The Advocate 03-17-2025 by The Advocate

How La. changed on death penalty

Shifting politics led to restart of executions, nitrogen gas option

BY SAM KARLIN Staff writer

On a busy day at the State Capitol in 2019, a freshman legislator was about to run into a buzz saw State Rep. Nicholas Muscarello

St. George voters to decide on charter

Mayor, council seats also on ballot

BY PATRICK SLOAN-TURNER Staff writer

Early voting began Saturday for several elections that will shape the government of the new city of St George. At the forefront of the ballot is the proposed home rule charter, a contentious measure that will determine the city’s governing structure. Also on the list of pivotal races are a heated mayoral contest between interim Mayor Dustin Yates and a challenger, Jim Morgan, and several races for seats on the City Council.

Early voting will run through Saturday, each day from 8:30 a.m until 6 p.m. On March 29, election day, polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information on how to vote, visit geauxvote.com.

Here’s an overview of the election that will decide what the newly incorporated city will look like.

Following a Louisiana Supreme Court ruling last April that allowed for St. George to incorporate, a commission of 11 people drafted a form of government to put before

ä See ST GEORGE, page 4A

took a seat at a committee table to present a controversial bill.

Then-Attorney General Jeff Landry’s office had asked Muscarello, R-Hammond, to sponsor legislation to blanket information in secrecy about companies

providing execution drugs to the state. It was part of a bid to end a decadelong pause in executions in Louisiana. A lawyer from Landry’s ofﬁce joined Muscarello as they presented the bill to the Senate Judiciary B Committee.

The panel had a Democratic majority picked by former Senate President John Alario to act as a backstop for John Bel Edwards, who was governor at the time. They swiftly killed the legislation. Edwards was in the middle of a

tightly-contested bid for reelec-

ABOVE: The Wearin’ of the Green Parade rolls Sunday through the Garden District.

LEFT: Paradegoers reach for throws during the parade.

ä See more photos on Page 8A.

‘We went from health care heroes to ... almost villains’

Five years after COVID hit Louisiana, trust in vaccines is falling

BY EMILY WOODRUFF Staff writer

Nearly ﬁve years later, the appreciation has faded, and so has the public’s trust.

“We went from health care heroes to now we are almost villains at this point, and not to be

In May 2020, health care workers gathered on the rooftops of hospitals as the storied U.S. Navy Blue Angels ﬂew over metro New Orleans, saluting front-line employees in a monthslong battle against COVID-19. The Krewe of Red Beans was organizing food drop-offs for weary staff, many of whom were sleeping in separate rooms from their families or stripping down and hosing off outside before stepping indoors. Across the state, communities rallied — sewing masks, donating meals, posting signs in the yards of health care workers overnight as shows of gratitude.

trusted,” said Dr Kara Ward, a critical care and emergency medicine physician in New Orleans.

“There is a huge mistrust now in health care.”

The pandemic marked a turning point in trust in medicine, and the state’s declining vaccine coverage is a measure of the long shadow it cast and the politics that have evolved in its wake. What began as

pushback to COVID-19 mitigation efforts has widened into broader resistance to routine immunizations. Health care workers are now navigating deepening skepticism amid a measles outbreak in neighboring Texas, the nation’s first bird flu death in southwest Louisiana, and a steady stream of

STAFF PHOTOS By JAVIER GALLEGOS

ä Protesters ask Landry to stay execution. PAGE 8A

BRIEFS FROM WIRE REPORTS

North Macedonia

club fire kills dozens

KOCANI, North Macedonia A massive ﬁre tore through an overcrowded nightclub in North Macedonia on Sunday killing 59 people and injuring 155 in a chaotic escape during a live concert. The tragedy focused national attention on corruption in the small Balkan country as authorities detained 15 people. The death toll may rise further, with 20 of the injured in critical condition, according to Health Minister Arben Taravari. The government has declared seven days of national mourning Some as young as 16 were among the casualties in the pre-dawn blaze in the eastern town of Kocani, where many suffered burns, smoke inhalation and a stampede in the desperate effort to reach the building’s single exit, ofﬁcials said.

Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski said 15 people were detained for questioning after a preliminary inspection revealed the club was operating without a proper license He said the number of people inside the club was at least double its ofﬁcial capacity of 250. Relief arrives at space station

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Just over a day after blasting off, a SpaceX crew capsule arrived at the International Space Station on Sunday, delivering the replacements for NASA’s two stuck astronauts. The four newcomers — representing the U.S., Japan and Russia — will spend the next few days learning the station’s ins and outs from Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams.

Wilmore and Williams expected to be gone just a week when they launched in June on Boeing’s ﬁrst astronaut ﬂight. They hit the nine-month mark earlier this month.

“It was a wonderful day Great to see our friends arrive,” Williams told Mission Control.

Weather permitting, the SpaceX capsule carrying Wilmore, Williams and two other astronauts will undock from the space station no earlier than Wednesday and splash down off Florida’s coast.

Supporters of Brazil’s Bolsonaro protest

RIO DE JANEIRO Thousands of backers of Brazil’s former President Jair Bolsonaro poured onto Copacabana Beach on Sunday to express their support for the farright politician as he faces charges he plotted a coup Bolsonaro and close allies attended the demonstration in which protesters also called for Congress to grant amnesty to those in jail for their roles in the Jan 8, 2023, riot, when government buildings in the capital Brasilia were ransacked A sea of people wearing Brazil’s yellow-and-green national soccer jersey chanted and held placards reading “Amnesty, now!”

Local media reported that around 18,000 people attended, based on figures from a monitoring project linked to the University of Sao Paulo. Last month, Brazil’s prosecutor-general formally charged Bolsonaro with attempting a coup to stay in ofﬁce after his 2022 election defeat to current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Part of that plot allegedly included plans to poison Lula and shoot dead Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who oversees several cases against him.

After losing to Lula, Bolsonaro refused to concede, and left for the United States days before the end of his term.

Bolsonaro has denied any wrongdoing and has said he is a victim of political persecution.

Deported immigrants reach El Salvador

Judge’s temporary halt issued as planes leave U.S

BY NICHOLAS RICCARDI and REGINA GARCIA CANO Associated Press

The Trump administration has transferred hundreds of immigrants to El Salvador even as a federal judge issued an order temporarily barring the deportations under an 18th-century wartime declaration targeting Venezuelan gang members, ofﬁcials said Sunday. Flights were in the air at the time of the ruling.

U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg issued an order Saturday temporarily blocking the deportations, but lawyers told him there were already two planes with immigrants in the air — one headed for El Salvador, the other for Honduras. Boasberg verbally ordered the planes be turned around, but they apparently were not and he did not include the directive in his written order White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, in a statement Sunday, responded to speculation about whether the administration was ﬂouting court orders: “The administration did not ‘refuse to comply’ with a court order The order, which had no lawful basis, was issued after terrorist TdA aliens had already been removed from U.S. territory.”

The acronym refers to the Tren de

PROVIDED PHOTO Prison guards transfer deportees from the U.S alleged to be Venezuelan gang members, to the Terrorism Confinement Center in Tecoluca, El Salvador on Sunday.

Aragua gang, which President Donald Trump targeted in his unusual proclamation that was released Saturday In a court ﬁling Sunday, the Department of Justice, which has appealed Boasberg’s decision, said it would not use the Trump proclamation he blocked for further deportations if his decision is not overturned.

Trump’s allies were gleeful over the results.

“Oopsie…Too late,” Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele wrote on the social media site X above an article about Boasberg’s ruling, a post that was recirculated by White House communications director Steven Cheung. Bukele, a Trump ally, agreed to house about 300 immigrants for a year at a cost of $6

million in his country’s prisons.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who negotiated an earlier deal with Bukele to house immigrants, posted on the site: “We sent over 250 alien enemy members of Tren de Aragua which El Salvador has agreed to hold in their very good jails at a fair price that will also save our taxpayer dollars.”

Steve Vladeck, a professor at the Georgetown University Law Center said that Boasberg’s verbal directive to turn around the planes was not technically part of his ﬁnal order but that the Trump administration clearly violated the “spirit” of it.

“This just incentivizes future courts to be hyper speciﬁc in their orders and not give the government any wiggle room,” Vladeck said.

The immigrants were deported after Trump’s declaration of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which has been used only three times in U.S. history

The law, invoked during the War of 1812 and World Wars I and II, requires a president to declare the United States is at war, giving him extraordinary powers to detain or remove foreigners who otherwise would have protections under immigration or criminal laws. It was last used to justify the detention of Japanese-American civilians during WWII.

Venezuela’s government in a statement Sunday rejected the use of Trump’s declaration of the law, characterizing it as evocative of “the darkest episodes in human history, from slavery to the horror of the Nazi concentration camps.”

U.S., Iran-backed Houthis both vow escalation after Yemen attack

BY SAMY MAGDY Associated Press

CAIRO The United States and Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen are both vowing escalation after the U.S. launched airstrikes to deter the rebels from attacking military and commercial vessels on one of the world’s busiest shipping corridors.

The Houthi-run Health Ministry said the overnight U.S. strikes killed at least 53 people, including ﬁve women and two children, and wounded almost 100 in the capital of Sanaa and other provinces, including Saada, the rebels’ stronghold on the border with Saudi Arabia.

“We’re not going to have these people controlling which ships can go through and which ones cannot. And so your question is, how long will this go on? It will go on until they no longer have the capability to do that,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio told CBS on Sunday. He said these are not the one-off retaliation strikes the Biden administration carried out after Houthi attacks President Donald Trump on Saturday vowed to use “overwhelming lethal force” until the Houthis cease their attacks, and warned that Tehran would be held “fully accountable” for their actions.

The Houthis have repeatedly targeted international shipping in the Red Sea, sinking two vessels, in what they call acts of solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel has been at war with Hamas, another Iranian ally

The attacks stopped when a Israel-Hamas ceasefire

took hold in January — a day before Trump took ofﬁce but last week, the Houthis said they would renew attacks against Israeli vessels after Israel cut off the ﬂow of humanitarian aid to Gaza this month.

There have been no Houthi attacks reported since then.

The overnight airstrikes were one of the most extensive attacks against the Houthis since the war in Gaza began in October 2023.

Trump’s national security adviser Michael Waltz, on Sunday told ABC that the strikes “actually targeted multiple Houthi leaders and took them out.” He didn’t identify them or give evidence. Rubio said some Houthi facilities had been destroyed.

The Houthis’ political bureau has said the rebels will respond to the U.S. strikes and “meet escalation with escalation.”

The rebels on Sunday claimed to have targeted the USS Harry S. Truman carrier strike group with missiles and a drone, but two U.S. officials told The Associated Press they were not tracking anything The ofﬁcials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations.

The spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a statement called for “utmost restraint and a cessation of all military activities,” while warning of the “grave risks” to the dire humanitarian situation in Yemen, the Arab world’s poorest nation.

Rubio said that over the past 18 months the Houthis had attacked the U.S. Navy

“directly” 174 times and targeted commercial shipping 145 times using “guided precision anti-ship weaponry.”

The attacks sparked the most serious combat the U.S. Navy had seen since World War II.

On Sunday, the head of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, Gen. Hossein Salami, denied his country was involved in the Houthis’ attacks, saying it “plays no role in setting the national or operational policies” of the militant groups it is allied with across the region, according to state-run TV

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, writing on X, urged the U.S to halt its airstrikes and said Washington cannot dictate Iran’s foreign policy

The U.S. and others have long accused Iran of providing military aid to the rebels. The U.S. Navy has seized Iranian-made missile parts and other weaponry it said was bound for the Houthis.

The United States, Israel and Britain previously hit Houthi-held areas in Yemen, but the new operation was conducted solely by the U.S. It was the ﬁrst strike on the Houthis under the second Trump administration.

The USS Harry S. Truman carrier strike group, which includes the carrier, three Navy destroyers and one cruiser, is in the Red Sea and was part of the mission. The USS Georgia cruise missile submarine has also been operating in the region.

Associated Press writers Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran, and Tara Copp and Lolita C. Baldor in Washington contributed to this report.

Tren de Aragua originated in an infamously lawless prison in the central state of Aragua and accompanied an exodus of millions of Venezuelans, the overwhelming majority of whom were seeking better living conditions after their nation’s economy came undone during the past decade. Trump seized on the gang during his campaign to paint misleading pictures of communities that he contended were “taken over” by what were actually a handful of lawbreakers.

The Trump administration has not identiﬁed the immigrants deported, provided any evidence they are in fact members of Tren de Aragua or that they committed any crimes in the United States. It also sent two top members of the Salvadoran MS13 gang to El Salvador who had been arrested in the United States.

The immigrants were taken to the notorious CECOT facility the centerpiece of Bukele’s push to pacify his once violence-wracked country through tough police measures and limits on basic rights.

Immigration lawyers said that, late Friday, they noticed Venezuelans who otherwise couldn’t be deported under immigration law being moved to Texas for deportation ﬂights. They began to ﬁle lawsuits to halt the transfers.

“Basically any Venezuelan citizen in the US may be removed on pretext of belonging to Tren de Aragua, with no chance at defense,” Adam Isacson, of the Washington Office for Latin America, a human rights group, warned on X.

Netanyahu seeks to boot Israel’s security chief

BY MELANIE LIDMAN Associated Press

JERUSALEM Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday he will seek to dismiss the head of the country’s internal security service this week, deepening a power struggle focused largely on who bears responsibility for the Hamas attack that sparked the war in Gaza.

Netanyahu’s effort to remove Ronen Bar as director of the Shin Bet comes as the security service investigates close aides of the prime minister. Netanyahu said he has had “ongoing distrust” with Bar and “this distrust has grown over time.” Bar responded by saying

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he planned to continue in the post for the near future, citing “personal obligations” to ﬁnish “sensitive investigations,” free the remaining hostages in Gaza and prepare potential successors. Bar also criticized Netanyahu’s expectation of a personal loyalty that contradicts the public interest. But he emphasized that he would respect any legal decision regarding his tenure. The Shin Bet is responsible for monitoring Palestinian militant groups and recently issued a report accepting responsibility for its failures around the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack. It also criticized Netanyahu, saying failed government policies helped create the climate that led to it.

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ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By OSAMAH ABDULRAHMAN Residents clean debris in storefronts Sunday after U.S. airstrikes in Sanaa, yemen.

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voters this spring. What they came up with is a system new to Louisiana:

Voters elect a mayor, five district council members and two at-large council members, but most of the day-to-day operations of government would be overseen by a city manager Appointed by the council, the city manager would fulﬁll many duties traditionally placed upon a mayor, like crafting and proposing an annual budget for the council to approve. The manager in this “council-manager” system of government is the chief administrative ofﬁcer of the city, responsible for supervision of services, appointment or removal of city employees and city contracts.

In this system of government, the mayor has less executive power than in East Baton Rouge Parish, but the mayor presides over the council and has veto power, though that veto can be overridden with a threefourths vote by the council.

Yates and other members of the interim St. George government support the proposed charter

“It truly puts the government in the hands of the people here,” Yates said.

“With the Home Rule charter plan of government, every change that gets made to that home rule charter

COVID

Continued from page 1A

misinformation online.

That shift in trust now shows up in exam rooms: There are more questions about vaccinations and more patients referencing things they saw on social media Fearful parents delay routine shots. Adult patients second-guess flu and shingles vaccines. Longtime doctors ﬁnd themselves on the defensive at times, and Louisiana is seeing a concerning drop in immunizations.

“Now everything is questioned,” said Ward. She said even routine medical decisions are now met with suspicion, from oxygen use to blood draws. And while Ward welcomes questions, she said they are often asked with disbelief instead of curiosity

By the numbers

Louisiana kindergartners were once vaccinated above the average rate in the U.S. Before the pandemic, nearly 96% of Louisiana kindergartners were vaccinated for measles. By 2023, that number had dropped to 92%

While Louisiana mandates standard childhood vaccinations for school entry, families can request exemptions for any reason Since the pandemic, nonmedical exemption rates have more than doubled, from 1.3% in 2018 to 2.7% in the 2023–24 school year A new state law requires schools to include information about vaccine exemptions in any commu-

is made via the voter And that’s something that we fought for 12 years.”

But opponents — including Morgan and some City Council candidates say the decision to create it was made by appointed leaders and instead should have been made later by the ﬁrst elected council.

“Why was the Home Rule Charter not left to the first elected leadership to shape and approve?” Morgan wrote in a Facebook post. “St. George residents wanted a government that would serve them, not one that would make major decisions before they had a voice in the process.”

Like any governing document, the home rule charter isn’t perfect, said Andrew Murrell, who ran unopposed for a seat on the council. A member of the commission that wrote the document, he said it is a living framework designed to evolve over time, with built-in provisions for regular review and amendments.

Above all else, he argues the document sets St. George apart from its neighbors — like the one from which voters chose to separate.

“We believe that is an outdated mode of government with an All-Powerful-Oz-like mayor that we don’t believe is as accountable to the citizens as a council-manager form of government,” Murrell said.

A major difference is that taxes may only be decided

nication about immunization requirements, a move that public health officials say will likely drive exemptions even higher Dr Nora Oates of Hales

Pediatrics in Uptown New Orleans said hesitancy about vaccines comes up a few times a day It doesn’t mean patients don’t ultimately choose to vaccinate, but she goes into appointments now knowing she’ll need to account for questioning

“It just takes more time than it used to to talk about vaccines with families,” said Oates, a pediatrician of 25 years.

The vaccine questioned most is the MMR, or measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, said Oates. Families want to know if the vaccine causes autism, a longdebunked myth that both the Trump administration and the Louisiana Legislature have directed public health authorities to study.

The hesitancy has even spread beyond children and the MMR vaccine. Ward sees patients in the intensive care unit who say they won’t get a ﬂu shot, even though they are more at risk for bad outcomes, because they heard it causes autism.

“I’ve heard this in grown adults,” said Ward “You’re 55, you’re not going to get autism, and it’s also not caused by vaccines.”

Just last week, Dr Kyle Happel, a pulmonary critical care physician in New Orleans, lost a patient to the ﬂu during a particularly severe season in which Louisiana led the country in cases. It’s a hard backdrop against which

by voters. The default form of government allows the council to raise property taxes by up to 7 mills, Murrell said a mill is $1 of tax on every $1,000 of assessed property

“We in St. George felt like that was a taxation without your express representation and was unacceptable,” he said.

Under the proposed charter, any property tax increase in St. George would need to be approved by voters, he said.

Also different from other governments: Residents would have the power to add any item to the City Council’s agenda if they got signatures from 15% of registered voters.

If the charter does not pass, the city would operate under a default structure laid out in state law

A heated mayoral race

The race between Yates and Morgan wasted no time in turning contentious.

Appointed as interim mayor last year, Yates was the first to announce his run in early January, and reported nearly $150,000 in funds raised by the end of February

A 19-year veteran of the St. George Fire Protection District, Yates’ platform has largely centered on his experience in public service, as well as his prominent role in organizing St. George from the beginning. He has the support of Murrell and all five of

to have conversations.

“I have people questioning the ﬂu shot now, talking about individual choice and personal preference,” Happel said. “We didn’t have these conversations preCOVID.”

Happel is a proponent of fresh food, often gifting friends, family and co-workers with fresh, Louisianacaught ﬁsh he catches on his days off. But there’s a difference between promoting a healthy, natural lifestyle and thinking vaccines are “unnatural,” he said.

“You know, dying of the ﬂu is a very natural death,” said Happel. “It is a very natural way to die of a virus that’s been around for thousands of years.”

He still tries to engage patients with evidence-based reasoning. But he said, wins are “few and far between.”

“A lot of folks are just galvanized” by the politicization of vaccines, said Happel. “When evidence is not in charge of health policy, then evidence-based medicine has lost.”

A messaging shift

Five years ago this week, Louisianans were watching warily as the ﬁrst signs of a new virus emerged in the U.S.

But the virus, driven in part by large gatherings around Mardi Gras, had already taken root in the state. On March 9, the state confirmed its first COVID-19 case, and just days later, Louisiana recorded its first death, a 58-year-old from New Orleans. What followed was a rapid surge in

his colleagues serving on St George’s interim City Council.

His opponent, Morgan, made headlines when he announced he would be dropping out after The Advocate asked him about his guilty plea to a prostitution charge in the 1990s, only to change his mind a week later and blame Yates’ campaign for making his criminal history public.

Morgan has offered himself as an “outsider” candidate for those unhappy with the current St. George leaders, which he’s referred to as a “cabal.”

A board commissioner of the St. George Fire Protection District, Morgan received endorsements from firefighters unions in St. George and Baton Rouge He opposes the charter in its current form, and has criticized the salaries approved for mayor, police chief and council members.

Some residents and candidates have criticized the salaries the interim council approved in January, which will take effect regardless of whether the charter passes: The mayor will make $160,000, the police chief will make $140,000, and each of the seven City Council members will make $44,000.

Those salaries were approved during a ﬁery meeting in which some residents argued they were far too high for the form of government St. George plans to have. Morgan and some

cases and deaths that made Louisiana one of the nation’s early hot spots.

By late March, the state issued a stay-at-home order, shuttered schools, bars and nonessential businesses, and banned gatherings to slow the spread. By the end of April, more than 27,000 cases and over 1,700 deaths had been reported statewide.

When vaccines became available at the end of 2020, the state launched a massive campaign to get people inoculated. They stood up large vaccination sites and offered gift cards and free transportation to appointments. The biggest incentive was a $1 million prize.

One of the most vocal proponents of vaccination was Dr Katie O’Neal, chief academic ofﬁcer for Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System in Baton Rouge. O’Neal, an infectious disease specialist, went on national and local news to urge vaccination, speaking plainly of the hordes of very sick patients, many in their 30s and 40s, crowding hospitals.

Now, she speaks differently of vaccines — not because she sees less evidence, but because the situation is not as urgent.

“At that point, we had thousands of people dying (each) day of one disease that had a vaccine that can save your life,” said O’Neal.

“The conversation today is about lifelong health.”

Still, she has patients and friends who come to her with questions.

“They’re fearful of the unknown,” said O’Neal.

of the council candidates have blasted them on the campaign trail; Yates and other interim leaders have defended them as a necessary way to attract qualiﬁed candidates.

Council at-large seats

Next year the St. George City Council will be expanded, as two at-large members are to be elected this month.

Five candidates are vying for the two seats, which both represent the entire city Former Major League Baseball player and current ESPN college baseball commentator David Dellucci would like to lead an effort for a strong parks and recreation department in the new city Scott Emonet, a local attorney, is also on the ballot, and says he’ll make fiscal responsibility and reasonable development and infrastructure improvements a top priority

Like Morgan, Bill Johannessen opposes the home rule charter The candidate served on the police and ﬁre civil service board in Baton Rouge last year until St. George incorporated and he was no longer a resident of Baton Rouge.

If elected, Jim Talbot has pledged to donate his City Council salary to public safety in the new city. At 84, Talbot is the oldest candidate running in St. George and calls himself a “Reagan conservative” in favor of small government.

Shaunn Wyche is the only

Historian John Barry a Tulane professor and author of “The Great Influenza,” believes the erosion of trust has left the state in a vulnerable position.

“The net result is we’re actually worse off than we were in 2019,” he said.

In February, Louisiana Surgeon General Ralph Abraham sent a memo to employees of the Louisiana Department of Health saying the state would end longstanding mass vaccination efforts and advised public health workers to direct patients to their doctors rather than recommend specific vaccines.

Last year Abraham blasted the state’s COVID-19 response during a meeting of the House Select Committee on Homeland Security At the same meeting, Deputy Surgeon General Wyche Coleman suggested vaccines cause autism.

“You could probably ﬁll Tiger Stadium with moms who have kids that were normal one day, got a vaccine and were then autistic after,” Coleman said.

Abraham recently took to social media to reafﬁrm conﬁdence in the MMR vaccine, writing, “The measles vaccine (known as MMR) has proven to be safe and effective, and I recommend it to my patients. Adults and children should consider getting the vaccine if they haven’t already received it. Be sure to talk to your doctor before making that decision.”

Rebuilding trust

The “talk to your doctor” advice from the pandemic

Democrat running for ofﬁce in St. George. While he supports much of what’s included in the charter, he says he doesn’t think “now is the right time to implement it.”

District 4 seat

Republican Patty Cook is the only interim St. George council member running opposed, facing three challengers as she hopes to keep her seat. Like her colleagues, Cook was one of the original advocates who fought for a new school district in St. George, which evolved into the city’s incorporation effort. David Madaffari, an independent candidate, is a real estate professional who has hosted a number videos on his YouTube channel commentating on a number of St. George issues over the years. The only other independent on the ballot is Shannon Powell, who works for the East Baton Rouge Criminal Justice Coordinating Council. Powell received an endorsement from the St. George firefighters union last week.

Republican Justin Turner rounds out the District 4 race. Like some others, Turner has voiced strong opposition to the proposed home rule charter, as well as the salaries the council approved for elected officials in January

Email Patrick SloanTurner at patrick.sloanturner@theadvocate.com.

is one of O’Neal’s biggest regrets. Many people in Louisiana under 50 don’t have a primary care doctor unless they have an illness, she said.

“That recommendation fell on many deaf ears, and I wish we had worded that differently,” O’Neal said. Despite the rhetoric, most Louisiana families want protection from vaccination. Dr Stephen Jones said he hasn’t noticed families less inclined to get vaccines. But it is harder for them to get them, he said.

“The access to vaccinations has been a little behind schedule,” Jones said. Some good has come from the experience. Clinicians are now far less afraid of giving steroids to patients for viral illnesses. After initially fearing steroids would worsen COVID outcomes, doctors learned they saved lives, said O’Neal. When pediatricians see a child with a high fever and viral illness, they now typically wear masks, which offers protection they didn’t routinely reach for before the pandemic, said Oates. And while the pandemic drove some health providers into early retirement or pushed nurses away from bedside care, for others, it was a deﬁning moment.

“When you live through something like COVID it’s kind of a crucible,” said Happel. “I guess it kind of deﬁnes who can stand up to the challenge and who bugs out.”

Email Emily Woodruff at ewoodruff@theadvocate. com.

EXECUTIONS

Governor’s Mansion. Still, it was widely understood that the governor was uneasy about the death penalty and didn’t like the bill.

“It was a whisper campaign,” Muscarello said “Everybody knew it. It was the worst-kept secret in the Capitol.”

Five years later, Landry and Muscarello teamed up again and turned the tide on the death penalty, part of a frenetic effort by the newly-elected Republican governor to reshape the state’s politics in his image and usher in a red wave that has cemented the GOP’s grip on Louisiana’s levers of power

Last year, during a special session on crime, Muscarello again brought the bill on Landry’s behalf. This time, it went even further Not only would it keep information about execution drug providers secret, it would legalize nitrogen gas as an execution method, along with electrocution, which the state previously outlawed in 1991

Instead of being sent to a committee stacked with Democrats, Muscarello’s bill went to a Senate committee with a 6-1 Republican majority It sailed through the Legislature and became law.

On Tuesday, it is expected to culminate in Louisiana’s ﬁrst nitrogen gas execution of Jessie Hoffman Jr who has been on death row for the 1996 abduction, rape and execution-style killing of Mary “Molly” Elliott in rural St. Tammany Parish.

The Louisiana Supreme Court on Sunday rejected Hoffman’s request for a new execution date.

The saga is one chapter in Louisiana’s sharp turn away from bipartisan criminal justice laws passed in 2017 in favor of an approach that embraces more incarceration and executing people on death row

“2019 is a big turning point in all this,” said MaryPatricia Wray, an anti-death penalty advocate and former communications aide to Edwards. “Prior to that time, most of the death penalty legislation that had been authored was to abolish the death penalty That’s when we switched over to not only not abolishing it, but instead ramping it up.”

Attempt to outlaw

The year 2019 was also perhaps the last best chance for opponents of the death penalty to abolish the practice, the same year Landry began his quest to restart executions through Muscarello’s bill

That year, a pair of legislators — State Sen. Dan Claitor, a Republican former prosecutor and Rep. Terry Landry, a Democratic former State Police superintendent — both carried legislation to end the death penalty in Louisiana

Both men had said they previously supported the death penalty, but said a host of ethical and practical reasons changed their minds.

Terry Landry approached Edwards before he ﬁled the bill and asked if the gover-

than 50 people on death row during the last year of Edwards’ term.

At a talk at Loyola University that year Edwards broke his silence on the issue, citing his Catholic faith and saying the death penalty was at odds with “pro-life” values Edwards is against abortion rights and signed laws enacting further restrictions on the procedure, including the state’s “trigger law” that instantly banned the procedure after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade in 2022.

have been tried, and convicted, and sentenced to death,” he said ahead of the special session.

“I have committed myself to those families because I have sat in front of those families. I have listened to those families from all over the state,” Jeff Landry said Wednesday “They deserve their day of justice. That is what that jury has granted them.”

nor thought it would hurt him politically, the former lawmaker said in an interview Edwards encouraged him to go forward with it. The effort was gaining steam. Supporters felt if they could get the bill through the House, it could make it to the governor’s desk Terry Landry’s bill made it out of the House Criminal Justice Committee, a crucial step

But after the House debated the bill for hours, Terry Landry pulled it without a vote.

He said he didn’t know if he had enough support, and didn’t want to make members “bleed” on a tough vote. Moderate Republicans he was courting would likely be hit with allegations of being “soft on crime” during reelection if they voted with him, Terry Landry said.

During the debate, Edwards stayed out of the fray A Democrat facing a tenuous reelection bid in which President Donald Trump would travel to Louisiana multiple times to campaign against him, Edwards would only say publicly that he would uphold state law around executions

Privately, the governor said he wanted the Legislature to work it out on their own, a source with knowledge of the situation said. Edwards worried jumping into the mix could turn the debate into a partisan war in a Legislature that was dominated by Republicans. And supporters of repealing the death penalty needed Republicans to get on board in signiﬁcant numbers if they were to have a chance to pass it.

“John Bel was in his ﬁrst term. He had to run again. This is such a political, explosive issue, you’ve got to think about not only passing a bill but how it’s going to impact people who you support and who support you,” Terry Landry said. “I think he would have signed it had (it passed).”

Shifting political sands

Republicans have only gained more ground in the Legislature since 2019, putting the abolition of the death penalty further out of reach. While polling shows Louisiana residents are split on the issue, Republican voters in the state are far more likely to say they support the death penalty, with 70% approving of the practice in a 2022 poll by LSU’s Public Policy Research Center Muscarello, a defense attorney, said he used to be ambivalent about the death penalty viewing it as a high

cost to the state, especially because Louisiana wasn’t putting anyone to death for years. The State Public Defender’s Office said in a statement last month that they spend at least $7.7 million annually defending death penalty cases, which does not include the costs to district attorney’s ofﬁces, courts and law enforcement.

But Muscarello and the governor both have been animated by spending time with the families of victims of the defendants on death row Wayne Guzzardo, whose daughter was gunned down in a 1995 restaurant robbery and his family have played a particularly crucial role. Todd Wessinger, who was convicted on two counts of ﬁrst-degree murder in the case, is on death row but has not exhausted all of his appeals.

Not all victims’ families feel the same way: Brett Malone, whose mother was abducted and murdered in 2000, is trying to prevent the execution of Jeremiah Manning, who was convicted in the case and is on death row He says Manning’s death would not bring any comfort or closure to his family Muscarello said he briefly worked for Guzzardo’s daughter at the Pepper Tree restaurant in Hammond, and that spending time with the Guzzardo family in recent years has pushed him to ﬁght to restart executions. Initially, Muscarello had considered including legalizing death by a ﬁring squad as an execution method in Louisiana. He decided against it because it was seen as “too radical.” He now wants to put it back.

“Now that I’ve been able to meet with these families, it puts a face behind the news story,” he said. “I have no sympathy for this guy.”

U.S. District Judge Shelly Dick, chief of Louisiana’s Middle District, wrote in a recent order that a team of lawyers for Hoffman made a convincing enough argument that death by a ﬁring squad would be preferable to death by nitrogen gas that she blocked the execution. She said she wanted a full trial on the merits of the case. Her ruling was vacated by the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, who said the nitrogen gas execution could go forward.

South Carolina carried out the first death by a firing squad since 2010 last week.

While the Legislature never got on board with abolishing capital punishment, there was one last-ditch effort in 2023 to spare more

Later that year, as faith leaders gathered for a prayer service about the death penalty in front of the Governor’s Mansion, Edwards invited them inside to discuss the issue, said Diocese of Baton Rouge Bishop Michael Duca in a recent interview

With the backing of the Vatican, whose Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia sent a letter asking him to consider death row prisoners’ clemency requests, Edwards embraced a push to try to commute the sentences of prisoners on death row But despite his urging the state Pardon Board to consider granting them clemency, the board declined.

Edwards didn’t return a message seeking comment.

Nitrogen gas executions

Last year, the changing political tides in Louisiana — long a bastion of idiosyncratic political alliances — culminated in a conservative takeover The GOP had supermajorities in both chambers of the Legislature, in part because of Jeff Landry’s yearslong effort to help install more conservative members.

As part of Jeff Landry’s blitzkrieg effort to reshape the state government, he reunited with Muscarello to push the bill restarting executions. This time, Jeff Landry was governor, not attorney general, and he was not quiet about his position.

“States around us are ﬁnding ways and methods in order to execute those who

In a special session dedicated to toughening criminal sentencing, Jeff Landry said the bill was part of his package. From the start, it faced little resistance.

“Everybody knew it was in the governor’s package,” Muscarello said. “I feel like that gives it a little extra momentum and support.”

Still, the impending execution of Hoffman is reigniting an age-old debate, which has played out in the halls of the State Capitol and in courtrooms around the country Eddie Rispone, a Republican who ran a failed bid to unseat Edwards in 2019 before emerging as a key backer of Jeff Landry’s run for governor recalled ringing up Republican legislators in 2022 to encourage them to consider abolishing the death penalty He argued to them that the death penalty is not a deterrent to crime and costs the state millions.

In an interview, Rispone said he might feel different if he was personally affected by a heinous crime. But as a Catholic, Rispone said he doesn’t believe in it. “From my standpoint, if someone did something that egregious to my loved one, I don’t know if I’d want them to put them out of their misery,” he said. “If in fact they don’t ever repent, they’re going to suffer that whole time. If they do repent, and then they have an opportunity to be saved. Christ died for our sins.”

Vatican releases new photo of pope

BY COLLEEN BARRY Associated Press

ROME The Vatican on Sunday released the first photograph of Pope Francis in more than a month, showing the pontiff in a three-quarter view from behind wearing a purple stole typical of Lenten liturgical vestments and sitting in a wheelchair before the altar of his personal hospital chapel. The Vatican said he was participating in the celebration of the Mass with other priests in the 10th-ﬂoor papal apartment in the Gemelli hospital. No one else is visible in the photo and it is the ﬁrst mention the Vatican has made of the pope’s participation in celebrating Mass since his Feb. 14 hospitalization for a bout with chronic bronchitis that quickly turned into double pneumonia.

There was no obvious sign that he was receiving supplemental oxygen mentioned in medical bulletins. Doctors this week said the pontiff was no longer in critical, life-threatening condition, but they have continued to emphasize that his condition remained complex due to his age, lack of mobility and the loss of part of a lung as a young man.

PROVIDED PHOTO

Pope Francis celebrates a Mass Sunday inside the chapel of the Agostino Gemelli polyclinic in Rome.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By BILL FEIG

Then-Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry, left, chats with family members of victims during a 2019 hearing on the future of the death penalty in Louisiana.

Rhetoric targeting courts ramps up

BY NICHOLAS RICCARDI Associated Press

The new populist president railed against the judiciary as they blocked his aggressive moves to restructure his country’s government and economy

This was in Mexico, where former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador eventually pushed through changes that required every judge in his country to be elected rather than appointed. The reforms, and the promise of more by his successor, caused markets to lose conﬁdence in his country’s reliability as a place to invest, which led its currency to weaken.

It was one in a series of assaults that populists around the globe have launched on the courts in recent years, and legal observers now wonder if the United States could be next.

As the courts deliver a series of setbacks to his dramatic attempt to change the federal government without congressional approval, President Donald Trump’s supporters are echoing some of the rhetoric and actions that elsewhere have preceded attacks on the judiciary. Trump’s deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, posted last week on X: “Under the precedents now being established by radical rogue judges, a district court in Hawaii

much of the litigation, has regularly called for removing judges on X, his social media site.

On Sunday, the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Republican Chuck Grassley, reacted furiously to a Washington judge’s order brieﬂy halting deportations under an 18th-century wartime law that Trump invoked hours earlier

“Another day, another judge unilaterally deciding policy for the whole country This time to beneﬁt foreign gang members,” Grassley wrote “If the Supreme Court or Congress doesn’t ﬁx, we’re headed towards a constitutional crisis.”

Activists contend it’s the administration that’s increasing the odds of a crisis.

Loyola Marymount University and voting rights expert who previously served in the Justice Department’s civil rights division, said he’s no fan of Trump’s moves. But he said the administration has been following legal norms by appealing decisions it doesn’t like.

“I think most of this is bluster,” said Levitt, noting courts can imprison those who don’t obey orders or levy crippling ﬁnes that double daily “If this is the approach the executive wants to take, it’s going to provoke a ﬁght. Not everybody is going to be content to be a doormat the way Congress is.”

could enjoin troop movements in Iraq. Judges have no authority to administer the executive branch. Or to nullify the results of a national election.”

“We either have democracy,” said Miller, who once ran a legal group that sued to get judges to block former President Joe Biden’s initiatives, “or not.”

Trump’s supporters in Congress have raised the specter of impeaching judges who have ruled against the administration. Elon Musk, the billionaire Trump backer whose Department of Government Efﬁciency has ended up in the crosshairs of

“They don’t like what they’re seeing in the courts, and this is setting up what may very well be a constitutional crisis about the independence of the judiciary,” said Heidi Beirich, founder of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism.

Despite the rhetoric, the Trump administration has so far not openly defied a court order, and the dozens of cases ﬁled against its actions have followed a regular legal course. His administration has made no moves to seek removal of justices or push judicial reforms through the Republican-controlled Congress.

Justin Levitt, a law professor at

Even if no ﬁrm moves are underway to remove judges or blatantly ignore their rulings, the rhetoric has not gone unnoticed within the judiciary Two Republican-appointed senior judges last week warned about the rising danger of the judiciary being targeted.

“Threats against judges are threats against constitutional government. Everyone should be taking this seriously,” said Judge Richard Sullivan, whom Trump in his ﬁrst term appointed to the federal appeals court in New York.

In Mexico, López Obrador was termed out of ofﬁce last year But several other populist Trump allies who have shown no inclination to leave power have made their judiciaries a central target.

Hungary’s Viktor Orbán lowered the mandatory retirement age for judges to force out some who might have blocked his agenda. In Brazil, former President Jair Bolsonaro’s supporters have feuded with that country’s high court. After Bolsonaro was charged with trying to overturn his 2022 election loss, his party is hoping to win enough seats in next year’s elections to impeach at least one of the justices. In El Salvador President Nayib Bukele’s party removed supreme court justices with whom he had clashed. Bukele has even egged Trump on to take on the judiciary: “If you don’t impeach the corrupt judges, you CANNOT fix the country,” Bukele wrote on X, following a post by Musk urging Trump to follow the Salvadoran president’s lead.

“This is a basic authoritarian instinct,” said Steven Levitsky, coauthor of “How Democracies Die” and a Harvard political scientist. “You cannot have a democracy where the elected government can do whatever it wants.” It would take two-thirds of the U.S. Senate to remove an impeached judge. With only 53 Republicans in the chamber, it’s highly unlikely that supermajority could be reached. The Trump administration, though, has expressed exasperation at the frequency with which lower courts are ruling against it.

Education staff cuts could limit options for kids with disabilities

BY ANNIE MA AP education writer

WASHINGTON For parents of kids with disabilities, advocating for their child can be complicated, time-consuming — and expensive.

Changes at the Education Department are likely to make the process even more difﬁcult, advocates for kids with disabilities say When a parent believes their child is not receiving proper services or school accommodations for a disability, they can seek remedies from their district. They can file complaints with their state, arguing the child’s rights have been taken away without due process of law, or even pursue litigation in state or federal courts.

Those processes often involve multiple sessions with hearing ofﬁcers who are not required to be experts in disability law. Legal fees can cost tens of thousands of dollars for a single case. Legal aid and other advocacy organizations that can provide free assistance often have more demand for their services than they can meet.

But ﬁling a complaint with the Education Department has long been an option for families who can’t afford a lawyer They begin by filling out the Office for Civil Rights’ online form, documenting the alleged instances of discrimination From there, the agency’s staff is supposed to investigate the complaint, often interviewing school district employees and examining district policies for broader possible violations.

“It’s known and has the weight of the federal government behind it,” said Dan

Stewart, managing attorney for education and employment at the National Disability Rights Network “The process, the complaint portal, as well as the processing manual are all in public, and it does not require or typically involve lawyers.”

That option seems increasingly out of reach advocates say Under President Donald Trump, the Education Department’s staff has been cut approximately in half including in the Office for Civil Rights, whose attorneys are charged with investigating complaints of discrimination against kids with disabilities. The staff has been directed to prioritize antisemitism cases. More than 20,000 pending cases — including those related to kids with disabilities, historically the largest share of the office’s work largely sat idle for weeks after Trump took office. A freeze on processing the cases was lifted early this month, but advocates question whether the department can make progress on them with a smaller staff.

“The reduction in force

is simply an evisceration of the Office for Civil Rights’ investigatory authority and responsibility,” Stewart said. “There’s no way that I can see that OCR can keep up with the backlog or with the incoming complaints.”

A federal lawsuit ﬁled Friday challenges the layoffs at the Office for Civil Rights, saying they decimated the ofﬁce’s ability to process and investigate complaints.

While the OCR process was not perfect, reducing the ofﬁce’s investigative staff will only worsen the challenges families face when seeking support for their kids, said Nikki Carter, an advocate for kids with disabilities and one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

“It makes them feel hopeless and helpless,” Carter said. “By reducing the number of employees to handle cases, by putting stipulations on certain cases, it only makes it feel intensiﬁed.”

Education Department officials insist the staff reductions will not affect civil rights investigations and the layoffs were “strategic decisions.”

In her state of Alabama, Carter said families face an uphill battle to ﬁnding legal representation.

“They don’t have the money for an attorney,” she said. “Or the representation they’re getting is not the representation they feel like will be best for their child.”

Even if families can afford the high costs, a limited number of attorneys have the expertise to take on disability discrimination cases. Programs that offer free representation often have limited capacity If the backlog of cases increases at the federal Ofﬁce

for Civil Rights, families may lose faith in how quickly the department will investigate their complaints, Stewart said. That may drive them to alternate pathways, such as ﬁling state complaints.

But state and local agencies haven’t always had the capacity or understanding to handle education disability complaints, Stewart said, since those cases so often went to the U.S. Education Department.

“They might not have the infrastructure or the knowledge or the stafﬁng to take on the inﬂux of cases,” Stewart said.

In a separate federal lawsuit filed Thursday, Democratic attorneys general argued the staff reductions at the Education Department may embolden school districts to ignore complaints of discrimination or harassment.

“Students with current complaints will likely see no meaningful resolution, with cases backlogged due to the shortage of employees to resolve them,” the lawsuit said. “Students facing discrimination, sexual harassment or sexual assault will lose a critical avenue to report their case.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MARK SCHIEFELBEIN Protesters demonstrate Friday at the headquarters of the Department of Education in Washington.

Donald Trump greets justices of the Supreme Court,

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Protesters ask Landry to stay execution

Jessie Hoffman scheduled to die by nitrogen gas

BY QUINN COFFMAN Staff writer

Dozens of people gathered on the lawn across from the Governor’s Mansion on Sunday afternoon to oppose the nitrogengas execution of death row inmate Jessie Hoffman.

With Hoffman’s death scheduled Tuesday, his family and the organizers seeking to stay the execution believe appealing to Gov Jeff Landry is Hoffman’s last hope. Separated by the Governor’s Mansion’s wrought-iron fence, the crowd chanted, sang and were addressed by multiple faith leaders who oppose the death penalty

“Today Jessie is counting his last Sunday,” said Sister Helen Prejean, a Catholic religious sister and author of the 1993 book “Dead Man Walking.”

Prejean has sat witness to the execution of eight death row inmates. She said the message she took away from each was that she was seeing the face of Christ in their ﬁnal expressions.

She noted that unlike other executions she’s campaigned against, the state has not yet offered for Hoffman’s attorneys to be present during his execution

“We say to you, Gov Landry, and all politicians across this state and nation that have reignited this antiquated and barbaric method of punishment: Make up your mind,” said Monica Battley-Fabre, president of the New Roads NAACP and a Baptist preacher.

“You cannot proclaim to uphold socalled Christian values that this nation was founded on and ignore the teachings of Christ that died so that all man could be free,” Battley-Fabre said.

She added that she sees hypocrisy in Landry’s support for requiring public school classrooms to post the Ten Commandments, while campaigning for a resumption of the death penalty in Louisiana which she says violates the Sixth Commandment — that one shall not murder.

Hoffman’s execution would be the ﬁrst in Louisiana in 15 years, since the 2010 lethal injection of Gerald Bordelon, who waived his appeal and asked to be executed. It will be the ﬁrst contested execution since the execution of Leslie Dale Martin in 2002.

Both Hoffman’s son Jessie Smith and his cousin Nicki Scott spoke about the man they say is not the same one who killed 28-year-old Mary Elliott in 1996.

“I came here to talk to Jeff Landry,” Smith said, “I really just want to ask you to not look at the 18-year-old boy who went in, but to look at the 46-year-old man who lives today Between 28 years people change People become different. People learn.”

He ﬁnished saying that his father has become a mentor for many, and that it would be tragic for his lessons to “disappear” on Tuesday

Prejean said the choice of life imprisonment is always a possibility, left in the hands of the district attorney. She said this puts the state in a position to consider one murder more heinous than another, but that choice is not made equitably

“You’re not going to be surprised that overwhelmingly it’s because the victims were White, their lives are valued and we’ll go to the cost for the ultimate punishment,” Prejean said. “And when Black people are killed in this state and in this nation, there is seldom, if ever, the ultimate punishment sought.”

Other speakers touched on Hoffman’s reformed character, while two family members of murder victims spoke of the lack of closure they believe execution brings.

Abe Bonowitz, of the organization Death Penalty Action, said the nitrogen gas asphyxiation method being employed for the ﬁrst time in Hoffman’s case is experimental and torturous for those being executed. The rally was organized by Promise of Justice, a New Orleans-based nonproﬁt that works on issues facing incarcerated people and their families.

Trying to repeal the death penalty in Louisiana has been one of the Promise of Justice’s founding issues.

“Gov Landry is, at this point, the most direct decision maker on whether or not this execution goes forward or not,” said Michael Cahoon, an organizer with the group. “The governor is really the one who will decide whether or not Jessie Hoffman lives or dies on Tuesday evening.”

Email Quinn Coffman at quinn. coffman@theadvocate.com.

METRO

GOOD DAY TO WEAR GREEN

BRAF leaving downtown office for Rivermark

BY TIMOTHY BOONE Business editor

A need for more space is causing the Baton Rouge Area Foundation to move out of a downtown ofﬁce building that it owns and into a new spot a few blocks away in I Rivermark Centre.

BRAF will begin moving next month into the lower level of the ofﬁce building at the corner of Florida and Fourth streets, where Chase bank once operated a branch. It will take about four months to build out the 17,708-square-foot space; the foundation expects to move in during August.

Chris Meyer, CEO and president of BRAF, said the organization was beginning to outgrow the 11,500 square feet of space it has in the IBM building at 100 North St. “Not just for our team, but for convening and meeting spaces,” he said “We host a lot of community fellowship programs.”

Having more meeting and event space is important as the foundation starts Plan Baton Rouge III, the new master plan for downtown. Work on Plan

Baton Rouge III started last month and is expected to go on for at least the rest of the year

Part of the process of developing a master plan will involve holding public meetings for community input.

I Rivermark Centre is a mixed-use building with office space and luxury high-rise apartments. The office tenants are J.P Morgan and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana. Moving into the space at a time when Plan Baton Rouge III wants to encourage more downtown investments makes sense, Meyer said. Mike Wampold, who redeveloped I Rivermark Centre and the adjoining II Rivermark Centre, said he is pleased to have BRAF move into the property He said one of the factors in getting the organization to relocate was the amenities in Rivermark, which include common areas, a fitness center and pickleball. That helps attract “good solid employees.”

“They’re a fun group to have here,” he said. “And it makes me easy to attend their board meetings since I’m on their board and they’re in my space.”

BRAF ofﬁcials say the rent in I Rivermark will be lower than the current rate it pays in the IBM building, even though the organization will take up more space. “We really were out of room in the IBM building and had something right for us,” Myer said.

BRAF has been in the IBM building since it opened nearly 10 years ago and takes up the top floor along with engineering firm Jacobs. The building is owned by Lafayette Street Holdings, a company controlled by the Wilbur Marvin Foundation, a nonprofit that holds most of the Baton Rouge Area Foundation’s real estate assets. It was built on the site of The Advocate’s former downtown offices.

About 30 people work for BRAF The move will give the organization the ability to hire more employees because it will have additional space; ofﬁcials said they expect 35 people will be working for the foundation at the end of the year Meyer said he isn’t concerned about ﬁnding a tenant to move into the IBM building, noting it was some of the best class A of-

ﬁce space downtown. One potential tenant could be Louisiana Economic Development. The agency currently takes up space in two downtown office buildings: the Iberville building and the LaSalle building across the street The state needs the room in the LaSalle building for other departments. LED is moving some of its operations to the LA.IO Innovation Center across the street from the LaSalle building, in the former Capital Park Welcome Center The rest of the operations will move into the IBM building, ofﬁcials said.

TOP: The Wearin’ of the Green Parade rolls through the Garden District on Sunday. BOTTOM: A paradegoer places beads on a child’s neck.

STAFF PHOTOS By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Anthony Catholic Church Darrow, LAat 11am.

Glasper Sr., William Elm Park Baptist Church at 11 a.m Smith, Patsy

Ourso Funeral Home 13533 Airline Hwy, Gonzales, Louisiana at 11:30am.

Obituaries

Besnard Jr., Silas E. 'Skip'

Silas "Skip" E. Besnard, Jr., age 79 of Baton Rouge, LA, passed away on Friday, March 7, 2025. He was born on October 6, 1945, in New Orleans, LA. He is the beloved son of the late Silas E. Besnard, Sr, and the late Lucille Gleber Besnard. He is survived by his brothers, William "Bill" Besnard (Carole Wheeler Besnard) and Michael David Besnard (Belinda Brouillette Besnard), along with ahost of nieces and nephews. Skip was an avid Corvette enthusiast that will be dearly missed by all who knew him. Services will be held on Friday, March 21, 2025, at Rabenhorst FuneralHome East, 11000 Florida Blvd, at 12pm, with visitation beginning at 10am. In lieu of flowers, please considera donation in Skip's memory to acharity of your choice

Bizette, Sandra Elaine 'Sandy'

Sandra (Sandy) Horner

Bizette, aremarkable mother, grandmother, sister, and nanny, passed away peacefullyathome on March 12, 2025, surrounded by her loved ones. Born on March 16, 1956, Sandy dedicated her adult life to various professions, including seamstress, bus driver for False River Academy, and sterile processing technicianfor Baton Rouge General.Sandy is survivedbyher two sons; Derek (Jennifer) Bizette and Drew Bizette; five grandchildren, Camille, Morgan, Parker, Anna-Kate, and Alyxandra; her brother, Lionel Horner; sister, Susan Horner; Godchild Jessy Akins, and numerous nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents, Archie and Anna Belle Horner, her brother, Larry Horner, and her son, Brandon Alex Bizette. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Mitchell Hebert and the dedicated staff of Renal Associates for their unwavering care and support throughout Sandy's life. Clarity Hospice and Pointe Coupee Hospice also deserve special recognition for their compassionate care and attention to Sandy's comfort during her final months, ensuring she could receive the best possible care in her own home. In accordance with Sandy's wishes, there will be no formal funeral services. Instead, she will be cremated and laid to eternal rest beside her parents.

is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

StanleyWilson Browning Sr., 95, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. Alongtime resident of Greenwell Springs, Stanley worked for Standard Oil, later Exxon, beforeretiring in 1986. Stanley, affectionately known as UncleBuck" or "Papaw" to his family, was much belovedand known as aman of outstanding character.Often described as a"true gentleman", he was alifelong member of Zoar Baptist and the last charter memberofthe Central Masonic Lodge 442 where he proudlyserved 73 years. Stanley had a heart for his communityespecially caring for the widows in his lifeand in his neighborhood. He is survived by hissister, Wanda Nell Christy, sister-in-law Dorothy Bennett (Charles), children Susan Cooper, Jayne Bacot, Stan Browning (Casey), and numerous beloved grandchildrenand great grandchildren. He was precededin death by his wife of 63 years Cathryn, parents, George and Zettis Browning, sisters Jeanette Pray (V.G.), Lily Bailey(Sidney), Doris Pennington (John), sister-in-law Joyce Hooper (J.L.), son-in-law Sam Bacot, and son-in-law Skip Cooper. Visitation will be at Zoar Baptist Church on Tuesday, March 18th, 2025 from 9:00am until 11:00am. Funeral service will begin at 11:00am. Graveside service and burial will follow in Zoar Baptist Church Cemetery. Pallbearers will be his son and grandsons. In lieuofflowers, donations may be made to the Zoar Cemetery Fund.

Cashio, Brian David Brian David Cashio(70) of Greenwell Springs, Louisiana, passed away on March 12, 2025 at Ochsner Medical Center in Baton Rouge,Louisiana.Hewas born in Baton Rouge on January 30, 1955. Amemorial service will be held at 6 pm, Monday, March 17 at Wilson-Wooddale Funeral Home locatedat1553 Wooddale Boulevard in Baton Rouge. For more information about Brian's life and farewell service, go to wilsonwooddalefh.com or call the funeral home at 225-927-1640. Brian was preceded in death by his parents, Salvador J. Cashioand Dorothy F. Cashioand his brothers John M. Cashio and Keith F. Cashio. He is survived by his loving wife Deborah "Dusty" Williams Cashio and son John R. Cashio; sisters Cathy Cashio Bertrand (spouse Wayne Bertrand), and Carla Cashio (spouse Wally Salame ); brother CraigS Cashio; nephews EricA Cashio and DanielP Cashio and greatnephews Tate K. Cashio and John S. Cashio.

Hawkins, Grant 'Bo' 'Mr. Grant'

Grant Hawkins, "Bo" Mr Grant" entered into eternal rest at his resi‐dence in Baton Rouge Louisiana on March 9, 2025 He was a 90-year old native of Woodville, Mississippi Viewing at Rose of Sharon Baptist Church on Tuesday March 18, 2025 from 9:00 am until Celebration of Life Service at 11:00 am con‐ducted by Pastor Stanley Plain; interment at Louisiana National Ceme‐tery. Survivors include his devoted wife Margie Y Hawkins; children, Gill Jackson (Donald), Central, Louisiana; Roslyn and Chad Hawkins, Baton Rouge; reared as sons, Troy Harris and Bruce Raven (Nedra) Baton Rouge; sib‐lings, Fred Hawkins (Helen) Jackson Missis‐sippi; Edna Hawkins and Frannie Wicks, Baton Rouge; 10 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; other relatives and friends Arrangements entrusted to Miller & Daughter Mortu‐ary Browning, Stanley Wilson James 1:27 "Religion

Josephine Antoinette (JoAnn) Vicaro Mancuso passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Friday, March 14, 2025. She was born in Baton Rouge on June 14, 1939 to Joseph Paul Vicaro and Mary Territo Vicaro. She grew up in South Baton Rouge where she worked in her family's grocery store and cantored at St. Agnes Catholic Church. She was honored to be amember of theUniversityHigh School Class of 1957, but she was most proud of her family where she was the beloved matriarch. She genuinely enjoyed feeding, loving, and caring for anyone who walked through her door. She was adevout Catholic and could be found sitting in her chair praying through astack of prayer cards or the rosary. She was an avid gardener and enjoyed playing the piano and ukulele. JoAnn is survived by her loving husband of 63 years, Placito Joseph (PJ) Mancuso, their seven children: Greg Mancuso (Kenta), Richie Mancuso (Chris), Danna Podorsky (Mitch), Carla Westbrook (Mike), Marla Roy (Jimmy), Toni Mancuso (Kirk), and Ken Mancuso (Jeanne); eighteen grandchildren: Olivia Neill (Chase), Paul Mancuso (Lauren), Mark Mancuso (Hailey), Kathryn Mancuso, Jennifer Mancuso,Mindy Estave (Jacob), Brian Mancuso (Jordyn), Matthew Mancuso (Michael), Elizabeth Podorsky, Andrew Podorsky, JosephWestbrook (Megan), Maria Frazier (Micah), Chase Roy (Angela), Travis Roy (Baileigh), Koby and Gabi Mancuso, Sarah and Lauren Mancuso; and twelve great-grandchildren: Caroline, Camille and Carson Neill, Lilly, Levi and Emma Estave, Luke Mancuso, Cameron, Caroline, Peyton and Connor Roy, Anna Marie Frazier. She is also survived by her sister, Rosemary Wofford. She is preceded in deathbyher parents, Josephand Mary Vicaro, and three sisters, Cecile Lee, Virgie Broussard,and Theresa Spedale. Visitation will be on Tuesday, March 18, 2025 at St. Alphonsus Liguori Catholic Church, 14040 Greenwell Springs Road,from10:00 am until Mass of Christian Burial at 11:30 am. Burial to follow at Roselawn Memorial Park.

Post Jr. FAIA, Raymond G. 'Skipper'

Raymond G. "Skipper"

Post Jr., FAIAwas born in Baton Rouge on November 3, 1939, and passed away on March 14, 2025 due to complications fromPulmonary Fibrosis. Avisionary architect, devoted husband,father, grandfather, mentor, and community leader, Skipper left an indelible mark on the city he loved. He was preceded in death by his mother, Ernestine Jordan Post, and his father, Raymond G. Post (originally "Pustejovsky," aproud descendant of Czechoslovakian immigrants). He is survived by Bryan (née Simmons), his beloved wife of 61 years, his son Raymond G. Post III (Jenny), his daughter WendyMartin (Patrick), and his cherished grandchildren, Raymond O. Post(Gaby), Mia Martin, Jordan Post, and Andrew Post. His sister, Antoinette "Toni" Post, also mourns his passing. A Life Built on Passionand Purpose: An architect by profession and adreamer by nature, Skipper was not just adesigner of buildings—he was abuilder of legacies. His greatest masterpiece was not abuilding but his family. At the heart of his world were his wife Bryan and their children, Ray and Wendy. As their families grew, he took on the role of guiding hand, steadfast supporter, and proud grandfather, deeply invested in the lives of his grandchildren. Skipper was aman of many passions, each pursued with unwavering dedication. His love for aviation led him to become acertified pilot, fulfilling achildhood dream. On thewater, his skill as amariner was leg-

was aman of many passions, each pursued with unwavering dedication. His love for aviation led him to become acertified pilot, fulfilling achildhood dream. On thewater, his skill as amariner was legendary, culminating in his cherished ownership of Outpost III, a42-foot Grand Banks trawler. Some of his happiest moments were spent aboard,cruising through thewaterways of the Gulf region, always with family by his side, docking every evening to watch the sunset and listen to his favorite music. A Legacy in Architecture: Skipper's journey as an architect began in 1963, a year that shaped the course of his life. In that pivotal year, he graduated from Texas A&M, married Bryan, and tragically lost his father in acar accident. Inspired by both his father's architectural legacy and his mother's civic engagement,hewent on to build adistinguished career marked by excellence, leadership, and service. At the national level, he reached thepinnacle of his profession, serving as the 72nd president of the American InstituteofArchitects(AIA) in 1996. His decades of dedicationculminated in his inauguration as Chancellorofthe AIA College of Fellows in 2018. Over the years, he held numerous leadership roles, including chairing committees on minority scholarships, continuing education, and building codes, as well as serving on the Board of Regents of the American Architectural Foundation. Honored internationally, he was named an honorary fellow or member of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, the Japan Institute of Architects, and the Federation of Architects of the Republic of Mexico. Skipper took great pride in being chosen by theAIA Council of Former Presidents to serve as their chair for adecade. During his tenure, he played apivotal role in fostering unity and strengthening relationships across the Institute, guiding former presidents in re-engaging with and enhancing the organization as awhole. On the state level, Skipper was instrumental in reshaping the way architects were selected forpublic projects, spearheading the creation of theLouisiana Architects SelectionBoard. His leadership as President of theLouisiana Board of Architectural Examiners and AIA Louisiana (1976) further solidified his influence in the field.Locally, Skipper played akey role in shaping theskyline and civic landscape of Baton Rouge. He helped master plan the Louisiana Capitol Complex, influenced the revitalization of downtown throughPlanBaton Rouge, and led efforts to improve the City's built environment. His firm, alongside notable collaborators, contributed to more than 1,000 master planning and architectural projects, including the LSUCollege of Coast and Environment, the Galvez State Office Building, phases of theRiver Center, Mid City Gardens, and the 19thJudicial District Courthouse. His final civic contributionwas leading the Rotary Club of Baton Rouge's Rotary Centennial Sculpture project, celebrating the city's 100th anniversary in 2018. Mentor, Educator, and Advocate: Skipper believed in nurturing the next generationofarchitects. Named the Texas A&M Collegeof Architecture's Outstanding Alumnus in 2002, he endowed ascholarship at his alma mater and served on advisory boardsfor the architecture schools at Texas A&M, LSU, and Southern University. He frequently participated as ajuror, mentor, and panelist,ensuring that the profession's future remained strong. His commitment to education extended to his high school alma mater, Catholic High School in Baton Rouge, where he established another scholarship. Throughout his career, he was supported by an exceptional team of architects, designers, and collaborators, many of whom have gone on to make significant contributions of their own. His longtime assistant,Dianne, worked by his side for 44 years, atestament to the loyalty and respect he inspired.A Championfor His Community: Skipper's contributions extended far beyond architecture. He was afounding board member and president of the Arts and Humanities Council/ CommunityFund for the Arts, as well as president of the Louisiana Arts &Science Center and the Baton Rouge Speech and Hearing Foundation. He also served as president of the Salvation Army Board and was a longtime supporter of the Greater Baton RougeFood Bank. His influence reached themedical communityaswell, serving on the boardsofOur Ladyof the Lake Regional Medical Center, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, and the

Rouge Speechand Hearing Foundation.Healso served as presidentofthe Salvation Army Board and was a longtime supporter of the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank. His influence reached the medical community as well, serving on the boards of Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, and the Pennington Medical Center. Aproud Rotarian, he served as president of the Rotary Club of Baton Rouge in 1999, followed by his role as chair of the Baton Rouge Chamber of Commercein2000. Recognized for hisleadership, he wasnamed Businessperson of the Year by the Greater Baton Rouge Business Report in 2002. AMan of Resilience and Reflection: Skipperdeeply valued the brilliant medical professionals whocared for him in his final years, including Doctors Rolfsen, Deumite, Wampold, Petite, and McCarthy. His dear friend Bob Earhart provided not only medical guidance but also steadfast friendship. Although not outwardly religious, Skipper had aprofound belief in God. In his final days, he found solace in silentconversations with Christ, seeking the strength to endure his sufferingwith grace. He admired St. Francis of Assisi and embraced the saint's words: "While we have time, let us do good." ADreamer Who Dared to Do More: Skipper was often called adreamer, but those who truly knew himunderstood that his dreams were rooted in action. He saw problems and sought solutions. He saw potential and worked tirelessly to realize it. For all his achievements, Skipper's proudest legacyremains his family—a family he built with love, wisdom, and unwavering dedication. He will be remembered notonly for the structures he designedbut for the lives he touched, the communities he strengthened, andthe example he set for all who had the privilege of knowing him. Skipper leaves behind acity transformed by his vision,a profession elevated by his leadership, and afamily forever shaped by his boundless love. OLord, make me an instrument of Thy peace... Visitation will be Thursday, March 20 from 3:00pm to 7:00pm at Rabenhorst Funeral Home, 825 Government Street and Friday, March 21 from 8am to 9:30am at St. Joseph's Cathedral, with afuneral mass immediately following. Burial will follow at

or Texas A&M Corps of Cadets or College of Architecture.

Mancuso, JoAnn

Let’s

look into why UNO is chronically

underfunded

I write in response to Terry Verigan’s excellent guest column regarding state budget cuts to the University of New Orleans, an institution which has nurtured such luminaries as Stephen Ambrose and Ellis Marsalis Investigation is sorely needed to determine whether other state schools — among them LSU, University of Louisiana at Lafayette and University of Louisiana at Monroe — face the same levels of ﬁscal constraint. Given Louisiana’s large number of universities and community colleges (much needed in a state where many students are poor and may lack reliable transportation in a state that also badly underfunds public transit), it seems a holistic and less harmful way to trim costs would be to merge nonacademic functions that are duplicated at nearby campuses. For example, UNO, Southern University at New Orleans and Delgado could merge accounting, audit, building/ ground maintenance and bursar’s and registrar’s ofﬁces.

Ideally, the U.S. Department of Education and Louisiana Legislative Auditor should lead a joint investigation into UNO’s underfunding; however, we can’t count on the former in an era of Donald Trump/Elon Musk/DOGE purges, and the latter is beholden to a Legislature, which for decades has caused the problem; thus, it falls to this newspaper and other news media to uncover the truth. A good place to start may be to examine U.S. census data on race, age and poverty rates in each area served by a state college or university; this will help to determine if our governor and Legislature discriminate against New Orleans.

BRUCE S EVANS Metairie

YOUR VIEWS

Mike Smith’s February article on the MidBarataria Sediment Diversion needs much more clarity and context.

For instance, the claim that opposition comes mainly from commercial fishers ignores the many environmental groups, marine mammal and waterfowl advocates, academics and coastal officials also raising concerns. Organizations like Earth Island Institute, Healthy Gulf, the Humane Society, the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies and officials in St. Bernard and Plaquemines oppose the project due to its excessive costs, minimal projected land gain and harm to endangered species.

Furthermore, why be dismissive of the commercial ﬁshers industry and our culture?

Louisiana’s shrimp and oyster industry generates over $1.6 billion annually and supports thousands of jobs, yet the economic impact is ignored The effect on recreational ﬁshing another key part of our economy and culture — is also overlooked.

The proponents of the project ask us to sacriﬁce jobs and businesses to “potentially”

rebuild 21 square miles over 50 years while Louisiana loses up to 34 square miles on the coast in a single year, all while ofﬁcials rushed to break ground on the project, further exposing serious planning ﬂaws in this $3 billion experiment.

Another concern is that in Smith’s article he mentions a trust fund for ﬁshers but ignores that when the BP oil spill settlement funds run out, taxpayers will be stuck with the bill for a project that won’t work.

When all is said and done, this just doesn’t make sense as a well-reasoned solution. Instead of gambling billions of dollars, why not explore options that are safer, more effective and faster? Shouldn’t that be our priority?

Pressing pause is the right move so better, more cost-effective strategies can be explored. Gov Jeff Landry is right to listen to those who have lived, worked and protected these estuaries for generations.

EWELL SMITH former executive director Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board, 2001-2013 Metairie

America passively going down scary path

For more than 50 years, I have been following the politics of this the country I love. America, after the Second World War, invested billions of dollars and the lives of many of its children in an effort to assure a lasting universal peace. Yes, there have been many costly missteps along the way But still the result of this effort is that the United States became the leader of the free world. But in less than a month, all that changed. Our president has become a bully, insisting that Ukraine cede half its rare earth mineral rights to the United States. Instead of standing up for the facts, he has

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ARE WELCOME. HERE ARE OUR GUIDELINES: Letters are published identifying name 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. TO SEND US A LETTER SCAN HERE

Woes

of Isle de Jean Charles residents show flaws in progressive ideology

Alex Lubben’s article on “relocation anxieties” concerning Isle de Jean Charles is another example of how a supposedly wellintentioned government assistance program goes off the rails due to unrealistic progressive thoughts. Using taxpayer dollars granted under the Obama administration, we built $300,000 homes for folks whose previous homes were worth less than $100,000. A home mentioned in the article was valued at $55,000.

So now we wonder why these folks are having a hard time paying the huge increase in property taxes and insurance. Wouldn’t it have made more sense to build homes that were closer in value to their old homes so that these folks could comfortably afford to live out their years without ﬁnancial anxiety?

This is social engineering: upgrading homes for relatively poor folks into homes that they can’t afford. All at taxpayer expense. It is an example of pushing an ideal without facing reality

JOHN ANDREWS New Orleans

become a parrot for Russian talking points and propaganda. And as a negotiator forget it. President Volodymyr Zelensky has to negotiate his country’s peace terms to end the war President Donald Trump will then no doubt claim credit for ending the war I’m also puzzled at the muted response of our politicians and of the general public.

If America can change this much in a month, what do we have to look forward to in the next four years?

MICHAEL MCCAUGHEY Baton Rouge

Abandoning vaccination push sends message that government isn’t there for people

In a recent article, Dr MarkAlain Dery asks “Why are we taking away tools of public health practitioners that will make life better for people?” He is referring to the state of Louisiana ending mass vaccination efforts. The answer is that the current Republican administrations in Baton Rouge and Washington, with the exception of Dr Bill Cassidy, do not want people to expect anything from

the government. This goes back to President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal. He was reelected three times because he helped people and made their lives better just as Dery suggests that vaccines do. The Republicans do not agree with that. They want us to be on our own, and that is just the way it is. DAVE MEEKS New Orleans

Kendrick Lamar’s artistry went over heads of some viewers

In response to a previously published letter regarding the Super Bowl halftime show: New Orleans indeed shined as a spectacular Super Bowl host, showcasing its culture, hospitality and ability to create an unforgettable event.

However, it’s unfortunate that some viewers chose to miss the beauty of this year’s Super Bowl halftime show, opting to mute their TVs in “disgust” rather than appreciate a performance that was nothing short of proliﬁc. Kendrick Lamar, a Grammy Award-winning and Pulitzer Prize-honored artist, delivered a powerful display of music, artistry and culture

that resonated deeply with millions of fans worldwide. To suggest that his performance was in a “language other than English” is dismissive and outright inaccurate.

Lamar’s lyricism is poetic, rhythmic and deeply intentional, qualities that have cemented him as one of the greatest artists of our time. As his closing words suggested, he is an artist who understands that not everyone is willing to listen. To those who felt compelled to mute their TVs, just “Turn the TV Off” next time.

MARIAN WHITFIELD GRAYSON New Orleans

Your article “Gordon McKernan takes on Morris Bart” puts plenty of emphasis on which one might win, but you neglected to mention who loses no matter what: the vast majority of Louisiana’s auto insurance customers. Auto accidents have been happening since the car was invented, and people have been suing each other nearly as long. What McKernan, Bart and others of their kind have done is incentivize lawsuits with their advertising.

Quoting from the article: “Bart and McKernan both estimate that they spend $20 million to $25 million annually on advertising statewide.” Who are they targeting? In my opinion? People who believe that insurance companies have plenty of money therefore no one is getting hurt when the insurance companies pay out huge claims. Before unregulated advertising, one only had to pick up a phone book to ﬁnd a lawyer to represent them. That system worked ﬁne. People who were injured by negligent parties had plenty of legal options. Why did that need to change? If the reader doesn’t know the answer to that question, there’s no need to explain further JOHN SINGLETON

Discussion of RFK Jr. vote was enlightening

I congratulate the newspaper for publishing the discussion between columnists Stephanie Grace and Quin Hillyer on the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr for secretary of Health and Human Services. It was refreshing to read a measured discussion and debate without accusations meant to do little more than accuse either side of being traitorous because of their perspectives. Please schedule them both for further such debates.

ROBERT E. THOMAS Metairie

STAFF FILE PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

A wide dirt path is constructed on Aug. 28 at the site of the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project near Myrtle Grove.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By JOHN MCCUSKER Cars park on July 23, 2024, at the University of New Orleans in New Orleans.

COMMENTARY

Can Democrats rise from the ashes of defeat?

Democrats are searching for a magic wand to get them back to power But there are no magic wands in politics. There are only skill, hard work, the right issues — and luck.

Beyond that, Democrats need the same three things that political parties out of power have always needed: An agenda that ﬁts the nation’s mood, a presidential candidate who embodies that mood and national conditions (especially economic) that work in their favor

WINNER: Jay Dardenne, Baton Rouge

St. Paddy’s Day

Nice! We received 767 entries in this week’s Cartoon Caption Contest. This was a tricky one, but we really had some great ideas in this batch. Our winner came up with a very funny punchline that matched the cartoon perfectly. Great work, everyone! As always, when we have duplicate entries, and we always do, we pick the earliest sent in. Here are this week’s winner and finalists. Happy St. Patrick’s Day! — Walt

CHARLES SMITH, ST. ROSE: “I stopped drinking at restaurant bars because the chef kept looking at my legs.

LYNNE CASSARO, HARAHAN: “Haven’t seen so much green since last summer’s algae bloom.

JOHN E. GALLOWAY, KENNER: “May I have a Grasshopper please?”

JIM MCCARTY, SLIDELL: “I need a drink, I almost got hit by a giant carrot!”

ADRIAN GENRE, PORT ALLEN: “So I heard this was a good spot to pick up a few bar flies?”

EMMETT ROBERTS, METAIRIE: “If he hadn’t driven the snakes out, the party would be complete.

LOIS WILLOZ, METAIRIE: “I don’t know about you guys, but I want to find a pot of crawfish at the end of my rainbow!!!!”

DR BILL COLEMAN, METAIRIE: “Go slow boys or you’ll get a My-Green.”

TIM PUJOL, MAUREPAS: “It is my lucky day! I had a fly in my beer!”

MARY H.THOMPSON, GREENSBORO, GEORGIA: “So stop me if you’ve heard

this one before…”

DAVIS C. HOTARD, BATON ROUGE: “I sure enjoyed the rain on my parade THIS time!”

ANA BRENES, METAIRIE: “We can stay dry here at our watering hole.

LYNN WISMAR, KENNER: “Welcome to the ‘Green with Envy’ Management Therapy Group’!”

ALISON CARLIN, MADISONVILLE: “We’ve reached the PINT of no return.”

JIM CRIGLER, BATON ROUGE: “Finally, a couple of guys who understand that ‘it’s not easy being green’!”

PHILLIP T GRIFFIN, NEW ORLEANS:

“you either have a fine costume, or the leprechaun and I are in big trouble.

KEVIN STEEN, CORPUS CHRISTI,TEXAS: “Remember you promised you wouldn’t order frog legs.

DALE HUNN, HARAHAN: “Who’s got the green to pay for this?”

KIM FROLICH, MANDEVILLE: “The Jolly Green Giant should be here any minute…”

GREG HACKENBERG, NEW ORLEANS:

“Today it actually is easy being green!”

MIKE GILLY, COVINGTON: “I really like the ‘hops’ in this beer!”

BOB USSERY, NEW ORLEANS: “Anybody up for cabbage ball?”

FREDDY WAGUESPACK, JR., METAIRIE:

“After this round, let’s all go back to my pad.”

DUKE RIVET, BATON ROUGE: “Seamus, I wouldn’t order the ‘gator bites’ appetizer if I were you!”

TIM PEKAREK, SLIDELL: “This is a very Ribbiting experience!”

STEPHEN R. BARRY, NEW ORLEANS: “Great… one wants me for luck, the other wants me for lunch!”

RICHARD SCHEGA, MANDEVILLE: “This beer beats flies & kale smoothies…”

MARTHA STARNES, KENNER: “The bartender just asked me ‘is this some kind of joke’?”

RORY STEEN, DENVER, COLORADO:

“I don’t know about you guys, but I’m one Guinness away from believing I’m a prince.”

Executing Jessie Hoffman serves no purpose

On my ﬁrst visit to Death Row at Louisiana State Penitentiary as a Buddhist chaplain, I remember how loud it was; the clanking of metal and men trying to talk to each other in side-by-side cells. As the three men in my meditation group walked into our small room and took their seats, I naively expected the shackles on their ankles to be removed for our religious services. They were not.

This was where I met Jessie Hoffman — a man who, despite living under the shadow of death, radiated a quiet compassion that softened even the harshest corners of Death Row It was clear to me that Jessie is a person who has turned his life around through hard work, meditation, deep self-reflection and humility In our Buddhist group, which met in a small room off Death Row Jessie was a source of stability and wisdom. During services, we practiced breathing meditation, read the Holy Buddhist teachings and discussed how to live for the benefit of others. Jessie’s contributions to these discussions were always thoughtful and profound. He is kind and patient with others. He has been meditating for over two decades; it was clear to me that through his practice of Buddhist meditation, Jessie is now a person defined by kindness, humility and service to others.

This commitment to faith is not performative; it is a daily discipline that has reshaped Jessie’s life. In my capacity as

Louisiana

chaplain, I saw his deep wisdom and how he models that wisdom for the other men in prison.

Jessie has grown from his struggles and trauma. He is genuine with other people and makes an impact on whoever he engages with He has taken on the role of a mentor, guiding younger men on their own paths to peace and helping them manage conﬂict and choose a life away from violence.

Prison staff describe him as calming presence — a man who helps to maintain peace within the walls of Angola while showing respect to everyone he encounters. In a place often deﬁned by despair, Jessie’s example has illuminated the possibility of change.

His renewal poses a fundamental question to Louisiana’s leaders: If the purpose of incarceration is not only punishment but also the opportunity for redemption, then what justice is served by extinguishing a life that has so profoundly changed for the better?

Executing Jessie now would serve no

purpose. It would neither erase the pain of the past nor honor the principles of justice that recognize the potential for human transformation.

Clemency exists precisely for cases like Jessie’s — not to forget his past actions but to acknowledge that he is no longer deﬁned by them. His life demonstrates that even those who have committed grave wrongs can ﬁnd a path to faith and service to others.

To end that life now would be to deny the very essence of what true justice should represent — mercy, redemption, and the belief that no further harm should be done.

Louisiana’s leaders have the power to choose mercy over death, to afﬁrm that our justice system is capable of grace. Jessie Hoffman’s story challenges us to rise to that standard — to show that, even in the darkest of places, we can choose light.

The Rev. Michaela Bono is a Zen Buddhist priest.

Examples in history are plentiful. In 1968, Republicans came back from Lyndon Johnson’s 1964 landslide after the Vietnam War and public unrest tore apart the country In 1976, Democrats came back from Richard Nixon’s 1972 landslide when the Watergate scandal decimated GOP fortunes. In 1992, Democrats came back after three consecutive Republican wins, starting with Ronald Reagan’s hefty victories. In 2008, after losing two elections, Democrats came back after the Republican administration’s mismanagement of the Iraq War, Hurricane Katrina and the economic meltdown. Last year, voters were in the mood for change. The problem for Democrats was that the change voters wanted was to move away from Democratic policies, especially on immigration, inﬂation, national security and a variety of progressive social causes. So instead of nominating a candidate who embodied change, Democrats did the opposite. They nominated Vice President Kamala Harris, part-and-parcel of the sitting regime.

Democrats thought Harris would give them something new and exciting. They thought she’d shore up support from women, minorities and young voters — constituencies that elected Barack Obama and Joe Biden. But it didn’t happen.

Harris received a smaller vote percentage among women, Black and Hispanic voters than did Biden and Hillary Clinton in their races against Donald Trump. Also, Black voters made up a smaller percentage of the 2024 electorate, with Harris on the ballot, than they did in the prior two elections, down 15% from when Biden ran and down 8% when Clinton was the Democratic nominee.

In addition, Harris had a problem energizing young people. Voters 18-29 made up 17% of the electorate in the Clinton vs. Trump race, 16% in Biden vs. Trump and only 14% in Harris vs. Trump.

Democrats must face the hard lessons in these numbers. Until they do, their party won’t make a comeback.

As Democrats look to 2028, they must recognize that gimmicks don’t matter; it’s policies, candidates and national conditions that do. That’s why so much of the discussion now going on in Democratic circles is so silly Podcasts, sports news shows, brushed up messaging, angry cussing and town hall meetings won’t save them. The problem is deeper than that.

The root of the tooth ache: Democrats have moved too far left. To make it worse, most Democrats don’t even realize how far left they’re perceived to have drifted. They have allowed the excesses of progressive politics to shape their positioning, policies and image.

Even Gavin Newsom, the Democratic governor of California and a progressive himself, bemoans the hash his party has made of its politics. His ﬁnger is surely to the wind, but what else can you expect from a presidential candidate-in-waiting?

So how can Democrats win again? The answer: Tony Blair

Blair, the British politician, became leader of the left-wing Labour Party in 1994, at a time when the Conservative Party held power Blair’s strategy: Remake his party, don’t just ﬁddle with tactics. “New Labour, New Life for Britain” was his slogan.

Blair’s New Labour offered voters a “third way” alternative to discredited left vs. right politics. He took on the left wing of his party and pushed for market-based reforms and opposed nationalization of the economy At 43, Blair marched to a big victory in 1997, closing the curtain on 18 years of Conservative rule He was the only Labour prime minister to lead his party to three consecutive victories.

Here’s what Democrats should do: Remake their party and move it to the center; reject enough progressive policies to convince voters they’re serious; appeal to the masses and not just to organized groups; ﬁnd good candidates who embody the new Democratic Party; and wait for opportunities to open up as voters start looking for change.

Victory often lurks in the jaws of defeat. It just takes guts to reach in and pull it out.

Ron Faucheux is a nonpartisan political analyst, pollster and writer based in Louisiana. He publishes LunchtimePolitics. com, a nationwide newsletter on polls and public opinion.

Ron Faucheux

Michaela Bono GUEST COLUMNIST

STAFF FILE PHOTO By TED JACKSON

photo from 2014 shows death row at Angola.

BY SARA CLINE

and REBECCA REYNOLDS Associated Press

TYLERTOWN, Miss. — Unusually vicious and damaging weather across multiple U.S. states spawned violent tornadoes, blinding dust storms and fast-moving wildfires this weekend, leaving at least 37 people dead.

Hailey Hart and her ﬁancé, Steve Romero, hunkered down with their three huskies inside their 1994 Toyota Celica as a tornado ripped apart their home Saturday in Tylertown, Mississippi.

Romero said he prayed out loud and hugged Hart as the car rolled onto its side, windows shattering, before it landed on its wheels again. After the twister passed, they could hear people nearby screaming for help.

“It was a bad dream come true,” Romero said. Next door, Hart’s grandparents crawled out from the rubble of their destroyed house after they sought shelter in a bathroom as falling trees collapsed the roof.

“Everything was coming down on us,” said Donna Blansett, Hart’s grandmother “All I could do was pray to God to save us.” They escaped with just a few scratches and aches

Family members, friends and volunteers spent Sunday removing debris and salvaging anything they could ﬁnd — some damp clothes, a photo album and a few toiletries

“I’m so happy you’re alive,” Hart said through tears, as she embraced her grandmother on Sunday

The dynamic storm that began Friday earned an unusual “high risk” designation from weather forecasters. Still, experts said it’s not unusual to see such weather extremes in March.

President Donald Trump said in a post on his social media network that his administration is ready to assist affected communities.

“Please join Melania and

me in praying for everyone impacted by these terrible storms!” he posted Sunday

At least three people, including an 82-year-old woman, were killed in central Alabama when multiple tornados swept across the state.

In Troy, Alabama, parks ofﬁcials said the recreation center where many residents had taken refuge had to be closed due to damage from overnight storms. No one was injured.

“We are thankful the Lord provided protection over our community, and over 200 guests at the Recreation Center storm shelter on Saturday night,” the parks department said in a statement.

In Mississippi, Gov Tate Reeves announced that six people died and more than 200 were displaced after tornadoes sowed devastation across three counties And in the northern part of the state, roads were inundated and some people were stranded by ﬂoodwaters

One of the deaths occurred in Covington County, where Seminary resident Traci Ladner said she watched a tornado knock down trees and power lines and destroy a house Saturday as she drove home from Ward’s Restaurant. The twister touched down brieﬂy traveled over Highway 49 and then went back up

before making another quick descent, she said

“I was crying. My legs were shaking. It was pretty scary,” she said Wildfires and dust storms

Wind-driven wildfires caused extensive damage in Texas and Oklahoma and officials warned Sunday that parts of both states would again face an increased risk of ﬁre danger in the coming week.

More than 130 fires were reported across Oklahoma and nearly 300 homes were damaged or destroyed, Gov Kevin Stitt said.

“Nobody has enough resources to fight fires when the wind is blowing 70 mph,” said Terry Essary, the fire chief of Stillwater Oklahoma. “It’s an insurmountable task.”

Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management spokesperson Keli Cain said

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ROGELIO V. SOLIS

DANCE PARTNERS

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

The NCAA Women’s Tournament bracket is set. And the selection committee gave the LSU women’s basketball team a No 3 seed for the fourth season in a row This time, the Tigers will compete at the top of the Spokane 1 region alongside squads such as No. 1 UCLA, No. 2 North Carolina State and No. 4 Baylor

Because it’s once again a top-four seed, LSU will host tournament games for the fourth consecutive year Its ﬁrst opponent is No. 14 seed San Diego State one of the three other teams assigned to the Baton Rouge region, which will cover the ﬁrst two rounds of the bracket. The other two squads that will play in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center are No. 6 seed Florida State and No. 11 seed George Mason.

ä See LSU WOMEN, page 4B

The LSU women’s basketball team reacts to the announcement that it will face San Diego State on Saturday in the first round of the NCAA Women’s Tournament in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. The team and coaches were present at a selection show watch party Sunday at the PMAC.

If healthy, LSU women can make deep run

Fashion

might

bring us good luck,” Mulkey said. There is a chance the Tigers will need it. Star shooting guard Flau’jae

Johnson watched the selections ﬂash on the PMAC’s big video scoreboards with a walking boot on her right foot. Doubledouble assembly line Aneesah Morrow watched with a walking boot on her left foot, both along with their teammates wearing T-shirts with the words “NOTHING EASY” printed on the front. A return to the Women’s Final

Four won’t be easy for LSU, nor anyone else in a year when there are at least seven or eight legitimate national championship contenders. But if Johnson, dealing with shin splints, and Morrow, who re-aggravated a foot sprain in the Southeastern Conference Tournament, aren’t right, it will be impossible for the Tigers to get there. Before you start fretting too much about LSU, here was the ofﬁcial word from coach Kim Mulkey about Johnson and Morrow at Sunday night’s post

selection-show news conference:

“Good to go,” Mulkey said.

“Morrow and Flau’jae are in a boot. I don’t know why they’re still in it but they just keep them in it.”

That should be good news for the Tigers (28-5), who for the fourth straight tournament under Mulkey drew a No. 3 seed and will take on No. 14-seeded San Diego State (259) on Saturday in a Spokane 1 regional game at a time to be

ä See RABALAIS, page 4B

BY EDDIE PELL AP national writer

Auburn is the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, with Duke, Houston and Florida joining the Tigers on the No. 1 line in the March Madness brackets released Sunday

The NCAA selection committee favored the regular-season champs of the record-setting Southeastern Conference despite three losses in their last four games, along with a loss to Duke back in December

The Tigers (28-5) and Gators were two of the 14 SEC teams to make the ﬁeld, which are the most for a conference in the history of the tournament. The previous high was 11 by the Big East in 2011.

It’s Florida, which captured the SEC Tournament by winning three games with an average margin of 15 points, that opens as a slight favorite to win it all at the Final Four in San Antonio on April 5 and 7, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.

In something of a surprise, both North Carolina and Texas slid in off the bubble, while Indiana, West Virginia and Boise State did not. The 68-team bracket starts whittling down on Tuesday with preliminary games, and the main draw kicks off Thursday and Friday, with 32 games at eight sites around the country

The selection show began with a heartfelt tribute to the late Greg Gumbel, the CBS stalwart who oversaw the bracket unveiling for decades. Then, just as Gumbel would have preferred, it was about the basketball — and there was plenty to talk about. North Carolina looked all but out, a victim of a 1-12 record against Quad 1 opponents and part of a conference (ACC) teetering on the verge of a historically bad season. But the Tar Heels were the last team in, thanks maybe to a strong nonconference slate. Texas was also in its seven wins against Quad 1 teams outweighing its overall 15 losses. The Carolina inclusion was certain to fuel some conspiracy theories. The chair of the selection committee was Tar Heels athletic director Bubba Cunningham, who said rules state he cannot be part of any debate about his own team.

“As vice chair, I managed all the conversations we had about North Carolina, and we had quite a few,” said Sun Belt Conference commissioner Keith Gill, who was brought onto the CBS bracket show to discuss Carolina.

The SEC’s 14 teams were followed by the Big Ten with eight and Big 12 with seven. The ACC, meanwhile, ended up with four teams, barely avoiding its worst showing since 2000, back when the conference was half the size it is now Even in a down cycle, the ACC has Duke, and Duke has arguably the best player in the country in freshman Cooper Flagg, a 19-point, 7.5-rebounda-game freshman whose ankle injury, the school says, will not keep him out of

ä See MEN’S BRACKET, page 4B

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

Ethan Frey has carved out a

deﬁned role in the LSU lineup. Hitting left-handed pitching became a strength of the righthanded hitter since last season.

That’s why he was back in the lineup Sunday against Missouri left-handed starter Kadden

Drew Frey did his job in the first inning, shooting a run-scoring double off Drew, but when Missouri went to right-handed reliever Xavier Lovett, LSU coach Jay Johnson kept Frey in the game.

“We were pretty lined up for what he was going to do,” Johnson said regarding Frey’s ﬁrst at-bat against Lovett, “and saw an opportunity right there.”

Frey quickly rewarded his coach’s trust, rapping a single off of Lovett before hitting another single to drive in a run an inning later. It was Frey’s second three-hit day of the season as LSU won 10-5 to clinch the series sweep of Missouri (8-11, 0-3 SEC) at Alex Box Stadium.

“It was a little weird getting back into it,” Frey said when asked about facing a righty “But, I mean, it’s just the same old baseball.” LSU had 10 hits, nine runs, three walks and was hit by four pitches through ﬁve innings. By the end of the day, junior Jared Jones was the only starter without a hit.

Frey and freshman Derek Curiel had three hits apiece. Curiel

ä See BASEBALL, page 2B

DENNIS

PHOTOS By PATRICK DENNIS

Scott Rabalais

LSU wraps sweep of Kentucky

BY JIM KLEINPETER

Contributing writer

LSU softball had control of its Sunday game against Kentucky with a 4-1 lead going into its ﬁnal at bat, but the No. 4 Tigers added a knockout punch compliments of their power-hitting duo of Maci Bergeron and Tori Edwards.

Bergeron hit her second homer of the day, a three-run shot, and Edwards followed with her team-leading 11th as LSU ﬁnished a sweep of the Wildcats, 8-2, on a windy day at Tiger Park

The visitors never showed signs of surrender and outhit the Tigers, 9-6, while stranding nine baserunners. The late homers allowed LSU right-hander Sydney Berzon to relax in the seventh inning even as the Wildcats scored, and improve to 12-0. Berzon was the winning pitcher in all three games, coming out of the bullpen on Saturday

“We talked about throwing the last punch, and we did a good job of doing that,” LSU coach Beth Torina said. “It makes the last inning feel completely different. If it’s 4-1 and they score that run, it’s a lot of pressure. It feels completely different. The fact we’re never done, never quitting, continuing to throw punches, continuing to be aggressive, that’s who we are.”

LSU (27-1, 3-0 in SEC) threw punches early, too. The Tigers scored a run in the ﬁrst without a hit and made it 3-0 on Bergeron’s two-run homer in the third. Kentucky had baserunners in all but one inning and a couple of times had Berzon on the ropes, but with the wind blowing out, Berzon got 11 groundball outs to pitch around trouble

“When the wind is blowing this hard, just trying to keep the balls out of the air keep it more on the ground as best I can,” said Berzon, who struck out four and walked one while throwing 116 pitches. “It’s a mental thing, understanding I can work through the process, and I have a strong

defense behind me. Knowing if something were to happen, I have a phenomenal offense to pick me up.”

The LSU defense shut down a major Kentucky threat with the Tigers leading 1-0 in the second. With runners on second and third and one out, shortstop Avery Hodge ﬁelded a smash by Cassie Reasner and threw out Lauryn Borzilleri out at home on a close play that survived a video replay challenge. Peyton Plotts then hit a line drive down the left-field line and Tigers left ﬁelder Jadyn Laneaux made a running catch toward the foul line to save two runs.

Kentucky ﬁnally got a run on a

sacrifice fly in the fourth, and LSU answered with one in the bottom half on a bases-loaded infield hit by Jalia Lassiter Berzon dodged another threat after allowing leadoff singles in the sixth inning, getting two easy grounders after a sacrifice bunt moved the runners into scoring position.

Then the LSU sluggers stepped up. Bergeron followed a single by Hodge and a walk to Danieca Coffey with her seventh homer of the season, and third in two games, on a 3-2 pitch from relief pitcher Carson Fall. Bergeron had ﬁve hits and nine RBIs for the weekend. “I’ve been very speciﬁc about what I’ve been swinging at,”

said Bergeron, who is second on the team with 25 walks. “That’s helped me walk more and do what I did today

“I’ve been training for those pitches all week in the Mike (Moore Performance Center) for hours. I definitely feel more confident in what I’m swinging at.” Edwards then hit her 11th homer to left field.

“Really incredible performance by Maci this weekend,” Torina said. “This is something she’s work hard for, for two years. She conducts herself like a professional in practice. She’s worked for this moment and is deserving of moments like this.”

Yamamoto ready to become a star for Dodgers

BY DAVID BRANDT AP baseball writer

TOKYO Yoshinobu Yamamoto knows what it’s like to travel across the world to take the mound for his ﬁrst start of the Major League Baseball season.

It’s safe to say the ﬁrst attempt didn’t go very well

But the Japanese right-hander bounced back from that brutal 2024 MLB debut in South Korea — where he gave up ﬁve runs in just one inning against the San Diego Padres — and ended up being a crucial part of a team that captured a World Series title by beating the New York Yankees in ﬁve games. One season later, he’s ready to be a star

“This is my second year I’m not a rookie anymore,” Yamamoto said through an interpreter “So I’d like to get better and be a player who can make a contribution to

BASEBALL

Continued from page 1B

reached base ﬁve times and extended his on-base streak to 21 games, while sophomores Steven Milam and Jake Brown drove in multiple runs along with Frey

“We can’t be narrowed down to one way of winning,” Frey said.

“Very (multi)dimensional. We can play small ball, or we can go deep.”

After Frey’s run-scoring double, Milam hit a sacriﬁce

ﬂy to right

field in the first inning that scored a run. Brown then hit a two-run home run, a shot into right field that was his first homer of the year Later in the third inning, Milam reached on a fielder’s choice that drove in another run. Jones and junior Daniel Dickinson had a

the team a lot more.”

Yamamoto has emerged as a potential ace for the Dodgers this season, and he’ll take the mound for the team’s openingday start against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday at the Tokyo Dome.

Though often overshadowed by superstar teammate Shohei Ohtani, Yamamoto’s development is arguably just as important for the Dodgers as he enters the second year of a $325 million, 12-year deal he signed before last season.

“I think Yoshinobu has grown up considerably in one year I really do,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said “I think he’ll have a tremendous season I think it speaks to his character in the sense that after that debacle, that rough start, to bounce back like he did, it speaks to his compete and his character.”

After the ﬁrst start, Yamamoto

run-scoring groundout and double, respectively, in the fourth before Frey’s second RBI hit of the day

“We’re better,” Johnson said.

“And again, this is a different deal. Like even the guys that were in the jerseys last year, they’re in the jerseys this year (and) they’re different, too.”

No. 1 LSU (20-1, 3-0) had to rely on its bullpen again Sunday after redshirt sophomore right-handed

starter Chase Shores lasted only 32/3 innings The night before, junior right-handed starter Anthony Eyanson registered the same amount of outs

Junior left-hander Conner Ware was the ﬁrst LSU reliever recording two outs before handing the ball to freshman right-hander Mavrick Rizy with one out in the ﬁfth inning.

Rizy threw two scoreless frames, forcing three groundouts, includ-

was very good when he pitched in 2024, posting a 7-2 record, 3.00 ERA and 105 strikeouts in 90 innings despite a shoulder injury that forced him to miss about half of the season. He was solid in the playoffs, particularly during the World Series, when he gave up just one run over 61/3 innings in a Game 2 win.

Yamamoto relies mostly on a three-pitch mix of a mid-90s fastball, a curveball and a devastating splitter that coaxes plenty of swings and misses. Now he also knows he can thrive in the big leagues

“I think the biggest thing is confidence, which you have to go through the experience, to gain more confidence,” Roberts said. “How that manifests is that he trusts his fastball in the strike zone and he doesn’t have to be too fine with it, and that makes everything else better.” The 26-year-old Yamamoto

ing a double play on 25 pitches. He walked one batter before coming out for redshirt sophomore lefthander DJ Primeaux with one out in the seventh inning.

“With a defense like that behind you,” Rizy said, “you’ve just got to ﬁll (the strike zone) up and let them do their thing.” Primeaux forced a fielder’s choice before walking a batter and giving up a two-out, run-scoring single that cut LSU’s lead to 9-4. Junior right-hander Zac Cowan replaced him after the hit and walked a batter before getting a strikeout to escape a bases-loaded jam Cowan tossed a scoreless eighth inning before giving up a run in the ninth, but the game never was in doubt

“The best reliever in college baseball is on that ﬁeld there for the last 21/3 innings,” Johnson said of Cowan.

Vikings acquire 49ers RB Mason after a trade

The Minnesota Vikings acquired restricted free agent running back Jordan Mason from the San Francisco 49ers and rewarded him with a two-year deal worth up to $12 million.

The trade sends a 2026 sixthround pick to San Francisco. There is also a pick swap in 2025 with the Niners ﬂipping the 187th overall pick for the 160th. San Francisco previously had placed a second-round tender on Mason worth $5.4 million for 2025. That gave the 49ers the right to match any offer made to Mason or receive a second-round pick as compensation. But with San Francisco unwilling to pay that high a salary to a backup and Minnesota unwilling to part with such a high pick, the sides reached the trade instead.

Ravens sign QB Rush to back up Jackson

Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has a new backup.

Cooper Rush has agreed to a two-year, $6.2 million deal worth up to $12.2 million with Baltimore, a source with direct knowledge of the deal conﬁrmed Sunday Rush spent his ﬁrst seven seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, where he was the backup to Dak Prescott. He replaces 38-year-old Josh Johnson, who is a free agent and was Jackson’s backup each of the past two seasons. The only other quarterback on Baltimore’s roster is Devin Leary, a sixth-round draft pick last year who struggled through training camp. Rush, 31, brings plenty of experience. He has appeared in 38 games (14 starts) and the Cowboys went 9-5 in games he started.

Russian teen Andreeva beats No. 1 Sabalenka Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva came back to beat No. 1-ranked Aryna Sabalenka 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the BNP Paribas Open on Sunday to make the 17-year-old the tournament’s youngest champion since Serena Williams in 1999. The 11th-ranked Andreeva improved to 19-3 this season — the most wins by a woman on tour and collected her second Masters 1000 title of 2025. The other came at Dubai in February, which earned her a top-10 ranking for the ﬁrst time. This was Andreeva’s ﬁfth consecutive victory over a top-10 opponent, and she is now 9-5 against players ranked that high since the start of 2024. That includes two victories each over Sabalenka and No. 2 Iga Swiatek.

could be one of the headliners of an elite starting rotation that includes two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow Tony Gonsolin, Japanese rookie Roki Sasaki and eventually Ohtani, who hopes to return to the mound in May Dustin May and Bobby Miller are also options while veteran lefthander Clayton Kershaw could contribute if healthy

But the ﬁrst game of the regular season belongs to Yamamoto. He’s ready to seize the opportunity in his home country, especially since the start opposite Cubs lefty Shota Imanaga features the ﬁrst all-Japanese starting pitcher matchup in MLB history That rough start in South Korea a year ago is far from his mind.

“In terms of preparation, there’s not much difference,” Yamamoto said. “Last year, things didn’t go my way, but this year, I think I’m pretty happy with where I am.”

Shores had an up-and-down start, surrendering three earned runs on four hits. After throwing a scoreless ﬁrst inning, he allowed one run in each of the next three innings. He had ﬁve strikeouts and allowed almost no hard contact, but his control was erratic at times. He walked three batters and hit another on 87 pitches.

“I thought he had a great ﬁrst I thought it was a good one (run only) in the second,” Johnson said.

“I thought he got outside himself a little bit in the third, with two free bases and the balk. He needs to learn from that, but then I thought he really competed after that.”

LSU faces UNO on Tuesday at Alex Box Stadium. First pitch is at 6:30 p.m. and the game can be streamed on SEC Network+.

Email Koki Riley at Koki.Riley@ theadvocate.com.

Astros to start Valdez on opening day again

Framber Valdez is going to start for the Houston Astros on opening day — again.

Manager Joe Espada told reporters on Sunday that Valdez will take the mound when the Astros host the New York Mets on March 27. The left-hander is making his fourth consecutive opening-day start. The 31-year-old Valdez went 15-7 with a 2.91 ERA in 28 starts for the AL West champions last year He ﬁnished seventh in balloting for the AL Cy Young Award.

Valdez made his big-league debut with Houston in 2018. He helped the Astros win the World Series in 2022. He is 68-41 with a 3.30 ERA in 157 big league games — all with Houston.

Illness jeopardizes Betts’ status for Dodgers’ opener

Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts is still struggling to recover from an illness, with manager Dave Roberts pessimistic that the eight-time All-Star will be ready for opening day against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday in Japan. Betts was able to go through a light workout Sunday but became tired quickly Roberts said Saturday that Betts started suffering from ﬂulike symptoms in Arizona, the day before the team left for Japan. He still made the long plane trip, but he hasn’t recovered as quickly as hoped. Roberts said Betts will need to show substantial improvement on Monday to play against the Cubs. “To be able to go through an entire workout and not feel that same fatigue would give us a chance,” Roberts said.

FILE PHOTO By PATRICK DENNIS

LSU’s Maci Bergeron, shown hitting a double against Virginia Tech on Feb 16, hit two home runs in the Tigers’ 8-2 win against Kentucky on Sunday at Tiger Park.

Source: LSU men decline NIT invite

BY TOYLOY BROWN III Staff writer

LSU men’s basketball declined its automatic bid to the National Invitation Tournament on Sunday, according to a source within the program.

The Tigers’ decision not to participate in the NIT is because of multiple players being injured Junior Jalen Reed suffered a season-ending ACL tear on Dec.

3. Redshirt freshman Corey Chest has missed the last four games because of a foot issue, and freshman Vyctorius Miller has missed the last three games because of an ankle injury

LSU was invited to the 32-team tournament for the second straight season, but it rejected an NIT offer for the ﬁrst time since the 2015-16 season under coach Johnny Jones. That year a Ben Simmons-led team fell in the semiﬁnals of the

Southeastern Conference Tournament.

The 2024-25 LSU team ﬁnished the season with a 14-18 overall record and 3-15 in SEC play, sitting 15th in the SEC standings. It received an auto bid as one of the two teams from the SEC to miss the NCAA Tournament the other was South Carolina (12-20) who also reportedly declined the invite.

The SEC will have 14 teams in March Madness, breaking the previous record of 11 from the Big East in 2011.

LSU has appeared in the NIT nine times. Last year, it participated and lost 84-77 to North Texas in the ﬁrst round at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center

The last time the Tigers made the NCAA Tournament was during the 2021-22 season when they lost to No. 11 seed Iowa State as a No. 6 seed.

LSU ends its season on a six-

game losing streak after getting eliminated in the ﬁrst round of the SEC Tournament by Mississippi State 91-69.

The Tigers didn’t continue the “upward trajectory” that LSU coach Matt McMahon referenced earlier during the season after going 17-16 overall and 9-9 in the SEC a season ago. When asked about participating in the NIT after the Mississippi State loss, McMahon said: “We haven’t even thought that far down the road yet.”

According to a source, McMahon, who is 45-53 with the Tigers, will return for a fourth season. LSU is committed to providing more NIL funding to help with roster building going forward, a source familiar with the situation said.

Email Toyloy Brown III at toyloy.brown@theadvocate.com

The Detroit Pistons team that will show up in the Smoothie King Center on Monday night won’t be the same pushover the New Orleans Pelicans have dominated for the past three-plus years. The Pistons are no longer the worst team in the NBA. They’ve turned things around after making changes to their front ofﬁce, coaching staff and roster

As a result, they’ve gone from a team that won just 14 games last season to getting in position to triple that total this season. They are 37-31 and in sixth place in the Eastern Conference with a reasonable chance to climb to a top-four seed for the playoffs. Not bad for a team whose struggles this time a year ago were even worse than this season’s Pelicans. The Pistons hired former Pelicans general manager Trajan Langdon as their president of basketball operations. Langdon then hired coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who replaced Monty Williams. They upgraded the roster, and Cade Cunningham emerged as an NBA All-Star More importantly, they got better on defense, going from the team with the worst defensive rating in the NBA last season to ninth best this season They thrive on toughness. These may not be your Bad Boys Pistons of the late 1980s and early 1990s, but they aren’t the ones from the past few seasons, either Bickerstaff reminded everyone of that Saturday night during a postgame rant criticizing the ofﬁcials after his Pistons lost to the Thunder

“We understand that we

play a style of ball that’s physical and on the edge,” Bickerstaff said. So the Pelicans, who have won seven straight games against the Pistons, will have a much tougher time extending that streak to eight.

The Pelicans have had their troubles against physical teams like this. You saw it in the playoffs last season when the Pels got swept in the ﬁrst round by the Oklahoma City Thunder And you’ve seen it this season in games against the Houston Rockets and the Orlando Magic. The loss to the Rockets on March 6 prompted Pelicans coach Willie Green to call his team “soft” afterward.

“The lack of physicality,” Green said. “We look soft. When we look soft defensively, we stop sharing the ball offensively Do we do it every game? No. But those are the inconsistencies that we are seeing.

“We have to make decisions that we want to be more consistent in our approach, starting with our physicality When we do, we’re ﬁne.” When they don’t, they aren’t.

The lack physicality and having a bad quarter here or there are why the Pelicans have lost 13 games by 20 or more points. The latest such loss came to the Magic last week.

“I think it starts with the leaders of the team,” Trey Murphy said about not playing soft. “There was a huddle at half court right before the third quarter (against Orlando) about testing our manhood. We’ve just got to draw a line in the sand. I feel like

McIlroy and Spaun tie to set up playoff

BY DOUG FERGUSON

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla.

Rory McIlroy had every reason to think he would be leaving The Players Championship with the gold trophy and a big payoff Sunday He was three shots ahead of J.J. Spaun after a four-hour rain delay and had a rain-softened course ahead of him.

Spaun refused to give in easily

He caught McIlroy with two great shots, held his nerve down one of the most daunting closing stretches and it ended in a draw when it was too dark for a three-hole aggregate playoff. This David-and-Goliath battle won’t be decided until Monday morning at the TPC Sawgrass.

McIlroy, keeping an eye on Spaun while playing in the group ahead of him, needed two putts from 75 feet on the par-4 18th for a 4-under 68. Then he had to wait until Spaun (72) came within inches of making a 30-foot birdie putt for the win.

“Everyone expects him to win,” said Spaun, who has one PGA Tour title and has never reached the Tour Championship. “I don’t think a lot of people expect me to win. I expect myself to win. That’s all I

care about.”

McIlroy made birdie before and after the delay to build his lead to three shots. He played the ﬁnal six holes in 1 over, and his 4-foot par putt on the 18th nearly slid out of hole

“I’m standing here feeling like I should be going home with the trophy today,” McIlroy said. “But it’s all right. I’ll reset and try to go home with the trophy tomorrow.” They finished at 12-under 276. They did well to ﬁnish in regulation before sunset. The Players has a threehole aggregate playoff on the most memorable holes on the TPC Sawgrass — the par-5 16th, the island green on the par-3 17th and the 18th hole that requires the boldest of tee shots with water all the way down the right and trees to the right.

It will be the ﬁrst Monday finish at The Players Championship since Cameron Smith won in 2022, and the ﬁrst playoff since Rickie Fowler won 10 years ago.

“You’ve got to make ﬁve good swings. That’s all it is,” said McIlroy, a fourtime major champion with 38 titles worldwide. “So try to get up there, make ﬁve good swings tomorrow morning and get this thing done.”

we showed a better effort in the second half.”

To beat a team like the Pistons or any other team in the league, for that matter — the Pels can’t wait until the second half to show up. They’ll have to bring it for all four quarters against a team they haven’t lost to since Valentine’s Day 2021.

“I know we’re not going to accept softness,” Green said. “So whatever that means. I don’t know if I can instill it. But we just can’t accept that. We have to step on the ﬂoor and at minimum you’ve got to match their intensity and physicality and we’ve got to outcompete them.”

Green, a Detroit native in his fourth season as the Pelicans coach, is 6-0 against his hometown team. But these Pistons are much tougher In order for the Pelicans to continue their winning ways against them, they’ll have to be tougher, too.

Email Rod Walker at rwalker@theadvocate.com.

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU coach Matt McMahon draws up a play during a timeout in the first half against Vanderbilt on Jan. 4 at the PMAC

AP golf writer

Walker

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By PAUL SANCyA

Pelicans forward Zion Williamson, center, drives between Detroit Pistons forward Chimezie Metu, left, and Tosan Evbuomwan

No. 4 Florida wins SEC tourney title

BY TERESA M. WALKER Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn Todd Golden

knows exactly what he expects out of his fourth-ranked Florida Gators.

“We have a chance to win a national championship,” Golden said as his Gators accepted the Southeastern Conference Tournament championship trophy Sunday

Walter Clayton Jr scored 22 points as Florida won its ﬁfth SEC Tournament title and ﬁrst since 2014 Sunday, beating the No. 8 Tennessee Volunteers 86-77.

“I came here because I believed in that vision,” Clayton said of winning titles at Florida. “See it come to fruition, it actually happening, is great.”

The Gators (30-4) lost in this game a year ago. This time, they showed off their depth going through No. 21 Missouri, No 5 Alabama and now the Vols. The result is ﬁnishing their 12th appearance in this game all-time to add another title to the list that started with three straight between 2005-07.

“When we are playing like this, I think we are the best team in America,” Golden said.

Will Richard added 17 points for Florida. Alex Condon had 13, Thomas Haugh 11 and Alijah Martin 10. Richard wore one of the nets around his neck talking to reporters, and the senior made clear he doesn’t want his first to be his last. This is just more motivation.

“Cutting down the nets is a great feeling, but we want to be able to do that in the NCAA Tournament as well,” Richard said.

Fourth-seeded Tennessee (277) goes home still looking for its ﬁrst title in this event since 2022. The Vols have five SEC championships, but dropped to 1-3 under coach Rick Barnes with this the Vols’ fourth ﬁnal in the past seven tournaments.

“We came with the idea we wanted to win this tournament,” Barnes said “Disappointed that we didn’t We get to go again next week Hope that we can survive and keep moving on.” Jordan Gainey led the Vols with a career-high 24 points. Zakai Zeigler had 23 and Chaz Lanier added 11 before fouling out.

“The experience we’ve had, playing the best of the best in this conference is going to help us in March, and that’s the biggest goal,” Tennessee senior Jahmai Mashack said of balancing the disappointment of the loss.

These teams split during the season with each winning routs defending their home courts. The Vols had enough fans that this felt like a home court. Yet they led only brieﬂy, the last less than two min-

LSU WOMEN

Continued from page 1B

“That 3 seed has been good to us at LSU,” coach Kim Mulkey said The Spokane 1 region also contains a few potential interesting matchups for LSU. Last season, the Tigers knocked off UCLA in the Sweet 16. That is a potential Elite Eight showdown this year

Earlier this season, LSU beat the Wolfpack 82-65 on Nov 27 in The Bahamas. NC State then went on to win all but two of its 18 regular-season conference contests, reached the ACC Tournament title game and jumped the Tigers for a No. 2 seed. A Sweet 16 rematch is projected.

The bracket also could give Mulkey an Elite Eight battle with Baylor, the program she guided to three national championships across a 21-season tenure that ended when she took the LSU job in 2021

“There’s excitement in the air,” Mulkey said. “I mean, just look at our fans out there, excited. It’s exciting to see who you’re gonna play. It’s exciting to, once again, be exposed on national television. You can’t put a dollar sign on what that means, and to see LSU up there and to see the girls in the video. This is why you play, and only 16 of us get to host.”

LSU has won its own regional and advanced to the Sweet 16 in

utes in at 6-5.

Florida took over from there.

The Gators jumped out to a 34-22 lead and took a 39-30 edge into halftime thanks to a buzzer-beating deep 3 from Denzel Aberdeen. Tennessee never got closer than ﬁve in the second half.

No. 22 MICHIGAN 59, No. 18 WISCONSIN

53: In Idianapolis, Tre Donaldson seems to have this March Madness stuff down pat.

The Michigan guard delivered his second clutch play in two days, this time making the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:54 left to send No 22 Michigan past No. 18 Wisconsin for the Big Ten Tournament title Sunday No. 16 MEMPHIS 84, UAB 72: In Fort Worth, Texas, PJ Haggerty scored 23 points, Dain Dainja had another double-double with 22 points and 12 rebounds and 16thranked Memphis won the American Athletic Conference tournament with an win over UAB on Sunday Haggerty put the Tigers (29-5) ahead to stay with his tiebreaking bankshot with 16:10 left. The AAC player of the year later had a 17-second span when he drove the baseline for another shot off the glass, then had a steal that led to his fastbreak ending with a threepoint play

VCU 68, GEORGE MASON 63: In Washington, Max Shulga scored 18 points and Joe Bamisile sealed the win with two free throws with a half-second left as Virginia Commonwealth held off George Mason to win the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament championship Sunday VCU led by eight at the break, 3628, but George Mason got back-to-

back 3-pointers from Jared Billups and Woody Newton to trail by just two, 45-43 with more than 12 minutes to play Shulga answered with a 3 and hit a pair of free throws before finding Jack Clark for a 3 to push the VCU lead to 53-43. YALE 90, CORNELL 84: In Providence, Rhode Island, John Poulakidas knocked down five 3-pointers in the second half as regular-season champion Yale added the Ivy League Tournament championship with a win over Cornell on Sunday to earn a berth in the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in the last five seasons. The senior guard got off to a slow start, scoring just two points in the first half and missing all four 3-point attempts as Yale took a 37-32 advantage into intermission. That changed to start the second half when he erupted for eight points during a 90-second span, burying two 3s and a jumper to push the Bulldogs’ lead to 16 points 50-34 with under 16 minutes to play Cornell clawed back. Guy Ragland Jr., Adam Hinton and Nazir Williams each hit 3-pointers in the span of just over a minute to get within seven and Ragland hit two more 3s to make it 60-58 with 9:18 left. Bez Mbeng answered with a 3 for Yale and Poulakidas hit from deep to make it 66-60, but Cornell got a three-point play from AK Okereke to make it a three-point game. Trevor Mullin and Poulakidas each hit a 3 and Nick Townsend scored twice during a 10-4 run for a76-68 lead with five minutes left.

SOUTHERN WOMEN GET UC SAN DIEGO FIRST

The Southern women’s basketball team will begin its NCAA Women’s Tournament odyssey in Tampa, Florida, against Big West Conference champion UC San Diego on Wednesday at 8 p.m.

The battle between No. 16 seeds is one of four matchups at Amalie Arena over two days in the First Four The winner between Southern and UC San Diego will move on to Los Angeles to face UCLA the No 1 seed in the Spokane Regional 1, on Friday.

The Jaguars (19-14) secured their third tournament bid in seven years on Saturday with a 64-44 victory over Alcorn State in the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game.

each of the past two seasons. In 2022, Mulkey’s ﬁrst year in charge, the Tigers suffered an upset loss to No. 6 seed Ohio State in the second round.

LSU then bounced back and stormed to a national championship in 2023. In 2024, it reached the Elite Eight and fell to a No. 1-seeded Iowa team Caitlin Clark tallied 41 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds in that rematch of the 2023 national title game. Her nine 3-pointers tied a tournament record.

The Tigers could’ve earned a No. 2 seed or even a No. 1 seed this season, but they’ve dropped three of their last four games, including regular-season contests against Alabama and Ole Miss, and a Southeastern Conference Tournament semiﬁnal clash with Texas. Senior Aneesah Morrow aggravated a foot sprain early in the second half of the Texas game,

RABALAIS

Continued from page 1B

determined. No. 6 seed Florida State (23-8) and No. 11 seed George Mason (27-5) are in the other first-round matchup here, the winners to play some time next Monday Aside from the fact that Spokane, Washington, is too remote to host a regional — I went there when the LSU women played there in 2013 and couldn’t get home even after the Tigers lost in the round of 16 it’s an intriguing regional top to toe. UCLA is the No 1 overall seed, a team LSU beat in the Sweet 16 last year before losing to Iowa and Caitlin Clark in the Elite Eight. The Bruins could play Southern, who first must advance from a First Four game with UC San Diego. Baylor is the No. 4 seed and NC State, which LSU drummed 82-65 back in November in The Bahamas, is the No. 2. Considering the other No. 2s are TCU (where former Tiger Hailey Van Lith now plays), UConn and a hot Duke team, it could have been a worse draw for LSU. From that perspective, confidence for the Tigers who still count Johnson, forward Sa’Myah Smith and point guard Last-Tear Poa as key contributors from the 2023 national championship team should not be in short supply ESPN, by the way, gives LSU a 98.8% chance of beating the Aztecs in the first round. The second round could be dicey if the Tigers get the Seminoles, who are led by Ta’Niya Latson

and her NCAA tops 24.9 points per game. Still, it’s a sucker bet to pick against the Tigers not to make the trek way out west as long as its big three of Johnson, Morrow and guard Mikaylah Williams are on top of their respective games. Meanwhile, the LSU men’s season is over Because the SEC got a record 14 teams in the NCAA Tournament, 15th-place LSU and 16th-place South Carolina were eligible for NIT bids under the new “rich get richer” policy Both schools turned down the offers, and thankfully so. I feel a touch hypocritical saying that, because I was very critical of the Ben Simmons-led LSU team turning down an NIT bid in 2016. But that team went 19-14 overall, tied for third in the SEC and reached the conference tourney semiﬁnals. This LSU team went 14-18 overall, 3-15 in conference and was oneand-done in the SEC Tournament.

There was nothing about LSU playing in the NIT that would have moved the needle for the program or its fans. Zero. The sooner the Tigers can start sizing up prospects in the transfer portal and trying to build a competitive roster for 2025-26 with more NIL money, the better And yes, Matt McMahon will be back to do the building. Maybe the fashionable thing next March will be the LSU women and men both being in the NCAA tournaments. For now, it’s important to see how far the women’s team can go this year and whether it truly is a legitimate contender to become NCAA champions again.

Larry moves

the quarterﬁnal

MEN’S BRACKET

depleting an LSU team that already was missing junior Flau’jae Johnson (shin). On Sunday, both Johnson and Morrow wore walking boots during the team’s selection show watch party, but Mulkey said both are “good to go” for the ﬁrst round of the NCAA Tournament.

“We’re playing at home,” Mulkey said. “It doesn’t guarantee you any victories, but it sure is good not to have to pack this weekend.”

The Tigers are one of only three No. 3 seeds to win a national title since the tournament field expanded to 64 teams in 1994. This LSU team will need to win six games in a row to become the fourth. It can notch its first victory when its first-round game against San Diego State tips off in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on Saturday

The Tigers are making their 30th appearance in the NCAA Tournament. They’ve earned a top-four seed 15 times.

Continued from page 1B

March Madness. Elsewhere in the bracket, St. John’s coach Rick Pitino leads his unprecedented sixth program into the tournament, and what a road he would have to take to get to the Final Four First, he will travel to Providence and the same building where the coach led the Friars to a surprise Final Four trip back in 1987, to lead St. John’s in a ﬁrstround game against Omaha. Pitino’s second game could come against Arkansas and John Calipari in what would be a titanic matchup between two of the game’s biggest coaching names. Another coaching icon, Tom Izzo, leads Michigan State to its 27th straight tournament. The Spartans are seeded second and will face America East champion

Tennessee

Bryant in its opener

And Gonzaga is in for the 26th time, though extending its streak of making the second weekend to 10 years will be tough. The Bulldogs are seeded eighth and could face Houston in the second round. The biggest quirks in this year’s bracket all involved the SEC:

• There are three potential second-round games between SEC teams — the sort of matchups the committee is asked to avoid, but that became inevitable with 14 SEC teams in the bracket.

• The SEC, Big Ten and Big 12 captured 42.5% of the spots, which leads to questions about whether the tournament really needs to expand to bring even more big-school teams into the mix.

• Now that the SEC officially has established itself as a hoops conference comes the question of whether the league can capture its ﬁrst national title since 2012 when Kentucky won it all.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By GEORGE WALKER IV Texas guard Julian

against

forward Cade Phillips during

round of the SEC Tournament on Friday in Nashville, Tenn.

AP PHOTO By GEORGE WALKER IV

Florida center Rueben Chinyelu cuts part of the net after his team defeated Tennessee in the championship game of the Southeastern Conference Tournament on Sunday in Nashville, Tenn.

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU guard Flau’Jae Johnson soars to the hoop past Tennessee guard Ruby Whitehorn on Feb 9. LSU earned a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Women’s Tournament and will face San Diego State.

SOUTH

WEST

EAST

MIDWEST

Baton Rouge Irish Club celebrates 75 years

‘As

long as you like Ireland, you’re welcome’

BY JOY HOLDEN Staff writer

The Baton Rouge Irish Club, the oldest Irish organization in the city, was founded in 1950. This year, its members will celebrate 75 years of Irish culture, music, dance, food and fellowship. The club strives to provide a platform for Irish heritage and culture to be shared and enjoyed

The nonproﬁt organization conducts multiple activities throughout the year, including the highly anticipated Irish Film Festival at the Manship Theatre, which is their largest fundraiser With a membership of around 100 people, the club has a loyal following Allen Kinney, a longtime member for 30 years, says Irish heritage isn’t a requirement to join

“As long as you like Ireland, you’re welcome in the club,” he said. “We are looking for more members.”

Kinney got involved with the Irish Club in the early 1990s through the annual Wearin’ of the Green St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which led to joining the club to learn more about his Irish heritage He says the club is a great way for people to learn more about

PROVIDED PHOTO

Longtime member Liz Walker poses in front of the Baton Rouge Irish Club float for the St Patrick’s Day Parade.

their Irish roots and spend time with people who share common interests.

Joe Sullivan, a native New Yorker and the child of Irish immigrants, has also been a member of the Baton Rouge Irish Club for about 30 years. Both Kinney and Sullivan describe the club’s events as their

favorite part of the club, from monthly get-togethers, to the annual ﬁlm festival, to Irish festival celebrations.

“It’s the activities, I’d have to say, that I like best,” Sullivan said. “All of the different memories I have from all of the different activities are so special.”

Baton Rouge Irish Club events

n Monthly club meetings at Café Américain: Meetings are once a month on the third Wednesday and usually include some kind of music, speaker and entertainment.

n Literary club: Meets once a month on the fourth Thursday to read and discuss Irish poets and authors.

n Float for St. Patrick’s Day Parade: Club members ride on their float at the Wearin’ of the Green parade through Hundred Oaks.

n Bloomsday: Celebrated on June 16, this event honors Irish author James Joyce and his works The event includes readings of Joyce texts and videos about Joyce and his life.

n Irish Film Festival: A city favorite, this 15-year-old ﬁlm festival will be on July 25-26 at the Manship Theatre. Friday is for the short

ä See IRISH CLUB, page 2C

BR brewery expanding to Omaha, opening taproom

BY LAUREN CHERAMIE Staff writer

Challenge at Rocco’s Pizza and Cantina?

atmosphere is so vivacious that Baton Rouge-based Rally Cap Brewing Company owner Kevin Whalen is opening a second 3,000-square-foot taproom in north downtown Omaha on the ground ﬂoor of Nova at the intersection of 12th and Nicholas streets.

LSU fans pack Rocco’s Pizza and Cantina before an LSU game at the College World Series in Omaha, Neb., in 2023.

Cognitive issues could point to other culprit than Alzheimer’s

Is hypothyroidism linked to dementia?

According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases approximately 5 out of 100 Americans (5%) have hypothyroidism. This translates to an estimated 16 million people in the United States.

Hypothyroidism, or underactive thyroid, is a condition in which the thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough of certain crucial hormones. Untreated, the condition can cause a number of health problems, including heart disease, obesity, joint pain and cognitive decline. If a person is experiencing concerns about lack of focus and signs of memory loss, they should also be aware of other symptoms associated with hypothyroidism. These include fatigue, weight gain, ﬂuid retention, enlarged tongue with teeth indentations, cold intolerance, hair loss, dry skin, depression, joint pain, constipation, headaches, brittle ﬁngernails, elevated cholesterol and enlarged thyroid gland. These symptoms often lead to a person thinking that they might have the onset of Alzheimer’s or dementia. The person shouldn’t rush to judgment about possibly having the beginnings of Alzheimer’s disease. Rather, the symptoms of memory loss and lack of focus might be related to low thyroid function.

Because the brain uses so much energy, people with hypothyroidism (slowed metabolism and less energy) tend to experience a decline in their mental acuity — the “brain fog” that many individuals describe as they experience the symptoms of the disorder

Hypothyroidism is often associated with mood disturbances and cognitive impairment, meaning that the thyroid hormones are critical for normal brain function. Speciﬁcally, hypothyroidism has been associated with several cognitive deﬁcits, including general intelligence, visual-spatial skills and memory

Hypothyroidism can often be diagnosed with a simple blood test. With some people, however, it may be more complicated, and more detailed tests are needed. In an individual with an underactive thyroid gland, the blood level of T4 (the main thyroid hormone) will be low, while the TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) level will be high. This means that the thyroid is not making enough hormone, and the pituitary gland recognizes it and is responding appropriately by making more TSH in an attempt to force more hormone production out of the thyroid. For the majority of people with hypothyroidism, taking some form of thyroid hormone replacement (synthetic or natural, pill or liquid, etc.) will make the “thyroid function tests” return to the normal range, and this is accompanied

PROVIDED PHOTO FROM BATON ROUGE IRISH FILM FESTIVAL

Musicians perform during a past Baton Rouge Irish Film Festival.

Urban ﬁre particulates in air can cause health issues

Dear Doctors: We live in the ﬁre zone in Altadena, California After the evacuations ended, we came home, and now my throat is constantly sore. There’s no smoke smell, but my husband says the air can still be unhealthy Why would that be? The air quality numbers are good, so it’s confusing.

Dear reader: We are near one of the fire zones in Southern California and are sadly familiar with the ongoing aftermath. Over the course of 24 days, fire tore through 60 square miles, destroyed more than 16,000 homes and businesses and damaged thousands more. At least 29 people died, and many more, including rescue workers, were injured Now the flames are out, but the health dangers continue. This is due to fine particulates released by the fires. We touched on this in

By The Associated Press

Today is Monday, March 17, the 76th day of 2025. There are 289 days left in the year This is St. Patrick’s Day

Today in history

On March 17, 1992, White South Africans voted 68.7% to 31.3% to end over 40 years of apartheid in a national referendum. (Voters of all races were allowed to vote two years later in the general election that resulted in Nelson Mandela becoming president.)

On this date:

In 1762, New York held its ﬁrst St. Patrick’s Day parade. In 1776, the Revolutionary War Siege of Boston ended as British forces evacuated the city. In 1950, scientists at the University of California,

Dr. Elizabeth Ko Dr Eve Glazier ASK THE DOCTORS

a recent column, but your question allows a more detailed look at the issue.

Particulates are the microscopic bits of burned materials that become suspended in wildﬁre smoke. Their extremely small size means they can be inhaled into the deepest recesses of the lungs. These are the alveoli, which are minute air sacs clustered at the ends of the bronchial tubes. The delicate membranes of these air

TODAY IN HISTORY

Berkeley announced that they had created a new radioactive element they named “californium.”

In 1969, Golda Meir took ofﬁce as prime minister in Israel, beginning a term that would last through ﬁve crucial years in the nation’s history In 2003, edging to the brink of war, U.S. President George W. Bush gave Iraqi President Saddam Hussein 48 hours to leave his country Iraq rejected Bush’s ultimatum, saying a U.S attack to force Saddam from power would be “a grave mistake.”

In 2010, Michael Jordan became the ﬁrst ex-player to become a majority owner in the NBA as the league’s Board of Governors unanimously approved his $275 million bid to buy the Charlotte Bobcats from Bob

Johnson.

sacs are where the oxygen we breathe in enters the bloodstream and the carbon dioxide produced by metabolic processes exits. To get a sense of just how small alveoli are, an adult has about 240 million in each lung.

The particulates released in urban fires differ from those generated by forest fires. In urban fires, particulates come from the vast array of man-made materials found in the built environment. They include building materials, appliances, electronics, plastics, vehicles, batteries, gasoline, propane, paints, stains and solvents, cleaning products, pesticides, carpets, wood and tile floors and furnishings. As these burn, dangerous substances are released into the air They include heavy metals such as lead, zinc and chromium; toxic chemicals such

In 2023, the International Criminal Court said it had issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes because of his alleged involvement in abductions of children from Ukraine.

Today’s Birthdays: Civil rights activist Myrlie EversWilliams is 92. Singersongwriter John Sebastian (The Lovin’ Spoonful) is 81. Author William Gibson is 77. Actor Patrick Duffy is 76. Actor Kurt Russell is 74. Actor Gary Sinise is 70. NBA executive Danny Ainge is 66. Actor Rob Lowe is 61. Rock musician Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins) is 58. Olympic soccer gold medalist Mia Hamm is 53. Singer-TV personality Tamar Braxton is 48. TV personality Rob Kardashian is 38.

PROVIDED PHOTO

Irish music captivates the crowd at one of Baton Rouge Irish Club’s monthly meetings at Café Américain.

IRISH CLUB

Continued from page 1C

ﬁlms and Saturday is for features. The festival gives two awards, one for best short and one for best feature.

as formaldehyde, benzene, ethylene glycol-toluene, chlorine and asbestos from older homes; and an array of carcinogens known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs.

The AQI, or air quality index, warns about common pollutants such as ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. However, many of the particulates generated in urban fires are outside of its scope. That’s the disconnect — and the ongoing health risks that your husband is referencing. Wildfire particulates mix with the ash and soot that fall to the ground. When blown by wind or disturbed during debris removal, they can once again become airborne. Updated air quality specific to wildfire particulates is available at fire. airnow.gov

Dear Heloise: Sixty years ago when our home had been built, my husband solved my jewelry tangle in a simple, beautiful way He painted a 7-by2-foot pegboard medium blue, framed it with narrow stained cove strips, and hung it on our bedroom wall with numerous hooks. Necklaces and bracelets are visible, quickly accessible, and a focal point of the room’s decor Earrings and pins take up less room

People returning to burn areas are advised to take precautions for several months. Keep windows and doors closed whenever there’s a smoky smell. Use an appropriately sized air purifier that has a HEPA filter, and change the filter often. When it’s windy, and when debris removal occurs, use an N95 mask while outdoors. Wildfire particulates are known to ramp up inflammation throughout the respiratory tract. If the throat irritation you are experiencing doesn’t clear up, please check in with your health care provider

Send your questions to askthedoctors@mednet.ucla edu, or write: Ask the Doctors, c/o UCLA Health Sciences Media Relations, 10880 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1450, Los Angeles, CA, 90024.

in the drawers with inserts from candy boxes. — Donna, in Canandaigua, New York Med disposal

Dear Heloise: My 101-year-old father was in hospice for a short time before he passed away I administered his comfort meds including morphine. When the hospice nurse came to Dad’s home after he passed, I asked how to dispose of the morphine. She crushed the pills, placed the

in the pill bottle, added

Dardenne to give talk on Long family

Staff report

Longtime state official Jay Dardenne will speak to Friendship Force Baton Rouge at its ﬁrst-quarter meeting at 6 p.m. Monday at the Main Library at Goodwood, 7711 Goodwood Blvd. Dardenne will talk on the politi-

cal Long family in Louisiana. The speaker has served more than three decades in varying roles in state government, including most recently as commissioner of administration during John Bel Edwards’ two terms as governor The club also will show slides of its recent trip to Alajuela, Costa Rica.

n Samhain: Pronounced Saawn, this festival on October 31 marks the end of harvest, the coming of longer nights and honors the dead. The club burns a ﬁre and ﬁlls the evening with toasts, storytelling, music and singing as well as a reading of names of those in the club who have passed away

BREWERY

Continued from page 1C

He hopes to open the satellite taproom in early 2026.

Kinney says that the Irish Club offers opportunities to have cultural fun, literary fun or have-a-drink-withyour-buddy fun. Sullivan concurs and adds

that the club is close-knit and gathers for dinners and pub nights in between their ofﬁcial events. Annual dues are $40 for an individual and $65 for a family For more information, visit bririshclub.org or facebook. com/batonrougeirishclub. Email Joy Holden at joy holden@theadvocate.com.

“Omaha holds a special place in the hearts of LSU baseball fans, and over the years, a strong bond has formed between them,” Whalen said in a news release. “We look forward to building on that connection and bringing our version of Louisiana hospitality to Omaha year-round. We can’t wait!”

ISSUES

Continued from page 1C

by a general improvement in symptoms making the person feel better, including easing concerns about cognitive function. Hypothyroidism is one of the most frequent causes

Across from the Charles Schwab Stadium, the taproom will feature 12 taps, a specialty cocktail menu and food offerings like pizza, calzones and sandwiches. In Baton Rouge, the baseballthemed Rally Cap offers pale ales, stouts, lagers, sours and IPAs at 11212 Pennywood Ave.

of symptomatic dementia and is recognized as a cause of reversible dementia. Consultation with a physician, preferably an endocrinologist, is recommended to determine an accurate diagnosis.

Dana Territo is an Alzheimer’s advocate and author of “What

They also feature yearround and seasonal offerings like First Pitch, Golden Sombrero and Big Red Machine. The Omaha taproom will serve Omaha-exclusive beers in its one-barrel pilot system, along with beers that are featured in Baton Rouge.

Email Lauren Cheramie at lauren.cheramie@ theadvocate.com.

My Grandchildren Taught Me About Alzheimer’s Disease.” She hosts “The Memory Whisperer.” Email her at thememorywhisperer@ gmail.com.

Dardenne

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Engage in activities or events that stimulate your life and provide encouragement to yourself and others. Change your spending habits. Buy only what you need and save your money.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) You owe it to yourself to focus on personal and financial gain. Put aside your generosity and desire to make everybody love you, and focus on taking care of personal business.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) You've got the drive and determination to make a difference. Concentrate on lifestyle, finances and health, and stop worrying so much about what others do.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Discuss how you feel and what you want, and dissect the information you gather. Test a proposal's validity before you sign on. Skip the agitation and take ownership of what you pursue.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Be bold and do your best to stand out and finish what you start. A labor of love will fill your heart with joy and line your pockets with cash.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) The best way to persuade others to help you make a difference is to make them feel so empowered that they want to utilize their skills. Set the stage for success and run the show.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Live and learn. Changing your surroundings will

spark your imagination and help you understand what's possible. Engage in discussions with someone you trust to give you a unique perspective.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Get your responsibilities out of the way and then turn on the charm. The extreme will make your heart flutter and help you connect with someone who brings out your best.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Let your actions speak for you. Focus on what's best for everyone and challenge anyone who is being greedy. Become the voice for those who have yet to find theirs.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Look for any sign of opposition and arm yourself with the facts, knowledge and answers you require to stay on top of your game Compliments and encouragement will lead to favorable contributions.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Take time to analyze a situation before you act. It's best to let matters play out until you can assess what action to take. Observation is a great teacher. Learn from experience.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Lie low; now is not the time to put pressure on a situation. Lighten up and show your fun side; everyone will want to be with you and share their thoughts.

FAMILY CIrCUS

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

TODAy'S CLUE: y EQUALS D

CeLebrItY CIpher

For better or For WorSe

bIG nAte

SALLY Forth

beetLe bAILeY

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

LAGoon

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.

Saturday’s Puzzle Answer

THe wiZard oF id

BLondie

BaBY BLueS

Hi and LoiS

BY PHILLIP ALDER

Jay Leno said, “Major League Baseball has asked its players to stop tossing baseballs into the stands during games, because they say fans fight over them and they get hurt. In fact, the Florida Marlins said that’s why they never hit any home runs. It’s a safety issue.”

Iassumethatwasproducedbyascriptwriter — but no doubt Leno’s delivery was equally important.

Unless you are in an event where overtricks can be important (pairs or boarda-match), you should play your contracts as safely as possible. And if you succeed in a particularly tough deal, it will feel like a home run.

This three-no-trump contract would result in an out for many declarers at the table. How should South play after West leads the club nine?

North’s three-heart rebid promised five or more spades, four or more hearts and at least game-forcing values. (However, if North had six spades and only game interest, he might have jumped straight to four spades, keeping his heart suit hidden.)

West did not want to lead! Eventually he chose the unbid suit.

Southhaseighttoptricks:threespades, one diamond and four clubs. And those spades will surely provide at least one extra winner. But if declarer cashes his spade ace and plays a spade to dummy’s queen, he is called out — his contract has no chance. Instead, South should finesse dummy’s spade 10 on the sec-

marmaduKe

Bizarro

hagar the horriBle

Pearls Before swiNe

garfield

B.C.

NOTICEOF SPECIAL ELECTION

Pursuant to theprovisionsofaresolution adopted by the Parish School Boardofthe Parish of East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana(the “GoverningAuthority”), actingasthe governing authorityofConsolidated School District No. 1ofthe Parish of East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana (the“District”), on January 16,2025, NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVENthat a special election will be held within theDistrict on SATURDAY, MAY3 2025, andthat at the said election therewill be submitted to all registered votersinthe District qualified andentitled to vote at the said election under theConstitution andLawsofthe Stateof Louisiana and the Constitution of theUnitedStates, the followingpropositions, to-wit:

PROPOSITIONNO. 1OF5 (TAX RENEWAL)

ShallConsolidated School District No. 1ofthe Parish of East Baton Rouge,State of Louisiana(the“District”), continuetolevy aspecial tax of .72 mills on all property subject to taxation in the District (an estimated$3,887,000reasonably expected at this time to be collected from the levy of thetax for an entireyear), for a periodof10years,beginningwith theyear 2027and ending with the year2036, for the purpose of supporting the Alcoholand Drug Abuse PreventionProgram of theEast Baton Rouge Parish School Board, commonly referred to as the“ICARE”Program?

PROPOSITIONNO. 2OF5 (TAX RENEWAL)

Shall ConsolidatedSchool District No. 1ofthe Parish of East BatonRouge,State of Louisiana(the“District”), continuetolevy aspecial tax of 1.04millsonall property subject to taxation in the District (an estimated $5,600,000reasonably expected at this time to be collected from the levy of the tax for an entireyear), for a periodof10years, beginningwith theyear 2027and ending with the year2036, for the purpose of operatingand maintaining the public schoolsystem?

PROPOSITIONNO. 3OF5 (TAX RENEWAL)

ShallConsolidated School District No. 1ofthe Parish of East Baton Rouge,State of Louisiana(the“District”), continuetolevy aspecial tax of 5.99mills on all property subject to taxation in the District (an estimated$32,300,000 reasonably expected at this timetobecollected from the levy ofthe tax foranentireyear), for aperiod of 10 years,beginningwith theyear 2027and ending with theyear 2036, for thepurpose of paying and improving salaries andother benefits of public school employees?

PROPOSITIONNO. 4OF5 (TAX RENEWAL)

Shall ConsolidatedSchool District No. 1ofthe Parish of East Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana(the“District”), continuetolevy aspecial tax of 4.98 mills on all the propertysubject to taxation inthe District (an estimated $26,880,000isreasonably expected at this time to be collected from the levy of the tax for an entire year), foraperiodof10years, beginningwith theyear 2028and ending with the year 2037,for thepurpose of giving additional support to the public elementary andsecondaryschools in said District by providingfunds for thepurpose of replacingreduced state and local receipts andoperatingand maintaining the public school systeminsaidDistrict?

PROPOSITION NO.5 OF5 (TAX RENEWAL)

Shall Consolidated School District No. 1ofthe Parish of East BatonRouge,State of Louisiana(the“District”), continueto levy aspecial tax of 7.14 mills on all theproperty subject to taxation inthe District (an estimated $38,500,000isreasonably expected at this time to be collected from the levy of the tax for an entire year) for aperiod of 10 years, beginningwith theyear 2029and endingwith the year 2038,for thepurpose of giving additional supporttothe public elementary andsecondary schools in said District by providingfunds for improvingand maintaining salaries and benefits of public school employees in said District?

The saidspecial election shallbeheld at the polling places forthe following precincts, whichpolls willopen at seven o’clock (7:00)a.m.and close at eighto’clock (8:00)p.m in accordance with theprovisionsofLa. R.S. 18:541, to-wit:

PRECINCTS 01-01 01-02A 01-02B 01-03 01-04 01-05A 01-05B 01-06 01-07 01-08 01-09 01-10A 01-10B 01-11 01-12A 01-12B 01-13 01-14A

01-18 01-19 01-20A 01-20B 01-21 01-22

01-32A 01-32B

01-34A 01-34B 01-35 01-36 01-37A 01-37B

01-39 01-40 01-41A 01-41B 01-42A 01-42B 01-43 01-44 01-45 01-46 01-47A 01-47B 01-48A 01-48B 01-49A 01-49B 01-50 01-51 01-52A 01-52B 01-53A 01-53B 01-54 01-55A 01-55B 01-56 01-57 01-58A 01-58B 01-59 01-60A 01-60B 01-61 01-62 01-63A 01-63B 01-64 01-65 01-66A 01-66B 01-67 01-68 01-69A 01-69B 01-70A 01-70B 01-71A 01-71B 01-72A 01-72B 01-73A 01-73B 01-74A 01-74B 01-75A 01-75B 01-76 01-77A 01-77B 01-78A 01-78B 01-79 01-80A 01-80B 01-81A 01-81B 01-82A 01-82B 01-83A 01-83B 01-84 01-85A 01-85B 01-86A 01-86B 01-87A 01-87B 01-88 01-89 01-90A 01-90B 01-91A 01-91B 01-92A 01-92B 01-93 01-94 01-95A 01-95B 01-96 01-97 01-98A 01-98B 01-99A 01-99B 01-100A 01-100B 01-101A 01-101B 01-102 01-103A 01-103B 01-104A 01-104B 01-105 01-106 01-107 02-01A 02-01B 02-03(PART) 02-05(PART) 02-06A 02-06B 02-07A(PART) 02-07B(PART) 02-09A(PART) 02-09B(PART) 02-10A(PART) 02-10B(PART) 02-11 02-12A(PART) 02-12B(PART) 02-13A(PART) 02-13B(PART) 02-15(PART) 02-16A 02-16B 02-17A(PART) 02-17B(PART) 02-22A 02-22B 02-23A 02-23B 02-24(PART) 02-25A(PART) 02-25B(PART) 02-26(PART)

02-27A(PART) 02-27B(PART) 02-30A 02-30B 03-03A 03-03B 03-04A 03-04B 03-05 03-07A 03-07B 03-08 03-10 03-11 03-12A 03-12B 03-13 03-15A 03-15B 03-16 03-17A 03-17B 03-18A 03-18B 03-19A 03-19B 03-20A 03-20B 03-21A 03-21B 03-22 03-23A 03-23B 03-24A 03-24B 03-27A 03-27B 03-28A 03-28B 03-29A 03-29B 03-31A 03-31B 03-32 03-33A 03-33B 03-34A 03-34B 03-35A 03-35B 03-36 03-38 03-39 03-40A 03-40B 03-41A 03-41B 03-42 03-43A 03-43B 03-44A 03-44B 03-45A 03-45B 03-47A 03-47B 03-48A 03-48B 03-49A 03-49B 03-50A 03-50B 03-51 03-52A 03-52B 03-53A 03-53B 03-54 03-55A 03-55B 03-56 03-57 03-59 03-60A 03-60B 03-62 03-63 03-64 03-65 03-66 03-67 03-68 03-69A 03-69B 03-70 03-71 03-72 03-73A 03-73B 03-74 03-75 03-76

The polling places for the precincts setforth above arehereby designatedasthe polling places at whichtohold the said election, and the Commissioners-in-Charge andCommissioners, respectively,shall be those persons designatedaccording to law

The estimatedcost of this election as determined by the Secretary of State basedupon the provisions of Chapter8-A of Title 18 andactual costsofsimilarelections is $480,000.

Noticeisfurthergiventhata portion of the moniescollected from the taxesdescribedinthe Propositionsshall be remittedtocertainstate and statewide retirementsystems in the mannerrequired by law.

The said special election will be held in accordance with the applicable provisions of Chapter5 andChapter6-A of Title 18 of the Louisiana RevisedStatutesof1950, as amended, andotherconstitutional and statutory authority,and the officers appointedtohold the said election, as provided in this NoticeofSpecial Election, or suchsubstitutestherefor as maybeselected anddesignatedinaccordance with La.R.S. 18:1287, will make due returns thereof to said Governing Authority,and NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN thatthe Governing Authority will meet at its regularmeeting place, the East Parish Rouge Parish School Board Office, 1050 S. FosterDrive,Baton Rouge,Louisiana,on THURSDAY, JUNE 19, 2025, at 5:00 P.M.,and shall thenand there in openand public session proceed to examine andcanvass the returns anddeclarethe results of the said special election. All registeredvoters of the Districtare entitledto vote at said special election andvoting machineswill be used.

131912-463386-March17, 24, 31, April 7-4t $2844.28

WESTBATON ROUGE PARISH COUNCIL

MEETING GOVERNMENT BUILDING 880 North Alexander Avenue, Port Allen Thursday,February27, 2025 5:30 PM

The Following Minutes AreSummarized For Brevity,For Precise Meeting Information Please Refer To Meeting Audio Or Video.

1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER &REQUEST ALL ELECTRONIC DEVICES BE SILENCED

ARegular Meeting of the West Baton Rouge Parish Council was held on Thursday,February 27, 2025 and called to order at 05:29 PM. Council Chairman Carey Denstel asked that all electronic devices be placed on silent.

2. OPENING PRAYER

Vice Chairman Alan Crowe led everyone in an opening prayer

3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Chairman Denstel recognized Parish President Jason Manola who led everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance.

4. LOG ATTENDANCE

The following members wererecorded as being present: Messrs. Kirk Allain, Daryl “Turf” Babin, Brady Hotard, Kenneth Gordon, Carey Denstel, Alan Crowe, Gary Joseph, and Mrs.Katherine Andre.

Absent: Mr.Atley Walker

Also present were, Mr.Jason Manola, Parish President, Mr.Phillip Bourgoyne, Executive Assistant, Mr Chance Stephens, Director of Finance, Mr.Brandon Bourgoyne, Director of Public Works, Ms. Kristen Canezaro, Special LegalCounsel, andMrs. Michelle Tullier,Council Clerk

5. MINUTES APPROVAL

A. Approval of Minutes from the regular Meeting of February13, 2025.

Amotion was made by Vice Chairman Alan Crowe, seconded by Council Member Kenneth Gordon to approve Minutes from the regular Meeting of February 13, 2025.

The vote was recorded as follows: YEAS: 8(Kirk Allain, Daryl “Turf” Babin, Brady Hotard, Kenneth Gordon, Carey Denstel, Alan Crowe, Katherine Andre, Gary Joseph)

NAYS: 0(None)

ABSENT:1 Atley Walker ABSTAIN:0 (None)

As aresult of the votes, the motion Passed.

6. CONSIDER ANY AMENDMENTSTOTHE AGENDA Therewerenoitems to consider at this time.

7. PARISH PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Parish President Jason Manola was recognized and covered the following items: ITEP Commission recent meeting on Placid project; TOKI Carbon Black plant release; Starting on William and Lee swimming pool demolition.

CouncilmanAtley Walker entered the meeting at 5:36pm.

8. PUBLIC COMMENTS

Therewerenocomments to consider at this time.

9 COMMUNICATIONS WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS AND/OR ELECTED OR APPOINTED OFFICIALS Therewerenocomments to consider at this time.

10 PUBLIC HEARING ON PREVIOUSLYINTRODUCED ORDINANCES

A. An Ordinance Amending Chapter 104 Zoning To Incorporate Amended Zoning Designation Map (Zoning Plan) Under Section 104-3 Establishment Of Districts, Official Zoning Map For Rezoning Request Of David Lefeaux, BayouFabricated Products. Regarding Property located at 2052 DiBenedetto Lane. Port Allen, La 70767. File #2024-17: Described by the WBR Assessor as: 3.964

AC SEC 43 T6S R12E 43B-15. Rezoning 3.964 acres from C-1.2(Community Scaled Commercial) to I-2 (Moderate Industrial) with waivers for Industrial, moderate. The Chairman opened apublic hearing for the purpose of receiving comment regarding the aforementioned item. Councilman Brady Hotardexplained he would be abstaining from this vote due to having afamily member withdirect economic interest.

Mr.Brandon Bourgoyne was recognized and explained the request being presented and noted the waivers that would be needed, he also noted the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended denial of this request by a7to1 vote.

Mr.David Lefeaux, owner of Bayou Fabricated Products, was recognized and explained that when his business started years ago he was grandfathered and spoke about what has happened since then, noting that he owned the land next to him as well. Mr.Louie Vielee was recognized and explained he was the next-door landowner and had no objection to this request. No further public comments for or against said ordinance werepresented. No written protests opposing the ordinance werereceived. The Council Chairman at this point declared the Public Hearing closed. Thereweremany questions and comments for Mr.Lefeaux in regardtothe process that has taken place over the years since zoning. Vice Chairman Alan Crowe noted how grandfathered in works and explained that once changes and expansions aremade, you arenolonger grandfathered and must meet the current zone your business falls in. Vice Chair Crowe went on to explainthat in order for this business to operate it needs I-2 and with the size of the property,the waivers would be excessive in his opinion. Questions wereraised by Councilman Allain, and Chairman Denstel, who noted their agreement with Vice Chair Crowe’sopinion. Councilman Walker had afew questions for clarity

Amotion was made by Vice Chairman Alan Crowe, seconded by Council Member Kirk Allain to deny An Ordinance Amending Chapter 104 Zoning To Incorporate Amended Zoning Designation Map(Zoning Plan) Under Section 104-3Establishment OfDistricts, Official Zoning MapFor Rezoning Request Of David Lefeaux, Bayou Fabricated Products. Regarding Property located at 2052 DiBenedetto Lane. Port Allen, La 70767. File #2024-17: Described by the WBR Assessor as: 3.964 AC SEC 43 T6S R12E 43B15. Rezoning 3.964 acres from C-1.2 (Community Scaled Commercial) to I-2 (Moderate Industrial) with waivers for Industrial, moderate.

The vote was recorded as follows:

YEAS: 8(Kirk Allain, Atley Walker,Daryl “Turf” Babin, Kenneth Gordon, Carey Denstel, Alan Crowe, Katherine Andre, Gary Joseph)

NAYS: 0(None)

ABSENT:0 (None)

ABSTAIN: 1(Brady Hotard) As aresult of the votes, the motion Passed and the request was denied.

B. An Ordinance Amending Chapter 104 Zoning To Incorporate Amended Zoning Designation

Map (Zoning Plan) Under Section 104-3 Establishment Of Districts, Official Zoning Map For Rezoning Request Of Tara Tilton McCartney/Hunter Munson. Regarding Property located at Parcel#044300000600 Port Allen, La 70767. File #2024-18: Described by the WBR Assessor as: 293.69 AC M/L (BELLE VALE) IN SEC 31 & 32 T6S R12E &SEC 44 &45T7S R12E 43-6. Rezoning 5+/- acres from C-1.3 (Regional Scaled Commercial)/ AG-3 (Agricultural Full Scale) and I-1 (Light Industrial) with aspecial use to I-2 (Moderate Industrial). The Chairman opened apublic hearing for the purpose of receiving comment regarding the aforementioned item.

Mr.Brandon Bourgoyne was recognized and explained this request and noted that the aforementioned request was recommended for approval by the Planning and Zoning Commission by aunanimous vote. No public comments for or against said ordinance werepresented. No written protests opposing the ordinance werereceived. The Council Chairman at this point declared the Public Hearing closed.

Amotion was made by Council Member Brady Hotard, seconded by Council Member Daryl “Turf” Babin to approve An Ordinance Amending Chapter 104 Zoning To Incorporate Amended Zoning Designation Map (Zoning Plan) Under Section 104-3 Establishment Of Districts, Official Zoning Map For Rezoning Request Of Tara Tilton McCartney/Hunter Munson. Regarding Property located at Parcel#044300000600 Port Allen, La 70767. File #2024-18: Described by the WBR Assessor as: 293.69 AC M/L (BELLE VALE)

INSEC 31 &32T6S R12E &SEC 44 &45T7S R12E 43-6. Rezoning 5+/- acres from C-1.3 (Regional Scaled Commercial)/ AG-3 (Agricultural Full Scale) and I- 1(Light Industrial) with aspecial use to I-2 (Moderate Industrial).

The vote was recorded as follows:

YEAS: 9(Kirk Allain, Daryl “Turf” Babin, Atley Walker,Brady Hotard, Kenneth Gordon, Carey Denstel, Alan Crowe, Katherine Andre,GaryJoseph)

NAYS: 0(None)

ABSENT:0 (None)

ABSTAIN: 0(None)

As aresult of the votes, the motion Passed. Ordinance 5of2025 can be found at the end of these minutes.

C. An Ordinance To Amend And Reenact The West Baton Rouge Parish Code Of Ordinances, Part III (“Unified Development Code”), Chapter 101 (“General Provisions”), Section 101-1 (“Definitions”); And Chapter 104 (“Zoning Ordinance”), Appendix A(“Zoning Districts”).

The Chairman opened apublic hearing for the purpose of receiving comment regarding the aforementioned item.

Mr.Bandon Bourgoyne was recognized and explained what the aforementioned ordinance wouldchange, noting this language comes from the Zoning Review Board. Mr. Bourgoyne also explained this item was recommended for approval by the Planning and Zoning Commission. No public comments for or against said ordinance werepresented. No written protests opposing the ordinance werereceived. The Council Chairman at this point declared the Public Hearing closed.

Amotion was made by Vice Chairman Alan Crowe, seconded by Council Member Brady Hotardto approve An Ordinance To Amend And Reenact The West Baton Rouge Parish Code Of Ordinances, Part III (“Unified Development Code”), Chapter 101 (“General Provisions”), Section 101-1 (“Definitions”); And Chapter 104 (“Zoning Ordinance”), Appendix A(“Zoning Districts”).

The vote was recorded as follows:

YEAS: 9(Kirk Allain, Daryl “Turf” Babin, Atley Walker,Brady Hotard, Kenneth Gordon, Carey Denstel, Alan Crowe, Katherine Andre,GaryJoseph)

NAYS: 0(None)

ABSENT:0 (None)

ABSTAIN: 0(None)

As aresult of the votes, the motion Passed. Ordinance 6of2025 can be found at the end of these minutes.

11. INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCES Mrs. Tullier,Council Clerk read by title the below proposed ordinance/s being introduced and publicized by title, and considered for adoption following apublic hearing as specified below,at5:30 pm in the Council Chambers, located at 880 North Alexander Avenue, Port Allen, La.:

A. An Ordinance of The West Baton Rouge Parish Council Adopting the 2024 Year End Budget Adjustments to an Operating Budget of Revenues and Expenditures for the Fiscal Year Beginning January 1, 2024 and ending December 31, 2024. Public Hearing Date: March13, 2025

B. An Ordinance Adopting the 2024 Year End Amendments to the Natural Gas &Water Systems Budget of Revenues and Expenditures beginning January 1, 2024 and ending December 31, 2024. Public Hearing Date: March 13, 2025

C. An Ordinance Adopting the 2025 Council Amendments to the General Fund (Planning and Zoning) Budgeted Expenses for the Fiscal Year beginning January 1, 2025 and ending December 31, 2025. Public Hearing Date: March13, 2025

12. CONSIDER STATUS REPORT, CHANGE ORDER AND/OR OTHER MATTERS AS REQUIRED ON CURRENT PROJECTS

A. Consider Approval of Substantial Completion of North End Water Project

Mr.Adrian Genre, Utilities Director,was recognized and asked the Council to approve the Substantial Completion on the aforementioned project. Amotion was made by Vice Chairman Alan Crowe, seconded by Council Member Brady Hotard to approve Substantial Completion of the North End Water Project.

The vote was recorded as follows:

YEAS: 9(Kirk Allain, Daryl “Turf” Babin, Atley Walker,Brady Hotard, Kenneth Gordon, Carey Denstel, Alan Crowe, Katherine Andre, Gary Joseph)

NAYS: 0(None)

ABSENT: 0(None)

ABSTAIN: 0(None) As aresult of the votes, the motion Passed.

13. RESOLUTIONS Therewerenoitems to consider at this time.

14. CONSIDER SUBDIVISION PLATS, CONDEMNATIONS,WAIVERSAND MATTERS RELATED

Mr.Brandon Bourgoyne was recognized and explained the aforementioned plat, noting therewas awaiver for the hydrant which is over the twenty percent threshold, he also noted this item wasrecommended for approval by the Planning and Zoning Commission, and included aletter of no objection from Fire Superintendent Butch Browning. Chairman Denstel

Council Member Gary Joseph to defer to the next meeting, File #2024-16:FINAL PLATSHOWING THE SURVEY AND SUBDIVISION OF TRACT BINTO LOT B-1, B-2, AND LOT B-3 LOCATED IN SECTION 8, T7S-R11E

The vote was recorded as follows: YEAS: 9(Kirk Allain, Daryl “Turf” Babin, Atley Walker,Brady Hotard, Kenneth Gordon, Carey Denstel, Alan Crowe, Katherine Andre, Gary Joseph)

NAYS: 0(None)

ABSENT:0 (None)

ABSTAIN: 0(None) As aresult of the votes, the motion waspassed, and the item is thereforedeferred.

B. File #2023-13: FINAL PLATOFOUTER BANKS AT CYPRESS MILL TOWN LAKES (FIRST &SECOND FILINGS) (A SINGLE-FAMILYRESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT) 1STFILING -LOTS 1THRU 14 &2ND FILING -LOTS 15 THRU 40 (INCLUSIVE), TRACT C-1, CA-1, CA-1, CA-2, AND THE REMAINDER OF TRACT “3SK” LOCATED IN SECTION 25, 32 &33, T8S-R11E, SOUTHEASTERN LAND DISTRICT, WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER, WESTBATON ROUGE PARISH, STATEOFLOUISIANA, FOR 3SK PROPERTIES, LLC. 2549 BAYOU BENGAL COURTBATON ROUGE, LA 70810

Mr.Brandon Bourgoyne was again recognized and explained this item was recommended for approval by the Planning and Zoning Commission.

Amotion was made by Council Member Kirk Allain, seconded by Council Member Alan Crowe to approve File #2023-13:FINAL PLATOFOUTER BANKS AT CYPRESS MILL TOWN LAKES (FIRST &SECOND FILINGS) (A SINGLE-FAMILYRESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT) 1ST FILING -LOTS 1THRU 14 &2ND FILING -LOTS 15 THRU 40 (INCLUSIVE), TRACT C-1, CA-1, CA-1, CA-2, AND THE REMAINDER OF TRACT“3SK” LOCATED IN SECTION 25, 32 &33, T8S-R11E, SOUTHEASTERN LAND DISTRICT WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER, WEST BATON ROUGE PARISH, STATEOFLOUISIANA, FOR 3SK PROPERTIES, LLC. 2549 BAYOU BENGAL COURTBATON ROUGE, LA 70810.

The vote was recorded as follows: YEAS: 9(Kirk Allain, Daryl “Turf” Babin, Atley Walker,Brady Hotard, Kenneth Gordon, Carey Denstel, Alan Crowe, Katherine Andre, Gary Joseph) NAYS: 0(None) ABSENT: 0(None)

ABSTAIN: 0(None) As aresult of the votes, the motion Passed.

C. Consider Ratification of Condemnation for Derelict structurelocated at 3793 Choctaw Rd. Brusly La 70719 as described by the WBR Assessor: LOT MEAS 60’ x60’ FRONTING ON BACK BRUSLY RD. 47E-15 CB293 E33 Ms. Madelyn Coye was recognized and explained the status of the aforementioned property,noting there had been no changes since the original images werecollected. Mr.Soto the owner,was in attendance, along with Mr.John Kolb of Faithful Construction LLC, who was translating for Mr.Soto. Mr.Kolb explained they would like some time in order to remodel the structureinquestion. Thereweremany questions from the Council in regardtothis remodeling, with the Council noting that apermit needs to be pulled for this remodel.

Amotion was made by Council Member Kirk Allain, seconded by Council Member Daryl “Turf” Babin toapprove Ratification of Condemnation for Derelictstructurelocated at 3793 Choctaw Rd. Brusly,La 70719 as described by the WBR Assessor: LOT MEAS 60’ x60’ FRONTING ON BACK BRUSLYRD. 47E15CB293 E33 with a90day timeframe for remodel and repair

The vote was recorded as follows: YEAS: 9(Kirk Allain, Daryl “Turf” Babin, Atley Walker,Brady Hotard, Kenneth Gordon, CareyDenstel, Alan Crowe, Katherine Andre, Gary Joseph)

NAYS: 0(None)

ABSENT:0 (None)

ABSTAIN: 0(None) As aresult of the votes, the motion Passed.

15. CORRESPONDENCE REPORT Correspondence Report from Council Clerk, Mrs. Michelle Tullier included the following items:

•Council to sign up for NACO Conference Philadelphia, Pa June 11-14, 2025.

•Planning &Zoning Meeting Wednesday, March5,2025 at 5:30pm;

•Special FireBoardMeeting March 13, 2025 at 5:00pm; •Council Meeting Thursday,March 13, 2025 at 5:30pm.

16. ADJOURN Therebeing no further business, amotion to adjourn was made by Council Member Kirk Allain and was adopted by acclamation at 06:25 PM.

ALL MEETING INFORMATION INCLUDING MINUTES AND VIDEOS CAN BE FOUND ON OUR WEBSITE

WBRPARISH.ORG

MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER BRADY HOTARD, WHICH WASSECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER _DARYL “TURF” BABIN. THE ORDINANCE WASSUBMITTED TO AVOTE AND RESULTED IN THE FOLLOWING:

YEAS: 9(MRS. ANDRE, MESSRS. HOTARD, BABIN, ALLAIN, WALKER, DENSTEL, CROWE, GORDON, JOSEPH)

NAYS: 0(NONE)

ABSENT:0 (NONE)

ABSTAIN: 0(NONE)

WHEREUPON the ordinance was declared adopted on the 27th Day of February,2025. ATTEST:

ORDINANCE 6OF 2025 As Introduced by the West Baton Rouge Parish Council At the Regular Meeting of January 9, 2025 And Adopted on February 27, 2025

An Ordinance To Amend And Reenact The West Baton Rouge Parish Code Of Ordinances, Part III (“Unified Development Code”), Chapter 101 (“General Provisions”), Section 101-1 (“Definitions”); And Chapter 104 (“ZoningOrdinance”), Appendix A(“Zoning Districts”).

WHEREAS,one of the primary functions of local governments is to protect the health, safety and welfareofits people; AND WHEREAS,inexercising its role to carry-out the above, the West Baton Rouge Parish Council utilizes its police powers under the Constitution and laws of the State of Louisiana; AND

WHEREAS,such exercise of police power involves fromtime-to-time creating or amending local development (and other) laws in order to protect the public; AND

WHEREAS,the West Baton Rouge Council has previously regulated zoning land use districts as well as various land uses that arepermitted in various zoning districts; AND

WHEREAS,the West Baton Rouge Council finds that thereisa need to update the multi-family uses allowed on agricultural land in West Baton Rouge Parish;

NOW,THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED that the West Baton Rouge Parish Code of Ordinances, Part III (“Unified Development Code”), Chapter 101 (“General Provisions”), Section 101-1 (“Definitions”); and Chapter 104 (“ZoningOrdinance”), Appendix A(“Zoning Districts”) be amended and readopted to read as follows:

(NOTE: underlined words areadditions and strikethrough words aredeletions. Three

of the bonds outstanding is so refunded and the refunding bondsrequiretotal principal and interest payments during any year in excess of the principal and interest which would have been requiredinsuch year to pay thebonds refunded thereby,then such bonds may not be refunded without the consent of the Owners of the unrefunded portion of the bonds (provided such consent shall not be required if such refunding bonds meet the requirements set forth inclause (b) below), or

b. Additional Parity Bonds may be issued on and enjoy afull and complete parity with the Bonds with respect to the Pledged Revenues, provided that the

ATTEST:

Name: G. Alden Chustz, Jr

Title: President

Name: Dr.Chandler Smith

Title: Secretary/Superintendent