The Advocate 03-29-2026

Birds take flight at Rockefeller RefugeinGrandChenier on March 17. Researchers at the CameronParish refugetrack the movement of ducks and geese, manyofwhichare experiencing population decline. But therefugeitselfisvanishing

TRACKING HABITATS

In CameronParish, Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge fights to protect waterfowl, butislosingground

BY AIDANMcCAHILL Staff writer

Scooter Trosclair punches his airboat through asoil patch into an openingof brackish marsh. As the boat cutsthrough bitter coldfront air,there’saneruptionoffluttering wings. He’s gliding through Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, 26.5 miles of protected Gulf coastline in Cameron Parish, that during the winter,becomes one of the state’s densest waterfowl populations —home to around 200,000 ducks, geese and coots.

It’smid-March, and the chorus of quacks is small compared with afew months before. Most of the mallards, pintails, white-fronted geese and snow geese have gone north for spring, though manyblue-winged teal,mottled and black-belliedwhistlingducks remain.

“Usually this whole flat, the sky will be black,” said Trosclair.“January,December, you couldn’tput another bird in here.”

Among Trosclair’smost daunting tasksasthe Rockefeller program manageris protecting it from coastal erosion and land loss.Since the1910s, when Tabasco heir E.A. McIlhenny purchased theland and soldittothe Rockefeller Foundation, the refuge has lost more than 15,000 acres to the Gulf.

Trosclair,50, grewupin surrounding GrandChenier He began working on the

ä See HABITATS, page 4A

Higher ed leadersOK three-year bachelor’s degree

Students will ‘get to work ayearfaster’

BY HALEYMILLER Staff writer

Louisiana last week became the latest state to joina burgeoning trend in higher education: the three-year bachelor’sdegree. The credential, shortened to “AccB,” is more than an associate degree,yet it requires 30 fewerhours in the classroom than atraditional bachelor’sdegree. It has been describedbythe state’s highereducation leaders as “efficient,” “lean” and “responsive” to industry as wellasthe evolving expectationsplaced on collegesand universities.

“Students can get to work ayear faster,” said Liz Beard, provost and vice chancellor foracademic affairsatLSU at Alexandria, whereLouisiana’s first twodegrees in the accelerated model will be offered. “That’sa cost saving. That’sbeing respectful of our students andour graduates’ time andthe commitmentittakes to be afull-time student.”

The Louisiana Board of Regents approved Tuesday the addition of the stripped-down bachelor’s to its list of degrees.Itispart

ä See DEGREE, page 6A

ban on prop bets

Scrutiny comesafter several high-profile scandals

BY ALYSE PFEIL Staff writer

Major gambling scandals and reports of threats against athletes have led to renewed questions about the effects of sports betting —and, in particular,prop bets.

Now,Louisiana lawmakers couldsoon wade into thedebateoverwhether those bets should still be allowed. Prop bets are wagers that gamblers place on aspecific event or occurrence during a game, rather than just on the final outcome. They wouldbeoutlawedunder Senate Bill Lawmakersto

ä See BETS, page 6A

Paul Link, aresearchprogram managerwiththe Louisiana DepartmentofWildlife and Fisheries,dumps rice as bait for blue-winged teal ducks at Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge.

STAFF PHOTOSByLESLIEWESTBROOK

BRIEFS FROM WIRE REPORTS

Train, van collide in rural Mississippi; 5 killed WIGGINS, Miss. Five people were killed when a train and van collided in rural Mississippi, authorities said Friday

All five killed were in the van, Stone County Coroner Wayne Flurry said. The lone surviving van passenger, a 23-year-old woman, was flown to a hospital, Flurry said. No one aboard the train was reported injured

The crash occurred when a Canadian Pacific Kansas City freight train collided with a vehicle in a crossing, the railroad said in a statement. The location was near Wiggins, about 45 miles northwest of Biloxi.

2 dead, 7 others injured in Tenn. school bus crash

HUNTINGDON, Tenn. — A school bus crash in west Tennessee on Friday killed two students and injured at least seven other people officials said.

The crash involving a Tennessee Department of Transportation dump truck, a Chevrolet Trailblazer and the school bus took place at about noon on Highway 70 in Carroll County, said Maj. Travis Plotzer, a spokesperson for the Tennessee Highway Patrol. Plotzer said details of the crash were still being sorted out, but it appeared that the transportation department dump truck did not contribute to the crash itself.

Plotzer said there were a total of 25 students and five adults on the bus. The school bus was carrying students and employees from Kenwood Middle School in Clarksville for a field trip to Jackson, Tennessee, the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System said in a statement. The cause of the crash was under investigation.

Officials said at least seven other people were taken by air ambulance to hospitals in Tennessee. The nature of their injures was not immediately disclosed Plotzer called the crash “a parent’s worst nightmare. French police thwart suspected bombing

PARIS French police have thwarted a suspected bomb attack outside a Bank of America building in Paris, authorities said Saturday One suspect was detained and another escaped

The national anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office, or PNAT, told The Associated Press that it has opened an investigation into alleged terrorism-related offenses.

The suspected offenses include attempted damage by fire or by a dangerous means, the manufacture of an incendiary or explosive device, the possession and transport of such devices with the intent to prepare dangerous damage, and involvement in a terrorist criminal association.

RTL radio, citing police sources, reported that the incident took place early Saturday when police officers spotted two suspects carrying a shopping bag near the premises of the Bank of America in the 8th arrondissement of the French capital. One of the suspects, holding a lighter, was attempting to ignite a device, RTL said, while the second suspect managed to escape.

Nepal police arrest 2 ex-officials over deaths

KATHMANDU, Nepal Police in Nepal arrested former Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli early Saturday over the deaths of dozens of people during violent protests in September that toppled the government and resulted in new elections. Authorities arrested the powerful Communist Party leader at his residence on the outskirts of the capital Kathmandu They also arrested Ramesh Lekhak, the former home minister who has been accused of ordering authorities to fire on protesters. The arrests came a day after a new government headed by rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah took office following a landslide win in a parliamentary election by his Rastriya Swatantra Party Hundreds gathered near the prime minister’s office later Saturday to protest and demand that Oli be immediately released.

Reject idolatry of power and wealth, pope says

Leo XIV urges people of Monaco to use Catholic faith, money for good

BY PAOLO SANTALUCIA and NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press

MONACO Pope Leo XIV urged residents of the principality of Monaco on Saturday to use their wealth and influence for good and reject the “idolatry of power and money” that is fueling wars around the world

Leo made a one-day trip to the glitzy Mediterranean enclave, becoming the first pope to visit since Pope Paul III came in 1538.

Prince Albert and Princess Charlene met Leo at the Monaco heliport, just down the coast from the marina that is home to the megayachts of the rich and famous To celebrate his arrival, a cannon boomed in a ceremonial salute and boats in the marina sounded foghorns that at one point interrupted Leo’s remarks.

At the palace, members of the royal family stood in the courtyard to greet Leo, the women dressed in black and with lace head coverings. Charlene wore white — a protocol privilege granted by the Vatican to Catholic royal sovereigns when meeting popes, known in diplomatic terms as “le privilège du blanc.”

In his opening greeting from the palace balcony, Leo urged Monaco

to use its wealth, influence and “gift of smallness” to do good in the world. It was important, he said in French, “especially at a historical moment when the display of power and the logic of oppression are harming the world and jeopardizing peace.”

Speaking later in the cathedral, Leo urged Monaco’s Catholics to spread their faith “so that the life of every man and woman may be defended and promoted from conception until natural death,” he said. Such terms are used by the Vatican to refer to Catholic teaching opposing abortion and euthanasia. Monaco is one of the few European countries where Catholicism is the official state religion. Prince Albert recently refused a proposal to legalize abortion, citing the important role Catholicism plays in Monaco’s society

The decision was largely symbolic because abortion is a constitutional right in France, which surrounds the coastal principality of about 1 square mile.

But in refusing to allow it in Monaco, Albert joined other European Catholic royals who have taken a similar stand over the years to uphold Catholic doctrine on an increasingly secular continent.

A coastal playground for the rich

and famous, Monaco is renowned

as much for its tax-friendly incentives and Formula 1 Grand Prix as its glamorous royal family The son of the late American actress Grace Kelly, Albert spoke in perfect, unaccented English when he greeted Leo at the heliport. Leo was heard noting that he landed three minutes late.

Leo’s visit was designed to highlight how small states such as Monaco and the Holy See can punch above their weight on the global stage. Leo used his homily at Mass in the Monaco stadium to do just that, urging the faithful to reject the type of idolatry that has enslaved people in cycles of war and injustice.

Today’s wars, “stained with blood, are the fruit of the idolatry of power and money,” he said.

“Let us not grow accustomed to the clamor of weapons and images of war! Peace is not merely a balance of power; it is the work of purified hearts, of those who see others as brothers and sisters to be protected, not enemies to be defeated.”

Monaco’s population of 38,000 is heavily Catholic and multinational.

Many people flocked to the palace grounds to greet Leo, and some lined the streets to wave Vatican and Monaco flags as his open-sided popemobile passed by

Henry Lee, forensic scientist who testified in O.J. trial, dies

BY SUSAN HAIGH Associated Press

Henry Lee, the famed forensic scientist who helped bring modern crime scene investigation into the public spotlight through his involvement in highprofile cases like the O.J. Simpson murder trial, has died He was 87.

Lee “passed away peacefully” Friday at his home in Henderson, Nevada, following a brief illness, according to a statement from his family and the University of New Haven, where he taught for more than 50 years.

a thumb tip, a tooth crown and pieces of hair found near her home to help authorities make the case that Craft’s husband had cut up her body and disposed of it in a wood chipper Prosecutors were able to win a conviction despite having no body “Sometimes they compare me to Sherlock Holmes or Charlie Chan. Those are just fictional characters,” Lee was quoted as saying in a 2000 article, as he stepped down as commissioner of the Connecticut State Police. “In real life, the scientists, detectives and public have to work together We don’t get commercial breaks.”

Republic of Congo court confirms leader’s win and fifth term

BY LOUIS OKAMBA Associated Press

BRAZZAVILLE, Republic of Congo

—

The Republic of Congo’s constitutional court on Saturday confirmed President Denis Sassou-N’Guesso’s victory in the recent election, granting the 82-year-old leader a fifth term.

“The president Denis Sassou-N’Guesso is elected with 94.90% of the vote, representing an absolute majority,” said Auguste Iloki, president of the constitutional Court, at the end of the hearing. Provisional results announced March 17 by Interior Minister Raymond Zephirin Mboulou had already placed SassouN’Guesso in the lead with 94.82% of the vote.

Six other candidates challenged the 82-year-old for the top job in the Central African country that boasts one of the largest oil reserves in sub-Saharan Africa.

Two of his challengers had rejected the provisional results. One of them, Uphrem Mafoula, had filed an appeal with the constitutional Court seeking to annul the election. The constitutional Court on Saturday rejected the appeal.

The election is the latest in a trend of octogenarian African leaders clinging to power Sassou N’Guesso is the third-longest-serving African president, only behind Cameroon’s Paul Biya and Equatorial Guinea’s Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. Sassou N’Guesso, running for the Congolese Party of Labor first came to power in 1979 and ruled until 1992 when he organized the country’s first multiparty elections. He returned to power as a militia leader following a civil war in 1997.

A constitutional referendum in 2015 removed presidential age and term limits, allowing N’Guesso to run again.

The Republic of Congo is struggling with high international debt, which stands at 94.5% of its gross domestic product, according to the World Bank, and skyrocketing unemployment rates for young people More than half the country’s 5.7 million population lives in poverty and 47% of the country’s population is under 18.

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Lee

Lee rose to fame after his testimony in Simpson’s 1995 trial, in which he questioned the handling of blood evidence. He also served as a consultant in other well known investigations, including the 1996 slaying of 6-year-old JonBenet Ramsey in Colorado; the 2004 murder trial of Scott Peterson who was accused of killing his pregnant wife, Laci; and the 2007 murder trial of record producer Phil Spector

But Lee’s work drew scrutiny in his later years, with a 2023 federal court ruling finding him liable for fabricating evidence in a 1985 murder case that sent two Connecticut men to prison for decades. Born in China, the 11th of 13 children, Lee and his family moved to Taiwan where were he earned a degree in police administration and became a police officer and later a captain. He and his late wife moved to the U.S. in 1964, where he earned advanced degrees in forensic science and biochemistry

He first gained prominence for his work in Connecticut investigating the 1986 disappearance of flight attendant Helle Crafts — using tiny fragments of bone,

Lee continued to work on high-profile cases, but in 2020, a state judge vacated the 1985 murder convictions of two men who had been found guilty in part based on testimony about what Lee said at the time were bloodstains on a towel. Tests done after the trial, when the men were appealing their convictions, showed the stains were not blood.

A federal judge in 2023 said there was no evidence to back up Lee’s testimony Lee defended his reputation and work, denying that he fabricated evidence and suggesting traces of blood may have degraded in the 20 years between the crime and when experts for the defense tested the towel.

Lee ultimately spent much of his career based in Connecticut, including as head of the state’s forensic laboratory At the University of New Haven, he helped to build its forensic science program from a single fingerprint kit into a multidisciplinary academic department. Lee later helped found a forensics institute in his name at the school to train and provide case consultation to forensic and criminal justice professionals.

“Dr Lee was a remarkable individual,” University of New Haven President Jens Frederiksen said in a statement.

REUTERS POOL PHOTO By GUGLIELMO MANGIAPANE

Princess Charlene of Monaco, left, and Prince Albert II of Monaco, right, meet Pope Leo XIV at the Prince’s Palace during Leo XIV’s one-day pastoral visit to the Principality of Monaco on Saturday.

BR protesters gather for ‘No Kings’ march

BY QUINN COFFMAN Staff writer

Baton Rouge again joined in a national day of “No Kings” protests on Saturday, with hundreds of residents marching from A.Z. Young Park through downtown along River Road.

Under a cool breeze, protesters waived signs lampooning President Donald Trump and calling for action on a plethora of issues, both at home and abroad.

Some signs, like one that read “Only the Statue of Liberty Gets to Wear a Crown,” stuck to the broader “No Kings” message, which criticizes Trump for perceived oversteps in his role as the U.S.’s highest executive.

Others more overtly tackled a single issue, such as the war in Iran, the Epstein files, or in one case both: “War crimes don’t cover up sex crimes,” it read.

While the event was largely organized by Indivisible Baton Rouge, speakers from multiple other organizations led the crowd in chants before the march, including Students for a Democratic Society, Democratic Socialists of America and Mision Migrante.

The variety of signs, chants and organizations showed how the “No Kings” protests have acted as a catch-all for any opposition to Trump’s second administration.

Scott Sonnier, 42, volunteered as security for the event, bringing up the rear of the march downtown. A veteran of 10 years, Sonnier said he has done security for the Students for a Democratic Society on LSU’s campus before. He likes the security role, which lets him help other people to speak their thoughts, he said. But he still shared one thought with The Advocate: that this period reminded him of the years following the 9/11 attacks. Those attacks were what made Sonnier join the military in the first place. But

now, he said he and other veteran friends feel resigned that the U.S. has entered yet another Middle Eastern war

The march had a few hundred in attendance, with a seemingly larger crowd than October’s “No Kings” protest along Perkins Road. Multiple attendees said they believed each protest had gotten larger, with momentum growing against Trump rather than shrinking.

Ruckins McKinley, a 73-year-old retired hospital technology worker, said he believes more people are coming out as Trump makes unpopular moves both with foreign wars and at home.

“The country is quite different than the country from a year ago, two years ago,” McKinley said. “All of its major institutions have been gutted, and of course, Trump is attempting to marshal all of the power under the executive branch.”

Mary Mikell, a 71-year-old retired social worker, said that before Trump’s two terms she had higher expectations for how well America’s institutions could pro-

tect their own power against the executive branch.

“It seems that without the guardrails of freedom and due process and democracy, that we’re more expected to know these things on our own,” Mikell said. “We’re more expected to govern ourselves and can’t just expect the government to say yes you can, and no you can’t.”

“No Kings” has also become a movement known

somewhat for its zaniness. The Saturday march included demonstrators in now well-known inflatable costumes, and Mardi Grasthemed king and crown parodies of Trump. But among the colorful decorations, Mikell’s white sign had a simple message: “Morals Matter.”

Email Quinn Coffman at quinn.coffman@ theadvocate.com.

‘No Kings’ protests draw large crowds nationwide

Springsteen headlines Minn demonstration

BY MARK VANCLEAVE, STEVE KARNOWSKI, TODD RICHMOND and JOHN HANNA Associated Press

ST PAUL, Minn. — Large crowds protested Saturday against the war in Iran and President Donald Trump’s actions in “No Kings” rallies across the U.S. and in Europe. Minnesota took center stage, with thousands of people standing shoulder-toshoulder to celebrate resistance to Trump’s aggressive immigration enforcement. Minnesota’s flagship event on the Capitol lawn in St. Paul drew Bruce Springsteen as its headliner He and other speakers praised the state’s people for taking to the streets over the winter in opposition to a surge of U.S Customs and Immigration Enforcement agents. Springsteen performed “Streets of Minneapolis,” the song he wrote in response to the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents. Springsteen said the state’s pushback against ICE has given the rest of the country hope.

“Your strength and your commitment told us that this was still America,” he said.

“And this reactionary nightmare, and these invasions of American cities, will not stand.” People rallied from New

York City, with almost 8.5 million residents, to Driggs, a town of fewer than 2,000 people in eastern Idaho, a state Trump carried with 66% of the vote in 2024.

Organizers said more than 3,100 events — 500 more than in October — were registered, in all 50 states.

In Topeka, Kansas a rally outside the Statehouse had people impersonating a frog king and Trump as a baby

Wendy Wyatt drove with “Cats Against Trump” sign from Lawrence, 20 miles to the east, and planned to drive back to her hometown for a later rally there.

In Los Angeles, demonstrators marched beneath a floating inflatable caricature resembling a baby Trump wearing a diaper They also carried signs with slogans such as “War Crimes don’t hide sex crimes” and “Immigrants make America Great.” Outside the federal building in downtown, a crowd faced a line of California National Guard soldiers. GOP dismissive of protests White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson characterized them as the product of “leftist funding networks” with little real public support.

The “only people who care about these Trump Derangement Therapy Sessions are the reporters who are paid to cover them,” Jackson said in a statement.

The National Republican Congressional Committee was also sharply critical.

“These Hate America Rallies are where the far-left’s most violent, deranged fantasies get a microphone,” NRCC spokesperson Maureen O’Toole said.

Protesters’ list of causes Trump’s immigration enforcement push, particularly in Minnesota, was just one item on a long list of pro-

tester grievances that also included the war in Iran and the rollback of transgender rights. Speakers at the Minnesota rally decried billionaires’ economic power

STAFF PHOTOS By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Protesters hold their signs and wave their flags during the ‘No Kings’ protest at A.Z. young Park in Baton Rouge on Saturday.

Protester Hassan Elnagar walks with his sign held up during the ‘No Kings’ protest at A.Z. young Park in Baton Rouge on Saturday.

The bill in St. Paul also included singer Joan Baez, actress Jane Fonda, Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and a long list of activists, labor leaders and elected officials.

HABITATS

refuge in high school and has seen the area devastated by hurricanes: Rita in 2005,Ike in 2008, and Laura in 2020. With each storm, fewer people return, and most of the properties around the refuge are now hunting camps. His own employees have lost theirhomes three times in the past 15 years. With the nearest grocery store an hour away,it’sharder for him to find people to work in the remote area.

“Welostour applicant pool,” he said. “You also lost thetalent of people from here that understood thenature of the beast, of how to manage this stuff.”

Beyond protecting wetlands, Trosclairand asmall team of dedicated biologists conduct some of the most extensive waterfowl research in the world. It’sled by biologist Paul Link, a45-year-old North Dakotan, who has spent most of his lifefollowing the birds up and down North America —either in personorbyGPS tracking devices. Duringhis four years on Rockefeller, Link estimates he’stagged at least 45,000 ducks and geese on the refugeand surround-

PHOTOSByLESLIEWESTBROOK

An American cootskipsacross the water on March 17.

Manywaterfowl species are on asteep declineinLouisiana.

Scooter Trosclair biologist and program manager at Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge,talks about coastal restoration work on March 17.

cernedabout overalldeclining numbers, mainly because he’s seen it before

“Wehope we’re on thebottom of that cycle, and eventually it’sgoing to come back up,” he said.

Jason Olszak, waterfowl program manager for LDWF,

tracked among 297 females

—part of the largest waterfowl movement study in the world. One wintered in central Illinois, the other in Louisiana. The Louisiana bird slept barely 10 hours total over two weeks. The Illinois bird snoozed10hours nightly over the same period.

“You’re cracked out, you can’t even think straight trying to stay alive,” he said of the Louisiana bird.

“In Louisiana, we’re seeing that we’rehaving lower breeding propensity, lower fecundity, lowersuccess for our birds,” Link added. “They areataterrible disadvantage.”

Louisiana ducks also face much longermigration flights back north, made hardertotime by increasingly erraticweather patterns Mistime that flight,said Link, and birdsreturn to abarren wasteland. He’s baffled they still come to thestate in the numbers theydo. Many are simply programmed to fly over better wintering spots for thereliable wetland habitat. His studies aim to pinpoint exactly howLouisiana can do itspart in improvingconditions andunderstandhow bird behaviorischanging.

“Theywanttocome here,”

said Link. “If we did abetter job taking careofthe habitats here, they’d have better survival whenthey come back homeduring the spring.”

Limestone, levees andLNG

Trosclair and his staffmaintain more than 50 water control structures to regulate water andsalinitylevels for vegetation,along with200 miles of levees and aloch structure to keepsaltwater inundation at bay.

As Trosclair whips the airboat through the marsh, dumptrucks haul sediment to rebuild an old levee since overtaken by the tide. He pointstoa5.5-mile limestone barrier,fully completed on the beach in 2023. The rocks helpretainsediment pushed in by waves and new land began formingthere within months. Oyster grass now growswhere therewas once open water

The structure —whichTrosclair is working to secure funding to extend another 4.5 miles—has already attracted droves of fish and crustaceans. Nearthe barrier,a pair of dolphins breaches the surface.

Overall, $344 million is beingspent on current projects to preserve therefuge, cobbledtogether from fed-

eral,state andlocal governments, conservation groups likeDucks Unlimited, and privatecompanies, including the liquefiednaturalgas industry that has boomed in thesurrounding area. Trosclairtakes funding wherever he can finditand welcomes any industry that will bring people back to his home.

“Ifyou don’thavepeople here,there is no oneconcerned about the issues,” he said. “The statedoesn’t have the money.There are higher priorities. Youhaveto maintainthe hospitalsbefore you maintain the habitat for ducks.”

But the money hasn’t stopped Rockefeller’sfundamental challenge —atleast notyet. The refuge loses50 to 100 feet of marsh annually, with some areas losing up to 300 feet, Trosclair said. That poses dangers beyond waterfowl. Just 900 feet to the north lies La. 82. Past that, hundreds of thousands of acres of agricultural fields.

“All this marsh is entangled in so many different livelihoods, but it’sall related to culture, what we eat, what we produce, even how we act,” he said. “Butyou’reworking against the forces of nature in theGulf.”

By Amanda McElfresh| amcelfresh@theadvocate.com

Whilemanypeopleassociate doctors primarilywithexamrooms,proceduresor hospital visits,physicianstoday play amuch broaderroleinmodernhealthcare. At FMOL Health,doctors arenot only caregivers,but also leaders, collaborators, researchersand innovators workingtoimprovehow care is delivered.

“Asmedicinebecomes more complex, the humanelementsofcompassion, teamwork andleadership areessential,alongside clinical expertise,”saidDr. JamesCraven, FMOL Health Executive Vice Presidentand ChiefPhysician Officer. “Muchofaphysician’s work happens outsidethe OR,examroomorbedside.That includes reviewingclinicaldata, developing best-practice care algorithms,staying current onresearch,collaboratingwithotherspecialists, andmentoring residentsand medicalstudents throughour partnershipwithLSU Health.”

As oneofthe largesthealthcaresystems basedinLouisiana, FMOLHealthserves communitiesacross theGulfSouthasOur Lady of theAngels in Bogalusa,Our Lady of theLakein BatonRouge,Our Lady of Lourdes in Lafayette, St FrancisinMonroe andSt. Dominicin Jackson, Mississippi. FMOL Health is theleadinghealthcare provider for more than half of Louisiana’s population,aswellasthe largestmetropolitan area in Mississippi. Theworkisdonethrough a networkofhospitals,clinics,physician offices, elderlyhousing andintegratedsystems With such awide-rangingsystem, Dr Craven said collaborationiscrucial to positive outcomes.FMOLHealthphysiciansroutinely work acrossspecialties andlocations to manage complexcases.Meanwhile,academicpartnershipswithLSU,SouthernUniversity, Baton RougeCommunity Collegeand theUniversity of LouisianaatLafayette strengthen education andadvance research andinnovation–all of whichdirectlybenefits patientcare.

“Clinicalexcellenceisimportant,and it’s only part of it.You have to communicateclearly andkeeplearning, becausemedicineisalways changing,” Dr.Cravensaid. “The best physiciansadapt,but they also buildtrust with their patients andfamilies. And, empathyisjustas important. Taking thetimetounderstandwhat apatientisgoing throughand what mattersto them reallymakes thedifference.”

That commitment to compassion and continuous learning also shapes howFMOL Health physicians approach medicalinnovationsand advances.Byengagingincutting-edge research andexploring newtreatmentoptions, doctorsare able to pair empathywithscience, ultimately improvingoutcomesand expanding possibilitiesfor theirpatients

That innovation is on full displayatthe FMOL Health |Our Lady of LourdesBurn Center,where physicians tackle some of the most complexand rare casesinburncare. Providersare usingcutting-edgetechniquesto restorepatients’ skin andacceleratehealing, includingharvestingpatients’own skin cells andcultivating newtissueinthe labfor grafting when traditionaloptions arelimited.Inother advanced procedures,specialized skin cells aretreatedand applieddirectlytopatientsas spray-ongrafts,helpingtorepairextensiveburns

more effectively.These pioneering approaches areexpanding treatmentpossibilities and creating newpaths to healingfor patients with themostcomplex burn injuries

At FMOL Health |Our Lady of theLake Cancer Institute, theHematologicMalignancy Cell Therapyprogram is pioneering treatments such as autologous bone marrow transplants. In this procedure, doctorsuse apatient’sown stem cellstorestore healthyblood cell production afterhigh-dose chemotherapy.Dr. Craven said thetreatment is already offeringnew hope for patients with bloodcancers such as multiple myeloma.

“Researchgives patients access to new treatmentsand keepsphysiciansclosely connectedtothe latest advances in medicine That strengthensthe qualityand scopeofcare we provideand ultimately ensuresthatour patients benefit from both advanced science andexperiencedclinical teams,”Dr. Craven added. “Byparticipating in research,we’re ensuring patients in Louisianaand Mississippi have accesstoworld-class care close to home.” Some of that research is alreadybeing put into practice at FMOL Health,particularlyasit relatestotechnological advances.The Intellisep test wasdeveloped throughresearchatFMOL Health |Our Lady of theLakeand is nowused by emergencyroomphysicianstoaccurately identify patients at risk for sepsis.Thatmeans doctors canintervene earlier andprovide the rightcareatthe righttime, Dr Cravensaid. Throughout thes ys tem, physicians use advanced diagnostics,imaging andminimally invasive techniques each daytoprovide more precisetreatmentfasterthaneverbefore.

“These toolsgivephysiciansamorecomplete view of thepatient. They improveaccessto information,expandcareoptions andsupport greaterprecision in both treatmentand procedures,”Dr. Cravensaid.

However, he notedthatFMOLHealthuses theseemergingadvancementsascomplements to humanconnection, notreplacements. “Technologysupportscare, butitdoesn’t replace relationships. Ourphysiciansfocus on listening, understanding patientgoals andguiding decisionswhile usinginnovationtoenhance outcomes,” Dr.Cravensaid. “Thatbalance betweeninnovationand compassion reflects themission-drivenapproachofFMOLHealth. Ithink we will continue to seegrowthinprecision medicine,AIand digitaltools,along with stronger collaborationacrosshealthcareand academic partners.Evenwiththese advances, thephysician-patient relationship will remain centraltoquality care.”

FMOL Health joinsother healthcare organizationsinrecognizing physicians during NationalPhysiciansWeek (March 25-31) and National Doctors’ Day(March30).Visit fmolhealth.org to learnmoreabout FMOL Health or findalocationnearyou

DEGREE

of ongoing conversations between lawmakers, universities and the Regents about how to make higher education more aligned with labor market demand and guarantee students jobs — and strong wages — after graduation.

“We talked a lot today about how important it is that, as an enterprise, higher education is able to provide the workforce that Louisiana needs,” said Tristan Denley, deputy commissioner for academic affairs and innovation, at the Board of Regents meeting.

“We need to do it in ways that provide our campuses with flexibility and nimbleness.”

Louisiana is not the first state to opt for a leanand-mean version of the postsecondary credential.

Maine, Indiana and Utah have encouraged reduced bachelor’s programs to streamline the higher education-job market pipeline and save students money.

“This is something that is being looked at all over the country and some places have already adopted it,”

BETS

Continued from page 1A

354, which is on track to be considered in the Louisiana Legislature on Tuesday Live “micro-bets” on particular plays or actions during a game would also be prohibited under the measure.

Several high-profile NBA, MLB and NCAA sports gambling scandals came to light recently in which players intentionally underperformed to influence betting odds.

That undermines the integrity of the games, and banning prop bets could help address that, said Peter Robins-Brown, executive director of Louisiana Progress, a left-leaning advocacy group.

“People need to believe that every shot, every pitch, every pass, every handoff, every tackle is being done to serve the purposes of that team’s greater interest — winning the game,” he said But businesses that operate mobile sportsbooks argue that a legal, regulated sports betting market allows companies to catch problems by closely monitoring betting activity, flagging suspicious behavior and reporting bad actors to regulators.

“Blanket prohibitions of types of bets accomplish nothing, shifting activity away from regulated markets back to other settings, and eliminating integrity oversight that has caught bad actors and brought people to justice,” said Joe Maloney, president of the Sports Betting Alliance, which represents DraftKings, Fanatics, FanDuel, bet365 and BetMGM.

“Only a regulated framework, not misguided bans,

University of Louisiana system President Rick Gallot said. “I do think as higher ed evolves, we have to be flexible enough to embrace new technology, new ways of doing things.”

The 90-hour programs can face opposition from some higher education leaders and faculty who argue they are less comprehensive and more resemble a certification than a bachelor’s degree.

Pre-medical school and other majors requiring wide-ranging, demanding coursework are often cited as ill-suited to the reduced model.

“It certainly won’t be a one-size-fits-all and it will not be conducive for every program,” Gallot said.

Developers of the 90-hour curriculum say the degrees are equally in-depth as the 120-hour bachelor’s, requiring the same number of discipline-specific courses and general-education classes. The reduced course load comes from electives, LSUA Dean of STEM Nathan Sammons said.

“We are adding a new tool to the higher ed toolbox for several different career paths,” Sammons said. “There will always be a place for two-year

can safeguard consumers, uphold integrity, and deliver real accountability for Louisiana,” Maloney said in a statement.

Gambling activity is driven to underground and illegal platforms with no oversight when sweeping bans are imposed, the Sports Betting Alliance says. On the other hand, legal sportsbooks monitor bets in real time, track bettors’ identity, location and age, and collaborate with regulators, the group says.

“Legalized online sports betting did not create prop bets,” SBA said in a statement. “Prop betting will happen in Louisiana, whether it’s legal or not.”

High-profile scandals

Gambling scandals tied to sporting events have existed long before the recent proliferation of online sports betting.

But since the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018 overturned a sports betting ban, a wave of new controversies has come to light, including in recent months.

Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz in November were indicted on charges they took bribes from sports bettors to throw certain types of pitches, including tossing balls in the dirt instead of strikes, to ensure successful bets. Both have pleaded not guilty and a trial is scheduled for later this year

In October, Miami Heat player Terry Rozier was indicted for allegedly disclosing to friends that he would be leaving a game early when he was with the Charlotte Hornets in March 2023, prompting bettors to make successful “under” wagers on his prop bet values for

degrees, I think there will always be a place for fouryear degrees, but there’s been a place for three-year degrees for a while now, especially in industries that are rapidly shifting and as technology shifts with it.”

The new degree model

Only two programs, information technology and bioinformatics at LSU-A, have been established as accelerated bachelor’s programs in the state so far But other institutions said they will also explore using the shortened model.

“We embrace innovation and look forward to hearing from the campuses on po-

that night. Rozier has pleaded not guilty In January federal prosecutors indicted 26 people in a point-shaving and bribery scheme that involved NCAA basketball games between 2023 and 2025. Players were accused of rigging outcomes of the first half of games, among other charges. Several defendants played basketball for Louisiana universities.

The NCAA has since called for a ban on prop bets in college sports contests.

In a January letter to state gambling commissions, NCAA President Charlie Baker said the association has “deep concerns about the dangers collegiate sports betting poses to the health, safety and well-being” of student athletes. Prop bets should be banned due to the risk of players adjusting their performance to guarantee the outcome of a bet, requests to student athletes for insider information to manipulate betting markets, and increased reports of player harassment by bettors, Baker wrote.

The Sports Betting Alliance, however says that many recent integrity cases were caught because bets were placed in the legal market and ultimately flagged for leagues and law enforcement.

Prop betting harassment

Some college athletes also want to see prop bets banned for their games.

Student members of the Big Ten Conference Student-Athlete Issues Commission urged Baker to keep pushing for a ban.

They wrote in a February letter that prop bets expose college players to harassment on social media

where I see the accelerated degrees thriving.”

At LSU-A, students can begin taking courses in the 90hour majors as early as fall 2026, though they will not be able to declare the major officially until the following spring.

The programs require the final sign-off from LSU’s accreditation body, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, Sammons said.

tential programs that could utilize and benefit from” the 90-hour degree, Gallot said.

LSU system President Wade Rousse said in a statement that the programs will most likely be used by the regional campuses.

“At the flagship, we’ll measure excellence the way the world measures it, by becoming a top 50 research institution,” Rousse said “Professional program curriculums belong at the flagship, but as a system, our regional campuses also play an important role by housing programs that provide lower costs, shorter time to degree and speed to market for students. That’s

platforms and are “a direct avenue to the overwhelming number of death threats that student-athletes receive if they ‘ruin a parlay’ or cause a fan to lose their bet.”

An NCAA study looked at social media abuse during championship events for the 2023-2024 seasons, monitoring accounts of Division I players. It found that abuse related to sports betting and match-fixing allegations made up 12% of all identified instances.

And another NCAA study last fall showed that more than one-third of Division I men’s college basketball players reported experiencing social media abuse related to sports betting. Aside from harassment

Though the Board of Regents policy allows some flexibility with general education requirements, Sammons said LSU-A maintained the same required 39 hours for both its accelerated and conventional bachelor’s degrees.

The staff developing the accelerated programs was “fiercely protective” in keeping the well-rounded liberal arts education intact, he said.

“That’s one of the major concerns we had going into this,” Sammons said. “We don’t want to eliminate that breadth of learning that college is so good at providing — knowledge of our history, the ability to communicate, the ability to write, the ability to know a little bit about the natural history of this planet.”

and game-rigging concerns, some argue that the current era of sports betting and widespread smartphone use is contributing to other social ills.

Banning prop bets in Louisiana would help curb problems with gambling addiction, said Robins-Brown.

“Imagine somebody on their phone using the app where there’s essentially no friction, right, between you and being able to make a lot of bets in rapid succession in a way that looks and feels very video-game like,” he said.

Prop bets allow people to gamble on “play after play after play” during a game in a format that is “very addictive,” he said.

LSU-A’s reduction in credit hours comes from electives rather than the general education core, Sammons said. The free electives accompanying a traditional bachelor’s degree are not always efficient at preparing students for a career in their field, he said. “We’re keeping tight control over the courses that they take that are tailored specifically for them, and we’re letting loose courses that students might have chosen that might be loosely related to getting them where they want to be,” Sammons said.

The Board of Regents policy gives guidance that majors most fitting for the 90-hour model will be developed “in collaboration with industry partners, usually focused on a high-demand career field.” Beard said LSU-A evaluated fields experiencing both rapid technological change and job market growth when choosing which programs to offer with 90 credit hours. “This is higher ed done right,” Beard said. “It’s requestioning some of the traditional models and keeping the things that work, keeping that great core and foundation, but we’re not afraid to be innovative.”

“We’re just strong supporters of putting up some commonsense guardrails when it comes to the gambling industry and trying to protect consumers from being lured into this type of addictive behavior,” RobinsBrown said.

The Sports Betting Alliance says the companies it represents are committed to player safety and “invest heavily” in “responsible gaming technology.” Employees are trained to spot problem gambling, players can set self-imposed time and money limits, and players can put themselves on exclusion lists, for example. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

PHOTO PROVIDED By LSU AT ALEXANDRIA

Liz Beard, Cheryl Bardales, Nathan Sammons and Prakash Ghimire of LSU at Alexandria meet on Friday.

Dash Crofts, known for ‘Summer Breeze,’ dies at 87

BY HILLEL ITALIE and JOCELYN NOVECK Associated Press

NEW YORK Singer-song-

tumn sun / Should be dyin’ / But it’s only just begun.”

Like many bands of the era, Seals & Crofts sang of love, peace, music and the natural world. But the inspirations were rooted less in the counterculture than in the Baha’i faith, a monotheistic religion advocating global unity that they both embraced in the 1960s.

“It became a driving force in their careers and the way they lived their lives,” Faragher said.

Crofts

writer Darrell “Dash” Crofts, who teamed with childhood friend Jim Seals for such 1970s soft-rock hits as “Summer Breeze,” “Diamond Girl” and “Get Closer,” has died. He was 87. Crofts died Wednesday of heart failure at the Heart Hospital of Austin in Austin, Texas, said his daughter, Lua Crofts Faragher She said her father had been suffering heart issues for several years and had been hospitalized for about a month.

Seals and Crofts were native Texans who had known each other since high school and played together in various groups before becoming a duo, Seals & Crofts, in the late 1960s.

Blending pop, country, folk and jazz, they were part of a wave of million-selling soft-rock (or “easy listening”) bands that included America, Bread and Loggins and Messina.

“Summer Breeze,” “Diamond Girl” and “Get Closer” all reached the Top 10, while their other popular singles included “I’ll Play for You,” “Hummingbird” and “We May Never Pass This Way (Again).” The wide-eyed sentiments of the latter made it a favorite for high school yearbooks:

“Life / So they say / Is but a game and they’d let it slip away / Love / Like the au-

They worked Baha’i themes into their music — “Hummingbird” is a metaphor for the Baha’i prophet Bahaullah — distributed literature after their shows, and sometimes preached from the stage, including during a performance on “Tonight” with Johnny Carson.

“You start out writing songs like ‘the leaves are green and the sky is blue and I love you and you love me’ very simple lyrics but you grow into a much, much broader awareness of life, of love, and of unity,” Crofts told Stereo Review in 1971. “It’s really great to be able to say something real in your music.”

One Baha’i tenet, that the soul begins with the formation of the embryo, led to controversy In 1974, the year after the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision established the right to abortion, Seals & Crofts released the ballad “Unborn Child,” the title song of their new album. It was inspired by the wife of their recording engineer, who had seen a television documentary about abortion and wrote a poem with such lines as “Oh tiny bud,

that grows in the womb, only to be crushed before you can bloom.” Numerous radio stations refused to play “Unborn Child” and protesters picketed Seals & Crofts, although the album was certified gold for selling 500,000 copies.

“I think we got more good results out of it than bad,” Crofts later told the St. Petersburg Press, “because a lot of people called us and said, ‘We’re naming our children after you, because you helped us decide to save their lives with that song.’ That was very fulfilling to us.”

By the early 1980s, softrock bands were out of fashion and Seals & Crofts had been dropped by its label, Warner Bros. They broke up for a time but continued to appear together at Baha’i gatherings, while also recording on their own.

“There’s not a time that we performed that we didn’t have hundreds of people coming up and expressing their love and often saying the music changed their life,” Faragher said.

“There were so many people who loved them,” she added. “They were a constant service to mankind.” She said that her father’s death, a few years after that of Seals, marked the end of an era.

“That’s what makes it so painful that it’s the end,” she said. “But the music will always, always live on.”

Darrell George “Dash” Crofts was born in Cisco, Texas, in 1938 and was singing and playing music from an early age, eventually learning piano, guitar, drums and mandolin.

He met and befriended

3 killed in helicopter crash in Hawaii

By The Associated Press

HONOLULU

A sightsee-

ing company’s helicopter crashed near a remote beach off the coast of the Hawaiian island of Kauai, killing three people and injuring two others, authorities said. It was the latest in a series of fatal crashes that has plagued the industry for decades.

The helicopter was carrying one pilot and four passengers when it crashed Thursday afternoon just off

Kalalau Beach, the Kauai Fire Department said. The beach is on the Na Pali Coast on Kauai’s North Shore, an area that is otherwise reachable only by hiking or boat. The area’s geography of tall seaside cliffs and sharp mountain ridges can contribute to turbulent air and quick weather changes that pose hazards for aviation.

Kauai Police Chief Rudy Tai said two of the people who died were Margaret Rimmler 65, and Patrick

Haskell, 59, both of Massachusetts. Notification of next of kin is pending for the third, he said. He declined to provide details on survivors’ conditions.

The helicopter was operated by Airborne Aviation, which does sightseeing tours of Kauai’s canyons, shoreline and waterfalls. Airborne advertises a “doors-off thrill seekers adventure tour” that seats up to four people. There have been no tours since the crash.

Seals when both were teenagers and in a local rockabilly band, the Crew Cats. By the end of the 1950s, they had moved to Los Angeles and joined The Champs, best known for the early rock hit “Tequila.” Seals and Crofts would later briefly play in a band led by Glen Campbell, and join another California group, the Dawnbreakers, whose members included Crofts’ future wife, Billie Lee Day

Although they performed on the same bill as Eric Clapton and Deep Purple among others, they were turned off by the volume and the lifestyle of hard-rock performers and honed a gentle sound. Seals & Crofts released their eponymous debut album in 1969, and soon followed with “Down Home” and “Year of Sunday.”

Their commercial breakthrough came in 1972 with “Summer Breeze,” which

featured a chorus that ranked with a contemporary hit, the Eagles’ “Take it Easy,” as a definition of post1960s escapism: “Summer breeze makes me feel fine/ blowing through the jasmine of my mind.”

“That was the beginning of bigger concerts, bigger crowds and we kept getting hits in the Top 40,” Crofts told the podcast “Inside MusiCast” in 2021. “That cemented us in the music business.”

FirstUnitedMethodist Church of BatonRouge is preparingtowelcome thecommunity forHolyWeek andEasterservices centered on hope,renewal and connection during atimewhenmanyare feelingthe weight of stress anduncertainty “Lifecan be hard,and things seem extrahardright now,”saidFirst United MethodistSeniorPastor Rev. BradyWhitton.“There’sa lotofdivisioninthe world. Thereare wars goingon. People areworried aboutthe economy. It seemslikepeoplehavealot of stress andanxiety.The good news is that Easter is a time to remember that God’spower is greater than thebrokennessand darkness in theworld.”

Rev. Whittonsaidhehas beenthinking often abouta favorite quoteabout Easter:“With God, theworst thingisnever thelastthing.” That has inspired messages of hope andresurrectionthat willbeatthe heartofFirst United Methodist’sHoly Week andEasterservices, whichare designed to welcomeeveryone— from first-timeworshipersto long-timemembers FirstUnitedMethodist will offer severalopportunities forworship leadinguptoEasterSunday. Thechurchwillholda Maundy Thursday serviceat 7p.m.April 2inthe sanctuary, commemoratingthe LastSupperand includingthe traditional stripping of thealtar.OnGoodFriday, April3,anoonservice will take placeinthe sanctuary, whilea 6:30 p.m. servicewillbeheldinpartnershipwithWesley United MethodistChurchand center around the SevenLastWords of Jesus.

An Easter Vigilgathering will take placeat6:30 p.m. Holy Saturday,April 4, offering areflective experience around acampfire,centeredonthe themes of lightand renewal.

“Tome, thewhole Christiancalendarisabout living with Jesusashis storyunfolds.These services arewaysfor people to journeywithJesustowards thecross andtowards Easter,” Rev. Whittonsaid.

On Easter Sunday,April 5, FirstUnitedMethodist will celebratethe resurrection of Christ with multiple services,beginning with ayouth-led sunriseservice at 6:30 a.m. at Rhorer PlazaindowntownBaton Rouge. Attendees areencouragedtobring alawn chairorblanket Laterinthe morning, traditional services will be held in thechurch’ssanctuary at 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. This year’s Easter is especially meaningful as thesanctuary marksits 100thanniversary. The services willfeature thechurch’sorgan,choir and

traditionalEasterelements, includingliliesand hymns. Forthose whopreferamoremodernworship style, acontemporaryservice willtakeplace at 9:45 a.m. at theAmerica Street location,featuring alive band andamorecasualatmosphere.

“I like to give people optionsand multiple ways to connecttoour communityand ourmessage,” Rev. Whittonsaidofthe differenttypes of services offered “It’sabout trying to meet people wheretheyare and in theformatinwhich they feel most comfortable. Thecommontheme is that allofour Easter Sunday services willcelebrate joyfulness andgoodnews. Rev. Whittonadded that it’s common to seenew facesatEasterservices,eitherguestswho arevisiting familyinthearea,localresidentswhohaven’tattended church in awhile or others whoare seekinga

HowHomelandSecuritydealunraveled

Thereseemedto be an agreement, untilthere wasn’t

BY STEPHENGROVES, MARYCLARE JALONICK and JOEY CAPPELLETTI Associated Press

WASHINGTON Forseveral hours Friday,inthe stillness before dawn, the Senate appeared to have finally figured outhow to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security before it faced the longest partial shutdown in U.S. history Senators handed House SpeakerMikeJohnson,RBenton, their deal and headed for the airports, seemingly confident of success. Then it collapsed. Spectacularly

An incensed Johnson marched out of his office Friday afternoon. He angrily rebuked the plan that the Senate had unanimously agreed to as a“joke.”

“I have to protect the House, and Ihave to protect the American people,” Johnson told reporters.

It was adramatic denunciation of adeal that his counterpart, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, RS.D., had negotiated after weeks of effort, and was the latestabrupt turn in afunding saga that has bedeviled top Republicans for much of the year

The collapse of the deal leaves Congress, now on a two-week spring break, with no easy wayout of the impasse that hasput DHS into ashutdown since mid-February.Italso has exposed arare rupture between the two Republican leaders in Congress, testing their alliancesasthey labor to move anotherset of President Donald Trump’s priorities into law beforethe November elections. Nothing ahead is likely to

Speaker of the House MikeJohnson, R-Benton, center speakswhile House Majority Whip TomEmmer R-Minn., right, andHouse Republican Conference ChairLisa McClain, R-Mich., listen during anewsconference Friday on Capitol Hill in Washington.

be easy

Howthe deal collapsed

Thune had negotiated for weeks with Democratic senatorsontheir demands fornew restrictionsonthe department’simmigration enforcementwork.Offers were traded severaltimes

Thetalks moved along at a stop-start pace. Votes failed again and again

ButasTrump made itclear Thursday that he wouldsign an executive actiontopay Transportation Security Administration workers, Thune andMinority Leader Chuck SchumerofNew York settled on adeal: It would not include funding for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and for U.S. Border Patrol, and would set aside Democraticdemands for new limits on the agencies.

Thunepointed outthat Congress had allotted money for immigration enforcement and he toldreporters that “we can get at least alot of the government opened up again and thenwe’ll go from there.”

Asked if he hadcleared the compromise with Johnson, Thune said thetwo had

texted

“I don’tknow what the House will do,” thesenator said early Friday as the deal came together

ButasHouse Republicans woke up to the news,their outrage was swift.

Rep.Nick LaLota, R-N.Y., saidthatona GOP conference call that morning to discuss their path forward,a fewdozen members ranging from moderates to hard-line conservativesspoke in oppositiontowhatthe Senate had done.

“The Senatechickened out,” he said. “The cowards there, only afew of them in the middle of thenight with Ithink only three to five senators present on the floor,chickened out because theywanted to go home for two weeks. We need to raise thebar.”

What’s next forGOP?

The bittersplit threatens to makethe job for Republican leaders more difficult as they try to advance their priorities while they still have guaranteed control of both chambers. Trump hassaid that legislation to impose strictnew proof of citizen-

Linespersist at some airports afterTrump signsTSA paymemo

BY MARÍA PAULAMIJARES TORRES

Bloomberg News (TNS)

Several U.S. airports advised travelerson Saturday to arrive at least fourhours before their flights because of long security lines even after President Donald Trump said Transportation Security Administration workers would be paid by tapping funds from his 2025 tax and spending bill.

The Department of Homeland Security shutdown continues with no end in sight, with Congress having leftfor atwo-week break after failing to agree Friday on a spending measure. Airports in Atlanta and Baltimore issued the four-hourwarnings while Houston warned of much longerthan usual waits.

House Republicans onFriday rejected bipartisan Senate legislation to enda partial government shutdown and fund most of DHS. Instead, they held alate Friday night vote on astopgap spending package that would have funded the department until May 22. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer hasmade clear that such ameasure is“dead on arrival” without new policiestorestrict Trump’simmigration crackdown.

Trump signed amemo Friday directing TSA personnel to be paid as he tried to allevi-

ate disruptions at U.S. airports, but it remains unclearhow much it will do to improve wait timesatsecuritycheckpoints, which have variedwidely at different airports.

The memo would cover back pay and paychecks going forward,according to the OfficeofManagement and Budget, but TSA workers remained skeptical about what would be delivered.

“We’re supposed to get our back pay,only nothingcontinuingon,”saidJillDeJanovich, aTSA worker and the Nevadaunion representative, on “Bloomberg ThisWeekend.”“While we arethankfuland we’re grateful that we will supposedlybegetting that we’re not going to be paid from here on out. It’sjust our back pay.Soessentially we’re just resetting theclock.”

The memo doesn’tcite thespecific source of funding. Federal law gives Congress the power ofthe purse, which meansthe president may lack the legalauthority to unilaterally authorizepay

Trump’smemo directed DHSand the White House budget office to use funds thathave a“reasonable and logical nexus” to agency operationstoprovide employees whohave worked without pay “withthe compensationand benefitsthat would have accrued to them if not for” theshutdown.

ship requirements on voting is his toppriority,but there is no real pathfor that plan in the Senate with its 60-vote threshold for advancing legislation.

Some Republicanshave pushed insteadfor abudgetpackagethatcould potentially put some parts of thevoter ID lawinplace Republicansare alsocontemplating howtopass an expected requestfrom the White House to fund the war withIranthat could totalmore than$200 billion, among other priorities.

Meanwhile, theflop of thefunding deal has given Democrats another chance to pin the partialshutdown on House Republicans.

“They know this is acontinuation of the shutdown because theSenate is gone,” said MassachusettsRep. Katherine Clark, the No. 2 Democratic leader.“So they

know fully well what they’re doing.”

It is notclear what the Senatewill do next.A quickresumptionoftalks is unlikely Negotiations endedacrimoniouslyonboth sides, witheach blaming theother formoving thegoalposts alongthe way Schumer said he wasproud of his caucus for “holding the line.” But Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who leads the Senate Appropriations Committee, said Democrats were “intransigent and unreasonable.”

Thune said he believed that Democrats never wanted adeal and would not vote for ICE funding underany circumstances.

“I felt like from the beginning, they just didn’twant to getto‘yes,’”Thune said after the vote.

The dynamic leftsenators convinced that the deal was theonly waytomove past

their disagreements and reopen DHS. But House Republicans on Friday night seemedto revelinthe fact they had defied the wishes of the Senate. GOPmembers said that they work from aperspective thatisclosertothe will of their constituents.

To Rep. Virginia Foxx, RN.C., the Senate’sproposal was“nothing more than unconditional surrender masqueradingasasolution.” She said the House “will not bend itselfintosubmission by acquiescing.”

Those searching fora way out of the shutdownseemed discouraged.

“This takes two chambers to get the job done,” said Pennsylvania Rep.Brian Fitzpatrick,a moderate Republican. “Apparently there’snot enough communication between those chambers.”

ASSOCIATEDPRESS PHOTO By MARIAM ZUHAIB

4-Hand gathered agai AgCenter Livestoc ages gainknowledge charactertraitsthatwill helpt show is also about having funand rewardingeducational experience.

Nutrien Showmanship Award winners: (lefttoright)Matt Lee, senior vice chancellorand Deanofthe LSU College of Agriculture; Asher Deitch, Calcasieu Parish;Wyatt Sonnier,Jefferson Davis Parish; Hayden Hardy,DeSoto Parish; Everette Hulin, Vermilion Parish;Kadie Fontenot, Evangeline Parish; Aubrie Richard, Richland Parish;Olivia Norris, West Feliciana Parish; Todd Tarifa,

Market Animal Awards: (left to right) Everette Hulin, Vermilion Parish; Jacob Lear,St. James Parish; Jess Cook, Louisiana Land Bank

Teachervowsto keep fighting TenCommandmentslaw

Q&A WITH CHRISTOPHERDIER

NEWORLEANSHISTORy TEACHER

BY PATRICK WALL Staff writer

After afederal appeals court in February clearedLouisiana’sTen Commandments law,Christopher Dier kept getting the samequestion: What about his lawsuit?

Dier,aNew Orleans history teacher and former Louisiana Teacher of the Year,sued in2024 to block the law requiring public schools and colleges to post the biblical text in classrooms. But his lawsuit was putonhold while asimilar legal challenge from a group of public-school parents wound through the courts.

The parents were initially successful, as afederal judge in November 2024 declaredthe law unconstitutional and blocked its enforcement.

That all changed in March after the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the lower court’s ruling. The judges didn’truleon the law’sconstitutionality,and instead said it wouldn’tbeclear whether the law violates students’ religious freedoms until afterthe posters go up in classrooms.

That’swhen peoplestarted asking Dier whether his lawsuit stood achance. One of them was U.S. District Court Judge Greg Guidry in the Eastern District of Louisiana, who last year paused Dier’scase whilethe 5th Circuit weighed the other one. On March 5,Guidry ordered Dier’s and the state’s legal teams totell him what they think the appeals court ruling means for Dier’s case.

The state says Dier’sargument is “virtually identical” to those

the 5th Circuit rejected. ButDier says his case uniquely argues that teachers, in carrying out thelaw, will give students the impression that they endorse the state’smessage.

While he awaits adecision from Guidry,Dier said he will not put up aposter in his classroom even after Gov.Jeff Landry said after theFebruary ruling that schools should start posting the signs.

The law does not specify penalties, and aspokesperson for state Attorney General Liz Murrill noted that the lawrequires schools —not teachers—toput up the displays.

Dier said he’swilling to risk any consequences because he believes thelaw erodes religious freedom and will make many students feel alienated.

“A lot is at stake,” he said.

The Times-Picayune| TheAdvocaterecently spoke with Dier abouthis legal battle, which he said he is waging independently of his school and the Orleans Parish School Board. Theinterview hasbeen condensed andedited for clarity

What went throughyour mindwhen the 5th Circuit allowed the TenCommandments lawtotakeeffect?

Iwas incredibly disappointed. I was hopingfor abetter outcome in that case so that my case would be rendered irrelevant.

And Iwas upset because kids deserve to be in asafe classroom where their religious affiliations or non-religiousaffiliations are respected.

Did it feel likethe ruling put more pressure on your lawsuit?

When the ruling cameout, there

WE’RE ASKING EXPERTS ACROSS THESTATEHOW TO TACKLE

were many people who reached out. Andthey were essentially asking, “What about your lawsuit? Is it gonna be theone that could effectively challenge the law?”

So it does seem like there is a little more onus on my lawsuit to do well in the courts.

What argument is your lawsuit making against the TenCommandmentslaw?

My lawsuit is saying that this violates teachers’constitutional rightsbecause we are forced to put something up in our classroom that is unconstitutional or we could face consequences.

It also makes us complicit in pushing Christian nationalism onto our students.Itmakes us follow something that is blatantly unconstitutional but also bad pedagogy as well. It undermines aclassroom culture built on empathy,respect, and belonging. Andall of that is crucial for academic success.

You’re saying that if teachers carry out the law, they could be seen as endorsing it?

Absolutely.Because it’sinour classrooms. It’sonour walls. Essentially what that is saying is that we not only condone, but we also legitimize this.

What do you saytoproponents of the law who argue that the TenCommandmentsare historically significant and good principles for students to live by?

It is certainly true that these documentsare historic, but that doesn’tmean that they are a fundamental part of theUnited States. The United States was founded as asecular country,and there is no evidence that the TenCommandmentswere used in thecreation of the Constitution.

That’ssomething we want to

drive home to students as well:

This was aplace where there was no state-sanctioned religion as existed in Europe at the time. That is embedded within the establishment clause of the First Amendment—that there should be separation between religion and state. If you’re instructedtoput up aTen Commandments posterinyourclassroom, how are you going to respond? Iwill not be posting the Ten Commandments in my classroom.

So the 5th Circuit’sruling and the governor’sdirectivehaven’t changed your position?

No. If anything, it reaffirmed my mission. We need to stand up for constitutional rights at all times, but especially whenit’sthe most difficult. No one in history ever stood up for the rights of others solely when it’s convenient and made an impact.

Email Patrick Wall at patrick. wall@theadvocate.com

STAFFPHOTO By PATRICK WALL

Christopher Dier,a high school historyteacher in NewOrleans, filed a lawsuit in 2024 to blocka Louisiana lawrequiring public schoolstopost the TenCommandments.

LOUISIANAPOLITICS

Stateweighsmorewaystotoughen foreignseafood rules

BY MATTHEW ALBRIGHT Staff writer

The Louisiana Legislature is considering several new laws aimed at more strictly regulatingimported seafood, part of abroader push at both the state and federal levels to shield the state’s shrimpers and fishermen.

Several of the bills are sponsored by state Rep. Jessica Domangue,R-Houma, who comes from afamily of down-the-bayou shrimpers.

“My daddy was ashrimper, my grandpa was ashrimper, my greatgrandpa was ashrimper,” Domangue said in a committee hearing

Thursday

“This is our way of life in Terrebonne Parish. This is so many of our constituents’ way of life. We’re just working together to fight to save this industry.”

Domangue has sponsored House Bill 121, which would

‘Censorship’ decree praised by leaders

Capitol Buzz STAFF REPORTS

The Trump administration has agreed to afederal consent decree with Louisiana and Missouriover claims that the federal government under former President Joe Biden unconstitutionally pressured social media companies to censor posts about COVID-19, elections, and more. Gov.Jeff Landry and Attorney General Liz Murrill hailed the decree as a“victory for free speech in Louisiana.”

“I’d like to thank President Trump and his administration for defending the Constitution and ending this assault on free speech,” Murrill said in the statement.

The decree stems from a lawsuit the two states filed in 2022, while Landry was attorney general. It accused the Biden administration of pressuring social media companies to remove or reduce the prominence of posts that it called misinformation about COVID vaccines and the results of the 2020 election, in which Biden defeated Trump.

The Republican state officials behind the lawsuit argued that the Biden Administration was censoring conservative views.

The suit made it all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court,where it was dismissed. Amajority of justices ruled that the states did not have the standing to sue, but did not issue an opinion on the merit of the

give the commissioner of agriculture and forestry the authority to seize, hold or destroy any imported seafood that fails to meet the state’srulesfor food safety and testing. Thebill passed out of theHouse Agriculture Committee without opposition. Commissioner Mike Strain told lawmakers that, under thecurrent system, hisagents inspect seafood for dyes, antibiotics and othercontaminants.But if they find seafoodthat doesn’t meet regulations, they have to call in the state health department to actually seize it.

The bill, Strain argued, wouldallow the state to more swiftlytakeseafood that doesn’tmeet regulations out of thesupply.

Domanguealsohas proposed another law that would require retailers to keep invoices of their

claims.

The consent decree is a legally binding promise by the federal government that it will notthreaten social media companies or order them to removeposts or tweak their algorithms to underplaythem On social media app X, Landry said he was proud of Murrill’swork with the Trumpadministration to “defend our fundamental right to free speech.”

Tributes pour in forRapides sheriff

TopLouisiana leaders paid tribute this week to William EarlHilton, the former longtime sheriff ofRapides Parish, who was killed in a hit-and-run crash Monday.

“Sheriff Hilton was a greatman who dedicated hislife to public service,” Gov.Jeff Landry said in a statement on social media.

“He will be deeply missed by all whoknew him, but especially by theincredible people ofRapides Parish.”

Hilton returned to his homeinthe Hineston area around1 p.m. when he encountered LadonnaDelrie, 53, of Pollock,leaving,the Sheriff’sOffice said. When he attemptedtomakecontact with her, sheallegedly ran him over Delrie was apprehended after apolice chase that reached speeds of more than 100 mph andended when deputies deployed spikestrips, theauthorities said. She was booked on counts of first-degree murder,flight fromanofficer, criminal damagetoproperty and simple burglary

U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidyhonored Hilton with aspeech on theSenate floor.He noted thesheriff’s 50-year

seafood purchasesfor six months. Theagriculture commissioner says that will help his office track the flow of seafood when conducting safetyinvestigations.

Domangue also has spon-

career in law enforcement and willingness to come out of retirement for two more terms as the parish’stop law enforcement leader “Sheriff Hilton was a sheriff in every positive, meaningful sense of the word,”said Cassidy.“He was steady.Hewas committed.Hewas there to answer the call when the community needed him.”

Kennedy proposes cap on cost of insulin

Sen. John Kennedy,RMadisonville, is cosponsoring abipartisan bill that would set a$35-per-month cap on the price of insulin for Americanswho have insurance and create apilot program to provide insulin at the same costfor those who don’t.

Insulin is an essential treatment for people with diabetes.

“When moms and dads lie down to sleep at night and can’t, they’re usually worriedabout the costofliving —and for awhole lot of families in Louisiana, one of thebiggest worriesishow they’regoing to pay for life-saving medication like insulin,” Kennedy said in astatement.

Kennedy said theprice cap would “save Americans money,help them avoid life-threatening diabetes complications, and make our health care system look

sored House Bill 109, which would dedicate2.5% of revenue the state takes in from sports gambling to astate fund that pays forsafety monitoring of foreignseafood. Andshe has sponsored

abit morelike we designed it on purpose.”

Kennedy cosponsored the bill —dubbed theImproving Needed Safeguards for Users of Lifesaving Insulin Now,or“INSULIN Act”

another bill that would allow the money from that fund to also be used to marketand promote Louisiana seafood.

Rep. Timothy Kerner,RLafitte, has proposed House Bill 857, which would address the “commingling” of imported seafood with local seafood.Currently, processors and distribu tors are required to label whether their seafoodisimported or not; the bill would create penalties for those who mix imported seafood with local seafood and do not label it as such.

Seafood regulations are an evergreen political issue in Louisiana, given that shrimping andfishingare both major economic drivers and acultural anchor Louisiana’s leadersalso have pushedrecently for federalactions to tighten oversight of imported seafood. Those efforts became especially prominent last fall after Walmart issued a recall for Great Value raw frozen shrimp products after regulatorsfound traces of radioactive cesium in

—with Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., and Raphael Warnock, D-Ga In anews release, Kennedy’soffice said the average insulin-dependent person

somesamples. U.S. Sen. JohnKennedy, R-Madisonville,took to the Senate floor to mockingly compare foreign shrimp to themonster from thehorror movie “Alien,” complete with aposter board-sized photo of the sci-fi creature. Lt. Gov.Bill Nungesser used the incident to renew hispushtoimposeaninspection feeof10cents per pound on imported seafood, which would raise money to hire thousands of additional food safety inspectors.

Sen. Bill Cassidy,R-Baton Rouge, sponsored abill to send money to shrimpers andfishermenfrom efforts to battleseafood “dumping.”

The U.S. accuses some countries, particularly China,ofsubsidizing seafood that is exported to the U.S., artificially keeping the price downand squeezingout domestic producers. The U.S. imposes taxes on products it determines are part of that tactic;Cassidy’s bill would requiremoney from those taxes to be sent to local producers.

with diabetes pays $4,800 in out-of-pocket costs ayear to treat the disease. That can result in patients rationing or going without treatments, increasing the risk of alifethreatening health crisis.

By Amanda McElfresh|

What moderntools or diagnostic equipmentdoyour techniciansuse?

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Ithink having ashopforeman goes alongway Youhavesomebodytooverseerepairsanddoquality control.Wedrivethecarbeforewegiveitbacktothe customer.Ifit’sacomplexrepair,wekeepitforafew days to make sure no otherissuescomeup. We like to checkbehindour work anddrive thecar to make sure everything feelsand sounds good Everyvehicle needsservice at some point, butare therewaysdrivers cankeeptheir Cadillacsrunning smoothly? Regularmaintenanceissoimportant.Thatmeans keepingupwithoilchangesandtirerotations.Ialso suggestchangingyourair filters.Those tend to get neglected. In addition,thingsliketransmission flushesatregular intervalswillhelpensurethe longevityofthe vehicle.

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Kennedy

Strain

Domangue

STAFF FILE PHOTO By SOPHIAGERMER

Shrimper TeaNguyencollects shrimpfrom the ice pit on his boat at Gautier’sAtThe Harbor in Pass Christian, Miss.

CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Iran-backedHouthis entermonth-old war

BY SAMY MAGDY, AAMER MADHANI and JON GAMBRELL Associated Press

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates Iranianbacked Houthi rebels entered the month-old war in the Middle East on Saturday,claiming amissile launch that Israel said it intercepted. About 2,500 U.S. Marines arrived in the region.

And Pakistan’sgovernment said that regional powers plan to meet Sunday to discuss how to end the fighting, while Iran expressed skepticism aboutthe diplomatic efforts.

The war has threatenedglobal supplies of oil and natural gas, sparked fertilizer shortages and disrupted air travel. Iran’sgrip on the strategic Strait of Hormuzhas shaken markets and prices. The United States and Israel continue to strikeIran, whose retaliatory attacks have targeted Israel and neighboring Gulf Arab states. More than 3,000 people have been killed.

The Houthis’ entry could further hurt global shipping if they again target vessels in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait off the Red Sea, through which about 12% of the world’s trade typically passes

There could be limited relief after Iran on Friday agreed to allow humanitarian aid and agricultural shipments through the Straitof Hormuz following aU.N. request.

U.S. President Donald Trump,

meanwhile, has given Iran until April 6toreopen the strait WitnessesinTehranreported heavy strikes late Saturday.Israel’smilitary earlier said that it targeted Iran’snaval weapons production facilities, and said that it would finish attacking essential weapons production sites within “a few days.” Iran fired missiles toward Israel. The U.S. said that it hasstruckmore than 11,000 Iraniantargets in thewar And Ukraine’spresidentvisited Gulf nationsashis country offers

defense help withdrones. Involvementsparksconcerns

Houthi Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said on the rebels’ Al-Masirah satellite television station that they launched missiles toward “sensitiveIsraeli militarysites” in the south. If the Houthis increase attacks on commercial shipping, as they have in the past, it would further pushupoil pricesand destabilize “all of maritimesecurity,” said Ahmed Nagi, aseniorYemen an-

alyst at the International Crisis Group. “The impact would not be limited to the energy market.”

The Babel-Mandeb,atthe southern tipofthe Arabian Peninsula, is crucial for vessels heading to the Suez Canal through the Red Sea.

SaudiArabiahas beensending millions of barrels of crude oila daythrough it because the Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed.

Houthi rebels attacked more than 100 merchant vessels with missilesand drones, sinking two vessels, between November 2023 andJanuary2025, saying that it was acting in solidaritywithPalestiniansinGazaduring the IsraelHamas war

The Houthis’ latest involvement would complicate the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford, the aircraft carrierthatarrivedinCroatia on Saturdayfor repairs. Sending it to the Red Sea could draw attackssimilar to those on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in 2024 and theUSS Harry S. Truman in 2025.

The Houthis have held Yemen’s capital,Sanaa,since 2014. Saudi Arabia launched awar against the Houthis on behalf of Yemen’sexiled governmentin2015, and they now have an uneasy ceasefire.

Attempts at diplomacy

Pakistan saidthatSaudi Arabia, Turkey andEgypt will send top diplomats to Islamabad fortalks aimed at ending the war,arriving Sunday foratwo-day visit.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharifsaidthatheand Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkianheld “extensive discussions” on regional hostilities. But IranianForeign Minister Abbas Araghchi told his Turkish counterpart by phone thatTehran was skeptical aboutrecentdiplomatic efforts. Iranian state-run mediasaid that Araghchi accused the UnitedStates of making “unreasonable demands” and exhibiting “contradictory actions.” Trumpenvoy SteveWitkoff has saidthatWashington delivered a 15-point “action list” to Iran for a possible ceasefire, with aproposal to restrictIran’snuclear program —the issue at the heart of tensions with theU.S.and Israel— andreopen the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran rejected it and presented afive-point proposal that included reparations and recognitionofits sovereignty over the waterway Meanwhile, U.S. ships with around 2,500 Marines trained in amphibious landings have arrived, adding to thelargest American forceinthe region in more than two decades.And at least1,000 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division, trained to land in hostile territory to secure key positions andairfields, have been ordered to the Middle East. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that Washington “can achieveall of ourobjectives without ground troops.”

BY STEVEN SLOAN Associated Press

WASHINGTON President

Donald Trump says the United States is winning the war with Iran evenasthousands of additional American troops deploy to the Middle East. He has pilloried other countries for not helping theU.S.,only to saylater he does not need their assistance. He has twice delayed deadlines for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. He has both threatened to “obliterate” Iran’senergy plants if the vital waterway remains largely shuttered andsaid the U.S. was “not affected” by the closure.

At one pointthis month, Trump said one of his predecessors —who, he strongly suggested, was aDemocrat —privately told him he wished he had taken similar action against Iran. Representatives for every living former president quickly denied that such aconversation happened.

As the war entered its second month on Saturday, Trump’spenchant for embellishments, exaggerations and falsehoods is being tested in an environment where the stakes are much higher than an isolated political fight.

Apresident who has long embraced bluster and salesmanship to shape narratives and focus attention is confronting the unpredictability of war

Leon Panetta, whoserved Democraticpresidents as defensesecretary, CIA directorand White House chief of staff, said he has “seen enough warswhere truthbecomes the first casualty.”

“It’snot the first administration thathas nottoldthe truthabout war,”hesaid.

“Butthe president hasmade it kind ofa very standard approach to almost any question to in oneway or another kind of lie aboutwhat’sreally happening andbasically describeeverything asfine and that we’re winning the war.”

Michael Rubin, ahistorian at theAmericanEnterprise Institute who worked as a staff adviser on Iran and Iraq at the Pentagon from 2002 to 2004,said Trump is “thefirst president of any partyinrecent history that hasn’tselfconstrained to live within rhetorical boundaries.

“So of course it creates a great deal of confusion,” he said.

Zigs andzagsare thepoint

To his critics, Trump’s style is asignthat doesn’t have acoherent long-term strategy.But forTrump, the zigs and zags seem likethe point, amethod that keeps hisopponents —and pretty much everyone else —alwaysontheir heels.

Theapproach was clear last week in the hours before he announced the second delay of the deadline for Iran to reopen the strait. Asked what he would do aboutthe

deadline,Trump said he did notknowand that he hada day before he had to decide.

“In Trumptime, aday,you know what it is,that’saneternity,”the Republican president said to laughter from membersofhis Cabinet

To some on Capitol Hill, the freewheelingismore frustrating than amusing.

Rep. Gregory Meeksof New York, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, lamented thatTrump is “going back and forth and constantly contradicting himself.”

“The administration is winging it,” he said. “So how can you trust what the president says?”

Republicans werenot will-

ing to go thatfar,but their concern was apparent.Sen.

John Kennedy of Madisonville said his constituents “support what the president has done.”

“But most of my people are also equally or even more so concerned about cost of living,” he said.

Republican Rep.Chip Roy of Texas, who sits on the House Budget Committee andisa member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, saidhis constituents were on board with “blowing somecrapup.” Nonetheless, he expressed reservations about the prospect of ground troopsand saidthe administration hasnot provided enough details in briefings

forlawmakers.

“Taking outbad guys, taking out conventional (weapons),taking outoratleast working to take out nuclear capability,pressing to keep thestraits open,all those are good things and I’ve been supportive and will continue to be supportive,” Roy said. “But we’ve got to have aserious conversation about how long this is going to go,boots on theground, all those things.”

Risksofbacking Trump

While Trump hasmaintained deepsupportamong Republicans, apollfrom The Associated Press-NORC Centerfor Public Affairs Research indicatesthatthe president risks frustrating his voters if the U.S. gets involved in the kindofprolonged war in the Middle East that he promised to avoid.

Although 63% of Republicans back airstrikes against Iranian military targets, the survey found, only 20% back deploying American ground troops.

That reflects the political challenges aheadfor Trump, whodid not prepare the country for such an extensive overseas conflict. If the war drags on or escalates, pressure on Republicans could build before the November elections, when their majorities in Congress areatrisk. Some in the party have said sending in ground troops would be ared line that Trumpshouldnot cross.

The administration also will likely need congressional support foranadditional $200 billiontosupport the war.That amount of money, whichTrump has said would be “nice to have,” even as he said the war was “winding down,” wouldbeatough vote at anytime.But it poses particular risks in an election year

WhiteHouse spokesperson Anna Kelly saidina statement thatTrump is “right to highlight the vast success of Operation Epic Fury.”

“Iran desperately wants to make adeal because of howbadly they are being decimated, but the President reserves all options, military or not, at all times,” she said. Therecould be some ‘logic’ Rubin, the former Iranand Iraq adviser at the Pentagon, said there could be some “logic”tothe president’s ever-evolving rhetorical approach to the war.Hesaid Trump’sinitial comments about ongoing negotiations, whichIran denied, could “spread suspicion andfear within the regimecircles.”

“Perhaps Donald Trump or those advising him simply want the Iranians to grow so paranoid theyrefuseto cooperate with each other or perhapstheyeven turn on each other,” he said. “But then again, there’salways a danger with Donald Trump of assuming that his rhetoric is anything morethan shooting from the hip.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ANMAR KHALIL

People donate moneyfollowingacall by Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani to supportIran andLebanon during the warwith the U.S. and Israel on Friday in Babylon, Iraq.

THE GULF COAST

Crave’sChicago 6ixmoves into newbuilding

Twonew food trucks headed to food hall

BY MARYPEREZ The Sun Herald

May 15 was ayear since Crave Food Hall opened in downtown Ocean Springs and, besidesbeing atrendy place to gather and eat, it has become arestaurant incubator of sorts.

Some of the restaurants that opened in the food hall at OS 1515 on Government Street last summer have moved on,making space for new ones to move in and bring new foods to try

The latest transition is Chicago 6ix Street Food Bar &Grill. It has closed at Crave and will open by May 1atthe former Kenny Ward’sand 38 Degrees location at 1224 Bienville Blvd., in Ocean Springs.

Erik Robinson and Dennis Johnson plan to featurespecialties from the restaurant at Crave, like authentic Chicago hoagies and dogs from Robinson’shometown, Phillycheesesteaks thatare made with his specialseasoningand are the number one selleronthe menu, gyros and Chicago wings.

The variety on the Chicago 6ix menu is echoed by the other restaurants at Crave, which makes it popular with people who want atastyPhilly cheesesteak 1,000 miles from Philadelphia, spicy tortillas, Asian specialtiesand Maine lobster rolls

Like other food halls in the U.S. Crave is becoming known as a placewhere chefs cantestnew dishesand develop new menus without the investment and overhead of opening atraditional brick-and-mortar restaurant.

Restaurantscomingand going

At Crave, people eat at one of the indoor seating areas, at atable along the sidewalk or in the sprawling courtyard with acolorful mural background. They can order and payatone restaurant or try something from several of the food outlets. Thesuccessof

the food hall and the restaurants has gone hand-in-hand.

Cravewas astep-up to the first permanent place for SaltyJax, whichopenedinFebruaryatthe food hall after operating outof afood truck at various locations since 2022. Owners Ngoc Nguyen andLuDuong made their food truck into oneofthe favorites on theCoast byselling lobster and shrimp rolls, Baja tacos and seafood sandwiches and platters. Their customershavefollowed them to Crave, they said.

Asecond food truck has also transitioned to Crave. The Lum Pan Filpino food truck, based in Biloxi, opened earlier this month Lumpia spring rolls, shrimp fried rice, shrimp pancit stir-fried noodledishand pork barbecueare amongtheir specialties.

Craveiswhere Frank Marcello made the jump from 35 years in therestaurantbusiness in Louisiana to his first place in South Mississippi.Heopenedatthe food hall last summer and developed afollowing and investors, and in December,Marcello’s— Taste of New Orleansrestaurant opened

afew blocks away from Crave in the center of Ocean Springs at 1019 Government St.

Peopleare taking notice. A feature article in Garden &Gun Magazine aboutthe Amtrak trainstops in South Mississippi includeda spotlightonchefWilfredoAvelaratMawi Tortillas andShorelinesCoastal Kitchen inside Crave and the Latin American and coastal flavors he brings to thefood hall.

Chicago6ix story

Crave wasn’tthe first restaurant location and Chicago 6ix wasn’t thefirst namefor Robinson’srestaurant when he began selling his Chicagohoagiesand specialties in Ocean Springs.

Hisbusiness startedasSmokeN-Hoagies near Gulf Park Estates,until issues withthe building and road construction in that area led him to theopportunityat Crave, he said.

“I want to ventureout and start another brand undera new name,”hesaid were his thoughts as he moved to Crave,“or bring apartneronthis time.”Hedid

both—“and now we’re venturing out on our own at Chicago 6ix,” he said.

Robinsonwas born and raised in Chicago.“My grandmother taught me how to cook,” he said, andhemoved southand stayed after his brother wasstationed in theNavy in South Mississippi. What’s apizza puff?

The name Chicago 6ix comes in part from the sixmainstylesof dishes on the menu, starting with his Chicago roots and his original Chicago hot dog.

He’s also doing Polish sausage sandwich popular in Chicago, along with his version of Chicago chicken with his secret sauce. The Italian beef sandwich featured on “The Bear”show and inspired by arestaurant in Chicago, will also have Robinson’s owntwist anda place on the menu.

“Wehaven’tput the menu together quiteyet, but it’sbasically going to be like themainmenu from Smoke-N-Hoagies and Chicago 6ix, with afew things added on,” he said.

At Crave, he started adding dishes likepizza puffstohis specials. “That’sa pastry-filled pizza that’sdeep-fried,” he said.He alsobegan trying out hisrecipes for ribs, tacos and pasta, which he plans to feature as specials at his newrestaurant, alongwithcatfish and shrimp platters.

The new location will give him theopportunitytoadd Sunday brunch, he said, and family dinnerslike chicken or fried fish with acouple of sidesfor convenient and reasonably priced meals, he said.

He envisions the restaurant as mostly takeout, but said there will be nine tables where people can dine and abar so they can get some wine with their pasta or a cold beer with their Chicago dog.

He’shiring servers, bartenders and kitchen help, getting the sign installedtolet people knowChicago 6ix is on the way and preparingtowelcome back hiscustomers anddraw newpeople in fora taste of Chicago, Robinson said.

in Southern Living survey

BY MARTHA SANCHEZ Staff writer

ASouthern Living survey has named four Gulf Coastdestinations among the top20beach getaways in the South.

More than 17,000 readers voted in the survey. The magazine praised thewinnersfor their pristine white sand, quaint streets and boutique hotels.

Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama, were ranked second.

“Florida can have its panhandle,” Southern Living writerTaraMassouleh McCay wrote, “but Alabamians are pretty happy with their own 32-mile stretch of shoreline that unfurls across these twin towns.” Destin, Florida,was ranked third. Ocean Springs, Mississippi, andPanama City Beach,Florida, ranked 19th and 20th, respectively

The magazine applauded the cities’ diverse hotel options, small businessesand picturesque waterfronts.

The survey highlights how fast tourism is growing across the Gulf Coast as theregion’spopulation rises. Long adrive-in destination for vacationers across the South, the Gulf Coast is now attracting newcomers from across the country

The full list of top 20 beach destinations includes cities from Texas to North Carolina.

Siesta Key,Anna Maria Island and Sanibel Island, all in Florida, also madethe list. Southern Living readers also voted forSouth Padre Island in Texas.

SUN HERALD PHOTO By HANNAHRUHOFF

Crave Food Hall at OS 1515 in Ocean Springs has become a restaurant incubator,where chefs areencouraged to introduce new dishes.

Oneofthe largestsaltmines exists underLakeErie

It provides road salt to keep streets safe during winter

BY SUE OGROCKI, PATRICK

AFTOORA-ORSAGOS and PATRICK

WHITTLE

Associated Press

CLEVELAND,Ohio Below Cleveland, in asubterranean world many surface dwellers don’tknowexists miners extract acrucial winter mineral —salt.

The Whiskey Island salt mine, owned by food giant Cargill, helps supply road saltacrossthe Northeast and Great Lakes, where a colder,snowier-than-usual winter has driven demand. Many municipalities exhausted supplies that typically last through spring, said Cargill spokesperson Emily Tangeman.

“Our teams have been working overtime since September to support customers across the snowbelt,” Tangeman said in astate-

ment,noting that early,persistent winter weather boosted demand across theindustry

The mine beneath Lake Erie,one of the world’slargest, produces 3 million to 4million tonsannually althoughthatcan fall short of demand in especially harsh winters. Located 1,800feetunderground, it’saccessed from Whiskey Island, an industrialarea on theshore rightbeside downtown Cleveland

Themine opened inthe 1960s and operates year-round, with saltextracted by drilling and blasting through vast tunnels formedfrom an ancient inland sea that dried up millions of years ago.

Inside, the mine is amazeof roughly rectangular cavernswith chalky white walls andceilings that extend for miles.

It’sdimly lit and often pitchblack beyond the glare of headlamps andfloodlights

Heavy machinery andconveyer belts rumble as small ATVs whisk miners around.

Maintenancesuperintendent George Campbell said operations

are continuous, with downtime usedfor upkeep andrepairs to keep production steady

Cargillsaiditisprioritizingshipmentstoensure saltreaches the areas of greatest need as winter

lingers in someregions.

Frequent smaller stormsalso increase usage, Tangeman said in thestatement, requiringrepeated salting and creating logistical challenges.

Areturn to harsherconditions across the Eastern U.S. meant some cities —including Boston; Bangor, Maine;and Ithaca, New York —shivered through their coldest seasons in morethan adecade.

And winter weather is still not over in some partsofthe country, so it’s notoverinthe Cleveland mine, either Campbell said there’sstill decades of salt lefttobeextracted.

“I think that we have enough reserves to continue to keep people working for along time,” Campbell said.

Cargill previously operated a mine on Avery Island that had been in operationsincethe mid1800s and wasthe firstrocksalt mine in North America.

It closed in 2021 after aroof collapse killed twoworkers.

Noteveryone agrees with findings

BY ADITHIRAMAKRISHNAN

AP science writer

NEWYORK For decades, the strongest evidence for the earliest human settlement in the Americas came from asite in Chile called Monte Verde.

Scientistsfound echoesof human presence dating back to around 14,500 yearsago, includingfootprints, wooden tools, foundations for a building and the remains of an ancient fire pit. They dated sediments and artifacts from the site to this time frame.

Anew studychallengesthe age of this important site, suggesting Monte Verde might be much younger thanscientists thought. But not everyone agrees with the findings.

Scientists sampled and datedsediments from nine areas along the Chinchihuapi Creek by the site and analyzed howthe landscape changed over thousands of years. They uncoveredalayer of volcanic ash from an eruption dating back to about 11,000 years ago

Anything above that layer —inthis case, the Monte Verde wood and artifacts had to be younger,according to study co-author Claudio Latorre.

“Webasicallyreinterpreted the geology of the site Andwecame to the conclusion that theMonte Verde site cannot be older than 8,200 years before present,” said Latorre,who worksat the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile.

The researchers think changes to the landscape, includingastream wearing down the rocks, may have mixed old layers with new

causing researchers to date ancient wood as partofthe MonteVerde site.

Thefindings were published earlier this month in the journal Science. Several scientists,including those involved with the original excavations, takeissue with theresults.

“They have provided, at best, aworking hypothesis that is not supportedbythe data they presented,” said Michael Waters of Texas A&M University,who had no role in either study.

Expertsnot involved with theresearch say the study includes analysis of samples from the area surrounding Monte Verde, where the geology isn’tcomparable to the site itself. And they say there’snot enoughevidence that the layer ofvolcanic ash once covered the entire landscape.

They also say the study doesn’toffer asufficient explanationfor theartifacts found at the site that have been directly dated to 14,500 years ago, including amastodon tusk fashioned into a tool, awooden lance and a digging stick with aburned tip

“This interpretationdisregards avast body of welldated cultural evidence,”archaeologist TomDillehay of Vanderbilt University,who led the site’sfirst excavation, said in an email.

The new study’sauthors disagree withthese criticisms,saying theysampled within,upstream anddownstream of the site. Andthere’snot enough evidence that the dated artifacts at thesitereally are that old, said co-author Todd Surovell, of the University of Wyoming. TheMonte Verde site is critical to scientists’ understanding of how people got to theAmericas.

Scientists usedtothink the first arrivals were agroup of people 13,000 years ago who made tipped stone tools knownasClovis points. The discovery anddating of MonteVerde, which was initially miredincontroversy, appeared to put that to rest.

It’sunclear howa new date forthe sitemight affect the human story.SinceMonte Verde, researchers have uncovered sites in North America that predate the Clovis people,suchasCooper’sFerry in Idaho and the Debra L. Friedkin site in Texas.

But another big question is how,exactly,people got to the Americas from Asia, maneuvering south of two massive ice sheetscovering Canada. Did humans arrive in time for the sheets to part, revealing an ice-free corridor? Did they travel along the coastinboats, or over a mix of water andland?

PROVIDED PHOTO

The MonteVerde archaeological site and ChinchihuapiCreek is located in Chile.

| Sunday, March 29, 2026 1Bn

Alliance plans to take on blight

Group seeks to create community spaces

BY IANNE SALVOSA Staff writer

The Mid City Redevelopment

Alliance is stepping up to create more public gathering spaces.

The organization is asking the public to submit requests for blighted or underused properties in need of transformation in its new Bring It On Home program. With a video submission or an essay, applicants can nominate a space that needs remediation, detailing its issues and how it can be improved to benefit the neighborhood.

Lawyer suing LSU over removed bench

Dispute lies in right to use land

BY QUINN COFFMAN Staff writer

A Baton Rouge personal injury attorney is suing LSU, claiming that university maintenance workers removed his advertising bench from a lonely stretch of bank along University Lakes.

Now, injury attorney Neil Sweeney and LSU are waging a property line dispute involving multiple lawsuits.

To back their claim over the lakeshore, and show Sweeney’s bench was on land he had no right to use, LSU cited a nearly 100-year-old property record in pretrial motions earlier this year

In 1933, a Baton Rouge realty company donated land to the university so it could be turned into a public lake near campus.

Motorists can see the entirety of this donation, the northern tip of University Lake and entirety of Crest Lake, by driving down Dalrymple Drive where it bisects the two bodies of water

From there, across the muchsmaller Crest Lake, sits a shaded stretch of grassy land between the bank and July Drive. Sweeney’s ad bench sat there until LSU maintenance workers allegedly moved it in November 2024.

The strip of land, titled Lot Z in the 1933 donation documents, is contested between LSU and Southern Apartments, a company that owns a condominium along Crest Lake and is also represented by Sweeney.

In his lawsuit, Sweeney is seeking damages for the loss of the physical property as well as the loss of potential future advertising revenue it would have brought.

MCRA Executive Director Dexter Jackson said the organization hopes to create community spaces in underused or mismanaged lo-

cations, pointing to the Capital Heights Pocket Park as an example of what he would like the initiative to emulate The park, created in 2017 by volunteers with help from a MCRA grant, converted a small lot overlooking Ward Creek into a mini park with picnic tables and planters “We would really love to see

something like that for an underutilized space, but in terms of the rest, we really want to see a neighborhood or a row of houses or community or a family unit really uplifted and given some love and attention that maybe it hasn’t had for a long time,” Jackson said. Other community spaces that could emerge from Bring It On Home include playgrounds, gardens and gathering spaces. Submissions will be accepted until May 15. A panel of 20 to 25

community members will review the entries and select two projects based on the potential to impact the area, level of community support for the project and feasibility

The first project will be completed by this fall and the second by next spring.

Jackson hopes to make Bring It On Home an annual program. On a local, state and federal level, communities are incredibly divided,

COLORFUL CELEBRATION

The crowd throws colored powder in unison Saturday

Repentance

at the advent of spring.

widely known as the

PRICE POINTS

Efforts to make healthy food cheaper may encourage better choices

BY EMILY WOODRUFF Staff writer

Most people don’t go to the hospital for the food. But Rachel Sigur often makes

PROVIDED PHOTO

A court exhibit shows Neil Sweeney’s advertising bench near the banks of Crest Lake in front of McKinley High School. Sweeney is suing LSU over the removal of the bench in November 2024

STAFF PHOTOS By JAVIER GALLEGOS

during the Holi Festival of Baton Rouge at

Park. Holi,

Hindu festival of colors, is a joyful annual celebration

STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

Trinise Causey serves a healthy hot lunch on Thursday at Ochsner Baptist in New Orleans.

ABOVE: A conga line forms Saturday during the Holi Festival of Baton Rouge at Repentance Park.

LEFT: Crowds of revelers celebrate during the festival.

ä See BENCH, page 2B

See BLIGHT, page 2B

since 2013,” said Molly Kimball, a registered dietitian who leads the program. “We work with about 550 restaurants and food service spaces across the state.”

But inside many hospital walls, cafeterias and vending areas often more closely resemble the food offerings at gas stations than somewhere you’d try to live out your doctor’s health advice. Even if healthy foods are present, it might not be the thing people reach for At Ochsner, Kimball wondered what might help.

“Even if someone’s maybe not motivated by the healthy choice, could they be motivated by price point?” Kimball said. The program was rolled out to all Ochsner locations last year and discounts the healthier items or sells them at cost if the 50% discount is steeper than the price to acquire them.

So far it seems to be working.

Systemwide, Eat Fit items grew from about 8% to 14% of total food and beverage sales in 2025, with some hospital locations reaching more than a third of all purchases. Sales of water and other healthier beverages rose sharply up 71% in some cases.

Barriers to healthy food

At a nearby Wendy’s visible from the St. Bernard hospital parking lot, a salad runs about $8. A hamburger starts at $2.39.

hold meals prepared to Eat Fit or low-carb standards, along with typical offerings and snacks like chips and cookies.

The company pays about $12 per meal, but since 2020, it has sold the healthy options at half price.

As a result, filling meals featuring shrimp, fish, chicken or beef alongside a vegetable such as cauliflower or sweet potato fly off the shelves The chili and meatballs are “fan favorites,” said Franck LaBiche, Laitram’s human resources director

The company technically takes a loss for the meals, but sees it as an investment in their health benefits package, which also includes an on-site pharmacy, gym and clinic. They hope it leaves their employees in better physical and mental health, said LaBiche.

“If you’re trying to eat healthier and it’s more expensive, that’s an additional barrier,” said Knapp “When you reduce that barrier, you make it easier to change behavior.”

In recent years, federal and state policymakers have focused on lifestyle as the key to improving public health as obesity rates and chronic diseases have climbed over the past several decades.

In Louisiana, that has included efforts to ban candy and soda from the Supple-

Megan Knapp, a public health researcher at Xavier University of Louisiana, said that cost disparity is an issue when it comes to public health.

The suit, which was filed in October is still in pretrial motions with its next hearing before Judge Ronald Johnson scheduled for May 27. The case could potentially be affected by Attorney General Liz Murrill’s attempt to have three Baton Rouge judges, including Johnson, recuse themselves from any case before them which her office might be counsel or a party to Litigation involving LSU’s ownership of land around the lakes has come before Baton Rouge judges in the past, but this latest property dispute began in 2020 At the time, the Lake Crest

BLIGHT

Continued from page 1B

he said, increasing the need for spaces where people can join together

The total cost of investment in the initiative is to be determined — once the projects are selected, the organization will determine how much MCRA and its partners can invest. MCRA is in the process of recruiting community members for the judging panel and securing partners for sponsorships, donations and volunteers to aid in the redevelopment of the selected projects.

“We’re really excited to bring them aboard, because we do know that a lot of people are excited about this work,” he said.

Blight in Baton Rouge

Blight has been a long-

mental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP And through a produce benefit program, SNAP users can receive an additional 30 cents for every dollar spent on fresh fruits and vegetables.

At the same time, the federal government eliminated SNAP-Ed, the program that funded nutrition education and healthy eating guidance for low-income households. The produce benefit is capped at $25 per month. In Louisiana, more than 800,000 people struggle with food insecurity, meaning there is no certainty on access to affordable, nutritious food.

Home Owners Association was in a legal dispute with Southern Apartments over relocating a servitude on Lot Z. LSU joined in, saying it actually owned Lot Z and should have been a party to the case. Southern Apartments, represented by Sweeney, argued that Lot Z was not actually included in the 1933 land donation from the realty com-

Even as politicians point to these programs as improvements, healthier food often remains out of reach for many Americans. Federal data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows food prices rose 3.1% over the past year Lettuce is up 15.3%, frozen fish is up 8.1%, and ground beef increased 15.2%, the data shows.

Moreover studies examining food pricing interventions have found that consumers respond predictably to cost: When healthier foods are discounted people buy and consume more of them.

A meta-analysis looking at 22 of these studies found

pany, Caz Perk. Instead, it was sold to Southern Apartments in a separate 1979 deal, they claim.

Sweeney, representing the apartment complex, also argued the original 1933 donation from Caz Perk only gave LSU land up to the shoreline of the lakes at that moment in time. He cited minutes from a May 1933 meeting of

Mid City

term struggle for the parish, becoming a priority for a series of mayor-presidents and other city leaders.

More than 5,000 land par-

cels in East Baton Rouge Parish are blighted, and proximity to dilapidated properties has correlated with poor physical health,

crime and lower property values, according to Build East Baton Rouge’s Baton Rouge Blight Redevelopment Playbook.

that a 10% price reduction was linked to about a 12% increase in consumption.

“We tend to think of healthier foods as more expensive,” said Pia Chaparro, a public health researcher at Tulane University who will be evaluating Ochsner’s Eat Fit program over the next three years. “These types of initiatives take the economic barrier out of the equation.”

Subsidized meals at a loss

Some others have pursued similar programs to Ochsner In break rooms at Laitram, the New Orleansarea manufacturing company, coolers and shelves

“I’d be lying if I tried to say, ‘Yes, I can relate it to health premiums,’” said LaBiche. “But we know that it is very appreciated by people, particularly folks that work on the production lines and can’t leave for lunch to get a good meal at a good price.”

At Ochsner Baptist on Thursday, server Trinise Causey scooped teriyaki chicken into Styrofoam plates at a steady pace to satisfy the stream of patients, employees and families that were already lining up by 11:30 a.m.

Slathered in a dark sauce, the food looked good. At the cash register, the Eat Fit option rang up for $3.

“I do think that’s what’s capturing them,” she said. Email Emily Woodruff at ewoodruff@theadvocate. com.

the LSU Board of Supervisors. In November 2024, a judge ruled in Southern Apartment’s favor, on the basis of “acquisitive prescription” where the complex gained the property because the complex believed it already owned the area and acted so for a period longer than 10 years. LSU has appealed this decision, and is seeking to stay the trial over the advertising bench until the appeals court rules.

Spaces nominated for Bring It On Home can be anywhere in Baton Rouge, with preference to Mid City

“The mayor has made it very clear that his focus is to focus on blighted properties,” Jackson said. “We think now is a great time for us, with the muscle memory and the expertise that we have, to show our value in this work across the city of Baton Rouge.”

Back to MCRA roots

Jackson took over the helm of the organization in August and set re-establishing trust between the MCRA and the community as one of his first major objectives. Jackson said the initiative’s community-driven approach brings the organization back to its origins. MCRA often conducted community cleanups, though its strayed away from it in past years due to the pandemic

Reached for comment, Sweeney said a gag order from a separate trial kept him from commenting. The Attorney General’s Office, whose attorney is representing LSU in the “bench” trial, also did not provide comment Friday afternoon.

and other organizational priorities, he said. What distinguishes this new initiative from previous cleanups is the community’s role in selecting the projects and what Jackson describes as its “staying power,” or lasting impact.

“We’re just looking to get back to our roots as it were and redefine ourselves for the current times that we live in,” Jackson said.

LOTTERY

FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2026

PICK 3: 3-2-8

PICK 4: 9-0-7-1

PICK 5: 3-0-5-4-9

STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

The

Redevelopment Alliance is stepping up to create more public gathering spaces.

STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

Carrots and broccoli are among the healthy options during lunch on Thursday in the cafeteria at Ochsner Baptist in New Orleans.

‘Peopledidn’twantmeout there. ButI went anyway’

N.O’s firstBlack bus driver recounts how he made history

BY BLAKE PATERSON Staff writer

When Sean Sawyer had to write apaper for Black HistoryMonth as an elementary school student in the 1970s, he turned to his family for advice.

“You should write about your daddy,” his maternal grandfather told him. “He was the first Black bus driver.” Sawyer decided to pick someone else

“I didn’tthink too much of it at the time,” he said in arecent interview.“But as Igot older,Ireally wish Iwould have.”

In 1961, Sawyer’sfather,Freddie Sawyer Jr., stepped behind the wheel of acity busand broke the color barrier as the first Black bus driver employedbythe New Orleans Public Service Inc., the predecessor to the Regional Transit Authority Apicture of Sawyer,then 22 years old, appeared in thenewspaper,alongside an article in which the civil rights leader AveryC Alexander called his hiringa “history-making move in the right direction.”

Looking back on that time of his life isn’teasy,Freddie Sawyer Jr said in arecent interview at his home in New Orleans East, just days before his 87th birthday “I hatedtogotowork, butI had to go,” he said. “People didn’t want me out there.But Iwent anyway.” Making history

Freddie Sawyer Jr.was born on March 14, 1939, in Bogalusa, Louisiana, where his NewOrleans mother went to give birth.Hegrew up in what was then known as the MagnoliaProjectinthe 11th Ward

It was some of the better housing available,hesaid. There was running water, abathtub and windows you could open. He calls it “Magnolia Heights.”

He went to high school at Walter L. Cohen andlater Samuel J. Green and was on asummerbreak from Dillard University,wherehewas trainingtobecome ateacher and coach,when he got ajob at NOPSI in 1960, first in the maintenance department.The low-level role was one of theonly jobsNOPSIallowed Black workers at the time.

Buthebecame adriver there in 1961 after alocalcivil rights group, the Consumers League of New Orleans, threatened to boycott thetransit agency to protest its hiring practices.

Hispromotion cameonly afew years after afederal judge in 1958 ordered New Orleans to desegre-

gate its streetcars and buses. Until then, amovable,wooden sign reading “For Colored Patrons Only” separated passengers. After the newspaper story ran withhis picture, Black residents lined thestreets to catch aglimpse of him driving and cheer him on. Buthis newjob nearlycosthim his life. His first routewas the St. Claude Avenue line, which ended at DominoSugar’sChalmette refinery in St.Bernard Parish

On Mardi Gras night in 1962, while turning thebus around near the refinery,aman stepped out andfired ashotgun. Thebuckshot barely missed him

Forthe rest of his timeonthat route, the New Orleans Police Department assigneda private detectivetoride withSawyer Sometimes, he wore abaseball

mitt to catchfares that White passengers threw at him to avoid touching him.

He had to use separatewater fountains and restrooms.

He pickedhis bus routesbased on where he could usethe bathroom. Louisiana Avenue and Calliope Street were at the top of the list.Other times he’d have to “go check the tires out” and relieve himself behind the bus.

“But Imade it, you know.I hung in there,” Sawyer said. “What was Igoing to do. Have no job?”

‘A trailblazer’

At 87 yearsold, Sawyer says he’s still hanging in there. He retired from the RTAin2001, after 41 years on the job.

Wearing a“Black Lives Matter” T-shirt,Sawyer shuffledthrough his living room in his NewOrleans

East homeasaTVblared from another room

Asign outside with an image of ahandgun warns would-be intruders to “get right with Jesus” and “tell him you’re on your way.”

Abovehis couch hangs acopy of the 1961 newspaper story that featured his picture.Hesaiddidn’t know he was going to be photographed, explaining the surprised look on his face.

Aframed portrait of The TimesPicayune front page featuring President Barack Obamasat on a chair nearby In February,the Regional Transit Authority and New Orleans City Council honored Sawyer as part of Black History Month. District Dcouncil memberEugene Green, whosponsored the council resolution, noted that Sawyer faced “many,many challenges, some of which we can’teven understand today.”

“But the fact that he withstood those challenges and wasabeacon of hope to alot of others who wanted to have the same sort of employment is something thatwe should be celebrating allthe time,” Green added.

RTACEO Lona Edwards Hankins described him as a“trailblazer whose courage and determination helped reshape the landscape of public transportation in our city.”

As achild, Sean Sawyer mostly heard about his father’sstory from other family members. “He didn’t really talk to me about it,” said the younger Sawyer,who shares the same birthday as his father and who is also an RTAdriver,following in his father’sfootsteps.

But, he said, it’s astory everyone should know

“Every person of color who was the first one of anything should be known,” Sean Sawyer said. “The story should be told.”

Email Blake Paterson at bpaterson@theadvocate.com.

BourbonStreetoncesaw snakes,turtles andanopossum

Controversial, nonhuman elementmissing aftercrackdown

BY SOPHIE KASAKOVE Staff writer

Among the mélange of entertainers,hustlers and eccentrics that clockinon Bourbon Street each evening, an enduring, controversial and nonhuman element has gone missing.

It’sbeen two years since state wildlife agents launchedaneffort to remove the pythons, boas and other animalsthat were draped across shoulders and pushed in carts along the promenade The creatures and their owners —most of whom sought to make abuck off of awed tourists —have largely stayed away ever since.

After four animal confiscations during and after Mardi Gras in 2024, when Gov.Jeff Landry deployed Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries agents to Bourbon Street, agents have encountered just one animal on the strip in the past two years: alive alligator in February, according to department records.

“Wedidn’tseize one snake this year to my knowledge, and that tells you right there,” said Stephen Clark, the head of the Wildlife Department’senforcement division. “Our presence during not only Mardi Gras but all the high-traffic events has been effective in deterring folks from bringing animals into large crowds of people.”

The animal crackdown, dubbed “Operation Exotic,” is just one tentacle of arecent and widespread enforcement push from state, localand federal law enforcement agencies that has transformed the worldfamousstreet. Officers have also focused on clearing homeless encampments and have said that their presence deters crime. Thepushhas sent vendors, performers and snakes into hibernation and driven an ongoing debate over who Bourbon Street is for “There is acriminal and then there is aregular

workingclass,” said Laney Greco, who was arrested in May2024for bringinga 10foot, 8-inch Burmese python named Sonny to Bourbon Streetand Orleans Avenue.

“You’re hurtingthe workingclass people who are trying to maketourism better.”

Runningafoul of thelaw

Theanimal owners ran up against multiple state andcity codes. State law prohibits the possession of constrictor snakes longer than eight feet long, and the sale of reptiles or amphibians withouta license. New Orleans’ municipal code prohibits keeping anywild or exoticanimal as apet, includingsnakesthatwill growtolarger than three feet,monkeys,raccoons, squirrels, leopards, alligators and roosters. Per an agreement with StatePolice, 50 agents have enforced those and other rules in the city during major events, such as Bayou Classic,New Year’s, and Mardi Gras, Clark said. Records show agents were involved in 84 incidents on BourbonStreet since2024, mostly for charges like drug and firearm possession.

Departmentrecords show agents encountered five snakes, oneopossum and an unspecified number of redeared slider turtles from February to May 2024. The agents’ presence appearsto have been adeterrentas few have recently daredtobring theirpetstothe famous strip, other than Eurrell Johnson, who was caught toting a3- to 4-foot alligatordownBourbonStreet on Feb. 15. In all seven of the animal encounters, agentsslapped theowners with acitation Four creatures were confiscated, while three others were left with their owners. Only one owner,Greco, was arrested, having broken multiple city codes, according tothe state’s

Snakehandlers chat on Bourbon Street on March 15, 2020.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By SCOTT THRELKELD

incident report. Mixedreactions

Jeff Dorson, executive director of the HumaneSocietyofLouisiana,said he supports enforcementof laws keeping animalsoff thestrip

“Wild animals and BourbonStreet aren’t agood mix,” said Dorson. “The noise, thecrowd,that’sthe oppositeofhow these animals like to survive: away from people in wilderness. Not on Bourbon Street.”

ChristianPendleton,a commissioner with the French QuarterManagement Districtand general manager of Brennan’sRestaurant, said the change to Bourbon Street has been welcome.

“Thisisa neighborhood first. This is people’s homes first. This is people’s businessesfirst,”hesaid. “Snakes can really freak people out.”

Some of theenforcement hasdrawn criticism. When Saffron the opossum was swept up in the Carnival2024 dragnet,apetition to “bring Saffron home”tohis owner William Voiles drew nearly 14,000 signatures, as New Orleanians accused the state of overreaching into the private relationship between a man and his pet

Once shewas released from jail, Greco attempted to continue caring for Sonny during itsstay on theNorthshore.After informing Wildlife Agent Jimmie Daniel that rats irritate Sonny’s stomach, Greco arrangeda meetupwith Daniel at the Shell station beside theTwin Span Bridge to provide three live rabbits for the python’s consumption, accordingto state records In an August interview, Greco said she hadyet to receive an update on the snake’swhereabouts. She didn’treturncalls lastweek.

“I hope sheisn’t dead, but it’s been almost twoyears now,” Greco then said.

Though citations involving

animalsare down, thecreatures haven’tdisappeared fromBourbon Street entirely,Pendleton said.

Just last week,Pendleton said he spottedtwo people riding Segways down the busy strip with snakes wrappedaround their necks.

“You’relike,‘Ugh. Here we go again,’”Pendleton said.

STAFFPHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Freddie Sawyer Jr., the first Black persontodriveapublic businNew Orleans, holds up an article on March 9athis home in NewOrleans. Sawyer began drivingin1961 and, nowretired in his 80s,was honored last

Blondeau, Michael M.

Michael M. Blondeau, our beloveddad, passed away peacefully on March 12, 2026. He retired after 33 years of dedicated service from Delta Airlines, as a Captain.

Preceding him are his loving parents, Eugene and Myrtle; abrother, Eugene; and his fur baby, Suzy.

Surviving him are his beloved kids: Kelly (Bill), Julie, Jeanie (Paul), Nancy, Michael (Van), and Jennifer (Bruce); his grandkids and great grandkids; his many niecesand nephews; Larry Boy Kern, his best friend since 2nd grade; as well as his loyal caregiver, Fran. ACelebration of Life will be held in his honor, at the lake house, at alaterdate.

Gaynell Waguespack Bourgeois, age 84, passed away peacefullyonMarch 27, 2026, in her home surrounded by family in Thibodaux, Louisiana. Bornon September 25, 1941, in Vacherie, Louisiana, she was the cherished daughter of Sidney and Blanche Waguespack. Friends and family willbereceived at Ordoyne Funeral Home on Monday, March 30,2026 from 6:00 PM until 9:00 PM and will continue on Tuesday, March 31, 2026 at Saint Joseph Co-Cathedral from 8:00 AM until service time. AMass of Christian Burial will beginat10:00 AM at the church with burial following at Saint Philip Cemetery in Vacherie, LA. Gaynell was thebelovedwife of Leo Bourgeois,with whom she shared an extraordinary bond of unconditional love and support throughout their remarkable 64 years of marriage. Together, they built alife filledwith devotion to familyand faith. She was the proud mother of Michelle (Bobby) Schexnayder and Nannette (Greg) Ordoyne. Her legacy continues through her 4 grandchildren, 9greatgrandchildren. She is also survived by her sister Blanche Troxclair. She is preceded in death by her son Leo Bourgeois Jr., granddaughter Alyssa Nickens, parents Sidney and Blanche Waguespack. Online condolences can be made at http://www.ordoy nefunerals.com/.Funeral arrangements were trusted to Ordoyne Funeral Home, 1489 Saint Patrick Street Thibodaux, LA 70301.

husband Joseph Beaver Brantley. Shebegan her career withthe Louisiana School Boardbeforefinding her true calling as aRealtor. Susanserved her clients for over 45 years, earningEmeritus status and eventuallyjoining her son'sbrokerage in 2010. Beyond herprofessional life, Susanwas full of spirit. Sheenjoyed competitive tennis, skiing,scuba diving,and challenging her family to games of Rummikub. Shewas an active memberofthe Baton Rouge community,involved with the Junior League, the Fur BallCommittee, the Demoiselle Club, and the City Clubof Baton Rouge. Alongtime parishionerofSt. Aloysius Church, her faith was unmatched. Susanalsohad a profoundlove for animals, havingcared for dogs, cats, horses, and even the occasional goose. Above all, Susan was most proud of hersons and grandchildren. Shewas aconstant fixtureinthe stands at their games, cheering loudly (and occasionally questioningthe officiating). Susan had aradiant soul and apresence that lightenedevery room she entered. Shewas beautiful, kind, and loving to all, and she will be greatly missed Susan is survived by her sons,PattonBrantley(Kerri)and BrianBrantley; grandchildren, Brant Bankston, and Burke; sister, Cynthia Cummer (Bill); anda host of other loving family membersand friends. Susanispreceded in deathbyher husband, BeaverBrantley;parents, Robert and Gene Hammett; and brother, Grey Hammett, Jr.Visitationwill be at St. AloysiusCatholic Church, 2025Stuart Ave., Baton Rouge, LA, on Wednesday,April1,2026, from 9:30am until the time of memorial servicesat 11am. There willbea private burial for the familyat Greenoaks MemorialPark.

Brian,C.Verne Verne Brian died at home on March 22, 2026 surrounded by hisfamily. He was 84 yearsold and a resident of Baton Rouge Vernewas born in Morganza, Louisiana andspent his childhood years in Simmesportwith his parents, sister and numerous cousins. Althoughhelived the remainderofhis life in Baton Rouge, he oftenrecounted delightful childhoodstories ofpeople andevents which characterized the essenceofsmall-townlife in Louisiana.His path eventuallyled to Louisiana State University wherehe met the love of hislifeand wifeofsixty-three years, Rose. Afterreceiving his BachelorofScience degree fromLSU,Verne and Rose headed to Memphis, Tennessee wherehecompleted his doctorate degreein Optometry. From there,he returnedtoLouisiana and opened his practiceinBaton Rouge. After several years in private practice, he accepteda position at Stanocola Medical where he practicedfor the next forty yearsand became head of the eye department. Verne wasa kind, compassionate andcaring eye doctor,dearly lovedby his patients. He even kept up with his patients long after he retired receiving letters and phone calls from many of them. Witha giftfor engaginginconversation, Vernewas an outgoingand friendly man who never meta stranger. Hewas alifelongmember of OurLady of Mercy Church and volunteeredin various capacities throughout theyears.He served as an usherfor the church and assisted the school bycoaching basketb ll i l d f

school by coaching basket ball,popping loadsofpopcorninthe concession stand,and manning the BBQ grill at thechurch fair. He was also an LSUsports enthusiast and rarely missed watching afootball or baseball game. Verne served as amember of numerous professional and philanthropicorganizations, including theAmerican OptometricAssociation, LouisianaStateAssociation of Optometric, and NewOrleans Contact Lens Society, Capital Sertoma Club, The Junior Chamber (Jaycees), and theCHS Men'sClub. Above allelse, Verne was an exemplary family man who, together withRose,built astrong foundation upon which they grew theirever-expanding family.Hewill forever be remembered as alovingand devoted husband, father, grandfather, greatgrandfather, uncle and friend. Verne was preceded in deathbyhis parents, Clarence Brian,Sr. and GertrudeFryou Brian sister, Effie Brian Ehrhardt, daughter-in-law,Donna WentworthBrian,and greatnephew, Collin Gallegos. He is survivedbyhis loving wife Rose Saia Brian, and hischildren: Lisa Olinde(Henry), Frank Brian, and Kevin Brian (Renee); his nine grandchildren:Julie Olinde, Henry OlindeIII,Madeline Olinde, Aynsley Scheuermann (Chandler), Grant "Tic" Brian (Anna Catherine), Briggs Brian,Bradley Brian (Taylor), VictoriaSimmons (Hunter), and PatrickBrian; hisfivegreat grandchildren: Caroline and Luke Simmons, Graham and CamilleScheuerman, and Greer Brian;and his nieces and nephews: Marla Mancil (Thad), Sheri Sandlin (Clifton), Evan Ehrhardt (Meredith), LaciBohmann (Martin), Grace and James, LyndiRichardson (David) and Olivia. The family wishes to thank allofthe friends who took thetime to visit Verne in his later years, especiallyTullis McKnight,Dr. Louis Tonore, and Charlie Tramonte. The family also wishes to extend aspecial thank youtohis sister-inlaw, Theresa Saia, Lyndi and David Richardson, Dr. Brad Vincent, Dr. Douglas Say, The Hospice of Baton Rouge and caregiver, Lois Slaughter. Pallbearers will be as follows: his five grandsons, Henry Olinde III, BradleyBrian,Grant "Tic" Brian, Patrick Brian Briggs Brian and,grandson -in-law, Hunter Simmons. Services willbeheldon Monday, March 30 at Our Lady of Mercy Church, 445 MarquetteAve.,Baton Rouge, LA 70806 withvisitation from 9:00 am -10:00 am. ACatholicfuneral mass willbegin at 10:00 am, celebrated by Father Cleo Milano and concelebrated by Father Miles Walsh and Father Michael Moroney. Interment to followatthe Our Lady of Mercy GardenofPeace.Inlieu of flowers,the family asks that youconsidera donation to theOur Lady of Mercy Traditions forTomorrow Campaign, Baton Rouge Regional Eyebank or to acharityofyourchoice

Crow,JuliaDurbin

which surpasses all under standing willguard your heartsand minds through Christ Jesus" Phil.4:7

Mrs. Julia Durbin Crow, aresident of BatonRouge, LA passed away on March 22, 2026, at theage of 76 years old. Julia was born in BatonRouge,LA., on September 6, 1949, to parents, Robert and Elizabeth Durbin.She retiredafter nearly30years fromthe LouisianaDepartment of Labor. She was aloving mother, wife, Nana, sister, and friend to allwho knew her. Julia willberemembered forher kindheart; theloveshe showed to others and her willingness to always help thosein need. She had asmilethat brought joywherever she went and alaugh that reflected her loving spirit. She enjoyed spending time with her family and friends,having teawith her special teagroup and playing Pokeno.She is survivedbyher husband of 56 years, Larry Crow; children,MichaelCrow(Tracy) and Brigette Crow Fresina (J.C.); her sister and brother- in -law, Wandaand Wayne Martin; brothers and sister-in-law, Stephen Crow(Sharon) and Tim Crow; her cherished grandchildren, Morgan and HarperFresina and Brentonand Riker Crow; and numerous nieces and nephews.Preceded in death areher parents, Robert and Elizabeth Durbinand mother and father-in-law,Horace and Helen Crow.Pallbearers willbeJ.C.Fresina,Jeremy Dyess, Robbie Martin, Adam Crow, KyleCrow, and Karl Breithaupt.Honorarypallbearers are Michael Crow, Brenton Crowand Riker Crow.Visitationwillbe held at Greenoaks Funeral Home,9595 Florida Blvd., Baton Rouge,LA., on Monday, March 30, 2026, from 10:00 am until funeralservice timeof1:00 pm. Interment will immediately followatGreenoaks Memorial Park.

BrigadierGeneralBobby LeeEffersonU.S.Air Force Reserves(Ret.) was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, September 21, 1943. He was theoldest child of Otto and Juanita Efferson, and brother to Carolynand Blaine.Hegraduated from Istrouma High School and LouisianaState University in 1967. Bobbythen entered theUnited States Air Force in March 1967 and served 35 years as acommand pilot.During his career, he flew theF-105 Thunderchief, F-4 Phantom, A-10 Warthog,F-16 Viper, and T-38 talon while accumulating over 5, 500 hours of flying timeand morethan 324 hoursof combat time in Southeast Asia, thePersian Gulf, and theDecisive Edgeoperation in Bosnia.Hewas Awardedthe Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, DistinguishedFlying Cross with oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star Medal, along with many otherawards and decorations. Bobby was promoted to Brigadier GeneralonMarch 20, 1998. He marriedDarlyn Curry in 1963, and they had two children, Michael and David.AfterDarlyn's un-

David After Darlyn s un timely passing,Bobby married CynthiaMcMahon in 1999. He hasfivegrandchildren: Guthrie, Bryce, Emmeline,Camilla, and Catherine. When Bobby wasn't flying or talking aboutairplanes, he loved huntingwith hisbrother, sons, uncles,and cousins. He andCyndy enjoyed livingonLake Worth, watchingsunsets, and hearing jets buzz theirhouse from nearby Naval AirStation Fort Worth, formerlyCarswellAFB. Burial wasat DFW NationalCemetery with aMissing ManFlyover providedby4 F-35's from hisold unit the"457 Fighter Squadron"knows as the "SPADS.

Barbara McLoudHenry passedaway peacefullyon March25, 2026, after along andfulllife. Shewas born on March26, 1926, in Cleveland, Ohio, and wasa longtime residentofBaton Rouge.She graduatedfrom Shaker Heights High School in Cleveland, Ohio, andfromChevy Chase Junior CollegeinChevy Chase, Maryland, in 1946. Barbara wasa past boardmember of theLSU Museum of Art, amember andpast presidentof Chapter AJ, P.E.O.,a sustainingmember of theJunior LeagueofBaton Rouge,a member of the "Thirsty Thursday" group, amember of ThePhilistoriaStudy Club, and amemberofFirst Presbyterian Church

Barbara spentmany years volunteering for the Foundation for Historical Louisiana andMagnolia Mound.

Barbara willberememberedfor herkindness, her love of familyand friends andher dedication to the Baton Rouge community she calledhome for so manyyears.

Barbara was preceded in death by herhusband of fifty-five years, Stephen G. Henry, Jr.; herdaughter, Susan HenryJones; her mother, Barbara Pattison McLoudElder; herstepfather,CrawfordL.Elder; her father,William R. McLoud; herbrother,Bruce H. McLoud; hersister-in-law, Terrell JaneMcLoud; her stepbrother,CrawfordL Elder,Jr. ("Bud"); and her sister-in-law,Alberta Ternes Elder

Barbara is survived by hergranddaughters, Jacquelyn Jones Wilson (Brandon)and Kimberly Jones Carroll (Casey), and fivegreat-grandchildren: Tenley Wilson, Piper Wilk il k

Tenley Wilson Piper Wil son, Tucker Wilson, Ryker Carroll, andBlakely Carroll. Sheisalso survived by a son,Stephen GarrettHenry III (Elizabeth), and hischildren:StephenGarrettHenry IV,Katherine Elizabeth Henry, EmilyRebecca Henry, andMatthew Russell Henry. Jacquelyn andKimberly will honor Barbara witha private service at alater date. They are deeply gratefulfor the wonderful caregivers andstaff of Sunrise SeniorLiving and Hospice of Baton Rouge Memorial contributions may be made to First Presbyterian Church,763 North Blvd., Baton Rouge,LA 70802 (note for Missions).

Michelle Delatte Hull passedaway on March23, 2026 at herhomein Brookhaven,MS. Shewas born October30, 1972. Shewas preceded in death by herGranny, Mary Alice Weatherly(James) and Father Welman Ray Delatte Sheissurvivedbyher Husband Jason HullSr., Daughter Brooklynn Copeland(Chad), Grandson Sawyer James, Mother Marie Delatte,SisterJulie Landry(Ryan), nieceHannahand nephewHunter, herstepchildrenCeara, Jay, Sloan, step grandchildren andmany friends and family. Sheloved gardening, cooking, familyroad trips, Momand Daughter dates with Brooklynn and makingpeople laugh. Visitation will be on TuesdayMarch31st at 1pm with Service at 2pm at RiverwoodFamilyServices in Brookhaven,MS.

Jackson, Etta BeaGardner

EttaBea Gardner Jackson departedthis life on March 16, 2026 at her home.She was an entrepreneur in the beauty andbarberindustry in Dallas, TX and later employed with First Student, Inc. in Baton Rouge. Left to cherish hermemories: herchildren,Clegg Enrico Jackson andMonicaJackson Gordon;two grandchildren, Taylor MilanNorman and Myles KennedyGordon; threesiblings, Joseph Matthew Gardner,Jr., Ella Lee Stratford andArney Craig Gardner i i i i

Henry, Barbara McLoud

Hull,Michelle Delatte

Bourgeois, GaynellW.

Efferson,Brigadier General Bob Lee

Craig Gardner

Visitation is at 12 PM and funeral service is 1pm on 2026-03-28 at Beech Grove Church, Baker, LA.

Burial is on 2026-03-30 at Port Hudson National Cemetery in Zachary, LA.

Keisler, James E.

James Edwin Keisler, son, brother, husband, father, mathematician, educator, grandfather (affectionately known as Gramps), great grandfather, cheerful and generous mentor and role model, died on March 20, 2026 at the age of 96. He was born on August 20, 1929 After abrief tour of service in the Army, he earned his PhD from the University of Michigan in 1959 and thereafter worked as a mathematics professorat LSUuntil his retirement in 1994. He was precise and rigorous in his thinking and his language. Following his retirement from LSU, he volunteered with the AARP tax preparation service for many years. He and his cherished wife Patience enjoyed traveling for familyreunions and for math, education and church events, and, especially, traveling as "Oma" and "Gramps" to spend time with their grandchildren.Later in life they enjoyed independent living at St. James Place in Baton Rouge, where he was known for his buoyant spirit and his daily walks wearing one of his favorite hats. No doubt he and Patience are enjoying a hot cup of coffee together today. He was alife-long Lutheran andwas afaithful member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Baton Rouge for more than 65 years. He was preceded in death by his parents, ReverendE.Bryan and Mabel Sease Keisler, his wife of 70 years, Patience Weidt Keisler, brother Frank Keisler, sister Bettye Glover, and his son Jim; and he is survived by sister MaryAnn Thomas, sister-in -law Norma Jeanne McGillick, sons Paul (Cheryl) and Bill (Marcia), daughter-in-lawEileen HayesKeisler, grandchildrenDiane Keisler, Lauren Brown, Ariel Brown, Gail Cantu (Roger), Katherine Starkey (Josh), Jake Keisler (Emily)and great grandchildren Olivia, Bella, Ricardo, Eloise, Santiago, Henry, Hannahand Quinn. Aservice in celebration of his life is planned to be held at St. Paul Lutheran Church on April18, 2026 Inlieu of flowers, memorials may be sentto St.Paul Lutheran Church.

Ms. Gracie Mae Bourgeois LeBlanc, born February 4, 1941 and age 85, passed away peacefully on March 26, 2026. She is survived by her loving children, Brenda Hudson (Clark), Randy Mire (Trudy), and Joey Mire (Latisha); her sister, Hattie Belle Moran; her grandchildren, Brandy Mapes (Chris), Guy Hudson Jr. (Dustie), Samantha Dixon (Blake), and Sarah Durbin (Kaz), Landon Fleming, and Logan Fleming; and her great-grandchildren, Kurstyn, Camryn, Talan, Virgil,Emile, Rowan, Emerie,Kate, and Kash. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Blackie LeBlanc; her parents, Paul and Luse Bourgeois; and her siblings, Allen Bourgeois, Troy Bourgeois, and Mary Ann Himel. Gracie willberemembered for the love she had for dancing, hosting large family dinners, collecting knickknacks, and tending to her garden. She leaves behind alegacy of family and will be deeply missed. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, from 9:00 AM until 11:00 AM. ACelebrationofLife Service willfollow at 11:00 AM. ACommittal Service will take place immediatel f ll i

will take place immediate ly following at Hope Haven on Hwy 30.

LeBlanc, James Harold'Poppa'

James Harold LeBlanc, known as "Poppa" passed awayonFriday, March20, 2026, at his home in Erwinville,at the age of 87. He was aretiredpipefitter with Local 198.Per his wishes, Jimmy was crematedand amemorial servicewillbeheldatImmaculate ConceptionCatholic ChurchinLakelandon Wednesday,April1st. Beginning with recitation of the Rosary at 8:30 a.m.,followed by visiting until a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30a.m. Entombment to follow in ChenalCemetery Jimmy is survivedbyhis wife, Sandra Achee LeBlanc;children, Mark LeBlanc and wifeWendy, Christine Galyean andhusband Mike,Jim Arceneaux and wifeJulie, KipLeBlanc and wifeMonique, Trey LeBlanc and wife Danette, Pat Morianand husband Jude,Tommy Arceneaux andKellyLeBlanc; grandchildren, CarolineLeBlanc, JenniferArceneaux Leleux, Mitchelle Arceneaux, Emily Gilbert, Ethan LeBlanc, Hunter Silvio,Danielle LeBlanc, Sarah Thibodeaux,RyanThibodeaux,Misty Morain, Randy Morain, Robert Arceneaux; great-grandchildren, HannahArceneaux, Ben Gilbert, Travis Loucks,JessieLoucks, AustinMorainand Lane Thibodeaux; sister-in-law, Okie LeBlanc. Jimmy was preceded in death by his parents,Boyd Ishmeal LeBlanc and NettieYoung LeBlanc; two brothers, Boyd Young LeBlanc and John Ira LeBlanc.

LeJeune, Francis Francis LeJeune passed away on Friday,March 27, 2026 at Landmark of Plaquemine, at theage of 83.Hewas anativeofEunice and resident of Plaquemine. Franciswas a retired salesmanfrom Cane Equipment.Visitation willbeatWilbert Funeral Home in Plaquemine, on Tuesday,March 31st,from 10 a.m. until religious serviceat11a.m., conducted by Rev. KeithHorton. Burial will follow in GraceMemorialPark.Francis is survived by hiswifeof54 years, Antonia "Toni"Diamond LeJeune;son,Randall LeJeuneand wife Runa; niece,Susan Truitt and husband Wilson Jr.; numerous othernieces and nephews. Francis was preceded in death by his son, Brian Matthew LeJeune; parents, Reme and OzaFruge'LeJeune; siblings,Nelson Marcentel, WillisMarcentel, Wilson Marcentel,Marcella Marcentel and Mrs. Hampton Mouillier. Please share memories at www.wilbertservices.com.

Micklin, LolaElaine

Lola Elaine Micklin (Grinde)native of Sisseton, South Dakota and recent residentofBurleson, Texas, passed awayon Monday, March 23, 2026, at the ageof90. Lolaloved herfamilyand friends. She loved spending time with allofthem. Shehad a strong relationship with Jesus! Shelovedbeinga homemakerand later as her children got older, she wentback to work.Her favorite jobwas at the police department. Shelovedto tell herfamily stories about what went on there. Shewas fun lovingand wouldgive you the shirt off h b k f d d

would give you the shirt off her back.Ifyou needed her, she'dbethere. She is survivedbyher children, Ronald Matthew Micklin and wife Debra, Laura Anne Hattaway and husband Bruce, LorenEdwin Micklin and wife Llona, and Adelle CecilleMagnuson and husband John; 15 grandchildren, Justin, Benjamin, Audrey, Sherisse, Brandy, Bruce, Briana, Brittany,Garrett,Reed, Christopher, Claire, Alexandra, Matthew, and Nicholas;24great-grandchildren; one sister,Gloria Husmon; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was proceeded in deathby her husband,Vernon Micklin; parents, Edwin and Laura; and stepmother, Bess. Visitationwillbe held at Resthaven Funeral Home,11817 Jefferson Hwy. Baton Rouge, LA 70816, on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. until Funeral Service at 11:00 a.m. Interment willfollow at Resthaven Gardens of Memory. Familyand friends may signthe online guestbookorleavea personalnote to thefamily at www.resthavenbatonroug e.com

Robert,Jacques Christopher

Jacques Christopher Robert, age41, of Tomball, Texas, entered eternal life on Sunday,March 22, 2026. He was adevoted husband to Theresa Escude' Robert and loving father to his four children: Elise Carol, Lucy Michelle, Landry Marie and Jacques Mathieu.

Jacques is survivedby his parents, Don and Mikki Robert of Gonzales; his sisters, MichelleSavoy(Brian) of Gonzales and Amanda Kirby(Ryan) of Shreveport; his in-laws, David and CarolineEscude' and sister -in-law, ChristinaEscude' Thornton (Robb Reech) all of Baton Rouge, and precious nieces and nephews, Laura Falcon(Lonnie), BradySavoy(Allye)and Seth Savoy (Kayla), Aidan, Andrew, Adam, and Audrey Kirby, William and Hannah Thornton. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Roland and Vallie Robert, Mike and Loyce Waguespack, and Robert Black.

Jacques was aproud graduateofSt. Theresaof AvilaCatholicSchool, CatholicHighSchool (Class of 2002) and Louisiana StateUniversity where he earneda degree in Mechanical Engineering and lateranMBA. He enjoyed histime at LSUwith his brothers at Pi Kappa Phi fraternity.Jacques went on to builda successful career at Exxon, where he flourished in his role in GlobalMarket Development.His workethic and skill were evident to all who worked alongside him. Jacques dedicated his life to family and the CatholicChurch. Growing up,heserved as an altar boyand continued his service as an usher at St. Anne CatholicChurch in Tomball, Texas and active member of the local Knights of Columbus. Jacques' legacy will continue through his loved ones. Known for his warm personality, he truly never met astranger. He had a natural gift formaking people feelwelcome and valued.Hewas always willing to lend ahelping hand,share alaugh, and brighten someone'sday with his sense of humor. In his free time, Jacques enjoyed woodworking, cooking,coaching youthsports playing guitar, spending endless hourswith his multitudeoffriends, but most of all, time with his wife and children -playing softball,building projects, and fishing. On any given day, he couldbefound witha chain saw or jambalaya paddle in hand Thoughhis time here was far tooshort, Jacques' legacy of love,kindness and laughter willliveon through his family and the countless liveshetouched. He willbedeeplymissed and forever remembered. Even in death, Jacques' generosity continues, as his gift of organ and tissue donationwilltouch many lives. Relatives and friends are invited to attend memorial services at St Theresa of AvilaCatholic Church in Gonzales, LA on Monday, March 30, 2026. Visitation willbegin at 9:00 am with afuneralmass at 12:00 pm. Interment will follow at HopeHaven GardenofMemory. Those hond llb

den of Memory Those hon ored to serveaspallbearers are KyleRobinson, Aubert Waguespack, BrandonDevillier,Brandt Bourque, Seth Savoy,Jeff Dusch, Mike Jones, Ralph Delatte, Jr In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be madetoyourlocal chapter of Knights of Columbus or St.Anne's CatholicChurch in Tomball, Texas. Servicesand arrangementshavebeenentrusted to Ourso Funeral Home in Gonzales, Louisiana. ACelebrationofLifewill also be held at St.Anne's Catholic Church in Tomball, Texas (date TBD). Pallbearers: EricWelfl, Russell Laing, Trey Solis, Lawrence Hegar, Kaz Norvasia, AndrewHood, Keith Bryant,and Jordan Rodano

MaxOverton UsreyIII passed away Tuesday March 24, 2026, of natural causes.BorninBlytheville, Arkansas, Max was agraduateofBlythevilleHigh School and subsequently earneda Bachelor of Science degreeinCivil Engineering from Louisiana StateUniversity. His lengthy and successful professional career included positions withMcRae& Associates, and more than 30 years with EvansGravesEngineersasSenior Special ProjectsEngineer Max was amember of the LouisianaEngineering Society and theLouisianaSociety of Professional Surveyors. He is fondly remembered by family and friends forhis passion for life,both in his workand in his recreational pursuits first and foremost finding peace on thewater off the coast of Floridaashe fished,skied or sailed. His love of meandering down theTchefuncta River earnedhim thetag line,« C i i t th M ! B k

earned him the tag line Cruising to the Max! »Back at home in Baton Rouge, Max honed hisculinary skills thanks to the Food Networkontelevision, and chiefly to hisown excellent tasteand adventurous spirit.His fried turkeyfor holidays became afamily tradition and astaple on many afriend'stable for Thanksgiving andChristmas. The constantand abidingloves of Max'slife were first andforemost his daughter, Lindsey Kaye Usrey, andhis four-legged best friend, Jack, an AmericanBulldog, always by his side. Maxispreceded in death by hisparents, Max Overton Usrey, Jr., and Ruth CurtisUsrey. A memorial service will be held Wednesday, April 1, at St.James Episcopal Church,208 North 4th Street in Baton Rouge at 5:00 p.m. with visitation at St.James beginning at 4:00 p.m. Memorial gifts in his honor may be made to St JamesEpiscopal Church or theEdible Schoolyard in NewOrleans,Louisiana. Familyand friends may sign theonline guestbook or leave apersonal note to thefamilyatwww.resthav enbatonrouge.com

William "Bill" Nicolas Zima, father, grandfather, andgreat-grandfather, passedaway peacefullyin hishomeonTuesday, March24, 2026. He was85 years old and alongtime residentofPride,LA. Bill wasa wonderfulman with an unforgettable sense of humor. He was aproud serviceman of theUnited StatesAir Forcethatepitomized love of country and family. He will be sorely missed. Hisfamily's hearts are comforted as they reflectonhis eternal reward. He is survived by hischildren; daughter, CrystalProvost and hus-

Crystal Provost and hus bandDaryl; son Robert Zima and wife Kelli; grandson, Joseph LeBeau and wife Kayla; granddaughter, Tori Guidryand husband Rusty; great-grandsons, MacLeBeau andBradley Guidry. He waspreceded in death by hisloving wife of 61 years, Tina Zima; daughterNatalieWilkinson; grandson, Dustin JamesPeccorano; parents, Nicholas andAnn Zima; sisters, HelenJoseph,Lillian Dennis,and Jean Zima. Visitation will be held at ResthavenFuneral Home, 11817 JeffersonHighway, Baton Rouge,LA70816, on Monday, March30, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. untilFuneral Service at 11:00 a.m. Pallbearers will be Joseph LeBeau, Rusty Guidry, Lee Ferringtion,NickFerringtion,Jack Parker, and Van Parker.Familyand friends may sign theonline guestbook or leave apersonal note to thefamilyat www.resthavenbatonroug e.com

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LeBlanc, Gracie Mae

OPINION

Focusjuvenile justice on what kids need, notadults

There are anumber of juvenile justicebills in theLouisiana Legislature this season, andwe appreciate that our legislators remainfocused on this issue.

Because it is so easy to derail young lives permanently and so hard to return themtothe right track, laws that affect youth require extravigilance about unintendedconsequences. That’swhy House Bill 140, by Rep.Vincent Cox, R-Gretna, concerns us greatly

It seeks to drastically increase the amount of time youths accused of crime canbekept behind bars awaiting trial. While adults might sit in jail for several months before trial, the Louisiana Children’sCode is writtentoensure that children go through thecourt systemmore quickly In the juvenile system, youth aresupposedto be adjudicated or released in no more than30 days for nonviolent crimes andnomorethan60 days for more violent crimes.

This bill would triple theadjudication timeline for nonviolent youth crimes to 90 daysand double it for violent crimes to120 days. Theclock would also be suspended or reset forcertain events, such as waiting forajudge to rule on a motion. If those deadlines pass withoutaction, youths could be released only aftertwo written defensemotions and ahearingfor prosecutors to argue why it’sagood idea to keep a youth behind bars.

Prosecutors say more time is neededbecause they are faced with more evidence to gather nowadaysand that defense lawyers use the tight timelines to game the system andforce case dismissals. However,wedon’tbelievethose issuesshould outweigh the interest we haveasa society to assure juvenilesare not forever scarredbyan indifferent justice system.Opponents of the bill arguethatthe longer youths stay outofschool, the less amenable theyare to rehabilitationand more likely to reoffend.

Let’snot forget that teensaccused of very serious crimes in Louisianacan alreadybemoved to theadult system, so this bill isn’toffering the public any additionalprotection against the most dangerous offenders. It seems purely for theconvenience of adults, not thecareofchildren.

The bill now moves to thefullHouse fordebate, and it is perhaps some comfort thatCox vows to consider amendmentstoaddressconcerns raised.

But the legislation signals how much theLegislature’s view of juvenile justice haschanged since it abandonedlandmark 2016 reforms that included measures designed to reducethe number of juveniles in detention.

We often see juvenile crime sensationalized to justify hardline policies. Butthe fact is that between 2000 and 2020, youtharrest ratesin Louisiana declined by more than 60%.

We hope the Legislature will deal in facts and reject any change that could causeharmtothe very young people who most need to seethat societyhasn’tgiven up on them.

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.

Is affordabilityreallya crisis?

At somepoint,the headlines turned “affordability” from aconcern into a “crisis.”But what does affordability mean?For most of us, that depends on what we consider our minimum requirements for happiness.

If you look at TikTok, life in New York Cityisafairy tale of chic bars, eggs topped with caviar and everyone looking conspicuously stylish. For much of Gen Z, TikTok is what they know of the expensive cities they and plentyofothers dream of frolicking in. The music. The sunsets. The screenshot bait. They set their heartsonthe pricey neighborhoods paraded across the screen.

believe they’ve beencheated of the lifestyle they think is rightfully theirs.

Homeprices in Los Angeles are especially high relative to incomes.A real estate expert there said that forbuyers, “There has to be versatility in searches People are not needing as much space. They want convenience.” Translation:They must maketradeoffs.

Aresome people leaving California for less expensive places? Sure. Andifthe move makes sense, who could blame them?But that hardly meansCalifornians are stampeding for theexits. To borrow Yogi Berra’s line, nobody wants to live in California anymore —it’stoo crowded.

Addtothem theimmigrantswho stream intothese cities for economic opportunity,many not appreciating thegrittier reality. Somehow the less privileged newcomers seem better equipped to make peace with disappointment.

Zohran Mamdani won the New York mayoralty promising amuch moreaffordable city,which he can’tdeliver Now politicians of both parties, President Donald Trumpincluded, are selling the same dream to themasses who

Whenreaderspointout errors in stories or on ourwebsite, we go to great lengths to review what’sbeen reported andcorrect the record if we have made an error

Sometimes, it’sa straightforward matter.Aname was mis

Someretirees feeling priced out of theFlorida coast are moving across thestate’spanhandle to Alabama.

Andfor generations, NewYork City residentshave departed forthe less expensive suburbs.

As for big city living, one deal that helps justify thehigh rents is public transportation. Most NewYorkers get along fine without their own vehicles. They almost certainly don’tneed cars for every family member above the

age of 18. An uncle wholived in car-dependent Dallas never learned to drive. How did he do it? He moved near abus line and, according to his daughter,hehad friends with cars. The average price of anew vehicle recently passed $50,000. That doesn’t include the expenses of car insurance and maintenance. For acar that’s driven 15,000 miles ayear,the annual cost of insurance alone now averages $1,650. Meanwhile, the U.S. is abig country There are wonderful, “more affordable” cities in the heartland: Omaha, Columbus, Indianapolis, Kansas City In formerly booming Austin, median house prices are now in the mid$400,000s, downabout 20% from the 2022 high.

APolitico piece on the affordability crisis noted, with astraight face, that almost half of Americans feel “they could not pay foravacation that involves air travel.” Talk about expectations. For mostofus, affordability isn’ta “crisis.” It’s afirst world problem

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

That’swhy it can take time to review requests forcorrections. We do not wanttocompound an error by not making a thorough investigation before issuing acorrection. Readers should know that if there is a correction to astory,editors

facts. Likewise, letter writers sometimes state clearly that their opinions are based on their own observation or estimation, which others can dispute. And they are often disputed. We print letters from those whodisagree as well. Turning to our letters inbox for March 19-26, we received 65 letters. The topic that stood out, not surprisingly,was the warinIran. Five of you wrote to give your opiniononhow it’s going. The current legislative session wasthe subject of three letters, as were immigration and the SAVE Act, but otherwise no single topic got more than twoletters. That includes the Senate race, the government shutdown and the trial of “slammers” whofaked traffic accidents forbig insurance payouts in the New Orleans area.

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

Arnessa Garrett

Froma Harrop

COMMENTARY

Sticking to principles earnsHallofFamehonor

Dad’stheme was liberty.That’s what drove him.

Rarely is ajournalist faced with the newsworthy occurrence of his father being awarded, posthumously,asignificant public honor.But that’swhat happenedSaturday night, when Haywood Hillyer III was inducted into the Louisiana Political Hall of Fame for 35 years of volunteer work in the trenches helping build the state’soncemoribund Republican Party.

My late father is one of eight inductees —including my mentor and friend, the eminently deserving Clancy DuBos —inthis year’sclass. The Hall is part of the Louisiana Political Museum, agem of an institution, in Winnfield.

Last year,before Dad was selected, Iwrote aFather’s Day piece about his belief that politicalparticipation was acivic duty in which “honor and trust are crucial …[and] political opponents need not be personal enemies, [and] all forms of bigotry have no valid place in American life.” What, then, is the substance of the political philosophy that

induced my father to devote decades tounremunerative toil? In laying this out,Iamtrying to not project my beliefs onto Dad, but to accurately reflect his own —which, granted, were about 90% aligned withmine, but not entirely As an entry point,start with immigration: an issue thatcertainly wasn’t my father’smain interest, but which is uber-controversial now and for which Iknow (while not entirely agreeing with) my father’sviews quite well. It helps elucidatehis broader beliefs. Like most conservatives, Dad was firmly against leniency for illegalimmigrants, but he went farther (although not nearly as far, nor for the same reasons, as Team Trump does). Unlike my view,Dad also wanted somewhat restrictive limits on legal immigration, albeit while wantingtostreamline the rigmarole involved. What’simportant, though, is his reasoning. Dad didn’tcare about the color or nationalityoreducational background of immigrants, believing allshould be in thesame queue. But he thought thenumber of legal immigrants should

be pre-limited each year.Why? Because theAmerican system is aspecial blessing that needs nurturing. Mostpeople don’tinstinctually understandthat therule of law can complement, not impede, maximum liberty.Most people don’tcome from political cultures where thevery point of law is to protect liberty rather than to project power,where theconsent of the governed is paramount and where rightsare seen not as grants from government but as preexisting verities to which government must bow Theseconcepts must be learned. Alas, for decades,weAmericans haven’teven done well at civics education for our own progeny, much less for the foreign-born.

encouraged, theyshould come in asteady,predictable stream, reasonably (but notseverely) limited in annualnumbers.

Dad didn’twant to erase other cultural practices —food,music, family traditions —but he believed civic acculturation takes hardwork. He believed that withoutproper assimilation of newcomers, bothour own system and the newcomers’ welfare could be adversely affected. Hence, while immigrants should be not just welcomed but

The point, Dadbelieved, was that ourconstitutional system is profoundly good and profoundly workable, but also somewhat fragile. If toomanynewcomers come too fast, he thought acclimation would fail. Now let’sleaveimmigrationaside.What Dad believedmadethe system profoundly important to protect wasits aspiration to maximum individualliberty that doesn’timpinge the liberty of others. He believed people can thrive if coercive institutions don’t interfere. He believed the main job of thenationalgovernment was to provide fordefense, and themain joboflocal government was to strictly enforcecriminal laws,but thatall levels of government should write fewer laws to enforce at all.

Dad distrusted centralized power —ingovernment and anywhere else. WhatDad loved were local, volunteer organizations: neighborsfreelychoosing to join neighborsinworthy endeavors.

All of which meant he wanted government as small, andaslocal,aspossible.And while he thought government can be a provideroflastresort for the poor andthe infirm, he believed government by its nature wasn’t averyeffective distributor of goods, services andlasting aid. A compassionate man, Dadthought atoo-big government was ahindrancetoeffective compassion.

Moreover,hesaw the power involvedinbiggergovernment as athreat to the freedom he cherishedfor allcitizens, regardless of race or creed

There’s lots more,but you get the picture:Dad’s outlook was coherent—and unselfish. Agree or notwith his notions of what works best in practice, his motivations were patently admirable.

In the words of the Constitution’spreamble, that’swhy Dad spent so many years, largely behind the scenes, as apolitical volunteer:“to secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and ourposterity.”

Iamoverjoyedthatthe LouisianaPolitical Hall of Fameishonoring his idealistic efforts.

Email Quin Hillyer at quin hillyer@theadvocate.com

Partyprimaries newtoLa.,but days mightalready be numbered

The first vote under Louisiana’sbrandnew party primary system has yet to be cast,but the backlash looks likeit’salready underway

That’scertainly one way to read aunanimous vote in the state Senate last week to once again elect the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education under the familiar —and popular —open primary system.

Senate Bill 49 by state Sen.Alan Seabaugh, R-Shreveport, cleared the upper chamber 35-0. It may drawsome opposition in theHouse, but with Gov.(and chief partyprimary advocate) Jeff Landry now well past his honeymoon —and with voters still learning the new system’scomplicated ins-and-outs ahead of the May 16 primary —I’d give it a real chance.

taxpayers money.Stagingaclosed primary and runoff for justthe BESEseats, in the same year that legislators and statewide officials run in open primaries, would cost an extra $5.4 million.

Theprice tag is certainly one argument against thenew system, but it’s far from theonly one.

Even morepersuasive is that there’s no sign at all that most voters wanted partyprimaries in the first place.

Landry and other party-line Republicans —and certainly someDemocrats —see these elections as away of bolstering candidates who are more in line with their party’sbase.

The upcoming ballot, headlined bythe closely-watched U.S. Senate race, also featuresaspecialelection forBESE’sDistrict 1, which will proceed underthe existing rules regardless of the legislation’s fate Thefullstate education board is up for electionnext year,which his whenthe bill aims to take effect Seabaugh and state Rep. Mike Bayham, R-Chalmette, who has asimilar proposalon the House side, say their goal is to savethe

That’scertainly the dynamic in theSenaterace, where forces loyal to President Donald Trumpare targeting incumbent Bill Cassidy,who supports Trump on just about every issue but had thetemerity to vote to convict him in his secondimpeachment in 2021. Trump’shand-picked challenger,U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow,is openly running on this theory —saying, for example, that she’llonly debateon aconservative radio host’sprogram because “Moon Griffon reaches the heart of Louisiana’sconservative grassroots, and thatisexactly the audience that should hear this debate.” (What, other voters shouldn’t?)

Onepoll for an organization that supportsopen primaries found that 69% of Louisianans prefer them, and forgood reason. Open primaries allow all voters to support any candidateregardless of party, rather than restricting their options. They also give candidates incentive to try to appeal to thebroadest possible swath of voters, not just those in their own ideological camp.

Andthe poll was taken wellbefore people had to contend with figuring out which party they’re registered in ahead of May 16 —and which partythey should be registered in if they want their vote to be meaningful in astate that’sbound to send aRepublican to Washington come November

Well before last week’sstate Senate vote, there were already plenty of signs that the politicians know how few of theirconstituents wanted things to change.

Landry didn’topenly campaign on the issue when he ran in 2023, even though his push for thenew law in early 2024 suggestsitwas his plan all along.

Andwhile they wentalong with the governor on many controversialissues back then,lawmakers pushed backonthis one to asignificant extent.

Although the initial bill imposedparty primaries on mostnonlocal offices and

limitedparticipation to registeredmembers of each party,the lawthatwound up passing left lawmakers themselves alone andexemptedstate-leveloffices, including the governor, leaving only Congress, BESE, the Public Service Commission and the state Supreme Court underthe new rules. It also allowedthe 800,000 or so voters who arenot registered in aparty to participate in eitherthe Republican or Democratic primary And now the tide may wellbeturning against even that watered-down version. In fact, someobservers —the politically astute state Senate President Cameron Henry,R-Metairie, among them —predict momentum to trash the new system once this year’svoting comes and goes.

“I believe after the May election you’re going to see several bills to undo it because it is going to be breathtakingly confusing to all of the voters,” he said before the session started. That’sbasically what happened the last timethe state tried something like this nearly 20 years ago. Last week’sdecisive Senate vote may be the first sign of history repeating itself Email StephanieGrace at sgrace@ theadvocate.com.

Don’talter N.O. courtsbased on faulty comparisons

Here we go again. The Louisiana Legislature is picking on New Orleans because the parish has something the other 63 parishes don’thave: the most courtsand themost judges. If measures moving through theLegislature become law, New Orleans would lose 14 judges. And most of them are Black. On Thursday,the House Judiciary Committeevoted 10-5 in favor of House Bill 911 that would significantly damage theexistingcourt system in Orleans Parish.Gov.Jeff Landry,who claims to love theCrescent City and says he just wants to see the city do better,ispushing this hard. There are too many courts, toomany judges, and it all costs too much money,the governor argues. The guv arguesthattoo many Orleans Parish judges are “incompetent” and inconsistent withcourt administration, and they spend withoutguardrails Plus, he adds, the New Orleanscourts are akey reason there’ssomuchcrime in the state’slargest city Landry wants the Republican supermajority Legislature to reduce thenumber of civil and criminal judges, abolish the juvenile court andincreasestate judicial oversight over what happensincity-based courts. As proposed by Republican state Rep Dixon McMakin of BatonRouge,a new 41st Judicial District Courtwould have several divisions, includinga juvenile section, not astandalone court. The way

McMakinsees it, combining thejuvenile court with the civil and criminal district courts could save about $7 million thatthe state pays to subsidize theexisting court system. Criminal court judges and juvenile court advocates have argued that they’re notequipped to handle theintricacies of youthcases, and they have heavy caseloads. The civil, criminal and juvenile court clerk duties would be merged intoasingle, elected clerk job. Something they’re calling a“consolidated judicial expense fund” would becreated tooversee the combined court operations.

In addition, Senate Bill 217 would reduce thenumberofcivil district court judgesin OrleansParish and create aprocess to remove criminal district court judgeships. Of our64parishes,Orleans is different. In other parishes,there’sone combined court handling civil and criminal cases. In Orleans, there is acivil court and acriminalcourt. All64parishes have court staff, and,yes, we have two setsofstaff in New Orleans. Ultimately,Republican legislators are seeking to reduce thenumber of civil court judges from 14 to 10 and the number of criminal court judges from 12 tonine. These 19 would handle civil and criminal cases. McMakin wants to reduce thenumber ofjuvenile judges from four to two. Amagistrate judge would continue in the newcourt.

TheRepublican emphasis is on saving money. They’re tyingtheir determination to shrink the number of Orleanscourts and judgestoa 2006 report that implies there’s an imbalance between Orleansand other

parishes based on arrestsand caseloads.

The problem with thereport is that it compares OrleansParishtoother parishes that handle case filings differently.Looking at the number of arrests, charges and court cases isn’tthe sameifone parish, like Orleans, combines moreincidents into single filings and other courts increase that number withindividual incident filings.

We’ve seen this before.

In 2006, shortly after Katrina, and again in 2008, the Legislature pushed to combine

Orleans’ civil, criminal and juvenile courts. For avariety of reasons, that effort failed. They tried again in 2011, this time with a different approach but still focused on consolidation. That effort failed.

What’sscary is that if this measure gets through the House and the Senate, the plan would go into effect without New Orleans or Louisiana voters weighing in. They’d just do it. Because they can. They will, if we don’tpay attention. Things can change as these matters surface and get attention. One companion measure sought to allow the governor to choose which elected judges and which elected district attorneys he wanted to remove.

As the measure was moving through the legislative sausage process, the Legislature, not the governor,would have that opportunity.Ifitbecomes law,Senate Bill 123 would give the Legislature the chance to remove judges for“malfeasance, gross misconduct, or incompetence committed while in office.” Any such removal would have to be approved by aHouse majority and atwo-thirds vote in the Senate. An accused judge would get atrial in the Senate. Imagine that circus. The revised bill would require voter approval.

Do we really need to send something like that to voters? Do we really wantthe governor or the Legislature to choose which of our elected judges should be “recalled” without voter input? Ithink not.

Email Will Sutton at wsutton@theadvocate. com.

Quin Hillyer

Stephanie Grace

Will Sutton

STAFF FILEPHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON Rep. DixonMcMakin, R-Baton Rouge

H. Hillyer

Elitestatus just out of Tigers’ grasp

Thejolting finality with which acollege basketball team’sseason canend in the NCAA Tournament is something no one canpreparefor happening.

That certainly was the case for theLSU women’sbasketball team Friday night in its 87-85 loss to Duke in the NCAA Sacramento 2regional semifinals. TheTigers made afrenzied comeback from 83-73 down with5:11 remaining to take an 85-84 lead on Mikaylah Williams’ clutch free throws with9.2 seconds left, only to have their season snuffed out when Ashlon Jackson made an around-the-rim 3-pointer from the right wing as time expired. Jackson’sshot could havespun out easily But it didn’t.

The result: for LSU, asour —not sweet —16indeed.

The stunned looks on the Tigers’ faces, especially that of senior guard Flau’jae Johnson, told the entire story.LSU was done after its second-shortest NCAA Tournament run in five victory-flush seasons under Kim Mulkey

“It takes awhile,” Mulkey said, “toget over it.” True enough. It is over,though. So what do we make of this 29-6 season? In one respect, it was aremarkable season filled withsome breathtaking moments. LSU’smost lasting,legacy-type achievement probablywill endupbeing the offense. LSU set the NCAAwomen’s Division Irecord for most 100-pointgames

guard Flau’jae Johnson reacts after Duke guard

Sweet 16 NCAATournament game on Friday in Sacramento, Calif. LSUlost 87-85. AP

scored a3-pointer to

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

SACRAMENTO, Calif. The shot will sit withcoach Kim Mulkeyfor awhile How coulditnot?Itrolled and rolled and rolled around therim before dropping in with no time remaining,perhaps thecruelest way to end aseason.

Flau’jae Johnson putbothher hands to her head in disbelief. Mikaylah Williams turnedaway fromthe rimand sulked down the baseline. Mulkey walked over to thescorer’stable, whereshe congratulated Duke coach Kara Lawson.

The LSU women’s basketball team was 2.6seconds away from theEliteEight on Friday.Itjust needed one more defensivestop. Force amiss, secure the rebound and dance to thedoorstep of theFinal Four

BY JIM KLEINPETER

Contributing writer

For the second consecutive game, LSU softball bottledup afearsome Oklahoma attack. This time the Tigers finished the job. Sophomore left-handerJayden Heavener handcuffed the No. 5Sooners on two hits, and Kylee Edwards slammed atwo-run homer to lift the Tigers to a3-1 victory at Tiger Park on Saturday

No.20LSU couldn’t hold a1-0 lead in the final inning in a3-2 loss Friday night. This time the Tigers led 3-0, and even though Oklahoma got an unearned run in the sev-

enthtobring thetying runtothe plate, Heavener struck outAllyssa Parker and got Abby Dalton on agrounder to third to seal the deal.

LSU (23-11, 4-7 SEC) nearly hassnapped Oklahoma’snow 367-game streak without being shut out in twoconsecutive games. Oklahoma entered theseriesleading the nation in homers(129), runs scored and batting average.Oklahoma (33-3, 7-1) had only

LSU

Ashlon Jackson, in background,

winthe

PHOTO By SARA NEVIS

Scott Rabalais

AP PHOTO By SARA NEVIS

LSU guard MikaylahWilliams goes up for alayup as Dukeforward Jordan Wood defends during aSweet 16 game Friday in Sacramento, Calif.

LSUshortstop Kylee Edwards tags Oklahoma runner Allyssa Parker in the second inning of theirgame Saturday at Tiger Park. LSUwon 3-1.

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

page 4C

LEARNMORE

Chris Stanfield LSU Baseball, Outfielder

BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS

WOMEN’S SWEET 16 ROUNDUP

S. Carolina cruises into Elite Eight

By The Associated Press

SACRAMENTO Calif.

Ta’Niya Lat-

son scored 28 points and Raven Johnson added 18 to help topseeded South Carolina beat No 4 seed Oklahoma 94-68 on Saturday and advance to the Elite Eight of the women’s NCAA Tournament. South Carolina will face TCU on Monday night for the chance to go to the Final Four in Phoenix from the Sacramento 4 Regional.

The Gamecocks have advanced to the national semifinals in six of the past eight Final Fours and won three national championships during that stretch. Oklahoma was looking for its first trip to the regional since the 2009-10 season, which was the Sooners’ last time in the Final Four

The Gamecocks (34-3) jumped out to a strong start behind Latson, who was playing in her first Sweet 16. The senior guard played the first three years of her career at Florida State before coming to South Carolina this season. She scored eight of the team’s first 10 points as the Gamecocks went up 10-0. Johnson scored nine points as the Gamecocks were up 23-13 after the first quarter

Oklahoma (26-8) turned the ball over on three of its first four possessions in the second quarter and South Carolina took advantage. Latson’s four-point play with 46 seconds left in the half made it 47-28. The Sooners got a stop on the next possession, but Sahara Williams missed a wide-open layup just before the buzzer Latson finished the first half with 18 points and Johnson had 16. Second-team AP All-American Joyce Edwards was scoreless in the opening 20 minutes. It didn’t matter as the Gamecocks had enough offense from Latson and Johnson. South Carolina got Edwards

Latson, center right, shoots over Oklahoma forward Sahara Williams during the first half in the Sweet 16 of the tournament on Saturday in Sacramento, Calif

more involved in the second half as she scored the team’s first four points in the third quarter as the Gamecocks gave Oklahoma no shot at a comeback. Edwards finished with eight points and nine rebounds.

Aaliyah Chavez scored 21 points to lead the Sooners, and Raegan Beers added 14. NO 2 MICHIGAN 71, NO. 3 LOUISVILLE 52: In Fort Worth, Texas, Olivia Olson scored 19 points, fellow sophomore Syla Swords added 16 and No. 2 Michigan overcame a sluggish start for a victory over

Louisville.

The Wolverines went on a 16-0 run in the second quarter to erase an 11-point deficit, their biggest, then broke a tie in the third quarter by scoring 17 consecutive points and cruising to their second Elite Eight, both in the past five seasons. Michigan (28-6) tied a school record for victories and will play top-seeded Texas on Monday night for a spot in the Final Four Elif Istanbulluoglu scored 18 points for the third-seeded Car-

MEN’S ROUNDUP

dinals (29-8), who shot 35% and were outscored 49-16 over a twoquarter stretch from midway through the second to the middle of the fourth.

Olson, the top scorer among a bevy of sophomores leading both teams, missed four of her first five shots, and the Wolverines went more than six minutes without scoring to start the game.

Te’Yala Delfosse, who had 10 points, eight rebounds and two blocks, had a 3-pointer during the second-quarter run that she capped with a three-point play for Michigan’s first lead at 28-25.

NO 1 TEXAS 76, NO. 5 KENTUCKY 54: In Fort Worth, Texas, Rori Harmon had 11 points, seven assists and six steals and Texas beat fellow SEC member Kentucky, sending the top-seeded Longhorns to another Elite Eight.

Jordan Lee had 18 points while All-America forward Madison Booker had 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists for the Longhorns (34-3), who have an 11-game winning streak. Harmon also had seven rebounds.

Amelia Hassett hit a 3-pointer on the first shot of the game for the Wildcats (25-11), but their only lead didn’t last long. Texas responded with 15-0 run, in the middle of which Harmon had three defensive rebounds and four assists in a span of 90 seconds.

NO.3 TCU 79, NO.10 VIRGINIA 69: In Sacramento, California, Marta Suarez had 33 points and 10 rebounds as part of a nearly unstoppable duo with Olivia Miles, and No. 3 seed TCU beat 10th-seeded Virginia on Saturday in the Sweet 16 of the women’s NCAA Tournament. TCU (32-5), making its second straight appearance in the Elite Eight, will face No. 1 seed South Carolina on Monday for a trip to the Final Four

Illinois beats Iowa for Final Four berth

By The Associated Press

HOUSTON Freshman Keaton Wagler scored 25 points and Illinois ended Iowa’s underdog March Madness run by dominating in the frontcourt, beating the Hawkeyes 71-59 on Saturday to advance to the Final Four for the first time since 2005. This will be the sixth trip to the Final Four for Illinois, which has never won a national title. The Fighting Illini will face either Duke or UConn next weekend in Indianapolis. The much taller Illini (28-8) outrebounded Iowa 38-21 in the South Region final. David Mirkovic led the way with 12 rebounds.

Coach Brad Underwood’s emphasis on recruiting in Eastern Europe has paid off in this tournament. Tomislav Ivisic of Croatia, who stands 7-foot-1, and his 7-2 twin brother Zvonimir have shined in March.

Andrej Stojakovic, who was born in Greece but whose father is Serbian three-time NBA All-Star Peja Stojakovic, scored 17 points for third-seeded Illinois. His famous father watched proudly as his son punched his ticket to the Final Four, and Wagler’s parents — who met when they played basketball at a junior college in Kansas — cheered wildly throughout for their son, who was named MVP of the region.

Bennett Stirtz scored 24 points for the ninth-seeded Hawkeyes (24-13), who knocked off top-seeded Florida in the second round as part of an impressive run under first-year coach Ben McCollum, a four-time Division II national champion at Northwest Missouri State.

Late Friday No. 2 UCONN 67, No. 3 MICHIGAN STATE: In Washington, Tarris Reed scored 20 points, Alex Karaban added 17, and both made pressure-packed free throws in the final minute that helped UConn hold off Michigan State.

The Huskies (32-5) led 63-62 when Karaban was fouled with 22.5 seconds remaining. He made both ends of a one-and-one to give UConn a three-point lead, and after Michigan State was unable to find a quick shot, Kur Teng’s 3-pointer missed A foul was called on the Huskies on the rebound with 4.6 seconds remaining. Carson Cooper made the first for Michigan State. He missed the second it did not appear to be intentional — and Reed rebounded. His two free throws effectively sealed the win.

Michigan State (27-8) overcame an early 19-point deficit but bowed out on a night the Spartans shot just 4 of 16 from 3-point range. No. 6 TENNESSEE 76, NO. 2 IOWA STATE 62: In Chicago, Nate Ament

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ERIC GAy

Illinois forward Zvonimir Ivisic dunks the ball against Iowa during the second half of their Elite Eight game on Saturday in Houston. Illinois won 71-59 to advance to the Final Four

scored 18 points, Ja’Kobi Gillespie finished with 16 and Tennessee beat Iowa State to advance to the Elite Eight for the third straight year

Coach Rick Barnes’ team used a dominant effort on the glass and a strong second half to put away Iowa State (29-8) and move within one win of its first Final Four Ament made three 3-point-

ers. Felix Okpara chipped in with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Jaylen Carey added 11 points and 10 boards, and the Volunteers outrebounded the Cyclones 43-22.

Nate Heise and Tamin Lipsey each scored 18 points for Iowa State, but the Cyclones clearly struggled without injured star Joshua Jefferson.

IN BRIEF FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

Woodland fires 65, keeps lead at Houston Open

HOUSTON Gary Woodland had to play hard to stay in front Saturday in the Houston Open and he added a pair of birdies late in his round for a 5-under 65 that gave him a one-shot lead over Nicolai Højgaard as he goes for his first win since the 2019 U.S. Open. Woodland and Højgaard (63) were flawless in the final hour at Memorial Park and created some separation going into Sunday, with no one else closer than five shots. Woodland has become a popular figure in golf for the way he has handled his recovery from brain surgery in September 2023, and earlier this month opening up on his struggles with post-traumatic syndrome disorder during an emotional interview at The Players Championship.

His golf has looked as good as ever with full control of his swing and full use of his athletic power

LSU basketball recruit asks for release from signing

LSU basketball recruit Kevin Thomas requested his release from his signing with the Tigers, he announced on Instagram, two days after Will Wade’s hiring. Thomas, a four-star recruit for the Class of 2026, made his announcement on Instagram. Thomas is allowed to reopen his recruitment because of the coaching changes within the program. The 6-foot-6, 195-pound Thomas is ranked the No. 78 player in the country and the No. 32 small forward, according to 247Sports. Thomas, who attends Sagemont Prep in Florida, committed to coach Matt McMahon on Oct. 17. The Tigers have three players who intend to enter the transfer portal that opens April 7: guards Dedan Thomas and Ron Zipper and forward Jalen Reed.

U.S. horse Magnitude wins $12M Dubai Gold Cup

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates Magnitude beat race favorite Forever Young to win the Dubai Gold Cup on Saturday in the first major outdoors sporting event since the outbreak of the Iran War.

The 4-year-old American horse, ridden by Jose Ortiz and trained by Steven Asmussen, successfully resisted a determined effort from Japan’s Forever Young with Ryusei Sakai on board, to win the almost $7 million first prize. Meydaan was third, followed by Imperial Emperor, both Irish horses There was $12 million in prize money for the nine-horse race. The race went ahead despite the cancelation of other major sporting events in the region since the United States and Israel launched their initial attacks on Iran on Feb. 28.

Hamlin qualifies first at Martinsville, his 49th pole

MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Denny Hamlin earned his fifth pole position at Martinsville Speedway and 49th of his Cup Series career, tying him with NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Isaac for 10th all time.

The Joe Gibbs Racing star turned a 98.241-mph lap Saturday in the No. 11 Toyota to beat William Byron, whose No. 24 Chevrolet qualified second at 97.957 mph for Sunday’s 400-lap race.

With his win two weeks ago at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Hamlin, 45, broke a tie with Kevin Harvick for 10th on the all-time win list in NASCAR’s premier series. He is two poles away from tying the career total of Ryan Newman.

Malinin retains world figure skating title

PRAGUE Ilia Malinin is back on the top step of the podium.

Six weeks after a disastrous free skate knocked the Olympic goldmedal favorite off the podium, the “quad god” reeled off one huge jump after another, and a backflip for good measure, to retain his world championship title on Saturday for the third year running. Malinin shouted and punched the air with relief after finishing a skate that showed he had achieved his desire to “move on” from the Olympics after days tormented by his mistakes.

He praised the crowd’s support, saying: “It was really challenging, really hard but with you guys I was able to make it through.” His aim, he added, had simply been to get through the free skate “in one piece.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By SARA NEVIS

South Carolina guard Ta’niya

Spring’s rising waters limit

fishing areas

BY JOE MACALUSO Contributing writer

With all the water in our state, especially in the southern parishes, you could easily believe our fishing options are endless.

Not today.Now that the Mississippi and Atchafalaya rivers are claiming their springtime share of runoff from dozens of states to our north (east andwest, too), the vast areasofwater in thesetwo majorriver systems are limiting the places where we can fish— no, not just fish, but catch fish

Placeslikethe Atchafalaya Spillway, themarshes and runoff the Mississippi River south of Buras and down to Venice alongwith several oxbow lakes still connectedtothe Mississippi are far too high and muddy to make it aworthwhile fishing trip.

Not too many years ago, the Verret Basin would soak up thousands of fishing hours during the spring rises, but, for whatever reason, fish populations in Lake Verret and surrounding waters aren’twhat they used to be.

Forfolks east of Baton Rouge, that meant usual springtime excursions to the Florida Parishesrivers and bayous —the Amite, Blind, Tickfaw,Tangipahoa rivers, the three runs of the lower Pearl River and the southern end of Bayou Lacombe.

ForBaton Rougeand west, it was False River and the waters reachable from Jack Miller’sLanding westof Plaquemine.

Those last two spotsproduced last weekend.

False River and theannual Kiwanisbass tournament produced awinning fivebass, near 19-pound catch for Larry Jarreau and Brogan Gurr —the big bass, a7-pound, 8-ounce lunker,came from the second-place teamof RichardBrister and Nick Brister

And, the Junior SouthwestBassmasters put its stamp of approval on the Jack Miller’sarea, notably around Grand Bayou, where 23 young anglers andtheir adult “guides” brought in 76 weighable fish (12 inches or longer) with clubboss Jim Breaux reporting that many other small

NOTEBOOK

bass were caught. Breauxsaidall weighed fish were released alive andthe top producing lures were “(plastic)frogs, spinnerbaits early,creature baits and Baby Brush Hogs, laterinthe day.”

The noteonFalse River is ashad spawn is underway andthe best action comes between first light and 9a.m.After that,jigsand softplastics around brush piles have produced limited action.

Rain in this week’s forecastwill help freshenthe water in most areas, but we’re not supposed to get so much rain that it will send local rivers too high to inhibit catches.

Your help needed

Wildlife and Fisheries’ Enforcement Division is asking anyone in ourstate selected forthisyear’s 2026 National Recreational Boating SafetySurveyto completethis mail-out and return the survey,which is done every five years and funded by the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust funds.

The50,000questionnaires will bedivided among the 50 states and the District of Columbia to determine the number of boaters, boats types and howoftenthey use their boats

The target is to improve boating safety and give a chance to provideboth positive and negativeexperiences on thewater

Duckart

The subject for the 2027 Louisiana WaterfowlConservation Stamp is the wood duck.

It’s the fourth time this colorful specieshas been selected for the Louisiana duck stamp.

The artist has to submit an original, unpublished workwith asigned and notarized artist’sagreement anda $50entry feeduring the submission period, Oct. 19-26, 2026. Entriesshould be addressed to: Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries,

OUTDOORS

Father-son teamwork

Kase Nobile gets help from his dad, Ben,inshowingoff four of the basstheyused to winthe 7-10 year-oldage group and adult divisions in the Junior Southwest Bassmasters’ monthly tournament. The clublaunched fromJackMiller’sLanding west of Plaquemineand most teams fished in the Grand Bayouarea. Kase’s five-bass limitweighed 7.82 poundsand was the heaviest stringer among the three agegroups. Ben’s five fish tipped the scales at 9.44 pounds.

BASS FISHINGRESULTS

Kiwanis-False River NEWROADS The top 10 overall and top twoin big-bassstandings from the annual Pointe Coupee KiwanisBass tournament held from Morrison Parkway on False River with anglers, number of bass weighed (five-bass limit)and catch weights in pounds and ounces: Top10: 1, Larry Jarreau-Brogan Gurr(5) 18 pounds,14.4ounces.2,RichardBrister-Nick Brister (5)17-11.4. 3, Chance Bergeron-ScottLundy (5)16-8.2. 4, Cody Bergeron-Kevin Bergeron (5) 16-6. 5, Brad Buoy-Stephen Buoy(5) 16-4.2. 6, Travis Meche-Drew Todaro(5) 14-12.6. 7, JadreWatson-Garret Watson (5) 14-4.2. 8, Dar-

renBueche-Michael Lindsly (5) 14-4. 9, Tommy Jarreau-Brad Teal (5) 13-15.2. 10, Eric Lott-Kellan Lott (5)13-9.6. BigBass: 1, Brister-Brister, 7pounds,8.2 ounces 2, Jarreau-Gurr, 6-8.2. Junior Southwest Bassmasters PLAQUEMINE Age-group resultsfromthe Junior Southwest Bassmasters-Denham Springs’ March tournament held from the Jack Miller’s landing with anglers, their hometowns (when available), number of bass weighed in parentheses (five-bass limit),totalweight in pounds and big-basswinners: 15-18agegroup: 1, LandinSholty,Denham Springs (5)6.88 pounds.2,Aiden

CALENDAR

WEDNESDAY

LA. ALLIGATORADVISORYCOUNCIL

MEETING: 1p.m LSU Ag Center,1105 West Port St Abbeville.

LDWF UPDATE

CLOSED: Hammond Field Office, closed March 31(Tuesday, maintenance); Bodcau WMA(Benton) and Woodworth shooting ranges April 3&April 5; Hope Canal Road/boat launch (Maurepas Swamp WMA, levee construction)

Attn: Louisiana Waterfowl Conservation Stamp Program, 2000 Quail Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70808. Judging will be held Oct. 28 in Baton Rouge. Need more?Email Jason Olszak:jolszak@wlf.la.gov

Bigmove

HUNTINGSEASONS

TURKEY: March 29,Youth/Physically

Challenged weekend. Regular season, Area A, April 3-May3;AreaB:April 3-26; Area C: April 3-19.

AROUND THECORNER

FISHING/SHRIMPING

SHRIMP: Fall inshore seasonclosed in Zones 2&3&portions of Zone 1except Breton/Chandeleur sounds. All outside waters open.

The U.S. Housetook abig stepfor huntersand fishermen lastweek in passing a keypart of TheProtecting Accessfor Huntersand Anglers Act of 2025.

Keselowski seekingspecial

BY NATE RYAN Associated Press

Brad Keselowski will make his 600th career start on Sunday in theNASCAR Cup Series, a tribute to theadaptability of a 42-year-old who became NASCAR’s first millennial championin 2012.

“It’sanumber Inever

ä NASCAR Cook Out 400. 2:30 P.M. SUNDAy,FS1

dreamed of,”Keselowski said before practice and qualifying at Martinsville Speedway,the 0.526-mile oval in southwestVirginia where he will trytojoin Richard Petty as the second driver to win in his 600th start.

Longevity is nice, but the co-owner of Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing knows there’sonlyone statistic

that truly determines his value.

“Tobejudged as successful in this sport, you have to winand be acontenderto win regularly,” Keselowski said.

“I sense we’re not far off, but we’re alsonot there. So we’resomewhere in this ambiguous spot.

“I’m hopeful that we can push through with some sort of stellar performance and assert ourselves.

After awinless2025, Keselowski’steam openedthis year with Ryan Preece win-

ning The Clash exhibition event— kickingoff aseasonthat’sdelivered its fair share of surprises.

Tyler Reddick,also winless last season,has four victories in the firstsix races to build amassive points lead with the No. 45 Toyota of 23XI Racing, the team co-owned by DennyHamlin and NBA greatMichael Jordan. Before Reddick took the checkered flagatDarlington Raceway,the RFK Racing trio of Keselowski, Chris Buescher andPreece ran

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 groupersinstate/federal waters. Commercial greater amberjack seasonclosed. EMAIL: jmacaluso@theadvocate.com

In addition to improving access to public lands, the billprohibits bansonlead ammunition or tackle on federal lands and waters unless such regulation is consistent with statelaw and supported by science.

Already protected aremigratory waterfowland birds on public lands where non-lead shot is required, and has been for more than two decades The bill has moved to the U.S.Senate.

1-2-3 for astretch lastweek at what’sbeen dubbed “The Track TooTough to Tame.” Keselowski leda race-high 142 laps for his sixthrunner-up finish since his most recent win nearly two years ago, but he still felt inferior to Reddick, whowon easily despitedropping deep in the field with an alternator problem

“Wewerecloselastweek, and this will be another of those opportunities that I feel really good about,” said Keselowski, who has 18 top 10s in 32 starts at Martins-

ville, morethan any other track. “Wewant to have that blinding speed like the 45 car had lastweek. We’ve hadclosemoments but haven’tfully experienced it. If we can bring that, it’ll make my day feel really special. There’sa lot of talk about Tyler,but they won with flat-out speed that’s rare in the Next Gen car era. “The car wasintentionally designed with some level of parity,sotosee agroup that wins on blazing speed, it’s notable.”

Keselowski

LEARNMORE

Flau’jae Johnson, LSU Guard

Mulkey responds to viralrumors: ‘I’mnot retiring’

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

SACRAMENTO, Calif. No,Kim Mulkey is not ready to call it quits on her coaching career Mulkeysaidinanewsconference Friday that she is,infact, returning to the sidelines for a sixthseason with theLSU women’s basketball team. The viral rumors that floated around the internetbefore the No. 2-seeded Tigers lost to Duke in the Sweet 16 on abuzzerbeater,she said, are not true.

“I’m not retiring,” Mulkey said. “Do Ilook that bad?

“I don’tknow where thatcame from. I’m only 63. And I’m healthy with afew stents in my heart.Doctor says I’m good to go. Ihave no clue where that stuff comes from, guys. I’ve never ever told anybody that.” The rumor appears to have originated from apair of Xaccounts thatclaim to be “LSU insiders.” Their posts that said Mulkey was retiring at the end of the 2025-26

season looked like social-media newsreports, andasofearly Saturday morning, they had accumulated morethan200,000 impressions. Late Friday night, areporter asked Mulkeywhether therumors were true, and she said people were “blowingup” her phone with that same question “There are moments where you feel like, ‘Why am Idoing this?’ ” Mulkey said. “But Idon’tget how people can just write crap on social media. That has to make you all feel really bad as journalists.”

Mulkey,who’sunder contract through the 2032-33 season,also said that sometimes opposing coaches try to use her age and experienceagainst her in recruiting. Some ofthem, shesaid, float the possibility that shecould soon retire, given thefact that she’smore than 40 years into her coaching career.She spent 16 seasons as an assistantather alma mater Louisiana Tech before she accepted the Baylor head coaching job in 2000. She took over at LSU in 2021.

GRUNFELD

Pelicans forward KarloMatkovic dunks the ball duringa game against theGoldenState Warriors on Feb.24atthe SmoothieKing Center

Matkovic blossoms in 2ndyearwithPels

The dunk looked like something from acartoon, which was quite fitting considering the New Orleans Pelicans were celebrating “Space Jam” night on March 21. Pelicans center Karlo Matkovic ran along the baseline, leaped with his back turned to thebasket to catch apass from aJeremiah Fears pass, then turned in midairand slammedithome.

It’sadunk that will go down as not only one of the best in aPelicans’ game this season but also oneof the better ones in the league. It wassogood that the NBA requested Matkovic to take adrug test the next day.OK, so the NBA drug testsare actually random, but thetiming of this one was enough to make the 6-foot-10Matkovic joke about it.

selection Dyson Daniels (now with the Atlanta Hawks) andsecond-round pick E.J. Liddell (now with the Brooklyn Nets).

Matkovic playedwithateam in Sloveniathat year before signing with the Pelicans in 2024. He spent time last season in bothNew Orleansand in Birmingham with theG-League affiliate Squadron. It’sbeen all New Orleansfor Matkovic, who hasembracedhis role off the bench, this season.

During Mulkey’stenure, the Tigers wonthe 2023nationaltitleand advanced to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament in fourconsecutive years. They reached the Elite Eight in both 2024 and 2025, butin2026, they fell just short of that round of the tournament.

Mulkey said she plans to fill the two openings on hercoaching staff andbegin evaluating players in the transferportal. Flau’jae Johnson andAmiya Joynerare the only contributors who exhausted their eligibility when LSU lost Friday The rest of the Tigerscan return foranother year “I’m going to be in this game unless LSU firesme...” Mulkey said, “until Ican’tput aproduct on that floor that’scompetitive or my health fails me. So Iwould appreciate all of you in here, whoever put that out, if you know who they are, you need to stop it when you see it, because it’s just aflat-out lie.”

Email Reed Darcey at reed.darcey@theadvocate.com.

LSU

Continuedfrom page1C

in aseason (16) and the Southeastern Conference record for mostpoints per game in aseason, averaging exactly 95 per contest. This team also earned aNo. 2 NCAA regional seed, the highest under Mulkey and tied for the Tigers’ best since the2008 Final Fourteam. Even LSU’s2022-23 national champions were aNo. 3 seed. In theend, there were no banners, trophies or championship rings for thefingers of this team. What Mulkey has established at LSUhas set ahigh standardfor theprogram,higher even than thehalcyon days of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famers Seimone Augustus and Sylvia Fowles,who combined to lead the Tigers to fivestraight Final Fours from 2004-08. There is frustration to aseason that ended up being very good but not great after an NCAA crown followed by two straight tripstothe EliteEight, because great is what is expected from LSU again. Women’s college basketball is a highly stratified sport.There are teams on the highest plateau, like this year’sNo. 1seeds: UConn, UCLA, South Carolina and Texas.

LOSS

Continuedfrom page1C

But now the No. 2-seeded Tigers areheaded back home, with no choice but to stew in the harshreality thatthey let apromising season slip away

Then there’sthe next plateau. That’swhere this LSU team, Vanderbilt, Duke and maybe one or two others currently reside. Getting to that top plateau is a very tough ascent. LSUhas been close to it thepast three seasons since that Angel Reese-ledtitle run in 2023, butnot quitethere. Against thevery best teams on itsschedule —Duke (twice), SouthCarolina (twice), Texas(twice) and Vandy— LSU was acombined2-5 Again, that’svery good. Not elite. LSU lacked the consistency to get there, particularly because it didn’thave dominant post play Maybe one moreseason from Aneesah Morrow might have gotten theTigers back to the Final Four Morrow is long gone to the WNBA. So nowisJohnson, who departs LSU as oneofthe stylish playersthe Tigers have ever had. From apure talent standpoint, though, the Tigers will flourishin2026-27 if they can retain theircore players —Williams, MiLaysia Fulwiley, Jada Richard, Grace Knox, Kate Koval, ZaKiyah Johnson—whichis always an iffy propositioninthe transfer portalera.These Tigers will all be ayear older and have even more chemistry.Experience counts for an awful lot in thecollege game, though LSU could certainly benefit from adding anotherbig with some bite in

the portal.

As forMulkey,well, the season may end but never the story.She’s been the subject of recent unsubstantiated internet rumors that she is on the verge of retirement, rumors that came up in Friday’s postgamenews conference.

Mulkey will be 64 before next season tips off, so in away such things are to be expected, irresponsible though they are. But she vehemently shot them down Friday

“I have no clue where that stuff comes from,” Mulkey said. “I’ve never,ever told anybody that.” Mulkey is unquestionably closer to the end of her head coaching career than the beginning. Just as unquestionably,the fireclearly still burns.

One imagines aseason ending in the Sweet 16 —just her fourth in her past 16 seasons between LSU and Baylor (not counting the pandemic season of 2019-20) that didn’tATLEAST end in the Elite Eight —will stoke that fireeven more. Mulkey spoke about building a mature program this season. It’s a program that won its NCAA title ahead of its time. Becoming the elite of the elite remains the goal.

Email Scott Rabalais at srabalais@theadvocate.com

“Of course I’m drugtested today,” Matkovic said on asocial-media post with apicture of his highlight-reel slam.

Rod Walker

ä Rockets at Pelicans

6P.M. SUNDAy GCSEN

Matkovic passed the test, much like he’spassed every test this season whenever his name has been called.

He has started just twogames. There have been other games when he didn’tplay at all. But when it’stime to play,he’stypically found away to makean impact for the Pelicans.

“I’m used to it,” Matkovicsaid “Try to be ready always.Italk to players and talk to coaches about how to stay ready always. Ithink I’m doing agood jobatit. Just staying healthy and available. When the time comes, trying to be ready.” Some of Matkovic’snumbers won’t jump off the stat sheet

He’saveraging just 5.7 points and 3.7 rebounds. But he is also athreat from the outside, shooting43.7% on 3-pointers.

“He’sadded adifferentelement to our team,” Pelicans interim coach James Borregosaid

“He’smade it verytough forme not to play him. Even withso many bigs, we are playingfive bigs and he’sone of them. Ijust want him on the floor because he brings great energy.” Matkovic was asecond-round draft pick by the Pelicans in 2022. Thedraft class that year also included first-round

“The second unit always brings the energy,” Matkovicsaid.

“I feel like that’ssomething that turns us. We trytopushthatpace every time we getin. Energy.High motor.”

Matkovic is in the second yearofathreeyeardeal.Nextseason is ateam option. Based on how he’splayed, he seems to have shown enoughpromise that the Pelicans would wantto keep himaround. He turns 25 on Monday

Borrego rattled offalonglist of things he likes about Matkovic Hisspeed.

Hisathleticism on both ends of the court.

Hisability to protect the rim.

Hispenchant for finishing alob pass. And his ability to knock down 3-pointers.

“Those guys are hard to find in the NBA,” Borregosaid.“Guys that are that athletic andcan playmultiple positions andare switchable defensively andcan knockdown threes.”

Teams are starting to respect Matkovic’s3-point shot. There were times in Friday’sgame against the Toronto Raptors when defenders wouldrun Matkovic off of the 3-point line.

“That’shis next step,” Borrego said. “When he does put it down, howcan he generate some more offense for us? That’ll be his next step.”

Fornow,Matkovic willlook to finishthe season strong. There are just seven games left,starting with a6 p.m. home game against the Houston Rockets.

“I love his spirit,” Borrego said. “His competitiveness. He’s an incredible teammate. He’sso coachable.

“It takes awhile to get over it,” Mulkey said. Whatwentwrong forLSU in its 87-85 loss to Duke in the Sweet 16? It was much more than that lastsecond shot.

The Tigers struggledtobothdefend thepaint and rebound missed shots, and as aresult, they could neverfully ignite their transition offense—the dangerous attack they usedthisyeartoenjoyoneofthebest offensive seasons in NCAA history

The No. 3-seeded Blue Devils scored 38 pointsinthe paint and pulled20rebounds offthe offensive glass. Only one team has notchedthatmanypaint points againstLSU this season, and only two have snaredthatmanyoffensive boards.

The Tigers nevergaveup. They trailed 83-73 at the 5:11 mark of thefourthquarter— right before MiLaysia Fulwiley and Williams teamed up to build alast-ditch 12-1 run. Williams gave LSUan85-84 lead by sinking two free throws with nine seconds left.

Then the Tigers forced amiss on Duke’s ensuing possession. But they also let that shot bounce off therim and out of bounds,handing the Blue Devils achance to run thebaseline inbounds set that they used to win the game.

Mostspectatorswill remember Ashlon Jackson’sdramaticshot when they remember thegame in the future. Mulkey,Williams and the rest of the Tigers probably will think about that one rebound they failed to secure.

“They just grabbed them at the importanttimes,” Williams said. “Wecouldn’tget them when it mattered.”

Rebounding was an issue LSU had to solve this season but only for abrief two-game stretch

The Tigers didn’tcorral enough boards in close losses to Kentucky and Vanderbilt to begin SEC play, leading associate head coach Bob Starkeytoorder areboundingbub-

ble —a funky-looking, old-school contraption that trains rebounding instincts.

LSU first snapped the bubble onto therim in practice before it faced Georgia on Jan.8,and the Tigers didn’tlose abattle on the boards for two months.

The Tigers ended their SEC slate of matchups rankedsecondinthe league in offensive rebounds per game (15.4) and first in defensive rebounds per game (31). No SEC team hada wideraverage rebounding margin than LSU(+13.6 boards per game).

Duke figured out away to force that problem to resurface.

TheTigersforcedenough missed shots(42),but they let the Blue Devils rebound almost half of them (20), which both limited LSU’stransition opportunities and gave Dukesecond chances to score —none more consequential than the one that decided the game.

“Itcan weigh on you mentally late in the game,” Lawsonsaid, “whenyou squander alead and the other team takes it.

“Westayedsostrong in those huddles. All their eyes wereonme, and we were very purposeful in what we wanted to do,and ourexecution on thatlast play wasgreat.”

Theshotthat Lawson wasreferring to brought Johnson’s collegiate career to an end. She was teammates with Williamsfor three seasons, but the star duo never found away to see whatitcould accomplish together in the Final Four.On Friday,they combined to score 35

points on 12-of-30 shooting.

Johnson will go down as an alltime LSU great. She wasa key contributor to theschool’s only basketball national title. She then blossomed into astar,leading the Tigerstothe second weekend of the NCAA Tournament in three consecutive seasons.

Williamscan return to LSU next season.So, too, can Fulwileyand the rest of roster,except for senior forward Amiya Joyner Mulkey said Friday that she will soon fillthe two vacanciesonher coaching staffand dive intothe transfer portal. Because the Tigers are losing Joyner,they have a clear need to add at least one transfer post player.The only freshman on next year’steamis6-foot-2 wing Lola Lampley —atop-30 national recruit, according to ESPN The loss to Duke will linger fora while. Mulkey knowsexactly what went wrong, and she’ll be thinking about it in the days, weeks and months ahead.

“Wejust couldn’tget three stops in arow,” Mulkeysaid. “We couldn’trebound the ball so that we could take off in transition. It waskind of like we were moving in mud.

“But we did fight to the bitterend and put ourselves still in aposition to win.”

The Tigers just didn’tseal the deal, and they continue to search foraway back to the Final Four Email Reed Darcey at reed.darcey@theadvocate.com.

ASSOCIATEDPRESS PHOTOByJUSTINE WILLARD Duke center Arianna Roberson blocks LSUforward AmiyaJoyner,right, during the first halfinthe Sweet 16 on Friday in Sacramento, Calif

STAFF FILE PHOTO By DAVID

AP PHOTO By JUSTINE WILLARD

LSU coach Kim Mulkey reacts to aplayinthe firsthalfagainst Duke in a Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament game Friday in Sacramento, Calif. Mulkey shut down rumors about her retirement: ‘I’m going to be in thisgame unless LSU fires me.

QB Leavittshows more activity

BY SCOTT RABALAIS Staff writer

Folks milling aroundthe LSU campus in advance of the Zach Bryan concert Saturday night in Tiger Stadium had to at least be marginally aware of the work going on at the LSU practice fields for the main event that will occupy Death Valley this fall.

As with Bryan’sshow, all you had to do wasfollow the music belting out of the Charles McClendon Practice Facility.Cranked up to 11

The LSU Tigers wrapped up their first week of spring practice Saturday under new coach Lane Kiffin on a surprisingly cool and breezy sun-splashed morning Media were allowed to view approximately the first 30 minutes of practice, though no cameras were permitted. Here are some observations and notesfrom Day3of15 spring practice sessions: TheLeavitt silver lining Junior quarterback Sam Leavitt still isn’tfullgoafter undergoing November foot surgerywhile at his previous school, Arizona State.

That said, it’sprobably fair to say most media observers have been surprised at his level of participation in spring drills this first week.

Leavitt has been throwing each day with LSU’sother three quarterbacks —fellow transfers Husan Longstreet and Landen Clark, and returner Emile Picarella from University High. On Saturday,heagain looked unencumbered as he moved from station to station on the practice field.

HasLeavitt exhibitedsome occasional rust making deep passes to receivers he hasn’t throwntobefore this week?

Yes. But his freedom of movement and ability to get those long throws out there suggestshewillbeready to go by August preseason camp, barring some sort of setback.Kiffin said Tuesday he’shopeful Leavitt will “be able to do alot more”bythe end of spring drills

Keydefensive lineman Reliford tearsACL

LSUredshirt sophomoreedgerusher

GabrielReliford has tornhis ACL, he confirmedwithThe Advocate.

He was not at practice on Saturday.

Reliford playedinjustfour gamesthis past season,sufferinga tornrotator cuff againstSoutheastern. He had eighttackles anda tackle for loss before the injury

Reliford

He also playeda role in LSU’srotation on the edgeasa freshman in 2024,playing in all13games and recording 10 tackles with onetackle for loss.

Reliford was expected to be an important piece in LSU’s rotation on the edgethisseason, despite the additions of Ole Miss transferPrincewill Umanmielen and Tennesseetransfer

Jordan Ross.Relifordwas LSU’slone returning edgerusher whoplayedaroleinthe Tigers’ regular rotation last year after Jack Pyburn,Patrick Payton and Jimari Butler all ran out of eligibility.

Meanwhile, Leavitt’spresumed backups,Clark and Longstreet,are getting valuable practice time with the first-and second-team offensivegroups. If they have to play significant minutes this fall forsomereason,the fact thatthey won’tbegoing in cold is perhaps asilver lining from Leavitt’spainful but manageable setback.

Runningbacks aplenty

Remember back about the time of Kiffin’sarrival at LSU when therewere legitimate concerns about the Tigers’ running backroom?

Wouldtalented players like HarlemBerry or Caden Durhamfollow former running backs/interim head coach Frank WilsontoOle Miss or transfer elsewhere?

Well, Berry andDurham were persuaded to stay.And abunchmorerunning backs —eight in all—giveindication that LSU will at least have depthifnot guaranteeing production.

Thatsaid,Kiffin’soffenses arepredicatedonbeing able to run the ball effectively,so it’sadecent bet theTigers willaveragemorethanlast season’sfeeble104 yards pergame on the ground. Not ahighbar toclear,perhaps

—Koki Riley

but nonetheless adecent bet. Kiffin was asked Tuesday if he thought one of the backs —like Berry,who appears to be having most of the snaps with the first-string offense —could have aseason like Ole Miss’ Kewan Lacy (1,567 yards, 24 TDs in 15 games)? Kiffin wisely wouldn’t guarantee anything like that. But as theysaid in the movie “Moneyball,” perhaps Kiffin and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr.can recreate aLacy-type season “in the aggregate.”

AnoWeeks week

Well, perhaps not no Weeks. Redshirt freshman Zach Weekswas practicing. But olderbrotherWhit Weeks,asenior,continued to be an observer during practiceSaturday Weeks spoke toreporters Thursday,sayinghecould see“the light at theend of the tunnel” as he continues to recover from twoankle breaks—one in December2024 in the TexasBowl, the other in September at Ole Miss. But the fact that Leavittistakingmoreofan active role in spring practice so far thanWeeks is perhaps the biggest surprise of camp to date.

ForFaulk,Johnson avital part of Southern’s staff

Coacheshavea longstanding relationship, mutual respect

BY TOYLOY BROWNIII Staff writer

WithoutCurtis Johnson, theMarshall Faulk head coaching eraatSouthern might not have started.

“‘I’mnot taking this job without you,’ ”said Faulk when asked howhelured JohnsontoBaton Rouge at Wednesday’s media availability.“Iamabout opportunities. So I’m happy that he came on the journey with us.”

But it’sano-brainer.I mean,I’m glad they didit. I’mgladtheygot agood hire,” he said.

Beyond their longstanding relationship, Faulk knewJohnson’svastcoaching expertise would do wonders forhim andthe rest of his staff.

“He hasthe most experience, andbybeing tenured, he providesusthe things that’snecessary in order forafirst-year head coach like myself and some hungry other assistant coaches to getbetter,”Faulk said. “You need someone to let youknow, ‘Hey,wegot better today as a staff.’”

JohnsonisSouthern’sassociate head coach and wide receivers coach.He reminded reporters at Friday’sspring practice that hisconnection with Faulk started over three decades ago, when he was theposition coach who recruited the Pro Football Hall of Fame playertoSan Diego State in 1991.

“Being with him again is fun,” saidJohnson,alsoa former head coach at Tulane (2012-15). “I knew him when he was 16 yearsold. Now he’s mature and, man, it’sjust great to seeanexplayer thatI hada part of his career,just doing a great job here at Southern. And, man, it’s aperfect fit.”

Whenasked if Faulk had to sell him hard on joining thestaff, Johnson saidit wasn’tneeded andthat“all we did was sit down and talk.”

“He actually called me beforewhen he was in the process, and Itold him, ‘Hey,ifyou need me,call me.’ He called me again.

There’snot much Johnson hasn’tseen in football. The St. Rose native worked as awide receivers coach at Idaho (1987-88),San Diego State University (1989-93), SMU (1994), California (1995) and Miami (1996-2005).

The64-year-old also worked in the NFL, serving as thewide receivers coach forthe New Orleans Saints from 2006-11, including when the Saints wonSuper Bowl XLIV in the 2009 season

After Johnson was fired at Tulane in 2015, he becamethe wide receivers coach for the Chicago Bearsin2016 andrejoined the Saintsstaffin2017 as a senior offensive assistant. He was named their wide receivers coach in 2021 before becoming aUSFL head coach in 2023.

The wealth of knowledge accumulated in the sport allows Johnsontoanswer anyquestions posedbythe rest of thestaff.

“Theyaskedmeall kinds of different questions,” Johnson said. “All differentfacetsofthe game, and it’sbeen great. They’ve

been fantastic.” Johnson said he doesn’t overstepwith theother coaches.Healso described much of his job as supporting Faulk in anyway that’s needed Whenaskedifthe rookie coach hasalreadyshown signs of growthsofar during spring practice, Johnson said Southern’snew leader came to spring prepared.

“He’spretty developed now,” Johnson said. “He’s been around alot of great coaches.He’sbeen around (then-St.Louis Rams coach) DickVermeil, been around all thoseguys. Deion (Sanders) helped him outa lot. So,I mean,he’s very preparedfor this.” Johnson was askedif Southern’splayers aregelling nowafter two weeks of spring practice.

“Right now, it sometimes lookslike it isn’t, but I thinkit’scomingtogether,” he said. “Wewant the finalproduct, but it’snot here yet. And, youknow, it’saprocess. We’regoing through the process, and we’redoing allthe right things in this process. But Ithink they’recomingtogether.They’re doing really,really well.” Faulk similarlyexpressedthatgrowth isn’t linear and that he’spleased with thecompetitiveness on display.The former Coloradorunning backscoach knows theteam, as well as the type of coach he’ll becomeduring the season, is still in the early stages. He’s grateful to have Johnson by hissideduring this time “He’salways been there for me,” Faulk said. “This is just another facet of life for him to do the things that he’s always done which is be there for myself, othercoaches and players.”

CJ PATT ON General Manager

Johnson

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Running back Harlem Berryruns throughadrill at springpractice on ThursdayatLSU’s football practice facility

ALL-METROGIRLS SOCCER

SMALL SCHOOLS CO-PLAYERS OF THEYEAR

FORWARD

Inanother season filled with talent around the Baton Rougearea, twostandout soccer players were selected as co-MVPsbylocal coaches. ParkviewBaptist forward Ella Kate Johnston capped off an impressivejunior season. She put up video-game numbers with 43 goals and 26 assists.The LSU commitment’sefforts helped the Eagles returntoHammond for the state championship match for afourth consecutiveyear

The Eagles’ all-time leader in goals scored once and had an assist in the semifinalto send her side to the championship in a2-1 win. In the same district, University High’s Savannah Mitchell completed amemorable season.The Cubs sophomore was aforce in

LARGESCHOOLS PLAYER OF THEYEAR

the midfield with 29 goals and eight assists. Mitchell helped U-High earn the No.4 seed in the DivisionIII playoffs Mitchell’s contributions helped University High finish the year with a13-34recordand atrip to the quarterfinals.With 37 goal contributions in just her sophomore season, Mitchell looks to continue buildingonwhat is alreadya strongstart to herhighschool career Jackson Reyes

SMALL SCHOOLS COACHOFTHE YEAR RAPHAELNUNEZ PARKVIEW BAPTIST

ParkviewBaptist coach RaphaelNunez completed another successful year coaching theEagles. ParkviewBaptist entered the playoffs as the third overall seed,but that didn’t matter as the Eagles made it to their fourth straight Division III state title match. Nunez developed another strongteamwith sevenmembers of his squad being named

LAUREN BRADFORD

Episcopal, Sr Eightgoals,nineassists

LILY BROUSSARD

University High, Jr Five goals, 18 assists

KENLIE

COLEMAN

St. Michael, Jr Defensivespecialist

AUBREY

GHERE

Episcopal, Jr. 25 goals, 16 assists

AVA

MARTIN

St. Michael, Fr Five goals, five assists

CAMILLE

MAYEUX

St. Michael, So. 10 goals, five assists

to the All-Metro team. He’splayeda role in developingco-MVP Ella Kate Johnston, who produced69goal contributions. His team upset the No. 2-seed Academy of Sacred Heart,2-1,onthe road in the semifinalsto reach its fourthstraight championship. Jackson Reyes

SAVANNAH MITCHELL University High,So. 29 goals, eightassists

BLAKELY REED University High,Fr. 14 goals, sixassists

VICTORIA SHIPP University High,Jr. Defensivespecialist

KADIE SUMBLER Episcopal,Fr. Defensivespecialist

MADDIE TEAGUE ParkviewBaptist, Sr 87 savesingoal

ELLA KATE JOHNSTON ParkviewBaptist, Jr 43 goals, 26 assists

ANSLEY BERNHARD

Parkview Baptist, So 26 goals, nine assists

OLIVIA

MARTIN

Parkview Baptist, Jr 12 goals, five assists

MOLLY

CRAMER

Parkview Baptist, So Onegoal, 10 assists

GEORGIA THERIOT

Parkview Baptist, Sr Sevengoals,seven assists

WESLEY PORTER

Parkview Baptist, Sr Midfieldspecialist

KENNEDY

ROTH

Episcopal, Sr Four goals, four assists

IVYMAY ST.JOSEPH’SACADEMY,SR. • MIDFIELDER

Ivy Maydid it allfor St. Joseph’slast season, playing both midfield and forward forthe Redstickers. Shewas an offensivemachine with 35 goalsand 15 assists.

Coach Kyle Carmouche saidMay’s performances were exceptional, but emphasizedhow crucial herleadership was to helping St. Joseph’searnaNo. 2seed in the playoffs “She’sbeen aphenomenal partofwhat we’vedonethis year,” he said.“Not just with her ownproduction, but howshe’s mentored thenewer varsity players.

Carmouche said some viewedthe season as apotential rebuildingyearafter a numberofseniors graduated. Mayled the chargetochangethat narrative,withthe Redstickersreachingthe Division Istate semifinals. He said he had neverseen ateamhe’s coachedwork as hard as this one did in his six years at St.Joseph’s. Mayexemplified that withcountless stellar performances. Maywill continue hersoccercareer at Nicholls State Jackson Reyes

LARGESCHOOLS COACHOFTHE YEAR ANGIEMITCHELL ZACHARY

AngieMitchell coachedthe Broncos to a 16-5-3 season, the best in her shorttenure at the school. Mitchell took overthe program in 2022, and thisyear was theculmination of herhard work coaching Zachary. Mitchell coached Zacharytoits firstplayoff

win in 13 years afterthe 16th-seeded Broncos defeated No.17H.L.Bourgeois 5-1 in the first round. Shealso coachedfour players on this year’sAll-Metro team.The team’s record marked its best since the 2021-22 season. Jackson Reyes

LARGESCHOOLS ALL-METROTEAM

SOPHIA COLLINS Prairieville, Jr 33 goals, 16 assists

IVY

MAY

St. Joseph’sAcademy,Sr. 35 goals, 15 assists

TRINITY SPENCE Zachary, Sr. 24 goals, sevenassists

CAMILE TOUSSANT

St. Joseph’sAcademy,Jr. Defensivespecialist

JULIANA WILLIAMS Denham Springs, Sr 30 goals, four assists

SAYLOR JUSZCZAK Denham Springs, Sr Defensivespecialist

LIV LAWRENCE

St. Joseph’sAcademy,Jr. Nine goals, five assists

SOPHIA MAGEE

Dutchtown,Sr. 23 goals, eightassists

CORI

BERGERON

St.Amant, Sr Eightgoals, five assists

MARGARET KANTROW BatonRougeHigh, Jr. 21 goals, sixassists

ADALYN LANDRY Prairievile, Jr 12 goals, 11 assists

AVERY

PAPANIA

St. Joseph’sAcademy,Sr. 15 shutouts in goal

AVA LEWIS Zachary, So 14 goals, 11 assists

LAILA ESNAULT Zachary, Jr Defensivespecialist

JILYAN ANDRE Livonia, Sr 26 goals, 6assists

ADDISON

WYATT

Denham Springs, Sr Nine goals, sixassists

ALYSSA

LILLIE

Zachary, So. Sixgoals,three assists

ANNMARIE

AUCOIN

St.Amant, Sr Sevengoals,fourassists

ELLA KATE JOHNSTON PARKVIEW BAPTIST,JR. •

STAFF FILEPHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

ParkviewBaptist midfielder Ella Kate Johnston takesa shot against Hannan on Feb.19, 2025,inHammond.Johnston, anLSU commitment finished the season with 43 goals and 26 assists and ledthe Eagles tothe statetitle match for afourth straight season.

PROVIDED PHOTO University High’s Savannah Mitchell

STAFF FILE PHOTOByMICHAEL JOHNSON

St. Joseph’s midfielder IvyMay,right,pushes the ball pastKatherine Tissue of Fontainebleau on Feb.10, 2025, at Burbank Soccer Complex.May,a Nicholls State signee, finished the season with 35 goals and15assists as the Cubs reached the Division Isemifinals.

SAVANNAH MITCHELL UNIVERSITY HIGH,SO. • MIDFIELDER

Baton Rougearea high school soccer coachesselect The Advocate’s All-Metro teams.

SMALL SCHOOLS PLAYER OF THEYEAR

WILLIAMMAY UNIVERSITY HIGH,SR. • CENTER-BACK

When University Highcoach Chris Mitchell thinks of what made his team so successful last season, he points to his senior class. Center-back William May, atwo-year captain, continued to show whyhis coach made those remarks.

Maywas an all-state selection and the district MVP this season. He madeupastrong senior corps that helped lead the Cubs tothe state final three consecutiveyears. In the state semifinal, he scored the winning goal against Archbishop Hannan to sendhis side to the

DivisionIII championship.

Mayscoredthat game-winner offa throw-in on the same dayhecompeted in thestate indoor track and field championshipsinthe 3,200-meter run. Mitchell said that moment and that game spoketothe player and personMay is.

“Tocome out and compete as hard as he did inthe hardest game we’vehad in the playoffssofar,” Mitchell said,“just speaks volumes of his ability,his character and his work rate.”

Jackson Reyes

SMALL SCHOOLS COACHOFTHE YEAR CHRISMITCHELL UNIVERSITY HIGH

Cubs coach Chris Mitchell cappedanother outstanding year that ended with atrip to the statechampionshipmatch.

Mitchellset astandard of highplayatthe school, with the trip to the final marking the school’sthird straight and sixth in the past eight years. His team finishedthe season with

a17-4-2record. He coached the team to an unbeaten stretch of 11 straight matches to close the regular season.

Though histeam fell shortinthe final 1-0, Mitchell was proud of what the Cubs and his seniorclass accomplishedthisseason Jackson Reyes

SMALL SCHOOLS ALL-METROTEAM

JULIAN ITRIAGO

Episcopal, So DefensiveMVP

ANDREW

RICHARD

Episcopal, Jr 18 goals, eightassists

WYNN

TURNER Episcopal, Sr 12 goals, four assists

JORGE BLANDIN-FLORES

McKinley,Sr. 11 goals

DAYAN FLORES

McKinley,Fr. Nine goals

THOMAS SMITH

Parkview Baptist,Jr. Defensivespecialist

ANSON LEROUX

ParkviewBaptist, Fr 37 goals, sevenassists

ESTIBIN

VASQUEZ

Port Allen, So. 25 goals, sixassists

CAMDEN GITZ

St.Michael,Sr. 18 goals, 12 assists

MATTHEW GOFF

St.Michael, Sr 11 shutouts in goal

BEN JONES

St.Michael, Sr Defensivespecialist

JACKSON HEIMANN

St.Michael, Sr Sixgoals, six assists

WILLIAM MAY

University High, Sr Defensivespecialist

SIE

PARKER

University High, Sr Attacking specialist

COLE

RAMSEY

University High, Sr Midfieldspecialist

BRADFORD

WORD

University High, Sr Midfieldspecialist

LARGESCHOOLS PLAYER OF THEYEAR

JordenMoore will leave Denham Springs as aplayerthat helped transformthe program.As ajunior,hescored 28 goals to help the yellowJackets complete their first unbeaten regular season. He followedthat with astellar senior season, doingitall forDenham Springs in themidfield. He scored 10 goalsand tallied 10 assists, serving as the anchor for ateam that was the third seed in Division I.The yellowJackets went unbeatenindistrict play in capturing the

District 5-I title

Moore’sskills on the fieldgenerated countless chancesfor his teammates.His role as amidfieldfacilitator helpedproduce 51 total goals between Denham Springs forwards ElielSabio and AnthonyHoward. Moore, whohelped the yellowJackets to their second straight state semifinal appearance will continue his soccercareer at Northwest Arkansas Community College Jackson Reyes

LARGESCHOOLS COACHOFTHE YEAR

ADRIAN

GARCIA PRAIRIEVILLE

In Prairieville’ssecondyear of existence, coachAdrian Garcia guided the Hurricanesto theDivisionIIstate championship match. Prairieville finished the regular season with a21-3-0 record and entered theplayoffs as the fourth seed.AfterwinsoverNo. 13 Caddo Magnet and No. 5Willow, the Hurricanesgot some revengeinthe semifinal.

GEORGE PERKINS

BatonRougeHigh, Sr 29 goals, 10 assists

LEIDEN

POKLEMBA

BatonRougeHigh, Sr 16 goals, 10 assists

HAYES

BLAKEMAN

BatonRougeHigh, Sr Eightshutoutsingoal

CADEN BLAND

Catholic, Sr 11 goals, five assists

LUCAS

GRAU Catholic, So. Defensivespecialist

ELIEL SABIO

Denham Springs, Jr 33 goals, 18 assists

Rummel knocked the Hurricanesout of the playoffs in 2025. Prairieville returned thefavor in 2026, defeating the Raiders in penalties. Despite falling shorttoTeurlings Catholic in the state title game, Garcia wasproud of his team and the foundation it laid forthe young program Jackson Reyes

JORDEN MOORE

Denham Springs, Sr 10 goals, 10 assists

ANTHONY HOWARD

Denham Springs, Sr 18 goals, nine assists

CADE FOLEY

Dutchtown,Jr. Midfieldspecialist

ASHER EVANS

Dutchtown,Jr. Defensivespecialist

JOSE MATUTE

East Ascension, Sr 11 goals, nine assists

KEVIN MOTA

East Ascension Sr 18 goals, six assists

DILLON OTT

Live Oak, Jr 16 goals, 12 assists

TYSON COLE Livonia, Sr DefensiveMVP

CALEB

ICKLES Prairieville, Sr 21 goals

BENJAMIN

TILLEY Prairieville, Sr 17 shutouts in goal

ADRIAN RODRIGUEZ Tara,So. 29 goals, 12 assists

THIAGO COSTA

Zachary, Sr 16 goals, threeassists

JORDEN MOORE DENHAM SPRINGS, SR • MIDFIELDER

STAFFFILEPHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

University Highsenior William May, an all-state selectionand the district MVP,scoredthe game-winner in the Cubs’ Division III semifinalmatchagainst Hannan. Maydid it on the same dayhecompeted at the LHSAA indoor track and field meet in the 3,200-meter run.

FILE PHOTO By PATRICK DENNIS

Denham Springs midfielder Jorden Moore, left,tries to control the ball as Dutchtown’s Cade Foleydefends on Jan. 13, 2025. Moore scored 10 goalsand had 10 assists while serving as an anchor to ayellowJackets team that advanced to the Division Isemifinals.

Saints choose between pass rusher, CB

BY MATTHEW PARAS Staff writer

As New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis was spotted chatting with cornerback Mansoor Delane at the LSU pro day on Monday, Kellen Moore was more than 900 miles away to observe a different pro day

The Saints coach was at the University of Miami to watch defensive end Rueben Bain and the handful of the school’s prospects. With draft season in full swing the Saints divide their resources to ensure all their bases are covered when important pro days overlap. After all, Delane and Bain — both projected top-10 picks — could be in the mix for New Orleans when it is on the clock at No. 8 come April. But who will the Saints end up picking? Since the draft is less than a month away, let’s take a guess with the Times-Picayune’s first mock draft of the year

1. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS: FERNANDO MENDOZA • INDIANA QB Quick take: This has been set in stone for some time, and it’ll be exciting to see what former Saints offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak can do with Mendoza.

2. NEW YORK JETS: ARVELL REESE OHIO STATE LB Quick take: Head coach Aaron Glenn is taking control of the defense ahead of a pivotal Year 2. Adding Reese gives him a versatile weapon with star potential.

3.ARIZONA CARDINALS:

FRANCIS MAUIGOA • MIAMI T Quick take: Maybe Moore was at the pro day to watch Mauigoa, the top tackle in this year’s class. Alas, he’s off the board to an Arizona team that has needs just about everywhere.

4.TENNESSEE TITANS: JEREMIYAH LOVE • NOTRE DAME RB Quick take: Did the Saints aggressively pursue Travis Etienne in free agency because they knew Love would be gone before they could select him? Not necessarily But Love to the Titans has been a popular projection after Tennessee spent a lot in free agency to build up the defense.

5. NEW YORK GIANTS:

CALEB DOWNS • OHIO STATE S Quick take: Another potential Saints target, Downs gets taken within the top five to usher in the John Harbaugh era in New York.

6. CLEVELAND BROWNS:

CARNELL TATE • OHIO STATE WR

Quick take: The Browns are remaking their offensive line, but they won’t complain about landing a top-tier receiver. Tate would make a lot of sense for the Saints, but he goes a few picks ahead of them.

7.WASHINGTON COMMANDERS: DAVID BAILEY • TEXAS TECH DE Quick take: The Commanders opt for the best player available, even though they added a few

Pro corner Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams this offseason and now find his replacement.

pass rushers in free agency The Washington defense needs serious work, and Bailey — a crafty, technical edge rusher — would give it a boost

8. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: RUEBEN BAIN • MIAMI DE Quick take: Bain doesn’t fit the pass-rushing prototype the Saints historically have drafted. He’s smaller His arm length is a concern. But Saints assistant general manager Jeff Ireland said in February that New Orleans’ prototype has changed since switching to defensive coordinator Brandon Staley’s scheme. “Size isn’t a premium as much as the athleticism is,” Ireland said Bain has that athleticism in spades. He’s bendy but explosive. The 21-year-old, who is 6-foot-2 and 263 pounds, would fill a major need for the Saints. Despite Chase Young and Cam Jordan each reaching 10 sacks, New Orleans’ pass rush win rate of 35% ranked only 22nd, according to ESPN. The Saints need to generate pressure on the quarterback more consistently next season. Bain would help them do that.

Although Delane is on the board, and corner is still a huge need with Alontae Taylor gone, the Saints have shown time and again that they prefer investing in the trenches. Bain could be long gone before then the Cardinals, Titans and Commanders could be realistic options to take him but if he’s there, the Saints should be thrilled

9. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: MANSOOR DELANE LSU CB Quick take: The Chiefs traded All-

10. CINCINNATI BENGALS: SONNY STYLES • OHIO STATE LB

Quick take: Styles fell in this mock draft, but the Bengals likely would be thrilled in this scenario. Styles is seen as the best off-ball linebacker in this draft and has drawn comparisons to All-Pro Fred Warner

11. MIAMI DOLPHINS:

JORDYN TYSON • ARIZONA STATE WR Quick take: The Dolphins have been in full teardown mode under a new regime. After trading Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos and cutting Tyreek Hill, they select an electric receiver for new quarterback Malik Willis to target.

12. DALLAS COWBOYS: JERMOD MCCOY • TENNESSEE CB Quick take: McCoy is coming off a torn ACL but has enough talent to bolster the Dallas secondary

13. LOS ANGELES RAMS: KENYON SADIQ • OREGON TE

Quick take: The Rams reportedly were high on Brock Bowers in 2024 before the Raiders picked him 13th overall. Two years later, Sadiq might be the best tight end prospect since Bowers.

14. BALTIMORE RAVENS: SPENCER FANO • UTAH T

Quick take: Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti criticized the team’s offensive line development under Harbaugh. Fano, who could play either tackle or guard, gives new Baltimore coach Jesse Minter a shot to see whether he can satisfy Bisciotti’s desire for improvement.

15.TAMPA BAY BUCS: AKHEEM MESIDOR MIAMI DE

Quick take: Tampa Bay’s collapse in 2025 coincided with the decline of its defense. Enter Mesidor, the impressive Hurricanes pass rusher opposite of Bain.

16. NEW YORK JETS: MAKAI LEMON • USC WR

Quick take: The Saints reportedly hosted Lemon for an individual workout Tuesday, but here he slides to the Jets to give New York a crafty slot option.

17. DETROIT LIONS: MONROE FREELING • GEORGIA T

Quick take: The Lions are revamping their offensive line, and after releasing Taylor Decker this offseason, Freeling gives Detroit a new starter at left tackle — or right if All-Pro Penei Sewell swaps sides.

18. MINNESOTA VIKINGS: DILLON THIENEMAN • OREGON S Quick take: This is a very popular selection among mock drafters, and it’s easy to see why with Harrison Smith’s future up in the air

19. CAROLINA PANTHERS: AVIEON TERRELL • CLEMSON CB Quick take: The brother of Falcons corner A.J. Terrell, Avieon Terrell lands in the same division albeit earlier than expected. But Terrell would fill a need across from Jaycee Horn.

20. DALLAS COWBOYS: C.J ALLEN • GEORGIA LB Quick take: The Cowboys double down on defense after acquiring this selection from the Green Bay Packers in September in the Micah Parsons trade.

21. PITTSBURGH STEELERS: TY SIMPSON ALABAMA QB Quick take: The Steelers are waiting on Aaron Rodgers to make a decision on playing in 2026. Regardless, they should line up his

eventual successor

22. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS: OLAIVAVEGA IOANE • PENN STATE G Quick take: The Chargers offensive line was a mess in 2025, and they attempt to find a solution by drafting Ioane. He could replace either Zion Johnson (signed with Cleveland) at left guard or Mekhi Becton (cut) at right.

23. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: KADYN PROCTOR • ALABAMA T Quick take: General manager Howie Roseman loves his linemen. Lane Johnson is getting older and has injury concerns. Do the math.

24. CLEVELAND BROWNS: CALEB LOMU UTAH T Quick take: The Browns get their tackle after putting it off at No. 6.

25. CHICAGO BEARS: KELDRIC FAULK • AUBURN DE Quick take: Faulk, at 6-6 and 285 pounds, fits the prototype of the big, athletic defensive end that former Saints coach Dennis Allen prefers. Coach Ben Johnson does his defensive coordinator a solid.

26. BUFFALO BILLS: T.J. PARKER • CLEMSON DE Quick take: Another pass rusher comes off the board, and the Bills land an athletic threat.

27. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS: CASHIUS HOWELL • TEXAS A&M DE Quick take: Like Bain, Howell has arm length concerns. But he was a productive college player who led the SEC in sacks and would help the 49ers given Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams are coming off serious injuries.

28. HOUSTON TEXANS: PETER WOODS • CLEMSON DT Quick take: The Texans defense is so good that it can afford a bit of a luxury pick. Woods is a polarizing prospect, but perhaps he can thrive under coach Demeco Ryans.

29. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: OMAR COOPER • INDIANA WR Quick take: After getting this pick from the Rams, the Chiefs add a weapon for Patrick Mahomes.

30. MIAMI DOLPHINS: EMMANUEL MCNEIL-WARREN • TOLEDO S Quick take: The Dolphins traded Minkah Fitzpatrick to the New York Jets, so they pick his replacement at No. 30.

31. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: DENZEL BOSTON • WASHINGTON WR Quick take: Despite signing Romeo Doubs, the Patriots are in the hunt for a new No. 1 wideout after cutting Stefon Diggs. Trading for A.J. Brown is no sure thing, so they take Boston.

32. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS: COLTON HOOD • TENNESSEE CB Quick take: Hood is a physical corner who would fit nicely with coach Mike Macdonald. The Seahawks could use another cornerback, too, after losing Riq Woolen in free agency

Woods facing uncertain future off golf course after his DUI arrest

BY DOUG FERGUSON

His manager at Excel Sports, Mark Steinberg, did not respond to a request for comment Saturday on Woods’ arrest. As for golf, this comes at a bad time for the sport’s most influential player Woods had said earlier in the week he was trying to get in shape for the Masters on April 9-12, though that was looking unlikely He turned 50 at the end of last year

“This body, it doesn’t recover like it did when it was 24, 25,” Woods said earlier this week. He also was days away from a

RASSOL

Woods sorts through his second arrest in the last nine years, and his fourth car crash dating to 2009.

Woods waited until the summer of 2024 before deciding against being Ryder Cup captain for the 2025 matches in New York. The Associated Press reported in February the PGA of America had a soft deadline of the end of March for him to decide this time.

been a lot worse.”

Budensiek said investigators on the scene believe Woods had taken some kind of medication or drug. He described Woods as lethargic and said the golfer agreed to a breath test that showed “triple zeroes” — no sign of alcohol. By declining the urine test, the sheriff said, officials will never get “definitive results” about what caused the impairment.

decision on whether to be the next U.S. Ryder Cup captain for the 2027 matches in Ireland Two officials from the PGA of America did not immediately return phone calls from The Associated Press seeking comment.

And on April 5, he is scheduled to be in Augusta, Georgia, with Masters chairman Fred Ridley to celebrate a project at “The Patch,” the nickname of a municipal golf course where Woods’ design team

created a short course to go along with a major upgrade to the public course. Woods also is the central figure as chairman of the Future Competition Committee that is reshaping the PGA Tour model of tournaments. Tour CEO Brian Rolapp predicted meaningful progress this summer The PGA Tour declined to comment on Woods’ arrest. Now everything is on hold while

The PGA of America already is under scrutiny because of the unruly fan behavior at Bethpage Park last September, and this is not a time for another misstep One person with knowledge of the process said the PGA of America has a backup plan of four potential candidates for the Ryder Cup committee to review if Woods declines — or if the PGA of America moves on. Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek said Woods’ Land Rover was going at a “high speed” when it clipped the trailer of a pressure cleaning truck and flipped on its side. Woods was not hurt and climbed out through the passenger window The driver of the truck was not injured, either

“Had there been somebody moving in the opposite direction, we would not be having a conversation saying there were no injuries,” Budensiek said. “This could’ve

That was consistent with his 2017 arrest on a DUI charge in Florida, when Woods was found asleep behind the wheel of a car with the engine running, the right blinker on, two flat tires and light damage to the driver’s side. Woods said it was a bad mix of medication. Toxicology reports later revealed the active ingredient for marijuana, two painkillers, a sleep drug and an anti-anxiety drug. There was no alcohol. The pain medication has been standard fare for golf’s most celebrated — and wounded — player

After four knee surgeries the last one a week after he won the U.S. Open with shredded knee ligaments and two stress fractures — Woods had four back surgeries in four years (2014 through 2017) only to return to win the Masters in 2019 in one of golf’s most astonishing comebacks.

AP FILE PHOTO By ROSS D FRANKLIN

Miami defensive lineman Rueben Bain rushes the Ole Miss quarterback during the second half of the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 8 In Glendale,Ariz.

Woods

PRESS PHOTO

Braunlifts LSU past Kentucky

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

No LSU freshmanben-

efited more from preseason scrimmagesthan Mason Braun.

Despite arriving in Baton Rouge as the No. 1firstbaseman in the nation, according to Perfect Game, Braun was not expectedtobeasignificant contributor for LSU this season. On paper,there were alot of veterans he’d have to overcome to earn consistent at-bats.

But then he began to rake. He consistentlytaggedthe ball against LSU pitching in the preseason, which earned him astart on opening day and plenty of playing time during nonconference play

But he struggled after a promising start, falling out of the lineup as aregular and not recording ahit since March 8 against Sacramento State. Braun was back in the lineup Saturdayagainst Kentucky.Despite his recent struggles, LSU coachJay Johnson’sdecision paid off. Braun went 2for 4with four RBIs, including athree-run home run in the fourth inning, in LSU’s7-0 winoverthe Wildcats at Alex Box Stadium.

“I thought he took some really good at-bats on Tuesday,” Johnson said.“He hadn’tbeen in (the mixina little bit). Ithink he walked three times on Tuesday.I thought he took agood at-bat last night against(Kentucky pitcher Jaxon) Jelkin, which were hard to come by “And Ifelt like this was a good matchup for him.”

Hitting eighth in alineup desperate for more production, Braun doubled to drive in arun in the second inning before blasting aball over the heart of the plate in the fourth that resulted in the home run. The shot over the right-center fence was his second homer of the year

WHO: LSU(18-10, 3-5 SEC) vs. Kentucky (21-5, 5-3)

WHEN: Noon, Sunday WHERE: Alex Box Stadium ONLINE: SECNetwork+ RADIO: WDGL-FM, 98.1 (Baton Rouge); WWLAM,870 (NewOrleans); KLWB-FM,103.7 (Lafayette)

RANKINGS: Kentucky is No.19inD1Baseball’s rankings; LSU is not ranked PROBABLESTARTERS: LSU— TBA; Kentucky LHPBen Cleaver(1-1, 2.45 ERA)

PREGAME UPDATES: theadvocate.com/lsu ON X: @KokiRiley WHATTOWATCH FOR: LSUhas not announceda startingpitcher.The Tigers could have savedsenior right-hander ZacCowan andhanded himthe ball on Sunday, butcoach Jay Johnson decided to use him inreliefonSaturday instead. Cleaver allowed twoearnedrunsin323 innings last weekend againstOle Miss. He also failed to escape the first inning againstAlabama theweek before.

he avoidedsurrendering hard contact and threw52of his 88 pitches for strikes.

“It’sjustconfidence,” Schmidt said.“That’s why I’m getting theballtostart the game;they have the most confidence in me.Just again, the mindset thing. It’salways(about) thenext pitch. Youcan’t change what’salreadyhappened. Lastyear,maybe that would get to me.”

Continuedfrom page1C

one game withoutahomer before coming to Baton Rouge,where the Sooners have failed to homer twice.

“Jayden Heavener gave us agreat one today,” LSU coach Beth Torina said. “I knewinthe research that they hadn’tseen an arm like her this year.I even looked back last year and thought they hadn’t, somebodywith what she does.

“I didn’tknowhow it would play out because there wasn’ta tonoftape on them. Ihoped it would and it did; she was great, she executed the plan beautifully, being herself and attacking them in her own way.”

Heavener (8-6) struck out four,walked two and hit twobatters while working around apair of threats. She gotaboost by pitching most of the game with the lead after Alix Franklin delivered asacrifice fly in the first inning offParker,the Sooners starting pitcher Heavener threw 99 pitches,64for strikes, forher 10th complete game.

“I needed to go out there with my best stuffand not be timid, throw my gameand make themget themselves out,” Heavener said. “I let my defense work and my offense came through with an amazing homerun by Kylee.

“(I used) pitch combina-

tions, working the zone and hitting my spots. They are allhardouts. It’sworking my own game, knowing what Ican throw to the zone.”

The only run she allowed was unearnedwhenKai Minorsingled with oneout and scored on athrowing errorbyLSU third basemanAvery Hodge on abunt by Ailana Agbayani. Hodge hadenteredthe gameasa defensive replacement in the sixth inning.

LSU gotthe early lead whenJalia Lassiter and Sierra Danielwalkedtostart the game and moved up on Tori Edwards’ grounder.Franklin’sflyball to deep center field scored Lassiter easily In thefourth, Franklin

singled for LSU’sfirst hit andKyleeEdwards hita 1-0 pitch into the centerfield bleachers for her fourth homer,and third in the last fivegames. She has raisedher batting average 73 points to .295 with 15 hits in the last 11 games.

“I waslooking, ‘See ball, hit ball.’”Edwards said of the home run. “Yesterday,I got alot of off-speed pitches. Today,alittlebit of both.If it’sa strike, I’mgoing to swing at it.

“It goes back to the work I’ve put in the cages. Ihad a good weekend last weekend so that really helpedmy confidence. Yesterday,I had really good swings but hit it right to the second baseman and right fielder.”

But as LSU hascontinued to struggle—the Tigers were 9-10 over their last 19 games entering Saturday— perhaps they’ll need Brauntobemore thanjust ahelpful freshman.

“He’sgoing to be agood hitter,” Johnson said.“I’m really optimistic about what Masoncan bring ” Sophomore right-hander William Schmidt made his third career start in Southeastern Conference play Saturday against Kentucky (215, 5-3 SEC), and it was easily his best outing of the three. Schmidt tossed 51/3 shutout innings with just two walks and six hits allowed.Heonly struck out three batters, but

“I just saw apitch up in the zone. It was acutter, I think,” Braun said. “Andit just kept running in on the hands and …that’sour goal (istoget)pitchesupinthe zone andhit them hard.” Braun’sstrong bat-to-ball skills made him an intriguing hitter entering the season, potentially as acomplementary piece to alineup that brought back four starters from last year’s nationalchampionship team.

Schmidt exited for senior right-handerZac Cowan in thesixth. Despitebeing acandidate to start Sunday’sgame,Cowan tossed 32/3 shutout innings with sevenstrikeoutsand just one hit allowed. Including Saturday’souting, Cowan has thrown 81/3 scoreless innings in SEC play after a rocky start to the season in whichhegaveupsix earned runs in four innings against nonconference foes.

“Whenyou’redownruns, and you’rechasing runs,and you just don’tknow what’s coming from him,” Schmidt saidofCowan, “he’salmost impossible to hit.”

Omar Serna alsocontributed twohits for LSU, and Steven Milam drove in two runs.

LSU (18-10, 3-5) and Kentucky finish their three-game series at Alex Box Stadium on Sunday. Firstpitch is setfor noon,and the game will be available to stream on SEC Network+.

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSUpitcher Jayden Heavener delivers apitch against Oklahoma in the first inning of theirgame on Saturday at TigerPark

LSU designated hitter Mason Braun leapsinthe air in celebration after hitting ahome run against Kentucky in the fourth inning on Saturday at AlexBox Stadium

DannyHeitman AT RANDOM

In

springtime Louisiana, nature often crosses thethreshold

Ididn’tmean to start something when we replaced our roof in January. But our new set of shingles soon pointed us to other things that needed to be fixed: the rotting windowsill, the cracked siding, the lattice along acarport so frayed by the years that it looked like lace nibbled by moths.

So we’ve been writing checks to men who arrive in trucks, and they work their magic with lumber,caulk and paint. Looking around our place in these early days of spring,I sometimes feel as if our house is agrand old ship in drydock, getting its seams sealed so we can safely sail through the wet and wind of another Louisiana summer What’spleased me most,I guess,was the arrival of our handyman, Bob, to refasten the threshold on our front door.It had finally worked loose after bearing amillion footsteps— the back and forth of afamily that has never quite decided which is best, going out or coming home.

Like most gifted carpenters, Bob loves alevel surface and astraight line, and it was a joy to see him plumb up the threshold and secure it,with aperfect grasp of geometry, where it needed to go. He had, with this simple repair,clearly redrawn aboundarybetween outside and in, and Ifelt that some small part of my world made sense again.

Even so, I’ve lived in Louisiana long enough to know that when spring arrives,the borderbetween outdoors and indoors is easily crossed.

That thought came to mind the other day when Ispotted a salamander,bright and brown

The newspaper is reintroducing its Cookie Contest at the Baker Fair from 2p.m. to 5p.m.April 12 at the Main Library, 7711 Goodwood Blvd., in Baton Rouge

The first-place winner will receive a$100 gift card; second place, $75 gift card; and third place,$50 gift card. The winners and their cookies will be featured in The Advocate’s Living section. For details andto enter the contest, go to ebrpl.co/ advocatecookiecontest.

“Wereally

try to make this neutral ground. …A lotofthese dancers grow up in this store. It’s their place. They may switch studios.They may switch schools,but they grow up

here.” LONDYN ATKINSON DAVIS, Toptoe Dancewear owner

employees

PUTYOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD

Theperfect pointe

BY JOYHOLDEN Staff writer

Whenyoung 13-yearoldballerina Merci

Higdon walked through thedoors of Toptoe Dancewear inBaton Rouge,she was greeted by classical music, chandeliers and aprofessional ballet performance on TV.Higdon, who played Clara in “The Nutcracker —ATale From The Bayou,” was there for ashoe fitting.

Owner Londyn Atkinson Davis, whotook over the storein2024, welcomed her in by name.

From pointe shoe fittings to shopping for dance clothes,Toptoe Dancewear has been adance retailinstitutioninBaton Rouge since 1985, when ShirleyBrock opened it.

“It’ssuch ablessing. It’ssofun. Andyou’re still apart of dance,” said Davis, who was aGolden Girl at LSU, of running thestore.

“But everybody’shappy.They all come in here for thesame thing. They want to getdressed up They want to get theirnew shoes

This is the fun part.”

Toptoe specializes in dance shoe fittings, especially pointe toe shoes, because each shoe fits each dancer’sfeet differently Davis and her employees keep

ä See SHOES, page 6D

Tami ParrinoPassman, left, askshow Merci Higdon’sshoe fits as her mom, Vanessa, watches on at Toptoe Dancewear in Baton Rouge.

Howwas thename forLake Providence settled?

BY ROBIN MILLER Staff writer

Think about the fog that sometimes settles just above the Mississippi River’smuddy water Sometimes it happens in the morning, other times in the evening, and in the early 1800s, it obscured evil lurking behind its thick curtain. Nowpicture steady traffic of merchant boatmen on keelboats and flatboats transporting their 19th-century wares downriver from Ohio and Pennsylvania. Their adrenal glands had to be working overtime, especially when floating past the infamously labeled Bunch’sBend in East Carroll Parish, named foramurderous pirate knownasCaptain Bunch and his gang.

Author Georgia Payne Durham Pinkston wrote in her 1977 book, “A Place to Remember: East Carroll Parish, La. 18321976,” that Captain Bunch and his “cut-throats” hid out in the old river cut-off, now knownas Bunch’sBend.

PHOTO LakeProvidence’sportalong the Mississippi River during lowwater days in 2012. Merchant boatmen considered the community asafe havenalong the river.

“He and his crew would lie in wait forflatboats going down the Mississippi River enroute to NewOrleans,” Pinkston wrote. “The pirates boarded the boats, killed the crewmen and took their boats and goods.”

The boats wereeasy pickings, so the boatmen treaded lightly

Bunch’sBend was located approximately 10 miles north of the townofLake Providence. Reader Baker Boyd inquired about how the town, which stands across the river from Mississippi just below the Louisiana-Arkansas state line, got its name. “My high school played basketball games in that area,” the Baker reader said. “I’ve always been curious as to how the towngot its name.”

ä See CURIOUS, page 6D

STAFF PHOTOSByJAVIER GALLEGOS

Store

Meia Starns, left, and AllyeCovington tryonpointe shoes at Toptoe Dancewear on March5

ä See AT RANDOM, page 6D

Students win medals at JewQ championship

Regional finalists from Baton Rouge brought home gold, silver and bronze medals from the recent 2026 JewQ International Jewish Knowledge Championship.

The delegation traveled to New York City to compete against fellow young scholars from 25 countries. The contest is a Scripps spelling bee-style competition, but tests their Jewish knowledge. The Baton Rouge students outperformed 4,500 of their peers from across the globe.

The delegation was led by the Kazens of Juda Hebrew School.

JewQ is a program of CKids International, Chabad’s global children’s network, reaching more than 200,000 Jewish children across 63 countries who do not attend Jewish day schools. In public school, many of them are the only Jewish students in their class, and spend months studying independently to earn their place on this international stage.

DAR honors good citizens from high schools

Four area high school seniors were hon-

ored at the regular monthly meeting of the Baton Rouge Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution on March 16 at the Main Library at Goodwood

Jean Hamilton Chaudoir, DAR Good Citizens chair announced the following winners:

n Alex Michael Klumpp, St. Michael the Archangel High School

n Razia Kylee Rosenbrook, Baton Rouge Magnet High School

n Maximos “Max” Nextarious Tsolaskis, LSU Lab School

n Also honored was Elise Nexsina, Episcopal High School, who was unable to attend. Rosenbrook was also named the DAR Good Citizens essay contest winner for the chapter She will now be considered for additional recognition and awards, including scholarships through the Louisiana State Society of the DAR.

The DAR Good Citizens Award honors high school seniors who exemplify four core traits: dependability, service, leadership and patriotism. These qualities must be demonstrated consistently in school, home and community life. The award includes certificates, lapel pins that may be worn on graduation robes and other gifts.

Chapter Regent Alice Wynn Welch Fresina congratulated the winners for their civic, academic and leadership achievements as well as for the outstanding essays submitted. Rosenbrook and Klumpp read their essays to the membership

COMMUNITY

March Madness

PEO Chapter C members met March

and

independently

by

PROVIDED PHOTO

The Broadmoor Methodist United Women in Faith hosted a mission event on March 21 titled March Madness Mission for Louisiana missions. Shown are, from left, Susan Lyle, Marsha Arrighi, Beverly Boudreaux, Daphne Toney, Christy Harelson, Ann Middleton, Carol Wiltz, Lenora Lockett, Cynthia Swanson and Sally Genovese.

PROVIDED PHOTO

Four area high school seniors were honored on March 16 at the Baton Rouge Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution’s monthly meeting Shown are, from left, Jean Hamilton Chaudoir, Alex Michael Klumpp, Maximos ‘Max’ Nextarious Tsolaskis, Razia Kylee Rosebrook and Alice Wynn Welch Fresina.

PROVIDED PHOTO

23 at Tina Lamb’s home. Guest speaker Renee Nevils used silver pieces brought

members to determine authenticity

explained how to find this information

Gathered are, front row, from left, Linda Talbot, Brenda Hutchinson, Lyn Taylor and Wanda Blakely; middle row, Lamb and Connie Shaver; back row, Barbara Brown and Rose Ann Martin.

Held April9-11,

BY COURTNEY PEDERSEN Staff writer

When most people hear southwest Louisiana, their minds go to Lake Charles and the energy industry.But the small towns throughout Calcasieu Parish have plenty to offer DeQuincy,just 25 miles north of Lake Charles, has arich railroad history. Every year,the town hosts the Louisiana Railroad Days Festival to pay homage to its past. The free festival, scheduled forApril9-11at the DeQuincy Railroad Museum, is areal exampleof small-town life, festival cochairman Tonya Thibodeaux said.

‘‘The hospitality is unmatched by everyone,” Thibodeaux said. “Whether it’sinthe washer board tournament or the bling your Tshirt or the face painting, you’ll just see the families together.You’ll seefriends together.Everybody’ssmiling.” Thibodeaux said Louisiana RailroadDays is one of the few completely alcohol-free festivals in the state. From scavenger hunts to gospel nighttopageants andT-shirt competitions, the festivaloffers avariety of events and focuses on making it something everyone can afford.

“Becauseitisa completely family-friendly atmosphere, with free parking and free entertainment, it helpsmake it alittle bit easier to go to the fair,” Thibodeaux said.

Visit Lake Charles Chief

Marketing Officer Timothy Bush said many festivals and events are the heartbeat of communities and provide alook at the culture and music tied to the area.

TRAVEL

tioninsouthwest Louisiana and certainly supports the awarenessofthe community of DeQuincy,” Bush said. “It’ssomething to helpbring people to thearea, andthat’s certainlyimportant for every communityto have a drawlike that.”

call the Little Caboose at (337) 786-4056 to put them on hold.

Thursday,April 9

The festival is set to begin at 4:30 p.m.onApril 9 with an opening ceremony featuring Rhenly Hungerford and Hank Howard. The vendorbooths andcarnival rides open at 5p.m., along with amodel train show

Thenight will continue with children’sactivities beginning at 5:30 p.m

Friday,April 10

On Friday,vendor booths andthe model trainshow will start at noon, and rides open at 1p.m. Aparade will begin at 3p.m.

The night will end with hours of music starting with the Singer Junior High Choir at 5p.m.and Gospel Night at 6p.m.with local talent and the Louisiana AllState Choir headlining.

Saturday,April 11

The longest day of the festival starts at 8:30 a.m.with theRun theRails 5K Fun Run/Walk.

The festival, vendor booths and model trainshow open at 9a.m.The Bling

Your T-shirt/Outfit Contest will also kick off at 9a.m.

Fourth St. is 0.7 miles from the DeQuincy Railroad Museum, a15-minute walk or 2-minute drive.

n Willow Ranch RV Park, 2021 La. 12 in DeQuincy, is located to the northeast of thetown of DeQuincy and offers full hookup sites and practical amenities forvisitors traveling witha camper or RV n BayouGlamping Co a new lodging option in southwest Louisiana, offers visitors achance to experience the outdoors and camping in amore glamorous fashion. Located at 3669 Cayton Road in Westlake, it’sa30-minute drive from DeQuincy

n L’Auberge Casino Resort, located at 777 Avenue It’safull resort with acasino,pool, spa andseveral restaurants just 35 minutes from the festival grounds. Wheretoeat

n Coconuts Cajun Grill, located at 1045 La. 27 in DeQuincy, is alocal familyowned restaurant that offers burgers, po-boysand boiled shrimp.

“When you look at the Railroad Festival,itisalso a festival that has along tradi-

From fair to festival In 1897, DeQuincy was established by the KansasCity Southern Railroad andgrew into acommunity with the jobsthatwere provided by the railroad Years later,in 1963, mothers L.L. Irwin and Mickey Jameson wanted to finda way to raise money for the Campfire Girls and decided to start what was knownas the Country Fair With it being enjoyed by communitymembers each year, thefestival beganto growinsize.

Mayor GaryCooper came to ameetingofthe DeQuincy Federated Service League to suggest that the Country Fair be changed to aRailroad Festival. Theclub membersagreed.

With thehelp of state Rep James David Cainand state Sen. Cliff Newman, it was broughttothe statelegislature andwas recognized as an official state fair

By the spring of 1984, it was officially the Louisiana Railroad Days Festival.

Back then, it was almost a no-brainer.”

All themoney raised from thefestival goes back to the community

Thibodeaux said the festival funds scholarships for studentsfromDeQuincy, Singer,Starks and SouthBeauregard. Theyalso use the funds to help those in need in the community Festival schedule

“I’ve seen people sew on sleeves and collars to make it aprofessional shirt,” Thibodeaux said. “I’ve seen people take the shirts and completely transform it into acompletely blingedout dress withleggings to match. just phenomenal ideas.”

Following thecontest, rides will open at 10 a.m. with theRailroad Idol and OldTimers Reunionfollowing suit.

The festival’sfirst Washer BoardTournament will start at noon.

n El Tucan, 1577 E. Fourth St. in DeQuincy,offers classic Tex-Mex favorites like enchiladas, fajitas andburritos.

n Dave’sDiner serves American food and classic Southern diner food at 408 W. Fourth St.

n Jeanne’sBourbon Street BBQ in Westlake is located at 915 Sampson St.The restaurant is also home to a Winchester museum. The website states that the establishment is covered from wall to wall in “someofthe best andoldest Winchester rifles leftinthe world.”

n Tony’s Pizza, at 335E Prien Lake Road in Lake Charles, is afamily-owned restaurant that has been in thecommunity since1968 and consistently finds itself on the Top100 IndependentPizzerias in theUnited States by thePizza Today publication,according to its website. DeQuincy

After20years, DeQuincy

TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER

By ChristopherElliott

“(The name)was natural becauseitisengraved in who we are,” Thibodeaux said. “Many of ourcitizens have retired from the railroad. Manyofour citizens still work for the railroad. It is still agreat part of who we are and what our city is now

Preparation forthe festival is well underway with T-shirtsand ride tickets already available forpurchase.

The ride tickets are$1 each in advance, but will be sold for at least $2 starting at 2p.m. April 9. To purchasetickets in advance, Thibodeauxsaidtheycan

Aday full of music will ensue, starting with HeartAche from noon to 1:30 p.m and ending with Casey Chesnutt from 8p.m. to 9:30 p.m

Wheretostay

n Heritage Place Hotel &Suites, located at 1028 E.

Frontier Airlines melted stroller butwon’t payfor replacement

Frontier Airlines destroyed my child’s stroller during a flight from Phoenixto Seattle.When we picked it up, the plastic frame wasmelted —itwas completelyunsafetouse.

Christopher Elliott

I filed aclaim with Frontier,but theyrejected it, calling the damage“normal wear and tear.” Iappealed and filed asecond claim as requested, but after weeks of emails and follow-ups, Ihaven’t received aproperresponse. The stroller cost $179, and Ijust want the airline to cover the replacement. Can you please help? —Cheryce White, Sequim,Wash.

Wait, did you say Frontier melted your stroller? How do you melt agate-checked stroller?I mean, the cargo hold can’t be that hot, can it? Frontier Airlines should have kept your stroller safe and delivered it to youingood condition at theend ofyour flight. When it failed, it shouldhave promptly investigated your claim and made afair offer to repair or replace the stroller,especially sincethe damage was obviously notjustnormal wear andtear Under U.S. Department of Transportation rules andstandard airline contracts of carriage, airlines are generally responsible for damage to checked baggage

—including strollers —unless they can prove the passenger failedtomeet reasonablepacking requirements. Some airlines don’t even acceptliabilityfor strollers, meaning you’re at thecompany’s mercy Frontier says it is notliable for a stroller unless packaged in ahardsided case.

(It’susually better to get asmall, foldable strollerand take it on the plane as acarry-on than to surrenderittoyourairline at thegate.)

Still, this policydoesn’texcuse returning amelted andwarped stroller withoutadequate compensation. The airlineshouldhave handledyourclaim quickly and

transparently,rather than denying it without explanation and ignoring your follow-ups. Filing adetailed claim immediatelyafter discovering damage is essential,which you did. Youalso escalated appropriately by following up andappealing the denial. It’simportant to keep all your correspondence and documentation, creating aclear paper trail. If the airline stalls, consider escalating to executives. Ipublish contact infofor airline executives, including Frontier Airlines, to help consumers do just that.

If allelse fails, you could file aclaim in small-claims court, especially since the value here is

under $200. Fortunately,that wasn’tnecessary.Icontacted Frontier on your behalf. After reviewing your case, the airline agreed to reopen the claim and offered to pay for anew stroller.Your case shows that being organized, polite and firm can make adifference —even when your stroller has ameltdownon the plane.

Christopher Elliott is the founderofElliott Advocacy,a nonprofitorganizationthathelps consumers solvetheirproblems. Email himatchris@elliott.org or get help by contacting himat elliottadvocacy.org.

STAFF PHOTO By COURTNEy PEDERSEN LouisianaRailroad Days Festival is painted on amural in downtown DeQuincy

PROVIDED PHOTO OF LOUISIANA RAILROADDAySFESTIVAL

Acouple dances during the 2025 Louisiana Railroad Days Festival.

AT THE TABLE

Setting a memorable Easter table comes with good food

BY MARIE DESORMEAUX CENTANNI Contributing writer

My 14-year-old son insists on eating every meal in our formal dining room.

A bowl of cereal. Microwave ramen noodles Pizza

He won’t cut his fingernails or put his laundry away, and yet he opts for the cut glass tumblers rather than plastic cups, the Blue Willow china over basic white plates.

It’s a far cry from us children of the ’80s who took our meals at the kitchen table, the dining table reserved for special occasions and out of bounds.

The same went for formal living rooms versus dens.

I suppose we can partially thank open floor plans for erasing these lines between breakable, stainable, untouchable formality and the paper plate zone.

But in our home, I prefer to think it’s because we’ve brought the “special” to every occasion, even ramen We approach formality not with an eye toward the expensive, irreplaceable and breakable, but the thoughtful and meaningful.

Especially our Easter table

Every year, we add some new element or layer, and the result is a magical setting that’s been curated over nearly two decades — that’s what makes an overthe-top tabletop attainable. For us, it started with the discovery of a set of Wedgwood lettuce plates from an antique shop in Lafayette that are hand-colored with bright green lines that trace the veins and edges of the leaves.

Some were chipped and others were faded (likely placed in the dishwasher — no!), but collectively, they were stunning, quirky and extremely versatile — and the flaws made them affordable.

I like to pair them with my paternal grandmother’s china, Spode “Ermine,” featuring a sharp blue ring of Maltese crosses and fleur-de-lis surrounding a field of ermine

Over the years, I’ve found elements to leverage that sharp blue and green: an April Cornell tablecloth, blue cut-to-clear stemware and eyelet napkins from Pottery Barn.

There was even a pair of blue and white bunny salt and pepper shakers my thoughtful daughter picked up on a class field trip to Washington, D.C.

This year’s addition to the table is a set of green and white egg cups from Anthropologie the same perfect green as our Wedgwood, and the perfect vessel for Easter eggs.

Eggs are a big deal in my family, with Avoyelles Parish roots on my mother’s side. You see, we paque (or pock) eggs trying to find the strongest one of the bunch by knocking two against each other The competition is intense, from the selection of neighborhood yard eggs (some feed their chickens oyster shells to harden the eggs) to the boiling method (point down to avoid an air pocket).

My childhood Easters with Cottonport cousins centered around eggs, and in the past few years we’ve made the drive for the egg paquing festival in Cottonport. So, there’s a lot of thoughtfulness behind those green egg cups gracing the table this year.

And that’s the point. The preciousness of the meaning behind each object on our Easter table including some years a triumphant collection of plastic golden eggs won at Easter egg hunts or actual faux Easter grass hanging from the chandelier — is far more treasured than the dollar value of the objects

Farmers Market hosts ‘Strawberry Jam’

The Red Stick Farmers Market’s annual “Strawberry Jam” event returns from 8 a.m. to noon, April 4 at Fifth and Main Street. Visitors can enjoy free parking in the Galvez Parking Garage. The day will feature family-friendly activities, live music, cooking demonstrations and plenty of locally grown strawberries

The highlight of the day will be an appearance by Jazzy the Strawberry, the cheerful “spokesberry” for the Louisiana Strawberry Marketing Board, who will greet visitors and spread cheer throughout the morning.

My family’s favorite Easter table staple is the King’s Egg Casserole, a Junior League of Lafayette recipe baked in a bunt pan for a show-stopping brunch dish. We serve it on a tall, crystal cake stand and slice and serve it just like cake.

The dish is a meal in itself — featuring eggs, cheese, bacon, ham and green onions — and a crowd pleaser for all ages.

Our family usually attends 7 a.m. Mass on Easter Sunday, then returns home to enjoy brunch and dig into Easter basket goodies. This recipe can be prepared ahead of time to bake with no fuss, allowing us to enjoy the morning.

To truly enjoy the end of Lent, I love my mother’s Corn and Crawfish Bisque, especially when you’ve been diligent about peeling leftover crawfish and snagging extra corn and potatoes during those Friday crawfish boils. Yes, you can use canned corn and frozen crawfish tails (Louisiana, of course), but there’s something about an Easter Sunday soup flavored with the spoils of the preceding season that brings home the point. I’ve been especially good about squirreling away and freezing corn for Easter Sunday I suppose next year my mission is cream soup bowls to round out the table. I’m sure my ramen-loving son will support that addition.

Marie DesOrmeaux Centanni is the executive director of governmental and alumni affairs at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and enjoys curating collections of vintage tableware through her Instagram business, The Dish Ran Away with the Spoon, @dishranaway

A cooking demonstration from local restaurateur and sommelier Scott Higgins will showcase ways to cook with fresh Louisiana strawberries with a cooking demonstration at 10 a.m. in the Teaching Kitchen inside Main Street Market.

Local farmers and food artisans will offer a wide range of strawberry products including fresh berries, jams, jellies, pies, lemonades, pastries and more.

The following vendors will have strawberry items available for purchase:

n Bonnecaze Farms: strawberry jam n City Gelato: strawberry Gelato n Corona Farms: strawberries and strawberry jam

n Frank Fekete Farm: strawberries

n Herb n’ Bros: “Stress Less” juice

n Mizell Farms: strawberry plants

n Morrow Farms: strawberries

n Supper Solutions LLC: strawberry squares.

‘Big Ideas, Little Hands’ exhibition to be held

Knock Knock Children’s Museum and East Baton Rouge Parish School System are hosting “Big Ideas, Little Hands: EBR Schools’ K-5 Masterpieces,” an exhibition showcasing artwork created by elementary students across the district.

The exhibition will be on display at the museum from March 31 through April 12, celebrating the creativity, imagination and talent

King’s Egg Casserole

Serves 30;

2.

Corn and Seafood Bisque

1 In a large soup pot over medium heat, saute onions and garlic in butter until transparent.

2. Add canned ingredients.

3. Add cream cheese and seafood, simmer to blend (add crab later in this step as it cooks quickly)

4. Add green onions, wine and Worcestershire.

to

5.

of young artists from EBRPSS kindergarten through fifth grades. Free pet vaccines offered April 11

Companion Animal Alliance will provide free vaccinations for Baton Rouge area pets from 8 a.m to 11 a.m. on April 11 at Charles R. Kelly Community Center 3535 Riley St.

The free vaccines are made possible through Petco Love’s national vaccination initiative Vaccinated and Loved, which has provided 4 million free pet vaccines and counting to participating animal welfare partners, including Companion Animal Alliance, for family pets in need.

The free vaccines distributed at events will be the DAPPv Canine

and HCP Feline vaccines. Through this national effort, Companion Animal Alliance aims to vaccinate 200 pets.

The drive-thru clinics are on a first-come, first-serve basis. There are no requirements to qualify for the free vaccines. Rabies vaccines and a chance to sign up for free spay/neuter services will also be available on-site.

The final clinic will be held from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m on May 2 at Dr. Leo Butler Community Center, 950 Lorri Burgess Ave.

For more information about vaccine distribution, contact Companion Animal Alliance at (225) 4085360 or email communications@ caabr.org.

Learn more about Petco Love’s lifesaving impact at PetcoLove. org.

A set of Wedgwood lettuce plates take their place on Marie DesOrmeaux Centanni’s Easter table in Lafayette.

PROVIDED PHOTOS By MARIE DESORMEAUX CENTANNI King’s Egg Casserole

Keepingconnections goinghelps social fabric

Dear Miss Manners: We live in an era where the social fabric has thinned significantly.The clubs,civic organizations and community events that once brought our forefathers together are largely fading away.Opportunities for natural socialization have plummeted across the country,leaving many of us more isolated than generations past. In this new landscape, the reality is that we can often trulydepend only on our families and ourselves. Whena mother hosts her own daughter’sbridal shower today,itisrarely out of vanity.Rather,it is often aresilient effort to gather scatteredloved ones and create community where it no longer exists naturally.Ihope we might view this not as abreach of taste, but as anecessary adaptation to keep our connections alive.

By The Associated Press

Today is Sunday,March 29, the 88th day of 2026. Thereare 277 days left in theyear

Statescombat troops left South Vietnam, ending America’sdirect military involvement in the VietnamWar

taurant, all deckedout in hatand gloves. Asmore women entered the workforce and began traveling for business, they would often have dinneralonein nicerrestaurants. In fact, Irememberbeing warned nottoacceptbeing relegated to the backofthe restaurant or to atable nearthe kitchen.

My peers andI were told to exert our right to sit where we liked Oddly,these days,when moreand more women live independently,Inever see awoman dining alone, exceptmaybeina coffee shop

matter of time, now that mostwomen are working, or of money,asrestaurants tendtobeexpensive. It could be sociability,as your preference for eating alone is atypical. It could also have to do with the availability of takeout.

Gentle Reader: Agreed that the social fabric has thinned, and also that it is an excellent idea to gather people one caresabout to, as you put it, recreate community Miss Manners only wonders why one shouldwait to do so on an occasion on which presents for one’s daughter are expected.

Dear Miss Manners: WhenI was growing up, it wasn’t unusual to see awoman lunching alone at ares-

Iwould liketobegin doing so: My husbandcan no longer dine out due to health problems, and Iget tired of the compromises required when dining with friends. Iwould be very happy to eat dinner aloneatarestaurantofmy choice, butI’m not much of atrailblazer Ijust can’thelp butwonder why this hasgoneso out of fashion Gentle Reader: When Miss Mannersthinks of valiant women blazingtrails, their tasksare more arduous and dangerousthan eating in arestaurant. Shefails to see why you don’tsimply do it.

Onecan easily speculate aboutwhy it seems rarer for women to dineout alonetoday:Itcould be a

Dear Miss Manners: Afamily member sent me a“happy anniversary” message; however,itwas on the date of my first marriage, not my second (which has now lasted 30 years). She attended bothweddings. It kind of ruined my day, but Iknow she meantwell. What bothers me, though, is that when Ipolitely reminded her of my actual anniversary date, she messaged back asking if Iwas sure about that, since she had adifferent datesaved in her book. Certainly,she should not have asked if Iwas sure about my own wedding date, correct?How should Ihave responded?

GentleReader:: With,“Yes, I’m quite sure. So is my husband. We were both there, as you may remember.” Why themistake should have ruined your day,Miss Manners cannot guess. But why were you not amused at this silly attempt to avoid admitting to amistake?

Send questions to Miss Manners to dearmissmanners@gmail com.

Todayinhistory: On March 29, 1974, a group of Chinesefarmers digging awell struck fragments of terra-cotta buried underground; archaeologists would ultimately discover terra-cotta sculptures of more than 8,000 soldiersand other figures The “Terra-cotta Army” would become oneofthe most significant archaeological discoveries of the 20th century

Also on this date: In 1943, WorldWar II rationing of meat, fats and cheese began, limiting American consumers to store purchases of an average of about two pounds a week for beef, pork, lamb and mutton using acoupon system.

In 1951, Julius and Ethel Rosenbergwere convicted in New York of conspiracy to commitespionage for theSoviet Union. (They were executed in June 1953.)

In 1961, the23rd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, allowing residentsofWashington, D.C., to vote in presidential elections.

In 1971, Army Lt. William L. Calley Jr.was convicted of murdering 22 Vietnamese civilians in the1968 My Lai massacre. (Initially sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labor Calley’ssentence would be commuted by President Richard Nixon to three yearsofhouse arrest.)

In 1984, underthe cover of early morning darkness, the Baltimore Colts football team left its home city of threedecades, sending the team’sequipment to Indianapolis in moving trucks without informing Baltimore city or Maryland state officials.

In 2004, President George W. Bush welcomed sevenformer Soviet-bloc nations (Romania,Bulgaria,Estonia,Latvia, Lithuania,Slovakia andSlovenia) into NATO during aWhite House ceremony.

In 2021, salvage teams using powerful tugboats setfreeanenormous containership thatwas wedged acrossEgypt’s SuezCanal for nearly a week, blocking allship traffic on the vitalwater-

way anddisrupting the globalshipping system. Today’sbirthdays: Comedian Eric Idle is 83. Former British Prime Minister JohnMajor is 83. Basketball Hall of Famer Walt Frazieris81. Football Hall of Famer Earl Campbell is 71. ActorBrendanGleeson is 71. ActorChristopher Lambert is 69. Actor Annabella Sciorra is 66. Comedian-actor Amy Sedaris is 65.

is 62. Sen.

ActorLucy Lawless is 58. Tennis Hall of Famer Jennifer Capriati is 50. Musician-author Michelle Zauneris37. Actor AlexNeustaedteris28.

Dear Heloise: For the past 50 years, Ihave kept pairs of socks together by using safety pins. Idon’tknow where Iread this tip. It could have been in a “Hints From Heloise” column since I have been a Heloise followersinceforever —Annette H., via email Annette, yes, this is an old Heloise trick, and many have told me that it was asimple but very effective method to keep their socks from getting lost. I’m glad to know that it’sstill being used. —Heloise Researchingcharities

Dear Heloise: Several years ago, Idonatedsome inheritedmoneytoseveral charities, choosing ones that Ithought my relative would have supported. Now my mailbox is flooded daily with requests for more donations, as my information was soldor sharedbetween organizations. Yourecently published ahintregarding Charity Navigator’sreviews.

They also offer agiving basket!

Donationscan bemade to your chosen charities, andyou can choose to withhold yourprivate information this way —Nell M., via email Nell, so many of my readers say the same thing aboutsuddenly getting requests for help from various charities after making one donation Just pick theones you want and ignore theothers. Ourwallets can only stretch so far —Heloise Self-serve soundoff

Dear Heloise: Whyare so many jobsdisappearing? Iwenttoalocal car wash yesterday,and for $25, they have large rollers that clean theexterior of thecar.But they have stopped cleaning theinterior! There were no attendantswho hopped inside to wipedown theinterior

This self-serve service is gettingout ofhand. Idon’t mindpaying alittle extra to have people do asimple job,but allthe placeshave done away with people whodid adecentjob fora fairly small wage. —Lindsey M., in California Lindsey,it’sanew

world. The newspaper boys aregone, self-serve restaurants are springing up everywhere, and finding asalesperson in a departmentstore can be difficult.The costofdoing businesshas increased dramatically and has forced business owners to cut expenses where they can. Change is inevitable, but we’ll all adapt eventually —Heloise Inductioncooktop correction

Dear Heloise: Iread with alarm the letter written by Doris M. on induction cooktop safety.Itwas way off the mark on its conclusion. Induction cooktops only emit magnetism for about 1inch from thepot/ pan that sits atop them. Standing 2feet away is recommended. It completely eliminates the risk to people withpacemakers. Placingone’schest closer than 2feet to ahot pot/pan is unwisewith any kind of cooking. —MichaelI., in Hillsborough, New Jersey Send ahinttoheloise@ heloise.com.

In 1971, ajuryinLos Angeles recommended the deathpenalty for Charles Manson and three female followers for the 1969 TateLa Bianca murders. (The sentences were commuted to life in prison when the California state Supreme Courtstruck down the deathpenalty in 1972.)

In 1973, thelast United

Judith Martin MISS MANNERS

Hints from Heloise

ModelElle Macpherson

Catherine Cortez Masto,a Democrat from Nevada, is 62.

I quit Facebook and tapped into my real-life feed

BY SANDRA ZAID

Contributing writer

Human Condition

I quit Facebook eight years ago. I walked away with the solemn drama of someone abdicating an imaginary throne, like there should’ve been a tiny digital crowd gasping as I pressed “deactivate.” There wasn’t, of course; just me, my laptop and the uncomfortable realization that absolutely no one would notice. For years, I’d been curating this strange museum of repetitive selfies, political rants, and birthday reminders for people I’m pretty sure I once met in the ’70s near a locker but couldn’t pick out of a lineup today

My feed felt less like real life and more like a reality show written by algorithms — faker than a puppy filter and somehow louder than an actual puppy

Why did I walk away from Facebook? At some point it hit me: I couldn’t possibly have 800 friends

I can’t even keep five houseplants

alive. Maintaining all those “connections” was basically emotional juggling with strangers who vaguely remembered my last name.

I couldn’t possibly have 800 friends; I can’t possibly have 80 friends — true friends. So, I left.

I walked away from the drama of two middle-aged neighbors

engaging in a heated showdown over the exact height of their garage sale lawn sign.

I walked away from my aunt’s numerous noble charitable deeds. These were largely unknown and highly questionable.

I walked away from my twicemarried niece’s exuberant life in

and manager

SHOES

Continued from page 1D

detailed binders of notes on customers’ preferences, sizes and unique needs. Parrino-Passman, the manager and pointe shoe guru, knows what each teacher at every school and studio in Baton Rouge prefers for their dancers, and she uses that wealth of knowledge in each fitting.

After retreating to the back — to the seemingly endless supply of pointe, ballet, jazz and tap shoes

Parrino-Passman returned with two options for Higdon to try on “We want your metatarsals to be protected,” Parrino-Passman said as she presented Higdon with a new pointe shoe in a Russian style “I have to make sure that you can articulate the shoe. Let’s go to the barre, to that parallel first position.” Higdon tested out the new shoe by following Parrino-Passman’s commands: Push up one point. Turn out. Pull the fifth position Step out to a second position and plié

“It’s not that we do any kind of alterations, but every shoe is different. Like this shoe, one shoe goes two sizes up, the next shoe goes two sizes down. It’s all crazy Especially with pointe, it depends on how the foot is structured What foot’s gonna work with that shoe?,” Davis said, gesturing to all of the shoe boxes in front of her From customer to owner

After graduating from LSU in 2023, Davis bought the store from past owner Denise Dobson. She has brought new energy and new customer service to the store, expanding the dance store’s reach around the country Through setting up e-commerce on the website, transitioning to a point of sale system, launching a social media presence, custom

AT RANDOM

Continued from page 1D

designing costumes and bringing her Gen Z fervor coupled with an old-school work ethic, Davis has increased the business and brand.

“She has totally revolutionized the store,” said Vanessa Higdon, Merci’s mother, who has been a faithful customer for over a decade. “She’s made it so much easier for us to order, which has been wonderful. She set up the whole computer system, which everything used to be handwritten.”

By the time she was in high school, Davis was a Silver Stepper at Parkview Baptist, and in college, she was part of LSU’s Golden Girls for four years. Competition, coaching and choreography were mainstays in her life.

Toptoe became another home for her during those 10 years of dance. As she was nearing graduation, she was nervous about what to do next.

“I still never thought this was ever an option. It never crossed my mind,” Davis said.

Three weeks later, she called Toptoe, and they let her know that the store was being sold. Dobson encouraged Davis to work at the store for a while to see if she was interested in buying it. If she didn’t, the store was likely to close.

“I started working and fell in love, and it happened really quick,” Davis said.

‘They grow up here’

Training for employees at Toptoe includes memorizing the different retail brands and shoe size variations.

Meia Starns, a former Parkview Baptist Silver Stepper who works at Toptoe, reflects on being a part of pointe fittings from the other side of the shoe. Parrino-Passman fitted Starns for her first pair of pointe shoes when she was in middle school.

“I remember sitting in the same exact spot like it was yesterday

as a makeshift net Within a minute, I’d

Chicago, New York City and Miami. I know she struggles to pay her bills.

Yes, I walked away from fantastic stories no one could believe. Party after party Perfectly made-up faces. Slender bodies and extravagant manicures. Expensive dinners and gourmet dishes. Very expensive wine. I walked away from it all.

I downsized my circle. Not in a minimalist, Scandinavianfurniture way — just in a “maybe I only need a handful of actual humans” way

I am downsized to my cellphone and to writing to the kind who texts back with words instead of cryptic reaction GIFs.

When I stopped scrolling through other people’s lives like it was a never-ending soap opera, something weird happened. Time appeared. Whole stretches of it. Empty and quiet and a little terrifying, like when the power goes out and you suddenly hear your own breathing.

So, I started reading again. Real books. Sentences with beginnings,

CURIOUS

Continued from page 1D as

have improved with age, but I have gotten better, I think, at catching the wriggly things that tend to trespass into our house in the warm months. I’ve learned to stalk my quarry slowly, usually with a wash cloth or handkerchief

ted a green lizard on one of our bookcases, as confident in his claim to the shelf as a volume of Hemingway or Proust. I’m no longer startled by the presence of a June bug

and doing the same stuff that I ask girls to do now whenever I’m fitting them. It’s a full-circle thing, because I got to experience it, and now I get to give that experience to someone else,” Starns said.

When a ballet class from a local studio moves up to pointe, or dancers from a studio graduate to pointe shoes, Toptoe opens exclusively for those dancers and celebrates their first pair with pictures. Experiences like this make it memorable for Toptoe’s customers.

“This store is a combination of quality and knowledge, and it’s been a mainstay for my family They truly know what families need,” Vanessa Higdon said.

Allye Covington, another Toptoe employee, has been a customer since she was in high school in Shreveport. She and her family would drive four hours specifically for Toptoe shoe fittings. ParrinoPassman invited Covington to work at the store because of her knowledge.

“I told her we’d love for her to be one of our fitters, because she understands it from a practical standpoint The little ballerinas we all adore, but pointe shoes are such a niche that you got to get that right. If you don’t, it’s just detrimental to the dancers and their ankles,” Parrino-Passman said.

Today Davis is comfortable with her career There’s something to being in the world of dance retail that fits her, she said. She wants Toptoe to be the place where dancers feel comfortable, too.

“We really try to make this neutral ground,” she said. “We don’t have favorites. A lot of these dancers grow up in this store. It’s their place. They may switch studios. They may switch schools, but they grow up here.”

Email Joy Holden at joy.holden@ theadvocate.com.

who’s made its way into the living room and is thrashing itself against a lamp. My wife has carried caterpillars in with the houseplants. She also brings in less prickly gifts, such as a branch of azalea blossoms she placed in an urn-size vase this month. The white flowers loom like the horn of a Victrola as we sip coffee, hinting that Easter will soon cross our threshold, too. Email Danny Heitman at danny@dannyheitman.com.

middles and ends. I wandered into corners of the internet where people argued thoughtfully instead of exclusively in memes. My brain, which had been surviving on digital junk food, remembered what vegetables tasted like.

The whole exit was deeply uncinematic. No one begged me to stay No violins were playing. Facebook didn’t send a search party But I gained this small, miraculous thing: privacy Silence. The blissful freedom of not knowing what my former elementary school classmate had for breakfast.

And it turns out that not knowing everything about everyone is its own kind of peace.

So yeah, I traded the digital circus for a quieter life. And honestly, it feels a lot more like mine. Zaid lives in Denham Springs.

Human Condition submissions of 600 words or fewer may be emailed to features@ theadvocate.com. Stories will be kept on file and publication is not guaranteed. There is no payment for Human Condition.

A safe haven

Chris Sanders, director of the East Carroll Parish Library branch in Lake Providence, says the town is named for God’s divine protection.

“If the boatmen could make it through that part of the river alive and without being robbed, they knew they were safe,” Sanders said. “So, they called that point in the river past the bend, ‘Providence.’”

Pinkston’s book points out that a trading post stood at Providence, where the boatmen could regroup. She adds that the merchants finally figured out a way to stop the slaughters.

“Eventually, a group of Kentucky flatboat crews tied their boats together and floated past the bend,” the author writes.

“When Bunch and his men boarded, the well-armed crews met them and slaughtered every pirate, making the river safe.”

But as is the case with so many stories and legends, Pinkston points out a second story associated with the town’s name.

“The other account relates that when settlers moving westward from the Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi to homestead reached this beautiful lake abounding with all kinds of fish and the woods filled with fruits and animals for food, they gave thanks to Providence for this bountiful supply,” she writes.

“Many of them searched no further, but made their homes here.”

Between the two stories, Pinkston admits in her writing that the pirates are more exciting. And Sanders sticks to that story at the library because, well, the pirate tale has roots. The bend in the river north of Lake Providence is still named for Captain Bunch, and the 18-mile road trail near the town also bears the pirate’s name. As for the boatmen transporting goods through the pirates’ gauntlet, they often were the same travelers who took the 500mile Natchez Trace north toward home, because their boats were built only to float downstream. They sold their boats for lumber in New Orleans, then hit the Natchez Trace by either foot or horseback, where they eventually faced a new set of bandits and criminals, which earned the route its nickname of “The Devil’s Backbone.”

But the boatmen were looking to God while on the river They were grateful to reach Providence, which was the town’s original name when its charter was adopted in 1812, the same year Louisiana became a state.

Yes, there was a Lake Providence, but that name applied only to the oxbow lake left formed when the Mississippi River changed course. The town, simply known as Providence, was forced to relocate more than a mile east from its original location bank in 1848 because of the river’s flooding.

A postal mix-up Its name became an issue with the postal service in the early 1900s when mail from Providence, Rhode Island, began getting mixed up with that of Providence, Louisiana.

So, Providence, Louisiana, became Lake Providence. Still, residents referred to the town by both names. According to Pinkston, state Rep. J. Martian Hamley sponsored a bill in

PROVIDED IMAGE By BETTMANN/CORBIS

Though this painting by J.L.G. Ferris, titled ‘The Capture of Pirate, Blackbeard, 1718,’ shows the pirate and his crew attacking at sea, a pirate known only as Captain Bunch made similar attacks on merchant vessels from a bend in the Mississippi River approaching Lake Providence.

the Louisiana Legislature in 1935 to officially rebrand the town’s name to conform with that on the Post Office: Lake Providence.

Another interesting story about the town happened in 1863, when Gen. Ulysses S. Grant brought his Union Army for a visit to dig a canal to rejoin the oxbow lake to the Mississippi River This story is documented by a Louisiana state historical marker on the town’s Levee Road. Grant’s troops occupied the town, using it as a supply depot and base during the Vicksburg Campaign in 1862 and 1863. Though Lake Providence is actually more than 40 miles upriver from Vicksburg, Mississippi, Grant developed what he thought would be a perfect strategy for bypassing Confederate troops on the opposite side of the Mississippi River

Grant’s canal

He “ordered the digging of a canal here to connect the Mississippi and Lake Providence,” Pinkston writes. “Grant planned to take the Federal gunboats through the Tensas (River) and other streams and bypass the guns of Vicksburg and approach the city from below.”

Troops worked under the direction of Gen. James McPherson from January to March 1863, when they breached the levee. The canal was 100 feet long and only 5 feet wide by that time. The Mississippi’s waters rushed in with such fury that it flooded the town, and McPherson immediately evacuated his troops to higher ground.

“Grant’s canal remained an open ditch and a breeding ground for mosquitoes until 1953,” Pinkston writes. “Sen. Russell Long, son of Huey P. Long, went to Congress at the urging of local people and introduced a bill to have the government fill up the canal. According to a report, Sen. Long remarked, ‘Since the federal government dug it, it’s only fitting that the federal government fill it up.’” The United States government complied, filling all but about 1,000 feet of the original canal, which can still be seen today from an elevated boardwalk and observation pier across Lake Street from the Byerley House Visitor Center

The boardwalk also includes interpretive markers that tell the story of the area and provides a picturesque view of the oxbow lake.

Do you have a question about something in Louisiana that’s got you curious? Email your question to curiouslouisiana@ theadvocate.com. Include your name, phone number and the city where you live.

STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS Owner

Londyn Atkinson Davis poses with a pointe shoe at Toptoe Dancewear in Baton Rouge.

Vote for the Louisiana Readers’ Choice Award

BY JOY HOLDEN and LAUREN CHERAMIE Staff writers

In 1999, the Louisiana Readers’ Choice Award was established to foster a love of reading in children throughout Louisiana by motivating them to vote for their favorite books. The first award was given in 2000.

To date, more than 1.5 million books have been read, and 485,000 votes have been cast.

Each year, school-aged children vote for their favorites in fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels and poetry in four lists: kindergarten through second grade, third through fifth grade sixth through eighth grade and ninth through 12th grade.

Louisiana librarians and educators curate the lists.

“They get all into it,” said Amanda Jones, a librarian at Live Oak Middle School in Watson. “Their favorites this year were ‘Mexikid,’ ‘It Found Us’ and ‘The Labors of Hercules Beal.’ I’d say ‘Eb and Flow’ was also a heavy contender.” Jones, recently named to the 2025 Time 100 Next list for her advocacy work against censorship, was recently featured in the documentary “The Librarians.” She has spoken up for banned books and librarians in Livingston Parish.

Those who have read or listened to at least three nominated titles from the list can vote at library.la.gov/services/for-the-public/louisiana-readers-choice or by fax at (225) 342-3547. This year’s competition features 52 titles total across the four distinctive grade level lists.

Some of the authors include Sara Shepard, best known for her “Pretty Little Liars” series, for the book “Penny Draws a Best Friend”; Lynne Cox, the first person to swim between the United States and the Soviet Union across the Bering Strait in 1987, for the book “Yoshi Sea Turtle Genius: A True Story about an Amazing Swimmer”; and Dave Eggers, author of “Zeitoun,” the true story of Abdulrahman Zeitoun, who stayed in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. Eggers’ book “Moving the Millers’ Minnie Moore Mine Mansion: A True Story” is nominated in the third through fifth list.

Voting for Louisiana Readers’ Choice is limited to one vote per student, and voting ends May 1 Students who read or listen to all nominated titles on their list can receive a Certificate of Program Completion from the State Library For summer reading, find the 2026-2027 nominated titles at https://tinyurl.com/29vafbw7.

Past winners

Last year, the following books won the 2024-2025 Louisiana Readers’ Choice Award:

n Kindergarten-second grade: “Acorn Was a Little Wild,” written by Jen Arena and illustrated by Jessica Gibson

n Third-fifth grade: “The Gardener of Alcatraz: A True Story,” written by Emma Bland Smith and illustrated by Jenn Ely

n Sixth-eighth grade: Swim Team,” by Johnnie Christmas

n Ninth-12th grade: “The Sunbearer Trials,” by Aiden Thomas

The Louisiana Readers’ Choice program is sponsored by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the Louisiana Center for the Book, the Louisiana Library and Book Festival Foundation, the Louisiana Chapters of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and the State Library of Louisiana.

Kelly Roussell opened her mobile romance bookstore,

festivals.

and Love Letters, which travels around south Louisiana for pop-

The road to romance

BY JOY HOLDEN Staff writer

Growing up in Edgard, Kelly Roussell had access to books through the local library, but a local bookstore was not to be found. Inspired to bring romance novels to small towns in south Louisiana, Roussell bought a trailer last year and opened her own mobile romance bookstore, Lattes and Love Letters.

Roussell, a mother to a 3-year-old girl and 7-year-old boy is a respiratory therapist by day Although her days are filled with priorities and responsibilities, reading and operating a mobile bookstore are her passions. She makes time to do something she loves.

Roussell understands the power of a good book. Most of her life, she has enjoyed reading casually, but she truly became a bibliophile in 2019 when she was pregnant with her son. Diagnosed with preeclampsia, Roussell was prescribed bed rest.

“It kind of saved my mental health,” Roussell said. “I’m a romance girl. I love all things romance and romantasy I was in the house and I wasn’t doing anything, or I was in the hospital and I couldn’t move, so I started reading.”

She kept at it, and now she says she reads about 100 books a year She likes to sell books that she has read herself, so she can discuss them with her customers.

When Roussell decided to open a bookstore, she chose mobile over a brick-andmortar spot so she could be flexible and bring the books to her customers. She keeps busy on the weekends, attending local markets and pop-ups.

“Literacy is important in the community,” Roussell said. “Reading romance is still reading. Bringing books to the community is important, and it’s also just fun for me. I love meeting new people, and

around the state

I love selling these books. It’s always a good time.”

Roussell keeps the mobile bookstore stocked with 250-300 books. She says her top five bestsellers are “Demon’s Dream: An Unexpected Love” by Elle Kayson, “For the Fans” by Nyla K., “Graves” by Katelyn Taylor, “Den of Vipers” by K.A. Knight and “You’ve Got a Place Here, Too: An Anthology of Black Love Stories Set at HBCUs” edited by Ebony LaDelle. Lattes and Love Letters also features local authors. Roussell likes to host them at her store so people can have their books signed.

The latte in Lattes and Love Letters comes from Roussell’s partnership with Try-Me Coffee Roasters out of New Orleans. The unique flavors, along with coffee mugs, are her most popular items. Her most popular coffee flavor is a caramel nut flavor, “Lattes and Love.”

One product that Roussell loves to put together is the Blind Date with a Book package. Customers can choose which genre of romance to be surprised with

One of Roussell’s bestsellers at Lattes and Love Letters is ‘you’ve Got a Place Here, Too: An Anthology of Black Love Stories Set at HBCUs.

and will receive a wrapped surprise book, cocktail recipe, reusable cup or mug and extra goodies like stickers, bookmarks and reading guides.

Two of her favorite events to attend are the Full Moon Market, a night market in Plaquemine, and the Look Who’s Reading Book Festival in Thibodaux.

“It’s about the experience,” Roussell said. “It’s about supporting someone in your community and making relationships with other readers. The conversations and connections are special.”

Lattes and Love Letters will be at Pints and Pages Book Club from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Grain Creations Brewery, 14141 Airline Highway, Baton Rouge. Roussell is also looking forward to BookTok Bash on the Bayou from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on April 18 in Plaquemine.

People can find Lattes and Love Letters by following Roussell on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok

Email Joy Holden at joy.holden@ theadvocate.com.

‘Theo of Golden’ book club discussion

Staff report

“Living with sadness accepting it, is easier than trying to pretend it isn’t there. It is another of life’s great mysteries that sadness and joy can coexist so compatibly with one another In fact, I wonder if, on this side of heaven, either one can be complete without the other.” — Allen Levi, author of “Theo of Golden” The Louisiana Inspired Book Club is inviting all readers to join in the reading and discussion of “Theo of Golden” by Allen Levi at 7 p.m. March 31.

Mark your calendars to join the Louisiana discussion of the book, which will include a conversation among panelists

from around the state. The link for the discussion is https://www.youtube.com/live/ e1xQ5nOONvo?si=qe7De0YiKUlCUU6d

The panelists for the “Theo of Golden” discussion include Lafayette artist Bob Borel; Shreveport/Bossier City features editor Elizabeth Deal; Baton Rouge-area musician Ben Bell; St. Francisville bookstore owner Missy Couhig and Youngsville counselor/speaker Roy Petitfils.

“Theo of Golden,” a small underdog of a book, was self-published in 2023 and has become a word-of-mouth hit. In 2025, it was acquired by traditional publishers Atria, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, for wider release and distribution.

The book is Levi’s first novel. His pub-

is Tuesday

lisher says he’s working on a second. “Theo of Golden” is about a mysterious, kind stranger named Theo who arrives in Golden, a small Southern city where he begins a campaign 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 a question for the discussion, email Jan Risher at jan.risher@theadvocate.com.

Sign up for notices for the Louisiana Inspired Book Club, which selects a book to read and discuss quarterly, here at www nola.com/book_club.

Jones

Louisiana mom opens mobile book store that travels

PROVIDED PHOTOS

Lattes

ups and

BY LINDSEY BAHR AP film writer

Jerry O’Connell, Corey Feldman and Wil Wheaton were already thinking about “Stand by Me” when Rob Reiner died in December

Just a week prior, the trio spent a weekend together attending some screenings of Reiner’s beloved comingof-age film, which was about to turn 40. The memories from that formative 1985 summer in Oregon were flooding back and they were having fun being together again As Feldman told The Associated Press in a group Zoom with Wheaton and O’Connell, he was “very grateful to be back with my bros.”

“We’ve stayed in touch loosely through the years and we’ve gotten together here and there,” Feldman said. “But there’s never been a time that the three of us just hung out it was like a high school reunion, but only for three people that really got it.”

It was just the start of a multi-city tour that had been long in the works. Then the Reiner news broke, and they knew they had each other “My first thought was, ‘I am so glad that I have a place to land with my grief,’” Wheaton said. “There’s not a lot of other people in the world who really know what this feels like.”

For better or worse, in some ways they’d been here before with their costar River Phoenix, who died in 1993. At a 25th anniversary screening, they remembered Reiner saying to no one in particular that it “feels like there should be a chair here for River.”

And in that spirit, O’Connell, Feldman and Wheaton started figuring out what they could do to honor and remember the filmmaker who not only changed their lives but who gave them an experience they’ve all been chasing ever since.

“We know how much Rob

through channels with his dog or cat as a companion.

But watching in a movie theater again was transportive.

loved ‘Stand by Me.’ We know what it meant to him,”

Wheaton said “It never occurred to me to just shelve it all. I thought, well, now we really have to get out there.”

Wheaton and O’Connell were also among those who stood on the Oscars stage for the Reiner tribute. Feldman was not there, because he was not invited, he said on social media.

But the trio will continue on together. The tour still has a handful of stops left, in Anaheim, California; Seattle; Portland, Oregon; Indianapolis and Chicago. And for broader audiences, a 4K restoration of the film that was released in theaters for one week

People like to say that Hollywood doesn’t make movies like “Stand by Me” anymore, but, in 1985, they weren’t exactly clamoring to make it either Yes, it was based on a Stephen King novella, but it was also a small hangout movie with no stars. Just four 12-year-old boys on a quest to find a dead body. Though Reiner had hits under his belt as a filmmaker everyone passed. And even he had modest expectations for its reach: As Reiner told his screenwriters, according to a New York Times article in 1986, “There’s no way this picture is going to do business, because no one who

went to ‘Rambo’ will go to see our film.”

Somewhat ironically, O’Connell told the AP, “Rambo: First Blood Part II” was the movie he saw the night before he boarded the plane to Oregon to film “Stand by Me” and that, “as an 11-yearold, I thought it was the greatest film I had seen in my life.”

“Stand by Me” was definitely not “Rambo.” And the only reason it did get made was Norman Lear who saved it after his company’s new owner, Coca-Cola, refused to put up the money. Lear funded it himself, to the tune of “$8 million and change,” as he told the Times in 1986. It would end up earning over $52 million in its initial run in the late summer of 1986.

The film tapped into something universal about youthful friendships, lazy summer days, bullies, dark home lives and adventure. Perhaps most importantly, the boys were relatable and true, their friendship forged through off-screen games that Reiner played with them.

“Rob took the time to really reach us and help us make authentic emotional connections to what our characters were experiencing,” Wheaton said. “We were kids. I don’t think I’ve even turned 13 yet. River hasn’t turned

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doesn’tpay for dental care.1

That’s right. As good as Medicare is, it was never meanttocover everything. That means if youwant protection, you need to purchase individual insurance.

Early detection canprevent small problems from becoming expensive ones. The best way to preventlargedental bills is preventive care. TheAmerican Dental Association recommends checkups twice ayear.

Previous dental work canwear out.

Even if you’ve had quality dentalwork in the past, you shouldn’t take your dentalhealth forgranted.Infact,your odds of having a dental problem only go up as you age.2

Treatment is expensive especially the servicespeople over 50 often need.

Consider these national average costs of treatment. $274for acheckup $299 for afilling $1,471 foracrown.3 Unexpected bills likethis can be areal burden, especially if you’re on afixedincome.

15 yet And Rob is talking to us the way you talk to seasoned professionals and bringing these incredible performances out of us.”

Though it was set in 1959, it’s also become a kind of nostalgic catchall for any generation who lived through a time before cellphones.

“I think it’s what’s so special about ‘Stand by Me’ is that it’s not like any epic adventure movie,” O’Connell said. “There are no, like, stunt sequences with cars rolling over and explosions. It’s a simple movie.”

O’Connell has seen the film many times over the years, but usually at home, flipping

“Getting to see it on the big screen, it’s a different experience,” O’Connell said. “I think it’s because it is such an epic film with little boys.” At the screenings, they’ve all noticed a wide range of ages in the audience, from young kids to grandparents. Wheaton said it seems to be resonating in particular with “the ‘Stranger Things’ generation,” referencing a show that was heavily inspired by “Stand by Me.” O’Connell said he plans to take his 17-year-old daughters and “as many of their friends who will come,” collect their phones, lock them in a bag and “make these Gen Z-ers sit down and watch a real movie.” Wheaton laughed: “How (expletive) old do we sound right now?”

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By GENE J PUSKAR

Cast members, from left, Corey Feldman, Wil Wheaton and Jerry O’Connell promote the 40th anniversary of ‘Stand by Me’ in Pittsburgh.

SONy PICTURES PHOTO

Jerry O’Connell, from left, River Phoenix, Wil Wheaton and Corey Feldman star in ‘Stand by Me.’

Last fall, the startup expanded its focus beyond renewable wind energy to include industries that can benefitfrom the expertise it developed building lightweight, strongand aerodynamic materials.

PROVIDED PHOTO

BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff

BY RICH COLLINS Staff writer

For thepast 16 years, James Martin has been among the most prominent cheerleadersfor Louisiana’sstill-unrealized offshore wind industry

Gulf Wind Technology,the companyhe formed five years ago with partnersDavid King and Mitchel Graff, created acutting-edge technology center at the former Avondale Shipyard for the manufacturing and testing of wind blade prototypes designed to operateinthe region’schallenging wind conditions.

ä See VENTURE, page 2E

to open three locations. Now,they’re looking to open one and it’satLakeside.” Experts attributeLakeside’ssuccess to several factors. One is its prime location at the intersection of Causeway andVeteransboulevards, whichisbusy, prosperous andconvenient to shoppers fromOrleans, Jefferson and St. Tammanyparishes and beyond.

Data shows the malldraws from a60-mile radius that extends from BatonRougetoBay St.Louis,

of leasing. “Retailers used to come to town

See MALLS, page 2E

The Lakeside Shopping Center in Metairieisdefying national odds. As malls atrophyamid changing consumer habits, Lakeside is adding more highend retailers and posting year-overyear sales increases.

STAFFPHOTO By ENAN CHEDIAK

Pete Broome cutsastripofacompositematerial at GWT in Avondale.

VENTURE

But last year, after the second Trump administration essentially froze all investment in domestic offshore wind projects, the company’s leaders faced an existential decision: pivot or perish.

They chose pivot.

Last fall, the startup shortened its name to GWT and expanded its focus beyond wind to include industries that can benefit from the expertise it developed building lightweight strong and aerodynamic materials.

These days, the venture’s founders are eyeing opportunities in aerospace, maritime, energy and defense and they’re celebrating the completion of their first post-pivot gig: the repair of a giant, multimillion-dollar radio telescope in New Mexico owned by a U.S. government agency

Last week, while hosting a visit to GWT’s 30,000-square-foot facility Martin expressed optimism about his company’s new direction overall.

“We’ve spent years figuring out how to make wind blades lighter, stronger and cheaper and we’re set up at a facility that will allow us to expand quickly into production and shipping at scale,” he said.

“Now we’re ready to apply those strengths to booming sectors of the economy.”

‘Similar to wind’

Last year, workers discovered a broken piece on a government radio telescope that’s part of a larger array of instruments loaded with tech that allows them to listen to radio waves coming from outer space. All those delicate components can wear out after years of exposure to the elements

The agency started making calls to find someone who could handle the repair The work required engineering know-how and the ability to make replacement parts out of carbon fiber “composite” material, a lightweight alternative to metal used in aviation, auto racing, wind energy and other industries

The hunt led to GWT, which had spent the previous five years creating and studying wind blade prototypes while also building a service division that repairs and improves blades and turbines globally Martin sent out a project manager and engineer to assess the problem Within a week’s time, the team had manufactured a replacement part and sent it back west for installation.

“We know how to fix a wind turbine, which is a large structure with a foundation, a tower, electronics and generation equipment,” Martin said. “A large satellite dish is similar: One captures energy

GWT repaired a prototype radio antenna that is part of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory’s proposed NextGeneration Very Large Array telescope initiative in New Mexic.

PROVIDED PHOTO

MALLS

from the wind, and the other has to withstand the wind.”

Now, GWT hopes to parlay the New Mexico success into steady work by standing up a U.S.-based manufacturing facility for telescope components and more. It’s investing $12 million this year on new equipment, personnel and product development to help it compete for work.

“We want to design, manufacture and service many products for many customers,” Martin said.

Service work

As GWT looks for more composite manufacturing work in other industries, it’s paying the bills through its service work on existing onshore wind infrastructure.

The company also gets hired to evaluate risk for lenders when infrastructure is bought or sold.

Even though new U.S offshore wind projects are on hold, the nation has more than 100,000 turbines in more than 40 states, and wind produces about 11% of the country’s electricity, enough to power more than 40 million homes, government data shows.

GWT gets hired to make repairs, replace parts and enhance the performance of existing turbines and blades. It has built a customer base of more than 20 clients who manage wind farms of various sizes

velopment adviser with Stirling.

Last year, it signed a six-month contract with a utility company in the Dominican Republic that led to five teams working around the clock making upgrades to a farm

The income from that service work is supporting changes at GWT’s manufacturing and testing facility, where engineers and technicians are making prototypes to show off to customers looking for a reliable supply chain.

During a recent visit to the technology center, there was visible evidence of the new strategy

A dozen employees buzzed around the cavernous space as a cross-section of a drone wing prototype sat on a worktable near a carbon fiber chassis that could be used to build an unmanned vehicle. In an enclosed area, a 3D printer bigger than a commercial refrigerator was filled with hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of liquid orange resin. Adjacent shelves held mock-ups of hydrofoils and other car parts for one of GWT’s side hustles: wind-tunnel testing for one of the world’s major racing teams.

Martin is especially excited about the potential of making aerospace components

“Elon Musk got approved to put a million satellites into orbit,” he said.

“And the war in Ukraine has highlighted the need for high-throughout, low-cost products, which is our bread and butter.”

From Isle of Wight to N.O. East

Martin was born and raised off the southern coast of England on the Isle of Wight, which itself has become a manufacturing hub for wind turbines. He joined the industry in the 1990s. Then, in 2010, a startup company he co-founded was wooed by Louisiana economic development officials to set up shop at the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans East. Working from that site for several different com-

past three years, compared with 5% nationwide.

panies, Martin spent the next 12 years helping design blades that are now in use worldwide.

In 2021, when the Biden administration was prioritizing renewable energy, Martin and his partners launched GWT with the hope of creating designs that would be viable in the Gulf of Mexico, where moderate wind speeds occasionally give way to hurricanes and other storms. The partners set up shop on the site of a former thriving shipyard, now reborn as a logistics hub called the Avondale Global Gateway where they have invested millions in equipment that can bind together carbon fibers and various resins to make composite components. The space is designed to bring products from concept to reality quickly The factory’s location on the banks of the Mississippi River — and its access to more unused industrial space on-site were both big draws as Martin and his partners envisioned mass producing blades and shipping them via barges.

In 2023, the oil giant Shell contributed $10 million to a partnership

with GWT to develop and test new blade designs in the hopes of gaining a competitive advantage in the Gulf. The same year, the company purchased a used turbine to install at Port Fourchon. It would have been the first one operating in Louisiana, but the project was scrapped after the Trump administration halted offshore wind projects under construction and canceled new leases, permits and funding. Supply chain disruptions from the pandemic and the war in Ukraine created additional problems for the nascent industry

“There’s no longer a market for us to mass produce that product,” said Martin, who believes the country’s turn away from wind energy may be temporary In many states where it is a key contributor to the power grid, utilities and local leaders are helping make the case for it from a purely economic standpoint.

Said Martin, “In Texas, they get rid of all the political narratives and it’s just about trading electrons.” Email Rich Collins at rich. collins@theadvocate.com.

Continued from page 1E

Mississippi, and from the northern tip of Tangipahoa Parish to the bayou region.

Another is the retail savvy of its longtime owners — New Yorkbased Feil Co. The family-owned firm — still chaired by Jeffrey Feil, who bought Lakeside out of a foreclosure sale with his father in 1968 — has continued to reinvest in the property over the years, most recently with a $20 million renovation in 2019.

Those upgrades, which added natural light, raised ceiling heights inside individual stores and allowed tenants to custom-build their storefronts, have made it easier to respond to changing consumer preferences and attract trendy and higher-end tenants, which, in turn, attracts more shoppers.

External factors are also at play

Studies show that Gen Z shoppers are rediscovering malls as part of a broader shift away from so much screen time. In a recent study by Ipsos Consumer Tracker, nearly 60% of shoppers ages 18-34 said they shop at malls often — twice the rate of adults over 55, The New York Times recently reported

“The pendulum is starting to swing back a little,” said Ryan Pecot, senior retail leasing and de-

“There’s still hope for in-person retail.”

‘Christmas . every day’

The hope does not extend to all malls, or even most of them. Half the nation’s malls have shut down since the 1980s, and another 40 or so, on average, close each year, according to CapitalOne Shopper, which tracks retail data. By the end of the decade, as many as 87% of the roughly 1,200 malls still in business could be shuttered, the study estimates.

At the same time, a fraction of high-end malls is thriving. The top 100 malls in the country account for half the entire sector’s value, The New York Times reported, while the bottom 350 make up 10%.

Lakeside is among the fraction of successes. It ranks among the top 15% of the country’s 600 superregional malls based on the number of visits per square foot, according to national tracking data provided by Lakeside. The statistic is a key performance metric that measures how efficiently a property drives traffic relative to its size.

Superregional malls are those of at least 1 million square feet with anchors, a mix of high-end tenants and shoppers who come from at least a 25-mile radius.

Lakeside also outperforms other top malls in both occupancy and revenue growth Its vacancy rate is around 1%, compared with 5% for the top 100 class A malls around the country and its sales have increased nearly 7% a year over the

“It’s Christmas at Lakeside every day,” said Kirsten Early, a longtime local retail expert and principal at SRSA. “They are best in class, hands down.”

Success begets success

Early and other observers say that besides the inherent advantages of its location and the retail know-how of its ownership, the Feils, the mall’s management has done a good job attracting trendy new tenants from outside the market, like Alo Yoga, a Beverly Hills brand that opened its first Louisiana location in Lakeside last year, and Aritzia, a fashionable Canadian label opening this spring.

The mall also has been effective in attracting retail tenants away from other shopping centers in the local market. Arhaus, a high-end furniture store, left the South Market District for Lakeside in 2023. Anthropologie vacated its two-story location in Canal Place, where it was an anchor tenant, for Lakeside in 2025. Athleisurewear powerhouse Lululemon, which originally opened three locations in the New Orleans market Magazine Street, Canal Place and Lakeside — has since closed the Uptown store and doubled the size of its Lakeside store.

Experts say negotiating with retail tenants and placing them in a mall in a location that works for them and benefits the overall mix of the center is both an art and a science that Phillpott, Lakeside’s

leasing director, has mastered. She compares it with a puzzle with a lot of constantly moving pieces.

Lakeside also closely tracks store performance and sales. Management won’t disclose average lease rates, though the numbers likely vary widely from tenant to tenant, depending on the deal. But it will move an underperforming tenant to a less visible location or terminate a lease if that is an option.

“Sales are a key metric in this business, and customers vote with their wallets,” Phillpott said. “If a store is not performing sometimes, it’s not the right time or the right fit.”

Experts say whatever formula Lakeside has landed on, it works and in the world of malls, success begets success.

“Once a mall is busy, it stays busy,” Pecot said. “That energy feeds on itself. People want to be a part of it.”

Broader trends still down

On the flip side, once a mall starts dying, it doesn’t take much to push it over the edge. When Cortana Mall in Baton Rouge began losing its anchor tenants a decade ago, they fell like dominoes, causing smaller retailers to shut down. The mall has since been torn down and is now the site of an Amazon distribution center

The Mall of Acadiana in Lafayette is dealing with an exodus of its anchors. Macy’s recently announced it will close, joining Sears. Only JCPenney and Dil-

lard’s remain. In 2020, JCPenney announced plans to close the Acadiana Mall location but reversed its stance a month later

“Geographically, it is still welllocated,” said Pecot, who is based in Lafayette. “But the anchors have closed, so the smaller stores have started to close. I think you will see further deterioration.”

The Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge, which also fits the definition of a superregional mall given its size and tenant mix, is holding its own, market watchers say. Though it does not have as many high-end retailers as Lakeside, it has backfilled vacancies in recent years with “experiential”-style tenants like the Blue Zoo Aquarium and Main Event family entertainment space that have kept people coming to the mall and filling up space.

“That’s important,” Pecot said. “People don’t feel safe and don’t enjoy being in an empty mall. They like being around other people.”

Jonathan Walker, a commercial broker with Maestri Murrell in Baton Rouge, said while there are a handful of bright spots in the mall landscape, he believes the broader trends away from malls will continue.

“Louisiana is a little unique in that people still like traditional shopping methods,” he said. “But that national outlook for malls is not that positive.”

Email Stephanie Riegel at stephanie.riegel@theadvocate. com.

Feil

GWT cofounder James Martin rolls composite material between his fingers at the Avondale facility

STAFF PHOTOS By ENAN CHEDIAK

Staff work around a table at the 3,000-square-foot GWT facility in Avondale. The company got its start manufacturing and testing of wind blade prototypes designed to operate in the region’s challenging wind conditions but has changed its focus to aerospace, maritime, energy and defense opportunities.

TALKING BUSINESS

ASK

Banker closinghole in services forsmall, midsized companies

BY IANNE SALVOSA Staff writer

Currency Bank President and CEO Scott Gaudin lovingly calls Baton Rouge the “biggest small town in America.”

The bank serves mainly small to midsized businesses, andGaudin plans to make his companythe goto bank for local companies in the capital region. Currency is headquartered in Towne Center and has been positioning itself for growth in the state, acquiring ab1Bank branch in Kaplan andselling its Arkansasbranch in the past year

Gaudin started Currency during the pandemic after spotting a gap in the market for companies servingsmalltomidsized businesses—which describesmostin Baton Rouge —mainly duetothe consolidation of other banks.Since then, it’sbecome one of the fastestgrowing banks in thestate,with about $250million in assetsand $207.4 million in deposits.

Its revenue grew more than 560% over the past three years, landing itself aspot on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing companies last year With three branches across Baton Rouge, Kaplan and Oak Grove, Currency has built abase of 144 shareholders, primarily BatonRougebased business owners.

In this week’sTalking Business, Gaudin discusses CurrencyBank’s competitive advantage, his plans for growth and why he’s set on growing in the capital region. This interviewhas been edited for length and clarity

What are your plans for the bank’sfuture?

Right now,our focusisonthe capital region. People askme, “Why is 90% of ourgrowthinBaton Rouge?” Isaid, “Let me run through some numbers with you.” Baton Rouge has35banks. We started with 32; three more have joinedus.

We did amarket share study a yearago,two years ago, andwewere ranked16th out of 35, notbad for year five. We have 2% of the market share. There’s so much businessherethat we could still go getthat we don’teven know about most of it.

Our batting average when we have achance to do business withsomebody is very high. We typically winmostdeals that we touch. We find away to make it happenbecause, again, we’re the bankfor business owners,owned by business owners. We understand those requests

NowI want to make sure Idon’t confuse anybodyeither.IfI’m not abusiness owner,can Istill bank there? Well, of course, we just tend to add the mostvalue with asmall to medium-sized business andthat owner.It’snot aprerequisite. It’s nota requirement. Thattends to be where we shine

As far as focusing on growth in Louisiana,our focus, at leastfor the immediate future, is going tobeon the capital region.

How do you plan to keep that samefocus on small to midsize businesses?

Ibelieve alittle romantically, perhaps alittle naively,that people bank withpeople.

Igoback to relationshipsand sometimes certainbanknames

maybeonthe sign, but in the day, peoplebankwithScott andMatt, and so we tend to gravitate toward folks who are proven and have a following.

We arevery, very deliberate and intentional about who we bring aboard, because, for being thefastest growing bank in the state last few years, we only have 35 people. We getthe people part right first. Ihappen to believe that sometimes skill sets are interchangeable. They get thepeople part andthe culture part right first

If you’re agood fit for that, that’s agood start, and we can kind of go from there.We’re currently located here in Baton Rouge right now. We payattention to the outlying areas such as Ascension,which continues to boom and is one of the fastest growing parishesinthe stateover the last 10 or so years. We’ve gota desiretoexpand out to that area withthe right leader

What else do you think distinguishes the bank, and how do you guys plan to compete?

I’mnot trying to share too much personal information, but Itook allmypenniesIhad savedinmy couch, and Iput them in thebank stock.

I’manowner in the bank, andso

Q&A WITH SCOTT GAUDIN Working

Louisiana puts its money whereits manufacturing is

“SiteReadiness” is thesecretsauceofeconomicdevelopment.

Recognizing this,Louisiana has takenanimportant step towardslong-term economicdevelopmentby announcing the first 19 locationsthatwill benefit from “FastSites”investment.Backedbythe $150 million SiteInvestmentand Infrastructure ImprovementFund(createdbyAct 365ofthe 2025 Legislative Session) and led by Louisiana Economic Development, FastSites directs millions of dollars toward preparinghigh-quality manufacturing andother sitestocompetenationally formajor projects andemployers

Fiveofthe selected sites arelocated in GreaterNew Orleans. Theseinclude:

AvondaleGlobalGateway (Maritime,Jefferson Parish)

Esperanza (Manufacturing, St.CharlesParish)

Franklinton IndustrialPark (Manufacturing,Washington Parish)

Gulf South Commerce Park (Logistics, St. TammanyParish)

NavalSupport Activity Site (Maritime,Energy/Orleans Parish)

TheFastSites initiativeisdesignedfor long-term impact. Rather than a one-time investment, theprogram operates as revolving capital, withfunds expected to be repaid as sites aresoldorleasedand then reinvested into preparingadditionallocationsfor development. This model helps ensure that Louisiana continuestobuild apipelineofready-to-go sites capable of competing fortransformative projects

when you talk to me,you’re talking to someonewho,ifthe bank fails or succeeds, personally impacts a greatdeal.Alot of folksyou may deal with at the banks don’tnecessarilyhave skin in the game; they’re more order takers.

Anothervery deliberate,intentional thing we did —think about some of the best experiences you’ve had either at arestaurant or ahotel, some of your most favorite meals from memories, and had a certain concierge approach to the service. We wantedtoemulate that concierge approach to the bank.

I’dliketotalkabout thesaleofyour Arkansas branch. How does that fitwith your longtermplans?

It’s my beliefthata$250 million bank has challenges having the right infrastructure in placeto supporta bank in twostates, and it takes up bandwidth, and not to mention, Louisiana laws are different than other states. That’sanother challengefor us beinga community bank is knowing twosets of laws andtwo sets of state regulations. We were approached unsolicited about it. We didn’ttry to sell it. I said no threeorfour times at first, but Iwill tell you, the thing that made me reasonably assured was

that he promised me all the employees of that branch would keep their jobs. In atown where it’sat, it’satown of 800 people andjusttwo banks The bank job is areally good job. It was very important to me that they kept their job. When Iwas reasonably sure that wasgoing to occur,and Isaw the big picture of our growth related to focusing on Louisiana, it clicked.

We keep coming back to that point of you being based here in Baton Rouge, and what that means for you in the bank.

Baton Rouge, believe it or not, as far as the mid-major cities go in the South, is oneofthe most coveted banking markets. Whenyou combine LSU and Southern; the petrochemical sector,whichemploys probably about 20% of our population;and stategovernment, which employs achunk as well, both internally and externally,whether it’s stateworkers or lobbyists or whatever,those three things make Baton Rouge amazingly consistent. Ican speak fromthe point of view of abusiness owner,afixed, predictableoutcome, even if it’s not the very best possible,ishelpful. I think Baton Rouge is agreat place to be.

Scott Gaudin started Currency Bank during the pandemic after spotting a gapinthe market for companies serving smallto midsized businesses.

STAFF PHOTO By JOHN BALLANCE

AROUND THE REGION

Expert predicts Haynesvilleclosure,risingoil andgas prices

BY LIZ SWAINE Staff writer

The future of the Haynesville Shale is easy to read, William D. DeMis told afull house of geologists and oil and gas professionals.

“It looks like we’re coming to the end of the field,” said DeMis, aformer senior vice presidentand chiefgeologist at Goldman Sachs, former explorationmanagerat Marathon Oil and current Texas-based oil and gas consultancy owner. “I’m goingto be showing you how Ithink the Haynesville is fixing to decline.”

The Haynesville Shale includes roughly 17 parishes and counties in northwest Louisiana and east Texas. It has been called one of the largest shale plays in the U.S. As recentlyas2021, the U.S. Energy Information Administration estimated the shale play contained roughly 56.2 trillion cubic feetof“technically recoverable” natural gas.

DeMis pulled public EIA information from the north Texas Barnett and the northern Arkansas Fayetteville shale plays to chart the future of Haynesville.

“These great big shale plays, they get to aplateau, and they haveaboutthree years of plateau, three or four years of plateau, and then they just start to decline. And then once they start the decline, they decline quite quickly,” DeMis said. “In five years, the Barnett’sdown 44%, and in threeyears, the Fayetteville is down 40%.”

The general public firstbe-

gan hearing in detail about the Haynesville Shale around 2008 when the current natural gas boom began, but the formationitself is millionsof years old, born in the Earth’s Jurassic period.

Geologists hadknown for years about thewealthof gas contained in tiny pores in rock at 10,000 to 14,000 feet, but new technology that allowed horizontal drillingand hydraulic fracturing created away to both get to the gas and remove it.

The Haynesville, based on thedata DeMis has accumulated, peaked in July 2023 andhas been in aplateaufor three years. By 2030, DeMis said gasvolume will drop between 5billion and 9billion cubic feetper day. According to theEIA, the Haynesville Shale produced roughly14.9 billion cubicfeet per day in 2025 He said someofthe dropin

production has been caused by producersthrottling back volume because of low prices. Low prices maybe good forconsumersbut can put energy producers out of business.

Natural gas prices at the Henry Hub hit $1.61 per 1,000 cubic feet, which DeMis said “was the cheapest molecule of energy since the timeofthe pharaohs.”

“And I’m not saying this to be poetical or to be flowery. Imean literally,that unit of energy was so low, so cheap, it was cheaper thanbuying oats and feeding them to your oxen,” he said.

Many Haynesville operators use $2.50 perMcf, or thousand cubic feet,asa break-even, and $5, they say, will “turn on the tap.”

Historically,when prices have risen,companies have rushed to increase drilling. DeMis believes someofthat

bullishnessisgone even though there continues to be interest in both proven and unprovenHaynesville locations.

“I think all those companies aregoing to be carefully scrutinizing how much cash flow do we need, how much inventorydowehave left to come up withthe right amount of drillingfor their company,” he said.

“I don’tthink we’re going to see‘drill, baby drill,’ and that’snot abad thing, because if ‘drill, baby drill,’ means you drill yourself into unprofitabilityand you go Chapter 11 or Chapter 9, that’snot suchagreat idea.”

Withoutactivity,mineral

leases will revert to the landowner,sosomedrilling is done simply to secure the lease, saidDeMis.That is called“heldbyproduction.”

There are also “drilled, uncompleted” wells that have not yet been fracked, which would bring theminto production.

DeMis predicts data centers, LNGexports and unknowns regarding the consequences of the war in Iran will affect natural gas prices, and the new finds in Texas’ Western Haynesville won’t come online fast enough to depress prices.Utilizing the large amounts of gas from west Texas’ PermianBasin will likewise be hampered by lack of pipeline capacity to get it to market. He said prices will start to “firm up”in18months, and in the “intermediate term, we are going to see strong pricerises.” That will be due, he said, to timing andinability to get product to the user “Prices may climb up to $7, $8 and that will ultimately spur more discoveries, more drilling, and moreproduct being brought intothe market. But Ithink we’re going to have amismatch between more demand than we have supply in the later part of this decade,” he said.

EmailLiz Swaine at liz. swaine@theadvocate.com.

Louisiana’sstatewide energy strategy andnew nuclearframework align infrastructure, workforce, and capitalinvestment to accelerate projectdelivery andexpand industrial growth

Thegoalis simple: Grow high-wage jobs,strengthen communities, andleadinboth traditionaland next-generation energy. Louisianahasthe infrastructureand expertise.Now we’vealignedthe systembehindit.

inTotalEnergy Production LOWEST INDUSTRIAL ELECTRICITY RATES intheSouth 50 energy projects announced since2018

Staff report

Businesses and nonprofitorganizations across south Louisiana recently announcedthe followinghonors and recognitions. BatonRouge

The Louisiana Wildlife Federation announced 11 winners of its 60th annual Conservation Achievement Awards who will be honored at an April 11 banquet. Louisiana Native Plant Society,of Boyce, is Conservationist of the Year; Undersecretary for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries BryanMcClinton,ofBaton Rouge, is Professional Conservationistofthe Year; Keep Tiger Town Beautiful founder Jennifer Richardson,of Baton Rouge, is Volunteer Conservationist of the Year; Life City, of New Orleans, is Conservation Business of theYear; Erik Johnson, of Lafayette, is Conservation Educatorofthe Year; state Rep. Kim LandryCoates,ofPonchatoula, is Conservation Elected Official of the Year; JoeMacaluso,ofBaton Rouge, is ConservationCommunicator of the Year; Audubon Aquarium Rescue,ofNew Orleans, is Conservation Organizationof the Year; Eleanore Lowe,of New Orleans, is ConservationYouthof theYear; St. Joseph’sAcademyCoastal Roots Program,ofBaton Rouge, is Conservation Youth Organization of the Year; William “Joe” McPherson, of Woodworth, was honored with aLifetime Achievement award for his decades of legislative leadership, public service and advocacy on behalf of conservation and outdoor recreation Associated Builders and Contractors awarded sevenLouisiana firms with 2025 National Health and SafetyMerit Awards at the organization’s36thannual ExcellenceinConstruction Awards. Brown &Root Industrial Services,of Baton Rouge, was apinnaclewinner in the Heavy and Civil Engineering Contractorscategory MAPP,ofBaton Rouge, and RNGD, of Metairie, were both merit winners in the General Contractors category Performance Contractors,ofBaton Rouge,was amerit winner in the Heavy and Civil Engineering

BUSINESS

Contractors category All Star Electric,ofLaPlace, was amerit winner in the Specialty Contractors category

MMR Constructors,ofBaton Rouge, was amerit winner in the Specialty Contractors category And Woodward Design+Build,of New Orleans, wasamerit winnerinthe General Contractors category More than adozen Louisiana companies andprojectswere also winnersofABC Excellence in Construction awards.

PerformanceContractors wonin theindustrial up to $10 million category forthe VopakPropyleneGlycol Export Upgrade in Plaquemine, in theindustrial $100 million to $250million category forthe ChevronGeismar Expansion and Improvements Project in Geismar,inthe industrial $10 million to $25 million category for theDow Steam HeaderCompliance Project in Hahnville and in themegaproject over $250 million category for the Venture Global Plaquemines LNG Fabrication, Assembly and Site Installation Project in Port Sulphur

MMR Constructors won in the categoryofelectrical: industrial up to $5 million for the Dow Eagleray Project —Boiler Electricaland Instrumentation in Plaquemine; andinthe category of electrical: industrial $5 million to $20 million for theValero East Plant TurnaroundinSt. Charles Triad Electric &Controls woninthe category of electrical: industrial up to $5 million forthe Dow SC2 Flare Gas Recovery Project in Taft.

DurrHeavy Construction won in the category of sitework/landscape/ hardscape for the Darrow Blue EnergyAmmonia StorageArea Grading in Sorrento

Brown&RootIndustrial Services won in the category of specialty construction: industrial more than $10 million for theIndorama Westlake 2025 Turnaround.

DonahueFavret Contractors won in the commercial up to $10 million category for theWVUE Fox 8

StudioBuildoutinNew Orleans and in the health care$25 million to $100 millioncategoryfor the Slidell Memorial Hospital 3-Story Addition andRenovation.

Broadmoor woninthe historical restoration/renovations $15 mil-

lionto$100 million category for theTulaneSchoolofArchitecture.

Gibbs Construction woninthe institutional up to $15 million category forthe Harry TompsonCenter in New Orleans.

Group Contractors won in the industrial up to $10million categoryfor the Shell Norco GO1

SubstationReplacementand in the specialty construction for industrial$3millionto$10 million for theS&B/Energy Transfer PropaneBOG Project in Nederland, Texas.

Lemoine won in the public works/ environmentalcategoryfor the Laurel Ridge Levee Extension in St.Amant.

AnderCorp won in the renovation

$100 million to $250 million category for Live!Casino &Hotel LouisianainBossier City.

Sealevel Construction won in the infrastructure:heavyupto$100 million for theTCEnergy ELXP project in Golden Meadow

Cajun Industries won in the categoryofspecialty construction: industrial morethan $10 million for the Marine Jetty Access Bridge in Port Sulphur and in the special projectsupto$20 million categoryfor the CSX 2Mile Gulf Coast Hardening project in New Orleans.

Turner Industries Group woninthe industrial $25 million to $50 million categoryfor BlueCATin Port Allen andinthe industrial $10 million to $25 million category for ExxonMobil’sMagnolia Project in Huntsville, Texas.

NewOrleans

The Advertising Club of New Orleans honored the following local ad professionals at its gala, marking the firstphase of the American Advertising Awards.

Glenda McKinley,founderofGMc +Co. Strategic Communications, received the Silver Medal Award. Also awarded were: Elizabeth Schoen of Brand Society, Agency Account Service Person of theYear; Sophie Nolan, of Digital Remedy, Agency Executive of the Year; AmberVogts, of FatHappy, Creative Director of the Year; Kelsey Raybon, of Immaginal, Creative Services Person of the Year; Stephanie Funti, of Zehnder Communications, Operations/ Administrative Person of the Year; OyaBukulmezer, of Immaginal,

Beyond Blueprints.

Fewindustriesdependonsuchavastarray of raw materialsand high-techproducts, or have such complex business relationshipsamongsuppliers,designers, vendors, or contractorsasthe construction industry

JonesWalker’sConstruction Team helpsclients from across theindustrymanage allofthese moving parts

We understand thecomplexdynamicsbetween —and theuniquepriorities of —industryparticipants andcraft solutions that minimize disputes,manage risks,and help keep projects moving from conception to completion

Ourclients’projectsare equallydiverse andinclude major infrastructure,manufacturing facilities andplants, hospitals, marinefacilities, andairports, as well as the products andservicesnecessary to complete such facilities

WilliamH.Hines

MostPromising Person of the Year; GabbyChulick, of Brand Society,Social Media Person of the Year; Meghan Hall, of Loyola UniversityNew Orleans, Student of theYear; AveryAnderson, of Zehnder Communications, Writer of the Year; and Kaelyn Johnson, of Immaginal, Project Management/Production Coordinator of theYear

Petermayer wonBest of Show Overall and Best Copywriting for its campaign for Quantum Fiber

Monday+ Partners won Best Cinematography for its project for LA.IO.

FatHappy won Best Sound Design for itsads for PetLibro andMosaic Award for its workfor Covenant House. Deep FriedAdvertising wonBestStorytelling for itsJEDCO jingle.

Smart Meetings magazine named Elaine Williams,the chief commercial officer of the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, as an Innovator for Smart Women in Meetings. Williams, who hasworkedfor the Convention Center since 2007, also serves on the board of the International Association of Exhibitions and Eventsand the Southeast Louisiana Board for Volunteersof America.

TheIdeaVillage awardedthe inaugural Scott Gale Memorial Awardto Kimberly Gramm,the David and Marion Mussafer ChiefInnovation and Entrepreneurship Officer at Tulane University Innovation Institute. The awardrecognizes Gramm’s work building the Gulf South’sinnovation ecosystem andstrengthening the infrastructure that supports foundersand drives the growth of the region.

Do you have personnel changes to share or other ideas for our business coverage? Drop us alineatbiztips@ theadvocate.com.

Motley Fool

The Campbell’sCo. (Nasdaq: CPB) is knownfor its flagship soup label, but it also owns several meal and snack brands, including Prego, Rao’s Homemade, Pace and V8, as wellasGoldfish, Lance, Snyder’sof Hanover,Pepperidge Farm, Cape Cod and Kettle. It has been diversifying by relying less on salty mealsand snacks and by offering products specifically catering to health-conscious consumers. SharesofCampbell’s(Nasdaq: CPB) aredownmore than 40% over the past year,though, presenting atasty opportunity forlong-term believers. The depressedstock price hasalso pushedupthe dividend yield, to arecent7.4%.

What’sgoing on? Well, Campbell’s overpaid forits 2018 Snyder’s-Lance acquisition. Costs are going up due to inflation, while management is tempering growth expectations. Campbell’searnings have been ticking down —though the company has kept its industry-leading market share across manyofits key brands.

Although Campbell’srecent results have been poor,the company’sstruggles reflect industrywide challenges, not execution errors. Meanwhile, its strong dividend is intact and seems sustainable.

Best of all, Campbell’sstock is attractively valued, with arecent forward-looking price-to-earnings ratio of 11.2, wellbelow its five-year average of 14.2. (The Motley Fool recommends Campbell’s.)

Ask the Fool:

What is ‘fintech’

What does “fintech” refer to? —D.R.,Tacoma, Washington

The “fintech” term is amashup of the words “finance” and “technology.” Thus, afintech business is one that permits consumers or businesses to manage finances digitally,via technologies such as mobile apps, desktop software and/or cloud-computing platforms. These companies are disrupting traditional financial businesses with newer,faster and arguably better financial services.

Fintech enterprises are involved in awide range of activities, including digital banking, contactless payments, payment processing, lending, wealth management, robo-advising, blockchain technology,cryptocurrencies and brokerage services.

Largecommercialconstruction projects often face disputes over delays,defective work cost overruns, andsubcontractor failures.For Louisianaproject owners,resolving these conflictsisa legal obligation andbusiness strategy.Early planning, contracts, andclaims canturnsetbacksintorecoveryopportunities, protecting investmentsand strengthening delivery

Effective preparationevaluates projectriskand contract structure,since deliverymethods and pricingshaperesponsibility.Indemnification provisions,schedules,and liquidated damages provideleverage,while alignedlitigationstrategy andearly insurerinvolvementsupport business objectives.Documenting issues, preserving evidence,meeting bond requirements,and presenting supportedclaimsenhance credibility,resolve disputes,and safeguardproject success.

Jones Walker is proudtohelpleadthe wayfor Louisiana’s construction industry as it navigatesacomplex legal environment.

MADE IN LOUISIANA

Outland’s expertise goes deep

Slidell-based company specializes in supporting underwater operations

BY JONAH MEADOWS Staff writer

During its four decades in operation, Outland Technologies, which designs and builds robots from a nondescript warehouse in a Slidell office park, has never established itself as a household name. But when it comes to deep-water operations, the company is known all over the world as an experienced player in a highly specialized field. It counts among its clients several militaries, including the U.S. Navy large industrial companies, marine researchers, search and recovery teams, and at least one billionaire treasure hunter

And its 20,000 cameras and nearly 300 remotely operated vehicles have been used on all five continents for a variety of diverse missions, providing real-time video from up to 2,000 feet under the sea.

Outland does it all with just 18 employees from its 1,250-square-foot warehouse and offices resembling a high-tech shoe repair shop, with specialized workstations and a shipping container that’s been converted to a testing tank. The company’s products have to be light but durable. At the same time, the pressures of deep-sea operations require precise production and painstaking quality control — a single misplaced eyelash could make for an uneven surface and a shattered lens.

“These products are going to the middle of nowhere. Failure is not an option,” said Sean Mayfield, sales director of the family-owned firm. “When you’re 500 miles offshore, there’s no FedEx; you got to be able to make it work.”

From black-and-white to full HD Outland Technology was founded in 1984 in a Gretna garage by Buddy Mayfield, Sean Mayfield’s uncle, who had worked building electrical equipment at the pioneering com-

mercial diving company Taylor Diving and Salvage. After Taylor shuttered, Buddy Mayfield set up shop building undersea equipment for former Taylor customers.

In 1995, the company expanded to its Slidell facility where machinists, electricians, engineers and designers craft custom components of cameras, custom cables and handassembled underwater vehicles

About four years ago, the company acquired equipment to start producing nearly all of its own parts in-house rather than subcontracting them to machine shops

Though it still sources sheet metal, raw cable, thruster motors and camera sensors from other companies Outland now operates a hightech mill, lathe and 3D printer to make its own parts, which are then tested at the Slidell facility inside high-pressure chambers at up to 1,500 psi.

One of Outland’s first ROV sales was to the Army Special Forces Today, defense contracts comprise about 10% of the company’s $5 million in annual sales, with clients including the Italian, British and U.S. navies, among others

While many of the details of its equipment’s military capabilities remain secret, unclassified missions include mapping beaches around the world to prepare for potential amphibious invasions

Though the technology has improved, the core design of the underwater vehicles, which today go for prices ranging from $50,000 to $120,000, has remained broadly the same.

“In the old days, it was black and white, old funky video cameras, and that’s just what they used,” said Sean Mayfield “Now, you get high definition, more sensors, bandwidth for different types of sensors, sonars a lot more data, just data, data, data.”

The build time varies depending

on the specific order, but it typically takes a few weeks for Outland to complete a custom-built ROV, which can range from the size of a briefcase to a small refrigerator

Range of uses

It turns out, there are a lot of uses for an underwater robot.

Aquatic farmers in Hawaii use an Outland ROV to check nets for the holes regularly ripped open by sharks — a job that previously required a diver in the water

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers uses them to inspect obstructions in the lock systems

Search and rescue expert Keith Cormican, who has recovered more than 60 drowning victims, used an Outland ROV to recover a body from the bottom of a glacial lake near Mount Everest and another from about 1,600 feet below the surface of Lake Tahoe in North America’s deepest body recovery.

Researchers also have used the unmanned underwater vehicles to create a 3D model of an aqueduct in Prague, to track archaeological evidence of prehistoric migration routes left at the bottom of Lake Michigan and to monitor artificial reefs to count fish populations

Industrial uses range from measuring the voltage of sacrificial anodes on oil rigs and ships to check for corruption, to inspect underwater pipelines and the bottom of ships to ensure they are safe without the need to move it into a dry dock — a process called underwater inspection in lieu of dry docking.

Other maritime uses include cleaning hulls or propellers and keeping an eye on oil rigs blown over during Hurricane Katrina as massive rotating blades were used to slice through the metal.

“Rather than send a guy in the water to watch it to say ‘Alright, he’s almost through, he’s almost through’ — pretty dangerous,” Mayfield said, “they use an ROV and just sit there and monitor it.”

Growing market

Globally, the unmanned under-

water vehicle market is undergoing significant growth, with market research firms projecting it to grow at more than 8% a year and rise from under $6 billion last year to nearly $9 billion by 2030.

As a small shop with the capability to custom-build solutions to the needs of a wide range of customers, Outland isn’t necessarily in a position to rapidly scale up to meet that demand. And while its underwater equipment has earned a reputation for quality and durability, it cannot compete on speed or quantity with much larger companies like GoPro or Boeing.

But in the future, company officials are hoping more ROVs will be needed for insurance inspections, which saves ship owners boatloads of money over paying for drydocking.

“The hope is that we can make an ROV easy enough, cheap enough, easy-to-use enough that the people on the ship could just have one on their ship,” Mayfield said. Currently, operators call in contractors who operate their own un-

By

derwater vehicles to conduct the inspections.

Separate from the cameras and ROVs it makes in-house, about 20% of Outland’s business comes from other manufacturers who outsource production of their consumer-focused vehicles or other products, like the autonomous boat-cleaning robot that functions like an underwater Roomba. More advancements in artificial intelligence and autonomous navigation are continuing to push the industry forward, with technology moving faster than the process to patent it. New experimental forms of underwater communication could also change the market. Mayfield said that’s part of what keeps the business exciting, forcing Outland to stay sharp and leverage innovations in the company’s favor

“By the time I patent it, we’re already onto the new stuff,” he said. “There’s no point.”

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

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Spring TRAVEL GUIDE

WildBeauty

of theSouth: NaturalDestinationstoVisit This Spring

Springisone of themostbeautiful seasonstoexplore thenaturallandscapesofthe southern UnitedStates. Mild temperatures, bloomingwildflowersand lush greenery transform theregion’slocales into idealdestinationsfor outdooradventure. Thesenaturalwonders showcase thediverse beauty of theSouth andmakeperfect stopsfor aspringtravelitinerary

Cumberland Falls

Often called the“Niagaraofthe South,” Cumberland Fallsisone of Kentucky’s most impressive naturallandmarks.Located within Cumberland FallsState Resort Park, the68-footwaterfall stretches acrossthe Cumberland Riverand createsa dramatic curtainofrushingwater.It’salsoone of the fewplaces in theworld wherevisitorscan sometimessee arare“moonbow,”a rainbow formed by moonlight reflecting throughthe mist of thefalls.

HotSprings

National Park

Locatedinthe Ouachita Mountainsof Arkansas,Hot SpringsNationalParkis famous forits naturallyheatedthermal springsthatemerge from themountainside. Visitors canhikescenic forest trails,explore mountain overlooksand experience the historic bathhouses that once attracted travelersseeking thehealingproperties of themineral-richwater

AtchafalayaBasin

Thelargest swamp in theUnitedStatesoffers an unforgettable window into Louisiana’s wild landscapes. This vast networkofbayous, cypressforests andwetlandsishometo countlessspecies of birds, fish andwildlife. Guidedboattours allowvisitorstoglide beneathmoss-drapedtrees whilelearning aboutthe basin’s ecologyand cultural heritage.Springisespeciallyvibrant,asrising waterlevelsand blooming vegetation bring theswamp to life.

Great SmokyMountains

National Park

Straddlingthe border of Tennesseeand NorthCarolina, GreatSmoky Mountains National Park is knownfor itsrolling mountain views, mist-coveredpeaks and diversewildlife. Visitors canhikethrough forests filled with wildflowers, explore scenic drives like Cades Cove or watch waterfalls rushingwithspringrainfall.Withmorethan 800 miles of trails,the park offersendless opportunities forhiking, photography andwildlifespotting.

Okefenokee Swamp

This vast wilderness of cypresstrees, blackwater channelsand floating peat islandsstretches acrosssoutheasternGeorgia andnorthernFlorida.Visitorscan paddle throughquiet waterways, take guided boat toursorwalk elevated boardwalk trails to spot alligators,turtles andawide varietyofbirdspecies. Spring brings cooler temperaturesand active wildlife, making it anideal season to explorethe swamp

From mountain peakstowindingbayous, thesouthernUnitedStatesis filled with naturalwonderswaiting to be explored. A springtimevisit offerscomfortable weather, breathtaking sceneryand achanceto reconnectwithsomeofthe region’s most remarkable landscapes.

Spring TRAVEL GUIDE

Foodie Cities Serve Up

,Culture and

CulinaryCreativityFlavor

Fromiconicregionaldishesto innovativechef-driven cuisine, certain cities have builtreputations as culinarycapitals. Whetheryou’researching forstreetfood, classic comfort dishesor fine dining, thesecitiesoffer unforgettable flavorsworth planningatriparound.

SANFRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

SanFrancisco’s culinaryreputationistied to freshingredientsand global influences. Thecityisknown forits sourdoughbread, often served alongside creamy clam chowder Local seafood such as Dungeness craband oystersfeature prominentlyonmenus,while neighborhoodslikeChinatown andthe MissionDistrictoffer everythingfromdim sumtoauthentic Mexican street tacos. The city’s strong farm-to-table cultureensures seasonal produce playsastarring role in many dishes.

PORTLAND, OREGON

Portland is ahaven foradventurous eaters thanks to creative chefsand athrivingfood cart culture. Visitors cansampleeverything from Korean tacosand Thai noodles to gourmetgrilled cheese sandwiches served from colorful food trucks. Thecityis also knownfor artisanaldoughnuts, craft coffee andlocallysourced dishesfeaturing mushrooms, berries andfresh seafood.

LASVEGAS, NEVADA

Celebritychefrestaurantslinethe LasVegas Strip, offeringeverythingfromhigh-end sushiand steaktoelaborate tastingmenus. At thesametime, visitors canexplore diverse global flavors—fromauthentic Chinese cuisineinChinatowntovibrant street-style tacos andmodernfusiondishesthroughout thecity.

CHICAGO,ILLINOIS

Thecityisfamousfor itsdeep-dish pizza, featuringa thickcrust layeredwithcheese, chunky tomato sauce andtoppings baked into arichpie.Chicago-style hotdogs— served on apoppy-seedbun with mustard, relish,tomatoes, onions,peppers and pickles—areanother must-try.Chicago also boasts avibrant restaurant scenewith upscalesteakhouses, creative tastingmenus anddiverse internationalcuisine

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

Thecity’smostfamousdishisNashville hot chicken, a fieryfried chickencoatedina cayenne-based glaze andtypicallyserved with whitebread andpickles. Barbecue is anotherlocal favorite,often paired with classic sides like bakedbeans,coleslaw andcornbread.Inrecentyears,Nashville’s restaurant scenehas expandedtoinclude chef-driven eateries, inventivebrunch spotsand trendy cafésthatblendSouthern traditions with moderncreativity.

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA

TheCrescentCity’scuisineblendsFrench, Spanish, Africanand Caribbeaninfluences into iconic dishes. Savorrichseafood gumbo, spicy jambalayaand crispy po’boyspiled highwithfried shrimp or roastbeef. Sweet treats like powdered-sugar-dusted beignets andpralines aredessert staples, whileoyster bars andcrawfish boilshighlight theregion’s deep connection to Gulf seafood

Together,these cities highlight theincredible varietyofAmericanfoodculture.From Cajunclassics andSoutherncomfort dishes to cutting-edgeculinaryexperimentation, each destination offers flavorsthatmakeita must-visitfor food lovers.

Your guide to this spring’s

Must-see

Ifyou’replanningaspringgetaway,these festivals provide theperfect mixofentertainment, regional flavor andunforgettable experiences.

Music Festivals

Coachella ValleyMusic and Arts Festival I Indio, California (April 10-12, April 17-19)

Oneofthe most influential music festivalsinthe world, theevent spanstwo weekends andfeatureshundredsofperformersacrossmultiplestages, showcasing everythingfrompop andhip-hop to electronic music andindie rock.Massive art installations,elaborate stagedesigns andcelebrity sightings have become part of thefestival’sidentity.

2026 scheduledperformersinclude SabrinaCarpenter,JustinBieber, KarolG, TeddySwims, TheStrokes, AddisonRae,FKA Twigs andYoung Thug.

NewOrleans Jazz &Heritage Festival I NewOrleans, Louisiana (April 23-26, April 30-May 3)

Often simply called “Jazz Fest,” this iconic eventfeaturesperformancesby world-renowned artistsalongsidelocal musicians. In addition to jazz, the lineupspans genres includingblues,rock, gospel andzydeco. Festivalgoerscan explore craft boothsand enjoyclassic NewOrleans dishes such as crawfish bread, jambalayaand beignets.

2026 scheduledperformersinclude TheEagles, Stevie Nicks, RodStewart, Lainey Wilson,Jon Batiste, Tyler Childers, TheBlack Keys andT-Pain. Trombone Shorty,who is celebratinghis 40thbirthday, will closeout thefestivalMay 3rd.

Stagecoach Festival I Indio,California (April 24-26)

Held in California’sCoachella Valley,the Stagecoach Festival has become oneofthe country’spremier music events Thefestival features majorcountry stars, emerging artistsand alivelyatmosphere that includes linedancing,barbecueand Western-themedexperiences.

2026 scheduledperformersinclude Bailey Zimmerman, Brooks &Dunn, Cody Johnson, EliYoung Band,EllaLangley,LyleLovett, Post Malone andRiley Green.

WelcometoRockville I DaytonaBeach,Florida (May7-10)

Welcome to Rockvilleisone of thelargest rock festivalsinNorth America, transformingthe DaytonaInternational Speedway into a massiveconcertvenue each May. Themulti-day festival features dozens of rock andmetal bandsperformingonmultiplestageswhile fans camp, socialize andenjoy theoceanfrontsetting nearby.Withits high-energy crowds andpowerfulliveperformances, theevent has become amajor destinationfor rock fans from acrossthe country.

2026 scheduledperformersinclude FooFighters, My Chemical Romance, Guns N’ Roses, Staind,Alice Cooper,Plain WhiteT’s andBring Me TheHorizon.

Rolling Loud I Orlando,Florida (May 8-10)

RollingLoudhas earned areputationasthe world’spremier hip-hop festival TheOrlando editiondraws huge crowds eagertosee top rapartists andrisingstars performonenormousstages. Knownfor surprise guest appearances andelectrifyingperformances, the festival reflects theglobal influence of hip-hopculture.

2026 scheduledperformersinclude DonToliver,Playboi Carti, NBAYoungboy, Chief Keef,Destroy Lonely,Nettspend,TiaCorine andSkaiWater

artistsfrom15countries

Spring TRAVEL GUIDE

These

DestinationsCoastal

areperfect fora GETAWAY SPRING

Pleasanttemperatures, fewercrowds andbloomingcoastal landscapes make springtime ideal forbeach walks, waterfront diningand outdoorrecreation. From theGulfCoast to theAtlanticand Pacificshores, thesedestinationsoffer scenic beauty,local cultureand memorabletravel experiences.

GULF SHORES, ALABAMA

Gulf Shores is knownfor itssugar-white sand beachesand emeraldwaters. Spring visitors canenjoy kayaking,dolphin-watching cruisesand relaxingdaysalong theshoreline before thepeaksummer crowds arrive Nearby Gulf StateParkoffershikingand biking trails,while waterfront restaurants servefresh seafood like shrimp,oysters and redfish.

GRANDISLE, LOUISIANA

Forauniquely Louisianacoastal experience, GrandIsleoffersablend of naturalbeauty and fishingheritage. Located alongthe Gulf, thebarrier island is knownfor birdwatching, fishingand peaceful beaches. GrandIsle StateParkprovides opportunities forhiking, campingand observingcoastal wildlife. Spring visitors mayalsosee migratorybirds passingthrough theisland’swetlandsand shorelinehabitats.

TYBEEISLAND,GEORGIA

Just ashort drivefromhistoricSavannah, TybeeIslandprovides alaid-backcoastal escape filled with charm. Visitors canclimb thehistoricTybee Island Lighthouse for sweeping oceanviews, explore marshlands by kayakorwatch dolphinsplaying along theshoreline. Theisland’srelaxed beach cultureand freshseafood restaurantsmake it afavoritefor travelersseeking apeaceful spring retreat.

DESTIN, FLORIDA

Destin is famous forits powderywhite sand beachesand striking turquoisewaters alongFlorida’s Emerald Coast. Spring is an especiallypleasanttimetovisit,with comfortabletemperaturesideal for fishing charters,snorkelingexcursions andsunset beachwalks. HarborWalk Villageoffers waterfront restaurants, live music andshops, giving visitors plenty to enjoybeyondthe beach.

SANTABARBARA,CALIFORNIA

Often called the“American Riviera,”Santa Barbarablends stunningcoastal scenerywith Mediterranean-style architecture.Visitors canstrollalong palm-lined beaches, explore thescenic harbor or enjoywinetastings from nearby CentralCoast vineyards. Spring is an especially lovely time to visit, with colorful gardensinbloom andcomfortable temperaturesperfect foroutdoor diningand coastalwalks.

From Gulf Coastislands to California’s scenic shoreline,these coastaldestinations highlightthe diversebeautyofAmerica’s waterfront landscapes.Whetheryou’re searchingfor quietbeaches,outdoor adventureorfresh seafoodbythe water, springoffersthe perfectopportunity to explorecoastalescapes.

Letter from

In Louisiana, thecallofthe wild is afullon symphony.Withmorethan7,000 milesof coastlineand 21 stateparks,you’llfindmore fishingspots,scenictrails, andwildlifespecies than youcan count.

Driftthrough coastalmarshes,wanderbeneath thousand-year-oldcypress trees in shaded swamps,orventure outontothe open waters of theGulf. Exploreremarkabletrail systems on foot or by bike.Pitch atentbeneath the starsata scenic campground,orparkyourRV in theperfect spot.“Sportsman’sParadise” is more than aslogan– it’s atime-tested truth.

LT.GOVERNOR NUNGESSER

Of course,enjoyingthe outdoorsinLouisiana isn’tlimited to sports andrecreation. There arecountless otherwaystotakeinthe state’s naturalbeauty– from sculpturegardens andhistorichomes to outdoor dining,openairconcerts, andmorethan400 incredible festivalsheldacrossthe stateeachyear.

From anglersand birderstohikers, garden enthusiasts, andfestivalfans, everyone can find asense of connection in Louisiana’s wide-openspaces. So,get outthere andstart exploring. In Louisiana, theroadlesstraveled is endless– revealingsomething newtoFeed Your Soul everytimeyou visit.

Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana

Adventure

Louisiana GREAT RIVERROAD

LouisianaGreat RiverRoadisone of tworoutesinthe statethathavereceiveddesignation as an All-American Road.Entwinedwiththe Mighty Mississippi,itflowsthrough ruraltowns as well as cities like NewOrleans andBaton Rouge, revealinganamazing mixofculture,history,and naturalbeauty.

Near Epps, PovertyPoint WorldHeritageSite hasnumerousearthen ridges andmoundsbuilt by indigenous people between1700 and1100 BC.Heading to St.Francisville, CatIslandNational WildlifeRefuge is home to thelargest bald cypresstreeinNorth America. Thebeautiful Audubon StateHistoricSite and Oakley House inspired famous naturalist/artist,JohnJames Audubon.

Over in BatonRouge,you’llfind 30+historicbuildings andfascinating itemsfromthe 18th and19thcenturies at the LSURural Life Museum. BatonRouge Cruises offersfun sunset,dinner, or cocktail excursions on theMississippi River. LauraPlantation in Vacherie serves as Louisiana’sCreoleHeritageSite. About50miles away, Vue Orleans is an immersivemuseumwithobservation decksfor panoramiccityviews. While thereare plenty of familiarsightsinNew Orleansand Baton Rouge, keep an eyeout forall thehiddengemsalong theway.

Did youknow?

Poverty PointState Historic Site is thestate’s only UNESCO WorldHeritageSite– oneof just 26 in theU.S

TheSaint at theSt. Francisville Inn: 2025 Michelin Awardmention.Named atop-100 restaurant in America.

VUE Orleans

Chef Karlos Knottwas crowned

King of Louisiana Seafood

CULTURAL Wetlands Trail

True to itsname, watersurroundsmuchofthisscenic byway. With naturalbeautyaround everyturn, a road trip alongthisroute carries youthrough towns that have made shrimping, trapping,and farming away of lifefor centuries. Each stop is steeped in historyand culture, from Native American burial moundstocolorfulCajun traditions.

Setonthe windingbanks of BayouLafourche, Historic Downtown Thibodauxhas afun blend of boutiques, bistros, andnightlife. The Bayou Country Children’sMuseum giveskidshands-on Louisianaexperiences of everything from aMardi Gras floattoa shrimpingboat.

Big Boy’s Main Street Cookoff

Visitthe E.D. WhiteHistoricSite,where youcan tour theformerhomeofthe firstLouisiana Supreme CourtJustice. Laurel ValleyPlantation still has nearly 40 original structures,offeringa detailed pictureofthatdistincttimeperiod.

ChauvinSculpture Garden is alittlefolkart wonderland on thebanks of BayouPetit Caillou, displaying more than 100 fantasticalreligiousthemed sculptures.Overat FaithFamilyShrimp Company,learn howwild-caught, driedshrimpare made.Further outin GrandIsleState Park,you can even camp rightonone of only asmall handfulof Gulf-front beachesinthe state.

Laurel ValleyPlantationisthe nation’s largest surviving19th centurysugar plantation. did youknow?

TOLEDOBEND FOREST

Scenic Byway

“NO MAN’S LAND”

Running alongLouisiana’s west-central border with Texas, this bywayalsoparallels Toledo Bend Reservoir,the largest manmadelakeinthe South. Constructedfromanoriginallogging traincar, Zwolle Museum on theBend explores thecreation of thereservoir. Fort Jesup is thesiteofa garrison that wasestablished by future U.S. President ZacharyTaylorin1822. Both Northand South Toledo Bend StateParks offergreat hiking,plus cabins andtentorRVcamping.South hasexcellent

SouthToledoBendState Park

NATURETRAIL Creole

“LOUISIANA’S OUTBACK”

This area’s nickname of “NoMan’s Land”stems from its historyasa neutralstrip between Spainand theU.S.

off-road vehicletrails, while Northoffersa pool and hassuperbfishing access. CypressBendResort is a lakeside oasiswithgreat views, wateractivitiesand agolfcourse. When allthe action gets youhungry, don’tmiss Zwolle Tamales.

CypressBendResort Golf Course didyou know?

This picturesque180-mile trailisone of only tworoutesinthe stateto receiveAll-American Road designation. Creole Nature Trail Adventure Point in Sulphur is an idealplace to startyourtrip. Thefreeexhibit immerses youinSouthwest Louisiana’sculture,while helpingfamiliarize youwiththe trail’suniquelandscapesand wildlife. Peveto WoodsBird& ButterflySanctuary is amajor stopover formigrating birdsand Monarch butterflies, welcomingaround twomillionbirds annually.Meanwhile, RockefellerWildlifeRefuge hasone of thehighest nestingdensities for American alligators. Just keep in mind that this is amoreprimitive route, so bringalong your ownnecessities,likefood,drinks, andsun screen.

This area wasoncea hideoutfor thefamousprivateer Jean Lafitte Pirate’s playground

Creole Nature Trail

FIND YOUR Festival

Louisiana’s celebrations areready to welcomeyou withgreat food,culture, and music year-round.

French QuarterFestival

April –New Orleans: Includes 20+ stages of livemusic, localcuisine,and specialevents

Festival InternationaldeLouisiane

April –Lafayette:Largest internationalmusic fest in theU.S., with gourmetfood andhandcrafted artworks

PonchatoulaStrawberry Festival

April –Ponchatoula:Includesmusic,a carshow, abake-off, awingcook-off, anda parade

BeauregardWatermelon Festival

May –DeRidder: Includes carnival rides, live entertainment, food vendors, andwatermelon eating challenges

Louisiana Peach Festival

June –Ruston: 2025 statefestivalofthe year winner. Includes kids’activities, livemusic,food vendors, andanartsmarket

Golden Meadow-Fourchon International Tarpon Rodeo

July –PortFourchon: Includes livemusic,local food, ashrimpboil, andgiveaways

Louisiana Shrimp &Petroleum Festival

September –MorganCity: Includes acarnival, a children’svillage andparade, a5k, livemusic,fireworks, andauthentic drilling rigtours

RedRiver Revel

October –Shreveport: Includes kids’games andrides, face painting,food vendors, music, andworks from 80+ artists

Rougarou Fest

October –Houma:Includescarnivalrides,trick-ortreating,outdoor movies,a haunted house, anda folklifevillage

Natchitoches Christmas Festival: CELEBRATING 100YEARS! Saturday before Thanksgiving throughJanuary 6

Includes more than 300,000Christmas lightsand events likeHoliday Kids Fest andCookieswithSanta

LouisianaPeach Festival

ACity Market At TheBattery

Atlanta, Georgia

Hereare FiveFarmers Markets Worth Visiting in theSouth This Spring

This market combines freshproduce with an energeticurban atmosphere.Visitors canshopfor seasonal fruits andvegetables, locallymade honeyand bakedgoodswhile enjoyinglivemusic andfamily-friendly activities. Thesurroundingrestaurantsand shops make it easy to turn amorningmarket visitintoafull dayofexploring

CharlestonFarmersMarket

Charleston, South Carolina

SetinhistoricMarionSquare, this is one of theLowcountry’smostbeloved weekend traditions. Vendorssellfresh produce, sweetgrass baskets, seafood andhandmade crafts, giving visitors atruetaste of coastal SouthCarolinaculture.Food stallsserving shrimp dishes, barbecue andfresh lemonade make it just as much aculinarydestination as ashoppingexperience

sgardensand farmsbegin producingfresh vegetables,berries andherbs,farmers markets fill with vibrantcolors, regional specialties andwelcomingenergy. For travelersplanningaspringgetaway,these farmersmarkets offer adelicious way to experience localculture whilesupportingregionalfarmers

Crescent City FarmersMarket

NewOrleans, Louisiana

OperatedbyMarketUmbrella, theCrescent City FarmersMarketrotates throughseveral neighborhoodsand showcasessomeof Louisiana’sbestfarms andfoodproducers. Visitors can find seasonal produce,Gulf seafood, baked goodsand localspecialties like hotsauce andfresh herbs. Cooking demonstrations andchefappearances often highlight howlocal ingredients shapethe region’s renowned cuisine.

NashvilleFarmers Market

Nashville, Tennessee

Featuringbothanoutdoor farmersmarket andalarge indoor food hall,springvisitors will find locallygrown vegetables, flowers andhandmadegoodsalongsideinternational food vendorsofferingeverythingfrom barbecue to global street food. Themix of farm vendorsand diversediningoptions makesitone of theSouth’s most dynamic markets.

State FarmersMarket

Raleigh,North Carolina

This is oneofthe largest agriculturalmarkets in theSoutheast.Openyear-round, it offers acres of vendor spacewhere farmerssell freshproduce,plants, jams andregional specialties. In spring,the market becomes especially lively as strawberries, greens and floweringplants fill thestalls.

From coastalcities to capitaltowns, thesemarkets offer travelersachanceto experience flavors, traditionsand hospitality. Whetheryou’resamplingfresh produce or browsingartisan goods, each stop provides a memorabletaste of spring

Springisthe perfecttimetoreset your routine, soak up sunshine andfocus on wellness.Manydestinationsare designedtohelppeoplerechargethrough nature,spa treatments andmindful experiences. Whetheryou’relooking for aweekend retreatoralongergetaway, thesesites offer opportunities to relaxand reconnect.

BLACKBERRYMOUNTAIN

Walland, Tennessee

Nestledinthe foothillsofthe Smoky Mountains, Blackberry Mountain focuseson outdoorwellness. Guests canexplore hiking trails,rockclimbing routes andguided meditation sessions in thefresh mountain air. Farm-to-table diningand spaexperiences roundout therejuvenatingstay. www.blackberrymountain.com

LAKEAUSTIN SPARESORT

Austin,Texas

This award-winningdestination spaisknown forits tranquil settingand personalized wellness experiences. Guests canenjoy yoga, meditation classesand outdooractivities like kayaking andpaddleboarding. The resort also offersavarietyofspa treatments andwellnessworkshops focusedonstress management andhealthy living. www.lakeaustin.com

MIRAVALAUSTIN RESORT &SPA

Austin, Texas

MiravalAustinoffersa holistic approach to wellness that combines spatreatments, mindfulness workshops andoutdoor adventures. Guests canparticipate in activities rangingfromyoga andequine therapy to cookingclasses that emphasize healthy, seasonal ingredients. www.miravalresorts.com

HILTON HEAD HEALTH

Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

Locatednearthe beachesofthe Atlantic Ocean, this wellness retreatblendscoastal relaxation with structured fitnessand nutritionprograms. Visitors cantakepart in groupworkouts, cookingdemonstrations andmindfulness sessions,all whileenjoying scenic walksalong theisland’sfamous shoreline.

www.hhhealth.com

THE LODGE AT WOODLOCH

Hawley, Pennsylvania

This is alongtimefavorite fortravelers seekinga luxurious wellness retreat. Surrounded by forested landscapes, the resort offersnaturehikes, spatreatments andwellnessclasses designedtorestore both body andmind.

www.thelodgeatwoodloch.com

From lakesideretreatstomountain hideaways, thesedestinationsmakeiteasy to prioritize relaxation andwellbeingwhile exploring some of theSouth’s most beautiful landscapes.

Spring TRAVEL GUIDE

HHistoricDowntowns

istoricdistricts offer aglimpse into acommunity’s culturalpastwhile servingas vibrantmoderncenters for food,art andlocal life. From cobblestone streets andpreserved architecture to lively markets andriverfrontpromenades, these walkable areasinvitevisitorstoslowdown andexperience thecharacter of each destination

Savannah, Georgia

Savannah’s historic district is often considered oneofthe most beautifulin thecountry.Shadedbytoweringoak trees draped in Spanishmoss, thecity’siconic squaresand cobblestone streetsinvite leisurely exploration. Visitors cantour historic homes, browse artgalleries and dine in restored buildings that date back centuries. RiverStreet, with itsshops and waterfront views, addsanother layerof energy to thedistrict.

Oxford,Mississippi

Home to theUniversityofMississippi, Oxford blends literary heritage with alively downtown culture. Thehistoriccourthouse square anchorsthe district,surroundedby bookstores, restaurantsand localboutiques. Fans of Southern literature often stop by Square Books, abeloved independent bookstorethathas become acultural landmark

Natchitoches, Louisiana

As theoldestpermanent settlementinthe LouisianaPurchase, Natchitochesoffersa downtown filled with historic character. Brickstreets,wrought-iron balconies and Cane RiverLakecreateasetting that feelsof anotherera. Visitors canexplore boutique shops alongFront Street, enjoyLouisiana cuisineand walk thepicturesque riverbank promenade Thecity’sdeepFrenchand Creole heritage addsevenmorecharm to this beloveddestination

Beaufort, South Carolina

Nestledalong thecoastal marshlands of the Lowcountry,Beaufort’shistoricdowntown feels relaxedyet deeply rooted in history. Strollingalong BayStreetreveals waterfront views, historic churches andbeautifully preservedhomes. Thearea’swalkable layout makesiteasytospend an afternoon exploring artgalleries, cafésand shaded parkswhile soakinginthe coastalscenery.

Natchez, Mississippi

Perchedonabluff overlookingthe MississippiRiver,Natchez boasts oneofthe South’smostpicturesque historic districts. Visitors canstrollalong theriverfront, browse antiqueshops andexplore beautifully preserved18th- and19th-centuryhomes. Thecity is especiallyknown forits historic mansions andscenic walkingtours that bring its layeredhistory to life. Downtown also featurescharmingcafés andrestaurantsthat makeiteasytolingerand enjoythe view

From riverfront townstocoastal communities in theCarolinas,these destinationsremindtravelers that sometimes thebestway to experience aplace is to wander itsstreets anddiscoverits stories alongthe way.

Sg Spring TRAVEL GUIDE

S

pringisone of themostenjoyable seasonsfor travel.

Mild weather, bloominglandscapesand a packed calendaroffestivals andoutdoor events make it an ideal time to explore new destinations. Whetheryou’replanninga quickweekend escape or alongervacation, a little preparationcan helpensureyourtripis both relaxing andmemorable.

1

BOOK EARLYFOR POPULARDESTINATIONS

Events andaccommodations can fill up quickly, so it’s agood ideatomakereservations in advance. Bookingearly canalsohelpyou secure better prices on flights, hotels and tickets.

2

CHECK THE LOCAL EVENT CALENDAR

Many cities host specialeventsduring thespring, includingmusic festivals, food celebrations andfarmers markets. Researchinglocal calendars canhelp youplanyouritinerary around unique experiences youmight otherwisemiss.

3

PACKLAYERS FOR CHANGINGWEATHER

Spring weathercan vary widely.Cool mornings, warm afternoonsand occasional rain showers arecommoninmanyregions. Packinglightweight layers such as sweaters, jackets andscarves canhelpyou stay comfortablethroughoutthe day.

PLAN OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

4

Hiking,biking, kayaking andbeach walksare all greatwaystoexperience adestination’s naturalbeauty. Many national parks, botanical gardensand scenic trails are especiallyvibrant during this season.

BE FLEXIBLEWITH YOUR ITINERARY

5

Oneofthe best partsof travel is discovering unexpectedexperiences. Leavingsome room in your schedule allows youto explore localshops, trynew restaurantsor follow recommendationsfromresidents. Flexibility canoften lead to some of the most memorablemoments of atrip.

6

CONSIDER MIDWEEK TRAVEL

Travelingduringthe middle of theweekcan often mean fewercrowdsand lowerprices. Flightsand hotelrates arefrequentlyless expensive Tuesdaythrough Thursday,and popularattractions maybeeasier to enjoy withoutlonglines.

7

PROTECTYOURSELF FROMTHE SUN

Even during cooler spring temperatures, thesun canstill be strong.Packing sunscreen, sunglasses andahat canhelp protectyou during long days outdoors, especially if your travel plansinclude beaches, parksoroutdoor festivals.

8

SUPPORT LOCALBUSINESSES

Spring travel offersagreat opportunity to experience thecharacterofacommunity Visiting farmersmarkets, locallyowned restaurantsand smallshops notonlycreates amoreauthentic travel experience butalso supports thepeopleand businessesthat make each destination unique.

LOUISIANA

‘Early warning for serious risks’

Baton Rouge clinical trial monitors postpartum hemorrhaging

BY MARGARET DELANEY

Staff writer

Woman’s Hospital in Baton Rouge has enrolled the first 40 United States participants in a global study testing a wearable monitor designed to predict postpartum hemorrhage, a potentially lifesaving complication.

After experiencing postpartum trauma during the birth of her second son in 2013, mechanical engineer Sarah McDonald set out to turn her experience into measurable data. She went to medical school in 2015 and founded Baymatob and the Oli monitor after she graduated from medical school.

The Oli monitor — named after her

son who is now a healthy teenager

— is a wearable device that attaches to the abdomen during labor using 10 sensors to track blood pressure, contractions and fetal health and generate personalized risk alerts for postpartum hemorrhage.

“What we’re trying to do is provide early warning for serious risks to prevent complications from happening altogether,” said Tara Croft, the chief executive officer of Baymatob.

When a woman is in labor, when the uterus is contracting, there are up to 800 milliliters of blood every minute pumping through her uterus. Severe bleeding can become critical quickly

See MONITORS, page 4X

Carie Dowden, research coordinator at Woman’s Hospital, and Briasha Jones, research manager at Woman’s Hospital, hold Oli devices on Feb 23 in Baton Rouge. The Oli station in a birthing suite carries two Oli devices for backup.

Panel discusses the role of food in staying healthy

BY MIRIAM FAUZIA and JAMIE LANDERS

The Dallas Morning News (TNS)

DALLAS Human health is shaped by far more than what happens in a doctor’s office. Research estimates that as much as 80% to 90% of health outcomes are influenced by factors outside of medical care including diet, physical activity and other everyday habits.

Yet food, one of the most powerful drivers of health, is rarely treated as medicine.

That idea came into focus at a panel hosted this week by The Dallas Morning News during its pop-up newsroom at The DEC Network in Red Bird, part of the newspaper’s Trust Initiative.

“Beyond the Doctor’s Office: Nourishing Health from the Inside Out” brought together experts

from UT Southwestern Medical Center, Children’s Health, Parkland Health and Methodist Health System to discuss how food can help prevent and manage disease, particularly given the links between food insecurity and chronic illness.

The panelists also addressed practical ways people can incorporate healthier habits into their lives. The Dallas Morning News’

health reporter Emily Brindley moderated the panel.

The concept of food as medicine isn’t new, said Dr Jaclyn Albin, an internist and director of UT Southwestern Medical Center’s Culinary Medicine Program.

The movement gained traction in the 1980s, when medically tailored meals were provided to patients with advanced HIV during the AIDS epidemic.

“They found that people who were delivered healthy meals stayed out of the hospital,” Albin said. “They lived longer They felt better Imagine that, a healthy meal helps you heal. It brings longevity and comfort in a sickness.” Studies have found that improving access to nutritious food — whether through medically

ä See FOOD, page 2X

STAFF PHOTOS By MICHAEL JOHNSON

From left, Dr Elizabeth Sutton, director of research at Woman’s Hospital; Tara Croft, CEO of Baymatob; Carie Dowden, research coordinator at Woman’s Hospital; Briasha Jones, research manager at Woman’s Hospital; and Dr Cliff Moore, chief medical officer at Woman’s Hospital, stand in a birthing suite at the hospital in Baton Rouge on Feb 23.

Teen girls are most likely to tear their ACLs

Parents say more must be done to protect them

BY MARC LEVY Associated Press

HARRISBURG, Pa. Sofia Tepichin was about 30 minutes into her club soccer team practice in October when she spotted a fast-approaching defender. She tapped the ball away and hopped over the defender’s outstretched foot, came down awkwardly and heard a “pop.”

She immediately fell to the ground, pain shooting through her left knee and knew it wasn’t good. It was, she said, “heartbreaking.”

“And I knew personally that I tore my ACL,” Tepichin said.

Tepichin joined the growing ranks of female high school athletes tearing their anterior cruciate ligament, a devastating knee injury that researchers are pressing the sports world to take more seriously

Decades of research on prevention methods is available, but parents, researchers and trainers say that teams, coaches and leagues aren’t doing enough to protect the girls and educate parents.

Vulnerable athletes

Sports fans hear often about high-profile athletes like U.S. Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn tearing their ACLs, and many ACL injuries are chalked up to bad luck or a part of sports that will continue to happen at all competitive levels.

Still, high school-age female athletes suffer these injuries at much higher rates than their male counterparts — up to eight times more likely, one study says — and adults, most often in noncontact situations in sports that require fast changes in direction, researchers say Biomechanics researchers, trainers and physical therapists say there are pre-workout warm ups and strengthening routines such as FIFA 11+ or PEP — that can at least reduce the risk of an injury that takes such a high physical and mental toll on young athletes.

Continued from page 1X

tailored meals or programs that provide fresh produce — can help manage dietrelated conditions such as heart disease, which claims about 2,500 lives each day in the United States.

While eating healthier might sound simple, it can feel daunting — or even unappealing — for someone who hasn’t had positive experiences with foods often labeled as “healthy.”

Milette Siler, a culinary dietitian nutritionist and cofounder of UT Southwestern’s Culinary Medicine Program, said it’s important to consider people’s financial access to food as well as their emotional and cultural connections to it, focusing not on taking foods away but on adding nutritious ingredients and enhancing flavor

“Is there a way to take maybe an ultra-processed food that is what you can afford right now,” Siler said, “and add some value to it with some foods that, while they might also be processed, are convenient and inexpensive to add nutrition?”

Part of that strategy involves scrutinizing nutrition labels not so much for additives, although these chemicals added to preserve food can affect health and are important to keep in mind, Siler said. Instead, she recommends focusing on a few key markers of nutrient density, such as protein, dietary fiber sugar and sodium.

“Every food is going to have drawbacks because it’s grown in a world that is not perfect,” Siler said. “So helping people understand it’s a

But, they say, most coaches lack training or expert help, and high school girls compete in settings with far fewer resources than the professional and collegiate levels. As a result, risk-reduction routines are rarely included in day-today coaching curricula and practices.

“The real crime in this is that the data has been out there for 25 years,” said Holly Silvers-Granelli, a physical therapist and biomechanics researcher who advises athletes, professional teams and major sports leagues on injury prevention “People are clamoring for answers, and the answers are largely there.”

The trendline of ACL injuries isn’t entirely clear, but the National ACL Injury Coalition — formed by the Aspen Institute and the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York — said its analysis of data from high school athletic trainers showed that the average annual ACL injury rate for high school athletes grew almost 26% from 2007 to 2022.

The rate for girls grew more than 32%, compared to 14.5% for boys, it said On their own to recover When they get injured, high school athletes and

their parents often find themselves on their own to deal with it ACL injuries can require surgery and a year of rehab, physical therapy and strength training, which insurance may not fully cover Recovery changes their routine and identity: They miss out on the camaraderie of the team and stand on the sidelines, which can be as hard as the physical trauma, parents say Many high school athletes who tear their ACL never perform again at the same level, if they even return to the sport, the National ACL Injury Coalition says. And once injured, they carry a heightened risk of another ACL injury and long-term complications like degenerative joint disease, researchers say The coalition has urged the sports world to treat ACL injuries like brain injuries, now that professional and youth sports have tried to improve training, rules and equipment standards to prevent and detect concussions.

Sophia Gerardi, a sophomore at Pennsylvania’s Apollo Ridge High School who tore her ACL during a basketball game in December, was told by her doctors that she’ll forever have to wear a knee brace to play

sports. She had surgery in January, will miss volleyball season and hopes to be back for next winter’s basketball season.

Like many girls who tore their ACL, she didn’t recall getting any ACL injury-prevention training.

Surveys of coaches show that many don’t know about risk-reduction programs, aren’t trained to do them or aren’t encouraged to learn about them, said Vince Minjares, who leads the Aspen Institute’s ACL injury prevention project Some coaches tell Minjares that it takes too much time.

He hopes that’s changing.

‘What is the solution’

This spring, the American Youth Soccer Organization — one of major national organizations in U.S. youth soccer — will roll out new age- and stage-based neuromuscular training programs aimed at preventing ACL injuries through warm-ups.

Coaches will get a regimen of exercises in bite-sized chunks, with video instructions The goal is to build good habits before preteens age into more physical and demanding competition.

“My biggest shock was that this didn’t already exist,” said Scott Snyder AYSO’s senior director of pro-

grams and education. “Everyone I talk to says, ‘Yeah, that makes perfect sense,’ but nobody’s done it yet.”

Last year, biomechanical researchers at the Scottish Rite for Children hospital in metropolitan Dallas began providing high school teams with resources typically only available or affordable at the professional and collegiate levels. They created preseason injury-prevention trainings, tailored for female athletes, to improve strength and movement quality. At the start of the eight-week program, each athlete gets a free motion-capture 3Dlevel assessment to identify weaknesses in strength, movement or balance. Another assessment at the end determines if the program reduced risk.

Future trainings could include nutrition and sleep, said Sophia Ulman, who directs the hospital’s Movement Science Laboratory

“My team and I got tired of studying ‘why, why, why’ when there’s so many different possibilities to answer that question. And we wanted to move into the ‘what is the solution,’” said Ulman. Other biomechanics labs in the U.S. are trying similar outreach, she said.

One of the teams that par-

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS PHOTOS By ELÃAS

ABOVE: Dr. Dora Johnson speaks March 10 during a panel discussion about the relationship between food and medicine, hosted by The Dallas Morning News, at The DEC Network in Dallas. RIGHT: The crowd listens as doctors and health care officials participate in the panel discussion.

teeter-totter.” For parents and caregivers of young children, Dr Stormee Williams, a pediatrician and chief health equity officer at Children’s Health, said it’s important to build healthy eating habits early to support better health later in life. At the same time, she said parents should meet kids where they are by introducing healthier versions of foods they already enjoy such as a baked apple topped with cinnamon instead of apple pie.

“Don’t restrict the children in your life to what you like and don’t like,” Williams

added. “Even if it’s something that you don’t readily eat, but you have it available, go ahead and serve it to them, because they might like it.”

For people on GLP-1 drugs, whether for managing diabetes or weight loss, Dr Dora Johnson, a family medicine physician with the Methodist Health System, recommends focusing on eating enough protein and multiple small meals a day

ticipated was Plano East High School in Texas, where players — including Tepichin — had suffered a rash of ACL tears the past couple years.

Cristy Cooley, Plano East’s coach, said that getting a hands-on demonstration from trained professionals in proper exercises and movement patterns makes a big difference.

“It’s one thing talking about it,” Cooley said. “But it’s a totally different thing to show us.”

‘Something’s got to change’

Like other parents, Tiffany Jacob said she learned a lot about preventing ACL injuries that she wished she had known before her daughter — East Plano sophomore Aliya Jacob tore her ACL last February For instance, the surgeon told them three days a week of strength training is an absolute must for soccer players.

“Something’s got to change,” Tiffany Jacob said. “Coaches, clubs, something. They have to do something to prevent this because it’s just such a horrible injury.” Aliya — who knows at least seven other female soccer players who tore an ACL, her mother said is back playing for East Plano now She endured twice-a-week physical therapy, the isolation of rehabilitation and, her mother said, “figuring out who you are when you’re not playing soccer.”

Tepichin, a high school senior, recalls her surgeon telling her to take a couple days to get all her sadness and anger out — and then devote herself to her recovery She’ll miss her last year of playing high school and club team soccer Her next time on a field could be for Saint Vincent College in Pennsylvania, where she committed to the NCAA Division III team.

Tepichin has seen a sports psychologist, gotten comfort from others who underwent the surgery — her sister, her father and her friend and found a new routine after having been constantly busy with two soccer teams and a job.

“There’s not a day that I go that I’m not working out or doing something,” she said, “or getting better for my health and my recovery.”

why Parkland, partnering with other health organizations and communities, has developed interventions in specific ZIP codes, specifically South Dallas, to try to reverse that,” said Jessica Hernandez, vice president of community integrated health at Parkland Health.

“You can imagine that food is a part of that, but it is one part.” Siler highlighted a partnership at Red Bird with Crossroads Community Services, which opened a nutrition pharmacy on-site.

Patients from nearby clinics who are screened and identified as food insecure can easily access the pantry and select food for themselves.

The screening process takes less than 30 seconds and is done for all patients to reduce stigma. The program’s goal, Siler said, is not just to address food insecurity but also nutrition insecurity, ensuring people have access to the nutrients they need to support their health.

Overall, treating food as medicine must be a priority for health providers hoping to change the tides in medical care and prevention of preventable diseases, Albin said.

Panelists said financial barriers and food insecurity remain major obstacles to ensuring people have access to the nutrition they need.

For example, the Community Health Needs Assessment Report — a data-driv-

“As you lose weight rapidly, you lose muscle mass,” said Johnson. “That’s why we spoke about protein being very important to incorporate in all your meals, but you also want to preserve muscle mass through weight-bearing and strength training.”

en evaluation of the health status, needs and challenges facing communities in Texas — is used to help guide local health programs. The 2025 report identified food insecurity and nutrition among the top three healthrelated problems in Dallas and Rockwall counties.

“Some of the statistics were astounding, which is

That means having thoughtful, sensitive conversations with patients and communities about their relationship with food, particularly for those who have experienced food-related trauma.

“We’ve created a void in medicine,” Albin said. “I think we need to own that we haven’t been a voice for this I blame us, which is part of why training the next generation to do

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By LM OTERO

Plano East High School soccer player Sofia Tepichian, right, has her movement analyzed with help from sports biomechanics researcher Sophia Ulman on Jan. 22 at the Movement Science Laboratory at Scottish Rite for Children in Frisco, Texas.

VALVERDE II

options recipes plant-basedingredientspulledstraight fromthefridgeandpantry.Naturalegg dyeingmeantsimmeringbeetsforpink, turmericforyellow,redcabbageforblue orspirulinaforgreen,thenlettingeggs soakforhours,sometimesovernight, hopingforthebest.

FromSimmerPots toSimpleKits

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MollyKimball,RD,CSSD,isaregistereddietitian withOchsnerHealthandfounderofOchsner’sEatFit nonprofitinitiative.Formorewellnesscontent,tuneinto Molly’spodcast,FUELEDWellness+Nutrition,andfollow @MollykimballRDand@EatFitOchsneronsocialmedia. Emailnutrition@ochsner.orgtoconnectwithMollyor scheduleaconsultwithherteam.

LOUISIANAFALLS BEHINDIN CHOLESTEROL SCREENINGS

High cholesterol can lead to abuildup of plaque in the arteries that increases the risk of heartattacks and strokes, according to the American Heart Association. High cholesterol does not have symptoms.Thus, regular cholesterol screenings— a simple blood test or “lipid profile” once every four to six years —are recommended to continuously evaluate heartrisks.

In 2023, 85.6% of American adults were up to date on their cholesterol screenings, aslight decrease in the last five years from 86% in 2019.InLouisiana, only 83.8% of adultsreported cholesterol screenings in the last five years.

From 2017 to 2020, 86 million American adults overthe ageof 20 had high or “borderline high” cholesterol, accordingtodata from the Centers forDisease Control andPrevention.

Additionally in March, the American HeartAssociation, along with the American College of Cardiology, recommended new cholesterol guidelines to begin screening and treating peoplefor high cholesterol in their 30s. Themedical groups lowered the

recommended agebyatleast adecade as heartattacks and hearthealth risks are becoming more common in younger adults. The national heartassociations also recommend screening for two biomarkers in the blood that have been linked to heartrisks.

These Louisiana parishes had the highest percentageofadults in 2023 whoreported having their cholesterol checkedwithin the last five years, in descending order:

nEast Baton RougeParish with 87.1% of adults;

nSt.TammanyParish with 86.4% of adults;

nJefferson Parishwith 86.3% of adults;

nAscension, Orleans,St. Charles and St. John the Baptist parishes with 86.2% of adults;

nLafayette, St. Jamesand West Baton Rougeparishes with 86.1% of adults;

nBossier Parish with 85.9% of adults;

nWest Feliciana Parish with 85.5% of adults.

These Louisiana parishes had the lowest percentageofadults in 2023 whoreported having their cholesterol checkedwithin the last five years, in ascending order:

TheScienceBehindBetterColor Whetheryou’reusingastore-bought naturalkitormakingdyesfrom scratch,there’sonekeyingredient thatmatters:vinegar.

Funfact:Eggshellsaremadeprimarilyof calciumcarbonate.Whenyouaddvinegar tothedyesolution,itlowersthepHand slightlychangesthesurfaceoftheshell, makingitmoreporous,allowingpigment tobindmoreeffectively Toolittleacid,andthecolorwon’t takewell.Toomuchacid,andyou’llsee bubblingthatcanleaveunevenspots.ApH around4tendstoworkbest,whichiswhy mostrecipescallforaspecificamountof vinegarratherthanjustasplash.Forkids whoenjoythesciencesideofcooking, inexpensivepHstripsfromadrugstorecan turneggdecoratingintoasimple,handsonlearningactivity.

AFewAdditionalTipsfor

BetterResults:

•Leteggssitlongerforadeeper color–naturaldyesbuildgradually, notimmediately.

•Trylayeringcolorsbydyeingin oneshade,lettingitdry,then dippingagain.

•Usewaxpencilstodrawdesigns beforedyeingtocreateadyeresistantpattern.

Colorful,CreativeandStill ConnectedtoTradition

Regardlessofhowyouopttodyeyour eggs,thegoalisn’tpicture-perfecteggs:It’s timewithfamily,handsstainedwithcolor andtheconversationsthatarehappening whilesomethingfuntakesshape. Thisspring,bringonthecolor–naturally, creativelyandinwhateverwayfitsyour homebest.

nClaiborne Parishwith 81% of adults;

nEast Carroll Parish with 80.2% of adults;

nCaldwell Parish with 81.5% of adults;

nAvoyelles and Catahoula parisheswith 81.8% of adults;

TheLouisiana Health section is focusedonproviding in-depth, personal accounts of health in the state.This sectionlooks at medical innovations, health discoveries, state andnational health

and reexamining

nEvangeline and Madison parishes with 82.1% of adults;

nAcadia,Allenand Franklin parishes with 82.2% of adults; nBienville and Concordia parishes with 82.3% of adults

nWebster Parishwith 82.4% of adults.

Health editions will also profile people whoare advancing health for the state of Louisiana. Do youhavea health story? We want to hear fromyou. Email margaret.delaney@ theadvocate.com to submit health questions, stories and more. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM

Molly Kimball RD,CSSD

Parenting center facility unveiled in Covington

BY MARGARET DELANEY Staff writer

St. Tammany Health System pulls back the curtain on the newly renovated home of its Parenting Center at 71338 La. 21, Covington, a vibrant space designed to support the center’s mission of nurturing strong parents, healthy children and confident families.

The renovated space includes play-and-learn areas, family classrooms and outdoor access to the Tammany Trace and other Koop Drive amenities.

Denham Springs health center closes temporarily

Ochsner Health Center — Denham Springs, at 30819 La 16, is temporarily closed after a vehicle accident on March 5 damaged the building. There were no injuries. The facility sustained significant damage, and there is currently no estimate on how long it will take for the clinic to reopen Ochsner continues to assess the situation and will update as soon as possible.

Ochsner is contacting clinic patients to reschedule their appointments or direct them to nearby Ochsner locations, including Ochsner Health Center Denham Springs South, so there are no disruptions in care.

N.O. hosts national summit for lung cancer

The third annual African American Lung Cancer Patient & Caregiver Summit in New Orleans is set for April 23-25 at the Marriott Warehouse Arts District. The weekend-long event will focus on “survivorship, emerging treatments, clinical trials, environmental and clean-air justice, public policy, AI in care, mental wellness, financial navigation, caregiver support and patient advocacy.”

The event is free for lung cancer patients and caregivers and includes meals, hotel accommodations and travel and learning materials.

8 Tulane researchers nationally recognized

Several Tulane University researchers have been named as senior members by the National Academy of Inventors, or NAI a designation that recognizes rising stars who drive a culture of innovation on campus and help develop the next generation of inventors.

Tulane’s honored researchers include:

n Matthew E. Burow, an associate professor of medicine and surgery in hematology & medical oncology, advances translational

research in hormone-responsive breast cancer and metabolic disease.

n John D. Clements, professor emeritus of microbiology and immunology, is a global leader in vaccine development and mucosal immunology His work has advanced next-generation vaccines for infectious diseases affecting vulnerable populations worldwide.

n Scott M. Grayson, professor of chemistry, designs and synthesizes complex polymer materials with precisely controlled nanoscale structures.

n Michael J. Moore, professor and chair of biomedical engineering, develops advanced neural tissue engineering technologies to improve the study and treatment of neurological disorders. His work aims to accelerate development of safer, more effective therapies for patients with nerve damage and neurodegenerative disease.

n Lisa Morici, professor of microbiology and immunology, develops next-generation vaccines to prevent emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases.

n Kim C. O’Connor, professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, is a stem cell engineer focused on advancing regenerative medicine. Her research explores why adult stem cells differ in their ability to repair tissue and control

inflammation.

n Noshir S. Pesika, associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, designs nature-inspired materials that control how surfaces stick, slide and interact at the micro- and nanoscale and includes designs to better replicate natural cartilage and improve treatment options for knee injuries.

n James E. Zadina, professor of medicine, pharmacology and neuroscience and director of the Neuroscience Laboratory at the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System, studies the neurobiology of opioids and the mechanisms of pain and addiction. His research led to the discovery of endomorphins, naturally occurring opioid peptides in the brain, and focuses on developing new pain medications that provide powerful relief with fewer side effects and lower risk of addiction.

The 2026 class of NAI Senior Members includes 230 emerging inventors — the group’s largest new cohort to date. The new members hail from 82 institutions across the globe and collectively hold over 2,000 U.S. patents.

Spend Behavioral Health Day with group in BR

Rally at the Baton Rouge Capi-

tol at AZ Young Park, North Third Street, from 9 a.m. to noon on April 27 with Louisiana Mental Health Association and the Foundation for Suicide Prevention — La. Chapter Wear white for behavioral health. Lunch and a vendor event to follow the rally Register for the event at the Louisiana Mental Health Association’s website.

AARP New Orleans hosts free line dancing class

AARP New Orleans is hosting a “Keep it movin’ and groovin’ ” series of one-hour dance classes starting at 10 a.m. April 18, May 16, June 20 and July 18 at the Gernon Brown Recreation Center, 1001 Harrison Ave.

The class teaches steps to hiphop, country/western, R&B, zydeco, New Orleans’ favorites and “oldie’s but goodies,” according to a release from AARP Membership is not required to attend the event. Register at aarp. org.

Health Notes is an occasional listing of health happenings around Louisiana. Have something you’d like to share? Contact us at margaret.delaney@theadvocate. com.

European regulators endorse new sleeping sickness pill

Move paves way for usage in hard-hit African countries

BY MIKE STOBBE AP medical writer

NEW YORK European drug regu-

lators on Friday endorsed a new and simpler treatment for sleeping sickness, in what could be a giant boost to efforts to eliminate the disease A European Medicines Agency committee gave its nod to acoziborole, made by Sanofi. The decision is seen as a crucial step to making the medicine available in Congo, the country with the most sleeping sickness cases, and paving the way for its use in other African countries.

The product’s proponents say three of the pills, taken together as a one-time dose, are an easier and far more accessible treatment than current regimens, which can require arduous trips to hospitals.

“This disease is on the brink of elimination” and the new drug could accelerate progress toward finishing the job, said Dr Junior Matangila of the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative, an in-

MONITORS

Continued from page 1X

Postpartum hemorrhage is defined as severe bleeding within 24 hours of childbirth. It can happen up to 12 weeks after delivery in rare cases, with a total blood loss greater than 1 liter (or one standard-sized water bottle) regardless of Caesarean or vaginal delivery according to the Cleveland Clinic

Because large amounts of blood are lost so quickly, blood pressure can swiftly decline and restrict blood flow to the heart brain and other organs. Labor and delivery teams need to identify postpartum hemorrhaging as quickly as possible.

“If you can be prepared with the right people, the right medicines, the right blood — that matters,” Croft said. “Time matters.”

Postpartum hemorrhage occurs in about 5% of deliveries worldwide, accounting for 25% of maternal deaths, but most cases aren’t life-threatening with prompt treatment.

The risk is especially relevant in Louisiana.

A 2022 study found that 12.3% of births in Louisiana resulted in postpartum hemorrhaging, significantly higher than the U.S. average at 5%. The same study conducted at a South-Central Louisiana hospital, indicated that anemia during delivery, Black women, high body mass index score and Caesarean deliveries were “the strongest predictors” of postpartum hemorrhaging.

Those indicators initially identified Louisiana and Woman’s Hospital as the perfect place for Baymatob to conduct their fourth

PHOTO PROVIDED By DRUGS FOR NEGLECTED DISEASES INITIATIVE

Dr Mariame Camara holds an acoziborole pill at the Dubreka Clinical Trial site, in Dubreka, Guinea, in 2024. A European Medicines Agency committee gave its nod to acoziborole on Friday as a new and simpler treatment for sleeping sickness.

ternational organization focused on new treatments. If sleeping sickness could be eliminated, it might be the first time spread of an infectious disease was erased without a vaccine, Sanofi officials noted.

Monica Mugnier, a sleeping sickness researcher at Johns Hopkins University, said the drug is a major treatment improvement but

and final clinical trial, according to Croft.

Predicting the unpredictable

Current labor monitors typically use two Velcro belts one to track contractions and one to monitor the baby’s heartbeat — connected by wires to a machine. These systems have changed little since the 1960s and cannot predict postpartum hemorrhage.

When the baby moves, the existing straps and machines attached make a distressed sound, creating unnecessary confusion and worry for expectant mothers. Clinicians are constantly moving and repositioning the belts as the baby moves.

“It can be sensory overload,” said Elizabeth Sutton, director of research at Woman’s Hospital.

The Oli monitor is quick and simple to attach. It “clicks on” with four sticky electrodes, similar to the probes that attach to EKG monitors.

“It sticks on, and it stays on,” Croft said. “We prioritized comfort first. Moms often don’t notice it’s on. And if they do notice it, we’ve heard them compare it to a warm hug.”

Medical teams rely on a patient’s history and risk factors (like blood clotting disorders, obesity, advanced maternal age and certain medications) to identify when patients have a higher risk of hemorrhaging after birth. However, around 40% of hemorrhages occur without risk factors, according to data from the Cleveland Clinic.

“Today, there is no way to reliably predict whether a mom hemorrhages,” Moore said. “That’s what this technology is for This is really important to be able to get everybody ready before the bleeding happens. Right now it’s unpredictable.”

that it’s yet not clear exactly how big a turning point its approval will be There are still questions about where the disease-causing parasite is lurking, for example.

“This isn’t solved yet,” she said.

Sleeping sickness is spread by tsetse flies found only in rural, subSaharan Africa. The flies bite people and infect them with a parasite.

Infections can start with vague,

Knowing, or at least having some sense, that excessive bleeding will happen before it occurs can allow the labor and delivery team, blood banks and expecting mothers and families to better prepare for potential blood loss.

“Whilst (hemorrhaging) is particularly prevalent and serious, it’s also very treatable if you know in advance,” Croft said.

Interventions, both big and small, for postpartum hemorrhaging include multiple medicinal interventions, devices inserted vaginally to control bleeding and (in severe cases) a complete hysterectomy

“The quicker you know what’s happening, the quicker you can intervene and the less serious your medical care needs to be for that mom,” Sutton said. “And the less blood she loses.”

The worldwide clinical trial at Woman’s Hospital compares the existing fetal and maternal monitors with the Oli monitor. No clinical decisions are being made based on the Oli itself at this time However, preliminary studies of the data gathered look promising, according to Croft.

Dedicated to future moms

Since beginning the clinical trial in December 2025, the Oli study has monitored 110 mothers at Woman’s Hospital through their delivery, more than halfway to its 200-patient quota within the clinical trial. Baymatob is aiming toward 1,000 monitored labors during their clinical trial across five U.S. hospital sites: Columbia University Medical Center, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and the University of Colorado Medical Center

The trial is completely voluntary,

flu-like symptoms, and then worsen as the parasites multiple and fan out through the body — including into the nervous system. One result is the namesake symptom: a flipped sleep cycle in which people are awake at night but drowsy during the day Coma and death can occur if it’s not treated.

Researchers have been unable to develop a vaccine against the wormlike microscopic parasite because it has a unique ability to alter its protein coat, making it difficult to design an enduring immune system defense, Mugnier said.

The battle against the parasite has relied on efforts to kill off the flies and on medicines to save infected people. It’s been difficult.

Many of the infected are living in remote areas without access to hospitals.

“It’s a disease of poverty,” said Matangila, who is based in Congo. Sleeping sickness surged in the 1970s and 1990s amid political and economic instability in sub-Saharan Africa. Not helping was that the traditionally available medications were toxic and painful.

Treatments improved in the early 2000s and were a major reason for a dramatic decline in reported infections, which in 2009 dropped

to below 10,000 for the first time in a half century In 2024, there were fewer than 600 reported cases of the most common version of sleeping sickness, although it’s not known how many people are infected and undiagnosed.

The World Health Organization has set a goal to stop the spread of that form of sleeping sickness by 2030.

Current treatments can take 10 days and require difficult trips to hospitals from remote villages. Many patients have had to undergo spinal taps, to help doctors understand the stage of infections — and which drugs to use. Enter acoziborole. A small but pivotal study of about 200 patients in Congo and Guinea found that more than 95% of treated patients were considered cured 18 months later

Sanofi officials used that study as a basis to push for approval of the drug for the most common form of human sleeping sickness. It can be used for people ages 12 and older, to treat both early and advancedstage infections — taking away the need to do spinal taps.

Sanofi has pledged to donate doses to the World Health Organization, so the drug will be free to patients.

and the labor and delivery team at Woman’s offers the use of the device to laboring women who have at least one hour before delivery

“This is a unique study,” Sutton said. “Because women don’t qualify for it until they’re in labor Doing it ahead of time is really impossible.”

But, the research team at Woman’s manages to find mothers willing to go along with the study, with all of their questions answered, thanks to the research and labor and delivery teams at the hospital.

“We have to thank the moms who have agreed to participate in the study,” Croft said. “We’re indebted to them and moms of the future are as well.” The data, so far in the three previous clinical trials, suggest that the

Oli monitor can predict up to 80% of postpartum hemorrhages.

“There are a few other conditions we intend to monitor over time including stalled labor, fetal distress, uterine rupture, still birth and a host of others,” Croft said.

The device has received FDA breakthrough designation, a status intended to speed development and review of promising medical technologies.

“The first step is to look at hemorrhaging, but eventually, the data that we collect will help us predict other conditions in the future,” Moore said.

Email Margaret DeLaney at margaret.delaney@theadvocate. com.

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Dr Cliff Moore, chief medical officer at Woman’s Hospital, holds the two cardiotocography monitors that are used during delivery to monitor the heart rate and contractions on Feb 23 in Baton Rouge.

Life-savingtreatmentat OchsnerMDAnderson savesLouisiana mom after unexpected colon cancer diagnosis

By Amanda McElfresh amcelfresh@theadvocate.com

This story is brought to you by OchsnerHealth.

Mel Buchanan didn’texpect anything unusual when she scheduled her first colonoscopy last year.She had no symptoms and wasleading abusylifeasawifeand mom of two kids,adesign curator at the NewOrleans Museum of Art and asocial butterfly with agroup of closefriends

But Buchanan’sprimary care physician reminded her thatshe wasturning 45.Per national guidelines,that’swhen people of averageriskshouldbeginscreening for colon cancer

“I didn’ttakemuch convincing. My brother-in-lawpassedawayfromcolon cancer when he was42, so my family knew about this,” Buchanan said.

The screening detected polyps in Buchanan’scolon, which were laterconfirmed as cancerous.While many polyps canberemovedduring acolonoscopy, Buchanan required aseparate colon resection surgery.Furthertests showed the cancer had spread to four lymph nodes,meaning it wasinstageIII.

“Thatwas the hardmoment,”she said. “I had been taking it seriously already,but IknewIhad to search forthe best cancer care in the NewOrleans area and put everything Ihad into the journeyahead.”

Buchanan is part of agrowing trend: moreyounger adults arebeing diagnosed with colorectal cancer.Aldo Russo,MD, gastroenterologist at Ochsner Health Center -O’Neal in BatonRouge, said colorectal cancer nowappearstobethe deadliest cancer foradults under age50. That’s whynationalguidelines have loweredthe recommended agefor afirstcolonoscopy.

amine the colon and often remove polyps during the same procedure. If no polypsare found, apersoncan go up to 10 yearsbefore needing another colonoscopy.

“The test canseemintrusiveand intimidating, but therehavebeen many advances in sedation and equipment. A patientshouldn’tfeelanything during a colonoscopybecauseofthe techniques we usenow,” Dr.Russo said. “We’re not hereto make anyone uncomfortable. We’rehereto find and remove potential cancer.”

JasonBreaux, MD,surgicaloncologist at Ochsner LafayetteGeneral -Burdin Riehl, said, just likein Buchanan’scase, surgery is required forsome patients.Theseoperations canbenecessary if apolyp is cancerous,too large to be removedduring acolonoscopy, or if apatienthas a differenttype of malignantmassin the colon or rectum.

Indiana,” Buchanan said. “I felt something when Ilearned Iwas beingcared forby Leila.She wastruly wonderful.Ialways knewIwas in capable hands with her.”

“Wedosurgeries in aminimally invasive fashionwith small keyhole incisions and ascope. The techniqueshave evolved further into the useofrobotic technology. Ithink of it as computer-assisted surgerywithimprovedvisualization, dexterityand tissue handling. The surgery can be done very precisely,” Dr Breaux said.

JasonBreaux,MD

Surgicaloncologist

Dr.Mizrahi said one hallmark of colorectal cancer treatmentatOchsner MD Andersonisthe multidisciplinary team approach thatincludes everyone from nurses and radiation oncologists to surgeons and gastrointestinal specialists.Other professionals offer integrativeoncologyservices such as nutrition guidance, acupuncture, tai chi and yoga Buchanan has found relief in acupuncturetohelp treat neuropathythatdeveloped in her hands and feet after chemotherapy. Nowthatshe has no evidence of disease, she has followedDr. Mizrahi’s advice to getina sweat-producing exerciseatleast three to four times per week.

OchsnerLafayetteGeneral

“The acupunctureand the exercisehavehad wonderful impacts,” she said. “After you’ve gone through chemotherapyand felt likethe worstversion of yourself forsix months, just anormal dayfeels tremendous.”

PatientMelBuchanan,nowinsurvivorship,stands outsideOchsnerMDAndersonCancerCenter inNewOrleanswearingherportable chemotherapypump.

AldoRusso,MD Gastroenterologist

OchsnerHealthCenter-O’Neal

“Thereare people who should be screenedearlier or more frequently if they have genetic mutations or certain chronic conditions,”Dr. Russo said. “Genetic syndromes,aswell as conditions such as ulcerativecolitis and Crohn’sdisease, can put someone at ahigher risk of colon cancer.You canalsobeatahigher risk if you have afamily history of colon cancer,especially in afirst-degree relativeormultiple second-degreerelatives. If youhavethat family history,you need to be screened at least 10 yearsearlier than your youngest relativewho had colon cancer.”

While alternativescreening methods such as stool tests and DNA kits are available, Dr.Russo said the colonoscopy remainswhatdoctorscall the “goldstandard” becausephysicians candirectly ex-

Thatmeans patients have ashorter recovery time, withlesspain and a quicker return to normal life.

Dr.Breaux said most patients remain in the hospital forabout twodaysafter surgery,althoughsome go home even sooner.However,thatmay not be the end of treatment, depending on the diseasestage.

“Stage Iand most stage II casesdonot requirechemotherapyafter surgery,” Dr Breaux said.“In stageIII patients, where the cancer has spread to lymph nodes,they generally need chemotherapyfor about six months after surgery.”

Thatwas the treatmentplan forBuchanan, who received chemotherapy under the care of Jonathan Mizrahi, MD, gastrointestinal medical oncologist at Ochsner MD AndersonCancer Center in NewOrleans.She spokewithtwo other oncologists beforechoosing Dr.Mizrahi and wasoptimistic. But when she went to The Gayleand TomBenson Cancer Center forher first chemotherapysession, it felt likefate had truly intervened.

“The nurse who wasgiving my treatment said her name wasLeila.Tears came to my eyes.Mydaughterisnamed Leila, spelled and pronounced exactly thesame way. Shewas named after my grandmother,who Igrewupnexttoonafarm in

Dr.Mizrahi said he and his team are working to help other colorectal cancer patients feel the same way. Clinical trials inNewOrleansareunderwaytodetermine the efficacy of immunotherapies and other newtreatments.Inaddition, acolorectal liver metastases program offersindividualized care to patients whosecancer has spread beyond the colon andintothe liver

“Our clinical integration with MD Andersonelevatedwhatwewerealready doing in NewOrleans,” Dr.Mizrahi said. “It has broadened the varietyof clinical trials forpatients in NewOrleans and given us accesstotreatments thatare among the most advanced in the nation. Thatmightbeanew drug, anovelway of administering adrug or the timing of a drug thatcan improve outcomes.”

Despitethe challenges of the past year Buchanan is gratefulthatshe underwent her colonoscopywhen she did. Dr.Mizrahi noted thatwhen patients wait until symptoms appear –such as blood in the stool, abdominal pain, unexplained weightlossor changes in bowelhabits or stoolcaliber– it canindicate thatcancer is moreadvanced.

“Mel wasable to start treatmentearlier becauseher cancer wasfound beforeshe wassymptomaticand when therewere still multiple treatmentoptions,” he said.

“That’sexactly whywedothesescreenings. Ialsoremind people that there’s no age that’stoo young to alert your physician if something in your body changes or doesn’t feel right. Advocatefor yourself and don’t be embarrassed.”

“Melwasabletostart treatmentearlierbecause hercancerwasfoundbefore shewassymptomaticand whentherewerestillmultiple treatmentoptions.That’s exactlywhywedothese screenings.Ialsoremind peoplethatthere’snoage that’stooyoungtoalertyour physicianifsomethinginyour bodychangesordoesn’tfeel right.Advocateforyourself anddon’tbeembarrassed.”

JonathanMizrahi,MD Gastrointestinalmedicaloncologist OchsnerMDAndersonCancerCenter inNewOrleans

OchsnerHealthistheleadingnonprofithealthcareproviderinLouisiana,MississippiandacrosstheGulfSouth, deliveringexpertcareatits47hospitalsandmorethan370healthandurgentcarecenters.Tolearnmoreabout howOchsnerempowerspeopletogetwellandstaywell,visitochsner.org.

AdiagramofthecolonisshownbyJonathanMizrahi,MD,gastrointestinalmedicaloncologist,OchsnerMDAndersonCancerCenterinNewOrleans.

Your partner in orthopedic excellence

| Hand,Shoulder&ElbowSurgery

AttheOchsnerAndrewsOrthopedicsandSportsMedicineInstitute,every decisionwemakeisfocusedonhelpingourpatientsmoveforward.Fromthe latesttechnologytothedepthofourexpertise,ourteambringselitecare, cutting-edgeresearch,andadvancedtrainingtothecommunitiesweserve. Yourrecovery,goals,andqualityoflifedriveeverythingwedo—andwe moveforwardwithyou,everystepoftheway.

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CharlesCefalu,Jr.,MD

Anothermeaning

Acadiana couple takeson Louisiana storiesthat don’t fitthe cultural mold

BY LAUREN CHERAMIE

Staff writer

At Louisiana weddings, when Ronnie Milsap’s1980 song “If YouDon’tWantMe To”comes on, somethinghappens. People flood the floor,line up and at aprecise moment —they freeze.

Nobody knows why.

The song has no reference to anything cold or frozen. The songwriters and producers didn’teven know about the line dance sensation untilthe early 2000s. And yet, somewhere in Louisiana, atradition wasborn that is now so embedded in the culture that at least one family believes if the Freeze isn’tplayedata wedding, the marriage will fail.

Allison Bohl DeHart andPeter DeHart want to find out why

That question —why —isthe premise of the DeHarts’ latest documentary

As spouses, parents, designers, musicians and creatives,the two founded makemade in Lafayette, adesign studio that works on film production, photography, graphicdesign,exhibition design, branding, animation, illustrationand web design. They are rooted in widening the lens of what people believeLouisiana culture is, including the stories that make up the state.

Their focus is to elevate voices that might otherwise go unheard

“We’re usuallyinterested in people that are more or less not boundbythe classic genre boundaries that Louisiana culture gets put in,” Bohl DeHart said.“We like the people and themusic and the art that blurs those boundaries.

Both creativesare quick to point out that they aren’tCajuns —and in astate wherecultural identity runs deep and complicated, that distinction matters.

“The big questionindocumentary is, ‘Why are you the one to tell this story?’ Youhave to really askyourself that on a deep level and havean answer that’svalid, because these things takealong time,”

Bohl DeHart said

The DeHarts’ graphicdesign work with Route Lafayette,incollaboration withthe Council for the Development of French in Louisiana, focused on incorporating more Louisiana French aroundthe city.

“Neither of us speaks Louisiana French fluently,but Ialways saythat you don’t have to be fluent in alanguage tochampion it,” DeHart said

That sentiment resonates beyond Cajun French. The DeHarts may not have extreme roots in southLouisiana, but that doesn’tmean they can’t highlight the cul-

ture.

Acommon theme in their work is legacy.Their film projects usually center around people who are trying to find deep understanding.

DeHart says he and his wife don’tmake it agoal to purposely highlight the older generation,but it’s somethingthat comes up often. They don’tcreatemany films that center around coming-of-age stories.

They saytheir work comes from a place of curiosity —and ashared understanding that aproject could take up to 10 years to complete.

“Wehelp each other through thatunknown in agood way,” BohlDeHart said.

“A lotofpeople that we bring on, or come work with us,have that same kind of shared understanding thatstoriesabout this area take alongtime to understand, because it’s kind of amisunderstood area.”

For their research on theFreeze line dance, the DeHarts consulted John “Pudd” Sharp, the assistant director for research at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Center for Louisiana Studies. Sharpisafolklorist who writes grants, workswith film andvideo restorationand digitization. He says the DeHarts are “special storytellers” who can showcase stories that otherwise may be taken for granted —likethe Freeze.

“There areall these things thatyou wonder about withthat dance and the

song,” Sharp said. “They are trying to get to thebottom of it, and it’sanice exploration of somethingthat’sbeen hidden in plain sight that no one really has agood answer to.”

He, too, is enamored withthe origin story of the line dance, especially considering that the song has no “instruction” fordance —suchaswith “Cupid Shuffle.”

“I’vebeen at multiple weddings where there’salive band —ofveryaccomplishedand highly sought-aftermusicians —and people are sitting and watching them playmusic,” Sharp said. “As soon as they take abreak, the DJ puts on the Freeze, andthe whole crowdjumps up and runs to the dance floor.Itissuch astrange phenomenon in aplace known for live music and the love of live music.”

Pastprojects from theDeHarts include “Sallie’sAshes,”afilm focusedon three grandmas from Alabamawho fight for the removal of atoxic coal ashpit in their city,and “Ancestral Artistry,” a documentaryabout the influenceofAfricans and Creoles of ColoronLouisiana architecture —madewiththe Louisiana Architecture Foundation, Conni Castille and C.E. Richard. For theshort fiction film “17YearLocust,” BohlDeHart received the #CreateLouisiana French Culture Film Grant. Thestory followsa Haitian immigrant and Cajun woman who find connection in south Louisiana. Becca Begnaud, of Lafayette, is in thefilm. When several creativesare

LONG STORy SHORT

Winningat parallel parking

Between the time Iwrite this and the time you read it, Iwill have had abirthday Ilove my birthday.I love the excuse to gather people, to make something out of an ordinary weekend, to celebrate being alive with people Iadore.

Years ago, Itook the pressure off my husband of planning my birthday festivities, and he has never once complained about that decision. Iworked 17 years as a professional event planner —parties come easily to me. Handing him the party planning baton was genuinely unfair.I do the planning, and he helps abundantly

It’s an arrangement that works beautifully forboth of us. Through the years, Ihave had a lot of funwith it —especially the big decade birthdays.

For my 40th, Ifulfilled alifelong dream.I hired aband, borrowed ared sequined dress, and forone night and one night only,I was abackup singer.Inanoutdoor kitchen south of Lafayette, Isang backup to VanMorrison’s“Brown Eyed Girl” and James Taylor’s “Shower the People.”

For my 50th, we rented multiple cabins at astate park near my hometown in Mississippi. Friends came from near and far, and my sweet parents organized an oldfashioned field day —the kind my dad used to put together for the townwhere Igrew up. It was ablast.

My dad was in his heyday in complete drill-sergeant mode, bossing people around. We competed to see whocould pick up marbles with their toes and drop them into abucket. We tossed pretzel sticks into ashower cap covered with shaving cream like it wasanOlympic sport. My dad always madewhatever competition we werecompeting in feel like an Olympic sport.

For my 60th, Ihired adifferent kind of band and acaller,and we had acontra dance. On one of those Louisiana days that can only be described as perfect, there are moments from that afternoon spinning, swinging, dosi-do-ing and surrounded by love —that will stay with me as someofmy favorite memories of my whole life.

So this year (which is not a decade birthday,just aperfectly good birthday), Iwas torn about the best way to celebrate. We have alot going on right now living in arental house while we rebuild our homeafter afire. Work is full. I’mteaching ajournalism class at LSU. Like mosteveryone else, we have acombination of responsibilities that make liferich and complicated and occasionally overwhelming. Icouldn’tcome up with aparty

an Rishe

STAFF PHOTO By LESLIE WESTBROOK

Husbandand wife PeterDeHartand Allison Bohl DeHartare pictured recently at The Learning Lab in Lafayette

PROVIDED PHOTO

Becca Begnaud, of Lafayette, worked withAllison and Peter DeHartonthe film ‘17year Locust.’

STAFF PHOTO By JANRISHER

ASK THEEXPERTS

La.nativeishelping students acethe ACTinSt. Helena

BY JOYHOLDEN Staff writer

Shiyecca Singleton,director of special programs and initiatives andtesting coordinator for the St. Helena Parish school district, has worked in education in St.Helena since 2011. Although aGreenwood, Mississippi, native, Singleton has invested in Louisiana education for the last 15 years

Singleton started out as ahigh schoolEnglishteacheratSt. Helena College and Career Academy

Her journey continuedasamaster teacher andthen as an assistant principal for four years before joining the district. As director of special programs and initiatives, Singleton has led the charge to partner with ACT prep program

TopTutors for Us.

St. Helena Parish, arural parish with only three schools,joined forces with TopTutors forUs, an equitable test preparation system that focuses on improving Black and Brown students’ test scores, which helps them earn scholarships and access to more universities.The program was founded by Angelica Harris, aLouisiana native who developed her own test prepsystem after raising her ACT score from 16 to 32 and earning $1.5 million in scholarships. TopTutors for Us specializes in test prep tutoring to meet individual needs of students

This interview was edited for length and clarity

What has been your experience withSt. Helena students in testing prior to utilizing TopTutors for Us?

In the years I’ve beenthere, I started out seeing alot of growth. We had adesigned ACT prep plan.

Just in using that prep program andlive instruction daily,wesaw so much growth.

As the years progressed, we introduced ACT Workkeys (assessments measuring essential, real-world workplaceskills)

Everyone is required to take the ACT,but not everybodywants to go to apostsecondary university We extended to Workkeys to give them accesstocareer readiness.

As the years progressed and teachers transitioned outofthe program, that strength became a

ANOTHER

Continued from page1y

working on aproject, Begnaud says the group sometimes needs aperson who reigns everyone in. Bohl DeHart was the ring leader and troubleshooter for “17 Year Locust,” Begnaud said. “She kept things in order.She would oversee what was going on, and she could pull the pieces together,”she saidofworking with Bohl DeHart on “17 Year Locust.” “In all the filmsthat I’ve worked on in allthese years, Ifelt very calm that nothing was going to be forgotten on a professional level, because Iwalked into that as anonprofessional.”

The DeHarts alsore-

PHOTOS ShiyeccaSingleton, director of special programs and initiatives and testing coordinator for the St. Helena Parish schooldistrict

weakness, and we sawACT scores drop off. Once COVID came, schoolsstartednot requiring it, and the focus shifted.

Ouraverage score has dropped to a14.3, which is below the state average, so we at thedistrict space have hadthose conversations of, “What can we do?”

Howdid thepartnership withTop Tutors for Us come about?

Angelica reached outtothe district, and the superintendent forwarded me the information.I reached out to herand had along conversation about the ways Top Tutors forUssupportsthe learners. Icalled our grants manager who had worked with Angelica in the Orleans Parish schools. In goingthrough the design of the program, we all agreed that it would be agood fit for our school. Youcan keep trying certain things,but when you’re not seeing the results, you have to be willing to trysomething else. What we like in particularis how they assign the tutors. We do high-dosage tutoring on small groups of three to four learners.

Having tutors who know ACT, but also have demonstrated that they themselves can perform well, really helps withbuy-in.

Howhaveyou integrated the program into the St. Helena College and Career Academy?

leased “Bending Lines,”a filmabout sculptorRobert Wiggs in Lafayette. Wiggs, whopassed away in 2015, wasn’tfrom Lafayette, but he spent mostofhis life here.

“He’sstill partof Louisianalandscape. Almost all thesculptures we have in Lafayette are his, so he’s part of Lafayette,” DeHart said Because the DeHarts didn’tgrow up in south Louisiana, much likesome of their characters, they notedthattheyrelateto those stories because they cansee themselves in the subject matter.Their professional goal is always to make afilm that connects to national and international audiences andmotivates people to learnmoreabout the state.

Q&A WITH SHIyECCA SINGLETON DIRECTOROFSPECIALPROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES

We started this spring semester in lateJanuary.Wehave three sections of kids. Some of our learners took the ACTinFebruary and some took it two weeksago. We’re excited to see theresults. One of ourlearners, it was her first time taking it in February, and she scored a21. We are very proud of her

What do you envision as an outcome of using the program?

While we’renot expecting 15-point gains, we are looking for growthand getting our kids to understand the value of taking the ACT. We want to seerealisticgrowth and increase their exposure. We’restill pushing them to take advantage of opportunitiesto register even when they are not obligated in thefall andspring at

The duo says Lafayette is aspecial place to make these films, because the city is fullofpeople who are multidisciplinary creatives. There may be a CEO who is also afiddler or afilmmaker who is also a musician.

Bohl DeHart said the collaborative nature of the creativesinLafayette makesitastrong place for connections.

“I didn’tknow thatstaying in one place would be so fruitful,” she said. “If you think about the connections youmaketothe community andthe people,what can develop and flourish long termissomuch more fruitful than shallowconnections everywhere else.”

Email Lauren Cheramie at lauren.cheramie@ theadvocate.com.

RISHER

school. They have national testing all year long, and they have two fee waivers to take it on their own. What makes TopTutorsfor Us different than other programs?

One of the questions we asked was, “Doyou have ahybrid model?”

The learners can log in, and they can be in their small groups, but they still need face-to-face time. We’re realistic aboutour learners. We know ourlearners.

TopTutors cameinand gave their assessment to determine the needs of the individuals so they could properly place them with the tutortheyneeded to be with —working on the specific content they need the most support on. They build on that data.

So it’s different, because in a day-to-day classroom, there’s

around.

Continuedfrom page 1y

idea that felt right for the moment. I’vebeen thinking alot lately about what some are calling the “post-luxury shift”—the idea that some people are done with spectacle and hungry for somethingreal and alittle ridiculous. Even with that insight, I was stumped on this year’s party. That is, until last week, when we were on vacation in ayurt,and theidea hit me —Ihad seen someone online having this very competition in front of their homeonthe West Coast Iamhaving aParallel Parking Party —onaTuesday.The weekends were just too full all theway

curriculum youhave to teach everyone. Youhave to embed those scaffolds and differentiate for various learners. Even if you’re amasterofyourcontent,thatis still hard fora group of 15 to 20 students.

Thetutorsworkwiththe learners online and also cometothe school for in-personinstruction. How do you hope this initiative raises ACT scores for St.Helena students?

Aside from looking to see growth,we’re hoping that we do see aconfidence in testingand thatmotivationtokeep going. Whenwecan build that with the current group, the juniors andseniors, the youngerlearners seeit, andit’slike adomino effect. Email Joy Holdenatjoy.holden@ theadvocate.com.

Ihave created rules —no cameras and no driverassisted parking. Ihave secured multiple orange traffic cones. Ihave confirmed judges with measuring tapes, yardsticks, painters’ tape and clipboards.

With the help of my husband, we will have appropriately themed street food.

The response from friends has been something else entirely.Turns out, manypeople believe in their parallel parking abilities with their whole hearts. Maybe they are hungry for something real and alittle ridiculous, forthe joy of a specific, unglamorous skill being taken seriously on a Tuesday evening.

One friend is rearranging atrip —rearranging an actual trip —because she is so certain she will prevail

in this competition. People are trash-talking their unknowncompetition. At least adozen people are certain they will win. Maybe parallel parking is one of the last things we do without an audience —or even the possibility of an audience. There’snoscoreboard —noone watching other than cars that pass or wait. People rarely see how good any of us are at it. Until now Lifeisfull. We steal celebration and laughter where and when we can find them.Atthis stage of life, aTuesday evening surrounded by people we love —defending their honor over parallel parking —might be exactly the right kind of party

Email Jan Risheratjan. risher@theadvocate.com.

NewOrleans-nativeAngelica Harris, center,founded TopTutors for Us, atest-prep companythat aims to help students of color getinto top colleges and earnscholarships.

PROVIDED

MardiGrascrash victim mayqualify forParalympics

BY KASEY BUBNASH Staff writer

After more than amonth spent surrounded by doctors and therapists in two different hospitals, one of the first places Adam Sivia wentwhen he was released was thegym.

“I just cried the whole time,” he said. “Everything— it really hit me once Igot out the hospital.”

Sivia’slife changed forever on Mardi Gras theyearwhenheand afriend, former Saints player Pierre Warren, were hit by acar outside aMid-City gas station. It was Feb. 16, 2021, and Sivia and Warren were standing outside the Tulane Avenue store when aman pulling into aparking spot failed to stop, pinning Sivia againstthe building before reversing and driving off.

Warren madeitout with cuts andbruises, but Sivia’slegswere crushed. He lost so muchblood that he flatlined, and doctors had to amputate both of his legs from just above the knee down to stop thebleeding.

After aweek in intensivecare at UniversityMedical Center and about three weeks at TouroRehabilitation Center,Sivia was back at home in awheelchair.A longtime athlete whoplayedcollege football at Wisconsin’sCarroll University, coached at Lusher CharterSchool (now The Willow School) and had recently joined alocal rugby team, Sivia wasn’t sure he’d everbeable to play sports again.

He was still strugglingwith the basic tasks of daily life

So that first day out of thehospital, Sivia went to the gym,hoping to find some sense of familiarity and peace of mind.

He never stopped going, instead making gyms like West Bank Athletic Club and Body Doctors ahomeawayfrom home. He regained hisstrength and learned how to walk and lift weights with prosthetic legs.

Sivia’shours in the gym eventually led him toregister for sporting events geared toward athletes with disabilities, and the return to competition gave him anew sense of purpose and hope.

In the years following, Sivia quit teaching to train practically fulltime. He qualifiedto join this year’sU.S. Para PowerliftingNational Team and now, ranked at 18th in the world, he’s setting his sightsonthe 2028 Summer Paralympics in Los Angeles

Shanda Gentry, chief academic officer at FirstLine Schools, where Sivia worked foryears, said it’sbeen an inspiration to watch Sivia turn a traumaticexperience into anew opportunity

“Ifhecan be this positive after being an athlete andlosing his legs,the rest of us really just need to getittogether,”Gentry saidwith alaugh.

‘I candoanything’

Gentry was the school director at Arthur Ashe Charter School when Sivia was hit in 2021. He was teachingkindergarten there, and Gentry,aself-described “mama bear,” said she wasdevastated when sheheard the news.

“It was almost like one of my ownchildren had been injured,” shesaid.

Gentry and other Arthur Ashe and Lusher staffgot to workrallying financial and emotional supportfor Sivia,whose family was battling awinterstorm andlingering coronavirus restrictions on the way to New Orleans from Sivia’shome state of Illinois.

Just surviving thecrash wasa feat, so Gentry saidshe was surprised when four months later Sivia toldher he was readytocome back to teach summer school.She wasn’t sure returning to work so soon was agood idea, but seeing Sivia interact with thestudents

quickly changed hermind.

Kids aren’tafraid to ask questions, and Gentry saidSivia responded with honesty about the new challenges he wasfacing. And, of course, with asense of humor

“Sitting here thinking about Adam,” Gentrysaid, “heisthe life of theparty whether he haslegs or not.”

Establishing aroutine early on in his recovery is ultimately what helped Siviaget back on track. He taught kindergarteninthe fall followingthe crash. Around that same time, he decided to attend aDream Team Prostheticscamp in Oklahoma for people who had lost both legs abovethe knee, a surgery known for its difficult recovery

Sivia was still largely reliant on his wheelchair when he showed up at thecampthat September After, he didn’tuse it againfor the next year anda half.

“Itreally just put my mindset

from,‘Ican’tdothis’ to ‘I can do anything, it just looks different now,’” he said.

An Olympic odyssey

Afterayear teaching kindergarten and another year in PE, Sivia quit to competeand work as apersonal trainer,ajob that he said keeps him in the gym constantly He competes in events around theworld, including Egypt, Canada and, next up, Ireland, and has afew sponsorshipsand support from Team USA. There’sstill work to do, though. To qualify forthe next summer Paralympics,Sivia said he’ll have to rank among thetop eight parapowerliftersinthe world

Butwhether he makes it or not, Sivia and his story continue to influence those around him

In February,hemade trips to several FirstLine Schools sites, wherehetalked to special education students about his crash, recoveryand powerlifting journey Referring to himself as “halfrobot,” he showed the kids his most high-tech prosthetics —the ones thathave microprocessingpowered knees —and beat countless students in pushup competitions and let them try to pick up a45-pound weight.

Tiffany Willis, director of special education at FirstLine Schools,worked with Sivia when he was ateacher and invited him to speak at the schools to help motivate kids to get through state testing —and all the studying that comes with it. Each year, the school systemchooses a “mentor,” usually in the form of afamous professional athlete or public figure, who has overcome hardship to achieve their goals

But, this year,Willis thought of Sivia. Why pick LeBron James when there’sa heroright hereat home?

“Itwas reallyinspiringfor the students to see that, knowing they couldpossiblydothe same thing,” Willis said.

Email KaseyBubnash at kasey bubnash@theadvocate.com.

With thousands of Shellmen andwomen across thestate,we areworking everyday to reduce emissions, while increasing efficiencyinour operations

Our tomorrowdependsonwhatwedotoday.Together, we arepoweringprogressfor abrighterfuture. Louisiana is where we live and we’reproud to call it home.

PROVIDED PHOTOByADAMSIVIA

Adam Sivia liftsweight in the gym, training for powerlifting competitions.

FAITH & VALUES

Convent of Leonardo’s ‘Last Supper’ still active

Dominican friars continue to live, pray and welcome visitors

BY MARÍA TERESA HERNÁNDEZ Associated Press

MILAN — The Rev. Paolo Venturelli never gets too close when he visits Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper.” The Dominican friar prefers to stand away from the wall where it was painted, on the opposite side of the room once used by members of his order for meals.

“From there, the painting looks as though it were painted in the middle of the refectory,” said Venturelli of the masterpiece depicting the Gospel story of Jesus’ final meal with his apostles. “It unleashes all kinds of human and spiritual reactions.”

He lives in Santa Maria delle Grazie, a convent and basilica in Milan where Leonardo worked in the 1490s at the request of Ludovico Sforza, then ruler of the city

“The Last Supper,” which illustrates the biblical account of Jesus announcing that one of his apostles will betray him, is located in the convent’s original refectory Such rooms still serve as dining spaces where monastic communities gather for food, prayer and reading. Yet at Santa Maria delle Grazie it is no longer part of the friars’ daily life.

After the Napoleonic suppression of religious houses in the 18th century, the refectory passed into state hands. Today it is known as the Cenacolo Vinciano and is managed by Italy’s Regional Directorate of Museums of Lombardy

“We don’t go often because we have to ask permission to enter,” said Venturelli, who can stay inside for only 15 minutes like any other visitor because of preservation rules.

“It no longer belongs to us.”

Living beside art

A dozen priests and nine novices make up Santa Maria delle Grazie’s current Dominican com-

munity Dressed in the iconic white robes associated with their order or brown hooded capes in winter — friars are regularly seen walking inside the basilica.

Not all tourists visiting the Cenacolo make a stop at its adjacent church. But among those who do, some look at Venturelli and the other friars with curiosity

“We just came from the cloister and saw one of the friars taking care of the garden,” said Maria Teresa Bruzzi, who traveled from Genoa with her husband in midFebruary

“We came to see Leonardo’s Last Supper but we also wanted to see the church because it’s quite special,” she added. “This is a Renaissance church that combines two styles and was very important for the Sforza family.”

According to Venturelli, visitors to the sanctuary are often blown away by its architecture

When they visit the chapel of Our Lady of the Grazie, they can

see that the beauty around them was built to give glory to the one who is beautiful in and of himself — God,” he said.

Tickets for the Cenacolo are often sold out and the museum is closed on Mondays, preventing last-minute visitors to Milan from seeing the painting. The basilica, in contrast, opens daily and welcomes those wishing to attend Mass or go to confession.

“Confessions are very much sought after and we maintain this service for the citizens of Milan but also for all visitors,” said the Rev Llewellyn Muscat, prior of the Dominican community at Santa Maria delle Grazie. Venturelli offers confessions to Italian-language speakers. Muscat can support those speaking English, Italian and Maltese, his mother tongue. And while other friars offer their services in French and German, the prior said they all make an effort to understand everyone

“We cannot hold back the graces that the Lord gives to each one of us,” Muscat said.

A life of study and prayer

Dominicans arrived at Santa Maria delle Grazie as the complex was being built in the 15th century However, the order had established an earlier presence in Milan. Those first friars’ devotion to St. Catherine of Siena is still visible in the basilica. Frescoes depict her alongside St. Catherine of Alexandria associated with the Dominican tradition of study and considered the patron saint of philosophers. That intellectual legacy is also evident inside the convent itself. A few steps away from the steady flow of tourists, dozens of shelves filled with books stand in the halls.

“Reading is part of our identity,” Muscat said. Neither he nor his fellow friars

follow a strict daily schedule. But study, prayer and their ministry shape their routine. Priests like him celebrate Mass on a regular basis and assist nearby parishes when clergy are needed. Others oversee the novitiate program, teach at local Catholic institutions, or collaborate with Santa Maria delle Grazie’s cultural center, which organizes conferences and events.

“We try to offer the spiritual push that people need,” Muscat said.

A bond beyond art

The fact that Leonardo was commissioned to paint “The Last Supper” inside a Dominican convent was no accident. Venturelli said most of his order’s refectories have this scene depicted on their walls And according to Muscat, it echoes Dominican principles.

“For us, it does not awaken an emotion about something that belongs to the past,” he said. “It is like a continuation in which we eat together with Jesus and his apostles, as though his words are also spoken to us.”

Muscat, like any other visitor who stands in front of Leonardo’s mural, feels deeply moved by it. In his case, however, it is not only the art but also a shared history that strikes a deeper chord.

The painting, like the convent that houses it, has endured centuries of upheaval and has required collective efforts to survive.

“‘The Last Supper’ is a call to my personal conscience and a call to the conscience of the order,” Muscat said. “Because here in the Grazie there are no individuals, but a community that works and welcomes.”

The order’s current refectory is housed away from tourists, deep inside the labyrinth-like convent where the friars find the quiet needed for reflection and prayer It is a modest, wide room, with several square tables instead of a long one, like the table depicted in “The Last Supper.”

It’s nice, Muscat said. But who knows, he added, maybe one day the old refectory will belong to them again.

The urban gardens that cultivate gender, climate justice

BY PETER YEUNG Contributing writer

Editor’s note: This story created by Peter Yeung for Next City 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.

Up in the lung-busting altitudes of Quito, Ecuador’s capital city, 71-year-old Maria Achiña and 70-year-old Alegria Irua are busy digging up soil and plucking weeds from their modest allotment of kale, onions, broccoli and cilantro.

The green-fingered pair are part of a group of local women who till the land beside the neighborhood’s health clinic, which is free to them under the city’s celebrated participatory urban agriculture project focused on gender, climate and food justice.

“It gives us good food to eat and a bit of income to help pay the bills,” says Achiña, who lost both her husband and daughter in recent years. “And besides us old ladies, we need to fill our time with something.”

The plot is one of thousands across Quito that have been created since 2002 under the Participatory Urban Agriculture Program, a municipal scheme that supports the growing of organic food for household sales and selfconsumption.

To date, some 21,000 urban farmers have been trained and provided with technical assistance in Quito. But gender justice and women’s empowerment are central to the program.

While anyone can participate, the agriculture program prioritizes vulnerable populations, such as victims of domestic violence, female heads of household who are unemployed, elderly women, people who are disabled and refugees. As a result, women in vul-

nerable situations represent 84% of participants who are trained in agroecology, farm animal husbandry, food processing and entrepreneurship to improve livelihoods and increase food security.

“This is about the right to food,” says Alexandra Rodríguez Dueñas, the coordinator of the agriculture program “In Quito, food is often seen as the responsibility of women within households. By supporting urban farming, we are supporting women.” Sitting high in the foothills of the Andes at around 9,000 feet altitude, Quito is surrounded by mountains with only two access roads. Its geographic position means it is vulnerable to external food supply disruption, making urban agriculture programs crucial.

Proponents say locally resilient urban food systems like Quito’s,

which promote agriculture based in and around cities, not only aid vulnerable groups and battle food poverty, but also cut the climate toll of food production, maintain cultural traditions of farming, boost the consumption of healthy foods and even encourage socializing.

While the green trend for citygrown food is more recent, Quito’s urban agriculture project dates back decades to Ecuador’s economic crisis in the 1990s, which saw a switch of currency from the sucre to the dollar, instantly devaluing local salaries and forcing many into food insecurity Some 48% of the population were then living below the poverty line.

“Urban agriculture was our strategy to create access to food,” says Dueñas. Over the years, more than 4,000

allotments have been created: urban farming on roof terraces, greenhouses within the city center larger farms on the outskirts of Quito, peri-urban and rural farms that supply inner-city residents.

The urban gardens produce about 4.3 million pounds of organic food per year Many of the gardeners sell their organicallygrown food in over a dozen weekly city markets known as “bioferias” that provide a sales point for producers.

Agostina Beatriz Chicaiza, 69, and Maria Gladys Chicaiza, 52, run a farm together in the suburbs of Quito. The pair earns up to $200 per week by cultivating organic crops like broccoli, cauliflower, corn and potatoes, which are sold at a bioferia in the city

“It provides us with a better income than many other people receive,” says Agostina

Each participant gains an average of $175 of extra income per month through the project, roughly 3.5 times the amount of human development funding invested by City Hall, according to Laine Young, a researcher at Wilfrid Laurier University’s Laurier Centre for Sustainable Food Systems, who studied the Quito scheme

“AGRUPAR is an incredibly empowering project for women across the city, but it is also impactful for people experiencing classism, racism and ableism,” says Young. “It has also been extremely effective in helping lowincome people from Quito have food security and maintain an income.”

In an attempt to balance the books, the project is also run by CONQUITO, a private agency set up by the municipality in 2005. Under it, there is an aspect of cost-sharing where participants pay for training and technical assistance at an affordable rate ($1 to attend general training and $2 for bespoke support, including site visits).

“This helps participants to work towards economic independence,” adds Young.

Pierre Paul Audate, of the National Institute of Public Health of

Quebec who carried out a study in 2019 comparing urban agriculture in Montreal and Quito, argues the major achievement is how Quito made the initiative part of its city planning. The rules regarding urban agriculture are often not clear in many cities across the world, explains Audate, hampering the rollout and scale-up of farms.

“Quito’s project has been a huge success,” he says. “When you look at Montreal, these are mostly small-scale initiatives doing it by themselves. But in Quito, urban agriculture has been made part of the public policy of the city.”

Yet securing the overall economic sustainability of the project is still a challenge that lies ahead.

“While it has good practices regarding payment for training and technical assistance to keep the support going, the agriculture program is still very dependent on governmental funding,” Young explains.

There is also a “significantly larger population that needs support than the agriculture program has the capacity for,” considering the large population of Quito and the high poverty and malnutrition rates in the city, according to Young. She believes that the project capacity could be increased by forging partnerships with other city departments.

And even advocates like Dueñas admit that, due to land availability and the climate, Quito can only produce a fraction of the food it requires But ongoing developments have seen the importance of urban agriculture for the city underlined further, with food recently integrated into the Quito Climate Action Plan for 2050. In the meantime, Quito’s efforts to cultivate a sustainable and just urban food system are bearing fruit.

“Before I didn’t know how to cultivate a thing, not even cilantro,” says Susana Sacancela, 44, who owns a 21/2-acre farm where they grow lettuce, cherries and herbs to be sold to neighbors and at city markets.

“Now the power is in my hands.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MARÍA TERESA HERNÁNDEZ

Worshippers attend Mass on Feb 15 at the Basilica of Santa Maria delle Grazie, best known as the home of Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘The Last Supper,’ in Milan, Italy

PHOTO PROVIDED By PETER yEUNG

Urban farm plots are beside a neighborhood health clinic in Quito, Ecuador

SUNDAY, MArch 29, 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 — ForsAKen: for-SAYkin: Renounced or abandoned.

Average mark 33 words Time limit 60 minutes

Can you find 55 or more words in FORSAKEN?

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

Overbid, overplay

North’s double of five hearts was not a pure penalty double. It was a “card showing” double and South had to decide whether to play for penalties or bid on. They would not have gotten rich defending five hearts, but at least they would have gone plus This deal was played recently in Chile and South, Jose Robles, had his hands full trying to make five spades.

Robles ruffed the opening heart lead and cashed the ace of spades, getting the bad news He led a low club to dummy’s queen and East’s king. East did not have an attractive play so he continued with the ace and another club.

Robles reasoned that East would not have done that if he had another heart to play, so it looked like West’s starting distribution was 0-9-2-2 Robles led a diamond to dummy’s ace and continued with the jack of diamonds.

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: LOVE MATTERS

(Example: Rolling Stone magazine ranked the song “Can’t Help in Love” No. 403. Answer: Falling.)

FRESHMAN LEVEL

1. What calendar date is set aside for an annual celebration of romance and love?

Answer________

2. Song title: “Love Is a Many-Splendored ______.”

Answer________

3. Complete the 1963 James Bond film title: “From with Love.”

Answer________

4. What is platonic love?

Answer________

5. In what 1994 Disney film is the song “Can You Feel the Love Tonight”?

GRADUATE LEVEL

Tannah Hirsch welcomes readers’ responses sent in care of this newspaper or to Tribune Content Agency inc., 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, Ny 14207. E-mail responses may be sent to gorenbridge@ aol.com. © 2026 Tribune Content Agency

East played low and so did Robles! That pinned the 10 and Robles was in charge. He might have played a diamond to the nine, but he needed to take the spade finesse also. He could have done this differently, but he chose to lead a diamond to the king, ruff his last diamond in dummy, and then lead a spade to his 10. Very well played!

ARIES (March

transpire

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) A physical reaction to a shift taking place will require restraint. Slow down and consider the outcome before you launch your response. Choose to nurture love, not to test it.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Fix what’s dragging you down. Simplify your actions and words, and you’ll

regain focus and the ability to use your strengths and connections.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Keep your emotions hidden. Choose selfimprovement over criticizing others. Let your intelligence be your calling card.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Design your routine to meet your demands. Take responsibility and gather information that helps you coordinate and streamline your time and effort.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Share your feelings, intentions, and emotions.

Make kind gestures and exhibit honesty and integrity Don’t hold back with those you encounter throughout your day

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Before implementing a personal change, doyourhomework Agive-and-take attitude prioritizing equality will help you maintain the status quo and fnd the best path forward.

SCORPIO (Oct 24-Nov. 22) A new venue will stimulate your senses and give you plenty to digest Traveling, engaging in educational pursuits and meeting new people will

The 1998 film “__ in Love” won seven Oscars, including Best Picture.

What is a bromance?

The name of this Italian

spill over into how and where you reside.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Have fun, and something magical will transpire. Less talk and more action will help you evolve into the person you aspire to be.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Listen to suggestions, and opportunities will follow. An adjustment to how you earn or use your money will lead to profit. Put your ego aside and posture yourself for success.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Apply pressure where it counts. You can

turn something you enjoy doing into a new beginning. Make strategic moves. PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Accept invitations that can help you make new acquaintances Step outside your comfort zone, and you’ll discover what you can do to support yourself and build a better social infrastructure.

The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2026 by NEA, inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

goren Bridge

1. Feb. 14 (Valentine's Day).2.Thing.3.Russia.4

Intimate butnon-sexual love. 5. "The Lion King." 6. Shakespeare. 7. Aclose, nonsexualfriendship between men. 8. Casanova. 9. Eyes. 10. Victoria. 11. "How do Ilove thee? Let me countthe ways." 12. Honor.13. Anne Boleyn. 14. "Romeo and Juliet." 15.Aphrodite.

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: If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it wouldbea merrier world. —J.R.R. Tolkien

jeFF mACnelly’sshoe/ by Gary Brookins &Susie MacNelly

FoXtrot/ by BillAmend

dustin /bySteve Kelley&JeffParker