ance Commissioner Tim Temple and the insurance industry, the House deferred to Gov Jeff Landry and gave final passage to a bill Tuesday that he says will make it harder for insurance companies to raise rates Temple objects because he says the measure, House Bill 148, will allow the insurance commissioner to reject rate increases without justification. That, he adds, will discourage companies from investing in Louisiana, and the
reduction in competition will make it harder to keep rates down — the opposite of what Landry says. Allstate and State Farm officials met privately with the governor to express their opposition to a provision added in the Senate late May 21 that will re-
quire insurance companies to reveal rate-setting information that has been secret.
National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies, which represents 38% of the insurance market share in Louisiana, wrote in a letter to the governor Tuesday that the provision is so bad that it will outweigh any of the measures passed this year and last year by Landry and legislators that they said would hold down property and car insurance rates. The bill is “likely to decrease
School food legislation advances
State’s effort aligns with U.S. health secretary’s agenda
BY ELYSE CARMOSINO Staff writer
Louisiana lawmakers want schools to serve more locally made, nutritious meals and get rid of highly processed products, as they join the Trump administration in pushing for healthier food options.
An assortment of bills and resolutions making their way through the state Legislature aim to reshape Louisiana food policies to align with U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s “Make America Healthy Again” agenda, which seeks to reduce chronic illness and obesity
Among the legislation are propos-
als meant to eventually prohibit public schools and private schools that receive public funding from serving or selling highly processed food and drinks.
The state House of Representatives on Thursday passed two resolutions by Rep. Michael Echols, R-Monroe, focused on school meals. One calls on the state education department to study the potential costs of banning certain artificial ingredients and additives from school foods and drinks, including some food dyes, and report back with their findings ahead of next year’s legislative session. The other resolution calls on Congress to support giving schools funding to prioritize pur-
chasing American agricultural products for school meals, which it says would bolster the economy and give students access to fresher food.
The effort to get more local produce into schools could be complicated by recent cuts by the Trump administration to U.S Department of Agriculture programs that help food banks and schools purchase food from local farmers.
Related bills include Senate Bill 117 by Sen. Blake Miguez, R-New Iberia, which seeks to ban “ultra-processed” foods from school breakfasts and lunches, and
ä See
WBR teen guilty in deadly shooting
2023 incident caused chaos at high school football game
BY MATT BRUCE Staff writer
It happened in seconds.
As fans enjoyed Port Allen and Brusly’s annual rivalry game in September 2023, a fight broke out just off the football field. Jarrettin Ranaud Jackson II said one of his friends and another teen exchanged words, then they began fighting just feet from him. He stood there for a second watching the altercation before noticing two figures in his periphery charging toward him, Jackson testified in court Friday He told the West Baton Rouge jury that he pulled out his modified Glock pistol and pointed it at the attackers to defend himself. He said someone hit his right hand as he aimed the pistol, which was outfitted with a “switch” device that converts small-caliber pistols into fully automatic, rapid-fire guns. That bump caused the gun to discharge and fire three rounds, he said. Prosecutors called the claim “outrageous” and told jurors Jackson’s testimony was unreliable, “self-serving” and uncorroborated by any credible sources.
Ja’Kobe Queen, a 16-year-old Brusly boy, died after being shot in the neck and face. Brasia Davis, a Port Allen woman, was also wounded during the shooting, which shut down the annual game abruptly and sent hundreds of spectators rushing out of Port Allen High School’s football stadium in a frantic stampede.
ä See GUILTY, page 4A
Nuclear plant shutdown timing raises questions about blackout
BY SAM KARLIN Staff writer
a “load shed” event that caused widespread outages well before peak summer demand for electricity. Officials are asking Entergy and MISO officials to answer questions publicly about what happened next Tuesday at a City Council meeting and at a Public Service Commission hearing next month, in a bid to figure out how the looming power deficit was not caught earlier Entergy is also expected to face questions about its long-standing lack of transmission in south Louisiana that has created “load pockets” where it’s difficult to import power
noticed a leak, which they identified two days later as the result of a faulty valve in the reactor’s cooling system, according to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Entergy fixed the valve over the weekend before bringing the plant back online Monday
The plant did not unexpectedly
The River Bend nuclear plant shut down May 21 after operators
ä See BLACKOUT, page 7A
Second crypto investor charged in kidnapping
NEW YORK A second cryptocurrency investor surrendered to police Tuesday in the alleged kidnapping of a man who said he was tortured for weeks inside an upscale Manhattan townhouse by captors seeking the password to his Bitcoin account.
William Duplessie, 32, faces charges of kidnapping assault, unlawful imprisonment and criminal possession of a weapon, according to police.
His arrest comes four days after the victim a 28-year-old Italian national — escaped, bloodied and barefoot, from a lavish townhouse where he said he had been severely beaten, drugged, shocked with electrical wires and threatened with death for nearly three weeks.
On Friday morning, crypto investor John Woeltz, 37, was taken into custody Trump set to pardon reality TV couple
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he’s planning to pardon TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley, famous for “Chrisley Knows Best,” a reality show that followed their tightknit family and extravagant lifestyle that prosecutors said was boosted by bank fraud and hiding earnings from tax authorities.
The Chrisleys were convicted in 2022 of conspiring to defraud banks in the Atlanta area out of more than $30 million in loans by submitting false documents. They were also found guilty of tax evasion, obscuring their earnings while showcasing a luxurious way of living that authorities said included high-priced cars designer clothes, real estate and travel.
Prosecutors said the couple walked away from their responsibility for repayment when Todd Chrisley declared bankruptcy and left $20-plus million in unpaid loans. Julie Chrisley was sentenced to seven years in federal prison, and Todd Chrisley got 12 years behind bars.
Japan to use Fukushima soil on flowerbeds
TOKYO Japan said Tuesday it plans to use some slightly radioactive soil stored near the tsunami-wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant on flower beds outside Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s office to show it is safe to reuse.
The soil was removed from across the Fukushima prefecture as part of decontamination work following the 2011 nuclear disaster and has since been in interim storage. Some of it has since reached levels safe enough for reuse, officials say Using the soil at Ishiba’s office in Tokyo is aimed at reassuring the public it is safe. The government said that it plans to reuse the soil for flower beds and other purposes within the grounds of government agencies.
Japan is stuck with large volumes of the dirt, chopped trees and other debris collected during intensive decontamination work. It has 14 million cubic meters of dirt and other materials — enough to fill 11 baseball stadiums — stored at a sprawling outdoor facility straddling the towns of Futaba and Okuma, near the Fukushima plant.
Cholera outbreak kills over 170 in a week
CAIRO A new cholera outbreak in Sudan has killed 172 people and sickened more than 2,500 over the past week, authorities said Tuesday as a leading medical group warned that the country’s existing health facilities were unable to cope with the surge of patients. The bulk of the cases were reported in the capital, Khartoum, and its twin city of Omdurman, but cholera was also detected in the provinces of North Kordofan, Sennar, Gazira, White Nile and Nile River, health officials said.
According to Joyce Bakker, the Sudan coordinator for Doctors Without Borders, the alarming spike began in mid-May, with teams treating almost 2,000 suspected cholera cases in the past week alone. On Saturday Sudan’s Health Minister Haitham Ibrahim said the increase in cholera cases just in the Khartoum region has been estimated to average 600 to 700 per week over the past four weeks.
Troops fire warning shots at food center
Palestinians overwhelm new Gaza aid site
BY MOHAMMED JAHJOUH and SAMY MAGDY Associated Press
MUWASI, Gaza Strip — Chaos erupted on the second day of aid operations by a new U.S.-backed group in Gaza as desperate Palestinians overwhelmed a center distributing food on Tuesday, breaking through fences. Nearby Israeli troops fired warning shots, sending people fleeing in panic.
An AP journalist heard Israeli tank and gunfire and saw a military helicopter firing flares. The Israeli military said its troops fired the warning shots in the area outside the center and that “control over the situation was established.”
At least three injured Palestinians were seen by The Associated Press being brought from the scene, one of them bleeding from his leg.
The distribution hub outside Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah had been opened the day before by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which has been slated by Israel to take over aid operations. The U.N. and other humanitarian organizations have rejected the new system,
saying it won’t be able to meet the needs of Gaza’s 2.3 million people and allows Israel to use food as a weapon to control the population. They have also warned of the risk of friction between Israeli troops and people seeking supplies.
Palestinians have become desperate for food after nearly three months of Israeli blockade pushed Gaza to the brink of famine.
Palestinians at the scene told AP that small numbers of people made their way to the GHF center Tuesday morning and received food boxes. As word spread, large numbers of men, women and children walked for several miles from the sprawling tent camps along Gaza’s Mediterranean coast. To reach the hub, they had to pass through nearby Israeli military positions.
By the afternoon, hundreds of thousands were massed at the hub. Videos show the crowds funneled in long lines through chain-link fence passages. Two people said each person was searched and had their faces scanned for identification before being allowed to receive the boxes. Crowds swelled and turmoil erupted, with people tearing down fences
and grabbing boxes. The staff at the site were forced to flee, they said The AP journalist positioned some distance away heard gunfire and rounds of tank fire. Smoke could be seen rising from where one round impacted. He saw a military helicopter overhead firing flares.
“There was no order, the people rushed to take, there was shooting, and we fled,” said Hosni Abu Amra, who had been waiting to receive aid.
“We fled without taking anything that would help us get through this hunger.”
“It was chaos,” said Ahmed Abu Taha, who said he heard gunfire and saw Israeli military aircraft overhead. “People were panicked.”
Crowds were seen running from the site. A few managed to secure aid boxes — containing basic items like sugar, flour, pasta and tahini — but the vast majority left emptyhanded.
In a statement, GHF said that because of the large number of Palestinians seeking aid, staff at the hub followed the group’s safety protocols and “fell back” to allow them to dissipate, then later resumed operations.
5 killed, 19 injured in plant explosion in China
By The Associated Press
BEIJING A huge explosion rocked a chemical plant in China’s eastern Shandong province around noon Tuesday, killing at least five people and injuring 19, according to local emergency management authorities. Another six people were missing. It was not immediately clear what caused the explosion.
The blast was powerful enough to knock out windows at a warehouse more than 2 miles away, according to a video shared by a resident, who declined to give his name out of concern about retaliation.
The resident said his home shook. As he went to the window, he saw a column of smoke from the site 4.3 miles away
Gaomi Youdao Chemical Co is located in an industrial park in the city of Weifang. It manufactures pesticides as well as chemicals for medical use, and has more than 500 employees, according to corporate registration records.
Local fire officials sent more than 230 personnel to the scene, according to state broadcaster China Central Television.
A student at a school about 1,000 yards away from the plant told state-run news site The Paper that he heard one explosion and saw dirt-yellow smoke, tainted with redness, rising from the plant. He said there was a funny smell, and all students were given a mask and told not to remove it.
A staffer at the local environment bureau told The Paper that a team was dispatched to the scene to monitor potential pollution but had yet to report back.
The blast came less than two weeks after the National Ministry of Emergency Management held a workshop on preventing and controlling risks in
the chemical industry as Beijing urged officials at chemical industrial parks to boost their capabilities in “managing hazardous chemicals.”
Last year, the chemical plant was cited for “safety risks” at least twice, but in September it was praised by the Weifang Emergency Management Bureau for relying on party members to effectively manage workplace risks. Specifically, party members at Gaomi Youdao identified more than 800 safety hazards in the first eight months of 2024 and rectified all of them, the bureau said. Workplace safety has improved over the years in China but remains a stubborn problem. The National Ministry of Emergency Management recorded 21,800 incidents and 19,600 deaths in 2024.
Russia seizes 4 border villages
BY KATIE MARIE DAVIES Associated Press
Russian forces have taken four border villages in Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy region, a local official said Tuesday, days after Russian President Vladimir Putin said he had ordered troops to establish a buffer zone along the border Sumy borders Russia’s Kursk region, where a surprise Ukrainian incursion last year captured a pocket of land in the first occupation of Russian territory since World War II. The long border is vulnerable to Ukrainian incursions, Putin said, and creating a buffer zone could help Russia prevent further cross-border attacks there. Meanwhile, a Russian bombing campaign that had escalated in recent days slowed overnight, with far fewer Russian drones targeting Ukrainian towns and cities.
Moscow’s invasion has shown no signs of stopping despite months of intense U.S.-led efforts to secure a ceasefire and get traction for peace talks. Since Russian and Ukrainian delegations met in Turkey on May 16 for their first direct talks in three years, a large prisoner exchange has been the only tangible outcome, but negotiations have brought no significant breakthrough.
The U.S. special envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, said Putin has not yet delivered a promised memorandum that the Russian leader told U.S. President Donald Trump in a phone call on May 19 would outline the framework for a possible peace agreement.
The Kremlin has also ruled out the Vatican as a venue for negotiations, he said. “We would have liked to have it at the Vatican and we were pretty set to do something like that, but the Russians didn’t want to go there so I think Geneva may be the next stop,” Kellogg told the Fox News Channel.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said his country also was ready to host another round of peace talks.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY ABDEL KAREEM HANA Palestinians carry boxes Tuesday containing food and humanitarian aid packages delivered by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation,
PROVIDED PHOTO
Smoke rises Tuesday from an explosion at a chemical plant in China’s eastern Shandong province.
During the final day of his murder trial, Jackson told jurors he never intended to hurt anyone and only pulled out his gun to scare his would-be attackers. He testified that the shooting was a tragic accident.
“If the gun would’ve never been hit, it would’ve never went off,” the defendant said. “I wanted the two individuals that were rushing toward me to stop because I knew that if they didn’t, I wasn’t going to be able to defend myself.”
The jury of eight women and four men deliberated about two hours before finding Jackson, 19, guilty of the less severe charge of manslaughter late Friday He was tried for second-degree murder in Queen’s killing and faced the prospect of a life sentence if he was convicted on that indictment It was among a slate of charges against Jackson He was also on trial for attempted second-degree murder for wounding Davis, the other victim. The jury found him guilty, instead, of aggravated battery They convicted him as charged for carrying a firearm on school property, illegal possession of a machine gun and obstruction of justice.
District Judge Tonya Lurry set Jackson’s sentencing for Aug. 6. He was one of at least three teens charged in the fatal Sept. 1, 2023, shooting, which happened at halftime during the 52nd Sugar Cane Classic between Brusly and its cross-parish rival Port Allen. Gun violence
FOOD
Continued from page 1A
Senate Bill 14 by Sen. Patrick McMath, R-Covington, which aims to regulate soda and candy purchases under social welfare programs, remove fluoride from public water systems, roll back pharmaceutical interventions and remove highly processed food from schools.
Some lawmakers have voiced concerns over the measures, however objecting to what they described as government overreach, saying parents should be able to decide what to feed their children.
Since his appointment in February, Kennedy has championed his “Make America Healthy Again” platform, which has included heavy criticism of vaccines and removing certain chemicals from foods In May, he announced that the federal government will require companies to phase out artificial dyes in foods and beverages over the next two years, saying they can lead to increased risk of cancer and hyperactivity in children
Many Louisiana lawmakers, including Gov Jeff Landry, seem to be on board Miguez, whose bill is awaiting final passage by
interrupted the inaugural football game of that year’s prep season and marred the opening-day grudge match with bloodshed.
Jailyn Smith, 19, and Zakiylan Paul Williams, 18, the two teens who fought in front of Jackson, were indicted for their alleged roles in the melee. Both men face charges of principal to manslaughter, attempted manslaughter, inciting a riot and disturbing the peace to riot. No trial date is set for either of them. Both pleaded not guilty
West Baton Rouge Parish Assistant District Attorney Chad Aguilar called the shooting a “shock to this community” during his closing arguments. He showed jurors a video of throngs of people running out of the bleachers in a mad dash after the gunshots rang out.
“His (Jackson’s) actions shocked this parish It was a violation of our community standards,” the prosecutor said. “We can’t have that. That’s not what we’re about in a free society Accountability has to be had for things like this.
“The parish of West Baton Rouge deserves justice based on what happened at that game that night,” Aguilar added later Jackson told jurors he’d been shot and threatened, stalked and attacked on several occasions, and his house was shot up at least once. He traced all that to a feud he and his friends had with a group of Brusly teens for years leading up to the shooting
“I knew it wasn’t safe for me to be walking around in Port Allen,” Jackson testified. “Every time I left my mama’s house, I didn’t know
who I was going to encounter, even on that day, that would put my life in harm’s way.”
He identified a pair of former friends — Zakiylan Williams and Eldrick Dewayne Snearl — as members of the opposing crew With a tremble in his voice, Jackson spoke slowly and methodically, sometimes answering questions in little more than a hushed whisper, as he recounted the incident He was wearing a cast that night, the result of a broken arm he suffered in a hitand-run crash weeks prior In fact, he had surgery that morning to repair tendons in his broken left hand. He told jurors he brought the gun for protection but added he regrets arming himself now Jackson said he had no bad intentions when he went to the football game with Jailyn Smith and Kylan Lee. The Glock handgun he carried there with him was outfitted with a switch that made it capable of spraying several rounds of bullets with a single squeeze of the trigger
Jackson testified that Williams led a group of adversaries that antagonized him and his friends that night, hurling threats and insults as they walked past them.
“Every time I saw Zakiylan, the crowd with him got bigger,” the defendant said. The trio were standing along the fence near the outskirts of the field when Williams and six to eight others confronted them again, he said. This time, Jackson testified, Williams and Smith began fighting after a brief exchange of words.
Jackson had the gun tucked in his pants, but said he didn’t pull it until
the House, told the House Education Committee this month that his proposal will hold institutions accountable, including schools, for their role in the country’s obesity epidemic.
He also said the proposal would reduce long-term health costs due to diet-related diseases.
“This common-sense measure ensures that taxpayer funded meals provide wholesome, minimally processed ingredients,” Miguez said, “prioritizing students’ health and well-being.”
Rep. Barbara Freiberg, RBaton Rouge, was the only one out of nine lawmakers to vote against Miguez’s bill, saying she wants to wait for the results of the study called for by Echols’ resolution.
Sen. McMath told lawmakers in April that MAHA is a “movement taking place across the country,” saying other states have fasttracked similar legislation for federal approval.
Email Elyse Carmosino at ecarmosino@theadvocate. com.
he noticed two of the teens with Williams approaching him. He said he pointed the weapon and yelled for the pair to stop in an attempt to scare them. That’s when he said someone hit the gun he was holding and it accidentally discharged He claimed he never pulled the trigger himself.
Prosecutors repeatedly referred to Jackson’s weapon as a “machine gun.” During his testimony, Jackson said he found the modified Glock outside a South Baton Rouge gas station and kept it. He noted that the gun had no safety feature.
Prosecutors seized on the admission, telling jurors that made it a fully automatic weapon. A detective testified that at least five pounds of pressure must be exerted on the trigger for the gun to fire, meaning a finger must have been on the trigger The detective said the switch mechanism causes the gun to spray bullets rapid-fire until that pressure is removed off the trigger
“How in the world did the gun go off and his finger’s not on the trigger?” Aguilar, one of the prosecutors, asked incredulously during his closing argument.
“You infer specific intent based on the actions that a person takes You cannot arm yourself with a machine gun and kill these people’s family member,” he went on to say, pointing at the deceased victim’s relatives who sat in the courtroom just behind the jury box during trial.
Investigators found the gun under the school principal’s Lincoln Aviator in the parking lot. Video surveillance showed Jackson place it there before he ran off.
At least two eyewitnesses, including one of the victims, testified no one hit Jackson’s hand or the gun and no one was rushing at him before the shooting. Prosecutors also confronted Jackson with cellphone video footage that showed him in a shooter’s stance, taking aim split seconds before he fired the
shots. No one could be seen reaching for the gun in the video, but Jackson said the blurry footage didn’t capture the exact moment his weapon discharged.
“In what kind of world do we live in where you bring a machine gun to a fistfight?”
Assistant District Attorney Lonnie Guidroz said while cross-examining the defendant.
But Jackson’s attorneys emphasized his turbulent history with the other group of teens before the shooting and told jurors they should factor that into their decision.
“The state believes Mr Jackson should’ve lied down on the ground and just died,” attorney Sandra James Page argued on the final day of the trial “He could’ve been stabbed, stomped or beaten. But none of that matters to them now because they got it wrong from the start and now they have to save face.”
Email Matt Bruce at matt. bruce@theadvocate.com.
Legislatureapprovesbilltoban kratom
BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN Staff writer
The LouisianaLegislature on Tuesday passed aban on kratom,anherbal substance that critics describeasa public health scourge, but which others say has the potential to treatchronic pain and mental health issues
The House passed Senate Bill 154 by avote of 87-6. Having already passed the Senate,itnow requires Gov Jeff Landry’ssignature to become law
The bill, sponsored by stateSen. Jay Morris, RWest Monroe, criminalizes thepossession and distribution of kratom, which is derived from asoutheast Asian tree. Though it passed the Housewith broad bipartisan support, it sparked alengthy debate that at timesbecame testy and emotional.
Tworepresentatives Rep. BerylAmedee, RGray,and Rep. Peter Egan, R-Covington— attempted to amendthe bill so that purekratom leaf products would still be legal, while those created in labs to have amplified levelsofthe compound 7-hydroxymitragynine wouldbeillegal. Thatcompound ispresent at low levels in the dried kratom leaf. Critics of atotal ban have saiditisthat substance that carries the most abuse potential. As it made its way through thelegislative process, the kratombill drewlots of testimony— muchofit conflicting.Sheriffs called it apublic safety problem and said it was costing lives. Researchers said it had the potential to treat addiction. Healthcare providers said they were seeingmore pa-
tients addicted to kratom products.
Kratom users said the substance hadsaved their lives by treating chronic pain and mental health problems. Butone family testified that theirson struggledwith kratom addiction so badly it pushed him to suicide
Thoseviews came to a head on the House floor.In presenting hisamendment, Egan spoke of receiving “hundreds of emails”and “lots of calls” from people whosaid kratomwas helpful to them.
“I am certainly for eliminating toxic, dangeroussubstances fromgas stations, but thenaturally occurring leafbased kratom is consumed by an estimated300,000 Louisianans,” he said. “These are not bad people. Theseare not people thatweshould be criminalizing.”
Rep.Debbie Villio, R-Kenner, whopresented thebill, pushedback hard against theamendments
“Rep. Eganwas so wrong. He was wrong about most everything he said, quite frankly,” she said.
Kratom, sheargued, “isa public risk and it is causing drug addiction. It is causing death.”
Nearingtears,Villiogesturedtothe Lubrano family, whostood on thesideofthe House floor.They had testified in committee that their son, David Lubrano Jr., died by suicide rather than face kratom withdrawal.
“I begyou to standwith me andtellthosepeople their losswas notinvain, she said.
ButAmedee said kratom wasa naturalplant.She spokeofa momwho had usedkratom to help treat
her college-aged son foropioid addiction.
“Ifwepass this bill makingthatillegal,that mom will go to jail because that mom is not going to stop and allow her child to go back to theconditionhewas in when he washooked on opioids,” she said.
State Rep. Jason Hughes, D-NewOrleans, also cameto the floor to pushback against Amedee’samendment.
Pure leaf kratom “is still highly addictive,” he said, adding thatifthe state keeps kratom legal because it is a natural plant, “we’re setting aprecedentthatweneed to makemarijuana legal.”
Deaths have been associated with kratom use in rare cases, and those deaths have usuallyinvolvedother substances, according to the FDA.
Research on kratom is
thin and inconclusive so far, and there is muchabout it that scientists do notunderstand,accordingtothe National Institute on Drug Abuse,whichsaysside effects from kratom may be severe in rare cases. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which has not approved kratom for medical use, has “warned consumers not to use kratom because of theriskofseriousadverse events,including liver toxicity,seizures, and substance usedisorder.” UnderSB154, possession of less than 20 gramsofkratom would carry a$100 fine. Those in possession of more than20grams wouldface up to 6months in aparish jail or afine of up to $1,000. Those convicted of distributing kratom would face between 1and 5years in prison or afine of up to $50,000.
competition by discouraging insurers from devoting capital to the state,” saidthe letter Anothergroup,the Insurance Council of Louisiana, also expressed its opposition, echoing the mutual insurance companies in aletter to Landry
“House Bill148 will significantlydiscourageneeded insurance capitalthat would have otherwise comeinto the Louisiana marketplace,” wrote Rodney Braxton, executive director of the Insurance Council of Louisiana. “While this bill may come out of good intentions, the likelihood is that it will cause bad outcomes.”
Landry has turnedaside thoseobjections, saying that giving the commissioner broader authority will provide aneeded check on the insurance companies. He plans to sign it and several pro-industrybillsWednesday at the Governor’sMansion.
Landry hassaid that if rates continue to rise after the bill becomes law,he planstoblame Temple.
The other measures the governor plans to sign will reduce lawsuits andpayouts and,ultimately, rates, say supporters of those bills. Tuesday’svotes in the Housewere aforegone conclusion following extensive maneuvering by Landry behind the scenes.
Thesagaofwhatbecame HB148 began with House Bill 576 by Rep. Robby Carter,D-Greensburg. Carter’s bill would haveallowed the insurance commissionerto block“excessive” rate increases without relying on hard data from his department’sactuaries. Landry testified in thecommittee room forthe measure, the only time he did so for abill during the legislative session. But after the Insurance Committee approved HB576, the Republican-led
House initially refused to advance itbecause so many Republicans opposed it. Carter isa Democrat, and he hasfought the insurance industry
Rep.Brian Glorioso, RSlidell, came to the governor’srescuebyofferingto amend HB148, which at that pointwas arelatively innocuous measure sponsored by Rep.Jeff Wiley,R-Gonzales, with language from Carter’s bill. TheHouse approved HB148, 68-34, but nearly half the Republicans voted against it, an atypical developmentinachamber where Landryhas normallyheld near absolutesway HB148 then passedoverto the Senate forconsideration. It seemed likely to stall until Landryswunginto action, repeatedlypressingSenate President Cameron Henry, R-Metairie, and Sen.Kirk Talbot, R-RiverRidge, the insurancecommittee chair andaclose friendofHenry’s whohas traditionally aligned withthe insurance industry
Late Wednesday night, Talbot asked theSenate to pass HB148 but onlyafter amending it by copying the confidentialitylanguage from aHouse bill sponsored by Rep.Roger Wilder, RDenham Springs. In an unusual move, Henry andTalbot didnot inform Wilder or Wiley of their plans, thetwo legislators said.
TheSenateapprovedthe amended version of Wiley’s HB148 and sent it tothe Housetoconcur withthe Senate’schanges.
In another unusualmove, Glorioso handledHB148 rather than Wiley He gave ashort explanation, twoHouse members asked brief questions, and theHouse approved it,7616, with only Republicans opposed. Landry gained a much bigger margin than when itwas passed inthe House previously.Republican sources said fewer members wanted to oppose Landry on abill thatthey knew would pass.
The House also gave final passageTuesday to House Bill 431 by Rep. Emily Chenevert, R-BatonRouge, ameasure that the insurance industry andits legislative advocates said was badly needed. HB431would bardrivers responsible for at least 51% of an accident from receiving adamageaward to cover their injuries. Under current law,adriverresponsible for, say, 51% of the accident can collect apayment equal to 49% of theoveralldamage award.
The Housealso gave final passage to House Bill 436 by Rep. GabeFirment,R-Pollock. It would prohibit undocumented immigrants injuredincar accidents from collecting general damages
Landry is also expected to sign HouseBill 434, which would reducepayouts to uninsured motors injured while driving, andHouse Bill 450, which would require someone who sued over injuries in acar accident to show that the injuriesactually occurred during theaccident.
The insurance industry is still pushing to winapproval of Senate Bill 231, which has passed the Senate and is awaiting action before the House Civil Law Committee. It would allow lawyersfor insurance companies to tell jurors howmuch people injured in wrecks actually pay in medical bills. Under current law, jurors hear thetotalamount billed, regardless of what the plaintiff paid.
Email Tyler Bridges at tbridges@theadvocate. com.
Continued from page1A
trip offline over the weekend, as has been previously reported, said Victor Dricks, spokesperson for the NRC.
Butthe Midcontinent Independent System Operator, anonprofit that operates the electric grid across awide swath of the U.S., did not give Entergy or Cleco advance warning that power demand was set to outstrip supply.A New Orleans City Council member said Tuesday that Entergy reported getting onlythree minutesnotice Sunday before being forced to “shed load,” or proactively turn off the lights for tens of thousands of people to avoid catastrophic damage to the electric grid.
If regulators and Entergy hadknown aboutthe looming powerdeficit, regulators and advocates say they couldhavetaken steps to prevent forced blackouts Some industrial plants have contracts that require them to ramp down power during such emergencies, allowingthe utility to free up 280 megawatts of capacity in the Entergy system as of 2023. Other customers also could have been required to conserve energy Twodays after the outages, it remains unclear how other factors might have been at play.Higher than forecast temperatures could have contributed, but Logan Burke,headofthe Alliance for Affordable Energy,noted that Entergy and Cleco were required to shed 600 megawatts of power,ahuge amount that makes it unlikely bad weather forecasts can totally explain it.
“Thequestion is,what else do we not know about?” Burkesaid, noting it’sunknown whether non-nuclear power plants or transmission lines were out of service during the event.
“I can imagine MISO missing 100 megawatts,” Burke added. “600 is just hard to fathom where that’scoming from.” MISO said that “unplanned” outages of generators and transmission structures contributed to the power losses. But neither MISO, nor Entergyand Cleco,have provided more information about which generators and transmission lines were down.
AMISO communication shared with The Times-Picayune shows the grid operator was aware of a“planned outage,” then another unit went down, though the communication does not specify which units. Entergy had aseparate nuclear plant, Waterford, that was down for scheduled maintenance, which is normal in the spring.
“Operating conditions over the weekendrequired us to take our absolute last resort action to maintain reliability in our South Region —a temporary,controlled load shed,” MISO spokesperson BrandonMorrissaid Tuesday.“We will conduct athorough assessment of the event and provide additional information once complete.” Entergy had taken its Waterford plantdownfor scheduled maintenance well ahead of the event so it could
fix it up ahead of peak summer demand, spokesperson Brandon Scardigli. He said Entergy had been monitoring warmer than usual temperatures, but its ownmodels did not show the need for loadshedding. He saidMISO uses adifferent modelwitha broader viewofsystemconditions
And whileRiverBend was offline, he said Entergy made that outageknown to MISO for its modeling severaldays before.
“While theRiverBend generatingunit was offline during the event, it had been outfor several days before the event, and its outage was accounted forinthe generation that EntergyLouisiana and Entergy New Orleans made available to MISO and in MISO’s own modeling,” Scardigli said.
Federal energy regulators began encouraging the creation of gridoperators like MISO decadesago as a waytomake sure the market forwholesale electricity wasfairand reliable. MISO wasformedasanonprofitin thelate’90s and has grown to operate the grid —and wholesaleelectric markets —across awide swath of middle America
In 2013, under pressure from theU.S. Department of Justiceamid itsinvestigation into allegedanticompetitive practices, Entergyjoined MISO, creating anew region called MISOSouth.
Employees ina cavernous facility in Carmel,Indiana, MISO’s headquarters, sit in front of ahugearray of screens showing informationabout the electric grid in its territory.Theyplan for which power plants dispatch power onto the grid to make sureelectricity flows smoothly and at the right levels.
Anothergridoperator, the Southwest Power Pool, was doingsimilar work last monthwhenoperators identified “instability” on the grid andordered SWEPCO to shed power, causing blackoutsfor 30,000 peopleinthe Shreveportarea. Public Service Commis-
“Operating conditions over the weekend required us to takeour absolute last resort action to maintain reliability in our South Region —atemporary, controlled load shed. We willconduct athorough assessment of the event and provide additional information once complete.”
BRANDON MORRIS, Midcontinent Independent System Operator spokesperson
sioner Eric Skrmetta,a Republican whoisone of five statewide utility regulators in Louisiana, has long opposedEntergy’sparticipation in MISO, arguing the utilitycould get abetter deal elsewhere.
Skrmetta saidhebelieves therewas enough power and transmission in the region when MISO ordered the load shed over theweekend. He said MISO should have known ahead of time that RiverBend was down.
“Theyplan it aday ahead, two days ahead,” Skrmetta said. “There’s absolutely no reason for MISO to call this unlessMISOmadeamistake.”
CommissionerDavante Lewis, aDemocrat representing New Orleans, said he was initially told aplant unexpectedly wentoffline, leading him to believe River Bendtripping offline was the source of the problem.
After NRC’sconfirmation that River Bend went down much earlier,Lewis said a “misforecast”along with generatorsand transmission lines being out appears to be the root of the problem
Lewis said he remainsconcerned about how Entergy’s inability to import power using long-range transmission might have played apart.
“The forecasting wasoff somewhere,” he said.
Council member JP Morrell, chairofthe City Council’sutilitycommittee,said he expects to getanswers
from MISO and Entergy during their meetingnext week.
Morrellsaidhe’sparticularlyconcerned aboutthe lack of advance warning from MISO that demand wasoutstrippingsupply, as wellaswho decidedwhich parts of Entergy’sterritorywould have thelights turned off.
“If we knew as early as Wednesday of lastweek that generation was going to be a problem, it would have given regulatorsthe abilityto curbdemand to avoid the brownout,” Morrell said.
He added that while Louisianaisnot yetinsummer peak electricity demand, lots of powercompaniesdo theirmaintenance this time of year,which can causesupply issues.
Entergy haslonghad issueswith some of itsnuclear plants, including GrandGulf, thesourceofyears of litigation over alleged mismanagement. Areportbythe Union of Concerned ScientistspublishedTuesdayfound River Bend was the mostproblem-
atic nuclear plant in the U.S., when measuring regulatory violations. Entergy toldthe NRC, which oversees nuclear plants, that it noticed an unidentified leak in River Bend’scooling system last week. Nuclear plants have aseries of pipes circulating water to cool down the reactor. Entergy identified afaulty valve in one of those systems, and the leak reached athreshold —two gallons per minute over a24hour period —that required operatorstoshutthe plant down and fix it. Entergy welded the valve over the weekend and brought the plant back online Monday.AsofTuesday morning, it wasoperating at 80% capacity,Dricks said. Energy advocates in recent days pointed to along-standing lack of transmission as a potentialpartofthe problem, too. Transmission lines can carry power long distances, but alack of Entergy lines in south Louisiana creates what experts call “load pockets,”
whereit’sdifficult to import electricity Over theweekend,prices for electricity soared in southLouisiana,according to MISO data, while prices in nearby states were low,underscoring Entergy’slack of ability to import electricity from elsewhere.
Regulators have scrutinizedEntergy’s lack of transmission lines in the past. Staff of the Public ServiceCommissionnoted that Entergyfailedtoexplore newtransmissionoptions in its most recent long-range planning process. Staffsaid in a2023 report that utilities in other states evaluate transmission lines as away to bring morecapacity into an area, but Entergy doesn’t unless it’stiedtoa specific power plant.
Lewis said Tuesday that Entergy’slack of transmission remains aproblem.
“This is partly why Ivoted against Entergy’s(plans),” he said. “They completely ignored transmission build up.”
White House targets Harvard contracts
BY DARLENE SUPERVILLE and COLLIN BINKLEY Associated Press
WASHINGTON The Trump administration asked federal agencies Tuesday to cancel contracts with Harvard University worth about $100 million, intensifying the president’s clash with the nation’s oldest and wealthiest university
The government already has canceled more than $2.6 billion in federal research grants for the Ivy League school, which has pushed back on the administration’s demands for changes to several of its policies
A letter sent Tuesday from the General Services Administration, which oversees contracting and real estate for the federal government, directed agencies to review contracts with the university and seek alternates.
The New York Times first
reported on the letter
President Donald Trump has railed against Harvard, calling it a hotbed of liberalism and antisemitism. The school filed a lawsuit April 21 over the administration’s calls for changes to the university’s leadership, governance and admissions policies Since then, the administration has slashed the school’s federal funding, moved to cut off enrollment of international students and threatened its tax-exempt status.
The administration has identified about 30 contracts across nine agencies to be reviewed for cancellation, according to an administration official who was not authorized to speak publicly and provided details on the condition of anonymity The contracts total roughly $100 million, according to a senior administration official, who spoke on the condi-
tion of anonymity to describe internal deliberations The contracts include executive training for Department of Homeland Security officials, research on health outcomes related to energy drinks and a contract for graduate student research services.
Agencies with contracts that are deemed critical are being directed not to halt them immediately, but to devise a plan to transition to a different vendor other than Harvard.
The letter applies only to federal contracts with Harvard and not its remaining research grants.
Trump laid into Harvard on social media over the weekend, threatening to cut an additional $3 billion in federal grants and give it to trade schools across the United States. He did not explain which grants he was referring to or how they could be reallocated.
King Charles: Canada faces unprecedented dangers
BY ROB GILLIES Associated Press
OTTAWA, Ontario King
Charles III said Canada is facing unprecedented challenges in a world that’s never been more dangerous as he opened the Canadian Parliament on Tuesday with a speech widely viewed as a show of support in the face of annexation threats by U.S. President Donald Trump. The king is the head of state in Canada, which is a member of the Commonwealth of former colonies. Trump’s repeated suggestion that Canada become the 51st state prompted Prime Minister Mark Carney to invite Charles to give a speech from the throne outlining the Liberal government’s priorities for the new session of Parliament
“We must face reality: Since the Second World War, our world has never been more dangerous and unstable. Canada is facing challenges that, in our lifetimes, are unprecedented,” Charles said in French, one of Canada’s official languages.
He added that “many Canadians are feeling anxious and worried about the drastically changing world around them.”
The king reaffirmed Canada’s sovereignty, saying the “True North is indeed strong and free.”
Trump seemed to respond to the king’s visit later Tuesday, writing that if Canada becomes the “cherished 51st State” it won’t have to pay to join his future Golden Dome missile defense program.
“It will cost $61 Billion Dollars if they remain a separate, but unequal Nation,
but will cost ZERO DOLLARS if they become our cherished 51st State. They are considering the offer!,” Trump posted on social media.
It’s rare for the monarch to deliver the speech from the throne in Canada. Charles’ mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, did it twice. The king noted that it had been nearly 70 years since his mother first opened Parliament.
The visit to Canada was Charles’ first as king and his 20th overall.
“Canada has dramatically changed: repatriating its constitution, achieving full independence and witnessing immense growth. Canada has embraced its British, French and Indigenous roots and become a bold, ambitious, innovative country that is bilingual, truly multicultural,” the monarch said.
BY REBECCA SANTANA and LINDSAY WHITEHURST Associated Press
WASHINGTON The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Tuesday to halt an order allowing migrants to challenge their deportations to South Sudan, an appeal that came hours after the judge suggested the administration was “manufacturing” chaos and said he hoped that “reason can get the better of rhetoric.”
JudgeBrianMurphyfound the White House violated a court order with a deportation flight bound for the chaotic African nation carrying people from other countries who had been convicted of crimes in the U.S. He said those immigrants must get a real chance to raise any fears that being sent there could put them in danger
The federal government argued that Murphy has stalled its efforts to carry out deportations of migrants who can’t be returned to their home countries. Finding countries willing to take them is “a delicate diplomatic endeavor” and the court requirements are a major setback, Solicitor General D. John Sauer wrote in an emergency appeal asking the court to immediately halt his order Murphy said he had given the Trump administration “remarkable flexibility with minimal oversight” in the case and emphasized the numerous times he attempted to work with the government, according to an order published Monday night
This is the latest case where federal judges weighing in on the legality of the Trump administration’s
sweeping agenda have used forceful, sometimes even scathing, language to register their displeasure. The Trump administration has accused judges of thwarting the will of voters by stopping or slowing the White House agenda. In a hearing last week called to address reports that eight immigrants had been sent to South Sudan, Murphy said the men hadn’t been able to argue that the deportation could put them in danger But instead of ordering the government to return the men to the U.S. for hearings — as the plaintiffs wanted — he gave the government the option of holding the hearings in Djibouti, where the plane had flown on its way to South Sudan, as long as the men remained in U.S. government custody
THE CANADIAN PRESS PHOTO BY CHRIS YOUNG Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, speaks with King Charles on Tuesday in Ottawa.
Witness says Combs kidnapped her in ’11
BY MICHAEL R. SISAK and LARRY NEUMEISTER Associated Press
NEW YORK A former top aide to Sean “Diddy” Combs testified Tuesday that the hiphop mogul threatened to kill her during her first day on the job and waved a gun as he kidnapped her years later in an angry rush to find and kill rapper Kid Cudi.
Capricorn Clark’s account of Combs’ volatility and violence launched the third week of testimony at his Manhattan federal sex trafficking trial.
Prosecutors called Clark, the former global brand director for Combs’ Bad Boy Entertainment, to support a charge that he led a twodecade racketeering conspiracy that relied on beefy bodyguards, death threats and the silence of frightened staff to ensure he got what he wanted.
Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to an indictment alleging he abused his longtime girlfriend, R&B singer
Cassie, and others. If convicted, he could face 15 years to life in prison.
Clark’s tearful testimony came days after Cudi, whose legal name is Scott Mescudi, testified that Clark called him from a car outside his home in December 2011 and told him
Combs had forced her to accompany him to Cudi’s house.
Combs was angry Cudi was dating Cassie, whose legal name is Casandra Ventura, Clark said.
Clark, referring to Combs as “Puff,” said he came to her home with a gun and demanded she get dressed because “we’re going to kill Cudi.”
Her voice shaky Clark recounted how they rode in a black Cadillac Escalade to Cudi’s Los Angeles home, where Combs and his bodyguard entered the residence while Clark sat in the SUV and called Cassie.
Clark testified she told Cassie that Combs “got me with a gun and brought me to Cudi’s house to kill him.”
Clark said she heard Cudi in
the background asking, “He’s in my house?” She said she told Cassie, “Stop him, he’s going to get himself killed.” Cassie told her she couldn’t stop Cudi, she recalled.
Combs returned to the Escalade and asked Clark who she was talking to, she said, then grabbed the phone and called Cassie back.
They next heard Cudi driving up the road, Clark said Combs and his bodyguard got back in the SUV and chased after Cudi, giving up when they passed police cars that were heading to Cudi’s house.
After the break-in, Clark said, Combs told her she had to convince Cudi “it wasn’t me.”
“If you don’t convince him of that I’ll kill all you,” he said, punctuating his threat with an expletive, Clark said.
Clark said she and Cassie then went to Cudi’s home, telling jurors: “We needed to talk to him. We needed to make sure he wasn’t going to make a police report about Puff.”
Driver arrested in attack at Liverpool soccer parade
BY KWIYEON HA and BRIAN MELLEY Associated Press
LIVERPOOL, England A
53-year-old British man who injured 65 people when his car rammed into a crowd of Liverpool soccer fans celebrating their team’s Premier League championship was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder police said Tuesday The driver was also being
held on suspicion of dangerous driving and driving on drugs, Detective Chief Superintendent Karen Jaundrill said
The incident late Monday afternoon turned a jubilant parade into a tragedy that sent 50 people to hospitals for treatment of their injuries. Eleven remained hospitalized Tuesday in stable condition
The wounded included four children, one of whom
had been trapped beneath the vehicle with three adults. Police had closed off much of the area to traffic, but the driver is believed to have maneuvered around a road block by following an ambulance that was rushing to treat a person suspected of having a heart attack, Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims said.
Merseyside police said they were not treating the incident as terrorism.
Escape
of
ex-chief
known as
‘Devil in the Ozarks’ has residents on edge
BY JEFF MARTIN Associated Press
As law officers search Arkansas’ rugged Ozark Mountains for a former police chief and convicted killer who escaped prison this weekend, the sister of one of his victims is on edge.
Grant Hardin, the former police chief in the small town of Gateway near the Arkansas-Missouri border, was serving lengthy sentences for murder and rape and became known as the “Devil in the Ozarks.”
Hardin escaped Sunday from the North Central Unit — a medium-security prison also known as the Calico Rock prison — by disguising himself and wearing a “makeshift outfit designed to mimic law enforcement,” state prison officials said in a statement.
“That was not a standard inmate uniform, not a standard correctional uniform,” said Rand Champion, a spokesperson for the Arkansas Department of Corrections. “There’s nothing inside the prison that looks like that, so that’s one of the challenges we’re going through to find out what that was and how he was able to get that or manufacture it.”
Champion said that the decision to house Hardin in a medium-security facility weighed the “needs of the different facilities and inmates” and “assessments” of his crimes.
Hardin’s escape happened days after 10 men fled a New Orleans jail by going through a hole behind a toilet. Eight of those fugitives have since been captured.
Cheryl Tillman, whose brother James Appleton was
killed by Hardin in 2017, said she and other relatives are alarmed by Hardin’s escape since they were witnesses in his court proceedings.
“We were there at his trial when all that went down, and he seen us there, he knows,” she told The Associated Press on Tuesday Authorities are using canines, drones and helicopters to search the rugged northern Arkansas terrain, Champion said
“Everything we’ve got, we’re using,” he said The search area has expanded as the hours have gone on, though Champion didn’t discuss exact details of the search area.
“Where this facility is located, the topography does provide challenges,” he said. “At the same time, it kind of limits where he is able to get.”
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Audit: Items gone from BR center
Ex-council member faces scrutiny after report
BY PATRICK SLOAN-TURNER Staff writer
At least $30,000 worth of items, including a $13,000 copier, a treadmill, 10 Dell computers and dozens of other pieces of equipment, went missing from a Baton Rouge community center, raising questions about the center’s previous management, a recent audit found.
EBR to pay for safety claims
Sewage treatment plant allegedly failed to keep up with hazardous materials
BY DAVID J MITCHELL Staff writer
City-parish officials have agreed to pay state regulators $36,000 to settle old allegations that Baton Rouge’s north sewage treatment plant failed to keep up with hazardous materials planning for chemicals it no longer uses. Through fall 2018, toxic and corrosive gaseous chlorine was used to disinfect around 21.4 million gallons per day of treated wastewater, until the cityparish spent $1 million to switch to a different method with safer chemicals, Baton Rouge officials said this week.
The chlorine gas had been stored in large cylinders inside the plant, which is about a quarter mile north of Southern University and a mile west of busy U.S. 61.
Chlorine kills pathogens in wastewater but as a gas is dangerous. It can irritate the eyes, skin and lungs if it escapes into the air and is fatal at high concentrations. Heavier than air, chlorine gas hugs the ground, accumulating in low areas and displacing oxygen in the atmosphere.
Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality inspectors found the alleged safety violations while the treatment plant was under construction for the disinfectant switch.
Adam Smith, interim city parish director of environmental services, said the four 1-ton chlorine cylinders were removed a few months after that DEQ inspection. The facility at 50 Woodpecker St. now uses sodium hypochlorite.
“The current disinfection process is much safer for all involved, readily available in this area and, overall, a more environmentally friendly process,” Smith said in a statement.
The north plant, which discharges into the Mississippi River, treats wastewater for about 90,000 people, including in Baker and Zachary
In September 2020 DEQ issued a compliance order and notice of potential violations over the city-parish’s handling and planning for chlorine storage. Those allegations, which spanned two prior administrations, are the subject of the proposed settlement, which has been approved by the Metro Council
DEQ alleges the city-parish did not have mandated shutdown or startup procedures and hadn’t properly updated its analysis of off-site risks from a release. The agency also says the cityparish failed to properly conduct preventive maintenance on the chlorine storage cylinders and hadn’t responded to problems noted in a 2012 audit. Under the settlement, which is going through its final approval stages, the city-parish doesn’t admit to the alleged violations, but DEQ can still consider them as part of the facility’s past compliance history for future enforcement actions.
The report — published May 8 by the city-parish finance department at the request of Metro Council member Anthony Kenney, whose district includes the center revealed numerous items missing from the Jewel J. Newman Community Center’s inventory
“The center lacked internal controls for safeguarding assets,” the city-parish auditor wrote, also questioning credit card transactions that were not compliant with local policy
sample of 2024 credit card transactions Of those, investigators could not find about $1,300 of furniture purchased for the center from Home Depot and Amazon.
ish Attorney Greg Rome, though she had yet to review the 41-page document.
“It could be either manipulated or misconstrued,” she said.
The managers of community centers like Jewell J. Newman are selected by their respective Metro Council member The audit concerns the last term of Kenney’s predecessor, Chauna Banks, who served from 2013 through 2024. The report reviewed a small
Of the 75 receipts reviewed, 11 orders were shipped to Banks’ home instead of the center the report said, which is prohibited by city-parish policy. When reached for comment Tuesday, Banks said “there was an agenda” behind the report coming from Kenney and Par-
Kenney said the report was done “in good faith” to identify what belonged at the center and what didn’t, as the report shows several items belonging to Banks were being stored there when he took over “There’s no agenda. Any new
WAGGING WALK
I-10 exit expected to be completed mid-2026
BY ELLYN COUVILLION Staff writer
The final phase of building an Interstate 10 interchange at Pecue Lane in Baton Rouge is on track, the state highway department said The work is expected to be completed in mid-2026, the Department of Transportation and Development said in a news release. The project, which started in 2017, will also widen Pecue Lane from Perkins Road to Airline
Highway and improve access to Woman’s Hospital by connecting the road with I-10. Segments currently underway are: n Construction of the new northbound Pecue
Livingston Parish fights child pornography
Tips of crime increase in state
BY QUINN COFFMAN and CLAIRE GRUNEWALD Staff writers
Lane, except for the I-10 overpass, DOTD said. Email Ellyn Couvillion at ecouvillion@theadvocate.com.
As the world experiences waves of digital transformation year after year children in Louisiana are being victimized in a rising tide of internet sex crimes. The state has seen tips for these crimes hit record highs soaring from 171 reports in 2010 to 16,000 in 2024. These trends have caught the attention of law enforcement across the state and have amped up efforts from the statewide Internet Crimes Against Children task force to recruit more departments. The Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office joined the task force in late 2023 and now churns out arrests from internet crime tips almost weekly LPSO’s task force this week alone arrested nine people across the state for internet crimes against children. It arrested 56 people for these crimes in 2024. In nearby East Baton Rouge Parish, law enforcement has arrested 63 people since June 2022, a noticeable increase in those types of arrests for both agencies. The pr olifer ation of
STAFF PHOTO BY HILARY SCHEINUK
Reilly Hamilton, from left, walks her family dog Elsie, along with her sister Sara Hamilton; dad Charlie Hamilton; and family dog Gus, recently in Baton Rouge.
WhiteCastle town clerk arrested on theftcounts
BY QUINN COFFMAN Staff writer
The IbervilleParish Sheriff’s Office arrested thetown clerk of White Castle last week on counts of felony theft, attemptedfelony theft and malfeasance in office. Monica Allen Lee, 52, was arrested Friday for allegedly depositingover $2,000 of city funds into her personal account,accordingto aSheriff’s Office source. Lee hadbeena cityemployee for27 years and the town clerk for 11, acityofficial confirmed. Lee hassinceresigned from herposition as clerk,but an official resolution to remove herfromher position has yet to be passed by the White Castle city council.
Email Quinn Coffman at quinn.coffman@ theadvocate.com.
FIGHTS
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exploitative sexual content found online involving children is indeed growing in Louisiana.
Recent examples include aBaton Rouge pediatrician found withhundreds of images of child pornography; an LSU studentattempting to sell sexual images of children on the app Kik while using university Wi-Fi; and aLakeCharles man using deepfake technology to generate images of child pornography forhis collection.
Anonymous tips to the National Center for Missing andExploitedChildrenlead to many of these arrests.
Atip is nota preciseunit of measurement but represents apossible instanceof someone sharing child pornography or enticing achild to share sexualcontent of themselves. These instances are reported to the centerby parents, guardians or most oftenbythe online platform wherethe content originally was shared.
When possible, thesetips, especially ones thatshow achild is in imminent danger of being exploited, are sharedwith state and local law enforcement to be investigated throughthe ICAC task force.
The original taskforce was formed nationally in 1998. Louisiana created its branch out of the Attorney General’s office in 2001.
David Ferris andChris Masters lead the statewide ICAC task force. They largely attribute the influx of tips to when the COVID-19 pandemic shifted everyone to a more virtual world.
“When we pushed everybody to internet-based forms of communication during COVID—it’sjust common sense that internet crimes were then skyrocketing at that point,” Ferris said. Years after the peak of
AUDIT
Continued from page 1B
personcomingintoany new environment, building things at anew job, they need to knowwhatthe assets of the building are,”Kenneysaid.
“And so, whatever theirfindings were,that’s notonme, that’snot any of my staff. We’renot trying to get nobody in achokehold at the end of the day.”
Banks said she could not recallwhere the treadmill, copier or other items went, but said it’s possible sheora center employee mayhave asked city-parish workers to remove some itemsnow listed as missing, as shespent much of her last year rearranging the centertotry andmakeit better servethe community. She also said thecenter was brokenintolastfall, butsaid shewasn’tsure the things takenlined up withanything in the recentreport.
“There was no documentation on file with thedepartment or with thePurchasing Division indicatingthatthese items weretransferred, auditing manager Barbara
the pandemic, however, the number of internet crime tips hasremainedconsistently high.
Expanding internet access for younger children has alsoplayed arole in the rise, Masterssaid. Over time, younger children are getting more access to social mediaapps. In tandem, the task force also has to keep up with every new platform created
“Wesee adramatic increase in the number of tips that comes from moreplatformscoming online. The kids are moving from one place to the other,”Masters said. “It’sconstantlythis catand-mouse game.”
Agrowing force
Livingston and other parishes show thathaving an assigned ICAC deputy lead to ahighernumberofarrests in these typesofcases.But less than half of the parishes in thestate have someoneassigned tothe force, according to theAttorneyGeneral’soffice.
When the Livingston Parish Sheriff’sOffice assigned its first deputy to full-time ICAC work, it had abacklog of morethan 300 tips. It took nearly ayear towork through that backlog.
“Weeventuallygot ridof those 300 tips,” Sheriff Jason Ardsaid. “Wewere able to identifyalot of victims that wouldn’t have been identified.”
LPSO now has three deputies workingonthe task force.Deputieswho volunteer for the work say they need to have both atough skin due to thematerial they are sifting through each day, and acaringsidetodeal with thevictims
“There’snogetting burnout,because every day you come in, it’snot the same,” saidCalvin Bowden,the department’s ICAC task force commander
While deputies won’tshare too much about their investigation techniques for fear it
Baughmanwrote Banks, whoordered the same kind of audit when she took office 12 years ago, has no problem with the center being audited, but said she thinks most of the questionsposed can be explained by the improvements she was trying to make at the center “There wasnocommunication,” Banks said about the new council administration. “They fired the center manager and manyofmystaff that were involvedinthat process.”
Banks saidshe thought Kenneyand theParish Attorney’s Office weretargeting her
“It’sbecause they’re not used to visionary leadership they think in ways thatthey’re contained in their mentality, whereas Ithink globally,” Banks said.
The reporthighlights a sharp increase in credit card spending by center management during Banks’final year overseeingthe center.While annual charges to the center’s credit card averaged around $5,800 from 2017 to 2023, the audit found that spendingskyrocketed to $25,234 in 2024.
might help child predators avoid capture, they do say investigations stemfromeither provided tips or from thetask force’sown undercover chats on online platforms.
Tips withvarying degrees of evidence trickle in weekly but it can take weeks of investigationbefore deputies churn out arrests.
“Some(tips)may provide you with aname, dateof birth, an emailaddress and an IP address,” Bowden said. “One mayonly be able to give you IP addresses and ausername.”
From there, the desk can “hit the ground running,” filingsearch warrantstolook into asuspect’s social media accountsortoseize devices which might contain evidence of child pornography,hesaid.
“Onaslowmonth, we’re pushing out 30, 35 search warrants,” Bowden said.
LPSO carries out investigations when either the victim or suspectare from theparish, but investigations can lead to arrestsinother parishes —oreven other countries.
Muchofthe job is the catand-mouse gameofseeing which new platforms predators are using to communicate with children. Bowden says this process can happen so quicklythat if an agency isn’tengaged on adailybasis, they will fall behind the curve.
Applications like Snapchat and Kikalready have reputations as places forillicit communication, but deputies have also investigated crimes wherevictims werecontacted through children’svideo games like Roblox.
“I can tell you, if it’sasocial media platform and you can communicate, if it’sagaming platform and you can communicate, we’ve found predators there,” Bowden said.
Bowdensaysthe Sheriff’s Office now has had more opportunityfor proactiveinvestigations due to time and resources, where deputies are conducting liveundercover chatswith potentialpreda-
Banks attributed the spending surge to effortstoimprove the center
According to the audit, only 48% of 2024 credit card purchaseswere recorded. Banks said theformer manager couldn’tget into the city-parish’ssystem for reporting purchases in thelast 3-6 months of 2024, which might explain discrepancies
Several itemsbelonging to the center were found stored across thestreet at the Old Fire Station, which the audit also questioned. Thecommunity center is managed by the council district, while the station is owned and managed by the city-parish, so assets should not be commingled, the reportsaid.
Thestationwas in thenews last year when Banks fought the Scotlandville High School Alumni Association for rights to thebuilding, which has been in decay for several years. Ultimately,Banks prevailed, and in December the Metro Council approved an agreementallowingthe Scotlandville Area Foundation —a nonprofitwhere Banks is listed as an agent —touse thebuilding, though the agreement has yet to be
Thenumberoftipsthe LouisianaICACtaskforce receives annuallyabout possible crimes againstchildrenwithin the state. Tips aresourced from parish Sheriff’sOffices, national hotlines andother government agencies
Source:Louisiana Attorney General’sOffice
tors. The Sheriff’s Officewas so successful with increasing its number of ICAC-related arreststhat it attracted theattention of former “ToCatch a Predator” host ChrisHansen, who executed multiple stings in theparish forone of his new shows.
Atrue‘statewide’ effort?
To be amember of the task force, asheriff’s office is required to assign at least one deputy to specifically work through tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that correspond to that parish.
The ICAC hopes to eventually get all64parishes involved in thetaskforce,but only28parishes currently have personnel assigned to the investigation of task force cases, said Attorney General press secretary Lester Duhé. It is pushing efforts to expand so more arrests can be made across thestate and not just in certain areas.
Thetask forcehas caught theeye of some parishes recently.The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Officestarted in theprogram in November and has since made 17 arrests with the task force. While not allparishes are
participatinginthe task force, it does notreflect alack of interest.Someparishescan’t afford to have an employee fully focusonICAC arrests due to limited resources.
East FelicianaSherriff Jeff Travis said an ICAC representative reached out to law enforcement agencies, includinghis,inFebruary to raise awareness of the task force.
Travis saidhis office is tryingtojoin thetask force.
“Fromtime to time we have these issues, and for asmall rural parish being apart of atask force like this that has theresources wouldhelp,” he said.
While it might take time andextra resources to join thetask force, Bowdenwith Livingston Parish says the impact of the work is noticeable, even forthe suspects they investigate.
“Whenever we’re doing undercover chats, on someof the cases, before he violates, whenever he finds outwe’re in Livingston Parish, he’s like, ‘Oh,gotta go.’Weknow that it’shaving an effect, and that’sawin,” Bowdensaid
Email Quinn Coffman at quinn.coffman@ theadvocate.com.
executed.
At thetime, Kenney advocated for the alumni group to be allowed to keep and renovatethe building, while he was in contention for theDistrict 2 seat. Banks endorsed Eugene Collins over Kenneyinthat race. The new council member has put new management in charge of the center after taking office, and said he “has no interest in personally doing anything or tryingtoput anybody in jail.”
The audit recommends MetroCouncil staff bringits findings to lawenforcement, as well as have thecenter implement several safeguards for better financial practices
“I have communicated to the council administrator and city-parish about their recommendations,” Kenney said.
Counciladministrator Ashley Beck said Tuesday she will be notifying theBaton Rouge Police Department about the missing items and theaudit soon.
Email Patrick Sloan-Turner at patrick.sloan-turner@ theadvocate.com.
BRIEFS
Salesforce to buy Informatica in $8Bdeal
Salesforce is buying AI-powered cloud data management company Informatica in an approximately $8 billion deal. Informatica’sshareholders will receive$25 per share, apremium of about 11% from Friday’sclosing price of $22.55. The transaction willgiveSalesforce access to Informatica’s datamanagement capabilities. Informatica wastakenprivate in 2015byprivate equity firm Permira and the CanadaPension Plan InvestmentBoard for about $5.3 billion. It went public again in 2021.
“Joining forces with Salesforce represents asignificantleap forward in our journey to bring data and AI to life by empowering businesses with the transformative poweroftheirmost critical asset —theirdata,” Informatica CEO Amit Walia said in astatement Tuesday. “Wehave ashared vision for howwecan help organizationsharness the full value of their data in the AI era.”
Robin Washington, president and chief operating andfinancial officer at Salesforce, said the acquisition will look to take advantage of Informatica’scapabilities quickly,particularly in areas such as thepublic sector,lifesciences, health care and financial services. Both companies’boards have approved the deal, whichis expected to close early in Salesforce’sfiscal 2027.
Consumer confidence rebounds after tariff fears WASHINGTON Americans’ views of the economyimproved in May after five straight monthsofdeclines sent consumer confidence to its lowest level since the onsetofthe COVID-19 pandemic, largely driven by anxiety over theimpact of PresidentDonald Trump’stariffs.
The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence indexrose12.3 points in May to 98, up from April’s85.7, its lowest reading since May 2020. Ameasure of Americans’ short-term expectations for their income, business conditions and the job market jumped 17.4 points to 72.8, but remainedbelow 80, which can signal arecession ahead.
The proportion of consumers surveyed saying they think aU.S recession is coming in the next 12 months also declined from April. Trump’saggressive and unpredictable policies —including massive importtaxes —have clouded the outlook for theeconomy andthe job market, raising fears that the American economy is headed toward arecession. However, Trump’stariffpullbacks, pauses andnegotiations with sometradingpartners may have calmed nerves for the time being.
U.S. eyes control in Nippon-U.S. Steel deal
U.S. Sen. David McCormick said Tuesday that an arrangement that will allow Japan-based NipponSteel to invest inU.S. Steel will guarantee an American CEO, amajority of board members from the United States and U.S. government approval over certain corporate functions.
The Pennsylvania senator spoke on CNBC, four days after President Donald Trumpsuggested that an agreementona “partnership” was at hand to resolve Nippon Steel’snearly$15 billion bid to buy iconic American steel-maker U.S.Steel that has been blocked on national security grounds. Followinghis statementFriday, TrumponSunday told reporters that U.S. Steel will be “controlled by the United States, otherwise Iwouldn’tmake the deal” and that “it’saninvestment and it’s apartial ownership, but it’ll be controlled by the U.S.A.” McCormick described theU.S. government’sveto as a“golden share” and suggested that the idea was Nippon Steel’sproposal Nippon Steel has yet to sayanything about whether it is willing to accept the concept described by Trump and McCormickin place of its bid to buy the company
Lawmaker lookstopreserveCleco jobs
BY BLAKE PATERSON Staff writer
As talk swirlsamong utility regulators and state lawmakers aboutapotential saleofCleco the 90-year-old company that provideselectricity to nearly 300,000 customers across 24 Louisiana parishes —one legislator is pushing to safeguard theutility’s jobsincentral Louisiana.
State Rep. Mike Johnson,a Pineville Republican, hasfiled ameasure in the legislature askingthe Louisiana Public Service Commission, which regulates utilities,torejectany deal that doesn’tpreserve Cleco’scurrent staffing levelsatits headquarters in Pineville.
Johnson’sHouse Concurrent Resolution11mightseem premature. There’s no deal on the table to sell theutility,atleast notone that has been publicly announced.
But there are severalsigns adeal could be in thenot-too-distant future
When Cleco’scurrent owner, MacquarieInfrastructure and Real Assets, purchasedthe utilityin 2016, theysaid they planned to sell their majoritystakeinadecade or so. That deadline is now approaching, prompting speculation about what’snext for the utility.
More telling, Public Service
Commissioner Davante Lewis said last week thatCleco representatives have toldhim that they informed their employees earlier this spring that asale is possible. He said he didn’thave details on any potential deal. Cleco declinedtocomment through itsspokesperson, Jennifer Cahill.
Johnson said he is unawareof any specific deals to sell thecompany,though he isn’twaiting to makehis case.
“Cleco has been and remains one of the biggest employers in our area,” Johnson said at aHouse committee hearing earlierthis month. “I don’twantthemtosell thecompany unless they preserve thosejobs.”
Johnson’sHCR11 asks thePSC to approve asale“if andonly if themorethan 450 nonservice jobs and 100% of all service jobs are retained” at Cleco’sheadquarters in Pineville.
The measure, anonbinding resolution, passed in theHouse andis awaiting action in the Senate.
As part of its approval of Cleco’s sale in 2016,the PSCrequiredthe new owners to agree to 77 commitments. That included keeping the utilityheadquartered in Pineville and maintaining its existing salariesand benefits forits 1,200 employees.
“Wedid all this last time. Ican’t 100% commit saying we’re going to do it again, but Idon’tsee us not putting these same conditions,” Brandon Frye, executive secretary of the PSC, said during the
committee meeting.
The PSC considers 18 factors when deciding whethertoapprove asale. One of those factors is whether the transaction will be “fair and reasonable” to the utility’semployees.
Lewis said, “My priority is ensuring that the customers of Cleco have reliable, affordable power sources and that will include ensuring they have thepersonnel necessary to do that.”
While Macquarie provideda timeline on itsdecisiontosellits majority stake, Cleco’sminorityowners, British Columbia InvestmentManagement Corp. and John Hancock Financial, didn’tmake similar commitments.
“It’sreally hard to knowwhatthe possible risks are, just yet, without having any idea who might buy it,” said Logan Burke,executive director of the Alliance forAffordable Energy,aconsumer advocacy group.
Email Blake Paterson at bpaterson@theadvocate.com.
BAGGED &TAGGED
Finalboarding call at Southwestas airlineabandons acherished luggage perk
BY MICHELLECHAPMAN AP business writer
Tuesday was thelastday to book aflight on
Southwest Airlines without being hit with afee to check bags after theairline abandoned adecades-longluggagepolicythatexecutivesonce described as key to differentiating the budget carrier from its rivals
Theairline announced thechange in March, sayingatthe timethatthe newpolicywould start with flights booked on Wednesday
Southwest saiditwill be charging $35 for a first checked bag and $45 for asecond checked bag. Weightand sizelimitswill apply for bags.
Southwest hadbuilt yearsofadvertising campaigns around itspolicy of lettingpassengers check up to two bags for free. Under its new policy,people who haven’teither reached the uppertiersofits Rapid Rewards loyalty program, bought abusinessclassticket or hold the airline’scredit cardwill have to pay for checked bags.
Southwestwill continue to offer twofree checked bags to Rapid Rewards A-List preferred members andcustomers traveling on Business Selectfares, and one free checked bag to A-List members and other selectcustomers.PassengerswithRapid Rewardscredit cards willreceive acredit forone checked bag.
Peoplewho don’tqualify for those categories will be charged to check bags. The airline said in March that it also would roll out anew,basicfareonits lowest-priced tickets when the change takes effect.
The airline estimated in September that chargingbag fees would bring in about $1.5 billion ayear but cost the airline $1.8 billion in lostbusiness from customerswho choseto
ASSOCIATEDPRESS FILEPHOTO BY ERIN HOOLEY
Southwest Airlines had built years of advertisingcampaigns around itspolicy of letting passengers check up to twobagsfor free. Under itsnew policy, peoplewho haven’teitherreached the upper tiers of its RapidRewardsloyalty program, bought abusiness class ticket or holdthe airline’s credit card will have to payfor checked bags.
fly Southwest because of its generousbaggage allowance. Another policy that will take effect on Wednesday is Southwest requiring passengers to keep theirportable chargersinplain sight while using thembecauseofconcerns about thegrowing number of lithium-ion battery fires.
These aren’t the only changes at Southwest. The Dallas airline previously announced that it was leaving behind another Southwest tradition, the open-boarding systemithas usedfor more than 50 years. Southwest expects to begin operating flightswithpassengers in assigned
seats next year
The airline also said last year that it would charge customers extra formore legroom and offerred-eye flights.
Southwest has struggled recently and is under pressure from activist investors to boost profits and revenue. The airline reached atruce in October with hedge fund Elliott Investment Management to avoid aproxy fight, but Elliott won several seats on the company’sboard.
The airline announced in February that it was eliminating 1,750 jobs, or 15% of its corporate workforce, in the first major layoffs in thecompany’s53-year history
BY STAN CHOE AP business writer
NEW YORK Wall Street’srollercoaster ridecreatedbyPresident DonaldTrump’strade policies whippedback upward on Tuesday, this time because of adelay for his tariffs on the European Union.
The S&P500 leaped2%inits first trading since Trump saidSunday thatthe United States will delaya 50%tariff on goodscomingfrom theEuropean Unionuntil July 9 from June 1. The European Union’s chief trade negotiator later said on Monday that he had“goodcalls” withTrumpofficials and theEU was “fullycommitted” to reaching atrade deal by July9
The Dow Jones Industrial Averagejumped 740points, or 1.8%, andthe Nasdaq composite rallied 2.5%.They more thanrecovered
their losses from Friday,when Wall Street’srollercoaster droppedafterTrump announced the tariffs on France, Germany and the other 25 countries represented by theEuropean Union. Such talks give hope thatthe United States can reach adeal with one of its largest trading partners that wouldkeepglobalcommercemovingand avoida possible recession Trumpdeclaredasimilar pauseon his stiff tariffs for products coming from China earlier thismonth, which launched an even bigger rally on Wall Street at the time.
“Wefocus on actions over words,” Jean Boivin and other strategists at BlackRock Investment Institute said, “as economic constraints spur policy rollbacks.”
Caution still remains on Wall Street, of course, even if the S&P 500 hasclimbedback within 3.6% of
its record after fallingroughly20% below the marklast month. Aworry is that allthe uncertainty caused by on-again-off-again tariffs coulddamagethe economy by pushing U.S. households and businesses to freeze theirspending andinvestments. Surveys have already shown U.S. consumers are feeling worse aboutthe economy’sprospects and where inflation may be heading becauseoftariffs
On Tuesday,though, optimism ruled. Thestock market’sgains accelerated after areport released by the Conference Board said confidence amongU.S.consumersimproved by moreinMay than economists expected
It was the first increase in six months, and consumers’ expectationsfor income, business and the jobmarket in the short term jumped sharply,though it still remains be-
low the level that typically signals arecession ahead. About half the surveyresults came after Trump paused someofhis tariffs on China. The rise in confidence waswidespread, covering differentage and income groups, according to the Conference Board.
On Wall Street, Nvidia rallied 3.2% andwas the strongest single force driving the S&P 500 higher ahead of itsprofit report coming on Wednesday.It’sthe last to report this quarter among the“MagnificentSeven” BigTech companies that have grown so large that their stock movements dominate therest of themarket.
Nvidia has been riding atidal wave of growth created by the frenzy around artificial-intelligence technology,but it is also facing criticism that itsstock price hasshot too high.
religious services at 10:00
St.Isidore Catholic Church,5657 Thomas Road,at11a.m
Godso, Roger Serenity Oaks Memorial Park at 11am
9595
Moore, Charlotte
CharletFuneral Home in Zacharyat
noon
Obituaries
Achee, Juanita 'Nita'
Juanita WesterAchee passed away Friday May 16th, 2025 at the age of 85. She was born in Franklin LA to Alton and Rose Wester (Pourciau). Juanita moved to Baton Rouge as a young girl then resided in Port Allen. In high school she met the man she made alife with, Louis August Achee III. They marriedin 1959and had 5children: Angela, Bryan, Craig, Dwayne and Ehren (Tommy). Nita (as she likedto becalled) and Lou raised their children to be hard working, strong willed, loving people.Nita moved to Georgetown, TX in 2016 after the death of her husband Louis. She residedin the resort community of Sun City, where she loved life and the beautiful home she created. She was preceded in death by her parents,her husbandLouis, and her son Craig. Nita is survived by her4 children: Angela, Bryan (Judy), Dwayne (Janis) and Ehren (Darlene); 13 grandchildren: Phillip (Stevie), Margie, David(Lindsay), Stephen (Mariah), Benjamin (Kyra), Eliska, Claire (Ian), Anita (Corban), Jared, Leyna (Caleb), Adrienne, Brooke and Reagan; 4great-grandchildren: August,Easton, Parker, and Genevieve.
Our family would like to thank the memory care facility Truewood for the excellent care she received over the past months and her hospice nurses Courtney, Luis, and Ariana for their compassionate care. Rest now, Mom, your job is done and WOW you did it so well, thanksMom.
There will be aprivate family memorial service at alater date. If you would like to honor Nita please make adonation to St. Jude's Hospital in her name
James Adams, Jr. was born 4/12/1948 and passed 5/18/2025. He was amemberofthe U.S. Army from 1968 to 1970 during the Vietnam War. He leavesto cherish his loving memory by his two sisters; Yvonne H. Dunn and Sandra A. Douglas, one brother; Arthur Adams, Sr., one niece; Ramonda Nash; one nephew Arthur Adams, Jr.; one greatniece;A'Leigha Lewis, and ahost of cousins and relatives. Funeral arrangements entrusted to Hall Davisand Sons Funeral Service of Baton Rouge, LA. Funeral service is Wednesday 5/28/ 2025 at 11am, officiated by Rev. Dr. Derrick T. Williams.
Baton Rouge. Friends and family are invited to attend the religious service at Cross of Calvary University Lutheran 3247Dalrymple DR Baton Rouge,LaonSaturday,May 31, 2025, at 11 a.m. The service willbefollowed by acelebrationof life in thefellowshiphall. Internment at Greenoaks Memorial Park. Sheissurvived by herdaughter HeatherMorrogh (Sean), son John Wood (Penni)and grandchildrenLondon Council (Harrison) and Donovan Morrogh; sister Margaret Erwin(Victor);brother Gordon Allen; sister DebraHesser; nephewsVic Erwin(Emily) and Keith Erwin; greatniecesEleanor andOlivia Erwinand many cousins and friends thatshe considered part of herfamily Shewas preceded in death by parents Gordon and Josie Allen; sisterEileen Wilkinson (Don) and brother-in-lawPaul Hesser III. Carolwas borninBaton Rouge,La. and residedin Gloster, Ms. Graduate of Lee High School. She worked for the State of Louisiana.Carol wasa lifelongmemberofthe LutheranChurchMissouri Synod in the fellowship of the congregations of Good Shepherd, Trinity and Cross of Calvary. Shewas afounding member of the first congregation of Good Shepherd and wasthe first female officerfor the church, as Treasurer.She wasveryproud ofwinning the National 4-H Nutrition &college scholarshipfrom GeneralFoods Corporation &other scholarships in 1963-64. Her favoritemusic was rock and roll from5060's& country from 7080's. She lovedcooking dancing, gardening, & sewing. Sheloved antique shops,and it wasn't aroad trip without at least one stop. Oneofthe items she consistentlyfound was uniquecookbooks. As mom was an avid cookbook collector and loved cooking we are asking for you to give mom one last gift. We wouldlove to put together acookbook from mom'sfriendsand family. We willtakeitinwhatever form youcan provideit; written, typed, index cards, picturesofpictures, emailed, postedtothe facebook event page. If you have it, we wouldlove to add it to the book. Her favorite colorwas blue, so allare encouraged towear blue toher celebration!
married—a partnership that would last 62 years. Christie graduated with honors from Iowa with a degree in journalism, though she never practiced professionally—aside fromher long-standing role as editor-in-chief of theannual Baird family Christmas letter.Following abrief time in NewJersey, they relocated to Baton Rouge, where they spent theremainderoftheir lives. Throughout her life Christie pursuedmany interestsand careers, excelling at allofthem. She joinedP.E.O.in1960 where she served as amember and past president.But her true calling emerged when she "retired"and became atravel agent.This role perfectly combined her love of researchand organizationwithher passion foradventure. She and Bill traveled to 42 countries and sixofthe seven continents—all tripslovinglyresearched, planned, and orchestrated by Christie.She was endlessly proud of her children, Whitney and Bill, buther greatest joy was undoubtedly her grandchildren,Rowanand Jackson. She never missed an opportunity to be with them, support them, and cheer them on—whetheritwas horseshows in dusty barns,baseballgames in thesummer heat,orfootball games in thecoldrain. She was always there, a constant sourceoflove and encouragement. She showed them, through action, what unconditional love truly means.Christie is survivedbyher daughter, Whitney; her son, Bill and his wife Rhonda; and her cherished grandchildren,Rowanand Jackson. Thank youtoall theMemory Lanestaff at Holly Court forthe excellent care they gave our Mom. Thank you to thenurses at Holly Court. Aspecial thanks to Craigand Mel from Gentiva hospice. Relativesand friends are invitedto Rabenhorst Funeral Home on Government St. on Saturday, May 31st for a memorial visitation from 10 AM to 12 PM.Inlieuof flowers, please consider making adonationtoCat Havenorthe charityof your choice in her memory.
a.m. at theElm Grove Baptist Church located at 1069 N. 38thStreet,Baton Rouge, LA.Service entrusted to DesselleFuneral Home 263 Eddie Robinson Sr.Drive, BatonRouge, La. 70802
WalterL.Gravois, Sr. passed away on May 25th, 2025, in his home surrounded by his family at theage of 77. He was born in HohenSolms, LA.Walterissurvivedbyhis loving wife of 25 years, Gayle Cazes; children, Terrell LeJeune(Buck), Walter Gravois, Jr (Jeanne), Corbin Gravois (Julia), Mikel Justmann, and Brandi Peffers; grandchildren, Matthew and TylerMartinez,Tres', Juliette, and Weston Gravois; and greatgrandchildren, Royce and Amelia. He is preceded in death by his parents, Lawrence and Shirley Gravois; daughter, Tara Gravois; and brother, Chester Gravois. Services willbeheldatGreenoaks Memorial Park and Funeral Home,9595 Florida Blvd, BatonRouge,LA70815 on Thursday, May 29th, 2025. Visitationwillbeginat 12pmwitha servicetofollowat2pm.Hewillbelaid to rest following theservice in Greenoaks Memorial Park
Baird, ChristieHeritage
ChristieHeritagewas the onlychildofthe late Laura and HarryHeritage of Correctionville,Iowa. BornonApril Fool's Dayin 1939, she grew up in the idyllicsettingofa Midwesternfarming town, enjoyingall the adventures such achildhood brings. According to her, detasseling cornand lifeguarding at the localpool were amongthe highlights of small-townlife. After graduating from high school, she venturedtoIowa City to attend the University of Iowa. Never one to shy awayfrom an opinion, she chose journalism as her major. It was during this time of academicrigor that she mether futurehusband, Bill.Byher account, he metthe soleinitialrequirement—being taller than she was.Other stories suggestthat the fact his fraternity had abar in the basement may also have playeda role in her decision. Regardless of the reason, the datewentwell, and afew yearslater, they
Lois Ann Lois Ann Ezeff wasborn in Baton Rouge, La on November6,1957to Joseph Sr. and Deloris Ezeff. She lost herbattlewith cancer on May16, 2025. She leaves to cherish her memory,her son, Bictor Ezeff (Tesha) of Baker, La.; hersisters LindaEdwards (Calvin), Mary Ezeff ,Florida Givens, Sheryl Ezeffand Sonja Synder(Dean), her brotherLeroy Ezeff.Her step-grandchildren, Mia Daigre,Lionel'Joshua' McGuffeyIII;step-greatgrandchild, Ayden Daigre and ahost of nieces, nephews, cousins, great niece and friends.She is preceded in deathbyher parents, Joseph and Deloris Ezeff Sr, brother Joseph Ezeff Jr ,Charles Calvin Ezeff,sister Dorthy Ezeff,and sister in law Eloris Ezeff
Fountain,MichaelOdell
Michael OdellFountain departed this life on Tuesday, May 20, 2025. Visitation willbeheldThursday, May 29, 2025, 8a.m. until and ent, the p Allen, CarolLynn
1933, in Franklinton, Louisiana, Eloise was a belovedwife,mother, grandmother,sister,aunt, andfriend. Shewas alongtime residentofBaton Rouge anda student of Istrouma High School Eloise wasdevoted to her faithand lovedher children andgrandchildren with all herheart.Time spent with herfamily broughther immensejoy, andher legacy of love and belief will continue throughthem. Sheissurvived by herchildren: Alta Laciura (Phil), Karla Ashford (Gerald), CharlotteGeoghagan,and Robert KeatingJr.; hercherished grandchildren: Cole Laciura (Cyndi), MathewAshford (Tierney),Shaun Ashford (Haley), Jenee' Musso (Kyle),Will Laciura(Shelby), Holden Keating,Avery Geoghagan,ZacharyGeoghagan (Jaelyn),andher adored great-grandchildren:Bentley Musso, Beau Laciura,Milanyia Musso, Allie Laciura,Walker Ashford, John ParkerLaciura, Knox Ashford, and two more expectedgreatgrandchildrenwho will surely know herlegacy. Sheisalso survivedbyher devotedsister,Jewette Ashford. Eloise was precededindeathbyher husbandof68years, Robert Keating Sr.; herparents Remey andOphelia Zachary; herson-in-law Todd Geoghagan;and her siblings: Rita Bullock Forbes, Houston Zachary, JB Zachary, Athalone Morrow, Mack Zachary, MargariteBergeron,Billy Zachary, andLaDonice Wells. Pallbearers will be hergrandsons andgranddaughter: Cole Laciura Will Laciura,Mathew Ashford, Avery Geoghagan, ZacharyGeoghagan,Jenee' Musso andHolden Keating.Shaun Ashford will serve as an honorary pallbearer. Visitation will be held at RabenhorstFuneralHome on Florida Boulevard on Saturday, May31, 2025, at 1:00 PM followed by aservice beginningat1:30 PM. Burial will follow at Resthaven GardensofMemory. The service will be conducted by WayneAustin, A. B. Keating,and Gerald Ashford. Hermemory will forever live on in the hearts of herchildren, grandchil-
Maureenwas born in Brooklyn,New York,on January 10, 1945, and died May16, 2025. Maureenattended Catholic grammar school, SacredHeart Academy and CharitySchool of Nursing all with heryoungersister, Barbara. Maureenworkedinthe medical field at Bryn Mawh Hospital in Pennsylvania for over 20 years. Maureenleaves her sons, Bryan and Brad,and hergranddaughter, Elaina. Sheleaves hersister-inlaw RachelMahoney as well as herfriends,Kathleen and GervisWyble, Allyson Walker and Lavonne Hatch
Maureenhas received special blessingsover theseyearsbyFather Manny Fernandez, whoalso administeredher final blessings. Maureen's long illness began last August after whichshe became an even more devout Catholic and wouldask Barbara to bring herdaily Holy Communion. We thank Luke Corsten M.D., Adrian Landry, M.D., andthe staff of theBurden Manorand OurLady of the Lake Hospital. Thefuneral Holy Mass will be offered by Bishop Emeritus Robert W. Muench,atOur Lady of MercyCatholic Church at 10:00am on Friday, May 30th,with visitation at 8:30am. In lieu of flowers, Maureen wouldlikeMassesas a"spiritual bouquet". Lasserre,Louis
can come as a shock, leading people to put off or even go without care Simply put— without dentalinsurance, there may be an importantgap in your healthcare coverage.
Medicare doesn’tpay for dental care 1
That’s right. As good as Medicare is, it wasnever meanttocovereverything. That meansifyou wantprotection,you needtopurchase individual insurance.
Earlydetection canprevent small problems from becoming expensive ones Thebest waytopreventlarge dental bills is preventive care. TheAmerican Dental Association recommends checkups twice ayear.
GravoisSr.,Walter Lawrence
Miller, Maureen Mahoney
Keating,Eloise Zachary
Eloise Zachary Keating, age 91, passedaway peacefully on May 24, 2025, at Flannery Oaks Nursing Home in BatonRouge, Louisiana. Born on July25,
Ezeff,
Adams Jr., James
Sonya Dell Ryland Millican, 73, of Baton Rouge, LA, passed awaypeacefully on May 15, 2025, in Baton Rouge. Born on July 27, 1951, in Alexandria, LA, Sonya was adevoted educator, respected attorney, published author,and beloved sister, aunt, and friend.
Aproud graduate of Bolton High School in Alexandria(Class of 1969), Sonya went on to earn her Bachelor's degree from LSUin1977 and herMaster's degree from LSU in 1984. She continued her academic journey at Southern University Law Center, where sheearned her JurisDoctorate, cum laude,in1990
Sonya began hercareer in education,teaching at East Feliciana Parish Jr High from 1977 to 1978, and in East Baton Rouge Parish elementary schoolsfrom 1978 to 1987. After transitioning into law, she practiced as an attorney in Baton Rouge from 1990 until her retirement in 2023.
Alifelong lover of the arts and learning, Sonya published four children's books and found joy in reading, painting, playing guitar, listening to music, watching movies,and relaxing at the beach. Above all, she cherished spending time with her family, who brought her immense happiness throughout her life. She is survived by her brother, Rhett R. Ryland of BatonRouge; 16 nieces and nephews;and 26 great -nieces andgreatnephews, all of whom she loved dearly and who will carry on her memory with pride. She was preceded in death by her parents, C Bert and Velma Burns RylandofAlexandria, LA;her husband,J.Michael Millican of Baton Rouge; and her brothers, Rebel G. Ryland of Columbia, LA and Judge B. Dexter Ryland of Alexandria, LA. Acelebration of life will be held at alaterdate.In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the American HeartAssociationorCompanion AnimalAlliance of Baton Rouge in Sonya's memory.
survived by herloving, de‐votedhusband of 55 years, Robert “Bob”E.Moore, daughter,Misty Moore Adamo(Greg), grandchil‐dren,SophiaAdamo and Carter Adamo, andsister, EllenDoughty Butler.She is preceded in deathbyher parents, Frankand An‐niemae Doughty. More than anything,Charlotte enjoyedspendingtime with herfamily, especially hergrandchildren.She will be profoundly missed by allwho knew andloved her. Memorial donations canbemadetothe Tunnel to Towers Foundation at www.t2t.org
Normand, Randy
Randy Normandpassed awaypeacefully surrounded by his family at Baton Rouge General on Monday, May 26, 2025, at the ageof 75. He was aretired ChemistatDow Chemical for 36 years, resident of Plaquemine and anativeof Simmesport,LA. Amemorial visitation willbeheld at WilbertFuneral Home, Plaquemine on Friday, May 30, 2025, from 10:30am until 1:30pm. Randy is survived by his wifeof52years, MillieNormand; children,Annie Walters and husband Kenny, Katie Irwinand husband Toby,NikkiMoore and husband Aaron, Bubba Normand and wife Amanda; grandchildren, Jonathon Walters, Elizabeth and Addyson Irwin, Jacksonand Hudson Moore,and Blakely Normand; siblings, Angela Deville and husband Tim, Christine Mayeau and husband Owen, and Karen Normand; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Rickand Pat Turner;and numerous nieces, nephews and friends. Precededindeath by his parents, Floyd and Mary Normand; and brother,Jerry Normand. Randy lovedhunting, fishing, spending time with his family and happy hour.He also loved watching his grandchildren playbaseball.
long vocation and, fittingly, the dayhereturnedhome to God. Born on January14, 1971, ChrisgrewupinMar‐rero,Louisiana,where he attended Visitation of Our Lady School andgraduated from Archbishop Shaw High School in theClass of 1989. He earned adegreein EnglishfromLouisiana StateUniversityin1993, cultivatinga love of lan‐guagethatenrichedhis preachingand pastoral care.Chris wasordaineda RomanCatholic priest on May24, 2003, andserved theDiocese of BatonRouge forthree years. He also served as achaplainatSt. Joseph HospiceinBaton Rouge, ministeringtopa‐tients andfamilies with compassion andgrace throughthe sacred pas‐sage of end-of-lifecare. In themidst of histransition back to ordained ministry, Chrisworkedfor several yearsalongside hisfather andbrother at Concrete BustersofLouisiana.That chapterallowed himtore‐connectwithhis roots, em‐bracethe dignityofhard work,and deepen hisun‐derstandingoflife’spracti‐caland spiritualintersec‐tions—insights that pro‐foundly informed hislater ministry.In2013, Chriswas received into theEpiscopal Church,where he contin‐uedhis priestly ministry in RapidCity, SouthDakota, serving forsix years. In 2019, he accepteda call to St.John’sEpiscopal Church in Lynchburg, Virginia, where he faithfullyserved as Rector until hispassing Chrisloved hisworkasa priest—every Eucharist, everyconversation, every pastoral visitreflectedhis deep devotion to Christ andhis calling. He is pre‐cededindeath by hisfa‐ther,Francis (Tiger)Rous‐sell. He is survived by his loving wife of 18 years, Ali‐sonRoussell; andtheir two cherisheddaughters,Caro‐line andMeredithLandry, who affectionately called him“Mooie.”Heisalso survived by hismother, Betty Roussell;his brother, Reagan Roussell (Stacey Hart); hissister, Stacey Roussell; andhis beloved nieces andnephews:Hunt Lily,and Cade Roussell, andMeghanand Finn Fred‐erick. Chriswillberemem‐beredfor hisgentlespirit, steady presence,wry humor,and thedeep faith that sustainedhis ministry He touchedcountless lives throughhis service, his words, andhis love.A visi‐tation will be held on Mon‐day, May26, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at St.John’sEpis‐copalChurch in Lynchburg, Virginia.A celebrationof theHolyEucharist is plannedonTuesday,May 27, at 10:00a.m also at St John’s EpiscopalChurch.A second servicewillbeheld on Friday,May 30, at St Luke’s EpiscopalChurch’s WhitterHallinBaton Rouge, Louisiana. Visita‐tion will take placefrom 8:00 to 10:00 a.m.,followed by acelebration of the Holy Eucharistat10:00 a.m. Burial will follow at West Lawn Cemetery in Gretna, Louisiana. In lieu of flow‐ers, thefamilyrequests donationsbemadetoSt. Michael’sSpecial School in NewOrleans."Well done, good andfaithfulservant enterintothe joyofyour Lord." –Matthew 25:21
Lucy,101 years, of Baton Rouge, LA,passed away on May 21, 2025. Born in Port Allen, LA. AgraduateofMcKinley High School, Lucy earned her BS and MS degrees fromSouthern University and A&MCollege and went on to teachHomeEconomics at Washington Parish High and SU Lab. She was amember of Mu ZetaChapterofZetaPhi Beta Sorority She is survivedbyher sonLedell Virdure, Jr. (Juanita); daughters Lauretta V. Clark, (Clark), LeonetteV.LaBran (Benny). 7grandchildren, and family and friends Precededindeath by her husband of 58 years, Dr. Ledell D. Virdure, Sr., parents, and brother, WalterPittman, Jr.(Pearl)
Mary Joyce GillWilson passed away on Sunday May 25, 2025, at theage of 87. Born in Albany, LA on October4,1937, to thelate Lelonand Florence Gill. Mary was thebeloved wife of thelateRichard "Buddy" Wilson.Devoted mother of Stephanie Sansone (David), Stacie Minor (Bruce), Brian Wilson and Scott Wilson (Kristi). Sister of LavernGilland thelate DotSmiley, SarahBabin and Ricky Gill.Loving grandmother of Trevor Sansone (Morgan), Tyler Sansone (Amy),Mallori Diez, ConnorWilson, Parker Wilson (fiancé Joseph Romero),LukeMillerand Finn Miller. Great grandmother of Sullivan and WilliamSansone, Mary
Margaret Hudson andsoon to be Camille Sansone.She is also survived by ahost of nieces andnephews. Mary lovedflowering,was amember of theBaton Rouge Garden Club, Villa DelRey Civic Association aparishionerofSt. Thomas More Catholic Church andanavidfan of LSU. Hergreatest enjoymentcamefromcooking dinner everySundayfor herchildrenand grandchildren.She volunteeredfor many hoursather children's school andshe and herhusbandweretremendoussupporters of Redemptorist High School Shecontinued giving her time at hergrandchildren's respective schoolsfor many years. Serving as honorary pallbearers willbeDavid Sansone, Bruce Minor, Luke and FinnMilleralong with Pallbearers; Trevor Sansone, Tyler Sansone Connor Wilson, Joseph Romero, RonnieGeorge andCalvin Babin. The Familywould like to thank thestaff at The Lodge at Laneand Doctor Michael Conners, III (Trey). Family and friends are invited to attenda Funeral Mass at SacredHeart Catholic Church,2250 Main St Baton Rouge,LA70802 on Thursday, May29th,2025, at 11:00 AM.Visitationwill be from 9:00 AM until 11:00 AM.Burial will follow in Greenoaks Memorial Park.
John EldridgeWood passedawayonFriday, May23rd,2025 at the age of 71. He wasa beloved husband, father, grandfather,and friend. John never knew astrangerand broughtjoy andlaughter to all that knew him He is survivedbyhis belovedwife,Jacqueline Wood; hisson,Brian Wood; hisdaughter, Lacey Miller andher husband Donnie;and hischerished grandchildren, Lily and Wesley Miller.Heisalso survived by hissiblings, Barry Wood andhis wife Nina,and SandraStaub. He
waspreceded in death by hissister,Pamela Guidry, andhis parents, Jesse and Augusta Wood. Afuneral service will be held on Friday, May30th at ResthavenFuneral Home, 11817 JeffersonHwy. in Baton Rouge.Visitationbegins at 9:00 a.m. followed by theservice at 11:00 a.m. Allwho knew andloved John are welcome to attend.Inlieuofflowers, the familykindlyasks that you donate to acharity of your choice or performanact of kindness in John'smemory.
Charles Frederick Wood III,a residentofBaton Rouge,Louisiana, passed away on May9,2025, at the age of 78 after ashort illness. He waslovingly known to familyand friends for hisplayfulnature,his sense of humor, and for thegraceand charityhefelttowardall peoplefromall walks of life After graduation from Baton Rouge High School and LSU, hiscareer included social servicesand entrepreneurial pursuits in theconstruction trade.He served in theU.S. Army Reserve. He is survived by his son, Peyton Wood; grandson, Alex Wood; sister,JessicaCowart; andpreceded in death by hisparents, CharlesFrederick Wood II andJessieLynnWood. Memorial donationsinhis honor may be made to CharlesW.Lamar Jr.YMCA -ymcabr.org/CWL
Virdure,LucyPittman
WoodIII, Charles Frederick
Wilson,Mary Joyce
Wood,JohnEldridge
OUR VIEWS
It’s time to unite behind Louisiana International Terminal plan, andget it built
Most everyone agreesthatbuildinga largescale shipping terminal downriver fromthe Crescent City Connection is vital to ourarea’s ability to service the huge shipsthatcan’t fit under the bridge, and thus compete forcontainer traffic with Mobile and other major ports. There’s been ongoing and oftenemotional disagreement, however,over where theterminal should locateand which port should run it.
Last month, Gov.Jeff Landry threw the weight of his office behindthe Port of New Orleans’ proposedLouisiana International Terminal in St. Bernard Parish on theMississippi River’seast bank, and not an alternative on awest bank site ownedbythe Plaquemines Parishport authority.Landry appointed GNO Inc. CEO Michael Hecht, whosuccessfully coordinated infrastructure projectsahead of the February Super Bowl, to play asimilarrolein construction of the terminal anda newtollroad linking it to Interstate10.
We agree that the Port of New Orleans’proposal is the better of the solutions fora number of reasons, includingthe location’saccessto existing roads and raillines as wellasprivate funding that the Port of New Orleanshas secured. We urge allparties tofind away towork together to make it areality
We say this with full understandingthatsome St.Bernard residents fear thatthe multi-billion dollar project will be disruptive, and who have foundthemselves downstream fromhuge decisions made in New Orleans in the past. But we also seemuch to likeinthe Louisiana International Terminal, for the parish as well as the regional and state economies.
The terminal will bring 4,300 jobsonce it’s fully up and running, accordingtoone study, and millions in new tax revenue thatcan help meet localneeds.
And there will be infrastructure improvements, most notablyathird majorrouteout of the parish to be financed by tolls through a public-private partnership. This would notonly keep trucks servicing the port outoflocal traffic and help alleviate clogs thatalready annoy residents going about their everydaybusiness; it also would help ease evacuations whenhurricanes threaten.
In appointing Hecht, Landry wrotethat“successful executionofLIT is essentialto thefuture of trade in Louisiana, thevery reason we were founded…Just as with the SuperBowl,LIT has many stakeholders and aneutralthird party,working for the best interestsofLouisiana, may be helpful in order to expediteprogress.”
As Hecht described it, his assignment includes helping to work through issuesinvolving road and rail routes, working with federaland legislative players on issues such as permit approvals,funding and tariffs, and“tellingthe economic development story” in termsofjobs and services for St. Bernard It will take those things to smoothoverthe hard feelings and buildtrust,and to expedite what promises to be agame-changerofa project for Louisiana.
LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR ARE WELCOME. HERE AREOUR
GUIDELINES: Letters are published identifying name, occupation and/or title and the writer’scity of residence
TheAdvocate |The Times-Picayune require astreet address andphone number for verification purposes, but that information is not published. Letters are not to exceed 300 words. Letters to the Editor,The Advocate, P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0588, or email letters@ theadvocate.com.
TO SEND US A LETTER, SCANHERE
Turningbackthe clock on vaccines couldmean moreneedlessdeaths
My grandfather,Charles Beck,used to makehis nurses administer shots to children so they wouldn’tassociate him with the stickofthe needle. He was born in 1910 and worked as adoctor in rural NorthDakota and later in St.Paul, Minnesota. He died when Iwas young, so Inever got achance to ask him about his life, but Iimagine his recollections would have mirroredthose of Dr.Gerald L. Miller in “Making theRounds:MemoirsofaSmall-Town Doctor.”
Though vaccines became common during Miller’scareer,which began in the1950s,the days of childhood diseases werenot far in the past He recalled walking through a cemeteryinthe small town where he practiced. “I read thefootnotes of historybywalking between the rows Infectious outbreaks have carved their dates on some of theolder stones. Before thedevelopment of vaccines, virulent infections like poliomyelitis, measles,Asianflu, Asiatic cholera,
small pox, typhoid anddiphtheria struckMarkle and the surrounding communities with brutal force, often taking thevery young and the very old. Iremember Verna Seibold Stockman tellingmeaboutadiphtheria epidemic that spread through Markle in 1910 people were afraid to leave their homes.Withalmost every family losing at least one member,about ten percent of the townspeople died.”
Iamnot sure why somepeople in the country today seem to wanttoreturn to that dark time in ourhistory,when families had as many children as possible,knowing that all would likely not survive People my grandfather’sage took it for granted that everyone they knew had lost aloved one, mostlikely a child, to one of the diseases mentioned by Miller Iknow my grandfather would not have wanted that.
EMILYBECK COGBURN Baton Rouge
Taxhikeonsportsbetting abad betfor Louisiana
As arecentLSU graduate and lifelong Louisiana resident, Iwanttobeableto continue one of my favorite pastimes sportsbetting. But nowthe Legislature is targeting sports betting as asource of additional revenue and bettorslikemewill be paying theprice.
Youmight not ever place abet and disagree with thoseofuswho do.But just five yearsago,the majority of Louisianavoters in 55 parishes votedfor the freedom to place bets legally, with the understanding thatthis vote would result in asafer,well-regulated environmenttoenjoy this activity
Sports betting might seem like an easy target, with slick commercials andbig-time sports partnerships. But you don’tneed an economics degree to understand how this would impact consumers like me.Sportsbooks don’tsimply absorb these costs, they areforced
to passthem on to bettors through worse odds, fewer promotions and less competitive offerings. This meansthat people who bet legally will get less value for their dollar,and consumers will do whatthey’ve always done —seekout cheaper alternatives. In this case,that meansturning to illegal, unregulated offshorebetting sites only aGoogle search away.Not only do theseoffshore operators lack consumer and underage protections, but thestate collects zero revenue from them. Overtaxing sportsbetting is abad bet for Louisiana. It targets those of us who just want to enjoy this legal activity that already brings in alot of revenue for thestate. We don’tneed moretaxes —these kinds of policy moves make young professionals like me wonder if thesmartmoney is on Louisiana.
HANK HENRY Baton Rouge
Before DonaldTrumpwas running forpresident,aman asked my opinion of him. Ilooked to be sure there were no ladiespresent, andthenI toldhim what Ithought of aself-proclaimed billionairewhose employees hadto suehim to gettheir wages.
The man asked if Iwas aBlue DogDemocrat, andI saidI hadbeen calledalot of thingsinmytime.He explainedthatitwas aman who would vote foraBlue Dogbefore he would vote foraRepublican.I repliedI probably wasone,but Ihad once known a good Republican who was kin to me.
Thinkingofour presentelected leader,I can nowsay without contradiction why Ifeltthatway.That was several years ago, andtime has proven me right. The ones in office nowhave their main purpose of pleasing Trump and going along. My congressional representative,Julia Letlow,talks about whatshe hasbrought to the district. Of course, shevoted againstall of it Lying ClayHiggins swore in Congress that he hadproof that theJan.6rioters were federal agents dressed up as Trump supporters, andhewould bring outproof soon,very soon.Thatwas quiteawhile ago, andHiggins hasnot come up withany proof
The only onewehad in elected officewho could have finishedasa statesman was Bill Cassidy.For some reason,hedecided it wasmore importanttoplease Trump than to take care of his constituents, so he gave us aformer dopehead andantivaxxer forHealth andHumanServices secretary andaformer drunk to head the military.Asfor Sen. “Cornpone”John Kennedy,wewere lost from thestart. CARL CRAIN Baton Rouge
Some taxexemptions should be reconsidered
My primary sources of incomeare Social Security and apension from the Teachers’ Retirement System of Louisiana. Both are taxed by the federal government, but neither by the state. Iappreciate the state’s generosity,but I’mnot sure it’sgood policy.Ifthe Legislature is serious about tax reform, it needs to look closely at all the exemptions.
SANFORD W. WOOD Eunice
madecanoe.
Iamnot that Willie Sutton. Even though I(sortof) share aname with the infamous bank robber,I’ve neverbeen arrested. Ivisited jails and prisons. By choice. I’ve never spenta night in one. So Ihad no opportunity to escape. AndI’m notsure I would’ve been any good at devising and carrying out an escape plan.
I’ve gotten my share of parking and speeding tickets. I’ve been stopped for traffic violations. Ican’ttell you how many times a police officer has asked me what Iwas doing somewhere,what’smybusiness there or toldmeI should be moving along. I’ve been stopped and questioned because Ilook like somebody the police were looking for Tall Black man. Somewhat athletic in my younger years. Often bearded Often with acap. Often in jeans and sneaks.Sometimes with sunglasses. Sometimes with ahoodie. Maybe Icould’ve been that “somebody.” But why stop me whenI wasgoing into my own place with groceries and akey? Why stop me when Iwas wellgroomed, suited and booted?Wearing a two- or three-piecesuit. Starched shirt. Sharptie. Florsheim wingtips. We know why Willie Suttondidn’thave toworry about any of that.
of many disguises —hence “The Actor” —he was slickenough to escape notonce or twice, but thrice. Not manyhave escaped that many times,I’m sure There’ssome indication that at least one of the10men who escaped from the Orleans Parishjail had escaped ajail before. AntoineMasseyisstill being sought.Iguess expertise comeswithstudy and practice. While it’s rare in New Orleans and Louisiana for groups of inmates to escape from jails and prisons, it happens In 2008, eight violent criminals escaped from the Curry County Adult Detention Center in New Mexico. They climbed pipes and cut ahole in the roof. The escape made the TV show “America’sMostWanted.” The last escapee wasn’tcaught until 2012 —in Mexico.
In 2010, three inmates escaped from theAvoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Office in Mansura. They went on acrimespree with robberies, akidnapping and a murder.They werecaught two weeks later
“The Shawshank Redemption” (1994) wasn’tbased on atrue story; it was based on multiple escapes.
Now that eight of the 10 escapees have been captured, all law enforcementare on the lookout for Masseyand DerrickGroves, who remained at large as of early Tuesday afternoon. They areconsidered armed and extremely dangerous. This is aserious public safety issue, but in New Orleans, we often have fun with our frequent woes. There are escape T-shirts, escapee parties and lots of escape memes. Now we have escapee pools. People are betting on which of the two will be thelast captured.
This unfortunate jailescape is a made-for-television movie already
The last two evading arrest may be hoping for weeks,months or years without capture. Butthis storyisn’t likely to have aHollywood ending. There are some political prison break movies that have afight-the-power theme. Butmostdon’tend well for the protagonists.
That Sutton —AKA “Slick Willie” and“Willie the Actor” —made no bones about his profession. He was a career criminal. He loved his work.He stole about $2 million duringhis bank robber days. But he paid aprice forit. He spent more than half of his adult life behind bars. Not only was he aman
Earlier this year,more than 4,000 prisoners escaped from aprisoninthe Democratic Republic of Congo. Yes, 4,000. Not all escapes make books or movies. Not all prison escapemovies are based on real-life events.Those of us of acertain age certainly remember Sidney Poitierand Tony Curtis in 1958’s “The Defiant Ones.” Black and White prisoners had to worktogether to get away despite their issues.
Clint Eastwood starred in “Escape from Alcatraz,” amovie based on the real-life 1962 escape by threeinmates whoescaped in part by using ahome-
Andfor those caught up in thehunt —the friends, neighbors and loved ones who may have been asked to aid these men —the consequences will be life-changing.
Far too manyBlack men arestill being stopped for not much morethan being Black.
These escapees have been pursued based on things they’re accused of doing, but how manyothers are getting caught up in thedragnet?
They may not get top billing, but manylives and communities have been affected by this drama.
Email Will Sutton at wsutton@ theadvocate.com.
It feelsstrange talking about the world’s richest man, only 53 yearsold, in the past tense.But thatsomehow seems appropriate forElonMusk, who weeks agowas considered Donald Trump’sco-president. Nowhe’sclearly falling offthathigh perch, just as Tesla, his starasset, reports net income cratering by 71%
Musk wasundoubtedly agenius building business empires, notonly Tesla but also SpaceX. He also ownsthe formerTwitter, nowknown as X. But though he hadcertain highly developed faculties, he wasnot afull personatall.
One strugglestoportray Musk as avictim, but it’sbecome undeniable thatTrump played him. Trump exploitedhis wealth, neediness and limited social smarts.
Start with the 2024 campaign. We don’tknow the monetary rewards Trump might have dangled, but this one-timeTrump critic sank over aquarterofabillion dollars into helping the president’sreelection. Moments after votersgaveTrump asecond term,Musk’swealth mushroomed in expectation of alucrative payback
But thenTrump made Musk the fall guy for his obviously unpopular plantocannibalize the government workforce. Not only did his DOGE strip the public of prized services, but Musk seemed to enjoy inflicting pain on thousands of workers. “The real reason (fortheir complaints),” he said callously,“is that those who arereceiving the waste and fraud wish it to continue.”
Trump is famous for skipping out on paybacks.
Acelebrity,said historian Daniel Boorstin, is someone known for his or her well-knownness.David H. Souter, who died on May 8at85, was theanticelebrity.Hecameto Washingtontoservealmost 20 years on theSupreme Court (1990-2009), then returned,at69, to New Hampshire, trailing clouds of anonymity. He is remembered in Washingtonasodd: enjoying solitude, indifferent to publicity —what was wrongwith him? Conservatives remember him as adisappointment.Nominated by President George H.W.Bush to replace liberal Justice William J.Brennan Jr., Souter was supposed to cement aconservative court majority.
He did not. His legacy should, however,include athoughtful hesitancy when flinging about the adjectives “liberal” and “conservative”regarding justices He wastoo deferential (andilliberal) in approving federal campaign regulations by which governmentrations political speech about the government’s composition. He wastoo permissive (and illiberal) in approving localgovernments’ coercive use of eminent domaintotransfer individuals’ private property to facilitate private commercial interests. If, however,conservative critics fault him for joiningthe court’s majority in invalidating anti-sodomy laws,does conservatism stand for conserving the majority’s right to criminalize deviations from itscultural preferences, and perhaps diminishing equal protection of the laws?
Justices shouldbejudged not byresults —the social policyconsequences of particulardecisions —but by how the justices exemplify the subtle nuances of judicial reasoning. Consider Souter’s2010 Harvardcommencement addressabout judging, illustrated by the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decisionoverturning the “separatebut equal” justification for school segregation, and the 1971 Pentagon Papers case. In 1896, when the court affirmed separate but equal segregated railroad cars, the majority regarded thelaw as
race-neutral. Fifty-eight years later, theConstitution’slanguage had not changed. What had?
The1896 justices, Souter said, rememberedlaw-sanctioned slavery.To them, “theformal equality” of identical railroad cars “meant progress.” The 1954 justices, “without therevolting background of slavery” to makeitlook acceptable, saw ameaning in school segregation that the 1896 justices did not
Thejudicial perception of meaning, Souter said, “comes from the capacity to see what is not in some simple, objective sense there on the printed page” of theConstitution. (As is, for example, the constitutional fact that apresidentmust be at least35years old.) Souter said the 1954 justices were guilty of impermissible “activism” only if you believe the constitutionally determinativefacts always “lie there waiting for an objective judge to view them.”
In 1971, the government tried to prevent publication (byThe New York Timesand The Washington Post) of classified documents the publication of which would, the government argued, threaten national security, jeopardize attempts to negotiate peace and prevent allforeign governments from
trusting ours.The newspapers argued that the FirstAmendment’sfinality settled the issue: No law shall abridge press freedom The government lost thecase, but thecourtaccepted its basic argument, which was:When construing aportion of the Constitution, the totality of the document can be germane. It guarantees press freedom —but also grantsthe government the authority, responsibilityand appropriate power to provide for thenation’ssecurity and enable the president to conduct foreign and militarypolicy
The Constitution, Souter said, serves Americans’ desire for two excellent things, securityand liberty, that are not always clearly and cleanly compatible. In this case, Souter said, these “paired desires” clashed, and the courthad to decide which had “the better claim, right here,right now.”
The court did not saythe First Amendment’sfacially absolute “no law” permitted no exceptions. It did saythat therecan be circumstances in which exigencies justify government restraint of publications. The court said only that in this casethe governmentfailed to demonstrate asufficient exigency
Souter asked his 2010 listeners: Did the1971 courtabuse itspower?No, he said, achoice had to be made, theConstitutiondid not makeit, so thecourt had to do it.“So much,” he said, “for thenotion that all of constitutional law lies thereinthe Constitution waiting for ajudge to read it fairly.”
Constitutional law is substantially judge-made rules(what is “equalprotection” of the laws? a“reasonable” search? a“cruel and unusual” punishment?). Rules that, Souter argued, judges cannot avoid making. These “turn into” rulesas, over time, the court copes with cases No single theoryofproperconstitutional interpretation (originalism, textualism, etc.) can satisfy thehunger for simplicity, clarity and finality. Each requiresSouter’s well-known trait:judiciousness.
Email George Will at georgewill@washpost.com.
As the chainsaw-waving leader of DOGE, Musk became politically radioactive. And no longeruseful, Musk is clearly being shown the door —just as potential Tesla buyers have gone elsewhere fortheir electric vehicles. Both setbacksbecause MAGA gothim to play patsy,uptoand including support for far-right candidates in Germany Musk hasjoinedmovements advocating for higherbirth rates to countera dropinpopulation. But Musk hastaken the notiontoweird levels, trying to createamasterrace modeled on himself. He hasspread his sperm to fatherat least14children, via anumber of women. Sure,hecan write big checks, but children, boys especially,need involvedfathers. Some of the most screwedupkids comefrommoney but sufferfromlack of fathering. Musk’s plans to gatherthe mothers and children in a Texascompound and visit them from time to time is as bloodless as it gets.
Why an entrepreneur who helpedlaunchthe EV revolutioninthe United Stateswould work fora man dedicated to frustrating it remains a mystery.Did Musk think he would be spared? Musk, like Trump, needs to be in the headlinesall the time He’d bragabout busting unions if that got attention.
Musk wasn’tcontent to quietly enjoy his vast fortune —orenjoygiving some of it away.A dedicated fatherheading big companies would have usedmoreofhis scant free time tending to his offspring.
In the endMusk was conned by acon man. Musk may have been the richest man around, but he was usedand is now being stripped of an exaltedplace in world politics —after doing dirty work that has taken abig toll on his companies. He was hustled by aman who has overseen five business bankruptcies —six if youcount Trump Entertainment Resorts, which went bankrupt twice.
Thanks in good part to Musk’smoney,Trump wasput in aposition to amass millions in crypto,and engage in more grift and perhaps oldfashioned corruption. And Musk got “poorer.” Musk hasanestimated $330 billion left, so no tearsfor him.
But his legend hasbeen sharply marked down. He’s nowa figure of both hate and ridicule.Whata sadcombination.
Froma Harrop is on X, @FromaHarrop. Email her at fharrop@gmail.com
Will Sutton
ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO U.S. Supreme CourtJustice David Souter
George Will
Froma Harrop
Baton Rouge Weather
SPORTS
to finish 14-2.
Perfectending?
MIRAMAR BEACH, Fla. Steve Sarkisian remembers how things used to be.
In 2003, he wasquarterbacks coach at Southern California whenthe Trojans were locked in athree-team battle with LSU and Oklahoma forthe two spots in the BCS national championship gameatthe Sugar Bowl.
BY WILL GRAVES AP sports writer
PITTSBURGH Mason Rudolph has been in the NFL formore than half adecade now.And like anyquarterback thathas figured out away to stick around, he’s gotten pretty good at guessing where the pressure might be coming during agiven play
During thePittsburghSteelers’ first workout of voluntary organized team activities, that pressure didn’tcome fromany of the yellow-clad defenders on the practice field, but from someone whowasn’tthere.
Yes, Rudolph is well aware of Pittsburgh’svery public courtship of Aaron Rodgers. It took all of 90 seconds for Rudolph to be asked about Rodgers on Tuesday.Rudolph just shrugged his shoulders.
He’sbeen here before. Many many times during the roller coaster that washis first stint with theSteelersfrom2018-23, when he evolved from perennial backup to afterthought to unlikely season saver
TheSooners got in on the strength of the BCS computer rankings despite getting routed 35-7byKansas State in the Big12championship game.The Tigers got in over the Trojans. Why? Because in literally what wasthe lastgame of the 2003 regular season, Hawaii —which lost 61-32 to USC earlier in the season— lost45-28 to Boise State.Thattamped downUSC’sstrength of schedule just enough to let the Tigers slide past the Trojans and into the Sugar Bowl.
The story didn’tend there. LSU beat Oklahoma 21-14 in New Orleans while USC beat Michigan 28-14 in the Rose Bowl. The Tigersclaimedthe BCS national championship,but the Trojans finished No. 1inThe Associated Press poll.
It will likely go down as the last split collegefootball nationaltitle ever.Three seasonslater,there wasastand-alone BCS national championshipgame, followed
STAFF FILE PHOTO BY MAXBECHERER
LSU coach Ed Orgeron looks on as quarterback JoeBurrowholdsupthe championship trophy after the national championship game againstClemson on Jan. 13, 2020, in the Superdome. LSU won 42-25 and finished 15-0.
by thecreation of the four-team College Football Playoff after the 2014 season. Lastyear brought aCFP expansion to 12
BY TOYLOYBROWN III Staff writer
Southern baseball flashed greatness before its early exit in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament after losing two of three games.
TheJaguars finally werebeginning to come together,winning eight of their last 10 games before thepostseason.
teams,the samenumber as in 2025. The only major difference is the CFP will go with straight seeding instead of giving byes to thetop four conference champions. Talk of expanding the CFP to 14 or even 16 teamsistop of mind along the sugar white sands fronting theSandestin Hilton, the site this week of the annual SoutheasternConference spring meeting. The SEC and the Big Ten, partners in trying to bend all of college athletics to their collective will, are pushing for a16-team model with four guaranteed qualifiersper league. What would such amodel mean for conference championship games is one the biggest questions among ahostof unknowns currently facing college athletics,whosesands are shifting more than the dunes outside the Hilton’spricey hotel rooms. One thing Sarkisian feels confident about: the expanded playoff will mean the end of the undefeated season in college football. Yetanother way thegame, which now pays its star playersmillions and crowns its champion with aplayoff, is mimicking the NFL.
assistant coach TJ Perkins said.
Thecomparison is lofty and significant. That group from six years agowas notsimply the most talented team Perkins coached, but they wereSWACchampions.
SWAC)have oneofthe most potent offenses in the conference.
“That’snothing new to me,” Rudolphsaid Tuesday.“There’s been constant noise. That is the nature of the NFL. So Ihave been used to that fora long time now.(Ican) do nothing but be the best Ican be and help our team get better this spring.”
The well-liked Rudolph returnedtoPittsburgh on atwoyear deal in March after an uneven season in Tennessee. At the time, Rudolphwas one of two quarterbacks on the roster as Justin Fields leftfor the New York Jets and the Steelers opted nottobring back Russell Wilson. Pittsburgh hassincetaken a flier on former Ohio State star
ä See STEELERS, page 4C
ASSOCIATEDPRESS PHOTO Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph throws apass during practice Tuesdayin Pittsburgh.
“They remindedmealot of that 2019 team,” eight-year Southern
The parallel to the 2025 Jaguars comes from theabundanceof speed mixed with powerful bats, helping Southern (24-27, 15-13
In theSWAC, it finishedthe season first in both stolenbases (191) and on-base percentage (.447), and second in both batting average (.312) and slugging percentage (.497). The Jaguars had six players who started at least 25 games with .300 batting average, two pitchers on theAll-SWACsecond team and the SWAC Player of the Year in Cardell Thibodeaux.
Grambling squashed their conferencetitle hopes, beating No 7-seeded Southern 16-2 during an elimination game Friday at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama.
Southern head coach ChrisCrenshaw saidthis year’steam was probably the most talentedhe’s had in four years. He also was an assistant in 2019 andrecognized the similarities the current team
Ahugebright spot for Southern was the playofjunior Cardell Thibodeaux, whowas named SWAC Playerofthe Year ä See JAGUARS, page 3C
Despite all of that, No. 5-seeded
HEALING THROUGH MUSICTHERAPY
MandyCreekmore
MedicalMusic Therapist, Our Lady of the LakeHealth Adjunct Instructor, LSU
Scott Rabalais
ASSOCIATEDPRESS FILE PHOTO BY JACOB KUPFERMAN
Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smithcatchesa passagainst Notre Dame during the national championship game on Jan. 20 in Atlanta. The Buckeyes won34-23
PHOTO BY APRILBUFFINGTON
Djokovic rolls despite weather
BY HOWARD FENDRICH AP tennis writer
PARIS Novak Djokovic experi-
enced the lowest of lows — pulling out of the French Open after tearing the meniscus in his right knee — and the highest of highs — winning a long-sought Olympic gold medal for Serbia at Roland-Garros last year This trip to the site went smoothly, once he got going.
Other than some first-set interruptions by and lengthy discussions about, the windy, wet weather, the 24-time major champion was unbothered during a 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 victory over 98th-ranked Mackie McDonald of the United States at Court Philippe-Chatrier in the first round.
“He makes it seem like a video game, almost, for him,” said McDonald, a 30-year-old Californian who played college tennis at UCLA and twice has been to the fourth round at Grand Slam tournaments. “He’s able to just do so much. I don’t even think he was playing his best tennis or his highest level. But if I pushed him to a different point, he would bring it up.”
One example: When McDonald earned his first break points, getting to love-40 at 3-2 in the second set, Djokovic came up with three big serves, a 120 mph (193 kph) ace, a 123 mph (199 kph) ace and a 122 mph (197 kph) service winner. Djokovic compiled 32 winners — 18 more than McDonald — and just 20 unforced errors in a match that eventually was played with the lights on and the retractable roof closed.
“I’m a competitor, and losing stings,” McDonald said, “but playing Novak on that court is something I’ll remember.”
Before Djokovic, who just turned 38 and won his 100th career title last weekend, walked onto the playing surface, he was identified by the stadium announcer by his total number of Slam trophies, the three he’s won at the French Open, and the Summer Games gold he won “here in Paris.”
“I still remember last year’s Olympic Games. It was the last time I was here,” Djokovic said afterward. “The emotion is very
strong.” The medal that means so much to him?
“I don’t have the medal with me. But I have a picture of the medal in my bag,” he said “The medal is with my father My dad likes trophies more than I do, so I gave him mine.”
Other events
Once Coco Gauff found her rackets a relatively important piece of equipment for a tennis player all was well for her in the first round. Gauff showed up on court, opened her bag and peered inside to find it was missing her rackets. The start of the warmup was delayed, but then everything went Gauff’s way, and the 2023 U.S. Open champion got past Olivia Gadecki 6-2, 6-2. Unseeded
American Alycia Parks, ranked 52nd in the world, beat No. 14 seed Karolina Muchova 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 in the women’s last match of the day Muchova was the runner-up to Iga
Swiatek at Roland-Garros in 2023.
Other winners included the No. 3 seeds, Jessica Pegula and Alexander Zverev, and 18-year-old Mirra Andreeva, but 2021 U.S Open champion Daniil Medvedev, who was seeded 11th, lost to Cam Norrie 7-5, 6-3, 4-6, 1-6, 7-5 across nearly four hours.
Other seeded men were sent home when 18-year-old João Fonseca dispatched No 30 Hubert Hurkacz 6-2, 6-4, 6-2, and when No. 16 Grigor Dimitrov quit while leading American qualifier Ethan Quinn two sets to one. This is the fourth consecutive major tournament at which Dimitrov retired.
Frenchman Gael Monfils rallied from two sets down and beat Hugo Dellien of Bolivia 4-6, 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (4) 6-1, in a match that lasted more than three hours.
Monfils was injured on the fifth point of the match when he fell and crashed into a side billboard. The 38-year-old Monfils was mov-
ing to his right as he returned a shot into the net. He scraped his hands trying to break his fall and required a few minutes of medical treatment before play resumed.
Monfils, ranked 42nd in the world and with a history of right knee and leg injuries, was a point away from breaking the 90thranked Dellien’s serve and ended up losing the game and going behind 3-0 in the first set.
After dropping the second set, Monfils battled back and, helped by a 19-2 advantage in aces, advanced to the second round.
Who is playing at Roland-Garros on Wednesday?
The second round begins on Day 4, with a schedule that includes defending champions Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz, 2024 runnerup Jasmine Paolini and two-time finalist Casper Ruud.
Swiatek meets 2021 U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu in the day session’s last match in the main stadium.
French Open picks humans over technology
Djokovic thinks call on line judges poor
BY HOWARD FENDRICH
AP tennis writer
PARIS For Novak Djokovic, this is a relatively easy call: He, like many players, thinks the French Open is making a mistake by eschewing the electronic line-calling used at most big tennis tournaments and instead remaining old school by letting line judges decide whether serves or other shots land in or out.
Plenty of sports, from soccer and baseball to the NFL, are replacing, or at least helping, officials with some form of high-tech replays or other technology Tennis, too, is following that trend, except at Roland-Garros, where competition continues through June 8. Even the longest-running and most tradition-bound of the majors, Wimbledon, is gasp! abandoning line judges and moving to an automatic system this year. The WTA and ATP added machine-generated rulings this season for tour events on red clay, the surface at the French Open But Grand Slam hosts can do what they want, and the French tennis federation is keeping the human element.
The French Open is pushing back against modern technology Djokovic, the 24-time major champion scheduled to play his first-round match in Paris on Tuesday, understands why folks might prefer the way to keep things the way they were for more than a century in his sport. He gets why there could be an inclination to shy away from too much change
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY LINDSEY WASSON
A line judge makes a call as Russia’s Anastasia Pavliuchenkova plays China’s Zheng Qinwen during the French Open at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris on Sunday.
in a world now drowning in cell phones and streaming and social media.
“You don’t want to give everything away to the technology, right? But if I have to choose between the two, I’m more of a proponent of technology It’s just more accurate, saves time, and (means) less people on the court”
said Djokovic, 38, who was disqualified from the 2020 U.S. Open for inadvertently hitting an official with a ball hit out of frustration between games.
That edition of the tournament in New York only placed line judges on its two largest courts, while others used an electronic setup, a nod to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Australian Open got rid of all line judges in 2021, a first at a tennis major; the U.S. Open did the same later that year The French Open remains a
holdout and that’s not likely to change anytime soon.
Futhermore, don’t expect electronic line-calling at Roland Garros in the near future.
“Unless the players are unanimous and come to us and say, ‘We won’t play if there isn’t a machine’ then I think we’ve got a great future ahead of us to maintain this style of refereeing,” French federation president Gilles Moretton said, while boasting of the quality of his country’s officials.
Players don’t sound that adamant, although they tend to echo the opinion of 2023 U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff, who is 21:
“I mean, I don’t know if it’s like the ‘Gen Z’ in me, but I think if we have the technology, we should use it.” Still, there is some charm to be found in the choreography of players insisting a call was wrong
Florida forward Condon forgoes NBA to return
Florida forward Alex Condon has withdrawn from the NBA draft and will return to school for his junior season, significantly boosting the Gators’ chances of repeating as national champions.
Coach Todd Golden said last week he was “cautiously optimistic” the 6-foot-11, 230-pound Australian would be back for another season. He got the news Tuesday, a day before the deadline for players to withdraw from draft consideration.
Condon averaged 10.6 points and a team-leading 7.5 rebounds last season. He also blocked 49 shots. He notched seven double-doubles, scored in double figures 18 times and grabbed at least 10 boards 10 times.
Nuggets guard Westbrook has surgery on right hand
Denver Nuggets point guard Russell Westbrook said he was having surgery Tuesday to fix two breaks in his right hand that he suffered during the season.
The 36-year-old Westbrook is coming off a season in which he helped the Nuggets extend the Oklahoma City Thunder to seven games in the second round of the playoffs before being knocked out. Westbrook averaged 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 6.1 assists in the regular season. Westbrook signed a two-year deal last summer, with a player option next season that would be worth $3,468,960.
He has played for the Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Washington and Houston since spending 11 seasons with the Thunder
EA Sports names WRs Williams, Smith for cover Alabama’s Ryan Williams and Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith are the cover athletes for EA Sports College Football 26, the videogame developer announced Tuesday The electric sophomore wide receivers were picked for the second edition of the franchise’s reboot Last year’s game was the first in 11 years and was among the best-selling video games in 2024. Williams and Smith are posed together on the standard cover, while the deluxe edition also includes other players, coaches, mascots and former cover stars Reggie Bush, Tim Tebow and Denard Robinson. The ’26 edition will test if the franchise still has the same staying power it had when it was released annually in the early 2000s.
Indy 500 draws biggest TV number in 17 years
and chair umpires climbing down for a closer look at a ball mark on the clay Watch a day of TV coverage from Paris and odds are good that dance will take place — probably more than once.
“That’s what makes clay special, in a way — that you can always review the shots. Obviously, you can’t deny that electronic line-calling is the future, and everything is moving towards AI and artificial intelligence,” said Stefanos Tsitsipas, the runner-up to Djokovic at Roland-Garros four years ago. “But me, personally, I wouldn’t mind playing on clay with maybe the judgment of a human instead of a robot.”
Some tennis players resort to taking photos of ball marks. No matter the form of officiating, there invariably are times when athletes perhaps eyesight or faith strained by heat-of-themoment tension and an eagerness to be correct just won’t agree with a call.
That, in turn, can lead to extended arguments and sometimes a scene seen recently: A player grabs a cell phone from the sideline to snap a photo of a mark in a bid to prove, and win, a point. Aryna Sabalenka, a three-time Slam champ and No. 1 women’s player, and Alexander Zverev, a three-time major finalist, did just that, although they weren’t the first. Back at the 2013 French Open, Sergiy Stakhovsky put down his racket and took a picture of where a ball had landed during a loss to Richard Gasquet; Stakhovsky said then he’d done it before.
“Linespeople mess up sometimes,” said 2023 Australian Open semifinalist Tommy Paul. “Automatic line-calling is going to mess up probably less.”
Sunday’s Indianapolis 500 had its biggest television audience in 17 years.
Alex Palou’s victory averaged 7.05 million viewers on Fox, according to Nielsen. That is the largest audience since 2008, when Scott Dixon’s win averaged 7.25 million on ABC. That was also the first year of a combined open-wheel series The viewer numbers peaked at 8.44 million for the race’s conclusion from 4:15-4:30 p.m. EDT This is the first year that Fox has the IndyCar package. IndyCar and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway had a long relationship with ABC from 1965 until 2018 while NBC aired the prestigious race from 2019 through 2024. It was a 40% increase from last year when the race averaged 5.02 million on NBC.
McIlroy’s Memorial absence a surprise for Nicklaus
Jack Nicklaus said Tuesday he was surprised Rory McIlroy decided to skip the Memorial for the first time since 2017 and that he hasn’t spoken to him since McIlroy won the Masters to complete the career Grand Slam.
Nicklaus was short with his answers on McIlroy, not wanting to make his absence a bigger deal at the tournament that is celebrating its 50th year McIlroy is playing the RBC Canadian Open next week ahead of the U.S. Open. He had played the Memorial and Canadian Open back to back every year since 2021. Nicklaus has not spoken to him since then, but he did write up a letter of
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHE ENA
Serbia’s Novak Djokovic reacts as he plays Mackenzie McDonald of the U.S. during the French Open at the Roland-Garros stadium in Paris on Tuesday
Cleveland Guardians
pitcher Nic Enright throws during a spring training game against the Oakland Athletics on Feb.27, 2024, in
Goodyear,Ariz. AP
CAROLYN KASTER
Enrightcompletes journey from cancer to MLBdebut
BY JOE REEDY AP sportswriter
CLEVELAND Nic Enright thought he would be caught up in the emotions of finally making it to the majorsthis past weekend.
Comparedtoeverything he has dealt with the past three years sincebeing diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, the 28-year-old Cleveland Guardians right-hander was able to take everything in stride.
Enright threw twoscoreless innings and struck out three for Cleveland on Sunday in a5-0 loss to Detroit.
He was called up on Saturday after Hunter Gaddis was placed on the bereavement list.
“I remember feeling calmer and much more at peace than I thought Iwould,” Enright said Monday before the Guardians’ 7-2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“After Ifinished warming up and when Ijogged in, we stopped for aminute to play ‘God Bless America.’”headded. “I used that time to just kind of think of everything that had gone on these last couple of years, all the obstacles that I’ve been through, everything that Iand my parents have overcome. And then when the song finished, Iwas like, ‘All right, let’sgo play baseball.’”
Enright received hiscancer diagnosis in December 2022 after experiencing tightness in his neck. He was surprised about the diagnosis before going through
some of the symptoms —such as getting itchy at night, experiencing nightsweats and eczema on his elbow —and discovering he had allofthem
Enright hasbeen undergoing treatments before andafter each season,including four rounds of immunotherapy at theend of last season.Hewill havefourmore rounds of immunotherapy at the end of this season.
Clevelandselected Enright in the20th round of the 2019 amateur draft out of Virginia Tech.
TheMiami Marlinstookhim in theRule5draft two weeks before hiscancer diagnosisin2022.
“There were some dark days, and that’swhen Ileaned on all those people around me,” he said.
“The biggest thing was not letting cancer control me andnot letting it dictatehow Iwas going to live my life.”
Enright returned to theGuardians organization in 2023. He missedmost of last season due to aright shoulderstrain, butwent 2-1with a1.06 ERAin16appearances with Triple-A Columbus.
He missed the firstthree weeks of thisseason due to alat muscle injury
When Enright returned, he allowed only two earnedruns in nine innings with one save in nine appearances with Columbus.
Enright made the majors after a 17-11 record and 3.13 ERA in 156 minor league games, including two starts.
He iswearingNo. 59 with Cleve-
land, thesame number wornby Carlos Carrasco for 12 seasons. Carrasco was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia in 2019 and returnedtopitch for Cleveland later that season.
Coincidentally,Enright’sbig league debut came in Detroit when theTigers were hosting Strikeout Cancer Weekend.
“You can’tdrawitup. It’s just one of those cool things,” manager Stephen Vogt said. “Just to seeall thathe’sperseveredthrough differentorganizations, coming back to Cleveland andgetting to make his major league debut with the Guardians. It was areally special day for Nic and his family and really fortunate we were there to watch it.”
Enright said he hasreceived plenty of text messages thepast couple days, but one of the more meaningful ones came from Boston’s Liam Hendriks, who recently returned to themajors for the first time in two years after battling non-Hodgkin lymphoma and recovering from Tommy John surgery
Even though Enright has reached acouple of significant milestones, he doesn’twant his story to end with what happened Sunday
“I’msuper happy with how yesterday went, but thegoal isn’tto just debut,” he said. “The goal is to come up here, take the ball everytime my nameiscalled and do everything Ican to help this team win games.”
Nola’s return from sprained ankleslowerthanexpected
BY DANGELSTON
AP sportswriter
PHILADELPHIA Phillies righthander Aaron Nola saidhis return fromthe injured list with asprainedrightankle wasprogressing slower than expected andthat he probably needed to make aminor leaguerehabilitation start.
“Taking alittle bit longer thanI thought it would,” Nolasaidahead of Tuesday’sgame against Atlanta. “Since I’m here, Iwant toget it right to where Idon’treallyfeel anything and to go 100%.”
Nolais1-7 with a6.16ERA in nine starts.
The Phillies chose to put Nola on the 15-day injured listonMay 16 to avoid another injury cropping up while he was favoringthe
ankle. The 31-year-old veteran allowed 12 hits, nine runs and three homers —all career highs —in a14-7 loss on May 14 against St. Louis.
The formerLSU player,who signed a$172 million, seven-year contract ahead of the 2024 season, was injured on May 8during pregame agilitydrillswhen thePhillies played Tampa Bay at Steinbrenner Field
Nola said he tried to pitch through the injury over his last two starts.
“I thoughtitwould be good after acouple starts,” Nola said. “It wouldprogressand kind of ease off on its own. But it didn’treally, so I’m on the IL.” In 11 seasons with Philadelphia, Nola is 105-86 with a3.78 ERA.
The Phillies ledthe NL East at
34-19 and hada nine-game winning streak snapped Sunday against the Athletics.
Nolaiseligible to be activated on Friday. He will instead throw abullpen session later this week and, if the ankle feels better,could head out to the minor leagues for a start. Nola didnot throwa planned bullpen last Saturday becauseof soreness.
“Hopefully,Thursday it feels really good and Ican get on the mound andthrowa decent amount,” Nola said.
Nola was draftedseventh overallbyPhiladelphiain2014and hasbeenone of themost durable pitchers sincehis 2015 big league debut. Aside from a10-daystint on the COVID injury list in 2021, Nola hadn’tmissed astart since 2017.
Portal pieces moving forLSU softball team
BY RASHAD MILLIGAN Staff writer
Transferportal seasonishere, andthe LSUsoftball program is dealing with four players who have decided to weightheiroptions elsewhere for 2026.
With four Tigers on their way out, LSUalreadyhas hadtwo playersannounce theirplans to join the team for next season.
LSUsoftballiscoming offa 42-16 campaign that included a disappointing finish in the Baton Rouge regional, where the Tigers lost twogames to No. 4-seeded Southeastern Louisiana at Tiger Park earlier this month.
Here areall the changes as of Tuesday with coachBeth Torina’s program:
Playersenteringportal
Sydney Berzon, pitcher Berzon hit the transfer portal after becoming atwo-time AllAmerican in Baton Rouge. In 2023, she became the first LSU All-American freshman pitcher since 2015.
This past season, the righthander battledinjuriesall year but still had an 18-8 record with a 2.46 ERA. Berzon will be asenior next season.
Sydney Peterson, infield
The senior entered the transferportal after she appeared in seven gamesin2025. In 2024, Pe-
terson redshirted after playing in just threegames because of an injury. Peterson also redshirted in 2023. In herfreshmanseason in 2022, Peterson played in 54 of 57 games forthe Tigers. She started 50 games at second base. Maia Townsend, outfield
The rising senior played in 19 games this past season and scored five runs. She appeared in 53 games over the 2024 and 2023 campaigns.
Sa’MyaJones,infield
The rising sophomore appeared in 27 games for the Tigers as a freshman this past season. Jones —aPearland,Texas,native scored 13 runs for LSU.
Incoming LSUplayers
KyleeEdwards, shortstop Edwards has committed to LSU after entering the portal at Mississippi State. The rising junior was one of twoMississippi State players who startedinall 58 games this past season. She batted .290 and knocked in 37 runs to go with nine home runs.
Cece Cellura, pitcher Cellura has committedtoLSU after entering the portal at San Diego State. This past season, the rising junior had a19-9 record with a2.28 ERA.”BatonRouge called, and Ianswered!” Cellura posted on X. “A dream cometrue. Thank you God!See y’all in the Bayou. #geauxtigers”
JAGUARS
Continuedfrom page1C
shared with that iteration of the Jaguars. He said there wasone defining difference— collective experience.
“Wehad abunch of older guys thatyear,and theyhad been around for along time,” Crenshaw said. “It was acore group that hadbeen with each other for four years, and youcan’t make up for the time they spent together in the games and the battles they were in. Youcan’ttake that from them, and theyhad that experience, so all they had to do was get used to winning.”
Rashard Grace, who was one of 10 seniors on this year’sroster, has seen the intangibles achampionship-caliber team possesses. In 2022, he was afreshman on Southern’slast appearance in the SWAC championship game.
“Wehad thetalent,” Grace said of this year’sgroup, “but we sometimes lacked in thediscipline area, whichI felt like kind of ledtosome of our downfall in games.Especially lateingames. Obviously,in thepostseason, that’skind of what it comesdowntoin(thelast) innings.Wejust weren’table to execute those innings foragood part of the year.”
Deeper in the season, opponents started to pitch around Thibodeaux because of his dominance. He entered the SWAC Tournament first in the country in slugging percentage (.875), second in batting average (.438) and fourth in on-base percentage (.502).
Against Grambling, Southern had four hits, whichwas the seventh time this season it had that amount or fewer.
An underperformingbullpen was adrawback to the season.After Southern’stop pitchers started the first twopostseason contests, theJaguars hadtorelyonless proven arms after. TheJaguars allowed36runs andhad an 11.63 ERA in three postseason games. Southern had pieces in the lineup, but it couldn’t put together enough of ateam effort to break its SWAC Tournament drought.
The coaching staff has conducted exit interviewswith the players. Perkins liked what he heard and believes there is reason to have faith in Southern’sfuture.
“Now moving forward, everything should motivate youtonot come up short in that moment,” he said.
“Itwas good to hear what they had to say …now it’sjust amatter of being able to develop them off of that experience. That’sthe advantage. Ilove the fact we’re able to get that advantage.”
STAFF FILE PHOTOBYHILARY SCHEINUK SoutherncoachChrisCrenshaw, center,looksonfrom the dugout during agameagainst Incarnate Word on March19atLee-Hines Field.
LSU coach Kelly: LBs Weeks, Perkins are both ready to go
BY SCOTT RABALAIS Staff writer
MIRAMAR BEACH, Fla. Two key starters on the LSU defense have been cleared for full offseason activity coach Brian Kelly said here Tuesday during the Southeastern Conference spring meeting Senior linebacker Harold Perkins and junior linebacker WhitWeeks both missed spring practice — Perkins while recovering from a knee injury in September against UCLA and Weeks from a broken fibula in the Texas Bowl. But now they are in a “great position” to start doing work in advance of preseason practice, Kelly said.
“Conditioning, change of direction, they’re clear to do all of the movements that are required by our players,” Kelly said.
The coach added that Perkins and Weeks may transition a bit slower into football activities such as summer drills, but that he expects them to be full-go by the start of preseason practice.
coach Kim Mulkey described the process that led former South Carolina guard MiLaysia Fulwiley to transfer to the Tigers in April.
Mulkey said Fulwiley did not visit any schools, including LSU.
“She knew where she wanted to go when she got in the portal,” Mulkey said after emerging from a women’s basketball coaches meeting. “She just liked our style. She likes Mikaylah (Williams) and Flau’jae (Johnson) and wanted to come. I’m like, ‘OK.’
Mulkey said she was not concerned about being able to spread the ball around enough in what will be one of the nation’s most talented backcourts.
rently on its roster, including a total of three transfers. Asked whether the Tigers were done in the portal, Mulkey said: “Not necessarily.” She indicated LSU is still considering adding another post player Sark on Arch Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian was asked whether he will try to insulate starting quarterback Arch Manning from Newman in New Orleans from intense expectations entering the 2025 season.
Falcons QB Penix finding voice as leader in 2nd year
BY RICK FARLOW The Associated Press
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. As Michael Penix is entering his first full season as the Atlanta Falcons starting quarterback, he is learning what it takes to be a leader in the NFL.
Penix got some experience as a team leader on Tuesday when the Falcons held their first organized team activities.
The Falcons began Phase 3 of the offseason by getting out on the field and doing individual drills and a few noncontact team periods.
“I’m excited,” Penix said after two hours of voluntary outdoor practice. “We get to be out there against the defense and work real football. I can’t wait for this season.”
Penix, who was drafted eighth overall by Atlanta in 2024, started the Falcons’ final three regular-season games and completed 58 of 100 passes for 737 yards with three touchdown passes and three interceptions in those starts. Kirk Cousins led the Falcons to a 6-3 start last season but lost his job after struggling with interceptions.
Penix described his growth over his first full offseason knowing he is the starting quarterback.
“The one thing that I want to point (to) is just connecting with the guys,” Penix said. “I feel like I’ve done a lot better with connecting with everybody around the team.
“Not just offensive guys but defensive guys as well. Whether that’s just around the facility eating lunch or going out and playing golf with some of them. Don’t ask about my golf game.”
Second-year Falcons coach Raheem Morris said
Penix is “finding his voice” as a leader
“When you take over that quarterback spot, there’s a certain humility about playing the position,” Morris said. ”Then (comes) a certain confidence about playing the position. Eventually it turns into a little bit of an arrogance about playing the position where it’s non-negotiable. We’re not there yet. I don’t think we will be for a little bit, but I think he’s at the mode of where he’s starting to get that confidence to be able to figure out how to get to that point.”
Wide receiver Darnell Mooney, who also is in his second year with the Falcons after signing a threeyear contract ahead of the 2024 season, said Penix has done a good job of undertaking a leadership role so far
“I think he’s been doing well owning that he’s the guy and that he’s (going to) be the guy,” said Mooney, a former Tulane star “He’s doing a good job showing up every day He’s more quiet and can play around a little bit but he’s really just a chill guy.”
Penix had a recent conversation with former quarterback Matt Ryan, a 2024 Falcons Ring of Honor inductee.
“I spoke to Matt Ryan and had a good conversation with him (about) learning how to be a pro each and every day and how his process went,” Penix said. “I feel like he definitely gave me some good things. Obviously he knows this is my second year coming into it (and) this is my first year starting. He talked to me about his times during that time and how he got to where he ended up.” Morris said he did not see Cousins around the facility on Tuesday
Perkins required surgery after tearing his ACL against the Bruins on Sept. 21. Weeks needed surgery to repair his fibula and a dislocated ankle after being carted off the field Dec. 31 against Baylor Weeks led LSU and was second in the SEC with 125 total tackles.
RABALAIS
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Mulkey on Fulwiley LSU women’s basketball
“Last year we played 16 games,” the Texas coach said Tuesday, “and that was just to get to the (CFP) semifinals. I don’t think we’ll ever see an undefeated national champion again. If someone does go 16-0, put up a statue to that team.” Ohio State won last year’s title with a 14-2 record that did not include a trip to the Big Ten championship game. Four of the previous five national champions — including 15-0 LSU in 2019 — were unbeaten but that was with the old fourteam CFP format.
“It’s difficult because of the quality of the opponents you play,” Sarkisian said. “It’s so difficult to stay healthy that long.” Sark said he thinks the CFP will start to resemble the NCAA Tournament in baseball, citing that No. 1 overall seed Vanderbilt struggled through its first 20 SEC games at 11-9 before taking off late in the season.
“I think you’re going to see teams more and more with two, three, maybe even four losses that get in (the CFP),” he said. LSU coach Brian Kelly agreed, saying the stringent test of playing in the SEC should be taken into account when determining the CFP field, whether it’s 12, 14 or 16 teams.
“I think we’re all of the opinion that your strength of schedule should be part of how you’re evaluated when it comes to selection,” Kelly said. “We all believe that in our conference, that if a team loses one or two games, or even three, that they should still be part of this process
The reality of it is, over a long period of time in the SEC, you’re going to get banged up You’re going to get nicked up. You’re going to have a loss. That’s a lot more difficult with the schedule we play to go unscathed. Doesn’t mean you’re not
“Great players want to play with other great players,” Mulkey said. “Shots and balls go around. I don’t worry about that.”
Mulkey said she and South Carolina coach Dawn Staley didn’t discuss Fulwiley’s transfer during the hourslong coaches meeting, which was chaired by Staley LSU has 13 players cur-
as good of a team.”
Georgia coach Kirby Smart wasn’t eager to follow Sarkisian down his path of logic, and for an all together unsavory reason.
“I’d like to say yes” there will be fewer undefeated teams, Smart said. “But not because of the schedule and length of schedule. It would be because of the portal and a lack of depth and more parity The way things go, in the next 6-10 months you could end up with haves and have-nots out there. Ultimately a team could drive prices and go buy a championship. You’re talking about a super team You could see that.”
That could be affected by the issue looming over everything: the so-called House settlement, a court-ordered ruling that will determine, among other things, revenue sharing between schools and their student-athletes. A ruling was expected last week but was still pending as of Tuesday No one knows still at this late hour, with revenue sharing expected to begin July 1, how it will all shake out. But for certain, college football isn’t going back to anything resembling 2003.
Manning is widely rated as the favorite for the Heisman Trophy, just ahead of LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier “Part of the idea for Arch coming to the University of Texas is to build that brand, get that exposure,” Sarkisian said. “It’s not all negative. “But at the end of the day, I want to make sure he enjoys his experience. Here’s a lifelong dream to be the starting quarterback at Texas. Part of that is exposure, part of that is putting up some guardrails.”
STEELERS
Continued from page 1C
Will Howard in the draft, all the while ostensibly keeping one seat open in the quarterback room for Rodgers, who visited the team facility in early spring but left without signing a deal that still is on the table. The 41-year-old has remained publicly noncommittal, though he said on Joe Rogan’s podcast last week that there are people close to him who are currently battling cancer Until Rodgers makes a decision, his status figures to dominate the conversation surrounding a team that has undergone significant roster changes elsewhere since getting drilled at Baltimore in the opening round of the playoffs. All of it — including acquiring two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver DK Metcalf, who was not on the field Tuesday but has been a regular at the team facility in recent weeks will remain in the background until there’s some finality about Rodgers. It makes for a challenging work environment, though one that Rudolph might be uniquely qualified to navigate. The Steelers drafted him in 2018, only to have veteran Ben Roethlisberger keep him at arm’s length. Rudolph got an extended look in 2019 when Roethlisberger was injured, only to be benched for undrafted
rookie free agent Devlin
“Duck” Hodges. The former Oklahoma State star was promised a chance to compete for the starting job in 2022 after Roethlisberger retired, only to serve as the third wheel behind Mitch Trubisky and Kenny Pickett.
Rudolph remained undaunted. He authored an improbable success story in 2023 when he came off the bench late in the season to bring Pittsburgh’s moribund offense to life and lead the Steelers to the playoffs. His reward at the time? Nothing. Pittsburgh didn’t make an effort to keep him, opting to sign Wilson and trade for Fields instead. Rudolph spent 2024 in Tennessee, where he went 1-4 as a starter Yet when the Steelers approached him about a twoyear deal just after free agency began, Rudolph didn’t hesitate to return.
“It’s obviously good to be wanted,” said Rudolph, who called Pittsburgh “a special place.”
Though OTAs are voluntary, Rudolph had no plans to miss a snap while trying to familiarize himself with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s system and reconnecting with old friends such as tight end Pat Freiermuth.
“He’s a smart football player, smart quarterback,” Freiermuth said. “So he’s picking up the system and running with it. So it’s been great to work with him and have him ask me some ques-
tions about the offense and what Art’s thinking.”
The Steelers have not given Rodgers a firm deadline, though coach Mike Tomlin said earlier this spring that he’d like to have his roster set by the time training camp opens in late July While there is an informal nature to OTAs, Freiermuth called the time spent together “very important” from a team development standpoint. Longtime defensive captain Cam Heyward isn’t so sure, pointing out that he skipped all of OTAs last year and ended up making the AllPro team for the fourth time.
“I think any player, you know what you need,” Heyward said “You know what’s required of you as you progress toward training camp.” For Rodgers, that might be focusing on the people closest to him. For Rudolph, it means soaking in every opportunity he’s given. Maybe he’s a placeholder for Rodgers. Maybe he’s the starter in Week 1. A year ago, the idea he’d one day return to Pittsburgh seemed remote.
And yet here he is, wearing his familiar No 2 while being in a very familiar position: an option. Maybe not the top option, but one nonetheless.
“I’ve got a lot of great friends and teammates here, a lot a comfortability with Mike T and the staff,” Rudolph said. “Who wouldn’t want to be a part of this team and this offense?”
ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO BY ERIC GAY Texas coach Steve Sarkisian signals during a game against Kentucky on Nov. 23 in Austin, Texas.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY BRYNN ANDERSON Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix runs drills during practice Tuesday in Flowery Branch, Ga.
STAFF FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON
LSU linebacker Whit Weeks drops the ball while celebrating a big tackle against Oklahoma in the fourth quarter on Nov 30 in Tiger Stadium. Weeks had surgery to repair his fibula and a dislocated ankle after being injured against Baylor on Dec. 31.
STAFF FILE PHOTO LSU linebacker Harold Perkins, who had knee surgery in September, shoud be fully ready to practice in August.
Haliburton’s triple-double sparks Pacers
Indiana takes 3-1 lead in series
BY MICHAEL MAROT AP sportswriter
INDIANAPOLIS Tyrese Halibur-
ton had 32 points, 15 assists and 12 rebounds without a turnover in a sensational postseason performance to lead the Indiana Pacers past the New York Knicks 130-121 on Tuesday night for a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference finals.
With his father, John, back in Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Haliburton carried the Pacers within a victory of their second trip to the NBA Finals. Game 5 is Thursday in New York.
Pascal Siakam added 30 points while Haliburton had four steals in his second career postseason triple-double the first in NBA playoff history in which a player had at least 30 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds with no turnovers.
Obi Toppin’s 3-pointer with 46 seconds left sealed it.
The Pacers have not lost consecutive games since March 10.
Jalen Brunson scored 31 points. Karl-Anthony Towns had 24 points and 12 rebounds, and OG Anunoby finished with 22 points. But the Knicks couldn’t rally from another double-digit deficit.
It marked the first time in the series the home team won.
Nearly a dozen former Pacers players, including Jermaine O’Neal and Lance Stephenson, joined Haliburton’s father in the heavily gold-clad crowd. So did WWE Hall of Famer Triple H, rappers Rob 49 and 50 Cent and singers John Mellencamp and Jelly Roll.
John Haliburton had been forced to watch Indiana’s previous eight postseason games from afar after he ran onto the court and confronted Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo following his son’s last-second shot to eliminate Milwaukee in the first round.
The Pacers allowed him to return for Game 4 and he sat in a suite.
“I’m glad Pop’s in the building. It makes it that much more sweet,”
Tyrese Haliburton said in his postgame interview on the court.
The Knicks had their own fan section featuring film director Spike Lee and actors Timothee Chalamet and Ben Stiller
What they witnessed was one of the most entertaining games of the NBA’s 2025 postseason.
Both teams were shooting at a clip of 70% long into the first quarter as the Pacers raced to a 43-35 lead New York stormed back in the second quarter reclaiming the lead three times the last at 64-63.
But Haliburton helped Indiana close the half on a 6-0 run to make it 69-64 as he finished the half just two rebounds short of a tripledouble.
Williams, Holmgren provide Thunder with potent sidekicks
BY DAVE CAMPBELL
AP sportswriter
MINNEAPOLIS With Oklahoma
City clutching a four-point lead, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drove into the lane and smacked into triple coverage — doing the splits as he stopped and desperately tried to find a safe place for the ball. Somehow, as he lost his balance and fell toward the court, he found space to fling it between the legs of Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels — and straight to a wide-open Jalen Williams behind the arc with 1:21 to go. Swish. Game. Maybe even the series.
The Thunder saw that sevenpoint lead shrink back to one in the closing seconds, but they staved off the late push with a parade to the free-throw line and pulled out a 128-126 victory in Game 4 that gave them a 3-1 lead in the Western Conference finals. Even the NBA MVP needs a wing man, and Gilgeous-Alexander has two. Williams and Chet Holmgren were so good in their own ways that a 40-point, 10-assist, nine-rebound performance by GilgeousAlexander on Monday night was somehow overshadowed
Williams had 13 of his 34 points in the first quarter to give the Thunder the scoring to match their tenacious start after a 42-point loss in Game 3. He shot 13 for 24, including 6 for 9 from 3-point range, and pitched in three of the team’s 14 steals.
“From start to finish, he picked his spots great, he was aggres-
sive, stepped into everything,”
Gilgeous-Alexander said. “He was who he is. He’s gotten all these awards this year for a good reason, and he proved it tonight “He’s a really good basketball player It’s crazy to think he’s so young and what he has already achieved.”
Holmgren had nine of his 21 points in the fourth quarter. He went 9 for 14 from the floor, grabbed four of his seven rebounds on the offensive end and blocked three shots including a highlight-reel rejection of McDaniels in the final minute in a five-point game
After McDaniels followed his hard drive right with a slick spin move to beat him to the basket for a left-side layup attempt, Holmgren never lost his footing despite the change in direction and swiftly slid to his right before a perfectly timed jump to swat the ball without fouling as the clock dropped under the 40-second mark.
“On both ends of the floor, he affects the game at such a high level,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “And it’s crazy because he’s out there just running around right now We rarely call plays for him. He rarely gets anything set for him. He’s just out there playing off of feel and affecting the game at a high level, whether it’s making open shots, blocking shots, offensive rebounding, defensive rebounding. He’s just a winning player.”
Though the Timberwolves regained possession after a charging foul on Gilgeous-Alexander pre-
Oklahoma City forward Chet Holmgren dunks the ball in the Thunder’s 128-126 victory over Minnesota in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals on Monday in Minneapolis.
ä Minnesota at Oklahoma City, 7:30 P.M.WEDNESDAY, ESPN
cious more time went by before they scored again on a 3-pointer by McDaniels with 23 seconds left.
Gilgeous-Alexander helped ice the game at the free-throw line, and Williams eventually grabbed a desperation inbounds pass by the Timberwolves from half-court with 0.3 seconds left.
Holmgren, the second overall pick in the 2022 draft who missed his rookie season with a foot injury and 50 games this season following a pelvic fracture from a hard fall, happily left his hometown with a statement performance that put the Timberwolves within one win of reaching the NBA Finals.
“When you have really good players that the other team needs to stop, they’re going to have to help recover from somewhere,” Holmgren said. “So just understanding that we have to make them pay for that and just try to be aggressive, try to make the right play too. It’s not always score.”
WNBA says it can’t verify fans made racist remarks
By The Associated Press
YORK
NEW
The WNBA says it cannot substantiate claims that racist fan behavior took place during a game in Indianapolis between the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever earlier this month.
The league said its investigation included gathering information from fans, team and arena staff, as well as an “audio and video review of the game.”
“We appreciate the quick action by the league and the Indiana Fever to take this matter seriously and to investigate,” Chicago Sky CEO and president Adam Fox said in a statement. “This process demonstrates the league’s strong stance on stopping hate at all WNBA games and events, and we will continue to support those efforts.”
The WNBA, according to a person familiar with the investigation, was looking into claims that racist comments were directed toward Chicago’s Angel Reese by fans during the loss to WNBA rookie of the year Caitlin Clark and the Fever Indiana won the game handily, 93-58
Reese, who is Black, and Clark, who is White, were meeting for the seventh time in their ongoing and much-talked-about rivalry Clark later said she did not hear any racist remarks during that game, but acknowledged that it was loud in Indiana’s arena throughout the game
“It’s super loud in here, and though I didn’t hear anything, I think that’s why they’re doing the investigation,” Clark said earlier this month. “That’s why they’re looking into it. That doesn’t mean nothing happened, so I’ll just trust the league’s investigation, and I’m
sure they’ll do the right thing.”
Both teams had issued statements supporting the investigation, as did the WNBA players association. The Sky were playing in Phoenix on Tuesday The WNBPA did not issue any immediate comment after the league’s announcement.
“We appreciate the swift and thorough process undertaken by the WNBA to investigate these allegations, which were not substantiated,” Pacers Sports & Entertainment CEO Mel Raines said Tuesday in a statement distributed by the Fever
“At Gainbridge Fieldhouse, we are committed to providing the best possible basketball experience for players and fans where hate speech has absolutely no place. Indiana is home to the world’s greatest fans, and we look forward to an exciting season of Fever basketball.”
Reese was asked earlier this month if she was able to provide the WNBA with details about the incident. She did not offer specifics on if she had done so, saying “that’s not a me question.” She also did not reveal what type of comments were made, or any other specifics about what prompted the investigation.
But moments earlier in that same availability with reporters, Reese said she was receiving widespread support from across the league because of the alleged incident.
“Obviously, there’s no place in this league for that,” Reese said at that time. “I think the WNBA and our team and our organization has done a great job supporting me. Going through this whole process, if it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone.”
AP PHOTO BY CHET HOLMGREN
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO BY MICHAEL CONROY
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton gets ready to shoot the ball against New York Knicks guard Miles
McBride during the second half of Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals on Tuesday in Indianapolis.
LIVING
Lauren Cheramie BONVIVANT
VisitBR’s punk rock flea market or learnmore aboutspirits
Bon vi·vant /noun/ asociable person who has cultivated and refined tastes, especially with respect to food and drink
Newfood on theblock
Trythe Who Dat Nachos from Geisha Sushi withaFlair, 240 Range 12 Blvd., Denham Springs. They’re made with fresh tuna sashimi,cilantro lime slaw,jalapeño, avocado, spicy mayo, green onion and sesame seeds
RubySlipper,3535 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge, is celebrating its 17thanniversarywith a“Very Berry” lineup that includesbeignets filled with mixed berry cheesecake and berry-stuffed French toast
The New Orleans-based restaurant chain now spans 20-plus locations in six states. In theknow
Punk rock flea market:6 p.m. Sunday, June 8, at Mid CityBallroom, 136 S. Acadian Thruway, Baton Rouge
Enjoy live music, vendors, foodtrucks and morewhile celebrating the Baton Rouge punk rock scene Drag brunch:11a.m. to 2p.m. Sunday,June 29, at Origin Hotel’sPassé Cafe, 101 St. Ferdinand St., BatonRouge
Join the drag queens for brunch, bottomless drinks and performances.Doors open at 11 a.m., and the show startsat noon.All ages are welcometo attend, but participants must be 21 years old to drink. Identification is required. Tickets are $50 per person in advance, available for purchase at eventbrite.com, or $60 at the door Wine andspirits
Whiskey 101:5:30 p.m. Thursday at Martin’s, 1670 Lobdell Ave., Baton Rouge Journey through the world of whiskey with anight of education and tasting. The class will explore the unique styles, production methods and flavor profiles of whiskeys from America, Scotland, Ireland and Japan. The guided tasting includes six premium whiskeys, alight palate cleanser and snacks and acustom tasting sheet. Tickets start at $25, available for purchase at eventbrite.com.
Cooking and cocktails:3 p.m. or 6p.m. Sunday,June 8, at Oxbow Rum Distillery,760 St. Philip St., Baton Rouge
Combine the art of cooking, the magic of mixology andthe allure of premium rum with Oxbow Distillery and chef Brandon Odom. Participatein an Oxbow distillerytour,cooking demonstration, cocktail demonstration, tasting session andmore. There are only 60 seats per session. Tickets are $125 per person, available for purchase by calling (225)6158044 or visiting eventbrite. com.
Mexican wine tasting:4 p.m.to 7p.m. Monday,June 9, at Mestizo Louisiana MexicanCuisine,2323 S. Acadian Thruway, Baton Rouge
This exclusive wine dinner will feature awine tastingwith appetizers. Tickets are $25 per person, available forpurchase at mestizo.ticketspice.com/ mexican-wine-tasting-2025.
If you haveanupcoming food event or akitchen question, email lauren.cheramie@ theadvocate.com. Cheers!
‘HIDDENGEM’
StockyardCafe’sowner quietlycarries on tradition
BY SERENA PUANG Staff writer
Growing up, Tonja Cham-
blee Daigle neverplanned to work for her daddy.He had his hand in many businesses from City News Stand in downtown Baton Rouge (which he worked at withhis father) to apo-boy place around the corner,toGlen’s Eat Place in Baker Chamblee Daigle went to school to becomea medical assistant and eventually settled in as astay-athomemom in Prairieville. But after her father took over theStockyard Cafe on Airline Highway,she came andfilled in when they were short staffed, andafter the flood hit in 2016,things changed, andshe started helping out full time.
“He was trying to getrid of me and Iwas trying to getbackhome,” she said. “Itjustneverworked out for me to leave. So it was like, ‘Okay,I’m staying.’”
The Stockyard Cafe is attached to Dominique’sLivestock Market, which runs cattle auctions every Monday. Thebarn was built around 1950, and it’sinits third generation of auctioneers. Before the Horace WilkinsonBridge opened on interstate 10, theStockyard Cafe was in abusy part of town.Back then, the cafe was open 24-7, sevendays aweek,and it functionedasa bar. They hada jukebox andpinball
Aplate of meatloaf,mashed potatoes and gravy, corn and green beans is servedupatStockyard Cafe.
machines.
“Theyusedtohavetokickout the barpeople so thecattlemen people could come in,” said Chamblee Daigle.
TheStockyard Cafe today
Much has changed since then.
The bridge opened in 1968, drawing traffic to adifferent part of the city
The cattle industry in Louisiana is alot smaller thesedaysdue to land price increases. The Stockyard Cafe is only open on weekdays forlunchfrom 11 a.m. to 2p.m., and the pandemic brought an end
to real dishware forthe restaurant
Everything is served in Styrofoam to-go boxes now In November of 2020, Chamblee Daigle’sfather,Glen Chamblee, passed away suddenlyina caraccident, andthe long-time head cook of 45 years, Evelyn Hayes, retired in December last year.Chamblee Daigle nowfinds herself as the owner and head cook of thehistoric establishment, and is working hard to continue its legacy Despiteall the changes, in some
THIS WEEK
Bold flavors in simple ways standout in topdishes
Pincho de Carne (steak skewers) at Veracruz
Staff report Pincho de Carne n Veracruz, 3510 Drusilla Lane, Baton Rouge The momentafter ameat lov-
STAFFPHOTOSBYJAVIER GALLEGOS
Owner Tonja Chamblee Daigle carries lunch plates to the register after fixing them herself as aline of customers forms at Stockyard Cafe in Baton Rouge.
Preparingdonations properly
Dear Heloise: As so many are doingtheir spring cleaning, I’m sure they’re also preparingonce-loved goods for donations. I’ve been volunteering for asmall nonprofit that distributes clothing to families in need. We spend much time sorting through, throwing out and redonating the mountainsofdonated clothing. Please pass on these hints to help give donations a happy home and keep more stuff out of landfills:
By The Associated Press
moreclientstobeserved.
n First off, thank you! It’s wonderful to donate rather than toss out these items. There are definitelypeople who can use your gently used clothing.
n Do alittle research before donating. Amen’s homeless shelter doesn’t need your sequined cocktail frock, but there are some local high schools that have a repository for prom dresses. Some nonprofits take anything and sell by the pound to thrift stores; the clothing doesn’tgodirectly to the needy but does help the charity with its mission.
n Some upscale neighborhoods have charity thrift shops where people go “antiquing” for china, crystal, and fancy vintage clothes
STOCKYARD
Continued from page1D
ways, the Stockyard Cafe is the same as it’salways been. They still have livestock sales every Monday There’s apath worninto the floor where people line up for their lunches every day, andthose who want their lunch fix still stand in the same places as they move throughthe linepicking their threesides.
Even though cafeteria stylemealsaren’tinvogue anymore,the Stockyardstill has largely the same menu with rotating home cooked dishes.The menu hasover 20 entrees which rotate on alternatingweeks foreach day of the workweek. They are still cash only (they don’t have wifi, so they don’tlike to run cards).
The plant workers, cattlemen and truck drivers who have made the Stockyard part of their routine don’t have to worry about these things changing any time soon “Hiddengem”
There’safrenetic energy about the place: between answering the landline, mixing batter to preparefood and serving customers,Chamblee Daigle flits around from behind the counterto the kitchen to around the restaurant.
It’sanorganized chaos she’ssettled into and perfectedoverthe years, and since taking over as head cook, she’s had to learn how to do it all while perfecting recipes to feed lots of people. Chamblee Daigle feels that she’s still trying
Some job-training programs seek suits, scarves,purses andties. Some animal charities,vets anddoggieday carestakestained or frayed towelsor bedding. Meanwhile, other organizations don’ttake any bedding (becauseofpossible infestations).
n Pleasemake sure that theitems are usable. We liketorespect ourclients’ dignity.Wecan’tdistribute severely dirty,stained,yellowed,frayed, ripped and moth-eaten clothing. (Some organizations take these items for rags.)
n Consider donatingin season. Nonprofits don’t have much storage space. Your wintersweaters and coats are great during thefall and winter when they’re needed themost
n It helps to sort and label items. Abag labeled “women’s shirts”or“men’s shoes” will be unpacked anddistributed sooner.If sizes havebeen cutoff or worn off, please label the size with amarker or tape. All of this takes alittleextra timefor you, of course, but helps theitems find a home faster.It saves the nonprofit lots of time guessing and sorting, allowing
n Now that your closet looks cleaner,consider buying less. We’ve received so manyclothes withthe price tagsstill on. Online shopping makes it too easy to buy things we don’tneed that don’tfitand sit in the closet for years. Thanks for helping us spread our appreciation for donations and hintsonmaking them moreeffective!
M.K., in Houston Refrigerator sheeting
Dear Heloise: If you go online, you’ll find amedium to heavy plastic sheeting that can be used to lay flat on refrigerator shelvesfor easy cleaning. Youneed to cut it to size,but it works well, especially if you have kids. —Hannah R., Brownsville,Texas Tree-plantingreminder
Dear Readers: Spring has sprung, and our yards need care. If you’re planting atree, you might want to call your local water or gas company and seeifthey will come out to markwhere your utility lines are before you startdigging ahole. Many,ifnot most, will perform this service free of charge. —Heloise Send ahinttoheloise@ heloise.com.
to figure things out. Butshe learnedsomethingsfrom Hayes before she retired.
“Wealways knew when she retired, she wasn’t gonna trainnobody andshe wasn’t leaving recipes,”she said. “She didn’thave her recipes. She cooks like you cooked at home.”
Forher part, Chamblee Daiglehas apinknotebook full of recipesand alterationsshe’sstill workingout
“I don’teven knowwhat thehell I’m doing,” she confessed in hushedtones during theinterview
Butshe feels so lucky.
“My customers are standing behind me,” she said. “I have ateam behind me.I have so many people behind me thatbelieveinme. Iam blessed.”
Forall her self-deprecationabout her own cooking, herlongtime customers don’tseem to notice. In fact, allfourregularsinterviewed for the article, including Michael Dominique, general manager of thelivestock market and the auctioneer for the Monday auctions,
had only good things to say abouther cooking. They said it’sjust as delicious as it always has been.
Keith Lee, 37, is atow truck driver.Hestarted coming to StockyardCafe as achild with hisgrandfather who worked in the cattleindustry, and he still makes apoint to come every weekday when he has agap in his schedule between 11 a.m. to 2p.m. He called it ahidden gem
“It’sthe best cafe in any stockyardinLouisiana,” he said. “And I’vebeen to every one of them.”
If yougo:
Stockyard Cafe is located at 1462 Airline Highway Bring about $20 in cash (they don’ttake cards), and don’tbescared if there’sa line,regulars sayitalways moves pretty quickly.Try theircrawfishétouffée, meatloaf or fried catfish these are some of their signature dishes.
Email Serena Puang at serena.puang@ theadvocate.com.
Today is Wednesday, May 28, the148th day of 2025. There are217 days left in theyear
Todayinhistory:
On May 28, 1830, President Andrew Jackson signedthe Indian Removal Act, which forced nearly 50,000 Native Americans to relocate to designated territories west of the Mississippi River
On this date:
In 1863, the54th Massachusetts Volunteer InfantryRegiment, made up of free Black men, left Boston to fight for theUnion in theCivil War.
In 1918, American troops fought their first major battle during World WarIas they launched an offensive againstthe German-held French village of Cantigny; the Americans succeeded in capturing thevillage.
In 1959, theU.S. Army
launched Able, arhesus monkey,and Baker,a squirrel monkey,aboard a Jupiter missile forasuborbital flight which both primates survived.
In 1972, burglars working on behalf of the Nixon White House broke into the Democratic National Committee headquarters in the Watergate Hotel in Washington, D.C., installing surveillance devices on telephones and taking photos of DNC documents.
In 1977, 165 people were killed when fire raced through the Beverly Hills Supper Club in Southgate, Kentucky
In 2013, calling it perhaps the biggest moneylaundering schemeinU.S. history,federal prosecutors charged seven people with running what amounted to an online, underworld bank, saying that Liberty Reserve handled $6 billion fordrug dealers, child
pornographers, identity thieves and other criminals around the globe. In 2021, officials announced that the remains of more than 200 children, some as young as 3years old, had been found buried on the site of whatwas once Canada’slargest indigenous residential school, in Kamloops, British Columbia. Today’sbirthdays: Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani is 81. Singer Gladys Knight is 81. Musician Billy Vera is 81. Musician John Fogerty (Creedence Clearwater Revival) is 80. Country singer-songwriter
STAFF PHOTO BY JAVIER GALLEGOS
Danyeland PeterChacon dine together at Stockyard Cafe in Baton RougeonMay 20.
Uninvitedcontact angers airlinepassenger
Dear Miss Manners: Iwas on a flightand sittinginthe aisle seat. The middleseat and window seat were occupied by strangers. The plane had landed, and people were standing in the aisle waiting for the door to open. I remained seated, waiting for the aisle to clear The woman in the windowseat reached over and pokedme, telling me to stand up. I have severe hearing loss. I wear ahearing aidand an implant. I’m not sureifshe had been trying to tell me this and Ihadn’theard her. Iwas infuriated. Itold her,“Don’tpoke me. Don’t touch me.” Ithought we learned to keep our hands to ourselves in kindergarten. What would Miss Manners do?
Sister’s fender bender sends insurancethrough
Judith Martin MISS MANNERS
Gentlereader: Poking one’s seat mate is not allowed, MissManners will agree. However,while she realizes how difficultitison airplanes these days to locate space for allofone’s body parts, you are going to need to find space to put between your reasonable frustration with your seat mate’s misbehavior and reacting with full-throttled fury Holding your arm, and not instantly complying,will makethe point that attack is not the best wayto obtain compliance. It will also prevvent things from escalating and allow you to takeintoaccount that your attacker might have a pressing medical concern. Dear MissManners: Iam at aloss how to address and what to say to acouple with
Edamame, gyoza and sushi
n TokyoCafe, 7584 Bluebonnet Blvd., Baton Rouge
Tokyo Cafe is one of those hidden gems that’snot so hidden but still feels like it when you walk in. The staff is friendly,the service is fast, the options areendless, and the food is great. For appetizers, one can’t go wrong with edamame and gyoza. The presentation of the gyoza alone is enough to order, showcased in a“boat” and served with fruit. The dish is also perfect for sharing if you visit with an even number of guests, as it comes with six dumplings.
For sushi, Idecided on the “Crazy Dog” roll and the fiesta roll.Beware: The fiesta roll is huge. Itypically order two rolls at sushi restaurants by default, but my eyes widened when my server placed this roll on the table. Idefinitely couldn’tfinish both.
The giant roll is made with tuna, salmon and crab stick wrappedinsoy paper and topped with masago mango, avocado, spicy mayonnaise and eel sauce. Despite the difficulty in properly eatingjust one, the roll itself meshed the sweet and salty flavors of the mango and the fish. The
aturbulent marriage.Last Iheardfromone of the spouses, they werefiling for divorce, but that has happened several times before.
Iwant to express my goodwill sincerely,without stepping into potentially painful territory. Ican’t bring myself to writeor say, “Happy anniversary!” Ihave not seen or heard of astatusupdateonsocial media, but Idon’tfollow closely.Please advise me how to navigatethis tricky territorywithrespect and kindness.
Gentle reader: Curious, though, are we? If you have not heard from them, Miss Manners does not see that you have any immediate problem
Send questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com.
crazy dog roll also included abit of sweet andsalty, as it features shrimptempura, snow crab andcream cheese inside, topped with crab stick, eel sauce and spicy mayonnaise. —Lauren Cheramie, features coordinator Dumplings and noodles
n Noodles&Dumplings,5621 Johnston St., Lafayette Noodles &Dumplings celebrated its grand opening next to Best Buy on Johnston Street on Friday,May 16, but they quietly opened acouple weeks earlier,and word was spreading. Therestaurant features Asian cuisine —mostly, ahem, noodles and dumplings —with amodern twist, featuringhigh-tech hostsand arobot server Iwent on Mother’sDay,
which was quitebusy,but not slow.The robot didn’t deliver our food, but it was making itsway around the restaurant, helping thehuman servers We ordered pork Xiao LongBao, or soup dumplings, chili oil beef noodles and sesame chicken with stir fried peanut noodles. Everything was so tasty and fresh. So fresh, in fact, therestaurant invites you to watch thefood being prepared. It was impressive to seethe hand-pulled noodles being madeinreal time. The servings werealso deceptively generous because the serving dishes arelarge and intended for sharing. We ended up taking acouple boxes home, and it was almostasgood reheated for lunch the next day
—Kristin Askelson, Acadiana managing editor
Dear Harriette: My sister “Ruth” and Iwerebothsupposed to help afriend settle into her new home, but Ruth backed out after getting a last-minuteinviteto brunch. Our plans to help our friend had been scheduled long in advance. Ruth’s SUV was packed withfurniture and other itemsthat we wereexpected to bring over,soshe asked if she could borrow my car and meet me at our friend’s place later.Iagreed reluctantly and drove Ruth’scar over withall of our friend’s belongings. Later that day,Ruthgot intoaminor fender bender in my car.She was not hurt,thankfully,and there
Harriette Cole SENSE AND SENSITIVITY
wasnodamage to my car, but twomonths later,my insurance skyrocketed! I recognize that these things can happen to anyone, but Ruth has ahistory of blowing offcommitments forfun, and frankly,I’m sick of it. My insurance has tripled to an enormous amount. Ispoke to her about how careless she is, and she wasimmediately dismissive. Is it fair that I demand she regularly pay the difference between my previous rate and my post-accident rate? What is arealistic remedy here? Irresponsible Sister Dear Irresponsible Sister: It is fair to ask your sister to pay the difference in your
insurance costs, though she may not do it. Demand it anyway.Have afrank conversation with her about her recklessness and its impact on others. In the future, do not allow Ruth to borrow your car, and remember her flakiness when making plans.
Sendquestions to askharriette@ harriettecole.com or c/oAndrewsMcMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St.,Kansas City,MO 64106.
Continued from page1D
PROVIDED PHOTO
Pork XiaoLong Bao at Noodles &Dumplings in Lafayette
STAFF PHOTO BY LAUREN CHERAMIE
Edamame at TokyoCafe
GEMINI (May 21-June 20 — A vibrant approach will help you seal any deal you want to make. Speak up, bring about change and start implementing plans thatcontributetoyourmental,emotional and physical well-being.
CANCER (June 21-July 22) When your mind wanders and temptation mounts, return to reality. Too much of anything will cost you emotionally, financially or physically For now, research the possibilities, but wait to take action.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Verify facts, get what you want in writing and refrain fromtakingonmorethanyoucanhandle. Self-improvement, physical fitness and distancing yourself from bad influences will be in your best interest
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Keep your thoughts to yourself, your money in your wallet and your reputation safe from anyone trying to undermine or take advantage of you. Focus on what benefits you.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Keep your emotions under wraps and proceed with intelligence, a solid plan and the courage to say no. Proper preparation and clear goals will help you navigate past anyone trying to outmaneuver you.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Stay on top of matters involving work, money and reputation. Anger won't go over well with superiors. Use your knowledge, experience and connections to ensure you have the support you need.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Contracts, property investments and financial
WonderWord
issues will involve challenges. Leave nothing to chance, get a second opinion andpreparetowalkawayifyoudon'tlike what you see or hear.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Be a good listener and give yourself time to ponder what's being said or done before joining forces with anyone. When uncertainty surfaces,considermovingforwardalone or looking elsewhere for a better deal.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Direct your energy at your target and fire away. Self-preservation and determination go together and will ensure that you come out a winner.
PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Give yourself a chancetobreatheandrejuvenate.Assess your situation, consider your options and expand your plans to include what will benefit you most emotionally and financially. Temptation is apparent
ARIES (March 21-April 19) Pay attention to money matters. Make room for something you want to pursue or purchase, but consider the implications and costs involved. Be realistic and honest with yourself and the people you encounter.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Think before you act. If you respond to something too quickly, you'll make a mistake. Assess your feelings, stress and overall health, and consider the changes you can make that will benefit your life.
InstructIons: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers The object is to place the numbers 1to9inthe empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number onlyonce. The difficulty level of the Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.
Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer
THe wiZard oF id
BLondie
BaBY BLueS Hi and LoiS
BY PHILLIP ALDER
Warren Buffett said, “I don’t look to jump over seven-foot bars; I look around for one-foot bars that I can step over.”
At the bridge table, if you have the necessary values, sometimes you have to jump. But at least you can do it while staying firmly anchored in your chair. With that huge hint, it should not be hardtoworkoutwhatSouthshouldrebid in today’s deal, after opening one heart and hearing partner respond one spade. South should rebid three hearts, which shows at least a six-card suit and typically seven winners. This usually equates to 15 or 16 high-card points (perhaps an excellent 14 or an uninteresting 17). This hand is a maximum, but that does not hurt occasionally. The play in four hearts should not be so tough. After West takes three club tricks and shifts to a spade, South wins the fourth trick with his king, draws trumps, unblocks the diamond ace, crosses to the spade ace, and discards his last spade on the diamond king. As a defensive point, how should East card so that West knows he can cash three club tricks?
There are actually two solutions. A few pairs lead the queen from ace-kingqueen, partner being asked to give a countsignal.Here,therefore,Eastwould play first the six, then the three, to show an even number. Alternatively, if West starts with the club ace, East would play his three to deny the queen, the honor touching the two promised by West’s lead. Then West should continue with the club queen and East should signal remaining count, playing the four to say that he has an odd number left.
By Andrews McMeel
Previous answers:
word game
InstRuctIons:
toDAY’s WoRD — sAccHARIn: SAK-uh-rin: A crystalline compound used as a calorie-free sweetener.
Average mark 24 words
Time
Can you find 32 or more words in SACCHARIN?
Puzzle Answer today’s thought “Enter you in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads to life, and few there be that find it.” Matthew 7:13-14 Which way are going? G.E Dean
marmaduKe
Bizarro
hagar the horriBle
Pearls Before swiNe
garfield
B.C.
PiCKles
hidato
mallard
IBERVILLE PARISH COUNCIL MINUTES PUBLIC HEARING, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2025 PROPOSED ORDINANCE
The Parish Council of Iberville Parish, State of Louisiana, held aPublic Hearing in the Council Meeting Room, 58050 Meriam Street, Plaquemine, Louisiana, on the 15th day of April, 2025 at 6:00 P.M. pursuant to a
Notice of Public Hearing published on the 18th day of March, 2025 in The Advocate and posted on the Iberville Parish website.
The Council Chairman, Steve C. Smith, called the meeting to order at 6:00p.m. followed by the roll call with the following Council Members in attendance: Chasity B. Easley; District 2; Thomas E. Dominique, Sr., District 3; Steve C. Smith District 5; Raheem T. Pierce, District 6; Nadia Jenkins, District 7; Hunter S. Markins, District 8; Terry J. Bradford, District 9;Charles Dardenne, District 11; Matthew H. Jewell, District 12; Bart B. Morgan, District 13.
Absent: Allen, Frazier,Martinez.
Chief Administrative Officer-Dwayne Boudreaux, Finance Director Randall Dunn, and Legal Counsel- Scott Stassi werealso in attendance.
Mr.Dunn read the following ordinance in entirety
ORDINANCE 1 ORDINANCE TO AMEND APPENDIX B(UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE) OF THE COMPILED CODE OF ORDINANCES FORTHE PARISH OF IBERVILLE, FOR PURPOSES OFROUTING ALL PLANNING COMMISSIONRECOMMENDATIONS TO THE PARISH COUNCIL FOR FINAL APPROVAL
The floor was opened to comments and questions. Therewas no opposition to this ordinance from the public.
Therebeing no further business to be conducted, the hearing was adjourned at 6:03 p.m.
/s/ MACY W. OURSO /s/ STEVEC.SMITH COUNCIL CLERK COUNCIL CHAIRMAN
IBERVILLE PARISH COUNCIL MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2025
The Parish Council of Iberville Parish, State of Louisiana, met in Regular Session, in the Council Meeting Room, 2nd Floor,Courthouse Building, 58050 Meriam Street, Plaquemine, Louisiana, on the 15th day of April, 2025.
The Council Chairman, Steve C. Smith, called the meeting to order at 6:30p.m. followed by the roll call with the following Council Members in attendance: Chasity B. Easley; District 2; Thomas E. Dominique, Sr District 3; Steve C. Smith, District 5; Raheem T. Pierce, District 6; Nadia Jenkins, District 7; Hunter S. Markins, District 8; Terry J. Bradford, District 9; Chasity Martinez, District 10; Charles Dardenne, District 11; Matthew H. Jewell, District 12; Bart B. Morgan, District 13.
Absent: Allen, Frazier
Parish President- Chris Daigle, Chief Administrative Officer-Dwayne Boudreaux, Chief Operations Officer-Randall Dunn werealso in attendance.
Aquorum was present and due notice had been posted and published in The Advocate newspaper on the 10th day of April, 2025. The Pledge of Allegiance followed.
Council Chairman Smith called for anyone wanting to make public comments to register with the Clerk.
ADDENDUM
A) Motion to renew contract for the use of OpenMeeting Software
•This item was passed on by the Council.
B) Resolution Appointing the Parish President as the Parish Representative on the Iberville Parish Local ITEP Committee
Uponamotion by Councilwoman Jenkins, seconded by Councilman Bradford, to add the Addendum as item 11-B on the regular meeting agenda. The motion having been duly submitted to avote was duly adopted by the following yea and nay votes on roll call:
A) Presentations by Justin Alleman with Acadian Ambulance Service
•Justin Alleman, with Acadian Ambulance Service came before the Council to present information about Acadian Companies and all that they offer.Hegave abrief history of Acadian and how the company has grown over the last 50 years. He also stated all the employment and internopportunities that are available to the local high school students. He thanked the Council for their time. (A copy of the presentation is available upon request in the Council Office.)
B) Presentation by David Strange with Grand Oaks Apartments
•David Strange with Rowanoak, representing Grand Oaks Apartments, came beforethe Council to give apresentation on the possible development on 58805 Belleview Road in Plaquemine. The apartment complex would be 68 units, ranging from 1to3bedrooms, the rent is based on income. A few Council Members, expressed concerns with the proposed location and how that would affect the trafficand public safety in the area. He thanked the Council for their time. (A copy of the presentation is available upon request in the Council Office.)
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Upon amotion by Councilwoman Jenkins, and seconded by Councilman Markins, it was moved to wave the reading of the minutes of March 18, 2025and approve as written. The motion having been duly submitted to avote was duly adopted by the following yea and nay votes on roll call:
•Hestated that he wanted to recognize Hunter Berthelot for 5years of service to the Parish of Iberville as a911 operator.
•Hestated that the FirstAnnual ‘Iberville Day’ at the Capitol on May 6, 2025 to showcase what is going on in Iberville Parish.
•Hestated that upcoming projects for the Parish arenew bathrooms at some of the IPRD parks and speed limit cautions signs in some area wills be coming soon. The cleanup effort along the railroad tracks on Hwy 1should begin in the next few weeks. The NextEra Solar Farm meeting will be on May 1, 2025 at 6:30.
•Hestated that road projects aresomething that they arecontinuing to work on and at next month meeting Material Resources will be theretopresent to the Council what they have been working on to improve the roads throughout the Parish.
•Thereare upcoming events that he wanted to let the Council know about, April 16, Council on aging Fish Fry,April 22 Incinerator ribbon Cutting ceremony,April 29 Chamber Luncheon in St. Gabriel, and May 6Iberville day at the Capitol. FINANCIAL REPORT
ORDINANCE TO AMEND APPENDIX B(UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE) OF THE COMPILED CODE OF ORDINANCES FOR THE PARISH OF IBERVILLE, FOR PURPOSES OF ROUTING ALL PLANNING COMMISSIONRECOMMENDATIONS TO THE PARISH COUNCIL FOR FINAL APPROVAL
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE PARISH COUNCIL FOR THE PARISH OF IBERVILLE:
SECTION 1. Sections 2.A-6.4, 2.A-8.2, 2.A-9.1, 2.A-10.1, 2.C-1.6.4, 9-64, 9-65, 9-66 of AppendixB (Unified Development Code) of the Iberville Parish Code of Ordinances, arehereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
2.A –6.4 Consideration of Matters by Planning Commission Effective May 1, 2025, the Planning Commission shall be a recommending body.After considering any proposal or matter brought beforethe Planning Commission, the Commission shall vote to either approve, deny,orapprove with specified conditions, said matter.Any matter voted upon by the Planning Commission shall, thereafter,bebrought beforethe Parish Councilfor final approval, during aduly called meeting. At said meeting, the Parish Councilshall be informed of the Planning Commission’s vote/recommendation on the matter.The Parish Councilshall, thereafter,vote on whether to approve, deny,orapprove with specific conditions, the matter submitted by the Applicant. The Parish Council’s vote on the matter shall be final.
***
2.A-8.2 Decisions.The Planning Commission may rely on personal knowledge of its members, testimony during public hearings, on its inspections or site visits of property and on any reports available to it. Every decision shall be by written resolution that shall set forth the recommendation of the Planning Commission, which shall approve, approve with conditions or deny approval. Every resolution shall expressly set forth any limitations or conditions imposed on any approval or any development, work or use authorized. Planning Commission shall take no vote on any decision pertaining to an application unless it shall first state its findings and conclusions at ameeting open to the public. The Planning Commission shall, thereafter,forwardits decision to the Parish Councilinaccordance with Section 2.A-6.4.
2.A-9 Duration of Approvals
2.A-9.1Applicant shall begin construction of any project approved by Parish Council within three (3) years of the date of the approval. Failuretocommence construction within specified time period shall requireresubmittal and reapproval of application.
2.A-10 Appeal of Decisions
2.A-10.1 In accordance with applicableprovisions of parish laws, any person aggrieved or any authorized officer,department or boardofthe parish may appeal any final decision by the Parish Councilwithin thirty (30) days of such decision to the state district court having jurisdiction for subject property in accordance with Louisiana Revised Statutes.
2.C-1.6.4 Action.Planning Commission shall act on asite plan application within sixty (60) days after submission thereof to it. A site plan application shall be deemed final and completed when all required prior approvals of studies and permits have been secured and fully executed copies provided to Code Enforcement Officer Notwithstanding, the time within which the Planning Commission must act may be extended by mutual written consent of applicant and Planning Commission. Planning Commission shall issue awritten decision on site plan in accordance with 2.A-8, which decision shall then be forwarded to the Parish Council for final approval.
2.C-2.4.4 Action. Planning Commission shall act on afinal completed conditional use application within sixty (60) days of receipt of completed application. Aconditional use application shall be deemed final completed when all regulatory environmental clearances and permits have been secured and fully executed copies provided to the Code Enforcement Officer.Notwithstanding, the time within which Planning Commission must act may be extended by mutual written consent of applicant and Planning Commission. Planning Commission shall issue awritten decision on preliminary plan in accordance with 2.A-8, which decision shall then be forwarded to the Parish Council for final approval.
SECTION 2. All former ordinances or parts thereof conflicting or inconsistent with the provisions of this ordinance or of the Code hereby adopted arehereby repealed.
SECTION 3. The Parish Councilofthe Parish of Iberville, State of Louisiana hereby declares that shouldany section, paragraph, sentence, or wordofthis ordinance or of the Code hereby adopted be declared for any reason to be invalid, it is the intent of the Parish Council that it wouldhave passed all other portions of this ordinance, independent of the elimination of any such portion as shall be declared invalid.
SECTION 4. The ordinance shall take effect and be in force beginning on May 1, 2025.
SECTION 5. The foregoing ordinance which was previously introduced at the meeting of the Iberville Parish Council on March 18, 2025 and acopy thereof having been published in the official journal on March 25, 2025 the public hearing on this ordinance held on the 15th day of April, 2025, at 6:00 p.m.,inthe Council Meeting Room, 58050 Meriam Street, Plaquemine, Louisiana, was brought up for final passage with amotion by Councilman Jewell, and seconded by Councilman Markins, having been duly submitted to avote, the ordinance was duly adopted by the following yea and nay vote on roll call:
The ordinance was declared adopted by the Chairman on the 15th day of April, 2025.
NEW BUSINESS
A) Introduction of Ordinances
1. Ordinance to declarethe following properties to be surplus and to authorize the Parish Administrator to sell the Parish of Iberville’sinterest in these properties at public sale pursuant to the terms of ordinance #002-13
2. Ordinance to sell properties previouslydeclared to be surplus by IPC Ordinance #016-17 to neighboring property owners pursuant to the terms of Ordinance #002-13 (Willie Mae & Joseph Landry; Parcel 0210239850: Stephanie Jordan; Parcel 0110027950: Neuman L. Watson; Parcel 0210292075)
3. Ordinance to sell properties previouslydeclared to be surplus by IPC Ordinance #016-17 to neighboring property owner pursuant to the terms of Ordinance #002-13 (Robert J. McGarner &Others; Parcel 0210250295)
B) CONSIDERATION OF VARIANCE FOR GRANDRIVER PROPPERTIES
Upon amotion by Councilman Markins, and seconded by Councilman Morgan, it was motioned to grant avariance Grand River Properties.
The motion having been duly submitted to avote was duly adopted by the following yea and nay votes on roll call:
The Resolution Committee met on Tuesday,April 15, 2025 at 6:05 p.m., followed by the roll call with the
only in attendance: Jewell,Dardenne, Pierce, Jenkins, Markins, Morgan, Dominique.
Absent: Frazier, Martinez.
A) Resolution Appointing the Parish President as the Parish Representative on the Iberville Parish Local ITEP Committee
Upon amotion by Councilwoman Jenkins, seconded by Councilman Dardenne, to add the proposed resolution to the resolution committee report. The motion having been duly submitted to avote was duly adopted by the following yea and nay votes on roll call:
The following resolution was read aloud by Mr.Dunn:
A) Resolution Authorizingthe Lease of Property for Public Boat Launch
B) Resolution Appointing the Parish President as the Parish Representative on the Iberville Parish Local ITEP Committee Councilwoman Martinez made arecommendation to forwardthe resolution to the regular meeting, seconded by Councilwoman Jenkins. The recommendation having been duly submitted to avote was duly adopted by the following yea and nay votes on roll call by Resolution Committee Members only:
The recommendation was declared adopted by the Chairman to forward this item to the regular meeting.
During the Regular Meeting:
RESOLUTION IPC #2025-000
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE LEASEOFPROPERTY FOR A PUBLIC BOATLAUNCH
WHEREAS, Schwing Management, LLC (hereinafter “Schwing”), manages various properties located within the geographic boundaries of Iberville Parish; and
WHEREAS, one such property,owned by Schwing, is located in Section 1of Township 10S, Range 11E in the Bayou Sorrel community (hereinafter the “Property”); and
WHEREAS, the Parish would like to use and lease asmall portion of said Property for use as apublic boat launch; and WHEREAS, Schwing is willing to lease asmall portion of said Property to the Parish, for use as apublic boat launch.
NOW,THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Parish Council of the Parish of Iberville, acting as the governing authority of Iberville Parish, that the Parish hereby agrees to lease, from Schwing, aportion of atract of land located Section 1ofTownship 10S, Range 11E in the Bayou Sorrel community
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the Parish Council, that Parish President Daigle is herebyauthorized to negotiate and execute any documents necessary to effectuate the lease, by the Parish, of the desired tract of land.
The foregoing resolution having been submitted to avote by roll call was adopted in regular session this 15th day of April, 2025 by the following vote:
The resolution was declared adopted by the Chairman on April 15, 2025. RESOLUTION IPC #2025-000
RESOLUTION APPOINTING THE PARISH PRESIDENT AS THE PARISHREPRESENTATIVE ON THE IBERVILLE PARISH LOCAL ITEP COMMITTEE
The following resolution was introduced by Councilman Dardenne and seconded by Councilman Bradford.
WHEREAS, Title 13, Part I, Chapter 5, Section 549 of the Louisiana Administrative Code allowslocal governing bodies the ability to appoint a representative to each parish’s local ITEP committee; WHEREAS, Section 549 of the Code further specifies that each local governmental entity may,bya majority vote at apublic meeting, designate its representative for the local ITEP committee; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by the Iberville Parish Council, that the Iberville Parish Council hereby designates its Parish President, or his chosen representative in his absence, to serve as Iberville Parish Government’slocal ITEP committee representative on the local ITEP Committee.
The foregoing resolution having been submitted to avote by roll call was adopted in regular session this 15th day of April, 2025 by the following vote:
The resolution was declared adopted by the Chairman on April 15, 2025. BOARDS &COMMISSIONS REPORT None.
DISCUSSIONS None.
ANNOUNCEMENT None.
ADJOURNMENT Therebeing no further business, it was moved by Councilwoman Jenkins, and seconded by Councilman Dominique, to adjournat7:46 p.m. The motion wasunanimously adopted.
/s/ MACY W. OURSO /s/ STEVE C. SMITH COUNCIL CLERK COUNCIL CHAIRMAN
