The Advocate 04-16-2026 by The Advocate

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Metaseeks powerfor data center expansion

construction continues on the sprawling

alreadyunderway.

BY JOSIE ABUGOV Staff writer

Plans for ahuge expansionof Meta’sLouisianadata center took their first steps before Louisiana electricity regulators on Wednesday,with Entergy granted an initialgreen lightfor an expedited approval process to build seven more gas-ﬁred power plants for the project

The expansion adds to what was already expected to be Meta’s largest AI data center worldwide, being builtinnortheastern Louisiana at acost of some $27 billion. The seven new power plantswould bein addition to three already approved for the project. Approval from the state’s Public ServiceCommissionwould enable Entergy to generate 7,400 mega-

watts in total for the tech company with its 10 gas-fired plants, the equivalent of over half of all power it currently produces statewide. It is also requesting 2,500 megawatts of solar and wind energy,aswell as an upgrade to existing nuclear sites.

BY ALYSE PFEIL Staff writer

After years of frustration about child deaths from abuse and neglect in Louisiana, astate lawmaker wants to dismantle theDepartment of Children and Family Services, moving some of its functions into the health departmentand others into law enforcement agencies.

Sen. PatrickMcMath, R-Covington, unveiled theplaninSenate Bill 462duringaWednesday meeting of the Senate health committee, which he chairs.

Louisiana facesproblems with “child welfare and, in particular,child deaths,” McMath said, and the state’schild welfare apparatus needs “signiﬁcant, foundational” change.

“There is aunique opportunity here and atrue desire to ﬁx what is abroken system,” he said. “If we don’t, children will continue to die at an unacceptable pace in Louisiana.”

But hours after McMath unveiled the plan, Gov. Jeff Landry gave it afrosty reception.

“It’shard for me to know if Isupport it or not. Nobody talkedtomeabout it,” Landry said in a

Four outofthe ﬁve elected regulators voted in favor of Entergy’s proposal for an advanced timeline, agreeing to cast aﬁnalvote on thenew power plan in December,roughly eight months after the utility filed the application. The commissionersalso sided withEntergy to foregoa formal recommendationfromanadministrativejudge,a typical procedure, but one that is not binding on the commission.

“Only in government is eight months rushed to makea decision,”

saidCommissioner Jean-PaulCoussan, who voted in favor of Entergy’s requests. The utility said it metrequirements for the commission’s“lightning initiative,” afasttracked approval process for large projectslike data centersdesignedto reduce red tape. ApprovedinDecember,the measure exempts utilities seeking to build new infrastructure from going to themarket to prove that thenew generation is thecheapest and most reliable option available.

Entergy says in its ﬁlings that “the ability to deliver speed-to-power and execute on the economic-driven power needs” is akey consideration for companies deciding where to locate their massive projects.

Requirements forthe lightning processinclude aletter from the

ä See META, page 4A

BatonRouge DA, public defender seek funding from Legislature

BY PATRICK SLOAN-TURNER Staff writer

Louisiana guarantees the right to an attorney but not the funding to pay for one. But in Baton Rouge, abill has achance to change that. Abilladvancingatthe Capitol would require cities across East Baton Rouge Parish to provide funding for the local Public Defender’sOffice —a ﬁrst-of-its-kind mandate for an agency long plagued by budget shortfalls. At the same time, Baton Rouge DistrictAttorney Hillar Moore is making his own case formore state funds, asking state lawmakers to fund 25

ä See FUNDING, page 5A

Woman’sHospitalprogram begins giftingbooks to newborns

BY CHARLES LUSSIER Staff writer

Mothers who give birth at Woman’sHospitalwill start receiving a setofbooks soon that theycan take home. The hope is that the books will spark alifetime loveofreading. The BatonRouge hospital an-

nouncedWednesdaythe launch of this earlylearning initiative. The hospital hasnot set astartdate for the giveawaysbut said it will start soon. First to receive them will be children in the hospital’sneonatal intensivecare unit —about 1,200 children ayear.Over athree-year period, the plan is to expand hospital-wide. Woman’sHospital delivers about 8,000 children annually andhas had more than 400,000 babiesborn in its care since it opened in 1968. Woman’sisone of ahandful of

hospitals across the country that have joinedforces with Durham, North Carolina-based Book Harvest to provide newbornsand their families withstarterhome libraries.

“Wecannothesitate.Reading opens doors to endless positives, saidRene Ragas, president and chiefexecutiveofﬁceratWoman’s, at anews conference Wednesday “The impact of these library starterkids will be profound,” Ragas continued

ä See BOOKS, page 7A

librarykit are

‘Reading opensdoors to endlesspositives,’ leader says Books from a

during anews conferenceon Wednesday.

Coussan

STAFF FILEPHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Metadata center site in Holly Ridge, plans for ahugeexpansion are

SantaCon fundraiser organizer arrested NEW YORK A popular SantaCon charity fundraiser that floods New York City with thousands of inebriated young people in red and white Santa costumes every holiday season was true to its name: a con, federal authorities said after they arrested its organizer Stefan Pildes, 50, of Hewitt, New Jersey, was arrested on Wednesday He did not comment after an initial court appearance on a wire fraud charge and was freed on $300,000 bail Federal authorities said Pildes donated only a small fraction of the $2.7 million he raised through SantaCon charity events from 2019 to 2024. The tradition features a ticketed bar crawl through city streets each December that has attracted over 25,000 people.

The participants paid $10 to $20 for tickets after Pildes told them their money would be divided among neighborhood charities and that they could “brag that (they) actually gave to charity this year” according to the indictment.

Authorities said Pildes siphoned more than half of the proceeds raised each year to an entity he controlled, using those funds to ﬁnance various personal ventures. According to the indictment, he solicited dozens of bars and restaurants to participate and donate 10% to 25% of their food and beverage sales to his charity organization.

Nigerian security forces on high alert for attack

ABUJA, Nigeria Nigeria’s security forces are on high alert over a planned attack by Islamist militants on public infrastructure in Abuja and Niger states, an internal memo dated April 13 obtained from the Nigeria Customs Service by The Associated Press on Wednesday showed The planned targets include the international airport and a prison facility in the capital city of Abuja, as well as a military detention center in neighboring Niger state.

“Their intention is to release detained terrorists and inﬂict significant damage on critical aviation infrastructure,” the memo reads. Last week, the U.S. authorized its non-emergency government employees and their families to leave the Abuja embassy owing to a spike in terrorist attacks, kidnapping, and violent crimes in the country, especially in the north. The embassy has been closed. Nigeria’s information minister, Mohammed Idris, described the U.S. decision as a “routine precaution guided by internal protocols,” insisting that it does not reﬂect the overall security situation of the country

At least 250 people missing after sinking DHAKA, Bangladesh — At least 250 people, including Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals, were either feared dead or missing after a boat capsized in the Andaman Sea recently on the way to Malaysia, according to the U.N. refugee and migration agencies. While details remained sketchy, Bangladesh Coast Guard spokesperson Lt Cmdr Sabbir Alam Suzan told The Associated Press on Wednesday that nine people, including three Rohingya and six Bangladeshis, were rescued on April 9. Suzan said that the Bangladesh ﬂag carrier M.T Meghna Pride rescued the nine people when the crew found them ﬂoating at sea after the capsizing. The status of any search on Wednesday or when the boat sank weren’t immediately clear UNHCR, the U.N. refugee agency, and the International Organization for Migration said in a joint statement on Tuesday that the trawler departed from Teknaf in the southern Bangladeshi district of Cox’s Bazar carrying a large number of passengers to Malaysia.

Palestinian school path blocked by settlers

Impromptu barbed-wire fence erected overnight

BY SAM METZ and JALAL BWAITEL

Associated Press

RAMALLAH, West Bank Hajar and Rashid Hathaleen have always walked to school from their neighborhood on the outskirts of Umm al-Khair But when classes resumed this week for the ﬁrst time since the Iran war began, coiled barbed wire blocked the Palestinian siblings’ path to the village center Israeli settlers had installed it overnight, according to video that Palestinian residents provided to The Associated Press. Palestinians say the improvised fence is just the latest attempt by settlers to expand control in part of the occupied West Bank where statebacked demolitions, arson and vandalism regularly occur and settler violence, at times lethal, is rarely prosecuted

The villagers’ plight was covered in the 2024 Oscar-winning documentary “No Other Land,” but the publicity has done little to stem the bloodshed or curb land grabs. They say Israel has used the cover of the Iran war to tighten its grip over the territory, as settler attacks surge and the military imposes additional wartime restric-

tions on movement, citing security Khalil Hathaleen, head of the village council and a member of the extended family that makes up much of Umm al-Khair’s population, said settlers were exploiting the war to seize land, cut down olive groves and raid nearby villages at night. “It was a good chance for settlers to do what they want, with no rules,” he said.

Like in Israel, Palestinian kids stayed home before last week’s ceaseﬁre, with the threat of falling missile debris leading schools to close.

Hajar, her brother Rashid and their classmates sat waiting Monday and Tuesday near Israeli ﬂags, the barbed wire and newly felled trees as their parents and village leaders demanded they be allowed to pass. On Monday, the children were met by plumes of tear gas and sound grenades hurled by armed men in an unmarked white truck, including some uniformed soldiers, according to the video.

Israel’s military said troops used “riot dispersal means” outside Carmel, the settlement next to Umm al-Khair It acknowledged that children were present but said the measures which it didn’t de-

tail — were directed at adults in the area, not the children. The Har Hevron Regional Council, the settlements’ local government in the area, did not respond to questions about the fence.

Bedouins and other villagers have been using the 1.8-mile path from the neighborhood of Khirbet Umm al-Khair to the village center for decades. “We are determined to keep it,” Khalil Hathaleen said.

The fence is just another way that Palestinian movement is being restricted as Israeli settlements multiply in the occupied West Bank.

Palestinians say it follows a wellworn pattern in which settlers erect fences or claim farmland that Palestinians say is theirs, and then move to enforce this new reality with the backing of Israel’s military

Hathaleen said Israeli forces sometimes restrain the settlers, but more often than not they defer to them.

“We are refused a solution,” he said.

The international community overwhelmingly considers the settlements illegal. Israel, meanwhile, views the territory as disputed and says its ﬁnal status is subject to negotiations.

U.S. faces demand to restore funding to power Puerto Rico

Organizations are urging Trump administration, governor to release $350M

BY DÁNICA COTO Associated Press

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico Nearly 200 organizations are urging the Trump administration and Puerto Rico’s governor to restore $350 million in federal funding that was meant to ﬁnance the installation of rooftop solar and battery systems for 12,000 lowincome families across the U.S. territory

Many of the families have disabilities or medical conditions that require electricity Concern is growing that the U.S. will abandon them as chronic power outages persist and the Atlantic hurricane season ofﬁcially nears it runs from June 1-Nov 30. “For them in particular, whether they get a (solar) system or not is something that is really life or death,” Charlotte Gossett Navarro, Puerto Rico chief director for the Hispanic Federation, said in a phone interview

The nonproﬁt group is among the organizations that signed a letter released Wednesday to Puerto Rico Gov Jenniffer González and U.S Energy Secretary Chris Wright.

The Hispanic Federation is one of seven organizations that were going to help install the solar systems and educate families about their use. Some of those groups are now formally objecting to the cancellation of the funds or negotiating with the U.S. Department of Energy González has said that her administration “had no choice,” because the federal government decided it wouldn’t give Puerto Rico those funds. The money is expected to now be invested in the is-

land’s crumbling power grid, which was razed by Hurricane Maria in 2017 but was already deteriorated given a lack of investment and maintenance.

Installations of rooftop solar panels have grown in the past three years across Puerto Rico, with an average of 3,850 systems installed per month in 2025, for an overall total of nearly 192,000 by year’s end, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Meanwhile, more than 171,000 households and businesses have distributed battery storage systems.

But not everyone can afford such systems on the Caribbean island of around 3.2 million people with a more than 40% poverty rate.

Gossett Navarro said that they haven’t received any answers to pending questions about the funding as a May 9 deadline approaches, marking the end of the program that for some hasn’t even started.

Crews had already installed solar systems in more than 6,000 households as part of the program, but another 12,000 families now remain in limbo.

Yvette Rodríguez 61, is among them. She needs a sleep apnea machine, and her husband, Luis Soler, a 67-year-old veteran and double amputee, relies on an electric adjustable bed.

“There’s a big need for those solar panels,” said Rodríguez, who resides on the small Puerto Rican island of Culebra with her husband.

María Pérez, 80, and her 88-year-old husband have also been hit by the cut in federal funding. She has high blood pressure and heart problems that have led to several hospitalizations. She also has eyedrops for her cataracts that required refrigeration.

“I put them on ice, but it’s not the same,” she said. “They have us suffering with that money that they took away from us. It’s not fair.”

First lady pushes for foster care update

Melania Trump urges Congress to pass a series of bills

BY DARLENE SUPERVILLE Associated Press

WASHINGTON Melania Trump made a rare appearance on Capitol Hill on Wednesday to push Congress to pass bills broadening access to services for young people in foster care, calling it a “moral imperative.”

The ﬁrst lady began working on foster care issues after President Donald Trump’s ﬁrst term ended in 2021. Her trip followed a similar and successful lobbying effort last year to get Congress to send legislation to the president to protect women and children from online sexual exploitation On Capitol Hill, she said youngsters in foster care face barriers to housing, transportation and education and other challenges outside the classroom that affect their academic performance.

“We can close this gap,” Melania Trump said. “New legislation for the foster care community is a moral imperative.” She met Wednesday afternoon with members of the House Ways and Means Committee who introduced the new legislation, and she also heard from people who were in foster care. Republican and Democratic committee members have introduced several bills to update the Chafee foster care program to improve outcomes for young people aging out of the foster care system. The measures would increase their access to housing, education and workforce training programs, among other things, to help them succeed in the transition to adulthood and independence. The bills have a long way to go toward passage in Congress since they’ve only just been introduced.

The program provides support to foster youth and former foster youth, ages 14 to 21, as they leave the system. The committee said the bipartisan proposals would be the most signiﬁcant update since the Chafee program was created in 1999.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MAHMOUD ILLEAN

Palestinian students walk to school on Tuesday using an alternative route that is nearly twice as long because a fence separates their village from the nearby Israeli settlement of Carmel, near the West Bank village of

The fence was installed overnight according to Palestinian residents.

Bill to remove elected officials draws controversy

Critics said it could become partisan weapon

BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN Staff writer

State lawmakers could soon use the courts to oust elected officials they believe are guilty of wrongdoing after a bill to give them that power cleared its ﬁrst hurdle in the Louisiana Legislature on Wednesday

Senate Bill 425 by state Sen. Jay Morris, R-West Monroe, would allow the Legislature, through a twothirds vote of either the House or the Senate, to pursue a civil suit to unseat an ofﬁcial for “malfeasance or gross misconduct.”

In a state government dominated by Republicans, the proposal caught heat from Democrats, who worried it was overly vague and could be used to unfairly target members of their party

SB425 is one of two controvers ial measures being considered this session that would expand the lawmakers’ authority to force ofﬁcials out of office: Senate Bill 123, also by Morris, would let voters decide whether the Legislature should be able to take incompetent judges off the bench.

SB425, however, would not apply to judges, or to the governor or lieutenant governor, as the Louisiana Constitution protects those officials from removal by suit.

When presenting the measure to the Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee on Wednesday, Morris said there was no specific case of misconduct that prompted him to ﬁle the bill, but that “there are mayors who have been involved in

very serious scandals and nothing is done for a long time.”

“Anything we can do to limit malfeasance or gross misconduct is a good thing,”

he said The bill passed the Senate panel in a 4-3 vote that fell along party lines, with Democrats opposed. It now requires the approval of the full Senate.

Under the proposal, if the Legislature voted to remove an ofﬁcial by civil suit, a judge appointed by the Louisiana Supreme Court would oversee a proceeding to determine whether that official was guilty of malfeasance or gross misconduct.

Senate debate

Current Louisiana law lays out a process for officials to be removed “by suit” after they are convicted of felonies. The mechanism does not involve the Legislature; instead, state statute directs the district attorney for the region where the official lives to file the removal suit.

If SB425 passes, officials could be removed by civil lawsuits Ωwithout having committed crimes Democrats on the Senate and Govern-

Thisstory is brought to you by ExxonMobil

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Sen. Jay Morris, R-West Monroe, is sponsoring legislation that would allow the Legislature to unseat an official for ‘malfeasance or gross misconduct.

mental Affairs Committee, who worried the concept of “gross misconduct” would be applied raised concerns change.

“I have my c these terms ing,” said state Jenkins, D-Shreveport. pecially if we’re cally laying out to what we’re ing for.”

Another Democrat, Sen. Gary Cart Orleans, questioned judges would to determine one was guilty conduct without deﬁnition.

“Gross misconduct duct that’s very ris said, later add know that it needs tion. It’s self-explanator

party?” Carter asked. Morris argued those concerns were unfounded, noting the Legislature can already impeach officials and has not used impeachment to go after Democrats. Removing an official through impeachment requir es the approval of both the House and the Senate, as well as a trial in the Senate, according to the Louisiana Constitution. Grounds for impeachment include malfeasance, gross misconduct and

commission of a felony while in ofﬁce.

Other bill targets judiciary

Also on Wednesday the Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee approved Senate Bill 479. It acts as a companion bill to SB123, Morris’ proposal to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot that, if passed, would empower the Legislature to remove judges for “malfeasance, gross misconduct, or incompetence committed while in ofﬁce.”

The Senate panel voted 4-3 to send SB479 to the full Senate. Democrats opposed the measure. Because the Louisiana Constitution gives the Louisiana Supreme Court exclusive jurisdiction to discipline members of the bar, there is debate over whether the Legislature can impeach judges under existing law It is also unclear whether SB123 would resolve that dispute.

SB123 passed the Senate on March 30 and is awaiting approval from the House and Governmental Affairs Committee.

SB479 defines those terms, describing incompetence as “a lack of ability or knowledge sufficient to perform the duties of an office that leads to neglect of duty, dereliction of duty, a miscarriage of justice, or misfeasance.”

Still, Morris said he would add a speciﬁc deﬁnition to the bill to address his colleagues’ concerns.

Democrats also worried that, with the Legislature’s Republican super-majority, lawmakers could abuse SB425’s removal mechanism just to get Democrats out of ofﬁce.

“What safeguards do we have in here that would prevent political abuse or temptation of a political

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state’seconomic development agency confirming “the customer’sinterestand the importance of power availability” and conﬁrmation that acompany will pay for more than half of its infrastructure costsfor a15-year contract

Entergy says its 20-year agreement with Meta will cover“far more” than the one-half revenue requirement. Entergy LouisianaCEO Phillip May said in the announcement for theproposed expansion that the deal with Metawould “strengthen reliability,support economic development anddeliver meaningful beneﬁts to customers.”

The Wednesday meeting, however,pertained mostly to setting the timeline for the power plan.

“I’mnot going to arguethe meritsofthe case,” said Entergy vice president Larry Hand. “That’swhy we havethe proceeding.I will acknowledge that this is asigniﬁcant undertaking of the parties. It’salot of work.”

Size of Manhattan?

Last summer,MetaCEO Mark Zuckerberg announced plans to expand the footprint of thefacility in Richland Parish, called “Hyperion,” to asize rivaling Manhattan, though some analysts have questioned whether it could truly reach those dimensions.

Local and state officials have heralded the project as ahuge win foreconomic development in a poor,rural part of Louisiana. The siting of the facility aligns with ﬁndings that the majority of new data centers across the country are being built in rural areas, with Southern and Midwestern states leading the buildout, according to the Pew Research Center

The Pew report said3,000 data centers are now operational nationwide and more than 1,500 new data centers are in various stages of development.

As with large data centers elsewhere, Meta’splans in Louisiana have generated controversy over whether they will lead to higher electricity bills for residents as well as their heavy reliance on fossil fuel-generatedpower.The project’sintensive water usage has also raised concerns.

“It is an overwhelmingproposal,” said Logan Burke, who leads the New Orleans-bas

for Affordable Energy.“Remember when we were talking about how unprecedented three gas plants was? And then they turn aroundand triple down.”

As of 2024, Louisiana nked

electricity it gets from renewable resources,according to an analysis by the Union of Concerned Scientists advocacy group citinggovernment data. If all 10 of Entergy’ osed

NOxemissions that contribute to smog wouldbeequivalent to drivingadiesel bus roughly 450 million miles,accordingtoPaulArbaje,a senior analyst with the group.

Entergyhas repeatedly stressed theproject’seconomic beneﬁts and maintains that sufficient protections are in place to protect residents from shouldering itscosts Entergy LouisianaCEO Phillip May has said the deal with Meta would “strengthen reliability,support economic development and deliver meaningful beneﬁts to customers.”

Watershedmoment?

Therequested timeline for the approvalprocess coincides with the ﬁnal months in ofﬁce fortwo commissioners who have been supportive of Meta’splans so far Commissioner Foster Campbell, whose district includes the data center location, has said: “I am for this project 1000%.” Commissioner Eric Skrmetta, the other regulatorwhose term November,saidthatEn-

tergy’srequest will be given “a tightly controlled analysis.”

“This is awatershed momentfor the state,” Skrmetta said. “Tobe perfectly frank, Ithink we’rejust getting started.”

He saidthe future makeup of the regulatory body,which includes ﬁve total commissioners, “is probably going to be even more supportive” of data center growth.

Commissioner Davante Lewis, the only PSC memberwho voted against Entergy at the meeting, cautioned against completing the reviewfor a“seismically different” request in the sametimeframe as the previous one.

“It takesa longertime to bake a wedding cake than acupcake,”he said. Lewis said the lack of acompetitive bid process “incentivizes the utility to build” moreinfrastructure instead of looking for the least costly option.

Email Josie Abugov at josie abugov@theadvocate.com.

STAFFFILE PHOTOS By SOPHIA GERMER

Work continues on the $27billion Meta data center in Holly Ridge.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has announced plans to expand the footprint of the facility in Richland Parish to asize rivaling Manhattan.

additional prosecutorpositions after years of budget cuts and afailed push for a dedicated local tax to cover the cost.

The public defender bill

—House Bill59authored by Rep. C. Denise Marcelle, D-Baton Rouge —once again highlights that the parish’sincorporated cities of Baker,Central, St. George and Zachary do not provide funding for criminal justicerelated services provided by the public defender,district attorney,coronerand parish prison.

The state does mandate some less-than-defined funding forall of those ofﬁces but the public defender.Marcellesaysincluding the public defender is long overdue, which is why she authored thebill to help Baton Rouge’sofﬁce.

“It’snot apartisan matter.

It’snot arace matter.It is an issue of public safety,” Marcelle said to aHouse committee Wednesday.“This bill is to put the public defender on sort of an equal playing ﬁeld.”

Mandated funding

Marcelle noted that the Public Defender’sOffice gets less funding than the district attorney, and would continue to if her billis signed into law,but it would make things closer to even Moore sat with Marcelle and East BatonRouge Chief Public Defender Kyla Romanach and spoke in support of the bill,notingthat if hisoffice receivesmore funding and the Public Defender’sOffice doesn’t, the justice system would slow even further Going into 2026, the Public Defender’sOffice facedone of the largest departmental cuts by percentageat around 21%, though Metro Council members did amend their own budgets to allocate about $120,000tothe public defender to help soften the blow The bill does not set adol-

lar amount for how much the citiesofBaker,Central, St. George and Zachary would pay but statesthat Romanach’sofﬁce —which handles about 85% to 88% of all criminal cases in theparish —“shall be entitled to an expense allowance” from the“governing authorities of each city”byway of each’s general fund.

“Over thelast fewyears, we have received local funding.So, we’re really not askingfor anything different than what we’ve been receiving, except thatthere wouldbeanobligation, Romanach said. “So that there wouldn’t be asituation where anew mayor could come inand say,‘Well, the Public Defender’sOffice just isn’tgoing to be funded at all.’ Because ifthat happens,itwillshutdownour courthouse.”

Upon presenting hisﬁrst budget in November, MayorPresident Sid Edwards said 2026 would be the last year the city-parish contributes anyfunding to the public defender.

To become law,the bill still needs to pass aHouseof Representatives vote andbe signed into law by Gov.Jeff Landry.That would mean a majority-Republicanbody voting to require thelargely conservative cities of Central, St.Georgeand Zachary paying some of their tax revenue to the public defender’s ofﬁce.

MetroCouncil member Dwight Hudson, aRepublican whoserves as Louisiana director ofthe Conservative CriminalJustice initiative

theState Capitol on Wednesday,Moore said public safety has been compromised in BatonRouge,ashis office hasn’treceived an increase in funding from the state in decades. During that time, his jurisdictionhas grown into the most populous in the state,with BatonRouge continuing to rank among Louisiana’scities with the highestper-capitaviolent crime rates in thepast 10 years.

of assistant DAs.”

Moore said no serious candidate leaving law school will accept a$50,000 salary as an attorney in 2026, so the real cost of anew prosecutor is around $80,000 once you bring starting pay up to something reasonable and factor in beneﬁts.

That means funding from the city-parish has to ﬁll the rest of that gap.

Right on Crime, did not take aposition on the bill but offered some perspective.

Hudson said he is glad the legislation is bringing parties to the table to discuss theissue of public defender funding but had some reservations.

“I havea concernabout thebill and the way it reads, there’s some vagueness,” Hudson said. “But at the end of the day …wedohave to properlyfund the public defender’sofﬁce. The funding that we provide at aparish we’re honest

By Attorney’ fu par ma sta pay ot

Currently,the state gives district attorney’s offices $50,000 for each of the prosecutorsassigned speciﬁcally to theofﬁce, which in Baton Rouge is 55 assistant district attorneys.

Speaking to thegovernor’s advisory and review commission on Wednesday, Moorenoted hisofﬁce’s issuesinattracting and retaining talentand asked thatthey raise the payment across thestate to $60,000 andraise hisnumber of prosecutors to 80.

“Wecannothirealawyer for50,000 bucks,”hesaid. “Weare in desperate need

“In BatonRouge,unfortunately, hasnot happened,” Moore said.

Moore’sbudget wascut by 9% in 2026 and 5% in 2025.

Over the past 16 months, Moore said his office has lost 36 lawyers. Afew have moved to the private sector or been elected to ofﬁce, but most have left to work for the U.S. Attorney’sOfﬁce or the Louisiana attorney general, who offer starting pay at $30,000 to $40,000 more than he can.

“Wejust can’tcompete with the salary.But the biggest thing has been the stress of the job,” he said.

“People are leaving and say-

ing, ‘I love the job. Ilove what Ido, but can’t be a mother or father to my children …working all throughout the weekend, answering emails and phone calls.’ If lawmakers decide to writeMoore and theDistrict Attorney Association’s request into abill and pass it,Moore says hisoffice’s stafﬁng will be on par with other high-volume district attorneys’offices in the state,and he willbeable to give his prosecutors areasonable case load. Moorealso said Wednesday he plans to ﬁle alawsuit next week against the cityparish in hopes ajudge demands he getmorefunding that way, too.

“It’svery unfortunate, but that’sthe positionwe’re in when public safety is being compromised at this point in BatonRouge because of the lack of assistant DAs,” Moore said.

Email Patrick SloanTurner at patrick.sloanturner@theadvocate.com.

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Roblox, Nevada reach $12 million settlement

LAS VEGAS — Roblox, a gaming platform popular with kids, will implement increased protections for young users and pay more than $12 million to the state of Nevada in what state Attorney General Aaron Ford on Wednesday called a ﬁrst-ofits-kind agreement.

Roblox, which is used by nearly half of U.S. children under 16, will give $10 million over three years to support programs like the Boys & Girls Club and other nondigital activities, Ford said. It will also fund a law enforcement liaison position to respond to safety concerns about the platform and fund an online safety awareness campaign, Ford said The settlement, which was agreed upon in lieu of litigation, includes enhanced protections for minors who use the app, such as requiring age veriﬁcation for all users and restricting nighttime notiﬁcations for minors. The gaming platform faces litigation in other states, including Texas and Kentucky, which allege it fails to protect children.

Great Value packaging to see redesign

NEW YORK — Walmart is redesigning the packaging of its Great Value products to help customers instantly spot whether a bag of spicy chips is gluten-free or how much protein is packed into a serving of chicken nuggets.

Encompassing 10,000 different products, Great Value is Walmart’s biggest store brand and one of the largest food and consumer packaged goods labels in the U.S. The revamp announced Wednesday comes as shoppers have increasingly treated private-label foods not as a step down from national brands, but more as an equivalent The new cartons, boxes, bags and other containers will start to appear on Walmart store shelves next month, said Scott Morris, senior vice president of Walmart’s U.S. private brands division The overhaul does not involve any changes to the products themselves, he said. The updates include images that are intended to make the product inside more tempting to shoppers.

Walmart also is moving nutritional information to the upper right hand corner of Great Value food packages, Dave Hartman, Walmart’s vice president of creative design, said. The information previously had no standard location, he said U.S. consumers have become more picky about the ingredients in their food, looking for protein-packed meals or items without gluten, for example. Walmart said its customers, as well as the workers who have to pick items off shelves quickly to assembly online orders, need to be able to spot ingredient lists quickly to speed up their shopping or production.

BBC to cut nearly 2,000 jobs

LONDON — The BBC said Wednesday that it plans to cut up to 2,000 jobs to save 10% of its annual budget — $677 million — over the next two years.

The layoffs announced during a call with staff are the biggest in more than a decade at the U.K. national broadcaster Interim Director-General Rhodri Talfan Davies said in a staff email that the reductions were driven by inﬂation, pressures to license fee and commercial income and a turbulent global economy

The BBC said earlier this year that it faced “substantial ﬁnancial pressures” and wanted to cut about a tenth of its budget by 2029. The bulk of the cuts are to be made in the next ﬁscal year beginning April 1.

The BBC is both a beloved and oft-criticized cultural institution funded by an annual

S&P 500 hits record, builds on rally

BY STAN CHOE AP business writer

— The U.S stock mar-

NEW YORK

ket hit a record Wednesday after adding to its two-week rally built on hopes the war with Iran won’t create a worst-case scenario for the global economy Whether Wall Street is correct to have so much hope for peace and whether stocks should be the highest they’ve ever been remains to be seen.

The S&P 500 rose 0.8% and eclipsed its prior all-time high set in January After falling nearly 10% below its record in late March, a drop steep enough that

Wall Street calls it a “correction,” the index at the heart of many 401(k) accounts has since roared more than 10% higher

Much of the rally has been due to expectations for calming tensions in the war and a resumption of the full flow of oil from the Persian Gulf to customers worldwide.

Bank of America rose 1.8% after saying it made $8.6 billion in proﬁt during the ﬁrst three months of the year, more than analysts expected CEO Brian Moynihan also said the bank saw signs of a “resilient American economy,” including solid spending by U.S. consumers. Morgan Stanley jumped 4.5%

after the investment bank likewise delivered a better-than-expected quarter of results. Companies hurt earlier in the year by worries about artificialintelligence technology also rose to recover more of their losses for 2026. Some of the concerns were about companies potentially spending too much to build out AI capabilities, while others focused on businesses that may go obsolete because of AI-powered competition.

ServiceNow climbed 7.3%, Oracle rose 4.2% and Ares Management gained 5.9% for some of Wednesday’s bigger gains in the S&P 500. All are still down between

12% and 39% for the year so far

The stock price of Allbirds surged 582% to nearly $17 after the company said it’s shifting gears and moving into the AI compute infrastructure industry, while changing its name to NewBird AI. The Allbirds name will stay with the shoe brand that the company has already agreed to sell to American Exchange Group.

Nike rose 2.8% after CEO Elliott Hill and Tim Cook — a Nike director and the CEO of Apple — disclosed that they purchased a combined 48,000 shares of the athletic shoe maker at a cost of about $1 million each.

Prosecutors continue investigation, seek access to Fed’s headquarters

Trump again threatens to fire Fed’s chairman

BY MICHAEL KUNZELMAN and CHRISTOPHER RUGABER Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Federal prosecutors made an unannounced visit this week to a construction site at Federal Reserve headquarters that is the focus of an investigation into a $2.5 billion renovation project, according to two people familiar with the visit.

Two prosecutors and an investigator from U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s ofﬁce were turned away on Tuesday by a building contractor and referred to Fed attorneys, one of the people said. The two people familiar with the visit spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to publicly discuss an ongoing investigation.

The visit underscores that the Trump administration is not backing down from its investigation of the Fed and its chair, Jerome Powell, even though the probe has delayed the conﬁrmation of a new chair nominated by President Donald Trump The investigation is focused on cost overruns and brief testimony about the project last summer by Powell. Trump conﬁrmed in an interview that aired Wednesday on Fox Business that he wants to continue the probe.

Last month, during a closed-door hearing before a federal judge, a top deputy from Pirro’s office conceded that they hadn’t found any evidence of a crime in their investigation of the headquarters project

Robert Hur, an attorney for the Federal Reserve board of governors, sent an email to Pirro’s prosecutors about their visit and their request for a “tour” to “check on progress” at the construction site. Hur’s email, which The Associated Press has viewed, noted that U.S. District Judge James Boasberg concluded that their interest in the Federal Reserve’s renovation project was “pretextual.

Republican Tillis is key vote

Sen Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican who is a key member of the Senate Banking Committee, has vowed to vote against Kevin Warsh, Trump’s nominee to replace Powell as Fed chair, until the investigation is dropped. With the committee closely divided on partisan lines, Tillis’ opposition is enough to block Warsh from receiving the committee’s approval.

Tillis on Wednesday criticized the investigation as “bogus, ill-timed, ill-informed” and repeated that seven Republican members of the banking panel have said they do not believe Powell committed a crime when he testiﬁed last June.

Tillis also said there aren’t enough votes on the committee or in the broader Senate to do an end-run around the committee and get

Warsh conﬁrmed some other way

“There really is no path,” he told reporters, adding that Pirro and her aides were “asleep at the switch” because the investigation has essentially delayed Powell’s departure from the Fed, despite Trump’s obsessive criticism of the Fed chair Powell has now said he won’t leave until the investigation is resolved.

Tillis suggested Pirro blindsided the White House with her investigation. “They should have consulted with the White House, because I’m sure if they would have, (the White House) would have said, ‘no, we can wait,’” until Powell steps down.

But Kevin Hassett, the Trump administration’s top economist, said Wednesday that the Justice Department got involved because “the president wanted to investigate the cost overrun,” Axios reported.

The Banking panel said Tuesday that it will hold a hearing on Warsh’s nomination April 21. Powell’s term as Fed chair ends May 15, but Powell said last month he would remain as chair until a replacement is named.

Powell is serving a separate term as a member of the Fed’s governing board that lasts until January 2028. Chairs typically leave the board when their terms as chair end, but they can remain on the board if they choose. Powell has said he won’t leave until the investigation is resolved. If he remains it would deny Trump the opportunity to appoint someone else to the seven-member board.

Late Tuesday Tillis posted a link on social media to The Wall Street Journal’s article on the visit below an image of the Three Stooges and wrote, “The U.S. Attorney’s Ofﬁce for D.C. at the crime scene.”

Investigation centers on renovations

The investigation centers on an appearance by Powell before the Banking Committee last June, when he was asked about cost overruns on the renovations. The most recent estimates from the Fed suggest the current estimated cost of $2.5 billion is about $600 million higher than a 2022 estimate of $1.9 billion.

“It is probably corrupt, but what it really is, is incompetent,” Trump said. “Don’t you think we have to ﬁnd out what happened there?”

The president’s support for the investigation threatens a time frame set out by Sen. Tim Scott, a South Carolina Republican who chairs the Banking Committee. Scott said Tuesday on Fox Business that he believed the investigation would be “wrapped up in the next few weeks,” allowing Warsh to be conﬁrmed soon after

Threat to fire Powell

News of the unannounced visit by prosecutors comes as Trump has again threatened to ﬁre Powell, if the Federal Reserve Chair decides to stay on the central bank’s governing board after his term as chair expires next month. “Well then I’ll have to ﬁre him, OK?” Trump said.

Trump has for months wanted to remove Powell, saying he has been too slow in orchestrating interest rate cuts that would give the U.S. economy a quick boost. Powell has said the investigation is a pretext to undermine the Fed’s independence to set rates.

Sen.JoshHawley,R-Mo.,saidTrumpcanonly ﬁre Powell “for cause,” meaning some kind of misconduct, “so that’s a pretty tall order.”

Jury finds Ticketmaster, Live Nation had monopoly

BY LARRY NEUMEISTER and JENNIFER PELTZ Associated Press

NEW YORK — A jury has found that concert giant Live Nation and its Ticketmaster subsidiary had a harmful monopoly over big concert venues, dealing the company a loss in a lawsuit over claims brought by dozens of U.S. states and the District of Columbia. A Manhattan federal jury deliberated for four days before reaching its decision Wednesday in the closely watched case, which gave fans the equivalent of a backstage pass to a business that dominates live entertainment in the U.S. and beyond. Earlier, the judge told lawyers on both sides to meet with one an-

other “and the United States” to provide a joint letter proposing a schedule for motions and how the remedies phase of the case would occur He told them to deliver it by late next week. The trial brought Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino to the witness stand, where he was questioned about matters including the company’s Taylor Swift ticket debacle in 2022. Rapino blamed a cyberattack. The proceedings also aired a Live Nation employee’s internal messages to another employee declaring some prices “outrageous,” calling customers “so stupid” and

boasting that the company was “robbing them blind, baby.” The employee, Benjamin Baker who has since been promoted to a position as a ticketing executive, apologetically testified that the messages were “very immature and unacceptable.”

Live Nation Entertainment owns, operates, controls booking for or has an equity interest in hundreds of venues. Its subsidiary Ticketmaster is widely considered to be the world’s largest ticket-seller for live events. The verdict could cost Live Nation and Ticketmaster hundreds of millions of dollars, just for the $1.72 per ticket that the jury found Ticketmaster had overcharged consumers in 22 states. The companies could also be assessed pen-

alties. In addition, sanctions could result in court orders that they divest themselves of some entities, including venues such as amphitheaters that they own.

The civil case, initially led by the U.S. federal government, accused Live Nation of using its reach to smother competition — by blocking venues from using multiple ticket sellers, for example.

“It is time to hold them accountable,” Jeffrey Kessler, an attorney for the states, said in a closing argument calling Live Nation a “monopolistic bully” that drove up prices for ticket buyers.

Live Nation insisted it’s not a monopoly, saying that artists, sports teams and venues decide prices and ticketing practices.

Rapino

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By JULIA DEMAREE NIKHINSON

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, right, and President Donald Trump look over a document of cost figures July 24 during a visit to the Federal Reserve in Washington.

We’re proud to place them in the hands of our families from the beginning.”

The hospital is raising money to purchase book kits through its charitable foundation as well as with help from the prominent nonproﬁt, the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, or BRAF It’s a partnership years in the making.

Chris Meyer, BRAF’s president and chief executive officer, said he’s gratiﬁed to see “our community is stepping up to give to other families so they can have resources and tools from Day One to support their families.”

“That’s what makes a strong and vibrant community,” said Meyer Book Harvest, founded in 2011, has provided more than 3 million take-home books to young children over its 15-year history The North Carolina nonproﬁt points to research on the importance of books at home for future success in school as well as the fact that millions of chil-

DCFS

Continued from page 1A

brief interview “I’m extremely frustrated with the Senate and with Sen. McMath.”

Louisiana senators have long complained that the child welfare agency isn’t adequately protecting abused and neglected children They’ve said that too many kids are dying at the hands of caregivers, even after potential dangers were previously ﬂagged to the state.

McMath’s proposed overhaul broadly includes three major changes.

DCFS would no longer be a standalone cabinet agency It would become a division in the state’s health department, which would be rechristened the Louisiana Department of Health and Human Services.

Louisiana State Police would run the call center that handles reports of child abuse. And the Attorney General’s Ofﬁce would handle child support enforcement.

In an interview Wednesday morning, McMath said he had discussed changes at DCFS with Landry and his chief of staff, who he said “have indicated to me they have an open mind.”

But Landry said the proposal had been created “with no input from us” and that McMath had yet to show him a proven plan for the child welfare agency.

The governor did say he’s talked to Senate President Cameron Henry, R-Metairie, about the agency, and that “we do believe that there are certain buckets, certain things that DCFS can relinquish which may help some of the problems.”

He also acknowledged longstanding problems in the department.

“I do share the frustration that this building has had with that department,” Landry said, referring to lawmakers at the State Capitol. “That frustration, though did not start under this administration. That place has been a train wreck.”

He added that the person he appointed to lead the agency, Secretary Rebecca Harris, “has been doing everything she can to put the wheels back on that particular bus” and that he hopes to ﬁnd a path forward for the agency by the end of the legislative session.

Later in the afternoon, Landry, McMath, Henry and Harris had a meeting that both Landry and McMath described as “productive.”

“The governor is clearly passionate about child welfare and I certainly appreciate and share his passion for child safety,” McMath said Details about the change

Under SB462, all of the functions of DCFS would be distributed to different agencies, and Louisiana would no longer have a standalone child welfare department.

A renamed Louisiana Department of Health and Human Services would gain a new ofﬁce of child welfare that would handle the vast

dren have almost no books in their households that they can use to learn to read. Of late, Book Harvest has been recruiting hospitals to further its work via a program called “Books from Birth.”

The ﬁrst hospital to sign up was Maynard Children’s Hospital in Greenville North Carolina starting in October 2024. That hospital has since provided home libraries to more than 4,500 families with newborns. Three more hospitals have joined since. And Woman’s is part of a group of four more hospitals expected to participate by the end of this year

Ginger Young, founder and chief executive ofﬁcer for Book Harvest, said that as early as 9 months old, children exposed to books stand out from their peers who lack such exposure. It’s a vital time for a child.

“Anybody who’s doing this work with families in the ICU or on the birthing floor here sees that every day the neurons are firing at a million a second from the moment a child is born,” Young said. “That first year of life is an unbelievable and unprecedented opportunity.”

SEN. PATRICK McMATH, R-Covington

majority of Louisiana’s child welfare services: child protective services, foster care, adoption, child abuse and neglect prevention, and human trafﬁcking, among others.

McMath said the “massive umbrella” of the health department will allow Louisiana to put more resources and personnel toward child welfare.

State Police would run a 24-hour hotline that would take calls and reports of suspected child abuse. Investigations into severe child abuse or abuse of children in state custody would be handled by State Police, but other investigations could be handled by the health department

McMath said the “besttrained” responders should be the first to quickly and professionally handle initial reports of abuse and neglect, which can later be handed off to a welfare worker at the health department if appropriate.

“That system is upside down,” McMath said “Child abuse and neglect is a crime.”

The Attorney General’s Office would ensure that parents are making courtordered child support payments.

“I’ve met with Senator McMath and discussed this proposal, and I will support these efforts,” Murrill said in a statement. “It would certainly take some transition time, but many AG ofﬁces around the country perform this function. It’s a legal process, so it would ﬁt within our overall responsibilities.”

McMath said a public hearing will be held on the proposal next week

DCFS facing scrutiny

The Department of Children and Family Services has undergone a series of significant controversies and changes in recent years.

Last month at a public meeting, senators on the health committee threatened to abolish the child welfare agency, saying it was a warning intended to prompt action and reforms. They grilled its leaders on how the department would put a stop to child deaths owed to abuse and neglect

In July, Landry announced Harris, a former deputy secretary and undersecretary at the department, would lead the agency, replacing David Matlock, a former Caddo Parish juvenile court judge who had served as secretary for a year and a

The home library comes in a square box filled with 10 books. They are “board books” made of paperboard, books that infants and toddlers can handle without tearing. The kit also comes with a special onesie that says “I am a Book Baby.”

“All those books have been carefully curated to really help a family as soon as they come home,” said Jeff Quinn, chief operating officer with Book Harvest. “So, there’s bilingual books. There’s books that have high-contrast colors that don’t have any words, but families can just tell stories to the child.”

Ragas said he likes the choices Book Harvest has made.

“It’s a really neat mix, he said. “They picked out really good books.”

He recalls that books were important for him from an early age.

“The Little Caterpillar” was a favorite. And there’s another book series he loved. What was it called again?

“The one with the little they’re black and white with the little insects and frogs …” he said, struggling to remember

half.

Last summer, state lawmakers took away from DCFS the job of handling workforce training and safety net programs like SNAP and TANF, the federally funded programs run by states that provide food and cash assistance to low-income families. Those programs are now handled by Louisiana’s health and workforce development departments.

Ofﬁcials said moving the programs away from DCFS would give the agency a chance to focus its efforts squarely on child welfare.

DCFS in recent years has struggled with child welfare stafﬁng shortages and turnover due to low pay and the difﬁcult nature of the jobs.

In March, agency officials said the number of vacancies at the department has decreased, but turnover due to low wages and burnout is still a problem.

A 2022 investigation by The Advocate | The TimesPicayune found that, adjusted for inflation, DCFS lost nearly half of its funding between 2007 and 2021. The investigation also found that, at the time, DCFS caseloads were three times the national standard.

Also in 2022, the agency and public were roiled by a spate of shocking deaths

from child abuse and neglect in which DCFS had received previous warnings.

The deaths led to the resignation of then-Secretary Marketa Garner Walters, who was in that job for six

years. Terri Ricks took over, serving until Landry took ofﬁce in 2024.

In 2025, 31 child deaths in Louisiana were attributed to abuse and neglect; in 2020, that number was 23 and in 2015, it was 41. It’s not clear

of March, DCFS data showed 4 child deaths resulted from abuse and neglect, and 7 deaths were still pending

STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Chris Meyer, president and CEO of Baton Rouge Area Foundation, speaks during a Wednesday news conference about a new reading initiative for families of newborns at Woman’s Hospital

Pakistan hoping for more ceaseﬁre negotiations

Blockade, threats strain agreement

BY SAMY MAGDY, SAM METZ, MUNIR AHMED and MIKE CORDER Associated Press

CAIRO Pakistan’s army chief met Wednesday in Tehran with Iran’s foreign minister in the latest diplomatic move to ease tensions in the Middle East and arrange a second round of negotiations between the United States and Iran after almost seven weeks of war

The White House said any further talks would likely take place in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad, though no decision had been made on whether to resume negotiations

The U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports continued for a third day The Trump administration warned of new economic sanctions on countries doing business with Iran, saying the Islamic Republic would feel the “ﬁnancial equivalent” of a bombing campaign

Pakistan has emerged as a key mediator in the conflict after it hosted rare direct talks between the U.S. and Iran in Islamabad, a move authorities said helped narrow differences between the two sides. Mediators are seeking a new round before a ceaseﬁre is set to expire next week.

The Pakistani military said the delegation sent to Iran included the country’s interior minister and other senior security ofﬁcials, but provided no details.

U,S., Iran making progress

Even as the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports and renewed Iranian threats strained the ceaseﬁre agreement, regional ofﬁcials reported progress, telling The Associated Press the United States and Iran had an “in principle agreement” to extend it to allow for more diplomacy They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the matter Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi, took part in a preliminary meeting with Asim Munir, Pakistan’s army chief of staff, Ira-

nian state media reported. It said talks would continue Thursday

But even as mediators worked for peace, tensions simmered.

The commander of Iran’s joint military command, Ali Abdollahi, threatened to halt trade in the region if the U.S. does not lift its naval blockade.

In a move aimed at inflicting more economic pain on Iran, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the White House has warned countries and private companies they could face sanctions for doing business with Tehran.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the U.S. had not “formally requested an extension of the ceasefire” with Iran, which is set to expire Tuesday

“At this moment, we remain very much engaged in these negotiations, in these talks,” Leavitt said, adding that any further in-person talks “would very likely” return to Islamabad.

Mediators seek compromise

Mediators are pushing for a compromise on three main sticking points that derailed direct talks last weekend — Iran’s nuclear program, the Strait of Hormuz and compensation for wartime damag-

es, according to a regional ofﬁcial involved in the mediation efforts. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said Iran is open to discussing the type and level of its uranium enrichment, but his country “based on its needs, must be able to continue enrichment,” Iranian state media reported.

The negotiating team led by Vice President JD Vance urged Iran to agree to a 20-year moratorium on uranium enrichment as part of a potential deal to end the war, according to the regional ofﬁcial and a person briefed on the matter

No ships pass blockade

U.S. Central Command said Wednesday that no ships made it past the blockade in the first 48 hours, while nine merchant vessels complied with direction from U.S. forces to turn around and reenter Iranian waters.

The blockade is intended to pressure Iran, which has exported millions of barrels of oil, mostly to Asia, since the war began Feb. 28 Much of it has likely been carried by so-called dark transits that evade sanctions and oversight, providing cash that’s been vital to keeping Iran running.

President urges extending foreign surveillance program

BY DAVID KLEPPER Associated Press

WASHINGTON Congress is set to take up the reauthorization of a divisive program that lets U.S. spy agencies pore over foreigners’ calls, texts and emails, with supporters like President Donald Trump saying it has saved lives while critics point to long-standing concerns about warrantless surveillance of Americans.

A key provision of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act permits the CIA, National Security Agency, FBI and other agencies to collect and analyze vast amounts of overseas communications without a warrant. It incidentally sweeps up the conversations of any Americans who interact with those foreigners targeted for surveillance.

The program expires Monday, and critics want changes, including a requirement for warrants before authorities can access the emails, phone calls or text messages of Americans. They also want limits on the government’s use of internet data brokers, who sell large volumes of personal information gleaned online, offering the government what critics say amounts to an end-run around the Constitution.

House Republican leaders hoped to advance the legislation on Wednesday, but an initial procedural step was delayed Rankand-file members have pushed back despite a pressure campaign that included a trip to the White House and direct involvement from CIA Director John Ratcliffe.

The chances of significant changes, however seem have dropped since Trump announced his support for the program’s renewal, saying it had proved its worth in supplying information vital to recent U.S. actions in Venezuela and Iran.

“The fact is, whether you like FISA or not, it is extremely im-

portant to our military,” Trump said on social media Tuesday

U.S. authorities say the program, known as Section 702 of the law, is essential to national security and has saved lives by uncovering terrorist plots. Critics question what they say is a dangerous infringement on civil liberties and privacy

In a Truth Social post, Trump said a different FISA provision was used to spy on his 2016 campaign but that he supported Section 702’s renewal despite misgivings that political adversaries could use parts of the law against him in the future. He urged lawmakers to extend the foreign surveillance program for 18 more months.

The Republican president is a longtime critic of the nation’s intelligence services and was once opposed to Section 702 before he reversed himself. His director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, sponsored legislation to repeal Section 702 as a Hawaii congresswoman but now supports it. She says new protections added since her time in Congress helped change her mind.

Some Republican House members who have opposed the extension without changes traveled went to the White House late Tuesday to discuss the matter Ratcliffe also met with lawmakers early Wednesday In addition to a requirement for a warrant to access Americans’ data, critics also want greater protections on how the FBI or other agencies can search communications and how that is reported to the public.

“Journalists, foreign aid workers, people with family overseas, all could have their communications swept up in this surveillance merely because they talked to someone outside of this country,” said Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore. He is pushing for changes that he said will ensure the government is not violating civil rights in secret.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By HUSSEIN MALLA

Paramedics attach a portrait over the grave of Ghadir Baalbaki, 19, who was killed on Tuesday in an Israeli airstrike, at a temporary mass grave in the southern port city of Tyre, Lebanon, on Wednesday.

Angola inmate’s death under investigation

THE BITE STUFF

ABOVE: Sgt. D Johnson from Hammond gets assaulted by the decoy as his dog Rudy reacts to that during the United States Police Canine Association Region 10 Field Trials. LEFT: K-9 Deisel holds on to the decoy until his handler Jeremy Pittman releases him during the trials.

STAFF PHOTOS By JOHN BALLANCE

Bank

St. Francisville to open second BR location

BY IANNE SALVOSA Staff writer

BY QUINN COFFMAN Staff writer

STAFF PHOTO By IANNE SALVOSA

Jefferson Highway branch

La.wants people just outofprisononMedicaid

Officialssay health care prevents recidivism

BY ALYSE PFEIL Staff writer

Louisiana will work with the Trump administrationona new program to get people who are leaving prison connected withMedicaid, in hopes of getting them help that willprevent them fromreoffending,state ofﬁcials announced

Wednesday

Gov.Jeff Landry held anewsconference to saythat theU.S. Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services is on tracktoapprove “Section 1115 Waiver” that will give the state ﬂexibility to start offering theservices up to 90 days before someone is released from prison or jail. Those services could include medication-assisted treatment for addiction, mental healthtreatment,

a30-day supply of prescription drugs and other services. The ideaisthat, by putting people on asolid health care footing before releasing them, the state will remove an obstacle to successfully reintegrating intosociety, ofﬁcials said.

“Wedon’t likeputtingpeople in jail, and we don’twant to keep people in jail,” Landry said “Wedon’tlike the recidivism

out there.” In a2024 application forthe waiver,state ofﬁcials noted that people who repeatedly end up in prison disproportionately sufferfrom substance abuse andmental health disorders. Bytreating those disorders, state ofﬁcialshopetokeep people outofprison. “Weknow that we can get (substance use disorder) treatment, chronic disease treatment and bring aprisoner’s health under control, so that when they’rereleased,the emergency department is not the only source of care.There’sconti-

nuity between the care that they’re getting from the prison,” Secretary of Health BruceGreensteinsaid. “Wealsoknow that when prisoners getthe care that they need andhave asmooth transition, they’re much less likely to go back to jail.”

Dan Brillman, the federal Medicaiddirector,was in Baton Rouge on Wednesday forthe announcement.

“There’sgonna be aton of innovation happening in prisons and jails andyouth facilities,” he said. Brillmansaidhehopes the program will be up andrunning later in thesummer.

NEWORLEANS

SuspectedMolotov cocktail thrown at Teslacenter

No arrests have been made in Tuesdayincident

Aﬁre startedatthe New Orleans Tesla service and leasing center in the Irish Channel after the building was apparently hit by aMo-

GUILTY

Continued from page1B

around and provide areceipt for his purchase

When confronted,Owens tried to leave the soap and exitthe store.

lotov cocktail early Tuesday morning, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ New Orleansofﬁce. The front door of the ofﬁce on 2801 Tchoupitoulas St. was singedinthe incident.Debris surrounded theentrance Wednesday morning and asignatthe center instructed customers to use aseparatedoor

ATFNew Orleansand the New Orleans Police Department responded to the ﬁre at around 7:52 a.m. Tuesday after the center’sowner calledabout aﬁre, an NOPD spokesperson said.Noarrests hadbeen made as of Wednesday Teslastaffers were advisednot to comment on the investigation.

Several Tesla shops and

cars were targets of vandalismlastyearasCEO ElonMusk’sleadership at theTrumpAdministration’s Department of Government Efficiency, andhis wider involvementinright-wing politics, provokedbacklash. Agroup of TeslaCybertruck drivers was pummeled with beads during the Krewe of Orpheus’ parade in 2025.

BY JAMES FINN Staff writer

“You see this shit here?

Thattell you that I’ma police ofﬁcer,”Owens told theemployee, according to an afﬁdavit for his arrest. Owenswas later located at abusiness on Gwen-

Owens then told the employee that he was an undercover officer,before liftinghis sweater to flash what the employee believed was agun in his waistband.

BLOTTER

Continued from page1B

Entergy truck’s bumper, and adent in Petite’scityowned SUV,hesaid.

The Entergy workerstold Petite they were OK, and thetwo vehicles headed out, Petite said.

Later that night, Gonzales police ofﬁcers delivered him the misdemeanor summons, with acourt date.

Petite notiﬁed the mayor

The accident happened after working hours on Tuesday

“I addressed it ﬁrst thing this morning,” with cityparish human resources, Petite said. As part of the protocol, Petite went to a hospital to submit aurine sample, he said.

“It was completely innocuous,” Petite said of the incident.

Petite’srole in citygovernment has also caused friction, because on the website, in emails and in conversations, he says he is the Gonzales chief of staff

The city has never had such aposition, and the council never approved the creation of such arole or the appointment of Petite.

Police: Man charged for shooting dog

ABaton Rouge man has been charged with cruelty to animalsafter he told police he shot hisson’s caged dog because it was growling at him.

Lamond Green, 54, is charged with cruelty to

COMING UP

Continued frompage1B

president. The Highland Road branch opened at the endof2022, when the bank had $198 million in overall depositsat the end of June that year according to FDIC data. As of June 30, 2025, the bank had about $328 million in deposits across both branches, with about $72 million in Baton Rouge and $256 million in St. Francisville.

Dupontsaid thebankplans to have about 15 employees working at the Jefferson Highway branch, adding to

animalsand illegaluse of aweapon. It was not conﬁrmed whether Green had beenarrested and released or not.

BRPDresponded to acall at 10043 Sunny ClineDrive on March 3around 8:30 p.m. involving adisturbance with shots ﬁred Green told policethat he was outsidescoldingone of his dogs when his son’sdog started growlingathim. Green shot the dog with apistol while it was in a closed cage.

Police found thedog dead inside the cage withatleast onegunshot wound. They also obtained multiple shell casings on the ground. If Green is found guilty, he couldface upto10years in prison.

Couplecharged in April 3homicide

Police have arrested two individuals whoallegedly shot and killed 41-year-old Roderick Williams on April 3. Daevon Anderson,24, and Jaylynn Shampine, 20, were both arrested on Wednesdayand charged with second-degree murder,accordingtothe Baton Rouge PoliceDepartment.

Police ofﬁcers were dispatched to acar washat 7890 Scenic Highway in response to ashooting. Williams wasfound with multiple gunshot wounds and later diedatthe hospital According to anarrest warrant, the day before the shootingonApril 2, Williams had gotten into averbal altercation withShamp-

the company’soverall team of more than 50. The branch will be about 10,000 square feet,according to Kelly Hurtado, the bank’svicepresident of marketing.

The bank purchased1.7 acres of land for the Jefferson Highway location in 2023 for $2.2million, shortly after opening the Highland Road branch.

Is there abuilding under construction or renovation in your neighborhood and you want to know what it is? Send an email with apictureorthe location to ianne.salvosa@ theadvocate.com

adele Avenue andarrested.Hehad arifle stock stuck in hiswaistbandat the timeofhis arrest,policesay

During police questioning, Owens again said he was an undercover police officer working “for all departments,”according to his afﬁdavit.

Owens was originally ar-

ine at the Sunoco Food Mart on Scenic Highway Williams hit acellphone out of Shampine’shand and she told him, “You gonna die for that.”

Policesay that Williams then went outside to his car, where his girlfriend was waiting, and told her that he had recently lived with Shampine andher boyfriend, Anderson. Thetwo share achild.

Thenextday,Williams andhis girlfriend were at thecar washwhen Shampine andAnderson approached them and allegedly started averbal altercation, accordingtothe arrest warrant.

Anderson allegedly started shooting Williams and continued to shoot him while he was running away and when he fell. Anderson andShampine ﬂedthe scene on foot, according to police.

Police identified Andersonand Shampine through surveillance footage from

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rested on additional charges,including theft andaggravated assault,but these were later dropped. For his guilty pleatoimpersonating apeace officer,Owens was sentenced to six monthsinprison. Email Quinn Coffman at quinn.coffman@ theadvocate.com.

nearby businesses. Andersonhas acriminal arrest history of theft of a motor vehicle andcriminal property damage, according to court documents.

Awoman convicted in New Orleans federal court over a yearslong schemetosteal money from elderly widows is on therun afterfailing to report to federalprison, officials say Emuobosan Emmanuella Hall wassentenced in Januarytoeight years in federal custody forher roleinthe “romance scam” and was ordered to report March 25 to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility in Minnesota. Butanankle monitor Hall woreshowed her last location on March 24 as Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and she never arrived in Minnesota, U.S. Attorney David Courcelle of the Eastern DistrictofLouisiana said in anewsrelease Wednesday In court filings Tuesday,an FBI agentwrote that phone records suggest Hall traveled to Washington, D.C., on March 24 rather than Minnesota. Federal border agents found no record of her crossing the U.S. border, so authoritiesbelieve Hall either remains in the U.S. or fled the country with fake documents, the agent wrote.

Hall’sﬂight marks the latesttwist in acaseinwhich more than two dozen women testified, saying they were dupedintosending money to Hall’sco-defendant, Kenneth Akpieyi. Prosecutors indicted Hall andAkpieyi after he posed on Facebook as amilitary general and oil engineer to con older women into paying him millions, saying he needed the cashtohelprebuild schools or to settle tax bills. Akpieyi wouldthenlaunder themoney through abusiness Hall owns. Hall pleaded guilty and was sentenced to eight years. Ajury convicted Akpieyi of orchestrating the scheme, and he received25 years. Akpieyi was jailed after his sentencing and remains in federal custody Hall’sdaughter was charged, too, but prosecutors droppedthe charges after she agreed to enter a diversion program In aﬁling before her sentencing, Hall’sattorney, Sean Toomey,wrote that she made“serious errors in judgment” but ultimately pocketed just $45,000 from the scheme, compared to the millions Akpieyi raked in.

Landry Brillman

Staff report

Church in Donaldsonville at 11am Robertson, Beulah

Mt.PilgrimBaptist Church,9200 Scenic Highway,at11a.m

Rollins,Annie

FirstPilgrimCalvary Missionary BaptistChurch,11453 LA-73, Geismar, LAat 11am Simon, Mildred

St.Jude Catholic Church,9150 HighlandRoad, at 11 a.m. Wesley Sr., Jeremiah Wilson Wooddale FuneralHome, 1553 Wooddale Boulevard, at 11:30 a.m. Obituaries

Avet, Philip Royce

Dr. PhilipRoyce Avet, Jr.,

ronment of curiosity forhis children from an early age, often involving themin hands-on experiences such as examining specimens under amicroscope and exploringnature during walk

He is survived by his wifeof61years, Marilyn LykinsAvet; daughters Suzanne Hahn (Michael) and Holly Douet(Marc); son,Dr. Patrick Philip Avet (Devry); sister, Margaret Landry(Jimmy);and grandchildren, Philip Hahn (Alex), SarahHulgan (Daniel), Rebecca Hahn, DylanAvet, and Charles Avet

Relatives and friends areinvited to attend a memorialservice at ResthavenFuneralHome, 11817inBaton Rouge,on Saturday, April18, 2026,at 2:30 p.m.

Family and friends may signthe online guestbook at www.resthavenbatonro uge.com.

en great-grandchildren, Alice,Alex,Wesley,Audrey, Evan, Emmett, and Judah; his sister, Ethel(Jerry) Lobell;his brother, Carl(Jinx) Berthelot;his brother-inlaw, JosephRay(Dixie) Guitreau; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in deathby his parents, McCoyand Nora Berthelot; brothers, Oscarand Alvin"Pat" Berthelot;mother-in -law, Alice "Bernice" Wells; brother-in-law and sisterin-law,Bruce and Joyce Gordon; and brother-in-law and sister-in-law Norman and Maythel Guitreau.

VisitationwillbeonFridayApril 17, 2026 at St. JosephCatholicChurch in French Settlement from 9:00a.m. until Mass of ChristianBurial at 11:00a.m. Burial willfollow in theSt. JosephMausoleum. Pallbearers willbe ConnorBennett, Todd Bennett,Zane Bennett,Mark Ledoux,BillPhillips, Patrick Rachel, Mark Williams, and Tyler Williams. in lieu of flowers,donations can be madetoSt. JudeChildren's Research Hospital

passed awaypeacefully on March 21, 2026, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana,surrounded by his loving wife and children. Born and raised in Houma, Louisiana,Philip attended Terrebonne High School before pursuing higher education at Louisiana State University, where he earned both aBachelorof Science and aMaster of Science degree. He subsequently obtained hisDoctor of Medicine degree from LSU Medical School and specialized in Pathology, dedicating much of his career to teaching and practicing in this field.

Dr. Avet served with distinction at several institutions, including Charity Hospital in New Orleans Lafayette Charity Hospital—where he eventually retired—and Terrebonne General Hospital. Throughout his professionallife, he exemplified commitment to medicine and education. Adevoted husband and father, Philip was known for his unwavering dedication to his family. His generosity extended beyond his immediate family, most notably demonstrated by his selfless act of donating akidney to his sister Marie. Philip's passionfor science, learning,and teaching was ahallmark of his life. He fostered an envi-

Roger JosephBerthelot, born on December 28, 1940, passed awaypeacefully at the ageof85onApril 7, 2026,athis home in French Settlement, Louisiana.He was alifelongresidentof French Settlement. After graduating from French Settlement High School and graduating trade school as amechanic, Roger builta life defined by hard workand dedication.Roger wastrulya jack of alltrades anda masterofmany.Hetook great prideinhis strong workethic and his ability torepairalmost anything. He enjoyed raising cattle, gardening—thatalwaysincludedBerthelot'sred peppers, and hunting. There was nothinghewouldn't do forhis family. He was alwaystheretolenda helping hand,nomatter the need, and he taught us countlesslifelessonsthat we willcarry with us forever Roger is survived by his beloved wifeof66years, June, whom he lovingly referred to as "ma'am";his four daughters, Laquita(Bill)Phillips, Tonya(Mark) Williams, KimberlyBerthelot, and Candace(Todd) Bennett; his five grandchildren, Jaclyn Klapperich, Megan Rachel,Tyler Williams,ConnorBennett, and Zane Bennett; his sev-

Robert Lee Ellerson, 86, of Baton Rouge, LA,entered eternal rest April 4, 2026. BornJanuary 19, 1940. Adevoted and cherished husband, father, and grandfather, deeply missed. Services: April 18, 2026, 11:00 AM, St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church, Ethel, LA.Arrangements entrusted to Miller and Daughter Mortuary.

Marianne Buce Parker died on April 13, 2026 after ashortillness. She was 92. AnativeofWestMonroe, Louisiana, she graduated from Ouachita HighSchool and Northeast Louisiana StateCollege,where she was amember of Phi Mu

Sorority.AtLSU she earned amasters degree in music in piano performance in 1957. She started her career as amember of the music facultyatGulfpark College in Long Beach, MS. An independent piano teacher for42years, she was also achurch musician from theage of 14, where as ateenager she was apianist for West MonroeFirst Baptist Church and in her later years achurch organist for University Baptist Church. She wasa piano accompanist for Drew Shaw's award winning LeeHigh School choirs and theUniversityMethodist Church Chapel Choir and was a longtime member of The MusicClub of BatonRouge, The Philharmonic Club of Baton Rouge, the39er's book club and PEO. She was preceded in deathby her parentsRoy and Elizabeth Buce of WestMonroe, Louisiana, herhusband of 65 years, Dr. Jack Bradford Parker,and daughter Laura Parker HoughofKirkwood, Missouri. Survived by son Bruce Norman Parker (Debra), daughter Polly Parker Staffordall of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. GrandchildrenMadeline Claire Parker and CameronParker StaffordofBaton Rouge, Louisiana, WyattParker Hough of Kansas City, Missouri and William Frederick HoughofSeattle, Washingtonand sister-inlawGene Rife Parker. Funeralservices willbeheld at TrinityEpiscopal Church in Baton Rouge on Friday, April17, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. Visitation willbegin at 8:30 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. Special thankstothe staff at The Crossing at ClarityHospice. In lieu of flowers please send donations to theTrinity Episcopal Church MusicFund or The Louisiana Baptist Children's Home in Monroe, Louisiana.

wife Elizabeth Carroll Pourciau ,daughterEmma Pourciau ,father Larry Pourciau,sister Michelle( Robert)Seidenglanz,niece Elizabeth (Griffin) Clark, nephewsNathan (Kathryn) Seidenglanzand Cooper Drago. He is preceded in death by hismotherClara MabilePourciau Whilehis absence leaves an immeasurable void,the stories,the laughterand thecountless lives he touched will always be remembered. Acelebration of life is planned at alater date.

Robertson, Beulah Dunn

Clinton,LAfrom5-7 pm. ReligiousservicesThursday April 16, 2026 viewing9 -11 am servicesat11am Mt.Pilgrim B.C. 9200 Scenic Hwy. Baton Rouge,LA. ConductedbyRev.Dr. D. Edward Chaney, Pastor

Spears, Paul Lee Paul leaves to cherish hispreciousmemories, a devotedwife Annunciata Spears,daughterJ'Hailey Spears,son PaulSpearsJr. all of Baton Rouge,LA; father Levy Spears of Baker LA; god-child Cyncere Smith of Clinton,LA; four sistersShampella (William) Martin, Stacy (Kenneth)Jackson,Debra (Ellis) Wellsall of Baton Rouge,LAand Paulette (Shelton)McClain of Zachary, LA; twobrothers Eckert Green of Baker, LA andMarcus Spears of Katy, TX; eightaunts Rose Williams, Aretha (Eugene) JohnsonofSacramento, CA, AnnieMae Judson of Zachary, LA, Betty Mae Washington of Houston, TX ,DorothyMae (Harold) Ennis, Ruth Jackson,Beulah Jeffersonall of Baton Rouge,LAand Evelyn ChristyofPrarieville,LA; oneuncle Robert LeeJones of Atlanta, GA; twogreataunts Lillie and Michelle Knox of Baton Rouge,LA; father-in-law London Lanns of Clinton,LA; four sisters-in-law Paula ChaneyofClinton,LA, LashondraLannsof Zachary, LA, Patricia Chaney of Baton Rouge, LA, andTalethaShorterof Denham Springs, LA; two brothers-in-law James Knighten of Baton Rouge LA andJohnny(Catrina) Williams of Gadsden, AL Funeral Serviceswill be held at Rock Zion Baptist Church on Alabama Street in Baker, LA on Friday, April 17, 2026 at 11:00am, viewingwill be held from 9:00am -10:45am. Doucet,Mary

John Bradley (Brad) Pourciau, born September 25,1978, passed away unexpectedlyonApril 6, 2026 leaving behinda silence that feels impossiblefor anyone that knew him to accept. Hislaugh was loud, his storieslegendary, and hispresence larger than life He is survivedbyhis

SisterBeulah Dunn Robertson wasborn September 18, 1936 to the lateRoosevelt Dunn,Sr. andLizzie BrownDunnin Woodland,La. Shedeparted this life on April 11, 2026 at herresidenceinBaton Rouge,Louisiana. Shewas amember of Mt,Pilgrim B.C. Shewas an educator; teacher,assistant principal,and principal for 30 plus years at Clinton ElementarySchool. She leaves to cherish herpreciousmemories grandchildren Chantel Robertson andBrandonRobertson. Great grandchildren Avery Smith, Nova Robertson and Dominique Walker. She is also survivedbyher daughter-in-love, Veronica Robertson, and sister-inlaw,Cynthia Dunn.Sisters; Rose Doolittle, Earnestine Gordon and Loretta Dunn Viewingwill be Wednesday April 15, 2026 at Richardson Funeral Home,

in Print? Sign up forhome delivery of thenewspaper in addition to

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Berthelot,RogerJoseph

Ellerson,Robert Lee

Pourciau, John Bradley 'Brad'

Parker, Marianne Buce

OUR VIEWS

Sleeping on thestreet shouldn’t be acrime

If aHouse bill becomes law,people who sleep on the streetinLouisianawould be classiﬁed as criminals.

The so-called “Streets to Success Act” would make camping in unauthorized public spaces a crime punishable by up to six months in prison for aﬁrst offense and at least one year inprison forasubsequent offense,plusﬁnes. It aims to steer people experiencing homelessnesstoward services.

We agree that’sa worthy andimportantgoal Homelessness can affectpublic safety andquality of life, two issues thatmany residents of our cities consistently say are highpriorities

Still, we have concerns that labeling people who have fallen on tough times or are battling mental health challenges orsubstance abuseas lawbreakers does more harm than good.

House Bill 211 is apartof Gov.JeffLandry’s spring legislative agenda. Authored by state Rep. Debbie Villio, R-Kenner,itwould create thenew crimebut also enable thosecharged to avoid prison by serving probation for at least ayear while completing atreatment program. Those who successfully complete theprobation andthe program would have theirconvictions removed

During arecent HouseJudiciary Committee meeting where it was approved 12-4 before being sent on to the full House, Villiosaidthe bill “calls for acoordinated strategythat integrates criminal justice, housing,health care andhomelessness response systems into acontinuum of care.”

The measure also proposes creating “homelessness courts.”

We’re all for the continuum of careapproach. In the runup to the Super Bowl in New Orleans, we saw efforts by Landry to move the unhoused from underneath the interstateand intoawellrun facility where services were available as a promising step. We hoped thatwould be amodel forthe state goingforward

But now we are considering criminally charging people for choosing what often is alast resort. That strikes us as unnecessarily cruel. Andwe worry that it could exacerbatechallengespeople face, as criminal charges may make it evenmore difficult to find housing andemployment. We arealso concernedthatthe bill couldimpose conditions that the people targetedwould have difficulty meeting, allow judgestoforce those arrested to choose between taking medicine against their will or risking acriminal record andcrowd local jails that are not well-equipped to deal with this population.

Landry and the Legislatureare following the lead of PresidentDonaldTrump. He signed a 2025 executive order to move the nationaway from housing-ﬁrst effortstomandatory health and other treatment programs, shifting federal resources to effortslike theone being considered in Baton Rouge.

We understand that large camps of homeless people pose immense challenges, and wewelcome those federal resources to tacklewhat often feels like an intractable problem.

But we urge lawmakers to address the sources of homelessness and offer appropriate options without forcing thosewho already struggle to bear an additional stigma.

LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR ARE WELCOME.

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

OPINION

Livestreamingfamily court wouldaid abusers

StateRep.Kathy Edmonston’sHouse Bill 278, which calls for livestreaming East Baton Rouge Family Court proceedings, is one of three equally bad bills she ﬁled this session, which victims’ advocates have entitled “The Domestic Abusers’ Assistance Act.” Astudy by theLouisiana Supreme Court at therequestoflegislatorsfound zero corruptioninEastBaton Rouge Family Court, so this bill, which singles out the courtand exempts“Divorce Court TV” in family court proceedings in other state courts, is nonsensical. Does Edmonston really believe that litigants want to have their reasons for fault-based divorce actions watched by thepublic? Or nastychild custody battles available for use by school bullies against humiliated children? Doesn’t everyone want the intricacies of their employment positions and ﬁnancial situations broadcast for all tosee in child support and spousal support hearings?

Iamwriting as aRepublican voter who recently attended the DeSoto Parish Republican Executive Committee candidate forum, where congressional candidate Chris Johnson spoke. What I witnessed was not leadership; it was an embarrassment. Johnson’sremarks were not only provocative but they were also outright offensive and unacceptable. He used crude language, multiple curse words and made adeeply inappropriate and racially charged statement suggesting that Black Americans are only capable of degrading activities. Iwill not repeat his exact words in full out of respect for your readers, but thesentimentwas clear,and it was disgraceful. That is not conservatism. That is not Republican leadership. Andthat is

The Declaration of Independence statesthat all people have theunalienable right to life. So why are viable human beings in thewomb being excluded? Thereiscertainly no doubt, at least from the seventhmonth of pregnancy, thatthey are living human beings. Ultrasound images showvoluntarymovements, facial expressions and reaction to sounds, all indicative of afunctioning

Andwho doesn’twanttheir assets and liabilities in acommunity property partition madeknown to extended family and friends “on thespot?”

Keep in mind that Louisiana does not even allow jury trialsinfamily court mattersand that this family court, like domestic divisions of other courts, hears petitions for protection from abuse —for family violence, physical violence, sexual abuse, etc. Should victimsofabuse and sexual assault have their testimony livestreamed?

How manyvictims are going to want to come to acourt to talk about experiencing battery and rape? The chilling effect could not be more obvious unless you co-sponsored HB278. The newspaper needs to investigate and report thetrue motives behind this bill.

KIMSPORT

formerchair,Louisiana Commission to Prevent Domestic Violence

certainly not how we winelections or represent our values.

The Republican Party should be the partyofopportunity, personal responsibilityand respect forall individuals, not aplatform for crude rhetoric and divisive, demeaning comments. As Republicans, we should be expanding our coalition, not shrinking it through ignorance and offense.

Ireject Chris Johnson as acandidate for Congress. His conduct does not reﬂect thevalues of the Republican voters Iknow here in northwest Louisiana, nor does it represent the dignity that public ofﬁce demands. We can —and must —dobetter

PARKER WARD

Republican State Central Committee, District 38 D

brain. They are no longera fetus. They arechildren and should be protected according to theirconstitutionalright to life. How then can any laws be made that allow anyone to murder these infants in the womb? If permitted, it is gross hypocrisy

LINDAR.SOLIS Mandeville

Alzheimer’sdisease has taken too manypeople I’ve loved. My mother.Both of my grandmothers. My godmother.I was my mother’sprimary caregiver,and Iwalked with her —and our family —through every stage of this disease. That experience changed the course of my life. Today,I serve as an advocate and board chair of the Alzheimer’sAssociation Louisiana Chapter,and aWalk to End Alzheimer’scaptain. Ishare my story because Iknow this disease —and Iknow what is at stake. My mother was diagnosed in the later stages of Alzheimer’s. Like so manyfamilies, we did not fully understand what we were seeing early on. By the timewehad answers, we had already lost valuable time —timethat could have meantmore informed decisions, earlier access to support and a greater chance at dignity forher and relief forour family

That is whyI am asking U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise to advance the bipartisan Alzheimer’sScreening and Prevention (ASAP) Act. Science has madeextraordinary progress. Researchers have now developed blood tests that can detect Alzheimer’sbiomarkers before symptomsappear.But under current law,Medicare cannot cover any dementia screening test forpeople without symptoms.

The ASAP Act clears that roadblock. It doesn’tmandate coverage; it simply allows Medicare’s existing evidence-based process to evaluate and cover these tests. It followsthe sameproven model Congress just used forcancer screening. It is bipartisan. It is commonsense. And it is urgent. Alzheimer’sisnot just ahealth care issue. It is afamily crisis —happening quickly,inhomes across the country.I urge Scalise to advance the bipartisan ASAP Act so that morefamilies have the chance to know sooner,plan better, and face this disease with the support they deserve.

JIM PITTMAN NewOrleans

Saints couldlearn from the Bible…and JamesMadison

Come on, Mickey Loomis: Trade down!That’swhat American founder James Madison would advise the New Orleans Saints for the April 23 NFL draft. Yes, Saints fans, here’sariddle you maynever have imagined: Why is someone’sapproach to the NFL draft an indicator of whether he has Madison’stype of conservative temperament?

Let me hasten to say I’m not horning in on the province of this newspaper’ssuperb sports writers, all of whom are providing expert analysis of the players available in the draftthat begins aweek from now. This is about how to improve the odds of securing useful players, not about which players in particular will prove useful. And while the Madisonian outlook is instructive, it’sworth giving anod, too, to the wisdom of Ecclesiastes 11:2 and 11:6 —with which, by theway, Madison surely was familiar,ashe studied the Bible extensively even though he kept his religious beliefs mostly private.

Here’sthe nub of why Madisonians (and readersofEcclesiastes, often attributed to wise King Solomon) surely would look to “trade down,” an approach that Loomis has not taken since 2007, even while negotiating 28 draft trades in the years since then. Themost famous of Madison’spoliticalconvictions —the reason he helped create so many intricate “checks and balances” in the Constitution —was hisvery practical observation that humans aren’tangels, which means systems should guard against man’s fallibility by taking into account “the necessity of auxiliary precautions.”

In other words, hedge your bets. Or,asEcclesiastes putsit, “Invest in seven ventures, yes, [or even] in eight, [because] you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.” And “you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both willdoequally well.”

Likewise, no matter how much con-

good careersassolid starters. Why not grab prospect number 12 or even 16, rather than prospect 8, if the differences aren’tthat large, while additional picks later in the draft provide more chances to ﬁnd diamonds in the rough?

ﬁdence Loomis and his scouts have in their playerevaluations,they do not know which ones will succeed, or for that matter,which ones will subject Saints-land to the disaster of careerwrecking injuries. (See, for example, defensive linemen Johnathan Sullivan, Marcus Davenport and Payton Turner, among many other Saints draft busts.)

Granted, Loomis and his staff often arevery good talent evaluators, but perhaps auxiliary precautions would have helped mitigate the prominent, intermittent failures.

Auxiliary precautions such as a trade down for more picks.

In this year’sdraft, theSaints have the eighthpick in thefirst round. Thereseemstobeaconsensus that five specific playerswill be among those chosen in the first seven picks.

After that, there are between eight and 11 players whoare almost “sure things”tohelp theSaintsimprove, perhaps not all by thesame degree buteach as likely as any other to have

Seven-time NFL champion Tom Brady(drafted way down at choice 199), five-time champ Bart Starr (200th pick) and New Orleans’ own onetime league-leading receiver,420th (!) choice Danny Abramowicz, all give testamenttothe realitythat scouts, coaches, and general managers are, in Madisonian terms, eminently fallible For just one example of how this could work, most draft gurus envision Ohio Statesafety Caleb Downs being chosen around choice 8. Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman, with more blazing speed (4.35 40-yard-dash) than Downs and somewhat better on-field statistics, is projected to go around choice 16. Both are thought to be good fits as anickelback to replace theSaints’ departed Alontae Taylor.Are theSaints really so much surer of Downs than Thieneman that “settling” for Thieneman wouldn’tbeworth also getting far better or more choices later in the draft? The listofsuperbplayerslikely available at choice 12 or 14, or even 16, is fulsome and impressive. And twoteams especially,the Dolphins and Jets, have an abundance of picks and thus might be willing to “tradeup” foranother big swing at apotential superstar Using awidely referenced “trade value chart,” for example, the Saints could trade choice 8tothe Jetsfor choice 16. In return,the Saintscould move from their third-round choice (slot 73) allthe way up to theJets’ second rounder (slot 33), plus aJets fourth rounder (slot 140) andprobably a2027 sixth-rounder too. In other words: Auxiliary precautions,invested in moreventures. That’swisdom, from aconservative state of mind.

Email QuinHillyer at quin.hillyer@ theadvocate.com

An unpardonable abuseofpower

Yetanother reasonthatDonald Trump’sand Joe Biden’spresidencies cannot be examined without wincing concerns aconstitutional provision that is obscure untilitisabused, which it now often is.The presidential“power to grantreprieves and pardons” has become yet another source of political brutishness fueling voters’ cynicism. George Washington, conscious that he was constantlysetting powerful precedents, meticulously wielded the awesome and unreviewable pardon power by consulting pertinent ofﬁcials and listing reasons relating to the public interest. His amnesty —amass pardon —for participants in the Whiskey Rebellion in western Pennsylvania promoted reconciliation. The second and third presidents were less scrupulous. John Adams’s pardons of some Pennsylvania tax evaders might have been related to that state’selectoral votes in 1800. Thomas Jefferson pardoned several supporterswho had been imprisoned under the Sedition Act, which he consideredunconstitutional. Critics, however,saw him aiding rabid allies.

Democrat Eric Swalwell and Republican Tony Gonzaleswere both accusedofsexual misconduct involving staffers. Californian Swalwell said he’d resign from his House seat aftergiving up on his run forgovernor.Texan Gonzales said he was withdrawing fromthe 2026 reelection race.

Back in the day, male politicianscavortedwith their female staffers andgot away with it. But thatwas way back andmany days ago.

An ofﬁcialcheating on his wife with awoman picked up at a rally doesn’tseem to bother voters the way it once did. Donald Trump hasnumbed the electorate to thatlevel of moral outrage. Idon’tapprove of adultery,but it’sgenerally not adeal killerinmyvoting forsomeone. Many men regarded as great nationalleadershad sexual relationships outside their marriages. Some were Founding Fathers.

These instances of awkward political appearanceswere models of decorousness compared withwhat transpires today.Presidents, writes Saikrishna Bangalore Prakash, are embracing the“astounding potential of the pardon pen.” In his new book “The Presidential Pardon: The Short Clause with aLong, Troubled History,” Prakash, aUniversity of Virginia law professor,says we have entered “pardon dystopia.” Bill Clinton greased the downward slide. He pardoned his half-brother (Secret Service code name: “Headache”), who then made afortune lobbying his sibling, the president to pardon, among others, aGambino mob associate. As Hillary Clinton

began seeking aU.S. Senate seat, her husband commuted the sentences of 16 members of aPuerto Rican group that had detonated more thanahundred bombs in the United States. He pardoned Marc Rich, afugitive who owed $48 million in taxes. Rich’sexwife made a$450,000 contributiontoClinton’spresidential library,gave $100,000 to Hillary’s Senate campaign, and $1 million to the Democratic Party This was unseemly enough, but Prakash says, “Something has qualitatively changed over thepast two presidencies.” Leaving office, Biden gave preemptive pardons to aslew of family members. Prakash:“For many years, JosephBiden had been involved in asordid business, where he was the product.” Family members charged for access to him. He gave preemptive pardons to two brothers, his sister and her husband, and asister-in-law Before the 2024 election,hesaid, regarding his egregiously corrupt son Hunter,“Iwill not pardon him.” After the election, he did. In Trump’sfirst term, he pardoned his daughter’sfather-in-law,who, for vengeance against his brother-in-law who had testified against him, hired a prostitute, filmed her encounter with the brother-in-law,and mailed the tape to his sister

Having, consecutively,the two seediest families in presidential history has besmirched thepractice of pardoning.

Lobbying for pardons is now amorethan-cottage industry in Washington. OneTrump pardon, Prakash says, might have saved the recipient, a fraudster,nearly half abillion dollars. Campaigning in 1976, Jimmy Carterindicated that he might pardon Vietnam-era draft evaders. He did. In 2020, Prakash says, candidate Biden was “the ﬁrst to promise apardon

explicitly,” courting young voters by vowing to “expunge” marijuana convictions.Hedid, on theeve of the 2022 midterm elections. Prakash believes this was theﬁrst pardon based on a president’s disapproval of afederal law.Another was Biden’s2024 commutation of 37 deathsentences. In 2024, Trump pandered to his base by saying his ﬁrst acts if reelected would include pardoning theJan. 6 defendantshecalled “hostages.” This, like Biden’sactions regarding marijuanaand capital punishment,was discordant with the presidential duty to “takecare that thelaws be faithfully executed.”

Welcome to what Prakash calls the “brave(and frightening) new world of policy pardons.” Prakash believes that such pardonsamount to suspensions of laws —announcementsofthe chief executive’srefusal to honor,by enforcing, some statutes. What can be done about thegrotesque useofthe pardon power that, in Prakash’sunderstatement, “seems inconsistentwiththe general structure of checksand balances”? Not much. Submit potential pardon grants to thepresident’s Cabinet?You probably have seen —speaking of grotesque things —the toadyismofthe current one.

Presidents hoard power,soany president probably would opposeconstitutional reforms, such as establishing an independent Clemency Commission, or empowering the Senate or House to disapprove of presidential clemencies. So, theremedy for tawdry pardoning is not this or that institutional gambit.The only feasible solution is theelection of presidentswho arenot louts. This,however,becomes less likely as votersare made ever more cynical by loutish pardons. Email George Will at georgewill@ washpost.com.

An affair with astaffer who may fear losing ajob or achanceatpromotion if they refuse is anothermatter. Although I’ve generally referred to the offenders as men, womencan engage in similarmisconduct, and some have Theyfamously include former California Rep. Katie Hill. She was involved in at least one improperrelationship, with acongressional staffer.Hill resignedin2019 under considerable pressure The undeniable shift in the rules of conduct makes it incomprehensible that an ambitious congressmanwould ignore them. That goes doubly so forSwalwell, aDemocratic star who brieﬂy ranfor president in 2019. Until recently aserious contender to become governor of California, he’s nowout of the race. He’s been chargedwith grave offenses thatinclude drugging andraping awomaninahotel in 2018. I’m reluctant to accept as fact anyaccusationthrown at apowerful male ﬁgure. The #MeToo business may have emergedout of reasonable outrage,but it hasoften spiraled into aracket peddling halftruths —pushedbywomen with otheragendasorafew screws loose. Swalwell says the stories abouthim are“false.” He deniesthe rape charge and insists thatthe allegations were politically motivated. He might have apoint or two.Giventhe heated gubernatorialrace in California,the timing may be questioned. Swalwell’slawyerhas publicly threatened legalactionagainst at leastone accuser. But his admission of having made “mistakes” alongside the copy-and-paste announcement, “My focus in the coming days is to be with my wife andchildren” leads one to believe he wassexually involved with an underling. Thatalone is serious.

Power radiating over good looks and smart TV appearances made Swalwell aglamorous ﬁgure.Hehad fans in Hollywood. One caneasily believe an unnamed accuser’sdescription of his aura.“When he talkedtoyou,itwas like the sun was shining on you,” she said. “You felt like the coolestperson in the room.”

As for Gonzales, the staffer with whomhe admitted having an affair latertook her life The congressmaninsists thatthe suicide was nottiedtotheir relationship.

Gonzales strayedfromhis marriage vows while representing aculturally conservative districtalong the South Texas border Swalwell’sconstituents in the East Bay, right acrossthe water fromSan Francisco, are affluent andsocially liberal. The two couldn’tbeculturally more different, but both seemedtothink they were entitledtodisregard the mores of the day. Being sexually involvedwith an employeeisbarred by House rules. And forgood reasons. Again, if theywere caught having afling with awoman outside their professional orbit, theymight be criticized but could wrangle their wayout of it. Their fatal flaw was treating their female workforce as aharem. What could theyhavepossibly been thinking?

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

STAFF FILEPHOTO By BRETTDUKE

MickeyLoomis, executivevice president and general manager of the New Orleans Saints, speaks at the Saints headquartersinMetairie.

George Will

Quin Hillyer

Froma Harrop

Swalwell

Gonzales

Well, we’rewaking to somepatchydensefog in partsofSoutheast Louisiana this morning.The visibilitymay dropquickly,especially around sunrise,soyou maywant to getanearly start. Otherwise, expect amostlysunny, hot and humid daywithalight breeze. Temperatures thisafternoon will remain aboveaverageand rise to the upper 80s.your winds are southerly at about 5mph and rain chances are at 10 to 20%;expect afew showers.The UV index is a point below “extreme,”sobesure to wear your sunscreen.

Nature puts heat on blast, scorches easternU.S.

BY JEFF MARTIN and BRUCE SHIPKOWSKI Associated Press

SEASIDE PARK, N.J.— Along-lasting weather pattern is poised to blast hot air like afurnaceacross the eastern United States, with the unusual heat wave threatening to shatterrecordhightemperatures Wednesday in big citiesincluding New York, Philadelphiaand Washington, D.C.

In the nation’scapital,forecasters werecalling forahigh temperature of 93 degrees late Wednesday afternoon and another highof 93 on Thursday

The heat is unusual for April, not only because it is scorchingmuch of the nation so early in the year but also for its expectedduration. The near-record temperatures are expected to last into this weekend, forecasters say On the Jersey Shore, hundreds of people took advantage of the gorgeous spring day Wednesday to stroll along boardwalks. Temperatures soared into the 80s in

someinland areas,but was about 15 degrees cooler along the water as aslight breeze blew

“After all the nasty cold and snow we had to deal with this winter,this is our payback,” New Yorker Javier Estrada, 19,said while taking abreak from abeach football game in Seaside Park, New Jersey

“I’m here with my buds, we’re having ablast and God is smiling on us,” he said. “What more can youask for?”

The potentially dangerous heat comes as pieces of the roof of Yost Ice Arena, one of thenation’s oldest collegehockeyarenas, were foundscattered by astorm Wednesdayinnearby yards in Ann Arbor, Michigan. That arena and another one in thesame community —acity ice rink —were both damaged by the severe weather that struck Michigan overnight TuesdayintoWednesday morning.

Severe storms earlier this week also tore through Kansas, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

While it’s not unprecedented to

Thunderstormsrip

Willow Run Airport and Detroit MetropolitanAirport,Schultz said.

see high temperatures climb toward 90 degrees on an April day, thelengthofsuch an Aprilheat waveisrarelyseen,experts say.

“That’sborderline unprecedented as far as the duration of it this timeofyear,”saidJohnFeerick, senior meteorologist at the forecasting ﬁrm AccuWeather.com.

Feerick said that starting Wednesday “we’re going to have recordschallenged from basically Georgia all the way up through the New York City area and back toward theOhio Valley.”

The National Weather Service is projecting ahigh temperature of around 86 degrees for Central Park in New York City on Wednesday.The record high for the date is 87, set in 1941.

Evenhotter weather is expected in Philadelphia,where Wednesday’shigh is expected to be 92 degree. Other likely hotspots include Washington, D.C., whichcould see ahigh of 94; andAtlanta,where the high is projected to be 88.

“It’s really somevery impressive heat forthe middle of April,

for sure,” Feerick said.

“The good thing about thisisthat the humidity is not summertime levels,”headded. That means it won’t feel as hot as asizzling July day. The early-season heat can be more stressful on people’sbodies sincetheyhaven’thad achance to acclimate.

Heat is the No. 1weather-related killer in the U.S., the weather service warns. Infants and young children; older adults, people with chronic medical conditions and pregnant women are especially vulnerable to heat-related injuries anddeath.

Astrong ridge of high pressure fueling moisture into the southern plains wasresponsiblefor bringing the unusual heat to the eastern U.S., theweather service said.

Though Wednesday is aday when many records could fall, the heat wave will continue through Fridayinmany areas, forecasters said.

“Widespread lower to even middle 90s are expected Friday across

the lower elevations of the Carolinas, which could set additional daily records and perhaps come closetosome monthly records,” the agency’sWeather Prediction Center wrote in amemo.

The heat wave should ﬁnally be breaking down by Sundayasa strong cold front moves toward the Eastern Seaboard, and then it should be “pleasantly cooler”by Monday with the front heading out to sea, the weather service said. In Seaside Park, TomLarkin, 48, of Toms River,New Jersey,and his 3-year-old Labrador retriever,Vader,were among those strolling on the boardwalk.

“He just loves to see people and get petted, so what should be a 20-minute walk usually ends up taking about an hour and ahalf at least,” Larkinjoked as Vader made friends with passersby “But on aday like this Idon’t mind the extra time here,” he said. “The people aregreat and thesceneryisgorgeous, andit’s not too crowded yet, like it will get after Memorial Day.”

in Ann Arbor, barely missing his upstairs bedroom

ANNARBOR,Mich. Powerful storms ripped through parts of Michigan overnight Tuesday into Wednesday morning, tearing part of the roof off an ice arena, flooding streets and uprooting trees near the University of Michigan’smain campus.

National Weather Service crews were surveyingdamage in places, including Ann Arbor,todetermine whether one or more tornadoes touched down, but none had been conﬁrmed as of Wednesday morning. Instead, the damage appears to have been caused by alineofthunderstorms that moved into Michigan from Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois, meteorologist Sara Schultz said.

A70mph wind gust was reported early Wednesday at theuniversity’s football stadium, while gusts of 69 mph and 62 mph were reportedat

Another round of strongstorms with potentiallydamaging winds was moving into the area Wednesdayfromstates to the west. Streetsinmany southeastern Michigan communities also were left ﬂooded Wednesday

Some public school buildings in Ann Arbor suffered structural damage and many lost power.The districtwas closed Wednesdaybecauseofaﬁberoutageimpacting fire, phone and camera systems, andbuilding access

Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylorsaid structural engineers were assessingdamage to awall at thecity’s VeteransMemorial Park Ice Arena. Part of the roof was torn from theuniversity’s Yost Ice Arena

Ripped away roof,fallentree

The stormuprooteda hulking tree outsideSeungjun Lee’shome

“If the tree felldown acouple more feet,I wouldnot be standinghere,” said Lee, a20-year-old junior at U-M. Lee and his roommates were awakened by asiren, then an alert blastedfrom their phones between 1a.m.and 2a.m., urging them to takeshelter

“As soon as Icameout,everyone elsewas coming out of their roomsand everyone’slike, ‘What’s going on? This is crazy,’” said Lee, of Ridgewood, New Jersey.“And then we looked out thewindow: This tree just fell down.”

Aroommate, GautamNigam, 21, said he couldn’tmiss class despite the mess: “I have aﬁnalpresentation later today.”

More rain anddead fish

Thestorms dumpedasmuchas

2.5inchesofrainacross parts of southeastern Michigan by Wednes-

day morning,and morewas expected across the Midwest, Great Lakes and OhioValley regions. Flood watches were issued for abig chunk of Michigan’s eastern Lower Peninsula,southeastern Michigan, northern Indiana, northwestern Ohio, the Chicago area andWisconsin. Wisconsin Gov.Tony Evers declared astate of emergency Wednesday after at least three tornadoes hit the state this week and more severeweather wasexpected Parts of Madison, the state’scapitalcity,saw golfball- to baseballsized hail Tuesday afternoon. In northern Michigan, apower outage during astorm killed 1,750 steelhead trout at astate facility whereeggsand miltare collected to produce morefish. Scott Heintzelman of the state’sfisheries division said it was a“devastating event” involving “big, beautiful fish.”

The ﬁsh naturally swim into aweir on the Little Manistee Riverand thenmove into ponds. Heintzelman

said staffdiscovered Tuesday that aloss of electricity hadstopped the ﬂow of oxygenated water,dooming theﬁsh

Wisconsin’sDepartment of NaturalResources said it was watching levees around Portage, acity of about 10,000 people, as the Wisconsin River rises. As of Wednesday morning, the river there swelled to nearly 19 feet, about 2feet over flood state, and could rise to about 20 feet, they said. And after days of rainfall and winter snow melt, a“significant influx of water” is entering Black Lake, in northern Michigan,the sheriff’s officesaid.

Thelake empties intothe Black Riverand feedsthe Cheboygan River, which ﬂows through the city into Lake Huron. Officials have been managing that flow through the city’sCheboygan Dambyraising gates, adding pumps, raising a bridge and closing someriverfront to thepublic

Saints solidonO-line, butdepth picksanoption

BYLUKE JOHNSON Staff writer

It truly has been awhile since the New Orleans Saints did not feel the need toplug a massive hole on their offensive line withone of their top picks in the NFL draft In each of the pasttwo years (andthree of the past four drafts), the Saintshave used atop-20 pick on an offensivetackle.Two of those picks, Kelvin Banks(No. 9last season) and Taliese Fuaga (No. 14 in 2024) appear to have hit, giving the Saints young bookend tackles to build around.

This year,New Orleansaddressedits major weakspot on the offensive line in free agency when it handed a$61 millioncontracttoDavid Edwards to play left guard.

His signing means the Saintswill go into trainingcamp knowing who their projected starting ﬁve linemen are for next season. This is not to say theSaintsshouldn’tcontinue to investinthe position, starting with the draft.

Pro Bowl center Erik McCoy has played at an extremely high level when he’sbeen on the ﬁeld, but he’smissed 20 games the last twoseasons withvarious injuries. Right guard CesarRuiz has missedatleastone game ineachofthe last four seasons, and

ä See SAINTS, page 3C

gymnast

LSUgymnasticsteamaimsto keep focusahead of NCAA semifinals

JOHNSON

BYSCOTT RABALAIS Staff writer

FORT WORTH,Texas— As the LSU Tigers wentthrough their pre-NCAA championships practice session here Wednesday at DickiesArena, staff members andsome gymnasts wore lavender-colored T-shirts with the words“Let it Reign”onthe back.

Asubhead tothat slogan couldhave been “Do ournormal.”

There are fewifany sporting eventsasraucousand distraction-ﬁlled as afour-team NCAA gymnastics meet.Someone else’smusic is always playing, cheers alwaysringing out for another team or gymnast. Allthe whileyou’re trying toconcentrate on the most important routines of the year

Both elite skill and concentration arerequired. “Wedon’tworryabout the other teamsonthe floor,” said LSUsophomore Lexi Zeiss, expectedto compete in three events in Thursday’s first national semifinal at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN2. “Stay in our bubbleand do our normal. Our normal’senough.”

When the Tigers have been their best this season, their normal would be good enough to win LSU’ssecond NCAA title in three years. TheNo. 2 national seed, LSU posted aseasonbest 197.375 in the NCAA regional semiﬁnals at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center,the Tigers’ best-ever

regional score. LSUfollowed that up witha197.825 in the regional ﬁnal, good enough to winand advance to nationals for the 16th time,but just lowenoughthat if the Tigers repeat it here it could leave them out of the NCAAfinal forthe second straight year.Add to

that some questions about the health of two key gymnasts andyou could understandthe fretful look on LSU coach Jay Clark’sface Wednesday as he spoke to reporters.

“You really can’thold back in terms of putting your best foot forward once you gettothe semiﬁnals like this,” Clark said, “because there’s just very little room for error.”

The Tigers will compete against No.3-seededFlorida,winnerofthe Southeastern Conference championship meet, No. 6Georgia and No 7Stanford,which also advanced

ä See LSU, page 6C

BY WILL GRAVES AP national writer

WhenCecile Landimadethe somewhat surprising move two years ago to step away from coaching elite gymnastics —the list of athletesshe andhusband Laurent guidedat World Champions Centre includestwo-time Olympic championSimone Bilesand threetime Olympic medalist JordanChiles—to the open position at Georgia, she wasn’tsure what to expect. Neitherdid theyoung womenshe was hired to lead. There was ajoltofexcitement. There was also adash of anxiousness. One of the mostdecorated programsinthe history of NCAA gymnastics had fallen off considerably since winning the last of its record 10 national titles in 2009.

Theworry that Landi might lean heavily into the transfer portal in search of aquick fix was real. It also turned out to be fleeting. Minutesintothe first meeting thatLandi and co-head coach Ryan Roberts had with the team,she made it clear she had no interest in blowing everything up and starting over “Gymnastics is not rocket science,” Landi said. “It’sabout consistency and being fair and working hard and working smart.” Alifetimeinthe sport —fromcompeting forher native France at the 1996 Olympics to two-plus decades in coaching —had taught her the value of dreams and the empty feeling that comes when they are taken away.Several college-bound athletes Landi mentoredatWCC saw their opportunities altered or pulled outright whena newcoach took over.Landi wanted no part of that.

The talent to getthe programback to being afactor on the national stage wasinthe room,she told them.Wecan do this, and we can do this together

“I wanted to give everyoneachance and embrace the change and follow the culture we were building,” she said. “I wasnot going to bring in 10 kids. The kids whocommitted twoyears prior,they had that goal. I’ve had athletes at the club level whohad that taken away.Itwas really,really hard.”

Less thantwo years after that initial sitdown, the Bulldogs will walk onto the floor at Dickie’sArena in Fort Worth, Texas, on Thursday for the NCAA semifinals for the first timesince 2019 with legitimate hopes of reaching Saturday’sfinals.

Theywill do it with aroster thatlargely hasremainedintact since Landi’sarrival, ledbyseniorﬂoor specialistErynWilliams and senior Ja’Free Scott. And they will do

ä See POWER, page 6C

Oregon offensive linemen Matthew Bedford, left and Emmanuel Pregnon, right, runadrill during the school’s proday on March 17 in Eugene, Ore.

On TV

COLLEGE BASEBALL

6p.m. Clemson at Virginia ACC

6p.m.Auburn at Florida SEC

7p.m. Georgia at ArkansasESPNU

WOMEN’S COLLEGE GYMNASTICS

3:30 p.m. Semifinal 1ESPN2

8p.m. Semifinal 2ESPN2

WOMEN’S COLLEGELACROSSE

4p.m. North Carolina atDukeACC

4:30 p.m. Syracuse at BostonCollegeESPNU

5p.m. Johns Hopkins at Penn St BTN

7p.m. Maryland at Michigan BTN

Sixprospects whocould

be steals in draft

BY ANTWAN STALEY Newyork Daily News (TNS)

The NFL draftclass hasbeen criticized for alack of elitetop-endtalent. This is particularly true at thequarterback and runningback positions, where only one player from each position could be selectedinthe ﬁrst round (quarterback Fernando Mendoza and running backJeremiyah Love).

Butthatdoesn’tmean therearen’tunderrated prospects who could make animmediate impact. Each positionhas itssleeper players. Here areafew of theDay 2orDay 3prospects who could becomeproductive players in the league.

Taylen Green, QB,Arkansas

This is not agreatquarterbackdraft in terms of depth at the position, butGreen couldbeworth taking aswing at on Day3 Green is araw,dual-threatquarterback with ahigh ceiling thanks to hisrocket arm and overall athleticism. He wouldworkwell in today’s NFL offenses withthe usageof RPOs and play-action passing. At 6-foot-6 and 227 pounds,Green hasexcellentsize, which will be intriguing to someteamslooking for adevelopmental quarterback.

Duringhis fiveseasons at bothBoise State and Arkansas, Green threwfor 9,662yards, 59 touchdowns and 35 interceptions.He will needtolimithis turnovers at thenext level ButGreen throws the ball downfield well enough while beingable to be abackfield creator, which is the archetype teamsare searching for at quarterback.

JonahColeman,RB, Washington

Coleman is an experienced running back who can play all three downs.Despite his 5-8,220-pound frame, he is adownhillball carrier who has only fumbled once in four seasons at Washington and Arizona. Colemanisdifficult to take downwhile alsoshowing patience and vision to evade defenders. ButColeman lacksthe top-end speedteams want to see from aplayer of his size. He didn’tdoany testingat thecombine becausehewas rehabbing an ankle injury. ChrisBell, WR,Louisville Bellisonly on this list becausehesuffered an ACL injuryinNovember, which dropped his draft stock from the first round. At 6-2, 222 pounds, Bell has everythingteamslook forinareceiver.Heisa big targetwho can turn short routes into long gains In 11 games before his ACL injury, Bell registered 72 receptions for 917 yards and six touchdowns for the Cardinals. The most impressive part about Bell’sgameisthat he welcomes contact and is difficult tobring down.

John MichaelGyllenborg, TE,Wyoming Gyllenborg is one of the mostunderrated players in thisyear’sdraft. During his four seasonswith the Cowboys, he ﬁnished with 80 catches for 1,023 yards and sevenTDs Gyllenborg wasn’tsuper productive, but his talent is evident whenwatching any Wyoming game. He attacksdefensesinthe middle of the ﬁeld with his athleticism and size. At 6-6, 249 pounds, Gyllenborg ran a 4.6-second 40-yard dash at theNFL combine. Markel Bell,OT, Miami

At 6-9, 346 pounds, Bell is amountainous player, which helps himkeeppassrushers at bay while also moving well for aplayer his size. He started all 15 games at left tackle forthe Hurricanes last season, earning All-ACC third-team honors. Bellplayed 1,034 offensivesnaps, ﬁfthmost in theFBS. He also allowedzero sacks across 558pass-blocking snapsinhis senior season. Bellallowed just nine pressures and one quarterback hit in 2025,withanelite 83.8 pass-blocking grade,according to Pro Football Focus.

Jadon Canady,DB, Oregon

At 5-10, 181 pounds, Canadyisanundersized defensive back, which will scare some teams away. But he’saversatileplayerwho brings experience at safety,nickel and cornerback. Canady was the Ducks’ nickel corner last season and helped them rank fourth in yards passingallowed. In 15games, he ﬁnished with 39 tackles, twointerceptions and six pass breakups. Canady projects as either aslotcornerback or afree safety at thenextlevel and is worth alate Day2or3 pick

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5p.m. LPGA: LA ChampionshipGolf HORSE RACING

Noon America’s Dayatthe Races FS2

MIXED MARTIAL ARTS

6p.m. PFL: Main Card, Belfast,Ireland ESPN2

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

12:30 p.m.Toronto at MilwaukeeMLB

3:30 p.m. TexasatAthletics *MLB

7:30 p.m. Seattle at San DiegoMLB

NHL

6:30 p.m.St. Louis at Utah ESPN

9p.m.Seattle at Colorado ESPN MEN’S SOCCER

11:40 a.m. Freiburg at Celta de Vigo CBSSN 1:55 p.m.Bologna at Aston Villa CBSSN TENNIS

5a.m.Barcelona-ATP, Munich-ATP Tennis UFL

7p.m.Louisville at Houston NFLN WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

7p.m.SaltLakevs.Austin USA

*Joined in progress

Saturday’s special

NFL’sbestteams useDay 3ofdraft to buildwinning rosters

BY ROBMAADDI AP pro football writer

Winning Day 3ofthe NFL

draft is abuilding block for success in the league.

While most of the draft buzz centers on top prospects who can makeanimmediate impact, evaluating players for thelater rounds is acrucial part of the process

Early-round picks generate excitement, getbiggercontracts and bring higher expectations. Star power sells tickets and merchandise. Butrosters are built and sustained withplayers drafted on Saturday when the fourth throughseventh roundstake place. Teams that consistently contend ﬁnd players who can contribute in those rounds. These are theguys who play key roles on special teams, can develop into starters and provide needed depth.

“I’dsay the lateround to (undrafted) free agents, honestly,the fifththrough undrafted players, it’s probably asimilar pool of players,” Texans general manager Nick Caserio said. “That’s where youtip your hattoyour scoutingstaff becausethey know the players as much as anybody,and we spend as much time talkingabout that group of players as we do the other players that are graded higher.

“You take alot of pridein those players because those players have an opportunity to enhance your overall program, enhanceyouroverall team.Again, just getthemin thebuilding.Ifthey’re on the roster,great. If they’re offthe roster in the practice squad, no problem.We’ve talked about this. You’re going to need those players at some point to go in and play really important snaps.”

Trusting thescouts

Thebestscoutingdepartments shine in the later rounds after spending months identifying traits that stand out and upside that may have been overlooked by other teams.

Thereigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks had ﬁve starters who were selected on Day 3ofthe draft or were signed as undrafted free agents. Tight end A.J. Barner guard Anthony Bradford and

DRAFT DAYS

Day1(Round 1): Thursday,April23

Day2(Rounds 2-3): Friday,April24

Day3(Rounds 4-7): Saturday,April25

On TV: ABC, ESPN, NFL Network

cornerback CobyBryant each were fourth-roundpicks.Center Jalen Sundell and linebacker Drake Thomas were signed after going undrafted.

The 2024 Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles found one of their best offensive linemen in the seventh round, taking achance on Australian rugby player JordanMailatain2018. Edge rusher JoshSweat,who sacked Patrick Mahomes21/2 times in adominantdefensive performance against the Chiefs in theSuper Bowl, was afourth-round pick. Starting safetyReed Blankenship was an undrafted free agent.

One of Philadelphia’salltime greats—Jason Kelce was asixth-round pick who anchored the offensive line for more than adecadeand helped the teamwin its ﬁrst SuperBowl titlein2018 and reach another title game in 2023. HowieRoseman was in hissecondseasonasgeneral manager when he selected Kelce in 2011.

“I thinkwhenyou’retalking about the first-round picks, you’re hoping you’re getting atwo-contract player thathas Pro Bowl potential,” Roseman said.“So you’re lookingatit over hopefully eight- ,nine- , 10-year period. Then Ithink as you go through the draft, those expectations change just basedonreally the research on those picks.

“When you’re in the fifth round, can youexpect that you’re going to getaneight,nine- ,10-year player based on theresource? Maybe not. Obviously,that’swhat we’re looking to do and that’swhat we’re looking to hit on.”

Capfriendly

From asalary-cap standpoint,Day 3picks and undrafted free agents are especially valuable because theymake less money,have

Hurtwristcauses Alcaraz to withdraw in Barcelona Carlos Alcaraz withdrew from the BarcelonaOpenafter undergoing atest on his right wrist, the tournament announced Wednesday The withdrawal means the second-ranked Alcaraz cannot overtake top-ranked Jannik Sinner and moveback atop the rankings next week.

The move came aday after Alcaraz called for atrainer and had his wrist treated during his opening match, a6-4,6-2 victory over Otto Virtanen.

Alcaraz was slated to play Tomas Machac in the round of 16 on Thursday. Machac advances to the quarterﬁnals to meet either Andrey Rublev or Lorenzo Sonego. Alcaraz, 22, lost the No.1ranking after getting beat by Sinner in the Monte CarloMasters ﬁnal Sunday

Tigersrookie McGonigle gets$150 million contract

DetroitTigersrookieKevin McGonigle becamethe latest young player to get abig-money deal, agreeing Wednesday to a$150 million, eight-year contract that starts in 2027.

A21-year-old infielder,McGoniglehad four hits in hismajorleague debut on March 26 and entered Wednesday hitting .311 with one homer,eight RBIs and a.417 on-base percentage in 17 games. McGonigle becamethe fourth top prospect to get abig-money deal since late March following a $140 million, nine-year contract for 19-year-old Pittsburgh shortstop Konnor Grifﬁn; a$95 million, eight-year agreement for20-yearoldSeattleshortstop Colt Emerson; and a$50.75 million, eightyear pact for 21-year-old Milwaukee shortstop Cooper Pratt.

Lehigh sets NCAAbaseball record for first-inning runs

cost-controlled contracts and are low risk. These players also help build culture. They often enter the league with something to prove, feeling overlooked or doubted. They push establishedplayers and create morecompetition.

“Great players comefrom everywhere in the draft, whether they’re aﬁrst-round pick, seventh-round pick, undraftedfreeagent,”Colts GM ChrisBallard said.“Our scoutsdoagreat job of digging andtrying to dig out those typesofplayers that we think can come in and produce right away.They come from everywhere.”

Hittingthe jackpot

TomBrady is the ultimate late-round find in the NFL draft. The Patriots selected him in the sixth round in 2000 withthe 199th overallpick. He went on to lead NewEngland to six SuperBowl titles and became the greatest quarterbackinleaguehistory

The SanFrancisco49ers turnedMr. Irrelevant —the last pick in the2022draft intoafranchise quarterback whenthey chose Brock Purdy with the 262nd pick. They traded up to select quarterback Trey Lance third overall in 2021 but Purdy outplayed him, ledSan Franciscotothe NFCtitlegameasa rookie and the Super Bowlinhis second season.

“I will tell youthata lotof the things we track in terms of successful draft choices over theyears, there’sobviously arequisite amount of ability,” Niners GM John Lynch said.

“A lot of it goes to the person, the intangibles that they possess or don’tpossess in terms of them makingitor not making it. And Ithink that’sbecause, having done it myself for 15 years, the NFL is very hard.It’stough. It’s not easy

“You’regoing to be tested over and over andover. And so, do youhavethatmental fortitudethat when things get tough,because they will and they do and that never goes away,doyou have thatmentaltoughness, that physical toughness to endure and get the most out of whatever your abilities are? Ithink that’sreally critical, but the tape is very critical.”

BALTIMORE Lehigh set an NCAA Division Irecord by scoring 20 runs in thefirst inning of a38-6 victory over Coppin State on Tuesday night. The Mountain Hawks broke the first-inning record of 18 runsset by Princeton and matched by Air Force, both in 1974. Lehigh’s38 total runs werea Patriot League record and the mostinagame between Division Iteams since New Mexico State beat Texas Southern 38-6 in 2019. Of Lehigh’s20first-inning runs, 13 were scored consecutively on bases-loaded walks, hit by pitches or wild pitches. Owen Walewander’sgrand slamaccountedfor the final runs in the inning. Aidan Quinn was walked seven times for Lehigh, also aDivision Irecord.

Aces re-sign 4-time MVP Wilsontothree-year deal Thereigning WNBA champion LasVegas Aces completed theprocess Wednesday of bringing back their coregroup by re-signing four-timeMVP A’ja Wilson. Terms were notreleased,per club policy, but ESPNreported it was athree-year, $5 million supermaxcontract thatisthe most lucrative in WNBA history

“A’ja is truly one of one, whohas led this franchise to where it is today,”Aces president and general manager Nikki Fargas said In addition to Wilson —last season named WNBAMVP and The Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year —the Aces have resigned stars Jackie Young, Chelsea Grayand Jewell Loyd, among other key contributors to their third title in four seasons.

NBA says regular-season viewership roseby86%

The numbers are in, and the NBA said the ﬁrst year of its new TV deals were ahit. The league released numbers for theregularseasononWednesday, showing that170 million people in the U.S. watched NBAgames across theleague’sfour primary broadcast platforms this year —those being ABC/ESPN,Amazon Prime Video, NBC/Peacock and NBA TV

Thosenumbers arethe league’s best in 24 years, the NBAsaid, and representedan86% rise over last season.

Prime Video was part of the league’sTVrights package forthe first time this season, and NBC/ Peacockreturned forthe ﬁrsttime in ageneration. The league signed anew 11-year,$76 billion-plus media rights deal in 2024.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTOByMARK J. TERRILL

Seattle Seahawkstight end AJ Barner makes atouchdowncatch during the second halfof Super Bowl 60 against the NewEngland Patriots on Feb.8 in Santa Clara, Calif. Barner was a fourth-round pick inthe 2024 NFLDraft.

Strong pairing

Team of Clark, Moore commit to play in Zurich Classic

BY JEFF DUNCAN Staff writer

Former U.S. Open champion

Wyndham Clark has committed to team with Taylor Moore in the 2026 Zurich Classic of New Orleans, tournament ofﬁcials announced Wednesday

nounced Friday

Clark has enjoyed success at the Zurich Classic. He ﬁnished third in 2023, tied for 10th in 2022 and tied for 17th in 2021.

Championship tournament spun around and started a descent into the cup before defying gravity and resting on the putting surface, leaving Clark tied for second.

Walker top seed in Div. I nonselect

BY JACKSON REYES Staff writer

The high school softball playoffs are here and Baton Rouge area schools are well represented across the eight brackets.

Top seeds

Division I nonselect features several top Baton Rouge schools. Walker (24-3) enters the playoffs as the top seed in the bracket. The Wildcats won District 5-5A, which features top-five seeds East Ascension and St. Amant. The Spartans (20-8) earned the No.

(23-8)

All three District 5-5A schools earned ﬁrst-round byes. In Division II nonselect, Brusly (23-6) and Lutcher (21-6) are the second and third seeds. Both schools earned byes into the second round.

Notable first-round games

While many local schools earned first-round byes, there’s still many entering the first weekend of the playoffs with interesting matchups. No. 16 Central (18-9) will host No. 17 Southside (16-14) in the first round of the Division I nonselect bracket. The Wildcats were the District 4-5A champions.

Walker promotes Harrell as its head football coach

BY JACKSON REYES Staff writer

Walker High School promoted defensive coordinator Chris Harrell to head coach, the school announced on Tuesday

The hiring comes after former coach Chad Mahaffey took the De La Salle opening on Monday Harrell, a Plaquemine native and St. John alum, began his coaching career in 2006 at St. John. He also coached at West Catholic (Grand Rapids, Michi-

gan), St. Michael and Dutchtown.

He’s spent 15 years coaching, 12 as a defensive coordinator Harrell was hired at Walker in January from Dutchtown to serve as the defensive coordinator “Stepping into his new role as head football coach at Walker High School, coach Harrell brings a wealth of experience, leadership and a commitment to developing student-athletes both on and off the ﬁeld,” Walker High wrote in its announcement post on Facebook.

PREP REPORT

Clark, ranked No. 71 in the World Golf Ranking, tied for 21st at the Masters last weekend. He won the 2023 U.S. Open.

“Wyndham has won at the highest levels with victories in a major championship and two other signature events,” said Steve Worthy, CEO of the Fore!Kids Foundation, which operates the tournament for the PGA Tour

“Both he and Taylor have had success in the Zurich Classic playing with different partners, so this pairing should be a strong one.” Clark and Moore join a field that includes Brooks Koepka, Shane Lowry, Matt Fitzgerald, Billy Horschel, and reigning champions Ben Grifﬁn and Andrew Novak

The tournament will tee off April 23-26 at the TPC of Louisiana. The full ﬁeld will be an-

Clark, 32, earned a spot on the 2023 American Ryder Cup team and posted a 1-1-1 record at Marco Simone Club in Rome In 2024, he posted a record of 1-2-1 in the successful defense of the Presidents Cup played at the Royal Montreal Golf Club.

He posted nine top-25 ﬁnishes in 2025, the best a tie for fourth in the British Open.

He also enjoyed a very successful year in 2024, when he rose to be ranked third in the world.

He won the rain-shortened 2024 AT&T Pebble Beach ProAm after posting a 60 in the third round, the ﬁrst score that low at Pebble Beach Golf Links

The next month, he took second alone in the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Later in March, his 17-foot putt to force a playoff in The Players

In addition to his U.S. Open victory in 2023, he also won the Wells Fargo Championship that year and posted ﬁve top-10 ﬁnishes, including a third in the season-ending Tour Championship.

Moore ﬁnished tied for fourth at the Zurich Classic in both 2022 and 2023, playing with Matthew NeSmith.

This season, his best finish was a tie for second in the Cognizant Classic. In 2025, he posted two top-10 finishes, a tie for seventh in The American Express and a tie for ninth in the Phoenix Open. He won the 2023 Valspar Championship for his lone victory on the PGA Tour In 2024, he tied for second in the Texas Children’s Houston Open, the first runner-up finish in his PGA Tour career Moore also tied for 12th in the PGA Championship, one of eight top-25 finishes he recorded last year

Hilton Head a time to exhale, move on from Masters

BY DOUG FERGUSON AP golf writer

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. Two golf tournaments separated by one week and 150 miles could not be any more different.

The Masters is the ﬁrst major of the year, a high-stress test at Augusta National that requires full attention on just about every shot because of the razor-thin difference in the outcome.

The RBC Heritage provides a tight, tree-lined Harbour Town course that oozes a sense of peace. The winner gets a green jacket one week, a plaid one the next. And there was one other element that made Cameron Young look forward to the week after being in contention at Augusta National.

ASSOCIATED

HERBERT Cameron young reacts after missing a putt on the 16th hole during the final round of the Masters on Sunday in Augusta, Ga young, who finished tied for third at the Masters, is one of the favorites at the RBC Heritage.

“It is easier, physically, like the walk,” Young said after ﬁnishing nine holes of a pro-am round. “And staying closer Everything seems simpler.” Otherwise, it’s time to move on amid a reminder there is no time to stop to rest. Masters champion Rory McIlroy

chose not to play this $20 million signature event, not a surprise because he didn’t play last year, either Tiny, tight Harbour Town is one that doesn’t quite fit him.

Justin Rose also pulled out, fresh off his third time with a lead on the back nine at Augusta National without a green jacket to show for it.

The PGA Tour is in the early stages of a six-week stretch that includes two majors and three $20 million signature events.

The Masters is over. They’re on to Hilton Head.

“It’s over with. Can’t really go back,” said Scottie Schefﬂer, who had reason to replay the final round in his mind in the three days between tournaments.

He was 12 shots behind going into the weekend at the Masters and ﬁnished one behind McIlroy despite making only one birdie on the par 5s on the back nine all week.

“So if I would be frustrated, it would be with the start,” Schefﬂer said. “But I’m proud of how I played on the weekend. That’s part of the beauty and frustrating part of golf — I get to try again this week. And if I had won last week, it would be the same thing.”

He speaks from experience. The last time Schefﬂer won the Masters in 2024, he came to the RBC Heritage and won by three shots. He is known to put winning — and losing — behind him quickly The difference this week was the time he invested getting ready

“The preparation looks a little different in terms of not doing nearly as much as a normal week,” he said.

“That’s mainly because this golf course doesn’t change too much.

Rest is a huge part of that.”

The field is the largest for the signature events, 82 players because of 10 additional players who won in 2025 and did not get to play The Sentry at Kapalua because it was canceled by a dispute over water Young had just as good of a chance to win as Scheffler, and that was on his mind when he drove three hours through the Low Country of South Carolina to the next destination. He had eight straight chances at birdie on the back nine at the Masters and finished with nine straight pars.

from page 1C

with two years remaining on his deal, New Orleans may be in the market to develop his eventual replacement. NFL teams never can have enough offensive line depth, and many of them don’t have it. Even if the Saints are one of the few teams who feel good about their starting ﬁve at this stage, they should still be looking to stockpile capable

backups with potential to develop into starters. Day 2 options

Oregon OG Emmanuel Pregnon, 6-foot-4, 315 pounds: Pregnon is an explosive athlete who has a ton of college experience, having logged more than 3,000 snaps at three different schools (Wyoming, USC and Oregon). He did not allow a sack in 2024 with USC, then earned All-America honors in his lone season at Oregon. The drawback with Pregnon is that he is exclusively a guard. Iowa OL Gennings Dunker, 6-5, 319:

Dunker was a right tackle at Iowa and may provide some depth value there as a professional, but he may be best suited to play inside in the NFL. Dunker excels when he can get on people in the run game, but he could struggle with more athletic edge rushers in space — which is why guard is likely his future. Auburn C Connor Lew, 6-3, 309: Lew decided to declare for the draft this year despite tearing his ACL in October, and he may not be ready for the start of the 2026 season. Had it not been for the injury he might be considered the best center prospect in the draft. He excels in pass protection, allowing just one sack in more

STAFF FILE PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Wyndham Clark, left, and Doc Redman stand near the 18th green during the third round of the Zurich Classic on April 22, 2023, at TPC Louisiana in Avondale. Clark will team with Taylor Moore in this year’s Zurich Classic

Healthy again, Celtics contend in ‘gap year’

BY KYLE HIGHTOWER AP sportswriter

BOSTON — The Boston Celtics heard loud and clear what everyone was saying about them before this season.

They heard all the predictions about how they would take a step back from the NBA’s top tier with Jayson Tatum rehabbing from the ruptured Achilles tendon he suffered in the playoffs last May.

They heard the narrative that this would be a throwaway year likely ending with Boston in the draft lottery, after an offseason shakeup that included the departures of key 2024 championship contributors Jrue Holiday Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford.

So, when the Celtics last month notched their 50th win for the ﬁfth consecutive season, All-Star Jaylen Brown didn’t hold back in ripping that narrative into confetti “50 wins in a gap year,” Brown posted on X, along with a shamrock emoji.

Enough said.

Now, as the Celtics prepare for their fourth straight playoff appearance under coach Joe Mazzulla as the Eastern Conference’s No. 2 seed, they are whole again after Tatum’s return last month. And the rest of the NBA is acknowledging

what the Celtics have believed for some time: The sky remains the limit for this team.

Though Brown, who seized the leadership reins during an MVPcaliber season, acknowledged that he was surprised “a little” at least about just how well the cards have fallen for this group.

“Obviously, my mentality was come in and compete. But the way the group merged together as quickly as it did it didn’t take us long I thought it would take us a littler longer,” Brown said “We were trending upward postAll-Star break But we kind of ﬁgured it out maybe the ﬁrst 10 or 15 games. We started clicking and gelling. That just doesn’t happen.”

With Tatum sidelined the first 65 games, Brown ﬂourished as the No. 1 option and leader, taking his game to new levels on both the offensive and defensive ends He posted career-high averages in points (28.7), rebounds (6.9) and assists (5.1).

He also got lots of support.

Derrick White struggled offensively at times but remained a stalwart on defense, leading all NBA guards in contested shots

(550) while ranking second among guards in blocks per game (1.3).

Payton Pritchard adjusted his game, ﬁrst as a starter and then by returning to the bench role that earned him Sixth Man of the Year honors last season. Sam Hauser remained a reliable threat from the 3-point line, and Neemias Queta grew his game in leaps in his ﬁrst year as a starter

There were some questions about how Tatum’s return on March 6 would affect the ﬂow of a group that had learned to adjust and thrive without the six-time All-Star Instead, Tatum has reacclimated himself in short order, averaging 21.8 points, 10 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 16 games.

“Quite honestly, I think it’s impressive that he’s gotten back to the level that he’s at as fast as he’s done it, while also keeping the main thing the main thing, which is remaining healthy and giving us the best chance to win every night,” Mazzulla said “It’s a credit to him.”

For Brown, it also put into perspective just how unlikely his nine seasons playing alongside Tatum have been.

Famed Celtics duo Bill Russell and Bob Cousy played together for seven seasons. Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant played together for eight.

New-look Hawks discover identity in nick of time

BY MAURA CAREY

AP sportswriter

ATLANTA Trae Young rose from the bench, shook the hands of his teammates and bid farewell to the 15,993 fans in State Farm Arena midway through the fourth quarter of the Hawks’ Jan. 7 win over the Pelicans.

After weeks of anticipation, Atlanta had ﬁnalized a deal that sent the four-time NBA All-Star to the Wizards for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert Young, the centerpiece the franchise built around for the past seven seasons, had become synonymous with the Hawks. And his departure was only the ﬁrst domino to fall.

But when the dust settled after all the transactions, what remained was something different: a group of seven players who had started the season together and eight eager new additions who learned to lean on one another, carrying Atlanta out of play-in purgatory and into an outright playoff berth for the ﬁrst time since the 2020-21 season.

A selfless, unified group is what coach Quin Snyder knew was the only path forward for a team that had lost its identity amid a revolving door of player acquisitions and exits.

“I think we’ve had literally about five different iterations of a team,” Snyder said, fresh off the trade deadline. “The key thing for us is going to be to continue to grow together.” Snyder was off with his estimation. Twenty-five different starting lineups have taken the court this season for the Hawks, but heading into a first-round series against the Knicks, the April version is the

Sixers secure 7 seed as Maxey scores 31

BY DAN GELSTON AP sportswriter

PHILADELPHIA Tyrese Maxey

scored 31 points, V.J. Edgecombe added 19 points and 11 rebounds, and the Philadelphia 76ers weathered the absence of Joel Embiid to beat the Orlando Magic 109-97 on Wednesday night and secure the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

The Sixers move on to a ﬁrstround series that begins Sunday at Boston.

Desmond Bane and the Magic aren’t done yet. They will host Charlotte on Friday night, with the winner earning the No. 8 seed in the East and a ﬁrst-round matchup with Detroit.

The Hornets held on to beat Miami 127-126 when Miles Bridges blocked Davion Mitchell’s attempt at a winning layup at the buzzer Charlotte’s LeMelo Ball will play, although he was ﬁned

$35,000 for what the league said was an uncalled flagrant foul when he tripped Bam Adebayo, causing a back injury that forced the Miami star out of the game.

Embiid had an emergency appendectomy last week in Houston. While the 76ers haven’t given a timetable for his return, the two-time scoring champion returned to the team on Wednesday, surprising teammates in the locker room and watching the game from the bench.

Maxey, named an Eastern Conference All-Star starter for the first time in his career, scored seven straight points late in the fourth to give the Sixers some breathing room against a Magic team that wasted a chance to play this game at home with a late collapse in a loss to the Celtics in the season ﬁnale.

Bane, who averaged 20.1 points and played all 82 games, carried Orlando with 34 points. He hit a 3 that moved Orlando within two, and Anthony Black hit a 3 that pulled the Magic to within 87-86. Maxey had a bit more help down the stretch. Andre Drummond filled the void left by Embiid with 14 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. Kelly Oubre scored 19 points and Paul George had 16. George, who served a 25-game suspension this season for ﬂunking a drug test, hit a fadeaway jumper in the third quarter that stretched the lead to seven and prompted an Orlando timeout. He later popped the ball free and dumped it to Edgecombe, who dunked on — and got in the face of Jalen Suggs for a 73-62 lead. Edgecombe, the No. 3 overall pick in last year’s draft, was whistled for taunting and ofﬁcials had to separate the teams. Oubre waved his arms toward a roaring crowd, and the Sixers kept control of the game the rest of the way

Philadelphia 76ers star Tyrese Maxey, right, goes up for a shot against Jalen Suggs of Orlando during an NBA play-in tournament game on Wednesday in Philadelphia.

Star Avdija adds play-in masterpiece for Blazers

BY DAVID BRANDT AP sportswriter

PHOENIX Deni Avdija showed he’s got a little bit of the clutch gene in his initial foray into postseason basketball.

The first-time All-Star followed a breakout regular season with a fantastic all-around performance in Tuesday’s NBA play-in tournament, scoring 41 points to lead the Portland Trail Blazers over the Phoenix Suns for a 114-110 win to clinch the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference playoffs. The Blazers are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2021 after clawing back from an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter They’ll face the No. 2 seed San Antonio Spurs in the first round.

“It’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me in my career so far,” Avdija said.

Avdija

most cohesive to date.

A 13-2 surge in March, which brought the Hawks from the familiar cusp of the play-in tournament into the mix for the No. 5 or No. 6 seeds, proved that to be true. Four of the Hawks’ starting ﬁve embarked on the season together: center Onyeka Okongwu, firsttime All-Star Jalen Johnson, reigning Most Improved Player Dyson Daniels and new addition Nickeil Alexander-Walker All of them are having career years. McCollum, acquired in the Young trade, replaced former No. 1 draft pick Zaccharie Risacher in the lineup and brought the veteran

presence the team needed. Jonathan Kuminga, when healthy, has established himself as the sixth man

“The fact that our group has connected the way they have in a short period of time really speaks to those guys in the locker room,” Snyder said after the Hawks’ April 3 win against the Nets. “They’ve embraced one another as much as everything. We’ve talked about it a lot, the roles are going to evolve and you’re going to have different things that are available to you at different times. As long as we stay connected and play with the pass, good things can happen.”

That connection will be tested against a Knicks team that enters the series with a

The 25-year-old Avdija never had played in the NBA postseason until Tuesday — toiling for more than ﬁve years on mediocre teams in Washington and Portland — but looked comfortable on the bigger stage. He had the winning three-point play with 16.1 seconds left, scoring on a physical take to the rim while being fouled and then converting the free throw Blazers guard Jrue Holiday a two-time NBA champion with Milwaukee and Boston — was impressed with Avdija’s composure. He shot 15 of 22 from the ﬁeld while adding 12 assists and seven rebounds. Holiday said the best part of Avdija’s performance was it was “kind of an off night.”

“I feel like he’s unique. Nobody does what he does,” Holiday said.

“Deni coming out here, carrying us, especially down the stretch, getting that winning bucket and being able to go home knowing we’re playing San Antonio is something you love to see in Deni because this is what we expect from him now.”

Avdija and the rest of the young Blazers kept their cool during a physical game that featured plenty of hard fouls. Holiday ﬁnished with 21 points and Jerami Grant returned from a calf injury to score 16.

“I think back to the beginning of the season, we weren’t very disciplined at staying together and ﬁnishing games,” Avdija said. “I feel like we showed character today We showed growth, we showed character, we showed we were capable of keeping our composure and making winning plays.” Blazers coach Tiago Splitter agreed that Avdija didn’t have his best night despite the big numbers. He said the 6-foot-8 forward’s next test will be facing a Spurs team that will throw different looks at him on defense in a playoff series.

If Tuesday night was any indication, he’ll be just ﬁne. “He just kept going, kept believing in himself,” Splitter said.

core

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ANGELINA KATSANIS

Atlanta Hawks players celebrate after their win over the Brooklyn Nets on April 3 in New york.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By CHARLES KRUPA

Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown drives to the basket against Pelicans guard Micah Peavy during the second half of a game on Friday in Boston.

AP PHOTO By ROSS D FRANKLIN Portland Trail Blazers forward

Deni

drives against Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks during an NBA play-in tournament game on Tuesday in

AP PHOTO By MATT SLOCUM

FIVE TO WATCH

FORT WORTH, Texas The top teams and gymnasts come together herethis weekend for the NCAA championships No. 2-seeded LSU will be in Session Iat3:30 p.m. Thursdayon

ESPN2,taking on No. 3Florida, No. 6Georgia and No. 7Stanford, with nine unattached individual gymnasts also competing.InSession II (8 p.m., ESPN2), No. 1Oklahoma, No.4 UCLA No. 9Arkansas and No. 13 Minnesota plus 10 individual gymnasts also will compete.

The top twoteams advanceto Saturday’sNCAA final (3 p.m., ABC).

TheNCAAindividual award winners will be decided Thursday.

In ameetthat brings together the best of the best, we’vepicked five to watch:

KAILIN CHIO

Sophomore •LSU No. 1inthe all-around, on vault and beam, and with 12 perfect 10s— including threeinthe NCAA regional. WonNCAA vault title in 2025

JORDAN CHILES

Senior •UCLA Named after Michael Jordan, Chiles

is ranked nationally in allfourevents. The2024 U.S. Olympianhas seven perfect 10s, trailingonlyChio.

ADDISON FATTA

Sophomore •Oklahoma

Ranked second on vault and fourth in the all-around.An all-arounder in all 15 meetsthis season. Recorded a10on vault on Feb.13atFlorida.

SELENA HARRIS-MIRANDA

Senior •Florida

TheSEC bars champion with aperfect 10.0, the former UCLA gymnastis second behind Chio on beam, fifth on bars andsixth in the all-around.

AVERYNEFF

Sophomore •Utah Utah failed to reach NCAAsfor the first time in 49 years, but Neff didn’t. She’s third in all-around, eighthonvault and has three perfect 10s.

Continuedfrom page1C

here from the NCAA Baton Rouge regional. The other semifinal at 8p.m. features No. 1Oklahoma, No. 4UCLA, No. 9Arkansas and No. 13 Minnesota.

The top twoteams from each semifinalmoveontoSaturday’s championshipmeet at 3p.m. on ABC. NCAA individual champions will be determined Thursday

The most scrutiny during the LSUpracticeWednesdaylanded on juniorKonnorMcClain. The All-American fell while trying to grip thetop bar on uneven bars in the regional ﬁnal, leaving the ﬂoor holding her wrist.

After an idle weekfollowing the regional, McClain looked solid doing full routines Wednesday on bars andbalance beam, though she didnot practice on vault.

“She’sbeen able to do things,”

Clark said, “then we have to monitor through thenight andsee how shefeels in the morning. So there’s still no concrete decisions made on that. Butshe did agood job today

“The plan would be if she were to wake up feeling good (Thursday), we could do the four-minute touch andshe couldvault. Butwejust won’tknow.Wehave to see how her body responds.”

Sophomore Kaliya Lincoln suffered ulnar nerve pain in her elbow lastmonth at the SEC championships, which caused alack of feeling in onehand. Allshe did was thengoout and share theSEC individual floor title, followed by aperfect 10 on floor in the regional final.

“Kaliya is in agood place,” Clark

POWER

Continuedfrom page1C

it with asense of conﬁdence they lacked ayear ago, whenaresurgent season ended early after ajittery performance in regionals.

Those days appear over.Georgia advanced to nationalsbyhaving perhapsits best meet of theseason at regionals, ﬁnishing second to a powerhouse Florida team loaded with former elites that will look to spoil Oklahoma’sbid forits fourth NCAA championship in ﬁveyears.

While the Soonershavebeen dominant,the playing ﬁeld in women’s

said. “Relatively good. She’sprobably alittlemorecemented in what she’sgoing to be doing than Konnor.”

Cemented at the top of the LSU lineup is KailinChio. TheSEC gymnast of the year, the sophomorehas the nation’sbest average in theall-around, on vault,onbeam and has an NCAA-best 12 perfect 10s. That includes two on vault and one on ﬂoor in the regional. Olympian Jordan Chiles of UCLA is second with seven 10.0 scores.

“She’sjust unique,” Clark said of Chio.

Chio also won theNCAAvault title here last year,the bright spot forLSU as the Tigers ﬁnished third in their semiﬁnal and failedtoadvance to the championship meet. Now given the remarkable season she’shad,Clark is hoping to help her guard against thepressure to perform at an unrealistic level.

“We’ve talked to herabout notallowingoutsidenoisetocreepintoher process,” he said, “trying to keep her focus turnedtowardher team rather thanwhat she’sdoing individually.Thathelps hercope withall the things that get pushed on her

“When you do really great things as consistentlyasshe does it,it’s ablessing and acurse. The blessing is, is that you’re helping to lead your team to great things. The curse is that’sall anybody wants to talk about. Eventually, that creeps in if you’re notcareful Youjusthopethatshe handlesit the waythat she always has. She’s an amazing kid both mentally and physically.She’s done agreat job compartmentalizing things.”

The epitome of her normal being enough, and an exceptional templatefor her LSUteammates to try to followintothe NCAA ﬁnal

college gymnasticsmay be starting to levelout.The eight-team ﬁeld at nationals includesthe Bulldogs, ninth-seeded Arkansas and 13thseeded Minnesota, aclose runnerup to star-laden UCLAatregionals

The programs that didn’tmake it to Fort Worth include longtimeﬁxtures Utah, runner-up ayearago, as well as Alabamaand California.

“It’snot going to be the same eight every year like it used to be,” Landi said. “I like that it gives an opportunity to other teams. But it makes it harder because we always have to be better.Italso makes it moreexciting because youknow you can have that chance, you can be there.”

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Go nuts with quicksea scallops, fettuccine

BY LINDAGASSENHEIMER

Tribune News Service (TNS)

Ilove making sea scallops.

They’re sweet, juicy and take only acouple of minutes to cook.

For this dish, Itopped the scallops with crunchy,chopped peanuts and ﬁnished themwith abrown butter sauce that addsa nutty depth of ﬂavor

The secret to tender,juicy scallops is aquick sear,just 1minute per side. They should still be slightly translucent in thecenter and will ﬁnish cooking off the heat.

Another important tip is to pat them dry with apaper towel before cooking, which helps them develop abeautiful golden crust

Chopped baby kale tossedwith fettuccine rounds out this fast meal.

Helpful hints:

n Peanuts and kale can be chopped in afood processor.Chop peanuts ﬁrst and then kale. No needtowash processor in between.

n Any typeoflong cut pasta such as spaghettiorlinguine can be used.

Peanut Crusted Sea Scallops withFettuccine

Yields 2servings. Recipe is by Linda Gassenheimer

4cups coarsely chopped babykale

1/4 cup dryroasted, unsalted peanuts

2tablespoons pankobreadcrumbs

4ounces fettuccine

2teaspoons olive oil Salt and freshly ground black pepper Olive oil spray

3/4 pound sea scallops

1tablespoon butter

3garlic cloves

1. Fill alarge pot three-quarters full of water and place over heat to boil.

2. Chop peanuts in afood processor and remove them to abowl and toss with breadcrumbs.Set aside.

3. Add kale to the food processor, chop and remove

4. Add fettuccini to boiling water.Cook 6minutes. Add chopped kale and continue to cook 2more minutes. Remove 2tablespoons of pasta water to abowland add olive oil.

5. Drain fettuccini and kale and add to the bowl. Toss well andadd salt and pepper to taste.

6. Divide in half and serve on two dinner plates.

7. Heat alargeskilletovermedium-high heat and spray witholive oilspray. Add scallops andsear 1 minute. Turn them over and sear 1minute.

8. Remove to aplate and addbutter and garlic to the skillet. Cook until butter starts to turn slightly brown. Return scallops andcook 1 minute. Sprinkle peanut mixture on top of the scallops. Serve the scallops and saucewith the fettuccine and kale Nutrition info per serving: 681calories (35 percent from fat), 26.5 gfat (6.3 gsaturated, 10.4 gmonounsaturated), 70 mg cholesterol, 46.2 gprotein, 70.9 gcarbohydrates, 6.5 gﬁber,448 mg sodium.

ONE-PAN WONDER

BY APRIL HAMILTON

Contributing writer

The destruction anddrywall dust are in the rearview mirror.Every day when Iget home from work is athrill, seeing the transformation from the food truck kitchen to the wide open space with light ﬁlling in from new windowsand afour-panel sliding glass door

Iamnever certain what went on in my absence and am always amazed at the progress this small crew makes

April

Hamilton shreds cheese while cooking in her backyard kitchen alongside her dog, Gus.

Editor’snote: During April Hamilton’s kitchen remodel, she’smovedher cooking into thebackyard. This is the third in aseries spotlighting some of the outdoor meals she prepares for her family

in awork day.Atthe halfway point, no unpleasant surprises have been unveiled, which is atremendous relief after hearing of friends’ remodeling nightmares andvanishing contractors.

ä See WONDER, page 2D

Addsoy,garlicglaze to ampup flavor

BYGRETCHEN MCKAY Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (TNS)

There’snothinglike afried chicken sandwich to put agiant smile on asandwich lover’sface. Whether it’stucked between two pieces ofwhite bread or stuffed into atoasted and buttered bun, the combination of crispy, craggy coating and juicy, tender breast orthigh meat is a pinnacleofhandheld eating —at once both incredibly comforting andimmenselysatisfying. Calo-

ries be damned! Iused to think no one did a chicken sandwich better than Chick-ﬁl-A. Then Idiscovered this recipe from Donaldo Estevam, aka “Donaldo Cooks,” a digital food creator and air fryer expert known for his easy,bigﬂavored recipes geared to the homecook. Likealot of food writers, Iown just about every kitchen gadget.Most days, my air fryer is gathering dust in my pantry; as a Mediterranean diet acolyte, Ifry and sauté alot of foods in olive oil completely guilt-free. Donaldo’srecipe made me thinkIshould give thecounter-

Lemon-pepper

Cacio epepe with Spring Vegetables

Serves 4to6.Recipe is adapted from Melissa Clark’s“Dinner in One: Exceptionaland Easy OnePan Meals.” 2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2garliccloves, finely chopped 5cups water 11/4 teaspoons kosher salt 1pound spaghetti or yourfavorite pasta shape (farfalle works well)

1pound freshasparagus, trimmed and diagonally sliced 1-inch thick

1cup thawedfrozen peas 1cup gratedParmesan cheese, plus more forserving 1tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper,plus morefor serving Zest of onelemon 1. In alarge deep skillet or sautepan,heat theoil over medium heat. Add the garlic andcook 30 seconds.

2. Return the skillet to medium-high heat and add 5cups water and the 11/4 teaspoons salt and bring to aboil. Add pasta. Cook uncovered for8 minutes, tossing pastaoccasionally Additionalwatercan be added as needed.

3. Add asparagus pieces andpeas. Cook 2-4minutes, until pasta is al dente.

4. Turn offburner.Stir in Parmesan, pepper and lemon zest, tossing well

5. Serve immediately *This recipe is adaptable to other vegetables or by adding cooked shrimp, chicken or sausage.

top appliance another chance to impress, not to save calories, but because the Asian-inspired, soy sauce-based glaze sounded (and looked) so good. The thick, glossy coating is a perfect mix of sweet (honey), spicy (red pepper and fresh ginger),tang (vinegar) and umami (fish sauce). One taste on your fingertip andyou’ll develop a craving for the stuff,which I’m guessing would also add afantastic flavor to just about any protein or roasted vegetable and could be used as adipping sauce for dumplings.

STAFFPHOTOSByJAVIER GALLEGOS

April Hamilton cooks Lemon-pepper Cacio epepe with Spring Vegetables, adapted from‘Dinner in One: Exceptional &Easy One-Pan Meals’ by Melissa Clark.

TNS PHOTO By LINDAGASSSENHEIMER

Peanut Crusted Sea Scallops with Fettuccine

Friend stuckinthe middle

CHICKEN

Continuedfrom page1D

Judith Martin MISS MANNERS

Dear Miss Manners: Iam casual friends with Dand F. We all became friends when our boys were in elementary school, but now the boys are grown and we see each other infrequently, only getting together every couple of years. Afew years ago, Dsent Fa Christmas card, butsentit to our address accidentally (I don’texchange Christmas cards with either of them, which is ﬁne.) I texted both of them, we had agood laugh and Idropped off the card at F’shouse while running errands. Six months later,wegot agraduation announcement from D, meant for F. Imailed it directly to Fina larger envelope, and texted

WONDER

Continued frompage1D

Minimalist walls have gone up and our original front hallwayisnow concealed into awalk-in pantry.The former unused square footage that tees into our living room is mapped in as abaking zone with an uninterrupted counter and bookended with an appliancegarage and French door wall oven. All praise to my contractor who envisioned this new floor plan! The two types of mismatched tile from the front to back of the house, with odd thresholds between each room, have been replacedwith continuous 24-inch-by-48-inch porcelain tile that looks like soft beachsand. Igrew up on the coast of Florida and am drawn to those calming coastal colors. Next we select the paint colors. Every decision feels like the weight of the world. My dear neighbor is an interior designer and helped select the flooring we love so much, so Iam leaning on her to continue assisting with these tough choices. “It’sonly paint,” she says. From the birdsong-filled backyard bistro, Ican see the whole space and daydream about the possibilitiesthe new kitchen will bring. While we wait, we keep the Coleman camp stove humming with my

ByThe Associated Press

Today is Thursday,April 16, the 106th day of 2026. There are 259 days left in the year Todayinhistory: On April 16, 2007, Seunghui Cho, a23-year-old Virginia Tech student, killed 32 people on the Virginia Tech campus before taking his own life.Itremains the deadliest school shooting in U.S. history Also on this date: In 1866, acrate of nitroglycerine that had been shipped from New York to California by way of Panama exploded in the Wells Fargobuilding in San Francisco, killing 14 people and shattering windowsup to a half mile away.(The blast prompted passage of afederal law banning shipments of explosives on passenger vessels.) In 1917, Vladimir Lenin, after being exiled to Europe, returned to Russia by train to take command of the RussianRevolution that would overthrowa provisional government, install communism and bring about the rise of the Soviet Union. In 1945, aSoviet submarine in the Baltic Sea torpedoedthe shipMVGoya, which Germany was using to transport civilianrefugees and wounded soldiers. As many as 7,000 people died as the ship broke apart

Ftoask thatshe contact D directly to make sure she hadtheir address. She said shewould

The following Christmas, we againgot D’scard meant for F. Ididn’ttext anyone; Ijust mailedittoF inside alarger Christmas card fromour family,trying to embrace the spirit of the season.

This pastChristmas, we received F’s card from D once again. Itexted Dand wasmoreﬁrm this time about changing her records. She responded with ashort but sincere apology text.

Whatshould Idoif I receivemorecardsmeant for F? Ithink Disjust disorganized (asopposedtolazyor entitled)and Idon’twant to cause drama. Icould continuetojust forwardit (which is irritatingtome), or Icould putitback in the mailboxstamped “not at this address”(whichseems

favorite trifecta of dishes: simple,delicious, nutritious.

Iturn to theperfect book for this situation,Melissa Clark’s“Dinner in One: Exceptional &Easy One-Pan Meals.” Fora person who relies on the dishwasher for after-meal cleanup, Clark’s book is alifesaver She wroteittokeep that chore to aminimum. Imet Clark at adinner and book-signingevent at theSouthern Food and Beverage MuseuminNew Orleans, and treasure my signed copy of this essential book. In the great outdoors, onething we have missed cookingispasta, which usually requires apot for boilingthe spaghetti and another forthe sauce. Clark’sgeniusissharing recipes for pasta in ameasured amount of liquid in one pot. Her version of cacio epepe, enhanced with a serving of vegetables, is all cooked magically in onepan.Please be sure to grateyour own cheeses for this one. It is companyworthyand we invited theneighbors to savor the feast. Delightfuldinner conversation focused on —you guessed it —paint colors and continued anticipation of the joy our new kitchen will bring.

Successfulgrating

This maynot be areal recipe, but real cheese is an important ingredient. Gratingityourself is quickerthan you think and

TODAYINHISTORY

and sank minutes after being struck In 1947, theFrench cargo ship Grandcamp, carrying over 2,000 tons of ammonium nitrate, blew up in theharbor of Texas City, Texas. Anearby ship, the High Flyer,which was carrying ammonium nitrate and sulfur,caught ﬁre and exploded the following day The combined blasts and ﬁres killed nearly 600 people and injured 5,000 in the worst industrial accident in U.S. history In 1963, the Rev.Martin Luther King Jr.wrote his “Letter from Birmingham Jail” in which the civil rights activist responded to agroup of local clergymen who had criticized him for leading street protests. King defended his tactics, writing, “Injusticeanywhere is athreat to justice everywhere.”

In 1972, Apollo 16 blasted off for the moon with astronauts John Young, Charles Duke and Ken Mattingly aboard.

In 2010, the U.S. government accused Wall Street’s most powerful ﬁrm of fraud, saying Goldman Sachs &Co. had sold mortgageinvestments without telling buyers the securities were crafted with input from aclient whowas bettingonthem to fail. (InJuly 2010, Goldman agreed to pay $550 million in asettlement with the Securities

cold, but would force her to change her records).I could alsotext DinNovember when she is actually addressing the cards and remind her to update her records (which seems like overreaching)

What do you suggest?

Gentle reader: Unlessyou plan to be theEinthis drama forever,you have twochoices. Youcan hand future pieces back to the mail carrierand let the post ofﬁce deal withit, or you can startapile of items to forward when you get around to it

Miss Manners allows for the possibilitythat you may not get around toitprior to retiring or dying. She is merely suggesting younot throwthe items out, as then you would have to explain yourself if Ddiscovers the items have not arrived.

Email dearmissmanners@ gmail.com.

makes abig difference in theﬁnal dish.

In my new kitchen, I have already designated a drawer for all mygraters. Though having acollection of graters isn’tnecessary, Ibreak them out when hosting friends for pizza night or other cooking activities that involve cheese (fondue, anyone?!).Many hands makethe work light

Here is thehow and what, featuring some of my favorite grating devices:

n The OXO multi-grate and slice setwhich has four blades for slicing, grating and julienning, all which nestle inside a handy container

n Large box grater which stands tall and has four sides for grating tasks

n Microplane grater for ﬁnely grated Parmesan and pecorino, also perfect for grating garlic and citrus zest Here is the why:

Pre-grated/shredded cheese has been treated with anti-clumping and anti-mold agents (preservatives) that will interfere with the results of your ﬁnished dish. Also, when you grateyour own cheese, you get about twice as many shreds by volumecompared to factory-shredded, so it is far more cost effective.

Funfact: Almosteverythingtastes better when you’ve lovingly labored over it yourself.

This little kitchen task also builds hand strength, so go ahead and grate!

and Exchange Commission but did not admit wrongdoing.)

In 2012, trialbegan in Oslo, Norway,for Anders Breivik, charged with killing 77 people in abomb and gun rampage in July 2011. (Breivik was found guilty of terrorism and premeditated murderand sentenced to 21 years in prison.)

In 2016, amagnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Ecuador’scoastal provinces, killing hundreds of people and displacing thousands.

In 2023, the New York production of “The Phantomofthe Opera” ended its 35-year Broadway run withstanding ovations and Champagne toasts. The ﬁnal curtain camedown on performance No. 13,981 at the Majestic Theatre, ending the longest-running show on “The Great WhiteWay.” Today’sbirthdays: Singer Bobby Vinton is 91. Basketball Hall of FamerKareem Abdul-Jabbar is 79. Football coach BillBelichick is 74. ActorEllen Barkinis72. Singer Jimmy Osmond is 63. ActorJon Cryer is 61. Actorcomedian Martin Lawrence is 61. ActorPeter Billingsley is 55. ActorLukas Haas is 50. Actor-singer Kelli O’Hara is 50. ActorClaire Foy(TV:“The Crown”) is 42. RapperChance the Rapper is 33. ActorAnya TaylorJoy is 30. ActorSadie Sink is 24. BoxerEmiliano Vargas is 22.

For thebest-tasting sandwich, be sure to line bothsides of the bun with mayonnaise, and don’tforget acrunchy,cool layer of thick-cutpickles. Abuttery brioche bun is thebest way to hold it all together,but if you can’tfind thesoft and fluffy buns at your local grocery store, ahoagie roll works just fine, too.

Air-Fried Chicken Sandwicheswith SoyGlaze

Makes 4sandwiches. Recipe is from donaldocooks. com.

Forchicken: 4boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

1cup all-purpose flour 2largeeggs, beaten in bowl

2cups crushed cornflakes Avocado oil spray

Forseasoning:

1tablespoon paprika

1tablespoon garlic powder

1tablespoon onion powder

2teaspoons black pepper

2teaspoons salt

Forglaze:

1/2 cup dark soysauce

1⁄3 cup honey

11/2 tablespoons sesame oil

1tablespoon fish sauce

4clovesgarlic, minced

1tablespoon fresh ginger,grated

1/2-1 teaspoon crushed redpepper, or to taste

1/4-1/2 cup water,tocontrol consistency

Forsandwich:

4brioche or ciabatta buns, toasted Garlic mayo or Greekyogurt, for garnish

Sweet pickles, optional

Forcucumber salad:

2English cucumbers, julienned

2medium carrots, julienned

3green onions, thinly sliced

Zest of 1lemon

Fordressing:

2tablespoons freshlysqueezed lemonjuice

2tablespoons rice vinegar

11/2 tablespoons avocado oil

1tablespoon honey

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1. Preparethe chicken:

Pat chicken dry and lightly season withsalt. Coat each pieceinflour,then dipin beaten eggs. Press ﬁrmly into crushedcornﬂakesand shake to removeexcess. Spray both sides generously with avocadooil.

2. Preheat airfryer to 390 F. When hot, add chicken to tray andair fryuntilinternal temperature reaches 165 F, 14-15 minutes.

3. Cook until internal temperature reaches 165 F, then allowtorest for5minutes before glazing

4. While chicken is cooking, make glaze andstirtogether vegetablesalad

5. Add dark soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, ﬁshsauce, garlic, ginger,crushed red pepperand watertoasaucepan. Bring to amedium simmer andcook, uncovered,for 10-14 minutes, stirring often. (The glaze will naturally reduceand thickenfrom the honey.)

6. Once the sauce is glossy andcoats theback of aspoon, remove fromheat. Add cucumber,julienne carrots, green onions and lemon zest to abowl

7. Whisk lemon juice, rice

vinegar, avocadooil, honey, salt and pepper in ameasuringcup,thenpourdressing over vegetables and toss well. Chill 10-15 minutes before serving for best texture and ﬂavor.

8. When chicken is done cooking, build the sandwich: Toss thechicken in theglaze. Toast buns until lightly golden andspread mayonnaise or Greek yogurt on both sides.

9. Add alayer of shredded lettuce, glazed chicken, picklesand vegetable salad. Top with bun and serve immediately.

Notes: Iused boneless, skinless chicken thighs for these crispy air-friedsandwiches because they tendtobejuicierand moreforgivingifyou cook them aminute or twotoo long. Theoriginal recipe calls for serving the cucumber salad on theside, but Itucked it under the bun for one big, flavorful bite. Spicybreadand-butter pickle chips add just theright amount of kick. If you don’thaveanair fryer, the chicken can be panfriedin1 or 2tablespoonsof oil until golden brown and crispy,about 6-8 minutesper side

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Rely on your strengths and forge ahead until you get what you want. Say no to unrealistic offers. Use your ingenuity to devise a plan that offers positive results.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Your desperation for change, advancement or ways to discover your potential is growing. Before you end up against the wall or at a dead end, take a moment to consider what dissatisfies you.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Don't let anyone scam you or talk you into doing their dirty work for them. A pick-me-up will set the stage for socializing, making new friends and generating a buzz that helps you promote what you want to do next.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Keep your thoughts and plans to yourself. Someone will try to push you aside if you offer too much information. Pay attention to what things cost and what's important to you.

LEO (July 23-Aug 22) Pick up the slack, do your thing and dazzle everyone watching from the sidelines. Don't jeopardize your health or reputation. Seize the moment and display what you can do.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Put yourself in a position where you get to learn from the best. If you're the smartest person in the room, you are at the wrong event. Let your passion lead the way.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Overspending, overanalyzing, exaggerating or taking

on more than you can handle will end in disappointment. Look for partners who offer equality, share your dreams and are willing to work side-by-side with you.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Look for opportunities but not at the expense of your reputation. The best way to get ahead is to invest in yourself and your skills and to keep up with technology.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Home is where the heart is. Turn your surroundings into a place you want to spend time in. Open your doors to people you cherish and want to be with. Set the stage to accommodate your dreams.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Refuse to fall prey to hype. Verify information, handle matters personally and don't commit to anything that can turn into a costly venture.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Take better care of yourself and your relationships. Focus on how you earn and handle your money. Set up a budget and a financial plan that encourages growth.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) A change of pace or space will help you put your life in perspective. Distance yourself from confusion or those who use emotional manipulation to push you in a direction that suits their needs.

FAMILY CIrCUS

better or For WorSe

beetLe bAILeY Mother GooSe And GrIMM

LAGoon

bIG nAte

Sudoku

InstructIons: Sudokuis anumber-placingpuzzle basedona9x9 grid with severalgiven numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1to9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column andeach3x3 boxcontainsthe same number only once. The difficulty level of the Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.

Yesterday’sPuzzleAnswer

nea CroSSwordS La TimeS CroSSword

THe wiZard oF id

BLondie

BaBY BLueS

Hi and LoiS

CurTiS

BY PHILLIP ALDER Bridge

PeterDeVries,anovelistandaneditor who died in 1993,said, “The universeis like asafe to which there is acombination. But the combination is locked up in thesafe.” Iwonder if we will ever find thatsafe combination?

Thisweek,wehavebeenlookingatvarious suitcombinations. Hereisanother deceptive one. How should South playin sixspadesafterWest leads the diamond queen?

North’s initialtwo-no-trump response wasthe Jacoby Forcing Raise. South’s jump to game showed aminimum opening with no singleton or void. North then launched RomanKey Card Blackwood, whichwasgoodforthisdeal.AfterSouth bid fivediamonds, indicating zero or three key cards (the fouraces andthe trump king count as key cards), North relayed with five hearts to ask about the spade queen When South denied holding that card, Northknewnottobidagrandslam.(And, yes, North might have signedoff in six no-trump.)

Sincethesidesuitsaresolid,declarer’s onlyproblem is to avoid two trump losers. South should startwithalow trump from the board(not the ace),planning to risewith his king or to finesse his jack When East showsout, declarer can still doeither. If he wins with his king, he thenleads low towardthe board, covering West’s card as cheaply as possible. If South plays his jack, Westwins withhis queen and probably leads another diamond. But declarer wins on the board, plays aspade to his king, returns aspade to dummy’s nine, cashes the ace, and claims.

Each Wuzzle is aword riddle which creates adisguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: NOON GOOD =GOOD AFTERNOON

Previous answers:

word game

INsTRucTIoNs: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire fourletters by the addition of “s,” suchas“bats” or “dies,” are notallowed.3 Additional words made by adding a“d” or an “s”may notbeused. 4. Proper nouns, slangwords, or vulgar or sexually explicitwords are notallowed

ToDAY’s WoRD sALuTE: suh-LOOT:Togivea sign of respect, courtesy or goodwill to.

Average mark 19 words Time limit25minutes Can youfind24ormorewordsinSALUTE?

YEsTERDAY’sWoRD —cRoNYIsM