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Trump,

BY BASSEM MROUE, JONGAMBRELL and SAMY MAGDY Associated Press

TEHRAN, Iran U.S.President Donald Trump pulled back on his threatstolaunch devastating strikes on Iran late Tuesday, swervingto deescalate the war less than twohours before the deadline he set for Tehrantocapitulateor face amajor escalation

Trump said he was holding off on his threatened attacks on Iranian bridges, power plants and other civiliantargets,subject to Tehran agreeingtoatwo-week ceaseﬁre andreopening of the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway through which afifth of the world’soil is shipped during peacetime. He also saidIran has proposed a“workable” 10-point peace plan that could help end thewar launched by the U.S. and Israel in February Iran’sSupremeNational Security Council said it has accepted atwo-week ceaseﬁre and thatitwould negotiatewiththe UnitedStates in Islamabad beginning Friday

ä See IRAN, page 6A

Bystanders trytocomfort and assist awoman Tuesday as she reacts near the site of astrikethat, according to asecurity official at the scene, destroyedhalf the Khorasaniha Synagogue and nearbyresidential buildings in Tehran, Iran.

Aerospacebills sailingthrough House

Taxbreaksfor companies

BY ALYSE PFEIL Staff writer

AplanbyLouisiana ofﬁcials to give big tax breaks to attract aerospace companiesto the state appears to be on afast track after lawmakers on Tuesday swiftly advanced two bills without opposition.

Both measures advanced out of the House tax committee first thing Tuesdaymorning, as legislators reconvened in Baton

Rouge after an Easter break. Whileofﬁcials remained mumonwhether any speciﬁccompaniesare in talks to locate here, they said thetax breaks would generally makeLouisiana competitive forsuchaerospaceprojects.

Asked whether he was trying to bring SpaceX or Blue Origin to Louisiana, Gov JeffLandryinabriefinterview Tuesday afternoon said he would “love an opportunity to visit with either one of themtobring great

jobs to Louisiana.”

Landry said therecentArtemis II launch,whichsent astronauts past themoon, shows that NASA’sprogram is “robust,” as arethose of SpaceX and BlueOrigin.

“Itseems like the space industry,the aerospace industry is doing extremelywell, and we want to be positioned,” thegovernor said. “Wewant to align Louisiana so thatifthey do come, we do get agreat opportunity.”

BY JONI HESS,JAMESFINN and JOHN SIMERMAN Staff writers

Federal prosecutors have lodged new evidenceintheir fraud caseagainst former New OrleansMayor LaToyaCantrell and her alleged paramour, Jeffrey Vappie, asserting Cantrell misspent thousands in campaign funds on personal expenses and that both withheld evidence. The new court filings add no new charges to the 18-count superseding indictment that prosecutors unleashed last August charging the pair with conspiracytocommitwire fraud,wirefraud,obstruction of justice and lying to investigators. But as evidenceofthe chargedscheme,prosecutors aim to introduceallegationsthatVappie,now aretired New Orleanspoliceofﬁcer andCantrell’sformer bodyguard,gifted apairofgoldrings to the mayor andthenconspired to hide them. One of the rings was emblazoned with the NOPD logo.

BY MARK BALLARD Staff writer

WASHINGTON As President Donald

Trumpdoubled downonhis controversial choice of Casey Means forsurgeon general, her nomination hasemerged as an issue in Louisiana’s increasingly bitter Republican primary race for the U.S. Senate. That’sbecause incumbent U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy,R-Baton Rouge, has delayed for six weeks avote that will decide Means’ fate.Cassidy chairs the Senate Committee for Health Education Laborand Pensions.

Cantrell

Vappie

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By FRANCISCO SECO

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MARK SCHIEFELBEIN

PresidentDonald Trumpspeakswith reporters during aMonday news conference at the White House

BRIEFS FROM WIRE REPORTS

Cartel co-founder pleads guilty to conspiracy

WASHINGTON A California man who co-founded one of Mexico’s most powerful and violent drug cartels pleaded guilty on Tuesday in the U.S. to a federal narcotics conspiracy charge.

Erick Valencia Salazar formed the Jalisco New Generation Cartel with Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, the drug lord known as “El Mencho” who was killed by the Mexican army in February Valencia Salazar, 49, of Santa Clara, California, faces a mandatory-minimum prison sentence of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison after pleading guilty in Washington, D.C., to one count of conspiring to distribute cocaine for U.S. importation. Chief Judge James Boasberg is scheduled to sentence him on July 31. Valencia Salazar was a member of the Milenio Cartel before he and Oseguera Cervantes founded the Jalisco cartel, which is known by its Spanishlanguage acronym CJNG. Hundreds of CJNG members reported to Valencia Salazar, whose duties included recruitment and obtaining information about cartel rivals, prosecutors said.

In Ga. shooting, sergeant faces court-martial

FORT STEWART, Ga. — An Army sergeant accused of shooting and wounding five co-workers at a Georgia base last summer faces a trial by court-martial June 15 after he pleaded guilty to some of the charges against him.

Sgt. Quornelius Radford told a military judge at his plea hearing last week that he used a personal handgun to shoot four fellow soldiers in his supply unit at Fort Stewart on Aug. 6 following an argument with his romantic partner, a civilian who was also among the victims. Bystanders disarmed and restrained Radford before police arrived Radford, 29, pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated assault and domestic violence, WTOCTV reported. The judge then scheduled him to stand trial this summer on the remaining charges of attempted murder Defense attorneys had previously told the judge that Radford also planned to plead guilty to two counts of attempted murder Instead, the accused soldier insisted during his March 31 plea hearing he’s not guilty of those charges, telling the judge that he had no intent to kill anyone. Radford testified he fired at his co-workers in hopes that he would be killed in a shootout with military police, WSAV-TV reported.

Deere & Co agrees to pay to settle lawsuit

NEW YORK Deere & Co. has agreed to pay $99 million as part of a settlement that would resolve a class-action lawsuit accusing the farm equipment giant of monopolizing repair services

The Moline, Illinois-based manufacturer, which does business under the John Deere brand, has faced a handful of “right to repair” complaints over the years. The deal announced Monday — which still needs final approval from the court — would settle a 2022 lawsuit that accused the company of withholding repair software and conspiring with authorized dealers to force farmers to use their services for repairs, when they could otherwise ﬁx tractors and other equipment themselves or use independent alternatives.

The plaintiffs alleged that meant Deere and its dealers could charge higher, “supracompetitive” prices and reap beneﬁts from an “unlawfully restrained” market, per court ﬁlings. Deere has continued to deny any wrongdoing, and maintained Monday it’s dedicated to supporting customers’ ability and access needed to repair their equipment

But the company agreed to the settlement “to move forward and remain focused on what matters most serving our customers,” Denver Caldwell, vice president of aftermarket and customer support, said in a statement. Under the proposed agreement, the $99 million would go into a settlement fund for class members who paid Deere or its authorized dealers for large agriculture equipment repairs between Jan. 10, 2018 until the date of the deal’s preliminary approval.

Mullin pledges progress on disaster relief during trip

DHS secretary tours areas devastated by Hurricane Helene

BY REBECCA SANTANA and GABRIELA AOUN ANGUEIRA Associated Press

CHIMNEY ROCK, N.C. — Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin on Tuesday toured North Carolina areas devastated by Hurricane Helene in 2024, revealing plans to prioritize relief to disaster-impacted communities on his ﬁrst ofﬁcial trip since replacing Kristi Noem, whose leadership cast uncertainty over federal disaster response. While the trip focused on emergency management, Mullin also weighed in on immigration enforcement, a centerpiece policy of the Trump administration, which his department also oversees. He suggested he might halt customs processing at airports serving cities whose local governments resist the admin-

istration’s immigration policies, a move that would align with his predecessor’s hardline approach.

At his confirmation hearing last month, Mullin tried to project a softer tone on immigration enforcement, after a backlash over highprofile operations and the deaths of two Americans at the hands of federal ofﬁcers. Mullin also signaled a different approach to the Federal Emergency Management Agency following criticism of Noem’s policies.

At a roundtable discussion Tuesday, Mullin said FEMA was focused on catching up on past disaster work and clearing a backlog of needs that stacked up during his predecessor’s tenure ahead of the Atlantic hurricane season, which begins June 1.

“Disasters are happening constantly,” Mul-

lin said, adding that he would brief President Donald Trump Tuesday on the 22 still pending major disaster declaration requests from states and tribes across the U.S. “We’re trying to push this stuff forward as fast as possible.”

Mullin also said he “may have identiﬁed” a candidate for permanent administrator of FEMA, which is on its third temporary leader since Trump took office, but declined to name them. Asked if eliminating FEMA — which Trump has threatened to do was still on the table, Mullin said “reforming FEMA would be a better term.”

Mullin’s visit comes less than a week after he ended Noem’s directive that all DHS expenditures over $100,000 be personally approved by the secretary’s office, a rule that critics said bottlenecked FEMA reim-

Hundreds of Cuban women rally against U.S. blockade

Crisis on Caribbean island deepening

BY ANDREA RODRÍGUEZ Associated Press

HAVANA — Hundreds of Cuban women gathered Tuesday in Havana to decry a U.S. energy embargo and other measures imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump that are strangling the Caribbean island.

The rally was organized by the Federation of Cuban Women, a massive organization with close ties to the government and the Communist Party, to honor the late Vilma Espín, the federation’s founder, a guerrilla ﬁghter and Raúl Castro’s wife.

The crowd that gathered at a park commemorating a 19th-century independence patriot waved Cuban ﬂags, held signs that read “Down with the Blockade” and clutched pictures of Fidel Castro and Espín.

Deputy Prime Minister Inés María Chapman and Deputy Foreign Minister Josefina Vidal led the demonstration along with Mariela Castro, daughter of Espín and former President Raúl Castro.

“This policy of abuse has to stop,” Vidal told The Associated Press. “The Cuban people don’t deserve this. It’s the most comprehensive, all-encompassing, and longest-running system of coercive measures ever imposed against an entire country.”

Vidal, a key negotiator in a historic rapprochement between Cuba and the United States in 2014 under the administration of former U.S. President Barack Obama, added: “It subjects us to collective punishment, recognized as such under international law, and we couldn’t fail to be here.”

In early January the U.S. attacked Venezuela and arrested its then-leader,

disrupting critical oil shipments to Cuba.

Later that month, Trump threatened tariffs against any country that sells or supplies oil to the island.

However, Trump said he didn’t mind when a Russian tanker carrying 730,000 barrels of crude oil arrived in Cuba last week marking the island’s ﬁrst oil shipment in three months. Russia has since said it would send a second tanker Cuba produces only 40% of the fuel it consumes, and the shortage has paralyzed the Caribbean nation, affecting its health system, public transportation and the production of goods and services, and deepened an economic crisis that has plagued the island for the past ﬁve years.

“I am here ﬁghting for the people of Cuba,” said Leydys de la Cruz, a 57-yearold seamstress who joined Tuesday’s rally “I would ask Trump to leave us in peace. The situation is very bad because of the blockade he’s imposed on us.”

Georgina Reyes, a 36-year-old IT technician, also pleaded with Trump: “I would tell him that we don’t hurt anyone. Please don’t hurt us.”

Groups urge panel to close ‘Alligator Alcatraz’

Environmentalists appeal temporary halt to shutdown

BY MIKE SCHNEIDER Associated Press

ORLANDO, Fla. — Environmen-

tal groups on Tuesday asked a federal appellate court panel to drop its temporary halt of a lower court’s order instructing state ofﬁcials to close an immigration detention center in the heart of the Florida Everglades known as “Alligator Alcatraz.”

The Everglades facility remains open, still holding detainees, because the appellate court in early September relied on arguments by Florida and the Trump administration that the state had not yet applied for federal reimbursement, and therefore wasn’t required to follow federal environmental law.

State ofﬁcials opened the detention center last summer to support President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.

bursements and compromised disaster response and recovery

Few disaster-hit areas experienced the impacts of FEMA’s recent tumult as acutely as North Carolina, where about $1.6 billion in FEMA public assistance dollars has been obligated so far and where roughly 2,000 projects are still in some stage of FEMA approval, according to a letter North Carolina Gov Josh Stein sent Mullin after his swearing in. Republican North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis excoriated Noem for delays in reimbursements to his state just days before her ﬁring, telling her at a Senate hearing she had “failed” at FEMA.

Mullin said at the roundtable that Trump told him he wanted North Carolina to be his ﬁrst stop. Trump “wanted North Carolina to love” the president, Mullin recounted.

Questions by the three appellate judges during oral arguments in a Miami courtroom focused on how much control the federal government had over the state-built facility and under what circumstances an environmental review was required to be in compliance with federal law The judges did not indicate when they would rule.

Jesse Panuccio, an attorney for the Florida Department of Emergency Management, told the judges federal funding and federal control of the facility were the two criteria for determining if the federal environmental law would apply and the federal agencies had no control over the state-run detention center Florida was notified in late September that FEMA had approved $608 million in federal funding to support the center’s construction and operation. “You need both,” Panuccio said. “Even with funding, I don’t think that would follow because they don’t have federal control.” The environmental lawsuit was one of three federal court challenges to the Everglades facility since it opened.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By REBECCA SANTANA

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, right, talks with Mayor Peter O’Leary on Tuesday during a trip to survey damage caused by Hurricane Helene in Chimney Rock, N.C.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO

Women attend a rally on Tuesday calling for the end of the U.S. blockade against the island nation in Havana, Cuba.

Energy deliveredatafractionofthe cost, in afractionofthe time.

The filing also alleges that Cantrellmisspent roughly $270,000 beginning in 2020 from her campaign account, doling out more than $10,000 on alcohol and nearly$260,000 more on personal clothing through an “image consultant” paid in part through her campaign account.

U.S. District Judge Wendy Vitter will decide whether to admitthe new evidence. Questions about Cantrell’scampaign spending on ball gowns and other clothes were an early vector of the federal investigationinto Cantrell that dogged her overthe latter half of her second term.

The 30-page motion comes as Cantrell and Vappie await an October trialdate. Both have pleaded not guilty in acase largely centered on aseries of trips they took between 2021 and 2024 on the taxpayer’s dime. Cantrellhas maintained that the trips, which included locales such as Scotland, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., were necessary to carry out her mayoral job duties.

Cantrell’s attorney,EddieCastaing, andVappie’sattorney,Shaun Clarke, declined to comment for this story

Prosecutors allege that Vappie spent $70,000 in public money on romantic vacations whileemployed as amemberofCantrell’ssecurity detail

As part of their conspiracy to hide their relationship and defraud taxpayers, prosecutors allege they destroyed evidence, lied to investigatorsand intimidated city employees who warned them about their conduct

Prosecutors argue that the new evidence —misusing campaign funds for personal expensesand knowingly concealing heractions —should be admitted because it establishes a“patternofmisconduct.”

Feds:NOPDringnot disclosed

Thenew ﬁlingssay Vappiegave Cantrell onesmall diamondringand another large gold ring emblazoned with the NOPD logo sometime before June 11, 2022.

The next July,afederal grand jury issued asubpoena requiring Cantrell to disclose records and photos of “any gift or thingofvalue, including, but not limited to,meals, jewelry,clothing, and political cam-

paign donations provided to you by Jeffrey Vappie.”

Vappie received asimilar subpoena ordering him to hand over records of gifts he’d given Cantrell.

Cantrell gave the diamond ring to investigators in 2023. But Vappie never disclosedit, andneither of themhave revealed the existence of theNOPDringthat prosecutors sayVappiegavethe former mayor, according to the ﬁling.

The document shows screenshots of WhatsApp messages from 2022 in which Cantrell sent Vappie photos of both rings on her ﬁngers.

Cantrell “continued to wear the rings in public and as part of ofﬁcial events” in themonths between her indictment and when she left ofﬁce in January,prosecutors wrote.

They cited aphoto on her Facebook page from October 2025 in which Cantrell wore the rings at a bill-signing ceremony

Another posted two months later showed Cantrellwearing the rings at an unveiling of her ofﬁcial portrait, painted in theweeks before she left ofﬁce.

In the portrait, Cantrell smiles in ared pantsuit. Both rings adorn her left hand.

The motion asks Vittertoallow the details about the rings as evidence “intrinsic” tothe charged crimes. Alternatively,prosecutors wantto use it in amore limited way to show “motive, opportunity,intent,preparation, plan, knowledge, or absence of mistake or accident.”

Former federalprosecutorMatthew Coman,who led the prosecution of former New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin, saidthe government appeared to have “a very strong argument” for ajury to hear the newly ﬁled evidence against Cantrell and Vappie.

“You’renot going to seeone person go to jail for aring, but it’sa cumulative effect of,time after time,” Comansaid. “It starts to add up and becomes atidalwave —the obstructive behavior, the concealing.”

Alcoholpurchases during COVID Prosecutorsalso allege that Cantrell’scampaign purchasedover $9,000 worth of alcoholmonthly on at least 13 occasions between March 2020 and December 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, when sheimposed limits on public gatherings in the city

The purchasesinJuly, for example, included 12 bottles of Veuve ClicquotChampagne and 24 bottles of Urban SouthBrewing Holy Roll-

er IPAthat totaled morethan $800.

Cantrell characterized thetransactions as “foodand beveragefor supporters and donors” on her state financial disclosuresinFebruary 2021, court documentsshow,but no in-person campaign events had been scheduled during that timeperiod.

The transactions continued that year despite concerns from an “AssociateA”asthe city staffer was called in courtdocuments,who warned thepurchasesdidn’tqualify under state campaign ﬁnance laws.

“Whathas changed is thatcampaign spending is being done in a vacuum and thenmonths later Iam given receipts for things like hotel upgrades, flight first class upgrades, $500 bottles of wine.Not surehow any of these qualify,” AssociateA told Cantrell in a2022 text message exchange, according to the filing.

In atext thread withthe associate the next day,Cantrell said she wanted to ensurethe money sheraised “is also accommodatingmewhile I am doing this job. Comfort is not a luxury and Iamnot taking advantage,” she said.

AssociateA’s warnings came monthsbefore thesamestaffer warned Cantrellthatitwas illegal to use public funds for her personal travel with Vappie.

“Last time you were buying like 1k in champaign [sic]amonth and we weren’table to have in person anything,”the associate wrote in another text includedincourt ﬁlings “And Ididn’tknow until way after.”

Payments Cantrell made to her clothing stylistbetween 2017 and 2022 were alsopaid withcampaign dollars, prosecutorsallege. Thetotal amountedto$259,559 paid through Cantrell’scampaign account comparedwith $27,464 paid with her personal money Cantrell listed at leasttwo of the payments in her campaign ﬁnance reports as “image consulting.”

Thedocumentdescribeshow Cantrell’scampaign paid an unnamedstylist, whohas beenidentified in media reports as Tanya Haynes. Haynesmademultiple clothing purchasesfor Cantrell between 2017 and 2022.

“My client has consistently been transparent. She was paid for services rendered andearned,”said Haynes’ attorney,Clarence Roby

Atrial datehas not been set yet Cantrell and Vappie remainfree on bail.

Email Joni Hess at joni.hess@ theadvocate.com.

Landry’schief of staff, Julie Emerson,told legislators in a committeemeeting thatthe tax breaks werenecessary to stay in contention with otherstates for the projects.

“Louisiana is trying to remain competitive withneighboring states and provide awelcoming environment to anew industry thatisincreasingly growing,” Emerson said. “And we would like for it to grow its footprint here in Louisiana.”

Emerson in February gave up her spot as astate representative to become Landry’schief of staff. Shehad been chairofthe House taxcommittee and, in 2024, was instrumental in helping Landry pass amajor tax reform package thatslashed taxes for businesses.

State Rep. Tony Bacala, R-Prairieville, the current committee chairwho sponsored the aerospace tax break legislation, said Louisiana has been welcoming to oil and gas andpetrochemical businesses andtoMeta, which is building amammoth newdata center —and nowit’stime to extendthat welcometothe aerospace industry

“We’re just making sure that thesignals aresenttothe right people,” Bacala said.

He notedthat some companies want to move to amore businessfriendly environment, and“we want to be on that list.”

Askedwhether thelegislation was meant to attract aparticular business,Bacalasaiditismeantto attract abroad “category of business.”

Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Susan Bourgeois echoed that message.

“Louisiana hasa long history in aerospace and defense, and we just want to position ourselvesto be able to capitalize on future opportunities,” she told lawmakers Tuesday

BourgeoissaidLouisianais “mimicking” aerospace policies that alreadyexist in Florida and Texas to compete with those states.

“Wewant to attract any company that is making major investmentsinaerospace and defense,” Bourgeois said in an interview Tuesday

State ofﬁcialshavedeclinedto give details about any speciﬁc negotiations, and some have signed nondisclosure agreements that forbid them from doing so.

“Have Ihistorically signed NDAsthat involve thespace industry? Yes.” Bourgeois said.

“I’ve also historically signed NDAs thatrelatetoevery single industry operating in Louisiana.”

“It’snot astandout,” she said of NDAs related to aerospace project talks.

What wouldthe taxbreaksdo?

House Bill 1088 would create state and local sales tax breaks for aerospace facilitiesthatcommit to large economic investments.

Aerospace companies would have to committospend $1 billion in new capital investment by July 2031 and create 200 new,permanent full-time jobs to getstate approvalfor an annualrebate of state and local sales tax. The state could endthe arrangement if companies can’tmeet these two benchmarks.

The sales tax rebate would be for equipment and services used directly in aerospace activities, including research, testing, manufacturing andspace mission operations.

Astate-approvedrebate would last for an initial term of 20 years, withanoptiontoextend it foran additional 10 years.

House Bill 1179 would expand eligibility for aproperty tax break programfor investments in manufacturing facilities so that aerospace manufacturing and capital investments in aerospace manufacturing would be explicitly eligible for the program.

Thatprogram,the Industrial TaxExemption Programreduces property taxesby80% foraninitial term of 5years, with an option to extend it for an additional 5years.

Some“mega-projects” with capital expenditures of at least $500 millioncan get a100% property tax exemption underthe tax program.

Bourgeoissaidthe state’s return on the proposed aerospace tax breaks is “far greater than the incentive itself to the company.”

The incentives ultimately help developnew business sectors, create competitive jobs, grow wages, improve quality of life and keep people in Louisiana, Bourgeois said.

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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said passage through the strait would be allowed for the next two weeks under Iranian military management. It wasn’t immediately clear whether that meant Iran would loosen its chokehold on the waterway In a post on his social media site, Trump said that he would suspend attacks on Iran for two weeks provided Tehran agreed “to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING” of the strait.

SENATE

Continued from page 1A

U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow, the Baton Rouge Republican who Trump endorsed to unseat Cassidy in the May 16 party primary has repeatedly castigated the senator for not scheduling the committee vote Means needs for her conﬁrmation to progress.

“He has the power to move it forward. Louisiana Republicans deserve a senator who helps advance President Trump’s agenda, not one who keeps slowing it down,” Letlow said in the latest of about a halfdozen recent statements and social media posts At the moment, however, it’s not clear that the committee would approve Means’ nomination if it voted, as she faces criticism from some Republicans Trump’s selection of Means as surgeon general is a major win for the Make America Healthy Again movement started years ago by now-Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr A prominent MAHA inﬂuencer and adviser to Kennedy, Means has a medical degree but did not finish her residency program and is not a licensed physician.

The MAHA movement has embraced Letlow as a candidate. The Make America Healthy Again Center’s political action committee announced in February plans to spend $1 million to help elect Letlow Letlow did not respond to a request for comment. Cassidy also declined to comment.

“Letlow is stretching a point of the delay to indicate that Cassidy isn’t

Iran’s demands for ending the war include control of the strait, the withdrawal of U.S combat forces from the region, the lifting of sanctions and the release of its frozen assets. The demands indicate an effort to remake both the geopolitical order in the Middle East and the global oil trade

Even as the ceasefire was announced, missile alerts continued in the United Arab Emirates, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait early Wednesday, hinting at the chaos surrounding the diplomatic moves. The U.S. military has halted all offensive operations against Iran but continues defensive actions, said an ofﬁcial, who spoke on

on board with Trump’s nominees,” said G. Pearson Cross, a political science professor at the University of Louisiana at Monroe. “This is a perfectly acceptable tactic and it builds on a theme of Letlow’s campaign, which is that Bill Cassidy is not really on President Trump’s side.”

A controversial nominee

Means does not appear to have enough support among GOP members on Cassidy’s Senate Health Education Labor and Pensions Committee to prevail in a vote on whether to recommend her conﬁrmation to the full Senate.

With 12 Republicans and 11 Democrats, one GOP member voting “no” would end Means’ chances. Two Republicans on the committee — Sens. Lisa Murkowski, of Alaska, and Susan Collins, of Maine — expressed doubts about Means’ positions on vaccinating children and her support for illegal psychedelic drugs.

A third GOP member was sworn in March 25 and has yet to attend a committee hearing.

A string of far-right commentators have come out against Means’ selection.

Conservative internet personality Laura Loomer wrote on X that Means “prays to inanimate objects, communicates with spirit mediums, uses ‘shrooms as ‘plant medicine’ and talks to trees!”

Syndicated talk radio host Eric Erickson, a native of Jackson, criticized Means’ beliefs that mix mysticism with good nutrition.

In a 2024 piece titled “Embrace the ‘Woo Woo,’” Means described the shrine she erected in her house to pray “to photos of my ancestors asking for support on my personal journey.”

condition of anonymity to describe sensitive military operations. Since the war began, Trump has repeatedly backed off deadlines just before they expire.

In doing so again Tuesday, Trump said he had come to the decision “based on conversations” with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Gen. Asim Munir, Pakistan’s powerful army chief. Sharif, in a post on X hours earlier, urged Trump to extend his deadline by two weeks to allow diplomacy to advance He used the same post to ask Iran to open the strait for two weeks.

The president said in his social media post that Iran has presented

The Southern Baptist Convention’s public policy arm — on which House Speaker Mike Johnson, RBenton, once served — informed Cassidy on Monday that members of the nation’s largest Protestant denomination have “deep concerns” about Means.

Specifically, Southern Baptists don’t like that Means refused to condemn the use of abortion-causing pills as well as her “ongoing experimentation with psilocybin,” an illegal psychedelic compound found in some mushrooms.

“The Surgeon General is the country’s top doctor and a high proﬁle public health spokesperson. Dr Means’ displayed convictions raise a number of concerns for us as Southern Baptists. We urge opposition to Dr Means’ nomination,” wrote the Rev Gary Hollingsworth, interim president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission for the roughly 13 million Southern Baptists in the nation. About 640,000 congregants make Southern Baptists the second-largest church group in Louisiana, behind about 1 million Catholics.

On Air Force One, Trump said he wasn’t sure how Means was doing in the conﬁrmation process, then added, “We have a lot of candidates” for surgeon general.

“a workable basis on which to negotiate.”

“Almost all of the various points of past contention have been agreed to between the United States and Iran, but a two week period will allow the Agreement to be finalized and consummated,” Trump said. Israel has also agreed to the terms of the two-week ceasefire agreement, according to a White House official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. And Sharif said the ceasefire extends to Israel and Hezbollah halting fighting in Lebanon. But there are concerns in Israel

The next day March 31, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt praised Means’ accomplishments and said: “The president stands by her, and the Senate should move to quickly conﬁrm her as our next surgeon general without further delay.”

Cassidy’s political balance

In his effort to be reelected to a third six-year term, Cassidy faces tough competition from Letlow and state Treasurer John Fleming, who served as a top White House aide during Trump’s ﬁrst term.

Cassidy was reelected in 2020 with a larger percentage of the vote than Trump received. But Trump has won every Louisiana ballot on which he’s appeared and remains very popular in Louisiana.

Cassidy ignited fury among Trump supporters by voting to convict the president of impeachment charges stemming from the Jan 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol by MAGA supporters wanting to stop the official declaration that Joe Biden had beaten Trump in the 2020 election. He was censured by the Louisiana Republican Party

The GOP-dominated Legislature created a closed party primary, meaning that mostly Republicans will vote first for their standardbearer in November’s general election. In open primaries, where voters can cast ballots for candidates of either party Cassidy beneﬁted from some Democratic support.

Cassidy has tried to show his fealty to Trump. He was the decisive voice that conﬁrmed Kennedy to a cabinet position despite reticence from some senators over Kennedy’s history of criticizing vaccines, on which Cassidy had relied for three

about the agreement, according to a person familiar with the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to speak to the media. The person said Israel would like to achieve more. Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium is still buried at enrichment sites. The program had been one of the main issues cited by both Israel and the U.S. in launching the war

Trump’s expansive threat Tuesday did not seem to account for potential harm to civilians, prompting Democrats in Congress, some United Nations ofﬁcials and scholars in military law to say such strikes would violate international law

decades as a Baton Rouge physician.

Robert Hogan, an LSU political science professor, noted this year’s Senate primary campaign has been a deluge of attacks and counterattacks over red meat issues that energize MAGA Republicans. The main GOP candidates Cassidy Fleming and Letlow — are all very conservative with little difference between their stances on any given issue, he said

The candidates are looking for ways to differentiate themselves for Republican voters, Hogan said. So the Means nomination falls into the same category as Cassidy’s accusations that Letlow did not adequately oppose diversity, equity, and inclusion policies.

“They’re trying to demonstrate to a core group of Republican voters that they are the real true Trump conservative And they’re going to use any opportunity they can to distinguish themselves in that way,” Hogan said.

Bob Mann, a former LSU professor who spent most of his career staffing Democratic senators on Capitol Hill and advising Gov Kathleen Blanco, wrote on Substack that “Cassidy learned from his experience with RFK Jr that there’s nothing to be gained by supporting one of these awful nominees.”

“The easiest route for him, that won’t cause him any real problems with MAGA, is just to let the nomination die a slow, quiet death in committee,” Mann said.

“It’s actually a politically savvy solution to his dilemma.”

Email Mark Ballard at mballard@theadvocate.com.

Cassidy

Letlow Fleming

Attorneysmakecasefor impeaching judges

Butansweris murky if that’s allowedinLa.

BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN Staff writer

As Louisiana lawmakers consider abill that aims to give the Legislaturethe power to remove judges, no one can seemtoagree on whether judges are already subjectto impeachment.

That’sbecause the Louisiana Constitution is unclear according to lawyers.

“There arecompeting sections of the current constitution,” said William Most, an attorney based in New Orleans, as he referredto Article XSec. 24 and Article VSec. 5ofthe constitution.

“One allows the Legislature to impeach ofﬁcials; the other gives the judiciary exclusive jurisdiction over discipline for members of the bar.”

In arecent statement, the Supreme Court declinedto weigh in on the matter

“Wecannot provide any legal interpretation of court rules, or state or federal law,” aspokesperson for the court wrote. “Questions concerning themeaning of constitutional provisionsor the historical intent of the Constitutional Convention

Sen. JayMorris, R-West Monroe, is sponsoring Senate Bill 123, which would givelegislators the powertoremove judges for incompetence, malfeasance or gross misconduct.

are matters of legal analysis that we are not authorized to answer,including in matters that could arise in litigation or proceedings before the Louisiana SupremeCourt.”

For decades, the state JudiciaryCommission has investigated complaints against judges, and removinga judgehas required the approvalofthe Louisiana Supreme Court.

TheLegislaturehas not attempted to impeach ajudge since Louisiana’s1973 ConstitutionalConvention, accordingto attorneys whospecializeinjudicial discipline.

Steve Scheckman,who served as special counselto theJudiciaryCommission for 14 years and now represents lawyersand judges in ethicsmatters, believes records from theConstitutional Convention show that judges are, in fact, subject to impeachment.

During the convention, James Dennis, who later became afederal judge for the5th Circuit, testiﬁed that there were “tworoutes for removing judges,”according to atranscript of the convention.

“Wehavethe impeach-

Judgerefuses to blocksending abortion pill by mail fornow

BY GEOFF MULVIHILL and KIMBERLEE KRUESI Associated Press

Afederal judge Tuesday refused to block ﬁlling prescriptions for the abortion pill mifepristone by mail across the U.S. —atleast for now —inasetback to Louisiana’seffort to stiﬂe groups that send it into states where abortion is banned.

U.S. DistrictJudgeDavid Joseph,who sits in Lafayette, ruled against Louisiana Attorney General LizMurrill, who asked that U.S.Food and DrugAdministration rules that allowmifepristone to be dispensed through the mail be paused while achallenge to those2023 regulations movesthrough the courts. He granted the government’s request to putthe

case on hold for now,though he warned thatthe pause would not be indefinite— andthathecould side with Louisianalater Murrill said in astatement that she would askanappeals court to throwout the federal rules, noting thatthe judge “concluded that Louisiana suffers irreparable harmeveryday”the current rules areineffect.

mentand thejudiciarycommission,”hesaid.

“It’sbeenthere forall these years,” said Scheckman. “There’s always been those two avenues.”

He speculated that theLegislature hasnever needed to impeach ajudge because the Supreme Court has removed judgeswhen necessary

“The (judiciary) commission and SupremeCourt have been taking careof business,”Scheckman said. Pendinglegislation

But some believethe Judiciary Commission and Supreme Courthavenot been doing agood enough job of holding judges accountable.

Oneofthosepeople is state Sen. Jay Morris, R-West Monroe. His proposal, Senate Bill 123, would let voters decide whether to give the Legislature the power to remove judges for “mal-

feasance, gross misconduct, or incompetence committed while in ofﬁce.”

The change would have to take effect through aconstitutional amendment, which would appear on the ballot in April 2027. Under the bill, the judge subject to impeachment wouldbeentitledtoa trial before the Senate. Amajority of the House of Representatives and two-thirds of the Senate would need to agree to the removal.

Opponents of the proposal argue it would make judges toobeholden to politics and disturb theseparation of powers, giving thelegislative branch too much power over the judiciary

Last week, Morris filed Senate Bill 479, whichserves as companionlegislationto SB123 by deﬁning the variousgroundsfor impeachment. For example, it de-

fines “incompetence” as the “lack of ability or knowledge sufficient to perform the duties of an office that leads to neglect of duty, dereliction of duty,amiscarriage of justice, or misfeasance.”

Even if impeachment is allowed under the existing constitution, current law does not include “incompetence” as grounds for impeachment. Critics worry thetermissovague thatit would let lawmakers go after judgessimply because they dislike their decisions. Others areunsurewhether the new law would be enforceable, as it would still compete with the state constitution section that gives judgesexclusive jurisdiction over disciplining members of the bar

“Evenifthis amendment were to pass, it would not resolve that tension,” Most said.

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STAFF FILEPHOTO

BRIEFS FROM WIRE REPORTS

Delta joins in raising checked bag fees

Delta Air Lines announced Tuesday it is raising checked baggage fees, part of a broader wave of U.S. carriers responding to higher jet fuel prices tied to the war in the Middle East

Beginning Wednesday, most passengers on domestic and short-haul international routes

will pay $10 more for their ﬁrst and second checked bags, and $50 more to check a third That brings the fees to $45 for the ﬁrst bag, $55 for the second and $200 for the third, according to Delta.

“These updates are part of Delta’s ongoing review of pricing across its business and reﬂect the impact of evolving global conditions and industry dynamics,” the carrier said in a statement.

The change marks Delta’s ﬁrst increase in checked baggage fees on domestic routes in two years. Fees for long-haul international ﬂights are not affected.

CEO Ed Bastian told investors last month that the jump in jet fuel prices had already added about $400 million to Delta’s operating expenses since the conﬂict began on Feb 28 Executives at United Airlines and American Airlines reported similar increases.

Delta said complimentary bags will still be available to customers flying in premium cabins, active-duty military personnel, eligible co-branded credit card holders and members of certain loyalty tiers. Amazon, USPS reach deal for 1B packages

Amazon.com Inc. has reached a new agreement with the U.S Postal Service, providing a lifeline to the beleaguered government agency and securing delivery for customers in rural America.

Under the deal, Amazon will retain about 80% of its existing deliveries with USPS, or more than 1 billion packages per year according to a person familiar with the matter

“We’re pleased to have reached a new agreement with USPS that furthers our longstanding partnership and will let us continue supporting our customers and communities together,” Amazon spokesperson Terrence Clark said.

The USPS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Securing a deal with Amazon ensures that the postal service maintains most of the business from its largest customer, a safety net for the agency as it seeks to stem heavy ﬁnancial losses year after year Financial terms of the agreement, which was earlier reported by Reuters, were not available.

Shoring up the mail carrier’s finances is a critical priority for Postmaster General David Steiner who has warned the agency could run out of cash as soon as early next year Steiner has asked Congress to raise the agency’s borrowing limit and auctioned off access to its delivery facilities for use by private-sector shippers. Amazon said it participated when bidding opened in February Ford recalls more than 400K trucks and SUVs Ford Motor Co. is recalling more than 400,000 vehicles because the windshield wiper arms can break, causing reduced visibility and increasing the risk of a crash.

The recall covers a total of 422,613 vehicles, including 2021-23 Ford Expeditions and Lincoln Navigators and a range of F series Super Duty trucks, model years 2022-2023.

Letters notifying owners of the safety risk are expected to be mailed on April 13. Once a remedy is determined, additional letters will be mailed Dealerships will eventually inspect and replace the wiper arms free of charge.

Vehicle Identification Numbers involved in the recall are searchable on NHTSA.gov as of April 1.

Stocks swing as uncertainty builds

BY STAN CHOE AP business writer

NEW YORK U.S. stocks swung sharply Tuesday as uncertainty about the war with Iran increased ahead of a looming deadline set by President Donald Trump to destroy Iranian power plants and bridges.

The S&P 500 fell as much as 1.2% after Trump threatened that a “whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again” if Iran did not meet his deadline at 8 p.m. Eastern time to open the Strait of Hormuz But stocks rallied at the end of trading after Pakistan’s prime minister urged Trump to extend his deadline for another two weeks and asked Iran to open up the strait for two weeks.

The S&P 500 erased all its losses and ended with a modest gain of 0.1% The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 85 points, or 0.2%, and the Nasdaq composite added 0.1%.

They’re the latest swings to hit ﬁnancial markets since late

the international standard, eased by 0.5% to $109.27.

Anthropic tops $30 billion run rate, seals deal with Broadcom

Numbers suggest that legal dispute hasn’t hurt growth

BY IAN KING, RACHEL METZ and SHIRIN GHAFFARY Bloomberg News (TNS)

Anthropic PBC said its revenue run rate has now topped $30 billion, up from $9 billion at the end of 2025, and conﬁrmed plans to work with Broadcom Inc. and Google to power its burgeoning operations.

The AI startup said that demand for its Claude services has accelerated this year with more than 1,000 business customers spending over $1 million on an annual basis. That ﬁgure has more than doubled since February

The collaboration with Broadcom and Google, which was first announced last month, will help Anthropic build “the capacity necessary to serve the remarkable growth we have seen in our customer base,” Chief Financial Ofﬁcer Krishna Rao said in a statement. The annual run rate — a popular benchmark among tech startups — extrapolates the current sales level over a full year

The latest numbers suggest that a highproﬁle dispute with the U.S. government hasn’t stymied growth. Anthropic is waging a legal ﬁght over the Pentagon’s decision to declare the company a supply-chain risk following a standoff over AI safety guardrails.

Anthropic has warned that the labeling could cost it billions in lost revenue, and an attorney for the company recently told a judge in San Francisco that the federal government’s actions led to more than 100 enterprise customers contacting the company to express doubt about continuing their work with Anthropic.

Still, some customers respect that Anthropic “demonstrates its principles” in its dealings with the U.S government, Paul Smith, Anthropic’s chief commercial ofﬁcer, said in an interview last week.

Broadcom is developing chips using Google’s tensor processing units, or TPUs, offering an alternative to technology from Nvidia Corp. Broadcom and Alphabet Inc.’s Google have entered a long-term agreement to provide the chips and a supply assurance pact that runs through 2031, according to a Broadcom ﬁling Monday

The three companies also are expanding a strategic collaboration that will let Anthropic access about 3.5 gigawatts’ worth of computing power That will begin in 2027.

“The consumption of such expanded AI compute capacity by Anthropic is dependent on Anthropic’s continued commercial success. In connection with this deployment, the parties are in discussions with

certain operational and financial partners,” Broadcom said in the filing. Broadcom shares climbed as much as 3.6% in late trading after the filing was announced.

The company’s chief executive officer, Hock Tan, previously discussed the collaboration during an earnings call last month. He also said Broadcom expects its AI chip sales to top $100 billion next year making it a bigger competitor to Nvidia.

Google’s TPUs were originally designed to speed up its ubiquitous search engine, but have become useful at creating and running AI software. Broadcom takes Google’s speciﬁcations and creates fully-formed designs that can then be sent for manufacturing.

BY DAVID WETHE and KEVIN CROWLEY Bloomberg News (TNS)

U.S. shale drillers are expected to follow President Donald Trump’s call for higher oil production but not just because he said so.

The 72% surge in crude prices since the U.S. and Israel commenced attacks on Iran roughly ﬁve weeks ago is incentive enough to compel American oil executives to ramp up output, according to observers as diverse as Citigroup Inc. and Enverus Inc.

Shale explorers require oil prices somewhere between $62 and $70 a barrel to turn a proﬁt on new wells, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. As of midday Tuesday, the U.S benchmark

traded around $115.

“Elevated prices are certainly going to increase production in the United States,” Mike Sommers, chief executive ofﬁcer of industry lobby group the American Petroleum Institute, said during a Bloomberg Television interview

“You are going to see that over the course of the next few months.”

Billionaire wildcatter Harold Hamm was the first prominent shale boss to publicly commit to lifting production last week when his Continental Resources Inc. boosted its capital budget and output target.

Even among rivals that have yet to sign on to pumping more crude, hedging has been rampant to lock in elevated pricing for the barrels they’re already planning to extract.

The Trump administration has repeatedly called on U.S. companies to increase crude output, often to no avail because management teams were loathe to sink capital into new wells when oil prices weren’t high enough to meet proﬁt thresholds

But that’s all been turned on its head since the biggest oil-market disruption in history kicked off with the Feb. 28 attacks on Iran and subsequent closure of almost all vessel trafﬁc through the vital Strait of Hormuz

It may take months to begin to see the uptick in production from shale ﬁelds in places like the Permian Basin on West Texas and New Mexico because of the lead time required to drill, frack and turn on new wells, according to forecasters Enverus and Rystad

Energy

The production boost will initially come from wells that have been drilled but await fracking, according Alex Ljubojevic, head of U.S. supply at Enverus. Those are known as drilled-but-uncompleted wells, or DUCs

“You will deﬁnitely see operators that can, bring forward those DUCs just to get those volumes online,” Ljubojevic said.

The process of drilling and bringing a new shale well online can take as long as nine months, which means the futures curve is more important than current prices for planning purposes. On that curve, West Texas Intermediate crude futures for October delivery have averaged almost $76 since the conﬂict erupted and topped the $84 mark two weeks ago.

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Vance urges voters to support Orbán

BY JUSTIN SPIKE Associated Press

BUDAPEST,Hungary

U.S. Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday urged Hungarians to back Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in upcoming elections, dubbing the populist leader a defender of “Western civilization” during a visit to Hungary meant to help push Orbán over the ﬁnish line.

Vance’s two-day visit to Budapest was the clearest sign yet that U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration is going all-in for an Orbán victory when Hungarians go to the polls on Sunday With only ﬁve days until the vote, Orbán, the European Union’s longest-serving leader and a close Trump ally, is trailing in the polls.

Speaking before over 1,000 Orbán supporters at an election rally at a sports arena in Budapest, Vance campaigned openly for the autocratic leader, telling the crowd: “We have got to get Viktor Orbán reelected as prime minister of Hungary, don’t we?” Orbán is running for his ﬁfth-straight term as prime minister He and his nationalist-populist Fidesz party are facing their toughest race in two decades against a center-right challenger, the Tisza party led by Péter Magyar, that could bring an end to his 16 years in power Orbán has bristled at the slightest mention of the Hungarian election by any of his EU partners, decrying any expressions of support for his opponent as a grave breach of Hungary’s sovereignty and meddling in the election.

Yet Vance’s appearance alongside Orbán at the election rally — dubbed a “Day of Friendship” event — was an unusual step from a foreign leader, and a break with most politicians who avoid taking an active role in the political campaigns of other

countries

To loud applause, Vance asked rally attendees: “Will you stand for Western civilization? Will you stand for freedom, for truth, and for the God of our fathers?”

“Then, my friends, go to the polls in the weekend. Stand with Viktor Orbán, because he stands for you, and he stands for all these things,” Vance said ‘I love that Viktor’

Long accused by critics of taking over Hungary’s institutions, clamping down on press freedom and overseeing entrenched political corruption — charges he denies — Orbán has become an icon in the global far-right movement

Trump has repeatedly endorsed Orbán’s candidacy for reelection, and many in the Make America Great Again movement approve of the Hungarian leader’s opposition to immigration, curtailing of LGBTQ+ rights, and capture of the media and academia.

But with most independent polls showing a double-digit deﬁcit for Fidesz among decided voters ahead of the

April 12 vote, Orbán has sought to boost his profile by appearing publicly with his international admirers.

Vance spoke at length on Tuesday about what he views as the civilizational dangers posed by progressivism, “faceless bureaucrats” and censorship. He lauded Orbán for his strong stand against immigration, and his adversarial approach to the EU.

“I admire what you’re ﬁghting for,” Vance said. “I am here because President Trump and I wish for your success, and we are ﬁghting right here with you.”

Vance used his phone to call Trump from the lectern, to loud applause. After ﬁrst reaching an automated message about the caller’s voicemail box not being set up yet, Trump answered the call and told the crowd through a microphone: “I love Hungary and I love that Viktor I tell you he’s a fantastic man.”

Trump said Orbán had not allowed migrants “to storm” and “ruin” Hungary

“He’s kept Hungarian people in your country,” Trump said.

Hungarian ‘reconquista’

The Trump administration’s embrace of Orbán reﬂects its afﬁnity for European far-right parties broadly, and the admiration, from Spain to France to Germany and the Netherlands, has been mutual.

Orbán has long been a thorn in the side of the EU, and has tested the bloc’s system of governance by frequently using his veto power to paralyze decision making in order to leverage concessions.

Last month, he vetoed a major, $104-billion EU loan to Ukraine, angering the bloc’s leaders who accused him of hijacking the critical aid while undermining the EU in an effort to win his election.

At the rally on Tuesday, Orbán declared that “freedom-loving Americans and Hungarians must unite and save Western civilization.”

“To do this, we must ﬁght the progressives that nest in Brussels,” the EU’s de-facto capital, he continued. He declared that Hungary had launched a “reconquista” of EU institutions which “will bring new patriotic governments to power.”

The Associated Press

BANJA LUKA, Bosnia-Herzegovina Donald Trump Jr lashed out at the European Union on Tuesday, saying its liberal policies were discouraging investment and predicted a “major fracture” between the bloc’s eastern and western member states.

The eldest child of the U.S. president said that “the biggest players, the biggest names in banking and ﬁnance, in tech and AI across the board” believe that “Europe is a disaster,” but “the disaster that they feel also needs to be ﬁxed.”

“The only way it gets ﬁxed, though, in my opinion is if they (Europe) get out of of their own way,” Trump Jr said during a business discussion in the northwestern Bosnian city of Banja Luka, according to video recordings provided by the official television RTRS television.

Banja Luka is a key city in Republika Srpska, the Serb-run part of Bosnia, whose leaders are staunch admirers of U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The press office of the U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo, Bosnia’s capital, told The

Associated Press in an email that Trump Jr came “in a private capacity.” The visit was nonetheless seen here as a boost for the Serb separatist political leadership Trump Jr.’s trip came as U.S Vice President JD Vance traveled to Hungary to support the reelection bid of nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán before a highly contested vote next weekend.

Bosnian Serb politician and former Republika Srpska president, Milorad Dodik, an ally of Orbán, said on X that the two visits “signal an important shift of the U.S. administration under the leadership of President Trump and the care for this part of Europe regarding the position of Christians.” Trump Jr., in Banja Luka, said that eastern European countries “have a work ethic that has (withstood) some of the ‘woke’ nonsense that has really been a parasitic thing in the mind in Western Europe.”

“I

REUTERS POOL PHOTO By JONATHAN ERNST

U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, left, wave to the audience during

‘Day of Friendship’ event in Budapest, Hungary, on Tuesday.

Officials: Ukrainian operatives attack tanker

Seoul:

N.

Korea launches 2nd projectile in as many days Covert forces

BY SAMY MAGDY Associated Press

CAIRO Ukrainian forces are operating in western Libya under a covert deal endorsed by the West, and they used the Northern African country’s territory to strike a Russian tanker in the Mediterranean last month, two Libyan ofﬁcials said Tuesday

The Russian-flagged Arctic Metagaz, carrying 61,000 tons of liqueﬁed natural gas, was badly damaged in a suspected sea drone attack near Maltese waters early in March. It has since drifted off Libya. All 30 crew members were rescued and put on another vessel heading to the Libyan city of Benghazi, the Libyan Maritime Authority said.

The tanker is part of Russia’s so-called shadow ﬂeet transporting oil in violation of international sanctions over Moscow’s more than 4-year-old invasion of Ukraine. A recent temporary U.S. waiver on those sanctions is aimed at easing supply shortages amid the Iran war Russia blamed the attack on Ukrainian sea drones. Ukraine says the oil export revenue is helping fund Moscow’s invasion.

Launch from Tripoli

The Ukrainian forces, most of them drone experts, operate mainly at an air base in the coastal city of Misrata, but also in other military facilities in the capital Tripoli and the coastal town of Zawiya, the ofﬁcials told The Associated Press. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss conﬁdential matters.

One of the ofﬁcials said the March 3 drone strike that hit the tanker was launched by Ukrainian operatives in a military facil-

ity in Tripoli.

The Libyan Maritime Authority said at the time that the tanker experienced “sudden explosions, followed by a massive ﬁre,” while it was about 150 miles off the Libyan city of Sirte. The Libyan governmental body mistakenly reported that the tanker had sunk.

The Arctic Metagaz remained aﬂoat after the attack and was pushed by winds and currents toward the Libyan coast, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature, a global conservation organization. In recent weeks, Libyan authorities attempted to tow the tanker to a “safe zone” off the country’s western coast. However, their efforts failed due to “harsh” weather conditions and strong winds that caused the tanker to drift “out of control.”

Neither Russian nor Ukrainian officials made any immediate comment on the claims. The government in Tripoli didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. Ukraine has become a

laboratory of rapid military innovation, especially in drone technology during its effort to thwart the invasion by Russia’s bigger army

Ukraine’s Sea Baby naval drones have repeatedly hit Russian ships in the Black Sea. Its successful attacks prompted Russia to adapt, limiting opportunities for further Black Sea strikes and forcing Ukrainian experts to envision more ambitious attacks.

Covert deployment

The ofﬁcials said Ukrainian forces were gradually deployed in western Libya in recent months as part of what one of the ofﬁcials described as a “covert deal” between Kyiv and the embattled government of Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah who is based in Tripoli.

The deal enjoyed the backing of Western countries, including the United States, whose adviser for African affairs Massad Boulos has drafted a proposal to settle the longrunning conﬂict in Libya,

which keeps Dbeibah as prime minister, the officials said.

Boulos’ proposal also includes appointing Saddam Hifter, son of powerful east-based military commander Khalifa Hifter as head of the presidential council, the ofﬁcials said. Saddam Hifter is the chief of staff of the self-styled Libyan National Army which controls eastern and southern Libya, incluiding major oil ﬁelds.

The country has for more than a decade been split between a U.N.-supported government in Tripoli, now led by Dbeibah, and a rival administration loyal to Russia-backed Hifter in the east. Each has been backed by different armed groups and foreign governments.

The mandate of Dbehibah’s government expired when Libya failed to hold its first presidential election during his watch in December 2021. He has since battled efforts to establish a new government and steer the oil-rich nation through elections, and

warned that replacing him could trigger war Jalel Harchaoui, a Libya analyst with the Royal United Services Institute, suggested that the presence of Ukrainian forces in western Libya is part of NATO’s yearslong efforts to keep the area “out of Russia’s reach.”

“It is entirely plausible that, with the knowledge and blessing of NATO powers — chieﬂy the United States but also the United Kingdom and Turkey — several small groups of Ukrainian operatives now maintain a presence in the greater Tripoli area,” he said Libya has been wracked by chaos since a NATObacked uprising toppled then killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi in 2011. The oil rich nation has for years become a theatre for a long-running rivalry between Russia and the West. Libya has borders with six countries and has become a headache for Europe since it has turned into a transit point for migrants seeking to reach European shores.

The Associated Press

SEOUL,South Korea North Korea launched a projectile off its east coast Wednesday in its second launch in two days, South Korea’s military said.

South Koreas’ Joint Chiefs of Staff gave no further details like how far the latest projectile ﬂew and what type of weapon was launched.

South Korea’s military had also detected the launch of an unidentified projectile near North Korea’s capital region Tuesday It said South Korean and U.S. intelligence authorities were analyzing details of Tuesday’s launch.

Earlier this week, North Korea said leader Kim Jong Un had observed a test of an upgraded solid-fuel engine for weapons and called it a signiﬁcant development boosting his country’s strategic military arsenal. Missiles with built-in solid propellants are easier to move and conceal their launches than liquid-fuel weapons, which in general must be fueled before liftoffs and cannot last long. The latest solid-fuel engine test, the ﬁrst of its kind in seven months, was in line with Kim’s stated goal of acquiring more agile, hard-to-detect missiles targeting the U.S. and its allies.

South Korea’s spy agency told lawmakers Monday the engine test was likely related to an effort to build a more powerful missile that can carry multiple nuclear warheads, according to lawmakers who attended the meeting.

North Korea has pushed hard to expand its nuclear arsenal since Kim’s high-stakes diplomacy with U.S. President Donald Trump collapsed in 2019. In a ruling Workers’ Party congress in February, Kim left open the door for dialogue with Trump but urged Washington to drop demands for the North’s nuclear disarmament as a precondition for talks.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By EFREM LUKATSKy

Sea Baby drones ride on the water during a demonstration by Ukraine’s Security Service in an undisclosed location in Ukraine on Oct 17, 2025. The Sea Baby drones have repeatedly hit Russian ships in the Black Sea.

Artemis II makes long-distance call

Astronauts chat in linkup between moonship, spaceship

BY MARCIA DUNN AP aerospace writer

HOUSTON Still aglow from their triumphant lunar flyby, the Artemis II astronauts made more history Tuesday: calling their friends aboard the International Space Station hundreds of thousands of miles away as they headed home from the moon.

It was the ﬁrst moonshipto-spaceship radio linkup ever NASA’s Apollo crews had no off-the-planet company back in the 1960s and 1970s, the last time humanity set sail for deep space.

“We have been waiting for this like you can’t imagine,” Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman called out.

For Christina Koch on Artemis II and Jessica Meir aboard the space station, it marked a joyous space reunion despite being 230,000 miles apart. The two teamed up for the world’s ﬁrst allfemale spacewalk in 2019 outside the orbiting lab.

Koch told her “astrosister” that she’d hoped to meet up with her again in space “but I never thought it would be like this — it’s amazing.”

“I’m so happy that we are back in space together,” Meir replied, “even if we are a few miles apart.”

Houston’s Mission Control arranged the cosmic chitchat between the four lunar travelers and the space station’s three NASA and one French residents.

Koch described being awestruck by not just the beauty of Earth, “but how much blackness there was around it.”

“It just made it even more special. It truly emphasized how alike we are, how the same thing keeps every single person on planet Earth alive,” she told the space station crew “The special-

ness and preciousness of that really is emphasized” when viewing the home planet from the moon.

By late Tuesday afternoon, the Artemis II astronauts had beamed back more than 50 gigabytes’ worth of pictures and other data from the previous day’s lunar rendezvous, which set a new distance record for humanity The highlight: an Earthset photo reminiscent of Apollo 8’s Earthrise shot from 1968.

“While they are inspirational and, I think, allow all of us to really feel a little bit of what they were feeling, there’s also a lot of science hidden inside of those images,” said Mission Control’s lead lunar scientist Kelsey Young. “The conversations and the science lessons learned are just beginning.”

During a debrieﬁng with Young, the astronauts recounted how they spotted a cascade of pinpricks of light on the lunar surface from impacting cosmic debris. The flashes lasted mere milliseconds and coincided by chance with Monday evening’s total so-

lar eclipse.

Young said it was too soon to know whether the crew witnessed an actual meteor shower or more random, run-of-the-mill micrometeoroid hits. Either way, there were “audible screams of delight” in the science operations center, she said.

Koch described being awe-struck by not just the beauty of Earth, “but how much blackness there was around it.”

“It just made it even more special. It truly emphasized how alike we are, how the same thing keeps every single person on planet Earth alive,” she told the space station crew “The specialness and preciousness of that really is emphasized” when viewing the home planet from the moon.

The first lunar explorers since Apollo 17 in 1972, Wiseman and his crew are aiming for a Friday splashdown off the San Diego coast on Friday to wrap up the nearly 10-day test ﬂight. The recovery ship USS John P. Murtha left port Tuesday for the target zone. It sets the stage for next

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year’s Artemis III, a lunar lander docking demo in orbit around Earth Artemis IV will follow in 2028 with two astronauts attempting to land near the lunar south pole.

As for the Orion capsule’s pesky potty, Mission Control assured the astronauts that no maintenance was required Tuesday The toilet has been on-and-off limits to the crew ever since last week’s launch, prompting them to rely on a backup bag-and-funnel system for urinating.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman told the crew following the lunar flyby Monday night: “We definitely have to fix some of the plumbing” ahead of the next Artemis mission. Engineers suspect a clogged ﬁlter in the overboard ﬂushing system.

Aside from the toilet and other relatively minor matters, the mission has gone well, Isaacman noted at a news conference Tuesday, “but I’ll breathe easier when we get through reentry and everybody’s under chutes and in the water.”

BY QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA Associated Press

BAGHDAD American journalist Shelly Kittleson, who was kidnapped from a Baghdad street corner last week, was released Tuesday, U.S. and Iraqi ofﬁcials said. The development came after the powerful Iran-backed Iraqi militia Kataib Hezbollah said in a statement that it had decided to free Kittleson, who was abducted on March 31. Its condition was that Kittleson must “leave the country immediately” upon her release.

Two officials within the militia, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly, told The Associated Press that in exchange for freeing Kittleson, several members of the group who had previously been detained by Iraqi authorities would be released.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed Kittleson’s release in a statement early Wednesday He said on X, “We are relieved that this American is now freed and are working to support her safe departure from Iraq.”

Rubio thanked Iraqi authorities, as well as the FBI and U.S. Defense Department and other U.S. agencies for their work toward securing Kittleson’s release.

A one-off release

According to one of two Iraqi officials who confirmed her release before the U.S. announcement, Kittleson was freed in the afternoon. The officials, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly, did not share her

current whereabouts but said that prior to her release, Kittleson had been held in Baghdad.

In its statement, Kataib Hezbollah said its decision came “in appreciation of the patriotic stances of the outgoing” Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, without giving more details. It added that “this initiative will not be repeated in the future.”

In Mount Horeb, Wisconsin, Kittleson’s mother told a reporter who knocked on her door Tuesday that FBI agents were at her home. A number of people could be seen sitting at Barb Kittleson’s kitchen table. Initially she said that her daughter had not yet been freed, but when a reporter returned later, she said she did not know if her daughter had been released or not. No update from the Kittleson family was immediately available after Rubio confirmed her release. Caroline Clancy, a spokesperson for the FBI’s Milwaukee field office, declined to comment.

Kataib Hezbollah had not previously acknowledged that it abducted Kittleson, although both U.S. and Iraqi ofﬁcials had blamed the group.

A respected journalist Kittleson, 49, had lived abroad for years before the kidnapping, using Rome as her base for a time and building a respected journalism career across the Middle East, particularly in Iraq and Syria. Like many freelancers, she often worked on a shoestring budget and without the protections afforded by large news organizations to staff. She had entered Iraq again shortly before her abduction. U.S. ofﬁcials have said that they warned her multiple times of threats against her, but that she did not want to leave.

PHOTO PROVIDED By NASA

Artemis II crew members, from left,Victor Glover, Jeremy Hansen, Reid Wiseman and Christina Koch pause to turn the camera around for a selfie midway through their observation period of the moon during a lunar flyby on Monday.

Task force set to speed City Hall hiring Moreno also looks to overhaul city’s rec department

BY BLAKE PATERSON Staff writer

New Orleans Mayor Helena

Moreno on Tuesday created two new task forces to find ways to speed up City Hall’s hiring process and to overhaul the city’s recreation department, and passed an executive order to rename the city’s homeland security ofﬁce. Moreno, who took ofﬁce in Janu-

Judge rules on charter admissions lawsuit

Says Willow School not required to meet needs for some students

BY MARIE FAZIO Staff writer

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit that claimed a New Orleans charter school excluded students with disabilities through its use of an admissions test, in a ruling that said individual charter schools are not obligated to serve all students.

U.S. District Court Judge Darrel James Papillon wrote in his ruling last month that, unlike traditional school districts that assign students to schools based on where they live, New Orleans’ unique system allows students to apply to charter schools across the city Because students are not required to attend their nearest school, he wrote, schools are obligated to meet the education needs of only the students they enroll.

The ruling also afﬁrmed that public schools with selective admissions — including The Willow School, the highly sought-after school at the center of this case can use tests to screen applicants, a practice that has long sparked debate in New Orleans. New Orleans disability attorney Chris Edmunds and his wife Cristina sued The Willow School last year after it refused to waive its admissions test for their son, Oscar, who was born with profound physical and mental disabilities. They claimed the school was using the entrance exam to keep out students with disabilities in violation of state and federal law

But the school has argued that legally it is allowed to give the test to narrow its pool of applicants And Papillon said Edmunds did not prove that the school intentionally used the test to discriminate against students, that the test would have excluded Oscar based on his disability or that his son was otherwise qualiﬁed to attend the school.

The lawsuit sought monetary and injunctive relief. Edmunds has appealed. Edmunds said the ruling is “the ﬁrst time that any federal court in the country has ever allowed a public school to exclude students with intellectual disabilities,” he said in a statement, calling the ruling “contrary to both the letter and the spirit” of federal disabilities law

A spokesperson for The Willow School said in a statement that the school appreciates the ruling and “remains focused on providing a highquality, supportive learning environment for its students and families.”

The lawsuit centered on the admissions process at The Willow School, one of the city’s top-ranked public schools, which usually attracts more student applicants than it has seats. Students must earn a minimum math and reading score on an entrance exam to be admitted. The school also considers student’s gradepoint average and art work if they choose to submit it. Students who meet that criteria can apply through the NOLA Public Schools centralized application system, but they aren’t

ary, said in a statement Tuesday that the moves, made through a trio of executive orders, are geared toward improving efficiencies at City Hall.

“We can’t keep doing things the same and expect a different outcome. Change can be hard, but I

won’t tolerate the saying, ‘This is how it’s always been done,’ as an excuse to continue inefﬁcient practices that fail to deliver for the people of New Orleans,” Moreno said.

Moreno’s creation of a “Hiring Process Improvement Task Force” comes after her administration said it encountered “numerous delays” in its efforts to onboard 50 new employees to work on her street and sidewalk repair initiatives Moreno campaigned on beeﬁng up the city’s badly understaffed public works department to improve residents’ quality of life and announced her plans to do so in February with bond money Moreno, in an interview on WWL Radio on Tuesday, said around 150 people have expressed interest in the new jobs, but so far none has been onboarded. The current hir-

Fun

in the sun

ing process includes as many as 17 different steps and can span several months, Moreno said.

The city’s efforts at hiring electricians and inspectors to do streetlight repairs in-house instead of relying on costly outside contractors has made sightly more progress. The five-person team will be fully onboarded on Monday, Deputy Chief Administrative Ofﬁcer Steve Nelson said in an interview Tuesday The new task force, which will be

BY JOHN SIMERMAN Staff writer

New

BY JONI HESS Staff writer

STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

Wife of U.S. soldier released from immigration detention

Woman taken into custody on a Louisiana base

BY JACK BROOK Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS The wife of a U.S soldier was released Tuesday from a federal immigration detention facility where she had spent nearly a week after being taken into custody on a Louisiana military base.

The detention of 22-year-old Annie Ramos, the Honduran born-wife of a U.S. Army staff sergeant preparing to deploy, prompted public backlash from critics of the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign who warned it demoralized troops during an ongoing war

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Ramos’ mother-in-law, Jen Rickling, conﬁrmed her release to The Associated Press. The New York Times first reported Ramos’ release.

Ramos, who married Staff Sgt Matthew Blank in March, had been detained by federal immigration agents while attempting to register at his base to receive military beneﬁts and ultimately obtain a green card. She had lived in the country since she was younger than 2 years old. DHS said Ramos had been ordered removed by a federal immigration judge in 2005 after her family had failed to appear for a hearing. Ramos and her husband say she has been attempting to gain legal status, including by applying for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program in 2020 though her application remained stalled amid legal battles to eliminate the program “All I have ever wanted is to live with dignity in the country I have called home since I was a baby,” Ramos said in a statement to the AP after her release. “I want to ﬁnish my degree, continue my education and serve my community — just as my husband serves our country with honor.”

DHS told the AP that Ramos had been released with a GPS monitor “while she undergoes further removal proceedings.”

“She will receive full due process,” DHS said.

The Trump administration has scrapped policies of immigration enforcement leniency toward the family members of military personnel and veterans, even as the military has promoted the protection of U.S soldiers’ family members from deportation as a recruiting incentive.

Ramos said she plans to continue studying biochemistry and focusing on enjoying married life with her husband.

“As Matthew continues preparing for his long career in the military, my focus now is on securing my status, continuing my studies, and building our life together,” Ramos said. “We want to create a home, a future, and a family. This experience has been incredibly difﬁcult but it has also reminded me of the power of faith, love, and community I am hopeful for what comes next.”

Man killed in shooting

BY JULIA GUILBEAU Staff writer

The New Orleans Police Department is investigating a homicide after a man was killed in a Gert Town shooting on Saturday Christopher Joseph, 28, was shot twice in the ab-

TASK

Continued from page 1B

chaired by the city’s Chief Administrative Ofﬁcer Joe Giarrusso, is required to submit an initial report in 60 days and ﬁnal report in 90 days with recommendations to simplify, improve and expedite hiring.

A separate executive order Moreno signed Tuesday creates a task force to study potential reforms to the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission, which manages the city’s public playgrounds and youth programs and which has come under ﬁre in recent months for poorly maintained park spaces.

Moreno also campaigned on making changes at the recreation agency and appointed ﬁve new members to its 13-member governing board in January to execute her vision.

The “NORDC Reform Task Force” will study whether it makes sense to consolidate the agency’s workforce with the city’s Department of Parks and Parkways and also explore ways to bolster the agency’s fundraising arm.

The task force will also study the costs and practicalities of implementing a program “to assess and remediate safety and

JUDGE

Continued from page 1B

guaranteed a spot.

In 2024, Edmunds asked school officials to waive the entrance test for Oscar, who has the cognitive ability of a 1- or 2-year-old, but the school denied the request Oscar took the test at the middle school campus but failed to earn the minimum required score Edmunds, who frequently litigates cases on behalf of students with disabilities, soon sued. (Edwards has also sued the Archdiocese of New Orleans for its admissions practices.) Typically public school districts, not individual schools, are responsible for ensuring that students with disabilities receive the services they require Edmunds argued that charter schools like Willow function as their own school district and must serve all students.

Papillon sided with the school, saying Willow is

domen in the 1000 block of South Rendon Street about 12:45 a.m., the Orleans Parish Coroner’s Office and NOPD officials said. Joseph was taken to a hospital in a private vehicle and died there later, police said. Officials did not imme-

environmental concerns at NORDC facilities and playgrounds, including the existence of lead in soil.”

Verite News tested hundreds of soil samples from 84 city parks with playgrounds last year and found that about half had concentrations of lead that exceeded a federal hazard level.

The recreation task force will also be led by Giarrusso, who sits on the agency’s board, and Moreno’s chief of staff, Kevin Ferguson. It will be required to submit biweekly progress reports.

A third executive order changes the name of the New Orleans Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness to the New Orleans Ofﬁce of Coordination and Emergency Management. It also states that the ofﬁce is responsible for allocating and deploying public safety assets for special events or emergencies

The order notes the previous name was too similar to the federal U.S. Department of Homeland Security giving the inaccurate impression that it similarly handles counter-terrorism, immigration enforcement and cyber-security “The reference to ‘homeland security’ in NOHSEP’s current name creates confusion among resident and public official regarding the role of the ofﬁce,” the

only obligated to meet the educational needs of currently enrolled students, not any student who could potentially enroll there. About 7.6% of K-8 students and less than 5% of high school students at Willow have a disability, according to state data, less than half the districtwide average. At a hearing in December, Willow CEO Nicolette London testified that no students at Willow School have intellectual disabilities.

Papillon wrote that other schools without admissions requirements have equally low percentages of students with disabilities He said Edmunds failed to prove that Willow’s admissions requirement is the reason its share of students with disabilities is lower than the district average.

Papillon also said that the entrance exam Willow uses, called the Iowa Assessment, measures students’ academic knowledge not their intelligence, therefore it doesn’t dis-

diately release more information.

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact NOPD detectives at (504) 658-5300 or reach out anonymously to Crimestoppers of Greater New Orleans at (504) 8221111 or toll-free at (877) 903-7867.

order notes. The Infrastructure Coordinating Council, which Moreno created via executive order on her first day in office also met Tuesday for the first time publicly Its primary task is coordinating public works projects, utility repairs and state road construction to avoid tearing up streets more than once. It is due to release an “integrated infrastructure workplan” this week, and staff is finalizing a new online dashboard that maps road and sidewalk projects throughout the city The council is also working on a new pavement policy setting limitations on when streets can be opened.

The council, which Nelson chairs, includes representatives of the Sewerage & Water Board, Entergy, Delta Utilities, the state transportation department and the business community Members have been meeting in closed-door subcommittee meetings for weeks, and the full council is expected to meet quarterly moving forward.

“All of us are aware of the work that we need to do, and putting us all in the same room and reading up the same sheet and music leads to a lot of increased efﬁciencies,” Nelson said at the meeting.

Staff writer Ben Myers contributed to this report

criminate against students with intellectual disabilities.

He said that because the exam is an “essential” part of Willow’s admissions process, waiving it goes beyond the “reasonable” accommodations for students with disabilities required by federal law

The exam, “provides the school with an objective measure of whether an applicant is ready for Willow’s rigorous academic environment,” the judge wrote. Edmunds said in a statement that the ruling allows Willow to continue to exclude students with disabilities, in particular those with intellectual disabilities. He also said the ruling’s claim that federal law only forbids schools from “intentionally” discriminating against students with disabilities goes against prior decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court. “We have appealed,” he said, “and we are conﬁdent that this unconscionable ruling will be promptly reversed.”

Saunders event at Tulane postponed

BY JOY HOLDEN Staff writer

The George Saunders talk scheduled at Tulane on Thursday has been postponed.

The author of “Liberation Day,” “Tenth of December” and the Booker Prize-winning novel “Lincoln in the Bardo” will not be able to attend due to a family emergency

ATTORNEY

Continued from page 1B

tion counts.

Federal attorneys say Motta and Giles face potentially hefty prison terms — at least 10 years apiece — at sentencings that U.S. District Judge Wendy Vitter has set for July Vitter ordered Motta and Giles jailed in the meantime.

As they seek to have their convictions overturned, Motta and Giles each have invoked the September 2020 murder of Cornelius Garrison III, an admitted “slammer” who had been naming names to the FBI for about a year before his killing, and what the jury heard about it.

Giles and The King Firm were victims of “spillover prejudice” at the three-week trial, their attorneys argue. They say the government changed its tune after insisting prosecutors didn’t plan to introduce evidence of Gar-

NORD

Continued from page 1B

Playground near Hollygrove, Comiskey Playground in Mid-City, Norwood Thompson Playground in Gert Town, and Evans Playground in the Freret neighborhood. Clark also asked other employees to alter his time sheets to suggest he was present at work at times he was not.

But Civil Service found that the 42-day unpaid suspension NORD handed to Clark was too harsh. Clark will instead receive only a five-day suspension, and the city will reimburse him for the remaining 37 days he went without pay

Civil Service officials said suspending Clark for his time records was “too severe when NORD failed to issue any formal discipline prior to the suspension.”

Clark did not return a request for comment Tuesday, but said in his appeal that he reported some issues he discovered at some parks. He admitted that he asked other workers to alter his time sheets.

NORD CEO Larry Barabino Jr said the department is reviewing the decision and could potentially appeal.

NORD and its longtime CEO have come under ﬁre for the condition of parks and playgrounds repeatedly in recent years including at some of the facilities under Clark’s supervision. At one of them, CucciaByrnes, a group of homeless people were found living in an encampment in 2024.

Mayor Helena Moreno on

Saunders is the 2026 featured writer in the Carole Barnette Boudreaux ’65 Great Writers Series. He was going to speak about his new novel, “Vigil.” Tulane writes on its website that “Saunders has been

rison’s murder, threatening to do so if the defense crossexamined a mentee of Garrison’s, Ryan Harris, over conﬂicting statements. Harris has admitted involvement in Garrison’s killing.

That limited their defenses, argued Lynda Van Davis and Richard Simmons, attorneys for Giles and The King Firm, in a motion for a new trial. Yet two government witnesses testiﬁed over Garrison’s murder, anyway, “creating overwhelming and improper prejudice,” they wrote.

They also argued that prosecutors had failed to prove a conspiracy despite the guilty verdicts; that Motta and Giles should have been tried separately; and that other charges should be tossed over the government’s failure to call another slammer, Roderick Hickman, to testify

compelled to cancel his visit to Tulane University this week. Consequently, his lecture on April 9 and other related activities at Tulane are postponed. We anticipate rescheduling these events during the 2026-27 academic year.” For more information, visit liberalarts.tulane.edu/carolebarnette-boudreaux-writersseries.

It featured a cinematic parade of prosecution witnesses, including several “slammers,” or drivers who packed cars with willing passengers to ram into moving 18-wheelers on New Orleans highways for a fee.

Federal prosecutors alleged the slammers would then bring the passengers to Motta, Giles, or others who would filed bogus lawsuits seeking big payouts, in some cases for surgeries the passengers didn’t need. The defendants called no witnesses at last month’s trial. Vitter has set an August trial date over Garrison’s murder Sean Alfortish, a disbarred attorney and the father of Motta’s young daughter is set to stand trial for it alongside alleged triggerman Leon “Chunky” Parker.”

“The record lacks evidence of knowledge or intent key elements of conspiracy Therefore, the verdict contradicts both the evidence and the law,” they wrote. The closely watched trial punctuated a sprawling federal probe dating back years, dubbed “Operation Sideswipe.”

Tuesday signed an executive order to create a “NORDC Reform Task Force” that will study consolidating NORD’s workforce with the city’s Department of Parks and Parkways and explore ways to bolster its fundraising. The mayor recently tapped five new board members and has tasked the board with ﬁnding a new executive director, citing poor leadership.

Barabino has said the department’s $22 million budget stretches thin, leading to a lack of resources and problems retaining staff due to low pay The appeal is a window into Barabino’s attempts to discipline staff to remedy longstanding park problems. Among them were grafﬁtiridden basketball courts at Evans, extensive graffiti at Comiskey and restroom vandalism and a homeless person living in a concession stand at Norwood Thompson. All went unreported by Clark, then a district manager in charge of eight to 12 facilities, NORD ofﬁcials told Civil Service commissioners.

At Cuccia-Byrnes in December 2024, “it was discovered that multiple homeless people were living at the site,” NORD ofﬁcials said. “It required removal of many bags of human waste.”

Clark failed to complete regular site visitation logs, completing only 20 between June 2024 and August 2025. He was suspended as a district manager that month and demoted to a site facilitator month later, in part, for repeatedly asking another employee to edit hours he said he worked, the appeal said. Clark conceded in the appeal that he asked supervisors to alter his time record. Clark also said he was not responsible for Cuccia-Byrnes, that he reported homeless people breaking into the bathroom at Comiskey and that he reprimanded a site facilitator at Norwood Thompson over issues found there. He also said he put in work orders for graffiti at other playgrounds. NORD ofﬁcials said one of them was untimely, and that Clark was indeed responsible for Cuccia-Byrnes, where poor conditions drew widespread public notice. Civil Service agreed that Clark was responsible for issues at that playground and others, and that he failed to complete site visitation logs. But they shortened his suspension to five days and ordered back pay for the 37 days he went without pay, in part because another NORD employee also requested edits to their time sheets, but received no discipline, ofﬁcials said. NORD also failed to discipline Clark before his suspension, Civil Service officials said.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Matthew Blank, left, and his wife, Annie Ramos, pose for a photo while celebrating their wedding in March.

PROVIDED

PHOTO

By JEN RICKLING

Saunders

NewOrleans Area Deaths

Geraci,Glenn Giardina,Marion Grijns,Janice

Grinstead,Elizabeth

Harvey Sr., Christopher Messina,Anthony

Ourso, Barbara Pankey, George Pichon,Alexis Riordan, William Summers, Verline

Tabor,Walter

Vesper,JoAnn VoelkelJr.,Charles EJefferson

Garden of Memories

Giardina,Marion

Neptune Society

Galloway,Blanche NewOrleans

Boyd Family

Dimes, Richard

Summers, Verline Charbonnet

Adams, William

DeGrange III, George Harvey Sr., Christopher Pichon,Alexis Greenwood

Geraci,Glenn

Riordan, William Lake Lawn Metairie

Messina,Anthony Pankey, George River Parish

HC Alexander

Faucheux, Mel St Tammany Audubon

VoelkelJr.,Charles EJ Fielding

Vesper,JoAnn West Bank

Robinson FH

Grinstead,Elizabeth Obituaries

Adams, William Sylvester'Bill

William“Bill” Sylvester Adamswas born in New Orleans, LA on July 17, 1942 andentered eternallifeon Monday,March 23, 2026. Sonofthe late MattieHar‐risonand JamesAdams,Sr. Brotherofthe late Fort‐stinaWilliams, Marie Spriggs,James,Jr. andEm‐manuelAdams.Survivors includehis loving wife Claudette Adamsfor 39 years; stepchildren Damien (Khristie) Moses andDariceMorgan; grand‐children, Madelyn, Isaac Olivia Mosesand Quentin Morgan andhis beloved pet, Otto.Alsosurvivedby ahostofnieces, nephews, otherrelatives andfriends

Williamwas an active member of St.Paul’s Lutheran Church andwas oneofthe church elders as well as amemberof Brothers in Christ.Hewas agraduateofJosephS ClarkHighSchool.After graduation,heenrolledin theUnitedStatesArmyin 1961, whereheservedfor 8 years. Williamwas em‐ployed as aNew Orleans Fireﬁghterfor over 20 yearsbeforehis earlyre‐tirement.Relatives and friends; Pastor andmem‐bers of St Paul’s Lutheran Church andGreater St StephenFGBC; Employees of NewOrleans Fire De‐partment andFresenius Dialysis (FreretSt. loca‐tion)are invitedtoattend thefuneral.A Celebration servicehonoringthe life andlegacyofthe late William“Bill” Sylvester AdamswillbeheldatSt Paul’s Lutheran Church 1625 Annette St., NewOr‐leans, LA 70116 on Thurs‐day, April9,2026 at 10 am, with visitation at 9amin thechurch.Repastimme‐diatelyfollowing at the church.Interment will take placeatSoutheast LouisianaVeteransCeme‐tery,34888 Grantham Dr., Slidell, LA 70460 on Friday April 10, 2026 at 10 am Please sign online guest‐book at www.charbonnetf uneralhome.com. Charbon‐netLabat Glapion, Direc‐tors (504)581 4411.

Blackwell, TC Plumbers& Steamfitters Local Union 60: Funeral services wererecently held forour late Brother TC Blackwell at Williams FuneralHome, Pearl River, LA.Byorderof Jacob R. Newton,President

Attest: Ronald R. Rosser Business Manager

Davidson, Thomas Stevens 'Tom'

ThomasStevens Davidson, January 10, 1935 -April 2, 2026

ThomasStevens Davidson, aman of unwaveringloyalty, quiet selflessness, and masteryof every tennis shot, passed awaypeacefully at home on Thursday, April 2, 2026. Known to friends asTom (or Dave)and to his grandchildren as Papa, hislife was defined by his commitment to family, community, and the game of tennis

Though his resume included titleslikePresident and Director, his mostsignificant role was thatofa devotedhusband. Married to the love of hislife, Betty Maloy Davidson, for 65 years, Tom redefined the meaning of "insickness and in health." In recent years, as Betty facedthe challenges of Parkinson's, Tom'sdailyroutine became atestament to his love. Three times aday, likeclockwork,hewalked from their apartment to be by her side in nursing care. Anative of Topeka, Kansas, Tomgraduated from WashburnUniversity with adegreeinBusiness Administration before serving his country as a Captain and Navigator in the UnitedStates Air Force His precision in the air transitionedinto adistinguishedcareer in banking and real estate. He earned an advanceddegree from theGraduate School of Banking at Southern Methodist University in Dallas,TX. After servingas Vice President of Republic National Bank in Dallas, Tom moved to New Orleans in 1969. In the decades thatfollowed, he served as aseniorofficer and President forvarious firms, retiring in2006.While he was a powerhouse in the boardroom,his trueprofessional legacy lived on in those he guided; to many, a"great mentor"who took agenuine interest in the success of others Tennis was therhythm of Tom's life. Taughtbyhis father at ageten,Tom became aformidable competitor on the court, securing the 1953 State High School Singles Championship and winning fourconsecutive Central Intercollegiate Singles Championships.Hewas a proudinductee of the Washburn University Athletic Hall of Fame

While he possessedmany greatshots, one tennis friend noted that histouch

on his volleys and his cross-court forehand cost his tennisopponents many points. In NewOrleans, theNew Orleans Lawn TennisClub became his second home. Whileheloved thecompetition,helikelyloved the "socialhour"inthe men's locker room even more trading storiesand laughterwith atight-knitgroup of lifelong friends. His commitment to New Orleans extended beyond theClub; he served as President of theCityPark Improvement Association during therenovation of Tad Gormley Stadium for theOlympic Trials, and the approval forthe construction of the Pavilion of the Two Sisters. Other board memberships included Junior Achievement,the Economic Development Boardfor theCity of New Orleans, and Goodwill Industries.Healso chaired fundraising efforts forthe LouisianaPhilharmonic Orchestra, theNew Orleans Opera Association, and theGirlScoutsof America.

Aboveall,Tom was a family man. He cherished thetraditionoffamily trips to thebeach and thebiennial pilgrimage to Texas forChristmas. In his quieter moments,hewas a voracious reader and a keen observer of thestock market He is survivedbyhis belovedwife,Betty; his twodaughters,Wendy Rock (Timothy) and Leslie Louviere(Gerard Cordell, Jr.); and histwo grandchildren,Davidsondela Houssaye Rock and Tabony Maloy Rock,who willforeverremember their Papa as aman who was as genuine as he was loyal. He was preceded in death by his parents, Clyde Evans Davidsonand Anita LuluEngland Davidson. Burial in Waco,TX, will be private. In lieu of flowers, thefamily asks that youconsidera gesture of selflessness in Tom's honor,perhaps alongwalkto visitsomeone youlove.

DeGrange III, George Leon

It is with deep sadness thatweannouncethe passing of ourbeloved GeorgeLeonDeGrange, III, age 77, born on June 14 1948, andentered eternal restonFriday, February 13 2026. George wasa gradu‐ate of Xavier Preparatory HighSchool in NewOr‐leans,class of 1966, Xavier UniversityofLouisiana (Bachelor of Fine Arts) class of 1972 andthe Uni‐versity of NotreDame (Master of Fine Arts)in 1974. George wasone of the earliest students to study under acclaimed sculptor/painter, John T. Scott, at Xavier University where he begandevelop‐ing hisartisticpalette and style.George’sstrengthin the medium lead himto focus hisartisticendeav‐ors on oilpaintings.His early work employed bold colorsand geometricand organic shapes to depict subjectssuchasanimals portraits,and group-por‐traits. An exampleofhis early work wasrecentlyon display at theOgden Mu‐seumofSouthernArt as a tribute to theXavierUni‐versity artmovement. MoreofGeorge’searly workcan be found gracing the halls andspacesof Xavier. Over theyears his color palette wouldevolve intoearthytones featuring greys,blues,and browns while hissubjectscould be consideredpost-apocalyp‐tic featuringthe stylized human form juxtaposed against geometrical shapes. In hiswords,it was hisattempt“to bring bothbirth anddeath to‐getheratthe same time.” Tohis many siblings Georgewas whata big brother oughttobe. Some‐times aprotector,due to his 6-foot 5frame and strongphysicalpresence, and oftena mentor,teach‐ing chess, art, history, and literature, allofwhich he had deep knowledge. When notworking on his art,Georgeworkedasa painter of home interiors and exteriorsand enjoyed serving as theartistinres‐idenceatMcMainHigh School.Hewas askilled and self-taughtathlete who couldthrow afootball likeanNFL quarterback and delivera 100 mph serve like atennispro.He frequentedthe tennis courtsatCityParkand took on allcomersbut sel‐dom lost.Georgewas an avidSaintsand Notre Damefootball fan.Hewas also knownasa ﬁne cook

of Creole Cuisineashe took up preserving andre‐ﬁning familyrecipes of our mom who wasalsoknown asquite thecook in her day.Georgewas the beloved sonofthe late GeorgeLeonDeGrangeJr. and thelateMathildaDel‐lande DeGrange.Heissur‐vived by his11siblings (spouses) –Karen De‐GrangeWatkins,Drake De‐Grange, MD (Lucinda), Jane DeGrangeGreen,Floyd De‐Grange, Nina DeGrange Robertson,Dianna De‐GrangeLeBan (Levon), Marianne DeGrange Suzette DeGrange,Wayne DeGrange(Aletra), Wendell DeGrange(Erique)and ChristieDeGrangeDetiege MD(Jacques),and brotherin-lawofKathleen Keyes DeGrange, who will forever treasurethe memories.He issurvivedbya host of niecesand nephews, rela‐tives,and otherclose friends.Georgewas pre‐ceded in deathbyhis par‐entsGeorgeJrand Mathilda, hisbrothersKurt Patrick DeGrange,Gary Michael DeGrange, brother-in-lawJulius Green,his grandparents Al‐bertand Arthemese Deruise Dellande and GeorgeSr. andNorma War‐nickDeGrange. Detailsfor a celebrationoflifeservice tobeheldfor George on April 9willbeprovidedto family, relatives, and friends in aseparatean‐nouncement. George will bedearlymissed, buthis legacywillliveonthrough the many liveshe’s touched.May he rest in peace.Pleasesignonline guestbook at www.cha rbonnetfuneralhome.com. Charbonnet LabatGlapion Directors (504) 581-4411

RichardDimes passed awayonMarch 24, 2026, at the ageof94. Richardis survivedbyhis spouse Robertine BMcBride Dimes;childrenCharlotte Dimes Carter (Jimmie) Wanda DimesSwain (Earl), DeniseDimes Toles (Robert); stepchildren Walita, Edwina &Edwin McBride Jr.(Chatchamar); grandchildren Gary Lundy, Erica Lundy, Gregory Dimes,Philogene Steptoe; step-grandchildrenShila McCray, LeroyPaulJr.;16 great grandchildrenand 5 great-great grandchildren; son-in-lawLarry Daniels, cousinGwendolyn Taylor (James).Precededindeath byhis mother Roslie Dimes Nelson, father Robert Dimes,daughterCynthia Dimes Daniels, andgrand‐son Larry DanielsJr. Family and friends, membersof Payne Memorial AME Church,FellowshipMis‐sionary BaptistChurch other neighboring Churches,AmericanLegion Post#383, employees of Mercy EndeavorsSenior Center, ChateauDeVille Nursing Home in Donald‐sonville, La,CardinalHos‐piceand theU.S.Postal Service areinvited to at‐tendthe CelebrationofLife Service on Friday,April 10 2026, for10:00 a.m. at Payne Memorial AME Church,located at 3306 South LibertyStreet,New Orleans,LA70115. Visita‐tionwillbegin at 9:00 a.m. PastorShelton Meyer, ofﬁ‐ciating.Interment will fol‐low at Carrollton Cemetery located at 1701 Hillary Street,New Orleans, LA 70118. Guestbook Online: www.anewtraditionbegins com (504)282-0600. Linear BrooksBoydand Donavin D.BoydOwners/FuneralDi‐rectors

Emma and AubreyTregre. He is also survived by his godchildren, as well as a host of aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. He waspreceded in death by histwo sons, Clint D. Faucheux andDaniel R. Faucheux; hissiblings, Dawn andDon Faucheux; andhis parents, Danieland Dolores Faucheux. Doghad alove for watchingLSU sportswith hisHahnville friends. He also enjoyed histimespent hunting with friends andtending to hisgarden.Hewill be greatly missed by hisfamily andfriends. Relatives andfriends are invited to attenda visitation at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Hahnville, Louisiana, on Friday, April 10, 2026, beginningat9:00 AM,followedbya Memorial Mass at 11:00 AM

kindness receivedbymany familieswithspecial recognition to theBeyt Family, theBroadus Family, theEmpson Family, and PaulDufrenefor theirextraordinary support during this difficult time.Inlieu of flowers, the familyis strongly requesting donationsmade in John'shonor to Blood CancerUnited.

Adams, William Blackwell, TC Davidson, Thomas DeGrange III, George Dimes, Richard Faucheux, Mel Fournier Jr., John Galloway,Blanche Galloway, Blanche Loretta Pearson

Jr., John

John Fournier, Jr.passed away peacefully, surrounded by hisimmediate family, on Sunday, April 5, 2026, in Baton Rouge,Louisiana, after astrongbattle with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). John was born on August 1, 1951, in NewOrleans, Louisiana, andhe carried thespirit of thecity with himwhereverhe went.Heservedasa lumbersalesman, contractor, andbuilder,spendingthe last 26 years of hiscareer at DufreneBuilding Materials, whereheled sales. Hishands were almost always in thedirt, tendingto hisgardens. If you couldn't findhim in thegarden,he waswatching tennis or listeningtosmooth jazz. He lovedtravelingtothe beach,where he andhis familyenjoyedlongconversations anddancing John was, above all else, a devoted and loving father, husband, andgrandfather For over 46 years, he was marriedtohis wife, Jana. Together, they builta family that trulyembodies love support, andconnection John adored his grandchildren.Whether carrying them on hisshoulders or simply spendingtimewith them,hefilledtheir lives with love and laughter. Time with familyand friends washis pastime He nurturedrelationships, made time for conversations, and took pride in watchinghis familyand others grow. John is precededindeathbyhis parents, Bernice Mechanaand John Fournier, Sr.; his beautiful daughter, Alicia Fournier; andhis brother, StevenFournier. He is survivedbyhis wife,Jana Belaire Fournier; hischildren, Jill FournierDurrett, John Fournier, andhis partner, Jacob Broadus; hisgrandchildren, Emma Durrett, ElliottDurrett, andChad Fournier; hisgreat-grandchildren, Tate Fournier and Titan Fournier;and many loving nieces and nephews, with special recognition given to his belovedniece, Candace Johnson, whowas hispersonal oncology nurse.A service to celebrateJohn's life will be held on Friday, April 10, 2026, at Acacia Church,10051 Siegen Lane, Baton Rouge,Louisiana. Visitation willbefrom1:00 PM to 2:00 PM, withthe memorial service beginning at 2:00 PM.The family wouldliketoextend special thanks to Dr.Alsfeld andthe care team at MD Anderson NewOrleans,the nursesand staff at OchsnerOncology of Baton Rouge,and Acacia Church of Baton Rouge.The family wouldalso like to recognize thelove, support,and ki d i d b

Blanche Loretta Pearson Galloway, age 78, passed away peacefullyathome on Sunday, March29, 2026, surroundedbyher loving familyand devotedcaregivers, after along and courageous battle with Alzheimer'sdisease. Blanche was born on February 20, 1948, in Bells, Tennessee, to Clyde Pearson and Jo Farrow Pearson. At ayoung age, shemoved with herfamily to Metairie, Louisiana, whereshe built alifecenteredonlove, family, and community. Blanche wasa woman of remarkable strength, grace, andcharacter. Knownfor herquick wit andnatural charm, she hada gift for conversation andanability to make everyonefeelwelcome and at ease wherever she went.Her livelyspirit and sense of humor brought laughterand lightinto everyroom.

Thosewho knew Blanche admiredher wisdom, resilience, and quiet strength—qualitiesshaped earlyinlifeand carried with dignity throughout theyears. Shefaced life's challengeswith courage andbecame asteady, compassionatepresence for herfamilyand friends. Shecherished time with herfamilyabove all else and found joyinlife'ssimplemoments—gatherings, laughter, andbeing together.She lovedmusic,especiallyGeorge Jones, Willie Nelson,Waylon Jennings, MerleHaggard andRick James. Even in thefaceof illness, Blanche'sspirit remained strong, andshe kept hersense of humor to theend. Sheispreceded in death by herparents, Clyde Pearson and Jo Farrow Pearson; hersister,Jenny Louise Pearson; herniece, CheynieMuller;her cousins, Linda Drake Orgeron andCarol Drake Raiford;and hernephews, Adam andLukeOrgeron Sheissurvivedbyher devotedhusbandof46 years, John Emerson Galloway; hersons, MelbourneErnest"Trey" Joseph III (LynnKeenan)of NewOrleans andRobert Raymond Joseph (Leslie Elizabeth Spano)of Atlanta; herbeloved grandsons, Zachary Michael Joseph (Samantha Yrle)and Jack Francis Rutledge Joseph;her cousins, DonnaSummers (and childrenCassady Ashleyand Jessye Ashley) andJodySummers(and childrenKelsey Bartlett (Jonathan) andSerena Summers); hersister-inlaw,Carolyn Pace; her nephews, StevenPace (Rose), DanielPace (Margaret), andJonathan Pace(Vanessah and daughter Bernadette); her cousin,James Orgeron (MaryAnn); hercousin, KennethDrake (Fran);and many extendedfamily

Fournier

Dimes, Richard

Faucheux, Mel'Dog'

members and dear friends. The familyextends their heartfelt gratitude to the caregivers and medical professionals who provided compassionate care and support during her illness. Friends and family are invited to attend a Celebration of Life on Saturday, May 23, from 12:00 noon to 3:00 p.m. at Vincent's Italian Restaurant, 4411 Chastant Street, Metairie, Louisiana. In honoring Blanche's life, those who knew her will remember her simple but powerful belief: when you love someone,you "see about them." She did just that—and in doing so, she left alasting mark on everyone fortunateenough to know her.

Geraci,Glenn Anthony

GlennAnthony Geraci, 83, of Metairie,passed awayonMarch 17, 2026 BornDecember6,1942, in New Orleans, he wasthe son of thelateAnthony and Muriel Geraci and brother of thelateJoseph Geraciand thelateGary Geraci(Cindy).Glenn is survivedbyhis wife,Joyce FordGeraci; son, Glenn GeraciJr.;stepchildren StaceyHenderson (James), Keith Rome (Arleen),Travis Rome, JoyceGalaverna (Marco),AlexO’Connell (Rosa), Rachel Mollere (Chad), andthe late Patrick O’Connell Jr.; niece, Karen GeraciFlores. Glenngradu‐atedfromNichollsHigh Schoolin1960 andproudly servedinthe National Guard forsix years. Glenn workedfor Lambert’sElec‐tricuntil 2002 andthen ended hisworking career asa municipalminute clerk,working forJudge Charles Imbornoneinthe First City Courtofthe City ofNew Orleans. Glennwas a proudmemberof the New OrleansElksLodge, where he served as chap‐lainin2023.His favorite pastime wasparticipating incommunity events and Thursday nights at the Lodge playingbooray with friends.Glenn will be re‐memberedfor hislight‐hearted,enduringsense of humor.Hewas trulya kind and gentle soul who found happiness in thequiet comfortsoflife. He was eager to attend everyfam‐ily event, especially if it in‐cludedwatchinghis fa‐voriteteams,the Saints and LSU. Thefamilywould liketoextenda special thank youtoall thefriends and familywho called and visited during hisillness. A special thankyou to Con‐nie Celestine, hissitter, who lovingly assisted in his care,duringhis ﬁnal days. Relativesand friends are invitedtoattenda visi‐tationat11:00 a.m. on Fri‐day,April 10, 2026,at Greenwood FuneralHome, 5200 CanalBlvd.,New Or‐leans,LA70124, followed bya mass at 1:00 p.m. In‐terment will be at Green‐wood Cemetery.Inlieuof ﬂowers, memorialsmay be madetoLoveYourNeigh‐bor NOLA.LoveYourNeigh‐bor NOLA,and itsfounder, werenearand dear to Glenn.Loveyourneighbor‐nola.com

Giardina,Marion DorothyPotter

Grijns,Janice C.

Janice Claire Donaldson Grijnspassed away in Greenwich, Connecticut on March 27th, 2026. She was aresident of Greenwich for 46 years. She was predeceased by her husband Leendert (LaneC.) Grijns, and is survivedbyher four sons: David andhis wife Dina Morrison-Grijns,Derek, and her twin sons Andrew and Julian. She is also survivedby twograndsons, Dylan and Braeden Grijns, and two granddaughters, Sophie and AvaGrijns. She was thedaughterofthe late Claire and Enoch J. DonaldsonofNew Orleans, acityand aculture she adored

P. Gallagher& SonFuneral Home,31ArchSt, Greenwich, CT 06830.

Marion DorothyPotter Giardina,age 86, entered eternalrestWednesday March25, 2026. Marion is thebeloved wife of Lloyd FrankGiardina. Born in NewOrleans,Marionbe‐came Lloyd’sbride on March30, 1963, andwith theirsonsCharles Joseph Giardina (Tanya)and John SteptoeGiardinathey made theirhomeinGretna until they movedtoWest‐wego in 2001. A1956 gradu‐ateofSt. Martin’sEpisco‐palSchool,Marionearned aBachelorofScience in Home Economicsfrom TexasChristian University in 1961. Shethenentered a career as ahomeecono‐mist with LouisianaGas Company. Aftermarrying, sheand Lloydfounded owned, andoperatedBon Marché FurnitureCompany Inc. In 1987, holdinga LouisianaInteriorDesign License, Marion became ownerand operator of AMar InteriorsInc.Whennot designinghomes andbusi‐nessesinthe NewOrleans metropolitan area,Marion excelled at baking.Her family andfriends looked forwardtoher prized Crispy PecanCookieseach holidayseasonaswellas herspecial treats of oat‐meal cookiesand numer‐ouspreserves.Marionwas akey ﬁgure in theGiardina Family ItalianChristmas cookie making tradition. She wasa member of St CharlesAvenue Presbyter‐ianChurch,belongedto theLouisiana ChapterNa‐tional SocietyDaughters of theAmericanRevolution, wasa member of theRo‐tary of Westwego, andwas the1959 Queen of Caliphs of Cairo. Sheisprecededin deathbyher parents, CharlesGravesSteptoe Potter andBlanche DorothyGablerPotter, her sister DorothyRae Potter, herbrother CharlesRobert Potter,and herbrother-inlawRogerAdams.Marion livesoninthe hearts of her sixgrandchildren,Ainsley Lamarque Nunez, Jonathan Colville Giardina (Morgan), GracePotterGiardinaHolz‐man(Kyle), IanEdwardGi‐ardina,Gabriel SteptoeGi‐ardina (Daniela), and FrancescaRoseGiardina, andtwo great-grandchil‐dren,LouiseAlexander “Lola” Jonesand Potter Rose “Posie”Holzman,who allaffectionatelyknewher as GiGi.She is also the belovedsister-in-law of Mary FrancesGreelyPot‐ter, Judy Giardina Harris (Howard),Mildred“Millie” Giardina Adams, MarieGia‐rdina(Maureen). Sheis Aunt Marion to 7nieces andnephews as well as numerous grandand greatgrandniecesand nephews. Family andfriends arein‐vitedtovisitationThurs‐day, April9,at2 PM fol‐lowedby3 PM funeralser‐vice at St.Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church,1545 StateStreet,New Orleans, LA 70118. Committal Ser‐viceswillbeFriday, April 10, at 9AMatthe South‐east LouisianaVeterans Cemetery,34888 Grantham CollegeDrive,Slidell, LA 70460. In lieu of ﬂowers, donationsmay be made to Presbyterian Women, 1545 StateStreet,New Orleans, LA 70118 or Rotary of West‐wego, 3711 Westbank Ex‐pressway,Harvey, LA, United States,70058. On‐line condolencesmay be offeredatwww.gardeno fmemoriesmetairie.com.

Having won competitively ascholarship to Ursuline Academy in New Orleans, she graduated as valedictorian. She then graduated from H. Sophie Newcomb Women's College of Tulane University first in her class, summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa,Woodrow WilsonScholar, withhonorsand distinctionin French and was also the recipient of theItalian Government Medal for Excellence in Italian. After marrying Lane Grijnsof The Netherlands,who was amaritime lawyerin Rotterdam at that time, she moved to Rotterdam where she was atranslator foramulti-national company. After beingawarded afive-year faculty fellowship with living stipend with thetitle of Faculty Fellow, she attended the graduateschool of Columbia University, where she completedher MA in one year. She also studied at theSorbonne in Parisand was awarded a diploma there. In addition she studied at the Universite de Dijon in burgundy, the Universityof Leiden in theNetherlands, and Laval University in Quebec City. She later completedher PhD. She maintained homes in Greenwich, CT, New Orleans, LA,and London, England. Janice was along-time member of theliterary club,The Lotos Club in NewYork City, of the Metropolitan OperaClub in NewYork, theStanwich Country Club in Greenwich, CT, and of theCarltonClub of London. She was known forher intellectual brilliance,her warm exuberance, her wit, and her greatbeauty. As a teenager in NewOrleans, she modeledinthe department stores there and also appearedontelevision morning shows, once winning amodeling contest and havinglunch with Johnny Carson. While living in London, she taught several languages at the American HighSchool of London. She wrote for magazines, especially book reviews.Inaddition to her boundless interests, she also worked 30 years in real estate, eventually specializing in chateaux and otherpropertiesin Europe.She endowed and foundedthe Enoch J. DonaldsonAnimal Sanctuary in northern Louisiana, in honorofher father. She adored her sons and dideverything possible forthem. After her sons and her family, her extreme love foranimals was aguiding light in her life.She willberemembered forher beauty, her academicachievements, and her warmth and generosity to all. Please make donations in her honortothe Enoch J. DonaldsonAnimal Sanctuary, C/O The Humane Societyof Louisiana P.O. Box 740321, NewOrleans, LA 70174, Tax ID 58-1795272. Avisitationwillbeheld on Thursday, April 9, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. with aserviceat12noon, at Leo

Elizabeth(Ann) Young Grinstead,86, of West‐wego, passedawaypeace‐fully on Tuesday, March31, 2026. Shewas born Decem‐ber 13, 1939 to Harry Golitha andVeola Young of Sun, Louisiana. Shewas a beloved mother,grand‐mother, greatgrand‐mother, familymember and friend.She retiredasa nurse,withoverthirty years of servicehaving workedatOchsner,West Jefferson,and TouroHospi‐tals. Annissurvivedbyher children, Anthony(Tony) Young (Lavinda), Phyllis O’Neal(Dwaine), Carl Rick‐son (deceased),Paula Rodgers (Mike),Dwayne Rickson andPamela George, eleven grandchil‐dren, twenty-one great grandchildren,seven great, great grandchildren, six siblingsaswellasa host of familymembers and friends.Serviceswillbe heldatBelievers Life Fam‐ily Church,501 Lapalco Blvd.,Gretna, LA.from9:30 A.M -11:30 A.M. on Thurs‐day,April 9, 2026. Inter‐mentwillfollowinWood‐lawnParkCemeteryin Westwego. Funeralplan‐ningentrusted to Robinson FamilyFuneralHome. For onlinecondolences please visit www.robinsonfamilyf uneralhome.com

AnthonyRaymond Messina, age 82, of Covington passedawayon April 6, 2026. Anthonywas born and raisedinNew Orleans, and graduatedfromJesuitHigh School in 1962, from Loyola University in 1966, and Loyola School of Law in 1969. He wasprecededin death by hisparents, VincentA.Messina and Myrtle HeimelMessina, andhis brothers, Vincent A. Messina, Jr., andFrancis W. Messina. Anthonyservedasthe JeffersonParish Attorney. He wasaparishioner of St PeterCatholic Church in Covington Survivors includehis wife, of 39 years, Joycelyn ModenbachMessina; sister-in-law,Shirley C. Messina; brothers-in-law, John Modenbach, Jr (Dolores) and Wayne Modenbach; anda host of nieces andnephews. The familywould like to extendspecial thanks to hiscaregiver, Lucy Stevenson Relativesand friends are invited to attenda funeralmass at St.Peter Catholic Church,125 E. 19th Ave,Covington,on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at 11:00 am. Visitation will begin at 9:30 am priortothe service.Interment will be in MetairieCemetery To view andsignthe familyonline guestbook andshare yourmemories of Anthony, please visit lakelawnmetairie.com In lieu of flowers, the familyrequestsmasses.

Barbara Smith Ourso, a cherished matriarch and devoted familypillar, passedawaypeacefullyon April 4th, 2026, at the age of 95. Born in Donaldsonville, LA to Leona Blakeman Smith andHarry Samuel Smith, Barbara lived alifedefinedby grace, resilience, and unwaveringdedication to her familyand hercommunity. Barbara graduatedfrom Donaldsonville High School in 1947 and began working forShellOil Company. She marriedFalcon Patrick Oursoin1954 and together they raisedthree children whilehelpingtocontinue thefamilyfuneral home and startingbusinesses in theinsuranceand nursing home industries.Together she and Falcon builtD'ville HouseNursing Home,currently known as Château D'ville.After Falcon's untimely passing,Barbara, widowedatthe age of 46, wasleft to continuethe businessendeavorswhile raising herchildren. She wasanactivemember of First United Methodist ChurchofDonaldsonville andrecentlyhonored by herfaithcommunityasthe matriarch of theirchurch. Barbara's lifelongcommitmenttocommunity service and improvement of Donaldsonville wasevident in hermany committees andleadership roles. Sheservedasa Board of Director of theDonaldsonvilleAreaChamber of Commerce, memberofthe Louisiana NursingHome Association,Ascension Heritage Foundation,Donaldsonville Marketing Team, Seniorsand Lawman Together andmany more. Shewas afounding member of theDonaldsonvilleAARPChapter, Donaldsonville Women's Business Professionals, and Donaldsonville EconomicDevelopment.In 1997 she wasnamedDonaldsonville Citizenofthe Year.Knownfor herlove of cooking, fabulous dinner

ChristopherD.Harvey, Sr.,age 66, passedawayon Sunday, March29, 2026 at Irving Nursingand Rehabil‐itation in Irving,TX. He was bornonJanuary 14, 1960 to the late Hugh andCharlene McGownHarvey. Husband ofthe late Deldra Lewis Harvey. Father of Ashelie, Kiriand thelateChristo‐pherD.Harvey, Jr.Grandfa‐therofAutumnand Christopher Harvey,Juan Armstead, Jr.Brother of Marlonand Hugh (Kendrick)Harvey, Angela Holiday andthe late Brenetta (Brenda) Harvey A Celebrationservice hon‐oring thelifeand legacy of the late ChristopherD.Har‐vey,Sr.,willbeheldinthe ChapelofCharbonnet Labat GlapionFuneral Home, 1615 St.Philip Street,New Orleans, LA 70116 on Friday,April 10 2026 at 10 am.Interment Private.Visitation9 am in the chapel.Pleasesignthe onlineguestbook at www charbonnetfuneralhome. com. Charbonnet Labat Glapion,Directors (504)581-4411 1833 Oretha Castle HaleyBlvd NewOrleans,LA70113 We offer affordableburials,cremation,and life insurance majesticmortuary.com ResthavenMemorial Park 10400Old Gentilly Road,New Orleans, LA 70127 Servingthecommunityforover75years

andservicing allchurches andcemeteries. (504)208-2119• (504)208-2138 (504)358-4232

JEROME L. ROBINSON AND PERRILYNALEXIS-HARRIS, OWNERS 9611 HIGHWAY23, BELLE CHASSE,LOUISIANA 20 minutesfromdowntownNew Orleansand half ablock northofBelle Chasse NavalAir Station. Celebrating Life,One Family at aTime

Messina, AnthonyR.

Ourso, Barbara Smith

Grinstead, Elizabeth AnnYoung

Harvey Sr., ChristopherD

parties, and entertaining, she created awelcoming home for family and friends. She was an avid sports enthusiast and loved watching basketball and football. Barbara was the definition of a"Die Hard" Saints fan, never missinga game since the inaugural 1967 season. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Falcon Patrick Ourso, who she is now reunited with after 49 years, her parents Harry and Leona Smith, and her siblings and their spouses: Harold Smith (Elizabeth), Gloria Long, Norma Vice (Ray), and son-n-law, the Honorable Pegram J. Mire. Barbara is survived by her three children :Clifton Noel Ourso (Melanie), Smith Patrick Ourso (Elda), and Karen Ourso Mire (Butch); her loving grandchildren: Dr. Jennifer Ourso Straney (Dr. Michael), Clifton Noel Ourso Jr.(Christine), Falcon John Mire (Miranda), John Lucien Mire, Samuel Ourso Mire, Jack Henry Ourso, Julia Leona Ourso, stepgrandson Christopher Charles Becnel and step granddaughter Vanessa Mire; and great-grandchildren: Eleanor Ourso, Amelia Noel, and Joseph Fitzpatrick Straney and Gabriella Rose, Clifton Noel III, Porter Vincent and Cecily Claire Ourso, who were the joy of her later years. Her legacy of love, faith, strength, and community will forever guide her family. Visitation will be held on April 8th at Ourso Funeral Home in Donaldsonville from 5-9pm and April 9th from 9-11am at First United Methodist Church (400 RailroadAvenue in Donaldsonville) with afuneral service conducted by Dr. John Fletcher. Interment will immediately follow at Ascension of Our Lord CatholicCemetery. Pallbearers will be Clifton Ourso, Smith Ourso Clifton Ourso Jr., Falcon Mire, John Mire, Samuel Mire, Jack Ourso, and Christopher Becnel. The family would like to express sincere gratitude to her many caregivers at home and at Chateau D'ville.

Funeral Home at 5100

Pontchartrain Blvd. on Friday, April 10thfrom4:00 to 7:00 pm. Funeral services and interment willbe private. In lieu of flowers, donations can be madeto thePankey Family Caregiver Support Fund at Ochsnerbyvisiting https:/ /www.ochsner.org/pankey

The family invitesyou to share your thoughts,fond memories,and condolences online at www.lakel awnmetairie.com

Pichon,Alexis FacianeSmith

Alexis FacianeSmith Pi‐chon, daughter of thelate Jukes Facianeand Yvone Dugue FacianeLundy MotherofAlexisSmith Dimes.Grandmother of Jasmien Kaylaand Darius Dimes.SisterofSonja (Martin)Lemoins,Greer (Alvin) Gray,Jules Faciane, Jr.,and Anthony(Jann) Fa‐ciane,Sr.,Granddaughter ofthe late Sidney Peter Dugue,Sr.,and Marie Theresa WarnickDugue Wife of thelateDaryl Pi‐chon. FuneralServices wereprivate.Pleasesign onlineguestbook at www charbonnetfuneralhome. com. Charbonnet Labat Glapion,Directors (504)581 4411.

Riordan, William Warren 'Billy'

George Atkinson Pankey, MD, affectionately known as "Kin," passed away at St. Anna's at Lambeth House in New Orleans, LA, on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at the age of 92. Aloving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, mentor, and friend, Kin leaves behind aprofoundlegacy of medical excellence and familial devotion. Anative of Ruston, LA, and alongtime resident of New Orleans, he was preceded in death by his parents, Annabel Atkinson Pankey and George Edward Pankey; his first wife, Anne Schillin Pankey; and his second wife, Patricia Carreras Pankey. He is survived by his daughters, Susan Pankey Ives (Charles) of New Orleans and Laura Pankey Nel (Charles) of London, UK; his sons, Stephen Charles Pankeyof Frankfort, KY, and Dr. Edward Atkinson Pankey (Aisha) of Massillon, OH; and his beloved grandchildren, Conrad Squire Nel, Jennifer Anne Nel, and Naina Rahman. After graduating from RustonHigh School, Kin attended Louisiana Tech University before transferring to Tulane University, where he earned aBachelorof Science in 1954 and his Doctor of Medicine in 1957. He completed his internship and residency in InternalMedicine at the University of Minnesota Hospitals in 1960, followed by aMaster of Science in InternalMedicine, Microbiology, and Immunologyin1961. Kin began his career in New Orleans in 1961 as afulltime instructor in Internal Medicine and Infectious Disease at Tulane University School of Medicine. In 1963, he began hiscareer at Ochsner Clinic as aconsultant in infectious disease, where he would remain for the duration of his medical

and

treatinghis patients with unwavering compassion. A true pioneer, he was one of the first physicians in the country to become boardcertifiedinInfectious Diseases in 1972.At Ochsner, he foundedthe Section of Infectious Diseases and later established the official department and its Fellowship Training Program, serving as Department Chair and Program Director from 1972 to 1994. Kin's contributions extended wellbeyond the OchsnerClinic and Hospital. He wascofounderofthe New Orleans Citywide Infectious Disease Conference, awell-attended eventwhich servesto foster collaborationand education amongthe infectiousdiseasedepartments of hospitals in the greater New Orleans area. Throughouthis career, Kin contributed to various local,national,and international committeesand boards, activelyshaping policy to advance the development and implementation of strategiesfor the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of infectious diseases. He wasfrequentlyinvited to serve as a speaker, presenter, exhibitor, andpanelistatlocal,national,and international conferences. He was actively involvedinnumerous clinical trials that produced many of the therapeutic treatments used today. Kin also maintained an activecommitment to bench laboratory research. He establishedand selffunded The Infectious Disease Research LaboratoryatOchsner in 1999 to support his research, which remains activetothis day pursuing the goalofdeveloping and validating an in vitro method forthe rapid determination of synergy betweentwo or moreantimicrobial agents against multi-drug-resistant bacteria and fungi. Thisresearch helpstocombat anti-microbial resistance and evaluate rapid diagnosis of infectious disease Throughout his careerKin held appointments at Tulane UniversitySchool of Medicine and Louisiana State University School of Dentistry. He was Senior Visiting Physicianat Charity HospitalinNew Orleans,servedas ConsultantPhysician with the Department of Medicine,Veterans Administration Medical Center in Biloxi, MS,and numerous otherinstitutions. The designation of Masterofthe American College of Physicians in 2002,Ochsner's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022,the American Medical AssociationPhysician Recognition Award 19781981,the Clinician Award from the Infectious Disease Society of America 1996,Tulane Medical AlumniAssociation's Outstanding Alumnus Awardin2015are someof themost prestigious accolades he received. Kinwas aproud member of the Kappa AlphaFraternity, theEmpireClub, The Huguenot Society, Sonsof the American Revolution and a32nd degreeMaster Mason in Louisiana Lodge #102, Free and Accepted Masons. Attending almost every homegame,Kin was adedicated Saintsfan and held season tickets from the franchise'sverybeginning. He loveda good book,a glass of wine, and alivelygameofbridge. His home was always filled with music, from 50s and 60s classics to the tropical sounds of Jimmy Buffett. Mostofall,heloved being with his family, especially when traveling. He and his beloved wife, Pat, shared the adventures of their lifetimestogetherontwo world cruises. We who mourn the passing of Kin are forever grateful for his friendship, compassion, love, and support. Our family wouldliketothank the Passionate Careteamand Saint Anna's staff forthe remarkablecaregivento Kin. Their compassion and dedicationmade adifference we willnever forget Visitationwillbeheldat Lake LawnMetairie

shared online at green‐woodfh.com

Summers,Verline Rushing

VerlineRushing Sum‐merspassedawayon March 16, 2026, at theage of86. Verlineissurvivedby her sonBreezeEricSum‐mers, hislovingcompan‐ion ZsaZsa Hill,three beautiful compassionate given grandchildren; Gor‐don,Nia,and London (of Victorville,California),sis‐ter,Catherine Dunn (New Orleans,LA),brother,Vic‐tor L. Rushing, Sr.(NewOr‐leans,LA),sister; Lottie Rushing Smith(NewOr‐leans,LA),along with a hostofnieces, nephews, cousins,and friendswho loved herdearly. Family and friendsare invitedto attendthe Memorial Ser‐viceonWednesday,April 8, 2026, for12:00 p.m. at De‐sireFlorida Multi-Purpose Center, 3250 Industry St New Orleans, LA 70126 PastorFredLuter,Jr. ofﬁci‐ating.Interment will be pri‐vate. Guestbook Online: www.anewtraditionbegins com (504) 282-0600. Linear BrooksBoydand Donavin D.BoydOwners/FuneralDi‐rectors

Jo Annwas agraduate of Mandeville High School. Later,she graduatedfrom Southeastern Louisiana University. Whilelivingin Shreveport, LA, Jo Annpassionately served for many years as thePresident of St.VincentdePaul. Jo Annwas family-oriented, loving,kind, humble, caringand loyal. From ayoung age, as theeldest, Jo Annalways wanted to take care of hersiblings with love,discipline, and laughter. In doingso, her wisdom and love of God, country, and community, neverwavered throughout life'strials. Jo Annwillbedeeply anddearly missed by all whoknewher andmet her. Herbrightlight andsmile will be carriedinour hearts forever. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Harold MahlonVesperJr. Memorial Scholarship Fund, Northshore TechnicalCommunity College.

Relativesand friends are invited to theFuneral Mass at OurLady of the Lake Catholic Church,312 LafitteStreet, Mandeville LA, on Friday, April 10, 2026 at 11:00 AM with visitation beginningat10:30 AM until service time.Interment will follow theservice at St.Joseph Abbey Cemetery,75376 River Road,St. Benedict, LA, 70457.

prideand happiness. Charles bravelyservedin the United States Navy and graduated from Louisiana State University in NewOr‐leans,where he earned a BachelorofScience.His militaryservice andeduca‐tionprovideda strong foundationfor thelifeand workthatfollowed. He re‐tired from SupShips after a long anddedicated ca‐reer.Through hisyears of work, he wasknown forhis reliability andstrongwork ethic.Charles wasanavid gun collectorand took great prideinhis collec‐tion. He wasa devout Catholic whose faith guidedhim throughout his life. Hisdevotiontothe church wasanimportant partofwho he was, andit gavehim comfort, pur‐pose, andstrengthinboth joyfuland difﬁcult times. Charles’s presence will be deeply missedbyall who knewand lovedhim.His legacywillcontinuetolive oninthe familyhetrea‐sured,the values he up‐held, andthe many memo‐riesheleavesbehind. Rela‐tives andfriends arein‐vited to attend avisitation onThursday, April9,2026, from10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.atAudubon Funeral HomeinSlidell. AFuneral Masswillbegin in the chapelat11:00 a.m. Charles will be laid to rest inOur Lady of Prompt Suc‐cor Cemetery in Westwego following Mass. In lieu of ﬂowers, donationsto Catholic Charitiesare ap‐preciated.Memoriesand condolences maybeex‐pressedatwww.Audubon FuneralHome.com.

WilliamWarren“Billy” Riordanpassedawayon March30, 2026, in Metairie Louisiana, at theage of 61, surrounded by hisloving family andfriends.Born August 5, 1964, in NewOr‐leans, Billywas knownfor hiswarmthand easy man‐ner, leavinga lastingim‐pression on allwho knew him. He broughtcomfort throughhis presence and showed hiscareincount‐less quietways, marked by thecompassionand loy‐alty that deﬁnedhim.He wasthe belovedson of the late Brenda Riordanand JimRiordan,Sr.,and was preceded in deathbyhis brothers,Jim Riordan, Jr andhis twin,Walter“Rob‐bie” Riordan, as well as his nephew,William “Reed”Ri‐ordan. He is survived by his siblings:RickRiordan,Sr. andhis wife Shannon; Patti Davisand herhusband Tim; Dean Riordanand his wife Katie; and Paige Baggett andher husband Lee. He also leaves behind histen nieces and nephews: Madeline and herhusband Ben; Brandon andhis wife Payton;Demi andher husband Shane; Bryce; Riley; Ricky; Parker; Gracie;Jackson;and Noah He is furthersurvivedby hissix great-nieces and great-nephews: Oakley Harper,Isabella, Ben, Hayes, andSonny.Billy spentmuchofhis profes‐sional life in theautomo‐tive industry alongthe Gulf Coast. He will be remem‐beredbyhis many friends at Pass Cigars in Pass Christian, Mississippi wherehewas knownasa barbecue master who lovedbringingpeopleto‐gether.Hewas always the ﬁrsttostepupfor afriend in need andmadea lasting difference in thelives of thosearound him. AMass will be held on Thursday, April9,2026, at 1:00 PM at Greenwood Funeral Home, 5200 CanalBlvd.,New Or‐leans, LA.Visitationwill beginat11:00 AM,with burial to follow at Green‐wood Cemetery.Memories andcondolences canbe

Tabor,Walter C. Plumbers & SteamfittersLocal Union 60: Funeral services were recently held forour late Brother WalterC.Tabor,Jr. at St. John theEvangelist CatholicChurch, Thibodaux, LA.Byorder of JacobR.Newton,President

Attest:Ronald R. Rosser, Business Manager Pankey, George Atkinson

Jo Ann Vesper,age 64, of Abita Springs, LA,entered eternal rest on Friday morning, March 27, 2026. She wasborninGreenville, MS, on August 24, 1961, to HaroldMahlon Vesper, Sr. and Nancy Amelia Mangialardi Vesper. She is preceded in death by her father; brother, HaroldMahlonVesper Jr.; grandparents, Guerino and MafaldaMangialardi, Dorothy Zillmerand Harold Liston Vesper. Jo Ann is survived by her mother, Nancy; her sister, Lisa Renee Vesper; brother, StevenListon Vesper and his wife, Gina; niece, RachelleAdorno and her husband,Mattand their children Rileyand Cameron; niece, Rebecca Hanagriff and her husband, Jason and their children,Jaseand Mia.

CharlesVoelkel Jr., aresidentof Pascagoula,Missis‐sippi forover40 years,passedawayon April 2, 2026, at theage of 95. He wasbornonJune 15, 1930, in NewOrleans Louisiana,tohis loving parents,the late Charles Voelkel Sr.and Barbara SchwartzVoelkel.Charles was preceded in deathby his wife,Annabelle Voelkel, withwhomheshared36 devoted yearsofmarriage; two sons,MarkVoelkel (Brenda)and Charles Voelkel III; andthree sib‐lings,LeonieAlessi,Steve Voelkel,and HenryVoelkel Charles leaves behind,to cherish hismemory, eight children, DavidVoelkel (Mary), CathyVoelkel,Bar‐baraPoche (Raymond), Paula Frazier(Taylor), Danny Voelkel(Karen), Theresa Oakes(Frank), JenniferCallicoatte (Judd), and Rachel Romaine(Neil), aswellasnumerous grandchildren,greatgrandchildren,and greatgreat-grandchildren,all of whombrought himgreat

VoelkelJr.,Charles

Vesper, Jo Ann

OUR VIEWS

La.celebrates more money forcoast,but must use it smartly

Credit House Majority Leader SteveScalise, R-Jefferson, for an extra $47.4 millionthisyear for coastal restoration and hurricaneprotection in Louisiana. And credit formerSen. Mary Landrieu for securing the original funding stream to which Scalise now has added Now the onus is on Louisiana’sstate ofﬁcials to make sure the money is usedwisely,based on sound science rather thanonpolitics.

The money comes from the GulfofMexico Energy Security Act of 2006 (GOMESA), which now sends up to 37.5% of earnings fromthe federal government’s Gulf energy production to the four statesoff whose shores the production occurs. Landrieu spentthe better part of nine years painstakingly building congressional supportfor the act, for which shewas thechief sponsor. Itspassage wasone ofthe signature triumphs of her three terms in ofﬁce.

In last year’s so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Scalise worked hard to add language increasingthe cap on theamount of money to be shared with those states. Louisiana’s portion increased from $156.3 million in 2025 to $203.7 millionthisyear. That’smore than a30% increase.

Themoregenerous amounts stemming from the higher cap are slated to last through 2034 an entirelyfair arrangement, considering that the four Gulf states do so much to support the exploration while sufferingthe risks involved Frankly,there shouldbeno hardnumerical cap at all, but considering how much political competition rages for every possible federaldollar, the larger outlay and indeed GOMESA’s very existence provide testamenttothe persuasive abilities through the years of Scalise,Landrieu andtheir Gulf-statecolleagues

Most of Louisiana’smoney goes toits Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, while some of it goes directly to parish governments for local projects. GOMESAgrants in thepast have gone to everything from marsh creation to shoreline stabilization,levee improvements barrier-island restoration and drainage projects. Even with all of these beneﬁts,however,variousentitiesinLouisiana constantlyﬁghtabout exactly how to spend the money.Just in the past year,Gov.Jeff Landry’s administration canceled two river diversion projects on which hundreds of millions of dollars already had been spent. Thestate’sCoastal Master Planwas supposedtouse sound science to guide thespending from GOMESA and other sources, while warding off such stops and starts. It would behoove policymakers to use hard data,not political pressure, to determine how theseextra fundsare spent. Thatwas the original and essentialpromise of themaster plan For Congress to lift the GOMESAcap entirely, or extend the larger payments beyond2034, the state will need to showitisusingthe money wisely andwell.

LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR ARE WELCOME. HERE AREOUR

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

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

YOUR VIEWS

Educatekidsondangers of AI-generated porn

Louisianalawmakers have introduced three new bills to curb theproliferation of AI-generated child pornography

As amother,Iamappreciative of legislators’ attempts to protect children, especially young girls, who make up 99% of all deepfake AI-child related porn images. For adults whocreate and distributethis material, proposed penalties —uptoﬁve years in prison and placement on the sex offender registry —are appropriate. But what about for school-aged students who create and share images of their classmates, siblings and friends? Themiddle school student in Lafourche Parishisnot alone. According to the National Center for Missing &Exploited Children, AI-generated nude imagesof minorsare often created by peers“as a prank,” fueling school-based abuse and anew formofdigital bullying. Today, all it takes to become aperpetrator is a phone. We cannot arrest our way out of this. Expecting the legal system to track and prosecute everychild involved is neither realistic nor effective. If we

focus only on punishment after harm occurs, we will always be too late. Preventionmust be thepriority As aformer educator,Ibelieve Louisiana mustinvest in statewide, age-appropriate education for students, parents and teachers—similar to the DARE program. Young people need clear guidance in adigital world where asingle photo can be weaponized, sometimes without full understanding of the consequences. Lessons should include: n the legal ramiﬁcations and potential criminal liability; n the deep psychological and emotional harminﬂicted on victims; n clear school or districtwide reporting protocols; n the rights of victims and available supports.

Integrating education about AI-generated pornography is anecessary evolutionofstudent safety in adigital age.In the long term, it’s abetter investment in Louisiana’smostprecious resource our kids

JULIENNE LEWIS NewOrleans

Thereare many ways forcitytomitigatetrash fee

Iserved on the sanitation committeefor former Mayor MarcMorial Jr We discovered that thetipping fees for dumping into the landfill were the greatestexpense. The city has overlooked this for years. There has been continual renovationsince the flood. Mostplaces only rent adumpster for the first wave of deconstruction, then they place the construction materials into the trash bin, which is thentipped into the most expensive landfill. This mustbestopped. The bin mustnot be emptied and a trash truckshould be called, witha large

fine being applied tocover the cost. That costhas to be to separate the actual garbage from theconstruction materials in order for them to go into the correct fill. They should have to call and request a construction pickup forafee. Another point to raise: Since the flood, package delivery has grown exponentially,and there is no fee collected from the deliveryservices for thethousands of boxes, for which thecostisbeing picked up by the citywithnorecompense.

GRETCHEN BOMBOY NewOrleans

Literacy is keytoadvancing opportunityinrural La

Rural Louisianafaces unique challenges. Rural districts face persistent teacher shortages, fewer instructional resources, transportation barriers, broadband gaps and higher poverty rates.Every year achild falls behind in reading, the gap widens, and in rural communities,that gap can deﬁne a child’sentire future.

The path forward requires urgency and action. Louisiana has proven that theright policies work. Now we must ensure they work for every child, in ev-

ery community,byexpanding literacy interventions in rural schools, strengthening the teacher pipeline and investing in early childhood literacy We cannot slow down. Literacy is not just thefoundation of education. It is thefoundation of opportunity and the future of our state dependsonwhat we do next

JOHN WYBLE state representative,District75and chief executiveofficer of The Center forLiteracy& Learning

Moreno’s reasoning on MPERS seemsfaulty

In response to NewOrleans Mayor Heleno Moreno throwing the MPERS, or the Municipal Police Employees Retirement System, under the bus:

Iamjust an Average Joe, but it seems to me that the mayor is completely wrong to claim the retention bonuses should not be calculated toward police officers’ retirement funds. Ibelieve that if the bonus is claimed on apolice officer’stax document as income, and taxes are paid on the bonus, as Iexpect they are, it seems obvious that the bonus must be added to the officer’sretirement calculations. If any CPAdisagrees with me,please advise. Moreno and the other mayors should have been notified by their own CPAs that this was coming, that it is only fair and that most likely the MPERS $3 million request will hold up in court. Abig “thank you” to all police officers who risk their lives for us day in and day out.

DAVID LANDRIEU NewOrleans

Harmscausedby slammers go unrepented

Greed at itsmost evil. Five hours of deliberation after three weeks of convincing testimonytorender aguiltyverdictonnearlyevery count Now,who is goingtoapologize to themany CDL drivers who lost theirjobsthroughnofault of their own?

Or to thetrucking companies that went outofbusiness duetounmanageable insurance premiums?

Or to every singleLouisianadriver paying increased premiums? Or to theduped slammers who put theirlivesindanger, as well as those of children?

Or to thefamily of themurdered slammer set up by thedefendants? Or to thelegal profession as a whole, which often faces public scrutiny due to afew badactors? This levelofgreed is almostincomprehensible.The guiltyparties owe everyone affected an apology. Will they?We’llsee.

MIKEDELAHOUSSAYE Madisonville

AngelReese is no Atlanta Barbie.She’s BayouBarbie.

Will Sutton

Maryland-born and reared Angel Reese was aheck of ahighschool basketball player and astandout at the University of Marylandbefore she traveled south to be apart of LSU women’sbasketball coach Kim Mulkey’samazing team rebuild. Shebecame our own Bayou Barbie, and her career took off, new nickname andall. Quick. What was her high school nickname? Uh-huh. OK. What was her Maryland nickname? Well, OK.Nothing, eh?

Youdon’thave to be an LSUwomen’s basketball fan to know the name Bayou Barbie.

Reese ﬁnished her LSU career with an average of 20.9 points and14.4 rebounds in two seasons as aTiger.Only afew players get triple-doubles ever, and only some get double-doubles in their entire careers.Reese got 34 double-doubles while in Baton Rouge. Of course, she led her team to theNCAA basketball national championship in 2023, whupping phenom Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes,102-85. If she wanted it, she was deﬁnitely going pro. She was drafted by the Chicago Sky She became, er,Chi-town Barbie. Not the same ring as Bayou Barbie, but OK. An LSU fan gave her the nickname, and it stuck. Even beyondLSU.She scored 40 double-doubles in only 54 games in the WNBA, the fastest ever by aleague player

Now she’soff to the Atlanta Dream. Reese is so hotthat her Atlanta Dream jerseys sold out in ashort time after the Chi-ATL trade was announced. She became ATLBarbie.

I’m an Angel Reesefan. She’sjoining the team with the best 2025 WNBA Eastern Conference record.ThisReese addition could move the Dream into the playoffs and onto ateam-ﬁrst WNBA championship.

LSU and Louisiana loved Reese, even those who didn’tknow what todowith her, because she was so darn good. Chicagoliked Reese, but it was too cold a place forher to catch ﬁre. The ATLwill love Reese. They’ll love her ﬂair and herfashion.They’ll love her sayings and her slang.They’ll love her play off thecourt and on thecourt.

Didyou really think Trump wouldlower prices?

Donald Trump’sassault on our democratic institutions did notstop voters from giving him asecondterm. The top reason they cited for reelecting him was the economy,notably their unhappiness over high prices

“She is about to run this city,” an excited Atlanta friend shared with me. All that love won’tmake her aGeorgiaPeach or an ATLBarbie. She might be Bayou Barbie in the ATL. Or ATL’sBayou Barbie. If Reese and theAtlanta Dream don’t mind, Ioffer my diplomatic and gracefulsuggestions: Peachy Dream Delilah Dream ATLAlley,orAtlanta Alley-oop ATLBarbie doesn’twork for me. Louisiana hasatleast 400 named bayous in 62 of our 64 parishes Georgia has none. Georgia is known as the Peach State, yettheyproduce fewer peaches than California or South Carolina. That’s OK. Georgia produces far morepeaches than Louisiana does. Atlanta is no Baton Rouge. Baton Rouge is Louisiana’sstate capital, and alot of business gets conducted there. Butthe cityhas no Fortune 500 companies. Atlanta is amassive metro area, with more than 15 Fortune 500 companies. Someyears the Baton Rouge airport might movemore than 900,000 people. Every year Atlanta, the world’s busiest airport,sees more than 100 million passengers. And, like it or not,Atlanta is Hollywood South. Think Angel Reese, the rapper,the fashion model, theactress, themovie director and producer Maybe something as simple as Atlanta Angel might work —until she establishes herself as aHollywood South mogul. As for me, Reesewas, and always will be, our Bayou Barbie.

During the campaign, Trump promisedto“bring prices down, starting on Day One.” How he would do this was left to our imagination. It seemed something alongthe lines of using his awesome powers to freeze prices andevenmakesome melt. Thatand apack of lies.

Twodaysback in ofﬁce, Trump issued a “Fact Sheet”headlined “President Donald J. Trump Delivers Emergency Price Relief for American FamiliestoDefeat the Cost-ofLiving Crisis.” Oh? Did you feel thatinstant “pricerelief” by virtue of Trump simply walking over the White House threshold once again?

His loyaldefenders arguedthat, hey, that’s howTrump talks. Give him some time and he’ll bring the costofliving to heel.Trump has hadwellovera year to work his magic, andso let’ssee howhis promises to enrich ordinary Americanshavepanned out.

n DOGE checks. Rememberthem? Trump said in February 2025 that he was“considering” aplantosendtaxpayers some of the savings achieved by Elon Musk’sDepartment of Government Efﬁciency.Hethrewout the number$5,000.

Email Will Sutton at wsutton@theadvocate.com.

Verdictagainst Meta,Google carriessinisterimplications

The most sinister idea in modern politics has received aCalifornia jury’s endorsement and much applause. It contradicts democracy’sfoundational belief in individual agency

This concept presupposes that individuals can, in commonparlance, “make up their minds.” They can assemble and edit their beliefs and convictions. When this idea is diluted, government expands its ambition to curate the public’sconsciousness.

As Congress did when banning Chinese-owned TikTok ostensibly for “national security” reasons.For the ﬁrst time, Congress targeted aspeciﬁc speechforum because of conjectural harms that might result from what a congressional committeecalled “divisive narratives.”

Victims Law Center will now no doubt facilitate atsunami of litigation more lucrativethan coherent.

Nowadays, some college students are unashamed about, even proud of, their brittleness. They demand “safe spaces” to protect them from being “triggered” by the “trauma” of “microaggressions.” Note how linguistic inﬂation is agateway to the coveted status of victim.

The numberofDOGE checks issued: Zero. n Tariff checks. Come August, Trump ﬂoated the ideaofsharing the fruit of his trade war with the people.Hetalked of sending some tariff revenue back to Americans in the form of dividends.

The numberoftariff dividend checks issued: Zero n Prescriptions 1,500% cheaper.Trump’snegotiators did getdrug companies to “promise” discounts on asmall number of drugs. That led Trump to immediately announce something thatwas demonstrably untrue:“We noware paying the lowest price anywhere in the world for drugs.”

George Will

The California jury weighed the claims of anow 20-year-old woman who began using YouTube at age6 and Instagram when 9. She says her many emotional and social problems were caused not by her troubled family life but by those platforms. (Although one of her analysts said she did not talk about them.) The jury agreed with her claims. It said, confusingly,that Metaand Google werenegligent and deliberateindesigning algorithms and otherdevices that make the platforms’ content “addictive.”

Reportingand commentaries about this case have employeda credulous vocabulary of approval. The juryheld YouTube and Instagram “accountable” for engineered “addiction ”Social media “survivors” have survived being “hooked” —aterm often used concerning heroin —bythe platforms’ algorithms. (Although they donot deliver,ascigarettes do, an identiﬁable addictive ingredient.) An algorithm that directs content according to the scroller’spast behavior “can feel like apuppet master.” The Social Media

Many beneficial technologies andpopular social developments are misused by small portions of their users. People drive aggressively,consume alcohol excessively and gamble recklessly Fast-food chains profit from heavy,in several senses, users. Some peoplederivefrom such behaviors pleasure so powerful that their brain chemistry causes in them supposedly irresistible cravings for dangerous repetitions. Medicalizing this by terming it “addiction” gives ascientific patinatowhatisa contestable politicalphilosophical stance of helplessness.

The California plaintiff’s lawyer compared Instagram and YouTube to the free tortilla chips that some restaurants give customers. Thereby creating,what, aﬂeeting mealtime “addiction?”

The plaintiff blamed large corporations for her adolescent sadness, body dysmorphia (dismay about her appearance) and other consequences of her obsessive consumption of the corporations’ products. Such blaming ﬂows from this toxic idea: Individual agency is so ﬂimsy and attenuated that accountability for an individual’s behaviormust be located beyond the individual. This infantilizing premise leads to paternalism, then to domestic authoritarianism. If human beings are soft wax, passively shaped by thepromptings of the culture in which they are situated, then controllingthe culture becomes an imperative and encompassing political

project.Government must guarantee thewholesomeness, as government defines this,ofeverything said, read, heard, thought and taught. Afew years ago, aSenate committee approved legislation empowering government officials toforce social media platformstoremove material that could “harm” minors. Harm,however,has become an elastic and metastasizingconcept: Minors are said to be harmed by content that makes them “anxious.”Reducing the anxiety of adolescents will keep government busy Exaggerating theprecarityof children is not new.Inthe 1950s, it produced amoral panic about 10-cent comic books, scores of millions of which were sold weekly.Then, as now, causation was casually asserted, not rigorously proven. A400-page bestseller,“Seduction of the Innocent:The Influence of Comic BooksonToday’s Youth” (1954), fueled anti-comic crusaders who said comics caused juvenile delinquency.Batman and Robin? Homoerotic tendencies. Superman’s light-on-due-process crime fighting? Crypto-fascism. Betty and Veronica of the“Archie” comics soon were drawn with looser-fitting blouses. Days after the California jury reached itssocial media verdict,the New Civil Liberties Alliance reached asettlement concerning thefederal government’s —the Biden administration’s —attempts,often successful, to suppresswhat it called “misinformation”about the coronavirus pandemic. Much of this speech was true; all was constitutionally protected. It is prudent to assume that thegovernment, under whichever party,will remain determined tocurate the internet for thepurpose of social control Bandying accusations of “addiction” and other hypothetical “harms,”itwill build upon what the California jury did. Email George Will at georgewill@washpost.com.

Meanwhile, ourmedian price forhundreds of brand-name drugs has risen 4% this year Not to quibble with Trump’smath, but a 100% reductionwould drive those drug prices down to zero.A1,500% reduction is amathematical absurdity n Credit-cardinterest ratescappedat10% On Jan.10, Trump posted his call for that 10% limit on credit-card APRs (annual percentage rates). It was to start 10 days laterand last a year.Headdeda threat to his decree: Creditcardcompanieswould be “in violation of the law” if theydidn’tlower their rates as ordered. As it happens, presidents don’thave the legalauthority to forcecredit-card companies to slash their interest rates. Spring is here,and the average credit-card APR is about21%.That’shigher than 10%, don’tyou think?

n Gas under $2. Trump promised that, but the war with Iran is incompatible with cheap gasoline. The U.S. average price fora gallonof regulargasoline currently stands at over $4. n Lower grocery prices. On the campaign trail, Trump said, “A vote forTrump means your grocerieswill be cheaper.” Since Trump returnedtooffice, the consumer priceindex for “food at home”shows grocery prices up about2.4%.That’snot ahuge jump, but in no way does it translate into “cheaper groceries.” Joe Bideninherited messed-up supply chains in the wake of COVID. That was the main driverofhis inflationnumbers, though the stimulus spending didn’thelp. But whenBiden left office, the inflation rate was down to 3% Forthe record, it’snow 2.4%. There was much Ididn’tloveabout Kamala Harris, but Trump’sattempt to violently overthrowthe results of the 2020 electionwas the ultimate deal-killer for reelecting him. To me, the sanctity of American elections mattered more thanthe priceofahamburger. Many others, obviously,disagreed.

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

Froma Harrop

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By HANSPENNINK

LSU’sAngel Reese bringsthe ball up courtduring the first quarter of an Elite Eight roundcollege basketball game against Iowa during the NCAA Tournament in 2024.

Pelicans spin recordsinhomeﬁnale

Pelicans guard Jeremiah Fears, left, slaps hands with center Derik Queen during Tuesday’sgame against the Utah Jazz at the Smoothie King Center.Fears scored 40 points in the Pelicans’ 156-137 win.

BY LES EAST Contributing writer

ThePelicans concludedtheir home schedule with arecord-setting 156137 victoryover theUtahJazzon Tuesday in the Smoothie King Center

Thegamefeatureda lot of unfamiliar faces as interim coach James Borrego chose to take an extended look at the team’syoungest players.

Theyoungsters hada lot of fun, especially in the second half when New Orleans set afranchise recordfor points in ahalf (95) as it ﬁnishedwith

afranchise-record total for the game.

The Pelicans played without five injured players —Trey Murphy (ankle), Dejounte Murray(hand), Yves Missi (hand), Karlo Matkovic (back) and Bryce McGowens (toe) —and the team held out startersZion Williamson, Saddiq Bey andHerb Jones. New Orleans (26-54) took control when it scored afranchise-record 50 pointsinthe third quarterasJordan Poole had22ofhis 34 points.The Pelicans ended an eight-game losing streak and won its eighth straight against the Jazz (21-59),whichlost its

Room to run?

6yards

BY LUKE JOHNSON Staff writer

Perhaps no positiongroup onthe Saints roster is as crowded —and potentially in ﬂux —asthe runningbacks.

New Orleans has anew topback after committing big money to free agent Travis Etienne (four years, $52 million) to address its problem of ﬁnding explosive runs. Etienne ripped off 26 runs of 10 or more yards in 2025,puttinghim in thesame company as Saquon Barkley(28),Christian

McCaffrey (27) and Jahmyr Gibbs (27).As agroup, Saints running backs had 20 such runs last season.

Etienne joinsessentially thesame Saints running back room as last year,but several of those players come with questions.

AlvinKamara is coming offhis worst season as aprofessional and is entering the ﬁnal year of hiscontract. Kendre Miller

showed promise before suffering aserious knee injuryinOctober,and he never hasplayedmorethaneight gamesinan NFLseason.Devin Neal andAudric Estimé showed glimpses in largerlate-season roles, butboth are better situated to be complementary backs. Anotherrecent signing, Ty Chandler,has averaged better than 3.3 yards per carry only onceinfour seasons. This is aground attack that ﬁnished last season ranked 28th in yards rushing per

See SAINTS, page 3C

Woodland’s

10thstraight overall.

NewOrleansstarted Poole and fellow veteran KevonLooney along with rookies Jeremiah Fears, DerikQueen andMicah Peavy Fears scored arookie franchise record with 40 points;Jordan Hawkins hada season-high 25; Peavy scored a season-high 20; andQueen added 17 points and11rebounds.

ThePelicans, who conclude the season with games at Boston on Friday andatMinnesotaonSunday, ﬁnished

Kiffin: Leavittto miss rest of spring

BY REED DARCEY and KOKI RILEY Staff writers

Coach Lane Kifﬁn said Tuesday he expects LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt to miss the rest of spring practice.

Leavitt wasnot spotted in the portion of Tuesday’s session that was open to the media, and Kiffin said his absence was planned. The Arizona State transfer underwent a procedure Mondaytoremove the pins in hissurgically repaired right foot, and nowhe’soncrutches.

“None of this is asurprise,” Kiffin said. “This is the timeline we expected.Hehad ascrew removed (Monday), and everything went well. That was something that, goinginto it,weweregoing to know —that unfortunately,he was gonna miss spring. Alot of it. But that was gonna allow the other guys opportunities.” Leavitt,anArizona State transfer, wasa limitedparticipantin LSU’sfirst six springsessions. He threw to receivers in individual work, but he did notrun the offense in team drills. Kiffin said that the Tigers’ first practice March 24 was the first time the juniorwas throwingormoving his lower bodysince he underwent surgery in the fall. In 2025, Leavitt played seven games. He visitedLSU on Jan 6and signed with the Tigers on Jan. 12, after Kiffin flew to Knoxville,Tennessee, to meet with him around avisit he had scheduled with the Vols.

Rabalais

ä Teetimes, notes. PAGE 4C

ä Thursday, Friday (NOON2P.M.,PRIME; 2-6:30 P.M.ESPN).

ä Saturday, Sunday (11

A.M.-1 P.M., PARAMOUNT+; 1-7 P.M.CBS).

AUGUSTA, Ga. Gary Woodland thought someone was trying to kill him

As he reached the ninth hole two weeks ago during the second roundofthe Texas Children’sHouston Open, Woodlandwas overwhelmed with apalpablefeeling that his life was in danger

“I battled the last 10 holes thinking peoplewere trying to kill me,” Woodlandsaid here Tuesday during araw, emotional pre-Masters tournament news conference. Woodland, the 2019 U.S. Open champion, suffers from PTSD —post-traumatic stress disorder.Itisa byproductofsurgery he had in September 2023 to remove a benign braintumor Woodland fortunatelysurvived that battle, but another battle still rages within his head.Hehas many potential triggers.

“I don’thave control when

this thing hits me,” Woodland said, “and it’stough. It can be afan. It can be awalking scorekeeper.Itcan be acamera guy running by me. Just any (startle) frombehind

me can triggerthis pretty quickly.” Amazingly,the 41-yearoldwon thetournament at Houston’sMemorial Park by awhopping ﬁve strokesover

Nicolai Hojgaard. It was his first win since his careerdefining U.S. Open victory seven yearsago at Pebble Beach. Woodland missed the Masters in 2025 after his five-year U.S. Open exemption expired. His game, as onecan imagine, took amultiyear downturnbecause of his brain tumor and then the PTSD. Like every player,heprofessed his love forthe Masters and Augusta National. He said he drove alittle slower down Magnolia Lane when he arrived this week than he ever did during his 12 previous starts.But Woodland admitted punching a ticket to this year’sMasters was thefurthestthing from his frequently turbulent thoughts after he won in Houston.

LSUalso addedSouthernCaliforniatransfer Husan Longstreet and Elon transfer Landen Clark in the offseason. Longstreet ranthe ﬁrst-team offense in the brief team drill the Tigers ran Tuesday during the viewing window of practice. Kiffin said he isn’tconcerned that Leavitt’sabsence willdisrupt the process of integrating him into an overhauled offense, in large part because he’salready had to learn twonew playbooks in his career —once during his one-year stop at MichiganState andagain when he joined the Sun Devils.

“I just feel nowadays,” Kiffin said, “it’salittle easier to play quarterback than it used to be years ago, as farashow long you’ve been there. Youlook around the country,people transferand go play at new places.”

Kifﬁn also pointed out that his last starting quarterback, Trinidad Chambliss, didn’tstart practicing with his OleMiss team until the summer. Leavitt is already much further along at LSU.

“He’sdone agreat job mentally,” Kifﬁnsaid, “in meetings and walkthroughs, and he wasable to throw someindividual before this procedure.”

Here’swhat else stood out from a 20-minute glimpse into LSU’s seventh spring practice.

Scott

Leavitt

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTOByBUTCH DILL

Notre Dame runningback Jadarian PriceistackledbyOhio State safety Caleb Downsduringthe CollegeFootball Playoff national championship game on Jan. 20, 2025, in Atlanta.Price averaged

per carry last season for theIrish.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MICHAEL WyKE Gary Woodland places his ball on the ninth green during the final round of the Houston Open on March 29 in Houston.

STAFFPHOTO By BRETT DUKE

Jones is coming back to LSU

Former head coach and player is joining Wade’s coaching staff

BY TOYLOY BROWN III

Staff writer

Another familiar is joining the LSU men’s basketball coaching staff. Will Wade is hiring former Tigers head coach and player Johnny Jones as an assistant, multiple sources confirmed to The Advocate. This is the second staff move Wade has made after hiring former Mississippi State head coach Rick Stansbury as associate head coach Jones, 65, is resigning as head coach of Texas Southern (201826). Before his most recent job, he led LSU (2012-17) to a 90-72 record and an NCAA Tournament berth in 2014-15, losing to NC State in the first round. He was fired after the Tigers went 1021 and finished tied for last in the Southeastern Conference with a 2-16 record.

Jones started as an assistant on Dale Brown‘s LSU staff from 198497. He was known as an impressive recruiter, helping sign NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal He also helped recruit two-time All-American Chris Jackson (now MahmoudAbdulRauf). His ties to LSU start as a player for Brown from 1981-84. He played on the 1981 Final Four

2017 and took the Tigers to three NCAA Tournament appearances in ﬁve years, is back for his second stint after being fired for cause in 2022.

The transfer portal window ofﬁcially opened on Tuesday Third signee backs off

Johnson, Daniel go deep as LSU softball team rolls

The No. 21 LSU softball team scored three runs in the ﬁrst inning and four in the sixth to defeat Central Arkansas 9-1 via the mercy rule in six innings Tuesday at Tiger Park.

The Tigers (26-13) received home runs from Riley Johnson and Sierra Daniel. Johnson’s shot led off the fourth inning and gave LSU a 4-1 lead. Daniel’s two-run blast in the sixth put LSU up 7-1.

Tori Edwards’ run-scoring double made the score 8-1, and Maci Bergeron’s single to left-center ﬁeld triggered the mercy rule.

team and started 54 games overall. He is the only person in program history to both play and coach in a Final Four He was an assistant during the 1986 tournament run.

Jones led Texas Southern (1218, 10-8 SWAC) to a fourth-place ﬁnish in its conference this season. He guided the program to three straight NCAA Tournament berths from 2021-23 Wade, who replaced Jones in

Nwoko hits portal

LSU starting center Mike Nwoko will enter the transfer portal with a “do not contact” tag, his agent told The Advocate on Tuesday

The junior played one year at LSU averaging 13.4 points on 61% shooting overall and 5.9 rebounds in 21.8 minutes per game. The 6-foot-10, 261-pound big had five 20-point games and shot 76.1% from the free-throw line.

The news of Nwoko’s entry into the portal comes eight days after Wade was introduced as the new coach of LSU.

Nwoko is a native of Toronto and played at Mississippi State as a sophomore. He started his college career at Miami.

He is the seventh player to announce he will enter the transfer portal from coach Matt McMahon‘s roster, joining Dedan Thomas, Ron Zipper, Mazi Mosley, Jalen Reed, Matt Gilhool and Marcus Vaughns Thomas was the team’s top player In 16 games, he averaged 15.3 points and a team-leading 6.5 assists before having season-ending foot surgery in February.

The last member of LSU’s threeplayer recruiting class for the 2026 cycle announced he will not joint the program.

Four-star Herly Brutus was released from his signing by the Tigers, he announced on social media Tuesday The 6-foot-5, 180-pound wing is allowed to reopen his recruitment because of the coaching change.

Brutus is the No. 98-ranked player and No. 37 small forward, according to the 247Sports composite. He attends The Villages Charter School in Florida and committed to LSU under McMahon on Sept. 28.

He previously had offers from Saint Louis, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Houston, Gonzaga, Florida State, Utah and others.

Brutus joins Kevin Thomas and Vaughns as other 2026 signees who will not remain with LSU Thomas, a Florida native, requested his release on March 29.

The 6-6, 195-pound wing is ranked No. 78 player in the country, according to 247Sports.

Vaughns, a 6-8, 221-pound fourstar forward, enrolled early at LSU during the spring semester, joining the team the last week of December He attended the Centre of Excellence in Australia before coming to Baton Rouge. He announced his intention to enter the transfer portal on Friday

Michigan transfers carry program to national title

Wolverines outscore UConn 69-63 for NCAA championship

BY AARON BEARD AP basketball writer

INDIANAPOLIS Michigan’s Roddy Gayle snagged a ﬁnal rebound, then ﬂung the ball to the other end of the court, effectively ending UConn’s frantic bid for a miracle. The horn sounded, and Morez Johnson came over to share a celebratory scream and hearty hug — from one transfer to another as the Wolverines began running toward midcourt to celebrate a national championship. Maybe a school really can build an ideal college basketball roster amid the topsy-turvy chaos of the transfer portal, paying players and top-to-bottom overhauls.

Michigan proved it Monday night, rolling out an all-transfer starting lineup that was too big, too strong and too capable to succomb to anything that UConn could muster even on a night when the 3-point shot wasn’t falling and All-American Yaxel Lendeborg was hobbled by ankle and knee injuries.

The Wolverines still had enough to hold off the Huskies 69-63 and claim the program’s ﬁrst title in 37 years. And they showed how secondyear coach Dusty May assembled a resilient roster by diving all the way into the portal.

“Man, this whole year we were a team that played together,” Lendeborg said as he stood amid the confetti on the court at Lucas Oil Stadium. “We didn’t have a best player like I said before. We have a guy that steps up big-time in these games.

“We have players that make plays when they need to make them. And we just played a full all-around team basketball game today We did it.”

It didn’t matter that the Wolverines shot just 38% while making 2 of 15 3-pointers stunning numbers for a team that entered the NCAA Tournament ranked No 8 nationally in KenPom’s adjusted offensive efﬁciency (126.6 points per 100 possessions).

It didn’t matter that they were outrebounded — and gave up an incredible 22 offensive boards. Nor that Lendeborg carried an

forward

on Monday in Indianapolis.

awkward gait as he grinded his way through a 4-for-13 shooting effort in 36 minutes after twisting his left ankle and spraining a knee ligament in Saturday’s win over Arizona in the Final Four

Not the way these guys complemented each other on the sport’s biggest stage.

Point guard Elliot Cadeau, in his ﬁrst season after two up-anddown years at North Carolina, had 19 points and was named the Final Four’s most outstanding player Johnson, in his ﬁrst year from Illinois, had 12 points and 10 rebounds. The 7-foot-3

Aday Mara, in his ﬁrst year from UCLA, helped hold UConn big man Tarris Reed — who had been a March Madness force — to just 4-of-12 shooting.

“Nobody cared about stats the whole season. Nobody cared about nothing but winning,” Cadeau said.

Four of Michigan’s ﬁve starters were in their ﬁrst year after transferring: Cadeau, Johnson, Mara and Lendeborg (UAB)

The ﬁfth starter, Nimari Burnett, was practically a Michigan lifer by comparison; he was in his third season with the Wolverines, after starting his career at Texas Tech then spending two years

at Alabama. A similar story followed Gayle, a reserve who had spent two years at rival Ohio State before these last two years in Ann Arbor That left only two players in Michigan’s eight-man rotation who would qualify as “homegrown” talent: freshman Trey McKenney and ﬁfth-year graduate Will Tschetter

It’s an approach that tailored to the current era of the sport, with players transferring freely between campuses and cleared to proﬁt from the use of their name, image and likeness (NIL) along with schools able to pay athletes directly with the arrival of revenue sharing.

Purists have complained that the revolving door of players makes it harder for fans to get behind their schools than it was when most players spent multiple seasons in the same uniform. Transfers even featured prominently in an executive order signed last week by President Donald Trump seeking to reform college sports.

May shrugged off the critics on Sunday, noting, “I think we are all better in certain situations than others.” Athletic director Warde Man-

uel offered a similar defense on the court Monday night after the program claimed its ﬁrst national title since the Glen Rice-led Wolverines cut down the nets in Seattle in 1989.

“A lot of teams around the country benefited from transfers,” Manuel said. “You can’t just say, ‘Well, Michigan had the most transfers.’ Dusty put this team together the way he did.”

And it worked to perfection. By the end, Mara was jumping around with a few teammates after they had watched the “One Shining Moment” music montage of tournament highlights, with someone picking up a handful of confetti and tossing it into the air to ﬂutter around them.

“It’s important to get the right people on the bus,” assistant coach Justin Joyner said. “It’s important to get unselﬁsh guys that are about winning, that are about the group. We had that with the best of our players. Yaxel Lendeborg’s one of the most unselﬁsh superstars you’ll ever be around.

“So when you have that from the top, it permeates through your locker room, it permeates through your group. And eventually you can become a unit that’s about winning.”

Starting pitcher Tatum Clopton picked up the win by throwing 41/3 innings and allowing one earned run on three hits, two walks and seven strikeouts. Bergeron had three hits for LSU, and Daniel drove in three.

LSU women’s freshman

Hines enters transfer portal

LSU women’s basketball guard

Bella Hines confirmed on social media Tuesday that she plans to enter the transfer portal.

Hines, a 5-foot-10 freshman this past season, was one of the five recruits who signed with the Tigers in 2025 to form the nation’s top-ranked freshman class. She appeared in 33 of 35 games this season, earning more minutes as the year rolled along.

Two of those five freshmen are now on the move. Point guard Divine Bourrage announced her plans to find a new school on March 28 Hines scored 4.2 points per game while shooting 45% from the field and 37% from 3-point range for the season. She averaged 14 minutes per game in her last none contests.

Rangers await results of MRI on deGrom’s knee

ARLINGTON,Texas The Texas Rangers were awaiting results Tuesday of an MRI on Jacob deGrom’s right knee, though the two-time Cy Young Award winner said after his last start that everything checked out OK.

DeGrom experienced some mild knee discomfort before he pitched Monday night against Seattle, and was limited to 78 pitches over ﬁve innings because the Rangers didn’t want to push the 37-year-old righthander too hard. He allowed only one hit in his 250th career start, a ﬁrst-inning homer to Cal Raleigh in the Rangers’ 2-1 win. He struck out six and walked one before leaving with the game tied 1-1.

DeGrom went 4 2/3 innings while throwing 78 pitches on March 31 at Baltimore in an 8-5 Rangers win.

Cubs’ Horton headed for surgery, out rest of season

ST PETERSBURG, Fla. — Chicago Cubs pitcher Cade Horton will miss the rest of the 2026 season after an MRI revealed UCL damage in his right elbow Chicago manager Craig Counsell said Tuesday

“Cade is gonna have surgery,” Counsell said before the Cubs game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. “He’s gonna miss the rest of the year.”

The exact procedure, whether it will be a full Tommy John reconstruction or an internal brace repair, won’t be determined until surgeons go into the elbow Horton visited renowned elbow specialist Dr Keith Meister in Arlington, Texas. No surgery date has been set It will be the 24-year-old righthander’s second elbow reconstruction surgery

Lakers star LeBron sits out with left foot injury

LOS ANGELES LeBron James sat out the Los Angeles Lakers game against Oklahoma City on Tuesday night to rest an injured left foot. The Pacific Division champion Lakers are already without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, who are both sidelined for at least the rest of the regular season with signiﬁcant injuries. Doncic, Reaves and James are averaging a combined 77.6 points per game this season, or 66.5% of the Lakers’ typical nightly scoring output. The 41-year-old James has been

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By AJ MAST

Michigan

yaxel Lendeborg celebrates after the Wolverines defeated UConn in the national championship game

STAFF FILE PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Former LSU basketball coach Johnny Jones, seen here coaching at Texas Southern, will return to the Tigers as an assistant coach next season under Will Wade.

Nwoko

Expect NBAtosaveits best forplayoffs

BY TIM REYNOLDS AP basketball writer

The NBA, typically, saves its best forlast.

Here’stohoping that rings true again this spring.

Youmay have noticed there’sa lot of bad basketball outthere right now. Blowouts arehappening with record-setting regularity. Some teams are tanking, which is forcing the NBA’s hand to make changesto the lottery system. There are some coaches whosejobs arelikelyin jeopardy; Chicago’sfront office has already been gutted. And Giannis Antetokounmposays he and the Milwaukee Bucks need couples therapy,which isn’tagreat sign for any future they might have together Obviously,none of that is good. But perhaps the real problem here is those storylines —all of which are valid —are overshadowingwhat is good as the NBA gets set forits best time of year,the playoffs.

Defending championOklahoma City is about to clinch another No. 1seedinthe Western Conference, topping the 60-win mark again to hold off Victor Wembanyama and an upstart SanAntonio teamthat looks very much like atitle contender.Detroit has gone from a laughingstock to aNo. 1seed in the Eastern Conference, andneeded only two seasons to completethat ascent.

ment from a41-year-old who started his NBA career beforeanyone in that trio of rookie stars had even been born. It’struethere have already been more blowouts —entering Monday, 261 games had been decided by 20 or more points, and 90 games had been decided by 30 or more points —than in any other season in league history.Those aredangerous stats, givenhow easyitistoturn those numbers intoaconclusion thatthe overall NBA product is bad.

Butclose gameshaven’t gone away

Entering Monday,there were 47 NBAgames this season decided by exactly one point and 176 decided by three points or less.The average totals in those categories over the last decade: 49 one-pointgames, 177 one-possession games. Are some teamsgiving up on some games?Absolutely Did tanking happen? Of course it did.

Did it waterdown the product?

Sureseems thatway

The playoffs should put all that in therearview mirror.That’snot to saythere won’tbeblowouts; there will be. But at leastthere won’t be tanking.

and 35 points in athree-day span, as was the caselastweek.

Denvercoach David Adelman is evidently awarethe narrative exists, suggesting there’snogood ball being played anywhere. Unprompted,headdresseditafter that game against theSpurs.

“I would say this, just kind of off topic, butIknow, pessimisticworld, sports,pessimism is everywhere,” Adelmansaid. “I wouldpay to watch these two teams play.This is very good basketball. They’re well coached. They have talented, fun players. They play together.Wembanyama, amazing talent. Andthen on ourside, what we have yeah you can build off this for sure.”

The Spurs felt the same way.Jokic was brilliant in that winfor Denver; Wembanyama wasbrilliant as well for San Antonio in theloss, and was clearly looking ahead afterward to what thatgame could mean as far as developing some playoff readiness.

“I think the timing of everything is great,” Wembanyama said after that loss. “There’s no better way that we would have learned.There’s no better outcome of this game to learn from for us.”

SAINTS

Continued from page1C

game (94.3) and 31st in yards per attempt (3.7). The offensive line played apart in the struggles, but Saints running backs also gained just 1.6 yards after contact last season, which ranked 27th in the NFL. The Saints have familiar optionsbeyond the big free agent theyjust signed, but would it be asurprise to see them continue to add to the position? Here are some options if they do.

Whereisthe Love?

NOTRE DAME RB JEREMIYAH LOVE, 6-FOOT, 212 POUNDS: Maybe the Saints pulled themselves out of the Love sweepstakes when they signed Etienne. But what if they didn’t?

Some of Kellen Moore’s best offensesfeatured a1-2 punchatrunning back,and if the Saints determine someone like Kamara is not part of their future, it wouldn’tbe unfathomable to pair Etienne with another explosive back. Without question, Love is one of the most talented players in this class,regardless of position. He averaged 6.9 yards per carry in each of his past two seasons.Pair himwithEtienne, andNew Orleans would have one of the NFL’s most dynamic backﬁelds.

The Saints still need alot of good young players, and the more likely scenariois they will ﬁll another roster need with their top pick. T he Etienne signing may have been made partially with the understanding that Love might not even fall to No. 8. But if he does, they should consider it.

Day2options

NOTRE DAME RB JADARIAN PRICE, 5-11, 203: Love drew top billing in the Notre Dame offense, but Price is an excel-

PELS

Continued from page1C

17-24 at home, the fifthlowest winning percentage at homeinthe franchise’s 24 seasons. The Jazz played withouteightinjured players, including seventhat average in double ﬁgures. KennedyChandlerscored 29 points; Bez Mbeng had 26; Cody Williams had19; Brice Sensabaugh scored 18; John Konchar added 12 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists;Oscar Tshiebwe scored 12;and Blake Hinson chipped in 10 to lead the Jazz.

Scoring around the league is at itshighest clip in morethanhalf acentury. StephenCurry has returned from injury to see if he canspark some postseason magic with Golden State. Thecoach of the year race might be wideopen. TheMVP race has tons of intrigue.

Wembanyamaand Denver’sNikola

“Reflect on where we’vebeen,reflect on the work that we’ve put in to get here, but understanding that this isn’tthe finish,” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “Togrow the waythis group has grown together, as quicklyasithas,itisspecial. But we’ve got more foodtoeat.”

Jokic just waged an epic battle this past weekend, as did Dallas rookie Cooper Flagg and the Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James —who came away raving about the league’stop freshmen like Flagg, Charlotte’s Kon Knueppel and Philadelphia’s VJ Edgecombe. “League’s in good hands with those rooks,”said James, perhaps apassing-of-the-torch sort of senti-

ASSOCIATEDPRESS FILE PHOTO By BUTCH DILL Arkansas running back MikeWashingtoncarries the ball during practice for the Senior Bowl on Jan. 28 in Mobile, Ala.

lent prospect as well. It’s nothardtoviewPrice through asimilar lens as TreVeyon Henderson ayear ago. Like Henderson, Price comes to the NFLwithout the toll of aheavy college workload (only 280carries at Notre Dame). He was highly productivewhenhe didtouch theball,averaging6 yardsper carry.He also provides value as areturn man: Price averaged awhopping 37.5 yards per kick return last year, with two touchdowns.

ARKANSASRBMIKEWASHINGTON, 6-1, 223: Perhaps the best size/speed combinationin the draft at running back, Washington put himself on the map with an excellent single season at Arkansas. He then put an exclamation pointonitwithanimpressive combine performance Washington ran a4.33-second 40-yard dash in Indianapolis —the fastest of any running back in the class —and also posted a39-inch verticalleap. That explosiveness showed up on the ﬁeld,asWashington racked up aSoutheastern Conference-best16 plays of 20or more yards.

Day3 dart throws

NAVY RB ELI HEIDENREICH,6-0,

198: Instead of looking for apure running back, the

Fears made three consecutive layups and Poole added a3-pointer as New Orleans began the third quarter with a21-4 surge to take an 82-73 lead on itsway to a111-96 advantage at theend of the thirdquarter The ﬁrst quarter featured three ties andfive lead changes, the last of which came on KyleFilipowski’s layup that gave the Jazza19-

Saints couldlook fora player witha morediverse skill set.Enter the Navy product Though he was areceiver at Navy —heactually broke several school receiving records— Heidenreich doesn’tproﬁle as one in the NFL. Butwhile he was active as apass-catcher,he also worked extensively as arunner, racking up 1,100 yards rushing in his three seasons.

Heidenreich could play a sort of multipurposerole, workinginthe slotwhile also taking snaps out of the backﬁeld. Andheproved he hasenough athleticism to play in theNFL,running a 4.4-second 40-yard dash.

Indiana RB Kaelon Black, 5-9, 208: The No. 2back on Indiana’snationalchampionship team, Black could be a sleeper candidate.

He’snot the biggest, and he did notget an invitation to the combine this year

Butherushed for morethan 1,000 yards as asecondary option, andhis hard-nosed style is reminiscent of former Kansas CityChiefs back Isiah Pacheco —a former seventh-rounder who racked up more than 2,000 yards from scrimmagein his ﬁrst two seasons.

Email Luke Johnsonat ljohnson@theadvocate.com.

18 edge. That was part of a 20-6 spurt thatleftUtahwith a34-24 lead at the endofthe ﬁrst quarter. The Jazzled by 11 points twiceearly in the second quarter,but NewOrleans pulled even at 57 on a3-pointer by Peavy.Utahfinished with a12-4 run to take a6961 halftimeleadeventhough Fearshad aseason-high 20 ﬁrst-half points.

BY EDDIE PELLS AP National Writer

Just look at the games that have mattered themostinthe lastfew days —New York beatingAtlanta 108-105 on Monday (whenthe Hawks’CJMcCollum was amillisecond late with ahalfcourtheave that wentinand would have forced overtime),Houston beating Golden State117-116 on Sunday and Denver beating San Antonio 136-134 in overtime on Saturday.All down-tothe-wire, absolutethrillers. That’s what’s cominginthe playoffs, not thelikes of Utah losing games by 34

The value of name, image and likeness deals that can avoid review by the College Sports Commissionhas risen from$600 to $2,500, providing an athlete doesn’t makemore than $15,000 total, according to guidance thecommission issuedon Tuesday

The CSC, formed to oversee NIL payments to athletes in college sports, sent out afour-page reminder to Division Ischools, timed with the opening of the transfer portal in college basketball.

Thememosaid that the CSCboard approved the increase last month. At ﬁrst, any dealworth $600 or more had to be evaluated for whether the athletes were being paid afair amount for what they were providing.

The raised amount is expected to allowthe commission to act faster in approving deals and focus more on the big-money arrangementsbetweenplayers and third partiesthat need more scrutiny. The $15,000 total cap was added to ensure schools and athletes don’t enter multiple four-digit deals and avoid all scrutiny

“The CSC will evaluate the effect of the new policy

Hiseyes are already on the postseason. Plentyofteams arealready pivoting that way,either for the play-in thatbegins April14orthe start of the actual playoffs on April 18. Hopefully,itwon’ttake long for thetanking and theblowouts to be forgotten. The push for the Larry O’Brien Trophy awaits.

“I thinkthe league is so,sotalented and there (are)somany matchups andsomanygood teams playing against each other,” Jokic said. “I think it’sgreat to be afan of basketball right now.”

in the comingmonths to determinewhetherfurther adjustments are needed,”the memo said. The CSC alsoreminded schools that third parties cannotmakepayments on behalfofathletes to cover agentfees or buyoutsfrom contractswith previous schools. The CSC said it had received reports of both things happening.

“This conduct is not permitted and, if discovered, mayresult in discipline for both the institutionand the student-athlete,” thememo said, adding it will soon require schools to provideadditional information about paying agentfees.

The commission said it wouldalso be reaching out to schools andathletes about deals that werecleared “inwhich it appears that student-athletes never performed the obligationsrequired underthose deals.” Akey part of the House settlement, whichwas approvedlast year andset the parameters for howcollege athletescan be paid, was the rulethat athletes received money for their NIL, not simply to play asport Schools are allowed to spend up to $20.5 millionto pay athletes, but the CSC’s major task is evaluating deals struck between athletes andthird parties that do not count againstthe $20.5 millioncap

ASSOCIATEDPRESS FILEPHOTO By AMANDALOMAN Wisconsinguard John Blackwell,right, drivesthe ball past High Pointguard Conrad Martinez during agame on March 19 in Portland, Ore.

Missing Tiger THE MASTERS

Players provide thoughts on Woods’ absence, woes

BY SCOTT RABALAIS

Staff writer

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Numerous players in this year’s Masters tournament have commented on the absence of ﬁve-time champion Tiger Woods He is seeking treatment after being arrested March 27 for a DUI near his home in Jupiter Florida.

Fred Couples, the 1992 Masters champion, said Monday that he believed Woods was in Switzerland, though he didn’t know for sure.

“If he’s in Switzerland, he must be at a spot that’s going to help him,” Couples said. “That’s the key thing.”

Former PGA champion Jason Day acknowledged that Woods is “struggling with some sort of addiction” after enduring more than 20 surgeries over the years for injuries, and back and leg issues, including those stemming from a life-threatening crash in 2021 near Los Angeles.

Day also gently admonished Woods for being behind the wheel in his most recent accident

“He’s just a human being like everyone else and we have struggles,” Day said. “The only thing that I don’t understand is that it’s a little bit selﬁsh of him to drive and put other people in harm’s way as well.

“But when you’re the player that he was and how strong-willed he is, he thinks he can do almost anything.” Jon Rahm, the 2023 Masters champion said if there’s anyone who has the “mental strength” to re-

RABALAIS

Continued from page 1C

bound from something like this, it’s Woods.

“I mean, he’s arguably the king of comebacks,” Rahm said.

Also absent is three-time Masters winner Phil Mickelson, who is on an extended leave from golf to deal with what he termed a personal family health matter It’s the ﬁrst time since the 1994 Masters that neither Woods nor Mickelson is entered.

Couples said he doesn’t expect to see Woods for several months but knows what he would say when he does.

“I’d tell him I love him,” Couples said. “And things can always get better.”

Burns’ expectations

With no forecast of rain this week, former LSU All-American Sam Burns expects a strict test for the 90th Masters tournament

“The golf course is in great shape, obviously,” said Burns, who is making his ﬁfth start here. “It is every year you come here. But I think especially with the forecast we have, no rain, I think they’re going to be able to get the golf course pretty ﬁrm and fast and do whatever they want with it.”

The world’s No. 33-ranked player, Burns has a modest record at the Masters: a tie for 29th (2023), a tie for 46th last year and two missed cuts.

“It didn’t cross my mind,” Woodland said. “My mind’s changed a lot over the last couple of years, and I don’t have the luxury of looking ahead. When I’m not on the course, I’m in a battle, and when I’m on the course, I’m in a battle.

“But I was reminded pretty quickly when I won that I would be back here. That’s something I didn’t know was going to come again.”

As much as he loves being in the Masters again, Woodland has concerns. The galleries on most holes at Augusta Nationals press exceptionally close to the tee boxes and greens. Woodland worries that being in one of those tight spots may bring on another wave of anxiety

The PGA Tour has a security team that works with Woodland and his personal team to help reassure him.

He said he’s met with Masters security as well.

“There’s probably not a safer golf tournament in the world, so I’m happy for that,” he said. “But it’s still a battle in my head if I’m safe or not That’s a tough pill to swallow.” It will help him to know where security personnel are located on each hole. His caddie, Brennan Little, will know where they are as well. Woodland said he can require constant reminders about that to keep his PTSD symptoms at bay

“The whole deal for me is visual,” he said. “If I can see somebody, then I can remind myself that I’m safe constantly.”

Woodland publicly disclosed his condition the week of The Players in March. That, he said, has been a surprisingly big comfort to him.

“I didn’t know that releasing this battle was going to make me stronger,” Woodland said. “I feel a lot stronger than I did three weeks ago.”

Competing at the highest levels of a professional sport and in its biggest events, like the Masters, is difﬁcult enough. To do it while constantly fending off the demons of a mental disorder is so remarkable it’s hard to quantify

He last won a PGA Tour event in 2023, though he led in the ﬁnal round of last year’s U.S. Open before ﬁnishing seventh.

Past imperfect

As the reigning Masters champion, Rory McIlroy hosted (and paid for) Tuesday night’s Champions dinner He told a funny story earlier Tuesday about how he actually went to dinner on Tuesday night of last year’s Masters week at Augusta National with Justin Rose (last year’s runner-up) and several club members.

“I was pulling up Magnolia Lane and you get to the circle and I’m like, ‘Well, do I go park way over at the parking lot?’ ” he said. “Because I’m not going to park in the champions’ parking lot.

“At that specific moment the champions were having their cocktails out on the (clubhouse) balcony I don’t want to valet, get out, they’re going to see me and it’s going to be weird. So I had this really awkward moment.

“Thankfully, that was the last time that I needed to do that.”

McIlroy is serving several expensive bottles of wine costing more than $1,000 each, including a 1990 Chateau Laﬁte Rothschild and a 2022 Domaine Leﬂaive BatardMontrachet, but little food from his native Northern Ireland.

“People keep asking me, ‘Why didn’t you go more Irish?’ I said because I want to enjoy the dinner as well,” McIlroy said.

Woodland demurred when asked how he might feel if this week concludes with a green jacket being draped over his shoulders.

“I’ve got to worry about today,” he said. Through all of this ordeal, one thing that has provided Woodland comfort is knowing that his story may encourage others to get help. “Talk to somebody,” he said. “We live in a world, as men, and especially as an athlete, that you put your head down and you ﬁght through it. I’ve done it my whole life I fought this on my own. It was awful.

“Winning the U.S. Open had the biggest impact in my life from a golf standpoint. I hope winning in Houston had a bigger impact on somebody else’s life. I hope somebody that’s struggling with something sees this guy out here ﬁghting every day, still living his teams, and then they want to get up and ﬁght and live their dream, too.”

DeChambeau on a roll in quest for ﬁrst green jacket

BY NOAH TRISTER AP sportswriter

AUGUSTA, Ga. — For about 25 minutes, Bryson DeChambeau spoke matter-of-factly about the less glamorous side of golf. It’s important to stay patient, make good decisions and hit the center of the green. The word “obedience” even came up.

Then a question about his rivalry with Rory McIlroy stirred at least a little bit of his competitiveness.

“Do I respect him as an individual? One hundred percent. Do I want to beat him every time I see him? Absolutely,” DeChambeau said. “I think that’s what’s so brilliant about the game of golf is that juxtaposition — having that sportsmanlike respect and then wanting to just absolutely beat the living you-know-what out of him.”

The Masters could do far worse this week than a Sunday rematch between McIlroy, the reigning champion and DeChambeau, who was with him in the ﬁnal group last year before finishing tied for ﬁfth. After that tournament, DeChambeau acted surprised by McIlroy’s lack of chattiness on the course. He gave no indication Tuesday of any lingering issues between them, but DeChambeau made it clear that — regardless of the opponent he’s eager for another chance to contend for a green jacket at Augusta National.

“The more I put myself in those positions, the better opportunities I’m going to have to win It’s just been a gradual learning process,” he said. “You never know what this week may bring, but I certainly hope to give it my all and put myself back in that position because I want to feel it again.”

DeChambeau’s two best showings at the Masters were in 2024, when he ﬁnished tied for sixth, and 2025. Even a ﬁnal-round 75 last year didn’t prevent him from shooting a career-best 7 under par for the tournament.

Now, he might be playing better than anyone. DeChambeau won LIV Golf events in Singapore and South Africa last month. Augusta National will be the judge of how much that means, but there are plenty of reasons to consider him among the favorites.

“I feel like my game’s in the best place of its career, outside of maybe Greenbrier (in 2023) when I shot 58,” he said. “I’m excited to get the week going and see where I can put myself.”

Few can create a buzz around the tee box like DeChambeau He led this tournament in driv-

ing distance last year no shock there — but his performance depends on what he does after that.

He’ll need more than booming tee shots this week.

DeChambeau attributed his improvement in recent Masters to a more measured approach.

“More patience, like not as aggressive all the time. Knowing where to be aggressive and when not to be aggressive,” he said.

“Making better decisions, having a caddie that reins me in sometimes.”

DeChambeau’s win in South Africa was emotional for reasons he wouldn’t elaborate on, but he spoke Tuesday about perspective off the course.

“I feel like I found something that allows me to be the best of myself, where I’ve got a little bit of a ﬁre in my belly but an ability to have respect for where I’m at in life and a comfort of knowing where I’m at in life,” the 32-yearold DeChambeau said. “Knowing that golf is a big deal, there’s no question this week’s a big deal, but it’s not everything in life. There’s more to it than that. As I’ve gotten older I’ve learned that, sometimes the hard way.” DeChambeau beat Jon Rahm, the 2023 Masters champion, in a playoff in South Africa. So dismiss that victory at your peril. Last year, DeChambeau couldn’t keep up with McIlroy at Augusta National and was something of an afterthought when it was Justin Rose who forced a playoff with the eventual winner DeChambeau was in the mix for a while, though.

“It was a great learning lesson. Leading or being tied for the lead and having the lead, that last-group final round, gave me a lot of perspective on it. Then losing it and having things not go my way as they finished out and Rory completed the (career) Grand Slam,” DeChambeau said. “Last year he earned it, right? It was really cool to see in person. As I reflect back on it, the one thing I can take from it is I can put myself in those positions.”

TEE TIMES

First round

Thursday

Tee No. 1

6:40 a.m. — Johnny Keefer, Haotong Li

6:50 a.m. — Naoyuki Kataoka, Max Homa, Carlos Ortiz

7:02 a.m. — José María Olazábal, Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, Aldrich Potgieter

7:14 a.m. — Ángel Cabrera, Sami Välimäki, Jackson Herrington (a)

7:26 a.m. — Charl Schwartzel, Max Greyserman, Ryan Fox

7:38 a.m. — Vijay Singh, Matt McCarty Rasmus Højgaard

7:50 a.m. — Kurt Kitayama, Kristoffer Reitan, Casey Jarvis

8:02 a.m. — Bubba Watson, Nico Echavarria, Brandon Holtz (a)

8:19 a.m. — Cameron Smith, Sam Burns, Jake Knapp

8:31 a.m. — Keegan Bradley, Ryan Gerard, Nick Taylor

8:43 a.m. — Dustin Johnson, Shane Lowry Jason Day

8:55 a.m. Patrick Reed, Tommy Fleetwood, Akshay Bhatia

9:07 a.m. — Bryson DeChambeau, Matt Fitzpatrick, Xander Schauffele

9:19 a.m. — Hideki Matsuyama, Collin Morikawa, Russell Henley

9:31 a.m. — Rory McIlroy, Cameron Young, Mason Howell (a)

9:43 a.m. — Viktor Hovland, Patrick Cantlay, Alex Noren

10:03 a.m. — Sam Stevens, Sungjae Im 10:15 a.m. — Andrew Novak, Tom McKibbin, Brian Campbell

10:27 a.m. — Mike Weir, Wyndham Clark, Mateo Pulcini (a)

10:39 a.m. — Zach Johnson, Michael Kim, Nicolai Højgaard

10:51 a.m. — Danny Willett, Davis Riley Ethan Fang (a)

11:03 a.m. — Adam Scott, Daniel Berger, Brian Harman

11:15 a.m. — Fred Couples, Min Woo Lee, Fifa Laopakdee (a)

11:27 a.m. — Sergio García, Aaron Rai, Jacob Bridgeman

11:44 a.m. — Harry Hall, Corey Conners, Michael Brennan

11:56 a.m. — J.J. Spaun, Maverick McNealy, Tyrrell Hatton

12:08 p.m. — Jon Rahm, Chris Gotterup, Ludvig Åberg

12:20 p.m. — Jordan Spieth, Justin Rose, Brooks Koepka

12:32

9:07 a.m. — Sepp Straka, Ben Grifﬁn, Justin Thomas 9:19 a.m. — Scottie Schefﬂer, Robert MacIntyre, Gary Woodland

9:31 a.m. — Harris English,

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By CURTIS COMPTON

Five-time Masters champion Tiger Woods and 1992 Masters champion Fred Couples, left, walk off the 13th green during a practice round for the Masters on April 6, 2022, in Augusta, Ga.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO Bryson DeChambeau warms up on the driving range before a practice round Tuesday in Augusta, Ga.

PROVIDED PHOTO By LOGAN WHITTON Gary Woodland watches a pitch shot to the second green during a Masters practice round at Augusta National Golf Club on Tuesday.

Rowan Brumbaugh passes theball during agameagainst

GreenWavestarentersportal

Brumbaughbecomes

thirdTulaneplayer looking to transfer

BY GUERRYSMITH

Contributing writer

The exodus of basketball players at the end of aseason hasbecome amodern-day reality in the transfer-portal era, and Tulane is proving to be no exception.

Junior point guard Rowan Brumbaugh, afirst-teamAllAmerican Conference selection in 2024-25 and asecond-team pick this year, conﬁrmed Monday night he was entering the portal while reiterating his statement from March he would apply for the NBA draft. He joined forward Scotty Middleton, who told The Field of 68 media network this past weekend he planned to enter the portal, and shooting guard Curtis Williams, whose agents informed ESPN’sJeff Borzello last week he would enter theportal. Tulane’s season ended with a74-60 second-round defeat to Charlotteinthe American tournament. TheGreenWave(1815, 8-10), which shockingly lost team leader and versatile center Gregg Glenn to adrowning in late July,started 3-0 in league play but struggled the restofthe way,ﬁnishinginathree-way tie for eighth.

Coach Ron Hunter will return for his eighth year,schoolsources confirmed aday after the Charlotte game, buthewill have to rebuildhis roster. The transfer portal opened Tuesday and will close April 21. Brumbaugh, the preseason

American player of theyear,averaged team bests in points (19.2), assists (3.5), rebounds (4.9) and steals (1.6). Hetied acareer-high with 35 points on 10-of-15 shooting in aﬁrst-round tournament win against Memphis and added 25 pointsthe next night against Charlotte, whenhedid notget much help from his teammates His scoring average was the Wave’shighestsince Jerald Honeycutt’s19.9 in 1996-97.

Brumbaughbegan his career at Texas, where he redshirted in 2022-23, then spent oneseason at Georgetown before transferring to Tulane. He helped theWave go 12-6 in the American in 2024-25 and reach the semiﬁnals of the conference tournament,where it lost 78-77 to No.1seed and eventual championMemphis in a heartbreaker

Keyplayers KamWilliams (Kentucky) and Kaleb Daniels (DePaul) transferred from that team,with Middleton andWilliamsenteringastheir marquee replacements Middleton, the No. 60 national recruitout of high school in 2023-24 according to 247Sports, playedone season at Ohio State and another at Seton Hall before arrivingatTulane as ajunior. He averaged 6.9 points and4.0 rebounds, struggling to ﬁnd consistent offense. He lost his starting role at the end of January but immediately enjoyed a10-game stretch in whichhehit 22 of 40 3-pointattempts.

Williams, whowas rated the No.79national recruit outofhigh school in the 247 Sports composite, played his freshman year at Louisville andtransferred to Georgetown as asophomore before movingontoTulanethis

Cupboard bare at moment forTennessee Lady Vols

BY TERESAM.WALKER

AP sportswriter

The Tennessee Lady Vols’ struggles haven’tended since ﬁnishing the season on an eight-game skid capped by afirst-round NCAA Tournament loss

As of Monday,coach Kim Caldwell had no playerswitheligibility left wanting to play for Tennessee anymore.

Jaida Civil was the last player with eligibility remaining only to announce Monday morning her departure after one season. Civil wrote on socialmedia that playing for “one of the bestupand coming coaches in the country” was a blessing but: “After deep thought and prayer,Ihave decided to enter the transfer portal.”

Civil was part of Caldwell’s2025 recruiting class rated No. 1nationally by 247Sports. She joined four other Lady Vols in the portal that opened Monday,including Talaysia Cooper,KaniyaBoyd, Alyssa Latham and Lauren Hurst. Mia and Mya Pauldo announced their intent to enter the portal on social media last week, but their names weren’tinthe portal as of middayMonday.Neither was Deniya Prawl’sname despite her own social media post that simply said March 26, “Thankfulfor it all” after reports she too was headed to the portal.

It got worse Tuesday morning when Oliviyah Edwards, a6-foot-3 forward from Tacoma, Washington, and the No. 2-ranked recruit by ESPN, announced on Xthat Tennes-

see had granted her requesttobe released from her letter of intent

“This has beenatough weekendasI’vehad to grievethe loss of what Ionce envisioned for my future,” wroteEdwards,who took part in the dunk contest last week as part of theMcDonald’s AllAmerican showcase.

Tennessee went 16-14 in Caldwell’ssecondseason. The eight straightlosseswere theﬁrst in the program’sNCAA women’s basketball era going back to the 1981-82 season,while the 14 losses matchedthe 2015-16LadyVols’ school record for losses in aseason. Those Lady Vols lostina regional ﬁnal in March 2016.

The Lady Vols already were losing four seniors out of eligibility led by Janiah Barker, alikely WNBA draft pick Monday night Fifth-year guard Kaiya Wynn announcedher departureafter barely playing on senior day,not stickingaround for the Southeastern Conference or NCAA tourneys.

The portal closes April20, but right now Caldwell only has one recruit committed for the upcoming season in four-star guardGabby Minus.

Caldwell also had an assistant leave first to work forKim Mulkey at LSU before being hired as the new headcoach at Central Florida on Saturday.Tennessee firedassistantcoach Roman Tubner, with Caldwell confirming his departure Thursdaynight. She hired former Florida State associatehead coach Bill Ferrara as an assistantMarch 30.

Tulane kickers look to rebound from tough2025

Courville, Helmke seek to provethemselves this season

BY GUERRYSMITH Contributingwriter

JacksonCourvilleistrying to bounce back from arough year at Ohio State in whichhelosta preseason camp placekicking battle.

Cooper Helmke is trying to recover from an even rougher year when aback injury prevented him from kicking at all.

With Patrick Durkin having transferred to Florida,one of those two will be Tulane’sprimary kicker thisfall, andtheyeachhavean interesting story to tell.

compensates by beingthe most mentally and physically disciplined.

Tulane special teamscoach Chris Forestier noted those attributes right away

“He schedules out every single part of his day,” Forestier said. “It’svery impressive forayoung manhis age to be as dialed in and on top of everything as he is.He brings alot of maturity and alot of accuracy.”

Helmke, alocal product from St. Martin’s, brings unlimitedpotential.Heﬁnallyisgetting achance to show it.

pastseason. He started 32 of 33 games, averaging 12.4 points and4.8 rebounds, but his performance was streaky.Hehad aseason-high 32 points in an overtime victory against Boston College in November,then went four consecutive games without scoring in doubleﬁguresaround theturnofthe calendar.Hehit only 6of22shots in the American tournament, ﬁnishingthe season at 37.8%.

The three transfer departures would leave Tulane withonly Tyler Ringgold as afull-timereturning starter.Ringgold, a6-foot-8 perimeter player who moved to center to ﬁll thehole left by Glenn, averaged 9.4 points and 3.9 rebounds. Luke Rasmussen, a former walk-onwho wasonhalf scholarship, started 11 games late in theyearand averaged 2.6 points.

Rebuildingnearly an entire rosterispar for the course in the American,which lost ahigher percentage of players to the transfer portal last season than any other conference. South Florida,whichwon theregularseason and tournament championshipsthis year,returned only one player from 2024-25. Tulsa, which won 30 games and reached the NIT ﬁnal, returned only one starter and two seldom-usedreservesfrom2024-25.

It will be up to Hunter to mine the portalfor acohesive team in hiseighthseason.Tulane has ﬁnished above .500 in conference play threetimes in thepastﬁve years after doing it once in 22 seasons before his arrival, but theWave has not reached theNIT (last trip: 2000) or theNCAAtournament (last trip: 1995) under his watch.

Courville, aredshirtjuniorwho transferred in January,hated an Ohio State culture he felt excluded specialists as an equalpart of the team. He was limited to four extra pointsinanearly-season blowout of Grambling while being relegated to the sideline forthe ﬁrst time in his career after excellingfor twoyears in afamily atmosphere at Ball State.

“When Ientered the portal again, Iwas looking forwhat Ihad at Ball State—being part of an actual team, notjust being in aspecialists room that’sseparated from everyone else,” he said. “I’m akicker, but Igoout and work out with all these guys.I do allthe running, the gauntletwiththem. I’manathlete just as much as I’makicker.”

Courville connected on 15 of 21 ﬁeld goals as afreshman teammate of currentTulane quarterback Kadin SemonzaatBallState, hitting 11 of 13 with improvedrange as asophomore. Hissuccessful attemptsincluded acareer-long 52-yarder against Northern Illinois after the Cardinals fell behind 2322 with 15 seconds left. Semonza completedback-to-backpassesof 34 and 5yards to give him achance for agame-winner Ayear earlier,hehad missed all four of his tries from 50 yards or longer.Three landed short.

“I didn’thave abig leg, so Iwent into theexit meeting with my head coach and said I’mnot missing from 50 again,” he said. “When I trained in the offseason, Iknew what Ineeded to workon. Ineeded to get powerful. I’mself-aware. That’swhy I’maconsistent kicker and adisciplined kicker.” He went 2for 2from50orfarther in 2024, and that single-minded focus hascarried himalong way.Headmits he never has been themost talented kicker,but he

After signing withTulane as part of the 2025 class, he thought he wasgoing to winthe job before sustaining asports hernia that kept him out of preseason camp. Coming back from that injury early in the season, he felt apop in his back while squatting, andalthough he did not feel anything the rest of the day,hewoke up the next morning in real discomfort.

The diagnosis: aPars fracture of the L5 bone in his vertebra, causing chronic pain in his lower back. The treatmentwas three months of “doing absolutely nothing, just walking” on atreadmill. He had to wear aback brace allday,then spend anothersix weeks in physical therapy to strengthen his lower-back muscles and prevent the injury from recurring.

“It waskilling me, I’m not going to lie,” he said. “Somedays I’d be like, ‘all right, it’sgetting better.’Other days I’d wake up and it would be back to hurting again.I was struggling foralittle bit.”

After missing Tulane’soffseason work, he also sat out the ﬁrst twoweeks of spring drills before returning last weekand immediately wowing practice observers with his legendary leg strength. While at St. Martin’s, he kicked a 77-yard ﬁeld goal in warmups in front of aTVcrew and has the witnesses to vouch forhim.Heinsists he backedupthree more yards and hit thecrossbar, the left post and the right post with an attempt.

“He can boom it,” Tulane coach Will Hallsaid. “It’sjustunproven in agame.” Helmke’sofﬁcial long at St. Martin’swas 49 yards, buthedid not get many opportunities because runningback Harlem Berry constantly scored touchdowns. He is burning to show what he can do at Tulane in what he and Courville label afriendly,healthy competition. “I wouldn’tbewhere IamifI didn’thave competition in camps,” Helmke said.“He’s only making me better.”

LSUcommitfans12asHahnville

BY CHRISTOPHER DABE Staff writer

With the count full andrunners on second and third, Koa Romero reared back to throw a fastball, knowing his next pitch could decide the district championship.

The Hahnville right-hander will have only so many more of those momentsonthe mound. An LSUcommitment, Romero is not projected to pitch in college, making what he did Tuesdayevenmore rewarding. Especially since it came against rival Destrehan.

Romero, ajunior,struck out 12 against four walks anda hit batter with onehit allowedina 1-0 victoryonthe road, his ﬁnal pitchresulting in aswinging strikeout that strandedthe potential tying run at third for the third inning in arow

“He’s an alpha,” said Hahnville coach Jared Vial,whose team improved to 26-6overall and6-0 in District 8-5A. “He’saguy that wants that moment. No moment is too bigfor him.”

The final strikeout came on Romero’s 114th pitch—one belowthe LHSAA mandated limit. Romero said Vial told himthat batter would likely be the last one he faced

“He toldmethat was going to be my last dude,” said Romero, acatcher anddesignated hitter when he doesn’t pitch. “I didn’t want to go outany other way.”

Romero survived some tense

moments over the final three innings. AfterHahnville’s Eli Landry scored on awildpitch with two outs in the ﬁfth inning, Destrehan(22-10, 5-1) put the potential tying run on third base in theﬁfth, sixth and seventh innings. Each time, Romero got the third out on astrikeout.

“Tip of thecap to Koa,”Destrehancoach ChrisMiresaid.

“That’swhathedoes in big spots. He rises up forhis team,and that’sthe samething we challenge our guys to do.” The teams will playasecond game Thursday at Hahnville, a contest that will not count in the districtstandings. Thewin Tuesday gave Hahnville the District 8-5A title.

Contact ChristopherDabe at cdabe@theadvocate.com

STAFF FILE PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Tulane guard

Samford on Nov. 3atDevlin Fieldhouse. Brumbaugh is oneofthree Green Wave players planning to transfer

STAFFPHOTO By BRETT DUKE Hahnville right-hander KoaRomero pitches on Tuesdayagainst Destrehan High School in Destrehan.

BY IAN McNULTY Staff writer

mong crawﬁsh boilers, thereare theold sages calmlyproceeding with the process they’ve always used, perhapsinherited from their forebears. Others are technicians, whoapproach thetask as ascientiﬁc inquiryand may as well be wearing lab coats.

Andthen there are wild ones, those for whom thecrawﬁsh boil is not atask to be completed but apassion to be pursued. They leap to the work,purge withpurpose,and say they have secretsbut then giddily divulge themwhile proffering a sample from thepot.

sandwiches areaspecialty at

aseafood

BYIAN McNULTY Staff writer

Great barbecue gets down to

Spend alittle time around Steven Boulet, maybe just across the

counter at his Metairie restaurant and seafood shopBon Temps Boulet’s,and it’sclear he belongs to thatlast category He’s aman whoseems gleefultohave found his calling andisliving it to the hilt. Theresult is superlative boiled crawﬁsh at Bon Temps Boulet’s, and somesurprises from the barbecuesmoker as well BoilingwithBoulet’s Bon TempsBoulet’sisacolorful, bustling,low-slung spot on astretch of Air-

StevenBoulet grew up around the crawfish business in Crowleybefore opening his Metairie restaurant BonTemps Boulet’s.

Brisket

Bon Temps Boulet’s,

restaurant in Metairie.

Bon TempsBoulet’sisaseafood restaurant in Metairiethat opens only Januarythrough June for crawfish season.

HOGS

Continued from page1D

or play with around every corner of the grounds Often, the booth themes reﬂect the professional ties or social bonds running through the teams.

Lobsterrollmodels

For instance, Sam Panice, captain of Team House of Hogs, runs aLas Vegas-based company that provides booths for trade shows and conventions These are transferable skills to Hogs, it turns out. Last year,his team built atwo-story Flintstonesthemed booth.

This year,Team Houseof Hogs will construct alobster shack meant to bring visitors to the New England shoreline. There will also be akids’ area with aSpongeBob theme of colorful characters, all fabricated at Panice’sworkshops, and agiant bubble show repeating every hour

“Welove the idea of making these spaces, of giving people something fun to interact with,” Panice said.

The festival food is meant to stand out, too. Instead of pork, fest-goers will find amenu of fish and chips, chowder,lobster rolls,clam fritters, maple ice cream and cold water oysters from New England.

Cruising foracause

Across the grounds, a nearly-to-scale paddle wheel riverboat is the booth for Team River Pork Pilots, ateam started in 2001 by a group of river pilots (as in, thepeoplewho guidecommercial vessels through the Mississippi River). That ﬁrst year, they had just asmall tent and little presence. That quickly changed. Their next booth was built like afreighter,and another year they modeled it on the Titanic. Now,with support from aship painting company,their riverboatbooth rises three decorative decks for views over the festival grounds. Various portions of the “ship” are intermittently open to the public(based on occupancy).

HOGS FOR THE CAUSE 2026

WHERE: UNO Lakefront Arena grounds, 6801 Franklin Ave., NewOrleans

WHEN: 3:30 p.m.to11p.m.

Friday; from11a.m. Saturday AT AGLANCE: Atwo-day music and food festival with livemusic on three stages and foodfrom 90 cookoff teams. Fridayhas foodcompetitions based on bacon and chicken wings. Saturdayisthe main barbecue competition

THEIMPACT: Hogs for the Cause supportsfamilies contending withpediatric cancer programs; it has distributedmorethan $17 million in grantsand programs.

TICKETS: Rain or shine.All purchasesare cashless. Ticketsstart at $60,with different levels available.Free admission for kids age10and under.

INFO: hogsforthecause.org

“It makes people feellike they’re apart of it,” team captain Joey Cargol said. “The foodisimportant, but at the end it’s about raising money forthe cause, and making it funfor people to be out here is agreat way to it.”

Draftdrama Booth placementaround thegroundsisa crucial factor,with some teams jockeying for better visibility to festgoers and proximity to the main stage forthe biggest musical acts. Hogs has adraft system to divvy spot assignments, with teams getting theirpickbased on their fundraisingtotals.

Theperennial fundraising champion hasbeen Team Fleur de Que (at morethan $750,000 last year). For2026, it used its top draft pick to relocate itslong-standing site to the opposite side of themainstage— signiﬁcantly,the onethat’sbeenhistorically occupied byTeam Boar’sNest, famous in the Hogs realm for its Friday night party.

Drama reportedly ensued at the draft eventwhen this

By The Associated Press

Today is Wednesday, April 8, the 98th day of 2026. There are 267 days left in the year

Todayinhistory: On April 8, 1974, Hank Aaron of the Atlanta Braves hit his 715th career homerun in agame against theLos Angeles Dodgers, breaking Babe Ruth’s homerun record that had stood since 1935. (Aaron would go on to hit 755 career home runs, only to be surpassed in 2007 by Barry Bonds, who ﬁnished his career witharecord 762 that still stands).

Also on this date: In 1820, theVenus de Milo statue, likely dating to the2nd century B.C., was discovered by afarmer on theGreek island of Milos.

In 1864, theU.S. Senatepassed, 38-6, the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution abolishing

slavery.(The House of Representatives passed it in January 1865; the amendment wasratiﬁed and adopted in December 1865.)

In 1962, Cuba announced that 1,200 Cuban exiles tried fortheir roles in the failed Bay of Pigs invasion were convicted of treason and sentenced to 30 years in prison.

In 1970, Israeliwarplanes bombed aprimary school in the Egyptianvillage of Bahr Al-Baqar, killing at least30 students andwounding dozensmore. Israeliofﬁcials laterassertedthe site was amilitary targetthough Egypt insistednearby buildings only housedagriculturalmachinery

In 1990, Ryan White, the teenager whose battle with AIDS drew national attention and led to greater understanding and destigmatization of those suffering from the disease, died in Indianapolis at age 18.

In 2010, President Barack Obamaand Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed the New STARTnuclear arms reduction treaty in Prague. In 2020, a76-day lockdownwas lifted in the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Today’sbirthdays: Journalist Seymour Hersh is 89. Songwriter-producer Leon Huffis84. Rock musician Steve Howe(Yes) is 79. Author Barbara Kingsolver is 71. Actor John Schneider is 66. Guitarist Izzy Stradlin (Guns N’ Roses) is 64. Singer Julian Lennon is 63. Actor Dean Norris is 63. Actor Robin Wright is 60. Actor Patricia Arquette is 58. Actor Taylor Kitsch is 45. Boxer Gennady Golovkin is 44. Actor Shelby Young is 34. NFLwide receiver CeeDee Lamb is 27. Actor Skai Jackson is 24. Rapper Sha EK is 23.

switcheroo wentdown.For visitors, though, the end resultissimplyneeding to swivel one’shead at the main stagetolocate onerival team or the other Mastersmeets barbecue

Most of theteams at Hogs are smaller groups, comprisedofa fewdozenmembers at most.The fun factor though, can be outsized. Consider the18-memberTeam Mazant National, whichispar for thecourse for midrange teams. Its origin story goes back to the Bywater homeofMike Rouss on Mazant Street, where he held abarbecue around the MastersTournament each spring. After learning aboutHogs, he and his friends decided in 2012 to turn the party into acharity cook-off team and brought thegolf theme with them. Their boothistrimmedin Mastersgreen,withcheeky logosriffing on thetournament’sdesign. Potted magnolias and azaleas are brought in for decor,like at AugustaNational Golf Club. Pimento cheese sandwiches and Arnold Palmer drinks are on the menu, following Masters tradition.

This year,for thefirst time, Hogs intersects with theMasters weekend, so the team will have morefor golf lovers. That includes agolf simulator with competitions for visitors, run with First Tee, the golf-centered youth development program “It’s always the best weekendofthe year for us,”said Rouss. “There’slots of competitiveness and sometrash talking, but it’sreally love of community that gets everyone out there.”

theother hand, says the ﬁrstrestaurantheworkedinwas the one he owns, this one. But he was born into the crawﬁsh business.

He grew up in Crowley,the heart of crawfish country,the equivalent of aﬁnance bro raised on the ﬂoor of astock exchange. He was surrounded by the business, running traps on his family’sponds in grade school and steering apickup truck for his father’swholesale delivery routes before he had his driver’slicense.

Visit enough boil rooms and it’s soon evident everyoneinthe game has their own hack with gear,technique or seasoning.Boulet absorbed all this on his delivery rounds, which he would reﬁnewith his own catering business.

Selling wholesale was his introduction to NewOrleans, andeventually to Justin LeBlanc, who at the time ran two locations of his Bevi SeafoodCo. (Bevi is now back with aboiled crawﬁsh pop-up on the weekends at the formerhome of Avo, 5908 Magazine St., through theseason).

The timing provedfatefully double-edged. LeBlanc was ready to sell his business, and they struck adeal for the Metairie location of Bevi that would becomeBon Temps Boulet’s.

But that was also in early 2020, just before COVID-19 shut restaurants down. Takeout crawﬁsh kept the new business alive, but the

pandemic muted its debut.This

crawﬁsh deserves more attention. Mudbugs andbrisket

Thered shellslookpolished,

gleaming. Stretch out atailand the underside is pearly white and clean. There’saneasypeel from theshell and ajuicy bounce to the meat

Theﬂavor is both balanced and complex, hitting the palateindifferentnotes between salty,spicy and even the slightest bit creamysweet. It builds anticipation for the next bite.

The shop has theusual boiled sides, and the chalkboardmenu lists arepertoire of fried seafood and Cajun gas station specialties notably boudin balls and boudin egg rolls.

The other key item here is an unconventional brisket sandwich. Instead of achoice of fattyorlean slices, you get ahouse creation of thebest of both.

The 20-hour smoke on the brisket produces alot of beefy juice and smokygarlic cloves.Boulet pulls the fat chunks from themeat, fries it like cracklin, and works the crunchy bits back intothe pulled brisketwith thegarlic. It becomes amix of meaty strands, saltycrust and fat,and it gushes withﬂavor

The ideal Bon Temps Boulet’s surfand turf for two is a3-pound trayofcrawﬁsh and abrisket sandwich on the side. Don’tbother with the papertowels between; just go back and forth, letting it all mingle Wingsand things

After, findsome of the housemadehand scrub, stocked in the restroom andsold by the jar.It’sa gently fragrant mixofraw sugar and coconut oilthat liftsthe or-

ange stains and seafood scent, like aspa treatment dreamed up at a fishing camp. Crawfish is serious business here, betweendailyorders,catering gigs andmoving live sacks, reaching back to Boulet’scontacts from his wholesaler days. But there’sarestlessenergyinthe kitchen, andhe keeps firing off new specials. Ask if there’sanoff-the-menu sauceforthesmokedchickenwings, andthe kitchen might produceits periodically available black truffle buffalo sauce. It sounds froufrou for acrawfish shopbut is more tasty evidence of acreative, curious mind kickingthings around.

The shop also carries the mantle of Bevi forreally good, not-toosweet fresh fruit daiquiris.They wrangle the spice on the palate as effectively as the hand scrub on the ﬁngers.

Bon Temps Boulet’sisstill arelative newcomer to the local crawﬁsh scene, but it feels like it’sbeen around forever,and —like its way with crawﬁsh —has been steeped foralifetime.

Customers digintotrays of boiled crawfish and shrimp at Bon Temps

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Stop, look, listen, resolve and hit the reset button. Acting on instinct can hinder or help you, depending on how you choose to use your energy. Caution and courage together will get you where you want to go.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Acknowledge truth, look at your options and do what's right. Don't take a risk that can lead to insult, injury or illness, but do make your point heard loud and clear.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Don't mistake what's true for what isn't. Emotions and money won't mix. Take time to digest what someone offers you before you take a leap of faith and buy into someone else's future.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Extend a helping hand, not cash. It's what you do that makes a difference. If you feel passionate about a cause, volunteer your time. Say no to bullies and align yourself with those willing to do the legwork.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Embrace what's feasible, and distance yourself from what isn't. Learn all you can, and discuss your plans with those who support and help you achieve your goal.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Communication is the road to victory. A passionate approach to life and love will lead to the happiness you desire. You cannot buy love, but you can earn it through actions.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Be careful what you wish for. Something appears to be off. Communication will lead to posi-

tive change, greater self-image and a closer relationship with those who truly matter.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Bounce your ideas off someone you trust, and an unexpected opportunity will reveal itself. Travel, educational pursuits and delving into something that excites you are apparent.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Proceed with caution. It will be easy to make a mistake if you don't question what's happening around you or what someone tells you. Exaggeration is apparent, and so is overspending.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Denial will work against you. Put your energy into finding out the truth, what's possible and what to avoid, and protect your investments, home and possessions from pressure tactics and scammers.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Protect your health and well-being. Steer clear of events that can lead to illness or injury. It's up to you to enhance your life by bringing about positive change.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Communication will spare you wasting time A change of environment, location or scenery will help you come to terms with what you require to feel fulfilled, happy and at peace with yourself

FAMILY CIrCUS

Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

TODAy'S CLUE: X EQUALS D

CeLebrItY CIpher

For better or For WorSe

And erneSt

SALLY Forth

beetLe bAILeY

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

SherMAn’S LAGoon

dooneSbUrY

bIG nAte

Sudoku

InstructIons: sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. Theobject is to place the numbers 1to9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. Thedifficulty level of thesudoku increases from monday to sunday.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

THewiZard oF id

BLondie

BaBY BLueS

Hi and LoiS

CurTiS

Bridge

BY PHILLIP ALDER

MarcusTulliusCicero,aRomanstatesmanand orator who died in 43 B.C., said, “Orators are most vehement when their cause is weak.”

Ioftenfeelthatwayaboutplaywrights whoinclude lots of shouting —they could not thinkofanything worthwhile to write

Thisweek we are looking at bidding with weak hands —for example, the gorgeoustwo-countheldbyNorth.After partneropensoneno-trump,hemustnot pass, but must convertthe contract to two spades, here via atransfer bid. His hand might be useless in no-trump, but will be worththree or four trump tricks in spades.

AfterWest leads the heart king, how shouldSouthplan theplay?

NotethatNorth’shavingtouseatransfer,ratherthananatural,drop-deadtwospade response, has the disadvantage of giving the opponents two chances to enter the auction; butitdoes allowthe strong hand to become the declarer

If East-West do enter the auction and reachthreediamonds,aclubleadisfatal

The defenders can take one heart, three diamonds,one club anda club ruff by North.

Southhas six losers: three spades, two heartsand one club.However,hecan eliminate one loser by winning withthe heart ace and cashing his three diamond tricks, startingwith dummy’s queen (the honor from theshorterside first). On the third diamond, declarer discards aheart from theboard.Then,withhis losercountdowntofive,heleadsatrump and keeps playing trumps every time he is back on lead.

Each Wuzzle is awordriddlewhich creates adisguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: nOOn gOOD =gOOD aFTErnOOn

Previous answers:

word game

InstRuctIons: 1. Words must be of fourormore letters. 2. Words that acquire fourletters 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 wordsare not allowed

toDAY’s WoRD AGGREssoR: uh-GRESS-er: One who attacks or encroaches

Average mark21words

Time limit 30 minutes

Can you find 27 or morewords in AGGRESSOR?

YEstERDAY’s WoRD —occuPIEs

wuzzles

loCKhorNs

marmaduKe

Bizarro

hagar the horriBle

Pearls Before swiNe

garfield

B.C.

PiCKles hidato

mallard fillmore

GramS

dIrectIons: make a 2- to 7-letter word from the letters in each row. add points of each word, using scoring directions at right. Finally, 7-letter words get 50-point bonus. “Blanks” used as any letter have no point value. all the words are in the Official sCraBBlE® players Dictionary, 5th Edition.

Puzzle Answer ken ken

InstructIons: 1 Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 thorugh 4 (easy) or 1 through 6 (challenging) without repeating. 2 The numbers within the heavily outlined boxes, called cages, must combine using the given operation (in any order) to produce the target numbers in the top-left corners. 3 Freebies: Fill in the single-box cages with the number in the top-left corner. HErE is a

WiShinG Well

Scrabble

Get fuzzy

jump Start

roSe iS roSe

animal crackerS

DuStin

Drabble

Wallace the brave

breWSter rockit

luann

ON: April8,2026 DEADLINE TO RESPOND: May6,2026 PRE-BIDCONFERENCE: April22, 2026

Datesare subjectto changesvia an adden‐dumpostedbythe Bu‐reau of Purchasing on theCity’ssupplierportal.

(45) days. Responsesshould conveysound reasoning for or againstthe pro‐posal andbemailedto ScenicRiversProgram LDWF, 2000 QuailDrive Room 432, BatonRouge LA70808. 183535 April8,1t

Advertisement: The Advocate April 1, 2026 April 8, 2026 April 15, 2026

INVITATION TO BID

SealedBid No. 26-6964 April 8, 2026 Furnish and Install Athletic Flooring at Muss BertolinoGym

Sealed Bid No. 26-6964

The City of Kenner (also referenced as “Kenner” and “Owner”) will receive sealed bidsfor: FURNISH AND INSTALL ATHLETIC FLOORING AT MUSS BERTOLINO GYM

Bidders may obtain copies of thebid documents by visiting the City of Kenner’swebsite at www.kenner.la.us. Bidders may also obtain copies of thebid documents andsubmit bids electronically by visiting www.centralauctionhouse.com.

Sealed bids may also be received by mail or in-person until Friday,May 8, 2026 at 9:45 a.m. CST, by theCityofKenner in the Finance Departmentlocated at: 1610 ReverendRichard WilsonDrive BuildingD Kenner,Louisiana 70062 All interested parties areinvited to attendthe BidOpeningon

/s/ElizabethHerring

WHO’SINCLUDED?

have ahearing to decide whethertoapprovethe settlement so that pay‐mentscan be issued. Get adetailednoticeand more informationonthe lawsuitand thesettle‐ment at www.souther nscrapclass.com, andthe informationonthatweb‐site (and in particular the ClassSettlementAgree‐ment)providesthe most complete,accurateand controlling information h l controlling information on thesettlement. You mayalsocall1-800-4324427 formoreinforma‐tion

hicles trailers and auto hulks of anytypeand in anycondition,including anyportionsthereof.” WHAT’S THIS ABOUT?

TheClass includes “Vehi‐cleOwnerswhose Vehi‐cles were sold”toSouth‐ernScrap/SouthernRe‐cyclingortheir afﬁliates “inLouisiana by individu‐alswho were notautho‐rizedbythe VehicleOwn‐erstosellthe Vehicles during thetimeperiodof January1,2020 through January31, 2026.”The term Vehicleisusedin itsbroadestsense and includes,without limita‐tion,“vehicles,motor ve‐hicles,trailers, andauto h lk f d i

Thelawsuit claimedthat plaintiffand otherpeople like himsustained dam‐agewhenSouthern Scrap/Southern Recy‐clingpurchased theirve‐hicles withoutproperau‐thorization. Southern Scrap/Southern Recy‐clingdenyall of thelegal claims in this case.The settlement doesn’tmean that they hadany liabil‐ityorthatany lawwas broken.The Courtdid not decide whichsidewas right. Instead, thesettle‐ment resolves thecase

ORDINANCE

CITY OF NEW ORLEANS

CITY HALL: January 8, 2026

CALENDAR NO. 35,326 NO. 30556 MAYOR COUNCIL SERIES

BY:COUNCILMEMBERSGIARRUSSO AND MCCARRON

AN ORDINANCE to amend and reordain Article 18 of the Comprehensive ZoningOrdinance (Ordinance No. 4264 M.C.S., as amended by Ordinance No. 26,413 M.C.S. and subsequent amendments)to establish the “Fairgrounds Overlay District”,including the area upon which the Fair Grounds Race Course &Slots currentlysits, generally bounded by Gentilly Boulevard, Belfort Street/Avenue,Trafalgar Street,Desaix Boulevard,St. Louis Cemetery No. 3, St. Vincent Street,Verna Court, and Fortin Street, to maintain current and historical fairground and racetrack opportunities; andotherwise to provide with respectthereto.

WHEREAS,Zoning DocketNumber 50/25 was initiatedbyCity Council Motion No. M-25-396 and referredtothe City Planning Commission; and WHEREAS, the City Planning Commission held apublic hearing on this zoning petition and recommended approvalofthe requestedtext amendment in its report to theCityCouncil datedNovember 12, 2025, presented in Zoning Docket Number 50/25; and WHEREAS, the changes weredeemed necessary and in the best interest of the City of New Orleans and the request was approvedbyCity Council, as stated in Motion Number M-25-646 of the Council of the City of New Orleans on December 18, 2025; and SECTION 1. THE COUNCIL OF THECITY OF NEWORLEANS HEREBY ORDAINS,That Article 18 of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance (Ordinance No. 4264 M.C.S., as amended by Ordinance No. 26,413 M.C.S. and subsequent amendments), be, and is hereby amended and reordainedtoread as follows: ARTICLE 18. OVERLAYZONING DISTRICTS *** 18.2 PURPOSE STATEMENTS ***

18.2.BB –PURPOSE OF THE FAIRGROUNDS OVERLAYDISTRICT

The purpose of the FairgroundsOverlay District is to preserve the historic use of the Fair Grounds RaceCourse &Slots forthe benefit of the neighborhood and for the cityatlarge and ensureappropriate coordinationofany residentialdevelopment efforts. Thepurpose is not to deprive the property of existing property rights or toprevent theexpansion of the facility throughthe processes establishedby this ordinance. Should the Fair Grounds cease operations and be redeveloped for residential use not associated with racetrack operations, such residential development is generallylimited to the planned development processtoensureredevelopment effortsconsider site design, infrastructure improvements, and public facilities. ** * 18.33 FAIRGROUNDS OVERLAYDISTRICT

18.33.A APPLICABILITY

The Fairgrounds Overlay District applies to the following areas:

1. Those lots generally bounded by Gentilly Boulevard,BelfortStreet/ Avenue, Trafalgar Street, DesaixBoulevard, St.Louis Cemetery No.3,St. Vincent Street, VernaCourt, and Fortin Street.

18.33.B USES

18.33.B.1 PERMITTEDAND CONDITIONAL USES

PERMITTED AND CONDITIONAL USES USES FAIRGROUNDS OVERLAY DISTRICT USES USE STANDARDS RESIDENTIAL USE

Dwelling, Single-Family C1 Article 5

Dwelling, Two-Family C1 Article 5

Dwelling, Small Multi-Family Affordable C Article 5 COMMERCIALUSE

Fairgrounds C Section20.3.CC Racetrack C Section20.3.VV

1Residential development of any parcel five acres or larger insize is allowed only when approved throughthe planned development process as outlined in Article 5. Residential development of any parcel under five acres in area is allowed only through the conditional use process. 2 Expansion of the existing Fair Grounds racetrackmay be authorized through the processes setforth by Section 4.F.5 of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance.Such expansionmay include the expansion or addition of ancillary use thatsupportthe racetrack’s operation, including but not limited to racetrack, casino,sportsbook, offtrack betting parlor,ticketing operations, office/professional workspaces, non-profitoffices, governmental offices, groupsales/ meetingfacilities, horse stalling/equine husbandry,equinetraining, racetrack maintenance, mechanicsshop, feed store, museum, retail, tv production, storage, single family housing,transientlodging, restaurants, concessions/snack barsand bars

*”

ADOPTED BY THE COUNCIL OFTHE CITYOFNEW ORLEANS

FEBRUARY12, 2026

JP MORRELL PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

DELIVERED TO THE MAYOR ON FEBRUARY 12, 2026

APPROVED: FEBRUARY19, 2026

HELENAMORENO

MAYOR

RETURNED BY THE MAYOR ONFEBRUARY 19, 2026 AT 11:00 A.M.

AISHA R. COLLIER

CLERK OF COUNCIL

ROLL CALL VOTE:

YEAS: Green, Hughes, King, McCarron, Morrell, Willard–6

NAYS: 0

ABSENT:Harris -1

RECUSED: 0

ORDINANCE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS

CITY HALL: January 8, 2026

CALENDAR NO. 35,327 NO. 30557 MAYOR COUNCIL SERIES BY:COUNCILMEMBERSGIARRUSSO AND MCCARRON AN ORDINANCEtoestablish aconditional use to permit asecondary

educationalfacility in an HU-RD2 Historic Urban Two-Family Residential District,onSquare12, Lots 1through 7, A, B, C, and D, in the SixthMunicipal District,boundedbyAnnunciation Street, Nashville Avenue, Arabella Street, and Laurel Street (Municipal Addresses: 5703 Annunciation Street and 401 Nashville Avenue);and otherwisetoprovide with respect thereto. WHEREAS, Zoning Docket Number 55/25 was initiatedby OrleansParish SchoolBoardand referred to the City Planning Commission; and WHEREAS, the City Planning Commission held apublic hearing on this zoningpetition and recommended approvalofthe requestedconditional use in its report to theCity Council datedNovember12, 2025, presented in Zoning Docket Number 55/25; and WHEREAS,the changes weredeemed necessary and in the best interest of the City of New Orleans and the request was approvedbythe City Council, subject to two (2) waiversand seven (7) provisos, as stated in Motion Number M-25-668 (AS AMENDED) of the Council of the City of New Orleans on December 18, 2025.

PUBLIC NOTICE SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND BEAR‐INGMUNICIPAL NUMBER 501 VERRETST, CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, IN THEMATTEREN‐TITLED: NUBRIDGE COM‐MERCIALLEND‐

parking

MERCIAL LEND INGLLC VERSUS WRIGHT HOUSES NOLA LLC CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE AN S Case No: 2025-3431

By virtue of a Writ of Seizure andSaledi‐rected to me by theHonorable Judges of Civil District Court

District Court forthe Parish of Orleans, in the aboveentitled cause, Iwillpro‐ceed to sell by public auction, on theground ﬂoor of theCivil District Court Building,421 Loyola Avenue in theFirst Dis‐trictofthe City on April9,2026, at 12:00 o'clock noon,the fol‐lowing de‐scribedprop‐erty to wit:

501 VERRET ST NEWORLEANS, LA 70114 LOTS A& BSQUARE 92 5THMUNICIPAL DISTRICT ACQMIN: 1412108 WRIT AMOUNT: $500,000.00

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐posit of ten per‐f h

posit of ten per cent of thepur‐chaseprice,and thebalance within thirty days thereafter

Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certiﬁed CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐sonalChecks. FACE MASKS ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS AREREQUIRED UPON ENTERING BUILDING SusanHutson h iff

to permit no buffer yard. PROVISOS:

1. The Department of Safetyand Permits shall issuenobuilding permits or licenses forthisproject until final development plans areapproved by the City Planning Commission and recorded withthe Clerk of Civil District Court’s Land Records Division. Failuretocompletethe conditional use process by properly recording plans within one year or failuretorequest an administrative extension as provided for in Article 4, Section 4.3.H.2 of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance willvoidthe conditional use approval.

2. In accordance with Article 20.3.ZEducational Facility the developer shall submitarchitectural drawings for review and approval by City Planning Commission staffindicatingatrafficplan. Atrafficplan shall include the following components: circulation routes for school bus, motor vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian transportationmodes; ingress and egress locations for each transportation mode;curb side usage; locations and capacity of alloff-street parking and loading spaces; for primary and secondary educational facilities, student pick-up and dropofflocations shallalso be shown along withaplan forstaff supervision and trafficcontrol during peak hours; and an inventory of school zone signage, pedestrian beacons, crosswalk striping and ADAcompliance shallbeincluded.

3. The plans submitted to the City Planning Commission for final approval shallinclude alandscaping plan that complies with Article 23, Section 23.3.B of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance. The landscape plan shall be prepared by alicensed Louisiana landscape architect. This landscape plan shall indicate the following:

a. The genus, species, size, location, quantity,and irrigation of allexisting and proposed plant materialswithin both the common areas and the street rights of-way within the site, withapplicableremarks and details.

b. Compliance with allapplicablelandscape regulations in Article 23 and elsewhereinthe Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance including building foundation planting.

4. The developer shall obtainthe applicable approvals from the Department of Public Works, the Department of Parks and Parkways, and any other relevant agency for the modifications and landscape to the publicrightof-way.This may requirethe proposed head-in on-street parking spaces to be replaced withparallel on-streetparking spaces.

5. Performances, concerts, and all other performance-related activities within the auditorium shall be limitedto37days per calendar year

6. Performances, concerts, and all other performance-related activities within the auditorium shall cease by 10 p. m.

7. The dumpster shall be emptied three times per week. The dumpster shallbeemptiedbetween 7a.m.and 8p.m

SECTION 2.Whoever does anything prohibited by thisOrdinance or fails to do anything required to be done by thisOrdinance shall be subject to whatever civilliabilities, penalties, or remedies the law prescribes.

SECTION3.This Ordinance shall have the legal forceand effect of authorizing thisconditional use after: (1) all proviso(s) listed in Section 1, which impose aone-time obligation have been completelyfulfilled and complied with; and (2) all proviso(s) listed in Section 1, which impose a continuing or ongoingobligation have begun to be fulfilled. Fulfilment of acontinuing or ongoingobligation is based on the City Planning Commission’sapproval of the final site plan, which shall be submitted within one year of adoptionofthisOrdinance by the City Council, unless extended as authorized by the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance. The Executive Director of the City Planning Commission shallverify that the development plan incorporateall conditions set forthinthisOrdinance and shall sign the plan to indicate final plan approval. The final approved plan shall be recorded in the Office of the Clerk of Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans, within30days of the date of final approval, and evidence of such recordation shall be submitted to the City Planning Commission. No use or occupancy certificates or permits, other than the building permitsneeded to fulfill the proviso(s),shall be issued until the final approved plan is recorded and evidence of recordation is submitted to the City Planning Commission. If the development plan is notapproved and recorded, within the timeframes provided in the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance, then thisOrdinance shall be nulland void withnolegal force or binding effect.Furthermore, if the requirements of Section 4.3.H.1ofthe Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance arenot satisfied within the timeframe allottedbySections 4.3.H.1and 4.3.H.2ofthe Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance, the conditional use will expire, and thisOrdinance willbe nulland void. The preceding deadlines may be extended viamotionin accordance withthe Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance.

ADOPTEDBYTHE COUNCIL OF THECITY OF NEWORLEANS

FEBRUARY12, 2026 JP MORRELL PRESIDENT OF THECOUNCIL DELIVERED TO THEMAYOR ON FEBRUARY12, 2026

APPROVED:FEBRUARY19, 2026

HELENAMORENO MAYOR RETURNEDBYTHE MAYORONFEBRUARY19, 2026 AT 11:00 A.M.

AISHAR.COLLIER CLERKOFCOUNCIL ROLL CALL VOTE: YEAS: Green, Hughes, King, McCarron, Morrell,Willard -6

NAYS:0 ABSENT: Harris -1 RECUSED: 0 ORDINANCE CITY OF NEWORLEANS CITY HALL: January 8, 2026

CALENDAR NO.35,328

NO.30558 MAYORCOUNCILSERIES

BY:COUNCILMEMBERKING

AN ORDINANCEtoamend and reordainArticle 10 of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance (Ordinance No.4264 M.C.S.,asamendedby Ordinance No.26,413 M.C.S. and subsequent amendments) to add “reception facility” as aconditional use in the HM-MUHistoricMarigny/ Treme/Bywater Mixed-Use District subject to the use standards in Section 20.3.WW and as defined in Article 26; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto. WHEREAS, Zoning DocketNumber 58/25 was initiated by Dauphine Restaurant, LLC and referred to the City Planning Commission; and WHEREAS, the City Planning Commission held apublichearing on thiszoning petition and recommended approval of the requested text amendment in itsreport to the City Councildated November 12, 2025, presented in Zoning DocketNumber 58/25; and WHEREAS, the changes weredeemednecessary and in the best interest of the City of New Orleans and the request was approved by City Council, as stated in Motion Number M-25-602 of the Councilofthe City of New Orleans on December 18, 2025; and SECTION1.THE COUNCIL OF THECITYOF NEWORLEANSHEREBY

ORDAINS,That Article 10 of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance (Ordinance No.4264 M.C.S.,asamendedbyOrdinance No.26,413 M.C.S. and subsequent amendments), be, and is hereby amendedand reordained to read as follows: “ARTICLE 10. HISTORIC CORE

ADOPTEDBYTHE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWORLEANS

FEBRUARY 12,2026 JP MORRELL PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL DELIVEREDTOTHE MAYOR ON FEBRUARY 12,2026

APPROVED:FEBRUARY19, 2026

HELENA MORENO MAYOR RETURNED BY THE MAYOR ON FEBRUARY 19,2026AT11:00A.M.

AISHA R. COLLIER

CLERKOFCOUNCIL ROLLCALLVOTE: YEAS: Green, Hughes, King, McCarron,Morrell, Willard- 6

NAYS: 0 ABSENT:Harris- 1

RECUSED: 0 ORDINANCE CITY OF NEWORLEANS

CITY HALL: January 8, 2026

CALENDARNO. 35,329 NO. 30559MAYOR COUNCIL SERIES BY:COUNCILMEMBER KING AN ORDINANCE to establish aconditional use to permita reception facilityinthe HM-MUHistoric Marigny/Tremé/Bywater Mixed-Use District, on Square170,Lots27through 29-A or LotPt. A, in theThird MunicipalDistrict, boundedbyDauphineStreet, ClouetStreet, MontegutStreet, andRoyal Street(MunicipalAddresses: 3010-3014DauphineStreet); andotherwise to provide withrespect thereto.

WHEREAS,ZoningDocketNumber59/25was initiatedby3014Dauphine, LLCand referred to theCityPlanningCommission;and WHEREAS,the City PlanningCommission held apublic hearingonthis zoningpetition andrecommended approvalofthe requested conditional use in itsreport to theCityCouncil datedNovember12, 2025,presented in ZoningDocketNumber59/25; and WHEREAS,the changesweredeemednecessary andinthe best interest of theCityofNew Orleansand were grantedapproval of theCityCouncil, subjecttoone (1)waiverand three(3) provisos, as stated in Motion Number M-25-603 of theCityofNew OrleansonDecember18, 2025 SECTION 1. THECOUNCIL OF THE CITYOFNEW ORLEANS HEREBY ORDAINS,Thata conditional use to permita reception facilityinthe HMMU Historic Marigny/Tremé/Bywater Mixed-Use District, on Square170 Lots 27 through29-AorLot Pt. A, in theThird MunicipalDistrict, bounded by DauphineStreet, ClouetStreet, MontegutStreet, andRoyal Street (MunicipalAddresses:3010-3014 DauphineStreet); is hereby authorized andapproved, subjecttothe followingwaiverand provisos, as specifically set forthherein: WAIVER:

1.Thedevelopershall be granted awaiverofComprehensive Zoning Ordinance Article22, Section 22.4.A (Table 22-1) to permitthe reception facilitytooperate withthe existing 12 grandfathered parking spaces only in lieu of the25spaces required per thefacility’ssquarefootage PROVISOS:

1. TheDepartment of Safety andPermits shall issuenobuildingpermits or licensesfor this projectuntil finaldevelopmentplans areapproved by theCityPlanningCommission andrecordedwiththe OrleansParish Clerk of Court Land RecordsDivision. Failure to complete theconditional use process within oneyearorfailure to request an administrative extension as provided for in Article4,Section 4.3.H.2 of theComprehensive Zoning Ordinance willvoid theconditional use approval.

2. In accordance with Article20, Section 20.3.WW,the reception facility is subjecttothe followinguse standards:

a. Thereception facilityshall submit asecurityand operation plan, which includesthe provision of exterior securitycameras, to theDepartment of Safety andPermits. b. Thereception facilityshall provide itsown license for theservice of alcoholicbeverages. c. Ageneraladmission feeorany other monetarydonations (payment at thedoor to thegeneralpublic)for entranceisprohibited, with the exception of fundraisers or eventsfor bona fide non-profitorganizations, places of worship, or educationalfacilities.

d. Outdoor live entertainment-secondary use is aseparate use andsubject to separate approval. Additionally, thereception must remain openwhile anyliveentertainment takesplace.Indoor live entertainment is subjectto aclosed-doors-and-windowspolicy e. Outdoor lighting shall be directedawayfromadjacent residentially zoned property f. Indoor hoursofoperation arerestrictedto10:00a.m.to12:00a.m (midnight) Sundaythrough Thursday and10:00a.m.to4:00 a.m. Friday throughSaturday 3. In accordance with Article21, Sections21.6.O.1.c and 21.6.O.1.d,the developershall establish andmaintaina bufferareaofatleast six (6)feet betweenthe edge of theroof deck andthe edge of thebuilding. SECTION 2.Whoever does anythingprohibited by this Ordinance or fails to do anythingrequired to be donebythisOrdinance shall be subjectto whatevercivil liabilities, penalties, or remedies thelaw prescribes. SECTION 3.ThisOrdinance shall have thelegal force andeffectof authorizingthisconditional use after: (1)all proviso(s) listedinSection 1, which impose aone-time obligation have beencompletelyfulfilledand compliedwith;and (2)all proviso(s) listedinSection 1, which impose a continuing or ongoing obligation have begun to be fulfilled. Fulfilment of acontinuingorongoing obligation is basedonthe City Planning Commission’s approvalofthe finalsiteplan, which shall be submitted within oneyearofadoption of this Ordinance by theCityCouncil, unless extendedasauthorized by theComprehensive ZoningOrdinance.The Executive Director of theCityPlanningCommission shall verifythatthe developmentplanincorporate allconditionsset forthinthisOrdinance andshall sign theplantoindicate finalplan approval. The finalapproved plan shall be recorded in theOffice of theClerk of Civil District Court for theParish of Orleans,within 30 days of thedateof finalapproval, andevidenceofsuchrecordation shall be submittedtothe City Planning Commission.Nouse or occupancy certificatesorpermits, other than the buildingpermits neededtofulfill theproviso(s), shall be issued until the finalapprovedplanisrecordedand evidenceofrecordation is submitted to theCityPlanningCommission.Ifthe developmentplanisnot approved andrecorded, within thetimeframesprovided in theComprehensive ZoningOrdinance,thenthisOrdinance shall be null andvoid with no legal force or bindingeffect. Furthermore, if therequirements of Section 4.3.H.1 of theComprehensive ZoningOrdinance arenot satisfied within the timeframe allotted by Sections 4.3.H.1and 4.3.H.2ofthe Comprehensive ZoningOrdinance,the conditional use will expire, andthisOrdinance will be null andvoid. Thepreceding deadlinesmay be extendedvia motion in accordance with theComprehensive ZoningOrdinance

ADOPTEDBYTHE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWORLEANS FEBRUARY 12,2026

JP MORRELL PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

DELIVEREDTOTHE MAYOR ON FEBRUARY 12,2026

APPROVED:FEBRUARY19, 2026

HELENA MORENO MAYOR RETURNED BY THE MAYOR ON FEBRUARY 19,2026AT11:00A.M.

AISHA R. COLLIER

CLERKOFCOUNCIL ROLLCALLVOTE: YEAS: Green, Hughes, King, McCarron,Morrell, Willard-6

NAYS: 0 ABSENT:Harris-1 RECUSED: 0 NOCP 8990

TheN.O.Advo‐

UPON ENTERING BUILDING

ARE REQUIRED UPON ENTERING BUILDING

PUBLIC NOTICE

SQUARE:177

SECOND MUNIC‐IPAL DISTRICT ACQMIN: 1124698 WRIT AMOUNT:

$425,591.10

Seized in the above suit, TERMS- CASH Thepurchaser at themoment ofadjudication to make ade‐positoften per‐cent of thepur‐chaseprice,and thebalance within thirty days thereafter

Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certiﬁed CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐sonalChecks. FACE MASKS ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS AREREQUIRED UPON ENTERING BUILDING

SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans

GH 2 DEAN MORRIS, LLC318-3881440

cate Date (s): 3/4/2026 & 4/8/2026

mar4-apr8-2t

PUBLIC NOTICE SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND BEAR‐INGMUNICIPAL NUMBER 5879 MARSHALL FOCH STREET, THIS CITY,INTHE MATTERENTI‐TLED:WILMING‐TONTRUST,NA‐TIONAL ASSOCI‐ATION, NOTIN ITSINDIVIDUAL CAPACITY,BUT SOLEYAS TRUSTEEOF MFRA TRUST 2015-1 VERSUS KEITHC LEE A/K/AKEITH CHARLES LEEAND MELISSAO.LEE A/K/AMELISSA ORTIZLEE CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE AN S Case No: 2023-2373

By virtue of a Writ of FieriFa‐cias directed to me by theHon‐orable Judges of CivilDistrict Courtfor the Parish of Or‐leans, in the aboveentitled cause, Iwillpro‐ceed to sell by publicauction, on theground ﬂoor of theCivil District Court Building,421 Loyola Avenue, in theFirst Dis‐trictofthe City on April9,2026 at 12:00o'clock noon,the fol‐lowing de‐scribedprop‐erty to wit: 5879 MARSHALL FOCHSTNEW ORLEANS, LA 70124 SQUARE 379, LOTS 1& 2 SECOND MUNIC‐IPAL DISTRICT ACQ MIN:1438211 WRIT AMOUNT: $469,882.26

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐positoften per‐cent of thepur‐chaseprice,and thebalance within thirty days thereafter Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certiﬁed CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐sonalChecks. FACE MASKS ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS AREREQUIRED UPON ENTERING

SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans

BD 4 HALLIDAY WATKINS& MANN P.C. AT‐TORNEYSAT LAW

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 3/4/2026 & 4/8/2026 mar4-apr 8-2t

PUBLIC NOTICE SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND BEAR‐INGMUNICIPAL NUMBER 1320 MENDEZ ST, CITYOFNEW ORLEANS, IN THEMATTER EN‐TITLED:HAN‐COCK WHITNEY BANK VERSUS KYONGYUN PORTER

CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE AN S Case No: 2025-379

By virtue of a Writ of Seizure andSaledi‐rected to me by theHonorable Judges of Civil District Court forthe Parish of Orleans, in the aboveentitled cause, Iwillpro‐ceed to sell by public auction, on theground ﬂoor of theCivil District Court Building,421 Loyola Avenue, in theFirst Dis‐trictofthe City on April9,2026, at 12:00o'clock noon,the fol‐lowing de‐scribedprop‐erty to wit: 1320 MENDEZ ST NEWORLEANS, LA 70122 LOT11- SQUARE 39 3RDMUNICIPAL DISTRICT ACQMIN: 1365896 OAKPARKGAR‐DENS WRIT AMOUNT: $120,539.20 Seized in the above suit, TERMS -CASH. Thepurchaser at themoment ofadjudication to make ade‐positoften per‐cent of thepur‐chaseprice,and thebalance within thirty days thereafter Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certiﬁed CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐sonalChecks. FACE MASKS ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS AREREQUIRED UPON ENTERING

SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans

RB 6 GRAHAM,ARCE‐NEAUX& ALLEN, LLC504-5228256 LOUISG.ARCE‐NEAUX

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 3/4/2026 & 4/8/2026 mar4-apr8-2t

SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND BEAR‐INGMUNICIPAL NUMBER 4631 ALBA RD,CITY OF NEWOR‐LEANS, IN THEMATTER ENTITLED:PEN‐NYMACLOAN SERVICES,LLC VERSUS KYLE JOSEPH GROETSCH A/K/AKYLE

A/K/A KYLE J. GROETSCH A/K/AKYLE GROETSCH CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE AN S Case No: 2025-5839

By virtue of a Writ of Seizure andSaledi‐rected to me by the Honorable Judges of Civil District Court forthe Parish of Orleans, in the aboveentitled cause, Iwillpro‐ceed to sell by bli i

ceed to sell by public auction, on theground ﬂoor of theCivil District Court Building,421 Loyola Avenue, in theFirst Dis‐trictofthe City on April9,2026, at 12:00 o'clock noon,the fol‐lowing de‐scribedprop‐erty to wit: 4631 ALBA RD NEWORLEANS, LA 70129 LOTS 9& 10SQUARE 15 3RDMUNICIPAL DISTRICT ACQMIN: 1228593

1228593 VENETIAN ISLES SUBDIVISION WRIT AMOUNT: $172,791.51

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐positoften per‐cent of thepur‐chaseprice,and thebalance within thirty days thereafter

Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certiﬁed CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐

FUND 5137 DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS 100-PERSONAL SERVICES $500,000

$2,327,000

$2,827,000 ADOPTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITYOFNEW ORLEANS

BY THE MAYOR ON FEBRUARY 5, 2026 AT 12:40 P.M.

AISHA COLLIER

CLERK OF COUNCIL ROLL CALL VOTE: YEAS: Green, Harris, Hughes, King,McCarron, Morrell, Willard-7

Exhibit “A”

NOTICE OF SPECIAL ELECTION

Pursuant to theprovisions of ResolutionNo. 2025-063, adopted by the Gretna City Council (the Governing Authority’) on December 10, 2025, acting as governingauthority of theCityofGretna(the“City”); NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that aspecial electionwill be held within theCityofGretnaonSaturday, May 16, 2026, and that at thesaid election there will be submitted to all registered voter in theCityofGretnaqualified andentitled to vote at thesaid electionunder theConstitution andLaws of theStateofLouisiana andthe Constitutionofthe United States,the followingproposition,to-wit: City of Gretna Proposition (Fire ProtectionRenewal)

Shall theCityofGretna, State of Louisiana (the “City”) renew thelevy of aspecial tax of five (5.00) mills on all property subject to taxation within theCityofGretna; that being thesame areacontained wholly within voting precinctsG-001through G-011; butexcluding voting precinctsG-012and G-013Parts, (Annexed Timberlane Subdivision); (anestimated $854,924.34 reasonably expected at this timetobe collected from thelevy of thespecial tax foranentireyear,) fora periodoften (10) years, beginningwith theyear 2027, andending withthe year 2036, for theobject andpurposeof fire protection withinsaid City,aworkofpermanentpublic improvement, title to which shall be in thepublic?

On Wednesday,June 10, 2026, at 5:30 p. m. in theCouncil Chambers at Gretna City Hall, 740 Second Street,Gretna, Louisiana, theMayor,and City Council of the City of Gretna in open sessionwill proceed to canvass anddeclare theresults of theSaturday,May 16, 2026, election

This electionhas been called in conjunction withthe Party Primary/Municipal Primaryelection of May 16, 2026.

The said special electionshall be held at thepollingplacesfor thebelow precincts, which polls will open at six o’clock (6:00) AM, andclose at eight o’clock (8:00) PM, in accordance with theprovisions of Louisiana R. S. 18-541, to wit: Listingofprecincts andpollingplaceswhere theproposition will be voted on,and all registered voters in each precinct will be eligible to voteonsaid proposition in this electionisasfollows:

OF FICIAL

PRO CEEDINGS OF THECOUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWORLEANS

SPECIALSESSION CITY HALL: FEBRUARY4,2026

The Councilofthe City of New Orleans met thisday in Special Session, at 9:00 A.M.,inthe CouncilChamber,CityHall,Council

President, JP Morrell,presiding. On calling the roll,the following members answered to theirnames:

PRESENT: MORRELL (PRESIDENT) WILLARD(VICEPRESIDENT) MCCARRON HARRIS GREEN HUGHES ABSENT: KING (Arrived in the meeting late.)

SIXMEMBERS PRESENT,CONSTITUTING AQUORUM. PRESIDENT’S CALL AISHAR.COLLIER CLERKOFCOUNCIL ROLL CALL AISHAR.COLLIER CLERKOFCOUNCIL February 4, 2026

Lora Johnson Clerk of Council New Orleans City Council 1300 Perdido Street New Orleans, LA 70112 Dear Madam Clerk: Pursuant to my authority in Section 3-107(5) of the Home RuleCharter of the City of New Orleans, therewillbespecial City Councilmeetings on the following dates:

•Wednesday,February 4, 2026 at 9:00 AM

•Wednesday,February 11, 2026 at 9:00 AM

•Wednesday,February 18, 2026 at 9:00 AM

•Wednesday,February 25, 2026 at 9:00 AM

The meeting willbelimitedtothe discussion and consideration of mattersrelative to: •The current financial condition of the City,including without limitation the status of the general fund and any changes to expected revenue or funding; and

•Ordinance Number 30,522; and

•Any other mattersthat may properlycomebeforethe Council.

Please make the necessary arrangements to have these special meetings cable cast live on the Government Access televisionchannel and taped for recasting in the future.

Sincerely /s/JPMorrell President, New Orleans City Council

cc: New Orleans City Councilmembers

Justyn Hawkins, City CouncilChief of Staff ORDINANCE ON FINALPASSAGE CAL. NO.35,331 –BY: COUNCILMEMBERSHUGHES, MORRELL, HARRIS,GREEN, KING,WILLARD ANDMCCARRON (BYREQUEST)

-AnOrdinance to amend Ordinance No.30531 M.C.S.,asamended, entitled “AnOrdinance Providing an Operating Budget of Expenditures forthe City of New Orleans forthe Year 2026”, to move funds from City Council to Department of Public Works for streetlight replacement and maintenance; and otherwise to provide withrespect thereto.

ROLL CALL:

YEAS: Green, Harris, Hughes, King, McCarron,Morrell, Willard- 7

NAYS:0 ABSENT: 0 RECUSED: 0 ANDTHE ORDINANCEWAS ADOPTED.

ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS ARE REQUIRED UPON ENTERING

SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans RB 9

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date ( )

POLLING PLACES –CITY OF GRETNA

G001 GeneralGovernmentBuilding, 200 Derbigny Street, Gretna, LA 70053

G002 DavidCrockett Steam Fire Co.No. 1, 323 WeidmanStreet, Gretna, LA 70053

G003 Ruppel Academy 815 Huey P. LongAvenue, Gretna, LA 70053

G004 Gretna No.2Kindergarten, 701 AmeliaStreet, Gretna, LA 70053

G005 William S. Hart Elementary School, 2001 Hancock Street, Gretna, LA 70053

G006 William S. Hart Elementary School, 2001 Hancock Street, Gretna, LA 70053

G007 William Hart elementary School, 2001 Hancock Street, Gretna, LA 70053

G008 Frederick Douglas Elementary School, 1400 Huey P. LongAve., Gretna, LA 70053

G009 DavidCrockett Steam Fire Co No.47, 700 Gretna Boulevard, Gretna, LA 70053

G010 Gretna Library,102 WillowDrive, Gretna, LA 70053

G011 Gretna Park Elementary School, 1130 Gretna Boulevard, Gretna, LA 70053 211 Parts Harvey Volunteer Fire Station#61, 639 Maple Street, Harvey,LA70058 225 Parts Courtyard-Homewood, Westbank Expressway Gretna, LA 70053 The polling places at the precincts set forthaboveare hereby designated as thepolling places at which to hold thesaid election,and theCommissioners-in Charge and Commissioners, respectively, shall be thosepersons designated according to law.

The estimated cost of this election,asdetermined by theSecretary of State, is based upon theprovisions of Chapter8-A of Title18,and actual cost of similar electionsis$3,100.00.

NOTICEIS FURTHERGIVEN that aportionofthe monies collected from the tax described in theProposition shall be remitted to certainstate and statewide retirementsystems in themanner requiredbylaw

The City of Gretna executed this notice on the11th day of December 2025.

The saidspecial election willbeheldinaccordance with the applicable provisionof Chapter5,and Chapter6-A of Title of theLouisiana RevisedStatutes of 1950,asamended, and other constitutionaland statutory authority,and theofficers appointedtoholdthe saidelection, as provided in this Notice of Special Election, or such substitutes therefor as may be selected and designated in accordance with Louisiana RevisedStatute18:1287;willmake duereturns thereof to saidGoverningAuthority, and NOTICEISHEREBYFURTHER GIVEN that theGoverningAuthoritywillmeet at itsregular meetingplace, Gretna City Hall Building, 740 SecondStreet, Council Chambers on thesecond floor, Gretna, Louisiana on WEDNESDAY,JUNE10, 2026, at FIVE-THIRTYO’CLOCK (5:30) PM, and shall then and there in open and public session proceed to examine and canvass thereturns and declarethe resultofthe saidspecial election THUS, DONE ANDSIGNEDatGretna, Louisiana, on the11th day of December 2025. /S/NORMA J. CRUZ,

CITY OF

STATEOFLOUISIANA Publish:March 25, April1,April 8, and April15, 2026 183429-635680-apr8-1t $221.76

RESOLUTIONS

NO. R-26-67

BY:COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS (BY REQUEST) Approvingand ratifying therelease of $XXXXXXXfromthe City of NewOrleans Employee Emergency Payroll Fund to coverthe cost of payroll-related expenses for City employees(other than thepolice and fire departments)for thepay periodbeginningJanuary 18,2026and endingJanuary 31,2026. Theforegoing authorization shall be subjectto concurrencebythe LouisianaLegislative Auditor,inaccordancewithCity Code §70-415.347(d).

WITHDRAWN.

SUBSTITUTE NO. R-26-67

BY:COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS (BY REQUEST)

SECONDED BY:COUNCILMEMBER MORRELL

WHEREAS,the NewOrleans City Council on November6,2025enacted

Ordinance No. 30522M.C.S.establishing theCityofNew Orleans Employee Emergency Payroll Fund in Chapter 70,Article III,Division55 of theCode of theCityofNew Orleans(the“Fund”) andimposing aseries of requirements regulatingthe payment of expenses from theFund; and WHEREAS,Section 70-415.347(b) of theCode providesthatno expenditurefromthe Fund shall be permittedunlessauthorizedbyone or moreCouncil resolutionsand further provides that anysuchauthorization shall be limitedtospecificcategoriesofexpenditures delineated in the Code;and WHEREAS,the administration, in accordance with City Code §70415.347(c), hassubmittedabudget andexpenditureplanestimatingup to $12,000,000inpayroll-related expenses for City employees(other than thepolice and fire departments) for thepay periodbeginningJanuary 18 2026 andendingJanuary 31,2026(the“February 6Payroll”);and WHEREAS,the LouisianaLegislative Auditor,working in concertwith the Department of Finance,has confirmedthatthe February 6Payroll includes $6,845,155.97inactual wage payments andvarious withholdings, which representsanallowable use of Fund proceeds that will be processed immediately uponadoption of this instrument andremitted to employeesintheir weeklypaychecks; and WHEREAS,the remainderofestimated plan of expenses encompasses various fringe benefits andother payroll-related paymentsthatwill be finalized andprocessed on asubsequentdateand maybepaidfromthe Fund if authorized pursuanttoaseparate resolution;NOW THEREFORE BE RESOLVED BY THE COUNCILOFTHE CITY OF NEWORLEANS, That theCouncil, in accordance with City Code §70-415.347,does hereby approve andratify therelease of $6,845,155.97fromthe City of NewOrleans Employee Emergency Payroll Fund to coverthe cost of payroll-related expenses for City employees(other than thepolice and fire departments)for thepay periodbeginningJanuary 18,2026and endingJanuary 31,2026. Theforegoing authorization shall be subjectto concurrenceby theLouisianaLegislative Auditor,inaccordancewithCity Code §70-415.347(d). BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED BY THE COUNCILOFTHE CITY OF NEWORLEANS, That certified copies of this resolution be delivered immediately to theChief Administrative Officer, theDirector of Finance andthe LouisianaLegislative Auditor THE FOREGOING RESOLUTIONWAS READ IN FULL, THE ROLLWAS CALLEDONTHE ADOPTION THEREOF,AND RESULTED AS FOLLOWS: YEAS: Green, Harris, Hughes, McCarron,Morrell, Willard-6 NAYS: 0 ABSENT:King–1 AND THE RESOLUTIONWAS ADOPTED. Therebeing no further business, on motion of Councilmember Morrell, secondedbyCouncilmemberWillard, andwithout objection,the Council meeting adjournedat9:13 A.M. AISHA R. COLLIER CLERKOFCOUNCIL CCH/jmr NOCP 8986

cate Date (s):

3/4/2026 & 4/8/2026

mar4-apr 8-2t

P A R I S H O F OR LE AN S Case No: 2025-6390

2133-35 FRANKLIN AV NEWORLEANS, LA 70117 LOT: B, SQUARE: 1067 THIRDMUNICI‐PALDISTRICT ACQMIN:202305366 WRIT AMOUNT: $155,908.09

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH

ACQMIN: 773291 WRIT AMOUNT: $174,099.62

SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans GH 12 LOGS LEGAL GROUPLLP 504838-7535 EMILYA MUELLER

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 3/4/2026 & 4/8/2026 mar4-apr8-2t

Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐positoften per‐cent of thepur‐chaseprice,and thebalance within thirty days thereafter Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certiﬁed CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐sonalChecks. FACE MASKS ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS AREREQUIRED UPON ENTERING BUILDING

SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans GH 13 LOGS LEGAL GROUPLLP 504838-7535 EMILYA MUELLER

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 3/4/2026 & 4/8/2026

mar4-apr 8-2t

PUBLIC NOTICE SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND BEAR‐INGMUNICIPAL NUMBER 4962 PAINTERS ST, CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, IN THEMATTEREN‐TITLED:CAR‐RINGTONMORT‐GAGE SERVICES, LLCVERSUS DMITRIVYCHKO ANDNOLARE‐NEWALGROUP LLC

CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE AN S Case No: 2025-1827

4962PAINTERS ST NEWOR‐LEANS, LA 70122 LOTS -23& 24SQUARE 53 3RDMUNICIPAL DISTRICT ACQMIN: 1326889 GENTILLY GAR‐DENS WRIT AMOUNT: $310,981.33

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH

TERMS CASH Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐positoften per‐centofthe pur‐chase price, and thebalance within thirty days thereafter

Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certiﬁed CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐sonalChecks. FACE MASKS ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS AREREQUIRED UPON ENTERING BUILDING

SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans RB 15

THELAW OF‐FICES OF HER‐SCHELC.AD‐COCK,JR.,L.L.C (225) 756-0373

COREYJ.GIROIR

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 3/4/2026 & 4/8/2026

mar4-apr 8-2t

PUBLICNOTICE - -SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND BEAR‐ING MUNICIPAL NUMBER 4712 TULIP STREET THIS CITY,IN THE MATTERENTI‐TLED: NATION‐STAR MORT‐GAGE LLCVER‐SUSTHE UN‐OPENEDSUC‐CESSION OF AND UNKNOWN HEIRSOFGLO‐RIADONALD THOMPSON A/K/AGLORIA DONALD THOMPSON A/K/AGLORIAD THOMPSON A/K/AGLORIA

THOMPSON

CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE A NS Case No: 2025-442

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐posit of tenper‐centofthe pur‐chase price, and thebalance within thirty days thereafter Note:The pay‐mentmustbe Cash,Cashier's Check, Certiﬁed CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐sonalChecks. FACE MASKS ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS AREREQUIRED UPON ENTERING BUILDING

SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans GH 19

THELAW OF‐FICESOFHER‐SCHEL C. AD‐COCK, JR.,L.L.C (225) 756-0373

DENNISF.WIG‐GINS, JR

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 3/4/2026 & 4/8/2026

mar4-apr8-2t

PUBLIC NOTICE SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND BEAR‐INGMUNICIPAL NUMBER 3547 ROGER WILLIAMS ST, CITY OF NEWORLEANS, IN THEMATTER ENTILED: NOLA FUNDING, LLC VERSUS WE REAL ESTATE IN‐VESTMENTS, LLCAND WILLIAMT GLASPER, SR ANDEVELYN BAUDDOIN GLASPER

CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE AN S Case No: 2025-11706

$161,326.72

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐positoften per‐cent of thepur‐chaseprice,and thebalance within thirty days thereafter

Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certiﬁed CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐sonalChecks. FACE MASKS ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS ARE REQUIRED UPON ENTERING BUILDING

SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans RB 20 THESILVER‐STEINLAW FIRM,APLC504362-3692 IRLR.SILVER‐STEIN

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 3/4/2026 & 4/8/2026 mar4-apr8-2t

PUBLIC NOTICE

SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND BEAR‐INGMUNICIPAL NUMBER 1481 N. PRIEUS ST,CITY OF NEW ORLEAN,INTHE MATTER ENTI‐TLED:GITSITSO‐LUTIONS,

P A R I S H O F OR LE AN S Case No: 2025-10605

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐positoften per‐cent of thepur‐chaseprice,and thebalance within thirty days thereafter

Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certiﬁed CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐sonalChecks. FACE MASKS AND TEMPERA‐TURECHECKS AREREQUIRED UPON ENTERING BUILDING

SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans

RB 10 DEAN MORRIS, LLC318-3881440 ASHLEY E. MOR‐RIS

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 4/8/2026 & 5/13/2026 apr8-may 13-2t

PUBLIC NOTICE

SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND BEAR‐INGMUNICIPAL NUMBER 1451 TENNESSEEST, CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, IN THEMATTEREN‐TITLED:FREE‐DOMMORT‐GAGE CORPORA‐TION VERSUS WAYNEP.BOYD, SR A/K/AWAYNE P. BOYD A/K/A WAYNEBOYD, SR.A/K/A WAYNEBOYD

CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE AN S Case No: 2025-11477

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐positoften per‐cent of thepur‐chaseprice,and thebalance within thirty days thereafter Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certiﬁed CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐sonal Checks FACE MASKS ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS AREREQUIRED UPON ENTERING BUILDING

SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans RB 11 HALLIDAY WATKINS& MANN P.C. AT‐TORNEYSAT LAW318-3881440 ELIZABETH CROWELLPRICE

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 4/8/2026 & 5/13/2026 apr8-may 13-2t

PUBLIC NOTICE SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND BEAR‐INGMUNICIPAL NUMBERS20122014 FRANKLIN AVENUE,CITY OF NEWORLEANS, IN THEMATTER ENTITLED:LAKE‐VIEW LOAN SER‐VICING,LLC VERSUS TREVOR WILLIAMS CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE AN S Case No: 2025-10445

PUBLIC NOTICE SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND BEAR‐INGMUNICIPAL NUMBER 4965 SANDALWOOD STREET,THIS CITY IN THEMATTER ENTITLED:FREE‐DOMMORT‐GAGE CORPORA‐TION VERSUS BARBARAANN JONESAND KIM MARIEJONES AS INDEPENDENT ADMINISTRA‐TORS OF THE SUCCESSION OF WALTER LEE JONESAND REBECCAFAIR‐FAXJONES CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE AN S Case No: 2022-5492

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐positoften per‐cent of thepur‐chaseprice,and thebalance within thirty days thereafter

Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certiﬁed CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐sonalChecks. FACE MASKS ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS AREREQUIRED UPON ENTERING BUILDING

SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans GH 9 HALLIDAY, WATKINS& MANN P.C. AT‐TORNEYSAT LAW318-3881440

Judges of Civil District Court forthe Parish of Orleans, in the aboveentitled cause, Iwillpro‐ceed to sell by public auction, on theground ﬂoor of theCivil District Court Building,421 Loyola Avenue in theFirst Dis‐trictofthe City on May14, 2026, at 12:00 o'clock noon,the fol‐lowing de‐scribedprop‐erty to wit: 1009 PACIFICAV NEWORLEANS LA 70114 LOT13- SQUARE 177 5THMUNICIPAL DISTRICT ACQMIN: 1422994 WRIT AMOUNT: $114,058.01

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐positoften per‐cent of thepur‐chaseprice,and thebalance within thirty days thereafter

Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certiﬁed CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐sonalChecks. FACE MASKS ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS AREREQUIRED UPON ENTERING BUILDING

SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans

RB 24 THESILVER‐STEINLAW FIRM,A PLC504362-3692

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 4/8/2026 & 5/13/2026 apr8-may 13-2t

PUBLIC NOTICE SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND BEAR‐INGMUNICIPAL NUMBER 4547 MARQUE DR CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, IN THEMATTEREN‐TITLED:MID‐FIRSTBANK VERSUS MICHELLE M. HUBBARD (A/K/A) MICHELLE HUBBARD

CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE AN S Case No: 2025-10411

Check or Money Order. No Per‐sonalChecks. FACE MASKS ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS AREREQUIRED UPON ENTERING BUILDING

SusanHutson Sheriff, ParishofOr‐leans RB 16 LOGS LEGAL GROUPLLP 504838-7535

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 4/8/2026 & 5/13/2026 apr8-may 13-2t

PUBLIC NOTICE SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND BEAR‐INGMUNICIPAL NUMBER 4043 S PINOAK AVE, CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, IN THEMATTEREN‐TITLED:AMERI‐HOME MORT‐GAGE COMPANY, LLCVERSUSAN‐THONY WASHINGTON ANDKATIE PHILLIPS

CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE AN S Case No: 2025-7990

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐positoften per‐cent of thepur‐chaseprice,and thebalance within thirty days thereafter

Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certiﬁed CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐sonalChecks. FACE MASKS ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS AREREQUIRED UPON ENTERING BUILDING

SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans

GH 12 JACKSON& MCPHERSON, L.L.C. 504-5819444 KATE A. SOTO‐LONGO

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 4/8/2026 & 5/13/2026 apr8-may 13-2t

PUBLIC NOTICE SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND BEAR‐INGMUNICIPAL NUMBER 1009 PACIFICAVE, CITY OF NEW OLEANS,INTHE MATTERENTI‐TLED:KEITH R. KIRALY VERSUS POLKLAND PROPERTIES, LLCAND TIMO‐THY C. POLK

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐positoften per‐cent of thepur‐chaseprice,and thebalance within thirty days thereafter

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 4/8/2026 & 5/13/2026 apr8-may 13-2t

CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE AN S Case No: 2025-10312 By virtue of a Writ of Seizure andSaledi‐rected to me by theHonorable Judges of Civil i i

Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certiﬁed CheckorMoney

GAGE VERSUS TEXMICHAEL ARMENTOR A/K/ATEX M. ARMENTOR A/K/ATEX AR‐MENTOR AND BARBARASUE ARMENTOR A/K/ABARBARA S. ARMENTOR A/K/ABARBARA ARMENTOR

CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE AN S Case No: 2025-391

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐positoften per‐cent of thepur‐chaseprice,and thebalance within thirty days thereafter

Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certiﬁed CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐sonalChecks. FACE MASKS ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS AREREQUIRED UPON ENTERING BUILDING

SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans GH 23 THELAW OF‐FICESOFHER‐SCHELC.AD‐COCK,JR.,L.L.C (225) 756-0373 DENNISF.WIG‐GINS,JR.

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 4/8/2026& 5/13/2026 apr8-may 13-2t

PUBLIC NOTICE

SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND BEAR‐INGMUNICIPAL NUMBER 12940 CHANELLE COURT, CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, IN THEMATTEREN‐TITLED:NEWREZ LLCD/B/A SHELLPOINT MORTGAGE SER‐VICING VERSUS OCTAVE J. LAROCHE, JR., A/K/AOCTAVE JOSEPH LAROCHE, JR. A/K/AOCTAVE LAROCHE, JR.

CI VI L DI

noon the fol lowing de‐scribedprop‐erty to wit: 12940CHANELLE CT NEWOR‐LEANS, LA 70128 LOT: 18, SQUARE:3 THIRDMUNICI‐PALDISTRICT ACQMIN: 1140313 LAKE CARMEL SUBDIVISION WRIT AMOUNT: $46,417.65

SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans GH 15 LAWOFFICES OF HERSCHEL C. ADCOCK,JR. LLC(225) 7560373 COREYJ.GIROIR

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 4/8/2026 & 5/13/2026 apr8-may 13-2t

PUBLIC NOTICE

SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND BEAR‐INGMUNICIPAL NUMBER 5700 VICKSBURG, THIS CITY,IN THE MATTERENTI‐TLED:CITYOF NEWORLEANS VERSUS SUC‐CESSIONOF LEON S. MUSAC‐CHIA AND SUCCESSION OF FLORENCE DORN MUSACCHIA

CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE AN S Case No: 2024-7284

By virtue of a Writ of FieriFa‐cias directed to me by theHon‐orable Judges of CivilDistrict Courtfor the Parish of Or‐leans, in the aboveentitled cause, Iwillpro‐ceed to sell by publicauction, on theground ﬂoorofthe Civil District Court Building,421 Loyola Avenue, in theFirst Dis‐trictofthe City on May14, 2026, at 12:00o'clock noon,the fol‐lowing de‐scribedprop‐erty to wit: 5700 VICKSBURG ST NEWOR‐LEANS, LA 70124 SQUARE 396, LOTS 20,21. AND 22 SECONDMUNIC‐IPAL DISTRICT ACQ MIN:1424435 WRIT AMOUNT: $550,420.00

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐positoften per‐cent of thepur‐chaseprice,and thebalance within thirty days thereafter

Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certiﬁed CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐sonalChecks. FACE MASKS ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS AREREQUIRED UPONENTERING BUILDING

Sheriff Parish of Or‐leans BD 2 CITY OF NEW ORLEANS504658-4346 ANNA T. LEE

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 4/8/2026 & 5/13/2026 apr8-may 13-2t

PUBLIC NOTICE

SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND BEAR‐INGMUNICIPAL NUMBER 4101

STEPHENGIRAD AVENUE,THIS CITY,INTHE MATTERENTI‐TLED:JPMOR‐GANCHASE BANK,NA‐TIONAL ASSOCI‐ATIONVERSUS THEOPENED SUCCESSIONOF GENELVERDUN JAMES, (A/K/A GENELJAMES GENELVERDUN) AND CLIFTON CHARLES JAMES, JR., CLIFTON C. JAMES, JR., (A/K/ACLIFTON CHARLES JAMES, JR CLIFTON JAMES, JR.,CLIFTON JAMES)

CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE AN S Case No: 2022-9476

BD 18 LOGS LEGAL GROUPLLP 504838-7535 EMILYMUELLER

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 4/8/2026 & 5/13/2026 apr8-may 13-2t

TLED: STATE FARM ACCEP‐TANCEVEN‐TURES, L.L.C. VERSUS REGINA LEBLANCMOR‐GANWIFE OF/AND RYAN J. MORGAN,SR. CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE AN S Case No: 2024-5888

6710 DORIAN ST NEWORLEANS, LA 70126 LOT: 17, SQUARE:8 THIRDMUNICI‐PAL DISTRICT ACQMIN: 1378518 WRIT AMOUNT: $9,466.17

SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans GH 19 NEWMAN, MATHIS,BRADY &SPEDALE 225343-3456 JOSHUA P. MATHEWS

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 4/8/2026 & 5/13/2026 apr8-may 13-2t

PUBLIC NOTICE SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND,BEAR‐INGMUNICIPAL NO.601-03 BARTHOLOMEW STREET,CITYOF NEWORLEANS, IN THEMATTER ENTITLED:HSBC BANK USA, N.A., AS TRUSTEEON BEHALF OF ACE SECURITIES CORP.HOMEEQ‐UITY LOAN TRUSTAND FOR THEREGISTERED HOLDERSOF ACESECURITIES CORP.HOMEEQ‐UITY LOAN TRUST, SERIES 2007-ASAP1, ASSETBACKED PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES VERSUS DAVID H. DOTSON A/K/ADAVID DOTSON

CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE AN S Case No: 2022-8802

Building, 421 Loyola Avenue, in theFirst Dis‐trictofthe City on May14, 2026, at 12:00 o'clock noon,the fol‐lowing de‐scribedprop‐erty to wit: 601-03

BARTHOLOMEW STREET LOTA ADJOINS LOT14, SQUARE 132 (LATE SQUARE 5), THIRDMUNICI‐PALDISTRICT ACQUIRED MIN 885558 WRIT AMOUNT: $157,362.25

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐positoften per‐cent of thepur‐chaseprice,and thebalance withinthirty days thereafter Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certiﬁed CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐sonalChecks. FACE MASKS ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS AREREQUIRED UPON ENTERING BUILDING

SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans

BD 22 THELAW OF‐FICESOFHER‐SCHELC.AD‐COCK,JR.,L.L.C (225) 756-0373

COREYJ.GIROIR

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 4/8/2026 & 5/13/2026 apr8-may 13-2t

PUBLIC NOTICE

SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND BEAR‐INGMUNICIPAL NUMBERS213739 DUMAINEST, CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, IN THEMATTEREN‐TITLED:CITYOF NEWORLEANS VERSUS HABILIS L.L.C.,AND USCS CAPITAL L.L.C.

CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE AN S Case No: 2025-1937

By virtue of a Writ of FieriFa‐cias directed to me by theHon‐orable Judges of Civil District Courtfor the Parish of Or‐leans, in the aboveentitled cause, Iwillpro‐ceed to sell by public auction, on theground ﬂoor of theCivil District Court Building,421 Loyola Avenue in theFirst Dis‐trictofthe City on May14, 2026, at 12:00 o'clock noon,the fol‐lowing de‐scribedprop‐erty to wit: 2137-39 DU‐MAINESTNEW ORLEANS, LA 70116

LOTA-1SQUARE 266 2NDMUNICIPAL DITRICT ACQMIN: 719931 WRIT AMOUNT: $5,925.00

UPON ENTERING BUILDING

SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans

RB 3 CITY OF NEW ORLEANS504658-4346 ANNA T. LEE

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 4/8/2026 & 5/13/2026 apr8-may 13-2t

PUBLIC NOTICE SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND BEAR‐INGMUNICIPAL NUMBERS3505 GRAIVER STREET AND739 SOUTHCLARK STREET,CITYOF NEWORLEANS IN THEMATTER ENTITLED:HAN‐COCK WHITNEY BANK VERSUS PONTCHAR‐TRAINPART‐NERS,LLC

CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE AN S Case No: 2025-6857

Louisiana ex cept that Genois Street is nowSouth Genois Street andClark Street is nowSouth ClarkStreet Theimprove‐mentsthereon bear theMunici‐palNumber 3505 Gravier Street,New Or‐leans, Louisiana.

AND

Square Number 702 bounded by Gravier, South Clark, andSouth Genois Streets andTulane Avenue (for‐merlyCommon Street); said portionof ground forms thecornerof Gravierand SouthClark Streets, and measures eighty seven feet,two inches and ﬁve lines (87’ 2” 5’’’) front on Gravier Street,by a depthbetween equaland paral‐lellines and frontonSouth ClarkStreet of onehundred twenty feet (120’), andcon‐sistsofall of original Lots 1, 2 and3 andtwo feet, nine inches and zero lines(2’ 9” 0’’’) of Lot4,all adjoiningas shownona plan drawnbyL Riezenstein, of date June 30, 1869, asketch whereof is an‐nexedfor refer‐ence to an act of sale before Michael Gernon,lateNo‐tary Public,on May26, 1873.

SUS

CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE AN S Case No: 2018-1850

SusanHutson Sheriff,

ACERTAIN LOT OF GROUND sit‐uatedinthe FirstDistrictof theCityofNew Orleans, designated by theLot Num‐bers 31 and32 of Square 702, which square is bounded by Tu‐lane Avenue (late Common), Gravier, Clark andGenois Streets, on a plan of L. Riezenstein dated June 30, 1893, in theofﬁce of F.J. Dreyous, Notary Public,and to an actpassed on May28, 1876 before MichaelGerson, late Notary Pub‐lic, which said lots arecontigu‐ousand mea‐sure as follows: Lot31measures thirty feet eleven inches (30’ 11”)front on SouthClark Street andLot 32 measures thirty feet,eleven inches andone line (30’ 11” 1’’’) frontonSouth ClarkStreet Each lothas adepth of onehundred fortyfeet,nine inches andtwo lines(140’ 9” 2’’’) between parallel lines; Lot32being nearesttoand a distance of one hundred twenty feet (120’)from GravierStreet Said lots adjoin each other. Andinaccor‐dancewithsur‐veymadeby Gilbert& Kelly, Surveyors, datedNovem‐ber5,1959, said property is situated in the same Parish District and Square thereof andisdesig‐natedby thesamelot numbers.Lot 31 measures thirty feet,eleven inches andone line (30’ 11” 1’’’) front on SouthClark Street,same widthinthe rear,bya depth between equal andparallel linesof onehundred fortyfeet,nine inches,two lines(140’ 9” 2’’’).Lot 32 ad‐joinsLot 31 and measures thirty feet, eleven inches, oneline(30’ 11” 1’’’) fronton SouthClark Street,same widthinthe rear,bya depth between equal andparallel linesofone hundred forty feet,nine inches,two lines(140’ 9” 2’’’).Lot32lies nearer to and commencesat a distance of one hundred twenty feet (120’)from thecornerof SouthClark and GravierStreets. Accordingto thesketchof survey made by J. J. Krebs& Sons,Civil Engi‐neersand Sur‐veyors, datedNovem‐ber22, 1968, said property is designated by thesamenum‐bers,has the same location and measurements as aboveset forth.

Together with allthe build‐ings,improve‐ments, and otherconstruc‐tionssituated on the abovede‐scribedimmov‐able property andall appurte‐nances,rights, ways,privi‐leges, servitudes,pre‐scriptionsand advantages thereuntobe‐longingorin anywiseapper‐taining, including, but withoutlimita‐tion,all compo‐nent partsof theabove de‐scribedimmov‐able property,and all component partsofany building,im‐provement, or otherconstruc‐tion located on theabove describedim‐movableprop‐erty

Theimprove‐mentsthereon bear theMunici‐palNumber739 S. ClarkStreet NewOrleans, Louisiana.

WRIT AMOUNT: $3,343,127.62

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐positoften per‐cent of thepur‐chaseprice,and thebalance within thirty days thereafter

Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certiﬁed CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐sonalChecks. FACE MASKS ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS AREREQUIRED UPON ENTERING BUILDING

SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans GH 6 CARVER,DAR‐DEN, KORETZKY, TESSIER,FINN, BLOSSMAN & AREAUX L.L.C 504 585 3800

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 4/8/2026 & 5/13/2026 apr8-may 13-2t

By virtue of a Writ of FieriFa‐cias directed to me by theHon‐orable Judges of CivilDistrict Courtfor the Parish of Or‐leans, in the aboveentitled cause, Iwillpro‐ceed to sell by public auction, on theground ﬂoor of theCivil District Court Building,421 Loyola Avenue, in theFirst Dis‐trictofthe City on May14, 2026, at 12:00 o'clock noon,the fol‐lowing de‐scribedprop‐erty to wit: 3755 PITTARI PLACE LOT19, SQUARE 7, FIFTHMUNICI‐PALDISTRICT RIVERPARK ACQMIN: 1185245 WRIT AMOUNT: $9,315.00

ACERTAIN POR‐TION OF GROUND situ‐ated in theFirst District of the City of NewOr‐leans, in Square Number 702, boundedby Gravier, Clark, andGenois Streetsand Tu‐lane Avenue (formerlyCom‐mon),which said portionbe‐gins at adis‐tanceofeighty sevenfeet,two inches, five lines(87' 2” 5’’’) from the corner of Gravierand ClarkStreets, andmeasures thence fiftythree feet, sixinches, six lines(53' 6” 6’’’) frontonGravier Street,same width in the rear,by adepth be‐tween equal andparallel linesofone hundred twenty feet (120'), said portionof ground is com‐posedofall of original Lot Number 5and twenty five feet, four inches, seven lines(25' 4” 7’’’) of original Lot Number 4on a plan drawnby R.P. Rordam, C.E.,dated September25, 1951, andre‐visedJuly26, 1256, acertified copy of which is annexedtoan act before Richard L. Voelker, Jr Notary Public, datedJuly27, 1956. Allasper sur‐veyofBFM Cor‐poration dated July 31, 1998, an‐nexedtoand made part of a Cash Sale datedSep‐tember 1, 1998, recorded as In‐strument num‐ber165224 in therecords of the Clerkand Recorder forthe Parish of Or‐leans, Stateof Louisiana, ex‐t th t G i

ACERTAIN POR‐TION OF GROUND situ‐atedinthe First District of the City of NewOr‐leans, in Square Number b d d b

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 4/8/2026 & 5/13/2026 apr8-may 13-2t