Lance Buisson withthe St. TammanyParish Fire Department helps acontrolled burninSt. TammanyParish on Wednesday. Efforts have expanded to bring backmajestic longleaf pine trees in Louisiana.
BY MIKE SMITH Staff writer
Flames crackle as Hunter Hutchinson maneuvers historch alongthe edgeofthe woods,intentionally igniting afire to allow areturn of the longlost past.
“The fire helps to reclaimthese areas,” Hutchinson, 39, saidasflames blackened underbrush inasection of rural St. Tammany Parish. “The objective in these areas like this is to get sunlight in here.”
By the end of the day,Hutchinson and the rest of the burn team planned to torch around 800 acres —and, in turn, help an iconic tree rise above the ashes.
The prescribed burnispartoflarger efforts across the southern United States to restore longleaf pine trees, which once towered above some 90 million acres across nine statesfrom Virginia to east Texas and downtoFlorida, including vast areasofLouisiana Logging, the desire for faster-growing timber and fewerfireswere among the factors that reduced thatnumber all the way down to only around 3million acres —barely ablip in historical terms.
The trees and their needles,dangling in bunches like bright green cheerleader pompoms, are more than just
picturesque reminders of the past
When the longleafs disappear,an entireecosystemisalso harmed, with their unique growthpatterns providingspace foranimals includingwild turkeys and bobwhitequail, along with alistofcarnivorous plants —species that have been at risk to varying degrees
Childdeaths draw sharp questions from state lawmakers
Louisiana senators demand overhaul of DCFS
BY ALYSE PFEIL Staff writer
State Sen. Regina Barrow was visibly emotional, at times holding back tearsasshe talked about Louisiana children facing abuse and neglect.
“They need our help, and we cannot fail them,” she said, “’cause when we do fail them it mayactually mean the death sentence of the child.”
Her comment came Tuesday while presenting legislation to dismantle the Department of Children and Family Services, whichshe saysisstructurally broken —and continues to let abused and neglected children die —even though lawmakers for yearshavebeen imploring the agency to get its act together
The agency can’twait until next year or even next monthtomakechangesthatwill protect children, she said.
Documenting ancestralties is firststep, attorneyssay
BY CLAIRE TAYLOR Staff writer
Cajuns withanunbrokenline to an Acadian ancestor from the MaritimeProvinces may already qualifyasCanadian citizens —though that interpretation is not universally agreed upon.
And, yes, longleaf forestsare beautiful to behold, providing wide, natural alleywaystotrample through. A
ä See PINES, page 5A
Thegrass that returnsbeneath them, previously crowded out by brush, can provide food for grazing cattle. While longleafs grow more slowly than other pine species, the wood itself is also strong and of high-quality.
TwoCanadian immigration lawyers say descendants can obtain proof of citizenship by documenting their lineage, allowing them to live in Canada and apply for aCanadian passport.
An “unbroken line” refers to direct descent
ä See CITIZENSHIP, page 3A
STAFF PHOTOSByCHRIS GRANGER
Longleaf pinesgrowinSt. Tammany Parish.
Cuba’spower grid collapses again
HAVANA Cuba’spower grid
collapsed Saturday leaving the country without electricity for a third time in March as the communist government battles with adecaying infrastructureand a U.S.-imposed oil blockade.
The state-owned Cuban Electric Union reported atotal blackout across the islandwithout giving acause forthe outage Authorities said they were working to restore power.
Power outages, whether nationwideorregional,havebecomerelatively common in the last twoyears due to breakdowns in the aging infrastructure. The breakdowns are compounded by daily blackouts of up to 12 hours causedbyfuel shortages, which alsodestabilize the system
The last nationwide blackout occurred on Monday.Saturday’s outage was the second in the past week and the third in March.
The blackouts have asignificant impact on the population, whose lives are disruptedby reduced work hours, lack of electricity for cooking, andfood spoilage when refrigerators stop working, among many other consequences.
PresidentMiguel Díaz-Canel hassaidthe islandhas notreceived oil from foreignsuppliers for three months. Cuba produces barely 40% of the fuel it needs to power its economy Cuba’saging grid has drastically eroded in recentyears. But the government also has blamed the outages on aU.S. energy blockade after President Donald Trump in January warnedoftariffsonany country thatsells or provides oil to Cuba.
Officials: 14 killed in fire at S. Korean factory
SEOUL, South Korea South Korean rescue workers on Saturday recovered theremains of 14 people from the charredwreckage of an auto parts factory in the central city of Daejeon, where an explosion and fireinjured at least 59 others
Fire officials said 25 people were seriously injured but it wasn’timmediately clear whether any were in life-threatening condition. More than 500 firefighters, police andemergency personnel weredeployed to contain the fire and conduct rescue operations after it broke out Friday afternoon.
Videos and photos from the scene showed thick gray smoke billowing from the complex and some workers jumping from a building belongingtoAnjun Industrial.
Nam Deuk-woo, fire chief of the city’sDaedeok district, said the blaze destroyedafactory building that firefighters initially could not enter over fears it might collapse.Searches for the missing workers began late Friday afterofficials deployed unmanned firefighting robotsto cool the structure and conducted asafetyinspection.
Nine of the 14 dead were discovered in what is believed to have been agym on the third floor,while three were found nearawater tank on the second floor.All the missing have now been accountedfor
2charged after trying to enter U.K.’s sub base
LONDON An Iranian man and aRomanian woman havebeen charged after trying to enter the naval base in Scotland that is home to Britain’snucleararmed submarines,police said Saturday Police Scotlandsaidthe 34-year-oldman and 31-year-old womanwill appear at Dumbarton Sheriff Court on Monday As is customary in Scotland, police did not release the suspects’ names or the charges they face before their court hearing
The pair were detained on Thursday after attempting to enter HM Naval Base Clyde, about 40 miles northwestof Glasgow
The base, also known as Faslane, is hometothe coreof the U.K.’ssubmarine fleet, including thevesselsthat carry nuclearweapons.
Britain has been anuclear power since the 1950s.Since the 1990s, its nuclear deterrent has consisted of four RoyalNavy submarines armed with Trident missiles.
Trumpthreatens attacksonIran’s powerplants
Iran strikes near Israelinuclear research center
BY SAMYMAGDY,MELANIE LIDMAN and JILL LAWLESS Associated Press
CAIRO— Iranian missilesstruck two communitiesinsouthern IsraellateSaturday,leaving buildings shattered and dozens injured in dualattacks notfar from Israel’s main nuclearresearchcenter,while President Donald Trump warned the U.S. will “obliterate”Iranianpower plants if it doesn’t fully open the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours.
Thedevelopments signaled the war was moving in adangerous newdirection at the start of its fourth week.
Trump —who is facing increasingpressure at home to secure the strait asoil prices soar —issuedthe ultimatum in asocialmedia post whilehespent theweekendathis Floridahome.
Trump said he’sgiving Iran 48 hourstoopenthe vital waterway or face anew round of attacks. He saidthe U.S. would destroy“variousPOWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST!”
The Strait of Hormuz,which connects the Persian Gulf to the rest of the globe’soceans, is a critical pathway for the world’s flow of oil. Attacks on commercial shipsand threats of further strikes
have stoppednearlyall tankers from carrying oil, gas and other goods through thepassage. That’s alsoled to cuts in output from some of theworld’s largest producers, because their crude has nowhere to go.
The Iranian strikes in Israel came after Tehran’smainnuclear enrichment site at Natanzwas hit earlier in the day
Israel’smilitary saiditwas not able to intercept missilesthat hit thesoutherncities of Dimona and Arad, the largest near thecenter in Israel’s sparsely populatedNegev desert. It was the first time Iranian missiles penetrated Israel’s air defense systems in the area around the nuclear site.
“If theIsraeli regimeisunable to interceptmissiles in theheavily protected Dimona area, it is,operationally,a sign of entering anew phaseofthe battle,” Iran’sParliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Xbefore word of the Aradstrike spread.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said moreemergency crews werebeing sent to thescene. Rescueworkers said thedirecthit in Arad caused widespread damage across at least 10 apartment buildings, threeofthem badly damaged andindangerofcollapsing. At least 64 people weretaken to hospitals Dimonaisabout 12 mileswest of the nuclear research center and Aradaround 22 miles north. Israel is believedtobethe only Middle East nation withnuclear weapons,though itsleadersrefuse to confirm or denytheir existence.
The U.N. nuclear watchdog said on Xithad not received reports of damage to the Israeli center or ab-
normal radiation levels.
Dangerousnew direction
“The war is notclose to ending,” Israel’s armychief,Gen. Eyal Zamir,said earlier in the day Iran also targetedthe joint U.K.U.S.Diego Garciamilitary base in the Indian Ocean about 2,500 miles away,suggesting that Tehran has missiles that can go fartherthan previously acknowledged —orthat it hadusedits space programfor an improvised launch.
TheU.S. andIsraelhaveoffered shifting rationales for the war, from hoping to foment an uprising thattopples Iran’sleadership to eliminating its nuclear and missile programs and itssupport forarmed proxies. Therehavebeen no signs of an uprising, while internet restrictions limit information from Iran.
Thewar’seffectsare felt farbeyond the Middle East, raising food and fuel prices.
It is not clear how much damage Iran has sustained in the U.S. and Israeli strikes that beganFeb.28 —orevenwho is truly in charge
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei hasnot been seen in public since being named to the role.
Israel denies attack on Natanz Israel earlier Saturday denied
responsibility for the strike on theNatanz nuclearfacility, nearly 135 milessoutheast of Tehran. The Iranian judiciary’sofficial news agency,Mizan, said there wasno leakage.
TheInternational Atomic Energy Agency has saidthe bulkofIran’s estimated 970 pounds of enriched uranium is elsewhere, beneaththe rubble at its Isfahan facility.Itsaid on Xitwas looking into the strike.
The Pentagondeclinedtocommentonthe strike on Natanz, which was also hit in the first week of the war andinthe 12-daywar last June Iran retaliated hours later Strike on DiegoGarciabase U.K. officialsdid notgive details of the strike that targeted the Diego Garcia base Friday,which was unsuccessful. Britain’sMinistry of Defense described Iran as “lashing out across the region.”
It’sunclear how close the missiles cametothe island. Iran previously asserted that it haslimitedits missile range to over 1,200 miles. But military experts said Iran mayhave used its space launch vehiclefor an improvisedfiring. “If you’ve got aspace program, you’ve got aballistic missile program,” said StevePrest,aretiredRoyal Navy commodore.
TrumppreparedtosendICE to aidairport security
Presidentsayshe’ll give order unless Democratsend shutdown
BY COLLIN BINKLEY Associated Press
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.
President DonaldTrump said Saturday he will order federal immigration officers to take arole in airport security starting Mondayunless Democrats agree on abill to fund the Department ofHomeland Security
In apair of social media posts, Trumpfirstthreatened and thensaid he had made plans to put officers from U.S. Immigrationand Customs Enforcement in airports if the congressional standoff continues. He made theannouncement as apartial shutdown contributestolonglines to pass throughscreening at some of thenation’slargest airports.
“I look forward to moving ICE in on Monday,and havealready toldthem to, “GET READY.” NO MORE WAITING, NO MORE GAMES!” Trump wrote while spending the weekend in Florida.
TheRepublican president suggested ICE agents wouldbring the administration’s immigration crackdown into the nation’s airports, promising to arrest “allIllegal Immigrants.”
The moveappearsto be apointed effort to expand the type of immigration enforcement that hasbecome astickingpoint in Congress. Democratspledged to oppose funding for DHS unless changes were made in thewake of acrackdown in Minnesota thatled to the fatalshootings of two protesters. Democrats are asking forbetter identification forfederallaw enforcementofficers, anew codeofconductfor those agencies andmoreuse of judicial warrants, among other measures.
TheMinnesota operation was tied in parttoallegations of fraud involving Somali residents. On Saturday,Trumpsaid ICE officerssent to airports
would focusonarresting immigrants from Somalia who areinthe United States illegally.Repeating his criticismonSomalis, he said they “totallydestroyed” Minnesota.
“If the Democrats do not allowfor Just andProper Security at our Airports, andelsewhere throughout our Country,ICE will do the jobfar better than ever done before,” Trump said.
Trump’sposts did not offer additional detail on how ICE would take arole in airportsecurityand what it meant for the Transportation Security Administration, which screens passengers andluggage for hazardous items.
Thevastmajority of TSA employees are considered essential andcontinue to workduring thefunding lapse, but theyare doing so withoutpay.Call-out rates have started toincreaseat some airports, and DHS said at least 376 have quit since thepartial shutdown began Feb. 14.
On Saturday, in arare weekend session, theSenaterejected amotion by Democrats to take up legislation to reopen TSA and pay workers who are now going without paychecks. Republicans argue that
Russia andUkraine trade attacks
4
killed ahead of U.S. talks
By The Associated Press
KYIV,Ukraine Russiaand Ukraine traded attacks that killed at least four people Saturday,officials said, ahead of U.S.-Ukraine talksonways to end Russia’sinvasion of its neighbor.
Aman and awoman were killedand sixpeople wounded, including two children, when aRussian drone hit ahouse in the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, regionalhead Ivan
Fedorovsaid. Russian strikes also knocked out power across much of the northern Ukrainian region of Chernihiv,according to local officials.
In Russia, two women were killed and another woundedbyUkrainian shelling of theBelgorod borderregion, Gov.Vyacheslav Gladkov said. The attackscameahead of U.S.-Ukraine talks in Miami that U.S. Special Envoy SteveWitkoff said on Xwere “constructive.” He said the meetings, which included President Donald Trump’sson-in-law JaredKushner,were“part
of ongoing mediation efforts, with discussions focused on narrowing and resolving remainingitems to movecloser to acomprehensive peace agreement.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said late Thursday he hadsent adelegation to theU.S. in abid to moveforward suspended U.S.-brokered talks on ending Russia’s invasion. Trilateral talksinvolving Russia, which have yet to produce anybreakthrough on keyissues, have been on ice while the Iran war has dominated international attention.
they need to fund all parts of the DHS, notjust certainones. Abill to fund the Cabinetdepartmentfailed to advance in the Senate on Friday
There were signs of progress, though,withthe restarting in recent days of stalledtalks between Democrats and the White House.
On Saturday,Republican and Democratic senators were settomeet for athird
consecutive day with White House officials behind closed doors as Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York spoke of “productive conversations.” Senate Majority Leader JohnThune,R-S.D., urged thebipartisangroup to act quickly.Hehas said repeatedly that Democrats and the White House need to find compromise as lines at airports have grown.
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ASSOCIATEDPRESS PHOTOByVAHID SALEMI Iranian worshippers performEid al-Fitr prayers marking the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan as one of them wears an Iranian flag at the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosque on Saturday in Tehran, Iran.
Congress seeks Trump’s exit plan as Iran war continues
BY LISA MASCARO AP congressional correspondent
WASHINGTON President Donald Trump took the United States to war without a vote of support from Congress, but lawmakers are increasingly questioning when, how and at what cost the war with Iran will come to an end
Three weeks into the conflict, the toll is becoming apparent. At least 13 U.S. military personnel have died, and more than 230 have been wounded. A $200 billion request from the Pentagon for war funds is pending at the White House. Allies are under attack, oil prices are spiking and thousands of U.S. troops are deploying to the Middle East with no endgame in sight.
“The real question is: What ultimately are we trying to accomplish?” Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., told The Associated Press.
“I generally support anything that takes out the mullahs,” he said. “But at the end of the day, there has to be a kind of strategic articulation of the strategy, what our objectives are.”
Trump said late Friday that he was considering “winding down” the military operations even as he outlined new objectives and goals. Congress stands still
The Republican president’s decision to launch the U.S.-Israel-led war with Iran is testing the resolve of the Congress, which is controlled by his party. Republicans have largely stood by the commander in chief, but will soon be faced with more consequential wartime choices. Under the War Powers Act, the president can conduct military operations for
CITIZENSHIP
Continued from page 1A
parent to child linking an applicant to an Acadian ancestor “The argument is that they’re not becoming a Canadian, but they already are,” said Yameena Ansari, a Canadian immigration attorney That interpretation, however, is not fully settled Canadian immigration officials have not explicitly confirmed that all Acadian descendants automatically qualify, and eligibility may depend on documentation and legal interpretation. Part of the uncertainty stems from recent changes to Canada’s Citizenship Act.
Bill C-3, which took effect in December, expands citizenship by descent beyond the previous one-generation limit, potentially allowing people with Canadian ancestors including parents, grandparents or even earlier generations — to qualify Applicants must document a direct family connection, typically through records such as birth certificates, but are not required to have lived in Canada or demonstrate a current connection to the country For Cajuns able to document their lineage, the changes could provide a path to citizenship — and with it, the ability to live, work and travel freely in Canada.
There is disagreement, however, about how far back that ancestry can extend, reflecting broader differences in how Canada’s citizenship law is interpreted.
Jeffrey MacDonald, a communications adviser with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada said applicants must have an ancestor who “became a Canadian citizen on or after Jan. 1, 1947.”
“That is definitely incorrect,” said Ronalee Carey, a Canadian immigration attorney Canada’s Citizenship Act, first enacted in 1947, has been amended several times, most recently in 2025, to address inequities in how citizenship is passed down, Ansari said.
For example, prior provisions allowed individuals born outside Canada to a Canadian parent to obtain citi-
60 days without approval from Congress. So far, Republicans have easily voted down several resolutions from Democrats designed to halt the military campaign.
But the administration will need to show a more comprehensive strategy ahead or risk blowback from Congress, lawmakers said, especially as they are simultaneously being asked to approve billions in new spending
Trump’s quip the war will end “when I feel it in my bones” has drawn alarm.
“When he feels it in his bones? That’s crazy,” said Virginia Sen. Mark Warner
zenship, but not their grandchildren, Carey wrote in an online blog.
Ansari said immigration officials indicated at a recent workshop that Acadian descendants may qualify for citizenship certificates based on descent.
The process differs from applying for a grant of citizenship, which requires language testing and knowledge exams Carey said.
“None of these obligations,” she said, “apply to those applying for citizenship certificates.”
Ansari said some applicants have already received citizenship certificates based on historical ancestry, though comprehensive data is not publicly available She added that there is no reason to believe applications tracing ancestry even further back would not be approved if properly documented.
Even for eligible applicants, the process can be complex and time-consuming, often requiring extensive genealogical research.
“You have to prove it,” Ansari said. “It’s not just about what is the truth.”
Applicants typically must provide documentation tracing a direct line of descent ideally including birth certificates for each generation, she said.
That can be difficult, Carey noted, because some records have been lost or predate official record-keeping. In those cases, baptismal records, marriage certificates, death records and census data may be used.
Experts recommend submitting documentation for a single line of ancestry with the strongest available evidence and avoiding unnecessary records that could complicate the review process. Those interested in applying can begin by researching their ancestry through Canada’s immigration resources or genealogy tools such as Ancestry.com.
A good place to start if you’re interested in applying for a citizenship certificate is Canada’s immigration website at immigration.ca
You also need to trace your family ancestry back to the 1700s. The Canadian government offers this website to help: Acadians - Canada.ca.
Email Claire Taylor at ctaylor@theadvocate.com.
the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Speaker discusses mission
The president’s party appears unlikely to directly challenge him, even as the conflict drags on. House Speaker Mike Johnson has said the military operation will be over quickly
“I do think the original mission is virtually accomplished now,” Johnson, R-Benton, told the AP and others at the Capitol this week.
“We were trying to take
out the ballistic missiles, and their means of production, and neuter the navy, and those objectives have been met,” he said. Johnson acknowledged that Iran’s ability to threaten ships in the Strait of Hormuz is “dragging it out a little bit,” especially as U.S allies have largely rebuffed the president’s request for help.
“As soon as we bring some calm to the situation, I think it’s all but done,” Johnson said. But the administration’s
stated goals — of ending Iran’s ability to obtain a nuclear weapon and degrading its ballistic missile supplies, among others have perplexed lawmakers as shifting and elusive.
“Regime change? Not likely Get rid of the enriched uranium? Not without boots on the ground,” Warner said.
“If I’m advising the president, I would have said: Before you take on a war of choice, make the case clear to the American people what our goals are,” he said.
Power of the purse
The Pentagon has told the White House it is seeking an
additional $200 billion for the war effort, an extraordinary amount that is unlikely to win support. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York called the amount “preposterous.”
The Defense Department’s approved appropriations from Congress this year are more than $800 billion, and Trump’s tax breaks bill gave the Pentagon an additional $150 billion over the next several years for various upgrades and projects.
Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, said the country has other priorities.
“How about not taking away funding for Medicaid, which will impact millions of people. How about making sure SNAP is funded,” she said, referring to the health care and food assistance programs that were cut as part of last year’s Republican tax reductions.
“These are things that we should be doing for the American people,” she said. Many lawmakers have recalled the decision by President George W. Bush in the aftermath of the Sep. 11, 2001, attacks to come to Congress to seek an authorization for the use of military force a vote to support his proposed military actions in Afghanistan and later, Iraq. Tillis said Trump has latitude under the War Powers Act to conduct the military campaign, but that will soon shift.
“When you get into the 45-day mark, you’ve got to start articulating one of two things — an authorization for the use of military force to sustain it beyond that or a very clear path on exit,” he said.
“Those are really the options the administration needs to be thinking about.”
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MARK SCHIEFELBEIN
President Donald Trump steps off Air Force One on Friday at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Fla.
QUESTIONS
Both Democrats and Republicans have echoed Barrow’sdisillusionment. While they say they’re unlikely to actually abolish the department outright, theyare demanding changes at the child welfare agency and a clear plan from top officials on what they’ll do in the days and months ahead.
“You know what this 213page bill represents? Frustration,” Sen. Jay Luneau, D-Alexandria, told DCFS Secretary Rebecca Harris at the hearing.
“I need somebody to tell me what the problems aresoIcan help fix that problem,”Luneautold Harris. “Tell me, what can Idotohelp you?”
Asked about lawmakers’ criticism, Gov.Jeff Landry in astatement Friday said the agency “handles some of the toughest, most sensitive work in state government.”
nowworking to“align”their perspectives, she said. Among the items in that package: strengthening child safety response and timeliness,stabilizing the workforce, expanding supports for families, improving foster care outcomes, improving technology and coordinatingbetter with law enforcement, courts, health care providers and other community partners.
Deaths behind theoutrage
“Secretary Harris andher team have been working hard to strengthen the department, improve outcomes, and addresslong-standing challenges,” he said. “These are not easy issues, and theycannot be solved overnight.”
In January,5-year-old Marley Perrillouxdiedweighing just 19 pounds, allegedlyof starvation at the hands of his parents. DCFS lastmonth acknowledged the department had receivedthree prior complaints regarding the child’s older siblings.The agency saidthose complaintsweren’t about explicit signs of abuse or neglect, andthey didn’trise to alevel where a welfare check was warranted.
Landry said heshares Barrow’sconcerns for the state’smost vulnerablechildren but said her proposal to abolish the agency “destabilizes the workforce, creates internal turmoil, and is counterproductive to taking care of children.”
“Moving forwardwith constructivereforms with Secretary Harris and her team is the answer,” he said Harris in an email Friday said she has since met with Barrow to present “a comprehensive child welfare reform package that outlines afull strategy to strengthen outcomes across the system.” The two are
Last summer,the corpse of 12-year-old Bryan Vasquez wasfound in alagoon in New Orleans. A2021 DCFS report said the boy suffered atraumatic brain injury at the hands of hismother as ababy and was subjectto “ongoing” physical abuse. His mother was arrested after hisdeath on counts of second-degree cruelty to juveniles and negligent homicide.
Those are just two recent examplesofchild deaths that occurred after DCFS had been alerted to potential abuse.
The agency for years now hasbeenunderfirefor its failure to prevent kids from dying at the hands of caregivers.
Anotherfatality Barrow mentioned Tuesday was the 2022 case of Mitchell Robinson III. The2-year-olddied from afentanyl overdose even though hospitalstaff anda doctor who hadtwice saved Mitchellfrom an opioidoverdosehad previously filed three reports with the
agency DCFS hasbeen plaguedby staff turnover and leadership changes for years.
RickWheat,who leads advocacy workfor Methodist Children’sHome, which runs fostercareprograms andtreatment facilities for children, placesthe blame partiallyonmajor budgetand staffing cuts during the administrationofformerGov Bobby Jindal.
“Muchofthe presentisa consequence of the fact that we’re still paying for some of those poor decisions in the past,” he said.
But Wheat, who has regularly interfaced withDCFS over adecadeslong career at theorganization, also noted that harmfulcommunity environmentsplay arole.
“It’simportant that Louisiana consider the impact of the environmentswhere our families areliving,” he said.
“The more we can do to improve Louisiana for families the better we’ll be at caring for our children,” he said.
Alegislative grilling
Luneau,the state senator on Tuesday said he’sheardfor more thanadecade about upand-down problems at DCFS. He said he didn’twant“slick brochures”about what the agency hasdonetoimprove, but aclear ideaofhow the Legislature can help.
Sen. Heather Cloud, RTurkey Creek,asked Harris to share hervision for the agency.Harris responded by outlining changes made over the last few months, including adding more front-line workers and improving its call center
Historically,the departmenthas focused too much on protectingchildrenwhen abuse or neglect hasalready occurred and “it’stoo latein the game,” Harris said.
“Wehave to spend more time focusing on prevention,” she added. “Weunderstand what the risk factors are that bring families into contact withus. It’s poverty,it’saddiction, it’smental health. We have got to have communitybased resources.”
That response appeared to leaveSen.Thomas Pressly,R-
Shreveport, frustrated over its lack of detail. He told Harris the next time she appears before thecommittee,he hopes she’ll have “concrete ideas.
“Wegotta have that answer,” he said.
Sen. Patrick McMath, RCovington, thecommittee chair,urged Harris to work withBarrow to craft legislation beforeadeadline at the end of March to file bills during the ongoing legislative session.
“I hate to say thatwehave to force youguys to do anything,” he said. “We’re at that point.”
Harris agreed towork on a plan with Barrow,who for the time being setaside herbill to dismantle the agency
On Friday, Harris said legislation could help with stabilizing the workforce, allocating more staff for prevention andfamily support efforts, andbetter coordination with courtsand law enforcement
But she also noted notall improvementshinge on changing the law.What’s most needed is ensuringthat departmentpolicyandday-todaypractice alignwithLouisiana’sexisting legal framework, she said.
Making changes
Landry appointed Harristo lead thechild welfare agency lastsummer,and shetook over in August
Landry duringthatperiod hadbeen touting LA DOGE, a government efficiency initiativeaimed at savingmoney andimprovingthe delivery of government services.
DCFS was one of the agencies the governor and his “fiscal responsibilityczar,” Steve Orlando, afriend and
“SecretaryHarris and her team have been working hard to strengthen the department, improve outcomes, and address long-standing challenges These arenot easy issues, and they cannot be solved overnight.”
GOV. JEFF LANDRy
volunteer appointed to lead the initiative, wanted to focus their efforts on.
At aJanuary news conference unveiling the results of the DOGE program, Harris said the initiative helped the agency to hire 50 secondshift childprotective services investigators to work nights, weekends and holidays, reduce wait times on itschild abusehotline more than 80%, and reduce worker caseloads.
“Whenwestarted,there was alittleskepticism from others about whetherornot youcould talkabout child welfare and government efficiency in the same conversation,” Harris said at the time. “You absolutely can. And whenyou do with intention, theresult is notfewer services, but it’sbetter services for the children and families that we serve.”
The Landry administration this year is also asking lawmakerstobudgetanextra $18 millionfor the agency to upgrade the IT systems child welfare workers use to document cases, track services and monitor safety plans.
Still, at the hearing Tuesday,lawmakers were skeptical.
Concernedfor months
AtGlenOaksMagnetHighSchool,studentsinterested inhealthcarecareersaregainingaheadstartlongbefore they graduate.Through theschool’sMedical Magnet Program,juniorsandseniorsarelearningtheskillsand professional habits that canlaunchthemintocollege programs or directly into thehealthcareworkforce Designed forstudentswho arepassionateabout medicineandpatientcare,theprogramblendsclassroom instructionwithhands-onexperiences.Participants studytopicsrelatedtohealthscienceswhilealsoearning industry-based credentialsasanEmergency Medical ResponderorMedical Assistant.
“One of thebestaspects of this programisthat it creates apathway forstudentstoeitherenter the workforceimmediately afterhighschool, or pursue acollege education,”saidDr. KandiJohnson,Magnet Site CoordinatoratGlenOaks. “Whentheygraduate, they have thecertifications andskillstoimmediately bestrongcandidatesforhealthcarejobs.Iftheychoose acollege path,theyhave an industry-based credential andmay have also takendualenrollmentcourses that have allowedthemtoearncollege credits. StudentsinterestedintheMedicalMagnetprogram atGlenOaksmustmeetcertainacademicbenchmarks includingaminimum 2.5cumulativegrade point averageovertheir previous four semesters, andbasic or higher scores in Englishand math on stateexams TheprogramisopentoanystudentlivinginEastBaton RougeParish; however, thedistrictisprioritizing expandingopportunities forneighborhoodstudents.
“Thisareahas very proudalumniand averyproud communityofsupport.Wewanttohonorthatpridewhile giving currentstudentsthe chance to participateina programthatcansetthemupforlong-termcareers,”said ElizabethThomas, district recruiterfor EBRMagnet Programs.“We’respecifically trying to revitalize this area andsupport thefamilieswho live around here.”
In addition to on-campuseducation,a partnership betweenGlenOaksand PatientPlusUrgentCare, a walk-inclinicwithninelocations in BatonRouge allows MedicalMagnetstudentstoshadowpersonnel in-clinicand learnabout thedaily work of medical assistantsthroughobservationanddiscussion.Regina Adomako,providermanager at PatientPlus, said Glen Oaks students areencouragedtotakenotes andare occasionally allowedtoperform minortasks,suchas taking apatient’s vitalsigns “Theyare trulylearningwhatitmeans to be a medicalassistant in arealclinicalsetting,” Adomako said.“That earlyexposuregives them atremendous advantageiftheywanttoapply fornursing or other healthcare programs,becausethose schoolslookfor students with medicalexperience.Dr. RubinPatel foundedPatient Plus with thegoalofstrengthening
Some state senators have been demanding improvementsfromHarrisand theagencyataseries of meetings over the last few months.
Barrow,a member of the Select CommitteeonWomen andChildren, earlierin March said it seemslike the agency is “on abad trajectory” when it comes to child deaths this year So far in 2026, there have been 4confirmedchild deaths resulting from abuse and neglect, and 7deaths are still pending investigation, according to data provided by DCFS. There were 31 child deaths owed to abuse and neglect in 2025. In 2020, the number was 23 and in 2015, it was 41, the data shows. It’s notclear in howmany of those casesDCFShas been alerted to problems.
“Wekeep having children whohave had contact with DCFS thatend up injured or dead,” state Sen. Katrina Jackson Andrews,D-Monroe, told Harris earlier this month. That criticism surfaced again Tuesday
“Wegot kids dying— now,”Luneau said. “This is enough.”
“DOGE-ing your waytoa solution is not the solution at all,” McMath said. He contended the remit of the child welfare agency is unique and, for example, unlike the transportation or economicdevelopmentdepartments. On Friday,Landry defended Harris. “Myadministration fully supports Secretary Harris andthe work thatDCFS does,” he said.
thecommunities we serve, andinvesting in students whowanttopursuehealthcarecareers is oneofthe most meaningful ways we candothat. Beyond technicalskills, thepartnershipteaches professionalexpectations.Whentheyareshadowingat PatientPlus,AdomakosaidGlenOaksstudentsareheld tothesamestandardsasemployees,fromprofessional dresstoworkplace communication.
“That’ssomethingthatIreallyadmireaboutourwork with PatientPlus,”saidRenitaMcQuirter of theEast BatonRougeParishSchoolSystem.“Everythingfrom theirappearancetohowtheyclockinandouteachday mirrorsreallife.It’salearningcurveforthem,butIsee themgetexcitedaboutitandproudtobegoingtowork.” Thomas said that real-world learning is what truly makesEBR Magnet programs special.
“Thesepartnershipsandopportunitiesforstudents arenotjustinnameonly,”shesaid.“Wearedeveloping youngprofessionals whocan go outintothe worldand representthe school district,themselvesand their families with asense of pride.
On campus,Dr. Johnsonsaidthe MedicalMagnet programcreates asense of energy andenthusiasm amongallgradelevels.GlenOaksmiddleschoolerswho seeMagnetstudents wearingscrubsoncertain days oftenask howtheycanbe apartofthe program. Those studying to become amedical assistantoremergency responderhavealsobecomeadvocatesfortheprogram inspiringtheir peers.
“The students themselves areour biggestrecruiters,”Dr. Johnsonsaid. “Theytelltheir friends what they didinclass or what they didatPatient Plus,and thosestudentsare then interested.I’m so proudtosee so many kids whoare invested in this programand excitedtotalkabout it.” Applications arenow beingaccepted forthe Glen OaksMedicalMagnetprogramaswellasothermagnet programs throughout East BatonRouge Parish.Visit ebrmagnet.orgfor more details.
Landry
Harris
workswith the conservancy’sBill Rivers, whoselong experience withprescribed burning has earned him nationalrecognition.
prime examplesome Louisianans may be familiar with is Kisatchie National Forest andits longleaf scenic byway Government agencies and nonprofits havebeen seeking to encourage landownerstoplant longleafpine, with notable success in recent years, adding afew million acres across the South. But theyacknowledge more efforts are needed, and landowners must be convinced that it will somehow benefit them —either economically or aesthetically,ormaybe both.
Thestory of longleafis astrong selling point.It touches on American history,shipbuilding, construction practices of the past and the way the need to make a quick buck can sometimes wipe away an integralcog of the natural world.
“If you care about the environment and you care about biodiversity,and you live in an area where longleaf was historically the natural ecosystem, it’shard to do anything better than to restore this system,” said Will deGravelles, whose role with The Nature Conservancy in Louisianaincludes overseeing longleaf pine restoration.
DeGravellessaid thevast longleafforestsofthe past provided wide-open spaces —aresultofthe unique way thetrees shape the landscape. Early settlers of what wouldbecomethe United States described them as allowing for ahorse to beridden“at full gallop and not have to worry about hitting anything,” he said.
Longleaf’s rangeinLouisiana traditionally included areas north of Lake Pontchartrain,likeSt. Tammany, Tangipahoa and Washington parishes, as well as expansive parts of the central and western portions of thestate
Thestrong wood and tar fromlongleafswere traditionallyused widely in shipbuilding, producing whatis referredto as “naval stores.” They also make for goodmasts andutility poles, among many other uses
‘Atfull gallop’ In some ways, deGravelles can measure his adult life by the longleaf pines growingat the Abita Creek Flatwoods Preserve in St. Tammany Parish.
With astand of those trees in the distance, their clumps of green needles set against abright bluesky,the 41-year-old described how he worked as avolunteer for The Nature Conservancy while studying forestryat LSU acouple decades ago —a precursor to his current job as the organization’s director of land protection and stewardship. The volunteer work involved planting longleafs there. The conservancy’sefforts mean everything from site preparation to planting and prescribed burns. When it comes to fire, deGravelles
“Wepulledalot of naval stores from those longleaf pines, in termsofpitch, tar, lumber,you name it,”the LSU Ag Center’sValerie West said “If it was on that tree, itprobably went into aboat or into someother part of our navalorganizationatsomepoint especially right up until about the Second World Warand through theSecond World War.”
Longleafs were gradually replaced with loblolly and slashpine, whichtendto growfaster,allowing landowners to earn money more quickly from theirtimber
The conservancy workswith federaland state partners to provide landowners with financial and technical assistancetoreplant longleaf
Anational initiative set a goal in 2010 of increasing acreageacross thesouth to 8million, said Matthew Vandersande of the USDA’s Natural Resources ConservationService.A list of agencies, organizations and corporate partners cooperateonthe goal under what is knownasAmerica’sLongleaf initiative
“Last year,we were up to 5.2, so we still have alittle way to go, but we stopped the decline andwe’re movingin
the rightdirection,” he said.
As an example, in fiscal year 2024, about $500,000 in assistance wentto12producerscovering more than 1,600 acres in Louisiana, said Sarah Trichel, theUSDA’s acting Louisiana state conservationist
“Wildlifeisalarge driver hereinLouisiana of individualscominginwantingtobe apart of thelongleaf story,” Trichel said.
“Wehavethose that remember seeing longleaf when theyweregrowing up anddon’t see that anymore, and they really want to have that longleaf stand reestablished, to seethoselong needles, those large cones, andfor theirgrandchildren and their grandchildren’s children.”
Devilinabox
Fire is an invaluable part of returning longleaf to the landscape, whichiswhy Hutchinson was working with his drip torch recently on propertyinSt. Tammany Parish owned by the Weyerhaeuser timber company
That section of land, bordering Nature Conservancy property,isbeing usedasa mitigation bank, employed by companies tocompensate for environmental degradationelsewhere. Longleaf has been plantedthere anditis beginning to flourish.
Thetreesare especially fire-resistant, and in the long-ago past, forest fires
were much more common thannow.Those involved in longleaf restoration stress how important controlled fires are to clearing the way for the trees to grow,but they note that prescribed burns by expertsare what is required, not random blazes thatcan quickly spiral out of control.
The fires clear away unwanted growth and allow sunlight to reach theforest bottom.Itall leads to adomino effect, permitting plants andanimalsthat were once part of thelongleaf ecosystem to return. Those can include turkey,bobwhite quail, pitcher plants and gopher tortoise, a
unique species that digs burrows also important to other animals. White-taileddeer alsobenefit from longleaf ecosystems.
Near the recent burn in St.Tammany,a pair of wild turkeys launched from aspot in aclearing andtook flight through the woods. Burns arecarefully plotted operations, withexperts planning aprecise mode of attack, dependent upon conditions such as wind direction.
John Ponder,who headed the burn team fromSustainable ForestrySolutions, said there can be no return of longleaf without it, but it must be done with the utmost care, comparing it to letting “thedevil”out of abox for a short period of time.
“You just kindofopen the box, and then you kind of let himout,and then he just kind of startsdoing histhing,” said Ponder.“Youspend the whole rest of the day trying to put him back in the box. That’sthe whole name of the game.”
The Nature Conservancy’s Rivers, who initially trained Ponder, saidthe nuances of longleaf habitat are endless. “This is just scratching the surface,” he said. “It’s an incredible system.”
STAFF PHOTOSByCHRIS GRANGER
Lance Buisson with the St.TammanyParish Fire Department helps acontrolled burninSt. TammanyParish on Wednesday.
Longleaf pines grow in ahealthyforest habitat maintained by prescribedburns in St. Tammany Parish on Wednesday.
deGravelles
Hawaii’s worst flooding in 20 years threatens dam
Evacuations
prompted as more rain looms
BY JENNIFER SINCO
KELLEHER
and AUDREY MCAVOY Associated Press
HONOLULU As Hawaii en-
dures its worst flooding in more than 20 years officials are urging people in hardhit areas to “LEAVE NOW.”
The warning early Saturday came after heavy rains fell on soil already saturated by downpours from a winter storm a week ago Still more rain was expected during the weekend, officials said Muddy floodwaters smothered vast stretches of Oahu’s North Shore, a community world-renowned for its bigwave surfing Raging waters lifted homes and cars and prompted evacuation orders for 5,500 people north of Honolulu. Authorities cautioned that a 120-year-old dam could fail. The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning early Saturday with light to mod-
a neighborhood on Friday in
erate showers expected to turn heavy in some places.
Gov Josh Green said the cost of the storm could top $1 billion including damage to airports, schools, roads, people’s homes and a Maui hospital in Kula.
“This is going to have a very serious consequence
for us as a state,” Green said at a news conference.
Most of the state was under a flood watch, with Haleiwa and Waialua in northern Oahu under a flash flood warning, according to the National Weather Service.
“Residents in the Waialua area are strongly urged to
LEAVE NOW,” an emergen-
cy alert said early Saturday
“The remaining access road out of Waialua is at high risk of failure if rainfall continues.”
Green said his chief of staff spoke to the White House and received assurances the islands would have
federal support. No deaths were reported and no one was unaccounted for More than 200 people have been rescued, officials said. About 10 people were taken to a hospital with hypothermia, he said.
Crews searched by air and by water for people who had been stranded efforts that were hampered by people flying personal drones to get images of the flooding, said Ian Scheuring, a spokesperson for Honolulu.
The National Guard and Honolulu Fire Department airlifted 72 children and adults who had been attending a spring break youth camp at a retreat on Oahu’s west coast called Our Lady of Kea’au, according to city and camp officials. The camp is on high ground but authorities didn’t want to leave them there, the mayor said.
Green said the flooding was the state’s most serious since 2004 floods in Manoa inundated homes and a University of Hawaii library
Dozens — if not hundreds — of homes were damaged Friday but officials haven’t
been able to fully assess the destruction, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said. Some 5,500 people were under evacuation orders. “There’s no question that the damage done thus far has been catastrophic,” he said. Officials blamed some of the devastation on the sheer amount of rain that fell in a short amount of time on saturated land. Parts of Oahu received 8 to 12 inches of rain overnight Kaala, the island’s highest peak, got nearly 16 inches in the past day the National Weather Service said. More rain was expected: Blangiardi said 6 to 8 inches of rain was forecast to fall on Oahu in the next two to three days. Winter storm systems known as “Kona lows,” which feature southerly or southwesterly winds that bring in moisture-laden air, were responsible for the deluges in the past two weeks. The intensity and frequency of heavy rains in Hawaii have increased amid humancaused global warming, experts say
Extreme heat strikes from U.S. Southwest to Nebraska
By The Associated Press
Parts of California and Arizona were under extreme heat warnings again Saturday while sweltering summerlike weather even stretched as far north as Nebraska just a day into spring.
Temperatures at or above 100 degrees were forecast in the Southwest, closing a remarkable week of recordbreaking heat. Experts say April, May and June are likely to be hotter than normal almost everywhere in the U.S. Win Marsh said the heat was a reason to return home early to Utah after she and her husband, Stephen, hiked 170 miles over two weeks in
Arizona starting at the Mexico border Their goal was to complete more than 800 miles on the Arizona Trail.
“We know our limits,” Marsh 63, said Saturday “We can’t hike when our bodies can’t cool down. There’s no shade out there, and water sources are drying up. We promised our kids we wouldn’t do sketchy stuff. We’re not out there for a search-and-rescue event.”
The National Weather Service predicted 100 degrees in Tucson, Arizona. The Yuma Desert, a desert community in southwestern Arizona, was headed toward 105 degrees, a day after reaching 112 — a record for the highest March
temperature in the United States.
Two places in Southern California also hit that temperature Friday Experts say triple-digit days typically arrive by May, not March.
In the Midwest, temperatures exceeding 90 were predicted across Nebraska, followed by a big drop to the 50s and 60s Sunday A red flag warning was posted, which means a higher risk for wildfires. Parts of Texas were also at 90 or higher Saturday
“This heat is likely to break many long-standing records from over a century ago across the area,” the National Weather Service in Omaha,
Nebraska, said. All evacuation orders were lifted in areas affected by Nebraska’s Cottonwood and Morrill fires, which have burned more than 1,200 square miles for days but
are largely contained, the state Emergency Management Agency said. The areas are dominated by range and grassland.
March’s heat would have been virtually impossible
without human-caused climate change, according to a report Friday by World Weather Attribution, an international group of scientists who study the causes of extreme weather events.
Survivorship care at specializedMaryBird Perkins Metairie clinic helps cancer
patients manage post-treatment challenges
effects cansignificantlyaffect fe,physiciansare increasingly ntsthathelppatients regain ce aftercancer. Oneemerging hthe clinicisUroGold,a form of ve therapy used to treaterectile pain lacousticwavetransmitted to stimulates bloodvessels and unction,”Dr. Mutter explained. lood flowand promotes tissue repair.” Thusfar,UroGoldhas beenparticularlyeffective formenwhoaretakingoral medicationsfor erectile dysfunction, possibly reducingtheneedforthose medicationsorimproving theireffectiveness. “One of themost importantthings Itell people aboutlow-intensity shockwave therapy is that notall treatments areequal,” Dr.Mutter said.“Youwanttomake sure youdoyourresearch at acliniclikeoursthatisfully streatmentinaproperand safe tairie clinicreflects Mary Bird r’sapproachinthatsurvivalis ory. As more people live longer nisshiftingtowardhelping lastingeffects of treatmentand flife. om alloverLouisiana,aswellas er noted. “All it takesisa single rtounderstandthatyou’renot ssituation andthere is help out gtolearn more aboutcancer orship at Mary Bird Perkins om er Center eted theirprimary treatment. “It’s
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MENGSHIN LIN
Floodwater covers
Waialua, Hawaii.
ELIMINATE BACK PAIN AND SCIATICA
If youare over35and suffer from thefollowing •Sciatica•NeckPain• Disc Herniations •Lower Back Pain •Radiating HipPain •Numbnessinthe Legs andFeet
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We areDr. ScottLeBlanc andDr. Dana LeBlanc, ahusband andwifeteam, that ownLeBlanc Spine Center.Wehave helped thousandsofpatientsget outofpainwithSpinalDecompressiontherapy treatments,and we love what we do.Discissuesare common,and patients sufferingare usuallygiven limitedoptions of treatment. We runthese big newspaperadvertisementsto letpeopleinthe community know thereisanotheroptionoftreatment forpain- withoutmedication, injections,orsurgery! NON-SURGICALSPINALDECOMPRESSION is a breakthrough,non-invasivetreatment that hasbeen proventoreverse disc herniationsand relievenerve pain in theneckand lowback. During theprocedure,aspinaldiscisisolatedand aseriesofdistraction andrelaxationphasesoccur at averyspecific angle, targetingthe source of pain.A vacuum can be createdinsidethe disc andthe negative pressure delivers nutrients, oxygen,and fluidfromsurroundingtissues,toassistwithrepairofthe damaged disc Thetreatment is not painfulatall,and most patients read or even take anap whileontreatment!
PROOFTHIS TREATMENTWORKS There’splenty of researchtobackupthe claims of Spinal Decompression Therapyand itseffectiveness.Hereare just afew of thepublished scientificstudies
•“Patients reported amean88.9% improvementin backpainand betterfunction. No patientrequired anyinvasivetherapies (e.g.epiduralinjections, surgery).”-AmericanAcademy of Pain Management
•“We thus submit that decompression therapy should be considered first, before thepatient un dergoesa surgical procedurewhich permanen alters theanatomy andfunctionofthe affecte lumbar spinesegment.” -Journal Of Neurosci ence Research
•“Vertebralaxial (spinal) decompressionwas successful in 71%ofthe 778cases”-Journal of Neurological Research
•“Good to excellentreliefin86% of patients wi Herniateddiscs”- TheAmericanJournal of Pa Management
•“Decompression Therapyreported a76.5% wi complete remissionand 19.6%withpartial re sion of pain anddisability” -Rio Grande Hosp tal, Department of Neurosurgery
At LeBlancSpine Center, we utilizeadvanced, FDA-clearedtechnologythatisproventoeffecti alleviatepain. It’s importanttonotethatnot everypatient is a candidatefor Spinal Decompression, whichisw we prioritize athorough individual assessment foreachpersonwho walks throughour doors. Ourhighsuccess rate in pain relief stemsfromour commitment to only taking on patients whom we confidently believewecan help
BeforecomingtoLeBlancSpine Center, I suffered from lowerbackpainwhenstanding andaconstantdullpaininmylower left hip for nearly threeyears.I hadCTscans,anMRI andeventriedphysicaltherapy,which only gave me somerelief. Afriend recommended LeBlancSpine Center, andI’m so gladtheydid Thedoctors andstaff are top-notch-wonderful competent, andgenuinelyinterestedin helpingtheir patients.Since startingcare, I’ve improvedabout 80%. Ican nowstand longer,walk, fish,and enjoyactivitiesthatwere previouslylimited by pain.Infact, I’meven planning twovacationsthisyear. Beforemy visits,Ifeltlikemyworld wasshrinking. LeBlanc SpineCentergavethatworld back to me,and I recommendthemwithenthusiasm Leonard Kleinpeter (Retired government worker andowner of Southern Hydroseeders) Hometown -Baton Rouge,LA
IcametoLeBlancSpine Center with pain in my left arm, shoulder,and neck,and Ihad two fingersonmylefthandthatwerenumb.I hadbeendealingwiththisfor over 8months andhad triedshots,therapy,MRIs, andX-rays before,but nothingwas really helping. Since coming here,I’veimprovedabout 90%. The staff is amazing-alwaysknowledgeable friendly,and helpful, andthe servicefrom thedoctors andteamhas been great. What Ilovemostisthe pain reduction, because it’s allowedmetotakebettercare of my dad andgrandkids,cut thegrass,dohousework andeven fish again. IfeellikeIhavemore mobility andI’m more relaxednow that Ican do more activities.Honestly,the only thingI don’t love is thedrive -weneedanoffice in Gonzales!Theyare amazing, though.Please give them atry before anysurgeries.
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Ihad been sufferingwithlower back pain,sciatic pain,and numbness in my feet.I beganSpinalDecompression treatmentsatLeBlancSpine Center and Iamnow 80%improved! Ican now standand sitfor longer periodswithout anypain, andI am able to walk longer distances. Iamfeeling so much better Thestaff here treats me excellent. Oneofthe best things aboutmycareat LeBlancSpine Center is that Iamshown care andconcern Iwould recommendLeBlancSpine Center andthe treatment-everyonehere is so nice andithas been so helpful!
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IcametoLeBlancSpine Center becauseI hadbeensuffering with extremebackpain andleg pain forseveral weeks. Ihad tried othertreatments, massage, NSAIDs and Tylenol, butIwas stillinpain. Ibegan Spinal Decompression treatments in April2024, andInow feel 100% improved! What Ilikemostabout my treatmentis that it is non-invasive anditeliminated my pain.Mytreatment appointments are notlong, andthe treatmentispain-free Sincebeginningtreatment at LeBlanc SpineCenter, Iamnow able to do allofmy previousactivitiesand work withoutpain. Ialsohavemorerange of motion.I would highly recommend LeBlancSpine Center!
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WASHINGTON Robert S. Mueller III, the FBI director who transformed the nation’s premier law enforcement agency into aterrorismfighting force after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and wholater became special counsel in charge of investigating ties between Russia and Donald Trump’spresidential campaign, has died. He was81.
“Withdeepsadness,we are sharing the news that Bob passed away” on Friday night, his family said in astatement Saturday.“His family asks that their privacy be respected.”
At the FBI, Mueller set about almost immediately overhauling the bureau’s mission to meetthe law enforcement needs of the 21st century,beginning his 12year tenure just one week before theSept. 11 attacksand serving acrosspresidents of both political parties. He was nominated by Republican President George W. Bush.
The cataclysmic eventinstantaneously switched the bureau’stop priority from solving domestic crimeto preventing terrorism, ashift that imposed an almost impossibly difficult standard on Mueller and the rest of the federal government: preventing 99 outof100 terrorist plots wasn’tgood enough.
Later,he was special counsel in the JusticeDepartment’sinvestigation into whether the Trump campaign illegallycoordinated with Russia to sway the outcome of the 2016 presidential race. Mueller was apatrician Princeton graduate and Vietnam veteran who walked away from alucrative midcareer job to stay in public service, and his old-school, button-down stylemadehim an anachronism during asocial media-saturated era Trump posted on social media after the announcement of Mueller’sdeath:“Robert
Mueller justdied.Good, I’m glad he’sdead.” The Republican president added,“He cannolonger hurt innocent people!”
In astatement, former Democratic President Barack Obama called Mueller“one of the finest directors in the history of the FBI” who saved “countless lives” after transformingthe bureau. “But it was his relentless commitmenttothe rule of law and his unwavering belief in our bedrock values that made him one of the most respected public servantsof our time,” Obama added.
TheFBI did not immediately respond to arequest seeking comment.The FBI Agents Associationcited Mueller’s “commitment to public service andtothe FBI’smission.“
InvestigatingTrump
Thesecond-longest-servingdirector in FBI history,behindonlyJ.Edgar Hoover,Muellerheld the job until 2013 after agreeing to Obama’srequest to stay on even after his 10-year term wasup.
Afterseveral years in privatepractice, Mueller was asked by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to return to public serviceas special counsel in the TrumpRussia inquiry.
Mueller’sstern visageand taciturn demeanor matched the seriousnessofthe mission,ashis team spent nearly two years quietly conducting one of the most consequential, yetdivisive, investigations in Justice Department history.Heheld no news conferences andmade no public appearancesduring the investigation, remaining quietdespite attacks from Trump and his supporters and creating an aura of mystery around his work.
All told,Mueller brought criminal charges against six of thepresident’sassociates, including his campaign chair andfirst national security adviser.
His 448-page report released inApril 2019 identified substantial contacts between the Trump campaign and Russia but did notallege acriminal conspiracy.Muellerlaidout damaging details
ASSOCIATED PRESS FILEPHOTO By SUSAN WALSH
Special counsel RobertS.Mueller III testifies on July 24, 2019, on Capitol Hill in Washington before the House JudiciaryCommittee. Mueller,a former FBI director,died on Fridayatage 81.
about Trump’sefforts to seize control of theinvestigation, andevenshut it down, though he declined to decide whether Trump had broken the law,in part because of department policy barring the indictment of asitting president.
But, in perhaps themost memorable language of the report,Mueller pointedly noted: “If we had confidence after athorough investigation of thefacts that thepresident clearly did not commit obstructionofjustice, we would so state. Based on the facts and the applicable legal standards, we are unableto reach thatjudgment.”
The nebulous conclusion did notdeliverthe knockout punch to the administration that some Trump opponents hadhoped for,nor did it triggerasustained push by House Democrats to impeach the president though he was later triedand acquitted on separate allegations related toUkraine.
The outcome also left room for AttorneyGeneral William Barr to insert his own views. He and his team made their own determination that Trump didnot obstruct justice, and he andMueller privately tangled over afourpage summary letterfrom Barr that Muellerfelt did not adequately capture his report’s damaging conclusion.
Mueller deflated Democrats during ahighly antici-
‘Buffy theVampire Slayer’actor Nicholas Brendondiesat54
BY SCOTT BAUER Associated Press
Nicholas Brendon, an actor bestknown for his role as a loveable underdog sidekick on the hit television series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” has died. He was 54.
Brendon’sfamily announced the death in astatement posted on his social media accounts Friday.They said he died in his sleep of natural causes, but did not say where or when it happened.
Brandon played Xander Harris, aclose friend of lead character Buffy,on“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” that ran
from 1997 to 2003. The supernatural series,which started on the WB networkand then movedtoUPN,was about vampire slayers, led by the teenager Buffy,who battled awide range of demons, werewolves and other dark forces while also navigating life in high school.
“Buffy theVampire Slayer,” based on themovieofthe same name, never received many awards, but it has been cited by many critics as beingone of themost influentialshowsinTVhistory
SarahMichelle Gellar,who played Buffyonthe show, posted aphoto of herself with Brendon on Instagram
on Saturday “I saw you Nicky,”she wrote. “I know you areat peace, in thatbig rocking chair in the sky.”
Brendonalsoappeared on the TV show “Criminal Minds”between 2007 and 2014 andalongside Bradley Cooper in the Fox sitcom “Kitchen Confidential,” an adaptation of Anthony Bourdain’smemoir,that aired for just one season in 2005.
Brendon was in the films “Redwood” in 2017, “The Nanny” in 2018 and “Christmas Slasher” in 2024. Brendon also wrote several issues of the Buffy comic book series.
pated congressional hearing on his reportwhen he offered terse,one-word answers and appeared uncertain in his testimony. Frequently,he seemed to waver on details of his investigation. It was hardly thecommanding performance many had expected from Mueller,who had atowering reputation in Washington.
Over thenext months, Barr made clear his owndisagreements with the foundations of the Russia investigation, moving to dismissa falsestatements prosecution that Mueller had brought against former national security adviserMichael Flynn, even though that investigation ended in aguiltyplea.
Mueller’stenureasspecial counsel was the capstone of a career spent in government Transforming theFBI
His timeasFBI director was defined by the Sept.11 attacks and its aftermath, as an FBIgrantedbroad new surveillance and national securitypowers scrambled to confront an ascendant alQaida andinterrupt plots and take terrorists offthe street before theycould act.
It wasa newmodel of policing foranFBI that had long been accustomed to investigating crimes that had already occurred.
WhenhebecameFBI director,“Ihad expected to focus on areas familiartome as aprosecutor: drug cases, white-collar criminal cases andviolent crime,” Mueller told agroup of lawyers in October 2012. Instead,“we had to focus on long-term, strategic change. We had to enhance our intelligence capabilities and upgrade our technology We had to build upon strong partnerships andforge new friendships, both here at home and abroad.”
In response, the FBI shifted 2,000 of thetotal 5,000 agents in the bureau’scriminal programstonational security In hindsight,the transformation was asuccess. At the time, there were problems, and Mueller saidasmuch. In aspeech near theend of his tenure, Mueller recalled “those days when we were under attack by the media and being clobbered by Congress; when the attorney general was not at all happy
with me.”
Among the issues: The Justice Department’sinspector general found that the FBI circumvented the lawtoobtainthousands of phone call records for terrorism investigations. Mueller decided thatthe FBIwould nottakepartin abusive interrogation techniquesofsuspected terrorists, but the policy wasnot effectively communicated down the line fornearly two years. In an effort to move the FBI into apaperless environment, thebureau spent over $600 million on two computer systems—one that was 21/2 years overdue and apredecessor that was only partially completed and had to be scrapped after consultants declared it obsolete and riddled with problems. Forthe nation’s top law enforcement agency,itwas arockytrip through rough terrain. But there weremany successes as well, including thwarted terror plots and headline-making criminal caseslikethe one against fraudster Bernie Madoff. The Republican also cultivatedanapolitical reputation on the job, nearly quitting in aclash with the Bush administration over asurveillance program that he and his successor,James Comey, considered unlawful. He famously stoodalongside Comey,then deputy attorney general, during adramatic2004 hospital standoff over federal wiretapping rules. The two men planted themselves at the bedside of the ailing Attorney General John Ashcroft to block Bush administration officials from making an endrun to getAshcroft’s permission to reauthorize a secret no-warrant wiretapping program. In an extraordinary vote of confidence, Congress, at the Obamaadministration’srequest, approved atwo-year extension forMueller to remain at his post.
DAYCAMP: 1st-5thGRADE
OVERNIGHTCAMP: 3rd-12thGRADE
Senate blocks amendment on transgender athletes
Lawmakers hold weekend session on voting bill
BY MARY CLARE JALONICK Associated Press
WASHINGTON The Senate on Saturday blocked an amendment that would ban transgender athletes from playing in women’s sports, rejecting one of President Donald Trump’s priorities as he pressures Congress to act on a broad voting bill.
Senators were holding a rare weekend session to debate the voting legislation, which would put in place strict new requirements for voter registration and require photo IDs at the polls in an effort to prevent people in the country illegally from casting ballots.
The House passed the bill earlier this year, but the Republican president has since said he wants additional priorities added to the legislation, including the sports ban for transgender athletes and a ban on all mail-in voting.
Democrats are expected to eventually block the broader
the record “one way or the other.”
The amendment that was blocked by a 49-41 vote would penalize educational institutions that receive federal funding if they permitted individuals assigned male at birth to participate “in an athletic program or activity that is designated for women or girls.”
Trump also wants Congress to block sex reassignment surgeries on some minors as part of the debate on the voting bill. It is unclear whether the Senate will hold a vote on that
face strong pushback from lawmakers.
Thune said the Senate will soon vote on an amendment that would force all states to require photo identification at the polls. Democrats blocked a similar bill on the floor last week, but Republicans say they want to put them on the record on that issue with a roll call vote.
“There are no good excuses” not to require photo identification, said Republican Sen. John Husted, a former Secretary of State in Ohio.
legislation, arguing that it would make voting more difficult for large groups of people. Despite Trump’s pressure, Republican senators have said repeatedly that they do not have enough support to jettison the legislative filibuster, which triggers a 60-vote threshold in the 100-member Senate, or find another workaround to pass the bill Republicans hold 53 seats
Still, Republicans put the legislation the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility
Act, also known as the SAVE America Act or the SAVE Act on the Senate floor this week for a lengthy debate as Trump has said he will not sign other bills until they pass the voting measure.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D, said Saturday morning that Republicans “haven’t made any final decisions about how to conclude this.”
“What we are trying to do is ensure that we are having a fulsome debate,” Thune said, and put everyone on
High court revives suit from evangelical Christian on restrictions on demonstrations
By The Associated Press
WASHINGTON The Supreme Court on Friday revived a lawsuit from an evangelical Christian barred from demonstrating in Mississippi after authorities say he shouted insults at people over a loudspeaker
The high court unanimously ruled in the case of Gabriel Olivier, who says his religious and free speech rights were violated when he was arrested for refusing to move his preaching away from a suburban amphitheater The city said
he had shouted insults like “whores,” “Jezebel” and “nasty” at people, sometimes holding signs showing aborted fetuses
Olivier wanted to challenge the law as an unconstitutional restriction on free speech, but lower courts stopped him from suing because he’d been convicted of breaking it. A Supreme Court case from the 1990s found people can’t use civil lawsuits to undermine criminal convictions.
But the justices found that doesn’t stop Olivier from suing because he only wants to
TEXAS
block future enforcement
“Given that Olivier asked for only a forward-looking remedy an injunction stopping officials from enforcing the city ordinance in the future — his suit can proceed, notwithstanding his prior conviction,” Justice Elena Kagan wrote for the court Olivier’s lawyers said he was demonstrating peacefully when he was arrested for refusing to move to a designated “protest zone.”
The legal principle, they argued, affects free-speech cases across the political spectrum
Detained immigrant children still face concerning conditions, lawyers say
BY GARANCE BURKE Associated Press
Nearly 600 immigrant children were held in a Texas family detention center in recent months without enough food, medical care or mental health services, with dozens languishing inside far beyond court-mandated limits, according to court documents filed Friday Children and families held in the Dilley detention facility where 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father were sent earlier this year faced virus outbreaks and lasting lockdowns in December and January, even as the total number of children held at Dilley has fallen in recent weeks, according to the attorney’s reports and site visits.
The case of Ramos, a preschooler who was wearing a blue bunny hat when he was picked up in Minnesota by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, stirred protest over the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, including among detainees who gathered and held up signs in the yard inside Dilley’s chainlink fences.
Last week, about 85 children remained detained at Dilley, but concerning conditions continued, said Mishan Wroe directing attorney at the National Center for Youth Law, who visited in mid-March In early February, a legal advocate for the children observed about 280 children
The filings cited numerous poignant cases, includ-
ing that of a 13-year-old girl held at Dilley who tried to take her own life after staff withheld prescribed antidepressants and denied her request to join her mother, as reported by The Associated Press. The government reported there had been “no placements on suicide watch,” according to the filing. The AP obtained the girl’s Dilley discharge documents that described a “suicide attempt by cutting of wrist” and “self-harm.”
The filings were submitted in a lawsuit launched in 1985 that led to the creation in 1997 of court-ordered supervision of standards and eventually established a 20-day limit in custody The Trump administration seeks to end the Flores settlement.
In addition, Trump has said he wants the House-passed bill to include a ban on most mail-in balloting. Trump has criticized mail in ballots for years and used it as a centerpiece of his efforts to overturn his defeat to Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. A ban on mail ballots would likely
“This works It’s being implemented all over the country.” Illegal voting by noncitizens is rare. Still, a poll by the Pew Research Center in August 2025 found that about 8 in 10 US adults said they favor requiring all voters to show government-issued photo identification to vote.
Thirty-six states require some form of identification at the polls, according to the
National Conference of State Legislatures, and 23 states require photo identification The SAVE America Act would require photo identification and could override many forms of ID allowed in states across the country — including fishing and hunting licenses or college IDs. It would also require that people voting by mail include a photocopy of their ID with their ballot. Democrats say they support some voter ID laws, but argue that the proposed ID requirements in the bill, along with strict new requirements for voter registration, would prevent many people from voting. The bill would also allow the Homeland Security Department to review state voter rolls, which Democrats say could lead to voters being purged. The new rules would be “a bureaucratic nightmare,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By TOM BRENNER
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., center, speaks to Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, and Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., on Saturday before a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington.
DAscould getmoretimetoprosecute corruption
BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN Staff writer
ASenate committee did not approve aproposal to remove the statutes of limitations for
Landrybuilds supportfor teacher pay amendment
Gov.Jeff Landry is campaigning for voters to approve aconstitutionalamendment on May 16 that would give teachers apay raise.
Louisiana has given teachers aone-time stipend over the past few years. Amendment 3would make the pay increase permanent, worth at least $2,250 per year It would do so by liquidating three education-related trust funds and using the money to pay off retirement debt; the money the state saves on interest would fund the pay raises.
That proposal was included with several other proposed changes to the state government’staxingand spending in a constitutional amendment that voters rejected last year.Supporters of the bill hope that, by tryingagain with the teacher raises as astandalone amendment, more people will support it.
Landry this week posted on X photos of ameeting he had with teachers to talk about passing the amendment. Aweek earlier, he prominently mentioned the
corruption charges against public officials —but it did agree that prosecutors should have more timetopursue those cases. The Judiciary CCommittee on Tuesday amended Senate Bill 207 to allow certain charges tobebrought against public officials and public employees for up to 10 years after the officialleaves office or the employment ends. Currently,the statutes of limitations for the
crimes vary,but theycannot be longer than six years.
Thecharges coveredinclude abuse of office, bribery of acandidate, bribery of voters, corruptinfluencing,malfeasance in office and public bribery Sen. BlakeMiguez, R-New Iberia, who is sponsoring SB207, originally proposed completely eliminating the statute of limitations for those crimes.But he agreed to change the bill after Sen. Jay
amendment in his “State of the State” speech toopen the Louisiana Legislative session.
“This amendment is not a temporary stipend. It is not a promise for another day.Itisa permanent raise; earned, reliable and responsibly funded,” Landry said in the speech.
“Our teachers have stood by Louisiana through hurricanes, pandemics and years of uncertainty.They stayed in theclassroom when it would have been easier to leave. Passing Amendment 3letsour teachersknow
Morris, R-West Monroe, worried about possible “political prosecutions,”and said legislators hadconcernsthat having no time limit would be unfair to defendants. Morris said that he understoodMiguez’sconcerns but that“the reasonstatutes of limitations are in effect at all is because over aperiod of time people forget,witnessesdie off.”
SB207 “would allow time for
(district attorneys) to prosecute those crimes after the fact, with the idea that public officials while they’re in office could use their influence to push offany type of prosecutionorinvestigationinto their action,” Miguez said. The proposal won the Judiciary CCommittee’sapproval without objection after Miguez agreed to amendit, and it now heads to the full Senate for consideration.
Louisiana stands by them.” Cassidy,Kennedy both supportSAVEAct
Both of Louisiana’sU.S. senators, Bill Cassidy,R-Baton Rouge, and John Kennedy,RMadisonville, say they support theSAVEAct, thecontroversial voting security bill that is currentlydominating debateinthe Senate. President Donald Trump is pushing for Senate Republicans to passthe bill, which would requireproof of citizenship —like abirth certificate or passport —to register to vote, and photo ID to cast aballot. Republicans say those safeguards will prevent voter fraud. ButDemocrats say it will put obstacles in the way of voting in an effort to prevent aproblem that is exceedingly rare.
In aspeech on theSenate floor, Kennedy argued that Americans are wary after an influx of immigrantsduring former President Joe Biden’sadministration “It’smeant to say to theAmeri-
can people, ‘Look,weinCongress hear you. We want youtotrust our elections,’”Kennedy said. In his own floor speech, Cassidy pointedout thatbuying alcohol and boarding planes requires aphotoID.
“Butwhenitcomestochoosing theleaderswho will steer thefutureofthe UnitedStates of America —suddenly showing an ID is too muchtoask?” Cassidy said. “There’s something really backwards aboutthat.”
Trump hasurgedSenate Republicans to eliminate the filibuster,aproceduralrule that allows theminority party to block most legislationunless abill gets 60 of 100 votes. Some Republicans have called for a“talking filibuster,” which would require Democrats to actually continue speaking to block the bill.
SenateMajority Leader John Thune, R-SouthDakota, has said he does nothavethe votestocircumvent the filibuster Kennedy said he supports using thebudgetreconciliation process, which is not subject to the filibuster,topassthe SAVE Act. Cassidy said he has supported thetalking filibuster since he joined theSenate.
State agencies warn of phishing scams
Several Louisiana state agencies have warned thatscammers
areimpersonating their staff in “phishing” attempts.
The OfficeofMotor Vehicles warned of ascam text message thatpurports to be a“final notice” of outstanding traffic citations. The fraudulent text warns that, if voters don’tpay up, their vehicle registrationand driver’s license could be suspended and theycould face legalaction, credit downgrades and additionalfees
“Louisiana OMV will not contact youvia text to demand personal informationor payments through external links,” the officewrote in astatement. Officials urgedpeople who get the scam texts to delete andreport them.
SecretaryofState Nancy Landry’soffice warned of asimilarscam by people pretending to work for her office, which oversees voting andbusiness filings.
“The SecretaryofState’sOffice does notsendunsolicited text messages or emails threatening prosecutionorasking for payment,” heroffice wrote in anews release.
“Residents areencouraged to check the Secretary of State’s website (sos.la.gov)and social media for accurate and up-todate information.”
Miguez
Cassidy
NancyLandry
•
EDUCATION
In ruralAmerica,ateacher pipeline driesup
BY MICHAEL MELIA Associated Press
Like many schoolsystems facing teacher shortages, South Carolina’sAllendale County has looked overseas for help. Aquarterof the teachers in the rural, highpoverty district come from other countries.
The superintendentpraisesthe international educators —mostly from Jamaica and the Philippines —for their skill and dedication, but she is preparing to losesome of them as the Trump administration reshapes visa programs.
Facing higher visa sponsorship costs and uncertain immigration policies, Superintendent Vallerie Cave said it feels too risky to extend some internationalteachers whose contracts are up or bring on others.
“Some of my very bestteachers arehaving to returnto their countries,” Cave said.
For rural schools especially, President Donald Trump’simmigration crackdownispinchinga pipeline used widely to fill staffing shortages that worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rural districts can struggle to attract American teachers to remoteareasthatlackplentifulhousing, shopping and services such as health care, especially forlower salariesthan some bigger districts offer Cave is hoping to hire local teachers to fill the gaps leftbyseveral teachers’ impendingdepartures. If she can’t, she mayexpand the district’s useofonlineteachers. Elsewhere, districts are considering hiring uncertified instructors, combiningclasses or dropping course offerings.
In September,the White House
announced aone-time $100,000fee on new H-1B visas, which allow highly skilled foreign workers to be employed in theU.S. The Trump administrationarguedAmerican employees were being replaced, particularly in highly paid roles at tech companies. Critics have argued thefee will worsenlabor shortages outside of tech
More than2,300 peoplewith H-1B visas work as educators across 500 school districts, according to an analysis by the National EducationAssociation teachers union. In aDecember lawsuit challengingthe fee,a coalition of 20 states argued that the fees would effectively prevent school districts from hiring international
teachers
TheTrump administration has provided aform to request exemptionsonthe fee, and educators and advocacy groups have argued it’s in the public’s interest for teachers to be exempted. Teachers also can come to theU.S. on the morecommon J-1 visa, which allows shortterm stays for cultural exchange programsand is not subject tothe new fee.
In rural Oregon, the Umatilla School District recruited two teachers from Spain for math and scienceinstruction. The teachers were “phenomenal,” Superintendent Heidi Sipe said, but theyreturned homeinthe summer “Unfortunately,due to some
thingsathomeand then the stress of theunknown,they did choose to go back,” Sipe said. The district did not look for international candidates to replace them because of thecostand uncertainty,but it was able to advertiseearly andfound local candidatesfor the openings, Sipe said. Other school leaders arenot optimistic they will have the same success. In Allendale County,the international teachers —onamix of H-1B andJ-1 visas —have taught subjects including math, science and language arts, plus special education. Evenbefore the hike in fees, it would costbetween $15,000 to $20,000 to sponsor asingle teacher
every year,Cave said.
School leaders agree hiring inperson, certified staff is the best option —teachers who can sit with students to explain aconcept and build closer relationships throughout the school day.When that option fails, they weigh tradeoffs Cave said she will look to introduce morevirtual teachers through Fullmind, acompany the district already is using to provide three state-certified instructors. Students meet in aclassroom,and their teacher joins them via video chat. Fullmind announced last week it had acquired Elevate K-12 and now providesthe remote instruction formore than 225 school systems.
South Carolina lets districts hire noncertified teachers to meet staffing needs, but Cave said she would bring in more online teachers before pursuing that option.
Herchallengeswith teacher shortages,she said, have notlet up sincethe pandemic, when many school districts used federal relief money to post new positions, thenhad difficulty finding enough teachers.
“I can’treally do competitive pay,” she said. “For rural America, impoverishedAmerica, it is still a problem recruiting teachers.” At Halifax County Schools in rural North Carolina, 103 of the 159 teachers are from other countries. For the longer term,the district is pursuing ways to recruit future educators as early as their junior and senior years in high school.
More immediately,the district is hoping to hire international teachers coming from other districts whowant to have their J-1 visas changed to H-1B visas, which could allow the school systemto avoid the $100,000 fee, said Carolyn Mitchell, the district’sexecutive director of human resources.
“You have to try to figure out everyalternative way when you knowthatyou mayneedpeople,” Mitchell said.
Oldest knownwhale recordingcould unlock mysteries
1940sdiscovery can help with oceanand animal research
BY PATRICK WHITTLE Associated Press
PORTLAND,Maine Ahaunting whale song discoveredondecadesold audio equipment could open up anew understanding of how the huge animals communicate,accordingtoresearcherswho sayit’s the oldest such recordingknown.
The song is that of ahumpback whale, amarine giantbeloved by whale watchers for its docile nature andspectacularleaps from the water,and was recorded by scientists in March 1949 in Bermuda,said researchers at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institutionin Falmouth, Massachusetts.
Just as significantisthe sound of the surrounding ocean itself, said Peter Tyack, amarine bioacoustician and emeritus research scholaratWoods Hole.The ocean
of thelate 1940s was much quieter than theocean of today,providing adifferentbackdrop than scientists are used to hearing for whale song, he said.
The recovered recordings “not only allow us to followwhale sounds, but theyalsotell us what the oceansoundscape was like in thelate 1940s,” Tyack said. “That’s very difficulttoreconstruct otherwise.”
Apreserved recording from the 1940s can also help scientists better understand how new humanmade sounds, such as increased shipping noise, affect the way whales communicate, Tyack said.
Researchpublished by the NationalOceanic and Atmospheric Administration states that whales can vary their calling behavior depending on noises in their environment
Therecordingpredates scientist Roger Payne’sdiscovery of whale songbynearly 20 years.Woods Hole scientists on aresearchvessel at thetimewere testing sonar systems and performing acoustic
they kept this recorder running, andtheyeven made time to make recordings where they weren’t making any noise from their ships on purpose just to hear as much as they could,” said Jester.“And they kept these recordings.”
WoodsHolescientistsdiscoveredthe song whiledigitizing old audio recordings last year.The recording was on awell-preserved disc created by aGray Audograph, akind of dictation machineused in the1940s. Jester located the disc.
study them
Thesounds also allowthe whales to findfood, navigate,locateeach otherand understand their surroundings in the vast ocean, scientists say
Several species make repetitive sounds that resemble songs. Humpback whales, whichcan weigh more than 55,000 pounds, are the ocean’smost renowned singers, capable of complex vocalizations that can sound ethereal or even mournful.
experiments alongwith theU.S Office of NavalResearch when they captured the sound, said AshleyJester,director of research dataand library services at Woods Hole. The scientistsdidn’tknowwhat theywere hearing, but they decided to record andsavethe sounds anyway,Jester said. “And they werecurious.And so
While the earlyunderwater recording equipment used to capture the sound would be considered crude by today’sstandards, it was cutting-edge at the time, Jester said. Andthe fact that the sound is recordedona plastic disc is significant because most recordings of the time were on tape, whichhas long since deteriorated, she said.
Whales’ sound-making abilityis critical to their survival and key to how they socialize and communicate. The sounds come in the form of clicks, whistles andcalls, according to NOAA scientists who
The discovery of long-lost whale song from aquieter ocean could be ajumping-off point to better understanding the sounds the animals maketoday,said Hansen Johnson, aresearchscientist at the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life at the New England Aquarium
“And, you know,it’sjust beautiful to listen to and has really inspired alot of people to be curious aboutthe ocean,and care about ocean life in general,” said Johnson, whowas not involved in the research. “It’spretty special.”
BY PATRICK ONEN Associated Press
KARAMOJA,Uganda— Ugandan wildlife authorities havereintroducedrhinos into aremote protectedareawhere they were oncepoachedinto extinction, an event seen by conservationists as amilestone in efforts to support the recovery of aspecies threatened by poaching.
Last week, two southern whiterhinos from aprivate ranch in the EastAfrican country were reintroduced into Kidepo Valley National Park in the country’snortheast. Twomore rhinos in metallic crates arrived Thursday There have been no rhinos in Kidepo Valley National Park since 1983, the result of poaching.
But aprivate ranch in central Uganda —the Ziwa RhinoSanctuary —has been
Musinguzi, executive director of the Uganda Wildlife Authority.“We are deeply grateful to our conservation partners whose technical expertise, financial support and logistical contributions have made this milestone possible.”
Localwildlife authorities
Therhinos’ newhabitathas fence lines,access roadsand fire management infrastructure. More rhinos are expected to be relocated there later this year,including some from Kenya. Therhino translocation “shows that Uganda is stable again for tourism, national
PROVIDED PHOTO
AGrayAudographwas used to record sound of whales in the 1940s.
THE GULF COAST
KaiyaBeach Resort plansto expand with restaurant,spa
BY POET WOLFE Staff writer
Anew beach resort from aNew Orleans
developer is helping to redefine thebusy and often strident reputation of Florida beaches along the Gulf Coast On Scenic Highway 30A, Kaiya Beach Resort offers 173 residences —including beachfront homes, villas and vacationrentals— as well as afine art gallery,all spread across 32 acres of land that was once apeach farm. Sitting on 250 feet of private beach is another amenity known as theBeach House, aprivate members’ club that includesaninfinity pool and lounge.
This year,the resort is expanding with Oyom Hotel &Spa, which will feature 40 suites, a4,000-square-foot spa andfitness center,and afine-dining restaurant.
Thedeveloper behind Kaiya, Jason Romair, is aNew Orleans native whose path into real estatebeganwithbuilding and opening aCreole-Italian restaurant in the city.Romair bought the property adecade ago with hopes of creating arefuge from the crowds and noise that dominatemanyFloridabeaches. Constructionbegan about five yearsago, and the resortopened in 2024
“The community had aneed forthis particular development —somethinglow-density andnot crowded,”Romair said.“Something with awellness component woven throughout it, and something harmonious with stillness, beauty and art thatwas lackinginthe area.”
The resort arrives as tourism alongFlorida’s Gulf Coast continuestoevolve. Long a juggernaut for regionaltravelers, the area has drawn increasing numbers of visitors from across the country since the COVID-19 pandemic. As crowds grow,some residents and local officials have pushed backagainst new commercial developments, citing risingtraffic disrupting local life. Meanwhile, some parks are under constructiontoexpand beach access while preserving the character of the area.
Kaiya is another sign that the region’s identity may be shifting beyond itscrowded beach reputation towardsomethingmore curated and culturally driven.
PROVIDED By KAIyABEACH RESORT
KaiyaBeach Resort along Florida’sGulf Coast is expanding this year
Romair’supbringing in New Orleans’ GardenDistrict —surrounded by ornatemetalwork and walkable streets —influenced thespirit of Kaiya,whichhedescribesas “rooted in creativity and art and beauty.”
Itsexhibition, Omaire Gallery, showcases contemporary classicism artwork, from paintings to marble sculptures. Terry Slaughter,the resort’s creative director,described Omaire as “a littlebit more like a museum,” adding, “it’slarge, it’svery minimalist.”
“Our goal was to always create something that is more on an international standard,” Slaughter said, “And it’s notalwaysabout sellingthe art. It’smore about giving people an experience that uplifts them.”
The gallery neighbors theresort’supcomingrestaurant Lamuse D’Or,a collaboration between Kaiya and itspartnersBoka RestaurantGroup and Donnie Madia of One Off Hospitality,both with Michelin credentials.
Romair,who preferrednot to label the typeofcuisine, said the menu wouldbeinspiredbythe Gulf with plates that could be found in other culinary powerhouses like New York and Paris. He said theinterior will feature white terrazzo floors, Calacatta Viola marble andartworkthroughout the space.
“It’sgoing to be approachable, but done in avery sophisticated way,” Romair said.
The same philosophy extends throughout the rest of Kaiya. All of it, Romair said, is intended to slow thepace and offer asense of stillness for both travelers and residents.
“That’s really what thisisabout at its core,” Romair said, “A place wherepeople know that whentheycomehere, theywill find thepeace that they’re seeking.”
Biloxi chef servingup gumboz’herbesevery Lent
BY POET WOLFE Staff writer
Austin Sumrall was ayoung chef workinginNew Orleanswhenhestepped into Dooky Chase’sRestaurant one Sunday morning, still bleary after along night out. Sumrall, then22, started to turn around once he noticed thewhite tablecloths, black tiesonserversand crowdsdressed in sophisticated attire —until he was stopped by Leah Chase, therestaurant’smatriarch. She insisted he stay “Shetoldmeitdidn’tmatter what I looked like,” Sumrall said. “Wewereall beautiful.”
The interaction happenednearly twodecades ago, yet Sumrall recalled it clearly on arecentWednesdayafternoon at his Biloxi restaurant, WhitePillars Restaurant and Lounge, seated at adining table near a window overlooking the Gulf
In front of him sat abowl of gumbo z’herbes he had prepared in the kitchen minutes earlier,surroundedbyfive other cooks who movedquietly withpracticed hands —slicing fish, peeling garlic, cuttingshallots.
The dish, deep green and rooted in the Catholic faith,spiritualrenewal and community,was popularized by Chase, whose restaurantserves it every Holy Thursday in observance of the abstinence frommeat on Good Friday Sumrall, whohas familial roots in Louisiana, began making his own gumbo z’herbes 15 yearsago,sometime after his encounter with Chase.SinceWhite Pillars opened in 2017, he has served it every Lent —areflection of New Orleans traditions no longerbound to the city alone, but extending well beyond it,crossing the Gulf andinto restaurantslike his own.
He views thedish, with its West African, French and Germanic roots, as asymbol of Louisiana.
“You’vegot three different culturalinfluences coming in, which is what gumbo is,” Sumrall said. “It’s also like what Louisiana culture is, too.” Likethe cultures that shape it, gumbo z’herbes blends several varieties of greens,
traditionally an odd number forgood luck. Legend holds that forevery green cooked in thepot,you’llmakeanew friend in the coming year Youcan expecttomakeseven new friends after eating his gumbo z’herbes. While preparing the dish, Sumrall slipped on his chef’s coat and dropped collard greens, kale andother herbs into ablender, adding parsleyinlast. Thehardiest greens go in first, he said, followed by the more delicateones. The mixture is then braised and layeredintoagumbo base madewith shrimpstock. Sumrall poured the gumbo into abowl filled with aspoonful of potato salad, an addition that he knows is controversial in somehouseholds.Seared housemadeandouille sausage, four pickled shrimpand asprinkle of chiveswerethe finishing touches. It tastes howitlooks: earthy andlight, complementing the fresh shrimp, with a leafytexture softened by the potato salad. With every Lent comes anew way of making gumbo z’herbes. One year,White Pillars served aversion featuring perloo, a Low Country staple with roots in West Africa. And another year,crab fatfried rice. “Justwhereverthe mood takes us,”Sumrall said. Kale and collards are almost always in the recipe, given they’re in season during Lent, while the other herbs rotate depending on what the restaurant has on hand. But no matter the version, gumbo z’herbes is ritualistic and symbolic —a metaphor fortogetherness, new chapters, and, if there is such athing, luck.
STAFF PHOTO By POETWOLFE
White Pillars in Biloximakes itsown gumbo z’herbes, aclassicLent dish popularized by the late Leah Chase.
Meteoritehunters scouring forfragments of spacerock
Giant fireball brokeapart over Ohio
BY PATRICK AFTOORA-ORSAGOS and MARK SCOLFORO Associated Press
MEDINA, Ohio Meteorite hunters fanned out across awideswath of Ohio on Thursday,hoping to collect fragments of an estimated 7-ton spacerock that crashed into Earth this week after adazzlingfireball that was seen from hundredsof miles away. The meteoroidbroke apart around 9a.m. Tuesday over Valley City,ahalf-hour south of Cleveland, after it sped through the atmosphereat about 45,000 miles per hour It caused asonic boom that rattledbuildings and caused fears of an explosion. The fireball was seen from Wisconsin to Maryland, and NASA confirmed it was a meteoroid nearly 6feet in diameter.
displays one of the meteorites hefoundinSharon Center,Ohio, after ameteor crashed March 17.
which melts and breaks apart.
Thesight of theblack rock stuck outatHarris’ house.
“I’ve got acleaned-off driveway,” said Harris, 70, aretired business owner “There’snothinglike this around.”
aphone interview.“This is a beautyofafall.”
In nearly adecadeofcollecting, Vargas had found only about 20 meteorites in thewild. He’samong the huntersspeculatingthat there might be amuch larger piece outthere —perhaps 20 pounds or more.
BY NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press
ROME The Vatican on Fridaylauncheda campaignto encourage divestment from mining industries, saying theCatholic Church should investits money in ways that areconsistent with its ecological teachings.
The effort, which also involves other Christian organizations, takes as its inspiration Pope Francis’ 2015 environmental encyclical“PraisedBe.”
The document, and the ecological movement it inspired, railed againstthe multinational corporations that pillageEarth’s natural resources, often at the expense of poor and Indigenouspeoples.
The initiative is the brainchildofanexistingecumenical networkofCatholicand
other Christiandenominations, the Churchesand MiningNetwork,that is active in particular in Latin America.
The campaign aims to encourage local churches to reviewtheir investment strategies and divest where needed,and to shareinformation especially with Indigenous groups about the typesofextractionoccurring on their lands.
Yolanda Flores, aleader of theAymara peoples in Peru, teared up at aVatican news conference describinghow Indigenous mothers are left to fear they are poisoning their children because theirdrinking water hasbeenpolluted by extraction runoff.
Guatemalan Cardinal Álvaro Ramazzini recalled that when he was bishop of San Marcos,the Guatema-
langovernment alloweda Canadian mining firm to explore, and then extract silverand gold from theland. While the project provided short-term employment to the local population, the ultimate winners werethe shareholders, he said. “Was it alegal activity? Yes. Wasitanactivitythat promotedthe holisticdevelopment of those communities? No,” Ramazzini said. “In terms of distributive justice: were the mining operations fair? No.” Cardinal Fabio Baggio, theNo. 2inthe Vatican’s ecology office, was asked if theVatican hadinthe past invested in mining corporations and was now reviewing its strategies. He said he didn’tknow,but added that whenever such campaigns are launched, it’snecessary to “also look in one’shome.”
Medina residentDecember Harris didn’thavetogo looking —her cousin and roommate, AmbraSinclair, found as ma ll black rock they suspect is ameteorite when she wasleaving for work. They had heardthe sonicboomTuesday morning but figuredit might have been noise from anearby airport. Harris said her roommate foundthe rock in a4-foot area between the garage and the house late Wednesday morning. She described it as somewhat triangular shaped, less than 2inches in diameter —and “very,very black,” with pits on the surface, grooves and amelted texture on its exterior
Meteoroids are traveling at very high speeds when they suddenly hit gases that blanket Earth,causing tremendous stress as they compress the air in front of them. That heats the rock,
She had heardshe should avoidtouching ameteorite with bare hands, so they picked it up with anapkin andplaced it inside ajar Now she’slookingfor away to authenticate it —noone answered the NASA phone number she called seven times.
“Tous, me and my cousin, we have astrong faith in God,” Harrissaid. “We’re like, ‘God just dropped it out of heaven.’
After helearned of the meteor sightings, meteorite collector and dealer Roberto Vargas hit the road to drive for hours from his home in Bristol,Connecticut, to Ohio. He drove into the night andstarted his searchshortly after sunrise Wednesday.Itwas nearly sundown though before he got lucky and came across asuspected meteorite. At noon on Thursday he located a second piece, which he said is “100% fusion crusted,” a museum-quality specimen he plans to keep.
It was enoughtomakethe 40-year-old formermental health therapist wax poetic.
“It was amassiveevent— theshock waves, thesonic booms,” he said,taking a break from hissearch to do
Vargas said there’samix of variables that will factor into how long he stays in the area.
“Itdependsonhow many stones are found,”hesaid. “Do they continue to be found? Andwhat thesituation is like withhuntable ground. There’sa lot of privatepropertyaround here.”
Gabe Leidy thought maybe somethinghad hit hishouse in North Ridgeville when he heardthe boom,thenwent searching for pieces after work Wednesday afternoon.
The39-year-old whoworks in supply chain management wenttothe SharonCenterarea, wherehethought ablack spacerockmight stand out. That’swhenhe found “something that looks very,very,very much like a meteorite.”
Somepeople have already offered him hundreds or even thousands of dollars for it,but Leidy wantsto hang on to it. For nowit’sin acupboard, but he imagines that one day it might end up in amuseum
“My goal here was just to find amementothat Ican remember this probably once-in-a-lifetime event by,” he said.
PROVIDED PHOTO FROM VIDEO
Asuspected meteor falls throughthe sky in the greater Pittsburgh, Pa., area on March 17.
ASSOCIATEDPRESS PHOTO By SUE OGROCKI
Meteoritehunter Roberto Vargas, of Connecticut,
Harris
Livingston to restore former courthouse
Town plans to move operations into building
BY CLAIRE GRUNEWALD Staff writer
For a decade, the old Livingston
Parish courthouse has sat empty, collecting dust — but now it’s getting a second chance at life due to a restoration project that will set it up to house a town’s government operations.
“I think it’s great for our town it’s exciting to be able to do this not just for the town but for the
The town of Livingston officially began construction in January on the vacant, 85-year-old former parish courthouse, with the goal of moving municipal operations into the building and ultimately reviving that corner of town The total cost of the project is about $7.5 million and is expected to be done in the next two years, pending state funding.
BR airport seeks aid for TSA workers
Donations welcomed during shutdown
BY CHARLES LUSSIER Staff writer
For the second time in the past year, the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport is trying to line up food and gas money for federal employees no longer getting paychecks thanks to an extended government shutdown.
The shutdown last fall lasted 43 days. The current shutdown, which began Feb. 14, is causing hardship in Baton Rouge for 40 employees of the Transportation Security Administration. TSA is part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the agency whose funding has lapsed.
As with the previous shutdown, one room at the airport has been converted into a mini food bank with items supplied by the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank. Two bins have also been set up for airport visitors to donate canned goods.
“We stage the items, and the TSA employees can anonymously come and get what they need, Airport Director Mike Edwards said The latest shutdown grew out of the bitter fight over the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown and the outrage that boiled over after the killings in Minnesota of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in January Democrats and Republicans have clashed over proposed reforms to DHS’ immigration agencies.
Tens of thousands of DHS employees are working without pay during the shutdown. TSA employees last received a partial paycheck in late February
“Like every airport in the country, we’re very concerned about this shutdown,” Edwards said “We want to get it over with as soon as possible.” Edwards complimented Baton Rouge’s TSA staff — “we are fortunate; we have a very dedicated staff here” but said the workers are adapting to something they shouldn’t have to adapt to.
“This is not their first shutdown,” he said. “They have gotten very used to these things.” During the shutdown in the fall, TSA workers continued to come to work at levels comparable to before the shutdown, Edwards said. That contrasts with the 10% callout rate TSA reported earlier this week, with some larger “hub” airports seeing more than a third of their staff skip work. Also, wait times in Baton Rouge have remained steady, he said “(Passengers) are not going to have any issue getting through security here in Baton Rouge, based on past experience,” Edwards said. Edwards, however, said that could change if the current
parish,” said Livingston Mayor JT Taylor The courthouse on Iowa Street was built in 1941 and has been vacant since the new parish courthouse opened down the street at the beginning of 2015. Occasionally, the sheriff’s department would use the building for training, but that’s been the extent of it. Conversations about the project began in 2021, said Taylor The
project stemmed from population growth and a wish to “bring that area back to life,” because it was once a downtown or main street area for the town This part of Livingston was hurt by declines in business, retail and community activity that began when the courthouse was still active, the mayor said.
“We are running out of room at our town hall,” the mayor said, talking about the town growing in population. Right now the town of Livings-
ton’s government is operating out of a 4,000-square-foot building on Circle Drive. The courthouse is 20,000 square feet. Phase one of the project includes plumbing, electrical and landscaping work, and it is contracted to be done this year The Police Department’s office
Bubble buddies
Man convicted in killing two
Women found in same unit seven months apart
BY QUINN COFFMAN Staff writer
Jurors found a Baton Rouge man guilty Friday night on reduced charges for the killings of two women found in the same abandoned apartment unit, seven months apart. Police originally believed the first victim, 26-year-old Christina Hobbs, had shot herself on Dec. 26, 2022, and only marked the defendant, 37-year-old Cedric Lang, as a person of interest. Lang remained free, and prosecutors said he returned to squatting at the same unit in the abandoned Florida Vista apartment complex where Hobbs’ body was found. They
said a second woman moved into the room with him. It was only after that woman, 42-year-old Racheal Johnson, was found beaten to death in the unit that authorities believed they had enough evidence to tie Lang to both deaths. He was charged with two counts of second-degree murder and a count of obstruction of justice for allegedly taking a firearm from the scene of Hobbs’ shooting.
In her closing arguments, Assistant District Attorney Tiara Jones said Baton Rouge police detectives were able to form a single narrative from two crime scenes separated by time. To demonstrate, she held up an unfinished puzzle in a plastic bag to the jury
“Everything that we sent to you in the beginning was kind of like this puzzle. The pieces, they’re pretty much thrown
together as they come,” Jones said. “And luckily, with all those puzzle pieces that were scattered everywhere, Detective Reese (Jenkins) went the extra mile and continued to make these links. He was able to put these puzzle pieces from this case and this case together that links to this killer.”
Two of these pieces were Lang’s DNA, found both on a gun holster at the scene of Hobbs’ shooting and again on Johnson’s neck and chest area. Lang’s defense focused on the circumstantial nature of the prosecution’s case. No witnesses testified to directly seeing Lang commit either killing, and no murder weapon has been produced by police.
Public defender Haliz Folami told The Advocate he
ABOVE: Kids play in the bubbles before the start of the walk at the Down Syndrome Awareness Group of Baton Rouge’s flagship event, the Buddy Walk held at A.Z. Young Park on Saturday LEFT: Sophia Weir dances to the music
Suspect arrested after man fatally shot
A suspect has been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of a man March 11 after an argument on North 49th Street, Baton Rouge police report. Princeton Oliver, 40, was booked into East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on counts of seconddegree murder, felon in possession of a firearm and illegal use of a weapon, according to a BRPD news release. Johnathan Archille, 32, was found about 3 a.m. after being shot multiple times in the 1000 block of North 49th Street, police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said Archille reportedly had a verbal argument with an unidentified person before the shooting. Oliver has an arrest history that includes simple burglary manslaughter and resisting an officer CRIME BLOTTER staff reports
PHOTOS By APRIL BUFFINGTON
New Orleans airport unveils new master plan
Leaders chart growth over next 20 years
BY JONAH MEADOWS Staff writer
Airport officials and parish leaders said Friday they are close to getting the blessing of federal regulators for a massive growth plan that will reshape Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport over the next 20 years, adding more gates, a new parking garage and, eventually, a new terminal
If current travel patterns hold, the nearly seven-year-old airport will each its capacity by 2031, airport officials have said Over the past two years, they have been working on drafting a federally recommended master plan that will provide a blueprint for its expansion.
At a news conference Friday, New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno, airport officials and nine parish presidents from across the region gave an update on the plan and spoke about why the future of the region’s tourist economy is tied to the growth of the airport.
“We need more capacity we have to expand,” Moreno said “I think that says a lot about our area and our region about needing to have our airport meet those demands.”
Officials shared few new details Friday about the main components of the plan, which have been presented in community meetings over the past two years.
But the briefing underscored the emphasis on regional cooperation that Moreno has prioritized in her new administration. The airport — owned and operated by the city of New Orleans while located mostly in the city of Kenner in Jefferson Parish, with a portion of runway in St. Charles Parish — has traditionally been a source of friction among local and parish leaders.
CONVICTED
Continued from page 1B
does not believe authorities should pick up the first person they find when seeking suspects in a homicide.
After around four hours of deliberation, jurors found Lang guilty, but not of murder He was convicted of negligent homicide in Hobbs’ killing and manslaughter in Johnson’s. He also was found guilty on the obstruction of justice charge.
A sentencing hearing for Lang was scheduled for May 21.
“Did we want second-degree murder? 1000%, but we’re grateful that we do have some closure,” said Amber Guidry, Racheal Johnson’s sister
A gun that walked away
Both deaths occurred in Apartment 12 at the abandoned Florida Vista apartment complex, 10625 Florida Blvd. Lang and the two women, as well as multiple witnesses who testified in the case, were homeless at the time of the killings and squatting at Florida Vista. Jury selection questions focused on potential jurors’ biases against drug users or the homeless.
The night of Hobbs’ death, Dec. 26, 2022, police were called to Florida Vista over reports of a shooting.
In a 911 call played in court, a woman later identified as Racheal Johnson can be heard speaking to the dispatcher In the background, a man detectives identified as Lang can be heard directing her to report the death
But when police arrived, Lang was not at the complex.
In a police interview captured by bodycam, Johnson told officers that Lang had told her to call the police because Hobbs was “unresponsive” and had “shot herself.” Johnson then told police Lang had run off.
In Apartment 12, officers
“When I found out that we were submitting the plan to the FAA, I’m like, ‘Hey guys, we should all get a whole briefing on this and support this, because this is a really big deal for our entire region,’” Moreno said. “They’re like ‘Absolutely.’”
In 2025, the airport handled 6.21 million departing passengers, down more than 5% from 2024. But the long-term trend points upward and, with a capacity of 9.7 million departing passengers under its current configuration, airport officials have said they will hit a wall if they don’t expand.
Over the past two years, they’ve been working on the $3.6 million master plan, which they recently submitted to the FAA. They’re currently exchanging notes with the agency to finalize details.
The plan calls for expanding the existing terminal to the east and the west, eventually connecting it to a second terminal on its west side Together the terminals would allow for an additional 10 to 15 new gates up to 60 in all along with 31,000 square feet of new ticket lobby space, 53,000 square feet of space for an expanded security checkpoint and 78,000 square feet of baggage claim area.
“This airport is not only going to be a premier travel destination, but its going to serve as an economic growth factor,” Michael Bagneris, chairman of the New Orleans Aviation Board. “It’s going to be a catalyst for vibrant economic growth for the greater New Orleans region.”
The plan also calls for a new parking garage to be built on top of the current surface lot and improvements to the airport road network to improve access and circulation while reducing the bottlenecks of its current configuration.
Several airport infrastructure improvement projects are currently underway A new $84.5 million connector road for express shuttles is being
found clothes and trash strewn throughout the rooms. Hobbs’ body was found in an upstairs bedroom, sitting on a mattress and leaning against the wall. She had a gunshot wound to the chest with an exit wound in her back
Dr Yen Van Vo, a forensic pathologist with the parish Coroner’s Office, didn’t officially rule Hobbs’ death as a suicide or a homicide. She testified that she was leaning toward homicide.
Detectives testified that no firearm, shell casing or bullet was found in the apartment. Officers did recover a handgun holster from the scene.
Prosecutors presented DNA findings showing a match to Lang on the holster, arguing that he had used the gun to kill Hobbs before escaping with it.
“Do not leave your common sense at the door That’s what (the defense) would want you to do,” Jones said in her closing arguments. “A gun did not pick up legs and walk out of that apartment.”
‘Happy Birthday, Ced’
Seven months later, in early July 2023, police were called out to the same apartment over reports of another unresponsive woman: Racheal Johnson. Authorities grew suspicious that both women had died in the same unit, and been reported dead by the same man prosecutors said.
“Cedric Lang is there when Christina is shot, but he’s not on the scene (when police arrived). Cedric Lang, he says he found Racheal Johnson’s body, but he’s not on the scene,” Jones said in closing arguments. Multiple neighbors at Florida Vista, some of whom were also squatting or were drug users at the time, testified that Johnson had taken up with Lang inside the apartment. Previously, she had been living in a shed behind the complex. Neighbors also testified
paved, a $27.1 million project to rehab the airport’s northsouth runway got underway this month and is expected to be complete in November, a $45 million upgrade will add 25% additional capacity to inspect checked baggage and airport officials plan to soon begin building 400 more parking spaces near the terminal.
The bill for the infrastructure improvements and for the terminal projects and garage will be covered by funds generated by airport operations and through negotiations with the airlines.
Part of the new master plan calls for the demolition of the south terminal that has sat largely vacant since the new terminal opened in November 2019. Some portions of the 1950s-era facility are still used for administrative and public safety functions, others have been rented out for use by film and television productions.
Aviation Director Kevin Dolliole said the redevelopment of the south campus will prioritize aeronautical uses.
“There’s plenty of room to work with, plenty of room for additional hangers, with private owners, even,” Dolliole said.
Cargo and private aviation terminals, or FBOs, will be moved to the south campus, and a new hanger for maintenance, repair and overhaul, or MRO, is also planned. Eventually, Dolliole said airport officials hope to establish an aircraft mechanics school there.
The airport’s master plan also envisions an eventual connection to the terminal from a potential passenger rail station to the south, though the road will be built long before the arrival of train service.
“Initially, it’ll be shuttles off that terminal, just like the shuttles from hotel facilities and economy parking,” Dolliole said. “Eventually, probably light rail or autonomous vehicles — most likely autonomous vehicles it’s a lot less costly, a lot more efficient.”
to having seen domestic incidents between Lang and Johnson: shouting, slapping and an instance where Lang wouldn’t let Johnson leave in an acquaintance’s vehicle. They also testified to having seen bruises in various states of healing on Johnson on multiple occasions.
Prosecutors tied this to autopsy analysis from Vo, the forensic pathologist, who said some of Johnson’s bruising occurred before her fatal beating. Blunt force trauma was ruled as the cause of death.
Lang’s attorneys drew doubt over whether Johnson was killed at the apartment, arguing that there was little blood near where her body was found and that a detective said her body appeared staged when found.
Overall, they argued the prosecution’s case was entirely circumstantial.
In an interview with police after his arrest, Lang distanced himself from Johnson, saying they weren’t the only people staying at the apartment and that the two did not have a relationship.
In crime scene photos taken the day of Johnson’s death, the inside walls of Apartment 12 could be seen decorated with a birthday banner On one yellow star decoration a message had been written: “Happy Birthday, Ced. Love Racheal.”
Email Quinn Coffman at quinn.coffman@ theadvocate.com.
COURTHOUSE
Continued from page 1B
was added in the 1960s. The new space is triple the amount of space the department has now The outdoor space is also being redone to host community events such as food truck Fridays, car shows and more, potentially before the project is fully completed.
“I’m big about community and getting people outside,” he said.
Then, phase two will take contractors about 10-12 months and includes finishing the courthouse restoration. That’s when the rest of the town hall will move its operations there.
Taylor emphasized the support from state legislators for their help so far in securing $3.3 million in state grants and
AIRPORT
Continued from page 1B
shutdown drags on too long. In the near term, he worries that problems at other airports will spook Baton Rouge travelers.
“What we don’t want to see is people canceling trips because they are worried they are going to suffer delays at other hubs,” he said.
TSA workers are not highly paid as a rule, making an average annual salary of $35,000, according to Airlines for America.
“Some of them are having to defer elective (medical) procedures because of a lack of money,” Edwards said. “Some of them have had to take out shortterm loans for money It is a very unfortunate situation.”
capital outlay funds. There is a pending capital outlay funding request under consideration in the current legislative session.
Ultimately, residents should expect the project to be completely finished by 2028 if Livingston is able to continue procuring capital outlay funds from the state.
“It was a lot of work to get to this point,” Taylor said while walking through the courthouse as contractors worked inside Friday morning. In the courthouse, there is even additional room for state legislators to have offices and extra space that could be leased, the mayor said.
The one part of the courthouse that does not have a designated plan yet is the old jail cells. Taylor, thinking out loud, said it could be perfect for a stop on a school field trip or even more fittingly, a local haunted house.
The airport is working to obtain other kinds of help for the unpaid TSA staff: donated meals from restaurants, gas cards from local service stations and cards from grocery stores. Those who want to help can call the main number at the airport at 225-355-0333, or email ttessier@flybtr com.
Email Charles Lussier at clussier@theadvocate. com.
STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS
Town of Livingston Mayor JT Taylor gives a tour of renovations inside the entryway of the former Livingston Parish courthouse.
STAFF PHOTOS By JAVIER GALLEGOS
The front view of the former Livingston Parish courthouse is seen on Friday. The building is currently under renovation.
Pelicans unveil renovationsfor Smoothie King Center
BYJEFFDUNCAN Staff writer
Imagine goingtoafuture
NewOrleans Pelicansgame and beforehand, taking in an outdoor concert at atreelined, open-air plaza outside theSmoothieKingCenter, then crossing the street to grab apregame drink in the arena’sclub lounge with a view of downtown New Orleans on an open-air Garden District-style rooftop veranda.
That’sthe vision Pelicans officials have pitchedtokey decision-makers across the city and state as they try to garner support fora major makeover of their home arenaand its surrounding campus.
The project would be the most extensiverenovation of the Smoothie King Center since it opened in 1999, something officials sayisneeded to bringthe building up to modern NBA standards. It would feature the addition of 2,155 lowerlevel seats, upgraded concourses, new social spaces and aredesign of the surrounding campus that includes two parking lots adjacent to the arena along Le Rouge Street, Champions Square, the old New Orleans Centerand Macy’s parking garage.
Themasterplan wascommissioned by the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District, which oversees the arena’soperations for the state, and was completed in July by the architectural firms Gensler and EskewDumezRipple. The Times-Picayune obtained acopy of the master plan throughapublic records request.
Officials stressed that thearchitectural renderings presentedinthe plan are conceptual studies that have not been approved by the state, LSED or Pelicans and “are preliminary at best,” said LarryRoedel, the longtime legal counsel for the LSED.
“The Master Plan is aconceptual look at different options for improvements to theSmoothie King Center,with arenovation being contingent on alease extension with the Pelicans,” said Rob Vosbein, the chairman of the LSED, in astatement.
“The LSED is currently working with the Pelicans on adesign and plan for renovating the Smoothie King Center.However,no design concepts or funding mechanisms for therenovation outlined in the Master Plan have been finalized or approved by the LSED.”
Still, the proposal is the clearest sign yet that officials are pushing to get the project offthe ground and are working toward the key funding negotiations and approvals to make it happen.
Acontingent of team and state officials, led by Pelicansowner Gayle Benson and Gov.Jeff Landry,presented the plan to NBA commissioner Adam Silver during ameeting in New York in January.Team officials also showed it to Mayor Helena Moreno last month.
Cost estimates were not included in the report. The state and Pelicans are expected to pay for the project through apublic-private partnershipsimilar to the one used to fundthe recent $560 million renovationof the Superdome.
The project would be the linchpin for along-term lease extension between the teamand state at the Smoothie King Center.The Pelicans’ lease at Smoothie King Center expires in June 2029. The franchise is in the midst of its 24th season in the arena.
The lease agreement and use of public funds would require legislative approval.State andteam officials have begun initial discussions on along-term lease agreement, led by Landry,Vosbein, Benson and Pelicans President Dennis Lauscha. TheNBA is expected to award New Orleans afuture NBA AllStar Game when the sides reach an agreement ona new long-term lease.
whenshe signed thelease extension for the Saints with Gov.Landry,that it would now be time to turn our focus to alease extension with the Pelicans andthe start to developingaplan at upgrading theSmoothie King Center,” said Greg Bensel, the Pelicans senior vice president of communications/
on of that. regon legislature proved $365 odernize the dModaCenter ail Blazersin
rlotte Hornets da two-phase, million renovation Spectrum Center in tyear that addlower-bowl seats,
upgraded concoursesand newsocial spaces. Footprint Center,the home of the Phoenix Suns, completeda$240million renovation in 2021. “Every NBA team, regardless of location and market size,needs amodel, state-of-the-art arena to compete in the league,” SilvertoldThe Times-Picayune in 2023.
RENDERING PROVIDED By GENSLER AND ESKEWDUMEZRIPPLE tthrough architectural firmsGensler and KingCenter in NewOrleans. The project ocialspaces and aredesign of the
Obituaries
Bahlinger, Claire
Olive Claire Clack Bahlinger passed away on March 16, 2026 after an extended illness. Claire was born on December 11, 1933 to parents Frank and Marie -Louise Clack. She grew up in Baton Rouge but spent some of her childhood in St. Francisville with her friends and extendedfamily. She was agraduate of BatonRouge High School. Claire was married to Frederick J. Bahlinger, Jr. Claire loved cooking for friends and family. Their home would often be full of guests enjoying food, fun and laughter. Claire worked for several years at the Roman Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge at the Diocesan Tribunal as an assessor on matrimonial cases. Claire is survived by her four children: Marie -Louise (Matt), FrederickJ IIII "Fritz" (Melissa), Lewis (DeeDee), Hilary (Willie); grand children: Brooke (Jordan), Jessica, Malachi and great grandchildLynn. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Sacred Heart Catholic Church or St. Vincent de Paul. The family is thankful for the staff at Lacour House in New Roads and Clarity Hospice for the wonderful care that they gave our mother. Visitationwill be held at RabenhorstFuneral Home DowntownonSunday, March 22, 2026 from 4pm until 6pm. Visitation will resume on Monday, 9:30am at Sacred Heartof Jesus CatholicChurch with Mass beginning at 10:30am. Aprivate graveside service will be held at alater date.
Broussard, Kenneth M. 'Kenny'
Kenneth M. "Kenny" Broussard passed awayon Wednesday, March 18, 2026, at the Crossing at Clarity Hospice in Baton Rouge. He was 78. Anative and resident of Baton Rouge, he graduated from Glen Oaks High School and was aretired conductorfor the Illinois Central Gulf/Canadian National Railroad.Kenny was aNavy veteran, who served in the "Silent Service" during the Vietnam War. He is preceded in death by his parents, StanleyJ and Mayme Barcelona Broussard. Kenny is survived by his devoted wife, Beverly R. Broussard; their daughter, Carly McConnell; and his sisters, Gayle B. Oubre and Vicki B. Bryant. Relatives and friends are invited to attend the Funeral Service at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, at Resthaven Funeral Home, 11817 Jefferson Highway in Baton Rouge. A Visitation willbeheld at thefuneral home beginning at 9:00 a.m. Interment will follow at Resthaven Gardens of Memory. For those so desiring, memorials in honor of Kenneth M. "Kenny" Broussard may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project. Family and friends can see the full obituary and may sign the online guestbook or leave apersonal note to the familyat www.resthavenbatonroug e.com
E.M. "Ned" ClarkSr. passedawayonMarch16, 2026,at the ageof92. A formal and respectful remembrance is offered for a devoted,accomplished, and civic-mindedman whose life reflectedsteady leadership, generous service, and enduring love for family,friends,LSU andthe Baton Rouge community. Anative of Baton Rouge, Ned attendedBaton Rouge High School, Darlington Preparatory School, LSU, and Banking School of the South. Nedgraduated from Louisiana State University in 1955and is aformer U.S. Air Force captain. While at LSU, Nedwas astarforward for the Tigersand helped lead them to their first FinalFour in 1953, and also played forLSU baseball.Hewas awardedthe 2010 SEC BasketballLegends Award Ned's career in banking spannedover55years and includedthe launching of twobanks. Nedplayed an active role in numerous civic, professionaland charitable organizations, servinginvariouscapacities on the boards of United Givers,Junior Achievement of GreaterBaton Rouge, the YMCA, LSUNational LClub, The Rotary Club, UnitedWay,Baton Rouge General, St.James Place, St.JamesChurch, Baton Rouge FoodBank, Boy Scouts and The Cancer Services, amongothers. His accoladesinclude the Baton Rouge VolunteerActivist Award and The Baton Rouge Brotherhood and SisterhoodAward of the NCCJ, among others. Nedissurvived by his wifeof69years, Laura O'LenicClark;daughters, Bryan ClarkFox (Ray) and Chrissie Clark Olsson (Don); son,EMNed Clark, Jr. (Stacey); grandchildren, Harrison Fox (Megan), Hayden Fox, Bryan Olsson, Clark Olsson, Collyn Clark Stramwasser (Cristian), MatthewClark (Caroline) and Camille Clark Theriot (Henri); and great-grandchildren, Tessa Clark, Sophie Stramwasser, Preston Stramwasser, DukeClark, Millie Fox and Frankie Fox. He was precededin death by his parents, Willard Curtis Clark and Sally Swain Clark,and his sister, Nancy ClarkWait PallbearerswillbeHarrison Fox,Matthew Clark, Hayden Fox, Bryan Olsson, Clark Olsson and John O' Hearin. Honorary pallbearersare Dick Hearin and RobertPettit, Jr Avisitation willbeheld on Friday,March27th at Rabenhorst Funeral Home on Government St. from 5 PM to 8PM. Visitation will resume on Saturday, March 28th at St.James Episcopal Church from 12 PM until the Funeral Service at 1:30 PM. Burial will follow at Greenoaks Memorial Park. In memoryofNed please considergivingto some of his favorite Organizations including Hospice of Baton Rouge,Baton Rouge FoodBank, St James Episcopal Church or CancerServicesofBaton Rouge. The familyisdeeply grateful forhis caregivers DonnieBatiste, Beverly Helm, Shaneika Finley, ShondellGaines and CarolynClark.Special thanks to Latriecia Anderson and Debbie Sparacellofrom HospiceofBaton Rouge.
Doyle, her husband of 66 years, and by her sister and brother-in-law Marilyn and HaroldWalker. Frances and Doylehad six children: Michael Galloway (Tommye), Sandra Hill (Jerry), Janice Galloway, Elaine Galloway (Ray Hare), Dianne Schlatre (Charles) and Marilyn Galloway (David Martin) Grandchildren:ChristopherGalloway, Ashley Minvielle, StephanieLeaf, Jeffrey Suggs, Jonathan Suggs, AmandaWeaver, Lindsey Norsworthy; AvaErickson, nine greatgrandchildren and one greatgreat grandchild.There will be a graveside serviceonSaturday, March 28, 2026, at 10am at Greenoaks Memorial Park in Baton Rouge, followedbya receptionat Greenoaks Life Celebration ReceptionCenter. Please visitrabenhorsteast.com to signthe online guest book and view fullobituary.
Tyler Marie Grezaffi, 27, of NewRoads, LA,passed away on March 18, 2026. Tyler was born on July14, 1998, in BatonRouge, LA to Scott Grezaffi and Marie Grezaffi,was known for compassion, professionalism, and commitment to public service, and touched thelives of many throughher career in law enforcement and corrections. She is survived by her loving Dad,Scott Grezaffi (DeeDee); her mother Marie Grezaffi; Sister, Shannon Grezaffi Legendre (Eric), and brother Ryan Grezaffi;her Nana, Toni Foret Grezaffi; her Nanny, Andi Grezaffi Perkins and UnclePaul "PJ" Perkins; cousinDarby McIntosh Carriere (Nick) whom she lovedasa little sister; Nephew, Bishop Greene and Niece,Kullen Greene.She is also survivedbyher fiancée,BrandonBlackburn, with whom she shared adeeplove and ashared home along with their dog, Knox. She was preceded in death by her Pop, Sammy Grezaffi. Tyler enjoyed taking new adventureswithBrandon, the Grezaffi girl's trips, spending NewYears Eve's with thefamily at UnclePJ's LodgeinSicily Island,and being an investigator at The Louisiana StatePenitentiary (Angola). Afuneral willbeheldonMonday, March 23, 2026, at NewLife WorshipinNew Roads, LA withvisitationfrom9:00a11:00a and aservicestarting at 11:00a. Burial will followatFalse RiverMemorial where she will be laid to rest. Acelebration of her life will be held at First Baptist Church immediately following. Pallbearers willbeScott Grezaffi, Brandon Blackburn, EricLegendre,Nick Carriere, Bishop Greene,and Paul Perkins. Honorary Pallbearers will be her brother, Ryan Grezaffi, RobRoy, Steve Boudreaux and allofher colleagues at thedepartment of corrections and lawenforcement.The familywouldliketoexpress sincere appreciationfor all thosewho havereached out during this time of sorrow, especiallytoall of the lawenforcement professionals who havehelpedto escort our beloved Tyler to her place of rest
Whether she was going out of herway to find theperfect,thoughtful gift or simply showing up without hesitationwhen someone needed her, Erinalways putothersfirst. She gave of herself fully, bringing comfort, kindness,and companionship to everyone fortunate enough to knowher. Visitation willbe at HolyFamily Catholic Church, 319 NJeffersonAvenue,Port Allen, LA on Monday, March 23rd, from 9a.m. until Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m.,celebrated by Rev. JerryMartin. Entombment willfollowinSt. John theBaptist CatholicChurch MausoleuminBrusly. Erinis survivedbyher mother and step-father, Debbie BergeronSchexnaildreand AllenSchexnaildre;father, JayGross Jr.and partner Katheleen Allen; siblings, Matthew Gross and wife Celeste DaigleGross, Amanda Gross Thies and husband Billy, John Gross and wife Julia Athmann; nieces and nephews, Ethan, Michael and Anna Gross;step-brothers, Shawn, Jason, John and Stephen Schexnaildre. Erin was preceded in death by her grandparents, Belvin and Claire Bergeronand Josephand Joyce Gross; cousins,Dustin Bergeron, Adam Collins and Tanner Bergeron; beloveddogs, Macy and Little Girl. Memorial donations may be madetoStJudeChildren's Research Hospital. Thefamily extends their sincere gratitude to Erin's friends and thecommunity at theBarclayHouse, whose kindnessand companionship madeher time there so meaningful. Please share memoriesat www.wilbertservices.com.
James Mortimer Hoffman III, 75, of BatonRouge, LA died peacefully on March 17th, 2026 surrounded by his loving family He was born August 5th, 1950 in NewOrleans, LA to James Mortimer Hoffman II and Dorothy Francis Nelson. Jim grew up in Richardson,Txand was an elite 3-sportathlete,where he coinedthe nickname "Jimmy Grits He later attended LSU and was amember of PKT fraternity, where he met hislifelong friend Collin ('Da Coach') Andrews, along with numerous brothers whom he stillhad monthlylunches with. He was awellknown youth baseballcoach for Unit Designand helpeddevelop many highschooland collegiateplayers. Jimwas adevoted husband ,tohis wife Kathy of 52 years, father ,grandfather,brother, cousin, coach and friend Jimissurvivedbywife, Kathy Hoffman, son Jimbo Hoffman, daughter Katie leighHoffman (John Green); grandchildren, Hayden Kathryn Hoffman ScarlettGrace Hoffman, Declan Mcauliffe Champion Green; sisters Dottie Miles,JaneBoles, sister-inlawTara Mcauliffe Brown,
andnumerous nieces, nephews, and cousins; whom he caredfor deeply. Funeral serviceswillbe held at St.Aloysius Church March26th. Visitation9:3011:00 AM,witha mass to follow Familyasks in lieu of flowersthat amass intention be read in hisname.
Hubbs, John W. 'Johnny'
John is a1962 graduate of Catholic High and a graduate of Northwestern State University. He workedfor The Berry Companyfor many yearsin Louisiana andTexas. After histimewithThe Berry Company, John andhis wife, Patti, ownedand operated agift shopin Kemah, Texas. John was a beautifullyhappysoulwho broughtjoy to all whoencounteredhim. John is survivedbyhis children, Christopher Hubbs of Natchitoches, LA andwife Martha, Beth Broussard of Baton Rouge, LA andhusband David, Jay HodgesofClinton,LAand wife Brandi.Grandchildren:HunterHubbs, Mahalie Kyzar andhusband Logan,Erica Hubbs,Jack Broussard, Katharine Broussard, Sarah Broussard, Jacob Hodges, John PaulHodges. Great grandchild: Oakley Hubbs Nieces andnephews: JamieLatuso,JoniLambert,Julie Tabiolo, James Hubbs, Rev. MartinMary Hubbs, Hilary"Tiger"Vignes, Jr Jean Claude Vignes, Greg Overall, Seth Overall, GinnyRoach, Trish Vinyard, Brandt Hart, Brittney Marionneaux. He is also survived by histwo brothers: Jimmy Hubbs of Prarieville,LA, andMark Hubbs of Rockwall, TX and wife Kathleen. John is preceded in death by hiswife,Patti Hubbs, his parents, Jim andPauline Hubbs,his sister-in-law,JoanAnn Hubbs, hisniece, Janette Hubbs, andhis daughter-in -law,Jenny Kent Hodges. Visitation will be held at St.Thomas More Catholic Church,11441 Goodwood Blvd,Baton Rouge,LA 70815, on Monday, March 23rd from 9:00 am to 10:30 am, Rosary at 10:30 am, Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 am, andinternment to follow at Roselawn Cemetary.
MarthaJeanBrown Murray, passedawayon March20, 2026, in Zachary, Louisiana. Shewas born on August 6, 1935. Sheissurvived by hergrandson, Clint Murray; granddaughters, Katie Murray and HaleyMerritt; great grandsons, Benjamin Murray, Hunter Murray, Spencer Murray, Trey Etue,and GavinMeadows;great great grandson, Bryce Murray; andbrother,John Brown.She preceded in
death by herchildren, Harry Murray, Jr Kenneth Murray, andRobertMurray
O'Dell, JerryLeon
JerryLeonO'Dell, 91 years old, belovedhusband, father,grandfather, andfriend, passedaway on February 21, 2026. Jerry wasbornonMarch 14, 1934, to Goldea and E. Leon O'Dell, in Huntington,West Virginia.
Jerryissurvivedbyhis loving wife of nearly 56 years, Carolyn O'Dell; daughter, CaraO'Dell; son, Gregory O'Dell(Amaris); grandson, PhineasO'Dell; sister-in-law,Patsy Fifer; nephews, Ericand Jared Fifer; cousins(in-law), Michael, Jonathan, and Kimberly Thurmond; anda host of otherextended family.
Jerryisprecededin death by hisfather, E. Leon O'Dell; mother, Goldea O'Dell; andsisters, Netta Duplanti and Roberta O'Dell.
Raised in San Diego, California,heenjoyedsurfing andbeing near thewater He moved to Louisiana in 1969, married, andspent theremainder of hislifeas aresident of Baker Louisiana. After working in theaircraft industry, and along with work as acommercial designerand artist, he operated an automotivepaint andbody shopuntil2023. He greatly enjoyed hisworkand the opportunities he hadto train others In 1952, Jerrywas baptizedasone of Jehovah's Witnesses and continued to devote hislifetothe study and teachingofthe Bible. He is remembered fondlyfor the faithand hope that sustained him; hishumility, modesty, and tenderness and compassion toward others;and thegratitude andcontentmentthatshapedhis perspective eachday.
Memorial Serviceswill be held on Saturday, March28, 2026, 1:00 PM at theKingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, 4415 Groom Road,Baker, LA 70714
The familyextendsa special thanks to Dr. Michael Rolfsen of the Baton Rouge Clinicfor always beingthere
Friends and familymay leave anote online here: https://www.bakerfuneral homeonline.com/obituarie s/jerry-odell
IraRoberts, born January30, 1970, in Baton Rouge,and arespected Captain with theBaton Rouge Police Department(BRPD),
Grezaffi, Tyler Marie
Hoffman,James Mortimer
Murray, Martha Jean Brown
Roberts,Ira Lewis
unexpectedly at his Port Allen home on March 13, 2026.
Ira lived alife of service, deeply respected by his community and cherished by hisfamily. He is survived by his beloved wife, Kaywania; twowonderful children, Joshua and Brianna; and brother, Gregory Thompson. He is preceded in death by his mother, Sadie Roberts.
Agraduate of Istrouma High School and Southern University and A&M College, CPT Roberts joined the BRPD on July 31, 1998. He served Baton Rouge in various divisions with professionalism, care, and commitment. Known for his dedication, humor and wisdom, and as an avid University of Alabama football fan, his compassionate service touched countless lives.
CPT Roberts was a member of the Nazarene Baptist Church, where religious services will be held on Saturday, March 28, 2026, at 10:00 am. Viewing times are Friday, March 27, 2026, 4pm -6pm at Hall Davis &Sons Funeral Services, andSaturday, March 28,2026, 9am-10 am at Nazarene Baptist Church.
John Skolfield, age 95, of Mandeville, LA passed away peacefully in his sleep while holding the hand of his beloved caregiver, Rhiannon. He was proceeded in deathjust last October by his beloved wife of 70 years, Helen Joyce Thibodaux Skolfield. John was also proceeded in death by his parents, William Allen Skolfield, Jr andHazel Leah Walters Skolfield, his twoolder brothers, infantWilliam Allen Skolfield, III and Louis David Skolfield. He is survived by his three children, Leah Kay Skolfield twins Julie Ann Bleichner (Barry), Stacy Ann Lee (Ron), and his two grandchildren, John Lee (Ariana) and Samantha Lee (fiancée Jacob). He is also survived by many cousins and friends.
John was born in Norco, LA where he spent his entire youth growing up in Shell Oil Refinery's Shell Village, where his father was employed. Although he grew up during the depression and World War II, the Village was ahappy, self-contained haven and it and the nearby Mississippi River levee and Bonnet Carre' spillway were ripe for his exploration and entertainment. Among other things, the Village contained 80 employee cottages, aswimming pool (where he life-guarded),a gymnasium, bowling alley, theater, baseballfield and 6hole golf course Although comfortable, the cottages were not extravagant, and John's preferred sleeping arrangement was abed on the front porch. John, his parents and brotherDavid attended Mass at St. Charles Borromeo, where Father Basty was afrequent dinner guest of the family. John was always energetic and industrious and he was always looking for ways to earn afew pre-
cious cents. Among other things, John earned5 cents aday to wakeupfirst, bring in the paper,make coffee and bring it to his parents in bed. He ran errands forneighbors, helped manywiththeir Victory Gardens,picking vegetables,figsand cracking pecansand tended to chickens.Herecalled that the best job wastomato picking because he could bring asaltshakerand eat the best one of the day rightonthe spot! He seized everyopportunity he could to help hisneighbors and his own wallet. Also,asa childduring World WarIIhevolunteered fora program in which he helped man a toweronthe river levee and report by telephoneon theground,every flying airplane spotted. He also worked asa soda jerkat the nearbypharmacy for justa day but he didn't mind the low paybecause theperks weresogreat! After finishing grammar school at St.Charles Borromeo, John was enrolledinJesuit HighSchool in NewOrleans. Shellprovided adriver who daily took the childrenwho were enrolled at Country Day and Jesuit to and fromthe city,a very longdrive back then. Between thecommuteand his studies, there was little time forextra curricular activities. John completed his education and graduated from Jesuit. He realized that, at that time,the highest paidcollege graduateswereengineers and that was the basis forhis careerchoice. John enrolled in LSU to studyPetroleum Engineering and Military Science and was in ROTC as ameans to payfor his collegeeducation. Even thoughhis older brother Davidhad fought in World WarIIand the warwas recentlyfinished, John had no qualms aboutthe requirement to join the Army once he graduated from LSU.Hecontinued working at variousjobsall through college to help payhis way but also found time to enjoyfraternity life, becoming amember of AlphaTau Omega.ATO hosteda party for the AOPi ladiesat the fraternity house.Ashe states in his autobiography,itwas there thathe "became entranced with a female freshman wearing abrightred party dress andmade aplayfor her. Good move!Itwas Helen, of course."They dated,became engaged, and enjoyeda 70 year long marriage together.John graduated before Helenand immediately reported for duty as acommissioned officerwith the U.S. Army CorpsofEngineers. Helen graduated from LSU in December, 1954and they weremarried thefollowing month at OurLadyofthe Rosary church in New Orleans.They enjoyed a3 day honeymoon in Bay St. Louis, MS before John had to return forduty. John servedhis country fortwo years, during which he was promoted and was then honorably discharged as a First Lieutenant. John and Helen spent his Army time at Fort Hood, TX and Camp Polk, LA. Toward the end of his service,John began submittingresumestooil companies. He interviewed with 4, got offersfromall 4, but accepted the offer from Superior OilCompany because the pay was per month more thanthe next highest. Although Superior was eventually acquired by Mobilandlater merged with Exxon, he remained with the same entity for his entire very successful 34 year career. After joining Superior, John was transferredseveraltimes.
He and Helen livedinMt. Vernon, IL,Salem, IL Evansville,IN, Carmi,IL, Casper, WY,Carmi,IL, Crossville,IL, Lafayette, LA and Mandeville,LA. John spent countless hours making various home improvements everywhere he lived. He spent much time after work, weekends and summer vacations with his 3daughters, making sure that they could participate in various clubs, and take allsorts of lessons. He helped with homework and thefamily exploredevery campground,picnicorscenic area, every walking trail, parkorlake and important historical site within driving distance. John cherished and loved his highly successfulchildrenand grandchildren. John and Helen had workedvery hard during their careers and mademany sacrifices so that they couldenjoy a fulfillingretirement together and they accomplished that. Toward theend of his career, they builta home in Mandeville next doorto his stilllivingmother, Hazel so that they could look after her. John spent considerable timedoing yard upkeepfor both homes. Helen and John spent their time traveling throughout thecountry and Europe.Toward the end of his career, John was introduced to his first computer. Rather than shy away fromthisnew contraption, he embracedit and thewondersofthe internet.After retirement,he quicklybought apersonal computer, set it up in his office and started documenting everything in his life.This included things like lifelong vacation write ups, medical documentation, financial documentation, listsofChristmas giftsgiven and received important historical events like presidentialelections, alistof"bloomers"- everything that bloomed in theyard recordedby month, etc. etc. etc. Much of this came together as first,alistof"Events In My Life"which then turned into afull length autobiographyinwhich he detailedall of theinteresting stories and people that shaped his life,from childhood throughretirement. Most importantly,John became extremely interested in genealogy. With his new computer, he commenced documenting and writing bookletsabout notjust his family line,but Helen's as well. Altogether, he had informationonclose to 10,000 namesgoing back many centuries. It is easy to see that John never wasted aminute. He had no understanding of the word"boredom" because he never experienced it.He was constantly striving, doing and accomplishing. Notjust that, butduring his life he saved twodifferent people fromdrowning in swimming pools and also on July4,around 1972 th th h f L k
on thesouth shoreof Lake Pontchartrain, he rescued several people from sailboatsthatwere being crashed intothe concrete seawallbyasudden storm. This event was writtenupinthe Times Picayune thefollowing day. John was an inspiration to everyone who knew him. Happytohelpinany way possible and happy to pick up thetab formeals, family vacations, college educationsand people in line at thegrocery store who found themselves without enoughmoneyat thecash register. Hismanners were impeccable and he lovedlistening to the symphonyand attending theopera. John never rested,but tooktime to enjoy life,especially in retirement enjoying his daily MartiniwithHelen. He ate right and enjoyed swimming, tennis and bicycle riding.Healways remained physicallyand mentally active. He was kind to all animals, domestic or wild, and couldnot have been a better husband and father, sacrificing much to insure everyone's comfortand happiness.
AfuneralMass was held forJohn on March 20, 2026 at St.Charles Borromeo church in Destrehan, LA where he was laid to rest next to Helen and near his parents in the cemetery there. The church was open forviewing at 12 Noon, followedbythe Mass at 1:00 P.M. and the Rite of Committal at the crypt.A military detailwas included.The family would like to acknowledgethe gentle care John received at home from Rhiannon, Judena, Caryl, Melissa, Tiffany and Wonda.
E. J. FieldingFuneral Home in Covington, LA has been entrusted with final arrangements.Pleasesign theguestbook at www.ejfieldingfh.com.
21, 2026, at hishomein Prairieville,Louisiana, at theage of 51. He was born March21, 1974, in Baton Rouge,Louisiana. He was preceded in death by his father,AlbertN.Tircuit; grandparents Eugene Roe Sr.and Vera Hunt Roeand Leonard"Boots" Tircuit andGenevieve GrassTircuit;auntJenny Tircuit David; uncleLeonard G. Tircuit; cousins Travis and KristieDavid; andhis beloveddogs Kramer G., Gabby, andDeuce.Heis survived by hismother Maxine RoeTircuit; brother KyleTircuit and wife Jodie; nieces Shelby and LaineyTircuit; hischerished dog, Goose; hisaunt Marlene RoeLangloisand husband David, unclesEugene RoeJr. andwife Betty, andRusty David. Dereck earnedhis degree from Southeastern Louisiana University and built arespected career in the car audio industry, ultimately openingTiger Audioin Gonzales, Louisiana. He wasknown for hishonesty, expertise,humor, andlove of makingpeople laugh.He wasanavidStarWars fan, proudcollector, andtreasuredhis Band of Brothers memorabilia honoringhis grandfather, Eugene "Doc" Roeofthe 101st Airborne Division.Healso loved fishingand time spentwith familyand friends. Visitation will be held Monday, March23, 2026, at 10:30 a.m., followed by aMemorial Service at 11:30 a.m. at JeffersonUnited Methodist ChurchinBaton Rouge Dereck'smemory willlive on in the laughterheinspired, thelove he shared so freely, and thecountless lives he touched. May theForce be with him, always.
Van Sickel,JohnEdward John Edward VanSickel, 83, of Denham Springs, LA, passedaway on March17, 2026. He wasbornonOctober25, 1942 in Reading, PA to Edward andMarietta VanSickel.Hewas a1960 graduate of Central High School in Central, Louisiana. He retiredfrom Ethyl Corporation in 1984 and from Elayn Hunt CorrectionalCenterin2014. He is survived by hiswife, Peggyof57years, his daughters,Cindy White, Lisa Babin, andTracy VanSickel,his sister Kris Nugent,his brotherDennis VanSickel, andhis grandchildren, CarsonWhite, Zoe Babin, andEdward Henderson. He also leaves behind many otherfamily
members andfriends who will sadlymiss him. John is preceded in death by his parents andhis brother, LewisVanSickel.The funeralservice will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, March23, 2026 at Seale FuneralHome on Range Ave in Denham Springs, LA. Visitationwill be from9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. He will be remembered for his big personality, hisgruff exterior,kind heart, andhis love of his familyand friends. Afuneral service will be held from9:00 AM to 11:00 AM on March23, 2026 at Seale Funeral Home, 1720 S. Range Ave Wooden,Rose Esther Polito
Rose EstherPolito Wooden, anative of Baton Rouge passedawaypeacefully into theloving arms of theSacredHeart of Jesus on March6,2026, at the age of 80. Rose was born on March18, 1945 and received hereducation at Saint Joseph'sAcademy, later attendingSpringHill CollegeinMobile,Alabama. Shereceivedher undergraduatedegree from Loyola University in New Orleansand JurisDoctorate from Loyola University NewOrleans Collegeof Law in 1969. Rose wasone of only fivefemalegraduates in hergraduating class. Sheknowingly chose acareerthatwould presentobstaclesinher pathtosuccess, yet she pushed forward in orderto make adifference.Her legal career began in New Orleansata privatefirm, and she later moved to Washington DC to work on Capitol Hill for thelate Senator from Louisiana, Hale Boggs. Shethen served as legal aid to the HouseWays andMeans Committee.Later shewent to work as alawyerfor the United States Chamber of Commercewhere she assisted in writing thefirst regulations governing HealthMaintenance Organizations. For this work
Skolfield, John Landry
Tircuit, Dereck Duane 'D.'
Dereck Duane Tircuit, known and lovedbymany simplyas"D,"passed away Saturday, February
OPINION
OUR VIEWS
Make sure benefits of theMeta data center last
It’sgood to see the recentsurge ineconomic activity in northeast Louisiana, spurredmainly by the ongoing construction of Meta’s new $30 billion data center in Richland Parish.
The staggering scale and ambition ofthe projectisalready paying dividendsfor thesurrounding communities, including the citiesof Monroe and West Monroe, located aboutahalfhour drive to thewest.
The region, which has at different timesbeen the home of Delta Air Lines, CenturyLink telecommunicationscompany andone of the first Coca-Cola bottling plants in thecountry,has in recent decadesendured steadydeclineasmanufacturing and agricultural jobs ebbedaway. Now,however,asthis newspaper’sStephanie Riegel discovered on arecent reporting trip,the data center has lifted thecountenance of many in the community
“It is the best thing thathas ever happenedto this area,” local developer Larry Culp told Riegel, “It is going to transform the area.” Culp is seeing it firsthand. Newarrivals are leasing townhomes as fast as hecan buildthem in asuburb about 10 miles northofMonroe. Of the 64 already built, all are leased. About50of those are for contractors working forMeta, he told Riegel. The rents Culp is charging —from $1,900 to $2,100 —would not beout of place in much larger cities.
The hospitality sector is seeing thebenefits, too. Hotels are booked solid;restaurants are slammed every night. One restaurateur caters 250 meals out to the job siteevery day. But not every part of the cityisgettinginon the action. State Rep. Pat Moore, D-Monroe, who represents apoorer part of thecity,said little has been seen there.
“The ones that need it most aren’tfeeling it,” shetoldRiegel.
Meta’smassive project wasalways pitchedas transformational, and that mayhave been undersellingit. But with that vast potential comes vast responsibilityfor stateand localleadersto ensure that the current boon is spreadevenly.
That’s where hard worklies ahead. Right now, the region is drinking from theoverflowingcup of amassive constructionproject with workers, contractors and subcontractors in droves.When that work is done, the datacenter will employ far fewer than it took to build it
But the economic growthithas spurredmust continue well past this phase. The people leasing Culp’s townhomes say they’ll bearound for seven, perhaps eight years. Others aresaying companiesare making 20-year commitments to the city.That’sgood to hear Louisiana has gone all in ondata centers: Already there are similar,thoughsmaller,such facilities planned for the Shreveport regionand West Feliciana Parish.
As the Meta center shows, therewards, even in the short term, can be great. Butifstate and local leadersdon’thandle it well, thisboom too could go bust.
LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR ARE WELCOME. 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.
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.”
The Scriptural mandateseems appropriategiven recent events in Iran: theU.S.-Israelistrikes and especially the demise of the supremeleader of the Islamic Republic Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. When violence explodes in one area of the Middle East, the whole region can become apowder keg. Andthere are innocent casualties. This is the exhausting, terrifying, maddening reality for the long-suffering persecuted Christians (andother religious minorities) in Iraq. It didn’ttake long for presumably Iranian proxies to launch adrone-strike attack on aCatholic Church residence in Erbil.
contributed to the National Review Online when Iwas editor of the website. He dedicated his professional life to encouraging Iranian dissidentsand freedom lovers —his typicalsign-offtoapiece or blog post on Iran were the words “Faster,please,” encouraging the U.S. to do something to help liberate the country
“The Iranian people have been standingfor their own liberty for many years, as demonstrated by the terrible record of carnage they have suffered at the hands of the regime,” Ledeen wrote in apiece with that plea in the headline in 2005. “Hundreds of democracy advocates are being tortured in Iran’s prisons.
The residence was mostly empty it had been evacuated in the wake of theinitial strikes on Iran as aprecautionary measure, as it is located very near theErbil International Airport Butaconvent was also damaged. Now,please don’tget me wrong —I am moved by thepowerful images of Iranians around the world, and maybe especially in Tehran —celebrating the possibilitythat they will not always live under the tyranny they have suffered.
Andyet Icannot stop thinking of my friend Michael Ledeen, who died last year.Heworked in theReagan administration and was alongtime fellow at theAmerican Enterprise Institute. He
Even with increasing tensions and uncertaintyaround theworld, many readersstill want to discuss matterscloser to home. And despite thefocus on national politicians,the truth is thatmayors, citycouncils and school boards affect most people’slives moredirectly
Tens of thousands have been killed in thepast six years, beginning with the massmurders of protesters in 1989. Public executions are commonplace, and women are routinely executed by stoning.
“Iranians believe that nothing of consequence can happen in the world without American support,” Michael told me in 2007. “Millions of Iranians have protested against theregimeand called for its downfall, but no country outside Iran has supported them.If Bushwere to stand up and say: ‘We want regimechange in Iran,’ Ithink there would be afundamental change in the world, including inside Iran.”
to think thatour forum attracts those who aremostactively engaged in and knowledgeable about what’sgoing on in their community We also like to get guest columns from local officials in the paper.Weknow they have their ears to the ground on issues
Nowmay be the time. But the U.S. and the Western media must be cautious. The outcome isn’tclear,and the road to anew way will not be as easy as someeuphoric social media videos suggest. Think of the Arab Spring in Egypt and the freedom revolution that wasn’t. Archbishop Bashar Warda of Erbil emphasizes that the region “does not need another war. Our children deserve stability.Our families deserve peace. Ordinary people have paid too high aprice forconflicts they never chose.” Asking forpeace, he also says: “Whenever state weakens, minorities sufferasnon-state actors (militias, sectarian groups, extremist movements) fill the vacuum History has shownthis repeatedly, from ancient times to now.The true protection forminorities is astrong state governed by the rule of law.” Noneofusknow how this is going to end. Iremember one of the best pieces of advice Michael ever gave me: “Lopez, they do not give awards for getting things wrong first.” It’s better to pray than pontificate as armchair generals. Pray forpeace, pray forstability,and forbasic human rights and dignity to be respected. And remember the Christians who, if history is any indicator,will suffermore. Email Kathryn JeanLopez at klopez@nationalreview.com.
action, but if enough people write, it might get on the agenda.
They say you can’tfight city hall. But maybe, if you send aletter,you can get city hall to listen.
Turning to our letters inbox forthe week of March 12, we had awide variety of topics this week, but it was a local issue that drew the mostconcern. The discussion surrounding raising trash fees in NewOrleans prompted ur letters. Aside from that, there werethree letters on the Iran crisis and three from readers whopointed out an error in the print edition where an article was duplicated. And several topics were the subject of two letters, including the shortage of workers forcrawfish processing plants, the partial government shutdownand the SAVE Act.
Arnessa Garrett is Deputy Editor | Opinion Page Editor.Email her at nessa.garrett@theadvocate.com
Kathryn Jean Lopez
COMMENTARY
Kennedyand CassidymustrejectMullin
As of March 18, there is now an acid test for whether Louisiana Republicans Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy areserioussenators.
The test is this: If they vote to confirm their fellow Republican senator Markwayne Mullinof Oklahoma, to be the new Secretary of Homeland Security,then they aren’t serious.Period and end of story.They should find another line of work.
zones that he can’t discuss, Mullin has quite ahistory of reveling in the idea of violence. In one infamousincident,heeven rose from hisdeskata Senatehearing and challengeda union official to apublic fight right then and there.
violence against their political opponents is the right person to lead an agency that has struggled to accept limits to the proper use of force.”
When one of the many good reasons the job is open in thefirst place is thatthe prior occupant of that office, Kristi Noem, encouraged and excused outlandish violence and thuggishness from poorly trained immigration officers, the last thing the nation needs as her replacement isa thuggish hothead who encourages and excuses excessive violence. But that’swhat and who Mullin is. Aformer mixed-martialartsfighter who repeatedly has claimed that, whileinCongress, he did secret missions in war
In Mullin’sMarch 18 confirmation hearing before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, the Oklahoman immediately cameunder attack from fellow Republican Committee Chairman RandPaul of Kentucky.Paul described in horrifying detail the incidentwhere aneighbor attacked himfrom the blindside, cracked six of his ribs andpunctured hislung, leading to two boutsof pneumonia,longhospital stays and excruciating pain.
In thewake of that incident, Paul recounted, “You told themediathatIwas a‘freaking snake’ andthat you completely understood why Ihad been assaulted.”
“I just wonder,” Paul continued, “ifsomeonewho applauds
Mullin, astonishingly,refused to offer even ahint of regret: “I’m not apologizing for pointing out your character.” Bizarrely,Mullin later asserted that “dueling, with two consenting adults, is still there” as alegitimate way to resolve differences.
To which, Paul correctly noted that dueling “has been illegal for 170 years.”
Alsorecalling another time Mullin said, “people just need to be punched in theface,” Paul scorched the nominee for having obvious “anger issues.”
Those are just afew examples of Mullin’sdiscreditable behavior
Andall of this is for anominee who, aside from his tough-guy histrionics and claimsabout secret quasi-military missions, has done almost nothing to distinguish himself in 13 years of public office.
There is no way,not even re-
motely,that Mullin is the right choice to steady the course of theDepartment of Homeland Security. The entire reason the Senateisasked to vote yea or nay on Cabinet nominations is, in the words of Alexander Hamilton, “to prevent the appointment of unfit characters.” Senators have aduty to do just that. In thepast, neither Louisiana senator has distinguished himself by judicious use of this crucial duty. Neither Kennedy nor Cassidy opposed araft of horrible Trumpnominees last year.Neither one, forexample, opposed thenow-departed Joe Kent as director of theNational Counterterrorism Center even though the extremely pro-Russian Kent also long has been widely condemned for what reasonably can be described as anti-Semitic blatherings. Neither Cassidy nor Kennedy opposed Robert F. Kennedy Jr., notorious forsniffing cocaine off of toilet seats and foradetermination to topple the nation’s vaccine regimens, as secretary of Health and Human Services.
Neither opposed the oft-inebriated, flagrant womanizer Pete Hegseth as secretary of Defense. Neither opposed the pro-Russian, pro-Syrian demagogue Tulsi Gabbard as director of National Intelligence, or the ethically challenged Pam Bondi as attorney general, or the wildly unqualified Kash Patel as director of the FBI.
In sum,intheir role of deciding on “advice and consent” for presidential appointments, both Kennedy and Cassidy have surrendered their “consent” like subservient serfsafraid of angering their feudal lord.
Now is the timefor both of them to abandon their self-imposed serfdom and announce themselves not just as freemen, but as one of only 100 people in the country with the authority and duty to stop giving key government jobs to people of unfit character It is their job to oppose nominees of Markwayne Mullin’silk. Senators, do your jobs.
Email Quin Hillyer at quin hillyer@theadvocate.com
Deep into his weeklytelephone Q&A with reporters lastweek,
U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy saidsomething that was probably more revealing than he’d intended.
The subject was Cassidy’scall for his opponents in the May16 Republican primary—specifically
U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow —toparticipate in televised debates, and my colleague Tyler Bridges was asking him about his own refusalto debate his opponents when he last ran for reelection in 2020.
“I was going to win that race,” he said. “Frankly, that’sa [race] where a debate would not have made adifference.”
sidywas once on the cutting edge of thesort of political change that could nowsweep him right out of office.
Considerhow,12yearsago, he swept in by taking out an accomplishedincumbent.
thatlinking Landrieu to then-
President Barack Obama at every opportunity would workthat he didn’tdomany debates.And again, he was right
practices that older brand of politicsinBaton Rouge and who backs Cassidy’sreelection, recently put it:
lives.
Ican’tendorse the sentiment but I’ll give Cassidy this: He wasright not to worry.Just six short years ago, his party ID, incumbency and rising seniority were more than enough to get him reelected without breaking asweat.
How quaint that confidence looks from the perspective of 2026.
And how ironic, given that Cas-
Backthen, U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu represented adying breed in the Senate: She was aDemocrat who still wonelections —albeit narrowly— after her state had shiftedwell intoRepublicanterritory in national politics. She did it by rising in the ranks while focusing relentlessly on stateneeds, including appropriations, and sidingwith Democratsonmany nationalissuesbut leveraging her vote on closecalls.
Cassidy’schallenge to her amounted to areality check. By 2014 Senate elections around the country werehinging much more on nationalparty alignment than on localconcerns, and voters were growing less willingtosplit their votesbetween parties.
In fact, Cassidywas so confident
One morething about 2014: I remember asking Cassidy why Louisiana would want to give up thatfocus on state concerns.He told me that it wouldn’t, thathe would do the same thing,but as a Republican. And at times he did, including withthe massive 2021 infrastructure bill, when he worked with congressionalDemocrats and President Joe Biden to bring home investmentsoneverything from broadband to flood mitigation, even as all his Louisiana Republican colleagues —Letlow included —voted no. Under the rulesof2014 or even 2020, accomplishments like that, on topofhis seniorityand committeeassignments and even amajor chairmanship, would be enough to protect any Republican in this redstate.Inthe eyes of some,they still are.
Here’show state Senate President Cameron Henry,who still
“He’s on Finance, he’sthe chair of Health. Imean, those are monumental things for Louisiana. That is very difficult to replace. And he’sinthe group that can negotiate. The group in the middle is the one that’snegotiated the best stuff in Louisiana,” Henry said. And yet, like Landrieu, Cassidy tooisatriskofbeing consigned to history —ifnone of that matters anymore, if all that does matter is how loyal aRepublican is to the current Republican president. Certainly Cassidy understands thatthe new rules put him at adisadvantage.
Afterhefollowed his conscience and voted to convict then exPresident Donald Trump in his second impeachment in 2021, Cassidy came crawling back into the Trump tent in humiliating fashion, even when it meant providing the key vote for aHealth and Human Services secretary who is out to undermine the vaccines that Cassidy,asa physician, knows save
Treasurer John Fleming understands the new rules, too. AformerTrump aide who failed to win the president’snod, Fleming has abillboard in Baton Rouge showing the two of them side-by-side anyway It’sLetlow who’sfollowing the front-runner strategy this time. She’sthe one who hasthe president’sendorsement. She’sthe one who is ducking television debates, proposing instead to appear only on afriendly radio show hosted by Cassidy critic Moon Griffon. She’s the one who is acting as confident in her theory of the election —that Trump’sendorsement trumps all —asCassidy wasin2014 and 2020 of his.
Or maybe I’m wrong. Maybe she’sgot more to tell the voters about her own views and priorities and philosophy of the job than simply “He’swith me.” Youknow what would be agood wayfor her to start? Agree to debate.
EmailStephanieGrace at sgrace@theadvocate.com.
In trademarkcase, abig winfor TheG,GramFam
Martin Lemelle was walking the Grambling State University campus, not as acollege student but as astudent enrolled at GSU’s lab school, when GramblingState first sought federal trademark recognition for the famous“G” symbol associated with one of the nation’smost legendary HBCUs.He was 14. Steve Favors was president. Today,Martin Lemelleis president. That was the late 1990s. Ablack-and-white example of The Gwas submitted to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The design wasn’tincolor,and it too closely resembled theGused by the Green Bay Packers and the NFL. The University of Georgia’sGlooked awfully similar, too. The federal office rejected the request.“The black and gold That’sGrambling,” Penya Moses, university vice president of administration and business affairs, told me. Moses graduated from GSU. She knew legendary football Eddie “Coach Rob” Robinson. She played for PatriciaCage-Bibbs, atwo-timehead women’sbasketball coach at GSU and aseventime SWAC coachofthe year.As an attorney withtax and whitecollar experience and astint as New Orleans city attorney,she’s seen alot. But nothing likethis This was professional and per-
sonal.
Grambling State has fought to rein in fake Grambling StateUniversity merchandise, fakeGSU eventbrandingand other fake G uses.
There are lots of estimates and guesstimates about the value. Somesay it could mean GSU gettingasmuch as $5 million. That number alone would make it abig deal.
Grambling State’sGramFam, a registered trademark, has long said the universityis aplace “Where everybody is somebody.” Everybody maybesomebody,but not anyold or young somebody should capitalize on the institution’sbrand. IwenttoHampton. I’m a proud HU pirate. Ilove my “home by the sea.” ButI’ve never gotten thesame reaction traveling through airports with Hampton gearasIget when Iwear The G, apparel Ipicked up during my tenure atthe northern Louisiana school afew years ago. Lots of peopleknow that G. Honestly, sometimes people look at the G letter and its contours and don’t seecolor
They ask whether Iwent to Georgia, and sometimes ask whether I’m aPackers fan. Neither is true. Who Dat!
Grambling State won federal trademark recognition earlier this month by negotiating with thePackers and the NFL and Georgia. Idon’tknow thespecifics of the“amicable” shared agreement Moses said was reached.I knowI agreed with Moses when she said, “This is a bigdeal.”
There are other HBCUs with big brands. Hampton University’s brand includes reflex blue, or Hampton blue, and white. Howard University’sbrand includes indigo or Bison blue, red and white. Hampton has Petey the Priate as itsmascot.. Howard is represented by abison, honoring theBlack Buffalo soldiers.They are “The Mecca.”
Both use “HU.”Both have students, faculty, staff, fans and supporters calling their institution “The Real HU.” Iwent to Hampton Institute, before it changed to Hampton Universityin1984, reflecting higher academic excellence and stronger research as ahigher education institution. My alma mater will never be “The Real HU” in my eyes. Maybe it’s“The Better HU.” The Real HU? That’s acultural distinction debated across affinity lines. Only afederal registration decision can settle that one. Grambling State is one of the biggest HBCU brands. Others include FloridaA&M StateUniversity, North Carolina A&T State University,Jackson State University(especially since Deion Sanders was there), Morehouse College and Spelman College. Southern Universityisinthe mix,
as are Jackson State University and Prairie View A&M University, especially in this region. In our HBCU world, brand is morethan institutional. It’s cultural. It certainly makes forsome showin’ out at HBCU homecomings, on campus and off. Favorssaw branding issues during his vice presidencies at Howard University and the UniversityofNew Orleans. He was GSU’spresident from 1998-2001. It’sbeen 25 years since he was president. Today,Favors is an honors college professor at Grambling State, and The Gissue has been
resolved. After decades of pushing to makethis happen, it’sgood to see Grambling State reach an amicable resolution with others wholay claim to aG.Based on what Iknow,this is an example of how key institutions can reach consensus to get to apoint where everybody can be somebody,benefiting financially while featuring, promoting and swagging with The G. This is abig deal, forGrambling State, HBCUsand Louisiana. Email Will Sutton at wsutton@ theadvocate.com
Quin Hillyer
Stephanie Grace
Will Sutton
Saturdaycertainly didn’t disappoint and neither will Sunday. Once again, we will waketosome cool air and patchymorning fog,which should burnoff quickly.Otherwise, expect amostly sunny, warmand breezyday.Winds will be southwesterly and could gust up to 20 mph. Humidity will be relativelylow but increasing.Temperatures this afternoonwill remain above average, rising into the lowto mid-80s. The above-averagetemperatures and dryconditions this
she was nominated as one of the top ten most important women in the United States. Upon returning home, Rose worked for Attorney General William "Billy" Guste before retiring with 20 years of service. She was always proud of her faith and was apracticing Catholic. She was predeceased by her parents, Dr.Philip Bernard Polito andEsther Sansone Polito; her sister, Faith Barfield and brother-inlaw, A.J. "Johnny" Barfield, sister, Donna Parker and brother-in-law, W.A. "Tony" Parker Sr., brotherin-law T.C. "Terry"McCullough, III. She is survived by her sister, Phyllis Greenblatt (Hoyt) and her sister Gloria Schexnayder (Dr. Glenn Schexnayder) and her brother, Philip Polito (Ann) ,and 10 nieces and nephews, Debbie Brower (Dwight), Pam Crane (Charlie), Jennifer Lauterbach (Kenny), Tony Parker (Liz), Leslie Parker, Clint McCullough (Bethany), Courtney Moss (Ben), Austin McCullough (Katherine),Ashley Fisher (Ben) and BlaisePolito (Saskia) along with several great nieces and nephews who fullyrealized how special it was to have an Aunt Rose. Rose willalso be missedbyDr. Gail Sansone Bazzano and Dr. Blaise V. and Jane Polito who were not only her beloved cousins but gladly became her travel companionsasthey pursued their sense of adventure and love of exploring the world. This led to making friends in faraway countries and hosting them in her home as they exchanged visits. Visitation will be held from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm on Thursday, March 26, 2026 at Our Lady of Mercy CatholicChurch in Baton Rouge. Mass will begin at 2:00 celebrated by Father Cleo Milano. Burial will be private. The family is grateful for the exceptional care Rose received from her doctors as her health declined. Aspecial thanks goes to her nephew Clint McCullough for his invaluable help for the last several years. We offer also our sincere thanks to her sitters Tennille Meggs, Mary Carson, and Tammy Coleman. The care and guidance of Hospice of Baton Rouge was invaluable. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to h d d
MaryGailYeatespassed awayinearly March of 2026 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.Anhonored educator for 40 years, she spent her careersharing the wonders of Physics, Chemistry,Earth Science, and Math with her students. She was an incredible cook and lovedhosting her family and friends during the holidays, her daughters' cheerleading team, her son'sentire cross-countryteam, or while cheering on her LSU Tigers.MaryGailwas preceded in death by herhusband of 42 years, Phil Yeates; her motherand father,Raymond andLalita Poche; and her mother-inlawand father-in-law, Col Bill and Geraldine Yeates. Sheissurvived by her children, Ami Yeates,Cassie Yeates, Whit Yeates,and Ray Yeates. "Mim"was the cherished her Heather Philip,A
continued from St. Joseph's Academy and Hospice of Baton Rouge dra, and five great-grandchildren: Yaretzi, Xander, Isabelle,Catherine, and Jordan. She willbedeeply missed by her siblings: Renee and Edmund Haase, Valerie and Warren Mays, Mignon Keller,and Ray and Susan Poche. AMemorial Mass willbeheldatMost Blessed Sacrament CatholicChurch, located at 15615 Jefferson Hwy, Baton Rouge, LA on March 28, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. In celebrationofMary Gail'sjoyous life,the family invites allattendees to wear their brightest colors. The family wishes to express their heartfelt gratitude to her friends of over 50 years, David and NinaLutz, Patsy and JohnnieDispenza, and AnnRose Guarino,for their unwavering love and companionship. They also extend specialthanks to her longtime friends and neighborsofChadsfordville: AudreyAnders, Cathy Campo, Jarja Carville,RachelCook, Janet Earlywine, and the late Sherri Thompson.In lieu of flowers,the family kindly requestsdonations to Catholic Charities or MealsonWheels in Baton Rouge to honorher memory. Family and friends may sign theonline guestbook or leaveapersonal note at www.resthavenbatonroug e.com.
DEATHS
Yeates,Mary Gail
DA E
Entertainment and sports have long been synonymous. Think of the Harlem Globetrotters. Think of the original words behind the name“ESPN”–the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network. Think, this season, of LSU women’s basketball.
LSU guard Mikaylah Williams celebrates withteammate Flau’jae Johnson during agameagainst TexasonJan. 11 at
JOHNSON
LSUstars Johnson, Williams trying to savorlastrun together
The game was over.Flau’jae Johnson, though, just wanted to try onemore thing. So she grabbed awhiteboard and amarker,then took charge of LSU’shuddle.
TheTigersled Jacksonville106-58 with fourminutes left in the fourth.Mikaylah Williams had nine assists, and she wanted a10th, so Johnson drew up aplay that would makesure she’d get it. GraceKnox just had to cut baseline, sneakingbehindher defender, catch aquickpass from Williams and turn it intoalayup.
“I was hoping Grace didn’ttake too many dribbles,” Williams said, laughing. “I got scared, but she caught it, and she made it in.”
Then Williams leapt in the air while Johnson pointed at herfrom the bench. It was amemorable moment for the pair of star guards two LSU greats who are trying to make the most of their third and final season as teammates.
Johnson,aGeorgia native, is the outsider who founda homein Baton Rouge. Williams is thelocal kid the Bossier City product who stayed near herhometown and put herself on aSeimone Augustus-esque trajectory.Together they’veformed one of themost dynamic pairings of star players in the country,and they’vehelped coach Kim Mulkey’s program sustainits current, reinvigorated form.
LSU has won morethan 84% of the gamesit’splayed since Johnson and Williams became teammates. Angel Reesewas there for one of those years, andAneesah Morrowwas there for two of them.
Southern ends tourneyrun with loss to SouthCarolina
BY CHARLES SALZER Contributing writer
The Southern women’sbasketball team got off to aslow start in Saturday’sfirstround NCAA Tournament game andnever recovered.
While Southern struggled to find points from anywhere on the court, South Carolina showed why it is the No. 1seed in the Sacramento 4Regional. The Gamecocks outscored No.16Southern32-2inthe third quarter and rolledtoa 103-34 win at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina For Southern (20-14), the loss ends aseason in whichthe Jaguarswereexpected to contend for the Southwestern Athletic Conference title. The Jaguarswere seeded fourth in the league’spostseason tournament before winning three games to reach the NCAA Tournament. South Carolina (32-3) presented problems forSouthern withsizeand quickness at every position, butits size inside was aparticular concern.
But thenthose twostar forwards moved on, leaving Johnson and Williams as the two pillarsofateam with Final Fouraspirations. LSU canget there.Thisseason, theTigers landed their highest NCAA
ä See SOUTHERN , page 3C ä See
BY SCOTTRABALAIS Staff writer
Kailin Chio was againstellar. Kaliya Lincoln was gutsy.But overall, the LSU gymnastics team didn’thave quite enough to win its third straight Southeastern Conference championship on Saturday night in Tulsa, Oklahoma. No. 2-seeded LSU hadthe lead halfway through themeet but slid to third with afinalscore of 197.950. No.3 Floridawon with a198.175, justedging out SEC regular-season champion andtop-seeded Oklahoma (198.150). No. 4Alabama finished adistant fourthat197.475, justahead of Georgia (197.450),which competed in Saturday’s first session at the BOK Center “Wewere very good,” LSUcoach Jay Clark said, “but we were not great. We did alot of things well andcontinuedtofight. But with the top four teams (in the country) on the floor,you’ve got to be dialed in.” Chio won theSEC all-around title with a 39.775, finishing ahead of Florida’s Kayla DiCello (39.725). Chio also wonthe vault title with a9.975.
Tigers Jada Richard and ZaKiyah Johnson were asked to describe their team’s brand Saturday Both had the sameanswer: “The show.” Friday night against Jacksonville, LSU put on an award-winner in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.The Tigers doubled up the overmatched Dolphins 116-58, setting program records forpoints, margin of victory and steals (18) in an NCAA Tournament game, and tying the NCAA Division Imark set by Long Beach State in 1987 with their 15th 100-point gamethis season.
More than just scoring, with LSU,it’s the passing, the quick hands, the attitude that walking the ball up court is like doing somesort of penance until they can hit the throttle again.
“We’re going to give y’all ashow,” Richard said. “Whether that’sbehind-the-back passes, celebrations. We just play with alot of passion. Ithink from the top of our roster to the bottom,wejust love basketball. “I feel like there’salot of people who play basketball, but they don’tlike it. Ifeel like we all love the game. We love coming to practice every day,pushing each other
Lincoln, afellow sophomore, finished in afour-waytie forthe SEC floor title with OU’s KeiraWells and MackenzieEstep and Alabama’sGabby Gladieaux at 9.95. Florida’s Selena Harris-Miranda won bars and OU’sFaith Torrez won beam, both with perfect 10s.
These were thefirst twoSEC titles for Chio,who nowhas 56 careerindividual wins and 31 this season.
“She continues to do amazing things,” Clark said. “She’sthe modelofconsistency we allneed to ascribe to be. She’sgot it dialedin. There’s notmuchmoreyou can say. She gets it done week in andweek out.” As theNo. 2overallseed, LSU opened the meet on unevenbars. The Tigers got apair of solid 9.90s from Lexi Zeiss and MadisonUlrichand thena career-hightying 9.95 from Chio to give herthe lead at that point of the meet
LSU washoping to erase a9.85 from 2024 SECbarschampionAshleyCowan But the Tigers had to count it because bars
ä See SEC, page 6C
thePMAC. STAFF FILE PHOTO By MICHAEL
Scott Rabalais
AP PHOTO By NELL REDMOND Southernguard Demonnie Lagway, right, drives into South Carolina guard Tessa Johnson during the second half on SaturdayinColumbia, S.C.
LSU, page 3C
ä See RABALAIS, page 3C
STAFFPHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON LSUguard Jada Richard takes ashot against Jacksonville in a first-round NCAA Tournament game on Friday at the PMAC.
8 p.m. NIT: St. Joseph’s at California ESPNU
8:45 p.m. NCAA: Texas Tech vs.Alabama TBS
11 a.m.
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7 p.m.
9 p.m
WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Cologuard
RACING
Day at the Races FS2
p.m.
NCAA: Washington at TCU ESPN MEN’S COLLEGE GYMNASTICS
2 p.m. Ohio St. at Penn St. BTN MEN’S COLLEGE HOCKEY
2 p.m. NCAA Selection Special ESPNU
3 p.m.
WOMEN’S COLLEGE HOCKEY
NCAA: Wisconsin vs. Ohio St. ESPNU
WOMEN’S COLLEGE LACROSSE
11 a.m. Ohio St. at Johns Hopkins ESPNU COLLEGE SOFTBALL
11 a.m. Washington at Michigan BTN
11 a.m. Tennessee at Florida ESPN2
3 p.m. Duke at Georgia Tech ACCN
4 p.m. UCLA at Rutgers BTN
5 p.m. Stanford at North Carolina ACCN
6 p.m. Oklahoma at Ole Miss SECN GOLF
Noon PGA: Valspar Championship Golf
Davidson, USC outlast Clemson
BY PETE IACOBELLI Associated Press
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Freshman Jazzy Davidson scored 31 points in her women’s NCAA Tournament debut, including the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:03 left in overtime to lift ninth-seeded Southern California to a 71-67 victory over No. 8 seed Clemson on Saturday Davidson, a 6-foot-1 freshman, stroked a perfect shot from the right side to send the Trojans (1813) into a second-round matchup with top seed South Carolina on Monday It looked like Clemson had won when Mia Moore flipped in a running basket at the regulation buzzer and the Tigers ran onto the court in celebration. But officials reviewed the play and found the shot clock had not properly started with 4.4 seconds to play when Clemson inbounded the ball, and they waved off the basket USC players watched in disappointment until officials moved them toward their bench for a review When the referees announced their decision, the Trojans prepared themselves to play another five minutes.
“I mean, those are the things that happen in March,” Davidson
said of Moore’s apparent buzzerbeater. “None of us want our season to be over, so it was a little crushing to see that, but when we found out we were going into overtime, just mental reset. We all came back together.”
Kara Dunn, who finished with 22 points, urged her teammates to lock in for as long as they had left.
“We said, ‘You don’t get second chances in life,’ so we took advantage,” she said. Clemson led 64-61 with 2:34 to play in OT when Davidson got going. She hit a tying 3-pointer and then put USC ahead to stay on the next possession after Malia Samuels gathered Davidson’s missed shot and got it back to Davidson
for the go-ahead basket.
The dynamic freshman, who came in leading the team in scoring at 17.6 points, played all 45 minutes and finished a point shy of her career high.
USC had reached the Elite Eight the past two years but played the entire season without star JuJu Watkins, who is recovering from a torn ACL suffered in last year’s NCAA Tournament.
Clemson got within 70-67 on Morgan Lee’s 3-pointer with 9 seconds left, but Samuels made a free throw to seal it.
Taylor Johnson-Matthews scored 16 points for Clemson, and Raven Thompson added 11 points and 12 rebounds.
The Tigers and second-year coach Shawn Poppie were back in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019, which was also the last time the team advanced into the second round.
Poppie, who looked dazed and disappointed with the result, was proud of his team’s resolve.
“Unfortunately, today, I thought Southern Cal was one possession, or point-1 second better than us,” Poppie said.
Next, USC faces the Gamecocks. The teams played in November, a 69-52 South Carolina victory
Duplantis wins 4th straight world indoor pole vault title
TORUN, Poland Mondo Duplantis won another pole vault world title after he was pushed all the way by Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis on Saturday
The Lafayette native won his fourth consecutive world indoor championships with a tournament record vault of 6.25 meters (20 feet, 6.06 inches), a 10-centimeter (3.94inch) improvement on his winning height a year ago in Nanjing. The pair left behind the field at 6.05. Duplantis cleared his first attempts at 6.10, 6.15 and then 6.25, when he wobbled the bar Karalis passed at 6.10 and 6.15, and missed his attempts at 6.25. Duplantis put away his pole, foregoing attempts at 6.32 to break his world record of 6.31 that he set last week at the Swedish meet named after him, the Mondo Classic. “I am proud to have come through for the win. Today, it was about the battle. It was a tough competition, and that is why I didn’t go for a world record,” Duplantis said.
Four ejected after fight at Thunder-Wizards game
WASHINGTON Oklahoma City’s Jaylin Williams and Washington’s Justin Champagnie were ejected following an altercation late in the first half of the matchup between the Thunder and Wizards on Saturday night.
Following a basket by Washington’s Anthony Gill, Williams and Champagnie began shoving each other under the basket. Gill and Oklahoma City’s Ajay Mitchell became involved and the altercation quickly escalated and spilled into the seating area behind the basket before order was restored.
After a lengthy review by the officials, Champagnie and Williams each received two technical fouls and were ejected. Mitchell and Cason Wallace of the Thunder each received one technical foul and were also ejected.
Curry to resume practices as he recovers from injury
10th-seeded Virginia beats Georgia in OT
By The Associated Press
IOWA CITY, Iowa Kymora Johnson scored 28 points and Sa’Myah Smith added a career-high 23 to go with 11 rebounds as 10th seed Virginia beat seventh seed Georgia 82-73 in an NCAA Tournament
first-round game in the Sacramento Regional on Saturday
The Cavaliers (21-11) became the first lower seed to win in March Madness this season. Virginia will play either second seed Iowa or 15th seed Fairleigh Dickinson in Monday’s second round Virginia, which became the second team ever that played in the first four to win a game, outscored Georgia (22-10) 11-2 in overtime.
SACRAMENTO REGIONAL
NO 2 IOWA 58, NO. 15 FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON 48: In Iowa City, Iowa, Ava Heiden scored a career-high 29 points, including 12 straight for Iowa in the fourth quarter, and the No. 2-seeded Hawkeyes survived an upset bid from 15th-seeded Fairleigh Dickinson. Hannah Stuelke added 13 points and 16 rebounds for the Hawkeyes (27-6), who advanced to Monday’s second-round game against 10th-seeded Virginia.
NO 8 OKLAHOMA STATE 82, NO. 9 PRINCETON 68: In Los Angeles, Oklahoma State survived blowing most of its leads of 18 and 14 points to beat Princeton, giving Jacie Hoyt her first March Madness win in her fourth season as coach.
The eighth-seeded Cowgirls (249) were led by Achol Akot with 28 points and 10 rebounds. Jaydyn Wooten had 18 points and 10 assists, and Micah Gray added 16 points.
FORT WORTH REGIONAL
NO 2 VANDERBILT 102, NO. 15 HIGH POINT 61: In Nashville, Tennessee, All-American Mikayla Blakes scored 23 of her 30 points by
Iowa City, Iowa. WOMEN’S NCAA TOURNAMENT ROUNDUP
halftime as the second-seeded Vanderbilt Commodores routed No. 15 seed High Point. Vanderbilt (28-4) came in with the most victories in program history and remains undefeated at home this season. Now it plays seventh-seeded Illinois or No. 10 seed Colorado (22-11) on Monday night for a spot in the Sweet 16 of the Fort Worth 1 Regional. Sacha Washington had 10 points and 17 rebounds, and Aubrey Galvan added 17 points. Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda added 10 as 11 Commodores scored.
NO 3 OHIO STATE 75, NO. 14 HOWARD
54: In Columbus, Ohio, Jaloni Cambridge scored 21 points and Ohio State rolled to a win over Howard. Kennedy Cambridge, Chance Gray and Ava Watson had 11 points apiece for the Buckeyes (27-7), who will face sixth-seeded Notre Dame on Monday for a chance to get to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2023.
NO 4 WEST VIRGINIA 82, NO. 13 MIAMI (OHIO) 54: In Morgantown, West Virginia, Sydney Shaw had 19 points and nine rebounds, Gia
Cooke scored 18 and West Virginia used an early defensive lockdown to take control in a victory over Miami (Ohio).
West Virginia (28-6) will meet No. 5 seed Kentucky in the second round on Monday Jordan Harrison had 15 points and eight assists, while Kierra Wheeler added 14 points and nine rebounds for the Mountaineers. NO 6 NOTRE DAME 79, NO. 11 FAIRFIELD
60: In Columbus, Ohio, Hannah Hidalgo had a dominant performance with 23 points, nine rebounds, eight steals and six assists as Notre Dame led the entire game.
The Fighting Irish, who have advanced to the Sweet 16 in their last 14 March Madness trips, will face third-seeded Ohio State on Monday
Iyana Moore scored 18 points and Cassandre Prosper had 17 points and eight rebounds as the Fighting Irish won for the 10th time in their last 12 games.
NO 1 UCONN 90, NO. 16 UTSA 52: Sarah Strong had 18 points, five rebounds, four assists and five steals in three quarters of play as
the Huskies, the top seed in the Fort Worth 1 region, rolled over No. 16 UTSA for its 51st consecutive victory Blanca Quinonez had 10 points in an 18-1 run for the top-ranked Huskies, who will face Syracuse in Monday’s second round.
NO 3 LOUISVILLE 72, NO 14 VERMONT 52: In Louisville, Kentucky, Mackenly Randolph scored 20 points to help Louisville pull away for a win over Vermont. It marked the second straight game the 6-foot sophomore posted a career high in points and a career-high 11 rebounds. She scored nine in the third quarter, including four during an 11-2 run that gave the third-seeded Cardinals (28-7) their first double-digit lead of the game.
NO 5 KENTUCKY 71,NO.12 JAMES MADISON 56: In Morgantown, West Virginia, Tonie Morgan had 18 points and Amelia Hassett scored 11 of her 14 during a dominant first half to help Kentucky cruise to a victory over James Madison. Clara Strack had her 15th double-double of the season for the Wildcats (24-10), who advanced to play No. 4 seed West Virginia on Monday NO 6 ALABAMA 68, NO. 11 RHODE ISLAND 55: In Louisville, Kentucky, Jessica Timmons scored 21 points and Essence Cody added 19 as Alabama beat Rhode Island.
The Crimson Tide (24-10) won a first-round tournament game for the third straight year by shooting 53.2% (25 of 47) and dominating inside, outscoring the Rams (28-5) 42-12 in the paint.
NO 9 SYRACUSE 72,NO.8 IOWA STATE 63: In Storrs, Connecticut, Syracuse freshman Uche Izoje matched All-American Audi Crooks basket for basket in the first half and reserve guard Olivia Schmitt delivered four 3-pointers during the decisive run as the Orange topped Iowa State.
ATLANTA Stephen Curry will begin participating in full team practices in the coming days as he works back from a right knee injury that forced the Golden State Warriors star to miss his 21st straight game Saturday Curry, 38, was re-evaluated earlier in the day for his patellafemoral pain syndrome and bone bruising in the knee, and the team said before its game against Atlanta that he is progressing in his rehab. He has done more individual on-court training of late and will be re-evaluated again this coming week when the Warriors return home from their road trip.
Olympic boxer says time to ‘walk away’ after loss
BELFAST, Northern Ireland Irish boxer Michael Conlan, who famously gestured at 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games judges with his middle fingers, said he plans to retire without achieving his dream of becoming a world champion.
The 34-year-old Belfast featherweight lost a 10-round split decision to undefeated Kevin Walsh at the SSE Arena on Friday night. Conlan, the favorite, hoped a victory would get him a shot at WBC featherweight champion Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington.
“I want to walk away now my health intact, my family good. I’ve done really well in boxing,” Conlan said. “I’ve achieved an awful lot. Did I reach my goal of being a world champion? No. That’s the hardest part about it all.”
Veteran OF makes Yanks’ opening-day roster TAMPA, Fla. Veteran outfielder Randal Grichuk has made the New York Yankees’ opening day roster Manager Aaron Boone told reporters Saturday that Grichuk made the team. The Yankees also announced they reassigned infielder Paul DeJong and utilityman Seth Brown to minor league camp and optioned utilityman Oswaldo Cabrera and infielder Max Schuemann to Triple-A Scranton/ Wilkes-Barre. Grichuk, 34, is coming off a 2025 season in which he batted .228 with a .273 on-base percentage, nine homers and 27 RBIs in 113 combined games for the Arizona
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By CHARLIE NEIBERGALL Virginia guards Paris Clark, left, and Kymora Johnson celebrate at the end of a first-round game against Georgia in the NCAA Tournament on Saturday in
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By NELL REDMOND
Southern California guard Jazzy Davidson drives against Clemson guard Rachael Rose during their first-round game of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday in Columbia, S.C
NCAA WOMEN’STOURNAMENT
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We love the grind. Ithink that’s whatLSU basketball is.Wehave that grit, that passion, so that’s why we’re ‘the show.’ ” “The show must go on,” as thesaying goes, and for LSU, it likely will. The Tigers (28-5),the No. 2-seeded team in the NCAA Sacramento 2regional, are just shy of a25-point favorite going into Sunday’ssecond-round game against No. 7Texas Tech (2 p.m., ABC). But win or lose, this will be LSU’sfinal game this season at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.Ifthe show goes on,it will be aroad show,out in California, in the Sweet 16. LSU coach Kim Mulkey said senior Flau’jaeJohnson, playing her last game in the PMAC as a Tiger,deserves to have asellout crowd Sunday That goes for the entire team For the entire castof“The Show.” If the Savannah Bananas could sellout the Caesars Superdome last weekend for whatever it is they do —twice —then LSU fans can turn out in droves to watch this team play on its home court one more time. Yes, NCAA rules guaranteeing the visiting teams and bands seats in the lower bowl (plus losing seats to courtside pressrows, I must admit) have scrambled the PMAC’sseating arrangement for LSU’sloyal legions. Hopefully,for the Tigers’ sake, and for Texas Tech, which is striving to recapture itsprogram’sformer glory,they will come nonetheless.
“If you build it, they will come.” That was the famous line from the movie “Field of Dreams.” Mulkey has done that at LSU. Building notonly a winning program but one that produces “Did you see that?” moments game after game. That wasn’ther objective when she left Baylor for LSU five years ago.Itwas,ofcourse,
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“I knew their transition game would be an issue, butthe other thing is they negate just about all of your easy buckets around the basket,” Southern coach Carlos Funchess said. “Werusheda little bit and had some missed opportunities, but South Carolina was as good as advertised, for sure. They most definitely will be in themix for thenational championship.”
Gamecocks’ All-Americaforward Joyce Edwards scored 19 of her 27 points in the first half, and helped South Carolina take a44-19 halftime lead. Carolina’s 6-foot-3 sophomore alsopulled down eight rebounds,and the Gamecocks outrebounded Southern 57-33.
In all, fiveGamecocks scored in double figures for aCarolina teamthatshot 55% (41for 75) from the field. Tessa Johnson made four 3-pointers and finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds. There was more support from Ta’Niya Latson (17 points), Madina Okot (15) and Agot Makeer (15).
“They go 6-6 starting at the center (Okot) and then comein with a6-7 (Alicia Tournebize). On the wingsthey’re 6-4, and long and athletic, so it’stough,” Funchess said. “I was hoping someone would get hot andscore 15 to 20 (points) for us, but it just didn’thappen.” Southern enduredscoreless stretches of more than fiveminutes each to start the first and thirdquarters. The Jaguars made 12 of 65 shots (18%) and
to win and win big. Butthe entertainingpart has been acompellingby-product of thetalent and thecoaching LSUhas had, a combination that has theTigers aimingfor theprogram’s17th Sweet 16appearanceand fourth straight under Mulkey
“I don’tsit down and say this is what we havetodotobeentertaining or sit down andsay this is what we do because we’re‘the show,’ ”Mulkey said. “I just allow players to havealittle freedomoffensively.That’s what I liked when Iplayed. Let’sget up anddown thefloor
“I’ve got alot of athletes, man. Let’sgo. Whowants to walk it up the floor and wait for apost player to comedown there and post up?”
LSU-Texas Tech is about as big acontrast in styles as you could findinthe NCAA’s round of 32. TheTigers are on pace to break the Southeastern Conference scoring record, now averaging95.1 points per game. They play defense, yes, the disruptive kind,but defense isn’tthis team’sidentity
It is for TexasTech. The Raiders average71.5 points per game but allow just 57.9, trying to fullcourt press their opponents into submission. They wore down Villanova in the first round, 5752, fewer points combined than LSU scored on its own Friday That approach has worked to get TexasTech this farand win 26 games. ButTech coach Krista Gerlich, whoplayed on the Lady Raiders’ 1993 national championshipteam, knows this is a toughassignment
“We’re going to continue to do what we do and try to disrupt as much as possible,” Gerlich said.
“But obviously,they’re areally good basketball team for areason. It will be difficult for us to disrupt themthat much.”
In other words, theLady Raiders will try to beshow stoppers. Everyone’sacritic, but that’s goingtobeatoughassignment.
Email ScottRabalaisat srabalais@theadvocate.com
DeMyaPorter looks to shoot againstSouth Carolinacenter Madina Okot during the firsthalfofa first-round NCAA Tournament game on Saturdayin Columbia, S.C.
just4of 21 from 3-point range. JocelynTate was Southern’s lone scorer in double figures with 10. She also led the Jaguars with eight rebounds. D’Shantae Edwards and Jaylia Reed, who made two 3-pointers, each scored six points. Any third-quarterhopes Southern had of gettingback into the game faded quickly.The Jaguars missed all eight of their field goal attempts and picked up their only points on two freethrows.
SouthCarolinascored thequarter’sfirst 20 points. South Carolinascored the game’s first 15 points, its largestrun to openagamethis season. Southern had five turnovers and missed its first seven shots before Jocelyn Tate scored on adrivewith 4:25 left in the first quarter Jestiny Dixon and Zaria Hurston added baskets, but Southern trailed 19-6 going to the second quarter
MarchMadness crossespaths with family time forHighPoint coaches
BY TERESA M. WALKER AP sportswriter
NASHVILLE, Tenn. Family matters at High Point, enough thatcoach Chelsea Banburyhas no problem withassistantKatie Clayman missing the Panthers’ last practice beforetheir NCAA Tournament opener
It’s MarchMadness, andClayman got to watch her husband win histournament debut Thursday as theHigh Point men upset No. 5seed Wisconsin in Portland, Oregon. Clayman spent Friday traveling back across the country to Nashville for the15th-seeded Panthers’ first-round game Saturday night againstNo. 2seed Vanderbilt
“There’snot any directflights ...,” Banbury said. “I’ve been in touch with her. She’s watching film. I’ve
given her ataskofwhatI want to see when she gets here and what to have broken down by the time she is, andwecan go around tomorrow andshoot around with the team.”
Of 136 teams, there are30 schools with both their men’sand women’steams in the two tournament fields. Flynn Clayman and his wife gettojuggle not only coaching duties during March Madness while managing parenting duties for 19-month old son, Quinn.
TheHigh Pointwomen should be done withtheir opener Saturday night when theHigh Point men tip off against No. 4seed Arkansas withaSweet 16 berth in the West Region on the line.
Banbury said watching the 12thseeded High Point menpull off the biggest win in programhistoryin
the West Region wasunbelievable. Shewatchedwhile packing with her son jumping on the couch and yelling.
“It was awesome,” Banbury said. The High Pointwomen should be done with their opener Saturday night when the High Point men tip off againstNo. 4seed Arkansas withaSweet 16 berth in the West Region on the line.
Then again, Banbury had her son with her Friday at practice. At High Point, families are around for support.
“She should be theresupporting Flynn,” Banbury said. “This was his first NCAATournament as ahead coach.Icouldn’timagine what she’d be going through if she missed it.Itwas incredible She was100% where she needed. She’llbehere withusand where she needs to be tomorrow.”
Tournament seed since 2008, and if they beat No. 7seed TexasTech at 2p.m. Sunday in the Round of 32 (ABC), thenthey’ll play in the Sweet 16 forafourth consecutive year Neither Johnsonnor Williams has ever lost in thatround of the tournament.
“Mikaylah, Flau’jae, Isay this every chanceI get,”Mulkeysaid, “you may never see thelikes of themstaying at an institution. This one’sfour (years). Unless something crazyhappens, Iwould think Mikaylah is going to be herefour years. And (Johnson’s) right.She had to help recruit Mikaylah. But that’swhatyou should do.Great players want to play with great players.”
On Friday,Johnson and Williams orchestratedarecord-setting firstround win over Jacksonville. They each grabbed five rebounds and forced three turnovers. Johnson scored 20 points, while Mikaylah added 18 to pair with her 10 assists —acareer high. It was only the second game in which neither of themrecorded asingle turnover Williams was nailing her outside shots and conducting LSU’shalfcourtoffense. Johnson was finding ways to display her dazzling array of transition finishes.
Why’dtheygive the No. 15-seeded Dolphins so many problems?
“Well, they’re pros,number one,” Texas Tech coach Krista Gerlich said. “I think they’re going to obviously go really high in the WNBA draft.
“Theyposeanissue for defenses. Youkind of have to pick your poison at times.”
Johnson and Williams have been teammatesfor threeyears now butthis season is thefirst in which they’ve beenLSU’stwo leaders. Through most of SEC play,they took turns leading the Tigers’ offense.
Johnson shot just 4of14from the field in LSU’s win over Texas on Jan. 11.Williams,though, hitthe gamesealing 3-pointer and finished with 20 pointson7-of-13 shooting
When the Tigers beat Ole Miss on Feb.19, Williams was missing too manyshotsand committing too many turnovers. So Mulkey left her on the bench for thewhole second half.
Johnsonthenteamed up with MiLaysia Fulwiley to give LSU a come-from-behind win. The senior hit six of her 11 shot attempts and twoofher three3-point triesto put up 18 points—all of which the Tigers needed to avoid suffering alossthat would’vejeopardized their double bye in theSEC Tournament
Then Johnson cooled off again. She shot only 32% from the field
acrossLSU’slast three regularseason games—astretch in which Williams played someofthe best basketballofher career
Thestar junior averaged 19.3 points and 11.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists while shooting 50% from thefield. in games against Missouri, Tennessee and Mississippi State. She playedall 40 minutes of the win over the Bulldogs on March1, when Johnson scored only four points on 1-of-6 shooting.
“The thing that I’m gonna miss themost is herjoy. She’ssojoyful. Her leadership.”
MIKAyLAH WILLIAMS LSU guard, on teammate Flau’jae Johnson
“She’sgonna come to therescue when I’m not having agood game,” Johnson said. “I can focus on other things and know we’re still gonna be OK.She’sjust amazing.” LSU, of course, is at its best when bothJohnson and Williams are working together.Since the calendar flipped to 2026, the twostars have scored more than 15 points in thesame gameonly three times on Jan. 1ina loss to Kentucky,on Jan. 29 in awin over Arkansas and on Friday in an NCAA Tournament win over Jacksonville.
Williams was shooting so well that theDolphins startedshifting extra defenderstowardher, leaving Johnson open on the weak side. On one possession in the second quarter,Williams floated away from adouble team andlasered a pass to Johnson, who had drifted along the baseline into an easy look at the rim LSUwillsoonencountertaller, longer teamsinthe NCAA Tournament, starting Sunday against Texas Tech (26-7). Johnson andWilliams want to keep setting each other up forsuccess. The Tigers need both of them to playwell, or else they could miss their last chance to see what the two stars can accomplish together in the Final Four “Weknow each other in and out,” Williamssaid. “The thingthatI’m gonnamissthe most is herjoy She’s so joyful. Herleadership. She says she doesn’twant to be aleader,(that) she’snot aleader, but she’sbeen that sinceI stepped on campus.She took me underher wing.”
AP PHOTO By NELL REDMOND Southernforward
STAFFPHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON LSU guards Flau’JaeJohnson, left, and MikaylahWilliams celebrate after LSU forward Meghan yarnevich scored in thefourthquarter of agame against UT-Arlington on Dec.21atthe PMAC
LEARNMORE
Jada Richard, LSU Guard
ALL-METROWRESTLING
BOYS WRESTLER OF THEYEAR
STAFFFILEPHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON
Catholic’sKristian Scott, rear,battles Holy Cross’ NickDiGerolamo during the Louisiana ClassiconJan. 18,2025, in Gonzales. Scottwentontobecome just the second fourtime champion in the Baton RougeCityChampionships.
KRISTIAN SCOTT CATHOLIC,SR. • 157POUNDS
Kristian Scott capped hiscareerwith athird individual state title.Among his manyfeats, the seniorbecame the second wrestler to become afourtime champion in the Baton RougeCity Championships.
“Achieving that fourth city title, that was a really special moment,”Scott said.“Especially being only the second to do it. My dadbeing rightthere by my side; it’scool.” Scott was afour-time state finalist and was named to the All-Metro teamall four years
of his high school career.Hewas named OutstandingCity Wrestler three times,and this is histhird time being named the boys AllMetro Outsanding Wrestler
Scotthad acareerrecord of 174-15.
Catholic coach Tommy Prochaskacredited his role asa leader throughout this past four years
“He understands the big picture of being a leader in the program,”Prochaska said.“It’sa fine balancetobealeader and still be ableto attain what youwant as an individual.”
Jackson Reyes
BOYS COACHOFTHE YEAR CLINTBROWNELL ST.AMANT
Clint Brownell coached the Gators to a successful season that included along list of trophies. St.Amant tookhome first at the public school state tournament, the Spartan tournament and the district tournament. He also coached his team to second-place finishes at the McMillan Tournament and the
BOYS ALL-METRO TEAM
PAUL
EVAN Catholic, 8th 45-5 at 106pounds
AIDAN
THAI
Dutchtown, Jr
34-10at113 pounds
MICHAEL HANEMANN Catholic, So. 37-11at120 pounds
CALEB
KIRK Catholic, So. 49-2 at 126pounds
ALEX SONNIER Catholic, Fr 35-9 at 132pounds
Baton RougeCity tournament.
St.Amant placed sixth at the LHSAA state tournament in Bossier City Brownell alsohelped coach one athlete to the first team All-Metro team and five to the second team.
Jackson Reyes
MARK EVANS Catholic, Jr 37-6at138 pounds
BENJAMIN EBLING Brusly,Sr. 46-9 at 144pounds
DYLAN RICKS Brusly,Sr. 58-7 at 150pounds
KRISTIAN SCOTT Catholic, Sr 52-1 at 157pounds
BRAYLON STEWART East Ascension,Jr. 53-1 at 165pounds
BOYS SECOND TEAM
BRODY COWEN
BatonRougeHigh, Sr 41-4 at 175pounds
KENT PEARSON St.Amant, Sr 40-7 at 190pounds
BILLY EDMONSTON Live Oak, Sr 45-1 at 215pounds
AIDEN ANDERSON BatonRougeHigh, Sr 45-6 at 285pounds
Note: The All-Metro wrestlingselections are made by area coaches.
Baton RougeHigh’sOlivia Maxie, top, controls LiveOak’s AvaPayne in the LHSAA title bout of the152-pound weightclass on Feb.15, 2025, in Bossier City.Maxiecapped her prep career withfour state championships, finishing with acareer record of 95-12.
Olivia Maxie finished herhigh school career with afourth individual state championship and closed theyearwith a26-4 record. Coach Bill Bofinger said Maxie and astrong group of seniors were integral in the team’ssecond-place finishatstate this year
“Theyare the lifeblood of the team,” Bofinger said.“They’re just at practice all thetime,
driving the othergirls and just making it fun. Maxie finishedher high school career with arecord of 95-12. Shewas atwo-time City champion and atwo-time public school champion. Her stellar year landedher on the All-Metro team forthe thirdtime in hercareer Shewas also named Outstanding Wrestler at the City Championships.
GIRLS COACHOFTHE YEAR
BILL BOFINGER BATONROUGE HIGH
Bill Bofinger guided the Baton RougeHigh girlstoa second-place finish at theLHSAA wrestlingchampionships. He also coachedhis side to wins at the City Tournamentand the JV City Tournament. He coached four members of his teamtothe All-Metro first team and one to thesecond team. Four of hisathletes advancedtostate
GIRLS ALL-METROTEAM
WILLOW DIXON Walker,So. 34-2 at 100pounds
MIKAYLA BYINGTON St.Amant, Sr 39-2 at 107pounds
LILLY JOHNSON Dutchtown, Fr 41-0 at 114pounds
MACKENZIE THOMAS Walker,Fr. 36-7 at 120pounds
finals and anotherwrestlerplacedsixth. Olivia Maxie and Jonnika Pitts bothcaptured individual state championships. “I wasjust as proud as Icould be of them, Bofinger said.“Wewerestate champions last year,but we did really,really well to come back and getsecond this year.”
Jackson Reyes
AZIAH JACKSON BatonRougeHigh, So 19-13at126 pounds
LAKEN GRIFFIN Live Oak, Jr 42-0 at 132pounds
OLIVIA MAXIE BatonRougeHigh, Sr 30-4 at 138pounds
SAVANNAH CAMARATA Albany, Jr 28-0 at 145pounds
GIRLS SECOND TEAM
JONNIKA PITTS
BatonRougeHigh, Sr 25-4 at 152pounds
BREANN CULLEN East Ascension, Sr 36-11at165 pounds
IRANIE HARRISON Brusly,Sr. 31-2 at 185pounds
ALLISON FLORES HERNANDEZ Baton RougeHigh, Sr 28-2 at 285 pounds
PORTLAND Ore. — Jordan Pope and Matas Vokietaitis each scored 17 points, Camden Heide hit a gamesealing 3-pointer and Texas became the first team in five years to go from the NCAA Tournament’s First Four to the Sweet 16, beating Gonzaga 74-68 on Saturday
First-year coach Sean Miller’s 11th-seeded Longhorns (21-14), who lost five of six entering the tournament and looked underwhelming in their First Four win over N.C. State, will face either No. 2 seed Purdue or No. 7 seed Miami on Thursday in the West Region
semifinals in San Jose, California.
The last First Four team to reach the Sweet 16 was UCLA, which made it all the way to the Final Four in 2021.
“Our ride has never been easy, but we fought the good fight the whole way and we did it again,” Miller said.
Graham Ike led third-seeded Gonzaga (31-4) with 25 points, but the Bulldogs struggled to generate much secondary scoring
Coach Mark Few’s Zags bowed out in the second round for the second straight year after reaching the Sweet 16 in nine consecutive tournaments, a run that included two losses in the national title game.
After Ike’s dunk got the Zags within 69-68 with 40 seconds left, Miller called timeout and drew up a play that got Heide free in the corner The 6-foot-7 junior, who played just 13 minutes, confidently knocked down his only basket of the game, giving Texas a four-point lead with 14.7 seconds left
“He’s our best 3-point shooter. To not have him in there, I just didn’t think it made any sense, because what happens is exactly what happened,” Miller said. “The play gets
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By AMANDA
Texas forward Camden Heide celebrates with teammates after the Longhorns defeated Gonzaga in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday in Portland, Ore.
broken, a guy makes a drive, pivots, Next thing you know, you find someone.”
Vokietaitis capped the scoring with a breakaway layup.
Gonzaga, a 6 1/2-point favorite according to BetMGM Sportsbook, led by eight points in the first half, but Texas rallied and led 35-33 at halftime.
Dailyn Swain dunked to give the Longhorns a 57-54 lead with 7:33 left.
Pope’s 3-pointer with 5:28 remaining put Texas up 62-56. Ike’s layup closed Gonzaga within 66-64, but Pope answered with a 3 to put Texas ahead 69-64.
“We were both kind of trading punches,” Few said. “Both teams were having a hard time getting stops down the stretch, and we just couldn’t get one on that last possession. I would have liked to see if we could capitalize in our coverage, but Heide had that big 3, and
that was about really what it came down to.”
It’s the 15th Sweet 16 appearance and first since 2022-23 for Texas, and the ninth for Miller, who got to five regional semifinals with Arizona and three with Xavier
The Bulldogs were making their 27th appearance in the tournament, and they played in front of a friendly crowd that chanted “Let’s Go Zags!” after David Fogle’s jumper made it 28-20 in the first half. Gonzaga beat No. 14 seed Kennesaw State on Thursday, but this result could lead to some angst in Spokane, Washington, before the Zags join the reconstituted Pac-12 ahead of next season. Texas, meanwhile, rode the momentum after knocking off likely NBA lottery pick AJ Dybantsa and BYU in the first round. The Longhorns became the first-double digit seed in this largely chalky tourna-
March Madness spotlight shines on Florida’s Rioux
BY ROB MAADDI AP sportswriter
TAMPA,Fla. The Florida Gators love hearing “We want Ollie!” chants.
Fans started calling for 7-foot-9 center Olivier Rioux to enter the game just past the midway point of the second half during Florida’s 59-point victory over Prairie View A&M on Friday night.
Rueben Chinyelu, who broke a school record with his 19th double-double of the season, waved his arms, pumping up the crowd to scream louder for Rioux.
The defending national champions started their repeat bid with the secondlargest victory margin in NCAA Tournament history. The No. 1 seed Gators (27-7) will face ninth-seeded Iowa (22-12) on Sunday night. The loudest cheers in Florida’s opening-round rout came when Rioux checked in and then scored on a putback dunk long after the outcome was decided.
“It’s a great moment — I got the rebound and then I dunked it butit’salsoagreatmoment because I hustled, I did my job, and everything else toward the defense was good, too,” Rioux said. “I came to play.”
Rioux’s teammates enjoyed the moment even more than the raucous crowd celebrating in the student section and throughout the arena. Chinyelu started jumping up and down and the entire bench went wild.
Rioux, a redshirt freshman from Canada who became the world’s tallest teenager before turning 20, is believed to be the tallest player in NCAA history
“It’s just a great time just being with this guy, be it from summertime, grinding with this guy, playing together, trying to get each other better,” Chinyelu said
AP PHOTO By CHRIS O’MEARA
Cutline: Florida center Olivier Rioux stands beside Prairie View forward Hassane Diallo during a first-round NCAA Tournament game on Friday in Tampa, Fla.
“Just trying to do whatever to get him to play the game because we all worked so hard for that, so whatever time, seconds he gets, cherish that. I just want to see everybody win, see everybody enjoy it, do whatever we can to just make sure everybody gets to feel that moment being on the court playing with each other.”
Getting Rioux in the game means the Gators are well on their way to another victory. He played sparingly in the regular season, making two of his three shots in 13 minutes of action across 10 games. Rioux missed his first two shots before his thunderous dunk against Prairie View A&M. The Gators now are 11-0 in games he’s played.
“Just me seeing him being able to step up there, go in there, dunk the ball, make points, you could see everybody enjoyed it,” Chinyelu said. “Any time we’re playing and we can set up an opportunity to get our guys in, we really do that because that’s what we do because
they grind. You guys don’t see behind the scenes. They get ready, they’re getting us ready, they’re playing with us, trying to make sure we have what we need to deliver.”
Rioux is determined to improve as a player, be more than a sideshow and display his skills.
“It’s important and I think I did that,” he said.
Facing Iowa
Next up for the Gators is a matchup against an opponent that’s been one of the best shooting teams in the nation, with a spot in the Sweet 16 in the South Region at stake.
Iowa’s Bennett Stirtz had a rare off night but still finished with 16 points on 4-for-17 shooting to lead the Hawkeyes to a 67-61 victory over Clemson on Friday night.
Stirtz, Kael Combs, Tavion Banks and Cam Manyawu reached the second round last season with Drake and transferred to Iowa with coach Ben McCollum.
“We’ve got really loyal kids and I knew that going in,” McCollum said. “Whether or not they’re perfect, they’re not. We’ve got our issues. I’ve got my issues. But what they’re perfect at is loyalty, and they’re tough and they established the foundation.
We’re not done yet.”
Before Rioux punctuated Florida’s opener, the Gators had seven players reach double figures. Boogie Fland scored 16 points to lead the way, Chinyelu had 14 points and 13 rebounds, Thomas Haugh also scored 14 and Alex Condon added 13.
“It definitely will be a battle of tempo, a battle of pace, and obviously Ben is a great coach,” Florida coach Todd Golden said of Iowa. “Bennett is a great player
They’ve played really good basketball, and it’s going to be a great challenge for us.”
ment to get through the first two rounds.
“We just needed a chance,” said Swain, who finished with 11 points. “We didn’t end the regular season in the way we wanted to, but we never gave up on each other and that drew us closer. We all took a different approach, we all kind of stepped up our play, and as you can see, had a more balanced attack in this postseason.”
NO 1 DUKE 81, No. 9 TCU 58: In Greenville, South Carolina, Duke got two tests to open its run as the No. 1 overall seed in March Madness.
The Blue Devils responded both times, the latter coming when they got their defense and star freshman Cameron Boozer rolling after halftime.
Boozer shook off a quiet first half to finish with 19 points and Duke shot 61.5% after halftime Saturday to pull away from TCU for an 8158 win in a physical second-round game at the NCAA Tournament. The forward voted a unanimous first-team Associated Press AllAmerican earlier this week had just two points and missed his only shot in the first half. But he scored three times during the 11-0 second-half burst — twice on highlow feeds from fellow big Patrick Ngongba II in his return to the lineup — as Duke (34-2) finally shook free of the ninth-seeded Horned Frogs (23-12).
“They did a great job swarming the point, protecting the rim,” Boozer said. “So I just didn’t have a lot of looks really Second half we figured out some things that got me going downhill, got some high-lows.”
NO 2 HOUSTON 88, TEXAS A&M 57: In Oklahoma City, Emanuel Sharp scored 18 points, Chris Cenac Jr had 17 points and nine rebounds, and Houston rolled past Texas A&M 88-57 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Satur-
day to reach the Sweet 16 for the seventh consecutive year Milos Uzan added 15 points for the Cougars (30-6), the No. 2 seed in the South Region Houston will play 2 miles away from its campus against either No 3 seed Illinois or No. 11 seed VCU on Thursday, and coach Kelvin Sampson’s squad — which lost in the national title game to Florida last year — again looks like an opponent nobody wants to play NO 3 MICHIGAN 77, LOUISVILLE 69: In Buffalo, New York, Coen Carr recorded his first career double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds, and Jeremy Fears Jr had 16 assists as Michigan State advanced to the Sweet 16 for the 17th time under coach Tom Izzo, beating Louisville 77-69 on Saturday in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
“Back to the Sweet 16, where this program belongs,” Izzo said.
Fears added 12 points on 3-of-13 shooting but did the most damage for Michigan State with his precision passing. The country’s assists leader, who came in averaging 9.2 per game, became the first Big Ten player with 10 or more assists in each of the first two games of an NCAA tourney He had 11 in the Spartans’ first-round win over North Dakota State.
Magic Johnson had double-digit assists in four NCAA Tournament games during the Spartans’ run to the 1979 national title, before assists became an official stat.
“Well, if he’s shy of just Magic Johnson, he’s in pretty good company,” Izzo said. “That’s a pretty good place to be. So Earvin, if you’re watching, he’s coming after you.” NO.3 ILLINOIS 76, No. 11 VCU 55: In Greenville, South Carolina, Andrej Stojakovic scored 21 points and No. 3 Illinois beat 11th-seeded VCU 76-55 on Saturday to advance to the Sweet 16 for the second time in three seasons under coach Brad
CJ PATT ON General Manager
LOMAN
STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIAGERMER
Cleveland Cavaliers center Evan Mobleydunks over Pelicans forward Trey Murphy on SaturdayinSmoothieKing Center
Pelicans’home winstreakends in loss to Cavs
BY LES EAST Contributing writer
The New Orleans Pelicans looked like they were on their way to an eighth consecutive home victory Saturday night Then came the fourth quarter
The Pelicans went cold andthe Cleveland Cavaliers heated up, outscoring the Pelicans 35-18 in the final period to takea111106 victory in the Smoothie King Center
The Cavaliers made 13-of-25 field-goal attempts, including 4-of-10 3-pointers, in thefourth quarter while New Orleans made 5-of-16 and missed all five of its 3-pointers. Cleveland hada 19-5 rebounding edge in the final period to finish with a55-40 advantage.
“Wehad good looks,” Pelicans interim head coach James Borrego said. “Wehad shots that could have and should have gone down. We missed layups, we missed free throws, we missed open3s. Themost frustrating thing to watch (on film) is going to be the rebounding. We’ve got to close that game out.”
Donovan Mitchell scored 27 points, James Harden, who finishedwith10assists,scoredall 20 of his points in the second half, Evan Mobley scored 18, Sam Merrill had 15 points and 10 rebounds and Thomas Bryant scored 11 to lead the Cavaliers (44-27), who completed asweep of their three-game road trip.
Zion Williamson scored 25 points (22 in the second half), Saddiq Bey had 19, Dejounte Murray had 12 points and 10 assists, Herb Jones scored 12 and Trey Murphy III added 10 for NewOrleans (25-47),which begins athree-game road trip when it visits the New York Knicks on Tuesday night.
“This one will sting tonight,” Borrego said. “We’ll get back to work tomorrow and go back on theroad and do some damageon the road.”
Continued from page1C
anchor Konnor McClain shortarmed her pass on the high bar and took astep back on thelanding, getting only a9.75 that the Tigers discarded. After one rotation, LSU was in secondplace with a49.475 behind Florida (49.525, beam).
The Tigers moved to balance beam for the second rotation and nosed into the lead thanks to strong back half of thelineup performances from Lincoln, McClain and Chio. Lincoln got a9.90, McClain a9.95 and Chio, the NCAA leader on beam, a9.95 as well. That allowed LSUtocover a9.80 from Zeiss andscore a49.500, puttingthe Tigers at 98.975 ahead of Florida (98.950) and OU (98.925) as Alabama (98.600) faded to fourth.
Former LSUstarWilliams fleed
twowar zonesinthree years
BY REED DARCEY Staff writer
It was about 4a.m. one recent Monday when the rumblings shook LaDazhiaWilliams awake. Something feltweird. She just wasn’t sure exactly what was happening.
Then Williams looked at the news.
“Wow,this is crazy,” she thought. “Not again.”
Williams,aformer LSU women’sbasketball star,had been here before.In2023, shewas playing professionalhoopsinIsraelwhen war forced her to flee thecountry After that ordeal, she had bounced around for twoyearsand landed on ateam in Lebanon —onlyfor moreviolence to flareupand chase her back across theAtlantic.
This time, the fighting started when the U.S. struck Iran on Feb 28. It took only about24hours for that war to ripple outtoward Williams,who’s nowbackhomeafter successfully fleeing notone,but twowar zones in the threeyears since she left LSU.
“Minus that,”WilliamstoldThe Advocate on Wednesday, “I don’t think it was abad experience at either place. Unfortunate events just happen.”
Williamson scored nine points, assisted on Bey’s3-pointer and added alayup as New Orleans expanded its three-point halftime lead to 75-62 midwaythrough the thirdquarter.Cleveland closed within eight points twice before Derik Queen scored fourpoints and Jeremiah Fears two as the Pelicans held an 88-76 lead at the end of theperiod.
Williamson scored New Orleans’ first five points of the fourth quarter,and the lead grew to 95-84before Harden scored the last five points of a10-0run that pulled the Cavalierswithin 95-94.
Bey made two free throws and Murray scored on adrive as New Orleans maintained athree-point lead. But Murray’s basket was thePelicans’ only one in more than sixminutes and Cleveland had another 10-0 run to open a 106-99 lead with 1:57 remaining.
New Orleans got within four points twice,but couldn’tget a defensive stop either time, just two nightsafter outscoring the LosAngeles Clippers 18-15 in the fourth quarter of a105-99 win.
Seven Cavaliers scored as they raced to a31-18 lead. Yves Missi, who finished with 10 rebounds, scored on aput-backtostart a 10-0 run for the Pelicans before Mitchell’s3-pointer left Cleveland with a34-28 lead at the end of thefirst quarter
The Cavaliers pushed the lead to as many as 10 points twice in the second quarter before New Orleans finishedstrong. Murphy made a3-pointer to tie the score and Bey broke the tiewith a3-pointer as the Pelicanstook a 56-53 halftime lead after holding Cleveland scorelessfor the final 21/2 minutes.
LSUwenttofloorinthe third rotation and had its best team score of the meet, a49.525. Lincoln delivered her 9.95 for the Tigers in the anchor spot, justafter a9.90 from Chio and a9.925 from Amari Drayton. However, LSUlostthe lead to Oklahoma on Torrez’s10.0 score on beam, giving theSooners a148.550148.500 edge over theTigers going to the final rotation. Despite Chio’s9.975 to anchor vault, LSU posted just a49.450 on vault in the final rotation, with only one other gymnast, Victoria Roberts, gettinga9.90. Florida surged to the team win witha 49.800 on beam, theevent score of the meet, while OU settled for second after astrong 49.600 on floor Lincolnperformed despite
TheTigers wouldn’thavewon theirnationalchampionship in 2023 without Williams —the 6-foot-4 transfer who started at center next to Angel Reeseall season. That year,she scored at least 15 points in three of thelastfour NCAATournament matchups LSU played. She tallied agame-high 24 in the Sweet 16, then added16in thenationalsemifinals and20in thetitle game.
TheIndiana Fever selected Williams with the17th overall pick of the2023 WNBA draft but waived her only amonth later
So Williams,27, did what most U.S born players do when the league says it doesn’thave enough room for them. She went overseas.
Her first stop was Israel, but she was there only afew weeks before thewar in Gaza broke out. Williams neverheard the explosions. The missiles, though, landed close enough to trigger sirensthat told her to shelter inside theconcrete safe room built intothe apartment she was renting. Her escape route led her across threecontinentsin threedays —first from TelAviv to Ethiopia, thenfrom Ethiopia to Togo andfrom Togo to New Jersey
Across the next two years, Williams madestopsinFrance, Greece, Mexico and Romania. She debuted inthe Women’s Lebanese Basketball League (WLBL) on Jan. 8and startedtosettle into arole that was similar to the oneshe played at LSU. Her team won 11 of its first 12 games, and shewas its second-leading scorer
Then theU.S. and Israel decided to strike Iran,ignitinga warthat has since spilled over intoLebanon. Hezbollah, theIran-backed militantgroup withapresence in Lebanon, sent missiles intoIsrael, and Israelretaliatedbyattackingparts of Lebanon. The airstrikes started March2,and oneofthemhit the southern edge of the capital, Beirut— only abouta dozenmiles from where Williams was living.
This time, sheheardthe explosions. Andfelt them, too.
“Tothem,” Williams said, “everything was normal. People werestill
waking up withpain in her elbow thatthe SEC Network said was causedbyher ulnar nerve. She hada 9.90 on beam anda 9.85 on vault in addition to her winning 9.95 on floor
“She wasa warrior,” Clarksaid. “Welimited her in warmups. She didn’tdoanything with her arm on floor.But she was confident from (practice Friday).
“Structurally,wefeel the elbowisstable or we wouldn’t have lether go.But she’s got some discomfort in it, for sure.”
TheTigers return home to await the NCAAselection show whichwillbetelevisedat11a.m MondayonESPNU. LSUisassured of being the No. 1seed in the regional it will host April 1-4 at the Pete MaravichAssembly Center
The top two teams from each of four regionals will advance to the NCAA Championships, April 16 and18inFort Worth, Texas.
“We’ll getalittle rest,then get back at it,” Clark said. “The main thing Iwant to continue to drive home is thatthis team is capable of winning everything.Our fans shouldn’tdoubt that and should gettheir buttsinour arena(for the regional)tosupportthisteam It’sgoing to be ameat grinder.”
out and about, not really changing theireveryday lives. The difference was just the proximity.”
Williams said that the WLBL initially hoped to continue its season. But thenthe strikes kept coming, andthe war kept escalating, forcing the Lebanese Athletics Federation to postpone all sporting events in thecountry.Ittook about two days to reach that decision.
“That’sreally when the sense of urgency to get us outstarted,” Williams said.
The problem, of course —for Williams and anyone else trying to flee theviolence —was that travel accommodations were tough to come by.Roads around the Beirut airport suffered damage. Traffic slowed to acrawl. Commercial airlines suspended operations in thearea.
Williams said she contacted the U.S.embassy in Lebanon to letit know that she was trying to evacuate the area but that American authorities “weren’treally helping” thepeople who were stuck there She andone of herteammates— former Wright State and Ole Miss guard AngelBaker —started booking flights, and the airlines endedupcanceling most of them beforethey were scheduled to take off.
It tookabout fourdaysfor Williams andBaker to hop on their first flight. They found aflight fromBeirut to Jordan and then another fromJordan to Egypt.
From there, they flew to New York and landed safely by March 8— six days after the first missiles hit Lebanon. TheirWLBLteam covered the costs of their travel, per clauses in their contracts.
According to The Associated Press, Lebanon’shealth ministry said that Israeli strikes in the countryhad killed968 people, including 77 women and 116 children, as of Wednesday
“My teammates were like, ‘Are youscared?’”Williams said. “‘It’s OK.It’snothing to be scared of.’
“The Lebanese people, they were allchill aboutitbecause they’re used to that stuff. Even not being used to it, Iwasn’treally scared, but Iwas just ready to go.”
Nine days after Williamslanded safelyinNew York, theWNBAand itsplayers’ associationreached a newcollective bargainingagreement. Hammering out the landmarkdeal, at times acontentious process,allowed theleagueto avoid awork stoppage and resume theexpansionithas plannedfor the next four years.
The WNBAhad 12 teamsin2023, the year Williams was drafted. By 2030, the league will have 18 teams —after it adds expansion squads in San Francisco, Portland, Toronto,Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia.
Those extra roster spots will loosen the squeeze that has forced players such as Williams to take their talents outside the U.S. and, sometimes, into war zones. It happenedtoWilliams notonce, but twice.
But the former LSU star doesn’t want to let her negativeexperiencesoverrideher positive ones Because basketball hastaken her to three different continents, she’s seen new parts of the world, exposedherself to newculturesand met all kinds of new people. It’s allgivenWilliams the perspective of aseasoned world traveler.She may fly back overseas one day,but for now,she plans to pause her playing career and spend some timewith her family Basketball should comecalling again, and when it does, she knows at least where she won’tlet it take her
“Inthe future,” Williams said, “I’m definitely staying out of the Middle East.”
PROVIDED PHOTOByLSU ATHLETICS
LSU gymnastKonnor McClainsticks the landing after her beam performance on Saturday at the SEC Championships at the BOKCenter in Tulsa, Okla.
STAFF PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK
LSU forward LaDazhiaWilliams takes ashot over Houston Christian forward Jo OlyonNov.16, 2022, at the Pete Maravich AssemblyCenter
Crucialerror costsLSU series vs.Oklahoma
BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer
Sometimes one play can change the course of agame, or even the outlook of aseason.
ForLSU baseballonSaturday against Oklahoma, the rubber match of acrucial three-game series at Alex Box Stadium, the former was certainly true, and the latter was probably accurate as well.
With the basesloaded and one out in the eighth inning, andLSU leading 3-2, redshirt sophomore right-hander Deven Sheerin forced the perfect double play ground ball to second base. But instead of starting the inningending play,freshman Jack Ruckert —who was in the game for his defenseatsecond —bobbled the ball and made an error,resulting in everyone being safe.
Not only did the mistake cost the Tigers arun, but it also turned into two runs and the game.Sheerinalloweda sacrifice fly after Ruckert’serror that handed the Sooners a4-3 advantage, and Oklahoma ended up winning by that final score to take the three-game series.
“That play is going to be thetype of playthat’sgoing to tip the scale in agame like this,” LSU coach JayJohnson said. “Which, that’snot asurprise.”
The loss resulted in LSU dropping its third consecutive series, including its first two series in Southeastern Conference play.Since returning from the Jax College Baseball Classic, LSU has an 8-9 record and has failed to scoremore than five runs nine times.
LSUgot thepitchingit needed on Saturday,despite sophomore right-handed starter William Schmidt onlylasting four innings. Schmidt only allowed asolo home run, and redshirt junior right-hander Gavin Guidry worked around trouble forthree inningsin relief of Schmidt before running into ajam that Sheerin
RHP MOORE OUT FOR3 WEEKS
LSUjuniorright-hander Cooper Moore is expected to be out forthe next three weekswith triceps soreness in hisright arm, coach JayJohnson said on Saturday.
Johnson also revealed that Moore has no structural damageinhis armafterexitinghis startonFridayagainst Oklahomajustone pitch into the fifth inning
“There is some swellingweneed to getdown, basically,” Johnson said.“Theonly waytodothat is to givehim some time, which is probably about aweek to 10 days.And then to be responsible with hisreturntothrowing,(he’ll need) a minimumofaweek to10days.
““So Ikind of justadded those twoup, and it gets you probablytolikethree weeks fromnow is probablythe bestcase scenario.”
In six starts, Mooreholds a3.38 ERA in 32 innings. He’s struck out 39 battersand has onlycommitted sevenwalks. LSUfaces Kentucky at home before hitting the road to face Tennessee andOle Miss over its next twoweekends in SoutheasternConference play.
Koki Riley
nearlyescaped for himin theeighth
Schmidt, Sheerin and Guidry combined to walk eight batters, butOklahoma also stranded 14 runners on base against thetrio. The Sooners left at leastone runner in scoring position in thethird, fourth, fifth and seventhinnings before finally breaking through in theeighth.
What costLSU thegame andthe series was not its pitching. Instead,itwas theposition playergroup The Tigers struggled at theplate, recording just four hits despiteleading formostofthe afternoon. They also committed two errors. The mistakes made in the field on Saturday placed their fielding percentage at .964 on the year,afar cry from the .981 fielding percentage they heldlast season.
“That’sagood question,” senior Chris Stanfield said after he was asked what’s prevented theTigers from winningclosegames lately. “I don’t know.Ithink just fundamentals (are impor-
tant). We’ve got to makethe routine plays and keep adding on offense.”
TwoofLSU’s hits on Saturday resulted in ahome run. First, freshmanOmar Serna blasted histhird homer of the year in the first inning. His two-run shot gave LSU a2-1 lead beforeStanfield blasted a solo homer in the fifth that stretched the Tigers’ lead to two. But overall, LSU went 1for 5withrunners in scoring position, and the bottomseven hitters in the order combined to record two hits and drive in just onerun.
“When you face elite pitching, andtheyfillup the strike zone, youbetter hit theone that you get,” Johnson said.“Andwehit acouple of themtoday But if we’renot doing that, there’snot awhole lot else that we’re abletodo.”
LSUwill host Louisiana Tech on Tuesday before resuming SEC playnext weekend. First pitch from AlexBox Stadium is set for 6:30 p.m., and the game will be available to stream on SEC Network+.
PitcherCellura dominant as LSUbeats SouthCarolina
Staff report
COLUMBIA, S.C. CeceCellura threw her second consecutive complete game and Kylee Edwards continued domination at the plate to even No. 22 LSU’sseries with No. 21 South Carolina 5-1 on Saturday Behind strong defense, Cellura (4-2) threw 61/3 scoreless innings. In 7innings, Cellura struck out two and allowed one run on eight hits Four players had multiple hits for LSU (20-10 overall, 2-6 SEC). Kylee Edwards led with her sixth multi-hit game of the season,going 2-for-3, scoringtwice and walking once. Destiny Harris and MaddoxMcKee each went 2-for-2. Harris scored twice, walked and stole abase. McKee drove in three, includinga two-RBI triple. Sierra Daniel hit two doubles. South Carolina starter Josey Marron(1-2) faced only eight batters and gave up onerun onthree hitsand walked one before being pulled. Jalia Lassiter ended the third inning with adiving, run-saving catch in center field,and LSUrewarded the
SouthCarolinabaseball, coachMainieripartways
BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer
Afteraless thanaseasonand ahalfinColumbia, SouthCarolina, former LSU baseball coach and South Carolina coach PaulMainieri has parted ways with the Gamecocks, Mainieri and athletic director Jeremiah Donati announced in a jointstatementonSaturday. Mainieri posteda 40-40 record during his time at South Carolina,most recently losing 22-6 to Arkansas on Friday
“JeremiahDonatiand I have agreed thatthe baseball program will be better served with new leadership,” Mainieri saidinthe statement. “I take fullresponsibilityfor the win/loss record of the baseball program over the 80 games I have served as head coach.”
The Gamecocks failed to make the NCAA Tournament in Mainieri’sfirst season, posting a28-29 record before startingthis year with a12-11 recordanda0-4markinSoutheasternConference play
“Afteraconversation this morning with coach Mainieri, we agreed that it would be in the best interest of the program that we part ways at this time,” Donatisaid in hisstatement. “I appreciate everything Paul has poured into our student-athletes and our program,not just at South Carolina, but throughout hiscareer.Heisa Hall of Fame coach and aworldclass individual, and we wish him and his family all the best.”
Mainieri was thewinningest active coach in Division Ibefore SouthCarolina decidedtopartwayswith him. In his statement on Saturday,healso announced his permanent retirement from coaching. Mainieri had
retired from coaching for three years before taking the job at SouthCarolina.
“WhenRay Tanner invited me to comeout of threeyearsofretirement to coach again, my goal was to work with young people again and restore the South Carolina program to greatness with areturntoOmaha,” Mainieri said. “My staffand Ihaveworked diligently in an attempt to accomplish that goal.
“Unfortunately,that goal has not materialized as quickly as Iwould have liked and will take more time than Ihad anticipated andthatistime thatIjust don’thave at my age.”
Before taking the jobin Columbia, Mainieri was at LSU from 2007-21. Mainieri accumulated a641285-3recordwiththe Tigers and led the program to anationalchampionship in 2009 before stepping aside, in part, due to health
reasons. He also guided LSU to five College WorldSeries appearances,anappearance in the College World Series final in 2017 and six SEC Tournament championships.Beforearriving at LSU, he also led Notre Dame to theCollege World Series in 2001 and spent six seasons as the head coach at Air Force and St. Thomas.
“As Igointo retirement again(andfor thefinal time), Ireflect on how fortunate Ihave been to do what IIove most —coachingcollege baseballand trying to impact young lives—for more than40 years at five wonderful institutions,” Mainieri said.“St.ThomasUniversity,the United States Air Force Academy,the University of Notre Dame, LSU, and the University of South Carolina will always hold aspecial place in my heart.”
defense andCellura with three runs in thefourth. Edwards opened theinning with aleadoff single and advanced to third on asingle by Harris. Edwards then stole homeplate to give LSU a2-0 lead. Later,withrunnerson second andthird, McKee cleared thebases with a triple down the right-field linefor a4-0 lead after four innings.
SouthCarolina fell to 2111 overalland 1-4inconference play The series finale is at noon Sunday andwill be streamed on SEC Network+.
STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON
LSU third baseman John Pearson tries to avoid thetag by Oklahoma catcher Brendan Brock after adropped third strikeinthe fourth inning on Saturday at Alex Box Stadium.
ASSOCIATEDPRESS FILEPHOTO By SEAN RAyFORD South Carolina coach Paul Mainieri watches agame from the dugout against Charleston on WednesdayinColumbia,
Southern coach Faulk: ‘This is about competition’
BY TOYLOY BROWN III Staff writer
With each Southern spring practice, the team’s brotherhood strengthens, and Marshall Faulk reveals a new layer of his coaching philosophy
What the firsttime head coach and Pro Football Hall of Fame player shared Saturday morning was about the leadership of returning players during this phase of the offseason. Faulk was asked if any experienced players from last year’s team have stood out in spring practice by acting as a de facto assistant coach for the new players. He said “not really,” and that it’s not what he’s looking for “I don’t want them doing that,” Faulk said. “I need them to take care of them. And as I told them, this is about competition. The landscape of football is not how it used to be.”
During Faulk’s college playing days at San Diego State (1991-93) and up until the NIL era officially began in July 2021, the sport traditionally had many players stay four and sometimes even five years at one school, Southern’s coach said.
“Now, it’s a one-year deal,” Faulk said. “Your opportunity is right here, right now, and you got to make the most of it. So I don’t want to have a player worried about too much. He got to worry about the job that he need to do because it’s all about competition. Everybody that’s here, they might not be here come the fall. And they got to take care and make the best of this opportunity.”
Faulk accepts the still-evolving age of player mobility in college athletics. He also desires a heightened competitiveness. This is a similarity he shares with former coach Terrence Graves, who didn’t announce starters during fall camp and famously didn’t reveal the starting quarterback until fans saw who was under center in last year’s season opener While Southern’s new coach said he wants to decide the starting quarterback position before fall, he wants every player to battle for spots now
“We got a lot of competition going on,” Faulk said during the first practice on Wednesday “I expressed to the guys, I said, ‘Listen, if you are coming in here because of your HUDL film, and you think that you deserve to start, then you’re in the wrong place. You can leave right now.’
Southern running back Trey Holly looks to pass block at the
of spring football on Monday
It’s going to be all about competition, and regardless if the player is a freshman or senior, the better players are going to play for us. And not just better on the field, in the classroom as well and in the community.” Faulk said that the first practice
SCOREBOARD
Round Thursday’s games At Paycom Center Oklahoma City Vanderbilt 78, McNeese St. 68 Nebraska 76, Troy 47 At Bon Secours Wellness Arena Greenville, S.C VCU 82, North Carolina 78 Illinois 105, Penn 70 At Paycom Center Oklahoma City Texas A&M 63, Saint Mary’s (Cal.) 50 Houston 78, Idaho 47 Friday’s games At Benchmark International Arena Tampa, Fla. Florida 114, Prairie View 55 Iowa 67, Clemson 61 Second Round Saturday’s games At Paycom Center Oklahoma City Nebraska vs. Vanderbilt, n At Bon Secours Wellness Arena Greenville, S.C Illinois 76, VCU 55 At Paycom Center Oklahoma City Houston 88, Texas A&M 57
Sunday’s games At Benchmark International Arena Tampa, Fla. Florida vs. Iowa, 6:10 p.m. MIDWEST REGIONAL First Round Thursday’s games At KeyBank Center Buffalo, N.Y. Michigan 101, Howard 80 Georgia (22-10) vs. Saint Louis (28-5), n Friday’s games At Benchmark International Arena Tampa, Fla. Texas Tech 91, vs. Akron 71 Alabama 90,
Second Round Sunday’s games At Moody Center Austin, Texas Texas vs. Oregon, 5 p.m. At Crisler Center Ann Arbor, Mich. Michigan vs. NC State, noon
SACRAMENTO 2 First Round Friday’s games At Williams Arena Minneapolis Ole Miss 81, Gonzaga 66 Minnesota 75, Green Bay 58 At Cameron Indoor Stadium Durham, N.C. Baylor 67, Nebraska 62 Duke 81, Coll. of Charleston 64 At Pete Maravich Assembly Center Baton Rouge, La. Texas Tech 57, Villanova 52 LSU 116, Jacksonville 58 Saturday’s games At Pauley Pavilion Los Angeles UCLA (31-1) vs. Cal Baptist (23-10), 9 p.m. Oklahoma St. (23-9) vs. Princeton (26-3), 6:30 p.m. Sunday’s games At Williams Arena Minneapolis Minnesota vs. Ole Miss, 1 p.m. At Cameron Indoor Stadium Durham, N.C. Duke vs. Baylor, 3 p.m. At Pete Maravich Assembly Center Baton Rouge, La. LSU vs. Texas Tech, 2 p.m. SACRAMENTO 4 First Round Friday’s games
was “up and down,” which was expected after combining returning players and transfer portal additions with a new staff. The main goal of spring training remains to gauge players’ talent and improve the team.
“Then on top of that,” Faulk said, “we got to teach them how to practice before we teach them how to play There’s just a lot that goes into it. That’s why this period is so important for us to not just teach them but learn how they learn, so we can get the best out of the guys that we have.”
Among the things being taught by the Southern staff is discipline. This applies to avoiding the on-field penalties that plagued the Jaguars last year and extends to the players’ lives overall.
“Every school is having an issue with disciplining kids,” Faulk said. “You leave your house, you come to college, you learn how to adult, you think you know it all and try to figure it out.
“We got to help them and teach them what discipline is all about. So yes, we want to minimize mistakes. But also, we want to make sure that they minimize the type of mistake that they’re gonna make because it’s impossible to be perfect.”
The learning process on and off the field at Southern will continue to its spring showcase on April 4 and beyond.
STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON
first practice
on the Southern football practice field.
Faulk
OUTDOORS
City Park rodeogoing strong
77th annual N.O. bass tourneyhas survived to become Louisianajewel
BY JOE MACALUSO Contributing writer
It beganshortly after veteransreturning from World WarIIwanted life to “get back to normal.”
Notebook
It has survivedhurricanes, floods,ahail storm and apandemic thankfully notsleet norsnow (this isn’tthe U.S. Post Office) —and survives today,well, Saturday
The it?
The City Park Big Bass Rodeo in NewOrleans.
Paul Kalman was among ahandful of men who dreamed up, then began, this annual event, which, come Saturday,will celebrateits 77th morning of finding,then hopefully catching, largemouth bass from the lagoons winding through City Park’sexpanse.
Kalman was an extraordinaryman, awriter for national outdoors publications, afounder of the Louisiana’stop 10 fishrecordsasa member of the fledgling Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association, and, as you can guess, an avid outdoorsman.
Shortly after his deathin1986, this event went throughachangingofthe guard, amovethat eventuallybrought folks like Danica Williams into the picture. Williams’job withthe Department of Wildlife and Fisheriesisthe Get Out and Fish! Program, and weavingthis rodeo into our state’sbig fishing picture was anextbig step
Today,LDWF and the City Park Conservancy organize the event, whichhas taken conservation and informational components,something named“TheFishtival,”acarnival surrounding the rodeo’sinitial focus on catchingbass.
The Fishtivalisafree-to-all gathering complete with music, food, educational exhibitsand door prizes.
Yet, fishing remains the main attraction.
The BigBass is just oneangling contest. The bass category (bankfishing only)has adultand youth divisions.
The “more” includes:
n Battle for the Bass: acompetition for school teams in grades 6-12 competing forthe two heaviest bass;
n Boats on the Bayou: held for nonmotorized vessels (kayaks, etc.) on BayouSt. John for the heaviest bass and other species;
n TheCichlid/Bream Trim:teams of up to five anglers weighing in the heaviest 15-fish stringer of bream, cichlids and perch. Some folkscall cichlids “Rio Grande Perch,” aspecies that invaded the lagoonsinthe wake of the HurricaneKatrinaflood.
Anote to pass along is thatanglers 18 and older must have avalid state basic fishinglicense to be eligible.
Youcan show up at the Casino building inCity Park before fishingbegins at 6:30 a.m. —the weigh-in deadline is 11 a.m. —tosign up and pay the smallregistration fee. Or,you can go on the City Park website to preregister For more details or to volunteer,you can email Williams at dwilliams@wlf.la.gov
To add to Louisiana’svalid claim of being the Sportsman’sParadise, thisrodeo and the annual Grand IsleTarpon Rodeoare the oldest continuing freshwater and saltwaterfishing events in our country
Turkey season
Just five days after the months-longfall/win-
ADVOCATE FILEPHOTO
LukeShaw, above,teamed with fellowBrother Martin High student Matt Graffagnini to takethe title in theBattle of the Bass Divisioninthe CityPark Big Bass Rodeo andFishtival twoyears ago. Shaw’sgiant 6.87-pound largemouth bass, taken from the park’slagoons, was the star of the day among the gradeschool and highschool teams butdidn’t beat out Frank Woolley’s7.76-pounder thatwon the adult division. The 77th Big Bass Rodeocomes up SaturdayinNew Orleans.
terhunting seasons, the spring turkeyseason begins Saturday withthe weekend-only,youthandphysically challenged-only special season.
The regular season opens in the state’sthree turkey zones thefollowing Saturday,April 3.
From reports, and with warmer conditions ahead thisweek,hunters will need insect repellent and keep one eye out for snakes.
Scoutingtrips in mostall corners of our state tell that gobbling has commenced especially in the Feliciana parishes and areas along the Mississippi River
TheMississippi
It’stime to takenotice of the recent and dramatic rise in theMississippi River
It’s already pushingtomorethana25-foot reading on the Baton Rouge gauge,which means water is pushing in hardatOld River.
It also means water is rising in theAtchafalaya Spillway,which meansbass,sac-a-lait and breamcatches reportedfromthis vast overflowswamp twoweeks ago will start on adecline until the spring floodwater begins to recede.
With theriseinthe BigMuddy comes the memory of days long agowhenadventuresome Old River fishermen like J.B. Salter couldn’twait
to get back in theBall Park area of that grand oxbow lake.
The Mississippi rises so hard that it pushes waterbacktothe levee, andthe area between AlligatorPoint (south of Old River Landing) and the levee is atangle of cypress, tupelo gum and willow trees afisherman must navigate to get to an open area along the levee.
This is where bluegill and other sunfishes would move to feed on worms and other forage trying to survive the flood.
It was aparadise for panfishermen, but they had to wait for afew days for spring’swarming sun for these fish to moveinto the area and become active enough to chase live and artificial bait.
The advice, always, was to takealong flagging tape and mark yourway into the Ball Park so you could find your wayback to Alligator Pointfor the short trip back to the landing.
Outsideshrimp
Wildlife and Fisheries announced Friday that stateoutside waters between Caillou Boca and Freshwater Bayou Canalwill reopen to shrimping at 6a.m. Tuesday.It’sbecause biological sampling showed the overwintering white shrimphave reached marketable sizes.
SUNDAY LOUISIANASPORTSMAN SHOW: St. John theBaptist Community Center &Thomas F. Daley Memorial Park, U.S. 51, LaPlace. 45TH KIWANIS OF POINTE COUPEE OPEN BASS TOURNAMENT: 3p.m. weigh-in, MorrisonParkway public launch, NewRoads
MONDAY
RED STICKFLY FISHERS FLY-TYING SESSION: 7p.m., Bluebonnet Regional Library,9200 Bluebonnet Blvd., Baton Rouge.Open to the public. Materialsand tools available for beginners.Website: www rsff.org.
THURSDAY
ACADIANA BUGS &BREWS: 6p.m., Pack and Paddle, 601 E. Pinhook, Lafayette. Casual fly-tying and local beersprovided. Open to thepublic. Email DarinLee: cbrsandcdc@gmail.com. Website: www.packpaddle.com
SATURDAY
77TH BIG BASS RODEO&FISHTIVAL: 6:30-11 a.m. (6 a.m. registration), The Casino &Bandstand area, CityPark, NewOrleans. Agegroup divisions in bass &other freshwater species, high school teamsBattle for theBass, Boats on theBayou (nonmotorized watercraft only), Cichlid/Bream Team competitions &“Fishtival, afamily-oriented outdoors event. Fees $5-$20. Registration Website: neworleanscitypark.org/visit-citypark/big-bass-fishing-rodeo/
HUNTINGSEASONS
TURKEY: March 28-29, Youth/ Physically Challengedweekend. Regular season, Area A, April 3-May3;AreaB:April 3-26; Area C: April 3-19.
AROUND THECORNER
MARCH29— SOUTH LOUISIANA HIGHPOWER CLUB MATCH: 8:30 a.m., Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Range, St. LandryRoad Gonzales. CMPXTC &Sniper Match.Fee $15 members, $20 nonmembers, $5 juniors.$25 annual club (first match free) &Civilian Marksmanship Program membership (allows purchases from CMP).Call MikeBurke(337) 3808120. Email: SouthLAHighPower@ hotmail.com
FISHING/SHRIMPING
SHRIMP: Fall inshoreseason closed in Zones2&3&portions of Zone 1except Breton/Chandeleur sounds. Outside watersfrom Caillou Boca west to Freshwater BayouCanal closed. All other outside watersopen OPEN RECREATIONAL SEASONS: Gray triggerfish; flounder;lane, blackfin, queen and silk snappers &wenchmen among othersnapper species; all groupersexcept closed for goliath& Nassau groupersinstate/federal waters. CLOSED SEASONS: Redsnapper; greater amberjack; bluefin tuna; gag, goliath& Nassau groupersin state/federal waters. Commercial greater amberjack seasonclosed.
Frustrationcould boil over on tricky track as observersmonitor Suarez-Chastainfeud
BY NATE RYAN
Associated Press
“The Track TooTough To Tame” somehow is expectedtoget even tougher this weekend, andthat’s just fine with NASCAR drivers who have lobbied for bigger challenges
It’salso probably fine with NASCAR executives, whohaveacrowdpleasing feud brewing in the Cup Series circuit at Darlington Raceway,the egg-shaped oval in the Pee Dee region of South Carolina that has given top drivers fits for 76 years. Anger and frustration often flare at the tricky 1.366-mile track, and all eyes will be on how Ross Chastain and DanielSuarez race each other Sunday.The former teammates at Trackhouse Racing had a brief but animatedconfrontation after their cars made contact last week at Las Vegas MotorSpeedway, andthey’vecontinued taking swipes at each other this week. Suarez accused Chastain of being two-faced and later told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio that “if Iwantto fight Ross, and he knows this, it’snot going to last5seconds.” Chastain said he regretted sideswipingSuarez’scar before lightly shovinghim in the pits, but added “I don’tagree with the way he handles things What made me so mad was just that there was no accountability.
Chastain Suarez
ä Goodyear 400. 2P.M.SATURDAy,FS1
With theill will festering, conditionsatDarlington will be ripe for prolonging that rivalry and possibly igniting other fresh squabbles. A12% increase in horsepower and a25% decrease in downforce (thephysics that keep cars glued to thetrack at ahigh rate of speed) are expected to cause excessive tirewear on an already abrasive surface that’s infamous for chewing up rubber Lap times areexpected to drop by 4to5seconds overthe course of arun —a second morethantraditional falloff —asdrivers wrestle with tirespunished by heavier acceleration from 750 horsepower, heat from higherbraking loads andpowerslidesfromthe lackof traction
Aforecast in thehigh 80s also will make theasphalt slippery “It’sgoing to be crazy,” Suarez said. “Honestly,I’m actually looking forward to it. I’m superexcited for the challenge.”
JORDAN’S
DARLINGTON, S.C. The NASCAR team co-ownedbyNBA legendMichael Jordan continued its strong 2026 startinthe Cup Series,locking up the top twostarting spots Saturdayat Darlington Raceway. Daytona 500 winnerTyler Reddick, the first driver in NASCAR historytowin the season’s first three races, qualified first for Sunday’s400-mile race with a 169.152 mphlap on the 1.366mile oval
The 23XI Racing driver captured his13th poleposition despite smacking the wallwith hisNo. 45 Toyota as he struggled with anew packagethat makes driving harder with higherhorsepowerand lower downforce.
Indeed, many drivers relish the idea of being out of controlfor 400 laps because they believe the difficult conditions separate thefield and provide the most talented with abetter chance to shine by managing their tires.
Chase Briscoe, who has won two of the past three races at Darlington, said he was “crashing every corner of every lap” recently testing the track on Toyota’sdriving simulator.
“I tried to takeiteasy and just overdid the throttle,” Reddick said.
“I kindofknewI wasintrouble about athird of the waythrough, so Ijust had to hit the wall at that point.
“Just really proud of everyone at 23XI. It wasa hugefocal point with the adjustments to theengine and downforce to stayasstrong as we have been the last couple of years. Iknewitwould be ahuge challenge in qualifying today, and it was. Idamn near wrecked.”
Teammate Bubba Wallace qualified second at 168.434 mph in his No. 23 Toyota for23XI, marking the second front rowsweep for the team foundedbyJordan and NASCARstar DennyHamlin. TheAssociatedPress
“It’sgoingtobethe hardest track we run on allyear long,” said Briscoe, who haswon two of the past three races at Darlington. “The whole weekendisgoingtobemustsee because of how drastically different this thing drives.”
On what NASCAR is hailing as “Alumni Weekend,” several dozen former Cup driversare expected to be on handatthe historic track Sunday for arace thatfittinglywill be old school.
It’ssomuchofa throwback that concerns have been raised aboutits unknowns.
NASCAR executive vicepresident andchief racingdevelopment officer John Probst said teams have asked for extratires (beyond an allotted 10 sets) and permission to enhancebrake cooling.
Probst saidNASCAR declinedto grant their requests becauseunpredictabilityusually meansbetter racing—presuming the entire field doesn’t exhaust itstire supply or suffer systemicbrake failures.
“This isn’tjustaregular event where everything is known, and everyone’scomfortable,” Probst said. “That uncertainty is usually the recipe for avery compelling race. If you’reateam, youwant to minimize the opportunities to make awrong decision.Wefeelwhen there are opportunities to make bad decisions, it improves the entertainment of our events.
“But there is aslippery slope that if we err toomuchonthe side of not enough tiresorbrake cooling, then youkindofruinthe sportingsideof the event. So we’re trying to thread the needle between theentertainmentand sporting side.”
Probst saidNASCAR is confident the curveballswon’t be toobig to handleatDarlington.
“Wehavethe best drivers and engineers in the world, andtheywant to showtheir skills,” Probst said. “Anytime that we canput decisions that have profound effects on the outcome in the hands of ourteams, that’swhen we seeour best racing.
TEAM EARNSTOP TWOSTARTING SPOTS
The
My parents sparkedmy musical interest with theseartists
Ihad atime picking someone in music to highlightfor Women’sHistory Month,which runs through March31. Icould have picked the timelessIrma Thomas, 85, the Soul Queenof New Orleans. Another music royal is Queen Ida, the first Grammy winner in zydeco. Now 97 and longretired, Ida Guillory brought zydeco to “Saturday Night Live,” “Mister Roger’s Neighborhood” and beyond Sheryl Cormier, of Lafayette, who justturned 81, still reigns as the Queen of Cajun Music. She opened the door for Amis du Teche, T’Monde, the Babineaux Sisters and the Holiday Playgirls, part of the current wave of females in their 20s and 30s playing French music. Ultimately,mymusicchoice landed close to home with my mother,Matteal Fuselier. March 25 marks 20 years since she passed away.Peoplealways ask what sparked my interest in music. Ihave to give my mom, and dad, Herman, credit
performs the national anthem before the 2026 Allstate Sugar Bowl at the Caesars Superdome.
Matteal and Herman weren’t musicians,but theyplayed the hell out of the radio and record player
An endless rainbow of music, fromFrank Sinatra to John Delafose and the Eunice Playboys, was on in the house and car.Family vacations often included stops at local record stores
Istill rememberhow odd the little-me felt when the car radio was turned off during funeral processions. Where was James Brown, Aretha, Monk, Otis, Willie Nelson,DJ Paul Thibeaux and the House Rocker on KVOL 1300?
Ilearned that asilent radio was the last show of respect for the person who had gone on to Glory Matteal and Herman were married for 54 years.Some days, they didn’tspeak to each other
There were many more days with the turntable spinning in the den. They wereupand dancing toDuke Ellington, with Ella Fitzgerald singing
ä See MUSICIANS, page 4D
LIVING
CULTURE ON DISPLAY
‘Belizaire theCajun’
BY JOANNABROWN Staff writer
Traiteurs. Vigilantes.A doomed love affair —or is it?This is thedrama that infuses “Belizaire the Cajun,” acritically acclaimed film about 19th-century Louisiana life by writer and director Glen Pitre. The 1986 movie wasscreened at international festivals like Sundanceand Cannes,and received a positive review from Robert Ebert himself, whowrote, “What Iliked about themovie was its unforced view of Cajun life, the rhythms of the speech as theymove from CajunFrenchinto Englishand back again, andthe comic timing of some of the scenes, especially two where the local sherifftriestotemper justice with fairness.” Pitre grew up in Cut Offinthe 1960s and ’70s, and in many ways, he wrote what he knew of lifein south Louisiana —the relationships, the jokes,the hard work and gentle speed of life in bayoucountry He said his grandparents never spoke English, andhespent more
time on boats thanonland. The plot of “Belizaire theCajun” unfolds in that world, but 100 years before in theLouisiana frontier of 1859, with French speaking Cajun people in conflict with Anglo vigilanteswho have framed Be-
MR.NEW ORLEANS, LYLE SAXON
BY ROBIN MILLER Staff writer
lizaire’s cousin formurder. The film is alook at the 19th-century melting potofLouisiana and the traditions of
people.
is
the Cajun
Belizaire Breaux
atraiteur —a
PROVIDED PHOTO
Gail youngs, left, and Armand Assante star in ‘Belizaire the Cajun.’
PROVIDED PHOTO FROM COTE BLANCHE FEATURE FILMS,LTD
Director Glen Pitre discusses ascene withStephen McHattie, right, while NancyBarrett looksonduring filming of ‘Belizaire the Cajun.
STAFF FILE PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD
Irma Thomas
Herman Fuselier
Saxon
See PITRE, page 4D
PROVIDED PHOTO
TopTeens of Distinction
Members of the Nonpareil Chapter of TopTeens of America recently hostedtheir 2026 Blue & Silver Ball at the SouthernUniversity Cotillion Ballroom. Theevent embraced the theme, ‘A Night in Hollywood: Starring Excellence in Community Service, Leadership and Scholarship.’ Shown are Miss and Mr.Top Teen Kaila Anthonyand Eric Vaughn.
Nonpareil Chapter
honorsleaders
The Nonpareil Chapter of TopTeens of America recently hosted its 2026 Blue &Silver Ballatthe Southern University Cotillion Ballroom. This year’saffairembraced the theme,“A Night in Hollywood: Starring Excellence in Community Service, Leadership and Scholarship,” celebrating the outstandingachievements and leadership of the chapter’steens
The evening was highlighted by the crowning of Miss TopTeen Kaila Anthony,daughter of Syretta and Kevin Anthony, and Mr.Top Teen Eric Vaughn, son of Erica Coleman Vaughn and Daren Vaughn, who wererecognized for their exem-
plary commitment to scholarship,leadership andcommunity service.
Keynote speaker Dr Sharmayne Rutledge deliveredamessageencouraging the teens.Special recognition was also giventoArea1 TopTeen adviser Raven Williams
TheNonpareilChapter is led by Chapter President Glennis Gray, with JosiahHardy servingaspresidentofthe Nonpareil TopTeens of America chapter
Guidingthe TopTeens are TopTeen adviser Linda Davis and assistant advisers SyrettaAnthony, Tiffany James and Nikki Honore,who provide mentorship and leadership to the teens throughout theyear TheBlue &Silver Ball waschairedby Jyandria White,with Karla Henderson serving as co-chair
Garden Discoveries Series
PROVIDED PHOTO
LPB premiere
More than 100 guests attended the LPB premiere event for the series ‘LA64’ at the Capitol Park Museum on March 10. The evening included remarks from Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser and ascreeningofhighlights from theparishes featured in the series’ first four episodes as well as alook ahead at upcomingepisodes. Gathered are, from left, Linda Midgett, LPB executiveproducer; Karen LeBlanc,‘LA64’producer/writer/host; Nungesser;and Clarence ‘C.C.’Copeland, LPB president and CEO. To learnmore about this series, visit lpb.org/la64.
attending La Fiesta’sspring
March11atthe Baton RougeCountryClub
fromleft, Chairwoman KathyTillson, Merrill Faye Eglin,Jane Bermudez, President MargoSpielman and Jean Blanche.
Baton Rouge Music ClubChorus
Members of the Baton RougeMusic Club Chorus performed at LakeSherwood VillageonMarch 12.Gathered are, from left, Kim Sands, cellist; Marty Stone, director; Loraine Lauret, treasurer;Sharon Paterson, president; Maria Curry, pianist; CyndaBarfield, vice president; PatCobband Bonnie Weissman.
COMMUNITY GUIDELINES
PROVIDED PHOTO
Abbie Judice Acosta presented atalk about Moncus Park’snativeprairie restoration efforts andthe Lafayette park’slandscapeaspartof a Garden Discoveries Series event at the Main Libraryat Goodwood on March 14.Shown are, from left,Acosta, KayRadlauer and Sheldon Johnson.
Baton Rouge Phi Mu Alumnae Chapter
The Baton RougePhi Mu Alumnae and the LSUAlpha Eta chapter hosted theirannual Founders’ Day celebration together at the newly renovated Phi Mu House on March 1. At the end of the ceremony, alumnae with milestone membership anniversaries were honored. Shown are, from left, Sheila yellott, Alumnae president; 25-year members Rachel Town, Lauren Novakand Elise Smith; 65-year member Carol Little; 70-year member DottieWhittington, and the other 25-year members Meghann Neel,Michelle Phillipsand Lee Jackson.
Group
Members of Broadmoor United Methodist Church’sHopeGroup gathered forfood and fellowship at Jasmine’sonthe Bayouon March 12. Shown are, fromleft, seated, Gerri Cornett, Eloise Dufrene, Teenie Bajon, Charlette Hill, JudyStockett, JanisMayeux and Charlotte Fitzsimons;standing,Jenola Duke, JoyceHazleton, Bonnie Kemp,Beverly Grant, JoyD’Armond, StuartGreer and Linda Crane.
The Community column runs Sundays in the Living section and accepts submissions fornewsofeventsthat have takenplace withcivic, philanthropic,socialand religious auxiliaryorganizations, as well as academic honors. Submissions shouldbesentbynoon Monday to runinthe upcoming Sundaycolumn. Because of space limitations organizations that meetmonthlyormore are limited to one photo permonth. If submitting digitally,weprefer JPG files 300KB or larger.Photographs that do not meet our size guidelines, are of poor quality or are AI generated or edited will be rejected.If takinga photo of agroup, have them stand or sit shoulder-to-shoulder.Ifmore than six people areinthe photo, arrangethem on multiple, distinct rows.Avoid strong background light sources. Identify those pictured by first and last names as viewed from left to right, rowbyrow.Weprefer emailed Community column submissions to features@theadvocate.com.Wealsoaccept submissions by mail at P.O. Box 588,BatonRougeLA70821.A phone number must be included.
PROVIDED PHOTO
PROVIDED PHOTO La Fiesta Committee members
luncheon
are,
PROVIDED PHOTO Hope
PROVIDED PHOTO
TRAVEL
Check outthese spring breakdestinations
Theseadventuresnear Louisianaoffer more than sunand sand
BY CHERÉ COEN
Contributing writer
Beaches beckon when spring breakrolls around,atimetorelease the long-sleeved shirts and sweaters and pause the brain from all that studying.
But spring break doesn’thaveto mean sand and sun.
Rather,the time off might includeaquiet hike throughanational forest, afestival celebratingthe return of the sun or experiencing athrilling sport. We’ve compiled afew alternative locations here that are within driving distance of Louisiana.
Getartsy in Texas
In 2008, one of the mostinnovative andimmersive arts centers opened in Santa Fe, collaborating with artists to bring visitors aunique audience-driven experience. Meow Wolf has sinceopened satellites around the country,most recently in Houston with Radio Tave, an immersive, surreal, radiostation-themedexperience.
The attraction features “ETNL Radio Station” and its crew who have opened aportal to adimension of art where visitors may explore at leisure to unravel its secrets.Meow Wolf is acreative space that must be experiencedtotruly understand its interactive and life-sized art. Visit meowwolf.com/visit/houston for more information.
San Antonio offers its own unique creative experience with Hopscotch, acurated 20,000-squarefoot artgallery where everything is interactive, from an adult ball pit and hall of mirrors to artthat dances with you as you move. Grab an equally creative cocktailatthe bar and lounge area, thenpick up unique art items at the gift shop
Take ahike
Spring bursts forth in Chattanooga, Tennessee, encompassingthe 50-plus hiking trailheads within 30 minutes of downtown with avari-
TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER
By ChristopherElliott
ety of wildflowers.
Visitorsmay also grab akayak andenjoy the TennesseeRiver flowing through downtown or view rushingwaterfalls due to winter’s runoff —including thecolorful Ruby Falls located deep beneath Lookout Mountain
Be sure to stop at the city’snew Reading Room, Chattanooga’sonly barand bookstore. Look for special events such as author talks, book trivia and tarot readings.
Thinkcherries Youdon’thave to traveltoWashington, D.C., to view dramatic cherry blossoms in bloom, although that’scertainly worthatrip. Thousands of cherrytrees bloom at once in Macon, Georgia,and folkscelebratetheir debut with theInternational Cherry Blossom Festival March 20-29. In addition to viewing those pink explosions, the festival features around 300,000 to 350,000 Yoshino cherry trees that bloom aroundthe city, a parade, concertsand art shows.
Not to be outdone by its south Georgianeighbor,the city of Brookhaven, closer to Atlanta, offers its Brookhaven Cherry Blos-
som Festival March 28-29 that marriescherry blossoms with live bands, food trucksand an artist market
Digfor diamonds In the last few months, visitors to Arkansas’ Crater of Diamonds StatePark have dug up some pretty largegemstones. Last summer,Micherre Fox of
New York found a2.30-carat white diamond in the park. Then in January,Jack Pearadin of Arkansas and Michael SchumacherofWisconsin discovered a6.03-carat yellow diamond, about thesizeofagumdrop.
To date, more than 75,000 diamonds havebeen unearthed at the Crater of Diamonds State Park sincethe first diamonds were discovered in 1906 by JohnHud-
dleston, afarmer who owned the land long before it became an Arkansas State Park in 1972. Children ages 6and under get in free at the park, while children ages 6-12 have a$7admission fee. The adult admission feeis$15. If crystals aremoreyourthing,several attractionsatnearbyMt. Ida let you dig forquartz crystals that are abundant in the area.
Take off!
Want to travel to space but NASA’s not calling? Trythe U.S. Space &Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, home to oneofthe largest collections of rockets and space memorabilia on display anywhere in the world.
The locationservesasthe Visitor Center forNASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center.For those still in the learning mood, or just fascinated by weather,check out the current “How We Know the Weather” exhibit featuring 30 interactive displays,live feeds and sensory experiences aboutthe science of meteorology
Escape to themountains
If you’re in need of elevation, the Ozarks of Arkansas are within aday’sdrive. Secure acabin in the woodsand hike to waterfalls throughout theBuffalo National Riverareaorgraba paddle and tackle the wild river Spring is an ideal time to visit the regionwhere spring waterproduces dramatic falls and provides forthrilling paddling and tubing adventures, the latter of which really takes off in April and May Over at theSmokies,Dollywood’s IWill Always Love YouFestival runs through April 12 with the debut of two shows, “MotoMotion FreestyleShowdown” —which features choreographed performances of extreme riders, break dancers and aerial daredevils —and “Artreageous,” a3Dvisual concert of art, live music,singing, dancing, humor and audience participation. The popular“From the Heart— The Life&Music of Dolly Parton” show returns, telling Parton’s story aboutleaving herSevierCounty home to move to Nashville in pursuit of her dreams.
Avis chargedmefor smokinginmyrental. Idon’t even smoke!
Irented acar from Avis at Sacramento International Airportrecently.A few hours into my drive, Inoticed it smelled strongly of marijuana.
Christopher Elliott
Ikept the windows open, but the odor lingered.WhenIreturned the vehicle six days later,I told thestaff about it.Theysaid it would be fine. Aweeklater,I received a$250 bill from Avis for cleaning, plus the repair of a burnmark that Inever noticed. Idon’t smoke cigarettes or marijuana and wasthe sole driver. Iprotested, but Avis insists the charges are valid.What aremy rights? —GaryMullen-Schultz, Minneapolis Youshould never have been
given acar in that condition, and youshould not have been billed for cleaningitup. Car rental companies regularly impose steepcleaning fees for smoke, petsand spills.I don’thave aproblemwith that when the damage actually happens during your rental. After all, rentersagree to acceptresponsibility for thevehicle whenthey arerenting it.
Butthere’saproblem:These charges are often subjective. Unless an employee documents the condition of the car before you leavethe lot, it’syour word against thecompany’swhen you dispute it. That’sexactly what happened here.
Avis sent youaseries of canned repliesinsisting it had ample docu-
mentation. But when Ireviewed your correspondence, Ididn’tsee any convincing proof that you caused the odor or damage. You, on the otherhand, have acredible explanation —and astrong record as alongtime customer
Still, Iwanted to be sure this damage didn’thappen on your watch. It turns out you had asinus condition thatpreventedyou from smelling the marijuana odor when you picked up the car.Otherwise, you would have never accepted it Youalso didn’tsmoke and didn’t have any other passengers, so it was highly unlikely this happened during your rental.
Avis didn’tsend you any photos of the alleged cigarette burns, but
Ithink you could have disproven its claim by takinginterior shots of the vehicle —the seats, thefloors, the dashboard withthe odometer These should be astandard part of your check-in,anyway.
Also,don’tassume that casually telling arental agent about aproblem is enough. Ask the agent to document it in writing. Thatway, if acharge like this appears later, you’ll have proof.
Ireally wish car rental companies would follow the lead of Turo, which strongly encourages its renters to take “before” and “after” images of its vehicles and even has afunction in its smartphone app to help renters take usable andcredible photos of their rentals.
Icontacted Avis on your behalf. Afew days later,itdropped the $250 cleaning fee. Remember,cleaning fees can be aprofit center for car rental companies, and they are often unfairly applied. If you’re charged for a pre-existing odor or stain, challenge it immediately and escalate if necessary.With persistence and sometimes with alittle advocacy —you can win.
Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy,anonprofit organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@elliott.org or get help by contacting him on his site.
PHOTO PROVIDED By ARKANSAS STATEPARKS
In January, Jack Pearadin, left, and Michael Schumacherfound a6.03-carat diamond at Arkansas’ Crater of Diamonds State Park.Morethan 75,000 diamondshavebeen unearthed at the park.
PHOTO PROVIDED By RUTH SyKES
Thousands of cherry trees bloom at once in Macon, Georgia, and folks celebrate their debutwith the International Cherry Blossom Festival March 20-29. The neighboring city of Brookhavenalsooffers aCherry Blossom Festival March 28-29.
For’26,Netflixdoublingdownonoriginalideas
BY CERYS DAVIES Los Angeles Times (TNS)
LOS ANGELES Rather than chasing sequels and reboots, Netflix is betting its 2026 film strategy on a massiveinvestmentinoriginalstorytelling and arenewedfocuson theatrical comedy
The streaming giant’sneedfor original contentisone of themain reasons Netflix fought fiercely to acquire Warner Bros. But evenafter losing the bid to Paramount earlier this month, the priority remains.
“We’re zigging where legacystudios are zagging,” Dan Lin, Netflix’s film chairman, said Wednesday at Netflix’sslate eventinHollywood.
Last year,18ofthe top 20 theatrical films were based on already established intellectual property, such as sequels and remakes. The only two original ideas to breakthrough
were Ryan Coogler’s“Sinners” and Zach Cregger’s “Weapons.” Both of thesefilms werereceived well by audiences and earned golden statues at this year’sOscars.
Lin said that at Netflix, 2025’sslate wasthe “exact opposite,” where half of the films it released last year were based on original storytelling.
“Wehave avery healthy content budget.Soifthere’s agreat movie out there, we’llgoout and either build it or acquire it,” Lin said.
Bela Bajaria, thecompany’s chief contentofficer, said thecompanyisn’t tooconcerned with the theatrical element that other studioscanoffer whenhunting for these original stories, as Netflix is astreaming-first company.
“We’ve always had competition. This isn’treally any different,” saidBajaria. “It’s to understand what the competition is, not head
Newhirefeels guilty aboutstretchingtruth
Dear Harriette: As many ofus know right now,the job market is extremely tight. Ihave been looking for ajob for over eight months. Thankfully, Irecently landed aposition at agreat company.I was even able to increase my salary,which is such ahuge win —especially because of inflation increasing the cost of living. However,Iamstarting to feel guilty because when Iwas interviewing for this position, Iliedonalot of the interview questions to make myself sound more impressive. It wasn’tall entirely fake, but Iembellished. Ioverstated my leadership experience by implying that Ihad more leadership in certain projects than Iactually did, and Ianswered behavioral questions with examples that were partially true but exaggerated to make me sound more accomplished. At the time, it feltlike Ihad to lie to survive. Everyonesays thattheydid it, too, and after months of rejection, Iconvinced myself that stretching the truth wasjust part of the game. Now that I’ve started the job, they are having me lead many projects, and I’m struggling. Part of me worries that I’ve built this opportunity on shaky ground. Idon’t know if this is normal impostor syndrome or if my guilt is telling me something about my integrity.Did Icross aline, or did I do what Ihad to do in order to secure employment? —Livinga Lie Dear Living aLie: Get over your guilt and start learning. Find a mentor who can coach youon things you need to understand Ask alot of questions. Findout who is an expert at the things
in the sandatall. [Wehave] to understand what the marketisand continue to look ahead.”
It’snot just originalideas that Netflix is scouting; the streamer’s also looking to fill gaps in genres. In recentyears,comedieshave fallen out of favor with major studios —leaving room for streamers like Netflix to expand. This year,Netflixislookingtobreak through with upcoming comedy productions like Kevin Hart’s bachelor party-driven “72 Hours,” John Cena and Eric André’sbuddy comedy “LittleBrother”and Eva Longoria’s“FifthWheel,” which Lin describesas“ourversion of ‘Bridesmaids.’
“We’re taking the chance, and we’re making the movies,”Lin said. “It’swhat we’re delivering, Ihope, [it’s] what audiences wantand what they’re craving. There are alot of
CURIOUS
Continuedfrom page1D
question is: Why hasn’thebeen awarded an honorarydegree?”
genres that you just can’tfind in theaters anymore. So, we’re making those kinds of movies.”
In additiontoemphasizing comedies, there’s alot of opportunity to develop young adult films,Lin said. Netflix hasupcomingtitles suchas“Voicemails for Isabelle,” starring Zoey Deutchand Nick Robinson, and “Roommates,” with Sadie Sandler,todrawinyounger movie watchers.
One genre in whichNetflix doesn’tsee much successislive musical adaptations, so it’s“not an area that I’m leaning into,” Lin said. He first joined the company in 2024 and has since green-lighted 88 films.
“It’sall very under wraps right now,but it’ssomething that I’m just so thrilled about because it wasthe book of my childhood.It was the book series thatIloved, and Ilived through, and Ispent so much time imagining myself inside of Narnia,”Gerwig said in a video message during the Netflix event. “It’sbeen ajoy and an honor to be the person whogets to imagine this universe.”
Gerwig’s“Narnia” is settohit ImaxthisThanksgivingand start streaming on Netflix come Christmas
Netflix subscribers watch about seven movies amonth, according to the streamer’sdata. So, with thepush for original stories, the streamer is hoping to meet its consumers’ demands. The current strategy is to release up to four “event films” ayear.For 2026, Netflix is looking at Greta Gerwig’s“Narnia” adaptation and David Fincher’sfollow-up to “Once UponaTime in Hollywood” as its big hitters.
ciety in general.”
Wynne says Saxon deserves better.Henotes that an honorary degree forthe author would be a “nice tip of the hat.”
youneed to learn, and build a rapport with them. Know that aleader is someonewho listens well and whomotivates others toward greatness. Youcan gain theknowledgeneeded so that you can become theperson yousaidyou were. Dear Harriette: Ilike to smoke weed. Ilive in New York City,soitis legal. In fact, there are dispensariesall over the city that sell it. Iamhappy about that, but Idohave an issue. My job forbidsemployees from smoking weed.They say it impairs your faculties, and using it is a deal-breaker for them. They even do random drug testing. Ithinkthat’s notfair.Ifit’s legal in ourcity andsomany placesaroundthe country,how cantheyget away with that? I wanttofight thisarchaic rule, but Ihaven’tworked here long, andIworry that this may not be the sword Iwanttofall on. On the other hand, Idon’twant to stop smoking. Should Icontinue on as Iamand,ifI get tested, start looking for ajob? —Pothead Dear Pothead: Businesses have guidelines. Yoursdraws the line with marijuana. If you can’tfollowtheirrules, you probably do need to go elsewhere.Whatever their reasonsare for not allowing marijuana, they are clear; defying them is foolhardy.What is more important to you: weed or work?Makethat decision, and your next steps will be easy
Send questions to askharriette@harriettecole. com or c/oAndrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City,MO64106.
MUSICIANS
Continued from page1D
Take the ‘A’Train.”
Some Sundays, Mattealjumped on the phone. Suddenly,the house was filled with cousins and friends bearing sandwiches, soup, Chivas Regal and 45sfrom their own record collections.Everyone laughed, danced, smoked, drank and could not care less that the next day was Monday.The partywas called a“wing ding.” The only other time Ihad heardthose words werefrom Granny Clampetton“TheBeverlyHillbillies.” Matteal never forgot thesacred with her collection of the husky-voiced, singing preacher the Rev.James Cleveland.Kris
Kristofferson’s“Why Me Lord?” and Jimmy Swaggart on the organ on Sunday morning TV could bringher to tears Gospel was playing in her last days of hospice. Shehad dreams of agate that was getting closer and closer
There was no music on that Saturdaymorning inMarch as Isat byher bedside, waiting for the hearse. Buther love of music andwing dings still burns in my heart.
Herman Fuselier is executive director of the St. Landry Parish Tourist Commission. A longtime journalist covering Louisiana musicand culture, he lives in Opelousas.His “Zydeco Stomp” show airs at noon Saturdays on KRVS 88.7 FM.
Though Saxon is best known for his New Orleansaffiliation, he wasborn in Baton Rouge in 1891, though some historians dispute thelocation. Still, it’scertain that he grew up in thecapital city, which was where he was buried after his death at age 54 in 1946.
His gravesiteisfound in the city’shistoric Magnolia Cemetery on North 19th St.
Saxon attended LSU from 1907 to 1912, and though his photo appears withhis graduating class in the1912 Gumbo, he didn’tactually graduate.
What kept Saxon from earning those last three credits?
“His mother becameseriously ill,” Wynne said. “His mother was dying, so he dropped out totake care of her.Healso wasn’tarich person and ran intosome financial difficulties and didn’treturn to school.”
Instead, Saxon went on ajob search.
Wynne cites bothauthor Chance Harvey’s2003 biography,“The Life andSelected Letters of Lyle Saxon,”and Helen Gilkerson’s 1930 dissertation, both of which documented the reason behind Saxon’sLSU departure.
“Also, when he was in school, he wasn’tmajoring in journalism, because there was no such degree at the time,” Wynne said.
Didn’t stop hiscareer
The lack of acollege degree didn’tstop Saxon from pursuing a career that eventually earned him themoniker,“Mr.New Orleans.” He eventually went to work for The Times-Picayune, then turned to book writing.
“Lyle Saxon’searly books are so important tothe preservation of Louisiana culture and history, and his later books are still being used today as primary sources,” Wynne said. “He basically was thesavior of Louisiana history among the many great historians, because he didn’tjust writeabout it. He was actively pursuing it He had access to people who would’ve been long forgotten and he was able to take these interviews withthe people of Louisiana —the common folk —and
PITRE
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country healer who uses prayer, herbs andfolkremediestohelp the sick. He plays the accordion, plays tricksand flirts shamelessly, with the panache of aCajun Robin Hood.
Breaux doesn’thave alot in common with his English-speaking neighbors, one of whom is married to Alida Thibodeaux, thewoman he loves.
“Allstories are basedonconflictofsome sort or another,” said Pitre, who nowlivesinNew Orleansand continuestowork on film and Louisiana cultural projects.
“Everything isn’tblack and white. Youhad the evil American,but his brother-in-law’sheart was basically in the right place. Youhavethe Belizaire character,and his cousin, who should have known better There’sthe local sheriff, whowas played by my father,cutting legal and ethical corners left and right.
“Whether they’re on theside of good or on the side of evil, they’re allrecognizable as people we see people we knowand occasionally ourselves.”
The collision of worlds is a common storyinLouisiana history,whereFrench, Spanishand American authorities have allleft
“You cannot nameanother Louisiana author,who, 80 years after his death, has books still in print everywhere,” Wynne said.
“Sen. Huey Long lefthigh school before earning his high school diplomabut wasawarded an honorary high school diplomain1993 by the Louisiana State Board of Education. So whycan’tSaxon be awarded an honorary bachelor’s degree from LSU?”
Booksstill in print
Saxon’sbooks include his bestseller “Gumbo Ya-Ya: ACollection of Louisiana Folk Tales.” That book is still in circulation through Pelican Publishing, as are his books “Fabulous New Orleans,” “Old Louisiana,” “Lafitte the Pirate” and his novel “Children of Strangers.”
write their stories in such away to preserve them in history.”
Wynne decided to pursue an answer tohis own question of why LSUhas never awarded Saxon a posthumoushonorary degree.
“I sent information to acouple of presidents of LSU and received aquick emailfrom astaffperson who said only astaffmember at LSUcan nominate Lyle Saxon for an honorary degree,” he said. “I’ve since been unable to find somebodyonLSU’s staffwho is willing to makethe effort to nominatehim.”
LSUoutlined the procedure policy for such nominations in “Guidelines in Awarding Honorary Degrees” in April 1999. The policy was revised in January 2017 but still specifically states that “Nominations should originatefrom the faculty of acollege or school or acampus wide committee and be forwarded, with appropriate administrative endorsement, through normal academic channels to the President.The President will submit thenomination to the Executive Vice President and Provost, the University Committee on Awarding of Honorary Degrees and the membersofthe Board of Supervisors for review.Recommended candidates will then be submitted to thefull Board.”
The policy also specifies that nominations“should be based on theindividual’scontribution to his/her fieldofendeavor or to so-
their mark through the centuries.
The Cajun story has been forged through upheaval, from the Canadianexpulsion to settlement in anew land. Thecharacter of Belizaire makes alot of sense in this context, where you can’talways control the things happening around you,but you can control your response.
“He survives by his wits and being just one step—occasionally half astep,orevenjust aquarter —ahead of others,” Pitre saidof Belizaire. “It’sanarchetype that wasinhalf the stories Igrew up with that has nothing to do withthe events of the film.” Pitrenoted that the events in the
His “Lafitte” book wasadapted into Cecil B. DeMille’s1938 film “The Buccaneer.” Actor-director Anthony Quinn’sremake of the adaptation was released in 1958 with stars YulBrenner and Charleton Heston in the leading roles. Meanwhile, Saxon’s“Children of Strangers” tells the story of the post-Civil Warplight of Louisiana’sfree people of color along the Cane River in Natchitoches Parish, where he spent timewriting at Melrose Plantation.
Owner CammieHenry opened up the plantation grounds as acolony forwriters and artists. Saxon wasprobably her mostfrequent guest, and New Orleans painter Alberta Kinsey often rode along to create her own workthere. It wasKinsey whogave the plantation cook, Clementine Hunter,some leftover tubes of paint, which jumpstarted Hunter’sart career In the end, Wynne has answered his own question.
“I keep thinking about how Lyle Saxon was so close to that degree,” he said. “I shall persevere and attempt to attain this honorary degree forhim.”
Do you have aquestion about something in Louisiana that’s got you curious? Email your question to curiouslouisiana@ theadvocate.com. Include your name, phonenumber andthe city where you live.
film were loosely based on areal person wholived in Vermilion Parishand was arrested forthe murder of avigilante.
“He was ahealer.Hewas an accordion player.Hewas arrested andlater released,and then he moved in withawidow, so that was the kernel of the story,” he said. Today,“Belizaire the Cajun” is difficulttofind on streaming services. DVDs are available forpurchase on Amazon, and clips from thefilm can be found on video sharing sites. The film sometimes airs through local cable listings such as Louisiana Public Broadcasting, and Pitre periodically attends local screenings and question and answer sessions. The root of thestory, though, includes experiences that many Louisianans relate to.
Pitre says the biggest complimenthehas received was from another director whonoted that Pitre’sfilmsdon’tinclude characters who are idle. Instead, they reflect real life,withpeople havingconversations, washing dishes, feeding chickens or fixing acar “So manypeopleconsider it a part of theirstory,” he said. “To create aworld, to have audience members believe thatworld, you want to show how people lived.”
Herman Fusilier gives credit to his mother,Matteal,and father,Herman, forhis interest in music.
PROVIDED PHOTO
The original coverfor Louisiana author’s1945 best-seller ‘Gumbo ya-ya.’The book is still in print todaythrough PelicanPublishing in NewOrleans.
Harriette Cole SENSE AND SENSITIVITy
PROVIDED PHOTO Glen Pitre directs ‘Belizaire the Cajun.
AT THE TABLE
Puff pastry shells
BY DEBRA TAGHEHCHIAN
Contributing writer
With all the hype today about crawfish, it might be hard to believe that it was once consideredapoor man’s food. And lobster was classified the same until the late 19th century.Over time, the deliciousness of these two crustaceans was discovered and popularitysoared.
Wind the clock back 80 years, and my dad, Maxie was just akid on adairy farm in southwest Louisiana. Two coulees ran the length of the 100-acre farm; it was afarm boy’s paradise. My father reminisced about those days.
“I would take agalvanized bucket and along stick and wander my way through the coulees. Iwould spend hours just walking along the banks. When Igot home, my momma would boil the crawfish Icaught,” he said. “I didn’t catch that much, but it was so fun.” He would walk along the banks of the slow-moving streams that would fill up when there was significant rain. Crawfish love to burrow into the soft mud after the water drains, leaving only a small stream. They make a house for themselves in that mud, hence the name mudbugs.
In those days, he worenavy blue denim overalls, pant legs rolled up and no shoes or boots, just barefoot. Ihave trouble seeing kids today taking on that sortofadventure. He spent hours trying his best to catchcrawfish
Fast forward to today,and consider the crawfishing industry in Louisiana. Iread last week that the state of
Louisiana harvests about 130 to 150 million pounds annually,and theindustry generates about$300 million for thestate’seconomy
This year has brought a shortage of manual laborers to peeland process thecrawfish due tovisa issues with foreign labor.Sofar,Ihave notseen an impact on crawfish prices or availability
TheLenten season’s Friday night crawfishconsumption is still strong.
Iwant to make something special for our Easter lunch this yearthat everyone would enjoy.Crawfish étouffée is much loved,but Idon’t want it to be the main course.
Ithink we’llhaveitasour first course andmakeitalittle extra by serving it in puff pastry shells. The French call these light, hollow puff pastry cases vol-au-vent.
Afew notes aboutthis recipe:
n The étouffée is slightly thicker than most étouffées sold in restaurants, where the dishes are heavy onthe gravy orsauce.
n Because thecrawfish will be served in the pastry shell, the mixture needs to be more dense— chunky withsome sauce.
n Theshells canbepreparedinadvance and kept in an airtight container.You mayevenbeabletofind them already prepared at a local bakery
n Iadvisethatyou slightly warm the shells in a350 degreeovenfor about 5-10 minutes before serving.You don’twant them to brown further,but, because ofthe high butter content in the shells, it will help to crisp the pastry and enhance the flavor
Crawfish Vol-au-Vent
Serves 6; Recipe is by Debra Broussard Taghehchian
Forthe pastryshells:
1sheet of PepperidgeFarmpuffpastryor6 prepared 6-inch puffpastryshells
1. Follow the directions on the packaging for thawing the pastry sheets.
2. Using alarge, scalloped cookie cutter,cut out 6pastries or cut into other desired shapes.
3. Using asmaller-sized cookie cutter,slightly cut into thecenter of the pastry.This will allow you to cut away the center after baking to fill it
4. Preheat oven to 400 F.
5. Place pastries on the cookie sheet and place in thefreezer for 10 minutes.
6. Removefrom freezer and place in preheated oven. Bake for 15 minutes or until pastries are puffed and golden brown.
7. Removefrom oven and allow to cool.
8. Using ashape-pointed knife, gently cut away the center of the pastry,being careful not to cut the bottom of the shell.
Forthe crawfish étouffée filling:
4tablespoons butter
1medium onion, chopped, mediumdice
1/2 green bellpepper,chopped, mediumdice
1stalk of celery, chopped, medium dice
1clove of garlic, minced
1medium tomato, seeds removed and chopped, medium dice
1tablespoon tomato paste
1tablespoon all-purpose flour
1(4.5-ounce) jarofslicedmushrooms
1pound fresh, peeled Louisiana crawfish
1/2 cup crawfish fat (optional; sometimes availableatcrawfish processing vendors)
1/4-1/2 cup water
1teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon red cayenne pepper 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 bunch of green onions, chopped
1. Melt butter in a5-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
2. Addchopped onions, bell peppers and celery
3. Saute vegetables until translucent but not browned.
4. Addminced garlic and sauté for 3minutes
5. Addchopped tomato andcook for 5minutes
6. Addtomato paste and cook for5 minutes.
7. Sprinkle flour over mixture, stir andcook for 5minutes.
8. Addmushrooms, crawfish, crawfish fat, 1/4 cup water,salt, red cayenne pepper and granulated garlic.
9. Stir until wellcombined and add morewater if necessary to reach the right consistency.Cook until mixture comes to aslow boil, and then remove from heat.
10. Add chopped green onions and gently stir.Taste forseasoning étouffée should be slightly spicy
11. To serve, spoon 1/2 cup étouffée onto individual serving plates. Place apuffpastry shell on the étouffée.
PHOTO By DEBRA TAGHEHCHIAN
Crawfish Vol-au-Vent
Twobooks highlightLSU’s role in military service
One of Louisiana’smost prominent war monuments is on the campus of LSU in Baton Rouge, where Memorial Tower has commanded the skyline for generations. I’ve long wondered,though, how many studentsknow that the tower was dedicated in 1926 to remember 1,447 warriors from the state who died in World WarI All of this has come back to mind with the arrival of two books that underline LSU’slong connection withmilitary service.
In his new memoir,LSU alumnus David Wayne Couvillon of Port Allen recalls his time navigating Iraq’scomplicated realities after the launch of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2003. Another new book, Ronald J. Drez’s “The Long Purple Line,” explores LSU’sbroader contributionsto national defense.
The title of Couvillon’sbook sums up his challenge: “From U.S Marine to Provincial Governor in Iraq with the 3rd Battalion, 23rd Marines.” Couvillon had along career in the Marine CorpsReserves, and he also held several jobs in civilian life, eventually retiring as director of the Louisiana Office of State Group Benefits.
“Essentially,reservists have to be adaptable,” he tellsreaders “One day,they’re joking with their coworkers and goinghome to their families; the next, they’re flying to the other side of the world.”
Couvillon counted on that sense of flexibility as amilitary provincial governor of Iraq’s Wasit Province. Though trained as professional warriors,heand his comradesfound themselves
DannyHeitman AT
RANDOM
responsible for building civil society
“Towns didn’thave mayors or city councils,” Couvillon points out. “In fact, theonly people who stayed at their posts while everyone else fledordisappeared were the volunteer firefighters. We were charged withsecuring an essentially lawless province.”
In writingthis book with Miriam C. Davis, Couvillon says he’s notout to argue “whether thewar in Iraq was agood thing or abad thing.” But he takes pride in “the communities we pieced back to-
‘TheoofGolden’
Lineup of panelistsfrom across thestate
BY JOYHOLDEN Staff writer
The Louisiana Inspired Book Club is inviting all readers to join in the reading and discussion of “Theo of Golden” by Allen Levi at 7p.m. March 31.Mark your calendars to join the Louisiana discussion of the book, which will include aconversation among panelists from around the state.
The panelists for the “Theo of Golden” discussion include Lafayette artist Bob Borel; Shreveport/BossierCity features editor Elizabeth Deal; Baton Rouge-area musician Ben Bell; St. Francisville bookstore owner MissyCouhig and Youngsville counselor/speaker Roy Petitfils.
The panelists representsome of the characters featuredin“Theo of Golden.” They have each read the book and are looking forward to the discussion.
Borel is amultidisciplinary artist whose work embracesimperfection, memory and storytelling across awide range of media. His practice spans experimental photography,installationart, linocuts, gestural drawing, traditional crafts, documentaryfilmmaking, live storytelling and Unflattering Abstract Portraits drawn on the street. Some of Borel’smost meaningful work happens in jails and shelters, teaching art to incarcerated people and survivors of domestic violence. He’salso avideo editor and living historyinterpreter ElizabethBeardDeal is features editor for The Shreveport-Bossier Advocate covering food, arts and culture. She was previously editor for “SB Magazine” in Shreveport, communications director at The Nasdaq Stock Market and Washing-
gether and the measure of peace we achieved.”
In recognition of his service, Couvillon was inducted into LSU’s Cadets of theOld WarSkule, which has teamed up withLSU Presstopublish “The LongPurple Line.” It chronicles theuniversity’sextensive role in cultivating militaryleaders from its founding in 1860 through the present.
Henson Moore, aformer Louisiana congressman, notes in his preface to thebook that LSU was initially conceived as amilitary school.
“While no longer exclusively a militaryschool, LSU’slong mili-
taryhistory —over 160 years and counting, is still visible today,” Moore writes. Drez, former assistant director of the Eisenhower Center at the University of New Orleans, offers acompelling survey of LSU’s militaryheroes, including Troy Middleton, Claire Lee Chennault and Robert Hilliard Barrow.The mostmoving part of the book is an appendix listing every LSU student killed in action.
In aworld still touched by war, that long list is likely to grow Email Danny Heitman at danny@ dannyheitman.com.
Inspired Book Club discussion is March31
HOWTO WATCH
n The link forthe discussion is at https://bit.ly/4bRnlis
n Sign up fornotices forthe LouisianaInspired Book Club,which selects abooktoread and discuss quarterly, here at www.nola.com/ book_club.
ton University,abusiness owner in St. Louis and agrants writer for nonprofits in Shreveport. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, biking, camping, traveling and reading. Bell and his band, The Stardust Boys, have been active in Mid City Baton Rouge for years. Bell says that oneofthe goals of their vintage, acoustic musical styleisto turn strangers into smiling faces. They believe that playing quietly is more enjoyable thanloudness. They play acoustic country,folk and rockabilly Couhig is alifelong avid reader and the owner of The Conundrum Bookshop in St. Francisville. The Conundrum opened in late 2015 with agoal and focus of having a bookstore hand-curated with an eye to books that speak to both the local area and beautifulclassic books that people would want to keep foralifetime. Her daily exercise of bloggingabout bookscontinues through today on the bookshop’ssocial media channels @conundrumbooks. Sheisanavid gardener and cook Petitfils hasworked with young people for the last 30 years as a minister,teacher,school admin-
istrator,school counselor and now as apsychotherapist in private practice where he specializes in counseling teens and young adults. He haswritten sevenbooks,his latest being “Helping Teens with Stress, Anxiety and Depression.”He consultswith schools,churches and other organizations that seek to reach and influence today’steens and young adults
He hosts “Today’sTeenager,” a podcast, and has given aTEDx talk, “What Teens Want Youto Know but Won’tTell You.”
“Theo of Golden,” asmall underdog of abook, was selfpublished in 2023 and has becomeaword-of-mouthhit. In 2025, it was acquired by traditional publishers Atria, an imprint of Simon &Schuster,for wider release and distribution.
The book is Levi’sfirst novel. His publisher says he’s working on asecond.
“Theo of Golden” is about amysterious, kind stranger named Theo who arrives in Golden, asmall Southern city where he begins acampaign of anonymous generosity. In doing so, he transforms lives through small acts of kindness, art and storytelling. The book explores themes of wonder, connection and community.
If you have aquestionfor the discussion, email Jan Risheratjan. risher@theadvocate.com
Email Joy Holden at joy.holden@ theadvocate.com.
“Living withsadness, accepting it, is easierthan trying to pretend it isn’tthere. It is another of life’sgreat mysteries that sadnessand joycan coexistsocompatibly with one another.Infact, Iwonderif, on this side of heaven, either one can be complete without the other.”
ALLENLEVI, author of “TheoofGolden”
Borel Deal Bell Couhig Petitfils
FILE PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK
Memorial Towerstands tall surrounded by stately oaks on the campus of LSUinBaton Rouge.
BY LINDSEY BAHR
writer
Maggie Gyllenhaal had earned a little currency as a filmmaker and wanted to make something big. Something epic Something honest. Something that wouldn’t just hit a vein, as she’d done with her first film, an adaptation of Elena Ferrante’s “The Lost Daughter,” but burst it wide-open. She wanted there to be blood all over the room — both proverbially speaking and, in the case of her new film “The Bride!” literally too.
What started as a curiosity about an image of Elsa Lanchester’s “Bride of Frankenstein” she saw on a tattoo, evolved, through her wild imagination, into one of the year’s most audacious, electric films. Like her studio brethren “Sinners” and “One Battle After Another,” “The Bride!” is a kind of genre-defying spectacle that’s bursting with personality and full of things that the filmmaker loves. It’s got romance, action, dancing, matinee idols, professional women, big ideas, thorny themes and Jessie Buckley, a kindred spirit who, like Gyllenhaal, is fascinated by the idea of meeting your monster
“Both Jessie and I we’re interested in the edges of what we know about ourselves, and the edges of what we know about ourselves in relation to the world and really getting into a place where we can learn something,” Gyllenhaal said.
Gyllenhaal’s big swing
After working half her life
Baton Rouge Holi
Festival is March 28
FYI BR staff reports
Festival of Colors will host Baton Rouge’s Holi Festival from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m on March 28 at Repentance Park, 275 S. River Road, Baton Rouge. The event is free and open to the public.
Holi is considered one of the most revered festivals in India and is celebrated in almost every part of the country Sometimes called the “festival of colors” or “festival of love,” the event represents the victory of good over evil, the arrival of spring and for many a festive day to unite. Color packets are available to purchase as well as food and drinks. Henna and face painting will also be available.
Easter Bunny brunch set for the Rowe Perkins Rowe and Drago’s Baton Rouge are hosting breakfast with the Easter Bunny from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. March 28 at Drago’s Seafood, 10001 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge.
Tickets are $24.95 per adult and $14.95 for children 12 and under Reservations are encouraged. Call (225) 256-
as an actor in Hollywood and on the stage, Gyllenhaal has found her calling as a filmmaker In front of the camera, her ideas, her intelligence, her creativity were only occasionally valued or even heard Behind the lens, it was a different story Her first film was a small one, made for around $5 million, but it made a splash with three Oscar nominations, for her actors, Buckley and Olivia Colman, and her adapt-
3092 to reserve a spot. Selfies with the bunny are available from noon to 1 p.m. in front of the fountain. In the event of rain, the bunny will hop over to The Great Hall across the street.
Old-fashioned Easter at Rural Life Museum
Get ready for an egg-citing time at the LSU Rural Life Museum’s annual Easter celebration from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on March 29 at 4560 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge. Activities include Easter Bunny photos, a petting zoo, egg dyeing, egg paquing (pocking), historic outdoor games and an egg hunt with prizes. In the event of rain, the festivities will move indoors. Snacks and refreshments will be available to purchase on site.
Tickets are $8 per person. Children ages 3 and under are free. Egg hunt times are 3 p.m. for ages 2-4, 3:30 p.m for ages 5-7 and 4 p.m. for ages 8-10. Tickets are available for purchase at the door or in advance online at www.lsu.edu/rurallife/events.php Grant covers program on stage, screen
A public humanities program exploring Louisiana’s rich theatrical traditions
ed screenplay “The Bride!” shot her to another level.
“I was curious to know what would happen if I was very honest, as honest as I could manage to be, in a different format, in a much bigger format, in a pop, hot roller coaster ride of a format?” Gyllenhaal said.
“The Bride!” is an ambitious studio production with major stars including Christian Bale, Annette Bening, Penélope Cruz, her brother Jake Gyllenhaal and her husband Peter Sarsgaard, a production budget north of $80 million and had a wide theatrical release with IMAX screens and all.
As a filmmaker, it was Gyllenhaal’s first time with test screenings and meaningful studio feedback. It was a learning experience that even led to some changes, and she knew behind it all was a champion in Warner Bros. co-chair and co-CEO
Pamela Abdy
“If you’re getting the same note from a group of people, even if you feel defensive
and evolving film industry has been awarded a 2026 Program Mini Grant from the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities. The funded program, “Stage & Screen in Louisiana: Past, Present, and Future,” will take place at 7 p.m. April 9 at the Mid City Civic Theatre, 7155 Florida Blvd., Baton Rouge.
The free public panel discussion will bring together Louisiana-based scholars and practitioners in theatre and film for a moderated conversation focused on the historical development, cultural context and contemporary landscape of performance and production in the state. The event is designed for community members, artists, students and those interested in Louisiana arts and culture.
The panel will be moderated by Rockford Sansom, LSU theatre faculty member and Mid City Civic Theatre’s community engagement representative. Featured panelists include:
n Shannon Walsh, LSU, a theater historian specializing in American theater history and regional performance traditions.
n Vicki Mayer, Tulane University, a film scholar and author of “Almost Hollywood, Nearly New Orleans.”
n Shea Stephens, Baton Rouge Community Col-
initially or it’s hard to hear it’s probably something you should consider,” she said. “It was very helpful to me all the way along in all sorts of places to hear the things that were working for people or not.”
Transformation
At the center of “The Bride!” is Buckley. While the anguished mother of “Hamnet” is quite a different role than the Bride, it’s also just further proof that she is one of the most arresting and original actors working today
But when she first read this script, she had no idea what to do with the character. In the movie, her task is three-fold: She’s an omniscient Mary Shelley, a 1930s woman entrenched in a world of gangsters, and a reanimated corpse brought back to life against her will for the sole purpose of being a companion to Fran-
self and touch the edges that maybe haven’t been touched for a long time or maybe never have been touched and find a way to bring that back up to the topside world,” Buckley said.
“To bring the unconscious back into the consciousness, and kind of like stir the collective, ripple it a little bit, you know? What if I put this thing that I’m scared of into the world and the topside world?”
Made for theaters, IMAX
The film arrived in theaters at a time of profound transition in the industry, as Warner Bros., one of the last big studios operating that actually supports original ideas and bold filmmaking, stares down new ownership under Paramount At the film’s London premiere, Bale said it feels like, “we’re sort of in the death throes of theatrical release movies.”
Being part of go-for-broke movies like “The Bride!” is “more than having fun,” he said. “It’s like just exhausting yourself in the most joyful way possible because you feel like this might be the end.”
And Gyllenhaal made it to be seen on a big screen, with a big crowd. For her, it’s what makes film such a unique and potent art form. “Ideally to see a film like ours, which does dare you to think differently, does dare to let some of the monster inside of you up to the surface, does sort of say hey have you ever felt love that looks like this instead of what they tell you it’s supposed to look like? To do that in a room with other people? That really turns me on,” Gyllenhaal said. “That makes me feel like we’re doing something radical and exciting that could have an effect on people’s hearts and minds.”
PROVIDED PHOTOS By WARNER BROS ENTERTAINMENT
Christian Bale, left, and Jessie Buckley are just a handful of the big names that star in ‘The Bride!’
Maggie Gyllenhaal stars in ‘The Bride!’
By The Associated Press
Today is Sunday,March 22,the 81st dayof2026. There are 284 days left in theyear
Todayinhistory:
On March 22, 1963, TheBeatles’ debutalbum, “Please Please Me,” was released in the United Kingdom on the Parlophone record label.
Also on this date:
In 1765, the BritishParliament passedthe Stamp Act to raise money from the American colonies, which fiercely resistedthe tax. (The Stamp Act was repealed ayear later.)
In 1894, ice hockey’sfirst Stanley Cup championship game was played, in which the Montreal Hockey Club defeated the Ottawa Hockey Club,3-1
In 1933, during the Prohibition Era,President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Cullen-Harrison Act, which allowedthe sale of beer and winewith an alcohol content of 3.2%. (Prohibitionwould be fully repealednine months later with theratification of the 21st Amendment.)
In 1941, the Grand Coulee hydroelectric dam in Washington state officially wentintooperation; it remainsthe largest capacityhydropowerstationin the United States.
In 1945, the Arab Leaguewas formedwith the adoption of acharterinCairo, Egypt
In 1972, in the Eisenstadt v. Baird decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that unmarriedpeople had the same right to possess anduse contraception as did married people.
In 1978, Karl Wallenda, the73-year-old patriarch of “The Flying Wallendas” high-wire act, fell to his deathwhile attempting to walk acable strungbetweentwo hotel towers in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
In 1993, Intel Corp. unveiled the originalPentium computer chip.
In 2019, former President Jimmy Carter became the longest-living chief executive in American history; at 94 years and 172 days, he exceeded the lifespanofthe late former President George H.W. Bush. (Carter would die at age100 in December 2024.)
In 2021, 10 people werekilled in amassshooting at aKing Soopers supermarket in Boulder, Colorado. (The shooter,Ahmad Alissa, wassentenced to lifeinprison without parole in September2024.)
In 2024, men firing automatic weapons attacked acrowd gathered for aconcert at theCrocusCity Hall auditorium in aMoscow suburb, leaving at least 137 people dead andmore than 180 wounded. An affiliate of the Islamic Stategroup claimed responsibility for what was thedeadliest terrorattack on Russian soilinyears.
Today’sBirthdays: Artist YayoiKusama is 97. Actor William Shatner is 95. Former U.S. poet laureate Billy Collins is 85. Musician GeorgeBensonis83. Writer James Patterson is 79. Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber is 78. Actor Lena Olinis71. Singeractor Stephanie Mills is 69. Actor Matthew Modine is 67. Football Hall of Famer Jim Covert is 66. Actor-comedian Keegan-Michael Key is 55. Democratic Sen.AlexPadilla of California is 53. ActorReese Witherspoon is 50. Actor ConstanceWuis44. Actor Noah LaLonde is 28. Dancer VitoriaBueno is 21.
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Whyyou don’tposteverythingonline
Dear Miss Manners: I’m hosting aparty with my best friend. We used asocial networking siteasour form of invitations; it’sa really informal event. My best friend’sexgirlfriend saw it and has invited herself to theparty.She said, “I saw that you forgot to add me so Iadded myself.”
Idon’twant her at the party
There is alot of bad history with her,simply because she creates drama. In the past, she has cried, fainted and even told others that she is contemplating suicide just to get attention.
ful lot of thinking and fretting on his behalf.
Ever since my best friend ended thingswith her,she has been showing up at eventsthat she wasn’tinvited to, throwing herself at him (andother men)insad attempts to win him back.
If she shows up at the party,she will create such tension that it will be ruined. How do Ipolitely tell her that she is not welcome, and what do Idoifshe shows up anyway?
GentleReader: What does your best friend have to say about all this?Itis not that Miss Manners mistrusts your intentions, but you are doing an aw-
The problem with posting events on social media is that other people see them —and either assume that they are invited, feel bad that they were not,orinvitethemselves. Although it is still impolite forthe ex-girlfriend to have done the latter,aless public invitation would have eliminated the situation in the first place. Buthere we are. If you can politely tell her that you think the party might be awkward forher —orbetter yet,have your best friend do it —that would be afirst step.Ifshe showsup anyway,you (or he) can reiterate. But if all that fails, and theparty is in fact ruined, at least you willhave learned that there are risks to making invitationsvisible to all.
Also, whether or not you deem it overly dramatic, if this womanisroutinely crying, fainting andthreatening her own life, someone should check on her Dear Miss Manners Every year forour birthdays, my husband andI receive a
giftfrom abusiness associate. Previously,itwas asmallpackage of gourmet cookies. This past year,weeach received very gooey caramels, which we cannot eat. We are in our 80s and have all our teeth —along with pricey dental work.
How can we let them know their thoughts are appreciated, but we can’t eat the giftwithout hurting their feelings?
Gentle Reader: By saying “Thank you” and then quietly passing the candy along to people with less pricey teeth.
Dear Miss Manners: My daughter pushes food onto her fork with her index finger.Isitpolite to use your knifefor this purpose? Peas, forinstance, are hard to eat with just afork or spoon.
Gentle Reader: How old is your daughter? If she is under 5, Miss Manners will allow her to use aspoon on anonprecedential basis. But any older than that, and she will have to learn to chase them around with afork like everybody else.
Send questions to Miss Manners to heremail, dearmissmanners@gmail. com.
Dear Heloise: This is in responseto Keith, the retired pastor who would love to have adog to cuddle with but is unable to walk thedog and lives in an apartment. An adult middle-aged cat would be perfect! Most catslove to cuddle and don’tneed to be walked. We are 86 and have always had acat or two. They have given us much joy!Thank you for awonderful and informative column! —MaryC., in Racine, Wisconsin Mary,unless aperson has an allergy to cats, they can make wonderful pets. You’ll find this is especially true for older cats that have mellowed andenjoy comfort rather than roaming the neighborhood. I’ve loved and enjoyed every cat I’ve ever had. It seems like a few readers below agreed with you as well. —Heloise Life is aboutopportunity
Dear Heloise: Iamshocked that no one
When you’re comparingplans ...
Look forcoverage that helps pay formajor services. Some plans may limitthe number of procedures —orpay forpreventive care only.
Look forcoverage with no deductibles. Some plans mayrequire you to payhundreds out of pocketbefore benefits are paid.
Shop forcoverage with no annual maximum on cash benefits. Some plans have annual maximums of $1,000.
Medicare doesn’tpay for dental care.1 That’s right. As good as Medicare is, it wasnever meanttocover everything. That means if youwant protection,you needto purchase individual insurance.
Early detection canprevent small problems from becoming expensiveones. The best way to preventlargedental bills is preventive care.The American Dental Association recommends checkupstwiceayear.
Previous dental work canwear out. Even if you’vehad qualitydentalwork in the past,you shouldn’t take your dentalhealth forgranted. In fact, your odds of havinga dental problem only go up as youage.2
Treatment is expensive— especiallythe servicespeople over 50 often need.
Consider these national averagecostsof treatment. $274for acheckup $299 for afilling $1,471 foracrown.3 Unexpected bills likethis canbeareal burden, especially if you’re on afixedincome.
“Medicare&You,” Centersfor Medicare& Medicaid Services,2025. 2 “Aging changesinteeth and gums”, medlineplus.gov,4/17/2022. 3 FairHealth, Inc. National average dental fees.Datacurrent as of July 2025;subject to change
“Absolutely love” “I absolutelylove my dental insurance. My dentaloffice files the claims,leaving me with very littlebalancetopay.” DorothyP TN
suggested acat for theold pastor They’re easy to keep, require very little food or exercise, often sleep in your lap or bed, and show someaffection. A stuffed animal or abig pillow?Please! Not for an old man. Get him acat. Life is not about fairness; lifeisabout opportunity. —Tom P.,via email
Thejoy of loving acat
Dear Heloise: Inever thought that I’d be moved to write to you, but Iamjust amazed that you told the pastor to get astuffed teddy bear because he wants but cannot manage adog. The answer is beyond obvious:Heshould get acat. Isuggest amature kitty,about 5years old or so. He will be rewarded with love and cuddling. When it comes to care, the kitty should only be indoors andhave alitter box withscoopable litter.Hemay even want to consider adopting apair of older cats who were together already and get along. It is awonderful feeling to see two kitties playing andcuddling up. When it comes to nighttimesnug-
gling, my Albert climbs on top of me when Igotobed and will dismount when Igotothe bathroom.Hethen goes to use his box, and we both return to our prior positions. Icannot express the joy and love that my cats have given me during my life. Nowthat Iam retired and stay homemore, it is even better To the pastor,gotoashelter or a private cat rescue group and see who bonds with you. —Jasimi, aHeloise fan Centeringbedsheets
Dear Heloise: Ijust read the letter saying how hard it is to center the top sheet on abed. When Itake my sheets out of the dryer,I fold the top sheet in half lengthwise, then Icontinue folding it. When I’mready to put it on the bed, Iopen it, and there is afold markright down the middle of the sheet. Just use this to
Hints from Heloise
Judith Martin MISS MANNERS
BY RICH COLLINS Staff writer
Sean Wilkersonwas firedupwhen the phone started ringing again.
Ov er the course of a fewdays last month, three out-of-town customers checked in to buy old doors,shutters and other items from The Bank Architectural Antiques, the Wilkerson family’s 54-year-old architectural salvage business based in New Orleans’ Central City
Afteratypically slowsummer turned into an atypically slow fall and winter, the local salvage industry veteran was more thanready to hear from clients looking to acquire
streets.
Wilkerson and other architectural salvage prosinsouth Louisiana say demand for their products has been downthe past several years because of highinterest rates, spiking insurance costs, astatewide film industry slump, ashortage of tradespeople skilled at working with oldmaterials, andanationwideshift toward contemporary stylesand open floor plans.
someofthe 10,000 cypressdoors and othertreasures he hasstockpiledin ablock-long warehouse stretching between St. Andrewand Felicity
Several multigenerational family businesses like TheBank—along witha fewnewcomers —havebeen leaning into other products and services as they wait out the downturn andmakeplans forwhattheyhope will be ahomebuilding andrenovation comeback that will boost their cornerofthe nearly $60 billionglobal reclaimed lumber marketplace. TheBank, forits part, has been
Proposed lawseeks to draw supportfor Violet terminal
Violet is thefrontline communityhosting the LIT for the benefit of the entire state,itiscritical that they benefit from the jobs and developmentthat theproject will provide,” said GNO Inc. President and CEO Michael Hecht, who was tapped by Landry last year to shepherd the project and a related toll road through the process. “The tax dollars that would go to themasa result of this bill is critical for meeting that goal,” he said. St. Bernard Parish officials opposedtothe terminal project, including the Parish Council and parishSchool Board, have come outagainst the bill. State Rep. Mike Bayham, aRepublican who represents the area,
Slidelllegislator introduces bill creating taxdistrict ä See TERMINAL, page 2E
STAFF PHOTO By BRETT DUKE
CurtPannagl,
in NewOrleans.
STAFFFILE PHOTOByCHRIS GRANGER Aschool bus passes the St. Bernard Port in Violet along the Mississippi River
Aguide to survivingtax season when youowe
Michelle Singletary
THE COLOR OF MONEy
You’ve probably seenthe latenight ads promising to reduce tax debt. Even though amajority of Americans can look forward to getting atax refund each year,about a third of the country will owe money to Uncle Sam. If you or people you know are among them, the worst move you make is to do nothing. The second-worst thing would be to follow the advice of those ads. As of Feb. 27, the average refund was$3,742, an increase of 10.6% compared with the same period last year,partly duetotax changes under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. According to the NationalTaxpayer Advocate’smost recent annual report, about 63%ofindividual taxpayers received arefund last year.Yet, knowing that two-thirds of thecountry is getting awindfall doesn’tmake it easier whenyou’re the one who has to write acheck. Many people believe that if they can’tpay,they shouldn’tfile. However,the IRS code punishes silence far more harshly than it penalizes alack of cash. In 2024, theagency
TERMINAL
Continued from page1E
also is against it.
Community organizerMichaelBailey,whose Violet Action Committee favors the bill, say anti-terminal forces run so deep in some parts of the parish, anything that could help the project along faces stiff opposition.
Parish Council Chair Fred Everhardt Jr.said the billis amoney and power grab
“They are usinglegislators from St. Tammany to determine the fate of our parish because our people andour legislators don’t want it,” Everhardt said.
“Weare at war.” Glorioso said he is not being used and that he wanted to sponsor the bill because he grew up around Violet and “understands that it is going to putaburden on that community,soweare trying to do whatever we can to lighten that burden.”
Slowprogress
It’sbeen more than five years since Port NOLA first announced the terminal project, which the portsays is the only way New Orleans can continue to compete for international container ship business. As vessels have grown ever larger in recent decades, the local port has lostmarket share to Houston; Mobile, Alabama; and Savannah, Georgia.
Backers say the facility also is needed to attract new manufacturing and distribution investment to the region.
Opponents in St. Bernard, however,argue the project willdisrupttheir wayof life anddamage the local environment. Theyhave filed lawsuits challenging the project and threatened more litigation.
Still, Port NOLA officials and their privatesectors partners, who signed on to the project in late 2022, are continuing to move forward. For months, they have been awaiting permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Should those permits comethroughthis spring, as hoped, they could begin construction later this year
‘MakeVioletwhole’
In the meantime, supporters of the project are working on HB465, which would create theVioletEconomic Development District within anarrowly defined area around the proposed terminal site.
It would also establish anine-member board to oversee the incremental tax dollars generated within the district and decide how to spend them.
Language in the billsays the money wouldbeused to support “long-term place based investments in infrastructure, housing, workforce development and community priorities within Violet …and align state, parish and commu-
assessed nearly $18 billion in additional taxes on returnsfiled late. Whether you’re curious about the legitimacy of those tax relief commercials that become ubiquitous this time of year or you’re the onefacinga tax bill, here’s what peopleshoulddoiftheyowe the IRS.
Skip the debt relief middleman: Most of those late-nightTVand radio adsoffer “expert” tax relief that you couldactually handle yourself forfree. Worse yet, many of these commercials are fronting for predatory companies that will charge thousands of dollarsthatcould go toward paying your tax debt. Even when these companiesare legitimate and not ascam, thehelp they provide is typically available by calling the IRS or visiting irs. gov For example, the debt settlement companywill sendyou paperwork to set up apayment planwith the IRS. But it’slikely information downloaded from the IRS website.
File on time even if you’re broke: Ican’t stressthisenough. Even if you can’t sendany money,submit your return by the April 15 deadline. If youneed moretime to gather your paperwork,requestanextension.
Justremember:Anextension to file isn’tanextension to pay The failure-to-file penalty can
nity interests.”
There’snofiscal note attachedtothe bill yet, so it is unclear what theestimated cost or benefit of the measure wouldbe. It’salsounclearhow much additional spending activity wouldbe generated by theproject in theimmediateVioletarea, which has few retail businesses.
However, anew economic impact study on the project released by GNO Inc. estimatesthatconstruction on the terminal would generate $5.4 million in sales tax revenue for St. Bernard Parish morebroadly and that, once operational, the facility would bring nearly $15million inannual sales taxrevenues to theparish —a64% increase over current levels.
Hecht said thebulk ofthe salestax revenue would come from equipment purchases, even if purchased elsewhere, for port operations suchastrucks,cranes and fuels— as long as the goods are shipped toViolet. The project is also expected to generate additional spending by the nearly 2,750 workers that wouldbe hired by theterminal once it’sfully operational.
Community groups supporting the measure say any additional dollars will help their immediate area.
“Weare trying to secure funds to provide resources to try to help make Violet whole,” said Bailey.“We should not be excluded from the economic development. Historically,wehave been.”
Everhardt is skeptical and has taken issue with the proposedmakeup of the district governing board The governorand three local legislators, who all support theproject, would each getone board appointment. Parish PresidentLouis Pommes, who has come out against theproject,would have one appointment.The Violet Action Committee wouldget threeand GNO Inc. wouldhave one. “The board makeupis crazy,”Everhartsaid. “We only have one seat at the table. How can they do that? We don’thaveoversight over ourown parish.” Bailey countered that Violet residents have not been fairlyrepresented by parish officials, who are opposed to the terminal, and who he arguedhaven’t looked for ways to make the project work fortheir area.
“Wehad toform the Violet ActionCommittee because none of thepowers that be in St.BernardParish care about our needs or opinions,” he said. “If this port is comingtoSt. Bernard Parish,wewant to take part in the economic development opportunities. The bill hasbeen referred to theHouse Committee on Municipal, Parochial and CulturalAffairs
Email Stephanie Riegel at stephanie.riegel@ theadvocate.com.
really sting. If you owe money and fail to file, the“failure-to-file” penalty is 10 times higher than the “failure-to-pay” penalty.
If you file your return on time but don’tpay,the penaltyis0.5% of the unpaid taxes for each month or part of amonth the taxes remain unpaid. The IRS limitsthis penalty to 25% of your unpaid taxes.
If you file late without obtaining an extension, the failure-to-file penalty is typically 5% for each monthorpart of amonththat a return is late, up to 25% Twoyearsago, my sonlearned this the hard way.Hethought he had filed using online software, but atechnical glitch prevented the IRSfromreceiving it. By the timeherealized the error, the “failure-to-file”penalty had grown to threetimes his original bill. Due to the late filing, latepayment,and interest, he ended up paying nearly $500, morethan theactual taxheowed.
Paywhat you can: Your taxdebt isn’t an all-or-nothing situation.Ifyou owe $5,000 but only have $500, send the$500. Every dollar you pay now reduces the interest and penalties that accumulate.
Set up an installment agreement: If your totalowed in income tax,
RECLAIMED
Continuedfrom page1E
focusing on services like rebuilding shutters and stripping paint from items customers bring in while continuing to build up inventory that Wilkersonconsiders abet on the future of his business.
“All of this is going to pay off,” he said. “The market is going to hit us again like it was 2018 through 2020, and we’re going to be flowing.”
Challenges to salvage
Though thepractice dates back centuries, architectural salvageinthe United States emerged as adefinedbusiness category in the 1970s in response tothe nation’snew focusonpreservation andsustainability. Thetrend tookoff further over thefollowing decades, fueled in some cities —like New Orleans —byurban decay thatled many older homes to deteriorate and face demolition. Businesseslike The Bank —and its chief competitor,Ricca’sArchitectural Sales —began acquiring valuable doors, floors, molding, fixtures andother elements from homes before they were demolished. Then cameHurricane Katrina, whichdestroyed or ledto thedemolition of thousands of houses in themetro area.
For awhile,thatdestructionand the rebuilding process that followed meanta seemingly endless supply and demand for salvaged items. Now, though, that post-Katrina eraisover —and salvage supply and demand are bothlower this decade than they were during thelast one, according to longtime operatorsinthe field.
Julie Hoy, third-generation co-owner of Ricca’s, said thepost-pandemicrise in home loan interest rates, combinedwith the stormrelated spike in flood and homeowners’ insurance costsinthe Gulf Southmean fewerpeopleare buying and renovating houses,which means there’s less demand for salvaged architectural elements.
“People don’twanttoinvest where they’re not sure if the market will be stable,” said Hoy,whose Mid-City showroom is filled with antique and vintage lighting, hardwareand other finds.
Kavanaugh Farr,owner of Strip-Ease, located afew blocksaway,has seen the samething.
“I talk to alot of contractors, and there aren’tthat many jobs starting or houses changing hands,”said the second-generation owner of afamilybusinessthatprovides paintstripping,millwork andsales of salvaged goods.
Hoy alsobelieves stricter short-term rental regulations in New Orleans are discouraging investors from buying and renovating properties, and she said the
penalties and interest is $50,000 or less, you can apply for along-term payment plan. Paying over time is much better than the collection tools the IRS has, such as seizing bank accounts, garnishing wages or placing alien on your property If you’re struggling, you might qualify for an “Offer in Compromise.” This program is intended to help people who are so financially strappedthat it’sunlikely the agency could collect all that the government is owed. However the acceptancerate is low because you mustprove that paying the full amount would cause an unfair financial hardship, but it’saroute worth considering before losing hope.
In fiscal year 2024, the IRS accepted 7,199 settlement offers out of morethan33,591 applications. That is asuccess rate of 21%, afar cryfromwhat the commercials suggest When you hear those tax relief commercials promising to settle taxdebt forless than you owe, theyare usually talking about an Offer in Compromise. But don’t be fooled. The IRS has flagged these “OICmills” as one of this year’stop tax scams that “often overpromise results and charge high fees to taxpayers who don’t qualify,” according to the agency
Use the “Offer in Compromise Pre-Qualifier” tool on the IRS website before paying atax relief company to do it for you. Avoid using your credit cardtopay the debt: If you owe the IRS and cannot pay by the April deadline, you will be hit with acombination of interest and penalties. So, it’stempting to use your credit card and deal with it later.But if the interest rate on your card is high, you’re just shifting the problem to ahighercost solution. For April 1through June of this year,the interest rate on unpaid individual taxes is 6%. The average credit card interest rate is just below 20%, according to Bankrate. Request “currently not collectible” status: If paying even asmall amount would prevent youfrom covering basic living expenses (rent, food, utilities), call the IRS and ask to be placed in “Currently NotCollectible” status. They will pause collection efforts, though interest and penalties will continue to grow If you owe this year,don’tpanic or hide. Be your own savior: file the return, pay whatyou can and contact the IRS to make aplan for the rest.
EmailMichelle Singletary at michelle.singletary@washpost. com.
slowdown of the Louisiana film industry has been bad for business.
“Set decorators used to buy light fixtures and other things from us,” she said. “During thepandemic, the TV series‘Interviewwith the Vampire’provided up to 20% of our income one year,but it’snot like that anymore.”
Willie White, who has been deconstructing homes in the New Orleans area for four decades, said business has slowed down because homeownersare renovating more ratherthanstarting from scratch. That means there are fewer houses to work on, and what’sinthem is in worse condition.
“I used to have one lined up right behind another,” Whitesaid. “Now,it’smaybe one every six weeks.”
Elsewhereinthe state, salvage operators are experiencing similar things. Don Charlet,co-ownerofThe Corbel home decor and furniture gallery in St.Francisville, saidhe’sseendemand for salvaged itemsdip as the number of high-end residential projectsisdown.
Matthew Latiolais, owner of Cajun Salvage in Lafayette, said he still sees demandfor salvageditems in certain cases, but the material is getting harder to find.
In Baton Rouge, Garrett Kemp, who has owned Circa 1857 forthe last decade, said he’smoved away from selling salvaged goods to focus instead on imported European antiques.
Kemp said consumerswho watchrenovation shows suffer from the“HGTV effect” andhaveunrealistic expectations about what salvaged
itemsshould cost.
And, because of scarcity, Wilkersonsaidthe way he searches foritems has changed dramatically
“The easy stuff has been exhausted,” he said. “Now, we scour Facebook posts and estate sales, going farther for fewer items. I’ll go allthe wayuptothe third floor of an attic on Bourbon Street to retrieve something.”
‘Anintrinsic value’
Fashion is another reason forthe drop in demandfor salvage. Thecurrent trend in home renovations is to open up floor plans, which reduces the need forinterior architectural details like doors, trim andmantels.
This is especially true for homes that have been renovatedtouse as short-term rentals.
The trend caught the attention of the Louisiana Landmarks Society,which last fall put architectural interiors on its list of the most endangered landmarks in NewOrleans.
“It’sfairly common to see apristinely preserved home exteriorand it might feel gutted,generic andmodern inside,” said MaryNell Nolan-Wheatley,ofthe Preservation Resource Center,a 52-year-oldnonprofitfounded to preserve the historic architecture, neighborhoods and cultural identity of New Orleans.
Overthe decades,salvage companieshavebeen criticized by preservationists and others over the ethics of stripping oldNew Orleans homes of materials— and for potentially buying stolen items. But Nolan-Wheatley said the PRC supports the companieskeeping the material in commerce.
“Salvage has an intrinsic value andshould notbe thrown away,” shesaid. “The city should be doing moreto incentivizedeconstruction
Kavanaugh Farr standsamong salvaged doors at Strip-Ease of NewOrleans Inc. After atypically slowsummer turned into an atypically slowfalland winter,the local salvageindustry is seeinga stockpile of reclaimed materials.
and salvage over pure demolition. When the materials are resold, the city gets sales tax dollars and jobs. It’seconomic development rather than trash.”
Nolan-Wheatley said her organization also advocates for reforms to the renovation permittingprocessand to rental regulations that make it easier for homeowners to improve their houses, makeextra incomeand help bring vacantand blighted propertiesback intocommerce.
In general, the PRC favors policies that will encourage moreinvestment in housing stock in acity that struggles to maintainits infrastructure with apopulation that’s approximately half of what it wasatits peak in the 1960s.
“People don’tunderstand therealityofthe situation,” she said. “Wedon’tget enough money from tourists to makeupthe difference.”
Lookingahead
Despite the pressure points, Wilkerson, Hoy and the rest are optimistic about the future of their businesses. And during the recent downtown, they’ve been joinedbysome newcompetitors.
Twoyears ago, Kristin Gisleson Palmer,executive director of the PRC, and her husband, Bobby Palmer, opened aretailbusiness calledBargeboardtosell material they accumulated over the last decade after renovating roughly 80 homes on the West Bank.
“When you open up aroom or change afloor plan, you always endupwith leftovers,”saidBobby Palmer, whoadded the salvage sales are asmallpercentage of the company’soverall income.
Farr,the Strip-Ease owner,sees mostly good things ahead.
“Wehavea new mayor, and interest rates are starting to drop, so hopefully that will get themarket stimulated,” he said. “Although Idon’tknow how the insurance problemwill get solved. They don’ttend to lower their rates, and we’re in ahigh-risk market with hurricanes.”
Email RichCollinsatrich. collins@theadvocate.com.
Ornamental iron pieces at Ricca’sArchitectural Sales
STAFF PHOTOSBy BRETT DUKE
Stair spindles are stacked at Ricca’sArchitectural Sales.
TALKING BUSINESS
ASK THE EXPERTS
Construction firm embraces AI data centers, private equity
BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff writer
Shortly after David Gallo
joined
Gallo Mechanical in the mid-1980s the family business his grandfather founded in 1945 — the price of oil plummeted, sending the New Orleans economy into a tailspin and killing the commercial construction business that was the firm’s bread and butter
“We literally got kicked out of Hibernia Bank,” Gallo said. “We were a 40-year-old company at the time and had no work.”
It was a baptism by fire that Gallo never forgot and one the company successfully weathered by being lean, scrappy and working hard.
Today, Gallo Mechanical, which builds, installs and services HVAC systems for commercial and industrial clients, is growing by 50% a year, with more than 700 employees and revenues projected to top $500 million this year
Last summer Gallo did what he vowed never to do — he sold the company, with his family’s unanimous consent, to a Texas-based private equity firm. The deal, he said, was the best thing that could have happened for Gallo Mechanical’s future and its employees.
In this week’s Talking Business, he discusses what was behind the decision to sell, the work the company is doing for Meta’s data center and the nonprofit organizations he is helping to run now that he is retired.
Interview has been edited for length and clarity
During your 30-plus years running the company, Gallo Mechanical saw tremendous growth. How did that happen? After Katrina, we were only in
the Greater New Orleans area, and I realized you can’t have all your eggs in one basket. So, we started diversifying geographically But the really big catalyst came in 2018-2019, when we moved into the Carolinas.
The markets in North Carolina have six times as much work as we do here — heavy commercial construction, universities, hospitals high-end manufacturing in the Research Triangle. There are so many companies building these huge mechanical facilities and they all need what we do.
Wasn’t it hard to break into a booming market where your name was not well known?
Yes, but we did know the fundamentals of our business. We were doing a type of 3D modeling called Building Information Modeling, or BIM, that was a little ahead of the game and transcended us to another level. We had done market research, so we knew there was
a need. We also had some connections, which led to us to acquire a company that was going out of business, and we ended up hiring a lot of their people.
That is really what fueled our growth over the last five years. And it is anticipated that in 2026, we will do more work in the Carolinas than in Louisiana.
That’s kind of sad, for Louisiana, I mean.
We are doing great in Louisiana. It’s just that we’re doing that much more work there. There is no end in sight for the work that we do in the southeast U.S. It’s data centers, high-end manufacturing, chip manufacturing. And with the aging of America, hospitals are constantly redoing their facilities.
Tell me about the data center work. I saw Gallo trucks at the Meta site last week.
We are working there as a sub for a sub and have about 100 people up there We are hearing that this could last as long as 10 years, which is a long time in our busi-
center boom, and in early 2025, the bank told us the market was crazy for companies like ours. In March, we got approached, unsolicited. I was board chair at the time and had already named J.P Hymel, a longtime employee, as CEO. My son August Gallo III was CFO. The three of us met with the firm, Citation Capital, in Dallas. Two weeks later they made us an offer My entire family endorsed it It was too good to refuse.
So, eight months later, how is it working out?
Our company hasn’t changed. Leadership is still in place, and though I am no longer board chair, I have a seat on the board. They have added to our team, made us bigger and better, gotten us more work, but they haven’t changed the culture of the company What
ness. I hate to say there is no end in sight, but there is no end in sight.
What about the health of the New Orleans market?
It is not growing. Medical and Tulane University are the big drivers and, hopefully the Convention Center hotel, but we are limited because of our location. The expansion boom in the middle of the southeast includes north Louisiana, but it’s not coming down to the Gulf Coast.
The loss of local companies to private equity is often decried as a bad thing Why did your family decide to sell?
I had no anticipation of ever selling until 2023, when a guy from another company like ours that had just sold told me about his experience, and I thought it was in my family’s best interest to explore. We did not put the company up for sale, but we hired an investment bank to help us if a deal came along.
That coincided with the AI data
AROUND THE REGION
“We stayed as long as we could.”
Tough choices arrive for those on Meta site fence line
BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff writer
Ronnie Powell initially felt disbelief when Meta contractors broke ground in early 2025 on a massive artificial intelligence data center in tiny Holly Ridge directly across the rural, two-lane road from his mobile home.
From his porch, Powell, 68, had a front-row view of the action. And he marveled at the speed with which the 1,400-acre field where he had picked corn as a child with his grandparents was cleared to make way for a 4 million-squarefoot facility that will house some of the fastest, smartest computers in the world.
By last summer, Powell was growing wary Oversized construction vehicles crisscrossed the road all day, every day The noise never stopped A dry, dusty film covered everything.
By the fall, Powell and his wife, Jan, couldn’t take it anymore.
Many of their neighbors had already left, selling for more than 10 times what farmland in Richland Parish had sold for before the construction began.
In late November, they joined the exodus and moved to Monroe.
A storage pod developer paid the Powells $250,000, or $50,000 an acre, for their 5 acre property, which included the mobile home, an old house next door that had been his grandmother’s and rows of verdant cornfields.
From a financial perspective, the deal was more than fair Had they sold two years ago, Jan Powell estimates they would have been lucky to get $40,000 But the property had been in Ronnie Powell’s family since the early 1930s. Though farming had long since ceased providing a sustainable living, it was their home Leaving after nearly a century wasn’t easy “We stayed as long as we could,” Powell said earlier this month.
“But it got to be too much.”
Rapid changes
The Meta construction site, which has an estimated price tag of some $27 billion, is rapidly transforming rural Richland Parish in the northeast corner of the state. Some 4,000 temporary workers have moved into hastily constructed “man camps” and trailer parks to build the facility, swelling the parish population by 20%.
Retail and construction activity in nearby towns like Rayville and Delhi have swelled. Sales tax revenues are up by double digits. The ripple effect is spilling over into Monroe, where data center suppliers are signing long-term leases for warehouse space and investors are planning new downtown hotels and a waterfront development. The project is also generating concern among environmental
activists, who point to data cen-
ters elsewhere in the country that have driven up electricity rates and sucked water supplies dry
For the few hundred households in the fence line community, it’s not an abstract question or a binary between economic development and the environment. For them the project has ended a way of life that was dying for decades. Like all long, slow deaths, there is sadness and also hope for something better on the other side.
“We had lost so much here over the years with CenturyLink (now Lumen) going away the paper mill in Bastrop closing, a lot of the independent businesses,” Powell said. “This thing is not near going to make up for what was lost, but it helps for now.”
sharecroppers, who bought the Holly Ridge property back when the Meta site was part of Franklin Farms.
Powell remembers riding around as a tiny child in “Mr George” Franklin’s Jeep Wagoneer, back when the community was so tight-knit that the richest man in town, whose grandson negotiated the 2024 deal with Meta, wasn’t too proud to look after a sharecropper kid.
He remembers being well fed because his family always had enough corn to eat.
He remembers the old Thompson store up the road — now shuttered — where kids would go for an ice cream cone or a Coke.
But life on the land wasn’t easy Powell went to high school in Monroe then stayed in the city for decades while raising his family and driving big rigs for a freight
company
When he retired, they moved back to the family homestead His great-grandchildren loved it. They stayed with the couple last summer, piling into the mobile home and entertaining themselves with crafts and the many dogs and cats that lived on the property Powell felt conflicted about giving up the land because of the five great-grandchildren, their parents and his own kids, now middleaged. What was best for them?
“It’s not just my decision,” he said last summer “This belongs to the family.”
But in the end, life in Holly Ridge was becoming untenable — and unfamiliar One neighbor’s home was cleared to make way for a new Dollar General. Another’s is now the site of a food truck hub.
“It took 20 minutes just to get out of the driveway,” Jan Powell said. “And you couldn’t breathe.” Pros and cons
With the money from the sale of their Holly Ridge property, the Powells bought a new home in a subdivision on the outskirts of Monroe, where a three-bedroom house on a nearly 2-acre lot can still be had for $100 a square foot. His daughter also bought land. The grandchildren and greatgrandchildren are taken care of. They’re at peace with the decision.
“Everybody said we could’ve gotten more,” Ronnie Powell said. “But you can’t be greedy.” He is also pragmatic. His new home is closer to their doctors and to supermarkets, restaurants and services. His kids went back to salvage some of the siding from the old house. He hasn’t gone back.
“We miss the country,” he said.
“But we’re not sad.”
Email Stephanie Riegel at stephanie.riegel@theadvocate. com.
Drivingbusiness transformation througheffective andresponsible AI implementation.
As emerging technology rapidly transforms business operations, our firmishelping Louisiana companiesadopt artificial intelligence (AI) usepoliciesand governancestrategiestoensure effective andresponsibleAI implementation
With thoughtful strategy,AIcan be apowerfultool forinnovationand growth across thestate’s business landscape—and we areproud to help lead theway forward.
STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER
Ronnie Powell stands on his porch as trucks go by along the side of the future site of the Meta artificial intelligence data center in Holly Ridge.
Graham H. Ryan
LOUISIANAISAMERICA’SGATEWAY TOGLOBALENERGYDEMAND.
50,000 pipeline miles (30,000 naturalgas)
Nation’s ONLY deepwateroil port (LOOP)
8ofthe TOP20 U.S. industrial contractors
We export morethan62% of thenation’sLNG to Europe,Asia, andLatin America—poweringindustriesand strengthening supply chains worldwide.
3rd in U.S. biomass fuel capacity
With deepwateraccess, world-classfabrication capacity,and next-generationtechnologyacceleratingdeliveryacrossour energy corridor, Louisianaoffersboth scaleand speed.Industrial electricityrates in Louisianaare amongthe most competitivein theSouth,helping manufacturers controlcosts from thestart
Staff report
South Louisiana businesses and nonprofit groups recently announced the following promotions, new hires and resignations.
BatonRouge
Dr.Lin Dang was elected to serve as the chief of the medical staff at Wo man’ s Hospital andamember of its board of directors for aone-year term.
Dang previously served as vice chief of staff, chair of medical staff peerreview and currentlychairs the hospital’smedical ex-
ecutive committee. Aboard-certified OBGYN, Dang practices at Louisiana Women’sHealthcare, where she specializes in both routine and high-risk obstetric care.
Kenneth “Kip” Matthews has been named thedirector of the LSU-MaryBird Perkins Cancer Center Dr.Charles M. Smith Medical and Health Phy si cs Program. Previously the program’sinterimdirector,Matthews is the Dr Charles M. SmithDistinguished Professor of Medical Physics in the LSU De-
Fool’sTake: Built to last —and profit
PEOPLE IN BUSINESS
partmentofPhysics &Astronomy,whichhejoined in 2001.
Alzheimer’sServices of theCapital Area named five new memberstoits board of directors.
They include: Grant Barone, in-house counselfor The NewtronGroup; Stephen Chapman,avice president of Performance Contractors; Rashida Keith,the director of thelegal division for the Louisiana House of Representatives; Beth McNulty,a longtime Hancock Whitney employee; and Nancy Steiner, the CEO of DAA Media and Marketing.
NewOrleans
BrandonKnatzer hasbeen promoted toassistant director of physical security
of the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center Knatz er started workingat the Convention Center as an assistant production manager and lead production technicianand was, most recently,its technology infrastructure manager
Erin Bigner has been appoint ed as thenew execut ive director of theSt. Bernard Chamber of Commerce. Bigner previously
workedfor the Louisiana Crawfish Festival and operated acustom pageant banner shop in Chalmette.
Nine former attorneys of the Fishman Haygood law firm have formedtheir own NewOrleans-based firm called Miller Thibodeaux Dysart Veith &Paschal. Itsfive partners are Kerry Miller, Paul Thibodeaux, Danny Dysart, Rebekka Veith and Hogan Paschal
Monica Bergeron, Carly McCleskey, Brennan O’Keefe and Dylan Futrell areassociates with the new firm.
Do you havepersonnel changes to shareorother ideas for ourbusiness coverage? Drop us aline at biztips@theadvocate. com
The company that Warren Buffett helmed for 60 years,Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A) (NYSE: BRK.B), remains asolid investment even though he has stepped down from the CEO role. (He is staying involved with the company, though, as chair.)
Berkshire stock is as diversified as some index funds, invested in awide range of companies spanning multiple sectors. Berkshire has over 60 subsidiaries. Its insurance and energy businesses get the most attention, but it also ownsjewelers, manufacturers, arailroad,restaurant chains, retailers and more.
The company’sportfolio includes more than 40 stocks of other publicly traded companies. Berkshire recently owned 22% of American Express, 10% of Domino’sPizza, 9% of Coca-Cola, 7% of Bank of America and 1.5% of Apple (with that stake alone worth nearly $62 billion). Berkshire Hathaway is in capable hands with Greg Abel as
CEO. Thetransition introduces some uncertainty,but Abel is expected tomaintainthe same focus on value-oriented investments.
Meanwhile, Berkshire sits on more than $370 billion in cash— dry powder that could fuel amajoracquisition or even afirst-ever dividend. Berkshire’sstrong culture of savvy capital allocation, patienceand discipline should lead to solid investments thatwill add to the company’salready powerful earnings engine. (The MotleyFool owns shares of and has recommended Berkshire Hathaway.)
Fool’sSchool: Investment accounts for children
It’ssmart to getyour children interested ininvesting, because theyhave ahuge edge: Their money has the most time to grow
For example, imagine a 15-year-old and a35-year-old who each make asingle $1,000 investment that grows at 8% annually
If theybothretire at age 65, the 35-year-oldwill see that $1,000 become more than $10,000 over 30 years —while the 15-yearold’s$1,000 will grow to almost $47,000 over 50 years.
Youmight start by discussing
money and investing with them in an age-appropriateway.Show them how you manage thehousehold’sfinances and pay bills
Explain thehousehold budget if you have one. Tell them aboutfinancial challenges you’ve faced, such as paying down debt or saving for amortgage, and what your financial goals aretoday
Discuss your investment successes and disappointments, too. Talk about companies in which you’reinvested andcompanies in which they may want to invest, and follow them and their developments in the news.
Companies that might interest children include Microsoft, home to theXbox and video games, among other things, and McDonald’sand Starbucks, where lots of young people like to eat and drink.
Many other companies may be of interest, too.
Ourbook, “The Motley Fool Investment Guide for Teens: 8 Steps To Having MoreMoney Than Your ParentsEver Dreamed Of” by David and Tom Gardner with Selena Maranjian, is alsoagood introduction to investing.
They might invest through you and your brokerage account. Or, if they have earned income, they
can savefor retirement with an IRA account. (A Roth IRA is particularly good,asthey’ll owe littleornotax on the earnings they invest, andwithdrawals will be tax-free.)
With Uniform Transfers to MinorsAct andUniform Gifts to MinorsAct accounts, you can give them money to invest while you serveascustodian. AFidelityYouth Account for teens is another option. Do some online research into investment accounts for children to seewhat will serveyou best.
Ask the Fool: Irrational finance
What’sbehavioral economics? —A.M., Brooklyn, New York It’sanacademicfield combining psychology andeconomics in order to explain howpeople make financialdecisions —often not in rationalways.
For example, many people would drive adistance to save $10 on a$20 purchase but wouldn’tdosotosave$10 on a $1,000 purchase —though the amount saved would be the same. Meanwhile,you may skip buying a$100 jacket,but if you see that itsinitialprice was $160, you might reconsider,viewing the
pricedifferently
We can be similarly irrational when it comes to investing, too.
Many people put off or avoid participating in their workplace 401(k) planeventhough they knowtheyshould. Theymay stubbornly remain investedina stock in which they have lost faith, hoping to make back their loss —whenitwould be more rationaltojust sell and move the money into amore promising investment.
It’sa fascinating topic,and you can learnmuchmore about it in bookssuchas“The Armchair Economist: Economics &EverydayLife”byStevenE.Landsburg, “The Why Axis: Hidden Motivesand the Undiscovered Economics of Everyday Life” by Uri Gneezyand John A. List, “Nudge:The Final Edition” by Richard H. Thalerand Cass R. Sunstein and“The Little Book of Behavioral Investing: HowNot To Be Your Own Worst Enemy” by James Montier.The “Freakonomics” podcastand book series arealso enlightening.
What’s acapital gain? —P.L., Grand Rapids,Michigan If you own an asset and sell it, the difference in value fromyour purchase priceisyourcapital gain —orcapitalloss.
Keepingthe Menhaden FleetRunning: CaseyDevillier’s Story
AlongLouisiana’s coast, themenhaden industry supports hundreds of families throughsteady, skilledmaritimejobsthat depend on amodernfleetoperating safely and reliably during theshort fishingseason. Outof Empire andAbbeville,LA, vesselsheadinto theGulf, spotterplanesguide them to schools of fish, andprocessing plants keep production moving once theboats return.Behindit allare themechanics andtechnicians whoensurethe fleet keepsrunning.Itisa tightly coordinatedsystem wheretiming, maintenance, andexperience determine whetheraseasonsucceeds or stalls
ForCasey Devillier,who hasworked forWestbankFishing for23years,that responsibility is personal
“Officially,I’m thevesselmanager,” he says “But really,Ihandleanythingelectricalonthe boats. Andthatendsupbeing alot.”
FromCentral Louisianatothe Coast
Devillier grew up in GrandPrairie in central Louisiana, wherehis father farmed cattle and raised livestock. He learnedearly howtowork with hishands andsolve problemsquickly
He begantrade school as asophomore in high school,studyingair conditioningrepair. By graduation,hewas already runningservice callsinLafayette.Overtime, he movedinto offshoreand industrial electrical work,which eventually broughthim to Empire
He laughs,“Igot seasick. Thecrewhad a good time with that.” Today, he livesjusta half mile down the
canalfromthe dock.The fleet is part of his dailylife, especially during theseason.
AJob That NeverReallyStops
Devillier oversees Westbank’s 12 menhaden
fishingvessels and24smaller purseboats
Each onedepends on complex systems workingtogether: engines, generators, refrigeration, hydraulics, radar, autopilot, steering controls,and onboardelectronics
“The main enginesare critical,” he says “But refrigerationisjust as important. If that goes down,you have seriousproblems.”
During theoff-season, work is planned andpreventative. Majorcomponentsare inspected, worn partsreplaced, andupgrades installedtoimprove reliability. In season,it becomesreactive, with hisphone ringingat allhours from captains andcrews offshore.
If avesselcannotreturntodock, he will load partsand head outona responder boat to fix theissue at sea. Thegoalissimple: keep crewsfishing.
“That’swhere thecrewmaketheir money,” he says.“Nottiedupatthe dock.”
Over theyears,hehas takenon responsibilities once handledbyoutside contractors. As olderspecialists retired, he shadowed them andlearned theirtrades. Nowhemoves seamlessly from diagnosing agenerator problemtorepairing asteering system to coordinating engine work
“It’sconstantproblem-solving,” he says “You switch disciplinesall daylong.”
Respectfor theCrews
Devillier is quicktopoint outthatwhile
he workslonghours,the crewsoffshoreface even tougherconditions. They operateheavy equipmentinheat, humidity,and roughseas, oftenfor days at atime.
“Whattheydophysicallyout thereishard, he says.“We rely on each other.”
When boatsstayout fishingbecause of a repair,mostpeoplenever know howclose they were to shutting down.Thatquiet successis part of thejob
He also values theculture of thecompany
Many employees aresecond-orthirdgeneration fishermen.Fathers andsonshave worked side by side fordecades,passing down knowledgethatcannotbelearned from a manual
“Thisisn’t just ajob people pass through,” he says.“It’s families.”
WhyItMatters
In lowerPlaquemines Parish,economic opportunitiesare limited. Themenhaden industry remainsone of themostconsistent employersinthe area,offeringindustrial wageswithout requiringfamiliestorelocate.
“Ifthisindustry contracted –orworse still closed –there’snothingdownheretoreplace it,” Devillier says He points to localgrocery stores,small businesses,fuelsuppliers, andmarine vendorsthatdependonsteadyemployment from thefleetand plant. Theimpactstretches beyond thedockand ripplesthrough the parish economy. Thejobssupport mortgages, tuitionpayments, church donations, and Little League teams.
ForDevillier,the industry hasmeant
stability. He nowownsa home near thecanal, wherehis children fishoff thedockand watch theboats pass.Heand hiswifeare raisingfour children,one alreadyincollege
“Thisjob meanseverythingtomyfamily, he says.“It’s howweprovide.”
Workinginthe menhaden industry has taught himresilience, adaptability,and teamwork.Ithas also allowedhim to builda life in SouthPlaquemines,close to thewater andclose to home
As long as theboats arerunning, Devillier planstobethere to keep them that way–becausewhenthe menhaden fleetruns, families work,businessesstayopen, and SouthPlaquemines keepsmovingforward
Miller Veith
Knatzer Thibodeaux
Paschal
Matthews Dysart
Bigner
Dang
Motley Fool
Broughttoyou by theLouisiana Commercial FishingCoalition,LLC
BY JONAH MEADOWS Staff writer
The war with Iran has prompted the most dramatic fuel price increases the United States has seen in years.
The price of diesel fuel on the Gulf Coast rose by nearly 29% during the first week in March, the largest single-week spike since the U.S. Energy Information Administration began tracking the data in 1994.
As of Tuesday the price in Louisiana was averaging $4.83 per gallon, up from a prewar price of less than $3.49.
And experts say if Iran continues to blockade the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of the world’s fossil fuel traditionally flows, the shock to the supply chain will likely intensify Louisiana is the nation’s secondlargest petroleum refiner and one of the nation’s top 10 crude oilproducing states, two factors that keep prices lower than in many other states. Still, the nature of the global energy market means that it is not immune from disruptions to the supply chain on the other side of the world.
For this week’s One Big Question, we asked local business owners from different sectors how higher energy prices are affecting their day-to-day operations.
Answers have been edited for clarity and length.
KATIE JENSEN
CEO, Triton Stone, New Orleansbased importer and distributor Stone is heavy and it’s imported from all over the world, so we rely on a lot of transportation. When fuel and energy prices increase, it increases ocean freight and it increases our trucking costs. And that’s just to get the stone into our warehouses. On the other side, when we de-
ONE BIG QUESTION
increased energy costs affected your business?
liver the material to our customers, we’re dealing with increased transportation costs domestically The challenge is that these costs ripple through the industry faster than we can adjust. It means constantly paying attention to where freight is going. In some cases, we have to adjust pricing to keep our projects affordable for our customers, but it’s a very, very quick reaction. Diesel prices, in some of our markets, have gone up over 50%. So we have to consider charging delivery charges. Are we going to do a fuel surcharge? Is this going to be a week in time? Is it going to be a month?
Is it going to be six months?
The uncertainty is a very big challenge to manage.
TROY HENRY
Managing partner, Henry Consulting, New Orleans owner of gas stations and convenience stores
It’s unfortunate that as the cost of fuel goes up, we essentially have to pass that on to our customers. And the higher the pricing is, the more of a pain it is for our customers. At our gas stations, we don’t like to see increased prices because it alters demand, which alters the volume of fuel that we sell. In the other companies that I own, I see
a similar ripple effect. Customers have less cash to buy other items and do other things.
So, it’s inflationary, dampens demand for the goods and services that my companies provide and is challenging for our customers.
SINESIO CANSECO
Founder, Canseco’s Markets, Metairie supermarket chain with six locations
That’s just the way that it works. I have not seen it happen yet, but I think in another week or two, you will start to see the prices go up a little bit.
ROBBY TRAHAN
Co-owner, Falcon Rice Mill, Crowley
Higher fuel costs affect everything transported to and from the mill. It’s concerning, I’ll be honest. When you’re dealing with commodities, you have to make decisions that are so far out. You want things as steady as possible.
PAUL LELEUX
CEO, Acadian Kitchens, maker of Cajun’s Choice Premium Blend and Ragin’ Cajun products
Shipping costs haven’t increased yet, and shipping companies have not announced any surcharges yet. Hopefully, this is a short-term blip and it’ll be over before it becomes a problem. It’s still very early and I think everybody is taking a wait-and-see approach. If this protracts over a longer term, it may have some downward impact.
TODD WAGUESPACK
CEO, Level Homes, Baton Rougebased homebuilder I don’t think it’s going to directly affect our bottom line. My prediction is it will end before everybody starts passing the cost along. What drives cost increases in our business are interest rates and insurance. The media is blowing this out of proportion.
Adam Daigle contributed reporting for this story
Email Jonah Meadows at Jonah. Meadows@theadvocate.com.
We haven’t really seen the effects yet In the past, when fuel prices have gone up, the transportation companies put a fee on bringing stuff to your store. It could be $10 a delivery or $20 a delivery — it depends how high the price of gas or diesel hits. Then, when the gas goes down, they take that charge off, and probably all your groceries will go up a little bit.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ALTAF QADRI
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of Property at CozumelDr & Siegen Ln: This property consists of Lots 1-A, 4-A, 2and 3ofthe DelRey PlazainSec.37, T7S, R1E &Sec.58, T7S, R2E,
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• Minimizeoravoid death tax.
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• 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.”
Research eyes if GLP-1s may lessen colon cancer risk
Louisiana doctor says new data on medication looks promising
BY MARGARET DELANEY Staff writer
Recent data suggests people taking GLP-1 drugs may develop colorectal cancer less often than those taking aspirin, a medication long studied for its potential protective effect.
While the findings don’t show causation, they are prompting important conversations about whether GLP1s’ impact on inflammation, metabolism and weight could play a role in cancer risk
Dr Jonathan Mizrahi, a gastrointestinal medical on-
Mizrahi
cologist at Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center in New Orleans, said while aspirin is currently considered to be effective in reducing the risk of colon cancer, the GLP1 data looks promising. Daily lowdose aspirin use is associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer and is considered a promising prevention method and associated with a 20% to 30% reduction in the inci-
dence of colon cancer, particularly for individuals with elevated risk factors or specific genetic profiles. Long-term use — typically five years or more — is required to see a significant reduction in risk, according to the National Institutes of Health.
While once recommended more broadly, current evidence suggests that the benefits of daily aspirin for colorectal cancer prevention often must be weighed against the risks of serious bleeding.
ä See RESEARCH, page 3X
While the findings don’t show causation, new research is prompting important conversations about whether GLP-1s’ impact on inflammation, metabolism and weight could play a role in cancer risk. The injectable drug Ozempic is one such medication.
Study links screen time to smaller vocabularies in children
BY MIRIAM FAUZIA
The Dallas Morning News (TNS)
Screen time has long been a concern for parents, child safety advocates and others, particularly in the early years when a child’s brain and language skills are developing. New research from Southern Methodist University adds another piece to that debate, examining how digital media use may be linked to the kinds of words toddlers learn — and the
family factors that shape how much screen time kids get. Here’s what the research says and what it could mean for families trying to support language development when screens are part of everyday life. By age 2, four in 10 U.S. kids have a tablet, rising to 58% by age 4, according to a 2025 survey by children’s advocacy group Common Sense Media. The survey found that children younger than 2 average 63 minutes of media use
per day, which includes about four minutes a day watching short-form videos such as YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels and TikTok. This shift has prompted researchers to look more closely at what screen use means in the earliest years. At SMU, assistant professor of psychology Sarah Kucker has focused on how media use relates to language development in young kids. When she began her work more than a decade ago, most studies centered on television with
predictable, routine programming, such as Saturday morning cartoons; far less was known about learning from phones and tablets, where content is on demand anytime across countless apps and platforms. Kucher began with a basic question: How is the learning process when children are watching from a mobile device? “So if they want to learn a new word like duck, then learning it as a real object that you can touch is different than if it’s a
picture of a duck on the phone,” she said. In a study published in November, Kucker and her colleagues surveyed more than 380 caregivers of children ages 17 to 30 months about their child’s word use and how much video or TV the child watched. After accounting for the child’s age, overall vocabulary and socioeconomic status, the researchers found that toddlers
ä See SCREEN TIME, page 2X
Experienced Cancer Care
GETTy IMAGES PHOTO By SVITLANA PIETUKHOVA
Recent data suggests people taking GLP-1 drugs may develop colorectal cancer less often than those taking aspirin, a medication long studied for its potential protective effect.
ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By DAVID J PHILLIP
Engineers developing edible ‘robot’ capsule
Device could diagnose, treat diseases
BY KARL HILLE
The Baltimore Sun (TNS)
BALTIMORE What if you could swallow a tiny robot that could diagnose, monitor and treat health issues in your gut without scheduling an uncomfortable or timeconsuming outpatient procedure?
Researchers at the University of Maryland’s A. James Clark School of Engineering are developing a smart capsule to revolutionize how doctors practice medicine in the intestinal tract.
“These capsules have the potential to change lives for the better — even save lives. Our team’s work to develop smart pills that can sense, communicate in, and interact with complex biological environments will redefine the way we diagnose and treat ailments,” Reza Ghodssi, professor and MATRIX Lab executive director of research and Innovation, wrote on the university’s website.
The technology is still in
development, but Ghodssi imagines a day when the smart pill, about the size of a multivitamin, can check tissue health, identify potential cancers and send data to a doctor It could even inject
medicines into the intestinal wall, or take a tiny biopsy sample before passing harmlessly out of your body Godssi wrote in the article
“Tomorrow’s Smart Pills will Deliver Drugs and take
Experts discuss how to know if a home needs a water filter
BY KIKI SIDERIS
Associated Press
U.S. tap water is generally safe and high quality But that doesn’t mean every glass tastes the same, or that every building’s plumbing delivers identical water to the faucet.
That uncertainty has fueled a booming market for water filters, from simple pitcher models to multithousand-dollar reverse osmosis systems Yet experts say most American households don’t need extensive treatment. The challenge is knowing how to decide whether you need a filter.
Under the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Environmental Protection Agency sets health standards for more than 90 contaminants in public water systems, including chemicals and microbes. Utilities treat water with disinfectants like chlorine to kill harmful germs before it reaches homes. Most public utilities meet those standards and most Americans can safely drink from the tap.
“Unless you’re experiencing health impacts, you’ve got a notice from your water system or there’s a credible media story saying your water is unsafe, you shouldn’t feel the need to get a filter,” said Gregory Pierce, director of the University of California Los Angeles’ Human Right to Water Solutions Lab. “You’re still welcome to because it might make your water taste a little bit better, but it shouldn’t be considered necessary to have a water filter in 90-plus percent of the United States.”
Here’s how to check your
SCREEN TIME
Continued from page 1X
who watched more video tended to say fewer bodypart words, such as nose or arm, and more words for furniture and people, such as mom, friend or girl.
“A lot of times, those first words are going to be nouns and objects that they touch and they feel,” Kucker said, adding those words can help set the stage for building sentences and learning more complex language.
But the finding of children learning more people and furniture words was unexpected because previous research suggested that more digital media time is associated with fewer face-to-face interactions and therefore fewer opportunities to learn these kinds of words. In another study published
local water quality, when water testing makes sense and how to choose a filter that addresses your concerns without wasting money
Water quality
Start with your utility’s annual Consumer Confidence Report, which details detected contaminants and whether the system meets federal standards. These reports are typically available on a city or utility website. You can also contact your provider directly with questions. Water systems are generally only responsible for the water until it reaches private property meaning water quality can vary by building
For many, those reports may be enough reassurance. Still, some consumers want more certainty, especially in older buildings.
“You should probably test your water to identify if you have a risk that you need to treat,” said Jess Goddard, chief science officer at the environmental testing company SimpleLab.
Private wells have different maintenance and safety needs because they are not regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act and monitoring them is the responsibility of the homeowners. The EPA is among the agencies offering resources for people with private wells.
Testing kits can cost a couple hundred dollars or more, depending on what contaminants they screen
Here’s how testing typically works: You order a kit, collect a water sample following the instructions and mail it to a certified lab.
The lab analyzes it for specific contaminants, including a group of chemicals known as PFAS, microplastics, metals and disinfection byproducts, and provides a report.
If testing reveals a serious issue, Pierce recommends contacting your water utility or state environmental agency for guidance. If testing reveals high levels of contaminants, the solution may go beyond installing a household filter Officials may recommend temporary alternative water sources, like bottled water, or infrastructure upgrades, like pipe replacement.
If there’s not a problem serious enough to require those measures, a filter may help.
Choosing a filter
People should consider what their filtration goals are and what different filters can do. The EPA advises that many household activities like flushing toilets and washing clothes don’t require treatment, so cooking and drinking are typical uses to consider Most filters carry ratings by the nonprofit organizations NSF and American National Standards Institute. Common NSF/ANSI ratings include 42 for taste or smell concerns, 53 for health effects and 401 for emerging compounds. An NSF database allows people to search by product name or what compound they want to reduce.
“Not every filter is good for everything,” said Sydney Evans, a science analyst who led a water filter testing project at the Environmen-
in October 2025, Kucker and her colleagues found the caregivers’ temperaments, and that of their child’s, influences digital media use and thereby language learning. The researchers surveyed
more than 460 caregivers of children ages 17 to 30 months and followed a smaller group of families a year later They found caregivers who scored higher on conscientiousness one of the “Big Five” personality
Biopsies” in the publication IEEE Spectrum. To day, smart pills equipped with a video camera, lights and a transmitter are a routine tool in intestinal health, he wrote. They
can also measure acidity, temperature and gas concentrations. The version under development can track biomarkers, including hydrogen sulfide gas, neurotransmit-
ters like serotonin and dopamine, and other signals that shed light on gut health and disease progression. Delivering medicines exactly where they are needed could improve effectiveness and minimize side effects, Ghodssi wrote. The technology would go beyond passive monitoring, as the autonomous capsules would sense conditions, make decisions and trigger appropriate actions. Research teams around the country are working on similar technologies, he wrote, especially to solve the problem of providing a safe and compact power supply A Binghamton University team in New York is exploring microbial fuel cells to generate electricity from probiotic bacteria in the gut. At MIT, researchers have used pig stomach fluid to power a battery And at UMD, they are exploring methods to harvest energy throughout the capsule’s digestive system journey Further testing will seek to prove that Ghodssi’s capsules are safe, reliable and offer benefits beyond existing technology
tal Working Group. “And even if there’s a filter out there that does absolutely everything, maybe you don’t need it.”
Many households use filters not because of safety concerns, but because of taste or odor, “which really do impact people’s enjoyment or sense of confidence in their drinking water,” Goddard said.
In those cases, a basic carbon filter, like many common pitcher models, can be effective. Activated carbon reduces chlorine and byproducts that form when chlorine reacts with natural organic matter in the water Those byproducts are expected in treated water, said Samantha Bear, a senior research analyst at SimpleLab. Even when levels are below federal limits, she said she and her colleagues filter their tap water — not because the water is unsafe, but to reduce long-term exposure.
Even people who live outside of areas with high levels of PFAS contamination may be concerned about their presence. PFAS is an
traits referring to a person’s tendency to be organized, self-disciplined and goal-oriented reported that their children spent less time with digital media. This, in turn, was linked to higher vocabulary scores.
“We also found that children who are very fussy, what we call high negative affect, tend to have higher rates of screen time,” Kucker said. “This could be that they ask for it, or the parents use it to calm them down. But when you have higher rates of screen time, you have lower language.”
Some studies suggest that when adults watch a program with a child, a practice known as co-viewing, it can support engagement with the content, rather than children watching passively But what Kucker and her colleagues found was that even when children watched with an adult or watched educational media,
abbreviation for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. The Environmental Protection Agency says that filters can reduce PFAS levels, but urges people to contact their local water service provider as an initial step if they have concerns. Lead is another contaminant that can often be beyond the capabilities of filtration systems. But the EPA notes that no level of lead is safe, so people may want to use filters even where alternative water sources or pipe replacements aren’t recommended.
Treatment systems
Pitchers, refrigerator filters and faucet-mounted systems treat water at the point of use — where you drink or cook with it. Undersink systems and reverse osmosis units also treat water at the tap but may require professional installation.
Whole-home systems treat water at the point of entry, meaning water is filtered before it’s distributed throughout the house. These systems are typically more expensive and often require
the relationship between screen use and vocabulary did not change. In the October 2025 study that followed families over time, children who spent more time with digital media at age 2 tended to have smaller vocabularies at age 3, regardless of the child’s temperament or the caregiver’s personality traits.
So how should parents think about screen time in everyday life? Kucker suggested a few approaches.
First, use age as a guide, Kucker said. The American Academy of Pediatrics discourages digital media for children younger than 18 months, except for video chatting. For children 18 to 24 months, the association recommends choosing highquality educational content and using it together with a caregiver
For children ages 2 to 5, the American Academy of Pediatrics advises limiting
professional installation. They’re generally used for issues that affect all household water — like hardness, high iron levels or certain volatile compounds — rather than contaminants that originate in plumbing. Beyond filtration systems, some homes use water softeners to reduce the presence of minerals that can build up and damage plumbing, though these systems don’t remove most other contaminants. Less common in homes are distillation systems, which boil water and condense the steam to remove minerals and some contaminants. Most households don’t need whole-home or distillation systems unless they’re dealing with a specific, documented issue, experts said. Maintaining and changing your water filter matters, too, because the cartridges can lose effectiveness or allow bacteria to build up if they aren’t changed according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
“Otherwise they may do more harm than good,” said Pierce, the UCLA scholar
screen time to about one hour a day of high-quality educational programs. Kucker recommends coviewing with your child and discussing the content with them, even if they are too young to respond. Offline, take the opportunity to use real-life events or outings to engage language skills.
“If you’re watching a video, connect what’s in the video to real life,” she said. “When you’re grocery shopping, narrate as you’re going, saying, ‘Oh, here’s the banana, do you see it? It’s yellow Here’s the milk.’ That’s the kid’s class, that’s when they are learning the words. They are getting it because you are talking to them.”
Miriam Fauzia is a science reporting fellow at The Dallas Morning News. Her fellowship is supported by the University of Texas at Dallas. The News makes all editorial decisions.
UMCP/TNS IMAGE By CHAD SMITH
An illustration shows Professor Reza Ghodssi’s non-invasive, ingestible capsule that uses wireless technology to provide information to diagnosticians in real time.
DREAMSTIME/TNS PHOTO
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JOSHUA A. BICKEL
An under sink water filter operates March 9 in Cincinnati Experts say most American households don’t need extensive treatment, but the challenge is knowing how to decide whether you need a filter
Eat Fit LiveFit
UGH TT OY OU BY
BRO
UThriving through change: howresilienceshaped one woman’shealthier life
Chronic obstructivepulmonary disease, orCOPD,isthe fifth-leading cause of death in the United States. It is the cause of morethan 150,000 deaths each year,accordingtothe U.S. Centers for Disease Controland Prevention.
COPD slowly damages air sacs in the lungs, decreasing airflow and making it difficult to breathe.
Louisiana had the 12th-highest percent of adults whoreported COPD in thecountryin2024, averaging 8% of adults reported to have COPD.Only four Louisiana parishes fell belowthe nationalaverageof6.5%
These parishes had the highest percent ofadults with chronic pulmonarydisease, in descending order:
n East Carroll Parish with 12.7%
n Madison Parish with 11.8%
n Claiborne Parish with 11.6%
n Bienville Parish with10.8%
n Tensas Parish with 10.7%
RESEARCH
Continued from page1X
The use of GLP-1 receptor antagonist therapy has led to agreater reduction in colorectal cancer incidence thanhas been observed withaspirin, accordingto researchpresentedatthe ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium 2026. The study was based on data obtained from the TriNetX database,which includes records for approximately 150 million patients throughout 106 health systems. Patients includedin the analysis were aged 18 to 90 years betweenJan. 1, 2000 and Jan. 1, 2024.
n Concordia Parish with 10.5%
n Avoyelles and Franklin parishes with 10.4%
n Morehouse and Webster parishes with 10.3%.
These parishes had the lowest percentofadults with chronic pulmonarydisease, in ascending order:
n Ascension,West Feliciana and St. Tammanyparishes with 6.1%, n St. Charles Parishwith 6.2%, n Jefferson Parish with 6.5%, n East Baton Rouge, Orleans and West Baton Rougeparishes with 6.6%, n Lafayette Parish with 6.7%, n St. James and St.John the Baptist parisheswith 6.8%
n Bossierand Plaquemines parishes with 6.9%.
COPD symptoms include difficulty catching breath, wheezing,chest tightness and having achronic cough.
The researchers used propensityscore matching to matchpatients usingGLP-1 therapy to thoseusing aspirin.
Among eligible patients, roughly150,000 were receivingGLP-1s and 3million were receivingaspirin
Overall, the incidenceof colon cancers among users of GLP-1s was approximately 36% lower thanamong aspirin users, thestudy found.
“Thatis likely duetothe GLP-1s use to reduce inflammation,”Mizrahi said. “Excessinflammationisknown to speedupthe development of cancer cells, particularly coloncancercells.” The going theoryis: GLP1s reduce inflammation, therefore reduce the risk of
certain cancers.
But, more research is necessary to prove this ongoing theory.Asofnow,professionals seethe cancer-GLP-1 connection as a“correlation, nota causation,”according to Mizrahi.
“Ideally,there would be a large study comparingpeople using GLP-1’stothose who use aspirin and watchingfor thedevelopment of colon cancer,” Mizrahi said. “I’mnot sure of the likelihood of aspecific study on this taking place.”
There is also an element of timeand resources that aren’tavailable.
“Studies take years to become applicable in the clinic,” Mizrahi said. “If we want results in 10 or 15 years, we
Feeling better mentally and physically made it easiertocarefor herselfinmore basic ways, too. Stress, she realized, had been quietlyrunning theshowfor years. At home, that shows up in thekitchen as much as anywhere. She cookswithher kids and usesthe time to teach them about food and health. They make sourdough bread, butter and kombuchafrom scratch.She emphasizesfresh, wholefoods andlimits processedfoods.“It’s notaboutbeing rigid,” she said.“It’s about giving our bodies what we actually need.” Today, Arceneaux’s life looks steadier as she’sbuilt systems that support her through routines, meaningful work, time withher kids and consistent mental health care. “I’mnot 100percentthere. But I’mina much better place than Iwas. And I’mproud of that.”
needed to have startedyesterday.”
Mizrahi,aGLP-1 user himself, saidthe recentstudies anddata analysis have made him more confident to recommend the weight lossdrugs to
his patients —many of whom worry over long-lasting effectsoftaking the drug.
“For the right patient, GLP-1s aresafe to use to reduce both inflammation and weight,” Mizrahi said. “And,
so far,the morewelearn about GLP-1s, the morebenefits we find.”
EmailMargaret DeLaney at margaret.delaney@ theadvocate.com.
TheLouisiana Health section is focused on providing in-depth, personal accounts of health in the
and reexamining
Health editions will also profile people whoare advancing health for the state of
Do youhavea health story? We want to hear fromyou. Email margaret.delaney@ theadvocate.com to submit health questions, stories and more.
Presbyterian volunteerprogram in N.O. helps young adults servebeyondcomfort zones
BY JOY HOLDEN Staffwriter
LukeKellett didn’tplan on staying in Louisiana. He was only supposedtovisit for one yearonassignment with the Presbyterian Young Adult Volunteer program.
Nearly two years later,New Orleans is his home.
Originallyfrom Cincinnati, Kellett spendshis days tendingtoa garden, cooking food for community meals, volunteeringata food pantry,working at aclothing bank, helping to direct amemory care program for people withdementia and more.
His experience is not the New Orleans most visitors see, but it’s reflective of ayear with the Presbyterian Young Adult Volunteer program.
“These young people arehelpingmeetother people’s needs, said LivThomas, theinterimdirector of the program. “In reality, as is often the case with mission work, it is the people whoare doing mission work whoare most often served —and theirhearts and mindsare changed.”
Making NewOrleans home
The PresbyterianYoungAdult Volunteers have had apresence in New Orleans since Hurricane Katrinain2005. Theprogram and housing is usually built around eightvolunteers,but this year, fivevolunteers were assigned to the CrescentCity,and fourremain. The volunteers live together in avolunteerhouseand work throughout thecity.
One of their main responsibilities is the community garden, Okra Abbey,located in the Pigeon Town neighborhood Director of Okra Abbey, Benji
Brubaker,also brings volunteer andnonprofitexperience to the community.A graduateofTulane, Brubakerserved ayear in the AmeriCorps VISTAprogram and worked in St.Bernard, near New Orleans, for ayear.Then, Brubaker then spent time as aVISTAco-
ordinator and partofthe Tulane Center for Public Service.
“The common thread through all of this is believing that all people are worthy of dignity and having their basic needsmet,” Brubaker said.
Brubaker noted that the Young AdultVolunteersare the backbone of the operation.
“They help prepare allthe foods. They help harvest from our garden. They help cook for ourGrace andGreenscommunity meals on Wednesdays,” Brubaker said.
“What I’veseen consistently is that they just fuse into theculture of Okra Abbey.”
For Kellett, thatphilosophy plays out in practical ways. He works at the site on Mondays andWednesdays, alongwith two other volunteers, Claire Turney andDre Collins. Now,Collins is transitioning to full-time staff at theAbbey as histerm winds down.
Thelifeofavolunteer
As membersofthe Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) service corps, Young Adult Volunteers partner with the PresbyteryofSouth Louisiana and follow several guiding principles and requirements during their11-month term.
The coretenets of the program are intentional Christian community, simple living, cross-cultural mission, leadership development through faith in action and vocational discernment.
Thevolunteers work at their placements35to40hours aweek. They meet with their community twice aweek for meals and spiritualpractice. One Saturday a month, the volunteersconductan activity together that is aservice,
ä See VOLUNTEER, page 1Y
Lessons learnedfrom bigsurprise in thedark
Iknew if Ihad any shot at feeling well throughout the week, Ineeded the medicine. My husband offered to go. He’sthe kind of guy who volunteers for practical things, but this was, in theory,his birthday trip —and he was already in bed. Last Sunday had gone slightly sideways from the start. Iwoke feeling crummy.Myhusband and I picked up medicine on our way out of town, headed toward ayurt in the Texas Hill Country By 11:30 that night, we were both in bed inside the yurt when I remembered that the bag with the medicine my doctor had ordered was in the car.Iput on my shoes to go get the meds. It was ashort 40yard walk through the dark. Ididn’tthink athing about it. Most of us don’t—until we do. The yurt where we were staying was in aremote area near the Blanco River outside Wimberley, Texas. It’sthe kind of place people go to unplug, read books and rememberwhat real darkness looks like. Ilove real darkness, and the night sky was abig part of the appeal of the experience for me.
Igrabbed my phone as aflashlight and headed to the car.The path was short and obvious. I stepped into the dark with the confidence of someone who believes she understands her surroundings. Let me emphasize the rural Hill Country’sdark. It is not neighborhood dark. On clear nights, this is adarkness that makes all the stars shine bright overhead, but my phone’slittle flashlight did the trick as alight source. Ireached the car without incident, found the medicine bag and turned around to head back, phone flashlight on and still in my hand.
That’swhen Isaw it.
For that split second, my brain and my eyes didn’tseem to be working together,but very calmly, Isaid to myself, “That’samountain lion walking by.”
It crossed my path about 12 feet in front of me
It was moving the whole time. Not toward me.Not away from me.Itwas simply crossing the path Iwas about to take, heading east. It walked like agiant house cat with aplace to go. It just walked on by like it knew exactly where it was going, paying me no mind.
As it stepped, Isaw its muscle ripple in its left hind leg. Isaw its tawny-colored fur.Itwas absolutely silent. Even though Icould see it stepping, Icouldn’thear athing. It camefrom the dark and went into the dark as Istood there frozen. After it passed, Ithought, “I think I’ll go inside.”
Ibegan making noise and waving my armstomake myself look as big as possible —and walking back to the yurt.
When Iwalked back in, my husband said, “What on earth was all of that about?”
As Itold him what had happened, my heart rate finally caught up with the moment.
We spent the rest of the glorious week there in the yurt. He drank coffee in the morning. Iate yogurt. We read books in the afternoons. He drew some. We cooked incredible meals and spent alot of time in the hot tub looking at the stars talking about all the things. We went for walks —inthe daylight and we listened to awhite-winged dove from dawn to dusk.
When Itold the people who run the yurts about the mountain lion, they said that no one staying there had ever reported seeing one before. Research is the way Iprocess things —soIspent alot of
PROVIDED PHOTOS
LukeKellett, aPresbyterian young Adult Volunteer,volunteers at Okra Abbey. He called NewOrleans homeafter aone-year visit.
LukeKellettand Dre Collinsserve roasted cauliflower from Okra Abbey at its weekly Wednesdaycommunal meal, Grace and Greens.
Hannah Mayo is the immediate past president of the Lafayette Area Music Teachers Association. The organization provides professional development, performance opportunities andcommunity support for area music teachers. She holds two music degrees inpiano from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. She has taught piano independently since 2006.
Each year,the Lafayette Area Music Teachers Association hosts aholiday playathon fundraiser to support the organization’s Save Our Students Fund —a disaster relief program that supports students and teachers affected by natural disasters across Louisiana and beyond. The association also runs theLafayette Area Piano Teachers Memorial Fund in cooperation with UL that funds a scholarship for apiano student at the university What role does the associationplayin
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cultural or educational experience. They live on restricted budgets that emphasize shared resources and necessities.
Thomas, aBaton Rougenative, nowleads the program. Former director Dan Lang recently moved to Lafayette. Thomas said she has learned alot during her time leading thePresbyterian Young Adult Volunteer program.
Thomas said the year can be tough emotionally, physically and spiritually —but still, she considers it to be worthwhile She spent ayear volunteering with asimilar program in Baltimore.
“I found it to be very challenging, yet very instructive and formative in positive ways, too,” she said. She considers her work as interim director as ahigher calling.
“I am certainly older than them and in adifferent stageof life, but not so much that Ican’t access deep empathy for the stage of growth and development that they’re in,” Thomas said.
She said that she believes the most important aspectofthe work is being emotionally available to the volunteers —tolisten, check in and supportthem. Servingneighbors
The Presbyterian Young Adult Volunteer program started in the early 1990s as an ecumenical,faith-based year of service for young people (ages 19–30) in sites across the UnitedStates and around the world. Volunteers work with local agencies to addressroot causes of povertyand promote reconciliation.
supporting music teachers and students in theregion?
We are alocal affiliate of both the Louisiana Music Teachers Association and the nationalMusic TeachersNational Association
Theorganization consists of independent music teachers from Lafayette but alsothe surrounding areas including Opelousas, Broussard,Youngsville and St Martinville.Wehost recitals for thecommunity and also playing events forthe musicstudentsof theseindependentteachers to promote performance excellence and give studentsconstructive feedback on performances. We provide professional development opportunities, manytimes for free. We try to host an annual workshop for teachers. The last two years, we starteda recital featuring the musicofunderrepresented Black composers, which is also free and opentothe public. What aresomeofthe benefits of ateacher joining?
First, afinancial benefit. There aregrants that are available to members. They also have access to our stateand national organizations that offer free educational webinars, as well as apublication
Richard Williams, aPresbyterianminister wholivesinBaton Rouge, volunteered in 1999 with the program in the Philippines, working with ahealth care group that helped Indigenous residents in the mountains organize themselves fortheir ownhealth care and recognize traditional strengths of their own health practices.
He served anotheryear in Nashville,Tennessee, doing more social justice work around public education equality
“I got to see what life looks like when youdon’t have all the privilege and educationthat Ihad in the UnitedStates,” Williamssaid, “and obviously I’ve been trying to catch up to what God’sdoing ever since then.”
He went on to seminary,and then,in 2012, hebecame thedirector of the Young Adult Volunteerprogram, based in Louisville, Kentucky.Hedirected the program until 2020, when the COVID-19pandemic paused everything.
Duringhis tenure,the program averaged 70 to 90 volunteers a year thatserved in 15 to 25 different sites, eitheraround the U.S. or globally
Williams credits the volunteer program with instillinga deep compassion for others within him and other volunteers. The Presbyterian Young Adult Volunteer motto is “a year of service for alifetime of change.”
Williams says themotto is more than an adage.
“The year of service looks like serving neighbors who a lot of peoplehave never had the chance to knoworbeclosewith —and seeinghow that changes you,” Williams said.
Q&A WITH HANNAH MAyO LAFAyETTE AREA MUSIC TEACHERS ASSOCIATION MEMBER
that hascontinuingeducation tools.
It’saverydedicated community,soyou can find peoplethatget you excited about your job and help you to keep going as amusic teacher,whichcan be very challenging sometimes.
What advice would you giveparents who are considering starting their child in music lessons?
If you’re going to payfor private music lessons, think about what youimagine for your kids musically and try to find ateacher that bestaligns withthat
If your goal is for your child to become acompetition-winning piano player,find ateacher who does that. If your visionistomake sure your child is happy and playinganinstrument for therest of their life, find the teacher who aligns with that.
Whatare the benefits of achild playing music?
Thereare so many. With ageappropriate education models, music shouldstart at birth. From birthtoage 5iswhen thebrain’s
He said the experience changes thelives of many volunteerswho becomeinterested in living lives of serviceand develop adeeper faithfulness because they’ve taken that time and energy to get out of their comfort zone.
Safe space
TheNew OrleansYoung Adult Volunteersalso serve at Jefferson Food Bank, Berean Presbyterian Church, Lakeview Presbyterian Church, St. Charles PresbyterianChurch, Chinese PresbyterianChurchinKennerand the Labyrinth, adonation-based cafe supported by NOLA Wesley —Tulaneand Loyola’sProgressive Christian campus ministry For Kellett, theexperience has also been deeply personal. Through hisvolunteering, he has discovered aconnection to his heritage through the Chinese Presbyterian Church.
AdoptedfromChina andraised by aWhite family in Cincinnati, Kelletthad limited exposure to Mandarin and Chineseculture. His time with Chinese Presbyterian has been refreshing and life-changing.
HisworkatSt. Charles’s Aden Program,which offers fellowship and activitiesfor memory care patientsaswell as respite for thecaregiver,has revealed one of his passions and callings Brubaker says that Kellett understands what apastoral presence looks like. Kellett plans to stay in New Orleans and continue working with memorycare adults.
“This hasallowed me to have asafe space, to be able to explore what Iwant to do next,” Kellettsaid. “Tobeinthe communityistointegrateyourself. You’re there to listenand hear when there’sacrisisand understandwhat’s going on. You’re not there to change e verything.”
neuralpathways arereally forming and making lifelong connections.
The brain is constantly pruning, andifyou don’tactivate the wiring for music making and give littlechildren that opportunity, you’regoing to miss an important window
That’snot to say that music is notfor everyone your wholelife, but thatisanopportunity to really let achild claim their musical birthright.
What can parents do from birth to age5 to engagethose neural pathwaysfor music?
Theyshould playlotsofmusic at home. They should sing to their kids. If you can’tsing to your kids, speak rhythmically andexpressively.Face-to-facemusicalinteraction with your ownchild is the bestthing aparent can do.
What qualities do you think makeaneffective music teacher today?
Thebestquality in amusic teacher is someone who canmeet theirstudents where they are and then takethemasfar as theycan.
Youmeet a4year olddifferent-
ly than a10year old, andyou meet a10year old differently from a25 year old.You meet abusyfamily differentlythan youmeetafamily whoisactivelydedicated to lessons. Youmeet people where they areand thendoyour best to bring them along for the music learning ride
time reading about mountain lions in Texas. Ihad alot to learn. Until last week,Ididn’tknow mountain lions, cougars andpumas were the same animal. Thisfeels like something I should have learned earlier Now Iknow that it’snot surprising that no one else has seen one there —mountain lions generally make it their missionnot to be seen. However,they have been documented in that part of Texas for more than acentury,particularly alongthe nearby Blanco River Like so much in our lives, they are present, but rarely visible. Theirsurvival depends on not being noticed. Themore Ilearned, the more I found myself wondering about the mechanics of the moment. Ikept asking myself, “Did that really happen?”
I’m sure that the mountain lion hadalreadyregistered me —my footsteps, my flashlight, my predictable humanness —before Iturned
around. It had simply decided to continue on its way.The entire thing lasted seconds, but it felt much longer
When Iturned around, my light and Imay have been the surprise. We like to believe that short distances are insignificant, that being alone means being in control. Forty yards can feel like nothing —until it doesn’t.
Occasionally,something silent crosses directly in front of us and rearranges that thinking.
Iamnot inclined to assign grand meaning to the experience. Amountain lion was moving through its territory.Ihappened to be moving through it at the same time. We noticed each other.Then we went our separate ways. Still, the days since have felt different, and Ifind myself thinking about how muchoflife is lived in that space between the expected and the unknowable.
We check the boxes. We complete the errands. We assumeweunderstand the terrain.
And then, without warning, something reminds us that the world is far less predictable than we pretend.
STAFF PHOTO By JANRISHER
This portion of the Blanco River near Wimberley, Texas,has clear water and plenty of limestone to getfrom one side to the other
‘Accidental piano man’ helps preserve Shreveport’s music history
BY ELIZABETH DEAL Staff writer
Beloved Shreveport professional piano entertainer Winston Hall grew up on a middle-of-nowhere farm in central Texas, playing mediocre piano — not knowing it could ever become a career Hall has called Shreveport his community and his home for almost 20 years. The story of his circuitous path from his first piano gig while attending Angelo State University in Texas to landing a production office assistant job in the burgeoning movie industry in Shreveport in 2007 is documented in his 2022 e-book
Wrong Note Right: The Accidental Piano Man.” The story also features celebrity encounters, meeting his wife and stepping into the role of professional piano entertainer
Hall recognized the music history in Shreveport after touring the Municipal Auditorium.
“I remember being gobsmacked by the music history in that building,” Hall said. “I remember thinking, ‘Man there is so music history in this city’ that I just feel like wasn’t out there. At that time, especially, you had to really, really dig for it.”
The Municipal Auditorium, designed by architect Samuel Wiener and built in the 1920s, is a landmark Art Deco design
“I remember taking a picture with the Elvis statue, and I thought, ‘My gosh, Elvis. Elvis sang on this stage before he was really famous.’”
The “Louisiana Hayride” radio broadcast began there in 1948. Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Johnny Horton and Elvis were a few performers who went on to stardom. Locals James Burton and Jerry Kennedy also started there. There are many other famous musicians from Shreveport including Huddie “Lead Belly” Ledbetter, Van Cliburn, Kix Brooks and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. Hall recalls looking at a music history map with New Orleans, Tupelo and Memphis. Shreveport was cut in half.
“I remember saying at the time, ‘Wow, they’re figuratively not on the map, but they’re also literally
not on the map.’ And ‘Why do we not have a music museum? That’s a no-brainer of all no-brainers,’” he said. Hall started asking questions, setting up meetings and finding the movers and shakers in town.
One of the first personal actions he took was to begin giving tours of the Municipal Auditorium and talks about Shreveport’s music history
“And I want to make a very important point: There were many people who had done things before I came along to honor the music,” Hall said. “There were different entities and groups all doing things, but I felt like they never really quite meshed together It became this conversation about structurally reorganizing the city The biggest battle was convincing people that it was a fight worth fighting.
In 2024, along with Dan Gar-
ner and Bonne Summers, Hall started Louisiana Haywire to preserve the music, highlighting interviews, footage, photographs and music via a podcast, Red River Radio, and social media.
In 2025, Hall’s efforts were recognized with an invitation by Lt. Gov Billy Nungesser to represent north Louisiana on the Louisiana Music Commission a 15-member board with a mission to preserve, promote and elevate Louisiana’s rich musical heritage.
“The reason I advocate for Shreveport’s music history it’s not something that anybody anywhere else in Louisiana can claim, right? Elvis didn’t get his start on the Louisiana Hayride in New Orleans,” Hall said. “Hank Williams didn’t live in Lafayette He lived in Shreveport for a year and called it the best year of his life.” Hall is grateful that Shreveport
gave him a second chance on a music career and he wants give back. The solution to centralizing music history preservation may have been solved with the creation of the John Gale Horton Foundation in Shreveport, founded in 2025 by Jacob Donaldson. Hall and Donaldson met during one of Hall’s Municipal Auditorium tours.
“Honoring Johnny Horton here in Shreveport really matters because this is where his career exploded and where his sound was shaped and where he put down roots,” Hall said.
“Without question, his music influenced generations of artists.”
Hall serves on the board of the organization for the foundation which plans to create a music museum and musical heritage center and archives,
which he said will honor all of Shreveport’s musical story and legacy
“If you travel to any cities, they have showpieces. And you’ve seen them all, the Empire State Building in New York and the Arch in St. Louis Shreveport is very lacking in that association,” Hall said.
He thinks it’s important to have the Municipal Auditorium as a focal point.
“At the intersection of Common and I-20, there’s a big grassy area. What I want to put there is the world’s tallest guitar,” Halls said. You can see that spot from every direction on the interstate, a spot where it would drive conversation. And you could even put a little visitor center at the bottom where people zipping by can pull off and read a teaser about our music history.”
STAFF
PHOTO By JILL PICKETT
Winston Hall, right, and Chris Allen perform recently at 2 Johns Steak and Seafood in Bossier City
Celebrating Holi, the Hindu festival of colors
Tradition focuses on love, renewal and rejuvenation
BY DEEPA BHARATH Associated Press
Holi, widely known as the Hindu festival of colors, is a joyful annual celebration at the advent of spring with cultural and religious significance.
Typically observed in March in India, Nepal, other South Asian countries and across the diaspora, the festival celebrates love and signifies a time of rebirth and rejuvenation a time to embrace the positive and let go of negative energy For one of Holi’s most well-known traditions, celebrants clad in all white, come out to the street and throw colored powders at each other, leaving behind a kaleidoscope of pigments and joy Festivities with music, dancing and food ensue.
Holi is celebrated at the end of winter and the beginning of spring, on the last full moon day of the Hindu luni-solar calendar month of Falgun. The date of the festival varies depending on the lunar cycle. Typically, it falls in March, and this year’s celebrations officially kicked off March 4 — but festivities can last throughout the month.
In Baton Rouge, Colors of the World is hosting its Holi Festival 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. March 28 at Repentance
Park, 275 S. River Road. In Lafayette, Acadiana Indian Association is hosting the Lafayette Holi Festival 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 28 at Girard Park, 500 Girard Park Drive.
Hindu mythology and lore
In many parts of India, people light large bonfires the night before the festival to signify the destruction of evil and victory of good. Different mythological tales point to the reason behind this observance.
In one story, the king, Hiranyakashipu, ordered everyone in his kingdom to worship him and was irked when his own son Prahlad, a devotee of Lord Vishnu, disobeyed his command So he ordered his sister Holika who was immune from fire to take the child, Prahlad, into a bonfire while holding him in her lap. However when the pyre was lit, the boy’s devotion to Lord Vishnu protected him and left him unscathed while Holika, despite her immunity, burned to death.
In another southern India tradition, the event is known as Kama Dahanam to commemorate Lord Shiva burning Kamadeva, the god of love, with his third eye. It symbolizes the destruction of lust and other earthly attachments for a higher spiritual purpose, preceding the joy of colors.
Some also consider Holi a reference to Lord Krishna and his love for his beloved, Radha and his cosmic play with his consorts and devo-
tees called “gopikas,” who are also revered for their unconditional love and devotion to Krishna.
Festival of colors
On the day of Holi, entire streets and towns are filled with people who throw colored powder in the air Some fling balloons filled with colored water from rooftops and others use squirt guns. For one day it’s all fair game. Cries of “Holi hai!”
which means “It’s Holi!” can be heard on the streets. Holi has also been romanticized and popularized over the decades in Bollywood films.
The colors seen during Holi symbolize different things. Blue represents the color of Lord Krishna’s skin while green symbolizes spring and rebirth. Red symbolizes marriage or fertility while both red and yellow — commonly used in
ritual and ceremony symbolize auspiciousness.
An array of special foods are part of the celebration, with the most popular food during Holi being “gujia,” a flaky, deep-fried sweet pastry stuffed with milk curd, nuts and dried fruits. Holi parties also feature “thandai,” a cold drink prepared with a mix of almonds, fennel seeds, rose petals, poppy seeds, saffron, milk and sugar
In North America and in any country with a Hindu population, people of Indian descent celebrate Holi with Bollywood parties and parades, as well as a host of public and private gatherings. It is also common for Hindu temples and community centers in the U.S to organize cultural programs, friendly cricket matches and other festivities around the holiday
Community School model seeks to lift students, families
BEN HANSTEIN
Contributing writer
Editor’s note: This story, created by Ben Hanstein for The Maine Monitor, is part of the Solutions Story Tracker from the Solutions Journalism Network, a nonprofit organization dedicated to rigorous reporting about responses to social problems 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
On-site child care before and after school. Pantries stocked with snacks, toiletries, clothing, backpacks and footwear Dentists checking students’ teeth in the band room.
These are among the growing services local schools now provide to meet students’ basic needs.
“If you want children to thrive, you have to meet their basic needs,” First 10 Community School Outreach Coordinator Anita Stevens said. “We’re solution oriented.” Cape Cod Hill School, or CCHS, serves prekindergartners through fifth graders from five rural western Maine communities: Chesterville, Industry, New Sharon, Starks and Vienna. More than half of its students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Within Regional School Unit 9, Cape Cod Hill is the district’s most remote school, serving a sparsely populated area where distance makes delivering services especially challenging.
In 2022, CCHS secured a $25,000 grant from the Maine Department of Education to begin meeting needs that no other local provider could. What started with a food pantry and a few free after-school child care slots expanded in 2023 with the help of a $125,000 state Department of Education Community School grant.
“I think they saw how popular it was,” CCHS Principal Carol Kiesman said. Cape Cod Hill School is one of a half-dozen Community Schools in Maine and the only one in western Maine. Kiesman described the model as more of a strategy than a single program. It was originally built around four major tenets — or “pillars” — that reinforce one another: integrating student supports; expanding time and opportunities for learning; actively engaging families and the commu-
nity; and sharing responsibility for student outcomes among staff, parents and community members. National advocates have since added two more pillars: community-oriented classroom instruction and maintaining a culture of safety and belonging.
The school has steadily expanded what it can offer families.
CCHS now hosts up to 40 students from 7 a.m. until 8:45 a.m., when the school day begins.
The after-school program is capped at 25 slots, giving those students a place to stay until 4:30 p.m while their parents finish work.
The extra time before and after the school bell rings is critical, Stevens and Kiesman said. The nearest child care options are 20 miles away
In addition to helping keep students in classrooms attendance is a “huge goal” across the district, Kiesman said — the child care program helps keep families from leaving the area.
CCHS offers a range of after-school enrichment programs, from a craft club to a seed squad to an outdoor play group. Despite the expansion, demand has outpaced resources, leaving a constant waiting list for beforeand after-school care Kiesman said she follows up with families when students stop attending to confirm whether they still need the slot.
Transportation is another challenge Although the Community School funding from the state
Department of Education included money for busing, RSU 9 has not been able to provide drivers a common issue across Maine. Stevens said she organizes rideshares and other workarounds when possible.
Child care is just one cog in what Stevens describes as a big clock: Remove any piece and the whole thing stops ticking. The school’s food pantry has expanded to include weekend food supplies distributed through the RSU 9 pantry in Farmington, along with everything from daily snacks to Thanksgiving food baskets for families.
In winter, a Giving Tree offers clothing and other essentials and has become one of the school’s most popular supports.
There is also a clothing pantry, supplied by donations and a partnership with Apparel Impact, stocked with everything from galoshes to T-shirts to backpacks.
During last November’s parent-teacher conferences, paper bags of clothing were set out each labeled “size 8,” and so on — for families to take home.
If a family has a specific need, Stevens said she taps local organizations and businesses. When three students needed sneakers, the local Masonic Lodge stepped in to provide them and did the same when others needed sweatpants. She has also had success securing gift cards from Walmart, Hannaford and other businesses.
The district contracts with behavioral health providers who
come directly into the school to meet with students with a wide range of needs. Without in-school visits, Kiesman said, most families seeking services would not receive them.
“Most families get put on a waiting list and then wait forever,” she said.
“They wouldn’t receive services,” Stevens agreed.
Another service the school offers is a pop-up dental clinic that comes a couple of times a year Hygienists arrive in the parking lot and roll their equipment into the band room, where students with permission slips meet them for cleanings and checkups. At the most recent visit, the clinic saw 20 students — enough that it expanded from the band room into the music room That access is particularly important, said Maria Watson, the school nurse, because it can take months to secure primary dental appointments — even for families who have the means to get their child there.
“I’d love to get some eye support in here,” Watson said.
Eyeglasses are one thing, but getting students in front of an optometrist is far more difficult.
For Watson, tending to student health can now mean arranging the delivery of heating oil, getting a family’s car repaired, running a monthlong challenge that encourages healthy habits (eat your vegetables and win a basketball hoop) or sending water bottles home to promote better hydration.
“‘We don’t do that’ really isn’t an option,” Watson said.
In many cases, Watson’s support does not draw directly on Community School resources, but the model still gives her a framework for delivering services effectively across a wide geographic area. While much of the Community School model is geared toward students attending classes at CCHS, organizers have also worked to support families that homeschool. When parents drop off their child for an in-school offering such as gym class, they can now wait in a former staff room that’s been converted into a lounge equipped with computers, a printer and books — rather than sitting in their car
Stevens’ office is in the family den, which gives her a good opportunity to check in.
Kiesman said she is convinced the model is producing positive results at CCHS, but sustaining it is the biggest challenge
The First 10 funding that brought Stevens into the district in 2024 is set to phase out in March. The larger state Department of Education Community School funding stream is also designed to taper from $125,000 in 2023 to $75,000 in 2024 and $50,000 last year
“Funding is fading out, but the need is not,” Stevens said. “The need is growing.”
Kiesman and Stevens appeared before the RSU 9 board of directors in early February, winning approval to apply for a $23,750 grant from the Fisher Charitable Foundation to support staff hours later in the school year
The board also approved having CCHS apply for $50,000 in state Department of Education Community School funding for the 2026-27 school year.
Stevens’ thinking now extends beyond meeting student needs to shoring up future funding for the program. In addition to pursuing grants, she is exploring possible collaborations with the Children’s Task Force’s 21st Century program, which supports other district schools but not CCHS.
She is also considering a sliding-scale model in which participating families would contribute financial support.
“We’re leveraging any and all possibilities to make the whole system work,” Kiesman said, adding that she wants the program to continue. “We need to be sustainable to keep this thing going.”
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By RAJESH KUMAR SINGH
A child with cerebral palsy attends Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, at an event organized by the Trishla Foundation in Prayagraj, India, on March 1.
PHOTO PROVIDED By BEN HANSTEIN
Community School coordinator Anita Stevens, left, and Principal Carol Kiesman stand in a ‘family den’ at Cape Cod Hill School. The space is designed for use by families and includes computers, books and a printer
SUNDAY, MArch 22, 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 — LitiGAnts: LIH-tihgents: Those involved in a lawsuit Average mark 46 words Time limit 60 minutes
Can you find 68 or more words in LITIGANTS?
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
wuzzLes
Important extra chance
North’s three-spade bid showed a potentially useful hand. He would have bid four spades with a very bad hand and a spade fit South cue bid once in case North had extra values and settled for a small slam when North signed off in four spades He won the opening diamond lead with his ace and saw that there were 11 top tricks The obvious chance for a 12th trick was to take the heart finesse. South saw a significant extra chance and he took advantage of it.
He cashed the ace of spades at trick two and then led the six of spades to dummy’s king, preserving the three of spades as a later entry to dummy’s five. He led a low club and inserted his 10 when East played low! That won the trick, so South crossed to dummy in trumps and took the losing heart finesse. Making six!
Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
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: FAMOUS HISTORICAL PEOPLE
(Example: Commonly known as the “Father of His Country.” Answer: George Washington.)
FRESHMAN LEVEL
1. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language.
Answer________
2. His formula E = mc2 has been called “the world’s most famous equation.”
Answer________
3. One of his famous quotations is “Veni, vidi, vici.”
Answer________ 4. He led the United States through the American Civil War.
Answer________ 5. One of his nicknames was “The Little Corporal.”
It would not have helped East to play the queen of clubs on the first round of the suit. South would have taken his ace and led the 10 of clubs, setting up dummy’s jack for a heart discard. Had the 10 of clubs lost to West, South would have ruffed the likely diamond continuation and cashed the ace of clubs, on the slight chance that East had started with a doubleton honor If nothing good happened in the club suit, South could still have crossed to dummy in trumps and taken the heart finesse. Very well played!
ARIES (March 21-April 19) Believe in yourself, your ability and your desire for peace of mind Direct your strength, wisdom and experience to self-improvement and building a solid base to house your heart and hopes.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Seek help from those with more knowledge and experience, and you’ll make a lasting connection. Too much talk and not enough action, giving in to temptation or neglecting to share will cost you.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Take the path that leads to knowledge, experience and the wisdom to make the best choice. Put your energy to work for you and take are of unfinished business.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Change requires willpower time, effort and action. Look around you and draw strength from what you observe. Say no to extravagance and yes to a waste-free lifestyle. CANCER (June 21-July 22) Use your head. Come up with a plan and do your best to see it through to completion. Take care of your responsibilities to avoid criticism. Choose to make a proactive, peaceful push forward.
VIRGO (Aug 23-Sept. 22) Be receptive to suggestions and ready to align what you receive with what you can achieve. Embrace partnerships with equality in mind, and happiness will find its way into your heart. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Choices, temptation, uncertainty and consequences are apparent. Discipline will be necessary to avoid letting someone suck you into their dreams. Do what’s best for you.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Stay away from those who try to rule your life. Protect your home, your health and your financial wellbeing. Choose love over discord, and you can thrive.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Avoid crowds, travel and situations that create uncertainty Use your intelligence, clout and connections to harness your desires and get the most out of whatever you pursue.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Keep the momentum and money flowing in a
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Emotions will cloud your memory Don’t lose sight of the past. The best route forward is one that takes past mistakes into account. Let your experience guide you into a free and prosperous future.
direction that offers greater security and safety Avoid emotional decisions and spending that promise the impossible and fall short. PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) How you earn and manage your money will lead to unexpected opportunities. Deal with authority figures to ensure you have complied with rules and regulations and achieved the best results.
1. William Shakespeare. 2. Albert Einstein. 3. Julius Caesar. 4. Abraham Lincoln. 5. Napoleon Bonaparte. 6. Muhammad.7.QueenVictoria. 8. Charles Darwin. 9. Thomas Jefferson. 10. Alexander theGreat.11. Charlemagne 12. Aristotle. 13. Henry VIII. 14.The Buddha (SiddharthaGautama). 15.Karl Marx
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: Family has alwaysbeen the number oneprioritynomatter what happens anywhere else. —Gloria Estefan
Crossword Answers sCrAbble
jeFF mACnelly’sshoe/ by Gary Brookins &Susie MacNelly
