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Lawsuit over teacher stipend plan dropped Governor’s order cuts $168M from school funds

STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

Past and present LSU Board of Supervisors chairs and members walk past the newly unveiled LSU New Orleans sign outside the University Center during a ceremony marking the University of New Orleans’ entry into the LSU system on Wednesday.

UNO marks new chapter as LSU New Orleans School changes name with celebration and a big sign

BY MARIE FAZIO Staff writer

that has ruled the country for 27 years — now with acting President Delcy Rodríguez at the helm — to carry out basic governmental functions.

“We’ve been abandoned,” Mundrain said, sitting in a chair on the street Tuesday in front of what remained of the 11-story building she once called home. “We feel helpless. What we have seen is a lack of organization, a lack of

It’s official: The University of New Orleans is now LSU New Orleans.

The name change and return to the LSU system mark a new chapter for the nearly 70-year-old university, officials said during a ceremony Wednesday attended by hundreds of students, faculty, alums and local leaders, including New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno. The event culminated with the “Today we unveil unveiling of a large LSU a new sign, but New Orleans sign in purple what we are and gold. really unveiling “Today we unveil a new is possibility. ” sign, but what we are really unveiling is possibility,” JEANETTE WEILAND, said Jeanette Weiland, the LSU New Orleans school’s interim chancellor interim chancellor and chief administrative ofand chief ficer. She added that the revamped university is aiming administrative officer for higher enrollment, stronger academic programs, expanded research and more community partnerships.

Last year, alarmed by dwindling enrollment and precarious finances at the University of New Orleans, Louisiana lawmakers began the process to shift the university back to the LSU system, which governed the university from its founding until 2011. Supporters hope the shift will financially stabilize and attract more students to the university, where enrollment fell to 5,700 students last fall, down from a peak of 17,000 students before Hurricane Katrina.

Ahead of the official shift, there have been other signs of the coming change on campus.

Banners marking LSU New Orleans recently went up along Elysian Fields Avenue and purple and gold decals wrapped around the exterior of the library. Officials also took steps they said were necessary to address a budget shortfall and put

ä See QUAKE, page 4A

ä See CHAPTER, page 7A

STAFF FILE PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Gov. Jeff Landry holds an executive order that calls for taking money from public school budgets to fund teacher stipends after signing it on June 2.

BY PATRICK WALL Staff writer

Education advocates have dropped their legal challenge to Gov. Jeff Landry’s order to pull money from public school budgets to pay for teacher stipends.

The order, which took effect Wednesday, cuts $168 million from the state’s main education fund and uses the money to give $2,000 stipends to teachers and $1,000 to school support staff.

The advocates were scheduled to appear in court Wednesday to ask

a Baton Rouge judge to block the funding cut, which state lawmakers approved last week. However, on the eve of the hearing, the advocates decided to withdraw their lawsuit.

Katie Baudouin, an Orleans Parish School Board member and a plaintiff in the lawsuit, said she and the two other advocates determined that they couldn’t stop the governor’s order before it went into effect.

“The cuts are going to be made,” she said. “Whether or not those cuts could be restored at a later date was unclear.”

Earlier this month, the advocates

obtained a temporary restraining order to stop the state from carrying out the governor’s plan. They argued that Landry overstepped his legal authority by effectively reallocating education funding and that the Legislature, which is not in session, should have reconvened to publicly debate the plan rather than voting on it remotely.

Lawmakers “chose to vote on one of the most important education funding issues in years through an online voting platform while calling

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Venezuelans question quake rescue efforts

BY REGINA GARCIA CANO Associated Press

LA GUAIRA, Venezuela — Angélica Mundrain wants the bodies of her son, niece and nephew to be pulled from the rubble of her flattened beachfront apartment. She has spent every minute of the past six days waiting for the heavy machinery needed to remove the slabs of concrete and twisted metal that trapped them.

So have other Venezuelan earthquake survivors.

They, like others across the northern state of La Guaira, have the same question: Who is in charge? Venezuela’s self-described socialist government, which long prided itself on being protector and provider, has been neither when it mattered most, many said.

The powerful back-to-back earthquakes on June 24 have brought to the forefront the inability of the party

Grand jury probe adds to N.O., state feud say I’m not surprised,” she said at Simmering hostilities between AG, local leaders flare up would a news conference called in Baton Rouge

BY JAMES FINN Staff writer

STAFF PHOTO By JOHN BALLANCE

Attorney General Liz Murrill answers questions at a news conference on Wednesday.

WEATHER HIGH 92 LOW 78 PAGE 6C

Weeks after Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill threatened to remove seven New Orleans leaders from elected office, simmering hostilities between the Republican attorney general and Democratic local leaders are flaring to new heights.

Murrill now faces an Orleans Parish criminal grand jury probe, several sources told The Times-Picayune | The Advocate on Tuesday. The panel is said to be review-

ing whether Murrill broke laws in May involving intimidation of public officials, based on when she wrote to Mayor Helena Moreno, District Attorney Jason Williams and other local officials and threatened to remove them from office if they did not walk back calls to elect a new court clerk.

On Wednesday, Louisiana’s top lawyer gave a measured response when asked about the possibility that she might face criminal charges.

“I can’t explain why they do things in New Orleans the way they do them, but I

to discuss the arrests of people accused of bilking Medicaid programs.

To some longtime courtroom watchers, news of the criminal grand jury investigation seemed to highlight just how far the debate between local and state officials has spiraled off the rails.

“This is an absurd continuation of the silliness between these grown-ups a few months ago,” said Dane. S. Ciolino, a law professor who specializes in ethics at

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

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FROM WIRE REPORTS

1 dead, 4 hurt after Greece firebomb attack

THESSALONIKI, Greece — One person died and three others were injured in three pre-dawn firebomb attacks that struck the homes of members of Greece’s governing conservative New Democracy party, authorities said Wednesday.

The attacks between 4 a.m. and 4:45 a.m. outside apartment buildings in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki used crude explosive devices made with camping gas canisters. All the injuries were sustained from the last of the three attacks, where cars and motorcycles were set ablaze, police said.

One of the cars reportedly was owned by a parliamentary candidate for the New Democracy party, Afroditi Nestora. Nestora suffered burns but her mother succumbed to her burn injuries in an intensive care unit. Two other residents in the apartment building were also hospitalized, police said.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who also heads New Democracy, traveled to Thessaloniki to visit the injured in hospital Wednesday afternoon.

Mitsotakis called the death confirmation of the “blind violence in public life.”

Attacks by shadowy Greek militant groups against symbols of power or the property of politicians, police or other authority figures are relatively frequent.

Most cause material damage but no injuries.

Actor Danny Glover has Alzheimer’s disease NEW YORK — Actor and activist Danny Glover, best known for starring as an easygoing police officer in the “Lethal Weapon” franchise, has revealed he has Alzheimer’s disease.

The four-time Emmy Award nominee, who turns 80 on July 22, told “Today” and People magazine that he was diagnosed with the progressive, memorydestroying disease three years ago.

“I’m still not accepting in my mind all parts of it,” he told People magazine. “There are the moments that you keep remembering that validate the fact that you can remember stuff. And there are moments I’ll never forget.”

More than 6 million people in the United States and millions more around the world have Alzheimer’s, the most common form of dementia.

Glover earned four Emmy Award nominations and an honorary Oscar in 2022. Other awards came from the NAACP and Black Entertainment Television, and he received nominations from the Screen Actors Guild.

Glover also served as a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Development Program from 1998 to 2004. It focuses on poverty, disease and economic development in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.

Administration sues Calif., Va. over gun laws WASHINGTON — The Trump administration sued California and Virginia on Wednesday over new laws in both states that restrict the sale of semiautomatic firearms.

The two separate lawsuits filed by the Justice Department in federal court say the laws violate the Second Amendment.

“The Constitution is not a suggestion, and the Second Amendment is not a second-class right,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a news release announcing the lawsuit against Virginia.

Virginia’s Democratic governor, Abigail Spanberger, signed legislation earlier this year banning the sale and manufacture of certain semiautomatic firearms. The law, which took effect Wednesday, is facing at least four other lawsuits challenging its constitutionality.

The California law prohibits gun shops from selling certain handguns that can easily be made fully automatic.

Attorneys general in both states vowed to defend their gun laws.

The lawsuit is also challenging additional restrictions on handguns sold in California.

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AP reconstructs deadly strike

foreign journalists from enPentagon remains quiet on bomb that killed over 100 children most tering the country. Iran had shut

BY JULIA FRANKEL Associated Press

JERUSALEM — It was the deadliest reported strike in the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, and most of the victims were children. Yet over four months since a U.S. missile struck an Iranian primary school, there is no final accounting of what happened.

The Trump administration has not directly accepted the blame, though the military possessed evidence almost immediately that the site had been struck, a U.S. official with knowledge of the situation, speaking anonymously to discuss an ongoing investigation, told The Associated Press.

Drawing from interviews with U.S. officials, human rights workers and Iranians in direct contact with rescuers and families of victims, the AP reconstructed the strike and its aftermath to reveal new details of what happened. Most requested anonymity for fear of retribution against them and their sources.

Details remain elusive. When asked last week about the strike, President Donald Trump said he had seen nothing to make him believe the U.S. was responsible.

Iran’s mission to the United Nations did not respond to the AP’s request for comment.

Teachers called parents Skies over the city of Minab

were clear the morning of Saturday, Feb. 28. Students jostled into the Shajareh Tayyebeh school, one of many across Iran established for children of families tied to Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard or other state institutions, said Shiva Amelirad, the international representative for an Iranian teachers union who taught in Iran for 18 years and has been in contact with people in Minab.

Though most schools in Iran operate within guidelines proscribed by the Islamic Republic, the Shejareh Tayyebeh schools were more explicitly oriented toward reproducing and reinforcing the Guard’s worldview, she said, adding: “Regardless of the students’ family backgrounds, children are civilians and any attack targeting a school is unequivocally condemnable.”

The building lay within the same compound as a Guard base, according to an AP assessment of satellite imagery. It was a Guard building before it was fenced off and converted over a decade ago.

Some of its students were the children of Guard officers. Others were local kids from an area populated by people of a majoritySunni ethnic minority known as the Baluch, often repressed by the Iranian government, said a local rights group.

Hundreds of students were inside when bombs began falling on

down the internet. The Strait of Hormuz became a major battlefield. All branches of Iran’s military deployed heavily in the area, said the resident, heightening fears among families of the victims about speaking out.

With details of the death toll elusive, researchers homed in on the question of responsibility. Iran blamed the U.S. Trump blamed Iran. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the Pentagon was investigating.

Internally, the U.S. military knew more than it initially let on.

After the blast, the U.S. military knew they had conducted strikes in the vicinity — though it took time to verify Iranian claims that a school was struck and begin an investigation, said the U.S. official. It appears that the building housing the school was identified as such by one analyst as early as seven years ago, but that discovery was not sufficiently made known across different intelligence and military staffs and agencies; the building was not known among target developers as a school, revealing potential systematic shortfalls in the target analysis and review process, they said.

Clues buried in archives Much of the investigative work Racing to document the ongo- has been completed and the miliing bombardment, journalists and tary is currently reviewing the rights groups struggled to verify findings.

Still, there is no full list of the details from Minab. Government restrictions in Iran prevented dead.

Tehran. School staff began calling parents, summoning them for an early pickup, said two people.

One father living nearby rushed to pick up his son, said the resident of Minab, who relayed several families’ stories. He noticed young relatives waiting for their parents, said the resident. They declined his offer of a ride home.

Ten minutes later, bombs hit at least five buildings in the compound, according to satellite imagery. At least one collapsed the neighboring school.

The father raced back to the chaos at the school, where men pawed through smoking rubble to dig out the bodies, according to video of the aftermath circulated by state media. He saw burned bodies he believed were his relatives.

Bodies arrived at the local hospital in pieces, said the Balochistan Human Rights Group. By the end of the day, doctors at the hospital estimated they had at least 108 bodies, but cautioned that it was likely an undercount, said the resident of Minab.

Soon, state media was reporting a toll of 168.

Authorities: Rescued youths were ‘almost feral’ 16 children recovered from dilapidated conditions

An open door revealed bits “serious physical harm.”

Gary Siders Jr., Gary Sid- of trash inside while a wooden ers Sr., Christina Siders and deck and the backyard were Elizabeth Siders appeared filled with discarded tires, a in court Wednesday where high chair and other debris.

Investigators said mema judge entered not guilty pleas on their behalf and bers of the family had moved set bond at $300,00 for each. around southern Ohio over They have not yet been as- the past two decades and that

BY JULIE CARR SMYTH it looks like they avoided setand JOHN SEEWER signed lawyers.

Steve Irwin, a spokesper- ting up medical and governAssociated Press son for the attorney gen- ment records.

“These folks were pretty HAMDEN, Ohio — Sixteen ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JULIE CARR SMyTH eral’s office, would not say whether all of the children good at hiding these kids,” children from the same The dilapidated home where authorities say they are siblings or how they Wilson said. family who were rescued removed 16 children and arrested four adults remains Investigators were rewere related. from a dilapidated home in rural Ohio were living blocked off by crime scene tape on Wednesday in viewing whether the family Neighbor saw no kids in wretched conditions Hamden, Ohio. was reported to any chilwith human waste all The house where the chil- dren’s services agencies in around, confined to just Ohio Attorney General kept inside the home, but dren were found sits on a the past. one room over much of the Andy Wilson said Wednes- said authorities didn’t find road tucked away alongside a Neighbor Joseph Stewart, past four years, authori- day at a news conference. any cages in the house. steep railroad embankment, 60, said he saw “no kids at The children ranged in where tracks carry rumbling all” since the family moved Officials said it seemed ties said Wednesday.

Some of the children as if no one outside the age from 11/2 years to 18 trains through Hamden. in three houses down and that discovered Tuesday were family knew about the years old and included The closest neighbors are he could clearly see the house unable to speak and one — children, who weren’t en- both boys and girls, of- separated by trees and thick and yard when passing by.

“It’s a sad situation,” he an 18-year-old who was de- rolled in school. ficials said. Seven were brush, but the house is easily said.

“We didn’t know there transported to hospitals in visible from the road. velopmentally disabled — could not even write her were going to be 16 kids Columbus and two were name, investigators said. there,” said Wilson, who flown by helicopters. One GET IN TOUCH “Most of our livestock was nearly at a loss for was in critical condition was kept in better condi- words in describing what on Tuesday while some of Customer Service: HELP@THEADVOCATE.COM or 504-529-0522 tions than the children,” officials found in the tiny the others were admitted News Tips / Stories: NEWSTIPS@THEADVOCATE.COM said Vinton County Sheriff village of Hamden that for care, Wilson said.

Obituaries: 225-388-0289 • Mon-Fri 9-5; Sat 10-5; Closed Sun “They looked like almost Ryan Cain. “Just a disgust- sits in one of Ohio’s poorAdvertising Sales: 504-636-7421 • Mon-Fri 8-5 feral animals,” Wilson est counties. ing scene.”

Classified Advertising: 225-383-0111 • Mon-Fri 8-5 “It’s the type of thing that said. “It was terrible.”

The children’s parents Subscribe: nola.com/subscribe The children were in and two grandparents we’re not used to seeing E-Edition: nola.com/eedition Archives: nola.newsbank.com were charged with felony here in America,” he said. temporary custody of the Ohio Department of Jobs child endangerment, a The Times-Picayune (USPS 18530) is published by Capital City Press at 840 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70130 and at additional mailing offices. Periodicals postage paid at New Orleans, LA. ISSN: and Family Services. prosecutor said. Officials ‘Feral animals’ 2379-0008. Capital City Press, proprietor. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Times-Picayune, Vinton County prosecutemphasized the case inThe sheriff said it apCirculation Accounting, P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0588. Newspaper carriers are independent contractors and not employees of Capital City Press. volved one family. pears the children spent ing attorney William ArAuthorities found the most of their time in a cher said the four adults All home delivery subscription sales are non-refundable. Should you discontinue your children while carrying room that was roughly 12 were charged with secondsubscription during term, the subscription will end with the expiration date on your out a search warrant in an feet by 12 feet. He didn’t degree felony child endansubscription, and there will not be a refund of a prorated amount. Subscribers who unrelated investigation, disclose how the kids were gering because it involves purchased their subscription before Feb. 1, 2023 and wish to cancel can request

West Nile virus season hits earliest, worst start since 2004 CDC urges people to prevent mosquito bites

BY DEVI SHASTRI AP health writer

Health officials are encouraging people to use bug spray and mosquitocontrol efforts as West Nile virus season is off to its earliest and worst start in over two decades.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday that it had confirmed at least 48 cases — 38 of them severe — as of June 30. Since 2004, the average number of cases reported to the CDC by the end of June is around 10. Federal health officials said 23 states have report-

ed finding West Nile virus, the most in 10 years.

“These findings serve as an important reminder that mosquito season is well underway,” said Dr. Erin Staples, a CDC expert on insect-borne diseases. “As families gather outdoors to celebrate Independence Day, we encourage everyone to enjoy their holiday while taking simple steps to protect themselves and their loved ones from mosquito bites.”

Most of the cases have been in Arizona. Of the state’s 32 total cases, 29 are in Maricopa County.

The county, which includes Phoenix, has also recorded four deaths from the virus so far this year.

Officials there asked people to wear bug spray

containing DEET, patch up broken window screens and get rid of standing water, where mosquitoes often breed.

“Even an overturned bottle cap can hold enough water for mosquitoes to breed,” said Melissa Kretschmer, a county health department official. “It’s important that we remove these breeding sources that can form after rain or watering plants.”

The CDC also recommends people wear long, loose-fitting clothes when outside to make it harder for mosquitoes to bite them. Experts also suggest people avoid being outdoors around dusk and dawn, when the mosquitoes that carry the virus are most active.

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Disability advocates warn against Trump’s actions

Hard-fought rights Justice released guidance live and work in their com- year, where he said children proper supports was a form losophy. Last year, President lowered the barrier to munities. Before that, peo- with autism would never of discrimination. The Olm- Donald Trump issued an could be eroded that institutionalizing any person ple with mental illnesses or write a poem, pay taxes or stead v. L.C. decision led to executive order on homedevelopmental and intellec- hold a job, raised questions requirements that govern- lessness that endorsed civil a disability. under administration with Taken together, the actions tual disabilities were largely about how he would oversee ment agencies provide dis- commitment, where a court

BY ANNIE MA

AP education writer WASHINGTON — For decades, disabled people have fought for their rights to go to school and live alongside peers without disabilities — rights that some fear could be losing ground under the Trump administration.

Last month, the Department of Education announced it would shift oversight of special education to the Department of Health and Human Services, led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose comments on the limits of disabilities such as autism have drawn sharp rebukes from advocates and lawmakers.

Meanwhile, after a White House push to police homelessness, the Department of

signal a worrying return to a reality where people with disabilities are pushed to the margins of society, advocates said.

“It’s a direct, frontal assault on the rights of people with disabilities to live their lives the way that people who are nondisabled live their lives,” said Selene Almazan, legal director for the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates. “I can’t imagine that as a country, that would be something that we would agree we should go back to.”

confined to institutions.

Advocates have pushed back on what is known as the “medical model,” where an individual’s disability is viewed as a defect to be cured. Instead, under a “social model” of disability, differences can be accommodated and supported, as people with and without disabilities learn and work alongside each other.

Families and advocates have warned that moving special education to a health department marks a return to the medical model. They also have been angered by Move away from confining Kennedy’s attempts to link Since the 1960s, legislation vaccines to autism, going and court decisions have ex- against decades of research panded supports and pro- that show no such link, and tections for people with dis- his framing of autism as a abilities to go to school with debilitating disease.

Kennedy’s comments last nondisabled peers and to

an agency meant to help students develop those skills.

Kennedy later said he was referring to people with “severe autism” or those who are nonverbal.

“Many of the things he said autistic people will never do, (special education) is in charge of making sure students with disabilities have the opportunity to do,” said Zoe Gross, director of advocacy at the Autistic Self Advocacy Network. “Will he execute that faithfully, or does he consider disabled students a lost cause until we find some medical cure?”

ability services in the most integrated setting possible — in mainstream schools, homes and workplaces.

But in a memo issued in June, the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel upended that guidance. It argued that neither the Americans with Disabilities Act nor Section 504, two major disability rights laws, requires states to provide services in the most mainstream setting.

While the memo does not change the law, it signals how federal agencies may interpret and enforce civil rights issues related to the topic.

It could embolden states or Supreme Court weighs in school districts to decline to In 1999, the Supreme support people with disabiliCourt ruled that segregat- ties in mainstream environing disabled people who ments. are otherwise able to live The White House has alin their community with ready acted on a similar phi-

orders individuals into involuntary hospitalization or treatment programs. Trump directed HHS to reduce barriers to institutionalizing people with mental illnesses.

In its memo, the Justice Department acknowledged its interpretation of the Supreme Court’s Olmstead decision is “out of step” with the common understanding.

The Republican administration’s steps fit a worldview in which the government has no obligation to support people with disabilities, said Claudia Center, legal director at Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund.

“It’s dark, and it’s awful,” Center said. “And I think it’s contrary to the majority view in our country. ... It’s out of touch with where our society is.”

U.S., Iran hold separate meetings, agree to continue talks Pakistani mediators, host Qatar reporting ‘positive progress’

Iran on Feb. 28, Iran has used its ability to choke off the waterway as a key source of leverage, disrupting global markets for energy and other critical goods.

BY JON GAMBRELL

Strait a key sticking point

Associated Press

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — U.S. and Iranian negotiators met separately on Wednesday with Qatari and Pakistani mediators, with “positive progress made,” and they agreed to continue discussions, host Qatar said.

The next meeting will be scheduled “at the earliest possible time” after the funeral of Iran’s previous supreme leader, the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Majed al-Ansari, a spokesman for Qatar’s Foreign Ministry, said on X. The funeral is set to start Saturday in Tehran.

U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, were in Qatar for talks seeking a permanent end to the war,

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By AMIRHOSEIN KHORGOOI

A group of people stands in shallow water as a cargo ship appears anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas, Iran, on Tuesday. along with Iran’s top negotiator, Kazem Gharibabadi.

Negotiators aim to nail down specifics to pave the way for top leaders to seal an agreement, though differences over the Strait of Hormuz and Lebanon loom large.

A ship ran aground in the strait while using a route not approved by Iran, state television in Tehran reported Wednesday. The vessel was

identified as a foreign container ship, with no other details.

The report appeared aimed at underlining Tehran’s claims to control the strait, which the world has long considered an international waterway. A fifth of all oil and natural gas passed through it in peacetime.

Since the U.S. and Israel launched the war against

Iran and the United States agreed as part of an interim deal to allow ships to pass without paying charges for 60 days. But Tehran insisted it must control the routes of the vessels and later charge fees for passage, upending decades of practice in the waterway.

The U.S. and many Gulf Arab states say they won’t agree to the charges. An effort by Oman and a U.N. agency to launch a new route near Oman’s shore sparked attacks across the Mideast last weekend, highlighting the tensions.

Iranian state TV on

bin Hamad Al Thani, and its foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, according to a statement by the Qatari government.

Discussions included details related to traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. Vice President JD Vance told reporters in the United States.

“Obviously, we’re worried about the nuclear issue,” Vance said. “We’re going to start talking about that.”

Sheikh Mohammed also met with Gharibabadi and other Iranian officials, with Pakistani mediators also on hand. Gharibabadi said the Iranian delegation had no direct talks with the American side, and its talks with meQatar meets both sides diators dealt with Lebanon Witkoff and Kushner met and plans to return some of Wednesday with Qatar’s Iran’s frozen assets, Iranian ruling emir, Sheikh Tamim state media reported.

Wednesday said the ship “ran aground with its cargo because of shallow waters along the route it had chosen and was unable to continue sailing.” It said shippers needed to follow the instructions of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard in the strait.

The Guard’s navy has repeatedly warned that “any entry or exit through routes other than the ‘Route of Authority’ in the Persian Gulf could lead to irreparable incidents.”

The report did not mention the two ships Iran attacked in recent days for daring to head out through the strait without Tehran’s permission, including one carrying crude oil from Qatar.

Happy 250 Filing shows Trump took in about $1.2 billion from crypto Birthday America! th

interests — many in his new term.

He also earned ofof business The disclosure report which have benefited from policy moves of Trump’s doesn’t give profit figures, millions on Bibles the own government. Trump has just revenue, so it’s impos-

BY BERNARD CONDON Associated Press

NEW YORK — President Donald Trump took in nearly $1.2 billion from his crypto businesses last year, a federal filing released Tuesday shows, locking in profits while his investors were socked with losses.

Mere startups when he took the oath of office, the new ventures have now eclipsed in revenue much of his vast property portfolio that took him decades to accumulate. Fueling their rise were billionaire investors and Trump’s own move to quash a federal crackdown on the industry.

Trump got more than $500 million from his World Liberty Financial business selling new crypto products, including “governance tokens,” according to the required annual disclosure report with the Office of Government Ethics.

It also showed another crypto business, CIC Digital LLC, took in more than $600 million from sales of souvenirtype “meme” coins stamped with his face.

Both the tokens and the coins have plunged in value since the sales.

Trump also took in millions last year from selling Trump-branded Bibles, sneakers and other small items in another unprecedented move for the presidency. The sale of Trumpbranded watches alone brought in $4.7 million.

The 927-page disclosure form paints a stark, if incomplete picture of the massive growth of the president’s wealth since taking office last January through a web

insisted that his sons direct his finances but the arrangement rejects the conflict of interest protections that his recent predecessors in office had instituted.

Forbes estimates Trump’s net worth at $6 billion, up from $2.3 billion in 2024.

Business growing abroad The rise of crypto relative to Trump’s property is especially noteworthy because he first rode to office boasting of his property wins. It’s also remarkable because that mainstay business also boomed last year.

Trump took in tens of millions in fees from a flurry of new hotel, resort and condo deals overseas that amounts to the biggest property expansion ever in the century since the family business was founded.

Many of those countries were negotiating with the U.S. over tariffs, military aid and other important matters while the family business was striking the deals.

A property in the United Arab Emirates generated $10.4 million for the Trump business last year. One in Saudi Arabia being built by a real estate developer close to the ruling family sent the president’s company $9 million. And one in Bucharest, Romania, and another in Qatar sent him $5 million each.

One of his prominent domestic properties, Mar-aLago in Florida, notched big growth last year, too.

Trump took in $77 million from the property, a 50% jump from the year earlier when he was just another citizen, as heads of state and business people flocked to it

sible to know how much he is earning.

Billion-dollar crypto man Trump said Wednesday that most of his gains last year came from the stock market and he’s just riding along with everyone else.

“We’re all profiting,” he said. “I’m profiting because I have a lot of money and a lot of cash.”

But crypto was clearly the big revenue generator last year in part due his own moves since taking office — pushing policies friendly to the industry and reversing a Biden administration regulatory crackdown.

The regulators are still worried. Before Trump’s World Liberty began selling “governance tokens,” they issued warnings about this new kind of crypto asset, saying that unlike stocks, the tokens offer no ownership stake in the issuing company, just voting power on certain corporate policies, and are difficult to value.

Buyers pounced anyway, including a Chinese billionaire who spent $75 million on the tokens and $200 million on the souvenir coins.

In February last year, a federal lawsuit charging him with duping investors was paused before being settled for a $10 million fine.

The billionaire, Justin Sun, has repeatedly denied his spending on Trump businesses had anything to do with his federal case, while World Liberty has dismissed the notion of a conflict of interest.

Meanwhile, investors have seen the value of their Trump-tied holdings drop significantly.

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4A ✦ Thursday, July 2, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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QUAKE

Continued from page 1A empathy, a lack of everything.”

In the critical 72 hours after residential buildings, food joints, pharmacies, hotels and convenience stores imploded in La Guaira state, Caracas and surrounding regions, the on-the-ground response was primarily focused on directing traffic, with police officers, intelligence agents and members of the armed forces manning intersections.

Residents take on rescue Civilians, mostly alone and some with the help of foreign rescuers, searched for loved ones among piles of rubble. Ambulances were stuck in miles-long traffic jams.

Hospitals were undersupplied and understaffed. Emergency personnel responded with little to no equipment.

A week later, many residents in coastal communities of La Guaira were attributing most rescues and recoveries to fellow Venezuelans and foreign teams with know-how and equipment like thermal cameras and sound detectors as well as trained dogs. They also pointed out that while civilians and foreign rescuers worked, men and women in Venezuelan uniforms stood watching and state workers took selfies.

Tulane University professor David Smilde, who has studied Venezuela for three decades, said the tragedy has made clear that the stunning Jan. 3 capture of thenPresident Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces was not a one-off “in which the Venezuelan state was not able to defend itself at all.”

“It also can’t do anything like get started with digging people out,” he said, adding that it should be a worrying concern for Rodríguez, who was sworn in after Maduro was deposed and taken to New York to face drug trafficking charges.

Smilde said the dismal response is linked to the huge numbers of people who have left the public sector because of extremely low pay as well as corruption, such as the many people who are included in the government’s payroll but

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ARIANA CUBILLOS

Residents search Tuesday through the rubble of a building that collapsed in the earthquakes in La Guaira, Venezuela. who have not worked in months or years. In a functioning government, he added, people have specific duties to design protocols spelling out procedures in case of emergencies, including earthquakes.

“It’s like trying to have a baseball team with three people on the field. You’re not sure who’s going to be the pitcher, who’s going to be catching, and who’s going to be outfielder,” he said of the government’s lack of organization.

Some get help Wealth and government connections also influenced the government’s response, with some sites given preferential treatment.

When one collapsed building was teeming with police and military school students, people accurately guessed that officials or politically connected individuals must have lived there. The police officers from a neighboring state were indeed searching for a captain, while

FEUD

that must be filled by voters. Murrill fired off her letters threatening to remove them from office.

Democrats and some Republicans alike called the move an overstep, and both sides seemed to calm their rhetoric following that blow-up. On June 1, the Louisiana Supreme Court issued a ruling upholding the state law that cut Duncan’s position. It seemed the fight had ebbed.

Then sources told The TimesPicayune this week that a grand jury was weighing evidence against Murrill, reigniting the tensions.

“The matter was ultimately going to be resolved by the Louisiana Supreme Court, not by absurd cross-accusations of criminal conduct,” Ciolino said.

Many questions remain unanswered about the grand jury’s focus and how far its investigation has progressed. Details such as how many witnesses the panel has called and what evidence it may be considering aren’t clear.

Also unclear is how much criminal exposure Murrill could ultimately face. The letters she sent to local officials claimed the fivemember City Council majority was helping to “usurp” Clerk of Court Chelsea Napoleon’s authority, citing a statute that makes it a misdemeanor to assume office with-

Continued from page 1A Loyola University.

The battle ratcheted up this spring when Louisiana’s Republican-controlled Legislature approved bills to reshape two typically sleepy public offices: New Orleans’ clerks of civil and criminal court.

Winding legal, political fight Supporters cast the legislation, which eliminated the criminal clerkship and placed its duties under the Civil Clerk’s Office, as a needed reform. But New Orleans leaders slammed the move as unnecessary incursion, slamming the legislation as retaliation against Calvin Duncan, a former prison lawyer who spent decades behind bars before a judge found him innocent of a 1981 murder.

Duncan won the criminal clerkship last fall with 68% of the vote despite opposition from Murrill and other conservatives. The measure took effect four days before he was to assume the office, at which point Williams and Moreno pressed the City Council to call a special election for the newly melded seat. They argued the legislation had created a new position

the students and a few members of the national guard were hoping to locate a major general.

A telescopic crane, like the one Mundrain needs for the recovery of her family, was parked for several hours in what was that building’s entrance. The relatives of the well-off families who lived in the building were able to rent it. Mundrain cannot.

“I think that if there were someone in a position of authority in each of these apartments, there would be a well-oiled machine working like they have in other residences,” Mundrain said pointing to her building.

People’s anger over the response has also led to altercations between residents and machine operators. In one instance, when a government-provided excavator tried to leave the site of a flattened public housing building, people blocked traffic to keep it in place and even pulled the operator from the cab.

The government reported Wednesday that 2,295 died and more than 11,200 were injured in the 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes that struck June 24. Thousands more have been reported missing.

“We continue to support the affected families and directly oversee the care and recovery efforts in La Guaira,” Rodríguez posted on X Wednesday. “I know that many Venezuelans feel pain and frustration; I deeply share those feelings.”

Rescuers on Tuesday continued to free some survivors from mountains of debris, offering anguished families a sliver of hope even as the likelihood of finding people alive diminished with each passing hour. The desperation led two women to fight late at night, one dragging the other to the mud right next to a flattened building after one of them refused to be quiet while rescuers tried to listen for signs of life among the rubble.

The first 48 to 72 hours after a natural disaster are crucial to rescue efforts, though survival can be extended if people have access to food and water.

Electrician Daniel Castillo was able to pull his mother and son alive from their second-floor apartment in a collapsed public housing building in La Guaira just hours after the earthquake struck.

The body of his brother remained inside for another day until he could reach him.

On Tuesday, he decried the government’s response while he waited in line to get a free bag of hygiene products, including toilet paper and soap, from a tent staffed by the Venezuelan armed forces.

“You see the guards, and their uniforms are spotless, not dirty at all,” Castillo said, contrasting members of Venezuela’s National Guard with dust-covered civilians and foreign rescuers who have dug through rubble for days. “The government did nothing.”

out authority or to interfere with a public official.

At least some City Council members have been called to testify, sources said.

The council members had “put your own offices in jeopardy,” Murrill wrote. She directed them to “rescind or suspend” the resolutions, alleging they had “opted to aid and abet in the usurpation of the officeholder.”

Some legal veterans are skeptical that a criminal case built around the correspondence would pass muster.

“The public intimidation statute requires a threat of violence or an unlawful demand,” Craig Mordock, a veteran defense lawyer, wrote on the social media site X, formerly known as Twitter. “Murrill threatened to enforce a law the LA Supreme Court said she read correctly. If that’s a felony then half the lawyers in this state are looking at hard time.”

grand jury itself, a rare step the panel may take under state law.

Sources also told the newspaper that Williams recused himself from the probe and that former criminal court judge and veteran defense attorney Laurie White is handling the matter as a special prosecutor.

White declined to comment Wednesday on the grand jury investigation, saying only that there was “secrecy” surrounding the matter. She left the bench in 2023 amid a court employee’s sexual harassment complaint, which White denied at the time. A federal judge in 2023 dismissed a lawsuit from the employee.

White also previously represented Duncan in his criminal case before the Innocence Project, now known as Innocence and Justice Louisiana, took it over.

Moreno declined to comment Wednesday on the grand jury proceedings, which Criminal District Judge Leon Roche is overseeing.

Williams and several City Council members did not respond to phone calls.

Murrill hinted at reports of interest surrounding the allegations of a grand jury investigation as she opened her news conference Wednesday in Baton Rouge.

“Everyone is here for the sole reason we’re having a news con-

ference on Medicaid fraud, right?” she asked, laughing.

She said she first heard of the grand jury investigation when a reporter contacted her on Tuesday to ask about it. Asked if she had an opinion of White’s reported appointment as a special prosecutor, Murrill said she would hold her tongue.

“I wouldn’t speak to it out of respect for the process, however much I may have thoughts about it or disagree with it,” she said.

“I won’t talk about it until we see what happens. Now, when we see what happens, I can assure you that I do have thoughts, and I will express them.”

Records show retired Judge Calvin Johnson, who the City Council tapped as an interim clerk when it called a special election in May, filed a complaint with the state bar commission against Murrill on June 17.

The document accuses Murrill of “unethical and unprofessional conduct,” naming as examples the letters she sent Johnson, Moreno, Williams and the five council members. In her letter to Johnson at the time, Murrill warned that he could face “imprisonment” even as she said he “appears to be an innocent bystander” to the dispute.

Staff writers John Simerman, Andrea Gallo and Meghan Friedmann contributed to this report.

Grand juries operate in secrecy Grand juries, which at both the federal and state court levels weigh evidence to decide whether prosecutors have probable cause to criminally indict a defendant, typically meet with the utmost secrecy. But two sources told The Times-Picayune that the probe appears to have been initiated by the

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Kroger buying regional grocer Giant Eagle

Kroger said Wednesday it plans to buy regional grocer and pharmacy retailer Giant Eagle in a deal valued at $1.65 billion.

Giant Eagle, which is privately held, has 197 supermarkets and 11 standalone pharmacies across northern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland and Indiana. They would continue to operate under the Giant Eagle name under the terms of the deal.

Kroger, which is the largest U.S. supermarket chain, has 2,685 stores in 35 states and the District of Columbia. Its stores operate under various brand names, including Ralphs, King Soopers, Smith’s and Fred Meyer.

The transaction includes $1.25 billion in cash and the assumption of approximately $400 million in outstanding liabilities, the companies said Wednesday.

“Giant Eagle is a well-run, high-quality regional grocer with a strong reputation for fresh products, pharmacy, private label and customer loyalty,” Kroger CEO Greg Foran said in a statement. “We evaluated the opportunity carefully and the strategic fit is clear.”

Foran, a former Walmart executive, was named Kroger’s CEO in February.

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Warsh signals focus on inflation

households thought the Fed replacing Jerome Powell as chair strategy, and the rest, that’s still New Federal Reserve or would accept inflation above 2%, May 22. He called for lower rates to come,” he later added. guess they’d be disappointed. last year as he essentially camAt his first news conference last chair emphasizes “IWe’re going to deliver price sta- paigned for the job. Since becom- month, Warsh also emphasized bility.” ing chair, however, Warsh has ap- his goal of getting inflation back independence The Fed typically combats infla- peared to move away from that down to target. Wall Street inves-

BY CHRISTOPHER RUGABER

tion by raising borrowing costs.

When asked about Trump’s oftrepeated desire for lower rates, WASHINGTON — New Federal Re- Warsh underscored the Fed’s indeserve Chair Kevin Warsh said pendence from day-to-day politics.

Wednesday that the central bank “We’ve been an independent cenwould remain independent and tral bank for a very long time,” he seek to bring down inflation, like- said. “We’re going to be an indely foreclosing the rate cuts Presi- pendent central bank at this modent Donald Trump has sought. ment and you’re going to see no In remarks at a central bank changes to that.” conference in Sintra, Portugal, Such comments suggest that Warsh said that if businesses Warsh has shifted his views since

AP economics writer

stance and instead has signaled a focus on getting inflation down.

But on Wednesday he declined to say what steps the Fed would take to achieve that goal, consistent with his opposition to socalled “forward guidance,” in which central bank leaders foreshadow their next policy moves.

“I’m not going to make a judgment now,” he said during the panel discussion with other central bankers. “The tactics, the

tors expect the Fed could hike its key interest rate as soon as in September, from its current level of about 3.6% to roughly 3.9%.

When the Fed last met June 16-17, nearly half of the 19 policymakers signaled that they supported higher rates this year, while eight supported no change and one penciled in a cut. Warsh did not submit a forecast because of his opposition to providing guidance.

French company to buy FedEx’s logistics arm NEW YORK — French container shipping company CMA CGM Group said Wednesday it will buy FedEx Supply Chain, the third-party logistics subsidiary of FedEx for $1.4 billion, as it works to expand in the U.S. CMA CGM Group said the acquisition will triple the size of its own logistics arm, CEVA Logistics and help build its presence as a contract logistics provider in North America.

In 2025, CMA CGM pledged to invest $20 billion in its U.S. warehousing, air cargo and logistics over four years.

The two companies said they expected to enter into multiyear air and ocean freight commercial agreements as well.

Rodolphe Saadé, CEO of CMA CGM Group, said the deal will “reinforce our long-term commitment to investing in the United States and supporting the resilience and efficiency of its supply chain.”

FedEx, based in Memphis, Tennessee, has been spinning off some businesses to focus on its delivery business, focusing on higher-margin businessto-business deliveries for the healthcare, automotive, aerospace and data center industries. It completed its spinoff of FedEx Freight, which transports heavy and bulky shipments, on June 1.

AOL’s owner hits Wall Street with $1.7B IPO NEW YORK — The owner of AOL and other tech businesses hit Wall Street with a $1.7 billion initial public offering Wednesday.

Bending Spoons priced 58 million shares at $29 apiece.

The company is getting $1 billion in proceeds, while the rest is going to shareholders. The stock surged 41% shortly after it started trading under the symbol “BSP” on the Nasdaq, giving it a market value of $25.5 billion.

Among the company’s wellknown holdings are the event creation and ticketing company Eventbrite, and the video hosting service Vimeo. AOL, formerly America Online, is a more recent acquisition for the company. The email and search engine service dates back to the dawn of the internet age.

AOL itself went public in 1992 and was a vanguard of technology and communication. It reached a market value of $164 billion in 2000 shortly before merging with Time Warner. It then crashed along with the rest of the industry following the bursting of the dot-com bubble. It has been bought and sold several times over the last two decades.

An employee welds metal at a steel tank factory in Mexico City.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By EDUARDO VERDUGO

U.S., Canada, Mexico begin bumpy negotiations to renew trade pact

BY PAUL WISEMAN AP economics writer

WASHINGTON — Tourists from Chattanooga check into beach resorts in Cancun. Canadian auto parts feed factories in the American Midwest — and vice versa. Happy hour revelers raise glasses of Mexican tequila and mezcal at bars in Seattle.

It adds up. The United States trades $1.9 trillion a year — $5 billion a day — worth of goods and services with its neighbors, Canada and Mexico. They have supplanted China as America’s top two trading partners.

So the stakes are high when it comes to fiddling with the rules that govern trade between the three countries. And after a year of President Donald Trump’s chaotic tariff policies, many U.S., Canadian and Mexican businesses would welcome the return of stability across North America.

They are not likely to get it.

The regional trade pact — the U.S.-MexicoCanada Agreement or USMCA — that Trump negotiated and boasted about in his first term came up for renewal Wednesday, starting a

process that is likely to last months, maybe longer.

And the path forward is lined with landmines.

“There’s going to be a lot of drama this summer,” Diego Marroquín Bitar, a fellow in the America’s program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said last week at a USMCA forum sponsored by the Cato Institute.

The U.S. is making demands that could effectively force Canada and Mexico to surrender some automaking production to the United States. That might bring more auto factory jobs to the United States. But it would also upend established supply chains and would push up U.S. prices for new cars that now average nearly $50,000 at a time when American consumers are already furious about the high cost of living.

Trump, characteristically, has added to the tension by threatening to pull out of his own agreement altogether.

In 2020, the USMCA replaced the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement, which tore down most trade barriers be-

tween the three North American countries.

Trump and other critics had called NAFTA a job killer because it encouraged U.S. companies to move factories south of the border to take advantage of low-wage Mexican labor, then ship goods back to the United States duty free.

His USMCA ended up being similar to NAFTA — though it pressured factories to pay higher wages and make sure that more of what they made originated in North America in an effort to prevent Chinese products from slipping across regional borders duty free.

The USMCA included a novel provision requiring the pact to be renewed every six years. That deadline was Wednesday, and the three countries met virtually. But U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said in a statement that the United States was not ready to renew the pact as it is for another 16 years — which would have been until 2042.

The United States wants changes to the agreement to reduce its trade deficits with Canada and Mexico and to resolve specific disputes over issues such as Canada’s protection of its dairy industry.

Congressman seeks probe of ‘rent now, pay later’ companies

BY KEN SWEET

AP business writer NEW YORK — A Democratic member of Congress is calling for the federal government to investigate the growing “rent now, pay later” industry, saying Americans may not understand the fees and cost structure of these products as the services become more widely available.

Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., sent a letter to Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Acting Director Russell Vought urging the bureau to investigate rent now, pay later companies and hold them accountable for potential violations of federal consumer financial protection

laws. In the letter, obtained by The Associated Press, Frost also asked the bureau to explain what it is doing to protect renters and whether landlords are steering tenants toward rent-financing products.

“Rent now, pay later” companies allow renters to split their monthly rent into smaller payments over the course of a month. A renter with a $1,000 monthly rent bill might pay in four weekly payments of $250 or two payments of $500.

First elected to Congress in 2022 at the age of 25, Frost said he frequently used buy now, pay later services to furnish his first apartment in Washington, which put him heavily into debt. In an interview, Frost said it was only because he

made a healthy salary as a member of Congress that he was recently able to pay those debts off.

He said he believes his experience is likely the same as other young Americans.

“Americans should know they have rights when using these buy now, pay later products,” Frost said. “This is why the CFPB was created in the first place.”

Frost looked into using his credit card to pay rent, but “thank God that didn’t happen,” he added.

Companies such as Flex and Livble say breaking rent into multiple payments can help renters manage cash flow. The buy now, pay later company Affirm has also done limited trials that allow its

customers to split rent into multiple payments. But several of these payment plans can come with high fees and finance charges. In February, the AP reported on how users of these services were paying as much as $50 a month to split their rent.

These RNPL companies differ from companies like Bilt, which allows some renters to pay rent through its credit card and rewards platform. Bilt says it has more than 5 million members, and its customers have historically used its service to earn rewards points on rent payments. RNPL companies are more focused on allowing customers to finance large rent payments across multiple payments.

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Thursday, July 2, 2026 ✦ 7A

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CHAPTER

Continued from page 1A the school on a new path. They hired a slew of new administrators, including Weiland, closed the liberal arts building and cut some academic programs and raised tuition.

LSU President Wade Rousse, who earned a master’s degree from University of New Orleans and credited the university for inspiring his love for economics, said the changes have put the university on stable financial footing.

He added that the school will contribute to LSU’s mission to educate students from across the state and prepare them for the workforce. But the university will also remain a research institution rooted in New Orleans, Rousse said.

“LSU New Orleans must remain committed to serving as a catalyst for social mobility, for first-generation students, working students, adult learners and veterans,” he told the crowd. “That is a critical legacy worth keeping.”

Students in yellow LSU New Orleans shirts cheered and waved glittery pompoms as attendees arrived at Wednesday’s celebration.

Kamille Isom, a graduate student and president of the Student Government Association, said she was hopeful the event’s high energy and optimism would be a permanent feature of LSU New Orleans.

“We had a lot of people come out,” she said. “Seeing all those people just made me really excited for what’s to come.”

Chris Summa, a professor and president of the Faculty Senate, said he was nearly moved to tears by a promotional video that highlighted faculty members’ commitment to New Orleans. He noted that the university has endured financial hardships since Hurricane Katrina, but said he is optimistic that the new leadership will help the school function more seamlessly.

“This is a chance to get our mojo back and get to doing what we do best,” he said. “It’s exciting to see

LAWSUIT

Continued from page 1A no witnesses, accepting no public testimony and allowing no transparency in the process,” said Mike Faulk, a former school superintendent and one of the plaintiffs, in a statement.

On Monday, Judge Richard “Chip” Moore of the 19th Judicial District Court in Baton Rouge lifted the temporary restraining order and disqualified the plaintiffs’ law firm, Baker Donelson, ruling that the firm had a conflict of interest because it was representing the state in a separate case.

The plaintiffs hired new attorneys and were scheduled to return to Moore’s courtroom Wednesday to argue for a preliminary injunction, before deciding to pull their lawsuit.

Landry issued the executive order June 2, the day after lawmakers adjourned without allocating money for the stipends. In recent years, the Legislature has allocated about $200 million annually to give teachers one-time payments instead of permanent raises.

The official new sign for LSU New Orleans is unveiled outside the University Center on Wednesday.

The Soul Motion Brass Band leads LSU New Orleans students and faculty in a parade across the campus to mark the University of New Orleans officially joining the LSU system on Wednesday.

this many people excited about LSU New Orleans.”

Arian Verrett, a New Orleans native who enrolled at UNO after moving back to the city to care for her family, said she appreciates the university’s close-knit community, though she wouldn’t mind seeing more students on campus.

She believes the school can maintain that sense of community even if it’s now called LSU New Orleans.

“It doesn’t matter if they change the name,” she said. “It’s still the same people. It’s still the same school.”

Under Landry’s plan, that money will be taken out of the roughly $4 billion the state sends to schools.

Landry and lawmakers say schools can afford the roughly 4% reduction in state dollars by tapping their rainy-day funds. Landry also argues that the money is staying in education because it is going toward teacher pay.

“Not a single dollar is being taken away from public education,” he said in a social media post Tuesday.

“We’re investing in teachers, not bureaucracy.”

The order says the cut should not come out of funding for classroom instruction, security, transportation or food services. But school system leaders have warned

STAFF PHOTOS By CHRIS GRANGER

that the funding reduction “It’s naive to think that this could result in programs or will not be felt in the classpositions being eliminated, room,” she said, arguing that especially in small and ru- noninstructional staffers, ral districts where money already is tight.

After the Legislature approved Landry’s order, Ouachita Parish Schools announced several costcutting measures, including a freeze on nonclassroom hiring, library book purchases and nonemergency maintenance projects. A district spokesperson said the steps are temporary while a longer-term plan is being developed.

Baudouin said that even if classroom spending is spared from cuts, student learning still could be impacted.

such as reading coaches and attendance counselors, also contributed to New Orleans students’ recent academic

gains. “I really fear these cuts are going to slow, or even begin to reverse, that progress.”

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8A ✦ Thursday, July 2, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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New autopsy of a Challengers score victories against Arkansas’ restrictions baby killed by police deepens outrage

Federal judge rules extra conditions on ballot initiatives violate free speech

Mississippi family is challenging claims about the shooting

BY MARC LEVY Associated Press

BY HANNAH FINGERHUT

A federal judge in Arkansas has thrown out a handful of state laws that put extra restrictions on citizen efforts to gather signatures for ballot initiatives, agreeing with challengers that they violated the constitutional free speech rights of voters.

The decision handed several victories to the League of Women Voters of Arkansas and other plaintiffs, which sued last year amid efforts in various states to make it harder for regular citizens to make laws or amend their states’ constitution through ballot initiatives.

One such measure required someone signing a petition to show photo ID. That and other additional ballot-initiative restrictions were imposed by Arkansas’ GOPcontrolled state government after election officials cited a legal technicality to reject petitions submitted by abortion rights supporters in a 2024 effort to legalize abortion in the conservative state.

One of the plaintiffs, Protect AR Rights, called the decision an “important victory for the people of Arkansas and their constitutional right to direct democracy.”

The decision, issued Tuesday

by U.S. District Judge Timothy Brooks, also rejected some challenges by the league and its fellow plaintiffs, while Brooks sent three other disputes to trial.

The defendant, Arkansas Secretary of State Cole Jester, a Republican who had defended the laws in court, said in a statement that his office plans to appeal Brooks’ decision and “will fight tirelessly for common sense safeguards like voter ID.” Among the laws Brooks struck down are 2025 measures requiring canvassers to verify a petition signers’ identity through a photo

A Mississippi family whose 1-year-old child was killed when police fired into a moving car offered evidence Wednesday that they say challenges the officers’ account of being in danger when one opened fire.

A preliminary autopsy requested by the family of Kohen Wiley suggested the baby was shot from the side of the car, not the front, civil rights attorney Ben Crump said, disputing officers’ claims that the car was heading toward them. Kohen’s mother, who was holding her baby in the passenger seat, says her friend was driving away from the officers.

Kohen and his mother are Black, and the June 14 shooting has sparked protests and outrage in the small town of Senatobia. Residents point to a string of troubling encounters with police in recent years. Crump said the child was killed after police were called to a Walmart parking lot about diapers that may have been shoplifted.

“We’re going to try to continue to demand transparency,” Crump said. He spoke from the pulpit of Senatobia Church of Christ, surrounded by more than a dozen people including the baby’s grandparents, some of them holding “Justice for Baby Kohen” signs.

However, Crump repeatedly emphasized that the pathologist did not have access to complete information. He said the family won’t rest until authorities release the police body camera and dashcam video, as well as Walmart surveillance video.

A spokesperson for the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, which is in charge of the ongoing inquiry, declined to comment Wednesday. Tate County Coro-

Associated Press

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By ANDREW DEMILLO

Boxes containing signatures supporting a proposed ballot measure to scale back Arkansas’ abortion ban are delivered to a room in the state Capitol, on July 5, 2024, in Little Rock, Ark. ID and to read the ballot question aloud or require a petition signer to read the entire ballot question before signing it. The ballot questions are often hundreds of words long.

Requiring a petition signer to possess and present a photo ID “before engaging in core political speech” plainly violates free speech laws, Brooks wrote, and noted that the Arkansas secretary of state’s office reviews every signature to confirm that the petition signer is a registered voter.

The ID requirement regulates what a registered voter “must do before signing a petition and what a canvasser must do before allowing them to,” Brooks wrote. “This impedes supporters of a measure from expressing their views by signing a petition.”

State officials had contended that requiring a reading of the ballot question before anyone can sign a petition was necessary to prevent a canvasser from misrepresenting the ballot question.

But Brooks wrote that the state had refused to prosecute reported cases of such canvasser misconduct, and that it should enforce its existing laws before it chose a more restrictive alternative of “imposing burdensome speech

codes on good and bad actors alike.”

Twenty-three states and Washington, D.C., allow citizen-initiated ballot measures, according to the nonprofit Ballot Initiative Strategy Center.

In March, the center reported that it had found a “sharp escalation” by lawmakers in both the number and severity of anti-democratic attacks on the ballot measure process over the past several election cycles.

Sponsors of such efforts, it wrote, framed them as steps to improve election integrity, administrative efficiency or voter protection.

One of the most common methods is making it harder for initiatives to qualify for the ballot by placing restrictions on where, when and how signatures are collected, it wrote.

It singled out efforts in Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio and Oklahoma.

Another common method of restricting ballot initiatives, it said, is requiring a larger majority of voters, rather than a simple majority, to approve a referendum, thus making it harder to pass. It cited efforts in Arizona, Florida, Missouri, North Dakota and Ohio.

Israeli forces detain Palestinian women in West Bank raids

her immediate Many imprisoned Palestinian universities. demanded release.

On Wednesday, the Israeli without formal More women arrested Women now make up a military referred quescharges small but growing share of tions about the arrests in

BY SAM METZ

Associated Press

JERUSALEM — It was shortly after 1 a.m. Wednesday when Abdelrahman Badr said he heard footsteps outside his home in Hebron in the occupied West Bank.

Soon Israeli forces were at his door, he said. They were looking for his wife.

The forces took Itaf Badr, who serves on the board of a prominent health charity, and said she was wanted for questioning, driving her away in the dead of night, according to Abdelrahman.

She was one of five Palestinian women detained

by Israeli security forces across the West Bank on Wednesday. The early morning raids targeted multiple cities, including Hebron, Ramallah, Nablus and Bethlehem, the women’s families and Palestinian rights groups said.

For most of Israel’s decades-long occupation, Palestinian men and boys have borne the brunt of the military’s effort to enforce it, and have been swept up in mass detentions or spent years in jail for throwing rocks at Israeli troops.

But security forces are detaining more women and girls, said Abdullah AlZaghari, head of the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club, a nongovernmental organization that supports political prisoners in Israeli jails. He said gender is no longer a distinguishing factor in who the group believes Israel is targeting, from political activists to student leaders at

the roughly 9,300 Palestinians currently in detention, according to Israeli rights group Hamoked, which gets data from the Israel Prison Service.

The number of Palestinian women and girls in Israeli detention has more than doubled since the start of the Israel-Hamas war and increased 80% since the start of 2026. Fifteen have been arrested since the beginning of June, bringing the total to 99, according to Prisoners’ Club data.

Some of them were arrested after posting messages on social media, including ones that were critical of Israel’s occupation of the West Bank or the war in Gaza. Others were members of Palestinian political parties’ student branches at their universities, Al-Zaghari said.

Many have been imprisoned without formal charges under Israel’s administrative detention policy, which allows authorities to hold Palestinians for renewable periods of up to six months.

Last month, Israeli soldiers arrested at least five other young women, including four members of the Palestinian national soccer team and a 20-yearold Palestinian-American, Sama Saif.

The military said those women were suspected of “promoting terrorist activities.” At least one has since been released.

The others have not yet been charged, according to their attorneys.

Saif ’s arrest has drawn criticism from several U.S. senators, who have

Ramallah and Nablus to Israel’s Border Police, which also operates in the West Bank. It said it was checking for information on the arrest of Itaf in Hebron but did not respond to a request for comment on why she was detained.

Why they were detained The relatives of the women who were detained early Wednesday said they were unsure why they were taken away.

In Nablus, Wael al-Faqih said his wife, Maiser alFaqih, was arrested at home by Israeli forces. She is a former detainee and, like Itaf, was previously involved with the Union of Health Work Committees, a charity that provides medical care in low-income communities.

Israel has accused the group of ties to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which it has designated a terrorist organization. The charity denies the allegations.

“We still don’t know what it was about,” Wael said in an interview. He said Israeli forces searched him and his son and then asked Maiser to put on her hijab before whisking her away.

Abdelrahman said he believed his wife Itaf’s work with the charity put her at risk. He told a similar story about her arrest.

First, she was taken outside and then handcuffed in the street.

“I looked at them from the window, they shouted at me and my son,” he said.

Then, “they grabbed her, blindfolded her and put her in the military vehicle.”

ner Ernie Lentz said in an email the official autopsy report is not complete. An email was sent to Senatobia Police Chief Harold Vanderford seeking comment.

An email was also sent to a Walmart spokesperson seeking comment.

On display at the church were photos and diagrams of Kohen’s body and a photo of the car. The passenger window was shattered and an apparent bullet hole pierced the windshield on the passenger side. The other woman in the car was badly wounded, authorities said.

The broken passenger-side window indicates a bullet was fired into that side the car, Crump said.

The preliminary findings, Crump said, show the bullet entered the baby’s torso on his right side and exited on his left. Crump said that assessment is supported by the clusters of cuts on the right side of his chest and abdomen that would have been caused by the broken tempered glass.

“That’s very important as we try to solve a puzzle,” he explained, adding: “The reason that we’re having to try to solve the puzzle is because they won’t release the video.”

In an initial account of the shooting, state investigators said: “Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver drove in the direction of the officers, almost striking one. An officer then discharged their weapon and the vehicle fled the scene.”

Investigators will try to figure out the vehicle’s position, how everyone was sitting inside, and where the officers were standing, said policing expert Ian Adams, who teaches criminal justice at the University of South Carolina. They will need to look at damage to the car as well as bullet wounds, because people can move around.

“We need to know a lot more before drawing firm conclusions based on bullet wounds alone,” Adams said.

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JEFFERSON • NEW ORLEANS • ST. TAMMANY • RIVER PARISHES ST. BERNARD • TANGIPAHOA • PLAQUEMINES

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T h u r s d ay, J u ly 2, 2026

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Kenner mayor, others sworn into office Returning officials vow to build on their progress

Former NOPD officer accused of fraud Inspector general refers payroll case for prosecution

BY MISSY WILKINSON Staff writer

STAFF PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

Kenner Mayor Michael Glaser takes the oath of office during the city of Kenner inauguration ceremony at the Pontchartrain Center in Kenner on Wednesday.

BY LARA NICHOLSON Staff writer

Kenner Mayor Michael Glaser and Police Chief Keith Conley were sworn into their second terms of office Wednesday at the Pontchartrain Center, along with the Kenner City Council and its two new members.

Glaser and other returning officials vowed in their speeches to build upon the progress they’ve made over the last four years to improve the city’s infrastructure, finances and economic development after overhauling the city government in his first term.

“This inauguration is not simply the beginning of another journey, it’s the continuation of a journey that began four years ago with a clear vision to rebuild a city that was stuck in neutral into a stronger and more prosperous community for every resident,” Glaser said.

Glaser, a Republican, secured his second term with just over 50% of the vote in the May election against two opponents. He won his election outright in the primary, though his margins were thinner than his 2022 win against then-incumbent Mayor Ben Zahn, where he scored 75% of the vote.

ä See KENNER, page 2B

STAFF PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley takes the oath of office during the city of Kenner inauguration ceremony at the Pontchartrain Center in Kenner on Wednesday.

Slidell mayor, council, police chief sworn in ‘We are growing,’ Fandal says

BY WILLIE SWETT Staff writer

Slidell Mayor Randy Fandal and Police Chief Tommy Williams were sworn into their positions at a packed inauguration ceremony in Slidell on Wednesday, along with several new City Council members elected this spring.

“The future of Slidell is bright.

We are growing, investing and improving, but these accomplishments do not belong to one person or one administration, they belong to all of us,” Fandal said, pointing from the lectern to the over 600 people in the city’s crowded auditorium.

Fandal, who has already been serving as mayor since winning a special race against former council member Bill Borchert in the fall, won a four-year term in the May 16 election after running unopposed.

“When I first sought this office, I promised to focus on public safety, infrastructure, economic development and quality of life.

Today, I’m proud about the progress we’ve made and the future ahead,” Fandal said.

Williams, the new police chief, did not speak during the ceremony, but in an interview afterward said that he “went back to work the day after I was elected.”

STAFF PHOTO By WILLIE SWETT

The New Orleans Office of the Inspector General released new details Wednesday about payroll fraud allegations against a former New Orleans police officer and federal task force member, the result of an investigation that Inspector General Ed Michel said has been handed off to prosecutors.

The OIG did not identify the former officer or the federal task force in an eightpage summary of its investigation. But Skip Gallagher, a whistleblower whose complaint sparked the probe, identified “Officer A” as Chad Cockerham, a veteran officer who joined an FBI task force in 2018.

The OIG likewise did not disclose which prosecutors received its report.

However, Cockerham’s attorney, Jessica Vasquez, said the case was provided to the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office, which declined to prosecute, and Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill, who took no action.

“It’s disappointing to see this resurfaced now as a strategy against Officer Cockerham who has challenged OIG’s investigation tactics and integrity,” Vasquez said in a statement.

The OIG’s summary report detailed examples of Cockerham’s alleged payroll fraud, including that he claimed to be at work while taking four-day cruises in 2022 and 2023 and while out of state in cities that coincided with New Orleans Saints football games. Cockerham also logged overnight shifts in his capacity on the federal task force, though federal supervisors did not authorize those hours.

According to the report, Cockerham claimed to have worked more than 5,200 hours in 2023 — nearly 14 hours a day,

Slidell Mayor Randy Fandal, right, is sworn in by Judge Vincent Lobello on Wednesday.

ä See FRAUD, page 2B

Williams retired from the Slidell police department in 2015, but had been serving as a reserve member before deciding to take the leap to the top office and winning a decisive victory in May against former police Officer Brian Nicaud.

Williams said he plans to make the former interim Police Chief Daniel Seuzeneau the assistant police chief unless Seuzeneau decides to step away. Seuzeneau has said he is considering running for St. Tammany Parish sheriff.

“Daniel and I have always worked closely together. We started at the same time at the Police Department, and we just knew that we have a cohesive team, and

Recall group loses out on $100K amid dispute

ä See SLIDELL, page 2B

Organizers seek to oust governor, attorney general

BY JONI HESS Staff writer

Woman convicted of shooting bystander gets 28 years Gunbattle on Bourbon Street resulted in tourist’s death

The 39-year-old man visiting New Orleans from Florida in June 2024 was shot dead as he walked along the 600 block of Bourbon Street when a feud escalated into a gunbattle. Oatts was not involved in the altercation that led to

BY MATT BRUCE the shooting.

Staff writer A New Orleans jury in A woman convicted of firing May found Mia Lindsey, Oatts a stray bullet that struck and 28, guilty of manslaughkilled Christopher Oatts Jr. two ter, a lesser charge from the years ago has been sentenced second-degree murder indictto 28 years in prison, Orleans ment she was tried on for three Parish Criminal District Court days. The jury ruled Lindsey records show. not guilty of obstruction of jus-

tice in its May 13 verdict.

District Judge Nandi Campbell handed down the 28-year sentence during a hearing Friday after listening to testimony from Oatts’ father, one of his two young sons and other relatives, court records show.

A warehouse manager at SeaWorld, Oatts had taken time away from the Orlando theme park for a weekend trip to New Orleans to visit siblings and cousins when he got caught in the crossfire June 22, 2024.

At trial, prosecutors showed jurors footage from Project NOLA’s private network of surveillance cameras.

Oatts was walking along the sidewalk shortly after 4 a.m. when a bullet fired from hundreds of feet away struck him in the head. He later died at University Medical Center.

According to an affidavit for an arrest warrant, four women and a man were walking together down Bourbon Street when the man in the group started fighting with a man on

Organizers behind the effort to recall Gov. Jeff Landry and Attorney General Liz Murrill are raising money to expand their reach after a dispute with a local advocacy group cost them a $100,000 donation, throwing a wrench in what was already a complex undertaking.

The co-founders of Louisiana Deserves Better, a statewide recall campaign launched in May, said they were unable to access more than $100,000 in donated funds after they rejected the advice of the Greater New Orleans Housing Alliance — which worked to connect the group with potential donors.

The housing alliance, acting as a potential sponsor that could accept the funds on the campaign’s behalf, required the recall group to sign a contract that

ä See CONVICTED, page 2B

ä See DISPUTE, page 2B

2B ✦ Thursday, July 2, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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21 arrested in Medicaid fraud investigation

$5,000 and $10,000.

Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. That providers in Louisiana allegedly and $3.3 million came from the La. providers accused between “One of my top priorities has unit is being turned into a stand- defrauded Medicaid for between state.

The Louisiana Department of been rooting out fraud and holding alone division within the Louisiana $800,000 and $28.4 million, per the of false claims Health has also been a partner in accountable individuals and com- Department of Justice, Murrill an- release.

BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN Staff writer

Attorney General Liz Murrill on Wednesday announced 21 arrests related to Medicaid fraud and abuse of patients that are part of a state and nationwide crackdown on fraud in the program.

Many of the arrests relate to Louisiana providers accused of submitting false claims to receive Medicaid reimbursement for services they did not actually provide, according to a release from Murrill’s office. The release says the frauds involve sums ranging from $500 to $100,000, though most are

panies who try to cheat the system,” Murrill said during a news conference at the State Capitol. “Every dollar that is stolen by fraud is a dollar that is taken away from a child, a senior or a family that relies on these critical services Murrill and support.”

“These individuals are trying to profit at the expense of hardworking taxpayers, and while Louisiana is not immune to these schemes, we’re making it clear that we won’t tolerate them,” she added.

The arrests stem from investigations performed by Murrill’s

nounced. It is led by Matt Stafford.

The FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration and other federal partners helped in the operation, which was part of a coordinated national investigation, Murrill said.

Other arrests involve cases where people allegedly falsified documents in response to Medicaid-related audits, such as CPR investigations. Some concern workers accused of abusing patients in their care.

In two additional cases being prosecuted at the federal level,

SLIDELL

Continued from page 1B we’re going to continue that,” Williams said.

Williams also said he has been in touch with interim St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Brett Ibert, who was named sheriff after a dramatic shakeup at the top of the department last week, when Sheriff Randy Smith and his secondin-command both resigned. Smith resigned after pleading guilty to beating a parish resident at a steakhouse near Madisonville in May. “My primary function is the city of Slidell, but Brett Ibert, the sheriff, has already reached out to me and he wants to form a more cohesive team than what we’ve had in the past,” Williams said.

The May election also featured races for two at-large seats and five district seats on the nine-person Slidell city council.

On Wednesday, some of the city council members gave speeches about America’s history and promise in a nod to the country’s 250th anniversary just a few days away.

Newly elected at-large council member Leslie Denham encouraged the crowd to recognize the long history of activism and po-

STAFF PHOTO By WILLIE SWETT

Slidell Police Chief Tommy Williams, right, stands with Judge Vincent Lobello of the 22nd Judicial District Court at the Slidell Municipal Auditorium on Wednesday. Williams said he was officially sworn in the day before. litical work that led to people of color and women having the right to vote, including through the passage of the 15th and 19th amendments.

“When we embrace our differences, we not only get delicious food and great music, but more importantly, we build solid communities and life experiences that drive our decisions, and vote for the entire community rather than self-serving policies,” Denham said.

“I am thankful, very thankful to live in a city that understands that

community is bigger than race, gender, class or political affiliation,” she said.

At the end of the ceremony, the recently sworn-in officials were escorted by their spouses and family members down the center aisle of the auditorium, as fans and supporters clapped and cheered, and local musician and former school principal Bobby Ohler sang “God Bless the USA” by Lee Greenwood.

Email Willie Swett at willie. swett@theadvocate.com.

Continued from page 1B

FRAUD

Continued from page 1B every day of the year.

Investigators found that over a three-month period in 2024, Cockerham was in the federal task force’s jurisdiction for only about 400 of the roughly 1,200 hours he reported working. He had not requested or received authorization for remote work from the federal agency, the New Orleans Police Department or the city, the report states.

“In general, FBI Special Agents and FBI Task Force Officers do not Telework or work Remotely, as their investigative rigor is down either in the field or within an FBI workplace,” NOPD Public Bureau of Integrity investigators wrote in a 2024 formal disciplinary investiga-

rooting out fraud, according to officials.

“LDH has completely changed our paradigm on fraud detection, prevention and recovery in the last year or so to better police spending in the Medicaid program,” said agency head Bruce Greenstein, who appeared alongside Murrill at the news conference.

The Health Department created an in-house Medicaid fraud detection unit in 2024 and has been able to audit many more tips and program anomalies than it has in previous years, Greenstein said, adding that some of those cases were referred to the attorney general.

DISPUTE

The Republican Party of Louisiana has responded with a social media campaign highlighting Landry’s and Murrill’s accomplishments. The “Don’t You Recall” posts point to improvements in post-pandemic education and reduced crime in New Orleans.

Organizers say over 340 signing locations are scattered across the state in areas such as New Orleans, Alexandria, Lake Charles and Harvey. It’s unclear how many signatures have been collected thus far.

The organizers did not respond to requests for an interview.

Organizers would need to collect more than 600,000 signatures on a petition targeting the governor and the attorney general by November 2026. If enough people sign, the state would be forced to put the issue on the ballot.

Louisiana Deserves Better lacks federal tax-exempt status, a status that allows the group to collect large political donations and to compensate its volunteers, according to the state Campaign Finance Disclosure Act. Separately, the Louisiana Board of Ethics requires individuals or PACs that receive or spend $5,000 or more on recall-related activities to register with the board and file finance disclosure reports.

Failure to do so could result in fines and other civil penalties.

Gbaiwon called the suggestion to get a tax-exempt designation a distraction from the recall effort and an attempt to siphon control.

“We refuse to let an outside entity hijack the integrity of this recall,” she said in a social media post.

Collins noted that in 2023, the organizers of a failed recall campaign for former Mayor LaToya Cantrell established themselves as a nonprofit entity, allowing residents to track nearly $1.2 million raised as the effort grew from a collection of volunteer-manned signing outposts to a much larger operation.

The money was largely spent on canvassing, administrative work, advertising, data management and legal fees.

Continued from page 1B

KENNER

One of his opponents, Diane Schnell, a Democrat, challenged the results after the election, alleging that technical issues on voting machines prevented voters from casting their ballots. A recount of absentee ballots did not change the outcome of the election.

Conley and Kenner City Council District 3 Member Joey LaHatte won their seats back unopposed.

On the Kenner City Council, Joe Stagni is making a return after vacating his state representative seat to serve as an at-large council member, and Danny Riehm joins the body as a first-time candidate who won the District 5 seat. All council members are Republican except Dee Dunn, a Democrat.

During the ceremony, Glaser pointed to several infrastructure achievements from his first term in office, like the rebuilding of Roosevelt Boulevard that’s nearing completion, upgrades to the city’s sewer treatment plant and improvements to Kenner’s recreation spaces like the reopening of the A.P. Clay Resource Center splash pad.

These projects, he said, were achieved while stabilizing the city’s finances after inheriting a $2.2 million deficit.

Glaser also lauded economic development projects that are set to arrive in the next four years, like the New Orleans Pelicans’ GLeague Team, renamed the “Lake-

Those arrests are in addition to related indictments Murrill has obtained since taking office, during which time she “has indicted, arrested, or charged 95 individuals for programmatic offenses, including Medicaid fraud and abuse and neglect in residential facilities,” the release says. “She has also secured 105 convictions and over $73 million in ordered restitution.”

Murrill’s Medicaid fraud unit received about $13.3 million in funding during the fiscal year that ended Wednesday, according to the release, which says that $10 million came from a federal grant

STAFF PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

Members of the Kenner Police Department Color Guard present the colors during the city of Kenner inauguration ceremony at the Pontchartrain Center in Kenner on Wednesday. town Squadron,” at the Pontchartrain Center later this year, and the renovation of Kenner’s dock on the Mississippi River so American Cruise Lines can add a stop there.

Jefferson Parish also plans to build a $12.5 million amphitheater in Laketown in the coming years.

Glaser and the council face challenges in the new term, however.

Residents are frustrated with widespread street flooding that took place there in the remnants of Tropical Storm Arthur as hurricane season gets underway, and many within Kenner’s sizable Hispanic community were shaken by the U.S. Border Patrol’s deployment there last December.

The city still faces conflict with its firefighters, who say a new pay structure put into effect last year to comply with state law isn’t fair

to them. The council amended the city’s budget to give all firefighters 2% pay raises, although Glaser swatted down the raises while litigation with the firefighters remains ongoing.

And the longtime operator of the Pontchartrain Center, Legends Global, terminated its contract with the city Wednesday, forcing the administration to take over management.

Kenner hired four Pontchartrain Center employees to act as a skeleton crew as $5 million in renovations take place there for the basketball team, while 10 other employees say they were terminated

by Legends without a severance package.

“The agreement we had was outdated and it didn’t work,” Glaser said after the ceremony.

tion of Cockerham initiated by Gallagher’s time sheet analysis.

More than 200 time entries in 2024 originated from Cockerham’s home IP address, though the supervisor whose credentials were used denied making or approving them, the report says.

The OIG did not disclose which prosecutorial agency, if any, is now reviewing the case. Murrill, whose Louisiana Bureau of Investigation investigated along with the OIG and the NOPD, did not comment.

The District Attorney’s Office did not return a request for comment.

Cockerham was fired from the NOPD earlier this year for untruthfulness related to an alleged cheating scandal involving the department’s captains and majors promotions test.

In that scandal, anonymous cheating allegations submitted from an

IP address linked to Cockerham introduced what the OIG later described as “baseless complaints” into the promotional exam process, delaying and disrupting the promotions.

The OIG discovered the link between Cockerham’s IP address and the anonymous cheating allegations during his payroll fraud investigation, according to a termination letter for Cockerham signed by NOPD Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick in March.

Cockerham was fired from the NOPD on March 25. He is appealing his termination.

In April, the OIG issued an open letter to Kirkpatrick warning that weak oversight of timekeeping and overtime left the department vulnerable to fraud and abuse. That letter built on a January report that probed the NOPD’s failure to budget

campaign co-founder Marion Gbaiwon said in a social media post would “strip away their independence” and “steal their grassroots momentum.”

“They explicitly wrote clauses into their contract giving themselves the right to ‘pop up’ unannounced at our studio headquarters to monitor us, mandating that we get their absolute approval before we say anything to the media, and making us share all our advocacy and lobbying plans with GNOHA (the alliance) in advance,” Gbaiwon said in the post dated June 21.

But Housing Alliance Executive Director Andreanecia Morris said they cut ties because Gbaiwon’s group ignored their guidance on how the money could be accessed and spent. To get the funds, the recall group would have to set up a political action committee and become a tax-exempt 501(c)(4) organization, she said.

“We were ready to help inside the rules, but their refusal to work together meant we were at a standstill,” Morris said. The donor kept the cash, she said.

The loss of the donation complicates an endeavor that already faced a tough road. The chances of recalls in Louisiana generally are slim, and there has not been a successful recall of a statewide elected leader in the past six decades.

“You have to raise money from external sources. There’s no way around that to even stand a chance, and this is a very long-shot campaign,” said Dillard University political science professor Robert Collins.

The campaign launched shortly after the governor’s decision to postpone an election to make way for a new congressional map that eradicated one of two majorityBlack districts. Residents who have signed their names said the new GOP-aligned map, imposed by a Supreme Court’s April ruling, and Landry and Murrill’s uncompromising conservative policies Email Joni Hess at joni.hess@ fueled their decision. theadvocate.com.

CONVICTED

Continued from page 1B

degree murder and is set to stand trial Aug. 17.

Cameron Lindsey, 27, was also indicted on a charge of obstruction of justice in the shooting. Records show he pleaded guilty to the charge May 7 in a deal with prosecutors poised to guarantee him a five-year prison stint deferred for three years of probation. Cameron Lindsey withdrew his guilty plea three weeks later and told the judge he planned to hire a new attorney.

Records show he’s retained New Orleans lawyer Kenneth Willis and his trial is also set to begin Aug. 17.

the street. When the group was followed, Lindsey opened fire.

Prosecutors used the surveillance footage to identify Lindsey, 28, as the one who fired the fatal gunshots. Prosecutors said the Columbia, Mississippi, woman was spotted on video walking toward a 2016 Honda Civic afterward.

Investigators tracked the vehicle to her home city. Deputies there arrested Lindsey and 28-year-old Mariah Campbell days later.

Campbell was charged as an ac- Email Matt Bruce at matt. cessory after the fact to second- bruce@theadvocate.com.

for or oversee its overtime hours, which were a major contributor to the city’s 2025 budget shortfall.

It was the latest manifestation of a long-running NOPD payroll fraud issue that Gallagher says has morphed over the years. This year, Sgt. Henry Burke was accused of payroll fraud, and internal investigations were launched into officers Christopher Kalka, Bianca Boone and Rene Benjamin.

Those incidents followed a 2022 federal probe that investigated 33 NOPD officers and led to an overhaul of the department’s payroll and secondary employment systems.

More recent investigations have led the department to adopt in-person biometric time clocks, conduct physical checks and reset all timekeeping user accounts.

“We commend the NOPD for taking critical steps to strengthen its

oversight of officer timekeeping, and we encourage the department to continue improving its payroll and overtime management,” Michel wrote. “In light of the City’s financial circumstances, it is essential that public funds are used efficiently and effectively for the people of New Orleans.”

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New Orleans Area Deaths Bartley, Robert Davis, Anna Jacobs, Lorraine James, Cornelius Johnson, Darryl King Wise, Deborah Lemon, Taris Lewis, Lawrence Lind, Eugenia Reddick, Arthurine Smith, Delphine Williams, Mary

Obituaries Bartley, Robert Charles

death by her parents, her husband, her brothers Chester Diggs, Joseph Diggs, and Alvin King, and her sisters Marva Denet and Yvonne Allen.

She leaves to cherish her memory her daughter Alicia Marie Davis Bailey; grandchildren Vincent (Lakeisha) Davis, Daniell Bailey, Harold Bailey, and Akayla (Rickey) Duronslet; 17 great-grandchildren; siblings Brenda Kinchen, Herman (Karen) King, Larry (Brenda) King, and Andre' (Lisa) King; sisters-in-law Linda Davis, Lola Davis, and Elaine Davis; and a host of family and friends.

Funeral services will be held Thursday, July 2, 2026, at Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church 1000 Walkertown Way, Marrero LA. Visitation is from 8:00 a.m. to 9:50 a.m. ONLY, service is at 10:00 a.m. Pastor T.J. Brown Jr. officiating.

Interment will follow at McDonoughville Cemetery, Gretna, Louisiana.

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Funeral planning entrusted to Robinson Family Funeral Home. A visitation will be held from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM on 2026-07-02 at Morning Star Baptist Church , 1000 Walkertown Way .

Robert Charles Bartley (of Marrero LA.) was born on March 10, 1954 in New Orleans, LA. and received his heavenly call on Friday, June 19, 2026.

Son of the late Dorothy and Frank Bartley Jr. Beloved brother of Brendalyn Booker, Barbara LaMothe, Jacquelyn Edwards, Frank Bartley III, Pamela Johnson (Glen Sr.), Michael Bartley, and the late Dorothy Young, Diann Dabney and Matthew Bartley.

Mr. Bartley is also survived by a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and devoted friends.

Relatives and friends of the family are invited to attend the funeral service on Thursday, July 2nd, 2026 at Second Zion Baptist Church 6520 Second Zion Ave, Marrero LA., 70072.

The visitation will begin at 9AM followed by an 11AM service.

Bishop James Nelson Brown will officiate and interment will follow in Restlawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Avondale LA. Funeral planning entrusted to Robinson Family Funeral Home. A visitation will be held from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM on 2026-07-02 at Second Zion Baptist Church , 2929 Second Zion Street .

A celebration of life will be held at 11:00 AM on 2026 -07-02 at Second Zion Baptist Church, 2929 Second Zion Street .

Davis, Anna Mae Diggs

ANNA MAE DIGGS-DAVIS - was , born September 2, 1942, in Oakville, Louisiana, entered into eternal rest surrounded by love and faith. She was the daughter of the late Chester Diggs and Elnora King and the widow of Freddie Davis.

She was a devoted Registered Nurse who served at Charity Hospital, Meadowcrest Living Center, Christian Home Health, and A Beam of Life.

She was preceded in

A celebration of life will be held at 10:00 AM on 2026 -07-02 at Morning Star Baptist Church , 1000 Walkertown Way.

Jacobs, Lorraine

Lorraine Jacobs entered eternal rest at The Sanctuary of Passages Hospice on Thursday, June 25, 2026, at the age of 75.

She was a native and resident of Marrero, LA. Lorraine was a graduate of L.W. Higgins High School, and she received an associate degree from Delgado Community College. She later attended the University of New Orleans. Lorraine was employed at West Jefferson Medical Center for over 35 years as a Medical Secretary.

Beloved daughter of the late Johnny Jacobs, Jr., and Elvera J. Jacobs. Sister of Myra (Min. Henry, Jr.) Johnson, and the late Curtis Jacobs, John Jacobs, Lawrence Jacobs, and Elaine J. Woods. She was preceded in death by her grandparents. Lorraine is also survived by a host of nieces, nephews, godchildren, other relatives, and friends.

Relatives and friends of the family, also pastors, officers, and members of Good Hope Baptist Church, True Vine Baptist Church, St, Joseph Missionary Baptist Church, Mount Calvary International Worship Center, and all neighboring churches are invited to attend the Celebration of Life at Good Hope Baptist Church, 2028 Weyer Street, Gretna, LA on Friday, July 3, 2026, at 10:00a.m. Pastor Eddie Cross, III officiating.

Visitation will begin at 8:30a.m. until service time at the above named church.

Interment: Woodlawn Park Memorial Cemetery- Westwego, LA. Arrangements by Davis Mortuary Services, 230 Monroe St. Gretna, LA. To view and sign the guest-

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OPINION N O L A.C O M/opinions

OUR VIEWS

Sexual assault victims should be at top of state’s priority list Louisiana’s yearslong struggle to properly respond to the victims of alleged sexual assaults has been well documented. Whether it’s a lack of personnel to perform exams, a backlog in handling of rape kits, or struggles pursuing criminal charges, the problems have been persistent and intractable.

And even with recent efforts to address some of the issues, a new report by the Louisiana Legislative Auditor notes that plenty of work remains to be done.

The audit identified major gaps in the efforts to respond to sexual assaults. Among the findings: The various agencies, which include law enforcement, advocacy groups and healthcare providers, often don’t coordinate on their response; some regions of the state do not have response plans that meet the requirements of state law and, even when they do, some are in need of significant improvement; some of those plans have not been approved by coroners, as they are required to be; at least four parishes do not have an accredited sexual assault advocacy center; and many victims do not have access to Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners, or SANEs. One advocate told this newspaper’s Meghan Friedmann that the state’s biggest problem boils down to inconsistency of services and response.

“Everything is siloed,” said Morgan Lamandre, CEO of Sexual Trauma Awareness & Response.

The report comes as some legislators in recent years have taken steps to tackle the problem. Three years ago, Sen. Beth Mizell, RFranklinton, authored a bill that created a system to track rape kits in the process of analysis.

This year, a bill authored by Rep. Annie Spell, R-Lafayette, sought to centralize and strengthen oversight of the statewide response to sex crimes.

Spell’s bill, which was signed into law by Gov. Jeff Landry, creates a new position in the attorney general’s office tasked with getting a statewide picture of the responses. The person will also help direct resources to areas where it is lacking, Spell said. The law also creates a mobile SANE team, requires regional health officials to submit annual reports on the response and sets up a panel to create statewide standards.

We believe all of these measures are positive.

We also agree with Lamandre that the new rules need to include accountability for the officials responsible.

“We need more teeth behind things,” Lamandre said. “We need consequences.”

The auditor’s report also noted some needed additional steps, including finding consistent funding for advocacy centers and improved oversight.

All of these seem like good ideas to us. For years, the old system has too frequently failed the very people it was supposed to help. Louisiana is a law-and-order state; the rights and protection of sex crime victims should be at the top of the priority list.

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

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

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

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YOUR VIEWS

It’s time to share Jefferson school board must work to support system’s gains train traffic so Old the day-to-day job of the superintendent. Gray’s continued laser focus on students, teachers and improvement deserves credit.

Gray, his leadership team, teachers and schools have repeatedly demonstrated that they know how to do their jobs and do them well.

The Chamber PAC’s priorities remain clear: n A board that governs responsibly, not one that creates chaos n Members who come prepared, informed and ready to work n Respect for the superintendent’s role and professional staff n Fiscal responsibility and transparency n A commitment to stability, collaboration and student-centered decision-making.

As we look toward the fall elections, the Chamber’s PAC is focused on ensuring voters can elect leaders who will build on this momentum. Our community depends on strong schools.

The Jefferson Chamber has long maintained that strong public schools are the backbone of a strong parish.

Over the past several years, the Jefferson Parish School System, under the steady leadership of Superintendent James Gray, has delivered measurable progress and sustained improvement, not just one-year gains. That deserves recognition.

For the first time in years, the district has zero F-rated schools. Jefferson Parish has achieved the largest district performance score growth in a decade, earned a B rating for the first time in 10 years and maintained that B for two consecutive years.

More than 70% of schools grew or maintained performance, and students earned over 10,000 industry-based credentials, preparing them for high-demand careers.

Lastly, Jefferson Parish teachers were recognized nationally with the 2025-2026 National Institute for Excellence in Teaching District Award of Excellence for Educator Effectiveness.

These results are no accident; they exist in spite of politics and chaos caused when board members have overstepped their governance line into

NORA VADEN HOLMES Jefferson Chamber PAC chair RUTH LAWSON Jefferson Chamber PAC administrator Metairie

Fed-up country has news for its wayward leadership Who’s going to tell him?

That the affordability crisis is real news — not fake news — and needs attention.

That the purpose of the presidency is not to enrich oneself and one’s family.

That preoccupation with a ballroom that redefines ostentatious and an arch that mocks taste and proportion is not helping Americans.

That shotgun tariffs, implemented based on grudges and bullying, hurt Americans.

That a poorly planned war based on false premises (the regime will be overthrown) will hurt us economically in the short run, militarily in the intermediate term and politically in the long run.

That repeatedly insulting and dismissing our long-term allies will leave us isolated and scorned by the world.

That cozying up to autocratic leaders who share his penchant for the arbitrary acquisition of free and independent countries is wrongheaded.

That letting a science- and evidenceaverse attorney direct American healthcare is a travesty.

That being insecure about one’s masculinity is not a qualification for heading the Defense Department.

That promising to remove “the worst of the worst” does not mean indis-

STAFF FILE PHOTO By ENAN CHEDIAK

Protesters march down a street toward Williams Boulevard in Kenner on Jan. 10.

criminately arresting asylum seekers, shooting Americans who protest, separating 100,000 children from their parents, nor shipping nonviolent offenders to El Salvador or the Congo.

That a Justice Department that exists primarily to exact revenge for perceived slights and disloyalty to one person is an anathema to its mission.

That pardoning criminals who confessed or were convicted by juries of crimes on Jan. 6, 2021, is unconscionable, and compensating them is unimaginable.

That promises matter.

Who’s going to tell him? We are, on Nov. 3, 2026.

Metairie doesn’t bear the brunt

My church had many latecomers on a recent Sunday after a stopped train blocked traffic on Metairie Road. Again.

Stoppages are happening more often since the railroad relocated its inspections and crew changes. The resulting blocked traffic is not only annoying; it’s dangerous, as emergency vehicles cannot get through.

Who approved this?

Years ago, there was a proposal to move rail traffic from the Back Belt running through Old Metairie to the Middle Belt track south of Airline Highway.

Rerouting made sense considering population differences. And, there are far more residences, businesses, schools and churches along the Back Belt.

Likewise, traffic volume is much higher along this route, which crosses seven streets. No streets would be crossed by the proposed Middle Belt reroute. Zero.

Bolstered by such facts and demographics, rerouting had much momentum, but there was one problem: The current route goes through a White, affluent neighborhood, while the proposed route passes through neighborhoods that are predominantly Black.

When that became the media’s focus, the proposal ended.

The recent increase in stoppages should revive this issue with newfound resolve.

What needs to be done is simple: Open both routes and split the trains 50-50 between the Back Belt and Middle Belt. That’s fair.

This will at least cut Metairie’s problem in half and allow strategic scheduling. The Middle Belt should be used on Sunday mornings, rush hours and when trains will require stoppages — but keep the number of trains evenly divided.

“Evenly divided” should answer any claim that this is “injustice.”

I’ll call this proposal “railsplitting.” It will also allay concerns that a closed Back Belt might become an unwanted thoroughfare. Moreover, the railroad benefits by having alternative routes.

The logic and fairness of railsplitting are clear, and these frequent stoppages must end.

LOUIS MCFAUL Metairie

CHARLES ZEANAH Metairie

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COMMENTARY AMERICA 250

PROVIDED PHOTO By HISTOVERy

An image promoting ‘American Revolution: The Augmented Exhibition’ designed by the French firm Histovery, is currently on display at the Historic New Orleans Collection.

Joyeux anniversaire et merci Close ties between France and Louisiana stretch back to before Revolution

By Rodolphe Sambou partnerships are being created I still remember it vividly. every year.

On a sunny Saturday morning The relationship between in December 2011, I arrived in France and Louisiana is not Louisiana for the first time. a legacy of the past; it is a Dropped off in the heart living partnership, growing of the French Quarter, in stronger every day. The front of an old bookstore, New Orleans Saints game I heard a young street in Paris this fall is proof musician playing “La Vie en Rose.” Around me were Rodolphe that even after three centubalconies that reminded Sambou ries, our story continues to me of those in my mother’s be written.

GUEST Basque village. It may This year, we celebrate COLUMNIST sound like a cliché, but I the 250th anniversary of immediately felt at home. the relationship between In that moment, I recognized France and the United States. I something familiar: a European often joke with my fellow French heritage that so many French diplomats in Washington that, people — and Europeans more compared with the centuries-old broadly — can still feel in Louisities between France and Louisiana today. ana, it is still a relatively recent Since then, I have encountered story. Yet it is a remarkable one. that connection throughout the When I meet Louisiana veterstate. ans who landed on the beaches of I have seen it in Louisiana’s Normandy on D-Day, I am always French immersion schools, where struck by a simple thought: The students sometimes surprise their alliance between France and the parents by speaking French with United States is not an abstract their grandparents, or even great- diplomatic concept. It was built by grandparents. men and women willing to cross I have felt it in Lafayette, in its an ocean — and sometimes to sacmusic, literature and traditions. rifice their lives — so that others I have discovered it through could live in freedom. Some of the works of Edmond Dédé and the veterans are Cajuns. One told through the remarkable history of me that the French of his childL’Union, the first African Amerihood was once often overlooked, but had become a source of concan newspaper in the South, published in French. I see it in Mardi nection and pride. Regardless of Gras celebrations, in the love of what they spoke, France remains food, culture and community, and profoundly grateful for their sacin the countless Louisianians seek- rifice.

From Lafayette and Rochaming to reconnect with their French roots. beau to Normandy, our alliance This heritage is not simply was forged in decisive moments about preserving memories. It when liberty, sovereignty, democis about building opportunities. racy, and human dignity were at Learning French opens doors to stake. Those values remain just as education, careers, travel and cul- relevant today.

The world has changed since tural understanding. It prepares 1944. Yet the fundamental quesfuture generations to thrive in an interconnected world. tion remains the same: How do And this friendship is not mere- free nations preserve peace, security and human dignity in an ly cultural. increasingly unstable world?

France is today among LouisiWe face immense challenges: ana’s leading foreign investors climate change, economic uncerand foreign employers. Bilateral trade has nearly tripled over the tainty, regional conflicts and growpast five years, approaching $3 ing geopolitical tensions. War has billion annually. More Louisianreturned to Europe with Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. ians are studying French, more France’s support for Ukraine is French visitors are discovering rooted in a simple principle: BorLouisiana and more economic

ders cannot be changed by force, and nations have the right to determine their own future. These principles matter not only for Europe, but for the stability of the international system as a whole.

France also believes that today’s challenges — whether climate change, maritime security, public health or economic stability — cannot be solved by any country acting alone. Cooperation among allies and within international institutions remains indispensable. Take coastal erosion, which threatens communities in Louisiana just as it threatens parts of France. On issues like these, cooperation is not ideological; it is practical. We can share expertise, innovation and solutions.

The United States has played, since 1945, a decisive role in the security and stability of Europe.

We are grateful for that commitment. At the same time, France has consistently advocated for Europe to assume greater responsibility for its own defense, thereby strengthening the transatlantic partnership rather than replacing it.

Louisiana occupies a special place in this story. It is where French, American, African, Caribbean and Native influences came together to create something unique. It is a living reminder that identities can be enriched rather than diminished through openness to others.

As America 250 approaches, may we remain faithful to the legacy of Jefferson and Lafayette, and inspired by the courage of those who crossed the Atlantic in both directions to defend liberty.

May we also remember the soldiers who landed in Normandy and all those, throughout the world, who have risked everything in the name of freedom and democracy.

We owe it to them. We owe it to ourselves. And we owe it to future generations.

Merci, Louisiana, for keeping that friendship alive.

Rodolphe Sambou, a career diplomat, is consul general for France in New Orleans.

ON THE CALENDAR There are several events around Louisiana to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. Here is a list of some going on now.

For a full list, go to america250la.org n The Historic New Orleans Collection, 520 Royal St., New Orleans, is featuring the exhibit,“American Revolution: The Augmented Exhibition,” where visitors can immerse themselves in 3D interactive reconstructions of key moments in American history.

This free, interactive experience, which runs through Jan. 17, utilizes 360-degree augmented reality to immerse visitors in 20 defining moments of the nation’s founding, from the sparks of the Boston Tea Party to the victory at yorktown.The “American Revolution” was produced and designed by Histovery with promotional support from New Orleans & Company and Louisiana America 250.The exhibition offers a fresh, technologically driven way to explore the American story. For more, go to hnoc.org. n The Louisiana State Museum at the Cabildo, 701 Chartres St., New Orleans, is featuring the exhibit, “Gálvez and Louisiana in the American Revolution,” which explores the life of Spanish Gov. Bernardo de Gálvez and the diverse people of Louisiana who fought for American independence.Through May 15, 2027. louisianastatemuseum.org. n Louisiana’s Old State Capitol, 100 North Blvd., Baton Rouge, is featuring the exhibit,“Bought for a Song: A young Nation Expands,” whose only artifact is the French exchange copy of the convention between the Republic of France and the United States that finalized the Louisiana Purchase.Through July 11. louisianaoldstatecapitol.org.

ABOUT THIS SERIES Throughout the year, the Opinion pages are featuring columns and conversations from historians, scholars, politicians and others about what this 250th anniversary of America means.To read previous pieces, go to the Opinion section of our website.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ARE WELCOME. HERE ARE OUR GUIDELINES: Letters are published identifying name, occupation and/or title and the

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

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6B ✦ Thursday, July 2, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune DEATHS continued from King Wise, Deborah lll

book, please go to www.da vismortuaryservice.com.

Lewis, Lawrence 'Plug'

James, Cornelius

Cornelius James, born on December 26, 1948, passed away on June 25, 2026. Viewing, Friday July 3, 2026 form 5PM -7PM and on Saturday, July 4, 2026 from 8AM until funeral service at 9AM at Mt Calvary Baptist Church, 8969 LA-18 St. James, LA. Rev. Dr. Samuel Jones, officiating.

Johnson, Darryl James

Darryl James Johnson was born on July 1, 1977 in New Orleans, La to Claudia Mae Johnson. He was raised in New Orleans by his grandmother Dorothy Johnson and his Aunt Thadius and Uncle William Billy Sr. after the passing of his mother. Darryl attended Willing Workers Missionary Baptist Church where he was baptized at a young age and was a member of the church choir. Darryl was educated in the public school system where he attended Thomy Lafon Elementary School, Carter G. Woodson Jr. High School and Graduated from Warren Easton High School.

Darryl was a Manager at several McDonald's restaurants and also worked at Ochsner Medical Center as the Food Service Manager.

Darryl is survived by his brothers, Robert Johnson Sr. (Tihisha), Steven Johnson (Sarah) and a host of other relatives and friends.

The Memorial Service will be held at The Boyd Family Funeral Home, 5001 Chef Menteur Hwy, at 1:00pm on Friday, July 3, 2026.

Deborah Ann Lucy King Wise, 72, a New Orleans native, peacefully entered eternal rest on June 14, 2026, at her home in Houston, Texas.

Deborah was a proud graduate of Joseph S. Clark High School, Class of 1971, and attended Southern University at New Orleans.

Throughout her life, she served others through careers in healthcare, education, insurance, and retail management. She was a faithful Christian whose love for family, laughter, music, and dancing touched everyone she met.

Visitation will be held Friday, July 3, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., followed by the funeral service at 11:00 a.m., at 1925 Ursulines Avenue, New Orleans, Louisiana. A repast will follow at 1:00 p.m. at Letter Carrier Hall, 4200 Elysian Fields Avenue, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Lemon, Taris Earnell

Taris Earnell Lemon entered eternal rest at East Jefferson Hospital on Sunday, June 21, 2026, at the age of 55. He was a native of New Orleans, LA and a resident of Marrero, LA. Taris was a former porter and shipyard worker. Beloved husband of Angeletta Marie Lemon.

Devoted son of the late Arnold Hammond, Sr., Arie Veronica Hammond, and Robert Collette, Jr. Stepson of Cheryly Collette.

Grandson of the late Eddie and Lizzie Lemon, Robert, Sr. and Marybell Collette.

Brother of Ahsaki, Aron, Ramona, Treneida, Trichena, and the late Arnold Hammond, Jr., also survived by a host of nieces, nephews, in laws, other relatives, and friends.

Relatives and friends of the family, also pastors, officers, and members of Tabernacle Church, and all neighboring churches are invited to attend the Celebration of Life at Tabernacle Church 355 Sala Ave Westwego, LA on Friday, July 3, 2026, at 10:00a.m. Pastor Charlie Greer, Jr., officiating.

Visitation will begin at 8:30a.m. until service time at the above named church.

Interment: Woodlawn Park Memorial Cemetery- Westwego, LA. Arrangements by Davis Mortuary Services, 230 Monroe St. Gretna, LA. To view and sign the guestbook, please go to www.da vismortuaryservice.com.

Lawrence "Plug" Lewis peacefully departed this life on Tuesday June 23, 2026. Son of the late Altis and Fabiola Louis. Devoted husband to Tammy Lewis, father of Kyra Harry, Tyler, Taylor, Damone Lewis, De'Avona Davis, Darrious "Chelan" Patterson Sr., Marchez Patterson, and Ashley (Barrion)" Dumas.

Brother of Altis June (Jackie)Louis Jr., Madeline (Wardell) Bowie, Mary (Leo) Dumas, Alana (Alvin) Burke, Curtis (Hedi) Louis, Sarah Boudoin, and Denise Louis. Lawrence is also survived by his grandchildren Kyrie McGuffery, Darrious Jr., & Darrian Patterson, Autumn and Barrion Dumas Jr., godchildren, and a host of other relatives and friends.

Family and Friends are invited to attend the funeral service on Friday July 3, 2026, at 11:00a.m. at Riverland Christian Center Church 123 Redemption Way Reserve, La 70084.

Rev. Steven Perrilloux, Pastor officiating.

Interment in St. John Memorial Gardens.

Laplace, La. Visitation from 4-5:30pm on Thursday and 10a.m on Friday.

Service entrusted to the Caring Professionals of Hobson Brown Funeral Home 134 Daisy St. Garyville, Louisiana 985535-2516.

Vestry, and was Director of Christian Education. She volunteered at DePaul's, Tulane Hospital, Memorial Medical Center, and in the NICU at Baptist Hospital.

She was honored as one of Louisiana's most outstanding citizens in 1993. She was also a member of the Junior League of New Orleans and a charter member of TARTS (tapped outs).

Eugenia loved her family fiercely. She is survived by her devoted husband, Thomas Otto Lind; children, Ashley Lind Zarr Kearney (Michael), and Elizabeth Kelly Lind; grandchildren, Luke Zarr (Jillian) and Ellie Zarr; great-grandson, "Ford"; twin sister, Virginia Niehaus Roddy; nephews, Jamey and Hardy Roddy and Win and Scott Messersmith, and nieces, Lynley Lind Hicks, Carla Lind Compton, and Leslye Lind Lockfield.

Her family wishes to express their gratitude to the staff of Lambeth House for the kindness, compassion, and dedicated care they provided throughout the past several years. A celebration of Eugenia's life will be held Monday, July 6 at 11:00 AM at Trinity Episcopal Church. In honor of her vibrant spirit, guests are requested to dress in bright, colorful attire.

There will be no visitation before or reception after the service .

Reddick, Arthurine Marie

Arthurine was the Goddaughter of Rosalyn Narcisse and the late Malcolm Picquet.

She was proceeded in death by her father, Arthur Reddick, Sr., brothers, the late Timothy Reddick, Sr. and Victor (Darcel) Battle, and granddaughter, Nashell Narcisse. Arthurine was loved by her family and will be tremendously missed.

Arthurine is also survived by a host of nieces, nephews, family and friends.

Relatives and friends of the family, Compassus Hospice, Ochsner (Jefferson Hwy) Benson Cancer Center, Riverbend Nursing Home and Landmark Rehabilitation Center are invited to attend the Mass of Christian Burial on Friday, July 3, 2026 at St. Thomas Catholic Church located at 17605 Hwy 15 in Pointe-ala-hache, Louisiana 70082 at 11 am.

Visitation at 10 am. Funeral entrusted to Robinson Family Funeral Home. A visitation will be held from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM on 2026-07-03 at St. Thomas Catholic Church, 17605 Highway 15.

A mass of christian burial will be held at 11:00 AM on 2026-07-03 at St. Thomas Catholic Church, 17605 Highway 15.

Smith, Delphine McFarland

Lind, Eugenia Niehaus

Eugenia Niehaus Lind, a devoted educator, jewelry maker, community servant, and loving mother, passed away peacefully on June 28, 2026, leaving a profound legacy of love, faith, and service.

Born in El Paso, Texas, on February 3, 1939, Eugenia touched countless lives across Texas and Louisiana. She shared 63 wonderful years of marriage with her beloved husband, Thomas Otto Lind.

Eugenia dedicated her professional life to teaching young children in El Paso, Dallas, and in New Orleans at McGehee's, St. Andrew's Episcopal School, and Trinity Episcopal School.

She graduated from the University of Texas, El Paso, and did graduate work at Dominican College in New Orleans. As a jewelry maker, her signature "Just Me Designs" necklaces were loved and worn by many, reflecting her creativity and generous spirit.

Her commitment to community was unwavering. At Trinity Episcopal Church, she sang in the Trinity Choir, served on the

companion: Russell Sylve, Sr.

Arthurine "Reenie" Reddick of Pointe a la hache, Louisiana passed away peacefully at her home surrounded by her loving family on Tuesday, June 23, 2026. She was 65 years old. Arthurine was born on November 10, 1960 to Daisy Mae BarthelemyReddick and the late Arthur Reddick, Sr. She was a dedicated daughter, sister, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.

She is survived by her sisters and brothers: Albertine (Melvin, Jr) Cross, Arthur Reddick, Jr., Albert Reddick, Terrance (Janae) Reddick, Carla (Reginald, Jr.) Ware, Chad (Marquita) Reddick, Chonda Reddick, Yolanda (Tory) Sylve, Rondell (Juanita) Battle, Otis Reddick, Chance (Kanana) Reddick, Lynell Reddick, Ashley (Ryan) Moliere, Mia (John) Johnson, Rosalyn Narcisse, and Ivy Encalade.

Arthurine is also survived by her loving and devoted children, Shelly Reddick, Ferlin (Shelita) Reddick, Sr., Jason (Shelly) Reddick, Sr., Terrance Reddick, Brielle Reddick, and Cody Reddick, grandchildren: Zanaya Reddick, Navon Narcissse, Jr., Nashaun Reddick, Trent Raymond, Ferlin Reddick, Jr., Jasyonna Reddick, Jayvionna Reddick, Kingston Reddick, Cory Reddick, Kayden Barthelemy, Cody Reddick, Jr., Kylen Reddick and Major Reddick.

Greatgrandchildren: Narvell Narcisse and Josiah Holmes as well as her

Delphine "Teesie" McFarland Smith departed this life June 25, 2026 escorted by a host of angels.

Delphine was born in Woodville, Mississippi on August 1,1954. Delphine was one of eight children.

Delphine was born to the late Carroll and Annie Cooper McFarland and after the death of her father Carroll, Delphine was reared by the union of the late John and Annie Lewis.

She received general education from Wilkinson County Training School and graduated in 1972.

Delphine leaves to cherish her memories her husband of thirty-nine years, Charles Smith, her three children; Charlita Patterson of New Orleans, La.; Joel (Chastity) Smith of Baton Rouge, La.; Joshua Smith of Boutte, La.; one Son-in-Law, Derrick Shepherd, Marrero, La. and one Daughter-in-Law, Shannon Smith, New Orleans, La.; six grandchildren; one great-grandchild; one sister, Myrtis Tolliver, Woodville, MS; three brothers, Carroll McFarland, Maywood, IL; Curtis (Tammy) McFarland; Malcolm

(Lawanda) Lewis both of Woodville, MS; one Brother -in-Law, Joseph (JoAnn) Smith, Fairfield, CA; Sisters -in-law, Joyce C. McFarland and Rita Smith both of New Orleans, La. Delphine was preceded in death by her parents, Carroll McFarland and John and Annie Lewis; two sisters Earndean Tuesno and Emma Jean Tolliver and one brother, Nolan McFarland. Delphine was also preceded in death by special Brother and Sisterin Laws and other family members that she loved and cared for deeply.

Funeral planning entrusted to Robinson Family Funeral Home.

Williams, Mary Louise Growe

Mary Louise Growe Williams, age 94, transitioned peacefully to her heavenly home on Tuesday, June 16, 2026. She was a native of Vacherie, LA and a longtime resident of Marrero, LA. Mary retired from the Jefferson Parish Public School System after many years of dedicated service as a Special Education Teacher's Assistant.

Beloved wife of the late Isreal Williams, Sr. Devoted mother of Jacquelyn "Jackie" Williams, Wanda Jackson, and the late Isreal, Jr. and Reginald Williams. Loving grandmother of Chandra (Cory) Cullier, LaKeisha Frazier, Robert Lee (Carla) Jackson, Jr., and Damion (Anetria) Clark. Daughter of the late Ames Growe, Sr. and Leona Hodges Growe. She was preceded in death by 7 sisters and five brothers. Also cherishing her memories are 13 great grandchildren, 1 great great grandchild, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives, and friends.

Relatives and friends of the family, also pastors, officers, and members of Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church and all neighboring churches are invited to attend the Homegoing Celebration at Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church, 1000 Walkertown Way, Marrero, LA on Friday, July 3, 2026, at 10:00a.m.

Pastor Thomas J. Brown, Jr., officiating. Viewing will be held from 8:00a.m-9:50a.m. Only at the church. Interment: Restlawn Park CemeteryAvondale, LA Arrangements by Davis Mortuary Service, 230 Monroe St. Gretna, LA To View and sign the guestbook, please go to www.da vismortuaryservice.com.

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NBA free agency heats up Teams continue to shape rosters with sizzling blockbuster moves

The Associated Press Add Norman Powell to the list of this past season’s All-Stars who are changing addresses this summer in NBA free agency.

Powell has agreed to a two-year deal that could be worth up to $45 million with the Chicago Bulls, a person with knowledge of the talks said Wednesday. Powell also had received some interest from the Detroit Pistons, said the person, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the contract cannot be finalized until July 6 at the earliest.

ESPN and Chicago Sports Network were among those who first reported the agreement between Powell and the Bulls, who will hold a team option for 2027-28. Powell spent this past season in Miami, where he became an All-Star for the first time and averaged 21.7 points in 58 games with the Heat.

Miami will have a very different look this coming season, after the acquisition of Giannis Antetokounmpo in a trade that sent Tyler Herro and others to Milwaukee. Powell will be joining his fifth team, after past stints with Portland, the Los Angeles Clippers, Toronto and the Heat.

All-Stars on the move Powell is among five — and there likely will be more — All-Star selections from 2026 alone to be on the move this offseason.

He joins Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee to Miami), Kawhi Leonard and Brandon Ingram (the headliners of a trade that brings Leonard back to Toronto and sends Ingram to the Los Angeles Clippers), and LeBron James (who is leaving the Los Angeles Lakers for a yet-to-be-decided team).

Of the 62 players with at least one All-Star selection in the last five years, just over

ä See NBA, page 6C

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MARTIN MEISSNER

United States’ Malik Tillman, left, celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal on a free kick during the World Cup match against Bosnia on Wednesday in Santa Clara, Calif. The United States won 2-0.

ON TO THE NEXT ONE

U.S. beats Bosnia-Herzegovina to advance to round of 16

BY JOSH DUBOW

AP sportswriter

AP FILE PHOTO By CHRIS SZAGOLA

Miami Heat’s Norman Powell drives the ball during a game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Feb. 26 in Philadelphia. Powell signed an agreement with the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Folarin Balogun scored his third goal of the World Cup before being sent off with a red card in the second half, and Malik Tillman converted on a free kick to give the 10-man United States squad a 2-0 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday night to advance to the round of 16.

Balogun dominated the first half with his goal and several other chances that helped the U.S. control the match early, but the Americans had to scramble down a man after his foul against Tarik Muharemovic in the 64th minute.

Tillman helped seal the win when he scored on a free kick from just outside the box in the 82nd minute with a shot off the hand of goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj.

That gave the U.S. just its second World Cup knockoutround win. The Americans made it to the semifinals in the first tournament in 1930 by winning their group and won a round of 16 matchup against Mexico in 2002.

The win over Bosnia in the round of 32 in this year’s expanded tournament sets up a matchup on Monday in Seattle against Belgium as the U.S. hopes to make a deep run on home soil.

The game was played less than 20 miles from the site of the first U.S. knockout round game of the modern era, when the Americans lost 1-0 to heavily favored Brazil at Stanford Stadium in 1994.

The U.S. was favored this time around for the first time on record in a knockout round match and didn’t let down the large contingent of red-white-and-blue clad fans at Levi’s Stadium who were chanting “U-S-A! U-S-A!” in the closing minutes.

The win snapped a 10-game losing streak for the U.S. against European teams dating to a tie against England in the 2022 World Cup. It marked the first win in the World Cup for the Americans against a European team since a win over Portugal in the 2002 opener. They were winless in 13 straight World Cup matchups against European teams since then, including a 2-1 loss in extra time to Belgium in the round of 16 in 2014.

The U.S. had started fast in the group stage matches by scoring in the first 15 minutes of all three games. But it was Bosnia that had the better chances early with Matt Freese needing to make two saves early to stop Ermedin Demirovic following a deceptive goal kick that caught

The Advocate wins LSWA awards, including top honor

Staff report

Georges Media publications, including The Advocate, Times-Picayune and Shreveport Bossier-City Advocate, piled up a long list of honors in the 2025 Louisiana Sports Writers Association Annual Contest, including one staff member who was named Sportswriter of the Year.

The awards were handed out Sunday during a ceremony in Natchitoches, honoring the best the state has to offer in print, television and media relations.

Roy Lang of The Shreveport-Bossier City Advocate was named Sports Writer of the Year for his coverage of the LSU-Shreveport baseball team on its undefeated run to an NAIA national championship, his writing following the tragic death of a member of the Calvary Baptist Academy softball team and his work after a pair of Shreveport area natives performed well at last year’s U.S. Open.

“2025 was meaningful for me, with or with-

out any awards. I’m honored to be a part of the Advocate team we have in Shreveport and across the state,” Lang said of his honor.

Five other Georges Media employees picked up top individual honors.

Wilson Alexander, who served as the LSU football beat writer for The Advocate, claimed Beat Writer of The Year after taking the top spot in the College Event and College Feature categories.

As a Saints beat writer for The TimesPicayune, Luke Johnson earned first place in the Pro Event and Pro Feature competitions.

In the Pro Column category, Times-Picayune veteran columnist Jeff Duncan landed the top spot.

For his coverage of the Division I state football championship game between Edna Karr and St. Augustine, Rod Walker of The Times-Picayune took first place in the Prep Event group.

Michael Johnson of The Advocate came out on top in the Photography category.

STAFF FILE PHOTOS By MICHAEL JOHNSON

ä See WORLD CUP, page 5C

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Krejcikova upsets Andreeva at Wimbledon

BY MATTIAS KAREN Associated Press

LONDON — Barbora Krejcikova needed seven match points to knock French Open champion Mirra Andreeva out of Wimbledon in the biggest upset of the women’s tournament so far, winning 4-6, 7-5, 6-4.

Andreeva faced six match points when Krejcikova — the 2024 Wimbledon champion — served for the match at 5-3 and saved them all before finally converting her fourth break point in a marathon game.

The fifth-seeded Russian teenager handed her opponent a seventh match point when she sliced a backhand wide in the next game, and this time Krejcikova converted with a bit of luck. Her shot hit the net cord and bounced in and Andreeva could only return it long.

Andreeva, coming off her first Grand Slam title at Roland Garros, threw her racket away in disgust and later smashed it into her bag before leaving Centre Court.

“What a match,” Krejcikova said, trying to sum it all up. “What a match.”

Earlier, No. 1 ranked Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner both advanced in straight sets, with Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka also reaching the third round.

Krejcikova is a two-time Grand Slam winner, also taking the 2021 French Open title, but has struggled with back and knee injuries and has fallen to No. 38 in the rankings.

Andreeva had shown signs of frustration throughout the third set — including when her bead bracelet broke during a point at 1-1 and she had to spend a few moments picking beads out of the grass along the baseline and throwing them toward the back of the court.

Two ball kids and the chair umpire joined her in cleaning up before play resumed.

There was also some loud cheers during the third set that had nothing to do with tennis. Some in the Centre Court crowd had half an eye on England’s World Cup match against Congo and celebrated both

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By BRIAN INGANGA

Barbora Krejcikova of Czech Republic celebrates her victory against Mirra Andreeva of Russia following their second-round singles match on Wednesday at the Wimbledon Championships in London. of Harry Kane’s goals and the final whistle.

Gauff came from a break down in the third set and then won the last six points of the tiebreaker to beat Solana Sierra 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7).

Gauff was two points away from losing the match when Sierra served at 5-4 in the third set but won three straight points to break back. In the 10-point tiebreaker, she trailed 7-4 but didn’t lose another point, sealing the win with an ace and then screaming out loud with both fists clenched.

“When she had to serve for the match I just reminded myself that I’m a great returner as well,” Gauff said. “I was just trying to be positive and I think that showed.”

Gauff had her breakthrough at Wimbledon in 2019 when she reached the fourth round as a 15-year-old, beating Venus Wil-

liams in the first round. But while she has won both the U.S. Open and the French Open since then, she has yet to make the quarterfinals at the All England Club despite two more trips to the fourth round.

As it happens, that win over Williams also came on July 1 on No. 1 Court.

“It was kind of my breakout moment, and playing against one of my idols was insane,” Gauff said.

“Every time I walk down this hallway I get deja vu and I just remind myself, like, if I could do that (seven) years ago, I’m definitely a better player since then.

So I definitely can do it now.”

Osaka showed off a new look again before winning her secondround match.

Osaka, whose fashion reveals have become an event of their

own at Grand Slam tournaments, wore a less elaborate outfit for her walk-on than the “Kill Bill” inspired kimono she sported for her opening-round match on Monday.

It still drew plenty of attention as she made the walk from the locker room to No. 2 Court, trailed by photographers and fans wanting to take their own photos.

This all-white outfit featured a wide belt and a long train that trailed behind her, which the fourtime major winner took off as she began warming up for her match against qualifier Anastasia Gasanova.

She went on to quickly dispatch Gasanova 6-3, 6-2.

“I’m just trying to mix it up a little bit,” Osaka said about her outfit, adding she had been worried that a loss might have ruined her daughter Shai’s third birthday on Thursday.

“I just wanted to be here for longer, I didn’t want to make her get on a plane on her birthday,” Osaka said.

Sabalenka soon followed her into the third round, beating McCartney Kessler 6-1, 7-6 (9) on No. 1 Court.

Sinner, the defending champion who came from a set down twice to win in five sets in the first round, had a more comfortable victory Wednesday. Sinner beat Nuno Borges 7-6 (4), 7-6 (2), 6-4 in the first match on Centre Court.

It wasn’t entirely straightforward for the Italian, though, as he had to break back for 5-5 when Borges served for the second set, before winning in just over 2½ hours.

“Second set was very, very tough,” Sinner said.

Other winners included French Open runner-up Flavio Cobolli, No. 8 Daniil Medvedev, No. 17 Frances Tiafoe and No. 21 Tommy Paul.

Next up on Centre Court Novak Djokovic taking on Stefanos Tsitsipas.

On Tuesday, Serena Williams returned to Centre Court but lost in three sets to Maya Joint in her first singles match in nearly four years. Williams, who tweaked her knee in the match, still hopes to play doubles with sister Venus later in the week.

Serena Williams wins praise from fellow pros

BY ANDREW DAMPF AP sportswriter

LONDON — There were still serves beyond 120 mph. Plenty of heavy groundstrokes landing within inches of the baseline, too.

Serena Williams won plenty of praise about her game from her fellow players at Wimbledon a day after her first singles match in nearly four years.

The 44-year-old Williams was beaten 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3 by 20-yearold Maya Joint of Australia in the first round on Tuesday but showed she could be competitive after being away for so long.

Coco Gauff ended her dinner early to find somewhere to watch Williams.

“I think Serena’s level was insane,” Gauff said Wednesday. “It proves even more how she’s the GOAT despite age and all that. I don’t know how she can play that level not playing for four years. I was already nervous not playing two weeks before this tournament.

I couldn’t imagine four years.

“I just love her. I love her fight.

And the serve is unbelievable,” Gauff added after her second-round win. “You just look at her and you think, ’This is like 10 years ago.’ It’s really insane. I think it was cool for the sport.”

The 87th-ranked Joint was in the top 30 earlier this year.

“Maya played top-10, top-5 tennis. Obviously she’s a great player,” Gauff said. “She seems like an even, chill girl. I do think if anyone was ready for the moment, it would be her.”

Williams announced on Wednesday that she tweaked her right knee toward the end of the first set but said she still hopes to play doubles with sister Venus later in the week.

Serena, a 23-time Grand Slam singles champion who won seven of her titles at Wimbledon, did not ask for medical treatment during the

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MAJA SMIEJKOWSKA

Serena Williams plays a forehand against Maya Joint of Australia during their singles match at the Wimbledon Championships on Tuesday in London. match and did not meet with media afterward.

“Serena tweaked her right knee at the end of the first set and was therefore excused from her media obligations by the Wimbledon and WTA medical teams,” said Jill Smoller, Williams’ agent. “She left site that night unaided and is doing everything she can to be ready for her doubles match later this week.”

Williams confirmed the injury on Instagram and added, “It felt so good to be back on the grass (at) Wimbledon. I’m incredibly thankful for the wild card — and even more grateful my daughters got to see that it’s never too late to chase something you love.

“Congratulations to Maya Joint on a great match, and thank you to everyone who showed up and showed me so much love. That feeling will never get old,” Williams added.

Serena received wild card invitations from Wimbledon organizers to play both singles and doubles with Venus.

Serena has said that having her two daughters off from school inspired her comeback and it marked the first time that her youngest daughter, Adira, who is almost 3, saw her play singles. Adira sat next to her 8-year-old sister, Olympia in the front row of Serena’s players’ box.

Alexis Ohanian, Williams’ husband, wrote on social media: “Our little family is so proud of you (at) serenawilliams — even though it wasn’t the outcome you wanted, you’re an inspiration. We love you” He added that the kids “are also happy they got to stay up a bit past their bedtime.”

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka also paid tribute on so-

cial media: “I really wonder if Serena and Venus know how much they mean to us,” Osaka posted.

Then after winning her secondround match, Osaka discussed watching Serena play.

“The montages that they had before the match started made me really emotional because I feel like I’ve watched her growing up,” Osaka said. “Now I feel like I’m grown up and I get the privilege of watching her again. So it was really cool.”

Fellow American Tommy Paul watched, too.

“It’s pretty impressive at her age,” Paul said. “She was striking the ball pretty well, returning pretty well. I thought she was going to go after it a little bit more. ... I think it would have helped her a lot to have maybe a match of singles before coming out to Wimbledon. But she’s Serena.

She can do whatever she wants.”

RHP Smith transfers to LSU from South Florida

South Florida transfer and righthanded pitcher Kaden Smith is transferring to LSU baseball, he announced on Wednesday.

Smith posted a 4.24 ERA in 46 innings this past season, his only with the Bulls. He spent his freshman year at TCU and had a 5.25 ERA in 12 innings.

At USF, Smith had 52 strikeouts and walked 25 hitters. Control was sometimes an issue for him, as he hit 17 batters, but he also has starting experience. He started eight games for the Bulls.

Smith is the seventh player LSU has added out of the portal, joining Notre Dame outfielder Bino Watters, Tulane outfielder Jason Wachs, Texas State infielder Dawson Park, Southern Cal pitcher Diego Velazquez, Florida second baseman Cade Kurland and Gonzaga pitcher Landon Hood.

Rangers’ Seager back on IL with back inflammation

CLEVELAND — Corey Seager is back on the injured list.

The Texas Rangers shortstop was placed on the 10-day injured list before Wednesday’s game against the Cleveland Guardians because of lower back inflammation.

Seager was in the lineup for Tuesday’s game but was removed before his first at-bat when his back flared up during warmups.

He returned from the IL on June 25 after missing 12 games because of a concussion he sustained in a home plate collision with Kansas City catcher Carter Jensen on June 11.

Seager is batting .182 with 10 homers and 25 RBIs in 50 games. The five-time All-Star went 1 for 10 but walked five times in 15 at-bats since returning from his concussion.

WTA Finals moving from Saudi Arabia to Indian Wells

LONDON — The WTA Finals, the elite season-ending event in women’s tennis, is moving from Saudi Arabia to Indian Wells, California, this year.

The 2026 finals, which the top eight singles players and doubles teams qualify for, are scheduled for Nov. 8-15.

The women’s professional tennis tour and Saudi Arabia had signed a three-year deal in 2024 to stage the event in Riyadh. The agreement provided a big increase in prize money.

There were concerns about going back to Saudi Arabia due to military conflicts in the Middle East.

Indian Wells also hosts the BNP Paribas Open for both men and women in March.

Sony Open flips over to PGA Tour Champions

HONOLULU — The golf season in Hawaii again starts at Waialae Country Club next year as a PGA Tour Champions event that will be called the Sony Championship.

The PGA Tour and Sony on Wednesday announced the change, which had been expected since April when the tour said it would not be returning to Maui for The Sentry, which since 1999 had preceded the Sony Open.

The Sony Championship will be Jan. 14-16 — ending on a Saturday — at Waialae, which had hosted a PGA Tour event since 1965. The prize fund will be $3 million. Past champions at Waialae now on the 50-and-older circuit include Ernie Els, Vijay Singh, Zach Johnson and Jerry Kelly.

Nationals RHP Cavalli apologizes for remark

BOSTON — Washington Nationals pitcher Cade Cavalli apologized Wednesday for shouting “sit down, boy” at Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras while instigating a benches’ clearing scrum a night earlier.

“I’m extremely torn up about the way that things were perceived,” Cavalli said. “Obviously, there was no ill intention behind that.”

Cavalli shouted at Contreras after striking him out looking with a full-count pitch in the fourth inning of the Nationals’ 8-1 victory over the Red Sox. “My teammates know me, my family knows me, this organization knows me,” Cavalli said.

Cavalli said he hadn’t apologized to Contreras yet, but he hopes he hears his explanation.

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State runner-up Brother Martin wins another summer league championship

BY CHRISTOPHER DABE

Staff writer

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By FRANK FRANKLIN II

Stewart Cink hits from the first fairway during the second round of the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club on May 15 in Newtown Square, Pa.

U.S. Senior Open demands precision rather than power Cink has won the first two majors this year on PGA Tour Champions

BY JOE REEDY AP sportswriter

Stewart Cink has won the first two majors this year on the PGA Tour Champions, though isn’t thinking about the Grand Slam this week at Scioto Country Club in Columbus, Ohio. He just wants the U.S. Senior Open title that he fell just short of last year.

“The way I think about it is I would rather just have won the U.S. Senior Open than have it be part of some series of events like the Grand Slam,” he said. “It means a lot to me that this is a big tournament. It’s certainly one of the biggest tournaments of the year on my schedule, and that’s why we’re here, to compete and win.”

The 52-year-old Cink has four wins in nine starts this year, including the Senior PGA Championship and the Tradition. It is the second straight year that a player has won the first two majors. Cink will try to avoid

the fate of Angel Cabrera, who did not make the cut in last year’s Senior Open.

Cink leads the tour in driving distance, but that might not be an advantage beginning Thursday, because Scioto’s layout is more about precision than power.

“It does take the driver out of your hand in places, a lot of places, but power translates all the way through the bag. So power is an advantage coming into the greens, too.

It’s not just about hitting the driver far,” Cink said. “I think the biggest challenge here is just going to be to remain yourself and not try to be someone you’re not. The golf course has got a lot of challenge out there.

I don’t think it really fits one type of player. It’s just a really good overall golf course.”

Cink finished second in last year’s U.S. Senior Open at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colorado, as Padraig Harrington won his second Senior Open title by one shot.

Harrington, who also won in 2022, is trying to join Miller Barber as the only three-time champions in the event’s 46-year history.

“There always seems to be something in front of you that you kind of have to layup off. Most of the

field will play from the same positions on pretty much every hole, so it will be a second-shot golf course, approach shots. And the greens are very good, so the standard of putting should be very high this week,” said Harrington, who is in the middle of a stretch of playing eight straight weeks.

Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson are among the 50 golfers in the 156-player field making their first Senior Open start.

Besides the usual challenge of a USGA championship, another factor will be temperatures near triple digits. Cink feels like he is ready for whatever is thrown his way.

“It’s going to be a grind and a test, and stay hydrated and stay rested.

But really just stay kind of in the present and just be myself,” he said.

“I think the way the year or so has gone, I’ve proved to myself that it’s enough just to be pretty ordinary.

And I don’t mean that in a negative sense. I mean being ordinary in extraordinary circumstances like these is enough and just to remember that.”

This marks the third time Scioto has hosted the U.S. Senior Open.

Gene Sauers won in 2016 and Dale Douglass in 1986.

Baseball players propose limiting optional assignments in minors

BY RONALD BLUM

AP sportswriter

NEW YORK — Baseball players proposed optional assignments to the minor leagues be cut from a maximum of five per season to three and those sent down get more pay and service time, aimed at reducing roster churn that teams use for their bullpen back ends in an era when relief pitchers throw an increased portion of games.

During a bargaining session Wednesday with Major League Baseball, the union proposed that a pitcher optioned after an outing of at least nine outs or 50 pitches during the seven days before the break be given major league pay and service time up until his team’s fourth game after the break.

In addition, a pitcher who is optioned at any time after a game or the next day after an outing of nine outs or 50 pitches would get major league pay and service time for the four days following the appearance.

There often is a wide disparity of pay for players with so-called split contracts. While the major league minimum is $780,000 this year, the minimum in the minors for those with split contracts is primarily $127,100 — and $63,600 for those signing a first big league deal.

Teams have averaged 4.2 to 4.3 pitchers per game in each season since 2022, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The last season under 4 was 2014 at 3.98.

Players also asked that active rosters be increased to 28 from 26 during the first 15 days of each season, including a maximum of 14 pitchers that would be up from the current 13.

Players also proposed the 60-day injured list open at the time of the November tender deadline rather than the first day players can report to spring training. The change would allow teams to protect more players from the Rule 5 draft during the winter meetings because players on the 60-day IL do not count against the

40-man roster limit.

The union asked that MLB agree to accelerate eligibility for the Rule 5 draft, restoring the ages in place through 2005. A player 18 or younger on the June 5 preceding his signing would be eligible for the fourth succeeding draft rather than fifth and a player 19 or older would be eligible for the third rather than the fourth.

Players also want to ensure the draft will be held this year, even if management locks out the union after the current five-year labor contract expires Dec. 1.

It also wants pitchers to be credited with major league service time if they are optioned to the minors during the All-Star break or after a game in which they meet specified performance thresholds.

Players also want a guarantee of access to team performance and video data that is not proprietary.

Owners have proposed a salary cap for the first time since the 199495 strike that led to the first cancellation of the World Series in 90 years.

Brady McCluskey drilled a single to center field — just as he had done so many times during the high school season.

Now in the Crescent City Sports summer league championship game, the left-handed leadoff hitter got things started as Brother Martin-based K’s for Kids scored seven runs in the first two innings on the way to an 8-1 victory against Hannan-based Arena Title Company on Tuesday at John Ryan Stadium in Metairie.

He wasn’t the only experienced Brother Martin batter in the lineup.

Seven of the eight position players on Tuesday also started the LHSAA Division I state championship series in May against Catholic-Baton Rouge.

“We definitely have more experience, and we have a lot of depth too, this year,” McCluskey said. “We’ve got a lot of returners coming back, so it’s just another year to build.”

Brother Martin won the summer league championship for the third year in a row — after also advancing to the LHSAA state finals the past two seasons, losing twice to Catholic. The team began this summer season with far more experience than it did a year ago. Last summer, the team replaced 13 graduated seniors, six of them starters.

“This is a veteran group that has been there,” coach Jeff Lupo said.

“They know the challenges that it takes. They know the mental toughness that it takes. You also need to have a little bit of luck, but a lot of times you make your own luck by the way that you prepare, and they’ve embraced that.”

In the summer league final, McCluskey, Colton Elliott and Dominic Toten all had two hits in the first two innings. Elliott’s two-RBI single made the score 2-0 in the first inning. Toten’s two-RBI double capped the scoring in the second. Luke Gab scored two runs. Brody Shannon had a sacrifice fly. Dominick Jabbia and Kamber Keller were the other two starters. Tyler Durand was out with an injury.

Nolan Amato pitched five innings, followed by relievers Gavin Jeanfreau and Tyler Snider for one inning each. Their combined efforts followed Chance Pecoraro’s six-inning no-hitter in a 10-0 semifinal win against Lakeshore-based Messina’s

STAFF PHOTOS By BRETT DUKE

Brother Martin-based K’s for Kids’ Kamber Keller flips the ball to first base for an out against Hannanbased Arena Title Company on Tuesday during the Crescent City Sports Prep Summer League championship game at John Ryan Stadium.

Catering on Monday.

“This summer, you really saw Chance grow up and you saw that in his performance (Monday) night.

He was really dominant,” Lupo said.

“And Nolan got hit around a little bit but didn’t get rattled, and that’s what a veteran pitcher does on the mound. He can win when he doesn’t have his best stuff.”

Amato pitched the last six innings in Brother Martin’s 15-inning loss to Catholic in the second game of the championship series. He went to the mound in the 10th inning.

“I was like, alright, let’s go attack some of these hitters,” said Amato, who pitched five scoreless innings before Catholic scored against him in the 15th.

Brother Martin completed its summer season with a 24-3-1 overall record, including a 9-2 mark in the Crescent City Sports league.

“I think this puts us on the right track,” Amato said about the summer championship. “Definitely setting a tone for the season and what it’s going to bring.”

Contact Christopher Dabe at cdabe@theadvocate.com

Brother Martin-based K’s for Kids’ Dominick Jabbia bunts the ball against Hannan-based Arena Title Company on Tuesday during the Crescent City Sports Prep Summer League championship game at John Ryan Stadium.

Wings star Bueckers approached this WNBA season differently

BY MYAH TAYLOR

The Dallas Morning News (TNS) DALLAS — When Paige Bueckers strolled into the Dallas Wings’ training camp after an offseason full of excursions, it was clear she’d also made time for the weight room ahead of her sophomore year in the WNBA. The guard, historically slight, gained 15 pounds of muscle on a regimen that included three-hour lifting sessions five to six days a week and a new diet.

She no longer looked like the freshfaced rookie from the year prior, but someone built to take on the physicality of a league that she’s already become a face of.

“Unfortunately, a lot of times throughout college I was always rehabbing something in the summer,”

Bueckers told The Dallas Morning News. “This was my first long offseason where I really got to hone in.”

Added time in the gym has seemingly paid off for Bueckers, the 2025 No. 1 overall pick and WNBA Rookie of the Year. She’s averaging 19.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 5.9 assists for the new-look Wings, who finished 10-34 overall in 2025 and are currently 11-8 near the midpoint of the 2026 season.

The 24-year-old ranks top 10 in the league in points and assists, and recently achieved 1,000 career points.

Bueckers became the fourth-fastest player in history to reach 1,000 points and the fastest to reach 1,000 points and 250 assists, but these feats can’t all be attributed to work in the gym.

Though physically more built, Bueckers has also strengthened her mind.

“I believe in the power of positive thinking. I’m probably delusionally positive,” Bueckers said. “Situations could be 99 percent negative and I’ll try to find that 1 percent.”

That mindset has made Bueckers a beloved teammate. It’s also helped her navigate the weight of responsibility and the pressure of being in the public eye.

And she’s still learning how to fight against the perfectionism that comes with that role. Time in the gym made her even more elite on the court, but life in the spotlight has taught Bueckers being a leader doesn’t negate her own humanity.

the sport, though she often deflects the spotlight away from herself and on to her teammates.

While she can take over a game, she has more of a pass-first mindset.

When Bueckers has a great performance, she’ll credit a teammate for creating space. You won’t see her placing blame on anyone.

“I ride for my teammates. Good, bad, ugly, win, loss, whatever,” Bueckers said. “Everybody’s important. No person’s bigger than the other.”

During her time at UConn, where she became one of the top NIL earners in women’s college sports, she often included her teammates in NIL Humble teammate, leader deals and used her influence to creA big sister to three siblings, ate pathways for minority content Bueckers has long been a connector. creators and advertisers.

That warmth is part of what’s Bueckers also left additional monmade Bueckers a household name in ey on the table.

“At the beginning of that NIL thing, I remember saying to her ... ‘All right, listen, we’re going to sit down and talk about how much money we’re going to give you,’ “ longtime UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma said during a recent media availability. “And she’s like, ‘I don’t want it.’ “ When Auriemma pushed her on it, Bueckers’ answer remained the same.

Bueckers credits the 12-time champion coach, along with high school coaches and veteran players, for much of her growth in that area.

“Holding people accountable and calling people out is really just calling people up,” Bueckers said. “It’s really a respect thing. If you think your teammate is capable of better and you think we can be better as a team — that’s what leadership is.”

4C ✦ Thursday Thursday, July 22, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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WORLD CUP 2026 W C A N A D A

TODAY’S GAMES

•

U N I T E D S T A T E S

•

M E X I C O

SPAIN VS. AUSTRIA 2 p.m., Fox, Telemundo, Fox One | PORTUGAL VS. CROATIA 6 p.m. Fox, Telemundo, Fox One | SWITZERLAND VS. ALGERIA 10 p.m. Fox, Telemundo, Fox One

Kane lifts England to Round of 16 after win against Congo

BY JAMES ROBSON AP soccer writer

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By LINDSEy WASSON

Senegal’s Krepin Diatta controls the ball past Belgium’s Diego Moreira during the World Cup Round of 32 match on Wednesday in Seattle.

Belgium converts late penalty to beat Senegal in extra time

BY ANDREW DESTIN

GLANCE

AP sportswriter

SEATTLE — Down to its final lastgasp chances, Belgium came through with goals — three of them.

The Red Devils overturned a two-goal deficit with two scores in the final minutes of regulation time and then added a third in the final seconds of extra time to somehow claw back into the game and beat Senegal 3-2 Wednesday in the round of 32 at the World Cup. Youri Tielemans scored the equalizing goal in the 89th minute and then converted from the penalty spot in the fifth minute of stoppage time in extra time for the latest goal in World Cup history. He was fouled with only seconds to go and with a penalty shootout looming, and the referee awarded the spot kick after a video review.

“I do not want to interpret the decision. We all have different interpretations when it comes to awarding a penalty,” Senegal coach Pape Thiaw said. “I’d rather not comment, not interpreting the referee’s decision.”

The win for Belgium marked the second time in the last 11 World Cups that a team trailed by two or more goals in the knockout round and advanced. Belgium also did so in a 3-2 victory over Japan in the round of 16 at the 2018 tournament.

Many of the key players from that Belgium team, which finished in third place in Russia, were instrumental to Wednesday’s victory.

Striker Romelu Lukaku, who leads his nation in goals scored, came off the bench to get Belgium back into the match by scoring in

ROUND OF 32 June 28

Canada 1, South Africa 0

June 29

Brazil 2, Japan 1 Paraguay 1 (4-3 PK), Germany 1 Morocco 1 (3-2 PK), Netherlands 1

Tuesday

Norway 2, Ivory Coast 1 France 3, Sweden 0 Mexico vs. Ecuador, n

Wednesday

England 2, Congo 1 Belgium 3, Senegal 2, OT United States 2. Bosnia-Herzegovina 0

Thursday

Spain vs. Austria, 2 p.m.

Portugal vs. Croatia, 6 p.m.

Switzerland vs. Algeria, 10 p.m.

Friday

Australia vs. Egypt, 1 p.m.

Argentina vs. Cape Verde, 5 p.m.

Colombia vs. Ghana, 8:30 p.m.

ROUND OF 16 Saturday

Canada vs. Morocco, noon Paraguay vs. France, 4 p.m.

Sunday

Brazil vs. Norway, 3 p.m.

Mexico vs. England, 7 p.m.

the 86th minute, setting the scene for Tielemans to force extra time.

“It is a cruel loss, as we were good in the game,” Thiaw said. “We had the advantage. We were leading 2-0. However a football match is not an 85-minute one. Belgium came back, and we were not able to deal with that ... We must congratulate Belgium as they progress.”

Belgium is back in the round of 16 for the third time in four tournaments. The team reached the quarterfinals in 2014 and the semifinals in 2018 but failed to get out of the group stage four years ago in Qatar.

The Belgians will next face either the United States or BosniaHerzegovina on Monday in Seattle.

Ismaïla Sarr scored his fourth

goal of the World Cup, and one of the most beautiful of the tournament, to give Senegal a 2-0 lead in the 51st minute. He made a perfect first touch off his chest on a long ball from Moussa Niakhaté and then sent his shot past Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

Senegal, which was without goalkeeper Édouard Mendy because of a knee injury, took the lead on Habib Diarra’s goal in the 25th minute.

Courtois, who is playing in his fourth World Cup, then made three key saves to keep Senegal from increasing its lead.

It’s the second time this year Senegal has been hit with a late penalty in a big game.

In the Africa Cup of Nations final on Jan. 18, Senegal’s players left the field in stoppage time after having a late goal ruled out before Morocco was awarded a potentially game-deciding penalty. There were scuffles between rival players before Senegal coach Pape Thiaw led most of his players off the field.

They returned after about 10 minutes later and play resumed with Morocco midfielder Brahim Díaz having his penalty saved by Mendy. Senegal midfielder Pape Gueye then scored the only goal in extra time, but the victory was taken away in March by the governing body of African soccer and Morocco was awarded a 3-0 default victory.

In Wednesday’s match, Senegal defender Pathé Ciss went down with an injury directly on top of the penalty spot in an apparent protest as his teammates argued with the referee. Ciss only moved once it was time for Tielemans to take the shot.

ATLANTA — England handled the pressure and is now headed to Mexico City.

Harry Kane ensured England avoided an early exit from the inaugural 48-team World Cup by scoring two second-half goals in a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Congo in the round of 32 on Wednesday.

The late victory, England’s second ever at the World Cup after conceding the first goal, earned the 1966 champions a spot in the round of 16 and a match against co-host Mexico.

“It was just about pounding the rock, keep pounding the rock and our moment would come,” Kane said after scoring his fourth and fifth goals of the tournament. “We spoke about people having hero moments. It can be anyone in the team … Whoever it is, we have hero moments, and for me it was the day.”

That team’s next match will be played at the Azteca Stadium, the site of Argentina great Diego Maradona’s infamous “Hand of God” goal that eliminated England from the 1986 World Cup quarterfinals.

Getting there didn’t come easy against a Congo team that nearly pulled off one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history.

England’s only other World Cup victory after trailing 1-0 came in the 1966 final against West Germany at Wembley Stadium.

“That’s a good sign. It just shows you the level of determination and the level of belief and also the level of focus,” England coach Thomas Tuchel said. “I didn’t feel the weight on their shoulders and I found that we played it with the exactly right attitude and we trusted our spirit.

“The goalkeeper kept on saving

incredible saves ... but this team today did not accept a defeat as an outcome.”

Kane made sure the early deficit wasn’t a problem Wednesday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium by extending his record as his country’s leading scorer in tournament history to 13. He has a record 84 goals for the national team in total.

His first goal came in the 75th minute. Substitute Anthony Gordon lifted a cross from the left and despite Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi getting a hand to Kane’s header, he didn’t stop it from nestling into the bottom corner.

Eleven minutes later, Kane sent his shot into the top corner to put the thoughts of an upset to rest.

“When you get to the knockouts, the pressure and the risks are so much higher. But from an attacking point of view, that was easily our best game of the tournament,” Kane said. “Sometimes you just have to grind wins out and we did exactly that today. I told the boys to enjoy it. We’re through, and we go again in four days.”

Brian Cipenga had put Congo in the lead in the seventh minute after collecting a cross on the left of the box and shooting low past England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford at the near post.

Mpasi did his best to keep that 1-0 lead alive. He denied Jude Bellingham on three occasions — blocking two close-range headers before halftime and then clawing away another deflected effort after the break.

Kane nearly made a breakthrough late in the first half, but Mpasi blocked a powerful shot at the near post. And the keeper was also caught up in a collision with Kane in the box. England thought it should have been awarded a penalty, but referee

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By BUTCH DILL

England’s Harry Kane celebrates after scoring a goal next to his teammates Jude Bellingham, center, and Anthony Gordon, right, during the Round of 32 match against Congo on Tuesday in Atlanta.

LATE TUESDAY

Mexico ends 40-year knockout drought, beats Ecuador to reach Round of 16

BY CARLOS RODRIGUEZ AP sportswriter

MEXICO CITY — The 40-year wait is over. Mexicans had learned to live with defeats in the knockout stages of the World Cup. On seven occasions, El Tri fans were left heartbroken at this stage.

Not anymore.

Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez scored within a nine-minute span in the first half and Mexico defeated Ecuador 2-0 on Tuesday night to break a four-decade drought in the knockout stage and progress to the round of 16.

Quiñones opened the scoring in the 22nd minute and Jiménez added a goal in the 31st for the Mexicans, who had not won a knockoutstage match since defeating Bulgaria in the round of 16 when they hosted the tournament in 1986.

Mexico coach Javier Aguirre was one of the starting midfielders in that ‘86 team.

“It means a lot to me because I am one of those who could not progress in the knockout stage,” Aguirre said. “We are in the round of 16 and it is happening a great connection with the fans. We are

like a family. It is spectacular.”

Mexico lost seven consecutive times at that same stage from 1994 to 2018 and didn’t advance past the group stage in 2022.

Aguirre, who returned as Mexico’s head coach in August of 2024, was an assistant in 1994 and was the coach in 2002 and 2010.

“We will be on high alert from here until Sunday. We will try to have the players recover from this and we will see if we are able to win again,” Aguirre said.

In the expanded, 48-team World Cup, there’s an extra round in the knockoutphase—theroundof32was inserted for this tournament between the group stage and the round of 16.

Quiñones goals

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By SILVIA IZQUIERDO

A third goal in the tournament Mexico’s Raul Jimenez celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal makes Quiñones El Tri’s second- during the World Cup Round of 32 match against Ecuador on Tuesday in highest scorer in World Cup history Mexico City. Mexico won 2-0 to advance to the Round of 16.

behind Luis “Matador” Hernández and Javier “Chicharito” Hernández, who scored four each.

Quiñones, who was the scoring leader in the Saudi Pro League last season, has become the spark in the attack that Mexico lacked in previous World Cups.

“I am just happy with the result,

that is all that matters now,” said Quiñones, who is playing in his first World Cup with Mexico.

The 29-year-old forward arrived in the country from Colombia at age 17 and became a naturalized citizen in 2023.

“Life is about struggle and fight

until you get what you want,” he said, “and I am taking full advantage of the opportunity that I got.”

Jiménez scored his second goal of the tournament and has 47 with the national team to break a tie with Jared Borgetti. He is five away from tying “Chicharito”

Hernández as the all-time leading scorer for Mexico.

Mexico will play another home match Sunday against the winner of Wednesday’s match between England and Congo.

Playing at the iconic Azteca Stadium, the Mexican squad boasts an undefeated record across 10 World Cup matches. Mexico has just two official losses at the venue — the last being a World Cup qualifying defeat to Honduras on Sept. 6, 2013.

With the win, Mexico extended its unbeaten run to 12 games, dating back to a friendly loss against Paraguay in November.

Mexico also became the first CONCACAF side to eliminate a team from CONMEBOL in a World Cup knockout match. Teams from South America won the previous five meetings.

The match started one hour after the original scheduled time due to a thunderstorm.

It was the second match of the tournament delayed by weather.

A storm during the France-Iraq match at Philadelphia on June 22 caused a 2-hour, 11-minute suspension at the end of the first half.

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Thursday, July 2, 2026 ✦ 5C

lll

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL National League

American League East Division Tampa Bay New York Toronto Baltimore Boston Central Division Chicago Cleveland Minnesota Detroit Kansas City West Division Seattle Texas Houston Athletics Los Angeles

W 49 48 41 40 37

L 33 38 46 48 48

Pct .598 .558 .471 .455 .435

GB — 3 10½ 12 13½

W 45 45 41 38 35

L 40 42 46 49 51

Pct .529 .517 .471 .437 .407

GB — 1 5 8 10½

W 44 44 43 40 36

L 43 43 45 46 51

Pct .506 .506 .489 .465 .414

GB — — 1½ 3½ 8

Tuesday’s games

STAFF FILE PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

Two Former LSU aces crack All-Star Futures Game roster

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

Former LSU pitchers Kade Anderson and Anthony Eyanson have been selected to represent the American League in the 2026 MLB All-Star Futures Game on July 12 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. The game is part of an All-Star Week showcase.

Anderson pitches in Double-A

for the Arkansas Travelers in the Seattle Mariners’ organization. Eyanson is also in Double-A, pitching for the Portland SeaDogs in the Boston Red Sox minor league system.

Both pitchers have gotten off to dominant starts this season.

Anderson has a 1.22 ERA in 13 starts. He’s allowed just two earned runs in his past six outings. Eyanson, meanwhile, has a

1.07 ERA in 12 minor league starts, including a 1.48 ERA in seven Double-A starts.

Along with Anderson and Eyanson, three former LSU signees will also participate in the Futures Game, including catcher Blake Mitchell, left-hander Cam Caminiti and right-hander Miguel Sime.

The 2026 All-Stars Futures Game will be held at 11 a.m. and will be televised on NBC.

SCOREBOARD Odds MLB Thursday

American League FAVORITE LINE UNDERDOG Chi. White Sox -122 at CLEVELAND at KANSAS CITY OFF Tampa Bay at TEXAS -134 Detroit at SEATTLE -211 LA Angels National League FAVORITE LINE UNDERDOG at PHILADELPHIA -131 Pittsburgh at MILWAUKEE -198 Cincinnati Miami -149 at COLORADO St. Louis -112 at ATLANTA at LA DODGERS -198 San Diego

LINE +100 OFF +110 +171 LINE +108 +160 +122 -104 +166

Pro tennis Wimbledon results Wednesday

At All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club London Purse: £30,060,000 Surface: Grass

Men’s Singles

Second Round Jenson Brooksby, United States, def. Ignacio Buse (31), Peru, 6-2, 6-2, 6-3.

Hubert Hurkacz, Poland, def. Sebastian Ofner, Austria, 7-6 (8), 6-4, 6-4.

Tommy Paul (21), United States, def. Kwon Soon Woo, South Korea, 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-2.

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (22), Spain, def.

Fabian Marozsan, Hungary, 6-3, 6-0, 6-3.

Marton Fucsovics, Hungary, def. Learner Tien (16), United States, 6-7 (6), 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-3.

Jannik Sinner (1), Italy, def. Nuno Borges, Portugal, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (2), 6-4.

Arthur Rinderknech (25), France, def. Martin Damm Jr, United States, 6-4, 7-6 (1), 6-3.

Michael Zheng, United States, def. Nicolas Mejia, Colombia, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (8), 6-1, 6-4.

Daniil Medvedev (8), Russia, def. Daniel Merida, Spain, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-2.

Joao Fonseca (24), Brazil, def. Jesper De Jong, Netherlands, 6-1, 7-5, 6-4.

Roman Safiullin, Russia, def. Botic Van de Zandschulp, Netherlands, 6-0, 4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (5).

Shintaro Mochizuki, Japan, def. Ethan Quinn, United States, 6-2, 7-6 (6), 7-5.

Felix Auger-Aliassime (3), Canada, def. Dino Prizmic, Croatia, 7-6 (2), 6-3, 7-5.

Women’s Singles

Second Round Jelena Ostapenko, Latvia, def. Antonia Ruzic, Croatia, 6-2, 6-0.

Mananchaya Sawangkaew, Thailand, def.

Alycia Parks, United States, 7-5, 6-0.

Naomi Osaka (14), Japan, def. Anastasia Gasanova, Russia, 6-3, 6-2.

Daria Kasatkina, Russia, def. Janice Tjen, Indonesia, 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-4.

Claire Liu, United States, def. Zeynep Sonmez, Turkiye, 7-5, 6-3.

Karolina Muchova (10), Czechia, def. Zhang Shuai, China, 6-3, 6-2.

Aryna Sabalenka (1), Belarus, def. McCartney Kessler, United States, 6-1, 7-6 (9).

Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, Spain, def. Dayana Yastremska, Ukraine, 6-3, 6-7 (1), 6-2.

Nikola Bartunkova, Czechia, def. Katerina Siniakova (32), Czechia, 6-2, 6-4.

Coco Gauff (7), United States, def. Solana Sierra, Argentina, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7).

Anna Kalinskaya (19), Russia, def. Diane Parry, France, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (8).

Iva Jovic (16), United States, def. Tatjana

WORLD CUP

Continued from page 1C

the U.S. defense napping and then again on the ensuing corner kick that Kerim Alajbegovic almost scored on directly.

Balogun then took over from there, having one apparent goal called off for offside, being knocked down in the box on two other opportunities and then finally delivering in the 45th minute. Tim Ream intercepted a Bosnia goal kick at midfield and then Malik Tillman found Balogun in the box. He slid the left-footed shot in for his third

Maria, Germany, 6-1, 6-2.

Jessica Pegula (4), United States, def. Sara Sorribes Tormo, Spain, 7-6 (6), 6-1.

Belinda Bencic (11), Switzerland, def. Wang Xinyu, China, 7-5, 6-0.

Barbora Krejcikova, Czechia, def. Mirra Andreeva (5), Russia, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4.

Ekaterina Alexandrova (18), Russia, def.

Lanlana Tararudee, Thailand, 7-5, 7-5.

Men’s Doubles

First Round Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori (4), Italy, def. Joshua Paris and Ben Jones, Britain, 6-4, 6-3.

Jakub Paul, Switzerland, and Ryan Seggerman, United States, def. Luke Johnson, Britain, and Jan Zielinski, Poland, 6-4, 6-4.

Edouard Roger-Vasselin, France, and Hugo Nys (9), Monaco, def. Daniel Evans and Henry Searle, Britain, 6-2, 6-4.

Nikola Mektic, Croatia, and Austin Krajicek (14), United States, def. Marcelo Melo, Brazil, and Andres Molteni, Argentina, 6-1, 4-6, 6-2.

Mac Kiger and Patrik Trhac, United States, def. Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Quentin Halys, France, 6-2, 6-4.

Fernando Romboli, Brazil, and John-Patrick Smith, Australia, def. Karol Drzewiecki and Kamil Majchrzak, Poland, 5-7, 7-6 (9), 7-6 (8).

Lucas Miedler, Austria, and Francisco Cabral (11), Portugal, def. Diego Hidalgo, Ecuador, and Matej Vocel, Czechia, 6-7 (4), 7-5, 7-6 (2).

Marcus Willis and David Stevenson, Britain, def. Ariel Behar, Uruguay, and Joe Salisbury, Britain, 3-6, 7-6 (6), 6-3.

Marc Polmans and Rinky Hijikata, Australia, def. Jakob Schnaitter and Mark Wallner (16), Germany, 7-6 (1), 6-7 (4), 7-6 (7).

Kevin Krawietz and Tim Putz (7), Germany, def. Gonzalo Escobar, Ecuador, and Reese Stalder, United States, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (9).

Corentin Moutet and Arthur Reymond, France, def. Harry Wendelken and Johannus Monday, Britain, 6-3, 1-6, 6-1.

Adam Pavlasek and Patrik Rikl, Czechia, def.

Marcos Giron, United States, and Alejandro Tabilo, Chile, 6-2, 6-2.

Christian Harrison, United States, and Neal Skupski (5), Britain, def. Mariano Kestelboim and Tomas Martin Etcheverry, Argentina, 6-7 (3), 6-3, 6-4.

Mate Pavic, Croatia, and Marcelo Arevalo (6), El Salvador, def. Nick Kyrgios, Australia, and Alexander Bublik, Kazakhstan, 6-3, 6-4.

Lloyd Glasspool and Julian Cash (3), Britain, def. Mariano Navone, Argentina, and Adolfo Daniel Vallejo, Paraguay, 6-3, 6-0.

Thanasi Kokkinakis, Australia, and Aleksandar Kovacevic, United States, def. Santiago Gonzalez, Mexico, and Maximo Gonzalez, Argentina, 5-7, 7-6 (7), 6-2.

Harri Heliovaara, Finland, and Henry Patten (1), Britain, def. Terence Atmane and Luca Sanchez, France, 7-5, 6-2.

Pro basketball WNBA glance Eastern Conference Atlanta New York Indiana Washington Toronto Chicago Connecticut

Western Conference

Minnesota Las Vegas Golden State Dallas

W 12 12 11 9 9 6 4 W 15 14 13 11

L 7 8 8 9 10 13 15 L 4 5 7 8

Pct .632 .600 .579 .500 .474 .316 .211 Pct .789 .737 .650 .579

GB — ½ 1 2½ 3 6 8 GB — 1 2½ 4

goal of the tournament — one shy of the record for a U.S. men’s player in a single World Cup set in 1930 by Bert Patenaude.

He punctuated it with his version of the LeBron James Silencer celebration, drawing a positive reaction from King James himself.

Balogun nearly scored again in stoppage time, but his shot from in close deflected off the crossbar and out of play.

Bosnia’s second World Cup trip was a success with a draw against Canada in the opener and a win over Qatar that helped the team advance to the knockout round for the first time.

Los Angeles Portland Phoenix Seattle

Tuesday’s games

8 8 7 5

10 12 13 15

.444 6½ .400 7½ .350 8½ .250 10½

New York 93, Las Vegas 85

Wednesday’s games No games scheduled.

Thursday’s games

Atlanta at Washington, 6:30 p.m.

Dallas at Connecticut, 7 p.m.

Seattle at Phoenix, 9 p.m.

Pro golf PGA Tour statistics Through June 29 FedExCup Season Points

1, Scottie Scheffler, 3,511. 2, Matt Fitzpatrick, 3,195. 3, Cameron Young, 2,586. 4, Wyndham Clark, 2,199. 5, Collin Morikawa, 2,176. 6, Si Woo Kim, 1,860. 7, Ludvig Aberg, 1,773. 8, 6 tied with 1,631.

Scoring Average

1, Scottie Scheffler, 68.901. 2, Collin Morikawa, 69.533. 3, Matt Fitzpatrick, 69.621. 4, Jake Knapp, 69.795. 5, Sam Burns, 69.908.

6, Wyndham Clark, 69.938. 7, Tommy Fleetwood, 69.943. 8, Cameron Young, 69.971. 9, Ludvig Åberg, 70.014. 10, Xander Schauffele, 70.017.

Driving Distance

1, Aldrich Potgieter, 328.8. 2, Michael Brennan, 325.4. 3, Gary Woodland, 322.4. 4 (tie), Chris Gotterup and Nicolai Højgaard, 322.1.

6, Rasmus Højgaard, 321.4. 7, Marco Penge, 320.8. 8, Min Woo Lee, 320.2. 9, Johnny Keefer, 318.6. 10, Jake Knapp, 317.7.

Driving Accuracy Percentage

1, Russell Henley, 73.41%. 2, Aaron Rai, 72.43%. 3, Lucas Glover, 70.13%. 4, Si Woo Kim, 70.10%. 5, Andrew Putnam, 69.65%. 6, Tommy Fleetwood, 69.44%. 7, Collin Morikawa, 69.41%. 8, Matt Fitzpatrick, 68.90%. 9, Corey Conners, 68.78%. 10, Emiliano Grillo, 68.41%.

Greens in Regulation Percentage 1, 10 tied with .00%.

Total Driving

1, Ludvig Åberg, 44. 2, Scottie Scheffler, 49.

3, Kurt Kitayama, 55. 4, Michael Brennan, 62. 5, Neal Shipley, 64. 6, Min Woo Lee, 67.

7, Jordan Smith, 71. 8, William Mouw, 72. 9, Cameron Young, 74. 10, Matt Fitzpatrick, 76.

SG-Putting

1, Vince Whaley, .780. 2, Jake Knapp, .698.

3, Akshay Bhatia, .681. 4, Jacob Bridgeman, .673. 5, Sam Burns, .662. 6 (tie), A.J. Ewart and Beau Hossler, .632. 8 (tie), Eric Cole and Harris English, .581. 10, Alex Noren, .563.

Birdie Average

1, Scottie Scheffler, 4.82. 2 (tie), Si Woo Kim and Collin Morikawa, 4.59. 4, Wyndham Clark, 4.55. 5, Ludvig Aberg, 4.39. 6, Akshay Bhatia, 4.35. 7, Robert MacIntyre, 4.34. 8, Eric Cole, 4.33. 9, Jacob Bridgeman, 4.32. 10, Keith Mitchell, 4.3.

Atlanta Philadelphia Miami Washington New York Central Division Milwaukee Chicago St. Louis Pittsburgh Cincinnati West Division Los Angeles Arizona San Diego San Francisco Colorado

W 50 48 46 45 36

L 34 38 40 43 51

Pct .595 .558 .535 .511 .414

GB — 3 5 7 15½

W 52 49 44 43 39

L 31 38 39 43 45

Pct .627 .563 .530 .500 .464

GB — 5 8 10½ 13½

W 56 43 43 35 33

L 30 42 42 50 53

Pct .651 .506 .506 .412 .384

GB — 12½ 12½ 20½ 23

Tuesday’s games

Philadelphia 8, Pittsburgh 0 N.Y. Mets 3, Toronto 0 St. Louis 5, Atlanta 3 Washington 8, Boston 1 Milwaukee 7, Cincinnati 2 Chicago Cubs 9, San Diego 7 Miami 14, Colorado 3 Arizona 8, San Francisco 2 L.A. Dodgers 9, Athletics

Texas 4, Cleveland 2 Chicago White Sox 9, Baltimore 3 Detroit 9, N.Y. Yankees 3 N.Y. Mets 3, Toronto 0 Washington 8, Boston 1 Tampa Bay 10, Kansas City 4 Houston 6, Minnesota 4 L.A. Dodgers 9, Athletics 3 Seattle 8, L.A. Angels 3

LSU pitchers Kade Anderson, left, and Anthony Eyanson wait in the dugout during a College World Series practice on June 13, 2025, in Omaha, Neb. Both pitchers were selected to the MLB All-Star Futures roster.

East Division

Wednesday’s games

Wednesday’s games

Washington 10, Boston 2 Chicago Cubs 23, San Diego 3 Toronto 9, N.Y. Mets 3 Pittsburgh at Philadelphia, n Cincinnati at Milwaukee, n Miami at Colorado, n Atlanta 5, St. Louis 1 L.A. Dodgers at Athletics, n San Francisco at Arizona, n

Thursday’s games

Pittsburgh (Jones 1-1) at Philadelphia (Rangel 0-1), 11:35 a.m.

Cincinnati (Burns 9-1) at Milwaukee (Misiorowski 9-3), 1:10 p.m.

Miami (TBD) at Colo. (Lorenzen 3-9), 2:10 p.m.

St. Louis (May 5-6) at Atlanta (TBD), 6:15 p.m.

San Diego (Vásquez 6-6) at L.A. Dodgers (Sasaki 3-5), 9:10 p.m.

Baltimore 6, Chicago White Sox 1 Cleveland 9, Texas 4 Detroit 6, N.Y. Yankees 2, 11 innings Washington 10, Boston 2 Toronto 9, N.Y. Mets 3 Tampa Bay at Kansas City, n Minnesota at Houston, n L.A. Dodgers at Athletics, n Chicago White Sox (Martin 9-3) at Cleveland (Cecconi 4-6), 5:40 p.m.

Tampa Bay (TBD) at Kan. City (TBD), 6:40 p.m.

Detroit (Valdez 4-5) at Texas (Eovaldi 8-7), 7:05 p.m.

L.A. Angels (Ureña 5-6) at Seattle (Miller 3-2), 8:40 p.m.

Thursday’s games

BOX SCORES Cleveland 9, Texas 4

Washington 10, Boston 2

Texas

ab r h bi Foscue 2b 4 1 1 0 Jung 3b 3 0 0 0 Duran rf 5 0 3 0 Burger 1b 4 0 0 0 Higashi. dh 1 1 0 1 Peder. ph-dh1 0 0 0 Cauley cf 2 0 0 0 J.Smith ph-lf 2 0 1 0 Osuna lf-cf 4 1 0 0 Díaz c 4 1 2 2 Lopez ss 3 0 1 1 Totals 33 4 8 4 Totals 35 9 11 7 Texas 001 002 010 — 4 Cleveland 050 000 22x — 9 DP—Texas 0, Cleveland 2. LOB—Texas 9, Cleveland 5. 2B—Lopez (2), DeLauter (15), Watson (3). 3B—Kwan (1). HR—Díaz (3), Fry (5), Hedges (2). SB—DeLauter (3). S— Hedges (4).

IP H R ER BB SO Texas Gore L,5-7 5 7 5 5 1 7 Winn 1 2 2 2 0 0 Santos 2 2 2 2 1 1 Cleveland Cantillo W,7-3 5 3 2 2 5 4 Holderman 1 3 1 1 0 1 1 ⁄3 1 0 0 1 1 Gaddis H,15 2 ⁄3 0 0 0 0 0 Herrin H,14 Sabrowski 1 1 1 1 0 2 Festa 1 0 0 0 0 0 Winn pitched to 2 batters in the 7th, Cantillo pitched to 1 batter in the 6th.

HBP—Cantillo (Lopez). WP—Gore, Santos(2).

ABS Challenge—Burger (Strike-Confirmed); Higashioka (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Higashioka (Strike-Confirmed); Cantillo (Ball-Confirmed); Arias (StrikeConfirmed).

Umpires—Home, Chris Segal; First, Laz Diaz; Second, Erich Bacchus; Third, Brian O’Nora.

T—2:50. A—20,141 (34,788).

Washington Boston ab r h bi ab r h bi Wood lf 4 2 2 3 Seigler 2b 4 0 0 0 Mead 3b 5 2 2 0 Rafaela cf 4 1 2 0 Chaparro 1b 2 1 1 2 Abreu rf 5 0 1 0 García ph-1b4 1 1 2 Contreras 1b4 1 2 0 Crews rf 3 0 2 0 Gonzalez dh 4 0 1 0 Lile dh 5 0 1 0 Durbin 3b 3 0 0 1 Young cf 3 1 2 1 Eaton lf 3 0 0 1 Vivas 2b 5 0 0 0 Monaste. ss 4 0 1 0 Nuñez ss 4 1 1 1 Wong c 4 0 2 0 Millas c 3 2 1 0 Totals 38 10 13 9 Totals 35 2 9 2 Washington 200 500 300 — 10 Boston 000 000 020 — 2 DP—Washington 1, Boston 2. LOB—Washington 11, Boston 11. 2B—Young 2 (11), Lile (19), Monasterio (11), Rafaela (19).

3B—Mead (1). HR—Chaparro (1), Nuñez (1), Wood (22). SB—Crews (5).

IP H R ER BB SO Washington 0 2 1 Lord 21⁄3 2 0 Alvarez W,2-1 42⁄3 2 0 0 1 6 Cornelio 1 3 2 2 1 2 Palmquist 1 2 0 0 0 1 Boston Tolle L,4-6 3 7 6 6 3 5 Watson 2 3 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 3 Morán 1 ⁄3 0 1 Gamboa 21⁄3 3 2 2 4 1 Tolle pitched to 4 batters in the 4th.

HBP—Alvarez (Eaton).

ABS Challenge—Nuñez (Strike-Confirmed); Alvarez (Ball-Overturned to Strike); Vivas (Strike-Confirmed); Durbin (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Gamboa (Ball-Confirmed).

Umpires—Home, Hunter Wendelstedt; First, Vic Carapazza; Second, Edwin Moscoso; Third, Nic Lentz.

T—3:05. A—32,574 (37,755).

Toronto 9, N.Y. Mets 3

Detroit 6, N.Y. Yankees 2

New York

Detroit

ab Benge rf 4 Soto dh 4 Bichette 3b 2 Mauricio 3b 1 Lindor ss 3 Ewing cf 4 Alvarez c 4 Young 1b 3 Baty 2b 3 Taylor lf 3

Cleveland ab r h bi Fry lf 3 1 1 3 Kwan ph-lf 2 1 1 0 DeLauter rf 5 1 3 1 Hoskins 1b 3 0 0 0 Manzardo dh4 0 1 0 Rocchio ss 4 1 1 0 Arias 3b 4 1 1 0 Watson cf 4 1 2 0 Hedges c 3 2 1 3 Schneem. 2b 3 1 0 0

Toronto r h bi 1 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0

ab r h bi Lukes rf 5 1 2 0 Guerrero 1b 4 1 1 0 Okamoto 3b 3 1 2 1 Varsho cf 4 1 1 1 Kirk c 2 2 2 0 Piñango lf 3 0 0 0 Straw ph-lf 1 1 1 3 Clement 2b 4 1 2 1 Urías 2b 0 0 0 0 Keys dh 4 1 1 3 Giménez ss 3 0 0 0 Totals 31 3 5 3 Totals 33 9 12 9 New York 000 000 021 — 3 Toronto 104 000 40x — 9 DP—New York 1, Toronto 0. LOB—New York 3, Toronto 5. 2B—Benge (11), Guerrero (13), Clement (22). HR—Benge (10), Lindor (4), Keys (1), Straw (3).

IP H R ER BB SO New York Peralta L,5-7 4 7 5 5 3 4 Gerber 11⁄3 0 0 0 1 0 Pérez 11⁄3 5 4 4 1 2 Minter 11⁄3 0 0 0 0 1 Toronto Fisher 1 0 0 0 1 1 Miles W,4-1 3 1 0 0 1 5 Corbin S,1-1 5 4 3 3 0 5 ABS Challenge—Kirk (Strike-Confirmed).

Pitch timer violations—Miles (pitcher).

Umpires—Home, John Libka; First, D.J. Reyburn; Second, James Hoye; Third, Sean Barber.

T—2:39. A—41,842 (39,150).

New York ab r h bi ab r h bi McGon. ss-3b5 2 1 1 Rice 1b 3 0 1 0 Dingler dh 5 1 2 0 Domínguez rf4 0 0 0 Carpenter rf 2 0 1 0 Sánchez c 1 0 0 0 Vierling ph-rf2 0 0 0 Bellinger lf 5 0 0 0 Greene lf 3 1 0 1 Rosario dh 5 1 1 1 Keith 3b 3 0 1 0 Chisholm 2b 5 1 2 0 Lee ph-2b 1 1 0 0 Volpe ss 4 0 1 0 Torkelson 1b3 1 0 1 Wells c 2 0 0 0 McKin. 2b-ss 5 0 1 2 S.Jones ph-cf 2 0 1 0 Outman cf 5 0 0 0 Caball. cf-rf 3 0 1 0 Rogers c 4 0 0 0 Cabrera 3b 3 0 0 0 Totals 38 6 6 5 Totals 37 2 7 1 Detroit 001 001 000 04 — 6 New York 000 000 002 00 — 2 E—Wells (4), Sánchez (2). LOB—Detroit 7, New York 8. 2B—Dingler (18), Chisholm (11). HR—McGonigle (7), Rosario (9). SB— Chisholm 2 (26), Greene (2). SF—Greene (3). S—Cabrera (2), Caballero (1).

IP H R ER BB SO Detroit Melton 61⁄3 2 0 0 1 7 2 Sommers H,4 ⁄3 0 0 0 0 1 Anderson BS,2-6 2 5 2 2 0 1 Montero W,5-5 2 0 0 0 1 3 New York Warren 51⁄3 5 2 2 0 7 Blackburn 12⁄3 0 0 0 1 1 Headrick 11⁄3 0 0 0 0 1 F.Cruz 12⁄3 0 0 0 0 1 Doval L,3-1 1 1 4 2 3 0 WP—Anderson, F.Cruz.

ABS Challenge—Outman (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Melton (Ball-Confirmed); Warren (Ball-Overturned to Strike); McGonigle (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Anderson (Ball-Confirmed); Doval (BallConfirmed); Chisholm (Strike-Overturned to Ball).

Pitch timer violations—Montero (pitcher); Doval (pitcher).

T—2:59. A—37,117 (47,309).

Eagles (Holes per)

1, Jake Knapp, 48. 2, Nicolai Højgaard, 77.5.

3, Matt Wallace, 82. 4, Sahith Theegala, 83.3.

5, Keegan Bradley, 84. 6, Tommy Fleetwood, 88.4. 7, 4 tied with 90.

Sand Save Percentage 1, 10 tied with .00%.

All-Around Ranking

1, Scottie Scheffler, 157. 2, Ludvig Åberg, 218.

3, Wyndham Clark, 244. 4, Collin Morikawa, 268. 5, Sam Burns, 277. 6, Si Woo Kim, 312. 7, Min Woo Lee, 317. 8, Keith Mitchell, 322. 9, Chris Gotterup, 334. 10, Jake Knapp, 335.

AP PHOTO By JEFF CHIU

United States’ Malik Tillman celebrates after scoring a goal in a match against Bosnia on Wednesday in Santa Clara, Calif.

THIS DATE IN BASEBALL July 2

1903 — Washington outfielder Ed Delahanty went over a railroad bridge at Niagara Falls and drowned. The exact circumstances of his death never were determined.

1909 — The Chicago White Sox stole 12 bases, including home plate three times, in a 15-3 rout of the St. Louis Browns.

1930 — Chicago outfielder Carl Reynolds homered in the first, second and third innings, leading the White Sox to a 15-4 win over the New York Yankees. Reynolds, the second player in history to hit home runs in three consecutive innings, had two inside-the-park homers.

1933 — Carl Hubbell of the New York Giants beat the St. Louis Cardinals 1-0 in an 18-inning game. He allowed six hits and no walks. In the second game of the doubleheader, the Cardinals were blanked 1-0, with Roy Parmelee outdueling Dizzy Dean.

1933 — Jimmie Foxx of the Philadelphia Athletics set and American League record with 21 total bases in a doubleheader.

Foxx hit two solo homers in the opener, a 6-5 win over the St. Louis Browns. In the nightcap, an 11-6 loss, Foxx had two homers, a double and a triple.

1941 — Joe DiMaggio of the New York Yankees hit a home run to extend his consecutive game hitting streak to 45 games, surpassing Willie Keeler’s record of 44 straight games for the Orioles in 1897.

1963 — Juan Marichal of San Francisco beat Warren Spahn and the Milwaukee Braves 1-0 in 16 innings on Willie Mays’ homer.

1986 — Roger Clemens of the Boston Red Sox fell short of a record-tying 15th consecutive winning decision when the Toronto Blue Jays scored three runs in the

eighth inning for a 4-2 victory.

1995 — Hideo Nomo of the Los Angeles Dodgers became the first Japanese player picked for baseball’s All-Star game. Nomo was the NL’s leader in strikeouts and second in ERA. 2007 — Roger Clemens reached a rare milestone, pitching eight innings of two-hit ball to earn his 350th career win and lead the New York Yankees past Minnesota 5-1. Clemens became the first major leaguer to win 350 games since Hall of Famer Warren Spahn of the Milwaukee Braves accomplished the feat in 1963.

2009 — Houston Astros beat the Padres 7-2, but only after waiting out a 52-minute delay in the top of the ninth inning caused when a swarm of bees took over part of left field at San Diego’s Petco Park.

2013 — Homer Bailey pitched his second no-hitter in 10 months and the first in the majors this season, pitching the Cincinnati Reds to a 3-0 victory over the slumping San Francisco Giants. Bailey beat the Pirates 1-0 in Pittsburgh last Sept. 28.

2014 — Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz became the 36th player in major league history to collect 1,000 extra-base hits with a ground-rule double during a 16-9 lost to the Chicago Cubs.

2016 — Cleveland’s franchise-record 14-game winning streak was snapped by a 9-6 loss to Toronto, with the Blue Jays scoring three runs in the eighth to overcome a cycle by Rajai Davis.

2016 — C.J. Cron went 6 for 6 with two homers and five RBIs, Carlos Perez had five hits and drove in six and the Los Angeles Angels ended a four-game losing streak with 21-2 rout of the Boston Red Sox.

6C ✦ Thursday, July 2, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

lll

with meteorologist Damon Singleton

TODAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

Humid; an afternoon t-storm

A t-storm around in the p.m.

A t-storm around in the p.m.

Partly sunny with a t-storm

A t-storm around in the p.m.

A t-storm around in the p.m.

HIGH

LOW

HIGH

92° 78°

LOW

HIGH

92° 79°

LOW

93° 77°

HIGH

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

Beaumont 90/76 Port Arthur 89/77

Baton Rouge 91/75

Lake Charles 90/76

10s

20s

30s

Houma 86/73

40s

50s

60s

70s

80s

90s 100s 110s

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

HIGH

9:49p 4:14p 8:15a 11:04a 11:27a 10:48a 12:35p

NEW

FIRST

FULL

JUL 7

JUL 14

JUL 21

JUL 29

Hi

96 96 98 100 95 96 92 92 99

TODAY Lo

77 77 82 76 75 79 58 76 75

W

t pc t s t pc pc t s

Hi

96 96 97 100 90 97 95 93 102

FRI. Lo

75 75 77 76 73 79 59 77 77

LOW

0.00” 0.00” 0.24” 35.01” 32.39”

FT.

HIGH

0.7 9:07a -0.1 1.6 2:11a -0.2 1.7 10:40a 1.6 1.9 1:48a 0.1 1.3 10:35p -0.1 1.5 8:59p -0.2 1.6 11:37p -0.1

6:04 a.m.

8:06 p.m.

10:14 p.m.

8:18 a.m.

LAST

Atlanta Austin Boston Charlotte Chicago Dallas Denver Houston Las Vegas

FT.

W

pc pc t s t pc pc t s

YESTERDAY

TODAY

READING 50 MAIN POLLUTANT Nitrogen oxide

MAIN POLLUTANT Nitrogen oxide

GOOD

PRECIPITATION

93°/79° 91°/76° 94°/78° 99° in 1980 65° in 1984

Sunrise today Sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today

City

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

LOW

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

New Orleans 92/78

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

0s

Hattiesburg 95/73

Alexandria 93/75

Lafayette 88/75

HIGH

93° 77°

New Orleans through 5 p.m. Wednesday

Jackson 95/74 Many 92/73

LOW

91° 79°

TEMPERATURE

Longview 92/75

-0s

LOW

Monroe 95/76

Shreveport 94/74

-10s

HIGH

92° 78°

Well, another very hot day with showers and storms in the forecast for your Thursday. Expect some partly to mostly cloudy, humid and breezy conditions across Southeast Louisiana. Temperatures this afternoon will rise to the low to mid-90s. The humidity remains high, so the heat index or “feels-like” temperatures will be in the triple digits, possibly up to 104 or higher. There is a 40% chance of rain and storms in the forecast today so grab the umbrella and keep in mind that the UV index is at the very high level.

SOURCE: LOUISIANA DEQ AND AIRNOW.GOV

FT.

LOW

FLOOD

FT.

--- ----- ----- ----- --1:50p 1.6 10:20p -0.3 --- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ---

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

MAJOR MINOR MAJOR MINOR

Today Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday

City

1:31a 2:23a 3:12a 4:00a 4:47a 5:33a 6:19a

Hi

Los Angeles 78 Miami 90 Nashville 99 New york City 100 Philadelphia 102 Phoenix 104 St. Louis 96 San Francisco 69 Seattle 67

7:43a 8:34a 9:23a 10:11a 10:58a 11:44a 12:07a

TODAY Lo

60 78 75 82 83 80 79 56 57

1:55p 8:06p 2:45p 8:56p 3:34p 9:45p 4:22p 10:32p 5:08p 11:19p 5:55p ---6:43p 12:31p

W

pc t t pc pc pc t pc c

GOOD

Hi

80 92 98 100 102 106 95 70 73

FRI. Lo

62 78 73 81 82 83 79 55 53

W

pc t t s s pc t pc pc

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

WED. 24-HOUR

MISSISSIPPI STAGE STAGE CHANGE Memphis 34 18.40 +1.20 Vidalia-Natchez 48 39.57 +0.15 Red River Landing 48 42.64 +0.31 Baton Rouge 35 26.19 +0.38 Donaldsonville 27 17.15 +0.31 Reserve 22 12.75 +0.35 New Orleans 17 8.50 +0.54 OHIO Cairo 40 35.73 +0.90 COMITE Near Olive 19 -1.35 -0.02 AMITE Near Darlington 18 -0.75 -0.07 Denham Springs 29 11.38 -0.16 Port Vincent 8 1.58 -0.06 TICKFAW Montpelier 13 1.70 -0.04 Holden 15 1.67 -0.10 ATCHAFALAYA Simmesport 47 22.79 -0.06 Melville 34 17.25 -0.02 Krotz Springs 29 14.81 -0.04 Butte La Rose 20 11.82 +0.05 Bayou Sorrel 12 6.70 none Morgan City 6 3.58 +0.11

data as of 7 a.m. Wednesday

Forecasts and graphics, except for Damon’s Outlook, provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2026

Many await LeBron’s decision during free agency

BY TIM REYNOLDS AP basketball writer

MIAMI — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz made his sales pitch. So did DJ Khaled, the New York Jets and the Winnipeg Jets. Even the PGA Tour took a swing, trying to appeal to someone who has quickly become obsessed with golf.

“We’re waiting for you Bron,” the tour posted on social media.

Get in line. Every team and every league, it would seem, wants LeBron James.

The waiting-for-LeBron game is on, with the entire basketball universe — and, evidently, the political, entertainment, football, hockey and golf universes as well — waiting to hear what the greatest scorer in NBA history will decide about the 2026-27 season. All that is known so far are two things: He isn’t retiring yet, and he won’t be playing for the Los Angeles Lakers.

James let the world know on Tuesday that he’s coming back for at least one more season and that he’s decided to move on from the Lakers, those decisions becoming known a few hours before the start of free agency. What happens next, and when it will happen, is anyone’s guess. The oldest active player in the NBA is still a guy who

NBA

Continued from page 1C half — 32 of them — have changed teams at least once in that span.

Robinson to Boston Mitchell Robinson, the Chalmette High School alum who helped the New York Knicks win an NBA championship in June, has found a new team.

The 7-foot center has reached a deal with the Boston Celtics, according to an ESPN report.

The deal was reached on Wednesday, the second day teams were allowed to negotiate with free agents.

Robinson spoke about his free agency last Thursday when he was in Chalmette for his annual camp and a parade that was held in his honor for winning the NBA championship.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By NATE BILLINGS

Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James prepares to shoot in the first half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA playoffs series against the Oklahoma City Thunder on May 7 in Oklahoma City. moves the needle, and it’s not even clear if he knows how long this process will take.

“LeBron James, come on, let’s do it again,” DJ Khaled, a regular courtside patron at Miami Heat games, said in a video posting in an effort to recruit James back to the

place where he won his first two NBA titles. “Come on, man. Let’s do it again. After the game, we’ll go play golf. You know Miami’s the best city in the world.”

A person familiar with James’ planning told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he wanted

“I’m just going to see what’s out there and we’ll see what happens,” Robinson said.

He has agreed to a three-year, $47.4 million deal with the Celtics.

The deal has a player option in the third season, according to the report.

Drafted by the Knicks in the second round of the 2018 draft, Robinson had been with the Knicks longer than anyone else on the roster. He averaged 7.5 points and 8 rebounds in his time with the Knicks. He was a key reserve for a team that won its first NBA championship in 53 AP FILE PHOTO By TIM PHILLIS years. His ability to rebound and New york Knicks center Mitchell protect the game made him one of Robinson dunks against the the most coveted big men in this Cleveland Cavaliers during an year’s free agency class.

He was instrumental through- Eastern Conference finals game on out the playoffs, including the job May 25. Robinson was traded to he did against San Antonio Spurs’ the Boston Celtics on Wednesday. center Victor Wembanyama in the Finals. Robinson was guard- game-winning shot in Game 2. And ing the San Antonio star when it was Robinson’s clutch rebound Wembanyama missed a potential on a Spurs’ missed free throw that

his agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, to take meetings with interested teams — actual NBA ones, which means it doesn’t look good for other online suitors such as the Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers and soccer’s Minnesota United — before reporting back.

For the most part, James and Paul went into this process knowing much of what the teams would say. Cleveland’s pitch would be that Northeast Ohio is home, that his career started there and that it would make sense to end it there.

Miami’s pitch would be that he won two titles there, that it’s known he loves the city, that it just landed Giannis Antetokounmpo and James still has deep ties to coach Erik Spoelstra and the front office.

Golden State’s pitch would include playing with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, two guys who click with James on multiple levels.

Walz wanted James to see a newspaper clip touting that Minnesota has the best quality of life when compared to other states.

The New York Jets pointed out that James wore green and white in high school, matching their color scheme. The Winnipeg Jets simply offered to change their name to LeWinnipeg Jets.

“Never say never,” the Bills

posted.

Jokes aside, James is obviously worth all the effort that some team will make to get him signed.

He still plays at an All-Star level, even at his age — there have been 24 instances, including playoffs, of someone in his 40s scoring 30 or more points in an NBA game, and James is responsible for 17 of those. No player had averaged more than 15 points per game in a season after turning 40; James averaged 24.4 points in 2024-25 and 20.9 points this past season, even while often being the Lakers’ third option.

Plus, James’ next home will see an immediate rush of activity.

Season ticket packages, if any are available, will get gobbled up quickly. James’ Lakers jersey was the fifth-hottest seller in the league at the end of this past regular season, based on sales from NBAStore.com, Fanatics.com and Fanatics partner sites; his next jersey (even if it is a Cavs or Heat jersey again) will fly off the racks as soon as they can be printed. And it’ll probably make fans in that city, whichever city it is, truly believe they have a real shot at the 2027 NBA title.

Only James knows when the waiting game will end.

clinched the series in Game 5.

Now Robinson heads to play for one of the Knicks’ biggest rivals, the Boston Celtics. He will help fill the void left by center Nikola Vucevic, who agreed to a deal with the Orlando Magic on Wednesday.

er confirmed by The Boston Globe.

It brings Brown’s tenure to Boston to an end after five All-Star appearances in a 10-season run that saw him play in more wins — when counting both regular season and playoff games — than any other player in the league over that span.

Celtics star Brown to 76ers The Boston Celtics are trading 2024 NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers for Paul George and a slew of draft capital in yet another blockbuster offseason move in the NBA, a person with knowledge of the terms said Wednesday.

Boston also gets two first-round picks and two second-round picks, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the trade had not received the required league approvals.

ESPN first reported the trade agreement, and the terms were lat-

Harris to San Antonio The Western Conference champion Spurs got another veteran, adding Tobias Harris on a two-year deal worth about $15 million this coming season and about $16 million in 202728, a person with knowledge of the agreement told the AP. Including playoff games, Harris has played in 466 victories over the last decade — the sixth most of any player in the league over that span. Harris, who turns 34 later this month, averaged 13.3 points this past season for Detroit.

Columnist Rod Walker contributed to this report.

LIVING N O L A.C O M

|

T h u r s d ay, J u ly 2, 2026

1dN

A cut above

Here’s an Alexandriainspired steak sandwich recipe from the new ‘My Egypt’ cookbook

BY MICHAEL MINA Voracious

Not far from the Corniche along the Eastern Harbor in Alexandria, Egypt, there’s El Fallah, a tiny place that only makes one thing: liver sandwiches.

You say liver sandwich in Alexandria and people know you’re talking about this spot — it’s so famous that the owner has dozens of pictures of himself posing with Egyptian celebrities.

The reason the sandwich works is the meat is cut paperthin and is generously seasoned with spices. That liver sandwich inspired this recipe in my book “My Egypt,” made with rib-eye, which applies similar flavors to steak sliced super-thin (as in, Philly cheesesteak thin).

If you’d rather make the sandwich with beef liver instead of steak, slice the liver in half horizontally, season generously with salt and pepper, and brush with the garlic butter used in this recipe. Broil the liver for 1 to 2 minutes or until brown on the outside and slightly pink in the center.

Let it cool for a couple of minutes, then slice it crosswise and add it to the bowl with the cooked shallots and other fixings.

You can make the garlic butter ahead and refrigerate it with the garlic cloves inside.

This recipe makes more garlic butter than you need, but the extra keeps, sealed in an airtight container, for a month, ready to be pulled out and used to make many other things, like garlic bread or scampi.

PHOTOS By LIZ FAUL

Red beans and rice

Flavor to remember

Immerse yourself in culinary culture with two recipes from ‘Cooking Up a Storm’ cookbook VORACIOUS PHOTO By JOHN LEE

Alexandria Steak Sandwiches, Recipe 2D

Add a sweet twist to your July Fourth coleslaw with fresh mangoes

BY LINDA GASSENHEIMER Tribune News Service (TNS)

I look forward to mango season, when perfectly ripe, sweet mangoes are easy to find in the markets.

Their juicy, tropical flavor adds a refreshing twist to everyday dishes. Tossed into a quick coleslaw, mango brings a touch of natural sweetness Recipe, and vibrant color, transform2D ing it into a light, satisfying vegetarian salad that’s perfect for a warm evening.

Here are some tips on how to handle a mango. Mangoes continue to ripen after they are picked. Keep them at room temperature until they yield to gentle pressure. To speed up the ripening, place mangoes in a covered bowl or paper bag.

ä See COLESLAW, page 2D

A

rthur, the first named storm of 2026, made landfall in Texas, churning up the Gulf waters and tropical moisture into southeast Louisiana early on June 18.

The local meteorologists were less concerned about Tropical Storm Arthur’s winds than the possibility of a significant amount of rain. I went to bed wondering if we would wake up to flooded streets or a few puddles. Early in the morning, the unmistakable shrill ring of the emergency alert system warning of a possible tornado jolted me out of bed. I turned on the local news station to watch the weather and the familiar feelof uncertain angst during hurLiz Faul ing ricane season in Louisiana hit me.

In New Orleans, and many other cities along the Gulf Coast, summertime hurricane preparation and conversation are ever-present elements of the culture. Inevitably, stories about Hurricane Katrina resurface, and with it the physical destruction and communal loss that residents still grapple to comprehend.

ä See CULTURE, page 2D

ANOTHER RECIPE ä Frank Brigsten’s

Marinated Crab Claws with Green Onion Sauce.

PAGE 2D

Red Beans and Rice Makes 8-12 servings. Recipe is from the cookbook “Cooking Up a Storm: Recipes Lost and Found from The Times-Picayune of New Orleans,” edited by Marcelle Bienvenu and Judy Walker.

1 pound dry red kidney beans ½ pound fatty ham or another seasoning meat, such as salt meat, or smoked ham 1 medium onion, chopped 1 or 2 stalks of celery, chopped 1 green bell pepper, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced

1 large bay leaf 1 to 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning Salt to taste Black pepper to taste 2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, or more to taste ¼ cup chopped green onions (green part only) Hot cooked rice for serving Hot sauce for serving

1. Pick over the red beans to remove any stones or broken beans. Soak overnight in a large bowl with about 3 inches of water to cover. Drain the water, rinse the beans, drain again, and set aside.

2. Render the ham or seasoning meat in a Dutch oven over medium heat to obtain the fat, then remove the meat and set aside. Saute the onion, celery, bell pepper and garlic in the rendered fat, adding a little oil if needed, until softened. Add the beans, return the meat to the pan, and pour in 8 to 10 cups of water, or enough to cover everything by at least a couple of inches. Bring to a boil. Add the bay leaf and the Creole seasoning to the beans, then reduce to a simmer and gently cook, uncovered, for about 1½ hours, or until the beans are tender. Add more water while cooking if necessary.

3. Toward the end of the cooking time, mash some beans with a spoon against the side of the pot to make the mixture creamier, if desired, and add the salt and pepper to taste, the parsley and the green onions as a garnish. Discard the bay leaf and serve in bowls over white rice. Pass the hot sauce.

2D ✦ Thursday, July 2, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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Frank Brigsten’s Marinated Crab Claws with Green Onion Sauce Makes 8 servings. Recipe is from the cookbook “Cooking Up a Storm: Recipes Lost and Found from The Times-Picayune of New Orleans,” edited by Marcelle Bienvenu and Judy Walker.

GREEN ONION SAUCE: 1 large egg yolk 1 cup thinly sliced green onions (white and green parts) 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper 2 tablespoons white vinegar 1 cup vegetable oil MARINATED CRAB CLAWS: ½ cup red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon Creole mustard 1 tablespoon paprika 1 teaspoon minced garlic ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon dried oregano leaves 1 teaspoon sugar 1 cup olive oil 24 Louisiana blue crabs CUCUMBER CUPS: 3 large, wide cucumbers (Sliced in 2-inch-thick pieces) 1. For the green onion

CULTURE

Continued from page 1D The preservation of recipes is a key way of retaining cultural identity. This is even more the case when the culture is essentially built around the food and recipes of the region. In New Orleans, Mondays mean red beans, cold snaps conjure cravings for spicy gumbo and spring means crawfish. And when New Orleanians leave home, they dream of their favorite foods cooked in neighborhood restaurants.

After Hurricane Katrina, when residents were scattered all over the country, readers of The Times-Picayune and Nola.com wrote to ask the food editor, Judy

sauce: In a food processor, combine the egg yolk, green onions, salt, black pepper and white vinegar. With the processor running, slowly add the vegetable oil in a thin stream until fully incorporated. Refrigerated until ready to serve.

2. For the marinade: In a mixing bowl, combine the red wine vinegar, Creole mustard, paprika, garlic, salt, oregano and sugar.

Slowly add the olive oil, whisking constantly until fully incorporated.

3. For the cucumber cups: Trim the ends off the cucumbers and cut them so you have a total of 8 slices, each 2 inches thick. From one end of each slice, hollow out the

seed to form a cup.

4. For the marinated crab claws in cucumber cups: Marinate the crab claws for 15 minutes. Remove from the marinade and drain. To serve, spoon 2 tablespoons of green onion sauce into each cucumber cup. Place 3 crab claws in each cup.

NOTE: If you are short on time, the marinated crab claws are a simple appetizer that is made in advance and best served cold in the bowl with the marinade sauce. The cucumbers with green onion sauce is a delicious addition that can be added if you have time, but not necessary to enjoy these tasty marinated crab claws.

Walker, and co-author Marcelle Bienvenu to compile a book of many authentic New Orleans recipes so they could cook their favorite comfort foods while the city was being rebuilt and revived. This is how “Cooking Up A Storm: Recipes Lost and Found from The Times-Picayune of New Orleans” came to be a popular cookbook that holds important food history.

This summer, food writers for The Advocate | The Times-Picayune were assigned to cook recipes from “Cooking up a Storm.” For July, I made a delicious summer appetizer, Frank Brigtsen’s marinated crab claws with green onion sauce, a staple of the popular seafood platter that is served at Brigtsen’s, his restaurant in the Riverbend

neighborhood of New Orleans. This recipe is easy to follow at home and will be a crowd-pleaser at a summer party.

I always say, “When I don’t know what else to do, cook a pot of beans.” Red beans and rice is my favorite New Orleans dish. It was not surprising to me at all that red beans and rice was the first nomination of recipes to add to this archive of New Orleans cooking.

I also learned in “Cooking Up a Storm” that Louis Armstrong signed his letters “Red Beans and Ricely Yours.” So listen to your favorite Louis Armstrong album — mine is “Ella and Louis” (1956) — and make this red beans and rice recipe. You will taste, hear and feel what New Orleans is all about.

Alexandria Steak Sandwiches Serves 4. Recipe is excerpted from “My Egypt” by Michael Mina.

GARLIC BUTTER: ¼ pound unsalted butter 5 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt Freshly ground black pepper SANDWICH: 4 soft French sandwich rolls, cut in half and toasted cut side up 2 boneless rib-eye or New York strip steaks (about 12 ounces) 1 teaspoon vegetable oil Fine sea salt Freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 3 shallots, thinly sliced 1 small hot pepper (Anaheim or jalapeño), thinly sliced crosswise ½ teaspoon ground cumin ½ teaspoon ground turmeric ½ teaspoon paprika 1 lime, halved 1 handful cilantro sprigs 1. To make the garlic butter, in a small saucepan, melt the butter with the garlic over medium heat, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and a few pinches of pepper and let cool to a warm room temperature, about 10 minutes.

VORACIOUS PHOTO By JOHN LEE

Alexandria Steak Sandwiches

2. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the cut side of the sandwich rolls with the garlic butter, about 1 tablespoon per roll.

3. Trim some of the fat from the steak and save to render in the pan. Cut away any gristle. Slice each steak in half crosswise, then slice thinly across the grain into 3- to 4-inch-long pieces (try to get as close as you can to Philly cheesesteak thinness with the slices).

4. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, render the saved beef fat for 1 minute, then remove (it’s OK if not much fat comes out).

Add the oil and heat for a few seconds, then add the sliced steak and sear briefly, turning the pieces once or twice and seasoning with a few pinches of salt and a generous pinch of pepper, until the beef is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer the beef and any juices to a heatproof bowl and keep warm.

5. In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallots, hot pepper, cumin, turmeric and paprika and cook until the shallots have softened slightly, about 2 minutes.

Add to the bowl with the steak and stir together well.

Squeeze the lime over the bowl, then mix again, adding more salt if needed.

6. Divide the steak and shallots among the sandwich rolls and finish with cilantro sprigs. Slice the sandwiches in half before serving.

Mango Coleslaw 5 cups shredded cabbage ¼ cup thinly sliced scallions ¾ cup diced red onion 1 cup sliced green bell pepper 1 cup sliced red bell pepper ¾ cup plain unsalted walnuts 1 tablespoon canola oil 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 2 teaspoons sugar 1 cup mango cubes Salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise 1. Add the cabbage, scallions, red onion, green bell pepper, red bell pepper and walnuts to a large bowl.

TNS PHOTO By LINDA GASSENHEIMER 2. Add the canola oil and toss to make sure all veg- Mango Coleslaw etables are coated with the oil. Add the apple cider vin- mix all together. fat), 40.2 g fat (3.0 g saturategar, sugar, mango cubes 4. Divide in half and serve ed, 12.8 g monounsaturated), and salt and pepper to taste. on two dinner plates. no cholesterol, 16.4 g protein, Toss well.

NUTRITION INFO PER SERVING: 44.1 g carbohydrates, 12.7 g 3. Add the mayonnaise and 564 calories (64 percent from fiber, 153 mg sodium.

Continued from page 1D A quick way to cube mango flesh is to place the mango on a cutting board upright with the narrow side

facing you. Slice off each side of the mango as close to the seed as possible.

Hold the mango half in the palm of your hand skin side down. Score the fruit in a crisscross pattern through to the skin. Bend the skin backwards so that

Dear Miss Manners: My But we have a problem. daughter was recently Three, actually. married — a second marFirst, the trio breached no rules of etiquette or riage both for her and for good taste — at least nothher new husband. They had a lovely ceremony and ing that you have related. invited close family and Wedding gifts are not, you good friends — well, some will be surprised to hear, good friends. mandatory. So we Three of my have nothing to daughter’s friends charge them with. work with her new Second, you do husband’s ex-wife. not send thankThe couple received you letters simply neither cards nor because someone Judith gifts from this trio. attended your Martin wedding; thanking She feels they have MISS been manipulated them for attending MANNERS by the ex. What would therefore not should she do? demonstrate your 1. Should she not send a daughter’s familiarity with thank-you note to them? etiquette, but rather, the 2. Should she just send a reverse. This eliminates note thanking them for atone of your proposed courses of action. tending and celebrating?

Third, shaming (or ex3. Should she send a card thanking them for attendtorting) guests is a serious breach of etiquette. This ing, with a P.S. such as, “I eliminates another profear your card/gift was lost”? She does not value posed course of action. To the friendship of these answer your question then, three ladies and wants to if your daughter wants shame them for their lack to demonstrate her good of class and manners. manners, she should forget Gentle reader: Before we about this trio and enjoy get to the how, Miss Manher honeymoon.

Dear Miss Manners: A few ners wants to be sure she years ago, my mother-inunderstands the goal, law, an amateur painter, which is to “shame” three gave my husband and me a guests at your daughter’s large portrait of ourselves. wedding for their “lack of I don’t wish to judge the class and manners,” presumably while having your skill of the artist, but will say that it was “not our daughter display her own.

the cubes pop up. Slice the cubes away from the skin.

HELPFUL HINTS: n Ripe peaches can be used instead of mangoes. n Pecans or almonds can be used instead of walnuts. n Any type of onion can be used.

thing.” We thanked her profusely and hung it up for a few years in a remote corner of the house.

We have since moved to a smaller place without the space to display it, so it’s been packed away in a closet. Now my husband wishes to get rid of it altogether.

Setting aside the question of whether any secondhand store would even want it, what is the appropriate etiquette? We are likely never to hang up this painting again, but I feel guilty disposing of a heartfelt, homemade gift that’s so personal in nature.

Gentle reader: Paintings can be removed from their frames, rolled and shoved into a tube at the back of a closet. This way if you absolutely have to produce it at a later date, you can claim that it was in storage while you thought about reframing it. Consider yourself lucky your mother-in-law did not take up sculpting.

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

Try fun way of making magnets Dear Heloise: I receive mag- 40 years of living in one netic calendars from chari- place. We’ve been going through mountains of old ties. After the year has paperwork — pay stubs, ended, I carefully remove insurance records from the front picture, leaving defunct policies, etc. It’s the paper backing. I then simply astounding how glue on school pictures of many of these have my grandchildren. our Social Security After the glue numbers on them, dries, I cut out each but 40-50 years ago, picture and have nobody knew about fridge magnets of “identity theft.” their smiling faces.

Everyone should — Frances R., in ManHints from periodically go chester New Hampshire Heloise through old papers Hair advice and destroy anyDear Heloise: Tanya G. thing with an SSN on it. If might want to take a careyou don’t have a shredder, you can burn papers in a ful look at her diet. What charcoal grill or a burn baryou put in your body is often reflected in your skin rel, or you can use a confiand hair. She could ask her dential commercial shredhairstylist to recommend ding service for big jobs. products that will help her Unfortunately, some govhair, and a doctor could ernment agencies still use suggest a diet to improve SSNs as an identifier. One the condition of her hair of the worst offenders in and skin. — Jeanie B., in Parathis respect is the Departmus, New Jersey ment of Veterans Affairs.

I’ve repeatedly written to Protecting private info the VA secretary — and my congressman — to ask Dear Heloise: My wife that this policy be changed, and I are preparing for a but nothing has happened major house move after

so far. All veterans who read your column should do the same for their own protection.

Thousands of people in the VA have access to this data. Most likely, 99.9% of them are honest and will keep such things private, but all it takes is one bad ‘un to let it out with dire consequences. — An Avid Reader, via email

Platform bed preference Dear Heloise: Since my husband and I lived in Japan for a few years, we figured out that we don’t really like the western-style bed. So, my husband built a platform bed, and we placed a nice mattress on it. The platform is about 1 foot larger than the mattress all around. This serves as both a bed and nightstands for us with wall-mounted lights on both sides. I don’t know why more people don’t try this! — Kate and Greg H., in Las Vegas Send a hint to heloise@ heloise.com.

TODAY IN HISTORY

By The Associated Press

Yields 2 servings. Recipe is by Linda Gassenheimer.

COLESLAW

Shaming guests not the flex you think it is

Today is Thursday, July 2, the 183rd day of 2026. There are 182 days left in the year.

Today’s highlight in history: On July 2, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law a sweeping civil rights bill passed by Congress prohibiting discrimination and segregation based on race, color, sex, religion or national origin.

Also on this date: In 1776, the Continental Congress passed a resolution saying that “these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States.”

In 1881, President James A. Garfield was shot by Charles J. Guiteau at the Washington, D.C., railroad station; Garfield died the following September. (Guiteau was hanged in June 1882.)

In 1917, rioting erupted in East St. Louis, Illinois, as White mobs attacked Black residents; at least 50 and as many as 200 people, most of them Black, are believed to have died in the violence.

In 1937, aviator Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan disappeared

over the Pacific Ocean while attempting to make the first round-the-world flight along the equator.

In 1962, the first Walmart store opened in Rogers, Arkansas.

In 1976, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Gregg v.

Georgia, ruled 7-2 that the death penalty was not inherently cruel or unusual.

In 1979, the Susan B. Anthony dollar coin was released to the public.

In 1986, ruling in a pair of cases, the Supreme Court upheld affirmative action as a remedy for past job discrimination.

In 1990, more than 1,400 Muslim pilgrims were killed in a stampede inside a pedestrian tunnel near Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

In 2018, rescue divers in Thailand found alive 12 boys and their soccer coach, who had been trapped by flooding as they explored a cave more than a week earlier.

In 2020, British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell was arrested in New Hampshire on charges that she had helped lure at least three girls — one as young as 14 — to be sexually abused by the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. (Maxwell would be convicted on five of six

counts and sentenced to 20 years in prison.)

In 2022, the police chief for the Uvalde, Texas, school district stepped down from his City Council seat amid criticism of his response to the mass shooting at an elementary school in which 19 students and two teachers were killed on May 24 of that year.

Today’s birthdays: Former Philippine first lady Imelda Marcos is 97. Racing Hall of Famer Richard Petty is 89. Former White House chief of staff and former New Hampshire governor John H. Sununu is 87. Writer-directorcomedian Larry David is 79. Actor Wendy Schaal is 72. Actor-model Jerry Hall is 70. Former baseball player Jose Canseco is 62.

Race car driver Sam Hornish Jr. is 47. Former NHL center Joe Thornton is 47.

Singer Michelle Branch is 43. Retired figure skater Johnny Weir is 42. Actorsinger Ashley Tisdale is 41. Former professional soccer player Alex Morgan is 37. Actor Margot Robbie is 36. Singerrapper Saweetie is 33. U.S. Olympic swimming gold medalist Ryan Murphy is 31. Actor Caitlin Carmichael is 22.

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Thursday, July 2, 2026 ✦ 3D

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FrAnK And erneSt

roSebUdS

zItS

zodIAC cAncER (June 21-July 22) It's mind over matter; if no one minds, it doesn't matter.

Reset your schedule to meet your needs and pursue what excites you most. Utilize your strengths, connections and cash flow to set your plans in motion.

LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) A broad-minded attitude will open doors to new people and experiences. What you discover will help you secure and stabilize your prospects and lifestyle. Let your uniqueness shine through with unfiltered truthfulness.

VIRGo (Aug. 23-sept. 22) Keep your ears and eyes on high alert. What you see and hear will indicate your best move.

Someone may exaggerate, but don't let that deter you from gathering the facts yourself and making a move that is fair.

LIBRA (sept. 23-oct. 23) Talks, incentives and living up to your promises will keep you in the conversation. What you offer will have an impact on someone eager to make a change or a difference. Take a stance, and set the record straight. scoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Adversity and emotional turmoil will surface. If you compromise and meet others in the middle, it will help you put unfinished business to rest and maintain a healthy relationship. sAGITTARIus (nov. 23-Dec. 21) Go for it.

The stars are aligned, and your timing is impeccable if you are confident and refuse to let hesitation or second-guessing stand between you and what you want. cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Be careful not to overextend yourself physically or

financially. You owe it to yourself and those you deal with to pursue what's feasible instead of chasing a dream.

AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Push forward with enthusiasm, and you'll flourish emotionally. Test out your surroundings and make adjustments that are conducive to what you enjoy doing most. Don't embellish anything.

PIscEs (Feb. 20-March 20) Initiate only necessary change. Refuse to be bullied or pushed into something you know little about or have no interest in. Discipline will be necessary where money, emotions and entertainment collide.

ARIEs (March 21-April 19) Network and thrive. Step into the spotlight and let onlookers see what you can do. Your intelligence and enthusiasm will lead to an offer you cannot turn down. Rise to the occasion.

TAuRus (April 20-May 20) Keep life, conversations and domestic situations simple and within your means. Refuse to agree to something you know little about.

Consider the advantages and disadvantages that might result if you proceed.

GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Don't spread yourself too thin. You have plenty to gain if you concentrate on what's important and most likely to get you where you want to go. A passionate presentation will help others.

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

For better or For WorSe WonderWord

peAnUtS

SALLY Forth

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

ToDAy's cLuE: G EQuALs A

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

SherMAn’S LAGoon FAMILY CIrCUS

dooneSbUrY

4D ✦ Thursday, July 2, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

CurTiS

Hi and LoiS

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Sudoku InstructIons: sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers.

The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the sudoku increases from monday to sunday.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

BaBY BLueS

BLondie

THe wiZard oF id

nea CroSSwordS

La TimeS CroSSword

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Thursday, July 2, 2026 ✦ 5D

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Bridge

By PHILLIP ALDER Steven Wright, a comedian who specializes in deadpan delivery, said, “Right now I’m having amnesia and deja vu at the same time.”

Cast your mind back to yesterday’s column. Then look at this one. Maybe you will have a Steven Wright moment.

West is defending against four hearts.

He leads off with the club ace: six, queen, nine. How should he hope to defeat the contract?

The bidding is instructive. North is right to make a takeout double over one club. True, if South does not have a fivecard major, the ensuing 4-3 major-suit fit might be worse than a 5-3 or 5-4 diamond fit. But a good South will have a five-card major. East made a pre-emptive jump raise to three clubs, promising five or more clubs and a weak hand. With gameinvitational or greater strength, he would have responded with an artificial two notrump. (When responder has a big balanced hand, he starts with redouble over an opponent’s takeout double.) South cue-bid four clubs to show a strong twosuiter. (With a good one-suiter, he would have jumped in that suit.)

Note East’s play of the club queen.

When a defender cannot win a trick, he plays top of touching honors.

garfield

Pearls Before swiNe

hagar the horriBle

Now West should see four defensive tricks: two clubs, the heart king and a diamond ruff.

At trick two, not later, West must shift to his singleton diamond. He then gets in with the heart king, underleads his club king to give East the lead, and receives a diamond ruff. © 2026 by nEa, inc., dist. By andrews mcmeel syndication

wuzzles Each Wuzzle is a word riddle which creates a disguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: nOOn gOOD = gOOD aFTErnOOn

PiCKles

Previous answers:

mallard fillmore

word game InsTRucTIons: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. 4. proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

ToDAy’s WoRD — oBLIQuELy: oh-BLEEK-lee: Indirectly.

Bizarro

marmaduKe

Average mark 16 words Time limit 30 minutes Can you find 25 or more words in OBLIQUELY? yEsTERDAy’s WoRD — soJouRnER senor snore sojourn sone soon sooner sore sour suer sure surer

onerous onus ours juror user rerun rose roue rouse ruse noes

noose nose noser nurse euro

loCKhorNs hidato Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

today’s thought “Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who [is] on the Lord’s side? [let him come] unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.”

Exodus 32:26 Are you on the Lord’s side? Can He count on you? G.E. Dean

6D ✦ Thursday, July 2, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

muttS

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Scrabble GramS dIrectIons: make a 2- to 7-letter word from the letters in each row. add points of each word, using scoring directions at right. Finally, 7-letter words get 50-point bonus.

“Blanks” used as any letter have no point value. all the words are in the Official sCraBBlE® players Dictionary, 5th Edition.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

jump Start

For more information on tournaments and clubs, email naspa – north american sCraBBlE players association: info@scrabbleplayers.org. Visit our website: www.scrabbleplayers.org. For puzzle inquiries contact scrgrams@gmail.com.

Get fuzzy

Hasbro and its logo sCraBBlE associated logo, the design of the distinctive sCraBBlE brand game card, and the distinctive letter tile designs are trademarks of Hasbro in the United states and Canada. ©2021 Hasbro. all rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content agency, llC.

ken ken

animal crackerS

DuStin

InstructIons: 1 - Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 thorugh 4 (easy) or 1 through 6 (challenging) without repeating.

2 - The numbers within the heavily outlined boxes, called cages, must combine using the given operation (in any order) to produce the target numbers in the top-left corners.

3 - Freebies: Fill in the single-box cages with the number in the top-left corner.

Wallace the brave

Drabble

WiShinG Well breWSter rockit

luann

HErE is a plEasanT liTTlE gamE that will give you a message every day. it’s a numerical puzzle designed to spell out your fortune. Count the letters in your first name. if the number of letters is 6 or more, subtract 4. if the number is less than 6, add 3. The result is your key number. start at the upper left-hand corner and check each of your key numbers, left to right. Then read the message the checked figures give you.

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classifieds.nola.com Search & Place Ads Ads Onlines at classifieds.nola.com • Call Monday Us Monday - Friday 8AM - 5PMatat(504) (504)636-7435 636-7435 Search & Place Onlines at classifieds.nola.com - Friday 8AM - 5PM - Only $99! 100% guaranteed. CALL NOW: 1-877-305-0196.

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Property rights involved.

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Anyone knowing the whereabouts of the heirs of Alvin J. Gonzales, who previously resided at 1066 Ave. A, Westwego, LA 70094, please contact attorney Ronald L. Faia, Jr., at 6565 Vicksburg St., New Orleans, LA 70124; Phone: 504-908-9328; Email: rfaiajr@gmail.com.

192898-July 1-3, 3t $133 Anyone that knows the whereabouts of the heirs to Elizabeth Anne Browne, please contact Attorney Gavin M. Richard at 225-706-8449 192796-7/1-2-3-3t $97.00 Lounge XII LLC is applying to the Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control of the State of Louisiana for a permit to sell beverages of high and low alcohol content, (including all wine, beer, liquor and spirits) at retail in the Parish of Orleans at the following address: 9511 Chef Menteur Hwy STE 103 New Orleans, LA 70127.

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PEST CONTROL: PROTECT YOUR HOME from pests safely and affordably. Roaches, Bed Bugs, Rodent, Termite, Spiders and other pests.

Locally owned and affordable. Call for service or an inspection today! 1-877-728-0264 Have zip code of property ready when calling!

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Qualifications: Applicants must be cer‐ tified as a superintendent in Louisiana at the time of application or be eligible for immediate certification, as con‐ firmed in writing by the LDOE, at the time of application. You must furnish your LDOE confirmation of certification along with your completed application.

Please note that the applicant must possess the credentials which entitle him/her to serve as the district’s super‐ intendent. Each applicant must meet or exceed, as of the date of application, the qualifications for superintendent listed in Bulletin 746 Louisiana Stan‐ dards for State Certification of School Personnel.

Applications: Applications for the posi‐ tion of Superintendent of Schools may be found and printed off the IPSB web‐ site (www.ipsb.net). Applications must be completed, signed, and delivered as outlined below to be considered.

Deadline for Applications: All applica‐ tions must be received on or before Au‐ gust 18, 2026. Applications not received by that date will not be considered.

Method for Delivery of Applications: All

Legal Notices

Legal Notices

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

LEANS SUBDIVISION REG‐ ULATIONS, WILL HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON JULY 14, 2026 ON THE FOLLOW‐ ING MATTER:

§§ 30501-30512, claiming the right to exoneration from or limitation of lia‐ bility for all claims aris‐ ing from the occurrences on November 19, 2025 (“the voyage”).

All persons having any claims arising from or re‐ lating to the voyage shall file them under oath, as provided in the Supple‐ mental Rules for Certain Admiralty and Maritime Claims, Rule F(4), with the Clerk of this Honor‐ able Court, and serve a copy to the attorneys for the Complainants, Michael T. Neuner and Kathryn L. Briuglio, Mouledoux, Bland, Legrand & Brackett, 701 Poydras Street, Suite 600, New Orleans, Louisiana 70139, on or before the 7th day of December 2026, at 10:00 AM or be forever defaulted. Per‐ sonal attendance is not required.

Any claimant desiring to contest the claims of the Complainants must file an answer to the said Complaint, as required by the Supplemental Rules for Certain Admi‐ ralty and Maritime Claims, Rule F(5), and serve on or mail a copy to Complainants’ attor‐ ney.

Proposals will be re‐ ceived until 2:00 PM on July 23, 2026 by the Pur‐ chasing Department of Delgado Community College and thereafter publicly opened for Pest Control Services at Del‐ gado Community Col‐ lege’s Campuses and Sites. Additional informa‐ tion may be obtained by contacting the Purchas‐ ing Department, Delgado Community College, 501 City Park Ave., New Orleans, LA 70119 (504) or email: 762-3028 aharri@dcc.edu or pur‐ chasingdept@dcc.edu.

Bid Documents and Ad‐ denda may be down‐ loaded from: https:// wwwcfprd.doa.louisiana. gov/osp/lapac/dspBid. cfm?search=departm ent&term=39 Evidence of authority to submit bid shall be required in ac‐ with R.S. cordance 38:2212 (A) (1) (c) and/or R.S. 39:1954 (C) (2) (d).

AA/EEO 192856-JUL 2-1T $36.19 PUBLIC NOTICE --The Louisiana Office of State Parks is requesting proposals for a PublicPrivate Partnership pro‐ ject to design, construct, and operate a high-qual‐ ity recreational vehicle campground and related amenities. For more in‐ formation go to opportu‐ nitiesinlouisiana.com.

192988-jul 2-aug 15-45t $207.90 PUBLIC NOTICE --The Town of Delight, AR is soliciting competitive bids for 26COR-016 Procure‐ ment Cards (P-Cards) & Expense Management Services. suppliers Interested must submit a proposal in accordance with solicitation docu‐ ments posted at http://www. coretrustpg.com/publicsector/ solicitations. Responses must be received by 02:00 p.m.

CT, 7/30/2026.

192207-JUN 25-JUL 2-2T $148

Legal Notices

PUBLIC NOTICE --CITY PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2026 PUBLIC HEARING: 1:30 P.M. CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS 1300 PERDIDO STREET 1st FLOOR THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION, IN ACCOR‐ DANCE WITH PROVISIONS OF THE CITY OF NEW OR‐

The IPSB is an equal opportunity employer.

Merchandise ANTIQUES Early 1950's Gas Pump, Bennett Model 766, Good Condition, $2499, Call (504) 982-1044 WANT TO BUY I purchase whole Record (vinyl) and CD collections. I also buy used music instruments and audio equipment. $999.99 504-914-6679

SUBDIVISION DOCKETS 067-26 SD067-26 Resubdivision of Square 12-A, Square 24-A, Square 25, Square 26, and a portion of John Churchill Chase Street into Lot P in Square 26-A and Lot H in Square 25-A, First Municipal District and bounded by Conven‐ tion Center Boulevard, Gaiennie Street, South Peters Street, and An‐ drew Higgins Drive. Mu‐ nicipal addresses are 1101 Convention Center Boulevard, 350 John Churchill Chase Street, and 1100 South Peters Street. (Policy D) THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION WILL HEAR PROPONENTS AND OPPO‐ NENTS TO THE ABOVE PROPOSED SUBDIVISION. ALL INTERESTED PARTIES ARE ENCOURAGED TO AT‐ TEND AND ALL RELEVANT COMMENTS CONCERNING THE PROPOSED CHANGES ARE ENCOURAGED. THE CPC HAS ESTABLISHED PUBLIC HEARING RULES WITHIN ITS ADMINISTRA‐ TIVE RULES, POLICIES, & PROCEDURES, WHICH ARE AVAILABLE ON THE CPC WEBSITE: WWW. NOLA.GOV/CPC. YOU MAY ALSO SUBMIT WRITTEN COMMENTS TO THE EX‐ ECUTIVE DIRECTOR IN ADVANCE BY MAIL (1300 PERDIDO STREET, 7TH FLOOR, NEW ORLEANS, LA 70112) OR EMAIL CPCINFO@NOLA.GOV. ALL WRITTEN COMMENTS MUST BE RECEIVED BY CLOSE OF BUSINESS ON THE MONDAY, EIGHT DAYS PRIOR TO THE HEARING DATE. June 26, July 2 and 9, 2026 Robert Rivers, Executive Director NOCP 9119 192369-jun 26-jul 2-9-3t $93.15 PUBLIC NOTICE --IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA IN RE THE COMPLAINT AND PETITION § OF MEDITERRANEAN MA‐ RINE, LLC, AS § OWNER OF THE M/V MEDITER‐ RANEAN, § ITS ENGINES, TACKLE, APPAREL, ETC., § AND ADRIATIC MARINE, LLC, HER § OPERATOR, IN A CAUSE FOR EXONERATION FROM OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY Civil Action No. 26-1114 C (3) In Admiralty Under Rule 9(h) NOTICE OF COMPLAINT FOR EXONERATION FROM OR LIMITATION OF LIA‐ BILITY NOTICE IS GIVEN that Mediterranean Marine, LLC, (“Mediterranean”), as owner, and Adriatic Marine, LLC (“Adriatic” and collectively “Com‐ plainants”), as operator, of the M/V MEDITER‐ RANEAN, her engines, tackle, apparel, etc., have filed a Complaint pur‐ suant to Title 46 of the Revised Statutes of the United States, 46 U.S.C.

Date: Jun 05 2026 Carol L. Michel Name of clerk of Court L. Guillot Deputy clerk's signature 192161-jun 25, jul 2-9-164t $1,067 PUBLIC NOTICE --INVITATION TO BID JULIA STREET WHARF CRUISE BOLLARD UPGRADES Notice is hereby given that the Board of Com‐ missioners of the Port of New Orleans (Board) will receive bids electroni‐ cally at Central Bidding, www.centralbidding. com, on or before Mon‐ day, July 20, 2026, until 11:00 A.M., local time, for Work Order No. 1-1203, Julia Street Wharf Cruise Bollard Upgrades.

The work consists of fur‐ nishing all labor, mater‐ ial and equipment for se‐ lective demolition, instal‐ lation of piling, construc‐ tion of pile caps, and in‐ stallation of mooring bol‐ lards as per the drawings and specifications pro‐ vided in the Bidding Doc‐ uments. The site is lo‐ cated at the Julia Street Wharf in New Orleans, (Estimated Louisiana.

Cost: To be provided at bid opening).

10,000 Apt Homes and 75 Locations with Studio, 1, 2 & 3 Bedrooms Pools, Access Gates, Garages (504) 360-9347 APARTMENT ESPLANADE RIDGE The Carson Company, Inc. 2900 Third St., 1Bd/1Ba.................$700 1322 St. Roch St., 2Bds/1Ba..........$895 3953 Delachaise St. (Up), 3/1.......$950 2300 N. Broad St., 1Bd/1Ba...........$995 1818 Gentilly Blvd. (DS), 2/1.........$995 830 Roosevelt Pl. (Up), 3/1.........$1195 412 1/2 Manhattan, (Furn) 2/1..$1350 1925 Brighton Pl., Single 3/2.....$2200 4557 Feliciana St, 5Bds/2Bas.....$2500 2560 Orleans Ave., (Furn) 2/1....$2990 821-1858 * 822-8432 * 427-4646

EAST ST TAMMANY COVINGTON * 70264 CHARLIE STREET 2-3 Bdrm Apts * 2 Full Baths Rent from $800/mo Off Street Parking * Quiet 985-875-1050 FRENCH QUARTER

1027 CHARTRES, UNIT F * $1,250/MO Super FR QTR Location, One bed/bath, Cent A/H, Modern Appliances, Hardwood Floors.

In unit W/D, Lovely Courtyard, Pleasant Residential Complex. No dogs.

GARY WILLIAMS * 504-251-2047 FQR Realty 504-949-5400 GENTILLY 2544 ALLEN TOUSSAINT BLVD. NEWLY RENOVATED!!!

1-2 Bdrm Apts * From $800/mo Parking * Sec Gate 504-209-8054 * 504-454-1333

CLASSIFIEDS.NOLA.COM

Federal regulations re‐ quire that persons seek‐ ing entry to secure areas of United States ports must present a valid Transportation Workers Identification Credential (TWIC) card and must maintain possession of the TWIC at all times in secure port areas.

Persons seeking entry to the below listed facilities of the Port of New Or‐ leans must possess a TWIC in order to attend pre-bid meetings on port Restricted property. areas include port prop‐ erty between Felicity Street and Henry Clay Alabo Street Avenue, Jourdan Road Wharf, Wharf, the Julia Street and Erato Street Cruise Terminals, and during cargo activities at Poland Avenue Wharf and Gover‐ Nicholls Street nor Wharf. Prospective bid‐ ders must provide their own Harbor Police De‐ (HPD) ap‐ partment proved TWIC escorts for those in their party who do not have a TWIC. Note that only contractors with open Board con‐ tracts are eligible to be on the approved escort list. The Board will not provide nor arrange for escorts. See Section 01 00 00 – General Require‐ ments.

Once an employer is under contract with the Board, TWIC card holders and their Sponsoring Em‐ ployer must submit an application to Harbor Po‐ lice and the TWIC card holder must attend a training session in order to be certified as an Ap‐ proved TWIC Escort for anyone entering the se‐ cured area without a TWIC. Bidding Documents will be issued only to those complying contractors with state licensing laws for contractors, La. R.S. 37:2150, et. seq. On any bid submitted in the amount of $50,000 or the contractor more, must hold at the time this bid is opened a valid license issued by the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors.

This project is classified as Heavy Construction or Wharves, Docks, Harbor Improvements, a. Objec‐ tion to the required clas‐ sification should be filed in accordance with La. R.S. 37:2165.

In accordance with LSA R.S. 38:2212 (E)(7), com‐ plete Bidding Documents are available for down‐ load via Central Bidding at www.centralbidding. com. Bidding Documents may also be obtained from the SEBconnect App, available in both the Apple and Google play platforms.

If request for Bidding is made Documents through U.S. mail or other delivery services, bidder must furnish a street mailing address and will be held respon‐ ibl f i f

The award of contract, if awarded, will be made within 45 calendar days after bid opening to the lowest qualified bidder whose bid complies with all requirements pre‐ ib d h

METAIRIE 3513 EDENBORN AVENUE Lrg 2 Bed, 1 Bath * $925 * Off St Prkg Blocks from Lakeside 504-982-4040 * 504-885-8060 504-454-1333

CATS RAGAMUFFIN & RAGDOLL KITTENS www.CatsByFrancy.com/kittens $1500up! Reg. Shots & Guaranty 337-230-3150

NEW ORLEANS EAST 10692 Hayne Blvd. 2BR/1.5BA, Apt. B $1200/dep/mth. Call 504-908-4291

CATS Young Male Cat, Gray Colors, Have too many cats, Looking for another home for him. Please call 504-861-9617 ($50)

NEW ORLEANS EAST 8501 Gervais St, Nice 3Br/2Ba Dbl, $1400/m Txt & Call (504) 710-5952

DOGS CKC YORKIES - (YORKIES w/papers) also BISHON YORKIES vet checked shot worming meet in Gulfport $750 (334) 467-3416

DOGS Mini Schnauzer - Beautiful AKC Minia‐ ture Schnauzer Puppies, Has all shots, Metairie $Call (504) 390-2918

177 W. 5TH STREET LAPLACE * $1,950/MO Renovated 3BR/3BA home w/ private baths, laminate wd flrg, TV's, appls, dishes, W&D, lawn care, & ample parking.

Furnished or Unfurnished.

DOGS Teacup YORKIES Maltipoos POMS Mini Goldendoodles POODLES Shit Tzu De‐ signers+ Siamese Kittens S/W=UTD Teacups $995+. Puppy Pack $595+ 504-259-2222

in observance of

STAY INFORMED

A pre-bid conference will be held on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. local time at the site. Bid‐ ders are urged to attend.

METAIRIE 3201 RICHLAND AVENUE 1/2 Block off Vets * by Paretti Jaguar 1 Bed * Prkg * Pool * Rent $675/mo 504-320-6958 * 504-454-1333

THE CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT will be closed on FRIDAY, JULY 3rd

METAIRIE 4601 Young St. 8am-noon. Dsgnr purses, dresses & clothing, Doona car seat, misc items.

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

Pets

DOGS Yorkie’s Maltipoo’s, Dorkie’s - Yorkie’s male $600. Female $700. Maltipoo’s male’s $350. Female $400. Dorkie’s male’s $300. Female’s $400. $300+ (601) 543-4232

Garage Sales

p sible for service fees.

2850 IDAHO AVENUE 1 Block to Vets & Williams All Amenities * Pool * Parking Studio/1 Bed Apt * Starting $650/Mo 504-236-1971 * 504-454-1333

Sandy Ward * 504-259-2616.

Re/Max Living * 504-475-1011. Ea ofc indpntly owned & operated.

CEMETERY PLOTS Two (2) Double Depth, Double Companion Niche. (Crypts) Located: Lake Lawn/Metairie $6200 ea.

1-757-647-6748

Legal Notices

KENNER

KENNER 510 FARRAR AVENUE - 1/2 Duplex, 3 Bd, 2 Ba, All Electric, Central A/H, Off St Prkg, No Smoking or Pets!

Call: 504-458-9700

CEMETERY PLOTS Lake Lawn Main Mausoleum S. Unit#3, Tier A (ground) 3 Place Abby. 6 Burial Plots $17,000.

504-982-0388

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the cost of the contract price of work to be done for the Base Bid plus all additive Alter‐ nate Bid prices, by certi‐ check, cashier's fied check or bid bond is re‐ quired, and the bidder to whom the contract is awarded shall also be re‐ quired to furnish a per‐ formance bond in the total amount of the bid.

The bid bond must be furnished in accordance with the requirements of La. R.S. 38:2218, and the performance bond in ac‐ cordance with the provi‐ sions of La. R.S. 38:2219.

All Bids must be in accor‐ dance with the Bidding Documents on file with the Port of New Orleans.

APARTMENT METAIRIE

CARROLLTON Rose Garden 1 BR Apt, enclosed w/bbq pit. $700 + dep. 504-415-1345

WANT TO BUY Old Records 33's, 45's & 78's. All types of music. Call 985-259-1889 EDUCATION SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS The Iberville Parish School Board (IPSB) is ready to continue its path to excel‐ lence and is seeking an exceptional Su‐ perintendent of Schools to lead those efforts. The IPSB serves a diverse popu‐ lation of 4,072 students on 13 campuses with approximately 980 employees. It has an annual operating budget of ap‐ proximately $150,000,000. Iberville Parish has approximately 30,000 citi‐ zens and is located only 20 minutes from Baton Rouge.

New Orleans Rental

PLEASE NOTE: Applications for this po‐ sition are subject to public release under the Louisiana Public Records Law, La. R.S. 44:1 et seq.

Employment

Public Notices

PUBLIC NOTICE ---

Salary: The salary for this position is negotiable based on the experience of the applicant. The estimated salary range is $150,000-$190,000 per year.

Dish Network: Get DISH Satellite TV + Internet! Free Install, Free HD-DVR Upgrade, 80,000 On-Demand Movies, Plus Limited Time Up To $600 In Gift Cards. Call Today! 1-855-654-8207

Lounge XII LLC Members: Paul Pitcher 193002-July 2, 1t $106.38 LOUISIANA STATEWIDE Advertising Looking to promote your services or find a new hire? Deliver your classified message statewide for as little as $265 per week through the Louisiana Press Association’s Classified Network. Pre-payment required. To learn more, email advertising@lapress.com or call 225-344-9309.

applications must be mailed to: Super‐ intendent Search, P.O. Box 539, Plaque‐ mine, LA 70765. Applications delivered in any other fashion will not be consid‐ ered.

4th of JULY

And will be observing the following Early Deadline: Deadline: Tuesday 6/30 @ 2pm Wednesday 7/1 @ 2pm Wednesday 7/1 @ 2pm Wednesday 7/1 @ 2pm

As always, you may place your ad 7 days a week, 24 hours a day online at www.theadvocate.com or call Monday – Friday 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

(225) 383-0111

NEWS 24/7 ON

Legal Notices

Legal Notices

Legal Notices

p q scribed. However, when the contract is to be fi‐ nanced by bonds which are required to be sold after receipt of bids, or when the contract is to be financed in whole or in part by federal, state or other funds not avail‐ able at the time bids are received, or when the contract requires a poll of the Louisiana Legisla‐ before contract ture funds are available, the time will not start until receipt of federal or state concurrence or concur‐ rence of the other fund‐ ing source in accordance with LA. R.S. 38:2215(D).

Award will be within 45 calendar days after the sale of bonds or receipt of concurrence in award from the federal or state agency or other funding source. Funds for this contract:

p p erty owner whom the Jef‐ ferson Parish Depart‐ ment of Engineering has been unable to contact by certified letter, who is in violation of Code of Ordinances, Chapter 29, Roads and Bridges, Arti‐ cle V. Construction of Sidewalks, and Article VI. Driveways, and must in‐ stall or repair/replace a sidewalk, driveway and driveway apron, as the case may be.

y residual disinfectant This tells us level. whether we are effec‐ tively treating the water supply. During the com‐ pliance monitoring peri‐ (04/01/2026) of ods through (04/30/2026), and (05/01/2026) through (05/31/2026), the St John Water District 3 failed to provide the minimum disinfectant residual level in the treated water supplied to customers.

The violation occurred the treated because water chlorine residual was less than 0.5 mil‐ ligrams per liter in over five percent of the sam‐ ples collected in the water system in two con‐ secutive months.

__ _ ___ will not be immedi‐ ately available, the 45day period for contract award will not begin at the time of bid opening, and the deadlines under La. R.S. 38:2215 for con‐ tract execution and is‐ suance of notice to pro‐ ceed shall not apply.

X will be immediately available and the 45-day period for contract award will begin at the time of bid opening.

Work in the amount of at least sixty percent (60%) of total amount of con‐ tract as awarded shall be performed by contractor at the construction site or within his own shop, plant, or yard with his own employees.

The Board as an equal opportunity public entity invites and encourages DBE’s and SBE’s to sub‐ mit bids on its projects.

In order to comply with the Constitution of the State of Louisiana, such programs certification must be race and gender neutral.

All questions, correspon‐ inquiries, and dence, communications other regarding this procure‐ ment shall be directed to Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Or‐ leans, Procurement De‐ partment, 1350 Port of New Orleans Place, New Orleans, LA 70130 or pro‐ curement@portnola.com.

All questions will be an‐ swered via additional in‐ formation or addenda and will be posted on Central Bidding website at: www.centralbidding. com Questions must be sub‐ mitted at least seven (7) days prior to bid open‐ ing.

Section 29-151, Para‐ graph (C) requires that this notice be published three (3) times within a thirty (30) day period in the official journal of Jef‐ ferson Parish after which the property owner shall have thirty (30) days from date of last publica‐ tion to file objection or request an extension, in affidavit form, with the Director of Engineering.

If no response is re‐ ceived, the Department of Engineering will have the work done and pro‐ ceed thereafter in accor‐ dance with the afore‐ mentioned Code of Ordi‐ nances.

Nine Hundred Seventeen Old Metairie Place LLC P.O. Box 55142 Metairie, LA 70055 RE: OLD METAIRIE TOWN HOMES Lot 83 917 Old Metairie Pl. Repair/replace Sidewalk, Driveway and Driveway Apron 192286-JUN 25-jul 2-9-3t $60.81

PUBLIC NOTICE --The St John Water Dis‐ trict 3 is currently in vio‐ lation of the treatment technique requirements for minimum residual disinfectant level as set forth by the State (Part XII of the Louisiana State Sanitary Code). Although this incident is not an emergency, as our cus‐ tomers, you have a right to know what happened and what we are doing to correct this situation.

NOTICE

The Louisiana Depart‐ ment of Health (LDH) has that the determined presence of microbiolog‐ ical contaminants is a health concern at certain levels of exposure and requires the disinfection of drinking water to kill disease-causing organ‐ Inadequately isms. treated water may con‐ tain disease-causing or‐ ganisms. These organ‐ isms include bacteria, viruses, and parasites which can cause symp‐ toms such as nausea, cramps, diarrhea, and headaches. associated These symptoms, how‐ ever, are not just associ‐ ated with disease-caus‐ ing organisms in drinking water but also may be caused by a number of factors other than your drinking water. LDH has set enforceable require‐ ments for treating drink‐ ing water to reduce the risk of these adverse health effects. Treatment such as filtering and dis‐ infecting the water re‐ moves and destroys mi‐ contami‐ crobiological nants. Drinking water which is treated to meet LDH requirements is as‐ sociated with little to none of this risk and should be considered safe.

Following is the name and address of a prop‐ h h f

We are required to moni‐ tor your water for the id l di i f

These individuals are not authorized to and shall not render legal opinions or advice. No information will be given regarding the proper evidence of corporate authority as required in this bid. Each bidder is advised to con‐ sult his own counsel for such information.

Please be advised that these individuals are not the legal representatives of the Board.

191946-jun 24-jul 2-7-3t $302.34 PUBLIC NOTICE ---

Run Dates Friday 7/3 Saturday 7/4 Sunday 7/5 Monday 7/6

You do not need to boil your water or take other corrective actions. How‐ ever, if you have specific health concerns, consult your doctor.

Please share this infor‐ mation with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have re‐ ceived this notice di‐ rectly (for example, peo‐ ple in apartments, nurs‐ ing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this no‐ tice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.

After low chlorine resid‐ ual levels were detected, Parish increased the activities flushing throughout the water distribution system and additional conducted monitoring to track chlo‐ residual levels. rine These actions helped im‐ prove water circulation and restore disinfectant residuals within the dis‐ tribution system. While chlorine residuals were below the desired level during this period, all bacteriological samples collected tested negative for bacteria, and the water remained safe for consumption. Follow-up testing confirmed that chlorine residual levels returned to acceptable levels and continued to be routinely monitored.

For more information, please contact the Utili‐ ties Department at 985651-6800.

This notice is being sent to you by St John Water District 3, PWS ID# LA1095007.

Date distributed: 07.02.2026 192842-jul 2-1t $69.07

Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

PUBLIC NOTICE --ReNEW-Reinventing Edu‐ cation will introduce the 2026-27 budget and hold its first public hearing on the 2026-27 budget on May 14, 2026 at 5:30 pm at Edgar P Harney Build‐ ing located at 2503 Wil‐ low St., New Orleans, LA 70113 (LA R.S. 39:1307).

ReNEW-Reinventing Edu‐ cation is the charter school management or‐ operating ganization ReNEW Laurel Elemen‐ tary, ReNEW Dolores T. Elementary, Aaron ReNEW Schaumburg Ele‐ mentary, and ReNEW Moton Lakefront Elemen‐ tary. A physical copy of h b d i

Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min y p y py the 2026-2027 budget is available at 10001 Lake Forest Blvd., Suite 710, New Orleans, LA 70127.

186911-may 9-aug 27 $956

Public Notices Successions

PUBLIC NOTICE --CIVIL DISTRICT COURT FOR HE PARISH OF ORLEANS STATE OF LOUISIANA NO. 2023-00444 DIVISION "C-10" SUCCESSION OF BLAISE P. GAGLIANO NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR AUTHORITY TO SELL IMMOVABLE PROPERTY Notice is hereby given that the Dative Testa‐ mentary Executor of the Succession of Blaise P. Gagliano, has petitioned this Honorable Court for authority to sell all of the Succession’s right, title and interest in and to the following described im‐ movable property in ac‐ cordance with the provi‐ sions of Articles 3191 and 3281 of the Code of Civil Procedure: All of the succession’s right title and interest in and to the following de‐ scribed property, to wit: Two certain lots of ground, together with all the buildings and im‐ provements thereon, and all of the rights, ways, servitudes, privileges, appurtenances and ad‐ vantages thereunto be‐ longing or in anywise ap‐ pertaining, situated in the Parish of Jefferson, State of Louisiana, in Square 11 of Old Home‐ stead Subdivision in Louisiana, Metairie, bounded by Homestead Avenue, Canal Street on the north and Brocken‐ braugh Court on the east, designated as Lots 32 and 33 and according to a blueprint of a survey made by A. E. Bonnabel, C.E., dated May 18, 1992, on file in the office of the Clerk of Court, and also as per plan of Clifford G. Webb, C.E., dated April 21, 1942, annexed to an passed before act William A. West, Notary Public, dated January 31, 1947, said lots adjoin and measure each 25 feet front on Homestead Av‐ enue by a depth between equal and parallel lines of 120 feet. Lot 33 forms the corner of Homestead Avenue and Canal Street, and in accordance with a survey by J.J. Krebs, C.E., dated May 26, 1953, a copy of which is annexed to an act before Edmond G. Miranne, Notary Pub‐ lic, dated June 19, 1953, the said Square 11 is bounded by Homestead Avenue, Canal Street, Court Brockenbraugh and Demosthenes Street and has the same mea‐ surements as above de‐ scribed. Buildings and thereon improvements bear the Municipal No. 753 Homestead Avenue.

And further in accor‐ dance with survey of J.J. Krebs & Sons, Inc., dated October 27, 1975, copy of which is attached to sale

by Pelican Homestead and Savings Association to Patricia Zuppardo, wife of/and Blaise P.

Public Notices Successions

Gagliano, dated June 9, 1978, registered in COB 929, folio 863, said prop‐ erty has the same loca‐ tion, designation, and measurements as herein‐ above set forth.

Municipal No. 1320 Veter‐ ans Boulevard (a/k/a 753 Avenue), Homestead Metairie, LA Being the same property acquired by Patricia Zup‐ pardo, wife of/and Blaise P. Gagliano from Pelican Homestead and Savings by act Association, passed before John H. Norman, Notary Public, dated June 9, 1978, regis‐ tered in COB 929, folio 863, Parish of Jefferson, State of Louisiana.

The proposed sale shall be subject to the price, terms and conditions as set forth in the purchase agreement, a copy of which is filed in these proceedings. Any heir or creditor who opposes the proposed sale must file his or her opposition within seven (7) days from the date on which the last publication of this notice appears.

The Advocate on July 2, 2026 and July 23, 2026 and Louisiana Weekly on July 2, 2026 and July 23, 2026 GEORGE PIVACH, II (10798) TIMOTHY THRIFFILEY (19808) 8311 Highway 23, Suite 104 Belle Chasse, Louisiana 70037 Telephone: (504) 394-1870 Facsimile: (504) 393-2553 E-mail: gpivach@pivachlaw.com tthriffiley@pivachlaw. com 192985-jul 2-23-2t $139.64

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8D ✦ Thursday, July 2, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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THIS MONTH AT THE LIBRARY RESOURCES, SERVICES, AND EVENTS VOLUME 2

|

ISSUE 7

|

J U LY 2 0 2 6

Complete the Challenge by reading 800 0 minutes and completing 4 activities.

Innfo at summerfun.nolalibrary.org ete the Compl ge, win a n Challe g by artist a tote b el Milton!

Lion

PLUS:

Adult Writing Contest

This year’s theme is Mystery For more information nolalibrary.org/for-writers

JULY 2026

/nolalibrary

@nolalibrary

Main Library

219 Loyola Avenue (504) 596-2570

Algiers Regional Library 3014 Holiday Drive (504) 596-2641

Alvar Library

913 Alvar Street (504) 596-2667

Central City Library

2020 Jackson Avenue, Suite 139 (504) 596-3110

Children’s Resource Center Library

913 Napoleon Avenue (504) 596-2628

Desire / Florida Satellite Location 3250 Industry Street

East New Orleans Regional Library 5641 Read Boulevard (504) 596-0200

EARLY LITERACY EVENTS The New Orleans Public Library offers storytimes for children from birth to age 5 and playtimes for ages 2 – 5 at all of our locations.

Visit nolalibrary.org/early-literacy for more information.

MUSIC & MOVEMENT

Dance, wiggle, and stretch as we use music and movement to practice early literacy skills. This program is designed for children ages 2 – 5 and their caregivers.

Cita Dennis Hubbell Library

Monday, July 13 from 10:30am – 11am and 3:30pm – 4pm

Rosa F. Keller Library and Community Center

Monday, July 20 from 10:30am – 11am and 3:30pm – 4pm Milton H. Latter Memorial Library

725 Pelican Avenue (504) 596-3113

4300 South Broad Avenue (504) 596-2660

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library

1611 Fats Domino Avenue (504) 596-2695

TODDLER TIME

Milton H. Latter Memorial Library 5120 Saint Charles Avenue (504) 596-2625

Norman Mayer Library 3001 Gentilly Boulevard (504) 596-3100

Read, sing, and wiggle during an interactive storytime geared towards toddlers and their caregivers, followed by a time to play with toys, sensory activities, or crafts.

Wednesdays from 10:30am – 11:30am and 3:30pm – 4:30pm Algiers Regional Library

Mid-City Library

4140 Canal Street (504) 596-2654

MY FIRST BOOK CLUB

Perfect for little hands and big imaginations, this beginners’ book club for ages 2 – 5 features a group reading, a themed craft, and a free book for your home library.

Register at nolalibrary.co/first-book-club.

Wednesday, July 1 from 2pm – 3pm Wednesday, July 15 from 2pm – 3pm Wednesday, July 29 from 2pm – 3pm Norman Mayer Library

PICTURE BOOK PALOOZA FEATURING PETE THE CAT

Celebrate the groovy Pete the Cat and the beloved book series with themed activities and storytime. For children ages 2 – 5 and their families.

Friday, July 10 from 2pm – 4pm Mid-City Library

PICTURE BOOK PALOOZA FEATURING MOUSE & FRIENDS

Celebrate the If You Give a Mouse a Cookie series by Laura Numeroff with themed activities and storytime. For children ages 2 - 5 and their families.

Friday, July 24 from 2pm – 4pm Mid-City Library

CHILDREN’S EVENTS THE MAGICAL POODLES SHOW

Jump into summer with The Magical Poodles. Witness exciting tricks, learn interesting facts about dogs and their jobs, get in on the show, and have a dog gone good time.

Wednesday, July 1 from 11am – 12pm Milton H. Latter Memorial Library Wednesday, July 1 from 2pm – 3pm Main Library

STORY HOUR

WITH DRAG QUEEN LAVEAU CONTRAIRE

Read and sing along with local drag queen Laveau Contraire at this special family event.

Friday, July 10 from 10:30am – 11:30am Cita Dennis Hubbell Library Friday, July 31 from 10:30am – 11:30am Central City Library

BUBBLES FOR EVERYONE WITH HEY NOW PRODUCTIONS

Experiment and play with a variety of bubble tools and toys to make the biggest, prettiest, most fantastic bubbles.

This interactive outdoor program is fun for kids and families.

Nora Navra Library

Saturday, July 11 from 11am – 12pm Central City Library

Nix Library

Saturday, July 25 from 11am – 12pm Cita Dennis Hubbell Library

1902 Saint Bernard Avenue (504) 596-3118 1401 South Carrollton Avenue (504) 596-2630

REACH Center

2022 St. Bernard Avenue, Building C (504) 256-6983

Robert E. Smith Library

6301 Canal Boulevard (504) 596-2638

Shared Stories WITH LOCAL AUTHORS STORY HOUR Meet children’s and YA authors, purchase books, and enjoy book-related crafts and author readings.

Authors interested in participating can sign up at nolalibrary.co/shared-stories-2026 until June 24th or until event is at capacity.

Saturday, July 11 from 10:30am – 12:30pm East New Orleans Regional Library

ALL PROGRAMS SPONSORED BY THE LIBRARY FOUNDATION OF NEW ORLEANS. ALL EVENTS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. YOU DO NOT NEED A LIBRARY CARD. OCCASIONALLY, EVENT DATES AND TIMES CHANGE. CHECK EVENTS.NOLALIBRARY.ORG OR CALL YOUR LIBRARY LOCATION TO CONFIRM THE MOST CURRENT EVENT INFORMATION.

JULY 2026

CRESCENT CIRCUS MAGIC SHOW

The Crescent Circus, featured on The Tonight Show, fuses award-winning magic and circus arts into a performance that will amaze kids and keep them laughing.

Monday, July 13 from 11am – 12pm Mid-City Library

CATURDAY

Louisiana SPCA cats are headed to the Library. Kids and families can meet these fluffy visitors, craft toys to go back with them to the shelter, and leave with an animal themed book.

Saturday, July 18 from 2pm – 3:30pm Mid-City Library

Monday, July 13 from 2pm – 3pm Nix Library

AFRO CARIBBEAN DRUMMING WORKSHOP FOR KIDS

Local filmmaker, artist, and beekeeper Carl Harrison Jr. leads “The Secret Language of Bees,” an engaging workshop for kids that blends storytelling, film, and hands-on learning.

Dive into the world of Afro Caribbean drumming with this fun, hands-on experience. Explore the djembe drum, learn its history, and play a few rhythms and songs—all within one high-energy session.

Wednesday, July 15 from 2pm – 3:30pm Alvar Library

WITH MAJEK FINGERS

Friday, July 24 from 2pm – 3pm Nora Navra Library

Saturday, July 18 from 2pm – 3:30pm Nora Navra Library

WITH STUDIO BE

TEEN TECH CENTER ON TOUR

This summer we’re bringing the Teen Tech Center to you, including a virtual tour of the center with a Meta Quest 3.

Tuesday, July 7 from 3pm – 5pm Nix Library

THE SECRET LANGUAGE OF BEES

WITH CARL HARRISON JR.

TEEN & TWEEN RADICAL FREEDOM DREAM EVENTS

WITH OGDEN MUSEUM TEEN INTERNS

Discover the works of Southern painters and sculptors with this interactive puppet show performed by the Ogden Museum Teen Interns. Don’t miss the puppet meet-and-greet after the show.

Thursday, July 16 from 11am – 12pm Nix Library

Register at nolalibrary.co/radical-freedom.

Thursday, July 9 from 1pm – 2pm Nora Navra Library Friday, July 10 from 1pm – 2pm Mid-City Library

Tuesday, July 21 from 3pm – 5pm Rosa F. Keller Library and Community Center

KREWE OF MUSES SHOE DECORATING WORKSHOP

Tuesday, July 28 from 3pm – 5pm Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library

Register at nolalibrary.co/muses.

TEEN VOLUNTEER DAY

Serve your community, be creative, socialize, and earn service-learning hours. Teen Volunteer Day is open to teens ages 14 – 18.

Register at nolalibrary.co/teen-volunteer-day.

SOUTHERN PUPPET THEATRE

Radical Freedom Dream is a creative exploration centered on imagining solutions for a better future. Teens will make their own art pieces centered on the theme of a better world.

Tuesday, July 7 from 4pm – 6pm Mid-City Library Tuesday, July 14 from 4pm – 6pm Milton H. Latter Memorial Library

Decorate shoes with glitter and learn from the masters: the Krewe of Muses. All supplies for shoe decorating will be provided.

Saturday, July 11 from 1pm – 3pm Norman Mayer Library Saturday, July 18 from 1pm – 3pm Milton H. Latter Memorial Library

G R AF F I TI BRIDGE

WORKSHOP WITH ARTIST IN RESIDENCE LIONEL MILTON

PATCH MAKING MAGIC FOR TEENS

Friday, July 17 from 11am – 12pm Norman Mayer Library Monday, July 20 from 11am – 12pm Mid-City Library

WITH ARTIST LEXY HO-TAI

Make your clothes or textile items oneof-a-kind and truly you. In this workshop, celebrate the joy of creative self-expression by creating and sewing your own patches.

Register at nolalibrary.co/patch-making.

Tuesday, July 21 from 11am – 12pm Martin Luther King, Jr. Library

Wednesday, July 8 from 2pm – 4pm Alvar Library Thursday, July 9 from 2pm – 4pm Main Library

Create graffiti-inspired images while learning about the history and importance of street art.

Register at nolalibrary.co/graffiti.

Friday, July 31 from 2pm – 3:30pm Cita Dennis Hubbell Library

ALL PROGRAMS SPONSORED BY THE LIBRARY FOUNDATION OF NEW ORLEANS. ALL EVENTS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. YOU DO NOT NEED A LIBRARY CARD. OCCASIONALLY, EVENT DATES AND TIMES CHANGE. CHECK EVENTS.NOLALIBRARY.ORG OR CALL YOUR LIBRARY LOCATION TO CONFIRM THE MOST CURRENT EVENT INFORMATION.

JULY 2026

ADULT EVENTS CREATIVE MENDING HAND SEWING TO HIGHLIGHT REPAIRS WITH LEXY HO-TAI

Bring an item you’d like to repair, and learn various visible hand-mending techniques to fix rips, stains, or holes using patches. Adults at all skill levels welcome.

Registration is recommended at nolalibrary.co/creative-mending.

Thursday, July 2 from 4:30pm – 6:30pm Rosa F. Keller Library and Community Center

RHYME WRITING WORKSHOP

WITH ALFRED BANKS

Hip-hop artist Alfred Banks leads a rhyme writing workshop. Learn about his writing process and get some tips to use in your own music.

Tuesday, July 14 from 2pm – 3pm Norman Mayer Library Monday, July 27 from 2pm – 3pm East New Orleans Regional Library

CAREER EXPLORATION: FIND YOUR WHY DISCOVER PURPOSE-DRIVEN CAREER PATHWAYS

Wednesday, July 29 from 11am – 1pm Mid-City Library

GARDENING WELLNESS AND YOU - WITH MASTER GARDENER CHRIS BELSER

Discover many wellness benefits (physical, mental, emotional, social, etc.) of gardening and, more generally, being in nature.

Wednesday, July 8 from 5:30pm – 6:30pm Milton H. Latter Memorial Library

Complete a career assessment, explore career paths, and learn what education and skills are needed to achieve your goals.

Register at nolalibrary.co/career-exploration.

Thursday, July 9 from 12pm – 4pm East New Orleans Regional Library Wednesday, July 15 from 12pm – 4pm Algiers Regional Library

MAKING YOUR MONEY LAST IN RETIREMENT

Get a clearer picture of where you stand financially and what to plan for as you head into retirement.

Register at nolalibrary.co/retirement.

Thursday, July 16 from 5:30pm – 6:30pm Norman Mayer Library

AUTHOR NIGHT AT HUBBELL LIBRARY: MICHAEL STRECKER THE KNIGHTS OF WADE In this comedic novel set in New Orleans in the late 1980s, an inveterate lottery player will risk everything―except gainful employment―to strike it rich.

UNDERSTANDING DIGITAL TRUST: HOW SCAMS, CYBERCRIME, AND AI REALLY WORK

THE UNSAID: ABSENCE AS FORM POETRY WORKSHOP

Tuesday, July 21 from 6:30pm – 7:30pm Cita Dennis Hubbell Library

HOUSE OF SCHLOCK CHRISTMAS IN JULY

Register at nolalibrary.co/digital-trust.

This workshop explores absence in poetry, from ellipsis to erasure. Experiment with writing poems using white space and implication to create meaning out of mystery. All adult writers welcome.

Thursday, July 9 from 5:30pm – 6:30pm Algiers Regional Library

Thursday, July 16 from 5pm – 6:30pm Nora Navra Library

Saturday, July 25 from 2pm – 4pm Algiers Regional Library

Dr. Vassil Roussev, LSU New Orleans Professor and Computer Science Chair shares simple ways to understand complex cybersecurity topics so we can make sense of new information as it comes our way.

WITH STACEY BALKUN

It’s Christmas in July at the House of Schlock. Join Dr. Dewey for a screening of the 1960s sci-fi classic, Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964).

AUTHOR NIGHT FANTASY FICTION

Local authors Marguerite Sheffer, TQ Sims, Greta Hayer, and Amber Sanchez read fantasy fiction in a variety of styles.

Look forward to psychic powers, fairy tales, ghosts, and other strangeness.

Monday, July 27 from 5:30pm – 6:30pm Rosa F. Keller Library and Community Center

INVESTING WITH A PLAN: STEP-BY-STEP STOCK ANALYSIS

Most people see financial news every day but aren’t sure how to use that information. Dr. Luca Pezzo offers a straightforward look at how professional stock analysis actually works.

Register at nolalibrary.co/investing-plan.

Thursday, July 30 from 5:30pm – 6:30pm Rosa F. Keller Library and Community Center

ALL PROGRAMS SPONSORED BY THE LIBRARY FOUNDATION OF NEW ORLEANS. ALL EVENTS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. YOU DO NOT NEED A LIBRARY CARD. OCCASIONALLY, EVENT DATES AND TIMES CHANGE. CHECK EVENTS.NOLALIBRARY.ORG OR CALL YOUR LIBRARY LOCATION TO CONFIRM THE MOST CURRENT EVENT INFORMATION.

THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

July 2, 2026

INSIDE

CELEBRATE THE FOURTH WITH FIREWORKS AND MORE page 6 NEW MARIGNY SPOT SPECIALIZES IN SANDOS page 4

2 ✦ Thursday, July 2, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

don’t miss lll

stage door idol The summer sing-a-thon kicks off Tuesday at The National WWII Museum with a preliminary round of competition.

Singers don vintage looks and croon Big Band-era tunes in the hopes of winning $2,000, which will be decided at the finals in August.

Admission is $15, with food and drinks available for purchase at BB’s Stage Door Canteen, 945 Magazine St. nationalww2museum.org.

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celebrating veterans voices Wounded Warrior veteran Mike Norotsky will discuss the organization and share personal stories on military service at 1 p.m. Thursday at Lakeshore Library, 1000 W. Esplanade Ave., Metairie. The organization, which helps warriors thrive for a lifetime, will be the program prior to the library’s Stars & Stripes celebration at 2 p.m. calendar.jplibrary.net.

ABOUT LAGNIAPPE

french quarter museum night The member organizations of the French Quarter Museum Association will keep extra hours Thursday in advance of the country’s 250th anniversary. The highlight will be a closing reception at 7 p.m. at The Historic New Orleans Collection and an after-party starting at 8 p.m. at Preservation Hall; the All-Stars perform at 8:45 p.m. Additional participants in the free night of events include the 1850 House, the Cabildo and the Presbytère, Hermann-Grima House, Historic BK House, LGBT+ Archives Project of Louisiana, New Orleans Pharmacy Museum, New Orleans Foundation for Francophone Cultures and the Old Ursuline Convent Museum. fqma.org.

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The Lagniappe section is published each Thursday by The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate. All inquiries about Lagniappe should be directed to the editor.

LAGNIAPPE EDITOR: Lauren Walck, lauren.walck@theadvocate.com COVER DESIGN: Andrea Daniel CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Victor Andrews, Leslie Cardé, Marco Cartolano, Keith Spera, Poet Wolfe

One of four of Napoleon Bonaparte’s death masks is on display at the Cabildo.

GET LISTED IN LAGNIAPPE

Submit events to Lagniappe at least two weeks in advance by sending an email to events@theadvocate.com.

ON THE COVER

Missy Elliott performs at the 2018 Essence Festival of Culture. Photo by Scott Threlkeld. Music writer Keith Spera shares a preview of this year’s event on Page 8.

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don’t miss movies in the park

Take Paws Rescue puts on the dog with “ultiMUTT” movie nights at The Dog House, 2736 Banks St. Humans and their hounds (members only and on a leash) are invited to watch “The Sandlot” at 7 p.m. Friday alongside adoptable pups.

Bring a bag of food to donate if possible. doghousenola.com.

lsu campus mounds Retired state archaeologist Charles “Chip” McGimsey, the featured speaker at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the East Bank Regional Library in Metairie, will talk about a pair of 20-foottall earthen rises on the Baton Rouge campus started by Native American inhabitants more than 11,000 years ago, predating the Great Pyramids of Egypt. jefferson.lib.la.us.

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Thursday, July 2, 2026 ✦ 3

soul-sip The New Orleans Museum of Art wraps its summer meditations with an afterhours wine and unwind event at 6 p.m. Wednesday.

A guided meditation is followed by a three-part wine tasting and gallery tours highlighting winerelated objects from the permanent collection of NOMA, 1 Collins Diboll Circle, in City Park. Tickets start at $55. noma.org.

4 ✦ Thursday, July 2, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

food

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Sandos to stand out

Local chef’s focus on viral Japanese dish elevates pop-up to brick-and-mortar in the Marigny

BY POET WOLFE

That changed when he visited San Francisco after graduation and dined at one of the city’s most renowned restaurants, Atelier Crenn. WitnessWhen he was 8 years old, Zac Hill turned to his grandmother one suming the restaurant’s attention to detail and theatricality pushed him toward mer day and said four unexpected food and the concept of creating a rowords: “I need to cook.”

She then pulled a recipe bust dining experience. book off the shelf, drove him But long before this, the to a grocery store and helped process of learning how to him gather ingredients. Hill cook was always “magical” drew a blank on which dish for Hill — the successes, the they made — maybe pork tenfailures and how both shape the final product. derloin — but remembered “I’ve always been drawn to doing what he could while she cooking,” Hill said. “There’s stepped in where he needed Hill a mystery to it, initially, and help.

Hill recently recalled that GAIJIN figuring that out.”

That persistence is what memory while sitting inside SANDOS drew him to “the additionality his new restaurant, Gaijin and simplicity” of Japanese Sandos, which spent more 3304 St. cuisine. than a year as a pop-up.

Claude Ave, It was something he “kind The brick-and-mortar eatNew Orleans of fell into” during the panery opened in May in New Orleans’ Marigny neighbor(504) 380- demic, when he decided to take a job at the freshly hood, bringing Japanese-style 9344 opened Union Ramen to sandwiches to a dining scene 11 a.m. cure his lockdown boredom. long dominated by po-boys to 8 p.m.

Hill worked there for more and muffulettas.

Wednesday than four years, eventually In recent years, Japanese becoming chef de cuisine. A sandos — short for the through bartender at dba on FrenchJapanese word “sandoitchi” Sunday — have evolved from a viral men Street, asked whether he internet trend to a mainstream staple wanted to host a pop-up there. in restaurants across the United In August 2024, Gaijin Sandos States. Gaijin Sandos is among the began appearing at bars along the first to bring the newly popularized music corridor, where Hill sold fried dish to New Orleans. chicken, shrimp, beef and miso cabBut Hill’s love for Japanese cuisine bage nestled between slices of milk came later, after spending much of bread. By October, he had quit his his childhood turning to recipes from job at Union Ramen and was hosting “Better Homes & Gardens” and “The weekly pop-ups while working part Joy of Cooking” to prepare Southern time at a coffee shop. dishes, before taking a detour once During the final six months of the he went to college. pop-up, Hill cooked at a string of loHill moved from Birmingham cal bars — Bud Rips, Abita Brewery, to New Orleans to attend Tulane Skeeta Hawk and Tchoup Yard — University, where he studied archisix to eight times a week. When the building that had housed Rosalita’s tecture before switching to business Tacos became available, he decided it school with the idea of one day openwas time for Gaijin Sandos to have a ing a coffee shop.

Staff writer

permanent home.

Inside, the restaurant echoes the simplicity Hill admires in Japanese food.

Paper lanterns hang above two concrete tables lined with wooden chairs, set against tan walls. A bar table faces an open window looking out onto St. Claude Avenue. In the back kitchen, cooks dip chicken thighs battered with buttermilk and bourbon into oil until they’re fried crisp.

The fried chicken sando — tucked between slices of toasted, buttery milk bread layered with pimento cheese, pickled jalapeños and sesame slaw — arrived on a tray minutes later. Sitting next to the sandwich was a bowl of cucumber melon salad: smashed cucumbers and cantaloupe cubes in a jalapeño kosho vinaigrette, topped with smoked sea salt and toasted sesame seeds.

The menu includes some of the sandwiches featured at his pop-up, including the tamago sando — a simple delicacy of egg salad, a hard boiled egg and lettuce. There are new ones as well, such as the fruit sando, featuring seasonal fruit enrobed in yuzu Chantilly cream.

All of the sandwiches are made fresh in-house, including the milk bread — an arduous process of whisking and kneading until the sticky dough forms, baking each loaf and cutting them into thick slices of soft, pillowy bread.

Hill spends three hours a day preparing the bread. Time is the cost of his approach to cooking — a craft he said showed him he “never wanted to do things halfway.”

STAFF PHOTO By POET WOLFE

Sandos and melon salad are among the dishes offered at Gaijin Sandos, a new Japanese-inspired restaurant on St. Claude Avenue.

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food

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Thursday, July 2, 2026 ✦ 5

Local wine programs named among top in the world

BY MARCO CARTOLANO

n GW Fins, Award of Excellence n Jack Rose, Award of Excellence Wine Spectator has added n Mr. B’s Bistro, Award of seven New Orleans restaurants to its annual list of top wine proExcellence n The Pelican Club, Award of grams in the world — nine total Excellence across Louisiana — spotlighting n King Brasserie, Award of more options wine enthusiasts have to find a nice glass across Excellence n Meril, Award of Excellence the state. n Briquette, Award of ExcelIn total, 47 Louisiana restaulence rants were honored in the wine n The Country Club, Award and lifestyle magazine’s 2026 Restaurant Awards, which has of Excellence STAFF FILE PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER n Criollo Restaurant, Award honored wine service since Pulcinella! chef Matty Hayes, center, inspects a bottle of wine for 1981. of Excellence n Ristorante Del Porto, Covpatrons.

All of the new selections reington, Award of Excellence ceived either the Award of Exn Galatoire’s, Best of Award Three New Orleans institutions Bar, Award of Excellence cellence or the Best of Award n Chemin à la Mer, Award of earned that top prize — Brenof Excellence of Excellence. n Galatoire’s 33 Bar and The following New Orleans nan’s Restaurant, Commander’s Excellence n Clancy’s, Best of Award of restaurants were new to the list Palace and Emeril’s.

Steak, Best of Award of Excelthis year: Criollo Restaurant, Wine lists are evaluated on Excellence lence n Desi Vega’s Steakhouse, n Restaurant R’evolution, Desi Vega’s Steakhouse, The a variety of factors for the anItalian Barrel French QuarAward of Excellence Best of Award of Excellence nual award. Recipients should n The Italian Barrel French n Dickie Brennan’s Steakhave interesting selections, ter, Lilette, Muriel’s Jackson complement the food and apQuarter, Award of Excellence Square, Pulcinella! and Supehouse, Best of Award of Exceln Lilette, Award of Excelpeal to a wide range of customlence rior Seafood & Oyster Bar. n Doris Metropolitan, Best of Proverbial Wine Bistro in Ba- ers. lence n Muriel’s Jackson Square, The following 35 New OrAward of Excellence ton Rouge and The Prime Rib n Dakota, Covington, Best of Award of Excellence in Bossier City were also added leans restaurants were honn Pulcinella!, Award of Excelthis year.

Award of Excellence ored: n Ralph’s On The Park, n August, Best of Award of Over 3,800 restaurants lence n Gautreau’s, Best of Award received awards across the Award of Excellence Excellence n Gabrielle Restaurant, n Tableau, Best of Award of separate categories. Only 99 of Excellence n MaMou Restaurant, Award received the Grand Award, Award of Excellence Excellence n Superior Seafood & Oyster n Tujague’s Restaurant, Best the magazine’s highest honor. of Excellence

Staff writer

of Award of Excellence n The Grill Room, Best of Award of Excellence n Commander’s Palace, Grand Award n Brennan’s Restaurant, Grand Award n Emeril’s, Grand Award

Around Louisiana Five restaurants in Baton Rouge received awards. n Sullivan’s Steakhouse, Award of Excellence n Tallulah Crafted Food and Wine Bar, Award of Excellence n Proverbial Wine Bistro, Award of Excellence n Bin 77 Bistro & Sidebar, Award of Excellence n Mansurs on the Boulevard, Best of Award of Excellence Two Lafayette restaurants, Marcello’s Wine Market & Cafe and Charley G’s, were bestowed Award of Excellence designations.

Superior’s Steakhouse in Shreveport (Best of Award of Excellence) and 2John’s Steak and Seafood in Bossier City (Best of Award of Excellence) took home awards for another year, along with Vic & Anthony’s Steakhouse (Best of Award of Excellence) and Bodega Restaurant & Wine Bar (Award of Excellence) in Lake Charles.

Jamaican restaurant 14 Parishes closes Uptown location Owners say more in store for the future

BY MARCO CARTOLANO Staff writer

The Jamaican restaurant 14 Parishes has closed its Oak Street location, but owners are teasing future plans to continue serving its Caribbean dishes.

The restaurant’s owners announced

June 20 in an Instagram post that the 8227 Oak St. location would close after five years on the popular Uptown street.

However, 14 Parishes will still sell jerk dishes and meat pies from its food truck, and owners are preparing for the “next project.”

“Ten years in the game and five great years on Oak Street, we’re turning the page on a new chapter,” 14 Parishes’ Instagram post read.

“We’re saying goodbye to this loca-

tion, we’re not saying goodbye to 14 Parishes ever!”

14 Parishes opened its Oak Street location in 2021. The restaurant, owned by husband-and-wife team Charles and Lauren Blake, had a stand at the now-closed Pythian Market and a previous Central City location on Clio Street.

In 2023, 14 Parishes expanded to an Algiers Point location, but the restaurant storefront closed late last year after Charles Blake had health issues.

Chef Charles Blake and Lauren Blake are the couple that opened 14 Parishes five years ago on Oak Street.

STAFF FILE PHOTO

By IAN McNULTy

6 ✦ Thursday, July 2, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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Fireworks, hot dog-eating contests, music planned around the metro area for the Fourth

LEFT: The Port of New Orleans’ fireboat, the Gen. Roy S. Kelley, shoots out red, white and blue water on the Mississippi River during the 2023 Go 4th on the River in New Orleans.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

BELOW: Dat Dog hosts its hot dog eating contest Saturday at its Magazine Street location.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By JOHN McCUSKER

BY VICTOR ANDREWS Staff writer

New Orleans got a head start on America’s 250th birthday when the tall ships visited last month, but for the Fourth of July weekend there are plenty of annual events and fireworks to entertain locals and visitors.

ST. JOHN PARISH INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION: 6 p.m. Thursday, St. Peter Catholic Church, 1550 La. 44, Reserve, and St. John the Baptist Parish Catholic Church, 2349 La. 18, Edgard. The annual celebration held on both sides of the Mississippi River concludes at 9 p.m. with fireworks. st-peterreserve.org.

UNCLE SAM JAM: Gates open at 3 p.m.

Friday, Lafreniere Park, 3000 Downs Blvd., Metairie. Wilson Phillips and John Waite headline the Jefferson Parish Independence Day celebration; acts also include Bird and DJ Slim McGraw. The free festival will have a food village and art market and concludes at 9:10 p.m. with fireworks.

Parking is available at the Shrine on Airline with shuttle service. unclesamjamjefferson.com.

ST. CHARLES ANNUAL 3RD OF JULY CELEBRA-

TION: 5 p.m. Friday, West Bank Bridge Park, 13825 River Road, Luling. Get a jump on festivities in the River Parishes with live music, food truck vendors and fireworks at 9 p.m. stcharlesparish.gov.

COVINGTON CELEBRATES AMERICA 250 CONCERT: 5:30 p.m. Friday, Covington Trailhead Museum and Visitors Center, 419 N. New Hampshire St. Southern rockers Cypress Creek give a pre-Fourth performance. visitthenorthshore.com.

HAPPY 3RD OF JULY: 6:30 p.m. Friday, New Orleans City Park. Festivities on the Goldring/Woldenberg Great Lawn feature music by the Marine Forces Reserve Rock Band and fireworks over the Peristyle at 9 p.m. neworleanscitypark.org.

PEARL RIVER INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION: 6 p.m. Friday, Pearl River Town Hall, 39460 Willis Alley. Take part in

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People gather in City Park’s Goldring/ Woldenberg Great Lawn for the 2025 Happy 3rd of July concert and fireworks.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER baby barrel racing, bucket toss, pieeating contest, sack races, a petting zoo plus free food and drinks. Then, fireworks start at dusk. visitthenorthshore.com.

AMERICAN LEGION BAND CONCERT: 7 p.m.

Friday, Deutsches Haus, 1700 Moss St., New Orleans. Hear the patriotic strains of tunes from the American Legion Post 377 Band. Free. deutscheshaus.org.

FOURTH OF JULY AT THE MUSEUM: Saturday, The National WWII Museum. Commemorate the country’s 250th anniversary with a day filled with activities and honors for the generation that fought and won the war that changed the world. Included are Storytime: “Happy Birthday to You” by Dr. Seuss at 10 a.m.; the Victory Belles at 1 p.m. in the U.S. Freedom Pavilion; custom dog tag stations; food and beverage specials at The American Sector in the museum from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Rosie’s on the Roof at the Higgins Hotel at 3 p.m.; and stay to watch the fireworks. nationalww2museum.org.

MADISONVILLE OLD FASHIONED 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION: 11 a.m. Saturday. Kids’ games, a boat parade, a veterans ceremony, a flyover, DJs, fireworks at dusk and more take place along the Tchefuncte River in Madisonville on La. 22. visitthenorthshore.com.

INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION: 1 p.m.

Saturday, Ogden Museum of Southern Art. Doors open 12:30 p.m. for a performance by the New Orleans Concert Band, featuring patriotic favorites and a salute to the armed forces, plus surprises. Seating is on a first-come, firstserved basis. ogdenmuseum.org.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

A spectator sports patriotic glasses and hat for the 2024 Uncle Sam Jam at Lafreniere Park in Metairie.

MANDEVILLE INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE: 4 p.m. Saturday, Mandeville lakefront.

Floats, marching groups including the Mande Milkshakers, walkers, golf carts, vehicles and more celebrate under the theme “America 250 — Celebrating 250 Years of Freedom, Community and Patriotism.” facebook.com.

OLDE TOWNE SLIDELL 4THE OF JULY CELEBRATION: 4 p.m. Saturday, 2200 block of Carey Street, Slidell. “Put on your red, white and blue” and enjoy the day, with food, cooling zones, kids’ activities, music at three spots, a hot dog-eating contest at 6 p.m. and a fireworks show at dusk. visitthenorthshore.com.

FOURTH OF JULY FEST: 4 p.m. Saturday, Dat Dog, 3336 Magazine St. The winner of the Son of a Saint Dog Design contest will be announced. Live music and samples will be offered. Plus, a hot dog-eating contest will crown a winner. datdog.com.

SPARKS IN THE PARK: 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Covington’s Bogue Falaya Park. Enjoy entertainment, kids’ activities, vendor booths and local food trucks. The Kiwanis of Covington will sell concessions and host a hot dog-eating contest.

The fireworks start at dusk. vistthenorthshore.com.

ST. BERNARD SALUTES AMERICA: Saturday, Frederick J. Sigur Civic Center Grounds, 8245 W. Judge Perez Drive, Chalmette. There’ll be music featuring Adam Pearce and the Peyton Falgoust Band, food trucks, craft vendors and more, with a fireworks show at 10 p.m. visitstbernard.com.

GO 4TH ON THE RIVER: Saturday. Both sides of the Mississippi River in New Orleans and Algiers offer prime view-

ing of the annual fireworks display from barges afloat on the waterway, starting at 9 p.m., plus a red, white and blue water show at 6 p.m. from the Gen. Roy S. Kelley fireboat. Throughout the day, the Steamboat Natchez

will provide patriotic calliope concerts.

For music to match, visit wwl.com for a link. go4thontheriver.com.

Email Victor Andrews at vandrews@ theadvocate.com.

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8 ✦ Thursday, July 2, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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CORE SOUNDS DS

Essence takes the stage this weekend with a lighter lineup but still a packed schedule

BY KEITH SPERA Staff writer

Will less music be more at the 2026 Essence Festival of Culture?

Last year, the Essence concerts at the Caesars Superdome packed in as many as eight acts per night. That was one reason two of the three nights finished at or past 3 a.m., after most attendees had already left.

The 2026 Essence concert series, which runs Friday through Sunday at the Superdome, features only five acts a night as the festival keeps moving more emphasis onto other areas such as author talks and an economic forum.

At press time, Essence had revealed the order of each night’s performers, but not performance times. Officials promised that this weekend’s concerts won’t run as late as last year’s.

Last week, Essence announced two last-minute additions to Sunday’s bill: rapper T.I., performing with an

orchestra, plus a tribute to the late singer Aaliyah curated by hip-hop icon Missy Elliott.

To make room for them, Essence moved Patti LaBelle and Babyface — both previously scheduled for Sunday — to Saturday. Fans who had already purchased single-night Sunday tickets subsequently expressed their frustration on social media.

Essence Fest, founded in 1995, is about much more than the Dome concerts. All weekend, Essence takes over the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center with a plethora of panels, product promotions, activations and giveaways, a food court and more.

Kenneth ‘Babyface’ Edmonds

ä See ESSENCE, page 10

This year’s Essence Festival of Culture will feature a tribute to the late R&B singer and actress Aaliyah, who was killed in a plane crash in 2001.

FILE AND PROVIDED PHOTOS

Kehlani

Brandy & Monica

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Cardi B

Former first lady Michelle Obama will return to Essence Fest for a live podcast recording.

Latto

Flavor Flav and Chuck D, of Public Enemy

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ESSENCE

Continued from page 8 Admission to the Convention Center is free.

But the Dome concert series is the marquee event. Single-night tickets start at $84 on Ticketmaster.

Barring any more last-minute changes, here’s who you will see and hear each night in the Superdome, listed in order from the earliest to latest.

FRIDAY The 2026 Essence opens with SZN4.

The R&B vocal quartet consisting of Katie Roeder, Cameron Goode, Donzell Taggart and Aaliyah Rose came together during the 2025 season of the Netflix competition “Building the Band,” finishing second. Netflix canceled “Building the Band” after one season, so SZN4 has outlasted the show.

Next up on Friday is former first lady Michelle Obama. During the 2019 Essence, Gayle King interviewed her in the Superdome. For her Essence encore on the main stage, Obama will tape an episode of “IMO: The Look,” a podcast series based on her most recent book, the fashion- and style-focused “The Look,” with moderator Keke Palmer. In a news release, Essence said the conversation will feel “less like a celebrity stop and more like a continuation of a dialogue Black women have long been having with one another.”

Atlanta rapper Latto is slated to follow Obama. Following the recent release of her fourth album, “Big Mama,” Latto is making her Essence debut as she finds herself at a career crossroads.

Kehlani, another Essence first-timer, scored a Top 10 hit with “Folded” and won Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song during the 68th annual Grammy Awards in February.

Cardi B, the ever-colorful rapper responsible for “WAP” and continuous pop culture/social media content, is on the road with her “Little Miss Drama Tour.”

She detours to the Dome to headline Essence’s opening night.

SATURDAY Josh Levi opens Saturday at the Superdome. The Houston native acted on the TV show “Friday Night Lights” before competing on “The X Factor USA.” He voiced the character Aaron Z from the fictional boy band 4*Town in the 2022

INVISION/AP FILE PHOTO By CHARLES SyKES

George Clinton performs during the 2025 Songwriters Hall of Fame induction and awards gala in New york.

ditorium. Fifty years later, Clinton will deploy a new Mothership at the Essence Fest, which he first funked up in 1997.

PROVIDED PHOTO By BENNETT RAGLIN/GETTy IMAGES FOR ESSENCE Special guests slated to join him include T.I. performs during of the 2023 Essence Festival of Culture at the Caesars Durand Bernarr, Nona Hendryx, Scarface, Kim Burrell, Savion Glover, OutKast’s Big Boi and Superdome.

New Orleans’ own Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews and Big Freedia. the subject of multiple tributes. At the After the Mothership departs, Doug E. 2025 Essence, she appeared briefly Fresh, the crowd-pleasing Human Beatduring a set curated by Jill Scott. At 82, she’ll presumably play a longer set this box, makes his annual Essence appearyear. ance with a host of musical friends.

LaBelle is followed by another familHe’s followed by the old-school iar face, that of Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds. hip-hop legends of Public Enemy, still “Fight(ing) the Power” more than 40 At the 2025 Essence, he was part of the infamous night, topped by Maxwell and years after the group’s formation.

Public Enemy released its 16th studio Lauryn Hill, that concluded at 3:37 a.m.

During his set, he served up a sampling album, “Black Sky Over the Projects: Apartment 2025,” last year. of ’80s and ’90s R&B hits that he wrote Aaliyah, the hitmaking “Princess of and/or produced for Johnny Gill, Bobby R&B,” was just 22 when she died in Brown, TLC, Tevin Campbell and Boyz a 2001 plane crash in the Bahamas.

GETTy IMAGES FOR ESSENCE II Men, among others.

Closing out Saturday is the duo of Bran- Twenty-five years later, her friend and Patti LaBelle performs onstage during dy and Monica. In 1998, they joined forces collaborator Missy Elliott is curating an the 2022 Essence Festival of Culture at on the title track of Monica’s album Essence tribute as part of the “Essence the Caesars Superdome.

Flowers” series, which honors legacy “The Boy Is Mine”; their duet spent a artists on the festival’s final night. The remarkable 13 consecutive weeks at tribute marks the 30th anniversary of Pixar animated feature “Turning Red” No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. More Aaliyah’s acclaimed “One In a Million” and scored a hit with “Nobody But U,” than a quarter-century later, their 2025 album, which Elliott helped craft. Deco-written by Billie Eilish. He released co-headlining “The Boy Is Mine Tour” his first full-length studio album, “HYfilled arenas across the country, includtails about the tribute, which was just ing New Orleans’ Smoothie King Center. announced on June 22, had not been DRAULIC,” in October. revealed at press time.

From concept to costume changes to Leon Thomas is a multithreat producer, The honor of closing out the entire choreography to cinematic film clips, songwriter and singer. The former 2026 Essence falls to Atlanta rapper the sleek show was a full-fledged colBroadway child actor won the GramT.I., who was quietly added to the bill laboration. Whatever version of it they my Award for Best R&B Song for last week. His new “Kill the King” alpresent at Essence should go over well. co-writing SZA’s “Snooze.” His 2024 album “Mutt” won Best R&B Album; bum may or may not be his swan song.

SUNDAY his “Vibes Don’t Lie” took home the Before embarking on a brief tour to Grammy for Best Traditional R&B PerThe final night opens with a full-circle promote the album, he’ll perform with an orchestra late in the Superdome on moment of music history. Funk legend formance.

Sunday.

George Clinton and his Parliament-FunkFollowing Thomas is a legend with a long history with Essence. Going back adelic crew first unveiled their iconic to the first Essence in 1995, Patti LaBelle Mothership spaceship during a 1976 Email Keith Spera at kspera@ has performed her own shows and been concert at New Orleans’ Municipal Autheadvocate.com.

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Thursday, July 2, 2026 ✦ 11

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Lalah Hathaway

Keith Spera SOUND CHECK

The main music event this weekend is the Essence Festival of Culture in the Caesars Superdome. But there is much more music to be heard around town.

THURSDAY The night before the Essence Fest kicks off in the Superdome, Tipitina’s and SiriusXM’s Heart & Soul channel host a “Night in N’awlins” featuring five contemporary R&B singers: Lalah Hathaway, Daley, Raheem DeVaughn, Keith Robinson and Coline Creuzot.

Showtime is 7 p.m. Tickets start at $40.

Quiana Lynell is a classically trained vocalist from Texas who graduated from LSU and won the 2017 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition.

More recently, she toured with Jazz at Lincoln Center and continues to lead her own band, Lush Life, which draws on gospel, jazz, blues, funk and R&B. Lynell performs with Lush Life at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Thursday at Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro on Frenchmen Street. Tickets are $35 plus fees.

Harmonica player and accordionist Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes and his Louisiana Sunspots are featured for the weekly Zydeco Night at Rock ’N’ Bowl. Tickets are $17.

guitar, Darrell Lavigne on piano and Peter Varnado on drums. Tickets are $35 plus fees.

The Brass-A-Holics headline this week’s installment of the summer-long “Free Fridays” weekly concert series at Tipitina’s.

Vegas Cola opens the show at 9 p.m. Admission is free.

At Rock ’N’ Bowl, the Topcats perform a salute to the 1960s starting at 7:30 p.m.

They’re followed later by rock band Meduzza. Tickets are $17.

FRIDAY Stephanie Jordan grew up in a household full of music thanks to her late father, avantjazz saxophonist and educator Edward “Kidd” Jordan, and her musician siblings.

She carved her own path as an especially refined jazz vocalist with a clear, strong voice and pinpoint control. Jordan sings at Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Friday, backed by Max Bronstein on

Stephanie Jordan

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SATURDAY Gruff-voiced Baton Rouge rapper Kevin Gates is at the Fillmore. Tickets start at $61.

The men of BRW sing Motown classics at Roc ’N’ Bowl; tickets are $17.

Singer-songwriter Paul Faith arrived in New Orleans 14 years ago. Drawing on ’90s grunge and classic folk rock, he released his first album, “The Smell When It Rains,” in early 2024. A year later, he released “Oh Well” with his band, the Barstool Prophets. His latest endeavor is an album of new protest songs written by New Orleans-based musicians, including Dusky Waters, Burris, Ever More Nest and Basch Jernigan. Faith and 15 other artists will celebrate the release of the protest album at Chickie Wah Wah on July Fourth, starting at 7 p.m. Pre-sale tickets are $20. Proceeds benefit Immigration Services and Legal Advocacy, which provides free legal services to people in immigration detention and their families.

New Orleans-based singer-songwriter Kelly “Love” Jones draws on Americana music and reggae to craft her songs.

She’ll perform a free happy hour show at 4:30 p.m. at Snug Harbor. Later on Saturday at Snug Harbor, master New Orleans drummer Herlin Riley, who spent many years with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, powers his quartet for two sets, at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $45 plus fees.

SUNDAY

TUESDAY Modern New Orleans jazz pianist and composer Michael Pellera is backed by an all-star band consisting of Grayson Brockamp on bass, Tony Dagradi on saxophone and Johnny Vidacovich on drums at Snug Harbor at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $30.

Kevin Gates

WEDNESDAY

From 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., the Broadside’s indoor Pavilion hosts a celebration of Brazilian choro and samba music.

Admission is free; Brazilian food and specialty drinks will be available for purchase. All ages are admitted.

Pianist Phil Melancon has held down long residences at the Columns Hotel and the Pontchartrain Hotel’s Bayou Bar, in addition to producing cabaret shows and writing jingles. He’ll play a free happy hour show at Snug Harbor at 4:30 p.m. Later on Sunday, Snug Harbor presents a pair of solo shows

by New Orleans pianist Kyle Roussel at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.; tickets are $30.

Gospel funk band Higher Ground hits the Maple Leaf Bar at 8 p.m.; tickets are $18.

and 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $30.

Or see Meters bassist George Porter Jr. and his trio, augmented by guitarist Chris Adkins, at the Maple Leaf Bar. Tickets are $18.

Pianist Tom McDermott and clarinetist Tim Laughlin team up for this week’s installment of the “Summer Music Series” in the lounge of the New Orleans Jazz & Blues Market in Central City.

Tickets are $17.

Sullivan Dabney and the Muzik Jazz Band play a free happy hour show at Snug Harbor at 5 p.m. Later on Wednesday, Snug Harbor hosts the Uptown Jazz Orchestra, led by trombonist Wes Anderson IV, at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $45.

Email Keith Spera at kspera@ theadvocate.com.

MONDAY

Donald Harrison Jr. Donald Harrison Jr. grew up in New Orleans surrounded by the Black Masking Indian tradition, but his approach to the saxophone is decidedly modern.

He and his band present a “Soul and Smooth Jazz Lovers” show at the New Orleans Jazz & Blues Market on Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard at 8 p.m.

Sunday. Tickets start at $34.

Every Monday in July, reggae/ska band Firebrain plays a “Free Mellow Mood Mondays” show at the Broadside’s indoor Pavilion from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Firebrain is led by longtime south Louisiana music manager Rueben Williams and features members of 4 for Nothing, The Uppressors, the Jamaican Me Breakfast Club, the Creole String Beans, and Cha Wa. Admission is free.

Looking for a taste of real New Orleans before leaving town after Neville Essence Fest? Catch singer Charmaine Neville and her band for their weekly Monday night residency at Snug Harbor, with shows at 7:30 p.m.

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14 ✦ Thursday, July 2, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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Juries & jesters

Courts are in session as ‘La Cage,’ ‘Legally Blonde’ are bringing law and disorder to Tulane, Rivertown From legal eagles to a leggy chorus, the action onstage stretches from Uptown to Kenner. It’s musical mayhem with a touch of rouge as Summer Lyric swings into full gear and Rivertown heads to Harvard.

Victor Andrews

‘La Cage aux Folles’

Tulane University’s Summer Lyric Theatre “drags” out a tried-and-true poignant classic for the second show of the season as it stages “La Cage aux Folles” for the fourth time since the genderbending love story hit the stage in the last century.

The story started in 1973 as a little French play (it translates to “the cage of madwomen”) about a young couple in love who want to get married, so it’s time for all the in-laws to meet. But his parents are a nightclub owner and his longtime gay companion (who’s the star of the cabaret show). Her parents are ultraconservative.

Fast forward to a French movie in the late ’70s followed by a six-time, Tony-winning Broadway blockbuster with music by Jerry Herman (“Hello, Dolly!”) and book by Harvey Fierstein (“Torch Song Trilogy”) that has also produced one of the LGBTQ movement’s most anthemic songs of being true to oneself: “I Am What I Am.” While the gender illusions are visually stunning, the heart of the story lies in the power of love. Soaring melodies like “The Best of Times,” “Song on the Sand” and “Look Over There” pair with some of Herman’s frothier works like “Masculinity” and the title song.

The action moves from the best of intentions to mascaraed mayhem at record speed. Along the way, the audience gets treated to an assemblage of characters including headliner Zaza/Albin; club owner Georges, who

PROVIDED PHOTOS

‘La Cage aux Folles’ has been produced at Tulane University’s Summer Lyric Theatre three times before. It opens July 9 at Dixon Hall. is walking the tightrope of pleasing everyone; the young loves; the “maid” Jacob; restaurateur Jacqueline; and the tap-dancing fabulousness of Les Cagelles.

Diane Lala, a mainstay at Summer Lyric, takes the dual roles of director and choreographer for the show.

Artistic director C. Leonard Raybon is the musical director and orchestra conductor.

Michael Paternostro is club owner Georges with Scott Sauber as Zaza/ Albin. The young lovers are Luke Boucvalt as Jean-Michel the son and Camille von Hoven as Anne. Elizabeth Argus and Robert Pavlovich play the

conservative Dindons, with Maria Hefte as Jacqueline, Juan L. Williams as the “housekeeper” Jacob and Keith Claverie as Francis, club manager, in his debut at SLT. Filling out the ranks of characters are Trina Beck, Aaron Brewer, Darren Hayes, Justice Hues, Keita Kawahara, Garrin Mesa, Sasha Munchak, Tristan Olivier, Anna Parisi, Daniel Rigamer and Lawrence J. Weber Jr. The show is at 7:30 p.m. July 9-11, with a 2 p.m. matinee July 12, at Dixon Hall on Newcomb Circle on the Uptown campus. Tickets start at $32.

Visit liberalarts.tulane.edu/summerlyric-theatre.

The mythical St. Tropez, France, nightclub in the upcoming production at Tulane provides a dazzling spectacle each night.

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Louisiana’s LNG plants featured in new Greenpeace documentary

‘Legally Blonde’ Can a fashion merchandising major and sorority girl make it into one of the world’s top law schools in pursuit of her perfect boyfriend or will she just curl up and dye?

Well, she can if she’s a “Legally Blonde” Delta Nu named Elle Woods. Rivertown Theaters for the Performing Arts makes the case for why this book-moviemusical is the highlight of the summer.

When a vivacious, rich, California sorority girl gets dumped by her East Coast snob boyfriend, she makes it her business to not only learn the law. She rescues the day, finds out she deserves “so much more,” and saves a woman from getting railroaded in court.

Filled with fun numbers like “Omigod You Guys” and “Bend and Snap,” the show is an upbeat and heartwarming fest of fashion and finding oneself.

Kelly and Marc Fouchi take the roles of director and producer. Victoria Ventura is Elle, Jake Wynne-Wilson is Warner (the boyfriend), Bryce Slocumb is Emmett Forrest, Meredith Owens is Vivienne and Allee Peck is Paulette, with Frank Von Hoven as Harvard professor Callahan. Additional cast includes Stephanie Abry, Amber Lemelle, Charlotte May, Ruby Levin, Lorena Gonsoulin, Clark Long, Maddie Fry, Alli Bullach, Andrew Antoine, Rachel Gangnard, Aimee Gonsoulin, Elizabeth Donner, Kelly Laines, Nina Ballon, Regan Nugent, Beau Moss, Brady Lewis, Brandon Garza, Jordan Davis, Kerry Lambert and Ramon Ramos.

The show is at 7:30 p.m.

July 9-11, plus July 15-18, 2 p.m. July 12 and 19, and 1 p.m. July 11 at 325 Minor St in Kenner. Tickets start at $52. Visit rivertowntheaters. com.

film

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Thursday, July 2, 2026 ✦ 15

Beau Moss, Kerry Lambert and Nina Ballon hold up ‘Legally Blonde’ title character Elle, played by Victoria Ventura, for the upcoming production at Kenner’s Rivertown Theater for the Performing Arts, opening July 9.

In production “MACBETH”: 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and 1:30 p.m. Sundays through July 12, Lupin Theatre in Dixon Hall Annex, Tulane’s Newcomb Circle. The New Orleans Shakespeare Festival at Tulane presents the shortest of the Bard’s tragedies; there’s mayhem and murder to keep things moving along, as well as madness just to make things more Shakespearean. There are more prophecies and conniving and bewitching as life gets messier for all concerned. Tickets start at $25.

Visit neworleanshakespeare. org.

Email Victor Andrews at vandrews@theadvocate. com.

Louisiana plays a big part in a new documentary by Greenpeace USA and celebrity actress and activist Jane Fonda called “Gaslit.”

Fossil fuels and their effect Leslie on the planet Cardé are the focus of the new film by the international environmental nonprofit that has long made headlines on issues like climate change and oil exploration.

“Gaslit” describes impending disaster related to one of PROVIDED PHOTO By GREENPEACE USA the most aggressive fossil fuel A flare erupts from the Venture Global plant in Cameron Parish expansions in history — parin the Greenpeace USA documentary ‘Gaslit,’ set for a one-night ticularly in Texas and Louisishowing Monday at AMC Elmwood Palace 20 in Harahan. ana, where liquefied natural gas is being refined.

LNG is methane gas that’s lace n John Allaire, of Cameron been liquefied so it can be loaded onto tankers and exParish n Travis and Nicole Dardar, ported across the globe. Methof Cameron Parish ane is also known as a greenn Sharon and Shamyra Lavihouse gas because it traps heat in the atmosphere. gne, of St. James Parish n Bishop Wilfret Johnson, of In “Gaslit,” one scene shows Camosy Fonda Fonda with an activist who is Plaquemines Parish n Roishetta Sibley Ozane, of using an industrial, thermal camera to view emissions and Baton Rouge has over Lake Charles n Debra Ramirez, of Lake from a plant.

200 fossil fuel, petrochemical “It’s horrifying,” producer/ plants and refineries lining the Charles director Katie Camosy said.

85-mile stretch. It was dubbed Camosy said that while ac“So, we try to replicate in the “Cancer Alley” in the 1980s. tivists on the ground are still film what you see This film includes trying to document environ‘GASLIT’ the stories of shrimp- mental violations and sending through your own naked human eye PREMIERE ers, cattle ranchers them to regulators, there’s and then show you now a push to get this informaand ordinary resithrough the lens of tion to those in positions of 7 p.m. Monday dents, all reluctant this special camera AMC Elmwood activists who feel ex- power and the voting public. what’s really happen“Gaslit” premieres at 7 p.m. ploited and are fightPalace 20, July 6 at the AMC Elmwood ing.” ing back.

1200 Elmwood Palace 20 in Harahan for one The areas in which The film features Park Blvd., night only. Camosy will be in LNG plants are built Connie Britton are known in the fos(“Nashville,” “Friday attendance for a Q&A after Harahan the screening.

Night Lights”) and sil fuel industry as “sacrifice zones,” according to musician Maggie Rogers, the filmmakers. The industrial along with several Louisiana Contact Leslie Cardé at corridor along the Mississippi locals: lesliecardejournalist@gmail. n Jo and Joy Banner, of WalRiver between New Orleans com.

16 ✦ Thursday, July 2, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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Meteorologist Damon Singleton