The Times-Picayune 03-29-2026 by The Advocate

S&WB catchbasin plan gets cloggedup

Slowdown in cleaning tied to newfunding dispute

neighborhood

Higher ed leaders OK three-year bachelor’s degree

Acceleratedmodel will let students ‘get to work ayearfaster’

BY HALEYMILLER Staff writer

Louisianalast week became the latest state to joina burgeoning trend in higher education: the three-year bachelor’sdegree.

The credential,shortenedto“AccB,” is more than an associate degree, yet it requires 30 fewerhours in the classroom than atraditional bachelor’sdegree. It has been described by the state’shigher education leaders as “efﬁcient,” “lean” and “responsive” to industry as wellasthe evolving expectations placed on colleges and universities.

“Students can get to work ayearfaster,” said Liz Beard, provost andvice chancellor for academicaffairsatLSU at Alexandria, where Louisiana’s ﬁrst twodegrees in the accelerated model will be offered. “That’s acostsaving.That’sbeing respectful of our students and our graduates’ time and the commitmentittakes to be afull-timestudent.”

The Louisiana Board of Regents approved Tuesdaythe additionofthe stripped-down bachelor’sto its list of degrees. It is part of ongoing conversations

ä See DEGREE, page 3A

BY BENMYERS Staff writer

Alittle more than ayear ago, the Sewerage &Water Board took responsibilityfor NewOrleans’76,000 catch basins, the mundane but critical pieces of the city’sdrainage system that the Department of Public Workshad largelyfailedtomaintain for more than three decades. As part of adeal pushedbyGov Jeff Landry and state lawmakers, City Hall handed over equipment, cleaning trucks and some funding to the S&WB. In return, the utility began regularly cleaning catch basins and the smaller pipes that connect to them.

S&WB officials said they would aimtoclean aﬁfthofthe system every year,the ﬁrst proactive catch basin maintenance program in New Orleans in years.In2025, thousands

379 as of March 20, according to datacollected by theutilitytotrack itswork.

Statelawmakers to consider ban on prop bets

of catch basins werecleaned in an early sign of progress toward their goal. Thatprogress has stalled. After cleaning out9,000 catch basins in 2025, the S&WB has cleaned

At that pace, theS&WBwill clean just 2% of thecity’scatch basins this year,nowhere near its goal of 20%. Fewer cleaned-out catch basinsand stalledrepairs to adjacent drainage lines could leave partsof the city at greater risk of street ﬂoodingduringseveredownpours or tropical storms. The slowdown appearstobetied to anew funding disputebetween the S&WB and Mayor Helena Moreno’s administration.The administration is demanding the S&WB settle itsdebts to City Hall forwork performed on other projects, while theutilitysays thecityisn’t making good on its commitment to pay for catch basin maintenance.

Executive, philanthropist supports arts-related projects

BY JOHN POPE

David A. Kerstein, asoft-spoken lawyer, oil-company executive and philanthropist, does whatever he can to make all kinds of art accessibletoany and all people, and to preserve the New Orleansinstitutions that make that possible. As theleader of the Helis Foundation, the New Orleans-based philanthropy,hehelped WWOZ-FM ﬁnd anew home, installed public sculptures along Poydras Street, established admission-free days at museumsfor Louisiana residents andcreated asculpture garden in City Parktoshowcase theworks

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 could soon wadeinto the debate over whether those bets should still be allowed.

Prop bets are wagers that gamblers place on aspeciﬁc event or occurrence during agame, rather than just on theﬁnaloutcome.Theywould be outlawed under Senate Bill 354, which is on track to be considered in the Louisiana Legislature on Tuesday

ä See BETS, page 10A

DavidA.Kerstein, a philanthropist and executivededicated to promoting the arts and supporting New Orleans’ prized cultural institutions, is the recipient of The TimesPicayune Loving Cup STAFFPHOTO By BRETT DUKE

Acatch basin is missing acover on Orleans Avenue in NewOrleans on Monday.

STAFF PHOTOSByCHRIS GRANGER

Acatch basin is filledtothe brim with leaves, rocks and other debrisalong asidewalk in theLeonidas

of NewOrleans on Friday.

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.

Lee rose to fame after his testimony in Simpson’s 1995 trial, in which he questioned the handling of blood evidence.

Lee

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,

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.” 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.

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.

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.

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

“Wetalked alot 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,atthe Boardof Regentsmeeting. “Weneed to do it in ways that provide our campuses with ﬂexibility and nimbleness.”

Louisiana is notthe first state to opt for alean-andmean version of the postsecondary credential.Maine, Indiana and Utahhave encouraged reduced bachelor’sprograms 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,” 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 arguethey arelesscomprehensive and more resemble acertiﬁcation than abachelor’sdegree

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

“Itcertainly won’tbea one-size-fits-all, and it will notbeconducive 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 dis-

cipline-speciﬁc courses and general-education classes. The reduced course load comesfrom electives, LSUADean of STEM Nathan Sammons said

“Weare adding anew tool to the higheredtoolbox forseveral different career paths,” Sammons said.

“There will alwaysbea place fortwo-year degrees, Ithink there will alwaysbea placefor four-year degrees, butthere’sbeen aplace forthree-year degrees for awhile now, especially in industries that are rapidly shifting and as technology shifts with it.”

Thenew degree model

Only two programs, informationtechnologyand bioinformaticsatLSU-A, have been established asaccelerated bachelor’sprograms in the state so far.But other institutions saidthey will also explore usingthe shortened model

“Weembraceinnovation andlook forward to hearing fromthe campusesonpotential programs that could utilize andbeneﬁt from”the 90-hourdegree, Gallot said.

LSUsystemPresident Wade Rousse said in astatement that theprograms will most likely be used by the regional campuses.

“Atthe ﬂagship,we’ll measure excellence theway the worldmeasures it,bybecominga top50research institution,”Rousse said.

“Professional program curriculums belong at the ﬂagship,but as asystem, our regional campuses also play an important role by housing programs that provide lower costs, shortertimeto degree and speed to market forstudents. That’s whereI see the accelerated degrees thriving.”

At LSU-A, students can begintakingcourses in the90hour majorsasearly as fall 2026,thoughtheywillnot be abletodeclare themajor ofﬁcially until the following spring.

The programs requirethe ﬁnalsign-off fromLSU’saccreditation body,the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commissionon

Colleges,Sammons said.

Though theBoard of Regents policy allowssome flexibility with general education requirements, Sammons said LSU-A maintained thesame required 39 hours for both its accelerated and conventional bach-

elor’sdegrees

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

“That’sone of the major concerns we had going into

this,” Sammons said. “We don’twant 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 alittle bit about the natural history of this planet.”

LSU-A’s reduction in credit hours comes fromelectives rather than the general education core, Sammons said. The free electives accompanying atraditional bachelor’sdegree are not always efficient at preparing students for acareer in their ﬁeld, he said.

“We’re keeping tight control over thecoursesthat they take that aretailored specifically forthem, and we’re letting loose courses that students might have

chosen that might be loosely relatedtogetting them where they want to be,” Sammonssaid.

The Board of Regents policy givesguidance that majors mostﬁtting for the 90-hour model will be developed “in collaboration with industry partners, usually focused on ahigh-demand career ﬁeld.”

Beard said LSU-A evaluated ﬁelds experiencing both rapid technological change and jobmarketgrowth when choosing which programsto offer with 90 credit hours.

“This is higher ed done right,” Beard said. “It’srequestioning someofthe traditional models and keeping thethings that work, keeping that great core and foundation, but we’re not afraid to be innovative.”

PHOTO PROVIDED By LSU AT ALEXANDRIA

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

BY MISSY WILKINSON and WILLIE SWETT Staff writers

Thousands of protesters

gathered Saturday for New Orleans’ third installment of the nationwide “No Kings” rally, where speakers celebrated the movement’s momentum while looking ahead to midterm elections.

“The fight for justice is never ﬁnished,” said speaker Leona Tate, one of the ﬁrst Black children to desegregate public schools in 1960, as she addressed a crowd spread across the Lafitte Greenway

“A re you going to organize? Are you going to vote? Are you going to protect your neighbors?

Because this moment right here is your civil rights moment.”

The crowd rallied against the administration of President Donald Trump with American ﬂags, signs reading “Crush ICE” and “No War With Iran” and a Jazz Fest-caliber assortment of folding chairs before taking to the streets behind a banner emblazoned with the Declaration of Indepen-

dence’s right of revolution.

“People are hurting. These are voters, and they’re hurting,” said attendee Jessica Rareshide. “I’ve never seen a Congress behave like this, ever.”

Other cities in Louisiana that saw rallies included Baton Rouge, Covington, Slidell, Lafayette, Monroe, Shreveport and Alexandria.

On the northshore, hundreds gathered at the veterans memorial behind the St. Tammany Justice Center on Saturday and peacefully marched through downtown Covington

“This ‘No Kings’ is about honoring and supporting the constitution which every American upholds if you are a true citizen,” said Edwin Soule, 71, a protester from Hammond.

“I liked Trump when he descended the escalator but then he opened his mouth and I have disagreed with every single thing he’s said in the last 10 years,” said William Wilkerson, a Mandeville resident holding a large upside-down American ﬂag.

Membership donations and a grant from the American Civil Liberties Union funded the New Orleans event, and SigFest Events produced the New Orleans event pro bono, according

to organizer Beth Davis. The inaugural June 2025 march was followed by an October rally at Lafitte Greenway Launched on the eve of the U.S. Border Patrol’s “Catahoula Crunch,” that event catalyzed residents to mobilize mutual aid networks for undocumented immigrants, she said. Federal ofﬁcials set a goal of 5,000 Louisiana arrests.

Two months later the operation had netted just over 560 arrests. “Without ‘No Kings’ mo-

mentum, I think a lot more of our neighbors would have been swept up in Catahoula Crunch,” Davis said “The

STAFF PHOTOS By SOPHIA GERMER

Leona Tate speaks to a crowd of protesters during the ‘No Kings’ rally Saturday at the Lafitte Greenway in New Orleans

Damian CH performs in Spanish during the ‘No Kings’ rally Saturday at the Lafitte Greenway in New Orleans

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER Organizer Beth Davis watches a performance during the ‘No Kings’ rally Saturday at the Lafitte Greenway in New Orleans.

Protesters walk up Orleans Avenue during the ‘No Kings’ march Saturday in New Orleans.

Tate ‘The fight for justice is never finished’

‘NoKings’protestsdrawcrowdsacrossU.S.

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 tookcenter stage, withthousands of people standing shoulder-toshoulder to celebrate resistance to Trump’saggressive immigration enforcement.

Minnesota’sﬂagship event on the Capitol lawn in St. PauldrewBruce Springsteen as its headliner.Heand other speakers praised the state’speople for taking to thestreets over thewinter in opposition to asurgeof U.S. Customs andImmigration Enforcement agents. Springsteen performed “Streets of Minneapolis,” the song he wrote in response to the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Prettibyfederal agents. Springsteensaid the state’spushback against ICE has given the restofthe country hope.

“Your strength and your commitment told us that this was still America,” he said. “And this reactionarynightmare, and these invasions of American cities, will not stand.”

People rallied from New York City, with almost 8.5 million residents in asolidly bluestate, to Driggs, atown of fewer than 2,000 people in eastern Idaho, astate Trump carried with 66% of the vote in 2024.

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

In Topeka, Kansas,a rally outside the Statehouse had people impersonating afrog king and Trump as ababy Wendy Wyatt drovewith “Cats AgainstTrump” sign from Lawrence, 20 miles to the east, and planned to drive back to her hometown for alater rallythere.

Wyatt said “thereare so many things” about the

BY COLLEEN SLEVIN Associated Press

DENVER Five of the seven lawenforcementofficers in arural Colorado county, includingthe sheriff, have been indicted in an investigation into allegations of misconduct, prosecutors said Friday

Agrand jury indicted Costilla County Sheriff Danny Sanchezand former Deputy Keith Schultz on charges of allegedly mishandling human remains discovered in October2024, according to court documents.

Aman who found the remains and reported them to the sheriff’s ofﬁce said San-

eberman, executive director of theNew York Civil Liberties Union, said during a news conference that Trump and his supporters want people to be afraid to protest.

“They wantustobeafraid that there’snothing we can do to stop them,” she said.

“But you know what? They are wrong —dead wrong.”

Organizers said two-thirds of RSVPs for the rallies came from outside of major urban centers. That included communities in conservativeleaning states like Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Utah, South Dakotaand Louisiana, as wellinelectorally competitive suburbs in Pennsylvania, Georgia and Arizona.

Main eventatMinn. Capitol

Organizers designated the rally in St.Paulasthe national ﬂagship event.

Before Springsteen took

thatread “Put downthe crown, clown” and “Regime change begins at home.”

Demonstrators rang bells, played drums andchanted “No kings.”

Bill Jarcho was there from Seattle, joined by six people dressed as insects wearingtacticalvests that said, “LICE” —spoofing ICE, as part of what he called a “mock and awe” tour

“What we provide is mockerytothe king,” Jarcho said.

“It’sabout taking authoritarianism and making fun of it, which they hate.”

About 40,000 people marched in SanDiego,police there said.

In New York,Donna Li-

Trump administration that upset her, but this is very hopeful to me.”

GOP dismissive of protests

White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson characterized them as the product of “leftist funding networks” with little realpublic support

The“only people whocare about theseTrump Derangement Therapy Sessions are the reporters who are paid to cover them,”Jackson said in astatement.

The National Republican Congressional Committee was also sharply critical. “These Hate America Ral-

lies arewhere thefar-left’s most violent,deranged fantasies get amicrophone,” NRCC spokesperson Maureen O’Toole said.

Protesters’listofcauses Trump’simmigration enforcementpush,particularly in Minnesota, wasjust one item on along list of protester grievances that also included the war in Iran and therollbackoftransgender rights. Speakersatthe Minnesota rally decried billionaires’ economic power

In Washington,hundreds marched pastthe Lincoln Memorial and into the National Mall, holding signs

Colo.countyindicted

chez and Schultz took only the skulland leftthe other remains behind, includingteeth,court documents state.

Twomonthspassed before Schultz wrote areport, sayingheleft bones in abag on hisdesk and went on another call, the documents state. A coroner’sofficialsaidhe received the skull in an unlabeled paperbag from the sheriff’s office, the documentsstate.

Separately,Undersheriff Cruz Soto, Sgt. Caleb Sanchez —the sheriff’s son —and DeputyRoland Riley are charged in connectionwith the useofaTaser against aman whowas suf-

feringamental health crisis in February and tried to leave when theyinsisted he go to thehospital, according to thedocuments. The man said he was “roughed up” by deputies andwas left with broken ribs, according to the indictments.

Sotowas charged with failing to intervene and thirddegree assault,according to court documents. Caleb Sanchezand Rileywere charged with second- and third-degree assault.

In announcing theindictments, 12th District AttorneyAnneKelly saidshe’s committedtoinvestigating and prosecuting crimes no matter theoffender

PRINCIPAL/CEO SEARCH

TheWarrenEastonCharter High School Foundation seeks an exceptional educational leader to serveasPrincipal/Chief ExecutiveOfficer beginning inthe 2026-2027 school year

ThePrincipal/CEOreports to the WarrenEastonCharter Foundation BoardofDirectors and oversees academics, operations, finance, community relations,and resourcedevelopment.

Qualificationsinclude:

Master’sdegreeinEducational Leadership; minimumfiveyears school administration experience; Louisianaprincipal certification (oreligibility); demonstrated instructional leadership; experience with boardgovernance, charteraccountability,grant writing, fundraising, and teamleadership.

Applyby: Thursday,April 2, 2026,5 p.m.CTto WarrenEaston_Principal-CEOSearch@wechs.org

More information: warreneastoncharterhigh.org

WARRENEASTONCHARTER HIGH SCHOOL IS AN EQUALOPPORTUNITYEMPLOYER

the stage, organizers played avideo in which actor Robert DeNiro said he wakes up everymorning depressed because of Trumpbut was happier Saturday because millions of people were protesting. He also congratulated Minnesotans for running ICEout of town. The bill also included singer Joan Baez, actor Jane Fonda, Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and along listofactivists, labor leaders and elected ofﬁcials. Protesters held up amassive sign on the Capitolsteps that read, “Wehad whistles, they had guns. The revolution starts in Minneapolis.”

“Donald Trump maypretendthathe’snot listening, buthecan’t ignorethe millions in the streets today,” said Randi Weingarten president of theAmerican Federation of Teachers.

TheNewOrleansErnestN.MorialConventionCenter hasbeennamedaUSATodayTopWorkplace,anational recognitionthatreﬂects intentionalinvestmentin employees andaculture designed to supportboth professional growth andregionalimpact.

Fora venuethathas acentral role in Louisiana’s tourismand hospitalityeconomy,the honorcarries signiﬁcancebeyondtheworkplace.ConventionCenter Presidentand CEOJim Cook said it is avalidationof theconcept that delivering exceptionalexperiences forvisitorsbeginswithcreatingapositive,supportive environmentfor thepeoplebehindthe scenes.

“For ourlocalworkforce,itreinforces that the Convention Center is aplace whereemployees can buildrewardingcareerswhilebeingpartofsomething larger than themselves,supportingeventsthatdrive tourism,sustainlocalbusinessesandcreatejobsacross theregion,”Cooksaid.“Forthecommunity,ithighlights ourongoing commitmenttoworkforce development, economicgrowthandimprovingaccesstoopportunitiesthathelpNewOrleansremainavibrant,competitive destination. Sinceopeningin1985, theConventionCenterhas hadanestimated $93.2billion economicimpactand generated$6billion in stateand localtax revenue. In 2025,the venuewas responsiblefor $7.56million in operationalsmall business spending and$20.2 millionincapital smallbusinessspending. Cook said thevenue’semployeesatalllevelstakeprideinhaving aroleinthatimpact.

“Whenemployees feel supported, valued and equipped with theright toolsand training,theyare betterpositionedtoanticipateclientneeds,solvechallenges efficientlyand maintain thehighstandards required to host large-scaleevents,”hesaid. “A positive work environmentalsostrengthens teamwork accountability andconsistency acrossdepartments whichisessential in afast-pacedeventssetting.This focusonemployeeengagementandprofessionalgrowth helpsensuretheConventionCentercanprovideseamless experiences for meetingplanners, exhibitors and attendees,whilereinforcingNewOrleans’reputation as awelcoming,world-class destination.

At thesametime, Cook said Convention Center leadership hasmadeitaprioritytotakea holistic approach to employee well-being throughits Spice forLifeprogram,which supports physical,mental andﬁnancialwellness. Theprogram is in addition to acomprehensivebeneﬁtspackagedesignedtosupport employees in meaningful ways,bothatworkand in theireverydaylives

“It’sa reﬂectionofour belief that when ourpeople thrive,our organizationdoestoo,” he said That approach hashelpedbuild aworkforce that

tendstostay.TheConventionCentercurrentlyhas442 employeeswithacombined3,886yearsofserviceand anaveragetenureofjustundernineyearseach.Nearly 50teammembershavebeenattheConventionCenter formorethan20years.Cookattributedthatlongevity to theworkplace culture, growth opportunitiesand a widerangeofcareerpaths,withrolesavailableinsales ﬁnance,engineering,buildingtrades,humanresources, procurement/contracting,retail,graphics,production legal, architecture andsecurity

“Inrecentyears,theConventionCenterhasplaced astrongerfocus on employeeengagement, professional growth andcross-departmentcollaboration whilecontinuingtoprioritizeoperationalexcellence,” Cook said.“Expanded training opportunities, leadership developmentand recognitionefforts arehelping employees buildskillsand advancetheir careersin a fast-paced events environment.”

Specifically, theConventionCenter’sSkillsStudio offerschancesforemployeestoimproveinjob-specific areasand opensdoors to networking,professional conferences,certifications,executive coaching and leadership courses. Team membersalsobenefitfrom bilingualtraining,accesstoindustry-leadingspeakers andcontent,performanceconsultinganddepartmental teambuilding experiences

“It’sall designed to empowercontinuous learning buildconﬁdence andcreate clearpathwaysfor career growth,” Cook said CooksaidbeingnamedaUSATodayTopWorkplace comesatatimewhentheConventionCenterisplaying akeyroleinsomeofthemosttransformativeinitiatives inNewOrleans,includingtheheadquartershotelprojectand thedevelopment of anew neighborhood in the RiverDistrict. TheConventionCenterisalsoamid a multiphase $763 millionCapital ImprovementPlan to supportlong-termgrowthand modernization. At thesametime,itsstaffhasexpandedopportunitiesfor SmallandEmergingBusinessvendorstoparticipatein ConventionCenterevents.Since2023,theSEBConnect apphasincreasedvendorparticipationby176%,helping to strengthen thelocalsupplier network.

“Working at theConventionCenteroffersthe opportunitytobepartofanorganizationthatplays a meaningful role in thecity’ssuccess,”Cooksaid. “For thoseseeking adynamic environmentwithopportunities to buildskills, advancetheir careersand make alasting impact on

andLouisiana,the Convention Center provides astrongfoundationfor long-termsuccess. Visitmccno.com

CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS PHOTO By JENNA SCHWEIKERT

Ademonstrator wearing aRevolutionaryWar uniformholds an upside-down Betsy Ross U.S. flag Saturdayduring a‘No Kings’protest at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield,Ill.

LOSANGELES TIMESPHOTO By GENARO MOLINA

People gatherata ‘No Kings’ protest along PacificCoast Highway in Huntington Beach, Calif., on Saturday.

The catch basin issue comes as the S&WB is facing broader funding challenges, and a public outcry, due to a series of ruptured water mains in the separate system that delivers drinking water to New Orleans homes and businesses.

And it underscores the cascading problems faced by the utility across the three different systems that it manages — drinking water, drainage, and sewerage as well as the work that S&WB leaders, including Moreno, as president of the board, have ahead of them.

On Thursday, S&P Global downgraded the utility’s credit rating, noting “the water system’s persistent structural challenges, physical risk exposure and heightened uncertainty about SWBNO’s overall financial and operational trajectory.”

Administration and water board ofﬁcials both say catch basins remain a priority But the one thing needed to get the catch basin cleaning program up and running again — more money — isn’t readily available.

“We know progress has not moved as quickly as residents expect, and we share the urgency to get this work done,” said Chief Administrative Officer Joe Giarrusso in a prepared statement that stressed his team has been working to ﬁnd funding and move projects forward.

didn’t have a funding source. But another law dedicated a portion of the city’s traffic camera revenue to drainage maintenance, and the Cantrell administration cobbled together a few other sources

“Our focus is on making sure these long-standing drainage needs are addressed.”

S&WB spokesperson Ceara Labat said some additional contractor work on catch basins will begin next month, but she didn’t provide details as to how extensive that effort will be or how it will be paid for

Operations on hold

Catch basins and their associated pipes are what’s known as New Orleans’ “minor drainage system.” Located on nearly every street, they serve as the first line of defense in preventing street flooding by collecting stormwater and routing it into the larger pipes and canals that then feed to pumping stations where water is propelled out of the city City Hall assumed control of the system in 1992, after residents voted down a S&WB drainage millage. Catch basins occasionally became a priority after major floods or when one-time funding became available, but those efforts were limited to portions of the system and weren’t sustained.

The S&WB and city officials discussed putting the system back under one roof for years. But talks typically broke down over funding concerns. In 2024, however, Landry’s push for reforms led to a legislative package that consolidated drainage, even if it didn’t fully solve the funding concerns. Former Mayor LaToya Cantrell criticized the consolidation law because it

The total was a bit shy of the $20 million the S&WB said it needed for catch basins and the associated pipes every year, but officials said it was enough to get to work.

In the end, the Cantrell administration delivered just $9 million in 2025, about half of what it committed. With that funding, the S&WB cleaned 12% of catch basins and 6% of small drain lines. Though it was short of the 20% goal, catch basins and small drains were cleared in ﬂooding hot spots in Mid-City, Gentilly and other neighborhoods, and along some major thoroughfares

More than 5,000 tons of debris were removed.

$200M drain lines

This year is looking like a ﬂop, however In addition to the meager number of catch basins that have been cleaned, only half a mile of small drainage lines has been cleared in a system with 1,800 miles of them.

Water board ofﬁcials said last year that, based on early indications, about half of those pipes are clogged to the point of being nonfunctional.

Work is planned in swaths of highly trafficked areas, including the French Quarter and Central Business District, but it’s not clear if it will be done.

And, while maintenance falters, an unknown level of damage is being allowed to fester

There is no comprehensive assessment of the city’s catch basins and small drain lines, but the S&WB found damage in 15% of small drain lines in the Treme neighborhood last year If that rate holds up across the system, repairs could cost more than $200 million, ac-

cording to the S&WB.

“Cleaning and clearing the small diameter system is the single most important thing that we can do for our customers to improve their daily lived experience,” said Steve Nelson, then the S&WB interim general superintendent, speaking at a Dec. 11 meeting of the Infrastructure Advisory Board.

Contractors performed most of the minor drainage work last year because the water board doesn’t have enough vacuum trucks, which are needed to suck out debris. Only ﬁve of the nine trucks that public works transferred to the S&WB were functional, water board ofﬁcials said during a Jan. 11 board committee meeting.

Nelson, who is now Moreno’s public works director, told the infrastructure board in December the outside contracts were canceled because the S&WB can’t pay for it. Beefing up in-house crews will require money to purchase more vacuum trucks that cost around $700,000, he said.

A funding mess

Nelson spoke frequently as an S&WB leader about the need to fund maintenance on the drainage system, though he and other officials have been less direct about where the money should come from.

The picture is even bleaker now with the Moreno administration grappling with a ﬁnancial crisis and demanding cash from the S&WB to settle debts for water infrastructure work the city paid for The S&WB has agreed to pay $29.5 million, about one third of what it owes.

That amount is built into the city budget, but city officials say it’s not enough. The administration also recently reclaimed a $14 million local match for a federal S&WB grant, and hasn’t handed over some $3 million in trafﬁc camera revenue legally dedicated to stormwater In a letter to Giarrusso last week, S&WB Executive Director Randy Hayman said

a lack of funding “has effectively put operations and maintenance of the minor drainage system on hold.”

Giarrusso told the City Council Budget Committee on March 19 that the S&WB payments are critical to keeping the city aﬂoat through the ﬁrst half of the year In an interview, he said the S&WB needs to pick up the pace on repaying its debt to City Hall.

“How many times has the city said cash is king right now? We need everybody to pursue what they owe with the greatest sense of urgency,” Giarrusso said referring to the S&WB and other

public agencies. “(The water board) is having trouble receiving that message.”

Labat, the S&WB spokesperson, said the water board is working closely with the administration to reconcile its debt and settle the funding disputes.

“We recognize the urgency of the city’s budget challenges, and we remain committed to be a partner and address as quickly as possible,” Labat said.

The 2024 state law dedicating a portion of traffic camera revenue to stormwater projects was meant to address concerns that the S&WB wouldn’t have enough money for the minor drain-

age system. The $3 million now held in escrow is about equal to paving work the city has done for the water board, and Giarrusso wants to hold it as repayment He said City Hall can use it to pay for smaller stormwater projects under its purview to comply with the law

Hayman, in his letter to Giarrusso, argued the trafﬁc camera money rightfully belongs to the S&WB and proposed a four-year repayment plan for the pavement work. However that dispute is resolved, the S&WB will still have a lot of ground to make up to meet its maintenance goals.

In addition to the camera revenue, the S&WB also receives a share of tourism taxes that previously went to the public works department and shifted to the S&WB after the consolidation law. But that only brings in about $6 million annually leaving it well short of the $20 million it says is needed.

Asked if he thinks the Moreno administration will help pay for minor drainage once the city’s ﬁnances stabilize, Giarrusso said the city and the S&WB need to come to a broader understanding about the ﬁnancial terms of its relationship.

He also said the S&WB needs to better explain its funding needs, echoing a frequent complaint from city ofﬁcials. “One of the things the mayor has repeatedly talked about is, ‘Show us your plan for everything,’” Giarrusso said. “The Sewerage & Water Board has to start telling a little bit more about what they want to do.”

Investingisoftenanemotionallychargedword—one that carriesahostofassumptions anduncertainties Whenyou’rejustbeginning,thepathforwardcanfeel unclear,especiallysincemarketscanbeunpredictable andsubject to upsand downs.

It’s naturaltofeeluncertain withouta broad understanding of howinvesting worksorthe daily habitsthathelpkeepyoumovingintherightdirection Formany, partnering with awealthadvisor provides theclarity andconﬁdence needed to navigate that journey.AskilledadvisorcanactlikeaGPS—focused on your destination, offeringreal-time guidance reroutingwhenobstaclesarise,andprovidingsteady supportsoyou feel conﬁdent behindthe wheel.

“I believeeverythingstartswithclarity.Deﬁne yourgoals,understandyourrisktolerance,andbuilda foundationwithtrustedguidance,”saidGregoryRicks, founder, CEO, andwealthadvisor at GregoryRicks &Associates. “Our team ensuresyou areeducated andpositionedforlong-termsuccessbeforeinvesting adollar.

TheFiveW’s:Who,What, When,Where, andWhy When starting an investingjourney,a varietyof questionsmay arise. Breaking down thosequestions andexaminingtheircomponentsisanimportantpart of theprocessofunderstanding one’sﬁnancialgoals WhoCan Invest Everyone caninvest, andGregory Ricks& Associates believes investingisanintegralpartofa well-rounded ﬁnancial strategy

investmentstoday mayhavea meaningful impact over thelongterm. Anotherkey principleRicks encouragesisdollarcost averaging—a strategy in whichinvestors contribute aconsistentamountatregular intervals. “It’sthesamethingmostpeopledowiththeir401(k) retirement plans,”saidRicks.“You’re investingaset amount of moneyevery month. Be disciplined. Treat it like abill.

WheretoInvest Today’sinvestors have accesstoa wide rangeof financial toolsand investment vehicles.Fromstocks andbonds to exchange-tradedfunds (ETFs) and alternatives such as real estate andprivate equity therearemanyopportunitiesavailable.Diversification across thesetools canplayanimportant role in buildingportfoliosdesignedtomanageriskovertime However, even with adiversifiedportfolio,investors shouldexpectperiodsofmarketvolatility,whereasset values canriseand fall unexpectedly “Weoften recommenddiversifiedindex mutual fundsorETFsfor newinvestors,”Ricks said “These providebroad market exposure without overwhelming complexity.

Exchange-tradedfunds consistofagroup of securities that typicallytrack theperformance of a speciﬁc market index, such as theS&P 500®.Index mutual fundsare similarinthattheyare apoolof investmentsthatoften mirror an index’sbehavior. However, unlike ETFs,theycan only be bought or sold once aday,atthe closeofdaily trading(4p.m ET).Witheithertypeofinvestment,individualsgain exposuretoaprofessionallymanagedportfoliorather thanpurchasingandmanagingindividualsecurities on theirown.1

WhyInvesting Matters Ultimately,investingisaboutfarmorethanmarket performance—it’s aboutcreatingstability andlongterm ﬁnancial independence.Havingassetsthatcan accumulatevalueovertimecanactasaﬁnancialsafety netthatgoesbeyonda regularsavings account.

What to Consider GregoryRicks&Associates’philosophyoninvesting centersonbalancingrisk-onandrisk-offinvestments whilealigningtheportionoffundsallocatedtohigherriskopportunitieswitheachclient’sindividualcomfort level.Marketscanbeunpredictable,andGregoryRicks &Associatesbelievesitisessential to help clients understandthatallinvestmentsmayﬂuctuateinvalue overtime,sometimessharply,duetomarketvolatility. Itisalsoimportanttoincorporateinvestmentsintoan individual’s widerﬁnancialframework,factoring in multiple aspectsofwealthplanning.

“Investing is at theheart of wealth accumulation andpreservation,”Ricks said.“We look to integrate investmentswithtax strategies,riskmanagement, andlegacyplanningsoourclients’ﬁnancialstrategies aretruly comprehensive.”

When to Begin Formanypotentialinvestors,thebiggestquestion is when to begin.

“Investing is importantbecause, over thelong term,itcould provideafallback,”Ricks said.“When somethinggoeswrong,youhavethatsupportsystem Healthwilleventuallydictateyoucannolongerwork Investingmayhelpcreatesafeguardsforyourfuture.” Taking theFirst Step Forthose newtoinvesting,takingthe first step canfeelintimidating. However, finding ateamof collaboratorscan be agamechanger “It’snatural to be nervous,”hesaid. “Confidence comesfromhavingexperiencedprofessionals in your corner—someone youcan talk to anduse as a sounding board. Unlike many do-it-yourself digitalplatforms, GregoryRicks &Associatesfocuses on personalized guidanceandcomprehensivefinancialplanningthat canextendacrossmultiplegenerations.Withfive advisors andthree analysts,the firmbringsa range ofperspectives,helpingclientsexploreopportunities alignedwiththeir needsand values “Our missionisn’t just aboutmanagingmoney,” Rickssaid.“It’saboutclarity,confidence,andhelping families buildlasting wealth.” Formoreinformation aboutGregory Ricks &Associatesortoschedulea consultation, visitwww.gregoryricks.com.

Sources 1 Fidelity ETFvs. indexfund: Whichisright for you? Page Last Reviewed or UpdatedJune13, 2025 AccessedMar.9,2026.

Disclosure: This articleismeant to be generaland is notinvestment or financial advice or arecommendationofany kind.Please consult your financial advisorbeforemakingfinancial

“Ifyou have astrongemergency fund,manageable debt,and clearﬁnancialobjectives, then it’s time to invest,” Rickssaid. “Our advisors assess readiness, helpingclientstransitionfromfoundationalplanning into purposeful investing. Even whilebuildingfinancial stability, Ricks encourages individualsnot to delaygetting started. Thereasonliesinthepowerofcompoundinggrowth When investment earnings arereinvested, thevalue of thoseassetsmay continue to grow over time.Asa result,dedicatingevena smallportion of income to

STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

A broken catch basin is clogged on Willow Street in New Orleans on Friday

Giarrusso

Hayman

Frank T. Howard, 1901; Isidore Newman, 1902; Sophie B.Wright, 1903; Dr A.W DeRoaldes, 1904; Charles Janvier, 1905; W.R. Bloomfield, 1906; and Ida Richardson, 1907. No awards were presented in 1908 and 1909.

Dr Sara T. Mayo, 1910; Hugh McCloskey 1911; R.M.Walmsley 1912; Leon C. Simon, 1913; Deborah Milliken, 1914; W.B. Thompson, 1915; W.R. Irby, 1916; Mrs. John Dibert, 1917; Eleanor McMain, 1918; Mrs. James Oscar Nixon, 1919. Charles Weinberger, 1920; Jean Gordon, 1921; Rudolf S. Hecht, 1922; Simon Schwartz, 1923; Frank B.Williams, 1924; Rabbi Emil W. Leipziger 1925; W.J.Warrington, 1926. J.P. Butler, 1927; Brig Gen.Allison Owen, 1928; Mrs.A.J Stallings, 1929. Edgar B. Stern, 1930; B.C. Casanas, 1931; Thomas F. Cunningham, 1932; Felix P. Dreyfous, 1933; Charles A. Favrot, 1934; Warren Kearny 1935; Nicholas Bauer, 1936; Col. L Kemper Williams, 1937; Samuel Zemurray 1938; Joseph A.Airey 1939. Dr Rudolph Matas, 1940; Charles E. Dunbar Jr., 1941; William G. Zetzmann, 1942; Sister Stanislaus Malone, 1943; A.B Paterson, 1944; Dr Alton Ochsner, 1945; Mrs. Joseph E. Friend, 1946; Mrs. Charles F. Buck Jr 1947; Charles E. Fenner, 1948; Mrs. James Weaks Reily, 1949. Harry Latter, 1950; Harry McCall, 1951; Joseph H. Epstein,1952; Mrs. Ernest A. Robin, 1953; Carmelite Janvier, 1954; A.B Freeman, 1955; Clifford F. Favrot, 1956; Capt. Neville Levy, 1957; Crawford H. Ellis, 1958; James Gilly Jr., 1959 Martha Gilmore Robinson, 1960; Leon Heymann, 1961; Mrs. Robert Laird, 1962; Percival Stern, 1963; Edith Stern, 1964; Darwin S. Fenner, 1965; Edgar A.G. Bright, 1966; Rabbi Julian B. Feibelman, 1967; Harold Salmon Sr., 1968; Lucile Blum, 1969. Lester J. Lautenschlaeger, 1970; the Rev. J.D. Grey, 1971; Clayton L. Nairne, 1972; Norma Monnin Hynes, 1973; William B. Burkenroad Jr., 1974; Francis C. Doyle, 1975; Albert W. Dent, 1976; Richard West Freeman, 1977; the Rev Peter V. Rogers, 1978; Harry McCall Jr 1979. James J. Coleman Sr., 1980; Armand LeGardeur, 1981; Archbishop Philip Hannan, 1982; Ed Rowley, 1983; Rosa Freeman Keller, 1984; Bryan Bell, 1985; Michael J. Molony Jr., 1986; Mary Pumilia, 1987; A. Louis Read, 1988; Dave Dixon, 1989. Carolyn Gay ‘Blondie’ Labouisse, 1990; Norman Francis, 1991; Diana Lewis, 1992; John F. Bricker, 1993; Betty Wisdom, 1994; Anne Milling, 1995; Lester Kabacoff, 1996; Leah Chase, 1997; Sunny Norman, 1998; Herschel L.Abbott Jr., 1999. Alden McDonald, 2000; Waldemar Nelson, 2001; C.Allen Favrot, 2002; Fran Villere, 2003; Moise Steeg Jr., 2004; Louis Freeman, 2005; Ruthie Frierson, 2006; Bob Brown, 2007; R. King Milling, 2008; Scott Cowen, 2009. Tommy Cvitanovich, 2010; William Goldring, 2011; Mark Surprenant, 2012; Millie Charles, 2013; Gary Solomon, 2014; Phyllis Taylor, 2015; Roger Ogden, 2016; Cleland Powell, 2017; Michael Smith, 2018; Bob Merrick, 2019; Poco Sloss, 2020; Gayle Benson, 2021; Boysie Bollinger, 2022; Darryl Berger, 2023; and Elizabeth ‘Betsy’ Nalty, 2024.

LOVING CUP

Continued from page 1A

of the Mexican-born New Orleans artist Enrique Alférez.

This year, the foundation is also a major supporter of the Louisiana artists who have been selected to participate in the Venice Biennale, which will showcase the state’s artistic talent at one of the world’s foremost cultural exhibitions.

Arthur Roger, a New Orleans gallery owner who has collaborated frequently with Kerstein on art projects, said that Kerstein isn’t someone who seeks attention for his work. But he always gets the work done.

“He has this astute business sense to make things happen,” said Roger “When he does something, it has traction.”

In recognition of these activities and many others over decades in civic life, Kerstein, 78, has been chosen to receive The TimesPicayune Loving Cup for 2025.

Since 1901, this accolade has been awarded to men and women who have worked unselfishly for the community without expectation of public recognition or material reward. The winner is selected by a committee of community leaders.

“I like being able to help people,” Kerstein said in an interview after his selection as Loving Cup recipient. “I’m just really managing [this enterprise]. It’s an opportunity and a responsibility and, hopefully we’re helping a lot of people.

Seated in the Helis Foundation’s dark-paneled 26thfloor conference room in Place St. Charles, Kerstein said he was ﬂoored by his selection.

“I’ve always admired the people who received the award,” said Kerstein “I never thought of myself in that category, so I’m overwhelmingly pleased and ﬂattered to be included in such an auspicious group.”

The Helis Foundation was established in the late 1950s with contributions from Helis family members. A general fund awards grants to nonprofit organizations such as the New Orleans Police & Justice Foundation, the United Way, WYES-TV and Second Harvest Food

Bank.

Because William G. Helis Jr.’s sisters, Adrienne Helis Malvin and Diana Helis Henry left hefty bequests to the arts to the foundation, a second fund was created to support arts-related activities.

The foundation is a powerful philanthropic force in New Orleans. It had nearly $83 million in assets and awarded nearly $2.4 million in grants in 2024, the most recent year with publicly available data.

As leader of the foundation, Kerstein does more than write checks. He’s a Jazz Fest regular in addition to being a board member and a major supporter He goes to local museums on admission-free days to see who takes advantage of the free admission offer

And in his quest to find WWOZ a permanent home, Kerstein was not only on the committee that looked for a new location but helped craft the lease and oversee the renovations to the chosen site. He also helped the station create a business plan, served on WWOZ’s board and is its treasurer

“He was completely selfless with his time on calls, personal meetings, reviewing contacts, giving advice and talking to others on WWOZ’s behalf,” said Beth Arroyo Utterback, general manager of WWOZ-FM.

“He used his expertise and connections in the community to help ensure that WWOZ now has the home that it deserves atop the Jax Brewery.”

Strong sense of community Kerstein is a native of Eunice, where his family operated a clothing store. The family provided jobs and clothing for special events, including suits for priests and ministers, Kerstein said. They also established a library and bought books for it.

“They had a very strong sense of community and a sense of responsibility to community,” he said. “They were always generous in helping people.”

He graduated from public schools in Eunice before arriving in New Orleans to study at Tulane University, first as an undergraduate, then as a law student.

An uncle, Morris Wright, who represented William Helis Jr., urged the young

law student to work at Helis.

“I was supposed to be exposed to everything in the company,” Kerstein said.

“As time went on, Mr. Helis would have me sit in on meetings. I had a very limited role except to observe. When Mr Helis died (in 1988), the foundation was included in the activities I was responsible for.”

The business and assets of William F. Helis Sr., the founder, were managed in a family partnership. Kerstein, who had been general counsel, became manager after Helis’ death. He is still the general agent.

The company has moved out of active oil and gas exploration and into management of gas and mineral interests, Kerstein said It is best known to the public through the work the Helis Foundation does.

In selecting organizations and projects to support, “we have a very proactive approach,” Kerstein said.

“Our concept for the arts is not simply having whole numbers of people enjoy-

ing beautiful art. Rather, we have a broader purpose: to as much as possible make wonderful art available to our community for free all the time.”

That philosophy is embodied in the title of the program that lets people visit museums for free: Art for All.

Paul H. Flower, a longtime friend of Kerstein’s, recalled a conversation the two men had when Kerstein was talking about a youngster’s reaction to a painting in a museum.

“He recounted that she was absolutely alight at the wonder and pure, new joy of experiencing art,” Flower said. “He turned to me and said with sincere concern and sympathy, ‘I don’t think she’d ever seen anything beautiful before.’”

Kerstein has been active in a host of organizations.

In addition to his work with WWOZ and Jazz Fest, he has chaired the Business Council of New Orleans and the River Region and sat on the Tulane University

President’s Council and the boards of the Bureau of Governmental Research, the Arts Council of New Orleans and the New Orleans Police & Justice Foundation.

“Just about everything he’s on, he’s done a mighty ﬁne job,” said Hardy Fowler, a longtime friend. “What the Helis Foundation has done is amazing.”

Kerstein has been married to his childhood sweetheart, Geneva Kerstein, for 59 years. They have two daughters and two grandchildren. There are more foundation projects on the books, including what Kerstein calls a healing garden for patients, made up of meditation spots and sculptures, that will be part of Ochsner Medical Center’s neurological institute.

“We’re constantly engaging in new projects as needs arise,” he said. “I keep going. I have a lot of activities, and I continue to thrive and enjoy what I’m doing.” Contact John Pope at pinckelopes@gmail.com.

ForDr. AlanaC.Nichols,the path to acareer in medicine beganinthe courtroom.

Dr.Nichols spentﬁve yearspracticinglaw in Atlanta, workingincriminaldefense andfamily law. Whileshe foundmeaning in herwork, she begantonoticea patternthatultimatelychanged herlife.

“Manyofmyclients hadundiagnosed or untreatedmentalhealthdisorders.Itwas somethingthatI sawoverand over again,”she said.“Istarted to feel that maybe therewas a differentway that Ican advocate becauseI realized what Ireallyliked aboutpracticinglaw wasthe advocacy.”

It wasasigniﬁcantshift,but onethatbrought Dr.Nichols back to herroots.Growing up in atown of 450peopleinNorth Louisiana, sheadmired hermother, thedeanofanursing school in Mississippi, andher father,who practicedinternal medicine acrossLouisiana andMississippi

“I grew up around medicine,” shesaid. “I just didnot realize that it wassomethingthatI was goingtobedoing untillater.”

Today, Dr.Nichols worksinHouma at Terrebonne GeneralHealthSystem as a Med-Peds physician. Thespecialty combines internal medicine andpediatrics, whichallows Dr.Nichols to care for patients from infancy throughadulthood,sometimes treating entire families foryears

“You reallydohave to understand people and meet them wheretheyare.I want them to know that we aregoing to be able to move forward together,” shesaid. “Ultimately, thegoalistheir health.You want to be apartner in that.”

Here,Dr. Nicholssharesmoreabout herwork.

What makesMed-Pedssucha unique specialty?

Physicians trainedinMed-Pedscompletean integrated four-yearresidency –two years of internal medicine andtwo yearsofpediatrics –and areeligiblefor boardcertiﬁcationinboth specialties. This dual trainingsetsMed-Peds apartbypreparing providerstocarefor patients from infancythrough adulthoodand into older age. This allows forcontinuity of care andlongterm relationships builtontrust andfamiliarity What advantages do Med-Peds physicians providetolocal families?

Children andparents cansee thesame provider,which makesschedulingeasier and care more coordinated. When pediatricpatients reachadulthood,theycan transition seamlessly withoutthe stress of ﬁnding anew provider while continuing care with aphysician whoalready knowstheir medicalhistory.Withequal depth of traininginbothareas,patientscan feel conﬁdent in thequality of care they receive, no matter their age, stageoflifeormedical needs. What aresomeofthe most common services Med-Peds physicians provide?

In pediatricsettings, Med-Peds providers practice like anyother pediatrician.Wediagnose andtreat thefullrange of childhoodconditions, from routineillnesses andvaccinestowell-child visits andmorecomplex pediatricconcerns. In adultclinics,wefunctionasinternistsand manage awidevariety of health conditions.This includes preventive care,acute concerns andlongterm management of chronicdiseasessuchas hypertension,diabetes, weight management and more

We areuniquelyequippedtocarefor patients with childhood-onsetorcomplex medical conditions as patients move into adulthood. Many patients with intricatemedical historiescontinue seeing pediatricspecialists well into adulthood. In Med-Peds,our trainingallowsfor asmooth transition,blendingpediatric knowledgewith adultcareprinciples.

HowdoMed-Pedsphysiciansbuild relationshipswithpatientsovertime?

From theveryﬁrstvisit,careistailoredtoeach individual,regardlessofage.Wetakethe time to understand patients andask thoughtful questions that help guidepersonalizedcareplans.Meeting patients wheretheyare andrecognizingtheir uniquecapabilitiesand challenges is essentialto supporting long-termhealthand wellness

Dr.Alana C. Nicholsseespatients18and older at Terrebonne GeneralInternalMedicineSpecialists Call 985-868-9960toscheduleanappointment Sheseespatients17and youngeratTerrebonne GeneralPediatric Care.Toschedulea

STAFF PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

David Kerstein is seen in New Orleans on Wednesday.

The TimesPicayune Loving Cup committee, from left, Ben Dupuy Larissa Littleton-Steib, Robyn Schwarz, Jeffery Goldring and Todd McDonald honored David Kerstein this year

STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

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 afund-

ing saga that has bedeviled top Republicans for much of theyear

The collapse ofthe deal leaves Congress, nowona two-week spring break,with no easy way out of theimpasse thathas put DHS into ashutdown since mid-February.Italsohas exposed arare rupture between the two Republican leaders in Congress, testingtheiralliances as theylabor to move another set of President Donald Trump’s priorities into law before theNovemberelections.

Nothing ahead is likely to 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 it clear Thursday thathe would signanexecutive action to pay Transportation Security Administration workers, Thune and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York settled on adeal: It would not includefunding forU.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and for U.S. Border Patrol, and

would setaside Democratic demands for new limits on theagencies.

Thune pointedout that Congresshad allotted money for immigration enforcement and he told reporters that “we can get at least alot of the government opened up againand then we’llgo from there.”

Asked if he hadcleared the compromise with Johnson, Thune said the two had texted. “I don’tknowwhat theHouse will do,” thesenator saidearly Friday as the deal cametogether

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 Republi-

Negotiations ended acrimoniously on both sides, with each blaming the other for moving the goalposts along the 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.

can 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 citizenship 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

Linespersist at some airports afterTSA paymemo

BY MARÍA PAULAMIJARES TORRES

Bloomberg News (TNS)

Several U.S. airports advised travelersonSaturday to arriveatleast four hours before their ﬂights becauseof long security lines even after President Donald Trump said Transportation Security Administration workers would be paid by tapping funds from his 2025tax and spendingbill.

Airports in Atlanta and Baltimore issued the four-hour warnings while Houston warned of much longer than usual waits.

Trump signedamemo Friday directingTSA personnel to be paid as he tried to alleviate disruptionsatU.S airports, but it remains unclear how much it will do to improve wait times at security checkpoints, which have varied widelyatdifferent airports.

Thememo would cover back pay and paychecksgoing forward, according to theOfﬁce of Management and Budget, but TSA workers remained skeptical aboutwhat would be delivered.

“We’re supposed to get our back pay, only nothing continuing on,” said Jill DeJanovich,aTSA worker and the Ne-

vada union representative, on “Bloomberg This Weekend.”“While we are thankfuland we’re grateful thatwe will supposedly be getting that. we’re notgoing to be paid fromhere on out. It’s just our back pay.Soessentially, we’re just resettingthe clock.”

Trump’smemodirected DHS and the White House budgetofﬁce to use funds that have a“reasonable and logical nexus” to agency operations to provide employees who have worked without pay “with the compensationand beneﬁtsthat would have accrued to them if not for” the shutdown.

White House to fund the war withIran that could total morethan$200 billion, among other priorities.

Meanwhile, the flop of the funding deal has given Democrats another chance to pin the partial shutdown on House Republicans.

“They know this is acontinuation of the shutdown because the Senate is gone,” said Massachusetts Rep. Katherine Clark, the No. 2 Democratic leader.“So they know fully well what they’re doing.”

It is not clear whatthe Senate will do next. Aquick resumption of talks is unlikely

“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.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOByMARIAM ZUHAIB

Speakerofthe House MikeJohnson, R-Benton, center speaks while House Majority Whip TomEmmer R-Minn. right, and House Republican Conference ChairLisaMcClain R-Mich., listen FridayonCapitol Hill in Washington.

Live “micro-bets” on particular plays or actions during agame would also be prohibited under the measure.

Several high-proﬁle NBA, MLB and NCAAsports gambling scandals came to light recentlyinwhich 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’sgreater interest —winning the game,” he said.

But businesses that operate mobile sportsbooks argue that alegal, regulated sports betting market allows companies to catch problems by closelymonitoring bettingactivity, ﬂagging suspicious behavior and reporting bad actors to regulators.

“Blanket prohibitionsof types of bets accomplish nothing, shifting activity away from regulated markets back to other settings, andeliminating integrity oversight that has caught bad actors and brought people to justice,”saidJoe Maloney,president of the Sports Betting Alliance, whichrepresentsDraftKings, Fanatics, FanDuel, bet365 and BetMGM.

“Only aregulated framework, not misguided bans, can safeguard consumers, uphold integrity, anddeliver real accountability for Louisiana,” Maloney saidin astatement.

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,locationand age,and collaboratewith regulators, the group says.

“Legalizedonline sports betting didnot create prop bets,” SBA said in astatement. “Prop betting will happeninLouisiana,whether it’slegal or not.”

High-profile scandals

Gamblingscandals tied to sporting events have existed long before therecent proliferationofonlinesports betting.

But since theU.S. Supreme Court in 2018 overturned a sports betting ban, awaveof new controversies has come to light, including in recent months.

Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Claseand Luis Ortiz in November were indictedoncharges they took bribes fromsports bettors to throwcertain types ofpitches, including tossing balls in thedirtinstead of strikes, to ensure successful bets. Both have pleaded not guilty,and atrial is scheduled forlater this year.

In October,Miami Heat

player TerryRozierwas indicted forallegedly disclosing to friends that he would be leaving agame early whenhewas with the Charlotte HornetsinMarch 2023, promptingbettors to make successful “under” wagers on hisprop betvalues for that night. Rozierhas pleaded not guilty In January,federal prosecutorsindicted 26 people in apoint-shaving and bribery schemethat involved NCAA basketball gamesbetween 2023 and2025. Playerswere accused of rigging outcomes of the first half of games, amongothercharges. Several defendants played basketball for Louisiana universities.

The NCAA has since called for aban on prop betsincollege sportscontests In aJanuary letter to state gambling commissions, NCAAPresident Charlie Baker saidthe association has “deep concerns about the dangers collegiatesports betting poses to thehealth, safetyand well-being” of

student athletes

Prop bets should be banned due to the risk of playersadjusting their performance to guarantee theoutcome of a bet, requeststostudent 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 werecaught because bets wereplaced in thelegal market and ultimately flagged for leagues and law enforcement

Prop bettingharassment

Somecollege athletes also want to see prop betsbanned for their games.

Student members of the Big TenConference StudentAthlete Issues Commission urgedBaker to keep pushing for aban.

Theywrote in aFebruaryletter that prop bets expose college playersto harassment on social media platforms andare “a direct avenue to the overwhelming

numberofdeaththreatsthat

student-athletes receive if they ‘ruin aparlay’ or cause afan 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 anotherNCAA study last fallshowedthatmore thanone-third of Division Imen’scollege basketball players reported experiencingsocialmedia abuserelated to sports betting.

Asidefromharassment and game-rigging concerns, someargue that the current era of sports betting and widespread smartphone use is contributingtoother social ills.

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

“Imagine somebody on their phone using the app where there’sessentially no

friction, right, betweenyou and being able to makealot of bets in rapidsuccession in away that looks and feels very video-game like,” he said.

Prop bets allowpeopleto gamble on “play after play after play” during agame in aformat that is “very addictive,” he said.

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

The Sports Betting Alliance says the companies it represents are committed to player safety and “invest heavily” in “responsible gaming technology.”

Employees aretrained to spot problem gambling, players can set self-imposed time andmoney limits, and players can put themselves on exclusion lists, forexample.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Teacher vows to keep fighting Ten Commandments law

Suit is still winding its way through the courts

BY PATRICK WALL Staff writer

After a federal appeals court in February cleared Louisiana’s Ten Commandments law, Christopher Dier kept getting the same question: What about his lawsuit?

Dier, a New Orleans history teacher and former Louisiana Teacher of the Year, sued in 2024 to block the law requiring public schools and colleges to post the biblical text in classrooms. But his lawsuit was put on hold while a similar legal challenge from a group of public-school parents wound through the courts.

The parents were initially successful, as a federal judge in November 2024 declared the 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’t rule on the law’s constitutionality, and instead said it wouldn’t be clear whether the law violates students’ religious freedoms until after the posters go up in classrooms.

That’s when people started asking Dier whether his lawsuit stood a chance. One of them was U.S. District Court Judge Greg Guidry in the Eastern District of Louisiana, who last year paused Dier’s case while the 5th Circuit weighed the other one. On March 5, Guidry ordered Dier’s and the state’s legal teams to tell him what they think the appeals court ruling means for Dier’s case.

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

Q&A WITH CHRISTOPHER DIER NEW

ORLEANS HISTORy TEACHER

the 5th Circuit rejected. But Dier says his case uniquely argues that teachers, in carrying out the law, will give students the impression that they endorse the state’s message.

While he awaits a decision from Guidry, Dier said he will not put up a poster in his classroom — even after Gov Jeff Landry said after the February ruling that schools should start posting the signs.

The law does not specify penalties, and a spokesperson for state Attorney General Liz Murrill noted that the law requires schools not teachers to put up the displays.

Dier said he’s willing to risk any consequences because he believes the law erodes religious freedom and will make many students feel alienated.

“A lot is at stake,” he said.

The Times-Picayune | The Advocate recently spoke with Dier about his legal battle, which he said he is waging independently of his school and the Orleans Parish School Board The interview has been condensed and edited for clarity

What went through your mind when the 5th Circuit allowed the Ten Commandments law to take effect?

I was incredibly disappointed. I was hoping for a better outcome in that case so that my case would be rendered irrelevant.

And I was upset because kids deserve to be in a safe classroom where their religious afﬁliations or non-religious afﬁliations are respected.

Did it feel like the ruling put more pressure on your lawsuit?

When the ruling came out, there

were many people who reached out. And they were essentially asking, “What about your lawsuit? Is it gonna be the one 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 Ten Commandments law?

My lawsuit is saying that this violates teachers’ constitutional rights because 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 It makes us follow something that is blatantly unconstitutional but also bad pedagogy as well.

It undermines a classroom culture built on empathy, respect, and belonging. And all 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’s in our classrooms. It’s on our walls.

Essentially what that is saying is that we not only condone, but we also legitimize this.

What do you say to proponents of the law who argue that the Ten Commandments are historically significant and good principles for students to live by?

It is certainly true that these documents are historic, but that doesn’t mean that they are a fundamental part of the United States.

The United States was founded as a secular country and there is no evidence that the Ten Commandments were used in the creation of the Constitution.

That’s something we want to

drive home to students as well:

This was a place 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 instructed to put up a Ten Commandments poster in your classroom, how are you going to respond?

I will not be posting the Ten Commandments in my classroom.

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

So the 5th Circuit’s ruling and the governor’s directive haven’t changed your position?

No. If anything, it reafﬁrmed my mission. We need to stand up for constitutional rights at all times, but especially when it’s the 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.

STAFF PHOTO By PATRICK WALL

Christopher Dier a high school history teacher in New Orleans, filed a lawsuit in 2024 to block a Louisiana law requiring public schools to post the Ten Commandments.

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.

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.

“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

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.

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

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 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 Stevie Cavalier Licciardi| stevie.licciardi@theadvocate.com

youbyLCMCHealth.

Sinceopeningitsdoorsin1964,LakesideHospitalhas builtareputationfor exceptionalcare forwomen andinfants.Nestled at theintersection of Interstate 10 andCausewayBoulevard thecampusisa familiar sightfor locals—and a quietwitness to generations of newbeginnings. In theyearahead,LCMCHealth’sLakeside Hospital will undergoa $14million renovation designed to honorits legacy whileexpanding itscapabilities, ensuring that future generationsofwomen andchildrencan continue to experience thesamesense of comfortand trust thehospitalhas long provided to theJefferson Parish community.

Lakeside Hospital will retain alldesignationsearnedacrossbothEJGHand Lakeside campuses,including Baby-FriendlyUSA designation,Birth Ready+ status,LaGift+ recognition,NationalSafeSleep Hospital Certiﬁcation (Bronze),and theIBCLC Care Award. Physicians from Tulane University School of Medicine andLSU Health SciencesCenterwill also continue to collaborateclosely with LCMC Health providers, bringing academic expertise andsubspecialtycare—such as maternal-fetal medicine andneonatalintensive care—into a uniﬁed settingatLakeside.

“Manymothers andgrandmothers of our currentnewbornswerebornatLakeside,”said Dr.Gabriella Pridjian,Professor andChairman of Tulane Obstetrics &Gynecologyand Chairof Obstetrics &Gynecology for Lakeside Hospital “AtLakeside, thereisa senseoffamilypride andsharedexperience associated with having achild in thesamehospital.”

Currently, Lakeside provides abroad spectrum of services—from obstetrics andgynecologytomaternal-fetalmedicine, urogynecology, neonatology, orthopedic care, andemergency care.Plans forthe reimagined campus include 10 newlyrenovatedlabor anddeliverysuites, 30 postpartum rooms, andanupdated 26-bed LevelIII neonatal intensivecareunit. Sixbeds willbeadded to theadult intensivecareunit, signiﬁcantly expandingLakeside’scapacityto care forhigh-risk pregnanciesand othercriticalconditions. Threenew operatingrooms and ﬁveclinicspaceswillaccommodate additional staff andresources on site Obstetricianscurrently practicing at LCMC Health’s East JeffersonGeneral Hospital (EJGH) will relocate to Lakeside,allowing patients to receiveprenatal, delivery,and postpartum care in onelocation. At thesametime, EJGH willrepurpose itsexistingwomen’s and newbornspacestoadd 27 beds to itsmedical-surgical unit.Throughoutthe transition

“Asaresultofthischange, 76 newjobswill be created,”saidGregNielsen,CEO of Lakeside Hospital andEJGH. “Thisisaninvestmentin ourfuturebecauseitisaninvestmentinour families andthe long-termhealthand well-beingofour community.

AccordingtoNielsen,the transformation will be evidentthe moment patients walk throughthe doors. From aredesignedmain entrance andcafeteria to fullyrenovated medicalspaces,familieswillexperienceafresh andsophisticated design with awarmand welcomingfeel. Despitethe scaleofthe renovation,current patientcarewillcontinueuninterrupted. Construction is beingcompleted in phases with full completion expected in 2027

As Lakeside Hospital looksahead to its next chapter, thebuildingmay change,but its purposeremains thesame. Forgenerations past—and thosestill to come—itwillcontinue to be aplace that feelslikehome.

“Itismyhopethatevery womanwould feel comfortablegoing to Lakeside forcarefor her andher newborn, regardlessofthe levelofrisk, said Dr.Pridjian. “Our goal is that they will feel at home butalsobeconﬁdenttheyare receiving thelatestinobstetric care.”

Formoreinformation on Lakeside Hospital’sofferings,visit:www.lcmchealth.org/ lakeside-hospital/

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 Iranian-

backed 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 snow-

belt,” Tangeman said in astatement,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.

Maintenance superintendent George Campbell saidoperations are continuous, with downtime

usedfor upkeep and repairs to keep production steady Cargillsaiditisprioritizingship-

ments to ensure 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 harsher conditions across the Eastern U.S. meantsome cities shivered through their coldest seasons in more than 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 left to be extracted “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.

Newstudy challenges site of humansettlementinAmericas

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 fora 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.

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

BY HILLEL ITALIE and JOCELYN NOVECK Associated Press

always, always live on.”

NEW YORK Singer-songwriter 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 Wednesdayof heart failure at the Heart HospitalofAustin in Austin, Texas, said his daughter, Lua Crofts Faragher She said her father had been suffering heart issues forseveral years and had been hospitalized for about amonth. Seals and Crofts were native Texans whohad known each other since high school and played together in various groupsbefore becoming aduo, Seals &Crofts, in the late 1960s.

Blending pop, country, folk and jazz, they werepart of awave 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 reachedthe Top10, while their other popular singles

included“I’llPlayfor You,” “Hummingbird”and We MayNever PassThis Way (Again).” The wide-eyed sentiments of the latter made it afavorite forhigh school yearbooks:

“Life /Sothey say /Isbut agame and they’d let it slip away /Love/ Like the autumn sun/Shouldbe dyin’ / But it’sonlyjust begun.

Like many bands ofthe era, Seals&Crofts sangof love, peace, music and the natural world. But theinspirations were rooted less in thecounterculturethan in the Baha’i faith, amonotheistic religion advocating global unity that they both embraced in the1960s.

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

Theyworked Baha’i themesinto their music “Hummingbird” isametaphorfor the Baha’i prophet Bahaullah—distributed literature after their shows, andsometimespreached from the stage, including during aperformance on “Tonight” with Johnny Carson.

“You start out writing songs like ‘the leaves are green and thesky is blue and Iloveyou and youlove me’ —very simplelyrics but yougrow into amuch, much broader awareness of life,oflove, andof unity,”

Crofts told Stereo Review in 1971. “It’sreally great to be able to saysomething real in your music.”

One Baha’i tenet, thatthe soul begins with theformation of the embryo, led tocontroversy.In1974, theyear after theSupremeCourt’s Roe v. Wade decision established theright to abortion, Seals &Crofts released the ballad “UnbornChild,” the title song of their new album.

It was inspired by thewife of theirrecording engineer, whohad seen atelevision documentary about abortion andwrote apoem with suchlines as “Oh tiny bud, that grows in the womb, only to be crushed before you can bloom.” Numerous radiostationsrefused toplay “Unborn Child” and protesters picketedSeals &Crofts, although the album was certiﬁed gold forselling 500,000 copies.

“I think we got moregood results out of it thanbad,” Crofts later toldthe St.Petersburg Press, “because a lot of people called us and said, ‘We’renaming our children after you, because you helped us decidetosavetheir lives with that song.’ That was veryfulﬁlling to us.”

By the early 1980s,softrock bands were out of fashionand Seals& Crofts had been dropped by its label, WarnerBros. Theybroke up for atime but continued

3killedinhelicoptercrash in Hawaii

By The Associated Press

HONOLULU

Asightsee-

ing company’shelicopter crashed near aremote beach off the coast of the Hawaiian island of Kauai, killing three people and injuring two others, authorities said. It was the latest in aseries 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 theNaPali Coast on Kauai’s North Shore, an area that is otherwise reachable only by hiking or boat. The area’sgeography of tall seaside cliffs and sharp mountain ridges can contribute to turbulent air and quick weather changes that pose hazards foraviation.

Kauai Police Chief Rudy Taisaid two of thepeople who died were Margaret Rimmler,65, and Patrick

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

Thehelicopter was operated by Airborne Aviation, which does sightseeing tours of Kauai’scanyons, shoreline and waterfalls. Airborne advertisesa “doors-off thrill seekersadventuretour” that seatsuptofour people. Therehave been no tours since thecrash.

to appear together at Baha’i gatherings, while also recording on their own. Crofts releaseda solo album, “Today,” in 1998, andsix years laterreunitedwithSeals for “Traces.” More recently, their music was revivedby Faragherand Seals’ cousin Brady,who toured together as Seals &Crofts 2. (Jim Seals died in 2022.)

“There’snot atimethat 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 manypeoplewho lovedthem,”she added. “Theywerea constant service to mankind.” She said thather father’s death, afew years after that of Seals,marked theend of an era.

“That’swhatmakes it so painful —thatit’sthe end,” she said. “But themusic will

DarrellGeorge“Dash” Crofts was born in Cisco, Texas, in 1938 andwas singing andplayingmusic from an early age, eventually learning piano,guitar, drumsand mandolin.

He metand befriended Seals when both were teenagersand in alocal rockabilly band, the Crew Cats. By the end of the 1950s, they had moved to Los Angeles and joined The Champs, best knownfor the early rock hit “Tequila.” Sealsand Crofts would later brieﬂy play in a band ledbyGlenCampbell, and join another California group, the Dawnbreakers, whose membersincluded Crofts’ future wife, Billie Lee Day

Although theyperformed on the same bill as Eric Claptonand Deep Purple among others, they were turned off by the volume and the lifestyle of hard-rock per-

formers and honed agentle sound. Seals&Crofts released their eponymous debutalbum in 1969,and soon followed with “Down Home” and “Year of Sunday.” Their commercial breakthrough camein1972 with “Summer Breeze,” which featured achorus that ranked with acontemporary hit, the Eagles’ “Take it Easy,” as adeﬁnition of post1960s escapism:“Summer breeze makesmefeelﬁne/ blowing through the jasmine of my mind.”

“That was the beginning of bigger concerts, bigger crowds andwekept getting hits in the Top40,” Crofts told the podcast “Inside MusiCast” in 2021. “That cemented us in the music business.” Crofts is survived by his second wife, Louise Crofts; hischildren Lua, Faiziand Amelia; and eight grandchildren, Faragher said. His ﬁrst marriage ended in divorce.

Crofts

mate Ev arsal Din Wedding

Bourbon Street

Controversial, nonhuman element missing after crackdown

BY SOPHIE KASAKOVE Staff writer

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

It’s been two years since state wildlife agents launched an effort to remove the pythons, boas and other animals that were draped across shoulders and pushed in carts along the promenade.

The creatures and their owners most of whom sought to make a buck 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: a live alligator in February, according to department records

“We didn’t seize one snake this year to my knowledge, and that tells you right there,” said Stephen Clark, the head of the Wildlife Department’s enforcement 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 a recent and widespread enforcement push from state, local and federal law enforcement agencies that has transformed the world-famous street. Ofﬁcers have also focused on clearing homeless encampments and have said that their presence deters crime.

The push has sent vendors, performers and snakes into hibernation and driven an ongoing debate

ä See ANIMALS, page 2B

PHOTO PROVIDED

Dr Kurt Gitter

‘People didn’t want me out there. But I went anyway’

Freddie Sawyer Jr., the first Black person to drive a public bus in New Orleans, holds up an article on March 9 at his home in New Orleans. Sawyer began driving in 1961 and, now retired in his 80s, was honored last month by the Regional Transit Authority and the New Orleans City Council for his trailblazing role.

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

BY BLAKE PATERSON Staff writer

When Sean Sawyer had to write a paper for Black History Month 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’t think too much of it at the time,” he said in a recent interview “But as I got older, I really wish I would have.”

In 1961, Sawyer’s father Freddie Sawyer Jr., stepped behind the wheel of a city bus and broke the color barrier as the ﬁrst Black bus driver employed by the New Orleans Public Service Inc., the predecessor to the Regional Transit Authority

A picture of Sawyer, then 22 years old, appeared in the newspaper alongside an article in which the civil rights leader

Avery C. Alexander called his hiring a “history-making move in the right direction.”

Looking back on that time of his life isn’t easy, Freddie Sawyer Jr said in a recent interview at his home in New Orleans East, just days before his 87th birthday

“I hated to go to work but I had to go,” he said. “People didn’t want me out there. But I went anyway.”

Innovative eye surgeon Dr. Kurt Gitter dies at 89

BY JOHN POPE Contributing writer

Dr Kurt Gitter an innovator in eye surgery who amassed and donated a vast collection of Japanese art, died Wednesday at Touro Inﬁrmary He was 89. The cause of death has not been established, said Alice Yelen Gitter, his wife.

A native of Austria who spent most of his life in New Orleans,

Gitter pioneered the use of ultrasound imaging as a diagnostic and surgical tool. He balanced his interest in medicine with a passion for Japanese art, building a collection that was the basis for eight exhibits at the New Orleans Museum of Art. A ninth is scheduled to open in October

“He was probably one of the dozen or so most important collectors of Japanese art in the United States,” said John Bullard, the mu-

seum’s former director

“He was a person of passion and commitment, and he had the ability to inspire others,” Alice Gitter said.

“He was very driven for the things that he thought were important.

His life’s work bridged medicine and culture, restoring vision in one sphere and expanding it in another.”

Susan M. Taylor, the director the New Orleans Museum of Art, said Kurt Gitter had an indelible impact on NOMA’s collection and exhibitions.

“His extraordinary philanthropy as one of the most significant donors in the history of the museum leaves an unmatched legacy for NOMA, New Orleans, and the field of Japanese art, not to mention his scientific contributions to the field of ophthalmology,” she said in a prepared statement.

STAFF PHOTOS By DAVID GRUNFELD

Freddie Sawyer Jr holds a photograph at his home.

GITTER, page 2B

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 much-smaller Crest Lake, sits a shaded stretch of grassy land between the bank and July Drive. Sweeney’s ad bench sat

DRIVER

Continued from page 1B

Making history

Freddie Sawyer Jr was born on March 14, 1939, in Bogalusa, Louisiana, where his New Orleans mother went to give birth. He grew up in what was then known as the Magnolia Project in the 11th Ward. It was some of the better housing available, he said. There was running water, a bathtub and windows you could open. He calls it “Magnolia Heights.”

He went to high school at Walter L. Cohen and later Samuel J. Green and was on a summer break from Dillard University, where he was training to become a teacher and coach, when he got a job at NOPSI in 1960, ﬁrst in the maintenance department The low-level role was one of the only jobs NOPSI allowed Black workers at the time. But he became a driver there in 1961 after a local civil rights group, the Consumers League of New Orleans, threatened to boycott the transit agency to protest its hiring practices. His promotion came only a few years after a federal judge in 1958 ordered New Orleans to desegregate its streetcars and buses. Until then, a movable, wooden sign reading “For Colored Patrons Only” separated passengers. After the newspaper story ran with his picture, Black residents lined the streets to catch a glimpse of him driving and cheer him on. But his new job nearly cost him his life.

His first route was the St. Claude Avenue line, which ended at Domino Sugar’s Chalmette refinery in St. Bernard Parish. On Mardi Gras night in 1962, while turning the bus around near the refinery, a man stepped out and fired a shotgun. The buckshot barely missed him. For the rest of his time on that route, the New Orleans Police Department assigned a private detective to ride with Sawyer Sometimes, he wore a baseball mitt to catch fares that White passengers threw at him to avoid touching him He had to use separate water fountains and restrooms.

He picked his bus routes based on where he could use the bathroom. Louisiana Avenue and Calliope Street were at the top of the list. Other times he’d have to “go check the tires out”

GITTER

Continued from page 1B

Gitter was born in Vienna in 1937. In 1938, six months after Germany annexed Austria, Gitter and his parents ﬂed to America. Many of their relatives who remained in Europe perished in the Holocaust

The Gitters settled in New York City, where Kurt graduated from the Barnard School for Boys, a college-preparatory school. He earned an undergraduate degree at Johns Hopkins University and a medical degree at the State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, and he had a residency in ophthalmology at the Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia.

In 1963, the Air Force drafted Gitter and sent him

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.

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 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 company, 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 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.

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.

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

and relieve himself behind the bus

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

‘A trailblazer’

At 87 years old, Sawyer says he’s still hanging in there. He retired from the RTA in 2001, after 41 years on the job.

Wearing a “Black Lives Matter”

T-shirt, Sawyer shufﬂed through his living room in his New Orleans East home as a TV blared from another room.

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

Above his couch hangs a copy of the 1961 newspaper story that featured his picture. He said didn’t know he was going to be photographed, explaining the surprised look on his face.

A framed portrait of The Times-Picayune front page featuring President Barack Obama sat on a chair nearby

In February, the Regional Transit Authority and New Orleans City Council honored Sawyer as part of Black History Month.

District D council member Eugene

to Japan, where, Bullard said, “he became hooked immediately on Japanese art.”

The enthusiasm continued after his two-year stint overseas. He and his family settled in New Orleans because it was his ﬁrst wife’s hometown.

Gitter established a private practice, Retina Associates of New Orleans, taught at the medical schools at LSU and Tulane University and was chief of ophthalmology at Touro Inﬁrmary from 1986 to 1996.

He also was a diligent researcher, using a grant from the National Institutes of Health to underwrite work that led, in 1969, to the publication of “Ophthalmic Ultrasound,” an early textbook on the use of ultrasonic imaging to diagnose eye problems. He published nearly 100 journal articles, textbooks and books.

ANIMALS

Continued from page 1B

over who Bourbon Street is for

“There is a criminal, and then there is a regular working class,” said Laney Greco, who was arrested in May 2024 for bringing a 10foot, 8-inch Burmese python named Sonny to Bourbon Street and Orleans Avenue.

“You’re hurting the workingclass people who are trying to make tourism better.”

Running afoul of the law

The animal owners ran up against multiple state and city codes. State law prohibits the possession of constrictor snakes longer than eight feet long, and the sale of reptiles or amphibians without a license. New Orleans’ municipal code prohibits keeping any wild or exotic animal as a pet, including snakes that will grow to larger than three feet, monkeys, raccoons, squirrels, leopards, alligators and roosters.

Per an agreement with State Police, 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 Bourbon Street since 2024, mostly for charges like drug and firearm possession.

Department records show agents encountered five snakes, one opossum and an unspeciﬁed number of redeared slider turtles from February to May 2024. The agents’ presence appears to have been a deterrent as few have recently dared to bring their pets to the famous strip, other than Eurrell Johnson, who was caught toting a 3- to 4-foot alligator down Bourbon Street on Feb. 15.

In all seven of the animal encounters, agents slapped the owners with a citation.

director of the Humane Society of Louisiana, said he supports enforcement of laws keeping animals off the strip.

“Wild animals and Bourbon Street aren’t a good mix,” said Dorson. “The noise, the crowd, that’s the opposite of how these animals like to survive: away from people in wilderness. Not on Bourbon Street.” Christian Pendleton, a commissioner with the French Quarter Management District and general manager of Brennan’s Restaurant, said the change to Bourbon Street has been welcome.

“This is a neighborhood first. This is people’s homes ﬁrst. This is people’s businesses first,” he said. “Snakes can really freak people out.” Some of the enforcement has drawn criticism. When Saffron the opossum was swept up in the Carnival 2024 dragnet, a petition to “bring Saffron home” to his 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 she was released from jail, Greco attempted to continue caring for Sonny during its stay on the Northshore. After informing Wildlife Agent Jimmie Daniel that rats irritate Sonny’s stomach, Greco arranged a meetup with Daniel at the Shell station beside the Twin Span Bridge to provide three live rabbits for the python’s consumption, according to state records.

Green, who sponsored the council resolution, noted that Sawyer faced “many, many challenges, some of which we can’t even understand today.”

“But the fact that he withstood those challenges and was a beacon of hope to a lot of others who wanted to have the same sort of employment is something that we should be celebrating all the time,” Green added.

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

As a child, Sean Sawyer mostly heard about his father’s story 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 RTA driver, following in his father’s footsteps.

But, he said, it’s a story 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.

Gitter, who also included lasers in his work, developed a specialty in preventing and restoring vision loss, especially in patients with diabetes and degeneration of the macula, a small area in the center of the retina that is responsible for sharp vision.

Throughout his career, Gitter taught medical residents and served on the editorial boards of peer-reviewed publications such as The Retina Journal. He also was director of the Foundation for Retinal Research from 1977 to 2013 and president of the Macula Society form 1999 to 2002.

All the while, his enthusiasm for Japanese art grew In addition to collecting art, he developed relationships with artists and museums in the United States and Japan. The Japan Society honored him in 2025 for “lifelong and

transformative dedication to Japanese art,” and the United States-Japan Foundation gave him its Distinguished Service Award in 2014.

Gitter and his second wife, Alice Gitter, frequently hosted artists and scholars in their home, and they went to Japan, often with Bullard, on art-buying trips.

They also gave pieces to museums, including the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art (formerly the Freer Gallery); the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City; the Philadelphia Museum of Art; and the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.

“He didn’t just give something,” Alice Gitter said. “He knew what collections had, and he knew he could ﬁll the gap.” The Gitters founded the Gitter-Yelen Art Study Cen-

Four creatures were conﬁscated, while three others were left with their owners. Only one owner Greco, was arrested, having broken multiple city codes, according to the state’s incident report.

Mixed reactions

Jeff Dorson, executive

In an August interview, Greco said she had yet to receive an update on the snake’s whereabouts. She didn’t return calls last week. “I hope she isn’t dead, but it’s been almost two years now,” Greco then said. Though citations involving animals are down, the creatures haven’t disappeared from Bourbon Street entirely, Pendleton said. Just last week, Pendleton said he spotted two people riding Segways down the busy strip with snakes wrapped around their necks. “You’re like, ‘Ugh. Here we go again,’ ” Pendleton said.

ter in New Orleans in 1997, and the New Orleans Museum of Art in 2024 dedicated the Kurt A Gitter M.D. and Alice Yelen Gitter Gallery for Japanese Art Kurt Gitter became a museum trustee in 1973 and was named an honorary life trustee in 1991. In 2003, the museum gave him its Isaac Delgado Award for his lifelong service to art.

Survivors include his wife, Alice Yelen Gitter; a daughter from their marriage, Manya-Jean Gitter of Washington, D.C.; three sons from his ﬁrst marriage, to Mildred Hyman Gitter, Greg Gitter of Louisville, Kentucky, and Ricky and Douglas Gitter both of New Orleans; a daughter, Linda Gerstley of Boca Raton, Florida; and a sister, Dorothy Gitter Harman of Jerusalem. A funeral will be held Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at Shir Cha-

dash Synagogue, 3737 W. Esplanade Ave., Metairie. Visitation will begin at 1:30 p.m. Burial will be in Chevra Thilim Memorial Park, 5000 Iberville St., New Orleans. Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Email John Pope at pinckelopes@gmail.com.

STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Freddie Sawyer Jr., the first Black person to drive a public bus in New Orleans, sits March 9 at his home in New Orleans. Sawyer began driving in 1961 and, now retired in his 80s, was honored last month by the Regional Transit Authority and the New Orleans City Council for his trailblazing role.

NewOrleans Area Deaths

Berni, Marilyn Bourgeois, Gaynell Brazeal,Mary Brown, Gordon CrochetJr.,Randolph Federico,Vincent Gitter, Kurt Graham,Lauren Griffith,Grant Hanson, Gloria

Kelley, Helen Lang, Katherine Lanusse,Lory

LeBlanc, Laura

Manard,Ethel

Outlaw, Curtis

Pascal,Julieta

SylveSr.,Carroll

Tulensa, Latrice

Williams,Kathleen

EJefferson

Garden of Memories

Graham,Lauren

Pascal,Julieta

NewOrleans

DW Rhodes

Lang, Katherine Greenwood

Outlaw, Curtis

Lake Lawn Metairie

Berni, Marilyn

Gitter, Kurt Griffith,Grant Lanusse,Lory

Manard,Ethel Majestic Mortuary

Kelley, Helen St Tammany

EJ Fielding

CrochetJr.,Randolph West Bank

DavisMortuary

Tulensa, Latrice

Mothe

Brazeal,Mary

Robinson FH

SylveSr.,Carroll

Obituaries

Berni, Marilyn Didier

Marilyn Didier Berni passed awaypeacefully on March 20, 2026 at the age of 85. She was born in New Orleans to the late Florence Dittmer Didier and Clarence Didier. She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Dr. Ralph Berni, PhD, and her daughter, Karen Ridgeway (Greg). She is loved by her children, Brian Walker, Ann Lockhart (Wayne), Ralph H. Berni(Cindy), and Erin (Josh), 15 grandchildren, and13greatgrandchildren.She is also survived by her sister, Claire Didier Singer, nieces, numerous cousins, and friends. She will be greatly missed by all. Marilyn was anchored in her Catholic faithand was adevoted parishioner of St. Angela Merici,servinginmany capacities and singing in the choir. Marilyn graduated from Sacred Heart High School inNew Orleans and worked at several accounting positions. She retired as the office manager of Nalley, Dew and Minor Law Firm.

Marilyn will be remembered for her gift of making people laugh. She made connections with

people wherever she went. Shelovedlivelyconversation, reading, movies, dancing and shopping. She isnow at peace in heaven with the love of her life Ralph, whom she missed dearly. Relativesand friends are invitedtoattend the Memorial Mass in the chapel of Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home, 5100Pontchartrain Blvd.in NewOrleans, on Tuesday, March 31, 2026atnoon with publicvisitation beginning at 10:00AM Interment willfollowatAll SaintsMausoleum. To view and signthe online guest book,please visit LakeLawnMetairie.com

Bourgeois, Gaynell W.

Gaynell Waguespack Bourgeois,age 84, passed awaypeacefully on March 27, 2026, in herhome surroundedbyfamily in Thibodaux,Louisiana.Born on September 25, 1941, in Vacherie, Louisiana,she was the cherisheddaughter of Sidneyand Blanche Waguespack. Friends and family willbereceived at OrdoyneFuneralHome on Monday, March 30, 2026 from 6:00 PM until 9:00 PM and willcontinueon Tuesday,March31, 2026at Saint Joseph Co-Cathedral from 8:00 AM until service time.A Mass of Christian Burial will beginat10:00 AM at the church with burial following at Saint Philip Cemeteryin Vacherie, LA. Gaynell was the belovedwifeofLeo Bourgeois,with whom she sharedanextraordinary bond of unconditional love and support throughout their remarkable 64 years ofmarriage. Together, they builta life filledwith devotion to family and faith. She was the proud mother of Michelle(Bobby) Schexnayder and Nannette (Greg) Ordoyne. Her legacy continues throughher 4 grandchildren,9 greatgrandchildren. Sheisalso survived by her sister BlancheTroxclair. She is precededindeath by her son LeoBourgeois Jr., granddaughter Alyssa Nickens, parents Sidney and BlancheWaguespack. Online condolences can be made at http://www.or doynefunerals.com/. Funeral arrangements weretrustedtoOrdoyne Funeral Home,1489Saint Patrick StreetThibodaux, LA 70301.

Brazeal, Mary Rau

Mary RauBrazeal passedawaypeacefullyon March25, 2026 at theage of 101, surrounded by fam‐ily. Mary wasbornJanuary 27, 1925 in Gretna Louisiana. Sheattended DominicanHighSchool and wasa proudgraduateof LoyolaUniversitywitha Bachelor of Sciencedegree in Economicsand aminor in education. Mary wasa devotedwife, mother, grandmother, andgreatgrandmother. Mary was precededindeath by her parents, John F. Rau, Sr andHelen Rebenack Rau; herhusband of 56 years, Robert Edward Brazeal, Sr.; anddaughter, Mary Patri‐ciaBrazeal Chiasson.She wasalsoprecededin deathbyher brothers John FrederickRau Jr Paul Joseph Rau, andEdmund JamesRau.Maryissur‐vivedbyher children Ann Schleismann(Greg), Bar‐bara “Bobbi”Hanson (David), andRobert“Eddie” Brazeal, Jr.(Debbie);her grandchildren, SusanChi‐assonDanna (Russ),Eric Schleismann(Kelly),Kevin Schleismann(Cecilia) Adam Hanson,ErinHan‐son-Pierce (Steve),and JasonMangiaracina (Meridith);and nine greatgrandchildren: Alana, Adelie,and AidenSchleis‐mann, MasonDanna Archer “Archie” HansonPierce Eva, Katherine, Jason, andMatthew Man‐giaracina. Family and friendsare invitedtoat‐tend afuneral mass on

Wednesday, April1,inthe chapel at MotheFuneral Home,2100 Westbank Ex‐pressway,Harvey, Louisiana, 70058, at 11 a.m. Visitation will be from 9:30 to 11:00a.m.Interment will follow at Westlawn Ceme‐tery,1225 WhitneyAvenue, Gretna,Louisiana,70056. MotheFuneral Home has been entrustedwithfu‐neralarrangements. The familykindlyinvites youto sharethoughts, fondest memories,and condo‐lences online at www.Mot heFunerals.com

Brown, Gordon Anthony'Deany'

GordonAnthony Brown

"Deany", born November 11, 1953, in NewOrleans to late Ferdinandand Jane Brown, passedpeacefully on March 17th. He leaves behind wife, Janice Taylor-Brown; son, Gerard (Tamara); siblings: Ferdinand(Lauren), Aquieller,Gaylet(Cheryl), Vanessa (Craig),Ashley (Paris), Rosalyn, Derrick (Shannon);and ahost of family and friends Predeceased by brother, Bruce Brown. Served in theCoast Guard and retired from UnitedStatesCustomsand Border Protection. Deany couldfix anything;he lovedthe Saints and the outdoors.

ServicesApril 8that9:30 AM, Household of Faith, 9300 I-10 Service Rd,New Orleans; Graveside at 12:30 PM,SELouisianaVeterans Cemetery,Slidell.

Crochet, Randolph Joseph'Ronnie'

Randolph"Ronnie" JosephCrochet, Jr.age 91 of Covington, LA passed away peacefullysurrounded by family on March 15, 2026. He was born on February 11, 1935 in New Orleans, LA toRandolph JosephCrochet, Sr.and Harriet Danaher Crochet

Ronnie was adevoted husband, father, grandfather and greatgrandfather who willberemembered forhis love of family,storytelling and love of life Ronnieattended and graduated fromStMartin's Episcopal School in New Orleans. Ronnie furthered his educationbygraduating fromSLI in Lafayette, LA (now ULL). He was a four-year letterman on the SLIfootballteam. He graduated with aBSBA in 1956. Ronnie went on to havea successful business career where he was thefounder of Crochet Equipment Company which he owned and operated until his retirement.

Ronnie was preceded in death by his parents, RandolphJoseph Crochet, Sr.and Harriet Danaher Crochet,and his sisters Bonnie Crochet Dunkinand Connie Crochet Yahn. He is survivedbyhis wife of almost 70 years Lila Burch Crochet.Together they had 3children Deborah Crochet Gannon, Charles DonaldCrochet and CherylCrochet Hebert. He also had 6grandchildren and 8great grandchildren.Inhis free time

Ronnieenjoyed watching sports,inparticular college and professional football.Hespent many years boating,hunting,fishing and enjoying time at the camp!Those who knew him willremember himfor his humor,storytelling, and love of family and life

Afamily memorial service celebrating his life will be held at alaterdate. He willbedeeplymissedby those that knew and loved him. In lieu of flowers,donations may be madeto Special Olympics of LouisianaorMuscular DystrophyAssociation.

E.J. Fielding Funeral Home has been entrusted with Mr. Crochet's arrangements. Please sign theguestbook at www.ejfieldingfh.com.

1940 -2026

Survived by wife Maureen, sons Michael (Teresa), Stephen (Stacy), 6grandchildren, 6greatgrandchildren. Long standing member of St. Ann Catholicchurch and Charter member of Knights of Columbus council#3465. Visitation March 30, 2026, 10 -Noon at St.Ann. Mass to follow. Interment at GardenofMemories

The beloved Dr. Kurt GitterofNew Orleans and NewYork City, apioneering retinal surgeonand internationally acclaimed collectorofJapaneseart, passed away on March 25, 2026, in NewOrleans. His extraordinary life devoted to family,medicine,and art came to aclose at the ageof89. Kurt's primary commitment throughout life was to hisfamily.First and foremost, Kurt adored hiswife of 40 years, Alice YelenGitter, their daughter Manya-Jean, his eldest childrenfrom his first marriage, Linda, Greg, Ricky, and Douglas, and all 11 of his grandchildrenand four great-grandchildren. Just as he prioritized his parentsand sister in his early life,his commitment to his wife and five childrenpreceded allelse Born in Vienna, Austria, in 1937, to parents who left everything behind and fled with himtoAmerica six months after theMarch 1938 Anchluss, Kurt escaped theriseofNazism and theHolocaust,anexperience that shaped the course of his life and underscored the resilience and determination with which he builthis future. His grandparents and the many aunts, uncles, and cousins who remained in Europe,were murderedby theNaziregime. Gitter was raised in an immigrant family in Washington Heights, New York. He attended an orthodox Yeshiva,the Ramaz School untilage 16, and graduated fromthe Barnard School for Boys. He receivedhis BA from Johns Hopkins University (1958), graduated from the StateUniversity of New York, Downstate Medical Center (1962) and was awarded amedical residency in ophthalmology at theWills Eye Hospital (1965-1967), themostcelebrated training in thefield worldwide.

In 1963, Gitter was drafted by theUnitedStatesAir Force and stationed as an MD Captainand flight surgeonatHakata AirBase in Japan. Fortwo years, he and hisfirst wife, Mildred Hyman Gitter, livedwith their first threechildren Linda, Greg, and Ricky, in a traditional home several miles fromthe base, learning about Japaneseculture

firsthand. It was there,at age 26, when hislifelong passion for Japanese art andculture began Kurt becamea distinguishedretinal surgeon whodevoted morethan fiftyyearstorestoring sight and caringfor hispatients with excellenceand innovation. He served as Chief of Ophthalmologyat TouroInfirmaryinNew Orleansfrom1986 to 1996, wherehewas respected for hisleadership, commitmenttopatient care,and ingenuityinresearch. Therehefounded hisprivatepractice,Retina Associates of NewOrleans specializingindiabetic retinopathyand macular degeneration

Dr.Gitter wasa gifted researcher, receivingan NIHgrant as amedical residentthatlater resulted in himauthoring thefirst textbook for ultrasoundin ophthalmology (Ophthalmic Ultrasound,1969). He was a pioneerinultrasound imagingfor ophthalmic diagnosisaswellasinsurgicaland therapeutic treatmentofspace-occupying andvitreo-retinal diseases. Workingonmany clinical protocols and studies, Gitterpublished almost onehundredacademic articles, textbooks, books, andnumerous book chapters, detailed discoveries in fluoresceinangiography andlaser photocoagulation that helped shape the emergingfield of retinal subspecialties. Hiswork created afoundation for techniquesthatare now central to ophthalmic care andhave helped prevent andrestore vision loss, particularly in diabetic patients and those with degenerative macula diseases. Gitterwas thefirst ophthalmologisttoperform each of thesecuttingedge surgeries in New Orleans, and wasthe first person in the country outsideofJohns Hopkins University to usethe argon andkrypton lasers in privatepractice

As an expert, he was committedtotraining the next generation,exposing andinspiringmanyophthalmologists throughout theU.S., the western world andAsiatothe newly availabletechniques throughextensivelectures in prestigiousglobal institutions.Dr. Gitter mentoredand continuously trained medical residents on aone-to-one basisin hisown practice andasa clinicalprofessor at Tulane University and Louisiana State University (LSU). He served on theeditorial boards of peer reviewed publicationssuchasthe Retina Journal and Ophthalmologic Times. He wasDirector of the Foundation for Retinal Researchfrom1977 to 2013, and Presidentofthe Macula Societyfrom1999 to 2002, the most prestigiousretinal society.

In addition to having a groundbreaking medical career,Dr. Gitter became oneofthe most acclaimed collectors of Japanese Edo Period painting,building over decades oneofthe most significantprivate collectionsofJapanese andself-taughtAmerican art in theWestern world.

Yukio Lippit, Jeffrey T. Chambers andAndrea Okamura,Professor of Art andArt History at Harvard University callsGitter "one of themost impactfulcollectorsand philanthropists in theart worldduringthe postwar period."

Whileinmedical school, Gitter became acquainted with thepainterPhilip Pearlstein andhis housemate Andy Warhol. Pearlstein introducedhim to othercontemporary

artists at gatheringsatthe Cedar Tavern in New York's Greenwich Village. Artists including Robert Motherwell, Ad Rheinhart, Alex Katz, andFranz Kline were all partofthiscircle. (Pearlstein later painted portraitsofthe Gitter family members). Before abstract art gainedpublicattention, Kurt saw itsaesthetic value.Ashis student budgetallowed,hebegan acquiringworks by such artists, planting theearly seeds of agrowing collection During his militaryservice as aflightsurgeon in Japan withhis family, Gitter became enamored with Japanese art,culture, andpeople,and began to develop what would become lifelongrelationships with leading Japaneseart dealers and preeminent scholarswho taught him aboutartists and schools of Japan'sEdo period (1615 -1868). Gitter was drawn by what he calledthe "visual dynamism andimmediacy of Zen painting"thathe said "struck me, much like the bold abstractexpressionist action paintings" that he had seenin Greenwich Village.The Japaneselargely viewed thesepaintingsina religiouscontext, butGitter focused on their aesthetic qualities.

Later,in2000, the first exhibitionofGitter's Zenga paintingsinJapan (Zenga—TheReturn from America) touredthe countryand drew significantattentionasitencouraged Japaneseviewers to understand Zenga as Gitter did: as theimagery of talentedpaintersratherthan solely as religiousexpressions of their Zen faith. The art historian Yamashita Yuji of MeijiGakuin University creditsthisexhibition for elevating the status of Zenga in the eyes of theJapanesepublic. This exhibitioneventually ledtothe designation of a work by aZenga artist (Hakuin Ekaku,1685-1768) as Important Cultural Property of Japan for the first time.

Guidedbyexpert dealersand his ownkeentaste, Gitter began to amass an extraordinary collection, parts of whichwas first exhibited at theNew Orleans Museum of Artin1976, the first exhibitionofits kind to feature Zenga and Nanga genres extensively in theUnited States, and thefirst of over twelve exhibitions of Gitter's collection held on four continentsoverthe next 50 years. FollowingKurt's marriage in 1986 to Alice Yelen Gitter,a museum curator, specialist in American selftaughtart,and educator, thecouple continued to broaden theircollection to include sculpture,Edo-period paintingsfromthe schools of Nanga (literati painting), Zenga, Rinpa, Maruyama-Shijo, and Ukiyo-e,aswell as contemporary ceramics. Together they began to collectselftaughtAmerican art as well TheGitterslentand donated hundreds of works to museums worldwide, contributedtoscholarship, andmeaningfullyenriched theculturallifeofNew Orleans, NewYork, andthe internationalartscommunity. Exhibitionsfocused on Gitter's collectionhave been shownthroughout theUS, including the Museum of Fine Arts (Boston), thePrinceton University ArtMuseum, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, andthe Japan Society (NewYork). Zen exhibitions andcatalogues containingGitter's collection have been produced in Japan,Israel, and

Federico,Vincent

Gitter, Kurt A.

4B ✦ Sunday, March 29, 2026 ✦ nola.com

Australia,the latter two being held at their respective national museums.

Dr. Gitter donated over 350 Japanese art worksto the New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) and facilitated the donations of scores of other gifts from friends, family, and colleagues. Since the early 1970s, Kurt had avery closerelationship with the NOMA and Director Emeritus, E. John Bullard, who would join the Gitters on trips to Japan to buy worksofart. After joining the Board of Trustees in 1973, he was later named an Honorary Life Trustee in 1991. In 2003, NOMA presented Gitter with the museum's IsaacDelgado Award for his distinguished lifelong service to the institution and the field. In 2024, NOMA dedicatedthe Kurt A. Gitter

M.D. andAlice Yelen Gitter Gallery for Japanese Artin honor of the couple's transformational impact on the museumand its community.Their donations, both direct and indirect, formthe core of NOMA's Japanese art collection, which had only six paintings prior to his 1972 involvement. NOMA now stewards one of the foremost collections of Edo-period Japanese painting in a public collection outside of Japan.

Dr. Gitter also donated pieces to the National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian (previously the Freer Gallery of Art), where he also served as trustee; the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; the Metropolitan Museum of Art; the Philadelphia Museum ofArt;the Princeton University Art Museum; and the Israel Museum, Jerusalem.

In 1997, Gitter and his wife Alice founded The Gitter-Yelen Art Study Center in New Orleans

More than one hundred scholars, including scores from Japan, have stayed at the center whilestudying the Gitter-Yelen Collection in depth. Entiregraduate level seminars from Harvard, Princeton, Columbia, andGakushuin University in Tokyo stayed at the Art Study Center to examine rare artworks firsthand for days at a time. Exhibitions andconferences sponsoredby Gitter resulted in important publications that are used in art history courses all over the English-language world. Most recently, the exhibition None Whatsoever: Zenga Paintings from the GitterYelen Collection at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and the Japan Society Gallery of New York (2023-24) offered a new history of Zenga collecting in the modern era. Dating back to Zenga and Nanga: Paintings by Japanese Monks and Scholars in 1976, the New Orleans Museum of Art has organized eight exhibitions drawn in whole or in part from the Gitter Collection—including Japanese Fan Paintings from Western Collections (1986), which traveled to the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco; Zenga: Brushstrokes of Enlightenment (1990), which traveled to the Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte the Seattle Art Museum, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art; EnduringVision: 17th-20th Century Japanese Paintings from the GitterYelen Collection (2002), which traveled to the Seattle Asian Art Museum, the Japan Society, New York, and the San Diego Museum of Art; The Sound of One Hand: Paintings and Calligraphy by Zen Master

Hakuin (2011), which traveled to the JapanSociety and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art; and New Forms, New Voices (2017), the firstexhibition of the Gitters' collectionofmodernand contemporary Japaneseceramics.

Dr. Gitter was honored inJune 2025bythe Japan Society with the Japan Society Award forhis "Lifelong and transformativededication to Japanese Art."In2014, he was recognized with the Distinguished Service Awardfromthe United States-JapanFoundation, an award largelybestowed to diplomats and university leaders.

Dr. Gitter served his community through board involvement throughout his life.Among them, as a trusteeofthe Johns Hopkins University,the Freer Gallery of Art (National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian), the New OrleansMuseum of Art the American Museumof FolkArt (NewYork City), the Japanese Art Society of America, The Macula Foundation, and the Jewish FederationofGreater New Orleans. Hewas aboard memberofSouthern Union Gas,Metromobile, Escalon Company, and the Akorn Company.

His life's work bridged medicine and culture restoringvisioninone sphereand expanding it in another. He wasunwaveringinhis commitment to the Jewish community locallyand globally. Kurt was profoundlylovedby so many and will be truly missed.

Dr. Gitter is preceded in death by his mother, Mania (Maria)Rosler,father, Milo Gitter, and former wife, Mildred Hyman Gitter. His motherearned a PhD in 1925fromthe University of Vienna in Austria where she studied under Sigmund Freud and Alfred Adler.Afteremigrating to the U.S. in 1938, she worked with Aldred Adler to establishthe Adler Institute in Manhattan. Dr. Gitter's father earned a business degree fromthe UniversityofLiege in Belgium.Heworkedasa diamond dealer in Antwerp and Vienna and becamea wholesale rare stamp dealer in midlife in New York City

Dr.Gitter is survived by his wifeof40years, Alice YelenGitter,their daughter, Manya-Jean Gitter,and his foureldest children from his firstmarriage, Linda (Jim), Gregory (Laura),Ricky (Katherine) andDouglas (Cathy). He is survived by eleven grandchildren: Justin, Jillian, Kaley,Leah, Ben,Chase, Jake, Annie, Joel, Allie, Josh, and fourgreat-grandchildren, Eli, Miles, Millie, and Naomi.Heisalsosurvived by his sister, Dorothy GitterHarman of Jerusalemand hisbeloved niece and nephews, Danna, Oren,and Mishy Funeral services willbe held on Sunday,March29, 2026, at Shir Chadash Synagogue,3737W Esplanade Ave. Metairie, LA at 2:30 pm with visitation to begin at 1:30 pm until service time.Interment willfollow at Chevra Thilim Memorial Park, 5000 IbervilleSt. NewOrleans LA. Shiva willbeobserved in the family home at 11 Bamboo Rd. NewOrleans, LA on Sunday evening following the burial,on Monday, March30and Tuesday, March 31 from 1:00 pm -3:30 pm, and 6:30 pm through the evening. Kindly omit flowers, memorialcontributions in memoryofDr. Gitterare suggested to the Jewish

FederationofNew Orleans or theNew Museum of Art. andfriends in Boston,New Orleans, andBelizeknow shewould want them to keep loving laughing cooking, learning,digging androotingfor theSaints. Shewillbedeeply missed andalwaysremembered by thosewho knew her. Privatememorials will be held in Boston,New Or‐leans, andBelize. In lieu of ﬂowers, donationsinLau‐ren’shonor maybemade to theSociety forAmerican Archaeology’s Historically Underrepresented Groups Scholarship(HUGS)tosup‐port thenextgenerationof archaeologists

Graham,Dr. Lauren AnnSullivan

Dr.LaurenAnn Sullivan Graham,PhD,May 25, 1965 –March 12, 2026. Dr.Lauren AnnSullivanGraham, age 60, of Medford, Massachu‐setts,passedawayon March12, 2026, in Boston Massachusetts,fromcom‐plications following surgery. Lauren is survived by herdevoted husband Gary L. Graham,PhD,of Medford, MA;her parents, MichaelA.Sullivan, MD andKaren W. Sullivan of NewOrleans,LA; hersis‐ter, KristinSullivanJohn‐son, MD,ofNew Orleans, LA;and herbrother, MichaelD.Sullivan, MD (Laurie),ofWilmington, NC.She is also survived by herniece,ErinJohnson andnephews Ryan John‐son, Finn andKellanSulli‐van. Lauren wasa loving stepmother to Jove Gra‐ham, MD (Brooke) andFor‐rest “Fory” Graham of Clo‐vis, CA.She wasa proud anddevoted grandmother to May, Kai, andAmara Graham.Laurenwas raised in NewOrleans,Louisiana andgraduated from St Martin’s EpiscopalSchool in 1983. Sheattended Trin‐ityUniversityinSan Anto‐nio, Texas, graduating in 1987 with majors in Anthro‐pology andPsychology Shewentontoearnboth herMaster’sdegree(1991) andPhD (1997) in Archae‐ology from theUniversity of TexasatAustin. After completing herstudies shelaiddownher hair dryerand pearls to exca‐vate archaeological ruins in thejungles of Belize,be‐ginninga lifelong passion forthe ancientMaya. Over thecourseofher distin‐guishedcareer,she be‐came aleading Mayanar‐chaeologistand arecog‐nizedworld expert in Mayanceramics. Lauren served as ProfessorofAr‐chaeology at the University of Massachusetts Boston andTufts University.She spentoverfourdecades as abeloved teacherinthe classroom as well as ar‐chaeological fieldschools in Belize.Laurenpublished over four dozenscientific articles andbook chapters aboutMayaceramics. She introduced generationsof students to hands-on ar‐chaeological research,in‐spiringmanytopursueca‐reersinthe field, andhelp‐ingtrain some of today’s leadingMayan archaeolo‐gists. Even more memo‐rablethanher academic achievements wasLau‐ren'swarmth, generosity, andvibrant spirit.She was theepitome of Southern hospitality. Having learned to cook in NewOrleans, shedelighted in sharing wonderfulmeals with fam‐ily, friends, neighbors, and colleagues.She wasa lov‐ingwife, daughter,sister (“Sissi”),aunt,stepmother, and“Mimi”toher grand‐children.Largerthanlife, Lauren wasa dependable friend to many,known for herhumor,compassion, andwillingness to lend a helpinghand. Sheleftthis worldfar toosoon, with many more adventures aheadofher.Her family

Griffith,GrantGerald

Grant G. Griffith, raconteur, bonvivant, and faithful Blue Jay,losthis long battle with diabetes on March 18, 2026. Toward the end,Grant said,"Ihaveno regretsbecause Ilived the life Iwanted to live." And didhe!

Grant was born on February 22, 1953, and was alifelong resident of New Orleans.

Grant was precededin death by his father, Gerald J. Griffith, and his sister, JenniferGriffithHaston.He is survivedbyhis mother, Mary Sue WestGriffith, his brother, Scott Griffith, and his sister, Kathryn (Kit) Griffith, and several nieces and nephews.

He was agraduateof Jesuit High School and LouisianaState University. At Jesuit he was amember of thebandand thegolf team, as wellasa founding member of theMystic Krewe of Thunder Chickens, which rolled every Friday before Mardi Grasinthe Jesuit school yard, untilthe administration found out and shut them down.

The last thing Grant Griffithwouldeverwant in his obituary would be aresume. There is no doubt he was proud of his graduation fromJesuitHigh School, Class of 1971 and of his LSUdegree in general business. Surely,hewas apassionate chef who turned this love intoa successful career as acaterer. But these accomplishmentsnever defined him. His character far exceeded certificatesorawards. Grant never met an enemy in his life.Hehad aheart as hugeashis beloved Fairgrounds. And if Grant was your friend, he was your friend until theend of time. There was thetime he was sitting with twoof his friends, rocking away on averanda sipping on a cooladult beveragewhen across theroadhespotted ayoung girl struggling to push her family's lawn mower in aLouisianasummer. This was unacceptable to Grant as he duly proceeded to cross the street to wrest themower fromthe childtofinish the job. Theseand countless similar momentsdefined thetype of man he was. Some willsay that Grant left us toosoonat73. His friends and family were not nearly done with him. But he left us alla recipe forlivingcontaining allthe sauces and spices that personified alife well

lived,a life that brought such joytoothers. In remembering Grant, perhaps we cansmileatthe bittersweetode of H.L. Mencken: "If, after Idepartthisvale, you ever remember me and have thoughttoplease my ghost, forgivesome sinner andwinkata homely girl."

Familyand friends are invited to attenda visitation on Tuesday, March31, 2026, beginningatNoonat Lake LawnMetairie Funeral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Boulevard, NewOrleans,Louisiana 70124, followed by a Memorial Mass at 3:00 p.m.

In loving memory of Gloria A. Hanson,April 22nd 1946-March1st 2026.

Gloria,cherished storyteller andhistorian of her family, passed away peacefully on March1st 2026 at theage of 79. She waspreceded in death by herhusbandEdwin Hanson Jr.Her ashes will be interred in NewOrleans with herbeloved.

Gloria lived arichand eventfullife. At the age of 79 shecould still tell you everydetail of it in full and vibrantcolor. She hada raretalent, agiftedmemory. Though she wasprecededindeathbymany lovedones, herstories broughtthembacktolife.

Herstory began in New OrleansonApril 22nd 1946. Shewas adopted into a loving home. Shemarried andhad herfourchildren on theWestbank of New Orleansinthe city of Westwego. Sheworkedas astateemployee for most of herlifewhileraisingher family. She waswidowed young in 1991. But...that wonderfulmemory,that gift shehad,kept herhusbandalive fortheir children.Weare forever grateful. Another great upheavalofaneventfullife occurred in 2005. Allofher Louisiana familyrememberhurricane Katrina. She lost herhomeand relocated to Columbus Ohio. She wasembraced by herbirth familyand founda new home by herbeloved sisters. In 2011 she received thegreatest gift of herlife, her1st granddaughter. She washer everything.

Hertwilightyearswere filledwith great love.She formed close relationships with siblings and anyone she calledfamily. Because familywasn't just blood, it wasanyone she called her own. Sheissurvived by her children: David Deborah Dennis Cassandra and Kailyn.Her granddaughters Liannaand Victorious. Sisters Rose andMartha. Many nieces andnephews in Ohio andLouisiana. Also extendedsurrogate family too many to name.Many calledher Maw-Maw or Mamma G. Know that she lovedyou all.She will be greatly missed.

Kelley, Helen

HelenKelley, age81, of NewOrleans,Louisiana passedawaypeacefullyon March18, 2026. Shewas born March4,1945, in Woodville, Mississippi,to thelateOra Earls-Carter Helenwas afaithfulmem‐berofFriendshipBaptist Church anda devotedwife, mother,grandmother great-grandmother, sister, andfriend. Shewas acos‐metologist andco-owner of Lady Fair beauty salon with hersisterfor over 50 years. Sheleavestocher‐ishher memory herchil‐dren,Leondra (Connie) Kel‐leyand Thoris Kelley; grandchildren, greatgrandchildren, hersister BessieThomas, uncle Pren‐tist Earls, anda host of rel‐atives andfriends.Rela‐tivesand friendsare in‐vitedtoattendthe Funeral ServiceonSaturday, April 4, 2026 at 11:00 am at Friendship BaptistChurch, 3125 Hollygrove St New Orleans, LA 70118. Visita‐tion will beginat10:00 am IntermentwillbeinProvi‐denceMemorialPark. Pro‐fessionalarrangements entrustedtoMajesticMor‐tuary(504) 523-5872.

Lang,Katherine A. With sadnessweshare thepassing of KatherineA Lang on March16, 2026. Please visitwww.rhodesf uneral.comtoviewservice information, sign online guestbook,send ﬂowers andshare condolences.

LoryLanusse, 76, passed away peacefullyon Sunday, March22, 2026, in Baton Rouge,Louisiana. Born on February 7, 1950, in NewOrleans, Louisiana, Lorylived all of her76yearsinthe state she loved. She was the cherished daughterof Robert P. "Buddy" Ritter, Jr.and JosieCardarella Ritter. Lorywas aproud graduate of theUniversity of NewOrleans anddedicated herprofessional life to education as a Kindergarten teacherat Ecole Classiquein Metairie, Louisiana. She hada gift for nurturing young minds and touched thelives of countlesschildren and familiesthrough herkindness, patience, andunwaveringcommitment.

July 6, 1973, Lorymarried thelove of herlife, PaulJoseph Lanusse Jr., andtogether they shared 53 years of marriagebuilt on love,devotion, and

Hanson, Gloria A.

Lanusse, Lory Ritter

partnership.

Lory was aloving, compassionate, and devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. Her greatest joy came from her family, and she created ahome filled with warmth, care,and lasting memories. She is survived by her husband, Paul Joseph Lanusse Jr.; her son, Robert Paul Lanusse; and her daughter, Leslie Lanusse Edwards and her husband, Dr. Robert Edwards. Shewas aproud and adoring grandmother to Tagg Lanusse, Taytem Lanusse, Amie Elle Lanusse, Landon Edwards, Luke Edwards, and Logan Edwards. Though Lory did not have siblings, she shared a lifelongbond with her Aunt Rosemary Anderson (deceased) and Uncle Jack Cardarella. She also shared aclose and loving connection with her cousins, Pam Gaudet Dianne Tarantino, Gaylynn Schulingkamp, Henry Primeaux, GaynelleRitter Dassau, and Tony Ritter. Lory willbedeeply missed by all who knew and loved her, and her legacy of kindness, compassion, and dedicationto family willlive on in those she leavesbehind.

Relatives and friends of the family are invited to attend the Funeral Mass at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd., on Monday, the 30th at 2:00 p.m. with visitation beginning at 11:00 a.m Interment willfollow at Lake Lawn Park. In lieu of flowers, Massespreferred. To view and sign the guest book, visit www.lakelawn metairie.com

Laura Alberta Dubreuil LeBlanc, age 88, of Slidell, LA, passed away on March 25, 2026, surrounded by family.She was born in New Orleans, LA on December 6, 1937. Alongside her beloved husband Elwood, Laura shared apassion for dancing and taught round dance lessons for 45 years. Together, they were also active members of the Tammany Twirlers Dance Club, forming lasting friendships and bringing joy to many. She is survived by her devoted husband of 70 years, ElwoodJ LeBlanc; her children, Debora A. Beers, Ellen M. Buniff, and Elwood J. LeBlanc, Jr.; as well as her grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. She is preceded in death by her mother, Alma Leingang Dubreuil Eilers; her father William Dubreuil;and her brothers,William Dubreuil, Jr. and Michael Dubreuil Relatives and friends are invited to attend the Memorial Mass at St Margaret Mary Catholic Church on Monday, April 13, 2026 at 11:30 AM with Visitation beginning at 10:30 AM. Interment will follow at Southeast Louisiana Veterans Cemetery, 34888 Grantham CollegeDr., Slidell, LA.

Manard, Ethel Dameron

Ethel "Shingo" Dameron Manard passed away on March 22, 2026 in Covington, LA at the age of 106. She was predeceased by her beloved husband, John Poston Manard; her parents, Ethel Claiborne Dameron and Charles Irving Dameron; two brothers, Charles Haywood Dameron and Claiborne Dameron; and her sister, Dorothy Dameron Blair Sutz. She is survived by her three children, Courtney Manard Kane (H. Scott Kane, III), Barbara Bolling Manard and John Poston Manard, Jr (Mamsie Manard), four grandchildren andnine great-grandchildren. Mrs. Manard was born in Natchez, MS and grew up on

in West Baton Rouge Parish. Sheattended Newcomb College, where she was affiliated with KappaKappa Gamma Active in school, community and preservation endeavors, she served as President of the Junior League of NewOrleans, The Christian Woman's Exchange, and the Louise S. McGehee School Parent Teacher Association. She was Chairman,Women's divisionofthe UnitedFund for the Greater New OrleansArea, Registrar for the National Society of the ColonialDames in the StateofLouisiana,represented Louisiana on the Board of Advisorsfor the National Trust forHistoric Preservation, on the founding Board of Crippled Children's Hospital (now Manning Family Children's) in 1955during the polioepidemic, and was one of the founding members of the Preservation Resource Center in New Orleans. She was co-founderand Chairman of the Garden Library of the New Orleans Town Gardeners,and the Southeastern Architectural Archive,Tulane University Library. She served as Research Chairman for the NewOrleansTown Gardeners as Parkway Partners for the Beautification Project of Jackson Square. Mrs. Manard was Chairman of the Mayor's Advisory Committee for the preservationand renovation of Lafayette Cemetery #1 in the Garden District. She was restoration chairman for the Hermann-Grima Historic House in the Vieux Carré and chairedthe committee for replanting the parterre gardens in the courtyard.She was cofounder of the Garden Library of the New Orleans Botanical Garden Advisory Board of City Park.She served as Directorof OrleansTours and was treasurer of the Christwood Resident Council.

Mrs. Manard served on theBoard Advisory CommitteeofShadows-onthe-Teche,Board of Directorsofthe Southern GardenHistory Society, Parish Council of Trinity Episcopal School, the Board of Directors of the Law League of Louisiana, theBoard of Friends of the Tulane Library, and the Board of the Newman School Parents League.

Mrs.Manardeditedseveral publications including Go Magazine-The Authentic Guide to New Orleans;Women Who Cared-The 100 Yearsofthe ChristianWoman's Exchange;A History of the Order of St. Lazarus in the United States of America; ANew Orleans Courtyard 1830-1860- The HermannGrima House;and A History of the John A. LohmanFund, Christwood Retirement Community

Mrs. Manard received the Terry-Parkerson Award in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the GardenDistrict, the first Grace King Award by Save OurCemeteries and the Garden Club of AmericaMerit Award,all for savingLafayette Cemetery#1. Shereceived the SustainerAward of the Junior League of New Orleans.She received numerous accolades, awards and certificates from The Orleans Club, the Christian Woman's Exchange,and the Louisiana Association of Museums in recognition of her inspiration,leadership, distinctive service to her community, and efforts insupport of the research, restorationand preservation of the Hermann-Grima House.Inaddition, she was presentedwitha Merit Award from the Garden Club of America for establishing the garden libraryofthe New Orleans Town Gardeners Relativesand friends of the family are invited to attend services at Christ Episcopal Church, 129 N. NewHampshireStreet, Covington, LA on Thursday, April 2, 2026at10:00a.m., private interment to follow.Inlieuofflowersthe family requests thatdonations be made to Christ Episcopal Church, CovingtonLA, the Hermann-Grima Historic House, Community Sailing NewOrleans, or the Preservation Resource Center Outlaw,CurtisLamar

Curtis LamarOutlaw passedawaypeacefully on Wednesday, March11, 2026, at theage of 87 with hisdaughterbyhis side Curtis wasborninQuanah, TX on June 11,1938. He is survived by hisdaughter Jennifer Coulson(Thomas) andson DavidOutlaw (Nehal)and by hisgrand‐children Liam andMilan Outlaw.Hewas preceded in deathbyhis parentsIris Conwayand WilliamHer‐bert Outlaw,his brother Ansell Outlaw,his beloved wife SueAnn Harris Out‐law, andcherished daugh‐terDeniseOutlaw. Curtis grew up in thepanhandle of Texas. When he was10 yearsold thefamilymoved from theirhouse in town to onehis father builtontheir new400-acre farmonthe outskirtsofQuanah. Active in the4-H growingup, Cur‐tisraisedprize hogs turkeysand otheranimals, andexcelledatgrass judg‐ing. At theage of seven‐teen,Curtisreceivedthe Lone Star Farmer Degree from Quanah Future Farm‐ersofAmerica.Curtisat‐tended Quanah High School andwas theeditor of theschool yearbook, TheChief.Hegraduated in 1956 as Salutatorian and gave acommencement speech“YouthAnswers the Challenge.”Hereceivedan awardofdistinction in Sci‐ence andwas in theNa‐tional Honor Society, amongother accolades. He attended TexasChristian University forhis under‐graduate studies, receiving aBachelorofArtsinMath andEnglish in 1960. Also in 1960, he wasawarded the National DefenseFellow‐ship at theUniversityof NorthCarolinainChapel Hill,where he studiedthe theory andpracticeofdigi‐talcomputing in mathe‐matics.Hereceivedhis doctoratedegreein1966 from UNCChapelHill. Cur‐tismet beautifulSue when they both were taking Pointset topology class, a requirement, pre-requisite if planning on amathde‐gree at UNCinChapelHill. They soon fell in love and married, spending their honeymoon in Nassau They starteda familyin Chapel Hill,where Jenny andDenisewereborn. They were marriedfor 58 years, during which time they were inseparable. With Sue’sgourmet cook‐ing, Curtis cultivated apas‐sion for fine foods, which spoiledhim forthe rest of hislife. He oftenassisted in thekitchen,serving as Sue’ssouschef. Aftergrad‐uating from UNCinChapel Hill,Curtislandeda teach‐ingjob at whatwas then theLouisiana StateUniver‐sity of NewOrleans.He taught math at UNOfor 38 years, from 1968–2006, ris‐ingtothe rank of Associ‐ateProfessor of Mathe‐matics.His favorite class to teachwas Numerical Analysis andhis research focusedonit. Alecture catchphraseofhis was: "Get an answer anyway youcan!" This advice per‐tained to thechallenging fieldofnumerical integra‐tion,a setofalgorithmsfor calculatingthe numerical valueofadefinite integral Dr.Outlawco-authored a numberofmathematical papers with hisclose friendsand colleagues DiranSarafyan,Leroy Derr, andothers. Dr.Outlaw'sin‐vitedpaper "A fourth order Bel'tyukov formulawith thirdorder continuously embedded"appearsinthe renownedbook Volterra Equationsand Applica‐tions. Highlights of life in NewOrleans included playingtennisand family tennislessons.Curtisloved experiencing theoutdoors, andfamilyvacations often included hiking,camping andcanoeing. When David andNehal movedtoNew Orleansfor David’sMed‐ical ResidencyatTulane, theOutlaws were reunited. Curtis andSue were elated to be therefor thebirth of their firstgrandson, Liam, in 1997. AfterHurricane Ka‐trina, Curtis andSue both retiredfromteachingand movedtoCovington.They vacationed within theU.S andtraveledtoEurope, vis‐itingEngland,Franceand Italy. Theirfavoritepast timeswerespent with fam‐ily, andtheyespeciallyen‐joyedwatchingLiamand Milangrowing up.After Suedied, Curtis movedto Azalea Estates, an assisted living facility in Slidell, to be near hisdaughter, Jen‐nifer, who visitedhim daily. Herelishedvisits from theCaryOutlaws,in‐cludingjazzbrunchesat Palmettosonthe Bayou. He also enjoyedbirding with Jenn andTom,happy hour at Azalea Estates,

performances by pianist RonJones,visitstothe locallibrary,and Cross‐Gatesworkoutswithhis personal trainers Toni and Jonathan.Curtiswas res‐olutelydeterminedtostay fit, riding hisstationary bike andworkingout at CrossGates gymtwo to threetimes aweek.His perseverance wasaninspi‐ration to many.Inhis later life,Curtiscontinued his questfor knowledgeand learning.Alwaysthe scholar, he enjoyedonline coursesabout Greek and Romanhistory,antiquities andquantum physics. He remained an avid reader throughout life.His suiteat Azalea Estateswas filled with books, andJennifer and Davidwereoften tasked with locating par‐ticulartranslationsofClas‐sicalliterature. In 2022, whenasked whathefelt hismostimportant life ac‐complishmentwas,Curtis replied, “being afather.” He wasa greatone.He wasloving, caring,and supportive.Hespent as much time with hischil‐dren as possible,leading by exampleand fostering theirinterests.Assmall children,Jenny andDenise loveditwhenhereadto them at bedtimewhile writingvocabularywords on achalk board. That was whenJennifer firstlearned aboutwhatwould become alifelongpassion:fal‐conry. As “Papa” Curtis lovedgetting updates aboutMilan’s successin robotics competitions and violin concertperfor‐mances.Curtiswas over‐joyedtomeet Cortney Kosiak andlearn of her and Liam’s engagement.He welcomed herintothe familywithopenarms. Curtis hadmanyadditional interests. Histaste in musicrangedfromclassi‐calmusic to Dixielandand otherforms of jazz.Fa‐vorite musiciansincluded Pete Fountain,The Eagles, TheTraveling Wilburys Willie Nelson,and The Highwaymen.His favorite karaokesongwas “Poncho andLefty.” He listened to WWOZ radiostationand supportedWYESand PBS television.Curtiswas also amemberofthe American Mathematical Societyand theOrleans AudubonSoci‐ety. Acelebration of life for familyand friendswillbe held over thesummer. We invite youtoshare your thoughts,fondmemories, andcondolences online at www.greenwoodfh.com.In lieu of flowers, thefamily welcomes donationstothe OrleansAudubon Society.

JulietaE.Pascal, ana‐tive of Guanaja, BayIs‐lands, Honduras,and a NewOrleans,Louisiana resident of over 40 years, died on Sunday,March 22, 2026 at theage of 85 years. Julietaismourned by her loving husband of 63 years, Joseph;her children:Janell Chelchowski(Ski),Carlson Pascal,and DarlaPascal (PhilVon Dullen III);her grandchildren, Candice Joubert(Eric)and Nicholas Chelchowski;great grand‐sons,Landonand Logan Joubert; andmanyrela‐tivesand friends. Shewas preceded in deathbyher parents, Annieand Ian Kirkconnell, andher sib‐lings: Yolanda, Peggy,and SimonKirkconnell.Julieta wasa homemaker, adedi‐catedmemberofthe Sev‐enth-Day AdventistChurch, andanavidwrestling en‐thusiast.She enjoyedpa‐rades, especially with her late sister;familygather‐ings;shopping; keepingup with familyand friendsin Honduras;and tellingusall whattodo. Sheloved the coloryellowand hadtobe talked outofmaking everything that shade. Rel‐atives andfriends arein‐vitedtoattend avisitation at Garden of Memories Fu‐neralHome& Cemetery, 4900 AirlineDrive,Metairie, LA 70001 on Wednesday, April1,2026 at 1:00 pm fol‐lowedbya Graveside Ser‐vice at 2:00 pm.Tooffer condolences, please visit www.gardenofmemorie smetairie.com.

SylveSr.,Carroll Mitchell 'Guy'

Carroll“Guy” Mitchell Sylve, Sr age77, departed hisearthly home on Wednesday, March18, 2026, surrounded by his family. Guywas born March1,1949, in West Pointe àlaHache to the late MorrisSr. andAmerica Sylve. He wasa lifelong resident of Plaquemines Parish.Throughouthis life, Guyworkedmanydifferent jobs which included Day‐brook Fisheriesand Leon Duplessis& Sons.His most recentjob wasatPlaquem‐ines Parish Government where he retiredafter over 15 yearsofemployment. He is survived by histhree sons,Carroll Jr.(Tamika) Sylve, Adonis (Shykeva) Sylve, andChristian Sylve; hisgrandchildren,Ayana andCylan Sylve; brothers, Nelson (Shirleen), Adam (Joyce), MichaelSr. (Dor‐ris),and Emmett, Sr.Sylve; sister,Janet Sylve; fatherin-law,Emery Clinton Brooks Sr.; brothers-in-law EmerySr. (Gloria),Shead‐rich Sr.(Lily), Laurice(Ron‐nile)and Dietrich Brooks; sisters-in-law,Winknoca (Jeffery)Terrance, Sonya (Ricky) Duplessis, Akeia (Joseph) andTriconne Brooks; andone Godchild ChristopherBrooks. He wasprecededindeath by hiswife, CedraBrooks Sylvewhomheloved dearly.Carroll andCedra chosetoexitonthe same date (March 18) 9years apart which displays a uniqueformof“spiritual reunion”. Twobeautiful soulsthatweresointer‐twined in purposeand love that they departed earthin arhythmonlyHeavenun‐derstands. He wasalso preceded in deathbyhis brothers,Morris, Jr.and Clarence,Sr. Sylve; sisters, Mary Jane Duplessisand JosephineSylve Brooks; brother-in-law,George BrooksSr.;sister-in-law, Cecile Sylveand mother-inlaw, AdaBrooks. Guyis also survived by ahostof nieces,nephews andother relativesand friends. Rela‐tivesand friendsofthe family, also Plaquemines Parish Government,Alexis Marine,LLC,River Birch Landﬁll, AliceHarte School (Chartwells), Jefferson Parish School BoardTrans‐portation, CompassusHos‐pice Care,and allneigh‐boring churches arein‐vitedtoattend the mass of ChristianBurialatOur Lady of PerpetualHelp Church locatedat8968 Hwy. 23, Belle Chasse,LA on Monday,March 30, 2026 at 11 a.m. Visitation will beginat9 a.m. Father Kyle Dave ofﬁciating. Interment will be in OurLadyofPer‐petual Help Cemetery.Fu‐neralPlanningentrusted to Robinson Family Funeral Home,9611 Hwy. 23, Belle Chasse,LA. Foronlinecon‐dolences,please visit Robinsonfamilyfuneral‐home.com

LatriceMichelle McGin‐nisTulensa,aneducator, departed this life at the ageof56, on Friday,March 20, 2026, at West Jefferson MedicalCenter. Shewas a native of NewOrleans,LA anda resident of Gretna, LA.Latrice wasa 1988 graduate of L. B. Landry High School andlater re‐ceived herBachelorDegree from theLiberty University Shewas amemberofthe Army Reserveand wasde‐ployed in 1991 to Operation Desert Storm. Beloved daughter of LindaMcGin‐nisand thelateMichael McGinnis,Sr. Granddaugh‐terofthe late UlyssesHen‐derson,JosephBocage, andIsraelMcGinnis. De‐votedsisterofRashaad (Tyaisha)McGinnis, MichaelMcGinnis, Jr.and NickyMcGinnisPalmer. Loving nieceofKaren John‐son, WayneHenderson Charles(Ursla) Henderson, andthe late Patricia Hen‐derson,DeniseRoss, Ra‐mona Henderson, EthelPe‐terson,Glenn Bocage,Roy McGinnis,and Joseph Pe‐terson.Latrice is also sur‐vivedbyher godmother HelenMilligan, anda host of cousins, otherrelatives andfriends.Relatives and friendsofthe family, also pastors, officers andmem‐bers of BelieversLifeFam‐ilyChurch,First Free Mis‐sion BaptistChurch andall neighboring churches, membersofL.B.Landry Classof1988, faculty,staff andstudentsofAthlos Academyare invitedtoat‐tend theCelebration of Life at DavisMortuaryService, 6820 Westbank Express‐way, Marrero, LA on Mon‐day, March30, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. Pastor Randy Cillufio, officiating. Visita‐tion will beginat8:30a.m until servicetimeatthe above-namedparlor. Inter‐ment:RestlawnPark Cemetery,Avondale, LA.To view andsignthe guest‐book,pleasegotowww davismortuaryservice.com

Kathleen, aretired pharmacist ,a devotedCatholic andmost of all alover of Jesus. In herown words; "Thisismyphilosophy. Each day is filled withpossibilities. Eachday God's Mercyisrenewed.I am trusting God to take the lead, in allowingGod that freedom in my life, Iambecoming theperson God wants me to be." And quote.A funeral service will be held from10:00 AM to 12:00 PM on 2026-04-07 at St Maria Goretti Church, 7300 Crowderblvd.

Tulensa, Latrice Michelle McGinnis

LeBlanc, LauraDubreuil

Williams, Kathleen Ann

Pascal,Julieta E.

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OPINION

NOLA.COM/opinions

OUR VIEWS

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.

TO SEND US A LETTER, SCANHERE

Is affordabilityreallya crisis?

At somepoint,the headlines turned “affordability” from aconcern into a “crisis.” Butwhat 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.

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

Whenreaders pointout 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

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.

Someretirees feeling priced out of theFlorida coast are moving across thestate’spanhandle to Alabama. Andfor generations, New York City residentshave departed forthe less expensive suburbs.

As for big city living, one deal that helps justify thehigh rents is public transportation. Most New Yorkers 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

Sometimes, it’sa straightforward matter.Aname was misspelled; anumber was wrong. We make those corrections quickly,often within minutesoftheir coming to our attention.

Sometimes, though, these reviews can be moreextensive.

We takevery seriously our obligation to present accurate information. Yetespecially on contentious issues, when facts and data are disputed, the mostaccurate information isn’talways obvious. If that’s thecase, we have to go back to our sources to determine what’strue. We rely on eyewitnesses and primary sources when available, and not just what has been reported second-hand.

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 have also researched how the error was made and taken steps to ensure it’s not repeated

On Opinion pieces as well, we correct factual errors. If theerror of fact led to mistaken context or conclusions, that must be addressed. When building an argumentfor or against an issue, if there are major facts wrong, the entire argumentcan founder Readers often point out what they feel are mistaken conclusions madeby other readers in letters and see them as errors. Butletter writers can give their own interpretation of the facts —aslong as they don’tmisrepresent

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 arnessa.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.

Quin Hillyer

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. 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

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

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.

Grace

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

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.

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.

Will Sutton

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.

Stephanie

H. Hillyer

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

After asunnyand breezy Saturday, the wind willshift, the cloudswill startreturning,the humidity will begin rising and rain chances will increase. Expect apartlycloudy, warmand humid daytoday with alight breeze. Temperatures will be similartoyesterday, rising into the mid-70s.Windswill be lighter than yesterdayand out of the southeast at 10 mph.Unlikethis past week, rainchanceswill be at 30%, so expect afew scattered showers.Ifyou’re headed to the Pelicans game tonight,it’llbecloudy

LSU laments season’s ending

Rebounding, defensive issues at theheart of team’s Sweet16loss

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

SACRAMENTO, Calif. The shot will sit with coach Kim Mulkey for awhile.

How could it not? It rolled and rolledand rolled around the rim before dropping in with no time remaining, perhaps the cruelest way to end aseason.

Flau’jaeJohnson putbothher handstoher head in disbelief. Mikaylah Williams turned away from the rim and sulked down thebaseline. Mulkey walked over to thescorer’stable, where she congratulated Duke coachKara Lawson. The LSU women’sbasketball team was2.6 seconds away from the Elite Eight onFriday. It just needed one more defensive stop. Force amiss,securethe rebound and dance to the doorstepofthe Final Four

But now the No. 2-seeded Tigers are headed back home, with no choice but to stew in the harsh reality that they let apromising season slip away “It takes awhile to get over it,” Mulkey said. What wentwrong for LSU in its 87-85 loss to

AP PHOTO By SARA NEVIS

LSU guard Mikaylah Williams goes up for a layup as Duke forward Jordan Wood defends during aSweet 16 NCAA Tournament game FridayinSacramento, Calif.

Elitestatus just outof Tigers’grasp

Thejolting ﬁnality with which acollege basketball team’sseason can endinthe NCAA Tournament is something no one canpreparefor happening

SPORTS

Saints choose betweenpassrusher, cornerback

MOCK ALES

BY MATTHEWPARAS Staff writer

As New OrleansSaintsgeneral manager Mickey Loomis wasspottedchatting with cornerback Mansoor Delane at the LSU proday on Monday,Kellen Moorewas morethan900 miles away to observe adifferentpro day.

The Saints coach was at theUniversity of Miami to watch defensive endRueben Bain and thehandful of theschool’sprospects. With draft season in full swing, the Saints divide their resources to ensure all their bases are covered whenimportant pro days overlap.

After all, Delaneand Bain —bothprojected top-10 picks —could be in themix forNew Orleanswhen it is on theclock at No. 8come April.

Butwho will theSaintsend up picking? Sincethe draftislessthana monthaway,let’stakea guess with theTimes-Picayune’s ﬁrst mock draft of theyear

1. LASVEGAS RAIDERS: FERNANDO MENDOZA •INDIANA QB

Quick take: This hasbeen set in stone for some time, andit’llbeexcitingtosee what former Saints offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak can do with Mendoza

2. NEWYORKJETS: ARVELL REESE•OHIO STATELB Quick take: Head coach Aaron Glenn is taking control of the defense ahead of apivotal Year 2. Adding Reesegives him aversatile weapon with star potential.

3.ARIZONA CARDINALS: FRANCIS MAUIGOA• MIAMI T

Quick take: Maybe Moore was at the proday to watch Mauigoa,the top tackle in this year’s class. Alas, he’s offthe board to an Arizona team that hasneeds justabout everywhere

4.TENNESSEE TITANS: JEREMIYAH LOVE •NOTRE DAME RB Quick take: Did theSaints aggressively pursue Travis Etienne in free agency because they knew Love wouldbegonebefore they could selecthim? Not necessarily But Love to the Titans has been a popular projection after Tennessee spent alot in free agency to build up the defense.

5. NEW YORK GIANTS: CALEB DOWNS •OHIO STATES Quick take: Another potential Saints target, Downsgets taken within the top ﬁve to usher in the John Harbaugh era in NewYork.

6. CLEVELAND BROWNS: CARNELL TATE•OHIO STATEWR Quick take: The Browns are remaking their offensive line, but they won’t complain about landing atop-tier receiver.Tate would make alot of sense for the Saints, but he goes a few picks ahead of them ä See SAINTS, page 8C

That certainly was the case for theLSU women’sbasketball team Friday night in its 87-85 loss to Duke in the NCAA Sacramento2 regional semifinals. TheTigers made afrenzied comeback from 83-73 down with 5:11 remaining to take an 85-84 lead on Mikaylah Williams’ clutch free throws with 9.2 secondsleft,only to have their season snuffed out when Ashlon Jackson made an around-the-rim 3-pointerfromthe right wing as time expired Jackson’sshot could havespunout easily But it didn’t. The result: for LSU, asour —not sweet —16 indeed. The stunned looks on the Tigers’ faces, especiallythat 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

Thedunk looked like something from acartoon,whichwas quite ﬁtting considering the New Orleans Pelicans were celebrating “Space Jam”night on March 21.

Pelicanscenter Karlo Matkovic ran along the baseline, leaped with his back turned to the basket to catch apass from aJeremiah Fearspass, then turned in midair and slammed it home.

It’sadunk that will go down as notonly oneofthe best in a Pelicans’ game this season but also oneofthe better ones in the league.Itwas so good that the NBA requested Matkovic to take adrug test the next day. OK, so the NBA drug tests are actually random, but the timing of this onewas enough to make the 6-foot-10 Matkovic joke aboutit.

He has started just twogames. There have been other games when he didn’t play at all. But when it’stimetoplay,he’s typically found away to makeanimpact forthe Pelicans.

ä Rockets at Pelicans 6P.M. SUNDAy, GCSEN

“Of course I’m drug-tested today,” Matkovic said on asocial-media post witha picture of his highlight-reel slam. Matkovic passed thetest, much like he’spassed every testthis season whenever his name has been called.

“I’m used to it,” Matkovic said. “Try to be ready always. Italk to players and talk to coaches about how to stay ready always. Ithink I’mdoing agood job at it. Just staying healthy and available. When the timecomes, trying to be ready.”

SomeofMatkovic’snumbers won’tjumpoff the stat sheet. He’saveraging just 5.7 points and 3.7 rebounds. But he is also a threat from the outside, shooting 43.7% on 3-pointers.

“He’s addeda different element to ourteam,”Pelicans interim coach James Borrego said. “He’s made it very tough formenot to play him. Evenwith so many bigs, we are playing ﬁve bigs andhe’sone of them Ijust want him on the ﬂoor because he brings great energy.”

Scott Rabalais

STAFF PHOTO By DAVIDGRUNFELD

Pelicans forward Karlo Matkovic dunks theball during agameagainst the Golden State Warriors on Feb.24atthe Smoothie KingCenter

Rod Walker

ä See LOSS, page 4C

Miami defensivelineman Rueben Bainrushesthe OleMissquarterback during the second half of theFiesta Bowl on Jan. 8InGlendale,Ariz. AP FILEPHOTO By ROSS D. FRANKLIN

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

South Carolina guard Ta’niya 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 SWEET 16 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

IN BRIEF FROM STAFF

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

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-pointers. 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.

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

Spring’s rising waters limit

areas

NOTEBOOK

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 and west, too), the vast areas of water in these two major river systems are limiting the places where we can fish — no, not just fish, but catch fish.

Places like the Atchafalaya Spillway, the marshes and run off the Mississippi River south of Buras and down to Venice along with several oxbow lakes still connected to the Mississippi are far too high and muddy to make it a worthwhile 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’t what they used to be.

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

For Baton Rouge and west, it was False River and the waters reachable from Jack Miller’s Landing west of Plaquemine.

Those last two spots produced last weekend False River and the annual Kiwanis bass tournament produced a winning fivebass, near 19-pound catch for Larry Jarreau and Brogan Gurr — the big bass, a 7-pound, 8-ounce lunker, came from the second-place team of Richard Brister and Nick Brister And, the Junior Southwest Bassmasters put its stamp of approval on the Jack Miller’s area, notably around Grand Bayou, where 23 young anglers and their adult “guides” brought in 76 weighable ﬁsh (12 inches or longer) with club boss Jim Breaux reporting that many other small bass were caught.

Breaux said all weighed fish were released alive and the top producing lures were “(plastic) frogs, spinnerbaits early, creature baits and Baby Brush Hogs,

later in the day.”

The note on False River is a shad spawn is underway and the best action comes between ﬁrst light and 9 a.m.

After that, jigs and soft plastics around brush piles have produced limited action.

Rain in this week’s forecast will help freshen the 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 our state selected for this year’s 2026 National Recreational Boating Safety Survey to complete this mail-out and return the survey, which is done every ﬁve years and funded by the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust funds.

The 50,000 questionnaires will be divided among the 50 states and the District of Columbia to determine the number of boaters, boats types and how often they use their boats.

The target is to improve boating safety and give a chance to provide both positive and negative experiences on the water

Duck art

The subject for the 2027 Louisiana Waterfowl Conservation Stamp is the wood duck. It’s the fourth time this colorful species has been selected for the Louisiana duck stamp.

The artist has to submit an original, unpublished work with a signed and notarized artist’s agreement and a $50 entry fee during the submission period, Oct. 19-26 2026. Entries should be addressed to: Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries,

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

Big move

OUTDOORS

Father-son teamwork

Kase Nobile gets help from his dad, Ben, in showing off four of the bass they used to

and adult divisions in the Junior Southwest Bassmasters’ monthly tournament. The club launched

west of Plaquemine and most teams fished in the Grand Bayou area. Kase’s five-bass limit weighed 7.82 pounds and was the heaviest stringer among the three age groups. Ben’s five fish tipped the scales at 9.44 pounds.

BASS FISHING RESULTS

Kiwanis-False River

NEWROADS— The top 10 overall and top two in big-bass standings from the annual Pointe Coupee Kiwanis Bass 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, 14.4 ounces. 2, Richard Brister-Nick Brister (5) 17-11.4. 3, Chance Bergeron-Scott Lundy (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, Jadre Watson-Garret Watson (5) 14-4.2. 8, Darren Bueche-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, 7 pounds, 8.2 ounces. 2, Jarreau-Gurr, 6-8.2 Junior Southwest Bassmasters PLAQUEMINE— Age-group results from the 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), total weight in pounds and big-bass winners: 15-18agegroup: 1, Landin Sholty, Denham Springs (5) 6.88 pounds.

WEDNESDAY

LA. ALLIGATOR ADVISORY COUNCIL

MEETING: 1 p.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)

The U.S. House took a big step for hunters and ﬁshermen last week in passing a key part of The Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act of 2025 In addition to improving access to public lands, the bill prohibits bans on lead ammunition or tackle on federal lands and waters unless such regulation is consistent with state law and supported by science. Already protected are migratory waterfowl and birds on public lands where nonlead shot is required, and has been for more than two decades.

Keselowski

BY NATE RYAN Associated Press

Brad Keselowski will make his 600th career start on Sunday in the Cup Series, a tribute to the adaptability of a 42-year-old who became NASCAR’s first millennial champion in 2012. “It’ s a number I nev er dreamed of,” K ese lowski said before practice and qualifying at Martinsville Speedway, the 0.526-mile oval in southwest Virginia where he will try to join 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’s only one statistic that truly determines his value.

“To be judged as successful in this sport, you have to win and be a contender to win regularly,” Keselowski said. “I sense we’re not far off, but we’re also not there. So we’re somewhere in this ambiguous spot. I’m hopeful that we can push through with some sort of stellar performance and assert ourselves.” After a winless 2025, Keselowski’s team opened this year with Ryan Preece winning The Clash exhibition event — kicking off a season that’s delivered its fair share of surprises.

Tyler Reddick, also winless last season, has four victories in the ﬁrst six races to build a massive points lead with the No. 45 Toyota of 23XI Racing, the team

CALENDAR

HUNTING SEASONS

TURKEY: March 29, Youth/Physically Challenged weekend. Regular season, Area A, April 3-May 3; Area B: April 3-26; Area C: April 3-19.

AROUND THE CORNER

FISHING/SHRIMPING

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

The bill has moved to the U.S. Senate.

Send your photos

This year the Gulf Council is celebrating its 50th anniversary and is calling outdoorsmen to participate in a special Gulf Fisheries Photo Contest.

OPEN RECREATIONAL SEASONS: Gray triggerfish; flounder; lane, blackfin, queen and silk snappers & wenchmen among other snapper species; all groupers except closed for goliath & Nassau groupers in state/federal waters.

CLOSED SEASONS: Red snapper; greater amberjack; blueﬁn tuna; gag, goliath & Nassau groupers in state/federal waters. Commercial greater amberjack season closed. EMAIL: jmacaluso@theadvocate.com

The contest is to highlight “the people, places, and marine life that define fisheries in the Gulf region,” in a number of categories best overall photo, best recreational fishing photo, best commercial fishing photo, best historical photo, best marine life or habitat photo and best coastal community photo

To be eligible, the photo must be taken in the Gulf region, must be original and must be submitted in digital format (high-resolution image preferred). The photographer must secure permission from “any identiﬁable individuals in the photo. If a subject is a minor, permission must be granted by a legal guardian.” The deadline is 4 p.m. April 30. The Website: gulfcouncil.org

co-owned by Denny Hamlin and NBA great Michael Jordan.

Before Reddick took the checkered flag at Darlington Raceway, the RFK Racing trio of Keselowski, Chris Buescher and Preece ran 1-2-3 for a stretch last week at what’s been dubbed “The Track Too Tough to Tame.” Keselowski led a race-high

142 laps for his sixth runner-up ﬁnish since his most recent win nearly two years ago, but he still felt inferior to Reddick, who won easily despite dropping deep in the ﬁeld with an alternator problem.

“We were close last week, and this will be another of those opportunities that I feel really good about,” said

Keselowski,

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 Tigerslostto 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 that claim to be “LSU insiders.” Theirposts that said Mulkey was retiring at the end of the 2025-26

season looked like social-media newsreports,and as of early Saturday morning, they had accumulated morethan200,000impressions. Late Friday night, areporter asked Mulkey whether 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 makeyou 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 experience against herinrecruiting. Some ofthem, shesaid, ﬂoat the possibility that shecould soon retire, giventhe fact 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.

PHOTO

LSU guard Flau’jae Johnson reacts after Dukeguard Ashlon Jackson, in background, scored a3-pointer towin the Sweet 16 game on Friday in Sacramento, Calif.

RABALAIS

Continued from page 1C

“It takes awhile,” Mulkey said, “to get over it.” True enough. It is over,though. So whatdowemake of this29-6 season?

In one respect, it was aremarkable season filled with some breathtaking moments. LSU’smost lasting, legacy-type achievement probably will end up being the offense. LSU set theNCAA women’sDivision Irecord for most 100-point games in aseason (16) andthe Southeastern Conference record for most points per game in aseason, averaging exactly 95 per contest. This team also earned aNo. 2NCAA regional seed, the highest under Mulkey and tied for the Tigers’ best since the 2008 Final Four team. Even LSU’s2022-23 national champions were aNo. 3seed. In the end, there were no banners, trophies or championship rings for the fingers of this team. What Mulkey has established at LSU has set a high standard for the program, higher even than the halcyon days of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famers Seimone Augustus and Sylvia Fowles, who combined to lead the Tigers to five straight 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 trips to the Elite Eight, because great is what is expected from LSU again. Women’scollege basketball is ahighly stratified sport. There are teams on the highest plateau, like this year’s No. 1seeds: UConn, UCLA, South Carolina and Texas. Then there’sthe next plateau. That’s where this LSU team, Vanderbilt, Duke and maybe oneor two others currently reside. Getting to that top plateau is avery tough ascent. LSU has been close to it the past three seasons since that Angel Reese-led title run in 2023, but not quite there. Against the very best teams on its schedule —Duke (twice), South Carolina (twice), Texas (twice) and Van-

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, but in 2026, they fell just short of thatround of the tournament.

Mulkey said she plans to fillthe two openings on hercoaching staff and begin 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 for another 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.

LOSS

Continuedfrom page1C

Duke in the Sweet 16? It was much more thanthat last-second shot.

The Tigers struggled to both defend the paint and rebound missed shots,and as aresult, they could neverfully ignite their transition offense —the dangerous attack they usedthis year to enjoy oneof the best offensive seasons in NCAA history

The No. 3-seeded Blue Devils scored 38 pointsinthe paint and pulled20reboundsoff theoffensive glass. Only one team has notched that many paint points againstLSU this season, and only two have snaredthatmanyoffensive boards.

The Tigers nevergaveup. They trailed 83-73 at the5:11 mark of thefourthquarter— rightbefore 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 theTigers forced amiss on Duke’s ensuing possession. But they also let that shotbounceoff therim and out of bounds,handing theBlue Devils achance to run thebaseline inbounds set that they used to win the game.

“Wecouldn’tget them when it mattered.”

Rebounding was an issue LSU had to solvethisseason but only for abrief two-game stretch.

The Tigers didn’t corral enough boards in close losses to Kentucky and Vanderbilt to begin SEC play, leading associate head coach Bob Starkeytoorder arebounding bubble —a funky-looking, old-school contraption that trains rebounding instincts.

LSU first snapped the bubble onto therim in practicebeforeit 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 thatproblem to resurface.

TheTigersforced enough 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.

ferring to broughtJohnson’s collegiate career to an end. She was teammates with Williams for three seasons, but the starduo never founda way to seewhatitcould accomplish togetherinthe Final Four.OnFriday,they combined to score35points on 12-of-30 shooting.

Johnson will go down as an alltimeLSU 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 vacancies on her 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 wentwrong, and she’ll be thinking about it in the days, weeks and months ahead.

dy —LSU wasa combined2-5

Again, that’svery good.Not elite. LSU lacked the consistency to get there, particularly becauseitdidn’thave dominant post play. Maybe onemoreseason from Aneesah Morrow might have gottenthe Tigers back to the Final Four Morrow is long gone to the WNBA. So now is Johnson, who departs LSU asone of the stylish players the Tigers have ever had. From apure talent standpoint,though,the Tigers will ﬂourish in 2026-27 if they can retain their core players— Williams, MiLaysia Fulwiley Jada Richard,Grace Knox, Kate Koval, ZaKiyah Johnson —whichisalwaysaniffy proposition in the transfer portal era. These Tigers will all be ayear older and have even more chemistry.Experience counts for an awful lot in the college game, though LSU could certainlybeneﬁt from adding another bigwith some bite in the portal.

As for Mulkey,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 postgame news conference.

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

“I have no clue where that stuff comes from,” Mulkey said. “I’ve never,evertoldanybody that.”

Mulkey is unquestionably closer to the end of herhead coaching career than the beginning. Just as unquestionably, the ﬁreclearly still burns.

One imaginesaseason 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’tAT LEAST end in the Elite Eight will stoke that ﬁreevenmore.

Mulkey spoke about building a mature programthisseason. It’s aprogram that won its NCAA title ahead of its time. Becoming theeliteofthe elite remains the goal.

Email ScottRabalais at srabalais@theadvocate.com

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

“They just grabbed them at the importanttimes,” Williams said.

WALKER

Continuedfrom page1C

Matkovic was asecond-round draft pickbythe Pelicans in 2022. The draft class that year alsoincludedﬁrst-round selection Dyson Daniels (now with the Atlanta Hawks) andsecond-round pick E.J. Liddell (now with the Brooklyn Nets).

Matkovic playedwitha team in Slovenia that year before signing with thePelicansin2024. He spent time last season in both New Orleans andinBirmingham with the G-League afﬁliate Squadron. It’sbeen allNew Orleansfor Matkovic,who hasembraced hisrole off thebench,this season

“The second unit alwaysbrings the energy,” Matkovic said. “I feel like that’ssomething that turns us. We try to push that pace every time we getin. Energy.High motor.” Matkovic is in the second year of athree-year deal. Nextseason is ateam option.Based on how he’s played, he seems to have shown enough promise that the Pelicanswould wanttokeep him around. He turns 25 on Monday. Borrego rattled off alonglistof things he likesabout Matkovic. His speed His athleticism on both ends of the court. His ability to protect the rim. His penchant for ﬁnishing alob pass. And his ability to knock down 3-pointers.

“Those guys are hard to ﬁnd in the NBA,” Borrego said. “Guys that are that athleticand can play multiple positions andare switchable defensively andcan knock down threes.”

Teams are starting to respect Matkovic’s3-point shot. There were times in Friday’sgame against the Toronto Raptors when defenders would run Matkovicoff of the3-point line “That’shis next step,”Borrego

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

“Westayed so strong in those huddles.All their eyes were on me, and we werevery purposeful in what we wanted to do, and our execution on that last play was great.”

TheshotthatLawsonwas re-

“Wejust couldn’tget three stops in arow,” Mulkey said.“We couldn’t rebound theballsothatwecould take off in transition. It was kind 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

said. “When he does put it down, howcan he generate some more offense for us? That’ll be his next step.” For now, Matkovic will look to ﬁnish the season strong. There are just seven games left, starting with a6 p.m.homegameagainst

the Houston Rockets.

“I love his spirit,” Borrego said. “His competitiveness. He’sanincredible teammate. He’ssocoachable. “

Email RodWalkerat rwalker@theadvocate.com.

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 LSUﬁres me.

AP PHOTO By ROBGRAy

Pelicans forward KarloMatkovic, right, goes to the basket against the Utah Jazz on Feb.28inSaltLakeCity.

Toomanywalks,not enough hits forTulane

BY GUERRYSMITH

Contributing writer

Tulane hung around with

UAB longer than it should have on Saturday considering its pitchers’ lack of control and its hitters’ inability to ﬁnd open spots.

Inevitably, the Green Wave ﬁnally gave way Three walks to the first four battersinthe bottom of the sixth inning led to four runs as UAB broke atie at 3and clinched the weekend series with a7-4 victory at Young Memorial Field that dropped Tulane into atie for lastinthe American Conference.

The entire 10-team league is jumbled within one game in the standings, but Tulane (14-14, 2-3) will have to execute much betterthanit did in the ﬁrst two games to climb out of the cellar

The free passes ran the Wave’stotal to 12 walks from four pitchers —not far from the 16 outs they had recorded to that point —and apair of high-leverage relievers who made the fatal mistakes.

LuisPablo Navarro (0-1) walked the only two batters he faced in the sixth after registering astrikeout and rolling atailor-made double play to get Tulane out of trouble in the ﬁfth immediately after entering. Closer Sam Larson then threw seven consecutive balls before giving up ago-ahead

sacrifice fly,back-to-back shift-beating RBI singles andthrowing wildly to ﬁrst base on apickoffattempt “Hedidn’tlookcomfortable,” Tulane coach Jay Uhlman said.“Ican’texplain whythat’s the case.”

J.D. Rodriguez, pitching because usual Saturdaystarter JackFrankel experienced discomfort andwas scratched,walked leadoffbatter KevinHall on four consecutive pitches. He promptly induced a double-playgrounderfrom American home run-leader JP Head but gave up arun anyway after anotherwalk andtwo singles.

Tulanetookits firstand onlylead of the series in thesecond, gettingatying single from designatedhitter Brett Rowell in only his second start and sixth appearance of theseason and asuccessful squeeze bunt from James Agabedis to go up 2-1.

The advantage was brief. Rodriguezwalkedthe ﬁrst batter in the bottom of the second and exited having thrown 21 strikes in 45 pitches.Replacement Jude Abbadessawalked two more beforeAlex Dupuy’s two-run single put UAB ahead 3-2.

The deficit would have been bigger if UAB (17-10, 3-2) hadnot left thebases loaded in each of theﬁrst two innings. Abbadessa then settled down after the

ﬁrst two battersreached in thethird, retiring six of the next seven to getthrough thefourth.

“What you’re seeing now is thelack of length outof thestarting pitching that’s gottenustowhere J.D. walks four guys and we didn’tget ahead of alot of guys for agood part of thegame,” Uhlman said. “Whenwedid, we didn’t get hurt.”

Tulane tiedthe score in thesixthwhen TyeWood walked with oneout,stole second, wenttothird on an errant pickoff attemptby pitcher Konner Keplinger andscored on pinchhitter Matthias Haas’s sacrifice

ﬂy

Ultimately,though, the Wave could not generate enough offense to keep up withthe constant trafﬁc the Blazers produced. Tanner Chun’sleadoffdouble in the seventhwas only the third hit. JasonWachs’ two-out RBI single behind him was the fourth andﬁnalhit off three UAB pitchers.

“It’s alittle bit of kind of snake-bitten,”Uhlmansaid.

“We’re notgetting breaks right now.Wehaven’tgottenthat big hit in this series so far.You can’twin games you can’tscore in. Something Ithought was going to be astrength at the beginning of the year has had ahard time ﬁnding itslegs.”

The teams wrap up theseries at 1p.m.Sunday

Curtis defenseisexceptional in shutoutofBrother Martin

BY CHRISTOPHER DABE Staff writer

After his ﬁnal pitch, John Curtis right-hander Mason LeBlanc watched as second baseman London Padgett made adiving stop and threw out the runner to end thegame.

The play capped LeBlanc’scompletegame shutout without astrikeout, as the senior relied on the ﬁelders behind him to secure a7-0 victory over ﬁrst-place Brother Martin in aCatholic League series opener Saturday at Harahan Playground.

age9 LeBlancdidn’talways know howtopitch without trying to get as many strikeoutsaspossible “It took me alittle while as akid going out there trying to throw ashardasI can,” said LeBlanc, who pitched mostly in relief beforethis season. “Now it’sjust stay in control and let my defense work, anditwins games.”

Coach Jeff Curtis has seen LeBlanc’s growthinthat area, recallingLeBlanc’s recentloss against Rummelwhere “he triedtodo alittle too much.”

to start adouble playinthe ﬁfth.

Easing matters forLeBlanc was the early 3-0lead that came with thehelp of threeBrother Martin errors in theﬁrst two innings.

Curtis (20-5, 5-4 District 9-5A)broke things open withathree-run fifthas Sean Goodrum andMartinezpostedback-to-back RBI doubles. Micheau reached basethreetimes, stole three bases and advanced twice on wild pitches. He scored three runs.

Thewin was thefourth in eight days for Curtis, startingwith the 5-1win against Jesuit.

QB Leavittshows more activity

BY SCOTTRABALAIS Staff writer

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

As with Bryan’sshow, all youhad to do was follow the music beltingout of the Charles McClendon Practice Facility. Cranked up to 11.

The LSU Tigerswrapped up their ﬁrst week of spring practice Saturday under new coach Lane Kifﬁn on a surprisingly cool and breezy sun-splashedmorning.

Media wereallowed to view approximately the first 30 minutes of practice, though no cameras werepermitted. Here are some observations and notesfromDay 3of15 spring practice sessions:

TheLeavitt silver lining

Junior quarterback Sam Leavittstill isn’tfull go after undergoing November foot surgerywhile at hisprevious school, Arizona State.

That said, it’s probably fair to say mostmedia observershavebeen surprised at his level of participation in spring drills this ﬁrst week.

Leavitthas been throwing each day with LSU’sother three quarterbacks —fellowtransfersHusan Longstreetand Landen Clark, and returnerEmile Picarella from UniversityHigh. On Saturday,heagain looked unencumberedashemoved from stationtostation on the practice ﬁeld.

HasLeavitt exhibitedsome occasional rust making deep passes to receivershehasn’t thrown to before thisweek?

Yes. But his freedom of movement andability to get those longthrows outthere suggests he will be ready to go by August preseason camp, barring some sort of

He allowed just five hits —all singles —and one walk in an 86-pitch outing that lasted only 93 minutes Brother Martin threatened only once, putting runners on the corners with two outs in the sixth. Third baseman Luke Martinez ended that chance,snagging ahard grounder and throwing to first for the final out of the inning

“Great defense behind me,” LeBlanc said. “Got to give all credit to them.”

Primarily apitcher since

He saw none of that Saturday “It’stough,” Curtis said. “You’reupthere and you’re by yourselfand sometimes youfeel like you have to do it by yourself. Yougot to get pastthatmental block,but that’swhere team comes in.

That’s where trust comes in. We were fortunateenough to make all the plays behind him.”

Other plays behind LeBlanc includedshortstop Connor Micheau’ssliding stop for an out in the second inningand Padgett’s quick throw off ahighbouncer

Brother Martin (24-4, 7-2) was heldscoreless for the ﬁrst time this season.

“Creditgoes to LeBlanc for keepingusoff balance, mixing hisoff-speed and location,” Brother Martin coach Jeff Lupo said. “Every ball we hithard went right at somebody.”

LeBlanc began theday notexpecting to throw a complete-game shutout.

“Afterthe ﬁfth inning, I was tellingmyself,‘Ican go get this done by myself,’” he said With help from the defense behind him.

Keydefensive lineman Reliford tearsACL LSUredshirtsophomore edgerusher Gabriel Reliford has tornhis ACL, he confirmed withThe AdvocateonSaturday. He wasnot at practice on Saturday Reliford playedinjust four games this past season, suffering atornrotator cuff against Southeastern.Hehad eight tackles and atackle forloss beforethe injury. He also playeda roleinLSU’srotation on the edgeasa freshman, playing in all13games andrecording 10 tackleswith one tackle for loss. Relifordwas expected to be an important piece in LSU’s rotation on the edge thisseason, despitethe additions of transfers Princewill Umanmielenand Jordan Ross.

setback.Kifﬁn said Tuesday he’shopeful Leavitt will “be able to do alot more” by the end of spring drills.

Meanwhile, Leavitt’spresumed backups, Clark and Longstreet, are getting valuable practice time with the ﬁrst- and second-team offensive groups. If they have to playsigniﬁcantminutesthis fall for some reason, the fact thattheywon’t be going in cold is perhaps asilver lining from Leavitt’spainful but manageable setback.

Runningbacks aplenty

Remember back about the time of Kiffin’sarrival at LSUwhenthere were legitimateconcerns aboutthe Tigers’ running back room?

Would talented players like Harlem Berry or Caden Durham follow former running backs/interimhead coach Frank Wilson to OleMissor transfer elsewhere?

Well, Berry andDurham were persuaded to stay.And abunch more running backs —eight in all— giveindication that LSUwill at least have depthifnot guaranteeing production. That said, Kifﬁn’soffenses are predicated on being able to run the ball effectively,so it’sadecent bet the Tigers will averagemorethan last season’sfeeble 104 yards

Riley

per game on the ground. Not ahighbar to clear, perhaps, but nonetheless adecent bet. Kiffin was asked Tuesday if he thought oneofthe backs —like Berry,who appears to be having mostofthe snaps with thefirst-string offense —could have aseason like Ole Miss’ Kewan Lacy (1,567 yards, 24 TDs in 15 games)? Kiffin wiselywouldn’t guarantee anything like that. But as they said in the movie “Moneyball,” perhaps Kiffin and offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr.can recreate aLacy-type season “in the aggregate.”

AnoWeeks week

Well, perhaps notno Weeks. Redshirt freshman Zach Weeks was practicing. Butolderbrother Whit Weeks, asenior,continued to be an observer during practice Saturday Weeks spoke to reporters Thursday, saying he could see “the light at the end of the tunnel” as he continues to recover from two ankle breaks —one in December 2024 in the Texas Bowl, theother in September at Ole Miss. But the fact that Leavittistakingmoreofan active role in spring practice so far than Weeks is perhaps the biggest surprise of camp to date.

—Koki

LeBlanc

Reliford

ALL-METROGIRLS SOCCER

SMALL SCHOOLS PLAYER OF THEYEAR

KAITLYNBRADY HANNAN,SR. • MIDFIELDER

The crowd drewsilent as it waited for the announcement. Hannanhad just wona girlssoccer state title for the first time andthe LHSAA’s outstanding playerselection would typically go to atop-scoring playerfrom the winning team.

In this case, it went to seniorKaitlynBrady, a five-year varsity standoutwhose impact can be felt eveninthe matches when she doesn’t score —likethe 2-1 victoryoverParkview Baptist in the Division III state final last month. TheProvidence Collegesignee finished theseason with 28 goals and 12 assists. Sheassisted on the lone goal in Hannan’s 1-0 semifinal win against E.D.White. Her production camedespite being man-marked throughout the season.

Her presence creates chances for other players —likewhen Maggie Wylie and Farrah

Lightell scored the twoHannan goalsin thestate final —a keyfactorinThe TimesPicayune’sdecision to makeBradythe small schools’All-Metro playerofthe year

“We’vebeen blessed by havingher leadership on and offthe field,”Hannan coach Nathaniel Peters said.“She is sortoflikethe heartbeatofthe team.Alot of things flow through her.”

Hannan reached the state final when Brady was on the varsity as an eighth grader.She waitedfour years for another chance at a title

“I thinkthe most impressive thing is how we pushedthrough untilthe end,”Bradysaid after the title match.“Wegot scored on, but we camebackina coupleminutes.Thiswas a teamwin.”

Christopher Dabe

SMALL SCHOOLS COACHOFTHE YEAR

MEAUXHOMBURG-BUPP POPE JOHN PAUL II

The state title was ajoyous endingtoa trying season for Homburg-Bupp, wholost herfather in December but welcomed herson,Wyatt, on Feb.12.

She didn’t miss agame as the Jaguars

advanced past the LHSAA’s state quarterfinals for the first time in her tenure andwon their final twomatches in penaltykick shootouts.

Christopher Dabe

SMALL SCHOOLS ALL-METROTEAM

LULU AMIREH

CountryDay,So., forward 23 goals, 15 assists

LILI

ARJMAND Newman, Sr., forward 12 goals, eightassists

COLETTE

ENGLISH

Sacred Heart, Jr., forward 13 goals, five assists

MAGGIE

WYLIE Hannan, Jr., forward 22 goals, 10 assists

LEXIE ANDERSON No. Christian, Jr., midfielder 12 goals, nine assists

SHEALAN BINIAM

PJPII, Sr., midfielder 32 goals, 15 assists

KAITLYN BRADY Hannan, Sr ,midfielder 28 goals, 12 assists

SARA CORDOVA Newman, Sr., midfielder Sevengoals,12assists

BROOKE MONTANO Newman, Sr., midfielder Eightgoals,fourassists

BRENNYN O’ROURKE Hannan, Jr.,defender Ninegoals allowed

SOPHIA

ONTIMARA

PJP II, Sr., defender 10 goals, 12 assists

CAMPBELL

SMITH

Sacred Heart, Jr., defender Nine goalsallowed

LEAH

VARISCO

Sacred Heart,Sr.,defender 13 goals, 15 assists

LILLIAN

JUNEAU

PJP II, Sr., goalkeeper PK saveshelpedwin title

The most marked player commonly found the net —and at arecordpace Dominican strikerStella Zippert’s51 goalstoppled the school recordshe settwo years agoasa freshman —and vaultedher to the top of the school career goals list with 135.

In theplayoffs, shecame through at key moments, scoringboth goalsinDominican’s2-0 quarterfinal win againstBarbeand thelone goal in the1-0 semifinal win on the road against St. Joseph’s.Dominican went on to defeat Mount Carmel in thestate final with Zippertscoringone of her team’sshootout goals.

The high-scoring output fora state-title winner made her The Times-Picayune’s large schools’All-Metro playerofthe year Zippertand senior teammate Evelyn Ieyoub teamed up fornearlyhalfofthose goals this

season, as Ieyoub seta school recordwith31 assists forthe season.

Astate runner-up in the high jumplast spring,Zippert displayedgreatathleticism on the field.

“Herexplosivenesswould always put back linesunderpressure,” Dominican coach Al Silvas said.“Atany moment, she has the ability to changethe score line.”

On the varsity since eighth grade,Zippert began the season with84career goals. Sheset the career goals recordearly in the season and stoppedkeeping count once she surpassed100.

Now, she knows hercareer total only when otherpeople mention it “Hearing otherpeople talk about it, it’slike, ‘Whoa, that’sreally cool,’” she said.

Christopher Dabe

LARGESCHOOLS COACHOFTHE YEAR AL SILVAS DOMINICAN

Dominican’sundefeated season, ledby Silvas, includedtwo shootout victories against Mount Carmel —one of themcoming in the LHSAA Division Istate championship game —and a1-0 victoryoverDivision II state champion St. Scholastica. The state championship runcameone

season after Dominican lost in the second round of theplayoffs, an unexpectedly early exitafter earning a first-round bye. This was aturnaround season forasquad that had several younger players filling key positions on the field.

Christopher Dabe

LARGESCHOOLS ALL-METROTEAM

MAEVEY BARTKUS

Willow, Sr., forward OffensivePOy in district

CHLOE

BUNTON

Ben Franklin, Sr., forward 30 goals, sevenassists

EVELYN IEYOUB

Dominican, Sr., forward 20 goals, 31 assists

STELLA JUNIUS

Mt. Carmel, Sr., forward 15 goals, 10 assists

KALI TRAHANT

Northshore,Sr.,forward 19 goals, 11 assists

STELLA ZIPPERT

Dominican, Jr., forward 51 goals, nine assists

MOLLY MONTGOMERY

SSA, So., midfielder 12 goals, sixassists

JOSIE RANDOL

Mt. Carmel, Sr., midfielder Nine goals, 16 assists

BAILEY TARDO

SSA, Jr., midfielder 12 goals, eightassists

ADALYNN HEBERT

SSA, So., defender Anchored ‘D’ with14shutouts

AVERY

MICHEL

Ben Franklin, Sr., defender Threeassists,135 steals

ALENNA

NITCHER

Dominican, So., defender Part of ‘D’with21shutouts

ELLE

VODONAVICH

Mt. Carmel, Jr., defender Defensehad 19 shutouts

EVELYN AUCOIN

Dominican, So., GK Sixgoals allowed, 37 saves

STELLA ZIPPERT DOMINICAN, JR • FORWARD

STAFF FILE PHOTOByENAN CHEDIAK

Dominican forward Stella Zippert movesthe ball upfield against Mount Carmel on Jan. 31 at PanAmerican Stadium. Zippert,who helped Dominican to theDivision Istate title, set a school record with 51 goals and movedatopthe school’scareer goals list with135.

STAFF FILEPHOTO By BRETTDUKE

Hannan midfielder Kaitlyn Bradykicks the ballagainst ParkviewBaptist during the Division III state championship game on Feb. 26 in Hammond.A Providence Collegesignee,Brady finished with 28 goals and 12 assistsinleading the Hawkstothe Division III state title.

teams chosen by staffwriter Christopher Dabe.

SMALL SCHOOLS PLAYER OF THEYEAR

PROVIDED PHOTO

TYLERMILIOTO ST.CHARLES,SENIOR • FORWARD

He’snot just a field-goal kicker on the school’sstate championship football team. He’salso anational recordsetting soccer goal scorer

St. Charles senior Tyler Milioto scoreda staggering 74 goals in his final highschool season, which raised his five-yearvarsity total to 222 goals —six ahead of the career goals recordlisted in the National Federation of High Schools record book.

The soccer season began themorning after Milioto’s44-yard field goal with five seconds left wonhis team astate championship in December —and he scored all four of his team’s goals in that opening win against Belle Chasse The scoring pace neverslowed.TheComets reachedthe state quarterfinals with Milioto as the primarygoal scorer,making him The Times-Picayune’schoice as the small schools’ All-Metro playerofthe year

“A lot of times youlook up and see four players surrounding him and following him around,” said Damon Milioto,Tyler’sfather andthe St.Charles coach the past four seasons.

Tyler Milioto’s first sportofchoice was soccer

“Once he was 3and he couldplay(in an organized setting),hewas likeawild animal, DamonMilioto said.

Tyler Milioto tried kicking for the footballteam when he was in ninth grade.One year later, his clutch field goalswon multiple games, including the state semifinal against U-High. That steely demeanor paid offlate in last season’sstate final,whenMilioto kicked the winning field goal just moments after his extra point clanged offthe upright. His chance to enter the national record books came not long after that.

Christopher Dabe

SMALL SCHOOLS COACHOFTHE YEAR NICK CHETTA NORTHLAKECHRISTIAN

NorthlakeChristian avenged last season’s semifinal loss to AscensionEpiscopal with a2-0 victoryinthe DivisionIII state final, landing theWolverines their first state title since 2019.

“The game plan was to work harderthan the

other team,”coachNick Chetta said that night in February.“I think we did agood jobofthat.”

Chettahas been at the school for20-plus years.The Wolverines have four titles in program history

Christopher Dabe

CASEYPARKER-KARST JESUIT,JUNIOR • FORWARD

Withhis team in need of aspark, CaseyParker-Karst turnedthe ignition on histeam’ssurge to a state championship.

Not onlyinthe state final —whenthe Jesuit striker scored histeam’stwo goals in the first 10 minutesafter halftimefor a2-1 win over BrotherMartin— but in other keymatches. Othertwo-goal gamescameinthe firstmatch against Brother Martin that decidedthe district championshipand in the state semifinal against Baton RougeHigh.

“He just loves finding the back of the net, Jesuit coachHubieCollins said.“Watching him at practice, that’swhat he’s known for. He just emulates what he does at practice and brings

it to the big stageand the big game.When we needed him to stepup, he wasable to do it.” Parker-Karst’sclutch playdownthe stretched factored in The Times-Picayune’s decision to select him as the All-Metro large schools playerofthe year

The goals in the state final came after a lackluster first half that had Jesuit coaches seeking more aggression from their players. Parker-Karst gave the team his all.

“This is my best team I’veeverbeen on by far, it’snot evenclose,” he said afterthe state final.“The brotherhood is phenomenal. We’reall friends witheach other.We’regreat teammates. Everyone loveseach other. Christopher Dabe

LARGESCHOOLS COACHOFTHE YEAR

MATT MILLET BROTHER MARTIN

The second-yearBrother Martin coach guided the Crusaders to the state final forthe first timesince 2002.

Alreadyanestablished coach with five DivisionIIstate titles during his 10 seasons at Holy Cross, Millet took over aBrother Martin team that hadn’tadvancedbeyond the

SMALL SCHOOLS ALL-METROTEAM

CAMDEN

FISACKERLY

De La Salle, Sr., forward 38 goals, sevenassists

TYLER

MILIOTO

St. Charles, Sr., forward 74 goals, 11 assists

STEVIE

TUJAGUE

No. Christian, Sr., forward 20 goals, 23 assists

HARRY

WALL

No. Christian, So., forward 38 goals, 20 assists

GEORGE BLESSEY

CountryDay,Sr.,midfielder 13 goals, eight assists

GARRISON

CASSE

Hannan, Sr., midfielder 10 goals, sixassists

AMILTON

GARCIA

Cohen,Jr.,midfielder 15 assists

JAKE

ISENBERG

Newman, Sr., midfielder Nine goals, 13 assists

CHASE

MARCHETTA Hannan, Jr.,midfielder Eightgoals,nineassists

JOSEPH MILNER

Francais, Sr ,midfielder Nine goals, 16 assists

MICHAEL STANCHEC

PJP II, Jr., midfielder 16 goals, 16 assists

AWTREY GAUDETIV

PJP II, Jr., defender One goal in postseason

WILL PINKERTON Newman, Sr., defender Sevengoals, five assists

IVIS

MARTINEZ

Morris Jeff, Jr., goalkeeper 74 saves, four assists

CARTER

DANTIN

St. Paul’s, Sr., forward 21 goals, sixassists

ARANDY

DE LEON

Riverdale, Sr., forward 37 goals*

CASEY

PARKER-KARST

Jesuit, Jr., forward 15 goals, nine assists*

NATHAN

WELLMAN

Brother Martin, Jr., forward 22 goals, 10 assists

BEAU

HELMERS

Jesuit, Sr., midfielder Six goals, nine assists *

GAVIN

LIANTONIO

quarterfinals since 2013.

BrotherMartin lost to Jesuit in the state championship match.The daystill wasspecial forMillet, however, as his daughter,Madeleine playedonDominican’sstate title-winning team Christopher Dabe

Jesuit, Sr., midfielder Nine goals, sevenassists *

DOMINIC NORALES

Rummel, Jr., midfield 17 goals, 14 assists*

OLIVER MORSE

Willow, Sr., defender 4-time defensivedistrict MVP

LEWIS PREAU

Ben Franklin, Sr., defender Nine goals, co-districtMVP

KADEN ROSSI

Brother Martin,Jr.,defender 10 goals, 11 assists

REMY

SAUWERIN

Holy Cross, Sr., defender 14 goals, nine assists

MATEO

TUZZATO

Brother Martin, Sr., defender Keyshotblock in semifinal

DANNY

ZAPATA

Mandeville, Sr., defender Nine goals, four assists

ADAM

BOFFENMEYER

Northshore, Sr., GK

More than 125 saves *regular-season stats

STAFF FILE

PHOTOBySOPHIA GERMER Teammates celebrate afterJesuitforward Casey Parker-Karst’ssecond goal against Brother Martin during the Division Istate championshipmatchatStrawberry Stadium in Hammond.Parker-Karst also had two-goal games in the districttitle match against Brother Martin earlier iin the season and in the state semifinal against Baton RougeHigh.

St. Charles Catholic forward Tyler Milioto scored 74 goalsinhis final high school season and finished with 222 over his five-year varsity career.Also the field-goal kicker on the state championship-winning football team, Milioto led the Comets to thesoccer quarterfinals

All-Metro teams selected by staffwriter Christopher Dabe.

Woods facing uncertain future off golf course after his DUI arrest

BY DOUG FERGUSON AP golf writer

Tiger Woods got out of jail and into the passenger seat of a dark SUV, his face as vacant as his mug shot as he was driven away to a future again ﬁlled with so much uncertainty The next step legally is facing charges of driving while intoxicated, damage to property and refusal to submit to a urine test, which led to him spending eight hours Friday in the Martin County jail some 15 miles from his home on Jupiter Island, Florida.

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 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 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 be-

SAINTS

Continued from page 1C

7.WASHINGTON COMMANDERS:

DAVID BAILEY •TEXASTECH DE Quick take: The Commanders opt for the best player available, even though they added a few 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.

ing 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.

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 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.

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.

Team USA showing it doesn’t need NFL’s help in Olympics

BY ROB MAADDI AP pro football writer

Team USA doesn’t need NFL players to help it go for the gold when ﬂag football debuts at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.

The Fanatics Flag Football Classic in LA last Saturday showed the men’s national team can bring it home. The men dominated games against teams made up of current and former NFL stars, including Tom Brady, Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts and Jayden Daniels. The team is also undefeated in International Federation of American Football games since 2018, winning by an average score of 5017, and has captured ﬁve straight world titles. It should be end of discussion. But it won’t be because NFL players have made it clear they want an opportunity to compete for their country and league owners have voted to allow it. Burrow treated last week’s tournament in Southern California like an audition. He was out there running, cutting, juking more than he’s ever done in an NFL game. Bengals fans had to be scared he’d get injured with the way he played.

Flag football and the Olympics are on the agenda for the NFL’s annual meeting in Phoenix next week so there will be more discussion about it. USA Football is currently selecting its roster for the 2026 season. The list of athletes in line includes ﬂag-football

9. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: MANSOOR DELANE LSU CB Quick take: The Chiefs traded AllPro corner Trent McDufﬁe to the Los Angeles Rams this offseason and now ﬁnd his replacement.

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.

experts who are reigning world champions, along with those from basketball, track and tackle football backgrounds. Heisman Trophy winner and former NFL QB Robert Grifﬁn III also is in the mix.

Brady, who still showed at age 48 that he excels at throwing a football, took his name out of the conversation for Team USA after going 0-2 in the tourney

“LA ’28 will be a lot of guys like you saw out there on the ﬁeld who make a big commitment to trying to be their best and go out there and showcase their skillset to a global audience,” the seven-time Super Bowl champion said. Flag football and tackle football are not the same game, of course. The games are so different that Brady was already talking about modifying ﬂag rules to emphasize more passing.

NFL players and coaches weren’t prepared for the roundrobin tournament after only a couple practices. They couldn’t rely on superior football talent to outplay an elite team that understands how to take advantage of the sport’s various nuances.

Flag football requires a unique set of skills. Exceptional speed, quickness, and elusiveness, especially in a 5-on-5 setting, are priorities. The game is simply suited to the fastest players.

That rules out many NFL superstars. For example, the league’s best edge rushers are among some of the greatest athletes be-

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

cause they combine power and speed. But Myles Garrett and Micah Parsons aren’t going to get to the quarterback fast enough to pull ﬂags. Forget about interior defensive linemen Linebackers won’t make the cut. Most safeties wouldn’t, either

“I think when you look at it, you build it with corners and nickels on the defensive side of the ball and fast, skilled guys on the offensive side,” said Hall of Fame linebacker Luke Kuechly, who played in the showcase. “I think linebackers are going to want to get themselves in that game but it feels a lot like a nickel, corner game on the defensive side of the ball.”

Pulling ﬂags is an art in itself, one that demands plenty of practice. Forget about the fundamentals of tackling. They simply don’t apply in ﬂag.

“When you traditionally go to tackle somebody, you want to have the man in front of them versus this game (where) you gotta be on the side, your eyes have to be in the right place and you really have to track that flag,” Kuechly said. “These guys do a tremendous job of sinking lower and you miss that flag. So the technique that we learned as the game went on was attack that near hip, play with our eyes directly on that flag and then anticipate them dropping. That’s what they are so good at and it was, quite frankly, very difficult for us to get those flags.”

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

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.

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By CAROLINE BREHMAN

The U.S national flag team’s Isaiah Calhoun celebrates with teammate Shawn Theard in the Fanatics Flag Football Classic against the Wildcats FFC on March 21 in Los Angeles.

Woods

Braunlifts LSU past Kentucky

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

No LSU freshmanbeneﬁted 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

“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’snational championship team. But as LSU has continued to struggle —the Tigers were 9-10 over their last 19 games entering Saturday —perhaps they’ll need Braun to be more than just ahelpful freshman

“He’sgoing to be agood hitter,”Johnson said. “I’m really optimistic about what Mason can bring.”

Sophomore right-hander

ON DECK

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

inning

theweek before.

LSU 7, Kentucky 0 LSUKentucky (18-10,3-5SEC)(21-5,5-3SE

BY JIM KLEINPETER

Contributingwriter

For thesecond consecutive game,LSU softball bottled up afearsome Oklahoma attack. This timethe Tigers ﬁnished thejob. Sophomoreleft-hander Jayden Heavener handcuffedthe No. 5Sooners on two hits, and Kylee Edwards slammed atwo-run homer tolift the Tigers to a 3-1 victory at Tiger Parkon Saturday No.20LSU couldn’t hold a 1-0lead in the ﬁnal inning in a3-2 loss Friday night. This time the Tigers led 3-0, and even though Oklahoma got an unearned runinthe seventh to bring the tying run to the plate, Heavener struck out Allyssa Parker and got Abby Dalton on agrounder to third to seal the deal. LSU (23-11, 4-7SEC) nearly hassnappedOklahoma’s now 367-gamestreak without being shutout in two consecutive games. Oklahoma entered theseries leading thenation in homers (129), runs scored and batting average. Oklahoma (33-3, 7-1) had only one game without ahomer before coming to Baton Rouge,where the Sooners have failed to homer twice.

“Jayden Heavenergave us agreat one today,” LSU coach Beth Torina said. “I knew in the research that they hadn’t seen an arm like her this year.Ieven looked back last year and thought they hadn’t, somebodywith what she does.

hit two batters while working around apair of threats.

Shegot aboost by pitching most of the game with the lead after Alix Franklin delivered asacrifice fly in the first inning off Parker,the Sooners starting pitcher Heavener threw 99 pitches, 64 forstrikes, forher 10th complete game.

“I needed to go out there with my best stuff and not be timid, throw my game and make them get themselves out,” Heavener said.

“I let my defense work and my offense camethrough with an amazing homerun by Kylee.

defensive replacement in the sixth inning.

LSU gotthe early lead when Jalia Lassiter and Sierra Danielwalked to start the game and moved up on Tori Edwards’ grounder Franklin’sﬂyball to deep center ﬁeld scored Lassiter easily

again, the mindset thing. It’salways(about) thenext pitch. Youcan’t change what’salreadyhappened. Lastyear,maybe that would get to me.”

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.

“I didn’tknowhow it would play out because there wasn’taton of tapeon them.Ihoped it wouldand it did; she was great, she executed the plan beautifully, being herself and attacking them in her own way.” Heavener (8-6) struck outfour, walkedtwo and

“(I used) pitch combinations, working the zone and hitting my spots. Theyare all hard outs. It’sworking my own game, knowing whatIcan throw to the zone.”

The only run she allowed wasunearned whenKai Minor singled with one out andscored on athrowing error by LSUthird baseman AveryHodge on abunt by Ailana Agbayani. Hodge hadenteredthe game as a

In the fourth, Franklin singledfor LSU’sfirst hit and KyleeEdwards hit a 1-0pitch into thecenterfield bleachers for her fourth homer,and thirdin the last ﬁve games. She has raised her batting average 73 points to .295 with15hits in the last 11 games. “I waslooking, ‘See ball, hit ball.’ ”Edwards said of the homerun. “Yesterday,I gota lotofoff-speed pitches. Today,alittle bit of both. If it’s astrike, I’mgoing to swing at it.

“It goes back to the work I’ve putinthe cages. Ihad agood weekend last weekend so that really helped my conﬁdence. Yesterday Ihad really good swings but hit it right to the second baseman and right ﬁelder.”

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 he avoidedsurrendering hard contactand threw 52 of his 88pitchesfor strikes

“It’s just confidence,” Schmidt said.“That’s why I’mgettingthe ball to start the game;theyhave the most conﬁdence in me. Just

“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 threegame series at Alex Box StadiumonSunday. First pitch is setfor noon, and the game will be available to stream on SEC Network+.

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU shortstop Kylee Edwards tags Oklahoma base runner

Allyssa Parker in the second inningonSaturday at Tiger Park

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSUshortstop KyleeEdwards tags Oklahoma pitcher Allyssa Parker in the second inning on SaturdayatTiger Park.

‘Bestand brightest’ musiciansfromall over theworld play in this NewOrleans orchestra

BY MATTHEW HAINES Contributing writer

When the approximately 70 full-timemusiciansthatmakeup the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra standatthe endofeachoftheir 120 annual performances to acknowledge your applause, theyare often dressed uniformly in formal black and white attire. Behind thetuxedos and dresses, however,there is an unexpectedlydiverse cast of characters.

“I thinksome would be surprised to learn all of the places our musicianscomefrom—everywhere from Chalmette to Seoul, South Korea,” LPO Executive Director Anwar Nasirsaid. Nasir,himself, was born in Philadelphiaand moved to New Orleans from Omaha, Nebraska, to work with the LPO “Every year, ahandfulofnew

JacobSchafer plays his

during aprogram

with theLouisiana Philharmonic

theLPO from Houston and stresses that ‘having adiverse orchestra from different backgroundsand ethnic groupsisa realstrength.’

Upcoming performances

The LPO operatesonanacademic-style calendar witha slate of spring and fall performances, and also hostsopen rehearsals. Market Nights is acollaboration between local musicians forsmallershows at differentvenues around town The 2026-27 season wasrecentlyannounced withhighlights likeRachmaninoff’s“Piano ConcertoNo. 2,”Shostakovich’s“Symphony No.5”with former LPO conductor Carlos Prieto, “Sheherazade”and Mahler’s “SymphonyNo. 5.” The rest of the spring 2026 shows include:

n APRIL 8: Market NightswithGeorge Porter Jr. at New Orleans Jazz &Blues Market n APRIL 16: Open Rehearsal for Dvorák “SymphonyNo. 7” n APRIL 16: Dvorák “SymphonyNo. 7” at theOrpheum Theater n APRIL 16: Swing in theOaks: CityPark This annual free performance happensin theheartofCityPark at thePeristyle n APRIL 30: Warren Haynes: Dreams& Songs Symphonic Experience withthe LPO n MAY7: Open Rehearsal for “The Firebird Suite” at the Orpheum Theater n MAY7: Stravinsky’s “The Firebird Suite” at theOrpheum n MAY9: Market NightswithPellat NewOrleans Jazz & BluesMarket

BYPOET WOLFE Staff writer

After more than seven hours in thering, Andy Bowen andJack Burke could no longer lift an arm. The stands at the Olympic Club in New Orleans thinnedasthe fight stretched to 110 rounds, each 3minutes long with oneminute breaksinbetween.Midway through, Burke had broken both of his hands and relied on head movement, footwork and angles to avoid Bowen’spunches. By the 108thround, referee John Duffy announcedthe ﬁght would be stopped if no clear winner emerged in the next two rounds. When those rounds passed, Bowen and Burke were too dazedtoleavetheir corners. “Gentlemen, this ﬁght is off,” Duffy said.“Ideclare it no contest.” The matchinApril 1893 —promoted as “one

according to GuinnessWorld Records, areminder that Louisiana’s proud history of athletic feats extends beyond football. Perhaps the New Orleans StatesItem, anow-defunct newspaper, capturedthat legacy best in a1938 column: “The New Orleans of today holds no morefame thanthe New Orleans of yesteryear.For it was herethat someofthe world’s

The boxing match between Andy Bowenand Jack Burkeremains the longest glovedboxing match on record in the world, according to Guinness WorldRecords. The bout took placeatthe Olympic Club in NewOrleans in April 1893 and went from9:15 p.m. to 4:41 a.m.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By ENAN CHEDIAK

violin

named Copland’s Rodeo

Orchestra on Jan. 15. Schafer cameto

The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra performs its‘Swing in the Oaks’ concertat the CityPark Peristyle in NewOrleans in 2024. | STAFF FILE PHOTO By SCOTT THRELKELD

DINING SCENE

Hidden gemnolonger, MunchFactory ﬁnds newhome

from the street but still drawing its regulars.

In 2019, the Munch Factory also opened alocation at the Louis Armstrong NewOrleans International Airport, which is still there in concourse Cfor shrimpand grits or fried ribs before departure.

Ian McNulty WHAT’S COOKING

The gumbo is timeless,the blackened redﬁsh is asmart update on aclassic, and snacks and appetizers like roast beef debris nachos and tuna tartar tacosare just delicious mashups. It’sthis combination that hashad me recommending The Munch Factory since it ﬁrst opened back in 2011 and has had me following it through aprogression of different locations ever since. It moved once again, opening in Mid-City early this year,and now I’m excited for how acentral location and beautiful spacecould show more people whyI’ve been so enthused about it from the start.

For proprietors Alexis and Jordan Ruiz, acouple who have been forging their own path in the restaurant business, it’salso achance to change things up and spread their wings abit further

The Munch Factory is the kind of restaurant that’ssupposed to be everywhere in New Orleans —a casual, affordable mom-and-pop rooted in local flavor whilestill open to other kinds of cravings that draw us to the table. Inreality, identifiably New Orleans neighborhood joints like this are harder to find.

Hot new things on the dining scene are less likely to start with the Creole palate. But the Munch Factory is Creole soul with the pulse of the next generation.

Firstyou make aroux

Jordan’sCreole gumbo hasa deep, dark roux, but not toodark, just earthy,smooth and slurpable, with dense sausage and tender shrimp. Blackened redﬁsh is still abyword for Louisiana cuisine from the 1980s craze for it, litbychef Paul Prudhomme.

But even in New Orleans, it’s rare to ﬁnd aproper rendition. The Munch Factory showsthe way.

It givesa taste of multi-pepper spice, then abit of campfire smokiness overthe buttery, firm fish.

Ruiz nails this fundamental, and then plays around withthe format, plating it overgrit cakeswith a crawﬁsh sauce. This is modern Creole in anutshell

Instead of po-boys, thereare seafood boats, which are hollowed, open-face loaves ferrying fried shrimporoysters,ariff on theold West End seafoodhousestandard. The “backyardburger” keeps it just as simple as the name implies, cooked to anicecrisp edge around the patty and acoarse-ground texture within.

There are fried ﬁsh tacos on the menu and alsotuna tartartacos tucked intofriedwonton shells for adashofsushi bar ﬂavor and freshness.

The same roast beef thatgoes into asandwich alsotops nachos for adecadent bar snack. Askfor morenapkins to handle the gravy and move thatroastbeef around to make ideal individual nachos bites.

The Key lime pie is dense, cool and sweet to ﬁnish ameal with tangy zing. Munchonthe move For as long as I’ve been recom-

mending the Munch Factory,I’ve been explaining the name. Yes, it does sound like perhaps akiosk selling popcorn at the mall. But really,itreflects the playful streak thatfirst inspired the restaurant, serving food that acreative chef might put together for his famished wife to munchonathome. See the Buffalo oysters, sweet and spicysalmonbites and hot sausage patty melt with American cheese on the current menu. It all started out in Mid-City, not far from the current location, when the couple delivered phoneorder hot lunches from arented barroom kitchen. This grew into arestaurant, first in Gentilly,then in theLower Garden District, and eventually within the clubhouse at thecity-run Joseph Bartholomew Municipal Golf Course in Pontchartrain Park. They served as an amenity forgolfers and also as an unlikely neighborhood restaurant, allbut invisible

When the city started looking foranew operator forthe clubhouse restaurant, the Munch Factory started looking foranew home.

Lunch, supper club plans

The one they found is just off the maindrag of North Carrollton Avenue, in an old warehouse turned retail plaza.

The interior of the former Frey Smoked Meat barbecue restaurant has been redone with dark green tile and coral pink walls, giving the space amore contemporary look. Work by artist Ayo Scott decorates the walls. Niches and nooks makesemi-private dining spaces. There’safull bar and alarge, covered patio wrapping around two sides.

The Munch Factory serves lunch, with somewhat longer hours than the typical lunchonly spot, until 5p.m. mostdays (3 p.m.onSundays).

They decided to forego regular dinner service to stay ﬂexible for the manycatering and private event requests they ﬁeld, and which have been growing at the pretty Mid-City location.

They also plan to start aperiodic supper club, when Jordan will develop one-night menus around different specialty dishes or themes.

The ﬁrst is tentatively planned forthis spring, with details still in the works. It’s part of their effort to manage costs, stafﬁng and personal bandwidth in asmallfamily business.

The Munch Factory’sstory from the start has shownhow a casual eatery can modernize and speak to current tastes without discarding the culinary legacy that makes this city’sneighborhood restaurants so distinctive. Whatever its address, that has always madethe Munch Factory worth crossing town to check out.

Email IanMcNulty at imcnulty@ theadvocate.com

Nell Nolan SOCIETY

Contact: nnolan@theadvocate.com

MAGICALMOMENTS

PHOTOSByREAGANLAQUE

■ Enchanted Evening

Gallier Hall was both the sitefor the night and asocial stroll throughanenchanted garden at aparty honoring adebutante brace, Misses Caroline LeBon Henry and Lucile “Lucy” McGlinchey Monsted. Their respectiveparentsare Mr.and Mrs. Gerard Edward Henry,Melissa and Gerard, and Mr.and Mrs. Charles NielsMonsted IV,Fionuala and Charles.

Guests enteredhistoric Gallier Hall, the former city hall of New Orleansand designed by architect James Gallier Sr., under alittle white tent that was decorated with leafygarlands. Flanking the entrance were apair of small stone horses with foliage emergingfrom their backs. Steve Baker was credited withthose designs. Within, the party eye immediately targeted two huge crepe paper flowers —one in yellow-gold and the other crimson—thatbedeckedthe base of the staircase. Upon ascendingthe stairs, andentering the capacious party area, more flowers of various sizes(some quite delicate) appearedinthe form of liliesofthe valley,poppiesand irises. Quite afew were centerpieces in theballroom and intertwined with tiny white lights,all enhanced by emerald-green up-lighting that bathed the walls. Butterflieswereconstant motifs. At the base of the stage, aseriesofoversize flowersadded colors of purple, pink and white, while in the adjacentcheckerboard-floor hallway,tall red oversizedposiesframedadoorway Compliments galore weredirected to co-hostess Melissa Henry, who hand-craftedthe statementflowers, along with thehelp of co-hostess Fionuala, Stephanie Huger and Andrea Finkelstein. Elizabeth Kelleher of In Any Event was thepartyplanner. For the looks of the four limelightedladies,the moms and daughters, the frock choices were “ethereal floraldesigns.”

Ellen

Nell’sCatering fed the ﬂock with theirmoderntakeonSouthern classics and such sauces as remoulade, “Henry Bain,” horseradish crema, anda mustard trio. Dessertsincluded acroquembouche and mini red velvet cupcakes,while drinks contained light-up plastic ice cubes for libationary levity

Among the nearestand dearest meandering through the thematic “garden,”were the brothers of Caroline and Lucy,respectively Stephen and Hugh,and their grandmothers, Carolyn Hudson (for Caroline) and Ellen McGlinchey (for Lucy). Additional family membersincluded Deirdre (née McGlinchey) and Hal Moffett, Claire and Colin Moffett, and Eric and Nicki Hudson

Joint-list friends were Frances and Calvin Fayard –who hosted abeautiful party for Lucy –and son Carter Fayard, as well as Stacey (née Couvillon) and David Spoto,Aimeeand West Freeman,Ashley Beron Miller and Kyle Miller, Stephanie and Pete November,Carroll Suggs,Anne and Edmund Redd,Amy and TomMabon, Carla and JayAdams, Reeceeand Charlie Lanier, and Lauraand John Sillars For starters. One of the evening’smanythrills wasthe arrivalofBlack Masking Indians (Mardi Gras Indians), whose pretty suits rated raves. Fuchsia-colored lighting, alongwiththe green, added to their dazzling presence. Music for dancing was provided byCreativity Band out of Atlanta,who mixedupMotown and variety songs. The luretoboogie commandedcompliance. Additionalmusic making came from pipers and two violinists, who played earlierinthe evening.Their “SomewhereOver the Rainbow” set alilting tone for the fanciful revels thatfollowed.

Adebutante trio, Kate Drury, Piper Franks and Elizabeth Johnston were celebrated during “Drinks at Dusk,” which took thefestive form of an enchanting happy hour (really hours!) at the Audubon Tea Room. They are the daughters of Mr.and Mrs. Lloyd L. DruryIII, Stacy and Trey;Mr. and Mrs. ZeljkoStephen FranksII Ashleyand Stephen;and Mr RobertR.Johnston and Dr Michelle K. Johnston.For their dresses, mothers and deb daughters chose “enchanted ﬂoral attire.”

The party design was by Fancy Faces Décor,who used atree with delicate white leaves as the central focus and centerpieces of lanterns, white roses and votives. More names wereparty planner Vivian Eppling,photographer Norris Gagnet,and the Harry Hardin Jazz Trio, whose “When You’re Smiling” summed up the socializing. Banh mi (the popular Vietnamese sandwich), tuna tartar cones, meat pies, and dessert cake pleased the palate. Dickie Brennan &Co. catered. Each deb had aglitter-garnished specialty drink: aHugo spritz forKate, aMoscow mule for Piper,and an Aperol spritz forElizabeth.

Enjoying “Dusk” with the Drurys were deb brother Max, grandparents Mr.and Mrs. L. Leonard DruryJr.,more Drurysin Eric and Maria and Jonathan, HaleMurch, PamReynoir,Meg and David Sumrall, and Ann and Paul Long. Piper’s siblings, Taylor and Garrison,added to the festive fun, as did grandparents CarlosAnn and GaryDanos, Kayand Joseph Franks,and SharonFranks.Also, Stephanie Franks and JV Franks II. The Gainey family had representation in Suzanne and John, John IV,Elizabeth, James and Matthew.

Elizabeth’sgrandparent set included Edward Lynn Kirtley,Barbaraand Bob Johnston,and Christie and GuntherPerdigao.Others were Erica Cross with daughter Kaylie,Alissa and TedKantrow with Lily,Jilland Chris Cassard, ElvigeCassard, Bob Spencer,Marjorie and Gene Simon, and Rachaeland Christian Gambel with Grace,Tullis and Jane.

Further friends of the honored threesomewere Emma Rose Baumer,Isabel Cabrera, Lilly Munoz, Ellie Schmidt,AlexPrimeaux, Stella Carradine,LaraKing,Adele Miller, Kiki Costello, MichaelBaumer,Watson Scriber,Walker Montgomery, and MasonMimeles. Myriad forces blended forthe merry format and fun, including the favors of homemade ornaments that contained within awee enchanted forest terrarium.More enchantment awaits forKate, Piper and Elizabeth, whose memories of their crepuscular caper will last formany a moon

Melissa, Caroline and Gerard Henry

Fionuala, Lucyand Charles Monsted

McGlinchey, Colin Moffett, Claire Moffett, DeirdreMoffett

HughMonsted,Stephen Henry

PHOTOSByDENNIS NGUyEN Trey,Kate and Stacy Drury

Stephen, Piper and Ashley Franks

Zeljko, Elizabeth and Michelle Johnston

Taylor Franks, Max Drury, Garrison Franks, Hale Murch

■ Drinks at dusk

Ainsley Liffey, Reagan Angers

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 railroadhistory.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 example of 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.”

TRAVEL

jobs that were providedby therailroad.

Years later,in1963, mothers L.L. Irwin and Mickey Jameson wanted to find a way to raise money forthe Campﬁre Girls and decided to start what was known as theCountry Fair

With it being enjoyed by community members each year,the festivalbegan to grow in size.

are and what our city is now Back then, it was almost a no-brainer.”

All the money raised goes back to thecommunity

Thibodeaux said the festival funds scholarships for studentsfrom DeQuincy, Singer,Starks and SouthBeauregard. Theyalso use the funds to help those in need in the community Festival schedule

ginning 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.

“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 with leggings to match. just phenomenal ideas.”

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.

n El Tucan, 1577 E. Fourth St. in DeQuincy,offers classic Tex-Mex favorites like enchiladas, fajitas andburritos.

“When you look at the Railroad Festival, it is also a festivalthathas alongtradition in southwest Louisiana and certainly supports the awareness of thecommunity of DeQuincy,”Bushsaid. “It’ssomethingtohelp bring people to thearea, andthat’s certainlyimportant for everycommunity to have a drawlike that.”

From fair to festival In 1897, DeQuincy was established by the KansasCity Southern Railroad andgrew into acommunity with the

Thibodeaux said Louisiana RailroadDays is one of the few completely alcohol-free festivals in the state. From scavengerhunts to gospel nighttopageants andT-shirt competitions, the festivaloffers avariety of events and focuses on making it something everyone can afford “Because it is acompletely family-friendly atmosphere, with free parking and free entertainment, it helps make it alittle bit easier to go to the fair,” Thibodeaux said Visit Lake Charles Chief Marketing Ofﬁcer Timothy Bush said many festivals and eventsare the heartbeat of communities andprovide alook at theculture and music tiedtothe area.

TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER

By ChristopherElliott

After20years, DeQuincy 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.

“(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

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. April9.Topurchasetickets in advance, Thibodeauxsaidthey can 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. on April 9 with an opening ceremony featuring Rhenly Hungerford and Hank Howard. The vendor booths andcarnival rides open at 5p.m., along with amodel train show

The night will continue with children’sactivities be-

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.

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. 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

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.

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 framewas melted —itwas completely unsafe to use.

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 aproper response. 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, airlinesare 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’t excuse 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.

Fest cubesrevealcleverpairings, toughchoices

Therelease also meanssubtle surprises

It’s real now

With this week’srelease of the 2026 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival’s scheduling cubes, we can ﬁnally get asense of thefeel and ﬂow of each day at the Fair Grounds.

Seeing the names side-by-side on the cubes casts the inevitable tough decisionsabout what to see and what to miss in high relief.

With less than amonth to go untilopening day on April 23, here aresome observations aboutthe impending Jazz Fest:

Don’twaittoget tickets

The festival rewards early-bird buyers with discounts. But after Tuesday,March 31, the price for weekend passes and single-day ticketsincreases. The price at the gate will be even higher

And the festival has no plans to host ano-fee ticket sale at Tipitina’sorelsewhere, as has been doneinthe past. So buying before March 31 is the only “discount” in the making.

However,tickets and weekend passes for Louisiana residents are considerablycheaper than those available to out-of-stateattendees.

The cost of any single-day ticket varies by day.Thursday tickets are cheapest, followed by tickets good for eitherFriday or Sunday. Saturday single-day ticketsare the most expensive.

JonBatiste will be busy

Homegrown star Jon Batiste, who now lives in New York,will make the most of his return for Jazz Fest’s ﬁrst weekend.

On Thursday,April 23, he’ll be interviewed by longtime Rolling Stone journalist and SiriusXM show host David Fricke at the Allison Miner MusicHeritage Stage inside the Fair Grounds Grandstand. The next day,he’ll close the main Festival Stage with ashow of nearlytwo hours. He’spreceded by asolid, all-local lineup of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Cyril Neville,The Rumble and Naughty Professor. Batiste jets to AtlantaonSaturday,April 25, for aconcert that night with the Atlanta Pops Orchestra.

Then he’sback at the Fair Grounds on Sunday,April 26, to close the Blues Tent with ashow billed as “Jon Batiste presents The Swamp.” It will likely be a looser set than his Friday main stage show,maybe with more special guests and jamming.

AnotherWidespreadmarathon

In keeping with well-established precedent, Georgia jam band Widespread Panic is afforded the longest set time of the entire fest:

two-and-a-half hoursonthe main stage on Thursday,April 30. That span will likely include abrief breakmidway through But The Eaglesaren’tfar behind, time-wise. In what may be theband’sﬁnalNew Orleans appearance, DonHenley,Joe Walsh andthe resthave two hours and 15 minutesto“Take It Easy” on the main stage on Saturday, May 2. If you stay for theentire Eagles set, you’ll miss bothAlabama Shakesatthe Gentilly Stage and Little Feat in the Blues Tent.Havingseen therevitalized Little Feat inJanuary on theBig Easy Cruise, that would be atough show to miss.

Most likely dayfor gridlock is “Eagles Saturday” will be big, crowd-wise. Butthe ﬁrst Saturday,April25, may endupeven bigger

Saturdays are traditionally the fest’smost crowded days (that’s whySaturday single-day tickets are themost expensive). But this particular Saturday boasts StevieNicks —who drew what

felt like thebiggest crowd of the 2022 Jazz Fest —atone end of the Fair Grounds and hugely popular bluegrass/Americana songwriter Tyler Childers at the other Childers filled theSmoothie King Center to capacity ayear ago; his fans will swamp the Gentilly Stagefield. He follows Jason Isbell &the 400 Unit and local duo theCrowe Boys, who will benefit from being in front of Isbell’sand Childers’fans.

Jamaicarules

Fifty-nine performance slots on

thecubes are marked with aJamaican ﬂag, meaning they relate to the2026 festival’sfocus on the music and culture of theisland where reggae wasborn.

Indicative of how prominent theJamaican presence will be, Jamaican-ﬂagged artists will headline theCongo Square Stage on three days: Stephen Marley on April 23, Sean Paul on April 24 and Ziggy Marley on May 1. AndJamaicans dominate the schedule forthe newly renamed Sandals Resorts Jamaica Cultural Exchange Pavilion.

Themusic of Marcia Ball

Pianoplayer and vocalist Marcia Ball, alongtime Jazz Fest favorite with deep ties to New Orleans, retired from performing after announcing in October that she has ALS. But that doesn’t mean her music won’t be heard at theFair Grounds.

On theﬁrst Sunday in the Blues Tent,her band will back aparade of guest stars whowill sing and play Ball’ssongs. Those guests include JonCleary,Tracy Nelson, Sue Foley,Terrance Simien, Carolyn Wonderland, Cindy Cashdollar andShelley King.

Jelly’sbig day

For years, powerhouse vocalist Anjelika “Jelly” Joseph has

rocked Jazz Fest as the featured vocalist in Galactic. But this year, she’salso performing her own show in ahigh-proﬁle slot and sitting downfor an interview at the Allison Miner Music Heritage Stage. Her solo show is on the main stage on the blockbuster ﬁrst Saturday.She’sonright after the Stooges Brass Band. She’s followed by Samantha Fish, the Revivalists and Stevie Nicks, meaning she’ll strut her stuff in front of avast audience.

Gospel Tent stepping up

For his third year as sponsor of the Gospel Tent, attorney Morris Bart is ramping up the promotion. The proliﬁc advertiser plans to pay forbillboards around town that will trumpet the Gospel Tent’slineup.

That lineup includes the Blind Boys of Alabamaand several prominent local singers, including Irma Thomas and Big Freedia, both of whom are Gospel Tent veterans.

On the ﬁnal Sunday,keyboardist and singer Davell Crawford will host ashow called “Fabulous Friends Forever” featuring Cyril Neville, Charmaine Neville and Wanda Rouzan, all of whom are new to the Gospel Tent.

Cool pairings

Irma Thomas will be on the mainstage right before Rod Stewart on Sunday,April 26. Given the soul leanings of Stewart’s early albums and his fondness forAmerican soul singers, he’ll likely appreciate his proximity to the Soul Queen of NewOrleans as much as The Rolling Stones did in 2024.

Meanwhile, that ﬁrst Sunday’s Gentilly Stage lineup is as eclectic as the Festival Stage roster is traditional. After the Kinfolk Brass Band opens Gentilly,the roster takes aleft turn with the less conventional People Museum,Boyfriend, St. Vincent and David Byrne, whoin2018 delivered one of the mostinnovative Jazz Fest showsI’ve ever witnessed.

On the ﬁnal Sunday,Trombone Shorty &Orleans Avenue will once again close the mainstage. And once again, a“bigger” —at least in termsofthe larger pop world —act will precede Shorty and company.This year it’sTeddy Swims. I’dlove to see Swims come back out and sing abit with Orleans Avenue.

Abig finish

The closing slot on the ﬁnal Sunday offers an embarrassment of musical riches, including Trombone Shorty &Orleans Avenue, the Tedeschi Trucks Band, Earth Wind &Fire, Herbie Hancock, Mavis Staples, Steve Earle featuring Anders Osborne and Kermit Rufﬁns’ tribute to Louis Armstrong. Youcan’tsee all of them. But it’ll be funtotry

Email KeithSpera at kspera@ theadvocate.com.

STAFF FILE PHOTOBySOPHIA GERMER

JonBatiste will close the main Festival StageonFriday, April 24, witha show scheduled fornearly twohours. Theday before, he’ll be interviewed by longtime Rolling

FILEPHOTO By AMy HARRIS John Bell will join WidespreadPanic on Thursday,April 30.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By CHRISGRANGER Ziggy Marleyperforms on Friday, May1

STAFF FILE PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER Anjelika ‘Jelly’Joseph is performing her ownshowinahigh-profile slot and sitting down for an interview.

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.

Louisiana for pop-

The road to romance

Louisiana mom opens mobile book store that travels around the state

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

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 is Tuesday

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-

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.

Kelly Roussell opened her mobile romance bookstore, Lattes and Love Letters, which travels around south

ups and festivals.

Jones

musicians are hired from around the country and world,” he said, “and, when theyaren’tonstage with us, they are findingtheir own unique ways to call New Orleans home.”

Meagan Gillis is atimpanist from Annapolis, Maryland. Whenshe’s not playing with the orchestra, she busks with bands on Frenchmen Street or plays backgammon and other board games with friendsat Vaughan’sLounge. Manuel Papale is acellist from Buenos Aires who plays weekly soccer pick-up matcheswith other orchestra members. Another cellist, Geunseon Han from South Korea, enjoys exploring the city’sbakeries and coffee shops.

In such aspecialized line of work, musicians don’t always have control over where they live. Papale, who moved to the Crescent City to jointhe orchestra this past fall, as well as Han and Gillis, who havebeen here for two and three years, respectively,all agree that New Orleans hasbeen awelcome surprise.

“For anyone who loves music, both listening and playing, there are few cities in the world that are better,” Gillis said. “The potholes suck, but the food, the arts and just how friendlyeveryoneishere more than makes up for it.”

NewtoNew Orleans

Most musicians in the LPO had never considered living in New Orleans —orhad even visited —until they arrive to audition. This is common as amusician, said Papale, who was born in Argentina but moved to the LPO from Miami.

“I think people notinthe ﬁeldmight assumeit’slike other jobs where you graduate from university and you either look for ajob in your city or in acity you want to move to,” he said. “But for musicians, it’squite the opposite. We look at the very few jobs that are available and if we are lucky enough to win one, that is where we move.”

The blind audition process is astressful, competitive

one. The positions are nationally advertised.After arriving inNew Orleans, auditioning musicians are calledtothe stage one at a time andperform excerpts of orchestralmusic behind a screen so the selection committee, including themusical director and other musicians,don’t knowwho is playing.Inorder to narrow the pool, this is repeated for as many as ﬁverounds over threedays until, hopefully but not always, awinneris selected.

For someone like Gillis, whoplaysaset of largepercussion instruments known as the timpani, the audition processisespeciallyhigh stakes.

“There are probablyonly 35 or 40 principal timpanist positions in the country that pay alivable wage, so they are extremely coveted,” she said. “Peopledon’tleave those positions often, which means there aren’tusually

openings. When Isaw availabilityinNew Orleans whichIhad neverbeen to but heard great thingsabout —Ijumped at it

Unfortunately, even winning an audition doesn’t guarantee the musician a permanent job. They join the orchestra on ashortterm contract of approximately two years during whichtheyare evaluated to see how they blendwiththe ensemble and professionally perform their duties. Only after they pass this extended evaluation is the performer granted tenure.

Livinginabrand new city with few friends and limited jobsecurity can be achallenging time for amusician.

But this is exactly where a character-rich city like New Orleanscan come in handy

“I had won thejob andI had moved to New Orleans, it wasonlymysecondday here,” Gillis said. “So Iwent to Frenchmen Street,and

while Iwas there Igot invited to sit in with Tuba Skinny It was an amazing night and underscored howfriendly of ahome this could be for me.”

Papale, who is in his ﬁrst year with theorchestra and going through the tenure process, saidasimilar momenthelped make him feel more comfortableinhis new job and city

“A few months ago, it was after my ﬁrst concert with the LPO, and all the musicianswere going across the street to the same bar after theperformance,” he said.

“They treatedmelikeI had been in theorchestra with them for adecade— the tight-knit communityand warmth, Ithink it encapsulated the culture of New Orleans.”

Internationalsounds

If you are trying to be a top orchestra, said Jacob Schafer,assistant principal

second violin,you need to attract musicians across the country andaround the world. Schafer cametothe LPO from Houston.

“You want to bring in the best and the brightest,” he said, “but having adiverse orchestra fromdifferent backgrounds and ethnic groups is areal strength. Not just for amusical group, but foracity,too.”

The LPO certainly has alot of diversity.While athird of the orchestra hails from the American South, the rest of itsmembers come fromevery region in the country,as well as from SouthKorea, Japan, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Peru and Argentina.

It isn’tonly the musicians who benefit from being in New Orleans. New Orleans is also beneﬁtting from its newest residents.

Musicians such as Han fromSeoul, who is now in her second year with the orchestra, is ﬁnding herfoot-

ing in the city by performing for the community.She has givenclasses to studentsat LSU and Loyola University andhas performedwith the localCivic Orchestraand theNew OrleansYouth Orchestra.

More broadly,the LPO hascommittedtoaseries of education programs. The orchestra has provided tutelage and valuable musical experiences to more than 500 Louisiana students across 10 schools in the past year with and hopes to continue to grow their educational impact in the future.

“Performing and living in such aspecial city —aworld class city —isprobably the best recruitment tool we have at the LPO,” said musical director Nasir.“Moving to NewOrleans to lead a cultural organization in this culture capital has changed the trajectoryofmylife,and Ithink the sameistrue fora lot of our musicians.”

STAFF FILE PHOTOByCHRISGRANGER

The LPO calls The Orpheum Theater home in the Central Business District.

IquitFacebook andtappedintomyreal-life feed

BY SANDRA ZAID Contributing writer

Iquit Facebook eight yearsago.

Iwalked away with the solemn drama of someone abdicating an imaginary throne, like there should’ve been a tiny digital crowd gasping as Ipressed “deactivate.” There wasn’t, of course; just me, my laptop andthe 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 Ionce met in the ’70s near alocker but couldn’t pick out of alineup today My feed felt less like real life and more like areality

BOXING

Continued from page1D

sport celebrities have performed.”

In the decades that followed the match, the Olympic Club in the Bywatercontinued to host prizefights until it burneddown in the late 19th century.New Orleanswent on to produce severalworld champions, includingPete Herman and Tony Canzoneri. Morerecently,RegisPrograis has claimedtwo world titles, and Tiffany Junot became the city’sﬁrst women’sworld boxing champion.

Bowen, known as the “Louisiana Tornado,” remainedone of the region’stop fighters after his boutwith Burke. A month later,hedefeated Jack Everhardt in an 85-round match. The following year, Bowen died at 27 after being knocked unconscious by Kid Lavigneatthe Olympic Club. Reports later linked his death to injuries sustainedduring the marathon fight. The bout came decades before the condition now known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy,orCTE, was identified —first described as “punch-drunk syndrome” in a1928 study of boxers. Linked to repeated blows to the head, the disease did not enter the national consciousness until the early2000s. Today,the World Boxing Council limits professional fights to 12 rounds. But in 1883, there was no such restriction.

Bowen and Burke pushed the limitsofhuman endurance, becoming acatalyst formodern safety regulations while leaving behind a ﬁght that deﬁned grit—and helped put New Orleans on the map in boxing history

‘A good battle’

In January 1983, the Olym-

show written by algorithms —faker than apuppy ﬁlter andsomehow louder than an actual puppy. Why did Iwalk away from Facebook? At somepoint it hit me: Icouldn’tpossibly have 800 friends. Ican’t even keep ﬁve houseplants alive. Maintaining all those “connections” was basi-

picClubpresident sent a telegram to Burke, aTexas lightweight champion,inviting him to ﬁght Bowen at 133 pounds,according to TimesPicayune reports.The winner would receive $2,000, while the losing fighter would bepaid $500.

Burke accepted within a day He arrived in Bay St. Louis for training in February and frequently spoke with reporters during hispreparation,predicting aquick victory overBowen.Reports tended to favor Burke,notinghis advantages in height and reach Bowen’spreparation, however,received far less coverage in New Orleans newspapers. In March, it wasreportedthathetraveled to Mississippi City— an unincorporated community in Harrison County —tobegintraining. He also trained in Covington, while Burke moved between gyms in Bay St. Louis and Uptown New Orleans.

Three days before the fight, areport from the States-Item described both ﬁghters as being in “tip top condition.”

“Both menare cleverand scientiﬁc,” the report said, “and agood battle may be expected ”

A firsthandaccount

Local newspapers offered only limited coverage of the fight itself. Firsthand accounts did notsurfaceuntil 1918, more than twodecades after Bowen’s fatal bout and three years after Burke had died ofheart trouble at 44

One spectator wrotein the States-Itemthatthe nocontest decision was widely unpopular among the audience, who thought Bowen shouldhave been declared the winner after Burke had attempted to agree to adraw at the41st round

cally emotional juggling with strangers who vaguely rememberedmylast name. Icouldn’tpossibly have 800 friends; Ican’tpossibly have 80 friends —true friends. So, Ileft.

Iwalked away from the dramaoftwo middle-aged neighbors engaging in a heated showdown over the

Both Bowen and Duffy refused.

“Have no fear,gentlemen,” Duffy said, “This ﬁght will be to finish no matter how long it takes.”

The spectator downplayed the violence, describing the ﬁght as “by no means a brutal one” and adding that “there was notaspeck of blood visibleoneithercontestant.” In theﬁnal rounds, he wrote, hardly apunch was thrown until the last two, when Burkesprinted acrossthe ring andBowen was “fighting allheknew how.”

After 7hours and 19 minutes, the ﬁghters agreed to adrawand split the $2,500 purse.Burke later told reporters why he persisted despitehis broken hands. It was loyalty to his friends who had bet on him, he said, that kept him standing, long after he knew he could not win.

This story is part of a new series focused on New Orleans history as PoetWolfe dives into The Times-Picayune archives. Email ideas forinteresting history stories to poet wolfe@theadvocate.com

exact height of their garage sale lawn sign.

Iwalked away from my aunt’snumerous noble charitable deeds. These were largely unknown and highly questionable.

Iwalked away from my twice-married niece’s exuberant life in Chicago, New York Cityand Miami. Iknow she struggles to pay her bills.

Yes, Iwalked 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.

Idownsized my circle. Not in aminimalist, Scandinavian-furniture way —just in a“maybe Ionly need ahandful of actual humans” way Iamdownsized to my

cellphone and to writing to the kind whotexts back with words instead of cryptic reaction GIFs. When Istopped scrolling through other people’slives like it wasanever-ending soap opera, something weird happened. Time appeared. Whole stretches of it. Empty and quiet and alittle terrifying, like when the power goes out and you suddenly hear your own breathing.

So, Istarted reading again. Real books. Sentences with beginnings, middles and ends. Iwandered 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 wasdeeply uncinematic. No onebegged

me to stay. No violins were playing. Facebook didn’t send asearch party.But I gainedthis small, miraculous thing: privacy.Silence. The blissful freedom of not knowing what my formerelementary school classmate hadfor breakfast. And it turns out that not knowing everything about everyone is its own kind of peace. So yeah, Itraded the digital circus foraquieter life. And honestly,itfeels alot morelike mine.

—Zaid lives in Denham Springs.

HumanCondition submissions of 600 words or fewermay be emailed to features@theadvocate. com. Stories will be kept on ﬁle and publication is not guaranteed.There is no paymentfor Human Condition.

Finding salvation

Howdid the name forLake Providence come about?

BY ROBIN MILLER Staff writer

Think about the fog that sometimes settlesjust above the Mississippi River’s muddy 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.

Now picture 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, especiallywhen floating past the infamously labeled Bunch’s Bend in East Carroll Parish, named for amurderous pirate known as Captain Bunch and his gang.

Author Georgia Payne Durham Pinkston wrote in her 1977book, “A Place to Remember: East Carroll Parish, La. 1832-1976,” that Captain Bunch and his “cutthroats” hid out in the old river cut-off, now known as Bunch’sBend.

“He and his crew would lie in wait for ﬂatboats going down the Mississippi River enroute to New Orleans,” Pinkston wrote. “The pirates boarded the boats, killed the crewmen and took their boats and goods.”

The boats were easy pickings, so the boatmen treaded lightly Bunch’sBend was located approximately10miles north of the town of Lake 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 howthe town got its name.” Asafehaven

Chris Sanders, director of the East Carroll Parish Library branch in Lake Providence, says the town is named for God’sdivine 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’sbook points out that atrading post stood at Providence, where the boatmen could regroup. She adds that the merchants ﬁnally ﬁgured out away to stop the slaughters.

“Eventually,agroup 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 asecond story associated with the town’sname.

“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 500-mile Natchez Trace north toward home,becausetheirboats were built only to ﬂoat downstream. They sold their boats for lumber inNew Orleans, then hitthe NatchezTrace by either foot or horseback, where they eventually faced anew set of bandits and criminals, which earned the routeits nicknameof“TheDevil’s Backbone.”

But the boatmen were looking to God while on the river.They weregrateful to reach Providence, which was thetown’soriginalname whenits charterwas adopted in 1812, thesame year Louisiana became astate. Yes, there was aLake Providence, but thatname applied only to the oxbow lake left formed when the Mississippi River changed course. Thetown,simply known asProvidence, was forced to relocate more than amile east from its original location bankin 1848 because of theriver’s ﬂooding Apostalmix-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, becameLakeProvidence Still, residentsreferred to the town bybothnames. AccordingtoPinkston, state Rep. J. Martian Hamley sponsored abill in the Louisiana Legislature in 1935 to ofﬁcially rebrand thetown’s nametoconform with that on the Post Ofﬁce: Lake Providence. Another interestingstory

LakeProvidence’sportalong the Mississippi River during low-water days in 2012.Merchant boatmen considered the community asafe havenalong the river

about the town happened in 1863, when Gen. Ulysses S. Grant brought his Union Army for avisit to dig acanal to rejoin theoxbow lake to theMississippi River

This story is documented by aLouisiana state historical marker on the town’s Levee Road.Grant’s troops occupied the town, using it as asupply depot and base during theVicksburg Campaign in 1862 and 1863.

Though LakeProvidence is actually morethan 40 miles upriver from Vicksburg, Mississippi, Grant developed what he thought would be aperfect strategy for bypassing Confederate troops on the opposite side of the Mississippi River Grant’scanal

He “ordered the digging of acanal 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 cityfrom below.”

Troops worked under the direction of Gen. James McPherson from January to March 1863, when they breached thelevee. The canal was 100 feet long and only 5feet wide by that time. The Mississippi’s waters rushedinwith such

fury that it ﬂooded the town,and McPherson immediately evacuated his troops to higher ground.

“Grant’s canal remained an open ditch and abreeding ground for mosquitoes until 1953,” Pinkston writes.

“Sen. Russell Long, son of Huey P. Long, went toCongress at the urging of local people and introduced a bill to have thegovernment fill up thecanal. According to areport, Sen. Longremarked, ‘Since the federal government dug it,it’sonly fittingthat the federal government fill it up.’”

The United States governmentcomplied, 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 theByerley House Visitor Center

The boardwalk also includes interpretive markers thattell the storyofthe area and provides apicturesque view of the oxbow lake.

Do you have aquestion about something in Louisiana that’s got you curious? Email your questionto curiouslouisiana@ theadvocate.com. Include your name, phone number and thecitywhere you live.

Dear Readers: This week, manyChristians around the world observe Palm Sunday,the day that begins Holy Week. In the biblical story,crowds gathered along the road to welcome Jesus Christ as he entered Jerusalem. They waved palm branches and laid them on the path before him,celebrating with hope and joy

Palm branches were symbols of peace and victory in the ancient world. The people in the crowd believed they were witnessing the arrival of someone whowould change everything for the better.For amoment, there wasafeeling of unity,excitement and possibility in the air

What makes Palm Sunday so meaningful is not only the celebration but also what follows. The sameweek that begins with cheering crowds moves quickly into atime of challenge, reﬂection and uncertainty before arriving at the renewal symbolized by Easter

In many ways, that pattern mirrors our own lives. We all experience moments when things seem full of promise, followed by times that test our patience or resilience. Palm Sunday reminds us that liferarely moves in astraight line. Joy and struggle often sit side by side, and the waywemove through those moments helps shape whowebecome.

Even forthose whodon’t observe the religious tradition, the spirit of Palm Sunday carries amessage that speaks to everyone:

the power of welcoming others. The people in the story expressed their hope through asimple act: greeting someone with an open heart. Today,those gestures might look different, but they still matter.Holding the door for someone. Offering akind word to a stranger.Checking in on afriend who has been unusually quiet. Choosing patience instead of irritation in a stressful moment.

These small acts may not feel dramatic, but they help create aworld where people feel seen and valued. And often, they ripple outward in ways we never fully realize.

Palm Sunday invites us to pause and consider what we are bringing into the lives of others. Are we adding alittle moreencouragement, understanding and grace to the spaces we share?

The truth is, mostof us are walking through something —achallenge, ahope, aquiet worry we carry with us each day.A momentofkindness can remind someone they’re not alone. So as this weekbegins, it may be worth asking asimple question: What kind of welcomeare we offering the people who cross our paths? Sometimes the most meaningful victories are not loud or dramatic. They are the quiet choices we makeeach day to meet the world with compassion, humility and hope.

Sendyour questions forAnnie Lane to dearannie@creators.com.

FILEPHOTO

By The Associated Press

Today is Sunday,March 29,the 88th dayof2026. There are277 days left in theyear

Todayinhistory:

On March 29, 1974, agroupofChinese farmers digging awell struck fragmentsofterra-cotta buried underground; archaeologists would ultimately discover terra-cotta sculpturesofmorethan8,000 soldiersand other ﬁgures. The“Terra-cotta Army” would become one of the most signiﬁcantarchaeological discoveries of the 20thcentury Also on this date:

In 1943, World WarIIrationing of meat, fats and cheese began, limiting American consumers to store purchasesofanaverage of abouttwo pounds aweekfor beef, pork, lamb andmuttonusing a coupon system.

In 1951, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were convicted in NewYork of conspiracy to commitespionage for the Soviet Union. (Theywereexecuted in June 1953.)

In 1961, the 23rd Amendment to theU.S. Constitution was ratiﬁed, allowingresidents of Washington, D.C., to vote in presidential elections.

In 1971, Army Lt. William L. Calley Jr. wasconvicted of murdering 22 Vietnamese civilians in the 1968 My Lai massacre. (Initially sentencedtolife imprisonment with hard labor,Calley’ssentence would be commuted by President RichardNixon to three years of house arrest.)

In 1971, ajury in Los Angeles recommended the death penaltyfor Charles Manson andthree female followers for the 1969 Tate-La Bianca murders. (The sentences were commutedtolife in prison when the California stateSupreme Court struck down the death penaltyin1972.)

In 1973, the last United States combattroops left SouthVietnam, ending America’sdirect military involvement in the Vietnam War.

In 1984, under the cover of early morning darkness,the Baltimore Coltsfootball team left its home city ofthree decades, sending theteam’s equipment to Indianapolis in moving truckswithout informing Baltimore cityorMarylandstate ofﬁcials.

In 2004, President George W. Bushwelcomed seven formerSoviet-bloc nations(Romania,Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia andSlovenia) intoNATOduring aWhite House ceremony In 2021, salvage teams using powerful tugboats setfree an enormous container shipthatwas wedged across Egypt’sSuezCanal fornearly a week, blocking all ship trafﬁcon thevital waterway and disrupting the global shippingsystem. Today’sbirthdays: Comedian Eric Idle is 83. Former British Prime Minister John Majoris83. Basketball Hall of Famer Walt Frazier is 81. Football Hall of Famer Earl Campbell is 71. ActorBrendan Gleeson is 71. Actor Christopher Lambertis69. Actor Annabella Sciorra is 66. Comedian-actor AmySedaris is 65. ModelElle Macpherson is 62. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto,aDemocrat from Nevada, is 62. Actor LucyLawless is 58. Tennis Hall of Famer Jennifer Capriatiis50. Musicianauthor MichelleZauner is 37. Actor AlexNeustaedteris28.

Dear Miss Manners: We live in an era where thesocial 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 acrossthe country,leaving manyofusmore isolated than generations past. In this new landscape, the realityisthat we can often truly depend only on our families and ourselves. When amother hostsher own daughter’sbridal shower today,itisrarely out of vanity.Rather, it is often aresilient effort to gather scattered loved ones and createcommunitywhere it no longer existsnaturally.Ihope we might view this not as a breach of taste, but as anecessary adaptation to keep our connections alive.

decked out in hat and gloves. As more women entered the workforce and began traveling forbusiness, they would often havedinner alone in nicer restaurants. In fact, Iremember being warned not to accept being relegated to theback of the restaurant or to atable near the kitchen. My peers andI were told to exert ourright to sit where we liked.

Oddly,these days, when more and more women live independently,Inever see awoman dining alone, except maybe in acoffee shop. Iwould like to begin doing so: My husband can no longer dine out due to healthproblems, and Iget tired of the compromises required when dining with friends. Iwould be very happy to eat dinner alone at arestaurant of my choice, but I’mnot much of atrailblazer

ing, or of money,asrestaurants tend to be expensive. It could be sociability, as your preference foreating alone is atypical. It could also have to do with the availability of takeout.

GentleReader: Agreed that the social fabric has thinned, and also that it is an excellent idea to gather people one cares about to, as you put it, recreate community

Miss Manners only wonders why one should wait todosoonanoccasion on which presents for one’sdaughter are expected.

Dear Miss Manners: When Iwas growing up, it wasn’tunusual to see awoman lunching alone at arestaurant, all

Ijust can’thelp but wonder whythis has gone so out of fashion

GentleReader: When Miss Manners thinksofvaliant women blazing trails, their tasks are more arduous and dangerous than eating in arestaurant. She fails to see why you don’tsimply do it.

Onecan easily speculate about why it seems rarer for women to dine out alone today: It could be amatter of time, now that most women are work-

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 both weddings. 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 date saved in her book. Certainly,she should not have asked if Iwas sure about my own wedding date, correct? How should Ihave responded?

Gentle Reader:: With, “Yes, I’mquite sure. So is my husband. We were both there, as you may remember.” Why the mistake should have ruined your day,Miss Manners cannot guess. But whywereyou not amused at this silly attempt to avoid admitting to a mistake?

Send questions to Miss Manners to dearmissmanners@gmail.com.

Dear Heloise: For thepast 50 years, Ihave kept pairs of socks together by using safety pins. Idon’t know where Iread this tip.Itcould have been in a “HintsFrom Heloise” columnsince I have been aHeloise follower since forever —Annette H., via email Annette, yes, this is an old Heloise trick,and many have told me that it was a simple 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, Idonated some inherited money to several charities,choosing ones that I thought my relative would have supported. Now my mailbox is ﬂooded daily with requestsfor more donations, as my information was sold or shared between organizations.

Yourecently published a hint regarding CharityNavigator’sreviews. They also offer agiving basket!

Donations can be madeto your chosen charities, and you can choose to withhold your privateinformation this way —Nell M., via email Nell, so manyofmyread-

ers say the samething about suddenly getting requests forhelp from various charities after making one donation. Just pick the ones you want and ignore the others. Our wallets can only stretch so far. —Heloise Self-serve soundoff

Dear Heloise: Why are so manyjobs disappearing? Iwent to alocal car wash yesterday,and for$25, they have large rollers that clean the exterior of the car.But they have stopped cleaning the interior! There were no attendants whohopped inside to wipe downthe interior

This self-serve service is getting out of hand. Idon’t

mind paying alittle extra to have people do asimple job, but all the places have done away with people whodid a decent job forafairly small wage. —LindseyM., in California Lindsey, it’sa newworld. The newspaper boys are gone,self-serve restaurants arespringing up everywhere, andﬁnding a salespersonina department store can be difﬁcult. The costofdoing business has increased dramatically and hasforced business owners to cutexpenses where they can Change is inevitable, but we’ll all adapt eventually Heloise Sendahinttoheloise@ heloise.com.

Lakeside

BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL

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

has a conversation by the 3D printer at GWTin Avondale.

Lakeside’s longtime regional director of leasing. “Retailers used to come to town

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,

ä 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.

James Martin, right,

STAFFPHOTO By ENAN CHEDIAK

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

Staff work around a table at the 3,000-square-foot

prototypes designed to operate in the region’s challenging wind

opportunities.

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

“There’s still hope for in-person retail.”

‘Christmas . every day’

leasing director, has mastered. She compares it with a puzzle with a lot of constantly moving pieces.

lard’s remain. In 2020, JCPenney announced plans to close the Acadiana Mall location but reversed its stance a month later

Feil 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-

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

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-

“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.

GWT cofounder James Martin rolls composite material between his fingers at the Avondale facility

STAFF PHOTOS By ENAN CHEDIAK

GWT facility in Avondale. The company got its start manufacturing and testing of wind blade

conditions but has changed its focus to aerospace, maritime, energy and defense

ASK THEEXPERTS

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

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.

Q&A WITH SCOTT GAUDIN

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

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

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

Louisiana puts its money whereits manufacturing is

“SiteReadiness” is thesecretsauceofeconomicdevelopment.

Working

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

started Currency Bank during the pandemic after spotting a gapinthe market for companies serving smallto midsized businesses.

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

STAFF PHOTO By JOHN BALLANCE

Michael Hecht President&CEO GNO Inc.

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.

DeMis

“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.

INDUSTRIAL ELECTRICITY RATES intheSouth 50 energy projects announced since2018

mmm good dividends

Businesses and nonproﬁtorganizations across south Louisiana recently announcedthe followinghonors and recognitions.

NewOrleans

The Advertising Club of New Orleans honored the following local ad professionalsat its gala, marking the first phase of the American Advertising Awards.

Glenda McKinley,founder of GMc +Co. Strategic Communications, received the Silver Medal Award. Also awarded were: Elizabeth Schoen, of Brand Society, Agency Account Service Person of the Year; Sophie Nolan, of Digital Remedy,Agency Executive of the Year; AmberVogts, of FatHappy, Creative Director of theYear; Kelsey Raybon, of Immaginal, CreativeServices Person of the Year; Stephanie Funti, of Zehnder Communications, Operations/ Administrative Personofthe Year; OyaBukulmezer, of Immaginal, Most Promising Person of the Year; Gabby Chulick, of Brand Society,Social Media Person of the Year; Meghan Hall, of Loyola University New Orleans, Student of the Year; AveryAnderson, of Zehnder Communications, Writerofthe Year; and Kaelyn Johnson, of Immaginal, Project Management/Production Coordinator of the Year

Petermayer won Best of Show Overall and Best Copywriting for its campaign for Quantum Fiber Monday+Partners won Best Cinematography for its project for LA.IO.

FatHappy wonBest Sound Design for its ads for PetLibro and Mosaic Award for its work for Covenant House.

Deep FriedAdvertising wonBestStorytelling for its JEDCO jingle

Smart Meetings magazine named Elaine Williams,the chief commercialofﬁcerofthe Ernest N. Morial Convention Center as an Innovator for Smart Women in Meetings. Williams, who has worked for the Convention Center since 2007, also serves on the board of the International

Association of Exhibitions and Events and theSoutheast Louisiana Board forVolunteers of America.

The Idea Village awarded the inaugural Scott Gale Memorial Award to Kimberly Gramm,the David and Marion Mussafer Chief Innovation andEntrepreneurship OfﬁceratTulane University Innovation Institute.

Theaward recognizes Gramm’swork buildingthe Gulf South’sinnovation ecosystem and strengthening theinfrastructure thatsupports founders and drivesthe growth of theregion

BatonRouge

The Louisiana Wildlife Federation announced 11 winners of its 60th annual Conservation Achievement Awards whowill be honored at an April11banquet.

Louisiana Native Plant Society,of Boyce, is Conservationist of the Year; Undersecretary for the Louisiana Department of Wildlifeand Fisheries BryanMcClinton,ofBaton Rouge, is Professional Conservationist of the Year; Keep Tiger Town Beautifulfounder Jennifer Richardson,of Baton Rouge, is Volunteer Conservationist of the Year; Life City, of New Orleans, is Conservation Businessofthe Year; ErikJohnson, of Lafayette, is Conservation Educatorofthe Year;state Rep. Kim LandryCoates,ofPonchatoula, is Conservation Elected Ofﬁcial of theYear; JoeMacaluso,ofBaton Rouge,is ConservationCommunicator of the Year; Audubon Aquarium Rescue,ofNew Orleans, is Conservation Organization of theYear; EleanoreLowe,ofNew Orleans, is Conservation Youth of theYear; St. Joseph’sAcademy Coastal Roots Program,ofBaton Rouge,is ConservationYouth Organization of theYear; 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 andoutdoor recreation.

Associated Builders and Con-

tractorsawarded seven Louisiana firms with 2025 National Healthand SafetyMerit Awards at theorganization’s 36th annual Excellence in Construction Awards. Brown &Root IndustrialServices,of Baton Rouge, was apinnacle winner in theHeavy and Civil Engineering Contractors category MAPP,ofBaton Rouge, and RNGD, of Metairie, were both merit winners in theGeneral Contractors category

Performance Contractors,ofBaton Rouge, was amerit winnerin theHeavy and Civil Engineering Contractors category.

All Star Electric,ofLaPlace, was ameritwinnerinthe Specialty Contractors category.

MMR Constructors,ofBaton Rouge, was amerit winner in the SpecialtyContractors category And Woodward Design+Build,of New Orleans,was amerit winnerinthe GeneralContractors category

More than adozen Louisiana companiesand projects were also winners of ABC Excellence in Construction awards.

Performance Contractors won in theindustrialupto$10 million category for the Vopak Propylene Glycol ExportUpgrade in Plaquemine,inthe industrial $100 million to $250 million categoryfor theChevronGeismar Expansionand Improvements Project in Geismar,inthe industrial $10 million to $25 million categoryfor the Dow Steam HeaderComplianceProject in Hahnville and in themegaproject over $250 millioncategory for the VentureGlobal Plaquemines LNG Fabrication, Assembly andSite Installation Project in PortSulphur

MMR Constructors woninthe category of electrical: industrial up to $5 millionfor the Dow EaglerayProject —BoilerElectrical and Instrumentation in Plaquemine; and in the category of electrical: industrial $5 million to $20 million for the Valero East PlantTurnaround in St.Charles.

Triad Electric &Controls won in the category of electrical: industrial up to $5 million for the Dow SC2 Flare Gas Recovery Project in Taft. DurrHeavy Construction won in the category of sitework/landscape/ hardscapefor theDarrow Blue

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

CharlesAvenue NewOrleans,LA70170-5100 joneswalker.com

Energy Ammonia Storage Area

Grading in Sorrento.

Brown &RootIndustrialServices won in the categoryofspecialty construction: industrial morethan $10 millionfor the Indorama Westlake 2025 Turnaround. DonahueFavret Contractors won in thecommercial up to $10 million category for the WVUE Fox 8 Studio Buildout in New Orleans and in the health care $25 million to $100 millioncategoryfor the Slidell Memorial Hospital 3-Story Addition and Renovation.

Broadmoor won in thehistorical restoration/renovations $15millionto$100 million category for theTulaneSchool of Architecture.

Gibbs Construction won in the institutional up to $15million category forthe Harry TompsonCenter in New Orleans.

Group Contractors woninthe industrial up to $10million categoryfor the Shell Norco GO1 SubstationReplacement and in the specialty construction for industrial$3millionto$10 million for theS&B/Energy Transfer PropaneBOG Project in Nederland, Texas.

Lemoine won in thepublic works/ environmentalcategory forthe Laurel Ridge Levee Extension in St.Amant.

AnderCorp won in the renovation $100 million to $250 millioncategory for Live! Casino &Hotel LouisianainBossier City

Sealevel Construction won in the infrastructure:heavy up to $100 million for theTCEnergy ELXP project in Golden Meadow

Cajun Industries woninthe categoryofspecialty construction: industrial more than $10 million for the Marine Jetty Access Bridge in Port Sulphur andinthe special projects up to $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.

Do you have personnel changes to share or other ideas for our business coverage? Drop us alineatbiztips@ theadvocate.com.

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.

Williams

Gramm

Motley Fool

Bill Shaughnessy Chris Cazenave

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-

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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ABOUT THIS HOME

Address:

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Price:

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Bedrooms: Five

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SquareFootage: 5,510

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Situatedona fullacreofmanicured grounds,this exceptional estateoffers incredible space, comfort, andamenities throughout. The2022 renovation of the4,700+ sq ft main residence welcomes youvia sweeping porches and agrand frontstaircase into astunning foyerwith views over the living spaces below. Down the custom staircase,the main level is anchored by aformalliving room with soaring 19’vaultedceilings anda dramatic dual-sided exposed brick fireplace; perfectly positioned betweena true chef’skitchen and acomfortable den overlooking theparklike backyard. Thekitchen is outfitted with Thermador appliances,quartzitecounters,anoversized island,and custom cabinetry.An adjacentdining room is ideal forhosting,completew/built-in wine storage and abacklit displaycase.The den offers acozyretreatwith gas fireplace,5.1surroundsound,andFrenchdoorsopeningtothecoveredrearporch.Alsoonthemainlevelarethreespaciousbedrooms,eachwith abeautifully appointeden-suitebathand walk-incloset.Upstairs,the expansiveprimary suitefeatures agas fireplace, seating area, and aspalikebathwithsoakingtub,separateshower,privatewatercloset,andacustomwalk-incloset.Alsoonthislevel:afifthlargebedroom(currently an office), a fifthfull bath, and a flexiblebonus spaceideal forabilliardroom,library, lounge,oradditional workspace. Outside,the backyard is an entertainer’s dream w/ an oversizedheatedsaltwater pool featuringa waterfall andcave. Adetached building adds even more function: an 800sqfttheater/rec room with full bath and wetbar,a 588 sq ft cabana with outdoor kitchenand coveredseating w/ fireplace,a586 sq ft double-heightgarage/storageroom, and a318 sqft coveredboat/RVbay.Modern conveniencesinclude meshWi-Fi, whole-homeSonos,and a full security/camerasystem. Atruly one-of-a-kind estateblending sophisticated luxurywith thoughtful design and cutting-edge technology.

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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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

CONSIDER MIDWEEK TRAVEL

Travelingduringthe middle of theweekcan often mean fewercrowdsand lowerprices. Flightsand hotelrates arefrequentlyless expensive Tuesdaythrough Thursday,and popularattractions maybeeasier to enjoy withoutlonglines.

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.

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.

RUN FORIT

The official charity component of the LCMC HealthCrescent City Classic.

The goal of “Run ForIt” is to raise $1 million annually andserve thegreater NewOrleans area’s needs.

Each year,the Crescent CityClassic Foundation selects local charities to support and partner withfor the10k race by giving them theplatform to fundraise fortheir individualmissions.

•Ainsley’s Angels

•American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

•Animal Rescue New Orleans

•Bastion

•Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana

•Community Center of St. Bernard

•Covenant House

•East Jefferson HospitalFoundation

•First GraceCommunityAlliance

•Friends of New Orleans Public Library

•Gigi’s Playhouse

•Girls on the Run New Orleans

•Graceatthe GreenLight

•Junior League New Orleans

•Kids Join the Fight

•Live Oak Camp

•Magnolia CommunityServices

•Manning Family Children’s

•New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity

•New Orleans East HospitalFoundation

•NoDaysOffline

•Saul’s Light

•The Split Second Foundation,Inc

•Team Gleason

•Touro Infirmary

•LCMC Health |Spirit of Charity Foundation

•West Jefferson HospitalFoundation

•Youth Run NOLA

PRE RACE 2-DAYEXPO

HyattRegencyNew Orleans 601Loyola Ave. -EliteHall |Level 1

DAY1 Thursday April 2

Open 2PM-7PM

DAY2 FridayApril 3

Open 10AM -7PM

Runners, volunteers, and thegeneral public can start theirCrescent City Classicexperience on theright foot withall of thehelpful information being presented at this year’s Health &Fitness Expo.

Last-minuterunners have theopportunityto getinonthe race andpre-registered runners can obtain their bibsand t-shirts.

The two-dayfreeevent showcasestop professionals in thefield discussing andhelping runnerswithtechnique, fitness, injuries andmore. Plus, therewillbeexhibitors showing thelatest in running apparel, shoes,exercise equipment, nutrition, wellness products, fitness services and advice.

This event is FREE &OPENTOTHE PUBLIC

THE RACE

The Classic is true NewOrleans tradition!

The 10-kilometer course (6.2 miles)begins in DowntownNew Orleans in frontofthe Caesars Superdome, runs participants through theFrench Quarter and then all theway up beautiful Esplanade Ave. to NewOrleans CityPark. Seenextpage forcourse mapand road closure information.

RACE FEST: THE FUNAFTER THERUN

Can aNew Orleansevent end without aparty?

Without music,food, and fun? In true NewOrleans style, theCrescent CityClassic does just that, aparty in thepark.

The MichelobUltraRace Fest is held on race dayfrom8:30am to 1:00pm at theFestivalGrounds in CityPark. Scheduledtoperformis Flow Tribe

The Race Fest is free forrunners and children 5years or younger Friends andfamily can join youafter therace for$20 pre-sale, or $25 at thedoor.Fest passes can be purchased during onlineregistration at theexpo,oronrace day.

ALETTERFROM THE RACE DIRECTOR

As we get closer to race day2026, I’mremindedthat the LCMC HealthCrescent CityClassic is more than just a10K It represents community, determination, and theunique joy that comes frommoving together through thestreets of our belovedNew Orleans

This year,we’re especially proud to continue our partnership with LCMC Healthasour TitleSponsor. Theircommitment to building healthier communities perfectly reﬂects thespirit of theCrescentCityClassic andour mission to inspireactive lifestyles throughout theGulf South.

THE COURSE

Road ClosureInformation

Roads CLOSE along thecourseat 7:15AM

Parkingalong therouteisprohibitedfrom 12AM -12PMonApril 4th. Unauthorized vehicles will be towedatthe owner’sexpense. Thank youfor your cooperation.

Streets OPEN along route approximately:

9:15AM PoydrasStfromLoyola up to Canal St

9:30AMAll of N. Peters

10:15AMAll of Esplanade Ave

10:30AM All of Moss St. &CityParkAve

11:15AM All Streets Open

Ialso want to take this opportunitytothank our many loyal sponsors forall they do to make this race thesuccess it is year after year.Aspecial shout out to MichelobUltra. What would this race be withoutRace Fest, an always unforgettable celebration forrunners, walkers,and spectators alike?

The truthisittakes acommunitytopull off an event likethis forthe community. From ﬁrst-time participants to seasoned competitors, and from our dedicatedvolunteers to our security and medical teams, everyone of youplays arolein makingthis race theextraordinaryexperience it has become. Whether you’re chasing apersonalrecord, enjoying thewalk with friends, or simply soaking in theunmatched energy of NewOrleans, youare part of something truly special.

Seeyou at thestarting line! Eric Stuart

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

research

and

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.

Carie Dowden, research coordinator at Woman’s Hospital,

Briasha Jones,

manager

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.

FOOD

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-

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 better and to not do harm in their language around food is a huge priority.”

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.

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS PHOTOS By ELÃAS VALVERDE II

options recipes plant-basedingredientspulledstraight fromthefridgeandpantry.Naturalegg dyeingmeantsimmeringbeetsforpink, turmericforyellow,redcabbageforblue orspirulinaforgreen,thenlettingeggs soakforhours,sometimesovernight, hopingforthebest.

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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 statistics and reexamining tried and true methods on ways to livewell.

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.

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

Health editions will also profile people whoare advancing health for the

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

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.

PHOTO PROVIDED By DRUGS FOR NEGLECTED DISEASES INITIATIVE

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

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.

Surgicaloncologist 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.

Webelievegreatcareincludeslaughter,imagination andalittleplay.Italsotakesleadersinwellness workingtogethertosupporteverychildandfamily. Thatcoordinationmeansclearanswers,betterresults andacalmerexperience.It’swhywe’renotjustworld renowned,we’rekidworthy. Meetyourexpertcareteamatochsner.org/childrens

MiaB PediatricPatient

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

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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

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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.’

INSPIRED DISCUSSIONS

ASK THE EXPERTS

La. native is helping students ace the ACT in St. Helena

BY JOY HOLDEN Staff writer

Shiyecca Singleton, director of special programs and initiatives and testing coordinator for the St. Helena Parish school district, has worked in education in St Helena since 2011. Although a Greenwood, Mississippi, native, Singleton has invested in Louisiana education for the last 15 years

Singleton started out as a high school English teacher at St Helena College and Career Academy

Her journey continued as a master teacher and then 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

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working on a project, Begnaud says the group sometimes needs a person 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 said of working with Bohl DeHart on “17 Year Locust.” “In all the ﬁlms that I’ve worked on in all these years, I felt very calm that nothing was going to be forgotten on a professional level, because I walked into that as a nonprofessional.”

The DeHarts also re-

PROVIDED PHOTOS

weakness, and we saw ACT scores drop off. Once COVID came, schools started not requiring it, and the focus shifted.

Our average score has dropped to a 14.3, which is below the state average, so we at the district space have had those conversations of, “What can we do?”

How did the partnership with Top Tutors for Us come about?

Angelica reached out to the district, and the superintendent forwarded me the information. I reached out to her and had a long conversation about the ways Top Tutors for Us supports the learners. I called our grants manager who had worked with Angelica in the Orleans Parish schools.

In going through the design of the program, we all agreed that it would be a good ﬁt for our school. You can keep trying certain things, but when you’re not seeing the results, you have to be willing to try something else.

What we like in particular is 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 with buy-in.

How have you integrated the program into the St. Helena College and Career Academy?

leased “Bending Lines,” a ﬁlm about sculptor Robert Wiggs in Lafayette. Wiggs, who passed away in 2015, wasn’t from Lafayette, but he spent most of his life here.

“He’s still part of Louisiana landscape. Almost all the sculptures we have in Lafayette are his, so he’s part of Lafayette,” DeHart said.

Because the DeHarts didn’t grow up in south Louisiana, much like some of their characters, they noted that they relate to those stories because they can see themselves in the subject matter Their professional goal is always to make a film that connects to national and international audiences and motivates people to learn more about the state.

Q&A WITH SHIyECCA SINGLETON DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES

We started this spring semester in late January We have three sections of kids. Some of our learners took the ACT in February and some took it two weeks ago. We’re excited to see the results.

One of our learners, it was her ﬁrst time taking it in February, and she scored a 21. We are very proud of her What do you envision as an outcome of using the program?

While we’re not expecting 15-point gains, we are looking for growth and getting our kids to understand the value of taking the ACT We want to see realistic growth and increase their exposure. We’re still pushing them to take advantage of opportunities to register even when they are not obligated in the fall and spring at

The duo says Lafayette is a special place to make these films, because the city is full of people who are multidisciplinary creatives. There may be a CEO who is also a ﬁddler or a ﬁlmmaker who is also a musician.

Bohl DeHart said the collaborative nature of the creatives in Lafayette makes it a strong place for connections

“I didn’t know that staying in one place would be so fruitful,” she said. “If you think about the connections you make to the community and the people, what can develop and flourish long term is so much more fruitful than shallow connections everywhere else.”

Email Lauren Cheramie at lauren.cheramie@ theadvocate.com.

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school. They have national testing all year long, and they have two fee waivers to take it on their own.

What makes Top Tutors for Us different than other programs?

One of the questions we asked was, “Do you have a hybrid 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 about our learners. We know our learners.

Top Tutors came in and gave their assessment to determine the needs of the individuals so they could properly place them with the tutor they needed 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

curriculum you have to teach everyone. You have to embed those scaffolds and differentiate for various learners. Even if you’re a master of your content, that is still hard for a group of 15 to 20 students.

The tutors work with the learners online and also come to the school for in-person instruction.

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 a confidence in testing and that motivation to keep going.

When we can build that with the current group, the juniors and seniors, the younger learners see it, and it’s like a domino effect.

Email Joy Holden at joy.holden@ theadvocate.com.

Continued from page 1y

idea that felt right for the moment. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what some are calling the “post-luxury shift” — the idea that some people are done with spectacle and hungry for something real and a little ridiculous. Even with that insight, I was stumped on this year’s party That is, until last week, when we were on vacation in a yurt, and the idea hit me I had seen someone online having this very competition in front of their home on the West Coast.

I am having a Parallel Parking Party on a Tuesday The weekends were just too full all the way around.

I have created rules — no cameras and no driverassisted parking. I have secured multiple orange trafﬁc cones. I have 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, many people believe in their parallel parking abilities with their whole hearts. Maybe they are hungry for something real and a little ridiculous, for the joy of a speciﬁc, unglamorous skill being taken seriously on a Tuesday evening.

One friend is rearranging a trip rearranging an actual trip — because she is so certain she will prevail

in this competition. People are trash-talking their unknown competition. At least a dozen 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’s no scoreboard no one watching other than cars that pass or wait. People rarely see how good any of us are at it. Until now Life is full. We steal celebration and laughter where and when we can ﬁnd them. At this stage of life, a Tuesday evening surrounded by people we love — defending their honor over parallel parking — might be exactly the right kind of party

Email Jan Risher at jan. risher@theadvocate.com.

New Orleans-native Angelica Harris, center, founded Top Tutors for Us, a test-prep company that aims to help students of color get into top colleges and earn scholarships.

Shiyecca Singleton, director of special programs and initiatives and testing coordinator for the St. Helena Parish school district

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-

Urban farm plots are beside a neighborhood

Ecuador

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

health clinic in Quito,

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.

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