Violent crime in New Orleanshas fallen to its lowest level since the 1960s, and already,the first half of 2026 has extended the dramatic drop in homicides andshootings.
NOPD recorded38murders through June 25, representing oneofthe lowest year-to-date totals the cityhas seenindecades. If that pace holds, NewOrleans will finish 2026 with about 78 murders, nearly matching the 76 recorded in 1969 “We’ve seen aremarkable decline, and it’sthe kind of thing we should be talking about,” said Jeff Asher, co-founderof AH Datalytics, who recently retooled the city’spublic safety dashboards.“We are reaching 50-, 60-year lowsnow.”
In 1969, though, New Orleans crime was on an upswing, promptingresidents to “hide in their homes at night while criminals roam the streets,” then-Assistant U.S. Attorney Harry Connick said, according to areport that year by The Times-Picayune. Thecity’spopulation was593,471 in 1970. Today,similar totals mark awelcome milestone in New Orleans’ continued decline in violence followinga horrific postpandemic surgethat made the city the nation’smurder capital in 2022. The downturn began in mid-2023 and hascontinued each year since.
In 2022, between briefingsatthe scenes of gruesome killings, NewOrleans police held news conferencestoutingthe acquisition of additional crime-scene body screens and celebrating modest slowdowns in the bloodshed.
This year,violent incidents that prompt media briefings have been fewand farbetween. Recent newsconferences by NOPD include one at the scene of an unsolved fatal stabbing that happened 45 years ago and one touting aproactive operation to shut down aplanned street “takeover” event in its tracks.
“I’m not going to say we’re crime-free. But our crime is very low,” said Morgan Clevenger,president of theFairgrounds Neighborhood Advisory Boardand president of the First DistrictPolice Community AdvisoryBoard. “We’ve been really deep in the last several years trying to get ahandle on theother bigpublic safety issue: speeding and crashes.”
On Tuesday at the NOPD’sGang Reduction and Intervention Partnershipmeeting, Mayor Helena Moreno congratulated the department and its partners for the
ä See CRIMES, page 5A
LETLOW ADVANCES
Backed by Trump, sheedges Flemingtowin GOPSenateprimary ShewillfaceDemocratJamie Davisinthe Nov. 3election
U.S. Rep. Julia Letlowaddresses the crowd at awatch partyinBaton RougeonSaturday after winning the Republican primary runoff for U.S. Senate.
BY TYLER BRIDGES Staff writer
U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow fended off a toughcampaign from state Treasurer JohnFleming to win the Republican runoff for theU.S. Senate on Saturday and become the prohibitive favoriteto be Louisiana’snext senator
Letlow captured theRepublican Party nomination Saturday with the strong support of President Donald Trump his endorsement of her in January to defeat Sen. Bill Cassidy prompted her entry into the race —and Gov.JeffLandry, who raised millions of dollarsfor asuper PACthat relentlessly attacked Fleming.
With thevictory over Fleming, Letlow advances to the Nov.3 general election ballot,where she will face Jamie Davis, afarmer from northeast Louisianawho overwhelmingly won the Democratic Party runoff Saturday over business owner Gary Crockett.
Thevictorinthatracewillreplace Cassidy, aRepublican from BatonRouge who ranafoul of Trumpand was eliminated in the May 16 Republican primary
while seeking athird term.
Letlow will be heavily favored in November because no Democrat has been elected to the Senate since 2008, and Republicans hold all statewide offices in Louisiana.
Dav is, however, vowed to run acompetitivecampaign.
Letlow took an early lead Saturday night when the first returns were posted —from early voters —and never relinquished her advantage.
The Associated Press called the race at 8:44 p.m., 44 minutesafterthe polls closed. The AP called Davis’ victory at 8:09 p.m. Davis won 80%-20%.
Letlow spoke to ajubilant crowdatDuplantis Design Group in Baton Rouge at 9:15 p.m., surrounded by her parents, her twochildren, her fiance Kevin Ain-
INSIDE
ä St. Tammanyvoters approve nearly all tax propositions. PAGE 7A
sworth and campaign aides. She thankedTrump, calling him “the greatest president thiscountry has ever had.” She said later that she had received congratulations calls from Trumpand Fleming.
Fleming gave aconcessionspeech surrounded by family shortly after 9p.m. to acrowd of supporterschantinghis nameafter the primary race wascalled forLetlow
“I’m going to be just as happy tomorrow as if Ihad won the election because my happinessdoesnot depend on getting
ä See LETLOW, page 7A
Spiritof1976— youhad to be there
Memories
Y STEPHANIE RIEGEL
taff writer
Oh, to have been akid in the ummer of 1976,whenAmerica urned 200. NewOrleans marketingexecuveEllie Hobson Rand, 60,vividly emembers her Bicentennial skateoard, her olderbrother’sBicenennial edition Ford Pinto andthe special red, white andblue Speedos herswim team —the Tulane
Greenies —worethat summer Artist Rebecca Birtel Mardura, 59, remembersthe colonial officer’s costume, completewithtopcoat, vest, knickers andruffle shirt, that her momsewed from aSimplicitypatternfor her little brother Michael. Heather Harllee, 59, remembers baking aflag cake from the Betty Crocker children’scookbook she hadgottenthat year as apresent. “The Bicentennial, patriotic fervor was ubiquitous,”saidHarllee, aFrenchQuarter propertyowner and manager,now withthree grown children andagrandson. “Itwas everywhere— thebumperstickers, flags. It was cohesive.”
PHOTO By BURT STEEL
Twogirls attend theBicentennial parade tothe Superdome in NewOrleans on July3,1976.
PHOTO By ROBERT T. STEINER
The Navy’sBlueAngels streak past the Louisiana Superdome on the waytothe U.S. NavalAir Station in Belle Chasse, where theyperformed for Air Festival ’76.
Fleming Davis
EL EC TI ON 20 26
STAFFPHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON
Israeli drone strike kills Palestinian siblings
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip An Israeli drone strike on Saturday killed two Palestinian siblings, including a 15-year-old girl in southern Gaza and wounded at least seven others, according to Nasser hospital, where the casualties were taken.
The strike targeted tents sheltering displaced Palestinians in the sprawling camp of Muwasi, killing 15-year-old Islam Moussa and her 30-year-old brother, Abdullah Moussa
The Israeli military acknowledged it had struck the area of Muwasi, saying it had targeted a Hamas militant but did not immediately provide more information.
In the hospital’s courtyard, relatives wept over the bodies covered in white burial shrouds. Also on Saturday, Palestinians reported hearing a loud boom in Gaza City
The Israeli military struck a tent sheltering displaced Palestinians in western Gaza City, wounding at least 12 people, according to Shifa hospital. The ambulance service of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said two people were critically wounded and the majority of those hurt were women.
The Israeli military said it struck a Hamas militant and that it was not aware of uninvolved civilians being harmed Strikes continued Saturday evening in central Gaza, with no immediate word of casualties. Israel’s military said it was checking on the reports.
2 tropical storms pound Japan, killing 1 TOKYO Two major storm systems pounded Japan on Saturday, causing landslides and floods and leaving one dead and several injured, media and officials said.
The storms, Mekkhala and Higos, have dumped heavy rain and damaged roads as Japan experiences its annual rainy season.
A man in his 70s died and three others were injured after a house collapsed in a landslide in Yamaguchi prefecture on Friday, Japan’s Kyodo News agency reported Footage from Kyoto showed the Kamo River swollen with churning, muddy water A flooding alert was issued in parts of Kyoto, Osaka and other areas in western Japan.
The Fire and Disaster Management Agency said more than 30 homes were flooded in Nara and Hiroshima on Friday. Heavy rain also disrupted some train operations and flights in the area.
Small plane crashes into high-rise in Beijing
BEIJING Chinese authorities on Saturday said a small plane that crashed into a building in Beijing the day before had killed the pilot and injured 13 others.
The authorities of the Chaoyang district, a vibrant business area, said a two-seat light sport aircraft collided with a high-rise building near the East Third Ring Road at 5:55 p.m on Friday and caused the casualties.
The short statement on WeChat did not identify the building or the pilot, who the authorities said was the only person on the craft.
The global flight-tracking service provider Flightradar24 on Friday said the plane crashed into the CITIC Tower also known as China Zun, which rises more than 1,700 feet, just east of a major ring road in a cluster of skyscrapers.
The 108-story CITIC tower shaped like an ancient Chinese wine vessel, is one of the most recognizable skyscrapers in Beijing and is the tallest building in the city.
Flightradar24 posted on social media the path of the plane, a Sunward SA 60L Aurora which took off from an airport about 50 kilometers (30 miles) east of Beijing. It headed westward and ended just east of the East Third Ring Road. Associated Press photos showed on Saturday apparent marks of the
U.S. says it struck more targets in Iran
Second day of attacks strains ceasefire
BY JON GAMBRELL and KONSTANTIN TOROPIN Associated Press
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates
The U.S military said Saturday it had struck multiple targets in Iran at President Donald Trump’s direction, continuing a string of attacks that have shaken the war’s uneasy ceasefire.
U.S. Central Command, in a post to social media, said that U.S. military aircraft targeted Iranian military “surveillance infrastructure, communication systems, air defense sites, drone storage facilities, and minelayer capabilities” following an attack on a merchant vessel early on Saturday morning.
The ongoing strikes in the
Persian Gulf show the danger of the Iran war again spinning out of control, even after Iran and the U.S. reached an interim deal to try and agree on a final accord to end the conflict
In a social media post, Trump said the U.S. had “struck Iranian missile and drone storage locations, and coastal radar sites, for violating the Cease Fire Agreement, AGAIN!” He warned of a point where the U.S. may no longer be able to be reasonable “and will be forced to militarily complete the job.”
“If that happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The incident follows a similar back and forth that occurred just days prior when an Iranian drone struck a merchant vessel off the coast of Oman on Thursday and the U.S. military retaliated with strikes
the next day
U.S. Central Command said that in this latest attack Iranian forces attacked the oil tanker Kiku with a oneway drone. The tanker was laden with more than two million barrels of crude oil and sailing through the Strait of Hormuz.
According to ship tracking websites, the Kiku left a Qatari oil field in the middle of the Persian Gulf earlier in the week and was bound for a port in the United Arab Emirates that sits on the Gulf of Aman, just on the other side of the Strait of Hormuz.
It appeared to be attempting to use a route that was established near the coast of Oman that is serving as an alternative to the route sanctioned by Iran that runs through its own waters.
A multinational maritime body overseen by the U.S. Navy said Saturday that it would expand the Omani
route to allow for both inbound and outbound traffic, likely setting up a new flashpoint with Tehran, which sees the strait as a key source of leverage in ongoing talks with the U.S.
The U.S. military said that “Iran had a chance to honor the ceasefire agreement” but “elected not to” when its forces attacked the Kiku. Iran state TV reported explosions in an area just north of the Strait of Hormuz.
Earlier on Saturday, a statement from Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry said a “number of Iranian drones” targeted the country It called the attack “a flagrant threat to the security of citizens and residents.” There were no immediate reports of damage.
Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard earlier issued a statement carried by the state-run IRNA news agency saying it had tar-
Frustration grows after earthquakes in
BY REGINA GARCIA CANO, ANDRY RINCÓN and MEGAN JANETSKY Associated Press
LA GUAIRA, Venezuela Tensions flared Saturday as desperation grew in Venezuela’s state of La Guaira as rescuers and civilians searched for earthquake survivors and the death toll rose sharply to 1,430.
Venezuela’s government said families reported at least 68,900 people missing, three days after the one-two punch of 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes devastated the South American nation.
Venezuelans looking for loved ones and neighbors used shovels, heavy equipment, ropes and bare hands atop mounds of toppled concrete throughout La Guaira, one of the hardest-hit states.
Tensions peaked over what many Venezuelans viewed as an inadequate response by the government, whose soldiers, firefighters, police and military cadets were evidently underprepared to respond to the scope of the tragedy
workers search through the rubble on Saturday,
days
earthquakes struck Catia la Mar, Venezuela.
Frustration was amplified by efforts to project the image of a robust state response. “There’s a pile of bodies over there from last night. Newborn babies,” said Mileidy Romero, who was among those searching in the seaside town of Caraballeada. “At 8 p.m. (yesterday) there were people alive down there, and they haven’t bothered to rescue them. We’ve located several bodies, and they haven’t helped us recover
them either What are they waiting for?”
Aid agencies consider the first 48 to 72 hours as crucial for retrieving people alive, though that can be extended if they have access to food and water
A growing number of international rescue teams were joining the effort. Venezuelan officials said 17 flights carrying more than 1,600 rescue team members had touched down by Saturday Acting President Delcy
Hezbollah’s leader criticizes Lebanon’s deal with Israel
BY BASSEM MROUE and SHLOMO MOR Associated Press
BEIRUT Hezbollah’s leader on Saturday criticized a framework agreement that Israel and Lebanon signed a day earlier to end months of conflict between the Iran-backed militant group and Israel, raising concerns about its effectiveness.
The agreement signed Friday in Washington links Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon to Hezbollah’s disarmament, something the group rejects.
Several previous ceasefire agreements that Lebanon has negotiated with Israel since the outbreak of the latest IsraelHezbollah war were never implemented on the ground. More than 4,000 people in Lebanon have been killed in Israeli strikes since March, when Hezbollah fired at Israel two days after the Iran war began.
In a statement Saturday Hezbollah leader Naim Kassem said his group will keep fighting until Israel is forced to leave Lebanon. The group’s supporters protested in the streets of Beirut following the announcement of the agreement
Despite the deal, the Lebanese state news agency reported an Israeli drone strike near the southern city of Nabatiyeh. It also reported that Israel’s military released three Lebanese and three Syrian workers who were taken near the southern village of Ain Arab on Friday
The talks between Israel and Lebanon were separate from the interim deal signed earlier this month by the U.S. and Iran.
Details of the deal that the U.S. State Department released Saturday say Lebanon and Israel aim to eventually end the
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ARIEL SCHALIT Israeli military APCs are parked Saturday in northern Israel near the border with Lebanon.
state of war between them that began when Israel was created in 1948.
The deal says Israel will withdraw from Lebanon, provided Hezbollah disarms.
It calls for Israel to initially withdraw from two small areas, called pilot zones. It did not say where they will be The Lebanese army will gradually assume full security responsibility over those areas. The countries will agree to future pilot zones for Israel’s withdrawal in the future, the agreement says.
The deal has a security annex that includes details of the deployment of the Lebanese army and redeployments of Israeli troops. The security annex was not made public.
As part of the deal, Israel stresses that Hezbollah’s disarmament throughout Lebanon and additional security measures to be agreed upon between the countries will eliminate any future need for the Israeli army’s military action or presence in Lebanon.
geted several locations “of the U.S. terrorist army in the region.” It did not name what areas were targeted. Bahrain has been one of the strongest critics of Iran and is home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet. It just hosted U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio for a meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council’s foreign ministers, which ended with a call for an end to Iran’s attacks and for the strait to be completely open.
Overnight into Saturday, the U.S. military’s Central Command said it had struck Iranian missile and drone locations and coastal radar sites.
Vice President JD Vance, who has led the negotiations with Iran said on social media Friday night that Iran should “pick up the phone” if there are disagreements about the ceasefire agreement, “but violence will be met with violence.”
Venezuela
decomposition spread. With the absence of hard hats, rescuers and civilians used motorcycle helmets as they searched piles of debris that were once people’s belongings: Eddie Murphy and Nemo DVDs, a kitchen sink, mattresses and shoes.
Some, frustrated by the government’s response, blocked an excavator from leaving the site of a collapse and pulled the operator from its cabin shortly after state workers took selfies in front of flattened buildings and left without helping. The ruling party’s officials often take selfies to show participation in government-related events.
A few feet away, at least five bodies lay wrapped in blankets.
Rodríguez said on state television that more than 14,000 members of the military and police are patrolling the area, where access is now blocked and special permits are required to enter
Some people climbed the remnants of buildings and cried out names, hoping for any proof of life Dust coated coastal communities. In punishing heat, more people wore masks as the stench of
A member of the crowd, Yeison Marcano, said those searching had received some assistance from an investigations unit but neither police nor the National Guard helped.
“They came to eat arepas and take pictures to make it look like they were working,” Marcano said. “They didn’t even get their uniforms dirty like we have. We’ve been here for three days.”
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By FERNANDO VERGARA Rescue
three
after
Utah residents on notice as fire blackens forestland
BY TY ONEIL and SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN Associated Press
MARYSVALE, Utah — The larg-
est fire in the United States is marching through deep canyons and over steep mountainsides, blackening an already parched landscape in Utah as residents of sparsely populated areas wait for word in case they have to evacuate.
The Cottonwood Fire already has severely damaged the Eagle Point ski resort in Beaver County and forced campground closures in Fishlake National Forest. Other public lands in the area have been closed as a precaution.
Utah Gov Spencer Cox, in a social media post early Saturday, asked for prayers for firefighters and “the rains we desperately need.”
“More property destroyed.
It’s as bleak as it’s ever been and yet there were several miraculous stops and saves,” Cox said, referring to the work of the hundreds of firefighters assigned to the blaze.
They are among the crews that have been pouring into Utah as more wildfires in the arid state gain steam thanks to consecutive days of what forecasters call critical fire weather, or dangerously low humidity levels, warm temperatures and gusty winds.
Utah is coming off a record-low snowpack and the warmest winter on record, which helped to elevate the fire danger Much of the West is grappling with similar conditions, according to the National Interagency Fire Center, which reported that the lack of snow over the winter resulted in unusual fire activity early in the season.
Nationally, nearly 3 million acres have burned since the start of the year, pushing the U.S. ahead of the 10-year average. From Alaska to Florida, crews were busy Saturday working to corral doz-
Minn. man accused in fraud scheme arrested
By The Associated Press
MINNEAPOLIS
ties say a Minnesota man charged with helping to orchestrate a $250 million fraud scheme has been taken into custody in Somalia. Abdikerm Abdelahi Eidleh, 42, of Burnsville, Minnesota, was taken into custody Thursday in Mogadishu, U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen said in a news release. Court documents do not show if Eidleh has obtained an attorney, and he has not yet had an opportunity to enter a plea in the case.
Eidleh is one of dozens of people who were indicted in 2022 in connection with what prosecutors said was a massive scheme to defraud a federal meals program. According to court documents, Eidleh was an employee of Feeding Our Future, an organization that claimed it helped provide millions of meals to children in need during the pandemic under a federal child nutrition program. But prosecutors say just a small portion of the federal money went toward feeding kids, with the rest laundered through shell companies and spent on property, luxury cars and travel.
Eidleh is accused of creating fake child nutrition program sites, falsely claiming they were feeding thousands of children a day and creating shell companies that purported to be meal vendors at the sites The indictment charges him with 31 counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, federal programs bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering.
ens of fires including three dozen that were classified as large and uncontained.
Air tankers and helicopters took to the skies again Saturday hoping to put a dent in the flames before afternoon winds kicked up again. On Friday, they were grounded because of weather conditions that prompted weather forecasters to issue a rare warning that highlighted a “particularly dangerous situation.”
“Weather conditions are slightly better for fire behavior today, but extreme fire behavior may occur in the afternoon as temperatures and wind speeds increase,” the U.S. Forest Service said Saturday in a statement on Facebook.
The fire ballooned to more than 144 square miles on Saturday
The blaze prompted Cox to declare an emergency, and the state on Friday restricted fireworks, saying Utah is experiencing one of the most severe wildfire seasons in recent history and that the recent blazes are stretching the state’s wildland firefighting capabilities
“These fires are starting closer to homes and communities,” said State Forester Jamie Barnes “One humancaused fire is one too many.” The cause of the fire hasn’t been determined, but state
officials say the majority of those sparked so far this year have been human-caused.
Forecasters also note that lightning strikes around the West have resulted in fires.
Elsewhere in Utah, evacuations were ordered Friday for several small communities southwest of Salt Lake City, including in Eureka, with a population under 1,000, and the Vernon Reservoir area, officials said.
Highways running through the area have been closed.
Two wildfires in that area — the Iron and Cherry fires — cover a combined 111
square miles, fire officials said.
The towering column of smoke from the Cottonwood Fire was visible Friday from miles away, even from Bryce Canyon National Park to the south and Colorado to the east. It was hazy Saturday as the smoke drifted to the northeast, leaving air quality in places like Bryce and other popular vacation spots to the south unaffected.
Bob Miller was staying at an RV park in Marysvale and was prepared to evacuate if needed. He said the evenings especially have been smoky,
but he and his family have still be able to enjoy the area, where they have vacationed for almost two decades.
“It’s still gorgeous,” said Miller, who lives in Yucaipa, California.
“Fires happen around here.
When you come every year, you kind of get used to that,” Miller said.
“After you’ve been through burned areas a few times, you look at it and you understand what nature can do,” he added.
Conditions including low humidity and strong winds triggered red flag warnings
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By NOAH BERGER
A helicopter drops water on the Cottonwood Fire, which is burning Saturday near Beaver, Utah.
Authori-
CentralEuropesizzles as heat recordsare smashed
BY KIRSTEN GRIESHABER, SYLVIA HUI and JOHN LEICESTER Associated Press
BERLIN Temperatures
soared to record highs from Switzerland to the Czech Republic and Denmark on Saturday,asaheat wave that baked western European countries this week moved to central and eastern parts of the continent.
Unusually high temperatureswererecordedeven in the Nordic countries not known for sweltering summers. Denmark’sMeteorological Institute reported arecord 98.6 degrees in Ødum north of Aarhus —the warmest day since records therebegan in 1874.
In Switzerland, arecord 101.8 was set in the cityof Basel.
Germany’s famous Autobahn was overwhelmed, too, as temperatures were expected to hit 104. In two places outside Berlin, the concrete of the A2 burstdue to the high temperatures and the highway had to be closed. Other highway damage was reported acrossthe country,according to the German daily Bild.
Train operator Deutsche Bahn and other rail companies advisedagainstall nonessential train travel this weekend.
“Germany’stransportation infrastructureisbeing severely affected by the record-breakingheat this weekend,” Deutsche Bahn said in astatement.
The Czech Republic also saw its hottest day on record, with 105.4 in the northern town of Doksany. Forecasters said it may still rise.
In the western German city of Dormagen, dozensof residents of anursing home were evacuatedfor medical care due to dangerous heat conditions in the building
The local fire department reported that temperatures inside thehomehad reached 95. Air conditioning is not widespread in Germany and many countries in Europe because the continent is largely unused to such oppressive heat.
Aresident at the home died overnight, butitwas not yet clear whether the
heat was thecause, acity spokesperson told German newsagency dpa. In France, multiple towns in theeast of thecountry saw theirhighest-ever temperatures Saturday,with someabove 104 even though the worst of the heat wave was startingtopass in some regions.
Paris and36 otherregions, stretching from the center to the east and northeast, remainedinthe extremeheat red zone on Saturday downfrom apeak on Thursday of 72 regionsthat were undersuchwarnings.The capital continued to see unrelenting pressure on its hospitals, witha second consecutive day of nearly 3,000people seeking carein publichospitalemergency rooms, about athird more thannormal.
The Paris public hospital authority,AP-HP, said it activated itsemergency response plan across all 38 hospitals to cope. Phone calls to its medical dispatch centers were upnearly 80% compared with the same period in 2025, it said. Concerns that hospitals could be overwhelmed prompted thepostponement of theParis Pridemarch for LGBTQ+ rights on Saturday, and athree-day music festivalwas canceled. The temperatures this week havebeen higher than
those during ahistoric 2003 heat wave thatwas blamed for 15,000 heat-related deaths, many of them older people. The AP-HP’sdirector,Nicolas Revel, said he doesn’texpect as many deathsthistime, at leastin Paris hospitals, in part because treatment foroverheating has since improved. During another exceptionally hotsummerlastyear, more than5,700 deaths were attributedtoheat,according to France’spublic healthauthority
“I think we’llbesituated, clearly, between 2025 and withoutnecessarily reaching the catastrophic level of 2003. Butwehavetoexpect that there will still be many deaths,” he said.
In theU.K., sweltering conditions are expected to gradually ease this weekend though an amber warning —one step down from red —remained in place until Saturday night Britons struggled to cope this week as therecord June temperature was smashed three days in arow.Friday wasconfirmed as thecountry’shottest June dayon record, with aprovisional temperature of 99 recorded in eastern England. It was more than 1Chotterthanthe long-standing record for June heat in the U.K., set in thesummer of 1976.
On Saturday, policesaid the bodiesofa22-year-old man and a15-year-old boy were recovered from alake anda river. Thedeathsbring the totalnumber of U.K. heat-related fatalities this week to four Authorities in the U.K. have warnedpeople to take extra care when swimming in unsupervised areas following the deaths of around 40 people in France over the past week.
In Italy’scapital, which remains under ared heat alert, tourists tried to cool off seeking shade near buildingsand dunking their heads under public fountains. Street vendors were
doing abrisk business sellingbottledwater,hatsand sun umbrellas. Someturned to Italian classics forrelief. “Gelato, pasta, because it’stradition, but also fresh fruit,and icecolddrinks, that’sthe best for this temperature,” saidIsabella Dold,a tourist fromKempten, Germany.
On Saturday,Italy’shealth ministry said 18 cities —including themostpopular tourism hubs like Venice, Florence, Bologna andMilan—wereonred alertdue to dangerposed by the high temperatures. Anew study fromthe World Weather Attribution, aEurope-based collaboration of scientists, reported Fridaythatthe recordbreaking heat and humidity in Europe this week would not have been possible without climate change.
The rapid study found that the heat would have been virtually impossible just five decades ago, and is 200 times more likely today than it would have been 20 years ago.
André Corrêa do Lago, the president of the U.N. climate talks knownasCOP30, said theheatwavehas “helped strengthenthe perception of urgencyoffighting climate change.”
“The fact that we are living with this amazing heat in London is astrong argument, we need to agree, that we have to take action as soon as possible,” do Lago told The Associated Press. Hui reported from London and Leicester from Paris. Associated Press journalists Trisha Thomas in Rome, Suman Naishadham in Madrid and Karel Janicek in Prague contributed to this report.
BY DYEPKAZAH SHIBAYAN Associated Press
ABUJA, Nigeria Gunmen attacked afarming community in apart of northwesternNigeria that hasbeenno stranger to violence killing at least 15 people, an official said Saturday The assault took place Friday in the Talata Mafara area of conflict-battered Zamfara state. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack in the region, which has experienced recurring violence.
AbdullazizYari, alaw-
makerrepresenting the district at the national level, described the assault on the community asa “terrorist attack”ina statement on social media.
Yahaya Yari, no relation to AbdullazizYari, is the electedlocal government chairman overseeingthe area. He appeared in aviral video during the victims’ funeral on Friday evening, where he made an emotional appealtoPresident Bola Tinubu and thejunior defense minister,who hails fromthe area, to intervene andend thewidespread kill-
ings
Earlier this month, gunmen killed 17 farmers and wounded at least 13 others as they worked in their fields in Goron Namaye in another part of Zamfara state.
An insurgency in northern Nigeriahas killed thousands of people and displaced millionsoverthe years, according to the United Nations. Armed gangs whokidnap for ransom, tax farming communities and engage in illegal mining areactivein thenorth-central and northwest parts of thecountry
As GibbsConstructionturns 50,it’sready to invest in talent, technology andthe future of NewOrleans
By Amanda McElfresh | amcelfresh@theadvocate.com
SinceJuly4,1976, GibbsConstructionhas helped shapeNew Orleans’ skylinewithinvolvement in some of itsmostrecognizable landmarks– the CaesarsSuperdome,the Smoothie King Center Audubon Institute’sCoolZoo,Louis Armstrong NewOrleans InternationalAirport,among others
Thefive-decade milestoneisn’t atimefor the companytorestonits laurels, though.Instead Ownerand ChiefExecutive OfficerLaurenGibbs is focusedonthe future of thefamily-ownedbusiness –one centered on developing talent,embracing technology andbringingprojectstolifethatwill shapethe region for decadestocome.
“The construction industry is dynamic. Things arechangingall thetime. We’vefound theway to not justsurvive butthriveistostaynimbleand adaptive whileholding to effective processes,”Gibbssaid. “It’salsoahardbusiness, with alot of competing interestsand priorities.Through allofit, we commit to making thedecisionthat’sright for theproject, even when that decision isn’tthe easy oneorthe oneinour favor.
Beingnimbleand adaptive is increasingly importantasartificial intelligence hasbecomemorewidespread,withnew applications constantly emerging Gibbssaidthatasrecentlyastwo yearsago,she was cautious aboutusing AI in construction.But,she learnedmoreabout it andfound that thebenefits outweigh thepotential disadvantages. Now, Gibbs Construction is increasingly incorporatingAIinto itswork.
“We’re trying to approach AI intelligently, with intentionaltrainingand taking advantageofits biggeststrengths,” shesaid. “I thinkthatwiththe righttraining, AI cansharpen your mind,provide contextand give youclarity around what is important. Idon’t want to seepeopleuse AI to cutcorners or ignore stepshumansneedtotake. But, I’mreally excitedabout thecoachingwe’re doingaroundit andI thinkAIwillultimatelymovethe companyin apositivedirection.”
Asitsembracestechnology,Gibbssaidtheapproximately65employeeswhomakeuptheGibbsConstruction team remain itsgreatestasset.The company largelyhires recent collegegraduates or early-career professionals,thenworkswiththemcloselytodevelop theirskills, abilitiesand confidence.
“I want GibbsConstructiontobethe builderof choice becauseweare theemployerofchoice. It’s easy for owners anddeveloperstochooseuswhen they know we have agreatteam,”Gibbs said.“We want to maintain aculture where people feel like
they canask questionsand grow as part of ateam. That same long-termmindset is appliedtosome of thecompany’s currentand upcoming projects Groundbreaking will take placethisyearon a multifamilyhousing projectinthe RiverDistrict, a projectGibbssaidwillbetransformational for that area of thecity. Gibbs is also heavilyinvolvedinthe redevelopmentofthe former ClearviewMallsitein Metairie.A standalone ZeaRotisserie& Barbuilt by Gibbsopens this summer.Later this year,plans call for aredevelopment andrevitalizationofthe space. In addition,the newBonella A. St.Ville School is underconstructioninHarvey.
“Schools aremyfavorite type of construction Ilovethemfromboththe technicalsideand the communityimpactside,”Gibbs said.“From a construction standpoint,you gettobuild something that hasa commercial kitchen, artspaces, gyms and classrooms.You don’t gettodoall of thosethingsin onebuildingveryoften,sothat’sa funchallenge Asidefromthat, Ibelieve schoolstruly transform lives. I’mgratefulanytime we areinvolvedinone.” Onekey principleatGibbs Construction has always beentoensureits projects becomepart of thesurrounding neighborhood.Asarespected business leader,Gibbs encourages others to embrace that same philosophy.Thatmeans advocating for everythingfrombetternight lighting andalarger tree canopy to more earlychildhood development opportunitiesand astrongerecosystem for local smallbusinessowners.
“Tostaycompetitive in economic development, I thinkNew Orleansneeds to focusonquality of life for itsresidents,” shesaid. “For businesses to thrive we need to be attractive to thepeoplewho work for thosebusinesses. We know we areinaprime location alongthe MississippiRiver with greathistory culture, food andmusic.New Orleansisnot going away anytimesoon. I’mexcited to be apartofthe newinitiatives andenergyaroundthe city ledby MayorHelenaMoreno. Ithinkthings aremovingin theright directionand IknowGibbs will be apartof some greatprojectsinthe future.” Gibbs Construction hasexpertise in general contracting, design-build,renovations andground-up construction,positioning it to partnerwithclients to bringprojectsfromconcept to completion.Known for skilledcraftsmanship,strongproject management andacommitmenttosafety, qualityand on-time delivery,Gibbs serves awiderange of industries with reliable,results-drivensolutions that arebuilt to last Visit gibbsconstruction.com to learnmore.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By HEINZ-PETER BADER
People line up to refill their water bottles on ahot Saturdayinthe city center of Vienna, Austria
mate Ev arsal Din Wedding
Construction
sustained crime drop. NOPD watchdogs echoed those comments.
“I believe this is the most successfulspan of continuing declines in crime during my 45-year tenure in the criminal justice system,” said RafaelGoyeneche, president of the Metropolitan Crime Commission.
By thenumbers
The38murders representa 24% decrease from thesame time last year,when New Orleans logged 50 killings, including the 14 victims of the New Year’sterrorist attack.
NOPD didnot providethe locations for themurders, but aTimes-Picayune analysis of 35 homicides included in the NOPD’scalls-for-service log reveals that Little Woods saw eight killings —more than anyother neighborhood. Central City,Mid-City,St. Claude and Treme each notched two killings.
Nonfatal shootings also fell 16%, from 92 to 77
Rapes and armed robberies, however,ticked up slightly.The city has recorded 258 attempted and completed first-, second- and third-degree rapes this year,upfrom 256 during the same periodin 2025. Armed robberies rose from 109 to 115.
Carjackings saw an increase, from 38 in 2025 to48 in 2026 —a trend drivenat least partially by ateen carjacking scheme thattargeted Uber drivers.
Still, the numbers represent an overall drop over the last four years. Armed robberies fell62%, while carjackings are down63% compared to the first half of 2023. Statistics on rapes wereunavailable because of complications relatedtothe department’stransition from the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR)system to theNational Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS).
The decline mirrors anationwide drop in violence, though New Orleanshas once again amplified ana-
tional trend to an extreme Justasthe city posted the nation’shighest per-capita murder rateduring the postpandemicsurge, it has outpaced nearly every major city during the subsequent decline.
“Our crime trends are still dramatically going down.And we’recontinuing our full-court press,” NOPD SuperintendentAnne Kirkpatrick said Thursday.“We know our strategies are working, andI hope there’sa daywe don’thave any gun violence in this city.”
from1,804 calls on June 27, 2023 to 1,148 on June 27, 2026.
The NOPD hasshifted strategies to build on the progress. “The sustained reduction in violent crime hasallowed thedepartment to devote more resources to proactive policing ratherthan primarily responding to violent incidents,” said NOPDdirector of communicationsReese Harper.“Officers now have greater capacitytofocus on preventingcrime before it occurs.”
said. The numberofcommissioned officerscontinues to hover around 900 —several hundred short of where Kirkpatrick says thedepartment needs to be.
But federal, state andlocal partnerships, an expandedcivilian workforce, technological advances and an effective, collaborative court system have enabledthe diminished forcetopunch aboveits weight,Goyeneche said.
The NOPD’sramped-up trafficenforcement has produced sharp increases in stops, citationsand drunk-
driving arrests this year, while traffic deaths have fallenbynearlya third,from 28 fatalities at this point last year to 19 this year
In Fairgrounds, Clevenger says the nighttime soundscapehas shifted “Weused to hear gunfire every night,” Clevenger said. “Wepretty mucheliminated that. Butnow we hear the crashes.”
Clevengersaysthatshe and other residents, like NOPD, have “triaged” their attention, focusing on the drag racing that herstretch of North Broad Street has long attracted.But even those events have decreased recently,Clevenger said, pointing to arecentNOPD checkpoint at St. Bernard Avenue andNorth Broad Street.
“We’veseen a30-40%reduction in …the takeovertype things,” shesaid. What’s thefuturehold?
Julia Fleckman, associate professor at Washington University in St. Louis and faculty affiliate at the
Tulane University Violence PreventionInstitute,who worked withthe Vera Institute of Justice and Washington University in St. Louis to build anew firearm violence dashboard, said the tool has yielded insights that could shapefutureprevention efforts. Among them: Victims often aren’t shotinthe neighborhoodswhere they live.
“Wehave seen astark decline (inviolent crime),and we need to keep investing in neighborhood infrastructure and access to services, education andjob training andattainment,soitcan stay down,” Fleckman said. Goyeneche predicted even greater gains when the NOPD’s CrimeLab adds DNA testing capabilities and if it adopts adrone-as-firstresponder program “I think we’rejust scratching thesurface on what is possible,” he said. “So I’m optimistic. I’mbullishonthe future,from apublicsafety perspective. It’s been along timesince Icould say that.”
Fifty years ago, America fully immerseditself in ayearlong series of celebrations,parades andhistorical commemorations that were loosely coordinated by afederal Bicentennial Commissionthat sought to reframe the country’sidentity after adecade that had witnessed the Civil RightsMovement, the end of the Vietnam Warand Watergate. It was arefresh moment for anation on thecuspofa newera —the videocassetterecorder and Apple computersboth launched that year —and communities around the country enthusiasticallyembraced it, putting their own stamp on the festivitiestoreflect their particular history, culture and demographics.
CorporateAmerica got in on the act too,withstar-spangled ad campaigns for allmanner of merchandise,from automobiles and appliances to Barbie dolls and almost anything else theycould think of If you were akid then, the memoriesremain: The Bicentennial was part ofyour school year,your scoutingactivities, your summer fun, your breakfast cereal, your Saturday-morning cartoons.While their older, baby boomer siblingscould feign teenage nonchalance, many members of Generation Xhappily succumbed to it.
“Itwas ahuge dealatthe time,” said businessman Mickal Adler,60, whowas a fourth grader at Isidore NewmanSchool and remembers his commemorativecoin collection. “It was the kind of thingyou had to have lived through to understand how big it was.”
ForNew Orleans, ahistoric city that had celebratedits own bicentennial a half-century earlier,the year was marked by more than 100 official eventsover the course of many months, plus countless individual celebrations at schools, churches and community centers aroundtown.
Forthe kids,itwas magical.Their understanding of America’s history wasnot yetcomplicated by skepticism or colored by political partisanship. The world they knew was not yet fractured bysocialmediaorscreen time.
As the nation againmarks amilestone birthday thisweek with thesemiquincentennial (a mouthful that’sbeen reduced to “America250”), some have been reflecting on the city’scelebrationof’76 —the joy it brought and the feelingsit instilled on some deep, intrinsiclevel.
“At that age, Ihad no real conceptofnationorpatriotism,” Madura said. “Itwas justfun, acelebration of who you were.”
Boom time
New Orleans in 1976 was in the midstof abuilding boom that would come to define the modern skyline. The Superdome was less than six months old. Most of the Poydras Street high rises were inthe early planning stages or just under construction. And preservationists had just begun to revitalize neighborhoods in the Warehouse District and Lower Garden District.
“It was still heady days for New Orleans,” said retired journalist ClancyDuBos, who was 21 that summerand arecent UNO graduate. “(It) wasstill an oilcity companies were headquartered there, economically it was still apowerhouse.”
At City Hall, Mayor Moon Landrieu, then nearing the end of his second term, haddiversified the ranks of city government by hiring women and people of color to key posts.
“There was agood feeling about thedirection of thecityback then ifyou were an African American, whether it was warranted or not,” said retiredbroadcaster Ro Brown, who was afreshman at Loyola University that year.“TherewereBlacks in city government, which felt like positive change from the days of Victor Shiroand Delesseps Morrison.”
The city had its share of problems, too. A long,slow population decline began, which persists to this day.More thanadecade of White flightfrom Orleans Parish to neighboring Jefferson and St. Tammany fueled suburban growth and urban disinvestment. But to many youngpeople,at leastlookingback on it now through the hazylens of memory,the impression ofwhere the city was that year is apositive one “Therewas social movement that felt like progress,” said Brown.
‘Star-Spangled Spectacular’
Against that backdrop,the city went allin on the U.S. Bicentennial, witha special committee chaired by first lady Verna Landrieu.
Among the highlights was avisit in early May by the American Freedom Train, a10-car trainretrofitted with display cases full of Americanatreasures such as George Washington’scopy of the Constitution, amoon rock andJudy Garland’s dress from “The Wizard of Oz ”Morethan 100,000 visitors from NewOrleans and the surrounding region crowded onto the train during its five-day stop at theUnion Passenger Terminal.
The Old Mint in the FrenchQuarter, which had not yet been refurbished as a museum, partially opened to the public that spring for the first time in decades to showcase adisplay of rare coins and documents that had once belonged to Benjamin Franklin.
The U.S. BicentennialShowboat, afloatingtheater featuring performers and musicians, dockedinthe French Quarter not far from the MoonWalk, which had openedjustmonthsearlier.The Natchez paddlewheel made its debut.
But the highlight of the local Bicentennial celebration was the festivities over the IndependenceDay weekend.The late Blaine Kern produced a“Star-Spangled
Riders wave from a trolleycar in the Town of Carrollton parade duringNew Orleans’ citywidecelebrations of the nation’s200th birthday
PHOTO By BRyAN S. BERTEAUX
BenFranklinmakes thescene
Muchofthe Bicentennialwas celebrated that year in the schools.
Brother Martin High School marked the occasion in March withaweekofspecial events that included adrill team performance, lectures, concerts anddaysofperiod dress, according to one of countless Bicentennial articles that spring in The Times-Picayune.
DominicanHigh School created aBicentennial Club that organized schoolwide activities throughout the academic year.Theyincludeda BicentennialMass, weekly flag-raisings, anda “Bicentennial Minute” that wasread every Monday morningoverthe PA system informing students about “the wayitwas 200 years ago,” according to aspread in the 1976Dominicanyearbook Academy of the Sacred Heart held aspecial celebration in the spring that brought the entire K-12student body together and included apoetry contest, bake-off, fielddayevents andperiodcostumes. Harllee, then in fourth grade, remembers the pilgrim-style dress she wore, complete with acap and apron.
“There was so much in popular culture for kids that reinforced it at the time,”she recalled. “‘Little House on the Prairie,’ Holly Hobby,the pioneer movement were all athing. Iwas so excited.”
Akey part of manyofthose school celebrations wasMichael Reese II, an eccentric antiques dealer andlocal TV personality,who leveragedhis prematurely balding pate, portly physique and little round spectacles into ayearlong gig playing Benjamin Franklin all over town.
Aband plays during New Orleans’ citywide celebration of the U.S. Bicentennial.
By BURT STEEL
“I had acouple of outfits made for me and it kind of took off from there,” said Reese, who went on to become achef and is now 84 and living in San Francisco. “Everyone was involved in it. Everyone loved it.”
ReesegrewupinNew Orleansand served in the Marine Reserves after graduating from Tulane.Henot only looked the part —hewas ahistory buff wholoved Franklin and collected his memorabilia In character,hepopped in to local post offices,gave speeches and presentations anddid TV interviews forCBS affiliates all over the country
“I was even interviewed by Walter Cronkite,” he said.
PHOTO By RALPH URIBE
VernaLandrieu, whochaired the New Orleans Bicentennial Commission, tries out the trumpet of Louis Armstrong Astatue ofArmstrong wasunveiled duringthe Bicentennial festivities, on what would have been his 76th birthday—July 4, 1976
Oneof13magnolia trees representing theoriginal colonies is planted during Bicentennial Arbor Dayceremonies.
Theofficial American RevolutionBicentennial logo, createdbyBruce Blackburn, first appeared on U.S. postage stamps in the early 1970s, butby 1976 became aubiquitous symbol seen everywhere.
Spectacular” in the Superdome, which featured one of thefirst parades to roll through thearenaand had 22 patrioticthemed floats. “There wasaSpirit of ’76 float,with the drummerand fife,”said BarryKern, who
Lookingback, he says thehighlight was getting to bring one of the nation’smost iconic Founding Fathers to life for ageneration of local school kids.
PHOTO By DONALDSTOUT
Dennis LeBlanc, amember of the 377th SupportBrigade Color Guard of the United States Army Reserve,examines areplica of the Apollo space capsule, partofaNASA displayatthe NewOrleansBicentennial Commission’sOld United States Mint exhibition.
was 13 at the time and still has aposter fromthe event. “There was also aStatueof Liberty float andone with the presidents. It was agreat event.”
The five-hour spectacular on July 3included performances by Doug Kershaw and the Louisiana All Stars, Al Hirt, the New OrleansSymphony Orchestra’sSummer Pops and actors Jack Albertson and FreddiePrinze, stars of thehit NBC sitcom “Chico and the Man.”
“It was abig deal at thetime and one of thefirst big eventslike that in the Dome,” Kern said.
On themorning of July 4, apatriotic ceremony was held at Jackson Square, including areading of theDeclaration of Independencebythe longtime president of Tulane University,Herbert Longenecker, who had recently retired. Asmallgroup of protesters briefly disrupted hisreading, chanting “Letthe womenspeak,” in support of the Equal Rights Amendment, The Times-Picayune reported.
The ceremony was followed by aprayer service in St. Louis Cathedral and,that night, ajazz concert in honor of Louis Armstrong, thefather of jazz whoclaimed July 4ashis birthday
“The thing Iremember most aboutthe Bicentennial was Louis Armstrong’sbirthday,” Brown said. “My great-grandfather was ajazz musician in Storyville and Iremember really thinking alot about that at thetime.”
“The kids would getsoexcited,” he said, laughing.“It was reallyawonderfulthing.” Freedomand opportunity
Kim Tran,60, remembers being swept up in the patrioticevents as astudent at Butler Elementary in Harvey.But as a Vietnamese refugee, who’d only been in NewOrleans for afew months at the peak of Bicentennial fever,her perspective wasn’tsomuch about America’spast but about making sense of her newhome
“My understanding of America’s200th birthday was shaped less by history and morebythe funexperiences of hot dogs, hamburgers and fireworks,” said Tran, now adoctor in Houston. “Americans were funny, we thought, dressing up as Uncle Samand parading around in the streets.” At the same time, there was apervasive levelofanxiety amongnewlyarrivedimmigrants facing real challenges in resettling in anew country,she said.
“I recall my parents and adult brothers discussing with serious tones about finding jobs, living arrangements on ahumble budget, andfinding safe schools for me and my twoyoungerbrothers,” she said. “Everyone was also homesick for Vietnam.” Still, Tran,likemanyother kidsinNew Orleansatthe time, said she looksfondly on those days.
“Wewere told by ourparents that our only missionwas to do well in school,” said Tran.“It wasuptoustouse this opportunity of freedom andaccess to education as apathway out of poverty.”
Hope forthe future?
The memories for this particular age group include alot of goofy,over-the-top patriotism that was,admittedly,co-opted by corporate America. But it was also fun andeffective,onsomelevel,instilling a lifetime of pride.
DominicWillard,who wasa freshman at St. Augustine High School that year, remembers being interested for the first time in theupcomingpresidential election and wishing he was old enough to vote. Madura, whohas three young grandchildren, has shown them apicture of her brother’shandmade colonial officer’scostume, but they haven’ttalked muchabout it and don’thave any big plans to celebrate 250.
There’sawistfulness to it now, remembering another point in shared history, while registering adifferent vibe. Hobsonbelievesthe country is toodivided to ever come together in the same way that it did for the Bicentennial.
“Wecan’teven agree on the colors,” she said. “Red means one thing, blue means something else.”
Thinking back to the Bicentennial has made Tran reflect on what the semiquincentennial means and hopes that others will take time to do the same, even if they weren’taround 50 years ago.
“At 10, Iprocessed this as ahappy, magical time that shaped adeeply fond, optimistic view of my new country,” she said. “Looking back, my perspective sits somewhere between childhood nostalgia and adult awareness. The U.S., with all of its imperfections, is still abeacon of hope for freedom.”
Email Stephanie Riegel at stephanie riegel@theadvocate.com.
PHOTO By RONALDLEBOEUF
The Bicentennial salute took place in Jackson Square in July 1976.
PROVIDED PHOTO By RALPHURIBE
PHOTO By BURT STEEL
Crowds turnout for NewOrleans’ Bicentennial celebration.
St. Tammany voters approved all but one of seven tax propositions on the ballot Saturday,maintaining funding for the Sheriff’s Office and mosquito abatementdistrict, as well as firefighting in Madisonville, parks in Folsom, andsewage and garbage services in Slidell. Only aparksmillage in Abita Springs failed to earn enough voter support to pass.
The outcome of the votesin the often tax-averse parish offereda sigh of relief for the agencies that
depend onthe funding. Earlier this month, membersofeach of the six public bodies with taxes on the ballot expressed concern that renewed anti-tax sentiment could affect thechances at thepolls. In the month before Saturday’s vote, parish votershad rejected fundingfor street lighting in three different partsofthe parish, leading parish officialstosay that the lights in one neighborhood near Covingtonwouldhavetobeshut off.
Saturday’svote also came as lingering controversy surrounded two of theagencies with taxes on theballot: theSheriff’s Office and the mosquito abatement district. But both millagespassed.
St. Tammany voters approved, by a65% to 35% margin, a10-year renewalofa 4.31-mill tax that would
bring in an estimated $13.6million
annually to the Sheriff’s Office. Parishvoters also approved, by a69% to 31% margin,a10-year renewal of the 2.95-mill mosquito abatement tax that will bring in an estimated $9.3 million annually
Only afew weeks before the vote, St.Tammany ParishSheriff Randy Smithwas arrested and accused of violently attacking parishresident Bobby Couvillion at a steakhouse near Madisonville. On Wednesday,Smith pleaded guilty to felony batteryand resigned from his office. The turmoil at the top of the Sheriff’s Office causedparish officials and other law enforcement officers to publicly come outand support therenewal of the millage thatfunds the salaries and benefits of 142 patrol officers and has been
around since 1978.
Meanwhile, in the last year,the Parish Council and northshore District Attorney Collin Sims scrutinized themosquitoabatement district’sfinances,prompting the district to file alawsuit over the financial review process.
In astatement issued weeks before the election,Parish President Mike Cooper gave his “wholehearted”endorsement to both the mosquito abatement millage and thesheriff’s millage,saying they will each “protect ourcommunity and reduce the taxburdenonour citizens.”
Unofficial results from the secretary of state’swebsite showed that millages for aMadisonville area fire district, and sewage and garbageservices in Slidell all passed. Folsom-area residents
renewed for 10 years a10-mill tax that generates an estimated $505,000for RecreationDistrict No.12, whichincludes Magnolia Park in Folsom.
But voters in the Abita Springs area rejected a20-year renewal of a9.26-mill taxtofund Recreation District No. 11. The vote was 53% against with 2,566 votescast. Lisa Palisi, thedirectorofRecreation District No. 11, saidinan interview earlier this month that District 11 recently annexed land from another recreation district, and approving the millage would have meant that the new residents started paying it as well. Those residents instead have to paya userfee.
Email Willie Swett at willie swett@theadvocate.com.
elected to office,” Fleming said. “My happiness depends onserving you, the people of Louisiana and the people of the United States.”
Saturday’selections concluded anew closed primary system put in place by Landry and the state Legislature in 2024 that calls this year for aprimary,arunoff and a general election —unlikethe open primary system still in place for statewide and legislative races, where the top twofinishersadvance to awinner-take-all runoff if no one wins at least 50%.
The new closed primary system allowed no-party voters to votein either the Republican or Democratic primaries.
The overall election turnoutof registered voters was expectedto be about 15%, down from 28% on May 16.
Fleming and Letlow spent far more time touting their pro-Trump and MAGA credentials than outlining their stance on the issues.
Letlow,ofcourse, had astrong card to play there becauseshe had Trump’sendorsement.
Trump recorded at least two videos praising her that were the first things displayedonher campaign web page.
Trump also held atele-rally on Thursday where people who called atoll-free number heard the president say,“She’sbeen akey vote in stopping the invasion of our southern border.”
ButFleming hadhis owncard to play: aphoto of him and Trump together,thumbs-up, that he splashed onto TV ads, mailers and on abillboard on I-110 in Baton Rouge. Fleming worked for Trump’sfirst administration, includingthe final 10 months as the president’sdeputy chief of staff.
Letlow,45, is servingher third term in the House representing the 5th Congressional District, which stretches from MonroetoBaton Rouge, whereshe now lives, and includes the Florida parishes.
Letlow risesinthe ranks
With aPh.D. from the University of SouthFlorida,Letlowhad been a senior administratoratthe University of Louisiana at Monroe —and expected to remain in academia —until tragedy propelled her into politics
Herhusband, Luke, won an open seat for the5th Congressional District in December 2020, contracted COVID and died five days before he was to take office.
Letlow ran for the seat, saying she wanted“to pickupthe torch that my husband left behind.”
She won the special election and then won reelection in 2022 and 2024. Shegaveupcertain victory
SLIDELL
State Treasurer John Fleming gives his concession speech while joined onstageby his family at his election party at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Baton RougeonSaturday
STAFF PHOTO
By JAVIER GALLEGOS
againthisyeartorun forthe Senate seat. “It was nip-and-tuck,” Jim Kepper, aretired mechanical engineer said after voting on Saturday at Hynes Charter School in New Orleans. “But she has aperspective on life that is different from the rest of us and will benefit her after recovering from losing herhusband.”
Most political observers thought Letlow would coast to victory in the runoff after capturing 44.8% in the Republican Party primary on May 16, compared to 28.3% for Fleming and 24.8% for Cassidy.She notonly held a17-point advantage over the treasurer,but she hadthe support of Trumpand Landry.
In theaftermath of theelection,
Continue collectionofa
4.45-mill tax generating an estimated $1.5 millionper year for 10 years beginning 2026 to maintain andoperate sewerage facilities. YES 69% NO 31%
SLIDELL MILLAGE CONTINUATION,PROPOSITION 2OF2
Continue collectionof 4.37-mill tax generating an estimated $1.5 per year for 10 years beginning 2026 for garbage collectionand disposal. YES 69% NO 31%
MILLAGERENEWAL, FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NO 2 Continue a20.62-mill tax generating an estimated $7.5 millionper year for 10 years beginning 2030 for fireprotection facilities and equipment in FireProtection District No.2,including water and contributions to retirement systems. YES 73% NO 27%
IN-LIEU MILLAGE FORRECREATIONDISTRICT NO.11
Levy aspecial tax of 9.26 mills generating an estimated $1.1 millionper year for 20 years beginning 2026 for parks, playgrounds, recreation centersand other facilities in Recreation District No.11. The tax would replace the current 9.26 mills passed by voters on Nov. 13, 2021. YES 47% NO......................................... 53%
U.S. Rep Julia Letlow addresses the crowd at a watchparty in Baton Rouge on Saturday after winning the Republican primaryrunoff for U.S. Senate.
STAFFPHOTO By
MICHAEL JOHNSON
Fleming and his chief political strategist, Roy Fletcher,seemedunsure whether Fleming ought to remain in therace.
They then had their pollster,John Couvillon, survey the race.
“Wehoped we were within 10 points,” Fleming told apreelection gatheringThursday night in Metairie. “It was dead even.”
Still, most political players poohpoohed the finding.Couvillon, after all, worked forFleming.
Twodays after the primary,Letlow revealed her strategy for the runoff when she held apress availability with U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise, the Republican majority leader: He endorsedher,and she would roll out endorsements froma majority of state House andSenate legislators, as well as othersitting U.S. senators.
Letlow was running as the safe pick of the Republican political establishment.
Abarrage of adsattackFleming
That strategycarriedrisks, as James Carville, thefamed Democratic political pundit, noted.
If enough Republican voters in Louisianawereunhappy with the state’s direction, they would vote for Fleming as adisruptorofthe status quo, Carville said.
Aweek out from election day,in-
MILLAGERENEWAL, RECREATION DISTRICT NO.12
Renew 10-mill tax generating an estimated $505,000 per year for 10 years beginning 2028 forplaygrounds, recreationcentersand other facilities in RecreationDistrict No.12. YES 64% NO 36%
ST.BERNARD PARISH 31 of 31 precincts PARISHWIDE MILLAGE RENEWAL, COUNCIL ON AGING
Renewal of 0.94-mill tax generating an estimated $507,000 per year for 10 years beginning 2027 to fund senior citizens programs, activities and services. YES 72% NO 28%
PARISHWIDE MILLAGE RENEWAL, LIBRARIES
Renewal of a1.23-mill tax generating an estimated $663,500 per year for 10 years beginning 2027 forthe operation of parish libraries. YES 69% NO 31%
PARISHWIDE MILLAGE RENEWAL, RECREATION
Renewal of a2.17-mill tax generating an estimated $12 millionper year for 10 years beginning 2027 for land, building and equipmentfor recreation. YES 70% NO 30%
dependent surveysfrom New Orleans-based pollster Greg Rigamer clearlyshowed that Fleming had closed the gap withLetlow.He seemed to have momentum and more committed followers forhis campaign, especially because of his implacable opposition to carbon capture and sequestration, anew technology to take carbon dioxide from industrial plants and send it via pipelines to other areas of the state where it would be injected deep underground. Fleming also benefited from Cassidy’sincessant attacksonLetlow during the primary that drove up her unfavorable rating with voters. In the final week, with Fleming heavily outspent, Letlow flooded theairwaves withpositive ads, while The Accountability Project, asuper PACbacked by Landry, assaulted him with negative TV ads, radio spots, texts and mailers aimed at pulling voters offofthe treasurer
“It’slikewhat happensfor riders in the last twoblocks of aMardi Gras parade,” Rigamer said. “You throw everything you still have from the float.”
Davispromisescompetitive race
Davis, 55, hails from tiny Tensas Parish. After dropping outofLSU —hesaidinone interviewthathe majored in “partyology” —hereturned to the family farm and began to expand its operation. Today,he oversees a3,200-acre operation that grows cotton, soybeans and corn in four northeast Louisiana parishes. Davis servedone term on the Tensas Police Jury but lost his reelection campaign. He also lost a2023 race to the state House.
Davis has been endorsed by the Louisiana Democratic Party,New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno and various chapters of the grassroots group Indivisible.
“He has agood business with his farm, andheseems honest,”said Clair Tanguis, asoftware quality analyst, just after voting at aMidCity NewOrleans firehouse.
Staff writer Haley Miller contributed to this story.
PARISHWIDE MILLAGE RENEWAL,HEALTH UNIT
Renewal of a0.62-mill taxgenerating an estimated $334,400 per year for10years beginning 2027 forparish public health units. YES. 69% NO 31%
PARISHWIDE MILLAGE RENEWAL,GARBAGE DISTRICT NO.1
Renewal of 3.05-mill tax generating an estimated $1.6 million per year for10years beginning 2027 forgarbage collection anddisposalservices.
YES....................................... 73% NO 27%
PARISHWIDE MILLAGE RENEWAL,ROADDISTRICT NO.1
Renewal of 3.05-mill tax
generating an estimated $1.6 million per year for10years beginning 2027 forpublic roads andhighways. YES. 71% NO 29%
PARISHWIDE MILLAGE RENEWAL,ROADLIGHTING DISTRICT NO.1
Renewal of 1.22-mill tax generating an estimated $658,000 per year for10years beginning 2027 forstreet lighting. YES. 72% NO 28%
PARISHWIDE MILLAGE RENEWAL,FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NO.1
Renewal of 2.73-mill tax
generating an estimated $1.2 million per year for10years beginning 2027 forfacilities, obtain water forfire
Hilferty wins Republican PSCprimary
BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN
Staff writer
StateRep.Stephanie Hil-
ferty of New Orleans has a clear path to becoming the next Public Service Commissioner forDistrict 1 after soundly defeating former Jefferson Parish President John Young in the Republican primary on Saturday With 592 of 608 parishes reporting at 10:00 p.m.Saturday,Hilferty got 62% of the vote to Young’s38%,accordingtounofficial resultson theLouisianasecretary of state’swebsite.
in theNovember general election,but she hasthe odds in her favor in the Republican-leaning district.
ThePSC is apowerful board thatregulates public utilities in Louisiana, dealing with major issues like plans to build data centers in the state and Entergy’s purchaseof a$1.8 billionpower plant in Texas.
Hilferty,40, will face Democrat Connie Norris and noparty candidate Chris Justin
Hilferty,who has worked in commercial real estate for nearly 20 years, became a member of the stateHouse in 2016. She is in her third consecutiveterm,meaning shewillnot beallowedto run for another undertermlimit rules. The state representative
has long shown an interest in public utilities. She has said she would fight for ordinary ratepayers,rather than shareholders of utility companies.
Hilferty called affordabilityand reliabilityofthe power gridher top issues, and she said ratepayersshould not have to bear thecosts of new power generation used by datacenters.
“Peoplewantaccountabilityand transparency aboutwhere their money goes, andthey’re notgettingitfrom the good ol’ boy system that’srun thePSC for toolong,” Hilfertypreviously told TheAdvocate | The Times-Picayune.
Young, 68, heropponent, lives in Metairie and was Jefferson Parishpresident
from 2010 until 2016. He is an attorney with acivil litigation practice.
Like Hilferty,hesaid he would prioritize protecting ratepayers and keeping utilitycosts down. He said he ran because Louisiana’s economy is at aturning point, and the PSC will play acritical role as businesses seek to investbillions in the state.
The PSC’sDistrict 1covers theparishes of Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Helena, St. Tammany,Tangipahoaand Washington. It also includes portions of Jefferson,Livingston, Orleans andSt. Charles parishes
The district seat has avacancy becausecurrentCommissioner Eric Skrmetta is leaving due to term limits.
Joseph CaopoisedtokeepBESEseat
BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN Staff writer
Joseph Cao, the interim member of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, was poised to keep his seat and narrowly defeat Ellie Schroderinthe Republican primary runoff on Saturday
With 368 of 389 precincts reporting as of around 10:15 p.m., Cao had roughly 52% of the vote to Schroder’s 48%. Cao will face Angela Hershey, a Democrat, in the November general election. He is running to represent District 1, which heavily favors Republicans. It includes St. Tammany Parish and partsof Orleans, Jefferson and Tangipahoa parishes. Cao is aMetairie-based at-
torney who formerly served as aU.S. congressman representing an Orleans-based district. He was appointed to BESE by Gov.Jeff Landry after former BESE member Paul Hollis steppeddown to run the U.S. Mint. Landry endorsedCao in therunoff. Whoeverwinsthe general electionwill serveout theremainderofHollis’ term, which ends in 2028 Schroder,Cao’sopponent in the runoff, is aretired public schoolteacher and administrator. She is marriedtoformer state Treasurer JohnSchroder.
Caoand Schroder faced Mike Hollis, Paul Hollis’s son, in athree-way primary in May. Neither got the 50% of thevote needed to win the race outright, though Cao came close with 47%,
accordingtoresultsonthe Louisiana secretary of state’s website.
Schroder got31% of the vote, while Mike Hollis got 22%. All threecandidates preachedconservative values, andtheyvoiced support for LA GATOR, a voucher program that gives taxpayer dollarstofamilies to pay for privateschool expenses. Landry has championed theprogram, though he has not won enough support from the Legislature to expand it.
BESE, which has 11 members,setsthe formulathat determines howmuchstate money public schools receive.Thatformula is currently in contention after Landry and the Legislature voted tocut $168 million from the total school funding amount, so that that money could pay for teacher
stipends.
Their planiscurrentlybeing held up by acourt order, and school districts have complained abouthavingto cut other areas BESE alsooversees school ratings, student testing, charterschool authorization, teacher certification and other policies that affect the state’sroughly over 650,000 Louisianapublic school students.
Burnhamtries to
distance self from outgoing leader
BY BRIAN MELLEY and JILL LAWLESS Associated Press
LONDON Britain looks set to getachange of tone at the top, replacing stolid, unpopular Prime Minister Keir Starmer withpopular, affable Andy Burnham. But the charismatic Burnham mayhave difficulty —atleastinitially —distancing himself from policiesset in motion by his predecessor Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchesterwho was sworn into Parliament hoursafter Starmer announced his resignationonMonday, will be constrainedbythe platform the center-left Labour Party was elected on that decisively ended14 years of Conservative rule in 2024. It’snot entirely clear howhe’llnavigate those limits andbring his unique brand of politics to the revolving-door post that would makehim the 7th primeminister in adecade. He’ll lay out his vision in aspeech this week “At the moment, Andy Burnham is being almost hailed and held up as a folk hero that will save British politics,” said Matthew Flinders, politics professoratUniversity of Sheffield. “The tide is changing and the big issue for Andy Burnham is that when the world suddenly moves against him and he
becomes afolk devil, will he sustain the pressure?”
Burnham is currently the onlycontestant forthe job of leadingthe Labour Party and the country,and will likely take over July 17 if no one else enters the race. His return to the House of Commonsfollows adecade leading the region around the U.K.’sthird-largest city birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, which has enjoyed an economic revival during his tenure. His main challenge will be to overcome Starmer’sinability to deliver promised economic growth, repair tattered public services and ease the cost of living.
Burnham highlighted those issues —along with housing and creating opportunities for young people —inapost on socialmedia after Starmer said he was quitting.
“The country expects stability,seriousness and a continuedfocusonthe issues that matter mostand that is what it will get,” he said on X.
Therecenteffects of Tropical StormArthurhavebeenastark reminder thatany weathersystemcan causedamage. Arthur wasa weak tropical storm, butcausedsignificant flooding in severalLouisiana communitiesand tornadodamageinparts of NewOrleans andAvondale.
“Evenwithout hurricane-forcewinds,the combined impacts of heavyrainand flooding canbesignificant,requiring careful monitoring andaswift,coordinated response,” said Nyka Scott, EntergyLouisiana vice presidentofCustomerService,noting that floodwaterscan limitaccesstocrews navigating thearea.
Yet, as Entergycrews worked to ensure equipmentwas workingproperlyand restoringpower as needed,the companywas also usingArthurasalessononhow to continue itsyear-round preparationfor stronger storms
In 2021,Hurricane Idacausedlengthy poweroutages for hundreds of customersonGrand Isle.Entergy soon began significant grid-hardening effortsonthe island.The resultswere evidentwhenHurricane Francine struck in 2024 –Grand Isle didnot lose asinglelight as aresultofthe storm. Thecompany’s new, hardened equipmentalsowithstood windsand flooding from Tropical StormArthur.
Now, Entergyisinthe midstofabroader, five-yeargrid resilience plan thatisexpected to result in about$1.2billion in avoidedrestoration costs andfasterpost-stormrecovery. Its investmentswillinclude upgrades to approximately3,240 miles of powerlines andnearly62,000structuresacrossLouisiana
Additional Entergyprojectsinrecent yearshaveincluded elevatingor flood-proofing critical equipment, replacingolder infrastructure with more resilientmaterials andexpanding vegetation management to reduce tree-related outages.
Thehopeisthatthese improvements will help keep thepower on formoreEntergy customerseveninharsh weatherconditions, andthatrestoration timeswill be shorterifthere areoutages
“Our goal is to deliverthe same type of resilience thatwe sawinGrand Isle afterHurricane Francine to allcustomers across Louisiana,”Scott said.“Theupgradesare data-driven, includingstrongerpoles that aredesignedtowithstand up to 140miles perhourwinds or higher,smarter stormmodeling andtargetedimprovementsinhigh-risk areas. Thisworkwill save customersmillionsofdollars in avoidedstorm costsand meansfewer andshorter outageswheninterruptions do occur. Technology Changing RestorationWork Entergyisembracing newtools,enhancedcapabilitiesand refineddatatohelpitserve customersbefore, during andafter a storm. Anytimeasignificant weathersystemdevelops, Entergy monitors thesituation 24/7, usingthe latest predictive modeling software andforecasting toolstoanticipatepotential impacts andpositionresources aheadoftime. During theheart of asevereweather event, advanced sensors, smartmetersand automated switchingdevices help Entergy
teamsgatherreal-time informationabout whereoutages are happeningand what caused them
“Thismeans we canoften pinpoint problems instantly withoutwaiting for fieldinspections,” Scottsaid. “Thishelps crewsprioritizethe most urgent issues anddispatchthe right resourcesmorequickly.”
Once astorm haspassed, high-resolutiondronesand mobile assessmenttools help Entergyteams evaluate damage,especiallyin hard-to-reachareas,and developrestoration plansmorequickly “Combinedwithdataanalytics andimprovedcommunication platforms, we cancoordinatecrews more effectively andrestore powermorequickly andaccuratelythaneverbefore,”Scott said.“Theseimprovementsreflecta continuous commitment to learningfromeachevent andadaptingtothe increasingly complexchallengesofsevereweather.” Mutual Assistance NetworkProvidesAdded Support Entergy’sstandingasa Fortune500 energy companyhas positioned it to preparefor andrespond to majorweather events across theGulfSouth.The companyhas theability to coordinate complex, multi-statelogistics operations,including staging sites, supply chains,lodging,fuel, equipmentand restoration resources. It canalsodeploythousands of workers, equipment andmobilebasecamps within 24 hoursofastorm
That meansEntergy is readytorespond if astorm directly impactsits customers, or if Entergyteams areneededtohelp those served by otherutilities in Louisiana andbeyond. Entergy’s work hasmadeitanindustryleader, earning51EEI Emergency Response Awards,including crew supportfollowing hurricanes Helene andMilton, andthe Recovery Assistance Awardfor powerrestoration work during andafter Hurricane Francine “Weparticipate in four majormutual assistance organizations, allowing thousandsofutility workersfromacrossthe countryto mobilize quicklywhenadditionalsupportisneeded,”Scott said “Large-scale stormresponserequiresmorethanlineworkers; it also dependsonlogistics,planning, supply management communications andcoordination, allofwhich arebuilt into ouryear-roundstorm response framework. HelpingCustomers Prepare Safety is oneofEntergy’s core values,and part of itsmission is to help Louisianafamiliesprepare theirpropertiesbeforesevere weatherstrikes.Asthe heartofhurricane season nears, there areseveral stepspeoplecan take nowthatmakea bigdifference if theweather turnssevere: •Makeaplanfor your
Hilferty
Data: Millions drop Obamacare health coverage
Decrease comes after subsidies expire, costs rise
BY ALI SWENSON Associated Press
NEW YORK About 3 million fewer people in the United States had Affordable Care Act health insurance plans in February compared with the same time last year, according to new federal data.
In the report released Friday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services suggested the 13% drop in enrollment from 22.1 million people in 2025 to 19.2 million this year could be attributed to a federal crackdown on fraudulent or “phantom” enrollment. But health analysts said it was more likely related to the Jan. 1 expiration of federal subsidies, which caused a surge in plan costs that resulted in many people being unable to pay their premiums.
President to tap ex-Oklahoma state trooper as ICE chief
BY ALI SWENSON Associated Press
NEW YORK President Don-
ald Trump on Saturday said he is nominating Lance Schroyer, a former Oklahoma state trooper, as the next director of Immigration and Customs and Enforcement.
Trump said on his Truth Social platform that his new pick for the immigration enforcement agency is a former U.S. Marine and a “PATRIOT with real operational experience.” He called Schroyer a “proven leader with DECADES of experience locking up the worst of the worst.”
The nomination comes after former ICE director Todd Lyons resigned at the end of May David Venturella, a former executive at a private prison operator has been serving as the acting head of the agency If confirmed, Schroyer will lead ICE at a time when the public mood has soured on Trump’s immigration crackdown, which sent surges of federal immigra-
tion officers into American cities to round up immigrants Those raids sent tensions soaring and prompted clashes between protesters and law enforcement, leading to the fatal shootings of two U.S citizens in Minneapolis earlier this year
Trump returned to the White House on a promise of mass deportations, and ICE has been a central executor of that vision. The agency is undergoing massive growth from a one-time injection of $75 billion last year, which has allowed for the hiring of 12,000 officers and increased detention capacity Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, also from Oklahoma and a former congressman for the state, is still settling into his role atop the Cabinet agency overseeing ICE. Mullin has promised to keep his department out of the headlines and has indicated a softer tone on immigration, although he is expected to align with the president’s priorities on mass deportations.
“We know that real people lost their health insurance coverage,” said Cynthia Cox, a vice president and director of the ACA program at the healthcare research nonprofit KFF, citing survey findings on people who had left their plans. “This coverage loss happened at the same time millions of people faced double or even triple digit increases in their premium payments.”
The new data, compiled in April but showing coverage in February, represents
the government’s first official look at how people’s inability to pay their first bills this year affected total enrollment. That is because the figures capture the marketplace after a nonpayment grace period expired.
A federal estimate in January showed that about 800,000 fewer people had signed up for ACA plans compared with the same time last year, marking the first time in the past four years that enrollment had been down from the previ-
ous year at that point in the shopping window Cox said KFF expects the total number of people in the government healthcare program to continue to decline throughout the year, potentially to a low of about 17.5 million. That would be a significant drop for the government’s flagship subsidized health insurance program for working-age people who do not qualify for Medicaid. In recent years, ACA plans have become a popular choice for gig workers,
farmers, ranchers, hairstylists and others without health coverage through an employer
The ACA subsidies that expired this year were at the center of a bitter fight in Congress last fall, with Democrats and some Republicans calling for their renewal. Sharp increases in health costs across ACA and other health insurance programs come as voters in the approaching November elections say affordability is among their top concerns.
Reflecting Pool gains police scrutiny
BY STEVEN SLOAN Associated Press
WASHINGTON The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is many things.
Murky Peaceful. Stinky
The backdrop for protests, vigils, celebrations and stunning sunrise photos. Beset by gnats and algae. Scenery for a run. A key part of the capital’s carefully designed monumental core. The location of an iconic scene in “Forrest Gump.”
One thing it’s generally not: a strictly enforced police zone.
Entering the pool has always been illegal, but, in general, the most someone wading into the water might expect is a direction from a police officer to get out.
But that has changed since President Donald Trump insisted last weekend, without providing evidence, that vandals were responsible for damage to the pool’s liner, undermining his renovation efforts after he blamed previous presidents for ignoring deterioration. Court documents filed this week show that the National Park Service reported to the U.S. Park Police a June 9 incident in which a sharp knife or razor cut the pool’s
Friday on a chain-link fence around the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington.
new liner National Guard members and Park Police have patrolled the deck around the pool The Associated Press
verified that one man was arrested after touching the already-peeling paint. He said he wanted to examine the new coating, briefly touch-
ing a still-attached chunk, then letting go shortly after a park worker told him to. At one point this week, crews were seen adding fencing near the area, which the administration attributed to preparations for July Fourth celebrations.
The scrutiny belies the fact that the Reflecting Pool has always been enticing to visitors.
During the Poor People’s Campaign in 1968, the pool offered relief from the summer heat.
And during the bitter cold of winter, it has become an unlikely urban skating rink. Now,
For30years, Market Umbrella hashelpedshape NewOrleans’local food landscape, connecting communitieswithfarmers,fisheries,and food producersfromacrossSoutheast Louisianathrough theCrescentCityFarmers Markets. What beganin 1995 as asingledowntownfarmers market at the corner of Magazine andGirod streetshas growninto threeweekly, year-round marketsserving Mid-City Uptown,and City Park
“Weare agloballyrenownedfooddestination city andwebelieve ourfarmers marketsshouldrepresent that,” said Angelina Harrison,Executive Director of Market Umbrella.“It hasbeenexcitingtosee our marketsgrowintothatvision.
but also to builda stable marketplacewhere local producerscan thrive
“Weare an urbanorganization, butwedoa lot of work to supportrural communitieswhere many of ourvendors reside,” said Harrison.“Thebreadth of theimpactofwhatwedoissomething that keepsour team inspired andmotivated.”
Market Umbrella’s threemarkets offer adiverse assortment of food andgoods throughout theweek in some of themostpicturesque localesinthe city Tuesdaymorning’smarketinvites community memberstostrollalong theMississippi RiveratThe Batture, locatedat25WalnutStreet, themarket’s currentUptownlocation. On Thursday evenings shoppers enjoythe market on theLafitteGreenwayat 500N.NormanC.Francis Parkway, near theiconic BayouSt. John.OnSundaymorning,familiesare treatedtothe grandeur of City Park as they make theirshoppingrounds.
“Backin2022, we put together astrategic plan that hadathree-yeargoalofaveraging 1,500shoppers during peak-seasonmarkets,and ourSundaymarket foot trafficnow averages 3,500shoppers,”Harrison said.“We areproud to saythatwewelcome approximately 200,000 visitors ayear, andwehavejustover 130producers in ourvendornetwork.”
Like many organizationsrootedinfoodsystems, Market Umbrella hadtonavigatesignificantdisruption in recent years. COVID-19 reshaped thepublic’s shopping habits andacceleratedretirements among longtime producers, whileHurricane Idaadded anotherlayer of hardship for growersand smallfood businesses already understrain. Even so,Market Umbrella used themomenttorefocus itsenergy on NewOrleans andstrengthenthe threeweekly marketsitoperatestoday
In addition to creating andmaintaining consistent opportunitiesfor commerce,MarketUmbrellahas also worked to make fresh,localfoodmoreaccessible by lowering barrierstoparticipation for shoppers Thetoken system,developed in thelate1990s to move beyond acash-only marketplace, nowallows shoppers to useSupplementalNutrition Assistance Program(SNAP)and FarmersMarketNutrition Program(FMNP)benefits at allthree markets. Additionally,the organizationoffersMarket Match, aprogram that doublesupto$40 in SNAP purchases forfruitsand vegetables at Crescent City Farmersmarkets andwithparticipating partners outsideofthe market space—RiverQueen Greens Grow DatYouth Farm,VEGGI FarmersCooperative NewOrleans Food Co-op, andBarcelo Gardens. In recent years, anothernotable initiativewas a produceprescriptionprogram in partnershipwith clinicalproviders that identifiedpatientsatriskfor diet-related illnessesand deliveredproduce boxes directly to theirhomes.The programaddressed two common barriersatonce: thecostofhealthy food and thechallenge of transportation.While this program completed itsdesignatedrun,similar programs may be on thehorizon for theorganization. From kids programmingand fitness activities to school partnerships andthe Market Mommas Club abreastfeeding incentiveprogram,MarketUmbrella hasbeenexploring avenuesthatreflectthe organization’s broader view of what amarketcan be:not just a placetobuy groceries, but awelcoming publicspace that supports well-being andconnection. “Expanding
Adefiningfeature of Market Umbrella’s markets is that they areproducer-only,meaningshoppers buydirectlyfromthe makers behindthe goodson thetable.Thismodel helpskeepdollars circulating closer to home whilegivingvisitorsaccess to thekind of regional bounty that reflectsSouth Louisiana’s distinct food culture. ForMarketUmbrella, thelongterm goal is notonlytocreatevibrant public markets,
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By CAROLyN KASTER Signs are posted
States seek to lower drug prices
BY JOHN HANNA Associated Press
— As consum-
TOPEKA, Kan.
ers worry about medication costs, states are trying to lower drug prices by reining in big companies that oversee prescription coverage for health insurers.
Some of those companies called pharmacy benefit managers, also own pharmacies, and one of them, CVS, has spent millions of dollars fighting the regulations.
Affordability is a key issue ahead of this year’s midterm elections. Legislators in at least a dozen states passed laws this year to limit compensation to the companies, set minimum payments from the companies to pharmacists and require the companies to disclose more information to their clients, states and the public.
A Tennessee law will bar pharmacy benefit managers from operating retail pharmacies as of July 1, 2028, though CVS Health Corp. has filed a federal lawsuit to avoid having to close its 136 pharmacies there.
About 6 in 10 U.S. adults said in a poll conducted earlier this year by healthcare research nonprofit KFF that they were at least somewhat worried about being able to afford their prescriptions.
About 4 in 10 said costs had led them not to take medications as prescribed within the previous year either by taking less than the prescribed dose, using over-the-counter substitutes or not filling prescriptions.
Proposals emerge
Pharmacy benefit managers, particularly CVS and two other large companies, handle most U.S. prescriptions.
Lawmakers in at least 26 states introduced more than 120 bills this year on PBMs,
according to an Associated Press search using the billtracking software Plural with about a quarter of the bills clearing at least one chamber.
The companies manage pharmacy claims for health insurers and negotiate with manufacturers over drug prices and what medications will be covered. Critics concede that the size of the top companies gives them leverage that health plans wouldn’t have on their own.
The benefit managers argue that they’re the only player in the drug supply chain created to help push drug costs down and they claim credit for an increased used of less-expensive generic drugs now 90% of U.S. prescriptions
“If PBMs already didn’t exist, you’d need to invent one,” said Prem Shah, president of the CVS Health group overseeing its pharmacy and PBM operations, in a recent interview “Blaming PBMs for high drug prices is like blaming umbrellas for the rain.”
CVS fights restrictions
Drug companies, PBMs and their allies have spent at least $24 million on opposing broadcast and digital advertising since the start of 2025 to influence public opinion, according to the ad-tracking firm AdImpact CVS spent $4 million this year on ads opposing Tennessee’s new law CVS sued Arkansas last year after it enacted similar legislation, and a federal judge blocked its law CVS also settled three lawsuits in which Louisiana accused it of unfair trade and deceptive practices in lobbying against legislation there last year, agreeing to pay $45 million without acknowledging wrongdoing.
The CVS lawsuit in Tennessee alleges that the company which operates 9,000 phar-
macies nationwide, is facing “naked protectionism” from lawmakers who operate independent pharmacies — including the law’s main sponsor, state Sen. Bobby Harshbarger and co-sponsor Sen. Shane Reeves.
Independent pharmacies
In Knoxville, Seth White, who manages a CVS pharmacy, will have to find a new job if the Tennessee law stands, and he’s also worried about hundreds of its customers having to go elsewhere for their medications.
Some 900 miles away in Coldwater, Kansas, Lisa Gales is on the opposite side of the debate. She and her husband operate the Main Street Pharmacy and she said they rely heavily on sales of non-pharmacy items to offset low reimbursements from pharmacy benefit managers.
Gales calculates she lost money on 86% of the prescriptions she filled last year A new Kansas law will require PBMs to pay a $10.50 dispensing fee per prescription. Gales called it a “great win,” even though, “It’s still way under what it’s costing us.”
A new Louisiana law imposes an $11.81 dispensing fee. Another says PBMs must operate for the benefit of their health-insurer clients and people enrolled in health plans.
Critics deride each mandatory dispensing fee as an extra “pill tax” that will drive up consumers’ costs. Backers dispute that, saying the laws also limit what PBMs charge health plans for the cost of medications themselves so that it’s often well below wholesale prices.
Pharmacy benefit managers push drugmakers to give big discounts on those wholesale prices but face criticism for keeping any portion of
Ukraine strikes industrial facility in Russia’s Volgograd
By The Associated Press
Ukraine struck a major industrial facility in the Russian city of Volgograd, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday while a Russian drone attack killed a man in Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy region overnight.
Ukraine has stepped up its long-range aerial attacks on Russian military industries and energy facilities, aiming to cut Moscow’s revenue for the war and make Russians feel the consequences of the invasion, now in its fifth year
The campaign, which Zelenskyy has said aims to bring Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table, has choked Russian fuel supplies and military deliveries, stalling Moscow’s efforts on the battlefield and heaping pressure on Putin, Western
officials and analysts say Writing on X, Zelenskyy said that FP-5 Flamingo missiles hit the Titan-Barrikady facility in Volgograd in southwestern Russia, describing it as a “major industrial complex” where Russia “produces artillery systems and specialized military equipment, including components for missile launch systems.” According to Ukraine’s General Staff, the facility manufactures equipment for missile systems, including self-propelled launchers and transport-loading vehicles for the Iskander-M missile system, which it said is “the same system Russia regularly uses to strike Ukrainian cities.”
Volgograd Gov Andrei Bocharov confirmed an attack on a business in the region’s Krasnooktyabrsky district, saying 10 people had been
wounded and taken to a hospital. He said production facilities at the site were damaged but did not identify the company Ukraine’s state security service said Saturday morning that Ukrainian forces also struck an oil pumping facility in Russia’s Vladimir region that supplies fuel to Moscow, for the second time this month.
The attacks came a day after Ukraine launched what appeared to be one of Kyiv’s biggest drone assaults since the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion more than four years ago. The major nighttime attack targeted a dozen Russian regions, Russian-held Crimea and the surrounding seas, Moscow’s Defense Ministry said Friday, noting that Russian air defenses intercepted 660 Ukrainian drones.
them. Some states now require PBMs to pass along all discounts.
Patients watch the debate
It all worries consumers, particularly in small towns, who fear it could become harder to get their medications if PBMs squeeze independent pharmacies on reimbursements to the point of endangering their businesses.
In southeastern Kansas, Faith Sanders, a 79-year-old retired nursing home administrator, said the pharmacy in her hometown of Cedar Vale is important because without it people would have to drive 35 miles “to go out of town to get anything.”
For her many elderly neighbors, she said, “We get to the point where it’s hard for us to get out of town.”
Meanwhile, even some PBM critics question whether states can effectively regulate them. In Tennessee, state Rep. Robert Stevens, a
Nashville-area Republican, told colleagues during a debate that cracking down on PBMs “needs to be done by Congress and not by
Fire tracking appexpands to help monitorflooding
BY GABRIELA AOUN ANGUEIRA Associated Press
When afire broke out afew miles from his Altadena, California, home theevening of Jan. 7, 2025, Matt Blea and his family needed to make acrucial decision:Should they stay home, or evacuate?
Afriend who did mountain rescue told Blea to download afree app called Watch Duty.Onthe app, he could see the fire’sperimeter trackevacuationordersand read updates about the emergency response. “It influenced me to leave the home sooner than later,”said Blea, wholeft with hiswife and son that evening, beforethe Eaton Fire destroyed their home.
Blea was one of more than 2.5 million people who used Watch Duty to track fires burningacross Los Angeles County that week. The information was collected, vetted and disseminated by about two dozen Watch Duty staff and over 100 volunteers who monitored emergency radio traffic, aircraft reports and local agency communications.
The service proved vital, said David Hertz, aMalibu resident and captain of his community’s fire brigade, especially whensome areas received little-to-nowarning
about theEaton andPalisades fires that killed 31 people. “It’s like ademocratization of data that empowers people.”
This month, Watch Duty began helping peopletrack another deadly and destructive climate hazard: flooding
The expansion comes as peak flash flood season begins in theU.S. and nearly one year after last July’s deadlyTexas floodsthat killed more than 130 people,prompting outcry over why TexasHill Countryresidents and visitors didn’treceivebetter communication about theimpending danger
“Thisispainful that this keeps happening,”said John Mills,CEO
andco-founderofthe donor-supported nonprofitbehindthe app. “We’re notspreading enough information fast enough on as many channels as humanly possible.”
Appbuilt afterclose calls
Millsfounded WatchDutyin 2021 after not receiving official alerts or evacuation instructions when afire burned near his Northern California home.
It’saproblem seen in many recent disasters. While the U.S.has systemsfor sending alerts by text, radio, and other means, the process to issue aspecific warning or evacuation ordercan gettangled in bureaucracy and often depends
on humans making difficult decisions under pressure.
Often the informationpeople need to understand their risk is out there, Mills said, but it is hard to find and use. “The systemsare really struggling to meet people where they are.”
On fire days, Mills found himself relying on volunteer radio operators whomonitoredscanners during emergencies and posted updates on social media. The postshelped, but social media had downsides —including how misinformation and unrelated content could drown out life-or-death updates.
Asoftware engineer andentrepreneur,Mills recruited someof those volunteersand fellow engineers to build an answer.Hemade Watch Duty anonprofit, which has helpedbuild trust with its more than 20 million users. It received nearly $6 million in grants and donations in 2025.
Emergencyinfoinone place
Watch Duty now hasabout 300 volunteer “reporters” who collate and vetinformation from radio scanners, cameras, satellites, usergenerated content and public announcements. Information is available in five languages and pushed out through maps, text feeds, and push notifications that can sound even when phones are silenced.
“You’re notgoing to have to go to multipleother entities, to the weather service, emergency man-
agement website, county website,” said WatchDutymeteorologist Pete Curran. “It’sinone place, in plain language,and it’s goingto wakeyou up if you’re asleep.”
Watch Duty can sometimes push out information faster than local agencies in part because itsreportershaveonly oneroletofill, said Curran, aretired firefighter.“Our only responsibility is to watch and listen. We’re not in charge of the incident.”
The nonprofit took on flooding next because of its widespread impact. “Weare seeing crazy rainfall in places that it’snot normal for them,” said Dr.Lori Moore-Merrell, U.S. Fire Administrator under President Joe Bidenand longtime data scientist who is now aWatch Dutyboard member. “Maybe it’s never happened before, but it’s happening now,soyou need to be aware.”
The app pulls weather modeling andother data fromthe National Weather Service, National Oceanic andAtmosphericAdministration and U.S. Geologic Survey.Users can view NWSflood warnings and watches, river gauge levels, and notices of possible damorlevee failures.
Users can also betterunderstand their risk ahead of time. They can seewhether they’reina FEMAdesignated floodarea, or what levels on ariver gauge would indicate danger,and customize notifications to be alerted if agauge reached acertain height.
Bank card programaidsmomsingovernmenthousing
Fundstohelp needyfamilies
BY COREY WILLIAMS Associated Press
One of the few Blackowned banks in theUnited Statesisintroducing adebit card aimed at helping single mothers who live in government-subsidized housing escape poverty.The Bank King Card debit card, offered last week in honor of Juneteenth by Redemption
Bank, will donate from every accountopened to nonprofits that will steer the funding to needy families.
“BankKingCardrepresentsanew regenerative bankingmodel that starts with investinginmothers whoare afew hopeful dollars away from breaking out of poverty,and opening up America’svaults of opportunity that have beenclosed to too many for too long,”Redemption Holding Co. chair and ChiefExecutive Ashley Bell said
A2026 report by the Urban Institute and the Jeremiah Program says households led by single mothers experience widespread economic and caregiving hardship. Redemption Bank, based in Holladay, Utah,saysitintends to make fixed-amount donations based on newBank King Cardaccount openings Theamountwillbedetermined annuallybythe bank’s boardofdirectors andwill notbebased on theamount of card purchases, according to Redemption Bank.
WhenBivian‘Sonny’LeeIIIfoundedSonofaSaint15 yearsago,heenvisionedanorganizationthatwould standalongside fatherless boys in NewOrleans and remain committed to them throughearly adulthood. Today, that promisetranslatesintoaminimum 10-yearcommitmenttoevery youngman whoenters theprogram.AsSon of aSaint continuestogrow, Lee hopestosee increasedinvolvement from supporters willing to make thesamelong-term investment
This kind of long-term, holistic investment is rare in youthdevelopment programming. Sponsora Boy helpsmakethatlevel of supportpossible, ensuring mentees have access to therelationships,resources andopportunities that shape alifetime.
“Sponsor aBoy wascreated primarilyfor corporations,familyfoundationsandphilanthropistslooking tomakealong-terminvestmentinourmission.AsSon of aSaint continuestoexpand, theinitiativeoffersa meaningful wayfor supporters across thecountry to help sustaina mentee’s journeywhile strengthening theorganization’sfuture,”Leesaid.“Werecognizethat SponsoraBoy represents asignificantphilanthropic commitment,and it is designed for donors whoare willing andabletoinvestoverthe long term.
Sponsora Boyisthe latest wayfor individualsand organizationstosupport SonofaSaint,joiningexistinginitiatives such as volunteering,one-timegifts mentoringormonthlygiving.
“Thatdiversity of supportallowsustogrowour capacity,servemoreyoungmenandensurewe’rehere for generationstocome,”Lee said Thedataspeaksfor itself when it comestoSon of a Saint’simpact.Allboyswhoparticipateinitsprogramminggraduatefromhighschool,and80percentenroll in college. Allofits youthbetween theagesof16and 19 areemployedorinschool. In 2025,Son of aSaint served more than 700boysand youngmen through itscorementorshipprogram andeducational scholarship initiatives,resulting in nearly 9,000 hoursof programmingand more than 50,000 milestraveled by itsfleetofvehicles.
That work wouldn’t be possible withoutthousands of hourseachyearfromSon of aSaint volunteers and mentors. Leesaidthatasthe organization focuses on sustainablegiving, he hopesdonorswillbecome involved beyond financial support.
“Wewantpeopletostaywithusfor thelonghaul. That’s what we tell ourboys. We arebuildingreal relationshipswiththem,”Lee said.“Ourmentors and volunteers areright alongsidethem, andwewelcome anyone whoiswilling andabletoinvesttheir time in developing intentionalrelationships with ourkids. Ialsoencourage prospectivesupporterstovisit our clubhouseand seethe work firsthand.Ithink people reallyconnectwithourmissionwhentheyspendtime here.Whentheyseetheconversations,thementorship andtheday-to-dayengagement,it’sthetruestreflection of whoweare as an organization.”
HelpingtoleadSon of aSaint’s newchapter is DaphneStratton,whorecentlyjoinedtheorganization as itsfirstchief developmentofficerafter more than a decade workingatTulaneUniversity.
“Ifeltthiswasagreatwaytoworkmorecloselywith youthinthecityandseethedirectimpactofourwork,” Stratton said.“I’ve been impressedwithnot only the breadth, but also thedepth of theworkthatoccurs here everyday.”
Stratton said oneaspectofSon of aSaint that is especially dynamicisthateachboy comeswithindividualizedneeds.Staffmembersadaptprogramming andservicestoensurethatitisappropriate forevery youth.SponsoraBoy,inadditiontocreatinglong-term sustainability,isaway to ensure thosepersonalized services continue “The gift is made to theorganizationratherthan specificboys. That allows us theflexibilityweneedto usethose dollarstomeeteachboy’s needs,”she said StrattonnotedthatsherecentlycomplimentedaSon ofaSaintcasemanageraboutherwillingnesstowork withoneboy,hisschoolandhisguardianonadailybasis tomakesureallhisneedsaremet.It’sthekindofwork Stratton sees at theorganizationevery day. “Thatcasemanager told me,‘Theonlything we won’tdohereisquit.’Ithink that embodies thecare andphilosophythateachpersonwalks in here with everyday,” shesaid. “Everyoneisverysincere in their efforts.What’shappeninghereisreallyspecial for families andfor thecityofNew Orleans. As SonofaSaint celebrates 15 yearsofservice,the organizationcontinuestoexpanditsreachandimpact
LOUISIANAPOLITICS
Battle over SAVE ActstallsMikeJohnson’s agenda
WASHINGTON —This past week, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson ran into stormier waters than usual and ended up sending the House home early Thursday, then visited President Donald Trump for help getting the legislative agenda back on track.
Johnson has afull slate of bills he needs to move relatively quickly, including funding for the military.But right-wing members of his caucus used procedural rules to block floor votesonany bill with close margins until the Senate takes up the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, which the House passed three times already The SAVE Act would require proof of citizenshiptoregister vote, picture IDs to cast ballots and asweeping rollbackofmail-in ballots.
“I don’twant to voteonanything else until this is passed and attached to the bills coming forward,” Rep. Ralph Norman, R-South Carolina, told reporters during aconservative House Freedom Caucus news conference Thursday Senate leaderssay the votes aren’tthere and senators should spend their remaining time focused on passing other bills before the Nov.3midtermelections that will decide which party controls Congress.
Trump argues the SAVE America Act would address undocumented immigrants casting illegal votes.
Democrats,and some Republicans, say the problem of illegal immigrants votingisexaggerated. It’salready illegal to voteand, when it does happen, it’susually because of amisunderstanding, they say Denise Migliore,anAustralian
Cassidy changes Iran stance after Vance briefing
Cassidy
Hours after an angry encounter with President Donald Trump over his vote directing an endto hostilities inIran, U.S. Sen.Bill Cassidy changed his position on the issue,voting against advancing anotherresolution urgingan end to the war Cassidy on Tuesday joined three other Republicansand Democratsin passing asymbolic resolution urging the president to withdraw troops. Then, on Wednesday,Cassidy had ashouting match with Trump about that vote during aclosed-door meeting at the Capitol.
The Baton Rouge Republican said he told the president that the U.S. bombed Iran to changethe theocracy running the country, eliminate the ability for Iran to acquire nuclear weapons, disable Iran’smilitary and end hostilities in about four weeks.Noneof those goals were accomplished and Trump had failed to explain clearly what was going to happen,
who lives in Franklinton and voted in 2022 and 2024, said shewas unaware of the law
TheLouisiana Secretary of State’sOffice saida review of the state’svoter registration rolls found 403 noncitizens, 83 of whom have cast ballots in the past. Louisiana has 2.9 million registered voters.
In the House, where Republicans hold 218 seats to the Democrats’ 212, Johnson needs near-total GOP buy-in to passany legislation that Democrats oppose. Not easy Trump had refused to sign abill reauthorizing agencies to spyon foreigners, which intelligence
Cassidy said After the meeting, Cassidy met with Vice PresidentJDVance and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff on wherepeace talks stand, the senator said. Cassidy then flipped hisvotelater in the evening on aseparate but similar resolution.
Capitol Buzz STAFF REPORTS
“I want to thank Vice President Vanceand Special Envoy Witkoff for the thorough briefingthis afternoon on Iran. Iappreciate thequickinvitation to the White House to address manyof my concerns,” Cassidy wrote on Xafter the vote.
Theresolution on Wednesday night was adifferent but nearly identical instrument to theone passed Tuesday that asks Trump to remove troops until Congress votes on whether to authorize military action. Cassidy voted in favor of Tuesday’s resolution, but on Wednesday voted against the similar measure.
Thelegislation failed 47-50-1 just before midnight on Wednesday,and theSenatethen left town for atwo-week recess.
officials say is critical in fighting terrorism. He then canceled aWednesday morning signing ceremony for abipartisan housing bill that GOP candidates hoped to includeintheir campaigns to show they’re working on affordability issues.
Getting senators on board with theSAVEAct was the reason for aclosed-door meeting Wednesday with the53GOP senators. But it turned into ashouting match between Trump and Sen. Bill Cassidy,R-Baton Rouge, over the war in Iran. Sen. John Kennedy, R-Madisonville, likened thetenseness of the meeting to “Euphoria,” HBO’s
Landry vetoes bills passed by Legislature
As of Friday,Gov.Jeff Landry had vetoed six bills passed by the LouisianaLegislature, in addition to line-item vetoes to three budget bills canceling statespending for individual local projects.
The budget vetoes mainly targeted projectsinDemocraticleaning areas, especially in New Orleans. Landry’soffice said he was fulfilling apromisetorein in state spending on non-governmental agencies;Democrats accused him of retaliating against them for opposing him on congressional redistricting, budget cuts to New Orleanscourts and a plan to trim education spending to pay for teacher stipends, among other issues.
Landry also vetoed House Bill 688, by Rep.Joseph Orgeron, R-CutOff, which would classify Atlantic tarpon as asaltwater gamefish. The governor said the designation was unnecessary and could lead to more regulations.
The governor also vetoed House Bill 950 by Rep.Delisha Boyd, DNew Orleans, which would have created aprogram in theOffice of Elderly Affairstohelp protect retirees’ pensions and retirement
award-winning but hard-to-watch series about high schoolers dealing withaddictions and toxic relationships. Kennedy told Fox News Thursday that he’sunsure if any minds were changed about theSAVEAct at the meeting but noted that Trumpwas “pretty worked up about it.”
Both Kennedy and Cassidy support the SAVE Act, but not enough Republican senators do to get it passed with asimple majority —51votes —let alone avoid afilibuster,which requires 60 votes.
Kennedy favors attaching the language to someother bill, such as an extension of the Foreign In-
funds. His veto message said lawmakers did not allocate any funding for the program,soits responsibilities could not actually be carried out.
He gave asimilarargument for vetoing House Bill 1194, by Rep.Terry Landry,Jr.,D-Baton Rouge, whichwould have created afinancing program to help build grocery storesinfood deserts.
Landry also vetoed Senate Bill 125, by Rep. Gerald Boudreaux, D-Lafayette, that would have increased the cap on compensation for people whoare wrongfully convicted; Senate Bill 283 by Sen ReginaBarrow,D-Baton Rouge, that created new special taxing districtsinthe city; and Senate Bill 384 by Sen. Jimmy Harris, DNew Orleans, which would have created pilot innovation hubs with exceptions to government procurement rules.
Kennedy pushes for crackdown on tech exports
U.S. Sen. John Kennedy,R-Madisonville, is pushing forharsher penalties forpeople and companies that illegally export sensitive American technology to foreign adversaries.
telligence Surveillance Act, called FISA, which lapsedonJune 12, or to athird budget reconciliation package, as Johnson has suggested. That procedure would end-run the need for 60 votes and allow passage with a51-vote majority Reconciliation is time-consuming and complex. Just tacking on SAVE language to areconciliation bill doesn’tqualify
So, Johnson would attach the language as asort of incentive package for states that voluntarily address the procedures outlined in SAVE.
“Webelieve that if you create agrant program that ties it to reconciling the budget, and you allow blue states, if they cometo their senses and they want to avail themselves of election integrity proposals and ideas and policies, they can draw down from afederal fund and use those funds,” Johnson told reporters.
But not everyone is sold on that strategy
“My message is to the speaker, and generally: Don’tthink that we’re going to just add sometoken measures,” said Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas.
Johnson ended up sending the House homeThursday afternoon —the Senate had left Wednesday —then heading to the White House Thursday afternoon to persuade Trumptoback off a little bit.
Trumpdid, alittle, asking hardliners via social media to stop “grandstanding” by blocking votes on other bills, thereby giving control of the House agenda to the “Dumocrats.”
“We’ve got to be able to move forward on legislation,” Johnson told reporters after the visit. “This is the process in an era with small margins, but we’ll get the job done.”
Email Mark Ballardat mballard@theadvocate.com.
Kennedy has sponsored legislation with Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., that would increase the civil penalty forviolating the Export Control Reform Act from $300,000 to $1.2 million per violation. It would also double the penalty that is based on the value of the illegal transaction from twice the value to four times the value.
“America’s enemies are not stealing our technology so they can build better toasters. They want our chips, software and sensitive technology to strengthen their militaries, spy on Americans and undercut our national security,” Kennedy said in anews release.
“Ifa company or individual illegally hands over American technology to our adversaries, a slap on the wrist will not cut it. This bill ensures the punishment fits the threat.”
Kennedy and other lawmakers have raised concerns about the Chinese government and other actors obtaining proprietary technologies like surveillance, drones and artificial intelligence.
Mark Ballard
Kennedy
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOByALEX BRANDON
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, arrives at the White House ahead of theUFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn on June 14 in Washington.
EDUCATION
Laura Cassidy works to support La.’s dyslexic kids
more Louisiana children could be dyslexic without their schools or families knowing
Q&A WITH LAURA CASSIDy FOUNDER OF LOUISIANA
BY ELYSE CARMOSINO Staff writer
Thousands of Louisiana students who have trouble reading and writing might have dyslexia, but many never get a formal diagnosis or the help they need. Laura Cassidy has made it her life’s mission to change that.
A trained surgeon whose daughter was diagnosed with the disorder as a first grader, Cassidy is the founder of Louisiana Key Academy, the state’s first charter network exclusively for dyslexic students. Since opening its first campus in Baton Rouge in 2013, the network has grown considerably: It now enrolls 440 students across three campuses, with a fourth site slated to open in Jefferson Parish in August. Meanwhile, Cassidy has worked to raise public awareness about dyslexia and advocated for students to get the support they need. Children with the disability should “walk away from school knowing that they’re smart,” said Cassidy, who is the wife of U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge. Dyslexia is a neurodevelopmental disorder that can make it more difficult to read, spell and write.
About 13,800 Louisiana students — or 2% of the public school population — were identified as dyslexic during the 2023-24 school year, according to a report from the state education department. That number is considerably lower than some national estimates that suggest between 15% and 20% of students have the disorder, leading Cassidy and other advocates to suspect that thousands
In 2023, Louisiana passed a law requiring schools to screen students in grades K-3 for signs of the learning disability But the law does not require schools to actually test students for dyslexia, leaving it up to families to seek formal testing
Simply flagging students as being at risk of dyslexia isn’t enough, Cassidy warned. To reach their full potential, they also need proper testing and services.
Cassidy spoke with The TimesPicayune | The Advocate about why some dyslexic students don’t get the support they need, how to spot signs of the disorder, and how certain interventions can help dyslexic children thrive.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity
Who do you think only about 2% of Louisiana children have been diagnosed with dyslexia?
I hope the new screeners help, but I think dyslexia is complicated for people to understand because there are a lot of myths out there. And it can be hard for teachers who have 28 other children in the classroom to spot it.
Parents also often just don’t know I’ve talked to parents who were embarrassed they didn’t know their kid couldn’t read, but it’s because they’d never heard their child read out loud, and that’s where you’re going to see it.
Why do dyslexic students tend to struggle in traditional classrooms?
If you have moderate to severe dyslexia, you learn to read using what we call an “inefficient system.”
Nondyslexic readers read from the left side of their brain, while dyslexic readers read from the right. It’s a slower system, and for information to be processed, you
must repeat lessons and go over the same material several times to really get the memory down.
The gold standard for dyslexic children is 90 minutes of smallgroup instruction that emphasizes repetition every day For a traditional school, that’s hard to provide, and most don’t have teachers trained to give that kind of instruction.
Do you think the new dyslexia screening has led to more students getting the resources they need?
I don’t. A screener just says whether you’re at risk or you’re not at risk. The screener shows
that a teacher is seeing things that are concerning regarding language acquisition skills for a child of that age. The law says schools have to give the screener, and if a child is at risk, they have to send a letter to parents. But being aware of the problem and getting help for it are two different things.
I do think it’s helping parents and schools have awareness, but we’ve got a long way to go.
What are some signs of dyslexia?
Dyslexic children sometimes have a slight speech delay that can start around 2 years of age.
WE’RE ASKING EXPERTS ACROSS THE STATE HOW TO TACKLE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES FACING LOUISIANA SCHOOLS.
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They usually cannot rhyme words and have difficulty learning the alphabet, meaning they may know it one day and then forget it the next. When they get older, they may read and know a word or a few words in one paragraph, but then in the next paragraph, they’ll struggle with the same words. They’re not slow thinkers, but they’re slow readers. And their spelling is usually terrible They typically spell things phonetically
Dyslexic people often have good reasoning. They’re big-picture thinkers, but they’re usually terrible with memorizing language details.
How can schools better support dyslexic students?
Self-esteem is very important.
At LKA, we really want to help kids with their strengths, so we give them opportunities to do what they’re good at, whether it be STEM or the arts or sports.
I think if a teacher suspects a child is dyslexic, the best thing for them to do is make sure the parents know That goes a long way And sometimes, teachers just don’t know I gave a talk recently, and at the end, a (special education) teacher said, “I think this child in my class probably had dyslexia and I never realized.”
So I think awareness is a big part of it.
We’ve passed laws, which is great. But if people don’t have that understanding and knowledge, then laws aren’t going to fully take care of the problem. That’s why I help people understand dyslexia. Then, when someone sees a child struggling in the classroom, instead of thinking, “Oh, this child’s just not trying,” they’ll think, “Maybe this child has dyslexia.”
Early detection canprevent small problems from becoming expensive ones. The best way to preventlargedental bills is preventive care. TheAmerican Dental Association recommends checkups twice ayear.
Treatment is expensive especially the servicespeople over 50 often need.
Consider these national average costs of treatment. $274for acheckup $299 for afilling $1,471 foracrown.3 Unexpected bills likethis can be areal burden, especially if you’re on afixed income.
FILE PHOTO
Laura Cassidy, wife of U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, receives a hug from a student while visiting with a class eating lunch in the cafeteria at the Louisiana Key Academy
THE GULF COAST
BY MARTHA SANCHEZ
Staff writer
Six Gulf Coast cities made aranking of best “bucket list” beach destinations compiled by Southern Living this month. The magazine ranked 30 cities in total and named Pensacola, Florida, secondon its list. Southern Living writerTaraMassouleh McCaypraised theU.S.Navy Blue Angels, which are based at Pensacola’s Naval Air Station and host two annual airshows on the coastline.
“When youdon’t have your face turned toward thesky,you’ll have just as much to look at between the sugar-whitesands and turquoisewaters,” McCay wrote.
Grayton Beach andRosemary Beach, both quaint towns on Florida’sScenic Highway 30A, ranked sixth and 10th, respectively. Themagazine applauded both towns’ timeless vibe.
Orange Beach andGulfShores, Alabama, ranked 12th. “Alabama’sbeaches oft get overshadowed by the Floridapanhandle but these sister cities demand attention of
Pensacola,Fla., takesthe second spot on SouthernLiving’sbest ‘bucket list’ beach destinations.
their own,” McCay said.
The popular Mississippi beachcities of Ocean Springs and Bay St.Louis also ranked 20th and 25th, respectively Southern Living said its list is intended to help visitors who frequent the same beaches year after year find new destinations to explore.
The full list includes vacationspots from North Carolina’sOuter Banks to the Florida Keys, and highlights several destinations that are popular with generations of visitors from Louisiana.
Summer mosquito infestationworse than usual
Remnants of Arthur dumpedrainonregion
BY MARTHA SANCHEZ
Staff writer
Neighbors across several Alabama Gulf Coastcities awoke thisweektoa new and troubling nuisance —mosquitoes. Andthe biting bugs were everywhere.
“I couldn’tstay out in the yard, evenwith insect repellent,” one frustrated resident
told WKRG-TV in Mobile.“Iwas just assaulted.”
Thepopular vacation hotspotalong the eastern shore of Mobile Bayisconfrontingasurge of mosquitoes after heavy rain flooded parts of the region as theremnants of Tropical Storm Arthur thundered throughlast week.
Several cities—including Spanish Fort, Daphneand Fairhope —have issuedpublic service announcements promising to spray pest control more frequently.Local leadersare also pleading that residents help by emptying standingwaterfrom bird baths
and flower potswhere mosquitoes can breed.
“Weare upping our spraying for the areas,”Daphne Mayor Robin LeJeune said in avideoposted to thecity’ssocial media pagesthis week.“We will getthroughthis.”
The city of SpanishFort saidthe pests are salt marsh mosquitoes —aspecies whose larvae develop rapidly in puddles produced during high tides and heavy rainfall.
Spanish Fort and other cities are also asking neighbors to clear gutters and keep grass andplants trimmedtoreduce the swarms.
BaySt. Louis restaurant to close afterstorm damage
BY POETWOLFE Staff writer
Thesummerrush at Field’s Crab Shack was interrupted after heavyrains flooded the seafood restaurant in downtown Bay St. Louis earlier this month.
The restaurant wasforced to close indefinitely on June 7afterrainbroke through the roof and several inches of water collected on the floors, according to co-owner Jourdan Nicaud. He called arestoration company and filed an insurance claim,but the reopening date remains uncertain.
“This is our busy time,”Nicaudsaid, “Which really sucks.”
The heavy rain flooded some streets in Bay St. Louis, but the damage at Field’s Crab Shack was unrelated to the remnants of Tropical Storm Arthur andtornadoes that hit the Gulf Coast over the weekend. Those stormsbrought heavy rains that raised rivers, flooded roads and dumped about afoot of water in someparts of south Mississippi. Nicaud said he did notknowifthe storms causedadditional floodingatField’s Crab Shack.
The indefinite closure also comes as local restaurants across the Coast face challenges beyond the region’sunpredictablesummer weather: rising food and labor costs. Earlier this year,Tripletails Restaurant closed after morethanadecade in downtown. Nearby,Murky Waters shut down after serving barbecue at its Bay St. Louis location forfive years. New businesses, however,continue to emerge, including Field’sCrab Shack, which opened in October 2025. The restaurant took over thesame building that housedToro Sushi, another restaurant owned by Nicaud andhis brother,Field. Thebrothers owna seriesofrestaurants, resorts and upcoming hotels across the Mississippi Coast.
Greece bets on space tech to contain dangerous wildfires
BY DEREK GATOPOULOS Associated Press
ATHENS, Greece In the searing Mediterranean summer, wildfires turn dangerous in minutes.
Greece has learned that at a terrible cost. In 2018, a blaze east of Athens moved with ferocious speed, killing more than 100 people. Five years later, a massive fire tore through a remote nature reserve; it was the largest wildfire ever recorded in the European Union.
Greece is looking to the heavens for help, with a dedicated satellite constellation that monitors for fires. It’s a model for the continent as Europe races toward broader independence in space technology
Four satellites, each smaller than a piece of carry-on luggage, were launched into low orbit in May
That made Greece the first nation in the world to integrate a dedicated satellite array into its national firefighting system.
Built by German company
OroraTech, the satellites carry thermal sensors designed to flag new blazes as small as 13 feet wide, beating traditional satellites that can only spot fires the size of a cruise ship.
Manage multiple wildfires
As Europe struggles with its latest blistering heatwave, the high temperatures foreshadow the wildfire season. Fires pose a unique challenge in Greece with its tinder-dry mountainous mainland and over 100 inhabited islands.
If a fire ignites, AI-processed satellite data is sent as an alert to commanders with the location size and intensity already calculated. If multiple fires are burning at once, real-time data is crucial to determining response.
“For example, if you have 10 fires all over Greece and the fire radiative power is lower in some cases you will not give priority to those ignitions; you will give priority to other ones,” Fire Service Col. Zisoula Ntasiou, vice president of the International Association of Fire and Rescue Services, said.
Thermal sensors also pick up solar panels, hot factory roofs and sunbaked rock faces, but AI models are built to filter out those false alarms before alerts reach emergency services, according to officials involved in the program.
Better AI models
Greece recorded its hottest summer on record in 2024 and its third-hottest last year
“The global temperature is going up. That causes fires to change in intensity and ferocity,” Ioannis Lantouris,
head of OroraTech’s Greek operations, said. “Our models have to change and adjust to that.”
Lantouris spoke in his office in Athens, while engineers worked on fire behavior models. Near their desks, they keep a life-sized replica of the satellite.
Thermal satellites add a layer of detection to drones and ground sensors, and Greece has expanded both since the 2018 disaster forced an overhaul of wildfire response.
The constellation helps fill coverage gaps from international satellites, spot fires in remote terrain and build more detailed models of fire behavior
Multiple countries use thermal satellites but Greece is the first to fully integrate them into its firefighting system. The satellites themselves mark an early stage
Fishermen paid to catch toxic toadfish invading Mediterranean
BY DEREK GATOPOULOS and THANASSIS STAVRAKIS Associated Press
ATHENS, Greece Fishermen in Greece are getting cash payouts to catch toxic fish migrating north into the Mediterranean Sea due to climate change.
The silver-cheeked toadfish is a torpedo-shaped species with prominent, humanlike teeth. Its skin and organs contain a powerful neurotoxin that can cause heart failure in humans if consumed.
Authorities say the fish have not been sighted in bathing areas at Greek island resorts. But in recent weeks, the fish have wreaked havoc for fishermen off the coast of Crete and several other Greek islands, chomping through nets.
“It’s got to the point where we might go out fishing one day and then spend the next
three days fixing our nets,” Giorgos Kyriakakis, of a Cretan fishermen’s association, said.
“They eat our catch and damage our nets — that’s very costly,” he said The fish are believed to have traveled up the Suez Canal and into the Mediterranean, attracted by warming waters. The invasion prompted Cyprus to launch a similar catch program earlier this year Greece’s government is offering about $2.75 per pound for catches of the fish, which is normally found in tropical waters.
“It’s the first time that such a measure has been taken in Greece,” Agriculture Minister Margaritis Schinas, a former European Commission vice president, said The fish a member of the puffer fish family — will be frozen and incinerated at local government facilities
Schinas said. He added that the measure would likely be expanded from the currently affected islands to all Greek waters.
Public concern has been stoked in Greece by online videos posted by Greek fishing crews, showing the fish sinking their teeth into soda cans or pieces of wood.
The Greek Red Cross has issued a public health warning about the fish, outlining first-aid protocols for bleeding caused by potential bites and warning of the deadly neurotoxin in the fish’s organs.
But authorities and businesses on the island of Crete cautioned against overreacting to the fish’s offshore presence.
“The presence of these fish in the Mediterranean has been known for years,” a statement issued Friday by 16 medical and tourism associations on Crete said.
of a broader Europe-backed effort
Greece is building a wider observation network with three European companies, combining thermal satellites, radar satellites capable of seeing through clouds and smoke, and optical satellites that capture highly detailed imagery of the ground.
That network carries a total price tag of $227 million and is funded by the EU.
Falling costs for launch and manufacturing have made the expansion possible.
Additional satellite deploy-
ments are planned by the end of the year
Future ideas
Planners in Athens and across Europe already envision applying the same kind of network far beyond fire detection. Future systems will support border surveillance, crop management, disaster response and heatwave planning.
One priority is identifying urban “heat islands,” allowing authorities to target cooling centers and emergency services more effec-
tively
The ambitions follow a strategic shift to seek greater technological independence. Rattled by Russia’s war in Ukraine and strained trans-Atlantic ties, European governments are reducing dependence on foreign technology
Space infrastructure has become a pillar of that effort.
“These technologies support civil protection, security and, where necessary, defense-related applications,” Dimitris Papastergiou, Greece’s minister of digital governance, said.
“The knowledge generated through these investments should remain in Europe and be combined with other European capabilities, including telecommunications and AI infrastructure,” he said.
Papastergiou announced Friday that the EU is planning to further boost funding for the Greek programs with an additional 350 million euros.
Greece’s satellite network is part of a European push linking launch vehicles, navigation systems, Earth observation networks and secure communications into a more sovereign technological ecosystem.
The goal, officials say, is to move beyond satellite imagery as a passive tool and develop near-real-time decision systems that help governments manage crises as they happen.
The blazing Greek summer will offer an initial test.
By Stevie Cavalier Licciardi
Planners,to-do lists, sticky notes, calendar reminders—for some,eventhe thoughtofthese organizational toolscan make stress levels rise.But when it comestofinancialwellness, asimplechecklist canbeahelpful waytomeasure progress andrevisit goals, as well as make timely adjustments. Amid-year check-in offersanopportunity to take stockofyour financial pictureand stay alignedwithlong-term plans beforesmall oversights becomelargerconcerns.
“Don’t panic, startsmall,” said GregoryRicks, founder, CEO, andwealthadvisor at GregoryRicks TotalWealth. “Small yetconsistentsavings and awarenesstruly matter.” Step One–Determine &ReviewGoals
To devise abudget, long-termand short-term goals must first be clearlydefined. Whilebudgeting canoften getabad rap, it is thepartofthe processwheredreams anddesires areweighed anda plan to attain them is setinmotion.
At GregoryRicks TotalWealth, understandingthe lifestylegoals andobjectivesofclients is aguiding forceinthe financial planning process. In preliminary meetings, clients meet with awealthadvisor to discuss theins andoutsoftheir financial picture, as well as the vision of wheretheywanttobe. Planningfor achild’s education, saving forretirement, building an adequate emergencyfund, starting or sellinga business,going on afamilysummervacation, estate planning,buying ahome—financial objectives canreach farand wide
It is also of greatimportancetoplanfor the unexpectedsurprises life canbring.Thiscould look like majorhomerepairs,unexpectedmedical expenses jobloss, hurricanes,car accidents, etc. Having an emergencyfundpreparedcan help bridge thegap in thesescenarios
“Manyfolks want to travel in retirement,and we encourageour families to setgoals that they areexcited about,”saidRicks.“Butyou need to be able to plan for it,ensuringthatifyou areona fixed income,thatyour income willcontinuetosustain youasyou continue workingtowards your goals.
“For individualswho areonafixedincome, we also look at whethertheir assets andincomesources appear sufficienttosupport theiranticipated spendingneeds over time,” Rickscontinued.“We arelooking at 5, 10 and30years down theroadtosee howfar thefunds canstretch.”
Step Two–AssessYourFinances Reviewingbankand credit card statements,aswell as investment accounts,ona regularbasis is essential to maintainingfinancialhealth. Merelytakingalook canhelpmotivatepositivefinancialsteps,while not beingaware of what is coming in or goingout canhinder progress towardskey financial goals. If mistakes occur, they arelesslikelytoberectifiedina timely fashion.
“It’skindoflikegoing to themechanicfor a diagnostic check. They take alookateverythingand getbacktoyou with theitems that need to be tweaked or fixed,” said Ricks.
“A good question to askyourselfwhenlooking throughyourmonthly statements is ‘Whatare my monthlyexpenses?’,”Ricks continued. “Ifyou find
that youare continuously overextendingyourmonthly budget anddipping into savingsoryouremergency fund follow up with thequestion, ‘Why is this happening? Ricksand histeamofwealthadvisorsbelieve that financial health begins with living within your means. Avital part of that is beingsuretoeliminate theuse of revolvingconsumerdebt.
It’s also importanttobeintouch with your accountant abouttax estimation forretireesand quarterlytaxes whichare required forbusinessowners. If youworka job that issues aW-2,you cancheck on your W-4withholdingstoensureitreflects your current circumstances,soasnot to be withholdingtoo much or toolittleeachyear. Goingthrough insurancecosts andcoveragefor homeowners, car, flood,lifeand other insurancepolicieswillalsohelptopaint thefullpicture Step Three –AdjustasNeeded After goalshavebeenidentifiedand finances reviewed,the next step is making adjustments whereneeded. That couldmeanrevisinga household budget, cuttingbackinareas that no longer alignwith priorities,orallocatingmoremoney toward savings anddebtreduction “You need to ensure youare puttingawaysome moneytowards retirement savings, everymonth,as much as possible,” said Ricks. “The earlieryou begin saving andinvesting, themoretimeyourmoney hasthe opportunitytogrowthrough compounding. AccordingtoRicks,evenifyou areworking to buildanemergency fund or payoff consumer debt consistent saving should be prioritized. Even small amountssaved mayhavea meaningful impact on long-termfinancial outcomes Step Four –BeAware of Deadlines Mid-year is also agreat time to payattention to deadlines. Required minimum distributions(RMD) inheritedretirementaccountrules,quarterly tax payments andother time-sensitive itemscan carry costly consequences if overlooked Families areencouragedtouse this pointinthe year to confirm what needstobewithdrawn,deposited or submittedbeforeyear-end. If youreceive an RMDby check, be sure to deposititbeforethe deadline Step Five –StayAccountable
Thefinalstepisstaying accountable. Financialplans aremosteffective when they arerevisited regularly, especially when life changes. At GregoryRicks Total Wealth,thatmeans ongoingconversations with clients throughquarterly check-insand toolslikethe firm’s GPSportal, whichhelps keep importantinformation andnextsteps in view
In-personand virtualmeetingsare also achance to askpractical questions: What majorlifechanges have occurred in thelastyear? What financial tasks arecurrently incomplete?Whatcould be coming next?
“Havingawealthadvisor givesyou someonetotalk to aboutfinancialdecisions,” said Ricks. “Wecan help identify gaps in your financial frameworkand remind youofmatters as they arise. Objectivefeedbackcan preventcostlymistakes. Formoreinformation on GregoryRicks Total Wealth,visit:www.gregoryricks.com. This articleismeant to be generaland is not investment or financial advice or arecommendation of anykind. Please consultyourfinancial advisor before making financial decisions. Formoredetailed
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By PETROS GIANNAKOURIS
Michel Farah, an OroraTech software engineer, works on a replica of a wildfire-detection satellite at the company’s facilities in Athens, Greece.
Speculation abounds on sheriff’s race
Resignation shakes up political landscape
BY WILLIE SWETT Staff writer
St. Tammany Parish Sheriff
Randy Smith resigned from office effective at 1 p.m. on Wednesday
But by that time, the race to replace him had long been underway. And not long after Smith’s guilty plea and resignation became public, the public’s attention became focused on potential candidates.
In a 10-minute video posted to Facebook at 3:46 p.m. on Wednesday, interim Slidell Police Chief Daniel Seuzeneau, long rumored to be a possible candidate, described some of the factors he was weighing as he decides whether to run.
He’s a young father, he isn’t independently wealthy, and, unlike some other possible candidates, he’s in the middle of his career, Seuzeneau said. Plus,
he’d be leaving the security of a position at the Slidell Police Department for a grueling campaign. “If I do this, I arguably have more to lose than anybody else. The only thing they have to lose is pride, so there’s a lot on the line in the decision that I am about to make,” Seuzeneau said in the video.
During an interview with WWL
Radio a few hours before Smith officially resigned, former New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Ronal Serpas, who lives in Covington and currently teaches criminology at Loyola University New Orleans, said that if Smith resigned, he’d give a run for sheriff a “consideration.” And reached by text on Thursday Sammy O’Keefe a deputy chief in the St. Tammany Sheriff’s
Office who has been rumored to be considering a run for sheriff, said that he will “have an announcement in the coming days.” Smith, the three-term sheriff, pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree battery, a felony, and one count of disturbing the peace through intoxication at the St. Tammany Parish courthouse in Covington on Wednesday He was sentenced to two years of supervised release and admitted to
INVESTING IN THE EAST
Property
owners seek city’s
BY JONI HESS Staff writer
Liberty Bank’s longtime headquarters in New Orleans East is easy to see from Interstate 10, its gleaming six stories rising near Plaza Drive.
But plopped right in front is the lowerslung former headquarters of the Regional Transit Authority, with broken exterior panels, hints of graffiti and a damaged roof. Across the street are the cracked parking lots that once surrounded Lake Forest Plaza before the mall was razed
“Looks like a bomb or something went off there. They really ought to do something about it,” said David Roth on a recent afternoon as he stood outside the Liberty Bank building, where he works at a nonprofit.
Blight is a problem across New Orleans, one that each of the last three city administrations has made a priority In New Orleans East, despite being the focus of decades of studies and showing some recent signs of progress — the issue remains an oft-cited stumbling block to hopes of reviving the area.
A 2024 study commissioned by the City Planning Commission said New Orleans East had over 220 vacant commercially zoned tracts of land and more than 40 vacant storefronts listed for sale. The vacancies were particularly acute near Morrison and the I-10 Service Road and stretches of Chef Menteur Highway, a commercial corridor that studies going back even before Hurricane Katrina have
Archbishop in Rome to get blessing from pope
Annual feast day Mass a family affair
BY BOB WARREN Staff writer
Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, it will be a family affair Checchio, who left for Rome last week, will join other new archbishops to receive the “pallium” from the pope, a white, 2-inch-wide band
woven from lamb’s wool and decorated with six black crosses that Checchio and the other archbishops will wear over their shoulders during important Masses. New archbishops like Checchio who formally took the reins of the Archdiocese of New Orleans in February, make the trip to Rome for the feast day Mass during their first year in the job. Only current archbishops and the Pope can wear the pallium. “It’s kind of a symbol of your unity with the pope and with Peter,”
A 2024 study said New Orleans East had over 220 vacant commercially zoned tracts of land and more than 40 vacant storefronts listed for sale.
BY JAMES FINN Staff writer
STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER
Brian Turner, Patrick Thompson, Robert Mitchell Jr. and Jeff Benjamin pose in front of a property they want to fix up and use on Lake Forest Drive in New Orleans on June 10.
ST. TAMMANY
Smith
See SHERIFF, page 3B
STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER
Continued from page 1B
recommended as areas of investment.
Some developers have successfully invested in the sprawling district But others who own blighted or vacant commercial property said in interviews that lowball offers, worries about storms and a lack of public investment have made it challenging to redevelop buildings and draw commercial tenants.
Now, Mayor Helena Moreno is taking on the issue. Last week, she designated her Deputy Mayor of External Affairs Renee Lapeyrolerie as a point person for the area, where she’ll oversee and help to push forward economic development initiatives.
“New Orleans East remains one of my administration’s top priorities,” Moreno said while announcing her new focus on the district. “We are committed to unlocking the tremendous potential of New Orleans East and ensuring it receives the attention and investment it deserves.”
Redevelopment woes
The East may be a priority of the new administration in City Hall, but developers say the issues plaguing the area since Katrina haven’t changed. They are looking for help on blighted properties that sometimes carry ambiguous ownership, longrunning lawsuits and a lack of funding to make redevelopment projects happen
The white building marring Plaza Drive near Liberty Bank was once home to RTA workers until it was severely damaged in post-Katrina floodwaters. The city gutted and weatherproofed the building before selling it in 2013, though nothing much happened in the years that followed. Hurricane Ida in 2021 damaged the building further and it accumulated numerous city code enforcement violations.
The owner, an entity known as 6700 Plaza Drive LLC, is fighting 13 of those violations, arguing that the city failed to sign remediation permits, among other claims
ZETON
Continued from page 1B
that the former lawman acted as the insurance scam’s chief architect. The testimony often flirted with chaos: Jurors visibly restrained laughter as Zeton flipped questions back on attorneys, called Claus a criminal, claimed to have forgotten his prior fraud convictions, boasted about his youthfulness, spoke over Chief U.S. District Judge Wendy Vitter and addressed her by her first name.
“You talking like he’s an angel from heaven,” Zeton told Claus’ lawyer, Christopher Murell, under crossexamination. “That’s wrong to tell that to the jury, after all that he did.”
Claus, he added later, “came into my home and help me to scam the insurance company bigger than ever through his connections and his crooked friends.”
The former cop’s lawyers told a different story — one in which Zeton, whom they tagged as a career criminal, planned it all and Claus, mired in a divorce and struggling financially fell victim to a political operator whose connections he feared could make or break his career
“Mr. Claus was Mr. Zeton’s insurance policy just like everyone else in his life,” Murell told the jury “He does something bad, he has something he can blame.”
The jury ultimately sided with prosecutors’ version of events Claus was convicted Friday of all but one of six counts he faced. Though he was a witness for the prosecution, Zeton’s testimony seemed to cast doubt on both versions of the story Claus’ attorneys seized on his slipperiness to call him untruthful. Prosecutors acknowledged that he seemed evasive and lacked a grasp of the facts — but
Blighted properties such as this derelict building in New Orleans East continue to decay after being severely damaged in post-Hurricane Katrina floodwaters. Mayor Helena Moreno has taken on the issue of redeveloping the area, designating Deputy Mayor of External Affairs Renee Lapeyrolerie as a point person to help push forward economic development.
in a lawsuit filed last month. Ida also dealt a blow to some business owners because of the insurance issues it spawned during a time of rising construction costs and interest rates. Many badly damaged commercial condo units on Lake Forest Avenue, for example, sat vacant for years, with one building ultimately demolished for public safety reasons.
Brian Turner, a psychology professor at Xavier University who co-owns one of the units with his fraternity organization, said the buildings deteriorated over time as they searched for solutions.
Turner argued that it’s been difficult for an average citizen to access resources or guidance on how to move forward with renovating the property.
“We have not been able to crack the code of what resources are available to us to put this property back into commerce via redevelopment,” he said Lowball offers John Schwegmann said other issues have kept him from improving on properties owned through a family trust. Along Bullard Avenue sit the graffiti-covered shells of a former Toys ‘R’ Us, Circuit City which
later became a Big Lots — and Schwegmann’s Brothers Giant Supermarket. All but the supermarket are owned by the Schwegmann trust, which was spawned from the family’s pioneering chain of low-cost, one-stop supercenter stores.
In a wide-ranging interview, Schwegmann, now 80, said he’s constantly looking for buyers or tenants for those properties and several others. Just keeping them tidy has cost him millions of dollars. He’s decided against making any repairs after thieves ransacked the former Big Lots’ ceiling tiles to get to lighting wires inside and stole new heating and air-conditioning units.
“I am not going to go out and repair all of that without a tenant secured,” he said.
At the same time, Schwegmann said he believes the properties’ condition, as well as poor perceptions of the East, keep resulting in lowball offers from investors.
“They think. ‘Oh, there’s graffiti on the thing, let me give you $50,000,’” he said.
It’s also financial issues that are keeping the Lake Forest Plaza site, farther down Plaza Drive, from seeing any redevelopment, according to its owner, Gowri Kailas, who said last year that he’s trying to settle millions owed in back taxes and other obligations
STAFF FILE PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER
Fouad Zeton, center, walks into the U.S. District Court on Poydras Street in New Orleans flanked by his lawyers on April 26, 2023. Zeton testified in federal court last week on his and ex-officer Christian Claus’ art fraud scheme.
argued that was evidence Zeton was incapable of masterminding complex insurance fraud on his own
“You can not like Zeton,” the lead prosecutor, Assistant U.S. Attorney Chandra Menon, said during closing arguments “I’ve got no problem with that. You can not trust Zeton, I’ve got no problem with that either He was evasive sometimes, not answering questions.”
Zeton “cannot do this scheme alone,” Menon’s coprosecutor, Tiwana Wright, told the jury
“He needed the defendant’s expertise,” Wright said.
Zeton’s attorney, Walter Becker, said he will be sentenced sometime in the future.
“Fouad pled guilty for what he did in this matter and testified truthfully,” Becker said Claus, Becker added, “was the mastermind of this thing in terms of the artwork.”
Slippery statements
Zeton’s testimony became particularly difficult to follow during his cross examination, when he gave Murell a series of conflicting answers about his prior criminal history From 1999 to 2004, when Zeton operated a painting business as “Fred the Painter,” court records
show he pleaded guilty to allegations that he cheated customers out of work they paid for
Zeton acknowledged under questioning from Menon having served jail time for those offenses. Less than 24 hours later, he seemed to say on the stand that he did not remember the convictions at all.
“You tell the jury I was arrested every day, every afternoon,” he told Murell. “You keep talking about my past, what I did 20 years ago.”
“You OK (with) what he did,” Zeton said, gesturing to Claus, “as a police officer?”
Growing visibly agitated, Murell asked: “Is there a reason you can’t answer my yes or no questions?”
“I say yes,” Zeton responded, “to make you happy.”
“Don’t answer to make him happy,” Vitter interjected. “Answer truthfully.”
“Yes,” Zeton responded. “Truthfully.”
Cantrell case roadblocks
Zeton testified that he moved to the U.S. in 1980 from Damascus, Syria. He enmeshed himself in local politics, entering the boxing ring for fundraising matches attended by local leaders
— his fight name: “The Syrian Destroyer” and, according to court records, by
Mayor Helena Moreno speaks during a news conference on Tuesday at DeGaulle Manor in Algiers, where city officials announced the long-awaited demolition of a former apartment complex. Some developers who own blighted or vacant commercial property in the area expressed concern over storms and a lack of public investment.
velop the property in 2022, turning it into a sleek 144unit apartment complex targeting low-to-middle income residents.
I think that’s what people are waiting for.”
barring him from redeveloping the space.
Perception versus reality
Of course, other developers of commercial properties have had more success in the East. Business owners Aaron and Pystia Jordan were told no by lenders when they first applied for a loan a decade ago to purchase an abandoned commercial building on Lake Forest Avenue.
He asked to speak to the bank’s higher-ups about why he was denied and after days of review, they reversed the decision, he said.
“They don’t think a business would make it here, that’s the perception versus reality,” he said, pointing to his Universal Printing business of 15 years. Supported by a federal tax break, the Jordans bought and renovated an empty row of offices at the site, bringing in a workers’ union, a law practice and an event venue.
On Chef Menteur Highway, the former hotel known as the “Caveman” building remained a highprofile symbol of blight for 15 years until developer Peter Gardner bought it 2017. Utilizing state and federal historic building tax credits and armed with the support of elected officials, Gardner spent $10 million to rede-
extending important people cheap business offers.
By the late 2010s, that meant offering up fundraising space at his events hall, the Magnolia Mansion. He became acquainted with the future mayor, LaToya Cantrell, in 2015 while she was on the City Council. At her victory party in the mayoral primary two years later, Zeton alarmed her advisers by rushing the stage and draping a prize fighter’s belt over her shoulders.
When federal agents raided the Magnolia Mansion in 2021 and seized Zeton’s phone, the move was viewed by some legal insiders as a sign that federal agents might be ramping up a probe of Cantrell. Three years later, Zeton’s text messages formed the linchpin of an indictment of a local electrician accused of bribing the mayor, whom Zeton often portrayed to people around him as a close friend.
As Cantrell’s scandalplagued second term unfolded, though, months passed without an indictment of the sitting mayor Questions swirled about the status of the federal probe. Zeton’s reputation as a less-than-reliable verbal narrator sources familiar with the case and trial bar veterans told The Times-Picayune at the time, formed one theory for why the federal case may have hit roadblocks.
When Cantrell was indicted last August on wire fraud, obstruction and other counts, the charges focused squarely on behavior related to her alleged romantic relationship with her former NOPD bodyguard, Jeffrey Vappie. Neither Zeton nor the electrician, Randy Farrell, were mentioned in the charging document.
Becker said they do not know yet if Zeton will testify in Farrell or Cantrell’s cases. Trips to Syria
Zeton sold his stake in the
Without that support, Gardner said the project wouldn’t have happened.
More support
Last year, the City Council set aside $1 million for a study to provide recommendations later this year on how to revive the area.
The funding was cut amid the city’s budget crisis.
“How can you expect a renaissance in New Orleans East if you’re not willing to fund a renaissance plan?”
said Oliver Thomas, the area’s former council member who championed the plan.
Developer Christy Verges, whose late father built a massive real estate portfolio in the East starting in the 1970s, said the family is committed to reinvesting in the area and helping entrepreneurs open small businesses. But more support from the city and state is key
The Verges own five active strip malls and three small office buildings in the area, as well as a vacant six-story medical building across from the New Orleans East Public Library on Read Boulevard.
“It’s going to take a commitment from the city and the state to invest dollars there for people to believe it’s a wise investment,” Verges said. “I think the new mayor understands this, and
Magnolia Mansion several years ago. Now he spends his time chatting up customers at his gas station on Elysian Fields Avenue. His pending federal sentencing did not stop him from visiting his native Syria in late 2024, after the fall of former President Bashar Al Assad’s dictatorship, which Zeton blamed on the witness stand for killing one of his brothers.
Videos on his Facebook page showed him parading through the streets of Damascus with the Syrian flag draped around his shoulders.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office allowed the trip, Zeton testified last week.
“My former attorney said, ‘Don’t leave town until you talk to Mr. Chandra,’” he told Murell. “Is that a crime?”
Again, Vitter cut in: “You don’t ask the questions.”
Zeton’s former lawyer, David Courcelle, is now the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana and recused from Claus’ case.
On Thursday, the day before the jury returned its verdict, Claus’ legal team called Zeton back as a defense witness. Murell grilled him about an unemployment assistance application Zeton filed while he owned the
Many agree that the city needs to do more to incentivize new businesses, enforce penalties on absentee landowners and maintain cityowned property. District E City Council member Jason Hughes did not respond to an interview request, but he’s previously succeeded in passing legislation that revoked tax exemptions from nonprofit slumlords. And he’s taken city officials to task over a lack of headway on New Orleans East projects such as the revival of Lincoln Beach and the Lake Forest Plaza site.
During her campaign, Moreno maintained that the East would be a top priority She’s also pledged to commercialize blighted properties, crack down on dumping and litter and to recruit new businesses to the area. Turner, who owns the condo unit on Lake Forest Avenue, said much of the work of revival will nevertheless fall on local residents.
“The East was built to be an extension of New Orleans with a lot more space and opportunities to grow,” Turner said “Now it’s a question of how can motivated folks living in the East access support to invest in our community, versus waiting on others to see the potential that’s out here.”
Email Joni Hess at joni. hess@theadvocate.com.
Magnolia Mansion during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“You were never laid off by the Magnolia Mansion — you were the owner of it, right?” Murell asked. Zeton said his accountant filled out the form, adding “I don’t know how to do it.” Later, though, he conceded he “believed” he had accepted unemployment benefits from the state. Finally, he was free to go. “Thank you, Judge Wendy,” he said to Vitter As he stepped from the witness box, he held his hand to his chest and nodded to the jury James Finn covers federal law enforcement and courts for The TimesPicayune | The Advocate. Reach him at jfinn@ theadvocate.com or on Signal at jamesfinn.82.
STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER
STAFF PHOTO By BRETT DUKE
SHERIFF
Continued from page1B
beating up Bobby Couvillion, avocal online critic of his, at Keith Young’sSteakhousenear Madisonville Aspecial election to fill the remainder of Smith’s term will likely be held Nov.3,joining aballot that includes the U.S. Senate race. Approval of the Nov 3election, withany runoffs set for Dec. 12, is on the agenda of aspecial St. Tammany Parish Council meeting setfor Monday night.
Political consultantJames Hartman, who has run numerous northshore campaigns, said the outcomeof this race could influence who wins afull-term in the fall of 2027, which is the next regular sheriff’s election.
“It improves the chances for reelection, given the general incumbent’sadvantageand name recognition throughholding office,” Hartman said. “But it also gives an incredible opportunity for failure if elected by apopulation that didn’t know you very well.”
While Smith had not been expected to run for afourth term, his resignation on Wednesday,and the abrupt resignation of Jeff Boehm, Smith’ssecond-in-command the day before, has dramatically shaken up the political landscape of the parish.
For now,Brett Ibert, who has nearly 30 years in the agency, is serving as interim sheriff. He has indicated he doesn’tplan to run for the office, saying in astatement on Wednesday,“my role here is not to begin a
political campaign.”
Because Smith resigned more than ayear before his term expiresonJune 30, 2028, state law requires a special election for someone tobeelected to fillthe remainder of the term.
As an alternativetoan election in the fall, the Parish Councilcould opt for one in spring of 2027. If for somereason thecouncil doesn’tvote on election datebyJuly 8, the election would default to April 2027
Hartman said the election date couldaffect who ends up running, howthey shape theircampaign, and how much money they can raise.
Sheriff’scampaignsare often some of the most expensive in the parish,hesaid, with candidates sometimes spendingclose to $500,000.
“Raising that kind of money in ashort of amount of time just creates an extra layer of challenge,” Hartmansaid
Chris Bell, aformer sheriff’s deputyand DEAagent whosays he plans to run for office, said he thinks a November electionisbest to getnew leadership over theagency as soon as possible. But, he added, “If it’s an April election, you probably havemore people that would run.”
Bell, who nowworks for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security,was among thesix candidates listed on apoll sent to some St.Tammany Parish residentsvia text message on Wednesday asking for their preferences.
Also among them was the former head of Louisiana State Police, Col. Robert P. Hodges, who plans to retire from State Police in thefall. Reached by phone Thursday,Hodges, who lives in St. Tammany Parish, declined to comment, noting he is still acolonel
with State Police. Serpasand Seuzeneau also did notrespondtoa phone call and text message on Thursday. Another person on thepoll, Heath Miller,a lieutenant with State Police assigned to theCovington office, could not immediately be reached for comment.
It would cost theparish government an estimated $12,300toput thesheriff’s race on the November ballot, and $130,700 to be on the December ballotifthere is arunoff. The parish will have to pay for theelection out of itsbeleaguered general fund, Council Administrator Mary Burckell said.
But the cost to put it on the November ballot is likely less thananApril 2027 race, said JohnLong, aspokesperson for the Secretaryof State’sOffice. Because there are anumberofconstitutional amendments on the November ballot, the state will share much of the cost
The lower cost was one reason St.Tammany Parish President Mike Cooper said he supportsthe fall date.
Parish Council member Impastatosaid he was also leaning toward aNovember date, but said he was notyet decided.
“You want to have elected officials—the accountable people —inoffice as soon as possible.” Impastato said. At the same time,hesaid, “What if people who are running for sheriffhaven’t had enough timefor it?”
Northshore District Attorney Collin Simsdeclined to commentabout his preference of an election date or candidate.But, he said, “It’simportant. Considering the track record of things, it’stime to start gettingthese things right.”
Email Willie Swett at willie.swett@theadvocate. com.
BLESSING
Continued from page1B
Checchio told The TimesPicayune.
“It’slike ayoke. It goes over your shoulders and hangs down,” he said, adding that it symbolizes a“yoking” to Christ and to Peter,which the Roman Catholic Church considers the first pope.
Fifty-four new archbishops will receive the pallium, including four from the U.S.
Among the contingent accompanying Checchio to Rome will be his 89-year-old mother,HelenChecchio, and other family members.
The archbishop arrived in New Orleans last fall from New Jersey,where he had been bishop of the Diocese of Metuchensince 2016.Heis close to his mother,who lives in New Jersey and is often referencedinhis homilies.
“Wetalk every day,” he said. He lived in Rome for 20 years, including astint as rector of the Pontifical North American College from 2006 to 2016. While there, he said, he would attend theMasseachyear to see the pope give the pallia to the new archbishops.
“It’sanancient tradition,” Checchio said. “But it’ssurreal that we’re preparingto go for my own (Mass).”
The pallium is steeped in religious tradition.The wool comes from lambs that were presented to Pope Leo in January,onthe occasion of the Memorial of St Agnes of Rome, according
to Vatican News. The pope blesses thelambs, which are then sheared Checchio said the pallia areplacedinto the tomb of St.Peter,beneath the main altarofthe basilica, on the night before the Mass. The pope enters the tomb to retrieve the vestments the day ofthe ceremony While Checchio andthe other archbishops will be afocus of Monday’sMass, at least some of Checchio’s focuswill be on his family
Duringa Mass Thursday, Checchio blessed the marriage of his sister and brother-in-law,Linda and Eddy McCarron, who alsolivein New Jersey and are in Rome this week for the events. In June 2001,Checchio, at the timeamonsignor, presided over thecouple’s wedding at thebasilica.
“So we’re going to have a 25th anniversary celebration in the same chapel where they got married,” Checchio had said beforehand.
Three other American
NewOrleans Area Deaths
Anderson, Frank Berthelot, LaVon Brooks III, Walter Caldwell, Eugenia Davis, Ethel Doyle, James Freeman,Alvin JunkinIV, John Lindner, Darlene Ludwig Sr., Donald Mehaffie,Emily Musacchia,Salvador Ronan,Angelina Schaubhut,Nancy Spruille,Bobby Stein, Russell Tarsney, Mary Toups,David Vance, George
EJefferson Leitz-Eagan Vance, George NewOrleans
Boyd Family
merchant seaman.He wouldoften say that he hadbeen aroundthe world more than 3times since he hadset foot on eachofthe 7continents on at least 3 differentoccasions. June wouldcontinuein hisaffinityfor the water as acareerLongshoreman untilhis retirement June accepted Jesus Christ as hisLordand Saviorand wasbaptized at FranklinAve Baptist Church.June'sfavorite scripturewas the 23rd Psalmwhichheprayed nightlywith theLord's Prayer untilhis passing He wastaughtthese scripturesinhis grandmother's kitchen as achild andcarried themwithhim throughout hisentire life. Hisfavorite hymn was "Tonethe Bells -DoneGot Over". June leaves to cherish hismemory hisdevoted daughterTraceyAnderson -Zenon,nieceConstance Brooms, sister Roselyn Honore',son-in-law Norbert Zenon,dedicated aideQuintana Jackson and ahostofother nieces, nephews, cousins, family andfriends He wasprecededin death by hislovingand devotedwife Yvonne Anderson, motherGladys Jolibroe Carrierand father Frank Anderson Sr Frank willtruly andforever be missed butwill live on in the memories of those wholove him.
Relativesand friends of thefamilyare invited to theFuneral Serviceson Monday June 29, 2026 at D.W. Rhodes Funeral Home 3933 Washington Ave Visitation will begin at 9:00am Funeral will startat 10:00am. Internmentwill take place at Mt.Olivet Cemetery,New Orleans, LA. Servicesare entrusted to D.W. Rhodes Funeral Home. Please visit www.rhodesfuneral.com. to sign the guest on line
Brooks III, Walter Charbonnet Davis, Ethel DW Rhodes Anderson, Frank Freeman,Alvin Greenwood Ronan,Angelina Berthelot, LaVonPrice
JacobSchoen
Berthelot, LaVon
Lake Lawn Metairie JunkinIV, John Mehaffie,Emily Tarsney, Mary St Bernard
CharbonnetLabat
Ludwig Sr., Donald West Bank
Mothe
Doyle, James Lindner, Darlene Schaubhut,Nancy Stein, Russell Toups,David Obituaries
Anderson, Frank
archbishops will receive the pallium alongside Checchio: James Golka of theArchdiocese of Denver; RonaldHicks of theArchdioceseofNew York;and MarkRivitusoofthe Archdiocese of Mobile. Checchio said his predecessor,Archbishop EmeritusGregoryAymond, is also making the trip to Rome. Aymond received a pallium from Pope Benedict XVIin2009. Checchio said he hopes thenew archbishops get to spend alittletimetalking with thepope, but he doesn’tknow howthe schedule will shake out “It really is agreat time of excitement,” Checchio said. “It’satime for New Orleans to shine abit.And given theconnection with Leo and his family’shistory here, it makes it even moreso.”
Email reporter Bob Warren at bwarren@ theadvocate.com
"The LORD is my Shepherd;I shall not want .Surelygoodness and mercy shall follow me all thedaysofmylife: and Iwilldwell in thehouse of theLORDfor ever." Psalm 23:1,6 Frank AndersonJr. peacefully entered Eternal Life to rejoicewith his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on June 23, 2026 at theage of 91 in thelovingembrace of his daughter. Frank -affectionately known as "June" by family and friends- was born on August 17, 1934 to Gladys Jolibroe and Frank AndersonSr. in New Orleans. He was raised by his grandparents Louise Fierce Leeand NatLee. June was educatedin theNew Orleans public school system at BookerT WashingtonHS. June was married to the love of his life -Yvonne Gant Anderson- for57 years until her passing.To this unionwas born his devoteddaughterTracey. June lovedthe water and travelled extensively as aNavysights-setteron theUSS FranklinD Roosevelt and laterasa
It is with greatsadness thatweannouncethe passing of LaVonPrice Berthelot,81, who died suddenlyinher home on Monday, June 22, 2026 LaVon wasa bright lightin the world, apassionate, in‐tense,eccentric woman who,atonly4-foot-10, was somuchlargerthanlife. She wasincrediblygener‐ous,extraordinarily loyal and loving,and impres‐sivelystubborn. She filled the hearts of herfamily and friendswithlove, joy, and laughter.LaVon Gaye Price wasborninOak Hill, WV,onApril 17, 1945. She leftWestVirginiaafter highschooland movedto New York,startinga job withUnitedAirlinesatJFK Airport.She meta West Point cadetnamed HenryJ Berthelot,who became the love of herlife. On June 8,
1967, they marriedand started theirincredible journey together,one that showedthe true meaning ofunconditional love and commitmentand happi‐ness, as well as fierce pa‐triotismand survival.They settled in OldMetairiein 1970 andfound theperfect house fortheir family, which became agathering place forsomanyoverthe years.LaVon’s greatest joy inlifewas beinga wife and motherand grandmother. She livedtotakecareof and love (and feed!) her husband Hank,their three boys, andher five grand‐children. LaVondeeply loved herparents and grandparentsand allofher siblings, andshe con‐stantly shared stories about herentirefamily. LaVon lovedtojet allover the world. In her40years withUnitedAirlinesand in her retirement years, she flew everywhere,all over the place, experiencing so muchofwhatthe world has to offerand taking as manypeopleaspossible onthose adventures with her.She lovedtakingfam‐ily membersontrips LaVon wasimmensely proud of herItalian roots and especially enjoyed traveling to Italywithher family, connecting with rel‐ativesinFiumedinisi near Messina on theislandof Sicily.LaVon lovedGod and foryears shesangHis praises in thechoir at St Louis Cathedraland St Catherine of Siena. She adoredher choirfriends She found incredible joyin playing cardsand games. LaVon always hada deck ofcards shuffled and ready to go. Always.She had aregular crew of friends with whomshe playedTexas Hold ‘Emor BridgeorOnzeorBarbu or Casino, andher luck in those gameswas leg‐endary. Yes, shewould def‐initely take your money. Somehow,LaVon always won.Her regularMah Jongg groupwas also a sourceoflaughterand fun. She adored hergame friends.LaVon enjoyed being part of theold guard inher neighborhood,al‐wayskeepingintouch with neighbors up anddownthe street,evenafter they moved away.She adored her neighborhood friends. And LaVonwas an artist She wasa painterand a sculptorfor years, andshe loved thetimeshe spentas a docent at theNew Or‐leans Museum of Art. She had asignature styleand a fashion senseunlikeany‐one else,and heroutfits can only be describedas unique. Shedid things her way.Period. Shealways had acreativeideaoran excitingvisionora wholly different LaVon-plan of somesort, andanyonein‐volvedwas grateful forthe adventure.She lovedbeing activeinthe livesofher three sons,and shedefi‐nitelyenjoyed acting as a mothertoeachand every one of theirfriends as well nomatterhow wild andid‐iotic thosefriends might get.LaVon trulyloved them all.She wasprecededin death by herbeloved hus‐bandHank, herparents, Domenico“Meme”Price and IreneHumphreyPrice, and herolder brother Donny.She is survived by her twosisters,Sharonand Melissa,and herbrother Tony, andher threesons, Dean, Jon(Sarah),and Sean(Jeannine)and five grandchildren –Jessica Dominic,Elise,Isabelle, and Julianne.Visitationat Jacob Schoen &Son Fu‐neralHomewillbe9:00-
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STAFF PHOTO By BRETTDUKE
Archbishop James Checchio takes pictures with attendeesafter AshWednesday Mass at St. Louis Cathedral in NewOrleans on Feb.18. Checchio, wholeft for Rome last week, will join other newarchbishopstoreceiveapallium fromPope LeoXIV on Monday
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ANDREW MEDICHIN
Pope Leo XIV looksatapallium he blessed for the new metropolitan archbishopsduring aMass in St. Peter’s Basilicaatthe VaticanonJune 29,2025.
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4B ✦ Sunday,June 28,2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ TheTimes-Picayune 11:00am on Monday,June 29, 2026, with Mass at 11:00am anda reception following. LaVonwill finally be reunitedwithHank whenshe is laid to rest with himatArlington Na‐tional Cemetery laterthis Fall.Inlieuof flowers, please consider adonation to Symphony Chorus of NewOrleans,yourlocal church,oryourfavoriteart museum.And please spendsometimeplaying cardswitha friend today. Arrangements by Jacob Schoen &Son Funeral Home .Condolences may be left at www.schoenfh. com.
BrooksIII, Corporal Walter
Corporal Walter Brooks III transitioned on June 15, 2026, at theage of 56. Wal‐terproudly served as a BatonRouge Police Depart‐mentUniform Patrol Offi‐cerinthe 1st District for15 yearswithhonor anddedi‐cation.Heissurvivedby hisbeloved wife of 31 years, Tayaneka S. Brooks; threechildren, WhitneyA Brooks, TaniaA.Brooks, andWalterBrooksIV; and onegrandchild, Leah Tem‐ple.Heisalsosurvivedby onesister, MelanieMooreJones; threenieces, Kiana Scott, JessicaMoore, and JasmineJones;one aunt DoloresB.Dickerson;and a host of relativesand friends. Walter waspre‐cededindeath by hispar‐ents,WalterBrooksJr. and Rosemary Webb Brooks, andhis brother, Keith Jerome Scott. ACelebra‐tion of Life Servicewillbe held in hishonor.Pastor Jonathan Everett, officiat‐ing. Intermentwillfollow at Mount Olivet Cemetery Linear BrooksBoydand DonavinD.BoydOwn‐ers/FuneralDirectors (504)282-0600.
Eugenia Dickey Caldwell died June 8, 2026, following acatastrophic stroke. Born June 25, 1944, shewas 81 years old. She was born and grew up in Texarkana, AR, the daughter of DavidEarl Newbold and Margaret Stuart Wilson Newbold Her father died when she was an infant. Her mother later married Kenneth Hall Dickey who adopted Eugenia, and her last name changed to Dickey Shealways excelled academically to the consternation of her younger sister, Paula, who was not astudent of note. Eugenia graduated from St. James Country Day School Arkansas Senior High School, and Sweet Briar College, VA -her mother's alma mater. Following her junior year abroad at St. Andrew's University, Scotland, she graduated with aBAinmath, Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa. After graduation, Eugenia and Paula traveled through Europe for the summer, somehow managing to endure each other for two months. Eugenia movedto London to start her career in computer science. There she met her future husband, John Ford. The Fords lived in Dallas, TX, where Eugenia worked at National Cash Register, continuing to develop what became an outstanding career in computer science. They later moved to New Orleans, where she was employed by the National Finance Center/Michoudand Ochsner. She thoroughly enjoyed life in New Orleans, renovatinga beautiful Victorian cottage, and always attending Jazz Fest. Eugenia made manyfriends as amember of the Junior League of New Orleans. Years later, Eugenia and her second husband, Peter Caldwell moved to San Francisco, CA, where she continued
to excel in computer science,atIBM. Eugenia was ahighly intelligent, disciplined, vibrant and well-informed person with aquick wit and agreat senseofhumor. She had aknack for developing lasting friendships throughout her life. Formany happy years, she enjoyed birding around the world, from New Zealand to Brazil to Madagascar. Birding was her passion! At home, she doted on her doubleyellow-naped Amazon parrot,Darling- a smallgreen bird with a huge personality. Eugenia loved life in San Francisco with top-levelballets, beautifulgardens, art museums and interestingarchitecture- and herTown and Country Club near Gump's Unfortunately,Eugenia suffered amajor debilitating stroke six yearsago, and two yearslater,a serious fall. Always, she coped with her manyhealthissues with grace, good humor and acceptance. Thirty years aftermoving to SanFrancisco, as age took its toll,Eugenia and Peter returned to New Orleans to be near her devoted sister, Paula. A strokeonJune 7ended her life thenextday Eugenia was predeceased by herfather, David Newbold;her mother and step-father,Margaret and Kenneth Dickey;her first husband,John Ford; and herparrot, Darling Sheissurvived by her husband, Peter Caldwell; her loving sister, PaulaDickey; step-daughters Catherine Comer and KimberlyBeck; closeNewbold cousins; and manydearfriends Shewillbeinterred in the family plot in Texarkana, AR, accompanied by the remains of her belovedparrot. If you would like to make adonation in hermemory, she was especially supportive of the National Audubon Society.
EthelMae Davis, ade‐votedmother, cherished grandmother, will be re‐membered forher unwa‐vering faith, loving spirit, warm smile, andthe kind‐ness shesharedwith everyone shemet,entered eternalrestonJune 22, 2026. Sheleavestocherish hermemoryher ONLY daughter,Jehan (Lavone) Davis, andthree grandchil‐dren,Jyra, Da'Vine, and Eric Davis; sister,Delores (Louis)Adams;along with ahostoffamilyand friends. Shewas preceded in deathbyher parents, Otis DavisSr. andLuevillia TerrellDavis;daughters, Jaquelineand Bobbie Jean Davis; andson,OtisDavis Jr.She will be foreverloved andforever remembered.A CelebrationofLifewillbe held at FirstShilohMis‐sionaryBaptist Church 2507 PerdidoSt.,New Or‐leans, LA on Tuesday, June 30, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. Visi‐tation at 9:00 a.m. Inter‐ment -St. VincentDePaul Cemetery No 2, 1950 Soniat St NewOrleans,LA. Please sign theonline guestbook at www.cha rbonnetfuneralhome.com. Charbonnet LabatGlapion Directors, (504) 581-4411.
Doyle, James Regis'Brendan' James“Brendan” Regis DoylediedonJune 23 at Woldenberg Villageafter battlingdementiaforfour‐teen years. Brendan, as he wasknown to hisfriends wasbornonJanuary 14, 1946 in Detroit, Michigan to late Roseanna Florence Dunn Doyleand thelate John Paul Doyle. He is sur‐vivedbyStephen Kuehling, hispartner of 39 years, and theircat,Finbar. He is also survived by siblingsPatri‐ciaElizabeth Gross, Dennis John Doyle, John Michael Doyle, Daniel Paul Doyle, TheresaFrances Bridget Doyle, GregoryCharles Doyle, ChristopherErwin Doyleand Kathleen Roseanne Doyle. He is pre‐cededindeath by hissis‐ters Margaret MarieDoyle andSandraJeanDoyle and hisbrothersRichard Hugh Doyleand WilliamGerard Doyle. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews. Brendanwas a musician-playing,writing andteachingmusic.He wasa person ofmanytal‐ents who wore histalents lightly.Hewas agentle soul who,asa teacher, not only taught musicbut
shared hisloveofmusic with thosehetaught. Our Brendanled an interesting life,tosay theleast.He hadthe blessing of meet‐ingMatthew Foxin1971 in Chicago. He andMatt movedtoMassachusetts soon after this.While Matt taught collegeBrendan sang in anightclub twicea week.Somewhere around 1972, they movedbackto Chicagowhere Brendan taught acourseinastrol‐ogy as well as acourseon musicians. From therehe taught “artistasspiritual voyager,”aswellasteach‐ingthe worksofMahler, Beethoven, Mozart,Bruck‐ner, Bach,and thesinging of HildegardofBingen’s music. In 1983 Matt and Brendanmoved to Oak‐land,California, andset up theInstitute of Cultureand Creation Spirituality at Holy NamesCollege.At Holy Nameshetaughtmu‐siciansasspiritual direc‐tors andHildegard’s music as well as beingthe Ad‐ministratorofthe Spiritual‐ityInstitute.Brendan wasa loverofanimals.InOak‐land,California, he hadthe companionshipofTristan, an American Eskimo dog. In NewOrleans he and Stephen, over athirtyyear period,lived with dozens of cats andtheywerea very real part of theirlives as loving friendsand com‐panions. In 1986 Brendan metStephen Kuehling,who wasonsabbaticalatHoly NamesCollege.In1987 Stephenmoved to Oakland to be with Brendan. In 1990 they movedtoNew Or‐leansand made Algiers Pointtheir home.The rest is asuccessionofcats. If oneweretosum up this life of eighty years, per‐haps thebestway of de‐scribing it wouldbeasa life of simplicity. Forall the many hats which he wore, Brendanwas nota compli‐catedperson. Forall his talentshewas simply a good person.Stephen and therestofBrendan’s fam‐ilywishtothank thestaff of Woldenberg Village for thecompassionate care giventoBrendan.Thanks arealsodue to thestaff of OchsnerHospitalonBelle Chasse Highway. Over the past severalyears they, too, gave thebestofcare to Brendan. AMassof ChristianBurialwillbecel‐ebratedatHolyNameof Mary Church in Algiers PointonTuesday,June 30, at 11:00,withvisitationat 10:00. MotheFuneralHome is assistingthe familydur‐ingthisdifficult time.Con‐dolences andmemories maybesharedbyvisiting Susan’smemorialpageat: www.mothefunerals.com
AlvinBush Freemanwas born on January 26, 1944 to Lillian Leblanc Freemanin NewOrleans, Louisiana. Alvinansweredthe Master's call and entered intoEternal Rest on June 1, 2026. Throughout his life, Alvinalways strivedtobe thebest he could be and took everyopportunityto help others do thesame. His earlyyears were spent growing up in uptown New Orleans. He attended Booker T. WashingtonHigh School in NewOrleans and was agraduateof Southern UniversityinNew Orleans. Alvinserved in theU.S.Army and was honorably discharged in 1969. Alvinbegan hisciviliancareer as an accountant at Shell OilCompany where he workedfor 15 years. He then joined RobinsonElectric where he continued his accounting career. He branched out into entrepreneurship and foundedJ&A Heating and RefrigerationCompany aftertaking advantageofthe GI Continuing Education Program where he earned his HVAC certification. He served as Founder and CEO until his retirement in 2010. Alvinlived alifefilledwith enthusiasm forfamily and friends.Heloved caring for family,especiallyhis sisters, alwaysgiving advice and directiontoanyone who wouldlisten. He loved good food,morning walks in theJoe Brown Park and fellowship with theBurger King Coffee Club. He was an avid fan of horse racing always captivated by the strategy, and spirit of the sport. He was aman of faith, kindness and generous spirit.Alvin leaves behind alegacy of love and fond memories forall who knew and lovedhim. He was precededin death by his belovedpar-
ents. His beloved sister, Mildred FreemanTheard, brothers-in-law, Russell J. Veazie, JosephC.Theard and Herbert R. Williams, Jr., auntsand uncles, Evelina, Maude, Irma, Lydia, Morris and Alvin LeBlanc. Left to cherish hismemoryishis wife, Christine Freeman; Two sons, Alvin L. Freeman(Roberta) and Jeffery Freeman(Dawn); care giverand devoted sister, Barbara F. Williams; five grandchildren, Janey, London, AlvinJeffery, Amani and Ava Freeman; nephews, Roy Williams, III (Dana), Russell J. Veazie, III; nieces, Jacqueline Veazie, CherylHonore (Greg),SylviaVeazie, Lela Stewart (Ted) and Lillian Fields(Gordon); God-children,Stephen Bailey,Lela Stewart and Floyd Summers, and theBurger King Coffee Club. He also leaves to share in sorrow a host of othernieces, nephews, cousins, relativesand friends. Relatives and friendsofthe family are invitedtoattenda Mass of ChristianBurialat St.MariaGorettiCatholic Church, 7300 Crowder Blvd NewOrleans, Louisianaon Tuesday, June 30, 2026 at 11:00am. Visitation willbeginat10:00am. Interment: Southeast Louisiana Veterans Cemetery. Arrangementsentrusted to D.W.RhodesFuneral Home,3933 Washington AveNew Orleans, Louisiana. Please visit www.rhodesfuneral.com to sign theonline guestbook
John Evans Junkin IV born February 5, 1947, passed peacefullyonMay 24, 2026. John was born in Miami Beach and grew up in CoralGables,the only son of John Evans Junkin III (Jack) and CarolynJunkin. Aproud descendant of one of Miami'sfounding families,hewas atrue Miamian.
Agraduateofthe University of Florida SchoolofArchitecture, John workedwithCharles Harrison Pawley fora decade,where he met his wife, Cynthia Dembrow, a fellowarchitect.Helater worked withRobert Bradford Browne before opening hisown firm, PJB Architects.
John and Cynthiawelcomed twodaughters, Stella and Marjorie, after he turnedforty. He wasa very devoted father. The family was fortunateto live on ablock with two dozenchildrenunder the ageofeight. Each afternoon, trafficcones were set out and families would pour outside with tricycles and toys. As the sun would set,John and Cynthia led their daughters home, extolling these as theirglory days
An avid sailor, John took family and friends outon thewater nearlyevery weekend. He was especially proud of winning the Biscayne Bay Columbus Day Regatta aboardhis own Tartan yawl, the
Cynthia. He wasalso part of thecrew whowon other races offshore on his friend'syacht, Le Mistral. When hisdaughters discoveredhorseback riding at averyyoung age, as John had,heeventually sold hisboat andtraded sailingfor life as their groom. In later years, John developeda passion for flats fishinginthe Everglades, andearlier pursuits of handball andrunning were tradedinfor tennis. John also lovedtotravel, and cherished hissummers with familyinNorth Carolinaand France. Adevoted friend, John's close circle remained an importantpartofhis life. He hada deep love forthe natural world, and spent countlessweekendswith hiswife anddaughters exploringthe Everglades Fairchild Gardens,and Biscayne Bay. Later, he passedthatpassion on to hisgranddaughterAnnick, with whom he spent many happy hours exploring nature together. Throughouthis career, John workedonmultiple projects at theMiami International Airport,as well as manyarchitecturally significant residences and schools throughout SouthFlorida.
John is survived by his wife, Cynthia Dembrow Junkin; his daughterStella BlairRomanov andher husband, Severin NicholayevichRomanov; hisgrandchildren, Annick Severine Romanovand Luca Maxim Romanov; and hisdaughter, Marjorie Sue Junkin.
He will be remembered for hisdevotion to family, hislove of thenatural world, andthe friendships he nurtured throughouthis life.
Acelebration of John's life will be held at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden on July 11, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. in theGarden House.
If you wish to make a donation in John'shonor, please consider Alzheimer'sAssociation or anyFrontotemporal Dementiaassociation of your choice
DarleneMarie Lindner passedawaypeacefullyon Thursday,June 25, 2026, at theage of 72. Shewas born in NewOrleans,Louisiana on December 7, 1953 to Amelia andthe late James Sheasby. Shewas thewife of Terry Reyes, andthey hadtwo children together: Terry ReyesLindner (the late Linda),and Troy Reyes Lindner(Heather).She latermarried Gene Lind‐ner, who shestumbled upon by accident whenshe ranintohis mail truck while he wasworking for thePostOffice.Heasked herfor coffee, andthe two fell deeply in love,marry‐inginMay of 1980. She gained 4children: Craig Lindner(Linda),Denise Nunez(Arthur), DavidLind‐ner(Ivy),and Jeanine Chapman(Tex).Darlene is thegrandmother of Emily Hartzog(Leland), Kemp Hartzog(Victoria), Saige
Nunez, MackensieHarris (Deaton),TylerLindner Noah Lindner(Alyssa), Skylar Lindner, Celeste Chapman, andChelsea Chapman; andgreatgrandmotherofEloiseHar‐ris, BakerHarris, Levi Hart‐zog, WyattHartzog, and ElenaDarlene Lindner. She is also survived by hersib‐lings, nieces,nephews, cousins, andwonderful lifelong friends. Darlene startedasa KeyPunch Data Reporter forIOSA, andworkedher wayupthe corporateladderinthe Oil andGas Industry as she became the firstwoman OilScout employed by Amoco. Shewas anativeof NewOrleans,Louisiana, andproud resident of Belle Chasse where shebuilt her dreamhomewithher love in 1982. Shesharedher home with countless friends, family, and strangersalong theyears Darlenewas deeply de‐votedtoher faith,family, andcareer.Overthe 45 year span of herOiland Gascareer,she developed adatabasesystemthat savedher companyhun‐dredsofthousands of dol‐lars.She shared bits of her craft with herhusband such as visits to drill sites, helicopter rides, andcol‐lectingsamples.Darlene wasloving, compassion‐ate, intelligent, andmost of alla very caring person to anyone shemet.Her presence waspurewarmth andcomfort.She enjoyed alloutdoor activities,boat‐ing, swimming andmostof allspendingtimeriding horses.She andGenewere membersofthe Lost and Found Riding Groupwhere shesharedmanymemo‐ries with friendsand fam‐ily. Shemadetimetotravel theworld andshare some beautifultravels with the ones who lovedher most Gene especially valued theirtimeridingcrosscountryontheir motorcy‐cles-the adventures they hadcreated beautiful memories.Darlene was dedicatedtoher faith,and wasa EucharisticMinister. Shesharedmanyexperi‐enceswithher friend groups “The TuesdayGirls” and“TheHoneys” which were friendsthatgoback to herchildhood.Darlene wasuniqueand irreplace‐able,wellrespected and liked, andwillbedeeply anddearlymissedbyall who knew andloved her. Herspiritand tender na‐ture will remain in the many memories of her cherishedfriends andfam‐ilyuntil they meet her again. Thefamilyex‐pressestheir deepestgrat‐itudetothe outstanding care provided by Compas‐susHospice.Inlieuof flow‐ers, please consider dona‐tionsinmemoryofDarlene MarieLindner to herfa‐vorite charities, including St.JudeChildren's Hospital andthe American Cancer Society. Shefoughta four year long fightofcancer, andwas surrounded by thosewho lovedher most in her finalmoments https://tinyurl.com/StJ udeDarleneLindnerI just helped save alife. Rela‐tivesand friendsare in‐vitedtoattend thefuneral mass on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, at Holy Spirit Catholic Church,6201 Stratford Place, NewOrleans, Louisiana. Visitation to Startat11am, mass to fol‐lowat1pm.All arewel‐come fora celebrationof life at thefamily’shome followingthe services MotheFuneral Home has been entrustedwithfu‐neralarrangements. The familykindlyinvites youto sharethoughts, fondest memories,and condo‐lences online at www.Mot heFunerals.com
Junkin,JohnEvans
Davis, EthelMae
Lindner, DarleneMarie
Caldwell, Eugenia Dickey
Freeman, AlvinBush
Donald J. Ludwig,Sr., age77, aproud resident of St.Bernard Parish,passed away peacefully on Wednesday, June 24, 2026 surrounded by hisloving family. Donald wasbornin NewOrleans,LAtothe late Martin J. andKatherine Ludwig on September6, 1948.Beloved husband of thelateReginaMelan Lud‐wig. Loving father of Kandy Ludwig (Gary) andDonald Ludwig,Jr. (Bobbie). Proud grandfather of Jonathan Ludwig.Beloved brotherof Martin Ludwig (Marie), Mary Lauro, Julia Genovese (Stan),James Ludwig (Patsy), DannyLudwigand NancyKeim. In addition to hiswifeand parents, Mr Ludwig is also preceded in deathbybrothersand sis‐ter-in-law,AngeloLauro, John Keim andAngelaLud‐wig. Please sign theonline guestbook at www.cha rbonnetfuneralhome.com. Finalarrangementsen‐trustedtoCharbonnet Family Services (504) 3021520.
Mehaffie, Emily Hayne Walker
Emily Hayne Walker Mehaffie passed away on June 18th in Kenner, Louisiana
Visitation willbeat 10am on Saturday, July 18th, followed by funeral services at 12 noon at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home. Burial will take place immediately after thefuneral services Arrangements are by Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home.
Emily Mehaffie was born in NewOrleans to James Alexander Walker and Emily HayneWalkeron September 22nd 1938. She went to MetairiePark Country Day School in Metairie, graduating in 1956. Emily attended the University of Colorado.She moved to San Francisco, California in the early 1960's, andlater relocated to Hagerstown, Maryland in 1968. Emily moved back to New Orleans in 1985. She held ministerial credentials with Faith Christian Fellowship of Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Emily is preceded in death by her father James Alexander Walker and her mother Emily Hayne Walker.
She is survived by her sons Walker Schurz and wife Haley of Lusaka, Zambia, and Hayne Schurz and wife Heather of Colorado Springs, Colorado; grandchildren Timothy Schurz, Jessica Schurz, Grace Schurz Daniel Schurz and KatherineSchurz; and great-grandson Noah Schurz.
Emily will be remembered for her generosity, personal faith in Jesus Christ, ministry and hospitality to others, love for her family, and affection for her many Labrador Retrievers.
The family of Emily would like to extend their sincere thanks to Inspired Living and Care Associates Hospice of Kenner for their dedicated and loving care for Emily in the latter years of her life.
Salvador "Sam" Anthony Musacchia, born December 25th, 1959, in New Orleans, LA, passed peacefully on June 18th, 2026inPensacola,FL. Sam loved the New Orleans life, and lived it well.Heisrememberedfor his generosity: his home was always open, cooked forthe neighborhood, and gave whatever he could. He enjoyedgolfing,fishing, and havingdrinks with friends. Samwas cherished by his family,and lovedbeingan uncle and grandfather. He made friends everywhere he went,with his gregarious, energetic and humorous nature.Avid fan of horse racing and sports, he was especially passionate about the Saints. Sam was preceded in death by his parents Delia and Jacob, and son, Nicolas. He is survivedbyhis nine siblings, son, and grandchildren. Serviceswillbeheldon July 6th from 3-5pm at St. Martin de Porres, 2212 PrentissAve,New Orleans
Ronan, Angelina TheresaCangelosi
AngelinaTheresa Can‐gelosi Ronandeparted from this life on June 18, 2026, in Amite, Louisiana. Shewas born on November 5, 1939, in NewOrleans Louisiana, thedaughterof thelateSam Cangelosiand JosephineMarie Spera Cangelosi. Angelinagrew up in NewOrleans with her siblings who predeceased her, SamCangelosi,John Cangelosiand Jonnie Ann CangelosiBistes, andher survivingsiblings, Sadie CangelosiBraquet,Roy Cangelosiand Charles Cangelosi. Angelinamar‐ried William“Bill”Joseph RonanonFebruary13, 1956, andtheyweremar‐ried for59years before Bill passedawayin2015. An‐gelinahad seven(7) chil‐dren,GerardRonan (Flo‐rence),Gwendolyn Moore (Tim), WilliamRonan (An‐drea), Rebecca Sciarabba (Pete),ReginaMilton (Jon), Rachel Ronanand Salvador Roland Ronan who prede‐ceased her. Angelinahas a totalof21grandchildren and51great-grandchil‐dren.Angelinaoperated andownedmultiplebusi‐nessesduringher lifetime —Bill’sSeafood andPoul‐try, A&BTrucking, Angie’s Custom Interiorsand Ronan’sAkitas. Shewas a member of theNorthlake Kennel Club foryears and enjoyedattending andpar‐ticipating in dogshows Everyone who knew An‐gelinawould agreeshe wasa fabulouscook. An‐gelinaenjoyed traveling andplaying cards. Visita‐tion will be held at Green‐wood FuneralHome, 5200 CanalBlvd.,New Orleans, LA 70124, on Monday,June 29, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. with funeralservicesbeginning at 11:00a.m.Burialwillfol‐lowatGreenwood Ceme‐tery.Tosignthe online guestbook, as well as sharememoriesand con‐dolences,pleasevisit www.greenwoodfh.com
Schaubhut,Nancy Ann
NancyAnn Schaubhut of Algiers, Louisianapassed away peacefully at 1:06PM at theage of 65 on her belovedmom’s birthday June 22, 2026. Sheisthe daughter of thelateHuey PeterSchaubhut andFlo‐renceFalgoust Schaubhut Sheissurvivedbymany cousinsand aunt Cynthia Schaubhut.Nancy at‐tended St.Michael’s Spe‐cial School andJoy Center for42years.She wasa
identofWoldenberg Nurs‐ingHomefor 15 yearsand lovedplaying themachines at thecasinos andtaking vacations. Shewas amem‐berofthe Catholic Daugh‐ters #2165. Thefamily wouldliketoextendtheir gratitudetothe staff of Woldenburg Willowood De‐mentia Unit andthe sec‐ond floor fortheir excellent care.Inlieuof flowers, please consider donations to St.Michael’s Special School,1522 Chippewa Street,New Orleans, Louisiana70130 or logon to theirwebsite,www.stm ichaelspecialschool.com/ support-smss/ in memory of Nancy. Family,Friends Staff of Woldenburg Nurs‐ingHomeand St.Michael’s SpecialSchool areinvited to attend theVisitationat Holy Name of Mary Catholic Church,400 Verret Street,Algiers,Louisiana on Monday,June 29, 2026, beginningat9AM until 11AM.A FuneralMasswill take placeatHolyNameof Mary Catholic Church on Monday at 11AM.Inter‐ment will be in Westlawn Memorial Park Cemetery Gretna,Louisiana.Mothe FuneralHomeisassisting thefamilyduringthisdiffi‐cult time.The familyin‐vitesyou to share thoughts,fondmemories andcondolences online at mothefunerals.com
On Tuesday, June 23, 2026, Bobby Earl Spruille heard thevoice of his Saviorwhisper, "Well done."Bobby was born September 1, 1941 in Ruleville,MS. He had three brothers and twosisters, Billy Ray,Jerry (Beverly), Mazaree (Lois), Josephine (Edward), and Freddie. Bobbyalso leaves behind hisbeautiful wife of 59 years, Carolyn Ann, two daughters, Erica A. and Briana J.,one son, Michael (Terry), and threegrandchildren, Alisha (Brian), Tanya, and Rodney (Brittany). Bobby's entire worklife was spent at the United States Postal Service in NewOrleans. And he was adevoted member of Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church. Bobbyleaves behind a host of cousins, nieces, nephews, in-laws, greatgrandchildren, colleagues, and friends.His love,gentleness, and influence will be feltforever. Avisitation willbeheldfrom 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM on 2026-07-01 at Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church, 2809 GeneralTaylor Street
Afuneralservicewillbe held from 11:00 AM to12:30 PM on 2026-07-01 at Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church, 2809 GeneralTaylor Street
Stein, RussellJoseph
It is with gentle hearts andquiet reflection that we announcethe peaceful passingofRussell Joseph Stein, who left this world on June 22, 2026, at theage of 73.A longtime resident of Westwego, Louisiana, Russellpassedaway peacefully at home,with hisdevoted wife of 40 years, DebraStein,lovingly at hisside. He wasbornon August 17, 1952, in NewOr‐leans, Louisiana.Russell Joseph Stein faced life’s
greatest trials with courageand determination that fewcould match. At just 17 yearsold,heen‐counteredthe firstofmany health challenges that wouldtesthis resolve throughout hislifetime— yethenever allowedad‐versitytodefine or defeat him.With quietstrength andunwavering persever‐ance,Russell pressedfor‐ward,completinghis edu‐cation andbuilding alife full of meaningand love He wasthe immensely proudfatheroftwo re‐markable children,Shelly andKevin,whomhecher‐isheddeeply andsup‐ported in everyway ade‐votedfathercould.Later in life,hewas blessedto find histruepartner whenhe marriedDebra,who broughtrenewed joyand companionshiptohis jour‐ney. Together,theybuilt a bond rooted in love,loy‐alty,and unwaveringdevo‐tion spanning 40 beautiful years.Despitethe health battles that followed him throughthe decades, Rus‐sell showed up —for his family, forhis colleagues andfor himself. He dedi‐catedhimself fully to his work at West Jefferson Hospital,where hiscom‐mitmentand work ethic were evidenttoall who hadthe privilege of work‐ingalongside him, andhe retiredwith greatpride at theage of 62.What setRus‐sell apartwas notsimply hisresilience butthe warmth he carriedthrough everychallenge.Heloved deeply andwithout reser‐vation.Nomatterthe bur‐denhewas quietlybear‐ing, he couldalways find a smile —and more remark‐ably,healwaysfound the energy to turn hisatten‐tion toward others,placing theirneedsand stories aheadofhis own. Russell Joseph Steinleavesbehind alegacynot measured in years, butinthe lives, he touched, thelovehegave freely, andthe gracewith which he faced every storm. He will be pro‐foundly missedbyhis belovedwifeDebra,his cherishedchildren, his grandchildren, hisgreatgrandchildren, andall who hadthe honorofknowing him.Russell waspreceded in deathbyhis father,Roy Paul Stein, andhis mother June SebroStein.Russell survives by hisdaughter, Shelly AnnStein (Claudia Elsa Vargas); hisson,Kevin Joseph Stein(Angela); his grandchildren, RyleeHaze Stein, JaylineNicoleHoff‐pauir(Logan),Austin Joseph Stein, andTyler Matthew Stein; andhis great-grandchildren, Ryder Haze Stein, AnnaleighShae Hoffpauir, andAce James Hoffpauir. Relativesand Friendsofthe Family are invitedtoattend theVisi‐tation at OurLadyof Prompt Succor Catholic Church,Westwego, LA on Wednesday, July 1, 2026 from 10 AM until Funeral Mass time at 12 Noon.In‐termentwillfollowin Greenwood Cemetery,New Orleans, LA.Mothe Funeral Homesentrusted with fu‐neralarrangements.
Tarsney, Mary Rose Constantino
Mary Rose Tarsney (nee Constantino)diedonJune 20 just threedaysfollowing her 90thbirthday. She was surrounded by loved ones. Mary was bornand raised in Independence, Louisiana. As ayoung woman, she earneda bachelor's degree from Southeastern Louisiana University and amaster's degree in education from LoyolaUniversity in New Orleans. She then moved to NewOrleans to begin her teaching career that spanned morethan two decades. Mary's teaching
career includedthe followinginstitutions: Westwego Junior High,Jefferson Junior High,East Jefferson High School, Riverdale High School, Archbishop Chapelle High School, RETS TechnicalSchool, Louisiana Vocational TechnicalSchool, and Louisiana State Program for Adults. Herpassion wasteaching businesseducation.During those two decades of teaching, Mary met and marriedthe late Donald Joseph Tarsney in 1963. Donand Mary'smarriage of 51 years was blessed with adaughter NatalieAnn Tarsney. Mary's favorite career move began in 1994 when she became aloving, nurturing, andattentive grandmother.Survivors includedaughterNatalieand son-in-law Thomas Leach of Milwaukee,WI. Grandchildren include AndrewTarsney Leach, TimothyO'DonnellLeach andwife JaneLeach,and DanielConstantinoLeach Great-grandchildren includeMarley andMalcolm Leach. Mary and Donwere foundingparishioners of St.Benilde Churchin Metairie, Louisiana. A Mass will be celebrated at noon on Monday, June 29 at St.Benilde Catholic Church,1901 Division St Metairie. Visitation will startat10a.m. Burial will be private.Lake Lawn MetairieFuneral Home overseesarrangements.
DavidHiltonToups passedawayonSunday, June 14, 2026, at theage of 67. Davidwas born in New Orleans, LouisianaonFeb‐ruary13, 1959 to thelate Hilton DumasToups and Mary SchumakerToups.A native of Gretna,Louisiana, he residedinGastonia, NorthCarolinasince De‐cember 2021 to be closer to hisdaughterand grand‐son. Survivorsinclude his daughter Kristina(Toups) Butler andhusband Kyle Butler,beloved grandson Ryan Butler,his siblings Kathleen Arendt,Stella Breland, MichaelToups andtheir families.Inaddi‐tion to hisparents,David wasprecededindeath by hissiblingsDeborah Toups Sevinand Mark Toups. Rel‐atives andfriends of the familyare invitedtoattend aMassofChristian Burial at OurLadyofPerpetual Help Church,8968 Hwy. 23 S.,Belle Chasse, Louisiana on Monday,July6,2026, at 11 a.m.,withvisitationat thechurch beginningat9 a.m. Aprivate interment forimmediatefamilywill be held at Westlawn Memorial Park in Terry‐town, Louisiana. In recog‐nition of David’scareer in construction,memorialdo‐nationsmay be made to Habitatfor Humanity (www.habitat.org). Condo‐lencemessagesmay be sent online at www.mcl eanfuneral.comorDavid’s memorial site at:www.mot hefunerals.com.McLean FuneralDirectors of Gasto‐niaand MotheFuneral
Home areserving the Toups/Butler family.
George PatrickVance, age 70, passed away suddenlywith his wife and son by hisside. He leaves behind alegacyoflove, compassion,and kindness. To hiswife of 36 years, Marybeth Mollere"MB Vance, George washer hero,best friend, andthe love of herlife. Adedicated businessman,George ownedand operated B& GAutomotive for 47 years. He wasknown for hishonestyand generosity, always goingbeyondrepairingforeign vehicles to truly care for the people he served. George proudlygraduatedcum laude fromLoyola University. He lovedboatingand spendingtimeon thewater withhis family. Even at 70 years old, he wasstill waterskiing;a testament to his adventurousspirit andzest for life, whichwas marked by hard work anda genuine heart for others
Hisgreatest joywas his family. He was deeply proudofhis son Austin and daughter-in-law Lexie, andheadored hisgranddaughters Linley and Ainsley, wholovingly calledhim Pops. He is also survived by his sister,Dr. Mary LeeVance. George wasprecededin death by his son Paul, his parents Emma andGeorge Vance, and his brotherBill Vance. He will be remembered as alovinghusband,devotedfather,and loyal friendtomany. Hisgentle spirit andwillingness to help others touched countless lives.George's greatest legacy is thelove he gave so freely, and he will be deeply missed. He and Marybeth lovedthe beach; it wasaveryspecial place for them to just relax and unwind ACelebrationof George's Life will be held at OurLady of Perpetual Help ChurchinKenner, LA on Friday, July 10, 2026. Visitation willbefrom9:00 a.m. until11:00 a.m., followedbya Memorial Mass at 11:00 a.m. Familyand friends are welcome to attend as we celebratea life well lived and deeply loved.
Musacchia, Salvador Anthony
Vance,George Patrick
Spruille,Bobby Earl
Toups, DavidHilton
Themessof cleaning up orphan wells needsstricter scrutiny
The growing spotlight on theproblem posed by the thousands of orphan wells scattered acrossour state is no doubt agood thing.These wells, abandoned by companies and potentially leaking chemicals into our groundwater,are a serious environmental threat.Weurged greater efforts by the state to identify andcap these wells. It seemed even though millions have been dedicated to the cause over the years, little progresshas beenmade.
Nowwe are getting aclearer pictureofone reason why that might have been the case. The LouisianaLegislative Auditorrecently released a72-page report outlininghow an effortto plug the wells was rife withconflicts andselfdealing.
The Louisiana Oilfield Restoration Association and its affiliated companiesshutdownlast year amid scrutiny of the group’scontractwith the state to provide financial security to oil well operators, who paid them afee in exchange for taking responsibility for plugging wells. Johnny Adams, aformer deputy commissioner of the Office of Conservation, reportedly helped LORA getthe contract with the agency.Inreturn, auditors said, Adamslater received abelow-market loanonhis Baton Rouge home and his children were employed by associates of the company Adamsand attorneys forLORA havedenied wrongdoing
Auditors say Adams helped LORA owners VanMayhallIII, Chad Lottand Jacob Dickinson structure the company in away that would make it harder for regulators to trace transactions. Mayhall said the company has cooperated with the investigation and plugged 120 wells with privatemoney
The state last year filed acivil suit to secure the funds that companiespaid to LORA.Now Attorney General Liz Murrill says shewill look at potential criminal charges. But whatever happens with this case, thelesson here is clear: Greater oversight is needed if the statehopes to tackle these tough problems. Toooften,wesee programs established withloose guidelinesand no internal mechanisms to thwart abuses.
We were supportive of theLouisiana Natural ResourcesTrust Authority, created by a2024 law,asanattempt to be more aggressive in righting the ship. We again urge legislators and state officialsto give it theresources and authorities it needs to takeonthischallenge We are glad the LegislativeAuditoristaking on the challenge of getting to thebottomofwhy we can’tseemtomake adent in our orphanwell problem despite decades and millionsofdollars poured into the effort. We can no longer acceptthat programs like thiswill drag on for years withlittle to show for it. Louisianamustlearn how to quickly identify problems and change course when needed. Otherwise, the past will continue to hold ourstate back.
Smithjoins Tammanyhallofshame
Wednesday morning, in aCovington courtroom, yet another St.Tammany politico saw his legacy dashed upon the rocks of acriminal conviction.
Randy Smith, who until 1p.m. Wednesday was the sheriff in thestate’sfourth-most populous parish, pleaded guiltytofelony batteryand misdemeanor disturbing-the-peace charges stemming from aMay incident in aMadisonville steakhouse. In entering his plea, Smith agreed to two years of probation and promised to complete an alcohol addiction program —which, once completed, will allow his charges to be reduced toamisdemeanor
run for reelection in 2014 amidafederal investigation into his handling of official business and use of campaign funds. He was indicted the following year and later convicted of wire fraud and money laundering and served federal time.
He also entered his name into the long and dishonorable ranks of St. Tammanypoliticians who have found themselves on the wrong side of the criminal justice system.
That list includes Smith’spredecessor,former sheriff Jack Strain, whom Smithdefeated in 2015. Strain later was convicted of multiple sex crimes and is serving life in prison. It also includes longtime district attorney Walter Reed, who opted not to
While we hope our reader forum on the letters pages promptsyou to discussour original reporting and columns,weknow some readers alsowant to talk about issues theyhave seen on television or other media, or issues theyhave seen in their communities. We do allow some lettersabout theseissues, especially if the reporting has been widely circulated.
Samefor former St. Tammany coroner Peter Galvan, who pleaded guilty in 2013 to federal and state corruption charges and served timeinprison. Compared to those other cases, which tookmonths or years to play out in the courts, Smith’sfall was incredibly fast. It wasonly on May 29 that, after helping run up a$300 bar tab at Keith Young’sinMadisonville, he pulled aman named Bobby Couvillion off his bar stool and pounded him as they crashed to thefloor
Aweek later,Smith was booked into theTangipahoa Parish jail. Less than amonth after the original incident, he has already pleaded guilty and resigned.
By doing so, he becomes just the latest pin to puncture St. Tammany’s overinflated view of itself
The irony on thenorthshore is rich.
Aparish so knownfor its “tough on crime” mentality that it’sbeen called St. Slammanynow has its own collection of corrupt former officials. Itsrecord rivals even New Orleans, which St. Tammanyofficials and residents love to disdain as hopelessly corrupt. It’s no wonder that St. Tammany’s residents have such skepticism of government; their politicians keep reminding them how power corrupts. In another amusing twist, Smith’s plea came just three days before voters went to the polls to weigh on, you guessed it, atax to support the Sheriff’sOffice.
Worries about the vote likely fueled the case’squick resolution. St. TammanyParish District Attorney Collin Simshoped, of course, that Smith’s plea would persuade voters that the stain had been erased from the agency and therefore it was OK to vote yes. But with recent history —not to mention current events —can anybody really blamethem if they say no?
Email Faimon A. Roberts III at froberts@theadvocate.com.
Butpleasenote that we do not allow seriousaccusations of wrongdoing that are the subject of investigative reportingelsewheretobeaired on our pages.Withoutverification through our own reporting, we would not print such claims. However,reports by established nonprofit research groups,government agencies and similar organizations are often usedtosupportthe points that writers are making. Reports from social media, independent websites or lessestablishedsources are less likely to passour test. We also know that some of you like to write to us aboutyour life experiences, vacationsand other miscellaneous top-
ics.Weare not so strict as to require everyone stay on topic at all times. Some levity in the letters is always welcome. But we do want to emphasize that this is a forum for the community,and letters should have abroad audience. If the topic pertains to only anichegroup, letter writers should be clear about why others should care. If aletter doesn’tpertain to our state at all, it is less likely to get published.
Thereare so manysites on the internet wherepeople discuss very narrow topics in the most minute detail. We prefer letters that are accessible to everyone, whether you have cursory interestinatopic or aPh.D. in it. What matters is the ideas conveyed, not footnotes and citations. Some writerslink to sites where readers can go for moreinformation, and online, we do include those links when possible. We also linktoprevious articles that writers mention in their letters. Putting URLs in print hasproven to have limited benefit, though,asnot manypeople
use the print publication in that way. Turning to our letters inbox for June 4-11, we received 41 letters. That’sfewer than usual, but it seemsthat aside from the party runoffs on June 27, it’s been pretty quiet on the political front. The topic that prompted the most letters was local —aproposed revamp of City-Brooks Park in Baton Rouge. Six of you wrote about that. Then the miscellaneous category accounted for five letters. The TenCommandments in schools, which was the subject of two letters, rounded out the top three topics. We hope that as America prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday,weall appreciate the freedoms we have to express our views thanks to our country’s founding principles. That all Americans can share their opinions on everything and nothing in so manyforums is truly not to be taken for granted.
Arnessa M. Garrett is Managing Editor |OpinionPageEditor.She canbereached at arnessa.garrett@ theadvocate.com
Letters are publishedidentifying name, occupation and/or title and the writer’scity of residence.The Advocate |The Times-Picayune require astreet address and phone number forverification purposes, but that information is not published. Letters are not to exceed 300words. Letters to the Editor, The Advocate, P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0588, or email letters@theadvocate.com.
Faimon Roberts
Arnessa Garrett
STAFF FILEPHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD
Orphan wells rise above thegroundnear Lettsworth.
COMMENTARY
Americansdesperately need to capture‘Spirit of ‘76’
As early as February1765, John Adams had his eye on the ball. Complaining of British officials who“treated us like servants” while insisting the colonists had no “rights” but instead owed the mother country “a filial duty and submission,” Adams, in an essay,remindedhis readers of the hardships faced by early settlers
ideas of right andthe sensations of freedom.”
Laterthat year, in his own diary, describing reactions to theStamp Acttax imposed upon the colonies, Adams wrote that “the people, even to the lowest ranks, have become moreattentive to their liberties …(and) more determined to defend them.”
in that same 1765, was that “No laws bind the people but such as they consent to be governed by.”
words, anew,unique, and heroic “learning [and] spirit.”
“Recollect …their bitter sufferings –the hunger, the nakedness, the cold… amidst dangers from wild beasts and savage men,” he wrote. “Letus recollect it was liberty,the hope of liberty for themselves and us and ours, which conquered all discouragements, dangers, and trials.”
He insisted, 11 years before the Declaration of Independence, that “many of our rights are inherent and essential, agreed on as maxims, and established as preliminaries,even beforeaparliament existed.”
He then called on colleges and public discourse to “become the instruments of impressingupon the tender mind, and of spreading and distributing far and wide, the
Result: “Innumerable have been themonuments of wit, humor,sense, learning, spirit, patriotism, and heroism, erected in theseveralcolonies andprovinces.”
This this —was the essence of what became theUnited States of America.
All throughout the colonies, consistently through those 11 years, even themost loyal subjects of Great Britain —ofall walks of life —insisted that they possessed certain “natural rights” that government must respect Crucially,the peoplethemselves had theright to control their own government, not the other way around.The central, unassailable principle, as expressed by Connecticut lawyer Roger Sherman
This is why Thomas Jefferson explained that the Declaration of Independence, which he drafted as amember of acommittee consisting of himself, Adams, Sherman, Benjamin Franklin, and Robert Livingston, was not original to him, but instead was “an expression of the American mind.”Jefferson crystallized the colonists’ understandings that had been developing for years.
The key clause of theDeclaration combined Adams’ idea of unassailable rights with Sherman’s declarative point:“To secure these rights, governments are instituted among men,deriving their just powers from theconsent of the governed.”
To all of which, far too many of today’sAmericans merely shrug. The indifference is both ignorant and maddening. Nowhere else in the world back then, not even in England itself, was there such asense (if any sense at all) of humans as self-governing, rightsowning individuals, not meresubjects.This was, to apply Adams’
Fifty years ago, during a 15-month-long bicentennial commemoration, every schoolchild was led to understand the magic and miracle of how these seminal ideas actually wereeffectuated. Very few Americans took these achievements forgranted. And thenear universal belief,anentirely accurate belief,was that this nation’sadherence to these ideals —and indeed, its evergrowing manifestation of the ideals, slowly but steadily eradicating earlier flaws—was astonishingly admirable and worth major celebration.
And finally,ofcourse, came the exuberance on the Bicentennial itself,anational joy-fest of epic proportions, proving the truth of Adams’ immediate predictions that forcenturies afterward, the Declaration would be celebrated with “pompand parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations.”
In 1975 and 1976, we got it right. We started in April 1775 by feeling the fear and commending thecourage of the militia who fired the“shot(s) heard round the world” at Lexington and Concord. We relished thestory of how the “loss” of Bunker (and Breed’s) Hill was considered amoral victory. We learned of Washington’s remarkable victory in the siege of Boston,and of his army’smiraculous escape from the loss on Long Island.
The exuberance and joy were neither fake nor misplaced. Despite what too manyschools teach too manychildren these days, the United States, over time, has come farcloser than not to living up to the Declaration’sideals. Plenty of other columns have and will makethat case, but for now,asweenter the weekofour semiquincentennial, let us belatedly but enthusiastically rediscover the “sense, learning, spirit, patriotism,and heroism”ofwhich Adamswrote.
Freedom is both our heritage and our gifttothe world. That heritage and giftare wondrous blessings. We must sustain them and consecrate them forever
Email Quin Hillyer at quin hillyer@theadvocate.com
Bill Cassidyand theart of theflip-flop
My
first reaction —and that of many others, judging from the town square that is the modern internet —was that U.S.Sen Bill Cassidy’sheated Wednesday showdown with President Donald Trump must have felt cathartic. The outgoing two-term senator, ousted by his own party’s primary voters after Trump put agreat bigtarget on his back, finally let the president have it during atesty closed-door lunch meeting,according to multiple sources, Cassidy included.
Stephanie Grace
I’m not talking about the sort of indirect shaming that Cassidyserved up in May when he failed to make this weekend’srunoff between Trump-endorsed U.S Rep. Julia Letlow and equally Trump-worshiping state Treasurer John Fleming. Back then,Cassidy took the high road and talked of theimportance of accepting an election loss with grace. He didn’tsay Trump’sname, but you couldn’tmiss the intended contrast with the man he had voted to convict five years earlierfor incitinganattack on the U.S. Capitolrather than accepting defeat No, this time the confrontation was personal. Trump made clear his displeasure with Cassidy and three other Republicans who, aday earlier, helped Democrats pass alargely symbolic measure calling on the administration to withdraw from
hostilities with Iran —reportedly called them “losers” who gave aid andcomfort to theenemy
Cassidy pushed back, challengingTrumpfor thewar’sdisastrousoutcome “I stood andsaid,‘Youhave not told the American people what’s goingon. It wassupposed to last four weeks; it’slasted four months. Ouroriginal objectives have notbeen achieved, and I want to know what’s going on,’ Cassidy told reporters.
He said Trump interrupted him and “I didn’tcare to be interrupted.Ifelt likeIwas trying to get answers for theAmerican people andI’m not goingtobebullied when I’m tryingtoget answers for theAmericanpeople.”
Things escalated. Trumpreportedly called Cassidy a“lunatic.” Cassidy referred to Trumpashis “brother,”prompting thepresident to deny such arelationship. The senator eventually calmed down and said he shouldn’thave let his “Irish” get the better of him Andthen camethe headspinning part.Cassidy reversed himself.
After being summoned to the WhiteHouse to meet with Vice President JD Vance and special envoy Steve Witkoff, he said he now understands the strategy; never mindthat his initial complaint wasn’tabout strategy but about Trump’slack of communication with the public and the fail-
ure to land the promised outcome. Andthen, when the Senate brought up anearly identical measure to the one he’d opposed, he voted yes.
So what, exactly, are we supposed to makeofhow this story started, andwhere it ended?
You’dthink Cassidy would own his new freedom, after having done nearlyeverything Trump wanted since his return to office, to no avail.Remember when he let political ambitions override his professional medical judgmentand helped give conspiracy theorist Robert F. Kennedy Jr thepower to undermine much of what he spent his prepolitics career fighting for? Those hoping for better out of him do.
Sure, he still sometimes pushes back against the president’s countless transgressions. The sameeventful day all this happened, he joined with New Jersey Democrat Cory Booker to demand that acting Attorney General Todd Blanche explain the“extraordinary” immunity he granted theTrumpfamily from civil and criminal liability
Butthen he turns around and falls in line, just as he did when he still hoped to stop Trumpfrom coming after him
Maybe his about-face Wednesday was asign he’d succumbed to theflattery of getting acoveted WhiteHouse invitation.
Perhaps he was trying to smooththings over after the public outburst, hoping to win support forthe substantive
policy initiatives he still wants to achieve in his last months —even if it meanslying downwith those whoforced him into his impending unwanted retirement. It could be that he’ssimply exhausted from having to navigate the depressing environment that all responsible Republicans in Washington find themselves in these days, caught between their own best judgment and a president whobrooks no dissent no matter how bad his ideas or behavior It’s even possible that he was actually convinced that the rebuke from Congress hurts the country’sposition as it tries to negotiate details of the conflict from what he wellknows—and basically came out and said —isa position of weakness.
He’snot the only one whofinds himself veering between trying to be ateam player and going full resistance. John Cornyn of Texas, also taken out by aTrumpendorsed challenger in aGOP primary,and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, whoisnot seeking reelection, are also pretty much in the sameboat these days.
But insisting he would not be bullied by the president and then turning around and giving him exactly what he wants?
That’ssome next-level flipflopping —the kind I, forone, had hoped Cassidy had finally put behind him
Email Stephanie Grace at sgrace@theadvocate.com.
AfterOrleansjudicialcuts, sizing up what’s left
Iagree with Gov.Jeff Landry and the Louisiana Legislature that Orleans Parish should have only thenumber of judges they need. That number should be determined based on thenumber necessary to handle the docket caseload. Determining that number shouldn’t include any judge’sdesire for regular,morning breakfast or coffee appointments that conflict with scheduled court appearances, two- or three-hour lunch breaks or dog walks and grocery shopping that take them away from their electedjudicial duties. The same shouldbetruefor all 64 parishes.
Will Sutton Quin Hillyer
Orleanshas too manyjudges to handle caseloads and thattoo many of them are quite casual, dismissive and lazy in their constitutionally elected positions. Rather than call out specific judges and mandate better performance, they chose to eliminatea number of judges and sections to force fewer judges to do more work while saving money
Thesemoves won’tsave money
They will costmoremoney
Like mostjobs, the boss expects you to do your job, to do it well, and to be whereyou’re supposed to be to do your job. The problem is that the guv and the Legislature think that New
Landry wanted to cut 23 Orleans judgeships. As the legislative sausagewas being made that number shrunk to about 17, then 15. Things change drastically.Inthe end,Orleanslostnine judgeships. By now, anyone who has been followingthis legislative judicial clown show knows that three Orleans ParishCriminalDistrict sections and judgesare being eliminatedasofDec. 31, 2026.
Specifically,the judges are Judge John Fuller,Judge Rhonda GoodeDouglas and Judge Simone Levine. According to legislators involved withthe discussions, thedecisions weremade based on efficiency ratherthan seniority. It’s clear thatnearly all incumbent judges want to continue as judges.With fewer seats, thatmeans incumbent challenges. Goode-Douglas has decided to challenge Judge Leon Roché. Levine has decided to run for reelection, but she hasn’t announced who she will challenge. Fuller hasn’tmade adecision. Lessunderstood is what’shappening withOrleans Parishmunicipal and traffic court judges and parishjuvenile judges. There are eight municipal and traffic court judges. Anew law, Senate Bill 217, reduces that number to six this year.The two judgeships settodisappear are Division Band Division F. Division Bisled by Judge Robert E. Jones
III. Division Fisled by Judge Joseph Landry.Both won reelection in 2018 without opposition. Both age out underthe state’smandatory retirement age law.Neither could have run forreelection even if their sections hadn’tbeen dissolved. And no one can run for their seats. The remaining judges and their sections are: Judges Paul N. Sens (A), Judge Charlene Larche-Mason (C), Judge Mark Shea (D), Judge Bobbie Smith (E) and Judge StevenJupiter There are four juvenile court judges. The new law reduces thatnumber to two by attrition. Juvenile court judges and their sections are Judge Clinton Smith Jr.(A), Chief Judge Candice Bates Anderson(C), Judge Desiree Cook-Calvin (E) and Judge Ranord Darensburg (F). None of them are losing their jobs at the end of the year,and each can run for reelection. The New Orleans legislative del-
egation was successful in fending offcuts at the Civil District Court, leaving all seats intact. However Judge Kern Reese (Division L) and Judge Sidney H. Cates IV (Division C) won’tsee another term They age out at the end of their respective terms on Dec. 31. From 23 to nine, New Orleans was lucky to miss an even larger judicial elimination. Credit should go to the delegation and its leaders for fighting hard enough to avoid abloodbath. As it is, we’ll have one or more incumbent judges running against colleagues. Judicial campaigns have launched, some quietly and others with fundraising events and social media pitches.
Iknow it’stoo early for many voters to pay muchattention, but it’snot too early for voters who want to know how we got here. EmailWill Sutton at wsutton@ theadvocate.com.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE
U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, heads to aclosed-door Republican policy meeting at the Capitol in Washington on Tuesday.
‘There’s no bad blood’
OleMissQBChambliss
cool with Kiffin, despite onedifferenceof opinion
BY JON BLAU Staff writer
Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss prides himself on playing the game like a point guard, distributing the footballwith quick passes and, when necessary,usinghis legs to scramble and extendplays.
As the Rebels quarterback and Manning Passing Academy counselor sat foraninterview with reporters on Friday in Thibodaux, he stared down an expected onslaught of questions about former Rebels coach Lane Kiffin.
He barelysidestepped them, gracefully threading the needle with each answer
“There’snobad bloodbetween me and Kiff,” Chamblisssaidofhis former coach, who left for LSU prior to OleMiss’ playoff run. “Supergrateful forhim giving me the opportunityatOle Miss to play under his system. But yeah, me and Kiff, we’re still cool.”
Chambliss, the ex-Division II quarterback from Ferris State, owesmuch to Kiffinand offensive coordinatorCharlie Weis Jr.for where he sits now
Ayear ago, he wasn’tamong the echelon of quarterbacks invited to the Manning family’scamp. He couldn’tjoke about how he’s expecting to boost his 93 outof99rating in the EA Sports college football video game this fall.
The 6-foot, 205-pound quarterback wasn’t even expectedtobethe Ole Miss startergoingintolastseason butfound hisway onto the field and produced 3,937 yards passing, 22 touchdowns and just three interceptions on his way to aCollege Football Playoff semifinal game.
Chambliss did that last part without Kiffin,but there continued to be loud chatter, tinged with hostility,aboutthe coach’s exit.
Profanities were hurled at Kiffin as he boarded aplane for Baton Rouge,but he stoked thefires himselfinMay when he commentedinVanityFairthatitwas
ä See CHAMBLISS, page 3C
R IT COURSE
Someonehas to sayit: It’s time forKamara, Saints to separate
Saints running back Alvin Kamara drops apass during the secondhalf of agame against the Atlanta Falcons on Nov. 10, 2024, at the Caesars Superdome. Kamara’sreturnfor a10th season with the Saints is still to be determined. STAFF FILEPHOTO By BRETTDUKE
Theysay all goodthings mustcome to an end.
TheBeatles brokeup.
“Seinfield”eventually became reruns.
Theonce-idyllic marriage of TomBradyand Gisele Bundchen ran its course.
Anditwould notbeshocking if somethingsimilar happened with Alvin Kamara and theNew Orleans Saints. In fact, youcould argue that parting waysmight be in thebestinterestsofthe star running back andthe team thatdrafted him nine yearsago.
Through areleaseortrade, Kamara would get achance to end his stellar career by chasing aring with aSuper Bowl contender and finding alarger roleonthe field.
With Kamara out of thepicture, theSaints could hand thebackfield keys to Travis Etienne and give more snaps to their stable of young reservebacks —Devin Neal, Kendre Miller and Audric Estimé.
It might not be theending either side envisioned two yearsago when Kamara signed atwo-year,$24.5 million contract extension, but there are certainly worse ways for arelationship to end.
Irealize this will not be apopular opinion. Kamara is the leading rusher in Saints history and one of themost popular players to wear theblack and gold. He’sbeen voted ateam captain twice by his peers andinspired ageneration of New Orleanskids.His No. 41 jersey is ubiquitous at home games.
Assessingwhere Pels standafter low-keydraft
The NBAdraft has come and gone. While the New Orleans Pelicans provided afeel-good story in the second round, the remainder of the draft left theirfans craving somethingtofeelgood about heading into the season.
One thing is clear: Joe Dumars andassistant Troy Weaver still haveplenty of work to do to improve aroster that failedto win 30 games in each of the past two years. Here are five things we learned about thePelicans at this year’sdraft. Thedraft pick
school ball at St.Augustine and became thefirst homegrown player ever drafted by the franchise, but don’tget it twisted: ThePelicans didn’t draft him becausehe’s from here. They selected him because he can flat out play
First-roundsilence
But as Demario Davis, another Saints legend, noted earlier this year, the good times roll for only so long and sometimes it’sbest to moveon. That timefeels like it’scome for Kamara and the Saints, just as it did for so manyother great NFL partnerships such as Brady and the Patriots, Aaron Rodgers and the Packers, and Peyton Manning and the Colts.
The road to reach this point has been complicated.
After signaling achanging of the guard by signing Etienne at the ä See DUNCAN, page 3C
This is the obvious place to start considering the Pelicans had just one pick in the draft. They hadto wait until almost the veryend, selecting SMU guard Jaron Pierre with the No. 58 overall pick. The New Orleans native played his high
He averaged 17.7 pointslast season at SMU and 21.6pointsthe year before at Jacksonville State. He can shoot.Hecan jump out of the gym. He doesn’tmind defending. He has just the type of toughness Dumars covets
His pathtothe NBAwasn’teasy, with him playing at four different colleges in six years. Butitshows just how determined he was to make it,and thePels may have found asecond-round gem who can stick around.Pierre will have his introductory newsconference with the local media on Monday morning, but he really needs no introduction around here.
The Pelicans didn’thave afirst-round pick this year.There was plenty of speculation that they may try to make atrade to move intothe first round. Because of that, Pelicans fans werefully tuned into the first round. Everyfive minutes,NBA commissioner Adam Silver came out to the podium in Brooklyn and announced picks.And as those five minutes turned into three hours, realityset in that thePelicans weren’tmaking amove. While manyfans were disappointed, they shouldn’t have been. Dumars listened to
Rod Walker
SMUguard
Jaron Pierre
AP FILE PHOTO
Jeff Duncan
STAFF PHOTO By BRETT DUKE
Ole Miss quarterback TrinidadChambliss gives instructions to campers at the Manning Passing Academy on Friday at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux.
Hovland takes lead at Travelers
BY DOUG FERGUSON Associated Press
CROMWELL,Conn.— Viktor Hovland
feels he is headed in the right direction, and Saturday at the Travelers Championship was a big test He played alongside Scottie Scheffler on a course that features plenty of water and shots that can cause some stress.
A two-shot swing on the 18th hole — Hovland made a 6-foot birdie, Scheffler three-putted from 25 feet on the fringe for bogey — gave the Norwegian star a 6-under 64 and a one-shot lead over the world’s No. 1 player
“Just had a great time,” Hovland said. “It’s been a while since I’ve been in this position. To go headto-head against the best player in the world and pull off some great shots, it was just a lot of fun.”
The pleasant surprise was the support he had in the crowd
Scheffler is enormously popular, and the TPC Highlands had a vocal gallery Hovland had plenty of support from a Norway contingent that drove over from Boston following a World Cup loss to France. Hovland gave them plenty of opportunity to do the “row” that has become so popular in the stadium and subway stations and wherever they gather Hovland knows it well. Oddly enough, it was the first time he
had seen it live.
“I mean, we’re Vikings, so it’s kind of in our DNA,” Hovland said.
“It’s kind of funny, that’s the first time I’ve ever seen it I think that’s the first time we’ve ever done it, especially in the World Cup. So yeah, it took us 1,000 years to figure it out. I think it’s pretty cool.”
“Ro, ro, ro!” they chanted as Hovland approached the 18th green.
It was the second straight year
Scheffler, whose bogey gave him a 67, fell from the top of the leaderboard going into the weekend at the TPC River Highlands, though this was no cause for alarm A year ago, he opened with a triple bogey, shot 72 and fell nine shots behind. This was one hole, and he was only one shot behind as Scheffler tries to win for the first time since the start to his season in the California desert. Hovland was at 20-under 190
and gets another afternoon with Scheffler on Sunday The next closest players were Patrick Cantlay (64) and Akshay Bhatia (67), who were five shots behind.
“This is a golf course where you can see some numbers be shot. You know, guys can shoot pretty low,” Scheffler said. “Going into tomorrow just try to execute, have a good round, and see where that puts me.”
Hovland started two shots behind and it took him four holes to catch Scheffler From there it was a bit of a pillow fight as they matched mostly pars, two birdies and one bogey to remain tied.
Scheffler regained the lead with a lob wedge to 2 feet on the 14th. Both got up-and-down from the front of the green on the reachable par-4 15th and exchanged pars going to the 18th.
That’s where it flipped, giving Hovland the lead.
There was separation, but this is not a duel given the nature of this course that allows for low scoring and dynamic finishes because of the closing hole.
“The beauty of this golf course is that I think Scottie and I have separated ourselves from the rest of the field, but at the same time, 14 or 15 under is still very much in this thing if they go and shoot a very low score tomorrow,” Hovland said.
Top players’ prize-money protest continues
BY KEN MAGUIRE Associated Press
LONDON — Tennis star Jessica
Pegula said a protest by top players over prize money at the French Open was “productive and worked well.”
Seemed to be, because Wimbledon then increased its prize money by 20%.
But several players are continuing the protest by limiting media appearances — this weekend and in the first week of the grasscourt Grand Slam, which starts Monday, arguing that they deserve a bigger share of revenue.
“We’re very grateful that Wimbledon has raised the prize money, but again it’s not really answering the questions that we’ve been asking,” Pegula said Saturday, when she limited her time with the press. “I don’t know if the point is just not getting across.”
And the No. 4 player is already looking ahead to the last major on the calendar — the U.S Open.
“We’ll see how it progresses
after doing this today and over the next week and then going into obviously the next Slam, which is the U.S. Open,” the 32-year-old American said. “I think we’ll kind of get a good grasp about where we’re really standing with the Slams and see what we can get out of that with talking to them.
Wimbledon’s total prize money including player per diems will be $85 million, the biggest annual increase, by sum of money in the tournament’s history The increase in 2013 represented a 40% hike over the prior year.
The singles champions at the All England Club will each get $4.75 million — which also represents a 20% hike.
The protest began at the French Open, where players complained the total prize money only made up 14.3% of the clay-court tournament’s revenue. Novak Djokovic has not been a part of the protest.
“I have no views on that, to be honest. I’m not part of it. Just I’ll stay neutral on that,” the seven-
time Wimbledon champion said Saturday.
Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka described the 20% increase as a “great start.”
“I really hope we can finally get to the table and really get it done, come to a conclusion that everyone going to be happy with. Hopefully we’ll never have to do it again,” she said. “Once again, I hope we’re not going to get to this boycotting again.”
Jannik Sinner limited a media appearance and deflected questions about the protest.
“It’s getting better even though we are not at the point where we are 100% happy,” the Italian said.
Sinner said it’s “not only about the money,” citing the need for improvements in player welfare. But he declined to engage in a question about Wimbledon’s offer to work on creating a player council.
“I just think it’s better if we don’t discuss here, I don’t like to talk about this at the moment,” he said.
Serena in spotlight ahead of Wimbledon return
BY KEN MAGUIRE Associated Press
LONDON Iga Swiatek is the reigning champion. Aryna Sabalenka is the No. 1 women’s singles player Serena Williams is the star, though, at Wimbledon.
The 44-year-old Williams’ presence has been emanating throughout SW19 — the famous post code of Wimbledon as she prepares to play her first singles match at the event in four years Tuesday when she faces No. 53 Maya Joint in the first round.
Mirra Andreeva, who just won the French Open, was basically crossing her fingers when the Wimbledon draw was announced.
“I was watching like this because I don’t think anyone in the draw would have wanted to play against Serena,” the smiling Russian teenager said Saturday “I’m going to speak for myself. I wouldn’t want to play against Serena. I would be just very nervous.” Williams had been away from the sport since her farewell at the 2022 U.S. Open, but she accepted a wild-card entry to play women’s doubles with her sister Venus,
who is 46. And then she accepted another to play singles.
Serena Williams’ most recent appearance at Wimbledon was in 2022 when she lost in the opening round to Harmony Tan, who was then ranked 115th The American great walked away from tennis — she described it as “evolving” away after losing in the third round to Ajla Tomljanovic at Flushing Meadows Her second daughter was born in 2023. Williams, a seven-time Wimbledon singles title winner could meet Swiatek in the third round.
Sisterly motivation
Serena Williams officially returned to tennis earlier this month in a doubles match with 19-yearold Canadian Victoria Mboko at the Queen’s Club grass-court tournament.
“Unexpectedly, before her first match she asked me did I have any motivational quotes I use for myself,” Venus Williams said Saturday “I told her what I was using at the time. I don’t know if that helped or not She did win the match.”
Djokovic inspired by Serena Novak Djokovic calls Serena Williams’ tennis comeback “inspirational” and “epic.”
“That’s what I told her,” Djokovic said Saturday “I see her in the gym more than I have, I think, seen her when she was at her prime,” Djokovic a 24-time major champion, said of Williams, a 23time major winner in singles. “It tells me that she really wants this to work out the best way possible.”
Djokovic added: “I always admired her career, her journey, her story Of course, Venus’, as well.” Gauff and Sabalenka, too
LSU freshman RHP Paz decides to enter portal
LSU freshman right-handed pitcher Marcos Paz has entered the transfer portal, a source confirmed to The Advocate on Friday Paz posted a 9.20 ERA in 29 1⁄3 innings in his only season with the Tigers. He started six games, including four contests in Southeastern Conference play toward the end of the year
He struggled for much of the season, but it was his first campaign coming off Tommy John surgery, and he entered the season as one of the top pitchers in the 2025 class to make it to school. Paz was the No. 3 right-handed pitcher in Texas, according to Perfect Game. Paz was unlikely to start in the rotation for LSU in 2027 with William Schmidt, Cooper Moore and Casan Evans all likely returning.
Ryu leads Women’s PGA by a shot; Korda is 4 back CHASKA, Minn. Haeran Ryu shot a 4-under 68 on Saturday to take a one-shot lead over Brooke Henderson after three rounds of the Women’s PGA Championship.
Ina Yoon, who entered the day with a five-shot lead, struggled early but settled down to finish with a 3-over 75 and is two shots off the pace.
Dewi Weber, the 210th-ranked player in the World Golf Rankings seeking her first career LPGA win, birdied three of the final four holes and is three shots back after a 4-under 68. A Lim Kim joins her there.
Nelly Korda, chasing a historic third straight major championship win, shot a 1-under 71 on a sunny windy day at Hazeltine National Golf Club outside Minneapolis. She and Alison Lee are four shots off the lead.
Osaka retires in second set of Bad Homburg final BAD HOMBURG, Germany Naomi Osaka’s Wimbledon preparations received a setback when she retired at the start of the second set in Saturday’s Bad Homburg Open final because of a foot injury
The fourth-seeded Japanese player, in her first grass-court final, was trailing 6-1, 1-0 to Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic when she pulled out.
Osaka had taken a medical timeout in the first set. Then, after gesturing she could not continue, she walked over to shake hands with Muchova and the umpire.
“I just want to say thank you to everyone who came to watch the match,” Osaka told the crowd during the trophy ceremony “I apologize for not being able to finish, but this atmosphere was incredible the whole week.”
OKC, Hartenstein agree to 3-year, $75 million deal
Isaiah Hartenstein has agreed to a three-year, $75 million contract to stay with the Oklahoma City Thunder, a person with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press on Saturday
The 7-foot center has been a two-year starter for the Thunder, which has gone 88-16 in the past two regular seasons when he plays. He averaged 9.2 points and 9.4 rebounds per game this past season and started 20 of the 23 Thunder games in the 2025 playoff run that ended in an NBA title. Hartenstein has been well traveled in his career with stints in New York, Houston, Denver Cleveland and the Los Angeles Clippers before coming to Oklahoma City
Royals left-hander Ragans to undergo elbow surgery
Kansas City Royals left-hander Cole Ragans will undergo elbow surgery on Wednesday that will determine the degree of repair needed, manager Matt Quatraro said Saturday
Coco Gauff, the No. 7 seed at Wimbledon, said Serena and Venus were the “biggest” inspiration for her
Serena and Venus have won 14 Grand Slam titles together in doubles, including six at Wimbledon. Their first two doubles titles at the All England Club, in 2000 and 2002, came as wild cards.
“For us it was about the titles, we wanted the Grand Slam titles. We just wanted to bring them home,” Venus said. “We did pretty good.”
The Williams sisters will play their first-round doubles match against Colombia’s Camila Osorio and Solana Sierra of Argentina.
“I played the sport because of them, believed that I could do things because of them. I look up to them a lot,” she said.
Sabalenka added: “It’s amazing what she’s doing. Also it’s Serena Williams, everyone was talking about that. She’s bringing more eyes on tennis. It’s a good thing for tennis. I’m really excited to see her play.”
A 2024 All-Star, Ragans went on the 15-day injured list with a left elbow impingement on May 8. He left his May 6 start against the Cleveland Guardians after three innings and was diagnosed with valgus extension overload He was placed on the 60-day injured list on June 17.
“They’re not going to be clear on the extent of it until they get in there and understand what they see,” Quatraro said.
A three-time opening
for
AP PHOTO By KIRSTy WIGGLESWORTH
Jannik Sinner smiles during a training session at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club ahead of Wimbledon on Thursday in London.
AP PHOTO By JOHN WALTON Serena Williams smiles during a practice session ahead of the Wimbledon Championships on Saturday in London.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JESSICA HILL
Viktor Hovland watches his shot land near the pin on the 15th green on Saturday during the third round of the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn.
difficult to recruit Black athletes to Oxford, Mississippi.
“Hesaid what he said,” Chamblisssaid “Mepersonally, Idon’t agreewith it.When Icame down for my (recruiting) visit, (Kiffin) showed me nothing butlove. The people in Mississippi, Oxford, showed me nothing but love.
“I asked my family what they thought about the visit, what theythought about the people, if they trusted what they were actuallysaying, if theyweregoing to be true to their word. And they said, yeah,they feel like this is the right place.”
Chambliss, who is returning for asixth college season thanks to acourt order,said he’s aloyalperson and hadnothoughtsof playing anywhere butOle Missfor his final season. Oxford, he said, is “home.”
His football household is now led by a defensive-minded headcoach, Pete Golding, but new offensive play-caller John David Baker is running essentially thesame systemasKiffin and Weis, justwithslightly different terminology
Chambliss said he expects LSU’sWeek 3visit to Oxford to be a“chess match” between his former and currentcoaches
“They obviously run our offense that we did at Ole Miss and they gotagreat DC there as well,” Chambliss saidofLSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker. “So I m just super pumped up andexcited to play them again. And I’ll give coach Weis abig hug when Isee him.”
Weis, the 33-year-old son of the former Notre Dame headcoach andPatriots assistant of the same name, remained withOle Miss during its playoff run but eventually accepted athree-year contract worth$2.5 million per year to join KiffinatLSU.
ChamblisssaidWeis is a“great guy.” “On my visit, he was one of the reasons why Icommitted (to Ole Miss),” Chambliss said. “Just gotta give him so much thanks andjustsuper grateful forhim,for giving me the opportunity,for sticking with me through the ups and downs thislast year.”
One of the biggest upsordownsofnext season will undoubtedly be the LSU game. He’sbeen getting stopped in public, con-
talks with campers before adrill at theManning Passing AcademyonFridayat Nicholls State University in Thibodaux.
stantly,byOle Miss fanswantingtotalk aboutWeek 3.
Chambliss said he’s hoping to treat that game like any other,likea “regular” Saturday,but he expectsitwill be very different.
“Honestly,wilderand crazierthan any gamewehad last year,” said Chambliss,who joked that Oxford’sS.W.A.T.team might be in attendance to beef up security.“Yeah,Oxford is going to be electric.”
It promises to be an unimaginable scene, a scenario Chambliss couldn’thave fathomed ayear ago while fresh off atransferfrom Ferris State.
Things have changed drastically,but the quarterback wasn’t shyabout tossing his former coaches love. Nor was he ducking his excitement for Sept.19.
He delivered his thoughts, decisively and comfortably,asa quarterback should.
“Super grateful forcoach Weis andthe staff that was at Ole Miss that’snow at LSU, Kiff,” Chamblisssaid. “They gavemean opportunity,they gave me ashot.Super excited to goagainst them.”
Email Jon Blau at jon.blau@theadvocate.com.
Saints running back Alvin Kamaraputs on ahelmet during minicamp on June 16 in Metairie.
DUNCAN
Continued from page1C
outset of free agency,the Saintswere careful to give Kamara hisspaceand have since treated him with therespect duea player of his profileand pedigree. As of last week, they had yet toapproachhim aboutapay cut, and it’sunclear whether they will do so before trainingcamp starts next month
The Saints always could donothingand elect to live with Kamara’sdeal, which makes him the ninth-highest-paid backin the league, above even Etienne, theman he is slottedtoback up. Kamara’s$10.5 million salary-cap hit is thesixth-highest among backs in the league andhas led multiple outlets to rank him as oneofthe most overpaid players in theleague this offseason.
While the Saints never have cared about optics, they rarely overlook fiscal profligacy.That said, they might be willing to make an exception in the case of Kamara, who certainly outearned his contractinthe early years of his career
So far,everyone has played nice publicly andmaintained arespectful, professional approach to the situation.But there’s no denying the vibe between thesides has been off throughout the offseason.A quiet disconnect has brewed behind thescenes, creating an undercurrent of uncertainty Kamara’sdecision to —again —not participate in the offseason program only exacerbated things. He was largely outof communication with teamofficials, unlike Nathan Shepherd, who kept in constant contact with the team after beingexcused from workouts becauseofa personal matter
While the conditioning program and organized team activities are technically “volunteer work,” Kamara’sabsence was conspicuous on ateam where 54 players had 100% participation inthe offseason programand an “all-in” mindset has been adopted in Year 2ofthe Kellen Mooreera
It’s noteworthy that the other team captains—ErikMcCoy,Justin Reid andZach Wood —have all been active participants this offseason. (As an unrestricted free agent, Cam Jordan was notundercontract with the Saints at the time.)
In-SeasonChallenge starts engine at Sonoma
TheAssociated Press
SONOMA, Calif. Ty Dillonsat downwith athousand-yard stare beside an equally stone-faced Denny Hamlin, and both were clad in black to promote their In-Season Challenge matchup.
For the second consecutive year, the NASCAR Cup Series drivers face offinthe first round, and their joint interview Saturday at SonomaRaceway came off with the feel of aheavyweight weigh-in —absent theverbal jousting.
They’re leaving thetrash talking to their daughters, whohavebecomebest friends at the racetrack but will be “competing as much as we will,” Hamlin said.
“Behind the scenes, they’re probably moreinvested in this than anybody,” Dillon said with alaugh.
Thelastroad course of the Cup Series seasonwillmark thestart of theIn-Season Challenge,afive-race, bracket-style tournament with $1 millionatstake forthe winner
There are16head-to-head matchups SundayatSonoma, with thehighest finisheradvancing to thenext round.
In theevent’s debut last season, the breakout star wasDillon. As the32ndand last seed,the Kaulig Racing driver made an improbably flamboyant run to arunnerup finish while upsettingHamlin and 2012 champion Brad Keselowski.
Dillon is ranked 31st with abest finish of 12ththis season, but the In-Season Challengeloomsasanother chance to garner someheadlines and unlikely fans.
“When he knocked me out last year,I became thebiggest Ty Dillon fan,” Hamlin said. “I certainly love their story and have aton of respect for him.“
Dillon is a34-year-old journeyman who has raced in theCup Series for more than a decade without awin or playoff appearance.
The grandson of championship team owner Richard Childress showcased a devilishly overlooked wit in last year’sInSeason Challenge on theway to losing to Ty Gibbs in the final round at Indianapolis. Dillon lightheartedly called out each opponent he vanquished, starting by stealing Hamlin’s“Ibeat your favorite driver” line when he shocked thetop seed.
“Weput in alot of effort each week, and ourstory doesn’talwaysget told,” Dillon said. “The In-Season Challenge isn’talways focusedonthe top five in points, but it’sfocusedonthe teamslikeourswho are grinding. Most weeks, we beat one or two or three of the megateams. So it was great that our story got told, not only for me being able to show alittle bit of personality,but forour
sponsors and ourrace team, too.” His planwas to stay within strikingdistance of his weekly opponents until the final restart. Three times, he madethe winning pass after thelastgreen flag, including abumponAlex Bowmaninthe final turn of the last lap at Sonoma.
“Our goal is to be the best version of us,” Dillon said. “That’stoexecute everysingle phase, and if they makeone mistake, be there to attack when the opportunity comes. Of all theracetracks, this one gives us ashot to do that, so it’sgoing to be fun.” Dillon has posted abetter finish than Hamlin in the past three races at Sonoma, but he is cautiously optimistic about beating the Joe Gibbs Racing star whohas four wins this year
“They’re kicking butt,” Dillonsaid. “If they put together aperfect weekend, it’s going to be achallenge for us to keep up. Past records don’treally mean anything for this weekend. Hopefully,we’re there to just put pressure on him. That’sall we want to do.”
During last year’sIn-Season Challenge opener,Hamlinwas oneofeight higher seeds who were eliminated at Atlanta, a 1.5-mile track known for big wrecks that is third in this year’slineup.
Hamlin likes his odds better at Sonoma.
“Ourcar’sgot alot of speed, and thetypes of tracksthis time will be alittle bit more indicative of theguys moving on that you would expect,” said Hamlin, who lobbied NASCAR to implement the In-Season Challenge as an attention-grabbing break from the summer doldrums. “But for aroad course,anything still can happen. There’ll be battles for 16th that matter,and that normally no one would ever care about. That’s the beauty of the bracket system andheadto-head is that you’re creating storylines and matchups.”
Kamara’ssurprise one-dayvisit during the final week of OTAs caught many in the building off-guard andwas seen as a publicity stunt by some.Tonoone’s surprise, Kamara was gone the next day.
This approach works finewhen you’re thelead back and making Pro Bowls, but not so muchwhen you’re abackup and coming off thekind of injury-plagued, nonproductive campaign Kamara had in 2025.
Kamaratold reporters he wantstoplay for theSaints this season and he has “no beef” with theteam, but his actions have indicated something different.
It’sall led to the awkward song-anddance routine we’ve watched play out this offseason
Nowhere was it more pronounced than at theteam’srecent minicamp, where Kamarawas held out of team drills as part of theteam’s “ramp-up” process,a curious strategy given he’spresumably healthy andshould be fresh from his offseason sabbatical. He watched team drills from the sideline while Etienne took thefirstteam reps, and Estimé and Ty Chandler subbed with the reserve units.
SeeingKamara excluded from theoffensive rotation looked odd and felt strange. It broughttomind Charles Jefferson, the football star in “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” whose classmates thought he didn’t attendschool and “just flewinfor football games.”
In away,Kamara’scareer is already in thelagniappe stage. Hisnine-year tenure alreadyhas wildly exceeded expectations, especially when you consider his modest third-round draft status. He’s theonly running back of the27selected in the 2017 NFL Draft still with his original team, and oneofjust five from thegroup still in the league. Former draft classmates Leonard Fournetteand Dalvin Cook have been out of theleague for years.
It’ll be interesting to see how the Kamara situation plays out.It’spossible the sides gettogether and reach an amicable resolution, allowing Kamara thechance to finish hiscareer in New Orleans.
It’salso possible the Saints part ways before or during camp. As noted, that might notbethe worst outcomeinthe world. Neither side is to blame. It just feels like it’stime. Everything has ashelf life. AskTom Brady.
STAFF PHOTO By BRETTDUKE
Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, right,
STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER
AP PHOTO By DERIK HAMILTON DennyHamlin celebratesinVictoryLane after winning aNASCAR CupSeries raceonJune
WORLDCUP 2026
Kane makes historyfor Englandinwin
By The Associated Press
EAST RUTHERFORD,N,.J.— Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane scored early in the second half, lifting England over Panama 2-0Saturday and into what appears to be amore favorable bracket for the knockout phase of the World Cup.
On arainy afternoonbefore avocal pro-England crowd thatmade MetLife Stadium seem like Wembley,Panama held the European power scoreless through afirst half in which Kane had 10 touches, thefewest of any player
Bellingham putthe Three Lions ahead in the 62nd minute from Bukayo Saka’scorner kick.Heldina bear hug by Jorge Gutiérrez at the top of the 6-yard box, Bellingham stuck out his left leg and stabbed theball past goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera for his third World Cup goal, his second this year
Five minutes later,Bellingham crossed from theleft flank and Kane outjumped AndrésAndrade to head the ball in for his 82nd international goal. Kane became England’srecord World Cup scorer with his 11th goal, one more than Gary Lineker.
“Our first job achieved,” Bellingham said. “Just agood combination of play.Togive it to Harry again, who just continuestoraise his level, is incredible.”
CROATIA2,GHANA 1: In Philadelphia, Croatia earned aspot in the knockout round, getting goals from Nikola Vlašic andLukaSucic to beat Ghana.
Harry Kane celebrates after scoring England’ssecond goal in aWorld Cupmatch against Panama on Saturday in East Rutherford, N.J.Kane became England’s record WorldCup scorer withhis 11thgoal
Ghana had already clinched a spot in the round of 32 forthe first time since 2010.
Vlašic headed home Luka Modric’scorner in the 83rd minute to score thewinner and putCroatia back in contention after it finished third in 2022. The win means Croatia finishedsecond behind England in Group L, with Ghana third. Sucic scored in the 31stminute for Croatia on an absolute rocket from outside the box for his sec-
ond career international goal.
DerrickLuckassen scored the equalizerthat—after abrief review— sent thousands of fans wearing yellow into afrenzy.Luckassen, brother of the Netherlands’ Brian Brobbey,found the bottom right cornerinthe 73rd minute to make it 1-1 and the first of the five group stage games in Philadelphia where both teams scored.
Canada-South Africa match kicksoff knockout roundplay
BY STEVE REED Associated Press
No more ties.
From here on out, the World Cup knockoutrounds mean only one team will emerge as the victorand advance to thenextround, while the other heads home.
Single-elimination play begins on Sunday when Canada faces South Africa in Inglewood, California, in the first of 16 matches after the field of 48 was trimmed to 32 with the completionofgroupstage matches late Saturday night
The Canada-South Africa match features alittle bit of history
Both teams will be making their first appearances in aWorldCup knockout match. Both finished second in theirrespective groups with 1-1-1 records overthree matches.
They will havethe stage to themselves as the only match of theday.Three more matches are
scheduled for Monday: BrazilJapan, Germany-Paraguayand Netherlands-Morocco.
“Every moment matters,”
Canada coach JesseMarschsaid of the single-elimination match.
“And certainly when youget to the knockoutphase the ability to have full concentration on the task at hand,tounderstandthe opponent and tilt things in our favor is very important. And the discipline, to make sureyou don’tget yourselfin trouble with cards or badpenalties.”
Thatsaid, Marsch wantshis team to open the game aggressively,unlikeits 2-1 losstoSwitzerland in group play
“Weare clear on the qualities (South Africa) has, and we are very clearonwhat to expect,” Marsch said.“And this is also a momentwhere we wanttobeat our best.”
Canada expectsDaviesback
Marschsaid teamcaptain and star left back AlphonsoDavies will make his 2026 World Cup de-
but on Sunday Davies has not played in a match since early May due to a hamstring injury he sustained playing for Bayern Munich in a Champions League semifinal.
“Wetalked about from aphysical perspectivegettingstronger as the tournament went on, and now thatwehave Alphonso back andready to perform,itisa big momentfor theteamand abig boost for theteam,” Marsch said.
Marschtoldreporters he expected Davies to play in the team’s group-stage finale against SwitzerlandinVancouver, but thatturned out just to be gamesmanship. He had no plans to play Davies.
Davies had askedtobring a personal trainer to join him at the World Cup and Marschagreed.He has been working on the side with the trainer at recent practices.
Davies said there hasbeen “open communication” between himself, the trainerand the team during therehab process and he feels ready to go.
Soccer meetsnatureatwatch party
BY DREW RENNER Associated Press
NORTH VANCOUVER, British Columbia World Cup fans in Vancouver took to the great outdoorsSaturday with amountaintop watch party accessed by gondola. The match between England and Panama was shown on abig screen atop Grouse Mountain, a4,100-foot mountainthat’s part of the Pacific Ranges with asweeping view of British Columbia.
Some 300 people attended the event, which was part of Destination Canada’seffort to blend the nation’snatural attractionswith theWorld Cup. When Jude Bellingham scored England’sbreakthroughgoalinthe secondhalf, the fans roared.
“It makes it much more immersive,right, in the sense that you’ve got multiple layers. You’ve got the game going on, and then all of the sudden, as you then look at the background and look around, it’sincredible,
Afan cheersafter agoal is scored by England on SaturdayatGrouse Mountain in NorthVancouver,British
incrediblewiththe view,” event volunteer Stephan Lukac said.
“This is what it’sall about.”
Both Toronto and Vancouver arehostingmatches during the tournament. An earlier watch party was held in the Toronto Islands in Lake Ontario. Fanswere encouraged tokayak or ferry for agroup-stage match between
Germany and Ivory Coast.
“Tostandona mountain or paddle on one of the Great Lakes theseexperiences arecapturing something that is uniquely Canadian,” Gloria Loree,seniorvice president of marketing strategy and chief marketing officer for Destination Canada, saidbefore theevent
Verde as anothersurprise qualifier forthe round of 32. Uzbekistan ledthrough Eldor Shomurodov’sfirst-half strike that looked set to end Congo’shopes. But Sébastien Desabre’steam fought back after the break. Trailing to Shomurodov’slobbed goal in the10thminute, Congo equalized in the 68th when Wissa was brought down by Abdukodir Khusanov in the box forapenalty Wissa picked himself up and sent Uzbekistan goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov the wrong way by rolling the ball into the bottom corner to spark adramatic finale.
COLOMBIA 0, PORTUGAL 0: In Miami Gardens, Florida, Colombia finished the World Cup’sopening roundasthe GroupK winnerafter playing Portugal to ascoreless draw
CONGO3,UZBEKISTAN1: In Atlanta, Congo advanced to the knockout stage for thefirst timebyrallying past Uzbekistan. The African nation was playing in soccer’sbiggest tournament for only the second timeinits history after a52-year absence. Twosecond-half goals from Yoane Wissa andone fromFiston Mayele sealed the win and saw Congo join Cape
Both squads had already secured spots in the knockout stage before thematch,needing only to learn their opponents forthe next round. Both squads put forth lively efforts. Bruno Fernandez came close to putting Portugalahead in the first half,but wasdenied by Camilo Vargas. Portugal’sDiogo Costo had six saves, more than in the team’s first twomatches combined. The match playedatthe home stadiumofthe NFL’s MiamiDolphins took place in front of asellout crowd of 64,478 that included former Colombia soccer star Carlos Valderrama, FIFApresident Gianni Infantino —who satina suite with FBI director KashPatel and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio —NFL quarterback Jameis Winston,NBA playerJimmy Butler,actor Matt Damonand former NFLreceiver Chad Johnson.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOBySTEVE LUCIANO
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ABBIEPARR
Columbia,Canada.
CHRISTIANSAUSKA NEWMAN,SENIOR • PITCHER
Newman baseball players and coaches likely all had the same thought when theyboarded the teambus afterthe Game 1loss in the state championship series.
“Everybodywas like,‘We’re OK,’ ”coachPat Adams said.“There was no panic.Weall were like,‘Wegot our dude goinginGame 2. That“dude” was Christian Sauska, the New Orleans All-Metro small schoolsbaseball playerofthe year
The Penn signeecarried aheavy workload with 8113 innings pitchedfor the Division III select state champions. He posted a10-1 record with a1.38 ERA and110 strikeouts while having a.343 on-base percentagewith 23 RBIsand 22 runs scored as ahitter. With afastball that reaches 90 mph, Sauska twice helpedNewmanstave off elimination by winning the second game of aplayoff series after aGame1loss first in the quarterfinals, when theright-hander
struck out eight over six innings against Notre Dame.
He did it asecond time with aworkmanlike, six-inning effortinthe state finals against University High.
“I was confident, to be honest,”said Sauska, whodid not allowanearned runinhis first three playoffoutings.
Sauska pitched his best against some of Newman’sstrongest opponents. In March, he struck out eight in atwo-hit shutout of Jesuit and followedtwo weeks later with a five-inning no-hitter against Division II select championSt. Charles.
His April win against Mandeville helped Newman lock up the No. 2seed on the way to the school’s first state title since 2003.
“Those were the games he was reallylooking forward to,”said Adams, whose team won state with atrusted pitcher whodelivered when the team needed it the most.
Christopher Dabe
CLASSES3AAND BELOW COACHOFTHE YEAR
PATRICKADAMS NEWMAN
Newman wonthe state title with Adams in his seventh season as head coach.TheGreenies outlasted University High 15-12 in the decisive third game of the championship series.Adams
previously coached freshman and eighth gradeteams at Rummeland Newman before becoming the head coach.
Christopher Dabe
CLASSES 3A ANDBELOW ALL-METRO TEAM
CADEN
AMIE
Pope John Paul II, Sr Pitcher 6-1, 1.76 ERA, .333 batting average
JACOB BOURGEOIS Fisher,Sr. Pitcher
8-2, 1.09 ERA, 104 strikeouts
JAYCE RUIZ Riverside, Sr Pitcher
7-2, 1.45 ERA, 95 strikeouts
CHRISTIAN SAUSKA Newman, Sr Pitcher 10-1, 1.38ERA, 110 strikeouts
CHARLES WILSON Newman, Sr
Catcher
.333 average, 12 extrabase hits
JACK FALGOUST Newman, Sr
Infielder .291 average, 5-2, 2.56 ERA
JEREMY GIBSON
Patrick Taylor, Sr Infielder .425 average, 30 stolen bases
TRENT HELWIG Haynes, Sr Infielder .426 average, 46 hits,nine doubles
LUCAS SURCOUF Haynes, Sr Infielder .446 average, 45 hits,13 doubles
JOHNATHAN LEE
NorthlakeChristian, Sr
Outfielder .388 average, nine doubles,15stolen bases
CLASSES4A, 5A PLAYER OF THEYEAR
KOAROMERO HAHNVILLE,JUNIOR • UTILITy
Koa Romero returned to thedugout when aHahnville assistant coach pointed out the high number of radar guns tracking hisevery pitch.
For Romero, thiswas asurprise.The LSU commitment from Hahnville has long been knownfor hisbatting prowess. But on this day, with 17 major league scouts there to watch ParkviewBaptist’sLogan Sorrel,a Kentucky commitment, Romero used his low-90s fastball and complementarybreaking pitches to outduel the other team’s ace “Toward the end of the game someone said something,and Iwas like,‘Wait,they’re radaring me too?’ ”Romero recalledfromthat 3-1 victory with 10 strikeouts
The Times-Picayune selected Romero as the All-Metro largeschoolsbaseball playerof the year for his.433 average with 10 home runs among his19extra-base hits, plus a 6-2 pitching record with a1.15 ERAand 73 strikeouts over422/3 innings
Other celebrated outings came when
Romero struck out 15 and homered for the onlyrun in a1-0 victory overRummel to open the season, and the 12 strikeouts in aone-hit shutout of Destrehan to clinch the districttitle
The feared hitter walked five times in aplayoff sweep of Northshore —and four of those walks were intentional, sandwiched around his home runina series-clinching win that he pitched. When Romerodidn’t pitch, he mostly played catcher— aposition change(fromthirdbase) made necessarytohelpkeep theother team from stealing too many bases.
Coach JaredVial highlighted theplayoff doubleheader that had Romero behind the plate forseveninnings beforehereturned 30 minuteslaterand pitched thesecond game —a win that forceda decisiveGame3 that Hahnville lost the next day.
“If youwantedtoknowwhat type of toughness he had, that playoff series showed whyhe’sdifferent,”Vial said.“He has an oldschool mentality.”
Christopher Dabe
CLASSES4A, 5A COACHOFTHE YEAR
WAYNESTEIN ST.CHARLES CATHOLIC
Stein wontitles in thetwo sportsinthe same school for the second time. He doubled up for the first time in the 2022-23 school year
CLASSES4A, 5A ALL-METROTEAM
DRAKE
AMEDEE
Brother Martin, Sr Pitcher 11-1, 1.62 ERA, 88 strikeouts
ALEX
SCHEUERMANN
St. Martin’s, Sr Outfielder .333 average, .550 on-basepercentage
Destrehan, Jr Catcher .341 average, eighthome runs,1.06ERA
BRONSON LEAUMONT
Brother Martin, Sr
Infielder .381 average, 45 hits, 17 doubles
CONNOR MICHEU
John Curtis, Sr
Infielder .451 average, 46 hits,21 stolen bases
DOM
PELLEGRIN Holy Cross, Sr Infielder .489 average, sevenhome runs,three saves
DAX
PREGEANT
St. Charles, Sr Infielder .346 average, 46 hits 1.56 ERA
GRIFFIN
JEANDRON Jesuit, Sr
Outfielder .418 average, 41 hits
BRADY McCLUSKEY BrotherMartin, Jr Outfielder .358 average, 53 hits eightdoubles
GREYSON PARKER Mandeville, Jr
Outfielder .341 average, nine home runs, 1.63 ERA
JACKSON DUGAN Jesuit, Jr
Utility .409 average, 11 doubles, 2.49 ERA
LANDREE
LeBLANC
St. Charles, Jr
Utility .381 average, 5-1record, 3.08 ERA
ALEX
RICHARDSON
Belle Chasse, Sr
Utility
0.69 ERA, 141 strikeouts, .398 average
KOA
ROMERO
Hahnville, Jr
Utility .433 average, 10 home runs,1.15ERA
LANDEN TEAGUE
Hahnville, Jr
Utility .476 average, 50 hits, 18 extra-base hits
The Comets reached the state finals for the sixth time in sevenseasons and wona baseball state championship for the fourth time in that span.Also the head footballcoach,
Christopher Dabe
STAFF FILEPHOTO By ENAN CHEDIAK
Newman senior ChristianSauska, aPenn signee, posted a10-1record and 1.38 ERAin helping lead the Greenies to the DivisionIII select state championship.
STAFFFILE PHOTOByBRETT DUKE
Hahnville junior Koa Romero used his low-90s fastballtocompile a6-2 record with a 1.15 ERAfor theTigers. The LSUcommitment also hit .433 with 10 home runs.
OUTDOORS
BY JOE MACALUSO Contributing writer
Judging by freshwater, nearshore and offshore catches during the past week, it appears the tropical storm didn’t affect the coastal areas as much as it did in Avoyelles Parish and the Florida Parishes.
The storm’s heavy rainfall along with continued showers earlier last week forced state Wildlife and Fisheries managers to close roads in five wildlife management areas.
Yet, the talk around the southeastern part of the state continues to be a run on sac-a-lait in Verret Basin and Lac des Allemands waters, a fair take of speckled trout in the Venice and Terrebonne areas and the always productive offshore depths.
Just Friday, word came about tarpon moving in much earlier than expected in the waters between the mouth of the Mississippi River and Grand Isle That’s a change from the past three or four summers when the giant “silver kings” migrated into the area east of the Mississippi River in the Breton and Chandeleur areas.
Still, the persistence of rough seas showed up Friday when winds, now shifting from the south, forced mid-sized and smaller boats to turn around at the passes and seek calmer and safer fishing waters.
Now, with the Fourth of July celebration ahead this week, thousands of fishermen will be on the water And, while fishing is hot, so are the conditions, so please hydrate and stay safe.
The Fourth
If you plan to be on the water this week, especially Friday through next Sunday, then know Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division agents are partnering with other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies for another Operation Dry Water weekend.
These men and women will be on the water across Louisiana — it’s part of a national event — to engage in patrols “to look for impaired vessel operators during the holiday weekend,” according to the agency’s announcement.
The last Operation Dry Water on Memorial Day weekend nabbed nearly two dozen boat drivers who were determined to be “under the influence” while operating their boats. After arrest and conviction, the guilty faced the same DWI penalties as vehicle drivers.
The commission
The Wildlife and Fisheries Commission has moved its July meeting to 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at state headquarters on Quail Drive in Baton Rouge.
Top agenda items include:
n Presentation of the annual Theophile Bourgeois Memorial Award to Enforcement Division Sgt. Shea Schexnaydre; n Introduction of Duke Lowrie, a newly appointed commissioner;
n Considering a notice to change rules for hunting turkey on wildlife management areas; n Updates from Ducks
Unlimited and Delta Waterfowl on how each group spent the funding from Louisiana hunters on waterfowl breeding grounds; n Hearing an update on new no-fee recreational bowfishing permit;
n And, for offshore fishermen, a presentation on the possibility of the state getting an exempted permit for taking greater amberjack. The meeting’s live audio and video will be available via Zoom.
Ride the Bull
The event billed as “The World’s Largest Kayak Fishing Tournament” is set for Grand Isle on Aug. 28-29 — Ride the Bull XV It’s two months away, but if you’re planning to fish for redfish in Caminada Pass, it’s time to make your accommodations, because rooms fill fast. Red snapper Tropical Storm Arthur cut into the recreational red snapper catch in the first week of June, so much so that LA Creel’s
James Breaux 3.29 pounds. 2, Colton Moncrief, 2.48. 3, William Bonifacie, 1.82. Redfish: 1, Colton Moncrief, 7.98. 2, Jack Schaefer, 7.75. 3, Moncrief, 7.72. Red snapper: 1, Martin Breaux, 13.36. 2, William Fernandez, 10.42. Sheepshead: 1, James Breaux, 8.06. 2, Michael Wydert, 6.56. 3, Drew Fallo, 5.5. Black drum: 1, Julien Rougelot, 3.62. 2, Cody Brown, 3.22. Flounder: 1, Aiden McGlone, 1.58. 2, Jacob DePaula, 1.52. 3, Colton Moncrief, .68. Bass: 1/2/3, Will McPhail 3.02, 2.52, 1.88. Freshwater catfish: 1/2, Tristan Rude, 8.24, 4.32. 3, Logan Rude, 2.12. DIVISION I Speckled trout: 1, Matthew McMahon, 3.22. 2, Michael McMahon Jr 3.04. 3, Michael McMahon Sr., 2.92. Redfish: 1, Jeff Fernandez, 6.96. 2, Chris Petty, 6.68. 3, Chad Moncrief, 5.94. Red snapper: 1/2/3, Joe Piacun, 14.0, 12.2, 12.0. Sheepshead: 1, David Boyd, 5.7. 2, Chris Petty, 5.34. 3, Boyd, 5.24. Black drum: 1, Steve Petty, 6.48. 2, Carl Griffin, 3.08.
Flounder: 1, Casey Stavinoha, .28. Bass: 1, Colleen Rude, 1.58. 2/3, Kerry Redmann, 1.44, .88. Freshwater catfish: 1, Eric Ehrensing, 3.9. 2, David Boyd, 3.36. 3, Casey Stavinoha, 1.2. SPECIAL DIVISION Biggest fish: Vaughn Leopold, 28.5 (gar). 5-trout stringer: Team Puckett, 18.66. Brother Martin rodeo Final leaderboard from the Brother Martin High School fishng rodeo with categories, team names and weights of their catches in pounds: 5-trout stringer: 1 Phinns & Pheathers, 23.05 pounds. 2, Finatic, 18.95. Speckled trout: 1/2/3, Phinns & Pheathers, 6.15, 4.95, 4.2. Redfish: 1, Team Campo, 7.75. 2, Finatic, 7.55. 3, Jayden Brennan 7.5. Black drum: 1, Hooks of Havoc, 22.15. 2, Spec Ops, 20.65. 3, Gar Fathers, 8.15. Sheepshead: 1, Team Campo, 5.95. 2, Next Gen Hookers, 5.05. 3, Scales & Ales, 4.45. Flounder: 1, Next Gen Hookers, 2.15. 2, Neaux Limits, 1.8. 3, Finatic, 1.2. Bass: 1, Team Campo, 1.55. 2, Jayden Brennan, 1.15. 3, Brennan, .85. Largest fish (non gar): 1 Jayden Brennan, 20.65. Largest fish/Br. Martin Student (non gar): 1, Blake Sanders, 22.15. 2, Jayden Brennan, 20.35. 3, Team Campo, 1.55.
Largest two redfish: 1, Finatic, 14.55. 2, Neaux Limits, 13.9. 3, Phinns & Pheathers, 13.35 Most spots/redfish: 1, Neaux Limits, 11. 2, Scales & Ales, 7. 3, St. Aloyfishish, 4. Smallest 5-trout stringer: 1, Phinns & Pheathers, 5.05. No entries in snapper nor gar. Junior SW Bassmasters FERRIDAY — Results from the Junior Southwest Bassmasters-Denham Springs June tournament held on Lake Concordia with anglers, their hometowns (when available), number of bass weighed in parentheses (5-bass daily limit), total weight in pounds and big-bass winners: 15-18 age group: 1, Blake LeRay Brusly (10) 19.42 pounds. 2, Parker Richsrd, Port Allen (9) 13.92. 3, Landin Sholty, Denham Springs (7) 13.42. Big bass: Aiden Giluso, Hammond, 4.93 pounds. 11-14 age group: 1, Jase Russell, Greenwell Springs (8) 16.56. 2, Lane LeRay, Brusly (9) 13.51. 3, Brantley Broussard, St. Francisville (8) 12.45. Big bass: LeRay, 3.61. 7-10 age group: 1, Nathaniel Watts, Livingston (10) 13.96. 2, Charles Leonard, New Roads (4) 5.45. Big Bass: Watts, 3.58 Adult division: 1, Matthew Watts, Livingston (10) 22.81. 2, Jake Richard, Port Allen (10) 21.76. 3, Cody Morgan, New Roads (10) 20.29. Big bass: Watts, 4,27
WEDNESDAY
LA. WILDLIFE & FISHERIES COMMISSION
MEETING: 9:30 a.m., state Wildlife and Fisheries headquarters, 2000 Quail Dr., Baton Rouge.
THURSDAY-SATURDAY
76TH GOLDEN MEADOW-FOURCHON TARPON
RODEO: Fourchon Marina & Pavilion, Port Fourchon. Benefits South Louisiana High students. Fishing begins daylight Thursday. Weigh-in open Friday & Saturday. King of the Catch cooking contest. Inshore, Big Game, Shoreline, Kayak, Spearfishing & Children’s divisions. Website: fourchontarpon.com
RODEO/S.T.A.R.: Through Sept. 7, Coastal Conservation Association’s summer-long fishing event. Tagged redfish, coastal/offshore species categories & youth division. CCA membership required. Website: ccalouisiana.com/star
rebounded to a more robust number, and LA Creel’s count through June 14 stands at 266,420 pounds. That’s a little more than 30% of our state’s 882,439-pound 2026 allotment for the private recreational sector
AROUND THE CORNER
JULY 8 — BUGS & BEERS: 6:30 p.m., Skeeta Hawk Brewing, 455 N. Dorgenois St., New Orleans. Casual fly-tying. Open to public. Email A.J. Rosenbohm: ajrosenbohm@gmail.com. Website: neworleansflyfishers.com
-3 PajareeAnannarukarn 71-72-71—214 -2 Manon De Roey 72-72-70—214 -2 LydiaKo76-69-69—214 -2 Andrea Lee69-72-73—214 -2 AlexaPano
33. (47) R. StenhouseJr, Chevrolet, 93.605. F1 Austrian Grand Prix Lineup After Saturdayqualifying; race Sunday At RedBullRing Spielberg, Austria. Lap length: 4.33 kilometers Thirdsession
1. George Russell, Great Britain, Mercedes,1 minute, 06.113 seconds 2. Charles Leclerc, Monaco, Ferrari, 1:06.349.
3. Lewis Hamilton, Great Britain, Ferrari, 1:06.408. 4. Andrea Kimi Antonelli,Italy, Mercedes 1:06.414. 5. Max Verstappen, Netherlands, RedBull Racing, 1:06.475 6. Lando Norris,Great Britain, McLaren, 1:06.502. 7. Oscar Piastri, Australia, McLaren, 1:06.511.
play alongside ZionWilliamson and Queen.
numerous phone calls for teams making trade offers. But he wasn’t going to make atrade justfor the sake of makingone.He went into any negotiations knowing what he wanted in return and if teams weren’t willing to give that, Dumars stood firm. That’sagood thing.
Revisiting Queentrade
Some people won’twant to hearthis one, but the trade Dumars made with theAtlanta Hawks on draft night of 2025 to get Derik Queen didn’tend up being quite as bad as it looked ayear ago.
Yes, Dumars should have at least protected the 2026 pick. The Hawksended up with the No. 8pick and used it Tuesday nightto draft Houston guard Kingston Flemings. So in summary,the Pelicans got Queen and the Hawks got Flemings along withlast year’s2025 pick Asa Newell.
Queen played in 81 games, averaging 11.7 points and 7.1 rebounds withapairof triple-doubles. He was also votedsecond team on the All-Rookie team,meaning he had somewhere between thesixth-to10th best season in the 2025 class. Newell played in 44 games for the Hawks, averaging just 5.2 points and 2.2 rebounds. How well Queen, Newell andFlemings do in the future will decide who wonthe trade, but the early returnsfavor Queen. Especially if his defense improves Nowwhat?
The Pelicans stillneed to fill that gianthole in the middle of their lineup. Priority No 1for Dumars should be finding acenterto
Sincethe Pels didn’taddress it in the draft,they’ll have to either trade for one or sign one in free agency.Apair of guys with Louisiana ties (North Caddo alum Robert Williams and Chalmette Highalum Mitchell Robinson) are among the guys out there in free agency.Milwaukee Bucks center MylesTurner is also aname to watch if Dumars decides to take the trade route Who’sgoing?Who’s staying?
Unless Dumars thinks first-year coach JamahlMosley can turn water into wine, the Pelicans can’tjust run it back with the same team that won just 26 games last season. It would be ideal for Mosley to get the pieces he needs, especially theaforementioned bigman. Outside of Williamson,the players most wanted by other teams are Trey Murphy andHerb Jones. Expect theirnames to continue to come up in trade talks. Despite hislofty contract, Jordan Poole didn’tcontribute muchlastyear in his first season in New Orleans. His name will be one to watch over the next few weeks
The Pelicans, according to aFriday report from NBATV,are expected to decline the $8 millionteam option on Kevon Looney.The veteran center,who rarely played in his oneseason in New Orleans, is expected to become an unrestricted free agent. Free agency begins on Tuesday.The decision on Looney is the first move the Pelshavemadethis season More changes better be on the way if the Pelicans want to give their fans something to feel good about.
8. Isack Hadjar, France, RedBullRacing, 1:06.632. 9. Liam Lawson, New Zealand, RacingBulls, 1:06.955. 10. Arvid Lindblad, GreatBritain, Racing Bulls,1:07.007. Eliminated after second session 11. PierreGasly,France, Alpine, 1:07.223. 12. Gabriel Bortoleto, Brazil, Audi F1 Team, 1:07.293. 13. Oliver Bearman, England, Haas, 1:07.523. 14. Nico Hulkenberg,Germany, Audi F1 Team, 1:07.611. 15. Esteban Ocon, France, Haas,1:07.817. 16. Franco Colapinto, Argentina, Alpine, 1:08.171. Eliminated after first session 17. CarlosSainz Jr., Spain, Williams, 1:08.252. 18. Alexander Albon, Thailand, Williams, 1:08.509. 19. Sergio Perez, Mexico, Cadillac, 1:08.945. 20. ValtteriBottas, Finland, Cadillac, 1:09.030. 21. Fernando Alonso, Spain, Aston Martin, 1:09.942. 22. Lance Stroll, Canada, Aston Martin, 1:10.363. NASCAR-O’Reilly Pit Boss FoodMaxx 250 results
Saturday At Sonoma Raceway Sonoma, Calif. Lap length: 1.99 miles (Startposition in parentheses)
38. (38) Brad Perez, Toyota, fuelpump, 0, 1. Race statistics Average Speed of RaceWinner: 76.308 mph. Time of Race: 2hours,3minutes, 37 seconds Margin of Victory: 1.324 seconds Caution Flags:4for 11 laps Lead Changes: 8among 6drivers Lap Leaders: S.VanGisbergen0-17; A.Alfredo 18-22; H.Burton 23-24; S.VanGisbergen25-32; J.Love 33; S.VanGisbergen34-42; C.Zilisch 43-46; B.Crews47; S.VanGisbergen 48-79 Leaders Summary (Driver,TimesLed, Laps Led): S.VanGisbergen, 4timesfor 66 laps; A.Alfredo, 1time for 5laps;C.Zilisch, 1 time for 4laps; H.Burton, 1time for2laps; B.Crews, 1time for 1lap; J.Love, 1time for 1lap. Wins: J.Allgaier, 5; C.Day, 2; A.Hill, 2; S.Creed, 1; T.Gray,1;W.Sawalich,1 Top16inPoints: 1. J.Allgaier, 847; 2. J.Love, 623; 3. C.Day, 609; 4. S.Creed,607; 5. A.Hill, 591; 6. B.Jones, 572; 7. C.Kvapil, 567; 8. S.Smith, 543; 9. P.Retzlaff, 494; 10. T.Gray, 476; 11. S.Mayer, 476; 12. W.Sawalich,448; 13. B.Crews, 443; 14. R.Caruth, 439; 15. R.Sieg, 421; 16. B.Poole,
LIVING
Mister Carnival
Arthur Hardy returnsto guidein newrole
Staff report
Arthur Hardy,whose iconic magazine has heraldedCarnivalinNew Orleans for 50 years, willremain withthe Arthur HardyMardi Gras Guideasan advisor for its 51st year in 2027.
The Mardi Gras legend had announced his retirement earlier this year from the publicationhefounded with his wife, Susan, and sold to Georges MediaGroup in 2023.
“Arthur Hardy has shaped the way generations of New Orleanians and visitors experience MardiGras,”GeorgesMedia PublisherKevin Hall said. “We are incredibly grateful that Arthur will continue to serve as an advisor and consultant, helping ensure that his expertise and vision remain part of the Guide’sfuture.”
Now Victor Andrews at The Times-Picayune |nola.com will take the reins as senior editor with Hardy as editoremeritus. The twohave worked together for the past three yearsonthe Mardi Gras Guide, with Andrews is aveteran of the New Orleans newsroom’sfeatures department and society pages.
“Victor brings adeep appreciation for Carnival, and Ihave trust that he willcontinue to build on the legacyArthurcreated,” Hall said.
AndHardy is thrilled to be able to continue shapingthat legacy “I’m delighted to continue to provide input on the editorial contentofthe magazine, and especially pleased that Georges Media has retained David Johnson, the Mardi Gras Guide’sart director since 1991,” Hardy said.
Traditionally available during theholiday season aheadof Carnival,the magazine features information on every major paradeinsoutheast Louisiana, as well as other parts of the state. Lists of krewe royalty,anniversary celebrations, stories, statisticsand more can be found inside eachyear’s editionand at nola.com.
“Arthur has crafted ablueprint for Carnival coverage that is unmatched and the team at TheTimes-Picayune is excited to have him staying on to maintain that level of excellence,” Andrews said. “With stories about notable krewes, royalty, history and all things that make Mardi Gras marvelous, this has becomeone of the season’smost treasured‘throws.’
ABOVE: Augusto Ferrer-Dalmu’s2018 painting,‘La Marcha de Gálvez,’depicts Bernardo de Gálvez and his ragtag army marching through Louisiana’sswamp areas from NewOrleans to clear theBritish from Baton Rouge RIGHT: The map,‘Plan of Point Ibberville’ is a1760s finished, colored topographical copybyBritishLt.T. Pittman from William Brasier’smap. Fort Bute can be seeninthe southernmost point on the map.
PROVIDED IMAGE By UNIVERSITy OF MICHIGAN DIGITAL COLLECTIONS/WILLIAML.CLEMENTS LIBRARy IMAGE BANK
MARCH OF TIME
Nearly 250years in themaking, newRevolutionary War marker at thesiteofa
BY ROBIN MILLER Staff writer
Three years of planning andfundraising to commemorate an obscure but major piece in America’s 250th celebrationwas wipedout in just three days. The story starts beforethe American Revolution. The Britishbuilt Fort Bute at theconfluence of Bayou Manchac andthe Mississippi River in 1766, exactly 10 yearsbefore thesigning of the Declaration of Independence in the PennsylvaniaState House, nowknown as Independence Hall. Baton Rouge’sGeneral PhilemonThomas chaptersofthe Sons and Daughters of American
Berbue, Diane Amos and Rhona Lacoste withroses in the French Quarter
Revolution spentthree yearsresearching and fundraising to installthe historical marker near thesiteofthe British’s FortBute in thesouthernmostcorner of East Baton Rouge Parish. The sign, erected on May 30, was settostand just in time for America’s250th celebration. And thetimingwas important, because the 1779 battle thatplayed outatFortButewas apivotal point in the American Revolution.
ImportantBritish post FortButewas an important strategic post for theBritish, not only for defensebut shipping and trade, and with subsequent forts
ä See FORT BUTE, page 7D
PROVIDED PHOTOByTHE PHILEMON THOMAS CHAPTEROFTHE SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION The PhilemonThomas chapters of the Sons and Daughters of the AmericanRevolution erected a Louisiana State HistoricalMarker commemorating Fort Bute along River Road near the East Baton Rouge-Iberville parish lineintimefor the America 250 celebration. Adriver plowed into the sign afew days later The sign has sincedisappeared.
PROVIDED PHOTO By USS KIDD VETERANS MUSEUM
STAFF FILE PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER
Aparadegoer looks at Arthur Hardy’sMardi Gras Guide as theywaitfor the Krewe of Iris parade in 2020.
DINING SCENE
Japanese chef quietlyopens asushi lover’sdream
Pulling up asushi bar seat at Nanami Sushi Diner &Onigiri, I took acue from the restaurant’s name and was intent on using it as adiner counter
Nanami’svast and changing menu, ajob that requires weekly airport runs to pick up shipments from Japan’sfish markets.
Back to thebento
Ian McNulty WHAT’S COOKING
All Iwanted this time was aquick bento box lunch, promising the simple pleasures of picking different bites from its petite grid. But Icouldn’t stop looking at the specials board. Make that “boards.” One list cannot cover all the day’s fish selections and kitchen specials, which routinely run through three dozen or more choices.
I’d never had kamasu(Japanese barracuda; stronglyflavored with ahint of smoke from the torch), nor isaka (a fish also called three line grunt; delicate, almost translucent), nor inada (young yellowtail; leaner and denser than the common mature yellowtail)
This all represents afeat of sourcing that can’tbeignored. And so, yet again, ameal at Nanami became much more than Ihad planned.
TheJapaneseway
The small, spare restaurant that chef Yuwa Tomihira opened last fall doesn’tshout for attention.
Evenhaving “diner”inthe name seems abit homey
In practice, it is relaxed butprecise, serene and straightforward, with alaser focus on great fish presented theright way.Itfeels like aJapanese restaurant,rather than just arestaurant that serves sushi.
From his perpetual station at the bar,Tomihira oversees everything —directing staff, testtasting asauce from the kitchen, chatting in Japanese withregulars, advising othersonspecial orders arriving soon to plan their next visits
Of course, they will be back There’salways something different to try Tomihira will add sauces and
Evenwhenthe restaurant is busy,Nanami is calmenough to talk with the chef over the barabout his craft. So Ilearned aboutthe seasonality built into the menu, nota commonnotion at sushi bars here, but well understood in Japan Eelisatits best in summer, and it’sa fish said to give energy and vitality on ahot day. Lately,there is both freshwatereel (unagi), allfatty andrich, andthe lesserseen seaeel (anago), leaner and sweet with abarbecue smokiness to its flesh.
The chef speaksofcoricori, a Japanesetermfor the snappingfirm texture inherent in raw saba,orPacific mackerel.
“In Japan,theytellkids that youdon’t really knowsushi until youlike saba,” he said.
It is adensely texturedfish with arich, oily flavor; bite in and it seems to bite back.
garnishes to hisnigiri, because this kind of “dressedsushi” is on trend and in demand.But it’s not hispreference.
He’smore interested in the traditional interplay of texture, flavor, freshness and age, and he has morenuancedwaystoboost flavor
Scoring the seafood with tight slice marks, for instance, widens the surface asithitsthe palate, amplifying thepleasure. This is best demonstrated with raw scallop nigiri,whichbecameaflower of soft ruffles bythe time Tomihira was readytoserve it OkinawatoMagazine
Born in Okinawa, thechef spent part ofhis childhood in Hong
Kong, and another part in Kenner where his family moved to care for his grandparents. He went to Bonnabel High School, and then he went towork. Sushi chefs can follow acareer trajectory that’smedieval in its regimented, guild-like structure. That was thecase for Tomihira. He started at Origami Sushi, where he was soon recruited away to Shogun by that Metairie restaurant’sfounder,Masako “Peggy” Kamata, who is now retired but was notoriousinher
Scallop nigiri, center is scored with close slices before service to accentuate itstexture and flavor on the tongue at Nanami
day for headhunting sushi bar talent.
Later,heworked with Seiji Nakano, another Shogun alum, at his own Seiji’sOmakase, the high-end restaurantwithin arestaurant inside Little Tokyo in Metairie.
Today,Tomihira calls the elder chef his shokunin, or mentor master craftsman. There was time, too, at Osaki’s, aMichelinrecommended restaurant in Vail, Colorado.
Connections from these earlier stops help him with sourcing
Muchofthe specialty sushi goes for between $8 and $10 apiece —not cheap, though a reasonable costfor sushi at this level. The regularmenu at lunch anddinnerhas more affordable accesspoints.
The bento boxIinitially sought outstartedwith apair of onigiri, the triangle shapesofsushi ricestuffedwith tuna salador spicypork, neatly wrapped in nori. It wasa joytoalternate between these coolbites and bits of tempura broccoli and juicy kaaragefriedchicken, hot from the oil, andthenontocrunchy fermentedpicklesand steamed vegetables anda padofsweet omelet.It’sa richly varied meal of orderly grazing for under $20. Nanami remains BYOB while apermit application is in the works.
Really Really Nice Wines (3500 Magazine St.) afew blocks away makes ahandy stop off, and the nearby BreauxMartgrocery (3233 Magazine St.) haslately uppedits sake selection, perhaps notcoincidentally
Email IanMcNultyat imcnulty@theadvocate.com.
STAFF PHOTOSByIAN MCNULTy
yuwa Tomihira is chef at NanamiSushi Diner &Onigiri, aJapanese restaurant with alargesushi selection in NewOrleans.
PACESAND FACES
Nell Nolan SOCIETY
Contact: nnolan@theadvocate.com n Giddyup!
This was indeed well mint! To celebrate oneofthe best- known horse races on theplanet, WYES-PBS named its 2026 gala “Juleps &Generosity”and channeled the Kentucky Derby.The Oscar J. TolmasCharitable Trust was the Presenting Sponsor.Also teamedfor sponsorialgiving were Erin and JP Hymel, entertainment; Ochsner Health, patron party; Eileen and Joey Devall and Gerri and Murray Valene Triple Crown sponsors; and Gayle and TomBensonCharitableFoundation. The galivanting took place primarily in the WYES Paulette &Frank Stewart Innovation Center for Educational Media. Adding more largesse, thecouple wasalso creditedasthe dance floor sponsor Further generosity came from TrifectaSponsor(First Horizon, Hancock Whitney,and Hoffman Media,LLC); MintJulep Cup Sponsor YazooRestorations; and Gallo Mechanical, auction sponsor.Individuals thankedasJockey Club Sponsors were Micki and Lawrence Chehardy, Lauren and BryanFitzpatrick, Cammieand Charles Mayer,Tiaand Jimmy Roddy,Loriand BobbySavoie, and Susan and Pierre Villere. Most were sighted with theladies sporting comely chapeaux or fascinators.
For an hour,patrons rubbed shoulders as they mingledinDerby-inspired attire.(Those in the superstition “know” banned the wearing of green, which is considered an unlucky color.) Lots of gents got in the sartorialact as well. “I made atrip to Meyer the Hatter,” mentioned one Churchill Downsaficionado, who sitsglued to his TV each year for the Triple Crown runs.
To locate Louisville, theparty planners decorated thepremises using silver julep cups for the requisite beverage; redroses— theKentucky Derby is nicknamed “The Run for the Roses”; cascading white fairy lightsabove thedance floor; pennants and string lights above the auction area; and abackground of thefamed racetrack for souvenir photos. The gussied-up guests appeared to be perfectly placed in Churchill Downs, thanks to that backdrop, aRun for the Poses.
Teamed to chair the bash were theabove Devalls, Katie and Eric Hoffman,and Meganand William Wolf, while Sarah and William Worsely spearheaded the auction attractions. The Derby dozens eyed art, sports memorabilia, jewelry,and gift baskets, among other enticements. As for the cuisine, the Windsor Courtfilledthe bill. People maderepeated trips to the fried chicken service. AndPheris &James (New Orleans Cocktails) gotcredit as Cocktail Mixers.
The “Juleps &Generosity” who’swho was extensive.One of the topnames was thatof Robin Cooper,hatted, of course, whoanswers to presidentand CEO of the television station. The list of patrons ran from an easy AtoZ,starting with Tracee (Dundas) and ArnoldBaker to Carroll and EmoryZimmer Similarly,the gala and auction committee began with twosurnamed “A” couples, Becky and MichaelAngle and Markey and Len Aucoin and ended, once again, with the Zimmers. Well over 100 names were mentioned within. Paulette Stewart was among the choice fewwithtop tables on the dance floor.Ata certain point in the evening, the music makers, The Phunky Monkeys, commanded attention (and gave the horses arest).Simianexcitementwas to thefore —and the floor —asthe party pack gyrated with glee. Notquite livingupto its name in time, but yielding congenial energy,the song “All Night Long”was awinner.
n Here for Lear
n Hope Fest
Presented by Airbnb, Hope Fest lit up the night, and scads of spirits, at the Audubon Clubhouse by Dickie Brennan &Co. The clubhouse, which was packed, rated billing as a“new venue (for the fundraiser) with free, convenient parking.” People turned out in droves forthe fun. Mastheaders forthe event, the fourth annual benefit forHotel Hope (a homeless shelter), werehonorary chair New Orleans City Council member Lesli Harris;2026 co-chairs JeniferBesh and Dr Zoe Larned;and host BryanBatt.“We’re sold out!” he enthused. Sister MaryLou Specha is the executive director (Since the gala, Sister Mary Lou extended an invitation titled Breaking NewGround. This wasthe ceremonial groundbreaking of the new Hope Family Housing pilot site, an “intergenerational affordable housing model that seeks to help stabilize families, build community,and revitalize neighborhoods.” It will be adjacent to the Hotel Hope campus in Central City.Special thanks tapped the “good friends at Beuerman Miller Fitzgerald fortheir continued support.”) Fest features weremyriad with wine, beer and craft cocktails, yummy food from local chefs, asilent auction, goody bags (with Hubig’sPies, acup and water bottles) and music galore. The Preservation Hall Foundation Presents: the Pres-Hall All Stars, and The Original Pinettes Brass Band set the tone and the tunes. Relishing the multiple attractions were TomCianfichi with Bryan Batt, Joan and Orville Duggan, Jane and LarryMerington, Eric Vanderpool Ohman, Ingrid Foy,and scores more, who madepurposeful partying the celebration.
Not only was it an openingnight for“King Lear,” butitwas also thatofthe season. The New OrleansShakespeare Festival at Tulane launched staging with the tragic tale of Lear,King of Britain, who,inhis need to be flattered and indulged when he wasdividinghis kingdom amongsthis threedaughters, fell prey to the flattery,ever so false,ofthe older two and failed to recognize the sincere love andgenuineworth of his youngest child, Cordelia. TheBardcommanded theboardsofthe Lupin TheatreonTulane’scampus andfurthered the mission of the festival “to produceprofessional, classical theatre with aprimary focusupon the works of William Shakespeare.” Socializing played amajor role, as well, when audience members clustered about alargetable in the theater’slobby for a charcuterie spread byBlack PearlCatering and smiled for photos in frontofthe step andrepeat. Some milling occurred duringthe intermission and thenincreased post-performance when the actorsjoined the crowd.Kudos to the cast,especially to John Neisler as theeponymousLear Noted,too, within thegroupingwas “King Lear”director Jana Mestecky,who’s now portraying Lady Macbethin“Macbeth,” which just opened twonightsago and features David Lind as Macbeth. That director is Graham Burk, thefestival’sinterim artistic director Notables hobnobbing onthe opening night of “Lear,” included Burk, fest followers, and such advisory board members as chair Cassie Worley,vice chair Kathryn Scurlock, secretary Marie Cahn (with husband Jimmy), Cathryn Abbott (with mom Anne), Marcia King Reck (with spouse Gothard)and Dr Julian Wheatley (with Margie). Additional board members,alongwith afew past ones, including TedMartin,and several withemeritus ranking,figuredinthe crowd.All ravedabout “King Lear” and are doubling back to campus for “the Scottish play.”
Charles Leithead, Meganand William Wolf
Katie Hoffman, Paulette Stewart, Eric Hoffman
PHOTOSByJEFF STROUT
Vincent Giardina,Robin Cooper,Erinand JP Hymel
Eileen and Joey Devall
PHOTOSByJEFFSTROUT
Sister MaryLou Specha, ZoeLarned, LesliHarris, Jenifer Besh
Reginaand TimMolony
Andi Oustalet, BryanBatt, Nakisha Ervin-Knott
Dale Mason, Louis Mason III
PHOTOSByJEFF STROUT
CassieWorley, John Neisler,Kathryn Scurlock
Cathryn Abbott, Anne Abbott
TedMartin, Graham Burk
Jana Mestecky,Julian Wheatley, Marcia Reck
BY CHERÉ COEN Contributing writer
What do lower stresslevels, VitaminD and abetter mood have in common? The great outdoors.
Research from the American Psychological Association shows thatspending time in nature has cognitive benefits and improvementsinmood, mental health and emotional well-being. In turn, green spaces can have benefits,such as public parks, community gardens and nature reserves. This year,the mental health organization AMission for Michael conducted astudy to find the best “green getaways”inthe United States. They surveyed 3,006adults of variousages, genders and geographic locations to findthe best public locations that allowed visitorsto“feel calm, grounded, and able to switch off” —whether it’s awalkingpath, shaded urban space or larger park Hawaii had three locations in thetop 10, along withCalifornia, Virginia, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Washington andNew Jersey.Louisiana made thelist with three greenways, with New Orleans’ Audubon Park clocking in at No. 16. AudubonPark, NewOrleans
Noted American landscapearchitect Frederick Law Olmsted created many of the nation’scity parks,including Central Park in New York City andthe Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. His nephew,John Charles Olmsted, took on Audubon Park of New Orleans as his first solo project of the family’s firm,transforming aswamp environment into340 landscaped acres available to thepublic for recreation.
Today,this sprawling property that
TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER
By ChristopherElliott
TRAVEL
stretchesfrom St. Charles Avenue to the Mississippi Riverstill contains those ancient live oak trees in addition to open lawns, riding stables and a1.8-mile paved loop known to locals as “The Fly.” Interspersedthroughout the park arelagoons, quietpicnic areas, tennis courts and agolf course.
On the river side lies the award-winning AudubonZoo, which nabs itsown place on competitions, such as being No. 8inthe 2025 USAToday 10 Best Reader’s Choice Awards, the ninth consecutive year that Audubon Zoo has landed atop 10 spotinthe voting.
What’s New: The zoo’sJaguar Jungle River’s Edge showcases the animals and life in Mesoamerica, such as capybara, guanaco,
cavies and Baird’stapirs, plus arope skyway for spider monkeys to scamper over visitors’ heads.
Don’tMiss: In themiddle of theAudubon ParkLagoon is abirder’sparadise. Known as BirdIsland, look for egrets, herons, double-crested cormorantsand anhingas.
BettyVirginiaPark, Shreveport
Shreveport’s Betty Virginia Park, a23acre public park where visitors may enjoy strolls or jogs along the paved andshaded walking trail, lands at No. 120 on the list.
Betty Goldstein and Virginia Steere were thedaughters of Albert Colwell (A.C.) Steere and his partner,Elias Goldstein. When A.C. Steeredonated the property to thecity,henamed the park in his daugh-
ters’ honor.Steere’shome waslocated in the South Highlands Annex area at 910 Ockley,overlooking the park.
Although Betty Virginia is located inside the city’sSouth Highlands neighborhood, the public park invites all to share in its wooded areas, playground, picnic gazebos, pavilions and open spaces. The most popular aspect of the park is the paved walking and jogging trail that winds over the property,crossing adrainage canal on little bridges and weaving over slight elevations.
Moncus Park,Lafayette
The award-winning Moncus Park in the heart of Lafayette was years in the making, mostly pushed by the community in 2005 —bythose whowere eager to save the once working “Horse Farm” of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. The city purchased the property and developed the land into a100-acre multi-use park with walking paths beneath live oak trees, open green spaces and avariety of outdoor attractions. The organization named it No 132 on the list.
“Residents often comehere to decompress after work, stretch out awalk, or spend time outdoors without distraction—a modern urban park that prioritizes easeand breathing room,” the organization said in its determination.
Moncus Park includes alake, an amphitheater,playgrounds, splash pads, native gardens and spots to rest, relax or have apicnic. The park hosts events weekly, including the Lafayette Artisans &Farmers Market held every Saturday,which supports morethan 120 local vendors and small businesses annually What’sNew: The3,000-square-foot
United Airlines changedflightbut neverinformedpassenger
disconnected,leaving me stranded.
While Iwas on the phone trying to sort this out,the flight departed without us.The next Unitedagent claimedwehad seats on a flight fromSydney,but couldn’texplain howweweresupposedtoget there from Cairns. Qantas staff at the airportwere dismissive and refused to help.
Christopher Elliott
Irecently experienced what canonlybe described as atravel nightmare with United Airlines. Ihad booked flights from SanFrancisco to Auckland, New Zealand, and back through Cairns,Australia, formyfamily of four.Wepurchased business class upgrades using 30,000 miles and a$600 copay per passenger.The outbound trip went smoothly, but our returnbecame adisaster At 1a.m. in Cairns,I checked theUnited app and discovered my 74-year-oldmother’s statusonthe Cairns-Brisbane flight had changed to “wait-listed.”I immediately called United customer service.Arepresentative told me the flight was “not operating” and rerouted all four of us through Sydney instead. When we arrived at Cairns Airport,Virgin Australia, whichoperated the first legofour return flight, told us that only my mother had aconfirmed ticket.The rest of us had nothing.I called United again.An agent said Qantas had my ticket but couldn’t explain what that meant. Qantas couldn’t find anyreservation without aconfirmation number,which Ididn’thave. Unitedthen offered athree-way call with Qantas but
Feeling unwell and desperate to get home, Ipurchased four one-way tickets on Virgin Australia from Cairns to Sydney for nearly $890, plus $60 in baggagefees. When we reachedSydney, Ilearned United had canceled our tickets because we didn’t boardthe assignedQantas flight —which never appeared in my app, email or texts. The Sydney United staff were helpful and rebooked us,but our business class upgrades were gone. United claims theysent aschedule changenotification weeks before to the emailaddresses on file.I never received it.When Icontacted United’scustomer service, arepresentative offered $100 travel certificates andsaid the matter was closed. United refuses to refund the $1,800 in upgrade fees or reimburse the tickets I had to buy I’ve been aloyal Unitedcustomer for years. How canthey change my itinerary, fail to properly communicate it, forceme to buy new tickets and then refuse to make
things right? —Krupa Singampalli, Union City,Calif.
Youpaid United for aservice it didn’t deliver.That’s thebottom line here
When an airlinemakes aschedule change, it has alegal obligation to notify passengers. United claims it sent an email before your flight
Butasingle email sentsix weeks beforedeparture —especially for acomplex international itineraryinvolving partner airlines —isn’tenough. Airlines should sendmultiple notifications as the departure date approaches, and they should requireyou to acknowledge them.
According to the Department of Transportation, when aflight is significantlychanged and a passenger doesn’t accept the new itinerary, theairline must provide arefund. United rerouted you through Sydney on partner airlines withoutensuring you actually hadconfirmed seats. That’samassive breakdown in coordination between United and its partners.
The situation at Cairns Airportwas absurd. Youbought a United ticket. United should have been responsible for getting you home —not Qantas, not Virgin Australia.Instead, you got caught in ablame gamebetween three airlines, with United pointing to Qantas, Qantas asking for information you didn’thave and Virgin Australia washing its hands of the situation.
Could you have been moreproactive in monitoring your reservation?Maybe.
On acomplicated itinerary like this,you’ll want to check your itineraryfrequently in the weeks beforedeparture. Sign up for textmessage alerts in addition to email notifications. Save screenshots of your original booking and any changes.
Youcould have escalated this to aUnited supervisor whenthe first agent couldn’thelp. Ipublish executive contact information for United on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org. These contacts often have more authority to resolve complex issues than front-line agents.
Youdid an excellent job documenting your case with confirmation numbers, timestamps and the names of agents you spoke with. That paper trail is so important when you’re fighting for arefund. After my advocacy team got involved, Unitedrefunded the $600 copays —astart, but far from what youdeserve. The airline still refuses to reimburse your Virgin Australia tickets. United maintains that because it had rebooked you on aQantas flight you knew nothing about, the case is closed. This is exactly the kind of runaround that drives travelers crazy.Airlines hide behind their contracts of carriage and partner agreements while passengers get stuck with the bill. Youpaid United for acomplete journey.United didn’tdeliver.Irecommend you contact your credit card company to see if you can recover the rest of your expenses.
Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy,anonprofit organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@elliott.org.
HOLLYWOOD SOUTH
Southern ProducersLab alum debuts moving film on Netflix
Actor Jeremiah Danielswill capture your heart from the opening scene of the new Netflix film “Color Book.”
Leslie Cardé
He plays Mason, aboy with Down syndrome who is designing anecklace with his mother in a wonderfully intimate scene. Buthe and hisdad, Lucky, portrayedbyWill Catlett (“Forever”), will soon have to navigate life on their own.
The film has been asuccess so far,thanks in part to agraduate of New Orleans Film Society’s Southern ProducersLab. It’s won over 30 awards at film festivals, many of them Jury Prizes and Audience Awards.
The story revolves around a newly widowed father’squest to take his sontohis first major league baseball game in Atlanta. There are multiple obstacles in their way,and frustrations are evident forboth dad and son,but it’sultimately the story of survivors finding their way through tough times.
That was the goal of screenwriter and director David Fortune.
“Wetook ‘Color Book’ on the film festival circuit prior to the Netflix deal, just to really build community,and we found out just taking it to different geographic areas, it relatedtoall people,” Fortunesaid
For Kiah Clingman, one of the film producers, she was particularly interested as someone who has been acaregiver to her fatherwithALS.
“I’m abig disability advocate,” Klingman said. “When David presented this film to me, Iwas immediately on board, not only because of the script, but his professionalism, how he pitched it to me, and then, it being astory that Iwanted to help amplify.” Fortune said that washis prior-
ity,too. “... What is mostimportant to me is that Idojustice to the people in the film,and in this case, it was to getthe right perspectiveonthe disability community.”
The film was shot in black and white, which seems to intensify the emotions in any scene. Much
of the movie is shot on MARTA, the subway line in Atlanta,and provides asense of adventure as father and sontravelacross the city, plagued by problemsonthe way to the baseball park.
But the film isn’tabout baseball. It’sabout perseverance, adapting to the difficult re-
alities of emotional challenges and moving through grief and obstacles to form abond and a connection.
Casting the part of Mason was not an easy one. There are not a lot of agencies that specialize in actors with disabilities, and the filmmakers needed aboy with Down syndrome who was not necessarily an actor,but could take direction.
Most of the other actors were chosen via auditions in Atlanta.
“But for Mason’srole specifically,wedid anationwide call,” Clingman said. “Wewent to disabilityrallies, we went to buddy walks with our casting director and we did our best to show parents that we had genuine concerns about telling this story properly.”
But it wasn’teasy.“Parents were having ahard timeimagining their children in this sort of role because there’svery lim-
ited representation of kids with Down syndrome in the media, specifically in film and on television,” she said.
Clingman is from Cincinnati, graduated from Howard University and works from Atlanta. She began her career as an actress before moving into producing. She said she is largely selftaught but credits her tenure with one of the New Orleans Film Society’steaching programs with getting her on track six years ago. It “was such apivotal part of my journey,and aturning point for me as aproducer,” Clingman said. “It finally put some structure and education around my philosophy of producing. It was just alife-changing program for me.”
The lab is an 18-month mentorship and development program designed to help emerging, diverse producers from across the South discover their producing niche, build practical skills and strengthen community connections.
Each year,between seven and 10 Southern-based producers are selected to participate.
The overriding purpose of the program is to help producers navigate the industry and build sustainable filmmaking careers without having to relocate to traditional hubs like Los Angeles or New York.
And now,Clingman’sand Fortune’sgoal is to get “Color Book” seen by the widest possible audience.
“I’m currently seeing that I have people from Argentina and from Brazil reaching out to me, sharing how muchthey love the film,” recounted Fortune.
“And that’sthrough the vehicle of Netflix and having that wide reach.”
The movie has also exposed Jeremiah Daniels to casting directors everywhere. For the newbie actor,hehas just booked his first national commercial. “Color Book” debuted on Netflix on June 19.
Contact Leslie Cardé at lesliecardejournalist@gmail. com.
PHOTOS
Actor Will Catlettis dad Lucky and JeremiahDaniels is his son,Mason, in Netflix’sdrama
David Fortune Kiah Clingman
PROVIDED PHOTOS
FARLEFT: TheBilleaudSugar Factory in the late 1960s; ABOVE: Theiconicgears in front of the Billeaud Companies Office in Broussard; LEFT: Martial F. Billeaud Sr immigrated to the Broussard area with hisparents when he was 3in1840.
SWEETHISTORY
BY JOANNA BROWN Staff writer
Today,Broussard is thebustling crossroad of Lafayette Parish, transporting people and goods along the U.S. 90 corridor amid wavesofneighborhoods,shops, industrial sites and farm land But 100 years ago, it was all sugar cane.
Martial Billeaud planted his first cropin1866, 25 years after his family immigrated to Louisiana from France. He worked as ablacksmith beforeenlisting in the Louisiana 26th Infantry during the Civil Warand turned his attention to agricultural concerns after the war —beginningwith cotton and corn before transitioning to sugar cane and building a sugar mill
The enterprise proved profitable, helpedbythe arrival of the railroad, and by 1893, Billeaud SugarFactoryhad grown to a large, modern concernthat would shape the areafor generationsto come.
“We’re all sixth generation,” said Paul Eason, who serves as chairman of the board of directors for Billeaud Companies. “We knew it, we remember it. We went to the sugar factory as kids, seeing it operating, and Ihopeour next generation can enjoyour storiesaboutit. That’swhy we chose to do abook, because it has
changed aroundhere.”
In order to preserve their history, membersofthe Billeaud family whosit on theboard of directors commissioned abook that spansoveracentury of the company, including amajor shift in 1979. Stockholders(members of thegrowingBilleaud clan) votedtoclose the factory and go into commercial real estate, seeinganopportunity to moveout of the struggling agricultural sector
and into land development. Lafayette writer and editor LanaHenry documented the story of how BilleaudSugar Factorybecame BilleaudCompanies in “From Sweetening the Table to Sweetening the Deal: AHistory of BilleaudCompanies,” released by theUniversityofLouisiana at Lafayette Pressthis year The book is afascinating read for Lafayette Parish residents who interact daily with places like
Martial F. Billeaud Sr.ElementarySchool, shop at businesses in developments like Sweetland Centre in Broussard, or handle business at thePinhook Office Courts —amongother developments that Billeaud Companies has handled over thedecades.
“Chuck Billeaud (former board chairman) was my right-hand man,” saidHenry.“He wasa walking encyclopedia of knowledge about the industry,this company,the family,the community—and introduced me to so manypeople whoall had some sort of lived experience with the company.Itgave me such adepth and richness, and that’swhat I’m mostinterested in. Ilove oral historyand being able to write about something that has several generations to it.”
BilleaudCompanies held a book signing at their Broussard
headquarters last month, in the historic homeat106 St. Nazaire Road that has housed generations of family members and workers at the company,asthe community around it grew and changed.
District Attorney DonLandry attended the signing, both to show support forahomegrown business and foramore personal reason —getting to see the house where he grew up.
“I have manymemories here,” he said, pointing out where his bedroom was.
Landry’sfather managed the surrounding sugar cane operations —asea of fields that are now hometoacres of commerce. The Walmart and HomeDepot across the street from Billeaud Companies on St. Nazaire Road were built on Billeaud land, pointing the way for population growth in south Lafayette Parish. The topic of legacy is afrequent one at board meetings, Eason said.
“At our meeting, we werejust saying how much we all treasure this,” he said.
“Wehope the next generation thinks as much of it as we do. We’re sure trying to instill it in them.We’ve been blessed.”
Learnmore about “From Sweetening the Table to Sweetening the Deal: AHistoryofthe Billeaud Companies” on the UL Press website.
VisittoJackson’s LemuriaBooks ‘a sweetdevouring’
In acolumn acoupleof weeks ago, Iwrote about my recent road trip to Jackson, Mississippi, whereIvisited the home of the late novelist and short story writer Eudora Welty,which is now open as amuseum. There are books everywhere in Welty’shouse, atestament to her passion for reading.
Jackson offers visitors another monument to Welty’s reading life at Banner Hall, a shopping venue that includes a huge sign bearing Welty’s love letter to the written word. It’s aquote from “One Writer’sBeginnings,” the Welty memoir in which she celebrates readingas afeast for the senses. Here’swhat Welty saidabout her passion for books:“Icannot remember atime when Iwas not Ilove with them —with the books themselves,cover and binding and the paper they were printed on, with their
smell and their weight and with their possessioninmyarms, captured and carried off to myself.”
The sign hangsoutside LemuriaBooks, which just marked its 50th anniversary as an independent bookstore in Jackson.
“WeatLemuria believe in the valueofthe physical book,”the management proclaims on its website. “With floor-to-ceiling shelves, that quintessential book smell, and alittle bit of Southern hospitality, you’ll feel right at home.”
An extensivecollection of first-edition collectible volumes underscoresLemuria’senthu-
siasm for books as physical objects. New books are part of the mix,too, with an emphasis on regional authors. Portraits of Southern writers hang among theshelves, areminder that authors suchasRoy Blount, Lewis Grizzard and Rick Bragg have madeLemuria adestination. Louisianaisrepresented well in theinventory,which includes arange of titles about New Orleanshistory and avariety of photography books by C.C. Lockwood Ibought acopy of “The Complete Stories of Truman Capote,” amasterwork by the gadfly author who was born in New Orleans. Lastyear,tofill agap in my reading life, I’d picked up Capote’s“Breakfast at Tiffany’s” at Baton Rouge’s TBR Books& Tea. I’d somehow never gotten around to tackling that popular novel, and thanks to thegood folks at TBR, it’s
now off myto-be-read list.
Reconnecting with Capote through theshort stories Itook homefrom Lemuria has been a highlight of mysummer reading so far.I’d made ahead start on that reading project while sittingonasofa at Lemuria, where ample seating encourages customers to stay awhile, indulging books as an immersive pleasure. Lemuria takes its namefrom amythical lost continent where, as the story goes, the locals gave birthtobooks as away to connect with each other.At their best, summer books are their own continent, aseparate world where we can get lost for aspell.
Welty called it aform of possession, and in this, as in so manyother things, she was surely right
Email Danny Heitman at danny@dannyheitman.com
King Is Coming”byJohnBevere
LemuriaBooksinJackson,
alargecollectionofworksbyregional authors. The store recentlymarked its 50th anniversary.
AuthorLana Henryvisits withGeorgeBilleaud while signing acopyofher book that profiles the Billeaud Companies.
DannyHeitman
Meet thenew Miss Louisiana, Shelby Bordelon
BY JUDYBERGERON Staff writer
Iberville Parish native and Southeastern Louisiana University graduate student Shelby Renee
Bordelon is the new Miss Louisiana.
Bordelon, 24, competed in the June 20 pageant in Monroe as Miss Port City.She was Miss Southeastern in 2024and Miss Slidell in 2025. She bested 28 other contestants from around the state to earn her latest title.
“Louisiana …wedid it. Iam beyond honored and overwhelmedto say that Iamyour Miss Louisiana 2026,” Bordelon, whogrew up in the small community of Sunshine, posted on Instagram. “I am ready. Readytoserve you. Readyto
FORT BUTE
Continued from page1D
along the Mississippi River in Baton Rouge and Natchez, they were well entrenched.
That is,until Spain’scolonial governor for the Louisiana territory Bernardode Gálvez, and his mixed ethnic collection of 1,400 Spanish, Acadian and German troops marched from New Orleans to stage an attack on Sept. 7, 1779, and sent the British army running to Baton Rouge.
Today,most drivers along River Road would never know that afort filled with red-coated British soldiers once stoodatthe East Baton Rouge-Iberville parish line.
Whichiswhy thelocal chapters of Sons and Daughters of theRevolution spent three years raising more than $4,000 for the historical marker’screation and installation.
The sign not only conciselytold thestory of what happened at the site but also included the “America 250” logo.
“Between May 30 andJune 2, acareless driver plowed straight into the marker and destroyed it,” said Paul Bledsoe, secretary for the
PROVIDED IMAGE FROM THE LOUISIANA STATEMUSEUM
‘Bernardo
advocate. Ready to lead with purpose. This is not just the fulfillment of adream. It is the beginning of a mission.”
With the title comes a$15,000 scholarship. Bordelon is pursuing amaster’sdegree in strategic communicationand received the $1,000 WomeninMassCommunication scholarship at thepageant.
Before being crowned winner Bordelon wonthe health andfitness and evening-wear preliminaries.
Bordelon founded Claire’sPromiseinhonor of her lifelong friend, ClaireZeller,who diedin2024 after getting into acar with an impaired driver.Zellerwas 24.
Claire’sPromise Inc. aims to raise awareness of the impact of impaireddriving,advocate for
Sons of theAmerican Revolution chapter
Themarker has since disappeared. Bledsoesaidthe two chapters aren’t offering areward for its return
“Right now,we’reworking on getting the driver’s insurancecompany to compensate the costof the sign, he said. “And we’reworking withthe state and theCity of St. George on getting it replaced.”
The chaptersreceived thesign last September,but therewas someconfusionas to who would beresponsible for installing it —the LouisianaDepartmentofTransportation andDevelopment or theCity of St. George.
“The stretch of theRiver Road from GardereLane to the Iberville Parish line, which is about 21/2 miles, changed from stateownership to ownershipbythe City of St.George,” Bledsoe said.
Butthe chapters’initial agreementfor the installation process wasmadewith thestate, which eventually placed themarker
“I believe that through working with the state, the marker will bereplaced,” Bledsoe said.
Importance remains
Still, the sign’s absence devalues neither theorganizations’ effort commemoratingthe site northe story of what happened there.
Bledsoe saidpeoplehave been talking aboutputtinga marker there for years
“But until recently,the evidence thatisnecessary to prove thefort’slocation wasn’t easily available,” he said.
Rose Meyers’ 1976 book, “A History of Baton Rouge, 1699-1812,” isanoften cited source forthe Fort Bute story.Meyers was the head librarian for theEast Baton Rouge Parish Library’s Downtown Branch, now called the River Center Branch.
Herbook was published by LSU Press for the Ba-
victims and their families and support survivors, according to the nonprofit’s website.
“It was bornout of unimaginable heartbreak,” Bordelon explained in asocialmedia post. “I promised myself that if Iwas ever given this opportunity, Iwould useittoserve withmywhole heart, and thatisexactly what Iplan to do.”
Bordelon will vie for the title of MissAmerica 2027 on Sept. 6in West Palm Beach,Florida.
OtherMiss Louisiana finalists were Katherine McCullars, first runner-up; Lauryn Vernon, second runner-up; De’Ahmya Whaley, thirdrunner-up and Anna Claire Lemoine, fourthrunner-up.
Email Judy Bergeron at jbergeron@theadvocate.com.
ton Rouge Bicentennial Corp. and includes chapterschroniclingLouisiana’s capital city under both British and Spanish rule, beginning with King George III’s proclamation of Great Britain’s1763 takeover of West Florida following the French and Indian War. Meyerswrites that the British anchored their frigates there until they could builda“strong newfortin West Florida.”
FortButealso became important in Britain’sdefensive strategy.
“Engineer ArchibaldRobertson supervised the planning andconstructionof Fort Bute,which consisted of a‘blockhouse with asmall stockaded fort,’ ”Meyers writes. “Ithoused 50 men
and one officer,but,inan emergency,itcould be made to accommodate 200.”
Namedfor Britishearl
The fort was named for John Stuart,3rd Earl of Bute,who served as prime minister of Great Britain under King George III from 1762-63, andwhile theBritish wereestablishingtrade dominance, theAmericans tried but failed to persuade West Florida to jointheir cause.
TheBritish sent more troops to FortButeand their other fortified posts at BatonRouge and Natchez,establishing ablockade on the river.
In 1779, Meyers points out, though Gálvez was young, he proved to be acompetent
governor forSpain, having anticipated impending war and striking first by marching his troops from New Orleans up the Mississippi River in August, with relentless sun, thick humidity and merciless insects.
French artist Augusto Ferrer-Dalmau offers what is considered one of the most realistic depictions of Gálvez and his troops tromping through aswamp in his 2018 painting, “LaMarcha de Gálvez.”
Closertohome, late Baton Rouge sculptor Frank Hayden created amore impressionistic viewofthe samescene in his bronze “Marcha de Gálvez,” fountain in Gálvez Plaza at North Boulevard Town Square. Both artworks tell thesto-
ry of the troopswho arrived at Fort Bute on Sept.6,then attacked at dawn on Sept. 7, forcing the British’sretreat to Baton Rouge. The British surrendered to Gálvez on Sept. 21, 1779, at the Baton Rouge fort. The marker stood for three days. The site of Fort Bute is unmarked again.
To contact the General Philemon Thomas Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution with any information about the missing marker,visit lassar org/general-philemonthomas/ or email info@ gbrsar.org.
Email RobinMillerat romiller@theadvocate. com.
ShelbyBordelon, 24, of Sunshine, takes her first walkasMiss Louisiana during Saturday’spageant in Monroe.
STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER
statue
Bernardo de Gálvez at the end of Canal Street in NewOrleans earlier thisyear in February
‘Obsession’ sends shock waves through Hollywood
And everyone is trying to figure out what that means
BY JAKE COYLE AP film writer
NEW YORK Days before
“Obsession” opened in theaters, its 26-year-old director, Curry Barker, made a bet with his manager and agent. They said if the movie opened above $20 million, they would all get tattoos.
“Obsession” fell just short. It debuted with $17 million. They were still thrilled. Barker made the horror film with just $750,000. It was enormously successful. But then something unexpected happened. The following weekend, “Obsession” easily cleared $20 million. And then it did again and again and almost a fourth time an almost unheard-of staying power “It was just like: Holy cow I didn’t think that was an option,” Barker says. “Now we’ve said if it hits $300 million, we’ll all get the tattoo. We had to make a new milestone. And I think we’ll reach it.”
“Obsession” has sent shock waves through Hollywood. Barker’s microbudget thriller has grossed $286 million worldwide, and it’s still going. In North America, it has outgrossed “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu.” It’s the biggest hit in the 24-year existence of Focus Features, which has had to postpone the videoon-demand release. It ranks among the most profitable movies ever made.
Barker, who built a following making sketches and short films on YouTube, is living out the dream of every aspiring filmmaker
“My day-to-day is pretty much the same. It’s just that when I go out in public, it’s a lot different,” he says, laughing. “I actually feel a little unsafe sometimes.”
That’s an ironic development for someone whose twist on an old Monkey Paw story has frightened moviegoers. In “Obsession,” Bear Bailey (Michael Johnston) wishes on an antique toy called a One Wish Willow
that his crush, Nikki (Inde Navarrette), loved him. The spell — loosely inspired by an old “Simpsons” Halloween episode — works disturbingly well.
The astonishing success of “Obsession” has been hotly debated throughout the industry. Coupled with the A24 hit “Backrooms,” by 20-yearold Kane Parsons, it’s been a coming-out party for YouTube as a breeding ground for the next generation of filmmakers.
It’s also brought waves of Gen Z moviegoers — who already make up a promisingly robust percentage of frequent ticket buyers — into theaters. Summer has historically been dominated by legacy franchises, but “Obsession” may represent a sea change.
“If there’s a lesson from ‘Obsession,’ I think it’s about audiences,” says Peter Kujawski, chairman of Focus Features. “We have a generation that grew up online, approaches culture with enormous curiosity and playfulness, and is far less concerned with where a filmmaker comes from than whether the story connects. They’re engaged, incredibly film-literate and eager to champion new voices and original stories.”
From YouTube to multiplex Barker, who grew up in
Mobile, Alabama, before moving to Los Angeles at 18, says he feels as though he’s writing for his generation. The response to “Obsession,” he says, taps into a collective need.
“I get it because I think we’re a little tired of being at home Our generation is the COVID generation,” says Barker “I was fortunate enough to have all four years of high school experience. My brother Riley lost two years of that. We’re sick of the phones.”
Barker wanted to be an actor before he wanted to be a filmmaker And while his early exposure to “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” at age 11, helped set him on a horror path, he didn’t begin that way “I was a huge Harry Potter fan growing up. Huge. I was obsessed,” Barker says, smiling. “I had all the wands. I would dress up.”
Barker attended film school in Los Angeles for a year, where he met Cooper Tomlinson, a co-star and pro-
ducer on “Obsession.” The two soon forged their own path, though, on YouTube and TikTok. Their comedy sketch series, “That’s a Bad Idea,” found a footing online.
Barker wrote and directed the 2023 short “The Chair,” which attracted the interest of Tea Shop Productions.
Producer James Harris approached Barker about a feature of “The Chair,” but he instead wanted to make a film — “Obsession” — that drew on many of the same ideas. Meanwhile, Barker also made an $800 foundfootage horror film, “Milk & Serial.” After failing to secure distribution, he simply uploaded to YouTube. It went viral and landed him an agent.
“Obsession” was selected to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival last year, giving it an enviable platform After a bidding war, Kujawski and Focus acquired it for $15 million.
“What stands out about Curry is that he isn’t working from an inherited playbook,” says Kujawski.
“Whether you look at his earlier work or ‘Obsession,’ there’s a consistency of vision and a confidence in his storytelling that immediately sets him apart. He knows exactly what he wants to say while being absolutely committed to making every minute of his work as entertaining as possible, and he’s willing to take real risks in service of that vision.”
Other projects first
Barker’s swift but hardearned rise has made him the poster boy for a new brand of filmmaker, one who has honed his craft as a digital creator and arrives with an established fan base.
Jason Blum, the chief executive of Blumhouse Productions, has compared Barker and company to the 1970s wave of American auteurs, “making edgy movies that are connecting in theaters in a crazy way.”
“When you really step back, my journey is not really that different than Christopher Nolan or David Fincher or Steven Spielberg,” Barker says. “You can watch their early short
films and see their work before they were given a chance.”
Now, Barker is one of the most in-demand filmmakers. He has already shot his next feature, “Anything But Ghosts,” starring Aaron Paul and Bryce Dallas Howard, for Blumhouse Two months ago, A24 announced that he will write and direct a reboot of “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.”
All the attention has taken some getting used to. Filmmakers like Ari Aster and Zach Cregger and even Spielberg have reached out to compliment Barker on his film.
“That’s when you start to feel this impostor syndrome of like: What? It’s not that good,” Barker says, laughing. “All I see when I watch ‘Obsession’ is the problems.”
An “Obsession” sequel is, naturally, a certainty “A sequel isn’t hard for this movie,” grants Barker He sketches out how new wishes by other characters on One Wish Willows could lead to entirely different stories, all revolving around some new vice: greed, fame, whatever
But as much as it’s tempting to see “Obsession” as the product of Barker’s own wish, it’s more like the opposite. In the film, Bear’s profound mistake is putting off confessing his feelings to Nikki, thinking there’s plenty of time to do it. (The movie immediately cuts to a dead cat.) Barker on the other hand, had no timidity about realizing his dreams. He wanted to make movies, so he did.
“Anyone that asks what advice you have for young filmmakers, I always say the same thing,” says Barker “I went to a film school for a year out in L.A. and I watched people paralyze themselves with the pressure of: I’ve told people I’m a director, so now I have to direct something that has to be good. If it’s not good, everyone’s going to judge me. The result of that thinking is two years on one short film.” “You can’t put too much pressure on an idea,” adds Barker “You just got to make it.”
Digital creators are remaking the movie business
Filmmakers already experts at going viral
By The Associated Press
NEW YORK
Some of the most promising young filmmakers in the movie business are arriving in Hollywood already experts at entertaining audiences and going viral.
The twin sensations of “Obsession” and “Backrooms” both by 20-something YouTubers-turnedfilmmakers — has put a new spotlight on an increasingly well-trod path to the director’s chair
Hollywood executives are scouring platforms like YouTube, TikTok and Instagram to find the next Steven Spielberg. There, young aspiring filmmakers are not only working on their craft but building a relationship with audiences that can transfer to the box office.
“These filmmakers are in a dialogue with their audi-
ence from the word ‘Go’. Their subscribers have direct input in each iteration of these things,” Mike De Luca, Warner Bros Motion Picture Group co-chair, said at a conference last month
“By the time you get to the movie, they’ve had a billion test screenings.”
“Obsession” and “Backrooms” aren’t the first of their kind. Issa Rae and Bo Burnham are among those who began on YouTube. But more and more of today’s indie filmmakers began online. Here are some of the digital creators who have already broken through, and some who may soon
Kane Parsons
Known online as “Kane Pixels, ” th e 20-year-old Parsons is the director of the A24 horror hit
“Backrooms.” The Petaluma, California, native began pub-
lishing videos online at the age of 9. His video series based on the creepypasta Backrooms meme led to his feature film debut, starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve. It’s made $250 million worldwide at the box office. A sequel is already in development.
Markiplier
The 36-year-old Markiplier, or Mark Fischbach, became popular on YouTube for his playthrough videos of indie video games With more than 38 million subscribers, he created series and podcasts before making his directorial debut earlier this year with “Iron Lung.” He also wrote and edited the sci-fi horror film based on a 2022 video game. Made for less than $5 million and self-distributed, “Iron Lung” grossed more than $50 million.
Jordan Firstman
The 34-year-old Firstman, who grew up in New Jersey, first broke through with a series of short skits on Ins-
tagram Live posted during the pandemic. A comedian, writer and actor, Firstman carved out a more traditional path to filmma kin g. He notably co-starred in the 2025 HBO series “I Love LA” and was a consulting producer on the animated series “Big Mouth.” But in May this year, Firstman made his directorial debut with “Club Kid” at the Cannes Film Festival. The film, starring Firstman as a gay nightclub promoter who discovers he has a son, was a breakout hit at the festival. After a bidding war, A24 acquired it for $17 million.
Dylan Clark
and Sam Raimi producing. Clark has also been tapped by Lionsgate and Blumhouse to direct a new “The Blair Witch Project.”
Sam Evenson
In April, Neon announced that Evenson will direct a feature adaptation of his viral 2014 12-minute short “Mora.” The short, which has been watched by nearly
5 million on Evenson’s YouTube channel, Grimoire Horror, is about a struggling artist’s search for a bloody, malformed woman who appears in AI-generated images. Roy Lee, producer of “Weapons,” is producing. It will mark Evenson’s directorial debut, though he has many visual effects credits, including “Dune: Part Two” and “The Last of Us.”
Clark, a north Virginia native, has been posting horror shorts on YouTube for the last eight years. Now, he’s turning the most popular of those, “Portrait of God,” into a feature, with Jordan Peele
Firstman
Parsons
Inde Navarrette and Michael Johnston star in a scene in ‘Obsession.’
PROVIDED PHOTOS By MANNy LIOTTA
‘Obsession’ director Curry Barker discusses filming a scene.
Thebeloved $100 basset houndwewon’t ever forget
BY GUY C. WOOD
Contributing writer
Stump was abasset hound the saddest, droopiest-eyed, longest-eared, shortest-legged dog in the animal kingdom. (The breed is also supposedly the dumbest breed in the dog family.)
Human Condition
Ihad acrazy beagle once, but she still wasn’tas great-looking as Stump. We had to drive across Lake Pontchartraintoget him. He was therunt of the litter,and there was some problem with his American Kennel Club status, so the owners sold him for $100! This was still alot of money to me, but Iwas told that if he had papers, his cost would have been more like $300. We brought an empty shoebox with us and Stump rode home in that, with my 10-year-old son holding the box the entire trip. Stump became housebroken pretty quickly,but he did have some trouble walking —hekept stepping on his ears!Whenmy wife brought him to his first doctor visit, the veterinariansaid, “Well, we know who wins the ‘cute award’ for this week!”
As he got alittle older,Stump’s
ROSES
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and assisted authorities as they tracked down and arrested the suspect.The girl was later reunited with her mother in Dallas, ararebut powerful outcome in cases of human trafficking.
In Louisiana, the urgency behind that work is reflected in recent data. The 2025 Louisiana Annual Human Trafficking Data Report identified 2,275 confirmed or suspected trafficking victims among the 2,328 people who received services in Louisiana in 2024, a34% increase from the previous year
For Amos, those numbers are at the center of her work at Free NOLA, a faith-based anti-trafficking
hormoneskicked in anditwas time for him“to getfixed.”
My wife willingly took him to the vet while Istayed homewith thekids. Istill regret that decision. When he gotout of the car,he gave me asorrowfullook that said,“Why did youlet them do this to me?” Ifeltsosorry for the dog. It wasa “For Whom theBell Tolls” moment for me.Mywife saw nothing wrong with it,but then again, shehad nothing to relate to Time passed, however,and he grewtobealarge adultbasset hound with agreat nose. On walks, we’d havetostop while he sniffed the various patches of grass,usuallyleaving his mark
about. It’snot something I chose. It’sapath that God decidedIneeded to have.”
There were 16 clubs on BourbonStreetwhenAmos started handingout roses to the women working there. She recalled one dancer tellingher that receivinga rose meant morethanmoney becauseitshowed someone cared.
“A rose symbolizes love, and we want them to know that they areloved,cherished andvalued,” Amos said. “It’safree gift with a powerfulmessage. On the front of our outreach cards we quote Jeremiah31:3: ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; Ihavedrawn youwith unfailing kindness!’”
As much as shecared forthe women at thetime, Amosdetested the doormen.
on top before we started walking again. Since he was ahound, he also had this wonderful howl he used when we ignored him or when he wanted to go outside. Stumpwas agreat dog for the kids, and he would roughhouse with them without biting or hurting them. The kids grew up while Stumpgrew older
When he was 15 years old, the end was obviously near.Hewas starting to go blind and his hind legs were giving out.Hecould still go down theback steps to do his business, but couldn’tmake the tall last step intothe house. He could still lifthis front legs but not his back ones. When he was at
“Then Iheard Godsay, ‘You are not to judgethem. Leavethat to me,’”she said. “How do Iknow their backstory? Idon’t. Now,they are like my sons.”
The women Amos meets in clubs, motels andonthe streets are notstatistics or projects. They are morelike family
“They are my girls,” she said.“Idon’t have kids,but Ido. Ihave aflock of them.”
After yearsofoutreach, rescues and countless acts of kindness,Amoshopes her life will be remembered for one thing.
“God has been in the middle of all of it,” she said. “That’swhatI wanttobe known as: Awoman after God’sown heart.”
Email Tammy Barney at tlcbarney@gmail.com.
the topstep, Iwould pick him up by his butt and lift him the rest of the way.Hewould always try to save face by giving ahalf-hearted growl, as if to say,“I’ll let you lift me up, but Idon’treally need it.”
The last timehetried to go down thesteps to the backyard, he actually fell downall four of them. God bless him,hestill tried, but thepoor thing just couldn’tdo it anymore. When he grew cancerous tumorsonhis body,weknew,sadly that his timehad come. On his final day,mywifeand I put him into ourvan without any argument from him.I wonder now if he knew where he wasgoing or if he thought he wasjust going for aride. Like all dogs, he loved to stick his head out of the window,and in his case, those long ears would really flap in the wind. Butonthis trip, he could only lie down on the back seat.
The veterinarian’splace had stables on-site, as she took care of horses as well as the other animals. After discussing his situation, the vet agreed that his quality of life had sunk to alevel that madehim miserable. My wife and Icried likebabies when we gave theOKtoput him to sleep. She took him from us, leash and all,
and told us to go home. She would take care of him With tears in our eyes, we left Stumpsmelling all the great scents from the horses. His nose wasasgood as ever,and he was so engrossed in the smells that he didn’teven notice us leave. By this time, he was almost completely blind. Afew days later,wereceived several things from the vet. She first sent anote assuring us that Stump didn’tfeel any pain. She gave him the injection as he was sniffing up astorm and he eventually just laid down and passed away.Besides his collar and leash, she sent his ashes in acontainer and aplaster of paris mold of one of his huge paws. We still have those more than 20 years later He wasthe best dog we ever had, and Istill miss him —Wood lives in Jefferson.
Advocate readers may submit stories of about 500 words to TheHuman Condition at features@theadvocate.com or The Advocate, Features, 10705 Rieger Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70809. There is no payment, and stories will be edited.Authors shouldinclude theircityof residence.
Dear Harriette: Do you think it’spossible to outgrow certain people and friendships? Recently, I’ve been feeling like Icould move on from some childhood friendships. Imoved away for college, and Ican’trelate to some old friends who stayedinour small hometown.I’m growing at arapid pace, living on my own in New York and navigating problems on my own; people from my hometown can’t even believe it.Some of the conversations Ihave withpeople Ionce felt so
close to now lack nuance, leaving me uninterested in talking. It’salmost as if I’ve grown up while at college, and they’ve stayed in their same high school mindset. Ifeel like it’ll be cruel if Icompletely stop talking to them, but Ialso have no desire to make an effort to reach out. Do you have any advice on how to navigate this? —Evolution of Friendship Dear Evolution of Friendship: Noteverybody stays close forlife. It is natural that as you have new experiences and your world expands,
your interests may change. That doesn’tmean you have to let your childhood friends go, but you will likely talk with them less. The best thing you can do is accept them forwho they are. Don’tjudge them —oryourself. Just be with them when the moment calls forit. Listen to learn what they are interested in discussing, and be fully present in those conversations. When you are around others whowant to explore other topics, engage them in that way.Gowith the flow
Sendquestions to askharriette@ harriettecole.com.
By The Associated Press
Today is Sunday,June 28, the179thday of 2026. There are 186 days left in the year
Todayinhistory:
On June 28, 1914, in an act that helpedtrigger World WarI,Archduke FranzFerdinand of Austria and his wife, Sophie, were shot to death in Sarajevo by Serb nationalist GavriloPrincip Alsoonthis date:
In 1863, during the Civil War, U.S.President AbrahamLincoln appointed Maj. Gen.George G. Meade as the new commander of the Army of the Potomac, following the resignationofMaj. Gen. Joseph Hooker
In 1919, the Treaty of Versailles was signedin France, formally ending the First World War.
In 1940, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed theAlien Registration Act,also known as the Smith Act, which required all noncitizens ages 14 and older residinginthe U.S. to be registeredand fingerprinted
In 1969,riots broke out followinga policeraid at the StonewallInn, an LGBTQ+ bar in New York’sGreenwichVillageneighborhood,leading to six days of violent proteststhat servedasa watershed moment in theLGBTQ+ rights movement.
In 1997, boxer Mike Tyson was disqualifiedin his rematch with WBA heavyweighttitleholder Evander Holyfield after Tyson bit Holyfield twiceinthe third round, includingbiting offa portion of Holyfield’srightear
In 2000, sevenmonths after he was found adrift in the Straits of Florida, ElianGonzalez was returned to hisnativeCuba.
In 2017, aman armed witha shotgunattacked the offices of The Capital newspaperin Annapolis, Maryland, killing four journalistsand a staffer before police stormed thebuilding and arrested him; authoritiessaid JarrodRamos had along-running grudge against thenewspaper for its reporting of aharassmentcaseagainst him. (Ramos wouldbeconvicted and sentenced to six life sentences plus 345years in prison.)
In 2019, avowed White supremacistJames Alex Fields, who deliberately drovehis car into acrowd of counterprotesters during a“Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia,killing ayoung woman and injuringdozens, apologized for his actions before being sentenced to life in prison on federal hate crime charges
In 2022, British socialite GhislaineMaxwell was sentenced to 20years in prison forhelping lure teenage girls to be sexually abusedbythe late American financier Jeffrey Epstein. Today’sBirthdays: Filmmaker-comedian Mel Brooks is 100. Diplomat and politicianHans Blix is 98. Actor Bruce Davison is 80. Actor Kathy Batesis78. Football HallofFamer JohnElway is 66. Actor John Cusack is 60. Actor Mary StuartMasterson is 60. Actor TichinaArnold is 57. Filmmaker-actorMike White is 56. Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Muskis55. Actor Alessandro Nivola is 54. Country singer-TV personality KelliePickler is 39. Olympic track gold medalist Elaine Thompson-Herah is 34.
Appreciation,applaudingatsolemnevents
Dear Miss Manners: My dear mother told me that one should never clap for the speakers at Memorial Day observances, and that one should depart in silence to mark thesolemnityof the occasion. At aMemorial Day event, Inoticed that everyone clapped for the speakers and chatted casually at the end of the event. Wasmydear mother mistaken?
GentleReader: No. Well, she is mistaken only in thinking that other people know thedifference between respect and approval.
supposed to be serious (although this did not apply tothe reception). Music performed in houses of worship was thought to be intended forthe glory of God, not forthe pleasure of the congregation —now often actually referred to as the audience.
It hastodowith theshow-business mentality that has prevailed for some time. Everyone is either aperformer —preferably astar —oranaudience member.And audiences clap toshow their appreciation for the effort made to entertain, educate or enlighten us. Butasyour mother remembers, not everything is done “for” us. Sometimes we are present at solemn or ceremonial occasions, which are not subject to our approval.
Clapping was not done at funerals and memorial services,nor even at weddings, where theceremony was
Miss Manners is not surprised that the previousattitudes have all but disappeared. People are used to stamping “like” on pretty much everything, and clapping is thein-person version
Dear Miss Manners: What should be done when someonewho works foryou, such as ahouse cleaner,gives your child an exceedingly generous cash graduation gift?
It was not solicited in any way,not even implicitly by sendinganannouncement. Ithanked her before the card was even opened, telling her she shouldn’t have; after it was opened,I sent atext thanking her and telling her it was too generous.
My child is, of course, sending ahandwritten thank-you as well. But it feels really inappropriatefor us to accept such agenerous gift.
GentleReader: Returningpresents to
their donors is an insult, however kind your motives are. But Miss Manners would think that such avaluable and devoted employee deserves abonus. To makeitclear that the twotransactions are unrelated, you should waita short time, makethe amount different (preferably larger) and accompany it with astatement of appreciation.
Dear Miss Manners: Ihave inherited about twodozen tiny cotton napkins, about 12 inches square. They have lovely embroidery in one corner and scalloped hems, making them meditative to iron. Ihave occasionally used them under alamp on aside table as they are so pretty Since they are so small, Ican’timagine how they are used at the table. I have plenty of linen dinner napkins.
Gentle Reader: And now you have luncheon napkins —or, if you don’tgive dainty luncheons, large cocktail napkins. The advantage of the latter is that you do not have to keep ironing them because, Miss Manners notices, everyone gives them back unused.
Sendquestions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com or to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail. com.
Dear Heloise: Reneerecently commented about tryingtoread impossibly small print against similar colored backgrounds. This has been athorn in my side for years! Additionally, the location, color and font size of aproduct’sexpirationdate is aproblem. Expiration dates should be clearly stamped in contrasting ink on the topof the product, whether it’s a jarlid or abox top.
Idon’tknow about anyone else, but Iselect products by looking at thefront of the label because this is what’s visible on the shelf. The presentation of the topofthe package doesn’t matter. Idon’tknow why manufacturers won’tmake this simple change.
Like Renee, I’ve stopped using some products because of this.Ihad apositive outcomebycalling acustomer service department about their impossible-tofind and read date. It was amajor brand of spaghetti sauce thatcomes in aglass jar.The sauce is dark red, and theyused atiny dark blue print on the shoulder of thejar.Until the jarwas empty, I couldn’tsee the date. Icalled and politely
explained the issue,and Isaid that I wouldn’tbuy it again. Maybe mine wasn’tthe only complaint because theystartedputting the date on the lid afew months later, and Istarted buying the sauce again. —Linda D.,via email
Shortermattresses
Dear Heloise: When Ipurchased anew bed, the mattresswas 16 inches, and the box platform was 11 inches. I’m 60 inches tall, so I’d have to climb into my bed. The salesperson then notified me that theyhad a“half box size” (5-6 inches). This worked perfectly for me and was alittle less expensive. So,ask the salesperson if they carry shorter (half-box) platforms when buying your next bed.
Nancy McF via email
Leavinga burner on
Dear Heloise: This idea cametomeas away to help me from unintentionally leaving aburner on. Whenusing aburner,position the knob slightly off the vertical or horizontal line at whatever setting you’re using it.This way,after you are done using therange, all you’ll need to do is quickly scan thestove to check that all the burners are off.
Iwas prompted to do this after my spouse unintentionally left burners on, and Icould smell that something wasn’t correct. —Jim, via email Jim,thank you for this hint. It’ssoeasy to forget to turn the burners off, but it’s very dangerous to leave them on and unattended after we use the stove. —Heloise Broken spaghettistraps
Dear Heloise: Ihave two dresses with spaghetti straps that Ilove wearing during along, hot summer day.I hung up both dresses on hangers over the winter,but when Iremoved them from the garment bag, Isaw that the straps werebroken. How should Ihang these twodresses when Iget done repairing them? —Brianna, in NiagaraFalls, New York Brianna, if the dress manufacturer didn’tsupply the dresses with side loops so that you could hang up your dresses, then either hang them over apants
Judith Martin MISS MANNERS
Hints from Heloise
REALITYCHECK
Virtual film production technology hasmade it to Louisiana
BY RICH COLLINS Staff writer
Fans of the Disney+ TV series “TheMandalorian,” whichdebuted in 2019,appreciateits family-friendly take on thespace Westerngenre.
Film production nerds hail the show for an entirely differentreason: its groundbreaking “virtual production” process.
Most scenes for shows andmoviesare either filmed in real-life locations or in climate-controlled soundstages, wherecrews construct elaborate physical sets to replicate the realworld.Filmmakers also shoot in frontofgiantpaintedorfabric “green screens” thatcan bereplaced with other images duringthe post-production process.
But“The Mandalorian” producerstriedsomething new,shooting themajorityof the show’s scenes inside agiant, wraparound LED screen
ä See VIRTUAL, page 2E
What’s
Inc
speaksduring the 2025 Jefferson Chamber of Commerce legislativebreakfast. Hechtisstepping down at the end of the year and will assumethe newly created position of CEO emeritus.
BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff writer
As thepresident and CEO of GNOInc., Michael Hecht averages about six media interviews and two groundbreakings or ribbon cuttings aweek, plus ahandful of keynote speeches and panel discussions. And that’snot including the actual work of doing economic development—pitching site selectors on the advantages of southLouisiana, lining up incentive packages for potential companies and closing big deals.
“I actuallydid apie chart of my current job, anditcame outto 115%,”Hecht said. Now,after 18 years as themetro
area’sdefacto ambassador, chief salesperson andtop economicdevelopment leader,Hecht, 55, announced last week that he is stepping down at the end of the year andwill assume thenewly created position of CEO emeritus —arole designedtoensure asmooth transitionwith his successor,while enabling himtocontinueworking on “big picture” projects that have defined his tenure at GNO,Inc. of late. Hechtsaidthe decision to step back from the day-to-daygrind of TV morningshow interviewsand late-night strategy sessions was his alone, at atime in his life in career when he is seeking more “personal flexibility.”
It also will free him up to launch his own governmental relationsand consulting business, which he said will not present aconflict of interest with his new emeritus roleatGNO, Inc.
“Wewill be carefulhow we struc-
ture it,” Hechtsaid. “But Ithinkthe realityofitisIwillbeina position to drive alot of business to the city, regionand thestate.”
Hecht insists he is not leaving his native NewOrleans, at least notimmediately. As CEO emeritus, he will be apaidemployee of GNO,Inc. for up to three years. Still, it will be asignificant change foranorganizationthatisnow on the fast-track to fill his position by theend of theyear,when hisnew rolebecomes effective.
Twosources familiar with the search committeeprocesssaid the names of apotential replacementare already floating around andthatthe organization is seeking in its next leader someone who is from the city or theregion, or at least, very familiarwithits quirks, strengths, weaknesses andthe key people whomake things happen.
STAFF FILE PHOTO By BRETTDUKE
Michael Hecht, president and CEO of GNO
Asia Gagnon, left, and KennyMorrison work behindan‘extended reality’ screen in the studio at WyES The technologycan displayeverything from theexterior of an exotic planet to the inside of aspaceship allowingactors to inhabit virtual worlds.
STAFFPHOTOSByENAN CHEDIAK
Kenny Morrison demonstrates howthe ‘extended reality’screen works at WyES in NewOrleans.
that can display everything from theexterior of an exotic planetto the inside of aspaceship, allowing actors to inhabit virtual worlds during their performanceand saving producerstime and money by not having to create digital backgrounds during postproduction
Sevenyears ago, that process was revolutionary.Today, it has become another money-saving tool for producers of movies, TV shows, commercialsand allformsoffilmed media.
In Louisiana, astate once dubbed “Hollywood South” becauseofgenerous tax incentives that spawned abustling film and TV industry,at least two companies and one university have invested in high-definition LED screens, special camera-tracking hardware, powerful computers and software to support “Mandalorian”-style virtualproduction on asmaller scale.
They’re hoping that the new technology will help rekindle interest in the state’sdigital entertainment sector,which has dwindled due to increased competition worldwide and aslowdown in TV and movie production overall.
LSU’sXRStudio (the XR is short for “extended reality”) functions as aclassroomwhile also serving paying clients. Afacility in New Orleans operated by astartup called LucyXR helps make TV shows, commercials, music videos, movies and other content. And FoxDog Studios, ayear-old Baton Rouge venture, just assembled its own XR system andis putting it to use this summer Jason Jamerson, an associate professor who runs LSU’sfacility,said the high-tech screens giveproducers another reason to work in the state.
“In the past, you would come to Louisiana to film bayous or live oaks,” he said. “But when we come out of the global slowdown, wewill be more well-roundedand attractive because we’ll be able to reproduce any location through virtual production.”
Building digitalsets
It was abusy scene on aWednesday in mid-Juneatthe WYES TV headquarters as New Orleans-based visual effects expert Kenny Morrisonand severalcrewmembers were building sets for an indie feature film called “Exalted.”
But there were no saws, hammers, two-by-fours or paint cans in sight. Instead, Morrison and his team tapped on computer keyboards, set up lights, and calibrated abillboardsized curved LED wallthat, at 13 feet high and 38 feet wide, dominatedthe room. The sets they were building were virtual, existing only on screen but capable of mimicking real places when combinedwith actors, props and furniture and then filmed using special equipment.
Crew members arranged booths, tables and other props on the soundstage’sconcrete floor in front of the screen,which displayed aphotorealistic image of adiner interior Morrison wasoverseeingthe work on behalf of his clients, the producers of a$5million psychological thriller targeting a2027 release. The movie started filming last fall in St. Francisville and came to New Orleans to finish up.
For Morrison, aNew Orleansbased director and cinematographer who has made more than 2,000 commercials over amultidecade ca-
reer,the “Exalted” gig is achance to show off the power of the extendedreality production technology he has assembled in the three years since he formedhis tech-focused company LucyXR closeda$500,000fundraising round last year,and Morrison spent about twice that on the modularLED walland related equipment, which now stays in use at WYES, apublic television station thatrents Morrison space and uses his gear for several of itsshows.
Before the indie movie, theXR studio hosted three other projects over the last two months.
In May,New Orleans musician
Jon Batiste shot amusicvideo in the space,and New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough appeared in TV commercialsfor aLouisiana law firm. Morrison himself filmed several commercials for acredit union in oneday by using theextended reality screen to simulate multiple locations.
“That kind of efficiency would have beenimpossiblefiveyears ago,” he said.
More high-techstudios
Louisiana’sfirst virtual production studiodebuted in 2021 in the College of Art +Design building on LSU’s Baton Rouge campus.
The school secured a$1.25 million state grant to build the facility, which has been used for hundreds of projects, includingmusic videos, interviews, classes andsports marketing videos. Clients include NBC News and Fender, themusical instrument manufacturer
Jamerson, the associate professor whoruns the space, saidthe keyto making the virtual sets seem real to viewers is software and hardware —originally developed by video
five-yearperiod.
“Weare starting the selection process almost immediately,and we want it to be as efficient of a processaspossible so Iwillhave time to work withthe newperson,” Hecht said.
Models fortransition
As envisioned, the CEO emeritusrole will be modeled after the monthslong transition that occurred between the tenureof longtime New Orleans &Co. CEO Stephen Perry and his successor Walt Leger,accordingto one board source. The existing model at the Audubon Nature Institute is another example. After longtime CEO Ron Forman retired in 2025, he moved into arole as CEO of the Audubon Foundation, leveraging his relationships in the community to focus on fundraisingwhile his successor Michael Sawaya took over day-to-day operations.
Hecht said as an emeritus, fundraising will be akey priorityas will be supporting the new CEO with introductionsand knowledge transfer
He’ll also be working on anew “5x5” initiativefocused on growing the region’sstagnant population. Its goal is to increase the region’spopulation 5% ayear over a
And he’ll continue to focus on the large, special projects that became his signature during the previous mayoral administration, when GNO Inc. stepped up to fill what many in the business community felt was apolitical leadership void.
Looking back onit, Hechtsays those projects—spearheading efforts to readythe city forthe SuperBowl in 2025,trying to unite competing ports in supportofthe Louisiana InternationalTerminal Project, helping form the NOLA Coalitiontolower the city’scrime rate in 2022 and seeking solutions to catastrophicinsurance rates —have been the highlights of his tenureasCEO BatonRouge also searching ThechangesatGNO Inc. come as the Greater Baton Rouge Economic Partnership, formerly the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, is also lookingfor anew leader
In May,GBREP President and CEO Lori Melancon was removed after ashort and rockytenure at the agency.Since then, Trey Godfrey and Jayson Newell have been sharing duties as interim co-CEOs.
Thechanges also come as Gov. JeffLandry’s administration is playing amore active and aggressive roleineconomic development than thestate didunder Gov.John Bel Edwards. Under Landry’sLouisiana Eco-
game makers —that work together to change the imageonthe screen to reflect different points of view
“The cameraisawindow into a fakeworldthat might have nearby trees and distant mountains, so if the camera moves across the room, those background elements should move at different speeds,”hesaid.
“It’scalled parallax.
Jamersonestimates that more than half of allTVshows use some form virtual production now —and, starting this summer,contentcreatorswill have another option in BatonRouge, where the year-old startup FoxDog Studios is applying finishing touches to its own setup.
“Wereceived thedelivery on Mardi Gras Day and have been poking everything withastickever since, gettingthings calibrated and ready to go,” saidDoug Dominguez, aLafayette nativeand oneofthe studio’s threeco-owners.
Thebusiness opened lastfall in a retail space near the Mall of Louisianatoprovide productionservices for small- to medium-sized projects that don’tnecessarily need a huge soundstage like Celtic Studios, the nearly 30-acre facilityin BatonRouge that recently hosted a$50 million Amazon feature film. “Brandedcontent,” aformofmarketing common in the era of social media, is one of the studio’s areas of focus.
Dominguezand hispartners converted their 10,000-square-foot space into three separate production studios for use by clients like Taryn Klothand Kristen Nuss, the Louisiana-based beach volleyball superstars. The athleteswill soon break in thenew videowall, shooting apromotional video set on aCalifornia beach.
“The technology gives us access
nomic Development,the state has landed megadeals that include AI data centersinnorth Louisiana, Hyundai’splannedsteel mill near Donaldsonville, and moreLNG export facilities in southwest Louisiana.
LED Secretary Susan Bourgeois said bringing in two new leaders at the same time at thestate’stwo largest economic development organizations opens for the groups to reestablish aclose working relationship that hadflourished for several years before cooling more recently “This really presents an incredible opportunity to focus on the super region again,”Bourgeois said. Alittle over adecade ago, GNO Inc.and the BatonRouge Area Chamber,the former nameofthe economic development agency,beganjointly marketingthemselves as a“superregion.”With just 80 miles between them, their relativeproximitymade them natural partners. Besides, even withnearly two dozen parishes and acouple of millionpeople between them, they were still much smaller together than mega-metro areas like Houston, Dallas and Atlanta, with which they were competing.
Together,theytook canvass trips to Tampa-Orlando in 2013, and Tucson-Phoenix in 2015, bothofwhich offered practical lessons on how to collaborate in order to improve economic competitiveness.
Fool’s Take:VivaVeeva
to places we couldn’tnormally be,”
said Dominguez, who emphasized the best way to use thescreens is to make theminvisible
“If you notice it, it’sbad VFX and somebody messed up,” he said.
Dominguez said thepriceofthe extendedrealityscreensand other hardware has droppeddramatically over the past four years, so more people will likelyinvest.
Waitingfor ‘action’
Investments in virtual production fromLSU, Lucy XR andFoxDog comeasthe Louisianafilm industry hasslowed down after apost-pandemic boom in 2021 and2022, when at one point there were 28 TV shows or features shooting simultaneously according to Simonette Berry,business agent forthe IATSELocal 478, aunion representing 1,400 film industry workers in theregion.
Adecade earlier,Louisiana’s film production activity briefly topped California’s,but timeshave changed.
Agenerous two-decade-oldfilm production taxcredit still offers producers rebates up to 40% on qualified expenses, butcompeting incentives from other states have leveled the playing field while the entire country has ceded ground to global locations.
“We’re notjustcompeting with GeorgiaorCalifornia anymore,” Berry said. “We’recompeting with the UK, Ireland, Saudi Arabia and, of course, Canada. The U.S. used to have 60% roughly of production globally and nowwehave morelike 40%.
Anotherfactor leading to the nationwide slowdown is Hollywood is simply makingless content.
Evidence of theslump can be seen at thestate’sbig soundstages, where an encouraging start to the year was followed by quieter months headlined by “Ally Clark,”the Amazon movie that shot at Celtic in Baton Rouge and other locations.
Investments in XR technology from LSU, LucyXRand FoxDog represent afraction of that one film’sbudget, but Berry said infrastructure improvements at any scale could helpbring morework to the state,where experienced crews are hungry forwork.
“As the industry changes, people will continue to need stage space, skilled workers andvendors whether they’re filmingfor Netflix or YouTube,” she said.
They also jointlytraveled to Panama in 2016, after Louis Armstrong New OrleansInternational Airport landed direct airserviceto Panama City,where they focused on opportunities in shipping and logistics. Looking back on it adecade later, it’snot clear what, if any,concrete business deals resulted from the trips. But Hechtsaidtheywere opportunities to build relationships across the region and to broaden the way locals think about south Louisiana. Those ties also helpedforge the collaboration that came afew yearslater,whenthe twoorganizations teamed up to seek federal andstate funding for passenger rail service between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. Though the goal has yet to be realized, both organizations learned what canbedone when they work together, Hecht said.
Under the organization’snew leadership, he hopestoreaffirm those ties. “Wehad an amazing relationship with BRAC underAdamKnapp (the longtimeheadofBRACwho stepped down in 2023),” said Hecht.“Iwould hope andexpect in the nextiteration of GNOand BRAC that this tight relationship will continue.”
Email Stephanie Riegel at stephanie.riegel@theadvocate. com.
VeevaSystems(NYSE:VEEV) designscloud solutions forlife sciences companies, aniche whereit’saleader It’s embedded in theday-to-day activitiesofsome of thetop life sciences companies. It also has a competitive advantage, as it’s not easy forits clients to jump ship, at least notwithout riskingbusiness disruptions Veevahas hitsignificant challengesoverthe past fewmonths, withmanyinvestors increasingly fearing that competition will erodeits marketshare. The company’sstock was recentlydown morethan 45% over the past year —makingVeevaSystems’ shares nowlook moreattractive forlong-term investors.
For onething, thecompany continuestoadd newcustomers to itsecosystem,and as of Jan 31, it boasted 15 of the top 20 biopharmacompanies as itsclients. Veevaisalsoinvesting in ways that could pay off downthe road, notably in artificialintelligence. VeevaSystemshas launched VeevaAI, an initiative allowing agenticAItoolsthatcan boost productivity by fast-tracking andautomating taskssuchasreviewing clinical data andensuring regulatory compliance.
VeevaSystems’ shares look cheaper than they have in a while, witha recentforwardlooking price-to-earnings ratio of 17, near multiyear lows.(The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommendsVeevaSystems.)
Askthe Fool:IPOs
Are initialpublicofferings (IPOs) good investments? —H.S.,Santa Maria,California
Sometimes, but many times, they lose investors’ money Usually,it’swell-connected or wealthyinvestors who gettoinvest in an IPOatits initialprice. Most others will have to buy shares once they start trading often at much higherprices, as many IPO shares rise quickly in theirfirst fewhours or days ConsiderGroupon, which had itsIPO in 2011 andsaw itsshares climb almost31% on theirfirst day. Fast-forward to mid-2026, andthe stock was recentlydown 97% from itsall-time high two weekspost-IPO. There are successfulIPOs, too, of course, such as Nvidia’s What’sa“current ratio”? —J.D.,Portsmouth,New Hampshire It’s away to assess how much liquiditya company has— how easily it can convert assets into cash.The ratioiscalculated by dividing currentassets by currentliabilities, both of which you’ll typically find listed on the company’s balancesheet. The currentratioreflects whetherthe business hassufficient short-term assets (such as cash andexpected incoming payments) to cover itsshort-term obligations(such as payments due). Amore precise measureis the“quickratio,” as it subtracts assets harder to convert to cash —suchasinventories andprepaid expenses —before dividing by currentliabilities.
Both measures ignore longterm debtand assets, such as thevalue of production plants andequipment.Whenevaluating anycompany,besuretoassess other factors, such as revenue andearningsgrowth rates, profit margins, inventory levels,competitive advantages and valuation metrics.
My DumbestInvestment: Financialadvisers
My worst financial decision wasemployingthe services of a financial adviser W.O.,online That’stoo bad, as many people seem to have better experiences withfinancial advisers than you. The 2026 State of Retirement Planningstudy from Fidelity found that 3out of 4respondents valued“professional guidance forfamily conversationsabout retirementwishes.” A2024 Vanguard survey found“Whether they workwithahumanfinancial adviser or adigital-only adviser,86% of advised investors report having morepeace of mind related to theirfinances as aresult of advice.” Agood adviser can be invaluable at turning pointsinyour life,suchaswhenyou getmarried,havekids, wanttobuy a home, getdivorced or need to do someestate planning.They may cost morethan you’dlike to pay, but they can morethanmakeup forthatbyensuring that you’re investing effectively andhave allyourfinancialducks in arow We especially like fee-onlyadvisers, and youmightfind one near youvia NAPFA.org or GarrettPlanningNetwork.com
Motley Fool
STAFFPHOTOSByENAN CHEDIAK
Filmmakersbuild an ‘extended reality’set in LucyXR’sstudio at WyES TV in NewOrleans.
Samuel Macaluso, from left, Asia Gagnon and DanJones look at the computer
TALKING BUSINESS
ASK THE EXPERTS
Meet the ‘Queen of Magazine’
BY JONAH MEADOWS Staff writer
Behind the growing cluster of national retailers hanging their shingles at the center of Magazine Street’s Uptown commercial corridor is a Tennessee native who fell in love with New Orleans while attending grad school and who has continued to market the city after moving to New York.
Retail adviser Carly Ibach started her career in Dallas at the corporate buying office for Neiman Marcus after majoring in public relations. Seeing the writing on the wall for the department store business, she pivoted to pursue an MBA from Tulane’s Freeman School of Business That led to an internship at the local firm SVN Urban Properties, bolstering her understanding of the nexus between brand identity and store location.
In 2024, Ibach moved to New York to join Capricorn Retail Advisors as a director, but she’s remained involved in the New Orleans retail scene — where her focus has been on pitching locations on Magazine Street to national brands, earning her the nickname “Queen of Magazine” from the founder of her new firm Ibach has closed about 16 deals on the street, both before and after her move, including Reformation, Le Labo and Tecovas, where she also brokered the sale of the buildings. Most recently, she leased the same storefront for the second time, bringing Hill House Home to the former location of Stoney Clover Lane. The following interview has
been edited for length and clarity
What’re currently the big trends in the retail market?
A lot of the direct-to-consumer brands are really hot. You’re seeing the stuff that emerged on Instagram now finding physical spaces, and they’re usually starting in neighborhoods like Bleecker Street and Nolita in New York, Abbot Kinney in L.A., then becoming more mainstream and coming to smaller markets. It’s a buzzword that’s used a lot, but the ‘experiential’ part of shopping really is a thing. If they’re going
to spend money people want to feel like it was a special experience, and that can be achieved in a multitude of ways. Reformation is really cool because in the fitting room, they have a screen, and you can tap a shirt that you want and they’ll bring it to you, so it combines the online shopping that a lot of people love to do with going into a physical store.
How does that trend affect store designs and which locations are most appealing?
From one point of view if you’re going to offer that much more inventory, you need to have
Q&A WITH CARLy IBACH DIRECTOR AT CAPRICORN RETAIL ADVISORS
larger stock rooms. Every brand kind of has its own ideal footprint, and that’s a sliding scale depending on the market and how much rents are. New Orleans rents are a lot less than they are in New York or Dallas, so a lot of brands can afford a larger space, even if they don’t necessarily need it. But pretty much every brand kind of has it down, like ‘We operate best out of 1,000 to 1,250 square feet.’ So when I’m working with a brand I go into it having a number in mind.
Is New Orleans already on the radar of brands thinking about choosing their next spot to expand?
I’m definitely putting it on their radar I’m getting in a lot of brands’ ears that probably weren’t necessarily thinking about New Orleans. The deal that I’m working on right now, that I’m down here for, they have stores in Nashville and Charleston and New York. To me, it seemed like they understood the southeastern consumer, so why not ask them? People also have an emotional attachment to the city, and if they’ve had good times here, when I pitch them on the city, they’re like, ‘I love New Orleans.’ It pulls at the heartstrings for so many people. A lot of brands wouldn’t look at it otherwise, but if they relate it to a fun time they had, they’re like, ‘Yeah, actually, let me look at it.’ I don’t think the same thing happens in Cincinnati. Is there anything about pitching sites here that makes it especially challenging or appealing? Weather is something for a lot of people, especially people from far away looking in. They hear
about these hurricanes and they hear that Louisiana is sinking and these alarmist kind of things. And then people do hear about crime. People also hear that it’s a party city Maybe some of it’s accurate, but for someone who doesn’t live it it might be a harder sell. On the flip side, the tourism is so strong here. The culture is amazing. Architecturally, it’s unique. A lot of the stores that I’m working on, people see them and they think, ‘Wow, I’d love to activate my brand in a unique shell like this’ — a double shotgun, it’s such a cool thing and so unique to the city So I think you can set your store apart here versus just something more sterile in another city Does it ever take convincing? How do you convince them? I have a lot of hard data related
STAFF PHOTO By JONAH MEADOWS
Mailingapaper checkisrisky
NewOrleans
We’ve become so used to high-tech cybercrime that we may sometimesforget about the vulnerability of our mailboxes. But an oldschool, lowtech scam is surging and is more than enough reason to avoid or limit writing paper checks altogether And the recent predicament faced by aCalifornia couple who reached out to me showshow challenging it can be to retrieve money after acheck’sbeen altered.
According to ajoint warning from the FBI and the U.S. Postal Service,check fraud is skyrocketing. Federal data shows that reports of check fraud nearly doubled from 350,000 in 2021 to 680,000 in 2022.
It’sgotten so bad that the agencies recommend considering e-checks, ACH automatic payments and other electronicormobile payments.
In 2010, there were just over 2,200 high-volume mail theft attacks, and by 2023, that number had skyrocketed to over 49,000, a“2,000% explosion,” Frank Albergo, president of the Postal Police OfficersAssociation, said last summer during testimony before aHouse subcommittee.
“This is not about lost birthday cards anymore,” Albergo said. “We’ve entered an era of organized postal crime.” Criminals use everyday household chemicalslike acetone or bleach to “wash” away the payee’sname and dollar amount, allowing them to rewrite the check to themselves.
The California couple recently learned this the hard way after getting a notice from the Internal Revenue Service that they had missed their quarterly
taxpayment and now owed $12,000 plus interest and penalties.
The couple, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to protect theirprivacy, were shocked and puzzled. Theyknew they had paid on time
“Welooked at our online Chasestatement, and the check had cleared,” the wife said in an email.
Butwhen they pulled up the scanned image of the cleared check, they saw that someone had changed the “pay to the order line,” erasing the IRS as the recipient and replacing it with an individual’sname.
This isn’t limitedto personal checkbooks.
Fraudsters are going after business payments, tax refunds and checks related to government assistance programs, such as Social Security and unemployment benefits, according to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.
If your taxrefund from thegovernment is stolen andcashed, there’saprocess to report the theft. However,recovering from a stolen personal check can be much harder
Once they realized what had happened, the California couple contacted Chase. Butthey were told they had missed the deadline to report the fraud. The check had been stolen and depositedayear earlier
Still, they persisted and found thatthe check had been deposited by another Chasecustomer
“Wefeel the bank was negligent in this transaction and owes us reimbursement,” the wife said. “I feel we could make agood argument, 60 days or not.”
Theyreached out to ask if Icould help.
Chase’sinitial refusal was technically legal. The deadlinesfor reporting and recovering funds are primarily governed by your bank’s deposit agreement and the
Uniform Commercial Code. If you miss the window,the liability usually falls on you.
However,given how pervasive fraud is, financial institutions should do whatever theycan to do the right thing, even when theyaren’t in the wrong.
AfterIinquired about the case, Chase reinvestigated the situation. The bank was able to trace the fraudulent account to which the stolen money had been routed. It turnedout there was still about $11,000 sitting in that account,enough to almost entirely reimburse the victimizedcouple.
This couple was incredibly fortunate. Most of the time,the money is long gone before acustomer or bank discovers the scam.
“We’re pleased we were able to resolve this matter,” Chase spokesman Jerry Dubrowski said in an email.
It was awin for this couple, but awarning for the rest of us.
“Weencourage customers to avoid mailing checks and to use safer payment methods, such as electronic transactions,” Dubrowski said. “If acustomer must use acheck, theyshould review their monthly statements to ensure payments are properly recorded.
The primary reason washed checks clear successfully is that modern bank processing relies heavily on automation and speed.
Unless acheck is manually inspected for evidence of tampering —such as chemical staining, discoloration or amismatch between the signature’shandwriting and the payee line —afraudulent check can clear,and the funds will be transferred directly to the thief.
If you still choose to write acheck, the FBI and the PostalService offer these tips.
Protectyourmail
n Get your mail as soon as you can. Definitely don’t
letitsit in your mailbox overnight. Andavoid leaving outgoing mail in unattended homemailboxes with the red flag up.
n Use thePostal Service hold mail service if you are heading out of town.
n Buysecurity envelopes so thieves can’tsee there’s acheck inside.
n Go inside the post office to drop off outgoing mail. If you absolutely must use an outdoor blue box, don’tdeposit acheck after the day’sfinal pickup time.
Protectyourcheck
n Writechecks withpermanent, indelible black gel ink. Standardballpoint pen ink washes off easily; gel ink traps itself in the paper fibers.
n Don’tleave blank gaps on the payee or dollar amount lines where athief can sneak in extra words or numbers.
n Don’tjust check your bank balance online. Look at the actual digital image of your cleared checks to confirm the payee’sname wasn’taltered.
n Check your online banking activityfrequently.Verify everything about it.
n If acheck you wroteis takinglonger than usual to clear,orifyou spot any missing funds, contact your bank immediately
n Order checks that have securityfeatures, such as microprinting, watermarks or chemically reactive paper that bleeds when touched by bleach or acetone.
It’sunfortunatewehave to becomeforensic investigators just to pay our bills. Butascriminals continue to exploit old-school vulnerabilities, we must be overzealous in protecting ourselves.
Email Michelle Singletary at michelle.singletary@ washpost.com.
Loyola University New Orleansmadefourjob anno unc ements. Patricia Nugent has been promoted to dean of the University Library.She previously worked as the associate dean of engagement, research and special colle ct io ns Mar kH arrington has been hired as senior assistant provost, where he will overseethe student success center and retention initiatives. He previously held various faculty and leadership roles at Canisius University. KearneyGay hasjoined as assistant vice president of development.Hepreviously worked as thedirector of development at the Preservation Resource Center of NewOrleans. Julia LeBlanc has been named director of communications. LeBlanc, who founded JLACommunications in New Orleans, previously worked as the communications director of The Sulzer Group, awomenowned consulting firm BatonRouge Collins The Brand, amedia organization founded by former president of the Baton Rouge NAACP chapter Eugene Collins,announced five new hires. Nicole Tate-Alvarez has been named the national voice, andshe will cover national issues that impact
unde rrepresented commu niti es .S he previously worked as an events co ord inator at MasteryPrep, an ACTand SAT prep company Ronald Haley has been hired as the justice voice, and he will cover civil rights, courts and incarceration, among othertopics. Haley previously worked as acivil rights attorney Skylar Haley hasbeen appointed as thenextgen voice, andwill cover education, youth culture andsocialmedia Lael Montgomery,aformer council member on the Zachary City Council, joins as the community voice. Mia Ayleen Crawford Johnson has been named the political voice to cover elections andvoting rights. She previously worked as a disaster case manager with Workforce Group.
LauraSoileau hasbeen appointed partner-in-charge of the Gulf Coastoffices at EisnerAmper Partner.She will also continue in her roles as advisory partner andpractice groupleader of risk andcomplianceservices,titlesshe has held since joining the
Rapper Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson’s plans to turn downtown
Shreveport into an entertainment district that will serve as the headquarters of his film and television production empire are beginning to take shape.
Earlier this month, Jackson was in Shreveport for a ceremonial shoveling of dirt at the site of the G-Dome, a planned 14-story, entertainment venue that will take up a city block downtown.
Activity there will start happening soon, said Jackson attorney Steven Savva at a meeting of the Shreveport Film & Entertainment Economic Development Corporation a week earlier
The first order of business will be to create a public park with kiosks, concession stands and bathrooms. The full plans for the G-Dome are expected to be sent to the State Fire Marshal for approval in late fall.
It’s the latest of several pieces of Jackson’s ambitious plans that recently have fallen into place, according to Savva, who is responsible for the legal, business and financial side of Jackson’s businesses.
Those pieces include an incentive deal from the state that was approved in January and repairs to flood damage and drainage at Millennium Studios, which were completed in May
Jackson’s G-Unit Film & Television company and its affiliates have purchased a number of buildings in downtown Shreveport, and have already spent “approximately $10 million as a capital investment in the project,” Louisiana Economic Development said in the agreement.
“My vision for Shreveport is that success for Shreveport is aligned with my success as a producer.”
CURTIS ‘50 CENT’ JACKSON
Since announcing his plans in 2023-24 for the revival of Millennium Studios as G-Unit Studios, Jackson has been adding to his portfolio of downtown properties.
The cumulative total of the 13 purchases is more than $4.6 million.
To date, G-Unit has purchased 13 individual properties downtown. In addition to the purchased
properties, Jackson and G-Unit have entered into long-term leases with the city of Shreveport for Millennium Studios and the former Stageworks studio.
In the signed cooperative endeavor agreement with LED, promises were made on when production and events at G-Unit Studios, the G-Dome and G-Stage would need to start. Productions must begin this year “Our goal for Stageworks is to have production up and running by the end of November of this year,” Savva said Over a five-year period, G-Unit has agreed to at least 24 productions that will carry a cumulative production budget of $420 million
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That, said Savva, prompted the purchase of multiple properties in really bad shape. “(Jackson) knows if he takes those on, it’s going to be easier for people to come after him to go into the spaces that are a lot easier to open new businesses moving forward,” he said. Varied business background Jackson, 50, burst onto the rap scene in the early 2000s, when he was discovered by Eminem and Dr Dre. His debut album, “Get Rich or Die Trying,” established him as one of the industry’s biggest stars.
He co-founded the rap group “GUnit” short for Guerrilla Unit — starred in movies, produced video games and netted a reported $100 million from the sale of Vitaminwater to Coca-Cola.
Along the way he filed for bankruptcy in 2015, emerging two years later to ink a $150 million deal with premium cable network Starz, for which he produced the popular “Power” franchise. He has since gone on to own his own streaming television channel, premium liquor brand and clothing label.
and 26 live performances at the G-Dome.
At the recent groundbreaking, Jackson said he wants to move quickly on both the state-incentivized projects and his personal properties.
Savva said that at the same time work will be happening on Jackson’s film and TV properties downtown, people will see Jackson’s private buildings take shape. It’s one thing to open film and television studios, but in order to bring in actors and producers to work on Jackson’s movie and TV projects, more work needs to be done Savva said He noted that “you can’t buy a toothbrush in downtown Shreveport.”
At the groundbreaking, Jackson surprised the audience with some announcements. He said he wants to bring boxing to Shreveport, as well as a pro gym. He also said he is talking to WWE wrestling, Dana White with Ultimate Fighting Championship, and Scott Coker with Mixed Martial Arts about potential deals.
And he told a comedian in the audience that he is opening a comedy club in Red River District, and that “there may be a pathway” for Jackson to run or own the entertainment district, which is close to his downtown holdings.
“My vision for Shreveport is that success for Shreveport is aligned with my success as a producer,” said Jackson.
Naturaldisasters such as hurricanes,floods andwildfirescan haltoperationsand disrupt employees’lives.Employers must protect people,maintainproductivity, andensure compliancewhile navigatinguncertainty
To ensureaneffective disaster response, employers should:
•Determinecrisismanagement responsibilities Identify essentialemployees, plan foron-site needs,and communicate rolesand accountability
•Prepare forremote work Revisitpolicies, enable rapidtransitions,and ensure employees have thenecessary tools.
Thebottomline is to plan ahead.Clear policies reduce confusionand supportafasterrecovery.
PHOTO By JONATHAN PLAZA
Curtis ‘50 Cent’ Jackson and elected officials celebrate the ceremonial start of work at the site of his new G-Dome entertainment complex in Shreveport on June 17.
JacobPritt
Jane Heidingsfelder
BY JONAH MEADOWS and GRACE MAYER Staff writers
The midpoint of the year is upon us. The days are at their longest, the heat index is rising and thunderstorms are falling.
For some, the start of the third quarter marksthe beginning ofa newfiscal year.For others,itsignals the season for summer vacations. And for many, it’sanopportunity to reassess NewYear’s resolutions, take stock of what the previous six months have brought and make plans to finish the year strong.
So for this month’sOne Big Question feature, we asked business and nonprofit leaders from acrosssouth Louisiana: What’s at thetop priority of your to-do list forthe rest of 2026?
TREY GODFREY
Actingco-CEO,Baton RougeEconomic Partnership
The biggest priority Ihave is finishing the year withreal moment um at the partnership. We’re navigating an important leadership transition. It’s incumbent upon our board to put together aprocess that nets us a leader —and that could take two months, or it could be nine months. So with Jason Newell, the other co-CEO, the top focus is keeping our team aligned and very disciplined on executing ourplan for the year,strengthening investor confidence and ensuring that our core work continues with excellence so that we’re in a great position for ahandoff tothe permanent CEO, whenever that might be.
The No. 1goal is getting all of my clients straight on artificial intelligence. What are the new emergingrisks? What are the
ONEBIG QUESTION
advantages andall theminefields that go alongwith it?What is our policy on HR usage? Do we use it for fact-checking, social media, marketing, all internaland external comms? How do we balancetransparencyabout how we’re using it? Priority onefor my clients is to have thosequestions answered and added to their process and messaging playbooks,which will help save time as acrisis hits or apotential crisisemerges.What we may have done afew years ago to increase mentions or increase reach for earned media has changed because of GEO —generative engine optimization.Companies need to understand what that means and how to amplify their message throughAI. Youneed to communicatewith the different platforms,
just like what we usedtolook at SEO, search engine optimization, theevolution is GEO
LAUREN GIBBS
CEO and owner of Gibbs Construction, New Orleans Lately,we’ve added alargerthan-normal pool of outside hires Many of ouremployees stay with us forover10 years —somethingI’m very proudof—but a fewretirements created opportunitiesfor ourteam to bring on new hireswho are onetofive years into their construction careers. So with these changes, forthe second half of 2026, I’m focused on investingmoreinour employee trainings,especially around AI use,and mentoring ournewest hires. I’m spending alot of time
thinking about how we can continue to developour 65-personteam andfoster thenextgeneration of leaders, especially since we’re currently celebrating 50 years in business. I’m excited about what thenext generation is shaping up to look like because, as abusiness owner,I’m always lookingatsuccessionplanning: Who is going to be the next president? Who’sgoing to be the next vicepresident?
WALT LEGERIII
President and CEO of New Orleans &Company, New Orleans We have areally strong meeting calendar in the fourth quarter. Now it’stimefor us to execute. In December,we’ll host an international meeting for theAmerican SocietyofHematology,the largest
of the events we’re hosting during the second half of this year The eventissobig andinfluential in the medical field thatitbrings in twoAir France charterflights filledwithhematologists andexhibitors. In the fall, we’re also hosting FICP,anannual financial and insurance professionals conference that will draw around 1,500 attendees to the city —all of whom representcorporations that could bring future meetings to our city.Our teamisalways focused on what’snext, booking meetings into the 2030s and 2040s, andhow do we continuetobuild this meeting calendartoprovide opportunityfor thebroader community for yearstocome?
JAREDQUOYESER
Co-founder and managing partner,Louisiana Impact Fund, Lafayette
Our toppriority is the launch of thecXo Leadership Program. It’s the Louisiana Impact Fund’snew business leader initiative and it’s designed to identify and develop the next generation of executives across thestate. The inaugural cohort kicks off at aface-to-face retreat in September in Lafayette and there’safollow-up session in Shreveport in December We’re also focused on facilitating the second close of the Louisiana Impact Fund, targeted for the fourth quarter,which will expand our pool of in-state capital and strengthen our ability to back Louisiana-based businesses through growth, recapitalization andsuccession.And ourthird focusisexecuting on that strategy by activelyclosing new deals in thesecondhalfofthisyear, deploying capital into established Louisiana companies so ownership, jobs and long-term economic value stay rooted in communities across the state. Email JonahMeadowsatjonah. meadows@theadvocate.com.
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Mini trampolines and vibration plates are back withavengeance, as influencers andwellness gurus alike hopontothe devices at home foraworkout. But do they really work?
Standing (or sitting or lying) on a vibration plate stimulates “wholebody vibration,” which studies have showncan offer somehealth benefits, butit’snot clear if it’s as good forhealth as regular exercise, according to the Mayo Clinic As themachinevibrates, it transmitsenergy to the body,forcing muscles to contract and relax dozensoftimeseach second.
Mini-trampolining, or “rebounding,”was coined in 1969 to introducelow-impact andminimal-risk exercise that can improvebalance, neurological rehab,musculoskeletal rehab andcardiovascularconditioning, according to a2024 study publishedinthe NationalLibrary of Medicine
Clinicaltrial helped La.man with rare conditionembrace theoutdoors
BY MARGARET DeLANEY | Staff writer
AsAs SUN SUN
a2-year-old, Pierre Mouledoux could not make it through boat trip with his fatherorhis brothers.
His skin couldn’ttakethe sun. He could last three hours before his skin would pucker,turnred and burn.
As he grewup, he coveredupfrom necktoankle. Covered his hands Wore scarvesand wide-brimmed hats. Highsocks, no flip-flops. When he turned10, Mouledoux andhis family finally got their answers from ageneticist.Hewas allergic to thesun.
Therare condition, affecting two to five people per 1million, called erythropoietic protoporphyria, causes severe and painful photosensitivity
The severity of theconditionvaries.For Mouledoux, too long in the sun andhis skin begins to shiver, tingle and turn red. Then the inflammationhits.
“God-awful miserable,”
Mouledoux sits on the deckof hisDulac camp
‘I was missing alot,’he said. ‘But I’m not missing out anymore.
Mouledoux said.“It feels like my nerves are radiating.” Since his diagnosis,Mouledoux had to change his life. He puts atimer on if he needstomow thelawn. He schedules drives from Mississippi to drive away from the sun. Instead of fishing, he pickedupduckhunting —a much more sun-averse activity
ä See SUN, page 2X
Dr.Brian Broussard,a therapy andwellness coach from Lafayette, answered common questionsabout vibration plates andmini trampolines.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
What do mini trampolines and vibration platforms claim to do for the body —and what does the science actually support?
Mini trampolinesand vibration platformsofferalternative options to neural andphysical stimulation during exercise. The main focus of exercise is to give thebodya stimulus in whichyour body’snatural adaptation increases the fitness levelofthe body Example: If youwalkorrun a mile, then your body will adapt both physically andneurologically andasyou continue to walk amile, it should becomeeasier.When focusing on musclestrength or size, exercise through thefull range of motionand resistance givesthe best results.
Mini trampolinesofferalowimpact option.Ontrampolinesyou can simply start bouncing; thiswill be easier on thejointsthan hopping on solid ground. In addition, users may enjoy or have morefun bouncing on themini trampoline, and enjoymentwill increase auser’s adherence to aconsistent program Vibration platformscreate the simulationofa vibrating surface. This is considered alow-impact option forfitness training. Youcan
ä See VIBRATIONS, page 3X PROVIDED PHOTO Mini trampolines offer alternatives forneural and physicalstimulation during exercise.
STAFFPHOTOSByBRETT DUKE
Pierre Mouledoux reacts toanarea of sunlight as rain showers surround him near Dulac. Mouledoux wasbornwith Erythropoietic Protoporphyria, adisorder that causes sensitivity to sunlight.
HEALTH MAKER
Miss. doctor develops new class of imaging dyes
Development could let surgeons see tumors in real time
BY MARGARET DeLANEY Staff writer
Dr Colleen Scott, of Mississippi State University is developing a new class of imaging dyes that could transform cancer surgery by helping doctors see tumors in real time, enabling more precise removal while preserving healthy tissue.
A native of Kingston, Jamaica, Scott earned her bachelor’s degree from Auburn University and her doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh.
Since joining Mississippi State in 2015, she has mentored students, integrated hands-on learning for K-12 students through her “Science with Dr Scott” outreach program and contributed to research that enhances both technology and education in Mississippi and beyond.
The Bayh-Dole Coalition’s American Innovator Award recipients are profiled in the coalition’s annual Faces of American Innovation report and recognized at a congressional briefing and advocacy conference in Washington, D.C., in June.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity
What brought you to cancer research?
I was always a curious child. I didn’t know I was curious. I thought everybody was. I didn’t realize I was probably different from other children, because you don’t normally realize that when you’re a kid.
SUN
Continued from page 1X
He has tinted windows on all sides of his car, including the front windshield, which still gets him an odd look from traffic officers who think his car isn’t street legal. Now 42, he has new hope as a participant in a clinical trial.
A rare disease
Erythropoietic porphyria, first defined in 1961, is a rare genetic metabolic disorders caused by enzyme deficiencies in red blood cell development, leading to the toxic buildup of porphyrins Porphyrins are organic compounds essential for cellular respiration.
Mouledoux has erythropoietic protoporphyria, also called EPP This subset of the condition is caused by a deficiency the mitochondrial enzyme ferrochelatase due to a genetic mutation. With EPP exposure to sunlight triggers immediate, severe skin burning, tingling and redness that can last for days.
“The burning pain sensation may be severe and cause children to lose sleep for nights,” said Dr Carl Anderson, a translational scientist at the Porphyria Laboratory and Center, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, and Mouledoux’s doctor “It’s a difficult nature of diagnosis Changes can be subtle and easily missed.”
Porphyria conditions affect males and females in equal numbers with the disorder occurring in about 1 in about 74,300 individuals, according to the American Porphyria Foundation The onset of symptoms affecting the skin usually occurs in infancy However, in some cases, onset may not occur until adolescence or adulthood
The American Porphyria Foundation says there is considerable confusion about which test to order to diagnose the condition Sometimes laboratories measure only zinc protoporphyrin and report results incorrectly Like Mouledoux, cases of EPP have been known to evade or at least delay diagnosis, leading to unnecessary suffering by the patient, according to a 2010 study published in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology.
Since finding Anderson, Mouledoux has made over 40 trips to Texas to be treated for his condition. In 2023, he started his third clinical trial — Phase 2 of a clinical trial from Disc Medicine called Aurora. Patients received a once-daily oral pill, bitopertin, for 17 weeks, either 60 milligrams, 20 milligrams or a placebo. Results of the trial, published in December, said bitopertin showed
I was always interested in science, and I excelled at science. It just made sense. I didn’t get into this research until after I was working. I was at Southern Illinois University doing a part-time postdoc and part-time teaching position. I was in the lab of another professor His name was Daniel Dyer
He was working on these fluorescent dyes Unfortunately, he got sick with brain cancer It was during that time that I decided to carry it forward. He was always interested in using the dyes as a way of cellular imaging, more specifically, for imaging cancer cells.
The dyes were passed on to me. I would say I inherited them
How do the imaging dyes work?
We can do deep-tissue imaging.
We ultimately want to be able to put a patient in a machine where we can shine a light on a cancerous area. Noninvasively, we will be able to image organs or tissues — to do that we need the light to be able to get in deep into the tissue.
We started developing short wave infrared dyes, or swear dyes, that allow low energy light to penetrate tissues easier
Now the challenge is how we use those dyes to be able to detect selective cancer cells over healthy cells
Our goal is to help surgeons during surgery to identify the margin of tumors Currently, there’s no good way to do that. Typically surgeons will estimate where the cancer ends and begins, and they will cut away a little extra, healthy tissue around the margins.
They don’t know if they get all of the cancer until biopsies, chemotherapies and radiation. Hopefully,
using the imaging dyes during surgery will help identify the margins of tumors clearer Then, if there’s any “escapees,” or cells that have started to metathesize away from the tumor, hopefully we’ll be able to see those with the imaging dyes as well.
We’re just getting it done in test tubes, and then we have test the dyes in animal models. We’re not even at the finished product, but we’re on our way What are some of the challenges in your
research?
I’ve never done surgery or been a doctor for people, so there could be obstacles and challenges that I’m not aware of.
We are aware of some of the challenges that we’re currently addressing. For example, we’re looking at the stability of the dyes: When they go in the body, could they expand in different areas of cells? Could they flow improperly between cells? How well is the dye absorbed by tis-
sues?
There are a lot of little details that we want to make sure we address at the same time in order to get to our big picture. There are a lot of little problems that we have to solve along the way but we’re super excited about doing this. I really believe we can do it — it’s just a matter of time.
Email Margaret DeLaney at margaret.delaney@theadvocate. com.
causes
improved measures of sunlight tolerance and “had a favorable safety profile in patients with erythropoietic protoporphyria.”
After Phase 2 results were favorable, Disc Medicine submitted its new drug application to the Food and Drug Administration, where it is under review Phase 3 of the trial, named Apollo, enrolled 183 patients to determine whether bitopertin increases
pain-free sunlight exposure after six months of treatment in participants 12 years or older The trial is available in 27 locations in 12 countries and nine states. Mouledoux is no longer an active participant in the clinical trial, but can continue using biopertin as an “open-label” user The FDA allows patients to continue to use certain drugs still being researched until they make their decision.
FDA approval, or rejection, could be delivered as soon as 2027, Mouledoux said: “I don’t know what I’m going to do if they take it away It’s the only thing that’s worked, that’s made my life better.” Life in and out of the sun
For now Mouledoux rarely keeps his boat docked. He takes his wife, Alyse, and his four sons from their home in Metairie on boating and fishing trips at Four Point Bayou in Dulac in shorts and flip-flops, no less.
Even though he missed out on painless fishing trips with his father, he’s learning to fish again. Although he’s not quite as good at catching bass as his sons.
“They’ve had more practice out on the bayou in the sun,” he said.
He’s been to the beach. Twice. He got his first tan line ever
“I was missing a lot,” he said. “But I’m not missing out anymore.”
Email Margaret DeLaney at margaret.delaney@theadvocate. com.
PROVIDED PHOTO
Dr Colleen Scott, at Mississippi State University, is developing a new class of imaging dyes that could transform cancer surgery by helping doctors see tumors in real time, enabling more precise removal while preserving healthy tissue.
STAFF PHOTOS By BRETT DUKE
Pierre Mouledoux stands recently at his camp in Dulac. Mouledoux was born with Erythropoietic Protoporphyria, a disorder that
sensitivity to sunlight
Mouledoux fishes from his boat, which he rarely keeps docked now after a lifetime of avoiding the sun.
AMERICAN FERTILITyRATES DECLINEAMONG WOMENINTHEIR 30S
Since the 1980s, fertility rates in the UnitedStatesamong women over30, particularly those 35 andolder,havegenerallyincreased. However, the fertilityrate for women ages 30 to 34 decreased 8% from2015 to 2024, from 101.4birthsper 1,000 women to 93.7,according to data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
During the same period,fertility rates forwomen youngerthan 30, whostill account formost births, decreased.As aresult, the overall number of U.S. births has declined, according to data analyzed by the CDC.
The fertility rate for women in their early 30s decreased in 37 states from 2015 to 2024; 13 of those states and theDistrict of Columbia sawdecreases between at least 10% and as much as 21%.Inanother24states, decreases ranged from 2% to 9%
Louisiana’sfertility rate decreased 4% between 2015 to 2024, from 89.1births per 1,000 women to 85.7
These states had the largest decreases in fertility rates among women ages 30 to 34 from 2015 to 2024:
n D.C. with a 21% decrease; n Oregon with a 17% decrease; n Utah and Washingtonwith a 16% decrease; n California and Nevada with a 15% decrease; n Alaska with a 14% decrease;
n Delaware and Montana with a 13% decrease;
n Hawaii, Illinois, Rhode Island and Vermont with a 12% decrease.
These states hadnosignificant changeor increasesinfertilityrates among women ages 30 to 34 from 2015 to 2024:
n Nebraska and Mississippi with a 3% increase;
n Alabama, Connecticut, Iowa, Kentucky,Tennessee and West Virginia with a 1% increase;
n and Indiana, South Dakotaand Wisconsin had no change
Additional CDC data reported that the U.S. fertility rate for women ages 35 to 39 increased 5% to 54.3 birthsper 1,000 women in 2024 from 51.6in2015.The
VIBRATIONS
Continued from page1X
phatic drainage,balance or bone health? Completing exercises on both
devices will increase circulation while toningmuscles. This increase in blood flow is similar to exercise on solid ground. The biggest difference is that individuals who are overweight or have back or hip problems will be able to moveeasier on trampolines, allowing them to move more. An exercise program on the vibration plate will stimulate the bodymore than the sameexercise on the ground, which can help users who are overweight get more results withoutdoing moresets. However,exercise sessions on either of these devices must still
Thepercent changefor fertility rate
Source:Centers forDisease Controland Prevention
fertilityrate for women 40 and older increased 24% from 5.8 births per 1,000 women in 2015 to 7.2 in 2024.
Provisional birth datafor 2025, according to the CDC, suggest that declines in births to women younger than 35 and increases in births to women 35 and older continue.
This reportuses data from the 2015 and 2024 natality file of the National Vital Statistics System.The vital statistics natality file is based on information from U.S. birthcertificates and includes information for all births occurring in the United States.
be challenging enough to stimulate the body Who stands to benefitmost from these tools—and who should avoid them? Beforestartinganexercise program, it is important totalk to your doctor.Individuals who benefit the most are those who need lowimpact exercise, which can include those who are overweight or have injuries or conditions thatcause pain during exercise.
People withback issues should be apprehensive and consult with their doctor before starting exercise routines withmini trampolines
or vibration plates. How muchtime and frequency are needed to seemeaningfulresults?
Forsomeone to see results from using these devices, aconsistent schedule of three to four days per week of exercising 45 minutes per day is suggested.Ifyou are a beginner,both your time and intensity should be lessened forthe first twotothree weeks
Forbest results, afull-body exercise program is suggested Additionally,apersonal traineror coach can help withlong-term success. Acommitment of 90 days of
consistentexercise can result in a transformation
Can these tools realistically replace traditional exercise,or are theybest usedasa supplement? It is importanttoremember that these exercise toolsare agood way to elevate your exercise routine, but they shouldnot replace traditional exercise. To getthe full effect of mini trampolinesand vibration plates, they mustbecombined withatraditional exercise routine. Margaret DeLaney contributed to this story.
Molly Kimball RD,CSSD
EmilyEickhoff,forTheEatFitCookbook
Whyeat junk on acamping trip?
Tips andrecipes fornutritiousfood on thetrail
BY ALBERT STUMM Associated Press
Few things feelbetterthan along hike in the woods, exhausting yourself as you soak in the fresh air and tranquility
Then, back to camp, where you chip away at those health benefits with packaged hot dogs slapped into awhite-bread bun with aslice of plastickyprocessed cheese food.
It doesn’thave to be that way, said Aaron Owens Mayhew, a dietitian and long-haul trekker in Orcutt, California.
“It always made me sadthat people who train so hard, they exercise, they eat well at home, and then they go backpacking and pick up honey buns,”Owens Mayhew said.
Getting outside generally improves mental and physical health.But toooften,campers and hikers resort to the convenience of processed foodshigh in saturated fat, salt and sugar
Here’show to rethink campsite cooking to eat healthy while acting healthy
Eatwhatyou eatathome
Many people rightly assume that alittle processed food is fine, especially when you’re exerting outsize energy that can help counter excess calories.
The problem lies in theway the body processes it, said Owens Mayhew,who founded Backcountry Foodie, awebsite dedicated to bringing nutrition to the trail
Simple carbohydrates like sugary baked goods and candy bars can cause rapid blood glucose spikes followed by asharp drop, leaving hikers more fatigued than before. Meanwhile, heavily processed foods tend to be dense in caloriesbut lacking the vitamins, minerals and protein the body needs to perform well.
Ahealthy diet can provide consistent energy throughout the day and improvedrecovery
“I liketothinkoffoodasone variable that can be controlled, unlike asprained ankle or bad weather,” Owens Mayhew said.
She said the best way to eat in the wilderness is to findways to continue eating the food you normally do at home. Instead of frying bacon and eggsonthe fire because that’swhat you did at camp as akid, have that bran cereal you eat every morning,
this time with powdered milk (find it in the bakingaisle).
Many of therecipes on Owens Mayhew’s websiteare healthier versions ofher family’s classic recipes,including tuna casserole, garlic-Parmesan noodles and sweet potato casserole.As asupplement to grilled meat or fish, she suggested packing instant brown rice, quinoa and couscous, which arelightweight, healthy and require only boiled water
To boost flavor,add fresh ginger, herbs or garlic or onion powder. Adding nuts, dried mushrooms,grated Parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes or dried fruit turnsthe starch intoa meal of its own.
Prep mealsathome
Cookingatcampismuch harder than when you’re comfortably home in your kitchen, so winging it is usually abad idea, said Rashad Frazier, founder of CampYoshi, agourmet adventure outfitter Well before atrip, take time to planmeals and prep as many ingredients as will stayfresh in zip-top bags or containers.
Chopping onions or grating fresh ginger at home frees time to enjoythe sunset andspend time with familywhenyou’re outdoors. “There’snoextra bonus pointsfor cutting onions and making mango chutney at camp,”hesaid. Frazier’s cookbook, “Cook Out,”devotes asection to pantry ingredientsthatcan be preppedathome.His universal spice mix, salsa verde, chutneys, curry paste, pickled onions and other flavor boosterspack apunch without adding many calories. They can be mixedand matched,hesaid, with whatever meat, vegetables or grains you have.
Also, alwayshaveanemergencybackup meal forwhen bad weather or other factors ruinyourplans, Frazier said. His is aBolognese sauce that he keeps in thefreezer until leaving.
But ahomemade pureed soup or even peanut butter andjelly can be alifesaver
“Have that one dish that’salways like, in the event of emergency,break glass, eat this,” he said.
1. At home,discard theramen’s high-salt seasoning packet. Create apestopacket by putting thenuts, herbs,garlic andcheeseintoa small baggie. At camp, boil water to cook thepasta, discardthe waterwhen tender,and stirinthe pesto packet andoil. Tear fresh basil if you have it and stir it in.
Swimming lessons?
Doctor says: Designatea ‘kid-watcher,’ invest in floats
BY MARGARETDeLANEY
Staff writer
Health Notes is an occasional listing of health happenings around Louisiana. Have something you’d like to share? Contact usat margaret.delaney@theadvocate.com Hospital graduates first one-year residency class
The North Oaks Health System in Hammond graduated seven students recently in its first class of the TransitionalYear Residency Program, an expansion of the hospital system’sgraduate medical education initiative to strengthen the northshore’shealthcare workforce
The one-year program is designedtoprovide broad clinical training beforeadvancing into specialty residencies and other areas of advanced medical education. The students began their residencies in July 2025 and received clinical training at NorthOaks Medical Center and other facilities across the North Oaks Health organization By 2030, the North Oaks Health GME program is expected to train up to 80 physicians at any given time, with additional residency programs in emergency medicine and family medicine planned in the coming years.
LakeviewHospital names newchief medical officer
Dr.Dewitt Bateman, a25-year hospitalleaderand anesthesiologist by trade,isthe new chief medical officeratLakeview Hospital in Covington. Bateman was formerly the AssociateChief Medical Officer and MedicalDirector of Perioperative Services at Woman’sHospital inBaton Rouge.
lowing surgery
The workisanchored by a$3.5 millionNational Institutes of Health grant supporting research on spinalcordregeneration led by Dr.Sina Pourtaheri.
The project builds on earlier studies showing that aproteinbased“nanocapsuletherapy” can restore movement in paralyzed mice. Current effortsaim to improve thattechnology to enhance nerve regeneration andfunctional recovery
complex conditions.
Ochsnertoopen behavioral hospital in Acadiana
Ochsner Lafayette General and OceansHealthcarewill open Ochsner Behavioral Health AcadianaLafayette, anew behavioral health hospital in July.The 62-bed facility,at310 Youngsville Highway, will have inpatient and outpatient behavioral health services.
Oceans Behavioral Health Acadiana is apartnership between Ochsner Lafayette General and Oceans Healthcare to bring behavioralhealth services for adolescent, adult and geriatric patients, addressing acritical and growing need in the community
Coinciding with theLafayette facility opening, Oceans Behavioral Hospital Broussard will become Ochsner BehavioralHealth Acadiana-Broussard, expanding the totalinpatient capacity of OchsnerBehavioral Health Acadiana to 100.
Email Margaret DeLaney at margaret.delaney@theadvocate. com.
In hisnew role at Lakeview, Batemanwill“further strengthen our medical staff partnerships, support our care teams andcontinue advancing the high-quality careour community expects and deserves,” saidBen Richaud, CEO of Lakeview Hospital in ahospital news release.Batemanbegan as CMOonJune 1.
Tulane researchers advance therapies
ATulane University researcher is developing therapies to restore function after spinal cord injuries and prevent serious infections fol-
The research was recentlypublishedinthe International Journal of Pharmaceutics, and for this project,Pourtaheri was chosen as one of three recipientsofTulane’s Provost Proof of Concept Fund, acompetitive grant programto help turn early-stageresearch into market-ready,impactful and commercialized discoveries.
The lab is continuing to expand, with plans to pursue additional federal funding and explore future clinical and commercial applications.
The work is part of agrowing effort to translate advances in biomaterials and drug delivery into new treatmentoptions for patients with spinal cord injuries and other
TheLouisiana Health section is focused on providing in-depth, personal accounts of health in the state.This section looks at medical innovations, health discoveries, state and national health statistics and re-examining tried and true methods on ways to livewell.
This is acolumn in aseries from Dr.Scott Hamilton, director of the Pediatric Emergency Department at Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center, offering practical guidanceon preventing and treating illnessesand injuriessokids canstay healthy and out of the emergency department. Walt is afellowemergency room doctor who had been an Air Forcepararescue jumper, or PJ.This elite team rescues downedpilots, particularly in water.Thus, Walt’sa strong swimmer One dayatthe beach,heand his 8-year-old sonwereswept outtosea by a riptide.Hundreds of yards out, Walt spottedacurrent thatcould carry them back to shore,but the stream he wasin preventedhim fromswimming to it. Afterhours of trying to break through while holding up his son, exhausted, he resignedhimself to throwing his sontothe beachbound current before he himself would drown. Just thenarogue wave slappedtheminto thatgood current andtheymadeitback Walt neverwenttothe beach againwithout numerous flotationdevices Louisiana ranks third in the nationfor child drownings. It’s no wonder: We have beaches, bayous, lakes, pools and the heat to drive us into those waters. Acommonscenario involvespool parties. The adults arechatting, drinking andpaying little attention. As things wind down, someone realizesa child is missing andfinds them at the bottomofthe pool.No onewas watching carefully enough, andkids don’tmake a fuss when theydrown. Instead of splashing andhollering, theysink quietly Avoidthis tragedy by designating akid watcher.That personwearsa lanyard to remind themand others of their duty: Remain soberand avoid distractions like conversation or phones. Also,nonswimming childrenshould wearlife jacketsfrombeforethe first guests arrive until the last one leaves Poolsshould be fenced on all four sidessothattoddlers don’tsneak into the water party or not.
Preventing teen drownings is athornierissue.Not all teens aregreat decisionmakers. To illustrate,about 10 years agoIbehaved like ateenager andalmost drowned at Grand Isle. My kids andsome friends were on alarge raft about 40 yards offthe beach.After finishing abeer,I decidedto join them. However,the waves were rough, andthe wind and current were driving into the beach.Istartedswimming and made little headway. Stretching my feetdown,Ifound I was toofar outtostand. Like Walt, Iwas running out of gas. Unlike Walt, Iwas notastrong swimmer.Iyelledfor help, and fortunately,myfriend Dayle was on the raft. Aformer lifeguard andcollegiate swimmer, he wasatmyside in seconds, buoying me up. The lessonfor teens is clear: No drinking, swim in guarded waters in good conditions, have throwable flotation devices or life jacketsavailable for weaker swimmers. And as for me, Itook swimming lessons to become safer in the water
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
Health editions will also profile people whoare advancing health forthe state of Louisiana. Do youhavea health story? We want to hear fromyou. Email margaret.delaney@ theadvocate.com to submit health questions, stories and more.
Scott Hamilton GUEST COLUMNIST
PHOTO PROVIDED By NORTHOAKS HEALTH SySTEM
TheNorth OaksHealth System in Hammond graduated sevenstudents recently in its firstclass of the Transitional year Residency Program.
PROVIDED PHOTO By JIMMAHJOUBIAN
ResearchersinDr. Sina Pourtaheri’slab aredeveloping and testingnew therapies to support spinal cord regeneration.
PROVIDED PHOTOByALEX FORESTIER
Rashad Frazier prepares food on abeach on Manatí, Puerto Rico
By Amanda McElfresh amcelfresh@theadvocate.com
Thisstory is brought to you by OchsnerHealth.
Long days at the pool, ball games in the heat, andweekends on the waterare staples of summerinsouth Louisiana,but Ochsner Health experts saythe season alsobringsa spikeinpreventableinjuries,dehydration, skin damageand medical emergencies
According to Benjamin G. Guevara, MD, sports medicine and orthopedic surgeon, Ochsner Therapy&Wellness-Slidell Memorial Hospital East,summer injuries typically fall into twobroad categories
“One category includes critical emergencies such as boating accidents,waterskiinginjuriesorpeople slipping on wetsurfaces and either breaking abone or hitting their head,”Dr. Guevara said. “The other category includes muscle strains or tears. Often, theseare overuseinjuries.Weprobably seea fewmoreissues with teens and young adults but we certainly seeproblems in people of all ages.”
cine physician, Ochsner Lafayette General AndrewsOrthopedics and Sports Medicine Institute, said manypeople jump tooquickly into intenseexerciseroutines or recreational leagues after weeksofloweractivity.
“Some of the most common injuries include sprains,muscle strains,tendonitis,shin splints,fractures,jointpain and swelling, heatexhaustion, dehydration and concussions.The knees shoulders, hips and lower legsare among the most commonly affected areas,” Dr.Tosino shared.
BenjaminG.Guevara,MD
One of the best ways to preventinjuries and burnout is to start slowly in termsofintensity,duration and frequency
betterfor peoplewith sensitiveskin, babies andchildren,but theyhavelesslong-term absorption than chemical versions.”
Dr.Guevara advises seekingimmediate medical attention forserious injuries or symptoms likehead trauma,breathing difficulties,severepain or swelling, confusion or disorientation, or signs of dehydration.If mild injuries persist forseveral days,they should be evaluatedbya physiciantoprevent long-term complications
While sports injuries arecommon during the summer months,water-relatedaccidents alsoremain atop concernfor physicians.Drowning incidents canhappen quickly and quietly,often withoutsplashing or yelling forhelp.Children canbeespecially susceptible to waterdangers, and Dr.Guevara recommends thatadults supervisekids at all times,install barriersand alarms around pools andensurechildren wear properly fitting lifejackets,especially on open bodies of water.
“It’ssoimportanttobeaware of your environment. The waterconditions will not be the same every time, even if you’re in a lakeorariver thatyou’vebeeninbefore,”Dr. Guevaraexplained. “Manyinjuries happen becausepeople overestimate their swimming ability, underestimate waterconditions or aredistracted around the water.
Away from the water, longer daylight hoursand warmer weather often encourage people to become more active, but suddenly increasing activitylevels can put extrastrain on the body
Christopher Tosino,DO, primary care sports medi-
“You want to pair that with agood warmup and cooldown each time you exercise. The activities youdobeforeand after aworkout arejust as importantasthe workout itself,” Dr.Tosino said. “Your activityshouldn’tsuddenly stop as soon as you areoff thetrack or outofthe weight room. Gradually ramping up and cooling down each time is akey part of taking care of your body.”
Proper hydration is alsocrucial to staying healthy. Dehydration canhappen quickly and lead to fatigue, muscle cramps,dizziness, poor reaction time,and in the worst cases, heatexhaustionorheatstroke. As Dr Tosino said, manypeople underestimate howmuch fluid theyloseduring outdoor activities, especially when spending time in the water, since theymay not feel sweaty
“If youwait until youfeel thirsty, youare already mildly dehydrated,”heexplained.
“You want to drink adequate fluids before an activityand replenish afterwards with fluids,electrolytes and food.
Aside from high temperatures and humidity, the summer sunalsocreatesdangersfor the skin without proper precautions
Christina K. Rowley, PA-C,dermatology, Ochsner Medical Complex–The Grove,said most peopleunderestimate thedamagethat sun exposurecan cause.
ChristopherTosino,DO
“UVdamagecan occur in as little as 15 minutes, even on cloudy days,” she said. “It cancertainly happen if youare outside forseveral hours, but it canalsooccur as aresult of cumulativesun exposureeach dayasyou go about your normalroutine.Thatexposureadds up and cancauseskin
damage, prematureaging and an increased risk forskin cancer.”
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, but Rowleyshares howitisalsopreventable and easier to detect early becauseofits visibility. The three main types of skin cancer arebasal cell carcinoma (often appearing as askin-colored bump or pink patch), squamous cell carcinoma (usually ared bump scaly patchorsorethat heals and reopens) and melanoma (the most severe form because it can spread quicklytoother parts of the body).
ChristinaK.Rowley,PA-C
The sun canalso causeother problems Rowleysaid.
“Any changefrom your baseline skin color is considered damagetothe skin. There’snosuch thing as a healthytan,”she explains.“Thosechanges in the structureofthe skin canincreasea person’srisk forpre-cancer,skin cancer and prematuresigns of aging. We alsoencourage people to monitor forage spots and lesionsespecially if theyappear in clusters-textural changes,dilatedbloodvessels and redness.
Rowleyrecommends everyone usea broad-spectrum, water-resistantsunscreen with SPF 30 or higher,and reapply it every twohours, or after swimming or sweating.
“Mineral sunscreens work by deflecting sun rays,and chemical ones work as a sponge,”Rowleysaid. “Mineral sunscreens aremoresheer and cosmetic.Theytend to be
The most importantstepistofind asunscreen that worksfor youand apply it repeatedly and generously, making suretocover easy-to-skip areas likethe ears, neck, knees and feet,Rowleyshares.Adults should use about 1.5ounces per application, or about the sizeofa shot glass, whileanickel-sized dollop is the ideal amountfor the face.
In additiontosunscreen,people can reduce UV exposurebywearing widebrimmed hats,large sunglassesand sun-protectiveclothing with an SPF of at least 55 “Wewantpeople to do thethingsthey enjoy, but be smart about it.Thereare alot of optionsfor sunscreens,clothingand accessories to accommodate differenttypes of activities.When youare outside, find some shade andtakebreaksfromthe sun when youcan. With the rightprecautions,you can enjoybeing outside as partofahealthylifestyle,”Rowleysaid.
Dr.Guevara and Dr.Tosino agreed that the same balanced approach applies to nearly every aspect of summer activity. Dr Guevara encourages people to moderate their alcohol intake, since excessivedrinking is often acontributing factor in summer accidents and canlead to an increased dehydration risk.
Dr.Tosino added thatgetting moreactivityinthe summer canhelp people improve their endurance, strength, cardiovascular health and abilitytotackle daily tasks. Allowing the body time to rest,hesaid, canhelp reduce fatigue and lowerthe risk of injury
“Movement is medicine.But,restand recovery arealsocritical becausefatigue and delayedreaction times canincreaseinjury risk,” he said. “Listen to your body and recognize when it’s saying youneedtotakeit easyfor aday or two.”
At Southern’s cookingcamp, goingfrom‘I gottabehere’ to ‘Whatare we cookingtoday?’
BY JOYHOLDEN Staff writer
On arecent Wednesday,20children between the agesof9 and 12 bustled around the Southern Universitykitchen laboratory, chopping vegetables and filling canning jars with spices and apple cider vinegar
It was Day 3ofthe Southern UniversityNourishEDKIDS(Knowledgeof Ingredients forDaily Success) Youth Summer CookingCamp—anannual hands-on, skills-building experience designed to introducestudents to the fundamentals of preparing simple, nutritious meals and learning kitchens essentials, such as safe food handling, measuring, following recipes and basic techniques.
Evan Egana,aSouthern University outreach extension agent, stood at the front of the kitchen and explained to the campers how to go about measuring their ingredients for pickling. About four or fivecampersapproached her for closer attention
“You use the big glass measuring cups for the water and the vinegar,and then you’re goingtouse the measuring spoons for theother ingredients,” Egana said.
She picked up vegetables— fresh from gardensand CapitalCityProduce —toshowthe kids,explaining that they could choose whichever combination for their pickles.
“Y’all are more than welcome to come getthe cucumbers up here,” Egana instructed, “but be mindful everybody needs cucumbers, so only one for your station.Wehavebellpeppers, red onions, carrots, so youare more than welcometouse whatever you want.”
The campers rushed to grab their vegetables and askquestions about how to make their pickles spicier or withmore dill flavor Egana, whoholds aBachelor of Sci-
ence and aMaster of Public Administration from Southern,teaches cooking classes to the BatonRouge communityasher day job
“I love doing food demonstrations,” Egana said. “I usually do foods or recipes that are accustomed to Louisiana, and Imake them more healthy.”
Shepaused to help acamper tell the difference between ateaspoon anda tablespoon. She said look for the letter “p” or the “b” in theabbreviation.
“It’smore science-based instead of just cooking,”Egana said. “We’redoing the science of fermenting today So they’regonna learn how acids help preserve thefoods.”
Thescience behind cooking
Each day of the NourishED KIDS camp focused on specific ingredients and their scientific reactions. Egana used the Edible Education curriculum, which focuses on real food and
See CAMP, page 2Y
JanRisher
Becoming shepherd foraweek
In Kristyn Carver’sphone, he is saved as “Tim the shepherd.” When she and Imet in mid-June, she had yet to meet him in person. But on her 50th birthday afew days later,she flew across the country to help him moveaflock of sheep up amountain in Navajoland in Arizona. Details weresparse. As best she could figure, part of the climb would be by truck, but the last 9 miles would be on foot.
This Mandeville mother was going to be ashepherd foraweek. Herhusband andthree daughters, ages 13, 15 and16, would make it aweek without her. Carverisa counselor and professor at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.She does notcamp.She does not hike. She hadnever moved sheep. Forweeksbeforeher grand adventure, she gotready the way apersonprepares for something she cannotpicture:Six miles a daythrough herneighborhood in aweightedvestand acute hat. She hasbeen drawn to the shepherd of the Bible for decades —the gentle shepherd of Isaiah, the Lord of the 23rd Psalm, the oneinthe Gospelof Johnwho calls himself the good shepherd andlaysdownhis life for the sheep
“FromwhatI’velearned about sheep andtheir connection with the shepherd, it’sthat being in the presence of the shepherd is whatsettlesthem,” she said.
“The presenceofthe shepherd is whatbrings calmand peace andthat’swhatIthink prayer is for me, intentionally being aware of God’spresence around me.” She hasread aboutsheep the way travelers study countries before they visit. She knowsa sheep flipped onto its back cannot always right itself.She knows shepherds oil their flock’sheads to keep flies away.She knows sheep are not fast, cannot defend themselves and will not find water on their own.
She said she sees herself in sheep.
“Prone to wander,” she said.
“Prone to get myself into big messes Ican’tget out of.”
The flock she wasgoing to help movewas smaller than expected. Aram brought in to build the herd produced no lambs this year
The family wasdown to around 25 animals from the 50 it should have had.
The bad year wastheirs to absorb, but they welcomed her anyway
TimBenally grew up between worlds —now working in Washington, D.C., while staying
ä See RISHER, page 2Y
STAFFPHOTO
CoreyHoskins, center,and other campers enjoytheir chocolate chip cookies
STAFF PHOTOSByJAVIER GALLEGOS
Syncere McKee, second from left, reaches over Colin Northern, center,tograb brown sugarfromGekoryWickerduring the NourishED
KIDSyouth Summer Cooking CampatSouthernUniversity
STAFF PHOTO By JOyHOLDEN Camper Ry’Lee Johnson holds her jar of pickles.
INSPIRED DISCUSSIONS
ASK THE EXPERTS
Jibber-Jabber Night prohibits jibber jabber
BY LAUREN CHERAMIE Staff writer
Nancy Nicholson is the founder of Acadiana Talent, a platform that serves performers of all ages in Acadiana. A Recording Academy member, Nicholson collaborates with local music professionals to cultivate and elevate talent in the area, offering artist development and management, booking services and artist consultations.
Acadiana Talent emphasizes networking, collaboration, mutual support and continuous learning with the mission to offer opportunities for artists to grow, perform, learn, connect and create Since its 2017 debut at Warehouse 535, Acadiana Talent has hosted showcases featuring hundreds of young artists, including some who have pursued professional paths. Youth showcases are currently held periodically, and performers under the age of 30 can share original music or covers. The organization runs an annual High School Battle of the Bands, with winners earning a slot at Festival International. In June 2020, Nicholson began hosting Storytellers, a songwriter open mic at the Blue Moon Saloon in Lafayette that’s held on the first and third Tuesdays of the month For more information, visit www.acadianatalent.
com. This interview was edited for length and clarity
How did Acadiana Talent get its start?
My son was writing music, and
CAMP
Continued from page 1y
the science behind the cooking
Over the week, campers learned how to make pancakes from scratch, pickle vegetables, bake cookies and observe how different amounts of butter affected the fluffiness of foods They cooked omelets, melted chocolate and whipped up a chocolate mousse.
“All of the recipes that we’ve done this week have the science behind them. The campers know exactly why things happen — like, if you add yeast to bread and what it does,” Egana said.
Later that day when the campers made cookies, she said they learned that if you add more sugar, the cookies will be more dense, but if you add more butter, they will be fluffier
Another part of the camp included the children going out to the Southern AgCenter demonstration garden to learn how to grow their own food.
Ry’Lee Johnson, a rising fifthgrader, said she chose to do the camp because she wanted to help her mom in the kitchen, “so she won’t be the only one cooking.”
Johnson said that making pancakes was her favorite activity, and she was pretty proud of how her fluffy pancakes turned out.
Passion for nutrition
Joshua McDonald, program leader for the Family and Human Sciences Cooperative Extension Program of the Ag Center and program director for Southern’s nutrition education program, circulated from group to group, offering a hand or guidance.
“As the program director for the last seven years,” McDonald said, “I truly understand the impact that we have on young minds, especially as it comes to the kitchen It helps them be a little bit more independent in the kitchen with small skills like the utilization of knives or small quick recipes, whether it be healthy snacks or healthy meals. It’s just a passion of mine, as well as my team.”
Nutrition is not McDonald’s background, but as a political scientist who is currently a Ph.D. student for public policy at Southern, he understands the value of a healthy food culture in a community He said that because many of the youth who come to the camp live around Southern University, which is in a food desert — a geographical area that lacks sufficient supply of fresh vegetables, fruits and affordable whole foods the camp helps show them healthy options and inspiration.
“Our program is very big on creating community in school gardens
Q&A WITH NANCy NICHOLSON FOUNDER OF ACADIANA TALENT
you’re going to participate in this creative endeavor Acadiana Talent lets you do your thing and is supported by a community of like-minded individuals.
Why is it important for a community to have spaces where musicians can perform, experiment and grow?
My kids did some work with Simone Foreman, owner of Images Model & Talent Agency She does Expo twice a year and she takes a small group of kids to Dallas, where they meet with 50-60 agents who are looking for new talent.
My son and daughter went, and I could see how all of these kids had so much fun sharing their gifts with each other and celebrating it with like-minded individuals. I thought, “Wow We could really use that back home, because we have a lot of talent here.”
he was in a band. They couldn’t find a place to play
When I saw that, that’s when I started Acadiana Talent. I saw there was a need for them to have the opportunity, if they were in formal lessons, to do something different. And if they weren’t in any program, they could participate in this one for free.
There are programs in schools, private lessons and great places like School of Rock and CYT, but all of those things dictate how
I got involved with the South Louisiana Songwriters Festival at Blue Moon Saloon, and then I started a songwriters night. For kids, it supports the fact that they’re good. It also helps to let their parents know that they’re good, too — and they’re not wasting their time. Because other parents come up, saying, “Oh, your kid is so awesome.” It’s a little validation time, too.
For the adults at songwriter night, it’s a validation time too. They get to try out new music, see how the crowd responds, and
they get to meet each other
Then I started Jibber-Jabber Night, where you’re not allowed to talk during open mic nights. It’s original music, so it’s like a listening room. We live in a world where people so often feel like they have to fill the silence.We’re constantly worrying about ourselves, and rarely do we stop to sit down with our own thoughts in silence but especially in the company of others in silence.What impact do you think those silent open mic nights have?
It’s true. We think we have to fill the silence, and we don’t. Music is a healer Music is a connection. When you hear the lyrics of someone’s song, you might connect with it — even though you didn’t have the same experience, you feel like you did because of what they just expressed.
I really think that, in the silence, you’re able to connect even deeper because it’s not interrupted by words. It’s all thoughts. It’s amazing, that space, and it’s become very open, welcoming and nonjudgmental. It comes down to connecting — the connection that people want to make with others.
When a musician does step on the stage for the first time, no matter how old they are, what do you hope they feel?
That adrenaline. I hope they feel like they got bit by the bug. I hope they feel like the audience received what they were trying to share.
I hope they have a feeling of
agent
and creating a farm-to-table experience with students and adults in several different settings,” McDonald said “So, at this camp, to show them how you can use those fresh ingredients and make multiple meals in a short amount of time brings everything full circle.”
Although the youth summer cooking camp has been operating for 10 years, McDonald and his team had to rebrand the name this year because of cuts to Southern’s SNAP-Ed program, which used to be called CHEF Camp for “Creating Healthy Enjoyable Foods,” to NourishED KIDS Camp.
The kitchen changes things Over the week, children change from being hesitant to engaged,
McDonald said While they have kids who are passionate from the beginning, some are forced to go by their parents, and they have mixed emotions.
“As they get into the kitchen, and as they’re actually able to touch, measure, scale things themselves,” McDonald said, “you really start to see a build of passion, or even excitement. We get to see the transformation from ‘I gotta be here’ to ‘What are we cooking today?’”
The cooking camp also helps the campers build on communication, coordination, teamwork and confidence, McDonald says.
“My favorite thing,” Egana said, “is just seeing them actually enjoy cooking, and their parents come in
accomplishing, because it is a big accomplishment to get on that stage and perform.
In a place like Lafayette, how does music contribute to the city’s identity?
Mostly, we’re identified by having Cajun, zydeco and Creole music. That’s wonderful, because it is a huge part of our identify and a lot of music stems from those genres, but we aren’t just that.
We have so much music here.
We have metal bands, indie bands, rap. It’s amazing, the different genres of music that we have. In fact, we have a supply and demand problem here in Lafayette. We’ve got more supply than we have demand, and that’s why some of our musicians leave.
Is there a solution to that?
The city has done a study the Lafayette Music Census Report, on the music economy here. That was led by Sami Parbhoo, project lead for the Lafayette Consolidated Government.
What came out of it was a couple of things. The music business structure, as far as recording studios and management, we have all of those elements. But it’s not as marketed.
The other point they made was our youth programs. We do have a lot of youth programs, but they noted that the youth could be more supportive. We have great programs here, and Acadiana Center for the Arts does a lot in the school system to bring the arts out.
Email Lauren Cheramie at lauren.cheramie@theadvocate. com.
RISHER
Continued from page 1y
Gekory Wicker carefully pulls melted butter out of the microwave as Shariah Washington closely watches.
Program director Joshua McDonald pats Corey Hoskins on the shoulder and praises him for taking initiative on washing the dishes.
telling me, ‘Oh, they’re so excited about camp.’ I try to make it interactive for all of the ages, so they’re not getting bored They were just so excited on Monday that they could make their own applesauce and eat if for a snack.”
The NourishED KIDS Youth Summer Cooking Camp was also held in Avoyelles, Union and West Carroll parishes in June.
Email Joy Holden at joy.holden@ theadvocate.com.
connected to his family’s sheep and land. The other shepherd is his uncle, a man in his 70s, who tends the flock day after day Before she left, Carver didn’t know his name, but she was looking forward to seeing how a shepherd moves among his sheep. She packed a journal and her best friend met her there. Some of her “sheep talk” was familiar My husband, who is not a religious man, is fascinated by a nomadic shepherd in Iran, who moves his flock through one season into the next. My husband watches the shepherd daily on YouTube and talks about that man with something close to reverence. He is enthralled with the way the nomad in Iran cares for those sheep, more than he cares for himself. While my husband has not reached for a Bible verse to explain it, I believe he understands the thing Carver is reaching for Carver who is the wife of state Rep. Kim Carver, R-Mandeville, did not arrange this grand adventure so much as receive it. A student of hers met Benally at an event in Washington. When she learned he is a shepherd, she mentioned that a professor wanted to know what shepherding was really like.
Benally said to put them in touch.
With that, a stranger opened his family’s mountain to two people he had never met. When Carver asked him why, he told her he likes to show people the land, that it’s healing, that he and his wife had prayed over whether to do this kind of thing at all.
Carver did not know how the week would go. She did not know how she would sleep at night under the stars on the side of a mountain. She did not know whether the uncle would do the hard climbing or whether Benally would take the worst of it. She did not know what she would find — or whether the presence of God she hoped for would meet her there. She booked the ticket anyway She trained anyway She went. For one week, a woman who has spent 25 years studying sheep and shepherds left home to stand beside them. She did what we do when we are seeking something bigger than ourselves. She went on faith.
Email Jan Risher at jan. risher@theadvocate.com.
PROVIDED PHOTO
Acadiana Talent owner Nancy Nicholson stands in front of the gramophone trophy at a mix and mingle event for the Memphis Chapter of the Recording Academy held at New Orleans Jazz Fest.
STAFF PHOTOS By JAVIER GALLEGOS
Danae Franklin, from left, Sharon Washington and Nathan Howard sit down while waiting for the oven to preheat before baking their cookies during the NourishED KIDS youth Summer Cooking Camp at Southern University.
Extension outreach
Evan Egana hands vanilla extract to Shariah Washington.
THERE’S GOOD NEWS,TOO
HEALTHCARE SPENDING SLOWSINU.S
The United States appears to have significantly slowed the growth of healthcare spending,accordingto a new Brookings analysis, part of the spring 2026 edition of the Brookings Papers on Economic Activity.While healthcare costs continue to rise, they have grownmuch more slowly than experts predicted adecade ago. In 2024, the U.S. spent more than $5 trillion on healthcare, representing 18% of its gross domestic product well belowthe 21.2% shareprojected in 2010.
“The slowdown in medical spending growth is not only largesubstantively, it is unprecedented historically,” write the authors, David M. Cutlerand Lev Klarnet of Harvard University.“Since …1960, no 14-year period has seen as slowgrowth of medical spending relativetoGDP as was realizedover the 2010-2024 timeperiod.”
Several factors have contributed to this trend, likethe shift to generic drugs and price declines in medical imaging.Brookings also highlights cost-saving technological change, such as ashift to outpatientsurgery and the wider diffusion of drugs that “prevent costly illnesses, such as statins to reduce cholesterol.”
While the healthcare cost curve has bent,additional reforms are needed to makethe system more efficient andaffordable.
NEWREPORTREVEALS
DRAMATIC EXPANSIONIN
GLOBAL EDUCATION
The Global Education Monitoring Report, hosted and published by United Nations Educational, Scientificand Cultural Organization, tracks the world’sprogress toward Sustainable Development Goals. It’s 2026 Global Education Monitoring Reportfound thateducational access has expanded dramatically
since2000,with 327 million studentsinprimaryand secondary enrollment between 2000 and 2024. However, 273million children were outofschoolin2024.
While progresshas stalled on that front,thereisgoodnews. School completionisrising,and higher education participation has more than doubled in ageneration. Primary school completionrose from77% to 88% since 2000, while upper secondary educationincreased from 37% to 61%.
“Lookingathistoricalratesof progress, the worldwouldachieve 95%uppersecondary completion by 2105 in the averagescenario, by 2081inthe fastexpansion scenario
(atthe 75th percentile), and by 2062 in the fastest expansion scenario (averageoftop 25%),”according to the report.
Ultimately,UNESCO reports that progress doesn’t comefrom asingle measure but from “coordinated action across sectors, sustained political commitment, implementation capacity and adaptation to local contexts.
INDIAGOING GREEN FASTER THAN CHINA
Cheap solar,wind and batteries are enabling India to bypass a fossil-heavy growthphase that was previously taken by China and the West. Data fromthe WorldBank for GDP,Ember forelectricity and the IEA
forenergybalancesreveals that India is fueling economic growth by using cheapsolar power, batteriesand electric vehiclesinstead of relying heavily on coal and oil.
Ember reports that India is reaching milestoneswith lowerfossil fuel consumption than China did at a similar incomelevel.The data shows that solar poweraccounted for9% of India’s electricity in 2025, and electric vehicle use is expanding “In 2012, China had almost no electric vehiclesonthe road. By mid2025, EVs accounted foraround 5% of car salesinIndia and the country is theglobal leaderinelectric threewheeler sales,”Emberreported. Thecostofelectrotech likeEVs,
solar panels and batteries has decreased, so theyare able to build newinfrastructure at afaster rate.In contrast, in 2004, coal wascheaper than nascent solar photovoltaics (PV), so coal “made up nearly 70% of the growth of China’selectricity generation. This means India could possibly avoid a“detour” into deep dependency on fossil fuels.
Fixthenews.com is asolutions journalism newsletter that finds stories of progressand shares them withreaders from across theworld. Acclaimed author Steven Pinkercalls Fix theNews“thebestsource forpositivenewsonthe internet.”
STEAM
HarryHurst’s
Advanced
STEAMLab PreparesStudentsfor Real WorldCareers
At HarryHurst Middle School,students aregaininghands-on experience in engineering, broadcasting,journalism, and technology throughthe school’sAdvanced STEAMLab.Theydesignprojects likecircuitboards and mechanicaldeviceswhilealsoproducing news broadcasts,podcasts,videos,and theschool newspaper
Principal Sean Dwyercredits thelab’ssuccess to communitysupport, includingfunding from Shell. “Whatour students do is amazing,” Dwyersaid. “Shell askedhow it could help,encouraged us to think bigger when we answered, and that support transformed ourSTEAMclassroomintoaninnovative Advanced STEAMLab.”
Throughthese uniquelearningopportunities, studentsare discoveringnew passions and preparing forfuturesuccess.Shell’sinvestment is helping open doorsfor thenextgenerationofengineers, creators,and innovators
“I see studentsproblem solvingand accepting taskstheynever thought they could do.Theyare growingasleadersand taking riskslikespeaking in frontofthe entire school or interviewing our principal.”
LINDSAY MAXIE STEAMCoordinator
HarryHurst Middle School
GETTy IMAGESPHOTO
While U.S. healthcare costs continue to rise, theyhavegrown much more slowly than experts predicted adecadeago,a recent studyfound
STEAM LAB
ADVA NCED
Don’t forget pets when preparing for natural disaster
By The American Kennel Club (TNS)
Dogs walk
stickers.
Keep your kits up-to-date to ensure that their contents (especially food and medicines) are fresh. Other items to be included might be an image of you and your dog, a crate and leashes, first aid, sanitation needs, and a familiar item such as their favorite toy n Evacuation training skills. Training your dog to be comfortable around people outside of their immediate family can be a lifesaving skill when in an emergency Practicing this skill will help your dog be less stressed if a stranger needs to care for them. Crate training and teaching your dog to settle are also important tools for your pup to know in case of an emergency They will help prepare your dog for stressful situations and know how to relax at your feet while your attention is elsewhere.
n Contact your local emergency management office, animal shelter or animal control office to get additional information if you’re unsure how to care for your pet in case of an emergency For more tips on responsible dog ownership, visit the AKC at www akc.org.
‘A NEW VOICE’
BY KAREL JANICEK Associated Press
PRAGUE Prague’s St. Vitus Cathedral had its new organ inaugurated this month, giving the 700-year-old building, the largest in the Czech Republic, a proper instrument to accompany religious services and concerts.
Prague archbishop Stanislav Pribyl was set to bless the organ at a ceremony as part of a mass, with music played by the Czech Philharmonic and featuring “The Lužany Mass” by Antonín Dvorák and works by Georg Friedrich Händel, Camille Saint-Saëns and Joseph Haydn.
“St. Vitus Cathedral has gained a new voice,” Pribyl said in a statement. “A voice that will not speak with words but will still speak to the heart.”
The instrument with four keyboards was build in the workshop of Gerhard Grenzing in El Papiol near the Spanish city of Barcelona.
The renowned German organ builder has constructed almost 140 organs and reconstructed more than 90 historical instruments in many countries.
Once completed in Spain, the new
organ was disassembled and its parts were gradually transported to Prague on trucks. It was reassembled at the cathedral a year ago, followed by the monthslong voicing and tuning of the pipes.
The organ contains some 6,000 pipes, ranging in length from 0.28 inches to over 23 feet.
The previous organ was completed in the early 1930s, but turned out to be too small for its monumental space and frequently broke down. There was no interest in fixing the organ during World War II and more than 40 years of communist rule.
Efforts to build a new organ started some 14 years ago. A crowdfunding campaign launched in 2017 collected more than $6.5 million from thousands of donors.
The cathedral, a major tourist attraction, is linked to Czech statehood. It’s a place where the Czech kings were coronated and buried, and the Czech crown jewels are stored inside.
The funeral Mass for Václav Havel, the Czech Republic’s first president, was celebrated in the cathedral on Dec. 23, 2011.
STAFF FILE PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD
down a cold, rainy New Orleans street. Every household should include pets when planning for a natural diaster.
A worker adjusts cables during the installation of a new organ at Prague’s St. Vitus Cathedral.
ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTOS By PETR DAVID JOSEK
A worker adjusts scaffolding during the installation of a new organ at Prague’s St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague, Czech Republic.
SUNDAY, JUNe 28, 2026
CURTIS / by Ray Billingsley
SLYLOCK FOX / by Bob Weber Jr
GET FUZZY / by Darby Conley
HAGAR THE HORRIBLE / by Chris Browne
MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM / by Mike Peters
ZIGGY / by Tom Wilson
ROSEBUDS / by Supr Dee
ZITS / by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman
SALLY FORTH / by Francesco Marciuliano & Jim Keefe
PEARLS BEFORE SWINE /byStephan Pastis
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.
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 — AMortiZe: AM-ortize: To gradually reduce the cost or value of.
Average mark 49 words Time limit 60 minutes
Can you find 60 or more words in AMORTIZE?
ken ken
instructions: 1 -Each rowand each column must contain thenumbers 1through4 (easy) or 1through6 (challenging) without repeating 2 -The numbers within the heavily outlinedboxes, called cages, must combine using thegiven operation (inany order)toproduce the target numbersinthe top-left corners. 3 -Freebies: Fillinthe single-boxcages withthe numberinthe top-left corner
instructions: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 gridwith several given numbers. The object is to placethe numbers 1to 9in theempty squares so that each row,each column and each 3x3 boxcontains the same number only once. The difficultylevel of the Conceptis Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday
directions: Complete thegridso that numbers 1–132 connect horizontally, vertically or diagonally
Sudoku
Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
wuzzLes
Bright Norwegian lights
Good young players have been coming from Norway for several decades. Norway has become one of the world’s leading bridgeplaying nations. East and West in today’s deal were young ladies from Norway’s current junior ranks. West was Erleta Plana and East was Sofie Sjodal.
Plana led the ace of hearts, saw the encouraging nine from partner and shifted to the four of diamonds. South had to decide what to play from dummy It is safer for a defender to lead from the ace in this situation as that is not likely to give away a trick. Leading from the queen will cost a trick when South has the 10, but it is the right play when partner has the ace and the 10. South, an experienced male player, played low from dummy and came to regret it. Sjodal took her queen and returned the two of hearts to the 10 and jack. Plana cashed the ace of diamonds and led a third roundofhearts.Southruffedwith dummy’s jack, but Sjodal overruffed with the queen and led a diamond to give Plana a ruff. The defense had taken the first six tricks for a great result and the declarer had a headache Very well done!
CANCER (June 21-July 22) Stick to facts, and push forward with plans that don’t rely on outside influences or input. Look at the big picture and decide what’s best for you. Put your energy into presentation
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Participate in events or activities that challenge you. A unique approach to life, love and learning will open doors that lead to greater opportunities. Positive change is within reach
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Pay attention to what’s happening around you. Don’t be oblivious to someone’s interest in what you do or in spending more time with you. Partnerships will deepen.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Be forward with your rhetoric and spell out what’s important to you. Set high standards and boundaries, make clear what your intentions are and what you are willing to contribute, and find out where you stand.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Indulge in personal upgrades, home
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Reach out and lend a helping hand, but don’t let anyone take advantage of you Emotional issues will surface, and discipline, paying attention to detail and setting boundaries will be in your best interests.
improvements and using your creative talents to bring about positive changes to your daily routine. Consider how you can turn something you enjoy doing into additional income.
CAPRICORN (Dec 22-Jan. 19) You’ll face opposition or limitations if you try to sneak something past someone today Keep your conversations light but factual, encouraging and meaningful, not negative or critical.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Put your energy into home projects, domestic relationships and putting a little pizzazz back into your love life. Par-
ticipate in events or activities that allow you to show off your talents.
PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Spend more time socializing or participating in activities that offer mental or physical challenges. Stretch your imagination and embrace new adventures.
ARIES (March 21-April 19) Put yourself and your ideas out into the universe, and the feedback you receive will be revealing. The confidence you gain from what you hear will make it easy to elaborate and collaborate.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Don’t nix something you want to pursue to
please someone else Follow your heart, negotiate on your behalf, socialize and network with people who are as helpful as you are.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Pick up the pace, and rely on your curiosity and intelligence to lead you down the right path. Those you connect with will offer a different perspective, but before you take their word as gospel, validate the information.
1. Russia-Ukraine war.2.Artificialintelligence. 3. California. 4. Texas. 5.Israel. 6.Canada. 7. Pope (Pope LEO XIV).8.Iran.9.Philadelphia Eagles. 10. Los Angeles Dodgers. 11. Venezuela. 12.Brazil,Russia,India, China,SouthAfrica. 13. "Anora." 14. Archbishop of Canterbury 15. Taylor Swift
SCORING: 24 to 30 points —congratulations, doctor; 18 to 23 points—honorsgraduate; 13 to 17 points —you’replenty smart, but no grind; 5to12points —you really shouldhit the booksharder;1point to 4points —enroll in remedial courses immediately; 0points who reads thequestions to you?
Saturday's Cryptoquote: There are two kinds of music. Good music,and the otherkind. —Duke Ellington
jeFF mACnelly’sshoe/ by Gary Brookins &Susie MacNelly
