The Times-Picayune 06-30-2026

Judgelifts blockofteacher raiseplan

Law firm representing educationadvocates disqualified

BY PATRICK WALL Staff writer

Gov.Jeff Landry’splan tocut public schoolbudgets to pay for teacher stipends can proceed after ajudge on Monday lifted an order blocking the plan, which is setto take effect Wednesday

JudgeRichard “Chip”Moore, of the 19th Judicial District Court in Baton Rouge, alsogranted a

motion by the state to disqualify Baker Donelson,the law firmrepresenting education advocates who sued to stop the funding cut. Lawyers forthe state argued, and the judge agreed, that the firm should be disqualified because it is representing the state in afederal court case while at the sametime representing plaintiffs suing the state in the school funding case.

UnderLandry’splan, which

NEWLOGOS, NEWLEADERS

UNOpreparestojoinLSU system

lawmakersapproved last week, thestate will reducefunding for public schools by $168 million this school year,and insteaduse the money to give $2,000 stipends to teachers and $1,000 to school support staff.

In astatementMonday,state Attorney General Liz Murrill praised the judge’sruling, andsaidthe state had canceled itsexisting contracts with Baker Donelson.

“A law firm cannotrepresent thegovernorinone courtroom andsue him in anotherwithout proper consent,” she said,adding that, with the court order lifted, “I am hopefulwecan all move forward with thepay raise that ourteachers deserve.”

Greg Beuerman, aspokespersonfor the plaintiffs, said they plantoswiftly review

Purple and gold LSU New Orleans banners adorn light

BY MARIEFAZIO Staff writer

“This university must succeed for New Orleans’ sake. It just must.”

JEANETTE WEILAND,interim LSU NewOrleans chancellor

LSU New Orleans banners already lined Elysian Fields Avenueonthe way to campus lastweek as three workers plastereda newpurpleand gold decal across the University of NewOrleans’ library windows. In thebookstore, merchandise with UNO logoshad big markdowns as racks were beingreadied for newgear.Inthe administration building nearby,a slew of newhires, including an interim chancellor, hadtaken charge. Theliberal arts building,deemed unsafe with $20 million of needed repairs, had been shuttered. And exterminators were back on campus to removeraccoons that had made their home in the library’sceiling.

Signs of change were spread across the UniversityofNew Or-

University

leanscampus this month ahead of its highly anticipated movetothe LSU system. The transition from the UniversityofLouisiana system,which has overseen UNOsince 2011, will officially take place on Wednesday, when political leaders and dignitaries are set to arrive on campus for a ceremony to mark the occasion.

their options with the hope of potentially taking action before Landry’splan goes into effect Wednesday “I think they’re going to be deciding very,very quickly whattheir next moveisgoing to be,” he said, adding that the advocates believe Landry’sorder raises important legal questions about the governor’s authority to reallocate education dollars. “I would be surprised if there’snot moretobeplayed out

JUDGE, page 5A

StateSupreme Courtupholds overturningof deathsentence

Duncan is 10th prisoner freed over discreditedtestimony

BY JAMES FINN Staff writer

Louisiana’sSupreme Court on Monday affirmed alower court decision overturning aOuachita Parish man’sdeath sentence, ruling that the man’s conviction 28 years ago rested on discredited science that “no rational juror” would use to reach a guilty verdict today

The 33-page high court ruling in favor of former death rowprisonerJimmie “Chris” Duncan represents apotential landmark victory forsupportersofa post-conviction lawLouisiana approvedin 2021. The law sought to give prisoners whoobtain fresh evidence of their innocence easier paths to jettisoning unjust sentences. Penned by Justice Cade Cole, the ruling excoriates state prosecutors’ use of “bite markanalysis” during Duncan’s1998 trial, which ended with Duncan’sconviction on first-degreemurderfor

ä See OVERTURNS, page 7A

BY HALEYMILLER Staff writer

GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy have been hailedasnear-miracle drugs thathave revolutionized how people lose weight. The drugs mimic ahormoneproduced by the body that manages blood sugarand triggers a feeling of fullness. People who take the medication generally lose between 15% and 25% of their body weight in ayear,studies found. But what about the drawbacks that can come with such dramatic transformations? In additiontoshort-term side effects like nausea and constipation, some patients experience

ä See UNO, page 5A

Themove was initiated last year by statelegislators alarmed by UNO’steetering finances, which led to furloughs, budget cutsand worries aboutwhether the school could survive at all. For UNO, soon to be LSUNew Orleans, alot is riding on thechange to anew overseer The transition came witha $20 million infusion of state funds to pay down the school’sdebt and will give LSU New Orleans access to the massive LSU system’sfinancial

page 7A

Margaret Woodard,a

of NewOrleans student whoworks at the campus RecCenter,holdsupher old blueand white work shirtasshe wears the newpurple and gold version on Friday.

STAFF PHOTOSByCHRIS GRANGER

Thenew LSU NewOrleans sign in front of theUniversity Center waits to be unveiled as the University of NewOrleans transitions to the LSU system.

poles near the campus.

BRIEFS FROM WIRE REPORTS

Zelenskyy condemns Russia’s‘horrificattacks’ KYIV,Ukraine Russian missiles and drones killed at least 12 civilians and injured 40 others in Ukraine on Monday in what President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described as “horrific attacks.”

Since Russia launched its allout invasion of its neighbormore than four years ago,its forces have conducted bombing in an effort to destroy Ukraine’sinfrastructure and sap morale. More than 16,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed, according to the U.N. ARussian missile targeting infrastructure struck the central city of Dnipro, killing six people and wounding 29, Dnipropetrovsk regional head Oleksandr Hanzha said. Russian drones also hit apassengerminibusin the southern city of Zaporizhzhia, killing three and wounding six, including achild, Zelenskyy said on social media.

Russian drones also killeda 69-year-old woman and a77-yearold man in the northeastern Sumy region, National Policesaid. Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov saida daytimeRussian strike killed one person and wounded five others in the northeastern city

Other deadly attacks occurred in at least six otherregions of Ukraine, authorities said. No further details were immediately available.

Israeli strikes kill at least 8inGaza, officials say

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip Israeli strikes in southern and central Gaza on Monday killed at least eight people, including two children, and wounded at least 20 others, according to health officials and emergency services.

In Khan Younis, astrike hit a tent in the Al-Mawasi neighborhood after awarning call, killing a23-year-old mother and her 1-year-old daughter west of Khan Younis, according toNasser Hospital

Another strike on the townof Qarara, northwest of the city earlier in the day killed a31-year-old man, according to Nasser Hospital. Thehospital said he hadmarried onlya few months ago and left behind apregnant wife.

In aseparate incidentinthe same area, astrike hit atent sheltering displaced people along the coastal area of Khan Younis, killing two people and wounding 13 others,according to Nasser hospital and the Palestinian Red Crescent. The wounded were transferred to afield hospital run by the Palestinian Red Crescent in Al-Mawasi.

In central Gaza, adronestrike hit atent in Deir al-Balah, killing at least three Palestinians, including an 8-year-old boy and his grandfather, medical officials said.

Director sentencedin fraud case over show NEWYORK Hollywood writer-director Carl Rinsch was sentenced Mondayto21/2 yearsinprison after being convicted of defraudingNetflix out of $11 millionfor anever-finished sci-fi series. Supporters including Keanu Reeves hadasked the court to show him leniency Rinsch, best known for the 2013 samurai fantasy film “47 Ronin,” was convicted in December of federal wire fraud andother charges. According to prosecutors and trial testimony,hetold Netflix he needed $11 million to finish ashow called “White Horse” but diverted the money into apersonal accountand ultimatelyspent whopping sums on luxury cars, watches,clothes andhousehold goods, including $638,000 on two mattresses Rinsch, 48, and his lawyers told thecourtMondaythathis behavior was fueled by mental health struggles and medication problems, which they said he is nowaddressing with anew care provider

“This process has forcedmeto confront thingsabout my health, my judgmentand my life,” Rinsch said. He apologized for hisbehavior,acknowledged that “real harm was caused,” and explained: “I failed to recognize the danger of the state Iwas in.” Hispsychological troubles weren’tdescribed in court, and he andhis lawyersdeclined to detail them afterward.

U.S. andIranpause strikes

Butboth disagree over next steps on talks

BY JON GAMBRELL and JOSH BOAK Associated Press

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates

The UnitedStatesand Iran on Monday separately announcedthey will send delegations to Qatar thisweek, though Tehran insisted it hasnot agreed to meet with the U.S. “at any level” after attacks across the Persian Gulf overthe weekendchallenged negotiationstoend the war

U.S. President Donald Trump said the Islamic Republic had requested a meeting with U.S. counterparts and that they planned to convene Tuesday in Doha, Qatar

Butone of Iran’ssenior negotiatorsdeniedtalks had been scheduled. Andthe spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Tehran wassending itsdelegation to Qatar,a key mediator in thenegotiations, to discuss terms of the interimdeal without involving the U.S.

The U.S. president has tried to preservea fragile interimdeal, but hostilities mounted in recent days in the Strait of Hormuz, through which afifth of the world’soil hadbeen shipped before war began. After four days of trading strikes, both sidesappeared to pause

Soleimani,who was killed in aU.S.drone attack in 2020 in Iraq, as theywait forthe green light to cross an intersection Mondayindowntown Tehran, Iran.

their attacks Monday

The U.S.and Iran agreed to an interim deal earlier this monththat calls for Tehran to dilute its stockpile of enriched uranium. It also waivesU.S.-backed sanctions on thecountry opens the StraitofHormuz and gives each side 60 days to hammer outbroader agreements

Confusionmounts

AfterTrump said Mondaymorning on social mediathatthe U.S. andIran plannedto meet, White Housepress secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News’“Fox &Friends” that special envoy Steve Witkoff andJared Kushner, the

president’sson-in-law,were flying to Qatar Pakistan, also akey mediator,had said talks between Iranand the U.S. would resumeTuesday ButKazem Gharibabadi, asenior negotiator for Iran, said in comments publishedbyIranianstate media that no talks had been confirmed. And Esmail Baghaei,spokesman for Iran’sForeign Ministry, said thatits delegation was traveling to Qatar this week to discuss the planned release of frozen Iranian assets andother issuesrelated to the deal.

“There arenonegotiation meetings withthe U.S. side at any levelscheduledin

the coming days,” Baghaei said.“ThefactthatU.S.representativesare traveling to Qatar has no connection with the visit of the Iranian delegation.”

Tensioninwaterway

During thewar that beganFeb.28, Iran’s attacks and threats stopped cargo ships and tankers from movingthrough theStrait of Hormuz, creating aglobal energy crisis. In recent days, Iran has twice attacked vessels in the strait —including a tanker filled with Qatari crude —following efforts to open Oman’sterritorial waters to both inbound and outbound traffic from the

Persian Gulf. The attacksdrewretaliatory American airstrikes and raised concerns that negotiations to reach aformalend to the war could be disrupted. Iranlaunched drone and missile attacks targeting Bahrain andKuwait on Sunday

The strait has long been considered an international waterway despite its location in Iran and Oman’sterritorial waters. TheTrumpadministration wasoperating Mondayonthe understanding that the U.S. and Iran are standing downafter the recent back-and-forth strikes and that vessels can move freely through the Strait of Hormuz, said aU.S. official who requested anonymity to discuss thesensitive negotiations.

$6 billion coming to Iran

The U.S. official also said thatQatarplannedtorelease $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets that would be used to purchase U.S. food products forthe Iranianpeople. IranianPresident Masoud Pezeshkian had announced the expected release of funds earlier Monday in comments published by the state-run IRNA news agency.Hecalled it “a great victory forthe Iranianpeople.” Pezeshkian, areformist within Iran’stheocracy,is the highest-ranking official within Iran to reference the release of the funds held by Qatar,akey mediator along withPakistan in thenegotiations.

Venezuelanssearchmoreearthquakeruins

Attentionturns to humanitarian crisis

BY JUAN PABLO ARRAEZ and ISABEL DEBRE Associated Press

LA GUAIRA, Venezuela With the window forfinding survivors shrinking fast, Venezuelans combed Monday through more ruins of buildings toppled by last week’s powerful back-toback earthquakes,and attention turned to the country’shumanitarian crisis that could persist for years.

Relieforganizations say thefirst 72hours after anatural disaster is the most crucial time period forrescues,thoughsurvival can be extended if peoplehaveaccesstofood and water.Five days after thetwinquakes, questions loomed about whether the cash-strapped government will be able to coordinatethe effortneeded

to carefor thousands of people who have been left homeless.

In other developments, a 4.6 magnitude aftershock rumbled throughthe disaster zone in the northern stateofLaGuaira.

Thedeath tollstood at more than1,700people, according to the government, which has long retained tight control over coverage of major events by Venezuelan news outlets

Facing criticism that authoritieshavedonetoo

little, too slowly, governmentofficials aggressively promoted theirrecovery and rescue efforts.

In aspeech Monday, JorgeRodríguez, the leader of theVenezuelan National Assemblyand brother of acting President Delcy Rodríguez, saidelectricity hadbeen restored to 90% of the hard-hit state of La Guaira.Hesaidauthorities were racing to evaluate damaged buildings that still posed adanger and

Firefighters killed in wildfire tried to shield themselves from flames

BY TY ONEIL, MATTHEW BROWN and JOHN SEEWER Associated Press

BEAVER, Utah Threefirefighters killed over the weekend in awildfire along the Colorado-Utahborder were tryingtoshieldthemselves from flames by deploying tent-like shelters when they were overcome, authorities said. They were part ofa specialized crew that goes into remote areas to quickly put out newand rapidly escalating wildfires, federal officials said Monday TheirdeathsonSaturdaycamealmost13years to theday since an elite crew of 19 wildland firefightersdiedwhen they were trapped in asteep canyon in Yarnell, Arizona.

Like this weekend’svictims,the meninArizona hadtried to deployemergencyshelters that are a “last resort”for firefighters whenthere’s no other way out. Investigators didn’tblame anyone in the deaths but did citeradio communication problems that contributed to the Granite Mountain Hotshots becoming trapped. Arizona’sworkplace safety commission also finedthe state’sforestrydivision for not pulling them out. Wildfires have erupted over the past week all acrossthe West, fueled by monthsofdry weather anda record lackofsnow this past winter in some places. Wildfire experts have been warningfor months that extremefire dangers are likely this summer

With morethantwo dozen large fires burning, almost 8,000 wildland firefighters anddozensoffirefighting helicopters have been deployed. About half the largestblazes arein Alaska while the rest are mostly in Western states Evacuations wereordered near seven fires, including in Arizona,Washington state, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah. The U.S. ForestService identified thefirefighters killedasEmily Barker 38,ofClintonTownship, Michigan; Nick Hutcherson, 27, of Glendale, Arizona; andSydneyWatson, 26, of Warrior,Alabama. Twoothers whowere with them suffered burn injuries. Federal authorities would not release any information abouttheir conditions.

had set up 15 temporary encampments for displaced people.

Many Venezuelan news reports have avoided politically delicate questions related to the earthquake, suchas the widespread collapse of buildings, sticking instead to safer storiesabout heroicrescues. Delcy Rodríguez,who came to power in January after President Donald Trump’sadministration seized formerPresident NicolásMaduro,shared footage Monday of emer-

gency workers lifting aman out of the ruins to applause after a43-hour search effort.

“Each lifesaved is avictory for hope,” she wrote on X. Butsuch bright spots are rare at the quake’sepicenter, wherefamilieskeep vigil at search sites.

“Wehavetostay strong, even without food, withoutsleep,” saidAna Rada, watching as civil defense workers looked forher brother.“Until Isee the body,I still have hope.”

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ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOByVAHID SALEMI

Women talk in front of abanner withagraphic depicting the slainIranian Supreme

Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei kissing the head of the late commander of Iran’s RevolutionaryGuard expeditionaryQudsForce, Gen.Qassem

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MATIAS DELACROIX

Residents watch rescuers’ efforts to reach survivors on Mondaybeneath the rubble of abuilding that collapsed in the earthquakes in La Guaira, Venezuela.

SUPREME COURTRULINGS

Justices uphold most of Trump’s firings

Buthighcourt says Fed’sCook cankeepher job fornow

BY MARK SHERMAN Associated Press

WASHINGTON The Supreme Court on Monday dramatically expanded presidential power,upholding President Donald Trump’sfirings of the heads of independent federal agencies with one important exception: the Federal Reserve.

of the agencies that regulate wide swaths of American life,including nuclear energy,product safety and labor relations. But at arguments in Slaughter’scase in December,the six conservatives, including three appointed by Trump, seemed more concerned about issuing aruling that would endure than handing too muchpower to Trump.

Roberts, Justice Brett Kavanaugh and the three liberal justices were in the majority

Allowing Cook to be ousted now, Robertswrote,“would allow the President to remove amember of the Federal Reserve at any time, for anyreason,without anynotice before, and without any judicial check after.That would turn for-cause protection into little more than atwill employment.”

Cook

The justices allowed Fed governor Lisa Cook to stay in her job while she fights the Republican president’s effort to fire her over allegations of mortgage fraud, which she has denied.

Butother than at thenation’scentral bank, with its role of setting interest rates, thecourtheld that presidents have free rein to fireagency heads at will, despite federal laws that require acause for such dismissals and a

The Supreme CourtonMondayexpanded presidential power, upholding PresidentDonald Trump’s firingsofthe heads of independent federal agencies with one important exception: theFederal Reserve

91-year-old decision that had limitedexecutive authority With the six conservative justices in the majority,the nine-member courtjettisoned its unanimous decision in Humphrey’sExecutor that had limited when presidents can fire agencies’board members —inpart totry to ensuredecision-making free of political influence.

“Weholdthat such protection from removal is contrarytothe separation of powers enshrined inthe Constitution,” Chief JusticeJohn Roberts wrotefor thecourt

The justices ruled in the case of former Federal TradeCommission member Rebecca Slaughter,whom Trump fired withoutcause despiteaprovision of federal law thatrequires areason. The logic of the decision extends to other agencies, including theNational Labor Relations Board, the Merit SystemsProtection Board andthe ConsumerProduct Safety Commission, where Trump also hasfiredboard members.

Trump voiced his approval in aTruth Social post. “It is

such an Honor to be thesit-

ting President who won this Historic and Unprecedented Ruling, one of the most important ever given with respect to Presidential Powers,”hewrote.

The court already had signaledits support forthe Trump administration’sposition, over the liberals’objection,byallowingSlaughter and the board members of other agencies to be removed from their jobseven as their legal challenges continued.

No president beforeTrump hadsought to wrest control

Their rhetoric was reminiscentofthe presidential immunity case in 2024 that allowed Trump to avoid prosecution for his efforts to undo his 2020 presidential election loss to Democrat Joe Biden. The court is writing adecision“forthe ages,” Justice Neil Gorsuch said then.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor in adissent she summarized aloud in the courtroom, said the ruling could lead to “submission, instability,and even oppression.”

“The president, to be sure, emergeswith more power than ever before. That power was giventohim by six justices on this court, not the people or the Constitution,” Sotomayor said.

In Cook’scase, the court voted 5-4 to reject the Trump administration’seffort to get Cook out of herjob now.

Roberts did include afootnote in his opinion noting that nothing forbids Trump from “trying again” to fire her,provided she is given proper notice and achance to contest it.

Trump suggested he would take Roberts up on the offer, saying on Truth Social that “we will take appropriate action immediately to make sure that someone who has committed wrongdoing will notbemaking vital decisions concerning the Welfare of the United Statesof America!” Cook, who was nominated to theFed’s BoardofGovernors by Biden, can continue in her post at least as long as her lawsuit challenging her firing goes on, the court said. The Trump administration is appealing alower-court ruling in her favor

Ruling allows states to countlate-arriving mailed ballots

BY MARK SHERMAN Associated Press

WASHINGTON The Supreme Court on Monday ruled that states can count ballots that arrive after Election Day, apersistent target of President Donald Trump. The 5-4 decision rejected aRepublican-led attackon laws in more than half the states and the District of Columbia that permit mailed ballots to arrive and be counted some number of days after theelection, provided theyare postmarkedby

Election Day.The outcome spares officialsthe headache of changingtheir ballotrules just afew months beforethe 2026 midterm congressional elections.

In just over half those states,the more forgiving deadlines apply only to ballots cast by military and overseas voters.

JusticeAmy Coney Barrettwrotethe court’smajority opinion, joined by Chief JusticeJohnRoberts and the three liberal justices Federal laws setting asingle ElectionDay “leave open

when those votes must be received,” Barrett wrote. Congress could change the law, she said. “Ifvaried deadlines for ballot receipt similarly callfor anational solution, the American people must chooseitthrough their elected representatives,” Barrett wrote. Justice Samuel Alito wrote thedissent for four justices. “Not only is today’sdecision inconsistent withstatutory text, legal context, historical practice, andprecedent; it also threatens to produce lamentable consequences,”

Alito wrote. “The majority’s holding spawns aslurry of troubling election-lawquestions and risks further undermining Americans’ confidence in election integrity.”

The legal challenge was part of Trump’sbroaderattack on most mailballoting, whichhehas said breeds frauddespite strong evidence to the contrary and years of experience in numerous states. Trump has repeatedly claimed that his loss to Joe Biden in 2020 resulted from fraudeventhough more than 60 court decisions andhis own attorneygeneral said that argument had no merit. Trump called the court ruling a“tremendous loss” andrenewed his callfor Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, whichhas madeitthrough the House of Representatives but not the Senate. “There is only one reason to oppose —CHEATING!” Trumpwrote on TruthSocial.

BY MARK SHERMAN Associated Press

WASHINGTON The Supreme Court held Monday that constitutional privacyprotections extend to cellphone location information, ruling in the case of abank robber whose identity was discovered through ageofence warrant.

Justice Elena Kagan wrote for the 6-3 court that people don’t forfeit expectationsof privacy even when they opt into Google’slocation history

“A cellphone user is not to be viewed as sharing private information with third

parties —which then can be freelypassed on to the government —just by doing the ordinary things cellphoneusers do,” Kagan wrote JusticeSamuel Alito wrote in dissent thatOkello Chatrie had no expectation of privacy in information he voluntarily turned overtoGoogle. The decision is the court’s latestefforttoapply aconstitutional provision ratified in 1791 to technology the nation’sfounders could not have envisioned. Policeobtainedageofence warrant after abank robbery in asuburbofRichmond, Virginia, and used it to locate

cellphonesthat were near the bank around the time it was robbedinMay 2019.

One of thosephones belonged to Chatrie, whohad eludedthe policeuntil they turned to the powerful technological tool

Thewarrantkick-started the investigation. After determining thatChatrie wasamongthose near the Call FederalCreditUnion in Midlothian at the time, police obtained asearch warrantfor hishome. They found nearly $100,000 in cash,including billswrapped in bandssignedbythe bank teller

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By MARIAM ZUHAIB

Sweltering Midwest heat cancels outdoor plans

BY HANNAH FINGERHUT and KATHY MCCORMACK Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa Summer camp and other outdoor activities were canceled or delayed Monday as a heat wave held its grip on the Midwest and spread eastward Communities opened cooling centers and urged people to take it easy and stay hydrated.

“Overall, we’re looking at just a really hot and humid pattern. It’s going to be with us through most of the week,” Andrew Ansorge, a meteorologist in Des Moines, Iowa, said of the first prolonged period of heat this summer

Much of Iowa and big chunks of the Midwest were under an extreme heat warning through at least Tuesday Temperatures were forecast to reach the 90s, with heat index values, or “feels-like” temperatures, expected to top 100 degrees in the region, Ansorge said.

Visiting Des Moines with family, Rachel Washburn searched for things to do with kids during a heat wave. They landed at a water sprayground before lunch, where her children played tag in the cool water to escape a heat index forecast to reach 109 degrees.

returned from a camping trip in Wisconsin and chose a hotel over their camper van Sunday

“We did not want to camp last night because we knew it would be too hot,” Cindy Youngblood said. Kleebauer said one of the center’s biggest recommendations is to stay hydrated and have access to shady areas and air conditioning.

“It just so happens to be coinciding with a time frame where a lot of people are away and a lot of people are going away for vacation” during the Fourth of July holiday week, he said.

Extreme heat has also taken its toll in Europe, where temperature records were set and many heat-related deaths were reported in France.

can happen in a matter of minutes, especially to those who don’t prepare for the weather by hydrating, wearing light clothing, avoiding the hottest times of the day and minimizing exposure to the sun, he said.

“We’re just not always prepared for it and it just takes an incident that rattles you and shakes you up that you understand that it can get serious very quick,” he said. In the Midwest, some camp programs on Monday rearranged their schedules. Other outdoor activities, like a farmers market in Michigan and a drive-in theater in Minnesota, were canceled on Monday because of the heat. In Flint, Michigan, the city activated four cooling centers through Wednesday, with the potential to extend operations if the heat persists.

“My kids were quite shocked at the heat and humidity,” said Washburn of her seven children ages 18 months to 17 who are used to more temperate weather in Bemidji, Minnesota. “We were hoping for some good weather, but we’ll make do.”

Some of the worst conditions are expected by Thursday and Friday as the heat moves through the Ohio Valley, the Mid-Atlantic and into the Northeast, with the potential for some record-high temperatures, said Scott Kleebauer, a me-

Trump’s push to toss $5M verdict in Carroll sexual abuse case rejected

Supreme Court declines to take up case

BY LINDSAY WHITEHURST Associated Press

WASHINGTON The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a push by President Donald Trump to throw out a jury’s $5 million finding that he sexually abused the writer E. Jean Carroll at a New York City department store in the mid-1990s and later defamed her The high court declined to take up the case in a brief, unexplained order, as is typical. There were no noted dissents. Trump also plans to appeal another $83.3 million verdict awarded to Carroll by a different jury after a second defamation trial, his lawyers have said.

Trump called the decision to pass on the Carroll case “surprising” in a social media post, and he said he would continue to fight the defamation claims “This Case is really against the United States of America, and all it stands for,” he wrote.

Trump’s lawyers had argued that allegations leading to the verdict were propped up by “highly inflammatory” evidentiary rulings, including those that allowed the testimony of two other women who accused Trump of sexual abuse decades ago. Trump has denied all three women’s allegations.

Trump’s attorneys argued the judge broke federal evidence rules in the case. They framed it as a distraction from Trump’s unique duties as president, though the verdict came before his return to the White House.

His lawyers called the case “Liberal Lawfare” in a statement on Monday Carroll’s lawyers had urged the justices to pass on the case. They argued that the women’s testimony was relevant because the allegations were similar and that Judge Lewis Kaplan’s decisions were in line with others around the country. “This question is not worthy of review,” wrote attorney Roberta Kaplan, who is not related to the judge.

Monday’s decision affirms the jury’s verdict will stand, she said in a statement Monday “His multiple efforts to appeal that verdict have all failed and today’s ruling ends his quest to avoid accountability for his actions,” she said.

teorologist with the Weather Prediction Center in College Park, Maryland. On Monday morning, Tom and Cindy Youngblood walked around an outdoor sculpture park in Des Moines, enjoying brief moments of shade and a helpful breeze. The couple, both 67 and from Rogers, Arkansas,

People can be caught off guard by the first heat wave of the year, said Dr Roy Elrod, chief of staff at DMC Detroit Receiving Hospital.

“You’re happy winter’s gone, you’re ready to enjoy the summer, you’ve just been aching for it,” Elrod said.

“And so, I think we slip into kind of a position where we think it’s got to be OK.”

But heat-related injuries

The University of Wisconsin-Madison said it was closing 23 buildings to the public starting Tuesday, allowing only limited access to 11 others. It was relocating some summer classes after a broken water line at its cooling plant earlier this month severely reduced the ability to provide air conditioning across campus.

District judge delays federal trial in UnitedHealthcare CEO’s slaying

BY MICHAEL R. SISAK, LARRY NEUMEISTER and JENNIFER PELTZ Associated Press

NEW YORK Luigi Mangione’s federal trial in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson will now begin in January instead of the fall, a judge said Monday at a hearing that started late because Mangione got stuck in a courthouse elevator

U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett said she was postponing the federal trial so Mangione’s lawyers can focus on his state murder trial, which is scheduled to begin on Sept 8.

hearing in Manhattan.

Garnett said she will not release the questionnaire that prospective jurors will be required to fill out until after the panel is chosen

Having it circulating online for months before jury selection “would only make what promises to be a difficult task more difficult,” she said.

Wearing a beige jail suit, Mangione looked bemused as a pair of deputy U.S. Marshals led him into the courtroom about 20 minutes after the hearing was supposed to start. He briefly gazed at the courtroom gallery, where about two dozen of his supporters were sitting.

The decision comes as the court hands down its biggest opinions, including a ruling that expands his firing power over the federal bureaucracy with the exception of the Federal Reserve.

“This mistreatment of a President cannot be allowed to stand,” Attorney Justin D. Smith wrote in court documents. Trump, a Republican, has since nominated Smith to be an appeals court judge.

Carroll, a longtime advice columnist and former TV talk show host, testified at a 2023 trial that Trump turned a friendly encounter in spring 1996 into a violent attack in the dressing room at Bergdorf Goodman, a luxury retailer across the street from Trump Tower in Manhattan The jury also found Trump liable for defaming Carroll when he denied her allegation in 2022.

Democrats in half of states sue over Medicaid work rules

BY ALI SWENSON Associated Press

NEW YORK Democrats in 25 states and the District of Columbia on Monday sued the Trump administration over its recent guidance on new Medicaid work requirements, arguing the strict rules will prevent eligible Americans from accessing the care they need.

The attorneys general and governors who filed the lawsuit allege that an interim final rule released earlier this month by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services oversteps the text of the law last summer that set in motion the changes to Medicaid.

They claim the Republican administration’s narrow interpretation of parts of the statute, including new limits to a medical frailty exemption, will create harmful coverage barriers and chaos in states that have been rushing to implement new systems by the January deadline.

“Added administrative burdens will cause individuals who are eligible for Medicaid to lose or be denied coverage,” the plaintiffs write. “People with disabilities, patients in the middle of

cancer treatment, or those struggling with another serious or complex health condition, shouldn’t be at risk of losing the care that helps maintain their health.”

Spokespeople for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and CMS, the agencies named in the lawsuit, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. The Trump administration has promoted the new rules as commonsense measures to eliminate government freeloading and preserve benefits for those who need them most The new Medicaid restrictions, which Democrats have criticized, were part of Trump’s big tax and policy law in 2025. The change affects those covered through an expansion in most states that gave more lower-income people access to the government’s safety net healthcare program.

Starting Jan. 1, expansion enrollees age 19 to 64 will have to show that they work or do community service at least 80 hours a month or are in school at least half the time. There are exceptions for those considered medically frail or in addiction treatment programs, among others.

This month’s announcement from CMS caught states off guard with a new definition of medical frailty

The law had said medically frail people include those who have substance use disorders, disabilities or serious medical conditions. But the CMS rule went further, saying someone’s condition must “significantly impair” their ability to work, volunteer or attend school at the rates required in the law for them to be granted an exemption.

In 2027 and once in 2028, the patient can attest that they meet this definition. But when they try to renew coverage in 2028 they’ll need to prove it. Health analysts and state Medicaid directors have said they aren’t clear on what existing documentation could prove that point. In the lawsuit, states allege that this change came “contrary to months of regular communications with CMS and preliminary guidance materials upon which Plaintiff States based their implementation plans.”

They say CMS has still not provided states with enough clarity on how they can update their systems appropriately

Jury selection in the federal case will begin on Jan 5, instead of Oct. 13, followed by opening statements and testimony on Jan. 25, instead of Nov 4, Garnett said at a

“Mangione was late due to elevator problems,” the court said in a statement. It was the second mishap involving Mangione’s arrival to a court hearing in

recent weeks. A June 16 hearing in the state case was delayed a day after prosecutors failed to inform his jail that he was needed in court. Garnett said she had hoped “with perhaps undue optimism” to hold the federal trial in the fall but that “we can no longer wait to see what happens” in the state case. “In my view it’s simply impossible to be moving through the jury selection process in this case while the defendant and his counsel are fully occupied by conducting the state trial,” Garnett said. Mangione’s lawyers declined to comment to reporters afterward.

Mangione has pleaded not guilty to state and federal charges in the Dec. 4, 2024, killing.

Man known for ‘torture memos’ to advise probe focused on perceived Trump foes

By The Associated Press

WASHINGTON A law professor known for his expansive views of presidential power and for decades-old memos that justified harsh interrogation techniques after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks says he will be advising a team of prosecutors investigating whether former law enforcement and intelligence officials conspired against President Donald Trump. John Yoo confirmed in an

emailtoTheAssociatedPress on Monday that he would be assisting Joe diGenova in an ongoing investigation into whether officials who over the last decade scrutinized Trump participated in a criminal conspiracy against the Republican president.

“He’s a lawyer He’s going to be helping us,” diGenova said in a brief telephone interview about Yoo. DiGenova served as the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia between 1983 and 1988 and was enlisted in April to return to government as a counselor to the attorney general. A law professor at the University of California, Berkeley, Yoo was a senior Justice Department official in the George W. Bush administration who served as an author of the so-called “torture memos” that government officials used to justify using “enhanced interrogation” techniques on potential terror suspects. The Justice Department later rescinded the memos.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By HANNAH FINGERHUT

Children play at a water sprayground on Monday in Des Moines, Iowa

Carroll

resources, oversight structures and brand recognition. Supporters hope it will help return UNO to its glory days, when it was a thriving regional university Still, there are challenges ahead, specifically the need to quickly stanch a decade of enrollment declines. And some UNO students and alumni worry about the potential loss of the school’s identity as it joins LSU. Faculty members said they are hopeful for stability after years of chaos, though some have raised concerns about the university’s future academic offerings.

For now, LSU officials are banking that the purple-and-gold makeover will bring a new sense of optimism to the lakefront campus. They say they’re also confident that after enrollment fell to 5,700 students last year, they’ll be able to reach their goal of 6,000 students when the new academic year begins in August.

“This university must succeed for New Orleans’ sake It just must,” said Jeanette Weiland, interim LSU New Orleans chancellor and chief administrative officer, in an interview to discuss the transition. “I think being part of a system that has great accountability and processes and brand recognition is just going to catapult us.” What’s happened so far?

Founded in 1956 as an LSU campus, UNO is often credited with expanding the middle class in New Orleans. At its peak before Hurricane Katrina, the university enrolled about 17,000 students, but it struggled to attract the same numbers after the storm. Enrollment crept back up to 8,400 students in 2020 but was decimated during the pandemic.

Last year, as UNO was careening toward a full-blown financial crisis, state lawmakers stepped in. At the time, the university faced up to $30 million in debt and had been operating at a deficit for years. University officials enacted

JUDGE

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on that constitutional front.” School boards and superintendents have argued that reducing state funding by more than 4% would wreak havoc on their budgets and could lead to program cuts and even layoffs.

The Louisiana Federation of Teachers, a statewide educators union, said most of its members support the stipends but oppose Landry’s plan to pay for them by slashing school budgets, according to a recent survey Moore put the plan on hold earlier this month after a group of education advocates filed a lawsuit challenging Landry’s executive order They argued that Landry overstepped his legal authority by effectively reallocating education funding, which is controlled by the Legislature and the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. They also contended that the Legislature’s approval of the plan is invalid because lawmakers, who are not currently in session, submitted ballots electroni-

massive cuts, including more than 30 layoffs and hundreds of furloughs. They decommissioned the dilapidated Milneburg Hall and consolidated the university’s five colleges into the College of Sciences & Engineering and the College of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies.

State legislators thought shifting UNO from the UL system back to LSU could stabilize the school’s finances and help boost enrollment.

LSU officials credit the $20 million influx from the state with saving the university from financial demise. But even earlier this year there were signs of ongoing financial struggle. LSU system

President Wade Rousse told the Board of Regents this month that six months ago it was unclear if the university had enough cash to make it to the end of the academic year. Custodial and pest control services had been slashed Faculty didn’t have budgets to print exams Students regularly reported issues with financial aid reimbursement and registering for classes.

LSU officials got the green light from the UL system to start making changes before July 1. They appointed Weiland, who joined the university in January as a chief administrative officer, as interim

cally without a public hearing.

The temporary pause expired Monday, when plaintiffs were set to ask the judge to indefinitely halt the funding cut. However, the judge ended the hearing immediately after disqualifying the law firm and dissolving the temporary restraining order

Landry’s June 2 order calling for the school funding cut did not even come up for debate Monday Instead the hearing focused entirely on the law firm’s alleged conflict of interest.

Since 2024, Baker Donelson has represented Louisiana in a class-action lawsuit arguing that the state’s foster care system has failed the children in its care The firm entered a pleading defending the state as recently as June 12, according to the motion by state attorneys to disqualify the firm

On June 18, clients represented by Baker Donelson sought a restraining order to stop Landry’s proposed school funding cut. The plaintiffs in the funding case are Katie Baudouin, an Orleans Parish School Board member; Belinda Davis, a former BESE member; and Mike Faulk, a former school

chancellor Weiland has replaced a slew of other administrative positions with new hires, including CFO Norman Barnum, athletic director Michael Giorlando and band director Eddie Williams Jr. The school also has a new director of university advancement and police chief.

University officials cut or modified nine academic programs, raised tuition and shrunk the campus footprint from 2.9 million to 2.5 million square feet, saving the university more than $2 million dollars in maintenance costs, Rousse said earlier this month.

Weiland said university leadership leveraged the LSU oversight to renegotiate lower payments on its debt, which freed up some cash. They also signed a long-term lease allowing Ben Franklin High School to expand into one of its buildings. These moves, Weiland said, have allowed the university to reinstate maintenance services that had been cut. They also freed up funds to hire some faculty and staff to help address frequent complaints about student services And in addition to addressing some longdeferred maintenance, they’ve begun to address the student campus experience, including repairing the fireplaces at The Cove, a cam-

superintendent.

Baker Donelson attorneys said a 2023 “waiver of conflicts” allowed the firm to represent clients taking legal action against the state while also defending the state in separate cases. The waiver was signed by Landry, who at the time was Louisiana’s attorney general.

The firm has represented clients opposing the state in more than 50 legal matters since 2023, but the state has not accused Baker Donelson of a conflict of interest until the school funding case, the firm said in a court filing.

Barbara Irwin, an attorney representing Baker Donelson, told the judge Monday that the firm has been “forthcoming” and “professional at all levels” in dealing with the state. She also argued that the school funding lawsuit and foster care cases are unrelated, adding that there would be no “cross-contamination” between them.

But attorneys for the state said Baker Donelson is clearly conflicted and argued that the 2023 waiver is no longer binding. In a message to the firm quoted in a court filing, Murrill

pus hangout spot.

Kamille Isom has watched the recent changes taking place around her on campus. A Lutcher High School graduate, Isom started as an undergraduate at UNO in 2022. At that point, she noticed the school’s financial struggles, including its quickly depleting budget for hiring student workers. She lived through former President John Nicklow’s failed attempt to start a UNO football team — which was vetoed by students who rejected a fee increase that would have supported the team and Kathy Johnson’s attempts to manage the budget crisis.

Isom, who was recently elected president of the Student Government Association and will pursue a master’s degree at LSU New Orleans, said she’s excited about joining LSU and hopes it helps galvanize student pride, particularly at sports events.

“UNO does need some good change happening on campus,” she said, “and I’m hoping the LSU transition will be able to bring that to students.”

What comes next?

Even with LSU backing, the university has challenges ahead. The campus needs nearly $60

said Baker Donelson “cannot possibly believe that an advance waiver of unknowable future conflicts is viable,” adding that a waiver signed by the prior attorney

million in maintenance, including a near total overhaul of its IT infrastructure. Rousse said the buildings in need of repair should harvest parts from air conditioning pumps to doorknobs — from decommissioned buildings. Rousse acknowledged that cuts, including closing buildings and changing programs, can be difficult to swallow. But school leadership, he said, needs to stay focused on keeping the campus afloat.

“When it comes down to managing the cash positions,” he said, “we’ve got to figure out what are we doing that has the biggest impact on our community on our workforce but also how do we keep the doors open.”

The surest way to keep the doors open is to boost enrollment, Weiland said Earlier this year LSU New Orleans began offering automatic acceptance to any student who was not accepted to LSU in Baton Rouge. Rousse said the strategy has been working. The school has also deployed ads urging students to apply, with snappy slogans including “Death Valley Energy Meets Crescent City Swagger” and “Get the LSU degree, Live the 504 life.”

Christopher Summa, professor and president of the faculty senate who joined UNO in 2007, said he is “cautiously hopeful” that LSU can turn around UNO. He said faculty got assurances that LSU New Orleans would remain an R2 institution, a distinction from the Carnegie Foundation and American Council on Education based on research funding and doctorate graduates.

“We’re trying to be jealously protective of programs and the academic mission,” Summa said, “because I feel that’s what makes us great.”

With the official changeover ahead, Weiland and other officials said more improvements are ahead. The cosmetic changes around campus are just the first steps, but are critical to building momentum.

“People finally have hope,” Weiland said. “And they have not had hope for a long time.”

general “is obviously not binding.” Moore, a Republican who was reelected to the bench in 2020, sided with the state on Monday

“You have to go and get a new waiver from the governor if you want to sue the governor,” he said before disqualifying the firm from the case.

BRIEFS

FROM WIRE REPORTS

Price of corndrops ahead of USDAreport

Corn tumbled as traders looked past potential crop stress from the building heat dome to aU.S. Departmentof Agriculture reportdue Tuesday that’s expected to show the largest American stockpile since 1988.

The agency is set to publish quarterlystocks data along with annual acreage data showing how much U.S. farmers were able to plantinthe spring. While growers pared back on corn planting in favor of soybeans,existing supplies of the yellow grain are seen 17%higher than ayear ago after arecord autumn harvest, according to aBloomberg survey of analysts.

The excess supply has contributedtoabearishsentiment on corn with the growingseason offtoarelativelysmooth start prior to the arrival of warmer-than-normal temperaturesthis week. Still, even with hot conditions that are boosting energy demand, there still couldbeprecipitation to benefit fields.

Corn for December delivery fellasmuch as 2.5%, the biggestintraday decline in about sixweeks,toa freshcontract lowof$4.305 abushel

July is considered the most crucial month of the U.S. corn crop’sdevelopment.

Warner exec is one of highest-paid CEOs LOS ANGELES Even before Warner Bros. Discovery’ssale to Paramount Skydance Corp. closes, David Zaslav has already madeabig payday His executive compensation package —which includes stock options, salary, bonuses andotherperks —was valued at $165 millionlast year,placing himasthe eighth-highest-paid CEO for alarge U.S. publicly traded company,according to research firm Equilar Tech companies dominated the list led by Tesla Chief ExecutiveElon Musk with apay package worth nearly $132.3 billion. RJ Scaringe, CEO of Rivian, the Irvine-based EV truck company,came infifth with$402.6 million.

Zaslav has previously ranked amongAmerica’shighest-paid CEOs and that was truelast year,when his total pay was morethan three times whathe earned at the company in 2024, Equilar said.Hewas the only Hollywood executiveonthe list of the 10 highest-paid CEOs in 2025.

“If he were an animal, he’d be aCheshirecat with this biggrin ear to ear,” said Lloyd Greif, chief executive of the Los Angelesinvestmentbank Greif & Co. “It’sunprecedented. It’sa huge payday.” WhatsApptoallow usernames as handles

LONDON WhatsApp users will soonget theoptionofgoingby usernames instead of phone numbers,the company said Monday announcingplans to address aprivacy blind spot.

The app said it has started allowing users to reserve unique usernames, which can be used to contactWhatsApp users whenthe feature is launched laterthis year

WhatsApp, which says it has more than 3billion usersglobally,has until now allowed users to be contacted by anyone who hastheir phone number

Theapp,owned by Meta Platforms, said in ablog post that over the “coming months” users will get theoption to be found and contacted only by their username, and nottheir number.Itwasn’tmore specific about the timeline.

“Wehave designed this as a core privacy feature,” Alice Newton-Rex, WhatsApp’s vice president of product, told reporters There won’tbea directory of usernames on the app, and the app won’t suggest names as you type

“People will need to know your exact username to contact you for the first time,” shesaid

BUSINESS

NOLA.COM/BIZ

Stocks rise,recover from alosingweek

BY STAN CHOE AP business writer

NEWYORK U.S. stocks rose Monday and recovered some of their lossesfromararelosing week.

The S&P 500 climbed 1.2% and broke afive-day losing streak. It was coming off just itssecondlosing week in the last 13. The Dow Jones Industrial Averageadded 306 points,or 0.6%, and the Nasdaq composite rallied2.1%.

Several stocks boosted by thear-

tificial-intelligence boom rose after Samsung Electronics andSKHynix saidthey will invest roughly $518 billion in anew chipmaking hub in South Korea, as its president hopes to capitalize on surging AI demand. AppliedMaterials,whose equipment helps make semiconductors, rallied 10.8% to vault its gain for the year so far above 170%.

AI stocks have been on arollercoaster ride recently after soaring to tremendous heights. They’re underpressure because of wor-

riesthat their profits can’tpossibly keep pace with the huge gains for theirstock prices.And the moves have an outsizedeffectoninvestors because AI stockshave become some of Wall Street’slargest and mostinfluential, giving them more weight on indexes than others. Nvidia wasone of the strongest forces lifting the S&P 500,for example,after its stock rose 1.3%.

That’sbecause it’sWall Street’s biggest stock with atotal value of morethan $4.7 trillion.

SpaceX, which ownsthe xAI business along with rockets, has alreadybecome worth more than$2 trillionafter itsstock’s ballyhooed debut on the Nasdaq earlier this month, with sharp risesand falls along the way It’s become big enough thatNasdaq said Elon Musk’scompany will join the Nasdaq 100 index before trading begins on July 7, which will force funds tracking the index to buy the stock.SpaceX climbed 7.2%.

Comcastplans to splitinto twopubliccompanies

It will

spin

off NBCUniversal andSky

BY WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS and MICHELLE CHAPMAN AP business writers

NEW YORK Communications giant Comcast is planning to split itself intotwo: one mediacentered business that would include brands like NBCUniversal andSky andaseparate company focused on broadband and wireless services.

In aMonday announcement, Comcast said the breakup will put bothofthese operations in abetter position to pursue their own prioritiesand growth. Themovearrives as communications companies continue to wrestle with years of cord-cutting, and shifting habits in how consumers now buy subscriptions for anything from their phone plans to streaming budgets more broadly

“The worldischanging fasterthanever,”

Comcast Chairman and co-CEO BrianRoberts said on aMonday call —adding thatit “has becomeclear”the company’s technologyand media businesses each “have compelling opportunities in front of them that are distinct in nature and best pursued with dedicatedfocus.”

Upon thespinoff’scompletion, both businesses would becometheir own publicly traded companies. Comcast saiditexpectsto complete the process in aboutayear,pendingregulatoryapprovals and afinal greenlight fromits board.

Thatmeans consumers shouldn’tfeel immediate impacts. Butahostofmajor brands currently sit underComcast’sumbrella from internet and wireless provider Xfinity to streamingplatform Peacock, NBCNews and Universal Studios. And analysts areeyeingwhatthose businessescould look like further down theroad.

“In theshort term, bundles, pricing, and distribution will likely hold,” saidMike Proulx, avice president and research directoratmarket research firmForrester.For NBCUniversal —set to head themediacentered company Comcast is spinning off —the split in itself carries little effect on its currentbusiness,henoted, and is “more to do with what it becomes longer term.”

Proulx is bracing for future acquisitions in this space, adding that “Comcast is following aplaybook we havealready seen.”

He pointed to WarnerBros. Discovery, which announced itsown intention to split just last June —beforebecoming atakeover target that eruptedintoa messytug-of-war betweenNetflixand Skydance-ownedPara-

BY KIM TONG-HYUNG Associated Press

SEOUL, SouthKorea SouthKorean tech giantsSamsung Electronics and SK Hynix said Monday they will invest acombined $518 billion in building anew computer chipmaking hubinthe country’ssouthwest region,capitalizing on surging artificial intelligence-driven demand

PresidentLee Jae Myung joined the companies’ chairs Mondayin announcingthe plan, which dovetails with the government’sefforts to expand investment beyond the greater Seoul metropolitan area, thecountry’s economic center and heart of its semiconductor sector

The southwest hasbeen aparticularfocus, as it lacks major industrial hubs and has historically trailed in economic development.

ASSOCIATEDPRESS PHOTOByGENE J. PUSKAR

‘The worldischanging faster than ever,’ ComcastChairman and co-CEO Brian Roberts said Monday—addingthat it ‘has become clear’ the company’stechnologyand media businesses each ‘have compelling opportunities in front of them that are distinctinnature and best pursued withdedicated focus.

mount. Paramount eventually became victorious, and is now edging closer toclosing its $81 billionbuyout of Warner’sentire company Comcastexecutiveshaveappeared to so far dismiss the possibility of heading toward asimilar fate. Whenasked on Monday’scallwhether investors should view theseparation as astep toward “potential strategic transactions” for either business, Roberts said: “Absolutely not.”

Hisco-CEOMikeCavanagh— whoisset to becomethe chief executive of the NBCUniversal spinoff —echoed that sentiment. Cavanagh reiterated plans to “build andinvest for growth” withmorefreedom as astandalone business.

Still, analystslike Proulx speculate that even if NBCUniversaldoesn’tbecomea takeover target, “it’ll likely be thecompany doing theacquiring.”

“As it stands, traditional TV is dying, and Peacock alone isn’tenough to compete at scale against the biggest streaming services,” Proulx saidvia email. “One way or the other,NBCU’s entertainmentbusiness will look different within the next couple of years.”

Like other companies, Comcast in recent yearshas shifted itsbusinessemphasis away fromtraditional cable toward streaming and

othersources of revenue,suchasits movie studio, theme parks and home wireless and internet services.

NBCUniversal includes that theme parks division, Universalfilm andtelevisionstudios, NBC and Telemundo networks, Peacock, and Bravo —and with the spinoff, European media business Sky will also be part of that portfolio led by Cavanagh. Meanwhile,Philadelphia-based Comcast will continue providing internetservices to residential and business customers. Comcast’sformer Chief Financial Officer Michael Angelakis will becomethe CEO of that company following its separation.

Comcast has split off assets before. Monday’smove arrives just months after the company officially completed its separation of Versant Media Group —which, as first announced in November 2024, is the new home of networks like USA, Oxygen, E!, SYFY and GolfChannel, as wellasCNBCand MSNBC (now MS NOW). Movie ticketing platform Fandango and the Rotten Tomatoes movie rating site werealso included.

Once the latest split is complete, Comcast shareholders will ownshares in both Comcast and NBCUniversal.

Comcast expectstokeepa stake of up to 19.9% ownership positioninNBCUniversal for up to one year after the spinoff is complete.

Lee JaeMyung

Theregionhas long been apolitical base for Lee’sliberal Democratic Party Samsung and SK Hynix, which together produce about two-thirds of theworld’smemory chips, said they will each build two fabrication plants in thesouthwest, expanding beyond their existing manufacturing complexes in Gyeonggi Province, southofSeoul.

Samsung Chairman Lee Jaeyong said thecompany’snew fabs will be builtinthe southwestern cityofGwangju, where experts have proposed several potential sites, includingthe groundsofa militaryair base slated for relocation

The companies didn’tspecify when thefabsinthe southwest regionswould be completed.SK Hynix’sChairmanChey Tae-won

said the project would be acomplex,large-scale effort requiring “vast sites, along with sufficient power,water andskilledworkers.”

He said it took nine years for SK Hynix to establish its major manufacturing cluster in Gyeonggi Province. Still, asignificant expansion of manufacturing facilities is needed forthe company to keep up with global demand, Chey said. Government officialsdismissed questionsabout whether the southwest has enough power and water to supportmajor semiconductor fabs. They said the region’s strength in renewable energy would givethe chipmakers an edge as they face growing global pressuretouse cleaner sources of electricity Samsungand SK Hynix have reported record profits in recent monthsassoaring global investmentindata centers and other AI infrastructure has fueled demand for memory chips.

Government officials andbusiness experts expectAI-driven demand to continue increasing as the technology spreads to AI-powered industrial robots and autonomous vehicles. The chipmakers’ existing semiconductor complexes in Gyeonggi Province may reach capacity sooner than expected,they say During Monday’sevent, government officials outlined plans to build what they called anationwide semiconductor ecosystem, with existing manufacturing hubs in the southeast expanding production of chip components and materials, the centralChungcheong region specializing in chip packaging, while data centers are built across the country “Wemust establish the core building blocks of artificial intelligence faster than any other country.Semiconductors, physical AI and AI data centers are the three pillars of our next great leap forward,” the president said.

IsraelitroopsfaceresistanceinsouthernSyria

BY OMAR SANADIKI and GHAITH ALSAYED Associated Press

ABDIN, Syria As Israeli troops and vehicles entered thetown of Abdin in southern Syria,residents blocked the roads with rocks, and some young men and boys threw stones to push back the military patrol.

Tensions in this part of thecountry created by abuffer zone occupied by Israeli forces have flared into violence in recent days, leaving residents anxious thatmore escalation is coming. Residents of Abdin, located neara U.N.-patrolled buffer zone now controlled by Israeli troops, tried to resist against amilitaryincursion Sunday Residents said Israeli troops fired warnings shots at walls and between the angryprotesters, before firing artillery rounds at the village. No one was harmed in the

RESEARCH

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muscle loss and aslowing of their metabolism. With astate obesity rate of 40%, more and more Louisianans will have to manage those outcomes.

One potential solution might lie at the PenningtonBiomedical Research Center,where Dr.E ric Ravussin is both measuring the extent to which the medications affectmuscle mass and exploring away to prevent thedrugs from decreasing patients’ metabolic rate. “They have spectacular weight loss,” Ravussin said. Butpharmaceutical companies“want to know, what does it do to your body composition, and what does it do to your energy expenditure?”

His study will track the resting metabolic rate, or the number of calories

OVERTURNS

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thedeath of his former girlfriend’s23-month-old daughter,Haley Oliveaux.

Adistrict court judge in north Louisiana, Alvin Sharp, vacated Duncan’s sentence last May after findingthere were “not sufficient grounds” to have prosecuted him for first-degree murder.Duncan was freed on bail in November after 27 years on death row at the Louisiana StatePenitentiary at Angola Prosecutors from the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office asked the Louisiana Supreme Court to reinstate Duncan’s capital sentence. Butthe high court’sdecision Monday,which came in response to that request broadly affirms Sharp’sorder Duncan proved “by clear andconvincing evidence that no rationaljuror would have found him guilty beyond areasonable doubtof first-degree murder had the newevidencebeenpresented at trial,” Cole wrote. Duncan admits to leaving Oliveauxina bathtub the morningshe died,but has denied any other role in her death.

“An innocent man, Mr Duncan endured unimaginabletraumafroma deeply flawed conviction built largely on unreliable forensic evidence and expert testimony that has now been thoroughly discredited and undermined,” saidDuncan’s legal team in astatement. He was represented by lawyers from the Innocence Project,the MwalimuCenter for Justice and Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP

“Although nothing can restore the decades stolen

exchange, butmost residents fled, andmostwerestill tooafraid to return on Monday.Many fear that there will nowbemoreintense incursionsand raidsfollowing the skirmish.

“They come into the village regularly,every few days,” said residentMohammad al-Hassan,

standing notfar from agroup of children looking at an exploded shell.“They come in armored 4x4 vehicles, they roam around the village andsearch some houses, they knock on doors andifpeople don’tanswer the door theybreak it down andenter thehouses.Women and children start screaming, it’s

PHOTO PROVIDED By PENNINGTON BIOMEDICALRESEARCH CENTER Pennington Biomedical Research Centerisone of ahandful of institutions around the worldtoown metabolic chambers, where participantsofDr. Eric Ravussin’s study will spend23 hours at atime to calculate their metabolism.

burnedwhile atrest, and muscle mass while participants receiveaweightloss drug.

The research tackles what’sknown as “metabolic adaptation,” asurvival mechanism to protect the body from starvation that can cause some people using the medicationstoplateau in their weight loss.

As people lose weight on thedrugs,the body becomes very“energyefficient,”Ra-

from Mr.Duncan, this ruling provides some brief solace forMr. Duncan,his family and friends,”his lawyers added

Fourth JudicialDistrict

Attorney Robert “Steve” Tewdid not respond to a phonemessageMonday

ChiefSupreme Court Justice JohnWeimer in aconcurrence to Cole’s ruling likened the use of bite mark analysis to “trial by water” —apre-Enlightenment practice of binding and throwing accusedwitches into lakesto see whether they had demonic powers that would enable them to float.

“Wenow look back at those practices as asinine and absurd,” Weimer wrote.

Duncan’svictory before the state Supreme Court comesalittle more than a year since Louisiana used nitrogen gas to performits first execution in 15 years, part of apush by Gov.Jeff Landry and Attorney General LizMurrill to hasten the pace of executionsinthe state.

Duncan’scase, Weimer wrote inhis concurrence, “demonstrates we cannotbe too careful in determining whether the deathpenalty should be implemented in cases such as this casebecause of the finalityofthe sentence and the impossibility of rectification.”

“Such an irreversible and tragic consequence isinimical and deleterioustoour system of justiceifcarried out based on evidence that is devoidoflegitimacy,” he wrote.“Thelaws of post-conviction relief have served the purpose of preventing the inappropriate application of the ultimate punishment.”

The “bite mark” analysis prosecutors usedtoconvict Duncan duringhis trial cameunderscrutiny follow-

vussin said —too efficient to continue shaving off pounds

“You lose maybe 20% over six months, then the next threemonths youlose only 2% of your weight, and therest of the year you stay stable,oryou even regain, Ravussinsaid. “Partofthe regain is due to thelowering of your metabolism.”

But other substances, like caffeine, speed up metabolism, which is why Ravussin is experimenting with add-

ing investigations by several news outlets into the practice, which forensic expertshave increasingly recognized as based on shoddy science.

After respondingtothe scene of Oliveaux’sdeath at Duncan and his thengirlfriend’sWestMonroe apartment, authorities sent thelittle girl’sbody to Jackson,Mississippi, for forensic examination by pathologist Steven Hayne. Hayne told detectivesheobserved bite marks on herbody,aclaim he supportedbyconsulting an odontologist, Michael West West and Hayne have since been widely discredited and sanctioned by various medical boards. The Supreme Court’sruling noted West was captured on video pushinga mold of Duncan’s teeth onto Oliveaux’sbody amethod only he was known to have used, accordingto expertscited in the order, andone that destroyed evidence and “created marks” on Oliveaux’sskin.

Duncan is the 10th death row prisonerfreed in part due to thetwo doctors’ nowdiscreditedtestimony,according to the news services andthe nonprofit Death Penalty Information Center Hayne had alsodetermined that Oliveaux suffered sexualassault anddiedfrom forcible drowning, which multiple other experts later refuted.

Duncan’s attorneys noted in theirstatementMonday thatTew,the district attorney in Ouachita Parish, has promised to retry theirclient.

“IfMr. Tewchooses to pursue anew trial,our team will continue to standalongside Mr.Duncan and will not stop pressing forwarduntil he is fully andcompletelyexonerated,” they said.

aterrifying thing, them coming here.”

Israel seized controlofa U.N.patrolled bufferzoneinsouthern Syria in December 2024, following the ouster of former Syrian President Bashar Assad in an insurgent offensive.Israeli officials initially describedthe move as temporary to protect theirborders from militantgroups, but morerecently top Israeli officials have said they plan to occupy the buffer zone in Syria indefinitely

The Israeli military presence in southernSyria is part of ashift to amoreaggressive strategy by Israel after the deadly October 2023 Hamas-led attacksinsouthern Israel.The Israelimilitary took over large portions of Gaza as part of abroad invasion,and later seized controlofchunks of Lebanon —where the Hezbollah militantgroup has fired missiles anddrones acrossthe border— andSyria. Israel calls these areas “buffer zones” and says they are needed to prevent future attacks by militant groups. There have been no cross-border attacks from Syria into Israel since Assad’souster,except for two

ing to theGLP-1 mixture (though he emphasized he wouldn’trecommendcaffeine specifically). He alsoseekstostudy the effect on muscle mass. The public and many scientists believe the drugs decrease muscle mass profoundly withouttrulymeasuring that impact, he said.

“The hypothesisisyou don’tlose as much muscle as people think becausewe don’tmeasure the muscle,” Ravussin said. “Tomeasure the muscle, you need to do an MRI.”

Baton Rouge General physician Drake Bellanger,who specializes in obesity medicine, said doctors spend alot of timewith patients debunking myths or exaggerations around GLP-1s, including fears about muscles deteriorating. He said thatif patientseat enough protein

rockets from alittle-known militant group. But Israel’smilitary incursions into southwestern Syriantownshavesometimessparked resistance by residents that has spiraled into deadly clashes.

Syria’s interim president,Ahmadal-Sharaa, has called on Israel to withdraw from the area that the U.N. says is 91 square miles. TheSyriangovernmentalso condemned the Israeli incursion and shelling in Abdin.

The clashes in Abdin were the second outbreak of violence in less than24hours. Earlier on Sunday, the Israeli military announced that it hadkilledarmedmen in southern Syria without giving details.

An Israeli military official said Monday that Israeli soldiers had killed twomilitants whowereplanning on attackingIsraeli troops Theofficial whospoke on condition of anonymity under military briefing rulesdid notspecify where in Syria the incident took place.

The mayor of the Syrian village of Hadar said twounknownpeople driving apickup truck just south of the village were killed in an attack, and that their bodies were taken by the Israeli military

andexercise,muscle loss is less of an issue than it’sperceived to be by the public.

“Ifyou’reabove 80 grams of protein per day,you’re in the safe zone,” Bellanger said. “As long as you’re doing some exercise, some resistance training, making sure your muscles are stimulated,you should lose aminimal amount.”

He sees the short-term side effects show up more regularly,with about 1to2 out of every 10 patients reporting nausea, he said.

Ravussin’sstudy will last 11/2 years and makeuse of Pennington’smetabolic chamber,aresearchenvironment that tracks the inhabitant’soxygen consumed and carbon dioxide expelled to provide sophisticated data on howmany calories they are burning and what kind.

Pennington is oneofa handful of institutions around the world to own metabolic chambers,which cost millions of dollars. Participants of Ravussin’sstudy will spend 23 hours at atime in the chamber to calculate their metabolism.

“It means we do studies withorwithoutthe drug andmeasure your energy expenditure doing basically nothing for24hours in a metabolic chamber,” Ravussin said.

Minimizing the impact on metabolism and muscle mass are key questions for the next generation of GLP1s, he said.

“Is there away to lose the leastpossible muscle mass, and is there away not to drop your resting metabolic rate, or your basal metabolic rate, too much?” Ravussin said.

Ravussin

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JanRisher

LOUISIANA AT LARGE

Wargraves connectus to history

My husband and Ispentarecent Sunday afternoon looking for the dead. The idea had been rattling around in my head for weeks. Baton Rouge was the site of aRevolutionary Warbattle. Somewhere in the city,Ifigured, asoldierfrom that war had to be buried. Iwanted to findthe oldest marked grave in the city and, if possible, pay homage to asoldier of the American Revolution.

Idid my research and knewthat Highland Cemetery was home to the oldest known marked graves in Baton Rouge, but Iwanted to visit as many of theold placesas possible to see for myself.

So, we started at Baton Rouge National Cemetery on North 19th Street. The grounds were immaculate —white headstones in long, even rows, orderly as amilitary formation. We read names and dates —soldiers from warafter war but not the Revolution. From there, we drove to Sweet Olive, then Magnolia, then Lutheran. We found old gravesites, still beautiful and moving,but notas tended as the first —still no Revolutionary Wargraves.

But we did find something else. In one family plot, Isaw the marker for three young siblings

ä See RISHER, page 2B

Judge slated for removal

sues over cuts

Legislaturevotes not enough to slash bench, justice claims

BY MATT BRUCE Staff writer

New Orleans Criminal Court

JudgeJohn Fuller has sued Gov Jeff Landry and other officials over recent cuts to the city’scriminal bench, arguing that state lawmakers failed to reach arequired two-thirdsvote before Landry signed alaw to nix threejudicial seats. But Sen. Jay Morris, R-West Monroe, who sponsoredthe legislation, said Fuller’slegal claim doesn’t overcome ahurdleLouisiana lawmakers carved out specifically for Orleans Parish back in the 1970s. Landry signed Act 748into law this month, days after the Louisiana House signed off on aslate of 11th-hour tweaks to the measure on the final day of the session. That came by avote of 62-34 with nine state representatives absent

But the state constitution requires two-thirds supermajority votes from both the House and theSenatetochange thenumber of judges in any judicial district, Fuller argued in his petition for an injunction. Fuller says onlythe state Senate reached the supermajority mark of 26 votes onApril

Kenner to manage center

BY LARA NICHOLSON Staff writer

The company that operates the Caesars Superdome and other eventspaces said it will no longer manage Kenner’sPontchartrain Center after Tuesdaydue to failed contract negotiations.

Thecity of Kenner will take over Pontchartrain Center opera-

tionsstartingWednesdayafter Legends Global issued a30-day termination noticetoMayor Michael Glaser on May 27, amove that has prompted criticism from some City Council members and Legends employees. In the letter,the companysaid it was “left with no alternative” after multiple attempts to discuss anew contract with thecityhad gone unanswered.

Kennerofficials,onthe other hand, say theyengaged with Legends Global in meetings but couldn’tcome up with afinancially feasible agreement.

Kenner’schief financial officer,Elizabeth Herring,saidinan interview Friday the company wanted an additional monthly feeadded to the agreement, even though the city was subsidizing the facility forabout $600,000 per year Forthe 2026fiscal year alone, Kenner’scity budgetprojected a net loss of $608,774onthe civic center Legends Global had been managing the 72,000-square-foot

Blessing

BY BOBWARREN Staff writer

New OrleansArchbishop James Checchio joined 53 other archbishopsfrom around theworld Monday morning for aspecial Mass in Rome, during which they received aspecial cloth fromPope Leo XIV signifying their authorityand pastoral responsibility Each of the new archbishops re-

Archbishop Checchio receives pallium from Pope LeoduringVatican Mass on Monday

“It’skind of asymbolofyour unity with the pope andwith Peter,” Checchio told The Times-Picayune before leaving forRome.

“It’s like ayoke. It goes over your

ceived apallium fromthe pope during the annual MassinSt. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican to celebrate the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul. Thepallium is awhite,2-inch-widebandwoven from lamb’swool and decorated with sixblack crossesthat Checchio and the other archbishops will wear over their shoulders during important Masses. Only current archbishops and the pope can wear the pallium.

ä See BLESSING, page 2B

French Quarterbusinessownersfilelawsuit

Groupseeks changes to Decaturproject

BYRICH COLLINS Staff writer

Agroup of FrenchQuarter business owners is suing the Sewerage &Water Board, claiming theagency’snearly10-month construction project on lower DecaturStreet hasharmed their businessesand damaged their property In documents filed Friday in Orleans Parish Civil District Court, nine business owners saythey shouldbecompensated financially due to problems that have resulted from S&WB’snearly$10 mil-

lion, federally funded project to replace century-old underground water infrastructure on Decatur between Esplanade Avenue and Dumaine Street. The work, initially scheduled to wrap up in May,will hit its oneyear anniversary in September Thebusinessowners, represented by attorney Robert Ellis, of the firm Bivalacqua,Gelé +Ellis,are also asking the court to force the utility to speedupwork,remove barricades from areas where there’s no constructionactivity andmake other changesthatwill improve living and working conditions for asection of the French Quarterthat’shometodozensof bars, restaurants and other small

businesses. “Localbusinesseshavebeen forced to close, areonthe precipice of closing,and/orhavelost significant revenue,” wrote Ellis in a20-page document submitted to thecourt. “Access to residents’ homes has been substantially obstructed. Thedamage continues unabated withnodefiniteend in sight.Plaintiffs are now forced to seek court intervention to obtain relief.”

Representativesofthe Sewerage&Water Boarddid notrespond to arequest for comment before this story was published. Thelawsuit is the latest sign of distress on lowerDecatur,where frustratedbusiness owners and

residentssay disorganizedwork and unnecessary barricades have alreadyled to theclosureofthe restaurants Café Sbisa andLufu NOLA and the retail store Dead on Decatur Late last week,Mayor Helena Moreno announced agrant program to help small businesses affected by the project. But while some merchantssaidthe effort wasappreciated, it did not deter them from filing suit.

“The grants devisedbythe mayor are only apart of the package of fixes we’ve committed to assist businesses in thelower Decatur area,” aspokesperson forMoreno

ä See LAWSUIT, page 2B

PHOTO PROVIDED By LOLA GOMEZ

NewOrleans Archbishop James Checchio receives apallium from Pope Leo XIV during Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican on Monday

Checchio

N.O. native to lead Harvard Institute of Politics

Betsy Fischer Martin was top producer on ‘Meet the Press’

BY MARCO CARTOLANO Staff writer

Betsy Fischer Martin, a New Orleans native and former executive producer of NBC’s “Meet the Press,” was named the director of the Harvard Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics, university officials announced Monday. Fischer Martin spent more than two decades at NBC News, including 11 years as executive producer for the top-rated Sunday morning political show “Meet the Press.” She later became the managing editor of NBC’s political program-

BLESSING

Continued from page 1B

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. Among the family and friends on hand to watch Checchio receive the pallium was his 89-year-old mother, Helen. Checchio is close to his mother, who lives in New Jersey Checchio is the 15th archbishop of New Orleans. He came to New Orleans from New Jersey where he had been bishop of the Diocese of Metuchen since 2016.

Checchio formally took the reins of the Archdiocese of New Orleans in February.

In an interview with Catholic News Service, Checchio described taking part in Monday’s Mass as being “a bit surreal.”

“It was a beautiful day, of course, receiving the pallium from Pope Leo,” Checchip said. “An American pope made it extra special, I think.”

Checchio, a former rector of the North American College in Rome, had attended annual pallium Masses.

“But it was a little surreal, especially when you’re going up the steps to go get the pallium. You know, it was very moving.”

LAWSUIT

Continued from page 1B

said a statement Monday announcing that the stabilization fund is now accepting applications. “We’re accelerating construction holding Sewerage and Water Board accountable, and clearing obstacles for businesses as fast as we can.”

Increased frustration

The lawsuit is the latest action to draw attention to the plight of Decatur Street business owners from work S&WB officials say was delayed by high water on the Mississippi River, which makes it more likely groundwater will seep into trenches, and the discovery of historical artifacts on the site.

The plaintiffs in the lawsuit include the owners of seven Decatur Street establishments — the Original French Market Restaurant & Bar, Frank’s Restaurant, Minnow

CENTER

Continued from page 1B

venue on a month-to-month basis after its last contract with the city expired in June 2025. The company and its predecessors have operated the Laketown facility since it opened in 1991.

“Given the absence of a long-term agreement and a mutually acceptable management fee structure, it is no longer viable for Legends Global to continue operating the facility under the current arrangement,” the letter states.

The termination comes as the building undergoes $5 million in upgrades to welcome the New Orleans Pelicans’ G-League team, renamed the Laketown Squadron, in time for this year’s basketball season.

Kenner spokesperson Valerie Brolin said in a statement the city was working “under an extremely compressed timeline” to transition operations while continuing scheduled renovations.

“Given the circumstances surrounding the transition and the challenges the City has experienced obtaining timely information and coordination throughout the

ming. During her time at NBC, she helped cover six presidential campaigns, won three News and Documentary Emmys and worked closely with “Meet the Press” host Tim Russert, according to a news release by the Harvard Kennedy School. She will assume her new role in mid-August. A graduate of American University for both undergraduate and graduate school, Fischer Martin is the daughter of a former pastor of First Union Presbyterian Church in Luling, according to her 2012 wedding announcement in The New York Times. Her mother was a member of the New Orleans Opera chorus. She splits her time between Washington, D.C., and New Or-

RISHER

Continued from page 1B

who died within days of each other in 1858 Then we noticed the same year again. And again.

I had known about the yellow fever epidemics the way most people know history, but standing there, I could feel traces of the grief so many must have experienced then. I considered the parents whose sorrow seemed present all these years later

The “Old American Cemetery” near the State Capitol was still marked on some maps. We looked but did not find it.

Later, I learned why we never found the American Cemetery In the early days of Baton Rouge as a European settlement, it was likely the first burial ground. Over the years, it fell to ruin. Around 1931, the land was cleared for Huey Long’s new State Capitol, and many of the graves were moved to other cemeteries

We saved Highland Cemetery for last.

On our way, we drove through LSU’s campus and past the Indian Mounds — earthworks older than the pyramids.

When we reached Highland, a small cemetery in a residential area, we found what we were looking for Armand Allard Duplantier served as aide-de-camp to the Marquis de Lafayette during the

Jewelry Bar, Sidney’s, the Abbey Bar, Turtle Bay and Gold Leaf Investments. Two other nearby businesses, Cornet and Huge Ass Cantina, also joined the suit.

The plaintiffs are asking the court to force the S&WB to provide advance notice before any new road closures, to “deploy a twenty-fourhour, seven-day-a-week work schedule,” and suspend all water and sewerage billing for businesses and residents in the construction zone.

They also want S&WB leaders to appear before the New Orleans City Council to discuss the project’s construction schedule, cost and other details.

“The Decatur Project is chaotic,” Ellis wrote. “(S&WB) has not required its contractors to proceed with construction sequentially or logically Rather, contractors have abandoned work on some portions of this project to work on other blocks; work has been inexplicably delayed at other locations Completion deadlines have been missed and

process, it would not be surprising if legal issues ultimately arise,” Brolin said.

Herring said the city hired four Legends employees to continue managing the Pontchartrain Center full time, while city departments would take over day-to-day operations like finance and maintenance.

‘Trying to hide the ball’

At a Kenner City Council meeting last week, several Pontchartrain Center employees said they received a one-week termination notice from Legends and criticized the city for not offering them support.

“They feel like villains,” said Melanie Dupuy, a 26-year employee at the Pontchartrain Center who was among those fired. “They feel like they were made out to be the enemy in all of this.”

City Council member Joey LaHatte, who represents Laketown, said he’s been kept in the dark on the Pontchartrain Center and wasn’t included in a recent meeting that included representatives from Legends and the Pelicans.

In an interview after the meeting, he criticized the mayor’s handling of the contract termination and said the mayor should have sought an

leans with her husband Jonathan Martin, POLITICO’s politics bureau chief and senior political columnist. She’s appeared as both a moderator and presenter several times at Tulane University’s Book Festival.

Fischer Martin currently leads the Women and Politics Institute at American and served as a faculty member at American’s School of Public Affairs, teaching courses on campaigns, politics and media. She was previously an Institute of Politics resident fellow in the fall of 2023. She is also a former co-host of Bloomberg Politics’ “Masters in Politics Podcast” and founded the consulting business Fischer Martin Media, which specializes in media training for corporate executives

Revolution. Years after carrying the general’s orders, Duplantier helped welcome Lafayette to Louisiana on the hero’s grand tour. Duplantier was Lafayette’s host Nearby lay Pierre Joseph de Favrot, who fought in the Revolutionary 1779 Battle of Baton Rouge — when Spanish governor Bernardo de Galvez, allied with the American cause, captured Britishheld forts in the area. Favrot’s stone notes 42 years of service to France and Spain. We also found lots of Kleinpeters a whole dynasty of them, names and dates stacked across the better

extended, exacerbating the damage to businesses and historic properties.”

Ellis also wrote that his clients’ “businesses and homes have been shaken to their core for months by heavy machinery, jack hammering and earth-moving activities, causing excessive vibrations, settlement, and physical damage.”

On June 16, two dozen business owners and others met at the Original French Market Restaurant & Bar to commiserate about inconsistent contractor hours, poor communications with the S&WB and seemingly unnecessary street closures. They expressed dismay at the S&WB’s decision to tear up several blocks of the lower French Quarter at once, as opposed to moving block by block.

S&WB Executive Director Randy Hayman, who attended the meeting, said recently the utility is targeting a late September completion date for the work.

Christina Marullo, a second-

extension so the city had more time to coordinate the transition.

“They say they are going to have a collaborative government and then do something like this It shows me that they are trying to hide the ball,” LaHatte said.

Glaser said in response to Dupuy that the city was not given any prior warning of the contract termination before the notice was sent, and that the city had no control over Legends Global terminating its employees.

Brolin, meanwhile, cited a June 1 email to the City Council notifying them of the contract termination notice.

Legends Global said in a statement it remains “committed to conducting this transition in a professional and respectful manner, consistent with the standards we have upheld throughout our time serving the Kenner community.” History

Kenner leaders have previously contemplated putting city employees in charge of the Pontchartrain Center, as the facility has never broken even or turned a profit in its 35-year history

Officials have long said the center wasn’t meant to be a moneymaker but rather a way to boost spending at Kenner’s hotels,

JUDGE

Continued from page 1B

Fischer Martin is a member of The Times-Picayune’s community advisory board. The Institute of Politics is a renowned program at the Harvard Kennedy School, often hosting the most influential people in government and politics. Fischer Martin’s appointment comes after a nationwide search conducted by Kennedy School faculty and staff and former Institute of Politics fellows.

She succeeds interim co-directors Ned Price and Beth Myers, the former deputy to the U.S. representative to the United Nations under former President Joe Biden and the former senior adviser to Mitt Romney’s 2012 presidential campaign, respectively Price will stay on as a counselor at the Institute of Politics.

part of two centuries.

Some will call this a strange way to spend a Sunday I thought so too, at first.

But something happened that afternoon. History wasn’t just something I read about. I could feel it.

Three hours among the dead made me feel more connected to Baton Rouge than plenty of afternoons spent chasing what’s new

Once home, I kept thinking about the names — especially the Kleinpeters. I wondered whether Graham Kleinpeter, the 17-year-old son of a friend, had ever visited Highland Cemetery Stories can travel a long way down a family, or they can thin and disappear from one generation to the next.

Graham is entering his senior year at St Michael High School in August. He told me he knew some of his family’s story but he wasn’t “real clear on the details.”

I told him I’d like to go with him to Highland Cemetery sometime. I wondered whether standing there would change something for him. Whether seeing Johann George Kleinpeter — the German settler who arrived in 1784 or reading about generations that followed would make family stories feel less abstract.

Even though he’s in the throes of senioritis and focused on getting ready for this fall’s football season, I have a feeling seeing it all in person may do to him what it did to me.

History can be handed down, but sometimes it’s pieced together

generation co-owner of the French Market Restaurant, said she joined the lawsuit and hosted that meeting because she’s seen the disastrous effect that the project has had on a longstanding family-run business.

“We used to have $80,000 weeks and now we’re having $16,000 weeks,” Marullo said. “I don’t like seeing my 86-year-old father-in-law Anthony Marullo Jr., who founded the business, have to come out of pocket to keep it afloat.”

Marullo said the restaurant’s sales have been down 70%, equaling about $1.5 million in lost revenue, since August It’s been so bad, she said, that the family closed the restaurant’s second floor, where the balcony ordinarily offers a nice view of passersby on Decatur below

“Right now, if you look down, it’s not pretty,” she said. “There’s a big hole in the ground, which is full of water and all the workers dump their Red Bull cans and to-go boxes in it.”

restaurants and shops, like in New Orleans.

In New Orleans, the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center reported a net operating loss of $62.5 million for 2024 that was offset by over $78 million in tax revenue and other revenue sources, according to the most recently available state legislative audit.

Former Kenner Mayor Mike Yenni proposed having city employees run the center as a way to save money as he weighed management proposals from its current operator, then called SMG, and another private firm in 2011.

At that point, SMG had collected over $100,000 per year from the city on top of subsidies and was operating on a temporary basis after its previous contract lapsed.

Yenni instead secured a new contract with SMG in 2013, which eliminated annual management fees and tied payments to whether the company can keep the annual operating deficit under a baseline of at least $350,000.

Under that payment structure, which is still used today, the company receives 100% of the first $75,000 it saves beneath that baseline, followed by a sliding portion of any additional savings.

20, when that body advanced Morris’ bill to the House for consideration.

“At no stage of the legislative process did the House of Representatives adopt any version of Senate Bill No. 217 by a two-thirds vote of its elected members, and the conference committee text that became Act 748, including the abolition of Sections A, E, and J, was never adopted by a two-thirds vote of the elected members of either house,” attorney Jerome Matthews Jr wrote in the petition, filed Monday in the 19th Judicial District Court in Baton Rouge. Morris said Monday he researched the path to passage when he drafted the legislation The supermajority requirement cited in Fuller’s lawsuit is outlined in Article V, Section 15 of the state constitution. Morris said that provision didn’t apply because of an exception delegates carved out specifically for Orleans Parish courts and municipal offices during Louisiana’s 1974 Constitutional Convention.

The exception, found in Section 32 of the same judicial bylaws, made the courts “subject to change by law” with a majority vote.

“I did my research ahead of time to make sure it doesn’t require a supermajority vote, and it doesn’t,” he said Monday While Morris argued the covenant made at the 1974 convention trumps the supermajority requirement, Fuller and his attorney say the exception doesn’t “excuse” the need for a two-thirds vote.

“The contrary construction would make Orleans Parish the only judicial district in Louisiana whose number of district judges may be reduced without the constitutional protection Article V, Section 15(D) affords to ‘any judicial district,’ ” the lawsuit states.

Fuller, one of three judges the new law eliminated, collected 65% of the vote in a May 16 special election to secure his Section J seat, earning the right to finish the last seven months of retired Judge Darryl Derbigny’s unexpired term. But when the term ends Dec. 31, Fuller will be ousted along with fellow judges Simone Levine and Rhonda GoodeDouglas. Levine presides over Section A while Goode-Douglas handles the court’s Section E docket.

One of the late changes to the legislation put Goode-Douglas on the chopping block to the consternation of Landry Judge Leon Roche was previously slated for removal as part of a “last-in, first-out” approach that had been used in selecting the three sections of court to be ousted, but the Legislature ditched that seniority approach on the eve of the session’s end. Lawmakers have offered little explanation for the late swap. Fuller and his attorney are asking a state judge to nullify Act 748, which they claim was “never validly enacted.” They also want a judge to order elections officials to keep the removed judges’ names and sections on the ballots for the upcoming Nov 3 races.

A spokesperson for the governor did not immediately return a comment on Monday Landry Attorney General Liz Murrill, Secretary of State Nancy Landry and Orleans Clerk of Court Chelsey Richard Napoleon are listed as defendants.

A rep for the Secretary of State declined to comment. Napoleon could not be reached for comment.

Murrill’s office issued a statement late Monday

“The state constitution has special exemptions for Orleans Parish that permit the legislature to legislate in the ordinary manner The Court just affirmed the legislature’s power to do so regarding the clerks. I’m sure this matter will also be resolved quickly,” the statement said.

Baton Rouge Judge Tarvald Smith was assigned to handle the lawsuit. He hadn’t yet set a date for a preliminary hearing on the matter

STAFF PHOTO By JAN RISHER

Grave marker of Pierre Joseph de Favrot, who fought in the Revolutionary 1779 Battle of Baton Rouge

NewOrleans Area Deaths

Butler,Ann

DeGrange,Antoinette

HicksJr.,Arthur

Smith,Henry NewOrleans

Charbonnet

DeGrange,Antoinette

JacobSchoen

Smith,Henry West Bank

Mothe

Butler,Ann Obituaries

Butler, Ann Marie Gibson

Ann Marie Gibson Butler, passed away peacefully at her home, surrounded by her loved ones, on June 28, 2026 at the age of 73 years.

Beloved wife of the late Harry Simpson Butler Jr Loving mother of Jennifer Butler Abercrombie (George) and Lizabeth Ann Johnston (Michael)

Grandmother of William Abercrombie, Isabel Abercrombie, Margaret Abercrombie, Mason Johnston, and Jackson Johnston. Sister of Diane Hasley (Jimmy), ClintonJ Gibson Jr. (Sarah), and Kenneth A. Gibson (Belinda). "Auntie Ann" to Daniel Hasley, Laurie Hasley, Maria Cooper and

Logan Gibson. Daughterof the late Marie Duet Gibson and Clinton J. GibsonSr. Alsosurvived by her beloved friend, Angela Winchester along with other loving relatives and friends. Shewas alifelong resident of the Westbank, serving as apublic servant with the Jefferson Parish Streets Departmentfor 34 years and Registrar of Voters for 13 years. She willbesadlymissed. Family and friends are invitedtogather at Immaculate Conception CatholicChurch,4401 SeventhStreetinMarrero on Thursday, July 2, 2026 from 9AMto11AM. A FuneralMasswill follow Interment Westlawn Memorial Park in Gretna Condolencesand memoriesmay be shared by visitingAnn'smemorial pageat: www.mothefunerals.com.

DeGrange,Antoinette Dinet

Antoinette DinetDe‐Grange passed away peacefully on June 22,2026, at herhomeinSlidell, LA surrounded by herloving family. Shewas born on March31, 1942, to the union of Homerand Marion Dinet. Shewas preceded in deathbyher parents; her brother, AndreDinet;and herbeloved spouses, StephenDonaldLlorens andDr. Elmore DeGrange Phd. Antoinette wasa proudalumnaofXavier PreparatoryHigh School Classof1959, andthe Uni‐versityofNew Orleans. She

dedicatedmanyyears of serviceasa FederalCivil‐ianemployeefor theDe‐partment of theNavy, be‐fore retiring in 2002. Sheis survived by hersiblings: Sister Rachel DinetOSF, Rene DinetSr. (Gail),and Celina DinetNourse (Leslie).She wasa caring anddevoted mother to An‐gela LlorensMcGee (Bryan),ReginaLlorens Heisser (Asa), andKatrina LlorensJoseph(Albert Jr). Shewas also alovingstep‐mother to Paul DeGrange Antoinette wasaffection‐atelyknown as “Ma‐maNette”, aproud grand‐mother to StephanieHub‐bard,Stephen McGee, ChristineMcGee, Patrick Cuba,DanielleJoseph, and JasminePortuondo.She wasalsoa cherished great-grandmothertoHan‐nah, Shawn, Nicholas Alexandra, Noah,Andre, andZahra. Antoinette’s memory will foreverbe treasuredbyher nieces, nephews, cousins, ex‐tended family, andmany friendswhose livesshe touchedwithher love and kindness. Family and friendsare invitedtojoin in celebratingher life at a Mass of ChristianBurialat Corpus Christi-Epiphany Catholic Church,2022 St BernardAvenue,New Or‐leans, LA on Wednesday, July 1, 2026 at 10:00 AM Visitationwillbeheldat 8:00 AM.Interment will take placeatSt. Louis# 2 Cemetery,300 N. Claiborne Ave.,New Orleans, LA Please sign theonline guestbook at www.cha rbonnetfuneralhome.com. Charbonnet LabatGlapion Directors, (504) 581-4411.

Arthur Hicks Jr., son of thelate Arthur Hicks Sr. and thelateLois PrestonHicks, was born on February 28, 1956, and departed this life on May 22, 2026, at theage of 70 in Metairie,Louisiana. He proudly served his country as aveteran of the United States Marine Corps.

Those left to cherish his memory includehis children, Robin, Trey, and Troy Hicks; 10 grandchildren, his siblings, SheliaH Offray, Denise Hicks, and Wesley Hicks; along with a host of otherrelativesand friends Cremationwilltake place privately,and no formal services will be held The family kindlyasks that youkeep them in your thoughts and prayersduring this difficult time.

HenryLouis Smith, 80, passedawayonJune 18, 2026, at hisresidence in theLakeForestareaof NewOrleans.BorninIndi‐ana, Mr.Smith dedicated many yearsofdistin‐guishedservice to the United States Army.Heat‐tained therankofMaster Sergeant,where he ledone of theArmy’slargertacti‐calunits with exceptional leadership anddiscipline.

Hismilitaryservice was recognizedwithnumerous honors andcommenda‐tions, includingthe Bronze Star,PurpleHeart,Air Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, VietnamService Medal, VietnamCampaign Medal, ParachuteBadge, Overseas Bars,and the Good ConductMedal (Sec‐ondAward). Followinghis military career,Mr. Smith earned aBachelorofSci‐ence in Business Adminis‐tration, with concentra‐tionsin financeand man‐agement. He subsequently served with distinctionat theUnitedStatesPostal Service, where he held managerial andsupervi‐sory rolesatthe Loyola Main Stationfor several years. Mr.Smith wasa de‐votedhusband andfather, remembered forhis stead‐fastcompassion, generos‐ity, andsense of duty.He provided dedicatedcareto hiswife, Brenda Smith, throughout herprolonged illnessuntil herpassing He wasprecededindeath by hiswife, Brenda Smith; hisparents;and hissib‐lings, Ronald andGuss. Mr Smithwillreceive the honorofcommemorative intermentwithpresidential recognitioninacknowledg‐ment of hisdistinguished military service. In lieu of flowers, memorial contri‐butionsmay be made in hisnametothe Wounded WarriorProject.Arrange‐mentsbyJacob Schoen & SonFuneral Home.Condo‐lences maybeexpressed

Hicks, Arthur

Smith, HenryLouis

OUR VIEWS

Sickle cell breakthrough opensnew worldfor patients

When Daniel Cressy rang thebellonJune 22 at Manning Family Children’s in New Orleans, his long fight was complete as thefirst person declaredfunctionally cured from sickle cell diseaseinLouisiana. But for many others, the road to recovery is just beginning. Cressybenefited from atransformational gene-editing technology that sawdoctorsharvest his own stem cells, ship them offtoageneticslab in Scotland, which modified them to protectfrom the disease, then reintroduce the cells into his body.Itisone of asuite of sickle cell gene therapies thatischanging thefuture for these patients.

It’sthe kind of thing that would be thought of as science fiction not too long ago,but the rapidly evolving science is provingtobeeffective in the real world. That has given newhope to thousands of patients with sickle cell disease, achronic conditionthatcauses unpredictable, debilitating pain that prevents many frommaintaining jobs or performing basic tasks

For Cressy,the disease waspreventing him from living out his dream to becomea pilot. But now,the doors of opportunityare open to him. He said he plans to get back to flight training, and he hopes to be abeacon for other sickle cell patients We congratulate Cressy andthe team of doctors at Manning FamilyChildren’s whohave seen this processthrough to theend.Their dedication and skill will no doubt drawmore patients to Louisiana seeking treatment. It is fitting that Louisiana’s largest children’shospital should be pioneering these breakthrough therapies. Louisiana has one of the highest ratesof sickle cell disease in the country,and it affects Black children disproportionately We also note that the cost of treatmentis something that the state will have to grapple with. The bill can run from $2.2 millionto$3.1 millionper patient, depending on thetherapy The state is using aregistry to find outhow many patients could benefit.

In the meantime, we are gratefuland awed by the scientific advancements that we areso fortunate to witness,makinga differenceinour lives today.Once, so many familiesofchildren born with thedisease livedwithlittle hope.But they persevered, dreamingofaday when their sons or daughters could livelives freeofpain. Now that day is here. We canonlyimaginetheir joy and relief. To those familieswho lostloved ones to the disease before thisday arrived, the only comfort is in knowingthatinthe future, no one needs to suffer as they did Such alife-changing medicalintervention should be availabletoasbroad apopulationas possible. We hope that officials in our state and nation will work to make that happen.

For Louisiana, geothermal must play arole in the energy equation. Can Louisianastill dominate American energy production if we don’tadapt?The going theory is no.

For decades, Louisianahas been synonymous withworld-class energy production, particularly in thepetrochemical industry.But without the adoption of new power sources like geothermal energy to augment our existing power supply,werisk being left behind— overlooked in favor of competitors with more diverse energy portfolios and reliant on foreign sources to supply our energy needs.

Energy demand is increasing, and it won’tbeslowing any time soon. AI datacenters and new technologies place greater demands on our energy infrastructure, and total reliance on traditional fossil fuels will not be enough.

America’s“old guard” of fossil fuels isn’tgoing away for the foreseeable future, but it needs some help. Louisiana(andAmerica writ large) needs to open the door for new,additional energy “heroes” such as geothermal energy that

can provide reliable 24/7 baseload power With Louisiana’sexisting drilling expertisefrom theoil and gas industry,thousands of skilled workers already trained in subsurface engineering and twoviable hotspotsinnorthern and central Louisiana, theBayou State must be at the forefront of geothermal energy development and investment.

StateRep.Joe Orgeron brought House Resolution 279 this legislativesession, which “[r]ecognizes geothermal energy as astrategic opportunity for Louisiana and commits to building theconditions necessary to scale the state’sgeothermal resources.”

Stateleaders know theopportunityingeothermal is here, and we can’tcede it to other states. In Louisiana, our existing energy pedigree leveraged to adopt geothermal will create jobs, increase energy affordability and continue our energy dominance and independence well intothe future.

WILL HARDY

state director,Conservatives forClean EnergyLouisiana

Imagine that you and alarge number of your brothers and sisters have inherited ahistoric house, which you’ve rented to atenant. One day,you hear that your tenant is planning to build ahuge additionto your house. He has not asked permission to do this, either from you, any of the other owners of the house or the historical commissions that would have to approve any modification to such ahistoric structure.

When asked, your tenant says that the structure he has planned, aballroom,will not touch the exterior of your house, and he assures you that the construction will be funded entirely by donations fromhis friends. Youwonder whathis friends will be getting in return for their donations and what use they will be making of your property,but he doesn’tsay.You don’t give your permission for the project.

The next month, you see that awing of your historic house has been demolished. The historical commissionhas not issued any permits for the demolition —infact, it has not even been consulted.

Eight months later,you and the other owners of the house are approached and asked to chip in $1 billion towards the construction. You’re told it’snecessary for security reasons, as your tenant has been shot at on several occasions, but your tenant plays golf regularly and attends rallies, meetings and public sporting events, such as the Super Bowl and MMA matches outside the house.

Tell me,how long would you put up with this before you evicted your tenant?

LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR ARE WELCOME. HERE AREOUR

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

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

TO SEND US A LETTER, SCANHERE

Cal Thomas,inhis column published May 27, cited findings from theInternational Panel on Climate Change, claiming their dire predictions on climatechange are now “implausible.” He refers to them as theIPCC. The IPCC is actually theIntergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, awell-respected international body of scientists from 195 countries, andits predictions remainasdireasever

The conclusions he refers to are from the nongovernmental International Panel on Climate Change, aconservative advocacy group that seekstoundermine U.N. climate science and touts, among other things, the benefits of increasing CO2 and awarming planet.Clearly,natural disasters have been reading thewrongreports.

The most charitable explanation for this confusion is acombination of ignorance and sloppy reporting. Cal complains that those who reject mainstream scientific findings “were to be ostracized to the land of the ignorant.” Well, if it walks like aduck and fact-checks like a duck.

An alternative, andunfortunately,more plausible explanation is thepurposeful obfuscationand peddling of misinformation, which appearstobethe foundation upon which the modern Republican Party is built.

Considering themain thrust of his commentaryisthat liberals can’tadmit when they are wrong, Ihope Thomas is actively working on an apology letter,but Ifind that “implausible.”

BRENT

BARNIDGE NewOrleans

SARA SMITH Harvey

Nowthat the Department of Justice slush fund has been canceled, attention must be placed on the other part of the Trump-IRS “settlement:” President Donald Trump, his family members and all their business interests are to be granted immunity from any IRSscrutiny

This is the real action that TrumpInc. wanted from his bogus lawsuit. It is knownasbait-and-switch. All con men know the technique, and now the American public does, too.

Contact your elected senators to stop this scam

GLENJACKSON NewOrleans

Shrinkingthe electorate a solution in search of aproblem

America was born froma simple but powerful principle: Government derives its legitimacy from the consent of the governed.

That principle inspired our Declaration of Independence, shaped our Constitution and has beendefended by generations of Americans willing tosacrifice everything topreserve our right toelect our leaders. Louisiana families have sent their sons and daughters tofight in every major conflict in our nation’shistory to protect asystem in which citizens choose their representatives and government remainsaccountable to its people.

That is why Louisiana’srecent experience with closed congressional primaries should give us pause. When voters had an opportunity to weigh in on the U.S. Senate racein2022, approximately 1.4 millioncitizens participated. When they next had that opportunity in 2026 under the state’s new closed-party primary system, participation fell to approximately 746,000 voters. Nearly half the electorate disappeared.

Many factors affect turnout,and no single election tells the whole story But the question deserves an honest answer: If our goal is to maximize citizen participation in the selection of our leaders, where did those voters go?

For more than 50 years, Louisiana’s open primary system represented one of the most democratic election models in America. Every voter received the same ballot. Every candidatecompeted before the same electorate. Republicans,Democrats, independents andunaffiliated voters all participated in acommon contest. Candidates were required to persuade not only their most loyal supporters, but voters from across the political spectrum. In many respects,itwas the purest form of free-market politics in America today Success depended on building broad coalitions. The skills required towin were the same skills required to govern, producing remarkable results.

Consider the results of Louisiana’s open primary system.Today,the state’scongressional delegation includes both the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and the House majority leader.This is thefirst time in American history that both

topleadership positions belong to the same state —anextraordinarydistinctionfor astate of Louisiana’ssize.

Speaker Mike Johnson and Majority Leader Steve Scalise were both elected and reelected under theopen primary system. Whatever one’spolitical views, their rise to national leadership demonstrates that Louisiana’smodel rewarded candidates who could build diverse coalitions, earn the confidence of abroad electorate and ultimately gain the trust of their colleagues in Congress. Louisiana should be proud of that record.

TheUnited States Constitution never mentions political parties. The Framers envisioned representatives chosen by the people. While parties emerged naturally over time, they were never intended to become the primary gatekeepers between citizens and their elected officials.

Closed primaries make them exactly that. Butwewere warned. In his farewell address, President George Washington cautioned that the rise of politicalparties “will enable subverting the power of the peopleand to usurpfor themselvesthe reins of government.”

Overlyempowering political parties through distorted electionsdisempowers voters. Under the system Louisiana used this year for U.S.Senate, voters were divided into separate partisan contests before they ever reached ageneral election.

Instead of having thefreedom to vote for whichever candidate for every office, voters were restricted to one party’sballot.And while the unaffiliated voters could participate, there were widespread reports of voter confusion.

In aclosed party primary system, candidates are incentivized to appeal first to their partisan base—the nar-

row slice of voterswho determine the primaryoutcome —rather than to the broad constituency they will actually representifelected. That misalignment mattersbecauseelected officials do not representpolitical parties once they takeoffice. They representeveryone in their districts, regardless of party registration.

Louisiana voters are rightfully frustrated.Each disruption gave them another reason to feel alienated from the veryprocess meanttorepresent them. Within ashortspan, U.S. Houseprimaries yo-yoed from open to closed, back to open,and now set to be closed again in thenext election cycle.

In addition to theunderstandable confusion and chaos that created, thenew closed primary system is expected to cost taxpayers $135 million over 10 years —money that I’d argue would be better spentonactual priorities like flood protection and traffic problems Throughout my time in Congress, Ifielded thousandsofrequests, but wasting taxpayer funds, adding bureaucracy and reducing legitimate voter participation werenever among them.

Thereisalsoatelling inconsistency. Many legislatorswho spent years campaigning under Louisiana’straditional open primarychose not to apply theclosed-primarymodel to their own state and local races. That decision speaks volumes. If the open primary system remains effective for selecting state legislatorsand local officials, why abandon it when we are choosing thepeople who representLouisiana in Washington?

No election system is perfect.But at atime when Americans increasingly distrust institutionsand question theintegrityofelections, asystem in which primary participation drops by nearly half demands serious scrutiny The question is notwhich party benefits; it is whether dividing Louisiana votersinto separate partisan electorates serves our state better than our system that guided us for more than half acentury For nearly 250 years, Americans have fought to preserve the principle that authority flows from the consent of the governed. The answer to our political challenges is not fewer voices. It is more consentfrom thegoverned.

Garret Graves served five terms in the U.S. Congress, representing Louisiana’s 6th Congressional District from 20152025.

Mamdani’svictory strutispremature

Yes, Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s socialist picks recently knocked off some Democratic incumbents in New York City.They includedsurprising defeats, especiallythat of Rep. Adriano Espaillat, chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Espaillat lost to Darializa Avila Chevalier,whose social media swims with past calls to abolish the police, free prisoners and stop deportations forany reason, presumably including murder

take the presidency from Trump two years later

TheDemocratic left soldthese results as athumbs-up for itsradical agenda. Butthosesame views —things like defunding police andobsession with transgender issues —turned off themiddle America voterswho gave Biden his win in 2020.

scribed thedangers New York’s far left posetothe Democrats’ future. As an anchor at Spectrum News NY1, he has interviewed them all.

Letlow’s campaign worked out exactlyas Trump intended

U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow’sbid to become the Republicannomineefor U.S. Senate kicked off in January notwith herown announcement, but with asocial media post fromPresident Donald Trump.

Saturdaynight, as she claimed her spot in the fall general election, Letlow started her victory speech offbythanking Trump for recruiting herinto the race —and, forgood measure, calling him “the greatestpresident this country has ever had.”

And thus, the primary season endedasitbegan,asacase study in just hownationalized ourpoliticshavebecome.

The months of campaigning amongGOP hopefuls —including incumbent andthird-place primary finisherBill Cassidy,who Trump neverforgave forhis 2021 vote to convictfor inciting the Jan.6attack on Congress, and state TreasurerJohn Fleming, Letlow’srunoff opponent —amountedtolittle more thana contest to prove who wasthe most loyal. Campaigns areoften unserious, but this one was especially so,with misleading accusations flying aboutwho wasmore woke, even if woke was nowhere on the GOP ballot. Other than Fleming’sattempt to inject carboncapture politics into the conversation, the campaign could have happened in any state with alarge pro-Trump base anda party primary systemthatamplifiedthat base’s overallvoting power

In Louisiana,this wasasignificantchange;itwas the first party primary forCongress since2010, when aprevious shift from open primarieswas so unpopular that it wasquickly reversed. Thatmay well happenthis time too. In the meantime, it worked as its proponents intended.

Gov.JeffLandry,aneager Trump disciple, was the lead architect of the newvoting rules, andhewas alloverLetlow’scampaign. Most othermembersofthe party establishment linedupwith her, too, including Attorney General Liz Murrill and several fellow members of Congress. Trump may be the greatest disruptorinmodern American politics, but the GOP’ssupposedinstitutionalists here, like elsewhere,are fully on board. And with allvoters no longerable to choose amongall candidates, the turnout wasrelatively select.Only registeredRepublicans andno-party voters could participate in the two-stage GOP selection process, and not that many did. Letlowwon the runoff Saturday night with support from roughly 180,000 votes, outofabout 1.8 millionwho were eligible to take part.

It’snot like Espaillat’sdistrict was dominated by theyoung professionals who flocked to Mamdani. His electorate is 52% Hispanicand includes such non-hipster neighborhoods as Harlem, Washington Heights andparts of the Bronx.

Nonetheless, Mamdani may have seriously misread the national mood when he said right before the primaries: “When does the racefor 2028 begin? It starts now.” That was an awesome display of grandiosityfor aguy who didn’tget even50% of the vote even though he was the official Democratic candidate in avery Democratic city

The New York primaries may indeed be kicking off the presidential contest in 2028, but not in away Democrats would like. Look at recent history Backlash against Donald Trump’serratic governing style returned control of the House to the Democrats in 2018. Similar forces helped Joe Biden to

Twoyears later,Republicans retook theHouse majority by weaponizing the dumbest things left-wingershad said. Similar dynamics powered Trump’s return to the presidency in the 2024 election. It is dangerous to assume thatdisgustwithTrump translates into adesire to stop immigration enforcement.

The recently elected Mamdani, meanwhile, is enjoying an overly long honeymoon.The realityissure to overtake the massive publicityhe attaches tothe smallestofachievements. New Yorkers are noticing that there are still no free buses,aspromised. The rents are not frozen. And universal childcare has not happened. Mamdani has also antagonized thefinancial business leaders, jeopardizing the prospectsofthe young grads seekingwhite-collar jobs, that is, much of his base.

Democrats seeking victories in the heartland should fear having theexcesses of coastal socialists hanging around their neck.The veteran New York political analyst Errol Louis de-

“They’ve got some ideas that will not sellinDes Moines or in, you know, Cleveland,” Louis said. Their strategists tellhim that they’re “gonna fight, fight,fight get themselves arrested, introduce legislation, whether or not it has achance of getting ahearing or ever becoming law.”

Barack Obama understands well the radicals’lack of appeal outside choice urban corridors. He’scalled out affluent progressives who think they earn halos by pushing polices deemed to help theless fortunate but end up costing Democratsatthe polls.They can embrace left-liberal politics without personally paying aprice, Obama said lastyear.“Youcould still make alot of money.You could still hang out in Aspen and Milan and travel and have a houseinthe Hamptons and still think of yourself as aprogressive.”

Democrats have fine hopes that this year’s midterms will deliver at least a House majority.The growing dislike of Trump putswind in theirsails. Come the2028 presidential contest, however,Trump will presumably not be running. Butthe Democrats’ aggravating radicals will still be at it.Ifthe race for 2028 starts now,Democrats should be concerned.

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

There was aDemocratic primary runoff, too, andfarmer JamieDavis easily wonthat one, so he’ll be Letlow’sgeneral election opponent in aNovember midterm election that’sshaping up as anationalreferendum on the second Trump presidency.InLouisiana, that and overallvoting patterns give Letlow amassive edge She doesn’treally need to, but it would be niceifshe spent the next four months putting herself outthere andtrying to build a broader coalitionthan the MAGA-dominated onethatgot herhere. She could try to counter arguments thatshe’s indebtedtoTrump and Landry,asevensomeinfluential Republicans, suchasradio hosts Moon Griffonand Newell Normand, have charged. She could expound on what she means when she says she’ll always put Louisiana first. She could even agreetoa televisiondebate, something she avoided during primary season.

The truth is thatifshe wins comefall, there will be plenty of time for hertomove from underTrump’sshadow.He’sgot just two years left; aSenatetermruns six, and Letlow,at45, could be in Washingtonmuch longer.Atsome point, she’llanswertomorethanone person, or even 180,000 of them.

Now’sasgood atime as any to getstarted. Email Stephanie Graceatsgrace@ theadvocate.com.

Froma Harrop

Stephanie Grace

Letlow

FILEPHOTO By BILL FEIG

Aworker pulls signs as voting machines aresortedfor deliveryfrom astorage warehouse in Baton Rouge.

Expect

True blue no more;La. officially ared state

Registered Republicansnow outnumberDemocrats

BY ALYSE PFEIL Staff writer

Louisiana has been asolidly red state for years, but you wouldn’tknow it if you looked at voterregistration numbers. Even though Louisiana has voted for the Republican presidential candidate in every election since 2000, and even as theGOP hasswept allthe statewide offices and holds supermajorities in the Legislature, Democratic voters continued to outnumber Republicans on paper But that changed last month. Voter registrationdata

from June from the Secretary of State’sOffice shows there are now 1,062,897 registered Republicans and 1,062,861 registered Democrats.

“Thisisthe first timeinthe state’smodern history that theRepublican Party hasthe most registered voters,” said Secretary of State spokesperson Trey Williams. The numbers have been trending that way fordecades.

Monthly voter registration data going back at least20 years hasconsistently shown Republicans gainingvoters andDemocrats losing them, said JohnCouvillon, aLoui-

siana pollsterand political consultant.

Couvillon said this year’s closed primaryfor U.S. Senate —amajor Republican showdown that first saw the ouster of incumbentSen Bill Cassidy and then afierce runoff between U.S. Rep. Julia Letlowand Treasurer John Fleming —finally tilted the numbers in the GOP’s favor

Underthe state’snew closed party primarysystem, people who are registered Democrats cannot vote in Republican primary elections.

“When you have party primariesfor the Senate and other top-of-the-ballot races,

Ithink that accelerated the finalshift to where Republicans gotthe plurality,”Couvillonsaid.

He said two big changes brought Louisiana to this point. The first “crack in the armor” was Louisiana’s switchin1975 from closed primaries to open jungle primaries after acentury of Democraticdominance.

“What happened is Republicans gottoparticipateinthe same primaries as Democrats did, which basically put them on technically equal footing,” he said And in recent years, as Louisianans beganvoting for Republicans in presidential elections, voting andrunning as aRepublican became more culturally acceptable

and politically viable,hesaid. Even before Bill Clinton, a former Arkansas governor with aSoutherndrawl,won Louisiana in the 1990s, Republican presidential candidates won Louisiana in the 1980s.

And in 2000, George W. Bush captured53% of the Republicanvote to theDemocratic ticket’s45%.

In 2008, Republicanpresidentialcandidate John McCain captured almost 60% of thevote, as did President Donald Trump during his presidential bids in 2016, 2020 and 2024.

This year,asofJune, Louisiana has atotal of 2,969,683 registered voters, with Republicans having arazor-thin advantage.

There are 819,203 unaffiliated no-party voters who are allowed to decide whether they want to cast aballot in either theclosed Republican primary or Democraticprimary

There are also 14,567 members of the Libertarian Party 2,711 members of the Green Partyand 7,444votersregistered with aslewofother parties.

Republican Party of Louisiana Chair Derek Babcock said the milestone is areflection of the GOP’scommitment to “conservative, common-sense values.”

The Louisiana Democratic Party said the latest shiftin voter registration figures doesn’taccurately reflect the political moment.

Report:State’s response to sexual assaultneeds improvement

Louisiana should create a more cohesivesystem for responding to sexual assault cases to comply with state law,and it lacks the resources to consistently provide adequate services to victims, a report from the Legislative Auditor’sOffice found.

The study,released Monday,was theresult of abill passedin2025 that required the state to audit sexual assault services.

In Louisiana,organizations such as law enforcement agencies, healthcare providers and advocacy centers are all involvedinresponding to reports of sexual assault. The report found that alack of coordination between such entities creates afragmented system of care for survivors. Each of the state’snine Louisiana Department of Health regions has aRegional Sexual Assault Response Plan, auditors said, adding that they “identifiedinstanceswhere

theSAR plansdonot comply with state lawand couldbe improved tobetter respond to survivors of sexual assault.”

Some plans do notmeeta staterequirementthatthey be approved by the coroner —and, even when they technically comply with the law, the plans oftenlack detailabout which entities are responsible forimplementing state requirements. The report also found that four parishes were notserved by an accredited sexual assault advocacy center.Under statelaw,survivors are all supposed to have access to suchfacilities, but “gaps and challenges” limitthat access. Alack of consistent access to Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners —specialized nurses whoconduct forensicmedical examinations of survivors —represented another challenge for Louisiana’ssystem of care, according to auditors.

“The biggest takeaway is what we already knew —that everythingisinconsistent,” said Morgan Lamandre, CEO

of Sexual Trauma Awareness and Response, aLouisiana nonprofit advocacy center for victimsofsexualassault. “Everything is siloed.”

sexual assault survivors that wouldensure access to forensic exams, she said.

“It was one of the reasons why Iran” foroffice, Spell said.

sault survivors are supposed to be allowed to have accredited advocates present at medical exams, so longastheyare available.

The state Legislature has already taken steps to address some of the problems raised in the report. This year,lawmakers passed House Bill 1247, now Act 724, which creates thepositionofa SANE coordinator within the Attorney General’s Office. That position will be responsiblefor gettinga statewide picture of how the sexual assault response system is working, identifying regions that lack resourcesand reviewing sexual assault response plans, saidstate Rep. AnnieSpell, D-Lafayette, who authored the bill. Spell, whowas elected to the Legislature in the spring of 2025, is aclinical psychologist who saidshe formerly volunteered withHearts of Hope, asexual traumacenter in Acadiana. In that role, she saw the state needed amore “robust”systemfor helping

Spell’slaw creates amobile SANE team, requires regional Health Department medical directors to submitannual reports thatidentify gaps in access to the forensic exams and establishes apanel to help create statewide standards for sexual assault response services. The panel, known as the Louisiana Sexual Assault Oversight Subcommittee, will be asubcommitteeof the Louisiana Sexual Assault Oversight Commission.

But Lamandre saidthe Legislature needs to pass lawsthat add “accountability” to enforce the standards thestate is settingfor sexual assault services, and feels Spell’slegislation did not go far enough.

“Weneed more teeth behind things,”she said. “Weneed consequences.” Forexample,all sexual as-

The audit recommends the statedomore to ensure that happens.

Spell saidshe will likely bring more legislationto strengthen care forsurvivors, but that shebelieves it needs to be done “wisely” —and after a“statewide framework” is in place.

Theauditalso recommends theLegislature consider finding aconsistentfunding source forsexualassault advocacy centers, strengthen oversight of thestate’ssexual assault response system and centralize that system.

“Louisiana should assign clear statutory authority and responsibilities at thestate leveltoone or more entities to oversee andstrengthenthe state’sresponsetosurvivors of sexual assault,” the report says.

Theparts of thestate where peopleare less likely to have

access to accreditedsexual assault victim advocates include Catahoula, Winn, LaSalle andConcordia parishes, according to the audit, which says those parishes aren’t served by accredited advocacy centers. Still, they have some of thestate’s highest rates of forensic medical examinationsbeingperformed, thereport says. The state alsoought to considerimproving access to medical exams performed by SANEsasopposed to other medical providers, as it is considered best practice when those specialists collect rape kits, even increasingthe odds for prosecutors, auditors said.

Rape kit collectionoften takesover four hours and must be performed in away that properly preserves evidence, perthe report. Between 2024 and2026, the Lafayette andNew Orleans areas hadthe lowest percentages of exams conducted by SANEs, according to thereport.

These 4 transfers can propel Tigers defense

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

LSU will have transfers all over the field in 2026, but most of them will be concentrated on offense — the unit Lane Kiffin overhauled once he began his tenure as head coach.

As for the defense? That side of the ball managed to keep a large chunk of its coaching and roster talent intact during the transition from coach Brian Kelly to Kiffin. Third-year defensive coordinator Blake Baker is back. So, too, are starters Whit Weeks, DJ Pickett, Tamarcus Cooley, PJ Woodland and Dashawn Spears.

Each played a key role on a unit that improved from 61st among FBS teams in total defense in 2024 to 25th in 2025. The group could take another step forward in 2026, especially if a few newcomers step into roles alongside the returners and enjoy productive campaigns for a unit that’s come a long way since its disastrous 2023 season.

“Blake does a great job,” Kiffin said

Gleason offers support to ex-NFL RB SPORTS

BY JEFF DUNCAN Staff writer

Steve Gleason wants Chris Johnson to know he is not alone.

The former New Orleans Saints standout and global advocate for ALS patients issued a statement Monday in response to the news that the former NFL running back has been diagnosed with ALS

“Chris is my NFL brother, but more importantly, he is my fellow human,” Gleason, who was diagnosed with ALS in 2011 at the age of 34, said in a statement.

“When ALS enters your life, it is a tsunami of emotions. I want Chris and his family to know they are not alone. We are here for them.

“Every person living with ALS has a story, a family, a purpose and a future that matters. Chris has spent his life showing strength, speed and heart. Now, he and everyone diagnosed with this disease deserve all of that strength, heart

Full-circle

BY ROD WALKER Staff writer

Long before Jaron Pierre wanted the NBA life, he simply wanted a T-shirt.

So when he would attend New Orleans Pelicans games in the Smoothie King Center as a kid, his sole mission was to catch one of the souvenirs launched from the T-shirt cannon during timeouts.

One night, he got lucky and snatched one.

“The shirt was a size 3X, down to my feet,” Pierre said. “I was dancing so hard. I wasn’t even watching the game anymore. I was just happy I had a shirt.”

But the joy from his childhood doesn’t come close to the joy Pierre had Monday morning at his introductory news conference when he stood beside Joe Dumars and held up his No. 10 Pelicans jersey

“I almost dropped a tear,” Pierre said of when he got the news of his selection. “It felt surreal.”

Pierre, drafted with the No. 58 overall pick Wednesday, is a Pelican now

This time, his Pelicans gear doesn’t drape down to his feet. It fits perfectly,

BY TIM REYNOLDS AP basketball writer

NBA free agency in 2010: Ev-

eryone waited for LeBron James to make a decision.

NBA free agency in 2026: Everyone is waiting again for James to make a decision. James was the biggest domino to fall in the NBA’s offseason player movement period 16 years ago when he decided to join Miami, and he may be the biggest domino to fall — at least in free agency — this summer as well. Free agency opens in the NBA on Tuesday evening, with James’ future atop the list of most intriguing storylines that will be solved over the coming days and weeks. It seems like retirement isn’t happening yet, which would mean the NBA’s all-time leader in points scored, minutes played and games played coming back for a record-extending 24th season and potentially — when including playoff contests — appearing in the 2,000th game of his career

“We’re trying to hit on every pick that we bring in here. We don’t take any of them for granted. There’s a certain type of player that we are looking for We are looking for guys who are competitive. We are looking for guys who have toughness. And we are looking for guys who really want to be here in New Orleans. Jaron checks the box for all of those.”

JOE DUMARS executive vice president of basketball operations for Pelicans

which is just how Dumars expects the nearly 24-year-old guard from SMU to fit on the roster Dumars, heading into his second season as the executive vice president of basketball operations, had just one pick in this year’s draft.

“We’re trying to hit on every pick that we bring in here,” Dumars said. “We don’t take any of them for granted There’s a certain type of player that we are looking for We are looking for guys who are competitive. We are looking for guys who have toughness. And we are looking for guys who really want to be here in New Orleans. Jaron checks the box for all of those.”

The city of New Orleans made Pierre whom he is today That’s evident by the

shiny chain with the glistening “5” dangling around his neck. That five represents the 5th Ward, the part of the city that raised him. He wore that number at St. Augustine High School. He also wore that number at SMU, where he averaged 17.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists during his one season playing with the Mustangs.

Now that kid with the big dreams from the 5th Ward is back in his hometown

His road to the NBA was a long and winding one, with stops at four schools in six years. When he graduated from St. Aug in 2020, he first attended Southern Mississippi. He wore No. 55 there both sea-

His options would figure to include staying with the Los Angeles Lakers, returning to Miami or Cleveland or even thinking about moving elsewhere such as Golden State and teaming up with longtime friends Stephen

Curry and Draymond Green to chase one more title. Green — who is not expected to leave Golden State — on Monday declined his $27.6 million option for next

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

head

Jamahl Mosley poses with draft pick Jaron Pierre after a news conference on Monday at the Ochsner Sports

STAFF FILE PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU safety Ty Benefield stands on the field before a drill at spring practice on March 26 at the LSU football practice facility

Gleason Johnson

Hovland beats Scheffler in Travelers

They played one playoff hole in delayed conclusion

BY DOUG FERGUSON Associated Press

CROMWELL,Conn. Viktor Hovland

got all the validation he needed Monday that his game was on track again, and a whole lot more.

He beat Scottie Scheffler in a playoff at the Travelers Championship, had both parents from Norway watch him win for the first time and even did the “row” with the Norwegian soccer fans who cheered him all the way to the surprising end.

Hovland capped off a gritty rally when he made a 7-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole and won the Travelers when Scheffler missed a 4-foot birdie putt

“Winning in the playoff against Scottie best player in the world — that was pretty satisfying,” said Hovland, who won for the first time since the Valspar Championship in March 2025.

The surprise was Scheffler going from a big advantage — an 8-iron to 4 feet on the 18th on the first playoff hole to missing a hard-sliding putt on the high side that made Hovland a winner

“Maybe I hit it a little firmer than I intended to,” said Scheffler, whose putt caught the left edge and rolled out some 7 feet by the hole. “It looked like it got pretty far by the hole and I was playing it outside the hole, so I hit it down my line, just maybe the speed was a touch off.”

It was a big disappointment for Scheffler who on Sunday made an 8-foot par putt on the 72nd hole in near darkness to force the playoff. He was first to hit from the 18th fairway and some 3,000 fans on the hillside around the green erupted in cheers Hovland responded, just like the 28-year-old Norwegian had done on the back nine Sunday when he rallied from a two-shot deficit.

Hovland’s birdie putt was snapping off to the right when it curled in the right side and he let out a big fist pump.

“It’s one of those putts that if I

make mine, his gets significantly tougher, and if I miss, he probably will make his,” Hovland said. “Yeah, it was definitely no gimmies there, so to put the pressure on him was awesome.”

It was the first Monday finish on the PGA Tour since The Players Championship in 2025, which involved a three-hole aggregate playoff won by Rory McIlroy. This turned out to be one hole and 15 minutes, but it did not lack for drama, or atmosphere. There was lively banter for the playoff. A group of Norwegian fans who had been in Boston for the World Cup, wore their soccer jerseys and chanted, “Hov-land!” as he approached his golf ball in the fairway The Americans began the “Scot-tie Scheff-ler!” chants to drown them out.

The Norwegians also brought the “row,” which has gone viral in the stadium and subway stations and wherever they go. They sit shoulder to shoulder, arms out and then forcefully pull them in. Hovland had never seen it in person until Saturday

When it was over, he sat with his

people and they showed him how it’s done.

“You definitely get adrenaline from it,” he said.

Hovland had plenty of that Sunday afternoon when he returned from a 90-minute rain delay and made three straight birdies to catch up to Scheffler and eventually get into the playoff He closed with a 69, while Scheffler had a 68. They finished at 21-under 259.

Hovland is rarely satisfied with a swing that has given him a reputation for making solid contact. He felt it gaining momentum with a third-place finish in Canada, and even in the U.S. Open despite missing the cut. There was always one bad swing that allowed doubts to creep in.

Those were gone at the TPC River Highlands, particularly at the end. He was first to hit in the playoff and drilled it down the middle, just as he had done all week.

“I’ve been playing golf with Viktor for a long time. We’ve had some good battles in college and out here as a pro,” Scheffler said. “He’s a guy that has a lot of talent and works really hard. So those

are the types of guys you like to see have success.”

For Scheffler, it was his fourth runner-up finish this year after opening his season with a victory at The American Express in the California desert. But he felt a little momentum, even in a playoff loss, as he gets ready for a three-week stretch that includes the British Open, the final major of the year

“Ball striking is definitely in a good spot. That was some of the best I hit it all season,” Scheffler said. “Obviously, I think just a little disappointed with the results of today But, yeah, I did a good job of keeping myself in the tournament last night, made the nice putt to close out last night, and so trying to remember that one.”

Hovland headed home for Norway with his parents. As for his throng of flag-waving, rowing supporters? Norway plays Ivory Coast on Tuesday in Dallas, the hometown of Scheffler

“That was probably more coincidental,” Hovland said with a laugh. “That should be a good game.”

Van Gisbergen seeks improvement on ovals

Driver known for road, street racing must shore up skills on circular tracks

By The Associated Press

SONOMA, Calif. — NASCAR might sometimes seem like an endless series of left turns, but Shane van Gisbergen can attest that oval racing is filled with variables. The 22 circular tracks on the Cup Series schedule feature different lengths, banking and shapes. For a New Zealand native who raced exclusively on road and street courses until three years ago, it’s been a slog to figure out.

“Some weeks, I can run 10th to 15th pretty easily, and other weeks it’s a battle to run 30th,” he said “As a team, we definitely need to be better and prepare as well as we can. I just need to keep getting better and make no mistakes. I’m still the weak link as a driver but I’ve got good teammates in the other cars, and they’re struggling as well.” With eight races remaining in the regular season, van Gisbergen is the highest-ranked Trackhouse Racing driver at 14th in the standings — ahead of teammates Ross Chastain (22nd) and Connor Zilisch (34th) and in a provisional spot for the Chase.

But to make the 10-race title run that is contested among the top 16 drivers, van Gisbergen knows he’ll need to shore up his results on the left-turn circuit. Sunday at Sonoma Raceway marked his eighth win in 15 career starts on road and street courses, but the final 18 races in 2026 will be held only on ovals. During his second full season in the Cup series, van Gisbergen is improving In 14 oval starts this

year, he has an average finish of 20.9, up from 24.8 in 30 oval races last year. He earned his first topfive oval finish with a fifth at Nashville Superspeedway on May 31.

Noting that van Gisbergen has finished in the top 15 the past three races when he started in the top 10, crew chief Stephen Doran said the team is focused on qualifying well with the No. 97 Chevrolet

“If we can qualify up there, we can stay up there all day,” Doran said. “That’s just the last piece of the puzzle with the ovals is to qualify good I feel like we have the speed to maintain that.” Because stage points are awarded to the top 10 twice during each

race, it’s also easier to build a Chase cushion by starting toward the front and increasing the chances of a clean race.

Mistakes that led to crashes have factored into van Gisbergen’s six finishes outside the top 30 on ovals this season.

“I’ve still got a long way up the hill to go,” he said. “I’m getting there, and I see the glimpses, and I feel them, and I know it’s coming, but I still need to get a lot better, and I still have a lot to learn.”

Sweet home Chicagoland

For the first time in seven years, NASCAR will return this weekend to Chicagoland Speedway, and

LSU baseball signee Davis takes name out of draft LSU signee and outfielder Nathaneal Davis has decided to withdraw his name from the 2026 MLB Draft and come to school, he announced on social media Monday Davis, a center fielder at Bishop Moore Catholic High in Orlando, Florida, is the No. 125 player in ESPN’s draft rankings and the No. 138 player on MLB.com’s list. He’s a left-handed hitter with excellent speed, stealing 78 bags during his high school career

He’s projected to be a center fielder at the next level and is known for his athleticism. One scout who spoke to The Advocate compared him to Chris Stanfield. “First time I saw him, I was like, ‘This guy is toolsy as all get out,’” another scout told The Advocate. “He can run, he can throw Very interesting guy.”

Sanders feels like old self one year after surgery

BOULDER, Colo. — Deion “Coach

Prime” Sanders says he feels like his old — and younger — self again a year after undergoing surgery to remove his cancerous bladder

“I consider myself cancer-free,” thanks to robotic surgery that also reconstructed his bladder using part of his intestine, Sanders told The Associated Press after getting a tutorial in the surgical system that was used in his operation.

“I was fighting” last year at this time, the University of Colorado football coach recalled. “I was walking out on the property with a bag of blood and also urine and trying to get back But this expedited the process. Last year at this time I was in a whole different place, and I’m just thankful.”

Lions release CB Arnold after kidnapping charges

The Detroit Lions on Monday released cornerback Terrion Arnold, only days after his arrest over allegations that he orchestrated the abduction and beating of three men who prosecutors believe he wrongly suspected of having stolen goods and $100,000 in cash from him.

The announcement came the same day a Florida judge set Arnold’s bail at $1 million. Prosecutors say the three victims, including a man who worked as a driver for Arnold, were robbed while being held at gunpoint in a Tampa apartment in February Prosecutors had wanted Arnold held without bond on the eight felony charges. But Chief Circuit Court Judge Christopher Sabella granted bond. He won’t be required to wear an ankle monitor because it would prevent him from taking the field for games and training.

Kyle Larson has runner-up finishes in the two most recent races at the 1.5-mile track in Joliet, Illinois. The reigning Cup Series champion, who lost a bruising last-lap battle to Kyle Busch in 2018, finished fourth at Sonoma to earn his fourth consecutive top-five finish — his longest streak in more than a year

“It’s definitely the best we’ve been all year,” said Larson, whose winless streak stands at 42 races, the longest since he joined Hendrick Motorsports in 2021.

Old new track

NASCAR held a test session in April at Chicagoland and has spent more than $5 million to refurbish the facility which has been dormant since the pandemic, aside from a SuperMotocross event in 2023.

There were 38 drivers in the June 30, 2019, race at Chicagoland. Of those 38, there are 18 who will be in Sunday’s race at a track that still has its original 2001 asphalt surface. Cody Ware, who will be making his Cup debut at Chicagoland, will be one of many relying on driving simulators to navigate the layout.

“The sim tells us where the bumps are and how to attack the track,” the Rick Ware Racing driver said. “Every little angle of your steering, your arc on corner entry and how aggressively you’re picking up the throttle, all those things matter.”

Points bubble

Team Penske’s Austin Cindric holds the 16th and final provisional spot in the Chase, 12 points in front of Erik Jones and 25 ahead of 2012 champion Brad Keselowski. Three-time champion Joey Logano is 31 points behind in 20th and in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2017.

Blue Jays shut down OF Barger due to back injury

TORONTO Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Addison Barger will be shut down for several more weeks because of a stress reaction in his back, further delaying his return in an injury-plagued season.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Monday that Barger experienced back pain while hitting at the team’s spring training facility in Florida. Barger came to Toronto for an MRI, which revealed the stress reaction, a bone injury that leads to swelling and irritation.

Barger, out since May 10 because of a sore elbow, has played just nine games this season. He’s batting .045 with no homers and two RBIs. He had one hit in eight games in March and April before missing 29 games because of a sprained left ankle.

Czech Republic coach resigns after early Cup exit

PRAGUE Czech Republic coach Miroslav Koubek resigned on Monday after the team’s early exit from the World Cup.

The decision was mutual, Koubek and Czech Football Association head David Trunda said in a statement.

“The coach offered me his position at a personal meeting today and I decided to accept his offer after an open and fair debate,” Trunda said. Koubek said he was responsible for the poor results at the World Cup, where the Czechs lost to South Korea and Mexico and drew with South Africa. The Czechs finished on the bottom of Group A with one point. Koubek’s resignation followed the retirement of team star Patrik Schick just hours after elimination.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JESSICA HILL

Viktor Hovland holds the Travelers Championship trophy on Monday at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JEFF CHIU

Shane van Gisbergen performs his traditional victory celebration by punting a rugby ball into the stands after winning a NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday at Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, Calif.

Two former NBA players indicted on gambling charges

JOHN ANNESE New york Daily News (TNS)

NEWYORK Former NBA players

Malik Beasley and Ed Davis were indicted Monday on federal allegations related to a sports gambling scheme that focused on at least four games during the 202324 season, making them the latest players to face charges in a widespread sports betting scandal.

Beasley, 29, most recently a guard with the Detroit Pistons before the gambling investigation derailed his free agency last year, and Davis, 37, are charged alongside four others with wire fraud conspiracy, bribery in sporting contests, honest services wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy

Beasley is accused of fixing three games in 2024, when he played for the Milwaukee Bucks. Davis, a former teammate of Beasley on the Minnesota Timberwolves, acted as his “gatekeeper,” and Beasley owed him gambling debts, according to federal prosecutors. Davis last played in the NBA for the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2022. The two decided which games Beasley would underperform and overperform in when it came to statistics such as rebounds and points scored, according to the indictment. In exchange, Beasley’s debts would be reduced or paid off, the indictment alleges.

“Only way you can beat Vegas is sports betting. Everything else they got the edge,” Davis told Beasely in a text message exchange on Dec 29, 2023 about a month before he agreed to tamp down how many rebounds he would get in a Jan. 25, 2024, game against the Cavaliers Davis then asked to take the conversation to Snapchat, explaining: “Better to talk on there. We can make some good money,” the indictment alleges.

The indictment names four other suspects who were allegedly in on the bets: William Brown, 39, of Nebraska; Robert Gorodtesky, 34, of Illinois; Ernesto Plascencia, 39, of California, who’s pals with Davis and other NBA players; and Paolo Zamorano, 39, a former Division I men’s college basketball player and Davis’ former agent.

“As alleged, the defendants turned professional basketball into a criminal betting operation, bribing then-NBA player Malik Beasley to fix his performance in multiple games in order to place fraudulent wagers, enrich themselves and cheat legitimate

NBA

Continued from page 1C

busy right now But it’s a fun time of year This is where we get to make decisions, shape the roster, do all that stuff.”

The NBA finalists — champion New York and runner-up San Antonio — both will have moves to make in the coming days, though they are expected to keep their cores largely intact. Plenty of decisions and rostershaping already has happened around the league, either by trades (such as the Giannis Antetokounmpo blockbuster) or teams re-signing or extending their own players (such as Trae Young’s $212 million deal with Washington and Austin Reaves’ $185 million deal with the Lakers). Miami will land Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis in a trade that sends Tyler Herro, other players and draft capital to Milwaukee, but that won’t be finalized until that moratorium date passes. But in the interim, the Heat will look to add shooters Tim Hardaway Jr whose father’s number is retired in Miami, and longtime Antetokounmpo favorite Khris Middleton make a lot

Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown moves with the ball during a playoff game April 30 in Philadelphia.

sportsbooks,”

U.S. attorney Joseph Nocella said Monday

Four of the suspects have been arrested, while two others, Beasely and Zamorano, are not yet in federal custody

“An indictment is nothing but a probable cause one-sided charging document. It is not evidence and Malik maintains his presumption of innocence,” Beasley’s attorney, Steven Haney, said Monday. “We ask that people reserve judgment until all the facts are known.”

The conspirators placed tens of thousands of dollars on bets that Beasley would underperform on rebounds in the Jan. 26, 2024, game. He ended up tallying three points, one assist and three rebounds, the indictment says. The oddsmakers had set Beasely’s betting line at 3.5 rebounds.

Almost a month later, Plascencia asked Davis when Beasley would next fix a game for them and Davis responded, “Whenever I say Just going to chill tonight but after this it’s go time,” the indictment says.

They waited for a game that wasn’t nationally televised the Feb. 27, 2024, game between the Bucks and the Charlotte Hornets when Beasley agreed to get fewer points and grab more rebounds, the indictment alleges.

The gamblers collectively profited about $100,000 on that game, the indictment says.

Things didn’t go as smoothly the third go-around, when the Bucks played the L.A. Clippers on March 10, 2024, according to the indictment.

Beasley agreed to overperform when it came to getting rebounds but some of the co-conspirators mistakenly thought the plan was for him to underperform.

He played 39 minutes, scoring 17 points with one assist and four rebounds clearing the 3.5 rebound betting line with 1.1 seconds left in the game.

The scheme fell apart on March 21, 2024, when Beasley failed to underperform on rebounds as planned in a game against the Brooklyn Nets, the indictment says.

Plascencia demanded Davis either compensate the losing bets or make Beasley fix more games, according to the indictment.

Davis agreed to keep fixing the games — but news got out that Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter was under investigation for fixing games so he abandoned that plan, the indictment alleges.

of sense.

The Heat will keep Andrew Wiggins, who on Monday exercised his $30 million option for this coming season and, according to a person familiar with the talks between the sides, has agreed in principle on a $34 million deal for the following two seasons — with 2028-29 at his option.

More trades could be coming, with a person familiar with the negotiations confirming to the AP that Toronto has spoken with the Los Angeles Clippers on the possibility of Kawhi Leonard who led the Raptors to the 2019 NBA title returning to Ontario next season. And Boston is still believed to be holding talks about the possibility of trading 2024 NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown, who was the centerpiece of the Celtics’ ultimately futile offer to land Antetokounmpo in trade discussions with Milwaukee.

“Nobody has won more combined regular-season and playoff games since I entered the league 10 years ago,” Brown posted on social media over the weekend.

He’s right: The Celtics have won 523 games with Brown in the lineup, including playoff contests, which is six more than Denver has won with Nikola Jokic over that span.

Blazers acquire Morant from Grizzlies in trade

BY TIM REYNOLDS AP basketball writer

Ja Morant is headed to Portland after the Trail Blazers and Memphis agreed on a trade Monday that sees the Grizzlies starting anew and gives the two-time AllStar a chance to revive his career, a person with knowledge of the agreement told The Associated Press.

Portland is sending forwards Jerami Grant and Kris Murray to the Grizzlies as part of the deal. It’s a big swing by the Trail Blazers and could suggest Portland — with new owner Tom Dundon, whose Carolina Hurricanes just won the Stanley Cup might not be done making moves. Morant adds to a logjam at point guard right now for Portland, with Jrue Holiday, Damian Lillard and Scoot

PELICANS

Continued from page 1C

sons in Hattiesburg. From there, he transferred to Wichita State and then Jacksonville State before finishing up at SMU.

There’s a simple message in his resilience.

“Never giving up,” Pierre said. “Staying the course. Keeping my head down and working.”

It’s a path that former NBA guard and St. Aug alum Avery Johnson knows well.

“I’m incredibly proud of Jaron and all his hard work and tenacity,” Johnson said.” Like Jaron, I transferred colleges before finding my home at Southern University Sometimes, the journey isn’t a straight line But good things come to those who grind.”

That’s’ what Pierre did to make it this far And for him, the grind will continue.

He worked out for the Pelicans last year and then again this year He felt like he did well in his predraft workouts. Besides being a player who can score at all three levels, Pierre also believes his leadership can be an asset.

“Being an older guy, I’m very seasoned already,” Pierre said.

“I bring a lot of things. Defense. Toughness. Competitiveness. Energy I bring a lot of things to the table that I know (Dumars) wants to see.”

Pierre has leaned on the advice of another Louisiana guard who made it to the NBA Gretna native and former Pelican Elfrid Payton. Payton’s advice to him has been simple.

“Stay consistent Stay level-headed. Keep the distractions out. Stay locked in and your time will come.”

For Pierre, his time came last week when he got the phone call letting him know he was being drafted by the Pelicans.

He admits he started getting a bit nervous the longer the draft lasted. Only two players were drafted behind him at picks No. 59 and 60, but Pierre doesn’t mind. He just wants to make the most of this opportunity to play in the Smoothie King Center just 3 miles away from his high school at 2600 A.P. Tureaud Ave

Instead of being the fan trying to catch T-shirts, Pierre gets to help provide the entertainment.

“It means everything,” Pierre

Henderson also on the current roster Morant has averaged 22.4 points for his career but has played only 79 games over the last three seasons because of injuries and suspensions including a 25-game banishment after he was seen on a livestream holding a gun while he was in the passenger seat of a vehicle That came not long after an eight-game suspension for flashing a gun in a Denver-area nightclub, also captured on social media. The suspensions, combined, cost Morant — who was Rookie of the Year after being the No. 2 selection in the 2019 draft — about $9 million in lost salary He said in April 2025 that he’s made his peace with being a lightning rod for constant criticism.

“I’m kind of used to it,” Morant said at that time. “I was pretty

much a villain for two years now Every little thing, if somebody can say something negative about me, it’s going to be out there. So, yeah. I don’t care no more.” Grant averaged 18.6 points last season for Portland and will join his sixth team by going to Memphis. Murray averaged 5.8 points per game this past season for the Trail Blazers. In the 2021-22 season, Memphis win 56 games, tying a franchise record. That team was built around a young core four Morant, Dillon Brooks, Jaren Jackson and Desmond Bane. Now, they’re all gone. Brooks played only one more season with the Grizzlies after that and has changed teams twice since; Bane was traded to Orlando last summer; and Jackson was traded to Utah in February

STAFF PHOTOS By SOPHIA GERMER Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations Joe Dumars gives Jaron Pierre his jersey during a news conference on Monday. The Pelicans drafted Pierre in the second round last week.

St. Aug graduate Jaron Pierre poses with his family after his

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By BRANDON DILL

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant plays against the Atlanta Hawks on Jan. 21 in Memphis, Tenn.

WORLDCUP 2026

Paraguay stunsGermanyinupset

By The Associated Press

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. José Canale

wasn’tinthe starting lineup in either of his previoustwo appearances for Paraguay in this World Cup. He made his first start amemorable one.

Canale scoredonthe first sudden-death penalty kick,Orlando Gill made two key savesinthe shootout, and Paraguay beat Germany 4-3 on penalties Monday to earn the biggest upset ofthe 2026 World Cup.

It was amajor triumph forthe landlocked South American country of 7million people that’ssurrounded by soccer giants like Argentina and Brazil.

“I think we deserved one more game, to be honest, considering everything that was said, everything we went through,” Canale said “What Iwant to highlight from our team is how united we are. Today was agame we really needed to show our true colors.”

Germany missed three ofsix tries in the shootout, the last by Jonathan Tah, who blasted his attempt high over the crossbar in the first sudden-death round, setting up Canale for the winner.Tah’s miss followed asave by German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer of Fabian Balbuena’sattempt thatwould have won it for Paraguay Paraguay was without defender Omar Alderete,who leftwithan injury in the second half of its 0-0 draw against Australia. Canale started in his place.

The round of 32 match ended1-1 after extra time. Paraguaytook the lead when Julio Enciso scored on aheader late in the first half, but Kai Havertz equalized in the 52nd minute for four-time cham-

ROUNDUP

pion Germany. Germany had won six of seven penaltyshootouts in majortournaments, including six straight since losing to Czechoslovakia in the 1976 EuropeanChampionship final.

“It’snot enough for German football,” coach Julian Nagelsmann said.

BRAZIL 2, JAPAN1: In Houston,Ga-

briel Martinelli scored the winning goal late in injury time to give fivetime champion Brazil awin over Japan.

Martinelli, who had comeonas asecond-half substitute, scored in thesixthminuteofstoppagetime as the match appeared to be headed to extra time.

“Above all elsewewanted to freshen up the field because Martinelli hasa lotofintensity as a

By

Belgium’sRomelu Lukakucelebrates his goal duringa game against NewZealand on FridayinVancouver,British Columbia.

Belgiumstriker ‘happy to be here’

BY OWEN CAMEROS Associated Press

SEATTLE Belgium striker RomeluLukaku’sfitness remains aconcern as the team prepares to take on Senegal in the round of 32 at the World Cup on Wednesday The 33-year-oldLukaku, wholeads his nation in goals scored, withdrew fromBelgium’sfriendlies in the United States in the spring to gethealthy.He missed the majority of the club season because of a hamstring injury.Lukaku appeared only seven times across all competitionsfor Italian club Napolilastseason. “I’m going with the flow Itrain hard, andinthe end, I’m happy to be here,” Lukaku said Monday in French. “Especially when yousee where Icome from. Itry to have my impact when Ineed to.” Lukaku started Belgium’ssecond group match against Iran and struggled

to keep up with the tempo. He did not register ashot, picked up ayellowcard and was replaced after 73 minutes. However, in his two substitute appearances against Egypt and New Zealand, Lukaku fared muchbetter.The strikerforced an own-goaljust23seconds afterentering ina1-1 draw againstEgypt andaddeda goal and an assist in acameo againstNew Zealand. “When I’monthe bench, I have alot of timetoanalyze everythingthat’shappening on the field,” Lukaku said. “Helping the teamis the most important thing for me.” Lukaku’scontract with Napoli expires in June 2027.Hehas had astrained relationship with theclub, includinga March training absence that prompted Napoli to consider punishing the player.

The two sides held constructivetalksafew weeks later, and Lukaku reaffirmed his desire to stay

withNapoli through next season. Senegal, Belgium’s looming opponent, finishedthird in Group Iwith three points and aplus-2 goal differential. The African team navigated one of the toughest groups in the tournament, onethatfeatured favorite France andthe Erling Haaland-led Norway Senegalfinished as the eighth-best third-place team —the lastofthe thirdplace finishers to reach the round of 32. “Weknow it will be a tough match. Senegal has alot of top-levelplayers, and the coach (Pape Thiaw) is, too,” Lukaku said. “I think it’s50-50. We really shouldn’tunderestimate them.” At 33, Lukakucould be playing in his finalWorld Cup. Midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, 35,and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, 34,each could sit out the 2030 World Cup as well —apossible endtothe team’s “Golden Generation.”

player,”Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti said through atranslator.

“Whenhegoes in the match, he’s always on his top game.”

Brazilwillnext face either the Ivory Coast or Norway on Sunday in East Rutherford, NewJersey,in the round of 16.

“Wecan never be content with what we’re doing,” Ancelotti said.

“We’re doing agood job. We are performing. But you can never be contentbecause we want to play

better.Wewant to play at the highest level.”

Casemiro hadearlierequalized for Brazil on aheader in the 56th minute off an assist from Gabriel Magalhães afterjust missing another chance twominutes earlier Theshot sailed just out of reach of the outstretched hand of Japan goalkeeper Zion Suzuki and into the net.

Kaishu Sano stoleamisplaced pass at midfield andtook it down the field before aright-footed shot from above the half circle put Japan ahead in the 29th minute.

“There is not making mistakes because nobody is perfect,” Ancelotti said. “But you have to overcome it,and youhave to push it forward. Theteam did agood job of that in the second half.”

Vinícius Júnior,who has scored four goals so farinthisyear’s tournament,had achancetoput Brazil on top in the58th minute but his shot from the left box was deflected by Suzukiand went off the farpost.

Casemiro leftinthe first minute of second-halfstoppagetimewith what appeared to be aleg injury

Brazil great Neymardidn’tplay Monday after making his first appearance forthe team since2023 in the last game against Scotland. He played only 14 minutesinthat 3-0win after missing the first two group matches at the WorldCup with aright calf injury

“I was seriously considering putting him on the pitch,” Ancelotti said. “In the end, we did not need him.”

Japan has never won aknockout match at the WorldCup,going 0-4 in the round of 16 —including also taking the lead thepasttwo times in 2018 and 2022 before losing.

France,Norway, Mexico look to

stay aliveinknockoutround

BY DAVID BRANDT Associated Press

Formidable France is back on the field for the World Cup round of 32, welcoming itscoach back to the sideline after aone-gameabsence. So is Norway,which rowed into North Texas for itsfirst knockout match in 28 years. Meanwhile, host Mexico hopes araucous home crowd andplaying at altitude can helpitprevail in MexicoCity Elimination games continue on Tuesdaywith three matchups: France-Sweden, Ivory Coast-Norway and Mexico-Ecuador Coach DidierDeschamps is back with France after traveling to Europe for his mother’sfuneral. Assistant Guy Stéphanled LesBleus to a4-1 win over Norway in Deschamps’ absence.

Starstriker Erling Haaland scored four goals in Norway’s first two groupstagegames beforesitting out the losstoFrance. He will try to lead his country to awin over Ivory Coast.

Mexicowill have the home crowdbehinditatEstadio Azteca after winning all threeof its games in Group A. Norway rows into Texas

Arested Norway was greeted by abouta dozenlocal law enforcement officials making arowing motion on thetarmac when the team landed in Dallas ahead of itsroundof32game against Ivory Coast.

Norway coach Ståle Solbakken said he wasonthe wrongside of theplane and

didn’t seeit, butcalledita “surreal”moment for the squad.

Haalandwas among 10 regulars notinNorway’s starting lineup forits groupstage finale. While some fans were disappointed, the loss to France wasonly four days after a3-2 winover Senegal, and Norwayhad already secured aspot in the knockout stage forthe first timesince 1998.

“Wehave to do what’sbest forthe team.And themanager was clear and we agreed with him, that we hadareally tough game before and we have areally hard game tomorrow,and we had the chance to rotate alittle bit,” team captainMartinOdegaard said Monday before a training session. “Wehave to think about ourselves, how we can go as faraswecan in this competition.”

“Some rest, Ithink that wasthe sensible thing to do. So I’m very,very happy we did that,” midfielder Patrick Berg said.

Ivory Coast, in its fourth World Cup, will play its first knockout game.

France seeksdeeprun

Deschamps learned of his mother’sdeath the day after France’swin over Iraqon June 22, which clinchedadvancement.

“I’m here. I’m good, and it’sgoodtobebusysince Fridayevening whenIarrived back in the United States,” DeschampssaidMonday through an interpreter

Franceswept itsgroup matches forthe first time

since1998, joinedbyArgentina andMexicoasthe only nations to win all three games. Seeking their third title after 1998 and 2018, Les Bleuswould face Paraguay in the round of 16 if they get past the Swedes.

France strikerMarcus Thuram won’tbeavailable against Sweden because of acalfinjury,and midfielder N’GoloKanté is uncertain. SwedendefenderIsak Hien will miss the match with ahamstring injury that forced him from last Thursday’sgame against Japan in the 37th minute.

Mexico’s advantage

Mexico’sbestWorld Cup performances camewhen hostingthe tournamentin 1970 and1986, reaching the quarterfinals both times. The current squadwill play Ecuador, aiming to win its first knockout-stage match sinceJune 1986, when it defeated Bulgaria in the round of 16.

“I don’tknowifwe’re favorites, but playing at home and with our fans behind us, we want to do things right,” left back Jesús Gallardo said Monday The Mexicans also benefit from thealtitude —7,350 feet above sea level —afactor that has helped the team lose onlytwo matches in its history at Estadio Azteca.

“Wehave a90-minute match ahead of us, plus extra time and possibly penalties, so we shouldn’tfocus on the altitude but rather on playing football the way we have so far,”Gallardo said.

ASSOCIATEDPRESS PHOTO

ETHAN CAIRN

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By CHARLES KRUPA

FabianBalbuena,left, and GustavoGomez celebrate after Paraguaywon the WorldCup round of 32 match against GermanyonMondayinFoxborough, Mass.

against Miomir Kecmanovic of Serbia on Monday at

Sinner survives upset in five sets

BY ANDREW DAMPF

AP sportswriter

LONDON Defending champion

Jannik Sinner had to come back from a set down twice and regain his composure after a worrisome tumble to the grass in a five-set victory over 50th-ranked Miomir Kecmanovic in the first round of Wimbledon on Monday

A month after his French Open meltdown, the top-ranked Sinner produced a 4-6, 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-2, 6-3 win that lasted 3 hours and 30 minutes in the opening match on Centre Court, which by custom is reserved for the past year’s men’s singles champion.

Sinner said he was “a little tight in the beginning,” noting that it was his first grass-court match of the season.

“I’m happy that I turned it around,” Sinner said.

Lleyton Hewitt, the 2002 champion, remains the only Wimbledon men’s singles winner in the professional era (since 1968) to lose in the first round the next year The Australian was defeated by Ivo Karlovic in his 2003 opener In another Centre Court match, seven-time champion Novak Djokovic had Bad Bunny cheering him on during a 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 victory over 102nd-ranked Wu Yibing that ended with the retractable roof closed and the lights turned on due to darkness. Djokovic improved to a perfect 21-0 in the opening round at Wimbledon.

Serena Williams will play her opening match on Tuesday against 20-year-old Maya Joint of Australia — marking the first time she competes in singles in nearly four years. Sinner hadn’t played an official match since he struggled with dizziness during a heat wave at Roland Garros, where after being within one game of concluding his second-round match in straight sets, he was beaten by Juan Manuel Cerundolo in five. The match with Kecmanovic was played in ideal conditions, with

GLEASON

Continued from page 1C

and urgency returned to them.”

Gleason, who is on vacation in the Pacific Northwest near his hometown of Spokane, Washington, also messaged Johnson directly after learning of his diagnosis Johnson announced his diagnosis during an interview on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”

The former Tennessee Titans standout revealed his battle with the motor neuron disease, which is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, in a sit-down interview with former New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan, who works as a host for the program. Johnson said he was diagnosed last year,

Serena’s return creates hot ticket at Wimbledon

BY ANDREW DAMPF AP sportswriter

LONDON Anticipation is building at Wimbledon for Serena Williams’ first singles match in nearly four years. The 44-year-old Williams is scheduled to play an opponent less than half her age, 20-year-old Maya Joint of Australia, in the third match Tuesday on Centre Court — the patch of grass where the American standout won seven of her 23 Grand Slam singles titles.

“I think everyone’s feeling the same way: Cannot wait to be watching Serena back on Centre Court again,” Sally Bolton, the chief executive of the All England Club, said Monday

Wimbledon organizers took the unusual step of holding up an eighth and final wild-card spot for Williams until she accepted the invitation at almost the last possible moment the weekend before qualifying began.

sunny skies and the temperature 75 degrees.

Sinner is a big favorite to repeat as Wimbledon champion since his main rival Carlos Alcaraz, who he beat in last year’s final, is missing the championships due to a right wrist injury

Sinner felt the pressure from the honors reserved for the defending champion.

“It was a very, very different feeling,” he said “There’s a lot of nerves when you go down the stairs behind the court. Also mentally knowing it’s such a prestige court and such a historical court.

Early in the third set, Sinner drew a loud applause when he executed a sliced stop-volley drop shot that was so good Kecmanovic didn’t even run for it. But in the same game, Sinner then fell hard to the grass when he lost his footing trying to change directions. He went down on his knees and fell backwards grimacing in pain as he grasped what appeared to be his left hip area. But he quickly got up and resumed playing.

As the match wore on, Sinner appeared to be bleeding through his right shoe.

“I’m good,” Sinner said. “It just

when he was 39 years old. Johnson, 40, played 10 seasons with the Tennessee Titans, New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals from 2008-17. In 2009, he became just the sixth running back in NFL history to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season and was named the NFL Offensive Player of the Year He also earned three consecutive Pro Bowl invitations during that time.

“There’s no history of ALS in my family,” Johnson said during his interview “My doctors believe my case is what’s called sporadic ALS, which is actually how the vast majority of ALS cases happen. That’s one of the reasons this disease can be so shocking It can happen to someone who never expected it.”

Gleason, who is remembered and celebrated for his iconic blocked

seems much worse than it is. It’s just a nail.”

Kecmanovic saved a set point in the third-set tiebreaker with a wild point that ended with Sinner down on the ground again after he first retrieved a short ball and then retreated to run down a ball over his shoulder into the corner It evened the tiebreaker at 6-6 and Sinner and Kecmanovic slapped hands on the ensuing change of ends as the players appeared to appreciate each other’s effort.

Two points later, a backhand from Sinner sailed long and Kecmanovic had a two-sets-to-one lead.

“The third set,” Sinner said, “was a very tough one to swallow.”

But Sinner cleaned up his game in the final two sets to earn his first five-set victory since he came back from two sets down to beat Daniil Medvedev for his first Grand Slam trophy in the 2024 Australian Open final.

In other matches Monday, Medvedev defeated Marin Cilic 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 in a matchup of Grand Slam champions; 12th-seeded Andrey Rublev was beaten by Roman Safiullin 6-4, 6-7 (6), 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (12); and rising Spanish teenager Rafael Jodar, in his Wimbledon debut, beat Felix Gill 6-3, 6-3, 7-5.

punt that symbolized the city’s post-Katrina resilience in 2006, founded the nonprofit organization Team Gleason to empower people living with the disease. The foundation has provided tens of millions of dollars in assistive technology, specialized equipment, care services and adventure excursions to help patients live purposeful and independent lives. Gleason’s extensive advocacy work inspired federal legislation specifically the Steve Gleason Act — to ensure Medicare patients have access to critical communication devices Gleason is currently spearheading research to learn why professional athletes are diagnosed with ALS 25% more often than the general population in an effort to develop targeted treatments.

“We were all sitting there sort of quietly keeping our fingers crossed that that’s what would happen,” Bolton said when asked how anxious the club was while Williams pondered her decision. “She is such an icon of the sport and particularly here at the championship, she’s one of our most special champion. So it really will be the ticket to have tomorrow when she walks back on Centre Court.”

Whether it was related to Williams or not, the line of would-bespectators camping out overnight for the daily batches of Wimbledon tickets on offer had reached 10,000 people by Monday morning.

“We are advising people if they haven’t already set off to travel, not to travel because the queue is effectively full,” Bolton said. “By comparison to last year, it is really busy.”

Williams will also play doubles with older sister Venus Williams later in the week.

Since Serena last won Wimbledon a decade ago, eight different women have won the title

“It was needed a wee bit to kind of reinvent the women’s game,” said Lauren Byrne, a 26-year-old spectator at Wimbledon from near Dublin. “She’s definitely going to bring a bit more excitement back.”

Added Byrne’s father, Anthony: “It’s just great to see her. She still has the appetite, hasn’t she, to play at this level? Age isn’t a barrier.”

Gibran Chenia, a London resident who described himself as “50-plus,” called Williams “a legend.

“And if she’s half as good as she was, she is going to be great for tennis,” Chenia said. “It’s great to have legends back.”

Continued from page 1C

in April. “The players play really hard for him. He’s a great motivator, so I really like that because it creates a competitive atmosphere out there.”

Let’s highlight four transfers expected to play important roles in 2026 as LSU tries to break back into the upper echelon of FBS defenses.

S Ty Benefield

Benefield, a safety from Boise State, was one of the clear standouts of spring practice, and Kiffin said in a recent appearance on Tyrann Mathieu’s podcast that he was “gonna be one of those legends to play here.”

That’s lofty praise for Benefield, the former All-Mountain West Conference senior who’s expected to man one of LSU’s starting safety spots.

“He’s wired right,” Kiffin told Mathieu. “Unbelievable range, great ball skills. I’m like, ‘You gotta get him up here to meet you,’ just to connect it. Like, you’re gonna be (one of) these iconic names, hopefully.”

Benefield started at safety next to Cooley in spring practices, but he also could spend some time at the Star spot — the hybrid defensive back-linebacker position that Spears, a junior, played throughout those sessions.

At Boise State, Benefield excelled around the line of scrimmage. He recorded 8.5 tackles for loss last season, which led all Mountain West defensive backs.

DE Princewill Umanmielen

It’s no secret that Baker wants his defenses to create havoc. It’s just difficult to accomplish that goal consistently without a capable four-man pass rush.

That’s why Umanmielen was one of LSU’s most important signings during the transferportal cycle. At Ole Miss in 2025, he recorded nine sacks and 51 pressures — almost as many as the Tigers’ top two edge rushers combined last year (61). Only two SEC defenders brought down opposing quarterbacks

more times than he did. Expect Umanmielen and the rest of the LSU defensive linemen to be more disruptive than they were in 2025. The group has a nice mix of proven veterans and promising young players.

“We’re a very versatile room,” Umanmielen said during spring practices in April. “Lot of different guys, lot of different aspects of different games that you can put on the field when it comes to us. I like our room a lot.”

DE Jordan Ross

LSU already had a key role planned for Ross even before redshirt sophomore Gabe Reliford tore his ACL during spring practices, forcing the Tigers to move the Tennessee transfer into an even more prominent position. Now Ross is expected to start at edge rusher opposite Umanmielen. He’ll likely play more snaps than he did in 2025, when he rotated onto the Tennessee defensive line behind four other pass rushers.

Five-star freshman Lamar Brown could push Ross for snaps, but it looks like the 6-foot5, 246-pound junior has an opportunity to enjoy a career year anyway He’s always had potential. Ross was one of the 25 most highly rated players in his high school signing class, according to 247Sports composite rankings.

LB TJ Dottery

Dottery was the leading tackler in the SEC at Ole Miss in 2025. Now he’s expected to start at linebacker next to Weeks to form what has the potential to be a dangerous pairing at the second level of the LSU defense.

There are areas in which Dottery can improve. According to Pro Football Focus, the fifth-year senior missed 16 tackles last season, which was the fourth-most among SEC linebackers who played more than 500 snaps. But the Tigers were looking for an experienced, reliable veteran to replace West Weeks, and they got that in Dottery — a proven SEC defender who’s started 27 games across the last two years. 247Sports said Dottery was one of the 15 best linebackers to enter the transfer portal. LSU

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By KIN CHEUNG

Jannik Sinner of Italy celebrates after winning his match

Wimbledon in London.

AP PHOTO By KIN CHEUNG

Serena Williams plays a return during a practice session ahead of Wimbledon. Her first-round match is Tuesday.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By KIN CHEUNG

Jannik Sinner of Italy reacts after falling down during a match against Miomir Kecmanovic of Serbia on Monday in London.

Morris Bart, familiesand other attendees watchaskids slidethe dragon slideatCity Park’sStoryland in

Fabled return

BY VIOLET BUCARO Staffwriter

Ascaly green,fire-breathing dragon once again calls Storyland home after CityPark officialsonThursday christened a new slide to replace theiconic —and screamingly steep— dragon slidethathad delighted New Orleanskidsfor decades. As kids climbed up to soar down the dragon’sflames, local celebrity attorney andsponsor of theslide renovation Morris Bart and his wife,Cathy Bart, joined in the fun. Theyhelped the City Park Conservancy replacethe slide, which was one of the original attractions when Storyland openedin 1956. The new slide is 2feet wide and features asofter landing pad, shorter length and aless intense incline. The wider design also allows for adualride between acaregiver and kid City Park Conservancy worked with Swift Recreation and Soft Play on thedesign

NewOrleans on Thursday

Wise wordsonattirewhenseeking lobstershells

Dear Miss Manners: My husband andIwere on the coast and stopped at aquaint place for lunch. Iordered alobster tail, which came with the shell on. When Istarted to open it, it suddenly flew off my plate and out into the dining room somewhere. Being an independent and adventurous woman, I decided to go track it down and found myself wandering around the venue, peering sidewise under tables until Ifinallylocated the orange shell. Ipicked it up and went back to my table where my

By The Associated Press

Today’shighlight in history:

Judith Martin MISS MANNERS

husband wasinconvulsions. Now mind you, it was summer, so of course Iwas wearing white pants. Itried to calm my husband, acknowledgingthat it was indeed quite not normalfor people’slunch to fly into the center of a dining room. But he said it was notsomuch that I went looking for my lunch, but the deep gooey brown stain Ihad all over my backside that had been on display throughout my search. Horrified,Ipeered around to check,and indeed,there was

athick gooey dark substance smeared all over the seat of my pants. Ithen discovered additional evidence of there having been brown droppings on the chair where Ihad been seated.

The question Iamleft withis: What kind of atip should one be expected to leave in such asituation?

Gentlereader: Aren’tyou going to charge entertainment tax? And perhaps request alimony?

Leavingaside the marital failing for the moment, Miss Manners can assure you that you needn’tindulge in retrospective embarrassment. Small accidents, although no fault of your own,

may cause this. Had you merely walked around peering under people’stables, unkind people may have snickered —and resolved not to order the lobster

Butadding the pants display madeitsoawfulthat no one would have had the emotional freedom to makefun of you. They were all too busy being grateful that it had not happened to themselves.

To answer your question: One should alwaystip extra when causing extra work. Presumably thestaff will have to clean up that chair —although, how did the messget there?

But there is another question you should be asking. It is asacred marital duty to rescue one’s spouse from adifficult, not to say ludicrous, situation. What was yours doing while you went lobster hunting? Laughing? Eating his own lobster? Pretending he wasnot with you?

Send questions to Miss Manners at herwebsite,www missmanners.com; to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail.com; or through postalmail to Miss Manners, Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City,MO 64106.

Today is Tuesday,June 30,the 181st day of 2026. There are 184 days left in the year

On June 30, 1934, Adolf Hitler launched his “blood purge” of politicaland military rivals in Germany in what cameto be known as the “Night of the Long Knives.”

Also on this date:

In 1918, laboractivist and socialist Eugene V. Debs was arrested in Cleveland, charged under the Sedition Act of 1917 for aspeech in which he denouncedU.S. involvementin World WarI.(Debs was sentenced to 10 years in prison and disenfranchised for life; President Warren G. Harding commuted Debs’ sentence to time served in 1921.)

In 1921, President Warren G. Harding nominated former President William Howard Taft to be chief justice of the United States, succeeding the lateEdward Douglass White.

In 1936, MargaretMitchell’s novel “Gone With the Wind” was released.

In 1958, the U.S. Senate passed the Alaska statehood bill

In 1971, the Supreme Court ruled, 6-3, that the government could not prevent The New York Times or The Washington Post from publishing the PentagonPapers.

In 1971, aSoviet space mission ended in tragedy when three cosmonauts aboardSoyuz 11 were found dead of asphyxiation inside their capsule after it hadreturned to Earth.

In 1985, 39 American hostages from ahijacked TWAjetliner were freed in Beirutafter being held for 17 days.

In 1994, the U.S. Figure Skating Association stripped Tonya Harding ofthe national championship and banned her for life for her role in the attack on rival Nancy Kerrigan.

In 2009, U.S. Army Pfc. Bowe R. Bergdahl went missing from his base in eastern Afghanistan, and was later confirmed to have been captured by insurgents after walking away from his post. (Bergdahl was released on May 31, 2014, in exchange for five Taliban detainees;hepleaded guilty to desertionand misbehavior before the enemy,but was spared aprison sentence by amilitary judge.)

In 2016, then-Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced that transgender people would be allowed to serve openly in the U.S. military,ending oneof the last bans on service in the armed forces.

In 2020, then-Mississippi

Gov.Tate Reeves signed abill retiring the last U.S. state flag bearing the Confederate battle emblem. Thesame day,Boston’s arts commission voted to remove astatue depictinga freed slave kneeling at Abraham Lincoln’sfeet.

In 2022, KetanjiBrown Jackson was sworn in to the U.S. Supreme Court, shattering aglass ceiling as the first Black woman on the nation’shighest court. Today’sbirthdays: Actor Nancy Dussault is 90. Olympic track champion Billy Mills is 88. Oceanographer Robert Ballard is 84. Singer-songwriter Glenn Shorrock (Little River Band) is 82. Jazz musician Stanley Clarke is 75. Actor David Garrison(“Married …with Children) is 74. Conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen is 68. Actor Vincent D’Onofrio is 67. Actor Deirdre Lovejoy (“The Wire”) is 64. Actor Rupert Gravesis63. Boxer MikeTyson is 60. Actor Monica Potter is 55. Actor Rick Gonzalez is 47. ActorLizzyCaplan is 44. Country music singersongwriter Cole Swindell is 43. Singer and actressFantasia is 42. Olympic swimming champion Michael Phelps is 41.

DRAGON

Continued from page1D

Many generations of New Orleanians sharememoriesofthe slide, Bartsaid, and he hopes his grandkids, andtheir kids, will enjoy the slide for many more decades.

“For me,itisnostalgic, Imean, Islid on that dragon when Iwas alittle girl,” CathyBart said.“It’sa core memory.”

Designed by Mardi Gras floatmaker

Blaine Kern, along with all theother original attractions, theold slide was based on the “Puffthe Magic Dragon” children’s tale. On Thursday,the Conservancy invited

CHATBOTS

Continued from page1D

But the chemistry —that’s always goingtobeanalog.”

AI adopters have been using the tech invaried waystofind romance. Some patronize AI matchmaking services. Others use AI tools to helpbuild theirdating profiles. But the most common way is enlistingchatbots to draft messages to potential matches andinterpret messages they receive.

Lansleygoesbackand forth betweenOpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthropic’sClaude.Others turn to Elon Musk and X’sGrok, Google’s Gemini and other chatbots. Dating apps and AI companies are leaning into it. ChatGPT and Geminihave postedcontentonTikTok showcasingtheir chatbots’ customized, personality-laden relationship advice

“Claude is the new Cyrano,” said datingcoach Carey Gaynes, referencing the 19th-century French play “Cyrano de Bergerac” in which the titular character is the brains behind another man’s romantic words.

“You’re usinga voice that isn’t yours.”

Gaynes said she has heard of daters ofall agesturning to the technology,both from her client base and her following on her YouTube channel, Coffee with Carey She sees how it could be useful in dating,but like many others, she worries aboutoverreliance.

Likethe platitudeused to describe many amodern dating arrangement, it’scomplicated when it comes to people’s feelings about AI’sroleinromance. There’s a range ofexcitement, resistance

families to celebrate the slide’s return with sno-balls and areading of “Puff the Magic Dragon. City Park Party and Event Supervisor Carol Dolliole said visitors have come to theparkasking wherethe slidehad gone. Shesaid the new one is an improvement.

“The kids are lovin’ it,”Dolliole said. The dragon slide can be found near the Jack and the Beanstalkattraction at the back of Storyland at 5Victory Ave., near the Besthoff Sculpture Garden and Carousel Gardens. Storylandisopenfrom 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday and Sunday; and 10 a.m.to3:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.Kids under 36 inches tall and park members canenter for free, otherwise it’s$8per person.

and skepticism.

AI writingsuggestions

Lansley said she has been startled by how chatbots can appear to display emotional intelligence. When doing an onboarding call with the AI matchmaker on the appKnown, she said thequestions the bot asked went “one or twolevels deeper” than traditional dating appquestions anditseemed to be striving for empathy

It doesn’tnecessarily lead to better results— her first match was not aperfect fit.

MasonNaung, a25-year-old student in Los Angeles, said he doesn’tuse chatbots for message ideas, but could seethe benefit of it for “icebreakers” during theearly back-and-forthwith someone.

“I’vebeen on Hinge on andoff for ayear or two, and sometimes Ikind of struggle to thinkabout what the opening line shouldbelikewiththis girl, right?” he said. But if theAIwritten messages go beyond those initial exchanges, that would be a “small redflag” in his mind.

Just as chatbots can help start conversations, they also can help end things. Dani Cohen, a27-yearoldbusiness owner in SanDiego, saidshe wouldmuch ratherbe sent an AI-written farewell message by someoneshe’sbeen on a fewdates with than be “ghosted, or cut off without aword.

“Obviously,inaperfect world, everyone knows exactly what they want to say and how to say it in the kindest way possible and they do that. That’snot the world we livein,”she said. “Anything to get people to communicate, and to communicate their thoughts kindly and effectively,isgreat ” Skepticism persists

Several people who spoke with

TheAssociated Press, including those who have turnedtoAIfor dating help, expressedreservations about usingthe technologyto help with deeply personal aspects of their life.Many adopters said they had aline they wouldn’tcross when it would be inappropriate to useAIfor dating.

Others couldn’tdream of turning to achatbot for help with their love life at all.

Clara Sullivan,a22-year-old student in Los Angeles, said she would not reply to apotential partner if she knew they were sending herAI-written messages.

“I think it’sreally scary how reliantpeople areonit,”Sullivan said. “It’s completely gotten rid of people’sability to think creatively and on their own.”

Many feel the same way. A2025 survey from the Pew Research Center found 53% of U.S. adults say AI will worsen people’sability to think creatively.Half of those polled saidthey feel AI will worsen people’sability to form meaningful relationships. Still, themarriage of AI with the highly lucrativedatingindustry was likely inescapable. Many dating apps have been integrating AI into their platforms foryears.

Tinder hasanAI-poweredfeature called Chemistry thatsuggests profiles tailored to auser’s interests.Hinge has AI-powered conversation startersand feedback tools to help build users’ profilesand make interactions smooth.

Thefounderofthe appBumble recently said the platform will soon ditch the well-known swipe feature, instead pivoting toward AI-driven matchmaking. After facing some backlash to the decision,BumbleCEO andfounder Whitney Wolfe Herd wrote in a

statement that said what they’re building “is rooted in asimple belief: technology should make love and connection feel more human, not less.”

Some seetradeoffs to AI’s role Mohammed Nizami, 23, said he turns to AI forsomethings in his life, but not his dating pursuits.

“We’re all craving for some degree of authentic connection. Certainly with your partner,you want that,” he said. “Ifthere’ssome filterorbarrierbetween youand your partner or potentialpartner, Ithink that’sjust not agreat way to start arelationship.”

Nizami said chatbots maynot even provide thebest guidance. The sycophantic nature of many chatbots, he said, might be “good foryour own mental comfort” but does not necessarily lead to the soundest advice.

AI is likely going to play agrowing role in modern dating life, despite the hesitations.

“It’skind of asad commentary on the state of the world. Dating is supposed to be one of the things that cannot be replaced, right?” said Jake Clay,a30-year-old content creator in New York City.“It’s kind of sad to think that something so pivotaltoyourlife journeyisbeing outsourced to an AI who can’t understand the emotions around it.”

Claydid sayhe’sbeen receiving fewer texts from friends asking him to decode amessage from potential partners,astheynow turn to chatbots. Clay wryly said he appreciates AI “lifting the load” there but also called thesituation a“Catch-22” since it’s “circumventing someof the normal processes in life that I feel like should be alittle bit more sacred.”

Carolyn Thomas coaxes her grandkidstoslide down the dragon slide at CityPark’sStoryland in NewOrleans on Thursday

Anew sign is placed by the reneweddragon slide at City Park’sStoryland.

cAncER (June 21-July 22) Take the initiative and follow through. Stop putting yourself last and letting others take advantage of you. Put your energy into self-help, health and a lifestyle that makes you happy.

LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) Don't wait for someone else to make the first move. If you look on the bright side and let your smile and positive attitude lead the way, those you encounter will find it hard to resist you.

VIRGo (Aug. 23-sept. 22) Engage in activities that encourage you to expand your circle of friends and to participate in a cause that helps you make a difference in your community. Don't make abrupt changes or spontaneous decisions.

LIBRA (sept. 23-oct. 23) Putemotionsaside anddedicatemoretimetofindingoutthe truth and making whatever adjustments are necessary to clear a path forward. Once you display your options, you'll get a sense of what's possible.

scoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Take the high road, speak up for those who can't and make a difference. Protect your reputation and your physical well-being from careless individuals or those contesting your beliefs.

sAGIttARIus (nov 23-Dec 21) Whether it's visiting a place you've never been or reaching out to someone who can shed lightonasubjectyouwanttoincorporate into your life, what you encounter will help build momentum.

cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Sort matters through before you address issues

involving other people. Choosing the right words will make a difference to the outcome.

AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Set the tone for what's to come. Speak up, make a to-do list and execute your plans with finesse. The interest you attract will make a difference to how things unfold at home. PIscEs (Feb 20-March 20) Sittight,regardless of what others choose to do. Pay more attention to self-preservation, health, exercise and overall happiness. Ease your stress, and pick your pastimes to suit your mood and ensure peace of mind.

ARIEs (March 21-April 19) Rethink your professional strategies first. Keep your dialogue simple, honest and upbeat. The highest return will come from how you present and deliver what you want to pursue.

tAuRus (April 20-May 20) Choose positive support instead of criticism when dealing with friends, family and colleagues. Offering enthusiasm will help further your agenda and assist those in your personal or professional circles.

GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Make a powerful statement, and get things done on time. Step outside your comfort zone, try new things and explore unique ways to utilize your skills and personality to reach your heart's desires.

The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2026 by nEa, inc., dist. By andrews mcmeel syndication

FAMILY CIrCUS

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

toDAy's cLuE: P EQuALs s

CeLebrItY CIpher

For better or For WorSe

peAnUtS

And erneSt

Forth

beetLe bAILeY

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

LAGoon

Sudoku

InstructIons: sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers1 to 9inthe empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. Thedifficulty level of the sudoku increases from monday to sunday.

Yesterday’s PuzzleAnswer

THe wiZard oF id

BLondie

BaBY BLueS

Hi and LoiS

CurTiS

By PHILLIP ALDER

Jon Bon Jovi said, “Success is falling nine timesand gettingup10. Success in three no-trump is getting up nine tricks and falling four times.How should South plan to do that in this deal afterWest leads the spade king?

South starts with eight top tricks:one spade,twohearts,fourdiamondsandone club. The extra winner might come from hearts or clubs. In isolation, in hearts, one would cashdummy’s king, then take afinesse; or, in clubs, take twofinesses. The snag is that all of those finessesare intothe West hand, the defender who presumably has long and strong spades (tobeleadingdeclarer’sknownfour-card suit). Is there anythingbetter?

Of course! Southshouldduck the first two rounds of spades to find out if the suitis4-3 or worse. If it is worse,hehad better run hisdiamonds to try to bring pressure to bear on West, then probably hope thatthe heart finesse works.

Here, though, spades are 4-3. Now it cannot hurt declarer to take the third spade and return his fourth spade, pitching aheart and aclub from the board. If West shifts to aheart or club, it concedes the contract. So let’s assume he safely leadsadiamond. South takes the trickonthe board and runs the club 10.

That losesand West produces another diamond. Now declarer should play off histwo top hearts. Here, thequeen drops and the contract is home. Butifshe does not appear, after cashing his last two diamond tricks, South should plan on taking asecond club finesse

By andrews mcmeel

©2026 by nEa,inc., dist.

syndication

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

Previous answers:

word game

InstRuctIons: 1. Words must be of fourormore letters. 2. Words that acquire fourletters by the addition of “s,”such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed.3 additional words made by adding a“d” or an “s” may not be used. 4. proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit wordsare not allowed toDAy’s WoRD MEDALs: MED-uls: Small pieces of metal having astamped design.

Average mark18words

Timelimit 20 minutes

Can you find 22 or morewords in MEDALS?

yEstERDAy’s WoRD —cAnoED

dean done

sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusts in

wuzzles

loCKhorNs

marmaduKe

Bizarro

hagar the horriBle

Pearls Before swiNe

garfield

B.C.

PiCKles

hidato

mallard fillmore

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.

ken ken

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

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

WiShinG Well

HErE is a

Scrabble GramS

Get fuzzy

jump Start

roSe iS roSe animal crackerS

DuStin

Drabble Wallace the brave

breWSter rockit

luann

shallnot be ac‐ceptedortaken,includ‐ingreceiving anyhand deliveredbids, on days which arerecognizedas holidays by theUnited States Postal Service. Themailing addressfor bids is:Grand Isle Inde‐pendentLevee District P. O. BOX757 GrandIsle, LA 70358 No bidreceivedafter the scheduledtimefor open‐ingwillbeconsidered. Failureofthe U.S. Mail to deliverthe bids timely shallnot be considered duecause forthe sched‐uled time of thebid openingtobeextended. PUBLIC

Martin,the duly ap‐pointedand qualified ad‐ministratorfor theSuc‐cessionofBetty Bowman Sandersisapplying for au-thority to sell at pri‐vate sale,the whole in‐terest of theSuccession of Betty Bowman Sandersinand to the belowdescribed prop‐erty on theterms of at theminimum Ninety Thousand dollarsand no cents($90,000.00) with seller to paysellers clos‐ingcosts andbuyer to paybuyersclosing costs. Thepropertyisde‐scribedasfollows: THAT CERTAINPORTION OF GROUND,together with allthe buildingsand improvements thereon, andall therights, ways privileges, servitudes appurtenancesand ad‐vantages thereuntobe‐longingorinanywise ap‐pertaining,situatedin theParishofJefferson Stat fL isi in th t 1965, revisedand amendedOctober 5, 1965, registered in COB 626, folio54ofJefferson Parish,Louisiana andas shownonsurveyof WilliamMaier,C.E datedNovember22, 1966, redatedMay 14, 1969, andaccording lo survey of R. L. Schumann &As‐sociates L. S.,dated March1,1978, is further designated andde‐scribedasfollows,towit: LOTNO. 4, SQUARE NO.3, which said square is bounded by Highland Drive, NorthLineofSub‐division,Glenwood Drive (side),and Barataria Blvd andthe said lot commences at adis‐tanceof189.61 feet from thecomer of OldR/W Line on BaratariaBoule‐vard andHighlandDrive andmeasuresthence61 foot frontonHighland Drive, awidth in therear of 61.0037 feet by adepth on thesidelinenearerto BaratariaBoulevard of 106.96 feet by adepth on 107.65

OFFI CIAL PROCEE DIN GS OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS REGULAR SESSION

CITY HALL: MAY21, 2026

The Council of the City of New Orleans metthis day in Regular Session

at 10:04A.M., in the Council Chamber,City Hall, Council President, JP Morrell, presiding. On callingthe roll, the following members answered to their names:

PRESENT: MORRELL (PRESIDENT) WILLARD (VICE PRESIDENT)

HARRIS

GREEN HUGHES ABSENT: MCCARRON (Arrived later in the meeting).

KING FIVE MEMBERS PRESENT,CONSTITUTING AQUORUM.

ROLL CALL

AISHA R. COLLIER

CLERK OF COUNCIL

INVOCATION

BISHOP TYRONE JEFFERSON

ABUNDANT LIFETABERNACLE

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

JP MORRELL

COUNCILMEMBER-AT-LARGE

ZONINGPETITION

ZONINGDOCKET NO. 40/26 -2613 MARAIS, LLC -Requesting a conditional use to permit acommercial short-term rental (CSTR) in an HUMU Historic Urban Neighborhood Mixed-Use District and the Transient Lodging Interim Zoning District, located on Square487, Lot 4, in the ThirdMunicipal District, bounded by Franklin Avenue, Marais Street, Port Street,and Iroquois Street (Municipal addresses: 2613-2615 Marais Street).The recommendation of the City Planning Commission being “FOR APPROVAL”

WITHDRAWN. (At the applicant’srequest)

ORDINANCES ON FINALPASSAGE

CAL. NO. 35,432 -BY: COUNCILMEMBERS HARRIS, MCCARRON, KING, GREEN, HUGHES, MORRELL AND WILLARD -AnOrdinance to establish Division 56 of Chapter 70, Article III of the Code of the City of New Orleans to create the 2026 Caesars Lease Rent Strip Sale Proceeds Fund, dedicated to housing the City’sproceeds anticipated from the sale of certain futurelease payments from Jazz Casino Company,L.L.C. for the Caesars New Orleans Casino, to create restrictions on expenditures; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

ROLL CALL:

YEAS:Green, Harris, Hughes, McCarron, Morrell, Willard-6

NAYS: 0 ABSENT:King -1

RECUSED: 0 AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO. 35,435 -BY: COUNCILMEMBERS HARRIS, MORRELL, WILLARD AND MCCARRON(BY REQUEST) -AnOrdinance to amend Ordinance No. 30530 M.C.S., as amended, entitled “An Ordinance

Providing an Operating Budget of Revenues for the City of New Orleans for theYear 2026”, to appropriate grant funds to promote healthy behaviors and access to high quality healthcare. The grant supports the Health Department withproviding these services through community outreach staff; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

ROLL CALL:

YEAS:Green, Harris, Hughes, McCarron, Morrell -5

NAYS: 0

ABSENT:Willard, King -2

RECUSED: 0 AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO. 35,436 -BY: COUNCILMEMBERS HARRIS, MORRELL, WILLARD AND MCCARRON(BY REQUEST) -AnOrdinance to amend Ordinance No. 30531 M.C.S., as amended, entitled “An Ordinance

Providing an Operating Budget of Expenditures for the City of New Orleans for the Year 2026”, to appropriate grant funds to the Health Department to promote healthy behaviorsand access to high quality healthcare. The grant supports the Health Department with providing these services through community outreach staff; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

ROLL CALL:

YEAS:Green, Harris, McCarron, Morrell, Willard-5

NAYS: 0

ABSENT:Hughes, King -2

RECUSED: 0 AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO. 35,437 -BY: COUNCILMEMBERS HARRIS, MORRELL, WILLARD AND MCCARRON(BY REQUEST) -An Ordinance to amend Ordinance No. 30530 M.C.S., as amended, entitled “An Ordinance Providing an Operating Budget of Revenues for the City of New Orleans for the Year 2026”, to appropriate private grant funds to the Health Department from the Robert Wood Johnsongrant for operatingexpense; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

ROLL CALL:

YEAS:Green, Harris, McCarron, Morrell, Willard-5

NAYS: 0

ABSENT:Hughes, King -2

RECUSED: 0 AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO. 35,438 -BY: COUNCILMEMBERS HARRIS, MORRELL, WILLARD, ANDMCCARRON(BY REQUEST) -AnOrdinance to amend Ordinance No. 30531 M.C.S., as amended, entitled “An Ordinance Providing an Operating Budget of Expenditures for the City of New Orleansfor the Year 2026”, to appropriate private grant funds to the Health Department from the Robert Wood Johnsongrant for operating expense; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

ROLL CALL:

YEAS:Green, Harris, Hughes, McCarron, Morrell, Willard -6

NAYS: 0

ABSENT:King -1

RECUSED: 0 AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO. 35,439 -BY: COUNCILMEMBERS HARRIS, MORRELL, WILLARD AND MCCARRON(BY REQUEST) -An Ordinance to amend Ordinance No. 30530 M.C.S., as amended, entitled “An Ordinance Providing an Operating Budget of Revenues for the City of New Orleans for the Year 2026”, to appropriate private grant funds to the New Orleans Health Department’sOffice of Violence Preventionfor professional services related to violence prevention and victim support initiatives.; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

ROLL CALL:

YEAS:Green, Harris, Hughes, McCarron, Morrell, Willard-6

NAYS: 0

ABSENT:King -1

RECUSED: 0 AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO.35,440 -BY: COUNCILMEMBERS HARRIS, MORRELL, WILLARD AND MCCARRON (BYREQUEST) -AnOrdinance to amend Ordinance No. 30531 M.C.S., as amended, entitled “An Ordinance Providing an Operating Budget of Expenditures for the City of New Orleansfor the Year 2026”, to appropriate private grant funds to the New Orleans Health Department’sOffice of Violence Preventionfor professional services related to violence prevention and victim support initiatives; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

ROLL CALL:

YEAS:Green, Harris, Hughes, McCarron, Morrell, Willard-6

NAYS: 0

ABSENT:King -1

RECUSED: 0 AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO. 35,442 -BY: COUNCILMEMBERS HARRIS, MORRELL, WILLARD AND MCCARRON (BYREQUEST) -AnOrdinance to amend Ordinance No. 30531 M.C.S., as amended, entitled “An Ordinance Providing an Operating Budget of Expenditures for the City of New Orleansfor the Year 2026”, to transfer funds within the NORDCFY2026 budget from Personnel Services to Other Operating Expenses to correct aclassification error and allow the funds to be used for operational programmatic, and facility maintenance needs without increasing the overall budget; and otherwisetoprovide with respect thereto.

ROLL CALL: YEAS:Green, Harris, Hughes, McCarron, Morrell, Willard-6

NAYS: 0

ABSENT:King -1

RECUSED: 0 AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO. 35,443 -BY: COUNCILMEMBERS HARRIS AND KING (BY

REQUEST) -AnOrdinance to amend Ordinance No. 30530 M.C.S., as amended, entitled “An Ordinance Providing an Operating Budget of Revenues for the City of New Orleans for the Year 2026”, to appropriate funds to allow the City of New Orleans to implement components of the FrenchQuarter Economic Development District’s2026 adopted budget; and otherwise to provide withrespect thereto.

ROLL CALL:

YEAS:Green, Harris, Hughes, McCarron, Morrell, Willard-6

NAYS: 0

ABSENT:King -1

RECUSED: 0 AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO. 35,444 -BY: COUNCILMEMBERS HARRIS AND KING(BY

REQUEST) -AnOrdinance to amend Ordinance No.30531 M.C.S., as amended, entitled “An Ordinance Providing an Operating Budget of Expenditures for the City of New Orleans forthe Year 2026”, to appropriate funds to allow the City of New Orleans to implement components of the French Quarter Economic Development District’s 2026 adopted budget; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

ROLL CALL:

YEAS: Green, Harris, Hughes, McCarron, Morrell, Willard- 6

NAYS: 0

ABSENT:King -1

RECUSED: 0 AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO. 35,445 -BY: COUNCILMEMBERS GREEN AND HARRIS (BYREQUEST) -AnOrdinance to amend and re-ordain Ordinance No 30,532 M.C.S., entitled “AnOrdinance Providing aCapital Budget for the Year 2026”, to effect the following change to the 2026 Capital Budget: to de-appropriate funds from the Department of PublicWorks and the Department of Property Management; to appropriatefunds to the Chief Administrative Office; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

ROLL CALL: YEAS: Green, Harris, Hughes, McCarron, Morrell, Willard- 6 NAYS: 0

ABSENT:King -1

RECUSED: 0 AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED. MOTION (LYING OVER)

NO. M-25-239 CITY HALL: April 24, 2025

BY:COUNCILMEMBERSHARRIS, WILLARD, MORRELL, MCCARRON AND KING WHEREAS,atits meeting on March14, 2025, the Civil Service Commission adopted the following amendments to the Classified Pay Plan (Police). In accordance with Article X, Section10ofthe

Louisiana, this agency is submitting for Council approval, the following amendments to the Classified Pay Plan as adopted by the Civil Service

at its meeting of March14, 2025 as outlined below: New

At the request of the Police Department,the Civil Service Commission approved the aforementioned new classifications to

In

expected of the position which will need be expected to supervise the CODISAdministrator; and WHEREAS,the Chief Administrative

available to implement the above proposed

Pay Plan; NOW THEREFORE BE IT MOVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS

That in accordance with Article X, Section10ofthe Constitution of Louisiana, the amendments to the Classified Pay Plan is approved to be effective April 20, 2025.

BE IT FURTHER MOVED,That the Clerk of Council shall forwarda certified copy of this motiontothe Director of the Civil Service Commission and the Chief Administrative Officer MAY21, 2026 THE FOREGOING MOTION WASREAD IN FULL, THE ROLL WAS CALLED ON THE ADOPTION THEREOF, AND RESULTED AS FOLLOWS: YEAS: Green, Harris, Hughes, McCarron, Morrell, Willard- 6 NAYS: 0 ABSENT:King -1 AND THE MOTION WASADOPTED. MOTIONS/RESOLUTIONS NO. M-26-196

BY:COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS

SECONDED BY:COUNCILMEMBER GREEN

BE IT MOVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS that, having received the City Planning Commission’sreport and effective denial for lack of alegal majority regarding ZONING DOCKET 14/26, initiated by 2400 NapoleonAvenue, LLC, requesting consideration of an Amendment to Ordinance No.29,359 MCS (Zoning Docket 084/22, which granted aconditional use to permit areceptionfacility over 10,000 square feet in an HU-MU Historic Urban Neighborhood Mixed-Use District) to permit aPlanned Development authorizing aLive Performance Venue, on Square584, Lot 1A-3, in the SixthMunicipal District, bounded by La Salle Street, Freret Street, Jena Street, and NapoleonAvenue (Municipal Address: 2400 Napoleon Avenue),the request is hereby APPROVED AND MODIFIED as follows:

1. The development shall remainprimarilya reception and privateevent facility. Ticketed live performances shall not exceed 33% of all events hosted at the facility annually, ensuring that foreach ticketed live performance thereare at least two reception events.

2. The operator may host ticketed live performances provided only if the development remains primarilyareception facility.Should the development cease to operateasaprimarily reception and privateevent facility fora period of morethan six months, except in aforce majeureevent, the facility shall be prohibited from hosting ticketed live performance events.

3. Live performance events shall be limitedtoa maximum of 13 per quarter 4. Ticketed live performances shall conclude no later than 10:00 pm Sunday through Thursday and 12:00 am Friday and Saturday

5. Alllive performance events shall be limitedtoa maximum of 800 attendees.

6. The operator shall maintain aminimum of one security guardfor every 250 guests attending aticketed live performance event.

7. During each event, the operator shallmaintain amanager on duty with apublicly available cellular telephone number that may be used by neighbors to report concerns. The manager shall make reasonable efforts to respond to issues in real timeduring events.

8. Following each event, the operator shallperform street cleaning, including,but not limited to,sweeping, trash removal,and other reasonable measures to maintain the cleanliness of the public right-ofway around the perimeter of the property,including on:

a. Napoleon Avenue (West Side) between Freret Street and South Liberty Street; and b. La Salle Street between Napoleon Avenue and Jena Street. 9. The development shall secureatrafficstudy for submission to the City of New Orleans forconsideration of turning La Salle Street into aone-way street in the direction of downtown.

BE IT FURTHER MOVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS,that the Clerk of Council is directed to forwardcopies of this motion to the Law Department,which is directed to prepareanordinance to effectuate this motionand is granted flexibilitytomake any changes necessary to achieve the will of the Council as set forth in this motion. THE FOREGOING MOTION WASREAD IN FULL, THE ROLL WAS

CALLED ON THE ADOPTION THEREOF, AND RESULTED AS FOLLOWS: YEAS: Green, Harris, Hughes, McCarron, Morrell, Willard- 6 NAYS: 0 ABSENT:King -1 AND THE MOTION WASADOPTED.

NO. M-26-197 BY:COUNCILMEMBER WILLARD SECONDED BY:COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS

BE IT MOVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS,

That the appointment of Arthur Morrell (vice Holly Sharp), as amember of the Parking Facilities Corporation, effective upon approval by the Council of the City of New Orleans, foraterm that will expireonDecember 31, 2029, be, and the same is hereby ratified, confirmed and approved. BE IT FURTHER MOVED,That the Clerk of Council shall immediately provide acertified copy of this motiontoArthur Morrell, the Parking Facilities Corporation, and the Mayor’sOffice of Intergovernmental Relations. THE FOREGOING MOTION WASREAD IN FULL, THE ROLL WAS CALLED ON THE ADOPTION THEREOF, AND RESULTED AS FOLLOWS: YEAS: Green, Harris, Hughes, McCarron, Morrell, Willard- 6

NAYS: 0

ABSENT:King -1

extend acontract for comprehensive correctionalhealth services for inmatesatthe jail, for an additionalone (1)year,with the maximum aggregateamount payable by the City for the term of the Agreement (i.e. June 1, 2026, through May 31, 2027) is $24,267,264.00;

Inc. and BE IT FURTHER MOVED,Thatthe President of the Council is hereby authorized to sign the Amendment No. 1tothe contract between the City of NewOrleansand WexfordHealth Sources, Inc., as attached hereto as Exhibit A; and BE IT FURTHER MOVED,Thatthe Clerk of Council shall forward copies of this motion, including Exhibit A, to the City Attorney’sOffice to effectuate this request.

THEFOREGOING MOTION WASREAD IN FULL, THEROLL WAS CALLED ON THE ADOPTION THEREOF,AND RESULTEDAS

FOLLOWS: YEAS: Green, Harris,Hughes, McCarron, Morrell, Willard- 6 NAYS:0 ABSENT:King -1 AND THE MOTION WASADOPTED. NO. M-26-200 BY:COUNCILMEMBERSMORRELL, MCCARRON, HARRIS, GREEN AND HUGHES (BYREQUEST)

BE IT MOVED BY THECOUNCIL OF THE CITYOFNEW ORLEANS That SusannahKirby,be, andhereby is confirmed as the Director of the Department of Safety andPermits, in accordance with Section 4-106 of the Home Rule Charter BE IT FURTHER MOVED,Thatthe Clerk of Council shall forward copies of this motion to SusannahKirby andChiefAdministrative Officer Joseph Giarrusso.

THEFOREGOING MOTION WASREAD IN FULL, THEROLL WAS CALLED ON THE ADOPTION THEREOF,AND RESULTEDAS

FOLLOWS:

YEAS:Green, Harris, Hughes,McCarron, Morrell, Willard- 6

NAYS: 0 ABSENT:King -1 AND THE MOTION WASADOPTED. NO. M-26-201 BY:COUNCILMEMBERSMORRELL, MCCARRON, HARRIS, GREEN AND HUGHES (BYREQUEST) WHEREAS,Section 70-10 of the Code of the City of NewOrleansrequires thatcertaincontractsproviding for the aggregateexpenditureofmore than$1,000,000.00 in city funds during the initialterm andall allowable renewaltermsorhaving an initialterm of morethanone year or providing for legalservices must be signedbythe President of the City Council; and WHEREAS,Section 70-10 furtherprovides thatthe President of the City Council shall not execute anysuchcontract unless authorized to do so by Council motion; and WHEREAS,onJune 1, 2023, the City andHammerman &Gainer,LLC (the“Contractor”) enteredinto aProfessional Services Agreementfor the Contractor to provide services for the management andadministration of the City’sSelfInsuredWorker’sCompensation (the“Agreement”); WHEREAS,the City an the Contractor,each having the authority to do so, desiretoenterinto an amendment to extendthe term of the Agreement for one year,fromApril 31, 2026 through April 30, 2027 andincrease the maximum amount payable by the City by $649,000.00 to atotalnot to exceed $2,596,000 (“Amendment No. 3”) NOW THEREFORE, BE IT MOVED BY THECOUNCIL OF THE CITYOFNEW ORLEANS That the President of the Council shall be added as a signatory to Amendment No. 3tothe contract between the City of NewOrleansand Hammerman &Gainer, LLC; and BE IT FURTHER MOVED,Thatthe President of the Council is hereby authorized to sign Amendment No. 3the contract between the City of NewOrleansand Hammerman &Gainer, LLC, as attached hereto as Exhibit A; and BE IT FURTHER MOVED,Thatthe Clerk of Council shall forward copies of this motion, including Exhibit A, to the City Attorney’sOffice to effectuate this request.

THEFOREGOING MOTION WASREAD IN FULL, THEROLL WAS CALLED ON THE ADOPTION THEREOF,AND RESULTEDAS FOLLOWS: YEAS:Green, Harris, Hughes,McCarron, Morrell, Willard- 6 NAYS: 0 ABSENT:King -1 AND THE MOTION WASADOPTED.

**Copies of the attachment may be seen in full in the Clerk of Council’s Office, 1300 Perdido Street,Room 1E09, City Hall. NO. M-26-202 BY:COUNCILMEMBERSMORRELL, MCCARRON, HARRIS, GREEN AND HUGHES (BYREQUEST) WHEREAS,Section 70-10 of the Code of the City of NewOrleansrequires thatcertaincontractsproviding for the aggregateexpenditureofmore than$1,000,000.00 in city funds during the initialterm andall allowable renewaltermsorhaving an initialterm of morethanone year must be signed by the President of the City Council; and WHEREAS,Section 70-10 furtherprovides thatthe President of the City Council shall not execute anysuchcontract unless authorized to do so by Council motion; and WHEREAS,The City of NewOrleans, Information Technology and Innovation, andEnvironmentalSystems Research Institute, Inc., desireto enterinto an amendment to acontract for the Licensing Agreementofthe sole source of GIS softwareand mapping softwarethatmaintains mapping capabilitiesduring andprior to emergencies, for an additionalperiod of 3 years, andadding an additionalcompensation of $1,350,000.00, bringing the totalcompensation to $3,805,000.00; NOW THEREFORE BE IT MOVED BY THECOUNCIL OF THE CITYOFNEW ORLEANS That the President of the Council shall be added as asignatory to Amendment No. 5tothe contract between the City of NewOrleansand Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc.; and BE IT FURTHER MOVED,Thatthe President of the Council is hereby authorized to sign Amendment No. 5tothe contract between the City of NewOrleansand Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc., as attached hereto as Exhibit A; and BE IT FURTHER MOVED,Thatthe Clerk of Council shall forward copies of this motion, including Exhibit A, to the City Attorney’sOffice to effectuate this request.

THEFOREGOING MOTION WASREAD IN FULL, THEROLL WAS CALLED ON THE ADOPTION THEREOF,AND RESULTEDAS FOLLOWS: YEAS: Green, Harris,Hughes, McCarron, Morrell, Willard- 6

NAYS:0 ABSENT:King -1 AND THE MOTION WASADOPTED. NO. M-26-203 BY:COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS

SECONDED BY:COUNCILMEMBER HUGHES

BE IT MOVED BY THECOUNCIL OF THE CITYOFNEW ORLEANS,That the appointment of Stephanie Burks (vice Scott Polakoff),nomineeofthe District Bcouncilmember, as amember of the Downtown Development District, effective August 8, 2026 upon approvalbythe Council of the City of NewOrleans, to serve aterm ending August 8, 2031, be, andthe same is hereby ratified, confirmed, andapproved.

BE IT FURTHER MOVED, That the Clerk of Council shall immediately provide acertified copy of this motion to Stephanie Burks, the Downtown Development District, the LawDepartment, andthe Mayor’sOffice of IntergovernmentalAffairs.

THEFOREGOING MOTION WASREAD IN FULL, THEROLL WAS CALLED ON THE ADOPTION THEREOF,AND RESULTEDAS FOLLOWS: YEAS: Green, Harris,Hughes, McCarron, Morrell, Willard-6 NAYS: 0 ABSENT:King -1 AND THE MOTION WASADOPTED.

NO. M-26-204

BY:COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS

SECONDED BY:COUNCILMEMBER HUGHES

BE IT MOVED BY THECOUNCIL OF THE CITYOFNEW ORLEANS

That the appointment of AyameDinkler(vice Lisa Mazique), nomineeof the District Bcouncilmember, as amember of the Industrial Development Board, effective upon approvalbythe Council of the City of NewOrleans, to serve aterm ending January 1, 2029, be, andthe same is hereby ratified, confirmed, andapproved.

BE IT FURTHER MOVED,Thatthe Clerk of Council shall immediately provide acertified copy of this motion to AyameDinkler, the Industrial Development Board, the LawDepartment, andthe Mayor’sOffice of IntergovernmentalAffairs. THEFOREGOING MOTION WASREAD IN FULL, THEROLL WAS CALLED ON THE ADOPTION THEREOF,AND RESULTEDAS

FOLLOWS: YEAS:Green, Harris, Hughes,McCarron, Morrell, Willard- 6

NAYS: 0

RECUSED: Morrell -1 AND THE MOTION WASADOPTED. NO. M-26-199 BY:COUNCILMEMBERSHARRIS AND KING(BY REQUEST) WHEREAS,Section 70-10 of the Code of the City of NewOrleansrequires thatcertaincontractsproviding for the aggregateexpenditureofmore than$1,000,000.00 in city funds during the initialterm andall allowable renewaltermsorhaving an initialterm of morethanone year or providing for legalservices must be signedbythe President of the City Council; and WHEREAS,Section 70-10 furtherprovides

ABSENT:King -1 AND THE MOTION WASADOPTED.

WHEREAS,the Louisiana State Legislatureenacted La. R.S. 33:9091.10, creating the TouroBouligny Security District (“District”), for the purpose of authorizingthe collection of amillage not to exceed sixteen and twotenths mills on all taxable real property located within the District, and allowingarenewed term not to exceed eightyears, when authorized by the District and approved by the majority of the District’sregistered voters; and WHEREAS,the BoardofCommissioners of the District met on May 19, 2026, and adopted aresolution requesting the City Council to levy this renewed millage, with the exact amount as requested by duly adopted resolution of the boardofcommissioners, for eight years, commencing on January 1, 2027, and ending December 31, 2034, subject to the majority approval of the District’sregistered voters at the November 3, 2026, election; NOW,THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWORLEANS That SECTION 1 Election Call. Subject to the approval of the State Bond Commissionand under the authority conferred by La. R.S. 33:9091.10 and the Louisiana ElectionCode, an election is hereby called for Tuesday November 3, 2026, betweenthe hours of 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. and at said election the electorate of the TouroBouligny Security District (“District”) may approve or disapprove the levy of arenewed millage not to exceed sixteen and two-tenths mills, with the exact amount as requested by duly adopted resolution of the board of commissioners, on all taxable real property located within the District, comprised of the area of the City of New Orleans bounded by Louisiana Avenue to St. Charles Avenue (river side only) to Napoleon Avenue (both sides) to Magazine Street (both sides) and back to Louisiana Avenue (excluding all municipal numbers on LouisianaAvenue), for eight years, beginning January 1, 2027 through December 31, 2034, which is estimated to generate $460,000 annually.Any fee levied uponaparcel in the District shall be in addition to any ad valorem tax affecting real property,orany charge (including, but not limited to, asanitation charge), fee, license, permit or rate imposed or levied pursuant to the regulatory authority of the City of New Orleans in the operationofthe city,its departments, agencies, boards and commissions, whether attached or unattached, including, but not limited to, the Sewerage and Water Board. The proceeds of any fee collected shall be used exclusively for the purpose of promoting and encouraging security in the area included within the District; however,the City of New Orleansmay retain one percent of the amount collected as acollection fee. The affairs of the Districtare managed by the TouroBouligny Board of Commissioners (“Board”) which shall adopt an annual budget in accordance with the Local Government Budget Act, La. R.S. 39:1301, et seq. The members of the Boardserve without compensation. The official ballot used in the voting machines for the election shall be as follows: TOURO BOULIGNY SECURITYDISTRICT PROPOSITION

Shall the City of New Orleans levy arenewed millage not to exceed sixteen andtwo-tenths mills (subject to the homestead exemption), on all taxable real property located within the TouroBouligny Security District (“District”), as delineated by 33:9091.10(B), for eight years, beginning January 1, 2027 and ending December 31, 2034, which is estimated to generate $460,000 annually,with the exact amount as requested by duly adopted resolution of the boardofcommissioners, to be used exclusively for the purpose of promoting and encouraging security in the area included within the District, except for a1%City collection fee, and provided that, if used to fundadditional law enforcement or security personnel and services, such personnel and services shall be supplemental to and not in lieu of those provided by the New Orleans Police Department?

SECTION 2. District Boundaries. The boundaries of the District are Louisiana Avenue to St. Charles Avenue (river side only) to Napoleon Avenue (both sides) to Magazine Street (both sides) and back to Louisiana Avenue (excluding all municipal numbers on Louisiana Avenue).

SECTION 3. Publication of Notice ofElection. Notice of this election shall be published in the City of New Orleans’ official journal once aweek for four consecutive weeks, with the first publication occurring between 45 and 90 days prior to the election date, as provided in Exhibit “A”. Exhibit “A” is hereby incorporated as if the samewereset forth in full.

SECTION 4. Canvass. The Council, acting under the powers granted to it by the City Charter and state statutes, shall meet, in open session, in the Council Chamber,City Hall, 1300 Perdido Street, New Orleans, Louisiana on Thursday,December 17, 2026, beginning at 10:00 a.m. to examineand canvass the returns and declare the election result.

SECTION 5. Polling Places. The polling places set forth in the aforesaid notice of election arehereby designated as the polling places at which to hold the said election, and the commissioners-in-charge and commissioners will be the same persons as those designated in accordance with law

SECTION 6. Election Commissioners; Voting Machines. The officers designated to serve as commissioners-in-chargeand commissioners pursuant to Section 5hereof, or such substitutes therefor, as maybe selected and designated in accordance with La. R.S. 18:1287, shall hold the said election as herein provided, and shall make due returns of said election to the City Council. All registered voters in the District areentitled to vote at said election and voting machines shall be used thereat.

SECTION 7. Authorization ofOfficers. The Clerk of Court is hereby empowered, authorized and directed to arrange for and to furnish to said election officers in ample timefor the holding of said election, the necessary equipment, formsand other paraphernalia essential to the proper holding of said election and the President and Clerk of the City Council and the City Attorney areauthorized, empowered and directed to take any and all further action required by state and/or federal law to arrange for the election. SECTION 8. Furnishing ElectionCall to ElectionOfficials. Certified copies of this resolution shall be forwardedto the Secretaryof State,the Clerk of Court and ex-officio parish custodian of voting machines in and for the Parish of Orleans, State of Louisiana, and the Registrar of Voters in and for said parish, as notification of the election herein called, in order thateach may preparefor said election and perform their respective functions as required by law

SECTION 9. Application to State Bond Commission. Application is made to the State Bond Commission for consent and authority to hold the aforesaid election as herein provided, and in the event said election results in approval of the proposition, for further consent and authority to levy and collect the special fee provided for therein, and acertified copy of this resolution shall be forwarded to the State Bond Commission on behalf of the City Council requesting prompt consideration and approval of the application. THE FOREGOING RESOLUTION WASREAD IN FULL, THE ROLL WASCALLED ON THE ADOPTION THEREOF,AND RESULTED AS FOLLOWS: YEAS:Green, Harris, Hughes, McCarron, Morrell, Willard-6

NAYS: 0

ABSENT:King -1 AND THE RESOLUTION WASADOPTED.

**Copies of the attachment may be seen in full in the Clerk of Council’s Office, 1300 Perdido Street, Room 1E09, City Hall.

ORDINANCES ON FIRST READING CAL. NO. 35,447 -BY: COUNCILMEMBERMORRELL -AN

ORDINANCE to amend and reordain section 154-777 of the Code of the City of New Orleans to increase the fee for immobilization of unoccupied vehicles; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto. CAL. NO. 35,448 -BY:

COUNCILMEMBER KING -AN ORDINANCE to temporarily waive certain fees, permit fees, and requirements within and around Hunter’sField Playground located at 1659 North Claiborne Avenue, New Orleans, Louisiana in conjunctionwith the Social Aid & PleasureClub Coalition Picnic event on Sunday,June 14, 2026 from 8:45 a.m. to 7:00p.m., to specify the duration and boundaries of said waiver; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

CAL. NO. 35,449 -BY: COUNCILMEMBERKING -ANORDINANCE to amend and reordain Article 18 of the Comprehensive ZoningOrdinance (Ordinance No. 4264 M.C.S., as amended by Ordinance No. 26,413 M.C.S. and subsequent amendments) to establish anew overlay district calledthe Behrman Mixed-Use Integrity Overlay District, the intent of whichistoensurethat any multi-family developments proposed within the S-MU Suburban Neighborhood Mixed-Use District and the MU-1 Medium Intensity Mixed-Use District, bounded by Wall Boulevard, Holiday Drive, and General De Gaulle Drive, contain non-residential uses which align with the mixed-use goal of those districts; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto. (Zoning Docket NO.34/26)

CAL. NO. 35,450 -BY: COUNCILMEMBERKING (BY REQUEST)AN ORDINANCE to amend Ordinance No. 30530 M.C.S., as amended, entitled “An Ordinance Providing an Operating Budget of Revenues for the City of New Orleans for the Year 2026”, to appropriate funds for the implementation of NOPD 8th District Drone Program within the French Quarter Economic Development District; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto. CAL. NO. 35451 -BY: COUNCILMEMBER KING (BY REQUEST)AN ORDINANCE to amend Ordinance No. 30531 M.C.S., as amended, entitled “An Ordinance Providing an Operating Budget of Expenditures for the City of New Orleans for the Year 2026”, to appropriate funds for the implementation of NOPD 8th District Drone Program within the French Quarter Economic Development District; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

CAL. NO. 35,452 -BY: COUNCILMEMBERGREEN (BY REQUEST) -ANORDINANCE to authorize the Mayor of the City of New Orleans

Therebeing no further business, on motion of Councilmember Willard, seconded by Councilmember Harris,and without objection, the Council

meeting adjourned at 12:22 P.M.

AISHA R. COLLIER

CLERKOFCOUNCIL

NRM/jmr NOCP 9121

ORDINANCE CITYOFNEW ORLEANS

CITYHALL: May7,2026

CALENDAR NO.35,432

NO.30656 MAYOR COUNCILSERIES

BY:COUNCILMEMBERS HARRIS, MCCARRON, KING, GREEN

HUGHES, MORRELL ANDWILLARD

AN ORDINANCE to establish Division 56 of Chapter 70, Article III of the Code of the City of NewOrleans to create the 2026 Caesars Lease Rent StripSale Proceeds Fund, dedicated to housing the City’s proceeds anticipated from the sale of certain futureleasepayments from Jazz Casino Company,L.L.C.for the Caesars New Orleans Casino, to create restrictions on expenditures; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

WHEREAS, the City is currentlyinthe midst of a fiscal crisis that has severelydepleted its on-hand funds (“Fund Balance”), both impeding its ability to meet certainpayment obligations and leaving the City without adequate financial reserves to address emergency needs; and WHEREAS, maintaining such reserves is key to astable budget and structurally balanced financial operations –the basis of credit rating agencies’ assessment of the City’s fiscal health and thereforeits bonding capacity; and WHEREAS, the City is undertaking several major initiatives to restoreits Fund Balance, including the sale of certain futurelease payments from JazzCasino Company,L.L.C.(“the Sale”), as authorized in Ordinance Calendar Number 35,426, which will generate at least

$100,000,000 in immediatecapital;and WHEREAS, the stated purpose of the Saleisindeed “immediately and dramatically improving the City’slong-term financial health without the need to incur debt or sacrifice vital services,” and, to that end, the Moreno Administration has publicly committed to transparency,public reporting, andCity Council oversight of expenditures from the Sale’sproceeds; and WHEREAS, holding such proceeds in asegregated, interest-bearing account, and in aseparate codified Fund, as established herein, will better ensurethese commitments arefulfilled, and willfacilitate the ability of not only the City Council but also the public to monitor the responsibleuse of incomefromthe Sale; NOW, THEREFORE SECTION 1. THECOUNCIL OF THECITY OF NEWORLEANSHEREBY

ORDAINS, That Division 56 of Chapter 70, Division III of the Code of the City of NewOrleans, Louisiana is hereby established and ordained to read as follows:

“CHAPTER 70 –FINANCE

 DIVISION III. –FUNDS  DIVISION 56. –2026 CAESARSLEASE RENT STRIP SALE PROCEEDS

FUND

Sec. 70-415.350. -Created. Thereishereby created aspecial fund designated as the 2026 Caesars Lease Rent StripSaleProceeds Fund (hereinafter “fund”).

Sec. 70-415.351. -Funding sources.

The full amount of the sale of certain futurelease payments from Jazz Casino Company,L.L.C.for the Caesars New Orleans Casino, authorized by Ordinance Calendar Number 35,426 on May7,2026, shall be deposited into the fund immediately upon its creation.

Sec. 70-415.352. -Administrationofthe fund.

The fund shall be administered by the director of the department of finance (“Director”) and shall be kept in an interest-bearing account,whose contents shallbelimited to the sources specified in Sec. 70-415.351.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing provided hereinshall be construed to prevent the City from investing the contents of the fund in amanner that benefits the City pursuant to allapplicable laws and policies, including but not limited to Sec. 70-601 et seq

All interest earned on the fund and returns from its investment shall accrue to the benefitofand become part of the fund, subject to the expenditure restrictions in Sec. 70-415.353.

Sec. 70-415.353. -Restrictions on expenditures. Monies shall remaininthe fund until designated for expenditureby ordinance and approved by the Council. Any transfer of the funds described herein into another of the City’s funds or accounts shall also requireCouncil approval by ordinance.

Sec. 70-415.354. -Required reporting

The Director shall maintain accurate books in the administration and provide regular reports to the chief administrative officer and City Council as required in Sec. 70-84, Sec. 70-87, and otherwise as may be required by law

Additionally, the Director shallgive acomplete and detailed written accounting of the revenues in the fund, interest and investment returns earned thereon, and expenditures made pursuant to Council ordinance since the previous report. This report shall be submitted annuallythrough the clerk of counciltothe chair of the budget, audit, and boardofreview committee.” ADOPTED BY THECOUNCILOFTHE CITYOFNEW ORLEANSMAY 21, 2026 JP MORRELL

PRESIDENT OF THECOUNCIL

DELIVERED TO THEMAYOR ON MAY21, 2026

APPROVED: MAY28, 2026

HELENA MORENO

MAYOR RETURNED BY THEMAYOR ON MAY29, 2026 AT 10:35 A.M.

AISHAR.COLLIER CLERK OF COUNCIL

ROLL CALL VOTE:

YEAS: Green, Harris, Hughes, McCarron, Morrell, Willard -6

NAYS: 0 ABSENT: King -1

RECUSED: 0

ORDINANCE

CITYOFNEW ORLEANS

CITYHALL: May7,2026

CALENDAR NO.35,435

(ASCORRECTED) NO.30657 MAYOR COUNCIL SERIES

BY:COUNCILMEMBERS HARRIS, MORRELL, WILLARD AND MCCARRON (BYREQUEST)

AN ORDINANCE to amend Ordinance No.30530

M.C.S., as amended, entitled “An Ordinance Providing an Operating Budget of Revenues for the City of NewOrleans for the Year 2026”, to appropriategrant funds to promote healthy behaviors and access to high quality healthcare. The grant supports the Health Department with providing these services through community outreach staff; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto. SECTION 1. THECOUNCIL OF THECITY OF NEWORLEANSHEREBY ORDAINS, that Ordinance No. 30530 M.C.S., as amended, be amended to authorize and direct the Director of Finance, notwithstanding any provision thereincontained to the contrary,totransfer funds allocated thereinasfollows: FROM: INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUES –FUND 6699 Intergovernmental Revenues Grants, Contributions, and Fund Transfers $5,000

TOTAL $5,000 TO: LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES –FUND 4405

Total Louisiana Dept. of Healthand Human Services $5,000

TOTAL $5,000

ADOPTED BY THECOUNCIL OF THECITY OF NEWORLEANSMAY 21, 2026 JP MORRELL PRESIDENT OF THECOUNCIL DELIVERED TO THEMAYOR ON MAY21, 2026

APPROVED: MAY28, 2026

HELENA MORENO MAYOR RETURNED BY THEMAYOR ON MAY29, 2026 AT 10:35 A.M.

AISHAR.COLLIER CLERK OF COUNCIL ROLL CALL VOTE: YEAS: Green, Harris, Hughes, McCarron, Morrell-5

NAYS: 0 ABSENT: King, Willard -2

RECUSED: 0 ORDINANCE CITYOFNEW ORLEANS

CITYHALL: May7,2026

CALENDAR

21, 2026 JP MORRELL PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL DELIVERED TO THE MAYOR ON MAY21, 2026

APPROVED: MAY28, 2026

HELENA MORENO MAYOR RETURNED BY THE MAYOR ON MAY29, 2026 AT 10:35 A.M.

AISHA R. COLLIER

CLERK OF COUNCIL ROLLCALL VOTE:

YEAS: Green,Harris, McCarron, Morrell, Willard-5

NAYS: 0 ABSENT:King, Hughes- 2 RECUSED: 0 ORDINANCE

CITY OF NEWORLEANS

CITY HALL: May 7, 2026

CALENDAR NO. 35,437 NO. 30659 MAYOR COUNCIL SERIES BY:COUNCILMEMBERS HARRIS, MORRELL, WILLARDAND

MCCARRON (BY REQUEST) AN ORDINANCE to amendOrdinanceNo. 30530 M.C.S., as amended, entitled“An OrdinanceProviding an OperatingBudgetofRevenuesfor the City of NewOrleansfor the Year 2026”,toappropriate; andotherwise to provide with respect thereto.

SECTION 1. THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWORLEANSHEREBY ORDAINS, thatOrdinanceNo. 30530 M.C.S., as amended, be amended to authorizeand direct the Director of Finance, notwithstanding any provision therein containedtothe contrary, to transferfunds allocated therein as follows: FROM: INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUES –FUND 6699

IntergovernmentalRevenues

Grants, Contributions, andFund Transfers $16,231

TOTAL $16,231 TO: PRIVATEGRANTS–FUND 4900

TotalPrivate Grants $16,231

TOTAL $16,231

ADOPTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWORLEANSMAY 21, 2026 JP MORRELL

PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

DELIVERED TO THE MAYOR ON MAY21, 2026

APPROVED: MAY28, 2026

HELENA MORENO

MAYOR RETURNED BY THE MAYOR ON MAY29, 2026 AT 10:35 A.M.

AISHA R. COLLIER

CLERK OF COUNCIL

ROLLCALL VOTE: YEAS: Green,Harris, McCarron, Morrell, Willard-5 NAYS: 0 ABSENT:King, Hughes- 2 RECUSED: 0 ORDINANCE

CITY OF NEWORLEANS CITY HALL: May 7, 2026

CALENDAR NO. 35,438 NO. 30660 MAYOR COUNCIL SERIES BY:COUNCILMEMBERS HARRIS, MORRELL, WILLARD, AND MCCARRON (BY REQUEST) AN ORDINANCE to amendOrdinanceNo. 30531 M.C.S., as amended, entitled“An OrdinanceProviding an OperatingBudgetofExpendituresfor the City of NewOrleansfor the Year 2026”,toappropriate private grant funds to the Health Department from the Robert Wood Johnson grant for operating expense; andotherwise to provide with respect thereto. SECTION 1. THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWORLEANSHEREBY ORDAINS, thatOrdinanceNo. 30531 M.C.S., as amended, be amended to authorizeand direct the Director of Finance, notwithstanding any provision therein containedtothe contrary,totransfer funds allocated therein as follows: FROM: INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUES -FUND 6699

INTERGOVERNMENTAL

600 –GRANTS, CONTR. AND FUND TRANSFERS $16,231

TOTAL $16,231

TO: PRIVATEGRANTS– FUND 4900

HEALTH DEPARTMENT 200-OTHEROPERATING $16,231

TOTAL $16,231

ADOPTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWORLEANSMAY 21, 2026

JP MORRELL PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

DELIVERED TO THE MAYOR ON MAY21, 2026

APPROVED: MAY28, 2026

HELENA MORENO

MAYOR

RETURNED BY THE MAYOR ON MAY29, 2026 AT 10:35 A.M.

AISHA R. COLLIER

CLERK OF COUNCIL ROLLCALL VOTE: YEAS: Green,Harris, Hughes, McCarron, Morrell, Willard-6 NAYS: 0

ABSENT:King -1

RECUSED: 0

ORDINANCE CITY OF NEWORLEANS

CITY HALL: May 7, 2026

CALENDAR NO. 35,439 NO. 30661 MAYOR COUNCIL SERIES BY:COUNCILMEMBERS HARRIS, MORRELL, WILLARDAND MCCARRON (BY REQUEST)

AN ORDINANCE to amendOrdinanceNo. 30530 M.C.S., as amended, entitled“An OrdinanceProviding an OperatingBudgetofRevenuesfor the City of New Orleans for the Year 2026”,toappropriate private grant funds to the NewOrleansHealth Department’sOffice of Violence Prevention for professional services relatedtoviolenceprevention andvictim support initiatives.; andotherwise to provide with respect thereto.

SECTION 1. THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWORLEANSHEREBY ORDAINS, thatOrdinanceNo. 30530 M.C.S., as amended, be amended to authorizeand direct the Director of Finance, notwithstanding any provision therein containedtothe contrary,totransfer funds allocated therein as follows:

FROM: PRIVATEGRANTS– FUND 4900

TotalPrivate Grants $430,088

TOTAL $430,088 TO: PRIVATEGRANTS– FUND 4900 TotalPrivate Grants $430,088

TOTAL $430,088

ADOPTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWORLEANSMAY 21, 2026

JP MORRELL PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

DELIVERED TO THE MAYOR ON MAY21, 2026 APPROVED: MAY28, 2026 HELENA MORENO MAYOR RETURNED BY THE MAYOR ON MAY29, 2026 AT 10:35 A.M.

AISHA R. COLLIER CLERK OF COUNCIL ROLLCALL VOTE: YEAS: Green,Harris, Hughes, McCarron, Morrell, Willard -6

NAYS: 0 ABSENT:King -1 RECUSED: 0 ORDINANCE CITY OF NEWORLEANS

CITY HALL: May 7, 2026

CALENDAR NO. 35,440 NO. 30662 MAYOR COUNCIL SERIES BY:COUNCILMEMBERS HARRIS, MORRELL, WILLARDAND

MCCARRON (BY REQUEST) AN ORDINANCE to amendOrdinanceNo. 30531 M.C.S., as amended, entitled“An OrdinanceProviding an OperatingBudgetofExpenditures for the City of NewOrleansfor the Year 2026”,toappropriate private grant funds to the NewOrleansHealth Department’sOffice of Violence Prevention for professional services relatedtoviolenceprevention and victim support initiatives; andotherwise to provide with respect thereto.

SECTION 1. THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWORLEANSHEREBY

ORDAINS, thatOrdinanceNo. 30531 M.C.S., as amended, be amended to authorizeand direct the Director of Finance, notwithstanding any provision therein containedtothe contrary, to transferfunds allocated therein as follows:

$1,593,000

ORLEANS RECREATION DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION

$1,593,000 ADOPTED BY THE COUNCIL OF

OPERATING $1,593,000

AISHA R. COLLIER

CLERK OF COUNCIL

ROLL CALL VOTE:

CITYOFNEW ORLEANS CITYHALL: May 7, 2026

CALENDAR NO.35,443 NO.30664 MAYOR COUNCIL SERIES

BY:COUNCILMEMBERS HARRISAND KING (BYREQUEST)

AN ORDINANCE to amend Ordinance No.30530 M.C.S., as amended, entitled “An Ordinance Providing an Operating Budget of Revenues for the City of NewOrleans for the Year 2026”, to appropriate funds to allow

the City of NewOrleans to implement components of the French Quarter Economic Development District’s 2026 adopted budget; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

SECTION 1. THECOUNCIL OF THECITY OF NEWORLEANSHEREBY

ORDAINS, that Ordinance No.30530 M.C.S., as amended, be amended to authorize and direct the Director of Finance, notwithstanding any provision thereincontained to the contrary,totransfer funds allocated thereinasfollows: FROM: INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUES –FUND 6699 Intergovernmental Revenues Grants, Contributions, and Fund Transfers $556,974

TOTAL $556,974 TO: FRENCH QUARTER DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT –FUND 5128

Total French Quarter Development District $556,974

TOTAL $556,974

ADOPTED BY THECOUNCIL OF THECITY OF NEWORLEANSMAY 21,

2026

JP MORRELL

PRESIDENT OF THECOUNCIL

DELIVERED TO THEMAYOR ON MAY21, 2026

APPROVED: MAY28, 2026

HELENA MORENO

MAYOR

RETURNED BY THEMAYOR ON MAY29, 2026 AT 10:35 A.M.

AISHAR.COLLIER

CLERK OF COUNCIL

ROLL CALL VOTE:

YEAS: Green, Harris,Hughes, McCarron, Morrell, Willard –6

NAYS: 0

ABSENT: King -1

RECUSED: 0

ORDINANCE

CITYOFNEW ORLEANS

CITYHALL: May 7, 2026

CALENDAR NO.35,444

NO.30665 MAYOR COUNCIL SERIES

BY:COUNCILMEMBERS HARRISAND KING (BYREQUEST)

AN ORDINANCE to amend Ordinance No.30531 M.C.S., as amended,

entitled “An Ordinance Providing an Operating Budget of Expenditures for the City of NewOrleans for the Year 2026”,

ORDAINS, that Ordinance

2026 AT 10:35 A.M.

YEAS: Green, Harris, Hughes, McCarron, Morrell, Willard–6 NAYS: 0 ABSENT:King -1

RECUSED: 0 ORDINANCE