Louisiana National Guardsmen from the 256th InfantryBrigade Combat Team and the 156th InfantryRegiment returned to Lafayette Tuesday after ayearlong deployment overseas. Approximately 1,000 Louisiana NationalGuard soldiers are currently deployedoverseas, split between U.S. Africa Command, U.S. CentralCommand and U.S. EuropeanCommand, accordingto spokesperson Lt. Col. Noel Collins. The group that returned Tuesdayhad beendeployedin Kosovo
Educationofficials differ on amount, areastoboost
BY PATRICK WALL Staff writer
Adebate over school funding is brewing in Louisianaasschool superintendents call for an overall increase in per-student dollars while education policymakersseek amore limited boost. Meanwhile, some lawmakers say the state’sentire approach to school funding needs a fresh look. The state BoardofElementary and Secondary Educationlastweek proposed giving schools roughly $30 million extra in state aid toaccount for the rising cost of insurance, re-
Visa applications formany didn’t getapproved, creating ashortageofworkers
BY ALYSE PFEIL Staff writer
Last fall, DonBenoit hadbeenmakingplans to hire 80 seasonal migrantlaborers to work at his crawfish processing plantduringthe upcoming spring season, and he was applying for guestworker visasjust like he hadfor thepasteight years. But the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history would soon throw his plans —and his business —into disarray It’s now March, and Benoit, whoownsD &T Crawfish in Abbeville,doesn’t have any migrant workers at his plant to peel andboilcrawfish andprepare tailmeat to sellatgrocerystores
He just hashis small, yearround crew of about30local employees, which can’t process near the volumethe business typically does.
“You lose awhole season,” and the ability to process about 2million pounds of crawfish, Benoit said.
The government shutdown,which started Oct. 1 and ended Nov.12, created delays in the H-2B temporary work visaprogram right as Louisiana crawfish processors werereadying their applications.
“The problem is bigger than us. We just are feeling it because it’s creeping into our local economynow.”
DANIELLE TOUPS yOUNG, attorney whospecializes in temporaryworkvisas
And, at the end of January,when the federal governmentfinally announced it wasmaking thousands of extra visas available as in years past, it did so with new requirements.
Only paperwork listing worker start dates in January andbeyondwould be consideredfor visas, leaving out awhole group of businesses that hadpreparedapplicationsseeking laborerstobegin workinNovember and December
“Wewere in apanic,” said Danielle Toups Young, Benoit’sattorney, who ownsalaw practice in Eunice and specializes in temporary work visas.
Employers who had been looking for workers to start in November and December were essentially cut out of the visa pool, Young said.
“The crawfish industry had amassive scramble of,‘What do we do?’”saidAndyBrown,national
U.S. SENATE
tirementsystems,utilities andother operatingexpenses.Evenwith the boost, officials say thestate still would end up spending less on education next fiscal year due to declining enrollment, which determines how much money schools get While superintendents saythey welcome anyextra statemoney some argue that the baseline amount the state gives each school district, about$4,000 per student, is long overdue for an increase. The LouisianaAssociationofSchoolSuperintendents,which notesthatthe perstudent amount hasincreased by less than$600 in the past 20 years, wanted a1.375% boost thatwould have cost about$40 million. But as Gov.Jeff Landry and the Republican-controlledLegislature
ä See FUNDING, page 10A
BY TYLERBRIDGES Staff writer
U.S. Rep.Julia Letlow has continued to duck callsfor TV debateswithher main Republican opponents, U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy andstate Treasurer John Fleming, as she campaigns to be Louisiana’snext senator On March6,Cassidy challenged Letlow to debate himthree timesin advance of the May 16 Republican primary.
Letlowhas counteredbyoffering to participate in adebate only on the program of conservative radiotalkhost Moon Griffon, who regularly calls Cassidy “Psycho Bill.”
Cassidy has sought to up the ante on Letlow by taunting her daily Tuesday,his campaign noted, marked the 11th day since Cassidy called for the three TV debates. It then referred to news accounts that Letlow failedto follow congressionalrules when she was morethan ayear late in reporting 210 individual stock trades. Letlow blamedher financial advisers for the late disclosures.
page 9A
Pipe bomb suspectsays pardon applies to him
WASHINGTON President Donald Trump’ssweeping act of clemency for rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol also should apply to aman charged with planting pipe bombs near the national headquarters of the Democratic and Republican parties on the eve of the Jan. 6, 2021, riot, the suspect’sattorneys argue in abid to get his case dismissed In acourt filing Monday,defense attorneys assert that Trump’sblanket pardonsextend to the charges against BrianJ ColeJr. becausehis allegedconduct on Jan. 5, 2021,is“inextricablytethered” to what happened at theCapitol on the following day.They’re asking U.S. District Judge Amir Ali to throwout the case before trial. Justice Department prosecutorsdidn’timmediately respond to the defense’srequest. In aprevious court filing, prosecutors said Cole, under questioningby FBI agents, denied that his actionswererelatedtothe Jan. 6 proceedings at theCapitol.
On his first day back in the White House last year,Trump pardoned, commuted the prison sentencesand orderedthe dismissal of all1,500-pluspeople charged in the attack by amob of his supporters.
Hiroshima survivor Shigeaki Mori dies
TOKYO— ShigeakiMori, aJapanese atomic bomb survivorin Hiroshima and ahistorian but best known for abig hughe was given by then President Barack Obama during hishistoricvisit to the city adecade ago, hasdied. He was 88.
Born in 1937, Mori was 8years old when he survived the Aug. 6, 1945, U.S.attack only 11/2 miles away from the blast. About 30 years later,helearneda little known fact: American prisonersofwar held in Japan were among those killed by theatomic bomb droppedbytheir own country
Working as afull-time company employee, Mori researched U.S. and Japanese official documents and tracked down 12 American POWs. He wrote letters to their bereaved families in the U.S. who didn’tknowhow their loved ones had died. The U.S. atomic attack on Hiroshima instantly destroyed the city and killed tens of thousands. The death toll by the end of that year was 140,000. Asecond bomb dropped on Nagasaki killed another 70,000.
Mori authored abook, “The Secret of the American POWs Killed by the Atomic Bomb,” published in Japanese in 2008. The book won him aprestigious Kikuchi Kan Prize, and was later translated into English
2men charged with smuggling ants in Kenya
NAIROBI, Kenya— AChinesenational and aKenyan man were charged Tuesday with unlawfully dealing in wildlife species afterthey were found in possession of hundreds of live ants stored in specialized tubes.
The case was the latest focused on the alleged smuggling of ants in the East African country, where authorities last year described agrowing trend in the trafficking of ants to markets in Europe and Asia. Officialshave not said if the ants are sought after as pets or for other purposes. The suspects, identified as Zhang Kequn and Charles Mwangi, appeared in acourtroominthe Kenyan capital of Nairobi on Tuesday.They were also charged with conspiracy to commitafelony. Prosecutors say Kequn had beensourcing the ants from Mwangi, allegedly paying $463 for an initial batch of 600 ants and $540 for another batch of 700
Astory published Monday about therenovation of ahistoric hall in Donaldsonville incorrectly stated that it wasthe oldest benevolentsocietyhallinLouisiana.The incorrect information came from apacket detailing the renovation plans. Abenevolent society hall in St. Francisville was built beforeitin1883. The Advocate regrets the error
BY JONGAMBRELL, JULIE WATSON and SAMY MAGDY Associated Press
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates
Israel killed two senior Iranian security officials in amajor blow to the Islamic Republic’sleadership as it facesits greatest test in decades, and Iranresponded Wednesday withrenewed missile and drone attacks on its Gulf Arab neighbors andIsrael.
sile sites along Iran’scoastline near the Strait of Hormuz that were posing arisk to international shipping. With oil prices rising, Trump hasdemandedthat roughly ahalf-dozencountriessendwarships to ensure ships can pass through the strait but said he has not gotten any support. The European Union’s top diplomat said the 27-nationblocdoes notwant to be dragged into the conflict with Iran. “This is not Europe’swar,” Kaja Kallas told EU lawmakers Tuesday. “Wewerenot consulted.”
Ali Larijani, secretaryofIran’s Supreme National Security Council, wasconsideredone of the mostpowerful figures in the countrysince Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in an airstrike on the first day of thewar.Gen. Gholam Reza Soleimani was the head of the Revolutionary Guard’s all-volunteer Basij.
Iranconfirmed the killings of both men, who were key to Iran’sviolent crackdown on protests in Januarythat challengedthe theocracy’s47-year rule.
Iran launched abarrage of missiles toward Israel on Wednesday as sirens sounded acrossthe central part of the country and loud explosions wereheard in TelAviv.Israel’smedical service, Magen David Adom,saidtwo people were killed in Ramat Gan, adistricteast of TelAviv
Saudi Arabia,Kuwaitand other Arab states also faced barrages of Iranian-fired missilesand drones Wednesdaythatwere intercepted by air defense systems.
With concerns growing about aglobal energy crisis, an Iranian official said Tehran hadnointention of relinquishing itstight grip on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, acrucial waterway for oil.
President Donald Trump saidNATOand most other allies have rejected hiscalls to help secure thestrait.
IsraeliDefense Minister Israel Katzsaid Tuesday that Larijani and Soleimani “were eliminated” in strikes overnight. The Israeli military said it also struck more than10Basij posts across Tehran.
IsraeliPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the killings were aimed at “undermining this regime to give theIranian people theopportunitytoremove it.”But there have been no signs of anti-government
protests sincethe warbegan, as many Iranians shelter fromthe American and Israeli strikes. TheIranian judiciary’s news agency,Mizan, quoted the Revolutionary Guard as confirming thekilling of Soleimani. OtherIranianstate mediaconfirmedLarijani’s death.
Larijani,aformer parliamentary speaker,was a senior policy adviser to the late Khameneionstrategy in nuclear talks with the Trump administration.He was sanctionedbythe U.S. TreasuryinJanuaryfor his role “coordinating”Iran’s violentsuppression of nationwide protests.
Soleimaniwas also sanctioned by the U.S., theEuropean Unionand other nations, over his role in suppressing dissent for years through the Basij
The killings of thetop officials came on theeve of “Chaharshanbe Souri,”or the Festival of Fire, shortly before thePersiannew year.Authorities have sent
threatening textmessages telling the public not to turn outfor thefestival, warning the celebrations could be used by “rioters.”
In the United Arab Emirates, explosionsrang out earlyWednesdaymorning in Dubai, followed by amissile alert. The government’s Dubai Media Officesaid “the sounds heardacross parts of the city” were the successful interceptions by air defense operations.
Iran’sgriponthe Strait of Hormuz, through which afifth of the world’soil is transported, is sparking concerns about tightening energysupplies— unnerving the world economy. Afew ships have crossed through the strait, and Iran has said the waterway technically remains open —just not for the United States, Israel andtheirallies. About 20 vessels have been struck.
U.S. CentralCommand said Tuesdaythe U.S. military has fired multiple 5,000-pound deep penetrator bombs on Iranianmis-
Meanwhile,the International Atomic Energy Agency said Wednesday it received areport from Iran that its Bushehr nuclear power plant complexhad been hit by aprojectile but there were no injuriesand the plant suffered no damage. It reiterated the call by IAEA’s leader,Rafael Mariano Grossi, “for maximum restraint during the conflict to prevent risk of anuclear accident.”
TheIsraeli military continuedits strikesonIranbacked Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. Astrike in theNabatiyeh district killed three people and wounded another,Lebanon’shealth ministry said Wednesday.Rescue teams weresearching foreight missing people, it said. Israel’sstrikes have displaced more than 1million Lebanese —roughly 20% of the population —according to the Lebanese government, which says 912 peoplehave been killed. In Israel, 14 people have been killed by Iranian missile fire. At least13U.S.military members have been killed.
Kent says Iran posedno imminent threat
BY SEUNG MIN KIM and DAVID KLEPPER Associated Press
WASHINGTON— Joe Kent, thedirector of the National Counterterrorism Center, announced his resignation on Tuesday,citinghis concerns aboutthe justification for military strikes in Iranand saying he “cannot in good conscience”back the Trump administration’s war
“Iranposed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerfulAmerican lobby,” Kent saidinastatement posted on social media, making claims President Donald Trump hasdenied.
Kent, aformer Green Beret and political candidate with connections
to right-wing extremists, was confirmedlastJuly on a52-44 vote. As head of the National Counterterrorism Center, he was in charge of an agency tasked with analyzing anddetecting terrorist threats
Hisresignationdemonstrates that the une ase aboutthe warwithin Tr um p’s base extends to at least one senior member of his Republican administration
The leadership change comes at atime of heightened concern aboutterrorism followingseveral recent violentattacksin the U.S.
Kent’sdecision came down to thereasoning behind thestrikes on Iran, he wroteinhis resignation letter
Trumphas offered shiftingreasonsfor thestrikes
and has pushed back on claims that Israelforced the U.S. to act.House
Speaker Mike Johnson has suggested the WhiteHouse believed Israel was determined to strike on itsown, leaving the Republican president witha“very difficult decision.”
Speaking with reporters in theOval Office on Tuesday,Trumpsaid he always thought Kent was“weak on security” and if someone in his administration did not believeIran was athreat, “we don’twantthose people.”
“They’re not smart people, or they’re not savvy people,” Trump said. “Iran was atremendous threat.”
Ayear ago, in nominating Kent, Trump praised him as aman whohad “hunted down terrorists and criminals his entire adult life.”
DirectorofNational Intelligence TulsiGabbard, whoseoffice oversaw Kent’swork,wrote in a social media post Tuesday
BY COLLIN BINKLEY Associated Press
WASHINGTON President DonaldTrump is delaying adiplomatic trip to China that had been planned for months but began to unravel as he pressured Beijingand other world powers to use their military might to protect theStrait of Hormuz. Trump said Tuesday while meetingwith Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin in the Oval Office thathewould be going to China in five orsix weeks’ time insteadofatthe end of the month. He said he would be “resetting” his visitwithChinese President Xi Jinping. “We’reworking with China; they were finewith
it,” Trump said. “I look forwardtoseeing President Xi. He looks forward to seeing me, Ithink.” Trump’svisit to China is seen as an opportunity to build on afragile trade truce betweenthe two superpowers, but it has become tangled in his effort to find an endgame to thewar in Iran. Soon after pressing China and other nations to send warships to secure access to Middle Eastern oiloverthe weekend, Trump indicated his travel plans depended on Beijing’sresponse, though he addedTuesdaythatthe U.S.didn’tneed help from the allies who rebuffed his request.
In aSunday interview withthe Financial Times, Trump said he wanted to
know whether Beijing wouldhelpsecurethe straitbefore he departed for the late-March summit.
On Monday,hetold reportersthathehad requested adelay of aboutamonth because of the demands of the war
“I think it’simportant that Ibehere,” Trump said. “And so it could be thatwedelay alittle bit. Not much.”
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent,who met with Chinese Vice Premier He LifenginParis this week for anew round of talks meant to pave the way for Trump’strip, saidany changes to the schedule would be because of logistics,not becauseTrump was trying to pressure Beijing.
that it was up to Trumpto decide whether Iran posed a threat.
“After carefully reviewing allthe information before him, President Trump concluded that theterroristIslamist regimeinIran posed an imminent threat and he took action based on that conclusion,”Gabbard wrotein the post. She did not mention her own views of the strikes. Democratsstrongly opposedKent’sconfirmation because of his past tiesto far-right figures and conspiracy theories. But following his resignation, Sen. Mark Warner,ofVirginia,the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Kent’s concernsabout the war in Iranwere justified.
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BY MILEXSY DURÁN Associated Press
HAVANA President Donald Trump on Tuesday pledged imminent action against Cuba’s socialist government as his moves against the island bring the U.S.’ longtime opponent deeper into crisis.
A day after Trump’s sanctions on Venezuela, including a stop to vital oil exports to Cuba, contributed to Cuba’s latest nationwide blackout, Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio both said that the administration sees the island nation as the next country where the U.S. can expand its influence.
“Cuba right now is in very bad shape,” Trump said.
“And we’ll be doing something with Cuba very soon,” he added.
Until recently, Trump’s comments on change in Cuba might have been considered remarkable. But they come after his administration’s military raid that captured then-President Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela and the launch of U.S. military strikes against Iran.
The Trump administration is looking for President Miguel Díaz-Canel to leave as the U.S. continues negotiating with the Cuban government, according to a U.S official and a source with
Gunman was killed, officials say
BY EMILIE MEGNIEN and JEFF MARTIN Associated Press
JASPER, Ga. — There was a shooting Tuesday at a Department of Veterans Affairs clinic in a small town at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Georgia, and the gunman was shot and killed, police said.
A Veterans Affairs employee was taken by helicopter to a hospital after the gunfire Tuesday afternoon, VA spokesman Peter Kasperowicz said.
Jasper police responded to the scene about 1:30 p.m Tuesday, the city said in a statement. Outside the VA clinic, the officers confronted the gunman, who was shot and killed, authorities said.
The gunman was from the Jasper area, Jasper Police Chief Matt Dawkins told reporters at the scene. But details about him were not immediately released.
“We don’t know what led up to it,” Dawkins said. Jimmy Mooney was shopping at a nearby Goodwill store when he heard gunfire.
“We heard the gunshots going off,” he said. “There was probably 17 of us inside the Goodwill that was shopping, and, they had come and told us to get in the back of the store and during that time we could see the officers running down the hill. Gunshots started going off.”
The Jasper police chief said the Federal Bureau of Investigation will be investigating the shooting along with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
When asked about the suspect’s background, a Pickens County sheriff’s spokesman said he did not know whether he had a military background.
The clinic will remain closed for the rest of the week, Kasperowicz said.
knowledge of talks between Washington and Havana.
No detail has been offered about who the administration might like to see come to power
Many Cubans do not believe that Díaz-Canel holds much power in Cuba, anyway, as opposed to revolutionary founding father Raúl Castro and his family
With little reliable information trickling out of Havana or Washington, experts are watching closely for clues about what’s in the works.
“Some pieces of this story as they’re trickling out, don’t add up to me,” said Michael Bustamante, a Cuba expert and associate professor of history at the University of Miami. “I can’t quite figure
out what the end game is here for either side.”
Electricity was slowly being restored to hospitals and some homes Tuesday afternoon, but officials warned that the crumbling power network could fail again.
The government blames its woes on a U.S. energy blockade after Trump in January warned of tariffs on any country that sells or provides oil to Cuba.
Rubio, who is of Cuban heritage, said the island “has an economy that doesn’t work in a political and governmental system They can’t fix it.”
A Cuban official said Monday that Cuba is open to trading with U.S. companies, but such promises have been made before.
“So they have to change dramatically,” Rubio said. “What they announced yesterday is not dramatic enough It’s not going to fix it.”
The Trump administration is also demanding that Cuba release political prisoners and move toward political and economic liberalization in return for a lifting of sanctions. Trump has also raised the possibility of a
“friendly takeover of Cuba.”
While Cuba produces 40% of its petroleum and has been generating its own power it hasn’t been sufficient to meet demand as its aging electric grid continues to crumble.
Cuba’s Ministry of Energy and Mines said on X that the island had restored the electrical system in the western town of Pinar del Rio and the southeastern province of
Holguin and that some “microsystems” were beginning to operate in various territories.
State-owned media reported that by late Monday power had been restored to 5% of residents in the capital, Havana, representing some 42,000 customers.
U.S. sanctions and economic pressure have exasperated the misery many Cubans are experiencing.
This spring, celebrateeverythingthatmakes ourstate “Sportsman’s Paradise“atthe LouisianaSportsman Show,presented by Shell, March20–22 at theSt. John theBaptist Parish CommunityCenterinLaPlace
TheSt. John theBaptist CommunityCenter offersspaciousareasfor exhibits,crafts, anda Food Courtfeaturing Louisianafavorites.The easily accessiblefacilityhas ampleroomfor free parking.
That’s notall—you canalsomeetAmerica’s Favorite Fisherman, JimmyHouston,for photos, autographs,and expert fishingtips.
On Friday,March 20,activemilitarypersonnel, veterans,and first responders receivefree admission in honoroftheir service.
Fuel Your Outdoor Obsession Explorethe latest rods,reels andbait, boats builttochase open water, ATVs made forthe mud, plus tractors,golfcarts, mowers andseriouspower equipment. If it powers your hunt, your ride,oryourfishingtrip– you’ll seeithere.
Cast it.Catch it.Win
Learnwinningtactics from seasoned captains
during interactiveseminarsatthe bass tank, then putyourskillstothe test in astocked pond
$1,000 FishingChallenge Official Rules:
•RegistrationRequired: Youmustregister to participate.
•Childrenmustbeaccompaniedby anadult
•Event Start: FishingbeginsSaturday, March21at12:00 p.m.
•Event Ends:FishingendsSunday, March 22 at 3:00 p.m.
•Catch ataggedfish foryourchanceat
$1,000 cash or many othergreat prizes
•Winners willbeannounced andprizes awardedat4:00p.m.Sunday.
Meetthe Legends In addition to outdooriconJimmy Houston, rubshoulders with othertop fishingpros.Snap a photo. Hear thestories.Talkfishingall weekend long Dogs areWelcome Retrievercompetitionswilltakeplacethroughoutthe show,soattendees areinvited to bring theirdogstotakepartortojust watch.
Family FunThatHooks Everyone
This isn’tjust ashow– it’s an experience.The funand active Kid’sZoneisperfect for families
•STEMactivitieswithLouisiana Educators willbeatthe show on Saturday from 11:00a.m.to3:00p.m
•The HarryHurst WetlandWatcherswill be thereonSundayfrom10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Kids andadultscan view andtouch baby alligators, snakes,and otherreptiles througha unique educationalexperience
Otherhighlightsinclude afreefishingtournament forkidsSaturdaymorning,inflatables, hands-on demosand interactiveexhibits.
SeeYou in LaPlace, March20-22
TheLouisiana SportsmanShowwillbeheldat theSt. John theBaptist CommunityCenterand Thomas F. DaleyMemorialParkonHighway 51 Show timesare:
•Friday, Noon–7:00p.m
•Saturday, 9:00 a.m. –7:00p.m
•Sunday, 10:00a.m 5:00 p.m.
Fordetails,schedules,and tickets, visitwww louisianasportsmanshow.com.
Effort could last a week or longer
BY MARY CLARE JALONICK Associated Press
WASHINGTON Republicans launched an unprecedented effort on Tuesday to hold the Senate floor and talk for days about a bill that they know won’t pass — an attempt to capture public attention on legislation requiring stricter voter registration rules as President Donald Trump pressures Congress to act before November’s midterm elections.
The talkathon could last a week or longer, potentially through the weekend, as Senate Majority Leader John Thune tries to navigate Trump’s insistence on the issue and Democrats’ united opposition. Trump has urged Thune to scrap the legislative filibuster, which triggers a 60-vote threshold in the 100-member Senate, or find another workaround to pass the bill, but Thune has repeatedly said he doesn’t have the votes to do that. Instead, Republicans intend to make a long, noisy show of support for the legislation, which would require Americans to prove they are U.S. citizens before they register to vote and to show identification at the polls, among other things. It’s a risky strategy, with no guarantee it will be enough for Trump, who has said he won’t sign other bills until the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act — also known as the SAVE America Act or the SAVE Act is passed.
The floor debate is expected to eventually end with a failed vote. Republicans need 60 votes to ad-
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D speaks March 10 to reporters after a weekly Republican luncheon at the Capitol in Washington. Republicans launched an effort on Tuesday to hold the Senate floor and talk for days about the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, which is unlikely to pass.
vance the bill to a final vote, but they hold 53 seats, and all 45 Democrats and both independents, who caucus with the Democrats, oppose it.
The debate will “put Democrats on the record,” Thune said. He added that “how it ends remains to be seen.”
The Senate voted 51-48 Tuesday to begin the debate, with Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski the only Republican voting against moving forward on the bill.
In a social media post on Tuesday morning, Trump issued a warning to any Republican who doesn’t support the bill: “I WILL NEVER (EVER!) ENDORSE ANYONE WHO VOTES AGAINST ‘SAVE AMERICA!!!’”
Trump says, without evidence,
that Democrats can only win in the midterms if they cheat and explicitly said Republicans need the SAVE America Act to win in November
The House passed the legislation earlier this year, but the Senate turned to other issues as it became clear that Republicans didn’t have the votes to pass it
But Trump made clear he wasn’t satisfied and pushed the Senate to act. The Republican president has said he won’t sign other legislation, including a bipartisan housing bill backed by the White House, until the voting bill passes.
The bill contains a slew of provisions that Trump and his most loyal supporters have pushed as part of a broad effort to assert federal control over elections. It would require
voters nationwide to provide proof of citizenship when they register and to show accepted voter identification when casting a ballot.
It would also create new penalties for election workers who register voters without proof of citizenship and require states to hand voter data over to the Department of Homeland Security so federal officials could screen for voters who are in the country illegally Trump also wants new provisions added to the bill, including a ban on most mail-in ballots.
“It’ll guarantee the midterms,” Trump said of the bill last week. “If you don’t get it, big trouble.”
Democrats and many groups that champion voter access say there is little evidence of noncitizens voting and say the bill would disenfranchise millions of voters — including Republicans by creating new burdens to prove citizenship.
It is already illegal to vote if you are not a U.S. citizen but the bill would lay out strict new rules for paperwork that most people would have to present in person to register to vote. Opponents of the measure say those documents are not always readily available for many people and argue that it would kill voter registration efforts and unfairly penalize young people who are registering to vote for the first time, married women who change their name and people who cannot travel to present their documents, among other groups.
While Republicans have focused on the bill’s new requirements to show identification when they show up to vote, Democrats say they are most concerned that the legislation would allow the federal government to take voters off the rolls.
Schumer said that Democrats are not opposed to voter identification but “this is about purging the voter rolls in a massive way, so you never even get the chance to show a voter ID when you showed up to vote.”
Trump, backed by Republican Sen. Mike Lee, of Utah, has pushed for a talking filibuster, which would force Democrats to talk for days or weeks to delay passage of the bill. But Thune and the larger GOP conference rejected that idea, arguing that it would end in failure after giving Democrats a stage and the opportunity to offer endless amendments, potentially adding their priorities to the bill.
Republicans are instead taking over the floor with their own speeches, proceeding under regular order but operating outside the normal time limits that are customary when debating legislation Democrats are expected to answer with their own procedural hijinks, potentially forcing Republicans to come to the floor at all hours for votes, meaning they will need to stay close to the Senate for the duration.
Lee said last week that it’s unclear how it will all play out. He said he thinks Trump “understands that we need to put in an aggressive effort here.”
“And a lot of that,” he said, “is going to have to be determined in real time as we go about it.”
The extent of Trump’s satisfaction with the process, Lee said, “will depend on whether, in his view, we gave it everything we have.”
On Monday night, Lee was rallying Trump’s base voters on X.
“Once we’re on this bill,” he wrote, “we must stay on it until it’s passed into law.”
BY JILL LAWLESS Associated Press
LONDON Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called Russia and Iran “brothers in hatred” on Tuesday as he sought support from U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer at a time when the Iran war has robbed momentum from U.S.-brokered talks to end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Zelenskyy urged Ukraine’s allies not to forget about his country, and suggested the U.S. and others should make use of Ukraine’s anti-drone technology during a Middle East war that has also revived Russia’s ailing economy through increased oil revenue and could soon limit Kyiv’s access to vital Western air defense systems, which are needed in the Middle East. “The regimes in Russia and Iran are brothers in hatred and that is why they are brothers in weapons,” Zelenskyy told lawmakers in Britain’s Parliament. “And we want regimes built on hatred to never, never win in anything.”
Holding talks with Zelenskyy at 10 Downing Street, Starmer said “(Russian President Vladimir) Putin can’t be the one who benefits from the conflict in Iran, whether that’s oil prices or the dropping of sanctions.” The meeting came days after the U.S. temporarily waived some Russian oil sanctions in a bid to ease pressure on global supplies triggered by the war in the Middle East, which was sparked by the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran starting Feb. 28.
Zelenskyy and some other European leaders criticized Washington’s move to ease sanctions, saying it would provide a windfall for Moscow to keep up its attacks on Ukraine.
Zelenskyy also met with King Charles III at Buckingham Palace before addressing dozens of members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords in Parliament. He told them that other countries could learn from Ukraine’s agile adoption of technology, including drones and AI, for defense.
Take advantage of 0% APR on balancetransfersfor 12 months whenyou open anew Pelican Points, PelicanPrimeorPelican Premier Credit Card
Cardinal, others sought newtrial over alleged financial crimes
BY NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press
ROME The Vatican appeals tribunal declared amistrial Tuesday in the Holy See’s big “trial of the century,” a stunning blow to both Pope Francis’ legacyand Vatican prosecutorswho had puta cardinal and several other people on trial over alleged financial crimes. In a16-page ruling,the appeals court ruled that Francis and Vaticanprosecutors both made procedural errors thatnullifiedthe original indictment against Cardinal Angelo Becciu and the others and required anew trial. The court set aJune 22 as thedatefor thenew trialto begin. Defense lawyers said such aruling was significant if not historic, since it amounted to aVatican court declaring that an act of the pope had no effect.
Becciu, whoalong withothers, is accused of alleged financial crimes.
Therulingwas awin for thedefense and ahuge setbacktoVatican prosecutors, whohavebeen scrambling to salvagetheir case. The prosecution and 2023 convictions against Becciu and others had been held upby the Vatican and late pope as evidence of his willingness to crack down on financial misconductinthe Holy See. Becciu’slawyers said the rulingshowed theywere right in arguing that the defensewas put at an unfair disadvantage from the start.
“It shows that from the first moment, we were right to raise the violation of the right to defense and to request that the law be respected to have afair trial,” Becciu’slawyers Fabio Viglione and Maria Concetta Marzo said in astatement.
The case had as its mainfocus the Vatican’sinvestment of $413 million in aLondon property. Prosecutorsalleged brokers and Vatican monsignors fleeced the Holy See of tensofmillions of euros in fees andcommissions
to acquire theproperty, and then extorted theHolySee for $16.5 million to cedecontrolofit.
The originalinvestigation spawned two main tangents involving Becciu, once a leading Vatican cardinal and future papal contender.He wasconvicted of embezzlement and sentenced to 51/2 years in prison. The tribunal convicted eight other defendants of embezzlement, abuse of office, fraudand other charges and imposed tens of millions of dollars in restitutiontothe Holy See.
All defendants maintained their innocence and appealed after atwo-year trialthat opened aPandora’sbox of unwanted revelationsabout papal ransom paymentsto Islamicmilitants, Vatican vendettas, espionage and other dirty laundry of the Holy See.
During the initial trial,
Becciu’slawyers in particularhad complainedthatprosecutors hadn’tturnedover allthe evidencetothe defense, violating their right to afairtrial. Prosecutors had redacted somedocuments, withheld the cellphone records of akey prosecution witness andredacted texts amongthe players, arguing that such omissions were necessary to protect the secrecyofother investigations
Defense lawyers also alleged that four secretdecrees Francis signed giving prosecutors wide-ranging powers to investigate violated the defendants’ right to afair trial. They only learned aboutthe decrees just before thetrial began, sincethe decrees were never published.
Theappeals court agreed with the defense arguments.
In the ruling, the appeals court ruled that one of Francis’ decrees —which allowed
prosecutors to proceed without apreliminary judge overseeing their work —amounted to alaw that should have been published. The failure to publish it, or to at least let thesuspects know aboutit, made it ineffective, the court ruled. The court also decreed that Vatican prosecutors’ failure to turn over to thedefense all their evidence nullified their original indictment. The finding against Francis’ decree could have wideranging implications for any new trial, since it throws into question prosecutors’ actions derivedfromthe powers Francisgrantedthem. Chief amongthemwas theJune 2020 arrest of broker GianluigiTorzi,who was held in the Vatican barracks for 10 days of questioning without charge or ajudge’s warrant, andhad his cellphones and laptop seized.
BY CHRISTOPHER WEBER Associated Press
LOS ANGELES A“one in a million” malfunction during alive fire demonstration over Camp Pendleton last October led to amisfirethat rainedshrapnel on Interstate 5, striking twoCalifornia Highway Patrol vehicles, aU.S. Marine Corps investigation found. An artillery shell exploded over the highway during acelebration of the 250th anniversary of the Marine Corps, attended by Vice
PresidentJDVance andDefense Secretary Pete Hegseth.Pieces of shrapnel scattered on the closed roadway andstruck aCHP patrol car and amotorcycle. The day before the event, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom called the demonstrationdangerous andunnecessary.During it,healso briefly closed I-5, amain corridor between Los Angeles and San Diego, drawinga rebuke from the White House. In a666-pagereport dated Dec. 19 and first reported
on Monday,the Marines concludedthatthere “is no definitive answer” to why an M795 high explosive round detonated early at an altitude of about 1,480 feet. Such apremature detonation is “beyond reasonable expectationsand should not have happened, but it did,” thereport says. “It is manufactured to a tolerance of onedefect in a million,”according to the report.Investigators ruled out anynegligenceorwrongdoing by Corps members. Nobody was hurt
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BY ALANNA DURKIN RICHER Associated Press
WASHINGTON Attorney General Pam Bondiwas subpoenaed Tuesday to answer questions from Congress about the Justice Department’ssex trafficking investigation of Jeffrey Epstein and the agency’shandling of millions of files related to the disgraced financier
Bondi was ordered toappear for adeposition on April 14 by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform after avote earlier this month that was supported by five Republicans.
The Justice Department’s failure to fend off the subpoena from the Republicanled committee underscores widespread discontent among President Donald Trump’sown base over Bondi’smanagement of the review and release of atroveof documents from the criminal investigation into Epstein.
“The Committee hasquestions regarding the Department of Justice’shandling of
the investigationinto Jeffrey Epsteinand his associates and its compliancewith the EpsteinFiles Transparency Act,” Rep. James Comer,the Republicanchairman, said in aletter toBondi “As Attorney General, youare directly responsible for overseeing the Department’scollection, review, and determinations regarding the release of files pursuant to theEpstein Files Transparency Act, and the Committee therefore believes that you possess valuable insight into these efforts,” hewrote.
The department on Tuesday called thesubpoena “completelyunnecessary.” Bondiand DeputyAttorney General Todd Blanche were expected to provideaprivate briefing Wednesdayto members of the committee.
“Lawmakers have been invited to view the unredacted files for themselves at the Department of Justice, and the Attorney General has alwaysmade herself available to speak directly with
members of Congress,” the department said in astatement. The agencysaid it looks forward to “continuing to provide policymakers with the facts.”
TheTrump administration has faced constant political headaches since therollout of the files began in December,withcritics accusing the department of hiding certain documentsand over-redacting files.Inother cases, victims have slammed the departmentfor sloppy redactions that revealed their sensitive information.
The Justice Department hasfiercely defendedits handling of the Epstein files, saying it worked as quickly anddiligently as possible to review and release millions of documents required under thelaw.The department has denied anyaccusations that it used redactions to protect certain people or improperly withheld certain materials. And it has said it immediately worked to fix anyredaction errors raised by victims.
BY SOPHIA TAREEN Associated Press
CHICAGO The race to replace U.S. Sen Dick Durbin is shaping up in Illinois after Don Tracy won the Republican nomination in Tuesday’s primary.The former chairman of the state Republican Party was among the bestknown in the six-candidate race. The retirement of the Senate’slongtime No. 2Democrat triggered acompetitive campaign on the Democratic side, drawingascandidates U.S. Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly and Lt. Gov.Juliana Stratton, among others. Furious fundraising and sharp elbows marked the race, which tested the influence of Democratic Gov.JB Pritzker,whose name has been floated as a2028 presidential contender.Hebacked Stratton.
From questions about the cryptocurrency and AI industries to immigration enforcement to fracturing U.S. support for Israel, the state’s voters confronted such issues as superPACS poured in millions of dollars into hotly contested races.
Aspate of House retirements led to open seats with crowded contests across the Chicago areawhere the American Israel PublicAffairs Committee and PACs supporting the cryptocurrency and AI industries spent big on several contests. Most primary winners in the Democratic stronghold are expected to win in November, shaping anew generation of leadership in the state’scongressional delegation.
TenDemocrats andsix Republicans ran for the seat after Durbinannouncedhis retirement after five terms.
Tracy is an attorney who led theIllinois Republican Party from 2021 to 2024.The state last had aRepublican in the Senatea decade ago, when Mark Kirkwas defeated by current Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth.
Thethree leading Democrats in the primary were Chicago-areaU.S. Reps.Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton.
Krishnamoorthidominated fundraisingand theairwaves, and was the first on television with ads in July
He started 2026 withover $15 million on handafter spending more than $6 million and raising more than $3.5millioninthe finalthree months oflast year,accordingtocampaign financerecords.
By comparison, Stratton started theyearwith$1millionafter raising about the same amountand spending justunder $1 million in the last three months of 2025. But last month Pritzkerput
$5 millioninasuperPAC largely aimed at helping get herelected
She campaignedonPritzker’sendorsement and lit into Krishnamoorthi at debates, particularly on the five-term Democrat’s voting record anddonationsfrom acontractor tiedto U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
“That is notthe example of somebody who’sgoing to stand up to DonaldTrump and fight for allofour communities,” Stratton said during adebate January.“Iwant to abolish ICE.”
Krishnamoorthi, whohas called to dismantle ICE, said he donated the money to immigrant rights groups. He argued that Stratton zeroed in on him becauseshe “didn’t
have any policy ideas.She had to attack.”
Rochelle Brockenborough, 64, saidshe votedfor Strattonatthe Dr.Martin Luther KingCommunity Service Center in Chicago.
“I wanted to make sure therewas no AIPACmoney That’simportanttome,” she said, adding that U.S. taxdollars shouldn’tbeusedtosupport Israel.
Meanwhile Kelly took issue with Pritzker’sinvolvement, arguing thata sitting governor should not interfere.
Shana Sumers, 36, said she voted for Kelly to support marginalizedcommunities, suchastransgenderpeople. She also called the Iran war “a big distraction.”
“Wereally need to be able to afford housing,afford health care,afford to go to the grocery store,” Sumers said.
Candidates touted ties to iconic Chicagoans including PresidentBarack Obama and the late Rev.Jesse Jackson, who died last month. However,anendorsement touted posthumously by Stratton caused asnagas Jackson’sfamily withdrew it Monday, saying thedraft was not meantfor public release.
Election officials hopedto see busy polls after statewide turnoutinthe 2024 primarywas 19%, the lowest in morethanfive decades.
Among issues reported Tuesdaywerecomplaints thatpoll workersinMadison County asked voters to show ID, drawing attention from thelocal elections office and the state attorney general.
Officials in the southern Illinois county said the issue in oneprecinct was resolved. ShowinganIData polling place is notrequiredinIllinois.
“SenatorCassidyisreadyfor atelevised debate anytime the only question is whether Letlow willfinally show up for thepotofgold,”Cassidy’scampaign said in the statement.
“Based on her stock trading violations, we do know she has an eye for treasure.”
In an interview Tuesday, Fleming said he’ll participate in adebate withthe two other candidates anytime anywhere.
James Carville, the famed Democratic political strategist who lives in New Orleans, saidLetlow is following astandard strategy for aperceived campaign frontrunner
“She’sinaprevent defense,” Carville said, using afootball term for ateam trying to sit on alead.“She doesn’twant to expose herself.”
Schedulingdebates?
Louisiana PublicBroadcasting and Leaders for a Better Louisiana scheduled aTVdebate on April 16 at LPB’sstudiosinBaton Rouge. But Letlow said she couldn’tappear because the House was scheduled to be in session that day Barry Erwin, chief policy officer for aBetter Louisiana, said his group responded by telling Letlow’soffice on March 5that they would reschedule the debate —but haven’theard back from
JOHNFLEMING
on impeachment charges of inciting an assault on the U.S. Capitol by hissupporters on Jan.6,2021
Letlow jumped into the race two months ago after Trumpendorsed her. She was atop administrator from theUniversityofLouisiana at Monroe who ran for theHouse in 2021 after her husband Luke won theseat, then died of COVID-19. Fleming, pointing to his votingrecord during eight years in the U.S. House representing northwest Louisiana, has said repeatedlythat he is the most conservative candidateinthe race. He was elected state treasurer in 2023. Cassidy, Letlowand Fleming have allreleased polls showing themselves in the lead. The top two finishers on May 16 will advance to a June 27 runoff. The winner of that race will face one of three Democrats in theNovember general election: Nick Albares, Jamie Davis or Gary Crockett. Pearson Cross, apolitical science professor at ULMonroe, questioned Letlow’s
decision not to engage in debates.
“She’s the person who is not verywell known,” he said.
Limitedmedia interviews
Besides eschewing aTV debate, Letlow has also been limiting interviews with Louisiana-based media since she qualifiedfor the Senate race in mid-February
Her campaign did not make her available for this article. Aspokesperson said she has conducted six TV or radio interviews sincethe qualifying period five weeks ago.
In contrast, Cassidy briefs reportersweekly on hislatest activities and thentakes questions. He also hasdoneother interviews withLouisiana-based reporters in Washington and in Louisiana.
Flemingmakes himself available to reporters on a daily basis.
During his call with reportersTuesday,Cassidy called on Senate Democrats to approve funding for the Department of Homeland Security. Democrats say
they will do so once Republicansagreetolimits on immigration agentstoprevent theviolence in Minneapolis that led to the deaths of two protesters.
Cassidy also called on Democratstoapprove the SAVE America Act. It aims to prevent voting by noncitizens, although critics point out that it is already illegal and extremely rare.
Asked about Letlow’srefusal to agree to aTVdebate with him, Cassidysaid, “In this election, Ithink adebate is important. The people of Louisiana want to knowwho hasdeliveredforthepeopleof Louisiana. Ihavedelivered.”
He continued: “I have delivered over $16 billion to the state overall, including $13 billionfromthe bipartisan infrastructure bill. I have passed dozens of pieces of legislation.Congresswoman Letlow hasnorecord like that.”
Make Moon theref?
In astatement, Letlow’s campaign said she is willing
to debate Cassidy
“In aRepublican primary, that debate should happen on aconservative platform where Republican voters arealreadytunedin,”the campaign said. “The Moon Griffon Showisanobvious place to start.”
But Cassidy said astatewide televised debate at night would reach amuch bigger audiencethananappearance on Griffon’s morning radio program, saying “his listenership is pretty small.
Griffonsaid he would treat Cassidy fairly but added, “I callhim Psycho Bill because he’s alloverthe place. He was forTrumpbefore he wasagainst Trump, and now he’swith Trumponce again. That’skind of psychotic.”
Griffon addedthat Cassidy hasn’tappeared on his program since he votedto convict Trump.
Cassidy also wasasked why he didn’tagree to adebate during his 2020 reelection campaign.
“I was going to win that race,” he said. “Frankly,
that’sadebate where adebate would nothavemadea difference.”
While Cassidy mentioned onlyLetlow when he issued his debate challenge earlier this month, he said he welcomes Fleming appearing on the stage.
Fleming said he would like to debate Letlow and Cassidy
“It’sour jobtoshowupand take questions,” he said. “We have an obligation to do so.
I’mbig on transparency and accountability.Candidates should be mostaccessible to thegeneral public.Ifthey’re not accessible now,they never will be.”
For 27 years, KEDM-FM, the public radio station in Monroe, interviewed members of Congress whorepresented the 5th Congressional District. Letlow ended that practice when she took office in 2021, said Jay Curtis, the station’sgeneral manager
“We’ve been unable to reestablish that connection with our listeners and themember of Congress,” he said.
Everyone wantstoavoid tax. When people thinkabout avoidingtaxes,theyusually thinkabout avoiding income tax. But, Louisianaresidents have to be concerned with severaltypes of taxeswhentheyare planningtheir estates. FederalEstateTax –Did YouKnow?
Thefederalestatetax applies to estatesofpeoplewho areresidents in anyofthe 50 states. When it applies, it is significant.Essentially, when apersondies,wehaveto add up thefairmarketvalue of everythingthe deceased owned–theirhouse,cars, bank accounts, IRA’s, 401(k)’s, lifeinsurance, stock,businessestheyown,realestate andmore. Effective January1,2026, thefederalestatetax exemptionamount is $15,000,000per person ($30,000,000 formarried couples)for deaths occurring in 2026. Theestatetax rate remainsat 40%.
What About TheSurviving Spouse?
Before 2010, each spouse hadanestatetax exemption. If theestateofthe first spouse to die did notuse their exemption, it wouldbelostand thesurviving spouse couldnot useany of theexemption of the firstspousetodie.However in 2013, “portability”was kept in place –the survivingspousecan nowincrease their exemptionbythe amount of theunusedexemption amount of thedeceased spouse whodiedafter 2010. Butportability must be exercisedtimely.
HowToAvoid CapitalGains Tax
Thetax that often creeps up on people people is capitalgains tax. Capitalgains is paidwhenyousellanassetthathasappreciatedinvalue.Example:youbuyastock for$20,000 andlater sell thestock for$100,000. Youwillhave$80,000 of capital gain, andyou must paytax on this.How youstructure your bequests to your spouse andyourfamilycan have asignificant impact on howmuchcapital gains taxyourheirswill have to pay. When youdie,yourassetswillbe“stepped-up” and your heirswill getanew value.
Giftsof$20,000 PerYearPer Person (UsedTo Be $10,000 PerYearPer Person)
Youmay have heardyou candonateorgive$20,000 each year perpersonwithout gift taxconsequences. Typically, no onepaysgift taxonagift regardlessofthe value of thegift.A sizeablegift will have estate andgift taxconsequences.
YOUARE INVITED TO AFREE Workshop To LearnHow To:
•Minimize or avoiddeath tax;
•Makesureyourestateutilizes theexemption availablefor deaths occurring in 2026;
•Properlysetup your Will or Living Trustsothere will be no taxuponthe death of the firstspouseregardlessofthe size of theestate;
•Ensurethatyourheirsreceive astep-up in taxbasis –not just when the first spouse dies butagainwhenthe survivingspousedies;
•Utilize the2026 annual gift taxexclusiontomakegiftsof$20,000 peryearper person during your lifetimetoreduce your taxableestateatyourdeath…and MUCH MORE!
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look to rein in spending and lower taxes, observers say that any substantial hike in per-student funding is highly unlikely.Instead lawmakers such as Senate President Cameron Henry say they want to better understand how schoolsspend the roughly $4.3 billion the state provides for K-12 education before they consider araise.
“Weneed to figureout where that goes before we add anythingelse to it,” he said last month.
The Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools recently launched areview of the state’seducation funding system, which will be paid for with private money and led by formerstate Superintendent of EducationPaul Pastorek. Caroline Roemer the association’sexecutive director,said one goal is to justify requests for additional state aid by determining
FILEPHOTO By HILARySCHEINUK
schools. Louisiana’sformula determines how muchit costs to educateeach student, giving schoolsextra money to meet the needs of studentswho have disabilities, are still learning English, are homeless or come fromlow-income families.
The formula then calculates howmuchofthe financial burden local communities should bear,with the state contributing moretopoorer parishes with smaller tax bases.
tween districts and ensure schools can meet students’ needs depends on how much money the state puts into the formula.
savings because the state’s declining student population is expected to reduce overalleducation spending by $42million
“Webelievethis is theformula that the Legislatures canget behind,”hesaid, “and should get behind.”
Theboard did not request funding for specific initiatives that it has in the past,
el, said funding was intended to keep up with inflation. Instead, costshave risen sharply —including salaries and benefits, property insurance, building materials and technology for students but per-student stateaid has barely budged.
“It is woefully inadequate at this point,” shesaid. “If that per-pupil (amount) had
imum Foundation Program.”
The formula was developed in the 1990s as many states were updating their funding systems —partly in response to litigation— to account for the huge disparities between poor and wealthy communities, which have far morelocal tax revenue to put into their public
Under the formula,Louisiana’s highest-poverty districtsreceive about17% more state aidper student than wealthier districts, according to an analysis by EdTrust, anational group thatadvocates for more resources for underserved students. However,when local revenue is factored in, wealthierdistricts end up with about8%moreper student.
Tr am elle Howard, EdTrust’sLouisiana state director,said the formula’s powertoclose thegap be-
“Those provisions only reach their full potential if the base funding is adequate,” he said in an email. What counts as “adequate” fundingisa perennial question. The Legislature established atask forceadecade agotostudy it,and nowthe charterschool group’sreviewistaking up thequestion as it triestocalculate how much it currently costs to educate students in Louisiana.
BESEPresident Simone Champagne said the board plans to waitfor the report’s conclusions before requesting any future per-student aidincreases. Sheadded that shestronglysupports anyre-examinationofthe funding formula.
“The (Minimum Foundation Program) hasn’tbeen looked at for 30 years,” she said. “So we think that’sa wonderful idea.”
Have us take alook!
affairs director for Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation.
“Ultimately,itdidn’tmatter,”he added. “If you had astartdatein October,November or December, you didn’tget workers.
The U.S. for years hasgranted far fewer H-2B visas than the number that businesses apply for,and employer interestinthe program hasbeen growing recently.But this time, the shutdown andpolicy changes addedmore turmoil, businesses and attorneys said.
“The numbers ran out much quicker than we’ve ever seen it,” said LoanHuynh, an employment-basedimmigrationattorney in Minneapolis and expert on temporary work visa matters.“There are more employers using the H-2B program.”
Huynh, Brownand Young all said that while Louisiana’scrawfish processors are just now having a hard time getting the workers they need through the visa program, that problem has been around for years —even though there is great demand for seasonal migrant labor among American businesses.
“The problem is bigger thanus,” Young said. “Wejust are feeling it because it’screeping into ourlocal economy now.”
What happened?
The H-2B visa program allows businesses to bring migrantworkers to the United States to fill temporary,nonagricultural jobs that Americanworkersare nottaking. Crawfish processing, whichhappens after harvest, is considered nonagricultural under the program.
Congress set ayearly cap of 66,000 visas underthe program, which hasn’tbeen updated since the 1990s. But the Department of Homeland Security,which includes immigration enforcement, has discretion to issue “supplemental” visas every year.This year,itreleased nearly65,000 extra visas, the same amount released in the three years prior Louisiana crawfish processors start H-2B visa applicationsinthe fall so workers get approval from the federal government to start work in winter and early spring.
Crawfish plants typically need workers to start arriving in December,withthe businesses con-
tinuing to bring in workers in January,February and March for aharvest season that lastsroughly from January through June.
According to LouisianaFarmBureau estimates, the state has20to 25 crawfish processing businesses, allofwhich have some need for seasonal migrant workers.
At least 15 crawfish plants didn’t get anyofthe temporarywork visas they applied forthisyear, Farm Bureau datashows.
Young saidthat, of the20clients she has with crawfish plant operations, 11 did not get temporary work visas approved this year
That’sabig difference from years past. Since she startedher own practice in 2018, Young said she can recall just one crawfishindustryclientthatdid not get the H-2B visa application it sought Butthe problem doesn’tjust affect processing plants. It alsoaffects farmers, who raise crawfish in giant ponds spanning tensof acres, where they areharvested before beingsent to processors.
“My concern is now Iwon’tbe able to sell my product,” saidBen Deshotels, acrawfish farmer “These processors haven’tgot their labor,sothere’sabig portion of my crop that’sgonna stay in the field that’llnever get sold.”
Processors turn crawfish into tailmeat that gets soldingrocery stores. “Thatportion of ourcrop is gonna go unharvested and have to stay in thefields,” Deshotels said.
Many farmers like Deshotels and Adlar Stelly use their ponds to raise bothcrawfish and rice.
“We’re growing rice at aloss to feed thecrawfish we won’tbeable to sell,”Stelly said. What canbedone?
In the immediate term,Huynh, the immigration attorney,saidthat Congresscan “absolutely” address theproblem by releasing additional H-2B visas.
“But that’sgonna take legislation,and that’sgonna take political will,” she said.
BecauseCongress hasnot yet finalized thebudget for DHS, she said, “there’sstill hope” for federallawmakers to do something this year
She added: “There is no reason for us to do this to U.S.employers, to makeitsodifficult for them to hire labor that they so desperately need, and it really is politics standing in the way of allowing the U.S. economy to grow.”
Brown, of the Louisiana Farm Bureau, said theH-2B program has been broken for along time.
“Weneed our federal delegation to exercise their leadership positions andtofixthisfor Louisiana andfixitfor the country,” he said.
There’sahost of waysCongress could fix the problem,Brownsaid, one of theeasiest being that it could remove the cap on the number of H-2B visas.
Young said asolution targeting thecrawfishindustrywould be to grant crawfish processors an exemption from the cap on H-2B visas.For thevisaprogram as a whole, lawmakers could look at increasing the total number of visas in theprogram, or they could allowemployers returning to the program not to be subject to the cap, she said.
What does Congress say?
Once Benoit,the crawfish plant owner,learned in February that his application forworker visas was rejected, he organized aFeb 18 meeting at Uncle T’sOysterBar in Scotttobring the problem to the attention of Louisiana officials and seeifthere wasany waytofixthe problem.
In attendance wereLafayette Republican U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins,representativesfromBaton Rouge Republican U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy’soffice, Ville Platte Re-
publican state Rep. Rhonda Butler, representatives from the Louisiana Farm Bureau and LSU,along with Young and crawfish processors, Benoit said.
Benoitisstill withoutthe seasonal migrant workers he applied for. Higgins and Cassidy did not respond to requests for comment for this story
Aspokesperson for U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow, R-BatonRouge,saidshe “is continuing to evaluate ways we can assist”regarding Louisiana’s shortageofseasonal migrant workers. U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields, DBaton Rouge, also said he is “workingtofind asolution”tothe problem and last week sent aletter to DHSurging immediate action.
“These businesses followed the standard applicationprocess, as they have every year,and were still left without the workers they depend on,” Fields said.
Democratic U.S. RepTroyCarter, of New Orleans, had asimilar view
“WhenLouisiana crawfish processors are reporting zero seasonal workers approved through the H-2B visa program, it’sclear something is broken,” Carter said.
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-jefferson, did not return requests forcomment.
Business owners, immigration attorneys andadvocates notedthat employers only use theH-2Bvisa programafterthey’ve shown the Department of Labor that there aren’t enough American workers available to do acertain job.
Youngsaidthe H-2B programis expensive forbusinesses, many of whom use it as “a last chance, a last resort.”
“Crawfish processing is very seasonal,” Benoit said.“It’s a three-month job. It’s hard to get an American to come to workfor just threemonths. And thenit’shard, you’re on your feet all daypeeling crawfish. It’s just not ajob that mostAmericans want.”
The federal government also haswagerequirements foremployers using the program. Benoit would have to paymigrant workers at his plant about $14 an hour this year
“All of these jobs are advertised andavailable to anyAmerican citizen that wants to comeand do them,” saidBrown. “It’snot displacing American workers, and we’ve proven that fordecades now.”
BY JAN RISHER Staff writer
Olivia Parker thought she was just throwing a good party Her boyfriend, Trent Robertson, had moved into a place right on the Wearin’ of the Green parade route on Hundred Oaks Avenue in Baton Rouge. She had been telling friends and family for nearly a year, “When St. Patrick’s Day rolls around, we are doing this right.”
She said she never once suspected the party she was planning had a different purpose entirely: a proposal.
Then, a banner dropped.
“I looked at it, and I said, ‘Oh my gosh,’” she recalled.
“And I started freaking out.
I was like, ‘Wait, this is very serious, and there are probably a lot of people looking at me right now I needed to lock in.’”
On Saturday, as the Wearin’ of the Green parade rolled past, a float carrying several familiar faces caught her attention. She and her boyfriend walked out toward the float, she thought to greet friends.
Work requirements coming next year
BY EMILY WOODRUFF Staff writer
Louisiana health officials expect about 21,000 people in the state will lose Medicaid coverage when new work requirements for the program take effect next year, a projection that is lower than estimates from outside groups of far larger coverage losses.
The rule that certain people receiving Medicaid demonstrate they are working, in school, in job training or volunteering to keep their coverage was part of the recently passed federal law H.R. 1, also known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” In Louisiana, about 1 in 3 people rely on Medicaid for health care coverage.
The state Health Department’s estimate, announced at a budget meeting Monday, is based on how many people the requirements apply to and how many people are already meeting work requirements, said Health Secretary Bruce Greenstein, who called some sharply higher estimates “the absolute worst-case scenario.” Some of those analyses, drawing on national data and past state experiences, estimated coverage losses in Louisiana could reach tens of thousands more — in some cases over 100,000 people — if people who are eligible for Medicaid lose coverage because of paperwork issues.
The state is already seeing a sharp decline in Medicaid enrollment following the end of pandemic-era protections, which kept people from being kicked off the program until April 2023. Louisiana’s Medicaid rolls grew from around 1.5 million in February 2020 to 1.9 million in March 2023, then dropped to 1.4 million by November 2025, according to federal data compiled by Kaiser Family Foundation.
That decline leaves enrollment 6% below pre-pandemic levels, making Louisiana one of a relatively small number of states with fewer enrollees than before COVID-19. In an interview, Greenstein and Medicaid Director Seth Gold said about 320,000 of 1.51 million Louisiana Medicaid enrollees would fall into the group required to meet the work requirements, meaning they are not exempt through disability, age or having young children.
To get to their estimate, state officials subtracted people who are already meeting the requirements or are expected to qualify for exemptions About 132,000 people are already working, based on wage data. About 18,000 meet similar requirements through SNAP,
ä See MEDICAID, page 2B
The video of the moment shows Parker a Baton Rouge native, LSU Law School graduate and parade devotee, bursting into tears.
She said she had no idea.
“My friends have been laughing at me all weekend because I was not suspicious at all,” she said on Monday
The parade route, it turns out, has been the backdrop for nearly every major chapter of their relationship.
Her grandfather was
among the first members of the Irish Club when the parade was established. In their third year of law school, she and Robertson rode together on the law school float. And it was at the parade in 2023 that Robertson officially asked her to be his girlfriend.
Robertson, a Shreveport native who met Parker in their first year at LSU Law School, had spent months engineering the surprise.
After graduating in 2024, he had worked in Shreveport before landing a job in Baton Rouge. Parker first spotted the opportunity for the parade party when she toured the rental property before he signed the lease. From that moment, the party was her idea. Robertson just had a different kind of moment in mind. Friends flew in. Family
BY OLIVIA TEES Staff writer
found not guilty in rape, voyeurism retrial Jury issues decision after deliberating for over two hours
BY CLAIRE GRUNEWALD Staff writer
A Baton Rouge couple wanted for allegedly shooting a restaurant owner over a wrong order were arrested in Houston last week.
Daylin Woods, 18, was wanted in connection with attempted second-de-
CRIME BLOTTER staff reports
gree murder aggravated criminal damage to property and illegal use of weapons. Savannah Spears, 21, was wanted in connection with principal to all the above charges.
Police initially responded to a woman who had been shot once in the abdomen at LJK Roun 2 Cafe on 1183 S. Flannery Road on Feb
2. She was identified as the owner of the restaurant and was taken to Our Lady of the Lake Hospital for treatment.
According to video surveillance from the restaurant, Woods and Spears walked into the restaurant, ordered food, paid and left Minutes later, Woods called the restaurant to complain that his order was incorrect. According to the warrant for his arrest, Woods spoke to the cashier who had served them He became argumentative and started using vulgar language, prompting the cashier to end the call.
Woods and Spears returned to the restaurant and were confrontational, using threatening and profane language The cashier offered to remake their food but Woods and Spears continued to shout, according to police. At this point
Woods placed his firearm
Continued from page 1B
on the counter
The cashier went to the kitchen to get the owner and told her the code word “boudin,” which meant to call the police and that there was danger in the restaurant, according to the warrant Before going back to the counter, the owner told the cashier the dishwasher and a juvenile employee to hide in the walk-in freezer
The owner went to the counter and hit a hidden button that called the police. As she tried to talk down Woods and Spears, the confrontation escalated and the owner said she armed herself with her personal firearm. At some point, Woods and the owner exchanged gunfire, and she was shot in the abdomen, according to police. Woods and Spears went to leave, with Woods firing two additional shots at the exterior of the restaurant, according to police.
The cashier and the other employees exited the freezer after they heard gunshots and found the restaurant owner shot
Suspect arrested in fatal shooting
A 23-year-old was arrested Tuesday in connection with the shooting death of a man who was found fatally injured in his vehicle, according to Baton Rouge police.
De’Morie Jones was booked into East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on counts of first-degree murder and armed robbery
The victim, Marcus Franklin, 44, whose body was found in his vehicle
drove in. His cousins from Little Rock, Arkansas, and Shreveport arrived — their cover story
being a trip to see the Savannah Bananas in New Orleans, which they actually ended up doing Parker said that nothing raised a flag in her mind. After all why would it? A spot on the parade route, people who love her, St Patrick’s Day
The ring and future plans
The ring she says is something else It belonged to Robertson’s great-great-greatgrandmother a vintage piece, unique and deeply sentimental.
“It’s beautiful, it’s unique and I love vintage and antique jewelry,” she said. “And nobody else has one like it.”
The couple is eyeing a May 2027 wedding in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.
As for next year’s parade? A close friend has an accepted offer on a house along the route. The tradition, Parker said, is planned to be a permanent fixture in their story
Email Jan Risher at jan risher@theadvocate.com.
in the 3300 block of Woodcrest Drive the morning of March 11 died of a gunshot wound, police said in a news release.
Two employees wanted in tech theft
Two men are wanted by police for stealing thousands of dollars of technology from an Amazon warehouse by stuffing it down their pants, according to arrest warrants.
They stole the merchandise while working at the Amazon Fulfillment Center at the former Cortana Mall.
Byron Johnson, 33, allegedly stole $6,346 worth of gadgets between June 30 and Aug. 28, 2025. Javontay Seals, 21, allegedly stole $1,196 worth of merchandise on July 7 and 23, 2025.
The Amazon loss prevention team contacted both men after they were fired, and both admitted they stole the merchandise by stuffing it down the front of their pants.
Johnson told the loss prevention team he stole over $22,000 worth of merchandise, but video surveillance only saw the $6,346 in Apple and Samsung products.
Seals told the loss prevention team he stole over $3,000 worth of products because he was homeless and had “lots of children to provide child support for.”
Between the two men, they stole nine AirPods, three iPads, two Apple watches, two iPhones, two Samsung phones and one digital scale.
Baton Rouge police have obtained a warrant for both men’s arrests.
Trent Robertson surprised his girlfriend Olivia Parker with a proposal during the Wearin’ of the Green parade in Baton Rouge on Saturday.
and others may qualify for exemptions based on medical conditions.
After those adjustments, officials estimate roughly 125,000 to 130,000 people may need to take an additional step to verify work, training or volunteer activity
The state then applied national estimates of how many people typically comply with similar requirements to arrive at the projected 21,000 people who could lose coverage
Greenstein said the state expects losses to be lower than in earlier work requirement experiences in other states, such as Arkansas, because Louisiana plans to rely more on automatic verification. There were several logistical issues with Arkansas’ setup, such as a website that was only operable from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“We just don’t think that extrapolating the Arkansas experience is worth much more than extrapolating the performance of the Flintstones’ family car to a Tesla today,” Greenstein said. “It’s not even apples and oranges. It’s like pebbles and fruit.”
The state plans to expand outreach, including through social media, to make sure people understand the new requirements and deadlines. Louisiana is working with its workforce development system to provide job placement, resume assistance and training programs.
“The goal is not to get rid of people from Medicaid,” Greenstein said. “It’s to help Louisianians move from dependence to independence.”
Michael Karpman, a researcher at the Urban Institute who has authored reports on the work requirement impacts, described a loss of 21,000 as “very opti-
Continued from page 1B
charges from the original conviction.
The jury began deliberating late Tuesday following closing arguments.
Prosecutors and defense attorneys painted two different pictures of a 17-minute video of the alleged rape during their closing arguments Tuesday in the retrial of Curtin, which is connected to the case of ex-sheriff’s deputy and convicted child sex abuser Dennis Perkins.
Prosecutor Cassidy Smith, with the Attorney General’s Office, honed in on the first “nine minutes and 59 seconds” of the video where the alleged victim didn’t move during sexual activity.
“If a picture is worth 1,000 words, then a lewd and lascivious video won’t shut up,” Smith told jurors about the video of Perkins, Curtin and the alleged victim.
While Jeanna Wheat, a
mistic.”
“It’s lower than the coverage loss that we project under our high-mitigation scenario,” Karpman said, referring to modeling that accounts for states taking key steps, like automatic verifications, to keep people from falling off the Medicaid rolls unnecessarily
In an analysis released in April, the Urban Institute estimated up to 132,000 adults in Louisiana would lose Medicaid under work requirements. National estimates from the Congressional Budget Office said the requirements would result in 4.8 million people without health insurance by 2034.
Karpman said the work requirement will result in people who still qualify losing coverage because of stricter paperwork policies
“Many people are projected to lose coverage even though they are working or could potentially qualify for an exemption,” Karpman said.
Efforts to automate
Louisiana plans to verify eligibility and work activity using existing data sources, including wage data and medical claims, to reduce the need for people to submit paperwork.
Officials said about 40% to 50% of Medicaid renewals are already completed automatically using existing data. Under the new system, information about income or medical conditions could be pre-filled during the renewal process. For example, wage data could be used to confirm employment, and medical claims could be used to identify people who qualify for exemptions.
If the state already has that information, beneficiaries would not need to take additional steps.
Officials said the work requirement will also be built into the standard application and renewal process, rather than requiring separate
defense attorney, argued that the alleged victim, after those nearly 10 minutes, was moving their hands to participate in the sexual activity in a way
“Does that seem like nonvoluntary control to you?
It didn’t to me,” Wheat told jurors. She also spoke about Perkins’ sexual history involving women pretending to be asleep during sex.
“Dennis Perkins has a documented sleep kink,” she said.
Curtin, a former real estate agent and a former employee of the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, was one of the defendants to face charges following a probe into Perkins.
Perkins and his ex-wife, Cynthia, a former parish schoolteacher, were convicted of varying degrees of sex crimes involving children, ranging from child pornography to inserting bodily fluids onto cupcakes served to junior high students.
Curtin’s case does not involve children.
monthly reporting.
‘We worry about everyone’ Research from the postCOVID period has shown that many people lose coverage because of administrative issues rather than ineligibility, including missed notices or difficulty completing paperwork.
In Louisiana, sometimes that’s because a person moves around a lot or is displaced because of a hurricane.
Greenstein said the state is trying to stop that from happening through automation
But it’s not clear how many people might drop off who still qualify, he said.
“We don’t know the answer to tell you the truth, and it’s concerning,” Greenstein said. “We worry about everyone on the program.”
Officials said more detailed information about how the program will work will be released over the next year as the state prepares for its start in January Staff writer Meghan Friedmann contributed to this report.
Email Emily Woodruff at ewoodruff@theadvocate. com.
FROM WIRE REPORTS
Amazon offers new deliveries for a charge
NEW YORK Amazon said Tuesday that it has started offering faster U.S. deliveries of selected products for a fee, including pantry staples, clothing, overthe-counter medications, cleaning supplies and electronics.
The announcement comes as Amazon is seeing increased competition from Walmart and is also looking to satisfy shoppers’ increasing demands for faster delivery
The e-commerce colossus said customers in more than 2,000 cities, towns and suburban areas can now choose to have orders from its speedyshipment inventory of 90,000 items delivered in three hours
The charge is $4.99 for Amazon Prime members and $14.99 for nonmembers.
One-hour delivery slots are available in hundreds of places, including major metropolitan areas like Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington, and smaller cities such as Des Moines, Iowa and Boise, Idaho, the company said. Prime members will get charged $9.99 for the service, which costs nonmembers $19.99, Amazon said.
BBC asks court to dismiss Trump’s lawsuit
LONDON The BBC filed a motion Monday asking a U.S court to dismiss President Donald Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against it, warning that the case could have a “chilling effect” on robust reporting on public figures and events.
The suit was filed in a Florida court, but the British national broadcaster argued that the court did not have jurisdiction, nor could Trump show that the BBC intended to misrepresent him.
Trump filed a lawsuit in December over the way a BBC documentary edited a speech he gave on Jan. 6, 2021 The claim seeks $5 billion in damages for defamation and a further $5 billion for unfair trade practices.
Last month a judge at the federal court for the Southern District of Florida provisionally set a trial date for February 2027.
The BBC argued that the case should be thrown out because the documentary was never aired in Florida or the U.S In a 34-page document, the BBC also argued that Trump failed to “plausibly allege facts showing that defendants knowingly intended to create a false impression.”
The document further claimed that “the chilling effect is clear” when Trump is “among the most powerful and high-profile individuals in the world, on whose activities the BBC reports every day.”
The documentary, titled “Trump: A Second Chance?”, was aired days before the 2024 U S. presidential election
Closing arguments begin in Twitter trial
SAN FRANCISCO Closing arguments kicked off Tuesday in a trial pitting Elon Musk against Twitter shareholders who say the world’s richest man engaged in a pattern of deceptive behavior that misled investors as he attempted to back out of his $44 billion deal to buy the social media platform in 2022.
The civil trial in San Francisco centers on a class-action lawsuit filed just before Musk took control of Twitter which he later renamed X, in October 2022, six months after agreeing to buy the embattled company for $44 billion, or $54.20 per share. The price represents a sliver of the Tesla CEO’s fortune, now estimated at $839 billion.
Much of the trial focused on Musk’s claims about the number of bots on Twitter Musk testified, as he long contended, that Twitter had a much higher number of fake and spam accounts than the 5% it disclosed in regulatory filings. He used what he called Twitter’s misrepresentation of the number of fake accounts on its service as a reason to retreat from the purchase
U.S. crude surpasses $96 a barrel
BY STAN CHOE Associated Press
NEW YORK Oil prices continued to climb on Tuesday because of the war with Iran, but U.S stocks held steadier this time around.
The S&P 500 rose 0.2% to add to its gain from the day before, which was its biggest since the war began.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 46 points, or 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite rose 0.5%.
It’s a break, for now at least, from the usual playbook since the start of the war, where stock prices have tended to go in the opposite direc-
tion of oil prices. The fear in financial markets has been that a longterm disruption to the global flow of oil could send prices so high for so long that it damages the global economy Not only would higher gasoline prices sap households’ budgets, it could also push companies to pass on their own higher transportation costs to customers.
On Tuesday, the price for a barrel of benchmark U.S. crude rose 2.9% to settle at $96.21. Brent crude, the international standard climbed 3.2% to $103.42. But they pared even bigger gains from earlier in the morning, and they’re either roughly where they were at the end of last week or below Delta Air Lines offered an encouraging signal about the
strength of the economy after raising its forecast for revenue for the first three months of 2026. It said it’s seen demand to fly accelerate into March from both businesses and households. And that looks to be enough to offset higher prices for jet fuel because of the spike in oil prices.
Delta said it still expects to report a profit for the start of 2026 that’s in line with its earlier forecast.
Delta’s stock flew 6.6% higher, and it helped other airline stocks trim their own sharp losses for the year so far United Airlines climbed 3.2%, and Southwest Airlines rose 2.2%.
American Airlines gained 3.5% after saying it’s also likely to report stronger revenue growth for
the start of this year than it had forecast earlier
Another big winner was Uber Technologies, which drove 4.2% higher after announcing an expansion of its partnership with Nvidia. They plan to launch a fleet of autonomous vehicles using Nvidia’s technology, beginning with Los Angeles and San Francisco in the first half of next year
Some beaten-down stocks in the financial industry, meanwhile, recovered losses from earlier in the year That includes several that got swept up in worries about whether software businesses and others potentially under threat by AI-powered competitors will pay back all their loans. Blue Owl Capital gained 4.5%, and Ares Management rose 6.6%.
Winter weather snarled schedules across country
BY EMIILIE MEGNIEN and RIO YAMAT Associated Press
ATLANTA Travel disruptions continued Tuesday in the U.S. as airlines worked to recover from a powerful storm system that had already snarled flight schedules a day earlier Carriers canceled more than 1,000 U.S. flights on Tuesday and delayed about 4,200 others, according to flight-tracking site FlightAware. The disruptions were most severe at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, with over 200 flights canceled and roughly 450 delayed.
The disruptions follow a chaotic Monday for air travel, triggered by powerful storms that dumped snow by the foot in the Midwest and swept through the eastern half of the country leading to thousands of cancellations at major hubs, including in New York, Chicago and Atlanta Gusts approached 50 mph in parts of New York, the National Weather Service said.
Kelly Price, who was trying to get home to Colorado after a family vacation in Orlando, Florida, said her Sunday night flight wasn’t canceled until early Monday
“By that time, the only place for us to sleep was the airport floor So we’re all tired and frustrated,” she said, adding that the soonest flight she and her family could book doesn’t leave until Tuesday afternoon.
Air travel was already under pressure before the storms. A partial government shutdown that began Feb. 14 has thinned staffing at some security checkpoints, at times leading to longer lines. And airports are crowded with spring break travelers and fans heading to March Madness, the annual NCAA men’s and women’s college basketball tournaments.
On Monday alone, more than 4,800 U.S. flights were canceled Delays topped 12,800. They included about 600 canceled flights at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, more than 500 at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson and roughly 450 at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, according to FlightAware. The Federal Aviation Administration also issued ground stops and delays at several major airports as conditions worsened.
The storms also unfolded just as airport security screeners missed their first full paycheck over the weekend. The ongoing shutdown affects only the Department of Homeland Security, which includes the Transportation Security Administration.
Democrats in Congress have said Homeland Security won’t get funded until new restrictions are placed on federal immigration operations following the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis earlier this year
It is the third shutdown in less than a year to leave TSA workers temporarily without pay Once the government reopens, employees will have to wait for back pay
Some airports have reported longer security lines due to staffing shortages as more TSA workers take on second jobs, can’t afford gas to get to work or leave the profession altogether Homeland Security has said more than 300 TSA agents have quit since the shutdown began.
In Atlanta, Mel Stewart and his wife arrived four hours earlier than usual on Monday for their flight out of Hartsfield-Jackson to make up for longer TSA lines.
“I think it’s being politicized way too much
— way too much,” Stewart said of the shutdown. “And these people are working. They work hard, and for TSA people not to get paid, that’s silly.”
Outside the Atlanta airport, TSA union leaders held a news conference Monday warning that air travelers could face increasingly long wait times as the shutdown continues. Supporters held signs reading, “We want a paycheck, not a rain check.”
Many TSA workers “are coping with eviction notices, vehicle repossessions, empty refrigerators and overdrawn bank accounts,” said Aaron Barker, a local leader with the American Federation of Government Employees. Even so, he said many officers continue reporting to work despite mounting financial strain.
Yamat reported from Las Vegas. Associated Press reporters Margery A. Beck in Omaha, Nebraska, and Audrey McAvoy in Honolulu contributed to this report.
BY LARRY NEUMEISTER Associated Press
NEW YORK Bank of America has tentatively settled a lawsuit claiming it ignored suspicious financial transactions involving Jeffrey Epstein while he was sexually abusing hundreds of girls and women.
The proposed settlement was revealed in filings in Manhattan federal court on Monday, the same day that billionaire financier Leon Black was originally scheduled to be deposed in the case. Terms were not disclosed. The bank declined to comment through a spokesperson.
Though not a defendant, Black was recently described as a “critical witness” in the case by Sigrid McCawley, a lawyer for Epstein victims. During a hearing last week,
a lawyer for Black persuaded Judge Jed S. Rakoff to postpone Black’s deposition for 10 days on the grounds that the parties were close to settling. The lawyer Michael Carlinsky, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday In a statement, McCawley paid tribute to the “brave and fearless voices” of Epstein victims, saying their “road to justice” has been long and trying, but the Bank of America settlement “is one more step on the road to much deserved justice.” The October lawsuit accused the bank of ignoring $170 million Black paid from a Bank of America account to Epstein purportedly for “tax and estate planning advice.” It said the bank ignored “numerous red flags” of improper finan-
cial dealings, and “went far beyond what a non-complicit bank would have done and instead assisted Epstein in setting up the necessary financial structure to operate his sex-trafficking venture.”
The lawsuit, brought on behalf of a woman identified in court papers only as Jane Doe and “all others similarly situated,” said the woman was living in Russia when she met Epstein in 2011 and was “coerced into a cultlike life.”
It said she was paid by Epstein through a Bank of America account as she was controlled “financially, emotionally, and psychologically” by Epstein from 2011 through 2019 as he sexually abused her on at least 100 occasions, including raping her and forcing her to engage sexually with other women for his sexual gratification.
The lawsuit alleged that Epstein paid her rent and income from a phony job through a Bank of America account, and held her immigration status “over her head, until her ultimate escape when Jeffrey Epstein died.”
Epstein died in a federal jail in August 2019 as he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide. He was known for his connections with wealthy and powerful men, and the lawsuit said he used it to his advantage in his attacks on women.
The recent Justice Department release of millions of pages of documents from law enforcement probes of Epstein show he had regular contact with CEOs, journalists, scientists and prominent politicians long after his 2008 conviction in state court in Florida on sex crimes charges.
PHOTO PROVIDEDByWWL-TV
NewOrleanspolice investigateadouble shootingatthe intersection of Carondelet and Common streets on Jan. 17, 2024. Sevenweekslater, Robbie Johnson wasarrested for an unrelated incident with agun in his waistband that ballistics testing later tied to the fatal shooting.
Stuntrider killed in Hollygrove drive-by shooting
BY MATT BRUCE Staff writer
When acaravan of New Orleans policeofficers jumped out to corral Robbie Johnson outside aHollygrove corner store in March 2024, he had agun tucked in his waistband that ballistics testing tied to afatal triple shooting seven weeks prior
Thedrive-byshooting claimed the life of Seth Chedville, apopular stunt artist. The 18-year-oldBelle Chase daredevil loved riding through the streets of New Orleans on his dirt bike, popping wheelies and doing other fanciful tricks. He was killed when agunman fired into the parking lot of aShell gasstationin New Orleans East.
Johnson’sattorney argued Monday that there wasnoprobable causefor his arrest, while seekingto have the gun excluded from Johnson’slooming trial for Chedville’skilling. Criminal District Judge Camille Buras denied the motion, ruling the weapon admissible.
Johnson, 18, is the youngest of four defendants facing first-degree murder and attempted murder charges in the Jan. 14, 2024, shooting.
Chedville and twoothers were struck by bullets outside aShell gas stationat Chef Menteur Highway and Downman Road. All three were rushed by ambulance to University Medical Center,where Chedvilledied the following morning. Johnson was afew weeks
shy of his 16th birthday in March2024whensix New Orleans Police Department patrol officers descended upon him in the 2900 block of EagleStreet, ledthere by an officermonitoring surveillancecameras from thecity’sReal-TimeCrime Center.
NOPDDetectiveMakayla Dulaney testified that she noticed Johnson over video with ahand in ajacket pocket,adjusting somethingin his pants as he walked with another teen.She tookitto be agun and briefed the cops patrolling the area; her hunch proved right It was against Louisiana lawatthe time for adultsto carry aconcealed gun without apermit and remains illegal, in most instances, forjuveniles to carry concealed weapons.
From Johnson, police seized apistolwith an extended magazine that police claim was one of three guns used in the shooting that left Chedville dead.
According to apolice affidavit, gasstation surveillanceshowed multiple peopleshooting froma silver Mitsubishi Eclipse. One of theshooters exitedand fired more gunshots before the SUVsped off. Thevehicle was spotted leaving ahouse on Skyview Drive beforethe shooting. New Orleans SWAT officers raided the house days later and found four guns, one of which was police tied to the homicide.
During theraid, police arrestedJohnson’sthree alleged accomplices BrycesonJones, Derrick Ivyand Darrius Jenkins. Those three men have been charged in aseparate doubleshootinginthe Central
Business District on Jan 17, 2024 —littlemore than 48 hours after Chedville gasped his lastbreath Shooting in theCBD
In that case, twopeople werewoundedwhenshooterspulled up in astolen ChevySilverado to Carondelet and Common streets and fired abarrage of bullets Investigatorslater found the torched Silverado abandoned beneaththe Seabrook Bridge with several spent shell casings inside.
Policetiedthe shooting to an organized crew of teenagecarjackers that roved thePoydras Street corridor stealing vehicles left running andunattended near theSuperdome, Caesars casino and in front of hotels. Jones, Jenkins andIvy were all indicted on two counts apiece of attempted murder in that case.
Admissibilityofthe gun
Robbie Johnson was not charged in relation to the CBD shooting. He’salso deniedany involvementin Chedville’sslaying, according to courtrecordsshow
Public defender Aaron Zagory argued that an “officer’sbest guess” from a crime center across town wasn’tenough to target Johnson
Detective Dulaney testified that she recognized Johnson as ajuvenile when she spotted him on surveillance footage from previousauto theft andburglary cases.
Buras found that the video the detectivesaw “was sufficient to justify officer Dulaney’ssuspicions.”
Email Matt Bruce at matt bruce@theadvocate.com.
BY MATT BRUCE Staff writer
The Louisiana Supreme Court has rejected amultimilliondollar paydayfor one of NewOrleans’ most prominent attorneys and political players, after two Lo uisiana courts found his former business partner had unfairly excluded him from alucrativedeal withthe Port of New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina.
The high court said attorney Ike Spears didn’tearn his share of a$5million contingencyfee because he did little to no casework to help attorney William Hall secure FEMA reimbursements for the port’srebuild after the storm.
“This case illustrates a notorious problem in our profession,”Justice Jay McCallum wrote in Friday’s opinion, quotinga2010 law journal article. “‘Despite their many advantages, cocounsel relationships sometimes go terribly awry and the lawyers …winduppitted against one another like scorpions in abottle.’ ” Spears had twice prevailed in Orleans Parish Civil District Court, and a panel of appeals court judges agreed, finding in January that Hall “breached hisfiduciary duty” to Spears, blockinghim fromparticipating in the port litigation.
Both courtsordered Hall to pay half of his earnings —morethan $2.5million —along with attorney fees, court costs and at least 15 yearsofinterest.Hall’sattorneys pegged the judgment amount at about $5 million.
Butthe Supreme Court was unanimous this month in finding Spears had nixed his deal withHall when he backed out of it.
“AfterMr. Spearsdeclined
to participate in the joint representation of thePort, the joint ventureorother contractualrelationshipbetween Mr.Spearsand Mr Hall was extinguished, along with anyassociated obligations,”the order states.
NeitherSpears norhis attorney,Dominick Impastato, responded to requests for comment. DaneCiolino, Hall’sattorney,said the court’sdecision could help clarify howattorney fees getdivvied.
“Some lawyers(want) to getpaidfor doing no work, forjustdelivering clients and this makes it clear that that’snot going to be allowed,” Ciolino said. “Ike Spears didn’tdoany work in this case, and he came awfully close to getting a$5 million fee for doing nothing.”
Spearsisawell-known attorney andpolitical consultant with close ties to formerCongressman Cedric Richmond, aNew Orleans Democrat who went on to serveinthe WhiteHouse under former President Joe Biden. Last year,Richmond played akey role in Helena Moreno’smayoral victory and co-chaired her transition team.
Spears handled some legal matters for the port before Hurricane Katrina andhad worked with several of its commissioners. After the storm, he approached Hall to team up on legal work for the port.
According to his 2010 lawsuit, Spears introduced Hall to decision-makers like GeraldGussoni Jr., andGary LaGrange, the port’sexecutive attorney and president at the time. Spears arranged an October 2005 meeting where he andHall pitched their representation to the twomen.
Twomonths later,the port’s boardawarded alegal services contract to Halland Spears. Spearsand Hall initially planned to work on the FEMA claims and catastrophe losses in tandem.
But Spearsbacked out aboutsix months later.Port officialshad refused to give the duo apercentage feeon future settlements, instead settlingonafixed, $200 hourly wage. At abench trialin2023, Halltestified that Spears said he was “not interested in doing any chicken s*** hourly work.”
Spears said he didn’trecall using such strong language but madeclear he wouldn’t work for hourlypay and didn’tsign the contract. Dayslater,Hall entered into an hourly-wage agreement without him. Butthe termsofthat dealwould change as adispute with theport’sinsurers prompted Halltoenlist help.Hebrought in William “Chip” Merlin,aFloridabased attorney experienced in insurance litigation. Like Spears, Merlin refused to work by thehour. Gussoni, the port’sexecutiveattorney,testifiedthat the board agreed to pay him acontingency fee for his expertise.
Hall said Gussonitold him to keep the deal from Spears,whomthe portwas in theprocess of suingfor malpractice, according to theSupreme Court order Theport sued Spears abouta week before it executed the contingency contract with Halland Merlin. Gussoni, in hisdepositions, said he didn’trecall telling Hallnot to share therenewedcontract with Spears. Port officials reached a $117.5 million settlement with its insurerin2008. Hall’s share of theattorney fees was about$5.1 million—minus $900,000 he’d already been paid in hourly wages. Spearsclaimed abreach of their “joint venture” and sought half of Hall’s settlementfee, claiming he wouldn’thave securedthe contract without him.
Whenyou’recomparing plans ...
Medicare doesn’tpay for dental care.1
That’s right. As good as Medicare is,itwas never meanttocover everything. That means if youwant protection, youneed to purchase individual insurance.
Early detectioncan prevent small problemsfrom becomingexpensive ones
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The best way to preventlarge dental bills is preventive care. TheAmerican Dental Association recommends checkupstwiceayear.
Consider these national average costsof treatment. $274for acheckup $299 for afilling $1,471 foracrown.3 Unexpected bills likethiscan be areal burden, especially if you’reonafixed income Look forcoveragethat helps pay formajor services. Some plans maylimit thenumber of procedures —orpay forpreventive care only. Look forcoveragewithnodeductibles. Some
Blanchard, Louis
St.HelenaCatholic Church at 11am
Dupont,James St.John theEvangelistCatholic Church in Plaquemineat11a.m
Hebert,Daniel
Landry,
Nolan-Morgan, Kimberly
St.IsidoreCatholic Church at 11am
Spera, Mary
St.JosephCathedral,401 Main St.at 10am.
Jenkins, Janet LeDoux
JanetLeDoux Jenkins, 74, of Baton Rouge, affectionately known as "Grammy," passed away peacefully on March 13, 2026 with her loving family by her side. Born on April 26, 1951, in Eunice, Louisiana, Janet was the daughter of Mary Cormier LeDoux and Leroy LeDoux. She was the only girl and dearly cherished her two brothers. She was aproud graduate of Eunice High School, Class of 1969, and earned both her bachelor's degree in elementary education and her master's degree from Louisiana State University. As akindergarten teacherfor more than 30 years, Janet dedicated her life to positivelyinfluencing and shaping the minds of countless children with patience, wit, and love. While teaching, she fatefully met her future husband, Larry, when he came to pick up his nephew, Chad, from her classroom. She was beloved by her students, their parents, and fellow educators. Before retiring, she spent her final three years serving as the school librarian. She had alifelong love of reading and antiques. Janet was adevout Catholicand amember of St. George Catholic Church. She taught CCD classes and was areader at Mass for many years. In recent years, she found great peace in participating in her rosary group. Her greatest joy was her two beautiful grandchildren, Jayce and James. Janet al-
Thursday,March19, 2026, at Resthaven Funeral Home. Visitation willtake placefrom 6:00p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Visitationwill continue at St. George CatholicChurchonFriday, March 20, 2026,beginning at 10:00a.m. until arosary at 11:00 a.m. and Mass of ChristianBurial at 11:30 a.m. Burial to followatSt. George CatholicChurch Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. Janetwillbedeeply missed by allwho knew and loved her.Family and friends may signthe online guestbookorleave apersonal note to the family at www.resthavenbatonroug e.com.
Corinne"Tutty" Babin Landrypassed away on March15, 2026 at The Crossing at Clarity Hospice in Baton Rouge, LA at the age of 94. Sheloved and worshiped God her entire life. Being adevoted homemaker, she loved her family and especially family gatherings whereshe took thousands of pictures of her loved ones with pride and joy. Shealsoloved her dailyvisits to Walmart, watching the Saints, playing solitaire, word search books, watching tennis and The Bold and the Beautiful. She was alifelongresident of Morganza where she raised her 6 children.Preceded in death by her husband Ace Landry, her brotherBoy Babin, hersister Sue Angelloz, her parents O'Neil John Sr. and Corinne Truxillo Babin.Also preceded in death by her grandson James LandryJr, and great grandsons Blaise Landry and Karson Mascaro and dear lifelong friend Gladys LeBlanc. Corinne is survived by her 6children LouisLandry(Rusti), John Landry(Janie), Jesse Landry (Trina),James Landry, Charles Landry (Cindy)and Beany Thibodeaux(Keith). She is also
survived by 17 grandchildren,19great grandchildren and 10 greatgreat grandchildren. Corinnewill be greatly missed by her family and everyone who was blessed to knowher. VisitationwillbeatSt. Ann's Catholic Church, in Morganza from 9:am until Mass of ChristianBurial at 11:00am on Saturday, March 21, 2026, celebrated by Father Babu. Entombment willfollow in the church Mausoleum. The family wouldliketogive special thanks to thestaff at The Crossing at Clarity Hospice on Bluebonnet BlvdinBaton Rouge.
Landry, Patty AnnFitzhugh
PattyAnn Fitzhugh
Landry left us to start her eternal life in the house of theLordonTuesday, March 10, 2026, at theage of 78. She leavesbehind her belovedhusband of 35 years, Mark Landry Hutch"; children, Wendy Leteff (Dawn Anderson), and Warren Leteff,Jr.; treasured grandchildren, Hailey and Adam Leteff, Clinton Bergeron, Kelsie Price (Liam), and Keith "Bubba" Werkheiser,Jr. (Josephine Rogalsky); great-grandchildren, Mia, Liam, and GraysonPrice, and Ryder Werkheiser; and ahost of otherloving family members and friends. Pattyispreceded in death by her parents, T.J.and Essie Fitzhugh; sister, Jeanette John "J.J. Visitation willbeatGreenoaks Funeral Home, 9595 Florida Blvd.,Baton Rouge, LA, on Thursday, March 19, 2026, from12:30pm until the time of funeralservices at 2pm. Burial will immediately follow at Greenoaks Memorial Park.
Reynolds J. Roth, anative of Plaquemine, LA, and aresident of Addis, LA, passed away on March 6, 2026, at theage of 61. He was alongtime riverboat deckhand and most recently amaintenance worker at Choctaw Mobile Home and RV Park. Reynolds enjoyed hunting, fishing, and crawfishing
He is preceded in death by his father, John Reynolds Roth Jr;and stepfather, Orey F. Alexander.
He is survivedbylongtime significant other, BrandiAlbert; sons, Corey Roth (Wife Lauren) and Hunter Roth; stepsonGage Albert;mother, Irene Hebert Alexander; brothers, Dwayne Roth (Wife Marsha) and Terry Alexander(Wife Sue-Anne); stepsister, D'Ette Himel(Husband Mike); granddaughters, PaigeRoth, Harper Roth, and Hannah Roth.Also survivedbynumerous nieces, nephews, as well as greatnieces and great nephews.
ACelebrationofLife gathering willbeheldat theLion's Club in Plaquemine,LAon3/28/2026 from 11a.m. -4 p.m. Allfriends and family are invitedto join in remembrance of Reynolds.
It is with sadness that we announce thepassing of Charles W. (Billy) Smith at theage of 91. He was a resident of Jackson, LA and is predeceased by hisparentsAlbert D. (Bud) Smith and Thelma L. Smith. He is survivedbyhis wife Patriciaof68years, twosons
Lindsey and Lyleand three granddaughters: Sophia, Luciaand Camille
Serviceswill be held on Friday, March 20th at Our Lady of PerpetualHelp Catholic Church in Jackson, LA. Visitationis scheduled for 10am, Mass at 11am followed by burial at OurLady of Mount Carmel Cemetery in Saint Francisville "Billy" was agraduate of McKowenHigh School, Louisiana State University and Pennsylvania State University. He wasaneducator havingservedasa teacher,counselor,principal,professor andDeanof theCollegeofEducation at LSUand Texas Tech University. He also served as theAssistant Superintendent for the State DepartmentofEducation.After retirement he served as Headmaster at Wilkinson County Christian Academy (WCCA). Before retirement he wasanactive member of numerous professional educational organizations. Additionallyin1961 he was calledupbythe Louisiana NationalGuard to serve in theeventofneedduring theBerlinWall crisis. He wasa parishioner at Our Lady of PerpetualHelp Catholic Church in Jackson for many decades.
Mary AshySpera of Baton Rouge passedawayon March12, 2026, at theage of 107. Shewas truly "one of akind",known for her abidinglove of family, attention to detail, andher
years of wisdom.She hada deep faithand was amemberofSt. Joseph Cathedral. Shewas preceded in death by herhusband, Joseph John Spera; herparents, Edward and Catherine Ashy; two sons, Edward and Charles Spera; and twodaughters-in-law, Holly Speraand BobbieSpera Sheissurvivedbyfive grandchildren: Patrick Speraand wife Eva, Edward Spera, Jr.and wife Linda, all of Texas, Melissa Guilloryand husband John of California, AshleySpera andNatalieMiller,both of Baton Rouge.She is also survived by seven greatgrandchildren: Patrick, Jr., Alex,Brett, Edward III Annabelle,Harrison, and Charles; as well as hersister, Pearl DileoofNew Orleans. Thefamilywould like to say aspecial thanks to Sharon Johnsonand Edward Taylor for all of their help.Inlieuofflowers,donations may be made to Alzheimer'sServicesofthe Capital Area,3772 North Blvd,Baton Rouge,LA. Visitation willbeonWednesday, March18, 2026, at St Joseph Cathedral,401 Main St,from9:00 am until FuneralMass at 10:00 am. Committal willfollow at Greenoaks Memorial Park Mausoleum. To leavea condolence for theFamily, please visit www.rabenhorst.com
Mugs, shirts, hats, posters,books. Something for everyone at the Advocate Store!
Pamela B.,Verified
Recent rulings in long-running school desegregation cases highlight whywebelievethe continuing oversight by federal courts of these cases is important and should not beshortcircuited.
Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Darrel James Papillion ruled thatSt. James Parish schoolswere still significantly segregatedafter 60 years and that district officialshad largely failed to comply with the measures outlined in a 2017 consent decree to remedy thatfact. Papillion, who was nominated by President Joe Biden, urged the two sides to gettogether on asolution. That came after asimilarrulingina desegregationcaseout of St.Johnthe Baptist Parish in January,where U.S. District Court Judge Jay Zainey,nominated by PresidentGeorge W. Bush, said that its school district still haswork to do before he would dismiss itsdesegregation order,though he expressed opennesstolifting it at some point. Both cases are headedfor appeal. We would argue that these twofederal judges are doing what we hope all federal judgesdo in cases where the future of ourchildrenisat stake. They are evaluatingevidenceand not rushing to make decisions just so we can closea chapter in ournation’shistory andmoveon. Make no mistake, that isthe pressuretheyare facing these days. The Department of Justice under the Trump administration hasstatedit wants to get rid of the desegregation cases, which date back to the 1960s when Black families and civil rights groups filed suit to make districtscomplywith the1954 Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board ofEducation that“separate but equal”was unconstitutional. About adozen Louisiana school districts still have active desegregation orders, and Attorney General Liz Murrill, with Gov. Jeff Landry’s blessing, is aggressively seekingtheir dismissal. So far they have notched victories in Plaquemines and DeSoto parishes, which were released from federal oversightinrecent months.But asidefromthe cases mentioned above,judgeshave been reluctant to dismiss the cases in Concordia and St. Maryparishes Someargue that theseorders hamper school districts’ abilitytooperate as they mustmeet strict requirementsfor adding new programs and submit regular reports to theJustice Department. Others say the cases havedraggedon toolong and federal oversight wasnever meant to be permanent.
Those arguments have some validity.But thedistricts have known fordecades what benchmarks they need to meet.Itisa slap in the face to school districts whohave met them to dismiss desegregation orders against those who haven’t.
And let’skeep in mind thegoal. We want every Louisiana student to havethe opportunity to attend aschool where theycan succeed.If districts are providing that, they should easily be able to show it to the courts, whosedemands have been very reasonable so far.Whatthey should not be allowed to do, however, is run out the clock on their obligationstostudentsbecause it’sjust too hard to meet them.
LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR ARE WELCOME. HERE AREOUR
GUIDELINES: Letters are published identifying name, occupation and/or title and the writer’scity of residence
TheAdvocate |The Times-Picayune require astreet address andphone number for verification purposes, but that information is not published. Letters are not to exceed 300 words. Letters to the Editor,The Advocate, P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0588, or email letters@ theadvocate.com.
Democrats need to end the DepartmentofHomeland Security shutdown, now morethan ever.TSA agents, Coast Guard, Secret Service, Customs and Border Protection agents,FEMA staff and other necessary personnel who are essential for homeland security must be fully funded now.There is no doubt that multitudes of Iranian and other terrorists were allowed to enter theU.S. during theBiden years. It will probably not be if additional terrorist attacks in the USA happen, but rather when. President Donald Trumpshould be applauded for being proactive instead of being reactive to somenew 911 catastrophes orchestrated by theregime that perpetually screamed, “Death to America,” and murdered and maimed so manyAmericans over the past 47 years. Defanging the No. 1sponsor of terror in theworld needed to be done eventually.Years of kicking thecan down theroad only emboldened the evil Iranian regime to spreadits terror acrossthe region and around the
world. The U.S. and the world now have asafer future forour children and grandchildren to pursue happiness. Pure evil only understandsstrength, not appeasement. Democrats agreed that Iran must not have nuclear weapons. However,they were always afraid to do anything about it, further emboldening this evil regime. President Joe Biden’spathetic warning of, “don’t” to Iran, regarding its threats to further attack Israel after the Oct. 7massacre of Israeli citizens was particularly empty and weak. It took President Trumptofinally act upon Biden’shollow warning of “don’t.” It would be easier forthe Iranian people to takeback their country if their population had been allowed to bear arms. This is aperfect example of why respecting and supporting the Second Amendment must always be a part of the U.S. to arm its citizens for self-defense from arogue police state, terroristsand criminals.
WADE PERRIN Marrero
Letlow’s stocktradesa legitimate campaign issue
Icouldn’tbelieve these three politically astute columnists, Ron Faucheux, Stephanie Grace and Quin Hillyer, used an entire page and tiptoed around theelephant (pun intended) plaguing Rep.Julia Letlow’scampaign. The newspaper even covered the story of her failure to file stock purchases within the required time. Under the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act of 2012, members of Congress are generally required to disclose financial transactions such as stocks, bonds and commodity futures exceeding $1,000 —within 45 days of the transaction. While some rules suggest a30-day window after
notification of atrade, the absolute maximum deadline is 45 days. According to theStock Trading Report,Letlow waited over ayear to file notification. According to the congresswoman’soffice, the error was due to athird-partyinvestment firm Columnist Stephanie Grace did say, “Cassidy supporters are trying to associateher with Nancy Pelosi, which is comical, if you think about it.” No, it isn’t, not if you elaborate aboutthe comparison with Pelosi’sincreased wealth from trades she said were madebyher husbandand not her LORRE LEI JACKSON River Ridge
Ihate to disappoint Duke Truby,but Idon’tbelieve that the majority of his statistics nor his statementsabout the newspaper are correct. Iama 78-yearold White woman who has have always read the newspaper.While Ihaven’t agreed with everything that was printed, Ialways thought the articles were factual and fair
The section now labeled “Your Views” is exactly that —the readers’ views. Ihave written manyofmyopinions to the newspaper,but only one has been published. Whatever you consider liberal commentary is someone’sviewpoint LYNEDWARDS Jackson
The recent story,“How Trump’s Medicaid, food stamps overhaul could squeeze Louisiana’sbudget,” expertly detailed the financial strain facing our state. However,asanoncologist, Iamequally concerned by the logistical barriers these changes, specifically the 80-hour monthly work requirement, will create for our patients and their families facing alifealtering diagnosis of cancer Ihave had the privilege of caring for patients in Louisiana for over 20 years. For nearly adecade, Ipracticed in Acadiana before returning to New Orleans. Ihave seen firsthand how cancer treatment renders some patients physically unable to care for themselves independently,let alone meet work or volunteer mandates. Between recovery from surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation, many patients struggle simply to get out of bed, regardless of their background or political leanings. Studies show nearly three-quarters of cancer patients miss work due to their diagnosis; for them, awork requirement isn’tjust ahurdle —it’samedical impossibility
While federal law allows for “medically frail” exemptions, Louisiana must now define who qualifies. People with cancer and their caregivers should not be forced to fight awar of paperwork while they are fighting for their lives. We all know someone whose life has been impacted personally by cancer,either directly or through afamily member. Our state is disproportionately burdened by this malady.May we cometogether and urge our Louisiana lawmakers to ensure that cancer patients are automatically exempted from these requirements to prevent life-threatening disruptions in care.
CHANCELLOR DONALD NewOrleans
The DeepState has never been deeper The Swamp (along with the East Wing) are gone, replaced by the cesspool of crime and corruption. Hail to the felon!
PATRICK TOOLE NewOrleans
NewOrleanian makeup artist Allison LaCour wasn’tonthe stage at theAcademy Awards program, and her name wasn’t called. But she was in theDolby TheatreinOvation Hollywood Sunday night when Louisianafilmed “Sinners” won an Oscar,then another,then another and yet another The highly acclaimed movie had fourOscar winners:
andcrew stand up….Youguys are amazing….You all are winners in my book.” LaCourstood proudly,accepting the praise and thanks.
n Best Actor: Michael B. Jordan, for his dual roles as identical twins Smoke and Stack, the sixth Black man to win that award category
n Best Original Screenplay:Ryan Coogler,the movie’sdirector and producer who wrotethe script,won his first Oscar n Best Cinematography:Autumn Durald Arkapaw, aBlack Creole-Filipino photographer,isthe first womanto win the award
n Best Original Score: Ludwig Göransson, aSwedish composer,musician and producer who hasearned his third Oscar in this category
The cast andcrew celebrated with Coogler,Jordan, Arkapaw and GöranssoninCalifornia and here at home LaCour was on her waytothe Dolby Theatre at the Ovation Hollywood,a shopping center,inHollywood,whenI caught up withher before theprogram started. She was riding in stylewith Sherri Hamilton, Lana Mora andTene Wilder,all membersofthe Sinners hair and makeup team.
“We’re pulling up to the theater now,” shesaid, quickly interruptingthe conversation to check on thedrop-off spot. “It’ssoexciting to be here.”
When producer,directorand screenwriter Coogler accepted hisOscar for screenwriting, he said, “All my cast
New Orleans actors Gralen Bryant Banks, Aaydn Encalarde and Sam Malone wereinLouisiana. Banks caughtclips. Encalarde was at an Oscars watch party with her mom and friends. Malone was catching pieces of the show while getting acouple of kids ready for bed. Banks, from Uptown, played Patterson, the first customer the nightthe new dance and music joint opened. He spent six weeks filming with “Sinners.”Encalarde played the teen whotook money to watch a carand turned in the thieves who were trying to steal it. Malone played one of thosethieves, the one who got shot in the butt.
“Yeah, I’m watching,” Malone texted me as he watched someofthe program, “kinda bitterly because Iwas really hoping Delroy (Lindo) and Ms. Ruth would win. Really all categories.”
Many ofuswere hoping for more wins. Thoughthe academy got it wrong in the Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor and other categories, Coogler Jordan andour locals were winners before this filmaward season.
“It’sbeen abeautiful run. It’sbeen abeautifulyear,” LaCour told me the next morning as she prepared to catch an early flightback to New Orleans. As akey makeup artist on the movie, LaCour didajob that anumber of big studios normally have one of their own fly in to handle.
Aself-described “7th Ward baby,” Encalarde was 13 years old when “Sinners” was made. She’ll be 15 next week.“Ididn’t realize theimpact that the role would have, but I’m beyond grateful,” sheshared with me.
Malone got his jollies from his three
days of shooting, not Sunday night Banks, ahospitality expert, culture bearer and WBOK radio host,called themovie “an instant classic,” amovie he paid to see eight times I’m elated for Coogler,Jordan, Arkapaw and Göransson. I’mhappy for Banks, Encalarde, LaCourand Malone. Sinners is aphenomenal movie that digs deeper than surface-level horror, twistingplotsand surprises. Even if it is unintentional on the part of some who see it, Coogler successfully uses thescript and “Sinners” charactersto challenge our thinking about systematic White oppression and supremacy that continue to attack, and threaten, Black people, Black joy and Black love. How could aBlack man do that? It’s aWarner Bros. movie with adifferent deal. Coogler’sWBdeal with Proximity Media, his company,gives him firstdollar gross revenue rather than waiting to reap financial benefitsonce the production company recoups expenses; full creative and final-cut control and, amazingly,complete ownership rights after 25 years. That is special. For thosewho haven’tseen the movie, watch it. For those who saw the movie and missed this context,watch it again.
“Sinners” is an instant classic. Movie buffs, cinematographers, fans, scholars,writers will be watching it, teachingfrom it and using its themes to challenge evil, naive oppression, especially for those who don’tsee them among those groups.
Coogler led our Louisianacreatives and others to makeanimpactful movie. Ihave aquestion: Will we watch, listen and be better? Email Will Sutton at wsutton@theadvocate.com.
The single biggest reason Donald Trump won the last election boils downtotwo words: gas and groceries. Joe Biden’sfailure to control prices on those key commodities enabled Trump, whohas never wonamajority of the popular vote, to capture asecond term.
Now, Trumpishanding his enemies the identical issue he used to defeat them. His attack on Iran has spread chaos throughout the Middle East and ignited cost increases in fuel and food that threaten to dislodge his control of Congress in next fall’selections and decimate the remainder of his presidency
Tanker traffic has virtually shut downinthe region while both sides are pummeling drilling sites, storage facilities and shipping ports. “Weare looking at what is by farthe biggest disruption in world history in termsofdaily oil production,” energy historian Daniel Yergin told The Wall Street Journal. “Ifitgoes on forweeks, it will reverberate across the global economy.”
The average price Americans pay at the pumphas shot up to $3.54 agallon, as of this writing, an increase of 44 cents in just aweek and 62 cents over the last month. Diesel fuel, used mainly to power heavy trucks and farm machinery,has risen even moresharply
As Democrats discovered in 2024, this issue is particularly powerful —and painful —because folks know exactly what it costs to fill their tanks. Even when they’re not stopping forgas, they pass stations blaring the inflated prices on brightly lit signs. Moreover,this blow lands as voters are already upset over the cost of living, with 62% disapproving of Trump’shandling of inflation in anew NBCpoll, while only 36% approve.
Much remains unknown, primarily how long the war will last and how much damage it will do to oil supply chains. But Trumpcontinues to send contradictory signals about his goals and intentions. In the sameday he declared, “We’ve already won in manyways,” but then insisted that the war will continue “until the enemy is totally and decisively defeated.”
Criticism of President Donald Trump’sbombingcampaign against the Iranian regime continues from most Democrats anda few Republicans. Therewas atime in America —unknown to younger generations —when once American troops were involved in awar the nation mostly unified behind them Today,there are no restraints as awar is seen as merely acontinuation of politics as usual. Criticism emboldensthe enemy and puts more American military personnel in danger.That appears to be of little concern to the critics.
Anew poll by NPR/PBSNews/Marist found 56% of those surveyed oppose, or strongly oppose, military action against Iran. Forty-fourpercent support, or strongly support, the announced intention by the administration to render Iran incapable of developing nuclear weapons.
Have they considered avictory by the U.S. and Israel would likely decapitate the ayatollah regime and replace it with agovernmentthatisnot only more friendly to the U.S., Israel and the West, but also allows for freedoms now denied the Iranian people?
One wonders whether answers might have been different had respondents been asked aquestionrelated to asuccessful outcome and the threat of failure?
Another question pollsters should ask is this:Ifweand the Israelis had done nothing and Iran managed to develop anuclear weapon, what would critics say?
Consider the indiscriminatebombing of countries, including Arab and Muslim countries,throughout the region. If nuclear warheads had been on those missiles andif the Iranian regime had been allowed todevelop ICBMs capable of reaching America’s East Coast, what then? It would be too late to do much about it and millions might die in anuclear holocaust
This is the case the Trump administration has failed to sufficiently make to help shape public opinion in his direction.
The president needs to deliver an
ASSOCIATED
Residents watch as smokerises from anearbybuilding during an Israeli strikein central Beirut,Lebanon, last week.
Oval Office addressinwhich he says this is apre-emptive strike designed not only to save lives in theregion, but to save American lives which would be in jeopardy should the ayatollahs manage to remain in power
Thereissomething else about which the administration —and previous administrations —have not given the attention it deserves.
Thatisthe religious component.The ayatollahs and their supporters don’t fear death. Their twisted theology has convinced them that they will be transported to Heaven should they die at the hands of “infidels.” This is not asecret.Itispart of their religious doctrine. They have been preaching it for centuries.
Thelatescholar of Islam Bernard Lewis viewed the historical goal of Islam as a“comprehensive, divinely sanctioned mission to bring theworld under Islamic law (Sharia) through jihad(armed struggle).” Its goal, he wrote, was toobtain asingle, unified
Islamic polity …viewing thefaith as a “total,all-encompassing system of life rather than just apersonal, spiritual, or legal sector.” He wrote that it is an “obligation for all Muslims to make war against (infidels) and against those whofollow them. (especially Jews)” The extremists, he wrote, are for heaven and those whoare not with them are for hell. How does one negotiatewithpeople who hold such beliefs?Defeat must be theonly goal —either theirs, or ours.
For more Lewis quotes go to Goodreads.com and search for BernardLewis. Victory over the ayatollahs might quickly turn public approval around, as would returning gas prices to their previous low level. Victory might come more quickly if more of the public got behind thewar effort.
Email Cal Thomasattcaeditors@ tribpub.com
This uncertainly aggravates uneasiness in world markets. “This warstarts underwater, and it’sonly going to grow moreso, which is going to hurt Republicans on the ballot,” Democratic pollster Cornell Belcher told The New York Times.“Perhaps one could inoculate some of that if they had acentral message that resonated, but they have anew rationale every other day —way too manymixed messages, which only adds to voters’ confusion and suspicions.” Trumpinsisted on social media that oil prices “will drop rapidly” once Iran is defeated, and he argues that the short-term pain is “a very small price to pay forU.S.A., and World, Safety and Peace. ONLY FOOLS WOULD THINKDIFFERENTLY!”
Safety and peace are certainly noble goals, but they remain highly intangible and difficult to convey.The price voters pay,however,is all too real. And Trumphas largely failed to convince manyAmericans that the sacrifice is worth it —not only in higher prices but in lost lives.
“Presidents have this power,and if they use it and they don’teducate the public, the public gets very angry and disenchanted and turns against the government,” warns presidential historian Michael Beschloss in the Times Complicating Trump’sproblem is that his foes know precisely how vulnerable he is politically and are trying to maximize the cost he endures by deliberately crippling oil exports.
“Iran is wagering it can outlast the United States and Israel —not militarily,but by grinding the war into abrutal contest of endurance,” writes Reuters. “Its strategy is stark: Unleash drones and missiles, cut vital energy routes and jolt global markets hard enough to force Washington to blink first.”
The potential economic fallout from aprolonged conflict only starts at the gas pump. American farmers, already suffering from Trump’stariff and immigration policies, are particularly vulnerable.
“Nearly athird of the world’sfertilizer travels through the shuttered Strait of Hormuz,” reports Semafor.“As farmers across the Northern Hemisphere prepare to plant spring crops, they fear supply chain disruptions will send their costs soaring.”
Awide range of goods and services —from airline tickets to fabrics and plastics made from petroleum —could be impacted. And virtually every consumer item that’sshipped by truck or air would have to reflect higher fuel costs. Starting with groceries.
Elections are eight months away.But Trump has armed his foes with an arsenal of lethal weapons that will be used against him
Email Steven Roberts at stevecokie@gmail. com.
BY CHARLES SALZER
Contributing writer
From the depths of a junior season washed out by an injury to an all-tournament performance at last week’s Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament, Southern forward Olivia Delancy has much to be thankful for
A senior who transferred to Southern from Florida A&M, she was looking to revitalize a career that took a downturn when she missed all but five games of her junior season because of a knee injury As her health returned, her confidence grew, and she became one of the team’s most reliable scorers in the last
First-year Southern coach admits he has a lot to learn about
BY TOYLOY BROWN III
Staff writer
“Coach Funchess told me, ‘I’m recruiting a championship team, and we want you to be a part of it.’ When he told me that, I believed him immediately because he knows what he’s talking about.”
OLIVIA DELANCy Southern forward
month of the season.
Delancy averaged 11.5 points per game over Southern’s past 13 games. That run was capped last week when put up a 12.7 average as the Jaguars won three times to claim the SWAC tourna-
ment title.
“It was definitely an experience. It still feels surreal,” Delancy said Sunday, after Southern learned it will face Samford in an NCAA First Four game that will air on ESPN2 at 6 p.m. Thursday Delancy’s experience had its beginning last year, when Southern coach Carlos Funchess and his staff had enough faith to recruit someone who was recovering from an injury Competing for a championship is what sold Delancy “Coach Funchess told me, ‘I’m recruiting a championship team, and we want you to be a part of it,’ “ Delancy said.
LSU could keep McMahon after missing NCAA Tournament 4 times
BY TOYLOY BROWN III Staff writer
We all know the reasons Matt McMahon could be fired. LSU basketball’s disappointing season end has become routine for the fourth-year coach. His team wasn’t close to earning an atlarge bid in the NCAA Tournament again. After an 87-82 loss to Kentucky in the first round of the Southeastern Conference Tournament, McMahon’s record sits at a 60-70 overall and 17-55 in the SEC. LSU (15-17, 3-15 SEC) finished last in the SEC and has been among the bottom two teams in the league standings three times in four seasons. Patience is not often afforded to high-major coaches with this résumé. Despite the uninspiring track record, the university hasn’t made a change, perhaps opting not to pay the roughly $8 million buyout for the remaining three years on McMahon’s contract. With each passing day, the pool of coaching candidates shrinks. Even as rumors swirl around Will Wade’s return, leaving NC State after one season, LSU hasn’t created a coaching opening and hasn’t contacted him, Wade said. The decision to change leadership isn’t one made in a vacuum. Verge Auseberry, who was hired as athletic director in November 2025, has already agreed to dole out large amounts of dollars in football.
LSU hired Lane Kiffin to a sevenyear, $91 million deal, making him among the highest-paid college football coaches. He and Georgia’s Kirby Smart are the only football coaches who will earn at least $13 million per year before incentives. LSU also has to pay the buyout for fired coach Brian Kelly agreeing to pay him $54 million. If the school wants a new coach, it’ll have to pay McMahon’s buyout and the millions it would take for a new hire
Gumbo was the analogy of choice for coach Marshall Faulk to describe Southern. On the first day of spring practice during a 50-degree, windy afternoon, the firstyear Jaguars coach from New Orleans explained where he stands leading a team he admits he has much to learn about.
“We have some guys we inherited,” Faulk said. “We got some guys that we recruited We got some walk-ons as well, and what we’re go-
make sure, obviously, the coaching staff is the roux, that we got that together and put all the ingredients together And hopefully, you know it tastes as good as gumbo does.”
The Jaguars are 166 days away from their Aug. 29 season opener at Alabama State. The early stages of synthesizing this team revolves around gauging talent, reinforcing a focus on the team concept and getting better
The Pro Football Hall of Fame player told his players in a Sunday meeting that if everyone improves their game, then the collective will naturally develop. That growth will be on display during Southern’s spring game on April 4. Faulk said he hesitates to call it a game and prefers to label it a showcase that will introduce fans to players.
ing to do is we’re going to mix it all together
It’s a pot of gumbo right here.
“We’re going to mix it all together and
One player supporters know and are excited for is running back Trey Holly Faulk said he already has a connection with the former
BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer
NASHVILLE,Tenn. – It was an up-anddown weekend for LSU baseball in its opening series of Southeastern Conference play Against Vanderbilt, the Tigers dropped Friday’s series opener 13-12 on a two-run, two-out, gamewinning home run, got crushed 11-3 on Saturday and earned an emphatic 16-9 victory on Sunday
Here are five takeaways from a wacky weekend for LSU.
Pitchers struggle
Sophomore right-hander Casan
Evans on Friday, junior righthander Cooper Moore on Saturday and sophomore right-hander William Schmidt on Sunday, for the most part struggled as LSU’s weekend rotation in its opening
series in SEC play Evans had command issues, resulting in five walks and six earned runs in three innings. He couldn’t locate his slider and had too many pitches that were nowhere near the strike zone. His issues appeared to be mechanical, as many of his misses were low and toward his glove side.
Moore’s outing the next day wasn’t much better, allowing four earned runs on seven hits in four innings. He was inefficient — throwing 79 pitches in four innings before exiting. He consistently found trouble and had a difficult time finishing off hitters with two strikes, a theme for the pitching staff throughout the weekend.
“They did a nice job fighting our pitchers with two strikes, and it made it really hard to put (them) away,” coach Jay Johnson said af-
ter Saturday’s game. “I think they did a good job tonight against Cooper.” Schmidt had the best outing of the trio on Sunday getting six strikeouts and limiting the Commodores to three hits. But two of the hits he allowed were home runs, and his command was shaky He walked three and hit another, although the final hitter he walked may have been because of the back tightness he was pitching through in the fifth inning.
Johnson pulled Schmidt after his third walk, but said he could’ve continued to pitch if he had to and said he would be fine physically
“He just started to miss up in the zone, and I thought he was protecting it a little bit,” Johnson said.
“That guy’s health is the key to my
Freshmen Dybantsa, Acuff among the stars
BY AARON BEARD AP basketball writer
It was early in the final week before March Madness when BYU’s AJ Dybantsa opened his Big 12 Tournament run by scoring 40 points, breaking a freshman singlegame record held by NBA great Kevin Durant.
“I’m just trying to win games,” Dybantsa said afterward
By Selection Sunday, Darius Acuff Jr had completed a threegame tear through the Southeastern Conference Tournament that secured Arkansas’ first title in 26 years.
“Downhill was working all weekend and today,” he said.
And that’s how this freshman class stocked with high-end NBA talent rolled all year, making the extraordinary look routine — so much so that the NBA is concerned about teams tanking to improve their chances at landing one of these talents in June.
From Dybantsa and Acuff to Duke’s Cameron Boozer and Kansas’ Darryn Peterson as headliners, the potential class of draft prospects is considered among the deepest in years if all go the oneand-done route as expected.
And they’ve arrived at the NCAA Tournament to play in the sport’s marquee event. It’s now the March of the freshmen, possibly all the way to the Final Four in Indianapolis.
“I know most of those guys. They’re all having great years,” Acuff said during his SEC run. “They’re playing special. It’s great to see all the young guys playing great.”
Filling the bracket
Start with the East Region, where top overall tournament seed Duke has the 6-foot-10, 250-pound Boozer (22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds) as the leading force in an often-withering inside-out attack.
The East also has a potential top overall pick in Peterson, a 6-6 guard averaging 19.8 points even while being in and out of the lineup all year for the fourth-seeded Jayhawks; and a potential top-10 talent in 6-5 guard Mikel Brown Jr. from sixth-seeded Louisville.
In the West, the 6-foot-9 Dybantsa did nothing to harm his status as the long-running favorite to go No. 1 overall in the NBA draft while averaging a national-best 25.3 points for the sixth-seeded Cougars. Acuff is there, too, the 6-3 point guard who just set an SEC Tournament record
by averaging 30.3 points — and getting anywhere he wanted — while playing 117 of 120 possible minutes for the fourth-seeded Razorbacks.
Arizona tops the West, led by its own promising NBA freshmen prospects in 6-4 guard Brayden Burries (15.9) and 6-8 forward Koa Peat (13.6).
South No. 2 seed Houston is led by 6-4 guard Kingston Flemings (16.4 points), while third-seeded Illinois found a star in four-star prospect Keaton Wagler a 6-6 guard averaging a team-best 17.9 points.
In the Midwest, sixth-seeded Tennessee has slender 6-10 forward Nate Ament, who has averaged 20.3 points since mid-January while coach Rick Barnes has pointed to his gains in playing through contact.
And the tournament list could’ve been even longer if not for South 6-seed North Carolina losing 6-foot10 freshman Caleb Wilson (19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds) to a seasonending thumb injury in early March.
Tuesday’s release of The Associated Press All-America teams reinforced the freshman surge. Boozer was a unanimous first-team pick, joined by Dybantsa and Acuff on that top quintet. Wagler and Wilson were second-team picks, Flemings a third-teamer
“You knew they were extremely talented, but you just never know how they’re going to adjust moving to this level,” Tar Heels coach Hubert Davis said of the freshman class. “I know a lot of people think going from high school to playing at this level, the transition is easy It is not.”
Productive rookies
Freshmen made it look that way all year, even beyond the spotlightseizing pro prospects.
This year, 24 freshmen are averaging at least 16.0 points on the NCAA’s leaderboard as of Tuesday. That’s nearly triple the annual average from the 2011-12 season through last year (8.8), with no more than 15 reaching that mark in any season during that span.
The numbers had been particularly low in recent years, when the sport got older with players who competed during the COVID-19 pandemic sticking around college with an extra year of eligibility to play five seasons. During that time, only 17 freshmen hit that 16-point threshold in the past three seasons combined.
Yet this year, freshmen accounted for 10 40-point games, up from seven in the previous seven seasons combined.
Acuff led that list with 49 in a
double-overtime loss at Alabama, while Wagler scored 46 against eventual Big Ten champion Purdue. Louisville’s Brown dropped 45 on N.C. State to break the Atlantic Coast Conference freshman singlegame record — set by last year’s No. 1 overall NBA draft pick in Duke’s Cooper Flagg — and Flemings had 42 against NCAA-bound Texas Tech.
Dybantsa did it twice, first with 43 against Utah in January before last week’s 40 points against Kansas State He later broke Durant’s overall scoring record for a single Big 12 Tournament in a loss against Houston.
“I coached six years in the NBA,” Cougars coach Kelvin Sampson said. “So I sat on the front of that bench and watched everybody from Allen Iverson to Rip Hamilton, to LeBron, Derrick Rose, Kevin Durant, Dubinski, Jason Kidd, all of those guys.
“You know, some of them just have the bucket gene. I don’t think you can teach that. For us, we have to recruit it. For the NBA, they have to draft it But Dybantsa has got the gene.”
Evaluating draft potential
ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla figures this freshman-led draft class could be the best since the 2003 group that had LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade among the top five picks.
“If you don’t get a top-3 pick, there’s going to be a lot of consolation prizes for the tankers right down to probably 8 or 9 or 10,” he said. “That’s a good thing.”
Fraschilla has Dybantsa, Boozer and Peterson as his top prospects, while Acuff — with potential he compares to NBA star Damian Lillard and Wilson and Flemings are next in a top tier set to offer “instant production” at the next level.
He also said Burries and Brown could develop into all-star talents, and he’s high on Ament’s long-term prospects as he gets stronger to handle physical play.
Fraschilla figures most NBA teams are “75% of the way home” in their evaluations of potential draft prospects, though he notes: “There are still guys that can help themselves.”
“A piece of it is the NCAA Tournament, a piece of it will be interviews and background, a piece of it might be talking to these kids at the combine,” Fraschilla said. “Here’s the way I’d put it: the NCAA Tournament is like getting an extra-credit question on your final exam. You can go from a B to an A.” Maybe so, but it sure looks like this freshman class has long since been on the Dean’s List.
BY DAVE SKRETTA AP basketball writer
Duke forward Cameron Boozer
BYU star AJ Dybantsa and Darius Acuff Jr of Arkansas arrived this season as part of what could go down as one of the most heralded freshman classes in college basketball history They lived up to their billing, too, and were announced Tuesday as first-team AP All-Americans Boozer was a unanimous choice among the 61 voters that select the weekly Top 25 for The Associated Press, following in the footsteps of Cooper Flagg, who also was a unanimous choice as a freshman for the Blue Devils last season. Dybantsa was a first-team pick on all but four ballots, while Acuff was a first-team selection on 47 of the ballots.
Yaxel Lendeborg of Michigan and JT Toppin of Texas Tech rounded out the five-member first team. “He’s all about his teammates,” Duke coach Jon Scheyer said of Boozer, who was the AP’s national player of the week twice during the season. “He’s not about numbers. He’s about winning. And I think when your best player’s that way, it becomes contagious, and it
has a big effect on the rest of the group.”
Such a team-first attitude was on display by all the first-team picks; each helped their team to the NCAA Tournament
Boozer took the Blue Devils to ACC regular-season and tournament titles and helped them earn the top overall seed. Lendeborg also helped the Wolverines earn a No. 1 seed. Arkansas is seeded fourth, Texas Tech seeded fifth and BYU seeded sixth
“This has been the best year of my life, honestly. I’ve had so much fun,” said Lendeborg, the first Michigan first-team All-American since Trey Burke in 2012-13. “Just how much I’ve learned this year in general has really helped me out, and is really molding me to be better in the future no matter what I’m doing in my life.”
Arkansas had not had a firstteam pick since Sidney Moncrief in 1978-79 before Acuff was chosen. Dybantsa, the nation’s top scorer at 25.3 points per game, joins Jimmer Fredette and Danny Ainge as the Cougars’ only firstteam selections.
“When I left the NBA to come to college,” BYU coach Kevin Young said, “one thing I noticed is just a lot of guys, their processing speed
New Orleans signs former Vikings RB Chandler
The Saints signed veteran running back Ty Chandler to a oneyear deal, sources with knowledge of the situation confirmed. Chandler, a 2022 fifth-round draft pick, spent four seasons with the Minnesota Vikings.
Chandler’s deal is worth the league minimum (roughly $1.2 million), a source said. Chandler appeared in only three games last season, rushing for 47 yards on 17 carries. He missed most of the year with a knee injury
The Saints’ agreement with Chandler provides depth after they made a splash to begin free agency last week by signing running back Travis Etienne.
Coach Kellen Moore has been non-committal to longtime starter Alvin Kamara’s future.
Charlotte fires men’s basketball coach Fearne
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte 49ers fired basketball coach Aaron Fearne on Tuesday after he went 47-51 in three seasons at the helm.
Charlotte was 17-17 this season and lost 86-64 to South Florida in the semifinals of the American Athletic Conference Tournament. The 49ers finished tied for fifth in the regular season AAC standings with a 9-9 record.
After going 19-12 in Fearne’s first season in 2023-24, the 49ers lost several players through the transfer portal and were 11-22 the following season.
Charlotte athletic director Kevin White said “while difficult, making a head coaching change is necessary to allow for greater success.”
Another WNBA negotiation drags on with no deal
NEW YORK Another marathon negotiating session between the WNBA and its players union didn’t end with a new collective bargaining agreement.
The two sides met for the eighth consecutive day on Tuesday, and while they said progress was being made heading into Monday’s negotiating session, there was still work that needed to be done when the sides ended discussions for the night around 3:30 a.m. EDT Neither side spoke to reporters after the session, but both had said earlier Monday that progress had been made over the last few days.
The WNBA and union have met face-to-face for around 90 hours since the first in-person bargaining session last Tuesday
Cole set to return from Tommy John surgery
First Team Cameron Boozer, Duke, 6-9, 250, Freshman; Miami, Florida; 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists (61 of 61 first-place votes, 305 points) AJ Dybantsa, BYU, 6-9, 210, Freshman; Brockton, Massachusetts; 25.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists (57, 295) Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan, 6-9, 230, Senior; Pennsauken, New Jersey; 14.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists (47, 273) Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas, 6-3, 190, Freshman; Detroit, Michigan; 22.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, 6.4 assists (47, 264) JT Toppin, Texas Tech, 6-9, 230, Junior; Dallas, Texas; 21.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists (12, 163)
Second Team Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State, 6-9, 240, Senior; Las Vegas, Nevada; 16.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists (15, 162) Braden Smith, Purdue, 6-0, 170, Senior; Westfield, Indiana; 14.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, 9.0 assists (12, 150) Jeremy Fears, Michigan State, 6-2, 190, Sophomore; Joliet, Illinois; 15.7 points, 2.4 rebounds, 9.2 assists (10, 139) Keaton Wagler, Illinois, 6-6, 180, Freshman; Shawnee, Kansas; 17.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists (8, 131)
was way slower AJ’s is extremely high. So I can tell him something in the game, or in a film session, and he’s going to carry it over.” Toppin was a second-team AllAmerican for the Red Raiders last season, when he helped them reach the Elite Eight. Now, he is the only first-team pick in Texas Tech history, even though his season ended in February with a torn ACL in his right knee.
Caleb Wilson, North Carolina, 6-10, 215, Freshman; Atlanta, Georgia; 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists (4, 119)
Third Team Kingston Flemings, Houston, 6-4, 190, Freshman; San Antonio, Texas; 16.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, 5.3 assists (8, 111) Labaron Philon Jr., Alabama, 6-4, 185, Sophomore; Mobile, Alabama; 21.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists (5, 109) Thomas Haugh, Florida, 6-9, 215, Junior; New Oxford, Pennsylvania; 17.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists (1, 101) Christian Anderson, Texas Tech, 6-3, 180, Sophomore; Atlanta, Georgia; 18.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, 7.6 assists (5, 68) Graham Ike, Gonzaga, 6-9, 250, Senior; Aurora, Colorado; 19.7 points, 8.2 rebounds 2.4 assists (0, 67) Honorable Mention Michael Ajayi, Butler; Jaden Bradley, Arizona; Brayden Burries, Arizona; Rueben Chinyelu, Florida; Zuby Ejiofor, St. John’s; PJ Haggerty, Kansas State; Ebuka Okorie Stanford; Darryn Peterson, Kansas; Bennett Stirtz, Iowa; Tyler Tanner, Vanderbilt; Bruce Thornton, Ohio State.
“JT Toppin is genuine. He’s an unbelievable competitor He’s real,” Red Raiders coach Grant McCasland said following the injury “You know how much JT loves our team and how hard he competed and how much he cared about that group. To understand that this is difficult and JT has a long road, to watch him weep and see how much this meant to him is hard.”
TAMPA, Fla. — Yankees ace Gerrit Cole is set for his spring training debut in the latest step in the New York right-hander’s recovery from Tommy John elbow surgery Cole is scheduled to throw one inning as the starter Wednesday in an exhibition against the Boston Red Sox at Steinbrenner Field. The 2023 American League Cy Young Award winner pitched in two spring training games last year before the surgery that sidelined him the entire 2025 season. Cole threw a 35-pitch bullpen session Thursday and has reached 97.5 mph with his fastball while also throwing breaking pitches. Boone reiterated the Yankees’ plan for the 35-year-old to make his season debut in late May or early June.
Bucks’ Antetokounmpo out with knee issues
MILWAUKEE Giannis Antetokounmpo wasn’t available for the Milwaukee Bucks’ game against Cleveland on Tuesday night after leaving a victory over Indiana two days earlier
The Bucks said the two-time MVP had a hyperextended left knee and a bone bruise.
Antetokounmpo didn’t play in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 134-123 win over the Pacers after landing awkwardly when he dunked late in the third period. Antetokounmpo downplayed the injury after the game.
“I’m just going to go back home, sleep, see how I feel tomorrow, try to lift some weights,” Antetokounmpo said. “If I have a little bit of discomfort, then I’ll go from there. As of now I’m not really bothered.”
Tigers getneeded tuneup before taking on Oklahoma
BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer
Last weekend was aroughone for LSUbaseball’sbullpen.
Tigers relievers surrendered 18 earned runs in theiropening series in Southeastern Conferenceplay against Vanderbilt. Theconditions andthe ballpark were not in the pitchers’ favor,but walks and hard-
hit balls were aplenty throughout the series.
The performance meant that Tuesday’s game against Grambling at Alex Box Stadium was LSU’sonly chance to reset its relief corps before it resumes SECplay this weekend against Oklahoma. And though it wasn’talways pretty,the Tigers accomplished what they neededto accomplishagainst their in-state foe.
LSU beat Grambling 7-1, using eight pitchers to record 15 strikeoutsand notallow anyextra-base hits.
LSU surrendered arun in the
fourth inning, and Grambling threatened to scoreinthe firstand second, but LSU’s pitching improved as thenight went along. Sophomore left-hander Cooper Williams struck out three of thefour batters he faced after struggling in Nashville. Sophomore right-hander Mavrick Rizy gave up three doubles in his only appearance against Vanderbilt, but he struck out three battersintwo innings.Fifth-year senior right-handerGrantFontenot tossed two scoreless innings. Granted, Gramblingisn’t an SEC team, but LSU alsodidn’twalk abatter after the third inning. It was a
BY SCOTT RABALAIS
Staff writer
After aregular season in which shehas consistently beenthe best gymnast in the Southeastern Conference, LSU’s Kailin Chio was rewarded for saving her best for last Chio was named SEC specialist of the week Tuesday,her sixth and finalconference honor for 2026 regular season after ahistoric performance Friday in the Tigers’ 198.075-197.100 victory over Arkansas.
The sophomore from Henderson, Nevada, posted three perfect 10s in her three events thatnight on vault, balance beam and floor.She is the first gymnast to post three 10.0 scores when performing in only three events.
The last LSU gymnasttoget three perfect 10s in one meet, current assistant coach Haleigh Bryant, hadthree in four events in 2023 against West Virginia.
“Not that we expect it, but we’re not surprised at all,” LSU’s Konnor McClain said of Chio. “She does it every day in the gym. Her growth has been amazing to watch.She could take two years off anddo thesame meet on Friday. She’s incredible.” Chio has an NCAA-bestnine 10.0 scores and is ranked firstnationally in the all-aroundand on vault and beam.She’s also tied forfourth on floor with teammate KaliyaLincoln
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“When he told me that, I believed himimmediately because he knows what he’s talking about.
“I just feellike (the championship) is what was supposed to happen.”
What also happenedwas Delancy’srole in the championship.She made four 3-pointersand scored18 points in Southern’s64-51 winover Jackson State.She didn’tscore as manypoints in the next two games, but all of her baskets were big.
In Southern’s51-49 semifinal win over Alabama A&M, Delancy’sbuzzer-beating 3-pointer gave Southern a 31-25 halftime lead.Inthe championship gameagainst Alabama State, Delancy did it again with another lastsecond 3–pointer to give theJaguars a41-19 halftime lead.
Alabama State ralliedin
and is tied for25thonuneven bars.
Chio wasn’teligible to be SEC gymnast of the week,which she has won five timesthisyear,because she didn’tcompete as an all-arounder. That honor went to Florida’s SelenaHarris-Miranda,who hada second straightperfect 10 on beam. Arkansas’ Allison Cucci was the SEC freshman of theweek.
Readyfor SECs
LSU coach JayClark restedChio on bars Friday, but it’s expected that shewill compete in allfour events going forward, starting withSaturday’sSoutheastern Conference ChampionshipsinTulsa,Oklahoma.
TheNo. 2-seeded Tigers will be in Session II at 7p.m.against No. 1Oklahoma, No.3 Floridaand No 4. Alabama. The meetwill be televised on theSEC Network.
Clark said histeam has reached thepostseason in about as good a place as possible at theend of ademanding regular season.
“Wehave come to this point in a relatively good spot physically,” he said. “We’re nursing some things, but so farnothing catastrophic
“You can’t asktobeinamuch better place than we are right now.”
Home gym?
Clark said he would liketosee at least asemi-permanent sitefor theSEC Championships,much like
the third quarter,opening with a15-3 run to get within 44-34 of Southern.
Thanks to Delancy’s shooting touch, it wasas close as the Hornetswould get.
Aftera blocked shot by Jocelyn Tate, Delancy sprinted upcourt to take a pass from Tate and make a 3-pointer
Another defensive stop created the next opportunity,and Delancy connected on amid-range jumper to pushSouthern’sleadback to 15.
Southern maintaineda comfortable lead the rest of the game before claiming the title with a73-56 win.
“It goes back to my teammates having faithinme,” Delancy said.“They’re giving methe balland relying on me to have ahot hand. And, Ihave to shout out my point guard (Mykayla Cunningham) because even when it doesn’tlook right, she finds away to getme theball.
step forwardfor aunit that desperately needed oneafter its weekend in Nashville. Formost of the night, LSU needed every outfrom its hoardofarms on Tuesday becauseofits struggling offense. Through seveninnings, Gramblingout-hit LSU 6-4. LSU also failed to record an RBI base hit until theeighthinning, scoring itsfirst three runs on aweak groundout to first base, asacrifice fly and awild pitch.
The eighthinning was when LSU’s offense finally woke up. First, freshman Omar Serna hit atowering solo
home run before senior Chris Stanfield shot atwo-run single into center field that gave LSU a6-1 lead. Gramblingthen walkedinanother batter Sernascoredonthree of LSU’s first four runs and was the only member of the lineup with multiple hits. LSU finished thenight going 3 for 18 with runners on base and 2 for 13 with runners in scoring position. LSU resumes SEC play on Thursday against Oklahoma. First pitch from Alex Box Stadium is setfor 7p.m., andthe game will be available to watch on ESPNU.
BY ERIC OLSON AP sportswriter
West Coast collegebaseball aficionados are puffing outtheir collective chestsone month into the season,and theyhavegood cause. UCLA, Southern California and Oregon have combined to win53 of their first 59 games. Before the sport’s epicenter moved to the Southeastern Conference in the 1990s, the power resided west of the Rockies. Since Oregon State wonthe 2018 national championship, no other team from the West has reached the finals overeight College WorldSeries. Thecrumblingofthe Pac-12 and defections of UCLA, USC, Oregonand Washington to the Big Tenshook up traditionalists. For them, the fast starts by the Bruins, Trojans and Ducks are good tonic.
In the polls
UCLA, Texas and Georgia Tech are the top three teams by D1Baseball.com, BaseballAmerica andthe National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. The Bruins run-ruled UC Irvine and swept Michigan at homelast week.Texas (18-1)beatTexas State to improve to 16-0 and then took its first loss in the opener of its home series against Mississippi, 9-8 in 11 innings.The Longhorns won the next twototakethe series.Georgia Tech (17-3) run-ruled West Georgia and took twoofthree at Clemson.
The LSU Tigers (14-7, 1-2SEC) entered the season as defending national champions and aco-No.1 in the preseason Top25s,and now they aren’teven ranked.
Nashville, Tennessee, forthe SEC men’s basketball tournamentand Hoover,Alabama, for SEC baseball.
Themeet is going to Tulsa for the first time (Oklahoma joined the SECin2025),was in Birmingham, Alabama, in 2025 and the Smoothie King Center in 2024.
Clark doesn’twanttosee the gymnastics championship go to oncampus sites asSEC softball does He’sadvocated for the Smoothie KingCenter to be aplace where SEC gymnastics visits regularly
“For me it’sabout having it in cities wherefans want to travel with NBA-caliber arenas likewhat we have in NewOrleans,” Clarksaid.
“It looks like we’regoing to Tampa at some point.Those arethe kinds of places we need to go for the continued growth of our sport.”
Clarksaid he has advocated for New Orleans because“we’ve sold it and people wanttocome. We’ve shownwecan put 11,000 peoplein thestands. It’sbetter for TV and the student-athletes.”
No site for the SEC Championships have been announced beyond this year
For more LSU sports updates, sign up for our newsletter at theadvocate.com/lsunewsletter
“My teammatesare looking for me to help the best waythatIcan so it means thatmuchmore to me that I’m able to produce.”
If Delancy andthe Jaguars have that kind of production on Thursday, they will advancetoplay Saturday against SouthCarolina, the regional’sNo. 1seed
UCLA (17-2, 6-0) is theconsensus No. 1team, outtoits best conference start since 1977 andhas won11straight games for its longeststreak since 2020. TheBruins also have the projectedNo. 1 pick in the MLBamateurdraft in shortstop Roch Cholowsky, arising star in slugger Will Gasparino and an ace in San Diego transfer Logan Reddemann.
USC (19-1, 5-1) set aprogram record with its 19-0 start, the Trojans’ longest winstreak since 1955. Theloss, 2-1atNorthwestern, came Saturday as it was snowing in Evanston,Illinois. The Trojanshave beennails on themound andinthe field. They lead the nation with a1.61ERA and 4.79 hits allowed pernine innings andare tied forfirst with five shutouts. Grant Govelhas allowedone earned runin33innings(0.27)and MasonEdwards has given up one in 30 innings (0.30) andissecondnationally with 52 strikeouts
TheDucks (17-3, 5-1) have won six straight after freshman Angel Laya’sbasehit in thebottomofthe ninth inning Sunday produced a7-6 walk-off win over Indiana. Oregon looks like acomplete team, with Drew Smithbatting .450 andslugging .900 and Will Sanford leading a strong pitching staff witha3-0 recordand 1.37 ERA over 26 1/3 innings.
Following a8-0 start, the Tigers have lost seven of 13. Since losing to McNeese StateonFeb. 24, LSU has dropped games to Northeastern and Louisiana-Lafayette and lost series against Sacramento State and Vanderbilt.
“Ourguys take alot of pridein this,” coach Jay Johnson said, “and they haven’tplayed as wellasthey want to,and there aresomenegative feelings that comealong with those things. Youhave to get past being embarrassed or afraid to fail, and Ithought thereweresome good steps in that direction this week.” Jake Brown is mashing with a .419 batting average, 11 homers and 37 RBIs, but the Tigers are last in the SEC in ERA (5.24) and fielding (.964).
NotreDame’sNoah Coy andDavis Johnson each hit grand slams in a10-run fourth inning that led to a14-11 win at Louisville on Friday.The Irish droppedthe next two games in theseries. North Carolina has wonfive in arow aftertaking threefromCaliforniafor its first road sweep in two years. Here’ssomething you don’tsee often in the transfer portal era: Indiana’sentirestarting lineupand starting pitcher in Sunday’sgame at Oregon were recruited by the Hoosiers out of high school, afirst in coach Jeff Mercer’seight seasons. West Virginia’sMaxx Yehl threweight shutout innings in an 8-0 winover Baylor
By The Associated Press
The Denver Broncos’ offseason is no longer muted.
The Broncos are acquiring standout wide receiver Jaylen Waddle in a blockbuster deal that sends three draft picks to the Miami Dolphins, including a first-rounder, two people with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Tuesday
Both spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal hasn’t been announced. The Dolphins will receive the 30th-overall pick in next month’s NFL draft along with picks in the third and fourth rounds. Denver will get Miami’s fourth-rounder along with Waddle.
The Broncos were the only team not to sign a free agent outside of retaining their own players before making this deal.
Waddle gives Bo Nix another main playmaker along with Court-
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four-star recruit and expects him to be influential.
“It’s a very good relationship,”
Faulk said of his bond with Holly “I get text messages from Trey all times of the night about all different types of stuff, and I like that.
I like the fact that he’s OK with reaching out to me and helping me help him, not just on the field, but off the field with some of the decisions that we get to make as young football players. And I’m just looking forward to coaching him. I just told him, I said, ‘Look, you bring a lot to the table. So I’m going ask a lot of you.’”
The former LSU player and top rusher for the Jaguars chose not to enter the transfer portal after being one of the best players at his position in the Southwestern Athletic Conference as a sophomore with the Jaguars last year In 11 games, he had 869 yards rushing and nine touchdowns, which were both fourth in the conference.
Faulk, who was a running backs coach at Colorado last season, said that he’ll help running backs coach Josh Covington at the position.
Continued from page 1C
life for the next 18 months. So it just wasn’t really worth it.”
The hitter-friendly conditions at Charles Hawkins Field factored into the rocky weekend for the starters. The turf field, wind blowing out to center field, unexpectedly warm weather and tight dimensions, especially in the corners
— 310 feet to left field and 320 to right — made it tough on pitchers.
“The wind was howling out today,” catcher Cade Arrambide said Sunday “I think of (when Vanderbilt) hit a fly ball to center field off Schmidt. At first, I was like, ‘Oh, that should be a routine fly ball,’ and then it just kept carrying But, it’s just a part of (the game).”
Offensive surge in context
Give credit where credit’s due: LSU’s offense was much better this weekend.
The Tigers were patient at the plate and, besides Saturday, drove
“That would be crazy if I don’t have an input,” Faulk said. “It would behoove me not to peek my head in that room and help the guys day in and day out on how to get better
“That’s my expertise.” Another clear stance Faulk shared was the need to decide on a quarterback before the fall. This is a departure from the philosophy of former coach Terrence Graves in the past two seasons for Southern.
“They understand it’s a battle,”
Faulk said. “It’s a competition, and we’re not going into the fall with a competition. It’s too late. We’re going to figure this out this spring and a little bit of the summer on how our what we call player-led practices, PLPs, how they handle those. And we’re going to make a decision. We’re going to know who (quarterback) one, two and three is when we get into the fall. Because I’ve seen that mistake get made.
“If No. 2 beats him out beyond that, it happens. But No. 1, he has to know he’s No. 1.”
Southern retained quarterbacks Ashton Strother and Dillon Compton from last season. The program also signed quarterbacks Vashaun Coulon from St. Augustine, Mario Litmer from Highlands High
the ball into the air Nine extrabase hits and 22 walks don’t happen on their own.
But if there was ever a weekend for LSU’s bats to get going during SEC play, this was the week. Vanderbilt is known for its pitching, but the Commodores’ staff was dealing with injuries to five arms, including Saturday starter Austin Nye. And on top of all that, Vanderbilt was missing its veteran starting catcher, Colin Barczi. Nye and Barczi had a chance to appear in the series but didn’t.
Combine those absences with the same park conditions that were hurting LSU’s pitchers, and it was going to be hard for the Commodores to keep LSU’s offense at bay despite the Tigers’ struggles heading into the series.
The walks It was a maddening weekend for LSU fans for many reasons, but the walks were at the top of the list. Without the walks, especially on Friday, LSU likely wins the series. The Tigers, including hit by
land Sutton, boosting a passing offense that finished 11th in the NFL last season.
Waddle’s arrival will give the Broncos a bona fide top wide receiving duo for the first time since the late Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, who helped propel Denver to a Super Bowl championship a decade ago.
The Broncos were the AFC’s No. 1 seed last season but lost to New England in the snowy AFC championship game without Nix, who broke his ankle in a game against Buffalo in the divisional round.
Denver’s defense was one of the league’s best and produced an NFL-high and franchise-record 68 sacks, led by Nik Bonitto’s 14.
The Broncos’ offense was another story, often sputtering until Nix’s fourth-quarter heroics. Denver won a dozen one-score games in 2025 and had 10 comebacks during
Continued from page 1C
— which could be pricey if it’s not a lesser-known mid-major name.
There’s also the issue of the transfer portal if McMahahon is gone, especially if the majority of the nine LSU players with more eligibility leave with a coaching change.
Top player Dedan Thomas has said part of his reason to transfer to LSU was McMahon’s history of coaching NBA point guards like Ja Morant at Murray State. Ausberry could also decide that the staff is better off unchanged. McMahon already has a potentially important voice for his cause.
an 11-game winning streak. Nix has gone 25-11 in his two seasons, including the playoffs. But he’s done it largely without a true No. 1 receiver or top-tier tight end. Denver’s offense also lacked a playmaker in the backfield after J.K. Dobbins suffered what turned out to be a season-ending foot injury in mid-November Waddle, a first-round pick in 2021, had three straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons to begin his career but hasn’t reached that total since 2023.
The 27-year-old Waddle has averaged 81 receptions, 1,098 yards receiving and six touchdowns over his five-year career He had a career-high 104 catches as a rookie and had 1,356 yards receiving in 2022, when he led the NFL with 18.1 yards per catch.
Overall, Waddle has 373 receptions for 5,039 yards and 26 TDs.
School in Kentucky and Wyatt McCauley who spent his freshman year at Long Beach City College in California. Faulk knows that this first practice is only the beginning for his players. He told them the same is true for him as he enters his first year at Southern and his second season on a coaching staff.
“I have to get better in this element,” he said. “For me, I’m a rookie. I’m a rookie again, but in the field that I’m very familiar with. And I have asked some very good head coaches, good mentors, guys that I can lean on and call.”
As Southern embarks on a new chapter in its history, which has already excited fans since Faulk’s introductory news conference four months ago, Faulk shares in the joy
“It’s fun, I didn’t even sleep last night,” Faulk said. “I kept waking up, and finally, I was like, ‘You’re the head coach, like you have your first practice tomorrow.’ So I’m excited. I’m just excited to be on the field in this capacity to where, you know, I get to make decisions. And in making those decisions, understanding that people are going to criticize and do what they do on their end, and I just have to stay the course.”
pitches, issued 29 free passes. They walked 21 in the first two games alone, and 12 of the hitters who either walked or got hit by a pitch ended up scoring.
Perhaps the most frustrating aspect was that the arms that struggled typically don’t have this many issues with their command.
Evans had never walked more than three batters in a game since arriving at LSU until Friday nor had sophomore left-hander Cooper Williams, who only walked 13 all of last season.
“Casan’s an elite strike-thrower, he’s an elite strike-thrower,” Johnson said. “Cooper Williams is an elite strike-thrower and did not throw strikes tonight.”
Sophomore left-hander Ethan Plog walked two of the five hitters he faced despite heading into the weekend as a trusted arm in relief for Johnson.
Moore also struggled with his command, despite it being his calling card. Nearly 40% of his pitches on Saturday were out of the zone. Schmidt’s ball rate on the other hand, did eclipse the 40% mark.
Francis Missionaries of Our Lady Health System president and CEO E.J. Kuiper was one of six on the search committee, including Ausberry, that resulted in the hiring of Kiffin. He publicly backed McMahon following LSU’s 106-99 double overtime win at Ole Miss on Feb. 25. “LSU MBB beats Ole Miss in Oxford!! Matt McMahon is a good coach,” Kuiper wrote in an Instagram story “Took over a program that was in shambles and had to deal with key injuries all season long. He deserves another chance.” Ausberry may also account for the role injuries played in how this season unfolded. The Tigers opened 12-1 in their nonconference schedule, including an impressive 12-point win over SMU, a No. 11 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Everything shifted the day before the SEC opener Thomas injured his left foot and only played three conference games.
The junior averaged a teamhigh 16.2 points on 49.3% shooting, an SEC-high 7.1 assists and only 1.8 turnovers per game in nonconference play
His absence compounded the loss of forward Jalen Reed, the team’s expected secondbest player to a season-ending Achilles tendon injury in the sixth game. The trend continued in this season’s final game when backup center Robert Miller was out for the first time in his career
The Tigers’ top defender “was suspended for violation of team rules,” McMahon said after the Kentucky loss.
The last notable point the pro-
Arrambide’s strong weekend
After a dip in production during LSU’s slide in nonconference play, Arrambide turned things around at the plate. The sophomore catcher went 5 for 13 with two doubles, a walk and three RBIs, looking more comfortable than he did a year ago against SEC pitching.
“The guys that we face on (our) staff are just like the best of the best,” Arrambide said. “And so when I’m seeing that every day in the fall, I guess I can get a little bit more comfortable seeing that (level of stuff).”
Arrambide’s strong weekend helped lengthen out an LSU lineup that needed it. With fifth-year senior Seth Dardar and senior Zach Yorke struggling, the Tigers have had to rely on Steven Milam and Jake Brown and Derek Curiel too many times.
Placing pressure by putting runners on base is a key tenet of Johnson’s offensive philosophy A strong year at the plate for Arrambide is a necessity if LSU wants to become that kind of team
gram may consider if it keeps McMahon is the hiring of general manager Ronald Dupree. The 2025 LSU Hall of Famer was hired on April 7, which was 14 days after the transfer portal window opened.
Dupree, the former director of global scouting for the Milwaukee Bucks, was tasked with lightening the load of team-building on McMahon’s shoulders.
He’s expected to lead NIL negotiations with players, form relationships with agents and evaluate prospective talent. Dupree was hired too late in the offseason to have a big impact. Dupree told The Advocate last year that he wasn’t involved in the five transfer portal additions the Tigers made up to that point. The last three players added while Dupree was on staff were starting forward Pablo Tamba and bench guards PJ Carter and Ron Zipper Dupree should have his fingerprints on the entire roster construction this time to make McMahon’s winning team. That process has begun, not counting the high school recruiting class. LSU gained the commitment of 22-year-old Australian professional guard Owen Foxwell in late February
From the financial realities, injury misfortune and a general manager primed to be more involved, McMahon may have enough in his favor to afford him a fifth season at LSU.
“I think we have an elite leadership team, administrative team, and I’ll certainly respect whatever decisions they make moving forward,” McMahon said.
Winning Sunday’s game kept LSU in the hunt for 15-plus SEC wins, which would give the Tigers a good chance at hosting an NCAA regional. Road series in the conference are tough to win, but avoiding a sweep this weekend was paramount, especially given Vanderbilt’s early-season struggles. However for as big as Sunday’s win potentially was, we’re still early enough in the season that LSU’s quality of play is a stronger indicator for its future success than the results of the games themselves. Yes, LSU was an out away from winning this weekend’s series, but, perhaps more importantly the Tigers did not play like a team that deserved to win an SEC series on the road. LSU has the talent to become that type of club, but it isn’t there yet for many of the reasons listed above. It will, however, have many opportunities to prove it can be the team fans envisioned before the season started, starting next weekend against Oklahoma which just won twice in three games against Texas A&M.
DivisionInonselect
Both boys andgirls repeatasbasketball statechampions
BY JACKSON REYES
Staff writer
In the past two weeks,Zachary
High’strophy cabinetmade room fortwo more state titles.
Thegirls basketballteamtook down Slidell on March 6to win its second straight state championship. One week later,onSaturday, the Zachary boys defeated Ruston to complete their own repeat.
Zachary entered the rareair of winningback-to-back state titles in both girls and boys basketball across thesametwo-year span
The last Baton Rouge area program to do so was University High in 2014 and 2015.
The Baton Rouge area capped a strong year on the hardwoodwith four state champions in girls basketball and two in boys basketball. In ayear where talent was around every corner,Zacharyanswered the call to deliver trophies on both sides.
For the girls, the Broncos’ title lastyearwas their firstsince 1928. The boys team built on its budding dynasty,winning afourth title in six years. The last two years proved one thing: Zachary basketball is here to stay On the boys’ side, Zachary traded the lead with Ruston six times in the fourthquarter. In the final two minutes, the Broncos
finally found some breathing room and held on for good to capture a63-60 win in Lake Charles.
The Broncos girlstrailed Slidell for the majority of the game before senior AvaRaymond drove the length of the court and hit a floater with three seconds leftto give her team a53-52 win.
When Zachary needed abig play,its championshippedigree revealed itself. Butthat pedigree didn’thappen overnight. Both coaches have implemented winning formulas that have resulted in four titles in two years.
Boys basketball
Talks of setting aculture canbe acliché used by coaches at all levels. But for Zachary,the mantras of “don’tflinch” and “built tough” ring true with every net cut down In aseesawbattle with the Bearcats, it was coach Jon McClinton’steam’stoughness that persevered.
“There’snoway that we’re not tough and we come out victorious in that game,” McClinton said “The toughness, Ifeel like, is what
BY WILLIAM WEATHERS Contributing writer
Parkview Baptistfreshman
pitcher Emmarie Lacy acknowledgedthe District6-3Achampionship was part of the team’s objective when the day started.
Ayear after falling to eventual statechampion Calvary Baptist in the Division III select semifinals, the Eagles clearly have theirsightsset on abiggertarget.
“It’s part of it,” Lacy said of the district title. “We’re definitely chasing astate championship.”
ParkviewBaptist, the No.2 team in the DivisionIII power ratings, took care of the first part of that equation by breaking open aclose game with an eightrun fifth inning —highlighted by apair of inside-the-park home runs —ina14-2 victory in five innings over Universitiy High on Tuesday at TractionSports Performance.
The Eagles (18-2) outscored their threedistrict opponents 46-2 and wonfor the 14th time in 15 games.
“I know sometimes it doesn’t look that way because of power points,”Parkview coachAshlee Ducote said. “Itdoes mean something and it’sagainst U-High. Parkview and U-High battle in every sport and we compete and thatwas another prideful thing for us, too.”
Parkview collected 17 hits with all of its starters getting ahit and five players driving in at least a run. Leadoff batter AvaLandy (3 of 4) wasone of seven players with amultihit game.
Parkview handed Lacya 4-0 lead in thetop of thefourth.
Shortstop Lily Hammonds (2 of
Zacharycelebrates their win over Slidell in theDivision Inonselect championship game on March 7inSlidell.
won.”
So where does it come from?
McClinton pointed to the team’s schedule, which featured seven schools that made the state semifinals.
“This is where you win championships,” he said. “It’snot when the ball is tipped up in the air,it’s what happens prior to that.”
Another piece of the puzzle is reinforcing attention to detail. Early in the year,Zachary players would step to the side of the bench during gamestodopush-ups.
“Every time we take acharge, if youdon’t stand up andclap, you havetodopush-ups on the side,” McClintonsaid. “Those little things, we stressthatall the time.”
In the final twominutesofthe state title,juniorMasonNewman drew acharge in transition to give Zachary possession witha slim two-point lead. Doing the dirty work is what McClinton points outmakes thedifference between banners and tears.
“It’sthe little things thatwin guys championships,” McClinton said. “Wenever overlook thelittle things that come back and biteyou at theend ”
Girlsbasketball
Thegirls’ basketball team similarly won its repeat, with a gauntlet schedule featuring seven schools that played for state
titles.
“Tobethe best, youcan’t be afraid to go out there and challenge yourself,” coach Tami McClure said. “That’swhat builds these girls right here to compete.”
While the Broncos entered as the top seed,Zachary was notlast year’s team. TheBroncos entered theyear with just one returning starter after graduating nine seniors. Raymond, the lone returningstarter,took herteam under her wing to continue the team’s championship expectations.
“Theseyoung ones under (Raymond’s) leadership fell in line with her,” McClure said. “I just knew that they would keep fighting.”
The girls team kept returning to one theme this year —unflappable. Everytime Slidell went on arun andstretched its lead against Zachary, theteam went right back to that word.
“Nothing’s goingtobotheryou,” McClure said afterthe game. “Thatwas our theme all year.Tonight,they were unflappable.”
In ayear where 18 schools from theBaton Rouge area played in either thegirls or boys statetournament,Zacharyhas built apowerhouse on bothsides that has becomethe blueprint for success.
Division Inonselect features a plethora of power programs, but to winatitle,there’sagood chance aschool will have to go through Zacharyfirst
2) drove in the first of herteamhigh three runs with single to left, and designated player Jalayah Slaugther drove in tworuns with asingle in the third.
University High (10-3, 2-1) closed the gap to 4-2 in the fourth with an RBI double from shortstopMorganSingletonand catcher Charlotte Lowe added an RBI run with atwo-out single. “I actually thought we played pretty well at thebeginning of the game,” U-High coach Adam Barrett said. “Webattled and then it just kind of got away from us abit.It’sa learning opportunity for our team.Wehave avery young team.”
Barrett went to Kenna Talbot, a seventh grader,inrelief of starter Gabby Fontenotwho worked the first 41/3 innings in her second start of the season.
Parkview,which took a6-2 lead in thefourth,batted around in the fifth, sending 13 batters to the plate with seven of those successfully reaching base in arow The Eagles had 10 of their 17 hits in the inning with third baseman
AimeeGawlikand second baseman Emma Conerly getting two hits apiece and Conerly driving in tworuns.
Conerly’sRBI tripleignited the inning which also had fireworks from right fielder Grace Aucoin (2 of 2) with atwo-run inside-thepark homer,which Hammonds laterduplicated with Addie Young aboard.
“I felt likeIdid OK,but Idefinitely could have done 100% better,” said Lacy,who allowed four hitsand struck out 10. “There’s stuff Ineedtowork on,and I know my teammates have my back all the time.”
PONTE VEDRABEACH, Fla. Cameron Young had given up on his own expectations, and forgood reason.
Doug Ferguson
Seeing him pose with The Players Championship trophy makes it easy to forget that he once tied aPGA Tour record with seven runner-up finishes —all of them in a 30-month span before winning. His Sunday stroke average forthose silver medals was 67.5. Someone wasalways alittle bitbetter Young missed winning twomajorsbyawhisker his rookie year in 2022. He madedouble bogey from abunker on the 16th hole in the PGA Championship and finished oneshot out of aplayoff.
“One of those times I’mgoing to shoot 5under on the back and that’sgoing to be good enough,” he said that day at Southern Hills. Twomonths later he shot 5under on theback nine at St. Andrews. Cameron Smith shot 30 and beat him by one. Butthe 28-year-old New Yorker had big expectations forhis biggest momentatThe Players. Young was tied forthe lead with Matt Fitzpatrick on the fearsome 18th tee at the TPC Sawgrass, the entire leftside of thefairway framed by water he had found only the day before. Young had 18 holes to recover from that shot, no room forerror on this one.
“My thought process over that ball is one, making sure that I’m committed to my line. And two, the overarching thought is I’m going to hit the best shot of my life right here,” Young said. “I don’tknow if I can think of one that’sbetter.”
Tiger Woods had his “better thanmost” putt on the islandgreen 17th in 2001. Young had his “longer than anyone” moment on the 18thonSunday with a375yard drive that will become part of Players Championship lore. It was asurprising admission from Young, who keeps so much underwraps. Thebeard is reminiscent of Dustin Johnson, the emotional flatline of David Duval
“First timethat thought’sreally popped in my mind,” Young said. “AndI think Idid what Iintended. It’s one of the best shots I’ve ever hit in my life.”
It was only his secondPGA Tour victory, but thebodyof work —seven runner-up finishes, threetop 5s in themajors, abig performanceinthe RyderCup —would suggest more is to come. Howmuch more? Thatmight require setting goals, andYoung hasbeen down that road before “I’m kind of trying to give up on that, in terms of looking at where Iamversus where I think Ishould be in my career,” Young said, adding that his expectations used to be “wildly unreasonable” without sharing what they were.
“This is ahard game,” he said, “and there’salot of people that are really good at it.”
There are players to chase, like Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy,and there are players running alongside him.All of them are highly skilled.
Eight of the 10 winners on the PGATour this year are in their 20s, two of them (Scheffler and Collin Morikawa) already multiple major champions.
Chris Gotterup (26) wasn’t on anyone’sradar until he left Rutgers for Oklahoma as a senior and won the Jack Nicklaus Award as the best player in college. Gotterup now has four wins, three of them in the last eight months.
Jacob Bridgeman (26) madeit to the Tour Championship last year despite not playing in half of the majors and half of the signature events. He looked strong winning at Riviera, and he was right back in the mixatThe Players until acouple of shots found the water Gotterup, Young and Bridgeman have compiled moreworld ranking points in 2026 than anyone. It’s fair to assume big stuff is on the horizon forthem For Young, there are goals and there are expectations, and there is adifference.
He set abig goal ayear ago to play in the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, where he wonaNew York State Open. He dreamed of being on that U.S. team the day it wasannounced when he was a junior high school.
Fast forward to 2025 and Young was No.67inthe world with four months lefttoqualify. He had gone 11 starts since his last top 10 and had missed six cuts during that stretch.
Nembhard0-2, Smith 0-2,Flagg 0-3).
Team Rebounds:7.Team Turnovers:1
BlockedShots:3(Flagg, Johnson, Williams). Turnovers: 11 (Flagg 4, Nembhard3,Middleton 2, Johnson, Smith) Steals: 10 (Christie2,Flagg 2, Middleton 2, Bagley III, Poulakidas,Smith, Washington) Technical Fouls:None. FG FT Reb NOLA MinM-A M-AO-T APFPTS Bey 35:00 8-18 6-6 1-6 31 23 Willimsn28:31 11-13 5-9 1-4 11
NewMexico,n Murray State at Nevada, n Saint Joseph’s at Colorado State, n UIC at California, n Thursday’s games SOUTH South Florida vs.Louisville at Buffalo,N.Y
1:30 p.m. Siena vs.DukeatGreenville, S.C., 2:50 p.m. McNeese vs.Vanderbilt at Oklahoma City, 3:15 p.m. VCUvs. North CarolinaatGreenville,S.C 6:50 p.m. Saint Louis vs.Georgia at Buffalo,N.Y 9:45 p.m
Percentages: FG .505, FT .647. 3-Point Goals: 11-35 314 (Fears 3-7,Matkovic 2-2, Murphy III 2-9,Hawkins 1-1,Queen 1-1, Jones1-3, Bey1-6,Poole0-6)
Team Rebounds:9.Team Turnovers:None. BlockedShots:12(Missi5,Jones 2, Poole 2, Queen 2, Murphy III). Turnovers: 14 (Fears 3, Missi 2, Murphy III 2, Queen 2, Bey,Jones,Peavy,Poole, Williamson). Steals: 7(MurphyIII 2, Bey, Fears,Matkovic Queen, Williamson) Technical Fouls:None. Dallas 26 28 32 25 —111 New Orleans 32 35 36 26 —129 A_16,787 (16,867).T_2:07
College baseball
State scores, schedule Monday’s games No games scedhuled. Tuesday’s games Northwestern State at Southern, n Southeastern 3, Oklahoma 0 Southern Miss 4, Nicholls 0 Tulane 5, UNO 2 LSU 7, Grambling 1 Wednesday’s games UNO at ULM, 6p.m. UL at Houston, 6:30 p.m. Northwestern State at Tulane, 6:30 p.m. College softball
State scores,
7, TexasA&M
10, Alcorn
MIDWEST TCUvs. Ohio State at Greenville, S.C., 12:15 p.m
Troy vs.Nebraska at Oklahoma City,12:40 p.m. High Point vs.Wisconsin at Portland, Ore.
1:50 p.m. North
3-Point
14-39, .359 (Christie 4-6,
4-8, Marshall 2-4, Middleton 2-7, Bagley III 1-1, Poulakidas1-5, Johnson 0-1,
Bon vi·vant /noun/ asociable person who has cultivatedand refined tastes, especially with respect to food and drink.
Walk-On’sSports Bistreaux,with multiple locations around Baton Rouge, has afew March Madness specials on the menu.
Trythe new “Peach Heat” wing sauce flavor.When dine-in customers order any size of Coors Light, they will earn $1 off any 12- or 18-count bone-inwings or boneless wings order.The restaurant is raising money duringits “Slam Dunk Madness”campaign to support youth sportprograms.
PROVIDED PHOTO
Walk-On’sSports Bistreauxis raising moneyduring its ‘Slam Dunk Madness’ campaignto supportyouth sport programs. Try the new‘Peach Heat’ wing sauce flavor
Sonny’sBBQ,12475 Florida Blvd., Baton Rouge, launched itsspring menu with cheese curds,abrisket grilled cheese,beer-battered onion rings, peach cobbler egg rolls and more on the menu
The Colonel’sClub,2857 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge, has anew lineup of cocktailsatthe bar:
n The Pinky Promise, made with gin or vodka, grapefruit, lychee and sparkling rosé
n The Colonel Cola, madewith bourbon, sweet vermouth,bitters and carbonation
n The Sazón Rouge, made with rye whiskey,aquavit, coriander, bittersand Herbsaint
n The Geaux-zempic, made with lemon, vodka, cucumber and limoncello
n The Rancher,made with blanco tequila, lime, yellow plum and Topo Chico
n The Silk Road, made withIndonesian rum, green tea, lime and coconut
Speaking of new sips Cherry Bomb Coffee Co.,136 W. Chimes St., Baton Rouge, has aspring menu that features arosemarybrown sugar shaken espresso, peaches and cream cold brew and strawberry matcha. The mobile coffee cart is also covering pistachio year-round.
Trythe new rainbow beignets, Fruity Pebble-stuffed French toast and more at RubySlipper, 3535 Perkins Road, BatonRouge, through April 12. Through April 5, Vicious Biscuit, 333 St. Christopher Ave.,Gonzales,has ablueberrybiscuit, blueberry bites and ablueberry SEC (with pork or chicken sausage, white cheddar cheese and an egg stacked on ablueberry biscuit) on the menu.
ä See BONVIVANT, page 3D
PROVIDED PHOTO
Vicious Biscuit in Gonzales has ablueberry SEC (with pork or chicken sausage, whitecheddar cheese and an egg staked on a blueberry biscuit) on the menu through April 5.
The newspaper’sfeatures team sampled eight differentred beans and rice from Baton Rougerestaurants, including this one from Hannah QSmokehouse.
STAFFPHOTO By JANRISHER
8different restaurants, with wildly varyingtastes, are strongcontendersfor best traditionalMondayfare
Staff report
The newspaper’sfeatures staff couldn’tsample every plate of redbeans andriceinBaton Rouge,but we brought in eight strong contendersfor ablind tasting of the Monday staple. Going in, the features staff did not expect big differences be-
tween the dishes. Boy, were we wrong —onmultiple counts. Flavorsvaried. Bean sizes varied. Sausagesvaried wildly.So did the salt —and the spice. Oneinteresting note: We have done similar tastingsfor Baton Rouge-area king cakes, Sensation salads, gumbo,chocolate
chip cookies and chicken salad. This is the first tasting in which anyone has gone back for more, oncethe initialrequiredtasting was done. We arranged ablind tasting of red beans and rice from Brewbacher’s, Cecilia,Chimes, Elsie’s,
ä See BEANS, page 2D
Staff report
Grilled Gulf Fish n ElizaRestaurant, 7970 Jefferson Highway, Baton Rouge
It was my first time at ElizaRestaurant,and Ihad aheavenly experience.
My friend and Iboth ordered thegrilled Gulf fish. The redfish was servedontop of seasonal risotto,which has spinach, scallions and mushroomsfrom Mushroom Maggie’sFarm. When we took abite, we bothsaid, “Whoa,”followed by silenceasour forks reached for more The seasoning on theredfishwas excellent, and asqueeze of lemon brought it to zesty perfection. Somehow it got even better withthe risotto,which was creamy, comforting and delicious. Ireally enjoyed the addition of mushrooms, especially becausethey were sourced locally.Whatatreat this was —Maddie Scott, features reporter
Staff report
The newspaper is reintroducing its Cookie Contest at the Baker Fair from 2p.m.to5 p.m. April12atthe Main Library,7711 Goodwood Blvd., in Baton Rouge. The first-place winner will receive a$100 gift card; second place, $75 giftcard; and third place, $50 giftcard. The winners and their cookies will be featured in The Advocate’sLiving section. Fordetails andtoenterthe contest, go to ebrpl.co/advocatecookiecontest. TheAdvocate Cookie Contest Rules are as follows: n Any style of cookie —cut,roll, drop or bar —may be entered in the contest, but the cookie must be homemade.
By The Associated Press
Today is Wednesday,March 18, the 77th day of 2026. There are288 days left in the year
Todayinhistory:
On March 18, 1925, nearly 700 peopledied when the Tri-State Tornado struck southeastern Missouri, southern Illinois andsouthwestern Indiana; it remainsthe deadliest single tornadoin U.S. history
Also on this date:
In 1922,MohandasK.Gandhi was sentenced in India to six years’ imprisonment for civil disobedience. (He was releasedafter serving two years.)
In 1937, in America’sworst school disaster,nearly 300 people —most of them children —were killed in anatural gas explosion at the New London Consolidated School in Rusk County,Texas
In 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed an executive order authorizing the WarRelocation Authority,which forcedJapanese Americans into internment camps during World WarII.
In 1963, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Gideon v. Wainwright, ruled unanimously that state courts were required to provide legal counsel to criminaldefendants who could not afford to hire an attorney on their own
In 1965, the first spacewalk took place as Soviet cosmonautAlexei Leonov went outside his Voskhod2 capsule, secured by atether In 1990, two thieves posing as
Continued from page1D
Goodwood Grill, HannahQ Smokehouse, Rice and Roux, and the Southern University dining hall. None of the restaurants knew we were doing atasting competition
Seven judges, features writers and Jalen Cavalier the Baton Rouge/Acadiana video producer,participated in the blindtasting, each starting with adifferent dish. Because people value different characteristicsin red beans and rice, judges rankedeachsample on a scale of 1to10.
Only one bowl of red beans received aperfect 10 from any judge. In fact, two judges gave the winning red beans and rice aperfect 10.
As assistant features editor Judy Bergeronsaid, “Who knew eightdishes of red beans and rice from eight different restaurants could vary so much in flavor?” Bergeron said she was looking for an overall wellseasoned dish with arobust, smoky sausage and fluffy rice.
She said that she’sared beans purist and believes there should be some liquid in the pot.
Margaret DeLaney,health section coordinator,disagreed with Bergeron. She was looking for apretty firm bean with mostly cookedthrough liquids, as well as flavorful sausage.
Features writer Maddie Scott said that spice level and meatiness were important factors in her rankings
“Top-tier red beans have a little heat, plenty of season-
policeofficers subdued security guards at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum of Art in Boston and stole 13 worksofart valuedat over $500 millioninthe biggest art heist in history; the works have notbeen recovered
In 2014,Russia under President Vladimir Putin illegally annexed theCrimean Peninsula from Ukraine, abold land grab that set the stage for Russia’seventual full-scaleinvasion of Ukraine in 2022
In 2018, aself-driving Uber SUV struck and killed apedestrian in Tempe,Arizona, in the first death involving afully autonomous test vehicle
In 2025,NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore andSuni Williams returned to Earth on aSpaceX capsule after spendingmore than nine months aboard the InternationalSpaceStation; theirmission was supposed to lastabout aweek but was prolonged, in large part, by problems with the Boeing Starliner capsule that delivered them to the station.
Today’sbirthdays: Composer John Kander is 99.Actor BradDourif is 76. Jazz musician Bill Frisell is 75. FilmmakerLuc Besson is 67. TV personality Mike Rowe is 64. Singer-actor Vanessa L. Williams is 63. Olympicspeed skating gold medalist Bonnie Blair is 62.
Rapper-actor Queen Latifah is 56. Actor-comedian DaneCook is 54. Singer Adam Levine (Maroon 5) is 47. ActorLily Collins is 37. Actor Ciara Bravo is 29.
Chicken Parmesan sandwich
n Jabby’s Pizza, 18303 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge
Iheard about the Jabby’ssandwich specials from various social media posts, so my son and Iwent to tryout theMarch special —a chicken Parmesan sandwich. I told him Ithought we may need to share one, but he insisted on his own. He is 12, to be fair
The sandwich “bread” is pizza crust, baked in amassive pizza oven, folded over atasty breaded chicken cutlet, fresh mozzarella, tangy marinara and finished with asplash of pesto. The pizza crust complemented the cheesy chicken and bright tomato from themarinara, and the fresh pesto added another level of flavor.The portions were huge, and in fact, we could have split it. This way, though, we got to bring it home and share with the rest of our family
—Joy Holden, features reporter Casablanca chicken and red beans withfried chicken
n ZeaRotisserie&Bar,235 Doucet Road, Lafayette
This restaurant has been aLouisiana standard for so long, I’ve hadmorebirthday, graduation andit’s-Friday-night dinners there
ing and contain at least one type ofmeat likesausage, bacon or pork,” Scottsaid.
“Forme, Elsie’sPlate &Pie met all thosequalities, and I went back for seconds.”
Features writerand Baton Rouge native JoyHolden said that red beans and rice are acomfort food forher
She almostalways prefers to make the dish at home
“Trying eight different versions of redbeans from restaurants was anovel experience for me,” Holden said. “For me, Iwant flavor— deep, rich flavor. The sausage is there for texture, seasoning and alittle extra smoke.
Holden said that the best sausageofthe bunch came from Hannah QSmokehouse, but Cecilia Creole Bistro was herhands-down favorite.
Jan Risher,Louisiana culture editor,agreed with Holden on the flavoring and texture of Cecilia CreoleBistro’sred beans
“They were as close to perfect as I’ve ever had,” Risher said, “but Ialso really liked Elsie’sand Hannah Q’s.”
Risher said that tasting the dishes buthavingnoidea whichrestaurant they were from added an interesting elementand abit of mystery to the experience.
“I thinksome people went in expecting to like oneor theother simply because they have afavorite restaurant,” Risher said. “Mostof us were pleasantly surprised all the way around —and learned about new places to try redbeans.”
Lauren Cheramie, featurescoordinator,saidshe was looking for the right amount of salt andsausage thatknocks her socks off.
Sheadmittedthata side of cornbread doesn’thurt either “I’m open to restaurants thatveer from the traditional flavor of red beans and rice, and that’sexactly what we gotwith this tasting and that doesn’tmean that’s abad thing,”Cheramie said.
Cheramie’sfavorite was
than Ican recall —and it’sjust as good as the last time, every single time. Zea knows how to serve a crowd,and during this large Sundaylunch, everything was perfectlypresented and prepared. Case in point —myparents and I orderedtwo entrees to split, the Casablanca chicken and red beans andricewith smoked sausage and afried chicken breast. Everything arrived perfectly portionedfor our individual plates.
Hannah QSmokehouse, served with asweet corn pudding on the side.She
The beans were so flavorful and tender and went perfectly with each bite of juicy sausage and crispy fried chicken. I’m also a huge fan of asimple platter of hummus, Moroccan-spiced grilled chicken and pita wedges, and Zea’sCasablanca chicken is one of those simple, hugely flavorful entrees that begs to be shared. Next time you’re debating over where to bring your family for lunch, don’tstress, and grab a table at Zea’s.
—Joanna Brown,
staff writer
praised thebalance of the beans and the smoky sausage, which added just enough heat and texture.
It was atight race with only eight points separating first and fifthplaces.
n The winning red beans and rice wasfrom Cecilia Creole Bistro,421 N. Third St., downtown Baton Rouge. Of a possible70points, it wasthe high scorer with53points.
n Brew-bacher’s,with two locations in the city at 8415 Bluebonnet Blvd. and 3554 Drusilla Lane,came in second place with50points.
n With 49 points, Hannah Q Smokehouse,9880 Bluebonnet
Blvd. and4808 Government St., followed closelybehind at third.
n In fourth place, TheChimes was in the running too with 48 points. Chimeshas locationsat219 E. Chimes St and 10870 Coursey Blvd n And Elsie’sPlate and Pie, 3145 GovernmentSt.,came in fifth place, with45points. Did we miss arestaurant that serves greatred beans and rice? If so,let us know. Email JanRisher at jan.risher@theadvocate. com.Asmentioned, we’re happy to go backfor seconds on this one.
Continued from page1D
Dear Harriette: Lately, my anxiety has been keeping me up at night, scaring me away from windows, crowded places, public transportation and tall buildings, and causing excessive overthinking. With recent developments between the United States and countries like Iran, Iamafraid all the time.
Social media doesn’thelp by simply mockingall this serious political unrest with memes jokingabout World WarIII. It makes everything feel more chaotic and unpredictable.
Ifind myself constantly checking the news for updates, then regretting it
because it sends me into aspiral of worst-case scenarios. My friends tellmeI’m overreacting, but the fear feelsreal in my body.How do Istay informed without becoming consumed by anxiety? How can Iground myselfwhen theworld feels unstable? Idon’twant to live in fear,but I’m struggling to feel safe. —AtWar Dear At War: Your feelings are normal.The worldisin chaos right now,and there’s atremendous amount of uncertainty about everyone’s health andsafety.Itwould be abnormal for you to be nonchalant about these times.
That said, you don’twant to letthese circumstances consume you. Here’swhere spiritual practice andgenerallytending to your body can be helpful.Remember to
breathe deeply,especially when you are feeling anxious. Meditate or pray,and ask forblessings foryourself, your lovedonesand the world. Connect withpeople you love.Talk about uplifting topics. Don’tdwell on things you cannotcontrol In terms of paying attention to the news, check in withareliable news source each morning so you have asense of what’sgoing on in the world. Don’tcheck before you go to bed. Keep pleasantthoughts top of mind then.
Dear Harriette: Recently, my 13-year-old stepsonand his friend were hanging out at my house afterschool.
When Ipopped intomy stepson’sroomtocheck on them, Icaught themwith an inappropriate magazine XXX content, if you know whatImean?When Itried
to press them, his friend claimed that the magazine washis andthatmystepsonhad no clue thathe’d brought it. Honestly,I can’ttell if that’sthe truth or if he’s covering formystepson. I asked themwhere they got it, and theyrefusedtotell me Ispoke to my husband about it,and he downplayed it with asort of “boys will be boys” philosophy and said he would speak to them about this phase Istill feel obligated to speakwiththe otherboy’s mother,but my husband says Ishouldn’tblowitout of proportion. Should Idefy my husband in the interest of the otherparent? —Boys Will Be Boys
Dear Boys Will Be Boys: Iam siding with your husband on this. It doesn’tmatter where theygot the magazine.
Teenage boys sneaking to look at pornography is almost arite of passage. They are doing it the old-school way.These days, children younger than them have access to online pornography, including graphic videos. Begin to have conversations about sexuality,honoring the body and the difference between pornography and intimacy.Your husband should start these conversations. If you bring it up to the other parents, do so from the perspective that it’s time to talk to children about sex rather than finding the culprit who gave them the magazine.
Send questions to askharriette@ harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City,MO64106.
n The cookie should be made from scratchwithout relying on ready-made cookie dough or mixes.
n On contest day, bring twodozen cookies in adisposable container to the library at 2p.m.
n Each cookie entry container must be clearly labeledtwice; labels must be taped to thetop cover and bottom of thecontainer: Include name of cookies, baker’sname, address and phone number on a3-by 5-inch index card or similarsize piece of paper
n Each cookie entry must be accompanied by its recipe,printed or typed on 8.5- by 11-inch paper,which will be turnedinto the contest administrator when the cookiesare deliveredon the day of the contest. The baker’sname, address and phone numbershould be included on the recipe.
Dear Heloise: Ihave several hints for multiple ways to use a5-inch electric fan on akitchen counter.You can use it to cool off closed containers of warm food before storing them in afridge or freezer Youcan place apaper towel under acolander and use the fan to dry washed grapes, tomatoes, etc. Youcan also use the fantoblow fumes away from your eyes when you’re slicing an onion or to cool off your face and neck when you’re having ahot flash. SandraM., in Temple,Texas Onyx surfaces
Dear Heloise: Canyou tell me the best way to clean onyx countertops, sinks and showers? Ilove my new bathroom, but I’m afraid Iwill scratch the surface. My contractorhighly recommended it, but Iread that you must be careful with the products you use for cleaning. Thank you for your columns and advice. —Ruth M., via email Ruth, use asoft microfiber cloth with warm water and a gentle pH-neutral soap, or a special cleaning product that is designed for stone. Never use anything harsh on onyx such as abrasive scrubbing agents, vinegar or lemon and please seal the onyx on a regular basis.
Continued from page1D
In theknow
Trythe Marchpo-boy of themonth at Jed’sLocal,672 Jefferson Highway,Baton Rouge, before it’sgone. The fried crawfish cake sandwich is made with Louisiana crawfish, romaine lettuce, tomatoes and house remoulade sauce. For every order of the
Before agreeing to use aproduct,always do your homework. Youcan also research what it takesto keep onyx looking like new formany years. Acontractor may mean well, but they don’thave to do the cleaning or care for what’s in your home. —Heloise
Calcium-scale cleaning
Dear Heloise: For the person who’strying to getrid of calcium-scaledeposits in their shower,mix 1cup of Epsom salt, 1/2 cup of baking soda, and a 1/4 cup of liquiddish soap together.(No harsh chemicalsornastysmells to worry about.) It’s great for hard-water stainsbut also forcalcium scale. Put the paste on the calcium scaleand let it sit for afew minutes.Then usea good scrub brush, which will start toloosenthe calcium. It took afew times to getrid of it all, but the mixturewas not harmful to the aluminum. Now Iuse it whenever Isee calcium startingto build up again. It does make alarge amount,soI usually make half as it will startto dry out if left for too long. Hope it helps! —Denise, via email Denise, here’sanother hint: Youcan uselukewarm water and baby shampoo with averysoft clothon your pearls to clean them. Never usehot water,ultrasonic cleaners, harsh chemicalsorabrasive clean-
po-boy,Jed’s will donate money to Companion Animal Alliance, theonly open-intakeanimal shelter in East Baton RougeParish that cares for more than 9,000 animals each year
Mark your calendar Easter buffet:11a.m. to 2p.m April5 at Houmas House Estate andGardens, 40136 La. 942, Darrow Join the staff at Houmas House on Easter Sunday for brunch. The menu includes
ers. Don’t useatoothbrush either; it’stoo roughondelicate pearls. —Heloise
Strong passwords
Dear Heloise: Becky from Ohiosuggested using old phone numbers or oldstreet addresses for passwords. Having worked in IT for close to 30 years, Iassure you thatalthough these passwordsare easy to remember, they can be easily hacked, too. Istrongly suggest using apassword manager program that can be installed on your phone, mobile device or computer. Some examples are1Password andKeeper Thepassword manager programs only require you to remember one strong password.Theycan create strong passwordsfor you andcan even be configured to autofill your username andpassword in aweb browser or from your mobile device. Howeverfor those who are reluctant to purchase apassword manager program, you can substitute variouscharacters for regular letters (@ instead of Aor$insteadofS). Youcan also makeuse of thespecial characters abovethe numberkeysbyusing the “shift” key. (For example, !=1,@ =2,#=3,etc.). —Stephen H., in New Jersey
Send ahinttoheloise@ heloise.com.
herb-crusted salmon with lemon cream,crawfish étouffée, beef short rib, roasted duck breast with praline sauce, desserts, soups, salads and sides. Tickets are $120 for adults 14+ and $70 for children ages 6-13, available for purchase by calling (225) 473-9380.
If you have an upcoming food event or akitchen question, emaillauren. cheramie@theadvocate. com. Cheers!
PIscEs (Feb. 20-March 20) Take your time, explore the possibilities, reveal your plans and keep communication flowing. Gather information and get the lowdown on someone or something you want to pursue or learn more about.
ARIEs (March 21-April 19) Lock onto something tangible, and work away until you are satisfied. Discarding clutter will give you a fresh perspective. Refuse to let emotional ties stand in the way of reason and doing what's best for you.
tAuRus (April 20-May 20) Size up situations and launch changes necessary to reach your goals. Call on experts for a quick lesson on do-it-yourself tactics that will help you stick to your budget.
GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Keep busy. Idle time is the enemy, and overreacting will create controversy. It's better to take on a physical project that will tire you out and help you accomplish a personal goal.
cAncER (June 21-July 22) Express yourself and wait for a response. You may not like everything you hear, but it will help you fine-tune your plans and give you a fighting chance to come out on top.
LEo (July 23-Aug 22) Pick up the pace, and don't stop until you are happy with what you achieve. A financial gain looks promising, and the option to expand your interests will ease stress and boost confidence.
VIRGo (Aug. 23-sept. 22) Embrace what life has to offer. Stretch yourself to
meet demands and show everyone what you can do. High energy, enthusiasm and empathy will carry you forward with gratitude.
LIBRA (sept. 23-oct. 23) Fixate on getting things done. A lifestyle change will encourage you to trust your judgment over others' and to make choices that ease your stress and enhance your comfort.
scoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Put a positive spin on your day. Being true to yourself and saying no to temptation will pay off. Don't complicate your life or your relationships. Honesty is crucial.
sAGIttARIus (nov. 23-Dec. 21) Financial, medical and contractual matters will require discussions. Avoid overspending on something you don't need. Don't bother trying to persuade someone to see things your way.
cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan 19) Size down, simplify, rethink and start over. A change is overdue, but first, you need a budget-friendly plan. A partnership will help lower your overhead and ease stress.
AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Redesign your budget to fit your income. A heartto-heart talk with someone will shed light on the possibilities and how you can make the most of whatever situation you face.
The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2026 by NEA, Inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication
InstructIons: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. Theobject is to place the numbers 1to9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. Thedifficulty level of theSudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.
Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer
By PHILLIP ALDER
Denis Waitley, afounding member of the National Council on Self-Esteem, said, “Success is almost totally dependent upon drive and persistence. The extra energy required to make another effort or try another approach is the secret of winning.”
That is true, but sometimes, at the bridgetable,tryingforanextratrickcan prove veryexpensive. Still, occasionally adefender can dangle atempting carrot thatleavesdeclarerthinkinghehasanocost shot at an overtrick In this deal, South is in three no-trump, and West leads theheart 10. How might West tempt declarer into an indiscretion?
Southshould open oneno-trump. Yes, theclubholdingoftwohonorsdoubleton isaminus,butthefive-cardsuitisacompensatingplus.
Declarer starts with seven toptricks: threehearts(giventheopeninglead),one diamond and three clubs.Obviously, he will attack clubs.However, West can set anastytrap for South Declarertakesthefirsttrickinhishand and cashes the club king. West should playhisfive.Then,whenSouthcontinues with the club queen, West shoulddrop his eight.Heistrying to make it look as though he started withJ-8-5 and East with the 6-4-doubleton(and wasstarting ahigh-low with his six).
If declarer falls forthe ruse, he will win the third trick with hisqueen and suddenly find that he cannot make the contract.
Instead, South must overtake hisclub queen with dummy’s ace and continue withthe club 10 to driveout West’s jack. Then declarer gets at least three hearts, one diamond and five clubs ©2026 by NEA,Inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication
Each Wuzzle is awordriddlewhich creates adisguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: NOON GOOD =GOOD AFTERNOON
Previous answers:
word game
InstRuctIons: 1. Words must be of fourormore letters. 2. Words that acquire fourletters by the addition of “s,”such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed.3 Additional words made by adding a“d” or an “s” may not be used. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit wordsare not allowed toDAy’s WoRD HEREuPon: HEER-uh-pon: Immediately after this
Average mark22words Time limit 35 minutes
Can you find 31 or morewords in HEREUPON?
yEstERDAy’s WoRD —LAnGuoR
RECREATION AND PARK COMMISSION FOR THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE Regular Meeting –5:00 p.m. BREC Administration Building 6201 Florida Boulevard Baton Rouge, Louisiana Commission Minutes February 26, 2026
Call to Order Aregular meeting of the Recreation and Park Commissionfor the Parish of East Baton Rouge (BREC) was held at BREC’sAdministrative Offices on February 26, 2026. The meeting was called to order at 5:00 p.m. by Chairman Mike Polito. Commissioner Carl Stages offeredthe invocation and Commissioner Wade Evans led the Pledge of Allegiance. Roll was taken and aquorum of Commissioners was present, including Mike Polito, Chair; Wade Evans, Vice-Chair; Carl Stages, Treasurer; Dr Murelle Harrison, Lon Vicknair,David McDavid, Marshall Ortego and Dustin Yates. Commissioner Collis Temple III arrived at 5:37 P.M. Staff members present wereJanet Simmons, Interim Superintendent; Aneatra Boykin, Chief Administrative Officer; Maurice Velasquez, Interim Chief Operating Officer; Johanna Landreneau, Interim Chief Human Resources Officer; Corey Luttrell, Rhonda Williams, Tia Edwards, Jim Fleshman, Angela Harms, Steven Knight, RaHarold Lawson, Robyn Lott, Katrina Coots-Ward, Dina Duplantis, and Brendan Nestor. Murphy Foster,legal counsel, was also in attendance. The rest of the audience consisted of other BREC staff, media, and the public.
Public Comment
Chairman Polito announced that public comment would be allowed prior to avote being taken on anyagenda action item andexplained the process to be observed.
Adoption of Minutes
Resolved, that the reading of the minutes of the Regular Recreation andPark Commission Meeting of January 22, 2026, be dispensed with, and that they be approved as written.
Motion by Mr.Yates
Second by Mr.Ortego
Therebeing no discussion, Chairman Polito called for the vote with the following results: Yeas: 8 Nays: 0 The motion was approved unanimously
Consent Calendar Under the Consent Calendar,Chairman Polito read the following
resolution:
Resolved, that the Commission review and accept the Routine Personnel Transactions from January 6, 2026 through February 2, 2026.
Motion by Mr.Evans
Second by Mr.Stages
Therebeing no discussion, Chairman Polito called for the vote with the following results:
Yeas: 8 Nays: 0
The motion was approved unanimously
Presentations
The BREC video showcasing upcoming activities for the month of March was played.
Chairman Polito informed the audience that Interim Superintendent Simmons was celebrating her birthday and led everyone in singing to her Interim Superintendent Simmons recognized former Commissioners Dwayne Rogers, Clarice “Cricket” Gordon, and Donna Collins Lewis for their service to the Commission and to BREC. She noted that the Commissioners wereunable to attend but their plaques would be delivered to them. Also recognized wasSydney Parish, who received the Louisiana Recreation and Park Association (LRPA) Young Professional Award.
Reports of Officers and Standing Committees
Interim Superintendent Simmons presented the January 2026 attendance report and provided updates on community engagement meetings. She informed the Commission that the Zoo generated $3.147 million dollars in revenue in 2025, the highest ever
Ms. Simmons also recognized Information Systems Director Steven Knight, who discussed how BREC is utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities through already established software(Microsoft Co-Pilot) to assist in both project management and employee evaluations.
Ms. Simmons concluded her report by highlighting the radio show “BREC Room”, airing Mondays at 5:30 PM on Talk 107.3, prior events held at BREC facilities, and gave areminder of BREC’sMarch events.
Ms. Simmons recognized Rodney Combs from EisnerAmper,who gave an update on BREC’s2024 Audit. He stated that the 2025 Audit is scheduled to begin May 4, 2026, but Interim Superintendent Simmons would like to move that date up to mid-April.
Chairman Polito congratulated the audit firm and staffona job well done. He also asked Mr.Combs if therewas any fraud detected during the audit. Mr.Combs replied that based on the audit performed, therewas no fraud being reported.
Standing Committee Reports
Finance
Chairman Polito recognized Commissioner Stages, chair of the Finance Committee. Commissioner Stages thanked the Commission for appointing the committee members who ask great questions and perform their due diligence on the committee.
Finance Director Rhonda Williams stated that therewas no fraud detected in this year’saudit for the first time in years. She presented the December 31, 2025, which is the end of the fiscal year,and January Monthly Budget Status Reports.
Chairman Polito read Item aunder Finance:
Resolved, that the Commission accept the unaudited monthly Budget Status Report for the month ending and fiscal year-to-date ending December31, 2025, as presented.
Motion to approve by Mr. Evans Second by Mr.Temple
Therebeing no discussion, Chairman Polito called for the vote with the following results:
Yeas: 9 Nays: 0 The motion was approved unanimously
Chairman Polito read Item bunder Finance:
Resolved, that the Commission accept the unaudited monthly Budget Status Report for the month ending and fiscal year-to-date ending January 31, 2026, as presented.
Motion to approve by Mr.Yates Second by Mr.Vicknair
Therebeing no discussion, Chairman Polito called for the vote with the following results:
Yeas: 9
Nays: 0
The motion was approved unanimously
Chairman Polito called for amotion to accept the2024 Audit report.
Motion to accept by Mr.Evans Second by Mr.Stages
Therebeing no discussion, Chairman Polito called for the vote with the following results:
Yeas: 8 Nays: 0 The motion was approved unanimously Human Resources
Chairman Polito recognized Commissioner Harrison, who requested thatItems a, b, and cbecombined.
Chairman Polito read Items a, b, and cunder Human Resources: Resolved, that the Commission approve the position of Security Operations Center (SOC) Surveillance Manager at apay grade of 10, with Minimum Pay of $54,306.10 and Maximum Pay of $86,889.71.
Resolved, that the Commission approve the position of Security Operations Center (SOC) Surveillance Supervisor at apay
Resolved, that the Commission approve the position of Security Operations Center (SOC) Surveillance Agent at apay grade of 6, with Minimum Pay of $37,778.62 and
Pay of $202,273.14.
Minimum Pay of $126,420.74 and
MotionbyDr. Harrison Second by Mr.Evans
Chairman
Therebeing no further discussion, Chairman Polito called for the
with the following results: Yeas: 9 Nays: 0 The motion was approved unanimously.
Chairman Polito read Item eunder Human Resources:
Resolved, that the Commission approve aCost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA)increasing the pay for all full-time and part-timeemployees, in pay grade 0009 and lower,byone dollar ($1.00) based upon the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)Living Wage Calculator assessment for Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Average wages will increase from $19.74 to $20.74.
Motiontoapprove by Mr.Temple Second by Mr.McDavid
Commissioner Harrisonstated that the committee stronglyapproved the motion.
Mr.Luttrell stated that the resolution was in line with what was discussed in aprevious meeting in regardtoemployee compensation.
Commissioner Evans mentioned the difficulty of supporting afamily even with the MIT living wage, and agreed with and supported the resolution.
Commissioner Stages asked about the average amount of the increase per employee per year.Mr. Luttrell stated that it would depend on the status of the employee: full-timeversus part-time. Full-time employees would receive about $2,080.00 per year; part-time employees, presuming 1,040 hours, would receive $1,040.00 per year,but this amount would depend on the number of hours worked. The average increase wouldbe anywherefromthree to five percent
Commissioner Stages asked about the timeline of the next compensation study.Mr. Luttrell stated that the plan was for next year,but he would like to do it sooner and make it morecomprehensive, looking at moreinternal data as opposed to the market comparisons.
Commissioner Stages asked about financial impact to the agency.Mr. Luttrell stated thatitwouldcost about $1.6 million. Commissioner Stages asked Mrs.WilliamsifBREC couldcover the raises in this year’sbudget. She said yes.
Chairman Polito asked how much of the raise is benefits. Mr.Luttrell stated that it depended on the coverages selected by the employee, but fifty percent was estimated to keep it level across all payroll.
Chairman Polito stated that he wouldlike forthe Human Resources Advisory Committee and BREC Human Resources staffprofessionals to begin to look at getting BREC “above market”inorder to attract the best people and rewardcurrent employees for their hardwork. Mr.Luttrell stated that BREC benefits run higher than most in the market so thereis avariance between total comp versus base comp. He stated that most people arelooking at base comp. Mr.Polito stated that most peoplewant money in their pocket.
Therebeing no further discussion, Chairman Polito called for the vote with the following results: Yeas: 9 Nays: 0
The motion was approved unanimously Planning and ParkResources
Chairman Polito read Item aunder Parkand Planning Resources: Resolved, that the Commission approve the Perkins Road Community ParkMaster Plan as presented. Motiontoapprove by Mr.Evans Second by Mr.Yates.
Ms.Angela Harms, Director of Project Development,reviewed the Perkins Road Community ParkMaster Plan.
Commissioner McDavidasked if therewould be (artificial) turf at Olympia Stadium. Ms.Harms said was not in the current plan, but there had been discussions and they wouldlook into it.
Chairman Polito inquiredabout the standardtowhich the stadium would be built. Ms. Harms stated that it would be built to mid-tier.Joseph Furr,fromJoseph Furr Design Studio, joined the discussion and stated that therewereseveral ways to design the stadium, all at different price points. He also explained the different thingsthat would have to be looked at, such as concessions, drainage, parking, sustainability,and future expansion. The design takes into consideration that the stadium wouldbe amulti-purpose facility with the ability to host various other team sports in addition to football.
Chairman Polito noted that as an organization, we need standards for all of our ball fields. Dr.RaHarold Lawson, DirectorofPark Operations, stated that those standards arebeing addressed; however,heisnot afan of artificial turf stadiums due to the injuries associated withplaying on turf and because aturf fields heat up very fast due to hightemperatures in Louisiana. Additionally,there arenolong-term cost savings using artificial turf. The mainadvantage for recreational usage would be that it drains well and could be ready for use sooner
Commissioner Templestepped out of the meeting
Commissioner Stages asked which of the BREC millages areused to fund projects such as this. Ms. Harmsstated that this project comes from the Capital Improvement Fund, which is dedicated to paying for park improvements.
Therebeing no further discussion, Chairman Polito called for the vote with the following results: Yeas: 8 Nays: 0 The motion was approved unanimously.
Recreation
Chairman Polito recognized Dr.Dina Duplantis, Director of Equine Operations, who presented the Farr Park Strategic Plan, and invited Commissioners to visit the Park.
Commissioner Templereturned to the meeting during the presentation.
Commissioner Evans left the meeting.
Selection of Professionals
Chairman Polito read Item aunder Selection of Professionals: Resolved,thattheCommissionapproveawardofRFQ238Construction Management at Risk Contractor (CMAR) for anew Contemporary Arts Center at City-Brooks Community ParktoCangelosi Ward -Broadmoor Joint Venturefor pre-construction services in consultation with the design professional for a fixed fee of $100,000.
MotionbyMr. Stages
Second by Mr.Temple
Therebeing no discussion, Chairman Polito called for the vote with the following results: Yeas: 8 Nays: 0 The motion was approved unanimously.
Chairman Polito read Item bunder Selection of Professionals:
Resolved, that the Commission approve acontract with Duplantis Design Group, PC to provide the topographic survey,H&H study geotechnical report, environmental permitting,design, construction documents, bidding, TAPbridge design, and construction administration services forthe Scotlandville Greenway Phase 1Project fora lump sum fee of $336,750.00 and anot-to-exceed amount of $10,000.00 for reimbursable expenses; authorize Superintendent to execute appropriate documents.
Motiontoapprove by Mr.Ortego
Second by Dr.Harrison
Therebeing no discussion, Chairman Polito called for the vote with the following results: Yeas: 8 Nays: 0 The motion was approved unanimously.
Chairman Polito read Item cunder SelectionofProfessionals: Resolved, that the Commission approve an amendment to Contract 2023000169 with CSRS for additional
Second by Mr.Vicknair
Therebeing
Amusement Restoration Companiesinthe amount of $228,805, whichincludesinitial refurbishment cost of $152,370 anda 4-year preventative maintenance plan of $76,435. Motion to approve by Mr.Ortego Second by Dr.Harrison
Therebeing no discussion, ChairmanPolito calledfor the vote with the following results: Yeas: 8 Nays: 0 The motion wasapproved unanimously
ChairmanPolito read Item funderSelection of Professionals: Resolved, thatthe Commission approve the amended andextended Contract 2025000384with ClearlyManaged Consulting LLC for safety emergencytraining, including fire drills, situationalawareness, and incident response for an amount not to exceed $80,000. Previous amount wasfor $40,000. Motion to approve by Mr.Yates Second by Mr.Temple
CommissionerTemple asked for clarification on the amount of the contract.Interim Superintendent Simmons explainedthatthis wasan extension of the previous contract,and thatthe $40,000 would be for this year
Therebeing no furtherdiscussion, ChairmanPolito calledfor the vote with the following results: Yeas: 8 Nays: 0 The motion wasapproved unanimously
ChairmanPolito read Item funderSelection of Professionals: Resolved, thatthe Commission approve the amended andextended Contract 2025000355with ContingencyConsulting, LLC for Security Operations Centerintegration andworkforce alignment for an amount not to exceed $80,000. Previous amount wasfor $40,000. Motion to approve by Mr.Temple. Second by Dr.Harrison.
ChairmanPolito asked if this was similar to the previous contract Interim Superintendent Simmons stated thatitwas similar Therebeing no furtherdiscussion, ChairmanPolito calledfor the vote with the following results: Yeas: 8 Nays: 0 The motion wasapproved unanimously
Reports of Special Committees
ChairmanPolito recognizedMs. Harms, who gave an update on the steering committeemeeting for the newly-named“City-Brooks Master Planand Lakes Vision Project”, whichincludesthe City-Brooks Community Park masterplan, the study of the Lakes governance system, andthe Wampold Beach concept design. She stated thatthe next public meeting will be April 22, 2026, andthatthe committeeisonschedule ChairmanPolito statedthatthere wasacardfor public comment and asked Aneatra Boykin, ChiefAdministrative Officer,ifpublic comment was allowed since there would not be anyaction taken. Ms. Boykinstatedthat there wasnorequirementtoallow public comment, but if the Chairman wishedtograntspeaking privileges, he could do so.
ChairmanPolito recognizedPeter Davis to speak from awritten statement. ChairmanPolito pausedMr. Davisduring the reading of his statementtoclarify thatBREC employee layoffs were not as aresult of financialpressures but were an effort to spend public dollars appropriately Mr.Davisasked if the Commission hadbeen approached to assumelongterm responsibility of the Lakes andwhetherBREC hadthe capacity to sustain thatobligation without affecting existing services. ChairmanPolito polled the Commissioners to ask if anyone hadbeen approached to assumeLakes responsibility.NoCommissionerhad been approached in such amanner.
Special Orders
None
UnfinishedBusiness and General Orders
None
New Business ChairmanPolito read Item AunderNew Business: Resolved, thatthe Commission, in accordance with R.S. 38:2212.1F, approve the use of the State ProcurementCode by BREC for the purchase of supplies, services, andmajor repairs with otherpublic or private entities; where such purchases andvendor transactions, where applicable,will be through cooperative and/or joint purchasing with the State (State contracts).
Motion to approve by Mr.Yates Second by Mr.Temple
CommissionerStagesasked for an explanation of the resolution. Ms. Boykinstatedthatthis wasa“housekeeping” resolution; in orderto utilizeState contracts, there would need to be aresolution to adopt the ProcurementCode
Therebeing no furtherdiscussion, ChairmanPolito calledfor the vote with the following results: Yeas: 8 Nays: 0 The motion wasapproved unanimously
ChairmanPolito read Item BunderNew Business: Resolved, thatthe Commission authorizeBREC leadershiptoretain athird-party consultant to conductastudy of zero-based budgeting and its potential application to BREC’s fiscal planning process in lieuofthe traditional flat budget approach Motion to approve by Mr.Ortego Second by Dr.Harrison
ChairmanPolito statedthatthe purpose of this itemwas to generate discussion to discover the real need of the organization in spending taxpayer dollars.
CommissionerStagesasked for atimeline in implementing the new budgeting method since the budgeting process begins in June, andthe Finance department is in the middle of finding aconsultant whichwill take approximately threemonths. ChairmanPolito statedthatthe ultimate goal of the newbudgeting process is to inform the public of what the actual millages should be so thatthe appropriate amount of public funds would be spent. The consensus was thatthis process would be in place for the 2027 budget
CommissionerYatesstatedthatthere are fifty mills of property tax assessed throughout the parish across various organizations, andthat one mill is approximately $6.1million for atotalof$300 million generated. He also stated thathebelieves thatparish residents aredemanding that we look at things differently,and thatthe parish does not have amoney problem but an allocation problem. He supported andapplauded the effort of the Chairmantomove towardthis budgeting method andstrongly encouraged allorganizations to considerdoing the same.
CommissionerVicknair agreed with CommissionerYates thatactual costs should be discovered, andthatthis budgeting method would yield some surprises. He stated thatwehave aduty andresponsibility to be good stewards of the resources we’ve been entrustedwith, andthis would expandour transparencyinhow these resources arebeing utilized.
CommissionerStagesstatedthathewould like the FinanceCommittee to take the lead on this change.ChairmanPolito agreed andasked if that needed to be made apart of the resolution. Ms. Boykinstatedthatitwas not necessary
Therebeing no furtherdiscussion, ChairmanPolito calledfor the vote with the following results: Yeas: 8