thechampion in 2018.

Charlotte Hornets standoutrookie Kon Knueppelfinishedthird with 17 points

Lillardwon his ﬁrst title in 2023 while playing for the PortlandTrailBlazers.He won it again the following year withMilwaukee. He’s not playing for the Blazers while rehabbing from atorn left Achilles tendon. Still, he toldthe NBA he’d suitup for the contestifheneeded to do so.

“That’sall Idoitfor,keep adding to my legacy,” he said.

Booker was the top scorer after theﬁrst round with 30 points. Knueppel and Lillard were tied for second with 27.

Eliminated after theﬁrst round were Donovan Mitchell, Tyrese Maxey, Norman Powell, Jamal Murrayand Bobby Portis

for sure,and Iknow that the group we have is agroup of competitors.SoIthink the new format is going to help It’sgoing to raisethe level of competition and put some pride in the game, and then you’llsee the starsthat are here being the best of themselves.”

The distinctions on these rosters are morethan a bit fungible.The younger Americans’ team is called the “Stars,” and the older players are “Stripes,” but injury dropouts have blurredthe lineups.

The World team has a powerhouse lineup with Wembanyama, Luka Doncicand Nikola Jokic —but it also includes Norman Powell, aborn-and-raised Californian who plays for Jamaicainternationally, and Karl-Anthony Towns, a New Jersey native who represents his mother’sDominican Republic.

CADILLAC

Join BRE TT at GERR YL ANE CA DILLA C as he reveals which warning lights need immediate professional attention and which ones youcan tackle at your next service appointment

PHOTO

The NewOrleans skyline and the Caesars Superdome, the site of SuperBowlLIX, is shot from aJefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office helicopterFeb.6,2025.

Breaktime

Fans can use the same three words about howthe New Orleans Pelicans have looked before the All-Star break as they could have used at this time last year

remaining 26 games, especially consideringthe Pels play several teamsthatappeartobeinfull tank mode.

Not very good

The wins just haven’tbeenthere As aresult, neither has fan enthusiasm Here’salook back at the highs and lows (there will be more of the latter)ofthe season so far

1. Green’s firing

It took just 12 games to get to this one. The Pelicans lost their first sixgames and started 2-10 beforeexecutive vice president of basketball operations JoeDumars pulled the plug on theWillie Green era. Green was in his fifth season. He dealt with plenty of badluck as far as injuries in his first four seasons, but the rocky start was too much for himto overcome. It wasn’tjust that the Pelicans were losing but also how they were losing that did him in 2. Toosimilar

The Pels are 15-41. This time ayearago,theywere13-42. So thingsare pretty much thesame. Before the season began, most people thought the Pelicanshad achance to make aplay-in push if they could stay healthy.Well, they have been healthy for the mostpart,but the results haven’t changed. Finishing games has been their biggest downfall. The Pels have the third-worst record in the NBA. The good news is the schedule lightens up some for the

3. 5-game winningstreak

The Pelicans reeled off ﬁve consecutive victories in midDecember.Itincluded awin where the Pels rallied from a 25-point hole to beat the Houston Rockets. Theother wins came againstthe Portland Trail Blazers,Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacersand Dallas Mavericks. Other than Houston, none of those teams likely will make the playoffs. But still,seeing the Pelicans reel off ﬁve straight wins looked like theymay have turned acorner. But the best they’ve done since then was putting togetherapair of two-game winning streaks

4. Zion’s availability

ZionWilliamson’scareer has been plagued by injuries, but he’s played in 30 consecutive games, hislongest stretch of availability since entering the league in 2019. It hasn’ttranslated into wins, but to see Williamson address thebiggest ﬂaw in hisgame has been refreshingtosee. Andwhile Iknow players shouldn’tget pats on the back for doingwhat they aresupposedtodo, at least Williamson hasmade sure he’sthere for his teammates

5. No Pooleparty

Biggest disappointment? Jordan Poole was supposed to be akey part of this team. It’swhy he’sthe second-highest-paid player on the roster.OnlyWilliamson makes more. Poole hasn’tplayed in the

last nine games and his spot in the rotation lookstobegone for good. The 3-point shooting (33.6%) and championship pedigree he was supposed to bring haven’tmaterialized.

6. Beywatch

While Poole hasn’tbeen what thePelicans have hoped for,the other player involved in theCJ McCollum trade has exceeded expectations. Saddiq Bey missed all of last season with the Washington Wizards while recovering from atorn ACL sufferedthe season before. He’sbeen one of thePels’ most consistent players. He’saveraging 16.5pointsand 5.9 rebounds while starting 41 games. Not bad for aplayer who was looked at as an afterthought in the trade.

7. Murphy’s shooting

The best individual performance of theseason was Trey Murphy going off for acareer-

high 44 points against the Milwaukee Bucks. Murphy set afranchise record formost 3-pointers in agame with 12. He and Steph Curry are the only two players this season to makethat many treys in agame. Murphy also becamethe franchise’sall-time leader in made3-pointers this season, surpassing McCollum

8. Therookies

Only 10 rookies are selected for theRising Stars Game, which was played Friday night to start off All-Star weekend. Twoofthose players were Pelicans, which tells you all you need to know about theseason they’ve had.Derik Queen has recorded two tripledoubles, and Jeremiah Fears was two assists shy of recording one in Wednesday’sloss to the Miami Heat. Fears has played in everygameand Queen has appeared in all but one. Dumars found two of the best players in the draft class

SCOREBOARD

Bars 1. Konnor McClain, LSU,9.975; 2. Kailin

Chio, LSU,9.925; T3. Madison Ulrich, Nina Ballou,LSU,9.90; T5. Lexi Zeiss, Ashley Cowan, LSU,9.875. Beam 1. Kailin Chio, LSU,9.975; T2. Amari Drayton, LSU, 9.90; T5. KaliyaLincoln, LSU 9.875; T8. Lexi Zeiss, LSU,9.85; 10. EmilyInnes, LSU,9.825; 12. Konnor McClain, LSU,9.675. Floor 1. Kailin Chio, LSU,10.0; 2. Kaliya Lincoln, LSU,9.975; 3. Amari Drayton, LSU 9.95; T4. Nina Ballou, Emily Innes, KylieCoen, LSU,9.925. Attendance: 11,171. College basketball

Men’s state schedule Friday’s games None scheduled. Saturday’s games Florida International 77, Louisiana Tech 64 TexasState 95, UL-Monroe 84 Northwestern State69, Southeastern 66 Houston Christian 61, UNO 60 Nicholls 91, Incarnate Word 83 TexasSouthern 82, Grambling State 79 Southern 85, Prairie View A&M 80 McNeese 97, East TexasA&M 54 Tennessee73, LSU 63 Sunday’s games Tulaneat Alabama-Birmingham, 1p.m. Tennessee 73, LSU63

LSU (14-11) Nwoko3-7 4-5 10, Sutton 6-152-2 15, Tamba 4-8 3-8 13, King1-6 0-0 2, Reece 4-8 4-4 15, Mosley 2-6 0-0 6, Miller 1-2 0-0 2, Carter 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 21-55 13-19 63. TENNESSEE (18-7) Ament 6-19 10-11 22, Estrella 7-92-4 16, Okpara 1-4 1-2 3, Boswell 1-2 0-0 2, Gillespie4-9

0-0 12, Burg3-4 0-0 8, Carey 3-5 1-2 7, Brown 0-1 3-4 3, Evans 0-0 0-0 0, Henderson 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 25-54 17-23 73. Halftime—Tennessee35-29. 3-Point Goals— LSU 8-23 (Reece3-5, Tamba2-3, Mosley 2-5, Sutton 1-3, Carter 0-3, King 0-4), Tennessee 6-16 (Gillespie 4-8, Burg2-3, Boswell0-1 Henderson 0-1, Ament 0-3).Rebounds—LSU 22 (Sutton 9), Tennessee41(Ament, Estrella 9). Assists—LSU 11 (Reece 4),Tennessee 17 (Gillespie 6). Total Fouls—LSU 19, Tennessee 16. A—21,678 (21,678). Southern 87, Prairie View 82 SOUTHERN (12-13) Barnes 0-6 0-0 0, Dixon 9-116-1024, Jones 3-4 2-2 8, Jacobs 4-11 5-8 15, Oshodi 2-4 0-0 5, Amboree 3-8 10-10 16, Hardy 2-6 1-2 6, Dobuol 1-3 0-0 2, Abdelgowad5-6 1-1 11, Manning 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 29-59 25-33 87. PRAIRIE VIEW (9-16) Dunning 0-1 0-0 0, Wells 2-9 4-6 9, Horne 14-25 14-16 46, Joseph 4-15 4-7 14, Williams 3-5 1-1 7, Diallo 1-1 2-2 4, Mitchell 0-0 0-0 0, Bolton 1-1 0-0 2, Mason 0-0 0-0 0, Thomas 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-57 25-32 82. Halftime—Prairie View 40-38.3-Point Goals—Southern 4-16 (Jacobs 2-5,Hardy 1-3, Oshodi 1-3, Barnes 0-1,Dobuol 0-1, Amboree 0-3), Prairie View 7-21 (Horne 4-10, Joseph 2-9, Wells 1-2). Fouled Out—Jones Dunning, Wells. Rebounds—Southern34 (Dixon 11), Prairie View 23 (Wells, Williams 5). Assists—Southern 15 (Barnes 4),Prairie View 11 (Wells, Horne, Williams 3).Total Fouls—Southern 26, Prairie View 22. A—1,001 (6,500). Men’s national scores Saturday’s games EAST Albany77, Binghamton 74 American 75, Army63 Boston University 82, Bucknell69 Brown79, Dartmouth 76 California 86, Boston College 75 Cen. Connecticut 63, Fairleigh Dickinson 57 Columbia 75, Princeton65 Duquesne 78, St. Bonaventure73 Fordham70, Rhode Island66, OT Howard 79, Maryland-Eastern Shore53 Le Moyne 81, Chicago State63 Lehigh78, Lafayette 69 Mercyhurst 94, St. Francis (PA) 79 NJIT 67, Maine 58 Navy 84, Colgate 80, OT New Haven55, LIU 52 Pennsylvania 82, Cornell 76 St. John’s 79, Providence 69 Syracuse 79, SMU 78 UConn 79, Georgetown 75 UMBC 85,

Hampshire63

90, Bryant 63

68, Stonehill 57

76, Harvard75, OT

A&M 72, Mississippi Valley State 65

79, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 61 Alcorn State 57, Bethune-Cookman 55 Austin Peay 90, Bellarmine 70 Coppin State 58, North CarolinaCentral 56 Duke67, Clemson54 Elon 81, William &Mary 78 Florida 92, Kentucky 83 Florida GulfCoast78, Stetson 76 Florida International 77, Louisiana Tech 64

(FL) 77, NorthCarolinaState 76 Mississippi State 90,Ole Miss 78 Morehead State 94, Tennessee State 86 New Mexico State 79,Jacksonville State 70 NorfolkState 75, DelawareState 58 North Carolina 79,Pittsburgh 65 Old Dominion 78, Georgia State 55 Presbyterian 58, UNC Asheville 57 Queens 87,Lipscomb 81 Radford90, Charleston Southern80 Sam Houston 83, Kennesaw State 79 Samford82, East Tennessee State 72,OT UNC Greensboro99, Wofford89 UNC Wilmington 70, Hofstra66 VCU78, Richmond67 Vanderbilt 82,Texas A&M 69 Wake Forest 68, Stanford63 West Virginia 74, UCF 67 Western Carolina 81,Chattanooga 76 Western Kentucky 82,MiddleTennessee 80 MIDWEST Bowling Green 80, Toledo70 Central Michigan 88,NorthernIllinois 46 Delaware 76, MissouriState 67 Eastern Illinois 78,Little Rock 72 Iowa State 74, Kansas 56 Kent State 75,BallState 68 Michigan 86,UCLA 56 Nebraska68, Northwestern 49 North Dakota State 83, NorthDakota 66 NotreDame 89, GeorgiaTech 74 Purdue 78, Iowa 57 Southeast MissouriState 73,Lindenwood 61 Tennessee Tech 82,SouthernIndiana 74 Tennessee-Martin 81,SIU-Edwardsville 76 Villanova 80, Creighton 69 Virginia 70, Ohio State 66 Western Michigan 76,EasternMichigan 62 Wichita State 81,Tulsa 77 Xavier 96, Marquette 88 SOUTHWEST Abilene Christian 73, Tarleton State 59 Central Arkansas 79, West Georgia 62 East Carolina 85, Rice 75 Houston 78, Kansas State 64 Houston Christian 61, NewOrleans60 Liberty 73, UTEP 64 Louisville 82, Baylor 71 Nicholls State 91, Incarnate Word 83 Oklahoma 94,Georgia 78 South Alabama 92,Arkansas State 88,OT South Dakota State 87, Oral Roberts 69 Southern Utah 78, Texas-Arlington 73 TCU95, Oklahoma State 92,OT TexasA&M-CC76, Lamar 63 TexasSouthern82, GramblingState 79 FARWEST BYU90, Colorado 86, OT Cal Poly 89, UC Santa Barbara79 Cal State Northridge 84,Hawai’i 60 Colorado State 79, Wyoming 68 Eastern Washington 84, Weber State 66 Fresno State 93,Air Force63 Grand Canyon94, San JoseState 79 Idaho 99, Idaho State 69 Northern Arizona 79,Sacramento State 74 Northern Colorado 77,Portland State 65 Oregon 83, Penn

Brown68, Harvard62 Cleveland State 57, Robert Morris 52 Columbia69, Penn 56 Duquesne 80, Fordham 67 East Carolina 79, Temple 73 Fairﬁeld75, Quinnipiac 63 F. Dickinson 77, Central Connecticut36 Holy Cross 49, Loyola (MD)40 Iona 72, Niagara55 LIU 78, New Haven74, OT La Salle 67, George Washington 52 Lafayette 73, Lehigh 59 Manhattan 68, Canisius 55 Marshall 62, Arkansas State 54 Mercyhurst 85, St.Francis (PA) 61 Merrimack 79, Siena60 NJIT 63, Maine 42 Navy 66, Colgate 38 Princeton 59, Cornell 38 Providence59, Georgetown 54 Rider 56, Marist 43 Sacred Heart 63, SaintPeter’s 61 Seton Hall 96, DePaul 72 Stonehill52, Wagner37 UMBC 61, New Hampshire44 UMass 65, Miami (OH) 64 UTEP 79, Delaware 72 Vermont 52, Bryant 45 Yale 82, Dartmouth 54 SOUTH Alabama A&M 95, Mississippi ValleyState 55 Alabama State 79, Arkansas-Pine Bluff71 Alcorn State 66, Bethune-Cookman57 Appalachian State 73, GeorgiaState 67, OT Central Arkansas 85, Bellarmine 37 Charlotte 61, Memphis 58 CoppinState 75, North CarolinaCentral 68 East TennesseeState 91, Chattanooga 90, 2OT Eastern Kentucky 73, North Alabama 56 Florida Atlantic 61, Tulsa 55 Furman 63, UNC Greensboro61 Gardner-Webb 62, Presbyterian50 Georgia Southern 67, Coastal Carolina56 High Point 64, Charleston Southern 48 Howard 66, Maryland-Eastern Shore45 Jackson State 60, Florida A&M 52 Jacksonville 58, North Florida 52 James Madison87, Old Dominion 53 Liberty 67, New Mexico State42 Middle Tennessee 71, KennesawState 53 Morehead State 79, Tennessee State53 NorfolkState 77, Delaware State 45 Queens 70,Lipscomb 66 Rhode Island 79, George Mason 63 Richmond 65, Davidson43 Samford68, Mercer 48 Southern Miss 86, TexasState 77 St. Bonaventure64,

9. Thetrade

All types of trade rumors swirled around the Pelicans prior to the deadline last week, but they madeonly one move, trading fan favorite Jose Alvarado to the New York Knicks forDalen Terry,who was waived the next day.The Pels also got twosecond-round draft picks and somecash. The roster after the All-Star break will look like it did before the break, except the team’smost energetic player is now missing.

10.Borrego’s audition

The Pels were2-10 under Green. They are 13-31 since Borrego took over,but they are 5-5 since Borrego went to the starting lineup of Williamson, Murphy, Bey,Queen and Herb Jones. How well that starting ﬁve does after the All-Star break could decide Borrego’sfuture in New Orleans. It’ll also determine whether the post All-Star part of the season is as bad as the ﬁrst half was.

STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Pelicans forward Zion Williamson gets past Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo, left,and guard Kasparas Jakucionis, right, during agameatthe Smoothie King Center on Wednesday.

OUTDOORS

Inshore charter skipper Mike Gallo shows off tworedfish,the sizehetargets for fishing parties during thelatewinterand early spring in his favorite spots in the Pontchartrain Basin. Gallosaid lowwater,a problem that plaguesthe coastal marshes from Januaryinto March, shouldn’t pose aproblem forcatching fish,but makes getting around the marshes tougherwhen having to dealwith shallowwater andmud flats.

Low-waterstrategy

BY JOE MACALUSO

Contributing writer

Happy Mardi Gras!

Happy college baseball season!

Wish it could be happy ﬁshing, too, but that’snot in the cards right now

It would’vebeennice for another stretch of cool mornings and, more importantly,warm and sunny afternoons, but this weekend’srainy,windy cold front will push prime-time sac-a-lait and speckled trout catches further down the timeline.

Historically,for the more ardent anglers, Lundi Gras and Mardi Gras mean heading out into themarshes becausemostfolks were in holiday parade mode.. While the waters will againlikely be mostlyclear of other fishing folks, the biggest late-winter problem is low water —especially on the east side of the Mississippi River,aproblem at least one ﬁshing party faced early last weekinthe Delacroix area. Yes, they ran up on amud ﬂat.

Charter veteran MikeGallo said low water has been a problem in the Pontchartain Basin, and he said all boaters should make their onthe-water runs in familiar places

“You need to know the waters you’re travelingin, theshorelines, everything,” Gallo said.

“Wehad low water(last weekend), but astronger tide pushed water back into our area (the Biloxi Marsh) Monday,Tuesday and Wednesday,” he said.

There were other problems, like fog and no wind, the latter meaninggnats were ready to pounce, which meantcarryingalong your favorite vanilla-based gnat repellent.

“When we got into the Biloxi Marsh, the water was at thebottom of the grassline, but it was rising and gave us the chance to see redﬁsh,” Gallo said.

“That was good.Ilike low water because the ﬁsh have to move out of the marsh and they’re in the same bayou you’re in and you just have to ﬁnd them.

“If the water is up, then the redfish move farther back into the grass and become tougher to catch.”

OK, so with acold front

NOTEBOOK

moving in this weekend and bringing in strong winds —coastal ﬁshermen need to heedthe warning Gallo said it’sgenerally understood northerly and westerly winds push lots of water out of prime fishing areas, andthe chance of getting stuck on amud ﬂatgoes way up

By Monday,the effects of that predictedwindevent should be enough of awarningabout what could be a productive Mardi Gras ﬁshingtrip

Lunker laregmouth Toledo Bendisback on the map, aleast for TexasParks and Wildlife’sToyota ShareLunkerProgram,which chartsgiant largemouths caught in state waters (Texas shares The Bend with Louisiana).

Last Sunday,Stonewall’s DrakeWadsworth put aLouisiana angler on thelist with a13.1-pounder.Wadsworth didn’tsay whereonToledo Bendhecaught the lunker, and in typical bass fishing style didn’tdivulge what lure hisgiant ﬁsh attacked.

Gaggrouper

TheGulfCouncil is seeking input of offshore ﬁshermenwhen it comes to gag grouperinthe Gulf

“The Council recognizes that as activeﬁshermen, you may notice trends or interesting things happening in the Gulf thatthe scientists and managers may not be awareofyet,”the council

TUESDAY

LAFAYETTE KAYAKFISHING

CLUB MEETING: 6p.m Pack and Paddle, 601 E. Pinhook, Lafayette. Call (337) 232-5854. Website: www.lafayettekayakﬁshing.com.

WEDNESDAY

FLIES &FLIGHTS: 7-9 p.m, Rally Cap Brewing, 11212 Pennywood Ave.,Baton Rouge. Casual fly tying Open to public. Email Chris Williams: thefatfingeredflytyer@gmail.com

THURSDAY

ACADIANA FLYRODDERS

PROGRAM: 6p.m Pack and Paddle, 601 E. Pinhook,Lafayette. Open to public. Email Darin Lee: at cbrsandcdc@ gmail.com. Website: acadianaﬂyrodders.org

FRIDAY-SUNDAY

NATIONAL PHEASANT FEST &QUAIL CLASSIC: ConventionCenter, Minneapolis. Websites: pheasantsforever. org& quailforever.org

SATURDAY

ACADIANA FLYFISHING 101: 10a.m.-1 p.m.,East Regional Library,215 La Neuville Rd Youngsville. Open to public. No fee, preregistration required. Tackle, hands-on casting, knots, leaders, and ﬂy selection. Acadiana Fly Rodders event. Website registration: acadianaﬂyrodders.org

HUNTINGSEASONS

DEER/ARCHERY: Through Feb. 15, State Deer Areas 5, 6&9, either-sex takeallowed. QUAIL, RABBITS &SQUIRRELS: Through Feb. 28, statewide, private lands only SNIPE: Through Feb. 28, statewide.

GEESE/CONSERVATION

ORDER: East &West zones through March 15.Limited to takeofblue, snowand Ross’ geese only.Nodaily nor possession limits.Hunters allowedtouse electronic calls and shotguns capable of holding morethan three shells.

CALENDAR

FISHING RESULTS

Lafayette. Casual ﬂy tying and local beersprovided. Open to thepublic. Formore information, email Darin Lee: cbrsandcdc@gmail.com. Website: www.packpaddle. com

FEB. 28—CENLAFLY FISHING 101: 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m Booker-FowlerHatchery, 10 Joan Stokes Rd., Forest Hill. Open to public. No fee, preregistration required. Casting, tackle setup, ﬂy selection. Kisatchie FlyFishers event. Website: kisatchieﬂy org

FISHING/SHRIMPING

SHRIMP: Fall inshore season closed in Zones2 &3&portions of Zone 1 except Breton/Chandeleur sounds. Outside waters from Caillou Boca west to Freshwater BayouCanal closed. All otheroutside waters open.

OPENRECREATIONAL

AROUND THECORNER

FEB. 22—SOUTH LOUISIANA HIGHPOWER CLUB MATCH: 8:30 a.m., Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Range,St. Landry Road, Gonzales. National RifleAssociation XTC& FClassmatch rifleorservice rifle, 200-yard/50-rounds matchcourse. Formore information, callMikeBurke at (337) 380-8120. Email: SouthLAHighPower@hotmail.com

FEB. 23—RED STICKFLY FISHERS FLYTYING SESSION: 7p.m., BluebonnetRegional Library,9200 Bluebonnet Blvd., Baton Rouge.Open to thepublic. Materialsand tools available for beginners Website:www.rsff.org

FEB. 26—ACADIANA BUGS &BREWS: 6p.m., Pack and Paddle, 601 E. Pinhook,

stated in the announcement.

So,with the gag grouper stock assessment beginning this spring, the council is asking anglers to go to its Fisherman Feedback Tool —ongulfcouncil.org —by 4p.m. March 13 to answer questions and provide other information aboutthis species.

GrandIsle

Anyone wishingtocommentonthe seaward (beach side) constructionofbreakwaters at Grand Isle has untilFeb. 20 to respond to the Corps of Engineers project.

The draft Environmental Assessment has been posted —Grand Isle andVicinity Louisiana Beach Erosion and Hurricane Project PL 84-99 —alongwith the initial “No Signiﬁcant Impact” ﬁnding about the 35 segmented stone breakwatersand up to 20 navigational light platforms in the project within 400 feet of the shoreline. Youcan provide comments by email: mvnenvironmental@usace.army.mil

Scenic Rivers

Earlierthis month the Wildlife and Fisheries Commission passed anotice to change the Scenic Rivers Program to “expedite the permitting process, including the establishment of general permits, and clarify selective harvesting of trees within the 100-foot buffer of aScenic River.”

Apublic hearing is set for 10 a.m. March24atstate Wildlife and Fisheries headquarters on Quail Drive in Baton Rouge.

DannyHeitman

AT RANDOM

Birdwatching teachesme thebeautyof waiting

Last fall, my friend Tom reached outone Saturdayto report that his yard was bare of birds, though he’d set out three feeders full of seed. How long, Iwondered, had the feeders been in place?

“An hour,” Tomtold me, laughing at his own impatiencetoget results.

Ireminded him,asIoften remind myself, that birdwatching isn’tlike ordering amovie on Netﬂix.Sometimes, you have to wait awhile for something to see.Itwas late afternoon, and songbirds often eat more in early morning or around dusk. Iheaded over to Tom’shouse to help him keep vigil.

We each poured something cool to drink and sat down in a quiet corner of the yard, chatting softly as we cast an occasional glanceatthe feeders to see if they’d drawn their ﬁrst visitor We talked about jobs and children, friends and neighbors, the passage of time, and whether an old oak afew feet away had reached theend of its life.

Tom’sfeeders remained vacant as we caught up on things, though he shared avideothe next morning of achickadee arriving to sample the feast.I wasn’tsure what I’d liked the

ä See AT RANDOM, page 4D

Didthe royal Windsors bowtoRex andComus royalty?

BYROBIN MILLER Staff writer

OPEN ‘HOUSE’

The year was 1950. Edward, Duke of Windsor,abdicated the throne of England14 years earlier to marry American socialite and twicedivorced Wallis Warﬁeld Simpson, passing the crown to his brother,Albert, who became King George VI and was the father of Queen Elizabeth II. As for the former king, Edward was free to do what he liked.In 1950, he and his duchess hopped an ocean liner and crossed the Atlantic to North America.

New Orleans’ Mardi Gras was their eventual destination. They arrived in the Crescent Cityto

ä See CURIOUS, page 4D

Awooden cutout featuring apainting of Mike Weary’s3-year-old daughter,Evie, is included in an installation in the artist’ssolo exhibit, ‘The Rise of theHouse of Weary,’atthe Louisiana Art&Science Museum.

BY ROBIN MILLER Staff writer

Friends from New Orleans alwaysrecognize the weathered man draped in ared dress in Mike Weary’spainting as a competitor in thecity’sannual Red Dress Runcharity race. Butnot all of Weary’sfriends arefromNew Orleans,sothe subject is lost on some.

The painting’stitle confuses them even more: “I Stole Time, Reminiscing on aFuture, Iwill Have Forgotten.” The work is Weary’s favoriteinhis retrospective exhibit, “TheRise of the House of Weary,”running through April 12 in the Louisiana Art &Science Museum’s second ﬂoor MainGallery ForWeary,artist-in-residence and artist liaison for theArts Council of Greater Baton Rouge, the painting is aboutmore than thedress and much morethan the Red Dress Run. Thepiece, alongwiththe show’sother paintings, also offers aslice of his life.

‘THE RISE OF THE HOUSE OF WEARY’ WHEN: Through April 12. Hours are 10 a.m. to 3p.m. Monday throughWednesday, 10 a.m. to 5p.m. Saturdayand 1p.m. to 5p.m. Sunday. WHERE: Louisiana Art& Science Museum, 100 S. River Road.

ADMISSION: $16, adults; $13 childrenages3-12 and seniors age65and older. VISIT: lasm.org

“That’s me,” Weary said, gazing at the painting. How so, whenWeary is decades younger than the guy in the picture? “It’sa self-portraitofmeas an older man,” he continued. “I was trying to examine and understand my masculinity and the toxictraits of it while mirroring back to ‘The Portrait of Dorian Gray.’”

ä See ‘HOUSE’, page 4D

PROVIDED PHOTO By ARTHUR HARDy

The Dukeand Duchess of Windsor at NewOrleans’ Mardi Gras in 1950

‘I Stole Time, ReminiscingOnaFuture, Iwill Have Forgotten’

MikeWeary, artist-in-residence and artist liaison for the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge, standsatthe entrance of his solo show, ‘The Rise of the House of Weary,’atthe Louisiana Art&Science Museum

STAFF PHOTOSByROBIN MILLER

‘American Radicals’

Painting of Weary’sgoddaughter Jordan, sitting on her dad’s shoulders during aMardi Gras parade

Assumption Parish School Board

Superintendent Dr John Barthelemy recognized Assumption Parish School Board members on Feb 5 for attaining Continuing Learning Units (CLUs) Shown are, from left, Barthelemy, Honoray Lewis, Alexis Boutain, Andrea Barras, Bambi Hood, Joshua Hebert, Daniel Washington, Jessica Ourso and Doris Dugas.

Assumption board members

recognized for training

Assumption Parish Schools Superintendent Dr John Barthelemy recently recognized board members for attaining Continuing Learning Units (CLUs) through professional training opportunities provided by the Louisiana School Board Association (LSBA). Barthelemy presented each board member with a certiﬁcate that noted the total CLUs earned, which included:

n Bambi Hood – 62 CLUs

n Honoray Lewis 58.5 CLUs

n Joshua Hebert 56.6 CLUs

n Jessica Ourso – 31.25 CLUs

n Alexis Boutain – 30.5 CLUs

n Daniel Washington 27.25 CLUs

n Doris Dugas – 26.25 CLUs

n Andrea Barras – 24.25 CLUs

n Lee Meyer Jr – 1.75 CLUs CLUs include training on Louisiana school laws and education trends Each CLU represents one hour of active engagement in approved professional development activities. The education opportunities are part of the LSBA’s efforts to promote professional development among school board members.

Baton Rouge Amateur Radio Club

Members of the Baton Rouge Amateur Radio Club met Jan. 27 for a presentation given by Randy Spraul on an alternate way of maintaining amateur radio communication during extreme weather conditions when commercial cell towers are inoperative and local power is unavailable. Shown are, from left, Sahasranshu Purchit, Joe Roppolo, President Todd Huovinen, Vice President Gideon Rossman, Spraul and Dan Lott.

COMMUNITY GUIDELINES

The Community column runs Sundays in the Living section and accepts submissions for news of events that have taken place with civic, philanthropic, social and religious auxiliary organizations, as well as academic honors.

Submissions should be sent by noon Monday to run in the upcoming Sunday column. Because of space limitations, organizations that meet monthly or more are limited to one photo per month. If submitting digitally we prefer JPG files 300KB or larger Identify those pictured by first and last names as viewed from left to right, row by row.We prefer emailed Community column submissions to features@theadvocate.com.We also accept submissions by mail at P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge LA 70821.A phone number must be included.

Opera Louisiane gala will feature silent auction, singing

BY ROBIN MILLER Staff writer

Voting is happening now, though the singers won’t take the stage until Feb. 21, at Opera Louisiane’s “Sing & Swing” gala. The company’s annual fundraiser starts at 7 p.m. in the Crowne Plaza Executive Center, 4728 Constitution Ave., featuring live music by the Michael Foster Project, dancing, buffet dining and drink options along with a silent auction ﬁlled with unique items and experiences But the stars of the show will be local favorites competing in the

gala’s Celebrity Sing-Off. On the playlist are Ralph Bender, Ava Sardi and Pablo Isaza and Deborah Todd “Last year’s winner was Bob Courtney,” said Paul Groves, Opera Louisiane’s general director “He sang ‘Green Green Grass of Home.’ Each year the winner comes back and does an encore performance, so Bob will be back with his Bobette backup singers to sing ‘Green Green Grass.’” Pre-gala voting can be done on Opera Louisiane’s website at operalouisiane.com. “Sing & Swing” immediately will pop up with the competitors’ photos. Choose

a singer and click on his or her photo.

“This is a karaoke-inspired celebrity competition with a twist,” Groves said.

“It’s not about being perfect. It’s about bringing the energy, having fun and supporting a great cause. The winning celebrity will take home the title, a trophy and an encore performance at next year’s ‘Sing & Swing.’”

As for the cause, all gala proceeds benefit Opera Louisiane’s operational costs and programs, including money raised from the silent auction. “We have some interesting items

Morgan City’s Hephaestus celebrates love of life at ball

Timothy Irwin Matte and Julianna Grace Hernandez reigned as king and queen over the royal court of Hephaestus, Morgan City’s oldest Krewe, on Saturday night. The queen is the daughter of Cecil and Kimberly Hernandez. She is a 2020 graduate of Central Catholic High School and Nicholls State University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies and a minor in business in 2025. Hernandez’s father was King Hephaestus XLIX in 2009. Matte, a certified public accountant, has been a partner in a local CPA firm since 1979. In 1987, he was elected to the Morgan City Council, and in 1993 took office as mayor of Morgan City, serving four terms. Matte then became the executive director of the St. Mary Levee District.

Matte is married to Andrea Vincent Matte and together they have four children and share six grandchildren. He was captain of Hephaestus in 2016. The theme of the 2026 court and ball was “L’ Amour de La Vie (The Love of Life).”

Krewe Captain 2026 Lee Romaire depicted “Bacchus.”

The dukes and maids represented six of the different cherished loves of life:

Mid City Micro-Con to be held at library

n Food and drink, “Luxurious Libations and Decadent Dining,” George Underwood and Miley Hotard, daughter of Jamie Hotard, and Brandon and Sheli Hotard

n Music, “A Symphony of Splendor,” Brian Theriot and Caroline Landry, daughter of Earnest and Kimberly Landry

n Fashion, “Haute Couture,” Allen Smith and Mary Alice Dohmann, daughter of Joey and Sharon Dohmann

n Travel, “Lavish Adventures,” Jim Segar and Isabella Pecoraro, daughter of Ryan Pecoraro and Elena Knezek

n Elite hobbies, “The Pursuit of Privilege,” Jeffrey Matte and daughter Grace Matte, also the daughter of Lauren Matte

n Jewelry “Elegant Adornments,” Leo Yanez and Sinclair Callais, daughter of Jeremy and Casie Callais.

n Pages to the king were John Bradley Matte, son of Bradley and Allie Matte, and Whalen Gottung, son of Simon and Taylor Gottung.

The queen’s pages were Adelaide Waguespack, daughter of Albert and Bobbi Waguespack, and Lucy Falterman, daughter of Thomas and Grace Falterman.

Gift bearers were Henry Matte, son of Eric and Brittany Matte, and Sophia Hudson daughter of Joshua and Allie Hudson.

William Cefalu III, son of Drs. William Jr and Abby Cefalu, and Wellman Arceneaux, son of Blake and Aimee Arceneaux, were court heralds.

Knights of Hephaestus were Dwayne Aucoin, Barrett Hover, Gary Hover and Garret LeBlanc.

It’s time for the annual micro comic convention Meet local artists, buy comics, dress up in cosplay and participate in workshops from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 21 at the Main Library, 7711 Goodwood Blvd., Baton Rouge. Activities for the day include: miniature terrain building workshop; drawing workshops; podcasting panels; zine workshops; anime glass painting; blues performance and talk; and cosplay show and tell. Red Cross training will be Feb. 21-22

The American Red Cross Wilderness and Remote First Aid course will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 21-22 at the LSU Hilltop Arboretum The course aims to provide people with a foundation of ﬁrst aid principles and skills to respond to emergencies and give care in areas that do not have immediate emergency medical services response, such as urban disasters like earthquakes and hurricanes. The cost is $270, and the American Red Cross certiﬁcation is valid for two years. Current adult

CPR/AED certification is a prerequisite for participation in the Wilderness and Remote First Aid course. Participants must be 14 years of age on or before the last scheduled session of the course. The Wilderness and Remote First Aid course requires active participation in a classroom or field experience that grows in complexity from initial response principles to specific care recommendations. Featured topics include: performing primary and secondary assessment; head (brain), neck and spinal injuries; wounds and wound infection; bites and stings and more.

in the silent auction, including two tickets in the general director’s box and dinner with the cast of a production at the Metropolitan Opera,” Groves said. “And then we have two tickets in the director’s box and dinner with the cast of a production at the Houston Opera. Richard Lipsey is also offering a duck hunting weekend at his private place in south Louisiana. Those are just a few of the great experiences and items we’re offering.”

And if that’s not enough, Opera Louisiane also is offering VIP tickets that include a cocktail hour before the gala, featuring a perfor-

mance by Groves.

“I won’t be singing in the competition, but I will be singing some arias at the cocktail hour,” he said.

“Catering for the gala will be done by the Crowne Plaza, and the dress is formal.”

Groves added that Opera Louisiane chose to stage its gala after Mardi Gras so it wouldn’t get lost in the season’s revelry

“It gives everyone a chance to recover from Mardi Gras,” he said. “Then they’re ready for another celebration.”

Individual tickets are $125 and $225 for VIP and can be purchased at operalouisiane.com.

ON THE ARTS AND CULTURE SCENE

‘Sweeney’ tickets

Tickets are on sale for Sullivan Theater’s production of “Sweeney Todd,” opening Feb. 28 at the theater 8849 Sullivan Road, Central. Tickets are $28-$39. Visit sullivantheater.com.

Summer camps

Registration is open for Manship Summer Camps for mini musicals and ﬁlm. For details, visit manshiptheatre.org.

‘Coretta’ tickets

Tickets are on sale for UpStage Theatre’s production of “A Song for Coretta,” opening Feb. 21 at the theater, 1713 Wooddale Blvd. Tickets are $27. Visit upstagetheatre.biz.

Sing & Swing

Tickets are on sale for Opera Louisiane’s annual gala fundraiser, Sing & Swing, at 7 p.m. Feb. 21 at the Crowne Plaza Executive Center, 4728 Constitution Ave. Tickets are $125. Visit operalouisiane.com.

At Baton Rouge Gallery Baton Rouge Gallery center for contemporary art, 1515 Dalrymple Drive, is showing work by artist members Kathryn Baczeski, Christopher Scott Brumﬁeld, Rosemary Goodell and Heather Kelley through Feb. 22.

Hours are noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Admission is free. Visit batonrougegallery.org.

‘Romeo and Juliet’ tickets

Tickets are on sale for Ascension Community Theatre’s production of “Romeo and Juliet,” opening Feb. 19 at the theater. 823 N. Felicity Ave., Gonzales. Tickets are $19-$34. Visit actgonzales.org.

At LSU Galleries

n LSU’s Barnes Ogden Gallery, 31 S. Campus Drive, is showing “Twofold: Collaborative Work by Addoley Dzegede & Lyndon Barrois Jr.” through Feb. 28.

n LSU’s Glassell Gallery in the Shaw Center for the Arts,

100 Lafayette St., is showing “The Middle: Paintings by Will Maxen & Bradley Kerl” through March 14. n The Laura and Clark Boyce Gallery in LSU’s Julian T White Hall, 297 Field House Drive, is showing “Interiors Under Construction: Ria Bravo” through Feb. 28. Admission is free.

At NuNu

Registration is open for a Color Theory Class by Kay Jeansonne from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturdays, Feb. 21 and 28 and March 7 and 15 at NuNu Arts & Cultural Collective, 1510 Courtableau Highway, Arnaudville. The class fee is $110. Visit nunucollective.org.

‘Bravo Broadway!’ Tickets are on sale for the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra’s pops concert, “Bravo Broadway!,” at 7:30 p.m. March 7 at the Raising Cane’s River Center Performing Arts Theater, 240 St. Louis St. Tickets are $25$80. Visit brso.org.

DAYCAMP: 1st-5thGRADE

OVERNIGHTCAMP: 3rd-12th GRADE

PROVIDED PHOTO

TRAVEL

Greenlanddraws attentionand adventuroustravelers

BY MILLIE BALL Contributing writer

Rarely has adestination received so much free publicity as Greenland. With the globalattention it has garnered, now might be agood time to button up your overcoat and plan atrip to check out its glaciers, fjords, bays and colorful little towns.

I’ve been to Greenland twice, ﬁrst in 2018 and againinAugust 2025. My trips have offeredthe chance to see multiple views of the world’slargest island

On the ﬁrst trip, partofa 21-day cruise from Denmark to New York, three little girls rushedupto welcome my husband, Keith, and me to Qaqortoq (Kah-Kor-took), population 3,055. It’sthe largest town in southern Greenland The girls hugged each otherand beamed as Itook their photo

Not far away,inGreenland’s southernmost island town ofNanortalik, achoir in asmall church invited us to aconcert. Theysang “Amazing Grace,” “NearerMy GodtoThee” and other hymns in Greenlandic. Some of us hummed along with the singerswho livein this town with 1,072 residents. Greenland is often confused with Iceland. An autonomous territory of Denmark with its own prime minister,Greenland is 21 times larger than Iceland, three times the size of Texas, and 80% covered with ice. The totalpopulation is 57,000. Iceland’spopulation is almost 400,000, and is about the size of Colorado. Only 11%iscovered with ice. The island countries are 185 miles apart at their closest point. Numerous stories say early Norse settlers wanted to appealtoothers by naming the immense icyisland Greenland, an early marketing ploy. Others say Greenland had some warmer times. Nobody really knows. Adventuroustravelers mainly come for the scenery My second trip to Greenland was totally different from the ﬁrst because of asmaller ship and a different itinerary

TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER

By ChristopherElliott

Most Greenlanders call their country Kalaallit Nunaat (kahLAH-ﬂeet noo NAAT) “Land of the People.”

On our 2018 trip,the Zuiderdam glidedpaststark, stunning fjords and sounds, evenicebergs, but stoppedonly in two places where people lived— not big towns, but still home.Our ship’scapacity was about 2,800, with passengers and crew. We were afriendly invasion. Clusters of cottages in small towns or sometimesscattered ones in smallerplaces all seemed to be paintedblue, red, green, orangeorpurple, trimmed in white. In Qaqortoqthere apparently are enough shopperstosustainwhat we calleda mini-Costco.

Nanortalik (Nan-our-talik) has a more ruggedlook after centuries of stormyweather on its island, and the need for asenseofbalance when walkingoverstones and hills. The colorfulhouses aren’t quite as bright, but locals were gladtosee us eightyears ago.

Roads typically don’tconnect towns in Greenland. Even the capitalcity of Nuuk (Nuke) was not reachable by road. An airportﬁnally opened lastyear,and United now offers twice-weeklyﬂights from Newark to Nuuk in summer

Our 2025 cruisewas aboardthe World Voyager,a“purpose-built yacht” by Atlas Ocean Voyages. Fewer than200 passengers sail on their expedition cruises, where experiences arethe main lure. Experiences include free rides in aZodiac boat to the middle of afjord in Greenland, thenhiking around it

Unfortunately, Ihave healthissues, so hiking in afjord and walking tours weren’tonmylist.

But World Voyager maybemy favoritebig “yacht.”

We boarded in Reykjavik, Iceland, spending our ﬁrst night in an airporthotel after checking out the exorbitant prices of those downtown. We felt right at home aboardthe Voyager as soon as we

recovered fromthe $175 taxi fare from our airport hotel. Another guest said they were charged $345. Ask. Everything is expensive in both Iceland and Greenland. But aboard the World Voyager almosteverything is included, even wine at dinner and daily ridesinZodiacs for those who want to do that. When the water was calm, the captain welcomed passengers to an open bridge. We watchedicebergs from our balcony and the pleasant top-ﬂoor dome, with asemi-circular wall of windows and deck.

With superb room crew and food servers, we could eat wherever we wanted each day in the dining room. Most fellowpassengers werewell-traveled, but instead of bragging about their trips to Antarctica (most we met hadbeen), there was pleasure in exchanging impressions.

There were lectures and entertainment, often by cruise director Greg Scott Jones, who grewupin New Orleans.

Those of us who didn’ttake a Zodiac into Eternity Fjord found a spotondeck to admire its glacier ﬂoating icebergs and steep basalt peaks. After fjord hikers returned, Ithink everyone aboard leaned over balconiestocheer fellow passengers doing Arctic polar plunges —jumping or diving into the icy water.Brrrrr!

One cloudy morning, Keith opened the sliding glass door to our balcony and said, “It’skind of warmoutside. For Greenland.” It

was 45.

We missedafew scheduled stops because of weather and other conditions. Basically,the only tours we saw offered for a fee were walking tours of atown or afood-oriented “Taste of Greenland.” Iwould happily have paid for abus tour of the capital city of Nuuk. We left the ship in the Zodiacs only twice, in the capital city of Nuuk and to disembark. There was afree bus to downtown, and we walked to amultistory building that sold gifts and coffee. Midway,wesaw three people with adisplay of something. “What are you selling?” Iasked the woman. “Oh, nothing,” she said in English. “We’re giving out Bible verses.” Ispotted the word Jehovah on the brochure. “Jehovah’s Witness?” Iasked. She smiled and said, “Yes.”

After breakfast on our last day, Iwobbled onto aZodiac, holding outstretched hands. We all boarded buses for atundra safari tour of massive stone formations and centuries-old native ﬂora above the Arctic Circle. The airport at Kangerlussuaq shares arunway with aformer U.S. Air Force base. Even as the world pays more attention to Greenland, it still feels profoundly untouched.

Millie Ball was travel editor of The Times-Picayune. The Atlas cruise of Greenland starts in Reykjavik, Iceland, on Aug. 20, 2026. Brochure prices start at $8,200 per person.

Turnsout booking‘Flexi’ ferrytickets arenot so flexible

Christopher Elliott

Imade aferry booking with Brittany Ferries in Januaryfor an August sailingfrom Plymouth to Santander,Spain. I’m 79,and unfortunately,health issues developed with my kidney disease. Irealized Ineeded to changemytravel plans. If my condition worsened while in Spain, Iwouldn’tbeable to returntothe U.K. quickly because ferries are limited and it’sa24-hour journey Icanceled my booking with three months’ notice.As soon as Icompleted the online cancellation, the website said there waszero refund. It wasn’tclear that cancellation meant losingmy $390 deposit.When I contacted customer service to explain my situation, theytoldme the cancellation was final —norefund and no ability to changetoadifferentroute.

Ihad a“flexi” ticket and believed Iwould

be able to cancel withoutpenalty.The website didn’twarnmeabout losingmydeposit beforeIclicked the final cancellationbutton. Can you help me getmymoney back? —MikeMarsden, Porthleven, Cornwall, United Kingdom Youshouldn’thave lost your entiredeposit. And Brittany Ferries’ response to your situation shows a troubling lack of customer service. Let’sstart with what should have happened. Youpurchased a“flexi” ticket, whichbydefinition should offer more flexibility than astandard fare. Thewhole point of paying extrafor aflexible ticket is to have options when circumstances change. Most ferry companies and airlines offer flexible fares specifically to enable passengers to make changes or cancel with reduced or no penalties. The biggerissue here is Brit-

tany Ferries’ websitedesign. Any booking system thatdoesn’tclearly warn customers about significant financial penalties before they completeatransaction is fundamentally flawed. Youshould have received aclear warning such as, “You will forfeit your deposit if you proceed with this cancellation” before you clicked thatfinal button. Your health situation makes this even more unreasonable. You’re dealing with kidney disease at age 79, and you made asensible decision to change your travel plans based on legitimatemedical concerns. Aresponsible company would have shown some flexibility, especially given the threemonths of advance notice. Under U.K. consumer protectionlaws, businesses must provide clear and transparent information

about cancellation policies. The Consumer Rights Act requires thattermsand conditions be “fair” and “transparent.” Asurprise forfeiture of your depositwithout adequatewarninglikely violated this standard. Youcouldhave escalated this directly to BrittanyFerries’ senior management. Ipublishexecutive contact information forcompanies like Brittany Ferries on my website. Icontacted BrittanyFerries on your behalf, pointing outthat you had a“ﬂexi” ticket andthatthe company’shandlingofyourcase seemed unreasonable. We also noted thatthe company’s website failed to provide adequate warning about the depositforfeiture.

Brittany Ferries reviewedyour case and issued afull refund of your deposit “on agoodwill basis.”

While thecompany maintained that itsofficialpolicywas correct, it recognized that your situation warranted an exception Your case highlights an importantlesson fortravelers: Always read thefine print on flexiblefares. Some flexible tickets onlyallow date changes, notroute changes or full refunds.Ifyou’re booking aticketspecifically because you might need to cancel,double-check to confirmexactlywhatyourflexibilityincludes.

For future trips,considertravel insurance that covers tripcancellation formedical reasons.

Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy,anonproﬁt organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@elliott.org.

PROVIDED PHOTOS

AZodiac boat departs from acruise ship off the coast of Greenland.

Homes hug the stonyhillside in Greenland.

A ‘Dorian Gray’ connection

Weary’s mention of Oscar Wilde’s novel is deep. The story follows a young man whose portrait bears the marks of his sins while he remains forever young.

“I wanted to create something that showed the years of weathering,” he said. “So, it’s the same storyline of ‘The Portrait of Dorian Gray,’ where all of those acts on his soul are reﬂected through his portrait. But I wanted this painting to reﬂect that part of me in the vein of the effect of my masculinity.” Weary previously shied away from self-portraits, saying they made him self-conscious.

“I’m not a big fan of it,” Weary said. “I’ve always had this weird thing about looking in mirrors. But as I’m painting, I sometimes do a little bit of self-reﬂection, and it helps me get through it I’ve had conversations with three or four of my friends who are just against wearing a dress, and I started thinking about how it’s not that deep. But then, maybe it is.”

The conversations led to questions, which eventually led to the painting.

“It made me ask a million questions about myself and if I cared that much,” Weary said “And it made me think about how to take those feelings of being insecure and project them out into the world. So I kind of went through a big change in my view of who I am as a man and in my masculinity.

A different perspective

Weary not only painted his self-portrait from an alternate perspective, he painted it upside down.

He developed the technique to challenge himself to look at his work from a different viewpoint Walk into his studio at the Cary Saurage Community Arts Center, and any current work-in-progress will be upside down on the easel.

All hang right side up once installed on gallery walls, as do the paintings in the LASM exhibition, which, Weary says, represent the last ﬁve years in his life. Those years included a newborn daughter to him and wife, Maia.

“Her name is Evie, and she’s 3 years old now,” he said “But she wasn’t born yet, when I started this painting.’

In the front of the gallery, the painting “American Nomads” greets visitors to the show. The main characters in this piece are a man and woman stationed in

AT RANDOM

Continued from page 1D

most the spectacle of this little bird having breakfast, or the time I’d passed with a friend as we shared sentry duty the day before. When I started birdwatching more than three decades ago, I thought of waiting as the price I had to pay for the chance to spot something beautiful. With age, I’m learning that the wait itself can be its own gift, a kind of sanctuary in which my life finds its center I thought about all of this again a couple of days after Christmas last year, when the season’s first goldfinch arrived at my window feeder Goldfinches normally show up in my south Louisiana yard around Yuletide, a holiday meant to underline the value of waiting. Advent, the church season before Christmas, is grounded in the idea that anticipation can deepen our sense of what’s truly important. In practice, the holidays don’t often bring the kind of pause that honest waiting is supposed to cultivate. Instead, December’s calendar fills with parties and shopping, a blur of busyness in which seasonal serenity tends to get lost.

We’re now at the doorstep of Mardi Gras, when our goldﬁnches usually begin to leave for the year

I’m trying to enjoy their daily visits to the tube feeder just beyond our living room, and I’ve loved watching them ﬂock on our lawn to savor the seed I’ve scattered in the grass. I sometimes startle them at the window, and they rise and fall like a yellow wave lapping at the edge of the porch. Once the goldﬁnches leave, I’ll have to wait many months for their return. Maybe the years are trying to tell me that waiting can be its own reward.

Email Danny Heitman at danny@dannyheitman.com

front of New Orleans’ ever-changing landscape. The duo is young and beautiful against the chaotic backdrop.

Weary photographed the couple as they were walking through the courthouse parking lot on St. Ferdinand Street across from the Cary Saurage Center

“They were coming from court, and I don’t know if they were boyfriend and girlfriend or husband and wife, but I asked if I could take their picture,” he said.

“I wanted to pattern them after Grant Wood’s ‘American Gothic,’ but I wanted to give them a different relationship.”

That’s when their faces began changing, becoming something more personal — something that tied directly into his own life journey

“This is essentially my Katrina painting,” Weary said. “I grew up in New Orleans, so I made the couple a brother and sister who move back to New Orleans and buy back

CURIOUS

Continued from page 1D

great fanfare on Feb. 21, 1950, by train after vacationing in Mexico City

They were wined and dined at Antoine’s, received the keys to the city from Mayor deLesseps “Chep” Morrison and watched the Rex procession along St. Charles Avenue from the Boston Club Balcony

But it was what happened after the parade that made Mardi Gras history

“Is it true that King Edward, who abdicated the throne of England, came to Mardi Gras in New Orleans with his wife Wallis Warﬁeld Simpson — and the two of them bowed to Mardi Gras royalty?” one reader asked.

In short, they did. Hierarchy was inverted. Social codes blurred, and the Old World met New Orleans.

The historic moment still exists — frozen in wax at The Great River Road Museum, next to Houmas House in Darrow Its displays include the wax ﬁgures that once belonged to New Orleans’ former Musée Conti Wax Museum, which closed in 2016.

The Great River Road Museum purchased and restored the ﬁgures, including likenesses of the Windsors.

The ﬁgures, dressed in reproductions of the Mardi Gras ball outﬁts worn by the British royalty, stand before a costume worn by a previous Rex, the king of Carnival.

A photo behind the ﬁgures shows the duchess in a graceful curtsy while holding the hand of the duke as he bows.

The 1950 Rex was local businessman Reuben H. Brown; his queen, Mary Brooks Soulé, was a debutante.

But as the king and queen of Carnival, they were New Orleans royalty, meaning they didn’t bow to anyone — including the former king of England and his wife.

The moment repeated itself that evening when the Windsors also bowed to Mystick Krewe of

their family home.”

The longer he painted, the more the couple came into focus, morphing into his son, Ezra, and daughter, Evie.

“My wife was still pregnant with my daughter at the time I was painting this,” Weary said. “I didn’t even know what Evie would look like, but these are my children in 20 years.”

Weary placed them in front of his childhood home, standing along a street that opens up to the city’s downtown district.

“It shows the future of New Orleans with the Superdome and JAX Brewery at one level, but I also wanted to create the future claustrophobic buildings overhead,” he said. “I wanted that feeling of the urban environment to be so consuming that you really can’t feel the natural elements around you.”

Chaos at the Capitol

Weary also translated these

elements to Baton Rouge in his painting, “American Radicals,” where a Black man in a suit and hat stands against the backdrop of the Louisiana State Capitol, where, once again, chaos ensues.

He based the man on an attorney he often passed on the street. The State Capitol stands as the symbol of state politics’ bastardization of Christianity

“This is really just about the radical spectrum,” Weary said.

“This is kind of coming from a critique of fascism. So, I wanted to paint the Capitol, where it all kind of revolves. I put an ‘8’ on a tree to depict the eighth circle of hell inside of the Capitol. And that’s mainly because carved in stone at the entrance are two enslaved people.”

In the midst of this societal commentary, Weary’s “House” is ﬁlled with joyful, tender moments and milestones, which includes a wooden cutout of his daughter.

But it’s the smaller painting of

Comus royalty Graciously welcomed Meanwhile, Times-Picayune reporter Pondine Schoenberger recounted in her Feb. 22, 1950, front-page story how royalty from both the Rex Organization and the Mistick Krewe of Comus graciously welcomed the Windsors. “Real royalty shared the spotlight with make-believe royalty in New Orleans Tuesday, and it was anyone’s guess who caused the most excitement,” Schoenberger wrote. “The Duke and Duchess stood on the balcony of

the Boston Club while Rex, king of the Carnival, toasted his fair queen and her court.”

Schoenberger’s story followed the duke and duchess through an itinerary that included talking to reporters and meeting New Orleanians, a luncheon and a meeting with the king and queen of the Mistick Krewe of Comus, who, according to their tradition, weren’t publicly named. They also got into the spirit of Mardi Gras.

“What His Royal Highness seemed to enjoy most about the parade were the bands, particularly the little blonde drum

Weary’s goddaughter that captured the heart of the museum’s curator, Tracey Barhorst. The scene shows Weary’s goddaughter, Jordan, on the shoulders of her dad, Weary’s best friend, Ryan, a New Orleans policeman, at a Mardi Gras parade

But Barhorst sees it as a slice of her own life.

“My dad was a New Orleans policeman for three years,” she said.

“When I was about to turn 4, my mom was pregnant and he took me to a Mardi Gras parade

“And I remember that exact moment in my life, and I think of that moment when I look at this painting. It’s my favorite in the exhibition.

And this is the moment when Weary’s “House” opens its doors to others, some of whom may even ﬁnd a common thread in the red dress.

Email Robin Miller at romiller@ theadvocate.com.

majors,” Schoenberger wrote “He and the duchess also seemed to get a big kick out of reaching for necklaces and other baubles thrown from the ﬂoats. They would grab them eagerly then toss them back to the crowd.”

The day’s festivities ﬁnally wound down with an escort into the Rex Ball in the Municipal Auditorium.

“Following the grand march, the Windsors were led up to the royal throne, which dominated the stage,” Schoenberger wrote “Here, they were formally presented to the King and Queen of Comus, who were standing at the time. The duchess went into a graceful curtsy and the duke bowed from the waist.”

Cheers exploded from the crowd, while the Comus royalty reciprocated with their own bows. Yes, according to the article, Comus royalty bowed. Then came the presentation to the Rex court.

“Again curtsy and bow were the occasion for prolonged applause from the spectators,” Schoenberger wrote However, Schoenberger mentions no bows by Rex royalty

Finally, Arthur Hardy, perhaps the foremost authority on Mardi Gras, cited an account of the event by authors Charles Dufour and Leonard Huber in the ﬁrst ofﬁcial history of the Rex organization, “If Ever I Cease to Love” in a Feb. 15, 2017, article for The Times-Picayune:

“When the captain of the Comus organization presented the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, they looked anything but apathetic. The Duchess hit the ﬂoor with two of the most beautiful and graceful curtsies ever seen, and the Duke bowed from the waist, almost touching the ﬂoor with his forehead. Comus’ 2,500 guests were in ecstasy They responded with deafening applause.”

More than 75 years later, the royal encounters still stand among the most remarkable moments in the city’s Carnival history

Email Robin Miller at romiller@ theadvocate.com.

FILE PHOTO By NORMAN J BERTEAUX

The Duchess of Windsor, Wallis Simpson, curtsies while holding the hand of her husband, the Duke of Windsor, former King Edward, as he bows to the royalty of Rex in 1950.

STAFF PHOTO By ROBIN MILLER

Mike Weary works on a painting inspired by his wife’s cousin in his studio space inside the Cary Saurage Community Arts Center Weary paints all of his subjects upside down.

LOUISIANABAKES

Bringnostalgiabackwiththese retrorecipes

Angelfoodcake, banana pudding canhelp bringbackfocus into life

There is asaying that what is old is new again, and the latestobsession totake hold on social mediaisproving the adagetrue.

Olivia Regard

The tactile and analog activitiesofthe past are having arenaissance …and it’s not just about nostalgia. Amid thealgorithmsand constant digital stimulation, a quiet revolution is happening —people are turning to “oldfashioned”hobbies again Analog hobbies, or “granny hobbies” as they have affectionately beennicknamed, include activities such as baking, canning,knitting,gardening or needlepointing. Retro writing styles and instruments like typewriters, calligraphyand waxseals are having aresurgence as well. More than quaint throwbacks, these activities offera way to decompress by ﬂexing creative muscles and grounding us in rhythmand sensory detail, something our minds craveafterbeing overstimulated by digital noise.

The grounding effect is more than metaphorical. Instead, slow,repetitive movements shiftthe body’sstress response,calm the nervous system, boost focus and give your brain something to do thatdoesnot involvedoomscrolling. So,whenyou knit, garden or knead dough, you aredoing more than just passing the time; yourbody interprets thatrhythm and focus as safety,which results in adrop in cortisol, aslower heart rate and deeper breathing

This month, we areleaning intothe analog trend and baking some of my favorite nostalgic recipes from scratch (savefor the pudding mix) —angel food cake and banana pudding. If youfollowalongonInstagram(@ Louisiana_Bakes), Ihave posted my favorite recipe for lemon curd, which is adelicious accompaniment to the angel food cakeand a greatway to use the leftover eggyolks that result from the recipe.

The banana pudding recipe is anod to a ﬁxture in my childhood —vanilla wafers and adessert that appeared oftenatfamily gatherings. With these dishes and any others you create, may the sifting,foldingand whisking give your nervous system permission to downshiftand reclaim stillness in a noisy world.

AngelFood Cake Serves 8-10.

(refrigerate or

unused egg

1. Preheat oven to 300 F. 2. Siftcake ﬂour and 2⁄3 cup of sugar 2to3 times.

3. Using thewhiskattachmentofastand mixer,beat egg whites until frothy.Add the salt and cream of tartar.Beat until theegg whites hold soft peaks. Add the remaining 1 cupofsugar,1tablespoon at atime, beating continuously until theegg whites areglossy andhold stiff peaks. Add thevanilla and beat to incorporate.

4. Using arubber spatula, carefully fold the ﬂour and sugar mixtureinthree portionssoas

not to deﬂatethe egg whitestoo much.

5. Spoon thebatter into an ungreased tube (angel food cake) pan and smooth the batter. Rap thepan on the countertwo to threetimes to burst any air bubbles.

6. Bakeuntil cake is golden and springy on top andaskewer inserted into the centerofthe cake comes out clean (approximately 1hour20 minutes).

7. Invert the cake on the counterusing the feet of thecake pan, if present; or invert it over the top of along-neck bottle and let cool for 2hours.

Banana Pudding

Serves 15. Recipe is by Magnolia Bakery

1(14-ounce)can sweetened condensed milk

11/2 cups ice cold water

1(3.4-ounce)box instant vanilla pudding mix

3cups heavycream 4-5 ripe bananas, sliced 1(12-ounce)box vanilla wafercookies(reserve 4-5 cookies forgarnish)

1. In alarge mixing bowl or the bowlofa stand mixer, beat together the sweetened condensed milk and water until wellcombined.

2. Add the instant vanilla pudding mixand beat welluntil mixture is smooth.

3. Cover and refrigerate for

PHOTO By OLIVIA REGARD Banana Pudding

Carnival books bring the festivities to wider audience

BY RIEN FERTEL

Conﬁned to our own Carnival bubble that is Mardi Gras, it’s often easy to forget that, in scattered places throughout the globe, people are ramping up their own public and private bacchanals as the Lenten season inches closer But a pair of recent debut novels brings international Carnival ﬂavors to a wider audience.

Rosália Rodrigo’s “Beasts of Carnaval” transports readers to the island of Etérea, a composite of several Caribbean locales, including the author’s native Puerto Rico. Set during the post-emancipation years of the late 19th century, the island is still controlled by a handful of colonial sugar cane plantations.

On one lives Sofía, “a child born to die for a master’s harvest,” who is now the 20-year-old friend and counselor to Adelina, who has managed her father’s sugar holdings since his disappearance ﬁve years ago. He and his personal assistant, Sofía’s twin brother, Sol, were never heard from again after boarding a ship to partake in the Carnival pageantry on nearby Isla Bestia, “a place where you could be anyone. Do anything Excess and secrecy were the only price of participation.”

Sofía and Adelina agree to go full detective mode to track down their missing loved ones and head for Isla Bestia. There they join an elite group of guests, don masquerade disguises, check into rooms at the luxe Flor de Lis hotel and cautiously dip into the island’s “sumptuous feasts, the bottomless wine, the celebrations that ran from sundown to sunrise.”

Isla Bestia’s “Carnaval was not a static experience,” Rodrigo writes. “It was constantly evolving, teasing revelers with a steady stream of mystery.” But the festivities that appear in these early pages mostly fall ﬂat There are aerialists and ﬁre-breathers, secret mirrored labyrinths and creepy minions in horned grinning masks. It’s more circus sideshow, sexless

and banal, only a faint glimmer of the Carnivals that take place from Rio de Janeiro to Jacmel, Trinidad to Tobago and, of course, in New Orleans. From there, the novel dips even further into the fantasy-adventure genre.

While all the other guests sleep off a three-day, poisoned wine-induced coma, Sofía escapes down a series of underground rivers to an isolated, utopian community inhabited by the descendants of the Taike’ri.

They Rodrigo writes in an afterword, are stand-ins for the indigenous Taino peoples, who inhabited many Caribbean islands at the time of European contact.

The Taike’ri design the costumes for Bestia’s crowd in order, Soﬁa eventually learns, to dismantle the elites’ stranglehold on the island.

The novel’s ﬁnal showdown, according to Rodrigo, takes a historical cue from the Canboulay, or Cannes Brûlées in French, a proto-Carnival festival from Trinidad and Tobago that commemorates emancipation through the ritual burning of sugar cane.

That may be so, but the climax is fantastical, melodramatic and absurd — much like our own Mardi Gras celebrations.

From Etérea we travel to Ecuador rendered in darkly realistic tones in Yuliana Ortiz Ruano’s “Carnaval Fever.” The novel is narrated by Ainhoa, a young woman who lives with her rollicking AfroEcuadorian family in present-day Esmeraldas, a small but bustling coastal city

Ainhoa begins her story with a memory of her ﬁrst steps — not walking but dancing — on the day before Mardi Gras. She is 8 years old, with freshly braided hair for the holiday Anxious with carnivalesque energy, she succumbs to the hard percussive beat of a Colombian hit record; she starts salsa dancing. As her father looks on in delight, her mother looks on in dread.

own body undergoes changes she can only compare to a fever

“I don’t understand what the hell is happening in those bodies, in the neighbors out on the streets, the beach, and the city,” Ortiz Ruano writes. “Just like I don’t understand what the hell is happening in my cussed little body, heating and reheating; my body inﬂating and trembling.”

Terriﬁcally translated from the Spanish by Madeleine Arenivar, “Carnaval Fever” gives readers a taste of the Ecuadorian street scene, where strangers toss liquids on each other, most often buckets of water but also “beer, seawater, water mixed with egg, violently inﬂated colorful water balloons.”

This playful pastime is also imbued with a sexual energy, Ainhoa notices, with “people soaking each other up in the houses, on the sidewalks, in all the parlors and bedrooms.”

After being sexually assaulted by a cousin, Ainhoa flees her home and gets lost amid streets packed with merrymakers. She’s overcome by a sensory overload — “raving insanity, unending debauchery a faucet of partying that can’t be closed, that gushes forth, overflowing the container” — and imagines herself “lost forever, living in this overflowing, unending Carnaval for the rest of my life.”

Here, “Carnaval Fever” shares some synergistic vibes with “The Secret Agent,” Brazil’s recent darling of the art house cinema circuit and recipient of four Academy Award nominations. Both stories showcase the violent underbelly that exists in Carnival’s shadows.

Ainhoa eventually ﬁnds her way home, but watches as Carnival’s spirit survives despite the advent of Lent, in the form of “a mob of people taking to the streets, the only pressure valve there is.”

They rally to protest everything that is wrong with their country: escalating violence, economic and political instability They gather to walk across the Guatemalan border together, to pack motorboats “like sardines, disappearing forever across the dull gray sea in the direction of the United States.”

The season’s gender dynamic foregrounds Ainhoa’s narrative. She learns that her parents met on a dance ﬂoor

“To be alive thanks to the novelty of Carnaval,” she admits, “makes me crazy.” Over subsequent years, more family members succumb to the season’s uninhibited sexual fervor, while her

A short book, Ortiz Ruano’s novel is both exhilarating and exhausting — just enough to make this reader happy that Carnival comes around only once a year

Rien Fertel is the author of four books, including, most recently, “Brown Pelican.”

EyES ON THE PRIZE

Readers celebrated for diving into 100

BY JOANNA BROWN Staff writer

Reading is often considered a solitary activity, but in Lafayette, people have several options for sharing their love of books in a supportive community There’s a local Silent Book Club chapter for those who enjoy no-frills communal reading, and Lafayette book businesses like Cavalier House Books, Book Rack of Acadiana and Bonne Vie Macarons and Book Club & Co. all regularly host themed book clubs. Bonne Vie has five different book clubs for mysteries, cookbooks, romance books, nonfiction and books that have been made into movies — all with a waiting list of eager readers. If you’re an especially prolific reader, there’s another option that might be just the challenge you’re looking for The Lafayette public library system is home to the “100 Book Club,” where members have one goal: reading or listening to 100 books through the year, with a medal and certificate of completion awarded at the end.

On Feb. 9, participants gathered at South Regional Library for a ceremony honoring their achievements last year. Names were read and cake was sliced as the all-ages group mingled and shared their love of reading. In order to complete the challenge, they had to read over eight books per month, or nearly two a week — a brisk pace in a screen-dominated society Heather and P.J. Best run Lafayette’s Silent Book Club chapter, and on Monday, the whole family was inducted into the 100 Book Club — mom, dad and two sons, 7-year-old Eli and 8-year-old Ethan. Ethan’s favorite read last year was “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,” and Eli’s was a graphic novel titled, “Dog Man: The Scarlet Shedder,” from author Dav Pilkey

When asked how they center reading in their household, Heather Best had a simple answer: “We very rarely watch TV.”

“It’s very important to us to raise readers,” she said. “In order to prioritize something, you have to say no to something else.”

According to library out-

reach services manager Emma Guillory, the program has been very successful since its launch in 2013, and hundreds of people participate each year

“They just love it,” she said. “One of our participants said, ‘It’s not hard to do what I love.’ They just love that they can be celebrated for reading, but also it’s being part of something that you work all year for, and it comes to fruition at the end with prizes.”

For every kind of reader, it’s clear that reading as part of a community made the experience something worth their time and dedication, particularly in an age where taking time for an immersive, solo hobby is something almost luxurious.

Brittney Boutte was supported by her family when she received her certiﬁcate, and as a working mom, she said she makes time for her reading by leaning on audiobooks — and the community aspect of the program is a “nice push to do it,” she said. Another participant, Shalala Thompson, said that pursuing the goal made her a better reader

Readers can join the 100 Book Club challenge for 2026 by visiting any Lafayette Public Library branch to register and receive a personal reading log. All participants, ages 6 and up, have to read or listen to the books themselves, and picture books are permitted for elementary school-aged readers. Magazines and comic books don’t count, but graphic novels, eBooks and audiobooks do.

Email Joanna Brown at joanna.brown@theadvocate. com.

Brothers Eli, left, and Ethan Best, right, show their certificates for reading 100 books, along with their parents Patrick and Heather back.

STAFF PHOTOS By BRAD KEMP

Readers who read 100 books or more arrive during the Lafayette Public Library’s 100 Book Club annual celebration at the South Regional Library in Lafayette.

Contributing writer

“Beasts of Carnaval” by Rosália Rodrigo, Mira Books, 400 pages, and “Carnaval Fever” by Yuliana Ortiz Ruano, Soft Skull Press, 256 pages.

PROVIDED PHOTOS

The Krewe of Orion’s2026 royaltyincludes, frontrow from left, Anniston Billings, Camille Forrester,Evelyn Desormeaux and MaddieSweet, queen’spages; middle row, king’spages Cash Redmond,Adler Gunning,Mason Sweet and Anderson Hoffman; back

Orionshows off‘Famous HollywoodFaces’atball

With the theme “Mysteries of the Deep Sea,” Le Krewe Du Roi celebrated its 61st annual MardiGras ball on Saturday at the Carl F. Grant Civic Center in Plaquemine. Master of Ceremonies John Morgan opened the tableau with the national anthem and the presentation of last year’sroyal court.

King Roi LXI G.W.Son and Queen Roi LXI Lilla Aucoin represented King Triton and Queen Sirena. Aucoin is the daughter of member Timothy and Suzanne Aucoin.

Ball Captains Rodney and Paige Blanchard, and Charles “Chuck” and Marla Lyons arrived as the Guardians of the Sea. During the tableau, King Triton summoned six guardsmen to ﬁnd Queen Sirena, who mysteriously disappeared within the sea. Representing the Kraken Spire was member Garrett Carville and maid Kaylee Brown. Brown is the daughter of Derek and Angie Brown. The Kraken Spire opened the passage for all others to search for Queen Sirena. The next guardsman, the Gilded Current, was member Brant Rivet and maid Annalyse Rivet. Sheisthe daughter of Brant and Blasia Rivet. To see through the dark waters, the Gilded Current provided lightfor the passage to be searched.

Portraying the Barb and Blooming Corals were member Clint Ourso and maid Emily Engolio. Emily Engolio is the daughter of member Richie and Marxie Fontenot, and Nicolas and Kayla Engolio. The Barb and Blooming Corals provided asafe passage of memory for others to travel. Guardsman Shielded Surge was member Garrett Simpson and maid Ellie Rivet. She is the daughter of member Jeffrey and Margo Rivet. As the search continued,the Shielded Surge providedancient knowledge and protection. Following the Shielded Surge,representing the Violet Wave was member CullenClebert and maid Colette Clebert. She is the daughter ofmember Corey and Kirsten Clebert. The Violet Wave provideda forcelike no other in King Triton’ssearch. Lastly,Chance Lyons and maid Danae Martinez. portrayed the Piercing Tides. Lyonsisthe son of member Charles“Chuck” andMarla Lyons. Martinez is the daughter of member

Huey “Tugar” and Tammy Martinez. The Piercing Tides cut like ablade through therough seas and cleared the way for King Triton to makehis way to Queen Sirena. With Queen Sirena at last restoredtohis side, the pair were joyfullyreunited beneaththe waves, their kingdom once again whole. As the courtgathered and the seas werecalmed, the king and queen reigned over the depths. The royal court celebrated withagrand march and atoasttothe evening. Krewe membersand their guests enjoyed dancing to the music of Parade Route.

With the theme “Famous Hollywood Faces,”the Krewe of Orioncelebrated its 27th annual parade and masquerade on Feb. 7atthe Raising Cane’sRiver Center, BatonRouge.

The evening featured elaborateﬂoats, royaltyand cinematic ﬂair.Founded in 1998, the krewe continued its long-standing Mardi Gras tradition with ahighenergy event showcasing both new and returning designs.

The parade opened with the captain’sﬂoat,led by Krewe Captain Darren Coates and President Charles Harvey,featuring a double-decker design with LEDdisplays and asound system.

Last year’sroyaltyfollowed, honoring the 2025 theme,“AVisit to the Easy.”

The maids of Orion portrayed iconic characters: Gianna LeaPurpera rep-

resenting “Zorro,” Kailie Elizabeth Blythe as “The Joker,” and Allyson Camille Yerby as “The Phantom of the Opera.”

Queen Orion XXVII Brittany Karner Lipoma was the first queen to ride on the newly redesigned queen’s float. She was followed by King Orion XXVII Ryan Maranto, who rode on an equally updated float.

Pages to the king were Mason Sweet, Anderson

Hoffman, Cash Coy Redmond and Adler Gunning. Camille Forrester,Maddie Sweet, Anniston JoAnn Billings and Evelyn Claire Desormeaux served as pages to the queen. The parade concluded with alineup of Hollywoodinspired ﬂoats such as “Darth Vader,” “Joker,” “Jason –Friday the 13th” and “The Mask of Zorro,” ending with “Rougarou’s Revenge.”

Maids forthe KreweofOrion’s27th Carnival ballare, from left,Allyson yerby, Gianna Purpera and Kailie Blythe.

Reigning overthe Krewe Du Roiare, from left, ballcaptains Paigeand RodneyBlanchard, Queen Roi LXI LillaCamille Aucoin and King Roi LXI G.W.Son, and ball captains Charles andMarla Lyons.

Taking partinthe Krewe Du Roitableau are, from left, Kaylee Brown, Garrett Carville, Garrett Simpson, Ellie Rivet, Cullen Clebertand Colette Clebert.

Alsoparticipating in the tableauare, from left, Emily Engolio, Clint Ourso, Annalyse Rivet, Brant Rivet, Chance Lyons and Danae Martinez.

By The Associated Press

Today is Sunday,Feb. 15, the46thday of 2026. Thereare 319 days left inthe year

Todayinhistory:

On Feb. 15, 1898, the battleship USSMaine mysteriously explodedinHavanaHarbor,killing more than 260 crew members and bringingthe United States closer towar with Spain. Also on this date:

In 1879, President Rutherford B. Hayes signed alaw allowing female attorneys to argue cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.

In 1933, President-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt escaped an assassination attempt in Miamithat mortally wounded Chicago Mayor Anton J. Cermak; gunman Giuseppe Zangara was executed by electric chair the following month

In 1950, Walt Disney’sanimatedﬁlm “Cinderella” premiered in Boston

In 1961, 73 people, includingall 18 members of the U.S. ﬁgure skating team en route to the World ChampionshipsinCzechoslovakia, were killed in the crashofa SabenaAirlines Boeing 707 in Belgium.

In 1978, boxerLeon Spinksscored amassive upset as he defeated Muhammad Ali by split decision to become the world heavyweight champion.

In 1989, the Soviet Union announcedthatthe last of its troops had left Afghanistan,after more than nine years of military intervention.

In 2001, the ﬁrst draft sequence of the complete human genome waspublishedinthe scientiﬁc journal Nature.

In 2013, with ablindingﬂash anda booming shockwave, ameteor blazed across Russia’s western Siberian sky andexploded,injuring nearly 1,500 people as it blasted outwindows.

In 2022, the families of ninevictimsofthe Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting agreed to a$73 million settlementofa lawsuit against Remington Arms, themakerofthe riﬂe used by agunman to kill 20 ﬁrst graders and six educators in 2012.

In 2023, Payton Gendron,the White gunman who massacred10Black shoppersand workers at aBuffalo,New York, supermarketin May of the previous year,was sentencedto life in prison without parole after pleading guilty to murder and hate-motivated terrorismcharges.

Today’sbirthdays: Actor Claire Bloom is 95. Songwriter Brian Hollandis85. Jazz musician Henry Threadgillis82. Composer John Adams is 79. Cartoonist Art Spiegelman is 78. Actor Jane Seymour is 75. Singer Melissa Manchester is 75. Actor Lynn Whitﬁeldis73. “The Simpsons” creator Matt Groeningis72. Actor Christopher McDonald is 71.Football Hall of Famer Darrell Green is 66. ActorAlex Borstein is 55. Hockey great Jaromir Jagr is 54. Olympic swimming gold medalist Amy VanDyken-Rouen is 53. Actor-singerAmber Riley is 40. Rapper Megan Thee Stallionis31. Race car driver George Russell is 28. Actor Zachary Gordonis28.

When thebackgroundmusic is tooloud

Dear Miss Manners: Ilive in a large city,and used to enjoy going out to lunch or dinner with friends. However,the loud music combined with the lack of soundabsorbing materials in restaurants have made dining out astressful event. It has become almost impossible to converse in anormal tone of voice.

can we do, other than staying home and getting takeout delivered?

As we age, many of us wear hearing aids.Itisdifﬁcult to distinguishwords in abackground of noise. Many young people alsocomplain about the decibel level. We often ask the waitstaff if thevolume can be lowered, but to no avail. (If we are the only people in the restaurant, the volume might be lowered, but as soon as another party enters, thevolume is pumped up again.)

No wonder people have lost the abilitytoconverse! What

Gentle Reader: Youare more likely to enjoy your evening out if you choosearestaurantbydecibel level, just as you would select atype of cuisine, such as Moroccan or Sichuan.

MissManners suggests that you call ahead and explain that you arelooking for a quiet restaurant. No restaurateurwants an unhappy customer,sothey are unlikely to mislead you, and your call might make them wonder if they should be turning down thevolume.

Dear Miss Manners: Iaman RN, and Ispent mostofmy 30-year career working at a community hospital near my home.

It didn’thave the greatest reputation, but it had some

great doctorsand nurses, and Iwas proud of the work we did. Whenasked, Itellpeople where Iworked, and am often met with, “Oh, Iwould nevergotothathospital” or “I hate thathospital.” (This also happenedwhile Iwas still working there!)

Iamata loss as to howto respond to these rude people

Usually,Ijust ignore the ignorant comment, but sometimes, I’dlike to have a comeback readythatwould make themaware howhurtful andthoughtless theyare Any ideas?

Gentle Reader: Tell themyou are sorry theyhad abad experience— or whatever they arerelating about the hospital. Miss Manners fears that youmay be in foralong story

Thenmentionthatyou worked with some very dedicated professionals, but do notknowthe current situa-

tion. And change the subject. Please, however,noteMiss Manners’ full answer.You askedhow to make them realize theywererude and feel badabout it. She did that —and possibly also gotthem to rethink their opinionofthe hospital.

Youneglected to ask how to do this without starting an argument or convincing the questionerthatyou are just as badasthe hospital. Which is whatwould have happened, hadyou contradictedthem without giving themanout, or by glaring at themand letting the conversation grind to ahalt.

Sendquestions to Miss Manners at herwebsite, www.missmanners. com; to heremail, dearmissmanners@gmail. com; or through postalmail to Miss Manners, Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City,MO64106.

Everyone should maintain sparetirepressure

appliance.

Dear Heloise: Iwas feeling curious, so Ichecked theair pressure in thespare tireof an SUV that Ibought four years ago. I had never even looked to see where thespare was stored, which was under aﬂoor panel in the back. Idiscovered that it was functionally ﬂat and would have been absolutely useless in an emergency.Accordingly, Iurge everyone to monitor and maintain every vehicle’s properspare tirepressure.

Jim R., in Houston Roughtowel fix

Dear Heloise: Regarding the inquiry of what to do about rough towels: After our traditional washing machine finally gave out after many years of use, we now live with an insufficient, energy-efficient

Ourlaundry was not gettingclean and was frayed. We discovered that there was not enough water tocover the laundry in the normal cycle, and everything was getting tangled. We were using thesame amount of laundry detergent as we would for afull tubof water

We now have reduced the amount of laundry detergent, use thedeep water rinse, and use thecycle for bulky items and sheets so that every load can get thesufﬁcient amount of water

Also, to note, we have adishwasher that requires handdrying of dishes, an electric clothes dryer that requires two cycles to dry mostloads, and awater-conserving toilet that has to be ﬂushed at least twice. —Sarah, via email Cutonthumb

Dear Heloise: Icut my thumb

right on the top of my knuckle, and Iknew that it would be difﬁcultfor it to heal properly because of all the bending and ﬂexing in this spot during the day After cleaning the cut thoroughly and applying antibiotic medicine and abandage, I wanted to stabilize my thumb so that it wouldn’tkeep reopening.

My ﬁrst thought was to use atongue blade to make asmallsplint, but Ididn’t haveone on hand. Instead, I grabbed what Idid have: an emery board. Asmall, stiffemeryboard worked perfectly to keep my thumbfrom bending too much. Itaped it in place, and it worked like acharm as a makeshift splint while the cut healed —Corrinne Berkland, in Universal City,Texas Zipup!

Dear Heloise: Many people, youngand old, have trouble

zipping up the double-zipper on coats and sweatshirts. This is the zipper that allows room at the bottom of the coat/ sweatshirt forsitting, bending or general comfort. The easiest way to zip this up is to ﬁrmly hold the top zipper and pull downwhen inserting the pin on other side of the zipper Holding it downensures that the twozippers are fully aligned and ready forzipping! —Therese, in Indiana Poweroutagehint

Dear Heloise: Here are afew things to have on hand in case of apower outage: canned foods (along with amanual can opener), matches, and pillar (fat, sturdy) candles. Lay acandle on aﬂat mirror to reﬂect morelight and illuminate the entire room —A reader,via email Sendahinttoheloise@ heloise.com.

Hints from Heloise

BUSINESS

Stateeyes industrial workforce challenges

BY IANNE SALVOSA Staff writer

Louisiana Plastic Industries, aplastic product manufacturing company in West Monroe, is a leading employer in North Louisiana. But it has struggled in recent years to ﬁll open positions and has found it particularly challenging to find workers whowould maintain the company’slarge machinery

“We’ve experienced the same recruitment and retention challenges other employers have experienced as well,” said Deion Hemphill, Louisiana Plastic chiefﬁnancial ofﬁcer.

Louisiana Plastic isn’talone.Companies across the state are feeling the effects of aworkforce shortage that has hampered growth efforts for years and couldintensify,asLouisiana prepares to meet about $98.1 billion in industrial projects. Skilled industrial labor demand is expected to peak at 120,000 by the third quarterof2027, according to datafrom the GreaterBaton RougeIndustry Alliance.

Now,anew partnership between state agencies and organizations is hoping to make recruitment easier for Louisiana businesses.

The Business Workforce Solutions pilot program establishes a framework for the state to address employers’ needs, as Louisiana ramps up to meet the labor needed forindustrial projects andshortages of skilled trades workers. The state’seight economicdevelopment organizations willserve as points of contact for businesses in need of employee recruitment, retainment and training support, reducingthe number of entities employers contact when seeking help with their workforce.

The organizations then work with the initiative’sother partners, Leaders for aBetter Louisiana, Louisiana Economic Development and Louisiana Community College andTechnical System, to find asolution,which could include promotion of certain job opportunities or refurbishingthe state’scertification and trainingofferings. Agoal of the initiative is to prevent employersfrom havingto reach out to all parties individually Louisiana Works Secretary Susie Schowen said state partners tend to overlap in outreach to employers to learn about their challenges in attaining and retaining employees. The initiative’sframework identifies apoint of contact and consistentset of expectations for employers when they consult state partners to help them procure talent, she said.

STARTER THE GUN

BY RICH COLLINS Staff writer

The National WWII Museum in downtown New Orleanshas plenty of historic weapons on display,including pistols, riﬂes and even abazooka or two. In an office building just across Camp Street from the museum’s campus, casual observers would be forgiven for thinking they’d found another stockpile, including whatappear to be several M4 carbine assault riﬂes and a fearsome-looking, tripod-mounted machine gun. But there’ssomething different about this second collection.

STAFFPHOTOSByENAN CHEDIAK

3IRS issues to watch this taxseason

Every year at the start of tax season, the question is whether the chronically underfunded IRS will be ahot mess or whether things will run fairly smoothly

WEAPONS

Continuedfrom page 1E

Michelle Singletary

THE COLOR OF MONEy

This year,the IRS expects about 164 million individual returns to be ﬁled by the April 15 deadline.

Last year,before the Trump administration rolled back some gains,mainly stafﬁng, things were looking better.About 104 million taxpayersreceived refunds,and thosechecks weren’tsmall, averaging $3,167.

“More recent ﬁling seasons have demonstrated meaningful improvement,” National Taxpayer Advocate Erin Collins saidinher annual report to Congress.

As for how the current season is looking, Collins is optimistic and concerned.

“For the significant majority of taxpayers who file their returns electronically, who includetheir direct deposit information, and whose returns are not stopped by IRS processing filters, the process will be seamless,” she said. However,“the success of the filing season willbedefined by how well the IRS is able to assist the millions of taxpayers who experience problems,” she wrote. And that could encompass millionsoffolks.

Let’sjust walk through some of the challenges that Collins sees for this tax season.

Understaffing

The IRS started 2025 with about 102,000 employees and ended the year with about 74,000, a27% reduction in “virtually all IRS functions,including Taxpayer Services,” Collins wrote.

Here’saneye-popping observation from her report: “The IRS generally receives over 100 million telephone calls and several million pieces of taxpayer correspondence each year.”

Although some of those open positions will be backﬁlled, “the numberswill be smaller,and new hires generally need to be trained from scratch,” Collins wrote.

What aself-defeating move to cut customer service representatives who answer telephone calls and process taxpayer correspondence andcasework.

My advice: Fileassoon as you can, triple-check all your math and pack an abundance of patience if you need to contactthe IRS.

Refund delays

Last March, President Donald Trump issued an executive order calling on the federal government to reduce the number of paper checks it issues. As aresult, refunds issued during the 2026 ﬁling season will generally be delivered electronically as the IRS phases out paper checks, Collins said. However,this big push to go all-digital might be aproblem for many people who receive refunds but don’thave bank accounts.

“This transition is expected to disproportionatelyaffect unbanked, underbanked, disabled, elderly,and other vulnerable taxpayers for whom paper checks have often been the only practical means of receiving refunds needed to cover basic living expenses,” Collins wrote.

About 5.6 million households don’thave achecking or savings account, according to a2023 Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. survey On paper (pun intended), that makes sense. It costs more tomail acheck than to deliver it electronically.And Treasury checks are 16

WORKFORCE

“Coordinating that into asingle open door for the employers to walk through is ultimately what we’re trying to do,” Schowen said. The redundancy issue in employer outreach also led to aconcentration of attention toward larger companies, she said, and theinitiative aims to addressthe needs of small to midsizedbusinesses.

“This just puts aframework around it that assures that there are open lines of communication, that there are good ways to share information received from employers to the people whocan

timesmore likely to be lost, stolen, returnedoraltered thanelectronic payments, Collins pointed outina blog post last year

“Progress should not comeat the expense of the most vulnerable among us,” Collinswrote. “For some taxpayers, paper checks are not just amatter of preference; theyare the only option thatrespects their ﬁnancial reality,geographic constraints, or religious convictions.”

If aﬁlerdoesn’tprovide adirect deposit account, the IRS will send aletter requesting the informationoranexplanation for an exception.

“If there is no response to the notice and there are no other issues with thetax return, the refund will be released as apaper check after six weeks,” according to theIRS.

In an FAQ, the IRS said it will also provide alternative electronic payment methods, including payments via certain mobile apps and prepaid debit cards.

Fear of overdraft charges or high fees keeps some people from setting up accounts. But many banks and credit unions offer free checking with low or no minimum balance requirements.

My advice: If you know afriend or family member who doesn’t have abank account, help them open one and switch to electronic payments for their paychecks and any government payments, including tax refunds. NerdWallet posted this week its list of the 10 best free checking accounts for 2026.

TheOne BigBeautiful Bill Act

The majortax overhaul under theTrump administration will likely createone big headache for the agency and taxpayers. This Republican-backedlegislation made more than 100 changes to thetax code, according to Collins.

Some of the taxpayer-favorable deductions and benefits “are subject to complex eligibilityrules, incomethresholds, and phaseouts thatwill be difficult for manytaxpayers to understand and for the IRS to administer accurately during the filing season,” she wrote. For example, seniors get a new deduction, and there are tax breaks for tip income, overtime pay and auto loan interest. In thelattercase, there’sa long list of requirements to deduct up to $10,000 ayear in car loan interest:

To qualify,your car must be new, not used; bought forpersonal use (no leases); and assembled in the U.S. There’smore. The car loan must have been taken out after 2024 andobtained from astandard bank or lender —not from afamily member. Youalsohave to include the VIN on your tax return andmake sure the vehicle weighs less than 14,000 pounds. The deduction, which applies to the 2025 taxyear through 2028, begins to phase outonce what the IRScalls “modified adjusted gross income” exceeds $100,000 if you’re filing single, and $200,000 for married couples filing jointly

How likely is it that, between thestafﬁng shortage at the IRS and the complicated newrules for various deductions, there won’tbe alot of confusion?

My advice: If you don’twant your return or refund held up, be sure you understand all the new rules forclaimingany newdeductions. We would all love a“seamless” taxseason. But with all these fresh hurdles, ﬁleearly,triplecheck everything, andpray you don’t actuallyhave to call the IRS for help.

Email MichelleSingletary at michelle.singletary@washpost. com.

actually dosomething about it,” she said.

Demand forworkforce support

The framework builds on Gov Jeff Landry’s Project Lightning Speed announcedinSeptember which appointed liaisons in the governor’sCabinet to state agencies in an effort to streamline business-related processes. Landry has alsovowed to make thestate, which struggles with retainingresidentsand ﬁlling open roles, themost high-growth economy in theSoutheast. Adocumentoutlining how the state will achieve its economic goals identiﬁed “misaligned talentproduction and workforce services” as achallenge for state talent.

Last year,LED SecretarySusan Bourgeois embarked on atour of thestate’seight economic development areastogarner

Althoughtheylookand feellegit, these replicas will never ﬁre around of ammunition. Instead, theyare “surrogate” devices designed to act like their real-life counterparts—including recoiling when fired —and to collect data abouta shooter’sspeed,accuracy andother performance metrics.

Thetrainingtools are thecreation of Haptech Defense Systems, a12-year-oldNew Orleansbased tech manufacturing company that’sbeen working out of an ofﬁce and lab on AndrewHiggins Drive in theWarehouse District for thepast six years.

Haptech founderKyleMonti, a Luling native, developed and patented new ways for surrogates to imitatereal weapons afew years after graduating from theUniversityofNew Orleans in 2010. He’s spent mostofhis time since buildingconnections in the military training and simulation industry, nabbing research contractsworth roughly $17 milliontodevelop prototypes,build hardwareand software, and put it all into practice.

Now, Monti says hiscompany is hoping to begin mass commercial production, after gettingaboost from its biggestcontract to date: an $11 million program for the U.S. Army designed to develop prototypes for enhanced weapons skills training. The 20-month program, whichendedlastyear,helped Haptech create surrogates for several morecommonly used weapons.

“After adecadeofhardwork, it’s no longer about developing ﬂedgling tech,” Monti said during an interview at Haptech’sheadquarters earlier this month.“We provedit works. The next step is to sustainably build it and deliver it from our base in Louisiana.”

More high-techmanufacturing Haptech andits entertainmentfocused subsidiary,StrikerVR, represent the kind of high-tech manufacturing companiesLouisiana has been trying to build and attract for decades to diversify an economy overly reliant on energy, portsand hospitality.

State and regional economic development officials celebrate thecompanies that are leading the way,like New Orleans-area stalwart Intralox, maker of conveyance systems for aglobal customer base, or theLouisiana shipbuilders venturing into selfdriving boats and work for the commercial space industry.Drone manufacturer Blueﬂite‘ssmall ofﬁceinLafayette is another promising development, as is theplanned $370 million Radiance Microchip facility in Ruston.

High-techmanufacturing for thedefense industry is anew area of focus, as state leaderspoint to legacy companieslike Textron andmore recent entrantsinthat category.But experts saythe state needs morelike Haptech.

“Wedon’thave many small electronics companies in the state,” said Josh Fleig,LED’s chief innovation ofﬁcer.“It’sbeenfun to seethem grow and pull solid talent from electrical engineering programs at LouisianaTech andLSU.”

But building andsustaining thesebusinesses from scratch isn’t easy, as Monti knows well. Military contracts can be unpredictable, established competitors have ahead start, and manufacturing products at scale has its own hurdles.

“Getting aprototype to work is hard, but the real work starts when youhavetomanufacture it the sameway everytime,” Monti said. “That’snot just aboutmachines and parts; that’sabout hiring and training the right people.”

From hapticstoHaptech

Haptech’s name is both an acronym and apun.

In thetech world, the term “haptics” describes the way machines

feedback from businesses on how thestate can assist their growth. Astraightforward process for workforce development was among the responses, according to Tedra Cheatham,executive director of LED FastStart, the agency’sworkforce recruitment, training and retainment program.

LED will ensure theresponse from partners in theinitiative leverages regional strengths and thestate’starget sectors.

“Businesses consistently shared theneed for aclearer point of contact, stronger coordination among workforce and education partners and solutions that better reﬂect the pace and realities of hiring,”Cheatham said in an email. “That feedback informed thedesign of this initiative.”

‘A natural fit’

Trey Godfrey,the Greater Baton Rouge Economic Partner-

communicate with humans via touch, like an iPhone buzzing to announce anew text message or the way roboticsurgical equipment creates artiﬁcial resistance to help doctors workby“feel.”

Monti began his own deep dive into the ﬁeld when, post-college, he was looking for ways to combine hisinterestinscience,techand entrepreneurship.

Afriend with experience in defense contractingchallenged himtomodernize theway training weapons are made. Instead of using compressedair or gas to imitate therecoilofa gun, the young engineer patented an electronic system that uses linear motors, whichgenerate motionina straight line, to achieve asimilar effect.

That recoil is important because it forces trainees to keep their eyes on their targets while the gun is kickingback like its real counterpart would.

Monti said thesurrogate weaponshedesigned are easier and cheaper to operate andmaintain than theold pneumatic systems —and they have the added beneﬁt of collecting performancedata through an increasingly sophisticated software platform.

He’sspentyears makingthat case, taking meetingafter meeting withstakeholders in the roughly $15 billion militarytraining and simulation industry to build support for his new solution. In 2020, he brought on Chief Operating Ofﬁcer Conrad Rolling to help navigate the process. Their combined efforts have led to about adozen contracts that have helped pay for thedevelopment of new surrogate weaponsplus associated hardware and software.

Thecompany,whichbuilds its productsinits Warehouse District workspace,has bids outonanother $3 millioningovernment defense contractsasitcompeteswithmore established competitors, who still rely on legacy technology

“Using linear motorshas inherent advantages, but we had to build consensus in the military market,” he said.“We’rea small company competing against ﬁrmsthat have been building pneumatic simulatorssince the early 1980s.” From grunts to gamers

As Monti workedtolandmilitary contracts, he also began exploring the entertainment applications of his patents.

That led to the creation of StrikerVRtosell haptic-enhanced “blaster” devices —whichlook like guns from asci-ﬁ movie —to virtual reality entertainment venuesnearly adecade ago. To date, thecompany hassoldseveral thousand blasters,whichitservices

ship’ssenior vice president of talentdevelopmentand policy said theinitiative will address the common pain points foremployers, from upskilling their current employees to creating atalent pipeline into their company It builds on the organization’s existing duties: The partnership meets with about 140 companies each year to learn about their needs to inform the legislation that the organization advocates for.Inthe 2025 legislative session, thepartnership pushed for workforce training programs, including the M.J. Foster Promise Program,aﬁnancial aid program for adults pursuing degrees needed for high-wage, high-demand jobs.

Chris Masingill —president and CEO of Louisiana Central, an economic development organization for central Louisiana —said theinitiative will quicken the or-

HaptechDefense Systems founder and CEO Kyle Monti shows off a hapticsurrogate replica machine gun, above,and a linear motor,left, at Haptech.

and repairs in NewOrleans and at asecond facility in Europe.

Now,anewer,cheaper version of the product —retailing for hundreds of dollarsinstead of thousands —represents the company’sﬁrst departure from purely business-to-businesssales.Inaddition to commercial operators, an at-home virtual reality enthusiast can buy the Mavrik online and use it to play about adozen games available on VR headsets madeby Facebook parent company Meta.

The entertainment-focusedcompany’smost well-known client to date is the Universal Studios resort in Orlando, Florida. Monti’s team helped buildthe toyweapons fora“Minions”-themed target shooting attraction that opened in 2023.

Though Haptech andStrikerVR operate in different industries, Montiplans to grow both companies in asimilar way, using an “off the shelf”business model.

For Striker,that means making an even moreaffordableblaster, selling it on third-party sites like Amazon, and partnering with more gamemakers.

For Haptech, the goal is to massproduce surrogates of the most commonly usedweaponssomilitary customers or contractors can buy them just like they might buy commercially available laptops or software.

“The Armyand the Department of Defense are telling contractors this is what they want,” Monti said. Competingtobring jobs to La

On arecent weekdayvisit to Haptech’s headquarters, engineers and employees of its two sister companieswerebusyina workshop complete witha soundproof room andbenches covered with gun parts, wires, electronic components and tools.

In the center of the room,atechnician wasinstalling alaser in the barrel of amilitary training riﬂe. Afew desks away,a software engineer waswriting codefor atool that helps video gamedesigners control the movement and sounds of aMavrik blaster.Nearby,an electricalengineer was diagnosing aproblem with adevice.

It’sthis team that Monti is countingontopower both of hiscompanies forward as he pursues his “off-the-shelf”strategy

“We’re going makeproducts at scale using asupply chain Louisianaalready has in place because of companies in the oil and gas industry that make metal things,” the CEO said. “The military’sneed to train newrecruits is never going to go away.”

Email RichCollins at rich. collins@theadvocate.com.

ganization’sresponse time to connecting employers with resources forworkforce development.

Louisiana Central already has a close relationship with Central Louisiana Technical Community College and works with business leaders on adaily basis, he said, so the organization serving as a point of contact forthe initiative wasalogical choice.

“Itwas anatural ﬁt forusto step up and be aconduit,” Masingill said.

STAFFFILE PHOTOS By MATTHEW PERSCHALL

TALKING BUSINESS

ASK THE EXPERTS

New tech could transform soft serve ice cream industry

BY IANNE SALVOSA Staff writer

After years of research and fundraising, a frozen treat technology company is getting ready to churn out its product.

Cremmjoy, led by mechanical engineer Jason Hugenroth, has created a soft serve ice cream and slush machine that does not require the typical disassembling and cleaning process of a frozen dessert machine. Over the past ﬁve years, Hugenroth and his team have worked to develop prototypes, patent the technology and fundraise almost $3 million.

The technology displaces the nearly 200-year-old mechanism for soft serve ice cream by keeping the mix in a plastic bag inside the machine. The mix never touches other machine parts, eliminating the need to disassemble the contraption for cleaning.

“It’s a pretty radical departure from what’s been done for ice cream in general for about 180 years,” Hugenroth said in an interview at the company’s new Beaumont Drive headquarters.

He founded Cremmjoy at the LSU Innovation Park, where his research and development company Inventherm was a tenant. In 2022, the U.S. Department of Agriculture gave the company a $750,000 Small Business Innovation Research grant to develop a prototype of the technology Hugenroth said the company used a word-of-mouth fundraising strategy bringing in individual investors and demoing the invention.

Q&A WITH JASON HUGENROTH

It plans to test the product in test kitchens over the next year with a goal to have the machines on the market in 2027. In this week’s Talking Business, Hugenroth talks product development, company goals and Cremmjoy’s new headquarters.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity. What inspired the creation of this technology?

My company, before Cremmjoy Inventherm, that’s what I started in 2006 when I ﬁnished up my Ph.D. That was new technology development consulting work; we helped clients develop their technology I have a lot of background in refrigeration technology compressors.

We had, in 2019, ﬁnished up a project for a countertop ice cream machine for a client and did several generations of prototypes on that. Because of the work we’re doing on that, and the way your browser spies on you and stuff, I’m getting YouTube videos showing people cleaning a commercial soft serve machine, like the things you see in Dairy Queen or Yogurtland or places like that. It looked like a very difﬁcult process. I just started researching it a little bit, digging into it after spending some time with it kind of became the light that that really is the biggest problem in the industry, is that the machines have to be disassembled

Jason Hugenroth, CEO of Cremmjoy, stands at a milling machine used to make components for the machinery the company develops at its headquarters in Baton Rouge.

and cleaned and sanitized then reassembled regularly, or really should be done daily But most places maybe do it every few days. Kind of discovered that need, and then started thinking, we could come up with something where you didn’t have to do that, that would have a lot of market potential.

When you are demoing this to investors, what has been the reception of it? What are you finding and how are they receiving this?

It’s a tremendous amount of excitement. You have investors that have no idea other than generally being aware of soft serve machines when we bring them in. There’s a little bit of an education period. It’s not tremendously difﬁcult, because we’re actually able

to show them this is the current technology This is what they have to deal with. This is what they have to clean and this. We show them what we do on Cremmjoy It really paints the picture of what the beneﬁt is. Then, when you bring in people that are more like already either very familiar with the issues, or that are sort of industry experts and have background in this industry They already know what the problem is. We’re getting tremendous amounts of excitement from both our investors and then also potential customers and strategic partners. It’s because it’s such a paradigm shift in what’s out there right now Talk a little bit about your decision to remain here in Baton Rouge.Keep-

ing the headquarters in Louisiana, what does that mean to you? I’m from Louisiana. I was out of state for about 10 years, and so my wife and I moved back, to be back in Louisiana, be closer to family There’s a general interest to be here. But then on top of that, the state actually has various programs that make it attractive to be here. Cremmjoy gets research and development tax credits. Our investors have been able to take advantage of angel investor tax credits. They give some ﬁnancial incentives to be here. It’s just a combination of wanting to be here and the state trying to keep you here has made it a good ﬁt for us. What are your goals overall for the company in the future? The long-term goal is

that we need to make a return for our investors. You generally go through some type of process of it can be everything from merging with a bigger company to going public to private equity, or you can even have the payoff through once you just start generating revenue, start paying dividends to investors. But our focus in the upcoming few years is to keep ourselves on our development track and then get on the market and start generating revenue. Our overall goal is to disrupt the industry, to take a technologically stagnant industry and come out with a revolutionary product that’s going to be tremendously ﬁnancially successful. Do you see yourself developing any other types of technology in addition to the Cremmjoy machine? Cremmjoy right now that’s our focus. Our technology applies to not only soft serve ice cream type products, but also to frozen beverages,

STAFF PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

AROUND THE REGION

Storyteller initiative aims to highlight state’s successes

BY RICH COLLINS Staff writer

When Gov Jeff Landry named Susan Bourgeois secretary of Louisiana Economic Development in early 2024, she embarked on a statewide listening tour to ﬁnd out what mattered most to local business owners, community leaders and everyday Louisianians.

While she heard many inspiring stories during her conversations, people frequently lamented Louisiana’s poor performance in national economic and quality-of-life rankings or the lack of population growth relative to other Southern states. There was a general feeling, she said, that what’s possible elsewhere couldn’t happen here.

At the recent Mardi Gras celebrations in Washington, D.C., LED unveiled a new program aimed at changing that narrative — something Bourgeois believes is key to successful economic development efforts.

It’s called the Louisiana Storytellers initiative, and it’s a marketing campaign that seeks to recruit 1,500 volunteers from around the state and arm them with information they can use to help spread the word about the opportunities Louisiana has to offer and the progress it has made in addressing some of the state’s longstanding problems.

“It is aimed at keeping people here, attracting people here and expanding existing Louisiana businesses,” Bourgeois said. “It’s really a comprehensive value initiative to use Louisiana’s private sector as our army.”

‘Amplify the opportunities’

LED already has 800 volunteer storytellers, all of whom signed up for the program at the agency’s pavilion at the Washington Hilton during the Mardi Gras festivities.

Storytellers are given access to a website containing data about recent “positive” developments in the state, including new investments, job growth, reforms to the

tax structure and improvements in school test scores. They can also download slide decks detailing such data points and insert them into presentations when speaking to community or industry groups.

The goal, program director Rachel Shields said, is not to ignore Louisiana’s obvious challenges but to give people facts that will help them spread the word about what’s going right

“We want to help amplify the Louisiana opportunity story from the inside,” said Shields, LED’s chief engagement officer “Because we know economic development is driven by narrative from trusted voices.”

LED also hopes to use its storytellers in targeted ways. When volunteers sign up to participate in the program, LED collects information

about their industry, company, geographic region of the state and areas of interest or expertise.

“We can break that down geographically or by subject matter when we have a speciﬁc message to push,” Bourgeois said. “If we learn of a new development, say that is relevant to hospital CEOs or health care companies, we can send it to them.”

Storytellers are also encouraged to share information about their companies — expansions or job postings, for example — that will be posted to the storytellers site. There’s also a text tip line to help LED collect leads.

“If an exec is sitting on a plane talking to another exec who expresses interest in relocating, they can text the hub and we’ll reach out,” Shields said.

Changes at LED

The storytellers initiative follows other new projects and changes at LED since Landry took ofﬁce.

During the past two years, his administration has revamped the agency, launched a new innovation division — LA.IO for short — and released a new statewide economic development plan.

The agency’s new leadership also beneﬁted from good timing.

Bourgeois was appointed just as the state entered talks to land the Meta Hyperion data center in north Louisiana, a project with a nearly $30 billion price tag that is bringing major investment to a formerly quiet agricultural parish. That announcement was followed last March by another big

deal: the Hyundai steel plant near Baton Rouge. It will be the South Korean automaker’s ﬁrst steel mill in the U.S. Altogether, LED has announced a record $76 billion in investment in the state since Landry took ofﬁce.

To be sure, the deals are not without controversy Consumer advocates worry Entergy ratepayers will be on the hook for the cost to build new natural gas power plants to fuel the Meta data center Environmental advocates worry about the impact of mega projects on the quality of life in nearby communities.

Critics also lament that the state continues to give tax breaks to new industry while cutting back on investments in health care and education.

Bourgeois said she is not dismissing the critics or the state’s problems. But she said making people more aware of positive things happening in the state has only an upside.

“Do we have challenges in education? Yes,” she said. “But we have forward momentum, so we are equipping sector inﬂuencers with information to spread that story in a way that we could never afford through a traditional advertising buy.”

Now that Washington Mardi Gras is a wrap, the agency — whose ﬁscal year 2026 operating budget and project commitments top $261 million is reaching out to statewide economic development partners to get more volunteers for the campaign, which was executed with help from Louisiana-based Innovative Advertising as part of a broader $75,000 spend.

“We believe by end of year this year we’ll have thousands of storytellers aggressively communicating,” Shields said. “We want to move the needle and change how we talk about Louisiana.”

Email Rich Collins at rich. collins@theadvocate.com.

Beyond isn’taplace —it’samindset. Andit’sabeliefthathas poweredusfor over80years We areJones Walker LLP,a ﬁrmdrivenbyanentrepreneurial spirit,adeepsenseofcommunity,and aﬁerce determination to deliverexceptional serviceand valuefor our clients.

Since1937, ourﬁrm hasbeencommitted to workingwithcommunityleaders to develop business opportunitiesacrossthe state. We aresteadfast in continuing ourdedicationtogobeyondinadvising clientsand supportinginitiatives andorganizations that make Louisiana abetterplace to live andwork

Attorney

William H. Hines,ManagingPartner bhines@joneswalker.com 504.582.8000 201St. CharlesAvenue NewOrleans,LA70170-5100

STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Susan Bourgeois, back left, chats with Michael Hecht, President and CEO of Greater New Orleans Inc., on Jan. 30 at the Louisiana NOW pavilion inside the Hilton during Washington Mardi Gras.

Staff report

South Louisiana businesses and nonprofitgroups recently announcedthe following promotions, new hires and resignations.

BatonRouge

The Louisiana Travel Association announced new officers for its executive committee and new members of its board of directors at its annual meeting at aprivate club resort in Lafayette.

New ofﬁcers include Chair Nelson Gumm, of AJR Media Group;Vice Chair Carla Tate, of Tangi Tourism; Treasurer Adrienne Breaux, of The Royal Sonesta; Secretary Timothy Bush, of Visit Lake Charles; andImmediate Past Chair Donna O’Daniels, of Visit The Northshore.

New directors include PaigeAlost, of Natchitoches Convention &Visitors Bureau; John Bennett, of Gray Media; Amanda Carrier, of Experience Ruston; DustinGontarski, of Compass Media; Adrienne Hennis, of Advance Travel &Tourism; Laci Laperouse, of Visit St. Martin Parish; and Joshua Robinson, of LIVE!Casino

NewOrleans

Arnel Cosey has been appointedthe new CEO of the nonproﬁt Clover, formerly Kingsley House, effective April 1. Cosey,strategy and impact officer of the nonprofit since 2020, was previously an administrator at Delgado Community Collegefor more than 25 years. She will succeed Keith Liederman, who has been CEO since 2003 and worked for the nonproﬁt since 1994

LauraD’Angelo was named the coleader of theteam specializing in the gambling industry at Jones Walker D’Angelo,apartnerinthe firm’s Lexington, Kentucky ofﬁce, succeeds longtime coleader Tommy Shepherd will work alongside co-leader Kelly Duncan

Lin Hymel has joined Adams &Reese as part of the law ﬁrm’sglobal intellectual property practice.

Hymel is amolecular biologist with morethantwo decades of experience practicing patent law, having previously worked at law ﬁrms in Boston and Washington, D.C., andasanin-house patent attorney at amajor biotechnology company.

He has also served as an assistant professor at Tulane University School of Medicine and the University of LinzinAustria.

The New OrleansWomen &Children’sShelter announced its2026 board of directors.

Ofﬁcers include President David Schlakman,Vice President Bonnie Dye, Vice President for Governance

Amy Dye Domangue,Treasurer Richard Rodriguez and Secretary ColeNewton Board membersinclude Dan Silverman, GretchenHirtGendron, Melissa Vandiver JessicaWilliams Ari Ferrand-Goodwin Ginger Spencer, Todd Ragusa and Marcy Delatte

Jim Nelson was hiredbyRed River Bank to become a business development executive for the greater New Orleans market. Nelson, who will be basedinthe bank’s Central Business District location, also serves as treasurer and board member forWRBH 88.3 FM Radiofor theBlind andPrint Handicapped

James Capuzzi has been hired as the newdonorengagement manager at Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans. Capuzzi, who previously worked as director of the Susan B. Anthony Birthplace MuseuminMassachusetts and managed annual givingfor the Abigail AdamsInstitute,will overseethe charity organization’s fundraising initiatives.

Do you have personnelchanges to share or other ideas for our businesscoverage? Drop usa line at biztips@theadvocate.com.

Fool’sTake: Blue chip dividends

Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO)is astock worth considering if you’reseeking dividend income.

cut into six pieces instead. Each piece will be bigger,right?

The company has raised itsannual payout for an impressive 60plus consecutive years. Over the pastﬁve years, it has grown that payout by 24% —asolid pace that helped offset the effects of inﬂation. Itsdividend recently yielded 2.6%.

Coke has an impeccable supply chain and global brand recognition, and its networkof bottling partners allows it to maintain high profit margins. Remember that Coca-Cola produces syrups and concentrates, which its bottling partners then usetomanufacture, package, merchandise and distributeits products. Coke thereby maintains high operational flexibility across global markets, which can help it withstand regionspecific slowdowns.

Thanks in parttoits strong brands,Coca-Cola has been able to raise prices amid inﬂation and largely weather theeconomic storm in recentyears. While sales haven’tgonethrough the roof, it has steadily increased its top line —by6%in2023, 3% in 2024 and 3% in 2025. This is the type of steadygrowth that can be counted on for dependable and consistent gains, and it permits future dividend growth.

Coca-Cola is alow-volatility stock,withabeta of only 0.36. (A “beta” of 1.0 meansshares are about as volatile as the overall market; one below 1.0 reﬂects less-than-average volatility.)

This is astellar stock that can be ideal for risk-averse longterm investors.

Fool’sSchool: Allabout stock buybacks

If you invest in individual stocks, you need to understand stock buybacks —the “repurchasing” of shares —which can be good or bad news

Here’swhy you might celebrate astock buyback: Imagine apizza cut into eight roughly equal pieces. Now imagine it

It’sessentially the same with stocks. Each share represents a (small) degreeofownership in thecompany.Whenacompany buys backshares, essentially retiring them, it reduces the number of sharesthatexist; that means each remaining share represents alargerpart of the company’svalue

Here’sasimpliﬁed example: Let’ssay Buzzy’sBroccoli Beer (ticker: BRRRP) has 1,000 shares outstanding. If you own 100 of those shares, you own 10% of the company.But if Buzzy’sbuys back 200 of itsshares, thatleaves only 800 shares outstanding; if you still own 100, your stake in the company is now 100 out of 800, or 12.5%. Youhaven’tdone anything, but the company has transferredsome value to you via thebuyback.Dividends are one way thatcompanies reward shareholders, andbuybacks are another.(Some companies do both.)

The main concernwith buybacks is whetherthe company is buying its shareswhenthey’re overvalued. In suchacase, it’s wasting shareholdermoney and destroying value.That money might be betterspent driving growthorpaying adividend. Astock buyback can also make earnings growth per share look greater thanthe company’s overall growth in net income Imagine thatBuzzy’searned $1,000 in its last quarter. If it has 1,000 shares, its earnings per share is $1 —$1,000 divided by 1,000. Afterits buyback, though, $1,000 in earnings dividedby only 800 sharesyields an EPS of $1.25. So its EPS has risen —not becausethe company performed better andearnedmore money,but because its share count shrank. It’ssmart to check how muchofa company’sEPS growthisdue to factors other than improvedperformance.

Ask theFool:

Forced selling

What is “forced selling”? —A.D., Chepachet, Rhode Island It can refer to multiple things. For example, imagine you’ve invested “on margin.” (That’swhen your brokeragelends you money to invest with.) If your holdings fall in value signiﬁcantly,you

might receive a“margin call,” requiring you to add money to your account —which you might do by selling someshares. If you don’ttake action, the brokerage may force-sell someshares for you. Meanwhile, if you own shares of amutual fund and it closes, your shares may be sold and the cash from the sale sent to you. Also, if afund hasn’tbeen performing well, manyshareholders may sell their shares, requiring the fund managers to sell off somestock the fund owns in order to pay the exiting shareholders what they’re owed. The managers may not have wanted to sell shares, but they wereforced to. (Ironically,this can happen after astock-market crash —a timewhen the fund managers might prefer to be buying shares of lower-priced stocks, not selling them.)

My Dumbest Investment: Didn’t buy Buffett’sstock

My most regrettable investment? Well, my first brokerage account wasatMerrill Lynch, and the fees on tradeswere so high that Ialwaystried to buy in 100-share lots to spread the feeacross more shares. I learnedabout Warren Buffett’scompany, Berkshire Hathaway, whenitwas trading around $1,500

the stock’s pricewas about $19 pershare.In1996,hecreated asecondclass of shares, Class B, with each share originally worth one-thirtieth of the originalClass Ashares. (In 2010, he split the Bshares 50-for-1 So now, each Bshare, recently priced near $508 apiece, is about 1/1,500 the priceofanAshare.)

If you’d bought asingle share at $1,500 long ago, even paying the trading commission, you’d have done well: Those Ashares were recently trading at more than $760,000 each! Some good news is that trading fees have fallensharply over the past quarter-century or so,and many major brokerages nowcharge $0 for most trades.

Do you have asmart or regrettable investment move to sharewith us? Emailitto tmfshare@fool.com.

Cosey

Hymel

Nelson

Capuzzi

D’Angelo

NATION & WORLD

‘Transformative’ AI plugging into doctors’ offices, ERs

BY EMILY BRINDLEY

The Dallas Morning News (TNS)

An extra set of eyes on radiology scans, double-checking for signs of prostate cancer A green light telling surgeons when it’s safe to operate on trauma patients. A reminder system that ﬁnds and ﬂags test results that need to be followed up on.

Artificial intelligence has bounded into the mainstream, into personal lives, classroom assignments and work meetings — so it should be no surprise to find it in doctors’ offices and emergency rooms, too.

Nationwide, according to a federal brief, hospitals’ use of AI tools is growing rapidly In 2023, 66% of hospitals used predictive AI tools in their electronic record systems. A year later, that number was up to 71%.

As AI saturates nearly every aspect of our modern world, some medical applications run directly parallel to the types of tools we’re already familiar with. Many doctors, for instance, are using AI tools to listen to, transcribe and summarize their patient visits. Medical ofﬁces are using automated scheduling tools to navigate patient appointments and cancellations

These administrative tools, while not the most exciting, are proving to be hugely important. By reducing medical providers’ workloads, these tools can help curb physician burnout,aproblemthathasplagued the medical ﬁeld for years

But in the ﬁeld of medicine, there are also many more dynamic — and controversial applications.

AI tools can be used in clinical processes and decision-making, too, interfacing either directly with patients or with those patients’ care plans. The people who are working most closely with the development and implementation of these tools are excited. There are so many backstops that AI can provide, they say, to keep medical providers from making mistakes and to help understaffed emergency rooms respond more effectively to patient needs.

The people who are most excited about AI in health care describe the

technology as “transformative.”

As AI continues to evolve, day by day the central question for health care leaders is no longer whether they’ll use the technology in their medical facilities. The question, now, is how they’ll make sure the technology is improving patient care instead of imperiling it.

AI tools of all sorts come with caveats.

ChatGPT, among the most popular consumer-facing AI tools, has a caveat written at the bottom of the webpage. “ChatGPT can make mistakes,” the message says. “Check important info.”

Google’s AI tool contains a caveat, too, in a sidebar “Generative AI is a work in progress and info quality may vary,” it says.

AImistakesorhallucinationsmay not have life-altering consequences

when a user is looking for help rewriting emails or optimizing a todo list. When AI tools are applied to medical diagnosis and decisionmaking, though, the stakes are signiﬁcantly higher

That’s part of why doctors and other health leaders emphasize that AI tools, at this stage in their evolution, are meant to assist medical professionals — not replace them.

Xiaoqian Jiang — a researcher and the director of the Center for Secure Artificial Intelligence for Healthcare at the University of Texas Health Houston said that many of the existing tools perform well in straightforward medical cases. The same isn’t yet true, though, for complex cases.

“I think we are on the edge, but many of the models we currently have are still not actually to the lev-

el of the expert,” Jiang said. “A lot of the time, sophisticated scenarios still need human judgment.”

Even tools that do work well can still make mistakes or erroneous connections, which a human eye may be able to suss out before any damage is done.

From a legal perspective, doctors remain responsible for the care they provide, no matter what outside tools they’re using.

Angela Clark is the director of the Urology Research & Education Foundation The organization was createdbyDr PatFulgham,aurologist who practiced at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas for 35 years.

Clark and Fulgham said doctors’ legal liability is a built-in protection mechanism, preventing providers fromleaningtooheavilyonAItools.

“The providers are still held accountable, liable, for whatever they diagnose,” Clark said.

“Or fail to diagnose,” Fulgham added.

Even with those caveats on AI, experts say there are myriad ways the tools can help doctors do their jobs better And there are some things, AI proponents say, that these tools can do even better than a human doctor can.

Fulgham said there are AI tools that double-check radiology scans to identify risk factors that a human radiologist might have missed. That could help to ensure accurate diagnosis of prostate cancer, he said.

“It’s not meant to replace the radiologist,” Fulgham said, “but it may pointoutsomethingthatwasinobvious to them.”

Similarly, there are tools that can look over a biopsy and assist a pathologist in determining how aggressive of a cancer a patient has. That information can then be used to inform a treatment plan.

Joe Longo — chief digital information ofﬁcer at Parkland Health and James Gaston chief data ofﬁcer at Parkland — say the health system has a wide variety of AI tools already in use.

Some, such as an early warning system that alerts providers when a patient is heading toward coding, havebeeninuseforyears.Theoriginal version of the system wasn’t called “artiﬁcial intelligence” at the time it ﬁrst rolled out, but it falls into that category now

The goal of that system, and the other tools that Parkland and the Parkland Center for Clinical Innovation are working on, is to solve an actual problem in the hospital. AI tools are capable of all sorts of things. But if those tools are providing a solution where there is no problem, then they aren’t particularly useful to a health system.

“All the vendors are throwing spaghetti at the wall right now,” Gaston said “We’re trying not to just spend money and be excited about AI; We’re trying to make sure we’re delivering that value for the organization, for our patients.”

STAFF FILE PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

Dr Sammy Khatib left, listens to Dr Michael Bernard as he uses artificial intelligence to help with surgery at Ochsner Hospital.

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JUDE BRIDWELL

HANCOCK WHITNEY

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JEREMYWEIMER

HANCOCK WHITNEY

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BILL HOLT

HANCOCK WHITNEY

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ANGELLEWIS

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MICHAELHEBERT

HANCOCK WHITNEY 225-715-1133 •Michael.Hebert@hancockwhitney.com hancockwhitney.com/michael-hebert •NMLS 79769

ENGINEERING Geospatial Data Engineer (Baton Rouge, LA). Advises& leadsonprojects w/ complexGIS components,incl geospatial scientific dsgn,advanced geostatistics, interpolation, &multidi‐mensionalanalysis. Bach's in Geomat‐icsEnggorrltd. 5yrs'GIS exp, to incl some solidexp w/ each of thefollow‐ing: webGIS architectures, deployment of distributedgeospatialservices; Esri technologies,inclArcGISPro,ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Enterprise (Portal, Server,Datastore); prototyping, de‐ployingspatial webapplications & dashboards usingArcGISWeb App‐Builder& ArcGIS Dashboards,incl HTML &CSS customization; spatial d/bases, incl relational systems(Post‐greSQL,PostGIS)& NoSQLd/bases (MongoDB);Python, w/ emphasis on geospatial libraries; ETLworkflows for high-volumespatial data pipelines; Open Geospatial Consortium stan‐dards; containerizing environments usingDocker; GitTechnologies (Git‐Lab),CI/CD pipelines. In depthknowl of: spatialstatistics& geostatistics(Krig‐ing, spatialautocorrelation,hot spot analysis); remote sensingdata& tech‐niques (satelliteimagery,LiDAR). Hy‐brid schedule is an option forthisposi‐tion.MUSTsendCV& coverletterto HR@TheWaterInstitute.org or Brandy Rush,The WaterInstitute of theGulf, 1110 RiverRdS,Ste 200, BatonRouge,LA 70802w/in30days, refJob #W2021-489.

Data Architect(BatonRouge,LA).Dsgn end-to-end clouddatasolutions incl ar‐chitecture,infrastructure, storage, data model, ETL/ELT, &consumption Master's in Info SystemsEnggorrltd field. Solid background or expineachof thefollowing:dsgng &managingdata architecturesindistributed environ‐ments; dvlpgdatapipelines &ETL workflowsfor scientific &geospatial data;high-performancecomputing systems, jobschedulers(HTCondor); monitoring &observabilitytools (Grafana,Elasticsearch); MongoDB; multidimensional geospatial data data cubes; Python fordataprocessing &analysis; NumPy; Xarray;Apache (Kafka, Spark).Hybridscheduleisan option forthisposition. MUST send CV &cover lettertoHR@TheWaterInstitu te.org or Brandy Rush,The WaterInsti‐tute of theGulf, 1110 RiverRdS,Ste 200 BatonRouge,LA70802w/in30days, ref Job# W2020-415.

Yes, knowledge is power, and the choice is yours. But you MUSTACT NOW to put your estate planinplace.Itall starts by attending oneofLaura Poche’s free educational eventswhich makes it clear that regardless of your networth, if you want to preserveyourhard-earned assetsorhavepeople in your life you need to protectorhavecauses that youwanttopromote, EVERY PERSON NEEDSALEGAL ESTATE PLAN. Let LauraPoche and her professional and knowledgeable staffmakethis process as easyaspossible so youcan livewith PEACEOFMIND.

BATONROUGE

Monday,February 23

Poche LawOffice 4960 Bluebonnet,Ste.C 2:00pm -4:30pm REFRESHMENTSPROVIDED AFTER

BATONROUGE

Tuesday,February 24

Drusilla Seafood 3482 Drusilla Lane 5:30pm -8:00pm DINNER PROVIDED AFTER

BATONROUGE

Wednesday,February 25 Poche LawOffice

4960 Bluebonnet,Ste.C 9:30am-12:00pm LUNCH PROVIDED AFTER

• Minimizeoravoid death tax.

• Makesureyourestateutilizesthe exemption availablefor deaths occurring in 2026.

• Properly setup your Will or Living Trustsotherewill be no taxupon thedeath of the first spouse regardless of the sizeofthe estate

• Ensurethat your heirsreceivea step-up in taxbasis -not justwhen the first spousedies butagain when the surviving spouse dies.

• Utilizethe 2026annual gift taxexclusiontomakegifts of $20,000 per year per person during your lifetimetoreduceyourtaxableestateatyourdeath...and MUCH MORE!

INCOME TAXSEASON IS HEREWATCHOUT FORTHOSE ESTATE, GIFT ANDCAPITAL GAINSTAXES,TOO!

Everyone wantstoavoid tax. When people think about avoidingtaxes,theyusually think aboutavoiding income tax. But Louisiana residents must be concerned with severaltypes of taxeswhen theyare planning their estates.

FEDERAL ESTATE TAX-DID YOUKNOW?

Thefederal estate taxappliestoestates of people who areresidents in anyofthe 50 states. When it applies,itissignificant. Essentially,when apersondies, we must add up the fair marketvalueofeverything the deceased owned -their house, cars,bank accounts,IRA’s, 401(k)’s, life insurance, stock,businesses theyown, real estate and more. EffectiveJanuary 1, 2026, the federal estate taxexemptionamountis$15,000,000 per person($30,000,000 for married couples) fordeaths occurring in 2026. Theestatetax rate remains at 40%.

WHAT ABOUT THE SURVIVING SPOUSE?

Before 2010,each spousehad an estate taxexemption. If the estate of thefirst spousetodie didnot usetheir exemption,itwould be lost,and the surviving spousecould notuse anyof the exemption of the first spousetodie.However, in 2013,“portability” waskeptinplace-the surviving spousecan nowincreasetheir exemptionbythe amount of theunused exemption amountofthe deceased spousewho died after2010. But portability must be exercisedtimely

HOWTOAVOID CAPITAL GAINSTAX

Thetax that oftencreepsuponpeople is capitalgains tax. Capitalgainsispaid when you sell an asset that has appreciated in value.Example: youbuy astock for$20,000 and later sell the stock for$100,000.You will have$80,000ofcapitalgain, and youmustpay taxon this.How youstructureyourbequeststoyourspouseand your family canhaveasignificant impactonhow much capitalgains taxyourheirswillhavetopay.Whenyou die,yourassets will be “stepped-up” and your heirswill getanew value

GIFTSOF$20,000 PERYEARPER PERSON (USED TO BE $10,000 PER YEAR PER PERSON)

Youmay haveheard youcan donateorgive$20,000 each year per personwithout gift tax consequences.Typically,noone pays gift taxonagift regardless of thevalue of thegift.A sizeable gift will haveestateand gift taxconsequences.

IMPORTANTGUIDELINES FOROUR WORKSHOPS:

All ourlearningworkshopsemploystrictsocial distancing standards foreveryone’s safety Workshopsare open to FIRST-TIMEATTENDEES ONLYand aregeared towardspeople who want or need your legal estate plan in placequickly Pleasehaveyourpersonal calendarhandy at the workshop so youcan choose to startyourplan NOW! If married, both spouses mustattend a workshop to ensurethat alldecision-makersare involved in your family’scoordinated plan.

All people whoattendwill receiveaFREE copy of the updated 2nd edition of LauraPoche’s Book, “Estate Planning AdvicebyaWoman forLouisiana Women: AGuide forBothMen and Women About Wills,Trusts,Probate, Powers of Attorney, Medicaid, Living Wills and Taxes.”

Getting 7,000 steps a day is a great way to lose weight and reduce risks of premature death cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes and even neurological diseases such as dementia, according to

Rethink Lent

Experts offer 5 ways to kick-start health goals after Mardi Gras

BY MARGARET DELANEY Staff writer

Many Louisianans tend to bypass the optimism of New Year’s resolutions with their sights set on something more true to their roots — Lent After all, why begin new health goals when Mardi Gras is just beginning? Catholic or not, Lent offers a unique time in the year to kick-start health goals. Forty days of renewing 2026

resolutions or kick-starting a health journey or improving personally with a “winter arc” doesn’t sound too bad, right?

“Just get started,” said Lisa Abramson, a certiﬁed personal trainer at Ochsner Fitness Center New Orleans.

Although often touted as an opportunity for Catholics to make sacriﬁces and give something up, the Lenten season is an opportunity to get healthier

Limiting time on phones and devices and giving up desserts are common enough, but some goals need more focus and planning.

Here are tips to get started:

Define ‘wellness,’ start small

Kristina Schuldt is a family medicine physician and wellness director for about 14,000 employees of the Mayo Clinic Health System in Minnesota.

“Wellness means different things to

people. There’s fitness and physical wellness, but there’s also mental wellness, ﬁnancial wellness, spiritual wellness,” she said. “A person should deﬁne what their wellness goal is.”

n Don’t take on the entire wellness universe at once, she warned. Start with small steps.

n Increase water intake, for example, using a bottle or jug big enough to hold

ä See LENT, page 2X

HEALTH NOTES

Link between wildfire smoke exposure, autism studied

Tulane study finds higher risk in children when mother exposed late in pregnancy

BY MARGARET DELANEY

Staff writer

A study led by Tulane University found that children whose mothers were exposed to wildﬁre smoke during the third trimester had a higher risk of being diagnosed with autism before the age of 5. The study, published in Environmental Science & Technology, analyzed more than 200,000 births in Southern California from 2006 to 2014.

In mothers exposed to more than 10 days of wildfire smoke during the final three months of pregnancy, children had a 23% higher risk of autism diagnoses compared to those whose mothers were never exposed to smoke from wildfires during pregnancy

OLOL does La.’s 1st single-port transabdominal colorectal surgery

Dr Asif Talukder performed the ﬁrst successful single-port transabdominal colorectal surgery, an advanced robotic technique, at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge in February.

The procedure is minimally invasive — with only one incision less than two inches in length — and reduces trauma to surrounding

tissue, minimizes pain and “supports shorter recovery times compared to traditional multiincision surgery,” according to the Lake.

The ﬁrst single port robotic case in the state was quickly followed by the second, which Talukder performed the same day

Pennington doctor receives $3.7 million grant for study

Dr Candida Rebello secured $3.7 million in a ﬁve-year federal grant from the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute on Aging to study “lifestyle-focused care strategies” to reduce excess body fat and declining muscle mass in adults over the age of 50

GETTy IMAGES PHOTO

Lisa Abramson a certified personal trainer at Ochsner Fitness Center New Orleans.

HEALTH MAKER

La. doctor says hypnosis can help with abdominal pain

BY RACHEL MIPRO

Contributing writer

Dr Amanda Glinky, a gastroenterology hepatology and nutrition specialist at Manning Family Children’s New Orleans, discussed the efﬁcacy of hypnosis, and how she incorporates it in her practice.

What sparked your interest in hypnosis?

I started my training journey in clinical hypnosis in the early summer of 2022 There were some pretty compelling studies that were coming out about the use of hypnosis for the treatment of abdominal pain from sensitive nerves, so things like irritable bowel syndrome and functional abdominal pain. And so I knew that I wanted it to be a tool that I could have to teach my patients who struggle with those conditions.

The kind of hypnosis that I teach is self-hypnosis, and so I teach kids how to enter into a state of focused attention, which is kind of the cornerstone of hypnosis, using exercises with focusing on breathing, sometimes it is with counting. To kind of

practice going into that part of your brain, to feel more comfortable in your body and to feel more powerful over abdominal pain and nausea

Study reveals infants’ complex visual processing

Research shows earlier cognitive development insights

BY LAURA UNGAR AP medical writer

A new study suggests that babies are able to distinguish between the different objects they see around them at 2 months old, which is earlier than scientists previously thought. The findings, published Monday in Nature Neuroscience, may help doctors and researchers better understand cognitive development in infancy

“It really tells us that infants are interacting with the world in a lot more complex of a way than we might imagine,” said lead author Cliona O’Doherty “Looking at a 2-month-old, we maybe wouldn’t think that they’re understanding the world to that level.”

The study looked at data from 130 2-month-olds who underwent brain scans while awake. The babies viewed images from a dozen categories commonly seen in the first year of life, such as trees and animals. When babies looked at an image like a cat, their brains might “fire” a certain way that researchers could record, O’Doherty said. If they looked at an inanimate object, their brains would fire differently The technique known as functional magnetic resonance imaging, or fMRI allowed scientists to examine visual function more precisely than in the past. Many previous studies relied on how long an infant looked at an object, which can be difficult to assess at

youngerages Someofthose past studies suggested that infants as young as 3 to 4 months could distinguish between categories such as animals and furniture

“What we’re showing is that they really already have this ability to group together categories at 2 months,” O’Doherty said. “So it’s something much more complex than we would’ve thought before.”

In the new study many of the babies returned at 9 months, and researchers successfully collected data from 66 of them. In the 9-month-olds, the brain was able to distinguish living things from inanimate objects much more strongly than in the 2-month-olds, O’Doherty said. Someday, researchers said, scientists may be able to connect such brain imaging to cognitive outcomes later in life

Liuba Papeo, a neuroscientist at the National Center for Scientiﬁc Research in France, said the number of babies in the study is one thing that makes the work “impressive and unique.”

Brain imaging with very young infants presents challenges

“One perhaps the most obvious — is that the infant needs to (lie) comfortably in the fMRI scanner while awake without moving,” she said in an email.

O’Doherty, who did the work at Trinity College Dublin in Ireland, said the key was making the experience as comfortable as possible for the babies Inside the scanner, they reclined on a bean bag so they were snug.

The images “appear really big above them while they’re lying down,” she said. “It’s like IMAX for babies.

I teach patients how to enter that state of focused attention, to feel better over their symptoms. It can be for cooperative children as young as

8, and then all the way up into teenagers. Think about it like a skill. I just teach them the skill and encourage them to practice on their own.

LENT

Continued from page 1X

a day’s worth, with markings on the side to let you see how much you drink.

n If quitting smoking is the goal, cut down by one cigarette until it feels comfortable, then do the same thing again and again.

n That goes for getting your steps in, too. If you’re not used to long walks, start with a few blocks and increase by two every week.

“Revamping an entire diet is not realistic,” said Allie Foreman, a nutrition specialist for Ochsner’s Eat Fit Baton Rouge program “You’re more likely to get burned out, and it’s not sustainable.”

Plan ahead

Although it is tempting, waiting until Ash Wednesday to begin thinking about health goals and what to do for Lent can be stressful and lead to confusing goals that are hard to accomplish.

Creating specific plans helps to cut down on the mental energy along the way and makes the process of achieving goals as painless and easy as possible.

Selecting goals must be personal, according to Abramson, and not for the beneﬁts of others or trends or what people think.

“You have to have reasons to do it for yourself, not for anybody else,” Abramson said.

Each goal requires different parameters to achieve. Identifying the best types of goal will help to clarify the next planning stages.

For example, have appealing and accessible alternatives to cutting down on sugar caffeine or screen time may help make the goal achievable along the way

“We all have 10 minutes,” Abramson said. A good plan, she added, follows the acronym FEEL: “It’s fast, it’s enjoyable, it’s effective and there’s longevity.”

Being consistent is key to building habits that will last the entire 40 days of Lent. That might mean mindful breathing, followed by a few minutes of stretching and a 10-minute workout in the morning. Or it could be a new approach to breakfast, or a rethink on the crush of daily responsibilities

Workout buddies matter

Even with countless studies on how exercise improves the health of our bodies, minds, and quality of life, 75% of people don’t get enough physical activity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Daniel Lieberman, a Harvard paleoanthropologist

Is hypnosis a common technique among doctors in general, or is it a newer technique? I wouldn’t say that it’s very uncommon. I would say that it has gained ground, especially in recent years, as being a more mainstream and accepted treatment, particularly for IBS and functional abdominal pain. There were some guidelines released in 2025 by the North American Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, and the European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition.

These are the big governing bodies in terms of the management of pediatric GIs across North America and Europe. They afﬁrmed a high recommendation for using hypnosis to treat abdominal pain, IBS and functional abdominal pain, even over a lot of medications which are more commonly used. So the 2025 guidelines reafﬁrmed that hypnosis is an acceptable and evidence based option for the treatment of these conditions now Is hypnosis paired with other treatment or is it effective on its

own?

I always pair the hypnosis recommendation with dietary and lifestyle modiﬁcation to support treating those conditions, talking about sleep and stress management. I think you have to treat the whole patient. How long does each session take?

Sessions can be anywhere from ﬁve to 15 minutes. When patients practice at home, they can practice in session lengths of their choosing. I recommend that they create a schedule and that they try to adhere to the schedule, so that it really does become a practice that is second nature. Just like any other muscle, the more that you practice, the stronger it is and the easier it is to use.

I can’t emphasize enough that there is a high quality of evidence for using hypnosis and that it really is a valid and scientiﬁcally proven method for the treatment of abdominal pain. We are taking it out of the stage act and more into actual real life to be a really powerful tool that people can use for themselves.

and author of “Exercised: Why Something We Never Evolved to Do is Healthy and Rewarding,” said the “buddy system” is the best way to motivate anyone to do a workout routine regularly

Canceling a 6 a.m. workout is different when a friend is waiting for you to show up.

Lieberman’s research shows that humans have major biological and cultural incentives to avoid exercise. That’s because historically, it was important for survival to avoid expending unnecessary energy

“For the vast majority of us, it’s hard to exercise and we all have deep fundamental instincts to avoid unnecessary activity,” Lieberman said in his book.

To motivate friends and family, try scheduling a daily walk after dinner or a standing weekly workout class at a studio near Taking a walk

Don’t fall for whatever wellness trend is making the rounds — except maybe walking.

Getting 7,000 steps a day is a great way to lose weight and reduce risks of premature death, cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes and even neurological diseases

such as dementia, according to Abramson.

“There’s a lot of good reasons that would motivate somebody to want to start walking,” Abramson said.

Walking can help de-stress the body and kick-start the digestive system if taken after meals. Walking is low intensity compared to other cardio options like running or biking. If looking for an extra challenge, rucking or carrying extra weights on the wrists or in vests can help add extra weight and workout to walking.

Find people to support you

While starting a new, healthy diet sounds like a simple task, many people get stumped on how to create dishes that fit the bill.

Getting away from easy, comfort meals is a common hurdle for at-home health seekers.

Hosting a healthy recipes party can shine a light on new recipes and also build a supportive group of healthy eaters. Try out new healthy dishes like fun salads and vegetable sides with friends and family on a Friday (for Catholics adhering to a meatless day).

Foreman works with restaurants to connect them with healthy options and

modifications — replacing some items with whole grains, liming saturated fats and increasing proteins on the menu. The hospital-sponsored program also is hosting its 11th annual alcohol free for 40 days challenge. The program, at $65 per person with taxes, includes a Facebook group to ask questions, create new mocktail recipes and share experiences; tracking health metrics like weight, blood pressure and close-up photos of the face; and pre- and post-challenge blood work to compare inﬂammation, liver health and alcohol toxicity in the body

“During the 40 days, we found that people report better sleep and having more energy to do things like go for a walk after dinner or to spend time with friends,” Foreman said. “(Without alcohol,) energy levels are more steady throughout the day better mental clarity and ability to focus.”

Although registration for the program ends Feb 16, the alcohol-free program’s Facebook group is open to all who want to join the challenge.

Email Margaret DeLaney at margaret.delaney @theadvocate.com.

PHOTO PROVIDED By FRANK L AyMAMI III

Dr Amanda Glinky, a gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition specialist at Manning Family Children’s New Orleans, uses hypnosis as a tool in her practice.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By TRAVIS SPRADLING

Kane Hurst, 8, left, tries to keep pace doing pushups with his fitness enthusiast dad Lawrence Hurst, right, in the workout area at BREC’s Highland Road Park on April 12, 2022. Daniel Lieberman, a Harvard paleoanthropologist and author of ‘Exercised: Why Something We Never Evolved to Do is Healthy and Rewarding,’ said the ‘buddy system’ is the best way to motivate anyone to do a workout routine regularly

STAFF FILE PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Allie Foreman, a nutrition specialist for Ochsner’s Eat Fit Baton Rouge program, works with restaurants to connect them with healthy options and modifications.

PROVIDED PHOTO

Baby Blaise gets ready for her 9-month Foundcog brain scan with her mother, Mary, at Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience in Dublin, Ireland.

Eat Fit LiveFit

MThehidden costsofdrinking: Howalcohol really affectsyourbody and mind

ostofusweretaught tothinkofalcohol insimpleterms: moderationisﬁne,excessisthe problem.ButthedeeperI’ve goneintothesciencethrough yearsofclientwork,reviewing datafromAlcoholFreefor 40andinterviewingexperts, thecleareritbecomesthat alcohol’simpactisgreaterand moreimmediatethanmanyof usrealize.

Irecentlyhadthe opportunitytointerview alcoholresearcherMegan Strowger,PhD,formypodcast, FUELEDWellness+Nutrition.

Dr.Strowger’spostdoctoral workattheUniversityat Buffalo’sAlcoholResearchLab focusesonhowculturalcues andsocialmediashapeour drinkinghabits

“Weoftenthinkwe’remaking independentdecisionsaboutdrinking,” saidDr.Strowger.“We’reconstantlybeing subtlyinﬂuencedbywhatweseeinreal lifeandonsocialmedia.”

AlcoholandtheNervousSystem

“Ididn’trealizealcoholwasactually worseningmyanxietyuntilIstopped drinking.”It’soneofthemostcommon thingswehearfromAlcoholFreefor 40participants

Itseemscounterintuitive,butit’s true:Alcoholinitiallyincreasescalming neurotransmittersinourbrain,whichis whyitcanfeelrelaxinginthemoment Butasourbodymetabolizesalcohol, thenervoussystemreboundsinthe oppositedirection.Stresshormones rise.Heartrateincreases.Sleep becomesmorefragmented.Formany, theresultisnext-dayanxietyanda sensethatsomethingfeelsalittleoff

Overtime,thiscancreateand perpetuateatoxiccycleoffeelinganxious thedayafterwedrink,sowebegintorely moreonalcoholtorelax—eventhough alcoholitselfisakeypartofwhat’sdriving theanxietyintheﬁrstplace

TheRippleEffects

Theeffectsofalcoholextendfarbeyond thebrain.Itdisruptsgutbacteriaandthe balanceofthemicrobiome.Itinterferes withbloodsugarregulation,whichcan contributetoenergycrashes,cravings andtheup-and-downrollercoastermany

peopleexperiencethroughout theday.Itincreaseswhole-body inﬂammationandaltershowour bodymetabolizesfuel,often prioritizingalcoholoverfatburning Manypeoplenoticevisiblechanges whentheycutbackorstopdrinking likelessfacialpuffiness,reduced bloatingorclearerskin.Othersnotice changesthatshowupindailylife suchassteadierenergy,improved concentration,feweremotional spikesandamoreconsistentmood.

“Givingupalcoholforawindowof timeisanopportunitytohitthereset button,”saidDr.Strowger.“People personallyexperiencehowabreak fromdrinkingaffectssomanyaspects oftheirwellbeing,insideandout.”

EvenShort-TermAbstinence CanShiftHabits

Dr.Strowgerrecentlyleda2025 scopingreviewofDryJanuaryresearch publishedinthejournalAlcoholand Alcoholism.Acrossmultiplestudies participantswhocompletedamonth ofabstinenceshowedimprovementsin biologicalmarkers,mentalwell-being andaconceptresearcherscall“drink refusalself-efficacy,”whichreferstoone’s conﬁdenceindecliningalcoholinsocial situations.

“Oneofthemostcompellingﬁndings wastheincreaseinconﬁdencetorefusea drinkinsocialsettings.Inaculturewhere

MollyKimball,RD,CSSD,isaregistereddietitian withOchsnerHealthandfounderofOchsner’sEatFit nonproﬁtinitiative.Formorewellnesscontent,tuneinto Molly’spodcast,FUELEDWellness+Nutrition,andfollow @MollykimballRDand@EatFitOchsneronsocialmedia. Emailnutrition@ochsner.orgtoconnectwithMollyor scheduleaconsultwithherteam.

socialpressuretodrinkissopervasive, thatshiftissigniﬁcant.”

Evenparticipantswhodidn’tremain fullyabstinentshowedimprovementsin mentalwell-beingmonthslater.Thisisstill important,asitreframestheexperienceas progressratherthanperfection.

TheRoleofEnvironment andMedia

Dr.Strowger’sresearchalsoexamines howalcohol-relatedcontentonsocial mediainﬂuencesreal-worldbehavior.A cocktailreel.Abrunchmimosapost.A lifestyleinﬂuencerframingdrinkingas relaxationorevenself-care.Thesecues shapetheperceptionofwhat’snormal, oftenwithoutpeoplerealizingit.

Her work looksatwhathappensin the moments afterpeople encounter alcohol-related content.The effectisn’t always conscious, butthe behavioral inﬂuence is signiﬁcant.

Atthesametime,she’sseenthe oppositeeffectwhenpeopleintentionally changetheirenvironment.Asherown socialmediafeedshiftedtowardmore alcohol-freecontent,itreinforcedher decisiontostopdrinking.Thecuesaround herchanged,andthebehaviorbecame easiertomaintain.

WhyThisMatters

Alcoholaffectsoursleep,anxiety, metabolism,inﬂammation,cognitionand more.Thedegreevariesbyperson,dose andpattern—buttheimpactisreal. Ifyou’veeverwonderedhowalcohol

BY THENUMBERS

LA.RANKS 2NDFOR SENIORS WITH COGNITIVEDECLINE IN U.S.

In 2023, 9.8% of Louisianaseniors over the ageof65reported having difficulty remembering,concentrating or making decisions.That’shigher than theU.S.averageat7.9%.

Cognitiveimpairment limits older adults’ ability to agein place independently.Family,friends and other unpaid caregiversoften bear theresponsibility of providingdaily assistance and emotionalsupport to older adults with severe cognitive impairments such as Alzheimer’s, the most common formofdementia.

As the 65 and older population increases, the number of older adults living with Alzheimer’sdisease in the United States is projected to reach 13.8 million by 2060.

Several conditions contribute to cognitiveimpairment,including

HEALTH NOTES

Continued from page1X

with obesity

The clinical trial, at Pennington Biomedical Research Center in BatonRouge, will bea 12week trial involving 80 adults overthe age of 50. Participants will be assigned to two different dietarygroup, and all participants will be required to complete 150 minutes perweek of supervised aerobicand resistance exercise. Baton Rouge cancer center offers outpatient CAR-T-cell therapy

The Mary Bird Perkins CancerCenter announcedanoutpatientservicefor patients with select blood cancers in their CAR T-cell therapy program, atreatmenttherapy thatgenetically engineers apatient’sown white blood cells to recognize, target and destroycancer cells. While other programs in the state offer inpa-

metabolic or endocrine dysfunction, Alzheimer’sand other dementias, and treatable health issues like medication side effectsand depression.While people can experience cognitiveimpairment at anystageinlife, ageisthe greatest risk factor for Alzheimer’s

These states had thehighest percentageofadultsover65with cognitivedifficulty,indescending order: n Mississippi at 10.1%, n Louisiana at 9.8%, n NewMexico at 9.6%, n Alabama at 9.5%, n Hawaii at 9.4%, n Kentucky and Oklahomaat9.2%, n Oregon at 9%, n Arkansas, California and West Virginia at 8.9%

These states had thelowest

AlcoholFreefor40registration closesSunday,February15,at midnight;fulldetailsandlinkto signupatAlcoholFreeFor40.com.

Seniorswithcognitive declineinAmerica

Percentage of adults age65and older whoreportedhaving difficultyremembering,concentrating

Source:U.S.CensusBureau

tientCAR-T-cell therapy(astay in thehospital), Mary Bird is theﬁrst in the regiontooffer treatment in an outpatient setting. Patientscan receivetreatment during the day and thenhead home,according to Mary Bird. NewOrleans hosts national summit for lung cancer

The third annualAfrican American Lung Cancer Patient &Caregiver Summit in New Orleans is set for April 23-25 at the Marriott Warehouse Arts District. The weekend-long event will focus on “survivorship, emerging treatments, clinical trials, environmental and clean-air justice, public policy, AI in care, mental wellness, ﬁnancial navigation, caregiver supportand patient advocacy The eventisfree for lung cancer patientsand caregiversand includes meals, hotel accommodations and travel and learning materials.

Health Notes is an occasional listing of health happenings around Louisiana. Have something you’d like to share? Contact us at margaret.delaney@theadvocate.com.

percentageofadultsover65with cognitivedifficulty,inascending order: n North Dakota at 5.4%, n Iowa and Wisconsin at 5.6%, n NewHampshire and Vermont at 5.7%, n Nebraska at 5.8%, n South Dakota at 6.2%, n Colorado and Minnesota at 6.4%, n Wyoming at 6.6%.

Dr.Candida

BRO UGH TT OY OU BY

Molly Kimball RD,CSSD

Trusted care, right around thecorner

JosephHeneghan,MD | PrimaryCarePhysician

OchsnerHealthiscommittedtocaringforfamiliesacrossBatonRouge. Ourexperiencedprimarycareteamprovidescompassionate,personalized careforeverystageoflife.Whetherit’syourchild’sannualcheck-up,asports physicalforyourteen,ormanagingachroniccondition,we’reheretosupport yourfamily’sjourneytobetterhealth.Same-dayandnext-dayappointments areavailable

Visitochsner.org/primarycaretoscheduleyourappointmenttoday.

LOUISIANA

TreBishop, left, chatswith fellowLouisiana Legislativeyouth AdvisoryCouncil members on Nov. 22 after thecouncil meeting at theEastBaton RougeParish Library’sdowntown branch.

‘We’re asking forsolutions’

Louisianateens are making

BY JOYHOLDEN Staff writer

On arecent January afternoon, 25 well-dressed teenagers gathered together for theirLouisianaLegislative Youth AdvisoryCouncil meeting at the Centerfor Coastal &DeltaicSolutions on River Road in Baton Rouge. Before the meeting began, theteenagers satatconference tables looking out over the Mississippi River At the sound of the gavel, the conversationsabout college acceptances, scholarship offers and honors programs ceased. The teenage delegates straightened their shoulders —and ties —and got down to business.

TreBishop, an Ascension Episcopal senior from Lafayetteand the president of this year’s council, calledthe meeting to order and confirmed aquorum was presentinorder to conductnew business. He introduced the speakers for the meeting, including St. Charles Parish School Superintendent Ken Oertling,who would be speaking on theparish’s strides in school safety. Bishop was already involvedwithpresentinga bill that became law.Fiveyears ago, he presented abill toencourage the local collection and recycling of campaign signstothe House Natural Resources and Environment committee. Thebillwas unanimously passed throughboth legislative chambers and signed into law June 2021. Since then,Bishophas continued to advocate and work on recycling campaign signs by sendingletters to politicians, settinguprecycling stations in Acadiana and collecting signs when he can. For him, the Legislative Youth Advisory Council

JanRisher

When faithruns thin,we canborrow alittle

Like clockwork, our younger daughter calls at 6:30 mostevenings as she makes the 25-minute drive from the high school where she teaches back to her Denver apartment. So when 6:40 p.m.came and went on Tuesday without acall, Iwondered what was up and dialed her number instead. She answered with ashaky voice and said she was with another teacher.Could she call me back in afew minutes?

When she did, the ﬂoodgates opened. She echoed achildhood favorite —“Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.”Inher words, it had been exactly that.

alegislative

impact

was another waytodirectly impact laws in the state and gaincrucial experience as he pursues political aspirations. Through his experiences with the council, he noted that many people think thatteenagers can’tdomuch about solvingproblems, but he says there are kids who are voicing their issues and finding solutions. “We’re asking for solutions on thingsthat are not just affecting us, but every other student,” Bishop said. “I’m so glad that kids are coming together and they are ready to take that step instead of just sitting on the sidelines.”

The 31 members of the Louisiana Legislative Advisory Council are in no way sitting on the sidelines. They eagerly want to make change in their communities and state,somuch so that they have committed themselves to ayear of service to work with state legislators on behalf of fellow Louisiana teenagers. “I’mgonna work to make (Louisiana) better for thekids of our state,” Bishop said. Christian Knight, asenior from Ouachita Christian School in Monroe, agreed that working to resolve issuesfaced by Louisiana

adolescentsmotivated him to apply for Louisiana Youth AdvisoryCouncil. MeganBella,a Louisiana Senate staff member and the Legislative Youth Advisory Council coordinator,has been working withstudent membersofthe councilsince 2017. She haswatched many teenagers grow andgain leadershipexperience. Their excitement is contagious, she said, andthey havesomany varied ideasabout what they want to accomplish. The council has someideas like expanding testing for

See IMPACT, page 2Y

Astudent she had gone out of her waytohelp —one she had advocated for—had blownupat her in class. The exchange left her embarrassed and rattled, and at 24, she is still young enough in her profession to feel she has something to prove to everyone in the room Iwas slow to learn that listening is often the mostuseful thing a parent can offer,soI listened for awhile before saying much. About 30 minutes into the call, she said quietly,“This feels too hard.”

This is achild whohas faced hard questions mostofher life. We adopted her from China when she was11months old, and since middle school, she has tried to understand the complicated story of how we came to be afamily

She’snot one to look away from difﬁcult things.

But having once been ateacher myself,I didn’tpush back on the hard she was feeling. Somekinds of hard must be acknowledged before they can be carried, and a tough day in teaching is that kind of hard.

Ireminded her that asingle day does not deﬁne her as ateacher

We talked about the difference between the hard that comes from learning and the hard that comes from being unsupported. We talked about how doing difﬁcult things makes us better versions of ourselves —that teaching has away of enlarging us, even when, at times, we would very much prefer to stay the same size.

Nothing Isaid seemed to make much of adifference.

Then she said, “I’m just waiting forafaith-in-humanity moment.” There wasatime, not so very long ago, when she was the one looking to the adults in her life forsteadiness. Now here she was —ayoung woman responsible forsteadying aclassroom —and admitting that her own reserves were running low

Even so, the fact that she was still hoping forsuch amoment wasreassuring to me. Even knowing she washurting, Ifelt relieved —even hopeful —tohear what she was waiting for. Cynicism would have been easier,but she hadn’tchosen it.

So Itold her that she reminded me that on my better days, I’m full of faith in humanity,even in these turbulent times —and on the harder days, Itry to ﬁnd reasons to be hopeful in others, including her So,ondayswhenfaith in humanity feels thin, Isaid, “You can borrowmine until yours reﬁlls.”

Beija Lopes-Morgan, right, speaks to Louisiana Legislativeyouth AdvisoryCouncil members duringthe Nov. 22 council meeting

Louisiana art collector featured in new PBS series

research and historical analysis, Simien helped recover Bélizaire’s identity and story This year, he is expanding his media platform with a podcast “Static & Dust.”

BY LAUREN CHERAMIE Staff writer

Jeremy Simien, a Baton Rouge native, is an art collector, historian and cultural preservationist whose work focuses on uncovering overlooked histories in American and Louisiana material culture. A ninth-generation Louisiana Creole, his research centers on the visual record of multiracial communities, enslavement and identity in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Simien’s work includes the rediscovery and restoration of the 1837 portrait “Bélizaire and the Frey Children,” attributed to Jacques Amans. He is known for bringing renewed attention to the painting, which depicts Bélizaire, an enslaved Afro-Creole teenager whose ﬁgure had been painted over and obscured for decades. Through conservation, genealogical

Simien was featured on PBS Digital Studios’ “The Story in Us,” an anthology series that celebrates global storytelling traditions. Episode two, “How Creators Are Reframing Southern Identity,” premiered Jan. 15 and was partly ﬁlmed in Baton Rouge. The eightpart series explores how culture, history and identity are preserved through the universal art of storytelling. Watch the series at www.pbs.org/show/ the-story-in-us.

This interview was edited for length and clarity.

With your background in art, why was it important for you to be a part of this project in Southern storytelling and identity?

I was drawn to art because certain pieces express so much that’s difﬁcult to explain. It can cause people to think It can say so much without having to ﬁt into 15 or 20 seconds, or without having to sit for an hour and a half and listen to a long drawn-out story

self-study AP students and creating a statewide electronic platform to log community service hours.

“LYAC teaches you to work with adults and work with your peers because they really have to work together They are coming to the Capitol to testify on bills and putting themselves out there in a way that’s scary,” Bella said.

The council, comprised entirely of high school students with an interest in representing the voices of young people across the state, was created by state law in 2007 by Act 118. The 31 student members are appointed each year — three from each of the state’s six congressional districts and the remaining members at large.

The students attend a two-day seminar in July at the state Capitol to start their terms, then they meet every other month for one Saturday in Baton Rouge. In between, they meet on Zoom. At the start of each year, committees are established to create proposals to bring to legislators. This year’s committees include education, civic engagement, community resources and technology.

‘An incredible opportunity’ Brinkley Bennett, a senior at St. Joseph’s Academy in Baton Rouge is serving her second term with the Louisiana Legislative Youth Advisory Council. She was part of the 2025 group that proposed and created the legislative K-12 School Safety Task Force with Sen. Rick Edmonds.

“When I saw the opportunity that I could actually start working in

A picture speaks 1,000 words, and sometimes it can do that in less than 30 seconds. I was drawn to trying to ﬁnd a way to tell these stories for more than one reason. One, so they would be preserved. I regretted not asking one of my grandparents a lot of stories and questions about her upbringing, but I was fortunate to have other grandparents who lived into their 90s.

I learned that so much went unwritten. That’s always the case, but it’s especially the case for a certain generation in Louisiana and even more so with certain demographics and agricultural backgrounds. They were not necessarily exposed to formal education, some not exposed to any education, so that limited their ability to preserve history It wasn’t written a lot of times, so they preserved through storytelling and oral tradition.

With the omnipresence of social media, how do you balance the depth of storytelling with shorter attention spans in a digital world?

It’s more than depth and quick engagement, it’s also integrity It’s easy to lead with rage baiting and get their attention. But there comes a responsibility not

government at such a young age, I kind of jumped at it, because I think LYAC is just such an incredible opportunity,” Bennett said.

The council allows legislators to directly discuss issues with high school students, and they work together to form policy

Bennett says she’s learned that creating policy that pleases everyone isn’t always easy, because legislation requires multiple perspectives from a variety of demographics. School safety, for example, she said, impacts school resource ofﬁcers, private companies, public schools, charter schools and other stakeholders.

“It’s important to bring everyone at the table in order to make sure everyone feels heard,” Bennett said. Knight says the successful collaboration between students from different parts of the state has had a lasting impact on him.

Presenting issues that matter

In addition to the K-12 School Safety Task Force, the council also has a seat on the Commission on School and Nonproﬁt Security as well as the Youth Tobacco and Nicotine Cessation Task Force hosted by the Louisiana Department of Health.

Bishop says that the legislators are welcoming and receptive to the teenagers in their committee meetings.

“They know why we’re there,” Bishop said. “We are ready to make a change with them. We’re honestly just as important to them as they are to us. We are the ones who are affected, and we see every bit of this ﬁrsthand every day of our lives.”

Recently, Bennett and other council members have been working with Sen Edmonds and individuals from the Department of Education,

to exploit. Right now on social media, there’s a lot of authentic stories being told by people who are not of the culture — and maybe not even the location. For me, the challenge is not only getting their attention it’s also trying to be respectful and have integrity with telling the story That can be a challenge, because people are not always interested in 45 seconds. Certain platforms say if people don’t watch for 2.5 seconds they kill

your video.

It’s upsetting and irritating, but you can complain about it, or you can re-strategize. You have to maintain integrity, and it’s sad when people don’t. You have to be careful with this. Maybe I’m superstitious. Maybe I’m weird, but you have to honor the ancestors.

The episode synopsis explains that “Southern Black, Creole and Appalachian communities passed down history, values and identity through sound, rhythm and spoken

Louisiana School Board Association, Superintendents Association and other stakeholders to work toward making schools safer

At the last School Safety Task Force meeting, the council came up with three ideas — physical assessments of all schools by trained police, reporting threats to State Analytical Fusion Exchange and requiring safety and security standards for new school designs and renovations. These best practices were adopted by the task force and will be brought to legislation next session by Edmonds and Rep. Charles Owen.

Bella says the students will follow the bills through the legislative pro-

cess and come to the Capitol to testify in committee on both the House and Senate side.

“Whenever we go in committee,”

Bennett said, “it’s the fusion of all the work that we put in, and we’re bringing it to the legislator so they can see us as youth and that these issues do matter to us.”

To apply for next year’s council, visit house.louisiana.gov/civiced/. Applicants must be between the ages of 14 and 19, and enrolled in a public or private high school, a home school program, or a GED skills program.

Email Joy Holden at joy.holden @theadvocate.com.

word: on porches, in church basements and around kitchen tables.” How did you experience storytelling in your childhood? It was a lot of the kitchen table. The advent of air conditioning has not always been there, but it has changed where we tell these stories.

Technology has changed, just like air conditioning, and we don’t necessarily have to sit on the porch for ventilation anymore. Sometimes it

been thinking of our conversation in the days since — and how this quiet borrowing is something most of us do, whether we name it or not. None of us carries a never-ending supply of certainty or hope. There are seasons when our wells run low And on those days, we can keep going on what others lend us — a friend’s reassurance, a colleague’s conﬁdence, a parent’s steadiness, even the kindness of a stranger

Eventually our own faith is restored, and then we get the chance to return the favor If the young adults in my orbit are any indication — earnest, determined, hardworking, still believing people can be better — I ﬁnd my coffers replenished more often than not.

Faith in humanity is an ironic resource. The more we share, the more we create. Some days, we borrow Some days, we lend. Email Jan Risher at jan. risher@theadvocate. com.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Historian and art collector Jeremy Simien gives a tour of his Baton Rouge collection on Nov. 6.

Chronic wasting disease threatens deer across the U.S.

BY HECTOR ALEJANDRO

ARZATE Contributing writer

Editor’s note: This story, created by Héctor Alejandro Arzate is part of the AP Storyshare. Louisiana Inspired features solutions journalism stories that provide tangible evidence that positive change is happening in other places and in our own communities — solutions that can be adopted around the world.

The pickup trucks pulled into the parking lot every 10 minutes or so.

One after another, drivers rolled down their windows and staff greeted them like restaurant workers taking drive-thru orders. But these weren’t customers at any of the fast-food chains in central Missouri.

They were deer hunters. Successful ones, with freshly tagged whitetails, rolling into the Missouri Department of Conservation’s ofﬁce in Columbia.

That mid-November weekend was the start of ﬁrearms season, typically, the most successful two-day outing for Missouri deer hunters. It was also when the state mandated sampling from every deer harvested in a select 35 counties.

Conservation staff were on the lookout for chronic wasting disease a neurological illness that can infect deer and closely related species like elk and moose. It’s highly contagious, always fatal, and there’s currently no treatment or vaccine.

“In order to manage the disease, clearly you got to know where it is,” said Jason Isabelle, the state’s supervisor for deer management.

To limit the spread of CWD, wildlife agencies have often relied on deer hunters, landowners and other stakeholders. Many are willing to

PHOTO By HÉCTOR ALEJANDRO ARZATE

participate but tension has grown. Throughout the Midwest and Southeast, some deer hunters are at odds with their state over how to best respond to CWD.

That includes Missouri, where in addition to mandatory testing sites, the state had been working with landowners to “remove” deer in areas where CWD has been detected. But because the disease is not widely believed to affect humans, many hunters said they are more worried about the loss of game than CWD itself.

“You start hearing about the thousands and thousands of deer — healthy deer — that they’re killing to try to thin the herds all through the state of Missouri,” said Mark Ackerson, a hunter from Peculiar Missouri. “It starts to become a little ridiculous.”

As a lifelong hunter, Ackerson said he prioritizes harvestingwildgameoverstorebought meat. At a family outing this past season, however, hesaidthereweren’tasmany deer as he hoped.

“It has drastically affected my life,” he said. “Yeah, it’s terrible and I don’t believe in it.”

Rising pushback

The exact origins of CWD are unknown. It was first detected in captive deer at a government research facility in Colorado back in 1967.

Since then, the disease has been found in both wild and

captive cervids in 36 U.S states — including all 10 along the Mississippi River It’s also been identiﬁed in ﬁve Canadian provinces, as well as Finland, Norway, Sweden, and South Korea.

Many states that have detected CWD have a surveillance or management plan in place.

“We know what happens when you let it run its course. Which is that it becomes highly prevalent and it has impacts on the population,” said Daniel Storm, a deer research scientist at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

But conservation agencies’ response to the disease has spurred distrust among some hunters. In Illinois and Minnesota, researchers have found that particularly in places where CWD has been detected, hunters are less likely to defer to conservation agencies on questions like herd management and the risk posed by the disease In Missouri, one person started an online petition last year that called on the conservation department to end the “unnecessary killing” of deer as part of its CWD containmentefforts.Thepetition implored MDC to consider more “sustainable and ethical” actions, as well as more engagement with the hunting community It gathered over 3,000 signatures.

Then, in mid-December, MDC director Jason Sum-

ners announced that the state would pause its postseason targeting of deer in areas where CWD had been detected.

In an open letter to hunters, Sumners shared how his passion for white-tailed deer as a youth in rural Missouri led him toward a career in state conservation.

Sumners said that MDC would work with both hunters and landowners to ﬁnd a more sustainable approach toward CWD management. But he emphasized the threat of the disease if left unchecked.

“Some will say CWD is simply a political disease that has not impacted deer populations,” he wrote, “but this couldn’t be farther from the truth.”

Still, Sumners said that most stakeholders share the same goal of sustaining Missouri’s deer population so that future generations can appreciate it, including his own family

“Together, we can preserve the health of the herd and the futureofhunting;divided,we may lose it,” Sumners said. Why the urgency?

Kip Adams is the chief conservation ofﬁcer for the National Deer Association, an advocate for deer conservation across the country

He said that CWD is the “single largest threat” to the futureofdeerherdsandhunting opportunities in the U.S. So he wants to see the spread of the disease slow down.

“That’s not just my personal opinion or (our) organization, but the vast majority of wildlife professionals view it that way,” Adams said. CWD is caused by misfolded proteins, or prions. These replicate and damage the deer’s brain and nervous system, which often leads to extreme weight loss, drooling, confusion, and other strange behaviors that ultimately result in death.

Yet, CWD-infected deer can survive for a year or more before dying. They

might not look sick at ﬁrst, but these deer will still spread CWD through direct herd contact and bodily ﬂuids, such as saliva, urine and feces. Shed prions can contaminate the soil and water for many years.

“By the time you’re seeing lots of sick deer on the landscape, it’s way too late to do anything,” said Isabelle.

Last year, Missouri tested over 36,000 deer for CWD, ﬁnding 243 new cases. Seven counties experienced their ﬁrst-ever case.

New cases came out to less than 1% of the deer population tested in Missouri. It’s a good thing, said Isabelle In some parts of states like Illinois, Wisconsin, and Nebraska, the CWD prevalence rate has surpassed 5%.

Potential human risks

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people take precautions when handling animals infected with CWD.

Currently, there is no strong evidence that CWD can be transferred to humans. A 2018 article found a lack of transmission in macaque monkeys after 13 years of observation.

That’s unlike the prioncaused mad cow disease. It can spread to humans who eat infected beef and has been linked to fatal variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease of the brain.

Researchers did publish a 2024 article that examined two cases of hunters who developed Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease — which is different from the variant CreutzfeldtJakob linked to beef — after possible exposure to CWDinfected deer

However, most research suggests a strong species barrier In 2024, researchers in China and at the National Institutes of Health tested lab-grown human brain cells — called cerebral organoids for potential transmission. The results found a lack of prion transmission, according to Dr Cathryn Haigh, the

chief of the prion cell biology unit and one of the study’s coauthors. The results are “promising,” Haigh added. Still, concerns remain about both the emergence of a new CWD strain and the possibility that a small group of people has a genetic susceptibility to CWD.

“Personally, I would prefer my meat to be tested,” Haigh said. “But I really don’t think that handling a deer carcass is probably going to be very high risk.”

Future of deer populations In Missouri, the disease was first identified in 2012. Since then, it’s been detected in more than one-third of all of the state’s counties. Monitoring the spread of the disease can be a big endeavor Missouri is home to approximately 1.7 million whitetail deer, and testing requires the willingness of hunters like Collin Masters. On a warmer-than-usual season opener, Masters and his wife brought the severed head of a buck to the state conservation office in Columbia. She had shot the buck in Boone County, one of the places where scientists fear CWD may have spread. The head was wrapped inside a plastic trash bag, which he had stuffed into a green cooler. It wouldn’t shut because the buck’s antlers were sticking out. This wasn’t really an issue for Sarah Billington. Billington got to work with her scalpel. She is not a biologist She’s an administrative assistant, whose responsibilities include paying office bills or answering questions from the public. Yet, Billington had performed this procedure at least 20 times already Below the deer’s lower jaw were two bean-shaped lumps called retropharyngeal lymph nodes, which help its immune system filter out pathogens. Labs need the nodes because prions have a tendency to collect inside.

FAITH & VALUES

In Altadena, displaced congregations ‘in the wilderness’

Region scarred by Eaton Fire over a year ago

BY HAYDEN ROYSTER Contributing writer

To drive the streets of Altadena now, a little over a year after the Eaton Fire, is to be confronted by acres of dirt and greenery

The last of the charred debris was removed in August, and thanks to record-breaking winter rainfall, weeds and wild grasses have claimed many of the cleared lots.

The Eaton Fire was among the most devastating ﬁres in California history killing 19 people and destroying more than 9,400 structures in this racially and economically diverse suburb of Los Angeles. More than a dozen of those buildings were houses of worship — like Masjid Al-Taqwa, Altadena’s ﬁrst mosque.

Jihad Abdus-Shakoor, whose parents helped found Masjid AlTaqwa in the 1970s, spent much of his life within its walls. Today, all that remains of the mosque are its parking lot and street sign

Abdus-Shakoor feels some relief at seeing rubble removed, but seeing the empty land is also “another blow,” he said “You’re glad the city is cleaned up, but the ﬁnality of looking at dirt is a different experience.”

In the year since the ﬁre, Altadena faith communities whose structures were burned or damaged have found temporary spiritual homes, often leaning on interfaith connections to do so. Gradually, some are moving toward rebuilding although that day, for congregations and thousands of residents, remains distant.

For the Masjid Al-Taqwa community, the loss of the mosque was one of many Around 30 households, including the Abdus-Shakoor family, lost homes and businesses. One founding member’s daughter was killed.

Within days of the Eaton Fire, the community gathered for Friday prayers, hosted at First AME Church-Pasadena. In the months to come, they met at an Islamic school before settling into a property owned by Pasadena Covenant Church.

The church encouraged them to make the two-room building their own. Over time, Abdus-Shakoor and others tore down the dividing wall and installed plush carpeting, creating a space more akin to a traditional mosque Abdus-Shakoor, who is heading up the mosque’s crisis recovery estimates his community could remain in the church building for another year or two “They’ve opened the doors to us, and it’s been a good collaboration,” he said.

A few blocks from Masjid AlTaqwa’s former site was Altadena Baptist Church, a progressive, multiracial church that lost its

sanctuary and children’s center to the blaze.

Since September, its members have held services downstairs at the Christian Science Church of Altadena — a white steepled chapel that somehow survived. “Our joke around here is that the only building to stand is the one woodframed building,” said the Rev George Van Alstine, associate pastor of Altadena Baptist Church.

“So, Mary Baker Eddy” — founder of Christian Science — “must be right.”

Van Alstine has pastored his progressive, multiracial parish since 1972, while the Rev Connie Larson DeVaughn, the current lead pastor, joined in 1987. For decades, they have both been part of groups such as the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance of Greater Pasadena — partnerships, they believe, that helped pave the way for the interfaith cooperation needed this year

“We don’t have to build those bridges at all,” DeVaughn said.

“We already have them.”

One crucial organization has been the Clergy Community Coalition. Created in 2005 to help local faith groups collectively address social issues, CCC has played a key role in ﬁre relief: connecting Altadena congregations with temporary spaces, publishing a list of damaged houses of worship, and introducing donors to faith groups in need.

“We didn’t know that the 20 years of deep relationship-building, how important that would be in 2025,” said Mayra Macedo-Nolan, the executive director of CCC.

A former pastor herself, Macedo-Nolan described effectively serving as a “pastor to pastors” this past year She and CCC host a

regular meeting for leaders of the houses of worship that were lost. Along with helping them meet the needs of their members and neighbors, she said, “we also wanted to help them consider how to build for the future of the community.”

Recently congregations have begun taking concrete steps toward rebuilding. Some, such as Altadena Baptist Church and Masjid Al-Taqwa, are in talks with potential architects. Congregations with larger footprints, according to Macedo-Nolan, are considering adding affordable housing units to their properties as well.

One crucial organization has been the Clergy Community Coalition. Created in 2005 to help local faith groups collectively address social issues, CCC has played a

Six stories highlight global progress

From staff reports

These are stories of global progress, compiled by the media group Fix the News and shared in partnership with The Advocate/The Times-Picayune.

Each story overview is linked to an original report or story with more information.

Group uplists endangered manta, devil ray species

In November, member nations of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora voted to grant the highest level of international protection to all 10 species of manta and devil rays. Oceanographic reported that the decision bans all international commercial trade in manta and devil ray products Known for their sweeping wingspans, the rays have specialized gill plates that set them apart from all other rays. Historically these traits have made them vulnerable, along with slow maturity and low reproductive rates. Now the fate of the manta and devil rays depends on global follow-through.

WHO/UNICEF releases

water supply report

The World Health Organization and United Nations Children’s Fund has released the Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply Sanitation and Hygiene since 1990 to produce

estimates of progress on drinking water, sanitation and hygiene internationally The 2025 report assesses those factors from 2000 to 2024. While gaps remain, many people gained improved services — millions now have safely managed drinking water, sanitation and basic hygiene — but progress varies regionally According to the report, “between 2000 and 2024, the global population increased from 6.2 billion to 8.2 billion. Over this period, a quarter of the world’s population (2.2 billion) gained access to safely managed drinking water, and a third (2.8 billion) gained safely managed sanitation.”

How Kerala virtually eliminated poverty Kerala, a lower-middle-income economy in India, has virtually eliminated extreme poverty by combining modest economic growth with investments in health, education, equitable distribution, targeted safety nets and community participation. Brookings, a nonpartisan think tank reported that ofﬁcials used a multidimensional poverty index to identify the poorest households and ensure none were overlooked through ground-level validation. Special programs, like the Athidaridrya Nirmarjana project, were instituted to identify and uplift individuals within ﬁve years. Extensive community engagement, led by local governments and supported by workers

like ASHA and Kudumbashree volunteers, was key Kerala’s historically egalitarian distribution also helped reduce poverty much more than income measures alone suggest.

South Africa fights back against invasive plants

South Africa’s landscapes are increasingly dominated by invasive plants like jacarandas, wattle and bugweed, which deplete water supplies, worsen drought and displace native ecosystems. These species cover about 10% of the country’s land, straining water supplies, biodiversity and agriculture while contributing to flooding and wildfire risk. In response, national and local programs are removing invasives from rivers, catchments and urban areas according to the World Resources Institute These efforts have restored water supplies, created jobs, improved ecosystem health, supported flood resilience and bolstered biodiversity

Collaboration extended to eliminate 3 diseases

The World Health Organization and Bayer AG, the German pharmaceutical company have extended a longstanding partnership into 2030 to support countries in scaling up free treatment for three neglected tropical diseases (NTDs): Chagas disease, human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) and taeniasis/cys-

LGBTQ+-inclusive and afﬁrming.

“That’s in my mind,” she said. “I’m thinking, ‘What does our LGBTQ+ community need from us?’” Whatever space the church builds, financing will inevitably be a factor With insurance and Federal Emergency Management Agency reimbursements only partially covering rebuilding costs, they and other congregations will likely need to fundraise millions. Across town, the Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center is weighing its own options and needs. The only Conservative Jewish synagogue in the western San Gabriel Valley, its worship space, library and entire campus were leveled by the ﬁre, with only the Torah scroll preserved.

A year on, the synagogue’s 450 members gather at the chapel of the First United Methodist Church of Pasadena, while their religious school rents space at a nearby independent school. It was amid this season of uncertainty that Rabbi Joshua Ratner entered last August after accepting the role of PJTC’s senior rabbi.

Ratner arrived knowing he had “spiritual reserves” his congregants might not But he has been struck by a “strong spirit of resilience and optimism,” especially around what a new campus could bring, from a revamped library to a basketball court to expansive views of the San Gabriel Mountains. “This is a real exciting opportunity to build something from scratch,” he said.

In the meantime, Ratner acknowledged, “we are, to borrow a biblical theme, in the wilderness.”

While their Methodist hosts have been “accommodating” and “respectful” obscuring the cross with curtains during Shabbat services, for instance — “we know where we are,” he said. “It doesn’t feel like home.”

While their Methodist hosts have been “accommodating” and “respectful” — obscuring the cross with curtains during Shabbat services, for instance — “we know where we are,” he said. “It doesn’t feel like home.”

key role in ﬁre relief: connecting Altadena congregations with temporary spaces, publishing a list of damaged houses of worship, and introducing donors to faith groups in need.

“We didn’t know that the 20 years of deep relationship-building, how important that would be in 2025,” said Mayra Macedo-Nolan, the executive director of CCC.

DeVaughn sees a “golden opportunity” to create something better She is clear-eyed about what that could mean. “We imagine that it’s going to be wealthy people buying in after the ﬁre,” she said “So we do want it to be beautiful.” She is also conscious of Altadena’s substantial queer community In recent years, DeVaughn’s church has begun deﬁning itself as

The sentiment is reflective of Altadena at large. Fewer than a dozen homes have been rebuilt, and 7 in 10 residents are still displaced. With many facing ﬁnancial uncertainty, and homeowners of color disproportionately impacted, there are concerns that only wealthy, White Altadenans will return home at all. Abdus-Shakoor, his wife and his parents currently rent a house in Duarte, about 12 miles east of Altadena. At the moment, there is a signiﬁcant gap between their insurance payout and what the family ultimately needs to rebuild.

“The community as a whole, from the faith-based organizations to all the residents, we still need a lot of help and support,” AbdusShakoor said. “It’s been a year, and it’s easy for this to be forgotten. But the journey is long.”

By EMMA

A school of devil rays swim in Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. In November member nations of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora voted to grant the highest level of international protection to all 10 species of manta and devil rays.

ticercosis. According to WHO, “NTDs are a diverse group of 21 diseases or disease groups that are widespread in the world’s poorest regions, where water safety, sanitation and access to health care are substandard.” Bayer will donate 18 million tablets and vials (suramin, nifurtimox, niclosamide) valued at about $15.5 million and provide $9.45 million in ﬁnancial support to WHO programs and operations.

The collaboration “calls for the eradication or elimination of several of these conditions by the end of the decade.”

New guidelines unveiled for rewilding

The IUCN Commission on Environmental Management has unveiled its new guidelines for rewilding, offer-

ing the ﬁrst comprehensive global framework for the practice. These guidelines were developed with partners worldwide and define rewilding as a nature-led, humanenabled approach to restoring selfsustaining ecosystems. The guidance aims to embed rewilding in global conservation policy and accelerate nature recovery to address biodiversity and climate crises Some of the guidelines include embracing ecosystem changes and involving local communities in decision-making.

Fix the News is the world’s leading solutions journalism newsletter The group ﬁnds hidden stories of progress and shares them with readers from 195 countries. Steven Pinker calls the newsletter “the best source for positive news on the internet.” Visit the website at ﬁxthenews.com.

The former Altadena Community Church in seen in December in Altadena, Calif.

PHOTOS PROVIDED By KATHy DENINNO PHOTOGRAPHy

People participate in Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center’s one-year memorial event since the Eaton Fire on Jan. 6 at the site of the former synagogue in Pasadena, Calif.

PROVIDED PHOTO

HICKERSON, FLOWER GARDEN BANKS NMS

SUNDAY, FebrUArY 15, 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

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 — ideoLoGies: eye-deeOL-uh-jees: Concepts, especially about human life or culture

Average mark 48 words

Time limit 60 minutes

Can you find 66 or more words in IDEOLOGIES?

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

wuzzLes

On the ball?

super Quiz

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.

SUBJECT: MARY OR MARIE

(e.g.,

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

Thanks for today’s deal goes to Scotland’sBarnetShenkin.Shenkin lived in Florida for about 20 years and achieved many outstanding results in top American competitions. He moved back to his native Scotland a few years ago. He was West and made the excellent lead of a trump. On any other lead, declarer would have no trouble ruffing two diamonds in dummy and making his ambitious slam. Dummy’s nine of clubs took the first trick as East shed a heart. South led a diamond from dummy at trick two. Had East played the king, South would have ducked, knowing that East had no-trump to lead. East played low so South took his ace and led another diamond. East had to win and he tried the ace of hearts, but South ruffed and ruffed a diamond in dummy Another heart ruff was followed by another diamond ruff, setting up the 10. One more heart ruff got South back to his hand, where he drew the remaining two trumps and claimed his contract. Well played! The defense missed a chance. At trick one, the importance of getting West on lead to play another trump should have been apparent to East His king of diamonds would not be a trick for the defense should South hold the ace-queen. East should have discarded the king of diamonds on the opening club lead! Declarer would not have been able to keep West off lead and the slam would have been defeated.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb 19) Get your next adventure underway Life is too short not to manifest your dreams and live up to your expectations. A partnership or joint venture looks promising.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) A change may not be something you want, but it might be time to shake things up and see what transpires. Paint an interesting picture for those you wish to incorporate into your plans.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) It’s time to shake things up and consider what makes you happy Big choic-

es can make or break your future. A mix of minimalism, gratitude and satisfaction will take you far.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Question everything, but do so with kindness and consideration. Your best route forward is the one that allows you to be yourself and broaden your knowledge, experience and options.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Choose the path that satisfies your soul Don’t be a follower when you have so much to offer if you dedicate time and effort to the situations that concern you most.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Use your ingenuity when you encounter a roadblock. A thoughtful approach to how you deal with others or take care of your responsibilities will serve you well.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Stop stewing over situations and put an end to whatever is disrupting your life. Peace of mind will come from action Change isn’t always easy, but when it’s necessary put it behind you.

VIRGO (Aug 23-Sept. 22) Live and learn Gather facts and assemble your thoughts and plans accordingly Opportunity knocks, but if

you sit at home doing nothing, it will pass you by Get out, engage and see what happens.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct 23) If you enjoy what you do, you will find the courage to initiate your dreams. Use your intellectual charm to endear yourself to those you want to impress or befriend.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Doublecheck everything you hear or encounter before you agree to participate. Distance yourself from anyone using pressure or temptation to lead you astray

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Push your agenda forward. Physical

activity and direct action will help alleviate pressure and leave you feeling gratified and ready to conquer whatever comes next.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Choose to use charm and intelligence over harsh words or disciplinary action. Bullying others will only escalate problems, whereas a give-and-take approach will help you instill higher standards.

The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact.

goren Bridge

Answers to puzzles

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: Istill believe thatloveis all you need. Idon't know abetter message than that. —Paul McCartney

1. Mary Tyler Moore. 2. MaryMagdalene 3. Mary Pickford. 4. Marie Antoinette. 5. Mary Shelley.6.Mary Todd Lincoln.7.Marie Curie. 8. MarySteenburgen. 9. Mary J. Blige. 10.Mary Astor.11. Mary Lou Retton. 12. Marie Wilson. 13. Marie Osmond. 14.Marie Dressler.15. Mary, Queen of Scots (Mary Stuart). Crossword Answers