The Times-Picayune 06-16-2026

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T u e s d ay, J u n e 16, 2026

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Trial starts for former NOPD officer

GETTING LIT

Judge denies motion to delay in case of man accused of staging art thefts

BY JAMES FINN Staff writer

STAFF PHOTOS By DAVID GRUNFELD

Crews begin work Monday on retrofitting light poles with LED bulbs above the Westbank Expressway in Gretna.

New LED lights coming to Westbank Expressway in $1.7M project

BY LARA NICHOLSON Staff writer

Construction workers donning hard hats and orange vests perched high above the Westbank Expressway from boom trucks Monday as they started a $1.7 million project to replace streetlights with newer, brighter LED bulbs.

The state-funded project will retrofit 680 existing aluminum light poles along the Westbank Expressway between Terry Parkway and U.S. 90 with the new white light bulbs, replacing the yellow-tinted high-pressure sodium light fixtures that were in place before. It will also reinstall missing poles in some locations, according to a news release from Sen. Patrick Connick, R-Marrero.

Work began near Terry Parkway at the foot of the Crescent City Connection, and it’ll move west until it reaches Avondale. The entire project is expected to be completed by the

end of the year.

“It’s common sense. Aesthetically, it’ll be nicer and brighter and safer,” Connick said in a phone call, adding that some stretches of the expressway have had lights go on and off for years.

Matthew Zeringue, director of the Jefferson Parish engineering department, said the plan was initiated three years ago after the existing lights were discontinued and new uniform lights were needed across the entire highway. The project has been in the design phase for the last year, according to Connick.

The work is being paid for from a state fund that collects a quarter of taxes from trucks and trailer purchased in Jefferson Parish and is dedicated toward improvements for the West Bank. Connick said that fund will also pay for roughly $2 million in land-

ä See TRIAL, page 3A

The project includes removing existing high-pressure sodium light fixtures and installing about 680 LED light fixtures on existing aluminum streetlight poles, along with reinstalling missing poles and lamp ä See LIGHTS, page 5A heads in some locations.

‘They just keep coming’

Associated Press

BY MARTHA SANCHEZ Staff writer

WEATHER HIGH 84 LOW 79 PAGE 6B

Initial deal to end U.S.-Iran war moves forward

BY JON GAMBRELL, ELENA BECATOROS and MICHELLE L. PRICE

Population in Fla. seaside towns surges as newcomers seek a laid-back lifestyle SEASIDE, Fla. — Looking out the window of his family’s old grocery store, Charlie Modica sees few signs of the quiet beach town he moved to decades ago.

Visitors with shopping bags now hurry across a busy square built on land that used to be filled with nothing but scrub oak. Cars playing country music pack streets that were once sandy and unpaved.

A wave of newcomers moving to the beach towns across Florida’s Scenic Highway 30A

A jury was impaneled Monday in the case of a former New Orleans Police Department officer charged with faking an art heist in exchange for kickbacks, a saga that yielded a trove of evidence — but no formal charges — in federal agents’ yearslong pursuit of former Mayor LaToya Cantrell.

In a trial expected to last two weeks, the federal jury will weigh charges against Christian Claus, a former Nevada lawyer who Claus resigned from the NOPD in 2023 amid the criminal probe. Prosecutors say he conspired with a restaurateur and former boxer, Fouad Zeton, to stage thefts of expensive paintings from Zeton’s home with a plan to cash in through bogus insurance reports.

Prosecutors say Zeton, who was fond of touting professed relationships with politicians, including Cantrell, promised Claus kickbacks in return, and to leverage NOPD friendships to score him a promotion.

Under his 2024 indictment, Claus is

PROVIDED PHOTO

The U.S. Census Bureau estimates more than 17,000 new residents have arrived in Walton County, Fla., since 2020, growing the region’s population by 24%.

is transforming the region from an undevel“Look at all these people,” he said as oped outpost into one of the fastest-growing he glanced out at the bustling sidewalk.

“They’re happy. How could that be wrong?” areas along the Gulf Coast.

The story unfolding across this gleaming Some fear the population explosion is creating congestion that threatens their paraä See SEASIDE, page 3A dise. But Modica views it as a gift.

Business ......................6A Commentary ................5B Nation-World................2A Classified .....................7D Deaths .........................3B Opinion ........................4B Comics-Puzzles .....3D-6D Living............................1D Sports ..........................1C

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — An initial agreement between the United States and Iran to extend their shaky ceasefire inched toward a formal signing despite questions Monday over ä Trump the fate of Tehran’s arrives at nuclear program and G7 summit an offensive by Israel looking for in Lebanon that could prolong the fighting momentum after and scuttle the deal.

T h e a g r e e m e n t announcing signed electronically deal. PAGE 4A Sunday is meant to provide a meaningful truce in a monthslong war that has killed thousands across the Middle East, including the top leaders of Iran’s theocracy, and raised the prices of fuel, food and other

ä See IRAN, page 5A

13TH yEAR, NO. 308

2A ✦ Tuesday, June 16, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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B-52 crashes after takeoff at military base

LOS ANGELES — A B-52 bomber crashed shortly after takeoff Monday morning at a U.S. Air Force base in Southern California’s Mojave Desert, and all eight people aboard have dead, military officials said.

“We lost eight great Americans,” James Hayes, the deputy commander at Edwards Air Force Base, said at a news conference.

Aerial footage showed virtually nothing left of the aircraft that went down around 11:20 a.m. during a routine test mission at the base 100 miles north of Los Angeles, the base said on its Facebook page. Black smoke rose from a large swath of charred desert near what appeared to be a runway on the base, with emergency vehicles nearby.

It was not immediately clear what caused the crash.

“After reviewing the footage of the crash, it was deemed that this was an unrecoverable crash and unsurvivable,” Hayes said.

The way the B-52 crashed so quickly after takeoff without getting very high or going far makes aviation safety expert Jeff Guzzetti suspect some kind of flight control malfunction.

It’s possible the controls were rigged wrong after maintenance, he said, or a catastrophic engine problem or a failure of a piece of equipment that was being tested.

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Killed skydivers were experienced

Kansas City, he said. The One of nation’s leading female jumpers among casualties dive crash site in the small town of

BY JOHN SEEWER and JOSH FUNK Associated Press

Several of the skydivers killed when their plane crashed moments after taking off from a Missouri airfield were experienced jumpers, including one of the nation’s leading female jumpers.

Federal investigators were at the crash site Monday, a day after the plane carrying a pilot and 11 passengers slammed into a field and burst into flames, killing all on board, authorities said.

Some family members of those who died were at the airport to watch the jump and witnessed the crash, said Bates County Sheriff Chad Anderson.

Authorities have not released the victims’ names, but friends and colleagues began paying tribute.

The United States Parachute Association, skydiving’s governing body, said its technology director, Jen Sharp, was among those killed.

“Jen was a remarkable force whose passion for the skies was matched only by her dedication to the people in our sport,” said Albert Berchtold, the organization’s executive director.

Sharp taught skydiving instructors, wrote educational materials and made 6,800 jumps since her first one in 1989, according to her website.

She once jumped into Denver’s Coors Field ballpark while dressed as the queen of England and was part of the Everest Skydive in the Himalayas, her site said.

Kevin Payne, who had jumped with seven of the skydivers on the plane, said they were all different in nearly every way, except that they were all brought together as a “sky family.”

“There is a joy and peace and freedom to what we do. That’s what most people never understand,” Payne, of Parkville, Missouri, wrote in an email. “It’s not

about the adrenaline. It’s about really flying together with your family in that brief, exquisite instant that people who live their lives on the ground will never understand.”

Investigators have interviewed some witnesses, National Transportation Safety Board Vice Chairman Michael Graham said. The plane didn’t have a “black box” like those that record crash data on commercial planes, but investigators will look for other kinds of devices that could provide insights, he said.

Witnesses say the plane was roughly 100 feet from the ground when it made an abrupt left turn before crashing.

It appeared to be losing power, and the pilot may have been trying to reach a highway to land when the plane stalled and went down nose first, said Dennis Jacobs, acting airport manager of Butler Memorial Airport.

The plane was operated by Sky-

Utah BASE jump kills 2 Extreme athlete performed with Madonna at Super Bowl

BY RUSS BYNUM

Miss. police shoot at car; 1 killed, 1 injured A child is dead and another person wounded after a Mississippi police officer shot at a vehicle while responding to a shoplifting call, authorities say.

The shooting happened Sunday after three people, including the child, got into a vehicle after exiting a Walmart in Senatobia, according to the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation.

As police tried to stop the vehicle, the driver drove toward them and almost hit an officer, according to the bureau. An officer then shot at the vehicle, which drove away.

The three people in the vehicle drove to a hospital, where the child was pronounced dead.

Police: ICE agent fired gun after car hit him STAFFORD TOWNSHIP, N.J. — A federal immigration agent was struck by a vehicle Monday and fired his gun while attempting to apprehend someone in New Jersey, police said.

The agent’s gunfire possibly struck the vehicle as it left the scene, Stafford Township police said in a written statement.

“The agent reportedly sustained unknown injuries,” police said, adding that it was unknown whether the motorist was hurt.

Payton Johnson, who witnessed it, said ICE agents approached a man in a van. “They tell him to roll down his window, he’s inching forward, and you can tell it’s getting tense by his inching forward,” Johnson told WCAU-TV, adding that the driver “gunned it” and took off.

There is no universal training standard for law enforcement to shoot at a moving vehicle. But most police departments and federal guidance bar shooting unless the driver poses an imminent threat of deadly force beyond the car itself.

‘Wuthering Heights’ first edition up for auction LONDON — A rare first-edition copy of “Wuthering Heights,” Emily Brontë’s tragic, tempestuous romance, complete with spelling mistakes, is up for auction for the first time in more than a century.

Christie’s auction house said Monday that it’s the first copy of the novel in the publisher’s original cloth binding to be auctioned since 1908. Only about 250 copies of the first edition were printed, and this one has been in a private library since shortly after its publication in 1847.

Being sold along with a copy of sister Anne Brontë’s “Agnes Grey,” it’s expected to sell for between $540,000 and $800,000 at a June 30 auction in London.

Both books carry the male pen names the sisters adopted to get published: Ellis Bell for Emily and Acton Bell for Anne.

Butler is roughly 65 miles south of Kansas City.

The Pacific Aerospace 750XL — a single engine turboprop plane — is a popular model in skydiving because it’s designed for the sport and can quickly take parachutists to jumping altitudes while using short runways.

This particular aircraft, built in 2010, made nine successful flights in the days before the crash, including two on Sunday morning, according to FlightAware, a digital flight tracking company.

Federal investigators have voiced concerns about oversight for skydiving operators in past crash investigations and have cited the need for maintenance guidelines, training for pilots and stronger aircraft inspections. The NTSB said after a crash killed 11 people in Hawaii that the Federal Aviation Administration’s regulatory system isn’t strong enough to ensure the safety of skydiving flights.

Associated Press

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By SCOTT BAUER

Beagles that were purchased from a Dane County animal research facility play outside May 12 in Madison, Wis.

Wis. beagle research facility that drew protests is closing

BY PHILIP MARCELO Associated Press

A Wisconsin beagle breeding and research facility that’s been the site of recent violent protests is closing, and its remaining dogs are being taken in by a Florida rescue group.

Big Dog Ranch Rescue announced Monday that it has reached an agreement for the permanent closure of Ridglan Farms and the transfer of its 475 remaining beagles starting this week.

“Not one dog will remain,” Lauree Simmons, the group’s founder, said in a news conference at a farm. “No more breeding, no more testing, no more anything.”

Yearslong opposition to the facility came to head in April when a large group of animal welfare activists stormed the property in an attempt to take away beagles, prompting police to use tear gas and pepper spray as they made dozens of arrests.

Some protesters were also arrested in March after they broke in and took 30 dogs from the facility, which is located in Blue Mounds, a small town about 25 miles southwest of the capital, Madison.

Big Dog Ranch Rescue said some of the beagles will go to rescue groups while others will be sent to its Florida and Alabama campuses where they will be spayed, neutered and prepared for adoption.

The group bought roughly 1,500 of the facility’s more than 2,000 beagles in

April for an undisclosed price.

About 200 dogs were being transferred Monday, according to Simmons. Another 125 will be moved Tuesday. The transfer of the remaining beagles will happen in August, as they are still puppies.

Simmons called on protesters to refrain from further demonstrations as it says Ridglan Farms has committed to permanently closing its dog breeding, sales, research and testing operations.

“Our focus now should be on supporting these dogs as they transition into their new lives,” Simmons said. “These dogs will get to experience safety and a normal life for the first time.”

Simmons said her group is also “working closely” with the Trump administration to stop funding studies that subject dogs to “invasive and painful experimentation.”

Ridglan Farms, in a statement, said all the dogs being transferred are “happy, healthy animals” with “extensive” state and federal inspection documentation.

“We hope these dogs will continue to flourish in their new homes,” the company said, adding that it hopes that the “years-long harassment campaign targeting the research facility’s owners, staff and neighbors comes to an end.”

Ridglan Farms agreed in October to give up its state breeding license as of July 1 as part of a deal to avoid prosecution on felony animal mistreatment charges.

Woman who died in jumping incident wasn’t hooked up to rope, police say

By The Associated Press SAO PAULO — A Brazilian police investigator said Monday that the 21-yearold woman who died in a rope jumping incident was not attached to any safety equipment.

Andrea Levy told journalists that the three jumping instructors involved in the incident acknowledged that Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas was not connected to safety ropes when she jumped Saturday in the countryside of Sao Paulo state.

Levy said the three instructors have been ar-

rested and could face manslaughter charges.

“They do not remember whether they forgot to attach (the ropes), or who was supposed to do it, or who failed to check. But the fact is the ropes were not attached to her,” Levy said.

De Freitas was buried on Sunday after the accident at Ponte do Esqueleto, an abandoned bridge in Limeira, a city 92 miles north of Sao Paulo.

The young woman had asked to be launched from the bridge airplane style, with two instructors hoisting her above their shoulders as she spread out

her arms. Footage shared online shows two men in white helmets launching her into a 130-foot abyss.

The instructors are wearing harnesses that appear to be attached to a security rope.

Rope jumping is an extreme sport that differs from bungee jumping in the type of cord used and the resulting motion of the fall. Bungee jumping uses elastic rubber cords that create a vertical, bouncing effect, whereas rope jumping uses low-stretch climbing ropes that convert the fall into a horizontal, pendulum swing.

A weekend BASE jumping accident in a Utah canyon killed two people, one of them a daredevil athlete best known for performing onstage with Madonna at the 2012 Super Bowl, authorities said.

The sheriff’s office in Grand County, Utah, confirmed one of the dead was Andy Lewis, an extreme athlete known for feats in BASE jumping, a dangerous sport that involves parachuting to the ground after jumping from a tall fixed object such as a building, a bridge or a desert cliff overlooking a deep canyon.

In BASE jumping circles, Lewis had a huge following and a reputation for pushing the envelope — leaping into tighter spaces or deploying his parachute later than his peers would dare, said John McEvoy, a BASE jumping instructor

in Twin Falls, Idaho, who has jumped with Lewis.

“He had an incredible level of athleticism and skill that was developed over years of practice,” McEvoy said. “But then he would take an incredible amount of risk.”

Lewis was also a prominent figure in the niche sports of slacklining and tricklining, which combine elements of high-wire walking with aerial acrobatics — sometimes at perilous heights.

Lewis went from obscure athlete to overnight celebrity when he appeared onstage in Madonna’s 2012 Super Bowl halftime show.

Dressed in a Roman toga, Lewis bounced and executed tricks on his inch-wide line like it was a trampoline while Madonna sang behind him.

“My phone actually rang itself to death three days in a row,” Lewis said soon afterward on Conan O’Brien’s late night show.

Emergency responders were dispatched Sunday to a report of people injured in a BASE jumping attempt at Mineral Bottom, a remote desert area near the UtahColorado line, according to the sheriff’s office.

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The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Tuesday, June 16, 2026 ✦ 3A

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SEASIDE

Continued from page 1A stretch of coastline is remarkable: The U.S. Census Bureau estimates more than 17,000 new residents have arrived since 2020, growing the region’s population by 24%.

The shift, along with the county’s thriving tourism industry, is generating an economic boom and luring more businesses to meet the needs of families who have long dreamed of laid-back lives near the beach.

It is also forcing county leaders to scramble as they confront tough new questions about surging traffic and increasingly crowded shores.

How growth plays out in 30A — and whether county leaders can keep pace with it — could hold lessons for communities across the Gulf Coast, where many vacation spots beloved by Louisiana visitors are getting more popular and expensive than ever.

And in this part of the Florida Panhandle, where the population is expected to surge from 93,000 to more than 100,000 people by 2030, striking a balance between growth and preservation is becoming a race against time.

“It’s tough,” said Dan Curry, a county commissioner who worries projects like road repairs must be done now before the population rises further. “Pushing it off is not the answer.”

30A appeal grows The land between Destin and Panama City once was wild and isolated, home to only a handful of residents who lived in wooden cottages

TRIAL

Continued from page 1A charged with wire and mail fraud, conspiracy, using a facility in interstate commerce in aid of bribery and lying to a federal agent.

The case burst into public view in 2022 when FBI agents raided Zeton’s opulent Lower Garden District hotel and walked out with several of the paintings he had claimed were stolen.

They also seized Zeton’s phone, which contained texts with a local electrician later accused of going through Zeton to bribe Cantrell.

Zeton later pleaded guilty to a single wire fraud count.

A witness list shown Monday to the jury listed him as set to testify against his alleged co-conspirator.

This week’s trial is poised to offer a deeper glimpse at the wide-ranging cache of evidence federal prosecutors amassed as they sought for years to build a criminal case against the former mayor. The probe escalated during Cantrell’s scandalridden second term, culminating in her indictment last August on wire fraud, obstruction and other counts.

Ultimately, the wrongdoing alleged in her indictment

along the windswept dunes.

Then, beginning in the 1950s, developers started selling lots and luring affluent Southerners with promises of utopia. Soon, the state built the beach road that became the region’s namesake.

And the draw to 30A has only grown since.

“They just keep coming,” Russ Barley, the mayor of Freeport, just north of 30A, said recently. The added tax revenues have grown the city’s annual budget to nearly $100 million, up from around $20 million about a decade ago.

Barley names dozens of developments — including a grocery store, more apartment buildings and a Walmart — arriving with the rising population. Some longtime residents in the area are selling their land and cashing in. And the newcomers snatching up properties say life here brings them peace.

“You run into people that have a lot of joy and good vibes because they’re here on vacation,” said Heather O’Connor, who moved with her daughter to an apartment in the Santa Rosa Beach community from Jonesboro, Arkansas, last month. They plan to start an interior design business and are still in awe over the coastal scenery.

“Even just going to church or the gas station or the grocery store, you’re surrounded by beauty,” O’Connor said.

Another newcomer, Selah Hirsch, moved in nearby with her husband and four children last August. They arrived from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, seeking a beach lifestyle that would let them slow down amid busy weeks. Hirsch runs a branding agency and, like many

involved none of the allegations regarding Zeton or the electrician, Randy Farrell, accused of working with Zeton to bribe Cantrell. When Cantrell faces a jury in October, it will be on charges that she concealed her spending of taxpayer dollars on an illicit affair with her former NOPD bodyguard.

Prosecutors and defense lawyers alike on Monday signaled that Claus’ trial will still be a high-intrigue affair, with Zeton’s phone and testimony expected to form linchpins of the government’s case. Also named on a list of prospective government witnesses is a former assistant FBI director and current global security executive for ESPN, Michael Heimbach.

Claus had been described, though not by name, in Zeton’s April 2023 guilty plea.

The next May, a Las Vegas art appraiser named Michael Schofield admitted to wildly inflating values of the paintings Claus and Zeton claimed were stolen. Schofield is also expected to testify against Claus.

Claus’ indictment from June 2024 painted him as masterminding the scheme.

It was peppered with cinematic details. One section described Claus, in a meeting with Zeton, holding up a sign that read “NOT CON-

STAFF PHOTO By HANNAH LEVITAN

Some visitors are complaining that public beaches in Walton County, Fla., are becoming packed while private sand nearby sits mostly empty. Many homeowners argue growing crowds make enforcing private property rights more important. professionals moving here, works remotely.

“It just instantly felt like the place we were supposed to bring our family to,” she said.

Crowds and traffic But the region’s beauty is so great that it is growing increasingly crowded.

So many sunbathers are now lounging across the white sand shoreline that many waterfront property owners are hiring security guards to enforce trespassing rules on privately owned beaches more strictly than ever. Traffic, once confined to holidays like the Fourth of July, is now a year-round dilemma.

Home prices are also soaring — the county’s median listing price has jumped from around $650,000 in 2020 to nearly $850,000 today. Even old streets still lined with cottages are feeling the pressure.

“Some people look at the early Seaside neighbor-

RAD” — an alleged bid to remind Zeton not to address the officer by his middle name, which was used only by acquaintances and which Zeton would not have known had the pair only met in the course of an NOPD probe of stolen art.

The indictment suggested the sign was captured by Claus’ body-worn camera.

Claus on Monday personally argued to Chief U.S. District Judge Wendy Vitter that the trial should be delayed.

He hadn’t had enough time or access to review Zeton’s phone, he argued.

“We haven’t seen the phone, which is loaded with inculpatory information for Mr. Zeton, and exculpatory information for me,” Claus said, with his attorney, Chris Murrill, standing beside him.

Vitter seemed skeptical.

“There has been no indication, until the morning, that there was any issue with discovery,” she said.

Indeed, Assistant U.S. Attorney Chandra Menon, who is prosecuting the case, told Vitter that prosecutors allowed Claus and his legal team to review Zeton’s phone for hours at FBI offices. They later gave Claus’ legal team the phone’s full contents so a forensic expert could review the device for signs of “tampering,” Menon added.

The judge denied Claus’ re-

hoods and say, ‘Why are all these small shacks not being replaced by big monster houses?’” said Robert Davis, the developer who designed and founded the popular community four decades ago. “It’s something that concerns me.”

Leaders around the region are raising several ideas to solve the challenges of crowds. The county is considering adding more sand to renourish and expand the beaches. Davis suggested Seaside’s bike path should become wider and smoother to lure more residents off the roads.

Some say expanding highways could threaten the quaint feel that defines 30A’s communities. But others argue the region must add more passing lanes and stoplights.

Despite some tensions, many here say the soul of 30A is intact — at least for now. Tanned teenagers still ride bikes through the streets, ignoring their

cellphones for a few precious moments. Families still chase beach sunsets together.

Modica, 64, walks to work every day at his family grocery store, same as always.

But some signs of change are inescapable.

As he looked across the town square, the store’s phone kept ringing behind him.

“Modica Market,” a cashier with a singsong voice answered over and over, fielding questions from more new customers.

quest, and jury selection proceeded Monday afternoon.

Questions during the “voir dire” portion of the selection process focused on whether potential jurors had strong feelings about police officers, insurance brokers or

federal officials. Vitter also asked whether prospective jurors had ever been victims of fraud.

By about 5 p.m., a jury of 12 plus alternates was set.

Each side was set to deliver opening statements on Tues-

day morning.

STAFF PHOTO By MARTHA SANCHEZ

Modica Market, a gourmet grocery store, has served customers in Seaside, Fla., for decades and witnessed the county’s transformational growth.

James Finn covers federal law enforcement and courts for The TimesPicayune | The Advocate.

Reach him at jfinn@ theadvocate.com.

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4A ✦ Tuesday, June 16, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

Trump looking for momentum at G7 summit lll

BY SYLVIE CORBET, AAMER MADHANI and DARLENE SUPERVILLE Associated Press

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France — President Donald Trump started his visit to the G7 summit of leading industrialized nations on Monday by declaring his agreement aimed at ending the U.S. war with Iran is a potential breakthrough for global security and a chance for the U.S. to finally turn the page in its relationship with longtime adversary Iran.

The Republican U.S. president sought to make clear that he arrived in Evian-les-Bains with the wind at his back for talks with G7 leaders, including some who have been sharply critical of his managing of the 15-week-old conflict, which has led to a surge in global energy prices — though he did not immediately seem willing to lay out the details of what was in the emerging deal.

Some of those details are still to be negotiated in talks over the next 60 days, though Trump said the memorandum of understanding would likely be released after it’s signed on Friday.

“I think a lot of great things are going to happen in the Middle East right now, and very importantly the oil (price) is plummeting down and the stock market is shooting up like a rocket today,” Trump said at a meeting with the summit’s host, French President Emmanuel Macron, before they joined a working dinner with other leaders.

“The Iran deal that we made is going to bring a lot of success to the world,” he said.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JULIA DEMAREE NIKHINSON

President Donald Trump meets with French President Emmanuel Macron during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G7 summit Monday in Evian-les-Bains, France.

Minister Giorgia Meloni over failing to consult them before the decision to go to war. But sealing an agreement before jetting off to the summit might change the dynamic of the three-day gathering.

Macron at the start of Monday’s meeting congratulated Trump for finding a way to an agreement. “It’s a very important matter for peace of the whole world,” Macron said.

Trump has pushed back on the four European leaders — members of the NATO military alliance — for their lack of support for the U.S. in the conflict.

He’s expected to discuss with leaders the demining of the Strait of Hormuz. Britain and France have expressed interest in assisting with the demining once the conflict is paused. Fear of potential mines is among the reasons tanker traffic has come to a halt during Deal could change G7 dynamic the war, and clearing them will be Trump has had friction with crucial to regaining the confidence Macron, British Prime Minister of commercial vessels.

Macron on Monday said France Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime was ready to move within days

to deploy assets, including mineclearing vessels, to the region to help.

Senior U.S. officials told reporters that the while the agreement provides for the immediate opening of the strait and lifting of the U.S. naval blockade, it will take weeks for traffic to return to previous levels.

Macron invited the leaders of three nations that aren’t part of the G7 — Egypt, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates — to take part in a session on the Middle East on Tuesday, when Iran is expected to be a central focus.

Questions about incentives Trump had fiercely criticized President Barack Obama for the 2015 nuclear agreement, which Trump argued failed to stop Tehran from advancing toward a weapon and funneled billions of dollars into the Islamic Republic’s coffers.

In 2018, Trump exited the deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Britain, China,

France, Germany, Russia and the European Union were also signatories to the pact.

Trump in an interview on Sunday with The New York Times pushed back on comparisons to the Obamaera nuclear deal. “We negotiated from strength,” Trump said. “He was basically paying them off.”

But Trump hasn’t explained how his agreement will address some key issues about Iran’s nuclear program, including who will be in charge of verifying that Iran is complying with the agreement and who will destroy or remove 972 pounds of highly enriched uranium believed to be buried under nuclear sites that were badly damaged by U.S. strikes last summer.

The memorandum of understanding includes the possibility of releasing Iran’s frozen funds, sanctions relief and a $300 billion fund to help rebuild Iran — all of which would be tied to Tehran meeting certain benchmarks aimed at assuaging White House concerns, senior U.S. officials told reporters on Monday.

Some Democrats and hawkish critics say Trump has failed to explain how the financial relief in his agreement will differ from what Obama did in the 2015 nuclear deal.

“For all his critique of JCPOA, we had international observers, we actually had an alliance there that included the Europeans, and Russia and China were all signatories,” Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, told CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, a close ally of Trump and an Iran hawk, expressed skepticism, saying that Congress will need to review and vote on any nuclear deal with Iran, and said he expects Vance — “the architect of the deal” — to present it.

Tariffs, war in Ukraine also focus

Leaders are expected to discuss a range of economic and trade issues. Trump told the New York Post he’s warned Macron the U.S. will “have no choice” but to slap 100% tariffs on French wines unless Paris eliminates its digital tax on American tech companies, renewing a long-running threat from him that dates to his first administration.

Wines and spirits exported to the U.S. from the European Union currently face a 15% tariff.

In an interview with broadcaster TF1, Macron said Monday that it’s not “for the United States to decide what European or French law should be.”

Macron also invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for a working session with G7 leaders on Tuesday to discuss the Russia-Ukraine war.

Zelenskyy had offered to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin with Trump and European leaders at the G7 gathering, but the Kremlin didn’t reply, a Ukrainian official familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.

Putin is wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes, and France would be obliged as an ICC member to arrest him. The United States and Russia both oppose the court.

Trump suggested that, after an Iran deal, he’ll now have greater bandwidth to focus on the RussiaUkraine war.

Madhani reported from Geneva, AP writers Samuel Petrequin and John Leicester in Paris; Volodymyr Yurchuk in Kyiv, Ukraine; Michelle L. Price and Collin Binkley in Washington; and Tom Beaumont in Des Moines, Iowa, contributed reporting.

California’s Newsom says DOJ is investigating him and his wife

BY SOPHIE AUSTIN and ALANNA DURKIN RICHER Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday accused the Justice Department of launching a politically motivated investigation into him and his wife, saying the Trump administration was targeting him as he weighs a presidential bid.

Newsom, a longtime political rival of the Republican president, said in a video posted on X that federal agents have knocked on the doors of his friends and former employees, and have asked for records.

Newsom didn’t provide specifics on the nature of the probe, but his office said the inquiry appears to have recently expanded into “increasingly personal matters involving the Governor’s family and professional network.”

“Donald Trump isn’t just coming after me because of my mean tweets,” Newsom said, referencing his use of social media to mock Trump. “He’s coming after me because I’m considering running for president, because he hates that I’ve consistently called him out over and over again for his lies and deceit.”

The full details of any Justice Department inquires related to Newsom were not immediately clear. But the revelations were likely to escalate accusations from critics that the Trump administration is using the law enforcement agency as a weapon to go after the president’s political opponents.

A person familiar with the matter denied the existence of an investigation specifically targeting the governor, but said there are multiple federal probes into people around him, including one related to his wife’s taxes. That

probe began last year, and political leadership in Washington was not involved in the decision to open it, said the person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss ongoing investigations.

Another probe is related to Newsom’s former chief of staff, Dana Williamson, who was indicted on federal charges that she was involved in a scheme to steal campaign money from former federal Health Secretary Xavier Becerra.

Williamson in May pleaded guilty to charges including conspiracy to commit bank fraud. That investigation, launched by President Joe Biden’s Justice Department, has expanded to include other staff, the person familiar with the matter said.

Newsom hasn’t been accused of any wrongdoing related to Williamson’s case.

The Justice Department de-

clined to comment on Monday.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche declined to answer questions about Newsom during a brief photo opportunity with Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, on Capitol Hill Monday afternoon.

Blanche had a scheduled meeting with Grassley to discuss his nomination to become attorney general.

They are the latest Justice Department investigations surrounding one of Trump’s political foes.

The Justice Department has also opened investigations into or brought prosecutions against former FBI Director James Comey,New York Attorney General Letitia James, former CIA director John Brennan and former Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, among other perceived political enemies of the president.

“One by one, anyone who has challenged Donald Trump has

ended up on his hit list, and today I proudly join that list,” Newsom said in the video.

Investigators have subpoenaed records, and agents have reached out to organizations and people connected to the governor and his wife, according to Newsom’s office. The governor’s office accused the Justice Department of “searching for a crime that does not exist.”

Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the governor’s wife, said the investigation showed that Trump is unfit for office.

“There are clearly no boundaries to what Donald Trump will do to get his way or to challenge those who get in his way,” she said in a statement.

Durkin Richer reported from Washington. Associated Press reporter Mary Clare Jalonick in Washington contributed to this report.

U.N. calls on Taliban to reverse crackdown on women in Afghanistan

BY EDITH M. LEDERER Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution Monday calling on Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers to swiftly reverse their crackdown on women and to combat militant groups inside Afghanistan that Pakistan accuses of carrying out cross-border attacks.

China’s U.N. Ambassador Fu Cong, whose country sponsored the resolution, said the hope is that the Afghan government will “take more proactive measures to protect human rights, especially the rights of women, and project an image of openness, inclusivity and responsibility.”

The resolution extends the U.N. political mission

in Afghanistan until June 17, 2027, and authorizes it to support humanitarian aid deliveries “without discrimination” and to promote national and local governance “without any discrimination based on sex, religion or ethnicity, with the full, equal, meaningful and safe participation of women, … minorities, youth and persons with disabilities.”

The resolution’s adoption follows the arrest of at least 30 women in the western city of Herat this month for allegedly violating the Taliban’s strict dress code.

A rare protest sparked by the arrests was violently dispersed by Taliban police, who shot and killed one person and injured several others, according to the U.N. mission known as UNAMA. The Taliban have run Af-

ghanistan since 2021 in the wake of the chaotic withdrawal of U.S.-led forces and have imposed a strict interpretation of Islamic law, or Shariah, including draconian restrictions on women and girls, such as bans on education beyond primary school and on many jobs. Minorities have also been impacted.

The resolution authorizes the U.N. mission to facilitate talks between the Taliban and regional countries and the wider international community, “For that political process to succeed, the Taliban must act,” U.S. deputy ambassador Jennifer Locetta said.

“The Taliban must meet their counterterrorism commitments, respect Afghanistan’s international obligations, end hostage diplomacy, and cease their unconscionable

abuses of the human rights of women and girls.”

Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of harboring militants who carry out deadly attacks inside Pakistan, which the Taliban denies. Hundreds of people have been killed in fighting between the two countries since February, when Afghanistan attacked

Pakistan in retaliation for Pakistani airstrikes inside Afghanistan.

Pakistan’s U.N. Ambassador Asim Ahmad said the “resolution expresses the council’s serious concern over the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan, which continue to constitute a threat to international

peace and security.”

The new resolution also authorizes UNAMA to advance Afghanistan’s economic development, including by facilitating commercial and financial activity and supporting efforts to return assets belonging to the Central Bank “for the benefit of the Afghan people.”

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South African jazz icon Abdullah Ibrahim dies

BY MICHELLE GUMEDE Associated Press

JOHANNESBURG — Globally celebrated South African jazz icon Abdullah Ibrahim, who performed at Nelson Mandela ’s 1994 presidential inauguration, has died at age 91, his family announced in a statement Monday.

Ibrahim, formerly known as Dollar Brand, passed away peacefully in Germany following a short illness, surrounded by loved ones,

the statement issued on behalf of his family said.

Born in Cape Town, Ibrahim rose to international prominence as a pianist, composer and bandleader.

With a career spanning more than seven decades, he forged a unique blend of jazz and South African musical traditions, making him a cultural ambassador whose music struck a chord with listeners worldwide.

As one of South Africa’s most respected jazz figures,

he famously played at Nelson Mandela‘s 1994 presidential inauguration.

Paying tribute to her partner, Dr. Marina Umari said he “passed away peacefully with South Africa and its people in his heart.”

“His love for his country never wavered, no matter where in the world he found himself,” she said.

His family said that even though his life is over, his influence and voice would continue to resonate.

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The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Tuesday, June 16, 2026 ✦ 5A

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IRAN

cluding telling The New York Times on Sunday that he was a “very difficult guy.”

Continued from page 1A

Checking on homes basic goods far beyond the region. But logistical and military challenges underscored the fragile nature of the deal, which was set for a ceremonial signing Friday in Geneva.

A senior U.S. official told reporters that details of the agreement would be released within the next two days.

The memorandum of understanding includes the possibility of releasing Iran’s frozen funds, easing sanctions and creating a $300 billion fund to rebuild Iran — all of which would be tied to Iran meeting benchmarks, the official said.

The officials said technical talks would begin Friday after the signing ceremony and that Vice President JD Vance would lead negotiations for the U.S. At the core of the pact is a planned reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway whose blockage has choked the supply of the world’s oil and natural gas. Yet even a full reopening would not immediately alleviate the global energy crisis its closure created.

Another potential obstacle concerns Israel, which joined the U.S. in launching the war on Feb. 28, but it is not party to the deal. The Israeli military launched airstrikes Sunday in southern Lebanon, where it is fighting the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group, and the Israeli defense minister said Monday that the country would not withdraw from land seized in Lebanon.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday said the agreement between the U.S. and Iran was President Donald Trump’s decision. Netanyahu said Israel has its own interests, primarily protecting against a potential nuclear threat from Iran. He said Iran wanted Israel to withdraw from Lebanon, but he stood firm, saying Israel would remain in the buffer zone “as long as necessary.”

“I tell you, citizens of Israel, the struggle is not over.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By VAHID SALEMI

A woman waves an Iranian flag Monday during a pro-government demonstration in downtown Tehran, Iran, as a portrait of the slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in U.S. and Israeli strikes on Feb. 28, is displayed at right.

We will need to continue to be vigilant, to remain strong and determined, to defend ourselves as necessary,” he said.

Other uncertainties center on Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, which the U.S. and Israel worry could be used to build an atomic weapon despite Tehran’s insistence for years that it has no aspirations to do so.

The deal gives Iran just 60 days to decide what to do with its supply. It took years for Iran and world powers to negotiate a 2015 agreement to rein in Tehran’s nuclear program.

Trump unilaterally withdrew the U.S. from that accord in his first term, setting the stage for the tensions that culminated in the current war.

of the world’s oil and natural gas passed before the conflict — to a near standstill. Trump implemented a blockade in response.

Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, said Iran would not start implementing the agreement until after the signing ceremony. The U.S. military said the blockade will remain in place “pending execution” of the deal.

“Do not attempt to cross until explicit direction is given,” it said Monday in an advisory to merchant ships.

Trump, who faced pressure to end the war ahead of congressional midterm elections in November, said that “a lot of great things are going to happen in the Middle East right now.”

“Very importantly, the oil is plummeting down, and the Strait of Hormuz stock market is shooting up Early in the war, Iranian like a rocket today,” he said attacks on ships brought Monday at the G7 summit in traffic in the Strait of Hor- France.

While the agreement promuz — through which a fifth

vides for the “immediate” opening of the strait and lifting of the blockade, the process will take time because there are mines in the strait, and ships are unwilling to risk traversing it, according to a senior U.S. official who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity to discuss outlines of the agreement.

Israel and Lebanon The success of the deal rests at least partially on what happens between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Israel’s bombing of Beirut’s southern suburbs on Sunday nearly derailed the negotiations, and a previous attack led Iran to fire on Israel and Israel to fire back.

Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel plans to stay “indefinitely” in land it holds in Lebanon, Syria and the Gaza Strip. He also threatened that if Iran at-

tacks Israel over its strikes in Lebanon, Israel will strike Iran with “great force.”

Asked where Israel stands on the deal, David Mencer, a spokesperson in Netanyahu’s office, told The Associated Press that Israel and the U.S. remain fully aligned on preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. But he added that Israel will not tolerate attacks from Hezbollah on its territory.

Israel and the U.S. began the war apparently in lockstep, but the war has created deep fractures in that close relationship, with Trump eager to end a conflict that is deeply unpopular with the American public and Netanyahu intent on destroying Hezbollah. Trump appears to have grown increasingly frustrated with the Israeli leader, even occasionally publicly insulting him, in-

In a sign of the deal’s fragility, the Lebanese army called on residents not to rush to return to border villages, saying they should follow military instructions because of the danger of “Israeli violations and aggression.”

Many Lebanese who had fled following Israeli evacuation orders and intense fighting were heading south, however, to check on their homes. Celine Fayad, driving south, said she will test how far she could go. Her village, Aitaroun, is along the border with Israel. It was among the first to be occupied and lies in ruins.

“We were expecting to return,” she said. “Thanks to Iran.”

Ali Haidar was among the first to return to Nabatiyeh, the southern city at the heart of the latest Israeli military operations, where many central buildings have been reduced to dust.

“This used to be our home, our childhood home where we have all of our memories.

This is where we grew up.

Now it’s gone,” Haidar said.

“We will return to rubble and sand. It’s better than being displaced.”

Hezbollah, meanwhile, credited Iran with a “major achievement” in reaching the agreement, which it said could lead to “the full liberation of our land, the return of our prisoners to their homeland and families,” and reconstruction of wardevastated areas.

Along with praising the deal, the militant group said it was committed to resisting Israel “until full withdrawal is achieved.”

Associated Press writers Munir Ahmed in Islamabad; Will Weissert and Aamer Madhani in Washington; Julia Frankel in Jerusalem; Abby Sewell and Sarah El Deeb in Beirut; Najib Jobain in Doha, Qatar; Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel; and Sylvie Corbet in Evian-lesBains, France, contributed to this report.

LIGHTS

Continued from page 1A scaping upgrades around the Westbank Expressway, slated to begin later this year.

The plan comes as New Orleans leaders take the reins on their own street lighting issues that have plagued drivers for years as well.

New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno and the City Council in February announced they’d fix over 600 lights out of 4,500 along Interstate 10 using about $2.8 million in fines from Entergy New Orleans.

And before the Super Bowl, officials rushed to fix streets and lighting across the city in time to welcome tourists, and installed the new $23 million lighting system on the Crescent City Connection that now illu-

NEED YOUR BATHROOM REMODELED? GET UP TO

STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Crews begin work Monday on retrofitting light poles with LED bulbs above the Westbank Expressway in Gretna. minates the bridge with vi- about Jefferson Parish brant colors each night with for The Advocate | Timesthe touch of a button.

Picayune. Email her at lnicholson@theadvocate. com.

Lara Nicholson writes

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6A ✦ Tuesday, June 16, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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Fox to buy Roku in $22 billion deal

Fox Corp. has agreed to buy the streaming pioneer Roku in a cash-and-stock deal valued at approximately $22 billion, including debt.

Roku will continue to be run as an open, partner-friendly platform, the companies said Monday, and there appears to be no immediate changes that customers will see. Fox and Roku said that the combined company will become the third-largest player in U.S. television by share of viewing.

The deal will give Fox access to more than 100 million global households, along with the Roku channel and its firstparty data. Fox oversees a massive sports, news and entertainment network, as well as Tubi, which it acquired in 2020.

Fox will pay $96 in cash and 0.9693 shares of its Class A common stock for each Roku Class A and Class B share outstanding. The transaction is valued at $160 per Roku share.

Existing Fox shareholders are expected to own approximately 73% of the combined company and Roku shareholders will own about 27%.

The deal is expected to close in the first half of next year.

Target taps Mizrahi as new creative director NEW YORK — Target is tapping designer and TV personality Isaac Mizrahi for a newly created role as creative director at large as the discounter aims to reclaim its reputation for stylish clothing on a budget.

In Mizrahi’s new role, the fashion designer, who is known for his vibrant colors and who burst on the design scene in the late 1980s, will mentor Target designers, advise on product design and innovation and bring on fresh new partnerships, the company said Monday. Target said Mizrahi will work alongside Gena Fox, the retailer’s senior vice president of design.

With this move, the Minneapolis-based discounter is going back to a familiar partnership.

Back in 2002, Target launched a design partnership with Mizrahi, marking the retailer’s first collaboration with a major fashion designer.

Mizrahi’s exclusive clothing and accessories collection for Target paved the way for the retailer’s successful collaborations with other major designers ranging from Lilly Pulitzer to Missoni. Target’s partnership with Mizrahi ended in 2009.

UAW ratifies deal, ends strike at key GM plant The United Auto Workers strike at Dauch Corp.’s Three Rivers plant is officially over after the local union chapter ratified a new contract with the key General Motors Co. truck axle supplier.

About 80% of UAW Local 2093 members voted to approve the new four-year deal that will increase top pay for union-represented workers to $30 an hour by 2030 from $22 now, according to the union.

Negotiators have cast the outcome as a victory after holding firm to wage and health care demands.

Nearly 1,000 workers at the plant in southwest Michigan walked out on June 1, demanding better wages, more time off, and no increases in their health insurance costs. Major politicians and political candidates including Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed had visited the picket line.

The deal also includes a $2,000 ratification bonus and a $1,000 bonus after the first year.

If it had stretched on, the walkout could have severely affected GM pickup production. Detroit-headquartered Dauch, formerly known as American Axle, makes axles and other parts at the plant that primarily go into several GM truck models.

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Stocks leap worldwide as oil prices drop Investors optimistic over tentative U.S.-Iran deal

BY STAN CHOE Associated Press

NEW YORK — Stock markets rallied worldwide Monday, and oil prices eased after the United States and Iran reached a tentative deal to extend their ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz to get the global flow of crude going again.

The S&P 500 rose 1.7% on hopes that this time, the announcement of an Iran-U.S. agreement will mean a long-term fix to a conflict that

has worsened inflation around the world.

Stocks got a lift after the price for a barrel of Brent crude oil fell 4.8% to $83.17, back to where it was in early March. While that’s still above its price of roughly $70 from before the war, it’s lower than the $100 plus it cost just a few weeks ago. The hope is that lower oil prices will take pressure off households and businesses, which have had to pay higher prices for everything from food to fuel to fertilizer because of the war with Iran.

Iran confirmed the deal, but it does not include a final agreement on issues like Iran’s nuclear program. Negotiations on that are expected to continue over the next 60

days, which leaves opportunity for hiccups that could derail the agreement. And even if the Strait of Hormuz does fully reopen on Friday as expected, it will likely take months for the energy industry to get back to full speed.

For now, though, relief swept through financial markets worldwide.

On Wall Street, stocks of companies with big fuel bills were instant winners. United Airlines flew 3.9% higher, and cruise operator Royal Caribbean Group rose 6.6%.

Stocks of companies enmeshed in the artificial-intelligence industry also jumped. These stocks have yoyoed in recent weeks, going from roaring to records to suddenly turn-

ing lower. The concern is whether such stocks shot too high, too fast because of AI mania, and their careening moves have sometimes reversed direction by the hour.

Micron Technology rallied 10.8%, and Advanced Micro Devices rose 7%. Nvidia’s climb of 3.5% was the strongest force pushing the S&P 500 upward because the AI chip company is Wall Street’s most valuable company, giving it more weight on the index than any other.

SpaceX, Elon Musk’s rocket company that also owns the AI company xAI, rose 19.6% in its second day of trading on Wall Street. Its successful debut on the Nasdaq suggested plenty of demand still exists among investors for AI.

LONG MAY IT WAVE Flag makers prep Old Glory for America’s 250th

BY ALYSSA TISCH

The Detroit News (TNS) CLAWSON, Mich. — Jane Miles leaned over a worktable inside American Flag & Banner Co., carefully cutting and folding a fire-damaged American flag before placing it inside a wooden display case for a customer.

Across the room, the store’s only two other employees were also busy. One was helping customers browse flags and the other was stitching a special “250” emblem onto a commemorative flag ahead of the nation’s upcoming milestone.

As the United States prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary in July, Metro Detroit flag businesses are seeing growing demand for the Stars and Stripes and other patriotic displays to mark the nation’s semiquincentennial amid economic uncertainty at home and a war with Iran overseas.

“It’s really a luxury item,” said Miles of purchasing an American flag, with Betsy Ross-styled flags selling for $70 in her shop.

“If you’re an American and you want to fly one, you’re giving up something else. You’re not buying that second pair of shoes at TJ Maxx. You’re going to buy a flag. It’s a choice, and it’s a patriotic choice, and lots of Americans are making it.”

Miles has been helping Americans make that choice for nearly five decades. Her store, American Flag & Banner, has been in business for more than a century. Founded in Detroit in 1917, the business has operated in Clawson for about 40 years. Miles and her husband took ownership 48 years ago after what she thought would be a routine job interview.

Responding to a help-wanted advertisement for a seamstress in The Detroit News, Miles met the then-owner Robert Erdman, who instead suggested the couple purchase the business. Miles had an art degree and knew how to sew. Her husband had a business background from the University of Michigan.

“We’ve been doing it for 48 years,” Miles said. “So I’m pretty good at it.”

Over the years, Miles said the business has seen peaks and valleys. In the months leading up to America’s 250th anniversary, there has been a strong peak. In high demand at the store are both flags featuring the officially authorized America250 design, and Betsy Ross-styled flags displaying a “250” emblem at the center of a circle of 13 stars.

The Betsy Ross design’s circle of 13 stars represents the original colonies and has long been associated with the nation’s founding.

However, Ted Kaye, secretary of the North American Vexillological Association, said the popular story that Betsy Ross designed the first American flag is likely a myth.

“She may have sewn one of the first flags, but the Betsy Ross myth is just that. It’s a

TNS PHOTOS By DAVID GURALNICK

A seamstress at the American Flag & Banner Co, in Clawson, Mich., assembles a 250th anniversary Betsy Ross flag.

Jane Miles, owner of the American Flag & Banner Co., has been selling American flags for nearly five decades. myth,” Kaye said. “Francis Hopkinson, who was a signer of the Declaration of Independence and the designer of the Great Seal of the United States, is very likely the designer of the American flag.”

To create one of these Betsy Ross-style flags, American Flag & Banner employees take an original Betsy Ross flag and sew the 250 emblem onto it. The process takes roughly 15 to 20 minutes per flag, turning each one into a handcrafted tribute to the nation’s 250th birthday.

“We’re getting really good at it,” Miles said. “I trace them in 20 seconds, pin them in another 10 and it probably takes six or seven minutes to sew one. Trimming it is the lengthiest thing about it.”

The store sells about 10 commemorative flags a day while producing around four daily in-house, keeping the three-person operation busy as the anniversary approaches.

Similar interest is being seen at Klee Mfg.

& Dist. Co., another family-owned business in Flint, Michigan, whose roots trace back to 1966. Karri Carter Johnson from Klee Mfg. & Dist. Co. said the company began after her grandfather accepted a sewing machine as payment for repair work and started using it to make flags and banners.

The business no longer manufactures, but Johnson and her sister still sell flags from the same building purchased by their grandparents more than six decades ago.

“I like that we’re an integral part in celebrating the anniversary,” Johnson said.

“People can come in and get their flags and be proud to fly them and know that they were made in the United States. We’ve been around forever, and most people always know where we are and where they can get their quality.”

For both businesses, the anniversary has renewed interest in where American flags are actually made. While many flags sold through large retailers are imported, both American Flag & Banner and Klee Mfg. & Dist. Co. specialize in products made in the United States and say domestic manufacturing remains an important part of their business.

“There’s just something a little strange about buying a flag that symbolizes freedom and the United States that was made in China,” Johnson said. “Something with that much symbolism is definitely something you want to buy that was made by someone in the United States, as opposed to it just being mass-manufactured in China.”

Few countries display and celebrate their national flag as prominently as the United States, Kaye said: “We are one of the most flag-waving countries of all. Few countries have as many flags going as we do.”

Trump administration urged to ease Anthropic restrictions

BY BARBARA ORTUTAY AP technology writer

SAN FRANCISCO — A group of cybersecurity executives and experts is asking the Trump administration to lift its directive preventing the use of Anthropic’s latest artificial intelligence models by foreign nationals, saying the move could help U.S. adversaries more than it hurts them.

Anthropic said Friday it has taken its latest artificial intelligence models, known as Fable 5 and Mythos 5, offline to comply with the directive. The AI giant said it did not believe the steps taken by the government were warranted by the concern it flagged about a potential security issue.

Anthropic has said it was limiting use of some its latest technology to select customers because of its ability to surpass human cybersecurity experts in finding and exploiting computer vulnerabilities.

The San Francisco-based company has had discussions with the White House previously about the latest models’ capabilities.

In the letter Sunday, more than 100 cybersecurity experts and leaders from companies including Adobe and Nvidia asked the U.S. government to lift the export control directives on the Anthropic models and “commit to an open, scientific and transparent process of handling AI risk assessments in the future.”

The letter said that while An-

thropic’s Mythos models are “quite good” at finding flaws in software and weaponizing exploits, they are ”not uniquely good at these tasks” and many of the letter’s signatories regularly use other foundation and open-source models for security audits and training.

The letter said it is dangerous to take away the best cyber defense capabilities “without a good reason” when America’s adversaries are rapidly advancing.

China’s models, the letter said, are “only months behind the best American models,” and it is even likely that China’s government has access to private capabilities beyond what’s been made public.

The export controls marked the U.S. government’s most signifi-

cant step yet to restrict access to the most advanced AI models. Anthropic released Fable widely last week. That model is a limited version of the more advanced Mythos, to which the company has tightly limited access due to cybersecurity fears.

The Commerce Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday.

Friday’s directive came 10 days after President Donald Trump signed an executive order to establish a framework for the federal government to vet the national security risks of the most advanced AI systems for up to a month before their public release. Participation by AI developers would be voluntary, the order said.

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Hegseth: More U.S. strikes in Latin America possible

BY ANTONIO MARÍA DELGADO Miami Herald (TNS)

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Sunday that the United States is prepared to carry out additional military operations across Latin America similar to the recent strike in Venezuela that killed Tren de Aragua leader Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, known as “Niño Guerrero,” signaling a potentially broader campaign against cartels and transnational criminal groups in the hemisphere.

Speaking on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Hegseth said the Venezuelan interim government had invited U.S. military forces onto its territory to help eliminate the founder of the Venezuelanborn criminal organization, marking one of the clearest acknowledgments yet of direct U.S. military involvement inside Venezuela.

“They invited our military in because they have a foreign terrorist organization on their soil in Tren de Aragua,” Hegseth said. “The founder and leader — we were able to identify where he was and kill him, just like we would kill al-Qaida or ISIS.” When asked whether

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By KEVIN WOLF

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks Monday during a meeting with Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa at the Pentagon.

Americans should expect similar operations in countries such as Ecuador and Guatemala, where Washington has expanded security cooperation, Hegseth offered an unequivocal answer.

“Yes, they should,” he said.

Hegseth said the operations would be conducted under a new regional secu-

rity framework called the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition, which seeks to coordinate U.S. military and intelligence capabilities with partner governments across Central and South America to target cartel and gang leadership.

“It’s called the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition, A3C, and we’re forming it

with partner governments all around Central and South America to go after, defeat and destroy foreign terrorist organizations (and) drug cartels,” Hegseth said.

The remarks suggest the Trump administration increasingly sees transnational criminal groups not as traditional law-enforcement targets but as terrorist

threats warranting military action, similar to U.S. campaigns against Al-Qaeda and ISIS in the Middle East.

“We treat these foreign terrorist organizations the same way,” Hegseth said.

“Just like we do with drug boats when we identify they’re run by those FTOs.” President Donald Trump announced Friday that U.S. Southern Command had carried out a “swift and lethal kinetic strike” that killed Niño Guerrero, the founder of Tren de Aragua, a criminal organization U.S. authorities say expanded throughout Latin America and into the United States.

Guerrero, 42, had been one of the most wanted criminal figures in the hemisphere.

Washington had offered a $5 million reward for information leading to his capture and accused him of transforming Tren de Aragua from a prison gang centered in Tocorón prison into a sprawling transnational network involved in drug trafficking, extortion, kidnapping, human trafficking and migrant smuggling.

Hegseth tied the success of the operation directly to President Trump’s January capture of Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro,

arguing that the move fundamentally altered regional geopolitics.

“President Trump had the foresight to seize Maduro, change the relationship,” Hegseth said. “Now Venezuela, through our partnerships, we’re killing foreign terrorist leaders who have terrorized the American people.”

Hegseth compared the emerging strategy to the U.S. counterterrorism campaigns in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan, where American forces spent two decades targeting jihadist leadership through intelligence-driven operations and precision strikes.

“Just like we showed we were very good at with ISIS and al-Qaida in the Middle East for 20 years,” he said.

He also portrayed the strategy as a revival of the Monroe Doctrine, the 19thcentury U.S. policy asserting Washington’s primacy in the Western Hemisphere.

Hegseth jokingly referred to it as the “Donroe Doctrine,” a reference to Trump.

“It’s an incredible reinforcement of the Monroe Doctrine — now the Donroe Doctrine,” Hegseth said.

“We’re taking back control of our hemisphere.”

29 tornadoes, derecho confirmed in storms that tore through Ill., Ind.

BY ADRIANA PÉREZ Chicago Tribune (TNS)

At least 29 tornadoes ripped across Illinois and northwest Indiana last week, according to preliminary reports from the National Weather Service. As residents of parts of these states were recovering and surveying the damage from a destructive derecho that swept through Wednesday night with up to 80 mph winds, they were hit again less than 24 hours later with another round of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes.

A derecho is a widespread and long-lived thunderstorm with damaging winds.

As of the agency’s latest count

Sunday, 17 of the confirmed tornadoes from last week occurred in northern Illinois and northwest Indiana, and nine in central Illinois.

The Quad Cities weather service office confirmed three tornadoes in western Illinois of unknown intensity that caused no known damage.

The 17 tornadoes in northern Illinois and northwest Indiana brought the area’s tally for 2026 to 44 — already the third most of any year since recordkeeping began in 1950.

“This is well above average, already, for a typical year,” said Rafal Ogorek, a meteorologist with the weather service’s Chicago office.

The top two years with the most tornadoes in the office’s forecast area are 2024, with 63 confirmed

tornadoes, and 2023, with 58. The entire state of Illinois typically averages 50 tornadoes annually.

Thursday produced three EF3 tornadoes — which are characterized by speeds of 136 to 165 mph — that hit Streator, a city 81 miles southwest of Chicago; the village of Washburn, near Peoria; and the towns of Hebron and Kouts in Porter County, Indiana.

No major injuries have been reported.

The EF or Enhanced Fujita scale goes from 0 to 5, with an EF0 tornado starting at 65 mph and an EF-5 tornado being over 200 mph. Merrillville, in Indiana, was hit by an EF2 tornado. This is the second time in three months a tornado of that ve-

locity has swept through the area, after an EF3 struck Lake Village in Newton County in March, killing an elderly couple in their home.

As human activities such as fossil-fuel burning release heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere and climate change intensifies, air in the Midwest is becoming more saturated with humidity, a key ingredient of strong thunderstorms that can produce tornadoes.

Research also indicates tornadoes are happening more often during nontraditional tornado months, lasting longer and beginning sooner as winters become warmer and more humid. Most tornadoes in Illinois occur between April 1 and June 30, but

according to the weather service, nearly half of the state’s tornadoes have occurred in the fall or winter in recent years.

Increasingly frequent and intense severe weather, such as tornadoes and derechos, has cost Illinoisans billions of dollars in recent years. In August 2020, a “ferocious” derecho downed trees and rattled windows from Iowa to Chicago, causing $11 billion in damage.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration retired its public database tracking billiondollar weather and climate disasters in May 2025 as part of the Trump administration’s rollbacks in federal spending.

Infant formula recalled amid outbreak

BY ALYSE PFEIL Staff writer

State and federal officials are urging parents to discard all cans of Nara Organics Whole Milk Organic Infant Formula while the authorities investigate an outbreak of infant botulism linked to the product.

“As a result of the investigation, Nara Organics voluntarily recalled all cans of Nara Organics infant formula currently available in the U.S,” a news release from the Louisiana Department of Health said. Nara Organics formula is sold online and at Target, according to the Health Department.

All products should be returned to the store they were purchased from or thrown away immediately, and any household items and surfaces that may have been touched by the formula should be washed with hot soapy water, the Health Department says.

The formula may be contaminated with the bacteria Clostridium botulinum, which can cause infant botulism, a serious illness that can result when infants swallow or inhale spores from the bacteria that produce toxins.

The toxins can make infants very sick, in-

cluding paralysis and difficulty breathing, the release said.

Most babies with infant botulism may develop constipation, poor feeding, loss of head control and difficulty swallowing, and they may have other symptoms like decreased facial expression, a weak or altered cry, or other signs of muscle weakness, according to the Health Department.

Caregivers should seek immediate medical care if their infant consumed a Nara Organics product and is experiencing symptoms, and infants should be monitored for 30 days after exposure to the formula, the Health Department says.

Infant botulism “is extremely treatable,” according to Cleveland Clinic.

“The treatment starts with an antitoxin called botulism immune globulin,” according to Cleveland Clinic. “Healthcare providers will give that to your baby through an intravenous (IV) line. This antitoxin works like an antidote, neutralizing the toxin circulating in your baby’s blood.”

Babies usually fully recover and the survival rate is 98% to 100%, according to Cleveland Clinic.

La. sending out unclaimed property checks

BY MATTHEW ALBRIGHT Staff writer

Louisiana has sent 44,614 checks worth a total of $6.5 million to people who have unclaimed property held by state government, officials announced Monday.

Unclaimed property includes things like cash, stocks, insurance proceeds, old bank accounts and other payouts that companies can’t give to people because the address they have on

record is no longer correct.

That money goes to the state, which currently has $1.2 billion in unclaimed property on hand.

Each year, the state Treasury Department compares its unclaimed property list to a Department of Revenue database of current addresses, then sends out checks to anyone for whom it can find a match. This year’s round of checks was sent June 12.

The checks are mailed in a window envelope with the

return address of the Louisiana Department of Treasury, Unclaimed Property Division, P.O. Box 91010, and a logo that says “Your Money, Claim It.” Officials say that some number of checks are not cashed each year because recipients don’t believe they are real.

One in 6 people in Louisiana has unclaimed property, the Treasury Department says. Check to see if you’re on the list at lacashclaim.org.

Teen accused of killing stepsister taken into custody

BY DAVID FISCHER

Associated Press

MIAMI — A teenager charged with sexually assaulting and killing his 18-year-old stepsister on a Carnival Cruise ship surrendered Monday after a federal judge reversed his decision on pretrial release now that the teen is charged as an adult.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Edwin Torres filed the order last Wednesday, but it was sealed until Monday afternoon.

Hudson has pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse in the death of Anna Kepner.

Minors are rarely prosecuted in federal court, and this case landed there because Kepner apparently died in international waters, outside any state’s jurisdiction.

Kepner had been traveling on the Carnival Horizon ship in November with her family, including Hudson. Before the ship was scheduled to return to Florida, her body was found concealed under a bed in a room she was sharing with Hudson and another teen, a criminal complaint said.

The cause of Kepner’s Nov. 6 death was determined to be mechanical asphyxia, which is when an object or physical force stops someone from breathing.

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Jan Risher LOUISIANA AT LARGE

Every wall covered with art A giant, spooky funhouse ceramic jester by Linda Berman greets guests at the door — Jeremy Shapiro says he loves scaring himself with it on the way in. It was the piece that launched the whole scene in his New Orleans apartment.

A taxidermied alligator in a pointed hat stands nearby, a wink at the television show “Tiger King” that he picked up at a shop on Magazine Street.

The pieces are among roughly 2,500, my estimate, not Shapiro’s, crowded across the walls, shelves, bookcases and ceilings of his topfloor apartment at Federal Fibre Mills.

Shapiro moved in last December. Since then, he has turned the 3,000 square feet into something closer to a fever dream than a home.

Shapiro, who just turned 50, grew up in Los Angeles. He graduated from the University of Southern California in 1998 and ran a vintage clothing store there from 2008 to 2016. His father went to medical school at Tulane, and his parents came and went from the city for decades. Shapiro runs a ticket business and stays off social media, which he said never appealed to him.

He calls himself boring.

The apartment argues otherwise.

He contacted me months ago, after reading a story I wrote about Becky and Wyatt Collins’ folk-art collection in New Iberia.

He was amassing his own, largely New Orleans-themed, and wanted someone to see it.

I went Friday, not sure what to expect.

From the moment he opened the door, the sheer volume of art shocked me, and all of it installed since December.

The other surprise was discovering that Shapiro is as much a scene builder as he is a collector. Much of what fills the rooms began as inexpensive folk art: hand-painted figures for $30 or $40, old $10 fruit-crate ads in $10 frames. He arranges the pieces into vignettes and then populates them, including a tiny taco man in a white suit beside a hot-dog man holding a teddy bear on the kitchen island.

A painted blues lounge hangs in the hallway. He added the singers and miniature beer cans himself.

In the dining room corner, he dressed two skeletons as Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe, a tribute to Louellen Berger’s yearly skeleton display outside her mansion on St. Charles Avenue in October.

He commissioned Jody Robert, a Jackson Square artist, to make plasma-cut art that includes Mr. Okra and Ruthie the Duck Girl.

He drove to Lafayette to buy a Blaine Kern Mardi Gras float piece off Facebook Marketplace.

Shapiro says the bookshelves in the living room were the most time-consuming. Books alone just didn’t sit the way he wanted. So he started weaving in figures he found on eBay until the shelves became a series of miniature worlds, odes to Michael Jackson, Dennis Rodman, “Full House,” E.T. and more. The bookshelf vignettes are his favorite part of the whole place.

“It’s all there for a reason,” he said.

Behind the residential spectacle is Shapiro’s conviction that artists deserve a living — and that more people could afford to give them one.

He talks about the Jackson Square artists the way other

ä See RISHER, page 2B

|

T u e s d ay, J u n e 16, 2026

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Community center advances City Hall finds funds to support Desire Square

BY JONI HESS Staff writer

The Desire Square community center, a long-awaited project to bring more retail and community resources to New Orleans’ historic Desire neighborhood, is on track to be completed later this year after the city’s budget woes threatened to snarl funding for the project.

In a news release Monday, Mayor Helena Moreno’s administration said it plans to use bond

proceeds to meet City Hall’s financial obligations to the project and finish construction.

The city will devote $1.6 million in general obligation bonds that will go toward constructing the $18 million complex near the intersection of Desire Parkway and Industry Street after years of stalled progress.

“For years, the people of Desire have heard promises about what this development would bring to their community. My administration was determined to find a way

to deliver on that commitment,” Moreno said in the release.

“This funding will help move the project forward and bring the community one step closer to the services, opportunities, and investment residents have been waiting for.”

When complete, the 42,000-square-foot building, being built by the nonprofit Desire Community Housing Corp., will house a New Orleans Police Department substation, a health clinic, pharmacy, grocery store

and community gathering spaces, all resources that community advocates in the Upper 9th Ward neighborhood say have long been needed.

It will also provide office space for the Desire Community Housing Corp., replacing a former multiuse center that flooded after Hurricane Katrina and was demolished in 2019.

“This is a continuation of the city’s investment and also a commitment by my office to recognize the importance of this historic community based on the impact

ä See CENTER, page 2B

Cool side

STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

A family walks through downtown New Orleans, drifting between sun and shade on a hot summer afternoon where the humidity feels heavy enough to sit on your shoulders. The sidewalk flips from bright glare to cooler relief in a few steps, and unlike the song, this time of year in New Orleans you may not want to walk on the sunny side of the street.

Deep sea mining New details released in company eyes N.O. killing of U.S. Marine vet

BY RICH COLLINS Staff writer

A newly formed deep sea mining company is considering two greater New Orleans locations as potential homes for a criticalmineral refining facility that could be the first of its kind in the United States.

Washington, D.C.-based Glomar Minerals said late Monday that it has partnered with Australia’s Cobalt Blue Holdings Limited, a mining company, to harvest rock-like mineral formations — called polymetallic nodules — from the bottom of the Pacific Ocean and transport them to the U.S. for processing.

Each of the nodules contains manganese, cobalt, nickel and copper, materials that are essential to many high-tech manufacturing processes.

Glomar CEO Robbie Diamond said in a phone interview Monday his team has identified four possible sites for the facility after considering more than two dozen nationwide. In addition to the two New Orleans area locations, the company is also looking at spots near the Texas and North Carolina coasts. The company plans to make a decision by the end of the summer.

Though in the early stages, the potential project follows other Louisiana investments in critical minerals announced over the past three years, including a $450 million project at the ATALCO alumina refinery in Gramercy, ElementUSA’s $850 million investment in a criticalminerals refining facility in St. John the Baptist Parish, and UBE Corporation’s $500 million plan to make electric vehicle battery ingredients in Jefferson Parish.

Grady Fitzpatrick, chief business development officer at Greater New Orleans Inc., the region’s economic development nonprofit, said his team began pitching a New Orleans location to Glomar at an energy conference earlier this year and the talks have continued ever since.

The proposed facility, dubbed “Project Infinity,” is designed to refine 200,000 tons of polymetallic nodules annually, along with 7,500 tons of cobalt hydroxide, an ingredient in lithium-ion batteries.

Diamond said it was too early to estimate the cost of the project, which will initially produce refined manganese, cobalt

ä See MINING, page 2B

BY MATT BRUCE Staff writer

Michael Garcia, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran described by police as a bystander killed in the crossfire of an April shootout, was the casualty of a feud over less than half an ounce of marijuana, state prosecutors alleged last week.

Caron Fortenberry “believed he was shorted” on the 10-gram baggie when he stalked 21-yearold Alshawn “Osama” Watts at an April 7 barbecue in the St. Claude neighborhood, Assistant District Attorney Gabriel Balasquide said during an arraignment Tuesday.

When Fortenberry and other masked gunmen allegedly “ambushed” Watts at the barbecue, Watts peeled away in a Nissan Maxima with the shooters in hot pursuit. He crashed into Garcia’s Jeep at North Claiborne Avenue and Desire Street, where police later collected more than 60 shell casings fired from four guns.

One of the bullets struck Garcia in the head as he sat behind the wheel of his vehicle. The 41-yearold father and Marine Corps retiree died about an hour later at University Medical Center.

The state revealed new details of its investigation in court after a grand jury last month indicted Fortenberry, 25, and four alleged

accomplices on charges of seconddegree murder and obstruction of justice.

Among them were Mi’Janae “Gunna” Ingram, a 20-year-old New Orleans woman prosecutors allege dealt drugs for Fortenberry, and her 39-year-old mother, Bennalyn Ingram.

Prosecutors claim Mi’Janae Ingram drove the gunmen around the area in her mother’s Nissan Rogue as they stalked Watts. Bennalyn Ingram was the getaway driver after the bullets started flying, Balasquide said.

Another alleged accomplice, 33-year-old Joshua “Money” Emery, was at the barbecue before the others got there and started shooting at Watts when the attack began, the state alleged.

“We’re brothers for life,” Emery wrote Fortenberry in a text message that day.

In Emery’s car, police investigating a separate incident later found one of the guns used in the shooting, Balasquide said.

Byron “BB” Dubose, 23, a fifth defendant indicted on a murder count in the case, remains at large.

District Judge Kimya Holmes on Tuesday appointed attorneys for the four defendants who appeared in her courtroom.

ä See CROSSFIRE, page 2B

2B ✦ Tuesday, June 16, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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WWL-TV morning show anchor leaving community, and all the les- a New Orleans native and St. Au- knows what I’m thinking before I Brheanna Boudreaux portive sons and growth I’ve experienced gustine High School alumnus who say it.

“I’ll miss our laughs and her had worked for a Houston TV the way.” returning to Houston along The daughter of an Army sol- station that competed with Bou- compassion and dogged dedica-

BY KEITH SPERA Staff writer

WWL-TV morning show anchor Brheanna Boudreaux is leaving the station for a broadcasting job in Houston, where she lived and worked before moving to New Orleans.

She’ll sign off from WWL on Friday.

“This is not a Boudreaux decision I made lightly,” Boudreaux wrote on social media Monday. “After a lot of reflection, I know it’s time for my next chapter. I leave with so much gratitude for my morning family, this incredible and sup-

dier, Boudreaux lived in numerous cities and overseas as a child.

She earned her journalism degree from James Madison University in Virginia.

Her first on-air job was in Lafayette. She also served in the Louisiana Army National Guard, and worked TV news jobs in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Norfolk, Virginia.

Most recently, she was a news anchor, reporter and traffic anchor at ABC13 in Houston, where she covered numerous high-profile stories.

She started on the WWL morning show in October 2023, sitting for a time alongside the late, legendary anchor Eric Paulsen. She joined the morning show team at the same time as Brandon Walker,

dreaux’s.

Following Paulsen’s death in October 2024, Boudreaux and Walker became the WWL morning show co-anchors.

“Brhe and I are a team,” Walker said Monday. “We held one another’s hand as we grieved Eric’s loss, and the turn we had to make as a team in his absence.”

It’s hard to say goodbye “to someone next to whom you sit daily, trading life’s whims and woes whilst also navigating four hours of live programming with a smile,” Walker continued. “We like to joke that we’re family — more like brother and sister. Funny enough, we are a lot like an old married couple in the sense that not only do I get to annoy her, we communicate without words. She

tion to making sure we communicate what people need to know.”

In Houston, Boudreaux, a mother of three young daughters, will move from early morning newscasts to anchoring an evening newscast at KHOU 11. She also has family in Texas.

“I’ve never made a move in this business that I didn’t feel completely ready for,” Boudreaux wrote. “Wanting to stay while also knowing it’s time to go is a feeling I’m not familiar with. It’s taken me a while to realize that both things can be true at the same time.”

That said, she wrote that New Orleans “is a city and community I love deeply. ... It will always be home for me and my girls, and we’ll be back often. This city is part of who we are. Who Dat!”

Two from Georgia plead guilty to mail theft Suspects stole check from Kenner police chief

BY MICHELLE HUNTER Staff writer

A man and woman from Georgia pleaded guilty in a Jefferson Parish court Friday to stealing letters from local mailboxes, including a check belonging to the Kenner chief of police, court records show.

Anthony Lowe, 64, pleaded guilty to three counts of mail theft while Christine Smith, 58, pleaded guilty to one count. Both are from Conyers, Georgia, court records show.

Judge Donald “Chick” Foret, of the 24th Judicial District Court, deferred five-year prison sen-

tences for the pair and ordered that each serve three years of active probation, according to court records.

Lowe and Smith pleaded guilty under Article 893 of the state’s Code of Criminal Procedure, which allows them the chance to expunge the convictions from their records if they successfully complete the terms of their sentence.

Kenner police arrested the pair along with three other suspects in September after someone tried to cash a fraudulent check that had been pilfered from Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley’s mailbox, according to authorities.

A suspicious teller at Conley’s bank in New Orleans phoned the chief on Sept. 9 to verify whether Conley had indeed written the check in question.

Conley told the teller he did

write a check that morning, put it in an envelope and left it in his mailbox for pickup by his postal carrier. But the amount of the check had been greatly increased, according to authorities.

Conley reviewed home surveillance cameras and found video of a car pulling up to his mailbox and a person stealing its contents, police said.

Kenner detectives used licenseplate recognition cameras to identify and track the suspects’ vehicle to a short-term rental apartment in New Orleans, according to authorities.

In addition to Lowe and Smith, police in New Orleans arrested Pierre Watson, 40, Steven Chandler Jr., 43, and Anthony Ferrell, 42, all of Georgia.

The Major Crimes Task Force, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Homeland Security Investigations

served a search warrant at the rental property and found more stolen mail, including checks and equipment used to create fake checks, authorities said.

Investigators believe the five suspects were part of a mail theft and check fraud ring in which thieves steal cash and financial information from letters. Stolen checks are “washed,” fraudulently altered with new recipients and usually higher dollar amounts.

In Orleans Parish, all five suspects pleaded guilty in December to six counts of mail theft, two counts of monetary instrument abuse and one count of bank fraud. They were sentenced to five years in prison with three years suspended, according to court records.

Email Michelle Hunter at mhunter@theadvocate.com.

Newspaper wins SPJ awards for investigative reporting Staff report Reporters for The Times-Picayune | The Advocate won top awards for investigative reporting and public service journalism in the Louisiana chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists’ 2026 contest.

Reporters Jillian Kramer and Jeff Adelson won the A-Mark Award for investigative reporting for their 2025 series “Longing for Justice,” which explored chronic delays in the New Orleans court system, the reasons behind the backlogs and the anguish inflicted on families of crime victims. The

RISHER

Continued from page 1B people talk about endangered species.

“So many hungry artists just trying to make art their living,” he said. “I wish locals would take greater advantage, as opposed to the artists being reliant on heavy tourist season.”

The artists’ creativity has pulled him in.

He cannot draw and says so without embarrassment.

“They are doing things that I could never do in a million years, and it blows me away every single day,” he said. “I stare at some of the things in here and literally have no idea how the artist made it.”

His best argument for buying art is also his simplest: Art brings out emotion.

He compares the enjoyment to that of attending a concert.

“The difference with art is, if you buy it, you get to enjoy it for however long you own it,” he said.

“It’s real and stays with us — and

CENTER

Continued from page 1B that Hurricane Katrina and other natural disasters had on this community,” City Council member Eugene Green, who represents the area, said in a phone call Monday to discuss the plan.

The project is largely funded by a $7 million Federal Emergency Management Agency grant awarded in 2024 and was set to be supported by a $3 million budget allocation the

A-Mark Foundation is a national nonprofit that makes grants to help award investigative reporting across the country.

Contest judges noted their decision to give the award to Kramer and Adelson “for not only their journalistic revelations, but also their degree of difficulty.” Adelson built a database using hundreds of thousands of pages of records for the series, with the reporters analyzing cases over a 10-year period in Orleans Parish.

The judges also cited the results of the series, including two of the oldest cases in the criminal court closing after the newspaper’s re-

it’s so much more affordable than most people think. I want them all to succeed.”

For all that, Shapiro is nearly finished with this project. He rents the apartment; its owners live nearby and plan to move in eventually. He figures he has three to five years.

For now, every wall is spoken for.

Even the upstairs play room is finished, down to the Pop-a-Shot, where Shapiro properly shellacked me, 84-7.

“This was probably all too much, to be honest,” he said, looking around. “You either go understated, or you go crazy. I went crazy.”

Even so, the too-muchness works. That he recognized what was happening and kept going anyway is what’s endearing.

Shapiro can’t compare notes on where he went to high school in New Orleans, but his apartment suggests something the city rewards: devotion taken a little too far.

porting on them — one after 16 years, another after 12.

The Times-Picayune staff also won SPJ’s Ed Anderson Award for public service journalism for its probing follow-up coverage of the 2025 New Year’s terror attack on Bourbon Street. The same coverage was recently named a finalist for the National Center for Integrity in News Reporting’s print reporting award.

The SPJ judges complimented how the staff followed “the aftermath of the tragedy, investigating the lack of security precautions and how the killer got radicalized in the first place.”

“Too often in today’s resourcestressed newsrooms, the coverage stops with the news and never delves into the details,” the judges noted. “The T-P never gave up on this story, and its community is better for it.”

Reporter Sam Karlin also won the second place Ed Anderson Award for public service journalism for his series “Lethal Heat,” which revealed soaring heatrelated deaths across the state.

Reporter James Finn won second place in news reporting for his coverage of U.S. Border Patrol sweeps late last year in New Orleans.

STAFF PHOTO By JAN RISHER

Email Jan Risher at jan.risher@ theadvocate.com.

Jeremy Shapiro stands in his New Orleans kitchen with a backdrop of artwork all around. In the far corner of the dining room corner, he dressed two skeletons as Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe, a tribute to the famous St. Charles Avenue home that decorates its yard with skeletons in October.

City Council approved later.

City Hall’s portion was initially set to come from the general fund, but Green said the city’s budget crisis allowed for only half of that to be disbursed.

Desire Community Housing Corp. was established in the late 1960s to revitalize the neighborhood through affordable housing after Hurricane Betsy devastated the area.

Today the neighborhood is still reeling from the impact of natural disasters, delayed investment and population loss, with dozens of va-

cant lots and a lack of resources.

Corporation CEO Wilbert Thomas, 77, grew up in Desire during a time when it was a beacon for Black homeownership complete with a bowling alley, a movie theater and Bynum Pharmacy, the city’s first Black-owned pharmacy housed in the former community center.

“It’s been a roller coaster, but we’re finally getting it done,” Thomas said.

Desire Square marks the latest effort by city and civic leaders to revitalize the area in recent years.

In August, The Gayle and Tom

Benson Good Shepherd School, a private Roman Catholic elementary school that provides tuition-free education, is scheduled to open on Carver Rams Way and Desire Parkway.

And last month, former City Council President Arnie Fielkow, who chairs the nonprofit Ninth Ward Stadium Inc., said it had secured title sponsors for the stadium on Almonaster Avenue after more than a decade of delays.

The groundbreaking for the sports facility is slated to take place next summer.

MINING

Continued from page 1B sulphate, nickel metal, copper metal and other substances.

“All the places we’re considering make sense from a logistics standpoint,” Diamond said.

“These areas have the materials and expertise we need to refine these critical minerals efficiently and affordably.”

GNO Inc. and Diamond did not provide specifics on the possible locations for the facility or other information, including what environmental or regulatory approvals might be needed, or what incentive packages, if any, were being proposed.

A potential ‘sea change’ Diamond has spent two decades leading a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that promotes American energy dominance. He said his deep-sea mining partnership is designed to help reduce U.S. dependence on foreign-controlled processing and refining of these metals.

“America cannot achieve true economic security, manufacturing leadership, or technological independence without a reliable domestic supply of critical minerals,” he said.

The nodules sit up to 20,000 feet below the ocean’s surface, and while scientists have known about them for some 150 years, Diamond said it’s only recently that technology has been developed to cost effectively harvest them.

Glomar, named after a famous exploration mission from the 1970s, has developed a system to use remote equipment to essentially vacuum up the mineral-rich objects and pump them to the surface the same way oil is extracted.

“The nodules are just sitting there on the bottom of the ocean,” he said. “In certain areas, they’re stacked on top of each other, and over time the ocean just keeps making more.”

Now, Diamond believes, the race is on to prove that his company and its Australian partner, which specializes in refining, can bring the material up and get it into the marketplace.

He said the plan is to start small and build the operation in a modular way.

Fitzpatrick said it’s also been a Trump administration priority to bring back domestic production of the materials.

“This is moving rapidly and they want to get up and running as fast as possible,” Fitzpatrick said. “It’s a national security priority to produce more in the U.S.”

CROSSFIRE

Continued from page 1B Holmes set seven-figure bonds for Fortenberry and both women while denying bail to Emery. The judge noted that Emery was on a revoked bond when the April shooting happened after he’d gone on the run for more than a year. Along with murder and obstruction, Emery faces four counts of possession of a weapon by a felon.

Watts and his 49-year-old uncle, Terrence Leavell, both were charged on June 4 with crimes related to the fatal shooting but not for the killing itself, court records show.

Prosecutors charged Leavell with obstruction of justice and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Leavell admitted he began firing at the group of shooters to defend his nephew. Police arrested him at the scene and initially booked him on counts of manslaughter and illegal use of a weapon.

Watts was hit with two counts of drug possession. Arrest affidavits show police found cash and prepackaged drugs in his car when he came in for questioning days after the shooting. Watts denied being a dealer and said he had no drug feud with Fortenberry and his crew.

On Tuesday, Leavell and Watts pleaded not guilty in District Judge Tracey Flemings-Davillier’s courtroom. Flemings-Davillier found no probable cause for the obstruction charge. Leavell remained jailed at the Orleans Justice Center on a parole violation.

The New Orleans Police Department booked Watts on suspicion of second-degree murder. Court records show he hasn’t been indicted on that charge.

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New Orleans Area Deaths Borne, Randel Knighton, Shirley Lawler, Christopher Lucito, Barbara Schexnayder, Mary

New Orleans

his beloved Priscilla as Fair Chaircouple for O.L.P.H. He will be sadly missed.Family and friends are invited to gather at Mothe Funeral Home, 2100 Westbank Ex‐ pressway, Harvey, LA on Tuesday, June 16, 2026 from 10 AM to 1:30 PM. A Funeral Mass will follow in the fu‐ neral home chapel. Inter‐ ment Westlawn Memorial Park in Gretna. Condo‐ lences and memories may be shared by visiting his memorial page at: www. mothefunerals.com.

Boyd Family Knighton, Shirley Greenwood

Knighton, Shirley 'Ms. S'

Lucito, Barbara Lake Lawn Metairie Lawler, Christopher

River Parish HC Alexander Schexnayder, Mary

West Bank Mothe Borne, Randel

Obituaries Borne, Randel 'Randy'

Randel “Randy” Borne passed away peacefully on June 10, 2026 at the age of 76. Beloved husband of Priscilla Lavergne Borne.

Loving father of Rachelle Lagarde (Jack) and Re‐ becca Amos (Gary Jr.).

Grandfather of Erin Amos, Randel Amos (Hunter) and the late Carrie Dufrene.

Great-grandfather of Corey and Oren Romo. Brother of David Borne, M.D., Cindy Marcantel and Oscar Louis Borne III. Son of the late Guidry Borne Valrie Cormier and Oscar Louis Borne Jr. Also survived by many loving relatives and friends.

Randel retired from the Alliance Refinery and was very involved in his community. In addition to being an avid outdoors‐ man, he was a member of the Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office Posse, coached ball for the Plaquemines Parish Recre‐ ation Department, was a member of the Forest Hill Riding Club, a volunteer fireman for Plaquemines Parish, an usher/greeter at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church and worked with

Shirley “Ms. S” Knighton, 62, entered Heaven’s gates on Saturday, May 30, 2026, in Chalmette, LA. Daughter of the late Nathaniel and Vickie Knighton and sister to the late Linda Payton, Shirley was a proud Alumni of LB Landry High School and was passionate about music. Known as the life of the party, she was a dedi‐ cated Social Worker at New Beginnings, finding deep fulfillment in elevat‐ ing the families she served.

She is survived by her de‐ voted husband, Charles Smith; son, Tommy Knighton (Vinette); daugh‐ ter, Shante Knighton Wright (Crescensio); and grandchildren, Ta’jia, Brooklin, Neveah, Teah, and Tajh, along with many cherished relatives and friends. A Homegoing Cele‐ bration will be held Thurs‐ day, June 18, 2026, for 1:00 p.m. at The Boyd Family Fu‐ neral Home, 5001 Chef Menteur Hwy, New Or‐ leans, LA 70126. Visitation will begin at 12:30 p.m.

Pastor Michael Roche’ offi‐ ciating. A repass will follow at the same location.

Guestbook Online: www. anewtraditionbegins.com (504)282-0600.

Linear Brooks Boyd and Donavin D. Boyd Owners/Funeral Di‐ rectors.

Lawler, Christopher Ernest

Christopher Ernest Lawler, beloved husband, father, brother, and grandfather, passed away peacefully on June 13, 2026—the date of his 62nd wedding anniversary. He was 83 years old.

Born on July 23, 1942, to the late Charles and Annie Lawler, he was predeceased by his brother George Lawler. He is survived by his love of 62 years, Jeannette Campbell Lawler; their two children, Christopher P. Lawler (Amy) and Kathleen Lawler Morin (Michael); three grandchildren, Christopher Glenn Lawler, Colin Lawler, and Eliza Morin; his brother, James Lawler; and his brother-in-law, Dr. Edward Campbell.

He graduated from Warren Easton High School in 1962. Inspired by his uncle, Parnell Hyland, to pursue the practice of law, he earned his undergraduate degree from Tulane University in 1964, followed by his Juris Doctor from Tulane in 1968. He was an active member of the Moot Court and a proud member of the Phi Delta Phi International Legal Honor Society, which recognizes academic achievement and good character.

Chris served his country in the Louisiana National Guard for seven years.

During that time, he began his legal career at the firm of Porteous, Toledano and Johnson and soon became a partner. In 1974, he and the late James Donovan, Sr. established the firm of Donovan & Lawler. As a trial attorney, Chris was a force to be reckoned with.

Many lawyers recall the first case they had with him as an experience not soon forgotten. His continued successes as a civil defense attorney earned him the nickname "No Liability Lawler." He practiced law with integrity and the highest ethical standards, treating fellow attorneys with fairness and earning the deep respect of the legal community.

Chris cheered on the Greenies for over 65 years, holding memberships in the Green Wave and Glazer clubs. He was a member of the Louisiana Bar Association, past president of the Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel, and served twice as commander of the New Orleans Power Squadron.

Boating was one of his

great passions, and he captained his boat "Critical Mass" on many memorable voyages. He was fortunate to travel the world, often accompanied by his dear friends Ellen and Kelly Simon, laughing all the way. He spent his later years cruising with friends and family, content to be out on the ocean where he always found peace.

Through hard work and sacrifice, Chris achieved significant personal and professional success. Yet he always kept life in perspective, placing faith and family above all else. He taught Sunday School at Zion Lutheran Church for 12 consecutive years and was a member of Atonement Lutheran Church for the past 50 years. His strong faith sustained him, allowing him to face his final days with the same courage he showed throughout his life, with his beloved wife always at his side. His ultimate joy and source of pride were his children and three grandchildren, who were always in his thoughts and who will miss him more than words can convey.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, June 18, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70124, with a funeral service to follow at 11:00 a.m. Interment will take place in Metairie Cemetery. To view and sign the family online guestbook and share your memories of Chris, please visit lakelawnmetairie.com In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Atonement Lutheran Church in memory of Christopher Ernest Lawler.

Brianne Boos, Drew Horton, and Quinn Anglada. Her grandchildren were a joy in her life, and she treasured every moment spent with them. She also leaves be‐ hind her sister-in-law, Ja‐ neen (Tugga) Broussard, as well as nieces, nephews, and cousins who will hold her memory close to their hearts. Barbara is the for‐ mer owner of Bo Peep Day Care in Chalmette, where she helped nurture and guide children with pa‐ tience and affection. She also worked for several years as a bridal consul‐ tant at Linda Lee Bridal, helping make a special oc‐ casion even more memo‐ rable. In addition, she served as a lieutenant in the former Krewe of Aphrodite. Barbara found happiness in knitting and crocheting, and she took great comfort in the spirit of Christmas and the holi‐ day season. She loved watching movies, spending time at the beach, and, above all, being with her grandchildren and family.

Her memory will live on in the hearts of her children, grandchildren, relatives, and all who were fortunate enough to know her.

Though she will be deeply missed, the love and the life she lived will remain an enduring blessing to her family and friends. Family and friends are invited to attend a visitation at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, June 19, 2026, at Greenwood Funeral Home, 5200 Canal Blvd., New Orleans, La. 70124 fol‐ lowed by a Catholic Service at 1:00 p.m. Interment will be at Greenwood Ceme‐ tery.

Lucito, Barbara Lae

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Mary Ann Edwards Schexnayder, a beloved mother, grandmother, and friend, passed away peacefully at her home surrounded by her best friend and caregiver Holly Barre Landry and family on June 12, 2026, at the age of 87. Mary Ann lived a life defined by warmth, grace, and an unwavering devotion to her family. Her home was always a sanctuary of love, laughter, and open doors. She found her greatest joy in the simple moments spent surrounded by those she loved most. She is survived by her devoted children, Michelle Schexnayder Jeansonne (Glen), Richard Minyard (Christine), Rita Augustin (Jim), her cherished grandchildren, Tera Minyard Wilson (Nick), Ryan Minyard, Matthew Minyard (Joan), Brian Minyard (Natalie), her great- grandchildren and a community of extended family and friends who will miss her dearly. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Hubert C. "Tetan" Schexnayder, her son Robert T Minyard, and her grandson Wesley Sorrells. We would like to thank Heart of Hospice, especially our nurse Hannah, and CNA Cindy for the exceptional care given when it was needed most. A celebration of Mary Ann's life will be held on Thursday, June 18, 2026, at St Charles Borromeo Church in Destrehan. Visitation begins at 10AM, Mass will begin at 11:30AM, burial to follow in the church cemetery.

The Advocate The Times Picayune The Acadiana Advocate

Obituary Department Juneteenth Holiday Hours Barbara Lae Lucito, born on March 14, 1940, in New Orleans, Louisiana, passed away on June 11, 2026, leaving behind love that will be cherished by all who knew her. Barbara was the daughter of the late Alda and Joseph Lae. She was the loving mother of Ann Marie (Ryan) Lowe, Lorna (Brett) Boos, and Alda Lucito. She was a proud and devoted grand‐ mother to Juliette Lowe, Dane Necaise, Blake Boos,

Due to the Juneteenth Holiday our offices will be closed Friday, June 19, 2026.

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OPINION N O L A.C O M/opinions

OUR VIEWS

Price transparency in healthcare will benefit providers, patients A long-sought after goal of advocates aiming to rein in spiraling healthcare costs has been price transparency that lets consumers see up front what hospitals charge for routine procedures.

An executive order by President Donald Trump in 2019 set out a framework for price transparency standards that hospitals had to meet for the first time. But in 2023, an analysis by the group Patients Rights Advocate found that many hospitals in Louisiana and across the nation were not meeting those standards.

Last week, word came that the federal government is not ignoring the problem. Since April, The Associated Press reported, the Trump administration has sent out letters to more than 500 hospitals across the country, including 27 in Louisiana, warning them they were not meeting the standards. The hospitals could face penalties of up to $2 million annually if they don’t make a plan to post clear pricing data in the near future.

Some big names on the list in Louisiana were Baton Rouge General’s Bluebonnet campus and its nearby rehabilitation hospital and Manning Family Children’s Hospital, part of the nonprofit LCMC network in New Orleans. Others on the list were mostly specialty hospitals and behavioral facilities. Baton Rouge General said some of the issues had to do with how the information was displayed on its website and said it would be “making improvements.” Similarly, Manning Family Children’s said that it had pricing available on its website for years but they are working to ensure the files meet the requirements.

We are glad to see these two institutions willing to work toward a resolution.

We are also glad to see that the Trump administration is diligently pursuing the issue.

Healthcare costs are one of the most stubbornly intractable problems in our economy. Families in America go bankrupt trying to pay for procedures to save or improve the lives of loved ones.

We believe price transparency is an important tool that will help consumers and providers alike by making it possible to shop around for nonemergency care. We do not see that the information required to be posted online is onerous, but rather, it is useful to consumers and employers, who often must absorb higher costs for their health plans when their employees don’t have clear information.

The administration is pushing for hospitals to make it easier for patients to access the price lists and to make sure they are based on real costs and not just estimates.

We think that is reasonable. We know there are many drivers of cost in our healthcare system, but allowing consumers to know what they are paying for is a start. Sometimes government can help markets work better, and in this case, we see price transparency rules as not a cureall, but as an essential prescription for success in the future.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ARE WELCOME. HERE ARE OUR GUIDELINES: Letters are published

identifying name, occupation and/or title and the writer’s city of residence.

The Advocate | The Times-Picayune require a street address and phone number for verification purposes, but that information is not published. Letters are not to exceed 300 words. Letters to the Editor, The Advocate, P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0588, or email letters@ theadvocate.com.

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YOUR VIEWS

N.O. shuts out responsible Airbnb owners

Education scores a reason to keep investing in early learning The recently released “Education Scorecard” shows Louisiana students making remarkable progress, ranking first among states in reading growth and second in math growth since 2019.

That achievement belongs to the educators, school leaders and policymakers who have worked for years to implement evidence-based reforms and ensure students receive the support they need to succeed.

But as we celebrate this progress, it’s worth asking what will sustain it. Part of the answer starts before kindergarten.

Research consistently shows that children who begin school with strong language, literacy and social-emotional foundations are far more likely to succeed academically.

That’s why New Orleans offers an important example.

For more than a decade, local partners have worked to connect low-income children with free, high-quality early care and education. In 2022, New Orleans voters strengthened that effort by approving a 20-year early childhood education millage, creating a long-term investment in children from birth.

The results are encouraging. Accord-

ing to the Louisiana Department of Education, 31% of low-income children ages 0-2 in Orleans Parish are in publicly funded child care seats, more than double the statewide average. At the same time, the share of New Orleans kindergarteners meeting or exceeding early literacy benchmarks rose from 32.7% in 2023 to 36.7% in 2025.

This is how long-term progress happens. Children who enter kindergarten better prepared are more likely to thrive in the classroom, and today’s preschoolers will shape Louisiana’s future academic outcomes.

Louisiana’s Education Scorecard gains are not proof that the work is finished.

They are evidence that sustained investment works.

If we want these gains to continue and reach more children, we must keep investing in high-quality early learning while supporting educators with the tools they need to succeed.

The hard work is paying off. The question is whether we will continue investing in what comes next.

I recently visited Boston and saw a news segment about the surge in Airbnb demand tied to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Cities across the country are welcoming visitors and allowing residents to benefit economically from tourism. Yet here in New Orleans, many homeowners are being prevented from doing the same because of restrictive shortterm rental rules that have gone too far.

In Boston and many other cities, homeowners can temporarily move out and rent their entire homes through Airbnb. In New Orleans, however, owners are often required to live on-site and maintain a homestead exemption on the rental property, making it nearly impossible for residents with more than one property to participate legally.

My husband and I bought the house next door to ours in 2020 with plans to turn it into a beautiful shortterm rental. The home had sat neglected since Hurricane Katrina. We invested heavily in renovations, obtained permits, paid fees, furnished the property and even secured a license. We believed we were helping revitalize our neighborhood while offsetting rising living costs.

Then the rules changed.

Now the house sits vacant again.

Responsible homeowners who followed the city’s process are being punished while opportunities disappear.

Reasonable regulations are necessary, but New Orleans has crossed into excessive restrictions. As tourism continues to grow, city leaders should find a balanced solution that protects neighborhoods without shutting out responsible property owners and leaving homes empty in a city built on hospitality.

JEN ROBERTS CEO, Agenda for Children New Orleans

Fertility care enhances reproductive knowledge I wish to respond to Marcia Cooke’s letter concerning the use of Title X funds. I totally agree that women should have the knowledge to understand their fertility and to make wise decisions about becoming pregnant. However, I disagree with Cooke’s conclusion that Natural Family Planning is unreliable.

NFP, aka Fertility Care, has been proven to be 99% effective when the woman makes 100% good observations for the mucus sign and records this information daily. Temperature can also be used to track the woman’s ovulation.

NFP has been taught and used effectively for more than 50 years throughout the world without the need to depend upon pills that can have a negative impact on the woman’s body.

There are added benefits to the use of NFP/Fertility Care that should be recog-

nized. From personal experience, I became aware of abnormal changes within my reproductive system and when to seek medical treatment. Secondly, my husband and I were rewarded by learning and practicing SPICE, an acronym for Spiritual, Physical, Intellectual, Creative/Communicative and Emotional intimacy, in our daily relationship.

When avoiding pregnancy, we would decide which aspect needed more attention. It helped us to explore areas more deeply.

SPICE touches on all important aspects of the relationship to express love in many ways. So much fun. Trained practitioners are available who can explain and guide couples who wish to experience this wonderful marital bliss.

DAPHNE H. DOMINGUEZ New Orleans

2 issues need to be at top of state agenda

VIRGINIA ALMON Metairie

Recall drive needs tight organization to succeed Regarding the campaign to recall Gov. Jeff Landry: In the spring of 2023, the efforts to recall New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell from office failed.

Contributing to this failure were bogus, unwitnessed signatures on the petitions such as “Fred Flintstone,” “Mickey

When will our governor set up a task force to deal with inferior roads and bridges that the citizens of this state have to drive over day after day? When will our governor set up a task force to start giving retired state workers a permanent benefit increase each year as most states do? The time for this is now.

Mouse” and “Scooby Doo.” We’ll never know if this was the result of abject incompetence, a moronic joke or sinister sabotage. Let us ensure that such a fiasco is never repeated.

ROSLYN ELFER New Orleansor

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COMMENTARY State’s expanded alligator season is worth celebrating

It may seem strange to talk about 10,000 alligators dying as a thing worth celebrating, but hear me out.

Last month, the Louisiana Legislature gave the go-ahead to state wildlife officials to add a recreational alligator Faimon hunting this fall in Roberts additionseason to the state’s already active commercial season. The new season will add about 10,000 tags to the 38,000 already offered in the state’s commercial program. In the new season, 5,000 hunters will be awarded two tags apiece. Each tag is good for one alligator.

The new season means hunters could take almost 50,000 alligators from Louisiana’s habitats this year. A little more than 50 years ago, that number would have been almost unthinkable. The state’s total alligator population was estimated to be fewer than 100,000.

Even if every tag is used, the new hunting season will barely make a dent in the current population, estimated to be around 3 million.

How we got here from where we were is a triumph of data-based conservation that involved all stakeholders, including landowners, conservationists, hunters and those who make alligator products.

By the 1960s, Louisiana’s alligators were in trouble. Poaching was rampant, regulations were ineffective.

Many large landowners who leased their land for duck hunting, crawfishing or trapping tacitly allowed, if not supported, eradication of alligators, according to Bob Thomas, a naturalist and the director of the Center for Environmental Communication at Loyola University.

“If you see somebody with a light and a gunshot, he’s breaking the law, but helping you out,” Thomas said.

The solution conservationists came up with was simple. Landowners could lease marshes for egg collection by alligator farmers. who then had to return a portion of the hatched alligators to the marshes from which they came. The program created an economic incentive for those who previously would have

FILE PHOTO

The new recreational hunting season will add about 10,000 tags to the 38,000 already offered in the state’s commercial program. turned a blind eye to poaching. It also provided an avenue for the legal sale of alligator products.

The truly ingenious part of the plan rested in the proportion of 4-foot alligators that egg collectors had to return to the marsh. Scientists had determined that, in the wild, about 17% of alligators that hatched survived to that length. So, if a collector took 100 eggs, they would have to return 17 4-foot alligators to the wild within two years. By modulating the proportion, wildlife officials could boost or slow the alligator population’s growth.

Also in the program, hunting was banned for about a decade. When it was allowed again, it was under tight restrictions that pushed hunters toward males and helped them avoid egg-laying females.

In other words, no one — hunters, landowners, those who want alligator products, conservationists or scientists — was left out of the process. The idea was radical in the way it married economic incentives with ecological goals.

But it almost didn’t happen. Environmentalists opposed it, and members of other state departments were also skeptical, Thomas told me.

But he said once it got going, the alligator population “exploded.” Now, the

population is so robust that the addition of 10,000 tags to the state’s total is barely a blip.

Louisiana can increase the number of alligators killed by hunters because, for a half century, we’ve been so good at helping them live. And as a side benefit, the program generates an estimated $250 million in economic activity in Louisiana.

The alligator isn’t the only species that has made a comeback in Louisiana in recent decades: The black bear, the brown pelican and the bald eagle have as well. Those restorations were different, but they have had similar success.

None of these conservation efforts have been easy or happened overnight.

It takes time and intentionality to bring back an animal that has dwindled due to human action. And there are plenty of species that are still in need of focused restoration.

State Sen. Robert Allain, R-Franklin, who sponsored the bill calling for the recreational season, called the alligator program “the greatest conservation story in America.” Politicians are prone to hyperbole, but in the alligator’s case, that’s certainly worth celebrating.

Email Faimon A. Roberts III at froberts@theadvocate.com.

A welcome break from today’s repulsive, glue-factory politics and twice, by his immoderate dislike In the mid-1940s, 4-year-old Lamar of the adjective “moderate” when apAlexander climbed a tree, fretted that he could not climb down, and called plied to him. He specifically deplores for his mother to help. This was before a description of him as “of mild mien” the noun “parent” became a verb, and and a senatorial model of “moderate before advanced thinkers decided that Republicanism” that is “as valuable as parenting is a science, or an art, or it is scarce.” Those words are from this both. So his mother simply told column in 2009. him, “You got yourself up there, Alexander writes that he has you can get yourself down.” He always “detested” being called did. “moderate,” a “lazy adjective” He graduated from his freethat describes “style more than range Tennessee childhood philosophy.” Homer nods, and with a stock of gumption that George Alexander errs. propelled him through a public There are political people, Will life spanning almost a quarter and he is one, in whom personal of the nation’s life, working with style is inseparable from — is 10 presidents. His career’s astonishan emanation of — a philosophy. Of conservatism, properly understood. ing breadth began in 1963 as a staff member in Attorney General Robert F. A conservatism whose principles inKennedy’s Justice Department. Alexclude flexibility is indispensable in a ander, now 85, was a White House aide functioning legislature, where negotiato President Richard Nixon, a two-term tion and compromise are inescapable. governor of Tennessee, president of Principles must be moderated to acthe University of Tennessee, educacommodate the inconvenient existence tion secretary under President George of others elected espousing different H.W. Bush, and a three-term U.S. sena- philosophies.

Edmund Burke, the fountainhead of tor. modern conservatism, warned against His memoir, “The Education of a Senator: From JFK to Trump,” tells his purely performative politicians, of story of many achievements and a few which America today has a surfeit.

They “make themselves bidders at an disappointments (two attempts to win auction of popularity,” and become Republican presidential nominations). “flatterers instead of legislators.”

His graceful but unembellished prose By them, “moderation will be stigsuits his penchant for understatement.

Even if — no, especially if — you find matized as the virtue of cowards, and today’s politics repulsive, read this compromise as the prudence of traibook while remembering Mark Twain’s tors.” warm endorsement of an exemplary Politics is neither a science nor an congressional candidate during the art. It is a craft, like carpentry or seaminess of Gilded Age Washington: playing shortstop. The dignity of a “The presence of such a man in politics craft derives from the fact that it is is like a vase of attar of roses in a glue- acquired only through many years of factory — it can’t extinguish the stink, repetitions. Hence, patience is a conbut it modifies it.” servative virtue. Faux conservatives The placidity of Alexander’s memoir who proclaim on the Senate floor their is disturbed only, but emphatically, principled refusal to compromise of-

ten achieve their only intended result: cable television and social media resonance.

This is actual conservatism: While campaigning for governor, Alexander met a mother who said, “I am sad tonight. My twin boys are smart, but they’ll never find a good job around here, and I’ll never see my grandchildren.” Hence his protracted courtship of Japanese automobile manufacturers to locate plants in Tennessee. By 2006, both of that mother’s sons and one of her grandsons were working for Nissan.

Alexander’s political craftsmanship was honed during almost six decades of a public career whose diversity of offices filled is perhaps unmatched in American history. Of the 2,019 people who have been senators, few earned as much respect as Alexander, and like Ted Williams, he homered in this last at bat.

Near the end of his Senate tenure, he and two other senators met in the White House Roosevelt Room to try to persuade the mercurial president to pressure some of his Senate acolytes to support a major bill, the Great American Outdoors Act. Pointing to a portrait of Theodore Roosevelt, one of Alexander’s colleagues said to Donald Trump: “If you support and sign this law, you’ll be the greatest conservationist president since Teddy Roosevelt.” Alexander writes: “Trump leaned back, folded his arms, and looked into space. ‘Wouldn’t you say ever?’ Trump asked.”

He endorsed the bill, which became law. As Otto von Bismarck reportedly said, “You can do anything with children if you only play with them.”

Email George Will at georgewill@washpost.com.

The wrong lessons to take from Platner, Paxton

You can explain away all the scandals that have beset Graham Platner, Maine’s Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate. The tattoo of a Totenkopf, the death’s head emblem associated with Nazi concentration camp guards? That was a drunken mistake by a young Marine who didn’t know any better. His failure to remove it for nearly two decades?

The self-professed “military history buff” found out about those associations only recently.

How about this shirtless profile on the anonymous chat app called Megan Kik, favored mostly by the 13-toMcArdle 24-year-old set? He made some mistakes early in his marriage.

The ex-girlfriends who told the New York Times his behavior was “unsettling” and, in one case, physically abusive? The woman who says he manhandled her once worked for the conservative Heritage Foundation. QED, the accusation isn’t credible.

That sure is a lot of explaining to have to do, and some of the explanations seem unconvincing. So alternatively, you could simply say, “What about Ken Paxton?”

Paxton, the Texas attorney general who defeated incumbent U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in the Republican primary runoff last month, is at least as scandalicious as Platner. The Republican-controlled Texas House impeached him in 2023 for dereliction of duty and bribery, among other charges. As my news-side colleagues reported: “His own senior staffers reported him to the FBI, alleging he illegally used his position to help a prominent donor,” and “his wife, state Sen. Angela Paxton, filed for divorce last year on ‘biblical grounds.’” (The Senate later voted to acquit him.)

It’s hard to denounce Platner while supporting Paxton (or Donald Trump), but that won’t stop many Republicans from trying. The reverse is also true. Many Democrats will assure themselves that this is entirely different, even though it’s much the same. It is a rejection of the idea that character matters in politics.

Politicians needn’t be saints. But nor should Americans mindlessly vote for whoever represents their party without any care for character.

Nominating those who are obviously unscrupulous and unstable is bad for the country — and, frequently, for America’s parties.

It mattered that Trump was vindictive, vain, pigheaded and unprincipled, because that’s how we got Jan. 6, unpopular tariffs, a budget deficit of almost 6% of gross domestic product, and the current mess in Iran. That can be twisted to justify standing by Platner: Trump is so bad that we must do all we can to check him.

This is now the dominant narrative of both parties: Our opponents are intent on destroying everything right and just, while we are doing what we must. Every election has become an existential contest between all-powerful supervillains and … amoebas who have no capacity for independent thought and can only react automatically to negative stimuli.

But we aren’t amoebas; we’re humans who have the capacity to make choices and draw lines.

It’s helpful to remember how often these compromises go awry. Trump’s election denial arguably cost his party both Georgia Senate races in the 2021 runoffs, and MAGA primary challenges have ousted moderates from seats the GOP subsequently lost. The president’s unpopular policies are likely to do further damage this November. As may his meddling in Texas, where he endorsed Paxton because Cornyn — who boasted that he supported Trump’s positions 99% of the time — wasn’t abjectly servile enough.

Paxton might have won anyway, but it sure didn’t help that the president weighed in on his behalf. Platner also makes it more likely that Maine will return Republican Susan Collins to the Senate.

If both men survive their respective races, they will arrive in Washington carrying all their baggage, containing who knows what ticking time bombs waiting to go off, with the rest of their caucus in the blast radius. When the eruption comes, party stalwarts will console themselves by saying the voters had spoken and there was nothing they could do. Balderdash.

There is at least one thing they could’ve done: Refuse to support a candidate who doesn’t belong in the Senate.

What’s that, you say? Politics ain’t beanbag?

Republicans have been saying so for 10 years and it’s gotten them only grief. Many have kept their jobs, but at great cost. They’ve been left with a badly weakened party that will either struggle to win elections or need to rebuild itself as something other than a cult of personality.

Their jobs now mostly consist of explaining the inexplicable and defending the indefensible.

It’s a pity to sell your soul for power. It’s an embarrassment to sell it for nothing.

Megan McArdle is on X, @asymmetricinfo.

Email her at Megan.McArdle@washpost.com.

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6B ✦ Tuesday, June 16, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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with meteorologist Damon Singleton

Regional Summary TODAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

Showers, heavy thunderstorms

A couple of p.m. t-storms

Tropical rainstorm; humid

A shower and t-storm; humid

HIGH

LOW

HIGH

84° 79°

LOW

HIGH

89° 79°

LOW

86° 80°

Beaumont 80/76 Port Arthur 81/78

Baton Rouge 80/75

Lake Charles 80/76

New Orleans 84/79 Houma 85/77

Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

0s

Hattiesburg 78/72

Alexandria 79/73

Lafayette 79/75

10s

20s

30s

40s

50s

Humid with A t-storm possible; t-storms possible humid HIGH

HIGH

LOW

90° 76°

60s

70s

80s

90s 100s 110s

High/low Normal high/low Last year’shigh/low Record high Record low

YESTERDAY

TODAY

READING 49 MAIN POLLUTANT Nitrogen oxide

MAIN POLLUTANT Nitrogen oxide

Sunrise today Sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today

JUN 21

City

Atlanta Austin Boston Charlotte Chicago Dallas Denver Houston Las Vegas

24-hour total Month to date Normal month to date year to date Normal year to date

HIGH

9:18p 3:08p 7:41a 10:55a 11:03a 10:17a 12:11p

6:00 a.m.

8:04 p.m.

7:26 a.m.

10:08 p.m.

FULL

LAST

JUN 29

Hi

73 86 78 81 74 90 91 81 109

TODAY Lo

68 74 61 68 56 75 66 75 87

NEW

JUL 7

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t t s c t s s t s

JUL 14

Hi

85 89 77 90 70 93 95 85 110

GOOD

PRECIPITATION

90°/77° 90°/75° 91°/75° 97° in 2024 62° in 1995

TODAY’S TIDES Lake Pontchartrain (Tchefuncte River) Shell Beach South Point, Marsh Island Cypremort Point Grand Isle (Barataria Pass) Mississippi River (Southwest Pass) Wine Island

FIRST

Shown are areas of precipitation and high temperatures for the day.

LOW

90° 78°

New Orleans through 5 p.m. Monday

Jackson 78/72 Many 78/72

Drenching thunderstorms extending from South Texas to Georgia and Florida today will bring the risk of flash flooding. The greatest concern will be along the Texas and Louisiana coasts, where the most persistent downpours are expected. Expect more heavy rain tomorrow and Thursday.

SUNDAY

TEMPERATURE

Longview 86/73

-0s

LOW

Monroe 84/73

Shreveport 85/73

-10s

HIGH

90° 76°

SATURDAY

WED. Lo

72 77 62 74 61 75 50 76 85

W

t r pc pc t pc s t s

FT.

LOW

0.05” 1.73” 3.74” 23.43” 28.27”

FT.

HIGH

0.9 8:35a -0.3 2.0 2:07a -0.5 2.2 10:45a 2.0 2.1 1:20a -0.2 1.6 10:36p -0.4 2.0 8:59p -0.7 2.0 11:38p -0.6

SOURCE: LOUISIANA DEQ AND AIRNOW.GOV

FT.

LOW

FT.

--- ----- ----- ----- --2:02p 2.0 10:07p -0.9 --- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ---

The solunar period schedule allows planning days so you will be fishing in good territory or hunting in good cover during those times. Major periods begin at the times shown and last for 1.5 to 2 hours. The minor periods are shorter.

MAJOR MINOR MAJOR MINOR

Today 12:44a Wednesday 1:53a Thursday 2:59a Friday 3:59a Saturday 4:52a Sunday 5:39a Monday 6:22a

City

Hi

Los Angeles 80 Miami 92 Nashville 85 New york City 77 Philadelphia 79 Phoenix 111 St. Louis 80 San Francisco 71 Seattle 73

7:00a 8:08a 9:13a 10:11a 11:04a 11:50a 12:12a

TODAY Lo

62 78 67 62 62 88 63 58 52

1:16p 7:32p 2:23p 8:38p 3:26p 9:40p 4:24p 10:36p 5:15p 11:26p 6:01p ---6:43p 12:33p

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pc t s s s s t pc pc

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80 94 88 75 84 110 93 73 74

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63 80 74 65 69 87 69 58 56

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pc t pc t t s t pc pc

MISSISSIPPI Memphis Vidalia-Natchez Red River Landing Baton Rouge Donaldsonville Reserve New Orleans OHIO Cairo COMITE Near Olive AMITE Near Darlington Denham Springs Port Vincent TICKFAW Montpelier Holden ATCHAFALAYA Simmesport Melville Krotz Springs Butte La Rose Bayou Sorrel Morgan City

FLOOD STAGE

34 48 48 35 27 22 17

MON. 24-HOUR STAGE CHANGE

14.30 32.00 35.50 20.20 12.40 9.85 5.90

+0.63 -1.59 -1.50 -1.40 -1.10 -0.74 -0.66

40

29.37

+0.13

19

-1.47

-0.08

18 29 8

-0.73 11.88 1.88

-0.03 +0.31 -0.33

13 15

1.71 1.49

-0.03 -0.52

47 34 29 20 12 6

17.39 13.00 10.73 9.30 6.10 3.59

-1.40 -1.12 -0.92 -0.69 -0.30 +0.08

data as of 7 a.m. Monday

Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2026

Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain, sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice.

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OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

SPORTS N O L A.C O M

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T u e s d ay, J u n e 16, 2026

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Source: Jordan, Saints make strides

BY MATTHEW PARAS Staff writer

The New Orleans Saints and Cam Jordan have made progress on contract talks on the eve of mandatory minicamp, a source with knowledge of the situation said.

Saints general manager Mickey Loomis has met with Jordan, the Saints’ all-time sacks leader, multiple times this offseason, a source said. The meetings have been productive enough that Jordan and the Saints will now meet again Tuesday, as former Saints tackle Terron Armstead first reported on his podcast Monday.

That sit-down will coincidence with the start of the Saints’ twoday mandatory minicamp. Jordan has been a free agent since March when the 36-year-old’s

contract expired.

The Saints made a contract offer to Jordan earlier this offseason and have been open to his return.

Coach Kellen Moore said last week that the team wouldn’t rush Jordan into his decision and that the offer did not necessarily have an expiration date. “(We’re) here to help in any possible way,” Moore said. “We know what he means to this organization and this city, so if the opportunity presents itself and he feels comfortable and ready to go, then we’ll be ready to rock and roll.”

Drafted 24th overall in 2011, Jordan is coming off a resurgent season in which he recorded doubledigit sacks for the first time since the 2021 season. Jordan has said he wants to continue his career and has no interest in retiring.

As his free agency dragged on, Jordan had said that he was open to the idea of playing elsewhere.

But he also maintained that he had interest in returning to New Orleans, his home for the last 15 years. While the Saints kept an open channel with Jordan, the team also added two pass rushers.

The Saints traded for former firstrounder Tyree Wilson and signed veteran Anfernee Jennings.

Jordan said in April that he did not think those deals closed the door on his return.

“I don’t know,” he said. “There’s nobody (the Saints acquired) who produced the way I did last year, so. My talent speaks for itself. And if things work out, phenomenal.

I’ve always said I understand the business side to it, so I’ve never worried about it.”

STAFF FILE PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Saints DE Cam Jordan starts the “Who Dat” chant before the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at the Caesars Superdome on Dec. 29, 2024.

New Pels G League coach aims for greatness

BY ROD WALKER Staff writer

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By GEORGE WALKER IV

Spain midfielder Lamine yamal, right, signs an autograph for Griffin Wamp, left, after arriving with teammates for the World Cup soccer tournament on June 5 in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Welcoming arms Some smaller U.S. cities embrace hosting World Cup teams’ base

BY LEAH WILLINGHAM

Brandon Demas isn’t sure of the exact date he started jotting down the two words that would become his identity.

He knows it was during college, right around the time he was trying to figure things out.

So he put pen to paper.

“Be Great.”

“Be Great.”

“Be Great.”

Over and over again he’d write it.

“It just comes from trying to be the greatest version of myself each and every day,” Demas said. “All of a sudden, the guys just ran with it and it became my name.”

There are some in the New Orleans Pelicans’ team facility that don’t even know his real name. To them, he’s just B Great.

But Demas is making a name for himself, proving that those words of affirmation he repeatedly wrote down years ago can indeed come true. Demas’ basketball career continues to ascend, much like the high-rise bridge that takes a person from New Orleans East where he grew up to where he is now.

On Monday, Demas was named head coach of the Laketown Squadron, the G League affiliate of the New Orleans Pelicans. Not bad for a kid with big

ä See PELICANS, page 3C

Associated Press

In the shadow of Tennessee’s Signal and Lookout mountains, 8-year-old Beckham has been balancing on a fence for more than three hours, gripping a handwritten note and waiting for Spain’s national team to emerge.

“I love you and I look up to you,” the note reads, addressed to Pedri and Lamine Yamal. “Thanks for coming to my city. I hope you win the World Cup.” As the players run onto the field, his eyes grow wide.

“Dad,” he whispers, “they’re real.”

The scene was equally incredible to his father, Jaxon McClure, a Marine Corps veteran who grew up in Chattanooga playing soccer with trash cans for goalposts, now coaches hundreds of local children and named his first child after one of the sport’s greatest stars.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By GEORGE WALKER IV

Spain forward Alex Baena walks across the tarmac after arriving with teammates for

ä See SOCCER, page 5C the World Cup soccer tournament on June 5 in Chattanooga, Tenn.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Brandon Demas has been named head coach of the Laketown Squadron, the G League team of the Pelicans.

Knicks carved out a legacy beyond the Big Apple

BY BRIAN MAHONEY

least a few days more, with the Knicks’ first parade through New York — they didn’t have one in NEW YORK — By the time Jalen 1970 or ‘73 — scheduled for ThursBrunson and the Knicks returned day. home, it was as easy to find someThe team will be remembered thing orange around New York as long after the confetti is picked up off the streets of Broadway — and at Halloween.

The city was caught up in this not only in New York. The 2025-26 championship run for nearly two Knicks have a place in NBA hismonths and the party will last at tory.

AP basketball writer

Their postseason performance is in the discussion for the best in the 80-year history of the league, a run of routs and then comebacks for their first championship since 1973.

“What a run!” former President Barack Obama wrote in a tweet congratulating coach Mike Brown, Brunson and the rest of the Knicks.

One that was arguably as good

even as any of Obama’s beloved Bulls.

The Knicks finished 16-3, an .842 winning percentage that matched the 2024 Boston Celtics for the second best since the format switched to best-of-seven series in all rounds beginning in 2003.

The 2017 Golden State Warriors finished 16-1.

The Los Angeles Lakers went

15-1 in 2001, and the Philadelphia 76ers finished 12-1 in 1983. Five teams finished a postseason with two losses.

The Knicks won 13 consecutive games at one point, second only to the Warriors’ 15 in a row in 2017.

They set records by winning nine straight on the road and outscoring

ä See KNICKS, page 3C

2C ✦ Tuesday, June 16, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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Sanders weighs in on sports betting Colorado coach also ponders possible improvements for college football

BY PAT GRAHAM

Braves pitcher Strider shut down for four weeks

ATLANTA — Atlanta Braves righthander Spencer Strider will be shut down from throwing for four weeks because of inflammation in his right elbow, the team announced Monday.

Strider, who had been placed on the 15-day injured list Saturday, will have another MRI at the end of that period and would begin “throwing progression” if tests were to show the inflammation had cleared, the team said.

Strider left Friday’s 7-5 loss at the New York Mets in the fourth inning due to right shoulder and elbow soreness.

Strider has a history of arm problems. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2019 and had the UCL in his right elbow repaired with an internal brace in April 2024.

Associated Press

DENVER — Nobody has lived on the edge of the risk-reward nature of sports more than Deion Sanders over the years.

One place the Colorado coach won’t go: gambling on the college game, the likes of which has generated a scandal inside the very conference his team resides. Wagering has jumped to the forefront of college football as Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby won a court order early last week that restored his eligibility and set aside a ban by the NCAA for betting on pro and college sports. Colorado plays Big 12 rival Texas Tech on Oct. 3 as part of homecoming festivities.

“Somebody’s gambling on a sport they’re playing? You don’t think something’s wrong with that?” Sanders said in a recent interview with The Associated Press and before the latest court ruling with Sorsby. “Just say that to yourself: This guy on my team is gambling on the sport, in the competition, that we’re about to go out there and have. Something’s wrong with that.”

Sanders has plenty of thoughts on refining the game in this day and age of the volatile transfer portal and lucrative name, image and likeness deals. His takes include a salary cap in an effort to even the NIL playing field, hiring a retired coach as commissioner (a Nick Saban type), instituting some sort of an age limit, expand the College Football Playoff to 24 teams and, of course, a hard pass when it comes to betting (he’s talked to his squad about this topic).

“The game is still the game,” Sanders said. “The game is just positioned differently. Money’s involved, and any time money’s involved people tend to migrate to what they think they can get out of it instead of what they could put into it — and that’s unfortunate.”

Rangers place SS Seager on 7-day concussion list

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By KIRK IRWIN

University of Colorado coach Deion Sanders stands on the sidelines before the start of a game between the Cleveland Browns and the Tennessee Titans on Dec. 7 in Cleveland.

through treatment for bladder cancer, which included having a section of his intestine reconstructed to function as a bladder.

Earlier this spring, Sanders stepped away from the team for a few days as he dealt with blood clots. But he said he’s “feeling great. I’ve got my old swagger back.”

Along with it, a new outlook, which includes actually taking vacation time. Sanders recently partnered on a beachfront property in St. Croix with his son, Shedeur, who’s entering his second season as a quarterback with the Cleveland Browns.

“I never would’ve done that, because I don’t go anywhere,” the 58-year-old Sanders said. “I’m stepping out, just living life.”

Sanders missed football camps last summer in Boulder as he went through cancer treatments.

The Buffaloes finished with a 3-9 mark a year after making a bowl game behind Shedeur Sanders and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter.

This offseason, it’s a more hands-on version of Sanders.

Bladder cancer diagnosis “I have everybody in that locker A year ago, Sanders was going room because we said we want

them,” he said. “Because I sat there and watched tape on them and said, ‘That’s who I want, that’s what I want. Let’s go get them.’ ”

New landscape of college game Sanders found it funny that his heavy reliance on the transfer portal once drew so many raised eyebrows.

“Now, everybody’s doing the same thing that I did,” he said.

“But it was crazy back then, right?”

He’s seen and heard the plans from conferences — and the legislation proposals from lawmakers — on how to adapt college football in this new landscape. It’s a lot to untangle, which is why he advocates for an authoritative figure to help oversee the sport.

“A guy like coach Saban and some of the other coaches that have walked away from the game not because they can’t coach anymore but because they were fed up with how things are operating,” he said.

Sanders also would be in favor of implementing a salary cap (see: NFL).

“So you can really have a consistency with the game,” Sanders

said. “The thing about the pro game, everybody gets to spend the same amount of money. It’s who is crafty in regard to business. College football isn’t like that. You may have a team that’s spent $40 million playing against a team who spent $10 million. You darn well know the outcome in that game.”

That leads him to his next point — a potential age cap.

“You can’t have a 30-year-old man playing against a 21-year old man and think it’s fair,” he said.

“Should be a transfer rule as well.

You’re teaching kids not to fight through adversity when you’re having kids able to transfer two or three or four times.”

As for NIL, he momentarily pondered if anything might have been different for him had a similar system been in place when he was at Florida State.

“It probably wouldn’t have (changed),” said Sanders, a college and pro football hall of famer. “I’ve had a pretty good run. I’m still running, too — still high stepping. I’m probably in the third quarter of this game (of life) and we’re winning. We’re up by about 21. I’m loving life.”

NCAA, Big 12 go to court against Texas Tech Organizations file in court to ensure their ability to handle Sorsby’s eligibility

BY STEPHEN HAWKINS Associated Press

The NCAA asked a Texas appeals court Monday to stay a temporary injunction that cleared the way for Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby to play this fall despite being declared ineligible for gambling while the Big 12 Conference filed a federal lawsuit warning the Texas attorney general to stay out of a case that has rattled college sports.

The filings in separate courts raised the stakes in the fight over whether Sorsby can play and who makes that decision.

In documents filed with the Court of Appeals for the Seventh District of Texas at Amarillo, the NCAA asked for an emergency motion to stay the June 8 injunction granted by a Lubbock County court in favor of Sorsby, who has admitted he has a gambling addiction and has made thousands of bets, included some on his own team when he was a freshman at Indiana.

The NCAA also asked for a resolution of the case by Aug. 28, which it said would spare the potential disruption of a ruling after Texas Tech begins its season on Sept. 5.

The NCAA has long banned players for gambling, but Texas Tech

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By TANNER PEARSON

Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby is interviewed after a game against Baylor on Oct. 25 in Cincinnati. says Sorsby, who transferred there in January after the past two seasons at Cincinnati, would be better off on the team for his mental health and well being.

“The trial court’s temporary injunction sweeps beyond anything Texas law permits,” attorneys for the NCAA wrote. “It undermines the integrity of college sports, rewrites member-adopted rules of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, immunizes Brendan Sorsby from discipline for admitted and serial violations of NCAA anti-gambling rules, incentivizes a run on courthouses across the country to challenge even the most obvious and straightforward student-athlete eligibility decisions and demolishes the status quo.”

The injunction last week from Judge Ken Curry prevents the

NCAA from being able to block Sorsby’s eligibility for what will be his final college season with a team among the favorites to win the Big 12.

The Big 12, meanwhile, filed suit in U.S. District Court in Dallas seeking a court order backing its ability to use its bylaws for potential punishment against Sorsby. So far, the Big 12 has not weighed in on the Sorsby case, but last week the Texas attorney general’s office warned the league of potential legal action from Texas Tech for any sanctions against the school or Sorsby.

The Big 12 filing names Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the Republican nominee in the U.S. Senate race this fall, as well as Texas Tech leadership, including its president, chancellor and ath-

letic director. It accused them of trying to prevent the Big 12 from exercising its own rules the school itself agreed to long ago.

“An athlete with an extensive, documented history of wagering on intercollegiate athletic contests — especially his own team’s games — presents a reputational and integrity risk to the conference and its championship competition that the conference has both the right and the responsibility to address,” attorneys for the Big 12 wrote.

“The Conference is not required to accept that risk on behalf of its fifteen other member Institutions, their student-athletes, their fans and its commercial partners.

And no government official has the power to compel it to do so.”

The Big 12 board of directors, made up of presidents and chancellors from the league’s 16 schools, was expected to meet Monday.

Court records show Sorsby has acknowledged making thousands of bets on pro and college sports totaling at least $90,000 while at Indiana, Cincinnati and Texas Tech.

That included 40 bets on Indiana while he was a freshman in 2022, though none on any of the games in which he played for the Hoosiers.

While some guidelines for penalties related to gambling have changed in recent years, NCAA rules still call for a permanent loss of eligibility for any player who wagered on his own team. At least two schools, Nebraska in the Big Ten and Georgia in the SEC, have indicated they will not schedule Texas Tech.

ARLINGTON, Texas — The Texas Rangers have placed shortstop Corey Seager on the seven-day concussion list, clearing the way for second baseman Josh Smith to return from a six-week absence that included a bout with viral meningitis.

The move on Seager is retroactive to Friday, a day after he collided with Kansas City catcher Carter Jensen while trying to score from first base on a double

by Brandon Nimmo.

The two-time World Series MVP stayed in the game and homered.

Seager missed 19 games in May and June with back inflammation.

Manager Skip Schumaker said Seager mentioned a sore jaw while staying in the 4-2 victory over the Royals, then the five-time All-Star began reporting concussion symptoms after the game.

Reds’ De La Cruz could go on rehab assignment soon CINCINNATI — Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz could go on a rehab assignment this weekend if the next couple of days go according to plan.

De La Cruz — who has been sidelined since June 1 due to a right hamstring strain — ran the bases and took some infield grounders before Monday night’s game against the New York Mets. He will run the bases again on Tuesday before a final decision is made.

Manager Terry Francona said the likely rehab assignment would be to Triple-A Louisville, which is at Gwinnett this week. The Reds’ Single-A affiliate in Dayton is also on the road this week.

De La Cruz left the May 31 game against the Atlanta Braves with right hamstring tightness.

Cameras stolen from Troy baseball team’s bus

OMAHA, Neb. — Troy’s first appearance in the College World Series has produced lots of Kodak moments for the Alabama school.

Only Troy’s photographers are having to use borrowed equipment to capture them after thieves stole cameras and lenses valued at $35,000 from the team bus.

The theft was discovered after Troy arrived at Charles Schwab Field for its game against Ole Miss on Sunday. According to a police report, a Troy official reported the theft shortly before noon. The bus had been parked near the team hotel since about 4:30 p.m. Saturday.

Omaha police spokesman Michael Pecha said Monday no arrests had been made and that the investigation continues.

Kentucky hires former Michigan State AD Batt

The University of Kentucky announced on Monday it has hired athletic director J Batt from Michigan State, a little more than a year after he left Georgia Tech.

Batt follows retiring UK athletic director Mitch Barnhart, who has had the job since 2002, making him the longest-serving AD in the Southeastern Conference. Barnhart won’t take on a high-paying role at the school after Gov. Andy Beshear questioned decision-making at the school.

“The championship standard has been established at Kentucky and we are committed to upholding that standard of excellence,” Batt said.

Before leading Georgia Tech’s athletic department, he was executive deputy athletic director at Alabama and served as chief operating officer and chief revenue officer in the athletic department.

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The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Tuesday, June 16, 2026 ✦ 3C

COMMENTARY

SUBMITTED PHOTO

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JULIA DEMAREE NIKHINSON

Featherweight fighters Diego Lopez and Steve Garcia square off in the ring during the first fight at UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House on Sunday in Washington, D.C.

UFC boss: White House fight night a one-off

BY DAN GELSTON AP sportswriter

WASHINGTON — By the time Justin Gaethje pummeled his bloodied foe to a pulp and celebrated a championship win with a backflip off the top of the wire-mesh cage, then shook hands with President Donald Trump — and even fist-bumped Melania — this much about his company’s future was clear to the ultimate boss of UFC: Just say no to the White House.

“It was an amazing experience, this was a one-of-one,” UFC CEO Dana White said. “It will never happen again.”

Oh, not because the show dubbed Freedom 250 and ostensibly held to celebrate Trump’s 80th birthday and the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence’s signing wasn’t by White’s accounts a smashing success. He crowed about merchandise sales and streaming service subscriptions, and how UFC surpassed its goals in every metric he could list at a news conference that stretched well into the dawn’s early light Monday.

And the setting?

Almost impossible to top on a night when fighters essentially treated their walkouts like they were kids on a class trip. The allmale lineup toured the West Wing, the Oval Office, walked past presidential portraits, through the Roosevelt Room, the Cabinet Room and the winners even got a meetand-greet with Trump.

Gaethje skimmed the copy of the Declaration of Independence that hangs in the Oval Office and said a prayer before he made the unusually long walk to the cage. Gaethje battered Spanish-Georgian fighter Ilia Topuria in the main event and won the UFC lightweight title.

“Usually, I kind of blank out when it comes to getting ready to walk to the cage,” Gaethje said.

“It was pretty crazy, looking at the Declaration of Independence. The original one. Their language was different. I’m not smart enough to read that.”

Gaethje also banked a whopping $825,000 in bonus money for winning “Performance of the Night” and “Fight of the Night” honors.

Trump stayed until the end of the seven-card show and generally seemed engaged with the fights — at one point he put on a white “USA” baseball cap — and certainly was all smiles each time a fighter who had a hand raised in victory then used it on a handshake with the president.

There were few blips on the big night and the blemishes that did happen were at the expense of UFC’s two more problematic fighters.

UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland was escorted out of the Ellipse watch party attended by thousands more fans by a group of police officers. Heavyweight Josh Hokit took it further with an unfounded attack based on a rightwing conspiracy theory about former first lady Michelle Obama.

For all the hand-wringing ahead

of the card, the show delivered on the star-spangled smackdown that featured pulsating patriotism from the Marine Band, tributes to first responders, active military and other White House-designated heroes. Gaethje and Ciryl Gane were crowned champions inside a blood-splattered eight-sided cage plopped in the open air right in the people’s house backyard on the South Lawn.

Blood and guts were a mandate before an American fighter wrapped himself in the flag.

“Hopefully tonight created some unity,” White said as he put on his hyperbolic promoter’s hat.

“Even for the people that thought this was going to be some big political statement or something, this wasn’t. This was Americans, all Americans celebrating the birthday. For people who tuned in for the first time, because it was at the White House, hopefully they liked the sport. They liked some of the guys’ stories.”

So maybe some new fans stick around.

After all, International Fight Week is right around the corner, with UFC 329 set to mark the return after a five-year break of the company’s biggest box office draw, Conor McGregor.

That fight will be held in a more traditional arena back on UFC’s home turf in Las Vegas, just as they will for years to come.

But despite all the pomp and pageantry, the eyerolls and angst, White stands by his claim that UFC is one-and-done in D.C.

KNICKS

Continued from page 1C their postseason opponents by 283 points.

They were still midway through the NBA Finals when rapper Fat Joe, one of the Knicks’ orangeand-blue dressed celebrity fans, came to Brown’s news conference and said what the team had spent weeks making clear.

“Let’s just wait until it’s over, but right now you analyze the numbers, we might be looking at the greatest team ever, like if you analyze the numbers,” he said.

And when things stopped coming easily, the Knicks set records for the other ways they won. Their comeback from a 29-point deficit in Game 4 was the biggest rally in an NBA Finals game since detailed play-by-play began in 1997, and the Knicks capped it off by coming from 16 down in the clincher.

Add it up, and the Knicks can make a compelling case for the most dominant postseason ever.

“It’s absolutely one of the greatest ever,” said Mike Breen, who calls Knicks games on MSG Network during the regular season and has been ABC’s lead announcer for the NBA Finals since 2006.

“It’s impossible for me to rank it, but when you take into account the point differential, the nine straight road wins, clinching all four series on the road, the two losses by one point, the two record-setting comebacks, it’s in the conversation as the best ever.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By DARREN ABATE

New york Knicks guard Jalen Brunson holds the MVP trophy after the Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Saturday in San Antonio.

Two of the Knicks’ losses were by one point to Atlanta in the first round. The other was by four points in Game 3 against the Spurs, leaving them six points from a perfect postseason. On the other side, they won clinching games by 51, 30 and 37 points in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

The Knicks were never going to care about how they won, just that they did. Before the playoffs started, All-Star center KarlAnthony Towns summed up the

pressure the players faced in trying to get back to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999 by saying: “At the end of the day, we’ll be judged by what we do in this run.”

They will be judged well — historically well.

“We went through a lot this season, a lot of ups and downs, but we just stayed with it,” forward OG Anunoby said. “We’re resilient, mentally tough and we won.”

Brandon Demas, right, the new head coach of the Laketown Squadron, sits with former Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado before a game this season.

PELICANS

Continued from page 1C

no surprise. He is kind, intelligent, determined and incredibly hardworking. Beyond his basketball knowledge, he understands people. His ability to connect, communicate and earn trust is what truly sets him apart, and it will serve him well not only in coaching but in whatever else he chooses to do in life.”

For now, Demas chooses to be a coach. He’s been around plenty.

He was with the team in the Monty Williams era. Since he became a player development coach in 2018, he’s worked under Alvin Gentry, Stan Van Gundy, Willie Green and interim coach James Borrego.

“It allowed me to see and pick their brains for different wisdom, different experiences,” Demas said. “I think all of them brought something different to the table.

But at the end of the day, they all taught me one thing: You have to be authentic to yourself. I think players are super aware of that.

I can’t be coach Monty. I can’t be Alvin. I can’t be Willie. I can’t be JB. I can’t be coach (Jamahl) Mosley. I can take what I learned from all of them and utilize it in a way that’s best for the group of guys. That’s what’s important.”

Those coaches all instilled something in him. But so did some of the players he’s worked with — especially former Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado, who was traded to the New York Knicks in February.

“Jose did a lot for me on this journey, and I’m proud of him as well,” Demas said. “I consider him family. We are both the same breed. We are both underdogs, and we don’t pass the eye test.

But at the end of the day, we get the job done.”

Now Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations Joe Dumars is counting on Demas to get the job done.

Demas was speechless when Dumars called him into his office to offer the position. He was so speechless that Dumars had to remind Demas that he forgot to give a yes or no answer to accept the position.

“I’m going to be honest Joe,” Demas responded. “I’m just thinking about calling my family right now and allowing them to be part of the moment.”

Family is everything to Demas. Without them, he wouldn’t be here. He never wanted to let them down. That was part of his motivation to be great.

“I never had a specific goal other than to make my family proud,” Demas said. “It could have been in any particular field.”

He knows his friends and family will be in the Pontchartrain Center for every game. They have already began asking him about how to purchase Squadron merchandise and tickets to games. The fan base will also include all the kids who have come through the Up Next Elite Camp, a program co-founded by Demas to help develop Louisiana’s top young basketball talent.

Demas’ goal is for the Squadron to have a decisive homecourt advantage in Kenner. He and Squadron general manager Thomas Scott have talked about ways to get that done.

Nobody will feel more at home than a guy from New Orleans East fulfilling his dream.

“It’s going to be surreal,” Demas said.

Or in this case, it’s going to “be great.”

dreams who started from the bottom rung of the ladder as a ball boy for the then-New Orleans Hornets years ago.

His thoughts about landing the gig?

“Gratitude,” Demas said. “I always preach gratitude and I’m super blessed.”

This all began when Demas, born and raised in New Orleans, was a kid. His parents bought season tickets to Hornets’ games as a reward for his good grades.

As they watched games from up in Section 303 of the Smoothie King Center, he would notice the ball boys on the court doing their thing.

“Man, I can do that,” he thought to himself.

So his parents started talking to people to see whether there was an opening. He was turned down the first year, but was able to get his foot in the door the second year. He worked with the team one season before Hurricane Katrina.

Demas was s freshman attending St. Augustine High School when the storm hit. He and his family relocated to Houston, but he made sure to remain in contact with the team. His family eventually moved to Houma, where he finished high school at Vandebilt Catholic.

He started working with the team again while in college. He attended Nicholls and Delgado Community College before eventually getting his computer science degree from Northwestern State. He’s a self-proclaimed “tech nerd,” but basketball is where his heart resided. All those days of watching former Hornets like Baron Davis and David Wesley and LSU players like Garrett Temple and Tyrus Thomas or attending UNO games at Lakefront Arena won him over more than any computer programming skills ever could.

But just being a ball boy/equipment manager wasn’t enough for him. He and fellow ball boy Jaron Neville would spend countless hours in the gym grabbing rebounds for players and helping them with drills.

“We just loved being a part of the team,” Demas said. “You know how New Orleans is. You can get distracted in different ways. At the end of the day, we felt the safest and best route for us is to take advantage of what was in front of us.”

That work ethic didn’t go unnoticed to Dell Demps, the team’s general manager at the time. He saw the work they were putting in.

“When I looked on the organization chart, I realized they were not on the payroll,” Demps said. “We fixed that immediately.”

Demps remembers sitting down with Demas one day and asking him whether he had a dream job. Demas was a bit nervous, but he eventually told Demps he wanted to be a coach.

Demps made a deal with him.

Demas would continue in his current role. In return, Demps would provide opportunities for Demas to develop as a coach. Those roles included anything from working with video coordinators and breaking down film to refereeing scrimmage games among players.

“Brandon immersed himself in the process,” Demps said. “See- Email Rod Walker at rwalker@ ing Brandon succeed comes as theadvocate.com.

4C ✦ Tuesday Tuesday, June 16 16, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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WORLD CUP 2026 W C A N A D A

TODAY’S GAMES

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U N I T E D S T A T E S

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M E X I C O

FRANCE VS. SENEGAL 2 p.m. FOX, Peacock | IRAQ VS. NORWAY, 5 p.m. FOX, Peacock | ARGENTINA VS. ALGERIA, 8 p.m. FOX, Peacock | AUSTRIA VS. JORDAN, 11 p.m. FS1, Peacock

Cape Verde stuns Spain Match between tiny country, heavy favorite ends in draw

BY JAMES ROBSON

Pulisic trains separately, recovering from injury

BY GREG BEACHAM Associated Press

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — U.S. forward Christian Pulisic trained on his own during practice Monday while he rehabilitates a calf injury that limited him to one half of action in the Americans’ opening World Cup victory last week.

Pulisic participated in individual work and then went to the gym while his teammates practiced at their training base in Irvine, California. The AC Milan attacker got kicked in the calf during training last week, and he left the Americans’ 4-1 victory over Paraguay at halftime for precautionary reasons.

Pulisic was outstanding in the first match of his second World Cup, tormenting Paraguay’s defense with repeated runs down the left side at SoFi Stadium. He recorded an assist on a goal by Folarin Balogun, and his playmaking was directly responsible for an own-goal scored by Paraguay while the Americans went ahead 3-0.

The U.S. gave no update on Pulisic’s condition Monday, but he said after the game that he didn’t think it was serious.

“I just got a bit of a kick in the first half, so I’m really hoping that it’s nothing,” Pulisic said.

GROUP A

GP W D L GF GA Mexico 1 1 0 0 2 0 Korea Republic 1 1 0 0 2 1 Czechia 1 0 0 1 1 2 South Africa 1 0 0 1 0 2 June 11 Mexico 2, South Africa 0 Korea Republic 2, Czechia 1 Thursday Czechia vs. South Africa, 11 a.m.

Mexico vs. Korea Republic, 8 p.m.

June 24 Czechia vs. Mexico, 8 p.m.

South Africa vs. Korea Republic, 8 p.m.

Pts 3 3 0 0

GROUP B

Associated Press

ATLANTA — So much for a supersized World Cup diluting the quality of soccer’s biggest tournament.

Tiny Cape Verde, making its debut at the World Cup, pulled off a stunning upset to shut out heavily favored Spain in a 0-0 draw on Monday.

“This means everything for our country,” said Cape Verde coach Pedro Leitão Brito. “We have always said that we wanted everybody to see our country, our team and we have shown organization and braveness and this is proof of what our country is about — resilience and to try to overcome hardships.”

European champion Spain is one of the favorites to win the tournament and was -1200 to beat Cape Verde in its opening game.

But it could not find a way past a 40-year-old goalkeeper and a stubborn defense that had an answer to everything Spain’s superstars threw at them.

Not even sensational teenager Lamine Yamal, who came in off the bench in the second half, could turn a game that ended with wild and emotional celebrations inside the stadium.

“A dream” was how Cape Verde defender Steven Moreira described it.

Veteran goalkeeper Vozinha broke down in tears after the final whistle following his impressive performance to keep Spain at bay.

He was the player of the match, pulling off a string of saves at the end of the first half to deny Ferran Torres, Pedri and Aymeric Laporte.

The closest Spain came to finding a breakthrough was when Torres struck the bar shortly before halftime.

“We should have won today’s match with everything that happened, with all the favorable situations we created, but we lacked freshness and a clinical edge,” said Spain coach Luis de la Fuente, who had warned before the match that Cape Verde could be one of the surprise teams of the World Cup.

GLANCE

GP W D L GF GA Pts Switzerland 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 Canada 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 Qatar 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 Bos. and Herz.

1 0 1 0 1 1 1 June 12 Canada 1, Bosnia and Herzegovina 1 June 13 Qatar 1, Switzerland 1 Thursday Switzerland vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2 p.m.

Canada vs. Qatar, 5 p.m.

June 24 Switzerland vs. Canada, 2 p.m.

Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Qatar, 2 p.m.

GROUP C

GP W D L GF Scotland 1 1 0 0 1 Morocco 1 0 1 0 1 Brazil 1 0 1 0 1 Haiti 1 0 0 1 0 June 13 Brazil 1, Morocco 1 Scotland 1, Haiti 0 Friday Scotland vs. Morocco, 5 p.m.

Brazil vs. Haiti, 7:30 p.m.

June 24 Scotland vs. Brazil, 5 p.m.

Morocco vs. Haiti, 5 p.m.

GA 0 1 1 1

Pts 3 1 1 0

GP W D L GF United States 1 1 0 0 4 Australia 1 1 0 0 2 Turkey 1 0 0 1 0 Paraguay 1 0 0 1 1 June 12 United States 4, Paraguay 1 June 14 Australia 2, Turkey 0 Friday United States vs. Australia, 2 p.m.

Turkey vs. Paraguay, 10 p.m.

June 25 Turkey vs. United States, 9 p.m.

Paraguay vs. Australia, 9 p.m.

GA 1 0 2 4

Pts 3 3 0 0

GP W D L GF Germany 1 1 0 0 7 Ivory Coast 1 1 0 0 1 Ecuador 1 0 0 1 0 Curacao 1 0 0 1 1 June 14 Germany 7, Curacao 1 Ivory Coast 1, Ecuador 0 Saturday Germany vs. Ivory Coast, 3 p.m.

Ecuador vs. Curacao, 7 p.m.

June 25 Ecuador vs. Germany, 3 p.m.

Curacao vs. Ivory Coast, 3 p.m.

GA 1 0 1 7

Pts 3 3 0 0

GP W D L GF Sweden 1 1 0 0 5 Japan 1 0 1 0 2 Netherlands 1 0 1 0 2 Tunisia 1 0 0 1 1 June 14 Netherlands 2, Japan 2 Sweden 5, Tunisia 1 Saturday Netherlands vs. Sweden, noon June 20 Tunisia vs. Japan, 11 p.m.

June 25 Tunisia vs. Netherlands, 6 p.m.

Japan vs. Sweden, 6 p.m.

GA 1 2 2 5

Pts 3 1 1 0

GP W D L GF Belgium 1 0 1 0 1 Egypt 1 0 1 0 1 Iran 0 0 0 0 0 New Zealand 0 0 0 0 0 June 15 Belgium 1, Egypt 1 Iran vs. New Zealand, n June 21 Belgium vs. Iran, 2 p.m.

New Zealand vs. Egypt, 8 p.m.

June 26 New Zealand vs. Belgium, 10 p.m.

Egypt vs. Iran, 10 p.m.

GA 1 1 0 0

Pts 1 1 0 0

GP W D L GF GA Uruguay 1 0 1 0 1 1 Saudi Arabia 1 0 1 0 1 1 Spain 1 0 1 0 0 0 Cape Verde 1 0 1 0 0 0 June 15 Spain 0, Cape Verde 0 Saudi Arabia 1, Uruguay 1 June 21 Spain vs. Saudi Arabia, 11 a.m.

Uruguay vs. Cape Verde, 5 p.m.

June 26 Uruguay vs. Spain, 7 p.m.

Cape Verde vs. Saudi Arabia, 7 p.m.

Pts 1 1 1 1

GP W D L France 0 0 0 0 Senegal 0 0 0 0 Iraq 0 0 0 0 Norway 0 0 0 0 Tuesday France vs. Senegal, 2 p.m.

Iraq vs. Norway, 5 p.m.

June 22 France vs. Iraq, 4 p.m.

Norway vs. Senegal, 7 p.m.

June 26 Norway vs. France, 2 p.m.

Senegal vs. Iraq, 2 p.m.

GF 0 0 0 0

GA 0 0 0 0

Pts 0 0 0 0

GP W D L Argentina 0 0 0 0 Algeria 0 0 0 0 Austria 0 0 0 0 Jordan 0 0 0 0 Tuesday Argentina vs. Algeria, 8 p.m.

Austria vs. Jordan, 11 p.m.

June 22 Argentina vs. Austria, noon Jordan vs. Algeria, 10 p.m.

June 27 Jordan vs. Argentina, 9 p.m.

Algeria vs. Austria, 9 p.m.

GF 0 0 0 0

GA 0 0 0 0

Pts 0 0 0 0

GP W D L GF GA Portugal 0 0 0 0 0 0 Congo DR 0 0 0 0 0 0 Uzbekistan 0 0 0 0 0 0 Colombia 0 0 0 0 0 0 Wednesday Portugal vs. Congo DR, noon Uzbekistan vs. Colombia, 9 p.m.

June 23 Portugal vs. Uzbekistan, noon Colombia vs. Congo DR, 9 p.m.

June 27 Colombia vs. Portugal, 6:30 p.m.

Congo DR vs. Uzbekistan, 6:30 p.m.

Pts 0 0 0 0

GP W D L England 0 0 0 0 Croatia 0 0 0 0 Ghana 0 0 0 0 Panama 0 0 0 0 Wednesday England vs. Croatia, 3 p.m.

Ghana vs. Panama, 6 p.m.

June 23 England vs. Ghana, 3 p.m.

Panama vs. Croatia, 6 p.m.

June 27 Panama vs. England, 4 p.m.

Croatia vs. Ghana, 4 p.m.

Pts 0 0 0 0

GROUP D

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ERIK S.LESSER

Cape Verde’s Dailon Livramento, left, and Sidny Lopes Cabral celebrate after a World Cup Group H match between Spain and Cape Verde on Monday in Atlanta. The game finished in a 0-0 tie.

ROUNDUP

Uruguay’s Maxi Araújo responded with an equalizer in the 80th.

Uruguay controlled most of the second half but didn’t break through until Araújo fired a rebound past goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais from close range.

Uruguay, nicknamed “La Celeste,” dominated possession and had 28 attempts on goal to Saudi Arabia’s seven but trailed until late in the second half.

It was the fourth international goal for Araújo and second at Hard Rock Stadium, home to the NFL’s Miami Dolphins.

Al-Amri, who had a shot denied

by Uruguay’s Fernando Muslera earlier in the first half, put his squad ahead with a quick tap-in after Muslera palmed away a header.

Al-Amri fell to his knees after the goal and placed his head down on the pitch as he was showered with cheers from Saudi Arabia fans, who were greatly outnumbered in South Florida but loud enough to make up the difference.

GROUP E

Fans mixed on Ronaldo’s influence

GROUP H

Cape Verde didn’t win, but its performance rebuked some of the criticisms that the expansion of the World Cup from 32 teams to 48 would weaken the tournament.

The group of islands have about 2.5 miles of landmass and approximately half a million inhabitants, making Cape Verde the thirdsmallest nation by population to qualify for the World Cup. .

BELGIUM 1, EGYPT 1: In Seattle, Romelu Lukaku’s mere presence sparked an attack that led to Belgium’s lone goal only seconds after he entered as a second-half substitute, helping his team earn a draw with Egypt.

Lukaku came on in the 66th minute with Belgium trailing 1-0. He ran down the middle of the field and lurched to tap a cross from the right into the net, but Egypt defender Mohamed Hany did that instead, scoring an own-goal.

The equalizing goal came only

23 seconds after Lukaku came on the field.

Emam Ashour had put the Egyptians ahead in the 19th minute with his first international goal.

Ashour, a midfielder who was playing in his 30th game for his country, took advantage of a defensive breakdown to give Egypt only its second lead in World Cup match. The Egyptians, who are playing in their fourth World Cup, still have never won a game at the tournament.

Belgium failed to advance past the group stage at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and has not won any of its last three matches in the tournament.

Egypt had numerous chances to increase its lead but could not put the Red Devils away. Lukaku and teammate Kevin De Bruyne also had an abundance of opportunities to take the lead.

SAUDIARABIA 1,URUGUAY 1: In Miami Gardens, Florida, Abdulelah AlAmri scored on a rebound in the 41st minute for Saudi Arabia, and

BY ZACH PASCUZZI Associated Press

PALM BEACH GARDENS,Fla.— It would have been unthinkable at the start of the 2022 World Cup to suggest Cristiano Ronaldo was anything other than the undisputed leader of the Portugal team.

But the Qatar edition went poorly for Portugal’s all-time leading goal scorer. After scoring just once, from the penalty spot, in the group stage, he reacted angrily to being subbed off against South Korea and was promptly dropped to the bench for his team’s first knockout-stage match against Switzerland.

Then, he didn’t score at all in the 2024 European Championship. It was the first time he had failed to find the net at a major international tournament.

Now, in the buildup to what may be Ronaldo’s World Cup swan song, concerns over what the 41-year-old can still bring to the national team are at the forefront of many fans’ minds. Portugal opens play Wednesday against Congo DR in Houston.

“I think in some instances they play better without him,” fan Zach Mallias said at the team’s first open World Cup practice at its Florida base camp. “There are other players that fit the system better.”

Other fans are worried about the superstar’s ego and whether he would accept relinquishing the spotlight for the good of the team.

“He’s a very big player, he’s very loved by a lot of his fans,” Beatrice Mitankin said. “It might get to his head.”

AP PHOTO By MARTA LAVANDIER

Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo runs drills on Saturday in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

There is some recent evidence, however, of Ronaldo still being able to positively influence games. During Portugal’s 2025 UEFA Nations League run, its second title triumph in that competition, he scored eight goals, including an equalizer in the final against Spain.

Ronaldo also recently won his first Saudi Pro League title with Al-Nassr, leading his club with 28 goals on the season.

His abundant experience and leadership are qualities some supporters say cannot be replicated.

“He’s not going to shy away from those moments when it’s the World Cup on the line,” Rob Stickle said. “He’s one of those guys you want kicking the penalty kicks for you, being on the pitch at the end of the game.”

Ronaldo, playing in a record-

extending sixth World Cup, is the oldest outfield player in the tournament but still projects as Portugal’s starting striker.

Although his age has repeatedly mentioned, fan Ernesto Vilar pointed to other examples of older players, like Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Croatia’s Luka Modric, as veterans who still play significant roles for their team.

“Age is just a number,” Vilar said. “He’s still in very peak physical condition.”

Ronaldo’s teammates and manager would concur.

Midfielder Vitinha is still in awe over Ronaldo’s physique.

“He’s 41. I’m 26, and I’m not like that,” the Paris Saint-Germain player said through a translator.

“It’s something incredible.”

Team manager Roberto Martínez has suggested Ronaldo could even appear at the 2030 World Cup, when he would be 45.

Removed from the conversation about Ronaldo’s production and effectiveness, however, are a group of fans that will always idolize him: young children. Many showed up to watch Portugal practice.

Elizabeth Stiebel, 10, says she admires how Ronaldo has always been there when his team needs a big moment.

And 13-year-old Christian Loureiro, whose favorite Ronaldo moment is his overhead-kick goal against Juventus in 2018 while playing for Real Madrid, agrees the superstar forward is still a steadying voice.

“A lot of young players on this team need an older figure to help guide them,” Loureiro said.

GROUP F

GROUP G

GROUP I

GROUP J

GROUP K

GROUP L

GF 0 0 0 0

GA 0 0 0 0

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Tuesday, June 16, 2026 ✦ 5C

lll

LSU gains two O-line pledges

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

Two offensive line prospects, three-star recruit Amaziah Siale and four-star prospect Terrance Smith, announced on social media Monday that they were committing to LSU football.

Siale, who is 6-foot-6 and 360 pounds, attends Mission Viejo High and is the No. 46 player in California, according to the 247Sports composite. He flipped his pledge from California to LSU just 13 days after he originally committed to the Golden Bears.

He also has scholarship offers from Alabama, Texas and Utah.

At 6-7 and 290, Smith is the No.

14 offensive tackle in the nation and the No. 7 recruit in Pennsylvania. He attends Lansdale Catholic in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, and holds scholarship offers from Alabama, Georgia, Auburn, Tennessee, Michigan and more.

Siale and Smith are LSU’s first two offensive linemen in the 2027 class. They are the ninth and 10th players to commit, joining the likes of five-star tight end Ahmad Hudson and four-star quarterback Peyton Houston.

Following Siale and Smith’s commitments, LSU holds the No. 34 recruiting class in the nation, per the 247Sports composite rankings.

AP PHOTO By DAVID J. PHILLIP

Scottie Scheffler watches his shot on the 13th hole during a practice round for the U.S. Open tournament at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, N.y., on Monday.

LSU football Top golfers aim to get in reveals front practice earlier before majors office structure

BY DOUG FERGUSON AP golf writer

BY JON BLAU Staff writer

As college football continues to professionalize, LSU football again has restructured its front office to focus on athlete pay.

Along with naming assistant general managers for external and internal operations Monday to help general manager Billy Glasscock, the Tigers have moved the head of the football team’s name, image and likeness (NIL) initiatives, Taylor Jacobs, into a new role as a chief strategy officer for the program.

In her new position, Jacobs will oversee what third-party NIL deals are going to football players as well as the team’s revenue-sharing dollars. According to a news release, the chief strategy officer is responsible for “generating strategic partnerships and ensuring alignment across key stakeholders to impact the long-term success of the program.”

More than ever, the success of a college football team depends on how much money it can invest in a roster. LSU’s roster for the 2026 season, built heavily through the transfer portal, reportedly costs upward of $40 million.

A large chunk of that money comes from the $21.3 million each school can directly share with student-athletes during the

SOCCER

Continued from page 1C This summer — 32 years since the United States first hosted the world’s biggest sporting competition — Chattanooga is among several cities established as World Cup base camps, where visiting teams live and train between matches.

Spain — among the favorites to win the tournament but tied Cape Verde 0-0 on Monday — has set up camp at a boarding school on the Tennessee River in Chattanooga; Iraq is in a mountain resort town in West Virginia with fewer than 3,000 residents; and Germany is in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where cobblestone streets and tobacco warehouses share space with German flags and TV crews.

Southern hospitality A 144-foot underground waterfall beneath Lookout Mountain is lit up red and the Embassy Suites in downtown Chattanooga, where the Spanish team is staying, is adorned with la Rojigualda — Spain’s red and yellow flag. Giant banners featuring Spanish players and declaring, “Bienvenidos a Chattanooga” greeted La Roja as the team arrived at Chattanooga Airport.

City native Skip Schwartz said so many people are wearing Spanish jerseys that “you don’t know if they’re from Spain, hoping to get a glimpse or they are locals who have bought into the La Roja bandwagon.”

Around 25,000 people entered a lottery for 1,000 tickets to watch Spain practice at Baylor School, a

2026-27 academic year, the lion’s share of that going to football programs. But third-party NIL deals are a differentiator for schools.

Businesses can pay athletes directly for marketing campaigns, but LSU also has worked with its multimedia rights partner, PlayFly, to not only reel in sponsorship dollars for the school but also athletes.

Now the Tigers also will have Jacobs, who has spent the last five years focused on NIL initiatives, working to find third-party deals to boost LSU’s budget.

Meanwhile, assistant GM for external operations JR Belton and Adam Clark, his internal operations counterpart, will help manage other aspects of the football program.

Belton, who served as director of football ops in 2025, will oversee recruiting, player development and personnel, and alumni relations as well as play a role in fundraising. According to the release, Belton will also help in building “a long-term financial strategy for roster construction.”

Clark, who comes over from NC State, will oversee the football program’s operational budget, including management of equipment, sports performance, nutrition, dining, athletic training, academics, compliance, human resources, game operations and facilities.

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — The U.S. Open brought big wind and not nearly as much activity for a Monday, typical these days of practice rounds at majors that move to a different course each year.

More players are coming early, not so much to avoid the rush but to avoid the wait.

“It’s gotten terrible,” Justin Thomas said leading into the third major of the year. “You have to sign up for tee times at the (British) Open and U.S. Open, and then people sign up with you and play in a foursomes. You can’t play nine holes in less than three hours.”

The way around that is to follow a script from Jack Nicklaus back in his prime — see the course early before it becomes populated with pros and amateurs, contenders and dreamers.

Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy took a detour on their way to Ohio two weeks ago to play Shinnecock Hills, the first time seeing it for the No. 1 player, a refresher course for McIlroy.

Jon Rahm arrived last Friday to see what he should expect for the U.S. Open. Patrick Reed, who hasn’t played since the PGA Championship last month, is said to have played the course more often than some of the Shinnecock members.

This is one of the most energydraining weeks of the year, a product of the mental stress a course like Shinnecock — and a major like the U.S. Open — tends to elicit.

Thomas and Jordan Spieth arrived over the weekend and played

ä U.S. Open Round 1, 6:30 A.M. THURSDAy, USA

practice rounds two days before the official start of practice rounds.

They didn’t have the course all to themselves, but it felt like it. And it beat the alternative of long rounds when players hit different clubs off the tee, dozens of shots from the rough and closely mown area around the green, putting to all four corners of the green.

Their preparation largely done, official practice days are now light work. That’s the Nicklaus way.

“That’s why I never wanted to practice then,” Nicklaus said of the early part of the week at the majors. “I got my practice in the week before so I knew what I wanted to do, instead of waiting for everybody else. I didn’t like that. So I tried to get my practice in, and go back on Tuesday (of major week).

I didn’t want to get stuck in that six hours.

“If I had been there the week before, why did I need to get there on Monday?”

McIlroy had limited practice time at the PGA Championship because of a nagging blister on his right toe. But then, he had come to Aronimink two weeks earlier for serious practice.

But there was one image during his practice round when McIlroy had a small army tagging along inside the ropes, from TV personalities to equipment staff and photographers. It didn’t feel very productive to him.

“Too many people inside the ropes I think is the big part of it,” he said of the long practice rounds

pool, where they “swam and laid out and had a good time” before returning to training.

For Schwartz, who now serves on Baylor’s board of trustees, Spain’s choice is meaningful because he and his teammates helped to lay Bermuda sod for their new soccer field when he played soccer at Baylor in the late 1980s and early 1990s. That field has since been replaced by an indoor tennis facility — which serves as Spain’s media ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By GEORGE WALKER IV center — but the school now has three soccer pitches and one of the Spain forward Lamine yamal, left, defender Marc Pubill, center, and region’s premier soccer programs. midfielder Gavi walk with teammates on June 5 in Chattanooga, Tenn.

“If somebody had told me then Spain has set up its home base in Tennessee. that 40 years later Spain would be using this campus as the foundation 600-acre private academy for stu- proved base camps across North for a World Cup, I wouldn’t even America, with higher-ranked na- have tried to fathom it,” he said. dents grade 6 through 12.

Meanwhile, tickets to watch Ger- tions getting the earliest picks. many practice at Wake Forest Uni- Spain selected Chattanooga over ‘I’m cheering for Spain’ versity in Winston-Salem sold out larger cities, including Chicago Tina Ankar, a first generation and Los Angeles, then worked with Palestinian American, said she bein four minutes.

“It’s just fun to see everyone Baylor to create an expansive head- came a soccer fan because of the start to care about something they quarters around its training fields World Cup and her boyfriend, who didn’t care about before,” said Sa- and media facilities. grew up watching games with his FIFA inspectors graded Baylor’s Mexican family. At Spain’s open vannah Lahey, who manages soccer bar Small Batch Beer Co. in facilities, including the condition practice, hundreds of fans shouted downtown Winston-Salem. The bar of the grass and its drainage and “¡Vamos, España!” after nearly has extended its hours for watch irrigation systems, the school’s op- every touch. Ankar found herself parties and created a German- erations and systems director Sam swept up in the energy. inspired menu featuring schnitzel Green said. To preserve the pitches “I’ve got to watch these guys all sandwiches and sauerbraten for for Spain, Baylor’s players trained the way to the end,” she said. “Now this spring on artificial turf, a sac- we really have someone to cheer on Germany’s opening match.

“It’s getting to make people feel rifice Green said seniors accepted besides America.” at home, even when they’re not at without complaint.

Before Spain’s first public pracHidden behind a tree line, two tice, Baylor students slipped into home,” Lahey said.

At the Greenbrier in West Virgin- grass pitches form the center of the locker room and snapped phoia, a historic resort that has hosted Spain’s daily training. The airport tos of stalls freshly labeled with the presidents and foreign leaders, and their downtown hotel are min- names of Spain’s stars, debating Iraqi flags flew alongside the Stars utes away and Atlanta — where which player had inherited “their” and Stripes as the national team Spain plays two group-stage match- locker. arrived for its World Cup training es — is within easy reach. After “I sat in that locker room almost Spain’s first official practice, play- every single day this spring,” camp.

Teams chose from FIFA-ap- ers headed straight to the campus 17-year-old midfielder and gradu-

at the majors. “I think as well, guys are resigned to the fact that they’re going to play nine holes, so it’s OK to be out there for three hours. No one plays 18-hole practice rounds anymore the week of (a major). I guess it gives everyone the ability to play slow and hit as many balls as they like.”

Tiger Woods used to have his own routine, playing first to have at least nine holes to himself.

One year at the Masters, he walked out of the clubhouse at 7:25 a.m. toward the first tee unaware of a wooden clock at the tee box indicating the course would open at 8 a.m. Not to worry. His caddie, Steve Williams, moved the hands back a half-hour.

Woods stepped onto the tee at 7:28 a.m., saw the clock and moved the big hand back two more minutes and fired away. He was on the links courses of the British Open around 6 a.m. Anything much later than that meant he had overslept.

Scheffler had a dream day of practice at the PGA Championship before he won at Quail Hollow last year. He was the only PGA Tour player on the course the Sunday before official practice because most everyone else was at two PGA Tour events that day.

Monday through Wednesday can be as slow.

“I don’t remember it being as bad as it is,” Thomas said. “The U.S. Open and PGA Championship to me are the worst. It’s getting treated more like the range and chipping green. I get that you need to get used to it — I totally understand that. But it’s gotten to be a lot.”

ating senior Heath Techasiriwan said.

Techasiriwan, a Filipino American and lifelong Lionel Messi fan who rooted for Argentina in 2022, said there was no question who he will support this summer.

“Without a doubt, I’m cheering for Spain,” he said. “I can’t see players like Pedri, Gavi and Lamine Yamal literally right in front of me and not cheer for them.”

Goalkeeper Mathew Ramirez commutes an hour each way to Baylor from Calhoun, Georgia.

He grew up watching Barcelona with his father, who immigrated from Guatemala, and plans to watch Spain’s World Cup matches over carne asada with family and friends.

After practice, Yamal, who is 18, signed the 16-year-old goalie’s custom Barcelona jersey. Ramirez told the star in Spanish: “Watching you play gives me happiness.”

Young fan’s superheroes Back in Chattanooga, Beckham collects signatures and takes selfies with players before heading home in the Spain jersey his father said he slept in the night before.

His father said Beckham kept repeating: “Wait, Dad. They’re real.

Lamine Yamal is a real person. I just thought they were like superheroes. They’re on TV.” Chattanooga has come a long way since the neighborhood games McClure remembers. He is now a soccer coach to about 850 children, and the city has professional men’s and women’s teams.

“They could have gone anywhere in this country,” McClure said of Spain, “and they chose us.”

6C ✦ Tuesday, June 16, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

lll

Texas routs Alabama behind third CWS cycle

BY ERIC OLSON AP sportswriter

OMAHA, Neb. — Adrian Rodriguez hit for the cycle and drove in seven runs, Ruger Riojas pitched six strong innings and the Texas Longhorns knocked Alabama out of the College World Series with a 14-2 victory Monday.

Texas (46-14) plays another elimination game Tuesday against the loser of Monday night’s OklahomaGeorgia game. The Crimson Tide (42-21) went two-and-out in its first CWS appearance since 1999.

Rodriguez and the Longhorns cranked up their offense two days after Georgia’s Joey Volchko struck them out 15 times in a 7-1 loss.

The sophomore shortstop had a two-run double in the first inning, a two-run triple in the second, a single in the fifth and a two-run homer in the sixth. For good measure, he hit an RBI double in the eighth.

The triple initially was scored as a single and two-base error after the ball dropped between center fielder Bryce Fowler and left fielder Eric Hines and rolled to the warning track. Official scorer Shamus McKnight changed it to a triple a few innings later after fur-

ther reviewing video.

“Had it not been changed by the end of the game, yeah, I certainly would have said something,” Texas coach Jim Schlossnagle said. “I thought that was a clean triple. But I’m glad they made that change during the game.”

Rodriguez became the third player in CWS history to hit for the cycle and tied the CWS record for most RBIs and total bases in a game (12). The other players to hit for the cycle were Minnesota’s Jerry Kindall, against Mississippi in 1956, and Tennessee’s Christian Moore, against Florida State in 2024.

“Ruger actually came up to me later in the game and told me that they took the error off the board,” Rodriguez said. “So it was kind of surreal, because I remember C-Mo doing it with Tennessee when I was in high school. It’s kind of crazy that that’s all coming back when we’re here. So it’s just a crazy moment.”

Rodriguez’s performance was another highlight in his comeback from a troublesome injury that has twice cost him playing time and forced him to bat left-handed exclusively after having been a switch hitter. He suffered a frac-

ture to his left hand when he was hit by a pitch against Missouri last season and missed seven games.

He had surgery to insert a staple in the wrist last fall, but he had an allergic reaction and needed another surgery in April that sidelined him eight games.

“Happy for him considering all the things he’s been through this year,” Schlossnagle said.

He entered the NCAA Tournament batting .277 with 31 RBIs, 11 doubles, two triples and three homers in 45 games.

In seven NCAA Tournament games, he is batting .667 (18 of 27) with at least two hits each game, 16 RBIs, seven doubles, a triple and two homers.

“I think that guy is one of the big heartbeats of that team,” Tide coach Rob Vaughn said. “He plays with a lot of energy. Obviously playing the biggest position on the field at shortstop. Kind of threw us for a loop.”

Riojas (6-2) allowed two runs and struck out seven in six innings. Texas is 5-0 in his last five starts. Alabama’s Zane Adams (85) was knocked out with two outs in the second inning. He gave up seven runs on seven hits and three walks.

SCOREBOARD Odds Sports Betting Line MLB Tuesday

American League FAVORITE LINE at BOSTON OFF at N.Y YANKEES -142 at TEXAS -142 at HOUSTON -151 at SEATTLE -156 National League FAVORITE LINE at PHILA -172 at CINCINNATI OFF at ATLANTA -157 San Diego -111 at CHI CUBS -195 Interleague FAVORITE LINE Kansas City -125 at MILWAUKEE -156 LA Angels -116 at ATHLETICS -128 at LA DODGERS -149

UNDERDOG Toronto White Sox Minnesota Detroit Baltimore

LINE OFF +120 +117 +123 +127

UNDERDOG LINE Miami +140 N.Y Mets OFF San Francisco +128 at ST. LOUIS -110 Colorado +162 UNDERDOG at WASH Cleveland at ARIZONA Pittsburgh Tampa Bay

LINE +102 +127 -106 +105 +125

Pro basketball WNBA Glance EASTERN CONFERENCE New York Atlanta Indiana Toronto Washington Chicago Connecticut

W 10 9 8 7 5 4 2

L 4 4 5 7 7 9 13

Pct .714 .692 .615 .500 .417 .308 .133

GB — ½ 1½ 3 4 5½ 8½

Minnesota Las Vegas Dallas Golden State Los Angeles Portland Phoenix Seattle

W 10 10 8 8 7 7 4 3

L 3 3 5 5 6 8 11 12

Pct .769 .769 .615 .615 .538 .467 .267 .200

GB — — 2 2 3 4 7 8

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Sunday’s Games

New York 86, Washington 64 Atlanta 102, Toronto 77

Monday’s Games

Dallas 96, Las Vegas 66 Portland at Minnesota, n Los Angeles at Golden State, n

Tuesday’s Games

Toronto at Indiana, 6 p.m.

Hockey NHL Playoff Glance FINALS

(Best-of-7; x-if necessary)

Carolina 4, Vegas 2

Tuesday, June 2: Vegas 5, Carolina 4 Thursday, June 4: Carolina 4, Vegas 3, OT Saturday, June 6: Vegas 5, Carolina 4, 2OT Tuesday, June 9: Carolina 5, Vegas 3 Thursday, June 11: Carolina 4, Vegas 2 Sunday, June 14: Carolina 3, Vegas 0

College baseball College World Series At Charles Schwab Field; Omaha, Neb. Double elimination; x-if necessary

Friday

Game 1: West Virginia 7, Troy 5 Game 2: North Carolina 6, Ole Miss 2

Saturday

Game 3: Oklahoma 9, Alabama 0 Game 4: Georgia 7, Texas 1

Sunday

Game 5: Troy 12, Ole Miss 8 Game 6: North Carolina 5, West Virginia 2

Monday

Game 7: Texas 14, Alabama 2 Game 8: Oklahoma 4, Georgia 3

319.7. 10, Jesper Svensson, 319.3.

Driving Accuracy Percentage 1, Russell Henley, 71.89%. 2, Aaron Rai, 71.13%. 3, Si Woo Kim, 69.75%. 4, Andrew Putnam, 69.51%. 5, Lucas Glover, 68.95%. 6, Tommy Fleetwood, 68.48%. 7, Kensei Hirata, 67.96%. 8 (tie), Corey Conners and Emiliano Grillo, 67.54%. 10, Matt Fitzpatrick, 67.27%.

Greens in Regulation Percentage 1, 10 tied with .00%.

Total Driving 1, Scottie Scheffler, 55. 2 (tie), Ludvig Aberg and Jordan Smith, 62. 4, Michael Brennan, 63. 5, Sudarshan Yellamaraju, 65. 6, Kurt Kitayama, 67. 7 (tie), Neal Shipley and Cameron Young, 70.

9, Matt Fitzpatrick, 75. 10, William Mouw, 79.

SG-Putting 1, Vince Whaley, .780. 2, Jake Knapp, .744. 3, Jacob Bridgeman, .729. 4, Eric Cole, .660. 5, Matt Kuchar, .653. 6 (tie), Sam Burns and Harris English, .647. 8, Akshay Bhatia, .639. 9, 2 tied with .632.

Birdie Average 1, Scottie Scheffler, 4.83. 2 (tie), Ludvig Aberg and Si Woo Kim, 4.58. 4, Wyndham Clark, 4.54. 5, Collin Morikawa, 4.53. 6, Jacob Bridgeman, 4.48. 7, Harris English, 4.39. 8 (tie), Akshay Bhatia and Eric Cole, 4.38. 10, Ryan Gerard, 4.33.

Eagles (Holes per) 1, Jake Knapp, 43.7. 2, Nicolai Hojgaard, 75. 3 (tie), Shane Lowry and Sahith Theegala, 79.2.

5, Sungjae Im, 80. 6, Matt Wallace, 82. 7 (tie), Tommy Fleetwood and Max Greyserman, 82.8. 9, Keegan Bradley, 96.4. 10, Michael Brennan, 88.2.

Sand Save Percentage 1, 10 tied with .00%.

All-Around Ranking 1, Scottie Scheffler, 156. 2, Ludvig Aberg, 258.

3, Collin Morikawa, 265. 4, Wyndham Clark, 283. 5, Sam Burns, 306. 6, Min Woo Lee, 309.

7, Chris Gotterup, 310. 8, Si Woo Kim, 312. 9, Jake Knapp, 315. 10, Ryan Gerard, 330.

LPGA Tour Statistics Through June 14

Scoring 1, Nelly Korda, 68.26. 2, Hyo Joo Kim, 69.41.

3, Haeran Ryu, 69.81. 4, Hannah Green, 70. 5, Jeeno Thitikul, 70.22. 6, Ruoning Yin, 70.32.

7, Lydia Ko, 70.46. 8, Ina Yoon, 70.47. 9, Miyu Yamashita, 70.49. 10, Hye-Jin Choi, 70.52.

Driving Distance 1, Julia Lopez Ramirez, 290.63. 2, Riley Smyth, 289.17. 3, Polly Mack, 283.14. 4, Auston Kim, 282.21. 5, Helen Briam, 279.75. 6, Laney Frye, 279. 7, Ina Yoon, 278.63. 8, Suvichaya Vinijchaitham, 278.46. 9, Nelly Korda, 278.03. 10, Nanna Koerstz Madsen, 276.95.

Greens in Regulation 1, Haeran Ryu, .80%. 2, Helen Briem, .76%. 3 (tie), Isabella Fierro, Hannah Green, Nelly Korda, Jeeno Thitikul and Lottie Woad, .74%. 8 (tie), Narin An and Dongeun Lee, .73%. 10, Ina Yoon, .72%.

Putts per GIR 1, Hyo Joo Kim, 1.69. 2, Minjee Lee, 1.71. 3, Minami Katsu, 1.72. 4 (tie), Mi Hyang Lee and Angel Yin, 1.73. 6 (tie), Ariya Jutanugarn, Nelly Korda and Gaby Lopez, 1.74. 9 (tie), Leona Maguire, Brooke Matthews and Chiara Tambulini, 1.75. 12, Chiara Tambulini, .

Birdies 1, Aki Iwai, 178. 2 (tie), Hye-Jin Choi, Haeran Ryu and Lottie Woad, 159. 5, Jennifer Kupcho, 157. 6 (tie), Jin Hee Im and Ina Yoon, 153. 8, Ruoning Yin, 152. 9, Miyu Yamashita, 151. 10, 2 tied with 147.

Eagles 1, Nelly Korda, 9. 2, Hye-Jin Choi, 8. 3 (tie), Ariya Jutanugarn and Ryann O’Toole, 7. 5, 8 tied with 6.

Sand Save Percentage 1, Minjee Lee, .67%. 2 (tie), Nelly Korda and Jing Yan, .64%. 4, Lucy Li, .63%. 5 (tie), Youmin Hwang and Patty Tavatanakit, .62%.

7, Minami Katsu, .61%. 8, Jessica Poravsnik, .60%. 9, 2 tied with .59%.

Rounds Under Par 1, Nelly Korda, .87%. 2, Haeran Ryu, .70%. 3, Hye-Jin Choi, .60%. 4, Ruoning Yin, .61%. 5, Aki Iwai, .54%. 6, Rio Takeda, .62%. 7, Lottie Woad, .59%. 8, Gaby Lopez, .64%. 9, Ina Yoon, .61%. 10, Jeeno Thitikul, .59%. 11, Jin Hee Im, .51%. 12, Cassie Porter, .59%. 13, Miyu Yamashita, .54%. 14, Chizzy Iwai, .52%.

Tennis

Tuesday

WTA Rothesay Open Nottingham Results

Wednesday

Monday

Game 9: No. 16 West Virginia vs. Troy, 2 p.m.

Game 10: Georgia vs. No. 6 Texas, 8 p.m.

Game 11: No. 5 North Carolina vs. Game 9 Winner, 2 p.m.

Game 12: Oklahoma vs. Game 10 Winner, 7 p.m.

Golf PGA Tour Statistics Through June 14

FedExCup Season Points 1, Matt Fitzpatrick, 2,817. 2, Scottie Scheffler, 2,811. 3, Cameron Young, 2,556. 4, Si Woo Kim, 1,844. 5, Collin Morikawa, 1,761. 6, Ludvig Aberg, 1,698. 7, Rory McIlroy, 1,603. 8, Jacob Bridgeman, 1,600. 9, Chris Gotterup, 1,589. 10, Tommy Fleetwood, 1,491.

Scoring Average 1, Scottie Scheffler, 69.168. 2, Jake Knapp, 69.571. 3, Matt Fitzpatrick, 69.863. 4, Collin Morikawa, 69.899. 5, Cameron Young, 69.979.

6, Brooks Koepka, 70.011. 7, Si Woo Kim, 70.063. 8, Ludvig Aberg, 70.092. 9, Xander Schauffele, 70.142. 10, Chris Gotterup, 70.166.

Driving Distance 1, Aldrich Potgieter, 328.4. 2, Michael Brennan, 324.4. 3, Gary Woodland, 322.8. 4, Chris Gotterup, 322.6. 5, Nicolai Hojgaard, 322.3.

6, Rasmus Hojgaard, 321.4. 7, Marco Penge, 320.8. 8, Jake Knapp, 319.8. 9, Min Woo Lee,

At Nottingham Tennis Centre Nottingham, Great Britain Purse: $283,347 Surface: Grass Results Monday from Rothesay Open Nottingham at Nottingham Tennis Centre (seedings in parentheses):

Women’s Singles

Round of 32 Tatjana Maria, Germany, def. Janice Tjen (9), Indonesia, 6-3, 6-2.

Marie Bouzkova (4), Czechia, def. Tereza Valentova, Czechia, 6-3, 6-3.

Zheng Qinwen, China, def. Maria Sakkari (6), Greece, 4-6, 7-6 (1), 6-4.

Emma Navarro (3), United States, def. Anna Bondar, Hungary, 6-7 (6), 6-3, 6-2.

Yuliia Starodubtseva, Ukraine, def. Maya Joint, Australia, 6-7 (8), 7-5, 6-4.

Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, Spain, def. Himeno Sakatsume, Japan, 7-5, 6-2.

Talia Gibson, Australia, def. Francesca Jones, Britain, 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (4).

Taylah Preston, Australia, def. Anna Blinkova, Russia, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.

Women’s Doubles

Round of 16 Jesika Maleckova and Miriam Skoch, Czechia, def. Makoto Ninomiya and Miyu (1994) Kato, Japan, 6-3, 6-0.

Harriet Dart and Maia Lumsden, Britain, def.

Darija Jurak Schreiber and Antonia Ruzic, Croatia, 3-6, 6-2, 10-2.

WTA Bett1Open Results Monday

At Am Rothenbaum Rot-Weiss Tennis Club Berlin Purse: €1,049,083 Surface: Grass Results Monday from Bett1Open at Am Rothenbaum Rot-Weiss Tennis Club (seedings in parentheses):

Women’s Singles

Qualification Zhu Lin, China, def. Sinja Kraus (12), Austria, 6-2, 6-3.

Zhang Shuai (7), China, def. Magdalena Frech (3), Poland, 6-2, 6-4.

Renata Zarazua (9), Mexico, def. Maria Timofeeva, Russia, 7-5, 6-2.

ATP World Tour Cinch Championships Results Monday

At The Queen’s Club London Purse: €2,583,330 Surface: Grass Results Monday from Cinch Championships at The Queen’s Club (seedings in parentheses):

Men’s Singles

Round of 32 Botic Van de Zandschulp, Netherlands, def.

Harry Wendelken, Britain, 6-4, 7-6 (5).

Tommy Paul (8), United States, def. Zachary Svajda, United States, 7-5, 6-3.

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL American League East Division New York Tampa Bay Toronto Baltimore Boston

W 43 41 34 34 29

L 27 27 38 39 40

Pct .614 .603 .472 .466 .420

GB — 1 10 10½ 13½

Chicago Cleveland Minnesota Detroit Kansas City

W 38 39 33 29 29

L 32 33 40 42 43

Pct .543 .542 .452 .408 .403

GB — — 6½ 9½ 10

Seattle Athletics Texas Houston Los Angeles

W 37 35 35 33 29

L 36 36 36 40 43

Pct .507 .493 .493 .452 .403

GB — 1 1 4 7½

Central Division

West Division

Sunday’s Games

Washington 10, Seattle 1 San Diego 5, Baltimore 2 Kansas City 4, Houston 0 Chicago White Sox 6, L.A. Dodgers 4 Minnesota 5, St. Louis 4 N.Y. Yankees 8, Toronto 3 Colorado 23, Athletics 9 Tampa Bay 8, L.A. Angels 3 Texas 6, Boston 4 Detroit at Cleveland, ppd.

Monday’s Games

Washington 7, Kansas City 3 Minnesota at Texas, n Detroit at Houston, n L.A. Angels at Arizona, n Pittsburgh at Athletics, n Tampa Bay at L.A. Dodgers, n

Tuesday’s Games

Kansas City (Wacha 4-5) at Washington (Griffin 7-2), 5:45 p.m.

Toronto (Cease 3-3) at Boston (Tolle 3-3), 5:45 p.m.

Chicago White Sox (Martin 9-2) at N.Y. Yankees (Cole 1-1), 6:05 p.m.

Cleveland (Cecconi 3-5) at Milwaukee (Gasser 0-3), 6:40 p.m.

Minnesota (Matthews 2-4) at Texas (Rocker 2-5), 7:05 p.m.

Detroit (Valdez 3-5) at Houston (Brown 1-0), 7:10 p.m.

Baltimore (Young 5-1) at Seattle (Gilbert 4-4), 8:40 p.m.

L.A. Angels (Detmers 2-5) at Arizona (Kelly 5-5), 8:40 p.m.

Pittsburgh (Keller 5-4) at Athletics (Perkins 2-3), 8:40 p.m.

Tampa Bay (Rasmussen 6-2) at L.A. Dodgers (Wrobleski 7-2), 9:10 p.m.

Men’s Doubles

Round of 16 Lloyd Glasspool and Julian Cash (2), Britain, def. Francisco Cerundolo, Argentina, and Brandon Nakashima, United States, 7-5, 6-4.

Luke Johnson, Britain, and Jan Zielinski, Poland, def. Jiri Lehecka and Jakub Mensik, Czechia, 3-6, 6-3, 12-10.

Michael Venus, New Zealand, and Yuki Bhambri, India, def. Cameron Norrie, Britain, and Alex de Minaur, Australia, 6-4, 7-5.

ATP World Tour Terra Wortmann Open Results Monday

At Gerry Weber Stadium Halle, Germany Purse: €2,583,330 Surface: Grass Results Monday from Terra Wortmann Open at Gerry Weber Stadium (seedings in parentheses):

Men’s Singles

Round of 32 Learner Tien, United States, def. Max Schoenhaus, Germany, 6-2, 6-4.

Daniel Altmaier, Germany, def. Nikoloz Basilashvili, Georgia, 7-5, 6-4.

Terence Atmane, France, def. Martin Landaluce, Spain, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (2).

Felix Auger-Aliassime (2), Canada, def. Nuno Borges, Portugal, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

Frances Tiafoe, United States, def. Flavio Cobolli (6), Italy, 6-2, 7-6 (4).

East Division Atlanta Philadelphia Washington Miami New York

W 46 38 37 36 32

L 25 33 35 36 39

Pct .648 .535 .514 .500 .451

GB — 8 9½ 10½ 14

Milwaukee St. Louis Chicago Pittsburgh Cincinnati

W 43 38 37 36 33

L 26 31 35 36 37

Pct .623 .551 .514 .500 .471

GB — 5 7½ 8½ 10½

Los Angeles San Diego Arizona San Francisco Colorado

W 45 37 36 29 27

L 27 33 35 43 45

Pct .625 .529 .507 .403 .375

GB — 7 8½ 16 18

Central Division

West Division

Sunday’s Games

Miami 4, Pittsburgh 2 Washington 10, Seattle 1 Arizona 5, Cincinnati 3 San Diego 5, Baltimore 2 N.Y. Mets 8, Atlanta 1 Milwaukee 4, Philadelphia 0 Chicago White Sox 6, L.A. Dodgers 4 Minnesota 5, St. Louis 4 San Francisco 5, Chicago Cubs 1 Colorado 23, Athletics 9

Monday’s Games

Philadelphia 7, Miami 0 Washington 7, Kansas City 3 N.Y. Mets at Cincinnati, n San Diego at St. Louis, n Colorado at Chicago Cubs, n L.A. Angels at Arizona, n Pittsburgh at Athletics, n Tampa Bay at L.A. Dodgers, n

Tuesday’s Games

Miami (Phillips 1-1) at Philadelphia (Luzardo 5-4), 5:40 p.m.

Kansas City (Wacha 4-5) at Washington (Griffin 7-2), 5:45 p.m.

N.Y. Mets (Scott 2-0) at Cincinnati, 6:10 p.m.

San Francisco (Houser 2-6) at Atlanta (Holmes 4-2), 6:15 p.m.

Cleveland (Cecconi 3-5) at Milwaukee (Gasser 0-3), 6:40 p.m.

San Diego (King 4-5) at St. Louis (Pallante 7-4), 6:45 p.m.

Colorado (Feltner 2-2) at Chicago Cubs (Cabrera 4-3), 7:05 p.m.

L.A. Angels (Detmers 2-5) at Arizona (Kelly 5-5), 8:40 p.m.

Pittsburgh (Keller 5-4) at Athletics (Perkins 2-3), 8:40 p.m.

Tampa Bay at L.A. Dodgers (Wrobleski 7-2), 9:10 p.m.

BOX SCORES Washington 7, Kansas City 3

Philadelphia 7, Miami 0

Kansas City Washington ab r h bi ab r h bi Thomas cf 5 0 1 0 Wood dh 3 2 1 0 Witt ss 3 1 0 0 García 1b 4 1 1 2 Caglianone rf41 2 0 Mead 3b 4 0 1 2 Garcia 3b 4 0 1 2 Abrams ss 4 0 0 0 Marte dh 3 1 1 0 Crews rf 4 1 1 3 Rave ph-dh 0 0 0 0 Lile lf 3 0 1 0 Perez 1b 4 0 0 0 Young cf 3 0 0 0 Loftin 2b 3 0 2 0 Ruiz c 4 1 1 0 Jensen c 4 0 1 1 Nuñez 2b 2 2 2 0 Collins lf 4 0 0 0 Totals 34 3 8 3 Totals 31 7 8 7 Kansas City 000 120 000 — 3 Washington 002 050 00x — 7 DP_Kansas City 0, Washington 1.

LOB_Kansas City 7, Washington 4.

2B_Caglianone (12), Loftin (9), Wood (17).

HR_Crews (4). SB_Lile (7).

IP H R ER BB SO Kansas City Spence L,0-1 4 7 6 6 1 1 Black 2 1 1 1 1 0 Way 2 0 0 0 2 2 Washington Alvarez 4 5 1 1 1 5 Lord W,5-0 3 2 2 2 1 2 Beeter 1 0 0 0 1 2 Varland 1 1 0 0 0 1 Spence pitched to 4 batters in the 5th.

ABS Challenge_Alvarez (Ball-Confirmed); Young (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Varland (Ball-Overturned to Strike); Collins (Strike-Confirmed).

Umpires_Home, Chad Whitson; First, Chad Fairchild; Second, Bill Miller; Third, Brian Walsh.

T_2:30. A_14,444 (41,376).

Miami

Philadelphia

ab r h bi ab r h bi Hicks dh-c 4 0 2 0 Schwarber dh4 0 1 0 Lopez ss 3 0 0 0 Turner ss 3 0 0 0 Stowers 1b 4 0 0 0 Bohm 3b 0 0 0 1 Edwards 2b 3 0 0 0 Harper 1b 3 0 0 1 Gibson p 0 0 0 0 Marsh lf 5 1 2 0 Hernándz rf 4 0 1 0 Stott 2b 2 2 0 0 Caissie rf 2 0 0 0 Realmuto c 4 1 1 2 Ruiz ph-lf 2 0 0 0 Rincones rf 4 1 1 2 Marsee cf 4 0 1 0 Hill rf 0 0 0 0 Mack c 1 0 1 0 Crawford cf 4 1 3 1 Kempner p 0 0 0 0 Sosa 3b-ss 4 1 2 0 Jiménez ph 1 0 0 0 Norby 3b 1 0 0 0 Sanoja 2b 3 0 0 0 Totals 32 0 5 0 Totals 33 710 7 Miami 000 000 000 — 0 Philadelphia 012 020 02x — 7 E_Sosa (4). DP_Miami 0, Philadelphia 1.

LOB_Miami 8, Philadelphia 9. 2B_Mack (5), Marsh (13). HR_Rincones (1), Realmuto (5). SB_Crawford (9). SF_Bohm (4), Harper (5).

IP H R ER BB SO Miami Gusto L,0-2 4 2⁄3 8 5 5 3 1 Kempner 2 1⁄3 0 0 0 0 2 Gibson 1 2 2 2 1 1 Philadelphia Wheeler W,6-1 6 2 0 0 3 9 Mayza 1 1 0 0 0 1 Bowlan 1 1 0 0 0 2 Shugart 1 1 0 0 0 1 HBP_Kempner (Turner). WP_Wheeler.

Umpires_Home, Tripp Gibson; First, Sean Barber; Second, Dexter Kelley; Third, Ryan Blakney.

T_2:45. A_39,241 (42,901).

THIS DATE IN BASEBALL

Men’s Doubles

Qualification Robin Haase, Netherlands, and Constantin Frantzen (1), Germany, def. Evan King, United States, and Andre Goransson (2), Sweden, 4-6, 7-6 (5), 10-8.

National League

June 16

1916 — Tom Hughes of the Boston Braves pitched a no-hitter in a 2-0 win over Pittsburgh Pirates.

1938 — Jimmie Foxx didn’t get a chance to hit as the St. Louis Browns walked him six straight times. The Boston Red Sox won anyway, 12-8.

1953 — The St. Louis Browns beat New York 3-1 to break the Yankees’ 18-game winning streak and end their 14-game losing streak.

1957 — Relief pitcher Dixie Howell hit two home runs in the 3 2-3 innings he pitched to lead the Chicago White Sox to an 8-6 victory in the second game of a doubleheader against the Washington Senators.

1971 — The Oakland Athletics hit five solo home runs in a 5-1 win over the Washington Senators. Mike Epstein and Joe Rudi had a pair homers and Dave Duncan one.

Epstein’s home runs came in his first two at-bats to give him homers in four straight at-bats over two games.

1978 — After three ninth-inning near misses, Tom Seaver threw the first no-hitter of his 12-year career as the Cincinnati Reds beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-0.

1991 — Otis Nixon of Atlanta stole six bases against Montreal to set a modern National League record and tie the major league record set by Eddie Collins of the Philadelphia A’s in 1912. Montreal won the game 7-6.

1992 — Boston’s Mark Reardon became baseball’s all-time save leader when he

closed out a 1-0 win over the New York Yankees. Reardon logged his 342nd save to pass Rollie Fingers.

1993 — Ken Griffey Jr. of the Seattle Mariners hits his 100th career home run in Seattle’s 6 — 1 victory over Kansas City to become the fourth-youngest to hit the century mark. Only Mel Ott, Eddie Mathews and Tony Conigliaro did it faster than the 23-year-old Griffey.

2001 — John Olerud went 4-for-5 and hit for the cycle as Seattle beat the San Diego Padres 9-2. He hit a homer in the ninth to complete the cycle.

2009 — The San Diego Padres set a major league record with their 12th straight loss in interleague play when they fell 5-0 to Seattle.

2014 — Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn, winner of eight National League batting titles, passes away from cancer of the salivary gland at 54.

2015 — Brock Holt became the first Boston player to hit for the cycle since 1996 and the Red Sox slugged their way out to a 9-4 victory over Atlanta.

2015 — Manny Machado and Chris Parmelee each hit two of an Orioles-record eight home runs, and Baltimore pounded woeful Philadelphia 19-3. The eight home runs were the most by the Orioles since their move from St. Louis in 1954.

2019 — An authentic Babe Ruth New York Yankees jersey from 1928-30 sets a record for a piece of baseball memorabilia as it sells for $5.64 million at auction.

Men’s Doubles

Round of 16 Jakob Schnaitter and Mark Wallner, Germany, def. Miomir Kecmanovic, Serbia, and Tomas Martin Etcheverry, Argentina, 7-6 (4), 6-3.

Marcelo Melo, Brazil, and Alexander Zverev, Germany, def. Alexander Bublik, Kazakhstan, and Zizou Bergs, Belgium, 6-4, 6-7 (4), 10-5.

Transactions Major League Baseball

American League HOUSTON ASTROS — Recalled RHP Jayden Murray from Sugar Land (PCL). Optioned RHP Alimber Santa to Sugar Land.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS — Placed RHP Carlos Estévez on the 60-day IL. Acquired RHP Connor Seabold from Toronto in exchange for RHP Denis Samudio. Recalled RHP Mitch Spence from Omaha (IL). Optioned RHP Eli Morgan to Omaha.

MINNESOTA TWINS — Selected the contract of LF Kyler Fedko from St. Paul (IL). Designated SS Orlando Arcia for assignment.

NEW YORK METS — Placed 1B Jorge Polanco on the 60-day IL. Placed RHP Christian Scott on the 15-day IL, retroactive to June 12. Claimed SS Zack Short off waivers from Detroit. Recalled RHPs Jonathan Pintaro and Tobias Myers from Syracuse (IL). Optioned RHP Daniel Duarte to Syracuse.

SEATTLE MARINERS — Traded RHP Yosver Zulueta to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for cash. Sent RHP Domingo Gonzalez outright to Tacoma (PCL). Optioned 3B Patrick Wisdom to Tacoma.

National League CHICAGO CUBS — Designated LHP Doug Nikhazy for assignment. Optioned RHP Yosver Zulueta to Iowa (IL).

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES — Reinstated RF Steward Berroa from the paternity list.

Optioned RF Steward Berroa to Lehigh Valley (IL).

SAN DIEGO PADRES — Placed RHP Mason Miller on the bereavement list.

Mugs, shirts, hats, posters, books.

Something for everyone at the T-P Store!

STORE.NOLA.COM

LIVING N O L A.C O M

|

T u e s d ay, J u n e 16, 2026

1dn

All shook up

With jumpsuits, wigs and dance moves, young boys and teens keep Elvis’ legacy alive

BY SOPHIE BATES Associated Press

TUPELO, Miss. — Nearly 50 years after Elvis Presley‘s death, a gaggle of exuberant young boys and teens shook up his hometown, intent on keeping the king’s legacy alive for a new generation.

Ranging in age from 7 to 17, some in jeweled jumpsuits, they took the stage at the Tupelo Elvis Festival’s youth tribute artist competition last week.

In contrast to their peers, who may never have heard of Elvis, the competitors have dedicated an enormous amount of time and energy to embodying the king’s singing voice, mannerisms and style.

PROVIDED PHOTOS FROM LAFAyETTETRAVEL.COM

Visitors to the Healer’s Garden at Vermilionville can see, smell and touch a collection of plants used for medicinal purposes for 250 years or more by Cajun, Creole, African American and Native American people.

Garden of preservation

AP PHOTO By SOPHIE BATES

In this screenshot, Charles Session, 15, holds still while he gets his makeup done ahead of the Tupelo Elvis Festival’s youth tribute artists competition on June 4 in Tupelo, Miss.

They are careful to specify they are Elvis tribute artists.

Unlike impersonators, who pretend to be Elvis and sometimes present a characterized version of the king, tribute artists strive for authenticity. Some wore costumes created by B&K Enterprises Costume Co., a company licensed to recreate Elvis’ outfits and provide costumes for Elvis movies, musicals and TV shows.

“We’re not trying to be him,” said Tucker Gladden, 17, from Madison, Mississippi. “We want to recreate the experience as much as we can for people that maybe didn’t get to see Elvis in their lifetime.”

As for their fascination with a long-dead musician, several of the tribute artists credited the 2022 “Elvis” movie with sparking their interest. A couple said their admiration began after discovering they were distantly related to Elvis. Others said it was Elvis’ faith and charity that inspired them. Some said they had been performing Elvis songs since they were 3 years old.

For 16-year-old Ayden Maloy from Logansport, Indiana, it was the way Elvis’ music helped him during a difficult time in his life and motivated him to begin

These plants once healed Acadiana.

Now volunteers are racing to preserve them.

BY JA’KORI MADISON Staff writer

Long before medicinal remedies were sold in pharmacies and grocery stores, healing knowledge in south Louisiana was passed down through spoken language, handwritten notes and the memories of locals.

Today, much of that knowledge is being preserved behind an Acadian cottage through a living collection of native medicinal plants known as the Healer’s Garden.

The garden surrounds a historic 1850 Acadian home at Vermilionville that once served as a schoolhouse on the Mouton Plantation.

Visitors can walk among nearly 50 native and historically documented medicinal plants labeled in English, French and Latin. They can find familiar plants such as peppermint and elderberry alongside lesser-known remedies like lizard’s tail, once used for teething pain, and wormseed, which was used to treat intestinal parasites.

The collection reflects healing traditions practiced for generations in Acadiana’s Cajun, Creole, African American and Native American communities.

There are nearly 50 native and historically documented medicinal plants labeled in English, French and Latin at the Healer’s Garden at Vermilionville.

“This is knowledge that has been around for centuries,” said cultural anthropologist C. Ray Brassieur, who helped launch the project in 2010. “So I figured, why keep it away from people?”

The story of the Healer’s Garden

began in 2010, when Brassieur, a former professor of anthropology and sociology at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and president of the Vermilionville Living

ä See GARDEN, page 2D

ä See ELVIS, page 2D

Amazon announces its ‘Best Books of the Year So Far’ Staff report The Amazon Editors announced their “Best Books of the Year So Far,” with 20 books making the list.

From hundreds of new releases, the editors have dwindled down the list across several categories: literature and fiction, nonfiction, mystery, thriller and suspense, romance and romantasy, science

Jones

fiction and fantasy, history, biographies and memoirs, business, cooking, children’s and YA books. The Amazon Editors are also sharing specific recommendations for book clubs for the first time, spotlighting books that readers will want to share and discuss with friends.

The No. 1 pick is “Kin” by Tayari Jones — the story of two “cradle friends” in the Deep South who are haunted by the loss of their

mothers, and who, despite their diverging paths, continue to be each other’s comfort.

The complete list is as follows: n 1. “Kin” by Tayari Jones n 2. “London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family’s Search for Truth” by Patrick Radden Keefe n 3. “Yesteryear” by Caro Claire Burke n 4. “Strangers: A Memoir of

Marriage” by Belle Burden n 5. “Night Objects” by Eli Raphael n 6. “Land” by Maggie O’Farrell n 7. “American Men” by Jordan Ritter Conn n 8. “Cherry Baby” by Rainbow Rowell n 9. “Nothing Tastes as Good”

by Luke Dumas

ä See BOOKS, page 2D

2D ✦ Tuesday, June 16, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

lll

Six-year estrangement is hurting whole family staring at her and talking. Mind Dear Annie: I don’t know where to you, they were all in their 40s. start. It has been six years since After I talked to Emily, our youngest daughter, my husband and son-in-law “Emily,” has been close asked why she left. I told to us. them, and my son-in-law The problem started said repeatedly that she when our oldest daughter needed help. My husband and her cousin were in couldn’t take any more, so the kitchen talking about Annie he said I’m not going to sit Emily when Emily walked Lane here and listen to you talk by. She obviously was DEAR ANNIE about my daughter, and he concerned that they were got up and left. talking about her. We were I called Emily and said that I just getting ready to eat our holiday meal, and I asked where Em- wanted to talk to her later, and ily was, and they said she had left. she said OK. But that was the last time I have talked to her. I would I called her to ask why, and she love to talk to her every night. I said her sister and cousin were

have a grandson who I haven’t seen either. We did everything for them, including helping to pay for his college. He now works in engineering. I miss him so much. I cry every day. My youngest daughter was diagnosed with PTSD and schizophrenia. She doesn’t believe it and won’t take the medications.

My husband and I are going nuts. We don’t know what to do. We all own the house and want to sell it, and she won’t sign the papers.

I’m afraid I will never talk to my daughter or grandson again. We were so close. — Confused Parents Dear Confused Parents: The best thing to do is be patient — and

gently encourage her to take her meds. You might need a doctor’s help with this. Schizophrenics who refuse to believe their doctor or take their medication become almost impossible to have a close relationship with.

Your daughter’s feelings were hurt because her sister and cousin were talking about her, probably not in a flattering way.

That hurts at any age. But you are correct that, as adults, she should have talked with her sister and cousin about why they felt the need to have a conversation about her. Instead, she reverted to acting like a little girl and ran away

from the situation. It is all understandable. She also is using her grandson in this as well. These are all very immature actions, but hopefully if you continue to acknowledge her hurt feelings and try and speak to your other daughter about apologizing, maybe they will all come around.

The most important issue, however, is her denial of the doctor’s diagnosis and refusal to take any medications. Ask that doctor for help.

Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators. com.

Waiting room rudeness

STAFF FILE PHOTO By LESLIE WESTBROOK

MaryAnn Armbruster, one of four Master Gardeners who oversees The Healer’s Garden at Vermilionville, pours catnip tea into a pot.

GARDEN

Continued from page 1D History Museum Foundation Board, presented his vision for a medicinal garden at Vermilionville to members of the Lafayette Master Gardeners Association.

The concept grew out of Brassieur’s ethnobotanical research, rooted in a 1933 LSU linguistic thesis that recorded more than 500 firstperson medicinal remedies from Creole French speakers in Bayou Teche communities between Breaux Bridge and St. Martinville.

“The thesis was loaded with the most authentic and rich folk knowledge,” Brassieur said. “I saw it as a resource that could be used in a museum context to teach about traditional folk healing.”

Inside the garden, visitors can find familiar herbs such as spearmint, peppermint and horse mint, which were historically used for fevers, digestion, headaches and colds, along with elderberry, lemon balm and ground cherry. Other plants that were less recognizable but used in local folk medicine traditions included: lizard’s

tail for colic and teething pain, wormseed for intestinal parasites and manglier, scientifically known as Baccharis halimifolia, a bittertasting tea once believed to cure nearly everything.

Brassieur said the garden was intentionally designed not just as a display, but as a way for people to physically reconnect with the landscape and learn about history.

“We do a lot of education,” said MaryAnn Armbruster, an advanced Master Gardener and chair of the medicinal demonstration garden committee through the Lafayette Parish Master Gardeners Association. “We tell people about the house, the plants, what they were used for and how they were prepared.”

Armbruster made sure to note that the project was never intended to commercialize folk medicine, but rather preserve and share traditional knowledge before it disappears, which is why plants and remedies at the Healer’s Garden are not sold commercially on-site.

That approach contrasts with earlier eras, when traditional plant knowledge was often extracted, repackaged and turned into products for broader commer-

cial or pharmaceutical use.

Over time, many traditional practices also became stigmatized as modern pharmaceutical medicine grew more dominant.

“Science came along and tried to reject traditional knowledge,” Brassieur said.

“People became less willing to share it because they were criticized for believing in it.”

He adds that one of his biggest concerns is that younger generations may lose opportunities to learn directly from elders who still carry traditional knowledge.

“We spend too much time on devices and not enough time with nature,” Brassieur said. “Sometimes we don’t even realize how important what our ancestors know is.”

Today, the Healer’s Garden remains open to visitors with the purchase of a ticket.

“It’s important to maintain the knowledge,” Brassieur said. “If something happened tomorrow and people no longer had easy access to medicine, this is the kind of knowledge communities once depended on.”

During Créole Culture Day on Sunday at Vermilionville, the garden will be open to the public through tours and educational programming.

ELVIS

if that was her intention, Dear Miss Manners: I was in and she then backed off. a medical office waiting I know you’re probably room while my husband saying I should have just was having a test done. I ignored her, but was the only one sitsomething in me ting in the waiting would not let me. room initially, until I feel we have alanother person arrived. She had her lowed all decency cellphone on, and to be slowly eradiwas watching a cated from our soJudith program when she ciety and if people Martin don’t start saying walked in the facilMISS something, we will ity. No one was at MANNERS be lost. the front desk at the Businesses need time of her arrival. to implement policies that The volume was very require headphones with loud, and all that could be the use of cellphones in heard was one profanity their offices. No one should after another. After a few minutes, I asked her if she be subject to listening to the most degrading and had headphones, because profane words that now the program was so loud seem popular with some and offensive. people.

She said she did not, and Gentle reader: If only Miss continued to listen, making no attempt to turn it down. Manners had put in earI told her it was inconplugs — or rather, put on siderate of her to play this an eye shade — before she saw this. type of program in a waitBut she is sadly familiar ing room. She then threatwith a pattern practiced by ened to “beat me up if I ordinary citizens, supposdidn’t shut the f*** up.”

I told her I would call 911 edly just going about their

underwear that are my Dear Heloise: I have a sugsize to donate. Someone gestion for donations to who’s my size may be in food pantries. I usually donate nonfood necessities need of it. — Beverly P., via email Beverly, these are such as toilet paper, useful items that we trial sizes or small all need. However, sizes of shampoo, some food pantries laundry detergent, won’t accept anyfeminine supplies, toothpaste and thing but food items. more. Many people So, it might be best Hints from to call and ask if who use food panHeloise your local food pantries are living out of a backpack, so try or food bank is small sizes work best. Pan- willing to accept and distribtries have a higher number ute nonedible items. — Heloise of customers when school is out, so this is a good time Wipe after shopping for an extra donation.

Dear Heloise: Just wanted to I also include zip-close respond to the comments bags to keep things dry in that I’m seeing about using a backpack that isn’t water- wipes at the grocery store. I resistant. Can you imagine do use them but on my way needing toilet paper and out of the store to clean my not having it? Also, as far hands, not on my way in. — as clothing drives, I’ll pick Kate, in Portland, Oregon up a couple packages of Kate, agreed! You never

know how many times an item was handled by another person. When I get home from the grocery store (or any shopping trip), I always wash my hands before putting things away. Then I wash them again afterward to remove anything I may have picked up from handling the bags.

Sound excessive? Actually, it’s not. We all handle things that other people have touched, and without thinking about it, we then touch our eyes, our lips, or an earlobe. When doing this, we transmit bacteria to ourselves with the possibility of picking up a flu, virus or something worse.

— Heloise Send a hint to heloise@ heloise.com.

TODAY IN HISTORY

By The Associated Press

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By SOPHIE BATES

In this screenshot, Tucker Gladden, 17, rehearses his rendition of ‘My Boy’ by Elvis Presley before taking the stage at the Tupelo Elvis Festival’s youth tribute artists competition on June 4 in Tupelo, Miss. because we know that he died thinking he’d be forgotten, and we’re just so glad he’s still around.”

While in Tupelo, the tribute artists also toured the Elvis Presley Birthplace, a sprawling complex that includes the home where Elvis was born and the church

where he was first exposed to Southern gospel music.

“It feels so surreal to pay tribute to Elvis in his hometown,” said 15-year-old Charles Session from Morrilton, Arkansas. “I hope that he’s looking down and smiling at all these young performers.”

n 12. “Famesick: A Memoir” by Lena Dunham n 13. “A Far-Flung Life” by Continued from page 1D M.L. Stedman n 14. “Five” by Ilona Bann 10. “Crux” by Gabriel nister n 15. “Into the Blue” by Tallent n 11. “Transcription: A Emma Brodie 16. “John of John” by Novel” by Ben Lerner

Douglas Stuart 17. “Mad Mabel: A Novel”

by Sally Hepworth 18. “The Calamity Club”

by Kathryn Stockett 19. “Homebound” by Portia Elan 20. “Lady Tremaine” by Rachel Hochhauser.

BOOKS

Send questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com.

Donating nonfood essentials

Continued from page 1D performing as an Elvis tribute artist three years ago.

“I just broke down in tears because it healed me,” Maloy said. “I think Elvis is the healer.”

In an afternoon of dazzling outfits and daring dance moves, the performers got the audience clapping, singing and swaying along to their Elvis covers. Ultimately, RJ Hursey, a 14-year-old from Bloomington, Illinois, won the competition.

Hursey, who inherited his love of Elvis from his grandfather, said he practices his tributes every day, and when he’s too sick to sing, he researches. He performs at nursing homes and assisted living facilities and hopes to someday star in a remake of an Elvis movie.

“It’s humbling,” Hursey said. “It makes you feel good

business: 1. Someone behaves with a blatant lack of consideration for others.

2. Someone else scolds the offender.

3. The offender threatens violence.

4. The offended threatens to call the police.

And oh, yes, there is another: 5. One or both of them invokes the noble name of etiquette, claiming to be enforcing proper behavior.

Miss Manners is not grateful for the assistance.

But neither does she agree that suffering rudeness is the only alternative. Even if there was no one at the desk, you could have found someone in authority to deal with this. Or you could have waited for your husband elsewhere, sending him a text on where to find you.

Glass-Steagall Act into law, creating the Federal DeToday is Tuesday, posit Insurance CorporaJune 16, the 167th day of tion to bolster public con2026. There are 198 days fidence in the U.S. banking left in the year. system.

Today in history: In 1961, Soviet dancer On June 16, 1963, the and choreographer Rudolf world’s first female space Nureyev defected to the traveler, Valentina Teresh- West, seeking asylum in kova, 26, was launched into Paris during a tour by the Kirov Ballet. orbit by the Soviet Union In 1976, thousands of aboard Vostok 6. TereshkoBlack students in Johanva spent 71 hours in flight, circling the Earth 48 times nesburg’s Soweto township before returning safely. demonstrated against the Also on this date: imposition of the DutchIn 1858, accepting the based Afrikaans language Illinois Republican Party’s in schools; police opened nomination for the U.S. fire on the students, killing Senate, Abraham Lincoln at least 176 and as many said the issue of slavery as 700. in the United States had to In 1978, President Jimmy be resolved, declaring, “a Carter and Panamahouse divided against itself nian leader Omar Torrijos cannot stand.” signed the instruments of In 1884, designer La ratification for the Panama Marcus Thompson opened Canal treaties during a certhe first commercially emony in Panama City. successful roller coaster, In 2015, real estate known as the Switchback mogul Donald Trump Railway, in Coney Island, launched his successful New York. campaign for the presiIn 1903, the Ford Motor dency of the United States Company was incorporatwith a speech at Trump Tower in Manhattan. ed in Detroit, Michigan.

In 2016, Walt Disney Co. In 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the opened Shanghai Disney-

land, its first theme park in mainland China.

In 2023, Daniel Ellsberg, the history-making whistleblower who leaked the Pentagon Papers, died at 92. Ellsberg was a member of the government-military elite who revealed longtime government doubts and deceit about the Vietnam War, inspiring acts of retaliation by President Richard Nixon that helped bring about Nixon’s resignation.

Today’s Birthdays: Author Joyce Carol Oates is 88.

Country singer Billy “Crash” Craddock is 87.

R&B singer Eddie Levert is 84. Boxing Hall of Famer Roberto Durán is 75. Pop singer Gino Vannelli is 74.

Actor Laurie Metcalf is 71. Rapper MC Ren is 57.

Golfer Phil Mickelson is 56. Actor John Cho is 54.

Actor Daniel Brühl is 48.

Actor Missy Peregrym is 44. Singer Diana DeGarmo (TV: “American Idol”) is 39. NFL wide receiver Justin Jefferson is 27. Tennis player Bianca Andreescu is 26. Actor Anna Cathcart is 23. Actor Charlie Bushnell is 22.

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Tuesday, June 16, 2026 ✦ 3D

lll

FrAnK And erneSt

roSebUdS

zItS

zodIAC GEMINI (May 21-June 20) A new look that makes you feel good about yourself will encourage you to go the distance and not settle for anything less than what you want. A unique suggestion will help you market yourself for success.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Put more energy into your thoughts. Sticking to the truth and making your intentions very clear will be necessary when dealing with people who want something from you or those trying to change you.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) It's time to pay attention to how you look and feel. Take command of your future by engaging in events that connect you to an industry or group you'd like to participate in more.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) A lively approach to helping others and to making the most with what you've got will be inspirational and send a strong message to others to pitch in and help. Be a leader and set high standards.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Flying under the radar will allow you to reach your goal without interference. Distance yourself from people who are overreacting. Discipline and ingenuity are your superpowers.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) An open mind will lead to valuable information. Pay attention, stay intent on doing things right the first time and choose your words carefully and your battles wisely.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Analyze your status, and put an end to what's holding you back. Walk away from drama and those using emotional blackmail to take

advantage of you. Limit spending, and implement discipline in your daily routine.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Demonstrating how much you care and revealing what you are willing to do will help you win favors and the respect of those you respect most. Truth and honesty will carry your wants and needs to fruition.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Push forward with enthusiasm. A change you make at home or to your lifestyle will enhance your creative imagination and help you find your way to a better place or position.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Doing something entertaining or creative will improve your view of what's happening around you. Choose to speak your mind and to do your part when working with others.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Think before you speak. Focus on doing what's right and helping those in need. How you spend your time will determine how your day will unfold. Refuse to let anger take over.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Opportunity will unfold through talks, kind gestures and not letting stubbornness get in the way of doing what's right. Reach out to experts, and you'll discover options you didn't know existed.

The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2026 by nEa, inc., dist. By andrews mcmeel syndication

For better or For WorSe WonderWord

peAnUtS

SALLY Forth

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

TODAy'S CLUE: K EQUALS A

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

SherMAn’S LAGoon FAMILY CIrCUS

dooneSbUrY

4D ✦ Tuesday, June 16, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

CurTiS

Hi and LoiS

lll

Sudoku InstructIons: sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers.

The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the sudoku increases from monday to sunday.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

BaBY BLueS

BLondie

THe wiZard oF id

nea CroSSwordS

La TimeS CroSSword

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Tuesday, June 16, 2026 ✦ 5D

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B.C.

Bridge

BY PHILLIP ALDER We are looking at situations in which third hand should or should not follow the “third-hand high” mantra. Which is right here?

South is in four hearts. West leads a fourth-highest diamond two. After dummy plays low, should East put in his nine or rise with the king?

North knew that his hand was a tad strong for a four-heart “weak freak” raise, but he knew that it was unlikely his side had a slam, and he was worried that the opponents might be able to do well in spades.

East should work out who has what in diamonds. He knows that South has the ace, because West would not have led a diamond away from the ace. And South presumably has three diamonds. West probably has the queen, and might have the 10 as well. (If West had started with 10-high diamonds, he likely would have led from a stronger suit.)

However, the key point is that if East plays his king, declarer must get two diamond tricks: his ace and, later, dummy’s jack. But if East puts in his nine, perhaps he can hold South to one diamond winner.

Yes, West will be momentarily misled about the diamond position, but East will clarify when in with his heart king, cashing the diamond king and playing another round of the suit. You can see that in this

garfield

Pearls Before swiNe

hagar the horriBle

layout, playing the diamond nine is critical. It allows the defenders to take one heart, two diamonds and one club.

The usual rule is: When dummy has one honor, third hand holds a higher honor, and dummy plays low, third hand saves his honor when he can insert a nine or higher. © 2026 by nEa, inc., dist. By andrews mcmeel syndication

wuzzles Each Wuzzle is a word riddle which creates a disguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: nOOn gOOD = gOOD aFTErnOOn

PiCKles

Previous answers:

mallard fillmore

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 — ZIRconIA: zur-KOH-nee-uh: A white crystalline compound

Bizarro

marmaduKe

used for refractories, insulation, enamels and glazes.

Average mark 14 words Time limit 30 minutes Can you find 23 or more words in ZIRCONIA? YEstERDAY’s WoRD — REMADE read

mare

deem

ream

mead

deer

reamed

mere

dram

reed

armed

dream

eared

dame

edema

dare

made

dear

loCKhorNs hidato Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

today’s thought “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the middle of them.” Matthew 18:20

What a wonderful promise! Be in church this Sunday. G.E. Dean

6D ✦ Tuesday, June 16, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

muttS

roSe iS roSe

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Scrabble GramS dIrectIons: make a 2- to 7-letter word from the letters in each row. add points of each word, using scoring directions at right. Finally, 7-letter words get 50-point bonus.

“Blanks” used as any letter have no point value. all the words are in the Official sCraBBlE® players Dictionary, 5th Edition.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

jump Start

For more information on tournaments and clubs, email naspa – north american sCraBBlE players association: info@scrabbleplayers.org. Visit our website: www.scrabbleplayers.org. For puzzle inquiries contact scrgrams@gmail.com.

Get fuzzy

Hasbro and its logo sCraBBlE associated logo, the design of the distinctive sCraBBlE brand game card, and the distinctive letter tile designs are trademarks of Hasbro in the United states and Canada. ©2021 Hasbro. all rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content agency, llC.

ken ken

animal crackerS

DuStin

InstructIons: 1 - Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 thorugh 4 (easy) or 1 through 6 (challenging) without repeating.

2 - The numbers within the heavily outlined boxes, called cages, must combine using the given operation (in any order) to produce the target numbers in the top-left corners.

3 - Freebies: Fill in the single-box cages with the number in the top-left corner.

Wallace the brave

Drabble

WiShinG Well breWSter rockit

luann

HErE is a plEasanT liTTlE gamE that will give you a message every day. it’s a numerical puzzle designed to spell out your fortune. Count the letters in your first name. if the number of letters is 6 or more, subtract 4. if the number is less than 6, add 3. The result is your key number. start at the upper left-hand corner and check each of your key numbers, left to right. Then read the message the checked figures give you.

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Tuesday, June 16, 2026 ✦ 7D

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classifieds.nola.com Search & Place Ads Ads Onlines at classifieds.nola.com • Call Monday Us Monday - Friday 8AM - 5PMatat(504) (504)636-7435 636-7435 Search & Place Onlines at classifieds.nola.com - Friday 8AM - 5PM

Announcements Anyone knowing the whereabouts of DARIUS LENARIS please contact Robert Angelle at 504-836-5990 or bobangelle@yahoo.com.

191203-June 16-18, 3t $85 I AM APPLYING to the Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control of the State of Louisiana for a permit to sell alcoholic beverages of high and low alcohol content at retail in the Parish of Jefferson at the following address: Murphy Oil USA, Inc. d/b/a Murphy USA #7952. 4822 Lapalco Blvd., Marrero, LA 70072. /s/Gregory L. Smith, VP & Secretary 191122-June 16, 1t $93.86

CEMETERY PLOTS Property Location - Garden Of Memories Cemetery Chapel Of Peace Mausoleum Hall Tier I Crypt 1104A4 (4 person) Outside Front Call or text $27,995 (504) 415-0366

KENNER

JEWELRY/WATCHES 14 Karat White Gold Diamond Engagement Ring, 1.38 Carats.

Comes with transferrable lifetime warranty. $2900.00 (504) 339-9411

KENNER 510 FARRAR AVENUE - 1/2 Duplex, 3 Bd, 2 Ba, All Electric, Central A/H, Off St Prkg, No Smoking or Pets!

Call: 504-458-9700

New Orleans Rental

FRENCH QUARTER

Public Notices

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

PUBLIC NOTICE --ADVERTISEMENT INVITATION TO BID CITY OF NEW ORLEANS SPONSORING DEPT: NOAB TITLE: Grease Interceptor Maintenance Services EVENT NO: 4705 TYPE OF SOLICITATION: Non-Professional Services

1027 CHARTRES, UNIT F * $1,250/MO

GENTILLY 2544 ALLEN TOUSSAINT BLVD. NEWLY RENOVATED!!!

1-2 Bdrm Apts * From $800/mo Parking * Sec Gate 504-209-8054 * 504-454-1333

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

PUBLIC NOTICE --ADVERTISEMENT TO INVITATION TO BID CITY OF NEW ORLEANS SPONSORING DEPARTMENT: French Market Corporation District TITLE: Set Aside Landscape and Garden Maintenance French Market Corporation District SOURCING EVENT NO.: 4710 TYPE OF SOLICITATION: NON-PROFESSIONAL SERVICES DBE OPPORTUNITY: YES (35%) RELEASED ON: June 9, 2026

RELEASED ON: Tuesday, June 2, 2026, 8:00 AM CST

DEADLINE TO RESPOND: July 8, 2026

PRE-BID CONFERENCE: TBD Dates are subject to changes via an adden‐ dum posted by the Bu‐ reau of Purchasing on the City’s supplier portal.

If you wish to receive no‐ tification of addendum posted by the Bureau of Purchasing about this event, register as a sup‐ plier or update your sup‐ plier account (if already registered) and select the following commodity code(s): COMMODITY CODE: 210-75 The City of New Orleans strongly encourages mi‐ nority-owned and women-owned busi‐ nesses, socially and eco‐ nomically disadvantaged businesses and small businesses to respond to this solicitation, or to participate in subcon‐ tracting opportunities pursuant to this solicita‐ tion.

For more information about this event, go to www.nola.gov and click on “BRASS Supplier Por‐ tal” under “BIDS & CON‐ TRACTS”. Once on the Supplier Portal, search “Open Events.”

Thank you for your inter‐ est in doing business with the City of New Or‐ leans.

James C. Simmons, Jr. Chief Procurement Officer Advertising Dates: June 2, 9 and 16, 2026 NOCP 9091 189630-jun 2-9-16-3t $92.13 PUBLIC NOTICE --ADVERTISEMENT REQUEST FOR PROPOS‐ ALS (RFP) CONSTRUCTION PROPOS‐ ALS FOR THE NORMAN C. FRANCIS SCIENCE & ACA‐ DEMIC BUILDING EXTE‐ RIOR ENVELOPE REPAIRS Xavier University of Louisiana is issuing an RFP for an organization, authorized to do busi‐ ness in the State of Louisiana, to provide construction services for the Exterior Envelope Re‐ pairs of the NCF Science & Academic Building. RFP XULA 05-2026 is available on the University’s Web‐ site at https://www.xula. edu/fiscal-services/rfpxula-05-2026-ncfexterior-envelope.pdf The University must re‐ ceive all proposals that are submitted in re‐ sponse to the RFP before 2:00p.m. Central Stan‐ dard Time (CST) on June 19, 2026. The University will not accept either faxed or emailed propos‐ als. Also, proposals re‐ ceived after that time will not be considered.

Xavier University of Louisiana reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and to waive any informalities inci‐ dental thereto.

All questions about this correspondence shall be directed via email to Xavier University’s Pro‐ ject Manager, Lauren Smith lsmith9@xula.edu.

189132-may 28-jun 18 $3,153

METAIRIE

Renovated 3BR/3BA home w/ private baths, laminate wd flrg, TV's, appls, dishes, W&D, lawn care, & ample parking.

Furnished or Unfurnished.

METAIRIE 3513 EDENBORN AVENUE Lrg 2 Bed, 1 Bath * $925 * Off St Prkg Blocks from Lakeside 504-982-4040 * 504-885-8060 504-454-1333 NEW ORLEANS EAST LITTLE WOODS SPECIAL 7819 SANDS STREET * 3 BD/2 BA Central A & H * Fenced Backyard Sec 8 Welcome. No Deposit. $1,200 504-241-6189 * 504-430-1162

PRE-BID CONFERENCE: June 17, 2026

Dates are subject to changes via an adden‐ dum posted by the Bu‐ reau of Purchasing on the City’s supplier portal.

If this solicitation is fed‐ erally funded, prospec‐ tive bidder/respondent must pay particular at‐ tention to all applicable laws and regulations of the Federal government and the State of Louisiana.

The Bureau of Purchas‐ ing uses commodity codes to notify suppliers of the release of a sourc‐ ing event and subse‐ quent modifications via addendum. Note that you would receive those noti‐ fications if you selected the following commodity code(s) before the re‐ lease of the sourcing event: COMMODITY CODE(s): 911-41, 918-73, 988-52 The City of New Orleans strongly encourages mi‐ nority-owned and women-owned busi‐ nesses, socially and eco‐ nomically disadvantaged businesses and small businesses to respond to this solicitation, or to participate in subcon‐ tracting opportunities pursuant to this solicita‐ tion.

For more information about this sourcing event, go to www.nola. gov and click on “BRASS Supplier Portal” under “BIDS & CONTRACTS”.

Once on the Supplier Por‐ tal, search “Open Events.”

Thank you for your inter‐ est in doing business with the City of New Or‐ leans.

James C. Simmons, Jr. Purchasing Administrator Advertising Dates: June 9, 16 and 23, 2026 NOCP 9098 190404-jun 9-16-23-3t $109.32 PUBLIC NOTICE --ADVERTISEMENT TO REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS CITY OF NEW ORLEANS SPONSORING DEPARTMENT: NEW ORLEANS POLICE DEPARTMENT TITLE: CANINE VETERINARIAN CARE SOURCING EVENT NO.: 4708 TYPE OF SOLICITATION: PROFESSIONAL SERVICES DBE OPPORTUNITY: NO (0%) DBE IS WAIVED RELEASED ON: JUNE 9, 2026 DEADLINE TO RESPOND: JULY 7, 2026 PRE-BID CONFERENCE: June 25, 2026 @ 2:00 P.M. Microsoft Teams Meeting Meeting ID: 220 378 166 990 745 Passcode: GW9yi7wv Dates are subject to changes via an adden‐ dum posted by the Bu‐ reau of Purchasing on the City’s supplier portal.

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

If this solicitation is fed‐ erally funded, prospec‐ tive bidder/respondent must pay particular at‐ tention to all applicable laws and regulations of the Federal government and the State of Louisiana.

The Bureau of Purchas‐ ing uses commodity codes to notify suppliers of the release of a sourc‐ ing event and subse‐ quent modifications via addendum. Note that you would receive those noti‐ fications if you selected the following commodity code(s) before the re‐ lease of the sourcing event: COMMODITY CODE(s): 961-86 The City of New Orleans strongly encourages mi‐ nority-owned and women-owned busi‐ nesses, socially and eco‐ nomically disadvantaged businesses and small businesses to respond to this solicitation, or to participate in subcon‐ tracting opportunities pursuant to this solicita‐ tion.

For more information about this sourcing event, go to www.nola. gov and click on “BRASS Supplier Portal” under “BIDS & CONTRACTS”.

Once on the Supplier Por‐ tal, search “Open Events.”

Thank you for your inter‐ est in doing business with the City of New Or‐ leans.

James C. Simmons, Jr. Chief Procurement Officer Advertising Dates: June 9, 16 and 23, 2026 NOCP 9097 190402-jun 9-16-23-3t $114.36 PUBLIC NOTICE --Audubon Nature Institute is seeking a highly quali‐ fied, experienced opera‐ tor for Food & Beverage services at the Goldring Woldenberg Riverfront Park (GWRP) Event Pavil‐ ion, a dynamic new venue in New Orleans.

The selected operator is expected to provide food and beverages for daily park operations and will have the non-exclusive right to provide food and beverage services for festivals and major cor‐ porate and private events. The specifics of these food and beverage opportunities are out‐ lined in section 2 of this RFP. Opened in Spring 2026, the extended Goldring Woldenberg Riverfront Park trans‐ formed the Governor Nicholls Wharf into a new riverfront park, in‐ cluding a fully outfitted food and beverage venue. The Park com‐ pleted the first phase of Riverfront for All, an ini‐ tiative to convert the last industrial wharves in downtown New Orleans into a highly sought after destination connecting over 2 miles of riverfront park space—among the longest riverfront parks in the country. Phase II, the Esplanade Wharf conversion, which is in the preliminary planning stages, when completed, will fulfill a 40-year dream for visitors and residents to reconnect with the Mississippi River from the Bywater neighborhood to Canal Street. Interested parties are invited to secure a qualification package at www.bidnetdirect.com/ louisiana/audubonnatu reinstitute Prospective operators are strongly encouraged to attend a site visit on July 2, 2026 or on July 10, 2026, at 8 am located at 1301 N. Peters, New Or‐ leans, LA 70117. By sub‐ mitting a proposal, the prospective operator ac‐ knowledges they are fully informed of the site conditions.

Proposals must be submitted at or before July 24, 2026, at 1:00 PM. Proposals shall be submitted in sealed envelopes marked “GWRP Event Pavillion Food & Beverage Opera‐ tor”. Proposals must be submitted to the follow‐ ing: Audubon Nature In‐ stitute, Attn: Cecilie H. Primeaux, 6500 Magazine Street, New Orleans, LA 70118. Proposals, and amendments to Propos‐ als received after the day d i ifi d b

DOGS Mini Schnauzer - Beautiful AKC Minia‐ ture Schnauzer Puppies, Has all shots, Metairie $Call (504) 390-2918 DOGS Registered Shih Tzu - Precious CKC reg‐ istered male Shih Tzu. 8 weeks old, has had all worm meds, & one of his vaccine shots. Pee pad & grass trained. Spanky is looking for a loving home. Call if you’re the person that can give him one. $1500.00 (337) 945-1602

Sandy Ward * 504-259-2616.

Re/Max Living * 504-475-1011. Ea ofc indpntly owned & operated.

TREME Beautiful Apartment for Rent in the Heart of Treme! 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Large Windows. Central Air & Heat. $1700/mo. Contact Candice at (504) 289-6421 if interested.

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

Pets

CATS RAGAMUFFIN & RAGDOLL KITTENS www.CatsByFrancy.com/kittens $1500up! Reg. Shots & Guaranty 337-230-3150 CATS Young Male Cat, Gray Colors, Have too many cats, Looking for another home for him. Please call 504-861-9617 ($50)

y and time specified above will be rejected by the Audubon Nature Institute as non-responsive and returned to the team un‐ opened.

p g y can also join via telecon‐ ference call:

Bid Documents and Ad‐ denda may be down‐ loaded from: https:// wwwcfprd.doa.louisiana. gov/osp/lapac/dspBid. cfm?search=departm ent&term=39 Evidence of authority to submit bid shall be required in ac‐ cordance with R.S. 38:2212 (A) (1) (c) and/or R.S. 39:1954 (C) (2) (d).

AA/EEO 191028 June 16, 1t $37.34

PUBLIC NOTICE --PUBLIC NOTICE--BIODIS‐ TRICT NEW ORLEANS--RE‐ QUEST FOR PROPOSALS-LEGAL SERVICES BioDistrict New Orleans (BioDistrict), a special purpose economic devel‐ opment district created under the laws of the State of Louisiana, is so‐ liciting proposals from qualified law firms and attorneys licensed to practice in the State of Louisiana to provide Gen‐ eral Legal Counsel ser‐ vices. Services will in‐ clude, but are not limited to, corporate gover‐ nance, public law, real estate and development transactions, public-pri‐ vate partnerships, con‐ tract review, and regula‐ tory compliance. Thank you for your interest in doing business with the BioDistrict.

A complete Request for Proposals may be ob‐ tained from the BioDis‐ trict’s website at https:// www.biodistrictnola. com. Proposals must be submitted electronically no later than June 30, 2026 at 5:00pm central time. The BioDistrict re‐ serves the right to ac‐ cept or reject any and all items or portions of items received.

190349-JUN 9-18-6T $752 PUBLIC NOTICE --SEWERAGE & WATER BOARD OF NEW ORLEANS WATER MAIN LINE REPLACEMENTS AND EXTENSIONS AT SCATTERED LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT ORLEANS PARISH CONTRACT NO. 2166 SOLICITATION NO. 2026-SWB-23 Sealed Bids for WATER MAIN LINE REPLACE‐ MENTS AND EXTENSIONS AT SCATTERED LOCA‐ TIONS THROUGHOUT OR‐ LEANS PARISH. Bid Documents and pro‐ posal forms are available for download on June 2, 2026, at the following websites: SWBNO: https://www2.swbno. org/business_bidspecific ations.asp LAPAC: https://wwwcfprd.doa. louisiana.gov/OSP/ LaPAC/dspBid.cfm?sea rch=department& term=181 A NON-MANDATORY prebid conference will be held on June 16, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. Central Time at the Sewerage and Water Board of New Or‐ leans, Purchasing Con‐ ference Room RM 131, lo‐ cated at 625 St Joseph St., New Orleans, Louisiana, 70165 or if you are unable to attend this in-person meeting, you l j i i l

BOATS 1978 Classic Pro 19' Bass Boat, Clear Title, Rdy to go! Chris 985-789-0164

JUNETEENTH

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Proposals will be re‐ ceived until 2:00 PM on 7/8/2026 by the Purchas‐ ing Department of Del‐ gado Community College and thereafter publicly opened for miscella‐ neous flooring mainte‐ nance and repairs for Delgado Community Col‐ lege’s Campuses and Sites. A non-mandatory jobsite visit will be held on Friday, 6/23/26 at 10:00 a.m. at the City Park Campus. Additional information may be ob‐ tained by contacting the Purchasing Department, Delgado Community Col‐ lege, 501 City Park Ave., New Orleans, LA 70119 (504) 762-3029 or email: tsheff@dcc.edu.

Recreational Vehicles

And will be observing the following Early Deadline:

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

PUBLIC NOTICE ---

DOGS Yorkie’s Maltipoo’s, Dorkie’s - Yorkie’s male $600. Female $700. Maltipoo’s male’s $350. Female $400. Dorkie’s male’s $300. Female’s $400. $300+ (601) 543-4232

will be closed on Friday, June 19th in observance of Deadline: Run Date Tuesday, June 16 @ 3pm ......... Friday June 19 Wednesday, June 17 @ 3pm.... Saturday June 20 Wednesday, June 17 @ 3pm.... Sunday June 21 Wednesday, June 17 @ 3pm.... Monday June 22

As always, you may place your ad 7 days a week, 24 hours a day online at www.theadvocate.com or call Monday – Friday 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

(225) 383-0111

DOGS AKC Reg. Rottweiler Puppy. 1 -F Show Quality $800. 504-782-9291

191052-JUN 16-22-29-3T $124

DOGS Teacup YORKIES Maltipoos POMS Mini Goldendoodles POODLES Shit Tzu De‐ signers+ Siamese Kittens S/W=UTD Teacups $995+. Puppy Pack $595+ 504-259-2222

THE CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT

METAIRIE 3201 RICHLAND AVENUE 1/2 Block off Vets * by Paretti Jaguar 1 Bed * Prkg * Pool * Rent $675/mo 504-320-6958 * 504-454-1333

CLASSIFIEDS.NOLA.COM

DBE OPPORTUNITY: NO

DEADLINE TO RESPOND: Tuesday, June 23, 2026, 1:00 PM CST

177 W. 5TH STREET LAPLACE * $1,950/MO

METAIRIE 304 London, 3BR $1350/mo wtr Incl.

304 Cherry, 3BR $1350/mo wtr incl.

4740 Belle Dr 4Br 2.5Ba 3200 sqft SFH $2600/mo 504-889-2120

Super FR QTR Location, One bed/bath, Cent A/H, Modern Appliances, Hardwood Floors.

In unit W/D, Lovely Courtyard, Pleasant Residential Complex. No dogs.

GARY WILLIAMS * 504-251-2047 FQR Realty 504-949-5400

NEWS 24/7 ON

BYWATER RENTAL Renov. 3Br/1Ba house, LR, Kitc & Laundry Rm . Utils incl. 504-259-6948

10,000 Apt Homes and 75 Locations with Studio, 1, 2 & 3 Bedrooms Pools, Access Gates, Garages (504) 360-9347

ENGINEERING CIVIL ENGINEERING INTERN and SENIOR ENG DESIGNER/CADD TECH AutoCAD Civil 3D strong proficiency re‐ quired, Ability to produce CDs with PE Supervision. Civil Design for public works roads/bridges/water/sewer/ drainage/paving. LDOTD or USACE ex‐ perience a plus. Monday – Friday 8:30 to 5:30. Health, dental, life and disability; 401(k) and PTO. Email resumes to kpearce@n-yassociates.com

WANT TO BUY Old Records 33's, 45's & 78's. All types of music. Call 985-259-1889

DOGS Mini Goldendoodles-puppies. 5- M & F Mini Goldendoodles. S/W, Health Guarantee. $1800 (504) 228-6701

CARROLLTON 4327 & 4329 Hollygrove St. F & G 1Br. Water Pd $900 each 504-313-2192

Employment

Merchandise

DOGS Cairn Corso Pups, Docked tails, S/W, Full Bld'd, $2,500 to $3k (504) 645-7591

2850 IDAHO AVENUE 1 Block to Vets & Williams All Amenities * Pool * Parking Studio/1 Bed Apt * Starting $650/Mo 504-236-1971 * 504-454-1333

Microsoft Teams meeting Join: https://teams. microsoft.com/meet/211 338419022529?p=cz‐ zryqhXIntdTbXtl4 Meeting ID: 211 338 419 022 529 Passcode: PY3Ng9js Dial in by phone +1 504-224-8698,, 695951673# United States, New Orleans Phone conference ID: 695 951 673# All inquiries shall be di‐ rected to Connor Metcalf, Procurement Analyst, at cmetcalf@swbno.org.

The deadline for in‐ quiries is on June 17, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Central Time.

Bids are due on July 8, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. Any Bids received after the specified time will be re‐ jected.

Bids will then be publicly opened and read on July 8, 2026, at 11:30 a.m. at Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans, 625 St. Joseph Street, Purchasing Conference Room 131, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Microsoft Teams meeting Join: https://teams. microsoft.com/meet/273 773577305674?p=MRq Yqvj35jvxsquVpy Meeting ID: 273 773 577 305 674 Passcode: EA7Wm2M8 +1 504-224-8698,, 5605129# United States, New Orleans Phone conference ID: 560 512 9# LATE BIDS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. 189606-jun 2-1t $115.38

Clemency I, MAXIE CANFIELD, DOC #723250 have applied for clemency for my conviction of DOMESTIC ABUSE BATTERYSTRANGUL. If you have any comments, contact the Board of Pardons (225)342-5421.

Legal Notices

5:30pm-6:30pm If you need additional in‐ formation or require spe‐ cial assistance due to Limited English Profi‐ ciency, please contact OCD’s Planning & Re‐ source Development Unit at (504)658- 4347 or dmpearson@nola.gov Helena Moreno Mayor Jeffrey E. Schwartz Director of Housing, Community Development & Special Projects Proposed Run Dates: 6/1, 6/3, 6/5, 6/8, 6/10, 6/12, & 6/16 2026 NOCP 9089 189406-jun 1-3-5-8-10-1216-7t $184.31 PUBLIC NOTICE --Stevenson,Charles Lee ™ am the owner of the Trade Name, Trademark, or Service mark sought to be registered and no other person,firm,associ‐ ation, union or corpora‐ tion has the right to such use in such class, either in the identical form herein above described, or in any such resem‐ blance thereto as may calculated to deceive, and the facsimiles coun‐ terparts herein Filed are true and correct.

190999-JUN 16-18-3T $194 PUBLIC NOTICE --The Louisiana Office of the State Museum is re‐ questing proposals for a Public-Private Partner‐ ship project to design, build, furnish, operate, and maintain an in‐ door/outdoor café at the New Orleans Jazz Mu‐

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Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

seum. For more informa‐ tion go to opportuni‐ tiesinlouisiana.com.

y p y py the 2026-2027 budget is available at 10001 Lake Forest Blvd., Suite 710, New Orleans, LA 70127.

188284-MAY 21-JUN 16 $139

186911-may 9-aug 27 $956

PUBLIC NOTICE --This adoption resolution is to certify that the Clerk of Court of Orleans Parish has complied with Louisiana Revised Statute 39:1307 relative to public participation in the budget process for the Year Ended June 30, 2027 (Civil). Notice of availability for public in‐ spection and public hear‐ ing was held in compli‐ ance with applicable statute.

Honorable Chelsey Richard Napoleon Clerk of Court for Or‐ leans Parish June 11, 2026 191033 June 16, 1t $33.81

Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

PUBLIC NOTICE --ReNEW-Reinventing Edu‐ cation will introduce the 2026-27 budget and hold its first public hearing on the 2026-27 budget on May 14, 2026 at 5:30 pm at Edgar P Harney Build‐ ing located at 2503 Wil‐ low St., New Orleans, LA 70113 (LA R.S. 39:1307).

ReNEW-Reinventing Edu‐ cation is the charter school management or‐ ganization operating ReNEW Laurel Elemen‐ tary, ReNEW Dolores T. Aaron Elementary, ReNEW Schaumburg Ele‐ mentary, and ReNEW Moton Lakefront Elemen‐ tary. A physical copy of h b d i

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PUBLIC NOTICE --PUBLIC NOTICE City Park Conservancy REQUEST FOR QUALIFICA‐ TIONS (RFQ) DESIGN AND ENGINEER‐ ING SERVICES FOR CITY PARK SIDEWALKS AND SHARED BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN PATHS Issue Date: June 16, 2026 Submission Deadline: July 15, 2026 City Park Conservancy (“CPC”) is soliciting Statements of Qualifica‐ tions from experienced firms and teams to pro‐ vide Design and Engi‐ neering Services for two (2) Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development’s (LaDOTD) Transportation Alterna‐ tives Program (TAP) pro‐ jects in New Orleans City Park.

Respondents must demonstrate relevant qualifications, technical expertise, and prior ex‐ perience providing de‐ sign and engineering ser‐ vices for LaDOTD funded projects.

Statements of Qualifica‐ tions must be submitted no later than 4:00 PM CST on July 15, 2026.

The RFQ will be posted June 16, 2026, on https:// neworleanscitypark.org/ procurement/ Or requested by email from: Courtney Charbonnet Manager of Purchasing and Contract Services Email: procurement@ nocp.org All questions regarding this RFQ must be submit‐ ted in writing to the email address above no

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later than 4:00 PM CST on July 2, 2026. Responses to all questions will be is‐ sued through a formal addendum.

A non-mandatory presubmittal meeting will be held in person at 1:00 PM CST on June 24, 2026, at the following location: City Park Administration Building 1 Palm Drive, New Or‐ leans, LA 70124 Attendance is strongly encouraged.

191100-JUN 16-1T $25

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190744 - JUNE 14-16 3T $310 I, VINCENT BRUNO, DOC #625040 have applied for clemency for my conviction of POSSESSION OF SCHEDULE I; POSSESSION OF SCHEDULE IV. If you have any comments, contact the Board of Pardons (225)342-5421.

190745 - JUN 14-16 3T $310

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PUBLIC NOTICE --City of New Orleans Office of Housing Policy and Community Development 2022-2026 Consolidated Plan (CP) 2026 Annual Action Plan 2nd Public Hearing Notice The City of New Orleans is preparing its 2026 An‐ nual Action (AAP). The AAP is a one (1) year planning and application document based on Community Participation addressing how the cur‐ rent year HUD four (4) formula grant allocations will be expended for the: Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Part‐ nership Program (HOME), Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) and Housing Opportunities for Per‐ sons Living with HIV/AIDS (HOPWA). The City is seeking your views on housing and community development needs on how these federal funds will be expended. All are encouraged to attend and provide input: Where: New Orleans Redevelopment Authority (NORA) Address: 1409 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd.

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