MUSES BULLETIN INSIDE l LOOK FOR THE OFFICIAL 25TH ANNIVERSARy MUSES BULLETIN AT TONIGHT’S PARADE
TODAY’S PARADES maps, 2B
UPTOWN: Babylon, 5:30 p.m. l Chaos, 6:15 p.m. l Muses, 6:30 p.m. l METAIRIE: Symphony, 6:30 p.m. l Atlas, 7 p.m.
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T h u r s d ay, F e b r u a ry 27, 2025
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Docked benefits to start flowing Some retirees to receive lump sum Social Security funds BY MARK BALLARD Staff writer
The Mystic Krewe of Druids parades through the streets of New Orleans on Wednesday.
STAFF PHOTOS By CHRIS GRANGER
CLOAKED IN SECRECY A Mystic Krewe of Druids rider prepares to throw a favor as the parade rolls Wednesday. Led by the Archdruid, the group is limited to 250 members CARNIVAL who belong to other 2025 Carnival organizations. INSIDE, 1B Their identities are never For Alla and revealed. As a parademore parade photos, go to only krewe, the Ancient NOLA.COM Druids do not have a bal masque or traditional royalty.
Government efficiency group adds state auditor Task force mirrors Elon Musk’s DOGE
BY TYLER BRIDGES Staff writer
A task force facing criticism for meeting outside of public view is partnering with state auditors to help find waste in government spending, Gov. Jeff Landry announced Wednesday. The Fiscal Responsibility Program, created by the governor in December, will work with the Louisiana Legislative Auditor in its mission to eliminate unneces-
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sary spending. Landry appears to be modeling the Fiscal Responsibility Program on the federal Department of Government Efficiency created by President Donald Trump and headed by business owner Elon Musk. He is inviting citizens to offer suggestions on how the state can save money to email ladoge@ lla.la.gov. The task force met twice this year in secret before pausing its work earlier this month. That move came after good government groups said it failed to adhere to the state public meetings law — which requires the group to
give public notice beforehand of its meetings that then have to be open to the public. The task force includes eight state legislators and is led by Steve Orlando, a close friend of Landry’s who owned a successful oil field services company. “The partnership allows us to expand our work to create state fiscal responsibility,” Orlando said in a text. “The commitment is real. Results are coming!” Mike Waguespack, the legislative auditor, seconded that point in an interview, saying his office already conducts regular financial and performance audits of state
agencies. “We do a lot of audits on state agencies that get put on a shelf,” Waguespack said. Now, he added, “we have a group that will potentially look at our audits and take action. We’ll be the boots on the ground. I’m super excited about this.” The governor’s news release did not say whether the group will begin holding public meetings. “We will always comply with public meeting law,” Orlando texted. Email Tyler Bridges at tbridges@theadvocate.com.
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WASHINGTON — About 94,000 Louisiana government retirees immediately will begin receiving their full Social Security benefits from any private employment that had been docked for years because they also received public service pensions. And that’s going to start off with a lump sum check to cover the past 14 months, said GarGraves ret Graves, the former Baton Rouge congressman who shepherded the bill into law. “The Trump administration is cutting retroactive checks this week,” Graves said Wednesday. “There is going to be a lump sum check up front and from there forward you’ll get the updated amount each month.” For example, if a public worker was supposed to receive $1,800 a month in Social Security benefits
ä See BENEFITS, page 4A
LA GATOR scholarship program launches State to open applications Saturday
BY PATRICK WALL
Staff writer
It’s officially GATOR season. On Saturday, Louisiana families can begin applying to LA GATOR, a new tax-funded scholarship program meant to help parents pay for private education. Replacing the state’s long-running voucher program, LA GATOR — officially the Louisiana Giving All True Opportunity to Rise program — will be open to more families and allow for more uses than its predecessor. In addition to private school tuition, parents can spend the scholarship money on tutoring, textbooks, special-education services and other approved expenses. “For families who are looking for a different approach to educating their child, this is a great opportunity,” said Germain Gilson, assistant superintendent of school choice for the Louisiana Department of Education.
ä See APPLICATIONS, page 4A
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