The Advocate 04-19-2026

FortWorth, Texas, on Saturday.

PAINFULLYCLOSE

LSUleads late butcomes up just shortof winningNCAAgymnasticschampionshiptitle

BY SCOTT RABALAIS Staff writer

FORTWORTH,Texas TheLSU gymnastics team stood on thepodiumafter Saturday’sNCAAchampionship meet, watching the Oklahoma Sooners lift a first-place trophy that was frustratingly close to going homewith the Tigers forthe second time in three years.

LSU led going to the final rotation but ended up falling justshort of Oklahoma, 198.1625-198.0750 at Dickies Arena. For the Tigers, it’s thefourthtimesince 2016 that they have finished second in the NCAA final, allbehind the Sooners, who won for the eighth time. Florida (197.6875) was third and Minnesota (197.375) wasfourth. “I’ve been part of winning thisthing alot over the years,” LSU coach Jay Clark said.“Idon’t know that I’ve been as proud of ateam as this one, because they’re gutsy.They fought and foughtand

fought through injury and all sortsofadversity

“There was nothing for thesekids to hang their headsabout. Theydid everything acoach could ask them to do.”

LSUtook the lead after three events withits best rotationofthe day, a49.6125 on unevenbars, that gave the Tigers a148.600-148.5250 lead over the Sooners.LSU then headed to balance beam thesame eventitfinished on when it won the 2024 NCAA title.

ä See complete coverageof the NCAA gymnastics title meet. PAGE 1C

But Oklahoma surgedback on floor,meaning in the end the Tigers needed aperfect 10 fromKailin Chio in the anchor spot to win. Chio, who recorded her NCAA-leading 13th 10.0 score of the season earlier in the meet on vault, gota9.90. Astrongscore, but not quitegood enough in the end.

“We’re calledthe Fighting Tigers for a reason,” Chio said.“We puteverything that we could do out there, and I’m just really proud of this team.”

‘I don’t

Statepublicschools lost 60,000 students in adecade, andenrollmentisstill falling

BY PATRICK WALL Staff writer

EMPTY DESKS THE CRISIS OF DECLINING ENROLLMENT IN LA.’S TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS First in an occasional series

Aprieonna Herbert trudged home from her school bus one recent sunny afternoon,then collapsedinto bed. Theseventh grader is still adjusting to waking up in thedark to catch thebus at 5:50 a.m. each morning, whichrumbles down herquietstreet of bungalows and double-wide trailers in Belle Rose. She lives less than amile from Belle Rose Middle School, yet the bus takes her 10 miles away to AssumptionParish High School in neighboring Napoleonville Like nearly every other Louisianaschool district, Assumption Parish had too many schools for itsdwindlingstudentpopulation. So last year,the School Board made aonce-unthinkabledecision: It shut down all three of the district’smiddle schools, relocating theirstudentstothe high school campus. “A lotofpeople were upset,” said Aprieonna’s mother,April Anderson, who years ago attended Belle RoseMiddle School.“Thatschool hasbeen there fora very long time.”

Aruralcommunity missing its middle schools. Asuperintendent cutting herbudgettothe bone

ä See STUDENTS, page 10A

Ruling changespathfor lawsuits againstoil companies

Leadersfacestark choice as La.coast hangsinbalance

BY ALEX LUBBEN Staff writer

AU.S. Supreme Courtdecision has struck aseriousblow to Louisiana’slongstanding effortsto hold oil companies responsible for

coastal damage, leaving state officials with astark choice of whether to press ahead with thefight or seek to settle now

The SupremeCourt’sunanimous ruling on Friday wasa narrow decisionona technical issue, but its ramifications are potentially vast. Dozensofsimilar lawsuits from Louisiana parishes are pending, andstate officials had hoped to use proceeds from those cases to clean up andrestore portions of the rap-

idly eroding coast. Gov.Jeff Landry has madenosecret of his willingness to settle with the oil companies on fairterms, but the decision may have stripped thestate of aportion of its leverage. At the same time,Louisianastill hascardstoplay, andAttorney General Liz Murrill expressed

confidencethe st ate wou ld ultimately prevail. The resultof Friday’sruling in ChevronUSA Inc v. Plaquemines Parish is that the $745millionverdictina 2025 statecourt trial may be thrown outand the case retried in federal court. It also sets off whatcould be years of new jurisdictional fighting over where the other cases belong. It was aclear win for the oil andgas companies,which have spent more than adecadefighting to move the lawsuits out of Louisiana state courts, where juries are drawn from the coastal communities suing them. It gives the industry leverage to argue allof the cases belong in federal court.

ä See RULING, page 8A

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU gymnast Kailin Chio leaps through theair on her floor routine during the NCAA championship final at Dickies Arena in

Landry Murrill

BRIEFS FROM WIRE REPORTS

Trump signs surveillance program extension bill

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump on Saturday signed abill extending acontroversial surveillance program until April 30, ashort-termrenewal that setsup another showdown in Congress.

Thebillwas approved by the Senate on Friday in alast-minute scramble to prevent the authority from expiring within amatter of days. Trump and Republican leaders have pushed forits renewal, calling it amatterofnational security.Critics are concernedabout itsimpactoncivil liberties.

At the center of the debate is Section 702 of the Foreign IntelligenceSurveillance Act, which permits the CIA, National Security Agency,FBI and other agencies to collect and analyze vast amounts of overseas communicationswithout awarrant. In doing so, they canincidentally sweep up communications involving Americans who interact with foreign targets.

Extending the program has becomea recurring fight.

Trump and GOPleaders have been pushing for aclean 18-month renewal, while the House Republicans on Thursday came out with afive-year extensionwithrevisions to appease skeptics.After both of those bills collapsed, leaders pivoted to the stopgap measure.

Critics want changes including arequirement for warrants before authorities can access the emails, phonecalls or text messagesofAmericans.

3sentenced in bear-suit luxurycar scam in Calif

LOS ANGELES Threepeoplein California have been sentenced for insurance fraud in abizarre scam that involved someone dressed in abear costume damaging luxury cars.

The California Insurance Department said the three used a personina bear suittostage fake attacks inside aRolls-Royce and two Mercedes in 2024, then submitted fraudulent claims seeking nearly $142,000 in payouts from insurance companies. The department called it “Operation Bear Claw.”

TwoLos Angeles-area men and awoman pleaded no contest to felony insurance fraud and were sentencedtoa weekend jail program, followed by probation, the department said in anews release Thursday.Two of them were ordered to pay over $50,000 in restitution.

Afourth person faces acourt hearing in September

The group is accused of providing several videosfrom the San Bernardino Mountains of abear moving insidethe vehiclestothe insurance companies as partof their damage claims,the department said. Photos provided by the insurance department show whatappeared to be scratches on the seats and doors.

ACalifornia Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist reviewed the footage and concluded it was “clearly ahuman in a bearsuit,” the insurance department said.

Lifejacket wornby

Titanic survivor sold

LONDON Alife jacket worn by apassenger on RMS Titanicas she escaped the sinking steamship on alifeboat sold at auction on Saturday for $906,000.

The flotation device was worn by LauraMabel Francatelli, afirst-class passenger on the doomed ocean liner,and is signed by her and other survivors from the same lifeboat

It was the star among items in asale of Titanic memorabilia by Henry Aldridge &Son auctioneers in Devizes,western England,and sold to an unidentified telephone bidder for well over the presale estimate of between $339,000 and $474,000.

CORRECTION

The “Around Baton Rouge” calendar in Friday’sAdvocate incorrectly listed the “Longism and Louisiana Politics” presentation at 5:30 p.m. Thursday as takingplace at theOld StateCapitol Thefree eventwill be held at Old Governors’ Mansion,502 North Blvd. The Advocate regrets the error

Iran closes strait over blockade

Iranian forces fire on ships attempting to pass

BY SAM METZ and SAMY MAGDY Associated Press

CAIRO— The standoff over the Strait of Hormuz escalatedagain Saturday as Iranreversedits reopening of thecrucial waterway and firedonships attempting to pass, in retaliationafter the United Statespressed ahead with its blockade of Iranianports

The strait is closed until theU.S.blockadeislifted, Iran’sRevolutionary Guard navysaid Saturday night, warningthat “no vessel shouldmakeany movement from its anchorageinthe Persian Gulf and theSea of Oman, and approaching theStraitof Hormuz willbe considered as cooperation with the enemy” and be targeted. New attacks on the strait, through whichroughly one-fifthofthe world’soil normally passes, threatened to deepen theglobal energy crisisand push the countries into renewedconflictas thewar entered its eighthweek Afragile ceasefire is due to run out by Wednesday. Iran said it had received newproposalsfrom the United States, and Pakistani mediators wereworking to arrange another round of direct negotiations

mand earlier said“control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state under strict managementand control of the armed forces.”

Revolutionary Guard gunboatsopened fire on atanker and an unknown projectile hit acontainer vessel, damaging some containers, the British military’sUnited Kingdom Maritime TradeOperations center said. India’sforeign ministry said it summoned Iran’sambassadorover the “serious incident” of firing on two India-flagged merchantships, especially afterIranearlier let several India-bound ships through.

For Iran, the strait’s closure —imposed after the U.S.and Israel launchedthe waronFeb.28during talks over Tehran’snuclear program —isperhaps its most powerful weapon, threatening theworld economy and inflicting political pain on

President DonaldTrump.

For the United States, the blockade keeps up pressure and could strangle Iran’salready weakened economy Iran’snew supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, issued defiant remarks on Saturday,saying the navy stands “ready to inflictbitter defeats on its enemies.” He has not been seeninpublic since being elevated to thepost following his father’sdeathinIsrael’sopening barrage.

On Friday, Iran announced thestrait’sreopening to commercial vessels after a10-day truce was announced between Israel and theIranian-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon. The reopening caused oil prices to fall.

Trump, however,said the U.S. blockadeofIran’s ports “will remaininfull force” until Tehran reaches adeal with the United States.Trumphad imposed theblockade after around of historic face-to-facetalks

in Pakistanbetween the countries ended without an agreement.

U.S. forces have sent 23 ships back to Iran since the blockade began on Monday, U.S. CentralCommand said Saturday.Trump’s comments triggered an outcry “Americans are risking the international community,risking the global economy through these, I can say,miscalculations,”

IranianDeputyForeign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh told The Associated Press, adding that the U.S. is “risking the whole ceasefire package.”

Iran’sSupremeNational Security Council issued a statement calling the blockade aviolation of the ceasefire and said Iran would prevent “any conditional andlimitedreopening” of the strait. The council has recently acted as Iran’sde facto top decision-making body

Since mostsupplies to U.S. military bases in the

Gulf region come through the strait, “Iran is determinedtomaintain oversight and control over traffic through thestrait until the warfully ends,” the council said. ThatmeansIran-designatedroutes,payment of fees and issuance of transit certificates.

The Revolutionary Guard navy statement later indicated that no vessel should attempt atransit at all.

Therenewedstandoff over thestraitcame hours after Pakistani Foreign Minister IshaqDar said his country was working to “bridge” differences betweenthe U.S. andIran. Pakistan is expected to host asecond round of negotiations early next week.

Iran’sSupreme National Security Council said “new proposals” from theU.S. had been put forward duringa visittoIranbyPakistan’sarmychief and were being reviewed.

But Khatibzadeh said the Iranians were not ready for anew roundofface-to-face talks because theAmericans “have not abandoned their maximalist position.” He also said Iran will not hand over itsstock of 970 pounds of enricheduranium to theUnitedStates, calling the idea “a nonstarter.” Khatibzadeh did not address other proposals for the enriched uranium,saying only that “weare ready to address any concerns.” Trump said Saturday that Iran “got alittle cute” but that “verygood” conversations werehappening,and more information would come by day’send.“They can’tblackmail us,” he added.

Iran’sjoint military com-

French soldierkilledinattackonpeacekeepers

Macron says 3othersalso wounded

BY BASSEMMROUE and SAMUEL PETREQUIN Associated Press

BEIRUT AU.N.peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon cameunderattack with small-arms fire Saturdaymorning, leaving one French peacekeeper dead and three others wounded, two ofthem seriously,France’spresident andthe forceknown as UNIFIL said Both PresidentEmmanuel Macron andthe UNIFIL forceblamed Hezbollah, butthe Lebanese militant group deniedinvolvement.

Theattacknear the southern Lebanese village of Ghandouriyeh came after a10-day ceasefirewent into effect at midnight Thursday betweenIsrael andHezbollah.

The latestIsrael-Hezbollah war began on March

Barber MohammadMehdi cuts the hair of his client AymanAlZein on Saturdayinsidehis shop, which was damagedinanIsraeli airstrikethat also damagedAl Zein’sshop,inDahiyeh, Beirut’ssouthernsuburbs.

2whenthe Iran-backed group launched rockets into Israel after theU.S. andIsraellaunchedjoint strikes againstIran, killing top officials including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The war,inwhich Israel invaded parts of Lebanon, left nearly 2,300 people dead in Lebanon, more than 1million people displaced andcaused widespread destruction.

“Everything suggests

thatresponsibilityfor this attack lies withHezbollah,” Macron wrote on social media. “France demands that the Lebanese authorities immediately arrest thoseresponsible and assumetheir responsibilities alongsideUNIFIL,” theU.N. mission in southernLebanon.

In Beirut,threejudicial officials saidthatLebanon’sMilitaryTribunal opened an investigation over the attack and is in

6killedinmassshootinginKyiv

Police killed gunman, authoritiessay

BY VOLODYMYR YURCHUK and DEREK GATOPOULOS Associated Press

KYIV,Ukraine Agunman wielding an automatic weapon killed sixpeople andbarricaded himself inside asupermarket with hostages in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv,onSaturday, before he was shot and killed by police, authoritiessaid

At least 14 people were wounded andtaken to hospital.

The 58-year-old attacker was not namedbypolice, but Ukrainian President

Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was born in Russia, as authorities worked to piece together amotive for the violence.

The massshooting —unheardofinwartimeKyiv following Russia’sall-out invasionofUkrainein 2022 —took place in abusy central districtofthe city, outside an apartment block and anearby shopping center,leaving bodies on a crowded streetasbystandersfled for safety

An Associated Pressreporter at thescene sawvictims’ bodies in thestreet covered with emergency blankets before they were taken away

“The assailant has been neutralized. He hadtaken hostages and, tragically killed one of them. He also

murdered four people on the street. Another woman died in thehospital due to severe injuries,” Zelenskyy said.

“Ithas been established thatthe attacker setfire to an apartment before taking to thestreets with a weapon,” Zelenskyy said in avideo postedonline. “He had aprior criminal record, had lived in the Donetsk region(in eastern Ukraine) for along period, and was borninRussia.” Ukraine’sspecial tactical police unitsstormed the convenience store afterattempts to contact the gunman with anegotiator failed, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said.

The hostages were supermarket customers and staff.

contact with the army’sintelligencedepartmenttowork on identifying the perpetrators. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.

Hezbollah denied links to theattack,calling in astatement for caution in assigning blameand judgment until the Lebanese army completesits investigationtodetermine the full circumstances. Hezbollahsaidthatpeacekeepers should coordinate with the Lebanese armyintheir operations. Hezbollah expressed surprise in thestatementatthe hasty accusations leveled againstit, especially given the silenceofthese same parties “when the Israeli enemy attacks UNIFIL forces.”

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The sun rises Saturdaybehind atanker anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of QeshmIsland, Iran.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By HASSAN AMMAR

Trump signs order to speed review of psychedelics

Controversial drug ibogaine among those in order

BY MATTHEW PERRONE and SEUNG MIN KIM Associated Press

WASHINGTON President

Donald Trump on Saturday directed his administration to speed up reviews of certain psychedelic drugs, including ibogaine, which recently has been embraced by combat veterans and conservative lawmakers despite having serious safety risks.

Ibogaine and other psychedelics remain banned under the federal government’s most restrictive category for illegal, high-risk drugs. But the administration is taking steps to ease restrictions and spur research on using the drugs for medical purposes, including conditions like severe depression.

“Today’s order will ensure that people suffering from debilitating symptoms might finally have a chance to reclaim their lives and lead a happier life,” Trump said as he signed an executive order on the drugs. The Republican president said his directive

responded: “Sounds great. Do you want FDA approval? Let’s do it.”

“You’re going to save a lot of lives through it,” Luttrell told Trump during the ceremony “It absolutely changed my life for the better.”

will help “dramatically accelerate” access to potential treatments “If these turn out to be as good as people are saying, it’s going to have a tremendous impact,” he said.

Veteran organizations and psychedelic advocates have long contended that ibogaine, which is made from a shrub native to West Africa, has great promise for hard-totreat conditions such as posttraumatic stress disorder and opioid addiction.

Trump’s announcement follows pledges by Health Sec-

retary Robert F Kennedy Jr and other administration officials to ease access to psychedelics for medical use, an issue that has won rare bipartisan support

Joining Trump in the Oval Office were his top health officials, conservative podcaster Joe Rogan and Marcus Luttrell, the former Navy SEAL whose memoir about a deadly mission in Afghanistan was the basis of the film “Lone Survivor.” Rogan said he texted Trump information on ibogaine and the president

The Food and Drug Administration next week will issue national priority vouchers for three psychedelics, which the agency’s commissioner Marty Makary, said will allow certain drugs to be approved quickly “if they are in line with our national priorities.” The vouchers can cut review times from several months to a period of weeks. It is the first time the FDA has offered that fast-tracking to any psychedelics.

The FDA is also taking steps to clear the way for the first-ever human trials of ibogaine in the U.S.

Trump’s action surprised many longtime advocates and researchers in the psychedelic field, given that ibogaine is known to sometimes trigger potentially fatal heart problems. The National Institutes of Health briefly funded research on the drug in the 1990s, but discontinued the work due to ibogaine’s “cardiovascular toxicity.”

“It’s been incredibly difficult to study ibogaine in the U.S. because of its known cardiotoxicity,” said Frederick Barrett, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research. “If the executive order can pave the way for doing objective, scientific research with this compound, it would help us understand whether it is truly a better psychedelic therapy than others.”

No psychedelic has been approved in the United States, but a number of them are being studied in large trials for various mental health conditions, including psilocybin, MDMA and LSD. All those drugs remain illegal, classified as Schedule I substances alongside drugs such as heroin. Two states Oregon and Colorado have legalized psychedelic therapy with psilocybin.

Ibogaine was first used by members of the Bwiti religion in African nations like Gabon during their religious ceremonies.

In recent years, U.S. veterans have reported benefiting from the drug after traveling to clinics in Mexico that administer it.

Backing from veterans

groupsandformerTexasGov Rick Perry led to a law last year providing $50 million for ibogaine research in that state. Perry, who co-founded a group called Americans for Ibogaine, recently appeared on Rogan’s podcast, making the case for reducing federal limits on the drug. It was his second time talking about ibogaine on the popular podcast in the past two years.

Trump’s order calls on the Department of Health and Human Services to direct at least $50 million to states that have enacted or are developing programs to advance psychedelic drugs for serious mental illness. It’s described as a federal-state partnership to provide funding, technical assistance and data sharing.

Ibogaine is known to cause irregular heart rhythms and has been linked to more than 30 deaths in the medical literature, according to the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, a nonprofit that conducted some early studies in patients outside the U.S. The group’s co-executive director Ismail Lourido Ali, said Trump’s order might encourage other states to follow the Texas model.

French widow home after 16 days in U.S. immigration custody

Son says 85-year-old needs rest

By The Associated Press

ORVAULT, France The son of an 85-year-old French widow who married an American military veteran but was later detained for overstaying her visa says she now needs rest after the ordeal.

Speaking to reporters Friday after Marie-Thérèse Ross returned to France, Hervé Goix, said the fam-

ily’s “absolute priority” is to protect her.

“To preserve her health and her rest, and for her to be able to rebuild herself,” Goix told a news conference alongside his two siblings in the town of Orvault, in western France.

“We are particularly relieved today to see our mother again, to have her back,” he said. “She has necessarily gone through a difficult ordeal.”

Ross returned to France after a harrowing 16 days spent in federal immigration custody, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said on

Friday Without elaborating, Barrot said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement methods were “not in line” with French standards and “not acceptable to us.” Ross entered the U.S. last June after marrying a retired U.S. soldier who had been stationed in her home country in the 1960s, court records show But after her husband died of natural causes in January, a dispute arose over his estate. Ross’ stepson a U.S. federal employee — allegedly intervened to have her taken into immigration custody, an Ala-

overstayed her 90-day visa, according to the U.S Department of Homeland Security She was then held at a deten-

‘Growthpaysfor growth’: Entergy’sFairShare Plus modelto save Louisianacustomers $2.8 billion Designed to ensure data centers paytheir full cost

By Amanda McElfresh,amcelfresh@theadvocate.com

As Louisianabecomesadestination formultibillion-dollar technologicalinvestments in the rapidly-expandingdatacentersector, leaders, includingPresident Trumpand Governor Landry have developedstrategiestosupport that growth withoutincreasingcostsforexistingutilitycustomers

EntergyLouisiana hascreated amodel designed to do just that –ensuringthateconomicexpansion strengthensthe state’senergyinfrastructurefor all customerswhile delivering measurable financial benefitstohouseholdsand businesses Throughagreementswithmajor data center operatorsand aguiding frameworkknown as Fair SharePlus, Entergyprojectsabout $7 billionin customer savingsoverthe coming decadesacross itsthree-state serviceregion. Louisianaalone is expected to accountfor approximately$2.8billion of that total.

“Our Fair SharePluspledgeisdesignedto protectexistingand future Entergycustomers from bearingthe bruntofthese additional investments. Notonlywilldatacenteroperators like Meta pay forthe infrastructure needed to servethem, they willalsopay an additional amount to mitigatethe overallcosts as well as over $120 milliontoThe PowertoCareprogram and$140million in energy efficiency initiatives,” said PhillipMay,Entergy LouisianaPresident andChief ExecutiveOfficer.

“Entergy customerswillsee lowerbills because of thecommitments thedatacenteroperators have made.These cost savingswillbegin to be reflected in billsovertimeasthese large-scaleloads begin service. We expect that willstart laterthisyearand willbeongoing,” Maycontinued.“We’realigning economicdevelopment with affordability.”

Massivedatacentergrowthtodrive investment –and lowerbills forLouisianans Louisiana’sdatacenterboombegan in 2024, when Meta announcedplans to builda four-millionsquare-footfacilityinRichlandParishtosupport itsworkinartificial intelligenceand largelanguage models. In late 2025,Hut 8revealedthatitwillbuild itsown 600-acre campus in West FelicianaParish for similartechnological purposes

thecosts to servethe data centers. Whiledatacenters have been tied to rate spikes andreliability issues in other states,May said the frameworkofFairShare Plus meansthatEntergy customerswon’t face thesameissues. Onekey advantageinLouisiana is that thestate commission hasoversight over thewhole of theutility company, somethingthatisnot thecaseeverywhere.

“I’m grateful that Governor Landry andthe LouisianaPublicService Commission have preservedthiscustomeradvantage inherent in our rate-regulatedmodel,” Maysaid. “Wewillcontinue to follow theirleadershipand regulatory oversight on theseprojects. Transformationaldollarstosupportlow-income residentsand building modernizations Beyond cost savings, Maysaidthe investments from both Entergyand thedatacenteroperators willhaveother benefitsfor customers. In fact,new dollarshavealready flowed to Entergy’sThe Power to Care Program, whichprovidesemergency bill assistance to older customersand individualswith disabilities whofacefinancialstruggles

“We’vealreadyseenMetahonorthiscommitment with immediatecontributions,”May said.“That’s agreat exampleofthe type of partnerships we expect to have with thesecompanies.We’re already provingthatwecan meet theobjectivesofgrowth paying forgrowth, thestate benefitingfromthese investmentsand customersbeing protectedfrom rising costs. In addition,May said thedatacenterinvestments willmean$140million in fundingoverthe next 20 yearstohelpEntergy developcomprehensive energy efficiency programs.While Louisiana’sutility rates aresomeofthe lowest in thenation, Maysaidthe state’susage is high duetoits warm climateand the fact that many olderhomes andbuildings weren’t builtwithmodernefficiencymeasures. “These projects willbegenerationaland transformativefor Louisiana, andcustomers across thestate willbenefitinmultipleways,”May said “These dollarsbring comprehensive energy efficiency improvements that will preserve theintegrity of Louisianabuildings whilealso resultinginlowerconsumption andlower billsfor customers. Visitentergy.com/datacenters to learnmoreabout hownew data centerswillbenefit the communities Entergyserves.

Entergythenfurtherannouncedanewagreement in MarchwithMetathatwilldeliver an additional $2 billionincustomer savings. Theseprojectsare expected to generate billions of dollarsforLouisianacommunities,createthousands of newjobsand improvelocalinfrastructurewhile giving schools, nonprofitsand otherorganizations an influxofphilanthropic dollars. However, thevastsizeand scopeofthe campuses meanstheywillneedconsistentand reliable power to operate. In ordertomeetthose needs, Maysaid Entergyand itspartners areinvesting heavilyinto thegrid, includingbattery storage, transmission lines, solarenergy, nuclearenergyuprates and newhighly-efficientgenerators. OtherEntergy investmentsare beingmadeinemerginggeneration sources,suchascarboncapture andhydrogen. “There’snoquestionthatthese data centers aremassive buildoutsthatrequire investmentsin high-efficiency generation,” Maysaid. “Byinvesting in multiple forms of powerand combiningsources we willbeabletobestserve thedatacenterneeds.” MayemphasizedthatonceEntergycompletesthese investments, approximatelyone millioncustomers willreapthe benefitsofthe newinfrastructure. “Thisisabout meetinglong-term system needs foreveryone, notjustthe data centers,”hesaid. “Our focusisonensuringwecan supportLouisiana’seconomicgrowthwhile maintainingsystem reliability, andaffordablerates,for ourresidential andbusinesscustomers.The companiesunderstand they cannot push thecosts of theseprojectsonto existing customers. We’regoing alittlefurther.The expectationisnot only that thosecosts won’t be passed on to customers, butcustomers willactually seelower Entergybills becauseofthe additional fundingbeing generated.” Amodel to safeguardcustomers andensure ‘growthpaysfor growth’ Thoseexpectationshavebeenformalizedinto

bama judge found. Federal immigration agents detained Ross in Alabama on April 1 after she

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JULIA DEMAREE NIKHINSON

President Donald Trump holds up a signed executive order on Saturday in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. Trump on Saturday directed his administration to speed up reviews of certain psychedelic drugs.

and military spouses

Senator Cassidy introduced the bipartisan Improve and Enhance Work Opportunity Tax Credit Act.

This bill will help Louisiana businesses hire more veterans and military spouses into quality, high-paying jobs.

Cassidy’s bill has broad support from employers and veterans organizations and will create hundreds of thousands of new jobs.

Pope challenges Angola’s leaders during Africa trip

Leo XIV delivers message of encouragement for its people

BY NICOLE WINFIELD and GERALD IMRAY Associated Press

LUANDA, Angola Pope Leo

XIV challenged Angola’s leaders to break the “cycle of interests” that have plundered and exploited Africa for centuries as he arrived in the southern African country on Saturday with a message of encouragement for its long-suffering people.

Leo’s arrival in Angola, the oil-and-mineral rich former Portuguese colony, marked the third leg of his four-nation African voyage. En route from Cameroon, he spoke again of the ongoing back-and-forth with U.S President Donald Trump over the Iran war

Leo, history’s first U.S.born pope, said that it was “not in my interest at all” to debate Trump, but that he would continue preaching the Gospel message of peace, justice and brotherhood in Africa.

In Angola, Leo met with President Joao Lourenco and delivered his first speech to Angolan government authorities, in which he referred repeatedly to Angola’s tortured history of colonial plunder and civil war

“I desire to meet you in the spirit born of peace and to affirm that your people possess treasures that cannot

be bought or stolen,” he said. “There dwells within you a joy that not even the most adverse circumstances have been able to extinguish.”

A long-suffering people

Angola, which has a population of around 38 million, gained independence from Portugal in 1975 But it still bears the scars of a devastating civil war that began straight after independence and raged on and off for 27 years before finally ending in 2002. More than a halfmillion people are believed to have been killed

For years, the civil war was a Cold War proxy conflict, with the United States and apartheid South Africa backing one side and the Soviet Union and Cuba backing the other Angola is now the fourthlargest oil producer in Africa and among the world’s top 20 producers, according to the International Energy Agency The country is also the world’s No. 3 diamond producer and has significant deposits of gold and highly sought after critical minerals.

But despite its varied natural resources, the World Bank estimated in 2023 that more than 30% of the population lived on less than $2.15 a day

“You know well that all too often people have looked — and continue to look — to your lands in order to give, or, more commonly, in order to take,” Leo told the Angolan authorities.

The pontiff said: “It is necessary to break this cycle of interests, which reduces re-

ality and even life itself, to mere commodities.”

While in Cameroon, Leo had railed against the “chains of corruption” that were hindering development, as well as the “handful of tyrants” who were ravaging Earth with war and exploitation. He raised similar points in Angola.

“How much suffering, how many deaths, how many social and environmental disasters are brought about by this logic of extractivism! At every level, we see how it sustains a model of develop-

ment that discriminates and excludes, while still presuming to impose itself as the only viable option.”

Jose Eduardo dos Santos, the late former president who led Angola for 38 years from 1979 to 2017, was accused of diverting billions of dollars of public money to his family, largely from the country’s oil revenue, as millions struggled in poverty

After Lourenco took over as president, his administration estimated that at least $24 billion was stolen or misappropriated by dos

Santos. Lourenco’s administration has vowed to crack down on corruption and has worked to recover funds allegedly stolen during the dos Santos era. But critics note that Angola still has deep problems with corruption and have questioned if Lourenco’s actions were more aimed at political rivals so as to consolidate his power In his speech Saturday Lourenco said that the Angolan government was committed to improving the lives of its people, but it was a “com-

plex and difficult challenge.”

He also called for an end to the Iran war and asked the pope to continue using his “moral authority” to push for peace and understanding among people.

A legacy of slavery Angola, on the southwest coast of Africa, was considered to be the epicenter of the trans-Atlantic slave trade as a Portuguese colony More than 5 million of the roughly 12.5 million enslaved Africans were sent across the ocean on ships departing from Angola, more than any other country, though not all of them were Angolans.

The highlight of Leo’s visit to Angola is expected to be his visit on Sunday to Muxima, south of Luanda. It’s a popular Catholic shrine in a country where around 58% of the population is Catholic.

The Church of Our Lady of Muxima was built by Portuguese colonizers at the end of the 16th century as part of a fortress complex and became a hub in the slave trade. It remains a reminder of the inextricable link hundreds of years ago between Roman Catholicism and the exploitation of the African continent. Leo has Black and White ancestors who included both enslaved people and slave owners, according to genealogical research. He’s going to Muxima to pray the rosary, in recognition of the site becoming a popular pilgrimage destination after believers reported an appearance by the Virgin Mary around 1833.

U.S. extends waiver on Russian oil sanctions to ease Iran war shortages

By The Associated Press

WASHINGTON The U.S. Treasury Department on Friday extended its pause on sanctions on Russian oil

shipments to ease shortages from the Iran war, days after Secretary Scott Bessent ruled out such a move The so-called general license means U.S. sanctions

will not apply for 30 days on deliveries of Russian oil that has been loaded on tankers as of Friday It extended a similar 30-day license issued in March for Russian oil that

had been loaded by March 11. The extension underscores how the fallout from the Iran war has boosted Moscow’s ability to profit from its energy exports, which had been

restrained since the invasion of Ukraine. Speaking at the White House on Wednesday, Bessent ruled out extending the license. “We will not be re-

newing the general license on Russian oil, and we will not be renewing the general license on Iranian oil,” he said. The administration did not immediately explain the reversal.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By THEMBA HADEBE

Pope Leo XIV waves Saturday after arriving in Luanda, Angola, on the sixth day of his pastoral visit to Africa.

Russianattacks on Ukrainekill1, wounddozens

By The Associated Press

Acivilian was killed and dozens more wounded in overnightRussian attacks across Ukraine, local officials said Saturday

One person was killed in astrike on Mykolaivka in Ukraine’seastern Donetsk region, localleaderVadym Filashkin said in aposton social media. Other officials reported at least 26 people had been hurt in attacks across northern and eastern Ukraine, including astrike on port infrastructure in the city of Odesa.

Elsewhere, aUkrainian drone strike targeted industrial areas in Novokuibyshevsk and Syzran in Russia’sSamara region, Gov Vyacheslav Fedorishchev said Saturday.Hedid not give further details, but the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces said in a statement that it had hit major oil refineries in both cities. It also said that its attacks had sparkedfires at the Vystoskoil terminal in Russia’s northwestern Leningrad region and an oil refinery in the southern Krasnodar region, with the blazes laterconfirmed by Russian officials.

Russia’sMinistry of Defense said that itsforces destroyed 258 Ukrainian drones overnight over 16 Russian regions, as well as over the annexedUkrainian peninsula of Crimea and the Black and Azov seas.

Ukraine has repeatedly targeted Russian oil facilities in the past, but the strategy has gained more attention since the Trump administrationgave Russian oil atemporary waiver from sanctions to easesupply constraints.

Strengthening Ukraine’s airdefenses has been akey

priority for Kyiv since the start of Russia’sinvasion of Ukraine more than four years ago, resurfacing again on theglobal stage as U.S.-ledpeace talks have ground to ahalt

In theworst aerialattack in weeks, Russia hammered civilian areas across Ukraine on Thursday, killing at least 16 people and wounding more than100 others, Ukrainian authorities said Ukraine has developed a significant domestic arms industry, especially in the production of drones and missiles, but cannot yet match the sophistication of U.S.Patriot air defense systems.

Obamameets Mamdani in NewYorkCitybefore readingtopreschoolers

BY SCOTTBAUER Associated Press

Former President Barack Obamamet with NewYork

Mayor Zohran Mamdani for thefirst time on Saturday at achild carecenter where they read to preschoolers and led asingalong.

The meeting comes as Mamdani,ademocraticsocialist, is also trying to build aworking relationship with Republican President Donald Trump. The meeting comes just over aweek after Mamdani markedhis 100th day in office.

Obama andMamdanidid nottakequestions after reading the book “Alone and Together” to thechildren andleading asingalong of “The Wheels on the Bus.”

The former two-termpresident and standard-bearer for the Democratic Party has offered to be asoundingboard forMamdani,34, whose starpower,youth andprogressive agenda has madehim stand out in Democratic politics.

Mamdani took officein Januaryafter acampaign centeredonmaking New York Cityamore affordable place to live, centering his agenda on refocusing the vast power of government toward helping the city’s struggling working class.

Mamdani’smeeting with Obama comes after he has already mettwice with Trump at the WhiteHouse in Novemberand February to discuss issuesaffecting New York City.

PHOTOByANGELINAKATSANIS

ASSOCIATEDPRESS

Former President Barack Obama, left,and MayorZohran Mamdani read abook to children on Saturday at Learning Through Play Pre-K in Newyork

Despite those friendly meetings, theirrelationship hasshown signs of strain recently,with Trump posting on Truth Social Thurs-

daythatMamdani was “DESTROYING New York” withhis taxing policiesand threatenedtopullfederal funding forthe city

Landry,who recently announced asettlement with ConocoPhillips, adefendant in 13 of the 42 coastal lawsuits filed by Louisiana parishes, said Friday he hopes for “a resolution” in the remaining cases

“Federal court movesfaster than state court —those oil and gas companies that want to litigate it, go litigate it,” Landry said. “I wish we couldfindaresolution.I’m working hard to trytoget a resolution.”

Bill Turenne, aChevron spokesperson, said the company “looks forwardtolitigating these cases in federal court, where they belong.”

KeithHall, the directorof LSU’sEnergy Law Center, said that because theruling delays potential trials, it could drive down the amount that the oil companies and the state may be willing to settle for

“That will make them more eager to settle and come out with half aloaf instead of holding out for the whole loaf,” Hall said of the state and the lead attorney for the parishes in the42coastalcases, JohnCarmouche.

WorldWar II effort?

Loyola law professor Blaine LeCesne took adifferentview Thestate’sposition, he said, isn’tmeaningfully weakened by the ruling becausethe cases will ultimately be heard by Louisiana juries whether they’re in state or federal court.

Those juries have already shown they’re willing to hold oil companies responsible.

“The dynamics of this case are very unique, and the potential legal exposure is not significantly diminished by the change in venue,” LeCesne said. “I would just hold patand Iwould negotiate no differently than if these cases were still in state court.”

The questionbeforethe Supreme Court was aprocedural one: Does thecase belonginstate or federal court? To answer that question, it weighed another:Was Chevron’swartime production of crude oilrelated to its refining of thatoil into aviation fuel, or “avgas,” for the military? Chevron hadafederal contract during World WarIItorefine crude oil into aviation fuel forthe U.S.military, andarguedthatits crude-oilproduction in Louisiana was connected closely enough to that work to pull the cases into federal court The justices concluded that theU.S.5th Circuit Court of Appeals was wrongwhen it ruled that thecase belonged in statecourt.Itsent the case back to the5th Circuit to applythe new standard.

Justice KetanjiBrown Jackson agreed Chevron shouldwin but wroteseparately to argue the majority read the law too broadly.In her view,federal contractors shouldhave to show adirect cause-and-effect relationship between their federalduties and what they are sued for. Chevron cleared that higher bar too, she concluded.

As JusticeClarence Thom-

Timeline of oiland gas lawsuits

as describedit, thelower court had sided with the parishesbecause the federal contract “did not specify how to obtain or produce crude oil.”The Supreme Court disagreed, finding astrong enough connection between producing crude oil and refining it into fuel for warplanes to justify hearing the case in federal court

But the court sought to put guardrails on the ruling, and stressedthat it wasdeciding only the specific case before it —one of 42 related cases —and notresolving whether the others belong in federal court

That leaves the door open for Carmouche and the parishes to argue that at least someofthe remaining Louisiana coastal lawsuits still belong in state court.

In his view,the ruling decided only one case. At most, he said, it could apply to 11 of the 42, which Carmouche called the “refinery cases.”

In those, thesame company both drilled thecrude oil and refined it intoaviation fuel

The others,hesaid, involved only drilling and crude-oil production,withnoconnectiontothe wartime refining work the Supreme Courtrelied on. Hall, theLSU law professor, said he thinks the ruling will reachbeyondthe 11 refinery cases.

Since lawsuits were first filed in 2013, oilcompanieshaveappealedthem to

July 2013: NewOrleans leveeauthority fileslawsuit seekingtorecoupdamages from oil firmsfor thedamagetheydid to coastalwetlands. Thelandmarklawsuit is the firstofits kind to seek restitutionfromoil companiesfor coastallandloss.

Nov. 2013: Plaquemines fileslawsuit,represented by Talbot,Carmouche and Marcello,against oilcompanies.They're immediately 'removed'tofederal court.

Dec. 2014: Federaljudge sendsPlaquemines lawsuitbacktostate court.

Feb. 2015: Afederal judgedismisses New Orleans' leveeauthority lawsuit.

Oct. 2017: TheSupreme CourtdeclinestohearappealonNew Orleans' levee authoritylawsuit,dealingita finalblow.

May2018: Oilcompanies appeal parish casestofederal courtfor asecondtime, alleging that oiland gasactivitywas conductedunder federaloversight during WWII May2019: Federaljudge sendsparishlawsuitsbacktostate courtfor asecond time.Oil companieswill appeal

Sept.2019: Talbot,Carmouche,and Marcello settle with oilcompany Freeport McMoRan for$100million

Aug. 2020: U.S. FifthCircuit Courtagain sendsthe parish lawsuits back to state court.

Aug. 2021: Oilcompanies appeal thecases to federalcourt fora thirdtime.

Dec. 2022: Afederal courtofappeals againdeterminesthe casesbelonginstate court.

Jan. 2023: Oilcompanies appeal ruling to theU.S.Supreme Court, whichdeclines to take thecase, settingthe stagefor thetrial in PlaqueminesParish. Dec. 2023: Oil firmssettlewithCameron Parish,the firstofthe 42 lawsuits to settle.Details of thesettlementare notmadepublic.

Mar.2025: Trialbeginsinone of thelawsuitsbrought by PlaqueminesParish, the firsttrial in the42cases filedsince 2013

“I don’tsee how theydistinguish it,” he saidofthe other cases where companiesboth drilled and had refineries.

‘Whattheydestroyed’

Carmouche said the case had already been triedonthe merits and “decidedbyajury of Plaquemines Parishresidents after hearing the over-

whelming evidenceofthe failurebythese companies to repairwhattheydestroyed.”

“The SupremeCourt hasdecidedthe people of Plaquemines did not have the right to makethis decision,” he added.“While we strongly disagree, we accept what the court hassaid.”

Even so, Carmouche said, he intends to fight to keep the remaining cases in state court while seeking settlements in the cases that can be resolved.

“We’re ready to open the coast forbusiness, and we can’topen it for business withthis cloudofliability and the cloud of contamination,” he said. “It’stime for resolution.”

For Mark Davis, aTulane environmentallaw professor,the bigger consequence isn’twhich courthouse hears the cases. It’sthe delay itself.

Louisiana courts have already found oilcompanies liable, he noted, and the ruling doesn’tchange that. But it pushes back the day any of that liabilityturns intomon-

ey for coastal restoration.

“Itwas agoodday fordelay,”Davis said, “and abad day for our coast.”

The case has been arare instance where Louisiana Republicans, including Landry and Murrill, have bucked the Trumpadministration and its energy-dominance agenda. Trump’sDepartment of Justice intervened on the side of the oil companies.

Plaquemines Parish President Keith Hinkleyechoed the willingness to settle.His parish has always been open to adeal,hesaid, as long as it’s largeenough to fix the damage he believes the oil companies caused. But he rejected theidea that the companies’ wartime role should exemptthem from their responsibility to clean up the coast.

“After World WarII, we spent alot of money in Europe helping rebuild those countries,” he said. “So, hey, federalgovernment, help us rebuild our coast here.”

Staff writer Jonah Meadows contributed to thisstory.

PHOTO

PERRy,THE LENS

Carmouche

Winds, reported tornadoes rip through Midwest

BY FREIDA FRISARO Associated Press

A trail of damaged homes and buildings dotted a wide swath of the U.S on Saturday after a burst of destructive winds and reported tornadoes tore off roofs, uprooted trees and rendered rural roads impassable with debris

No deaths were reported following Friday’s storms that barreled through the Upper Midwest and delivered the latest round of severe weather to batter the region. Officials braced residents for a long recovery in some rural communities.

“We are extremely fortunate that this storm did not result in loss of life or serious injury,” Stephenson County Sheriff Steve Stovall said of the storm that hit Lena, Illinois, on Friday

Officials in Wisconsin and Minnesota echoed those sentiments.

In central Wisconsin, a reported tornado that tore through the cities of Kronenwetter and Ringle left behind damaged homes and some residents briefly trapped in their basements, Ringle Fire Chief Chris Kielman told reporters.

Marathon County Sheriff Chad Billeb said he had not seen this much devastation during his 34 years in law enforcement.

“A lot of people are going to need a lot of help,” Billeb said of the Wisconsin storms.

In Kronenwetter, neighbors were helping each other clear debris from their

properties, and Wisconsin Public Service is working to restore power Police Chief Terry McHugh said Saturday that it could be a lengthy process.

He noted that the Community Foundation of North Central Wisconsin has partnered with United Way of Marathon County to help residents whose homes were damaged.

In Olmsted County, Minnesota, sheriff’s officials said tornadoes caused “multiple levels” of damage. At least 30 homes were damaged in Marion Township, with a number of those sustaining damage that was described as significant. Officials went door to door in the community to check on residents.

The National Weather Service said the damage was likely caused by tornadoes and that surveys of the affected areas would be conducted over the weekend.

On Friday in Illinois, Leo Zach, 14, had just gotten to

the high school band room for a music competition when the building started shaking and the power went out. He said the room was packed with students and some were very scared and had panic attacks.

“I’m definitely on the luckier side of how that could’ve happened,” he said. “I was just trying to stay calm, help other people.”

When they got outside, they found some of the windows blown out in the gym and part of the school’s roof ripped off.

Photos and video posted online showed a garage

totaled, bricks torn off of buildings and fences demolished.

Lena is a village of nearly 3,000 people, located about 117 miles northwest of Chicago. Rachel Nemon had been going to pick up her stepson from Lena’s middle school when she had to pull into a car wash to take cover from the storm. She watched a large tree get ripped from the ground and sparks fly feet in front of her

“This is something that you see online, not in real life, especially in a small town in Illinois,” she said.

vehicles from entering.

“This is not a peaceful protest,” Barrett said.

Wayne Hsiung, posted a picture of him being arrested.

Hundreds of activists try to storm Wisconsin beagle research facility Protesters met with rubber bullets, pepper spray

By The Associated Press

BLUE MOUNDS, Wis.

— About

1,000 animal welfare activists who tried to gain entry Saturday to a beagle breeding and research facility in Wisconsin were turned back by police who fired rubber bullets and pepper spray into the crowd and arrested the group’s leader It was the second attempt in as many months by protesters to take beagles from the Ridglan Farms facility in Blue Mounds, a small town about 25 miles southwest of the capital, Madison.

Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett, said in a video statement that 300 to 400 protesters were “violently trying to break into the property” and assault officers.

He said protesters have ignored designated areas for peaceful protest and blocked roads to prevent emergency

The sheriff’s department said a “significant” number of people were arrested out of about 1,000 protesters at the site but did not give an exact total as they were still being processed as of the afternoon.

Protesters tried to overcome barricades that included a manure-filled trench, hay bales and a barbed-wire fence. Some protesters did get through the fence but were unable to enter the facility, where an estimated 2,000 beagles are kept, the Wisconsin State Journal reported.

“I just feel defeated,” activist Julie Vrzeski told the newspaper about three hours into the operation after no dogs had been successfully seized.

Activists later moved from the Ridglan facility to protest outside the jail in downtown Madison.

The group Coalition to Save the Ridglan Dogs had publicized plans to seize the dogs Sunday but launched its operation a day earlier The X account of the group’s leader,

The sheriff’s department said a person who “recklessly” drove a pickup through the front gate of the property was arrested, “preventing a potentially deadly outcome.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By RACHEL NEMON

Debris is strewn around Friday in Lena, Ill., after a major storm struck the area.

Acity bracing for painful school closures. All are symptoms of the same chronic condition: Across Louisiana, public schools are losing students at astark and accelerating rate as families leave the state, the number of births plummets and interest in alternative schooling booms.

This school year,enrollment fell in more than 90% of school districts, leaving the state with 11,000 fewer students than the year before, according to a Times-Picayune |Advocate analysis of state data, which showed statewide enrollmentdeclines in nine of the past 10 years.

The state’spublic schools have lost astaggering 60,000 students over the past decade —enough to fill 850 school buses or 3,000 classrooms.

Nearly 100 schools across Louisianahaveclosed since 2020, when the pandemic turbocharged enrollment declines, according to a state tally.More closures and cutbacks are likely as schoolscontinuetoshed students.

Public school enrollment has slipped nationwide, but the decline is especially steepinLouisiana, which has one of the country’s highest out-migration rates. Louisiana’sstudent count plunged by 7% over adecade, more than three times the nationwide rate of decline, according to the latestavailable federal data from2024. By contrast, enrollment heldsteady or increased in most other Southern states, including 4% growth in Florida and 6% in Texas.

Louisiana’spublic schools, which enrolled just under 666,000 students this fall, are not the only ones struggling. Enrollment alsois down at private and parochial schools, whichlost about 9% of students over the past decade,despite their popularity in heavily Catholic south Louisiana.

“These enrollment declinesseem to be here to stay in Louisiana,” said Maggie Cicco, aresearch fellow at GeorgetownUniversity’s Edunomics Lab, which studies education finance across the country.“It’sreally up to districts how they’re going to respond to this new reality.”

Yetafew new school types are growing.The number of homeschooledstudents in Louisiana soared by 70% overthe past decade, while enrollmentatunregulated private schools, including trendy “microschools,” has surged by 30%justsince 2023, according to state data. And within the shrinking pool of public school students, more are choosing charter schools. The independently operated public schools now enrollabout 98,000 students, up 65% from 2013. Taken together,these trends have created an existential crisis for traditional public schools. Louisiana bases public school budgets on enrollment numbers: Fewer students lead to fewer dollars,even as insurance and other costs rise. Federal COVID-19 relief dollars that once helped to plug budget holes are long gone. Many districts have tried to woo families with new offerings —Assumption Parish Schools, for example, starteda virtual academy— but it’srarely been enough to offset the losses. Instead, underenrolled schoolsend up cutting programsand positions. When that’sstill not enough, schools shutter For most school systems, the declines show no sign of letting up.

“I don’tsee any daylight on the horizon,”said Assumption ParishSchool Board member Honoray Lewis.

Enrollmentlossbringscuts

Much of Louisianais shrinking: 70% of parishes saw their populations go down last year,according to census data. Old-timers likeLewis get used to seeing people leave communities in areas that have long been on the downswing, like

SeventhgraderAprieonna Herbertmakes her wayhomeafter getting off the school busin Belle Rose on Tuesday.

Nearly every school systemhas lost students since2015

havelostabout

of theirstudentsfrom2015to2025, butsomeschoolsystems sawevensteeper enrollmentdeclines.

“We’re trying to run the same system with $4 millionless,” he said. “Whatdo youcut? Youcut personnel. Youcut programs. Youcut experiencesfor kids.”

Confrontingthe crisis

School district leaders face no easyanswers as they grappleover classrooms thinning out while bills pile up.Two main schools of thought have emergedabout the best path forward.

One camp says public schoolsmust compete in an increasingly crowded education marketplace.

Stokes has taken that tack: Herdistrict putupa billboard ad and brought in a videographer to promote Grant Parish schools on social media. Michael Hefner, ademographer whoworks with Louisiana school systems, arguesthatdistricts facing enrollment declines should play offense —creating specializedmagnet schoolsorcareer education programs, forexample —rather than simply scale back.

schools couldn’tafford, he explained during apublic meeting.

But parents expressed concerns about the long commute and putting middle schoolers on the same campus as older teens. Before the board voted 6-3 in favorofthe consolidation in January 2025, Dennis Landry,alocal business owner and formerSchool Board member,warned that some parents would pull theirchildren outofthe public schools.

“Whenyou talkabout just reducing staffing, consolidating, that helps youwith your current situation,” he said, but it won’t“change the trajectory of the crisis.”

“If yougowiththe plan,” he said, “you have to realize the consequences of that.” Newoptions emerge Yellowschool busesbegan traversing Assumption Parish last August, driving seventh andeighthgraders past theshuttered middle schools to the sprawling high school campus, home of the Mustangs andthe Sugarland Marching Band. Some parentsremained skeptical, but Aprieonna Herbert was happy to say goodbye to the rundown Belle Rose Middle School building. Nottomention, she nowhas accesstohigh school courseslike computer scienceand agriculture.

Many school boards favor that approach, with some giving superintendentsbonuses if they boost enrollment. By contrast, boards that try to shrink their districts are likely to face blowback.

“It’sgood,” she said. “I just don’tlike getting up early.”

Yeteven as the district contracted, enrollment kept sinking. This fall, Assumption schools had 170 fewer students than the year before,a 6% decline. (Statewide enrollment fell 1.6% year over year.)

Vernon Travis, alongtime Vernon Parish School Board member, recallsbeing told years ago not to say the word “consolidation” if he wanted to be reelected. In rural communities, he explained, schools and churches are sacrosanct.

“You messwith either one of them,” he said, “you got a fight on your hands.”

Enrollment by school type

Belle Rose Middle School in Assumption Parish wasshut down last year.Seventh and eighth gradestudents noware bused to thehigh school campus.

Louisiana’straditional public andprivate schoolsloststudents over thepastdecade. Meanwhile, public charterschools, homeschoolsand unregulatedprivate schools(including “microschools”)are gaininglotsofnew students

Source:Louisiana

Assumption. Arural parish that sits southofBaton Rouge in the heart of“Bayou Country,” Assumption is known forits abundant sugar cane fields and strong Cajunroots but notfor athriving local economy.Its populationhas slid nearly 15% since 2010 as somefamiliesuproot in search of jobs.Lewis’ adult niece and nephew were among them.

“Theypacked up,” he said, “and they took eight kids total with them.”

Louisianawas theonly Southern state in recent years to lose more residents than it gained. Allison Plyer,chief demographer at The Data Center in New Orleans, said thatisprimarily due to the state’sweak economy “If there are not jobs here, families can’tmovehere,”

shesaid. State leadershaverecentlyannounced several bigeconomicdevelopment projects, including a$10 billiondatacenterand a Hyundaisteel mill, that are expected to create hundreds of new jobs. Yetdemographers note that not everyprojectboosts thelocal population —orschool enrollment. In Plaquemines Parish, construction of a massive new liquefied naturalgas facility brought in thousands of temporary workers, yet theschool districtcontinued to lose students. Meanwhile, as theU.S. birthratehitsanall-time low,the number of births in Louisiana has fallen to its lowest level in decades.And international immigration, which helped mitigatesome population lossinLouisiana,

is expected to dwindledue to the immigration crackdown from President Donald Trump’sadministration.

An influx of Hispanic students, including some recent immigrants, had been themainsourceof growthfor some districts. Thegroup balloonedby 80% over the past decade, adding an average of 3,800 students annually, accordingtostate data —until this school year,when their numbers dippedfor thefirst time in recentmemory

“Declining birth rate plus immigration enforcement equals significant loss of students,” said Olin Parker, an Orleans Parish School Board member

When school districts losestudents, they also lose money.State aid, which is allocated based on enrollment, is the main funding source forschools in poorer communities with limited local tax revenue.

Even minor enrollment declines can be destabilizing. Grant Parishlost 146 students over theprevious twoschool years, deprivingthe small, rural district in northLouisiana of about$1.2million in state funding. Yetits expenses remained largely thesame duetofixedcosts likeutility bills and school buses.

To make up the difference, the districthas pinched pennies wherever it can, saidSuperintendent Erin Stokes. Next school year,she plans to cutstaff at almost every school.

“Believeme,” she said, “weare bare bonesover here.”

Thebudgetcrunch is even more dire in Assumption, whereschoolenrollment plunged30% over thepast decade—one of the steepest declines of any district.

Superintendent JohnBarthelemy warned in aFebruary 2024 School Board meetingthatthe decline hadsharply reduced how muchmoney the district would get from thestate. Thedistrictwas forced to postpone building repairs, lay off employees and rotate support staffers, like nursesand instructional coaches, among schools.

Yetothers say that trying to winback families is alosing battle. School district marketingcampaigns are unlikelytokeep families from moving if they can’t find local jobs, criticssay Andinvestments in specialized programs don’talways payoff. The Lafayette Parish School Board, for example, ended aChinese-language magnet program in 2024 that cost about $510,000 annually butonlyenrolled 62 students.

“By andlarge,districts have already tried recapturing their students, and it hasn’tworked,” said Parker, the OrleansParish School Boardmember who, in his work as aconsultant, advises other school districts on enrollment issues.

Some education analysts say district leaders need to accept the reality of reduced enrollment and start downsizing.Theyshouldstart by shrinking thelabor force, strategicallycuttingunnecessary positions rather than relying on attrition, said Cicco, the research fellow at Edunomics Lab.

Then they should consider closing underenrolled schools, which costmore perstudent to operateand oftenofferfewer enrichment classes and extracurriculars, she said.Trying to avoid layoffs andclosures can backfire, Cicco added.

“It gets delayed, delayed, delayed,” she said, “and then it becomesthisbig, overwhelming, unpopular, disruptive change.”

Communities often fight school closures.InLafayette, aresident sued last month to stop the shuttering of Comeaux High School, prompting the School Board to rescindanearlier vote to close the school. It was the district’s second attempt to closeComeaux: The board scrapped initialplans to close it in 2024 after public outcry.InNew Orleans, the board voted to keep the Leah Chase School open after communitymembersdonatedmoney to fill abudget hole caused by lowenrollment.

In Assumption, Superintendent Barthelemytried to preemptany backlash to the middle school consolidation. Relocating seventh and eighth graders to aseparate building on the high school campus would cut costs and give students access to resources —honors classes, school counselors, aband and robotics program that their separate middle

While some families are leaving the area, others are opting out of traditional education. Assumption had nearly 100 registered homeschool students last school year,an80% increase from five years earlier.(The state hasn’treleased homeschool data for this year.) During the same period, enrollment fell 13% at the local private school, St. Elizabeth, according to state data. LaurenDaigle Talbot isn’t surprised.

Theformer accountant and mother of two previouslytaught at St.Elizabeth and the now-closed Napoleonville Middle School. She noticed commonproblems: anxious kids taking too manytests, stressed teachers struggling to meet dozens of students’ unique needs. At the sametime,she saw more parents seriously consider homeschooling, which exploded in popularity nationwide during the pandemic. Last year,she decided to create aspace for families desperately seeking anew approach to education

“This kind of fell into place,” she said, “when thingswerereallystarting to crumble everywhere.” The Anchor Learning Center is similar to theprivate “microschools” cropping up in Louisiana —and across the country —that mostly cater to homeschool familiesand are notregulated or monitored by the state.By 2024, such schools enrolled about 34,000 students in Louisiana, more than doubling their pre-pandemic count. (The Anchor is not registered as aschool of anykind, acting instead as aprivate serviceprovider.)

Most families send their children to Talbot’scenterfourhalf-days aweek, where the students take online classes,get help from Talbot or her colleagues when they need it andsocialize with other kids. Parents choose thecurriculum, which might comefrom a virtualcharter school or a Christian publisher.

Talbot had hoped to sign up 10 students when she opened the Anchor in Napoleonville in August, but demand was so strong she soon launched asecond site in nearby Pierre Part. She even inquired aboutrenting one of the shuttered middle schools, but wastold the building wasn’tavailable The Anchor now serves 56 students, Talbot said. Nearly all of them are registered homeschoolers who previously attendedpublic school “People arewaking up, she said. “Theyare realizing that just because it’s alwaysbeen thisway,it doesn’thave to continue to be.”

STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

STAFF PHOTO By BRETTDUKE

Venezuela’s Machado draws huge crowd in Madrid

Nobel laureate rebuffs meeting

Spain’s PM

BY SUMAN NAISHADHAM Associated Press

MADRID Venezuela’s ex-

iled opposition leader María Corina Machado drew several thousand supporters

Saturday to a rally in Madrid, where the Nobel laureate declined a meeting with Spain’s progressive Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on a multicountry European tour

Sánchez, an outspoken critic of U.S. President Donald Trump, was hosting a summit of like-minded progressive leaders from around the world Saturday, while Machado extolled Trump’s ouster of Nicolás Maduro in January.

Earlier this year, she presented Trump with her Nobel Peace Prize.

“What happened in the last few hours at the meeting (Sánchez) held in Barcelona with several leaders and political figures from different countries demonstrates why such a meeting was not

advisable,” Machado told reporters Saturday Machado insisted at an earlier event she will be returning to Venezuela, but declined to say when, or how and acknowledged the challenges implicit in a return to her country

Her multistep European tour, during which she met with the leaders of France, Italy and the Netherlands, comes while Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodríguez has continued in her temporary role, exceeding its initial 90-day limit, while the U.S. government has lifted some sanctions against her Machado criticized Rodríguez’s government, saying it represented “chaos, violence and terror,” and reiterated her belief in the need for democratic elections in Venezuela. Machado added she did not regret presenting Trump, whose administration has largely sidelined the crusader for democracy with her Nobel. She said she was in permanent contact with officials in the Trump administration and trusted Washington’s phased process in Venezuela

since Maduro’s removal.

“There is one leader in the world, one head of state, who has risked the lives of his country’s citizens for the freedom of Venezuela And that is Donald Trump,” Machado said, referring to the U.S. military operation in January

Peru’s interim president defers

$3.5 billion

By The Associated Press

LIMA,

Peru Peruvian in-

President José María

terim

Balcázar has deferred the decision to purchase 24 fighter jets valued at $3.5 billion to his successor who will emerge after a runoff in the country’s presidential election.

Balcázar announced the decision in an interview with RPP local radio station on Friday evening. His transitional government, which began in February, is set to end in July. Peru is

fighter jet purchase

holding a presidential runoff on June 7.

The interim leader said the new government will have “full legitimacy to decide” whether to acquire the F-16 Block 70 fighter jets manufactured by the United States-based Lockheed Martin.

“For us to commit such a large sum of money to the incoming government would be a poor practice for a transitional government,” Balcázar said Peruvians voted for president on Sunday No candi-

date received enough support to win outright, and electoral authorities have not yet announced the two candidates who will advance to the runoff contest as they continue to count votes.

Conservative former congresswoman Keiko Fujimori has assured her spot in June’s ballot after taking the top slot among 35 presidential hopefuls. But the tight race for second and third place could take weeks to finalize.

The runoff winner will take office on July 28.

The opposition leader drew a huge crowd in the Spanish capital’s Puerta del Sol, standing beside Madrid’s conservative regional leader Isabel Díaz Ayuso, who feted her earlier in the day

Some 600,000 Venezuelans live in Spain, home to the largest population anywhere

outside the Americas. Many fled political persecution and violence, but also the country’s collapsing economy A majority live in the capital, Madrid.

Ahead of Venezuela’s 2024 presidential elections, Machado crisscrossed the country, rallying millions

of voters looking to end 25 years of single party rule. When she was barred from the race, a previously unknown former diplomat, Edmundo Gonzalez, replaced her on the ballot But election officials loyal to the ruling party declared Maduro the winner despite ample credible evidence to the contrary

Machado, revered by millions in Venezuela, went into hiding but vowed to continue fighting until democracy was restored. She reemerged last December to pick up her Nobel Peace Prize in Norway, the first time in more than a decade that she had left Venezuela. On Saturday, 27-year-old Venezuelan migrant Grehlsy Peñuela said she still placed her hopes for her country in Machado and her eventual return to Caracas.

Peñuela, who held signs with the faces of her two cousins she said remain incarcerated in Caracas as political prisoners, would consider returning to Venezuela only under one condition.

“That the current government completely steps down,” she said.

U.S. sanctions 3 people, 2 companies over allegedly recruiting mercenaries in Sudan war

BY SAMY MAGDY Associated Press

CAIRO The U.S. imposed sanctions on three people and two firms over allegedly recruiting and deploying Colombian mercenaries to fight alongside the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in Sudan’s war, which has entered its fourth year with no end in sight.

The sanctions, announced by the Department of Treasury late Friday, were the latest by the United States on the RSF, which have been at war against the Sudanese military since April 2023.

The group has been accused by rights groups of atrocities amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity during the war which created the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.

The RSF was born out of feared Arab Janjaweed militias, notorious for atrocities in the early 2000s against people identifying as East or Central African in Sudan’s western region of Darfur

The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control said the sanctioned individuals and firms were involved in

“recruiting and deploying former Colombian military personnel to Sudan to fight on behalf of the RSF.” They include a Bogota, Colombia-based employment agency, Fénix, which was established last year as a replacement of another firm, A4SI, that the U.S. sanctioned in December also for aiding the RSF Both firms were founded by Alvaro Andres Quijano Becerra, a retired Colombian military officer, and his wife. They are also on a Sudan-related sanctions list, according to the Treasury’s statement.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MANU FERNANDEZ

Venezuela’s opposition leader Maria Corina Machado holds a Venezuelan flag on stage in front of supporters on Saturday at Madrid’s Puerta del Sol, in Madrid, Spain.

Indiana primary to test Trump’s control over GOP

but she does not trust them.

BY THOMAS BEAUMONT Associated Press

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The only thing standing between President Donald Trump and his revenge on Indiana state senators are people like Julie Wise.

She’s 48 years old, works at a hospital, describes herself as a conservative and voted for Trump in the last election. But that doesn’t mean she’s going to vote out her Republican state senator just because he defied the president’s demand to redraw Indiana’s congressional map.

“I’m not going to say that ‘because this is what the president wants, this is how I’m going to vote,’ ” Wise said from her front step on a sunny, springtime afternoon.

Indiana’s primary on May 5 has become an unlikely test of Trump’s grip on the Republican Party. After state senators defied White House pressure by opposing redistricting, Trump has endorsed seven primary challengers in races that rarely attract any attention from Washington.

The campaign, backed by national organizations such as Turning Point Action and pro-Trump groups that have spent more than $4.2 million on advertising, has no precedent in recent memory Gov. Mike Braun and U.S. Sen Jim Banks, both Republicans, are also working against incumbent state senators in a display of deference to Trump.

One of their targets is Spencer Deery, a first-term state senator who knocked on Wise’s door while canvassing her West Lafayette neighborhood via electric scooter

“This is about one thing only,” he told The Associated Press. “And that’s control.”

Avalanche of spending

Deery represents the 23rd Senate District, a sevencounty swath of farmland that borders Illinois to the west, runs north to West Lafayette and touches the outskirts of Terre Haute to the south.

Four years ago, Deery’s campaign spent $142,000 to win his seat in a race where fewer than 11,000 people voted One of the primary candidates he defeated was Paula Copenhaver, a veteran Republican activist and local party chair

Now Trump has endorsed Copenhaver, an aide to Lt. Gov Micah Beckwith, and Deery is facing a nearly $1 million avalanche of spending One television advertisement declared that “State Sen. Spencer Deary voted against President Trump’s agenda.”

“It’s about sending a message that any state that does not get in line or any lawmakers that do not get in line with the political forces in D.C. should be on the lookout,” Deery said. “That should concern you in a constitutional democracy.”

Deery has spent $167,000 so far, and he hasn’t had any help from outside groups.

A Trump-backed opponent

Copenhaver declined to respond to telephone calls and text messages from The Associated Press after originally saying she was willing to discuss the campaign.

Trump endorsed her in January by calling her a “MAGA Warrior” — a reference to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement — and “a terrific Candidate for Indiana’s 23rd State Senate District.”

He wrote on social media that Copenhaver was “running against an incompetent and ineffective RINO incumbent named Spencer Deery who, for whatever reason, betrayed his voters by voting against Redistricting in Indiana.” RINO means “Republican in name only.”

The White House leaned heavily on Indiana lawmakers last year to break with precedent and adopt a new congressional map, part of an unusual nationwide

cascade of redistricting that Trump hopes will help Republicans protect their thin U.S. House majority in November’s elections Vice President JD Vance met with Indiana politicians in Washington and Indianapolis, and Trump weighed in by conference call.

Some opponents of the pro posal faced threats. Deery was targeted by a false police report intended to provoke a dangerous situation by send ing a SWAT team racing to his home.

But the Republican-con trolled state Senate voted against redistricting in De cember, a defeat for the president Trump tried to brush it off afterward, telling reporters in the Oval Office that “I wasn’t working on it very hard.”

The campaign trail

The 47-year-old who calls herself “libertarian on the conservative side,” spoke with the state senator at the end of her cul-de-sac.

She voted for Trump but wrinkled her brow when asked if the president should have a say in Indiana’s congressional map.

“He doesn’t necessarily know what’s going on within our state. He’s not here. He doesn’t see the day to day,” she said.

Governor allied with Trump

The campaign to oust incumbents is also intended to dislodge Indiana Senate President Pro Tem Rodrick Bray, who helped block redistricting and has faced criticism from Trump.

Bray is not up for reelection this year but Braun wanted primary challengers to commit to opposing him as Senate leader, according

to three people familiar with the demand. The people were not authorized to publicly discuss private conversations and spoke on condition of anonymity

Trump political aides said they were monitoring the campaigns. Representatives for Banks, the U.S. senator allied with the White House, did not return messages seeking comment.

Braun, the Republican governor, said he is backing the primary challengers not because of redistricting but because he needs help to advance his agenda. For example, he was at odds with Bray over property taxes earlier in his term.

Braun is putting $500,000 from his political action committee into state senate races.

“Whether you supported this or that, my goal is to get enterprising senators and representatives,” Braun said

Monday “So when it comes to what you do to either support or not support certain legislators, for me, it’s going to mostly based on, ‘Are you willing to help me take Indiana into places that all states would want to be?’”

One of Braun’s predecessors is working against him in the primary Former Gov Mitch Daniels Daniels, a Republican who stepped away from politics after leaving office in 2015, has been quietly working to protect incumbents targeted by Trump. Daniels recorded a video and helped raise money for Deery, who was chief of staff to the former governor when he became president of Purdue University Deery said his vote against redistricting was not about defying Trump or the president’s allies.

“I don’t work for them,” Deery said. “I work for my voters, my constituents.”

As Deery moved from door to door in the neatly manicured suburb at the edge of a clover field in northwest West Lafayette, a pair of motorcyclists out on a Saturday ride stopped to encourage him.

“I wanted to thank you for having the courage to vote against the redistricting,” one of them said.

Annette and Curtis Williams politely chatted with Deery at their door Curtis said Trump’s threat to unseat Deery is “inappropriate.” Neither he nor his wife would say how they planned to vote.

Beckie Eikenberg, a quality assurance associate at an Indiana pharmaceutical company, has seen the advertisements targeting Deery,

U.S., Cuban officials meet recently in Havana amid new diplomatic push

BY MATTHEW LEE

AP diplomatic writer

WASHINGTON An American delegation recently met with Cuban government officials in the island nation, marking a renewed diplomatic push even as U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to intervene and Cuba’s leader said this week that his country is prepared to fight if that should happen.

A senior State Department official met with the grandson of retired Cuban leader Raúl Castro last week dur-

ing the trip, according to a department official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke Friday on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter The official did not say who from the U.S. met with Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez Castro, whose grandfather is believed to play an influential role in the Cuban government despite not holding an official post. A second U.S. official said Secretary of State Marco Rubio was not part of the delegation that visited Havana

U.S. officials have previously said Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants and a longtime Cuba hawk, met the younger Castro in the Caribbean island nation of St. Kitts and Nevis in February

During last week’s extraordinary diplomatic push, which was reported earlier by Axios, the U.S. delegation urged Cuba to make major changes to its economy and way of governing because it would not let the island nation become a national security threat in the region, the State Department official said.

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ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By DOUG MCSCHOOLER

Julie Wise, 48, speaks with Indiana state Sen. Spencer Deery, R-West Lafayette, who represents District 23, as he canvasses a neighborhood on April 11 in West Lafayette, Ind

LOUISIANAPOLITICS

Johnson, Scalisecontinuetoleanontax cuts

They’re fighting to keep theirmajority in Congress

WASHINGTON —Usually April 15 is greeted with frowns,ifnot outright dread. But for Republicans, notsothis year.

“What abeautiful day it is in America. Isn’tthis agreat day?” House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, said Wednesday He was referring to TaxDay rather than the cloudless blue skies.

Mark Ballard

Scalise spoke at anews conference on the Capitol steps for Republicans to tout tax breaks from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law July 4.

Scalise and his GOP colleagues say millions of taxpayers saved money on OBBBA features like exemptions for sometips, overtime, state and local taxes, increased deductions for seniors, interest on certain car loans, and more.

“I’ve heard from Louisianans throughout our great statewho are getting bigger refunds, helping them plan avacation, save for their children, investmore, or cover day-to-day expenses,” Scalise said.

The GOP sees the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which Republicans have rebranded as theWorking Family TaxCut, as their most significant legislative win during the roughly two years holdingthe majority in the House and Senate. Their governing dominance is threatened in November’scongressional midterms —Louisiana’sparty primaries are May 16

Johnson, Cassidy,respond to Trump feud with pope

Some members of Louisiana’s Congressional delegation weighed in this week after President Donald Trump picked apublic feud with Pope Leo XIV for opposing Trump’sdecision to go to war with Iran.

—aspollsshow votersare souringonother GOP policies,such as aggressiveimmigrant deportations, tariffs, andawar with Iran that is drivingupprices.

“While Republicans are cutting taxes for families forlower-and middle-classhardworking Americans, Democrats are trying to raise those taxes,” House Speaker MikeJohnson,R-Benton, said at the news conference.

He later released statements from accountants in his district, listing only their first names and parish.

Forinstance,RandyofBeauregard Parish said:“Waiters and

er can say anythingthey want, butobviously, if you wade into political waters, Ithink you should expect some political response, andIthink thepope’sreceived some of that,” Johnson said.

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, had adifferent response.

waitresses with tips, employees from industrial plants with overtime —all are experiencing a much lower tax burden, which is allowing their hard-earned dollars to flow back to them. The OBBBA and its tax provisions are delivering as promised!”

The White House reported Thursday that the average refund of more than $3,400 is 11% higher than last year.Roughly 70% of filers received refunds, up from 62% last year

Six million taxpayers claimed “No TaxonTips”; 25 million used the“No TaxonOvertime”; and theincreased standard deduction

Bill requiring police to be citizens passes House Green cardholdersinLouisiana could soon be barred from becoming cops after abill to require police officers to be United States citizens passed theHouse.

was available to about 30 million seniors, according to the White House.

In total, about 53 million taxpayers used at least one of OBBBA benefits, the White House says.

That’sabout 45% of people filing taxes by April 15.

Perhaps that helps explain apoll that found 38% of taxpayers said they didn’tnotice adifference from last year and about 25% said thenew law increased their tax liability,according to asurvey by Bipartisan Policy Center, aWashington-based think tank founded in 2007 by Democratic and Republican senators.

forcement agencies in Louisiana, suchasthe Baton Rouge Police Department and Louisiana State Police, already require citizenship.

HB39 passed the House in a6524 vote, with 16 members absent. It needs Senate approval before it can head to Gov.Jeff Landry’s desk.

Other polls also show sometaxpayers are lukewarm despite the Republican tax breaks.

About 59% of those surveyed in April by The Economist and YouGovsaid they felt the economy wasgetting worse. AFoxNews poll counted 70% of voters saying taxes are too high —59% in aseparate Gallup poll, the worse numbers since the 1990s.

Part of the reason could be aslight disconnect between rhetoric and reality.Ingeneral, President Donald Trumpand his Republican allies claim “no tax” on revenues from tips, overtime and forseniors. But the new law isn’t“no tax,” it’salower tax burden forsome people meeting certain conditions, such as incomelimitations. For instance, taxpayers taking advantage of the “NoTax on Tips” provision can only deduct “qualified” tips up to $25,000 if an individual’sgross incomeisless than $150,000. Qualified meansworking in abusiness that relied on tips to augment wages in 2024 and the deduction only applies to tips leftvoluntarily by the customer That meansservice fees, which are increasingly included on bills, don’tqualify.

Still, there’snodenying many taxpayers saw relief under OBBBA.

“They came up with anew name foritbecause they didn’tlike the old name, but Ikind of like the old name,” Sen. John Kennedy, R-Madisonville, said on the Senate floor.“The average American whonormally gets arefund and who’salready filing is going to get an extra —what works out to be an extra —$250 to $300 amonth, so that’sgoing to help them deal with the higher prices.”

Email Mark Ballardat mballard@theadvocate.com.

up to 75% of the payments —up from 25%. Recipients would have 180 days to use the money,which is up from 60 days in the current law.The bill also would include wildfires, even when started by arsonists, mistakes or other manmadecauses but spread because of weather conditions.

“Leo’sWeak on Crime,Weak on Nuclear Weapons, does not sit well with me, nor does the fact that he meets with Obama Sympathizers,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Leo should get his act together as Pope, use Common Sense,stop catering to theRadical Left.”

Pope Leo responded that he’s not frightenedofTrump.

“I will continue to speak out strongly againstwar,seeking to promote peace, promotingdialogue and multilateralismamong states to find solutions to problems,” he said.

On Tuesday,House Speaker Mike Johnson, aRepublican from the Shreveport area,told reporters he was “taken aback” bycomments the pope made about the military operations in Iran

“A pontiff or any religious lead-

“PopeLeo is agood man,” said Cassidy.“He has aprayer in which he prays for usthrough friendship to have better relations, andupon better relations, otherwise decreased strife in our society.”

Capitol Buzz STAFF REPORTS Trump

Both Johnson and Cassidyalso said they were glad Trump deleted a TruthSocial post with an image that appeared to portray him as Jesus.

“I talked to the president about it as soon as Isaw it and told him Idon’tthink it wasbeing received in the same way he intended it

He agreed andhepulled it down.

That was the rightthing to do,” said Johnson, adevout Southern Baptist.

Cassidysaid heunderstands why some were “deeply offended”bythe post

“I’m glad he deleted it. I thinkhefounditwrong,” Cassidy said.

“This bill is simply saying to arrest, detain, search, potentially use lethal force against American citizens,it’sappropriatethat you be an American citizen,” state Rep. Gabe Firment,R-Pollock, who sponsored House Bill 39, said on the House floor Wednesday

The measure exemptsnoncitizens who already work as officers, giving themuntil 2031 to get citizenship if theywant to keep their jobs.

Democrats pushed back against the bill, arguing that noncitizens can serve in themilitary.They alsocontended therewas no real problem withthe behavior of noncitizen police officers.

State Rep. Terry Landry Jr., DBatonRouge, noted that many police departments areunderstaffed and asked Firment whether the law would hurt recruitment efforts. Firment said he did not think it would, and that some law en-

House approves Letlow farmingbill

The U.S. House approved abill sponsored by Rep. Julia Letlow, R-Baton Rouge, that helps farmers and foresters impacted by natural disasters.

On a395-10 vote, the House approved Tuesday the“Emergency Conservation Program ImprovementAct.”

The measure would provide nonindustrial forest landowners with advance emergency payments following natural disasters, rather than requiring them to pay upfront and wait for reimbursement. It also enables livestock producers to receive upfront support to cover critical repair and recovery costs.

The bills would allow farmers, ranchers, andnonindustrial privateforest landowners to receive

In recent years, wildfires burned over 60,000 acres of Louisiana forests, causing evacuations and severe damage to timber operations and surrounding agricultural activity

House bill addresses doctorsand AI

Doctors and other health care providers in Louisiana may soon need to disclose when they use AI to transcribe recordings of patient visits.

Ameasure to require them to do so, House Bill 475 by state Rep. Stephanie Berault, R-Slidell, easily passed the House on Tuesday in a97-0 vote. An earlier version of the bill would have required patient consent forAItranscription, but Berault amended the measure on the House floor HB475 is part of aslew of bills that aim to grapple with the rising use of AI technologies. Many have been put on ice amid resistance from President Donald Trump’sadministration.

Firment

Letlow

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, and fellowRepublicans celebrate GOP tax policies at an event outside the Capitol in Washington on April15.

Record droughtsparksconcerns

Officialsworried about fires, watersupply andfoodprices

BY SETH BORENSTEIN AP science writer

Drought in the contiguous United States has reached record levels for this time of year,weather data shows. Meteorologists said it’sabad sign forthe upcoming wildfire season, food prices and western water issues

More than 61% of the Lower48states is in moderate to exceptional drought —including 97% of the Southeast and two-thirdsof the West —according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. It’sthe highest levelsfor this time of year since the droughtmonitor began in 2000.

The National Oceanic and AtmosphericAdministration’scomprehensive Palmer Drought Severity Index not only hit its highest level for March since records started

in 1895, but last monthwas the third-driest month recorded regardless of time of year.Ittrailed only the famed Dust Bowl months of Julyand August 1934

Becauseofrecordheat, much of the West has had exceptionally low levels of snow in the first few months of theyear,which is usually how the region stores water for the summer. Adifferent drought —connected to the jet stream keeping storms further north —has put the South fromTexas allthe way to the East Coast into aseparate drought that just happens to coincide with what’s going oninthe West, said Brian Fuchs, aclimatologist with the National Drought Mitigation Center It wouldtake19inchesof raininone month to break the drought in eastern Texas and more than afoot of rain to solve the deficit for most of theSoutheast, NOAA calculated

“Right now 61% of the country is in drought and that’ssteadily been going up for the calendar year,” Fuchs

said. “Wejusthaven’tseen too manysprings where this amount of the country has been in this kind of shape.”

Sticking out like asore thumb is ahighly technical but crucial measurement of “the sponginess” of the atmosphere —orhow much moisturethe hot,dry airis sucking up from the land it’s baking. It’scalled vapor pressure deficit. It’s77% above normal and morethan 25% higherthan the previous record for Januarythrough Marchinthe West, said UCLA hydroclimatologist ParkWilliams.

That level of moisturesucking from theground “wouldn’thave appeared possible” before now, Williams said.

Drought usually peaks in summer,not spring, and that’swhatworries meteorologists.

“Fire tends to respond to heat and drought in an exponential manner,”Williams said. “For each degree of warming, youget abigger bang in terms of firethan you gotfrom the previousdegree

of warming.” In Arizona,cactuses are blooming months early and theworry about water has already started, said Kathy Jacobs, director of theCenterfor ClimateAdaptation Science and Solutions at the UniversityofArizona “Those of us whoare dependent on the Colorado River, of course, are very concerned about thefact that we don’thavea negotiated path forward in themiddle of what appearstobepossibly the worst year of drought that we’veall experienced,” Jacobs said. “Wehave lots of reservoirs that arenot full.”

Yale Climate Connections meteorologistJeff Masters said his biggest concernis what drought will do to agricultureand then food prices. If America has apoor crop year because of the drought, it could be aglobal problem.

Astrongnatural El Nino

weather oscillation is predicted, which often reduces crop yieldinother places across theglobe,suchasIndia.

UCLA’s Williams said the drought and hotter weather aredrivenbyboth naturalvariability andhumancausedclimate change with randomness aslightly bigger factor

“All weather is now affected by climate change,” Arizona’s Jacobssaid. “There is no such thing as weather that’sdivorced from climate trends. But thisextreme event is extremeinthe way that we’ve been expecting: extremeheat waves, intense drought.”

in abreach of tradition.

BY JOSEPH WILSON Associated Press

BARCELONA, Spain With afew choice words anda handshake, Mexican President ClaudiaSheinbaum laid to rest adiplomatic spat between her government and Spain over the Spanish colonial past during her visit to Barcelona on Saturday

“There is no diplomatic crisis, there never was one,” she said upon arrival at the IV Meeting in Defenseof Democracy,agathering of representatives of 15 countries concernedwith the rise of illiberalism.

“The importantthing is to recognize theefforts of the indigenous people of our land,” she said, moments before shaking hands with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. Sheinbaum’s participation came after Spain’sKing Felipe VI ironed out along-

standing diplomatic dispute when in March hepublicly acknowledged the conquest of the Americas hadled to the “abuse” of native peoples.

Theinternational tussle started in 2019, when Sheinbaum’s predecessor,Andrés ManuelLópez Obrador, demandedthat Spain“publicly andofficially”recognize the abuses committed during the conquest of Mexico in aletter sent to the Spanish king and Pope Francis.

Spainrefused to do so which soured relations between the two governments.

Relationshit alow point in 2024 when Sheinbaum did notinvite Felipe to herinauguration over thepalace’s refusal to issuea formal apology,a move that Sánchez called “unacceptable.” Spain subsequently refused to send arepresentativeto Sheinbaum’sinauguration

The unprecedentedstep towardreconciliation by Felipe was followed by the Mexican government inviting theSpanish monarch to attend aWorld Cup match this summer Sheinbaum and Sánchez later met privately for nearly an hour,according to Sánchez’soffice.

“I spoke with President Sheinbaum about global affairs and the importance of advancing the relationsbetween Mexico and theEuropean Union,” Sánchez wrote on X. “Weare in agreement in continuing to strengthen ourspecial cultural, economic and social ties.”

Sánchez did not publicly mention the now-resolved diplomatic issue at Saturday’sevents, while thanking Sheinbaum for offering to host the next editionofthe pro-democracy summitnext year

ASSOCIATEDPRESS FILEPHOTO By BRITTANy PETERSON Philip Anderson walks across adry stockpond on March31 in Walden, Colorado.

EDUCATION

Efforts increase to get college ‘stopouts’ back on track

Removing

BY ALIA WONG AP education writer

WASHINGTON After several deaths in her family and an eviction that left her homeless, Jevona Anderson’s life began to unravel.

By 2025, Anderson — then 59 and nearing completion of her bachelor’s degree — was failing classes and falling behind on bills Eventually, she dropped out, joining a growing group of students who have left college before finishing.

Often referred to as “stopouts,” the group includes about 38 million working-age adults in the U.S In many cases, they have student loans to pay but lack the credential of a degree to boost their earnings.

While many leave college intending to return, few ultimately do. In recent years, however, colleges and local governments have gotten better at helping them get back on track. The number of stopouts reenrolling has been on the rise, reaching more than 1 million in the 2023-2024 school year, a 7% increase from the year before, according to enrollment data.

In Anderson’s case, it was a scholarship that made the difference. When she was ready to go back, the money helped her afford to reenroll at the University of Baltimore.

“It was so easy for someone my age to stop, because I have a lot of professional skills to get a job to continue to just live,” said Anderson, who is interested in becoming a teacher “It’s bigger than that.”

Small obstacles

Earning a degree can be the best way to improve one’s earnings in the long run. So why do so many abandon their studies, even when they’ve already invested thousands of dollars?

College is time-consuming, expensive and complicated. A small unpaid fee, confusing form or trou-

Still, states are seeing progress, often through intentional efforts to provide financial assistance or remove bureaucratic hurdles like account holds.

When Anderson’s life stabilized late last year and she was ready to reenroll, she learned through advisers about the university scholarship program for people close to finishing their degrees, largely funded by the Carnegie Corporation. It helped cover her remaining credits and housing costs. Now, she’s on the cusp of graduating.

“Higher education continues to have great unmet potential to help people live better lives, and we’re talking about a group of Americans that have already started down to that path; they’re close to the finish line,” said James Kvaal, who served as undersecretary of education during the Biden administration and now oversees Carnegie’s grantmaking in education and democracy

it’s a worthy investment — and a light lift compared with recruiting students “from scratch,” said Jennifer Latino of the education research firm EAB, which has studied reenrollment strategies.

When Richie Ince launched a stopout scholarship at Colorado’s Pueblo Community College about a decade ago, he found many former students left because of what he calls “life happens moments.” A little nudging in the form of social media ads and personalized outreach — plus a scholarship now worth about $2,000 — was often enough to bring students back.

“We just heard a lot of students say this was the kind of kick in the pants they needed, or that they just needed someone to reach out,” said Ince, the college’s director of enrollment management.

Participants don’t get their scholarship money until passing their first semester back with C’s or better

ble balancing caregiving, work, health issues and transportation can be enough to knock students off their path to a degree.

“Life is always changing. Everybody is going through something,” said Nina Diggs-Pindell, a University of Baltimore student who has stopped out several times because of parenting and work responsibilities.

Anderson first enrolled at the University of Baltimore in 2019 to pursue a bachelor’s in environmental sustainability

She’d dabbled in jobs from fingerprint technician to fitness director, but her career goal crystallized while she was substitute teaching in city schools.

As a kid, Anderson loved playing in the dirt. As an adult, she noticed the absence of green spaces in high-poverty, urban communities. She pursued a bachelor’s degree so she could perhaps become a teacher and, ultimately share her environmental passions with children through hands-on learning.

“I needed to make sure that I

get this degree so I can get back to them somehow, some way,” said Anderson, now 60.

But it was tough for Anderson to juggle her studies and life responsibilities. Fellowships gave her experience, but they paid little. The grief she experienced after losing her relatives compounded her financial struggles, Anderson said, and the eviction made it all but impossible to focus.

“I’m looking at my grades go from A’s and B’s to, like, ‘what is this?’ to ’I have to take this class again,” Anderson said.

After a long talk with her student support coordinator, she decided to pause her studies.

More states step up

The stopout population keeps growing overall, even as annual stopouts have declined and reenrollment has increased, according to data from the National Student Clearinghouse. The number of people who have left in recent years far outpaces that of students who have reengaged.

Maryland colleges reenrolled 25,068 students from around the country in 2023-2024, an increase of 2,259 from the year before. Still, it’s a tiny number compared with the 600,000 working-age adults who had dropped out of Maryland schools and had not completed their degrees.

Several states have partnered with a company called ReUp that facilitates reenrollment through coaching and data tools that allow schools to refine outreach methods.

It also matches students with college programs based on their academic history, life circumstances and employment goals.

Many colleges use data to identify people with a high number of credits, emphasizing specific supports that can help them finish their degrees.

More than scholarships

People who’ve put school on the back burner can be hard to track down and reengage. ReUp found it takes an average of 24 touchpoints, such as texts, emails and meetings, before a stopout reenrolls. But many colleges are deciding

That helps to ensure it results in degrees, Ince said. Staff also help returners complete their financial aid application and check in regularly to keep them on track.

The scholarship was the help Melody Blair, 55, needed to go back to school for an associate’s in health information management. She has spent decades working nights at a call center — a job that pays the bills but wears her down. “There are days I just want to take the headset off and say ‘no more,’” she said.

Now Blair, who was adopted as a baby is pursuing a career in the genomic registry field, helping people who don’t have access to their own medical histories. “It’s one of those jobs I know I can wake up and look forward to doing.”

While Anderson is on track to graduate after this semester, it felt bittersweet when she realized she wouldn’t be able to afford the regalia. The school’s student center has since offered to lend her a cap and gown. Either way, she said, what matters most is the prospect of soon working with children again.

“Me and God made a pact — I am graduating this spring,” she said.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By STEPHANIE SCARBROUGH

Jevona Anderson, a student at the University of Baltimore, reviews online assignments in her home in Baltimore. She had dropped out of school previously and had joined a growing group of students who have

BY SOPHIE BATES and ADRIAN SAINZ Associated Press

JACKSON, Miss.— Brandi Carter needs her wine.

As the owner of Levure Bottle Shop in Jackson, Mississippi, she sells natural wine delivered to her business by astate agency responsiblefor distributing alcoholic beveragesto liquor stores, barsand restaurants.

But delays caused by problems in astate warehouse have led Carter and many other retailers to see their inventory dwindle and their business drop as they wait for new shipments

Carter,who also handles the beverage program for arestaurantinJackson, said she has been dealing with delays since February, and she’sfeeling helpless as traffic in herstore goes down.

“I’ve just reached acceptancethat this is ournew normal, and it’sawful,” Carter said Wednesday

In Mississippi, the state’s Alcoholic Beverage Control department —anarm of the Mississippi Department of Revenue —isresponsible for distributing wine and liquor to businesses that sell it.

That’sdifferent than other states, where individual companies handle alcohol distribution, Carter said.

During the week ending April 12, there were more than 172,000 cases that were pending delivery,and it was taking an average of 17 days for businesses to receive their orders, accordingtothe Mississippi Department of Revenue

Those numbers are down from the week ending March1,when the backup

appearedto be at its peak for the year

At that time, there were more than 220,000 cases pending delivery,and it was taking an average of 25 days for the processtobe completed.

In contrast, the number of cases pending delivery was more than 51,000and the wait time was three days for the week ending Jan. 11, thedepartmentsaid.

Carter said the backlog has resulted in awaitof four to five weeks, as opposedtoa fewdaystotwo weeks before thedelays began.

Warehouseissues

Shipping delays from the state’s40-year-old warehouse emerged in January as it went away from an “obsolete” conveyor belt system toone where pallets were used to move cases, according to astatement from the Mississippi Department of Revenue. Anew warehouse management system experienced technical issues, leading to delays, the department said.

“The computer program that they implemented

for the warehouse wasn’t working effectively with the ordering side,” Carter said. “Sothe first big chunk was the biggest problem, because things were being marked as shipped, but they weren’tshipped.”

The departmentsaid technical issues have beenresolved and the warehouse is operating at full capacity, with pending ordersbeing shipped as retailorders increase.

“While capacityatthe existingfacilityhas been a challenge for well over five years, there is not an alcoholshortage,”the department said. “As retail ordering stabilizes,weanticipate shipmentsreturning to normal volume within thecoming weeks.”

The Mississippi legislature debated temporarily allowing out-of-statedistributorstoselland ship alcohol directly to retailers. Thelaw would havebeen repealed after twoyears, butitdid notpass. The state’s legislative session has since ended.

Anew warehouse set to be completed by the end of this year will be ableto

store and ship over twice as many cases as the current

facility,the revenue department said.

Stymiedbythe backlog

Josh Sorrell, owner of Spillway Wine and Spirits in Brandon, said he used to order 600 cases in aday, but he is nowlimited to 100 cases perday.About 30%to 40% of the items he usually orders on adaily basis have been unavailable, he said.

Sorrell believes restoring the conveyor belt system would fix the problem. He has asked Mississippi Gov Tate Reeves to declarea state of emergency.

If delays continue, Sorrell’sconcerned that business will sufferinto the end of the year,when he makes alot of his sales.

“As it gets busier,we’re gonnacrumble,” he said.“I mean, it’sgoing to be really hard at 100casesa day to stock up for afull October, November,December.”

Meanwhile, customers are going to three or four storeslooking fortheir specific bottle,and theysometimes can’t find it,Sorrell said.

“It’sfrustrating to lose people at thedoor who are looking fora specific product that Ican’teven get from the state,” he said.

On Thursday, LaurenRoberts went to Sorrell’sstore looking forSoda Jerk’sorange cream shots, buthe was out, just like thesupermarket where she usually buys it.

So, she bought another type of drink foranupcoming celebration with her family

“We’re having alittle get-together this weekend becauseit’smydaughter’s promand herboyfriend’s family’scoming,”Roberts said. “So everybody has their drink of choice, but me.”

THE GULF COAST

Once-quiet

Newdevelopments moving northofcoast

BY MARTHA SANCHEZ Staff writer

At his busy southern cafe in Foley,Alabama, Greg Felix often notices atelltale sign of newcomers floodinginto the city: They keep asking what okra is.

“They’ve never even heard of it,” Felix said. The lack of local knowledge is part of atransformation in Foley, aonce-quiettown on Alabama’s Gulf Coast.

Foley,just north of Gulf Shores, is theseventh-fastest-growing city in the country.Its population expandedbyanextraordinary 12% in 2024, according to the latest estimatesfrom the U.S. Census Bureau. The cityisnow home to 28,000 people and has gained more than 7,000 residents since 2020, manyfrom states outside of the South.

The growth keeps coming Anew development with 1,300 homes for residents 55 andolder is under construction andexpected to open next year.The city and county are building new roads and spending millions on infrastructure improvements

“Wejust remembered Foley as a place you drove throughtoget to Gulf Shores,” said AmandaEckart, areal estate agent from northern Alabama who now sells homes across the coast. “Now,it’saplace that people stop and come to all on its own.”

The stampede is asign of the changing Gulf Coast. Across the region, as beach destinations that have long drawn Louisiana visitors get more crowded and expensive, new development is surging north. Newcomers say they arechoosing Foley because it is affordable and close to the beach. Many are retirees who enjoy the laid-back culture. Northerners are also moving to avoid the ice and snow Real estate agents are selling to buyers from Washington,Iowa, Idaho, Indiana and Texas. Many

newcomersearned higher salaries in those states andbegan arriving in Foley when remote work expanded afterthe COVID-19pandemic RestaurantsinFoley that used to slow down during the winter months are nowbusyalmost year-

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round. The city’sroads are so full of cars that some residents who live on major thoroughfares are struggling to exit their driveways each morning. In other neighborhoods, most homes arebeing bought by newcomers from other states.

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Tropic Falls in 2022. The city is building anew library and community centertwice the size of thecurrent facility. The Foley City Council briefly paused dense residential development last year to buy timewhile leaders updated subdivision regulations.

“This growth must be balanced with our ability to protect the character of our community,” Mayor Ralph Hellmich said at the time. Locals are torn about the growth. Some longtime residents are upset that thesmall-town feel is disappearing, especially in rural areas where new subdivisions are now encroaching on open land. Others are embracing the growth as a blessing forsmall businesses and the localeconomy. Then there are those whoare simply astonished.

“It’sjust amazing,” said Charles “Skip” Gruber, acounty commissioner whorepresents the area.

Economic fortunes are rising with the surge —the median family income in Foley rose to over $66,000 last year,upfrom $43,000 in 2020, according to thecity. But the shiftisalso evident across Foley’sculture.

On residential streets, flags for Michiganand Ohio State arenow mixing with the traditional shows of support for Alabama and Auburn.

At Foley’shistoric Hotel Magnolia, whereguestsoften stay while theysearch forhouses, owner Diana Rohe-Pennington keeps hearing new accents.

“You can tell the ones from up north,” she said. The observation apparently goes both ways. “I have areal southern drawl,” she added, “and they kind of get akick out of it and want to hear me talk.” Foley’sgrowth is so significant that somenew residents whowant properties with more open space are even turning to neighboring Elberta,asmall town that just got anew wine bar and coffee shop.

“We’re just not as slow as we used to be,” said Felix, themanager at Lambert’sCafe in Foley “It’sgoing to be good for all the businesses,” said Rohe-Pennington. “Itkeeps the money here.”

BY GREGORYKORTE

Bloomberg News (TNS)

During the first year of hissecondpresidency, President Donald Trump dispatchedachain sawwielding billionaire to loudly eliminate more than 300,000 federal jobs in an unsparing attempt to shrink the government.

Now,the Trump administration is quietly hiring again.

Job announcements posted to the federal government’s main hiring portalwere up 23% in March from the previous month.

The government has launched new recruiting drives targeted at tech staffers, attorneysand project managers.

And the budget proposal that Trump submitted to Congress this month would authorize asmall increase in total full-time equivalent employmentin2027.Though those numbers aren’tdirectly comparable to actual employment, they would give the governmentheadroom to grow the workforce.

“I’m trying to be louder on hiring,” Scott Kupor,the director of the Office of Personnel Management, said in an interview Kupor, aformer managing partner of Andreessen Horowitz, was confirmed by the Senate six weeks after Tesla CEOElonMusk left theWhite Houselast year.Musk’sself-styled Department of Government Efficiency,orDOGE, had launched ashock-and-awe campaign to vastly downsize the federal workforce through acombination of early resignation incentives, massfiringsand micromanagement.

Those sweeping efforts have largely run their course, and courts have struck down some Trump administration efforts to impose layoffs. Federal government employment is now the lowest its been since 2009,

those that remain,” said Max Stier,the president of thePartnershipfor Public Service. “So they’re at best trying to recoup lost ground that they created,that they caused. And they’renot yet fullygrappling with the importance of valuing the workforce itself.”

Kupor saidhe’sdoing that by pushing through anumber of regulatorychanges to streamline hiring and firing.

tions. The president is expected to soon sign an executive order that could move as manyas50,000 federal employees to anew classification that would make it easier forthem to be fired.

other communities that the government hasn’talways reached. His pitch: Come work on someofthe biggest tech challengeswhile building valuable skills.

approaching the 2million employee mark. But by the end of the second quarter, Kupor expects federal hiringtoturn acorner

“If things stay on trajectory,which Iexpect, we will be net positivefor theyear,” he said

Those topline numbers conceal significantchurn, however.Trump’s2027 budget woulddramatically reducecivilianheadcounts at the departments of Agriculture, Education and Labor, as well as at NASA. But other agencieswouldsee net increases, including Commerce, Defense,Interior and Transportation

“The areas wherethey’re planning to hire are notthe areas where they havedecimatedthe workforce. It’s different areas,” said JacquelineSimon,the policy director for the American Federation of Government Employees, thelargest unionoffederal workers.

“Canthese peopleturn around andapply fora new federal job? Yeah, they can start all over again —but only aftera periodwhere they havenorights and are probationaryemployees all over again,” sheadded. “It’s not anattractiveprospect.”

So Kupor’sjob is to recruittop talent to afederal governmentthatissimultaneously growing andelimi-

nating jobs as it’s being disrupted by thesame technologyand demographictrends upending the broader US workforce. Andhehas to do it against apolitical backdrop of Trump’sattacks on the civil service, which the president says is part of a “Deep State” undermining his administration.

After acavalcadeof DOGE headlines, Kuporacknowledged that tension.

He describes last year’s reductions as part of a“reshaping” thatincludes getting ridoflow performers but alsohiringfor theskills thegovernment needs.

“I don’t have ahardtime keeping twothings in my mindonthat,but Iunderstand it,” he said. “I think good people want to be in a high-performance culture. We are tryingtosay,let’s hire great people on meritbased principles —not on tenure and proxiesfor it —and when they comein here,let’sholdpeople accountable.”

Civil service advocates saythe administration’s efforts to strengthenthe workforce are an improvement

The change in a19th-century hiring policy known as the“rule of three” will expand the pool of qualified applicantsfor aposition. OPM is also seeking to update credentialing requirements and overhaul aperformance review system thatgives top marks to morethan 90% of federal supervisors.

Stier says many of those reforms are longoverdue. Butthey’re dwarfed by Trump’sefforts to underminecivilservice protec-

Musk’sshort and tumultuous tenure in Washington brought about aculture clash within the new administration, as acadre of young DOGE staffers helped to overhaul obsolete systems but also ran afoul of privacy and security protocols.

Kupor said the governmentneeds to find away to attract moreyoung tech talent.

Lessthan8%ofUSgovernment employees are under 30, according to OPM data, comparedwith 23% forthe workforce overall.

The government is trying to narrowthatgap through social media campaigns appealing to online gamers, space aficionados and

“No experience, no problem,” reads one post promoting EarlyCareers.gov anew recruitment site for federal agencies. By courting younger workers, Kupor said, the government can increase headcount while also keeping overallemployment costs lower But Stier noted that the age curve has gotten older under Trump’sfirst year,not younger “Why is that?” Stier said.

“Because the Trumpadministration, in its fury at the workforce, went after probationary workers —and actually disproportionately removed that younger,techsavvy cohort that we so desperately need.”

Magnet school group honors EBR

System wins district of the year

BY CHARLES LUSSIER Staff writer

A large contingent from the East Baton Rouge Parish school system, including Superintendent LaMont Cole, attended the Magnet Schools of America’s annual conference this week in San Diego. Cole celebrated the districtwide win.

“This achievement reflects a powerful commitment to

innovation, diversity and academic excellence,” Cole said. “From classrooms to communities, this district is setting the standard for what’s possible when opportunity meets vision. To the students, educators, and leaders who made it happen, this win belongs to you.”

The district award comes with a $2,500 check. There are more than 4,000 magnet schools across the United States. Magnet Schools of America counts hundreds of individual schools and dozens of public school districts as dues-paying members. Awards are reserved for members.

East Baton Rouge has won many honors in the past from this nonprofit organization since it formed in 1986. In 2019, then Superintendent Warren Drake was named the superintendent of the year. In 2023, Joy Abernathy, now a district administrator, was named the

Fishers file lawsuits over spill at LOOP

Group says oil found in nets, traps, catch

BY DAVID J MITCHELL Staff writer

Commercial fishers and a charter boat captain have filed two proposed class-action lawsuits over a large spill from the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port discovered in February, with one alleging “gross negligence and willful misconduct.”

Shrimpers, crabbers and others working in coastal Louisiana’s seafood industry continued to see oil in their nets, traps and catch from the spill early this month, both before and after the state reopened 106,300 acres of oyster leases closed from the leak, according to court papers

The private offshore terminal’s owners are also accused of not informing the public that the spill hadn’t been contained until five days after the leak was first discovered and only after crude reached land. The proposed class-action suits, filed in U.S. District Court in New Orleans, claim widespread damages to the seafood industry and the coastal environment.

LOOP, the only named defendant in either case has said it responded as quickly as possible to the Feb. 26 leak and removed the vast majority of the oil. State officials say testing hasn’t turned up concerning levels of contamination in marine life

A leaking transfer hose at the LOOP was discovered Feb. 26 and released 31,500 gallons of Venezuelan crude, according to LOOP The spill hit the Isle Dernieres Barrier Islands Refuge in Terrebonne Bay, an important coastal bird habitat and recreational fishing area. Oil has also reached back

BRING ON THE BLUES

House Brew to open downtown

BY CAITIE ZEILMAN Staff writer

BY OLIVIA TEES Staff writer

STAFF FILE PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON Manning Bergeron steams milk on the espresso machine

Brew will be

Street in Baton Rouge.

STAFF PHOTOS By JAVIER GALLEGOS

The Josh Garrett Band performs during Baton Rouge Blues Festival in downtown Baton Rouge on Saturday.

MAGNET, page 2B

See SPILL, page 2B

JoJo, left, basks in the muffled sound of live music as her mom, Katherine Bivins, helps her sister, Darcy, on Saturday.

RIGHT: A child takes a rest on the dance floor against her mother’s arm during Baton Rouge Blues Festival in downtown Baton Rouge on Saturday

Body of missing BR man found in Florida

The body of a missing Baton Rouge man has been identified after it was found under a bridge in Florida.

The Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call on March 30 about the discovery of a body under the Garcon Point Bridge north of U.S. 98, near Gulf Breeze. The person was identified as Grant Brignac.

CRIME BLOTTER staff reports

Brignac was last seen on March 25 leaving the scene of an accident on Interstate 10 at mile marker 18, north of where his body was found.

Brignac suffered from schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and was considered a missing and endangered person, according to the police.

The Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office released a statement on Friday that asked the community to keep Brignac’s family in their thoughts and prayers.

The investigation into Brignac’s death is ongoing.

Man allegedly shot by 13-year-old son dies

The man allegedly shot by his 13-year-old son in their car in front of a Tangipahoa school earlier this week has died, the Hammond Police Department said Saturday.

“It is with deep sadness that we report the victim in the shooting that occurred this past Tuesday has succumbed to his injuries,” the department said in a statement, extending “heartfelt thoughts and prayers to the victim’s family as they endure this tragic loss.”

The father and son were in the drop-off line at Tangipahoa Alternative School in Hammond at 7:39 a.m. and began arguing after the boy refused to go into the building The man spoke to a school resource officer and a Hammond police lieutenant and agreed to take his son back home.

But as the car pulled away a gunshot was heard inside the vehicle, which sped across Crystal Street and into a nearby home.

Police say the boy then approached the school with a handgun but was disarmed by the school resource officer

Another younger boy was in the back seat of the car at the time of the shooting but was unharmed.

The suspect was previously being held on charges of attempted second-degree murder, among others. Hammond police said those charges are expected to be upgraded to second-degree murder

The investigation is ongoing, and additional information will be released as it becomes available, police said.

Livingston Parish man arrested on child porn

A Livingston Parish man was arrested Friday on 35 counts of pornography involving juveniles in a case authorities say may involve at least 20 victims, many of them children with disabilities.

The main investigation identified more than 60 adult men attempting to sexually exploit a 14-year-old autistic child through Snapchat, according to a Louisiana State Police news release

On Friday, members of the State Police Special Victims Unit, the FBI and the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant of a home on Swan Street Hill in Maurepas and arrested 31-year-old Nathaniel Hill without incident

Hill also faces three counts of production of child sexual abuse material. He was booked into the Livingston Parish Detention Center

In January, the Louisiana State Police Special Victims Unit and Baton Rouge’s FBI

Office were notified by agents in Charlotte, North Carolina, that they were investigating a child exploitation ring in Jacksonville, North Carolina. That investigation led to Hill’s arrest.

MAGNET

Continued from page 1B

principal of the year for her tenure at Villa del Rey Elementary Theresa Porter the school system’s now-retired magnet school director, served as the organization’s president from 2022 to 2024.

This year, Magnet Schools of America replaced the superintendent of the year honor with a district of the year award. The new award is more of a popularity contest Over the course of five rounds, dubbed Magnet Mania, districts compete with each other in brackets, and supporters vote online for their favored district Districts are encouraged to heavily promote the succession of contests on their respective social media platforms. McCann has been the principal at Baton Rouge Magnet High since 2002 It’s the district’s flagship school, routinely ranking among the highest-performing academically in Louisiana and winning multiple National Blue Ribbon School awards.

Liberty High and Scotlandville Middle Pre-Engineering Academy sent student delegations to the San Diego conference. Liberty students’ presentation, titled “Ctrl Alt Delete Cybersecurity Games,” focused on interactive cybersecurity education. Scotlandville Mid-

SPILL

Continued from page 1B

marshes behind the refuge and near Lake Pelto.

One suit alleges seafood workers couldn’t use their typical fishing spots, had to throw out contaminated seafood, and clean contaminated boats, nets and other equipment. Processors lost income due to decreased supply and damaged reputation to the region’s seafood, it states.

“The timing of the spill could not be worse, as it comes right before the opening of Louisiana’s inland shrimping season, peak season for crabbing, and spawning season for oysters,” the suit filed April 6 states.

“Additionally, rising fuel costs render additional travel to clean waters particularly cost prohibitive. Thus, the full economic impact to Plaintiffs and the Louisiana seafood industry as a result of this spill is not yet known.”

Both suits allege LOOP’s private claims process violated the law, pressuring seafood workers to take a settlement that waived their legal rights without

CONVICTION

Continued from page 1B

PROVIDED PHOTO

East Baton Rouge Parish Schools Superintendent LaMont Cole, left, led a delegation of school employees and students attending the 2026 Magnet Schools of America conference. Here they are accepting MSA’s District of the year award, awarded on Wednesday. From left are Cole; Casaundra McNair, executive director; Rosalind Wright, director of magnet programs; and Elizabeth Thomas, recruiter for magnet programs.

dle students presented “Survival by Design,” which used engineering to reimagine the secret annex featured in the famous book, “The Diary of Anne Frank.” Magnet programs started as a tool to racially integrate public schools via specialized programs and have remained as popular options across the country, even as

being able to consult legal counsel or a family member

The first suit was brought by Terrebonne shrimp boat captain Austin Trahan, commercial crabber Patrick Luke and seafood businesses Puky’s Seafood and Shrimp Kingdom Seafood. It provides photos of oiled floats, traps, dock and catch.

The second, filed April 10, was brought by Cocodrie charter boat captain Olden Rodrigue and two of his businesses, Coastal Charter Services and Rodrigue Business Associates. Rodrigue captains boats for redfish and speckled trout trips, duck hunting and bow fishing.

State health officials say 66 individual tests of shrimp crab oyster and various fish species have turned up no contamination. By April 3, the Department of Health had reopened all six oyster harvest areas previously closed.

Wade Tornyos, a LOOP spokesperson, declined to speak directly about the litigation but previously disputed some of the accusations, including allegations about the claims process Cleanup, which LOOP says has been largely con-

behavior charges, which can range from 25 to 99 years or 2 to 25 years, respectively Johnson was arrested on May 29, 2022, in connection with the crimes, which started in November 2020 when the child was 13 and continued until May 2022, according to prosecutors. He was indicted in January

school desegregation cases that launched them have slowly disappeared.

Baton Rouge Magnet High was the first magnet school in East Baton Rouge Parish when it converted in 1976. Dozens of schools in the parish have magnet programs now Some, like Baton Rouge Magnet, are schoolwide, while others edu-

tained along the shoreline since early April, is quickly seeing additional areas cleared by state and federal regulators, Tornyos said.

“They’re clearing a lot miles upon miles every day,” he said.

Located 18 miles offshore, LOOP opened in 1981 and is a critical deep-water terminal that supplies crude to Louisiana and other Gulf refineries from massive oil tankers. It’s owned by a consortium of oil and pipeline companies.

The Feb. 26 spill was the first reported from the offshore terminal since 2000, according to the Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator’s Office database. Over the same period, two spills were reported from the consortium’s related onshore facilities totaling about 8,440 gallons.

The suits echo concerns that have been bubbling for weeks among Terrebonne Parish fisherman, shrimpers, dock owners and a few parish political leaders.

In an interview earlier this month, Mitch Jurisich, chair of the state oyster task force, said he has continued to hear reports from oystermen and shrimpers that oil was showing up in the catch. He said he be-

2023. Brooks said the indecent behavior charge was fairly easy to prosecute because the mother walked into the child’s room while it was happening.

However, the first-degree-rape and sexual battery charges were harder because there was little DNA evidence to support them, Brooks said.

The convictions were obtained based on the victim’s testimony

“We are very happy this very courageous survivor had her day in court and received the justice she

FEEL THE BEAT

cate only a portion of the school’s students. They typically have either selective admissions or retention requirements.

The magnet programs have proved so popular that the proposed breakaway St. George school district, which is on the May 16 ballot, calls for an agreement with the parish school system that would provide St. George residents with perpetual access to the magnet programs. St. George students, however, would likely have a lower priority for admissions than students living in the remainder of the parish school district.

Other schools in Baton Rouge were honored earlier this year by Magnet Schools of America: Belfair Montessori Magnet, a pre-K-to-8 school, was named as a Top Magnet School of Excellence, the organization’s highest honor Liberty and Woodlawn high schools earned “Magnet Schools of Excellence” honors.

Nine more schools were named Magnet Schools of Distinction: Baton Rouge Magnet High, Forest Heights Academy of Excellence, McKinley Middle, Scotlandville Pre-Engineering Magnet Academy Sherwood Middle, Villa del Rey Elementary, Westdale Heights Academic Magnet, Woodlawn Middle, and Westdale Middle schools. Email Charles Lussier at clussier@theadvocate.com.

lieved the extent of the leak was being downplayed.

“They’ve kept this very tight-lipped,” Jurisich said. Terrebonne Parish Council member Kim Chauvin, who runs a shrimp dock, processing plant and other related businesses with her husband, said in early April that she had been disappointed in the state response.

“We chose to take shrimp and put it in the dumpster because we’re worried about putting it in the food chain,” she said.

Taylor Brazan, a spokesperson with the state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, said the agency works with the Health Department and the Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator’s Office to “help ensure the safety of harvested seafood.” She said aerial surveys and sampling found no oil at the surface or harvest depths, and tissue testing hadn’t shown “concerning levels” of contaminants.

The plaintiffs in the shrimp and crab suit say they are doing their own testing.

“We are concerned that the state is testing at a detection limit that is too high and is improperly focused on PAHs and not on

deserved,” Moore said in a release. The victim became well-acquainted with Klancy a 2-year-old golden retriever who acted as a calming presence for the victim, Moore said Klancy, the DA Office’s facility dog, attended every meeting, interview and court session with the victim.

“We are also very proud of the efforts of the assistant district attorneys and their trial team, which included K-9, Klancy, our office’s facility dog who assisted during this trial,” Moore said.

some of these other constituents that we would be looking for,” said one of the plaintiffs’ attorneys, Kerry Miller That suit also alleges that LOOP initially downplayed the size of the spill and attorneys have questions about the current reported size, Miller said. LOOP says it stands by its calculation of the spill size, which has been regularly checked. Tornyos has said the Venezuelan crude that spilled made cleanup more difficult, especially once skimmers finished the bulk of their work.

“Once it gets to the shoreline, it’s a more labor-intensive work requiring a lot of people and using slower techniques, such as picking stuff up with shovels and rakes and whatnot,” Tornyos said. The “sour” heavy oil is sticky and viscous, can form tar balls and then loosen up as temperatures rise. The crude has led to fears more oil has sunk to the bottom than has been calculated, only to be picked up later by nets, Jurisich and others said.

David J. Mitchell can be reached at dmitchell@ theadvocate.com.

STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

A crowd of line dancers steps in rhythm to Pharoah and His Sessions Band during Baton Rouge Blues Festival in downtown Baton Rouge on Saturday

Yearly beloved

For 40 years the Festival International de Louisiane has helped Lafayette emerge as center for global arts

BY JOANNA BROWN Staff writer

Downtown Lafayette has seen many changes over the past 40 years.

In 1987, the area was in the throes of the mid-1980s oil downturn shuttered businesses few public attractions and a neighborhood that emptied out at night. City leaders like Cathy Webre, then head of the Downtown Development Authority and Downtown Lafayette Unlimited, were already seeking to revitalize Jefferson Street with events like Downtown Alive!, which started in 1983. But there was a sense that the community could do a lot more to utilize its native cultural assets, like music, food, art and the French language. Beginning in 1985, the seeds were planted to host a free international festival that would connect Lafayette’s Francophone culture with the rest of the world. Festival International de Louisiane’s first president, Herman Mhire, got the ball rolling through an exhibit of Senegalese art he was showing at the University Art Museum, using his connections in the international art world to begin planning the event The idea was to promote southwest Louisiana, inspire Lafayette’s citizens and strengthen tourism. But first, people had to show up.

“We very naively selected July for the first Festival,” said Philippe Gustin, who was head of CODOFIL during Festival International’s inception, and served in several leadership capacities through the 1990s. “We had a group that came from the Pyrenees in southern France, and being from the mountains, all of their clothes were wool. They sweated so much they were fainting So you can understand why we did only one in July.”

Despite the heat, Festival was an acknowledged success right out of the gate and quickly attracted an army of dedicated attendees and

volunteers who loved experiencing their community at the center of the world, at least for a weekend.

The history of the festival, and its growth through the years, is laid out in the Festival International 40th anniversary coffee table book, which is a collection of stories, memories and photographs from Festival’s 40-year run. This year’s Festival International will take place from Wednesday to Sunday in downtown Lafayette, with the book available for purchase at merchandise tents.

Flipping through, it’s impossible not to notice how much Festival International has come to define the place it calls home Downtown now features a permanent stage at Parc International on Garfield Street, and mature cypress trees one of Webre’s legacies at the Downtown Development Authority — now shade the length of Jefferson Street, which acts like a superhighway for thousands of pedestrians during the five-day event.

Today, Festival International is located in its permanent headquarters at the old bus station on Lee Avenue, making the infrastruc-

ture of Festival something that can be seen year-round. And with an ongoing calendar of events like Downtown Alive!, and a vibrant community of restaurants, shops and residences that now fill downtown, the neighborhood hardly bears a resemblance to the place where Festival International de Louisiane first came to life in 1987.

“It was an adventure, and we all knew it would be,” said Webre. “We were launching it at a time when the economy was not good, and so many people had to leave Lafayette to get work.

“I think it worked because of the commitment of the initial people. When the first festival happened, and people began to trickle in, they were just in amazement. It’s like they’d never seen anything like it before, and we hadn’t either I think from that moment, it was solidified that Festival International was going to be part of Lafayette’s future.”

Forty years is a significant milestone, and programming director Lisa Stafford said that this year’s acts were specially selected for the anniversary Major artists like

“When the

and

Rhiannon Giddens will be headlining Scène LUS Internationale on Friday at 8:45 p.m., and 8-time

Grammy winner Stephen Marley will take over Parc International on April 26 at 5:45 p.m.

“I think people will really enjoy the mixture of popular returns and discovering new bands,” said Stafford “I’m very excited to see Delgres. We went through quite a hectic and expensive process to obtain their visas. There were so many obstacles, but we overcame them.”

Lafayette band GIVERS is also making a return to Festival this year, for a much-anticipated reunion show celebrating the 15th anniversary of their debut album, “In Light.”

Said Stafford, “the first time they played was such a pivotal moment for the festival, with band members being from here and making it so big in the national scene.”

Festival International has seen many pivotal moments over the years and has come to serve as a launching pad for international acts to tour in the U.S. It’s also been a gateway for Louisiana musicians

to network with industry leaders from around the world. According to artist George Marks, it’s also a unique opportunity for Acadiana residents to experience their own culture reflected through a global lens.

Marks founded the NUNU Arts & Culture Collective in Arnaudville over 15 years ago and was recently named director of international trade and development for Lafayette Consolidated Government.

“What we learned a long time ago is that folks that come in from other places actually become ambassadors for our culture, and almost upsell it back to us,” said Marks, who often hosts international artists at NUNU. “A lot of people from Arnaudville had never been to Festival International before, and one year we had this band come out before Festival, they plugged into NUNU, and we did a potluck and invited local people.

“They all got to break bread, hang out with them, laugh with them and speak French. They became family, and for the first time, those folks went to Festival International to go watch them play.”

Whether you’re experiencing Festival for the first time, or it’s been part of your story for many years, Festival International de Louisiane has left a permanent mark on Lafayette. That legacy will carry on this week, kicking off downtown on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.

Email Joanna Brown at joanna. brown@theadvocate.com.

Bourbon Street attack memorial for victims finalized

‘I

do think it’s going to bring a lot of peace’

BY SOPHIE KASAKOVE Staff writer

Soon after the New Year’s Day attack on Bourbon Street last year family members of victims and survivors began meeting to develop a permanent tribute to the 14 people killed and dozens injured

On Wednesday, that group a commission established by Gov. Jeff Landry — selected a design for that monument and a plan to make it a reality

The design shows curved stone walls, with benches for visitors, inscribed with the names of the 14 people killed, written tributes and glass inlays to display their personal belongings.

The memorial would sit in Goldring Woldenberg Riverfront Park, adjacent to the Holocaust memorial, and four blocks from where a man rammed his truck through a crowded Bourbon Street.

“I do think it’s going to bring a lot of peace,” said Brittany Francois, president of the Fourteens Foundation which was launched in March in partnership with the Governor’s Office.

“I know the families’ hope is that when someone visits the site, they can get a connection to who that person was,” said Francois. Francois was among many who were injured the night ShamsudDin Jabbar drove his truck through a crowd on the famed nightlife strip, and then jumped out and opened fire on law enforcement officers. Fourteen people lost their lives in the incident, which gained national attention and forced local leaders to reckon with gaps in homeland security planning.

The city has since erected stainless steel bollards that can be removed for vehicular traffic and reerected as needed. New Orleans has also received the highest level of security support from the federal government that is available for Mardi Gras, Super Bowl LIX, and other big events, though local lead-

By

ers have not acted on a consultant’s recommendation to close Bourbon Street to cars entirely In the 15 months since the attack, multiple memorials have sprung up — from a collection of crosses, flowers and messages that sprung

up at the intersection of Bourbon and Canal Streets in the days after the attack to an installation of 1,000 handcrafted flags suspended above the street.

The permanent memorial design selected by The French Quarter

Terrorism Attack Memorial Commission was designed by local artist Babette Beaullieu and Studio West, which also created the temporary flag installation.

It will still likely be years before the memorial is complete, with the Fourteens Foundation now launching a campaign to raise roughly $4 million for the effort. The design will be finalized over the remainder of the year, Francois said, with construction potentially beginning in 2027.

“We’re going to need the whole city behind us to make this happen,” said Antoinette Klima, vice president of the Fourteens Foundation and the mother of the son of one of the victims, Reggie Hunter

“We’re doing this not just for us but for everybody.”

Belal Badawi, whose son Kareem Badawi was killed in the attack, said that he supports the plan for the memorial.

“I wish it could be tomorrow I’d love to see it,” Badawi said. “We’re grieving every day We’re still crying every day.”

RENDERING PROVIDED

FOURTEENS FOUNDATION

STAFF FILE PHOTO By BRAD BOWIE

Attendees fill the dance floor as Donna and the Buffalo, of New york, kick off Festival International de Louisiane on April 23, 2025, at the Scene Fais Do Do in downtown Lafayette.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By BRAD BOWIE

Members of the marching band Mucca Pazza perform at Festival International de Louisiane on April 26, 2025, in downtown Lafayette.

CATHy WEBRE,

Tyson, Catherine CharletFuneral Home inZachary at 4p.m

Obituaries Berg, Eugene Walter 'Gene'

Eugene Walter Berg (Gene) of BatonRouge, Louisiana passed away on March 8, 2026 surrounded by his loving family. He lived arich life for more than 99 years. Born in Dade City, Florida on November 10, 1926, then moving to Jackson, Mississippi where he spent his middleand high school years. He served in the Navy in World War II. After returning from the service he earned achemistry degree from Mississippi College, followed by aPhD in chemistry from University of Texas. He married his high school sweetheart, Tharon Pearl Ford on August8 1947 and was married to her until her sudden passing in 1979. He taught chemistry at LSUfrom 1952 until retiring in 1983. He found the second love of his life, Thelma Irene Pampel, and married her on February 28, 1981. In retirement, he focused on his garden, woodworking and building projects, he kept bees and harvested the wild honey,and took care of his orchids. He put alot of time and energy into the Baton RougeOrchid Society, and started a Green Growers group. He touched so many lives in apositive way from teaching, whether it be at LSU, in his shop, or in his greenhouse, to serving for many years as aDeaconand Elder at University Presbyterian Church, to the wide circle of friends that he had. He is survived in death by his wifeof45years, Thelma Pampel Berg, son Robert Berg and fiancé Tammy Klier, and daughters, Karen Berg, Lisa Shields, Karee Valek, and Sonja Hebert, 11 Grandchildren, and 14 Great Grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents Lawrence J. Berg and CarrieStarry Berg, his first wife Tharon Ford Berg, a brother Lawrence J. Berg, Jr and ason, John Gregory Berg. Amemorial service is being planned for alater date. In lieuofflowers, contributions in Eugene's memory may be made to University Presbyterian Church at upcbr.org or The Baton Rouge Orchid Society at batonrougeorchidso ciety.com/donate. Please go to rabenhorst.com to read the full obituary.

Louisiana,passed away peacefully on Thursday, April 9, 2026,atThe Carpenter House hospice facility in Baton Rouge Born in 1934 in New Orleans, the daughter of Julian Cotaya,Sr. and Marie Louise Marks, Mariewas the youngest of five siblings: Julian, Jr.,Sylvester, Sylvia Mae, and Noel, allof whom have pre-deceased her.Survivors include nieces Dianne Cotayaand Pauline Kelty, nephews Stephen and Jay Cotaya, and dear friend and lifelongcompanion, Catherine Heard.

AgraduateofSoutheasternLouisiana University, Marie earned abachelor's degree in instrumental musiceducation and began her remarkable teaching career in her nativeNew Orleans.Subsequently, she led awardwinning bands in Jackson, Louisiana,and at Woodlawn High School in Baton Rouge. Heroutstanding 42 -year career concluded when, in 1999,she retired from the Scotlandville Magnet High School, where she was Chairman of the MusicDepartment and Director of Bands. Marie's graduateeducation includeda Master of MusicEducationdegree in 1975 from Vandercook College of Music in Chicago. Additionally, she had graduate affiliations with Northeast Louisiana University, California State University, Southern University, and OurLadyof the Holy Cross Marie was nationally known by way of herinvolvement in multiple music education organizations, most notably as President of the Women Band DirectorsInternational.Through this affiliation, she was awarded theirSilverBaton, as well as the ScrollofExcellence for outstanding contributions toband and band music. Shewas also honoredwith induction into the WBDI Hall of Fame. Additional honors and awards included "Band Director of the Year" from East Baton Rouge Parish, the Southeast Louisiana University School of Music's "Hallof Fame"designation,and special recognition from the state chapterofPhi Beta Mu, national musicfraternity.

Marie was amember of LMEA-MENC, LBA, ASBDA NBA, Phi Beta Mu, and the North AmericaBand Directors CoordinatingCouncil. She served as LBA President in 1983-84 and also completeda termasLMEA President. Her devotion to music, both instrumental and choral, was alsoevidencedbyher decadeslongcommitment as the choir director at the Baker Presbyterian Church.

Although Marie Louise, fondly known by her friends as "Weezie",was known for her musicalabilities, she had other interests, as well. She enjoyed photography, and at one time produced beautiful place mats, using her photos of many Louisiana plantations.

During Marie'shigh school years, it was assumedthat her college major wouldbephysical education, as she was very active in sports. She loved to playtennis and was also goodatswimming and diving.Although her musical education didn'tbegin until late in highschool,she soonknew that musicwas going to be her calling. Her parentssacrificedtopurchase her firstFrench Horn Marie was blessed with adry sense of humor and was known forher onewordresponsetomost situations: "Frazz!"

For many years, Marie and Catherine were able to enjoy international travels, including one special European tripwhen they visited Malta,the birthplace of many of Marie's ancestors. AMemorial Service for Marie Cotaya will be held in thenear future.Inlieu of floral arrangements, a request has beenmadefor donations to The CarpenterHouse,10615 Jefferson Hwy., Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 70809. Arrangementswith Church Funeral Services& Crematory.

Gary William Cross passed away at hishome on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at theage of 80. He was born on January7, 1946, in Monroe, Louisiana to Harry and Hattie CedotalCross. He was raised in Gonzales, wherehegraduated from Gonzales High School in 1964. He then proudly served in theNational Guard from19641967. He laterretired as a Purchasing AgentfromRubiconin2004. After losing his son, Gary dedicatedhis life to fightingfor thosein need. He lobbiedlegislation with state and national government agencies for patient advocacy and healthcare for those with diseases. His dedication didn't stop there; he negotiated directly forthe settlement of theRicky Ray Act and Hemophilialawsuits. Gary even founded theChildren's Hospital Bass Classic. He was ajack of alltrades and laterpublishedhis book,"Vial 023: AFather's Pursuit of Justice" about his experiences.Gary lovedhis familyand pridedhimself on achieving success in order to be thebest father and provider. He was adedicated patriot and always flew theAmerican flag Gary worehis Cajun pride on his sleeveand was a dedicatedLSU and Saints fan. He always madetime forhis community and lovedspendingtime at his "Camp Bradley" in Belle Riverwith his buddies. Garyhad away with words and was known forhis storytelling, oftensaying, "Stopmeifyou'veheard this before."Heespecially enjoyed sharing talesof his childhoodadventures in Gonzales with his older brother. He was known for his humor and for being an extremely picky eater. Those that knew him loved and admired him. He is preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Sandy Cross; and hisbeloved son, BradleyCross. Gary is survivedbythe love of his life for55years, Karen Isaminger Cross; his daughter, Jennifer Cross, that always enjoyed picking on him; and his brothers, Raymond Cross (Linda), David Cross(Debbie), and WalterCross (Inez) Visitation willbeheldat Resthaven Funeral Home, 11817 Jefferson Highway in BatonRouge on Monday, April20, 2026, from5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Visitation willcontinue at Resthaven FuneralHome on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. until the Funeral Service at 11:00 a.m. Interment willfollow at Resthaven Gardens of Memory. Pallbearers will

be RaymondCross, David Cross, WalterCross, AnthonyInzenga, Jason Cloessner, John McGehee, Mitch Mula, Brad Rodrigue, Glenn Arnold and Mark Mula. The family extends itsdeepest gratitudetoDr. Arthur Hess, Dr. Kodi Chrisp-Coleman, Dr. J. Brooks, thestaff at Southern Grace Hospice, as well as Nancy and Fredricka Keller withCaring Angels. In lieu of flowers,please make adonation to Hope forHemophilia. Family and friends may sign theonline guestbookorleave apersonal notetothe family at www.resthavenbatonroug e.com

Gloria Jean Daigle, 83, a lifelong resident of Paincourtville, LA, passed away on Saturday, April 11, 2026. Aftermorethanthirty-fiveyears as adedicated educator at Pierre Part Elementary School, she retired, leaving behind alasting impact on countless students and colleagues. Teaching was not just her profession buther passion and she trulylovedevery moment of her work. In her younger years, Gloria found greatjoy in traveling and exploringnew places. She wasanenthusiastic LSUsports fan and an avid reader, always eager to learn and grow. She also took greatpride in her service as amember of the Assumption Parish Library Board,where she contributed to her community with thesame commitment and care that defined her life She leaves behind to cherish her memory her twosisters, Rose Mary DaigleLandry and Dorothy "Dot" DaigleBoudreaux (Larry); eightnieces and nephews, Cindy Coburn, Darrell Landry (Stephanie), AaronLandry(Janet), Karen Gomez (Floyd), Dawn Toups(George), Lori Gaudet (Jaime), Colette Plauche and Beth Boudreaux; seventeen greatnieces and nephews; eighteengreat-great nieces and nephews and twogreat great-great nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents, Paul and Alma Aucoin Daigle; brother, Paul Daigle Jr.; brother-in-law, Charles Landry and her nephew, Kenneth Coburn. The family wouldliketoextend their heartfelt thanks to her special neighborsJim and BrendaCaze, Donald and RosieCire,Gary Woodsand Danny Woods forthe excellent care and kindness they showed her throughout theyears. They are also deeplygrateful to thePaincourtvilleFire Department,all of her devoted caregivers who sat with her in her time of need, Dr. KeithLandry, Dr. Amy Moran and their entire staff, as well as thestaff at Chateau D'VilleNursing Home and Cardinal Hospice.

Avisitationwillbeheld on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at St.ElizabethCatholic Church in Paincourtville, LA,from 9am untilMass of ChristianBurial at 11am.

Dixon, JohnnyRay

It is with deep sorrow that we announcethe passing of JohnnyRay Dixon.JohnnyRay's journeyonthisEarthwas a testament to hisunwaveringfaithinGod and his dedication to his family.

JohnnyRay leaves: A loving and devoted wife, Gladys (Davis) Dixon;a devoteddaughter, Jessica Dixon of Jackson Louisiana; twolovingsons, JohnnyRay (Laura) Dixon, Jr.ofJackson,La. andEverett(Johnetta) Dixon of Zachary, La.; adear mother,Mildred (Quiet) Ferguson of Jackson,La.; three granddaughters, Destiny (Walter) Morgan, Tia Dixon -Billoups(Eric),and Nila L. Dixon;threegreat-grandchildren, Emery "Little Alpha" Billoups, Forest Ray Dixon,Jayce Dakota Morgan;fivebonus grandchildren,AlishaWilliams, AshleighLewis, Marcus Williams, Jr., Clarissa Mims, andNya J. Jackson; adevoted aunt, Pearl FlorencePalmer;two sisters, Mary Powell andFloydean (Byron) Ventress; three brothers, Larry Dixon Roscoe (Maggie) Dixon, andTerry L. (Cyntell) Woodridge;foursisters-inlaw,Sylvia Davis Dixon, Betty Davis, DorethaDavis, andVinnie Davis,; four brothers-in-law,Charles King,Ned (Idella) Davis, Ali Abdul Hakim/Emmit Ray Davis (Amina Muhammad), and Abraham Davis, anda host of niecesand nephewswho lovedhim dearly.

JohnnyRay Dixon was proceededindeathbyhis stepfather, John L. Ferguson; father, Frank Dixon; brother, Frank Dixon,Jr.; sister,Joyce L. Woodridge, hisfavorite furbabycat, Abigail Dixon;maternal andpaternalgrandparents, as well as other family members and friends

Avisitation will be held April 22 from 10:00 AM to 11:45 AM with funeral servicesfollowingat12:00pm -1:15pm at F.T. Missionary Baptist Church,4712 Hwy 10, Jackson,LA.

Ficklin, Kathleen Vera Barker

Kathleen Vera Barker Ficklin.IfI should die, think onlythisofme: That there’s some corner of a foreign fieldThatisfor everEngland.~Rupert Brooke. Kathleen Vera BarkerFicklin wasbornon Sept. 12, 1927 in Lin‐colnshire,England and died peacefully at home on

Intermentwillfollow in the church mausoleum. March21, 2026 in Gonzales, Louisiana.Inher 98 years onearth,she waseyewit‐nesstoeventsthather de‐scendants will read about inhistory classfor genera‐tions to come.She came of age in Englandduring World War2,withits bombings, rations, and ever-presentthreatofin‐vasion. As ayoung adult, she watchedthe corona‐tionprocessionofher con‐temporary,Queen Eliza‐bethII, andservedQueen and countryasa district nurse.Asa newwifetoa UnitedStatesAirman, she immigrated to hishome and createda newlifewith him in aforeign land.Asa young mother of three, she losteverythingshe owned and narrowly escapedwith her andher family’slives inone of themostpower‐ful storms to ever make landfallinthe United States, HurricaneCamille. She rebuilther life once again,raising herchildren, working full-time,and with her busy handsalways sewingorknittingsome‐thing.Historicevents aside,Kathleen was, first and foremost,a nurse Motherand baby health was hercareer andher calling;the causeshe dedi‐cated herentirelifeto. Havinglefthomeat16to helpcarefor evacuated childrenduringWorld War 2,she’d earned adiploma fromthe National Society ofChildren’sNurseries by the time shewas 18 years old.By21she wasa State RegisteredNurse,by23 she’d been trainedatthe Queen’s InstituteofDis‐trict Nursing, andby25 she’d passedthe Central MidwivesBoard Exam and was workingasa District Nurse-Midwife in Lin‐colnshire county. Shere‐mainedinthisrole, riding the lanesofrural England onher motorcycle,deliver‐ing babies andcaringfor mothers andnewborns until shemarried at age29. After immigratingto Louisiana,Kathleen imme‐diately beganthe process ofpassing thenecessary equivalency examstowork asa nurse in theUnited States. Sheworkedatvari‐ous hospitalsinLouisiana and Mississippi andwas mostoften found in the NeonatalIntensive Care Unit, Laborand Delivery,or doing pre- andpost-natal homehealthvisitsuntil she retiredfromthe Women’s Hospital in Baton Rouge,Louisiana at age68. In herlater yearsand into retirement, Kathleen en‐joyed period dancingand clogging, sewing gowns dressesand scrubshirts galore, knitting baby hats booties,and sweaters,and traveling to Englandand Guernseyatleast once a yeartovisit hersisters and escapethe Louisianasum‐mers. Shewas neverhap‐pierthanwhensomeone placedaninfantinher arms…especially if that babywas wearinga dress she smockedand booties she knitted. Shenever stoppeddrinkingher Eng‐lishtea with milk and sugar,loved afried shrimp po-boy, andhad asweet tooth forasmuchcakeas you’d putinfront of her. She couldrecitepoems and songsshe learnedasa young girl andnever failed tosenda thankyou note or a birthday card with mes‐sages writteninher unique shorthand forthe recipient todecipher. Sheloved to spend time with hergrand‐childrenand great-grand‐children, taking them on beach vacations, fillingher yardwithreasons forthem to“go play outside,”and generouslyproviding them opportunities to attend camps,classes, school trips,and otherextracur‐ricular activities.Kathleen was preceded in deathby her parents, JamesWilliam Barkerand Gladys Vera (Holmes)Barker, her belovedsisters Margaret

Cross, Gary William

Daigle, Gloria Jean

Cotaya, Marie Louise 'Wezzie'

Marie Louise Cotaya,92, of Denham Springs,

Fallaize andJeanO’Grady, and herhusband Truvy Alvin Ficklin. Sheissur‐vived by heryoungestsis‐ter Brenda Mumby, her childrenMary(late Robert) Guidry, Margaret (Mitch) McNabb, andRobert(Lori) Ficklin,her grandchildren AdamGuidry, PaigeSilcox, HannahGuidry(Spencer Johnson), Winston(Nicole) Guidry, Tracy(Buster) Bueche, BenDubroc(Em‐melineDeville), Andrew (Dominique) Ficklin, An‐thony Ficklin, andTruvie Ficklin,aswellastwelve great-grandchildren anda hostofgrand-niecesandnephews.Kathleen Fick‐lin’s legacy will live on in her friends’ andfamily’s memoriesaswellasinthe countless knittedcapsdo‐nated to Women’sHospital for newbornbabies, the smocked dresses, sweaters, bonnetsand bootiespassedonfrom babytobabyinthe family, the tote bags,kitchen tow‐els,and scrubshirtsmade fromfabricscrapsthatshe simplycouldn’tlet go to waste,and allthe otherlit‐tle giftsand tidbitsshe sharedwiththe people she’s lovedoverthe years. Onceshe’s served her final shift training doctorsatTu‐lane/LSUmedical school she will be laid to rest with her husband andher father atFicklin Cemetery in Galvez, Louisiana. Amemo‐rialwillbeheldatGrace LifeFellowshipinBaton Rouge on June 27, 2026 Farewelltoaniconofan era. May we neverforget

Hahn, Jr., Thurston Thurston H.G. Hahn, Jr., passed away peacefully at the age of 88 years on April 16,2026, in Hammond, Louisiana. Anative of New Orleans, he was the only son of Thurston H.G. Hahn and Marie Ruby Bergeron. After graduating from Holy Cross High School, "Huey joined the Navy in 1956 to train as asubmarineengineman. He qualified aboard the USS Trutta (SS421) and later served aboard the USS Sea Cat (SS399).

Alongtime resident of Amite, Louisiana,Huey is survived by his wife Elaine Melba Parker; his children Thurston H.G. Hahn III and Karin Elaine Hahn (Gauthreaux); his grandchildren Laurin Ashlee Miller (Thompson), Lane Michael Ebert and Chloe Elaine Ebert; and great-granddaughter Reagan Iris Thompson. Graveside services will be held at Wetmore Cemetery in Ponchatoula, Louisiana, on April 20, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the United States Submarine Veterans Charitable Foundation, Inc.

Don Tracy

glasHanegan and Maureen Achee;her husbands, Bobby Gajanand Norris Marchand;her son,Hokie Gajan; her grandson, DanielBradley;her granddaughter, Dayna Mejia; and herson-in-law Denny Anderson Sr. Sheissurvived by 8of her 9children:PattiAnderson;Chipper(Brenda) Gajan; Wendy (Dan) Bradley; Elaine(Fred) McManus; Andy (Debbi Treuil) Gajan; Robert(Gwen) Gajan; DawnGajan; Alton (Cheryl) Gajan; and daughter-inlaw, Judy MoakGajan. She isalsosurvived by 26 grandchildren, 51 greatgrandchildrenand 4greatgreat-grandchildren.She raised athletes, health care professionals,accountants, businessowners, chefs, church leaders and so much more. Her legacy livesonthrough each of them, carrying forward the values, strength andlove she instilled in everygeneration. Alifelong member of St. Isidore and adevout Catholic, her faith wasthe cornerstone of her life. She livedher beliefsdailythrough kindness, compassionand unwaveringdevotion to her familyand community. There was hardly asocialevent Emma Jean missed in her impressive nine-plus decades. When she was not creating beautiful traditions with her friends and family, she was at church, praying for those in her circle, enjoying Cajun cuisine, fishing or watching the game. A graduateofSt. Joseph's Academy, she went on to marry the love of her life Bobby Lee and started her lifelong and very successful dream of being amother.She loved sports and played softball until her 70s, even participating in the Senior Olympics.

Always dressing the part and loving everything pink, she spent herlifenurturing others, always putting family firstand cherishing every moment spent together.Whether gathered aroundthe table, celebratingmilestonesor simplyenjoying each other's company, she created alifetimeofbeautiful memoriesthat willbetreasuredforever

Because Emma Jean raised afamily of avid sports fans and outdoorsmen, she was passionate about LSU sports and New Orleans Saints football, rarely missing agame knowing any stat and always cheering proudlyfor her teams Shelived the kind of life we allhope and pray forone filled with love, laughter,faithand the joyof life's simplest,most meaningful moments. She will be deeply missed, forever loved and never forgotten. "Herchildrenarise and callher blessed.Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all."

-Proverbs 31:28a-29

Please join us at St Isidore Church, 5657 Thomas Rd, Baton Rouge, LA 70811onWednesday, April22for visitation from 9-11:00 a.m. and mass at 11 a.m. to celebrate the beautiful life of Emma Jean H. Gajan Marchand.Consider wearing pink-her favorite color-tothe celebration. The graveside service and burial willfollow at Hillcrest MemorialGardens, Baker,LA.

Don Tracy Ladd passed away on April 9, 2026.A memorial gathering will be held at Greenoaks Funeral Home on Friday, April 24, 2026 from 11am until memorial service at 1pm. To read his full obituary please visitwww.greenoak sfunerals.com. Metz, Franklin Eugene'Gene'

Marchand, Emma H. Gajan

After 91 full, beautiful years, Emma Jean H. Gajan Marchand peacefully breathedher last on this earth to join our Savior in heaven on April 16, 2026, surrounded by the love of her family. Born on September 30, 1934, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, she was alifelong and involved resident of the community she loved more than words can express. Adevoted mother, grandmother, greatgrandmother, and greatgreat-grandmother, she was the heart and foundation of her immense family, an extraordinary matriarch whose love knew no bounds.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Bill and Edith Hanegan; her siblings, BillyHanegan, Dou-

Louisiana so that Mary couldenter theLouisiana StateUniversity (LSU) graduateprogram in French. Gene was hired as an instructor in the LSUDepartment of Architecture where he excelled in teaching.Hewas promoted to Assistant Professor and latertoAssociate Professorwithtenure. He took ayear's leave fromLSU to pursue amaster's degree in architecture at theUniversityofCalifornia, Berkeley. Gene left hispositionat LSUtoaccompany his wife to Frederick, Maryland where she had been appointed Provost and Dean of theFaculty at HoodCollege.Hetooka positionat theNational Bureau of Standards where he developed performance criteria and standardsfor solar heating and coolingbuildings.

WhenMary was appointed to thepresidency of Mills CollegeinOakland, California, Gene was hired by theUniversity of California,Berkeley, to thepositionofDirector of Design and Construction. Gene was vitallyinterested in civic activities, especially in thepreservationand restorationofthe historic John Marsh Housein Brentwood, California. He providedleadershiptothe John Marsh HistoricTrust formany years. Gene retiredfrom"Cal" in 1992 to returntothe practiceofarchitecture, specializing in residential architecture. He designed therenovationand expansionofmany smallcottagesinOakland, California for youngcouplesas they begantohavechildren.Gene continuedto practicearchitecture until he and Marymovedto Aiken, SC to be closer to theirfamily.Gene died peacefully with Mary at his side on April10, 2026. He is survivedbyhis wife and daughter, Gena. Visitthe online guestbook at www.shellhouseriv ersfuneralhome.com

Moore,Carolyn AnnCherry

and DelegatetoPelican Girl'sStatewhere she was elected Commissioner of Agriculture,and was asked to return several years as acounselorwhere she met her futurehusband who was also acounselor. She was Miss St. Mary Parish in 1958, Louisiana's Junior Miss in 1958, and International Rice Queen 1958-59 Miss Capital City, Miss Holiday Queen, and Runner Up in the1960 Miss Baton Rouge BeautyPageant. She was elected to represent theJunior Division as a freshmanatLSU and graduated fromLSU with aBS in Educationin1963. While at LSUshe was elected annually for four years as one of eight Cheerleaders participating in several Bowl Games, LClub member, amember of Pi Beta PhiSorority,Darling of LSU Court, GumboFavorite, RodeoQueen'sCourt,Sigma Chi Fraternity Court, LSU's Centennial Court, Bengal Belle of the Week and ROTC Sponsorofan AirForceSquadronand the next year as Sponsorof theArmyROTCPershing Rifles Regiment.She was named an Honorary Cadet Majorinthe former and Honorary Cadet Captain in thelatter. She may have been theonlycoedtohave been asponsor in both military branches. Carolyn later servedher church and community in many different ways including teaching Sunday School at Trinity Episcopal Church, being activeinthe Junior League, Congressional Wives Club, and parttime real estate sales person in Maryland and Baton Rouge. On several occasions, theMontgomery County Maryland BoardofRealtorsnamed her an Outstanding Sales Agent.She was awonderful wife and most important supporter in her husband's publicservicecareer whileraising afamily and maintaining awarm, loving home. She was even in public service herself appointed by President GeorgeH.W.Bush as Director of the Presidential Scholars Programinthe US Department of Education forfour years and awarded amedal forher exemplary service. Back in Baton Rouge, she served on the Louisiana Governor's MansionFoundationBoard was amember of theBells Jubilateand Trinity Church Bell Ringer Choirs, Crested ButteMountainMuseum Board, Louisiana MS SocietyBoard,member of the Bal Societe,Revelers, i ll ( i

Morning Callers (President), LesSaison, andLa Fiesta social clubs. .She wasa success at anything she undertook. She had the extraordinary gift of hospitality andservice.She opened herhomeregularly andjoyfullytocharities, clubs, LSU, neighborsand guests. Sheand herhusbandmade everysignificant decision in their long andsuccessful marriage together.One of the first wastodecidewhich church to join as he as a life-longEpiscopalian and shea Baptist. After many visits andthinking together,she made thedecision to join theEpiscopal church.Whenasked why, she replied"Iwill be a much betterEpiscopalian than he will be aBaptist." Andshe wasrightasshe wasonevery-thingintheir marriage. Herfamilywas herpride and joy. Shehad aservant'sheartthatwas clearly displayedbyher close relationship with her childrenand grandchildren.She generallyspoke to all threechildrenevery day at least once,asmany grand-children as possible andher husband on his many days away from home in hiscareer. There wasnothingshe wouldnot do for herfamilyfrom babysitting grandchildren to hosting familydinners or helpingclean ahouse. Sheloved planningand runningtrips for her grandchildrenand children:a safaritoSouth Africa, aDisneycruise, sailingtripinthe Caribbean,and yearly gatheringsatthe family home in CrestedButte,Colorado. Sheleft alegacyof accomplishment, service commitmentand was the best example of wife and mother.She exemplified Proverbs 31:28-29 "Her childrenriseupand call herblessed; herhusband also praises her. Many women have done excellently, butyou surpass them all." Carolyn willbe sorely missed. The family wouldliketogive special thanks to Tramesya Williams, Ameenah Edebira, MichelleToups and Hospice of Baton Rouge Funeral serviceswill be Saturday, April 25, 2026 at Trinity Episcopal Church, 3552 MorningGlory Ave., Baton Rouge with visitation at 9:30 and servicesat 11:00, Fr. Peter R. Wong officiating. Areception Immediately followingthe service willbeheld at the Baton Rouge CountryClub, 8551 JeffersonHighway. P ll B ill b A th

Pall Bearerswill be Arthur John McGehee, Jr., Theodore JamesDuckworth, William Henson Moore V, ChristopherJohn McGehee,William Hunter McGehee,and James PalmerDuckworth. The familysuggests contributionstoa nonprofitofyour choice in lieu of flowers.

Peroyea, Colleen Ferry

ColleenFerry Peroyea, a residentofBaton Rouge Louisiana, passed away on Thursday, April 16, 2026. Shewas thedaughterof John B. Ferry andColleen C. Ferry, born andraised in Houma,Louisiana. Sheis survived by herbeloved husband of 43 years, Joseph G. "Greg"Peroyea, whom she met while attending Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, whereshe wasa member of DeltaDelta Deltasorority andGregwas amember of Kappa Sigmafraternity Shewas aparishionerof St.Thomas More Catholic Church in Baton Rouge Sheisalso survivedbyher daughter, Elizabeth M. Peroyea, alongwithher partnerNicholasGuidroz and threegrandchildren,Sadie Miletello,Marigold Miletello,and NoelGuidroz Colleen'ssister,Stephanie Ferry and nephewJohn Hardy.She is also survived by numerouscousins and cousins-in-law that were more like siblings, JuliaHarwell (Mark), Carl (Teresa) Gibson, Ghislaine (Tim) Christiansen, and John (Barb)Gibson. Shewas a"force of nature"known for herquick wit, anda heartthatrarely letanyone leave herpresence without feelinga little lighter. Herhumorarrived fast andfearless, often followed by akindness that made people feeltruly seen. She hada talentfor turningordinarymoments

Franklin Eugene Metz passed awaypeacefully at his home in Woodside Plantation,Aiken,SCon April 10,2026 Gene was born in Greenville,SConMarch27, 1934 to James Lorenzo Metz and AzleenHughes Metz. He attended elementary and highschool in Anderson,SC. Upon graduation he was offered atrack scholarship to Clemson University where he as ran cross country and pole vaulted, back whenbamboo poles wereused and the vaulter landed in apit of sawdust. He aspired to be an architect, but at that time Clemson didnot offer amajor in architecture. So he was awardeda Bachelor of ScienceDegreeinArchitectural Engineering in 1956.Following graduation fromClemson,hejoined the architecturalfirm of John Lambert in Anderson. Gene married his longtime sweetheart, Mary Dunlap Seawall of Anderson on December 21, 1956. In 1958,Geneand Mary movedtoBaton Rouge,

Carolyn Ann Cherry Moore was born in Tyler, Texas,onJanuary 26, 1941, grew up in Franklin, Louisiana, was alengthy resident in Potomac, Maryland, and alongtime resident of BatonRouge which she considered home. She passed peacefullyfrom this life on April 16, 2026 at her home in BatonRouge causedbycomplications from meningiomas and sepsis. She was surrounded by her children and husband. She is survivedby her son WilliamHenson MooreIVand daughter-inlawMary Louise Ayala Moore of Nashville,TN; her daughter JenniferLee MooreMcGeheeand son-in -law Arthur John McGehee, Jr.ofBaton Rouge; her daughter CherryAnn Moore Duckworth and sonin-law Theodore James DuckworthofRidgeland, MS; her grandchildrenMolly Moore McGeheeLarpenteur, ChristopherJohn McGehee, WilliamHunter McGehee, John Pearce Robertson,Lt. Francesca Maria Moore Dunn , Mignonne Ann Moore, William HensonMoore V, Carolyn Teddi Duckworth; step grandchildrenPalmer Duckworthand Alex Duckworth Ellis; greatgrandchildrenMary Hardin Larpenteur,Anna McGehee Larpenteur, LeeMaxwell Larpenteur and Ava Weisenhutter. Her mother was from alarge family in Zwollie, Louisianaand so she was blessed witha number of cousins,four of whom she grew up with in Franklin, Willard Rodney Smith, Gerard Wayne Smith, Dennis James Smith, and Cindy Lou Smith Shepherd, and three of whom were raised by her mother as sisters,Sandra Dianne McGarrahan, Karen Gail McGarrahan, and MaryVirginiaMcGarrahan Resweber.She was survivedbyher devoted husband of over 63 years, William HensonMoore III of BatonRouge. Her parentsChristopher Columbus Cherry, Jr.and VeldaAnn McGarrahan Cherryof Franklin predeceased her. She graduated from Franklin HighSchool in 1959 where she was Salutatorian of herclass, Editor of theAnnual Staff (yearbook),Homecoming Court, Drum Majorette for which she received aMerit Award, Miss Franklin High School, Most Beautiful Girl, F.F.A. SweetheartCourt,

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As public school enrollment shrinks, stateneeds astrategy

Louisiana’slong, slow population decline has hadmanydownstreameffects. One that is often overlooked is the effect on thestate’spublic schools.

But as an illuminating analysis publishedthis week by this newspaper’sPatrick Wall shows, the state’sebbing population is felt keenly in the state’spublic classrooms.

Studying adecade’sworth of data, Wall found there are about 60,000 fewer students in Louisiana publicschools thanthere were 10 years ago. Last year,enrollments dropped in 90% of Louisiana’sroughly 70 school districts. Total enrollmentstatewidewas down year over year by over 11,000.

Private school enrollmentisalso shrinking. Home school, microschool and charterschool enrollments are growing,but not enough to offset the other declines.

The irony is that the shrinking student numbers come as public schools in Louisiana are experiencing some noteworthyacademic improvements. In 2024, the staterecordedits highest score in anational assessmentofreading. Some of the methods applied there arenow flowingintomatheducation, and forone of the few times in recent memory,there is real optimism in Louisiana educational circles. Other Southern states, manyofwhich are seeing population increases, have public school enrollments thatare at least holding steadyor even increasing.

The policy and practical ramifications of falling enrollment are manifold.State funding —the primary source of revenue formost local school systems —isbased on thenumber of students enrolled in each district. Shrinking student counts, therefore, result in lowerstate funding, which in turn forces schooladministrators and board members to make tough choices That often means dropping programs, reducing staff and closing or consolidating schools

The last option is especially complicated when schools —asistrue in many rural areas —are rallying points for communities alreadyhard hit by population declines. But puttingoff such decisions often makes theproblem worse

Some administrators have adopted other approaches, including improving marketing or creating specialized programs. But the tide is against them. With ashrinking population, the problemwill only worsen.

Gov.Jeff Landry and other stateleadersare certainly aware of this challenge. Theyhave made economic developmenta majorpriority, landing severallarge projects.

But those aren’tapanacea. Wall found, for instance, that even as amajorliquefiednatural gasfacility in Plaquemines Parish brought in thousands of workers, school enrollment continued to shrink. That doesn’tmean thatLouisiana should not go forthose projects.But we urgestate leaderstolook at metrics beyondjust construction costs and rosy job predictions to ensure that new industries will benefit thecommunities where they locate from top to bottom, including in schools. After all, it would be agrave disappointment if, just as Louisiana startstomake real, measurable educational gains, there were fewerstudents to benefit from them.

OPINION

ForBen Sasse, victoryoverdeath

Ifyou don’tknow former Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse, he’sthe first to tell you these days that he wasn’tready for thefight of Washington, in somerespects. He wasn’tapolitician —honestly,the man is anerd in the best of ways. He believed in thenobility of public service. During his time in office, he was America’smuch-needed civics teacher Sasse is currently dying of cancer.Hemay not have long to live. These are precious monthsfor,as Sasse understands it,“redeeming the time.” Sasse has been doing alot of talking lately.Inarecent interview with Ross Douthat for The New York Times,he appears bloodied. Hisface is broken. His skin isn’treplacing itself. He may be suffering, but Sasse has not lost his sense of humor,gratitude, love of God and appreciation for the American experiment. Sasse reminds us, in his podcastsand interviews, that life is agift and is meanttobelived in love for God and his people. His priorityissharing thewisdom that has

been forced upon him. Ross joked that pending deathhas Sasse, at 54, “where Henry Kissinger was at 100.” When theconversation turns to politics, Sasse predicts that theUnited States in 2026 won’t be remembered forits insane partisan rhetoric. Instead, “[w] hat we’re going to talk about is the fact that we wereliving through atechnological revolution that was creating economic and cultural upheaval, and we were living through institutional collapse, and way,way,way,way,way below that, there’sawhole bunch of political institutions that are part of that institutional collapse.”

About more eternal things, Sasse says: “I believe in the resurrection, andIbelieve in arestoration of this world.”

At thesame time, he’shonest about thehuman condition.“Death is terrible. We should never sugarcoat it. It is not how things are meanttobe. But it is great that deathcan be called the final enemy. It’sanenemy, but it’sa final enemy, and there will then be no moretears.”

It’s his family that he grieves for. He and his wife have ateenage boy at home, and two girls out of the house. He will not be around forhis son during somepivotal years, he knows, and will not walkhis daughters down church aisles should they marry.“I felt areal heaviness about that,” Sasse recalls about learning he had cancer “I’ve continued to feel apeace about the fact that death is something that we should hate. We should call it a wicked thief. And yet, it’spretty good that you pass through the veil of tears one time and then there will be no moretears, there will be no morecancer.”

As Iwrite, cancer has not killed Sasse yet. And it will never kill his soul. The bloody —and grace-filled way he is dying is amercy forall who look and listen: Christianity is real, can be tried and will save us from the powers of hell, which are too real when we have no sense of perspective on the meaning of this time we have been given.

Email Kathryn Jean Lopez at klopez@ nationalreview.com.

Finding away to focus on things that matter is sometimes hard.

We are all inundated by aflood of news and information day after day,and it can be overwhelming to takeitall in.

Butwhen we look at our lives and our communities, it’sclear thethings that matter are the thingsthat bring us together whether that’sfamilial bonds, community spaces or inspiring ideas. The day-to-day grind can obscure those things at times, but when we lose sight of them, it’sgood to look around and see people who aredoing good in the world.

They are all around us.

AndinLouisiana at this time of year, they especially include the musicians and volunteers and organizers who put on the festivals that have us tapping our toes tothe beat.New Orleans’ JazzFest, the grandaddy of them all,

kicks off later this week, as does Festival International in Lafayette. French Quarter Fest and The Baton Rouge Blues Festival are just ending. These events offer morethan music, though.They are valuable “third spaces,” aphrase coined by sociologist Ray Oldenburg to describeplaces outside of homeand work where people gather They have low barriers to entry (though Ihear you about JazzFest ticket prices) and attract awide swath of thecommunity.It’s where you can go and meet your neighbors by chance and reconnect. Our communities are losing such spaces, but studies have shown they makeus happier

If you are reading social media or theletters to theeditor every day and you have doubtsaboutthe sense or morals of your fellow humans, it’stime

to get to athird space. Often, when we encounter one another in real life instead of behind ascreen, it restores our faith in humanity

Turning to our letters inbox forApril 2-9, it was abusy time. We received 83 letters, which is ahigh forthe year No surprise that the topic that mostof you wanted to talk about wasthe war in Iran, the subject of 11 letters. The second mostpopular topic was also no surprise: the current legislative session, which prompted 10 of you to write. Lastly,the U.S. Senate race is heating up, and four letters werereceived about the candidates. Are you planning to head out to amusic festival this weekend? If so, plenty of us whowork forthe newspaper will be going, too. Maybe we’ll see you there.

Email Arnessa Garrett at arnessa.garrett@theadvocate.com

Arnessa Garrett

Kathryn Jean Lopez

COMMENTARY

PresidentGarfieldis suddenly onecoolcat

When Iwas growing up on Garfield Street in New Orleans, the joke, albeit insensitive to its subject, was that Iwas on the block that wasa “dead end, just like James Garfield’spresidency.” For the past few years, though, Garfield’spresidencyand life —cut short by an assassin’sbullet fired just 120 days into his White House term —have been very much reinvigorated, reaching acrescendo now Athoroughly engrossing late2025 miniseries about him is a nominee for the Peabody Entertainment Awards to be announced April 23, and the Capitol Historical Society hosted an April15 public “dialogue”with aGarfield biographer and one of the miniseries’ lead actors. And while the miniseries “Death by Lightning” was inspired by adifferent book on the felled president, much of the impetus for the sudden interest in the previously little-remembered Garfield arose due to the widely lauded “President Garfield,” a superbly rendered2023 biography by NewOrleans native C.W.Goodyear.The firstmajor biography by Goodyear,at least afourth-generation Louisianan

on both his maternal and paternallines, was recognized by The Washington Post as one of the year’svery best nonfiction books and described in The Wall Street Journal as “the most readable ever” biography of thenation’s 20th President

likable. Indeed, he madevery few enemies even during theReconstruction era that Goodyear says was perhaps thelast time before now that the nation’spolitical divisions ran quitesodeeply

Goodyear last week offered interesting insights aboutGarfield and about lessons applicable today from his story

That story is remarkable. Garfield’spresidential predecessor, RutherfordHayes, said of him that “no man ever started so low whoaccomplished so much in all our history.” Literally born in alog cabin,Garfield worked as afarmer,quarry worker,janitor, schoolteacher,celebrated mathematician,collegepresident at the age of 26, state legislator,military hero asthe youngest Union general in theCivil War, lawyer and U.S.House Minority Leader Aprewar abolitionist and postwaropponentofthe corrupt, reigning “spoils system”of government,Garfield was by all accounts agenuinely good man (with, naturally,a few human foibles).Perhapsmost noteworthy abouthis personality,though, was that he wassoconsiderate and

“I was intrigued by theidea of anational-level leader of the United States who was trying to overcome the spirit of division of their times,” Goodyear told me. “James Garfield’slife is the story of somebody trying to be almost apathologically reasonable person in an irrational time. Iwould argue that his political arc shows boththe positives and negatives, theyields and the pitfalls, of that approach to American politics. Ironically,what played arole in his assassination was his attempt to please all comers and appease all factions of his party.”

Goodyear explained that while Garfield truly wanted major reforms, his approach made only smaller gains likely: “Hewas almost militantly obsessed with making everybody at the table happy.Hewould have preferred to make4-yard gains on the ground than risk a30-yard Hail Mary pass.”

His death, making him into a martyr, was what gave necessary impetus to the passage of the civil service reformspassed in his

name, some provisions of which still stand today.Otherwise, Goodyear suggests, thereforms might have been less sweeping and less effective.

Interestingly,Garfield himself foresaw theeffects of an earlier iteration of how modernized communications technology might change politicsfor the worse.In an 1877 article forthe Atlantic magazine (yes, it has been around for thatlong!), Garfield worried thatthe advent of the telegraph would bringsuch national immediacy to daily coverage of con-

gressional debates, making them available in newspapers at every breakfast table that, as Goodyear paraphrased it, “The greatest lawmaking arena in human history gets turned into adramatic stage where people are posing, preening, performing” —rather than, as Garfield did, being busy studying and trying to write serious policy

Goodyear speculated that Garfield would see today’sinternet and social media as amajor distraction from good policymaking.

Garfield obviously foresaw the dangers of mass-media demagoguery

In that 1877 article, though, Garfield placed responsibility firmly where it belongs.

“Now,more than ever before,”

Garfield wrote, “the people are responsible forthe character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless, and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness, and corruption. If it be intelligent, brave, and pure, it is because the people demand those high qualities to represent them in the national legislature.”

Words to the wise. It’s up to us to choose the latter

Email Quin Hillyer at quin. hillyer@theadvocate.com

Ashallow race to theright amongSenatecandidates

What if they threw aRepublican primary aimed at making sure conservatives got their pick for U.S. Senate, and only liberals signed up to run?

That is emphatically not what happened when the Legislature and Gov Jeff Landry upended the way Louisiana voters choose their members of Congress and other top officials. What did happen is that three experiencedRepublicans qualified, all with extensivepublic records, that position them well within the mainstream of their party. But voters following the campaign leading up to the May 16 primary could be excused for thinking otherwise.

sidy and Fleming are incorporating easy —OK, let’sjustcall it lazy —alliteration intotheir attacks against “Liberal Letlow,” who is, of course, the chosen candidate of President Donald Trump, thesame man that both insist they’d serve justasslavishly as Letlow would.

Letlow,meanwhile, is linking Cassidy to former President Joe Biden and saying the senator is not sufficientlyloyal toTrump.And Gov.Jeff Landry,aLetlow supporter,is tyingFleming, afounding memberofthe House FreedomCaucus and onetime Trump aide, toprogressive bogeymen like George Soros for his oppositiontocarbon capture.

To an almost comical extent, incumbent U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow and state Treasurer John Fleming —not one of whom actual liberals would claim as their own —are spending theirtime and resources hurling the “L” word at one another It’sgone so far that both Cas-

To state what should be the obvious, none of this is illuminating or at allconvincing, certainly not to voters who might care to understand the candidates’ perspectives on key issues facing thecountry.None of it will persuade anyone who’snot already thinking of the accused —and

Birthright

As aBlack American who is old enough to remember the last days of legal Jim Crow racial segregation, Ipay special attention whenever Ihear signs thatinmany American minds the Civil Warnever really ended.

So does President Donald Trump. That may help to explain why he took the extraordinary step of appearing in person in the grand chamber of the U.S Supreme Court, apparently the first president to do so, as his solicitor general made the case against “birthright citizenship” before the high court justices.

The issue, one of the most important Supreme Court rulings expected this year,iswhether Trump may deny citizenship to babies born in the U.S. based on the legal immigration status of their parents.

The policy,outlined in an executive order issued on the first day of his second term of office, seems to contradict the plain language of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Indeed, federal judges in four separate cases have ruled Trump’sorder was unconstitutional, and now the Supreme Court is reviewing three

of those rulings. The outlook, Iamhappy to observe, does not look good for Trump’sside, which gave me acautiously optimistic outlook aboutthe side Ifavor alongwith most other Americans, judging by the polls.

TheTrump administration has settled on three main arguments against birthright citizenship, which thepresident and hisminions have faithfully rehearsed in recent weeks. They are: this rightisabused by rich foreigners; the 14thAmendment only purported to speak to the legal statusofenslaved people andtheir descendants at the end of theCivil War; and the policy is anomalousamongthe nations of theworld As aPBS fact check pointed out, these objectionsdon’thold much water

Themost convincing might be the notion that birthright citizenship is abused. Casesof“birth tourism” do occur,but they make up asmall percentage of births and are easily addressed by less sweepingpolicy As for the14th Amendment argument, birthright citizenship

likely theaccusers —asbroad stereotypes.It’sjustmisleading, with adistinct whiff of desperation to winwhat’s turned outto be adepressingly superficial race to theright No amount of name-calling, for example, is going to prompt a substantive discussion over why Cassidy voted to convict Trump for inciting theJan. 6attack on theU.S. Capitol. That’sashame, becausehe’sgot agood case to make for having defended the rule of law and stood up for law enforcement officers who came under violent attack at the president’s urging —both things that paint him moreasaprincipled conservative than the left-winger of Letlow’sframing. Nor will it force Letlow to expound on why she thinks Trump’s behavior that day should be excused.

It also won’tsteer thecandidates toward an honestconversation about health policy,as bothCassidy and Letlow seek MAHA votes even though both have histories of advocating for

vaccines —Cassidy as aphysician and Letlowasthe widow of acongressman-elect who died while waiting for the COVID shot to become available, according to her own account at the time. Anditsure won’tlead to real talkover Diversity,Equity and Inclusion, the subject of Cassidy’slatest gleeful attack on Letlow She was caught red-handed supporting more womenand women of color in high positions in academia back when she applied to be president of University of Louisiana-Monroe. “You avoid groupthink whenyou have more diverse voices at the table,” shesaid, in astatement that was consideredpretty uncontroversial at the time.That wasbefore shepivoted to the MAGA position of being firmly against DEI. She was eithertelling the truth thenoristelling it now. Or maybe theflip-flopreveals aremarkably flexible moralcompass. Butthen, is Cassidy really better when he treatsthe discovery of her recorded comments as

nothing more thana gotcha opportunity? On his own prior professionalturf, he surely understands thatthe administration’s brutish waronDEI hassidelined important medicalresearch involving those who face particular risks. But it’sfairtoask whether thatmatters if he’s not willing to act on what he knows. These are just someofthe conversations that might happen in an alternate political universe, one where there are real debates in neutral forums, and where the candidates respect voters enough to engage over their differences instead of just trying to trick them into thinking their opponents are something they’re not. Because the ideathat any of the Republicans on next month’s ballotare liberalcould hardly be less credible. And if the candidatesthink theycan convince voters otherwise, you’ve gotto wonder what else they’d try to sell them.

Email Stephanie Graceat sgrace@theadvocate.com.

has deep rootsinAnglo-American jurisprudence, and the amendmenthas been applied to children of other immigrants, notably the Chinese in United States v. Wong Kim Ark(1898).

Finally,contrary to what Trump repeatedly insists, theU.S. is hardly an outlier in allowing birthright citizenship. It is the law in morethan 30 countries, including virtually the entire Western Hemisphere.

At one particularly quotable momentinSupremeCourt arguments,Roberts dismissed U.S. Solicitor General John Sauer’scontention that today’simmigration problemsrequire arevision of the understanding that virtually all children born on U.S. soil become American citizens,regardless of their parents’ immigration status.

Sauer painted amenacing picture of “a sprawling industry of birthtourism” that has led to “uncounted thousands of foreigners from potentially hostile nations” arriving in theU.S. to have their children here.

“We’re in anew world now,” Sauer said, “where 8billion people are one plane ride away from having achild who’sa U.S. citizen.”

“Well, it’s anew world,” Chief

Justice John Roberts countered. “It’s thesame Constitution.” Thank you, Mr.Chief Justice. The durability of such constitutional protections is evidenced by itssurvival in the Constitution since theReconstruction era.

Trump’sorder represents the boldest moveofhis anti-immigrant agenda, reopening racial wounds at the core of American identity andundermining our “melting pot” ideals of human rights, equal opportunity and assimilation

We’ve come along waysince thehigh court’sinfamous Dred Scottv.Sanford ruling in March 1857, when Chief Justice Roger Taney issued what legal scholars have denounced as theworst SupremeCourt opinion in history

The question before the court then was whether African Americans are citizens of the United States and thus able to file suit in federal court.

Taney wentfor the jugular Black people, enslaved or free, were not citizens, he wrote, and had “no rights which the White man was bound to respect.” They were “beings of an inferior order” and not included in the Declaration of Independence.

In fact, manywould say,Taney

wasonly describing plainly without ahint of sugar-coating —what mostAmericans believed to be true under the lawsand customsofthose antebellum times.

YetTaney’swords evoked such disgust, horror and profound discomfort in manyminds that it helped lead directly in those increasingly tense times to the outbreak of the Civil War.

Tooharsh? Ican’thelp but hear echoes of that old, candidly racist era in the justifications of the brutal immigrant sweeps by ICEand Border Patrol agents in Chicago, Minneapolis and other places. Most of those dragged out of their homes or off the streets have been people of color,and too often have been treated without regard to their civil rights or due process.

And, similarly,when Isaw Trumpgrandly throw open doors of welcome to White South Africans, whom he inaccurately described as victimsof“White genocide,” as he cut food aid to poor populations of color,I could not help but wonder how much racial progress we have yet to make.

Email Clarence Page at clarence47page@gmail.com.

Clarence Page

Stephanie Grace

Quin Hillyer

into stories and strangers into friends Services will be held on Friday April 24, 2026, at St. George CatholicChurch in Baton Rouge at 7808 St. George Rd with visitation at 10:30 a.m., afuneral mass at 11:30 a.m. and an on-site reception to follow.

Rizan, Thelma Aurelia Martinez

continued from five children: Noah Pierre Rizan III and wife Nancy Pardue Rizan, Karen Gwen RizanParker and husband Kent Parker,Aimee Renee Rizan English, Michelle Rizan Williamsonand husband Baron Williamson, andMichel Ernest Rizan and wifeBrenna Carney Rizan; tengrandchildren, twelve great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.She is also survived byher sisterCarolyn Ann Sholar;and her brothersJoseph RobertMaritnez and JosephNathanMartinez.

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved mother, Thelma Aurelia Martinez Rizan, who departed this life surrounded by her family on Thursday, April 16, 2026, at the age of 90. Thelma was born on October 6, 1935, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She devoted her life to her family, her faith and her community. She married her sweetheart, Noah Pierre Rizan, Jr. on June 30, 1956, beginning aloving partnership that lasted alifetime. She graduated from Woodlawn High School and attended Baton RougeDraughon Business college. After raising her children and once they were in school, Thelma returned to school herself earning a Master Catechist certification through the Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge.

Thelma dedicated many years of faithful service to Catholic education and ministry, retiringaftera long and meaningful career from Redemptorist High School as their Director of Catholic Studies, and from Holy Family Catholic Church as Director of the RCIA Program.

Thelma found joy in gardening, crocheting, completing puzzles and collecting antiques. She had an impressive collection of milk glass, roosters, chickens, birds and religious items -many of which she lovingly discovered at auctions, flea markets and thrift stores. She had agift for finding beauty and treasure in unexpected places. She is survived by her

Thelma was preceded in deathbyher lovinghusband, Noah PierreRizan, Jr.;her parents, Joseph Ernest Martinez, Jr.and Thelma Aurelia Bush Martinez; her brothers,Joseph Ernest Martinez III, Joseph Harold Martinezand Henry Archille Martinez and her stepsister, Rena Mae Green.

AFuneral Mass in celebration of Thelma's life, offering atime of reflection and spiritualcomfort for allwho knew and loved her,willbeheld at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, April 20, 2026, at HolyFamily CatholicChurch, 369 North Jefferson Avenue in Port Allen. Visitationwill be held at the church beginning at 9:00 a.m. Interment willfollow at Resthaven Gardens of Memory,where she willbelaidtorestbesideher beloved husband. Thelma's legacy of faith, love, serviceand devotion to family willliveoninall who were blessedtoknow her Family and friends may signthe online guestbook or leave apersonalnote to the family at www.resthav enbatonrouge.com

Roberts, RandaLei

Randa Lei Roberts, anativeofAlbuquerque, NM and aresident of

Prairieville, LA,passed away on Thursday, April 16, 2026, at theage of 73. She worked as anurse and amedical coder. She was also aformermember of Local 198. She enjoyed cooking and reading mountains of books.She was known for being a strong woman, knowledgeable, andbullheaded. She is survivedbyher loving partner of 44 years, Judy Cason; sisters,Rhonda Maxfield and JaniceValenti;and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Randolph Hall and Lois Scott and her husband, Bill;parents, Floyd Hall and Lillie Mae Hall; and sister, Demitria Hall Visitation willbeheldat Resthaven Funeral Home, 11817 Jefferson Hwy. Baton Rouge, LA 70816, on Tuesday, April21, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. until Memorial Service at 6:00 p.m. Inurnment willfollow at alater date.

Sandra LeeStroman, belovedwife,mother, grandmother,and friend, passed away peacefully on Sunday, the 29thofMarch 2026. She was82years of age. Sandra was born on the 5thofFebruary 1944, in BatonRouge,Louisiana to Pearland Dr. OgdenVennard. She spent her early years in BatonRougeand attended theprestigious University High School on theLSU campus. She continued her education at Louisiana StateUniversity, where she graduated and was aproud member of thePiBetaPhi sorority, forming lifelong friendships and memories In late1970, Sandra met theloveofher life,Byron Stroman of Ardmore,Okla-

homa, on ablind date. Theirconnectionwas immediateand enduring, and they were married on June 17, 1972, beginning adevotedpartnershipthat spanned morethan five decades.

Sandra hada love for travel,always eager to explorenew places and create lasting memories with her family.Among her favorite retreats was her cherished yellow beach house on Galveston Island, where she found joy, peace, and delighted in watching thepurplemartins that gatheredeach season.

Awoman of faith, Sandrawas adedicated memberofSt. Martin'sEpiscopalChurch, where she found community, comfort, and purposethroughout herlife

Sandra is precededin death by her parents, Dr. Ogdenand Mrs. PearlVennard; her sisters, Linda Vennard Leeand SallyVennard; and brother Bill. She is survivedbyher husband, ByronStroman; daughter, Rebecca Overton and son-in-lawMark of Fort Kent, Maine; grandson, ClydeOverton; sister, Ginger Witherspoon;and numerous nieces and nephews.

Sandra willberemembered forher warmth, grace, adventurous spirit, and unwavering love for her family

Agraveside servicewas conducted at teno'clockin themorning on Saturday the4th of April, at Memorial Oaks Cemetery, 13001 Katy FreewayinHouston.

Ann

The family of Catherine "Cathy" Ann (Dedon) Tyson, 74, of Jackson, LA,is heartbrokentoannounce her passing on Friday, April 17, 2026. She passed peacefully after abrave and hard- fought battle and will be deeply missed. Cathy enjoyed asimple life with her family,which included fishing with her

childrenand grandchildren,sittingonher porch watchingthe many assorted furry and featheredanimals hergrandson"Dooty" raised, playing bingo whenever she hadthe chance,and playingthe slot machines. Sheaccomplishedall of this whilestill maintainingher RBF and always saying, "It's alright." Sheissurvived by herfourdaughters: Sarah (TJ) Murvin of WinterGarden,FL; Danyell(Johnny) Vice of St.Francisville, LA; Tiffany (James) Martinof St.Francisville,LA; and Melissa (Lee) Dixon of Jackson,LA; heraunt, Sara Elizabeth Haley of Jackson LA; twobrothers, David "Rabbit" Dedon Jr.ofSt. Francisville,LA, and Michael Wayne(Patricia) Dedon of St.Francisville LA; thirteengrandchildren: Christy, William "Bobby," Jonathan "Ty," Rowdy, Madelyn "Sissy," Trevor, Emily, Jamie, Allie,Jacie, Ayden, Robert "Dooty," andLeann; andfifteen great-grandchildren.She waspreceded in death by herbeloved husband, Robert Frank Tyson; her son, ChristopherJames Fletcher; herparents, David "DC" Dedon Sr.and JessieBall Dedon;her sister, Susan Christine Farris; herbrother,Allen Ray Dedon;and herfavorite fourleggedfriend, Bandit. Serviceswill be held on Sunday, April 19, 2026, at Charlet Funeral Home in Zachary, from 2pm until

service at 4pm. Burial to follow at Second Baptist Cemetery in Jackson.Pallbearers will be Ty Harrell, RowdyAnthony, Trevor Vice,Noah Sagely, Caleb Clark, andJames Toney. Momma, we know you are nowreunited with therest of thefamilyinHeaven andwill forever be enjoyingbeautifuldays of fishing, bingo, andthe slots. We love you andmiss you more than wordscan say. Share memoriesat www.CharletFuneralHome com.

DEATHS

Stroman,Sandra LeeSandee

Tyson,Catherine

'Cathy'

LSUdumps OleMiss in seesaw battle

BY JIM KLEINPETER

Contributing writer

Tori Edwards camethrough in the clutch for the second consecutive night, although Saturday was in less spectacular fashion.

Edwards drew abases-loaded walk in the sixth inning to snap a6-6 tieasLSU softball beat Ole Miss 7-6 at Tiger Park on Saturday. LSU (31-14, 8-9 SEC) loadedthe bases on a walk to Jalia Lassiter, andsinglesbySierra Daniel and Alix Franklin.

ä Ole Miss at LSU 1P.M.

SUNDAy,SECN+

Edwards —who hita sixthinning, inside-the-park grand slam in a6-4 winthe night before —fouled off three 3-2 pitches from Ole Miss pitcher Lilly Whitten before Whitten bounced the next pitch to force home the go-ahead run.

“I knew what they weretryingtodo, but not let the moment get too big,” said Edwards, who also had arun-scoring double earlier in the game. “I told myself, ‘She’s not going to beatme, so just look foraball over the plate like I’m readyto go but staying tuned into myself.’ Igot the walk andit was huge for the team.”

The Rebels (27-20, 2-15) did not go away easily.LSU pitcher Paytn Monticelli walked

ä See BATTLE, page 9C

Tigers’offense picksuppace in scrimmage

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

His LSU defense brought upathird down, so Blake Baker decided to dialupone of his signature blitzes —perhapssohecould test quarterback Husan Longstreet

The Tigers were rehearsingatwo-minute drill at the end of their springpractice on Saturday. Longstreet, aSouthernCal transfer, didn’thaveatimeout, and he needed a touchdown. In this scripted scenario, his team was down by five with just more than a minute left in the fourth quarter Longstreet didn’tpanic. Instead,he

ä See SCRIMMAGE, page 4C

LSU gymnast Kylie Coen flips over thebalance beaminthe

on SaturdayatDickies Arena in FortWorth, Texas.Coen scored a9.9125. Below: LSUcoach JayClark hugs gymnast LexiZeiss while addressing the team after finishing in second placeatthe NCAAchampionship final on Saturday.

‘Stars’

BY SCOTTRABALAIS Staff writer

FORT WORTH, Texas In the end,there was perfection, perseverance and pain for the LSU gymnastics team in Saturday’sNCAA championship final.

The Tigers ledgoingtothe finalrotation but couldn’tholdon, finishing second to Oklahoma198.1625-198.0750 at Dickies Arena.

LSU, seeking its second national title in threeyears,got aperfect 10 on vault from Kailin Chio, then had a49.6125 on uneven barstosurgeintothe lead (148.600148.525) with one event to go.

The Tigers got agreat start from Kylie Coen (9.9125), then had to eraseafall from LexiZeiss that led to a9.2375. Konnor McClain hada 9.95 in the fifth spot, putting the spotlight on Chio. LSU’sstellar sophomore had asmall balancecheck anda smallhop on her landing, resulting in a9.90. As it turned out, Chio would have needed yetanother perfect 10 for LSU to win the championship as Oklahoma floor anchorFaith Torrez posted a9.95. Florida, theSoutheasternConference

meet champion, finished third at 197.6875, followed by Minnesota in itsfirst NCAA final (197.3750).

“We’re disappointed,” LSUcoach Jay Clark said, “but we’re notdefeated,and there’s adifference. That’swhat these kids have gottounderstand. They’ve got alot to be proud of. They fought theiryouknow-whatsoff to put themselves in aposition to even be in the running.

“They got there. Sometimes, at the end, ä See LSU, page 3C

We’re disappointed, but we’re not defeated, and there’sa difference. That’s what these kids have got to understand. They’ve got alot to be proud of.”

JAyCLARK, LSU gymnastics coach

STAFFPHOTOSByMICHAEL JOHNSON

PHOTO By MICHAEL BACIGALUPI

LSU shortstop Kylee Edwards hits asingle in the first inning against OleMiss on Saturday at TigerPark.LSU won7-6.

LEARNMORE

Chris Stanfield LSU Baseball, Outfielder

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5p.m. LPGA Tour:JMEagleGolf MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

12:30 p.m.Detroit at Boston

3:30 p.m. Toronto at Arizona

6p.m. Atlanta at PhiladelphiaNBCSN

5:30 p.m.Orlando at Detroit NBC

8p.m.Portland at San AntonioNBC NHL

2p.m.Los Angeles at Colorado TNT

4:45 p.m.Montreal at Tampa BayTNT

6:30 p.m.Boston at Buffalo ESPN RODE0

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8a.m.BurnleyatNottingham Forest NBCSN

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Murray,Jokic lead Nuggets

Denver beats Minnesotain physical opener

By The Associated Press

DENVER Jamal Murray scored 30 points, going16of16from the free-throw line, and Nikola Jokic had atriple-double as the Denver Nuggets shook off asluggish start to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 116105 on Saturday in the opener of their first-round playoff series.

Jokic had25points,13rebounds, 11 assists and abloody nose in a physical game between theNorthwest Division foes. There were 42 fouls called, along with an unsportsmanlike technical on Jaden McDaniels for pushing Jokic in the back and atechnical on Nuggets coach David Adelman.Julius Randle and Aaron Gordon picked up late technical fouls,too. Denver has won 13 straight since losing on March 18. Murray,who was 0for 8from 3-point range, and the Nuggets trailed by as many as 12 points early,but used a17-2 runinthe third quarter to build adoubledigit lead. The Timberwolves, who were held scoreless for more than four minutesatone point in the third, trimmed the deficit to 97-95 with 6:23 left.

Jokic had afive-point stretch to help hold off Minnesota.Murray hadone of the biggest shotsofthe game from halfcourt. With the

shot clocking winding down, he heaveditatthe hoop anditgrazed the rim to reset theclock. It eventually led to adunkfrom Gordon thatgave Denver a108-101 lead with 1:50 left. Gordon had 17 pointsdespite early foul trouble. “Winning agrimy game, it’s good,” Adelmansaid. “Both teams are experienced and used to winning thesegames. They know whatitmeanstoplayina physical matchup.” CAVALIERS126, RAPTORS 113: In Cleveland, Donovan Mitchell

scored 32 points,Max Strus had 24 off the bench and Cleveland defeated TorontoRaptors in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference firstround playoff series. James Harden had22pointsand 10 assists while Evan Mobley had 17 and seven rebounds for fourthseeded Cleveland, which hosts Game 2onMonday night. Mitchellhas scored at least 30 pointsinanNBA-record nine straightseries openers. RJ Barrett scored 24 points andScottie Barnes had 21 for the Raptors.

KNICKS 113, HAWKS 102: In New York, Jalen Brunsonscored 28 points, Karl-Anthony Towns had 19 of his 25 in thesecond half and New York beat Atlanta in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference series. OG Anunoby added 19 points andJosh Hart had10points and14 rebounds for the Knicks in their first postseason gameunder Mike Brown after making four trips in five years under TomThibodeau, capped by their firsttriptothe Eastern Conference finalssince 2000 last year

Dumars lookstoYear2 with Pelicans

Joe Dumars has been in thisposition before.

Twenty-five years ago in his first season as presidentofbasketballoperations forthe DetroitPistons, Dumars’ team finished 32-50 and missed theplayoffs.

LSUwomen’stennis makes its firstSEC tourney final NORMAN, Okla. Sophomore CadenceBrace posteda 7-5, 6-1 clinchingperformance as the No.9-seeded LSU women’stennis team secured a4-1 winover No. 4 Georgia on Saturdayinthe SEC Tournament semifinals.

LSU earned its first victory over the Bulldogs since 1985. The victory allows LSUtoadvance to the program’sfirst SEC Tournament finals appearance.

LSU won the doublespoints, then three of the first four singles matches to knock offthe Bulldogs. Ella McDonald of LSU beat Deniz Dilek 6-4, 6-2. Addison Lanton then knocked off Anastasiia Gureva 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 before Brace gave LSU the fourthpoint it needed forvictory LSU takesonNo. 3-seededAuburn at 3p.m.Sunday. It will air on the SEC Network.

NFL confirmsit’snot looking into coachVrabel’sbehavior

The NFL is not investigating Mike Vrabel’sbehavior after published photos of the New England Patriots coach and former Athletic reporter Dianna Russini at an Arizona resort prompted her resignation and an internal investigation at The New York Times-owned sports outlet NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy confirmed to The Associated Press on Saturday theleague is not looking into the matter The NewYorkPostlastweek publishedthe photos of Vrabel and Russini at the Sedona hotel and said they were taken before the annualNFL meetingsthatbegan in Phoenix on March 29.

TheNFL’s personal conduct policy states: “Everyone who is part of the league must refrain from ‘conductdetrimentaltothe integrity of and public confidence in’ the NFL.”

Reddick keeps hot streak going,wins pole in Kansas KANSAS CITY,Kan. Tyler Reddick will start from aNASCAR Cup Series pole on Sunday forthe fourth time thisseason, andtry to reach victory lane for the fifth time, after the 23XI Racing driver turned the fastest lap in qualifying at Kansas Speedway Reddick’slap of 185.300 mphon acold, blustery Saturday edged his team ownerDenny Hamlin,who will startalongsidehim in an allToyota front row. It’sthe second pole at Kansas forReddick as he tries to become only the fourth driver in NASCAR history to win five of thefirst nine racesina season, and thefirst since Dale Earnhardt in 1987 It’s the fifth pole in the last six Kansas races for Toyota, andthe secondthere for Reddick, whose 5.5average finish through eight races is the best in a season since 2021.

Fast forward to the present and after his first season as head decision-maker for the New Orleans Pelicans,and his team is onceagainsittinghome for the playoffs.

Despitethisyear’s Pelicans winning six less games than that Pistonsteam did, Dumars isn’tdiscouraged. In fact,he’s justthe opposite

“Weare in abetter position now herethan we were there,” Dumars said. “That’swhy I’m so positiveabout this experience. We are muchfurther along than when Itook over in Detroit.”

That’sgood news if Dumars is right.

ThePistons reached theplayoffs in the second season of his leadership. Theymade it to the Eastern Conference finals in his third season when he was named the NBA executive of the year.And they hoisted the Larry O’Brien Trophy in his fourth season Can the Pelicans, afranchise that haswon just twoplayoffseries in itshistory,takea similar trajectory? Can they flip the switch quickly in Dumars’ second season likeDetroit did?

Skepticism is understandable for an organization without afirst-rounddraft pick andin the middle of acoaching search Dumars, heavily criticized in Junefor giving up this year’sdraft pick to moveupin last year’sdraft to select Derik Queen, said theteamhas achance to moveintothe first round of this year’sdraft “Wecan if we choose to,” he said. “You can always move when it comes around draft time.It’samazing the incomingphone calls you take.” If they don’tget into thefirst round, they’ll havetotry to fill holes elsewhere. The biggest needs are rebounding, rim protection and 3-point shooting.Any chanceof thePelicans trending upward will depend on

were not being retained. Among those let go are assistant coaches Casey Hill and Corey Brewer,The Times-Picayune confirmed.

More changes could be coming this week, one source said.

The goal with thechanges is “to improve in these various areas and set things up for long-term success in the future.”

While Dumars is getting his own people in place, thedecisions that will makethe biggest difference are thehead coaching hire and the additions (and subtractions) to the roster

Dumars said Zion Williamson will continue to be acore piece of theteam’sfuture. He also likes what he saw in someofthe players around Williamson.

them adding players who can do those things.

Dumars desires toughness, bothmentally andphysically.Those are theingredients he seesinthe OklahomaCity Thunder and the Pistons, thetwo teams that are the No. 1seedsintheir respective conferences this season

There were times this season when he saw that toughness in the Pelicans. Butmore timesthan not,hedidn’t.

He spent this season assessing and learning. It took him just 12 games todecide to moveonfromWillie Green as head coach. He spent the next 70 games watching ateam that often struggled in clutch games, defined as games within five points with under five minutes remaining They went10-24 in those games. Dumars believes the growing pains of such aseason were needed.

“You can’tskip this step of figuring out exactly who you are and who is in the building,” he said.

Dumars and senior VP of basketball operationsTroyWeaver have started making changes.

“Reorganization is underway,” one source toldthe Times-Picayune on Friday

Another source familiar with the changes said staff membersfrom thebasketball operationsside were toldlast week that they

Rookies Jeremiah Fears and Queen showed promise. Trey Murphy was one steal shy of becoming thefirst player in NBAhistory to record 200 3-pointers, 100 dunks and 100 steals in aseason. Saddiq Bey brought toughness and productivitythe team needed.

Not all the pieces fit, though. Jordan Poole had adisappointing first season in New Orleans. Poole, thesecond-highest-paid player on the roster,spent most of the year on the bench. That’s not ideal.

“For the most part,wehave somepretty good contractsset up with those guys,” Dumarssaid. “Between the age (of our roster) and the contracts, it gives us flexibility to do what you need to do going forward. If there is something you need to do going forward, you’re in apretty position to improve your team.”

Frustration among the fanbase continues to grow as the Pelicans haveremained among thebottom feeders of the NBA.

“No matter whereyou start, you better have vision and afocus forwhat kind of team you want tobeand what kind of players you want to get,” Dumarssaid. “You have to be crystal clear in your mind and your organization has to be crystal clear on theguys you want to bring in. Youhavetoknow whoyou want to be. We know who we wanttobe.” Now it’sa matter of actually becoming that. Email RodWalker at rwalker@theadvocate. com.

Bengals swapNo. 10 pick forGiants DT Lawrence

The Cincinnati Bengals acquired three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackleDexter Lawrence from the NewYork Giants for the 10th overallpickinthe NFLdraft, two people with knowledge of thetrade told The Associated Press on Saturday night. Both people spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal is pending aphysical.

TheGiants now have thefifthand 10th picks in the first round. They’re heading into their first draft under new coach JohnHarbaugh after finishing 4-13 last season.

The Bengals paid ahefty price forthe 28-year-oldLawrence, whoasked for atrade because he wanted anew contract. He’sinthe middle of afour-year,$90 million extension signed in 2023.

Fitzpatrick leadsScheffler by 3shotsatHilton Head HILTONHEADISLAND,S.C. Matt Fitzpatrick had aslow start that let Scottie Scheffler back intothe mix at the RBC Heritage on Saturday ButFitzpatrick rallied late with two shots from off the green.One dropped for birdie, theother for eagle andhewound up witha68. That giveshim athree-shot lead over Scheffler Theworld’sNo. 1player closed ground quickly with five birdies in his opening six holes. He birdied two of the last threeholes for a64. Brian Harman hada 63 andwas in the group of players four shots behind at Harbour Town Golf Links He had birdies on thelast two holes fora 64 that put himinthe final group Sunday

STAFF PHOTO By DAVIDGRUNFELD

JoeDumars, the Pelicans executivevice presidentofbasketball operations, is optimistic about the team’s future

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By DAVID ZALUBOWSKI Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murrayshoots over Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy GobertinGame 1of their first-round playoff series on Saturday in Denver. Murrayscored 30 points in the Nuggets’ 116-105 win.

Rod Walker

INFO TO KNOW

FACTS & FIGURES

When: Thursday-Sunday

Where: TPC of Louisiana,Avondale

Par: 36-36—72 (7,425 yards)

Field: 74 two-man teams

Format: 72 holes — Thursday/

Saturday: Best ball; Friday/Sunday:

Alternate shot

Cut: After 36 holes, the low 33 teams and ties advance to the final two rounds

Purse: $9.5 million

Winning team’s share: $1.372

million per man

Playoff: If necessary, a suddendeath playoff will start at No. 18

2025 champions: Ben Griffin/ Andrew Novak (62-66-61-71—260)

28-under par TV: Golf Channel (2 p.m.-5 p.m.

Thursday/Friday, noon-2 p.m.

Saturday/Sunday); CBS (2-5 p.m.

Saturday/Sunday)

Tickets: The tournament will again use digital ticketing For tickets visit: zurichgolfclassic.com

Digital tickets also will be available at the TPC of Louisiana gates each day tickets are required for entry.

General information: Call 504342-3000 or visit zurichgolfclassic. com

Public parking: $20 per car (NOLA Motorsports Park, 11075 Nicolle Blvd.)

DAILY SCHEDULE

All events at TPC of Louisiana

Monday

Zurich Classic Pro-Am

10

Admission: Free

Pro practice rounds

Manning Family Children’s Hospital

Celebrity Shootout, 3 p.m.

(Participants: Chris Berman, Marshall Faulk, Matt Flynn Justin Reid,Tyler Shough, Pete Werner)

Admission: Free Wednesday

Zurich Classic Pro-Am

First and 10th tees, 7-9 a.m. and noon-2 p.m.

Admission: $40

Thursday

First round, approximately 7 a.m.

Admission: $45

Friday

Second round, approximately 8 a.m

Admission: $45

Saturday

Third round, approximately 8 a.m

Admission: $45

April 26

Final round approximately 9 a.m.

Admission: $45

Note: Children 15 and younger are admitted free when accompanied by a ticketed adult,and active military are admitted free with proper ID For more information,call 504-342-3000.

FORMAT

The Zurich Classic again will be played using a two-man team format comprising Foursomes (also known as alternate shot) and Four-Ball (best ball).

Here’s how it works: Four-ball (first, third rounds)

Player A and Player B from the same team play the hole as they would in stroke play until the ball is in the cup.

If Player A records a 3 and Player B gets a 4, a 3 goes on the scorecard. If both players score a 4, the team

gets a 4 Foursomes (second, fourth rounds)

Player A hits a tee shot, Player B hits the second shot, Player A hits the third shot, etc., for each team with both taking turns from where the previous shot landed until the ball is in the cup.

Note: Each team must declare before the start of play which player will hit the tee shot on odd-numbered holes and who will hit on evennumbered holes

LSU

Continued from page 1C

stars have got to line up.”

Chio finished the season with 13 perfect 10s, one off the all-time single season record of 14 by Kyla Ross of UCLA in 2019. The NCAA leader entering the NCAA championships on all-around, vault and beam, she now has 44 individual titles this season and 67 for her LSU career, good for eighth place in school history

“I didn’t really have any thoughts about it,” Chio said when asked about the spotlight she was under “I just focused on this team and focused on what I can do individually to propel this team to where we need to go. I try not to think about myself too much and overthink my routines I’m just doing my normal.”

It’s the eighth NCAA title for Oklahoma, only two shy of Georgia’s all-time record of 10. LSU has finished runner-up to the Sooners in four of those meets, and was third behind OU and Florida’s shared title in 2014.

“That’s an 800-pound gorilla dynasty that we’re trying to climb

Chio’s spectacular season ends with imperfect moment

BY SCOTT RABALAIS Staff writer

FORT WORTH, Texas With famous actor Samuel L. Jackson in the house, LSU and Kailin Chio were set up for a classic Hollywood ending Saturday in the NCAA championship final.

Chio, likely to be the national gymnast of the year, stepped to the balance beam, needing yet another perfect 10 to lift the Tigers to the NCAA title.

Unfortunately for LSU and Chio, there was no happily ever after She had a minor balance check during her routine and a small hop on her landing for a 9.90, as Oklahoma squeaked past LSU 198.125-198.0750 for the championship.

“It was kind of hard to tell (where LSU stood) because we were counting a fall,” Chio said. “I knew it would be close either way I know I needed to hit. I just kind of went up there, did my beam routine and hopefully did my best.”

Considering how great Chio was for the Tigers throughout the 2026 season, one more 10 not only seemed possible but likely Nevermind that what she was being asked to do was the rough equivalent of asking someone to hit a home run in the bottom of the ninth to win the World Series.

“We can’t put that on that kid,” LSU coach Jay Clark said. “She’s snatched us out of the fire so many times. It’s a team effort from top to bottom.

“She’s hard on herself. She wants that 10th back. But everyone can find a 10th where they could have done something better.”

The nation’s scoring leader in the all-around, on beam and vault,

Chio just missed winning NCAA individual titles in Thursday’s semifinals in the all-around and on floor, finishing second in both. Saturday, she sparked her team yet again on vault, getting 10.0 marks from all six judges for the first perfect score in an NCAA final since 2023. That momentum propelled LSU to a 49.6125 on uneven bars that gave the Tigers a 148.600-148.525 lead on the Sooners going to the final rotation.

Just a sophomore, Chio got 13 perfect 10s this season (five on vault), one off the single-season record of 14 by Kyla Ross of UCLA in 2019. She’s now halfway to the all-time perfect 10s record of 28 shared by Trinity Thomas of Florida, Jenny Hansen of Kentucky and Jamie Dantzscher of UCLA, and only four shy of the

school record of 18 by current assistant coach Haleigh Bryant. Chio finished the season with 44 individual titles, fourth-most for a Tiger, and now has 67 wins in two seasons, eighth-most in program history

Afterward, though, Chio wasn’t much for dwelling on individual achievements.

“I think if you know me well enough, it’s the team that matters most to me,” Chio said. “I’m just proud of my hard work. Proud of my dedication to the sport and the passion that I have, and just hopefully leading the team in the right direction.”

A team she has a chance to lead for two more seasons.

“We’re going to come back next year,” Chio said, “and get it done.”

over,” Clark said of Oklahoma.

“We’re just going to keep knocking on the door.”

LSU got the second choice of rotations after top-seeded Oklahoma picked the Olympic rotation (vault, bars, beam, floor), with the Tigers deciding to start on floor as they did en route to their 2024 NCAA title.

LSU’s scores built through the second half of the lineup on floor but never quite hit the high note the Tigers needed to wrest the lead from the Sooners. Amari Drayton and Kaliya Lincoln had 9.9375s and Chio had a 9.90 with a couple of small errors as LSU finished with a 49.5125. Oklahoma led with a 49.600 on vault, while Florida was third at 49.3875 and Minnesota fourth at 49.2625.

The Tigers moved to vault for their second rotation and were unable to crack the 9.90 mark until Chio stepped onto the runway

She earned 10.0 marks from all six judges to register her fifth perfect 10 this season in the event, and the first in the NCAA championships since 2023. The Tigers posted a 49.475 and halfway through the meet were one-10th behind Oklahoma, 99.0875-98.9875. LSU went to uneven bars for the

third rotation and took the lead with a strong 49.6125 while Oklahoma faltered on beam. Zeiss and Ashley Cowan led the Tigers off with 9.925s, followed by a 9.8875 from Madison Ulrich that LSU discarded and a 9.90 from Chio Then Courtney Blackson, a late

replacement for freshman Haley Mustari, got a 9.9125 and McClain finished with a 9.95 Meanwhile, Oklahoma had to count a 9.7375 from Addison Fatta on beam when Keira Wells fell and got a 9.050, leading the Sooners to a 49.375.

The Tigers got gutsy performances from McClain and Lincoln, both of whom were battling injuries. McClain, who had a hard fall in the NCAA regional final two weeks earlier in Baton Rouge, was in such pain Friday that Clark doubted she could have competed that day Lincoln aggravated a calf injury during Thursday’s NCAA semifinals.

Both did their usual three events Saturday, with McClain tying for first on bars and beam.

“That’s a special kid,” Clark said of McClain. “When she sets her jaw, she’s going to do something and it’s hard to talk her out of it.

“She wasn’t letting anybody even ask her the question If the medical team was looking at her she just kept saying, ‘I’m fine.’ A result this close can lead to endless “what ifs?” Clark refused to go there.

“We executed well,” he said. “I mean, really well. We could have found a 10th anywhere in that meet. But Oklahoma can also say that. They had to count a 9.7-something (on beam). Every team can do that.

“The bottom line is we put ourselves in position to win. That’s all you can expect as a coach.”

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

The LSU gymnastics team poses with the second-place trophy at the NCAA gymnastics championship final on Saturday at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.

STAFF PHOTOS By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU gymnast Kailin Chio performs her floor routine during the NCAA final on Saturday at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

Nicolai Hojgaard lines up a putt on the ninth hole during the first round of the Zurich Classic last year at TPC of Louisiana in Avondale.

LSU gymnast Kailin Chio flips backward over the balance beam at the NCAA final on Saturday at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas

Centralclosesout baseball season withoutits coach

LHSAAsuspends Gabehartafter argument with umpire

BY JACKSON REYES Staff writer

Centralbaseball’s season came to aclose without its head coach after Sham Gabehart was suspended by the LHSAA for misconduct on Wednesday

During theWildcats’game against Calvary BaptistonApril 11, Gabehart was arguing with an umpirealong the third-base line when he removed his hat, shirt and undershirt. Avideo of the incident was posted to social media by 104.5-FM, ESPN

Prior to the suspension issued by the LHSAA, Gabehart did not coach in the Wildcats’game against Teurlings Catholicon Monday He was suspended for the remainder of the season, and assistantcoach Mark Carroll assumed interim coach responsibilities during the firstround playoff series against St. Amant.

Central’sseasonended Saturday after falling 2-0 in abest-ofthree first-round series against the Gators. St. Amant won the opener 8-7 and the second game 7-0.

“It’stough on (Gabehart),” Carroll said. “It’salot that our players had to go through this week with all that. The main thing is that made it alittle tougher on our kids, and that’s what you don’twant.”

Carrollsaidthe assistant coaches and players worked hard to step up and put in solid

Miller helpsliftSt. Amant with shutoutofCentral

BY JACKSON REYES Staff writer

St.Amant’scoaching staffpondered its rotation for game two of its first-round playoff series againstCentral. TheGatorscould start Tucker Miller or hold him for apossible game three. Miller had entered in the seventh inning of Friday’s game and closed it outina 10-inning 8-7victory

The players chimed in and backed their junior ace. The decisionpaid off withMiller tossing a complete-game shutout on Saturday.Heallowed just twohits and struckout four in a7-0 victory on the road.

No. 22 St. Amant won game one over the 11th-seeded Wildcats on Friday night, and theGators’ victory Saturday secured afirstround series win. St. Amantwill face No. 6-seeded Benton in the next round.

batters. Miller didn’tallow another baserunneruntil he hit the leadoff batter to start the fifth inning.

“First two get on, started to get alittle scared,” Millersaid. “Got outofit, and Ijust knew all the momentum and all the energy was on our side now.”

He was efficient on themound, throwing 63 of his 96 pitches for strikes.

“That’shim,”Ricca said. “He’s going to forcecontact.It’snothing thatIdidn’texpect from him.

Miller said he hates falling behind in counts. That mentality fueled his confidence on Saturday

“Just knew if Igot ahead in the counts andthrew the gameI knew Icould throw,I’ll be good,” Miller said.

In thebottom of thesixth, the Gators loaded the bases to open the frame on athrowing error, bunt single and awalk. Anden Milletscored onerun with asacrifice fly.Robert tallied his second RBI after he rippedasingle down thethird-base line to make the scores 7-0.

practices leading up to the Division Inonselect series against St.Amant.He noted howthe players battled through the noise during the week.

“Everywhere you turn right now,somebody’sasking somethingabout it,”Carroll said. “On the way home from Shreveport, Ithink we set an AT&T record for texts. It was out everywhere, viral, right away.”

St. Amant coachCaleb Ricca commented on Gabehart after the Gators’ 7-0 winonSaturday that clinched the series.

“I actually gottotalktocoach Gabehart,” Riccasaid. “He seemslike he’sthat guy that loves his playersand loves his kids.”

Riccaoffered support for the Central program.

“I wish nothing but thebest for their program,” he said. “I hope he getsthe chance to stay in front of his guys again.”

“Whenyour number one says, ‘I want the baseball,’ I’m going to go ahead and give it to him,” Gators first-year coach Caleb Ricca said. Miller allowed the first twobatters he faced to reach base. He adjusted and retired thenext 12

In the bottom of thefirst,St. Amantput up four runs. Cooper Templetled off with asingle. One batter later,Cohen Robert ripped adoubleoverthe left fielder’s head for an RBI.Two bases-loaded hit-by-pitches and afielder’s choice scored the next three runs.

St.Amant (20-16) added another run in the fourthwitha sacrifice bunt withtwo runners in scoring position.

“Cohen’sbeenbattling some injuries,” Ricca said. “Westayed behind him. He stayedworking. He just kept plugging away.I’m super,super proud of him.” Central (24-11) put two runners on with two outs in the seventh, butMillershutthem downby forcing afielder’schoice to end it. The Wildcats were without coach Sham Gabehart, whowas suspended by the LHSAA for taking his shirt offduring an argument with an umpire last Saturday against Calvary Baptist. With thefirst-round win, Ricca is proudofwhathis team has done in his first year

“At times, the season wasn’tgoing the way we wanted,” he said. “They never stopped believing in ourteam. We kept working, and we’re playing good baseball. I’m super,super proudofour kids and for our community.”

Boys gymnastics

LHSAA championship

Level4 Floor exercise: 1. Jordan McCoy, Baton Rouge High, 8.9. 2. Adrian Spencer, Baton Rouge High, 8.13.Logan Pitts,Catholic High, 7.9. Pommel Horse: 1. Logan Pitts,Catholic High, 9.0. 2. Kale Cowan, Baton Rouge High, 8.6. 3. Jordan McCoy, Baton Rouge High, 8.4. Still Rings: 1. BenWagner,Baton Rouge High, 9.0. 2. Logan Pitts,Catholic High, 8.9. 3. Kale Cowan, Baton Rouge High, 8.5. Vault: 1. Logan Pitts, Catholic High, 9.5. 2. Kale Cowan, Baton Rouge High, 9.2. 3. Jordan McCoy, Baton Rouge High, 9.0.

2. Kale Cowan, Baton Rouge High, 7.8. 3. Ben Wagner,Baton Rouge High, 7.7. All-Around: 1. Logan Pitts,Catholic High,

2—

13 2

210 003 0— 68 2 W: Aiden Cucinello (1-0). SV:BriceCraig (1st). L: Cade Schramm. Leaders: LOHS: Mac Beadle3-5,22B, 3RBIs, 2runs,Cullen Weller 3-4, BB, 2RBIs, Jaxon Rosenthal2-4, 2B,Parker Morse 2-4, 2B,2RBIs; PHS:Liam Watkins2-5,2runs,Grant Gautreau2-2,HR, 2runs,3RBIs, Dylan McClure2-3. Records: LiveOak 18-18, Prairieville 25-11. BaseballBoxScore St. Amant7,Central 0 Central 000 000 0— 02 2 St.Amant 400 102 X— 75 1 W—TuckerMiller, L—Payton Wall; Hitters: St. Amant: Cohen Robert 2-3, 2RBIs, 2B; Cooper Templet 2-3. Central:Aaron Keller 1-3, CooperAustin1-3.

53.3. 2. Kale Cowan, Baton Rouge High, 50.1. 3. Jordan McCoy, Baton Rouge High, 46.6. Level10 Floor exercise:1.DwayneJohnson, St.Augustine, 13.2. 2. KadenRomig, St. Paul,13. 3. Aiden Vidrine, Lafayette Christian, 12.2. Still rings: 1. Dwayne Johnson, St.Augustine, 13.4. 2. Kaden Romig, St. Paul,11.2. 3. Aiden Vidrine, Lafayette Christian, 11. Vault: 1. Dwayne Johnson, St.Augustine 13.1. 2. Kaden Romig, St. Paul,11.8. 3. Aiden Vidrine, Lafayette Christian, 11.7. Parallel bars: 1. KadenRomig, St. Paul,12.2. 2. Dwayne Johnson, St. Augustine, 12.1. 3. Aiden Vidrine, Lafayette Christian, 12. Horizontal bar: 1. KadenRomig, St.Paul,12. 2. Aiden Vidrine, Lafayette Christian, 11.9. 3. Dwayne Johnson, St. Augustine, 11.5. All-Around: 1. Dwayne Johnson, St.Augustine, 75.7. 2. KadenRomig, St. Paul,72.2. 3. Aiden Vidrine, Lafayette Christian, 70.9. Baseball LiveOak 5, Prairieville 4 LiveOak 101 100 11 —5 51 Prairieville 001 200 010 —4 70 W: Ripp Clark.L:Colton Morris. Leaders: PHS: Colton Morris 1-2,

Determined Live OakoutlastsPrairieville in baseball

BY WILLIAM WEATHERS

Contributing writer

The grit and determination Live Oak displayed in rallying from a one-game deficit Saturdayto defeat homestandingPrairieville has been arecurring theme for thepast 21/2 weeks.

TheEaglesweresevengames under .500 and faced the distinct possibility of not qualifying for theDivision Inonselect playoffs ayear after astate runner-up finish.

Live Oak won its last six games, earned aNo. 23 seed and aroad date with District 5-5Afoe Prai-

rieville,the No.10seed, which outlasted the Eagles 2-1 in 14 innings in Friday’sopener

The Eagles responded in Saturday’sfirst game with a5-4 victory in nine innings before exploding fora10-6 victory to win theseries andadvance to next week’sbestof-three regional at No. 7Walker

“Our backs have been against thewall, so we’re used to and ready for it,”Live Oak’sfirst-year

coach Cary Myers said. “The last sixgames of theseasonwehad to winout to get in,and we did. We camehere as the23seed versus the10seed, and there’snobody that had us winning except us. I’m

just proud of these guys.”

LIVE OAK10, PRAIRIEVILLE 6: The Eagles (18-18) built a7-3 lead through threeinningswiththree runs in each of thesecondand third innings.

Third basemanMac Beadle (3 for 5, 2doubles, 3RBIs) doubled in apair of runs down theleftfield line in the second and Live Oakhad four of its13hits in the third inning with consecutive runscoring singlesfromBeadle, Jaxon Rosenthal(2for 4) and Cullen Weller (3 for 4, 2RBIs.)

Relief pitcher Aiden Cucinello (1-0) halted Prairieville’soffense, which scored twice in the first in-

ning. The right-hander only allowed one more run until catcher Grant Gautreau’s towering threerun homer in thesixththatreduced Live Oak’slead to 8-6.

The Eagles tacked on two more runs in theseventh on Parker Morse’sRBI double and Isaac Ott’sbases-loaded walk.

“I toldthem(the nine seniors) if we would have beenbackin January,and Iwould have said we were going to win 25 games, be district co-champs andhost afirst-round playoff series, we would havesaidwewouldhave taken that,”Prairieville coach Kade Keowen said. “Looking at

today stinks, but when you look at everything as awhole from February until now, you can’tbe prouder of those kids.”

LIVE OAK5,PRAIRIEVILLE 4(9): Adam Beeson’ssacrifice fly to center field scored Zant Gurney from third base withthe winning run in the ninth inning.

Prairieville (25-11) tied the game at 3-3withtwo runs in the fourth and took a4-3 lead in the eighth on awild pitch.

“Those wins to finish the regular season,” Beadlesaid, “weknew coming into the playoffs we have enough fight andwhatittakes to do what we did today.”

stepped up in the pocketand fired deep to slot receiver Winston Watkins, completing a58-yard touchdown pass and displayinggrowth that coach Lane Kiffinhighlighted after practice Tuesday

“He’splaying his best by far from the practices since we’ve been here,” Kiffinsaid, “so that’s been obviously really good to see.”

That strike punctuated aproductive scrimmage in Tiger Stadiumfor theLSU offense. The unit struggled througha similar practice aweek earlier,and Kiffin called the performance “discouraging.

Now,Kiffinmight even feel encouraged because his offense has shown quite abit of progress in just seven days.

On Saturday,LSU’sfirst-and second-team units scored eight touchdowns on 16 drives. Longstreet threw four touchdowns andran in afifth. Landen Clark, an Elon transfer,ran in two touchdowns and tossed athird. There were long, methodical drives. There were quick, explosive plays. Longstreet operated the first-team offense for four drives, and Clark conducted it for three. Longstreet’s best throwwas a pass he layered over the middle abovelinebackerTJDottery to receiver Jackson Harris, who ran for a40-yard touchdown.

Clark’stop highlightwas a25yard back-shoulder passhecompleted to receiver Phillip Wright along the sideline. Wright needed aperfect throw to secure the

catch and tap afoot inbounds, and Clark delivered it for him, moving the chains on an eightplay,64-yarddrivethatendedin atouchdown. Longstreet won the day,though, which will boosthis chances of securing thebackup quarterback job.

“He’smade alot of plays in competitive situations that are offrhythm plays,” Kiffin said, “which is ahuge part of quarterback play because the plays don’talways go as they’re designed to go.” Here’swhat else stood out from

the Tigers’ 12th spring practice, the fourth sessionina row that was fully open to reporters.

Receiversemerge

It’s tough to tellwhich wide receiverswill become Sam Leavitt’s favorite targetsthis season. LSU broughtin10transfers, and it’s been rotating afew of them in andout of thefirst-team offense in spring practices.

Twoofthose transfers, though, may be starting to emerge. On Saturday,Watkins caught 10 passes and Harris snagged four,

three of whichwere touchdowns.

Watkinsran mostly underneathroutes from the slot, until he burnt the defense for his long touchdowncatch in the two-minute drill. Harrisused hisspeed to stretch thefieldand his6-foot2frametopull downcontested catches. He scored from 40, 46 and 20 yards out.

In the transfer portal cycle, Kiffinand hisstafftried to land receivers who can beat defenses over the top. Harris, who averaged more than 19 yards per catch last season at Hawaii, was one of

the deep threatsthey signed. Nowitlooks like the Tigers are finding ways to incorporate the transfer receivers’ skill sets into the offense. Harris andWatkins complement each other nicely

Attendance

Linebacker Whit Weeksand safety Tamarcus Cooley did not practice Saturday.Neither participated in individualdrills.Cooley was not spotted at practice on Thursday, but he was watching from the sideline on Saturday On offense, receiver Eugene Wilson and offensive lineman William Satterwhite joined receiver TreBrown, offensive lineman Solomon Thomas andLeavitt among the inactive players. Wilson,aFlorida transfer,was spottedonthe sideline standing next to Brown, whowas wearing awalking boot on his left foot Brown, an Old Dominion transfer, has yet to participate in spring practice.

Edge rusher Jordan Ross, a Tennesseetransfer, worked in individual drillsbut satout during the scrimmage.

Schedule LSUhas only threepractices left on its spring schedule: Tuesday, Thursday andFriday. Kiffin did not hold traditional spring games during thelastfew years of his tenure at Ole Miss, and he won’t thisyear,even though the transfer portal won’t reopen this spring.

The scrimmages that LSU have held in TigerStadium have not been open to the public.

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

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

practice on March 26 at the team’s

FILE PHOTO By HILARySCHEINUK

Central coachSham Gabehart missed the Wildcats’ playoff series against St. Amant duetoa suspension for misconduct.

OUTDOORS

Larson back in Kansas lookingto endwinsdrought

BY DAVE SKRETTA AP sportswriter

Larson

Smiletells herstory

Perkinsnamed co-youth Hunter of theyear aftertakingbuckwhile hunting from wheelchair

BY JOEMACALUSO

Contributing writer

Natalie Perkins hasasmile that could bring warmth in the coldest of deer stands. The 11-year-oldhas an inner joy that she took time to share fora few minutes last weekend during the 60th Conservation Achievement Awards banquet, theannual get-together whichmostly honors adults for their workinenhancing and preserving Louisiana’soutdoors

Yet, among those 15 or soadult honorees, there was little doubt who was the star of this show

“Oh, I’ve seen deer before,but nothing like that deer,” she said while sitting among theother awardwinners.“It wasa thrill,a big thrill.”

Unfortunately,her male counterpart, 10-year-old Madden Dowden from Elm Grove, could not attend thedinner. Dowdenwas namedthe other recipient —the male winner —ofthe 2025 Youth Hunter of the Year award. Both hunters submitted astory of their hunt with aphoto, submissions judged best among dozens of contest entries.

What made Perkins’ story special is she hunts from awheelchair She was born with spina bifida and said she has wished for some time to be able to accompanyher parents on ahunt.

“I just like being outdoors,” she said. Like most deer hunters, herstory began before dawn, and while “a few deer showed up, Ididn’tget achance to shoot.

NataliePerkins sat in her wheelchair in adeer stand fortwo days before she spottedthis buckfollowingadoe into the field near her home in DeRidder.She documented her adventure, her first time hunting from astand, with an essayand thisphoto that led to her beingnamed youth Hunter of the year,anaward sheshared with Madden Dowden of Elm Grove. Theyoung hunterswere honored during the Louisiana Wildlife Federation’s60th Conservation Achievement Awards banquetinBatonRouge. After Saturdayqualifying; race

“When we went out thatafternoon, we were sitting there and adoe came out,” she said. “And, the buck came out right after and started chasing the doe. My dad helped me lineupthe gunwhile it was resting on my stepmom’s arm and Ipulled the trigger and hit him. He ran into the woodsand

my dadpulled himout for me.”

Dowden’sstory wasaboutthe same. His trophy came during an afternoon hunt,which begananexercise in tryingtomove amassive buck from field to camp,aneffort that ran well after dark. Both youngstersreceived plaquesand gift cardsfrom sponsors. The contest is aproject of the LWFand the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. It’sopen to residenthunters 15 andyounger, who are required to submit ashort story on the hunt and submit photos from thehunt. Perkins and Dowden weren’tthe onlyyoung folkshonored during thebanquet.

St. Joseph’sAcademy was selected for its Coastal Roots Program and earned the Youth Conservation Achievement Awardfor its work in coastal and reforestation projects.

Boating‘LagniappeDay’

For the 15thyear, Wildlife and Fisheries is offering aBoating Education LagniappeDay at nine locations across Louisiana on Saturday

The day-long course offers instructioninthingslike choosing aboat; boat classification,hulls, outboard engines and motors; legaland equipment requirements; navigation rules and charts; trailering; and information on personal watercraft like sailboats,canoes andjet skis. There will be atest, and successfully completing the course will earnastate-authorized vessel operators certification. Thereisnofee,and youneedto register quickly because all nine siteshave limited class sizesand are filled on afirst-come, firstserved basis. The registrationwebsite is wlf.

8a.m.-3:30 p.m., April 28-30, 468 Texas Gulf Road, Bourg;9a.m.-3:30 p.m., May4-5, 1025 TomWatson Rd., Lake Charles; 9a.m.-3:30 p.m., May6-7, 200 Dulles Dr., Lafayette. Call LDWF (225) 765-2898.

THURSDAY ACADIANA BUGS &BREWS: 6p.m Pack and Paddle, 601 E. Pinhook, Lafayette. Casual fly-tying and local beersprovided. Open to the public. Email DarinLee: cbrsandcdc@gmail. com. Website: www.packpaddle. com

HUNTING SEASONS

TURKEY: Area A, through May3; Area B: through April 26; Area C: throughApril 19

louisiana.gov/page/boater-education. Click on “Find ABoating Education Course Near You.”

State lawnecessitates anyone born after Jan. 1, 1984, must completeanapproved boating education course andcarry proof of completion to operate amotorboat powered by an engine/motor rated morethan 10 horsepower

The locations include:

n Gonzales: 9a.m.-5 p.m., Cabela’s, 2200 West Cabela’sPky.; n Ponchatoula: 8a.m.-4:30 p.m., Volunteer Fire Department,610 East PineSt.; n Lafayette: 8a.m.-4 p.m., Wildlife and Fisheries field office, 200 Dulles Rd.;

n Slidell: 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., The Tammany YachtClub, 1196 Harbor Dr.; n Chauvin: 7a.m.-1p.m., Ward 7Citizen’sClub, 5006 La. Hwy 56; n Lake Charles: 8a.m.-4p.m., Wildlife andFisheriesfieldoffice, 1025 TomWatson Rd.; n Pineville: 8a.m.-4 p.m., Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement office, 1995 Shreveport Hwy.; n Monroe: 9a.m.-3p.m., Ludwig Marine, 7423 U.S. 165-North; n Shreveport: 8a.m.-4:30 p.m., The Boat Shop, 2410 Samford Ave. Showingthe money

LouisianaOperation Game Thief’s board handed out atotal of $8,300 in awards to informants from 23 cases it reviewed involving the citing “of 40 subjects apprehendedand 94 citationswere written” involving deer,migratory game bird,and small game cases LOGT operatesa24-hour,tollfreehotline —(800) 442-2511— for anyone with information about an alleged violation. Calls are kept confidentialand informantsanonymous. To make adonation to LOGT,go to website; lawff.ejoinme.org/logt.

SQUIRRELS: May2-24, statewide, privatelands only MAY1-2 —FFI GULF COAST CLASSIC: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily,Gulf State Park Learning Campus, Gulf Shores, Alabama. Seminars, casting clinics, fly tying, exhibitors. Fly FishingFilm Festival May2.Gulf Coast Council of Fly Fishers International event. Website: www.ffigulfcoastclassic.com FISHING/SHRIMPING MAY1—OPENING

KANSASCITY,Kan. It hasbeen nearly ayear since two-time champion Kyle Larson reached victorylaneinthe NASCAR Cup Series. He knowsthe way to the one at Kansas Speedwayquite well. That was the site of his last victory in NASCAR’stop series, and twomore of his 32 career wins. But it’sbeen a 32-race winlessstretch for Larson dating to May, one thatthe No. 5 team hopes to snap when it returns to Kansas Speedway on Sunday “Every trackisa measuring stick, so Iwouldn’tsay it’sany more whenyou comehere,” Larson said, “but we do have agood packagefor this track, and this style of track.Wealways want to get better andall that. Just try to execute agood weekend.” Larson could match Denny Hamlin for the most winsatKansas with his fourth, and he needs to lead 25 laps to pass KevinHarvick for that standard at the intermediate track. Buteven when he hasn’tbeen up front, Larson is usually close. He also hasthree second-place runs, athird-place finish and acoupleof otherstop-5 runs dating to his days withChipGanassi Racing.

Larson has been trending in the right direction,too.

He finished ninth acouple of weeksago at Martinsville, where Chase Elliott gave Hendrick Motorsportsits first win of the season, and Larson was dominant most of last weekend at Bristol. He led 284 laps beforefinishing third. As for the team, Hendrick Motorsports is hoping to turn around an uneven season at aplace where it has likewise had success. It has won three of the past four Kansas races, including asweep last season—Larson winning in the spring, Elliott in the fall.

“Just try to execute agood weekend. Execute agood Saturday—that’sreally important to feel your car’sbalance out in practice, and then take that into qualifying,” Larson said. “Hopefullythat goes well and

we can start toward the front on (Sunday), and we can chip away throughout the dayand give ourselves an opportunityatthe end.”

Gibbsrelishing win

Ty Gibbs was still savoring his first CupSeries win last week at Bristol, where he outdueled Larson and Ryan Blaney in his 131stcareer start in NASCAR’s top series. And the 23-year-old grandson of team ownerJoe Gibbs acknowledged Saturday that he didn’trealize how hard it would be to win in theCup Seriesafter just acoupleofseasonsinwhat wasthen the XfinitySeries.

“I thinkIgot afalsesense of how easy it was,” Gibbs said. “It’s hard, forsure.But youhaveto get your ass kicked to getbetter.” Gibbs won at Kansas in NASCAR’ssecond-tier series in 2021. Heim gets startfor 23XI Corey Heim has wontwice at KansasSpeedway in the Truck Series, which made the track an enticing onefor aspot start in the CupSeries forXIRacing. It will be the first timethe No. 67 makes an appearance since the seasonopening Daytona 500.Heimis expected to run 12 races for the team owned by Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan this season. Odds andends Larson(+425) is the favorite among sportsbooks, followed by Denny Hamlin (+450) andChristopher Bell (+550). Tyler Reddick (+850) is the No. 4choice among bettors to win for the fifth time in thefirst10races thisseason. Bell has led laps in each of the last eight races at Kansas Speedway.His only finish worse than eighthcame when he crashed a fewyears ago. Daniel Dyewas secondinthe ARCA race Saturday behind Gio Ruggiero. Dye had been suspended by NASCAR earlierthisseasonfor mocking IndyCar driver David Malukas during alivestream. Dye apologizedtoMalukas in asocial media post, calling his comments “careless.”

(45) Tyler Reddick, Toyota, 185.300 mph.

(11) DennyHamlin,Toyota, 185.179.

(54) Ty Gibbs, Toyota, 184.982.

(5)Kyle Larson, Chevrolet,184.982.

(19) Chase Briscoe, Toyota, 184.938.

(77)

14. (24) WilliamByron, Chevrolet,183.026. 15. (22) Joey Logano, Ford,183.007.

(47) Ricky StenhouseJr, Chevrolet, 182.852.

(97) Shane VanGisbergen, Chevrolet,

182.822. 18. (71) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet 182.797. 19. (43) Erik Jones, Toyota, 182.673. 20. (3)AustinDillon, Chevrolet, 182.624. 21. (6)BradKeselowski, Ford,182.574.

PROVIDED PHOTO

Bargetslower

BY KOKI RILEY

Staff writer

On Friday night,Jay Johnson reset expectations for the 2026 season. Not only did LSU needtoplay better,but it also had to learn how to play better.That meant shorteningupswings andhitting the ball lowand hard with twoouts. It also meant playing sound defense and executing with two strikes on the mound

There was no need to talk about the mental side of the game. Johnson had already conducted that conversationwith his team countless times. This was aboutgetting better on the field, whether that would be this year or next. Making the NCAA Tournament felt like a secondary topic.

“Wehave aprocess ofwinning here thatwehave notbeen connected to as ateam. And it bothers me,” Johnson said. “And so, I’mgoing to coach as hardasI can on baseballspecific stuff.

“If we’re going to struggle and fail, we’re going to create some value out of that. And that’snot where we want to be, not where we expect to be, but that’swhere we areright now,and that’swhat we have to do.”

But LSU didn’tlearn how to play better and flip thescriptinone night. The Tigers were outclassed by TexasA&M (30-7,11-5SEC)for asecond consecutiveday on Saturday at Alex Box Stadium, falling 7-2 and suffering their sixth loss in seven games.

Since an 8-0 start to the year,LSU is 15-17 over its past 32 contests.

“(We) got beat today by agood offensive team, (and) apitcher that pitched well,” Johnson said, “on a team that’sflowing alittle bit better than we are and played better today.” Saturday’sresult wasa similar story to what has plagued theTigers for most of this season. They fell behind after aslow startatthe plate, made mistakes in the field and struggled to finish innings with

biggest problem was how hard he got hit.Schmidt allowed four extra-base hits,including two home runs. Thedefense didn’tcosthim anyruns, but seniorsecondbaseman Tanner Reaves also dropped athrow at second from catcher Cade Arrambide on astolen base attempt.

LSU alsogave up three wild pitches. Those plays —wild pitches and passed balls —are signs of a struggling team, at least in Johnson’seyes.

“That’s abad sign. Youwantto look at struggle? Literally,look at those two stats,” Johnson said. “It’ll show you the team that’seither playing clean or struggling.”

Theseven runs Schmidt surrendered placed LSU’soffense in aholethat it never came close to working its wayout of.Steven Milamhit asolohome run in thesecond inning, but thatwas the Tigers’ only run-scoring hit of the night.

They went 1for 10 with two outs and had just one runnerreach second base

“It is frustrating going from the highestofhighs to thelowestof lows,” Milamsaid. “But, youknow, that’sbaseball.”

PitcherMoore’s return mayboost struggling Tigers

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

When LSU junior right-handed starterCooper Moorewalked off thefield in the fifth inning on March 20, many LSU fans wondered if it would be forthe last time.

It’shard to assume the best with pitcherinjuries. Butfour weeks later,Moore is on the cusp of returning after suffering from triceps soreness, meaning that hiscomebackcomes just as LSU enters the toughest stretch of its Southeastern Conference schedule.

LSU coach Jay Johnsonhas saidthe juniorright-handerwon’t be used in afour-plus inning role immediately upon his return, but any contribution from him would help outthe Tigers’ shorthanded pitchingstaff.

Moorethrew on themound on Tuesday and didn’tfeel any soreness the next day.LSU listed him as questionable on Thursday’s SEC availability report.

“Some pitchers, they have what we call either first-day or seconddaysoreness. So again, today’s an importantday,” Johnsonsaid Thursday.“And then, obviously we’llwanthim to throwagain (Thursday) or (Friday) just to see what thathelooks like leading into apotential reappearance on the mound. So (I’m) hopeful but not certainyet.”

Without Moore, LSU has had troublefindingenoughpitching to finish off weekend series. Tiger starters posted a17.56 ERA in Sundaygames against Kentucky, Tennessee and Ole Miss. The pitching staff as awhole allowed 18 earned runs in 29 innings across those contests.

Most SEC series finalesare high-scoring, but one of LSU’s strengths heading intoconfer-

ence playwas its starting rotation.

Unlike most teams, the Tigershad threestarterstheycould rely on with Moore and sophomore righthanders Casan Evans and William Schmidt.

However,losing Moore forced LSU to replace his innings, which became difficult giventhe struggles of sophomore left-hander Cooper Williams and junior righthander Jaden Noot. Both pitchers were candidatestostart at the beginning of the year,but had ERAs over 7.50 entering this weekend’s series.

Senior right-hander Zac Cowan and junior right-hander Gavin Guidryhavealsoshown that they can throw four-plus innings in an outing andhavestarted this year,but Cowan has been needed to close outtight gamesearlier in the weekend, andGuidryhas scuffled throughmostofconference play

“They hit Gavin,” Johnson said after Guidry allowed five earned runs in threeinnings against Ole Miss last Sunday.“Imean, Idon’t know what else you want me to say.”

Moore’sreturn will help the Tigers as they enter adifficult stretchofseriesagainst Mississippi State, Georgia and Florida. Their tricky slate began on Fridayagainst TexasA&M, which hasone of thebestoffensesin the SEC.

Even one inning from Moore this weekend would help LSU’s chances. With the Tigers in dangerofmissing the NCAA Tournament, they’ll need everything Moore can give them moving forward.

“He’sbeen agreat teammate,” Schmidt said. “And Ithink even without Cooper,our pitching staff is still elite.

“But adding Cooper would just makeiteven that much better.”

leadoff hitter Madi George, who made it to thirdwith one out.Monticelli, the winningpitcher thenight before, got Taylor Roman to pop out to shortstop and struck out Ryan Starr swinging to end the game In between, LSU had togowith No. 3catcher Jada Phillipsfor the final batter when Char Lorenz was injured on awild pitch. Lorenz has caught both gamesagainst Ole Miss in place on injured starter Maci Bergeron.

With two outs and pinch-runner Tenly Grisham on third, Laylonna Applin was hit by apitch and then Starr appeared to likewise get hit. But home plate umpire Brett Higgins ruled Starr steppedinto the pitch and called it astrike. Monticelligot her swingingon a2-2 count to finish it.

“I was pumped up for the last batter,” Monticelli said. “There was alot of commotion in the last inning, butitwas super cool to go out and play for the girls.I thought, ‘If she hits it, Iknow y’all got me.’ It was along inning but good, and the fight we’ve been lookingfor.” LSU had nine hits but struggled to put Ole Miss away.The lead changed hands four times, and LSUusedthree pitchers to get to the end.

“Huge at-bat for Tori, continuing to foul offpitches andcontrol the strike zone,” LSU coachBeth To-

⁄3 00 000 Paz2 10 013 WP —Schmidt2(8), Theophis(1). Umpires —HP: Brian Hale 1B:Hank Himmanen 2B: Joseph Smith 3B: AnthonyPerez T— 3:00. A—12,325 (paid)

LSU (23-17, 6-11) isn’ttotally out of theNCAA Tournament picture Since last Sunday,the Tigers have moved up 14 spots in the RPI —a schedule-based metric used by the NCAA Tournament committee to help determine the field. Their remaining schedulealsogives them plentyofopportunitiestoearn big winsover top RPI teams

ButJohnson’stenor andmessage on Friday told adifferent story,and so did Saturday’sresult.

two outs on themound.

Theabnormal part washow the Aggies knocked around sophomore right-handed starter William Schmidt. In his sixthstart in Southeastern Conference play,heallowed seven earned runs and seven hits in 51/3 innings.

He walked four batters, but his

“Right now (it’sabout), how do we play better? Because if I’mgoingtohave players that are going to continue on here,” Johnson said on Friday,“we have to makesome value out of this part of theseason.”

LSU and Texas A&Mfinish their three-game series on Sunday.First pitchfrom Alex Box Stadium is set for 1p.m., and the gamewill be available to watchonESPN.

rina said.“She’s worked so hard to do that. She’shad agreat weekend. I’d like her to continue that tomorrow LSU starting pitcher Jayden Heavener didn’thave her control Saturday.She walked fiveintwo innings.She allowedahome run to Mackenzie Pickens in the first inning and walkedthe bases loaded in the second. Kennedy Bunker hit asacrificeflytotie the game at 2-2, then Pickens doubledoff theleftfieldwall to bringintwo more. Heavener issued her fifth walk to start the third inning and was replaced by TatumClopton, who retired thenext six batters. LSU answered the first-inning homer withtwo runs in the first.

Lassiter was hit by apitchand Daniel walked.KyleeEdwards singledtoright field to scoreLassiter,and Daniel camearound when the throw to second bounced away from Pickens at second base. The Tigers fought back to tie thegame with single runs in the second andthird. Lassiter singled home Ally Hutchins, whohad doubled.Back-to-back doubles by Franklin and Tori Edwards tied the gameinthe thirdinning. KyleeEdwardscame through with ahuge hit in thefifth when shesingled to left to drive in two morefor a6-4 LSUlead. OleMisstied thegame in the sixth on atwo-run single by Pickens.

PHOTO By MICHAEL BACIGALUPI

LSU outfielder Jalia Lassiter hits asingle in the second inning against Ole Miss on Saturdayafternoon at TigerPark. The Tigers won7-6

PHOTOSByPATRICK DENNIS

LSU coach JayJohnson, right,makes amound visit forapitching changeinthe sixth inning of LSU’s7-2 loss to Texas A&M on Saturday at Alex Box Stadium.

LSU startingpitcher William Schmidt allowedseven earned runs on sevenhitsin513 innings.

STAFF FILE PHOTOByMICHAEL JOHNSON

Saints leavetrenchesfor firstpick

TheSaints have not used atop-10 NFL draft pick to select areceiver since 1988. They never have used onetotake adefensive back.

One of those droughts could end this year.Aftertaking an offensive or defensive lineman with seven of their last eight first-round picks, it looks like the Saints are poised to break their big-man trend this year

First of all, this is not considered agreat draft. Every year is different, and the pool of playersin this draft is shy of elite, blue-chip prospectsatthe top. It alsolacks qualitydepth,especiallyatquarterback,runningbackand defensive tackle. Scouts and analysts sayonly ahandful of players have “clean” résumés, meaningthe rest are prospects withflaws that require aleap-of-faith projectionin theirtransitionstothe NFL. Consequently,teams’ boards will vary dramaticallyafter the first handful of players, making thisa difficult draft to mock.

If blue-chip prospects Fernando Mendoza, David Bailey,Arvell Reese, Jeremiyah Love and Caleb Downs are selected in the first five picks,asexpected, the Saints could findthemselves in an unusualposition at No. 8— having to choosebetween atop receiver and defensive back. More and more, it’slooking like those players will be Jordyn Tyson and Mansoor Delane. The Saints like both and would not go wrong with either selection. Youcan make agood case that either would help make Tyler Shough’sjob easier With that in mind, here’smyfirst attemptatmocking the Saints’ draft.

Saints select

Round 1(No. 8overall): WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State

There’salways the possibility of the Saints trading up, but sucha scenario seems unlikely this year because of the limited number of elite prospects available and the state of the roster in the second year of the Kellen Moore era. My

guess is the Saints sitatNo. 8and let the draft fall to them.

In the unlikely event that anyof the blue-chippers falltoNo. 8, I believe the Saintswill stay true to their board and take oneofthem.

Butfor this exercise, they’re all gone,leaving the Saintswitha choice among Tyson, Delane and Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain. Youcan make acase for all three, especially with the Saints’ need for pass-rush help, but Ieliminated Bain because he seems likean odd fit for the Saints’3-4 scheme. This choice camedown to Tyson andDelane, anditwas adifficult decision.

Tyson has emerged as aviable top-10candidateasthe pre-draft process has unfolded,and the Saintshave become more comfortable with his well-documented injury history as they have conductedtheirresearch on him.

Like Kelvin Banks ayear ago, the Arizona State receiver is a playerwhommany NFL teams value more thandraft and media analysts. Some scoutsbelieve he is

the best receiver in the draft class,

ahead of Carnell Tate from Ohio State (whom Ihave going sixthto theCleveland Browns).

“He’s adynamic, explosive athlete,” NFL Networkdraft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said of the 6-foot2, 203-poundTyson on hisconference call with reporters Tuesday “You think abouthim andChris Olavethere Icould see them going down that road.”

Tysonwould complement Olave well and add amuch-needed explosiveelement to thereceiving corps. He has all the tools to becomeaNo. 1receiver,and there aren’tmany of those in this draft Tyson’sinjury history is aconcern, especially with Olave’s lingering concussionissues. Taking him in the top10wouldbeagamble.

But we all know the Saints like to take big swings. They did just thatlast year withShough, who hadsimilar medical red flags,and the gamble paid off. Tyson’spotentialasaNo. 1receiver justmight makethe dice roll worthit.

Saints’Day 2picks

Round 2(No. 42): Treydan Stukes, DB, Arizona

After taking areceiver in the first round, it’stimetoaddress the defense, where two areas of need exist: slot corner,aka theStarposition for the Saints, and edge rusher.Iwentback and forth between the twobefore landing on Stukes, who looks like an ideal replacement for Alontae Taylor in the secondary.Mydecision also was influenced by the pool of edgerush prospects, which is slightly deeper than defensive back.

This pick came down to acoin flip between nickel back prospects Stukes, D’AngeloPonds (Indiana) and Keith Abney (Arizona State). I badly wanted to pull the trigger on Ponds, whom Iview as aslightly smaller version of Antoine Winfield,but Ijust couldn’tget past his 5-8, 190-pound size.Stukes’ size (6-0, 190),whichisalmost identical to Taylor,and intangibles make for an ideal fit at the Star spot. He’s also aSaints’kinda guy,aformer walk-onwho developed into ateam captain and leader of the Arizona defense. Round 3(No. 73):Keyron Crawford, edge, Auburn Granted, this might be too low to land Crawford, so the Saints might need to trade up to ensure they gethim.Designatedpass rushers such as RMason Thomas and Gabe Jacas likely will be goneinthe second round, so theSaintsmight have to be aggressive to land their guyinthe third round. Crawford is an unpolishedprospect. He started only oneyear in the SECafter transferringfrom ArkansasState, but he has an intriguing blend of size and athleticism. At 6-4, 253 pounds, he’s aperfect fit as astand-up 3-4 outside linebacker and would give the Saints thespeed andexplosiveness they have lacked off the edge in recent years. He’ll start out as adesignated pass rusher and rotational edge defender and hopefully develop into astarter Saints’Day 3picks

Round 4(No. 132):Brian Parker,center, Duke

Iwouldn’tbesurprisedifthe Saints tried to package their fourth-round picks to moveinto the bottom of the third round for ashotatone more top-100 prospect. As is, Ithink they’ll try to address their needs along the interior offensive line. By this point, I expect the top center prospects Jake Slaughter,Sam Hecht, Logan Jones, Connor Lew and Trey Zuhn —tobegone. Parker is the kind of smart, tough, versatile lineman the Saints covet. Pat Coogan, Matt Gulbin and Jager Burton are also candidates here.

Round 4(No.136):Nick Barrett,DT,South Carolina DavonGodchaux will turn 32 in November and is entering the final year of his contract. The Saints could use adevelopmental prospect to rotate behind him and serve as hiseventualreplacement. The 6-3, 312-pound Barrett has the size andathleticism to be arunstuffing force inside.

Round5 (No. 156):Eli Raridon, TE,Notre Dame

TheSaints have five tight ends on the roster,but it’sstill asneaky long-term need on offense. At 6-6, 245, Raridon needs to gain strength, but he has the frame to do so and the potential to develop into astarter. He’s thekindofascending player you take in the later rounds and develop over time.

Round 5(No. 172): Eli Heidenreich, RB Navy Scouts differonwhether Heidenreich should play slot receiver or running back at the NFLlevel, but he’s aversatile,all-purpose athlete in the Danny Amendola/JulianEdelmanmold. He left Navy as the school’sall-time receiver and would be afun chess piece for Moore’screative offensive mind. Someguys are just football players. Heidenreich is one of those guys, asmaller version of Taysom Hill.

Round 6(No. 190): Kaden Wetjen,WR-RS, Iowa The Saintsneed areturn man, and Wetjen is one of the best in the business with 4.4 speed and six career return touchdowns. He led the NCAA with aridiculous 28.6yard averageonpunt returns and returned three puntsfor TDs.He also wasateam captain.

DannyHeitman AT RANDOM

Arose reminds me of wonder amid chaos

My wife and Iwereatthe park the other day when Ioverheard aneighbor discussing her latest household challenge.

“We’re trying to train our Peggy Martin,” she sighed. “It has amind of its own, so it’s been areal weekend project for us.”

Iwondered if “Peggy Martin” might be abreed of beagle or terrier,which might explain why training one had turned out to be such ahandful for the folks down the street. But my wife quickly reminded me that Peggy Martin is akind of climbing rose with aspecial connection to Louisiana’srecovery from Hurricane Katrina. The woman who inspired the rose’sname lived in lower Plaquemines Parish, and her home was devastated by the hurricane. Her parents died in the storm, which greatly deepened Martin’ssenseofloss.

Amid all the ruin, an heirloom rose still grew

“I thought, how is this alive when everything is completely dead? Iwas totally blown away by it,” Martin recalled in an LSU AgCenter story published last year.“Ifelt like my mom and dad knew Iwas goingtobe distraught,and they asked God to leave me something.”

GOT MAIL?

Do youhaveahandwritten letter from your mother or grandmother?

Do youhavea handwritten letter from your mother or grandmother? Or aletter written toa mother or grandmother?

Shareitwithus. Whether the letter arrived lastyear or decades ago, we’d love to see it —and possibly featureitinan upcoming story

Send aclear photograph of the handwritten letter. We recommend putting it near awindow with natural light. Be sureyou or your phone don’t create a shadowonthe letter. Send aclear photographofthe handwritten letter(s) alongwith your name, phone number,mailing address and asentence or twoabout who wrote it andwhat it means to youtojan.risher@ theadvocate.com.

READY

TO CRUMBLE

72 bakers broughttheir best cookie to competefor contestglory.Here’swho won.

PROVIDED PHOTOS

Amalia Mejia won first place overall at The Advocate’s Cookie Contest withher Campfire S’mores Cookies, layered withgraham cracker,marshmallowand Hershey’s chocolate.

BY JANRISHER Staff writer

The large room at thelibrary was not large enough for allthe cookies. Library employees held crowds back in the minutes before the buildingopened while dozens of bakers threaded through themass of people, each carrying twodozen cookies for The Advocate’sCookie Contest. The scene felt more like apolite version of predawnBlack Friday at Walmart than aSunday afternoon at thelibrary

Nearly 3,000 people showed up. Theparking lot was full.

For acookie contest and bakers fair.Atalibrary.Ona perfectSunday afternoon in April. Andyet what filled the East Baton Rouge Parish Library that day felt like more than enthusiasm for sweets. Therewas somethingalmostoldfashioned about it —hundreds of people gathering to celebrate homemade cookies andthe people who madethem. The contest, organizedbyThe Advocate withthe help of the library, wasrevived this year after roughly twodecades. It was held alongside thelibrary’sfirstBakersFairand drew amuch larger response than expected.

ä See COOKIE, page 4D

Amy Faucheaux’slemon macarons placed third.

Peter Hubbs’ Deep Dish Caramel Cup Cookies finished second.

See AT RANDOM, page 4D

COMMUNITY

PROVIDED PHOTO

Kiwanis Club of Ascension

Members of the Kiwanis Club of Ascension donated an automated external defibrillator to Gonzales Baptist Academy Shown are, from left, Kiwanis Secretary Boni Pater, board member Donna Leggett, President Kristin Rosendale, the Rev. Chuck Ross and Principal Jennifer Ross.

Ascension Kiwanis donates defibrillator to Gonzales Baptist Academy

The Kiwanis Club of Ascension donated an automated external defibrillator to Gonzales Baptist Academy President Kristin Rosendale, Secretary Boni Pater and board member Donna Leggett presented the AED to the Rev Chuck Ross and Principal Jennifer Ross LaMissTenn District of Kiwanis is working to place AEDs in all schools in Louisiana, Mississippi and West Tennessee. So far, more than 460 AEDs have been provided by Kiwanis clubs, and six lives have been saved by the donated AEDs.

This AED is sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Ascension and the LAMissTenn Foundation District Project Grant. Ascension Kiwanis meets at 6 p.m. on the first and third Wednesdays of the month at Frank’s, Prairieville.

Garden Discovery Series

Redemptorist Class of ’78

EBR

PHOTO

Amber King presented a talk, ‘Natural Grasses for Louisiana Landscapes,’ at the Garden Discovery Series event at the Main Library at Goodwood on April 11. Shown are, from left, Linda Henning, King and Allison Gianelloni.

COMMUNITY GUIDELINES

The Community column runs Sundays in the Living section and accepts submissions for news of events that have taken place with civic, philanthropic, social and religious auxiliary organizations, as well as academic honors. Submissions should be sent by noon Monday to run in the upcoming Sunday column. If submitting digitally we prefer JPG files 300KB or larger Identify those pictured by first and last names as viewed from left to right, row by row We prefer emailed Community column submissions to features@theadvocate.com.We also accept submissions by mail at P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge LA 70821.A phone number must be included

tion is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m May 14. The Ogden art gallery is open from 9 a.m to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 5 p.m. Saturdays during exhibitions. The Laura and Clark Boyce Gallery is open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday

6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Zoom. The classes are on Mondays April 20 through May 11. Interested students may call (225) 267-7048 or visit ChabadBR. com/JLI for registration and other course-related information. Limited scholarships available upon request

FYI BR staff reports

and digital art These exhibitions kick off April 17 at the Laura and Clark Boyce Gallery in Julian T. White Hall with the opening of the BFA Graphic Design Senior Showcase, which will be followed by the BFA Studio Arts Senior Exhibition and BA Art & Design Senior Exhibition. All exhibitions and events are free and open to the public. n Graphic Design Senior Showcase presents “Final Draft” — This exhibition will be on view April 17-24 in The Laura and Clark Boyce Gallery A free, public reception will be held 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. April 24.

n Studio Art Senior Exhibition

This exhibition features work from the ceramics, photography, painting and drawing, printmaking and sculpture areas on view May 2-15 at the Barnes Ogden Art & Design Complex Gallery A reception is scheduled from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. May 7.

n Art and Design Senior Exhibition — The exhibition will be on view May 7-14 in the Laura and Clark Boyce Gallery A recep-

For All Humankind course offered at Chabad LSU

A new four-week course at Chabad at LSU & Greater Baton Rouge is opening the conversation about what makes life meaningful for the entire community

The For All Humankind course, developed by the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute, will explore the foundational values that shape a good life and a healthy society Drawing on Jewish thought, the course presents an approach to understanding morality, purpose and responsibility that has developed over thousands of years. While rooted in Jewish tradition, the course is designed for people of all backgrounds. Its focus is not on religious practice, but on ideas that speak more broadly to the human experience. All Jewish Learning Institute courses are open to the public, and attendees need not be affiliated with a particular synagogue, temple or other house of worship to attend The course costs $98, which includes the textbook. Classes are 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in person at the Main Library and

Food Bank releases impact report for 2025

The Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank Impact Report for 2025 details the differences made in the community for children, families, seniors and veterans across the Greater Baton Rouge area. The Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank reported the following:

n Distributed 14.3 million pounds of food

n Provided the equivalent of 11.9 million meals to neighbors in need

n Served 2,592,935 neighbors in the Greater Baton Rouge area

n Reached 28% more neighbors as compared to 2024

OLLI Coffee, Lagniappe event is April 22

LSU’s Osher Lifelong Learning Program will present Louisiana blues musician Chris Thomas King at 2 p.m. April 22 at the Bluebonnet Library, 9200 Bluebonnet Road, Baton Rouge. King will discuss his book, “The Blues: The Authentic Narrative of My Music and Culture” which in-

Louisiana Lions Eye Foundation

Volunteers participated in the Louisiana Lions Eye Foundation vision screening at Gateway Preschool and Technology Center

Sorority; Poni Kolok, Big Buddy; and Scott Dudley, Lakeshore Lions.

PROVIDED PHOTO

cludes information about his music, life and the culture he grew up in as the son of Baton Rouge’s international blues great, Tabby Thomas.

The lecture is free and open to the public.

After more than 10 years of intense research into the Blues music genre, King presents in his book his theory that the Blues was born in New Orleans rather than being indigenous to Mississippi. His book was selected as the “One Book, One Community” by the East Baton Rouge Parish Library in 2023.

Walls Project to hold Earth Day celebration

The Walls Project will host Earth Day Baton Rouge 2026 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 25 at Baton Roots Community Farm in BREC Howell Community Park, 5509 Winbourne Ave. The annual event is designed to bring the community together through eco-focused workshops, hands-on service, family activities and resourcesharing. This year’s focus is on community engagement, healthy living, environmental education and practical action. Through a mix of creative and land-based activities, residents can learn new skills, care for shared spaces and connect sustainability to everyday life. Featured activities include food forest planting, an urban agricul-

ture workshop, earth ceramics, essential oil creation, watercolor pigment creation, a Kid Zone and the Sprouts Healthy Living Zone. In addition to the main event, volunteers can also participate in blight and litter cleanup efforts at multiple locations 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. April 24.

Magazine recognizes St. James Place

St. James Place in Baton Rouge has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a 2026 Best Independent Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care Community St. James Place is the only community in Louisiana to receive Best Independent Living recognition. Now in its fifth year, the 2026 Best Senior Living ratings from U.S. News evaluated more than 3,000 communities across the United States. Communities were assessed on several key criteria, including resident and family member satisfaction with safety, care, community management, staff, value and other essential services and amenities. U.S. News awards the designation of Best Senior Living only to those communities that meet its objective, data-driven standards, reflecting the feedback of hundreds of thousands of consumers nationwide. The highest-rated communities in each care level earned a Best Senior Living rating.

PROVIDED

PROVIDED PHOTO

The Redemptorist Class of 1978 held its annual spring social at City Cafe on April 8 Gathered are, from left, seated, Cindy

Armstrong Liz Voelker Mary Miley, Donna Cleary and Catherine Crnko; second row, Mike Scallan, Gina Bourque, Cathy Stanley, Vickie Sweezy Sharon Provost, Robbie Schexnailder and Tony Cockerham; third row, Tim Chenevert Guy Blanchard Rocky Lockwood, Kim Misita, Terry Dupuy Steve Leblanc and Mike Cop

PROVIDED PHOTO

Master Gardener Association

The East Baton Rouge Master Gardener Association welcomed its Class of 2025 with a graduation ceremony in December Shown are, from left, Bridget Kaigler, Cotina Marshall, Jacqueline Bottoms, Elizabeth Smith, Julia Guilbeau, Agent Bert Hammett, Taja Hawkins, Peggy Miller-Garcia, Rebecca Moore, Chris Frink, Ashley Furnish, Sandra Casas-Liste, Daniel Wolf, Suzette Newton, Kurt Brochhausen, Emily Jane Jones, Bonnie Brochhausen, Ginger Dunaway and Art Vingiello. Not pictured are Julie Fusilier Jessica Kemm, Tiffany Palmer and Donald Whitehead.

in Prairieville on April 8. Shown are, from left, Kris Sabrio, Catholic High School; Lydia Quinn, Delta Gamma

TRAVEL

3lyrically famous destinations to checkout

BY ROBIN MILLER Staff writer

Editor’snote:This is the second story in an occasional travel series exploring locations that inspired songs about the South

For some travelers, destination spots aren’talways defined by resorts or historical significance. Theirjourney is moreofa pilgrimage that traces apath to Southern destinationsthatmight be unnoticed or inconsequentialif it weren’tfor the songsmiths who amplified theirstories through their lyrics.

Here are three such places.

Acoalminer’s daughter

Loretta Lynn called it “Butcher Holler,” with an “er”atthe end.

And that’show millions of the late country music star’sfans came to know her Appalachian birthplace in Johnson County, Kentucky,through her 1971 autobiographical hit, “Coal Miner’s Daughter.”

Cue the song’sopening lines: “Well, Iwas born acoal miner’s daughter; In acabin on ahill in Butcher Holler.”

But its proper spelling is “Butcher Hollow,” where Lynn’schildhood home stands on the side of ahill. The house not only was the site of Lynn’sshort childhood

shemarried herhusband Oliver “Dolittle” Lynn at age 15 —but also the home of her younger sister,Brenda Gail, professionally known as country music star Crystal Gayle.

In 2012, The Associated Press discovered adiscrepancy in Lynn’s age. Shepreviously claimed she was born in 1935, but the AP found her birth certificate on fileatthe state Office of Vital Statistics in Frankfort, Kentucky,which re-

TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER

By ChristopherElliott

vealedshe was born in 1932. So she was 15, not 13, years old when she gotmarried.

Thesingers were twoofeight children in theWebb house, now amuseumowned and operated by the family.Lynn’sbrother Herman, known as the“Sheriff of Butcher Hollow,” restored the property and served as its gatekeeper and tour guide until hisdeath in 2018 at the ageof83.

Now tours begin with acall to Webb Grocery,the family-owned store listed on the National Register of Historic Places in the coal mining town of VanLear,Kentucky,which is the technical location of Lynn’shomeplace.

“Tuckeddeep in the hills of Johnson County,Kentucky,there’s aplace where country music history runs as deep as thecoal mines,” the tourismcommission for nearby Paintsville, Kentucky, states on its website,paintsvilletourism com. “For countrymusic fans, avisit to Butcher Holler is like steppinginto apiece of living history.It’snot just about seeing thehouse —it’sabout feeling the spirit of theplacethatshaped an

icon. Walking up the narrow road, you can almosthear theechoes of an old guitar strumming on the porch and imagine the young girl who once dreamed of singing on the Grand Ole Opry stage.”

From Paintsville, take Ky.321 northfor 6miles, turn left on Ky 1107 forabout amile,thenturn right on Ky.302 for another mile. From there, take aleft onto Millers Creek Road, which leadstoWebb’s General Store No. 5, wheretours begin. Keep going up Millers Creek Road, which eventually leads to theLynnfamily homeplace. Tour season begins April1and continues to the end of November.Tour times arenoon and 3p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to 5p.m. Saturdays and Sundays Webb’sGrocery is open from 10 a.m. to 5p.m. seven days a week, and tours can be arranged by calling (606) 789-3397. Starsinthe southern sky

Signs forCountyRoad39mark therural route that runs south off East Fairview Avenue in Montgomery,Alabama.

Itsdistinguishing landmarks?

Seven bridges along the way

The bridges themselves aren’t necessarily historical. They simply connect oneside of the road to the other as its crosses several bends of Catoma Creek.

Singer-songwriter Steve Young made the bridges famous when he immortalized them in his 1969 song, “Seven BridgesRoad,” with lyrics musing about “stars in the southern sky,” “moonlight and mossinthe trees” and “a taste of time sweetand honey.” Though the song was first recorded on Young’s “Rock Salt &Nails” album,it’s probably best knownfor the Eagles’releaseofthe single from their 1980 “Eagles Live” album.

Storiesabout thesong’sorigins have circulated through the years, mostnotably one connected to one of country music’s greatest legends, Hank Williams, who died at age 29 on Jan. 1, 1953.

The route’slocal name in Montgomery is Woodley Road, which leads to the Oakwood Cemetery Annex, whereWilliams andhis wife, Audrey,are buried. The family plot is apilgrimage destination forcountry music fans, knownfor itsartificialgrass covering to deter people from taking grass from the graves.

But Young never alludedtolegends when talking abouthis song, saying in a1981 Montgomery Advertiser interviewthatheand his friends “used to go out to Woodley Road carousing around.”

“I wound up writing this song that Inever dreamed anybody would even relate to, or understand, or get,” he said in an interview withMusic-Illuminati.com in 2014. “And Istill don’tunderstand whyitwas so successful, actually.”

Andina1992 interview with the St.Louis Post-Dispatch, Young said he didn’tknowthe exact meaning of the song.

“But Ithink on another level the song has something kind of cosmic …thatregistersinthe subconscious: the numberseven hasall of

thesereligious andmystical connotations,” he told the newspaper WoodleyRoad servesasthe southern boundary of the Cloverdale neighborhood in Montgomery Its two-lane route features three pairs of bridges withinthe same vicinityand aseventh lone bridge about amile south. To get there, travel south from Montgomery, taking Woodley past East Fairview Avenue, where the bridge crossings begin.

From sevenbridges to reddirt Kix Brooks may have grown up in Shreveport,but the 2003 song, “RedDirt Road,” co-written with music partner Ronnie Dunn, looks to El Dorado, Arkansas,for its inspiration.

That’swhere Dunn spent his youth and honed his music skills by playing saxophone in the high school band. It’salso where he spent time on Arkansas Rural Route 3, a4-mile road locally knownasthe East Main Highway

The song reflectsonDunn’s early life,including memories of his cousin’sfarm,rural life and personal experiences with lyrics reflecting on running barefoot, meeting agirl named Mary,tastinghis first beer,wrecking his first car and finding Jesus.

Thesongalso mentions howthe road’sblacktop gives way to ared dirt surface.

“I thought we needed something like‘Red Dirt Road,’ to useasthe title,” Dunn said in a2023 interview with Whiskey Riff. “It was thered dirtroad in Arkansasthat my cousins andall of us livedon. It led from Rural Route 3, East Main highway out of El Dorado, downto my cousin’sfarm …itwas about 4 miles long …Itwas literally adirt road that would get washed out comebig rains and such. But we grew up on that road.”

To getthere, visitElDorado, which is centrally located above the Louisiana-Arkansasstate line, and follow the East Main Highway until the red dirt appears.

Airlinerefuses to refundcustomera ticket alreadypaidfor

My family of four flew from Toronto to Marrakech on tickets booked directly with Delta Air Lines.The first legwas on KLM and the connection wasonTransavia.

which I’ve already sent several times. It feels like arunaround. Can you helpmeget my $1,198 back? —Rachel Newton,Toronto

That left me with the impression thatTransavia is far more interestedinextracting money than in treating customersfairly

coreprinciple is that airlines can’t simply strand you or extort additional money for aflight you’ve already purchased.

Icontacted Transavia on your behalf.

Christopher Elliott

When we landed in Amsterdam,Transavia couldn’t find our reservation at first.After two hours of back and forth, arepresentative said our tickets weren’tpaid infull. The airline wouldn’t give us boarding passes unless we paid $1,198 on the spot.We had no choice but to pay. When we returned home, Icontacted Delta Air Lines, whichadvised me to file achargeback on my credit card.

Transavia admitted arefund wasdue and repeatedly told me they were processing it —but the money never arrived.Each time Ifollow up, they either ask for the same banking details again or insist thetransfer wasrejected. My bank has no record of any attempt by Transavia to send the refund. Transavia now says it will close my case if Idon’tprovide the requested information,

If you had tickets to fly to Marrakech, youshould have been allowedtoboardthe flight without further payment. Youhad valid tickets issuedbyDelta, for flights operated by KLMand Transavia. The fact that Transavia claimed your tickets were “unpaid” was almost certainly asystemserror. Forcing youtopay again at the counter,with your flight minutes from departure, feels like ashakedown.

I’mnot surprisedthis happened to youonTransavia. The discount airlinehas beencriticized for aggressive fees and,insome cases, refund delays that borderonobstruction. In fact,Iwas on aTransaviaflight from Athens to Paris recently,where an overzealous gate agent forcedmetopay $80 just to carry asmall bagonthe plane.

And the way Transavia handled your refund? Equally unacceptable. Transavia acknowledged multiple times that you were due arefund. But rather than simply processing it,the airline kept moving the goalposts: asking for details you’d already provided, insisting that paymentshad been sent (though your bank found no trace),and warning they would closeyour file if you didn’tcomply That’snot customer service—it’s delay by design. When an airline takes money in error,European Union rules areclear: it mustissue aprompt refund. Under EU Regulation261, passengers are also entitled to assistanceand rerouting when airlines mishandle tickets. While this lawisbetterknown for compensating delays and cancellations,its

Delta’sadvice to file acredit carddispute was wrong. Youalways want to work directly with the merchant (in this case, Transavia) to resolve abilling problem. If you file adispute, that usually tiesupany refund process. Fortunately,you didn’ttake that advice from Delta.

Youcan also appeal your case to one of the executive contacts at Transavia that Ilist on my consumer advocacy website,Elliott. org.

This was along and frustrating battle for money you never should have had to pay in the first place. And it’sareminder: When an airline insists on cash or card at the counter forsomething that seems wrong, document everything and, if possible, push back before handing over your credit card.

“Wefully understand how frustrating this situation must be for her and her family,and we regret the long time this refund process has already taken,” arepresentative told me.“Our records show that the refund has been initiated twice, but both transfers were rejected by the receiving bank.” Actually,here’swhat happened: Yougave the airline aSWIFT/BIC code for the transfer but it insisted on an IBAN code, whichisn’tused by U.S. or Canadian banks. You ended up opening an account with WISE to obtain an IBAN code and sent it to Transavia. Youreceived afull refund, as promised.

Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy,anonprofit organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@elliott.org or get help by contacting him at elliott.org.

PROVIDED PHOTO By ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF ARCHIVES ANDHISTORy Singer-songwriter Steve young immortalized aroad outsideof Montgomery, Ala., in his 1969 song, ‘SevenBridges Road.’ The song’s best-knowncover was recorded by the Eagles on their 1980 ‘Eagles Live’ album.

More than a cookie contest

Amalia Mejia, a 21-year-old LSU junior, was among the cookie hopefuls. She walked in with no idea whether strangers in Baton Rouge would embrace the cookie she had made. Her entry — a campfire s’mores cookie layered with graham cracker, marshmallow and Hershey’s chocolate ultimately won first place overall.

For Mejia, the victory meant more than a certificate and $100 gift card.

She grew up in Nicaragua, where her grandmother’s family owned a bakery and where she began baking at age 12 — first for fun and then with growing ambition.

Two years ago, her family left behind the country they love. Mejia describes Nicaragua as a country that has lived under dictatorship for nearly two decades, where freedoms — including freedom of speech and, at times, the freedom to attend church have eroded.

She arrived in Baton Rouge to join her family already here. She enrolled full-time at LSU to study marketing and took a job at Gambino’s Bakery

Since then, baking has become part memory, part rebuilding for her In Nicaragua, she could walk into bakeries and find familiar treats. In Baton Rouge, she has had to recreate those flavors herself, teaching herself recipes she had never made before and relying on instinct to recover tastes she remembered from home.

“In a way, baking has helped me to have a space where I can be creative doing something I’ve loved to do since I was little,” Mejia said Her winning cookie grew out of conversations with her 17-year-old brother Constantino, a student at Catholic High School. The two siblings have leaned on one another since arriving in Baton Rouge. His flavor suggestions helped shape the cookie that won over judges. 72 bakers, endless cookies

The competition was judged anonymously The cookies were evaluated on taste, texture and execution. Judges had no idea if an entry came from an aspiring professional baker a hobbyist or a child. Some of the category winners turned out to be children, standing proudly beside adults in the winners’ photo after the awards were announced

When Mejia’s name was called, her father, Juan Carlos, was in the crowd. Hearing-impaired he watched his daughter rise to accept first prize, beaming with pride Later, he shared the news with family back in Nicaragua.

“I was so happy very proud of myself, especially because it was the first time I did something like this,” Mejia said. “To be able to see that other people really liked what I do it wasn’t just a perception of myself.”

Organizers had expected perhaps 12 to 15 entries for the cookie contest. Instead, 72 bakers signed up. Before the doors opened, the line of contestants snaked from the cookie drop-off room into the lobby Cookies filled every available surface in the judging room.

The cookies came in every imaginable form — from Charlotte Daigle’s book-themed “A Series of Unfortunate Mints” to 12-year-old Evangeline Cardone’s ube-and-coconut creation to Gwen Bourgeois’ boldly titled “The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies.”

Among the judges, who sampled entries anonymously, was Sarah Joy Hays, owner of Counterspace BR and one of the region’s most respected bakers.

“It was overwhelming,” Hays said. “I tasted some exceptional cookies. I wish I could sit down with each one of these bakers and say, ‘This is what you do to take your cookie to the next level.’ There are little tweaks that could make so many of them contenders.”

Assistant library director Mary Stein believes the turnout reflects something larger than enthusiasm

for sweets She sees the popularity of baking as part of a broader longing for tactile, human-centered experiences in an increasingly technological age.

“We are seeing a hunger literally the more you hear about AI, and the more technologically divorced we are from reality, the more we need hand work, the more people crave and need people,” Stein said.

What unfolded on a Sunday afternoon felt less like a novelty event than the revival of an older kind of public gathering — one built around skill, generosity and the simple pleasure of showing up together

‘We need humanity’

Second place went to Peter Hubbs for his deep-dish caramel cup cookies, a recipe he refined through repeated trial and error Third place went to Amy Faucheaux for her lemon macarons, entered primarily because her daughter was interested in the baking competition.

After the event, Stein sat among dozens of leftover cookies while library staff and volunteers sampled the remaining entries.

What had been expected to be a

Sunday was more than a contest win. What filled that library was more than a crowd more than cookies.

The rooms smelled of sugar and chocolate and, despite being a public library somehow also smelled like home. It felt like the kind of afternoon that lingers long after the cookies are gone.

Best in show

First place overall: Campfire S’mores Cookies by Amalia Mejia

Second place overall: Deep Dish Caramel Cup Cookies by Peter Hubbs

Third place overall: Lemon Macarons by Amy Faucheaux

Category winners

Chocolate-based cookies

modest afternoon attraction dur-

ing the Bakers Fair had turned into something requiring crowd control, extra hands, a full parking lot and immediate conversations about how to make it even better next year

For Stein, the turnout carried its own message.

“We need humanity,” she said.

“And this is a way to get back to it.”

For Mejia, whose long-term dream is to open her own bakery

n First place: Winter Time Delights by Dessa Tremblay

n Second place: Series of Unfortunate Mints by Charlotte Daigle

Chocolate chip cookies

n First place: Salted Butterscotch Cookies by Ellie Roth

n Second place: Cowboy Cookies by Jacqueline Hardy

Sugar cookies

n First place: Lemon-Iced Sugar

Cookies by Nate Roth

n Second place: Norma’s Tea Cakes by Norma Bazar

n Third place (a tie): Cathy’s Sugar Cookies by Taylor Chustz; Lemon Sugar Cookies by Julia Chapman

Specialty drop cookies

n First place: Campfire S’mores Cookies by Amalia Mejia

n Second place: Bret’s White

Chocolate Snickerdoodle by Bretanie Boudreaux

n Third place: The Deacon by Jonneisha George Specialty cookies

n First place: Deep Dish Caramel Cookies by Peter Hubbs

n Second place: Lemon Macarons by Amy Faucheaux

n Third place: Golden Biscoff Bliss by Schwanda Wilson-Turner

Email Jan Risher at jan.risher@ theadvocate.com.

Continued from page 1D

The AgCenter’s story also mentioned Martin’s vibrant garden in her subsequent home in Gonzales. The resilient rose that survived Katrina was named in her honor and became a centerpiece of the recovery Sales of the plant helped raise funds to restore storm-ravaged gardens in the region.

I’ve continued to think about all of this as another spring arrives in a stressful time for the country and the world. The story of the Peggy Martin rose has reminded me that

if we set aside our screens and smartphones and look outside, we might find other hopeful signs of continuity amid the chaos. I was on such a screen the other day when a blur of brown beyond the window caught the corner of my eye. What I’d spotted, at first glance, looked like a bowler hat slowly gliding through the flower bed. I stepped outside for a closer view, which brought me within a foot or two of my subject. It was a big box turtle on his private odyssey, nudged by the warmer weather to get out and explore. I called my wife to come see. I like fellow witnesses for such small wonders because they tend to be fleeting.

Even turtles, renowned as slowpokes, have a way of vanishing almost as soon as they appear When I returned outdoors an hour later to cut the grass, I worried that our recent visitor might be in harm’s way But the turtle had already hidden himself in some secret corner of the yard, safe from the assault of moving blades. It moved me to think about the cleverness of creation, its insistent impulse toward survival Maybe we, too, have this push to prevail, no matter what the headlines bring.

Email Danny Heitman at danny@dannyheitman.com.

Martin roses grace the archways

Gulf South.

Amalia Mejia, a 21-year-old LSU student who won first place in the specialty

and

winner of The Advocate’s 2026 Cookie Contest, second from right, stands with her family from left, Soraya Brumfield Mejia, Doria Mejia, Constantino Mejia and Juan Carlos Mejia.

Cookie contest judge Casey Evans, of Dearman’s Diner, seriously considers the score for a cookie.

PROVIDED PHOTO

Category and overall winners of The Advocate’s Cookie Contest hold their certificates on April 12 at the Main Library at Goodwood in Baton Rouge.

LOUISIANABAKES

Bringa bitof Italyintoyourkitchen with oliveoil cake

Addanaffogato, andvoila!

Food is one of the most intimatewaystounderstand aplace. Morerevealing than anyguidebook, it offers insight into aregion’s culture,valuesand daily rhythms. When Itravel, my instinct is always the same: Eatwhatlocals eat, shop where theyshopand linger where life unfolds naturally.Overshared plates and quiet smiles, strangers become storytellers and differences begin to dissolve. This rang especially true ona recent trip to Italy.Instead ofchasing must-see landmarks, Ichose aslower path, settlinginto village life in the Abruzzo region.Mydays were spent wandering storefronts and farmers markets, lingering over meals in neighborhood cafes, and tastinglocal wineand olive oil while gazingout over rolling countryside. It was an Italyfar removed from crowded itineraries and glossy postcards, and infinitelyricher for it

On my last day in the village, that richness became deeply personal. Maria, alifelongresident, invited my friend and me into her home forcoffee. Formorethan twohours, we satather table sharing espresso and the beautiful bakedgoods shehad prepared Shespoke no English; we spoke verylittle Italian. Yetwith the help of Google Translate, animatedgestures and plentyoflaughter, language becamesecondary.What remained wasa quiet, unmistakable truth: Connection doesn’t require fluency,and we are far more alike thanweare different.

Back home, I’ve tried to return to that feeling through food, recreating asmall measure of Abruzzo —and Maria’skitchen—inmyown. First on the menu: olive oilcake andaffogato Olive oil cake, rooted in Mediterranean baking whereolivesare in abundance,uses the oil as the primary fat instead of butter,resulting in acake that’s moist and tender witha delicatecrumb. Because olive oil is the star,choose one you would happily use in asalad dressing. In this recipe, Iused afruityoil, whichpairs beautifully with the Grand Marnier andorange zest, but apeppery,grassy oil would adda subtle savory edge. Then there’s affogato,Italy’sdeceptivelysimple dessert which means “drowned.”Hot espresso poured over cold gelato creates aperfect balance of bitter and sweet, hot andcold. Optionaladditionssuch as amaretto, chocolateshavings or a biscotti for dipping are welcome but unnecessary Like the best travel memories, it’s simple,fleeting and lingers long after thelast spoonful.

of amaretto, if using, over the ice cream.

4. Garnish and serve immediately

OliveOil Cake and Affogato PHOTOSByOLIVIA

Olivia Regard

Book highlights humble but mighty crustaceans

Dive into spicy facts on the mudbug family

BY RIEN FERTEL Contributing writer

“Crayfish, Crawfish, Crawdad: The Biology and Conservation of North America’s Favorite Crustaceans” by Zackary A. Graham,The University of North Carolina Press, 232 pages.

As crawfish season winds down in Louisiana, my thoughts often turn to what the crustaceans do the rest of the year Do they miraculously grow into lobsters? Or do they plot to invade Breaux Bridge, the Crawfish Capital of the World? Maybe they just hang out in the mud, fattening up, so I can eat them the following season?

I can’t think of a better entry point to sate my appetite for crawfish questions than Zackary A Graham’s “Crayfish, Crawfish, Crawdad,” an illuminating overview of those humble but mighty crustaceans that, though certainly science-oriented, is accessible to a wide readership.

First, a note on the book’s triple-tail of a title, a linguistic conundrum that Graham, a biology professor at West Liberty University in West Virginia, succinctly simplifies: “If you are studying them, call them crayfish; if you are using them as fishing bait, call them crawdads; and if you are eating them, call them crawfish.”

Here in Louisiana, calling them “crayfish” — whether dead, alive or dangling from the end of a hook sounds, well, cray, and will likely get you laughed out of an otherwise friendly backyard boil. But in deference, I’ll stick with Graham’s nomenclature, while leaving room for some other crayfish nicknames used in scattered pockets around the nation.

People no doubt know “mudbug,” a common term for burrowing species, as opposed to the many crayfish that seek shelter under rocks in streams and rivers. Care to sample a tray of spicy “ditch crickets?” “Pond lobsters” certainly sounds more appetizing, but I’m holding out for

an order of hot, boiled “crawcrabs,” which sounds like a seafood that Cajuns haven’t gotten around to inventing yet.

Over 700 crayfish species have been identified on this planet, found in freshwater sources on every continent except Antarctica and mainland Africa — though Madagascar hosts seven species local to the island. North America is crayfish heaven, home to over 400 native species, from the least dwarf crayfish, a 1- to 2-centimeter-sized cutie that lives in Mississippi and Alabama, to the 5- to 8-inch whopper known as Barbicambarus simmonsi (it’s endangered, so don’t go fishing the creeks of Tennessee looking for something to toss into the pot.)

“Learning about crayfish is more of a crawl than a climb,” Graham puns, but he informs with ease.

Despite their buggy-eyed, armor-plated, alien-antennaed aesthetic, crayfish are just like us! Sort of. They’re one of the only animals to copulate face-to-face, often engaging in a little claw-tap foreplay, followed by some more serious roughhousing, before collapsing in a missionary-style heap.

Despite being aggressive and “unrelentingly territorial,” mud-burrowing crayfish like the red swamp crayfish, aka the Loui-

siana crawfish are more semi-communal than solitary Those mud chimneys lead to a system of tunnels and chambers that one researcher calls “party burrows,” where crayfish often cohabitate with a host of aquatic and semi-aquatic creatures: fish, snakes, insects and the aptly named crawfish frog, “the most secretive amphibian in North America.” Due to its global prevalence, the crayfish has long been a significant subject of study for biologists, from Thomas Henry Huxley, nicknamed “Darwin’s bulldog” for his ruthless defense of evolutionary theory to Horton Holcombe Hobbs Jr., the godfather of modern astacology, who kept an aquarium in his college dorm room and became the first to document crayfish coitus. Today, scientists see the crayfish as a model organism, a cornerstone of biological research, used in drug trials and, because its neural architecture mirrors our own, experiments into what makes our brain operate. Biologists also consider the crayfish a prime bioindicator, an organism that can reveal the health of its ecosystem.

Unsurprisingly many crayfish habitats are in trouble. Half of all North American crayfish species require conservation attention, making the mudbug one of the world’s most threatened animal groups. It’s likely too late for the sooty crayfish, a presumably extinct species that once crawled the creeks surrounding San Francisco Bay and a favorite source of protein for 19th-century gold rushers. If not for recent conservation efforts, its closest cousin, the endangered Shasta crayfish, might soon join it in mudbug heaven. Blame urbanization, pollution and a third close relative, the signal crayfish, a

Just like a crowd at a crawfish boil, mud-burrowing crayfish like the red swamp crayfish, aka the Louisiana crawfish, are more semi-communal than solitary.

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

highly aggressive, frequently cannibalistic super-breeder that has become an invasive menace not just in California but Europe.

As he details the hidden life of crayfish, Graham wisely shares stories from his own fieldwork experience confused locals watching him fist-plunge mudbug holes is a highlight — while leaving room for snapshots of the world’s more unique species.

Behold the digger crayfish, a leopardspotted beauty, and the electric neon wonder that is the blue crayfish. The book contains color photographs of each, as well as many others.

There’s some real mudbug mind-bogglers, like the well-named virile xrayfish, a mega-mama of a crustacean capable of carrying more than 500 eggs under its abdomen at one time, and themMarbled crayfish, which breeds via virgin birth. The Spider Cave Crayfish of Florida, with an antennae span nearly three times its body length, will haunt my nightmares in the short term.

And cast your eyes on North America’s largest burrower the Crawzilla Crawdad — yes, that’s its actual common name — which stomps the flood plains of the Ohio River Basin and, despite its fierce moniker, is a bit of a softie.

Before you invite Graham over for a boil, a fair warning: he’s deathly allergic to shellfish. Yet, he’s written a book to bring to your next crawfish boil, one that will have you spouting factoids to friends while combing its pages with cayenne-spiced fingers.

Rien Fertel is the author of four books. He can be reached at rienfertel@gmail.com.

Tulane professor examines barriers to economic growth

BY JOY HOLDEN Staff writer

BETWEEN THE PAGES WITH GARy HOOVER

Gary Hoover is the executive director of the Murphy Institute at Tulane University, a professor of economics and an affiliate professor of law From 2015 to 2020, he was a President’s Associates Presidential Professor and the Chair of the Economics Department at the University of Oklahoma. Since 1998, he has published numerous scholarly research papers, book chapters, books on topics concerning income redistribution/poverty political economy and ethics in the economics profession. He is on the advisory board of the Opportunity and Inclusive Growth Institute at the Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank In addition, since 2023, he has been on the board of the National Tax Association. Hoover is also the founding and current editor of the Journal of Economics, Race, and Policy Hoover published “Ladder or Lottery: Economic Promises and the Reality of Who Gets Ahead,” which explores the questions: “Is our economy a ladder or a lottery? Are people able to control their position on the economic spectrum by their actions?” This

data-driven book tackles challenging issues around income inequality health care and education This interview was edited for length and clarity

What motivated you to write this book?

We’ve heard certain phrases quite often The phrase generally goes something like this: “This is the land of opportunity, and this is the land of upward mobility.” If you’re at a lower level of the income distribution, or you’re poor, then that’s a choice. The belief is that you actually don’t have to be poor, because there’s so many different avenues that you can take to not be poor And if you’re poor, then that means you want to be, and if that’s something that you want, then I shouldn’t interfere with that.

Who am I to interfere with your free will to be poor?

As I’m doing economics and interacting with people up and down the income distribution, I’ve talked to groups of people who absolutely fit a category who are not doing anything to try and move up. But my colleagues higher up were saying, “Well, that’s everybody.

I found this huge, massive, enormous group of people who

were like, “Are you kidding me?

That’s absolutely not true.” I started thinking about the ways they were told that if they wanted to move up, they could move up.

In the book, I talk about five specific examples. The most common one is education. We tell everybody that’s the best way to move up that economic ladder You want to climb up that ladder then all you have to do is get yourself educated.

But I would talk to people, and they would say they got all of the education that was available to them wherever they were, and that simply wasn’t enough. What we didn’t tell people was that your ZIP code also mattered. We didn’t say the quality of the education matters

Here’s another one. We tell people to be an entrepreneur But we don’t tell them you need access to credit markets You cannot bring any product to market if you don’t have access to credit. If the pandemic showed us anything, it showed us access to credit was not even. In fact, the PPP loan showed us that. We also tell people to get a job to have benefits. Get a job and get health care. But the United States has the term medical bankruptcy, so that even with insurance, as

opposed to climbing up the ladder you have one medical emergency, and not only will you not go up the ladder, you’re gonna slide way down.

How do you make this complex topic clear for your students and for your readers?

What’s interesting is that people already know it most of the time. Everyone who I’ve talked to about this book, they’ve said, “You’re just putting onto paper what I was already thinking,” or “I didn’t have all of the pieces. I knew that part of it, but then you put this part and put it together and made it make sense on that side.”

I also put it in terms of products. Let’s say that you’ve got a bridge, and 1 in 5 people every

day, they keep running into the side of this bridge. One thing you could do is keep saying to yourself, “Wow those people are terrible drivers,” and that might be true, but then we would think about doing some type of redesign, because eventually the bridge going to fall, whether it’s their fault or not.

When it comes to things like education and health care, we’re just quick to blame them and say that there’s nothing that can be done. But in anything else, if that bridge were getting ready to fall, you’d do it. We know that even though it might be their fault, this is too dangerous to let it go.

What are some tangible ways to redesign a part of the system?

Let’s say that those particular things don’t work. In the end, it didn’t work, but you’ve got to try

Let’s try something.

But here’s the thing. You don’t try anything when you think the system is working perfectly But more and more people are noticing it’s not working perfectly The numbers are just too big. So, you’ve got to create a system that will work.

The benefits for Head Start and free breakfast programs took a long time to start showing, but those kids got older and work through the process. So, what I’m looking for is seed planting. It takes time.

Email Joy Holden at joy.holden@ theadvocate.com.

DININGSCENE

Lafayette’stinywinebar gets national attention

Ilong ago learned never to cross west over the Atchafalaya Basin without an ice chest in the car.Any journey through Acadianaisjust ripe for foraging regionaldelights, especially boudin.

as for wine shopping, like Swirl Wine Bar &Market and Faubourg Wines.

what was readily available back home in Lafayette.

The initial plan for Wild Child wastostock more of whatthey love, especially natural wines. It would be atiny spot with retail up front and Denny’sstudio in back. But it has accrued more roles as it’sgrown, taking over the adjacent storefronts.

Ablend of roles

Ian

McNulty

WHAT’S COOKING

Recently,though, I’ve been coming back from jaunts around Cajun country with wine from small producers in Italy and specialty tinnedseafood from Portugal and Spain. Specific cravings now might well include acertain chocolate chip cookie, of the morechocolate-than-cookie variety

That was the case on aroadtrip Iundertook recently, withacar full of fellow Louisiana food lovers in search of crawfish of unusual size. That’sbecause in addition to boils and butcher shops, this trip also included astop at Wild Child in downtown Lafayette.

This is awine shop that doubles as awine bar and has growninto abakery,market and small event space too. It has swiftly become a hub of epicurean delightsand afocalpoint for foodies in Lafayette. Earlier this year,the shopwas namedasemifinalistfor the James Beard Foundation award for OutstandingBar,anational distinction it shared with 20other nominees. It was arare nodfrom thehigh-profile culinary organization for Lafayette, thoughinline with the group’sevident intention to recognize interesting places in smaller markets (see also the numerous Gulf Coast semifinalist nominations in variouscategories this year).

Alas, Wild Child did notmake it to the next cut as aJames Beard award finalist this year,but the buzz still registered in the Hub City One great thing about wine is the

Another, Patron Saint, shares a roof and ownership with St. Pizza, averypopular spot for New Yorkstyle pies.

endlesspossibilitiesinits expression,and the Wild Child inventory explores many of its lesser-seen sides.Small producers still using (or perhaps newly embracing) traditional, under-manipulated methodsof winemaking are strongly represented. Asimilar ethos runs across theshop. The shopispacked with alibrary’sworth of imported tinned seafood. Amajor obsessionin Europe, tinned seafoodishaving amoment in the states.Wild Child makesthese into aperitivo platters to go with whateverthey might be pouring by the glass that day

This is aplace to stroll around withaglass of wine, discovering the next delightful thing on the shelf,onatable, in abottle or in the fridge. Someone coming in for aFridayslice of pizza or ahalf dozen oysters may discover wine from aregion previously unknown to themorleave with their next favorite cookbook.

Ashopshapesup

The wine shop-meets-wine bar concept is awinning combination well established in New Orleans Some have become neighborhood fixtures for socializing as much

It’scommon for people to bring theirslices over to the shop to pair withwine by the glass. Just up thestreet, Really Really Nice Wines has developedamenu that goes well beyond gourmet snacks and can furnish meals over the counterand around the wine racks.

At Wild Child, the bakery and the robust retail selection of specialtyfoods and asmall events space add further layers of interestand possibilities, and it stands out in acity where the next generation is making its mark in food and hospitality.Itdidn’tjust come out of nowhere

Katie and Denny Culbert started Wild Child in 2020 and named it for their precocious daughter Kitt. They were aiming small.

Katie has been cultivating a sense of taste in her hometown for many years at her Lafayette boutique Kiki,named for her mother Kiki Frayard.

Denny is aphotographer deeply immersed in the Louisiana culinary scene. He’sshot cookbooks for New Orleans names, including Melissa Martin of Mosquito Supper Club, Justin Devillier of La Petite Grocery,Issac Toups of Toups’ Meatery and cocktail master Neil Bodenheimer of Cure. For atime, the Culberts produced afood publication, Runaway Dish, and hosted food events tied to it. Traveling and working with chefs in different ways like this, their epicurean interests grew They weren’talways being metby

One space now regularly hosts pop-ups, showsand events, with a retail bookshelf that can be disassembled and lowered to become astage.

The shop makes tinned seafood boards and serves cheese plates and other snacks through the week.

The weekends bring an expanded menu, with pizza, focaccia sandwiches and salads, and it’s becomeahappening. It starts with Friday lunch, and continues as the menuprogressive sells out through Saturday night.

The pizza is madeonasourdough crust with lacy-crisp edges. The crust keeps giving flavor the moreyou chew,asair pockets release little aromatic gusts. This crust has finish.

On arecent Friday,the sidewalk tables were aperch forlunch meetings over aglass or two. Inside, friends reconnected by the counter by the broad shop windows, rising to give hugs and handshakes to familiar faces making appearances. Acouple sat foraweek-ending happy hour at the marble curve of the small, four-seat wine bar

Wild Child’schocolate chip cookies makedessert at happy hour sound perfectly reasonable.

Festival International de Louisiane takes over downtownLafayette next weekend, filling the tight grid of streets with music stages and food booths. It brings the world to Lafayette’sdoorstep. Right there in the thick of it, Wild Child is giving foodies and wine lovers tastes from all around the world any day

Barataria Beauties oysters from Grand Isle are servedatWild Child

By The Associated Press

Today is Sunday,April 19,the 109th dayof 2026. Thereare 256 days left in theyear

Todayinhistory:

On April 19, 1775, the American Revolutionary Warbegan with the Battles of Lexington andConcord —the start of an eight-year armed conflict between American colonists and the British Army

Also on this date:

In 1897, the first Boston Marathon washeld. Winner John J. McDermott ran thecourse in 2hours, 55 minutes and 10 seconds.

In 1943, during World WarII, tens of thousands of Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto begana valiant but ultimately futile uprising againstNazi forces

In 1977, theSupreme Court, inIngrahamv Wright, ruled 5-4 that even severe spanking of schoolchildren by faculty members did notviolate theEighth Amendment ban against cruel andunusual punishment.

In 1989, 47 sailors werekilled when agun turret exploded aboard the USSIowa during trainingexercises in the Caribbean.

In 1993, the 51-day siegeatthe Branch Davidian compound near Waco, Texas, endedwhenthe Davidiansset firetothe compound followinganFBI tear gas attack. Seventy-five people,including 25 childrenand sect leaderDavid Koresh,werekilled.

In 1995, Timothy McVeigh, seeking to strikeat the government he blamed forthe Branch Davidian deaths two years earlier,destroyed theAlfredP Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City,killing 168 people. (McVeigh was convictedof federalmurder charges and executedin2001.)

In 2005, Cardinal JosephRatzinger of Germany was elected pope in the first conclaveofthe new millennium; he took the name BenedictXVI.

In 2013, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev,a 19-year-oldcollege studentwanted in theBoston Marathon bombings, wastaken intocustody after asearchthatthe city virtually paralyzed. His olderbrotherand alleged accomplice, 26-year-old Tamerlan, waskilledearlier during an attempt to eludepolice capture

In 2015, Freddie Gray,a25-year-old Black man, died aweek after sufferinga spinalcordinjury in the back of aBaltimore police van while he was handcuffed andshackled, promptingweeksofviolent protests and unrest. (Six policeofficerswere charged. Three were acquitted andthe city’s top prosecutor eventuallydroppedthe threeremaining cases.)

In 2020, agunman disguised as apoliceofficerbegan atwo-day series of shootingsacrossNovaScotia thatleft22people dead in Canada’sworst masskilling incident. The suspect,Gabriel Wortman, 51, was shotand killed by police on April 20 Today’sbirthdays: Singer-songwriter Roberto Carlos is 85. Actor TimCurry is 80. Motorsports Hall of Famer Al Unser Jr.is64. Actor Ashley Judd is 58. Latin pop singerLuis Miguel is 56. Actor James Franco is 48. Actor Kate Hudson is 47. Actor Hayden Christensen is 45. Football Hallof Famer Troy Polamalu is 45. Actor-comedian Ali Wong is 44. Baseball Hall of FamerJoe Mauer is 43. Former WNBAstarCandace Parker is 40. Former tennis player Maria Sharapova is 39. Actor Simu Liu is 37. Singer LorenGrayis24.

When eavesdroppingisunavoidable

at the dog owners.

Dear Miss Manners: Iwas dining within inches of an occupied table for two at arestaurant. Oneof themen at that table asked his dining companion if he knew where therestroom was located. He didn’t.

Ihad asked thesame question of awaiter,now nowhere in sight, 15 minutes earlier.I told thediner that the restroom was outside the main room of therestaurant, in the hallway of the office building in which the restaurant was located, and pointed out theexit to use to get there. (This setup is unusual, but I’ve encountered it at least acouple of times in Manhattan restaurants.)

are so close Icouldn’thelp it. I’mso sorry.”

This accomplishes four things. It surprises your neighbor because you are agreeing with him. It establishes common cause: Youare all victims of the tight spacing. It diffuses his grievance: Youapologized. Anditpolitely exacts aprice for his rudeness: He is kept at thetable listening to your apology while he needs to go to the bathroom

Gentle Reader: Ah, yes. Your argument is, “I know there is anormal and reasonable waytodeal with this situation, should it recur.But that is not sufficiently high-caliber,because this is A TREND.

The diner snippily said, “Thank you for theinformation, but no thank you for eavesdropping.”

Ididn’trespond, and he got up to walk to the restroom. Should Inot have volunteered the information? I was trying to be helpful, not intrusive.

GentleReader: “You’re right,” Miss Manners would have advised you to say.“Ididn’tmean to, but thetables

Dear Miss Manners: I’ve noticed an uptick in disrespectful behavior from dog owners lately.Just the other day,I walked past an elderly man wholet his dog use agroup of beautiful plants in a public courtyard as its personal toilet. When Ilooked at him in shock, the man just grinned at me.

If he’d been younger,I would have yelled at him.But in this case, Ididn’t know what else to do but glare and walk away

How should Ideal with situations like this in the future? IassumeMiss Manners doesn’tapprove of shouting

Miss Manners is not questioning whether there may actually be an uptick in disrespectful behavior by dog owners. She merely wishes to note that reflexive calls forescalation in all cases explain agreat deal about current American society As an occasional problem,this would merit aDisapproving Frown—which, forthe record, is one step up from aCold Stare, one step downfrom a Glare, and at least one step downfrom yelling, which is unacceptable. But if there truly is an epidemic of canine defecation in your area, then the solution is not to turn up the rudeness volume, but to appeal to asystem or organization that addresses public health or the care of public spaces.

Send questions to Miss Manners at dearmissmanners@gmail.com.

How do Ihandle this?

Dear Heloise: As afollow-up to the hint about using newspaper bags for doggie cleanup bags, I, too, use them for this purpose. However, Ialso donate all of my used newspapers and themajority of the bags to my local animal shelter.But do call the shelter first and ask if they takethem —Rita G., via email

Findingyourcar

Dear Heloise: Store parking lotscan sometimes be avery tough place to find your car It would be alot easier if stores would mark their rows or aisles with letters or numbers such as 1, 2, 3, 4or A, B, C, D. Ithink mostpeople could/ would more easily remember anumber or aletter to assist them in finding their car —Ken T.,Summerfield, Florida Ken, Iwish all stores followed this advice. Hunting for your car on acold, windy day or on amiserably hot day is no fun. —Heloise Adecorativehint

Dear Heloise: When Iordered two com-

forters for bunk beds recently,they came in nice fabric bags that were identical to the comforter Icut one apart and madeapillowcase for a9-by-16 inch pillow,which I placed in arocking chair inside of the bedroom withthe bunkbeds. It’s cute, and it’sgreat back support when Isit in the chair to read. —Sarah, in Lincoln, Nebraska Sarah, this is aclever decorating idea. It not only looks cute but also pulls thecolors across the room as professional designers advise us to do. —Heloise

Friend feelssnubbed

Dear Heloise: I’ve had twodear friends for about 30 years. I’ve been blessed to be able to travel, and I’ve had these friends and their husbands join my husband and me in our three-bedroom condo numerous times in several island places. Recently,Ifound out that they are traveling without me —noinvitation, explanation or anything. Iamhurt! Ihave included them and their husbands over six times, and they are now traveling without me.

—Kay B.,via email

Kay, there are manyreasons why they didn’task others to join them. Perhaps they are on asecond honeymoon and just wanttobealone. Maybe they are meeting up with friends who you’re not acquainted with and wanted to spend someprivate timewith these people. Maybe they just wanted to be alone together Don’t be offended. Iseriously doubt that they meanttosnub you. Of course, you can always have aconversation with them about it to clear the air

Heloise

Soft-boiledeggs

Dear Heloise: Please tell me how to cook asoft-boiled egg in the microwave. L.D., in San Antonio L.D., place an egg in amug or bowl of water,making sure that there is at least 1inch of water covering the egg. Add ateaspoon of salt to help prevent cracking. Microwave on high forabout 3-4 minutes. Then afterward, place the egg in cold water —Heloise Send ahinttoheloise@heloise.com.

Workers set up astageahead of French Quarter Fest on the lawn behind the AudubonAquarium at the Goldring Woldenberg Riverfront Park in NewOrleans.

scènesBehind the

hasgrown around Louisianafestivalseason

BY RICH COLLINS Staff writer

This weekend, Irma Thomas, PJ Morton and Big Freedia will be among the headliners at New Orleans’ French Quarter Fest, while Chris Thomas King and Kenny Neal will takethe stage at Baton Rouge BluesFest.

Starting next week,Stevie Nicks, Jon Batiste and Trombone Shorty will join hundreds of other performers at the NewOrleansJazz& Heritage Festival, and musicians from around the globe will appear on the stages (or scènes as they are called) at Lafayette’sFestival Inter-

national de Louisiane. Behind thescenes,amuch lessfamous lineup of contributors is building the stages, setting up andoperating audio and video gear,checking bags, erecting food and beverage tents and doing everything elsethat makes it possible for thosemusicians to shine April is the height of festivalseason in Louisiana,and in the half-century or so sincethe celebrationshaveevolved into amajor economicengine in thestate, a cottageindustry has emerged toprovide essentialservices for eventsofall sizes. During peak season,the largest of these companies employ hundreds of workers.

During therest of theyear,many havefigured out how to parlay their success in the festival sector into other opportunities. Eddie Gutierrez’s Home Team Productions, whichestablisheditselfbyconstructing stages andbooths at Jazz Fest, nowworks fordozensofclients, including the New Orleans Saints. It builds out the tents, bleachers, ADAramps andother infrastructure for training camp at the team’sAirline Drive facility each year.

“Weprovide everything but the grass,” Gutierrez said. “I’m glad they choose to do it with alocal vendor.”

ä See FESTIVAL, page 2E

BY MARTHA SANCHEZ

writer

PHOTO By ENAN CHEDIAK

STAFFFILE PHOTOSBySCOTT THRELKELD Acottageindustry

from left,tents and security

Staff report

South Louisiana businesses and nonprofit groups recently announced the following promotions, new hires and resignations.

Baton Rouge

First National Bank has announced the addition of two new senior employees

Grant Guillotte has been hired as executive vice president and chief banking officer Guillotte was most recently Southwest Louisiana regional president for Hancock Whitney and previously held leadership roles at Capital One. Audrey Schmolke has been hired as senior vice president and private banking program manager Schmolke, previously a vice president and private banker at Red River Bank, will lead the development of First National Bank’s private banking program.

Michael D’Albor has been hired by

FESTIVAL

Continued from page 1E

A bevy of beverage booths

Louisiana’s arts and culture sector contributes an estimated $7 billion to the state’s economy, supporting more than 55,000 jobs, according to a recent study from the Louisiana Partnership for the Arts. Jazz Fest, which draws roughly a half-million people a year, and other events factor prominently in the equation.

Festival International alone, which attracts over 300,000 attendees from 42 states and multiple countries, produces an estimated $49 million in local economic impact from an operating budget of roughly $1 million French Quarter Fest last year brought roughly 360,000 attendees, supported 2,900 jobs, and created over $90 million in wages, according to an economic impact report published by the UNO Hospitality Research Institute.

“Each year, we work with dozens of companies across industries to produce the festival, and the majority of our suppliers and vendors are local,” said Emily Madero, president and CEO of French Quarter Fest. “From stage construction and audio to security, sanitation and operations, it really takes a full ecosystem to make it happen.”

A key to making the free event work is selling mixed drinks, beer, wine, champagne, iced tea, soft drinks and water to thirsty attendees, essentially turning parts of the Quarter into a giant outdoor bar French Quarter Fest has 22 stages, but it has about three times that many beverage booths. For the last 15 years, Messina’s Catering & Events has helped the festival build, staff, stock and manage them.

BAY ST. LOUIS

Continued from page 1E

as the population rises and interest from visitors intensifies.

The flood of new visitors and money is also revitalizing Bay St. Louis two decades after Hurricane Katrina. Property values are rising. Sales tax revenues are up.

“You’ve got to try to find a balance in it, and it’s really hard to do that,” said Jordan Bradford, the City Council president. “I’m very thankful that tourists want to come to Bay St. Louis I don’t want to keep them from coming here. I just want to find a balance to preserve what Bay St. Louis is and was.” Weber, a retiree, lives a few miles away from the city’s bustling downtown strip of restaurants But vacation rentals are spreading in his neighborhood, too.

“Tourism in Bay St. Louis is busting at the seams,” said Mike Farley, who has lived in the neighborhood since before Katrina. He was sitting on the patio beneath Weber’s elevated home, sipping a bottle of Miller Lite alongside a group of longtime neighbors. Pickup trucks rolled into the driveways of several nearby vacation rentals, and country tunes warbled over the water

“We’re turning into a little New Orleans,” Weber said. “We’ve lost our charm — now it’s all about the money.” A breeze blew across the bayou, and Farley nodded. “The city has definitely moved in the direction of

Home Bank as vice president and senior commercial relationship manager in Baton Rouge. D’Albor has 22 years of banking experience, most recently as a commercial banker for JPMorgan Chase.

Ochsner Baton Rouge announced the hiring of several new doctors and nurse practitioners.

Dr John Bates joins Ochsner Medical Center-Baton Rouge as a psychiatrist specializing in outpatient mental health care.

Tiffany Richardson joins Ochsner Medical Complex-The Grove as a nurse practitioner in the Lifestyle and Wellness Department.

Lyndsey Lowder joins Ochsner Medical Center-The Grove as a nurse practitioner providing orthopedic medicine.

Yasmin Bennie joins Ochsner Medical Complex-O’Neal as a nurse practitioner specializing in hepatology

Page Gray has joined the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children as policy analyst. Gray will support the organization’s efforts to advance data-driven early childhood policies that improve the outcomes for children and families across Louisiana.

New Orleans

Robert Meyers has been appointed as the CEO of Republic Business Credit. Meyers, who has been the president and chief commercial officer of the commercial finance company for the

past decade, succeeds co-founder Stewart Chesters.

Renee Stuart has joined the ownership group of Roux Advertising. Stuart has worked for the New Orleansbased agency for more than two decades and is a past president and current board member of the New Orleans chapter of the American Advertising Federation.

Michael Ricci, a real estate attorney, has launched Ricci Real Estate, a new Louisiana residential real estate brokerage in based in New Orleans’ Uptown neighborhood, and hired Cheryl Tynes McAdam as its president.

McAdam, who previously oversaw 25 Latter & Blum branches across the Gulf South, will lead the firm’s day-to-day operations.

Shannon Fazande has been appointed as the human resources director of The Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection

It’s a process that usually begins six months before the event, when Andrew Messina, the firm’s director of operations, starts trading emails and phone calls with the festival’s food and beverage director about ordering, staffing and other to-dos.

A few days before the fest begins, workers stock tents with tables, chairs and barstools. They bring in canned beer, plastic bottles of soda and water and bottles of wine Refrigerated trailers provide beer on tap. Special equipment makes iced coffee and brews tea on-site.

Throughout the festival’s fourday run, about 160 full-time and part-time workers run the booths, contributing to a “massive volume of sales,” according to Messina.

Messina’s has been a successful caterer for years, but the French Quarter Fest job has opened the doors to a different kind of work.

“Now festivals are a part of the fabric of what we do,” Messina said. “French Quarter Fest made us reputable and gave us confidence to

expand that part of the business.”

Keeping watch

As the state’s festivals have grown, so, too, have the companies that service them.

Paul Marsh’s FESS (short for Fest and Event Staffing Services) Security, founded in 1995, started with a dozen or so employees. Today, it has about 200. When it’s not providing security services at French Quarter Fest and Jazz Fest, it’s working the Zurich Classic, weddings, special events and conventions in multiple states.

Marsh said a key part of the job is finding people to do the work and getting them licensed.

“We don’t just put somebody out there and say, ‘Watch this stuff,’” he said.

L&R Security, which works alongside FESS at Jazz Fest, has 300 employees during peak times.

L&R co-founder Eddie Robinson, 81, co-founded the venture as a side hustle in 1979 and went full-time in the 1990s. Now, his children help

run it, including the annual challenge of staffing up for Jazz Fest each year

“We don’t just have people sitting around, so we have to do our marketing and hiring, get everyone certified,” said Nicole Robinson, Eddie Robinson’s daughter “Some people take time off from their regular jobs; others are gig workers and this is part of their routine.”

The company also works other festivals, concerts, construction sites, college and pro football games throughout the year

New Orleans-based Center Staging, a 36-year-old company that builds the stages for French Quarter Fest, has expanded into Texas and works on 150-200 events each year When a mega event comes to town, it might team up with Gutierrez’s Home Team to bid on jobs, like it did when the Super Bowl was in New Orleans last year

“We do lots of work in the spring and fall because everybody wants the good weather,” said Center Staging founder Jay Gernsbacher

successful new restaurants have opened recently Bay St. Louis also started regulating vacation rentals a few years ago and is debating a new zoning ordinance as it adapts to the surge. The issue has high stakes for the future of the city

“We do want to be a touristy place, because it keeps us going. But we also want to be a hometown for people,” said Kay Kell, who represents the area on the regional tourism agency’s board of commissioners. “If we don’t strike the balance — if we become just a total tourist spot then we don’t function as a town.

Locals are already changing their routines: Some avoid the city’s center during busy weekends and holidays. But they still sense the tourist buzz.

Authority-East. Fazande, who has held the role since January on an interim basis, has previously held senior HR roles with GE Capital, Peter Mayer Advertising, VistaPrint and Bloomberg.

O’Flynn

First Horizon Bank has added two new bankers. Colin O’Flynn was hired to become a senior commercial relationship manager, while Paul Delord was hired as a private client relationship manager O’Flynn has more than 14 years of experience, most recently as a commercial banking relationship man ag er with Hancock Whitney Corp. Delord brings more than 17 years of experience and previously served as a wealth adviser and an assistant vice president at Hancock Whitney Bank. Do you have personnel changes to share or other ideas for our business coverage? Drop us a line at biztips@theadvocate. com.

“Nobody’s doing anything outside in June or July.”

Sights and sounds

There’s a symbiotic and special relationship between fests and the companies that have provided them with mission-critical services.

Don Drucker’s Pyramid Audio has been providing audio, video and lighting services at Jazz Fest almost since the beginning. Though the company has grown and now counts Mardi Gras superkrewes and concert promoter Live Nation among its clients, Jazz Fest still holds a special place in Drucker’s heart, he said.

Rayne-based Gulf Coast Sound has returned year after year to Festival International, where it has provided sound and lighting equipment on the main stage for more than 20 years.

Lafayette beverage wholesaler Schilling Distributing, a third-generation, family-owned company, was a founding funder of the event in 1987 and has been one of its primary distributors ever since. The company hosts an appreciation party for festival customers and employees every year Festival organizers say the fierce loyalty of their longtime, local vendors makes a world of difference. Festival International Executive Director Scott Feehan recalls one fest when the owners of Lowry’s Print & Signs, which supplies tickets and other printed materials to the event, went the extra mile.

“One time, we ran out of beverage tickets on a Saturday, so Claire Lowry showed up at her shop at 5 a.m. on Sunday morning to print thousands more so we could make it through our record-setting year,” he said. “They have saved the day on numerous occasions.”

Email Rich Collins at rich. collins@theadvocate.com.

inevitable. Bay St. Louis — once a French colony — grew as a resort for affluent New Orleanians through the 1800s.

Tourism boomed with the construction of a railroad to New Orleans near the end of that century Money and demand from visitors later helped the city rebuild after Katrina.

“The weekenders are, like it or not, a very important part of Bay St. Louis,” said Cliff Rabalais, another local. “You can’t stop growth. Tourism — unfortunately and fortunately for Bay St Louis is the economic driver.”

tourism,” he said, then he paused. “But we liked it out here when it was quiet.”

‘You just feel this swell’

For years, tourism in Bay St. Louis meant New Orleans friends who piled into station wagons for day trips or affluent families who retreated to second homes all summer. But word of the city’s charm is spreading.

New groups of visitors now arrive each weekend to kick back at the bars and restaurants that have spread along the waterfront The cars that pack the beach road have

license plates from Louisiana and Mississippi, but also Alabama and Tennessee. A new Amtrak route that connects Bay St Louis to New Orleans began running last summer So many Louisiana visitors are converging in the city that some have even started calling Hancock County, which includes Bay St. Louis, by the nickname Hancock Parish.

City leaders say the tourism dollars are helping Bay St Louis keep taxes low and refurbish parks and beachfronts. The demand from visitors creates jobs in the hospitality industry, and several

“You just feel this swell,” said Nancy Moynan, a City Council member who usually recognizes her neighbors. On weekends, she added, “I’ll say hi to 15 people in an hour and I don’t have a clue who they are.”

The tensions are not erupting into outright battles: Most tourists are respectful, and locals say life here is still good. But many of Bay St. Louis’ longtime residents feel wistful for the past. Some are buying empty lots to stop vacation rentals from encroaching on their quiet streets. Others worry the city’s best attributes — its small-town feel and strong arts culture — could be lost.

‘You can’t stop growth’

But others view the changes as

Weber and Farley were newcomers once, too: They both grew up in New Orleans. They arrived in their tight-knit neighborhood of Bay St. Louis in the days when traffic meant two cars at a red light, and roads in their subdivision were gravel.

Weber still recalls a time when he could look out from his patio over the vast expanse of wetlands, where pelicans dive to catch fish in canals and alligators lurk below the murky surface Now the view is blocked by houses, and more vacationers are moving in for good. But the latest cycle of change is not shaking the old friends’ devotion.

“I ain’t leaving,” Farley declared.

Weber whirred the golf cart toward his home, past another driveway where tourists were rolling in for the weekend.

“We’re not going anywhere,” he said.

Guillotte

Schmolke

STAFF PHOTO By ENAN CHEDIAK

Workers set up a stage ahead of French Quarter Fest, which is this weekend, on the lawn behind the Audubon Aquarium at the Goldring Woldenberg Riverfront Park in New Orleans.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Carts are a popular mode of transportation in downtown Bay St. Louis. There was a time when the visitors coming to Bay St Louis were just small numbers of Louisiana families on summer break, and neighbors knew each other well. But a rush of national recognition is transforming the city into one of the South’s top beach destinations.

TALKING BUSINESS

ASK THE EXPERTS

Behind the scenes, platform powers $12B in transactions

BY JONAH MEADOWS Staff writer

When New Orleans native and entrepreneur Kenneth Purcell founded iSeatz in 1999 with $2.8 million from local investors, it was one of the first online restaurant reservation systems on the market.

A few years after launching, however, Purcell realized the startup needed to generate more revenue than just a dollar or two per reservation.

So, he pivoted to a commission-based model and built a platform to sell hospitalityrelated products like fixedprice meals, car rentals and hotel reservations. The timing was ideal. A growing number of consumers were turning to the internet to plan and book their travel.

In the two decades since, the New Orleans-based tech company has continued to grow and evolve.

Today, its bread and butter is connecting brands that offer membership or loyalty programs — think frequent flyer miles or credit card points — with a global network of suppliers of travel and hospitality products, including airlines, hotel groups and car rental companies

In recent years, those programs have become big business, shadow currencies worth more than $100 billion, according to some estimates. Marriott alone owes its customers nearly $4 billion in unredeemed points

iSeatz’s platform allows these membership programs to build out custom marketplaces of offers and integrate them with suppliers around the world. It works with a global network

of suppliers to identify potential deals that they can then pair with point issuers like big airlines, hotel groups or credit card companies. It also manages the complex systems that keep track of billions of membership points that flow through its system and how they’re “earned and burned.”

This year, the company expects to process $12 billion worth of transactions for global brands like American Express, Delta Air Lines, Hertz and Wyndham Hotels It has nearly 120 full-time employees, including a couple dozen in New Orleans, and approximately $100 million in annual revenue.

In this week’s Talking Business, Purcell shares how he has built a “platformas-a-service” to offer customized software for travel companies and collect a cut of all transactions on them. Interview has been edited for length and clarity. What prompted the business’s pivot from online restaurant reservations to loyalty points?

When you’re on the bleeding edge of something, well, you typically bleed We bled all the capital that we had raised, and we had to pivot the business model because restaurant reservation economics are pretty paltry So, we followed the market, and the market in the travel industry is all about taking a commission on everything you sell. We said, “Maybe we can take a commission on pre-selling prix fixe menus at restaurants,” so we started making 20% there. Then we said, “What else can we presell?” We listened

to our prospects and our existing clients for what lines of business we should offer Delta came to us and asked if we could start offering rental cars through our platform and hotel reservations, and we said yes. American Express came to us and asked if we could start offering airline reservations? We said yeah. “Can you enable people to pay with their credit card and with points?” We said sure.

What’s been the result of the growth in the use of airline miles and other forms of loyalty points in recent years?

There’s this whole ecosystem that’s developed — a cottage industry of analysts to help maximize the value of this loyalty currency. You’re seeing the importance of loyalty currency bubble up even to the federal level. The thing the government’s concerned about is that airlines in particular have been known to devalue that currency by changing the rules and the terms and conditions and effectively gutting the value of some of these things.

The Federal Trade Commission is coming in and saying, “Wait a minute, you can’t do that anymore, because people really do view this as a quasi-savings account.”

There’s an ecosystem of point analysts, and there’s this glut of points on the balance sheets of these companies. And we’re in the business helping people either earn more or use those.

In terms of starting and running a business based in New Orleans, how has that ecosystem changed since you began?

I love New Orleans for what she should be, not for what she is.

The challenge in running a business here is a tremendous lack of progressive thinking. If you try to get something done as simple as construction on your home, you have to go in front of so many commissions and preservationists — even if you’re not in a historic home — it’s almost not worth investing. It’s almost as though the administrations of the past have designed the system to prevent investment and growth and progressiveness. You don’t have to just believe me: We went from a 21,000-square-foot office to a few-hundred-square-foot office. We’ve got 119 fulltime employees and less than 20% of them work in

New Orleans. For me, New Orleans is where I choose to live, and it just so happens that I run my business from there because I run my business from my house, effectively Honestly, I have been, and I continue to be, woefully disappointed with the way the city operates from a business perspective. There are great business leaders in the city, but there’s this parochial colonialism that’s stifling to progress. We’d rather leave a dilapidated building than see someone invest in it and create something with maybe a little bit more concrete and glass than everybody likes. What advice would you give to someone who is launching a business now? What lessons have you learned they could benefit from? The No. 1 lesson: It’s al-

most impossible to know at the onset and hindsight, probably, to figure this out — make sure when you’re getting into business with people and you’re starting your company that you really know who those people are. When money starts flowing and a business becomes successful, you see a side of people that you don’t see when you’re excited about starting something and there’s no money involved You really see the worst of family and friends when money starts to flow and you need to make sure as a founder that you’re getting in business with people who share your mentality Email Jonah Meadows at jonah.meadows@ theadvocate.com.

AROUND THE REGION

Shreveport oilexpertsayswar is creating ‘serious crisis’

BY LIZ SWAINE Staff writer

Aveteran oil executivesaidthe damagecaused to refineries and oil fields in the Middle East as a result of the Iran war is similar to what was experiencedinLouisiana in 2005, due to the double wallop of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

After thetwo devastating hurricanes, all of the refineriesalong the Gulf Coast were out of service and many pipelines used to transport the oil were down, said Robert Mills, who spent27 years sourcing oilfor Calumet Specialty Products’ three northwest Louisiana refineries.

Calumet refineries in north Louisiana were unscathed in the storms but faced problems getting oil in and finished product out. It was important that they did. At the time, Mills said, Calumetprovided up to 70% of allthe wholesale gasoline supply in northwestLouisiana.

Mills traveled to Calumet’s Indianapolis “war room” to talk strategy to keep supplies flowing. “That was my job, to be surethat we had arelationship with the people that would be required to help us through those bad times.”

Though Calumet was able to remain up and running, the giant coast refineries saw downtime.

Gasprices in much of theU.S. has topped $4 per gallonasaresult of the war.Diesel prices have gone up even more, now well over $5 per gallon.

“It’s100% supply and demand,” in what drives the pricing, said Mills. Even though the United States produces the oil it needs, worldwide competition for it is pushing up pricesfor both oiland

Mills said.“The fear of the loss of supply, you know,will raise the price before the actual loss of supply happens.”

Petroleum products are more than just the itemswepump. Oil is used tomake hundreds of products ranging from asphalt,paints, vinyl flooring, tires, spandex, pharmaceuticals, candles, toys and even food products. Though notall manufacturers use oil-based products, all will be affected by transportation costs made higher by price increases in diesel and other fuels.

“Wedon’thave ashortage of crude oilinthe United States of America unless we start exporting more because of thedifferences in domestic price versus internation-

problems and is not good for the short-term supply of daily production, Mills said. “But nothing’s more complexthanthe refinery endofit. Andthat’sreallywhere you can get into trouble.”

An interruption of just afew minutes can cause issues, he said. “If youhaveafive-minute interruption in arefinery,that’sdisastrous, and that might shut you downfor aweek.”

Acomplete shutdown is even moreproblematic.

“It’savery complicated process from start to finish. And you don’t like any one piece of that massive complex, that chain of equipment to shut down, because every part of it has to runtomakethe whole thing work,” Mills said. “Yeah, so refineries, you don’twant to stop. If you go down, you end up probably going down for an extended period of time.”

Mills said the photos of burning oilrefineriesand otherplants point to disruptions in the European markets foratleast acouple of years. “I think we’ve got areal big problem,and it’sgoing to be foran extended period of time.”

EnergyNowhas compileda list of refineries, oil terminals, oil and gas fields, pipelines and tankers damaged in the Middle East as of March25. It includes assets in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq,United Arab Emirates and Iran. More have been added to the list since then.

“The marketplace will react, and we’regoing to be fine in America, but worldwide there’sareally,really seriouscrisisgoing on,and it’sgoing to be long-lasting,” Mills said.

Email Liz Swaine at liz.swaine@ theadvocate.com.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILEPHOTO By ALTAFQADRI

Smokecomes

facility in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, on March 14.

Howdigital thievesare usingfake profiles,invites to

scam your friends

Fool’s Take:Oreos, dividends and growth

Thedigital invitation in my inbox said:“Shhhhhhh. It’saSurprise!” But something triggered my spider senses. The email address was legitimate. I double-checked. But it came from afellow church member with whom Iwasn’tclose enough friends to be invited to abirthday party

Itook the risk of ruining the surprise by asking if Ihad,in fact, been invited to aparty using Paperless Post, adigital platform for sending online invitations and greeting cards.

My instincts were right. Itwas a scam. The person’semail hadbeen hacked.

With an average of 14 scammessages arriving daily,Americans now spend about 114 hoursa year filtering out fraud, according to recent McAfee data. The research shows that because thesescams are now so realistic, many victims don’trealize they’ve been targeted until their accounts are taken over, their contacts have been stolenor they become victims of identity theft.

Over half of Americans report that asocial media account was compromised in the past year, McAfeesaid.

“One of the patterns that we see is when scammers find something that works, they lean into it and we start seeing it at higher and higher scale until people becomemoreimmune to it,” said Steve Grobman, chief technology officer at McAfee. Twice this year,scammershave created afake Facebook account in my name. Each time, theapparent goal was to get someone to accept afriend request. From there,the ruse usually involves sending adirect message requesting moneyor encouraging investment in afraudulent venture. It’sacalculated, predatory move impersonatinga financial columnist. The fraudsters are betting that if you already trust my advice, you’ll be less likely to question apitch that you would normally find suspicious Fake accounts and invites are no

mereannoyance. They are agrowingproblem thatisstealingbillions from people’s networks of friends, family and acquaintances.

The FBI this week released its annual Internet Crime Report, whichfound thatAmericans were defrauded of nearly $21 billion last year.Cloned accounts and fake invites often fall under the broader umbrella of impostor or investment fraud and are among themostfrequently reported complaints.Inthislatestreport, for the first time, the FBItracked artificial intelligence-facilitated fraud. Scammers areusing fake social profiles,voice clones and deepfake videos, resulting in nearly $893 million in losses.

Fake e-vites”are among the newer phishing traps, according to McAfee. Click on theinvite link, and you maybetaken to a page thatasksfor your email and password before you can view the invitation or RSVP.Scammers can then hack your email account, launch identity theft schemes or mine your contact list for other potential victims. Your friends may reasonably believe it’s you reaching out, because the message is coming fromyourlegitimate email address

In some cases, you might be manipulated to download malicious software thatgives thefraudster access toyour computer.Scammers often use Remote Access Trojans, which is afitting name when deployed by digital rodents. Using this technology,acriminal canstayhidden and wait for you to logintoyour bank or retirement account,allowing them to capture your login information. They can look through your files, where theymay find acopy of your most recent taxreturn, then sellthat sensitive information to other scammers.

Many scams areremarkably easy to spot.For instance, someone using the name “Cheryll Cook” keeps emailing me from asuspiciousaddress with amessage abouta mysteryphoto. There are so manyred flagsthat it goes straighttomyspam folder

Grobman says email providers can catch alot of obvious spam,

but standard filters are failing to catch these new schemes, which continue to get more believable withthe assistance of AI.“In the caseofour scam detector,we’re literally updating our threat intelligence around the clock,” he said.

Here’show to spotaclone profile:

n Check the profile history.Ifit’s an account of aprominent person withonly afew recent photos and no long-term activity, it’sa redflag.

n Be suspicious if alongtime friend sends anew friend request followed immediately by adirect message about an exclusive deal or investing opportunity.

n Be leery of efforts to move the conversationfromthe social media account to an email or encrypted app like WhatsApp. This can make it harder to track the scammer down.

Here’show to spotaphony party invitation:

n Authentic invite emails come only from the digital platform. For example, PaperlessPostissueda warning lastmonth advising users thatemails it sends would come from paperless@email.paperlesspost.com, paperlesspost@paperlesspost.com or paperlesspost@ accounts.paperlesspost.com.Similarly,Punchbowl offered guidance on identifying afake invitation, saying the email will comefrom mail@mail.punchbowl.com.

n If the invite comes from a personal Gmail, Yahoo or Outlook address, even if it uses afriend’s name, it’s ascam.

n Alegitimateinvite won’t prompt you to log in to your email using your password just to view the card. If you arerequired to do that, closethe tab. They are trying to steal your login credentials

n If the invitation is vague or missing details for thespecific event,that can be aclue that a scammer is trying to lure you in.

These moresophisticated scams can bypassyour skepticism becausethey mimic the people and platforms you trust.Becauseof that, my final piece of advice is trust nothing.

Email Michelle Singletary at michelle.singletary@washpost. com.

Mondelez International (Nasdaq: MDLZ) may not be ahousehold name, but many of its brands are. They include Cadbury Clif Bar,Halls, Honey Maid, Oreo, Philadelphia, Ritz, Sour Patch Kids, Tate’sBake Shop, Toblerone and Triscuit.

Mondelez is the former snacking division of Kraft Foods (since merged into Kraft Heinz), spun off in 2012. The company has bulked up its chocolate business since then, and even reportedly explored acquiring Hershey in late 2024.

The company is asolid dividend payer,with arecent dividend yield of 3.4%. Better still, it has been hiking that payout by an annual average of 9.7% over the past five years. Mondelez also repurchased morethan $13 billion of its shares from 2018 through 2024, reducing its outstanding shares by 15% over that period and making every remaining share worth more. The snack-maker believes it can continue returning morecash to shareholders in the future even as it keeps expanding its global portfolio of popular snacking brands. On top of that, Mondelez is the kind of consumer staples stock that can do relatively well in an economic downturn, because while people may put off buying acar or refrigerator at such times, they’ll still buy food and snacks.

Mondelez may not be a head-turning growth stock, but it’slikely to keep growing while rewarding its shareholders. Long-term investors, especially those seeking dividend income, may wantto take acloser look.

Fool’s School:Different styles of investing

There aremanystrategies for investing in stocks. Here are some keyones. Fund investing: If you’drather have financialprofessionals

Working

invest foryou,you might optfor mutual funds or exchange-tradedfunds. We heartily recommend low-fee, broad-marketindexfunds. Valueinvesting: If you’re going to study stocksand pick individualonesinwhichto invest, youmight want to become avalue investor.These folks aimtobuy stocks at prices belowtheir intrinsic value.Doing so builds in a margin of safety andcan shrink your odds of suffering sharp lossesfroma plunging stock.Great investors like WarrenBuffett have focused on value fordecades.

Growth investing: Growth investors carelessabout a stock’s underlying value, focusing instead on its chances of growing rapidly.They’re more willing to buy seemingly overvalued stocks, hoping thatthey’ll keep rising in price. This can work well, but when the market pulls back, growth stocksoften fall especially hard.

Dividendinvesting: Dividend investors areseeking income from their investments, so theytendtofavor stocks with generous dividend payouts and/ortrack records of regularand meaningful dividend increases. Dividend investing is apowerful strategy, as healthy andgrowing companiestendtoincrease their payouts over time, paying shareholders whether the economy is good or bad. Large-cap investing: This approach focuses on big companiesthathavegrown by executing strategies well over time.Theyare more wellestablishedand include many “blue chips” with reputations for quality andreliability Small-cap investing: Small companiescan be riskier, but some will be able to grow faster thanlarge companies. These companiesmay be fairly new andnot even profitable yet. These approaches canoverlap. Dividend-paying companiesare oftenlarge-cap, for example,and some growth stocksmay be undervalued at times. Some investors like to diversify by holding large, medium-sizedand small companiesintheir portfolios, to balancerisks.

NewOrleans Sends America Back to Space

On April 1, Artemis II launched from Cape Canaveral, sending four astronauts on amission aroundthe Moon andfarther into spacethanany humansbefore. NewOrleans built thecorestage of theSpaceLaunchSystem, themost powerful rocket NASA has ever developed, which liftedArtemisIIintospace Since the1960s,NASA’sMichoud Assembly Facility in NewOrleans East has been “America’s Rocket Factory,”building thehardwarethatpowershuman spaceflight, from Apollo to theSpaceShuttle to today’sSpaceLaunchSystem.

Here arekey mission details:

•Artemis II launched on April 1, sending four astronauts on a10-daymission aroundthe Moon which returned to Earth on Friday, April 10

•The mission marked thefirstcrewedlunar flightinmorethan50years oftendescribed as this generation’s “Apollo 8moment

•Artemis III andIVwill follow, which will landthe first woman andperson of color on thesurface of themoon

Andabout NewOrleans’Michoud facility:

•Michoudhas supported human spaceflightfor 55+ years

•The facility employs about1,800 people on-site

•The Michoud site hasalwaysbeen tied to nationalpriorities, from Higgins boatsthatlanded in Normandy during World WarII, to theproduction of Sherman andPattontankengines during theKoreanWar.In1961, NASA Administrator Wernhervon Braun chose NewOrleansasthe manufacturinghomefor thenation’s spaceprogram

Thereare multiple entitiesinvolvedinthe historic effort:

•Boeing leads production of theSLS core stage,the largest partofthe 322-foot-tallrocket,which stores super-cooledliquidhydrogen andliquid oxygen to fuel thefour RS-25 engines

•LockheedMartin is buildingthe launch abortsystemand thecrewand service modules, which compose theOrionspacecraftthathousesthe astronauts

•Local workforce pipelines,including theNunez Advanced Manufacturing Technology Program,are feeding talent directly intoMichoud

•New OrleanscompanieslikeVivaceare pushingthe industryforward from NewOrleans by building next-generationcommercial spacestation structures on-siteatMichoud

Finally,GNO,Inc.has been working foryears to help sendhumankind back to spacevia GreaterNew Orleans:

•Following theend of theSpace Shuttle programin2011, fighting, along with federal andstate leaders, to keep Michoud open

•Working with many of thecompaniesinand aroundMichoud, to provide advocacy, workforce, andother support

•Leadingworkforce programs, likeGNO RAAMP (Regional Aerospace &AdvancedManufacturing Partnership), to connectresidentsto aerospacejobs

•Organizing annualinternships forlocal studentsatMichoud

•Actively supporting thedevelopment of “PropelPark” at Michoud

•Promotion of thespacestory –for example, theArtemis logoprojected on theSuper Domewas conceivedand designed by GNO,Inc

•Welcoming theArtemis II astronautstoNew Orleans

Youcan read more about thehistoric Artemis launch here >>>

Michelle Singletary

THE COLOR OF MONEy

Motley Fool

Michael Hecht President&CEO GNO Inc

MADE IN LOUISIANA

South La. salad dressing maker looks to produce ‘the next ranch’

BY JONAH MEADOWS Staff writer

The first batch of Kate and Richard Hanley’s salad dressing — about two dozen bottles mixed by hand at their kitchen table — sold out in just a few hours at the Red Stick Farmers Market in Baton Rouge. So did the Hanleys’ second batch of dressing, even though they made twice as much. By the next month, Richard Hanley had quit his job at a New Orleans advertising firm and started making salad dressing full time.

Labor of love

Sensation Salad is believed to have originated at Bob & Jake’s steakhouse in Baton Rouge’s Mid City, later continuing at owner Jake Staple’s The Place until its closure. It’s still a fixture on many menus across the capital region, though it remains an enigma in much of the rest of the country

“At

“Moved in with my mom,” Hanley said, “and went all in on this idea of making a salad dressing brand.”

Their two young daughters even got in on the act, inspired by the promise of a $1-per-bottle commission.

“They just kind of went from being these kids that would play with their toys behind the booth to stopping people in their tracks, saying, ‘Hey, have you tried this salad dressing? It’s the greatest!’” he said.

Now, 14 years later, Hanley’s Foods holds the U.S. trademark on Sensation dressing, the garlicand-Romano dressing that’s been a Baton Rouge favorite since the 1950s. It sells its dressing — about 15,000 bottles and 1,000 food service pouches a month — in about 2,000 grocery stores, including Rouses Markets and Walmart, and supplies dozens of hospitals with custom olive oil dressings.

And it continues to chip away at Richard Hanley’s goal of making Hanley’s Sensation Salad dressing a national brand.

“Our thing is just trying to make Sensation the next ranch, the next Italian, the next big flavor out there,” Hanley said.

all over the place.”

While the incubator was a great resource, it didn’t have the capacity to enable Hanley’s to fill all the orders that were pouring in.

“We were bursting at the seams. We were literally filling truckloads at LSU, and it’s not designed for that,” Richard Hanley said.

“We needed a full-on plant. Do we fork out $10 million to go build this plant? At the time, we just didn’t have any resources.”

RICHARD HANLEy CEO and co-founder

“I grew up thinking it was just a normal type of salad. You go to a restaurant and it’s ranch, balsamic or Sensation,” he said. “I didn’t realize it was just this local, regional thing.”

The Hanleys launched the business with a $1,000 loan, using their car as collateral. Early on, Richard Hanley would sometimes borrow money from wealthy acquaintances to fill orders, paying them back “beer money” as interest.

It didn’t take long for the company to outgrow the family’s home kitchen, so it moved its production line to a commercial kitchen — first to a food incubator in Norco called Edible Enterprises, since shuttered, and then to the LSU Ag Center Food Incubator, which allowed Hanley’s to produce about 60 gallons at a time.

Louisiana is a unique ecosystem for food manufacturers, Richard Hanley said. Not only does the incubator support the growth of small companies, but local grocery chains favor local products far more than in other states.

“It’s like the perfect storm for a food company to start in southern Louisiana,” he said, “because we don’t have those mass franchises

These days, Hanley’s outsources production of its retail products to another manufacturer Richard Hanley declined to name the company but said it is located within Louisiana and today produces dressing in 1,000-gallon kettles.

After the co-packer hired the majority of its retail employees, Hanley’s is down to three full-time staff members and a few more working on a part-time basis.

All natural

Hanley’s Foods makes nine dressings, including the flagship Sensation. Some, like Strawberry, are seasonal. Some, like Pepper Jelly Vinaigrette and Sweet Creole Mustard, are rooted in regional cuisine. All of them are made from all-natural, Louisiana ingredients.

The company sources its ingredients from Peronne & Sons, a fourth-generation Metairie-based distributor that also brings the finished product to restaurants, grocery stores and other users of the dressing.

“They carry both our food service, which is those kind of big pouches that restaurants use, and then the retail bottles that are in Rouses and Dorignac’s and other retailers,” Richard Hanley said.

Getting products into grocery stores is only half the battle. Food shoppers are often set in their ways, and it can take decades

Beyond Conventional.

JonesWalker’sEnergy, Environmental&Natural ResourcesIndustryTeamhelps clientsfind andfollowa clearpathtowardbusiness success. We have represented domesticand internationalclients in mattersfromthe west coasttothe east coastand across theGulfCoast of theUnitedStates.

Ourclients include major oiland gasproducers independent producers, renewableand alternative energy companies,joint ventures,operators,pipeline companies,miningcompanies,fabricators,service companies,refining andchemical companies,power generationand transmissioncompanies,landowners, royaltyinterestowners, andfinancialinstitutions.

William H. Hines Managing Partner bhines@joneswalker.com

CharlesAvenue NewOrleans,LA70170-5100 joneswalker.com

to engrain a new brand into the minds of consumers.

Though Hanley’s products are popular, it’s a tough business. Sales this year will barely top $500,000.

“If we had $1 million to spend in marketing, I would probably put it all in demos — that’s just having people handing out samples and grocery stores,” Richard Hanley said “Because there’s no better way for someone to know your story, what you’re about, where you came from and what the product’s about than to try it.”

Retail sales now comprise about 80% of its business, with food service clients making up the re-

mainder Richard Hanley hopes to grow the food service side of the business until it comprises half of revenue

The biggest lesson he’s picked up over more than a dozen years as a dressing manufacturer? The value of persistence

“It always takes longer and it’s always harder and it costs more than you think it’s going to, and that’s just how it is,” he said. “At the beginning, we were on the struggle bus for a while — not to say that we’re off it — but we’re doing a lot better now.”

Email Jonah Meadows at jonah. meadows@theadvocate.com.

Louisianaisanall-of-the-aboveenergystate —leveragingits deeproots in traditionaloil andgas whilerapidly building on that tradition to advanceenergyinnovationand attract record investmenttoLouisiana Jones Walker attorneysbring decadesoflegal regulatory,and practicalexperiencetothe entire energy spectrum,including offshore andonshore drilling andproduction, pipeline transportation andstorage,and liquefied naturalgas (LNG)facilities. Andmorerecently, this includesextensive experiencesinthe useofcarboncapture andsequestration to expand marketsfor Louisiananatural gas and manufacturing products,aswellasthe useof newerenergysources such as lithiumand biofuels.Our firm proudlysupportsLouisiana’s balanced andforward-thinking approach to energy development.

By advising clientsonbothlegacyand emerging energy solutions, we areproudly helpingsupport thestate as aleader in shapingAmerica’s energy independencefor thefuture.

PROVIDED PHOTO By HANLEy’S FOODS

Kate Hanley, left, and a staff member pour olive oil into the mix while making Hanley’s Sensation Salad Dressing at the LSU AgCenter Food Innovation Institute in 2022.

Justin Marocco Marjorie McKeithen

HowtoImprove Your Organization’sRiskProfile

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Yes, knowledge is power, and thechoice is yours. But you MUST ACTNOW to put your estate plan in place. It all starts by attending one of LauraPoche’s free educational eventswhich makes it clear that regardless of your networth,ifyou want to preserveyourhard-earned assetsorhavepeople in your life you need to protectorhavecauses that youwanttopromote, EVERY PERSON NEEDSALEGAL ESTATE PLAN. Let LauraPoche and her professional and knowledgeable staffmakethis process as easyaspossible so youcan livewith PEACEOFMIND.

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• Owning exemptassets.

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WHAT IS NURSING HOME POVERTY ANDHOW DO YOUAVOID IT?

Nursing home povertyisaproblem that creeps up on Louisiana familiesand forces them to depletetheirlifesavings, withdraw their family funds from theirretirement accounts and spend all of their monthly incomeontheir long-term care and nursing home expenses withoutany assistancefromMedicaid. In ordertoavoid this from happening, youMUSTplan ahead at leastfiveyearspriortoentering anursing home.

Nelda came to ourofficeabout sixyears ago.Weasked her what her mainconcerns were.She wasdiagnosed with arthritis,and she wasconcerned that as hercondition worsened,she would berequired to reside in anursing home.She had seen three of herfamily members lose their life savings to unexpectednursing home stays. Nelda wanted to protecther homeand her life savings of $450,000. She knew she had to spend down all of herassetsuntil she hadlessthan $2,000 in her checking account, andshe knewthatnursinghomecosts were about$80,000 year.She wanted to leave what she had savedtoher three children equally.Sowetalked to Nelda about setting up avery specific,very customMedicaid Trust.Nelda wouldretain controlofherassets, andifshe hadtoenter anursing homefiveyears in the future, shewould nothaveto deplete her life savings on nursing homecosts.

We told Neldathere wasasenseofurgency to setupher legal affairsinorder to start thefive-yearlookbackperiod.Neldaaskeduswhathappensifsheenteredthenursing home four years(instead of fiveyears) aftersetting up theTrust. We assuredher that if she enteredthe nursinghomeinfouryears, she would be aprivatepay patientuntil shereached thefive-year markwhich is amuch better result than losing it all!

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All people who attend willreceiveaFREE copy of theupdated2nd edition of LauraPoche’s Book, “Estate Planning AdvicebyaWoman forLouisiana Women: AGuide forBothMen and Women About Wills,Trusts,Probate, Powers of Attorney, Medicaid, Living Willsand Taxes.”

LOUISIANA

CLEARING THEAIR

HEALTH MAKER

Louisiana

BYRACHEL MIPRO

Contributing writer

Fighting against awave of candyflavored, toy-shaped nicotine devices, Louisiana advocatesare trying to get creative in discouraging youth vaping.

The Louisiana Youth Tobacco Survey’s2023data found almost 1in5 middle schoolers vape, and almost 1in 3high schoolers vape. The average age of Louisiana children start vaping is 13 or 14

Early-age usage of nicotine can harm brain development, including memory impairment and cognitive deficits. The

practice comes with alaundry listof other health problems,such as lung impairment.

Dr.Michael Celestin Jr., director of theLouisiana Tobacco Control Initiative andanassistant professoratthe LSU New Orleans School of Public Health,has studiedtobacco usageand prevention for more than 20 years.

Celestin’sfirst focus was on traditional combustible cigarettes —tobacco productsthat areburned to inhale smoke.

By the early2000s,a series of health campaigns andsmoke-free policies were effective in decreasing cigarette

smoking at thestate andnational level. Then came thevapes, replacing smoke with vapor to market nicotine to a new generation.

“(Vapes) have been around since the2000s, but theyreally took off right around 2013,” Celestin said. “Then, when Juul came on board, it just skyrocketed. It’s a diresituation from apublic health perspective.”

ä See VAPING, page 2X

BY MARGARET DeLANEY Staff writer

Kyle Banks loves music. He always has —sincehis daysatSt. Augustine HighSchool to completing graduate school at the University of Oklahoma. Now, he’s performing on Broadway He landedhis first role offBroadway before securing aslot as an ensemble member of “Wicked:The Musical” and later“The LionKing.”

Banks

In 2015, while he hoppedfrom New York City to traveling Broadway casts, Banks startedtofeel tiredduring shows —aserious problemfor performers. When he lost 30 pounds in threeweeks, he knewitwas time to seea doctor Weekslater, he was diagnosed with Type 1diabetes.

As he struggled with the chronic disease as an adult, he turned to OchsnerChildren’sHospital in NewOrleans to find out if he could learn fromchildren who are diagnosedwith Type 1diabetesearlier. Banks learned that theydidn’tfare much better In 2020, Banks launched Kyler Cares, afoundation that works to improve the health outcomes for both adults and children living with Type 1diabetes by improving accesstotechnology,creating connections and resources to education, providing grants to those in need and connecting childrenand families to communities.

Whydid you begin theKyler Cares Foundation?

Iwas really struggling at work aftermydiagnosis. I’d started using insulin, whichlowers your blood sugar. Iwas having these crazylowsatwork every night.

The averagerange for your blood sugarisbetween70and 120. Mine would drop down to like 20 or 30. Iwould be at work, on the stage,about to pass outon anightly basis.

Iwas desperate forinformationonhow to take care of myself.

So,Ireached outtoOchsner Children’sHospitalinNew Orleans, because Iwas connected with themalready, hoping that theywould be able to give me some insight on how the kids are taking careofthemselves.

Ifiguredwhatwedoonstage is similartokids playing every day

N.O. Broadway star launches nonprofit afterown struggles ä See DIABETES, page 2X

Celestin

GETTyIMAGES PHOTO

Menopauseproductsare having ahot minute

Butdoctors urge womentobewaryof themarketing surge

BY JAMIE STENGLE Associated Press

DALLAS Women suffering through the hot flashes, night sweats, mood changes and sleep problems that can come with menopause —all while looking in the mirror and noticing signs ofaging —are being bombarded with products.

More open conversationsabout menopause and the period leading up to it —called perimenopause— arehappening at the sametime that marketing has beensupercharged by social media. Women are being confrontedbylotionsand serums andlight masks that promise to rejuvenate their faces and necks, dietary supplements claimingto do everything from boost moods to ease hot flashes and gadgets promising to help with symptoms.

“The marketing has gotten very very aggressive. It’spervasive,” said Dr.Nanette Santoro, an OBGYN professor at the University of Colorado Anschutz Santoro and other physicians say that before spending lots of money on products that make big promises, it’simportant for women to talk to their doctors about what has actually been proven to help —and what could be harmful.

“It really pays to be very, very, very skeptical,” Santoro said.

A flood of marketing

As menstruation winds down,

women’s levels ofestrogenand progesterone drop. In some women,the symptoms can include hot flashes, night sweats,mood changes, vaginal dryness andsleep problems.

Dr.Angela Angel, an OB-GYN with Texas HealthPresbyterian Hospital Dallas,said thatinthe past, doctors would ask women aroundthe age of 50 during their yearlyexamiftheywerenoticing anysymptoms. But now,she said, patientsare making separateappointments and initiating the conversations

And at thoseappointments, she said,many patients tellher they’ve alreadytriedsomething.

“They’re coming to see me because it’snot effective or because it’scausedsomeother side effect,” Angelsaid.

Herhospitalhas recentlystarted amenopause supportgroupled by doctors and, at the request of participants,anupcoming session will focusonhelpingwomen navigate through themarketing onslaught.

Products aimedatwomen in that stageoflife include everything from bracelets andrings claiming to help ease hot flashes to cooling blanketsand bedding.

Santoro said her advice to patients is to “balance what you’re going to spendover whether this might help you.”

“If it’sabracelet that’sgoing to cost you $20, it’snot abig expenditure. It might provide someimprovement,” Santoro said. “Things that are not well tested might still work,but if youwant something that works— comeback,I’m not going anywhere and I’ll give you evidence-based treatment.”

Santoro said dietary supplementshave notbeen proven in multiple, well-done studies to alleviate hot flashes, but many are low-cost withalow potential for harm. She said if apatient wantsto try something they see online, it’s important to at least telltheir doctor so they can be monitored while takingit— or warned off.

Doctors note that most of the time, over-the-counter products like dietary supplements, shampoos or skin care thatare advertised for menopausal women aren’t differentfrom regular products for that purpose ingredient-wise. Andsome products could have side effects.

Advice from doctors

Dr.MonicaChristmas, director of the menopauseprogram at the UniversityofChicago Medicine, said there’snot onesymptomeveryone gets. Some women get few or none, she said, while others are extremelyimpacted by avariety of symptoms. What’smost important, she said, is seeking medical help.

Doctors saythat hormone therapy prescribed by adoctor can help withsymptoms, as can prescriptionsfor nonhormonal medication. Somewomen are advised to avoid hormone therapybecause they have had certain medical issues.

“Not everybody needs hormone therapy. Not everyoneisa candidatefor hormonetherapy.Not everybody should be on hormone therapy,” Angel said.

Regular exercise anda healthy diet can help alot, doctors say That can help with weightloss, which is associated with reducing

Continued frompage1X

That’swhen Ilearned that the kids were not doing as well as Ihad thought they were possibly doing.

One of the doctors at Children’skept emphasizing that kids of color were really struggling and experiencingalot of the horrific complications that develop when glucose levelsare not managed properly

That was the impetus for starting Kyler Cares. What do you hope to provide to children, families with Type 1diabetes through Kyler Cares? Initially,westarted giving out grants for insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors in New Orleans. Then Idiscovered that the kids still weren’t wearing them —the financial cost to keep up with the monitors is abarrier for alot of families. Ikept deep divinginto the issues around kids being able to manage their health. It still feels crazy to talk about kids having to engage in their health. This disease causes you to grow up really fast. We continue to give out grants for insulin pumps andcontinuous glucose monitors, but we also focus alot on social and community connections. A lot of kids aren’tconnected with other kidsthat are living with Type 1, which just causes them to not be confident in their ability to manage. When the kids are together,it’smaybe 20%

diabetes talk and 80% fun. We also have programs thatassist with healthinsurance navigation, case management, housing insecurity and food insecurity. Allofthese things really impact afamily’s abilitytomanage achild with Type 1diabetes. We have partnerships with clinics across the country,including Ochsner Children’sHospital in New Orleans. With those partnerships, we’re able to getpeople fast-tracked into care ifthey don’thave an endocrinologist towork with to manage Type 1. Howdoyou use artand music to educate children on Type 1 diabetes?

Oneofthe issues with managing Type 1and Type 2diabetesiseducation around the diseases. It’s not where it needs to be.

Oneofthe ways in which we educate is through music and storytelling, especially withmybackground in entertainment. We have an animation called Kyler Bear and Friends, and we use those tools as away to educate the kids in afun and engaging way

We’re working with some amazing producers who have worked on songs with Rihanna and Beyoncé to developthe music for it as well.Wehave a comic book for teenagers, which deals with things thatteenagers are going through in their real lives, on top of having tomanage Type 1. We love using toolslike thattoreally help educate people on how to better manage their symptoms but also live their lives to the fullest.

Tell me about the national Kyler Cares programs in schools.

We recentlylaunched aprogram pilotingaprogram in New York City public schools, adiabetes management supportprogram.

Thereare 3,000 kids in theNew York City school system living withType 1. We worked with 2,000 school nurses, making sure that the kids are supported while they’re in school, but also at home as well.

We’re really excited becausewe’ve made alot of headway with bringing this program to New Orleans as well. The setup is verydifferent.Asbig as New York is,the largest school system in thecountry,itwas easier to establishthe program there, as opposed to New Orleans.

We’re working to establishacoalition of charter schools so that we can connect withthem from one central space. We’re in the processofdeveloping that now,and hope to have it off the ground in the new school year Additionally,we’re talking to anumber of school systems around the country

The program is launching in Detroit, andwe’re in discussion with the Governor’s Office in Maryland. It’sspreading really fast. We’re getting alot of outreach about howwe can bring theprogram to other cities. Ourtentacles are really beginning to spread.

Email Margaret DeLaney at margaret.delaney@ theadvocate.com.

hot flashes andnight sweats. And Santoro notes thatavoiding alcohol is agood step forsomeone withhot flashes since it can make them worse.

“Many of the symptomsactually get better over time, so sometimes it really is just amatter of lifestyle modificationsand self-care and getting through this most tumultuous time frame,” Christmassaid.

For Brandi McGruder,a49-yearold school librarian from Dallas, it clicked that she was in perimenopause last year when she wentout to dinnerfor her birthday.When she and her friends entered the steakhouse, she wasfreezing cold. About 20 minutes later,she was burning up She said she made an appointment with herdoctor,who prescribed an estrogen patch, which helped.

McGrudersaidshe’s seen theadvertisements for products aimed at women her age, but her first stop was her doctor

McGrudersaidthatwhile she doesn’tlike the waythe symptoms have driven homethat she’sgettingolder,she’salso embracing this time in her life.Her advice: “Laugh. It’sOK. Reach out to others experiencing what you are going through. Don’ttakeitsoserious.”

Concerns aboutskin

There arechanges with skin that come both with time as one ages, andduringmenopause as skin gets less thick because of aloss of collagen and someofthe hyaluronic acidthatsupports skin,said Dr Melissa Mauskar,adermatologist and associate professor at UT

E-cigaretteuse in theU.S.

Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

Mauskar said using aprescribed retinoid or an over-the-counter retinol can help.

Both assist withthe production of collagen and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. She said good over-the-counter moisturizers can be found at drugstores.Her adviceistolook for ones with ceramides, which help keep skin hydrated.

“But you don’twant to have anything that has toomanyadditive ingredients —just because it’s naturaland abotanical does not mean it’s better,” Mauskarsaid. “A lot of those actually are contact allergens that can makepeople more sensitive.”

Ingestible collagen is among the products being marketed to women, but she warns that studies are mixedand ingesting it “doesn’t mean that it’sgoing to make its way to your skin andplump up your face” —even though products claim it will. Light masks, she said, won’thurt, and some studies show they could help, but they won’tmake adifferenceovernight She saidseeing any improvements from them would likely take daily use formany years.

She said sun damage is one of the biggest reasons patients have more wrinkles, so consistent use of sunscreen is amust forall ages.

“I think there’salot of new fancy things coming outand targetedto perimenopause, menopause patients,” Mauskar said, “but sometimes the tried and true things that we at leasthavethe science forI think still are my kind of gold standard formypatients.”

Percentage of adults age25and olderwithsome collegeortechnicalschooleducation who reported using e-cigarettes or otherelectronicvapingproductsatleast once in theirlifetime andnow usedaily or some days

6% to 7% Less than 6%

9%

Source:Centers forDisease Controland Prevention

VAPING

Continuedfrom page 1X

Some vapeshavefour timesthe nicotine content of traditional cigarettes, which arealready highlyaddictive. They’re easier to purchase, found online and in avariety of gasstations anddrug stores, and often comeincolorfulpackagingthatappeals to children and teens.

“They’re becoming smaller in scale. They’re the size of USB drives and highlighters. They can become cute,” Celestin said.

He says the features the tobacco industry puts into marketing and product design makethe vapeproducts more appealing to youth —the colors, the flavors.

But public perception of vapingoften doesn’tacknowledge theharm products can cause.

“It’sbeen normalized within the society,” said Chrishelle Stipe, of the Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living,citingTVshows and social media influencers as

avenues by which vaping has become mainstream Stipesaidsocial andacademic pressures often contributetoteenage addiction.

“Theyget hooked to the point wherethey’re constantly looking for the vape, and they’re using thevapetohelp them copewithstress,” Stipe said.

Stipe is working withyouth around Louisiana to figure out solutions. Stipe’s organization hashosted town halls on vaping, asymposium in Baton Rouge and has ayouth advisory board that meets twice amonth to provide input and feedback on vaping culture at the school level.

“In order to reach certain populations, you have to be able to adjust,” Stipe said. “You’ve got to be able to bring them to the table, and that’swhat we do with the youth.”

Theorganization provides avaping toolkitwithresources for schools on where to go to getnew data,along with suggestions on howtodevelop avape-freepolicywithin theschool environment.

Stipe also promoted afree

text-based program forthose ages 13 to 17 looking to quit, Live Vape Free.

Based on feedback from youth groups around the state, Stipe recommends a restorative, education-based approach for students found vaping.

Celestin pointed to the tacticsusedwhenfighting combustible cigarette addiction in thestate, suchasthe excise tax on cigarettes,the creation of free cessation services and smoke-free policy.

“Those are the types of things that we knowwork,” Celestinsaid. Combined with moreaccess to medication to treat nicotine addiction, themultipronged approach decreased statewidesmoking. In 2025, the state reported an all-time lowfor cigarette smoking, down to arate of 15.7% of Louisiana adults. Celestinsaidsimilarmethods could help lower vape use across Louisiana.

“I’m eternally optimistic,” Celestin said. “Wewere able to do it with combustibles; Ithink we can do the same with electronic cigarettes.”

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU

TheLouisiana Health section is focused on providing in-depth, personal accounts of health in the state.This sectionlooksatmedical innovations, health discoveries, state and national health statistics and reexamining tried and true methods on ways to livewell.

Health editions will also profile people whoare advancing health for the state of Louisiana. Do youhavea health story? We want to hear fromyou. Email margaret.delaney@ theadvocate.com to submit health questions, stories and more.

PROVIDED PHOTO

NewOrleanianKyle Banks has performed in productions of ‘The Lion King’since 2003.

Eat Fit LiveFit

Jazz Fest:anEat Fit roadmap to food favorites

Backin2009,Ihadthechanceto attendtheNewOrleansJazz& HeritageFestivalpresentedby ShellalongsidethefoodwritersfromThe Times-Picayune.IhadbeentoJazzFest plentyoftimesbefore,butthisexperience wasdifferent.Theirjobwastocoverthe vendorsandthedishes.Minewastoscout thenutritiousoptions.

Andherewasthebestpart:theyordered oneofeverything–dishesfromallover thefairgrounds–andwetastedourway throughallofit.Forsomeonewholoves JazzFestfood,itfeltalittlelikegetting tositatthecoolkids’table,samplingbite afterbiteanddiscoveringdishesImight neverhavetriedotherwise.Overtheyears thatfollowed,thattraditionmeantgetting toknowthevendors,theirfamiliesandthe storiesbehindthebooths.

EveryonehastheirJazzFestfavorites, andrightlyso.Ifyou’vegotamust-have dishyoulookforwardtoeveryyear,enjoy it.That’spartofthetradition.Butifyou’re outthereforafullday–orseveral–it canhelptohaveabitofagameplanthat keepsyoufeelingyourbestwhilestill takinginalltheincrediblefoodthefestival hastooffer.

ThroughtheEatFitprogram,wepartner withdozensofJazzFestvendorsto highlightdishesmadewithwholesome ingredients.Thoseoptionsskiprefined whitecarbs,keepaddedsugarlowand focusonfreshproduce,leanproteinsand plant-basedfats.MostEatFitdishesare identifiedonmenuboardswiththeEat Fitseal,withafewofthemoredetailed orderingmodificationsoutlinedinthe freeEatFitmobileapp Mostofthesedishesweren’toriginally createdwithnutritioninmind.They’re greatfoodpreparedbytalentedvendors whobuildflavorfromqualityingredients Becauseofthat,manyofthemnaturally alignwithEatFitcriteria.

OvertheyearsI’vealsoheard fromplentyoffestivalgoerswho triedadishforthefirsttime becauseithadtheEatFitseal nexttoit.Morethanonce,the reactionhasbeenthesame:“Ican’t believeI’veneverhadthisbefore.” SometimesseeingEatFitnexttoa dishgivespeopleanudgetobranch outbeyondtheirusualfavorites. Alongtheway,I’vedeveloped myownpersonalJazzFestfood roadmap.Herearesomeofmy favoritestops

Molly’sJazzFest FoodRoadmap

IusuallybegininCongoSquare wherethreelongtimefavorites sitwithineasyreach.AtPalmer’s Cuisine,DinahCampbellandher daughterJessicaDandridgeserve Jamaicanchickenwithvegetables basedonDinah’sfather’srecipes.In fact,Jessicaistheonlypersonwho hasthehandwrittenrecipeforthatfamous chicken–afamilytreasurepasseddown fromhergrandfather.

JuststepsawayisGambianFoods whereCharlieMendygreetsguestslike family,usuallywithabroadsmileanda warmhug.Iftofuisn’tusuallyyourthing, trustmeandtrythespicygrilledtofuand vegetableswithpeanutsauce.Thesauce alonemightwinyouover!

Nextdoor,Bennachinservespoulet

fricasseealongsidetheirdeeplyflavorful jamajamaspinach.SeeingownerFanta Tambajang’sbigsmilebehindtheboothis somethingIlookforwardtoeachyear. FromthereIheadtowardFoodArea 1 whereseveralfavoritesareclustered. SmokeStreetCateringservesfried BrusselssproutsthatIcansay,without hesitation,arethebestBrusselssprouts I’veeverhad.AndatWalker’sBBQ,the legendarycochondelaitnowappearsas asalad,makingitaflavorfulEatFitoption

MollyKimball,RD,CSSD,isaregistereddietitian withOchsnerHealthandfounderofOchsner’sEatFit nonprofitinitiative.Formorewellnesscontent,tuneinto Molly’spodcast,FUELEDWellness+Nutrition,andfollow @MollykimballRDand@EatFitOchsneronsocialmedia. Emailnutrition@ochsner.orgtoconnectwithMollyor scheduleaconsultwithherteam.

builtaroundthesamebelovedporkthat madethesandwichfamous.

RightnearbyinFoodArea2,several morestopsareworthseekingout.Sweet SoulfoodVeganCuisineservesplantbasedfavoriteslikesweetpotatoesand collardgreens.Fritai,thepopularHaitian restaurantledbychefCharleyPierre,offers grilledshrimppiklizwhichisbright,tangy andpackedwithflavor.AndTempero’s MarketKitchen,ownedbyDanaHonn, serveshandmadetacoswithveganorGulf seafoodoptions.

WhenI’mmovingbetweenstagesand wantsomethingquick,thebeefskewers atBaMienVietnameseCuisineareone ofmygo-tobitesandtheshrimpskewers arejustasgood.It’strulyafamilyaffair withrelativestravelinginfromaroundthe countryeachyeartohelprunthebooth duringJazzFest.

Don’tForgettoHydrate Forhydrationthroughouttheday, SunshineCateringoffersseveralicedteas whichareallavailableunsweetened.Ialso stopbyNewOrleansCoffeeCompanyfor anicedcoffeewithunsweetenedalmond milkforalittleafternoonpick-me-up. Eat,ExploreandEnergize JazzFestfoodreflectsthesame creativityandculturalrichnessasthemusic itself.Whetheryoumapoutyourownfood adventureinadvanceorsimplyseewhere thedaytakesyou,theEatFitdishesoffera waytoexplorenewflavors,discovernew favoritesandstillfeelenergizedenoughfor anothersetor maybeanotherlaparound thegrounds.

YoucanfindthefulllistofEatFitdishes inthefreeEatFitmobileapp,which includesphotosofeachdish,nutrition informationandthelocationofevery vendorbyfoodareatohelpyoufindthem easilyattheFest.

BY THE NUMBERS

WHERE ARE LOUISIANA’S MEDICAL SCHOOL GRADUATES GOING?

On Friday, March 20, graduating medical students in Louisiana programs found out what medical residency program they were paired with to continue their medical education Of the 600 graduating medical students in Louisiana, 191 will continue their medical education in the state.

The national event, also known as Match Day, matches graduating fourth-year medical students with medical residency programs across the country through the National Resident Matching Program. Medical residencies, a postgraduate training program where doctors gain specialized, in-depth training in a specific medical specialty, typically last three to seven years.

Tulane University School of Medicine, LSU Health New Orleans, LSU Health Shreveport, the University of Queensland-Ochsner Medical Program and VCOMLouisiana all had graduating medical students this year who participated in the match.

The 2026 National Resident Matching Program was the largest in the organization’s history, with over 53,000 applicants registered and more than 44,000 residency positions offered in over 6,800 program tracks across the United States.

Here’s how many graduating medical students are

staying in Louisiana, for each Louisiana medical school:

n LSU Health New Orleans’ Match Day results revealed that 95, or 49%, of its 194 medical school graduates

will remain in Louisiana for residency training Of those, 84% will enter an LSU Health residency program.

n At the University of Queensland-Ochsner medical program, 13, or 17.3%, of its 75 matched students will stay in Louisiana for their residency The remaining students, 62, will be attending out of state.

n At LSU Health Shreveport, 61, or 43.5%, of 142 graduating medical students will stay in Louisiana to complete their residency Of those staying in Louisiana, 76.7% will be doing so at an LSU-affiliated academic medical center

n At Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine in Monroe, 37, or 26.8%, of 138 graduating medical students will remain in Louisiana for further training Two-thirds of VCOM’s graduating class matched into primary care specialties, central to the university’s goal — “advancing prevention, expanding access and strengthening community-based care for patients.”

n At Tulane University School of Medicine, 26, or 13.8%, of its 189 graduating medical students will remain in Louisiana for their residency The rest of the university’s students are spread out in programs across the country including California, New york, Illinois,Texas, Florida, Maryland,Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Arizona.

Mayo Clinic studies delivering chemotherapy at home

Researchers finds model a safe, feasible alternative

(Connected Access and Remote Expertise), a model that combines virtual care, remote patient monitoring and in-home clinical services to deliver cancer treatment outside traditional infusion centers. In the pilot study, a multidisciplinary team delivered 93 IV chemotherapy infusions to 10 patients in their homes.

Researchers reported no treatment-related infusion reactions or catheter-related infections, supporting the safety and feasibility of this approach. “Cancer care has traditionally

required patients to spend long hours in infusion centers, often far from home,” says Roxana Dronca, M.D., site director of the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center in Florida and director of Mayo Clinic Cancer CARE Beyond Walls. “This model allows us to safely bring high-quality care directly to patients, reducing burden while maintaining the standards patients expect from Mayo Clinic.” The study highlights the potential of home-based chemotherapy to reduce the physical, emotional

and financial burdens associated with cancer treatment. Patients avoided travel time and experienced fewer disruptions to daily life while maintaining a continuous connection with their care team through virtual visits and remote monitoring.

Most participants surveyed reported high satisfaction with athome care and said they would recommend the model to others.

“This approach is about more than convenience,” Dronca says. “It’s about improving quality of life during treatment and expand-

ing access to care for patients who may face barriers to reaching traditional cancer centers.”

To build on these findings, Mayo Clinic is still enrolling patients in a randomized clinical trial that launched in August 2023 to evaluate home-based chemotherapy compared with standard infusion care. This study will examine safety, patient experience, outcomes and costs, with the goal of expanding access to high-quality cancer care and reducing barriers to clinical trial participation.

BRO UGHT TO YO UB Y

Molly Kimball RD,CSSD

Your partner in orthopedic excellence

AttheOchsnerAndrewsOrthopedicsandSportsMedicineInstitute,every decisionwemakeisfocusedonhelpingourpatientsmoveforward.Fromthe latesttechnologytothedepthofourexpertise,ourteambringselitecare, cutting-edgeresearchandadvancedtrainingtothecommunitiesweserve. Yourrecovery,goalsandqualityoflifedriveeverythingwedo—andwe moveforwardwithyou,everystepoftheway.

Dr.Cefaluisavailableatseveralofourlocations.Call(225)388-6630toschedule.

OchsnerMedicalComplex-TheGrove OchsnerHealthCenter-Prairieville OchsnerHealthCenter-DenhamSpringsSouth OchsnerOrthopedicsandSportsMedicineInstituteatEliteTrainingComplex–Burbank

CharlesCefalu,Jr.,MD | Hand,Shoulder&ElbowSurgery

Fixing braindrain

LSUhonorscollege’s newdegreeprogram lookstobethe solution

BY HALEY MILLER Staffwriter

As many universities encouragestudentstospecialize and tailor theireducation around high-earning,oftenSTEMor business-focused degree paths, the LSUOgdenHonorsCollege is reminding them of the benefits of zooming out.

The new degree,HonorsTraditions in Critical Thought and Scholarship, or TRACTS, offers awell-rounded liberal arts education withoutcompromising on career opportunities, its creators say. It’sgeared toward solvingalongstanding problem in Louisiana of college graduatesleaving thestate for jobs or doctoralprograms elsewhere, taking their expertise and their tax dollars with them.

“Theidea of TRACTS and the honors college in general is the best educational product that the stateofLouisiana can produce —the future leaders of the state whowill transform the state over time,” said BrianHaymon, chairofthe Dean’sAdvisory Council in the honors college and one of thearchitectsofthe degree.

TRACTS, astandalone Bachelor of Arts housed in the honors college, launched with its first cohort in August 2025. Thirty-two students are currently enrolled in the degree.

LSU modeled the degree after the Plan II honorsprogram at theUniversityofTexas at Austin, Haymon said which followsa multidisciplinary arts andsciences curriculum culminating in acapstone thesis.

Compared to simply being amember of the honors college, an independent degree carries from the college carries acertain “gravitas” and makes the program eligible for greater resources, Haymon said “Wedidn’twant ittobesimplyanembellishment,” Haymon said. “Wewanted it to be its ownstand-alone degree that, even if you didn’tcouple it with another degree program, you would produce a well-rounded leader that can write, that can think, that can problem solve, that can work with other people.”

Though many studentsinTRACTS double major,it’snot arequirement

“It’scool when you have abiological engineer andTRACTS major, and you’re studying Homer,” LSU Ogden Honors College Associate Dean Drew Lamonica Arms said. It’sjust areally interesting perspective allcoming together.”

The degree is designed to foster critical thinking,communication, problem solving and ethical decision-making

through discussion of thefoundational texts of Western civilization,similar to a“GreatBooks” curriculum, as well as thesciences.

What further sets the degree apart is a focus on theBayou State,with students exploringchallengesand potential solutions in Louisiana, according to faculty.

“Studentstoday arelooking to create meaning andcreate meaningful change,”said Josh Grimm,professor and TRACTS project manager.“This helps give them agrounding and aplace where, ‘Oh,wow,Ican make adifference in aplace that really needsit.’”

One of thegoalsofthe program is for the students to see Louisiananot as a way station but as adestination, where young people from in and out of state can build their careersand becomethe next generation of leaders.

“You’re allowed to go to Harvard Medical School,” LSU OgdenHonors College Dean Jonathan Earle said. “You’re allowed to go to Wall Street. But what if youcould usethosesameskills to do finance here in Lake Charles, come andbenumber oneinthe class of LSU Shreveport medical school? That’sthe idea.”

Studentsenrolled in TRACTS said they enjoy theseminarclassesinthe major and the sweeping exposure to the arts and sciences.

“In theliberal arts-stylelearning, it develops you as aperson, and it opens your mind to alot of perspectives younever really thought aboutinthe world,” freshman AndersonKrupala said.

FreshmanAditya Khutale saiddeclar-

ing TRACTS as amajor will give him an edge in his applications to medical school andmakehim abetter doctor in the future

“A lot of classes Itakeare STEM related,” Khutale said. “I think adding these liberal arts, humanities-type classes builds aperson’scritical thinking andsoftskills past just STEM. They buildapersontobemoreofa leader, moreengaged in society, moreofa wellroundedperson in general.”

The motto of the degree —“choose to be challenged” —isfitting, faculty say, because the professors are challenged, too. Thehonors students are engaged withcourse content and keep discussions going so long, they have to be cut off, Grimm said.

“Having that energy,you feedoff of it,”hesaid. “You really do. It pushesme to improve my course andmakesure I’mthatmuchmore prepared.”

Haymon said thedegree has the support of graduate schools, theGovernor’s Office, Louisiana Economic Development andindustry leaders. As an employerinthe private sector himself, he saidTRACTS students are developing skills that will make them highly sought-afterhires.

In theInformation Age, he said, the ability to write andspeak effectively work on ateam and problem solve is ever more important.

“You have to have theliberal arts,” Haymon said.“Youhavetohavethis kind of grounding in things biggerthan just the technology itself, in order to make the human experience worthwhile.”

JanRisher

He paints chickens;I paintthe backgrounds

My husband is an artist. Iamnot.

Even though he was anewspaperman formore than 30 years, he’s always been an artist. Seven years ago he took up the calling full time. During that time, he has created avariety of art, everything fromcollages to linoleum prints and small sculptures, but mostly he paints oil on canvas. He prefers to do big pieces, but he is best known forhis smaller paintings. Of chickens.

Thechickens are notaccidental. For most of my childhood, my hometown of Forest, Mississippi, considered itself the “Chicken Capital of the World.” Times have changed, but Forest still produces its share of poultry.Myhusband hasnever lived there, but he married into it, which apparently counts.

He doesn’tlike to start painting on an unpaintedcanvas. So before he begins, the canvas needs acoat of paint.

Ihave neverlearned to draw, but Ilove color.So, Ipaint the backgrounds of his chickens. The backgrounds can be any color loose, layered and imperfect. He may incorporate some of it into the finalpiece, or he may paint over it entirely.He’sasked me to suggest ahorizon in it —soItry.That said, he may rotate the canvas 90 degrees fromwhatever direction I hadinmind.

He sees his own horizon.

I’mvery aware that my contribution is provisional. It may disappear completely beneath the finishedwork, which means there is absolutely no pressure. Imix colors wildly,thenslather on the paint, hand it over and let go.

Icannot explain howmuchIlove the process. Thedays Iget to paint backgrounds formyhusband’s chickens are my peak days.

His regular studio is unavailable to us right now, an indirect casualty of the fire that took our house in August —sothathas changed the rhythm of our lives and my painting backgrounds. But before that, those hours were among the ones Icherished most. Thetwo of us in there together,each doing separate things, nottalking much, not needing to. He let me play my music as we both did our work.

My husband is notaman who seeks alot of company.Hecooks alone. He cleans alone. He was 40 years old when we married, and he hadspent along time learning to be alone well. Our inner lives run on wildly different frequencies which took me years to understand and more years to stop taking personally

When I’mwith him in the studio painting backgrounds, something different happens. Ihave areason to be there. Ihave ajob touching the part of art Imost love —color

In fact, my involvement with my husband and his artwork goes far

See RISHER, page 2Y

Professor Granger Babcock, left, continues the discussionwith agroup of students duringa break.

STAFF

PHOTO By JANRISHER Chicken by Julio Naudin, background by columnist Jan Risher

STAFF PHOTOSByJAVIER GALLEGOS

StudentSophia Kryszewski raisesher hand recently during professor Granger Babcock’sHonors2015 class in theLSU Ogden Honors College

ASK THEEXPERTS

Expandingaccessfor earlychildhood education

BY LARA NICHOLSON Staff writer

Sarintha Stricklin, Ph.D.,

is the executive directorof Jefferson Ready Start Network, an organization dedicated to improving quality andaccess forearly education to economically disadvantaged families with children from birth to age 5.

The organization, formed in 2020 by business owners and educators, is asponsored project of the Jefferson Community Foundation funded through the state and parish, as well as private donations.

Jefferson Parish hasroughly 28,000children aged 5and under,with about 50%-75% of them being economically disadvantaged, accordingto the organization. Only about 4,500 of those children have access to publicly funded seats.

There are 37 Ready Start Networks statewide.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity

Tell me aboutJefferson Ready StartNetwork’swork and whyearly childhood education is important. It’s not just an issuefor children, but for families, for workforce and economic development. There’shuge data that it has massive economic implications when we can’tget people to work

Women particularly tendto be the people that don’tgo back to work or step outof work when they can’taccess child care. It’sreally a nationalissue as well.

So the Jefferson Ready Start Network’scharge is to find long-term, sustainable funding.

The Jefferson Parish Council funds the Ready StartNetwork at $250,000 per year for three years,

largelybecause of the leadership of at-large council member Scott Walker,and thosefunds are matched by thestate’searly childhood fund

That money basically comes into the Jefferson Ready StartNetwork and out the door to providers so that familiesofeconomically disadvantagedchildren can haveseats in child care.

What are the impacts of your organizationsofar?

Jefferson Ready Start Network was formed right before the COVID shutdown. Despite that, wepulled together this incredible group of leaders, which is amix of earlycareand educationproviders and business organizations.The council contribution since thattime plus thestate match puts us close to $4 millionoverthat period.

The bottom lineisthatevery year,the numberofchildrenthat are served with those dollars is alittle bit different because it varies by age. It’sincredibly complicated, but in most programs, therate is similar with theexception of Early Head Start and Head Start. What arethe challenges?

Again, it’sa complex landscape, but the bottomline is we’re serving about 4,500 children in publicly funded seats each year.When you lookacrossthe different fund sources, we stillhave agood 10,000 children who areeligible that we’re not serving

Since the JeffersonParishCouncil started funding seats through the Jefferson Ready Start Network in 2021, we have served 329 children

The simplestchallenge is money

PROVIDED PHOTO By GAMBEL COMMUNICATIONS

Sarintha Stricklin is the executivedirector of Jefferson Ready Start Network.

There are several obstacles. Thefirst is educating thegeneral public and helping the public understand that it’snot just about the child. Yes, it’scritical because brain development happens in the firstfour years of life. But it is also aworkforce andeconomic development issue, and educating the public on the return on investment andthe cost savings down theroad. Whenkids areinquality early care and education, they’re ready for kindergarten.They’re readingon athird-gradelevel.They’re not dropping out in middle school. They are graduating and becoming moreproductivecitizens. It’sabout educating the public, butalso educating our policymakers, our legislators, our council members and having real data to show that if we invest earlier, then we save money later JeffersonParish has an aging population. How does your organization fitinto changing demographics? We need to invest in quality early care and education, so we don’tlose even more

Next LouisianaInspiredbook

BY JOYHOLDEN Staff writer

The Louisiana Inspired Book Club’ssummer selection is aLouisiana classic still relevant for our time —“All the King’s Men” by Robert Penn Warren. Robert Penn Warren is one of the bestknown Southern writers of the 20th century and the only American writer to have won Pulitzer Prizes in both poetry and fiction.

“All the King’sMen,” published in 1946, is generally considered one of the best

novels about American politics

The novelfeaturesthe rise andfall of adictatorial Southernpolitician —looselymodeled on Huey LongofLouisiana. The story explores themes of power,history,identity,loyaltyand love Warren taught at LSU from 1934 to 1942.Duringthis time, he wrote thefirst versions of thenovel,which wasa verse play titled, “Proud Flesh.” He was teaching at LSU when Long was assassinated.

The Louisiana Inspired Book Club invitesreaders to reread theclassic or read it for thefirst time. We will assemble apanel of literary experts to lead adiscussion on asoon-tobe-announced date.

Q&A WITH SARINTHA STRICKLIN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF JEFFERSON READySTART NETWORK

young families moving to the North Shore or other places. We have to be able to have those opportunities, to keep thoseyoung families, or to getthose young adults to come back after college. They’ve got to see opportunity,and clearlyhaving affordable, qualityearly care and education is acritical issue for ayoung family, and they are definitely lookingelsewhere.That’sabig piece of that.

The other interesting piece is oftentimes we see alot of those grandparents raising their grandchildren. We’vehad great conversations with councilman DeanoBonanno, whoisreally looking to figure out how to enhanceseniorservices. We’ve had somegreat con-

RISHER

Continuedfrom page 1y

beyond the backgrounds.I also name allofhis paintings

The chickens, for example, come in batches. Iname each batch with asingle theme. Inamed one whole batch after poets, which yielded one of my favorite of my husband’schickens, Carl Sandburg, thehog butcher poet,rendered in oil on acanvas small enough to hold.

The significant literary charactersbatch gave us TomSawyer,Scout,Boo Radleyand Natty Bumppo. The family membersbatch gave us Aunt Hazel and Uncle David, immortalized in away they did not expect, but would bothappreciate.

Poetry runs as aconstant through mostofwhat I do, through mostofwhat I name.

versations with himabout the connection with seniors. We’re going to be providing him some of thatdatafor early care and education: the number of kids served, the gaps, where we have child care deserts.

What are your plans forJefferson Ready StartNetwork this year?

In thelastyear theReady Start Network actually moved under the Jefferson CommunityFoundation, and we believe that gives us anew opportunity to really educate, communicate about who we are, andactually do somereal fundraising.

We have hadfourgrant applications in thelastfour months, and we’ll be looking to see if we have any opportunities forfunding there. We have agrant applica-

He values the names. He recognizes whatIbring to the business side of his being an artist. Those are the parts that don’tcome naturally to him. The names go on the backs of the paintings, there for whoever turns them over.But Idon’t think he considers the backgrounds the wayIdo. For him, apractical problem is solved. For me,it’ssomething else.

One night last week, we both got home later than usual. Iasked how his day went. He said he had gone to his studio downtown and painted. Iasked what he had painted.

“Chickens and stuff,” he said.

Istarted laughing.

He looked at me with a puzzled expression.

“You don’tknow why that’sfunny?” Iasked.

He did not.

So Itold him about the poetry workshop Itaught decades ago at the elemen-

tion to serve children who are in familieswith limitedEnglish. Specifically, aproject to serve more Latino children in Kenner in partnership with achild care center there that has avery largebilingual staff, owned by aLatina woman Again, smallnumbers, small steps. When we didarecentanalysis of early care across the whole parish, Jefferson had oneofthe largest growing populations of Latino families, andsowerecognized that was ahuge issue, as we don’thavea lotofbilingual teachersinearly care and education.

Email Lara Nicholsonat lnicholson@theadvocate. com.

tary school in my hometown for third graders on aspring morning. Iopened the workshop with aquestion: What is poetry?

Atiny girl in the front row said, “It’swhen words rhyme.”

That’sright, Itold her Sometimes poetry rhymes. What else?

Aboy in the back raised his hand.

Iacknowledged him and asked again, “What is poetry?”

“Chickens and stuff,” he said.

My husband listened to the whole story.Helaughed. Then, he went back to scrolling his iPad, but I knew he had filed it away He does that. He holds on to things and brings them back at exactly the right moment. His inner life runs on a different frequency than mine.But every so often, across the distance or the dining room, the signals connect.

Warren

STAFF FILE PHOTOByBRETT DUKE

Andrea Munoz, center,works with Christopher Peraza, left,and Legend ProbyataJefferson Ready StartNetwork site in MetairieonJune 29, 2023.

THERE’S GOOD NEWS,TOO

These are stories of globalprogress, compiled by the media group Fix the News and shared in partnership with The Advocate/The Times-Picayune.

Each story overview is linked to an original report or story with more information.

GLOBAL PROTECTIONS

At the U.N. wildlife summit in Brazil the 15th Conference of the Partiesto the Convention on the Conservation of MigratorySpecies of Wild Animals —governments agreed to grant the highest levelofinternational protection to the giant otter and striped hyena by listing them on both Appendix Iand II of the Convention on MigratorySpecies.According to the Wildlife Conservation Society this decision requires rangestates to “strengthen legalprotections, improvemonitoring and coordinate conservation actions across borders.”

The giant otter,described as a sentinel of river health, relies on waterwaysystems that are increasingly facing habitat degradation, fragmentationand human disturbance.The striped hyena is experiencing population declines fromhabitat loss,fragmentation and human-wildlife conflict.The new protections aim to improve data sharing,strengthen legal protections and encouragecoordinated conservation efforts among countries. Susan Lieberman, vice president for International Policy at the Wildlife Conservation Society,said that conservation success will “depend on countries working together across entire ecosystems.”

ELIMINATIONOFTRACHOMA

The WorldHealth Organization validated the elimination of trachomaasapublic health problem in Libya,which marksa major milestone in diseasecontrol. Reported in February,Libya is the

28thcountry worldwide and the eighth in the EasternMediterranean Region to achieve this goal demonstratingthat neglected tropical diseases can be overcomeevenin challengingcontexts, with evidencebased programming and coordinated technical support.

Trachoma, abacterial eyeinfection that can lead toblindness, had affected Libyancommunities for over acentury.In2017, the Ministry of Healthprioritizedtrachoma eliminationas part of national eye healthworkwithin the National PreventionofBlindness Programme. Theelimination effortsincluded integratedsurveillance, expanded access to surgical care, improved healthcareand national and international partnerships.Final assessmentsin2022 and 2025

confirmed the decline of trichiasis. The achievement contributes to WHO’sbroader 2021-2030 road map to eliminate neglected tropical diseases.

ERADICATINGHUNGER

The 2025 Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition: Statistics and Trends,released in February, shows that Latin America and the Caribbean have reducedhunger for the fourth consecutive year, with undernourishment falling to 5.1% in 2024 —6.2 millionfewer people than in 2020. South America led improvements, according to the PanAmerican Health Organization, while progress in Mesoamerica and the Caribbean remaineduneven. Food insecurity also declined to 25.2% in 2024,

belowthe global average, though it remains higheramong women

The Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition 2025 is a jointpublication of the Food and Agriculture Organization of theUnited Nations, the International Fund for Agricultural Development,the Pan AmericanHealth Organization/World Health Organization, the WorldFood Programme and the United Nations Children’s Fund.

ASTROCYTES AREINCHARGE

Fordecades, neuroscience treated neurons as the sole drivers of brain activity,while astrocyteswereseen as passiveregulators. Newresearch, reported by Quanta Magazine,shows that astrocytes playacentralrole in regulating brain function.Studies across mice, zebrafish and fruit flies

reveal that astrocytesare integral parts of neural circuits.Astrocytes operate more slowly,integrating information over timeand influencing largenetworks of synapses.Theycan release moleculeslikeadenosine that alterneuronal signaling and behavior Experiments demonstratethat disabling astrocytesdisruptsnormal behavioral responses, highlighting their importance “Once viewed as meresupportcells forneurons, astrocytesare now thought to help tune brain circuits and thereby control overall brain state or mood —say,our levelofalertness, anxiousness or apathy,”Quanta Magazine reported.

REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS

Recentlegal and policy developments have marked aturnacross Africa in recognizing reproductiverights as fundamental human and constitutional rights. Countries including Rwanda, Zambia, Kenya, Malawi and Nigeria are advancing reforms that expand access to reproductive health care and reduce the criminalizationof womenand girls

Anew lawinRwanda lowers the age of consent foraccessing healthcare from 18 to 15. In Nigeria, theFederal High Courtrecognizedthat “survivors are entitledtoaccess safeabortion care,clarifying along-standing legal gapthat had forcedmanyintounsafe and illegaloptions,”asreported by the Center for Reproductive Rights. This seriesoflegal and policy wins signals ashifttoward governments providing accessible reproductive health care forall women and girls. Fix theNewsisthe world’s leading solutions journalism newsletter.The organization finds hiddenstories of progress and shares them withreaders from 195 countries. Steven Pinker calls Fix the News “the bestsource forpositivenewson theinternet.”

With thousands of Shellmen and womenacross thestate,we areworking everyday to reduce emissions, while increasing efficiencyinour operations

Our tomorrowdepends on whatwedotoday.Together, we arepowering progress forabrighterfuture. Louisiana is where we live and we’reproud to call it home.

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Ahyena walksaround its preserve at the MagnoliaWilds preserve on March2 in Ethel. At the UN wildlifesummitin Brazil, governments agreed to grant the highest levelofinternational protection to the giant otterand striped hyena.

FAITH &VALUES

Easter is achancetoanswerGod’s call

BY REV.SHANNON ROGERS DUCKWORTH Contributing writer

The Rev.Canon Shannon Rogers Duckworth was elected diocesan bishopof Louisiana on May14, 2022

Her consecration as the 12thbishop of Louisiana took place Nov.19, 2022. She is the first woman to serve as bishop of Louisiana. Anative of Mississippi, Duckworth, received her bachelor’sinEnglish and history in 1997 from Millsaps College. She was ordained apriest in 2001 after receiving her M.Div.from The General Theological Seminary Duckworth served as canon to the ordinary of the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana from 2013 to 2022. Prior to this position, she served in various positions in the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi. Sheismarriedto James Duckworth and has two adult sons. When Iwas achild,I wanted to be an astronaut Lucky for me, the Jackson, Mississippi, Planetarium was searching for its first class of middle school astronauts for NASA Space Camp. This couldbemycareerlaunching moment! Plus,we were going to wear really cool blue astronaut space jumpsuits with the Ameri-

can flag on the sleeveand aNASApatch on theshoulder Ifilledout the application, andone day, Igot aletter thatI was afinalist

The interviewwentperfectly.I handled the questions beautifully.And then, right beforeI was finished, one adultsaid, “Shannon, before you leave, can you listout the planets in order, starting with the sun?”

Iwent completely blank. The words failed me. The interview ended, as did my career as an astronaut. Good thing,becauselater I learned that weightlessness makes youmotionsickand you are looking at agal who struggles to sit in the back seat of acar Like many people, Ifound myself glued to the TV for the ArtemisIIlaunch. What brought tears to my eyes was not the actual launch butwhathappened just minutes beforehand. There is a critical moment thatfeels almost liturgical, when they conduct what’scalled the “go/no-go” roll call. Every systemiscalled.

“Guidance, Go …”

“Propulsion, Go …”

“Life Support, Go …”

Everything hangsin thatmoment.Noone person makes thedecisionto launch.Everyvoice matters. Everyexpert at a screen andthe hundreds of

people behind the scenes is responsiblefor making sure thateverything is right. If oneperson says “no go,” then they don’tgo.

The countdown clock goes dark.

When thealtar is stripped on Maundy Thursday and we gather in adarkened church on Good Friday,it

feels like everything has come to agrinding and profound halt.There is no darkness greater than just before thefirst fire of Easter.The tomb is sealed. The body is gone, or so they think.Hopehas collapsed under the weight of the cross.

MaryMagdalene comes to

the tombcarrying grief,not expectation.The disciples are not gathered in confidence, they are scattered in fear

And yet… Into thatsilence, into that grief, into that sealed and certain ending, Godspeaks.

So howwas Mary able to recognize Jesus on Easter morning? Howdid she hold onto that last shred of hope?

There are no angels singing in the skies. Jesus doesn’tgointo along explanationofwhatresurrection means. This Easterscene is really nothing more than just afew words and an empty tomb. However,here is the birthplace of hope.

Ahope forall of us,no matter our faithbackground.

Why is this possible? The beloved disciple andMary believed because Jesus first believedinthem. They didn’thaveall of the pieces of the puzzle. They got it wrong sometimes. How could they ever know how it allfittogether?Yet, the empty tomb andthe abandonedclothstolda story.It is astory that was etched on their hearts since the momentJesus calledthem as disciples.

In just abrief period of time, Jesus hadfaith that these fewfolks, these individuals who were notrecognizable or famous or even

maybe that talented —he knew that they could carry the faith. All of the days, the talks, the miles covered,the meals shared …all of the small seedsplantedinafertile valleyofhope. We live in aworld of uncertainty,ofwar,ofthe profound marginalization of the vulnerable.Itisa deep griefthatthreatenshope. Yet, as was recently stated by the Episcopal House of Bishops, “There is hope in thismoment, because even in thefaceofgrief, death, anddespair, we haveaccess to the voice of life —the voice of the One whocalls us to participate in the Gospel missionofunbinding those who are held captive by thebonds of injustice and ensnared by the cords of corruption andoppression. We do not raise the dead; God alone does that. Butweare summoned into thetender, deliberate work of unbinding, of participating in resurrection by loosening the grave clothes that still cling.”

The question of this Easterseasonisnot whether God will act. God already has. The question is whether we will answer. Whetherwewill dare, even trembling, to say: “Go.” Go anddolikewise —and spread the gospeltothe end of the earth.

Connecticut’s‘KidGovernor’ strivestohelpclassmatesfeelincluded

BY JULE PATTISON-GORDON

Contributing writer

Editor’snote: This story, created by Jule PattisonGordon forGoverningis part of theSolutionsStory Tracker from the Solutions Journalism Network, anonprofit organization dedicatedtorigorousreporting about responsesto social problems. Louisiana Inspired features solutions journalism stories that provide tangible evidence that positive change is happening in other places and in our own communities —solutions that can be adopted around the world.

Thegovernor-electsteps up to the podium in the old statehouse, her cabinet arrayed behind her.It’sJanuary,and inauguration day She leans in toward the microphone to answera reporter’squestion, “What inspired her to run?”

“I want to be president some day,orsomething like that,” she explains, “andI really want to make sure I can make achangeinthe world.”

Apresidentialrun will have to be many yearsoff; first, she needs to finish fifth grade.

ThisisTessa Hallinan, Connecticut’s2026Kid

Governor.The fifth grader was elected by peers across the state after running on a platform of makingchildren with disabilities feel moreincluded.

“Someofthe kids in my class and in my grade have disabilities, and I’ve noticed that either theydon’t have someone to hang out with at recess, or they don’t have somebody to sit with at lunch,” Hallinan later told Governing. She notes on her campaign pagethat the issue hits home for her family,too, includinga step-cousin who “is teased because he is acancer survivor and has to wear bags around his waist.”

Apresidentialrun will have to be many yearsoff; first, she needs to finish fifth grade.

ThisisTessa Hallinan, Connecticut’s2026Kid Governor.The fifth grader was elected by peers across the state after running on a platform of makingchildren with disabilities feel moreincluded.

“Someofthe kids in my class and in my grade have

disabilities, and I’ve noticed that either they don’t have someone to hang out withatrecess, orthey don’t have somebody to sit with at lunch,” Hallinan later told Governing. She notes on hercampaign page that the issuehits home for her family,too, including a step-cousin who “is teased because he is acancer survivor and hastowear bags aroundhis waist.”

During her one-year term,Hallinan will encouragefifth graderstostepup. Her plancalls for creating buddy programs that have fifth grade leaderspair up with kids with disabilities on group projects and activities, and for designating “buddy” lunch tables for kids whowantsomeone to sit with. She also wants to educatekidsonhow to be more inclusive and have teachers award kidswho do so with “act of kindness” certificates TheKid Governor program, shereflects later,“is agreat idea for kidsaround the worldorthe country.It helps you learn about civics. It helps you learn how to vote, and it helpsyou think of something that you want to change or make better.”

Kids Find TheirVoices

The nonprofit ConnecticutDemocracy Center launched theKid Governor program adecadeago to give schools ahands-on waytoteach children about state government and civics. Schools opt in to thefree program,and teachers have flexibility in how they runit. Participatingstudents pickanissue they’re passionate about addressing, then research thetopic andcreateaplatformiden-

tifying threespecific ways that fifthgraders across the state can makeadifference.

“At that age, kidsaren’t often asked for their opinion,” says Brian Cofrancesco,directorofthe Kid Governor program. “They’re not asked what they care about.

This year’sfinalists ran on addressing issues like racism, anxietyand marine pollution.

Odyssey Community School teacher Carol Fellenstein usesthe program in her social studies curricula, andpairs it with discussion about Malala Yousafzai andotheryoung people who’ve made adifference.

Justbymaking platforms, the kids “really,totally experience firsthand that they are important, that they matter,” Fellenstein says. “They totally embrace the fact that, ‘I do have the right to speak Idohavethe right to have an opinion. Candidates present their platforminspeechesto theirpeers and runin school elections. The winner becomes the school’s nominee in the KidGovernorelection. These candidatesmakecampaign videos, andthenfifth graders across the state vote on the topseven candidates. The winnerbecomes kid governorand the six runners-up form their cabinet.

Once in office, the kid government servesfor 1-year terms, during which they have opportunities to raise attention to their issue. Thekid governors andcabinet membersvisit libraries around the state where they present their platforms, and the kid governor maintainsablog

wherethey sharetheir message. Aposter contest with theDepartmentof Children and Familiesfurtherdrawsattention to the kid governor platform, as do e-newsletterupdatesto classrooms.

Thekid governor also runs monthly cabinet member meetings, where everyonediscusseshow to advancetheir platforms.

Working with the cabinet hasbeen “awesome,” Hallinan says, while catching up with Governing amonth into herterm. “I’m so glad Ican workwith abunchof talented, smart young kids who are also around my age.”

Therole isn’t alight undertaking.

“I didn’texpect it would be thishardand this complicated,” Hallinan says, noting she’sbeen writing and giving speeches,preparing for andgiving interviewsand beingpart of public events. “It’salot of work, balancing kid governor activities andactual life activities.”

Becoming informed voters

The other big half of the programisvoting. The KidGovernor program sends ballot boxes and voting boothstoschoolsfor their elections, and schools spend time preparing kids forhow to choose astrong candidate.

Fellensteinhas herclassroom review prior-year campaign videos so students can evaluate details, like how well acandidate provides proof they canbe agood leader andwhether their three-point planwould actually involve fifth graders across the state or just be something thegovernor

does alone. The Kid Governor program also provides rubrics kids can use to score each candidate’sspeeches. Those include sectionstorate howrealisticacandidate’s platform is, howwell-researched it is and how well the candidate demonstrates leadershipqualities. The students take their notes into the pollingbooth with themtoinform their votes.

Fellenstein also discusses with her students that while theymight feel obligated to vote for afriend, “wecan’t. We’re not voting forthe person.We’re votingfor the action that they’re going to take.”

Akid’s concerns

Finding their platform can take time, but kids don’t need to solve an issue to impact it, Fellenstein says.

2018 KidGovernor Megan Kasperowski, for example, focusedoncancer.She ran with aplantoraise money to support cancer research, send comedians and magicians into hospitals to entertain patients and create video interviews with people who have,orhavehad, cancer

“It’snot like you’re going to find the cure forcancer —[though] it’spossible that some 10-year-old could do that —but you caninvoke an incredible amount of positive change in the lives of people who might be experiencing cancer,” Fellenstein says.

This year,over10,400 kids registered to vote in the state’s Kid Governor electionsand 51 students ran, per Cofrancesco. The power of that manyvotes behind the seven finalists should be awake-up call to adults to

pay attention to those platforms, because “that’sthe heartbeat of whatour kids are thinking about right now,”Fellenstein says. The program has hit controversy: In 2019, Ella Briggs ran,and won, on a platform of promoting LGBTQ+ youth safety.Schools worriedsomeparents would be upset if classroomsdiscussed the platformand manyteachers opted outofparticipating, Fellenstein recalls. But, she says, thewhole point of the programistoempower kids to speak up forwhatthey careabout: “If we’regoing to stand there and say,‘your voice matters,’ then it’sgot to be their voice matters allthe time, notjust selectively.”

Fellenstein, who taught Connecticut’sfirst-ever kid governor in 2016, hasall her students create platforms, whether or notthey run, because it teaches kids they have avoice andagency,as well as aresponsibility to do the research to inform their opinions.

She recalls ashy,quiet student who built up the couragetosurveyother students as research to help him develophis platform. “He’s notevenremotely the same kid,” Fellenstein says, noting he’snow speaking up allthe time in classand volunteering to develop a historygame to help teach alesson. Regardless of howdeeply they participateinthe program, for students, “It’s absolutely life-changing,” Fellenstein says. Since launching in Connecticut, the program

spread, including to Nebraska, NewHampshire, Oklahoma andOregon.

PROVIDED PHOTO

Rev. Shannon Rogers Duckworth, the diocesan bishop of The Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana

has

PROVIDED PHOTO By THE CONNECTICUT DEMOCRACy CENTER Tessa Hallinan is inaugurated as 2026 Kid Governor

Kid Governor Tessa Hallinan (center) is surrounded by this year’sKid Cabinet. Cabinet members and their platformissues, from left, are Nana Appau(anxiety), Samuel James (cyberbullying), Myra Ruparel (socialinclusion), AjlaReci (screen time),AlyviaStoddard (marine pollution) and Dylan Ellis (racism).

SUNDAY, April 19, 2026

CURTIS / by Ray Billingsley

SLYLOCK FOX / by Bob Weber Jr

GET FUZZY / by Darby Conley

HAGAR THE HORRIBLE / by Chris Browne

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM / by Mike Peters

ZIGGY / by Tom Wilson

ZITS / by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

SALLY FORTH / by Francesco Marciuliano & Jim Keefe

PEARLS BEFORE SWINE /byStephan Pastis

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

word game

instructions: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

todAY's Word — industrious: inDUH-stree-us: Habitually active or occupied.

Average mark 39 words Time limit 60 minutes

Can you find 61 or more words in INDUSTRIOUS?

ken ken

instructions: 1 -Each rowand each column must contain thenumbers 1through4 (easy) or 1through6 (challenging) without repeating 2 -The numbers within the heavily outlinedboxes, called cages, must combine using thegiven operation (inany order)toproduce the target numbersinthe top-left corners. 3 -Freebies: Fillinthe single-boxcages withthe numberinthe top-left corner

instructions: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 gridwith several given numbers. The object is to placethe numbers 1to 9in theempty squares so that each row,each column and each 3x3 boxcontains the same number only once. The difficultylevel of the Conceptis Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday

directions: Complete thegridso that numbers 1–132 connect horizontally, vertically or diagonally

Sudoku

goren Bridge

No escape

Today’s deal is from a tournament in Hungary Four hearts was a common contract, but it failed at most tables

Three declarers succeeded by starting trumps with the ace, noting the fall of the 10 from East, and then finessing West for the queen.

Onedeclarer,Hungary’sGergely Siba, found the way home after starting hearts with the king. The defense started with two rounds of clubs, ruffed by Siba. He led a heart to the king and ruffed anotherclub.Hethenledthejack of diamonds from his hand. West ducked his ace, hoping Siba was abouttotakealosingfinesse.Siba rose with dummy’s king, ruffed another club, and exited with the queen of diamonds to West’s ace. This was the position: NORTH

♠

wuzzLes

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

Quiz

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Take the plunge and follow through with your plans. Dreaming and doing are not the same thing. You must take the initiative and see where it leads

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Examine your environment and situations and evaluate what’s working and what’s outdated or draining your energy. Stop procrastinating, and you’ll start to feel relief.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Learn as you go; reach out, help others when possible and be the light for those who have lost their way Set boundaries and standards, and don’t

West chose to exit with his last diamond. Siba ruffed in dummy, discarding a spade from his hand, and now could endplay Westwitheithermajor-suitqueen and force a lead from the other queen. Great play!

Tannah Hirsch welcomes readers’ responses sent in care of this newspaper or to Tribune Content Agency inc., 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, Ny 14207. E-mail responses may be sent to gorenbridge@ aol.com. © 2026 Tribune Content Agency

hesitate to use institutions, agencies and whatever is available to you.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Hedge your bets. A low profile will help you accomplish the most with the least amount of interference. You can resolve issues if you put your time, energy and skills to work for you.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Push yourself, take care of unfinished business and strive to get along with others to avoid setbacks. Choose your battles wisely, and use your time, energy and skills to gain momentum and respect.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Acknowledge a change of heart. Fine-tune your approach and execute your plans. Don’t hesitate; alter your situation and put an end to what’s dragging you down. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) If you find yourself in a push-pull situation, deal with it before it escalates. Partnerships will require a change to even out the playing field.

SCORPIO (Oct 24-Nov 22) Insert more “me time” into your routine. Energy that has no place to go will fester; keep busy, active and up to date, and you’ll keep on an even keel

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Home is where the heart is, so don’t let outside influences take away from precious time building fond memories with those who matter most to you. Nurture meaningful relationships and make romance a priority CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Be cognizant of what’s happening around you. Keep an open mind but refuse to let anyone railroad you into something that isn’t in your best interests.

The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2026 by NEA, inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Set your sights on your career and financial goals. Do what’s needed and be prepared to compromise when necessary, and it will make the process easier PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Socialize, connect with friends and enjoy every interaction you have. There is something to gain or to learn from every encounter Love is favored, and a kind gesture will bring you closer to someone special.

SCORING: 24 to 30 points —congratulations, doctor; 18 to 23 points—honorsgraduate; 13 to 17 points —you’replenty smart, but no grind; 5to12points —you really shouldhit the booksharder;1point to 4points —enroll in remedial courses immediately; 0points who reads thequestions to you?

Saturday's Cryptoquote: My favoriteweather is bird chirping weather.— Terri Guillemets

1. Elizabeth Taylor.2.Zsa ZsaGabor.3.Nicolas Cage. 4. Mickey Rooney.5.Larry King. 6. George Foreman. 7. Lana Turner.8.JoanCollins. 9. Jennifer Lopez. 10.Richard Pryor.11. Rita Hayworth.12. Billy Bob Thornton.13. Frank Sinatra. 14. BarbaraWalters. 15. Charlie Chaplin Crossword

jeFF mACnelly’sshoe/ by Gary Brookins &Susie MacNelly