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N.O. budget ‘trending favorably’ Report comes in wake of canceled bond request

BY JONI HESS Staff writer

As New Orleans officials weigh new cost-saving measures after abandoning a $110 million bond sale request, their efforts to balance the city’s budget appear to be paying off.

As of May 31, the city had collected about $22 million more

than what officials budgeted, and it has spent about $33 million less than they budgeted, according to the latest budget report shared by Mayor Helena Moreno’s administration.

Over the first five months of the year, the city brought in $392.5 million in revenue by recouping owed money, property taxes, fund liquidations and by taking other

measures.

During the same period last year, the city brought in less than about $342 million.

“Our revenues are trending favorably across the board,” said city Chief Performance Officer Abby Vienne at a Wednesday City Council Budget Committee meeting.

The city has also spent signifi-

cantly less on overtime, one of the major overruns that contributed to last year’s budget shortfall. The city spent $14 million on overtime by the end of May — about 36% of the amount budgeted for the year, Vienne said.

The upbeat report follows Moreno and Gov. Jeff Landry’s recent war of words over the city’s finances, after the mayor pulled her request that the State Bond Commission approve the city’s move to sell $110 million in municipal bonds.

Street safety strategy paying off

Moreno said she was told that the state commission, made up in part of state elected officials including Attorney General Liz Murrill, would not approve the request because an Orleans Parish grand jury agreed to indict Murrill earlier this month over letters she sent to Moreno and other city officials.

The governor responded by criticizing the city’s financial decisions, including a deal to sell the rights to

ä See BUDGET, page 7A

Cassidy blasts RFK Jr. policies

Statement comes during confirmation hearing for CDC nominee

BY MARK BALLARD Staff writer

STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

A New Orleans Police Department officer uses a lidar device to monitor motorists’ speeds along General De Gaulle Drive on Monday.

Traffic deaths down, citations up as NOPD devotes resources to enforcement

BY MISSY WILKINSON Staff writer

At the Olive Branch Cafe in Algiers on Monday afternoon, customers placed orders at a new granite counter and sat at freshly refinished tables beside new windows. The remodel came courtesy of a speeding vehicle that crashed into the eatery in May, ripping through its porch and a brick wall before coming to rest near a cash register.

“My first thought was, ‘An 18-wheeler must have hit a car.’

And then I saw a piece of the building flying,” said assistant manager Richard Nguyen.

On Monday, Nguyen was encouraged by the presence of New Orleans police officers who had set up a speed trap near the restaurant. The metal heel

Traffic fatalities in New Orleans

three drivers, including one in a brown truck clocked at 48 mph in the 35 mph zone and another in a blue Honda traveling 56 64 63 mph.

56 “I hate to say it, but it’s like fishing in a barrel,” said the New Orleans Police Department’s traffic commander, Captain Buddy Micheu.

21 The speed trap is part of a broader shift in traffic enforcement that has accelerated amid a yearslong, citywide decline in violent crime. As of July 15, the 2023 2024 2025 2026 city had logged 45 homicides, YEAR TO DATE according to NOPD, a nearly Staff graphic Source: NOPD 70% decline from a year ago. Total year-to-date crime incidents were down 42% since 2023, the plates on officers’ boots clacked NOPD dashboard shows.

The sustained drop has alagainst asphalt as they aimed Stalker XS Lidar speed guns lowed the NOPD to devote more at oncoming traffic. Within five ä See STREET, page 7A minutes, they had pulled over

“Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick’s mission is to one, cut down on fatalities. That was a directive to me. Two, is to make sure we increase enforcement in areas that our community is constantly talking about.”

CAPTAIN BUDDy MICHEU, New Orleans Police Department traffic commander

N.O. East apartment tenants awarded $3M Suit alleged landlord neglected property

after a judge ordered a class-action settlement on Tuesday.

The settlement, approved by U.S. District Judge Barry Ashe, is a major win for tenants of The Willows ApartBY SOPHIE KASAKOVE Staff writer ments, who alleged in a 2023 lawsuit that their landlord had let the New OrHundreds of people who suffered leans East property fall into disrepair hazardous conditions at a New Orleans and become unsafe.

East apartment complex will recover a “We’re incredibly happy about the collective $3 million in rent payments resolution and to be able to return

WEATHER HIGH 93 LOW 77 PAGE 8A

money to these people,” said Megan Kiefer, an attorney who represented the tenants.

She said she hopes the outcome will put other neglectful landlords on notice.

“Essentially, you broke the promise,” said Kiefer. “Every lease agreement is a promise from landlord to tenant:

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy used a confirmation hearing Wednesday to indirectly blast the anti-vaccination policies of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., which he said have resulted in a series of infectious disease outbreaks and caused the deaths of untold numbers of children.

“We need a CDC director that will actually stand up to crazy, stupid things being said that undermine faith in immunization,” Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, said to Erica Schwartz, 54, Trump’s third nominee to be director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at her Senate Health, Cassidy Education, Labor and Pensions confirmation hearing.

Cassidy chairs the committee.

Back when he was courting President Donald Trump’s backing for his reelection, Cassidy, a physician who studied vaccine efficacy, was responsible for the Senate confirming Kennedy, perhaps the most well-known vaccine skeptic, to run the federal agency in charge of the nation’s vaccination policy.

Trump, instead, endorsed U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow, R-Baton Rouge.

ä See POLICIES, page 4A

Boards cover windows at The Willows Apartments.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

ä See TENANTS, page 7A

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

13TH yEAR, NO. 338

2A ✦ Thursday, July 16, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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FROM WIRE REPORTS

Mint produces $1 coin with Trump’s face on it

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Mint has begun producing a new $1 coin bearing President Donald Trump’s face to help celebrate America’s 250th birthday, the Treasury Department said Wednesday.

The final design for the commemorative coin, being released in the fall, was approved earlier this year by the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, whose members were appointed by Trump.

But the finished product unveiled Wednesday differs from that version in a few aspects, including that it is not made of gold but rather has a gold finish.

The coin is intended “to honor the enduring legacy of liberty and a lasting symbol of patriotism,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a post on X. “Featuring President Trump, it celebrates the strength of American values, and the promise of a nation dedicated to preserving freedom for all.”

The president on Wednesday told Fox Business Network that the move to put his face on a coin is “very unusual, but I was honored by it,” adding that “it’s very cute they gave me a coin.”

Federal law prohibits the depiction of a living president on U.S. currency, though the treasury secretary has the authority to authorize the minting and issuance of coins in some circumstances.

The front of the coin features an image of Trump in a suit and tie and with a stern look on his face.

Rescuers search for 3 after boat sinks in Calif.

SAN FRANCISCO — U.S. Coast Guard crews combed a massive area for three people missing nearly a day after a boat carrying 20 family members and friends as part of a memorial service capsized in the cold, choppy waters of San Francisco Bay near Alcatraz Island, authorities said Wednesday.

U.S. Coast Guard Captain Jared S. Toczko said rescuers have cumulatively scoured 950 square nautical miles and would continue searching until sundown Wednesday.

Toczko would not dismiss the possibility that those missing could still be alive, though he also said some could have been trapped inside the three-deck, 49-foot cabin cruiser.

“We do know individuals were in the main deck and potentially below deck,” he said.

One person was pulled from the water but later died, and 16 others were rescued Tuesday afternoon after the boat took on water, listed heavily to one side and then rolled over before sinking, Toczko said.

The passengers on board were all close friends and family members, he said. A dog also died.

Crews have identified the location the boat sank but have yet to determine how deep it sank, Toczko said.

Trump fires U.S. attorney in Seattle within an hour At 7:40 a.m. Wednesday, federal judges in the Western District of Washington swore in former King County Superior Court judge and federal prosecutor Roger Rogoff as their pick for U.S. attorney.

Fifty-four minutes later, President Donald Trump fired him.

Rogoff, who recently resigned as director of the state office of independent investigations, formed to investigate police killings, is now the rope in a tugof-war with the Trump administration. The district’s 17 sitting federal judges began looking for a replacement for Neil Floyd in January after the president failed to formally nominate him, instead appointing Floyd as interim and later as a “first assistant” in order to sidestep the nomination process.

Floyd, a controversial and tough-minded immigration judge, was appointed by President Donald Trump last October, but his name was never advanced to the U.S. Senate. Floyd’s appointment was opposed by the state’s senior senator, Patty Murray, and immigration advocates.

Rogoff’s team of lawyers is expected to sue the administration and the U.S. Department of Justice.

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Doubt cast on lawyer’s testimony

learned about Epstein’s 2008 conwith Epstein.

Former top attorney at Epstein.

“It is difficult to see how she’s Lawmakers have focused on viction on sex crimes, when he becompletely truthful in there Ruemmler’s close relationship came a registered sex offender.

Goldman Sachs had being with the answers she’s given the with Epstein in the final years of She said Epstein expressed reRep. Robert Garcia his life, pointing to affectionate morse about it, and that he did ties to Jeffrey Epstein ofcommittee,” California, the top Democrat on communications between the two. not know the women were under-

BY JOEY CAPPELLETTI Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Lawmakers said Kathryn Ruemmler, the former top lawyer at Goldman Sachs and White House counsel to President Barack Obama, was not being truthful Wednesday about her relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, rejecting her testimony that Epstein had merely “used” her.

Ruemmler in her opening remarks told members of the House Oversight Committee that “it was a mistake to deal with” Epstein, but she insisted she never witnessed criminal activity. She said Epstein “used me and other respectable people to legitimize his standing.”

Democrats emerged from the first several hours of questioning saying Ruemmler was not being forthcoming about her ties to

the committee, told reporters.

Ruemmler is the latest prominent figure called before the House Oversight Committee as lawmakers investigate the network of powerful people connected Ruemmler with Epstein. The bipartisan inquiry has already included testimony from more than a dozen high-profile witnesses as lawmakers examine how Epstein’s wealth and influence may have helped shield him from scrutiny.

Ruemmler served as White House counsel under Obama from 2011 to 2014. She served as Goldman Sachs’ general counsel for six years before announcing in February that she would step down amid backlash over her correspondence

“For her to deny that there was any type of real relationship there, I just don’t buy it,” Garcia said.

“And so, again, the fact she is not under oath is very problematic.”

While Ruemmler has tried to downplay their relationship in more recent statements, thousands of documents released by the Justice Department showed that Ruemmler and Epstein had an extensive relationship. The files included personal emails, social plans and gifts that extended beyond formal legal work. Documents showed she had called Epstein “Uncle Jeffrey” in emails and said she adored him.

Ruemmler said in her opening remarks that she first met Epstein in 2014 regarding potentially working with him and Bill Gates “to set up a large donor-advised fund.” Soon after, according to Ruemmler, she

aged. She said she “relied on the resolution reached by federal and state prosecutors and validated by a judge as being a proportionate and final resolution of his criminal conduct.”

House Oversight Chair James Comer told reporters Wednesday that the “most concerning” part of Ruemmler’s communications with Epstein is how she “tried to rehabilitate his image after he was convicted of solicitation of a minor.”

During a lengthy podcast interview with Joe Rogan released Wednesday, Vice President JD Vance said the administration “absolutely” mishandled the communications surrounding the Epstein files and its contents. Vance pointed largely to Bondi, who infamously stated that an alleged “client list” of Epstein’s was “sitting on my desk right now.”

Trump: ICE should keep making traffic stops

BY REBECCA SANTANA and PATRICK WHITTLE Associated Press

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump wants Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to keep pulling over vehicles, signaling his opposition Wednesday to plans announced just a day earlier to suspend most traffic stops following another string of fatal shootings.

It’s not clear whether ICE will quickly reverse course and resume most stops, which have been a key tool in Trump’s immigration crackdown.

Ending those stops, Trump wrote, would be “playing right into the criminal’s hands.”

“We CANNOT give up one of ICE’s most important and effective Crime Fighting tools, THE TRAFFIC STOP!” Trump wrote Wednesday on his social media site.

Hours after Trump made his views known, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin issued his own statement saying people illegally in the country would be “arrested and deported wherever they are.” But Mullin didn’t directly say whether ICE officers will be allowed to carry out traffic stops.

ICE’s enforcement tactics are coming under renewed criticism after three people died during encounters with federal officers within a week. In Florida, a 28-year-old man was killed Tuesday after he was hit by a tractor trailer while running from immigration and other federal officers, authorities said.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JAIME MORENO

Friends and relatives hold a vigil Tuesday for Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, a Colombian national who was fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Maine, at his family home in Bucaramanga, Colombia.

Before that, two motorists were shot and killed

by ICE officers — one in Texas last week and another in Maine on Monday.

After the Maine killing, Trump administration officials told ICE officers to suspend most vehicle stops, people familiar with the decision said Tuesday.

Since the immigration crackdown began, federal officers confronting drivers have opened fire several times, saying the drivers’ vehicles had posed a danger. Policing experts have long said that shooting into moving cars presents a danger of its own and should almost always be avoided.

There have been at least 10 deaths involving encounters with immigration agents since Trump

launched his deportation campaign. At least four of them involved people in vehicles, a trend so troubling that Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine urged Department of Homeland Security leaders “to cease all nonurgent vehicle stops.”

Two shootings in a week, she said Wednesday, “raise very serious questions” and warrant a halt in that approach for the time being.

ICE has been under pressure to beef up arrest and deportation numbers. It says people being sought are increasingly staying in their homes, and it often blames immigration advocates who advise immigrants to stay in homes unless ICE produces a warrant signed by an independent judge.

Mexico asks U.S. AGs to investigate migrant deaths

BY FABIOLA SÁNCHEZ Associated Press

MEXICO CITY — Mexico formally requested that U.S. state attorneys general criminally investigate cases of migrants who have died in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody or during raids, the Mexican government said Tuesday.

The request follows the death of Mexican immigrant Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, who was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Houston. Since the beginning of U.S. President Donald Trump’s second term, 17 Mexican migrants have died during immigration enforcement, 14 in ICE custody and three in agency operations.

Mexico’s Foreign Ministry had previously said it would make the request, which was formalized on Tuesday, according to the ministry. It said a similar request will be also sent to the U.S. Department of Justice. The United States is not legally obliged to act on the requests.

Also, the Mexican government said it has started sending letters to U.S. detention centers where Mexican migrants have died, demanding they “immedi-

ately cease the actions or omissions that resulted in these deaths, such as preventing access to prompt and expedited medical care, as well as the application of policies incompatible with medical and penitentiary standards.”

The letters are a first step toward “the eventual filing of civil lawsuits” against the companies that operate the detention centers to stop human rights violations, according to the ministry.

Last week, Mexican Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco said his country would go directly to U.S. authorities to request criminal investigations in cases of Mexicans killed in ICE custody or enforcement operations.

Salgado Araujo, 52, who had no criminal record and had lived in the U.S. for 35 years, was shot last Tuesday while driving his construction crew to a job site in Houston. His death sparked demands for an independent investigation from Democrats and Salgado Araujo’s family.

The Department of Homeland Security said Salgado Araujo had rammed an ICE vehicle, and that a federal agent fired a weapon in self-defense.

ICE officers say that means they’re forced to find other ways to make arrests.

Hundreds gathered Tuesday to remember Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, the 25-year-old Colombian national who was shot in his car Monday.

Karolina Rojas, his part-

ner and the mother of their young daughter, shared a photo on Instagram of the three hugging and smiling.

“I love you, my darling, my life. I love you. I have no words for this pain. You were my everything. Please watch over me. Help me find the strength to carry on.

Stay with me always. Don’t leave me alone. I’m begging you, my love,” she wrote.

Durán Guerrero illegally entered the U.S. on Sept. 1, 2023, through the southern border, DHS said Wednesday. Advocacy groups said that when he was killed, he was authorized to work in the U.S. Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, said the Homeland Security secretary told him on Monday that ICE officers were in Biddeford to serve an arrest warrant but that it wasn’t for the person who was shot.

When ICE tried to stop a vehicle driven by someone who came from a home under surveillance, the “vehicle attempted to flee the scene and, fearing for public safety, an officer discharged his weapon,” the department said. The department didn’t answer questions about the agent who shot him.

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Intelligence director nominee Blanche confronts asked about 2020 election questioning of fund

BY MARY CLARE JALONICK Associated Press

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s pick to head the nation’s intelligence agencies struggled to win Democratic support in a contentious confirmation hearing Wednesday where he clashed repeatedly with them over the 2020 election.

Democrats asked Jay Clayton, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York and a former Securities and Exchange Commission chairman, over and over again whether former President Joe Biden won the election and defeated Trump. Echoing many of Trump’s nominees, Clayton said many times that the election was “certified” for Biden, declining to say outright that the Democrat won.

“I’m not going to get into this with you,” Clayton told Clayton Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff, the last of several Democrats on the committee to grill Clayton on the 2020 election. Clayton appeared frustrated and flustered as Ossoff repeated the question several times. “I’ve answered it,” he said.

Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, who had praised Clayton’s nomination when Trump picked him for the role last month, expressed exasperation with him at the end of the hearing.

Democrats say they are concerned that Trump will try to direct intelligence agencies to influence U.S. elections as the president has repeated his false claims that the 2020 contest was stolen.

“I’ve known Mr. Clayton for some time, I worked with him closely when he was at the SEC,” said Warner, the top Democrat on the intelligence panel. “But I am bitterly disappointed.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said after the hearing that he thought Clayton’s performance was “abysmal,” and

that “makes it much less likely that he will get Democratic votes.”

While Clayton has broad support among Republicans, the acrimony with Democrats could be a blow to GOP leaders who had hoped to gain their consent for a quick vote to replace temporary intelligence director Bill Pulte, a former housing official with no known intelligence experience and who used his previous administration perch to target perceived adversaries of the president.

Senators in both parties have criticized Pulte, and Republicans had hoped to confirm Clayton immediately after he was nominated in June so Pulte did not take over when Gabbard left office. But Trump delayed Clayton’s nomination before the Senate left for a two-week recess, allowing Pulte to take the job temporarily.

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said the committee will vote on Clayton’s nomination next week.

Cotton, who expressed frustration last month when the hearing was delayed, said in his opening statement Wednesday that Clayton has a reputation for operating with “morality, decency and integrity” in his previous positions and that he hopes his nomination will win bipartisan support.

Gabbard’s election activities Democrats also pressed Clayton on former National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard’s visit to a Georgia election office earlier this year during an FBI search related to the 2020 election. Trump administration officials have given varying explanations for Gabbard’s involvement in the search, which appeared to be outside of her intelligence role.

Clayton declined to say whether Gabbard’s visit was appropriate or how he would handle the same situation. At one point he said he wasn’t aware of Gabbard’s visit before this week, then later appeared to backtrack, saying “it wasn’t something on my mind” before he started to prepare for the hearing.

Warner said it “strains credibility” that Clayton wasn’t aware of Gabbard’s election activities.

Democrats also asked Clayton about Trump’s announcement that he will deliver a primetime address on Thursday with a focus on elections, after the president suggested he could revisit longdebunked conspiracy theories about his 2020 defeat. Clayton said he had has no involvement with that speech.

Clayton oversees vast portfolio Clayton is currently the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, one of the most prestigious of the Justice Department’s prosecution offices. His cases have ranged from terrorism and espionage cases to security fraud and public corruption.

Democrats pressed Clayton on subpoenas of four New York Times journalists after they reported on security concerns involving the new, Qatari-gifted Air Force One. The Committee to Protect Journalists has called the subpoenas “an extraordinary escalation in President Trump’s efforts to threaten and intimidate independent news organizations and have a chilling effect on the work of journalists across the country.”

Clayton said he was not able to discuss the details of the subpoenas and declined to elaborate on whether he spoke to the White House before they were issued.

He said he is “confident in procedures we have in place to protect freedom of press.”

Under Clayton, the office also facilitated the unsealing of thousands of pages of court records from the prosecutions of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell — documents that were made public as part of the Justice Department’s release of records related to the late sex offender and his longtime confidant.

Clayton has also overseen the prosecution of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores, on drug trafficking charges.

BY ERIC TUCKER and ALANNA DURKIN RICHER Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche confronted skeptical questioning at a Senate confirmation hearing Wednesday about the creation of a fund to compensate President Donald Trump’s allies and a tax immunity deal for the president as he aimed to lock down the Republican support needed to advance his nomination.

Blanche insisted that the $1.776 billion “Anti-Weaponization Fund,” which was scrapped after fierce bipartisan backlash, was “not moving forward.” But lawmakers, including Republican Sen. John Cornyn, conveyed concerns that the Trump administration has yet to commit in writing that the fund is dead and could therefore conceivably be resurrected.

“Just to be clear, the presi- Blanche dent of the United States, who’s a plaintiff in this lawsuit, has not agreed in writing to delete the ‘Anti-Weaponization Fund’ and there’s no guarantee that he won’t raise it in the future?” Cornyn asked. Blanche replied that Trump has no power over the fund, which was to have been administered by the Justice Department but never launched.

Blanche requires the backing of all Republicans on the Judiciary Committee and the Texas senator has not committed his support.

The hearing arrived at a tumultuous time for the Justice Department, with mass firings and resignations hollowing out the workforce and Democrats and other critics raising alarms that Blanche is still functioning as the president’s personal lawyer.

He has led the department on an interim basis since April, functioning as the public face of the maligned and later-withdrawn

fund and accelerating investigations into perceived Trump adversaries.

Even as he said the fund had been shelved, he made clear that immunity from tax audits afforded to Trump this year remained in place.

Those actions, plus the flawed release of files from the Jeffrey Epstein sex-trafficking investigation, received fresh scrutiny Wednesday.

“You’re in charge of a Department of Justice I don’t recognize, prosecuting the president’s political enemies, firing rank and file prosecutors and FBI agents,” Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., told Blanche. “These are some actions that in your previous confirmation hearing before us, you said you would not take.”

Blanche insisted he has presided over a course correction following Justice Department investigations into Trump during the Biden administration.

“In recent years, we watched the Justice Department turned against many of you and a former president, and it damaged the public’s faith in justice,” Blanche argued. “We are fixing that.”

Blanche was also pressed on the department’s staggered release of the Epstein files, a process beset by problems, including redaction errors that left exposed nude photos showing the faces of potential victims.

Blanche acknowledged that “mistakes were made” in the release process but nonetheless defended the work.

A former federal prosecutor and key member of Trump’s defense team as the Republican battled four indictments, Blanche arrived at the Justice Department last year as deputy attorney general. At one point, under friendly questioning from Sen. John Kennedy, R-Madisonville, about whether he and Trump are friends, Blanche responded: “I’m his lawyer,” before quickly correcting himself to say he “was his lawyer.”

House Republicans unveil $95 billion budget resolution Plan focused on Iran war, aiding farmers, stricter voter registration

BY KEVIN FREKING and LISA MASCARO Associated Press

WASHINGTON — House Republicans on Wednesday unveiled a $95 billion legislative plan focused on boosting defense, aiding farmers and enacting stricter voter registration rules, a sequel to the massive tax and spending cut bill that President Donald Trump signed into law last year.

The 47-page outline, called a budget resolution, is a long-shot undertaking designed to supplement Pentagon funding for the Iran war and address Trump’s top priority of changing voter registration requirements. A more ambitious effort was narrowed to address concerns of conservatives about adding to the deficit. The resolution does not seek any offsets to pay for the new spending.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, pushed ahead after meeting with Trump at the White House this week in what will be the Republicans’ calling card to voters this fall heading into the midterm elections.

“Safeguarding American elections and strengthening our national defense are the most basic responsibilities of Congress,” Johnson said in a statement.

Johnson welcomed the chance to again use a legis-

lative process that will allow Republicans to overpower Democratic objections and eventually approve legislation on a partyline majority vote, saying the Demo- Johnson crats won’t be able to block the GOP priorities “any longer.”

Democrats, however, have argued against the sharply partisan path, particularly for matters of war funding.

The Budget Committee is expected to consider the outline Thursday, ahead of floor action in the House next week.

Billions of dollars for war The bulk of the $95 billion would go for the U.S.-led war against Iran, reflecting the White House’s request for supplemental spending to rebuild stockpiles and fund classified programs, among other expenses related to Operation Epic Fury.

The resolution calls for the House Armed Services Committee to craft legislation that will not increase deficits through 2036 by more than $60 billion; the Select Committee on Intelligence, $13 billion; the Agriculture Committee, $12 billion; and the House Administration Committee, $10 billion.

The latter funding would be focused on enacting aspects of an election law overhaul that requires those registering to vote to provide proof of citizenship and is a top Trump priority.

Overall, the plan is on par with a request the White

House submitted to Congress last month, as the Iran war drags past four months. But it falls far short of the $350 billion increase the White House proposed in its budget request this year to beef up the Defense Department.

Approving extra war funding will be difficult, even among Republicans supporting the Iran effort, as the nation confronts staggering annual deficits reaching nearly $2 trillion this year.

Trump pushes for voting law Both the House and the Senate would have to pass the same budget resolution to launch the crafting of the party-line bill, which is politically difficult in the Congress where Republicans hold only narrow majority control.

Along with the war funds, the package Republicans are pursuing would include $10 billion for the GOP’s effort to impose strict citizenship requirements in line with provisions of the SAVE America Act, which has been a top Trump priority.

Trump has insisted that Republicans approve the elections overhaul bill, which has passed the House but does not have the votes to overcome the 60-vote threshold in the Senate. So Republicans are looking to get parts of it through the arduous reconciliation process that allows both chambers to pass a bill with a simple majority.

It’s unclear how the budget package would impose or fund voting law changes and if any alterations could be made before the midterm elections, with many state elections processes already

Trump endorses Lindell for Minn. governor

BY BILL BARROW Associated Press

President Donald Trump has endorsed MyPillow founder Mike Lindell for Minnesota governor, praising him as “one of America’s greatest and most hard working Patriots” and giving formal backing to a fel-

low election denier.

Lindell established his national profile from his TV advertising campaign as the MyPillow Guy and has been one of Trump’s most outspoken supporters, echoing the president’s false claims that his 2020 election defeat to Democrat Joe Biden was fraudulent.

“Mike will be SPECTACULAR!!! He truly loves Minnesota, as do I, and wants to bring it back from oblivion and embarrassment. He can do it!” Trump posted Wednesday on his Truth Social platform.

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar headlines the Democratic field for governor.

underway.

Overall, passage of the package would be a lengthy process, with much of the action taking place after lawmakers return from their August recess and during the heart of election season. House Republicans hope to kick off the effort before they leave town at the end of this month.

Democrats’ opposition The additional aid for farmers dealing with higher gas and fertilizer prices and retaliatory tariffs has become an election year priority for many lawmakers with large rural constituencies.

But even the addition of that type of farm aid is not likely to be an incentive for Democrats to lend support for what is essentially a Republican-only bill. Democrats are expected to overwhelmingly oppose whatever final product emerges and force votes on scores of difficult amendments.

Rep. Brendan Boyle, the

lead Democratic lawmaker on the House Budget Committee, said the GOP’s budget plan would lead to tens of billions of dollars in additional debt to fund what he called the most unpopular war in American history.

“I’m going to fight like hell to make sure taxpayer dollars are being used to lower costs and make life better for American families, not to bankroll Trump’s giveaways to billionaires and endless wars overseas,” Boyle said.

Johnson applauded Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, and others on the panel for moving swiftly to advance the resolution and unlock what would be Republicans’ third reconciliation bill this Congress.

Trump’s big tax breaks bill last year and the Homeland Security funding bill this year both passed largely along party lines.

Arrington said several factors contributed to the decision not to offset some of the new spending Repub-

licans will seek. First, the Trump administration’s call for more defense spending was winnowed to just meeting replenishment needs during a time of war. Second, he was concerned that some of the savings generated in last year’s party-line bill could be relitigated and stripped out if the Senate Finance Committee had been instructed to find offsets.

Republicans could have tried to work with Democrats to pass more defense spending through the regular appropriations process or through an emergency supplemental spending bill, but that would require bipartisan support to get through the Senate. And Democrats likely would have sought commensurate spending increases for non-defense priorities.

“There’s no doubt that Democrats would exact a big price,” Arrington said. “…

We avoided that, so I would say in this moment, with this scenario, that’s a win.”

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U.S. steps up strikes as Iran threatens energy exports

BY JON GAMBRELL Associated Press

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The U.S. reimposed a naval blockade on Iran and intensified its airstrike campaign Wednesday in retaliation for Tehran’s attacks on ships trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. The American strikes hit an Iranian army barracks, killed at least seven troops and wounded hundreds of people CO ONFLICT across the country, Iranian officials IN THE T MIIDDLE said.

Days of backEAST AST and-forth strikes by the U.S. and Iran across the Middle East — and renewed threats to the waterway crucial to global energy supplies — have shredded the interim deal to end the conflict and the region could tip back into all-out war.

The U.S. first imposed a blockade in April and lifted it last month after signing the interim deal that paused the fighting and set a 60day period for negotiations over issues such as Iran’s nuclear program. Those talks have stalled as fighting over the Strait of Hormuz has intensified.

When the U.S. and Israel launched the war on Iran on Feb. 28, Tehran effectively closed the waterway to shipping traffic — a move that sent the price of oil, fertilizer and many other goods soaring far beyond the region and gave Iran major leverage in negotiations. Those rising prices pose a particular challenge to U.S. President Donald Trump and his Republican Party, which hopes to retain control of Congress in November elections. But Washington has

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By RAZIEH POUDAT

Residents sit at a cafe overlooking commercial vessels anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas, Iran, on Sunday. struggled to successfully reopen the waterway.

About 24 hours after the blockade went into effect, the U.S. military opened fire on and disabled a merchant vessel Wednesday.

Iran’s parliament speaker and lead negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, said Iran was prepared for a fuller military confrontation if the U.S. does not live up to the terms of the interim deal, and Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard threatened to halt all energy exports from the Middle East over the blockade.

“The export of oil and gas from the region will be either for everyone or for no one,” the Guard said.

Soon after the U.S. launched its third wave of strikes in 24 hours, Trump said Iran was ready to strike a peace deal, but he did not elaborate.

“They don’t like what we’re doing, and they do want to settle.

POLICIES

Continued from page 1A The Make America Healthy Again organization, which is closely aligned with Kennedy, raised money for Letlow.

Cassidy lost out in a closed party primary. He will leave the Senate in January when either Letlow or Jamie Davis, the Democratic candidate from Tensas Parish in the November congressional elections, will be sworn in.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO

Erica Schwartz testifies during a Senate committee confirmation hearing to be ‘Right and true’ Cassidy said he backed the director of the Centers Kennedy because of prom- for Disease Control and ises to not significantly alter Prevention on Wednesday.

the federal government’s long-held guidance for immunizations and to confer regularly with the committee — promises that Kennedy didn’t keep. Cassidy has since raised ever-harsher criticisms about the Department of Health and Human Services.

“I feel like we’ve got thousands of kids hospitalized because people have promoted that immunization is bad, and now kids have died because of it is … evil to do that,” Cassidy said at Wednesday’s hearing. “Will you have the ability to say no to junk science and to say yes to that which has been firmly established and to stick up for what is actually right and true as opposed to that which is superstition and prejudice?”

“You have my assurances that I will do that. I will never betray the science, ever,” Schwartz replied. “I will make sure that the CDC is focused on scientific rigor.”

She added that the CDC would focus on “radical transparency,” which is most important in restoring public trust.

But Schwartz supported many of Kennedy’s policies.

When asked if she would take down a page on the CDC website that suggests linkage between autism and vaccinations, Schwartz demurred, saying she hadn’t seen it.

Turmoil at the CDC Cassidy referenced Susan Monarez, who was nominated by Trump and confirmed

We’ll find out whether or not we settle with them, or we just finish it off,” he said Wednesday at a defense summit at the U.S. Army War College in Pennsylvania.

The U.S. carried out a wave of strikes, hitting dozens of targets overnight, the military’s Central Command said Wednesday, and then resumed striking Iran during daylight — an unusual move that further signaled the increasing tempo of the attacks. Another wave of strikes began late Wednesday.

Central Command said it spotted Curacao-flagged oil tanker Belma sailing toward Kharg Island and, after the ship “ignored multiple warnings,” a U.S. aircraft disabled the merchant vessel by firing hellfire missiles into the ship’s smokestack.

In addition to the now-disabled Belma, the U.S. military said it also had to speak with two other commercial vessels, but they

by the Senate as CDC director. She was forced out in August 2025 after only a month in office for refusing to endorse Kennedy’s picks for the panel of vaccine advisers, which included prominent anti-vaxxers.

The CDC has since been run by interim directors.

About a quarter of the agency’s staff was laid off or resigned since Trump began his second term in January 2025.

Tr u m p nominated Schwartz in April. A doctor, lawyer and retired rear admiral who oversaw the U.S. Coast Guard’s 41 clinics and 150 sick bays, Schwartz was deputy surgeon general during Trump’s first term.

Cassidy didn’t mention Kennedy or Trump by name but drilled down on actions taken at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, particularly at the CDC, a subsidiary agency that has the most direct oversight of how many vaccines are required at what ages.

“Parents should not have to guess whether information on the CDC’s website reflects the best available science rather than the preferences of political appointees. This is what has led to children being hospitalized and dying from diseases preventable with the vaccine,” Cassidy said. “As a result, we see thousands getting measles. We see, unfortunately, deaths from measles, a vaccine-preventable disease, just lying at the

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The U.S. military disabled at least eight merchant vessels during the first round of the blockade, including one strike that left three sailors dead.

Among the U.S. military’s targets this week was Greater Tunb Island, which is viewed as a strategic point in the Strait of Hormuz.

Central Command said the attack targeted Iranian defense and missile sites.

Iran took control of three islands — Abu Musa, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb — from what would become the United Arab Emirates in 1971. The UAE has sought to reclaim them.

Some analysts have suggested that if the U.S. seized the islands, they could allow it to control the strait.

The U.S. military said its bombing campaign hit targets along Iran’s southern coast in Bandar Abbas, Khormuj, Ahvaz, Qeshm, Bushehr and Kuh-e Stak.

Another strike targeted a barracks for Iran’s 388th Mechanized Infantry Brigade, which operates tanks and armored vehicles, in Sistan and Baluchestan province, Iranian state television reported.

The report said Americans fired at least 13 missiles in the attack and the seven dead included conscripts and career soldiers. A number of troops were wounded.

More than 35 people have been killed and more than 300 wounded by U.S. airstrikes in recent days, said Hossein Kermanpour, a spokesperson for the Iranian Health Ministry. At least 72 people are hospitalized, he added.

Kermanpour did not break down

feet of folks casting misinformation on these issues.”

Johns Hopkins University counts 2,250 cases of measles confirmed so far this year in the U.S., where the extremely contagious virus had largely been eliminated through vaccinations. There were 2,289 cases last year.

And the CDC is tracking thousands of people afflicted across dozens of states with

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cyclosporiasis and related cryptosporidiosis.

Overall, however, Cassidy also said Schwartz was qualified to run the CDC. The HELP committee will decide soon whether to recommend Schwartz’s nomination to the full Senate. She likely will be confirmed.

Also considered in the confirmation hearing was Sean Kaufman, who was nominat-

ed as the Health and Human Services assistant secretary for strategic preparedness and response.

Cassidy quizzed Kaufman on statements he had made when the department canceled funding for mRNA vaccine development.

Email Mark Ballard at mballard@theadvocate. com.

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the figures between civilians and combatants.

The announcement marked the first overall toll given by Iranian authorities for this round of fighting. The number of wounded was far larger than for any other recent violence between Iran and the U.S. The army said it would make “a decisive response,” according to state TV. U.S. Navy Adm. Brad Cooper, who leads Central Command, said in a statement that Iran had launched dozens of missiles and drones at neighboring Gulf Arab countries.

Missile-alert warnings sounded Wednesday in Bahrain and Kuwait as they faced incoming Iranian fire — a daily occurrence recently. In a post on X, Bahrain’s Interior Ministry urged people to “head to the nearest safe place.”

Jordan said it shot down three incoming Iranian missiles. Iran claimed attacks on the three nations, all of which host U.S. forces.

In a statement published online, Qalibaf said the United States had not lived up to the terms of the interim peace deal, which he said included “Iranian arrangements” over the Strait of Hormuz.

“Now that we have entered the implementation phase, the United States, having exhausted its legal and diplomatic options, is trying to undermine those Iranian arrangements through force,” he wrote.

Qalibaf’s comments appeared aimed at critics within Iran who oppose negotiations with the U.S. He argued that negotiations should not be equated with compromise or surrender, but as part of a broader strategy of resistance.

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BUSINESS N O L A.C O M/BIZ

DOW 52,658.64 150.37 0.29%

NASDAQ 26,269.23 162.22 0.62%

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U.S. stocks rise within 0.5% of their record

NEW YORK — U.S. stocks ticked higher Wednesday following strong profit reports from BlackRock and other big companies. The tentative gains came as oil prices swung to their highest levels in a month because of the war with Iran.

BlackRock helped lead the market with a rise of 6.6% after the company behind some of the most popular investment funds reported stronger profit and revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected.

Bank of New York Mellon rose 5.1% after adding to the spate of strong earnings reports from many of the biggest U.S. banks a day earlier.

Cintas climbed 4.4% after the provider of office uniforms, restroom supplies and other products likewise delivered a better profit for the latest quarter than analysts forecast.

They helped offset a drop for Elevance Health, which fell 8.5% even though it reported stronger profit and revenue than analysts expected.

The broad U.S. stock market got a lift from another report showing inflation slowed last month. It said inflation at the wholesale level slowed to 5.5% from 6% in May, and it was much better than the acceleration that economists expected.

The day before, a separate report said inflation that U.S. consumers are feeling was also not as bad as economists expected last month.

Five Below plans to have 2,000 stores soon Five Below has been opening hundreds of new stores in recent years, and this month, the retailer is set to add its 2,000th location.

The new store is expected to open in LaGrange, Georgia, on Friday, the company announced earlier this month.

The company’s expansion puts its store count on par with Home Depot and Target. As of the beginning of 2026, Home Depot operated 2,359 stores in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, and Target had 1,995 U.S. stores.

Company leaders said in a recent annual report that they see opportunity to grow Five Below’s store count to 3,500 eventually.

Five Below launched its first store in 2002 , and most items the business sells cost between $1 and $5. Its offering of toys, gadgets, games, and other items includes slinky toys, crayons, sandcastle buckets, basketballs, and wireless gaming headsets.

Amazon satellite internet to launch in South Africa CAPE TOWN, South Africa — Amazon said Wednesday that the technology company will launch its new satellite internet service Amazon Leo in South Africa in 2027, seemingly pushing ahead of Elon Musk’s rival Starlink to win business in Africa’s most advanced economy.

Amazon, which was founded by Jeff Bezos, said that it would partner with South African internet provider Herotel to launch a new service in the country of 62 million people.

Amazon said that it was its first satellite internet agreement on the African continent.

No financial details were initially disclosed.

Amazon’s announcement follows Musk’s bitter criticism of the government in his country of birth. The world’s richest man has said that South African regulations have prevented him from launching Starlink there because he’s White, and has accused the government of racism.

He was referring to South Africa’s affirmative action policies, which require foreign companies operating in the communications sector to give a minority share of their local entities to Black or other non-White owners in order to acquire a license.

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26 Meta employees sue company Group alleges AI-driven layoff picks hit those on medical, parental leave

BY BARBARA ORTUTAY and ALEXANDRA OLSON AP business writers

A group of 26 Meta employees has sued the company, claiming it used artificial intelligence systems to select people for lay-

offs, disproportionately targeting those on medical, parental or family leave.

They are among the 8,000 employees, or about 10% of its workforce, Meta said it would lay off in May. The lawsuit filed late Monday in federal court in Oakland, California, claims the company used internal AI systems, keystroke and activitymonitoring data, AI token-usage dashboards and algorithmically assisted performance rankings,

among other methods, to determine who would be laid off.

Many of these scores and ratings “by design, cannot be accumulated by an employee who is on protected medical or family leave, or whose output is reduced by a disability,” the lawsuit says.

Meta, according to the lawsuit, did not account for protected leave when taking employees’ scores into account and “did not pause the system for the individualized, leave- and accommoda-

tion-neutral review that the law requires.”

As a result, people on protected medical or family leave were disproportionately selected for layoffs, the lawsuit says. Each of the 26 anonymous employees in the lawsuit took protected leave, or requested or received a reasonable accommodation for disability.

Though they have been notified of their layoffs, all 26 remain employed by Meta, with separations set to begin July 22.

Rise in high-tech vehicles increasing right-to-repair, tool access concerns Mechanics say they’re losing business as maker-specific software grows

BY SUMMER BALLENTINE The Detroit News (TNS)

High-tech features are making vehicles more expensive and difficult to repair, putting pressure on already strained car owners and posing an existential crisis for momand-pop mechanics, analysts and consumer advocates say.

At issue is the shift from mostly mechanical vehicles to “big four-wheel rolling computers,” as one auto industry analyst said. Local mechanics say they’re facing roadblocks accessing the tools and information needed to work on modern vehicles, potentially giving dealerships a monopoly on maintenance and repairs of new models.

“Not even just mechanics; the customers are frustrated with that,” said Mohsen Harb, manager at Detroit’s Cass Auto repair shop.

“Because instead of them being able to go to their mechanic and getting it fixed for a much cheaper price, they’re gonna have to go to the dealership and pay three times that to get a fix just because the dealership or the company itself is not allowing these mechanics to get the right tools to be able to fix it.”

Concern about who can repair increasingly tech-heavy vehicles — whether that be dealerships, neighborhood mechanics or vehicle owners — is getting attention from the White House and Congress, although socalled right-to-repair legislation in the U.S. House is moving slowly.

President Donald Trump told reporters that he spoke with leaders of Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Co. in June about “a move on to stop people from fixing their cars.

I thought we’d do something about that.”

Days later, the president issued a memo directing the Environmental Protection Agency to “consider deprioritizing civil tampering enforcement actions against anyone who, in good faith, attempts to fix his or her own vehicle to its original configuration.” The memo is primarily directed at making it easier to tweak vehicle emissions systems.

Decades ago, independent mechanics or handy DIY-ers could fix most auto issues with “a good set of Craftsman tools,” iSeeCars.com analyst Karl Brauer said. Now, many repairs require automaker-specific software available through subscriptions that can cost thousands of dollars a year.

For example, Tesla charges $3,188 for an annual subscription, according to the mechanics and aftermarket parts trade group Auto Care Association. Ford Motor Co. charges $2,500 a year for access, and General Motors Co. charges $1,200 a year.

“As cars have become basically big fourwheel rolling computers, all the things that go with computers, like regular updates to the software, are commonplace now,” Brau-

TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE PHOTO By DANIEL MEARS

Mohsen Harb, manager at Cass Auto, looks over a vehicle in the shop in Detroit on July 6 as he discusses how independent mechanics are frustrated and losing business as vehicles become more tech-heavy and expensive to repair. er said. “Many of them can’t be done over the air, and if you’re not a dealer service center, but an independent (mechanic), your access to those updates is dependent on things like those subscriptions.”

Both dealerships and independent mechanics have to pay for software subscriptions, according to the National Automobile Dealers Association, which in a statement said non-dealer mechanics “already have the information they need to service vehicles.”

Consumer advocates and analysts told The Detroit News that if roadblocks to tools and software lead to dealerships gaining an exclusive hold on modern vehicle repairs, independent shops could shutter and put car owners at the mercy of dealer prices.

Automakers gain control over repairs The higher use of software throughout vehicles is giving automakers more control over who can fix vehicles, Brauer said.

“There’s no way for an independent dealer to say, ‘Well, I’ll just get my own software engineers; we’ll come up with our own way,’” he said. “It’s impossible. So that’s where the nature of the car’s design, and thus the nature of the repair process is so different and so much easier to control at a manufacturer and a dealer level versus just hardware (and) hard tools and material tools that you would have used to fix cars 50-60 years ago.

“The manufacturers would love to have more control over who repairs the car and have basically more of a monopoly on that and make it so that it’s impossible to get the cars repaired outside of the dealers,” Brauer continued. “The dealers would love that, obviously. That’s where dealer profit comes from.”

Ford did not respond to a Detroit News request for comment on the issue, and both

GM and Stellantis NV referred questions to the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a national automaker trade group. The group pointed to an agreement automakers signed in 2014 promising equal access to information and tools for repairs between dealers and independent mechanics.

Yes, your repair bill is probably higher The cost of vehicle maintenance has been rising steadily for decades. Factors include more expensive vehicle parts, more demanding safety requirements from federal regulators, a shortage of qualified vehicle techs and steep competition between automakers to offer more high-tech features.

Vehicle maintenance and repair prices spiked starting in 2022 after COVID-19 caused widespread disruptions throughout the auto industry and a crippling microchip shortage.

Costs rose 36% between May 2022 and May 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This year alone, maintenance costs increased 6%. Price increases for aftermarket auto parts are driven by tariffs, more advanced tech and expensive rare earths and metals needed to make parts, Chung said.

“Those costs are being passed on to the consumer,” Chung said. “So if the manufacturer has to pay more for the part, and then they have to sell to the shop at an increased price, you then sell it to the consumer, you or I, at an increased price.”

Harb said customers at Cass Auto sometimes pay more for a repair than a vehicle is currently worth to avoid new car payments.

Mechanics at the shop on Friday replaced the engine on a 2013 Hyundai Accent sedan worth about $4,000. The engine cost $5,000, Harb said.

United Airlines attempting to attract flyers with empty middle seat Airbus A321XLR aircraft, United said Tuesday that it ex- strikingly different travel experiAirline to offer perk on new with pricing and sales expected pects to be “the only U.S. airline” to ences. And while there’s demand to be disclosed later this year. But have these kind of rows. The middle for roomier seats and other perks, select flights United suggested it could expand seat has long been bemoaned by some budget-conscious travelers

By The Associated Press NEW YORK — United Airlines is trying to attract flyers with another luxurious perk: an empty middle seat.

The Chicago-based carrier announced plans this week to roll out a new row of its “Economy Plus” seats with no neighbor in the middle spot — and instead use the space for a shared table (and more elbow room) between the aisle and window travelers.

The offering is only set to be available in one row on United’s

the no-middle-seat option to other planes down the road.

The move arrives amid a broader push from airlines advertising more and more special tiers and separate add-ons to their flights — particularly when it comes to courting passengers who are willing to pay more for comfort.

United is following the footsteps of a handful of European airlines already offering empty middle seats to business class passengers. And other carriers have also allowed travelers for years to pay extra or buy additional tickets to keep seats near them empty.

travelers — both those in the aisle and window seats that have to share an armrest or more with whoever is occupying the middle seat, and for those passengers stuck wedged in a middle seat between two others.

The latest no-middle-seat option also arrives just months after the airline announced the “United Relax Rows,” which, starting early next year, will allow passengers in economy class to turn a row of three seats on some wider Boeing planes into a couch they can sleep or lounge on after takeoff.

Across carriers, passengers on the same flight can still have

may feel a widening gap between the back and front of the plane — or frustration over new fees for services that were once free and added tiers to juggle when comparing fares.

A handful of big-name airlines, like Delta, have embraced strategies to provide “the best” — not the cheapest — offerings. Meanwhile, United executives have pushed back on the idea that the industry has become solely focused on chasing big spenders, maintaining that premium investments are part of a broader strategy to improve every traveler’s experience.

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STREET

Continued from page 1A resources to proactive policing, including expanded traffic enforcement. The strategy includes active enforcement in what Micheu called “serious accident areas,” such as stretches of Elysian Fields Avenue, North Robertson Street, Claiborne Avenue, St. Claude Avenue, Chef Menteur Highway and Leon C. Simon Drive. There are also intelligence-led deployments, including one that recently shut down a planned “burnout” event.

As of July 9, the department had issued 17,486 citations year-to-date. In 2023, the NOPD issued just 5,212 traffic citations. That number jumped to 30,940 in 2024 and 35,098 in 2025.

“We’re doing more enforcement than we’ve ever done,” Micheu said. “And those numbers speak for themselves.”

The strategy appears to be helping save lives. As of July 9, Orleans Parish had recorded 21 traffic fatalities.

If that pace continues, New Orleans would end the year with about 40 traffic deaths — a 29% decline from the 56 fatalities recorded in 2025 and a 38% drop from the 64 recorded in 2024.

“Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick’s mission is to one, cut down on fatalities.

That was a directive to me,” said Micheu, who has spent 20 of his 37 years with NOPD in its traffic division. “Two, is to make sure we increase

STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

New Orleans Police Department officers monitor motorists for speeding along General De Gaulle Drive in Lower Algiers on Monday. enforcement in areas that our community is constantly talking about.”

Micheu draws on community complaints, officer observations and data to craft operational plans. Most of the city’s high-crime areas are associated with traffic violations, Micheu said.

A recent saturation patrol — a roving DUI enforcement operation funded by a Louisiana Highway Safety Commission grant — led to the arrests of four people wanted on outstanding warrants, including one accused in a rape case.

“If high visibility helps with crime trends, that’s another reason why the superintendent’s plan is to basically get more traffic enforcement cars making

BUDGET

Continued from page 1A lease payments from the Caesars Casino. Later, he said the city cannot treat the state “as an ATM” and that no one has done more for New Orleans than he has.

In still more comments on Monday, he said New Orleans is no longer as important to the state as it once was. But Landry’s comments directly contradicted those in a letter to Moreno last week, where he said New Orleans was the “largest and most economically consequen-

TENANTS

‘We’re going to provide you livable housing. You pay rent.’”

The complex’s former owner, Tennessee-based Ministry Outreach Foundation, a religious nonprofit, did not respond to a request for comment on the settlement.

The settlement comes as major changes are underway at the complex, located off the Interstate 10 Service Road near Crowder Boulevvard. After city officials, advocates and tenants struggled for years to compel Ministry Outreach Foundation to address deplorable conditions or give up control of the property, the complex was sold in a public auction in March to the Lee Adrion Company, a California-based real estate firm.

Residents were notified in May that they would be required to vacate the property for an estimated two years as it undergoes a major cleanup and gut renovation.

Kiefer said that she hopes the settlement funds will assist residents remaining at the property with moving costs.

“We’re just hoping for a

MEGAN KIEFER, attorney for tenants on The Willows full circle moment where it becomes a habitable place again — maybe all the tenants can go back and get what they bargained for,” said Kiefer.

Under the settlement agreement, people who lived at The Willows dating back to 2014 are entitled to a share of the funds, with compensation amounts increasing for those who remained at the 263-unit complex more recently as conditions worsened.

Some tenants could receive more than $10,000, according to Jacob Young, another attorney representing the residents. Nearly a thousand people who held leases at The Willows during those years may be entitled to some reimbursement, he said.

In order to receive compensation, tenants not already connected with the attorneys are required to

CLASSIFIEDS continued from Legal Notices

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

Action Plan, which prioritizes strategic enforcement of speeding, impaired driving, red-light and stop sign viola35,098 tions, aggressive driving and 30,940 illegal parking, as a factor in the decline in traffic deaths.

“Members of the NOPD have been making more 17,486 stops. They’ve been investigating, using information available,” Green said after a National Crime Victim’s 5,212 Rights Week event.

So far this year, the NOPD has made 219 DUI arrests, 2023 2024 2025 2026 already surpassing the 191 YEAR TO DATE recorded during all of 2023.

Staff graphic Since parking enforcement Source: NOPD was transferred to the Trafstops,” Micheu said. fic Division on May 31, MiNew Orleans City Council cheu has been able to coordimember Eugene J. Green nate speeding enforcement in April pointed to the city’s with parking enforcement Safe Streets for All Safety and towing operations in

tial city in the state.”

Moreno has pointed out that the city and the state Legislative Auditor Mike Waguespack, who has been tasked with helping the city resolve the mess Moreno inherited, have said publicly for months that they would need a second bond sale approval, after state officials agreed to an initial one last year.

She said state leaders who seek to defund the city to punish should realize that doing so “is self-harm to Louisiana” and asked the governor to meet with her to discuss the city’s finances and its success.

Since taking office in January and inheriting a projected $222

“My hope is that it would be used as a blueprint for any bad actors that are doing the same thing, so that there’s recourse for tenants that might feel like they don’t have any.”

Continued from page 1A

Traffic citations issued by NOPD

Legal Notices

million deficit, the Moreno administration has identified more than $100 million in new and one-time funding sources, including onetime payments from outside agencies that agreed to dip into their own reserves.

In April, city officials said they would reserve $89 million in a consolidated fund to be liquidated over the next few months.

The fund includes $22.5 million from the Sewerage & Water Board, $17.8 million from federal grants, $15 million from New Orleans Building Commission, $14 million from bond-eligible American Rescue Plan Act funds, $10 million

submit claims by July 24.

Attorneys will submit a plan for distributing the funds within two weeks, at which point tenants will begin receiving payments.

Young said that he is not aware of any other classaction cases in the U.S. that have won reimbursement of rental payments due to poor conditions.

“My hope is that it would be used as a blueprint for any bad actors that are doing the same thing, so that there’s recourse for tenants that might feel like they don’t have any,” added Kiefer, who noted that tenants often struggle to find attorneys in individual cases against landlords because damages are typically small.

Angela Thompson, who moved out of The Willows last year after persistent water leaks, mold and air conditioning issues in her apartment, said that she plans use the settlement funds to visit her grandchildren in Texas.

For years, Thompson declined visits from family out of concern for their health.

“You could feel the dampness in the apartment — it had me sick,” said Thompson. “I just want to be able to see my kids and my grandkids.”

Laci Hargrove, who moved out of The Willows Legal Notices

(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. §§ 30501-30512, claiming h i h i

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.

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

NEWS 24/7 ON

from the Edward Wisner Trust, and $9.3 million from reclassified American Rescue Plan Act funds.

The city is also in receipt of $103 million from the sale of lease payments for Caesars New Orleans casino and hotel, a deal Landry criticized last week in his letter because the city is set to lose almost $50 million over a nine-year period.

The deal allows Texas-based equity firm TPG to collect the lease payments the casino would otherwise pay the city in exchange for paying New Orleans $103 million this year — around $46 million less than the full lease amount over

last year, said she plans to use the settlement funds to purchase a new toaster, microwave and coffeemaker after hers were infested by roaches at the Willows. But she said whatever amount

in the 5100 block of General De Gaulle was in full effect and had attracted a few spectators. From the entry of Michelli’s cocktail lounge, owner Jim Michelli pointed out crash barriers in front of a neighboring corner store.

“They’ve done been through that store three times,” said Michelli, who opened his lounge in 1972.

“Speeding’s ... just a given right here.”

At the Olive Branch, protective exterior columns were among the garden’s new additions.

“We’re going to put rose bushes on those columns to cover them up,” Nguyen said, “So you won’t be able to be able to notice them, but they will be there, protecting.”

nine years.

City officials are considering additional budget measures since withdrawing their $110 million loan request from the state.

Details for how the city will make up the money aren’t clear, but Moreno said in a letter to the governor last week that without the money, officials would have to make $20 million in additional budget cuts, delay infrastructure projects and prolong staff furloughs, which were scheduled to run through the end of this year.

Email Joni Hess at joni.hess@ theadvocate.com.

she receives as a result of the settlement will feel like a small payback for the mold and pests her family lived with for years.

“I feel like it’s never going to be enough — putting my

children’s lives in jeopardy,” said Hargrove. “Money is not enough.”

Email Sophie Kasakove at sophie.kasakove@ theadvocate.com.

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Legal Notices

Legal Notices §§ g 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

problem areas.

On Monday morning, from a desk flanked by American flags and topped with a humidor of Honduran long-leaf tobacco cigars used to reward officers, he conferred with Sgt. Rodney Brown about where to do enforcement.

The 5th District, New Orleans East or General De Gaulle Drive were all options, though morning rain showers and wet terrain complicated logistics.

“I think we can still get this done if it’s not pouring cats and dogs,” Brown said.

“I think General De Gaulle is the best since it’s clear— the cars should be able to see us, we should be able to see them, and the reaction time should be there.”

By noon, the enforcement

PUBLIC NOTICE --The U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic De‐ velopment Administra‐ tion (EDA) is considering a request for Federal as‐ sistance from the City of Kenner to construct the Wastewater Infrastruc‐ ture Upgrades to Enable MSY Airport Expansion and Economic Growth Project in Kenner, Jeffer‐ son Parish, Louisiana.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), EDA is conduct‐ ing an assessment of the potential of the proposed project to affect the envi‐ ronment and/or historic properties.

Notice is hereby given that the project is proposed to be l di ff

*Promotional offer includes 15% off plus an additional 10% off for qualified veterans and/or seniors. One coupon per household. No obligation estimate valid for 1 year. MI 262100627, MN PC799379, NC 87823, L.33946, PA PA172050, TX 44085, WI 1423690

Legal Notices

p j p p located in, or may affect, a floodplain and/or wet‐ land as defined by Exec‐ utive Order (EO) 11988 and/or EO 11990 The project involves im‐ provements to multiple sewer lift stations and force mains, as well as rehabilitation of key process units at the City of Kenner’s wastewater treatment plant. The pro‐ ject will be located at four locations. The Veter‐ ans and Dawson Sewer Lift Station and Force Main Replacement will include the construction of a new sewer lift sta‐ tion with new pumps, controls, and a wet well, as well as installing 1,600 feet of new 6" High Den‐ sity Polyethylene (HDPE) sewer force main from the Veterans and Dawson

Legal Notices

Legal Notices

Legal Notices

Lift Station to the 27th and Dawson Sewer Lift Station. The 27th and Dawson Sewer Force Main Replacement will include replacing the ex‐ isting sewer force main with 7,000 feet of 10" HDPE from the 27th and Dawson Sewer Lift Sta‐ tion to the 24th and Delaware Sewer Lift Sta‐ tion. The Veterans and Parish Line Sewer Lift Station and Force Main Replacement will include the construction of a new sewer lift station with new pumps, con‐ trols and a wet well, as well as installing 2,500 feet of 4" HDPE force main from the station to wastewater treatment plant. The Wastewater Treatment Plant Improve‐ ments will include a re‐ habilitation of all six (6)

aeration basins at the treatment wastewater plant which will include the cleaning and coating of the inner and outer walls of the basin, isola‐ tion gate replacements, air header and diffuser replacements, and pipe replacement. Project in‐ formation is available for review at the City of Ken‐ ner Wastewater Depart‐ ment, located at 1610 Reverend Richard Wilson Drive, Kenner, Louisiana, phone number (504) 4687292.

Kristin Gunning Regional Environmental Officer Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration AURO-REO@eda.gov

If you have any informa‐ tion regarding potential impacts to historic prop‐ erties or environmental resources including wet‐ lands or floodplains as‐ sociated with this pro‐ posed project, please provide it in writing to:

Comments received in the EDA Regional Office by 5:00 pm central on Monday, August 17, 2026 will be considered. A copy of the NEPA/NHPA decisional document will be available upon re‐ quest at the above EDA Regional Office.

Advertised Dates: 3 times July 15, 16, 17 194092-jul 15-16-17-3t $164.62

8A ✦ Thursday, July 16, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

lll

with meteorologist Damon Singleton

TODAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

A passing shower or two

A t-storm around in the p.m.

A heavy t-storm in the p.m.

Partly sunny

A t-storm around in the p.m.

A t-storm around in the p.m.

HIGH

LOW

HIGH

93° 77°

LOW

HIGH

94° 78°

LOW

93° 77°

HIGH

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

Beaumont 91/77 Port Arthur 91/79

Baton Rouge 93/75

Lake Charles 92/76

10s

20s

30s

Houma 93/75

40s

50s

YESTERDAY

60s

70s

80s

90s 100s 110s

JUL 21

City

Atlanta Austin Boston Charlotte Chicago Dallas Denver Houston Las Vegas

PRECIPITATION

92°/76° 91°/77° 95°/75° 100° in 1980 65° in 1990

Sunrise today Sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today FIRST

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 93/77

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

0s

Hattiesburg 96/73

Alexandria 93/73

Lafayette 91/75

HIGH

95° 76°

New Orleans through 5 p.m. Wednesday

Jackson 93/73 Many 92/71

LOW

94° 77°

TEMPERATURE

Longview 90/73

-0s

LOW

Monroe 94/75

Shreveport 91/74

-10s

HIGH

94° 76°

Finally, an opportunity to dry out just a bit. Today, expect a mostly sunny to partly cloudy, hot and humid day with a light breeze.

There’s a small chance we may see isolated showers or storms this afternoon but only a small chance. Temperatures this afternoon will be just about where they should be, rising into the low to mid-90s.

The humidity will be high, so expect heat index values or “feels-like” temperatures to be in the triple digits. Expect more sunshine and low rain chances tomorrow.

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

HIGH

10:17p 4:17p 7:52a 10:31a 12:00p 11:16a 1:08p

FT.

LAST

JUL 29

Hi

88 87 91 98 92 88 92 92 108

TODAY Lo

75 76 69 75 72 76 64 78 87

NEW

AUG 5

W

t t pc t t t s t c

AUG 12

Hi

91 92 87 98 90 92 94 94 101

FRI. Lo

75 77 66 77 74 76 65 77 83

FT.

HIGH

0.7 9:18a -0.2 1.6 2:31a -0.3 1.8 10:44a 1.5 1.8 2:03a 0.0 1.3 10:58p 0.0 1.6 9:21p -0.1 1.6 --- ---

6:11 a.m.

8:03 p.m.

8:36 a.m.

10:00 p.m.

FULL

LOW

0.00” 4.40” 3.47” 39.41” 35.62”

W

t t s t t t s t t

MODERATE

READING 51 MAIN POLLUTANT Particulates

MAIN POLLUTANT Particulates

SOURCE: LOUISIANA DEQ AND AIRNOW.GOV

FT.

LOW

FT.

--- ----- ----- ----- --4:26p 1.6 10:50p -0.4 5:51p 1.6 2:52p 1.5 --- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ---

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

1:30a 2:28a 3:22a 4:12a 4:59a 5:44a 6:28a

Hi

Los Angeles 91 Miami 95 Nashville 88 New york City 89 Philadelphia 95 Phoenix 103 St. Louis 90 San Francisco 69 Seattle 72

7:43a 8:40a 9:34a 10:23a 11:10a 11:55a 12:16a

TODAY Lo

69 80 74 73 76 81 75 55 55

1:56p 8:09p 2:52p 9:04p 3:45p 9:56p 4:34p 10:45p 5:21p 11:32p 6:06p ---6:51p 12:39p

W

s t t pc pc t t s sh

TODAY

MODERATE

Hi

86 94 87 88 93 95 89 67 75

FRI. Lo

67 79 73 71 74 82 76 55 56

W

s t t pc pc t t pc s

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

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

FLOOD STAGE

34 48 48 35 27 22 17

WED. 24-HOUR STAGE CHANGE

15.70 35.90 38.60 23.00 14.60 11.53 7.00

+0.38 -0.94 -1.00 -1.20 -0.90 -0.62 -0.54

40

30.43

-0.33

19

-1.36

-0.01

18 29 8

-0.79 11.17 1.36

-0.06 -0.51 -0.29

13 15

1.75 1.79

-0.09 -0.21

47 34 29 20 12 6

21.08 16.06 13.54 11.48 7.00 3.92

-0.11 -0.08 -0.16 -0.10 none +0.04

data as of 7 a.m. Wednesday

Forecasts and graphics, except for Damon’s Outlook, provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2026

Flooding forces evacuations in parts of South Texas

BY JESSE BEDAYN and JAMIE STENGLE Associated Press

UVALDE, Texas — Widening evacuation warnings and high-water rescues in Texas mounted Wednesday under relentlessly heavy storms that turned roads into rivers, washed away vehicles and spun up a tornado across a busy interstate in San Antonio.

Texas game wardens have participated in rescues of more than 40 people so far in the flooding, mostly in the Uvalde County area, according to a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department spokesperson.

Forecasters warned that already dangerous conditions were likely to worsen in some hard-hit communities. The deluge dumped nearly a foot of rain in some counties and put people in dozens of counties under flood watches, including parts of the Texas Hill Country where last summer’s devastating floods killed more than 100 people.

Some of the flood watches were expected to remain in effect through Friday evening.

The National Weather Service said a tornado touched down in the northwestern part of San Antonio near Interstate 10. Videos posted on social media showed what appeared to be a small twister. Apartment buildings and other properties were damaged, local officials said.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By DARREN ABATE

Members of the Boerne Fire Department rescue a woman from floodwaters on Wednesday in Boerne, Texas.

There have been no reports of deaths or injuries from the tornado or the flooding.

As much as 10 to 20 inches of rain was possible in some places before the storms move out, the weather service said.

The highest rainfall totals so far — up to 16 inches — have been in Uvalde County, where officials tallied 25 rescues as of 9 a.m. Wednesday, and said more people needed help as river levels rose. Highways and roads were closed across the region because of high water.

The county normally gets about

23 inches of rain a year, according to the Uvalde County Extension Office.

The Uvalde Police Department said on Facebook at 1 p.m. that a dam in the northern part of the county was still intact, but the Leona River was still expected to rise another 15 feet. Police warned people along the river to get to higher ground.

State Rep. Don McLaughlin said that despite a “little lull,” the rainfall wasn’t done and waterways could become more dangerous.

“The rivers and the creeks are go-

ing to be coming up, and they’re going to be coming up again with a vengeance,” McLaughlin said.

Frances McNamara and her 10-year-old son, Everett, watched the bloated Leona River in Uvalde sweep southward Wednesday as she considered possible evacuation routes. She pointed to a solid line of dirt, branches and twigs about 8 feet above the river where the water reached the day before.

“We’ve seen the water rise, but not to this extent,” she said, describing how it rushed through a ditch next to her home with enough force to sound like a river on Tuesday.

This week’s severe weather brought back memories of last year’s deadly flooding in Texas Hill Country.

“It scared me,” said McNamara, her eyes wet with tears as she recalled the 2025 floods. “Cause I have a son, and to know what those parents went through.” Her son reached up and patted her back.

Uvalde police ordered mandatory evacuations for some parts, with first responders notifying people affected directly, the department said on Facebook. Others were asked to stay vigilant in case more evacuations are needed.

Some folks walked out of their homes onto the street to see the water growing closer every hour, their faces worried. People living along the river scrambled to pack

cars and head out, though many did not yet know where they should go.

One man threw two kayaks into his truck bed, just in case.

Bailey Luckman, 26, was getting ready to evacuate with her dog Wednesday afternoon. The floodwaters are close to her house, she said, and authorities recommended that she leave.

“I’m very worried about my things,” Luckman said.

She gestured to an inundated road nearby, saying she normally drives that route to get to the gym.

It looked more like a river than a road. “I’ve never seen it flow the way that it is right now, so that’s pretty terrifying,” Luckman said.

Lightning flashed as clouds darkened the landscape, and brown water created large rapids in the typically calm Leona River. The river was pushing up against the town’s high bridge and into neighborhoods by Wednesday afternoon.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has issued disaster declarations for dozens of counties.

Authorities posted videos on Tuesday showing a rescue crew in a boat navigating flooded streets and a vehicle being swept away by fast-moving waters. Five people were rescued by the Texas Game Warden Search and Rescue Team and four were rescued by a local game warden, said Maggie Berger, a Texas Parks and Wildlife spokeswoman.

Hegseth announces new policy to test troops for low testosterone

BY KONSTANTIN TOROPIN and MATTHEW PERRONE Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Wednesday that he is rolling out a new screening program for “testosterone deficiency” among troops, calling it necessary to allow them to operate at their “absolute best.”

The screenings will be conducted annually as part of service members’ required medical screenings for those 30 and older, he said. Troops under 30 can volunteer to be tested. In a video on social media, Hegseth said receiving testosterone replacement therapy

would be voluntary.

In the video, Hegseth simply refers to troops, though it appears he is talking about only testing men in uniform for hormone irregularities.

The move comes as other Trump administration officials have begun to advocate for men to have easier Hegseth access to testosterone replacement therapies, but the messaging from Hegseth and others blends known science on the hormone with broader, and less substantiated, claims.

When asked what conditions Hegseth was looking to address with the new policy, the Pentagon referred to Hegseth’s remarks in the video that mentioned keeping troops “strong, resilient and capable” and that the rigors of the modern battlefield demand “maximum psychological and mental readiness.”

Over the past several years, special operations troops — and specifically Navy SEALs — have come under scrutiny for their use of testosterone and similar substances to enhance performance.

Hegseth said his new initiative is “not about artificial enhancement.”

The Pentagon did not respond to

questions about what research or academic studies underpinned the move. It also didn’t say if female troops would be able to be evaluated for estrogen-based therapy as they entered perimenopause.

Testosterone levels in men decline naturally with age and have long been linked to issues like erectile dysfunction, low libido, mood changes and weight gain.

But experts have debated for years how to diagnose those problems and whether they should be treated by replacing the hormone.

Hegseth’s announcement comes as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other Trump administration officials are moving to

make it easier for doctors to prescribe testosterone. Last month, the Food and Drug Administration proposed easing prescribing limits on testosterone gels, pills, patches and injections.

The current FDA label specifies that the medications are only for men with hypogonadism, a medical condition that causes drastically low testosterone.

But many influencers and proponents of Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” movement tout testosterone as a way to look younger, build muscle and stay mentally sharp — although those uses aren’t accepted by most medical experts.

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

METRO N O L A.C O M

|

T h u r s d ay, J u ly 16, 2026

1BN

Jefferson teachers may not get raise in an interview TuesEducators would be in line for stipends said day that the salary hike the

BY ELYSE CARMOSINO Staff writer

Jefferson Parish School Board members said they may scrap a tentative plan to give teachers a 1% raise, saying the move likely won’t be feasible after lawmakers approved an order by Gov. Jeff Landry to cut school budgets to pay for teacher stipends.

Instead of permanent raises, Jefferson Parish will give $2,000 one-time stipends to teachers and $1,000 stipends to support staffers, as required by Landry’s order. The state Legislature previously paid for the educator stipends, but under Landry’s plan the money will come out of school district budgets this year.

Board member Chad Nugent

the state funding cut, Nugent said.

The state is reducing the district considered giving district’s budget by about employees would have $11 million to cover the cost about $6 million annucost of the stipends. The ally. While the board had district also plans to give yet to announce or vote on the one-time payments to the raise, Jefferson Parish principals and other staffschools Superintendent Gray James Gray mentioned ers — including social plans for a pay increase in a letter workers, occupational therapists to lawmakers last month. and school psychologists — who But now there likely won’t be were not included in Landry’s exenough money for raises due to ecutive order, which will add about

$1.5 million to the cost, Nugent said.

During a July 1 board meeting, Gray didn’t discuss the possible raise but told board members that the district was evaluating its contracts and taking “everything into consideration” to make up for the funding reduction.

“We’re putting together a game plan that will let us address the stipends without compromising

ä See TEACHERS, page 2B

Jefferson Parish president addresses Congress Lee Sheng seeks disaster relief changes

BY LARA NICHOLSON Staff writer

ABOVE: Construction crews work on drainage infrastructure along Causeway Boulevard in Metairie on Wednesday. Eight months after construction began, drivers are seeing progress on a nearly $19 million project designed to ease traffic congestion along Causeway Boulevard in Metairie, according to our partners at WWL Louisiana. The project stretches from Airline Drive to West Napoleon Avenue, a heavily traveled corridor that carries about 74,000 vehicles daily. When completed, Causeway Boulevard will expand from two to three lanes in each direction through the construction area. Improvements will also include upgraded traffic signals, decorative lighting, better drainage and ADA-compliant pedestrian crossings. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2027. RIGHT: Concrete drainage pipes line the side of Causeway Boulevard as construction continues on Wednesday.

CAUSEWAY CONSTRUCTION CONTINUES

ä See CONGRESS, page 2B

STAFF PHOTOS By BRETT DUKE

Program targets empty downtown N.O. storefronts Ground-floor retail space eyed for commercial return

BY JONAH MEADOWS Staff writer

Business owners looking to lease retail space in downtown New Orleans could get a boost from a pilot program aimed at helping to cover the cost of renovating long-vacant storefronts.

The Downtown Development District on Monday launched a new grant program that will match up to half of the cost of renovating empty ground-floor commercial spaces, offering as much as $20,000 per project to eligible property owners and tenants.

The “Activate Downtown:

properties by reducing the upfront costs associated with tenant build-out.

Seth Knudsen, president and CEO of the Downtown Development District, said some businesses could handle the cost of a new downtown lease but lack the money for the initial investment required to bring a vacant space back into commerce.

“Maybe this just aligns perfectly with someone who’s out STAFF FILE PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER there that’s considering making The Downtown Development the decision to lease the space, District launched a new grant and maybe this opportunity is program Monday to help open the thing that sort of makes it ground-floor retail space that has possible for the transaction to move forward,” he said. “That’s been vacant for at least a year. what we’re hoping.”

The program is starting small, Turning Vacant Spaces into with just $60,000 set aside by the Thriving Places” initiative aims DDD and a plan to award at least to clear the way for brick-and- three grants. But if there is a lot mortar businesses to fill vacant of interest in the program, the

Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng appeared before Congress on Wednesday to advocate for changes in disaster relief she said would help local governments as federal leaders push for a bipartisan bill to overhaul the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Lee Sheng testified before the U.S. Sheng House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure in Washington, D.C., on behalf of the National Association of Counties to express her support for the Fixing Emergency Management for Americans Act. She appeared alongside several other disaster recovery experts, including former FEMA administrator Craig Fugate.

The bill proposes sweeping changes to FEMA and its policies, the biggest change being the removal of FEMA from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to make it

Murder defendant found guilty after jail escape

Inmate faked seizure, pepper-sprayed deputy

district’s board could consider expanding it in its 2027 budget cycle, according to Knudsen, who hopes grants can be the catalyst that makes a project viable.

There are currently about 400,000 square feet of vacant retail space across the district, which is bounded by Claiborne Avenue, Iberville Street, the Mississippi River and the Pontchartrain Expressway. And the district’s overall retail vacancy rate is 7.9%, with 45 vacant spaces currently on the market for lease, according to DDD Communications Manager Emma Hildreth, citing commercial real estate data firm CoStar.

She said there isn’t a count of how many properties there are that could get the grants as there

Leon Ruffin, the inmate who faked a medical emergency and used a pilfered pepper spray canister to attack and escape from a Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office deputy, was found guilty Tuesday following a two-day trial, according to the Jefferson Parish District Attorney’s Office.

Judge Stephen Enright Jr. of the 24th Judicial District Court immediately sentenced Ruffin to 32 years and ordered him returned to the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola.

“He can go back to Angola just as soon as they can get him there,” Enright said, adding that he would personally call Angola’s warden to request that they “send the van immediately.”

ä See PROGRAM, page 2B

ä See GUILTY, page 2B

BY MICHELLE HUNTER Staff writer

2B ✦ Thursday, July 16, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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Court upholds firing of ex-NOPD officer

ruled on Tuesday.

Bakewell’s demotion to sergeant Bakewell appealed to the 4th Cir- him, newly elected Orleans Parish Demotion, dismissal ofAAppeal three-judge panel unanimously for workplace sexual harassment cuit Court of Appeal, which sided Sheriff Michelle Woodfork hired the Civil Service Com- and his termination for sexual bat- with the commission.

Bakewell to join the Sheriff’s Ofstemmed from sexual affirmed “We find that the NOPD acted fice. mission’s decision, leaving in place tery in March 2025. harassment of Woodfork had been the NOPD’s Bakewell was acquitted of the within its authority in disciplining Anthony’s Bakewell’s termination from the NOPD for acts that alleg- criminal sexual battery charge af- Bakewell. Additionally, based on interim superintendent when the subordinate edly included slapping a female of- ter a key witness failed to appear the particular facts of this case, we investigations into Bakewell’s al-

BY MISSY WILKINSON Staff writer

A former New Orleans Police Department lieutenant will remain demoted and fired over findings that he sexually harassed a subordinate officer, the state’s 4th Circuit Court

ficer on the buttocks, making sexually explicit comments about her at a holiday potluck party, and writing “Can I be your baby daddy?” on the dry-erase board she used to track her cases.

The NOPD Public Integrity Bureau’s investigation into an anonymous complaint culminated in

in court.

In May 2025, a Civil Service hearing examiner recommended demotion without termination, finding that dismissal was not commensurate with the infractions.

But the full Civil Service Commission in November upheld both the demotion and dismissal.

New Orleans launches interactive infrastructure work dashboard

their address and find nearby ficer of infrastructure and diTool tracks road and up projects, the estimated start rector of public works, said in a maintenance projects and end dates, the budget of the statement..

BY MARCO CARTOLANO Staff writer

New Orleans launched an interactive dashboard Wednesday that tracks infrastructure projects and maintenance activities across the city.

The dashboard shows where work is happening across the city, what kind of work is being done and when work expected to take place. It includes active and planned capital projects and Sewerage & Water Board maintenance work orders, street closures and other ongoing work.

Residents can use it by looking

Elton cuts salaries amid financial turmoil

BY JOEL THOMPSON Staff writer

The town of Elton is slashing salaries for its mayor and police chief amid financial turmoil that stems back several years.

According to Elton Mayor Michael Pierrotti, his salary following the new adjustments is just shy of $12 an hour, or an annual salary of about $23,000, cut from $38,400. The police chief’s salary was cut to $11 an hour, or about $21,000 per year.

The sharp decrease in wages comes as the Jefferson Davis Parish town has been embroiled in the fallout from years of financial mismanagement dating to before Pierrotti took office in May 2024 following a recall of the previous mayor, Keisa Lemoine.

Pierrotti, who prior to taking office served as an alderman, claimed to have uncovered multiple major financial issues not previously known to the public, including $92,000 in health insurance premiums being paid to former employees and their dependents following their termination.

Additionally, the town owes around $215,000 in overdue federal payroll taxes.

KPLC reported in January 2024 that the town likely owed over $1 million in police pensions through the Municipal Police Employees Retirement System.

Under Louisiana state law, every local police force is required to enroll each of its officers in the program. For several years following the passage of the rule, Elton failed to do so, which led to a lawsuit being filed against the town by MPERS.

PROGRAM

project and contacts for project management and community outreach.

The dashboard was developed by the city’s Infrastructure Coordination Committee, which Mayor Helena Moreno established in January.

“Our hope and goal are that this tool will provide a useful one-stop location for our residents, businesses, and infrastructure providers to find out who is and/or will be working and provide links to additional details and a means for more transparent communication and coordination,” Steve Nelson, deputy chief administrative of-

CONGRESS

Continued from page 1B

Moreno has pledged to modernize city services and provide more transparency since taking office. Her data team also released a dashboard in April to track the city’s overtime spending as the administration worked to cut spending and dig New Orleans out of a budget crisis.

The infrastructure dashboard comes as officials say the 10-month S&WB project to upgrade aging infrastructure on Decatur Street is winding down.

The project, which rendered one of the French Quarter’s most popular roads impassable has drawn criticism from local business owners and state officials.

come from in Louisiana. We’ve never had snow before. So it’s very frightening, to be frank, and we want as a country to have disaster reform and disaster response that matches the challenges that we face.”

Since 2024, Lee Sheng has served as co-chair of the National Association of Counties’ Intergovernmental Disaster Reform Task Force, a body of 28 members that makes federal disaster policy recommendations with the goal of strengthening intergovernmental partnerships and enhancing local disaster mitigation and recovery.

She came into the role shortly after completing her first term as parish president, where she led the parish through a litany of major disasters including the COVID-19 pandemic, Hurricane Ida and threats to the water supply because of saltwater intrusion caused by severe droughts.

Separate from the House bill, President Donald Trump also appointed his own FEMA Review Council to identify changes to the agency after originally proposing the elimination of FEMA altogether and cutting more than 200 employees during the Department of Government Efficiency’s downsizing effort.

That council published a report last May that recommended shifting responsibility for disaster relief from federal to state governments, as well as raising thresholds for federal disaster declaration.

Several House Democrats also criticized Trump during Wednesday’s committee hearing for denying disaster aid to Democratic-led states and for diverting FEMA staff to help with immigration enforcement, according to a report by House Democrats shared with the Washington Post.

an independent, Cabinet-level agency.

Lee Sheng lauded several provisions of the bill intended to expedite recovery at the local level, such as giving grants to local governments to pay for disaster recovery on the front end instead of reimbursements, streamlining bureaucratic procedures for obtaining aid and expanding on FEMA’s mitigation programs to help prevent additional damage in future disasters.

“Public assistance is crucial for helping communities rebuild after disasters, but the lengthy reimbursement process can delay recovery and hinder our ability to restore critical services,” Lee Sheng said.

The bill passed the House committee last September, but it awaits House floor action.

Under current FEMA assistance programs, local governments and organizations are responsible for the cost of disaster recovery and can later receive reimbursement from FEMA. While the current reimbursement system protects against fraud, waste and abuse, Fugate said, it can also cause local governments to wait years before receiving funds.

Disaster mitigation and recovery, as well as the role of FEMA, have become increasingly vital to communities across the country as disasters grow more frequent due to climate change. Last year alone, the United States faced 23 different billion-dollar disasters that collectively caused more than $115 billion in damages, according to Lee Sheng.

“We are seeing different kinds of challenges, different kinds of hazards that we’ve never seen before,” Lee Sheng Email Lara Nicholson at said. “We had snow where I lnicholson@theadvocate.com.

interior demolition and build-out, including signage, security imContinued from page 1B provements, permits, labor and materials but excluding equipment, professional fees or operaare specific criteria for eligibility. tions costs, according to the proSpaces that exceed 10,000 gram application. square feet, chain and franchise While district staff retain disbusinesses and more than a dozen cretion over final awards, they types of enterprises — including laid out a scoring criteria used to massage parlors, strip clubs, rank applicants. smoke shops, pawnbrokers, psyProjects on Canal Street get an chics and churches — are ineli- automatic bonus, and more points are awarded to spaces that were gible.

Leases must be signed after previously occupied but that July 13 and must extend for at have sat vacant for more than least 24 months, and retail ten- two years. More preference goes ants must remain open for at least to spaces set to be occupied by 12 straight months after project small businesses opening their first location, those that are part completion.

Grant money can be used for of larger vacant properties and

those that provide additional crime prevention benefits.

“A vacant building is a development opportunity, and it’s also a liability,” Knudsen said.

“It may be worth investing in a vacant building to make it less likely to attract graffiti, crime, litter, etc. and at the same time provide a better environment — for future business attraction, for future resident attraction — and so I think there’s very much a synergy between them.”

Applications are open until Oct. 15 with plans to announce recipients Nov. 2.

Email Jonah Meadows at jonah.meadows@theadvocate. com.

find that the CSC was not arbitrary or capricious in denying Bakewell’s appeal,” wrote Judges Tiffany Gautier Chase, Karen K. Herman and Nakisha Ervin-Knott.

The decision marks Bakewell’s latest unsuccessful attempt to return to law enforcement. Less than two months after the NOPD fired

TEACHERS

Continued from page 1B current needs, but there may be some issues down the road,” he said. “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”

Budget changes

leged misconduct began. She was also a longtime resident of the department’s 7th District, where Bakewell served as assistant commander.

Bakewell resigned from his OPSO post in early June amid an internal OPSO review and mounting media scrutiny.

ber, according to data.

Now that Landry’s proposal has been finalized, districts are figuring out what budget changes to make. The Ascension Parish School Board nixed plans this week to give teachers a permanent salary increase, while St. Tammany Parish schools officials announced they may have to eliminate certain job positions to recoup the lost funds.

Jefferson Parish School Board members said the district has been fiscally responsible and should be able to absorb the roughly 5% state funding reduction this school year without making immediate cuts to positions and programs. However, they said the district might have to put longer-term spending plans on hold, such as replacing aging technology in the next few years.

Board member Ralph Brandt argued that requiring school systems to dip into their reserve funds will force some to delay important projects.

“It puts us on a slower pace,” he said.

The board will finalize any changes to the budget during an Aug. 3 budget hearing, during which district administrators will present recommendations on possible cost savings.

Jefferson Parish schools declined to comment on the pay hike. In a statement, spokesperson Kaela Lewis said the district is focused on finalizing the budget “before discussing specific implications publicly.”

The district’s teachers union, the Jefferson Federation of Teachers, did not respond to a request for comment.

In early June, Landry proposed giving school employees one-time bonuses by making nearly $170 million in cuts to Louisiana’s main education fund, saying school boards would need to “tighten their belts.”

Landry and some lawmakers argue that school systems can afford the cuts, pointing out that districts are expected to put some money aside for unexpected expenses.

Jefferson Parish schools had about $119 million in its reserves in 2025, according to numbers from the Legislative Auditor’s Office.

But district leaders across the state have pushed back, arguing the cuts would jeopardize school programs and employee jobs. Several Jefferson Parish School Board members expressed concern that Landry may ask school systems to make the stipends permanent, which they said would financially set districts back even further.

In a letter to lawmakers last month, Gray said the funding cut could affect “personnel, programs, services and resources that directly support students.”

State financial experts recommend districts set aside at least 16.7% of their annual revenues to create rainy day funds. If Jefferson Parish schools pull $11 million out of their reserves, it will put the Email Elyse Carmosino at district slightly below that num- ecarmosino@theadvocate.com.

GUILTY

Continued from page 1B

finally rearrested Feb. 27, 2024, at the Trident Inn Hotel in New Orleans East, authorities said.

Ruffin was sentenced to life plus 40 years in prison after he was convicted Sept. 18, 2024, of Johnson’s murder.

In addition to the escape charges, he was also booked with having contraband in the correctional center after officers discovered a pack of cigarettes and a lighter smuggled between his buttocks, authorities said.

Investigators later determined Ruffin stole the pepper spray from a corrections officer who’d left it unattended the night before the escape, according to authorities.

The officer was disciplined after an investigation, the Sheriff’s Office said.

As during his murder trial, Ruffin was banished from the courtroom during the escape trial for repeated outbursts, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

Richard Robinson, 34, of Harvey, pleaded guilty Monday to being an accessory after the fact to simple escape and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. He was sentenced to five years in prison for driving Ruffin to the Trident Inn and providing him with food and supplies during the escape, according to authorities.

Ruffin’s wife, Shelita Ruffin, 54, was sentenced to two years in prison after she pleaded guilty in March 2025 to conspiracy to introduce contraband at the correctional center. In recorded jail calls, the couple plotted to smuggle cigarettes into the facility, according to authorities.

Ruffin, 53, was being held at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center in Gretna while awaiting trial for the murder of his longtime friend, 53-year-old Gannon Johnson.

On the afternoon of Feb. 25, 2024, Ruffin appeared to suffer a seizure at the jail, according to the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. A deputy was assigned to escort Ruffin to Ochsner Medical Center West Bank in unincorporated Gretna for treatment.

Ruffin was not properly secured with handcuffs or shackles because he had a medical boot on his right foot and a bandage on his left hand.

He was also using a wheelchair.

Sheriff’s Office investigators said Ruffin was faking it all as part of his getaway plan.

“I think that’s a ruse,” Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joseph Lopinto said of Ruffin’s afflictions shortly after the escape. “Unfortunately, he gamed the system in order to be able to take advantage of the situation.”

At about 6:30 p.m., Ruffin was medically cleared and placed on the back seat of the deputy’s marked patrol vehicle to return to the jail. As she was driving through the parking lot, Ruffin began screaming that he was in pain, authorities said.

When the deputy pulled over to check on him, Ruffin emptied a can of pepper spray in her face and charged at her, according to the authorities. The deputy fired her service weapon at Ruffin, but he Email Michelle Hunter at was not injured. Ruffin then drove mhunter@theadvocate.com. off in her vehicle.

Authorities recovered the deputy’s vehicle at about 9:12 p.m., LOTTERY abandoned in the parking lot of a business in the 3600 block of GenTUESDAY, JULY 14, 2026 eral De Gaulle Drive in Algiers.

PICK 3: 0-9-2 They found an inmate uniform PICK 4: 0-3-5-8 nearby.

PICK 5: 3-2-6-7-3 Ruffin apparently returned to his last known address on Holiday MEGA MILLIONS: Drive in Algiers, where he started 2-4-10-48-56 calling family members, accordMEGA BALL: 22 ing to authorities.

Law enforcement spent two days Unofficial notification, keep your tickets. searching for Ruffin before he was

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Thursday, July 16, 2026 ✦ 3B

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New Orleans Area Deaths Bertucci Jr., Christopher Brown, Dwight Carter, Eliza Dupclay-Coleman, Korsette Faciane, Darrin Harris, Virginia Jones Sr., Raymond Sterling-Marshall, Denise Toca, Carolyn Williams, Joseph

Obituaries Bertucci Jr., Christopher A.

Christopher Anthony Bertucci, Jr. passed away peacefully on July 12, 2026, at the age of 89. Born on April 13, 1937, in New Orleans, LA, he was the son of the late Agnes LeBlanc Bertucci and Christopher Bertucci. A lifelong resident of the New Orleans area, Chris was a graduate of Fortier High School and attended LSU. He built a distinguished career in real estate, becoming a respected broker and earning numerous professional certifications.

Alongside his beloved wife and fellow real estate broker, he owned and operated a successful real estate firm, Bertucci Realty, Inc. His professionalism, integrity, and commitment to serving others earned him the respect and admiration of colleagues and clients.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Chris dedicated much of his life to service. He was past president of the Jaycees and was deeply committed to his Catholic faith.

Ordained as a permanent deacon in 1991, he devoted himself to serving God's people. He ministered at St. Philip Neri, St. Ann, St. Pius X Catholic Church and at parishes in Mississippi.

He also provided pastoral care at EJ Hospital, Orleans Parish Prison, and Southeast LA Mental Health Hospital in Mandeville, bringing compassion, encouragement, and faith to those in need.

Chris was preceded in death by his parents; siblings, Russell Bertucci, Rosalie Aleman, Peter Bertucci, and Jimmie Bertucci; and his beloved son, Christopher A. Bertucci, III. He is survived by his devoted wife of 61 years, Elizabeth Maenza Bertucci; his children, Leslie Bertucci, Elizabeth Bertucci, and Maria Villafranco (Danny); his grandchildren, Michael Ural, Jr., Henri Lespinasse, Anna Kedzuch, Brittany Winter, Daniel Villafranco, Jr., Bradley Oster, Alex Lespinasse, Christian Villafranco, Sophia Villafranco, and Dante Ness; and 22 great-grandchildren.

Chris had a joyous and generous spirit, a wonderful sense of humor, and a gift for making others smile. He loved to laugh, have fun, and share his love of art, music, travel, and good food with family and friends. His kindness, warmth, faith, and devotion to others will remain an inspiration to all who knew and loved him.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend visitation on Friday, July 17, 2026, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at St. Pius X Catholic Church in New Orleans, followed by Mass celebrated by Archbishop James Checchio at 11:30 a.m. Interment will follow at Lake Lawn Park Mausoleum.

Brown, Dwight Anthony

Dwight Anthony Brown, age 72 passed away peacefully on July 8, 2026, at Ochsner Medical Center.

Dwight was a resident of New Orleans, LA. He attended George Washington Carver Senior High School graduating in 1971. Dwight built a dedicated career in education. He received a bachelor's degree and two master's degrees from Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO).

Throughout his career, he taught at Robert R. Moton Elementary School, Livingston Middle School, and Francis T. Gregory Middle School and later served as the Assistant Principal at Sarah T. Reed Senior High School.

Outside of his career, Dwight loved Line Dancing and gathering with family.

Dwight was preceded in death by his parents, Sieade and Valentine Brown, and one sister Jennifer Brown Gray. He leaves to cherish his memories his children: Dwight Jr. (Brittany), Candance and Tequilia Brown and Tori Harris Chatman. His sisters; Lubrina Leufroy (Jeron), Adrian Jarreau (Ernest) and Patrice Brown. Three grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Celebration of Life service will be on Saturday July 18, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at Next Generations OMS Church, 3536 St. Ferdinand Street, New Orleans, La. 70122. Rev. Tyrone Smith, Sr. (Pastor) officiating.

Visitation from 9:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m. (service time).

Interment on Monday July 20, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at Southeast Louisiana Veterans Cemetery, 34888 Grantham College Dr. Slidell, La. 70460.

Arrangements Entrusted To Estelle J. Wilson Funeral Home, Inc. 2715 Danneel Street.

NOLA 70113 Information: (504) 8954903

Carter, Eliza Mae

Tishelle Coleman, one great-grandchild, A'Ryah Skai Cowan and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, family and friends. She was preceded in death by her daughter Shannon M. Coleman; her parents Robert Dupclay, Sr. and Verdie O'Neal Dupclay; and her brothers Robert, Jr., and Edward M. Dupclay, Sr. Relatives, friends, Priest and parishioners of St. Katharine Drexel Catholic Church, and also the employees of Central City, Mercy Endeavors Senior Center, Jones Walker, YMCA, Harmony Oaks Senior Center, James Singleton Charter School, Kearney Companies. Inc., and Sewerage and Water Board are invited the attend the Mass at Christian Burial on Friday, July 17, 2026 at St. Katharine Drexel Catholic Church, 2015 Louisiana Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70115 at 10:00 a.m. Visitation from 9:00 a.m. until 9:50 a.m. Father Lambert Lein, Celebrant.

Private Burial. You may sign the guest book on www.gertrydegeddeswilli s.com. Gertrude Geddes Willis Funeral Home Inc., in charge (504) 522-2525.

Dupclay-Coleman, Korsette M.

Korsette M. DupclayColeman, age 73, was born on July 30, 1952 in New Orleans, LA, entered God's heavenly kingdom on Thursday, July 2, 2026. She attended Warren Easton Senior High School.

Korsette was the loving mother of Allen M. Coleman, Jr. (Kendra).

Lifelong partner of August Johnson. Beloved sister of Sylvia M. Wilson, Drunita D. Washington, and Leon Dupclay, Sr. (Anita). She was also survived by 3 grandchildren, Jaquan R. Coleman, Aaliyah Alyssa Coleman and Ayianna

Jones Sr., Raymond Clifford

Faciane, Darrin

Family and friends are invited to celebrate the life of Darrin Jamil Faciane, who passed away on June 20, 2026 in New Orleans, LA. Darrin was 33 and deeply loved by his family, friends and coworkers. He leaves behind his mother, Darnell A. Faciane, father, Jeffrey Faciane, sister, Jessica Faciane Arevalo, brother, Cody Faciane, daughter, Harmonie Faciane and a wide circle of friends and family. He preceded in death by his grandfather, Leon C. Armwood Sr., grandmother, Lillian Brooks Armwood and uncle, Corvell Armwood. Please join us for a celebration of life on July 17, 2026 at Resurrection of Our Lord church at 11a.m. New Orleans, LA. Repast will follow cemetery at Resurrection of Our Lord School Gym. Arrangements entrusted to Heritage Funeral Directors, 4101 St Claude Ave., New Orleans, LA 70117.

Harris, Virginia Fiorella Esta On Tuesday, July 7, our beloved Eliza Mae Carter, cherished matriarch of the Carter family, peacefully entered her heavenly home at the age of 97.

Eliza was born in Belle Rose, Louisiana, to the late Jack and Dora Carter. As a young woman, she followed her dreams to New Orleans, where she worked for Greyhound and the Pontchartrain Hotel while lovingly raising her two sons. She leaves to cherish her precious legacy her son, Wilbert "Bobby" Carter, along with a host of family and friends.

A celebration of her life will be held on Saturday, July 18th at Christ Temple Church, 1339 Gallier Street, New Orleans at 10am.

Visitation will begin at 8:30am. A burial will be held at Resthaven Memorial Park.

Lee, Shenita, Sherrell, Dorothy, Stacy, and Belinda. We would also like to thank Care Associates Hospice.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend the services on Saturday, July 18, 2026 at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd.

New Orleans, LA 70124. The visitation will begin at 8:30 am until the funeral mass at 10:00 am. The interment will follow within Metairie Cemetery, which is in the same grounds as the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, please donate in her honor to the Alzheimer's Association.

Virginia Fiorella Esta Harris passed away peacefully on July 13, 2026 at age 85. She was the beloved wife of the late Seymour J. Harris and devoted mother of Christina Anderson (loving son-in-law, Kenny), Michael Esta (loving daughter-in-law, Sherry), and James Esta. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Brandi Clement (Scott), Brad Esta (McKenzie), Blake Esta (Sage), Korey Anderson, and Kyle Anderson, and Great-grandchildren, Elijah, Brody, Reid, and Cody. She was preceded in death by her parents, Carlo "Kelly" J. Fiorella and Jennie Picataci Fiorella, and her brothers, Angelo J. Fiorella (Earline) and Andrew J. Fiorella.

Virginia was born in Morgan City, raised in New Orleans, and a resident of Kenner. She graduated from St. Joseph Academy and attended UNO and Dominican College, later graduating in Business.

She was a former employee of Shell Oil, Olaf Lambert, LL&E, and Halperns Promenade.

She was a lifelong friend of Linda Bucher and longtime companion of the late David Felix.

She loved traveling, spending time at the casinos, ballroom dancing, and drinking red wine. She especially loved spending Saints Sundays with her family.

The family would like to thank the employees of Inspired Living, especially Shauna, Sandy, Nichelle,

ceded in death by her mother, Viola Hawkins; her father ,Marvin D. Boone; her husband, Sylvester Sterling; her sister, Joyce Toussaint; and her brother, Errol Hawkins.

Her beautiful legacy lives on through her devoted daughters, Shawna Sterling-Robinson and Jasmin Brittney Sterling; her cherished grandchildren, Kamren Smith and Nile Robinson; her loving sisters, Karen (Franklin), Melanie (Donald), Vanessa (Floyd), her brother Bobby (Lori), her beloved in-laws Gwen, Vera, Ike ,David, Emelda; and a host of nieces, nephews and dear friends.

Family and friends are invited to attend the Memorial Service on Saturday, July 18, 2026, for 1:00 p.m. at The Boyd Family Funeral Home, 5001 Chef Menteur Hwy, New Orleans, LA 70126.

Visitation will begin at 12:30 p.m.

Minister Channel Clivens-Smith, officiating. A celebration of her life will follow directly after the service. Contact the family for details.

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

Linear Brooks Boyd and Donavin D. Boyd Owners/Funeral Directors.

Toca, Carolyn Manint 'Minnie'

On Sunday June 28, 2026 Raymond Clifford Jones Sr. a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, cousin and friend entered into eternal rest peacefully in his home at the wonderful age of 83.

A celebration of life will be held on Friday July 17, 2026 beginning 10am at Greater Evergreen Baptist Church,2243 Clouet St. New Orleans, LA 70117. www.litt lejohnfuneralhomellc.com

Sterling-Marshall, Denise Hawkins

Denise Hawkins Sterling Marshall, a radiant soul who brought light and joy to everyone she met, peacefully passed away on June 28, 2026, at the age of 66. Denise was a dedicated professional and a familiar face in her community. She spent many years serving as the PBX supervisor for Harrah's Casino. Following her retirement, her vibrant spirit and love for connection led her to a new chapter as a barista at PJ's Coffee—a role she truly loved and embraced with all her heart. Recently, she also found great joy and companionship as a member of "The Silver Foxes" group. When faced with a Stage 4 pancreatic cancer diagnosis, Denise chose to meet her journey with extraordinary grace and courage. She used her time to be a guiding light for others, offering endless encouragement and joy to her fellow survivors. She deeply loved her medical and oncology team at Touro Infirmary, affectionately referring to them as her "angels." Rather than dimming her spirit, her diagnosis pushed her to live freer than she ever had before.

Her family feels immensely blessed to have had her in their lives and to have witnessed her truly blossom. Denise was pre-

Carolyn Manint (“Min‐ nie”) Toca, a retired legal secretary, died on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, at the age of 91. She was preceded in death by her beloved hus‐ band of 53 years, Kenneth Francis Toca Sr.; by her parents, Alfred Paul Manint Sr. and Emma Sentilles Manint; by her sister Rose Rita Manint; her brothers Alfred Paul Manint, Jr. and William Manint. Beloved mother of Kenneth F. Jr. , John Michael, Paul James, Daniel David, and her daughter Kay Toca Adamo. of Carol Mother-in-law Campbell Toca M.D., Lisa Toca, Ralph Marchese Adamo, and Bonita Atchi‐ son Toca. Grandmother of Brent Michael (Carly) and Brandon Louis Toca, and Jack Joseph and Ezra Great-grand‐ Adamo. mother of June Rosemary Toca, the one who made her great, as she would say. Carolyn attended In‐ carnate Word School, earn‐ ing a scholarship to the Academy of the Holy An‐ gels, graduating with hon‐ ors. She received a citation from the Consul General of France for excellence in French. She was a former member of the Legal Sec‐ retaries Association and was secretary of Omega Delta Sigma Sorority. Carol was an avid reader and en‐ joyed traveling to Europe with her husband Kenneth.

Mrs. Toca and her family were founding members of St. Matthew the Apostle Parish in River Ridge, La. Special Thanks to our brother Paul Toca for tak‐ ing excellent care of our mother over the last sev‐ eral years. A Mass of Chris‐ tian Burial was celebrated Monday, July 13 in the Chapel at Jacob Schoen and Son Funeral Home. Pri‐ vate burial followed. Fu‐ neral arrangements by Jacob Schoen and Son Fu‐

neral Home. Masses are preferred.

Williams, Joseph Louis

Joseph Louis Williams, a retired educator, entered peacefully into eternal rest at his residence on June 30, 2026, at the age of 90. A native and resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, he was a graduate of L. B. Landry High School, Texas College and Southern University Baton Rouge. Beloved husband of Janice DeLille Williams and father of Lauren DeLille Williams (Lenard), Hollie Frey Germany (Stan) and grandfather of Devin, Landon and Logan Williams.

Brother of Roland Williams, Rev. James R. Williams (Rev. Josulyn), Rayfield Alveris, Jr. (Eve) and the late Edwin Williams, and sister-in law Gaynell DeLille Baudy as well as a host of nieces, nephews, relatives and close friends.

Relatives and friends of the family, also pastors and members of Beautiful Zion Baptist Church and All Saints Catholic Church are invited to attend a Funeral Service at Beautiful Zion Baptist Church, 1017 Elmira Avenue, New Orleans, LA on Friday, July 17, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. Viewing from 8:00 a.m. to time of service.

The Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. service will be conducted at 9:00 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that memorial donations be made in memory of Joseph Louis Williams to The Westbank Ques Foundation, Inc., 1600 Franklin Street, Gretna, LA 70053 to support scholarships. Arrangements by D. W. Rhodes Funeral Home, 3933 Washington Avenue.

Please visit www.rhodesfuneral.com to sign the online guestbook.

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This remembrance is often printed on the anniversary of a loved one’s death.

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4B ✦ Thursday, July 16, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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OPINION N O L A.C O M/opinions

OUR VIEWS

Historic drop in New Orleans crime is worth celebrating Violent crime in New Orleans is down to levels not seen in decades. That’s right, through June 25, the city has seen 38 murders. If that pace continues, it will end the year with around the number of murders it saw in 1969. This also marks a 24% decrease from the same time last year. In addition, nonfatal shootings in the first half of the year were down 16% at 77, from 92 the year prior.

It’s all part of a trend of declining violent crime over the past three years in the city after the post-pandemic highs. Comparing the first half of 2026 to the same span in 2023, murders are down 68%, nonfatal shootings are down 70%, armed robberies are down 62% and carjackings are down 63%.

We need to be shouting this news from the rooftops, or perhaps, in true New Orleans fashion, throwing a huge party to celebrate it — because the turnaround is truly remarkable and removes one of the tired old tropes too often used to depress tourism and other economic activity in the city.

How many times have we heard from people ignorant of the realities of city life, “I’d go to New Orleans, but it’s too dangerous,” or “I’d be careful about going to a shop (or restaurant or bar) in that neighborhood?” Well, now we can give them facts that contradict those feelings.

Those facts describe a New Orleans that is safer now than any time in recent memory.

That’s thanks to a variety of stakeholders and a coordinated and sustained effort to put resources where they are most needed.

We applaud Louisiana State Police and its Troop Nola, which has patrolled the city after being called upon by Gov. Jeff Landry to address crime in January 2024. We also recognize New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick and the NOPD’s officers, who have been on the front lines of ensuring public safety and have much reason to be proud of these results.

Kirkpatrick, who took on the role in September 2023, has brought a sense of purpose and professionalism to the department.

The decline in crime not only benefits visitors.

It allows the NOPD to focus on less urgent issues that residents say are also important, such as traffic enforcement. The department is also now devoting more resources to proactive efforts to target the drivers of violent crime, such as gang activity.

While we acknowledge more work needs to be done — rapes and armed robberies, though down long-term, showed a slight uptick year over year — New Orleans residents should take much comfort in knowing that crime trends are heading in the right direction.

There’s so much New Orleans needs to do to become the city it wants to be, but without public safety, none of those things can happen.

These numbers give us hope that we can start to focus on other important priorities.

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

Address the parking problems around Napoleon event venue I am a neighbor of The Josephine.

It is a beautiful restoration of the former Lady of Lourdes Church on Napoleon Avenue. My concern is that the venue should not expand at the expense of the people who live nearby.

The Josephine is currently permitted to host weddings, private and corporate events and ticketed nonprofit events — all with alcohol. In theory, a worthy civic asset; in reality, a serious burden on our residential neighborhood.

From the beginning to the end of an event, the surrounding streets are gridlocked with patrons looking for a place to park. Residents without driveways have nowhere to park if they leave their homes during an event.

I bought my home in 1987 and have enjoyed my neighborhood up to this point, but now I feel it is reasonable and frankly essential to ask that The Josephine’s existing problems be addressed before any new ordinance and provisos are approved.

Such as: Resolve the traffic and parking failures under the current permit; and evaluate how Trader Joe’s is adding to the congestion through a comprehensive traffic study, especially on LaSalle Street.

The employees of The Josephine and now Trader Joe’s use the neighborhood for parking, too.

We also need to clarify if the existing ordinance allows for music in the courtyard. The City Council should uphold the City Planning Commission’s decision, and not allow the venue to grow its footprint before it fixes the problems it already has.

The neighbors deserve to have The Josephine’s developers execute a good neighbor agreement; we deserve that standard.

If they lived in our neighborhood, I’m sure they would feel the same way.

This was and is a residential neighborhood first!

JULIA LITTLEJOHN New Orleans

Katrina survivor brings plea for climate action to D.C. I’m far from the only New Orleans resident whose entire life was changed by Hurricane Katrina.

This and every other hurricane season brings back haunting memories of the packed interstate on the way to Mississippi, all our neighbors evacuating with us; of the power outages that stretched across state lines; of going from playing volleyball on a Saturday to being forced to move away from everything I’d ever known.

I flew to Washington, D.C., recently to share my survivor’s story at the Museum of Unnatural Disasters, a pop-up exhibit on the National Mall.

I wanted to impress upon museum visitors and my members of Congress that we need climate action.

We need a fully funded NOAA and

National Weather Service that can predict and prepare us for the next hurricane. We need NWS to provide up-to-the-minute forecasts. And we need FEMA to help us pick up the pieces and begin to recover after the storm.

As climate change fuels stronger hurricanes and other extreme weather, this administration is choosing to attack these lifesaving agencies and roll back climate protections. I went to D.C. to push for climate action. It isn’t a quick or easy fix. But storms like Katrina, Helene, Milton and Debby are only going to get worse if we don’t do something about it.

JESSICA BARNES New Orleans

Entergy, S&WB need to work together, not blame each other Re: “S&WB, Entergy point fingers on drainage power failure during Tropical Storm Arthur.”

Your article indicated that Entergy and the Sewerage & Water Board each pointed to the other party as causing the problem. The truth is that they are both jointly responsible.

For such an installation to successfully operate through abnormal events, they each must share information and design their equipment to work together. The article reported that the frequency converter manufacturer now needs to review its “settings” in light of Entergy’s operation. If accurate, it is absurd that this was not done previously.

Conversely, Entergy needs to examine its operations and “settings” to determine if it can facilitate the changes within the converters.

Through a cooperative effort, a properly designed industrial or commercial facility power system is configured to operate through electric system disturbances, which, in turn, have been minimized by the utility’s design.

A full exchange of design and system operating information and a joint review of the integrated design must take place. More work is needed.

There are numerous refineries and petrochemical plants along the river which do not trip out during such electrical events because engineers from the utility and the industrial company worked together. Both Entergy and the S&WB need to jointly examine the design of the new substation and frequency changers in light of common utility and industrial design practices to ensure continuity of service.

Reliability is a joint responsibility.

JOHN BERGERON Metairie

Listen to educators when changing school funding for Louisiana Why would teachers oppose the cutting of funds to school districts to increase their pay?

At the end of this past school year, the Louisiana State Department of Education rejoiced over the increased scores of our children in reading and math.

We, those of us who had been and are in education, realized why when we

learned that student populations had dropped but funds to school districts had not. These “extra” funds provided more teachers, teacher aides and the like, which lowered the student numbers in teachers’ classrooms and provided students the extra attention they needed.

Those not in education would not

realize the great help this provided students. I have no statistics to prove this, but maybe we will see how much these funds helped once these “extra” funds are removed.

Please honor us educators by listening to what we have to say.

MERLE T. HARRIS New Orleans

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The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Thursday, July 16, 2026 ✦ 5B

COMMENTARY $2.8B data For very good reasons, N.O. now is officially irreplaceable center angers

Louisianans may be nonchalant New Orleans is not “so special,” he upon hearing again just how special should welcome the national recognithe state’s most historic city is, but we tion of the city as a tribute to the whole shouldn’t take it for granted. We should state. embrace news that an outfit Please allow two separate called the World Monuments quotes from the late CovingFund has named the entire city ton-based novelist Walker of New Orleans among the 10 Percy. Asked what inspired so most “irreplaceable” sites in all many writers in the Crescent the land.

City, Percy said it was “its And we should cherish our herstrange admixture of Deep Quin South-ness and foreignness.” itage, both of the city and of the Hillyer The Deep Southness comes whole state in which the city’s mostly from the lands north of culture is moored.

In conjunction with the Semiquincen- Interstate 10, which provide a cultural backdrop of rootedness in a larger tennial celebration, the WMF recently region defined by mores of hardiness, announced “Irreplaceable America,” courteousness and sense of place. its list of the “10 historic places across The foreignness comes from trade, the United States whose preservation from African and Caribbean cultures is essential to the richness and comand from the French-Acadian-meetsplexity of American history.” swamp heritage that is the uncopiable, The other nine places are discrete irrepressible culture of Cajunland. structures or parcels of land: a garden New Orleans may be where all that in Philadelphia, a hospital in New York, comes together, but without the context the Wright Brothers’ workshops and of the rest of the state, New Orleans airplane testing fields in Dayton. Only just isn’t New Orleans.

New Orleans is included as an entire On the other hand, and contra city because, as described by the PresLandry, without all the astonishingly ervation Resource Center in its nomispecial things about New Orleans, Lounation, “its heritage does not sit neatly inside one boundary.” isiana isn’t “irreplaceable.” No national The WMF cited New Orleans’ “culgroup such as the WMF is going to pay homage (for example) to the piney tural heritage expressed through woods of Tangipahoa or the rice fields architecture, music, foodways, and of Jefferson Davis Parish, no matter neighborhood life … [which create] a how lovely or fertile they may be. cohesive urban landscape.” Because Then again, there’s also something “the city faces escalating threats from not readily definable about what gives flooding, aging infrastructure, high insurance premiums, and population dis- New Orleans its special charm and placement,” it merits particular, urgent value.

The city’s character is all around us, national attention. yet elusive.

Even if we find all this uber-familiar, Hence, the other Walker Percy we shouldn’t shrug it off. When the outside world says we’re special in a good quote. Decades ago, I interviewed local detective-fiction novelist Chris Wiltz way but also endangered, it behooves about the New Orleans settings for her us to redouble efforts to save that spebooks. She said she had told Percy she cialness. wanted to capture the atmosphere of And, despite Gov. Jeff Landry’s mulNew Orleans the way Raymond Chantiple shots at New Orleans in recent weeks, culminating in him saying that dler captured the “feel” of Los Ange-

les. Percy answered that she should keep trying until her writing could capture “the smell of a camelback-double house on Magazine Street.”

Now that is a particularity. Without using the words “camelback double,” the WMF surely was referring to those structures when its top-10 recognition specifically lauded New Orleans’ “vernacular building types adapted to climate, density, and community use over centuries.”

The WMF’s assertion that New Orleans is “irreplaceable” isn’t unprecedented. After Hurricane Katrina, various people used that very word to describe aspects of the Crescent City: The archivist of the United States worried about “the irreplaceable records” of “our collective memory;” former U.S. Rep. Bob Livingston described the port’s commerce as “irreplaceable;” the Times-Picayune insisted we must rescue “irreplaceable ingredients on our city’s history;” and an art exhibit at the Contemporary Arts Center was entitled “The Irreplaceable Cannot Be Replaced.”

What also cannot be replaced — or equaled — is our joie de vivre. My Alabama-born wife repeatedly insists that New Orleanians are the warmest, friendliest people she has ever met, and a California-raised, longtime New York-inhabiting friend said the same after almost every one of the 28 Jazz Fests he attended.

The job, then, is for all of us to ensure that there be no need to replace anything at all, which means we must not lose any of our wondrous civic character and cultural touchstones in the first place.

Now, while we’re at it, ask ourselves if jambalaya also tastes particularly memorable in a camelback double on Magazine….

Email Quin Hillyer at quin.hillyer@ theadvocate.com

Take the car keys away from Bernie The Platner fiasco has unleashed something of a brawl in the Democratic Party over how the sexting candidate with a Nazi tattoo came to be their rival to Susan Collins, now in her fifth term as a Republican senator from Maine. Bernie Sanders thought his socialists Froma could pass off blue-colHarrop lar impersonator Graham Platner — a product of the elite Hotchkiss prep school — as a hard-working “oysterman.”

Sanders had been waving off concerns about the guy. Then suddenly, he called on Platner to leave the campaign.

Two problems with Bernie’s directive: One, Sanders is why Democrats got saddled with Platner to begin with.

Two, the new revelations come on top of previous revelations about his piggish behavior.

Sanders evidently thought he could ignore all this until more startling charges came to light. The dam holding back Democratic demands to replace Platner finally gave way. If Sanders didn’t jump in and pretend to have problems with the candidate he pushed onto the party, he wouldn’t be in a strong position to choose his own left-fringe replacement with a colorful story.

The road to socialist victories, Sanders knows, runs through infiltrating the Democratic Party, of which he’s not a member. His objective is not to help Democrats take over Congress but for his socialists to take over the Democratic Party.

Sanders, the “Independent “ senator from Vermont, is not a Mainer. He’s not much of a Vermonter, either. He’s a New Yorker, spending large amounts of time back home in hardcore Democratic districts trying — and succeeding — to get his followers to knock off liberal Democrat incumbents in primaries. One of his winning primary offers called former President Joe Biden “a rapist.”

Thing is, the Democratic Socialists of America are heavily represented by college-educated voters who don’t have to worry about losing their

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JACQUELyN MARTIN

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks about topics including politics and artificial intelligence June 8 at the National Press Club in Washington. health coverage. They don’t like the rents they have to pay to live in the neighborhoods they’re busy gentrifying. They think socialists can fix that.

Now listen to a Platner defender back in Maine. Joanie Monteith told AP, “I’m heartbroken for him and his wife.”

Rest assured that Platner’s wife, Amy Gertner, is well practiced in the art of handling humiliation, with the world knowing her husband sent raunchy texts to assorted women before the couple reached their second anniversary.

If finding plausible Democrats to represent the party requires a Democratic rumble, let’s have it. So far, few prominent Democrats have spoken forcefully about the far-left’s boutique nominees. The exception is Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman. He let loose, calling Platner a “predator” and “Bona fide dirtbag,” and referring to him as “P-Hustle,” his old Reddit handle.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, more gentle in his rebuke, joins Fetterman as a Democrat who won office in a state that’s been turning Republican.

Democrats shouldn’t need a lot of

magic to get one of their own elected in Blue New England, and in a year favoring their party.

Sanders, age 84, might consider retirement. But another leftist stringpuller at the other end of the age spectrum, 27-year-old campaign adviser Morris Katz, should also look for another line of work. Katz won some fame as the mind behind New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s adorable internet storytelling campaign.

Looking to repeat his act in Maine, Katz pushed the utterly unqualified Platner over the primary win line, despite Platner’s “imperfections” being widely known. Katz then made the dumb mistake of personally threatening a woman who left the Platner campaign, demanding she refute the things she knew about his abuse of women.

Democrats need to replace the internet-savvy fringe operatives with internet-savvy mainstream operatives of their own. Above all, they need to take the car keys away from Bernie Sanders.

Froma Harrop on X, @FromaHarrop.

Email her at fharrop@gmail.com.

S.C. residents

SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Elon Musk’s idea to send data centers into space might prompt smirks in some quarters but probably not in Spartanburg, where a mega data center slipped into town, catching residents by surprise and spawning a revolt.

Across the country, the explosion of data centers — driven by a surge in artificial intelligence demand — has created controversy because of environmental concerns, utility issues and a lack of transparency mixed with misunderstandings among residents, corporate investors and local leaders. There are about 3,000 data centers in the United States, with roughly 1,500 more under development.

Kathleen The Spartanburg data center, Parker which is under construction and slated to begin operations in the third quarter of this year, arrived with hardly anyone’s notice until trees along South Pine Street were mowed down and heavy equipment started rolling in. The lack of awareness was no accident. Local officials who lured the project to Spartanburg County publicly referred to it as “Project MOC-1” and characterized it as a “highperformance computing center.”

This subterfuge is a classic example of good ol’ boy dodging that has come back to bite local officials where they sit. MOC-1 was the work of NorthMark Strategies, a New York investment firm that is developing the data center through its subsidiary, Valara Holdings. Thanks to the Spartanburg County Council’s complicity in protecting the project until it was finalized, it took a while for people to figure things out.

The February 2025 agreement between NorthMark and the county included a 40-year fee-inlieu-of-tax agreement that lowered the property assessment ratio for Valara Holdings to 4 percent. The deal also included other tax credits.

Even when NorthMark announced the $2.8 billion center in a press release on April 22, 2025, it continued to use misleading language, saying it was redeveloping the now-defunct Kohler manufacturing plant into a “high-performance computing center.” For all anyone knew, this could have meant anything from a shared workspace complex with hundreds of computer stations to, well, a giant data center with all its attendant problems.

The real kicker: the small number of jobs it will create. When fully operational, the largely automated center will provide “at least 27” jobs, according to the governor’s office, though this number seems to vary.

The secretive nature of the negotiations, though not illegal, has fueled growing anger among residents, who say they feel misled by their elected officials.

Two meetings have been held recently to deal with public outcry. On June 24, NorthMark hosted a virtual town hall. The following day, the state Department of Environmental Services convened a meeting at the Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium to accommodate hundreds of outraged residents eager to discuss a proposed power plant expansion, from an approximately 50-megawatt facility to one that’s roughly 450 megawatts, to support the data center.

If approved, the facility would emit hundreds of tons of pollutants into the air annually through 35 exhaust stacks ranging in height from 31 to 80 feet. This includes more than nine tons of carcinogenic formaldehyde and 158 tons of fine particulate matter, which is linked to asthma, birth defects and lung cancer risk.

The request for an increase in power also seemed to take residents by surprise, even though a county official confirmed that NorthMark made clear in its original “project profile” that it would scale up to 450 megawatts. “Maybe the message didn’t get out properly,” Mike Dobeck, vice president of real estate development for NorthMark, told the Greenville News.

Maybe? Emily Wyche of the Southern Environmental Law Center, which is fighting the permit request, was blunt in her remarks at the public hearing: “The lack of transparency is stunning.”

Accordingly, the state has extended the public comment period for the permit until July 31.

Meanwhile, Spartanburg County has joined several other counties in passing temporary moratoriums on new plans for data centers.

Spartanburg County officials clearly wanted to keep their discussions under wraps while NorthMark considered locations in other areas. And, charitably, an investment of this scale would be hard for any community to resist.

But politicians seem never to learn that they work for the people and not for corporations or private-equity firms looking for a deal at the expense of residents and the environment — especially not in exchange for the quality of life that makes South Carolina a desirable place to call home. All things considered, space seems a proper place for data centers — and maybe for a few politicians, if Mr. Musk can make room on his rocket.

Kathleen Parker is on X, @kathleenparker.

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Alleged terrorist in Lafayette pleads not guilty Gaza native was arrested in connection with attack on Israel

BY CLAIRE TAYLOR Staff writer

A Middle Eastern man arrested in Lafayette, who federal prosecutors allege participated in the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israeli civilians that left hundreds dead, has pleaded not guilty to all charges contained in a superseding indictment.

A two-count indictment was issued in October of 2025 against Mahmoud Amin Ya’qub Al-Muhtadi, a Gaza native who resided and worked briefly in Lafayette until his arrest last year. Prosecutors allege he aided a terrorist group and lied on his visa application, entering the United States via Dallas in September 2024, nearly a year after the attack on Israel that killed more than 1,200 people, including 49 American citizens.

Officials with the U.S. District Court, Western District of Louisiana in Lafayette, filed a superseding indictment against Al-Muhtadi

in June that modifies an existing charge and adds two others to the original two-count indictment.

An original count against AlMuhtadi accused the Gaza native of conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization resulting in death. The superseding indictment removes “resulting in death” from the charge.

A second count of conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization was added with Wednesday’s superseding indictment.

Count 3 of the new indictment retains a visa fraud charge contained in the original indictment.

A fourth count, which is new, accuses Al-Muhtadi of making a false statement within the jurisdiction of the United States.

He pleaded not guilty to all four counts on July 9.

Al-Muhtadi, when entering the United States, allegedly told a representative of the Department of State that he did not have specialized skills or training in things like firearms and explosives when he did have such skills and training due to his longtime affiliation with the Democratic Front for

the Liberation of Palestine and its paramilitary wing, the National Resistance Brigades which has ties to Hamas, according to the indictment.

Al-Muhtadi also allegedly told the State Department representative that he had never been involved in any paramilitary-style group, had never engaged in terrorist activities, had never intended to provide financial or other support to terrorists and had not committed, ordered, incited or assisted in killings or other acts of violence.

The superseding indictment alleges he did all of the above and participated in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack and massacre in Israel.

The visa fraud charge stems from lies Al-Muhtadi allegedly told when applying for a visa, namely that he had no involvement with paramilitary groups and had no specialized skill or training in firearms or explosives, the new indictment alleges.

Al-Muhtadi entered the country on Sept. 12, 2024, through the Dallas-Fort Worth airport. Documents show he has been living in Lafayette since at least May, working in a local restaurant after relocating

from Tulsa, Oklahoma.

According to a probable-cause affidavit, Al-Muhtadi has been a member of the National Resistance Brigades, the military wing of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a U.S.designated terrorist organization, since at least 2019. Federal investigators alleged he is a senior member of the group and was tasked with training younger militants.

Israel provided the U.S. government with information that Al-Muhtadi participated in the attacks and fled Gaza, according to the affidavit. His social media and email accounts show extensive evidence against him, federal investigators allege, including photos of Al-Muhtadi wearing the red headband of the NRB and allegedly providing firearms training and a photo of him with 15 young, armed men that he described as his group.

Al-Muhtadi, in May 2021, sent a message to another social media user describing an NRB attack on an Israeli military outpost near the Gaza border, according to the affidavit. He allegedly wrote, “I swear

by God, we burned them! This battle is different for us. God is the

helper! Long live the resistance.”

In August, federal authorities obtained six audio recordings determined to be telephone calls by al-Muhtadi on the day of the Israeli massacre. An FBI agent familiar with al-Muhtadi confirmed he is the speaker in the call.

On the morning of the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks, the affidavit said, al-Muhtadi learned of the Hamas invasion, which began about 6:30 a.m. He made phone calls about the attack, armed himself and gathered other armed fighters.

According to the affidavit, he crossed into Israel by 9:30 a.m. through a breach in the border in the Malaka region. Separately, video from the area shows at least one person wearing an NRB patch outside Nahal Oz during the attack, where a Tanzanian student was killed after being kidnapped from the kibbutz.

Prosecutors allege al-Muhtadi’s phone location on the day of the attack showed he was near Kibbutz Kfar Aza, an area near the IsraelGaza border where 64 people were killed.

His trial, which will take place in Lafayette, is scheduled for November but is likely to be delayed.

Frequency of earthquakes in northwest La. plummets Officials not sure why number has fallen since May

BY ADAM DUVERNAY Staff writer

What happened to all those earthquakes?

The number of earthquakes recorded in northwest Louisiana has plummeted since May. Louisiana Department of Conservation and Energy has noticed but doesn’t know why.

Earthquakes are a historical oddity in Louisiana, having only truly emerged as a known, regular-ish occurrence since about 2010. There is a suspicion that the shaking is related to the oil and gas industry and

a recent effort to study the connection. But lately, there’s much less to study.

On March 5, Louisiana experienced its largest-ever recorded earthquake: a whopping magnitude 4.9 with an epicenter in the Coushatta area. It was big enough to be felt in Shreveport and over the state line in Texas and Arkansas, and it caught the attention of federal quake trackers.

The U.S. Geological Survey dispatched a team of technicians to northwest Louisiana. Along with a partner researcher from Tulane University who already maintained some seismometers in the area, USGS installed new quake detectors and upgraded the existing ones to transmit data in real time.

While USGS previously was relying largely on data far from the

site of the earthquakes, the new monitors significantly improved the ability to capture information about local shaking. That included a more accurate assessment of the quakes’ epicenters and the recording of much smaller quakes.

Between March 5 and May 8, USGS mapped 41 earthquakes in northwest Louisiana, many very small. It was a much higher number than previously recorded for the region even over much longer periods. From Dec. 4, 2018, to March 4, USGS had recorded only 31 earthquakes.

But since May 8, USGS has recorded only five earthquakes in northwest Louisiana: n May 11: magnitude 2.1, northwest of Coushatta n May 22: magnitude 2.3, southeast of Ringgold

n May 27: magnitude 1.9, northeast of Ringgold n May 28: magnitude 2.4, northwest of Ringgold n June 2: magnitude 1.9, northwest of Coushatta.

Across parts of the central United States, earthquakes away from active seismic zones, such as Oklahoma and west Texas, have been linked to oil and gas activity, specifically the disposal of wastewater by injecting it deep underground.

The phenomenon is called “induced seismicity.”

EPA officials, after the March 5 magnitude 4.9 earthquake, asked state regulators to step up monitoring of the wastewater injection in the area.

That’s the responsibility of the Louisiana Department of Conservation and Energy. The agency is

reviewing the data for anomalies, according to press secretary Patrick Courreges, but the department hasn’t yet instructed operators of wastewater disposal sites to do anything differently.

“We haven’t identified that for sure as a culprit. It’s a big suspect, but there hasn’t been enough evidence to connect the two,” Courreges said.

Courreges said the drop-off in the number of quakes recently is “unmistakable,” but the department doesn’t have a ready explanation.

Mapping northwest Louisiana earthquakes over time is not without caveats.

There have been two distinct periods of noticeable seismicity in northwest Louisiana recently: the winter of 2024-25 and the winter of 2025-26.

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LSU to enshrine QB Jones’ number

Staff writer

LSU quarterback Bert Jones STAFF FILE PHOTO

1CN

MAKE IT A DECADE

BY SCOTT RABALAIS

ä See LSU, page 5C

T h u r s d ay, J u ly 16, 2026

Kamara to play 10th season with Saints after sides restructure contract

All-American’s honor set for Nov. 14 at Tiger Stadium Another LSU great is getting his place of honor in Tiger Stadium.

The school announced Wednesday that it is retiring the No. 7 jersey of former AllAmerican quarterback Bert Jones and will put his name and number in lights on the stadium’s facade. A ceremony to honor Jones will take place Nov. 14 during LSU’s regular-season home finale against Texas.

According to LSU, Jones’ honor was by a unanimous vote of the LSU Athletic Hall of Fame committee.

“I had no idea that there was anything in the works,” Jones said in a statement from LSU. “I have been the beneficiary of a lot of good things and received a lot of accolades and a lot of awards, but this is at the top of the list.

“To (have my name and number) hung up in Tiger Stadium, where my father played, my brother played and cousins played, is special. And what’s even equally as special is that I will be up there with my LSU roommate Tommy Casanova.”

Jones becomes the fifth player to have his name and number enshrined in Tiger Stadium, along with 1959 Heisman Trophy winner Billy Cannon (No. 20), 1962 Heisman runner-up Jerry Stovall (No. 21), AllAmerican running back Charles Alexander (No. 4) and Casanova (No. 37), LSU’s only three-time All-American.

The retirement of Jones’ No. 7 jersey does not mean future LSU players will be unable to wear that number, an important distinction as wearing No. 7 and No. 18 have become annual honors for Tiger football players. Additionally, six other All-Americans wore No. 7 at LSU, more than any other number, including Patrick Peterson, Tyrann

|

BY MATTHEW PARAS Staff writer

The New Orleans Saints and Alvin Kamara have found common ground, and the team’s all-time leading rusher isn’t going anywhere.

The two sides agreed on a restructured contract that will keep Kamara in the black and gold for a 10th season, sources with knowledge of the situation confirmed on Wednesday. The news was first reported by former Saints offensive lineman Terron Armstead on his podcast.

The agreement comes after months-long speculation about Kamara’s future. Saints coach Kellen Moore and general manager Mickey Loomis remained coy about whether the team planned for Kamara to return in 2026, even though he was under contract for one more year.

“I just talked to him,” Armstead said on his podcast.

“He’s pissed off at the last couple years and how the narrative has started to change that he can’t do this, that he can’t do that. He hates that.”

The Saints used an unconventional contract restructure in March to lower Kamara’s cap hit for next season to $10.5 million, but they wanted to address his contract — either by a pay cut or by moving on — even further.

The Saints added veteran back Travis Etienne on a four-year, $52 million contract in free agency.

Speaking to reporters in June, when he made a surprise appearance at the Saints’ voluntary offseason workouts, Kamara said he was excited to play with Etienne and had “no beef” with the Saints. He indicated he wasn’t bothered by the team’s approach to his status.

“I’ve been through a lot in my life, man,” Kamara said then. “I learned not to take things personal. Man, I’m blessed. Like it is what it is. We’re in a business that’s unique to a lot of spaces in the world. Nothing catches me off-guard, man.”

The terms of Kamara’s new contract are not yet available, but the agreement marks the latest compromise

ä See KAMARA, page 5C

Saints running back Alvin Kamara warms up before a game against the San Francisco 49ers on Sept. 1 at the Caesars Superdome. Kamara and the Saints agreed on a restructured contract that will keep the star running back with the team for a 10th season. STAFF FILE PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

British Open debate: How far will ball roll?

Argentina’s resilience prevails again to stun England in semi

BY JAMES ROBSON AP soccer writer

ATLANTA — No “Hand of God” this time. Argentina didn’t need it.

Instead it was the hallowed feet of Lionel Messi and the unbreakable spirit of a team that repeatedly has fought back at this year’s World Cup that is now one step away from back-to-back titles.

Trailing 1-0 going into the 85th minute, Argentina rallied for a 2-1 victory over England on Wednesday with goals from Enzo Fernandez and substitute Lautaro Martinez.

“I dreamed it, I swear. I told Alexis (Mac Allister) that I was going to score. I told him that I was going to come on and I was going to win it,” Martinez said. “I can tell you this team keeps showing what it’s made of.”

At the final whistle, Messi fell to his knees in celebration while England players collapsed in disbelief — again. Add 2026 to 1986 and 1998 on the list of games

when Argentina has extinguished English hopes at the World Cup. “I’m gutted for the team, the staff, the fans,” England captain Harry Kane said.

“We worked so hard to be here. The lads have given every bit of blood, sweat and tears. To fall short like we did is just gutting.”

The reigning champions will take on European champion Spain in the final Sunday in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The best that South America has to offer against the best of Europe.

The loss for England will hurt a new generation of fans in a similar way to Diego Maradona’s infamous handball goal in the 1986 World Cup quarterfinals and the penalty shootout loss in 1998 when David Beckham was sent off for kicking Diego Simeone.

The difference is there can be no sense of injustice this time, even if England had victory in its sights after Anthony Gordon

ä See ARGENTINA, page 3C

BY DOUG FERGUSON

AP golf writer

AP PHOTO By JON SUPER

Scottie Scheffler plays from the rough on the 10th hole during a practice round for the British Open on Wednesday at Royal Birkdale golf club in Southport, England.

SOUTHPORT, England — How far the golf ball goes has been debated for the last 20 years and distance is likely to be a big concern this week at Royal Birkdale for the British Open, with one twist.

It’s not how far shots are going in the air. It’s what happens when they get on the ground. And with links golf, that’s not always easy to control, especially this week.

“You can’t judge every single bounce perfectly,” Justin Rose said. “But you have to accept the nature of a links golf course.

There’s going to be some good bounces, bad bounces. Just keep playing with a bit of freedom and creativity, especially this week.

You’re going to get a few funny bounces here or there. That’s all part of it.”

The 154th British Open begins Thursday

ä See BRITISH, page 4C

2C ✦ Thursday, July 16, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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Verlander pumps up American League Tigers pitcher reflects on career in final All-Star Game

BY DAN GELSTON AP sportswriter

PHILADELPHIA — Justin Verlander used his fingers in this trip to Philadelphia simply to tip his cap toward applauding All-Star Game fans.

He once playfully flipped off Phillies fans when his Houston Astros were in Philadelphia for the 2022 World Series.

There was only mutual respect in this game.

The 43-year-old Verlander was one of the few All-Stars on Tuesday night to receive a warm ovation in Philadelphia from a crowd that reveled in jeering just about any player who was not in a Phillies uniform.

Verlander is set to retire at the end of the season to cap a career that includes three Cy Young Awards.

Up first, one more Midsummer Classic.

“In his 10th and final All-Star Game, please welcome to Philadelphia, Justin Verlander,” the public address announcer noted.

Verlander didn’t totally sit out the American League’s 4-0 win over the National League on Tuesday night.

Toronto manager John Schneider asked Verlander to address the team and share thoughts on the importance of the All-Star honor out of respect for the pitcher’s career.

“You never know when you’re going to be in this position,” Schneider said as he relayed Verlander’s message. “You have to appreciate the people along the way.

He’s made lifelong friends from being in this game for so long.”

Verlander had more gas left in the pregame speech tank. He talked starter Dylan Cease out of throwing a changeup as the first pitch of the game and go with a heater against Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber.

Cease threw a 96.9-mph fourseam strike to Schwarber and struck out the side in the first inning, “He could be a politician,” Cease said of Verlander.

The New Orleans Pelicans had their modest two-game Summer League win streak snapped Wednesday with an 82-77 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in Las Vegas.

New Orleans (2-2) was led in scoring by Markquis Nowell with 20 points in 24 minutes. Chris Bell added 12 points, and Christian Shumate chipped in eight points and nine rebounds for the Pelicans, who led 33-31 at halftime. Malik Dia and Melvin Council each added nine points for the Pelicans.

Free agent signee Solomon Washington, a former Carver High star, had five points, seven rebounds and four assists.

Pelicans second-round draft pick Jaron Pierre did not play.

Cleveland (2-2) was led by Malaki Branham with 23 points.

Brewers bolster rotation in deal with the Astros

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By DARRyL WEBB

Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander works against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of a game on March 30 in Phoenix.

Kevin McGonigle, Verlander’s 21-year-old Tigers teammate and suburban Philadelphia native, soaked in the moment when Verlander took the floor.

“He kept telling the guys that you don’t take anything for granted and if you keep working hard, you will find yourself back in this room multiple time,” McGonigle said. “Be a good teammate and building relationships and getting to learn as much as you can from other guys.”

Verlander, who did not discuss the speech, enjoyed the chance to participate in some final festivities and walked the All-Star red carpet in the afternoon with his wife, model Kate Upton, and their two young children.

The lone bummer for Verlander is that the Detroit Tigers All-Star was unable to pitch in the game as he recovers from a hamstring injury. Verlander, the oldest player in Major League Baseball, signed a $13 million, one-year contract to rejoin the Tigers in February.

He has made only one start in an injury-ravaged season and was named to the All-Star team as a Legend Pick by Commissioner Rob Manfred. Phillies slugger Bryce Harper earned the honor

in the National League.

“I’m happy with the body of work,” Verlander said ahead of the game. “I hope I can add to it somehow, someway in the second half. When I look back, I know I gave it everything.”

Verlander went 183-115 from 2005 to 2017 with the Tigers. He won the American League Rookie of the Year award in 2006 and both the AL MVP and Cy Young Award in 2011. He helped Detroit reach the World Series in 2006 and 2012, along with four straight division titles from 2011 to 2014.

Verlander was the 2017 ALCS MVP in Houston and helped the Astros win the World Series that year, and was a key player for them when they won another title in 2022. He won his second and third Cy Young Awards in 2019 and 2022.

Verlander, who also had brief stints with the New York Mets and San Francisco, played coy when asked about which team cap he would choose for his sure-thing induction into the Hall of Fame.

“At least, I was able to narrow it down to two,” Verlander said with a laugh. “I’m not there yet.”

Verlander relaxed against a clubhouse wall next to his locker

as he reflected over a career that stamped him as perhaps the best of his era.

Verlander has a career record of 266-159 with a 3.33 ERA in 556 starts across 21 major league seasons with the Tigers, Astros, Mets and San Francisco Giants. He has 3,554 strikeouts while tossing 26 complete games, including nine shutouts.

Not bad for a kid from Virginia who was sent to a baseball academy by his family to help him gain arm strength. His parents knew so little about how to guide a kid that flashed big league potential that his father, Richard, bought a most unique kind of instructional guide.

“My dad bought a ‘How to Pitch for Dummies’ book,” Verlander said to laughter. “I’m not joking.

He’s like, OK, step one, you step back with your left foot. Step two, you turn this way. We were doing that in my front yard because he learned I could throw a rock pretty far.”

Turned out, with a little help along the way, Verlander learned to throw a baseball pretty hard.

Verlander just hopes in his last season, he hasn’t thrown his last one.

American League earns first All-Star shutout since 2013

BY RONALD BLUM AP baseball writer

PHILADELPHIA — Dylan Cease started a parade of pitchers that shut down a slew of baseball’s best batters in a display of the pitching dominance that rules the sport.

“I thought before the game about starting with a changeup and I thought it would be funny,” he said.

He didn’t. And the hitters were not laughing.

Cease struck out the side in the first inning, combining with 10 relievers on a three-hitter that led the American League over the National League 4-0 in Tuesday night’s AllStar Game.

Cease fanned Kyle Schwarber, Juan Soto and CJ Abrams around a walk in the first inning, when he got six misses among 15 swings.

He became just the seventh pitcher to strike out three in an All-Star opening inning after Carl Hubbell (1934), Warren Spahn (1949), Jim Palmer (1977), Dave Stieb (1983), Pedro Martinez (1999) and Brad Penny (2006) — four of them Hall of Famers.

After speaking with Justin Verlander, the senior AL All-Star, Cease gave up the idea of starting with a changeup and instead threw Schwarber a 96.9 mph four-seamer.

“Verlander talked me out of it,” Cease said. “So we started with the heater and then I was glad we did.”

Pitchers struck out 27, a record for a nine-inning All-Star Game, 15 of them by AL hurlers.

“That’s the game now. Guys’ stuff is unbelievable,” said AL manager John Schneider, also Cease’s skipper in Toronto. “I think the bullpen guys kind of fed off of it. They were all excited coming off the mound.

Pelicans’ Summer League winning streak snapped

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MATT ROURKE

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Dylan Cease throws during the MLB All-Star Game between the American League and National League on Tuesday in Philadelphia.

It speaks volumes to how good the pitching is, for sure.”All-Star MVP Cody Bellinger hit a two-run single and Ben Rice followed with an RBI single in the first against Cristopher Sánchez of the host Philadelphia Phillies.

Miguel Vargas of the Chicago White Sox added an eighth-inning home run off the Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Justin Wrobleski, who was pitching on his 26th birthday, for the game’s only extra-base hit.

The AL won for the 18th time in 23 games and holds a 49-45-2 advantage overall.

“The pitching was just dominant today,” Bellinger said.

Singles by Soto in the fourth, Pete Crow-Armstrong in the eighth and Otto Lopez in the ninth were the only hits by the NL, which failed to advance a runner past first.

Parker Messick, Michael Wacha, Joe Ryan, Nick Martinez, Cade

Smith, Drew Rasmussen, Jacob Latz, Louis Varland, Aroldis Chapman and Bryan Baker finished the 10th All-Star shutout and first since the AL’s 2-0 win in 2013 at New York’s Citi Field.

Some starting star power was missing, with Jacob Misoriowski, Paul Skenes and Shohei Ohtani all unavailable. Just six pitches reached 100 mph, the fewest in an All-Star Game since 2021.

Bellinger and Rice both singled on up sinkers from Sánchez, who struggled through a 34-pitch inning that included three hits and two walks.

“It just took me a little time to soak it all in and enjoy it,” Sánchez said through a translator.

home plate and used a feathered quill to sign an oversized lineup card, as if they were Founding Fathers affixing names to the Declaration of Independence. MLB donated the card to the Hall of Fame.

Dirt around the plate was surrounded by 13 stars, one for each of the Colonies.

After the fourth inning, a video was played of kids bicycling to a sandlot game with a narration by Oscar-winning actor J.K. Simmons.

As footage was played of Ray Charles singing “America the Beautiful” at Game 2 of the 2001 World Series, the kids biked onto the field and started interacting with the AllStars as fireworks went off above the ballpark.

“We were all one of those kids,” NL manager Dave Roberts of the Dodgers said. “Some of these kids might never get a chance to be on a major league field. So for them to have that opportunity to be — have a conversation with an All-Star is something that they might never get that chance again, right?

Bellinger thought back to his youth.

“We’re all little kids at heart playing this game even though it’s a challenging game,” he said. “We’re all still those little kids with big dreams.”

Early exit

Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero was hit on the outside of his left hand by a 97.6 mph sinker from St. Louis closer Riley O’Brien in the third inning and immediately left the game.

The 23-year-old, fourth in the major Documenting the day leagues with 28 home runs, stayed Managers and starters entered down for a few moments before he through replica Liberty Bells in popped up and ran straight into the front of each dugout, walked to clubhouse. X-rays were negative.

MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Brewers acquired right-handed pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. and left-hander Colton Gordon from the Houston Astros on Wednesday in exchange for outfield prospect Jadyn Fielder.

Brewers general manager Matt Arnold announced the swap that included cash from Houston. Milwaukee cleared space on the 40man roster by sending left-handed pitcher Rob Zastryzny to the 60-day injured list.

Milwaukee went into the All-Star break with a five-game lead in the NL Central. They trailed the defending NL champion Los Angeles Dodgers by 1½ games in the league standings.

The Brewers own a 3.48 team ERA that ranks second in the majors — behind only the New York Yankees.

Wilson chosen as No. 1 pick for WNBA All-Star Game

Four-time MVP A’ja Wilson was selected first in the WNBA All-Star draft for the exhibition game that will be played on July 25 in Chicago.

Acting as honorary general managers, WNBA greats Cynthia Cooper and Teresa Weatherspoon each drafted All-Star teams Wednesday from players that previously were either voted as starters by fans, media and fellow players or chosen as reserves by the league’s coaches.

Previously, the top two fan votegetters would serve as captains and draft their own teams. This year that would have been Dallas’ Paige Bueckers and Indiana’s Caitlin Clark.

Portland, Chicago, Connecticut and Phoenix have no All-Stars.

Wimbledon women’s final earns record viewership

LONDON — Helped by some midmatch drama, the Wimbledon final between Linda Noskova and Karolina Muchova over the weekend was ESPN’s most-watched women’s championship match at the grass-court Grand Slam.

The all-Czech final, during which Noskova wasted five match points and a 5-2 lead in the second set before eventually winning 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 on Saturday, averaged 1.9 million viewers. That was an increase of 48% compared to last year’s women’s final: Iga Swiatek’s 6-0, 6-0 rout of Amanda Anisimova in 57 minutes.

Overall, it ranked as ESPN’s second most-viewed Wimbledon, with an 18% year-over-year increase, averaging 853,000 viewers per day, the network said.

Yzerman steps down as GM of Detroit Red Wings

Steve Yzerman abruptly stepped down as general manager of the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday, a stunning midsummer change by a franchise great leaving the job after seven seasons and zero playoff appearances.

Yzerman’s transition to an advisory role to owner and CEO Chris Ilitch comes several weeks after captain and No. 1 center Dylan Larkin’s trade request came to light.

The Red Wings’ decade-long playoff drought is the longest in the storied history of the organization and the longest active drought in the NHL. The team said its search for a new head of hockey operations has begun and that Yzerman will continue to be in charge on a day-to-day basis until his successor is determined.

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Thursday, July 16, 2026 ✦ 3C

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Expanded playoffs make trades hard to predict

BY RONALD BLUM AP baseball writer

PHILADELPHIA — Expanded playoffs make it harder to predict whether Tarik Skubal and other choice acquisitions will be dealt before the Aug. 3 trade deadline.

Twenty-three of the 30 teams are within four games of a playoff position heading into the season’s second half, which opens Thursday with the back-in-contention Philadelphia Phillies hosting the woeful New York Mets.

“You’ve got a lot of really good teams that were on the bubble that have gotten in and kind of made it,” Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper said. “Anybody that has an opportunity to get in, anything can happen and that’s what makes our sport great.”

Skubal, a two-time Cy Young Award winner who can become a free agent after the World Series, is the most prominent possible trade bait. The 29-year-old lefthander is 2-3 with a 3.62 ERA in six starts for the Detroit Tigers

since surgery on May 6 to remove a loose body from his pitching elbow.

He returned to a big league mound on June 13 after Dr. Neal ElAttrache operated with a NanoNeedle scope 2.0, a miniaturized, flexible version of the traditional arthroscope.

Detroit was 22-38 at the start of June — at 16 games under matching the 1914 Braves (12-28) as the most under .500 of a team that rebounded to reach the postseason, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The Tigers are 22-14 since and trail by 3½ games for the last AL wild card, needing to overcome six teams. Their performance in 16 games before the deadline will help determine whether they are buyers or sellers.

Minnesota’s Joe Ryan and the Mets’ Freddy Peralta also could become available. The Mets also could deal left-handed relievers Brooks Raley and A.J. Minter to contenders, and San Francisco may try to jettison second baseman Luis Arraez.

Baseball’s only division leads of more than three games are held by the Los Angeles Dodgers (11½) and Milwaukee (five).

“There are some middling teams that are potentially going to finish stronger and some teams that are front-running right now that might fall back to the pack,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “It’s what the fans wanted. It keeps everyone involved through September, as many teams as possible.”

Just seven teams of the 30 teams are more than four games out of a wild-card berth: the Athletics (6½), Cincinnati (eight), Kansas City and the Los Angeles Angels (10 each), the Giants (10½), the Mets (12) and Colorado (13½).

“I think having more teams involved and more fan bases feeling like there’s something to play for later in the season is always good,” said Toronto pitcher Dylan Cease, the All-Star Game winner.

28 and replaced by Don Mattingly.

The Phillies are 44-24 since and trail NL East-leading Atlanta (5540) by two games.

Harper thinks a key to the turnaround was when Zack Wheeler rejoined the rotation on April 25 after surgery last August for thoracic outlet syndrome. Wheeler is 10-1 with a 2.13 ERA. “Once we got Wheels back, I think everybody kind of took a deep breath,” Harper said. “That helped a lot of our other starting pitching kind of just fall into place.”

said. “We’re taking more pitches.

We’re seeing more pitches against starters. We are getting starters deep in counts earlier in games.

We’re scoring runs in the first five innings of the game and letting our starting rotation pitch with a lead.”

If the Red Sox struggle in the next few weeks, closer Aroldis Chapman and starter Sonny Gray could get dealt.

First-round byes at stake

Three of the four teams that had first-round byes last year advanced to League Championship Series: Milwaukee, Seattle and ToRed Sox hottest team ronto. Among the teams emerging Boston fired Alex Cora after a 10- from the Wild Card Series, only 17 start and the Red Sox are 36-31 the Dodgers won their Division under Chad Tracy, ending the first Series.

Having the bye allows teams to half with their first 9-0 road trip reset their rotations and assure since 1977.

Despite a 46-48 record, the Red opening the Division Series with Sox trail by just a half-game for their best starters.

Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler the last wild card in an AL that has just five teams with winning thought back to New York losing Phillies rebound the AL East title and the bye to Torecords.

“We’ve done a much better job ronto on a tiebreaker last year.

Philadelphia fell to 9-19 when “Every game matters,” he said.

Rob Thomson was fired on April overall with our approach,” Tracy

England was on the defensive NYC’s Rikers Island against Argentina in semifinals jail hosts World Cup

watch party for inmates

BY R.J. RICO and JIM VERTUNO Associated Press

ATLANTA — England desperately wanted to protect its lead as time was winding down in its World Cup semifinal against Argentina.

Coach Thomas Tuchel made lineup and strategy changes to build a wall in front of the goal.

Argentina and Lionel Messi simply kicked it down.

England led 1-0 late in the second half before Messi assisted on goals by Enzo Fernández in the 85th minute and Lautaro Martínez in the second minute of stoppage time to give Argentina a wild 2-1 victory Wednesday and a spot in the World Cup final against Spain.

Tuchel’s tactical choices in one of the biggest matchups in one of soccer’s biggest rivalries will likely be scrutinized and criticized for years. England missed its chance to return to the World Cup final for the first time since 1966.

“They won every header. They kept crossing and crossing. So we went to a back five to close the gaps inside and be stronger in the air,” Tuchel said.

“Straight after our goal, with no substitutions, we just conceded way too many crosses and way too many chances. So we tried to help,” Tuchel said. “But of course the responsibility is on the coach.

And … if it doesn’t go well, it’s easy to say that it was wrong.”

Tuchel’s chess moves couldn’t contain Messi, the maestro of Argentina’s attacks. In the 38 minutes between England’s goal and Argentina’s winner, Argentina held a whopping 88% of the possession, according to Opta.

It was only the second time this century that a team scored first in a World Cup semifinal and failed to reach the final, according to Opta.

The other blown lead was also by England, in 2018 against Croatia.

England took the lead on Anthony Gordon’s goal in the 55th minute. But Argentina quickly switched the momentum with furious pressure on England’s defense.

ARGENTINA

Continued from page 1C scored the opening goal in the 55th minute.

The team was hanging on as the game wore on. England goalkeeper Jordon Pickford made vital saves while Mac Allister sent a header off the post as wave after wave of Argentina attacks came.

Messi largely had been kept quiet. But when he’s on the field, anything seems possible.

He fed the ball to Fernandez to sweep in the equalizer from outside the box in the 85th minute.

And two minutes into stoppage time, Messi sent in a cross for Martinez to head in the winner.

It almost felt inevitable, especially given the amount of times Argentina simply has refused to give in at this year’s World Cup. From Cape Verde to Egypt, Messi and his teammates always seem to find a way.

England, in contrast, came up short in the World Cup semifinals for the third time after losses to Germany in 1990 and Croatia in 2018. And it’s another occasion in

BY PHILIP MARCELO Associated Press

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JACOB KUPFERMAN

Argentina’s Enzo Fernandez reacts after his country’s win in the World Cup over England in Atlanta on Wednesday.

To protect the lead, England drew closer and closer to its own goal, hoping to build the sort of impenetrable wall it had when it held on to beat Mexico in the round of 16 despite being down to 10 players.

Tuchel swapped defender Reece James for Dan Burn, and midfielder Declan Rice for defender Nico O’Reilly in the 82nd minute.

“It’s disappointing to give up the space that we did in those final 20 minutes,” England captain Harry Kane said. “It allowed not just (Messi), but the other players to grow into the game and feel more confident and ping balls into dangerous areas. In the end, it was too much for us to stop.”

Fernandez struck barely three minutes after the England substitutions, scoring on a precise rightfooted strike from just outside the penalty area. Messi set up the play with a pass to his teammate, and England defenders failed to close him down before he ripped the shot that curled past diving goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.

The defending champion kept coming and England’s wall kept crumbling. Argentina hit the crossbar and missed another header across the mouth of the

goal before Martínez sealed it with a close-range header when England defenders lost him on a cross from Messi.

“They got tired,” Martínez said.

“They pressed for 60 minutes and then just ran out of steam. They got their goal and then sat back.

That gave us more composure to move the ball around and stretch the pitch.”

England’s defense had earned plaudits after previous matches, especially for how it hunkered down during the second half of a 3-2 win over Mexico in the round of 16, as El Tri peppered their opponent’s back line with cross after cross. But that came as England was down a player due to a 54th-minute red card on Jarell Quansah.

Burn, the 6-foot-7 (2-meter) defender who shined during that stand in Mexico City, said Wednesday’s approach did not work out.

“Off the ball, we defended probably a little bit too deep,” Burn said. “With the quality of chances that Argentina were creating, I felt like it was a matter of time. ...

To be 10 to 15 minutes away from the World Cup final — we really probably should have seen that through.”

NEW YORK — New York City’s official World Cup guide lists no less than 100 free places to take in soccer’s biggest tournament on big screens. One place that isn’t listed?

The city’s notorious Rikers Island jail complex, better known for its overcrowding and violence than for hosting social events.

More than 100 inmates were rewarded with a special viewing of the World Cup semifinal match Wednesday between England and Argentina because of their model behavior behind bars.

The inmates, dressed in tan uniforms, took seats at tables facing a large projection screen set up in a gymnasium. The jail has hosted about 90 such watch parties since the tournament kicked off last month, with about 4,500 of the roughly 6,600 inmates incarcerated on the 400-acre island participating, correction officials said.

“Programs like this equal safety in our jail,” said Stanley Richards, the city’s correction commissioner and a former Rikers inmate. “What we say to them is that your humanity is seen, heard and valued.”

The scene Wednesday was in sharp contrast to complaints about Rikers Island that have been so bad in recent years that a federal judge appointed an outside manager to help improve the facility.

On Tuesday, that federal overseer, former Vermont Department of Corrections head Nicholas Deml, submitted a plan for reforms that underscored the continued dysfunction at the facility, which opened in 1935.

The report described one instance when inspectors arrived at a housing unit to find it filled with smoke from fires set by prisoners, blaring alarms and people pounding on their cell doors. In another incident, prisoners streamed through an unsecured door and brawled after a guard abandoned his post.

“Violence remains pervasive, ba-

“We’re going to try to win, we’re going to leave everything out there.

We are unique, truly, and it’s not arrogance, it’s from the heart.”

Argentina forward Lionel Messi celebrates after teammate Enzo Fernandez scored a goal during the World Cup semifinal match against England on Wednesday in Atlanta.

LIONEL SCALONI, Argentina coach recent years when the England players have squandered a winning position in the later stages of a major tournament.

They led 1-0 against Croatia in the semifinals eight years ago and lost 2-1. They were up 1-0 against Italy in the European Championship final in 2021 and lost on penalties.

On Wednesday, England coach Thomas Tuchel’s substitutions seemed to be more intent on holding on rather than killing the game off with another goal.

“We played a good game for the majority of it. When we went 1-0 up, we seemed to just try to hold on, which at this level is not

sic correctional practices remain unreliable, and unconstitutional conditions persist,” the report said.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has vowed to honor a 2019 city law mandating the closure of Rikers, paid a short visit to Wednesday’s watch party.

With his white shirt sleeves rolled up, the Democrat took a seat at a table and immediately started chatting about the tournament.

One of the inmates said he expected Argentina to prevail over England and go on to face Spain, which had defeated France the day earlier.

“You never know,” said Mamdani, a professed Morocco fan.

At another table, an inmate told the mayor he was going home later in the day. “That’s amazing,” Mamdani said, patting his back.

The jailhouse crowd erupted in a mix of groans and cheers as England struck first with a goal early in the second half.

Ralph Veal was among the minority of England fans who raised his arms in celebration as Argentina supporters grimaced and looked away dejectedly. The 53-year-old Mount Vernon resident, who has been incarcerated since November, said he’s rooting for England because it’s his 20-year-old son’s favorite team.

“I’m sitting at the table with Argentina fans, but it’s all right,” Veal said shortly before the England goal. “The energy is real positive in here.”

Victor Caldas was among the legion of Argentina fans who jumped out of their seats hugging and clapping and banging the tables as the team took a decisive 2-1 lead in stoppage time, and then went on to win a spot against Spain in the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday.

Caldas said he appreciated being able to watch the game uninterrupted among fellow soccer fans and not having to compete with other inmates for use of the television in his housing unit.

AP PHOTO

By REBECCA BLACKWEL

enough,” Kane said. “We talk about knocking on the door. We’re close, we just need to find that missing piece in the final stage of the tournament.”

In contrast, Argentina is one step away from history. Messi,

now 39 and likely playing at his last World Cup, is one win away from further strengthening his case as the greatest soccer player of all time.

“We’re going to try to win, we’re going to leave everything out

there,” Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said. “It’s very difficult to get people to understand what these players are showing. It’s incredible. We are unique, truly, and it’s not arrogance, it’s from the heart. We are unique.”

4C ✦ Thursday, July 16, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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H

BRITISH OPEN Plunkett finds golf yet again in Army have seemed to be the end West Point alum ofwould his golf. He was a logistics ofduring his five-year Army now in British Open ficer stint, specializing primarily in

BY DOUG FERGUSON AP golf writer

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By GEORGE WALKER IV

Tommy Fleetwood, of England, celebrates after a birdie on the second hole during the final round of the U.S. Open on June 21 at Shinnecock Hills in Southampton, N.y. Fleetwood is a native of Southport, England, the site of this year’s British Open.

Southport’s star Fleetwood riding a wave of support as the hometown hero

BY STEVE DOUGLAS

where.

Look further afield around these parts, though, and it’s clear this SOUTHPORT, England — As a kid grow- popular golfer with distinctive ing up in Southport, Tommy Fleet- flowing locks and a forever-friendly wood regarded Royal Birkdale as manner is a hometown hero. virtually off limits — except for those rare occasions he sneaked on ‘Really positive fuel’ to hit some shots while accompanyThere’s a mural of Fleetwood — ing his father on evening dog walks. pumping his fists and wearing his “Hallowed turf,” is how a young, blue Team Europe Ryder Cup uniwide-eyed Fleetwood viewed the form — on the wall of Southport & course in this golf-crazed corner of Birkdale Sports Club. northwest England that, every few There’s the Tommy Fleetwood years, would welcome the world’s Academy at nearby Formby Hall best players for the British Open. golf club, where he first became His dream of making it there a member and won his only club himself one day and lifting the championship as a kid. Youngsters claret jug — a scenario which, who from the academy have lined up knows, might just happen on the for autographs from Fleetwood 18th green at Birkdale on Sunday next to the practice putting green evening — began a 10-minute drive this week. down the road in more humble enThere’s been no bigger buzz during the practice days than when the virons.

Southport Municipal, a club that 35-year-old Fleetwood has been on proudly labels itself as England’s the course.

“It’s very rare to have an opportuoldest municipal links course, staged a junior program on Monday nity to play a tournament, let alone nights and it was there where Fleet- the Open, in the town where you wood’s golfing journey launched grew up in front of fans that were all there to support you,” Fleetwood around the age of 6.

And it’s why Will Burke, a 40-year- said.

“To see people emotionally inold from Birmingham, Alabama, pitched up there on Wednesday vested in you … I think it’s very with his father, Randy. They paid special. It definitely doesn’t go un$25 each to play 18 holes under a noticed by me.” gorgeous blue sky.

The natural question is, will it “We’re here for the golf this heap too much pressure on him? week,” Will said, “and we met with Fleetwood sees it as “really, resome locals who were really com- ally positive fuel.”

“If I just go back to the original plimentary about the place and said it’s right down the street from me being an 8-year-old kid, the thought of playing in an Open at where we’re staying.

“When you hear the story about Birkdale was unbelievably speTommy Fleetwood’s origins and cial,” he said. “So if you’re not gohow he got started in the Southport ing to enjoy it, then you’ve kind of area, that’s the cherry on top.” let yourself down.”

Nothing inside this muni’s modest club shop, or indeed anywhere at Rory knows the feeling the course, points to Fleetwood beRory McIlroy knows what Fleeting its most famous son. Strangely, wood is going through. McIlroy was there’s not a mention of him any- the guy most in the crowd were AP sportswriter

rooting for when the Open Championship made an emotional return to Royal Portrush in his native Northern Ireland in 2019 — after an absence of 68 years — and again last year.

McIlroy missed the cut the first time after a nightmarish first-round 79 but said he handled things better the second time, when he tied for seventh.

“You feel like you’re trying to play well for everyone else and not for yourself,” McIlroy said. “I think there’s already enough pressure on anyone in this field to play well for themselves, so to add that extra layer on top of that is always pretty difficult.

“But,” he added, “I feel like Tommy’s more level-headed than I am and won’t fall into that trap like I did in 2019.”

Away from the lofty expectations of the locals in this seaside town, Fleetwood comes back home under pressure to end his wait for a first major title.

Winning the Tour Championship in August was celebrated beyond English shores because it was his first PGA Tour title and he’d come so close so many times, handling each near-miss with dignity and grace.

Now it’s time for Fleetwood to capture that elusive major and there’d be no more popular winner on Sunday, especially to the people of Southport, who keep welcoming back with open arms.

“Everybody loves him, everybody respects him, whether they’ve met him or not. We own a little bit of him,” said Patrick Hodgson, a 71-year-old member at Southport Municipal who has followed Fleetwood’s rise from talented local kid to one of the world’s best players.

“If he wins, it would be celebrated here for days and months and years.”

SOUTHPORT, England — Royal Birkdale is not anywhere Marcus Plunkett expected to be. Not when he turned down golf scholarships to attend West Point. Not when he was rising to the rank of captain in the U.S. Army. Not even when he touched a golf club again for the first time in nearly four years.

Yet there he was Wednesday on the range, pounding drives with his athletic 6-foot-5 frame on the final day of practice before his debut in the British Open.

A few spots to his left was Jordan Spieth, a three-time major champion and the last Open champion at Birkdale. Down a ways to his right was two-time U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau with a stationary camera behind him. It was a lot to take in.

“It’s awesome,” Plunkett said.

“As cool as it gets.”

Plunkett, a 32-year-old from Atlantic Beach, Florida, was among the 20 players who made it through 36-hole qualifying in the U.K. a few weeks ago, holding steady on the last four holes at Dundonald Links to grab the final spot.

He has been all over the world, and not just his Army stops in South Korea and Afghanistan.

He made it through Asian Tour Q-school last year and already this year has gone from the Philippines to Malaysia to Singapore and Morocco. He is 20th on the Order of Merit.

Plunkett getting a card anywhere — the Korn Ferry Tour in 2025, the Asian Tour in 2026 — came about when he least expected. All it took was one impromptu round of golf, and the COVID-19 pandemic certainly played a part.

Plunkett finished his college career at Army by helping the Black Knights to the Patriot Conference title with brother Matt a freshman on the team. That

convoy maneuvers, either moving personnel or cargo. His golf clubs stayed home.

But one day after he returned to Fort Carson in Colorado, he decided to play golf with his dad.

“I shot 69 and thought I was the best golfer in the world,” Plunkett said. “And I played the next day and probably shot 95. But I stuck with it. My last few months in the Army, COVID was a thing and the DOD (Department of Defense) took it seriously. We had a lot of limited personnel office hours. I had a lot more free time on my hands and played a lot of golf.”

A career as an Army officer was on his mind until he fell back in love with golf.

“It was either time to re-up or go a different way,” Plunkett said.

“I was enjoying golf so much that I decided I wanted to give it a go.”

And so he went. Plunkett qualified for a Korn Ferry Tour event each of the next two years after getting out of the Army in 2021, and at the end of 2024, he did well enough in Q-school to earn a Korn Ferry Tour card that guaranteed him eight tournaments. He didn’t come close to keeping his card, and then tried his hand in Asia.

The next step might be European tour Q-school.

It’s a big world in golf, and Plunkett realized it can also be a small world.

He played a practice round Tuesday with Sahith Theegala, who has played on a Presidents Cup team and reached as high as No. 11 in the world ranking.

They were making small talk when Theegala realized one of his high school teammates in California, Dean Sakata, also went to West Point and played with Plunkett.

“I didn’t realize that until I asked him on the second hole,” Theegala said. “Dean was a super nice guy.

“Everyone loved him. And they were pretty close at West Point, so that shows me a lot about Marcus’ character.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By DAVID GOLDMAN

Marcus Plunkett plays a shot on the 11th tee during a practice round for the British Open on Tuesday in Southport, England.

Tourney trying to get ahead of fan behavior with conduct code

BY STEVE DOUGLAS and DOUG FERGUSON AP sportswriters

SOUTHPORT, England — More than 300,000 fans will attend the British Open at Royal Birkdale this week, making it a record crowd for golf’s oldest major championship.

They’ll need to bring sun cream and some manners.

BRITISH

Continued from page 1C with a mixture of excitement and curiosity. For those who love links golf, there’s no greater colors than brown and yellow that indicate crispy conditions in which the fairways can run faster than some of the greens.

Rarely has the forecast been filled with warm sunshine with a cloudless sky, which will be a challenge for the R&A to keep the turf from getting too fast.

Rory McIlroy came to Royal Birkdale a few weeks ago and saw what seemed to be a different

For the first time, the R&A has felt it necessary to publish a fan code of conduct, at a time when some of golf’s biggest events have been marred by unsavory and even abusive behavior by spectators.

Titled “The Open Commitment,” the code boils down to these five basic requirements of fans: respect the players, respect the links, respect each other, be

aware, enjoy responsibly.

Essentially, just be a nice person. If not, the R&A says it can punish “serious or repeated breaches” by removing the guilty parties from the property “without refund.”

“I’m all for an atmosphere,” said Matt Fitzpatrick, one of the 21 English players in the field who are most likely to be cheered rather than heckled. “Obviously I

don’t want it to cross a line.”

That’s what happened at last year’s Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, when Team Europe’s players — especially Rory McIlroy — endured a torrent of personal insults and shouting on their back swings and putts.

McIlroy deemed the abuse from the New York crowd “unacceptable.”

Wyndham Clark didn’t get much

love at last month’s U.S. Open, with spectators cheering his mistakes — conduct that Scottie Scheffler said was “a bit much to me.”

Even the most recent British Open held on English soil — just down the road at Hoylake — didn’t escape some crowd misbehavior as American player Brian Harman defied some jeers and insults on his way to lifting the claret jug.

course. It was greener. The rough was more lush. It’s no longer like that. Yes, it’s harder to control shots running along the fairway But the rough, while still having some thick patches in which players are up to their knees in grass, is more burned and wispy.

“I think it’s a double-edged sword,” McIlroy said. “I think all this dry weather and sun and a little bit of wind is obviously great for the course in one way, but when I was here a couple weeks ago, the rough was a lot more penal than it’s going to be this week. It’s definitely burnt out a lot.

“The big thing, especially off the tee here, is the fairway bunkers

and avoiding those. You might see some guys being more aggressive off the tee, taking driver, trying to take the fairway bunkers out of play. OK, it might be in the rough, but it’s not that penal, so you get a wedge in your hand and you can figure it out from there.”

Every hole seems to have options.

The redesigned fifth plays 321 yards and enough shrubs have been removed that it’s no longer a blind shot from the tee. What players see now is a pond — an unusual hazard for links golf, but it’s always been there — and a row of pot bunkers leading to the green.

The wind is out of a different direction than usual, making the 393-

yard 16th hole play downwind and running fast. Most players were hitting no more than 5-iron off the tee to avoid the bunkers. The other option is a driver than can get close to the green.

It’s like that all over, and it could lead to brilliance and blunders.

“From what I’ve learned in the past, if you start pulling out drivers in an Open Championship, you can do a good job,” Jon Rahm said.

“You can maybe get away with it one round. Over four rounds, you’re going to start finding spots you don’t want to be in, and you’re going to pay the price.”

Scottie Scheffler is the reigning champion, trying to become the

first repeat winner of golf’s oldest championship since Padraig Harrington won at Carnoustie and Royal Birkdale in 2007 and 2008.

The world’s No. 1 player has played only five times in the British Open, but he probably spoke for many when he said, “This is the first forecast I remember seeing when it had no rain in it for the week.”

It’s a different Royal Birkdale from when Jordan Spieth won in 2017, particularly the new look on the fifth and the par-3 seventh, and a brand-new par 3 at the 15th (the old par-3 14th was removed).

Scheffler offered a not-so-subtle jab at the chances, even though he hadn’t seen the course before.

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Thursday, July 16, 2026 ✦ 5C

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Success of recent Hurricanes QBs attracted Mensah

BY STEVE REED

AP sportswriter

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Miami Hurricanes are back on the national scene in college football in large part because of the acquisition of two high-profile transfer quarterbacks the past two years.

They’re counting on a third, Darian Mensah from Duke, to keep them in the conversation.

The junior redshirt quarterback said Wednesday he made the move to Miami largely because of the success Cam Ward and Carson Beck experienced after joining the Hurricanes through the transfer portal. Ward became the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and Beck took Miami to the College Football Playoff championship game last season and was selected in Round 3.

Mensah said after watching Ward and Beck perform, he believes Miami gives him a chance to win a national title while simultaneously best utilizing his skill set to improve his NFL draft stock.

“Seeing what the last two quarterbacks did at Miami was a huge factor,” Mensah said at the ACC kickoff event. “Seeing the freedom that (offensive coordinator Shannon) Dawson lets the quarterback play with within his offense was also something that was attractive to me.”

Mensah’s arrival in Miami followed a tension-filled offseason legal fight between Duke and its elite QB, who had signed a two-year contract in 2025 that included name, image and likeness money after he transferred from Tulane. The end result was a settlement that allowed Mensah to move on from Duke after the school had attempted to block his departure.

Mensah brings a proven track record to Miami.

He threw for 2,723 yards and 22 touchdowns for Tulane in 2024, then led the Atlantic Coast Conference last season with 3,973 yards passing and 34 touchdowns. The Blue Devils won a five-way tiebreaker to reach the ACC championship and beat No. 20 Virginia in Charlotte for their first outright title since 1962.

With Beck out of college eligibility, Miami coach Mario Cristobal felt his team desperately

needed an experienced QB to go with a talented returning core.

“We were in the market for a quarterback,” Cristobal said.

“We felt the team was really set in so many areas. When Darian hit the portal, we felt this is a guy we would love to pursue.

His levels of leadership, care factor, time invested in his craft, football IQ, just natural human IQ, just an elite person.”

Mensah said the transition to Miami has been “seamless” and that his new teammates have been welcoming even while talk swirls around his reported $10 million NIL deal.

“I feel like I’m at home here in Miami and you couldn’t ask for more,” he said.

Mensah said he remains friends with his former Duke teammates but that “business is business.”

There likely will be plenty of emotions on both sides when the Hurricanes host Duke on Nov. 14. Mensah said he briefly considered joining the NFL draft but decided he needed to show more to scouts.

“I feel like I lost my team some games last year with just having the ball loose,” Mensah said. “And so I think that was a big thing for me and then just taking what the defense gives me and just being better with that, and not pressing.”

The Hurricanes are coming off a memorable season. After catching a few breaks to get into the CFP, including Duke’s Mensah-led win over Virginia, they beat No. 7 Texas A&M, No. 2 Ohio State and No. 6 Ole Miss before losing to Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza and No. 1 Indiana in the CFP final.

Linebacker Mohamed Toure, Miami’s leading tackler last season, said the “The U” is getting closer to the high level where it once was. He said he gets chills when former Hurricanes players return to campus and talk with the team.

“We ended with a bitter taste in our mouth, so it’s like we’re hungry to get to this 2026 season,” Toure said. “But we understand that we only could take it one day at a time. So taking that energy, that hunger that we have and just applying it to every single day.

It’s a stepping stone.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By AARON BEARD

Miami quarterback Darian Mensah interacts with reporters during ACC media days on Wednesday in Charlotte, N.C.

KAMARA

Continued from page 1C between the Saints and an iconic player to keep him around.

Last month, the Saints and Cam Jordan agreed on a one-year contract after the defensive end tested free agency so that Jordan could return for a 16th season. In the years before that, the Saints negotiated pay cuts with veterans such as Jordan, Tyrann Mathieu and Demario Davis.

The Saints’ negotiations with Kamara, at least publicly, never got contentious, but the saga did draw plenty of interest over the last few months. The Saints received some criticism for their non-committal approach, most notably from Mathieu. He suggested New Orleans was disrespecting its all-time leading rusher by not acting in “good faith.” Mathieu, who retired last year, said he didn’t think the Saints had “the balls to outright cut him” and suggested the franchise wanted Kamara to instead retire.

The situation took another turn in June when Kamara showed up for an OTA session for the first time since 2019. The visit appeared to even catch Moore off-guard and

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By REBECCA BLACKWELL

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza passes against Miami during the first half of a College Football Playoff national championship game on Jan. 19 in Miami Gardens, Fla.

ACC revamps tiebreakers for conference title game

BY STEVE REED AP sportswriter

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Atlantic Coast Conference is revamping the tiebreaker format for its football championship game after a controversial finish last season that allowed a five-loss Duke team to get in over then-No. 10-ranked Miami — a situation that put the Hurricanes at risk of missing the expanded College Football Playoff.

Miami, which had been the ACC’s most dominant team during the regular season, wound up being selected for the playoff and went on to reach the national title game, where it fell short to No. 1 Indiana 27-21.

Duke beat No. 20 Virginia in the ACC championship game last year for its first outright ACC title since 1962 but was not selected for the CFP, much to the dismay of Blue Devils coach Manny Diaz.

The new football championship tiebreaker policy will take effect beginning with the 2026 season, reflecting the league’s transition to a nine-game conference schedule

and ensuring a fair and equitable process for determining participants in the ACC championship game, the league said.

The updated tiebreaking procedure is built on three guiding principles: n Head-to-head results always will matter most. n No team will be overly rewarded or penalized based on the number of conference games it played. n When head-to-head competition cannot separate tied teams, the team with the strongest overall body of work will earn the opportunity to compete for the ACC championship and the conference’s automatic qualifier to the CFP. “Our game will feature the two most deserving teams,” ACC commissioner Jim Phillips said at the ACC kickoff event on Wednesday in Charlotte.

Phillips said the third tier of that tiebreaker will be based on a SportSource Analytics metric used by the CFP. The updated policy was developed to reward head-to-head results and account for the league’s

teams playing an alternate number of conference games while also identifying the two most deserving teams to compete for the ACC championship and the conference’s automatic berth into the CFP. The conference said the evaluation included more than 10,000 simulated season outcomes to ensure the model fairly addressed a wide range of championship scenarios.

The revised policy was approved after a comprehensive review by ACC athletic directors.

In December, the ACC announced 12 of its 17 football-playing members would play a ninegame football conference schedule beginning in 2026 while five teams would play eight games. That made the head-to-head tiebreakers even more complicated than in the past.

The policy will operate as a bridge to accommodate conference games already on the books, with the plan to have 16 of 17 teams playing nine football games regularly by 2027.

LSU

Continued from page 1C Mathieu and Leonard Fournette.

LSU’s only retired number remains No. 20, which was last worn

by Cannon.

Nicknamed the “Ruston Rifle” because of his hometown and powerful right arm, Jones played at LSU from 1970-72 in an era when athletes could play only three varsity seasons.

Sharing time at quarterback with senior Buddy Lee, Jones helped lead the Tigers to the 1970 Southeastern Conference championship, LSU’s only conference title between 1961 and 1988. LSU went 26-6-1 during Jones’ career, as he left Baton Rouge as the school’s all-time leader in passing yards (3,255), touchdown passes (28), attempts (418) and completions (220).

In 1972, Jones became the program’s first All-America quarterback and finished fourth in Heisman Trophy voting. His signature moment that season came when he led the Tigers on an 80-yard drive capped by a last-second touch-

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO

LSU quarterback Bert Jones spikes the ball after scoring a touchdown in the fourth quarter against Iowa State on Dec. 18, 1971, in El Paso, Texas. Jones received a unanimous vote from the LSU Athletic Hall of Fame committee to be enshrined at Tiger Stadium. down pass to Brad Davis to beat Ole Miss 17-16, one of the most memorable plays in LSU history.

Jones was the No. 2 overall pick in the 1973 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Colts, where he went on to be the 1976 NFL MVP. Jones retired in 1982 after nine seasons with the

Colts and one with the Los Angeles Rams, the second half of his career marked by shoulder and neck injuries. Jones finished his pro career with 18,190 yards passing and 124 touchdowns.

In 2016, Jones was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame.

Saints and Kamara finally have reached a compromise just two weeks before training camp begins.

Kamara is coming off his least productive season as a pro. The 30-year-old posted career lows in several categories, including rushing yards (471) and yards per attempt (3.6) while missing the final six games with a knee injury. As a team, the Saints struggled in the run game last season, ranking 28th in rushing.

The pronounced struggles are why the Saints not only pursued Etienne but also signed guard David Edwards. Now that the Saints know Kamara will be on the roster, the New Orleans coaching staff can further envision ways the fivetime Pro Bowler can complement Etienne, who’s still expected to be the lead back.

Kamara has said he has no problem sharing carries.

“We’ve done it here before,” Kamara said last month. “You saw it STAFF FILE PHOTO By BRETT DUKE here with Mark (Ingram) and I. Latavius (Murray) and I. Just havSaints running back Alvin Kamara runs for a touchdown as Arizona Cardinals safety Dadrion Taylor-Demerson ing two talented backs, it benefits defends during the first half on Sept. 7 at the Caesars Superdome. Kamara will return to the Saints for a 10th each back. You gotta try to prepare season. for both, and it puts (defenses) in a dilemma right there.” happened soon after Kamara’s playing for the Saints next season.

Saints concluded OTAs and managent told the NFL Network that the Kamara’s impromptu visit did datory minicamp with the deal Email Matthew Paras at matt. running back had every intention of not spur a resolution. Instead, the still unresolved. A month later, the paras@theadvocate.com

6C ✦ Thursday, July 16, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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SCOREBOARD Odds

All-Star Game

Major League Baseball

AL

National League FAVORITE at PHILADELPHIA

LINE UNDERDOG -134 N.Y Mets

LINE +110

Major League Baseball American League East Division Tampa Bay New York Boston Baltimore Toronto

W 56 54 46 46 45

L 38 42 48 51 51

Pct .596 .563 .489 .474 .469

GB — 3 10 11½ 12

Cleveland Chicago Minnesota Detroit Kansas City

W 51 50 48 44 38

L 46 45 49 52 59

Pct .526 .526 .495 .458 .392

GB — — 3 6½ 13

Texas Seattle Houston Athletics Los Angeles

W 49 48 47 41 38

L 47 49 51 55 59

Pct .510 .495 .480 .427 .392

GB — 1½ 3 8 11½

Central Division

West Division

Tuesday’s game

All-Star Game: AL 4, NL 0

Wednesday’s games No games scheduled

Thursday’s games

No games scheduled

Friday’s games

Tampa Bay at Boston, 12:35 p.m.

Los Angeles Dodgers at New York Yankees, 6:05 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Cleveland, 6:10 p.m.

Tampa Bay at Boston, 6:10 p.m.

Texas at Atlanta, 6:15 p.m.

Chicago White Sox at Toronto, 6:15 p.m.

Minnesota at Chicago Cubs, 7:05 p.m.

Baltimore at Houston, 7:10 p.m.

San Diego at Kansas City, 7:10 p.m.

Detroit at Los Angeles Angels, 8:38 p.m.

Washington at Athletics, 8:40 p.m.

San Francisco at Seattle, 10:10 p.m.

National League East Division

Atlanta Philadelphia Miami Washington New York

W 55 54 52 48 40

L 40 43 45 49 57

Pct .579 .557 .536 .495 .412

GB — 2 4 8 16

Milwaukee Chicago St. Louis Pittsburgh Cincinnati

W 59 54 50 50 43

L 37 42 45 47 52

Pct .615 .563 .526 .515 .453

GB — 5 8½ 9½ 15½

Central Division

West Division

Los Angeles Arizona San Diego San Francisco Colorado

Tuesday’s game

W 61 49 48 41 39

L 36 47 48 55 59

Third-place game

American League 4, National League 0

Pct .629 .510 .500 .427 .398

GB — 11½ 12½ 19½ 22½

All-Star Game: AL 4, NL 0

Wednesday’s games No games scheduled

Thursday’s game

New York Mets (Scott 2-1) at Philadelphia (Nola 3-6), 6:10 p.m.

Friday’s games

Los Angeles Dodgers at New York Yankees, 6:05 p.m.

Texas at Atlanta, 6:15 p.m.

Miami at Milwaukee, 6:40 p.m.

Minnesota at Chicago Cubs, 7:05 p.m.

San Diego at Kansas City, 7:10 p.m.

Cincinnati at Colorado, 7:40 p.m.

St. Louis at Arizona, 8:40 p.m.

Washington at Athletics, 8:40 p.m.

San Francisco at Seattle, 10:10 p.m.

ab r h bi Trout cf 3 0 0 0 Rafaela cf 2 0 0 0 Alvarez dh 2 1 1 0 Díaz ph-dh 2 0 0 0 Langeliers c 1 1 1 0 Dingler c 1 0 0 0 Rutschman c 1 0 0 0 Caminero 3b 1 0 0 0 Vargas pr-3b 2 1 1 1 Witt ss 1 1 0 0 McGnigle ss 2 0 0 0 Bellinger rf 3 0 1 2 Peters rf 1 0 0 0 Rice 1b 2 0 1 1 Ws. Cntrrs 1b 1 0 1 0 Murakami 1b 1 0 0 0 Greene lf 2 0 0 0 Arozarena lf 2 0 1 0 Clement 2b 2 0 0 0 Bazzana 2b 2 0 0 0

NL

ab r h bi Schwarber dh 2 0 0 0 Harper ph-dh 1 0 0 0 Herrera ph-dh 1 0 0 0 Soto lf 2 0 1 0 Carroll lf 1 0 0 0 Walker lf 1 0 0 0 Freeman 1b 1 0 0 0 Olson 1b 2 0 0 0 Abrams ss 2 0 0 0 Lopez ss 2 0 1 0 Muncy 3b 2 0 0 0 Stewart 3b 1 0 0 0 Albies 2b 2 0 0 0 Arraez 2b 1 0 0 0 Marsh rf 2 0 0 0 Wood rf 1 0 0 0 Pages cf 2 0 0 0 Cw-Armstrg cf 1 0 1 0 Baldwin c 1 0 0 0 Willi.Cntreras c 1 0 0 0 Goodman c 1 0 0 0 Totals 34 4 7 4 Totals 30 0 3 0 AL 300 000 010 — 4 NL 000 000 000 — 0 LOB — AL 6, NL 5. HR — Vargas (21).

IP H R ER BB SO AL Cease W,6-4 1 0 0 0 1 3 Messick H,0 1 0 0 0 0 1 Wacha H,0 1 0 0 0 0 2 Ryan H,0 1 1 0 0 0 2 Martinez H,0 1 0 0 0 0 1 Smith H,0 1 0 0 0 0 2 2 Rasmussen H,0 ⁄3 0 0 0 1 1 1 Latz H,2 ⁄3 0 0 0 0 1 Varland 1 1 0 0 0 1 2 Chapman ⁄3 0 0 0 0 1 1 Baker ⁄3 1 0 0 0 0 NL Sánchez L,11-4 1 3 3 3 2 2 Rodriguez 1 0 0 0 0 0 O’Brien 1 1 0 0 0 1 Luzardo 1 0 0 0 0 1 Griffin 1 0 0 0 0 2 Iglesias 1 1 0 0 0 0 Wrobleski 2 1 1 1 0 5 1 Miller ⁄3 0 0 0 0 1 2 Duran ⁄3 1 0 0 0 0 HBP — O’Brien (Caminero).

ABS Challenge — Harper (Strike-Confirmed); Peters (Strike-Confirmed).

Umpires — Home, Alan Porter; First, Chris Conroy; Second, Chad Whitson; Third, Ryan Additon; Right, Edwin Moscoso; Left, Adam Beck.

T — 2:45. A — 43,916 (42,901).

American League leaders Batting Díaz, TB Alvarez, HOU Jung, TEX Aranda, TB Clement, TOR Greene, DET Antonacci, CHW Arozarena, SEA Witt, KC Contreras, BOS

G 90 96 87 93 93 95 75 89 91 88

AB 345 349 336 340 358 344 261 325 360 312

R 51 65 45 48 42 48 48 59 51 46

National League leaders Batting Lopez, MIA Arraez, SF Gonzales, PIT Edwards, MIA Lee, SF Johnston, COL McCarthy, COL Marsh, PHI Harris, ATL Rumfield, COL

G 95 91 91 97 88 87 83 92 89 95

AB 380 361 338 353 331 276 279 339 334 335

Soccer World Cup glance Semifinals

Tuesday’s score Spain 2, France 0 Wednesday’s score Argentina 2, England 1

R 61 48 51 50 46 33 39 52 45 42

H 111 111 100 101 106 99 75 93 103 89

H 127 119 104 107 100 83 84 102 99 99

BA .322 .318 .298 .297 .296 .288 .287 .286 .286 .285

BA .334 .330 .308 .303 .302 .301 .301 .301 .296 .296

Saturday France vs. England, 4 p.m.

Sunday Spain vs. Argentina, 2 p.m.

Top scorers

Lionel Messi (Argentina): 8 goals (2 assists) Kylian Mbappé (France): 8 goals (3 assists) Erling Haaland (Norway): 7 goals Harry Kane (England): 6 goals Jude Bellingham (England): 6 goals

Most World Cups

5 titles: Brazil 4 titles: Germany, Italy 3 titles: Argentina 2 titles: France, Uruguay 1 title: England, Spain

College football SWAC preseason poll Presason poll with first-place votes in parenthesis and total points.

West

1. Prairie View (19) 2. Grambling (2) 3. Alcorn State (1) 4. Texas Southern (1) 5. Southern (1) 6. Arkansas-Pine Bluff

130 93 90 79 65 32

1. Alabama State (6) 2. Jackson State (7) 3. Bethune-Cookman 4. Florida A&M 5. Alabama A&M (1) 6. Mississippi Valley State

131 122 71 70 66 29

East

Pro basketball WNBA glance Indiana Atlanta Washington New York Toronto Chicago Connecticut

W 14 14 12 13 10 8 6

L 9 10 10 11 14 16 18

Pct .609 .583 .545 .542 .417 .333 .250

Minnesota Las Vegas Golden State Dallas Los Angeles Portland Phoenix Seattle

W 19 17 17 16 10 10 8 6

L 6 7 7 8 13 14 17 20

Pct GB .760 — .708 1½ .708 1½ .667 2½ .435 8 .417 8½ .320 11 .231 13½

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Tuesday’s games

GB — ½ 1½ 1½ 4½ 6½ 8½

Connecticut 90, Portland 87 Washington 79, Toronto 62

Wednesday’s games

Chicago 95, Seattle 90 Minnesota 96, Los Angeles 87 Golden State at Indiana, n

Thursday’s games

Portland at Washington, 6 p.m.

New York at Dallas, 8 p.m.

Friday’s games

Atlanta at Toronto, 6:30 p.m.

Los Angeles at Chicago, 6:30 p.m.

Seattle at Indiana, 6:30 p.m.

Connecticut at Phoenix, 9 p.m.

Leaders Scoring

25.5 22.7 21.0 20.7 20.5

Angel Reese, Atlanta Jessica Shepard, Dallas A’Ja Wilson, Los Vegas Kiki Iriafen, Washington Aneesah Morrow, Connecticut

11.8 11.6 9.8 9.7 9.4

Alyssa Thomas, Phoenix Caitlin Clark, Indiana Chelsea Gray, Las Vegas

8.0 7.8 7.4

Assists

A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Kia Stokes, Golden State Emily Engstler, Portland Kamilla Cardoso, Chicago Nia Coffey, Minneapolis

2.0 1.8 1.8 1.7 1.5

Cycling Tour de France Stage 11 A 100.2-mile ride from Vichy to Nevers Stage Results:

1. Søren Wærenskjold, Norway, Uno-X Mobility, 03:10:06.

2. Olav Kooij, Netherlands, Decathlon CMA CGM Team, same time.

3. Jasper Philipsen, Belgium, Alpecin-Premier Tech, same time.

4. Milan Fretin, Belgium, Cofidis, same time.

5. Henri Artz, Netherlands, Lotto Intermarché, same time.

6. Biniam Girmay, Eritrea, NSN Cycling Team, same time.

7. Anthony Turgis, France, TotalEnergies, same time.

8. Clément Russo, France, Groupama-FDJ United, same time.

9. Fernando Gaviria, Colombia, Caja RuralSeguros RGA, same time.

10. Pascal Ackermann, Germany, Team Jayco AlUla, same time.

Overall standings

1. Tadej Pogacar, Slovenia, UAE Team Emirates XRG, 39:25:08.

2. Jonas Vingegaard Hansen, Denmark, Team Visma ‘ Lease a Bike, 39:28:44.

3. Remco Evenepoel, Belgium, Red Bull — Bora — Hansgrohe, 39:29:14.

4. Juan Ayuso, Spain, Lidl-Trek, 39:29:30.

5. Paul Seixas, France, Decathlon CMA CGM Team, 39:29:43.

6. Florian Lipowitz, Germany, Red Bull — Bora — Hansgrohe, 39:29:52.

7. Isaac del Toro, Mexico, UAE Team Emirates XRG, 39:30:16.

8. Mattias Skjelmose, Denmark, Lidl-Trek, 39:30:53.

9. Lenny Martinez, France, Bahrain Victorious, 39:31:42.

10. Tom Pidcock, Great Britain, PinarelloQ36.5 Pro Cycling Team, 39:36:57.

Tennis ATP-Croatia Open Umag At ITC Stella Maris; Umag, Croatia Surface: Red clay

Men’s singles

Round of 16 Daniel Merida, Spain, def. Tomas Martin Etcheverry (3), Argentina, 7-5, 6-4.

Damir Dzumhur, Bosnia-Herzegovina, def.

Juan Carlos Prado Angelo, Bolivia, 7-6 (2), 6-1.

Matteo Arnaldi (4), Italy, def. Federico Agustin Gomez, Argentina, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (2), Spain, def.

Marco Trungelliti, Argentina, 6-4, 7-5.

Roman Andres Burruchaga, Argentina, def.

Flavio Cobolli (1), Italy, 6-2, 6-4.

Camilo Ugo Carabelli (7), Argentina, def.

Pablo Carreno Busta, Spain, 3-6, 7-5, 7-5.

Titouan Droguet, France, def. Luca Van Assche, France, 6-1, 1-6, 7-5.

Alex Molcan, Slovakia, def. Dino Prizmic, Croatia, 3-6, 7-6 (5), 4-0, ret.

WTA-Iasi Open

A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Kelsey Mitchell, Indiana Marina Mabrey, Toronto Paige Bueckers, Dallas Kahleah Copper, Phoenix

Rebounding

7.4 6.6

Blocked shots

Final

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Jordin Canada, Atlanta Jackie Young, Los Vegas

At Iasi, Romania Surface: Red clay

Women’s singles

Round of 16 Yulia Putintseva (9), Kazakhstan, def. Alina Charaeva, Russia, 6-3, 6-3.

Tamara Zidansek, Slovenia, def. Anna Bondar (7), Hungary, 7-6 (5), 6-7 (5), 7-5.

Clara Burel, France, def. Elsa Jacquemot (8), France, 6-1, 6-1.

Petra Marcinko (2), Croatia, def. Elina Avanesyan, Russia, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (5).

ATP-Swiss Open

At Roy Emerson Arena; Gstaad, Switzerland Surface: Red clay

Men’s singles

Round of 16 Raphael Collignon (7), Belgium, def. Lorenzo Sonego, Italy, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (5).

Arthur Rinderknech (4), France, def. Clement Tabur, France, 6-7 (9), 7-6 (5), 7-5.

Valentin Vacherot (3), Monaco, def. Yannick Hanfmann, Germany, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

ATP-Nordea Open

At Bastad Tennis Stadium; Bastad, Sweden Surface: Red clay

Men’s singles

Round of 16 Adolfo Daniel Vallejo, Paraguay, def. Botic Van de Zandschulp (6), Netherlands, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4).

Nuno Borges (5), Portugal, def. Grigor Dimitrov, Bulgaria, 6-4, 6-2.

Stefano Travaglia, Italy, def. Mariano Navone (4), Argentina, 6-4, 6-2.

Luciano Darderi (2), Italy, def. Daniel Altmaier, Germany, 6-4, 6-4.

Auto racing NASCAR Cup points leaders Through Monday 1. Denny Hamlin, 791.

2. Tyler Reddick, 767.

3. Ryan Blaney, 726.

4. Ty Gibbs, 665.

5. Chase Elliott, 610.

6. Kyle Larson, 594.

7. Chris Buescher, 568.

8. Carson Hocevar, 563.

9. Christopher Bell, 551.

10. Chase Briscoe, 542.

11. Daniel Suárez, 529.

12. William Byron, 520.

13. Bubba Wallace, 493.

14. Austin Cindric, 470.

15. Shane Van Gisbergen, 469.

16. Erik Jones, 446.

17. Joey Logano, 438.

18. Ryan Preece, 420.

19. Brad Keselowski, 403.

20. Ross Chastain, 401.

Transactions Major League Baseball

National League ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS — Sent INF Pavin Smith outright to Reno (PCL). Placed LF Tommy Troy on the 10-day IL retroactive to July 12.

MILWAUKEE BREWERS — Acquired RHP Lance McCullers Jr., LHP Colton Gordon and cash from Houston in exchange for OF Jadyn Fielder. Placed LHP Rob Zastryzny on the 60-day IL. NEW YORK METS — Sent RHP Dedniel Núñez on a rehab assignment to FCL Mets. Agreed to terms with RHP Carson Wiggins on a minor league contract.

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS — Sent RHP Eric Cerantola outright to Sacramento (PCL).

WASHINGTON NATIONALS — Placed C Drew Millas on the 10-day IL retroactive to July 12. Reinstated RHP Max Kranick from the 60-day IL.

FOOTBALL

NFL CAROLINA PANTHERS — Placed QB Will Grier on the reserve/retired list.

HOCKEY

NHL COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS — Signed F Luke Tuch to a two-year contract.

LOS ANGELES KINGS — Signed F Elton Hermansson to a three-year, entry-level contract.

NEW JERSEY DEVILS — Signed F Anthony Mantha to a two-year contract.

VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS — Signed D Juho Piiparinen to a three-year, entry-level contract.

WINNIPEG JETS — Signed F Cole Perfetti to a five-year contract.

SOCCER

Major League Soccer LA GALAXY — Signed F Robert Taylor through the end of the 2026 season, with an option to extend until December 31, 2027.

NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION — Acquired D Cody Baker on loan from the Seattle Sounders through Dec. 31, 2026, with a conditional purchase option.

SWAC MEDIA DAY

Southern’s Faulk says no ‘pressure’ during first year

BY TOYLOY BROWN III Staff writer

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Marshall Faulk embraced the role of a newbie.

The first-year Southern coach acknowledged the “rookie vibes” he felt as one of the new faces at the Southwestern Athletic Conference f o o t b a l l Faulk media day Wednesday inside the Sheraton Birmingham Hotel ballroom.

Despite his newness, Faulk was poised. He moved from station to station and expressed confidence in the foundation he and his staff are laying at Southern. The Pro Football Hall of Fame running back said his team isn’t where it wants to be yet, but there’s plenty of time to get there.

Faulk understands fans’ hunger for a bounce-back season after a 2-10 debacle in 2025, but he said he’s not sweating the situation.

“Unfortunately, I don’t feel pressure,” Faulk said.

“If pressure was something I had to worry about, I would not have taken this job. I feel that I need to make sure these players are in shape, that they take the field prepared and that when they leave this institution, they’re prepared for life. That’s the pressure right there.”

The comfort in the rebuilding process was evident among the players who accompanied Faulk to media day: junior wide receiver Cam Jefferson and junior safety Herman Brister.

Here are three Southern takeaways from SWAC media day.

Culture of accountability

One trait players have become familiar with is Faulk’s directness.

“You go up to his office, you can sit down, have a conversation with him,” Jefferson said. “He’s gonna be as real as it gets. He’s going to tell you what you need to work on.”

When players aren’t living up to their potential, Faulk tells them that without sugarcoating the message.

One of those candid conversations was with running back Trey Holly. Faulk has pushed the SWAC’s fourthleading rusher to no longer be a “me guy” and instead set an example for his teammates.

“I’m just authentic with them,” Faulk said. “That’s how I was coached, that’s how I like it. At the end of the day, when you tell them the truth, you don’t have to go back on anything.”

Players have gravitated toward that honesty and are using it with each other.

“We got to hold each other accountable,” Brister said.

“I think that’s what we kind of lacked last year, accountability. So coach Faulk came in, and that was one of his biggest things: accountability and discipline.”

Chip on shoulder Reminiscing on the 2025 season isn’t a regular activity at Southern.

After being voted the No. 1 team in the SWAC West a year ago after a conference championship game appearance, the Jaguars finished tied for the worst record in the league.

The sting fuels Brister.

“It’s definitely a chip on my shoulder. I refuse to do what happened again last year,” Brister said. “You can ex-

pect a different attitude out of me, and along with a lot of the other guys who were on the team last year. Even the newer guys are like, ‘I don’t want to be part of a 2-10 team.’ We know what’s at stake, and we know we’ve got to come out with a chip on our shoulder regardless.”

Faulk said he has no issue with players drawing from that disappointment.

“That’s good. That matters to me. That means there’s some pride in there,” he said. “You go 2-10, you end on a high note by winning the Bayou Classic, but most of the season was for naught.

“When your returning players take pride in the product they put on the field and say, ‘Man, we don’t like how we represented ourselves,’ then you know you have the right players.”

Starting QB questions While Faulk said he believes in naming a starting quarterback before preseason camp, Southern doesn’t have one to announce yet.

“I hate going into a fall camp with a quarterback competition,” he said.

The plan is to name a starter hopefully after the first week of August camp.

The team has seven quarterbacks on the roster.

The quarterback room includes returners in senior Ashton Strother and redshirt freshman Dillon Compton. The high school signees are Vashaun Coulon (St. Augustine), Mario Litmer (Highlands High School in Kentucky) and Eddie Mamudi (Blake High School in Florida). The transfers are Wyatt McCauley from Long Beach (California) City College and Christian Johnson from Hutchinson (Kansas) Community College.

Call 504-553-1235 to schedule your free quote today!

LIVING

N O L A.C O M

|

T h u r s d ay, J u ly 16, 2026

1dN

Attain rich flavors quicker by starting in microwave

BY LINDA GASSENHEIMER Tribune News Service (TNS)

On a recent trip to St. Louis, I stopped at the legendary Pappy’s Smokehouse and fell in love with their smoky, tender barbecue ribs.

When I returned home, I was craving that same rich flavor but didn’t have hours to spend making them. Instead, I created a quicker version by giving the ribs a head start in the microwave, then finishing them on a stovetop grill to develop a caramelized crust.

A simple homemade barbecue sauce added the perfect finishing touch, delivering all the satisfaction of slow-cooked ribs in a fraction of the time.

HELPFUL HINTS: n Look for a dry barbecue rub in the spice section of the market. n Any prepared potato salad can be used. n An easy way to turn over the ribs is with a pair of tongs or use 2 large spoons. n A skillet can be used instead of a stove top grill.

TNS PHOTO By LINDA GASSENHEIMER

No Fuss Barbecue Ribs Yields 2 servings. Recipe is by Linda Gassenheimer. ¾ cup ketchup 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 2 teaspoons smoked paprika 1½ tablespoons brown sugar 1 rack baby back ribs (about 1½ pounds) 3 teaspoons barbecue dry rub ¼ cup water Vegetable oil spray 1. In a small bowl, mix ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika and brown sugar together to form a smooth sauce.

Set aside.

2. Season both sides of the baby back rack with dry rub. Cut between each bone to separate the rack into individual ribs. Place them in a microwave-safe dish in one layer. Add the water and cover the dish with a plate or plastic wrap. Microwave on high 3 minutes. A meat thermometer should read 145 F when inserted into the meatiest part near the bones.

3. Heat stove top grill or skillet over high heat. Spray grill pan or skillet with vegetable oil spray. Place the ribs on a heated grill for 3 minutes. Turn them over and grill another minute.

They should have a nice crust.

4. Divide between two dinner plates and spoon some sauce on top. Serve extra sauce on the side NUTRITION INFO PER SERVING: 393 calories (33 percent from fat), 14.5 g fat (5.1 g saturated, 6.2 g monounsaturated), 94 mg cholesterol, 31.3 g protein, 39.0 g carbohydrates, 1.1 g fiber, 613 mg sodium.

Doctored Deli Potato Salad

Yields 2 servings. Recipe is by Linda Gassenheimer.

1 cup bought red potato salad 3 tablespoons sweet pickle relish 1. Mix potato salad and relish together.

2. Divide in half and serve with the ribs.

NUTRITION INFO PER SERVING: 250 calories (63 percent from fat), 17.4 g fat (2.7 g saturated, 3.3 g monounsaturated), 13 mg cholesterol, 1.4 g protein, 21.9 g carbohydrates, 1.6 g fiber, 463 mg sodium.

April Hamilton serves up a slice of Pontchartrain Hotels Mile High Pie.

STAFF PHOTOS By JOHN BALLANCE

A TALL ORDER

Make your own memories of Pontchartrain Hotel’s Mile High Pie

BY APRIL HAMILTON

T

Contributing writer

he challenge was to cook at least two recipes from the 10th anniversary edition of “Cooking Up a Storm: Recipes Lost and Found from The TimesPicayune of New Orleans,” the celebrated collection of quintessential Louisiana recipes published after Hurricane Katrina.

When I saw the list of 56 recipes to choose from, my instant reaction was, “Can I them all?”

Recipe, make In a more practical 2D manner, I selected four, extra captivated by a specific title: The Pontchartrain Hotel’s Mile High Pie. Unfamiliar with this dish, I picked it not knowing if it was a sweet or savory recipe. Much to my delight, it is an adored concoction of four ice creams layered in a pastry shell, crowned with burnished meringue and considered one of New Orleans’ most popular desserts.

It elicits nostalgia from those who have experienced it in the famed hotel’s elegant Caribbean Room. Grown women have shared their affection for long-ago family

The recipe for The Pontchartrain Hotel’s Mile High Pie can be found in ‘Cooking Up a Storm: Recipes Lost and Found from The Times-Picayune of New Orleans.’ trips to New Orleans, dressed in their Sunday best, with a stop at the Pontchartrain Hotel for this memorable treat. Their glee prompted me to ask my friend Ellen Gray for her pie memories. Ellen, a blogger and pie expert, had a residency at The Pontchartrain Hotel in 1982 when she served as Yul Brynner’s personal assistant during a threemonth performance series of “The King and I” in the city.

Here’s her response: Mile High Pie stands tall on my list of indelible New Orleans food memories. Served on an oversized

dinner plate, the signature dessert reflected the Pontchartrain’s Caribbean Room elegance. A gravitational wonder, it was composed of vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and peppermint ice cream beneath a torched meringue crown; a pool of dark chocolate sauce tamed the sweetness. The addition of peppermint ice cream ended this dessert on a jazzy note, refreshing but not overly minty.

Non-negotiables: 1. Make room in your freezer for the pie before you begin.

ä See MILE HIGH, page 2D

Take advantage of okra to make summer pancakes

BY VIVIAN HOWARD Voracious

If the South had a mascot, it would be okra. You love, hate or have an unfounded fear of okra — and the same is true of the South.

There’s no vegetable more polarizing than this poor little pod.

And it’s only one part of okra that tends to bother people: the slimy seeds. Now I seek okra out. I want to cook with it. I want to change

people’s minds about it. I’m not going to print myself an “I Love Okra” T-shirt or name my next child after it, but I understand and reRecipe, spect it just as much 2D as I do every other vegetable.

These fritters from my cookbook “Deep Run Roots” capitalize on okra’s slime like nothing else.

They’re sort of a cross between a scallion pancake and fried okra,

and their pillowy texture and vegetal flavor, coupled with the sweet pop of corn, is pleasing and addictive.

Choose large mature pods, and use only their fat midsections. The swollen seeds hiding in there will actually do a lot to hold the fritter batter together. I like to eat these fritters right out of the frying pan over stewed tomatoes, but they’re also nice at room temperature as a scoop for hummus.

2D ✦ Thursday, July 16, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

lll

Outdoor parties should remain outdoors

I do not come from a large imDear Miss Manners: Is it rude to host an outdoor event at our home mediate family, but do have a and limit the indoor access to relarge extended family, and the protocol for gatherings stroom use only? is still the same: With the My husband is one of sevexception of formal, blacken siblings, who are all martie events, one never arried with multiple children; some of those children are rives to a family member’s grown and married with home empty-handed, and children, as well. Needless if the event is being held Judith to say, our combined immeoutdoors, all guests remain Martin outside with the host. diate family is very large.

MISS My in-laws (not all of We come from different MANNERS them, but always the ethnic and cultural backmatriarch and patriarch) grounds, and even 10 years usually arrive with nothing more in, we still differ on what we feel is appropriate or reasonable to ask than an appetite. And no matter where the host has made accomof relatives. Hosting such a large family is one issue on which we modations for guests to gather, still can’t meet in the middle. they always make their way in-

TODAY IN HISTORY

By The Associated Press Today is Thursday, July 16, the 197th day of 2026. There are 168 days left in the year.

Today in History: On July 16, 1945, the United States detonated its first experimental atomic bomb in the desert of Alamogordo, New Mexico; the same day, the heavy cruiser USS Indianapolis left Mare Island Naval Shipyard in California on a secret mission to deliver atomic bomb components to Tinian Island in the Marianas.

Also on this date: In 1790, a site along the Potomac River was designated the permanent seat of the United States government; the area became Washington, D.C. In 1951, the novel “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger was first published by Little, Brown and Co. In 1957, Marine Corps Maj. John Glenn set a transcontinental speed record by flying a Vought F8U Crusader jet from California to New York in 3 hours, 23 minutes and 8.4 seconds.

In 1964, as he accepted the Republican presidential nomination in San Francisco, Barry M. Goldwater declared that “extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice” and that “moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.”

In 1969, Apollo 11 launched from Cape Kennedy in Florida on the first manned mission to the surface of the moon.

In 1999, John F. Kennedy Jr., his wife, Carolyn, and her sister, Lauren Bessette, died when their single-engine plane, piloted

by Kennedy, plunged into the Atlantic Ocean near Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.

In 2004, Martha Stewart was sentenced to five months in prison and five months of home confinement by a federal judge in New York for lying about a

stock sale.

In 2008, Florida resident Casey Anthony, whose 2-yearold daughter, Caylee, had been missing a month, was arrested on charges of child neglect, making false official statements and obstructing a criminal investigation. (Casey Anthony was later acquitted at trial of killing Caylee, whose skeletal remains were found in December 2008; Casey was convicted of lying to police.)

In 2015, a jury in Centennial, Colorado, convicted James Holmes of 165 counts of murder, attempted murder and other charges in the 2012 Aurora movie theater rampage that left 12 people dead.

In 2017, 10 people died at a popular swimming hole in Arizona’s Tonto National Forest after a rainstorm unleashed a flash flood.

In 2018, after meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, President Donald Trump openly questioned the finding of his own intelligence agencies that Russia had meddled in the 2016 U.S. election to his benefit. (Trump said a day later that he misspoke.)

Today’s Birthdays: International Tennis Hall of Famer Margaret Court is 84. Violinist Pinchas Zukerman is 78. Actor-singer Ruben Blades is 78. Rock composer-musician Stewart Copeland is 74. Playwright Tony Kushner is 70. Dancer Michael Flatley is 68. Former actor and teen model Phoebe Cates is 63.

Actor Daryl “Chill” Mitchell is 61. Actor-comedian Will Ferrell is 59. Football Hall of Famer Barry Sanders is 58. Actor Corey Feldman is 55. Actor Jayma Mays is 47. Retired soccer star Carli Lloyd is 44. Actor AnnaLynne McCord is 39. Actor-singer James Maslow (Big Time Rush) is 36. Actor Mark Indelicato is 32. Pop singer-musician Luke Hemmings (5 Seconds to Summer) is 30.

side the house to watch TV and spill/splatter indoors.

To me, it feels so disrespectful and discourteous. I have accepted feeling this way for many years, but this year, we are hosting a very carefully planned evening backyard graduation party for our middle child. She is my child through marriage, so this event will include our combined immediate family and also my husband’s extended family.

For the first time ever, I have asked all attending guests, no matter their status, to respectfully refrain from entering the home for anything other than restroom use. My husband did not feel that was appropriate.

Have I really lost touch?

Gentle reader: Although she is going to help you get your wish, Miss Manners warns you that what you asked for and what you actually want are not in perfect alignment.

To change your in-laws’ longstanding behavior requires both their and your husband’s cooperation — something you have not been able to obtain in a decade of trying.

But this event is different from other informal family gathers: Graduations are unique. (No, scratch that: Children now apparently graduate from everything except summer camp, and someone is no doubt working on that. But for these purposes, we will pretend.)

Convince your husband that for this one unique and more formal event, it would be unkind if everyone did not participate as a family. He will then have to help you convince his side of the family.

The quid pro quo is that you will stop fighting about less formal family events — which, remember, you were losing anyway.

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.

Keeping the absorbency of clothes Dear Heloise: Here’s a hint about maintaining clothes’ absorbency.

Perhaps I had previously learned this from you, but it’s worth repeating as long as we’re on the subject. Softeners decrease clothes’ absorbency, so dry them without any softener. — John S., in Newbury Park, California

Ticket snafu

the name on your ticket is the exact same as it is on your driver’s license. — Jean G., via email

Wrist-lickin’

Hints from Heloise

Dear Heloise: I just read about someone who was stressed out while traveling. We traveled in April without a problem when leaving; coming back home was the issue. On my husband’s ticket, it just had his first and last name, but his driver’s license includes his middle name. Make sure that

Dear Heloise: To open plastic bags at the grocery store, I lick the inside of my wrist (much cleaner than my fingers) and touch this spot to dampen the fingers on my other hand. — Joanne M., in Rancho Mission Viejo, California

Hearing difficulty Dear Heloise: Despite hearing aids, I still have difficulty understanding what a store clerk, a waiter, or my friend at lunch has said. When I don’t hear them, I’ll say, “Excuse me?” At this point, not only does

the clerk or waiter repeat what was said, but my friend does as well. As a result of this babel, I only hear garbled words.

If I ask again for the clerk or waiter to repeat what they said, the same thing happens again — only louder. Not only do I not hear the message any better, I’m embarrassed by all the shouting voices around me. Unless a person who has a hearing difficulty looks directly at you to repeat something, don’t repeat it.

In an effort to help, the chorus often isn’t wanted, usually isn’t helpful, and is always embarrassing for the person who’s hard of hearing.

— H. S., in Orange County, California Email heloise@heloise.com.

STAFF PHOTO By JOHN BALLANCE

A peek inside The Pontchartrain Hotel’s Mile High Pie

The Pontchartrain Hotel’s Mile High Pie Makes 8 to 12 (or 16) servings. The recipe is from “Cooking Up a Storm: Recipes Lost and Found from The Times-Picayune of New Orleans.”

PROVIDED PHOTO By REX MILLER/VORACIOUS

Summer Vegetable Scallion Pancakes Serves 4. Recipe is from “Deep Run Roots” by Vivian Howard.

1 cup okra, caps and tips removed, midsections minced ½ cup fresh corn, cut off the cob ¼ cup squash or zucchini, grated on a box grater or in a food processor 3 tablespoons minced scallion 1 teaspoon salt, divided 2 tablespoons cornmeal 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons buttermilk 1 egg ¼ teaspoon hot sauce ¼ to 1⁄3 cup vegetable oil 1. Preheat oven to 200 F. 2. In a medium bowl, stir together the minced okra, corn, squash, scallion and ½ teaspoon of the salt. Let that sit for about 5 minutes. The salt will leach out the moisture in the squash. That moisture will activate the slime in the okra and bring the veggies together in kind of a gooey-looking mass.

3. Stir in the cornmeal and flour to incorporate. Whisk together the buttermilk, egg and hot sauce,

and stir it into the dry, slimy mass. Mix this up a few times and let it sit at least 3 minutes and up to 1 hour before you get ready to cook the fritters.

4. In a 10- to 12-inch skillet or cast-iron pan, add the oil over medium heat. If you want larger fritters, spoon about 2 tablespoons of the batter into the preheated oil and press down on each dollop to flatten it slightly. The fritters should be about ¼ inch thick. If you’d like smaller fritters, start with 1 tablespoon of batter.

5. Carefully continue dropping dollops of batter into the hot oil, making sure the fritters don’t touch. Cook the fritters over medium heat on each side till they are chestnut-colored in some spots and golden in others. Transfer the fritters to a paper-towellined plate to drain and season them while hot with the remaining salt. Keep them warm in your oven while you fry the next batch.

6. Serve warm.

FOR THE CRUST: 1½ cups all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup shortening, cold 4 to 5 tablespoons cold water FOR THE FILLING (SEE NOTE BELOW): 1½ pints vanilla ice cream, slightly softened 1½ pints chocolate ice cream, slightly softened ½ pint strawberry ice cream, slightly softened ½ pint peppermint ice cream, slightly softened FOR THE MERINGUE: 8 large egg whites ½ teaspoon vanilla extract ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar ½ cup sugar FOR THE CHOCOLATE SAUCE: 1 (1-ounce) square German sweet chocolate 2 (1-ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate ½ cup sugar ½ cup heavy cream

1. Preheat the oven to 450 F. 2. Sift together the flour and salt. Cut in the shortening with a pastry cutter until the pieces are the size of small peas.

3. Sprinkle in 1 tablespoon of the cold water over the flour mixture and gently toss with a fork. Repeat, adding water until all the flour is slightly moistened.

4. Form into a ball and roll into a 1 ⁄8-inch thickness on a lightly floured work surface. Fit loosely into a 9-inch pie pan. Prick the crust with a fork to prevent bubbling.

5. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool completely before filling.

6. Layer the vanilla ice cream on the bottom of the cooled pie shell, and in layers add the remaining flavors.

7. Place the pie in the freezer while you make the meringue.

8. In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form.

9. Gradually add the sugar, beating until the egg whites are still and glossy

MILE HIGH

Continued from page 1D 2. Blind bake the crust and cool completely before assembling.

3. I prefer a Swiss meringue for the crown; it doesn’t require much time, helps stabilize the mixture and eliminates the quandary of consuming raw egg whites.

4. Depending on time, I have prepared the pie in various ways: I’ve assembled and frozen everything except for the meringue, opting to complete it just prior to serving.

I’ve assembled the dessert complete with Swiss meringue, held

and sugar is dissolved.

10. Spread the meringue over the ice cream, sealing it to the edges of the pastry.

11. Broil a few inches from the broiler element for about 1 minute to brown the meringue.

12. Freeze the pie several hours or overnight.

13. In the top of a double boiler (or a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water), melt the chocolate with the sugar and ¼ cup of the cream, stirring until well blended and thick.

14. Add as much of the remaining cream as necessary to achieve a pourable consistency.

15. Cut pie into wedges and serve with chocolate sauce.

NOTE: I softened each pint of ice cream for 30 minutes and pressed the contents of the pint, one at a time, into the crust. I then froze the pie for 30 minutes before adding the next layer. This technique makes it easier to spread the ice cream and makes for more distinct layers.

it in the freezer for up to two days (covered in plastic wrap once it firms up) and then torched it.

When there have been leftovers (rarely), I’ve covered and placed them in the freezer, re-torching the meringue before serving, just as a refresh.

5. In the heat of summer, cool heads (and hands) prevail. This is a dessert deserving of a chilly environment; do the slicing and plating in a cool kitchen. If things are heating up, return the pie to the freezer (that’s why freezer real estate should be established in the very beginning) and let the pie firm up before slicing. It’s also a fine idea to clean off your knife between slices.

A thin, long blade works best.

With apologies to Ellen, I did negotiate with the meringue, making the formula as described in the recipe and also, since my daughters were visiting, scooped in some of their favorite ice cream flavors instead of the ones listed (Guinness and coffee in place of strawberry and peppermint). When peppermint ice cream is making its rounds in the grocery, I will whip up a Mile High Pie precisely as prescribed.

My non-negotiable advice is for you to make this dessert for your next special occasion, layering in your favorite ice creams and serving without hesitation with chilled forks.

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Thursday, July 16, 2026 ✦ 3D

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FrAnK And erneSt

roSebUdS

zItS

zodIAC cAncER (June 21-July 22) Speak up, and formulate your plan. Do the legwork and proceed to the finish line. Complete whatever you've left undone so you can put your time and effort into something new and exciting you want to pursue.

LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) Set boundaries and a budget if temptation comes your way.

You can bypass regret and have fun if you maintain levelheadedness. Implement restraint and abide by the rules.

VIRGo (Aug. 23-sept. 22) Helping others may make you feel good, but be careful not to let anyone take advantage of your generosity. Offer conversation, suggestions and kindness, but don't pay for someone else's mistakes.

LIBRA (sept. 23-oct. 23) Join forces with those who share your agenda and can also contribute suggestions that encourage greater success. Be open to change, learning and investing in a lifestyle that suits your needs. scoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Verify information before passing it along. Someone will offer an inflated assessment of a situation that can cost you or cause regret. Be precise and be bold. sAGITTARIus (nov. 23-Dec. 21) Take a critical look at your surroundings and consider what you can do to add to your comfort and how you can utilize your space to make your life more efficient. cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Stop worrying about what to do next, and head in the direction that offers personal growth, self-improvement or invest-

ment opportunities. Don't rely on others to give you the lowdown.

AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Pay attention to your personal finances and investments. How you handle your cash will determine the lifestyle you can afford and sustain. Job opportunities show potential.

PIscEs (Feb. 20-March 20) Networking, socializing and mixing business with pleasure will pay off if you are a good listener, but when it comes to sharing personal information, keep your secrets to yourself.

ARIEs (March 21-April 19) Weigh the pros and cons and do what must be done to reach your destination of choice. It's up to you to control the outcome using a unique strategy that keeps anyone trying to outmaneuver you at a disadvantage.

TAuRus (April 20-May 20) Look inward, and do what puts your mind at ease.

You can't control what others do or say, but you can control how you react and protect yourself from any fallout that comes your way.

GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Time is on your side, and exploring possibilities will give you a sense of what you can afford as well as what you do and don't need in your life. It's out with the old and in with the new.

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: u EQuALs o

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

SherMAn’S LAGoon FAMILY CIrCUS

dooneSbUrY

4D ✦ Thursday, July 16, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

CurTiS

Hi and LoiS

lll

Sudoku InstructIons: sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers.

The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the sudoku increases from monday to sunday.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

BaBY BLueS

BLondie

THe wiZard oF id

nea CroSSwordS

La TimeS CroSSword

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Thursday, July 16, 2026 ✦ 5D

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B.C.

Bridge

By PHILLIP ALDER Have you ever made a wild overbid on a deal because it felt like the right thing to do at the time? Of course you have; we all have. But then you probably found yourself in a hopeless contract, went down and apologized to your partner. Sometimes, though, you might have been able to call on the assistance of your opponents.

In today’s deal, South is in four spades.

West leads the club jack. That wins the first trick and South ruffs the second club. How should declarer continue?

When North rebid one no-trump to showabalanced12-14points,Southmight have settled for a two-spade signoff, but one can understand a game-invitational three-spade rebid. Here, North would probably have passed because he does not have a very suitable hand for a spade contract.

Four spades appears to be one level too high. South seems destined to lose two spades, one heart and one club. But he has a Machiavellian chance. He should cross to the dummy in a red suit and call for the spade jack.

Many Easts, looking at the queen and 10, would not be able to resist the temptation to cover with the queen. Then, though, after South wins with his ace,

garfield

Pearls Before swiNe

hagar the horriBle

there will be a stunned silence when West is forced to play his king.

Declarer drives out the spade 10 and claims his contract.

Although the opponents are supposedly trying to defeat your contract, remember that many of them will misdefend if you give them half a chance. © 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 — VEsTuRE: VESS-chur: Something that covers a garment.

Bizarro

marmaduKe

Average mark 18 words Time limit 30 minutes Can you find 26 or more words in VESTURE? yEsTERDAy’s WoRD — ALAcRITy acai airy alit altar aria arty atria lacy laic lair laity

lariat liar lyre lyric carat cart city clarity clay racial racy

rail riata tail tiara trail tray trial

loCKhorNs hidato Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

today’s thought “The way of the Lord is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.”

Proverbs 10:29 What path are you traveling? G.E. Dean

6D ✦ Thursday, July 16, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

muttS

roSe iS roSe

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Scrabble GramS dIrectIons: make a 2- to 7-letter word from the letters in each row. add points of each word, using scoring directions at right. Finally, 7-letter words get 50-point bonus.

“Blanks” used as any letter have no point value. all the words are in the Official sCraBBlE® players Dictionary, 5th Edition.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

jump Start

For more information on tournaments and clubs, email naspa – north american sCraBBlE players association: info@scrabbleplayers.org. Visit our website: www.scrabbleplayers.org. For puzzle inquiries contact scrgrams@gmail.com.

Get fuzzy

Hasbro and its logo sCraBBlE associated logo, the design of the distinctive sCraBBlE brand game card, and the distinctive letter tile designs are trademarks of Hasbro in the United states and Canada. ©2021 Hasbro. all rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content agency, llC.

ken ken

animal crackerS

DuStin

InstructIons: 1 - Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 thorugh 4 (easy) or 1 through 6 (challenging) without repeating.

2 - The numbers within the heavily outlined boxes, called cages, must combine using the given operation (in any order) to produce the target numbers in the top-left corners.

3 - Freebies: Fill in the single-box cages with the number in the top-left corner.

Wallace the brave

Drabble

WiShinG Well breWSter rockit

luann

HErE is a plEasanT liTTlE gamE that will give you a message every day. it’s a numerical puzzle designed to spell out your fortune. Count the letters in your first name. if the number of letters is 6 or more, subtract 4. if the number is less than 6, add 3. The result is your key number. start at the upper left-hand corner and check each of your key numbers, left to right. Then read the message the checked figures give you.

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Thursday, July 16, 2026 ✦ 7D

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classifieds.nola.com Search & Place Ads Ads Onlines at classifieds.nola.com • Call Monday Us Monday - Friday 8AM - 5PMatat(504) (504)636-7435 636-7435 Search & Place Onlines at classifieds.nola.com - Friday 8AM - 5PM

Announcements

Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Robert L. Darr, please contact Attorney Michael J Hall at 504-3835294 or mjhall@mjhalllaw.com.

194341-7/16-17-18-3t $115.00

Anyone having any information about or knowing the whereabouts of Patty Johnson Militello please contact Attorney Erin A. Fisher at 504-304-4944.

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Anyone knowing the whereabouts of the Estate and Heirs of Ruby Brown Turner a/k/a Ruby Lee Turner, please contact Attorney, Yves Gelin at: (504) 638-4007.

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Anyone knowing the whereabouts of a certain Promissory Note payable to COUNTRYWIDE BANK, FSB, executed by JOHN DILOSA, and dated April 25, 2008, from dated until paid, and providing reasonable attorney fees, and all charges associated with the collection of same. Please contact Herschel C. Adcock, Jr., Attorney at Law, at P.O. Box 87379, Baton Rouge, LA 708798379, (225) 756-0373.

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Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Glynis Ardis Jones a/k/a Glynis Robertson, Glynis Kellup and Glynis A. Jones, please contact Attorney, Yves Gelin.

194291-7/16-17-18-3t $133.00 Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Gustavo Paul Escanelle, Jr., please contact Attorney Michael J Hall at 504-383-5294 or mjhall@mjhalllaw.com.

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Anyone knowing the whereabouts of the heirs of Dain M. Carrier Clark, please contact Atty. Jacques A. Massey at (504) 826-2519 jmassey70@yahoo.com.

194304-July 16-18, 3t $142 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.

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Locally owned and

NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE To satisfy the owner’s privilege, PS Retail Sales, LLC will sell at public sale on July 27, 2026, the personal property in the below-listed units, which may include but are not limited to: household and personal items, office and other equipment. The public sale of these items will begin at 09:30 AM and continue until all units are sold.

The lien sale is to be held at the online auction website, www.storagetreasures.com, where indicated. For online lien sales, bids will be accepted until 2 hours after the time of the sale specified.

PUBLIC STORAGE # 07025, 12320 I-10 Service Rd, New Orleans, LA 70128, (504) 224-9067 Time: 08:30 AM Sale to be held at www.storagetreasures.com.

1024 - Tassin, Haroldnette; 1056 - Alexander, Michaelyn; 1072 - Guidry, Rashan; 1096 - Kelly, Dana; 1104 Mccorkle, Lawrence; 1241 - Boykins, Tonya; 1313 - Melancon, Monica; 2002 - ROBINSON, TAMINIKA ; 2027 - Porter, Theron; 2064 - Frazier, Krystin; 2503 - Thomas, Bobbie; 2581 - Shelton, Clifford; 2582 - Mathieu, Tashaima; 2585 - watts, Woodnisha; 2613 - Scott, Reginld; 3043 - The Numerical Nomad center for children with excep Stewart, April; 4040 - Lang, Jason; 4052 - jones, Melanie; P004 - J- Vu Entertainment Sherman, Cheryl PUBLIC STORAGE # 07120, 1850 Lapalco Blvd, Harvey, LA 70058, (504) 229-4188 Time: 09:00 AM Sale to be held at www.storagetreasures.com.

A098 - murphy, jessica; A125 - GVG Enterprise LLC Davis, Jennard; A175 - Pendleton, Oraion; A176 - Lee, Ms; A215 - Mcknight, Shamaul; A283 - Adams, Rosa; A303 - Thomas, Anitar; A309 - Mccreary, Sharon; A353 Lester, Victoria; A354 - Pharr, Donna; A388 - Hampton, Keon; A425 - Richardson, Anna; A469 - Thomas, Justin; E040 - Adams, Giselle; E054 - Love, Joshua PUBLIC STORAGE # 20175, 3440 S Carrollton Ave, New Orleans, LA 70118, (504) 308-1583 Time: 09:30 AM Sale to be held at www.storagetreasures.com.

0115 - Varnado, Phil; 0140 - Rivera, Lasandra; 0144 - Nailer, Orleanna; 0187 - Daho, Awa; 0199 - Vallery, Byron; 0228 - Rea, Charles; 0238 - JOHNSON, ARTHUR; 0251 - Williams, Ashley; 0303 - veillard, Arry; 0347 - Johnson, Cordero; 0404 - Anomi Wishes Isbeck, Angela; 0410 - Bess, Mark; 0416 - Siegal, Kristina; 0419 - Bender, Latoya; 0465 - Bell, Taliyah; 0502 - WHITE SR., JOSEPH F.; 0525 - Augustine, Lyndrese; 0628 - Jinks, Gregory; 0861 - Real Couture LLC Jackson, David; 0875 - Bernard, Christopher; 0887 - Yancy, Chad; 0926 - Jimerson, Paul; 0927 - Noel, Warren; 0937 - Cole, Cameron; 0956 - Jones, LaTavia; 1007 - Portley, Trinity; 1105 - williams, Tykesh; 1107 - Scharwarth, Brittany Danielle; 1125 - Roberts, Genese; 1127 - DJ Twinz LLC Franklin, Evert; 1129 - Paulsen, James; 1167 - Mitchell, Bryan; 1187 - Harris, Jerry; 1202 - Mesa, Manuel PUBLIC STORAGE # 21704, 3000 Belle Chasse Hwy, Gretna, LA 70053, (504) 229-4180 Time: 10:00 AM Sale to be held at www.storagetreasures.com.

A002 - Burlet, Samantha; A017 - Jones, Candace; B029 - Bridges, Lakeisha; B095 - lopez, alex; C027 - Brown, Gavin; C081 - Davis, Dwayne; C092 - moreno, martha; C127 - Bacon, Zachary; C168 - perry, reginald; C199 schurr, Kimberly; C200 - pineda, carla; C276 - Cosse, Kara; C288 - Muniz, Michelle; D046 - Simonson, Nicole; F043 - Arroyo, Josue Ramon; F074 - Robinson, Nelson; F082 - Jones, Rosla; G013 - Favorite, Kedrick; G042 - favorite, terry PUBLIC STORAGE # 21802, 2930 Clearview Pkwy, Metairie, LA 70006, (504) 229-4204 Time: 10:30 AM Sale to be held at www.storagetreasures.com.

A060 - Galliano, Martin; A072 - Ochoa, Paula; A088 - Anthony, Felicia; B148 - Nichols, Keshaun; B158 - Fisher, Constance M; B238 - Pierre, Briontae; B239 - Celestine, Christopher; B256 - Jones, Keshuna; B282 - Simmons, Jessica; B288 - Gagnon, Blake; B299 - Lee, Tiffany; C384 - phoenix, Tyrone; C428 - Jamison, Ashley; C436 jeanpierre, Erica; C437 - Ochoa, Alyssa; C438 - Jaramoga, Jasmine; C472 - Walden, Howard; C483 - hamilton, rachelle; C492 - Stumon, Reinald PUBLIC STORAGE # 22055, 34570 LA Highway 16, Denham Springs, LA 70706, (225) 665-5770 Time: 11:00 AM Sale to be held at www.storagetreasures.com.

0219 - FRANKLIN, RESHONDA; 0304 - Clouatre, Jerry; 0441 - wood, Kelly; C10 - Yaun, Curtis; C13 - Yaun, Curtis; D14 - Migues, Edward; D30 - Croxton, Shirley PUBLIC STORAGE # 23799, 2257 S Range Ave, Denham Springs, LA 70726, (225) 468-5877 Time: 11:30 AM Sale to be held at www.storagetreasures.com.

0222 - Blackard, Tracy; 0409 - Richard, Ryan ; 0426 - Mizell, Kiera; 0620 - helmes, james; 0816 - Barnes, Megahan; 0943 - garcia, Javier; 1005 - Johnson, Curley; 2023 - Williams, Carrie; 3005 - garcia, Javier PUBLIC STORAGE # 25740, 4507 Washington Ave, New Orleans, LA 70125, (504) 308-1275 Time: 12:00 PM Sale to be held at www.storagetreasures.com.

1029 - CROUCH, ALFRED; 2048 - TURNER JR., IRBY; 2223 - Azore, Bernadette; 3033 - Leefort, Frenchell; 3114 - Stokes, Reaione; 3117 - Williams, Curtis; 3126 - STEWART, LAKESHA M; 3137 - Power Consulting Contracting MADISON SR., VANDAZ; 3140 - JOHNSON, Sade; 3150 - Gibson, Lynette; 3185 - Justice, Khary; 3193 - Breaux, Semeco PUBLIC STORAGE # 26983, 5730 Citrus Blvd, Elmwood, LA 70123, (504) 930-4129 Time: 12:30 PM Sale to be held at www.storagetreasures.com.

2012 - Edward, Alfred; 2210 - Desporte, Dylan; 2230 - Johns, Sarah; 2806 - thomas, belinda; 2818 - Favorite, Terry; 3049 - Jackson, Semone; 3112 - Cook, Michael; 3212 - Meza, David; 3318 - Washington, Derrick; 3404 GILBERT, CHRISTINA; 3712 - Webb, Brittney; 3825 - carpenter, India; N1070 - Singleton, Justin; S1035 - Sylve, Christina PUBLIC STORAGE # 26984, 2820 Tulane Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119, (504) 584-4619 Time: 01:00 PM Sale to be held at www.storagetreasures.com.

1005 - Terrell, Adam; 1091 - Jarrow, Quivanda; 2017 - pollard, Kyriell; 2090 - Gastinell, Samantha; 2154 - putney, Whitney; 3001 - Jones, Kyle; 3029 - Armant, Rayshaughn; 3030 - Jolivette, Charles; 3045 - Cuadrado, Erickjon; 3113 - Jones, David; 4002 - Robinson, Jamaal; 4012 - Seals, Tammy; 4072 - Watkins, Yvette; 4115 - rickmon, dream; 5095 - Newland, Zara; 5130 - Barge, James; 5153 - Mayberry, Morgan PUBLIC STORAGE # 28188, 3900 Tchoupitoulas Street, New Orleans, LA 70115, (504) 224-9167 Time: 01:30 PM Sale to be held at www.storagetreasures.com.

0090 - Wilkinson, Paige; 0111 - Layton, Adam; 0170 - Elliott, James; 0552 - wald, Emily; 0555 - Overton, Wayne ; 0603 - Ramie, Djorn; 0646 - VERNON, J’JUAN; 0717 - Krantz, Rachel; 0745 - sherman, William PUBLIC STORAGE # 29112, 1901 St Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA 70130, (504) 308-1566 Time: 02:00 PM Sale to be held at www.storagetreasures.com.

1306 - Hyde, Anthony; 1411 - Lee, Khayleel; 1706 - Brooks, Jessica; 2112 - Bazile, Alexsis; 2204 - Beaulieu, Derrick; 2210 - LOUPE, MARTY J; 3317 - Armstead, Robyn; 4307 - Riser, Caleb; 4317 - Sabatier, Dale; 6201 Beamon, Kayla; M126 - mitchell, Aimee; M310 - Joseph, Nicole; M601 - Barconey, Lakisha PUBLIC STORAGE # 29222, 10010 I-10 Service Rd, New Orleans, LA 70127, (504) 224-9213 Time: 02:30 PM Sale to be held at www.storagetreasures.com.

1063 - catchings, shanta; 1074 - Briggs, Juvonda; 1086 - Manning, Natalie; 1089 - tillman, marshall; 1101 Washington, Lamar; 1117 - Robertson, Mary L; 1146 - Walker, Allie; 1149 - Kelley, Canisha; 1157 - Williams, Rashad; 1186 - Scott, Dana; 2047 - Harris, Lisa; 2071 - Nelson, Detroy E; 2089 - Green, Kimberly; 2090 - Regis, Teail; 2138 - Comeger, Dwayne; 2144 - boykin, Shayne; 2169 - Adams, Treshelle; 2175 - Lewis, Vernon; 2176 Evans, Eric; 2187 - banks, Sylvia; 2193 - Williams, Erinisha; 2206 - Johnson, Shalaina; 2246 - Cruz, Kirian; 2249 - BLEDSOE, Justin; 3060 - Hill, Brittany; 3084 - Everett, Beverly; 3166 - Funez, Amber; 3188 - Washington, Enaj; 3293 - benson, Brianne; 3312 - boykin, Shayne PUBLIC STORAGE # 78084, 3701 Highway 90 W, Avondale, LA 70094, (504) 317-1534 Time: 03:00 PM Sale to be held at www.storagetreasures.com.

0109 - Sacco, Robin; 0113 - Brown, Hendri; 0127 - Wallis, Jo ann; 0201 - Alexander, Tate; 0208 - Edwards, Tiasia; 1036 - Simmons, Natalie; 1041 - Walker, Cassandra; 1074 - Griffin, Crystal; 1151 - Mason, Janay; 2041 - Pierre, Kindrail; 2054 - Keller, Laquisha; 2055 - Green, Nakia; 2061 - Miller, Florine; 2142 - Holmes, Monique; 2151 - MEZA, LOUIS; 3011 - Ragas, Vania; 3015 - Kampa, Patricia; P36 - craving that no love food truck Bradley, sharnice

affordable. Call for service or an inspection today! 1-877-728-0264 Have zip code of property ready when calling!

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Employment

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.

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.

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

APARTMENT METAIRIE

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 1221 N. Miro #1 (Sec 8) 2/1........$1500 1925 Brighton Pl., Single 3/2......$2200 4557 Feliciana St, 5Bds/2Bas.....$2500 2669 New Orleans (Sec 8) 4/2...$2508 2560 Orleans Ave., (Furn) 2/1....$2990 821-1858 * 822-8432 * 427-4646

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 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.

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.

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.

The IPSB is an equal opportunity employer.

Merchandise 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

NEW ORLEANS EAST 8501 Gervais St, Nice 3Br/2Ba Dbl, $1400/m Txt & Call (504) 710-5952

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.

Sandy Ward * 504-259-2616.

Re/Max Living * 504-475-1011. Ea ofc indpntly owned & operated.

APARTMENT WESTBANK * 3 Bdrms / 2 Baths, Double Garage, Private Yd. $1,800/Mo. 504-913-4263

Pets

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

CATS RAGAMUFFIN & RAGDOLL KITTENS www.CatsByFrancy.com/kittens $1500up! Reg. Shots & Guaranty 337-230-3150

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.

CATS Young Male Cat, Gray Colors, Have too many cats, Looking for another home for him. Please call 504-861-9617 ($50) MORKIES, SHORKIES, BISHON YORKIES, CKC YORKIES vet checked shot worming meet Gulfport $450.00 334-467-3416 Beautiful AKC Miniature Schnauzer Puppies, has all shots, Metairie $ Call (504) 390-2918

1027 CHARTRES, UNIT F * $1,250/MO

DOGS CKC YORKIES - (YORKIES w/papers) also BISHON YORKIES vet checked shot worming meet in Gulfport $450 (334) 467-3416

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

DOGS Micro Mini Goldendoodle - puppies males & female.S/W, health guaran‐ tee. $1000 504-228-6701

GENTILLY 2544 ALLEN TOUSSAINT BLVD. NEWLY RENOVATED!!!

1-2 Bdrm Apts * From $800/mo Parking * Sec Gate 504-209-8054 * 504-454-1333

DOGS Raceland-CKC Reg. Shih Tzu Pups m/f $900, $200 Adult Shih Tzu's. Cash Only.

Call (504) 418-3046

KENNER

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

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

Precious Miniature Dachshund Puppies 7 wks,S& W,long & short hair,black/tan $700.00 504-390-1321 karen.ronquille@gmail.com

LIVESTOCK ANIMALS Breeding Boer-Mix Herd For Sale– 7 healthy Boer-mix breeding does. De‐ wormed, pasture-raised, good moth‐ ers. Ages 1-3 years. Selling as complete herd. Near Pointe Coupee Call/Text 337654-7962. $2,500 OBO

HOUSE 4327 & 4329 Hollygrove St. F & G 1Br. Water Pd $900 each 504-313-2192

NEW ORLEANS 8620 Pear St., 2BR, $1400/mo, $800/dep, Call (504) 578-3728 NEW ORLEANS 8700 Belfast St., Furnished 1BR, $700/mo Call (504) 421-3779

Public Notices WANT TO BUY Old Records 33's, 45's & 78's. All types of music. Call 985-259-1889 CEMETERY CRYPT Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Cemetery, Belle Chasse. Holds 4 interments + 4 addt'l. $13,850. Call 504-458-2681

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

PUBLIC NOTICE ---

CEMETERY PLOTS Lake Lawn Main Mausoleum S. Unit#3, Tier A (ground) 3 Place Abby. 6 Burial Plots $17,000.

504-982-0388

PUBLIC NOTICE RE‐ GIONAL TRANSIT AU‐ THORITY INVITATION FOR BID (IFB) #2026-018 SAMSUNG GALAXY TABLETS

CEMETERY PLOTS Mausoleum Crypt located at Mount Olivet Cemetery, Phase VII, Single Unit, Pristine, Peaceful location.

Valued at $7,500, asking $6.5k Transfer fees are Buyers responsibility. Call/Text Lisa M. (832) 444-8007.

Project Description: The Regional Transit Author‐ ity of New Orleans seek‐ ing qualified vendors to provide Samsung Galaxy Tablets per specifica‐ tions in IFB 2026-018.

CEMETERY PLOTS Westlawn Cemetery Mausoleum, in the Chapel. Corr IV, Tier A, holds 6 interments $17,500. 504-259-0505 MACHINERY/TOOLS Briggs & Stratton Generator on wheels, 10 horsepower motor, good condition. $375. Call for more information 228-493-1290 228-4930137

Garage Sales BRIDGE CITY 200 Seventh St. Saturday, 7/18, 9am-3pm HH items, tools, lawn equipment & more.

COMMUNITY YARD SALE Ready to find hidden treasures?

Don’t miss out!

Saturday, July 18, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

4700 Wichers Dr., Marrero, La. 70072 RIVER RIDGE Indoor Sale! 1008 Tullulah Ave., Sat 8a-3p, Furniture, TV's, Mens/Womens Clothing, Everything Must Go!

HOME-DELIVERED

EVERY DAY

Public sale terms, rules, and regulations will be made available prior to the sale. All sales are subject to cancellation. We reserve the right to refuse any bid. Payment must be in cash or credit card-no checks. Buyers must secure the units with their own personal locks. To claim tax-exempt status, original RESALE certificates for each space purchased is required. By PS Retail Sales, LLC, 701 Western Avenue, Glendale, CA 91201.

(818) 244-8080.

193541-665842-JUL 16-1T $ 3,150.00

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

New Orleans Rental

NOLA.COM/SUBSCRIBE

How to obtain a copy of the IFB: Specifications and further information concerning the IFB may be obtained June 29, 2026, from the RTA’s Pro‐ cureware website at https://norta. procureware.com/home.

You will be required to first register on this web‐ site. The IFB can also be obtained at Regional Transit Authority’s web‐ site at http://www.norta. com Clarification Deadline: Any questions or further information concerning this IFB must be submit‐ ted through https:// norta.procureware.com/ home by 2:00PM on July 20, 2026. Only written questions submitted through the Procureware site shall be considered official. All answers to questions shall be by for‐ mal addenda posted to the website under IFB 2026-018.

Responding to IFB: Bids shall be submitted through the RTA’s Pro‐ cureware website or de‐ livered to 2817 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA 70119 on or before 2:00 P.M., July 27, 2026.

A Bid Opening will be held in the RTA Board Room located at 2817 Canal Street, New Or‐ leans, LA 70119, on Mon‐ day, July 27, 2026, at 2:00 PM. RTA in accordance with 49 Code of Federal Regu‐ lations (CFR) Part 26 has an obligation to ensure nondiscrimination of Dis‐ advantaged Business En‐ terprises (DBEs) and to comply with all federal, state and local regula‐ tions relative to utiliza‐ tion of DBEs on publicly funded projects.

The RTA is committed to utilization of DBEs on all federally funded projects toward attainment of the agency's established overall goal of 32%.

No DBE goal has been es‐ tablished for this project as there are no subcon‐

Automotive DOMESTIC CAR 2015 Ford Focus Titanium hatchback.

177k Mechanic's special $2450. Wave‐ land, MS 504-874-2672

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

tracting opportunities on this project.

Clarification Deadline: Any questions or further information concerning this IFB must be submit‐ ted through https:// norta.procureware.com/ home by 2:00PM on July 23, 2026. Only written questions submitted through the Procureware site shall be considered official. All answers to questions shall be by for‐ mal addenda posted to the website under IFB 2026-019.

A Bid Opening will be held in the RTA Board Room on Thursday, July 30 2026, at 2:00 PM. Any questions or further in‐ formation concerning the IFB may be submitted Via https://norta. procureware.com/home, beginning on July 2, 2026.

Notice to all offerors is hereby provided that in accordance with all ap‐ plicable federal, state and local laws the RTA will ensure that DBEs are afforded full opportunity to submit offers and re‐ sponses to this solicita‐ tion and to participate in any contract consum‐ mated pursuant to this advertisement. Addition‐ ally, no offeror will be discriminated against on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, na‐ tional origin, ethnicity or disability. For additional information contact the RTA’s Small Business Of‐ fice at 504-827-8301.

The RTA reserves the right to accept or reject any and all proposals submitted.

Ronald G. Baptiste, Jr. Interim Chief executive Officer Regional Transit Author‐ ity 193218-JUL 9-16-2T PUBLIC NOTICE --PUBLIC NOTICE REGIONAL TRANSIT AU‐ THORITY REPLACE TROLLEY LIFT CABLE INVITATION FOR BID (IFB) #2026-019 Project Description: The Regional Transit Author‐ ity of New Orleans in‐ vites qualified vendors to provide Replace Trolley Lift Cable for Streetcars obtain specifications in IFB 2026-019.

How to obtain a copy of the IFB: Specifications and further information concerning the IFB may be obtained July 2, 2026 from the RTA’s Procure‐ ware website at https:// norta.procureware.com/ home. You will be re‐ quired to first register on this website. The IFB can also be obtained at Re‐ gional Transit Authority’s website at http://www. norta.com Responding to IFB: Bids shall be submitted thru the RTA’s Procureware website on or before 2:00 P.M., Thursday, July 30, 2026. Any questions or further information con‐ cerning this IFB may be submitted through https://norta. procureware.com/home beginning on Thursday, July 2, 2026-019. Only written questions sub‐ mitted through https:// norta.procureware.com/ home shall be consider official. All answer to questions shall be by for‐ mal addenda posted to the website under IFB 2026-019.

RTA in accordance with 49 Code of Federal Regu‐ lations (CFR) Part 26 has an obligation to ensure nondiscrimination of Dis‐ advantaged Business En‐ terprises (DBEs) and to comply with all federal, state and local regula‐ tions relative to utiliza‐ tion of DBEs on publicly funded projects. The RTA is committed to utiliza‐ tion of DBEs on all feder‐ ally funded projects to‐ ward attainment of the agency's established overall goal of 31%.

No goal has been estab‐ lished for this project.

Notice to all offerors is hereby provided that in accordance with all ap‐ plicable federal, state and local laws the RTA will ensure that DBEs are afforded full opportunity to submit offers and re‐ sponses to this solicita‐ tion and to participate in any contract consum‐ mated pursuant to this advertisement. Addition‐ ally, no offeror will be discriminated against on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, na‐ tional origin, ethnicity or disability As such, award of the contract will be condi‐ tioned on meeting the re‐ quirements of the fed‐ eral, state and local laws for Equal Opportunity in‐ cluding compliance with the policies of DBE Pro‐ gram.

The RTA reserves the right to accept or reject any and all proposals submitted.

Interim Ronald G. Baptiste Chief Executive Officer Regional Transit Authority 193657-JUL 16-23-2T $766.48

Looking for the right hire?

1-800-960-6397

8D ✦ Thursday, July 16, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

PUBLIC NOTICE ---

INVITATION FOR BID (IFB) #2026-019

REGION 4 EDUCATION SERVICE CENTER, HOUSTON, TX is request‐ ing proposals from quali‐ fied and experienced firms to provide: • Exterior Surfacing Prod‐ Services, and ucts, Paving Solutions (RFP No. 26-18) PROPOSAL DUE DATE: SEPTEMBER 1, 2026, BE‐ FORE 2:00 PM LOCAL TIME. In order to be consid‐ ered, the Offeror must complete and submit a proposal to Region 4 ESC in accordance with the solicitation documenta‐ tion available at https:// region4esc.ionwave.net or at https://esc4.net

Project Description: The Regional Transit Author‐ ity of New Orleans in‐ vites qualified vendors to provide Replace Trolley Lift Cable for Streetcars obtain specifications in IFB 2026-019.

194011-jul 16-1t $96.88 PUBLIC NOTICE --REGIONAL TRANSIT AUTHORITY REPLACE TROLLEY LIFT CABLE

How to obtain a copy of the IFB: Specifications and further information concerning the IFB may be obtained July 2, 2026 from the RTA’s Procure‐ ware website at https:// norta.procureware.com/ home. You will be re‐ quired to first register on this website. The IFB can also be obtained at Re‐ gional Transit Authority’s website at http://www. norta.com Responding to IFB: Bids shall be submitted thru the RTA’s Procureware website on or before 2:00 P.M., Thursday, July 30, 2026. Any questions or further information con‐ cerning this IFB may be through submitted https://norta. h

lll

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

p procureware.com/home beginning on Thursday, July 2, 2026-019. Only written questions sub‐ mitted through https:// norta.procureware.com/ home shall be consider official. All answer to questions shall be by for‐ mal addenda posted to the website under IFB 2026-019.

p procureware.com/home, beginning on July 2, 2026.

Clarification Deadline: Any questions or further information concerning this IFB must be submit‐ through https:// ted norta.procureware.com/ home by 2:00PM on July 23, 2026. Only written submitted questions through the Procureware site shall be considered official. All answers to questions shall be by for‐ mal addenda posted to the website under IFB 2026-019.

A Bid Opening will be held in the RTA Board Room on Thursday, July 30 2026, at 2:00 PM. Any questions or further in‐ formation concerning the IFB may be submitted Via https://norta. h

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

PUBLIC NOTICE ---

ally, no offeror will be discriminated against on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, na‐ tional origin, ethnicity or disability

RTA in accordance with 49 Code of Federal Regu‐ lations (CFR) Part 26 has an obligation to ensure nondiscrimination of Dis‐ advantaged Business En‐ terprises (DBEs) and to comply with all federal, state and local regula‐ tions relative to utiliza‐ tion of DBEs on publicly funded projects. The RTA is committed to utiliza‐ tion of DBEs on all feder‐ ally funded projects to‐ ward attainment of the established agency's overall goal of 31%.

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.

As such, award of the contract will be condi‐ tioned on meeting the re‐ quirements of the fed‐ eral, state and local laws for Equal Opportunity in‐ cluding compliance with the policies of DBE Pro‐ gram.

192988-jul 2-aug 15-45t $207.90

The RTA reserves the right to accept or reject any and all proposals submitted.

No goal has been estab‐ lished for this project.

PUBLIC NOTICE --The Procurement Depart‐ ment of Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority will accept sealed pro‐ posals until 2:00 p.m. Central Time, August 14, 2026, for Roofing Repair, Mainte‐ nance, and Replacement Services. The solicitation

Ronald G. Baptiste Interim Chief Executive Officer Regional Transit Author‐ ity

Notice to all offerors is hereby provided that in accordance with all ap‐ plicable federal, state and local laws the RTA will ensure that DBEs are afforded full opportunity to submit offers and re‐ sponses to this solicita‐ tion and to participate in any contract consum‐ mated pursuant to this advertisement. Addition‐

194186-jul 16-23-2t $791.48

Place a Classified ad?

GONZALES CONCRETE

TB Concrete

Sidewalks, Patios, Driveways, etc.

Licensed and Insured

Ray Gonzales 504-458-7278

RICHARD V. LA CAZE Prop.

We do the BEST Concrete Work!!

Call 504-275-7200

Lic & Ins

Free Estimates Res. Comm. Ind.

Bus. Number 504-236-6045

65 and over 10% discount on labor cost for residential (non-business) related projects

504-466-3712

www.hurricanefenceneworleans.com All types of Fences Exclusive Pre-Stained Cedar Fences

GET READY FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Hurricane Fence and Home Improvement is Your JellyFish Lighting Dealer All In One Exterior Lighting Solution Controlled from your smart device anywhere

Make your holidays a lot easier with the Versa Lift Attic Elevator Prices start at $2795 12 month no interest financing available CALL 504-466-3712 Hurricane Fence and Home Improvement

Security-Accent-Holiday-Game Day Lighting Trim - Patio - Landscaping FREE ESTIMATE • 504-466-3712 1 yr no interest financing

I, DWIGHT BELL, DOC #170677 have applied for clemency for my conviction of AGGRAVATED RAPE; AGGRAVATED CRIME AGAINST NATURE. If you have any comments, contact the Board of Pardons (225)342-5421.

194322 - JULY 19-18 $310

Clemency I, DONALD LEONARD, DOC #90115 have applied for clemency for my conviction of AGGRAVATED RAPE. If you have any comments, contact the Board of Pardons (225)342-5421.

194317 - JULY 16-18 $310

Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

g p g ReNEW Laurel Elemen‐ tary, ReNEW Dolores T. Elementary, Aaron ReNEW Schaumburg Ele‐ mentary, and ReNEW Moton Lakefront Elemen‐ tary. A physical copy of the 2026-2027 budget is available at 10001 Lake Forest Blvd., Suite 710, New Orleans, LA 70127.

186911-may 9-aug 27 $956

PUBLIC NOTICE ---

STAY INFORMED

ReNEW-Reinventing Edu‐ cation will introduce the 2026-27 budget and hold its first public hearing on the 2026-27 budget on May 14, 2026 at 5:30 pm at Edgar P Harney Build‐ ing located at 2503 Wil‐ low St., New Orleans, LA 70113 (LA R.S. 39:1307).

ReNEW-Reinventing Edu‐ cation is the charter school management or‐ ganization operating l l

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

CEMENT AND BRICK

CONTRACTOR NO JOB TOO SMALL!

SIDEWALKS & DRIVEWAYS

504-236-2375 • Moving & Hauling • Trash & Garage Cleaning • Evictions ONE CALL … THAT’S ALL!!

504-616-0075 QUALITY

HOME IMPROVEMENTS

Pressure Washing, Stucco, Water Proofing, General Repairs & Maintenance 45 Years Experience • Exterior/Interior Residential & Commercial

FREE ESTIMATES & REASONABLE PRICES

504-402-6012

TRIPLE BBB

CONSTRUCTION CO. INC. Pool Enclosures • Patio Covers • Roofing Siding • Glass Rooms • Screen Rooms Soffit • Fascia • Windows & Screens

JAMES H. BALL, SR.

P R ESI D E N T 2158 Kenner Ave. Kenner, LA 70062

193405-JUL 9-16-2T $122.84

Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

Clemency

D White

QUALITY and SERVICE

La Caze Electric

is available at https://www. coretrustpg.com/publicsector/solicitations

PRINT ADVERTISING WORKS

1-800-960-6397

Any size job Servicing New Orleans & Northshore area

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

504-467-6998 Fax 504-467-6708

METRO-MOVING & PAINTING FREE ESTIMATES

• Residential & Commercial Moving • Contract Work • Exercise Equipment Set-Up • Appliance, Furniture Pick-up/Delivery & Set-Up “Moving you to a new start” Since 1984 Office: 504-236-0058 Email: charleslawson58@yahoo.com Fax: 504-244-0411 Charles Lawson, Owner

L

R.J. LABORDE CONSTRUCTION RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL • REMODELING & NEW CONSTRUCTION

An Affordable Quality Builder for Over 25 Years • Room Additions • Custom Kitchens • Custom Baths

• Carport Enclosures • Garages • Plumbing Repairs

• Window Replacements • New Roofing & Repairs • Concrete Work

Call for Estimates: 504-885-5224 / 504-250-7139 Your Plans or Ours ~ Licensed and Insured

Building Homes & Remodeling

NOW SERVICING THE NORTHSHORE & SOUTHSHORE!

Top of the Line Landscaping Lawn Service

Call 786-968-0073 Text 504-435-3414

Corinne Fox REALTOR®

“Connecting You to the Soul of New Orleans One Home, One Neighborhood, One Passion at a Time!”

m 504.239.1481 o 504.861.7575 corinne.fox@compass.com www.compass.com/agents/corinne-fox 7934 Maple St. New Orleans, LA 70118 Licensed by the State of Louisiana

ABLE TREE SERVICE $2 Million Liabilty Insurance • Worker’s Comp NEVER A COMPLAINT TO THE REMOVAL STORM PREP

WE RECYCLE YOUR TREES

TRIMMING STUMP REMOVAL

50 4 - 828 -1532

Theodore Smith, Jr. • Call/Text: 504-401-0661

1st Landscaping Job 5% off

Licensed, Bonded and fully Insured with a 96.5% approval rating

Over 30 Years Experience

Sand Home Improvement

PHIL SIZEMORE Roofing Done Right

Roof Repair Specialist

Reroofing • Flats • Repairs

WE DO IT ALL!

504.390.8045

Licensed, Bonded and Fully Insured Chris Sand/Owner 504-281-3977

Free Estimates Senior Discounts

o D c e to e

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50+ YEARS LOCAL SERVICE

504 -570 - 6683

3030 Lausat Street, Metairie, Louisiana 70001 Website: twomenandatruck.com/neworleans

Tr

LAWN SERVICE

LAWN SERVICES $35, Trim bushes, cleaning flowerbeds, landscape design, re-landscaping, lawn service maintenance. also do lighting & irrigation. licensed & Insured. 24 years experience.

Tree Trimming & Removal • Stump Grinding *Must Dial Area Code*

504-341-2006

Free Estimates 45 yrs. A rating in BBB

Visit Visit jobs.nola.com today to see job listings in Baton Rouge, New Orleans and surrounding areas.

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License and Insured and Professionally trained

See more CLASSIFIEDS, page

THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

July 16, 2026

PAGE 6

page 10

Emmys will feature nnominees with local ties

Hubigs releasing limited-run pie flavors for summer page 9

2 ✦ Thursday, July 16, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

don’t miss lll

30th international piano competition A dozen of the world’s top emerging pianists vie for $100,000 starting Sunday at Roussel Hall at Loyola University. A recital featuring Angela Cheng starts things at 4 p.m., with master classes throughout the day. Semifinal rounds will be held through July 23. Final rounds are July 24-25. The top three perform July 26 with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, followed by an awards ceremony. During the competition, the hopefuls each perform the debut of Courtney Bryan’s “Ancestor Tree.” Tickets start at $20. The competition is held in conjunction with the Piano Institute and Keyboard Festival, both hosted by the Musical Arts Society of New Orleans. masno.org.

island strong music fest

midsummer market Beat the heat for an indoor spread of vendors with art, crafts, vintage items, jewelry and natural beauty products plus homemade food at Hotel Peter & Paul, 2317 Burgundy St. The market also features live music. ash.world/hotels/ peter-and-paul.

Food, arts and crafts and more accompany live music by Ryan Foret & Foret Tradition, Groovy 7, Waylon Thibodaux and The Chee Weez at the Tarpon Rodeo Pavilion, 4500 Tarpon Rodeo Drive, Grand Isle. Gates open at 4:30 p.m.

Thursday and 11 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Tickets start at $10. islandstrongmusicfest.com.

ABOUT LAGNIAPPE

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, Julia Guilbeau, Joy Holden, Ian McNulty, Keith Spera, Poet Wolfe

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

A bartender adds a spritz to a drink during the 2024 Tales of the Cocktail.

Photo by Josh Brasted. The annual party drawing mixologists from across the world starts Sunday. Story

by Ian McNulty on Page 6.

spritz and sparkle The Women’s Opera Guild is continuing the celebration of America’s 250th anniversary from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday at 2504 Prytania St. in the Garden District with the bubbly effervescence of a cool spritz and the cocktail jazz of Tim Nielson. Fundraiser tickets are $45. neworleansopera. org.

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don’t miss

medieval games day

underwater robotics

The Wagner Library, 6646 Riverside Drive, Metairie, will be time traveling back to the Middle Ages for a day of gaming sponsored by the Krewe Jeanne d’Arc. Games for all ages and group sizes will be played from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday. This includes modern board games about the Hundred Years War and medieval card and dice games. Costumes are encouraged. jefferson.lib.la.us.

Learn programming, use an underwater camera and pilot a remotely operated vehicle over three days at the New Canal Lighthouse, 8001 Lakeshore Drive, New Orleans. The Pontchartrain Conservancy hosts the annual expo, starting at 1 p.m.

Thursday and Friday and 10 a.m. Saturday, featuring six activities daily to inspire curiosity about the lake and STEM learning. Admission is $15 and includes access to the lighthouse museum. scienceforourcoast.org.

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4 ✦ Thursday, July 16, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

stages lll

Just behind the curtains

Characters are appearing and disappearing out of thin air in upcoming productions

Victor Andrews

New shows, old shows and even a TV show make their marks at metro area playhouses as summer swings into gear with musicals, merriment and mayhem. From Tennessee Williams to Walt Disney, the stage is a “big world” in the coming days.

‘The Rose Tattoo’ The Tennessee Williams Theatre Co. delves into the story of Williams’ affinity for all things Italian through his unique vision of how worlds intersect and often dissolve in the light of day in the staging of “The Rose Tattoo,” which will preview July 23 and run July 24 to Aug. 9 at Loyola University’s Marquette Theatre.

Director Augustin J. Correro said the show “was Williams’ love letter to his longtime partner (Frank Merlo) and to Italy and the Italian people. It’s bursting with warmth, humor, sensuality, and contradiction — like any passionate romance.”

Correro, the co-founding artistic director of the company, added, “The play is so delightfully silly and overthe-top that it’s almost operatic, while remaining deeply human and emotionally relatable.

“In the play, as in life, we’re all clowns from time to time.”

Kristin Witt plays the Sicilian widow Serafina Delle Rose, living somewhere in Mississippi with her daughter, who deifies her late husband, in spite of his all-too-human foibles. Sheltering herself and her daughter, played by Lauren Van Mullem, she begins to come out with the arrival of another truck driver named Alvaro, played by Nick DiJulio.

The show blends passion, comedy and hope in the Tony-winning show that “reminds us that grief and joy are never as far apart as we think,” said company co-founder Nick Shackleford.

“At its heart, this is a play about redis-

PROVIDED PHOTO By JAMES KELLEy

Kristin Witt is Serafina and Nick DiJulio is Alvaro in the Tennessee Williams Theatre Co.’s production of ‘The Rose Tattoo’ opening July 23.

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stages

covering life after unimaginable loss. It’s funny, sensual, deeply moving, and, perhaps more than any other Williams play, leaves audiences believing in the possibility of renewal. That’s a story worth telling right now.”

The cast also features Quinn Lapeyrouse, Alex Martinez Wallace, Daphne Armbruster, Adam Breaux, Desiree Burrell, Lalanya Gunn, Kelley Holcomb and Kalimah Williams, with Gwendolyn Foxworth and Janet Shea.

Tickets start at $45. The show is at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays at 6363 St. Charles Ave. Visit twtheatrenola.com.

pre-World War II Germany and Berlin’s Kit Kat Club for “Cabaret,” Kander and Ebb’s story of love, resilience and the impending cataclysm that waits.

With bawdy numbers and heartfelt anthems, the show is packed with familiar tunes, including “Cabaret,” “Willkommen” and “The Money Song.”

The multiple Tony-winning show focuses on Sally Bowles, a

music

The show runs at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at 800 W. Judge Perez Drive in Chalmette. Tickets start at $15.

Visit cur8.com for tickets.

‘Gilligan’s Island the Musical’

A three-hour tour turned into gold for Sherwood and Lloyd J. Schwartz when their rag-tag group of castaways become a television sensation and now a musical.

“Gilligan’s Island the Musical” at Playmakers Theater in Covington distills much of the mirth and madcap merriment that made the 1960s show such in-demand watching.

The premise features the seven main characters ‘Mary Poppins’ who discover ancient cave drawings foretelling a “Practically perfect in legend. Well, this is “Gilevery way.” That’s the way Mary Poppins’ magiligan,” and so there’s a storm, foiled rescue plans cal measuring tape sums and even an other-worldly up the British nanny encounter. everyone has grown to David Thursh directs love. The River Region with Shane Carter as GilDrama Guild brings the high-flying Disney characligan, Vince Boston as the Skipper, Maggie Lawshe ter to life Friday through as Ginger, Aisha Sofia Sunday.

Johnson as Mary Ann and Based on the OscarChristian Gray as the Prowinning movie, the Tony-winning stage show fessor. features many of the same The show is at 7:30 p.m. songs, including “A SpoonFridays and Saturdays and ful of Sugar,” “Let’s Go Fly PROVIDED PHOTO 2 p.m. Sundays through July 26 at the theater at A Kite” and “Supercalifra- Jorden Majeau is the emcee at Berlin’s Kit Kat 19106 Playmakers Road. gilisticexpialidocious.”

Club in The Company’s production of ‘Cabaret.’

Tickets start at $23. Visit ‘Mary Poppins’ follows playmakersinc.com. a turn-of-the-last-century proper British family (he’s a Brit expat who performs at the In production banker, she’s a suffragette), their club, with the emcee leading the uncontrollable children and a ensemble of players.

“LEGALLY BLONDE”: 7:30 p.m. mystical nanny who arrives on Jorden Majeau is the emThursday to Saturday, 2 p.m. and the scene to put everything to 7 p.m. Sunday; Rivertown Thecee and Arianna D’Antonio is rights ... just maybe not exactly Bowles, with Michael Chandler aters for the Performing Arts, as one might think. as the American writer Clifford 325 Minor St., Kenner. When a The show will run at 7 p.m.

Bradshaw. Other cast includes vivacious, rich, California sororFriday and Saturday and 3 p.m.

Roxanne Gray/Jennifer Landry, ity girl gets dumped by her East Sunday at the Lafon Performing Charles Reaves, Marc Lewallen, Coast snob boyfriend, she makes Arts Center, 275 Judge Edward Felicity White, Trisha Allon, Har- it her business to not only learn Dufresne Parkway, in Luling. the law. She rescues the day, finds ley Crowe, Vieta Collins, Jada Tickets start at $15. Visit lafonBrown, Darlene Stofira, Roshard out she deserves “so much more” and saves a woman from getting Hooper, Eli Geeting, Ellis Calartscenter.org. lahan, Bob Mendel, Greg Nacozy, railroaded in court. Tickets start ‘Cabaret’ at $52. rivertowntheaters.com.

JJ Lloyd and Kit Kat Club waitresses Rachel Carderara, Jane The Company: A St. Bernard D’Antonio, Shana Powers and Community Theatre sends out a Email Victor Andrews at Mary Collins. big willkommen as it travels to vandrews@theadvocate.com.

PROVIDED PHOTO

Kanye West’s ‘yeezus’ tour stopped at the New Orleans Arena, now Smoothie King Center, on Dec. 5, 2013.

Ye concert set for Superdome this summer

Show is among only 3 U.S. stops

BY KEITH SPERA Staff writer

Rapper Ye, previously known as Kanye West, has announced that his intermittent stadium tour is headed for the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.

He is slated to headline the Superdome on Aug. 28.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday.

A link to preregister for ticket access is available at yelouisiana.com.

The New Orleans date is one of only six concerts currently listed on his website, three of which are in Europe.

He performed Sunday in Tirana, Albania, and is scheduled for shows July 30 in Madrid and Aug. 7 in Algarve, Portugal.

After the New Orleans show on Aug. 28, he’ll play two shows Sept. 3-4 at Chicago’s Soldier Field, if all goes as planned.

West last performed in New Orleans on Dec. 5, 2013, when his “Yeezus Tour” stopped at what is now the Smoothie King Center.

He appeared at the Essence Festival of Culture in the Superdome in 2008 and 2011.

His career in recent years has been overshadowed by a series of controversies and unconventional affiliations.

Email Keith Spera at kspera@theadvocate.com.

6 ✦ Thursday, July 16, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

events lll

A

world drinks of

Tales of the Cocktail offering a new passport as industry experts pour into New Orleans

Ian McNulty

For one week in late July, Tales of the Cocktail draws professionals from across the world of cocktails, spirits and bars to learn, network and party. ä See TALES, page 8

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LEFT: Tales of the Cocktail brings professionals from the world of cocktails, spirits and bars to New Orleans each summer.

PROVIDED PHOTO By TALES OF THE COCKTAIL

BOTTOM: Bartenders prepare specialty drinks with dry ice during an event at Tales of the Cocktail in 2023.

STAFF FILE PHOTO BY IAN McNULTY

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events

TALES

Continued from page 6

New this year is a program called Tales Passport, a slate of programs aimed at giving people with a more recreational interest in cocktails new ways to take part with high-end cocktail dinners, cocktail master classes and a new hub for interactive experiences around the craft of cocktails.

“We like to say this is for people who enjoy being on the other side of the bar,” said Charlotte Voisey, executive director of the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation, and a former bartender herself.

Tales is based at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, 921 Canal St., which, beginning Sunday becomes a hive of tasting rooms and seminar sessions. The conference also fills the city with special events, happy hours, guest bartender stints, brand takeovers and such, like a mini version of the Super Bowl for the spirits world.

For cocktail lovers, there is great sport to be had in taking one of those summer weekday afternoons off for a self-guided tour of all the tasting rooms, which brands from around the world set up to showcase their latest releases and signature labels. That’s still available this year with Tasting Room day passes.

But Tales Passport events are more focused experiences, built around the worldwide talent and brands that gather in the city for the event.

Here’s what’s new and how it works:

TALES HOUSE: THE IMMERSIVE COCKTAIL JOURNEY

July 23-25, Royal Frenchmen Hotel & Bar

For three days, a French Quarter property will be transformed into a multifaceted showcase for cocktail lovers.

People who sign up will join small groups on timed entries to progress through a series of six rooms, each focused on different experiences that inform taste and bring cocktails to life, from the visual to texture to storytelling.

Tickets are $99.

SPIRITED DINING RESERVE: A SEVEN STAR DINING EXPERIENCE July 22, Emeril’s Restaurant

“Spirited Dinners” built around cocktail pairings have long been part of Tales of the Cocktail week at local restaurants.

But this year, Emeril’s Restaurant is

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hosting a one-night “reserve” experience on July 22 with three Michelin star-winning chefs sharing the kitchen.

Emeril’s chef E.J. Lagasse will be collaborating with chef Enrique Olvera, of Pujol in Mexico City, and chef Val Cantu, of Californios in San Francisco.

Emeril’s has two Michelin Stars, as does Pujol, while Californios was elevated to three stars in June, the highest ranking from Michelin. Thus, the dinner Lagasse is dubbed a “Seven Star Dining Experience.”

Cocktails are from Handshake Speakeasy, the Mexico City bar that has ranked No. 1 on the World’s 50 Best Bars list (where it’s currently ranked No. 2 globally).

Tickets are $995.

TALES OF THE COCKTAIL Week, day and festival entry passes ● cocktail tours ● Tales Passport ● more Sunday through July 24 ● various locations talesofthecocktail.org

THE COCKTAIL STUDIO SERIES

July 24-25, Royal Frenchmen Hotel & Bar

Tales House will host master classes on cocktails led by Neal Bodenheimer, founder of the New Orleans bar Cure and co-chair of the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation, and Francesco LafBodenheimer ranconi, who leads beverages for the Las Vegas group Carver Road Hospitality.

Tickets are $125.

THE HIDDEN OMAKASE EXPERIENCE

July 24-25, Royal Frenchmen Hotel & Bar

Tales House will also host an omakase Japanese tasting menu and cocktail dinner, served for just 10 guests at a time.

Tickets are $285.

Tickets Tales Passport tickets are on sale, with a waitlist to sign up for first access. See details at talesofthecocktail.org/talespassport.

As in past years, the public can also access Tales of the Cocktail with Tasting Room day passes, starting at $45 a day, which are aimed at people who want to dip in for a taste. Full week passes and guided cocktail history walking tours are available, too.

Email Ian McNulty at imcnulty@ theadvocate.com.

PROVIDED PHOTO By JOSEPH VIDRINE

Tales of the Cocktail brings professionals from the world of cocktails, spirits and bars to New Orleans each summer.

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food

Hubig’s collaborated with local brand PJ’s Coffee for its new mocha hand pie.

The filling is a blend of Hubig’s chocolate pie mixed with PJ’s cold brew.

STAFF PHOTO

BY IAN McNULTY

Hubig’s Pies releasing summer flavors Break out your Savory Simon costume for a contest July 25 during Hubig’s Pies banana flavor release party at Tipitina’s.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By IAN McNULTy

Launch party set at Tipitina’s for return of banana

BY IAN McNULTY

Staff writer Are you a lemon Hubig’s Pie guy, or maybe a pineapple girl? The friedand-iced hand pies are a New Orleans staple that can inspire loyalties along with cravings.

Soon, two more flavors will be in the mix to consider, for a limited time each.

Hubig’s has a pair of seasonal summer flavors in the works, and the Uptown music club Tipitina’s even has a party planned around one of them.

First up, Hubig’s collaborated with local brand PJ’s Coffee for its new mocha hand pie. The filling is a blend of Hubig’s chocolate pie mixed with PJ’s cold brew.

This mocha pie began hitting stores Monday along with normal Hu-

big’s deliveries. It will have a short production run of just two weeks.

Next, in late July, Hubig’s will bring back one of its much-missed flavors: banana.

This too will be a limited seasonal run.

It’s the first time banana has returned since 2012, the year a fire destroyed the original Hubig’s factory in Faubourg Marigny and led to a decadelong drought for the New Orleans staples.

Banana pies are slated to hit stores on July 27, the 14-year anniversary of the fire.

Tipitina’s, 501 Napoleon Ave., is hosting a release party on July 25, with samples of Hubig’s banana pie and live music from Big Chief Juan Pardo & The Golden Comanche and Dave Jordan & The NIA. Admission is free, with doors opening at 7 p.m.; bands take the stage at 8 p.m. There will be a Savory Simon costume contest (the baker logo emblazoned on Hubig’s pie wrappers; you know New Orleans has plenty of these stashed in its costume closets).

Tipitina’s makes a fitting venue for a banana pie party, with a partially peeled cartoon banana as part of its logo, a vestige from the early days in the 1980s when it had a juice bar.

Like Hubig’s, the club is a revival of a valued New Orleans name. Members of

STAFF FILE PHOTO By KEITH SPERA

Big Chief Juan Pardo, right, & The Golden Comanche are set to perform at the Tipitina’s release party July 25.

the local band Galactic bought Tipitina’s in 2018 in an act of cultural preservation and continue to run it today.

Email Ian McNulty at imcnulty@ theadvocate.com.

10 ✦ Thursday, July 16, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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2 N.O.-born ‘The Pitt’ actors nominated for Emmys

BY JULIA GUILBEAU

Staff writer

Two New Orleans-born actresses who star in the hit hospital drama “The Pitt” were nominated July 8 for Emmy awards honoring their performances.

Katherine LaNasa, 59, and Tal Anderson, 28, were nominated for outstanding supporting actress in a drama series and outstanding guest actress in a drama series, respectively.

Both star in the emergencyroom show that follows the staff at the fictional Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center through each hour of their workday. The program, which first aired in 2025, received the highest number of nominations this cycle with 25.

LaNasa, who was born in

New Orleans and raised in Baton Rouge, plays a tough yet compassionate charge nurse, Dana, opposite Noah Wyle’s Dr. Michael Robinavitch. She won an Emmy for outstanding supporting actress in 2025 for the role, more than 30 years after her Hollywood debut.

Anderson was born in New Orleans and raised in Cape Coral, Florida. She previously starred as Sid in “Atypical,” appears in “The Pitt” as the twin sister of Dr. Mel King, played by actress Taylor Dearden. It’s the first Emmy nomination for Anderson, who has autism and has been outspoken about disability inclusion in TV and film.

The 2026 Emmy Awards show will air on NBC on Sept.

14 and is set to be hosted by Mariska Hargitay.

Louisiana native Katherine LaNasa, right, stars in the HBO Max medical drama ‘The Pitt.’

PROVIDED PHOTO By HBO MAX/ WARRICK PAGE

Documentary featuring La. librarian is award show bound

BY JOY HOLDEN

premiered Feb. 9 on PBS. Since then, the film has collected 31 accolades from film festivals, The New York Times and The “The Librarians,” a documentary exec- Guardian.

The film, a joint effort between Oscarutive produced by Sarah Jessica Parker, nominated director/producer Kim A. is nominated for “Exceptional Merit In Snyder and executive producer Documentary Filmmaking” at the Sarah Jessica Parker through her 78th Emmy Awards. The docuPretty Matches Productions banmentary features Amanda Jones, Live Oak Middle School librarian ner, explores a four-year period in Livingston Parish, as one of the of book bans unfolding in schools librarians fighting against censoracross the U.S. and the librarians confronting those restrictions. ship in school libraries.

“The recognition will bring “I didn’t even know an Emmy more people to the film and get was on the table,” Jones said.

Jones more conversations started,” She said the makers and stars Jones said. “We hope people will go to our of the film (school librarians) are still on a group text together. One of the produc- resource page on the website, not only PROVIDED PHOTO ers, Janique Robillard, texted the news to to support Freedom to Read but also the ‘The Librarians,’ a documentary everyone. Jones said everyone responded mental health of librarians.”

The Exceptional Merit In Documentary with shock and excitement. following librarians fighting Filmmaking award is reviewed by a jury “The Librarians” premiered at the against censorship in school on the basis of the filmmaker’s vision, 2025 Sundance Film Festival on Jan. 24, libraries, has been nominated storytelling and capacity to inform and 2025, was released in theaters around for an Emmy Award. impact. the United States on Oct. 3, 2025, and Staff writer

The other nominee is National Geographic’s “The Tale Of Silyan,” a documentary about a Macedonian farmer who nurses a white stork back to health while contemplating the end of his farm.

The only previous nominee and winner for this award that featured Louisiana was Spike Lee’s “When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts,” a documentary about the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, which won the award in 2007.

“The Librarians” documentary is one of five nominations for PBS in 2026.

The Exceptional Merit In Documentary Filmmaking award is handed out during the Creative Arts Emmy Awards on Sep. 5-6.

The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards will be broadcast live on NBC on Sept. 14, and stream live on Peacock at 7 p.m. from the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live in Los Angeles.

Email Joy Holden at joy.holden@ theadvocate.com.

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culture

Electric Ladyland inked locals, stars over 3 decades Frenchmen Street tattoo parlor quietly shuts doors

BY POET WOLFE Staff writer

After three decades of tattooing New Orleanians, tourists and Hollywood stars, Electric Ladyland Tattoo Parlor quietly vacated its canary-yellow building on Frenchmen Street, closing its red doors for good in May. Its closure reflects a broader transformation unfolding on the thoroughfare, once a corridor of clubs and local establishments that has evolved into one of the city’s busiest nightlife destinations, crowded with bars, venues and tourists.

Over the past six months, several independent businesses have come and gone along Frenchmen. In November, Mélange began serving drinks made with zero-proof liquor and THCinfused beverages in an elegant space above Bamboula’s. Meanwhile, in January, Frenchmen All Day closed after five years of making bloody marys and Cuban sandwiches within a distinctly European atmosphere.

Named after Jimi Hendrix’s final studio album, Electric Ladyland Tattoo attracted a steady clientele of locals and celebrities.

In its early years, artists tattooed a flower on Marisa Tomei’s ankle and a parrot on Harry Anderson’s back. Billy Bob Thornton even had one “Angelina”

DOWNLOAD

FROM ELECTRIC LADyLAND’S FACEBOOK

Electric Ladyland Tattoo Parlor, which closed in May, was a fixture on Frenchmen Street in New Orleans. tattoo inked in black cursive on his forearm.

The shop first began operating from an outpost on Earhart Street in Uptown before founder Ernie Gosnell sold the business to Annette LaRue, who relocated it to the Marigny in 2000.

Thirteen years later, LaRue sold the shop to Ed Dieringer, a longtime friend and veteran employee who made few

DOWNLOAD

DOWNLOAD

changes to a business that had long established itself as a Frenchmen institution.

Dieringer could not be reached for comment.

The shop took on a new meaning after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005. Artists inked fleursde-lis, levees and waves on the arms and backs of storm victims — from

DOWNLOAD

police officers and ambulance drivers to fathers and daughters.

Then-artist Jay Lyons described that period as “a busy time” for the shop, with a new wave of clientele seeking to memorialize their hardships even as many local businesses struggled to recover.

“We had limited resources, but we stayed open as long as possible,” Lyons said in a 2015 interview, “tattooing until we couldn’t tattoo any more.”

Dieringer took over Electric Ladyland Tattoo nearly a decade after the storm, making only minor changes to preserve the shop as the Marigny and Bywater underwent rapid change.

He assembled a staff with expertise spanning large-scale Japanese-style tattooing, traditional Americana and black-and-white photorealism.

Electric Ladyland Tattoo faced another challenge when the coronavirus pandemic shut down New Orleans in 2020. Even as businesses reopened after two months of lockdown, the shop remained closed during the first phase of the state’s economic comeback because of regulations governing tattoo parlors.

Eventually, however, the shop welcomed customers through its red doors once again, continuing until its final appointment.

Asked in a 2013 interview what made Electric Ladyland so inviting, Dieringer offered a simple answer: “It has personality. And just like anything, it has soul.”

ONE great state FOUR great apps

12 ✦ Thursday, July 16, 2026 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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SALON SUPPER CLUB PRESENTED BY

A Surreal Summer THURSDAY, JULY 16 | 6 PM FEATURING AN ART-INSPIRED MENU CRAFTED BY CHEF WILEY WILKINSON LEWIS OF DELACROIX IN PARTNERSHIP WITH RALPH BRENNAN CATERING AND EVENTS

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