The Times-Picayune 08-15-2025

Federal cuts reduce leveeinspections

Some areless rigorous now, Corpsstaff says

BY ALEX LUBBEN Staff writer

Federal budget cuts will stop theU.S. Army Corps of Engineersfromconducting regular inspections of NewOrleans’ levees this year and next —abreak in oversight that comes 20 years after protection failures during Hurricane Katrina flooded most of the city.

The Corps considersitbestpracticeto conduct the inspections at least everytwo years, though it typically conducts them annually,accordingtoJennifer Stephens, the Corps’ levee safety program manager It does not have funding to do so in 2025 or 2026. The inspectionsare akey component of theCorps’ effortstokeepthe city safe from storm surge flooding, and a

BY EMILYWOODRUFF Staff writer

U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy convened aSenate Veterans’ AffairsCommittee field hearing Thursday in Metairie to discuss gaps in mental health care for Louisiana veterans, from long wait times and rural iso-

Aleveewall protects the westernportion of Jefferson Parish in

safeguard against the catastrophic levee failures that took place 20 years agothis monthduring Katrina,whichflooded 80% of New Orleans. Mainly driving tours, they are aimed at spotting any potential problems, ranging from cracks in floodwalls to water seeping under levees.

lation to providershortagesand thestigma that keeps manyfrom seeking help Mental health challenges are prominent amongveterans,with approximately one-third of allVA users having atleast one mental health visitinagiven year.But the situation for Louisiana’s262,000

Theannualinspectionshavecomplementedmore formalfull-system inspections, which involve walking the levees andare conductedevery fiveyears,Stephens said. The Corps also does “special

veterans is especially dire, witnesses said. Based on initial data from asurvey conductedbythe University of Louisiana at Lafayette, PTSD ratesamongLouisiana veterans could be as high as 45% —more thantwice thenational average. Forty-twopercent of veterans who

were surveyed live morethan an hour from aVAclinic, and many face transportation gaps, rural povertyand food insecurity Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Charlton Meginley,who presentedthe findings, called them “deeply concerning.”

BY MATT BRUCE Staff writer

Afederal appeals court on Thursday uphelda Louisiana judge’sdecision to invalidate the state’slegislative district mapfor House andSenate races, saying they violated Section 2ofthe Voting Rights Act.

But the current mapswill stay in place at least until the U.S. Supreme Court issues its ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, aseparate but similar case disputing Louisiana’scongressional voting districts. The ruling in that case could broadly change the legal precedents for redistricting lawsuits.

U.S. District Court Judge Shelly Dick in February 2024 enjoined district maps that Louisiana lawmakers enacted during a2022 special session,determining legislative lines drawnfor the state seats unlawfully diluted the strength of Black votes across the state and violated thefederalVotingRights Act of 1965.

Dick, the chiefjudge of the U.S. Middle District Court of Louisiana based in Baton Rouge, ordered elections officials to redraw the district mapsinaway that doesn’t pack high concentrations of Black voters into asmall number of majority-minority districts or fragment African American voters into separate districts to prevent them from forming powerful voting blocs.

In a54-page order published Thursday afternoon, ajudicial panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit affirmed Dick’sruling last year Dick, in her 2024 ruling, found that 18 House districts and

See MAPS, page 4A

“Veteran mental health is notjust aVAissue; it is anational security issue,” Meginley said, pointing out that if veterans aren’t taken care of,itcould discourage people from joining the military at all. Cassidy,a physician, convened

DOJ worker accused in sandwich throwing fired

WASHINGTON A man charged with a felony for hurling a sandwich at a federal law enforcement official in the nation’s capital has been fired from his job at the Justice Department, Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a social media post Thursday.

A video of Sean Charles Dunn berating a group of federal agents late Sunday went viral online. Dunn was arrested on an assault charge after he threw a “sub-style” sandwich at a Customs and Border Protection agent, a court filing said. Dunn, 37, of Washington, was an international affairs specialist in the Justice Department’s criminal division, according to a department official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a personnel matter

“This is an example of the Deep State we have been up against for seven months as we work to refocus DOJ,” Bondi wrote. “You will NOT work in this administration while disrespecting our government and law enforcement.”

Sabrina Shroff, an attorney who represented Dunn at his initial appearance in federal court, declined to comment on the allegations against her client after Thursday’s hearing.

More charges filed in Minn. lawmaker killings

MINNEAPOLIS A Minnesota man accused of killing a top Democratic state lawmaker and wounding another while pretending to be a police officer is now facing new and upgraded state charges after a fresh indictment was announced Thursday, just a week after he pleaded not guilty in federal court.

Vance Boelter now faces two charges of first-degree murder, four counts of attempted first-degree murder and charges of impersonating a police officer and animal cruelty for shooting one family’s dog. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said the charges “reflect the weight of Mr. Boelter’s crimes.”

But the state case will continue to take a back seat to the federal case against Boelter where he could face more serious consequences. He was indicted July 15 on six counts of murder, stalking and firearms violations. The murder charges could carry the federal death penalty although prosecutors haven’t decided yet whether to seek that while the maximum penalty on the state charges is life in prison because Minnesota doesn’t have the death penalty Boelter pleaded not guilty in federal court on Aug. 7. Moriarty had requested the state prosecution proceed first, but federal prosecutors are using their authority to press their case, according to Daniel Borgertpoepping, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office’s public information officer Man pleads not guilty in hikers’ deaths in Ark. FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. The teacher who authorities say admitted to fatally stabbing two hikers at Devil’s Den State Park in Arkansas last month pleaded not guilty Thursday to murder charges.

Andrew James McGann entered the plea during a brief hearing before a state judge at Washington County’s jail Thursday morning. Circuit Judge Joanna Taylor scheduled McGann’s next hearing for Nov. 14. He’s being held without bond. McGann has been charged with two counts of capital murder in the July 26 killing of Clinton David Brink, 43, and Cristen Amanda Brink, 41. The two were hiking with their daughters — ages 7 and 9 years old — and the girls were not injured in the attack. Authorities have not publicly identified a motive for the attack. McGann was arrested on July 30 at a barbershop in Springdale.

AG puts DEA chief in charge of D.C. police

Cole named ‘emergency police commissioner’

amid federal takeover

BY ASHRAF KHALIL Associated Press

WASHINGTON The Trump administration, stepping up its crackdown on policing in the nation’s capital, on Thursday named the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration to be Washington’s “emergency police commissioner” with all the powers of the police chief — a significant move that increases national control over the city as part of the federal government’s law-enforcement takeover

Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a directive issued Thursday evening that DEA boss Terry Cole will assume “powers and duties vested in the District of Columbia Chief of Police.” The Metropolitan Police Department “must receive approval from Commissioner Cole” before issuing any orders Bondi said It was not immediately clear where the move left Pamela Smith, the city’s current police chief, who works for the mayor

The attorney general’s directive comes hours after Smith directed MPD officers to share information with immigration agencies regarding people not in custody such as someone involved in a traffic stop or checkpoint.

Bondi said she was rescinding that order as well as other MPD policies limiting inquires into immigration status and preventing arrests based solely on federal immigration warrants. All new directives must now receive approval from Cole, the attorney general said.

The late-night announcement came after an eventful day in the ongoing federal operation. Smith’s earlier directive effectively brought together Trump’s moves on city law enforcement and his nationwide efforts to curb immigration, and Trump had praised it in the hours before Bondi’s announcement.

“That’s a very positive thing, I have heard that just happened,” Trump said of Smith’s order “That’s a great step. That’s a great step if they’re doing that.”

A population already tense from days of ramp-up began seeing more significant shows of force across the city Thursday National Guard troops watched over some of the world’s most renowned landmarks and Humvees took position in front of the busy main train station. Volunteers

helped homeless people leave long-standing encampments — to where, exactly, was often unclear

Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser, walking a tightrope between the Republican White House and the constituency of her largely Democratic city, was out of town Thursday for a family commitment in Martha’s Vineyard but would be back Friday, her office said.

For an already wary Washington, Thursday marked a notable — and highly visible — uptick in presence from the previous two days. The visibility of federal forces around the city, including in many high-traffic areas, was striking to residents going about their lives. Trump has the power to take over federal law enforcement for 30 days before his actions must be reviewed by Congress, though he has said he’ll re-evaluate as that deadline approaches

The response before Thursday had been gradual and, by all appearances, low key But on Wednesday night, officers set up a checkpoint in one of D.C.’s popular night life areas, drawing protests. The White House said 45 arrests were made Wednesday night, with 29 people arrested for living in the country illegally; other arrests included for distribution or possession of drugs, carrying a concealed weapon and assaulting a federal officer

Troops were stationed outside the Union Station transportation hub as the 800 Guard members who have been activated by Trump start in on missions that include monument security, community safety patrols and beautification efforts, the Pentagon said.

“They will remain until law and order has been restored in the District as determined by the president, standing as the gatekeepers of our great nation’s capital,” Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson said. “The National Guard is uniquely qualified for this mission as a communitybased force with strong local ties and disciplined training.”

Wilson said the troops won’t be armed and declined to give more details on what the safety patrols or beautification efforts would entail or how many Guard members have already been sent out on the streets.

National Guard Maj. Micah Maxwell said troops will assist law enforcement in a variety of roles, including traffic control posts and crowd control. The Guard members have been trained in de-escalation tactics and crowd control equipment, Maxwell said.

Judge strikes down Trump guidance against diversity programs at schools

BY COLLIN BINKLEY Associated Press

WASHINGTON A federal judge on Thursday struck down two Trump administration actions aimed at eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion programs at the nation’s schools and universities.

In her ruling, U.S. District Judge Stephanie Gallagher in Maryland found that the Education Department violated the law when it threatened to cut federal funding from educational institutions that continued with DEI initiatives

The guidance has been on hold since April when three federal judges blocked various portions of the Education Department’s anti-DEI measures.

The ruling Thursday followed a motion for summary judgment from the American Federation of Teachers and the American Sociological Association, which challenged the government’s actions in a February lawsuit.

The case centers on two Education Department memos ordering schools and universities to end all “race-based decision-making” or face penalties up to a total loss of federal funding. It’s part of a campaign to end practices the Trump administration frames as discrimination against White and Asian American

students.

The new ruling orders the department to scrap the guidance because it runs afoul of procedural requirements, though Gallagher wrote that she took no view on whether the policies were “good or bad, prudent or foolish, fair or unfair.”

Gallagher who was appointed by President Donald Trump, rejected the government’s argument that the memos simply served to remind schools that discrimination is illegal.

“It initiated a sea change in how the Department of Education regulates educational practices and classroom conduct, causing millions of educators to reasonably fear that their lawful, and even beneficial, speech might cause them or their schools to be punished,” Gallagher wrote.

Democracy Forward, a legal advocacy firm representing the plaintiffs, called it an important victory over the administration’s attack on DEI.

“Threatening teachers and sowing chaos in schools throughout America is part of the administration’s war on education, and today the people won,” said Skye Perryman, the group’s president and CEO.

The Education Department did not immediately comment on Thursday

Putin praises Trump’s efforts to end Ukraine war

Russian, U.S. leaders to meet Friday

BY PAN PYLAS and JUSTIN SPIKE Associated Press

LONDON Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday praised President Donald Trump’s efforts to end the war in Ukraine, more than three years after Moscow launched its invasion, as the two leaders prepared for a pivotal U.S.-Russiaummit Friday in Alaska.

Following a meeting Thursday with top government officials on the summit, Putin said in a short video released by the Kremlin that the Trump administration was making “quite energetic and sincere efforts to stop the hostilities” and to “reach agreements that are of interest to all parties involved.”

Putin also suggested that “long-term conditions of peace between our countries, and in Europe, and in the world as a whole,” could be reached under an agreement with the U.S on nuclear arms control.

In Washington, Trump said there was a 25% chance that the summit would fail, but he also floated the idea that, if the meeting succeeds, he could bring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Alaska for a subsequent, three-way meeting.

In a radio interview with Fox News, Trump also said he might be willing to stay in Alaska longer, depending on what happens with Putin.

Meanwhile, Zelenskyy and other European leaders worked to ensure their interests are taken into account when Trump and Putin meet in Anchorage.

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed Zelenskyy to London on Thursday in a show of British support for Ukraine a day before the critical Trump-Putin meeting. The two embraced warmly outside Starmer’s offices at 10 Downing Street without making any comments, and

Zelenskyy departed about an hour later Zelenskyy’s trip to the British capital came a day after he took part in virtual meetings from Berlin with Trump and the leaders of several European countries. Those leaders said that Trump had assured them that he would make a priority of trying to achieve a ceasefire in Ukraine when he meets with Putin.

Speaking after the meetings to reporters, Trump warned of “very severe consequences” for Russia if Putin doesn’t agree to stop the war against Ukraine after Friday’s meeting. While some European leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron, praised Wednesday’s video conference with Trump as constructive, uncertainty remained over how the U.S. leader — whose rhetoric toward both Zelenskyy and Putin has evolved dramatically since retaking office this year — would conduct negotiations in the absence of any other interested parties.

Both Zelenskyy and the Europeans have worried that the bilateral U.S.-Russia summit would leave them and their interests sidelined, and that any conclusions could favor Moscow and leave Ukraine and Europe’s future security in jeopardy

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov tamped down expectations for any breakthroughs from the Friday summit, saying there were no plans to sign documents and that it would be a “big mistake” to predict the results of the negotiations, according to Russian news outlet Interfax.

Starmer said Wednesday that the Alaska summit could be a path to a ceasefire in Ukraine, but he also alluded to European concerns that Trump may strike a deal that forces Ukraine to cede territory to Russia. He warned that Western allies must be prepared to step up pressure on Russia if necessary

inspections” —spot checks of portions of the levee system to identify vulnerabilities, in specificsituations, like after astorm.

The Corps last conducted formal inspections on the east bank in 2023and on the west bank in late 2022.Then,both leveesystems were assessed to be “high risk,” theCorps said,primarilybecause the consequences of their failure arevery severe and would likely involve loss of life. They plan to conduct the next formal inspection in 2028, assuming funding for it is allocated, and the special inspections will still take place as needed.

Between 2019 and 2023, the Corps allocated between $978,000 andaround $1.3 million to inspect levee systems that theCorps built and are now locallyowned and maintained throughout Louisiana, according to budgetdocuments.

In 2024, that figure dropped to $764,000.In2025, $691,000 is allocated to inspect Louisiana’slevees.

“If funding is not allocated, we will try to seek funding through other avenues,” Stephenssaid Shenoted that the New Orleans District is asking Corps headquarters in Washington, D.C., for funds to conduct ascaled-back, drive-by inspection of the levees thisyear

The agency’sheadquarters did notrespond to requests for comment.

The cuts won’tjust affect New Orleans.Louisiana hasmorethan 3,100 miles of levees, and is home to the largest leveed areaofany state in the U.S. About one-fifthof thestate’stotal area is protected by levees, according to Federal Emergency Management Agency data obtained through apublic records request fromgovernment watchdog group Levees.org

With less funding available,

MAPS

Continued frompage1A

seven Senate districts were “cracked” or “packed,” drawn in amanner thatdiluted the Black vote.Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill, acting on behalf of the secretary of state, appealed Dick’sruling on seven fronts. Among the state’sarguments was that Dick misapplied what are known as Gingles principles, athree-pronged legal framework for analyzing the plaintiffs’ claims of voter dilution. Elections officials also said her ruling was unconstitutional. Fifth Circuit judges James Dennis, Catharina Haynes and Carrillo Ramirez rejected all of the state’schallenges and seconded Dick’s reasoning.

“In forty-one pages of detailed analysis, the district court parsed through expert testimony,made and explained its credibility determinations, and balanced the factors to assess compactness as required by our case law,” the appellate judges wrote in Thursday’sorder “Someone hadtolose, and someone had to win. Any argument that the district court applied the incorrect legal standard at Gingles 1 is meritless.” The lawsuit challenging

some inspections have become less rigorous, Corps staff said.

Even when theannual inspections were funded, they hadalready been scaled back due to cuts.Stephens said that these inspectionsused to be staffed by multiple engineerswho wrote up alengthy report.Last year,the inspection involved “two people, three at most, with basically atwopage report,and you’redone.”

The agency does not have thecapacity to fund that level of inspection this year

The Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authorities, thetwo multiparish flood protection agencies that maintainthe levees in all or parts ofOrleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard, St. Charles and Plaquemines parishes, saidthey inspect the levees regularly

The SoutheastLouisianaFlood Protection Authority-West,which maintains the levees on the west bank, said it inspected portions of the levee system in St. Charles

thestate’s2022 legislative maps was filed March 2022 in the Middle District federal court. It came weeks after the Legislature passedSenate Bill 1and House Bill 14 to enactthe House andSenate maps. Agroup of Black voters who lived in packed and cracked voting districts across the state were the plaintiffs, along with several votingrights groupslike the AmericanCivil Liberties Union and theNAACP

When theLegislature redrewthe maps,itadded just onenew majority-Black district, according to the lawsuit. But the plaintiffs argued to adequately represent the growth of the Louisiana’sBlackpopulation, where Black residents made up about one-thirdof thestate’spopulation,the Legislatureshould have added three new majorityBlack districts in the Senate and between six and nine such districts in theHouse Afterthe maps approved by the Legislaturewere challengedincourt in2022, they werestill usedfor the 2023 state House andSenate races.

StateRep. Mike Johnson, aPineville Republican who was on the committee that handled redistricting in 2022,saidthe currentmaps will remaininplace while the U.S. SupremeCourt considers Louisianav.Callais. TheCallais and Nairne

and Jefferson parishes with Corps staff as recently as July 30. It added that the Corpsconducted daily inspectionsonthe Mississippi River levees this spring, when the water was high.

The agency alsoconducts its own inspections every month,and the workerswho mowthe levees are trained to report any problems they find.

TheSoutheast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East, which maintains the levees on theeast bank, saiditwas still inspecting them.

“These inspection andmaintenanceefforts are conducted independently of the (Corps) schedule, ensuring continuousoversight regardlessofany changes in Corps funding or inspection frequency, said agency spokesperson Stacy Gilmore. She emphasizedthatthe levee system is “fully operational and storm-ready.”

Thefunding cuts arepartof broaderreductionsacrossthe

cases deal with manyofthe sameconstitutional issues, he said.

“The actual creation of new maps,ifthat were necessary, or dealing with what would be correct maps, that portion of the case wasstayed just last week by Judge Dick pending the outcome of the Supreme Court,”Johnson said.“Although the ruling from the 5th CircuitCourt of Appeal hasimportance to the case, Judge Dick herself recognizesthatthis casecan’t go forward untilthe Supreme Courtrules on Callais.”

Earlier this month, Dick issued astayinthe Nairne case, postponing akey evidentiary hearing was supposed to take place Aug. 25. During that hearing, the state andplaintiffs would have had the chance to propose alternative legislative maps for the state races. Dick halted proceedings in the case to await the Supreme Court’supcoming Callais decision and pending theoutcome of the state’s appeal in Nairne.

Attorneys forthe plaintiffs sought to block thestay because they worry it won’t leavetimefor newmapsto be implementedbeforeOctober 2027, thenext cycle when all of the state’sHouse and Senate seats are up for election.

Plaintiffs hope the redrawn linesinclude three

Corps. As theTrump administration seeks to reduce the size of the federal government, theCorps has faced steep budget cuts and has shelved other projects that affect Louisiana. Earlier this year,the Corps halted amammothstudy of thelower Mississippi River. The NewOrleans District is also losing about 80 of its 1,160 employees this year Democratic lawmakers said the agency’s constructionbudgetwas slashedby$1.4 billion this year andhaveallegedthatthe allocated funds prioritize projects in Republican-led states overDemocratic ones. The scaled-backinspections represent astarkshift fromthe stance theagency took in the years following Hurricane Katrina. Before Katrina,levee inspections were cursory,leisurelyaffairs. Staff from the Orleans LeveeBoardand the Corps spent only around five hoursinspecting more than100 milesoflevee. They

brand-new majority-Black Senatedistricts and six new majority-Black districtsin thestate House.

often ended in timefor lunchata restaurant, The Times-Picayune reported in 2005. That changed after the storm. In asternly worded newsrelease from 2006,the Corpssaidthatit wouldinspectleveesthoroughly and would rate local levee boards andparish officials on howwell they maintained flood protection infrastructure.Those ratings were madeavailable forpublic review

Thoseare no longerafter questionsoverwhether earlierratings weremisleading.

The last timethe New Orleans leveesystem received apublic grade was in 2019, according to documentsobtainedbyLevees org. The levees were then rated as “minimally acceptable.” Staff at the local flood protection authorities said that they didn’tfeel that the“minimally acceptable”label adequately reflected the levee system’s condition.

The Corps and local flood protection authorities said the “minimally acceptable” rating wasgiven if therewereissuesonany partof the levee system,nomatter how minor.Itwould be triggered by issues like termites burrowing into a levee or feral hogs kicking up dirt.

Those kinds of issues are unavoidable on alevee system as large as New Orleans’ —there are 192 miles of levee on the east bank and 115 on the west.

Now, theonlypubliclyavailable data the Corps provides on the stateofthe levees is published on the agency’s National Levee Database, where both the east and westbank levee systemsare rated as having “moderate to high risk.”

Watchdog groups say that the lack of anypublicly available inspection results is troubling.

“How am I, aresident of New Orleans, supposed to know whether or notthe authority hasbeen properly performing its job?” said Sandy Rosenthal, the founderof Levees.org. “What assurances do Ihave?”

“This case hasbeen pending along time,and we’re very happy because we gota positive decision,” said Sarah Brannon, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation. “This is certainly astep in the right direction toward getting a victory for Black voters in Louisiana so that they will have an equal opportunity to elect theircandidates of choice.

“Weare quite pleased that the 5th Circuit understands the issues that Black voters in Louisiana have been facing formany, many years,” she added. The SecretaryofState’s Office declined to comment on pending litigation. Staff writer Alyse Pfeil contributed to this story. Email Matt Bruceatmatt. bruce@theadvocate.com.

TheNavy, Marine Corps, and CoastGuard, in cooperationwiththe National Marine FisheriesService (NMFS),haveprepared aFinal Supplemental Environmental ImpactStatement/Overseas Environmental ImpactStatement (EIS/OEIS) (ID# SEIS-007-17-USN-1723491961) that analyzesthe potentialenvironmental impacts from training and testingactivitiesin2025 and beyond conductedwithinthe Navy’sAtlantic Fleet Training and Testing(AFTT) Study Area. This supplemental analysisupdates theNavy’s2018 Final EIS/OEIS with thebestavailablescience, changes to theregulatoryenvironment,and refinementstothe Study Area and Proposed Action.

Proposed Action:

TheNavy, Marine Corps, and CoastGuard’sProposed Action is to conductmilitary readinesstrainingand testingactivitiesincluding activities with active sonar and explosives in theAFTT Study Area,which includes thewestern Atlantic Ocean along theeastcoastofNorth America, theGulfofAmerica,and portions of theCaribbean Sea. TheStudy Area also includes Navy and CoastGuardpiersidelocations and port transit channels, bays, harbors, inshorewaterways, and civilianports wheremilitary readinessactivitiesoccuraswellasvesseland aircraft transit routes over water between homeports and operatingareas

Thepurposeofthe Proposed Action is to ensurethe Navy,MarineCorps,and Coast Guardare abletoorganize,train,and equipservice membersand personnel to meet theirrespective national defensemissions in accordancewiththeirCongressionally mandated requirements. Thesemissions areachievedinpartbyconducting military readinessactivitieswithinthe Study Area in accordancewithestablished Department of theNavymilitaryreadinessrequirements. TheProposed Action is needed to preparethe Navy,MarineCorps,and CoastGuardForcestorespond to world events, including large-scale conflictresponse, maritime security,and humanitarian assistanceand disaster relief.

Public Involvement:

Thecompletionofthe FinalSupplemental EIS/OEIS follows severalyearsof research,analysis, and public involvement.Public input on thescope of the environmental analysiswas obtained during thepublic scoping periodNovember to December 2023. Following thepublic releaseofthe DraftSupplemental EIS/OEIS, public input wasobtained from September to November 2024.

TheFinal Supplemental EIS/OEIS includesresponses to thepublic comments received duringthe DraftSupplemental EIS/OEIS public comment period.

TheFinal Supplemental EIS/OEIS will be availableonthe Navy'swebsitebeginning August15, 2025 at www.nepa.navy.mil/aftteis

Formoreinformation visitthe projectwebsiteat www.nepa.navy.mil/aftteis or contact: NavalFacilitiesEngineeringSystemsCommand Atlantic Attention: Code EV22SG(AFTT EISProject Managers) 6506 HamptonBlvd.,Norfolk,VA23508-1278

Cassidytoagain play keyroleinconfirmation

Previous agency chief firedbyTrump afterbad jobs report

BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN Staff writer

U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy,ofLouisiana, will once againplay akey role in the confirmation of acontroversial nominee of President Donald Trump.

Trump this week picked E.J. Antoni, the conservative Heritage Foundation’schiefeconomist, to head the Bureau of Labor Statistics, an agency that produces closely watched data about the economy Antoni would replace Erika McEntarfer,who Trumpfired two weeksago afterthe release of an unfavorable jobs report. That report showed weak job growth in

VETERANS

the panel at Delgado Community College, callingit achance for veterans to speak directly to decisionmakers and to makesure “that the veteran transitions from serving our countryinthe battlefield” to “serving ourcountry,their family and themselves here in society.”

‘A fatalgap’

The shortage of providers and long wait times for appointmentswere repeatedly pointed out by experts and community leaders as roadblocks to care

“Unless you’re goingto commit suicide, you’re not going to be seen right away,” said audience member Belinda Hill, national service officer with theDisabled American Veterans. Aveteran seeking help for substance use disorder often faces waits of more than30 days,saidEmily Meyers chief executive officerof Long Branch Recovery and Wellness.

“It can be afatal gap,” said Meyers, given the risk of overdose,especially fromfentanyl-lacedstreet drugs.

Anew VA Office of Inspector General report released Monday showed Louisiana’s veterans hospitals are struggling with staffing,with the deepest gaps being felt in mental health and nursing In 2025, VA hospitals acrossthe country said they were struggling to fill 4,434 typesofcriticaljobs, which is 50% more than the 2,959 theyreportedin2024, according to the report.

The New Orleans VA had 30 types of occupations in “severe shortage,” which means thereare fartoo few qualified candidates to fill critical jobs, making it hard for the VA to hireand keep enough staff to meet veterans’ needs. Shreveport had 23 and Pineville had 20, according to the report.

“There’sashortage,” said Fernando Rivera, director of the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System and interim head of VA’s multistate VISN 16 network.

July and revised earlier figures for May and June,nearly erasing the job gains previously reported during those months

Trump claimed the figureswere manipulated to make himlook bad. But his critics argue there’snoevidence for that, and they fear apolitically motivated firing could cast doubt on the integrity of numbers that businesses and economists rely on to make important decisions.

Before Antoni takes the job, the Senate mustvotetoconfirm him.

Cassidy chairs the Senate Committee on Health,Education, Labor andPensions, which must decide whether to report Antoni’snominationfavorably or unfavorably

to thefull Senate.

ACassidy spokespersondid not say whether the Louisiana senator supported Antoni’snomination. “BLS’s yearslong failuretoproduce reliable data —especially when that data has broad marketmoving implications —isunacceptable,” thespokesperson said in astatement. “Weneed aBLS Commissioner committed to producing accurate, unbiased economicinformation to the American people. Chairman Cassidy looks forwardtomeeting with Dr Antonitodiscusshow he will accomplish this.”

Late last year,Cassidy sent a letter to McEntarfer complaining about frequent revisions tothe Bu-

reau of Labor Statistics’ jobs data.

Theagency ought to produce data that is more accurate at thetime of its release, said the letter

In each jobs report, thegovernment typically revises itsprevious two months’ jobs figures as more survey responses comein, but many economists were surprised at thescale of the revisions to the numbers forMay and June.

Still, the bureau’s jobs data has long been considered reliable and free from political bias.

It’snot thefirst timeCassidy has found himself entangledina controversial confirmation process. Afterwavering in his support for HealthSecretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr ,Cassidy cast akey vote in favor of his appointment, despite Kennedy’sskepticismabout vaccines.

The Senate confirmed Kennedy in a52-48 vote in February Cassidy, amedical doctor,has frequently defended vaccines and the science behind them He is also hoping for Trump’sendorsementinwhat couldbea close reelection fight next year Since taking up the helm of the U.S. Departmentfor Health and HumanServices,Kennedy has canceled about$500 million in funding forvaccine research and fired the members of atop vaccine advisory committee, replacing someofthem with appointees who questioned vaccine safety The Associated Press contributed to this report. Email MeghanFriedmann at meghan.friedmann@ theadvocate.com.

mental healthprovider, but communityleaders said manyveterans may notwantvirtualcare, and high turnoveramong providers can abruptly end hard-won therapeuticrelationships.

issues following service.

eightmonths Iwatched virtually every one of those Marinesex-

perience multiple, in some cases dozens, of brain-injuring events like landmine explosions andfire planes,” Smith said.

Smith advocated forexpansionofthe Fox Suicide Preventiongrant program to fund smaller,local organizations positionedtodeliver “eyeball-to-eyeball” support, andcalledfor reinstating the VA’s assisted living traumatic brain injury pilotprogram, which ended in 2017 without replacement. Louisiana only has seven residential beds forthose needing intensive mental health or substance usecare. While screening acrossthe VA’s multistate network hasspedupadmissions to out-of-state facilities, thesmall number of in-state beds makes it challenging forpeopletoget seen quickly,Rivera said. A$1.5billioninvestment in President Donald Trump’s 2026 budget is expected to expand thosebedsnationwide.

Email Emily Woodruff at ewoodruff@theadvocate. com.

FERNANDO

“Wecan’tget around the fact that …in our state, we don’t have anoverabundance of mental health providers.”

‘Eyeball-to-eyeball’ care Veterans in Louisiana are able to get referrals for same-day care to avirtual

“I have been that lonely veteran, and Ihave gotten on theapp, and Iwas as lonely when Igot off,” said JacksonSmith, aMarine combat veteran and executive director of Bastion Community of Resilience.

Smithheld up aphoto taken during his service in Afghanistan with aplatoon of 78 as he describedthe injuries andmentalhealth

California movesforward with redistrictingeffort

Move seeks to counter Texas’ plan

BY MICHAEL R. BLOOD and TRÂN NGUYEN Associated Press

LOS ANGELES California

Gov.Gavin Newsom said Thursday his state will hold

aNov.4 special election to seek voter approval of new congressionalmap drawn to try to win Democrats five more U.S.House seatsin 2026.

Themoveisa directresponse to aRepublican-led effort in Texas, pushed by President Donald Trump as his party seeks to maintain its slim House majority after the midterm elections.

Texas lawmakers are considering anew map that would help them send five more Republicans to Washington. Democrats who so far have halted avote by leaving the state announced Thursday that they will return home if state Republicans end their current special sessionand California releasesits own redrawn map proposal. Both were expected to happen Friday

Texas Republican Gov.Greg Abbott is expected to call another special session to push through new maps.

“Wecan’tstand back and watch this democracy disappear district by districtall across the country,”Newsom said, joined by prominent labor leaders and Democratic politicians.

California lawmakers must officially declare the special election, which they plan to do next week after voting on the new maps.

Democrats hold superma-

jorities in both chambers, and Newsom saidhe’snot worried about winning the required supportfrom twothirds of lawmakers to advance the maps.

Democrats signaled that they plan to makethe campaign about morethanmaps, tyingitexplicitly tothe fate of American democracy and as an opportunity forvoters to reject Trump’spolicies.

“Donald Trump, youhave poked the bear andwewill punch back,” Newsom, who is seen as apossible 2028 presidential contender,said at anews conference with other Democrats.

The Thursday announcement marks the first time any statebeyond Texas is officially wading intothe mid-decade redistricting fight, kicking off anational standoff that could spill into morestates Anumber of Republicanled states appear poisedto move forward withtheir

own new maps. In Missouri, adocument obtained by The Associated Press shows the state Senate received a $46,000 invoicetoactivate six redistricting software licenses and provide training for up to 10 staff members

Newsom encouraged other Democratic-led states to get involved.

“Weneed to standup— not just California.Other blue states need to standup,” Newsom said.

Republicans currently hold a219-212 majority in the U.S. House, with four vacancies. New maps are typically drawn once adecadeafter thecensusisconducted

Many states,including Texas, give legislators the power to draw maps.Some, suchas California, relyonanindependent commissionthat is supposedtobenonpartisan.

The California mapwould take effect only if aRepublican state moves forward, and it would remain through

the2030 elections. After that, Democrats say they would return mapmaking power to thecommission ap-

provedbyvoters more than adecade ago.

Somepeople already have said they would sue to block theeffort, and influential voices including formerCalifornia Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger maycampaign against it. Newsom said he’s spokenwithSchwarzenegger

“Gavin Newsom’slatest stunt has nothing to do with Californians and everything to do with consolidating radical Democrat power, silencingCalifornia voters, and propping up his pathetic 2028 presidential pipe dream,”NationalRepublicanCongressional Committee spokesperson Christian Martinez said in astatement. “Newsom’smade it clear: he’ll shred California’s Constitutionand trample over democracy —running acynical, self-serving playbook where Californians are an afterthought and poweris

the only priority.” California Democrats already hold 43 of the state’s 52 House seats, and the state has someofthe mostcompetitive House seats. Elsewhere, leaders from redFloridatoblueNew York are threatening to writenew maps.But none have moved as far as Texas and California. Also Thursday,U.S. Border Patrol agents conducted roving patrols outside Newsom’snews conference, drawing condemnation from the governor and others. Gregory Bovino, chief of the Border Patrol’sElCentro, California, sector,was part of the patrols.

“We’re here making Los Angeles asafer place since we don’thave politicians that will do that,” Bovino told areporter with KTTV in Los Angeles. He said he didn’tknow Newsom was inside nearby

BY NADIA LATHAN and SOPHIA TAREEN Associated Press

CHICAGO Texas Democrats on Thursday moved closer to ending anearly two-week walkout that has blocked the GOP’sredrawing of U.S House maps before the 2026 election and put them under escalating threats by Republicans back home.

The Democrats announced they will return provided thatTexas Republicans end aspecial session and California releases its own redrawn map proposal, both of which were expected to happen Friday Democrats did not say what day they might return.

Republican TexasGov Greg Abbott still intendsto push through new maps that would give the GOP five more winnable seats before next year’smidterm elections.

House Speaker Dustin Burrows has said that if Democratsdon’t return thenext time lawmakers reconvene on Friday,the session will end and the governor will immediately begin another one.

Abbott put redistricting on the agenda at the urging of PresidentDonald Trump, whowants to shore up Republicans’ narrow House majority and avoid arepeat of hisfirstpresidency, when the2018 midterms restored DemocratstoaHouse majority that blocked hisagenda and twice impeached him. It is unusualfor redistricting to take place in the middle of the decade and typically occurs once at thebeginningof each decadetocoincide with the census

TexasHouseDemocrats saidina statement that attorneys have told themthey must return to thestate to “build astrong public legislative record” for an upcoming legalbattleagainst anew map.

“Now,asDemocrats across thenationjoin our fight to cause these maps to fail their political purpose, we’re prepared to bring this battle backtoTexas under the right conditions and to takethis fight to thecourts,” said state Rep.GeneWu, the HouseDemocratic leader At the same time, the Texas

Democrats want to wait until California Democratsfile their bill to redraw the state’s maps, he added.“Wewantto makesure the baton is fully in theirhands before we let go,” Wu said.

Texas Democrats, who are the minority in each chamber,fled to Illinois, New York and Massachusetts on Aug. 3 to stopthe Legislature from passing any bills.

Abbott has asked the state’shighest court to removeWufrom office, and other Republican officials have threatened their arrest U.S. Sen. John Cornyn said he asked theFBI to assist Texas authoritiesinlocatingthe lawmakers, and Attorney General Ken Paxton hasasked 13 members to be removed from office.

Lawmakersface fees of up to $500 each day theyare absent after theHouse adopted new rules in 2021 after asimilar walkoutovervoting restrictionlegislation.

Texas has 38 congressional districts, 25 of which Republicanshold. In California, Democratscontrol43ofthe state’s 52 House seats.

Groups call on Israel to end‘weaponization’ of aid

BY WAFAA SHURAFA and SAM METZ Associated Press

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip

More than 100 nonprofit groups warned Thursday that Israel’s rulesfor aid groups working in the Gaza Strip and occupied West Bank will block much-needed relief and replace independent organizations with those that serve Israel’spolitical and military agenda —charges that Israel denied. At thesametime, hospital officials reported more deathsfrom Israeli airstrikes and an increasing toll from malnutrition.

Themountingbacklash over aid restrictions and the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza have been cited by several countries as afactor in their moves toward recognizing Palestinian statehood. YetonThursday, Israel advanced plans for a new settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, with one far-right government minister describing the moveasaway to “bury the idea of aPalestinian state.”

The nonprofit groups,in-

drops organized by foreign governments andthe Gaza Humanitarian Foundation —the new Israeland U.S.backed contractor that since May has been the primary distributor of aid in Gaza. Despite those channels, the amount of aid reaching Gaza remains farbelow what the U.N. and reliefgroups previously delivered.

Meanwhile, the U.N. agency helping Palestinianrefugees, known as UNRWA,said Thursday thatdehydration is increasinginGazaamid limited water supplies and aheat wavethathas pushed temperatures above 104 degrees.

letter.Itsaid 380 trucks entered Gaza on Wednesday

And on Thursday,the Israeli military said, 119 aid packages containing food forGaza residents wereairdropped by six different countries.

During the two-month ceasefire,aid groups demanded Israel allow entry for 600 trucks per day

“The allegeddelay in aid entry …occurs only when organizations choose not to meet the basic security requirementsintendedtoprevent Hamas’sinvolvement,” COGATsaid.

cluding Oxfam, Doctors Without Borders andCARE, were respondingtoregistrationrules announced by Israel in March that require organizations to hand over full lists of their donors and Palestinianstafffor vetting Theycontenddoing so could endanger their staff andgive Israel broad grounds to block aid if groups are deemed to be “delegitimizing”the country or supporting boycotts or divestment.

The aid groups stressed on Thursday thatmost of them have not been able todeliver “a single truck” of lifesaving assistance since Israel implemented ablockade in March. Their letter called on other countries and donors to pressure Israel “to end the weaponization of aid, including through bureaucratic obstruction.”

The aid that the groups provide supplementsassistance from the United Nations,air-

Justices allowMiss. to require ageverificationonsocialmedia

BY MARK SHERMAN and LINDSAYWHITEHURST Associated Press

WASHINGTON The Supreme Court on Thursday refused for now to block enforcement of aMississippi law aimed at regulating the use of social media by children, an issue of growing national concern. The justices rejected an emergency appeal from a tech industry group representing major platforms like Facebook, Xand YouTube NetChoice is challenging laws passed in Mississippi and other states that require social media users to verify their ages, and asked the court to keep the measure on hold while alawsuit plays out.

There were no noted dissents from the brief, unsigned order.JusticeBrett Kavanaugh wrote that there’s agood chance NetChoice will eventually succeed in showing that thelaw isunconstitutional, but hadn’tshown it must be blockedwhile the lawsuit unfolds. NetChoice argues that the Mississippi law threatens privacyrightsand unconstitutionally restricts the free expression of users of all ages Afederal judge agreed and prevented the 2024 lawfrom taking effect. But athreejudge panel of the5th Circuit U.S. Court of Appealsruled in July that thelaw could be enforced while the lawsuit proceeds It’sthe latest legal devel-

opmentascourt challenges play out against similar laws in states across the country Parents and even some teenagers are growing increasingly concerned about theeffects of social media use on young people. Supporters of thenew laws have said they are needed to help curb theexplosiveuse of social media among young people,and what researchers sayisanassociated increase in depression and anxiety. Mississippi AttorneyGeneral Lynn Fitch told the justices thatage verification could help protect young people from “sexual abuse, trafficking, physical violence, sextortion andmore,” activities that Fitch noted are notprotected by the First Amendment.

U.N. agencies and asmall numberofaid groups have resumed delivering assistance, but say thenumber of trucks allowed in remains far from sufficient

COGAT, the Israeli military body in charge of humanitarian aid to Gaza, denied the claims in the NGOs’

Israel has pressed U.N. agencies to accept military escorts to deliver goods into Gaza, ademand they’ve largely rejected, citing their commitment to neutrality Thestandoff hasbeenthe source of competing claims: Israel maintains it allows aid into Gaza that adheres to its rules, while aid groups that have long operated in Gaza

decrythe amount of lifesavingsuppliesstuck at border crossings. U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff hadmet with U.N. humanitarian officials in New York about the “need to, speedily,scale up aid into Gaza.” Hospitals throughout Gaza on Thursdayreported casualties from Israeli strikes on Gaza City,which Israel identifiedasamilitantstronghold last week when it announced plans to launcha newoffensive against Hamas. An Israeli strike on Gaza City killed one person and wounded three others, an official at Shifa Hospital said. Aseparate strike killed fivepeople in Gaza City on Thursday morning, according to al-Ahli hospital,whichreceivedthe casualties.

Israel’s militarydid notimmediately respond to questions about the strikes.

BYJUANA.LOZANO Associated Press

HOUSTON Ajudge on Thursday granted arequest by federal prosecutors to dismiss twoofthe 14 counts against U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar,ofTexas, and his wife, as part of afederal bribery and conspiracy indictment. The judge alsoordered that their trial, which had been set for September, be rescheduled for next year Prosecutors with the U.S Justice Department had asked U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal to dismiss two counts that Cuellar and his wife had each faced related to violatingthe prohibitiononpublic officials actingasagents of aforeign principal Federal authorities have charged Cuellar, 69, and his wife, Imelda Cuellar,with accepting thousands of dollars in exchangefor the congressman advancingthe interests of an Azerbaijancontrolledenergy company and abankin Mexico.Cuellar is accused of agreeing to influence legislation favorable to Azerbaijan and deliver apro-Azerbaijan speech on the floor of the U.S. House. Thepayments to the couple initially went

through aTexas-based shell company owned by Imelda Cuellarand twoofthe couple’s children, according to theindictment.

Cuellar has said he and his wife are innocent.

Prosecutorssaidthey were dismissing the two counts following aFebruary memorandum from U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi that shifted the focus of charges filed under the Foreign Agents Registration Act. Thelaw is aimed at ensuring transparency aboutlobbyingefforts done in theU.S.atthe direction of foreign governments or principals.

BUSINESS

BRIEFS

FROM WIRE REPORTS

Applications for jobless benefits fell last week

The number of Americans filing for jobless benefits fell modestly last week, remaining in the historically low range since the U.S economy emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic. Applications for unemployment benefits for the week ending Aug. 9 fell by 3,000 to 224,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday That’s below the 230,000 new applications that economists had forecast. Weekly applications for jobless benefits are seen as a proxy for U.S. layoffs and have mostly settled in a historically healthy range between 200,000 and 250,000 since COVID-19 throttled the economy in the spring of 2020.

Two weeks ago, a grim July jobs report sent financial markets spiraling, spurring President Donald Trump to fire Erika McEntarfer, the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which tallies the monthly employment numbers. The BLS does not contribute to the weekly unemployment benefits report except to calculate the annual seasonal adjustments.

U.S. employers added just 73,000 jobs in July, well short of the 115,000 analysts forecast Worse, revisions to the May and June figures shaved 258,000 jobs off previous estimates and the unemployment rate ticked up to 4.2% from 4.1%.

Average mortgage rate drops to 6.58%

The average rate on a 30-year U.S. mortgage fell this week to its lowest level in nearly 10 months, giving prospective homebuyers a sorely needed boost in purchasing power that could help inject life into a stagnant housing market.

The long-term rate fell to 6.58% from 6.63% last week mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday A year ago, the rate averaged 6.49%.

Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages popular with homeowners refinancing their home loans, also fell. The average rate dropped to 5.71% from 5.75% last week. A year ago, it was 5.66% Freddie Mac said.

Elevated mortgage rates have helped keep the U.S. housing market in a sales slump since early 2022, when rates started to climb from the rock-bottom lows they reached during the pandemic. Home sales sank last year to their lowest level in nearly 30 years.

Kellogg to end use of artificial dyes in cereals

WK Kellogg Co. plans to remove artificial dyes from its breakfast cereals in the next two and a half years, according to the company and the attorney general of Texas. The maker of Froot Loops and Apple Jacks gave the timeline as U.S food producers face increasing pressure from the U.S. government and consumers to phase out synthetic colorings from their products.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said Wednesday that Kellogg had signed an agreement assuring his office that the Michigan-based company would “permanently remove toxic dyes” from its cereals by the end of 2027. Paxton launched an investigation earlier this year into whether Kellogg violated state consumer protection laws by continuing to use blue, red, yellow, green, and orange artificial dyes. Around the same time, U.S. health officials said that they would urge foodmakers to voluntarily work toward removing petroleum-based colors

Both Kellogg and General Mills, another major U.S. cereal maker, said they would. General Mills later joined Kraft Heinz, Nestle, Smuckers and some other food manufacturers in announcing target dates for making all their products without artificial dyes.

But Paxton’s office said Kellogg was the first to sign a “legally binding” agreement.

Big Tech keeps Wall Street steady

Most U.S. stocks fall after a disappointing inflation update

BY STAN CHOE AP business writer

NEW YORK — Most stocks fell on Wall Street Thursday after a disappointing report said inflation was worse last month at the U.S. wholesale level than economists expected. But gains for Amazon and some other influential Big Tech companies helped mask the losses.

Seven out of every 10 stocks within the S&P 500 fell, though the index edged up by less than 0.1% to set another all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average

dipped 11 points, or less than 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite dipped by less than 0.1% from its record set the day before.

The inflation data forced traders to second-guess their widespread consensus that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates at its next meeting in September Lower rates can boost investment prices and the economy by making it cheaper for U.S. households and businesses to borrow to buy houses, cars or equipment, but they also risk worsening inflation.

“This doesn’t slam the door on a September rate cut,” but it may raise some doubt, according to Chris Larkin, managing director trading and investing, at E-Trade from Morgan Stanley Traders now see a 7.4% chance

that the Fed may hold rates steady in September, according to data from CME Group. A day earlier, they were betting on a 100% certainty that the Fed would cut its main rate for the first time this year

Higher interest rates drag on all kinds of companies by keeping the cost to borrow high. They can hurt smaller companies in particular because they often need to borrow to grow The Russell 2000 index of smaller U.S. stocks tumbled a market-leading 1.2%.

On Wall Street, Tapestry tumbled after the company behind the Coach and Kate Spade New York brands showed it’s feeling the pressure of tariffs.

It detailed how much profit it could lose in its upcoming fiscal

year because of tariffs and duties, and its forecast for profit fell short of analysts’ expectations, even though its forecast for revenue came in above. Its stock fell 15.7%, despite it also reporting a stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. Deere fell 6.8% even though the machinery maker likewise delivered a better profit than expected. There, too, the focus was on where profits are heading. It cut the top end of its forecasted range for profit this fiscal year and said its customers “remain cautious amid ongoing uncertainty.”

On the winning side of Wall Street was Fossil Group, which jumped 29.8% after the seller of watches and other accessories reported better profit than expected.

Producer prices surged in July

Trump

tariffs push costs higher

BY PAUL WISEMAN AP economics writer

WASHINGTON U.S. wholesale in-

flation surged unexpectedly last month, signaling that President Donald Trump’s sweeping taxes on imports are pushing costs up and that higher prices for consumers may be on the way

The Labor Department reported Thursday that its producer price index — which measures inflation before it hits consumers rose 0.9% last month from June, the biggest jump in more than three years. Compared with a year earlier, wholesale prices rose 3.3%.

The numbers were much higher than economists had expected.

Prices rose faster for producers than consumers last month, suggesting that U.S. importers may, for now, be eating the cost of Trump’s tariffs rather than passing them on to customers.

That may not last.

“It will only be a matter of time before producers pass their higher tariff-related costs onto the backs of inflation-weary consumers,” wrote Christopher Rupkey, chief economist at fwdbonds, a financial markets research firm.

Excluding volatile food and energy prices, so-called core producer prices rose 0.9% from June the biggest month-overmonth jump since March 2022. Compared with a year ago, core wholesale prices rose 3.7% after posting a 2.6% year-over-year jump in June.

Wholesale food prices rose 1.4% from June, led by a 38.9% surge in vegetable prices. The price of home electronic equipment gained 5% from June. Both are heavily imported in the U.S.

But some aspects of Thursday’s producer price report were puzzling, including a big jump in profit margins at retailers and wholesalers. Economist Stephen Brown at Capital Economics found the increase “to put it lightly, counterintuitive given the anecdotal evidence that firms are absorbing the lion’s share of tariff increases in margins.”

Trump’s tariffs have generated considerable uncertainty about the U.S. economy, the world’s largest, which could explain some seemingly contradictory trends. Trump has negotiated trade agreements with several major U.S. trading partners, including the European Union and Japan. But the details have not been published, leaving businesses uncertain about where tariff rates will end up and, therefore, whether and how they should adjust their own prices.

The fallout from the tariffs has also been delayed because many importers stockpiled products before the taxes took effect.

Those inventories are diminishing, however

The wholesale inflation report two days after the Labor Department reported that consumer prices rose 2.7% last month from July 2024, the same as the previous month and up from a postpandemic low of 2.3% in April. Core consumer prices rose 3.1%, up from 2.9% in June. Both figures are above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target.

The new consumer price numbers suggest that slowing rent increases and cheaper gas are partly offsetting the impacts of Trump’s tariffs. Many businesses are also likely still absorbing much of the cost of the duties instead of passing them along to customers via higher prices.

The producer and consumer inflation numbers are both issued by the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, which is already in Trump’s crosshairs.

After the BLS issued a disappointing jobs report for July, Trump fired the director of the

BLS, groundlessly accusing the bureau of rigging the numbers for political reasons. Trump then nominated a partisan ideologue to replace her, raising fears of political interference in economic data that investors, policymakers, businesses and the Federal Reserve rely on to make decisions.

Thursday’s report is likely to complicate decisions for the Fed After an ominous July jobs report, the central bank was widely expected to cut interest rates at its meeting next month in a bid to recharge hiring. The Fed has drawn Trump’s ire for not cutting interest rates already Under Chair Jerome Powell, it had been delaying rate cuts until it better understood the impact of Trump’s tariffs on inflation. “This report is a strong validation of the Fed’s wait-andsee stance on policy changes,” Carl Weinberg, chief economist at High Frequency Economics, wrote in a commentary Thursday

Swift’s economic pull makes orange the new green for big brands

BY MICHELLE CHAPMAN AP business writer

Taylor Swift’s upcoming album release and her love of all things orange isn’t lost on her fans or brands that are seeking a ride on what has become an enormous economic tailwind

On Wednesday after Swift went on the “New Heights” podcast cohosted by her boyfriend and NFL football star Travis Kelce to announce the imminent release of her 12th studio album “The Life of a Showgirl,” major companies went into marketing overdrive.

The reason? Swift’s ability to generate buzz and draw dollars.

Swift’s tour appearances have become economic events. The singer’s Eras Tour two years ago was the first such tour to cross the billion-dollar mark, according to Pollstar’s 2023 year-end charts. Cities and their surrounding areas registered a sizable economic boost after Swift appeared, with thousands of fans making the pilgrimage and spending money at hotels, restaurants and elsewhere.

Companies are no longer waiting to capitalize on Swift’s gravitation-

al pull and orange-themed memes from big brands began rolling out almost immediately

That is because Swift appeared onstage wearing orange numerous times toward the end of her Eras Tour and she discussed her feelings about the color on the Wednesday podcast. Numerous corporations, from

United Airlines to Olive Garden, began posting orange-hued memes on their own social media accounts soon after the new album was announced. Shake Shack, FedEx, Buffalo Wild Wings, Cinnabon, Walmart and Netflix did, too.

More than a dozen NHL teams followed with posts on social media acknowledging Swift’s new al-

bum, both north and south of the border

Even X got in on the action, declaring that it had a new profile pic: a glittery orange X. The post has garnered 5.5 million views so far

Google is using its search engine to celebrate the October release of Swift’s “The Life of a Showgirl.” Users search for “Taylor Swift,” are greeted with a stream of orange digital confetti, along with a flaming orange heart and the phrase, “And, baby, that’s show business for you.”

Many, it seemed, saw value in tying their brand to Swift.

Swift mentioned during the Wednesday podcast that she had Lasik eye surgery The X account for LASIK.com wasted no time promoting the fortuitous namedrop.

“i got LASIK, i have incredible vision,” they posted, accompanied by a video of Swift giving a shout out to the procedure on the “New Heights” podcast. “TAYLOR SWIFT EVERYONE (red heart emoji). WE’VE PEEKED!!!!!!!!” The post currently has more than 389,000 views and 15,000 likes.

Malnourished kids arrive dailyatGazahospital

BY MARIAM DAGGA and LEE KEATH Associated Press

KHAN YOUNIS,Gaza Strip

The dead body of 21/2-year-old

Ro’a Mashi lay on the table in Gaza’sNasser Hospital, herarms and rib cage skeletal, her eyes sunken in her skull. Doctors say she had no preexisting conditionsand wasted away over monthsas her familystruggled to find food and treatment.

Her family showed The Associated Press aphoto of Ro’a’sbody at the hospital, and it was confirmed by the doctor who received her remains. Several days after she died, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday told local media, “There is no hunger.There was no hunger.Therewas ashortage, and there was certainly no policy of starvation.” In the face of international outcry,Netanyahu has pushed back, saying reports of starvation are “lies” promoted by Hamas.

However,U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric this week warned that starvation and malnutrition in Gaza are at the highest levels since the war began.

The U.N. says nearly 12,000 children under 5were found to have acute malnutrition in July—including more than 2,500 with severe malnutrition, the most dangerous level. The World Health Organization says the numbers are likely an undercount.

The past two weeks, Israel has allowed around triple the amount of food into Gaza than had been entering since late May.That followed 21/2 monthswhen Israel barred allfood, medicine and other supplies, saying it was to pressureHamas to release hostages taken during its 2023 attack that launched the war.The new influx has brought more food within reach for some of the population and lowered some prices

in marketplaces, though it remains far more expensive than prewarlevelsand unaffordablefor many.

While betterfoodaccess might help much of Gaza’s population, “it won’thelpthe children who are severely malnourished,” said Alex DeWaal, executive directorof theWorld PeaceFoundation at Tufts University, who has worked on famine and humanitarian issues for more than 40years.

When aperson is severely malnourished, vital micronutrients aredepleted and bodily functions deteriorate. Simply feedingthe person can cause harm, known as “refeeding syndrome,” potentially leadingtoseizures, coma or death. Instead, micronutrients must first be replenished with supplements and therapeutic milk in a hospital.

“We’re talking about thousands of kids who need tobe in hospitalifthey’re going to have achance of survival,” DeWaal said.“If this approach of increasing the food supply had been undertaken twomonthsago,probably many of those kids would nothave gotten into this situation.”

Anyimprovementisalso threatened by aplanned new Israeli offensive that Netanyahu says will capture GazaCityand the tent camps where mostofthe territory’s population is located.That will prompt ahuge newwave of displacement and disrupt food delivery, U.N.and aid officials warn

Preexistingconditions

TheGazaHealthMinistry says 42 childrendiedof malnutrition-related causes since July 1, alongwith 129 adults. It says 106 children have diedof malnutrition during theentire war. The ministry,part of theHamasrungovernment,isstaffed by medical professionals and its figures on casualties are seen by the U.N. and other experts as the most reliable.

TheIsraeli military Tuesday pointed to the fact that

some children who died had preexisting conditions,arguingtheir deathswere “unrelated to their nutritional status.” It said areview by its experts had concluded there are “no signsofawidespread malnutrition phenomenon” in Gaza.

At hispress briefing Sunday, Netanyahu spoke in front of ascreen reading “FakeStarving Children” over photos of skeletal children withpreexisting conditions. He accused Hamas of starving theremaining Israeli hostages and repeated claimsthe militant group is diverting large amountsof aid, aclaim the U.N. denies. DoctorsinGaza acknowledge that some of thosedying or starving have chronic conditions,includingcerebral palsy,ricketsorgenetic disorders, some of which makechildren morevulnerable to malnutrition. However,those conditions are manageable when food and proper medical treatments are available, they say “The worsening shortages of food led to these cases’ swift deterioration,” said Dr.Yasser Abu Ghali, head of Nasser’s pediatrics unit “Malnutritionwas the main factor in their deaths.”

Of 13 emaciatedchildren whose cases the AP has

Judgeappointsreceivertosell offAlexJones’Infowarsassets

BY DAVE COLLINS Associated Press

Astate judge in Texas has appointed areceiver to take over and sell conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’ Infowars assets to help pay the more than $1 billion he owesin legal judgments to the families of victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

The order by Judge Maya Guerra Gamble in Austinon Wednesday has the potential to shut Jones out of his studio in the coming days. It also appeared to restart an effort by The Onion satirical publication to buy Infowars and its assets and turn the platform into aparody site. “We’re working on it,” Ben Collins, chief executive of The Onion,

saidinasocial mediapost Wednesday.

On hisdaily show Thursday,Jones called the Texas court order improper and vowed to keepbroadcasting if he is locked out.He added hehas another studio already setupinthe event of such ascenario.

“People want to hear this show,” said Jones, who is based in Austin. “I will continue on with the network. They can harass me forever

And they won’tget meoff the air.” Jones said heexpected Infowars to be sold to someone or some entity that will keep it on the air

TheSandy Hook families wonnearly $1.5 billion in judgments in 2022 against Jones and Infowars’ par-

entcompany,FreeSpeech Systems, in lawsuitsfiledin Connecticut and Texas accusing himofdefamation andinflictingemotional distress. They sued over Jones’ repeated commentsthat the 2012 school shooting in Connecticut that killed 20 first graders and six educators was ahoax. Victims’ relatives testified in court about being terrorized by Jones’ supporters. Jonesand his company both filed for bankruptcy in 2022. Afederal Bankruptcy Court judge in Houston ordered Free Speech Systems’ assets, including Infowars’ production equipment and its intellectual property, to be sold at auction to help pay the Sandy Hook legal judgments

seen since lateJuly,five had no preexisting conditions including threewho died according to doctors.

AbuGhali spoke next to the body of Jamal al-Najjar, a5-year-oldwho died Tuesday of malnutrition and was born with rickets, which hindersthe abilitytometabolize vitamins, weakening bones.

In the past months, the boy’sweightfell from 35 pounds to 15, said his father, Fadi al-Najjar,whose lean face showed his ownhunger Askedabout Netanyahu’s claimthere wasnohunger in Gaza, he pointedatJamal’sprotruding rib cage. “Ofcourse there’sfamine,” he said. “Does a5-year-old child’schest normally come to look likethis?”

Skin andbones

Dr.Ahmed al-Farra, Nasser’sgeneral director of pediatrics,saidthe facilityreceives 10 to 20 children with severe malnutrition aday, and the numbers are rising.

On Sunday,aseverely malnourished 2-year-old, ShammQudeih, cried in pain in her hospital bed. Her arms,legsand ribs were skeletal, her belly inflated.

“She has lostall fat and muscle,”al-Farra said. She

weighed 9pounds, athird of a2-year-old’snormal weight.

Doctors suspect Shamm suffers from arare genetic condition calledglycogen storage disease, which changeshow thebody uses and stores glycogen, aform of sugar, and canimpact muscle and bone development. But they can’ttest for it in Gaza, al-Farra said.

Normally,the condition can be managed through a high-carbohydrate diet.

Herfamily applieda year agofor medical evacuation,joining alistofthousands the WHO says need urgent treatmentabroad

For months, Israel slowed evacuations to anear standstill or halted them for long stretches. But it appears to be stepping up permissions, withmore than 60 allowedto leave in the first week of August, according to the U.N. Permission for Shammto leave Gazafinally came this week, and on Wednesday, she was heading to ahospital in Italy

Childdiedinfamily’s tent

Ro’a was one of four dead children who suffered from malnutrition brought to Nasser over the course of just over twoweeks, doctors say

Her mother,Fatma Mashi, saidshe first noticed Ro’a losing weight last year,but shethought it was because she was teething. When she took Ro’a to Nasser Hospital in October,the child wasseverely malnourished, according to al-Farra, who said Ro’a had no preexisting conditions.

At the time, in the last months of 2024, Israel had reduced aidentry to someof the lowest levels of the war The family was also displaced multiple times by Israeli militaryoperations. Each move interrupted Ro’a’s treatment as it took time to find aclinic to get nutritional supplements, Mashi said. The family was reducedtoone mealaday often boiled macaroni —but “whatevershe ate, it didn’t change anything in her,” Mashi said.

Twoweeks ago, they moved into the tent camps of Muwasi on Gaza’ssouthern coast. Ro’a’sdecline accelerated.

“I could tellitwas only a matter of two or three more days,” Mashi said in the family’s tent Friday,the dayafter she had died.

Mashi and her husband Amin both looked gaunt, theircheeksand eyeshollow.Their five surviving children —including ababy born this year —are thin, but not nearly as emaciated as Ro’a.

DeWaalsaidit’snot unusual in famines for one family member to be farworse than others. “Most often it will be akid who is 18 months or 2 years” whoismost vulnerable, he said, while older siblings are “more robust.” Butany number of things can set one child into aspiral of malnutrition, such as an infection or troubles after weaning.

“A very small thing can push them over.”

Keath reported from Cairo. AP journalists AbdelKarim Hana and Wafaa Shurafa contributed from Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip.

Firefighters make progress againstCaliforniablaze

By The Associated Press

GORMAN, Calif. Firefighters with air support scrambled to controla wind-driven wildfire that erupted Thursday morning in hills along Interstate 5innorthwestern Los Angeles County,officials said. The King Fire, which broke out around 1a.m., charred nearly asquare mile of tinder-dry brush in a lightly populated area about 60 miles north of downtown Los Angeles. An RV park was orderedto

shelter in place and residents of remote homes were under evacuation warnings. The blaze was 20% contained, according tothe Los Angeles County Fire Department. The CaliforniaHighway Patrol closed some highway lanes as crews battled flames that raced along hillsides before dawn. Off- and on-ramps were closed near Smokey Bear Road, along with several surrounding roads just north of Pyramid Lake in a mountainous area known for hiking and boating. The blazeisburning afew

Judgestrikes partsof law that ledtoremoval of books from Floridaschoollibraries

By The Associated Press

ORLANDO,Fla. Afederal judge has struck down key parts of aFlorida law that helped parents get books they found objectionable removed from publicschool libraries and classrooms. It is avictory for publishers and authors who had sued after their books wereremoved.

U.S. District Judge Carlos Mendoza in Orlando said in Wednesday’sruling that the statute’sprohibition on material that described sexual conduct was overbroad.

Mendoza, who was appointed by President Barack Obama, alsosaid that the state’sinterpretation of the 2023 law was unconstitutional.

Among the books that had

beenremovedfrom central Florida schoolswere classics likeMargaret Atwood’s “TheHandmaid’s Tale,” Richard Wright’s“Native Son” and Kurt Vonnegut’s “Slaughterhouse-Five.”

“Historically,librarians curate their collections based on theirsound discretion not based on decrees from on high,” the judge said. “There is also evidence that the statute has swept up more non-obscene books than just the ones referenced here.”

After theRepublican-controlled FloridaLegislature passed the law,school officials worriedthat any sexual contentwas questionable, abeliefthat wasenforced by newstate training that urged librarians to erron the side of caution.

Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III

miles northofthe Canyon Fire,whichpromptedevacuations, destroyedseven structures andinjuredthree firefighters after breaking out Aug. 7. It was fully contained Thursday morning after charring more than 8 square miles of Los Angeles and Ventura counties. The Gifford Fire, California’slargestblaze so far this year,has scorchednearly 207 square miles of Santa Barbara and San LuisObispo counties sinceerupting on Aug. 1. It was 41% contained on Thursday

PHOTO PROVIDED By USDAFOREST SERVICE Awildfire burnsThursday near Templin,Calif.

Wildfire risk is elevated because Southern California has seen verylittlerain, drying out vegetation and making it “ripe to burn,” the National Weather Service for Los Angeles warned in a statement lastweek.

U.S. OKspotential $346M weaponssaletoNigeria

BY DYEPKAZAHSHIBAYAN

Associated Press

ABUJA, Nigeria

The U.S StateDepartmentapproved apossible $346 million weaponssale to Nigeria to help improve securityinthe sub-Saharancountry,the Pentagon said Wednesday Congress was notified and would need to approve the sale, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in astatement. Theagencyisa divisionofthe Department of Defense body that providestechnical assistance and oversees transfers of defense equipment

Theweaponsrequested by Nigeria include munitions, bombs and rockets Aresurgence of attacks by Boko Haram, Nigeria’s homegrown jihadistgroup, has shaken Nigeria’snortheast.The group took up arms

longingorin anywise apper‐taining,situated in theState of Louisiana, Parish of Jeffer‐son,inthatpart thereof known asGolden HeightsSubdivi‐sionSection J, all as perplan ofresubdivision madeJ.J.Krebs and Sons,Inc., dated March 11,1977 and approved bythe Jefferson ParishCouncil, by OrdinanceNo. 12822 on April 14, 1977, recordedunder Entry No 766676, more particularly de‐scribed as fol‐lows:

Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

The New Orleans Advocate: August 15,2025, September19, 2025

Aug15-sep19-2t $102.42

Byvirtueofand inobedience to a Writ of SEIZURE AND SALEfromthe 24thJudicial DistrictCourt ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,inthe above num‐bered andenti‐tledcause, dated July 14 2022, Ihave seizedand will proceed to sell tothe highest bidderatpublic auction,atthe Jefferson Parish Sheriff'sOffice Complex,1233 WestbankEx‐pressway, Har‐vey,Louisiana, 70058, on Sep‐tember24, 2025 at10o'clock a.m.the follow‐ing described propertytowit: Acertain piece orportion of ground,to‐getherwithall the rights,ways, privileges, servitudes,and appurtenances thereuntobe‐

Lot6,SquareQ bounded by Amite Drive, Suwannee Drive, Potomac Drive and NiagaraDrive, and said lot commences at a distanceof280 feetfromthe cornerof Amite Driveand SuwanneeDrive and measures thence60feet front on Amite Drive,the same width in the rear,by a depth of 120 feetbetween equal andparal‐lel lines. Allas more fully shown on asur‐vey by J. J. Krebs andSons, Inc.,dated April 7,1978, January 18,1979, May15 1979 andOcto‐ber 5, 1979 This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale

NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certified Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withirrevocable BankLetterof Credit.

COREYJ.GIROIR

Attorney for

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT 24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:866-340 NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION VERSUS JEREMY CHARLES

Byvirtueofand inobedience to a Writ of SEIZURE AND SALEfromthe 24thJudicial DistrictCourt, ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,inthe above num‐bered andenti‐tledcause dated June 30, 2025, Ihave seizedand will proceed to sell tothe highest bidderatpublic auction,atthe Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office Complex,1233 WestbankEx‐pressway, Har‐vey,Louisiana 70058, on Sep‐tember24, 2025 at10o'clock a.m.the follow‐ing described propertytowit:

OneCertain Lot ofGround,to‐getherwithall the buildings and improve‐ments thereon, rights,ways, servitudes, ap‐purtenances andadvantages thereuntobe‐longing or in anywiseapper‐taining situated inthe Parish of Jefferson,State ofLouisiana,in thatpart thereofknowas Unit 1, MEAD‐

OWBROOKSUB‐DIVISION, andin accordance with a plan of subdivi‐sionmadeby J.J.Krebs & Sons, Inc.,dated April 22, 1965 revised August 9, 1965 approved by the Jefferson Parish Council Ordi‐nance No.7276, on August 9, 1965, registeredin COB 622, folio 92 and said portion ofground is lo‐cated andmeasures asfollows:

LOT1,Square7, bounded by Cherrywood Driveontwo sides,Brook‐wood Drive (side) theWestern line ofthe subdivi‐sion, said lot measuresa first front on Cherry‐wood Drive of 36.42 feet, a secondfront of 47.50 feet, a width in the rearof67.50 feet. Allmore fully shownonsur‐vey of Gilbert Kelly &Cou‐turie,Inc., dated April 24, 1991, annexed hereto andmadea part hereof; subject torestrictions, servitudes, rights-of-way andoutstanding mineral rights ofrecordaffect‐ing theprop‐erty.

Improvements thereonbear the Municipal No. 200 Cherry‐wood Drive, GretnaLA70056

This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale

NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certified Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withirrevocable BankLetterof Credit.

in 2009 to fight Western education and impose itsradical version of Islamic law In recent months,Islamic extremists have repeatedly overrun military outposts, mined roads withbombs and raided civilian communities, raising fears of apossible return to thepeakinsecurity of theBokoHaram era despite the military’sclaims of success against them

The conflict, which has spread into Nigeria’snorthern neighbors, hasclaimed about35,000 civilian lives anddisplaced more than 2 million people in the country’s northeastern region according to theUnited Nations.

Apart fromthe insurgency in the northeast,Africa’s mostpopulous countryalso faces serious security challenges in the north-central and northwestregions.

CANDACEA COURTEAU

Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III

Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

The New Orleans Advocate: August 15, 2025, September 19, 2025

Aug15-sep19-2t $97.12

JUDICIAL

ADVERTISE‐MENT 24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:860-678 WILMINGTON SAVINGSFUND SOCIETY. FSB, NOTINITS INDI‐VIDUAL CAPAC‐ITY BUTSOLELYAS OWNER TRUSTEEFOR VERUSSECURI‐TIZATION TRUST 2024-INV1,PETI‐TIONER VS NEIGHBORS LOUISIANALLC, ANDTIMOTHY JEHRRODHAS‐SONA/K/A TIM‐OTHY J. HASSONA/K/A TIMOTHYHAS‐SONAND TAJH A. HASSON A/K/ATAJH HASSON, DEFENDANTS

p tember 24, 2025 at10o'clock a.m.the follow‐ing described propertytowit: THAT CERTAIN GROUND, TO‐GETHERWITH ALL THEBUILD‐INGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON, AND ALL THERIGHTS, WAYS, PRIVI‐LEGES, SERVITUDES ANDAPPURTE‐NANCESTHERE‐UNTOBELONG‐INGORINANY‐WISE APPERTAINING, SITUATED IN THE STATEOF LOUISIANA, PARISH OF JEF‐FERSON IN LIN‐COLNSHIRE, BEINGA SUBDI‐VISIONOFA PORTION OF SECTION 7, 87, 88, TOWNSHIP 14 SOUTH,RANGE 23EAST, WEST OFTHE MISSIS‐SIPPI WHICH PORTIONOF GROUND, AC‐CORDING TO A PLANOFSUBDI‐VISIONBYJ.J KREBS ANDSONS, INC., DATED SEPTEM‐BER 3, 1970, AP‐PROVEDBYOR‐DINANCE NO 9889 OF JEFFER‐SON PARISH COUNCIL,DATED NOVEMBER19, 1970, REGISTERED IN COB 726, FOLIO 57, AS AMENDED BYORDINANCE NO. 10022, DATEDFEBRU‐ARY 25, 1971, REGISTEREDIN COB 730, FOLIO 287 SAID LOTS DESIGNATED AS LOT NO.37OF SQUAREM AND ARE MORE PAR‐TICULARLY DESCRIBEDAS FOLLOWS: SQUARE MIS BOUNDED BY LINCOLNSHIRE DRIVE, CARVER DRIVE,BENE‐DICT DRIVE. LOT37 MEASURES60 FEET FRONTON CARVERDRIVE, SAMEWIDTH IN THEREAR, WITH

nurses, andstaff of West Jefferson MedicalCenter and FreseniusKidneyCare; staff andstudentsof Weatherford Academy; employees of Rouses Mar‐ketsand membersofGo DJs NewOrleans Chapter. Beloved sonofthe Late Bernard AndSammieTous‐saint.Grandsonofthe late Rev.and Mrs. J. R. Hunter Sam andSophieSmith Lovingbrother of Bridgette Toussaint,Jason (Roslyn) Toussaint,Jarrick Tous‐saint,and Justin Toussaint. Devoted uncle of Christo‐pherToussaint,D’Vonn Ranson, ArimaNanlaland MayaMcQuarter.Nephew ofthe late AnniePaul. God‐fatherofAdrienne and AdrianneFranklin. Shawn isalsosurvivedbyhis 4eversisters MarieNanlal, AndreaWilliams, and KeishaMoore,his best friendKisha Baker, anda hostofaunts, uncles cousins,other relatives and friends. Relativesand friends of thefamilyare in‐vited to attend theCele‐bration of Life at Davis MortuaryService,230 Mon‐roe Street,Gretna, LA on Saturday, August 16, 2025 at10:00a.m. Visitation will begin at 8:30a.m. untilser‐vicetimeatthe parlor.In‐terment:RestlawnPark Cemetery-Avondale,LA. To viewand sign theguest‐book,pleasegotowww davismortuaryservice.com. Face MasksAre Recom‐mended.

DEATHS continued from old. Son of thelateHenry Williams, Sr.and Lovenia Joseph Williams. He married thelove of his life, Eloise. From theirbeautiful unioncamethree children: DerrickPatrick, Timothy Bazile,and Kimberly Bernadette. Brother of the lateIsaac "Ike" Williams Sr.and Henry Williams, AlethaW.Johnson and JessieMae Joseph. He leaves to cherish hismemoryhis devotedwife Eloise, ChildrenDerrick(Pebblin) Williams, Timothy (Tracey) Williams, Rajone Cammon, andKimberly (Mertis) Anderson. 9grandchildren, ahostofgreat grandchildren,nieces,nephews, godchildrenand friends. A native of Norco, LA anda residentofHammond, LA. Relative andfriends of the family, also pastors, officers andmembersof BethlehemBaptist Church Greater Good Hope Baptist Church,Norco, LA, Congregation of Yahweh, Independence,LA, Rev. Wesley Blackwell,Pastor andall neighboring churches and employees of Tangipahoa Parish School Boardare invited to attendthe funeral service at Bethlehem Baptist Church,146 East 20th Street,Reserve,LAon Saturday, August 16, 2025 at 10:00 AM.Rev Dr.Forell Bering, Sr., Pastor, Officiating Interment MontzMemorialPark Cemetery,Montz, LA. Visitation at theabove name church from 8:00 AM untilservice time ServicedbyRobottom

Bazile JamesWilliams enteredeternal rest on Saturday, August 2, 2025, surroundedbyhis loving family. He was76years

THE FOLLOWING IS FORINFOR‐MATIONALPUR‐POSES ONLY:

SEIZUREAND SALEfromthe

Theimprove‐ments thereon bearthe Munici‐pal No.2080 CarverDrive, Marrero,LA 70072

This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale

NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certified Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withirrevocable BankLetterof Credit.

BRIGHAMJ LUNDBERG Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

TheNew Orleans Advocate: August 15,2025, September 19, 2025

Aug15-sep19-2t $113.53

By virtue of and inobedience to a Writ of SEIZURE AND SALEfromthe 24thJudicial DistrictCourt, ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,inthe above num‐bered andenti‐tledcause dated January7, 2025, Ihave seizedand will proceed to sell tothe highest bidderatpublic auction,atthe Jefferson Parish Sheriff'sOffice Complex,1233 WestbankEx‐pressway, Har‐vey,Louisiana 70058, on Sep‐b JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT 24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF

By virtue of and inobedience to aWritof

24thJudicial DistrictCourt, ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,inthe above num‐bered andenti‐tledcause, dated February 13, 2025, Ihave seizedand will proceed to sell tothe highest bidderatpublic auction,atthe Jefferson Parish Sheriff'sOffice Complex,1233 WestbankEx‐pressway, Har‐vey,Louisiana, 70058, on Sep‐tember24, 2025 at10o'clock a.m.the follow‐ing described propertytowit: That certain piece or portion ofground,to‐getherwithall the buildings and improve‐ments thereon, andall ofthe rights, ways, privi‐leges,servi‐tude’s, appurte‐nancesand advantages be‐longing or in anywise apper‐taining,situated inthe Stateof Louisiana,in theParishof Jefferson,in Terrytown Sub‐division, Section 3,being part of Oakdale Subdivision, Section“B”, First Ward,all in accordance with thesurvey ofAdloe Orr, Jr & Associates,C.E., dated October 9,1959, ap‐provedbythe Jefferson Parish Council underord.no. 4545, adopted April 21, 1960 registeredin COB 510, folio 492, Parish of Jefferson, LA,on July20, 1960, and in plan book 39, folio 66, office of the clerk of court, Parish of Jeffer‐son,LA, which saidpropertyis morefully de‐scribed as fol‐lows, to wit: Lotno24, in squareno59, bounded by Cooper Road,E

Forest Lawn Drive,Fordham Placeand Her‐itage Avenue, which said lot commences at a distanceof358 feet from thecornerof Cooper Road and E. Forest LawnDrive,and measures thence 61 feet frontonCooper Road, by a depth alongthe sidelinenearer toE.Forest LawnDrive of 110feet,by a depth alongthe opposite side lineof110 feet bya widthin the rear of 58.66feet,all in accordance with survey of Adloe Orr, Jr.& Associates,C.E dated July 11,1962.

This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale

NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certified Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withirrevocable BankLetterof Credit.

COREYJ.GIROIR Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

TheNew Orleans Advocate: August 15,2025, September 19, 2025

Aug15-sep19-2t $105.59

Former N.O. statue moving to L.A.

Battle of Liberty

Place monument removed in 2017

BY DOUG MacCASH Staff writer

The Battle of Liberty Place monument, a symbol of 19th-century White supremacist sentiments, was removed from its place near the foot of Canal Street on April 24, 2017. Its elimination from public view was the first of several takedowns of symbols

Trader Joe’s opens first store in N.O.

Mid-City location already packed with customers

BY HANNAH LEVITAN and POET WOLFE Staff writers

No more driving to Metairie for New Orleans fans of Trader Joe’s

— the city’s first location opened Thursday and shoppers lined up hours ahead of time to try the new grocery option.

The grand opening kicked off Thursday morning with live jazz, black-and-gold leis and an appearance by the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club. Mayor LaToya Cantrell and several City Council members also were there to welcome the line of customers, some of whom had arrived two hours ahead of time.

Located across from the New Orleans Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Tulane Avenue’s medical corridor, Trader Joe’s is the latest addition to an area that city officials have long sought to revive with new developments. It also joins the Mid-City neighborhood lineup of grocery stores, which includes Rouses, Whole Foods, WinnDixie and Canseco’s.

On Thursday, customers drifted between aisles with overflowing shopping baskets weighing down their arms, signaling the store’s popularity ahead of a second location opening in Uptown.

Standing in the back of the line, Dominique LeJeune said she’s looking forward to seeing how Trader Joe’s will improve the grocery landscape “I feel like it’s really just inviting a lot of excitement around making meals together and just kind of changing this area that’s kind

of New Orleans’ racist past

The obelisk-shaped, stone sculpture has not been seen since. But in October, the notorious artifact is scheduled to appear at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, as part of an exhibit that according to a MOCA news release — is meant to consider the “legacies of post-Civil War America as they continue to resonate today, bringing together a selection of decommissioned monuments, many of which are Confederate.” The exhibit, titled “Monuments,” will include historical public artworks that were removed from view in Bal-

timore, Maryland; Montgomery, Alabama; Charlottesville and Richmond, Virginia; and Raleigh, North Carolina. According to the MOCA release, “the monuments in the exhibition will be shown in their varying states of transformation, from unmarred to heavily vandalized.”

The historic objects will be displayed with contemporary artworks that were inspired by their original meaning and their eventual removals. As stated in the release, “by juxtaposing these objects with contemporary works, the exhibition

BY JENNA ROSS | Staff writer

BY MICHELLE HUNTER Staff writer

A Westwego woman scheduled to head to trial later this month instead pleaded guilty to hitting a pedestrian with her car on Jefferson Highway in Old Jefferson, rolling over the victim’s body, and speeding away without stopping to help or notify authorities.

Britney Holmes, 37, pleaded guilty Tuesday to manslaughter and obstruction of justice, according to Jefferson Parish court records.

BY JONI HESS Staff

Six-year-old Slidell boy

killed in hit-and-run

BY BOB WARREN Staff writer

A Slidell man has been arrested and is accused of hitting a 6-yearold boy with his SUV on Wednesday evening and then fleeing, the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office said. The boy’s mother drove him to an area hospital where he later died, the Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Thursday The St. Tammany Parish Coroner’s Office identified the child as Jeremiah Ramirez. A cause of death was pending the outcome of an autopsy being performed Thursday, a coroner’s spokesperson said.

Deputies spotted the vehicle allegedly involved, a 2022 Chevrolet Suburban, later Wednesday night being driven on East Gause Boule-

vard and pulled it over The driver, Cody Michael Beaudette, 35, was arrested the Sheriff’s Office said.

Beaudette is accused of driving the vehicle when it hit the boy, who was riding a scooter in his driveway Deputies were called to Northshore Lane shortly before 6 p.m., the Sheriff’s Office said.

Beaudette was booked into the St. Tammany Parish Correctional Center on charges of vehicular homicide, reckless operation, felony hit and run (involving death or serious bodily injury) and driving with a suspended license.

The incident is still under investigation

“This is a horrific tragedy for our community,” Sheriff Randy Smith said in the news release. “And it is a tragedy that could have been prevented by careful driving and the obeyance of traffic laws.”

Sheriff: Man shot after

outside Harvey bar

STEAM

afternoon, were tinkering with the electrical equipment on another engine down the track.

“This is a New Orleans baby,” said Ed Hennisen, a 76-year-old volunteer sporting a yellow safety vest with “745” on its back. “We’ve gotta do right by this engine. That’s the way we all feel about it.”

But now those caretakers must find the engine, plus passenger cars and equipment, a new home.

After lending the Louisiana Steam Train Association the land where No. 745 has rested for decades, Ochsner now needs the property for the final phases of construction on its Debra H. and Robert J. Patrick Neuroscience Institute, which includes parking and cleanup. “We are giving them until July 2026 to fully vacate,” a spokesperson said by email, or one year’s notice.

“We knew this day would come,” Walt Pierce, president of the Louisiana Steam Train Association, said in a recent note to the board. A perfect home, 35 miles away

Ochsner, is far from ready. So leaders are looking for a temporary spot to park their engines, tenders and passenger cars. They’re pursuing several locations, including a bit of abandoned rail in New Orleans.

“We’re at a crucial point right now,” said Bruce Brown, the train association’s 82-year-old founder, “where if we don’t do it right, the engine will be scrapped.”

And that, these self-described “train nuts” believe, would be a shame. They describe the engine, born in 1921 in the Southern Pacific rail yards in Algiers, as a living, breathing creature. Not an “it” but a “she.”

It takes eight hours to heat the water inside it. “You have to do it slow,” Brown said. As the water warms and pressure builds, gauges flicker “You begin to hear these noises, these little expansions,” he said, his eyes closed, his fingers fluttering. “You begin to smell the oil.

“And then, when she’s fully steamed up? It’s a bomb,” he said, his eyes suddenly open, his fingers forming fists. “It’s a bomb.”

Kids love it. Grandparents too

a steam engine to be rebuilt after either 1,452 days in service or 15 years, whichever comes first. So in 2019, the engine stilled.

Folks still flocked to the little patch of rail, especially around the holidays, thanks partly to the popularity of “The Polar Express” picture book and film. The association ran their diesel trains, one dubbed Agnes, and hosted Santa, accepting letters addressed to the North Pole.

Kids love the whistle, said Jacob Styron, 24, the associations’ assistant chief operating officer, who restarted those events after the coronavirus pandemic.

But grandparents get a kick out of it, too. One older man remembered seeing the steam engine run when he was a kid and delighted in showing the trains to his greatgrandchildren, Styron said.

“That’s something truly magical,” he said. “That’s why we do what we do.”

Staff report

A 19-year-old man was in critical but stable condition after authorities say he was shot Sunday following an altercation outside a Harvey bar

The shooting was reported about 3 a.m. in the 1500 block of Lapalco Boulevard, said Capt. Jason Rivarde, with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office.

It’s not clear what led to the fight, but the victim was shot in the head,

Rivarde said. No arrests have been made in the case.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the Sheriff’s Office investigations bureau at (504) 364-5300.

The public can also call Crimestoppers at (504) 822-1111 or toll-free at (877) 903-7867. Callers do not have to give their names or testify and can earn a $2,500 reward for information that leads to an indictment.

Fisherman rescues woman who jumped off Causeway

Staff report

A motorist jumped over the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway railing and into the lake Thursday morning, prompting authorities to briefly halt traffic on the southbound span as emergency vehicles made their way to what they thought might be a water rescue.

Fortunately, a man fishing nearby heard the splash and was able to get to the woman and pull her to safety Causeway General Manager Carlton Dufrechou said. The woman was not identified Dufrechou said the woman parked her vehicle in the crossover nearest the St. Tammany side

of the bridge around 10 a.m. and jumped into the lake. It’s about 20 feet from the bridge to the water

A commuter called the bridge operator to report witnessing the jump

“She went over, and from what I understand, the man fishing heard her and got to her in a matter of minutes,” Dufrechou said. “The good Lord put that fisherman at the right place at the right time.”

Dufrechou said he doesn’t know why the woman jumped over the side. He said the St Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office dispatched a water rescue boat to the scene and eventually transported the woman to an area hospital.

Police: One killed in shooting

Staff report

A few years back, the association’s leaders joined with the Garyville Timbermill Museum, where they hope to build a 1-mile loop of rail that could house its trains, host events and even serve as a film set. Given the St. John the Baptist Parish museum’s location at the southern end of the Garyville Northern Railroad, “it’s a perfect match,” Pierce said.

But that site, 35 miles west of

GRANT

Continued from page 1B

pedestrian crossing signals at major service road intersections.

A slice of the grant about $2 million in legally obligated funds — will cover the design phase only according to New Orleans Department of Public Works, which coordinated the project along with the Office of Resilience and Sustainability. Additional funding is needed to move forward with construction and to obtain permits from the state Department of Transportation and Development.

“Once again, Donald Trump and the MAGA agenda are putting Louisianans last,” Carter said in a statement. “This investment was secured to fix long-standing safety hazards created by poorly planned transportation projects — projects too often forced onto

MONUMENT

Continued from page 1B

Brown believes a steam engine needs to move, needs to rumble down the tracks. So when he formed the Louisiana Steam Train Association in the mid-1990s, he helped raise more than $1.2 million in public funds to restore and run the engine, retired in 1954 to Audubon Park and moved to Jefferson Parish in 1984. The group encountered setback after setback. At last, in December 2004, the train toured the state. But federal regulations require

poor neighborhoods and communities of color.” Carter said the “transformative” project would have helped improve access to parks, businesses and essential services. It sought to improve safety conditions in light of a 2023 report commissioned by the New Orleans Regional Planning Commission that looked at service road conditions along the 5-mile stretch between Dwyer and Paris roads.

The report found that the East has become increasingly difficult to navigate without a car because of speeding traffic and a lack of sidewalks and lighting.

The issues have led to traffic injuries and fatalities, especially along the service roads, where about 6% of the city’s fatal pedestrian-involved crashes occurred between 2017 and 2021.

During that time period, there were 51 crashes involving pedestrians and bicyclists in New Orleans East, the report said

Styron was a teenager when he began volunteering at the train yard, learning from elders such as Hennisen. Now, he’s a conductor who will captain Amtrak’s revived route between New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama. On a recent afternoon, Styron watched as Hennisen and another volunteer started up the diesel engine No. 748. They had to move it so that, the following day, someone could begin replacing railroad ties along the track.

Hennisen eyed the gauges, checked the brakes. He took his place in the cab, poking his head out of the window As he rang the bell, the old engine began to move, making way for what would come next.

Between 2019 and 2022, fatal pedestrian crashes increased from 11 to 34, before dipping slightly in 2023. The number of serious injuries rose from 53 in 2019 to 82 in 2023, according to city data. The cuts come as the state is also set to lose $156 million in federal funding for solar energy that could have helped expand access to renewable energy for lowincome and disadvantaged families, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency officials announced earlier this month Under the bill, the $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund approved under the Inflation Reduction Act was eliminated

Other areas impacted by the legislation include Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and regular inspections of the city’s levee system by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Email Joni Hess at joni.hess@ theadvocate.com.

The shooting is under investigation and police did not release any more information.

Anyone with information can call NOPD homicide detectives at (504) 658-5300 or leave an anonymous tip by calling Crimestoppers at (504) 822-1111.

One person was killed in the early hours of Thursday morning in a Marigny shooting, according to the New Orleans Police Department. Officers were called to a medical emergency near the intersection of Frenchmen and Decatur streets at about 3:10 a.m. Officers found the victim, a male, unresponsive with multiple gunshot wounds in the 2100 block of Decatur The victim, whose age was not shared by police, was declared dead at the scene.

TRADER JOE’S

Continued from page 1B

of been more industrial and less neighborhood-oriented,” LeJeune said. “This will bring a lot of community members to this part of town where it’s otherwise just medical complexes and stuff like that.” From seaweed rice rolls to cauliflower gnocchi, the Californiabased chain’s inexpensive, offbeat food items have cultivated a cultlike following. Its health-conscious selection — like omega-rich trail mixes and sundried fruits — are a cornerstone of Trader Joe’s identity, putting it in competition with Whole Foods and The Fresh Market.

The store’s mini tote bags recently went viral, with customers across the U.S. lining up before they sell out. They even turned into a status symbol in Britain. And the reusable bags unique to each area are also coveted. Louisiana bags feature brass instruments brimming with crawfish, and produce over an alligator driving an airboat into a swamp.

Closer to the front of the line, Fe-

licia Samuel stood with friends and said she arrived around 7 a.m.

“I was fourth in line, so I’m excited,” Samuel added. “My division chief, she was like, ‘You have my permission to come in late this morning.’” Samuel and LeJeune both praised the chain for its high-quality, yet low-priced food.

“It’s also affordable for people who are in one- to two-family households, and the food is actually good,” LeJeune said. “It’s just simple I like that about it.”

The chain is known for featuring decor tailored to each city At the Mid-City location, walls are covered in paintings of Mardi Gras beads and floats, and even the runaway pup Scrim.

A friendly staff is another hallmark of Trader Joe’s brand. As noon approached, a staff member greeted customers every few seconds, their enthusiasm reflecting the energy inside and outside the store.

“It’s got a following, but more importantly there’s 80 new jobs that were created by opening this store,” New Orleans City Council

President JP Morrell said while standing at the entrance. “And they hired people from the neighborhood and had a specific focus on veterans being close to the VA hospital.”

expands the context in which they are understood and highlights the gaps and omissions in popular narratives of American history.”

The exhibit was created by MOCA senior curator Bennett Simpson; Hamza Walker, director of The Brick exhibition space; and renowned Black artist Kara Walker, known for her emotionally fraught, history-inspired artworks.

The MOCA news release did

GUILTY

Continued from page 1B

spotted in the roadway just before the deadly crash.

Left for dead

Holmes was on her way home from her job in Metairie as a security guard when the hit-and-run occurred on the night of Aug. 15, 2024.

Cechman was walking alongside the westbound lanes of Jefferson Highway when she tried to cross the roadway near the intersection of Claiborne Court, according to State Police. Cechman made it across two of the three westbound lanes when a black Nissan Sentra plowed into her just before she reached the median.

In the surveillance video, Cechman flew up and onto the windshield and hood of the car, according to State Police. She fell to the ground directly in front of the vehicle as the driver slowed to a stop.

But the car’s driver didn’t get out to check on her Instead, the driver, later identified as Holmes, continued forward, rolling over Cechman and dragging her body

not name the objectionable monument acquired from New Orleans. But MOCA’s chief communications officer Danielle Bias confirmed that the museum had borrowed the Battle of Liberty Place monument from the city Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Battle of Liberty Place monument was erected in 1891 as a tribute to a short-lived, violent revolt by the Democratic White League, comprised of ex-Confederates, against the Republican Reconstruction-era government of Louisiana in 1874. Starting in 1932, the monument

for a distance before leaving the scene, according to State Police. Cechman was taken to a hospital but died of her injuries.

Quick coverup

Holmes didn’t call authorities to notify them of the crash or the injured woman, State Police said. Instead, investigators determined that she began searching the internet for information on windshield repair hood damage repair and any news reports on a fatal hit-and-run on Jefferson Highway As Holmes made efforts to conceal her part in the crash, State Police investigators worked to identify the driver of the Sentra, according to authorities. They eventually learned the suspect vehicle was registered to Holmes, and tracked the car to her residence six days later

By then, Holmes had replaced the shattered windshield and had the dents in her vehicle repaired, though there was still shattered glass on her dashboard vents, State Police said. Investigators spoke with the technicians from the West Bank glass company that Holmes hired to replace her windshield. She’d left a voicemail on the day after the crash requesting the service

bore an inscription which read in part: “the national election of November 1876 recognized white supremacy in the South and gave us our state.” For decades before its removal, the monument was a lightning rod of controversy In 1993, it had been moved a short distance from its original prominent location on Canal Street to an obscure location in the shadow of a hotel parking garage. Removal of such artifacts “prompted a national debate that remains ongoing,” according to the MOCA statement.

Email Doug MacCash at dmaccash@theadvocate.com.

immediately, according to State Police.

The technician who changed out the windshield told a manager it appeared that Holmes had “hit something or someone,” State Police Trooper Timothy Clark testified during a 2024 a bail hearing in the case. Holmes was arrested Aug. 24 and later charged in the case. A conviction for manslaughter carries a maximum punishment of 40 years in prison in Louisiana. Obstruction of justice is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Holmes is scheduled to be sentenced Tuesday

Email Michelle Hunter at mhunter@theadvocate.com.

LOTTERY WEDNESDAY,AUG.

Dillard Jr., Melvin

Dinet, Cynthia

Bell, Berneal

Jones, Elaine Benjamin,Joan Lightell, Elisa

Bibbins,Jermel

West Leitz-Eagan Brooks,Karen

Dillard

Jr., Melvin Lear Sr., Tris Dinet, Cynthia Obituaries Dolliole,Ida Bell, Berneal

Fleming, Stazy Francois,Gail Gaudet, Gayle Gibbs Jr., Hines Green,Patricia

James, Minnie

Jones, Elaine Jones, Pearl Lafayette, Fred

LaSalle Jr., Ernest Lear Sr., Tris

LeDuke,Joan Lewis, Rosemary Lightell, Elisa MahoneyJr.,Herbert Marsalis,Angela Martin,Kenneth McCoy, Oceanous Musmeci,Wilma Paz, Vincent Ramie, Martha Rudolph, Irma Smith Jr., Eddie Toussaint, Shawn

Williams,Bazile EJefferson

Garden of Memories

Gaudet, Gayle NewOrleans

Boyd Family

Ramie, Martha

Charbonnet

Fleming, Stazy

Dennis FuneralHome

Hill Jr., Joe

DW Rhodes

Bell, Berneal

Dolliole,Ida

Gibbs Jr., Hines

Green,Patricia

McCoy, Oceanous

Gertrude Geddes

Jones, Pearl

Lafayette, Fred

Lewis, Rosemary

Martin,Kenneth

Greenwood

Musmeci,Wilma

Lake Lawn Metairie

Benjamin,Joan

Littlejohn FH

Marsalis,Angela River Parish

Hobson BrownFH

Francois,Gail

Robottom

Williams,Bazile West Bank

DavisMortuary

Brooks,Karen at her finaldestination, and thewelcome thereis surelyasgrand as thead‐venturesshe embraced on earth.Relatives and friends of thefamilyare in‐vited to attend aFuneral Service honoring thelifeof Ms. BernealBellatGreater KingSolomon Baptist Church,3305 Audubon Street,New Orleans, LA on Saturday, August 16, 2025 at10:00 am.Visitationwill begin at 9:00 am until 10:00 am. Interment: Providence MemorialParkCemetery, Metairie, LA.Arrangements entrusted to D.W. Rhodes FuneralHome, 3933 Wash‐ingtonAve., NewOrleans, LA70125. Please visitwww rhodesfuneral.comtosign the guestbook,share mem‐ories andcondolences withthe family.

On November 1, 1930, in the vibrantcityofNew Or‐leans,Louisiana,a pre‐cious newchapter began. Borntothe union of WilliamBell, Jr.and Eliza‐bethHowardBell, Berneal was thethird of eightchil‐drenand grew up sur‐rounded by thehum of family, faith,and love.On Saturday, August 9, 2025, at the ageof94years young, Berneal received her final and most treasuredpass‐portstamp —her heavenly stamp.Raisedina Christ‐ian home,Berneal ac‐ceptedChristasher Savior atanearly age. Shewas baptizedbythe late Rev. HoraceLeonard at Greater KingSolomon Missionary Baptist Church,where she remaineda faithful mem‐ber throughout herlife. Her educational journeybegan asa young scholarat Rudolph T. Daneel Elemen‐tarySchool andBooker T. WashingtonSeniorHigh School.She continuedto the GramblingState Uni‐versity,where sheproudly earnedher Bachelor of ArtsinElementaryEduca‐tion. Shewas aproud Grambling Tiger! Berneal devoted 32 yearstoshap‐ing young scholars.She began hercareerinthe Plaquemines Parish School System, laterteachingat JohnH.MartininJefferson Parish, Holy GhostCatholic School in New Orleans, and thenwithin theOrleans ParishSchool System at Tommy Lafonand Hoffman ElementarySchools. Her dedicationtoher scholars wentbeyond thelesson plans.She believed in showing up,inevery sense ofthe word,and made it her missiontobe present for herscholarsevery sin‐gle day. Herremarkable perfect attendance earned her an awardand afeature ina localnewspaper arti‐cle titled,“StillPerfect After AllThese Years.” Out‐sidethe classroom Berneal’s life was filled withjoy,curiosity,and ad‐venture.She wasanavid bowlerand apassionate traveler. Whenthe last school bell rang each year, she wouldpackher bags and setoff forher next summerdestination.Her travels took heracrossthe globe —Paris,London, Ghana,Jerusalem,Alaska, New York,Washington, D.C., theBahamas,Hawaii, and countless other places. Shealsoenjoyed the gentle rhythm of cruises andthe cama‐raderie of bustours Berneal wasanartistat heart.She found joyincre‐ating,especially whendec‐orating Zulu coconuts. She proudly rode in theZulu paradefor severalyears and oftensaidthatifshe could do onething again, it would be to ride once more. Even after she stopped,she continuedto craft beautifulcoconuts for otherriders, each onea small work of art. Shewas precededindeath by her parents,William Bell,Jr. and Marietta Howard Bell; her siblings Arthur L. Bap‐tiste,Yvonne B. Bradley, Alcee M. Bell,AltheaB Cooper,ElaineB.Pierce, and RussellW.Bell, Sr.; nephews AnthonyJ.Pierce, HowardCooper,and DwayneR.Pierce; and niece DarleneB.Murray. She leaves to cherishher memoryone brother, Clement C. Bell (Dianne), along with ahostofnieces, nephews,great-nieces, great-nephews,cousins and friendswho will carry her lightforward.Berneal’s lifewas a journeywelltraveled, apassport filled withlove, laughter,and faith.Now,she hasarrived

Smith Jr., Eddie

Toussaint, Shawn Mothe

LeDuke,Joan

Robinson FH

Bibbins,Jermel

Joan Durland Benjamin passed away peacefully on August 10, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana, fifteen days short of her100th birthday. Joan was the married to thelate William MenteBenjamin for 65 years. She was thedaughterofthe late Elizabeth Warner and William Davies Durland, and thesister of ElizabethDurland Dupont

Joan was born on August 25, 1925 in Beverly, Massachusetts and livedin NewOrleans for most of her life.For many years, she spent summers in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Joan is survivedbyfour loving children, William Proctor Benjamin (Margaret)ofGreensboro, NorthCarolina, John Durland Benjamin, of Boca Raton, Florida, Ann BenjaminZuraw (Ben) of Greensboro, North Carolina, and Thomas MenteBenjamin (Sallee)of NewOrleans, tengrandchildren, William Proctor Benjamin, Jr., Elise Benjamin Turner, Lucy Zuraw Thompson, Jerrold MenteZuraw, Lane Zuraw Ortenberg, Hughes Whitescarver Benjamin, Esme' Boyce Benjamin, Marshall Beardsley Benjamin, RobertaBelle Benjamin, Reid Campbell Benjaminand five great grandchildrenand affectionatelywas known as "Mimi."

Joan attended Louise McGehee School and later graduated from Newcomb College in 1946, where she was amember of Kappa KappaGamma Sorority.

An activecommunity volunteer,Joan was the founding President of the Young Audiences of Louisiana and was aBoard Member of the Women's CommitteeofNew Orleans Symphony, theWomen's Voluntary Committeeof theNew Orleans Museum of Art, and theAuxiliary Boardofthe Lighthouse of theBlind.She was apast Chairman of theLadies Golf Associationofthe NewOrleans Country Club, aformerPresident of the Stuart Clan, and apast member of theBoardof theOrleans Club and the Le PetitSalon.She was a member of theMayflower Society and theDaughters of the American Revolution.

An accomplishedgolfer and tennis player, Joan enjoyed many friendshipson thegolflinks and thetennis courts in NewOrleans and in Greensboro, North Carolina

Joan was amember of St.Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church in NewOrleans forover80 years, and thecongregation'slongest living memberatthe time of her death. Formany years, she taught Sunday School and was astrongsupporter of and teacher for the Start theAdventure in Reading (STAIR)program

The family wouldliketo thank thestaff at Lambeth House, Right at Home, and Home Care Solutions for their care of Joan.

Amemorial service will be held on Monday, August 18, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. at the Chapel at St.Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church, NewOrleans, LA withvisitation preceding at 10:00 a.m. The burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be madetothe St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church, LambethHouse Foundation, or thecharity of your choice.The family invitesyou to share your thoughts, fond memories, and condolences online at www.lakelawnmetairie.co m

Bibbins,Jermel

Jermel Bibbins45, of At‐lanta,Gapassedaway peacefullyonAugust5th, 2025. He wasa beloved Son,brother,father, grand‐father, andfriend, known for hiskindnessand unwa‐veringsupport of thosehe loved.BorninAvondale, La onOctober 7, 1979 to Mr Li‐onelBibbins Sr &Christine Bibbins.Heattended L.W Higgins High school.He was aserialentrepreneur but,hededicated 15 years atCintas& Syscowhere he was respectedfor hiswork ethic andleadership. Jer‐mel hada passionfor Music,heenjoyed writing songs andstories,he would spendhours cook‐ing &reading books. Hisin‐fectiouslaughter, person‐ality andwarmspiritwill bedeeply missedbyall who knew him. He is sur‐vived by hischildren, Janel, Jasmine,Dominick, Lillyanna,Clarissa.Grand‐daughterIsabella. parents Mr. Lionel Bibbins Sr., & Christine brotherLionel Bibbins jr andhis sisters NathashaStarks& Lakeyda Bibbins.A host of aunts, uncles, cousins, and Friends .Hewas preceded indeath by hislovinguncle Wendell Wright,Grandfa‐therThomasGriffin& Simpson Wright Sr.Job 22:21-23"Submit to God, and youwillhavepeace; thenthingswillgowellfor you.Listentohis instruc‐tions,and storethemin yourheart.Ifyou return to the Almighty,you will be restored-so cleanupyour life. Relativesand friends ofthe familyare invitedto attendthe funeralservice onSaturday, August,16, 2025 at Second St.John Baptist Church locatedat 242 Avondale Garden Road Avondale, LA.The visita‐tionwillbegin at 8:30AM followedbya 10AMser‐vice. Pastor Damien Brown willofficiateand interment willfollowinRestlawn MemorialParkalsoin Avondale. "SubmittoGod and youwillhavepeace; thenthingswillgowell withyou,,," Job2221-23 Funeralplanningentrusted toRobinsonFamilyFuneral Home(504) 208-2119. For onlinecondolences please visit www.robinsonfamilyf uneralhome.com

Brooks, Karen Vanessa Enclarde

KarenVanessa Enclarde Brooksdepartedthislife peacefully at home home inOakvilleLA, on Saturday, August9,2025 surrounded byher loving family. She was 67 yearsold anda na‐tiveand lifelong resident of Oakville. Daughter of the lateEugeneEnclardeand the late Emease Ragas Enclarde. Devotedwifeof Oscar Brooks.Loving motherofMarkAnthony Enclarde, KevinEugene Whatley(Marlene) and Ashle ReneeBernette.Sis‐ter of DeborahM.Enclarde, KermitD.Encalade, Olebria T.Green Lassien,Nadra N. Turner(John Frank),and the late Darren D. Enclarde, David Thomas Williams KevinsEnclardeand Velinda A. Narcisse.Karen isalsosurvivedby7 grand‐children, 5great-grandchil‐dren, aunts, uncles,nieces, nephews,cousins,other relatives anddevoted friends.Relatives and friends of thefamilyare in‐vited to attend thefuneral service on Friday,August 15, 2025 at Robinson Family FuneralHome, 9611 LA-23, Belle Chasse LA 70037. The visitationwillbegin at 11 a.m.followedbya 12 noon service.Interment will be private.Funeralplanning entrusted to Robinson FamilyFuneral Home (504) 208-2119. Foronlinecondo‐lences, please visitwww robinsonfamilyfuneralho me.com

DillardJr.,Melvin Alexander

Melvin AlexanderDillard Jr. of Port Sulphur LA., passedawayonThursday, August7,2025. He was32 years old. Belovedson Ali‐cia Jamesand thelate MelvinAlexander Dillard Sr. Loving father of Kole, Addison, King,Lennonand Mylon Dillard.Devoted grandsonofMyraJackson Jones andthe late Alexan‐der JonesSr. andthe late VirgilJames.Melvinisalso survivedbyseveral aunts, uncles, nieces,nephews cousins,other relatives and devotedfriends.He willberememberedfor his kindspiritand deep love for hisfamily. He brought great joytoeveryone around him. Relativesand friends of thefamilyare in‐vited to attend thefuneral service on Saturday,Au‐gust16, 2025 at Greater Mount SianiBaptist Church located at 27954 Port Sul‐phur LA.70083. Thevisita‐tionwillbegin at 11 a.m. until 12:55 p.m. Only.The service will beginat1 p.m. officiated by Pastor Allen Johnson.Entombmentwill followinTropicalBend CemeteryinEmpireLA. Fu‐neralplanningentrusted to

Robinson Family Funeral Home(504) 208-2119. For onlinecondolences,please visit www.robinsonfamilyf uneralhome.com.

Dinet, Cynthia ElizabethHingle

CynthiaElizabeth Hingle Dinet,age 67, wascalled hometobewiththe Lord onSunday, August 3, 2025 She wasbornonJuly12, 1958 in Buras, Louisianato her parents, Lois Denesse Hingleand Jules“Sammy” Hingle. Cynthiadevoted her life to familyand em‐bodying aspiritoflove thatwillbemissedby those who knew her. She carried many titles in her lifetime, abeloved mother, daughter, godmother aunt,but most importantly Gram”. Sheretired from Plaquemines Parish School Board after 30 yearsofser‐vice. Cynthiaspent her dayslivinglifetothe fullest,opening herhome and hearttofriends,family and even strangers. She found hergreatestjoy in givingher time,loveand energytoher beloved grandchildren,who were the lightofher life.Cynthia issurvivedbymultiple familymembers,including her mother Lois Hingle,her sisterVickieProut, brother-in-lawRollen Prout,twindaughters Tynia Gaines andRachell Murray, sons-in-lawMar‐quelGainesand Eugene Del Murray III, andall sixof her grandchildren, Juliana, Kainnen,Marquel Jr Hazel,Khalid andGia.She isalsosurvivedbymultiple niecesand nephews. Sheis precededindeath by her latehusband,Jonathan Michael Dinetand sisters Anastasia Taylor (Ben‐jamin)and ElisaLightell (Michael).Funeral services willbeheldonSaturday, August16, 2025 at OurLady ofPerpetual Help Church, 8968 LA-23, Belle Chasse LA70037. Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m. with massfollowing at 11:00 a.m.FatherKyleDavewill officiate. Entombment will beheldatOur Lady of Good Harbor Cemetery 35736-35748 Hwy. 11, Buras, LA70041. Thefamily wishestoextendtheir heartfelt thanks to allwho haveoffered prayers, love and supportduringthis time. Though shewillbe deeply missed, Cynthia’s love, generosity andjoyful spiritwillliveoninthe heartsofall who knew her. Funeral planning entrusted toRobinsonFamilyFuneral Home(504) 208-2119. For onlinecondolences,please visit www.robinsonfamilyf uneralhome.com.

IdaMae Esteen Dolliole ofNew Orleans, Louisiana passedawayonAugust2 2025, at theage of 89. Ida was born in Plaquemine LAonMarch 3, 1936. She was thesecondoften chil‐dren, includingbrothers and sistersMary, Melba Fae,Carolyn Ann, John Jr., Clarence, Barry,Larry, Sharonand Shermond, borntoJohnEsteen,Sr. and Mary Ella Bridgewater Esteen.Her parents, sisters Maryand MelbaFae,and brother Larry have prede‐ceasedher.Ida attended JosephS.Clark High School and as aU.S.Air ForceMili‐tarySpousetraveledex‐tensively across theglobe withher immediatefamily. She wasa topsellerofLife Insurancefor many years. Idalater flourished as an entrepreneuroperating and managing multiple restaurants before becom‐ing thesoleproprietorof Dolliole’sinNew Orleans, a cityknown forits hospital‐ity andworld-renowned cuisine.Ida is survived by her children Kevin(Janice Flint)Dolliole, Sr Steven Dolliole, Sr., Andre’ (Kim‐berly Balancier) Dolliole; son-in-lawMichael Her‐manspahn; sisters; Carolyn Ann Hankton, Sharon Refuge(Mike); brothers: JohnEsteen,Jr. (Marie), ClarenceEsteen,Sr.,Barry Esteen,Sr. (Adrienne)and ShermondEsteen,Sr., (Jozell);brother-in-lawIsa‐iah Vining,Sr. andsisterin-lawJeanetteSylvester; 14grandchildren,21greatgrandchildren and1 greatgreat grandchild;and a hostofother relativesand friends.She waspreceded indeath by herspouse Henry LouisDolliole, Jr., daughters Pamela Dolliole Hermanspahn andLynn Dolliole, andbrothers-inlaw RandallForstall, Sr Lloyd Dolliole,Sr.,EarlHan‐kton, Sr andsister-in-law Karen Esteen.Known for her Naturally NewOrleans hospitality,fun-spirited personality andtasty Cre‐ole-soulcooking, Idapas‐sionately served others bothpersonally andpro‐fessionally throughout her entirelife. Relativesand friends of thefamily, also priestand parishioners of CorpusChristi Catholic Churchare invitedtoat‐tenda Mass of Christian BurialatCorpusChristi Catholic Church,2022 St Bernard Ave.,New Orleans, LAonSaturday, August 16, 2025 at 10:00 am.Visitation willbegin at 9:00 am until 10:00 am.Interment:St. Patrick #3 Cemetery,New Orleans,LA. Arrangements entrusted to D.W. Rhodes FuneralHome, 3933 Wash‐ingtonAve NewOrleans LA70125.Pleasevisit www. rhodesfuneral.comtosign the online guestbook, share memories andcon‐dolenceswiththe family.

StazyWrightFleming affectionately known to manyasSadie,was bornin Natchez,Mississippi,on October 17, 1933,tothe lateMr. EriasWrightand Mrs.BessieMcGruder. She receivedher educationin Natchez,where shelater met andmarried thelove ofher life,Lawerence Fleming.The couple even‐tuallymadeNew Orleans, Louisiana,their home Stazy wasa mild-man‐nered,humble, andsimple woman whovaluedfamily, faith,and friendship.Inher younger years, sheworked various jobs to stay active She wasa devotedand lifelongmemberofthe LovingFourBaptist Taber‐nacle,faithfullyserving on the UsherBoard.One of her favorite pastimes was catchingupwithloved onesoverthe phone, espe‐cially with herdearfriend and sister in Christ GertrudeJackson.Stazy was abeloved sister mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.Known for herquiet spirit and simpleways, shelived her lifewithgrace,humility, and agentlepresencethat touchedeveryonearound

her. On Monday,August4, 2025, theangelscalled Stazy home to be with the Lord. Shewas preceded in death by herbeloved hus‐band, LawerenceFleming, five brothers:Fred, Thomas, Henry, Joeand Ed‐ward; five sisters: Gertrude, Thelma,Mary, Beatriceand Evelyn.Stazy was thelastofher siblings She leaves to cherishher memorytwo sons,Robert Fleming andRogerFlem‐ing;two daughters, Katie Morganand VelmaFlem‐ing;ninegrandchildren; seventeen great-grandchil‐dren; andseven greatgreat-grandchildren.She is alsosurvivedbyeleven brothersand sisters-inlaw,including twoliving— Clara LewisofNatchez,MS, and Nellie FlemingofBaton Rouge,LA—as well, anda hostofnieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.Stazy “Sadie” WrightFleming’s gentle spirit, unwavering faith, and warm presence will be deeply missed butforever remembered. “I have foughta good fight, Ihave finished my course,I have keptthe faith”2 Timothy4: Relatives andFriends of the Family,alsoPastor, Of‐ficers andMembers of Lov‐ing Four BaptistTabernacle are allinvited to attend the Celebration of Life Service onSaturday, August 16, 2025 at 10:00amatLoving FourBaptist Tabernacle 2900 Thalia Street NewOr‐leans,Louisiana 70113 PastorMatthew Tanner, Officiating. Visitation will begin at 9:00am.Interment inProvidenceMemorial Park. Professional Arrange‐ments EntrustedtoMajes‐tic Mortuary ServiceInc (504)523-5872.

Francois, Gail Marie GailMarieFrancois, age 70departed thislifeon Friday August 1, 2025. Daughterofthe late Aldonia and Cornelius Francois,Jr.,Motherof Lakenya, Lakeisha,Tran, and Nathaniel (Candra) Williams. Gailisalsosurvived by hergrandchildren, siblings and ahost of otherrelatives, and friends. Funeral Servicewill be held on Saturday, August 16, 2025, at 10:00a.m. at Milesville MemorialCOGIC. 129 Apple St., Laplace, LA 70068, Bishop Ronald Frank, pastor/officiant VisitationonSaturday August 16, 2025, at 9:00am until service time (Only) Professional Services entrusted to Hobson BrownFuneral Home 134 Daisy St., Garyville,La 70051(985) 535-2516.

Gaudet,Gayle Burke

GayleBurke Gaudet,af‐fectionatelyknownas “MeeMee”, earned her angel wingsonSaturday, August9,2025, at theage of86, surrounded by her lovingand devotedchil‐dren. Shewas born in New Orleans,raisedinOld Metairie, andwas aclass of1957 graduate of Sacred Heart High School.Gayle was theExecutive Secre‐taryfor theShera‐ton/RadissonHotel in Ken‐ner forover30years.Her passion in life washer love and devotion to herfamily. She is survived by herchil‐dren: MicheleGaudetAn‐derson(Rod),Sharon GaudetWillis(Ronald), David Gaudet (Andrea), and DouglasGaudet (Maria);a very special familyangel,JoanieJenk‐ins (and beautifulfamily); her aunt,Alice Burke Harper; hersister-in-law, GailGaudet; her17grand‐children: Johnny(Lorraine), Nicholas(Rachel), and Ryan(Ameena)Peppo KristiPeppo St.Pierre (Maurice),BrittanyPeppo Lemoine (Blake),Nathan Anderson(Daniel), Genevieve,Duncan(LuLu), and EmilyGaudet, Jimmy Wixted (Bee),AshleyWillis Acosta(Daniel), Ronald Willis III (Alexis),Kyle Gaudet(Breanne),Misti, Beaudon (Skyler),Mason and Benjamin Gaudet,and Haleigh Gaudet Day (Caleb);22great-grandchil‐dren: Jocelyn, Jacob, Emma,Reagan, Dax, Dakota, Kaden, Kamden Aiden,Liam, Justin,Aria, Lukas,Maxton, Addyson, Kinsley,Blair,Abigail, Is‐abella,Gabriel,Charlotte, and Zachary; nephew Brian Burke; andnumerous other family membersand friends.Gayle waspre‐ceded in deathbyher lov‐ing husband,DonaldJ Gaudet, Sr.; herson,Don‐aldJ.Gaudet, Jr.; herpar‐

ents,Earland EvaBurke, Sr.;her brotherand sisterin-law, Earl andFay Burke, Jr.;her nephews, Dennis and GlennBurke;and all but oneofher many GaudetFamilyin-laws Gayle wasa parishionerof St. Matthew theApostle Catholic Church forthe past30years.She wasa memberofThe Missionar‐ies of St.Therese Circle 65 Marians of theImmaculate Conception, OurLadies Ladies, LesNouvelles, and The RedHat Society. Her familywould like to thank the staff at Compassus Hospice,especially George, andthe “special angels” who satand helpedcarefor herinclud‐ing hergreat-grandson Dakota, as well as Debo‐rah,Katrina,Kathy,Aline, and Shannon. Relatives and friendsare invitedto the FuneralMassatSt. Matthew theApostle Catholic Church,10021 Jef‐fersonHwy., RiverRidge, LA70123 on Saturday,Au‐gust16, 2025 at 12:30 pm, withvisitationbeginning at11:00 am.Interment will beinGardenofMemories Cemeteryimmediatelyfol‐lowingthe services.Inlieu of flowers, donationstoSt. Jude’sChildren’sResearch Hospital(www.stjude.org) orShrinersChildren’s (www.shrinerschildrens org) arepreferred.Online condolences maybeof‐fered at www.gardeno fmemoriesmetairie.com

HinesGibbs,Jr.,the old‐est of twelve wasbornon June 27, 1949 in NewOr‐leans,Louisiana to thelate Hines Gibbs,Sr. andHenri‐etta Pree Gibbs.Hines Jr was baptizedatanearly age andlater got baptized again at GreaterSt. Stephenswhere he further dedicated hislifetothe Lord. “Junior”, as he was affectionately called,was educatedinthe Orleans ParishSchool system.He graduated in 1967 from G.W.CarverHighSchool After high school,hewent toworkatOchsnersMed‐icalCenterand attended Delgado Community Col‐lege. In 1968, he enlisted in the U.S. Army where he re‐ceivedthe National De‐fense Medal, theConduct Medal,and theExpertRifle Badge andcompleted two USA Engineeringcourses in 1971. In 1972, “Junior” was honorably discharged by the U.S. Army.Uponreturn frommilitaryservice,“Ju‐nior” beganworking for various oilcompanies throughoutNew Orleans. Junior”eventually retired fromthe NewOrleans Sewageand WaterBoard asanengineeringinspec‐tor for25years.Duringthis timehebecamewell known to family, friends and coworkersasthe “Grill MasterSergeant!”During thistime, youcould see him in thefront yard play‐ing hisfavoritesongs while onthe grilland inviting anyonetocomeget a plate.After retirement,“Ju‐nior” enjoyedhis time by listening to varioustypes ofmusic,eatingathis fa‐voriterestaurants,while believing that “you have to treat yourself,not cheat yourself!”Healsoenjoyed going to thecasino, watch‐ing theSaintsplayand supportingSouthernUni‐versity andMississippi State University.“Junior leftthisearthly life to go bewiththe Lord on August 1,2025. He wasprecededin death by HinesGibbs,Sr. (father), Henrietta Pree Gibbs (mother) andDr. Ty‐ronne Gibbs (brother). He leavestocherish hismem‐ory,one daughter,Jocelyn Henderson (Biloxi, MS), three grandchildren, Ar‐maniHenderson,Archie Davis andCarlTerrell. Four great-grandchildren,Remi Rayne,RamiahTerrell RyanTerrell andKhaden McGill.Fourbrothers, Charles Gibbs,Willie (Paulette)Gibbs,Joseph (Michelle)Gibbs,Herbert Gibbs.Six sisters, Barbara (Gary)Hyatt, Ruby Gibbs Diane Gibbs,Brenda(Fred) Carodine, Loretta (Ricardo) Green andBertha(Chris) Ballard.Healsoleavesa hostofniecesand nephews,great-grand‐niecesand greatgrand nephews andone godchild, Metrell Cain andhis fa‐voriteuncle Theodore Sonny Reed.Friends,fam‐ily,employees of Sewage and WaterBoard of New Orleans,Scarlet Pearl CasinoofD'Iberville,MS, BeauRivageCasinoof BiloxiMS, TSXofNew Or‐leans areinvited to attend thecelebration of Hines

Gibbs,Jr. at D.W. Rhodes FuneralHome, 3933 Wash‐ingtonAve., NewOrleans, LA70125 on Saturday,Au‐gust16, 2025 at 1:00 pm Visitationwillbegin at 12:00 pm until 1:00 pm Pleasejoinusby livestreamat12:50 pm by visitingwww.facebook com/D.W.RhodesFuneralHo me/live.Pleasevisit https://premiermemories net/users/MTcwMDY1LUh pbmVz/home.htmltosign the online guestbook, share memories andcon‐dolenceswiththe family. Arrangementsentrusted to D.W.RhodesFuneralHome, 3933 Washington Ave.,New Orleans,LA(504) 822-7162 www.rhodesfuneral.com.

“I have fought thegood fight, Ihave finished my course, Ihavekeptthe faith:henceforththere is laidupfor me acrown of righteousness, which the Lord, therighteous judge, shall give me at that day: and nottomeonly, but untoall them also that love his appearing.”– 2Timothy 4:7-8.InHis infinite wis‐dom andtendermercy,the AlmightyGod called home one of Hisbeloved daugh‐tersonAugust2,2025. Sur‐rounded by love andcher‐ished memories,Patricia Domango Green,age 69, of New Orleans, Louisiana, passedawaypeacefully She wasa remarkable woman of graceand strength, devotedmother, sister, aunt,and friend who stood faithfully by those sheloved andwhose legacywillliveoninthe heartsshe touched. Patri‐cia Anne Domango(Green) was born on January15, 1956, in NewOrleans, Louisiana,toVictoria Smith andNarcisse Do‐mango. Aproud native daughter, shegraduated fromBooker T. Washington HighSchool,carryingwith her thevaluesofdisci‐pline,determination,and faith that wouldguide her life. In 1995, shebegan working at TheElmsMan‐sion, where sheproudly servedfor 30 years. In 2010, she expanded hercalling ofservice by becoming a Certified NursingAssistant through theDryades YMCA School of Commerce, pro‐vidingcarewithcompas‐sionand dignity. Patricia gaveher life to Christ at a young ageand livedasa God-fearingwoman whose faith wasevident in every seasonofher life.She en‐couragedher children to liveproperlyand to do the right thingsimplybecause itwas right. Shestressed the importance of reading, makingwisechoices,and livingwithpatienceand grace.Her counseloften camewrappedinbothlove and truth, urging herloved onestohavetheir ownex‐periences,maintaincon‐trolovertheir lives, and understandtheir worth. She wasassteadfastin her prayersasshe wasin her convictions, awoman who both nurturedand guided. Patricia’s life wasa testament to resilience adaptability, andunwaver‐ing faith.Her married years took herfromcoast tocoast andacrossthe globe,where shemade homes filledwithloveon militarybases andshared her gift of caregiving with childrenfromall walksof life. Aproud NewOrlean‐ian,she found joyinthe soundsofJazz, R&B, and Gospel, fillingher home withmusic that reflected her soul.Patriciabelieved inguiding herchildren without living through them, urging them to cher‐ish theirown experiences, keep controlovertheir choices,and always know their worth. Patricia leaves tocherish herprecious memoryher loving chil‐dren, TahnikaM.Green and AlbertGreen III; hercher‐ished grandson,George Aurthur DysonV;her de‐voted sister,GloriaCon‐nors; anda host of nieces, nephews,relatives,and friends whose liveswere betterbecause of herlove. She is preceded in death byher parents, Victoria Smith andNarcisse Do‐mango; andher siblings Willie Smith, Norris Do‐mango, andIrmaThorpe. Thoughher earthlylight has dimmed, theglowof her love,faith,and exam‐ple will continue to shine inthe hearts of allwho wereblessedtoknowher Relatives andfriends of the familyare invitedtoattend a FuneralService in honor‐ingthe life Mrs. Patricia

Green at Macedonia Church of GodinChrist, 3015 Louisa St., NewOr‐leans,LAonSaturday, Au‐gust16, 2025 at 11:00 am Visitationwillbegin at 10:00 am until 11:00 am.In‐terment:Mount Olivet Cemetery, NewOrleans LA. Arrangements en‐trusted to D.W. Rhodes Fu‐neral Home,3933 Washing‐ton Ave.,New Orleans, LA 70125. Please visitwww rhodesfuneral.comtosign the online guestbook share memories andcon‐dolenceswiththe family.

JoeLouis Hill,Jr. entered intoeternal rest on Mon‐day,August4,2025. Joe Jr.’s legacy of love,faith, and wisdom will continue toguide us as we live out the lessons he instilled in us. He wasprecededin death by grandparents,An‐dersonRobinson, Sr.and Louella (Bates)Robinsonof Liberty,MS, andAlphon‐sine(Richardson)Hilland ClarenceHill, Sr.of Shrewsbury(Jefferson, LA).Relatives andfriends ofthe familyare invitedto attend theFuneral Service onSaturday, August 16, 2025, at Marine andMt. MoriahCommunity Church, 3034 AndoverSt.,Jefferson, LA, at 10:00 am.Visitation beginsat9:00am. Inter‐ment: Robinson Family Cemetery-BusbyLane, Lib‐erty, MS.Arrangementsen‐trusted to Dennis Funeral Home, 1812 LouisianaAve New Orleans, LA.Please visit www.dennismortu aryservice.comtosignthe onlineguestbook

Jerome's memorial will be agravesiteservice at Antioch Cemetery on August 16, 2025. Please come to the graveyardat thebackofthe property for theservice,whichwill begin at 11am. Theaddressofthe graveyardis 3279 AntiochStreet Paulina, La 70763. This is an outdoorservice

Minnie Lee"Ginn" Jamesenteredinto eternal rest at the age of 85 on July 30, 2025. She wasa memberofAbundant Life Tabernacle andhonored with the title "Mother of theChurch".Minnie is survivedby5children, Garrette (Glinda) James, Glenda (Klen Dale)Evans, TerryJames, April James andDarren James; 3sisters, Willie Pearl Clark, Mary Louise Jamesand JessieMae King;1 brother John (Jackie) James; 9 grandchildren; 18 great grandchildren; 7great great grandchildrenand a host of nieces, nephews, cousinsand friends. Relativesand friends are invited to attendher Celebration of Life service on Saturday, August 16, 2025 at Abundant Life Tabernacle FGBC, 1701 FranklinAve.NOLA. Bishop Tyrone G. Jefferson Jr.isofficiating. Visitation will be at 9:00AM andservice at 10:00AM.Services entrusted to Professional Funeral Services. Repass at ATU Local 1560 locatedat 4232 Marigny St.70122

Jones, Elaine Johnson Elaine JohnsonJones entered into eternalrest onFriday, July 31, 2025 at the ageof71. Elaine wasa nativeofHarvey, LA anda residentofMarrero,LA. She wasa former member ofMt. PilgrimBaptist Church where shewas baptizedbythe late ClarenceEllis Brooks, Sr She laterplacedher mem‐bership at EveningStar MissionaryBaptist Church under theleadershipof PastorKeith P. Stewman. She waseducatedinthe Jefferson Parish Public School System andmatric‐ulatedatNichollsState University. Sheworkedun‐tirelesslyatHopeHaven Belle Chasse StateSchool for more than 40 yearsand Padua Community Services where sheretired from Her earlyand strong Chris‐tianfoundationprepared her fora lifetime of service tothe Lord.She served faithfullyasWomen's Day Chairperson andwas an activememberofthe Se‐niorSteppersMinistry. An eloquentspeaker,Elaine loved sharingthe Good NewsofJesus Christ and offering wordsof ecouragementtoothers. She wasalsoa devoted memberQueen Esther Chapter #33, OrderofEast‐ern Star.She served dili‐gentlyinministryuntil her healthnolongerallowed her to.Elaineloved the Lord, herfamily, Pastor and church family. In addi‐tiontolovingthe Lord,she alsoloved to dressfash‐ionably oftenaccessorized withher beautifullarge hats, rhinestone eyewear and blingedwalking cane She is proceeded in death byher mother,Margaret (Yankee) SmithJohnson, her father Ernest Johnson, maternalgrandparents (HildaJohnson Smithand AlberthaCarey), paternal grandparentsPeter Smith and Mose Johnson, sister, Rosalind(Miss Moe) John‐son;niece,Avery Johnson; Uncles: Clifford,Mose, Alvin,Hebertand Percy Johnson;aunts: Beatrice Johnson,BessieColeman, Noami Riggins and Sarafine Atkins.Elaine leavestocherish hermem‐ory alovingfamily, de‐voted friends, anda host of church andcommunity members whose livesshe touched.She leaves to cherish hermemories, 1 sister, Gail (Kenneth)John‐son,and 2brothers, Chris (Monique) Johnsonand Patrick (Oasis)Johnson Her 2uncles: Joseph (Cas‐sandra) Burkes,Jr. andEd‐ward(Martha)Johnson Her 6aunts: Olivia (Lionel) Trim, Rosemary,Elizabeth, Thelma, Ruby andSandra Johnson.10nieces: Tre‐shawn, Keshawn, Jon‐quelle, Jacoby,Christie, Monique,Myrion, Taylor, China andRaven Johnson. 6 nephews: BrianJackson, Kaleb,Tory(Kellie), Nigel, Josiahand Johann John‐son.Goddaughter,Destine George. Devotedfriends: TyroneSmith,Donya Lynn Gibson-Bazile andGoldie. She is also remembered withlovebya host of great-niecesand nephews, cousins,extendedfamily and dear friends. Relatives and friendsofthe family are invitedtoattend the celebration of life service which will be held on Sat‐urday,August16, 2025, at Evening Star Baptist Church locatedat817 Gre‐fer Street Harvey,LA70058 The visitation will beginat 9 a.m.,and theservice will begin at 10 a.m. Pastor Keith Paul Stewmanoffici‐ating andinterment will followatEvening Star Bap‐tistChurch Cemetery.Fu‐neral planning entrustedto RobinsonFamilyFuneral Home, 9611 LA -23, Belle Chasse,LA70037. (504) 208 - 2119. Foronlinecondo‐lencespleasevisit www robinsonfamilyfuneralho me.com

Houma, LA.She passed awaypeacefullyonFriday, August8,2025. Shewas a memberofResidence Bap‐tistChurch andservedon the usherboard anda graduateofSouthdown HighSchool.She leaves to cherish hismemories, her children: Stephanie Williams Ausama (Terry), Carolyn Williams Woods (Darrell),Gilda Scottand BrandiJones;siblings, WarrenceBennett, Sr LouiseB.Richard andGlo‐ria B. Smith(Lionel). She was also survived by 25 grandchildren,58greatgrandchildren,13greatgreat-grandchildren anda hostofnieces, nephews, cousins,familyand friends.She nowjoins in restwithher husbands, WilbertWilliamsand Gilbert Jones; herparents, Zackary Bennett, Sr.and Octavia NixonBennett; children, LaTanyaJones and Rosalind Williams McKinley; siblings,Ledoria B.Williams, Joan B. Thomas, OctaviaB.Jones Elizabeth B. Bolden,Sarah B.Williams, LloydColeman, Zackary Bennett, Jr and Louella Bennett. Relatives and friendsofthe family are invitedtoattend the Celebration of Life Service onSaturday, August 16, 2025 at ResidenceBaptist Church,2605 Isaac Street, Houma,LA70363 at 10:00

a.m.Visitationfrom8:00

a.m.until 10:00a.m.Inter‐mentUnion Benevolent Cemetery, Houma, LA.You may sign theguest book onhttp://www.gertrud egeddeswillis.com

Gertrude GeddesWillisTer‐rebonne FuneralHome, Inc incharge(985)872-6934.

Mr.Fred"Pop" "Pops" Poppa" Lafayette,age 85, was born on February 25 1940. He transitioned to be withhis Heavenly Father onSunday, July 27, 2025 Son of thelateMr. James Lafayette andMrs.Mary Lafayette.Beloved Hus‐bandofforty-three years tothe late DeaconessMrs Bernice J. Lafayette.Sur‐vived by hisdaughter Karen M. Russelland son FredRussell (Sharon), grandsons Barron J. Rus‐selland Rashad J. Russell and great-grandchildren IsaiahL.Russell andJael M.Russell.Brother of Leroy (Carol),Eddie,Sammy and Larry Lafayette, Edna New‐someand Lillie Mooreand the late Rev. Roosevelt Lafayette Sr Gable Lafayette,EolaMoore and Elenore Lafayette. Cared for/Justlikea Father to MelvinJ.Jones (Franch‐esca),Jimmy L. JonesJr. (Monique),and Jessica Jones-Brooks(Isaac). God‐son Elijah "Stevie" Stevens, Jr. (J’Nay), Goddaughter Je'Shayla Mathersand late GodsonRoosevelt Lafayette,Jr. Brother-inlaw to Pastor Gertrude Stevens (Elijah),Minister Shirley Welch, Mildred Jones,Rev.Jimmy L. Jones, Sr. (Marilyn) andthe late Uguster Jonesand JoeL Jones,Sr..Alsosurvivedby a host of nieces,nephews cousins,other relatives and friends. Relativesand friends of thefamily, also Pastor, Officers andMem‐bersofIsraelitesBaptist Church,DeaconBoard, SundaySchool,Monday Night Prayer Line and ComeJustAsYou AreBible FellowshipCrusade Min‐istry "A Living Church"in Severn, Maryland,Wings of Faith HouseofPrayerin Marrero,La.,EphesianBap‐tistinNew Orleans, La Law Street BaptistChurch, New Orleans, La.and New Salem BaptistChurch in New Orleans, La.are in‐vited to attend theCele‐bration of Life Serviceon Saturday, August 16,2025 atIsraelitesBaptist Church,2100 Martin Luther KingJr. Blvd., NewOrleans, La, 70113 at 10:00a.m.Visi‐tationfrom9:00a.m.until 10:00 a.m. Rev. Dr.Emanuel Smith,Jr.,Officiating. Inter‐mentMount Olivet Ceme‐tery, 4000 Norman Mayer Avenue, NewOrleans, LA 70122. Youmay sign the guest book on www.ger trudegeddeswillis.com Gertrude GeddesWillisFu‐neral Home,Inc in charge (504) 522-2525.

In LovingMemory Of Ernest V. LaSalleJr.,"TC", January 30, 1954 -August 4, 2025 Afather, grandfather, and beloved brother, Ernest TC was ahardworking shrimp fisherman whoselifewas deeply rooted inlove for his family and the bayou. He was the cherished father of one daughter, two sons, and a proud bonus son,also proud grandfathertoten grandchildren. One of seven siblings,hewas known forhis generosity, strength, and loyalty. A true fanofthe New OrleansSaints. TC bought the same passion to football as he did to hislifecheering loud, living fully, and standingbyhis team through everyseason. He was precededin death by his parents, grandparents, and brother and is survived by hisonly daughterDanielle Bardass(Hamoud),two sons Demond(Christina) and Derrick(Elise)LaSalle and abonus son Louis(Devetral)Mitchell, SixSiblingsSandra LaSalle -Walker, Marvick(Micholle), and Serita LaSalle,Amanda LaSalle-Jackson,Telly Higgins, Kevin "KK" Carter, and Brad(Jessica) LaSalle Sr.Ernest's familywas the heart of his life,and he cherished every moment spent with his loved ones. Acelebration of Ernest's life willbeheldatJones Memorial Funeral Home 811 Paul Maillard Rd Luling, La 70070onAugust 16, 2025 at 10:00am (viewing starts at 9:00am).In lieu of flowers the family askthat you honor TC's legacy by spending aquite moment outdoors,takinga loved one fishing or simply telling someone you love them.

Lear Sr., Tris Patrick

Tris PatrickLear, Sr.was bornonOctober 17,1967 in New Orleans, Louisianato the late LloydP.Lear, Sr and Zelida P. Lear.Tris foughta braveand coura‐geous fightagainst pan‐creatic cancer,and en‐tered into eternalreston August7,2025 in Houston, Texas surrounded by his family. Tris leaves to cher‐ish hismemory: loving and devoted wife of 28 years, Renice; children,Brittany Bierria-Wolfe (Ian), Tris Jr., Triston andTrenice Lear; grandchildren,Liam, Laila and Linnix Wolfe; brother, Lloyd P. Lear,Jr. (Gloria); sisters,Ira McCoy(Clyde Sr.)and Janya Lear;sisterin-law, Lucille Fortin; mother-in-law,Mamie Bier‐ria;brothers-in-law,Ray‐nardBierria III (Antonio) and Rodney Bierria; sisterin-law, Raynette Jones (Kevin);aunt, Janice D. Smith;and ahostofgod‐children, relativesand friends.Triswas preceded indeath by:grandparents, EdwardPierson andIrene L.Duplantier; father-in-law, Raynard Bierria, Jr.; brother,Waldo “Buck” Fortin; anduncles, Calvin Smith andEddie“Pa”Pear‐son.Tris’ distinguishedca‐reer reflectedhis unwaver‐ing commitmenttojustice and safety of thecommu‐nitiesinwhich he served Hewas along-time public servant andhad an exten‐sivecareer in lawenforce‐ment. Tris joined the GretnaPoliceDepartment in2007, androsetothe rankofCaptain.Inthis role, he received many ac‐colades that highlighted the impact he hadonthe community.Prior to joining the Gretna Police Depart‐ment, he served as Deputy DirectorofCriminalInves‐tigations at theLouisiana DepartmentofJustice from 2004 to 2007. Tris also servedasCommander of Internal Affairs/Assistant Commander of theSpecial Investigations Division at the OrleansParishCriminal Sheriff’s Office from 1987 to2004. In addition to his law enforcementcareer, Trisservedinvarious com‐munity organizations. He servedinthe musicmin‐istry at FirstPilgrimsBap‐tistChurch of NewOrleans Louisiana, andheldmem‐

bershipinSaint Augustine HighSchool Alumnaeand Marching100 Band,Prince HallMason OscarJames Dunn Lodge#85 andWest BankElksLodge #2496 Tris’ favorite pastimes weretraveling theworld withhis familyand playing music as lead guitarist withvarious NewOrleans bands under thedirection ofRachelle Cook and ReeGeneration. He ac‐quiredhis love of music fromhis late grandparents Tris’ legacy will live on through themanylives he touched,whether through his commitment to justice and safety or music. Those who knew Tris will surely rememberhis contagious smile andunwavering commitmenttospread kindnesstoeveryonehe encountered.The Celebra‐tionofLifehonoringTris Patrick Lear,Sr. will be heldonSaturday, August 16, 2025. Visitation will be from8:00a.m.to9:45a.m atFirst Pilgrims Baptist Church,located at 1228 ArtsStreet,New Orleans, Louisiana.The funeralser‐vicewillimmediatelyfol‐low at 10:00 a.m.,and the interment will be held at Mount Olivet Cemetery,lo‐cated at 4000 Norman Mayer Avenue,New Or‐leans,Louisiana.Inlieuof flowers, contributionsmay bemadeinmemoryof Captain Tris PatrickLear, Sr. by scanning thebelow QRCode. FuneralArrange‐ments have been entrusted toLockwood Funeral Home, Houston, TX and Westside/Leitz-EaganFu‐neral Home,Marrero,LA.

Joan EvansLeDukeen‐tered into eternalreston August11, 2025. Beloved wifeofWilliam Richard LeDukefor 46 years. MotherofTammy Himel (Morris, Jr.),Kim Heller (Michael),and L.J. Ro‐bichaux (Sheila).Grand‐motherofMorrisHimel,III, AshleyHeller, EmilyHeller, Jacob Robichaux, Lindsay Robichaux,and JamesRo‐bichaux.Daughterofthe lateMyrtleLee Evans Quine andRayford Harlon Quine.SisterofBetty Tell, and thelateLee Elia,Carol Evans,Dorothy Evans, and Suzie Evans. Step-sisterof Ann Rainey (Tom)and Ray‐fordQuine,Jr. Also sur‐vived by nieces and nephews.Age 76 years, a nativeofNew Orleans, and residentofBaton Rouge, LA. Joan wasa dedicated homemaker andcaregiver toher family, especially her mother whomshe cared formanyyears.She enjoyed cookingfor family gatheringsand wasan avidgardener. Thefamily extends ourheartfelt grati‐tudetoClaudette Helm and PamHenry fortheir compassionate care.Rela‐tives andFriends of the Familyare invitedtoat‐tendthe FuneralMassin the Chapel of MotheFu‐neral Home,2100 Westbank Expy, Harvey,LAonSatur‐day,August16, 2025 at 1:30 PM. Visitation will be held from11:30 AM until mass time. IntermentWestlawn MemorialParkCemetery, Gretna, LA

this earthlyhomeonSatur‐day,August2,2025. She was thedaughterofMilton Lee Lewisand Lethia Robertson.Rosewas the devoted andlovingmother toKirkanthony Bernard. She washis rock and Kirkanthony cherished, cared for, andloved his Rosetothe very end. Their loveiseternal.Rosewas a 1964 graduate of Joseph S. Clark High School.She at‐tendedMeadowsDraughonBusinessSchool She wasveryactivewith XavierUniversity’sInsti‐tuteofBlack Catholic Stud‐ies Program.Rosewas ALL New Orleans! Theonlysoft drinksshe drankwere Barq’sRoot Beer andBig ShotCrème Soda.She thought Starbuckswas cryptocurrency! CDMor Community Coffee wasthe onlymorning brew that crossedher lips!She loved the Carnival season and collected uniquethrows fromall thekrewes. Rose grewupinthe MardiGras Indiansand theNew Or‐leans Baby Dollsneighbor‐hoods. Sheknewmostof thembyname! Sheworked atthe Good Timers Barin the 1960s. TheSecondLine was in herblood.And she never missedSuper Sun‐day!Duringthe 1970s, Rose workedinthe City of New Orleans,Payroll Dept. She moved to LosAngeles,CA, inthe early1980s to be closertoher sonand lived there until 1995 -whenshe returnedtoher beloved New Orleans. Shebegan working as thePay-Mis‐tress andGeneral Cashier atthe OMNI RoyalOrleans - atitle shewould hold for 20years.Roseloved the Lordand Hischurch.She was aloyal member of St Peter Claver Catholic Church for30years.She was adevoted Christian leaderatthe Church,orga‐nizing, teaching,and head‐ing theRiteofChristian Ini‐tiation of Adults (RCIA) ministry. Rose wasanac‐tivememberofWaterWise GulfSouth Neighborhood Champions Program.Al‐thougha biological mother toonlyone son(Kirkan‐thony), Rose wasa “loving mothertype” to many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends, butespecially her godson(Frederick Riley)and goddaughter (KarenMorris).All will missher loving spirit and infectioussmile.Relatives and friendsofthe family, alsoPriestand parish‐ionersofSt. PeterClaver Catholic Church areinvited toattend theMassof Christian Burial on Satur‐day,August16, 2025 at St Peter Claver Catholic Church,1923 St.Philip Street,New Orleans, LA 70116 at 10:00 a.m. Visita‐tionfrom9:00a.m.until 10:00 a.m. Interment Resthaven Memorial Park, 10400 OldGentillyRoad, New OrleanS, LA 70117. You may sign theguest book onwww.gertrudegeddesw illis.com.GertrudeGeddes Willis FuneralHomeInc in charge(504) 522-2525.

Lightell,Elisa Patricia Hingle

ElisaPatriciaHingle Lightell(1956-2025).Elisa PatriciaHingleLightellen‐tered eternalrestonSun‐day,August3,2025, at the age of 68. Shewas born in Buras,LAonSeptember 17 1956, to Lois Denesse Hin‐gle andthe late Jules “Sammy” Hingle.The old‐est of four siblings,she took herjob of beinga big sisterveryseriously.She attendedBuras High School &graduated in 1973 beforebecominga devoted wifeand mother.Elisa was a devotedChristian who cherished theteachings of Jesus Christ.Christian val‐ues informed everyaspect ofher life andmoldedher intothe belovedperson she was. Shewas ade‐voted grandmother(and dog grandmother),sister, aunt,and friend.A native ofBuras,LA, shevolun‐teered at Port Sulphur High School during thefootball season, andatSt. Jude Catholic Church andEle‐mentary School.She wasa residentofBreauxBridge, LAafter hurricane Katrina, where sheworkedat Hebert’sSuperette for12 years before retiring and movingtoMaurice,LAin 2021. Belovedmotherof Michael Lightell Jr.(Alicia) and ChristopherLightell (Brittney). Sister of Vickie HingleProut (Rollen) and the late CynthiaHingle Dinet (the late Michael) and thelateAnastasia Hin‐gle “Stacey” Taylor (Ben‐jamin).She is also survived

by hermotherLoisHingle, five grandchildren, Tyler, Krystal Marie, Cameron, Krystal Alyssa &Jasmine, and threegreat-grandchil‐dren, Jahiem,Jacob &Julie She is also survived by multiplenieces, nephews and greatniecesand nephews.Elisa waspre‐ceded in deathbyher fa‐ther, Jules“Sammy” Hin‐gle,her sister Anastasia “Stacey”Taylor, andjoined indeath by hersisterCyn‐thiaDinet.The Funeral MasswillbeonSaturday, August16, 2025, at Our LadyofPerpetual Help, 8968-LA 23, BelleChasse LA70037, at 11 a.m. The viewing will beginat10 a.m.FatherKyleDavewill officiateand entombment willfollowatOur Lady of Good Harbor Cemetery, 35736-35748 Hwy. 11, Buras, LA70041. Funeralplanning entrusted to Robinson FamilyFuneralHome(504) 208-2119. Foronlinecondo‐lences, please www.rob insonfamilyfuneralhome. com.

Youwill always be in

Angela TonyaMarsalis entered into eternalrest onWednesday,July30, 2025. Belovedmotherof AshleyMarsalis, Joseph Marsalis andthe late Tony Marsalis;daughterofthe lateJosephBenjamin Marsalis andOlgaH Marsalis;sisterofEdward Kevin DeGreat, Beverly Karen Marsalis andthe lateJosephVincent De‐Great;grandmother of Joseph, Jaquez andJoevell Marsalis;alsosurvivedby a host of otherrelatives and friends. Relativesand friends of thefamily, also pastor, officers andmem‐bersofProgressive Baptist Church areinvited to at‐tendthe FuneralService on Saturday, August 16, 2025 beginning 10:00 a.m. at Progressive Baptist Church,1214 So.Robertson Street,Rev.Dr. Johmyrin Johnson,hostpastor, Rev. Clifford Williams,officiat‐ing.Church visitation 9:00 a.m.until thehourofser‐vice. Professional service entrusted to Littlejohn Fu‐neral Home,2163 Aubry Street,Cal K. Johnson, Fu‐neral Director/Manager Info: (504) 940-0045.

nity College. He wasem‐ployedbythe Orleans ParishSchool Boardand SchlumbergerOffshoreOil Company.Kenneth wasthe lovinghusband of 38 years Terry DavisMartin. Beloved fatherofKilah Kendra Mar‐tin,Kalum KendallMartin (Chasity),KyleKenneth Martin(Shanta), Cassidy Keonna Martin-Day (Pa‐trial), andKaitlynnKentrell Martin(Baby Girl). Devoted brother of JamesLester Martin, Jr andTerry Mar‐tin.Kenneth wasalsosur‐vived by his4grandchil‐dren, SPCKentrellMartin, Kye Mratin,Patrial Day, Jr ElijahDay anda host of nieces, nephews, cousins, familyand friends. He was precededindeath by his parents JamesLesterMar‐tin,Sr. andCarol Hall Mar‐tin;and hissisterDebra MartinWhiter. Relatives and friendsofthe family are invitedtoattend the Celebration of Life Service onFriday, August 15, 2025 atGertrudeGeddesWillis FuneralHome, 2120 Jack‐son Avenue,New Orleans, LA70113 at 12:30 p.m. Visi‐tationfrom11:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. IntermentProvi‐dence Memorial Park,8200 Airline Drive, Metairie,LA 70003. Youmay sign the guest book on http://www gertrudegeddeswillis.com. Gertrude Geddes Willis Fu‐neral Home Inc.,incharge (504) 522-2525.

Oceanous JamesMcCoy was thelast-born childto JohnHenry McCoy, Sr.and Noela SarahMcCoy on Au‐gust30, 1945. Oceanous was well lovedbyhis friends andfamilyalike and understood thehigh expectationsofhis loving parents andremained steadfastinthe teachings ofhis Seventh-DayAdven‐tistfaith.BorninNew Or‐leans andraisedinKenner, Louisiana.Oceanoushad anexcitingchildhood! He and hissiblingsformeda familysinging groupcalled the Kenner Revelators and performed weekly on a local radioshowwhere their father served as the announcer.Hewas edu‐cated in theOrleans Parish publicschool system and graduated from Walter L Cohen High School in 1963 After abrief period in the workforce,heanswered the call to servehis coun‐try,joining theU.S.Armyin 1967. StationedinCrail‐sheim,Baden-Wüttemberg, Germany,hefulfilledhis dutieswithpride Oceanousmet hisfuture wife, Beaula Richardat Ephesus Seventh-DayAd‐ventist Church andonApril 24, 1968, Beaula and Oceanouswerewed in Los Angeles,California. After welcoming their firstchild SecretD.McCoy,the young militaryfamilyembraced lifeabroadinGermany Theyexploredand toured Europe, visiting Italy, Aus‐tria, Switzerland, andmany other cherisheddestina‐tions.Theyreturnedto New Orleanswithtrea‐sured memories as well as a stylishnew VW Beetle which they enjoyedtooling around town! In 1974, the familyjoyfullywelcomed their second child, Kendal O.McCoy.Their love of traveland fellowship con‐tinuedto flourish,with memorable journeys to campmeetings at Lone StarCampand spirited gatheringsatYouth Con‐gressesand Alumni Week‐endsatOakwood College. These experienceswere spiritually enlightening ad‐venturesthatshapedthe family’senduringvaluesof faith,togetherness, anda deep appreciation forcom‐munityand culture. Oceanouswas alifelong seeker of knowledge, al‐

KennethGerardMartin, age 60, wasbornonSep‐tember13, 1965 in NewOr‐leans,LA. He departed this lifepeacefullyonThurs‐day,July31, 2025. He wasa proud graduate of De La Salle High School andhe attended DelgadoCommu‐ See more DEATHS page

Chauntelle Merricks

Aug15, 1977 -Nov 28,2019

It’shardtobelievethatitwould havebeenyour48thbirthday Weareconstantlyremindedof yourhighenergyandexcitement aboutyourbirthday. Itwassuch abeautifulthingtoseeyoumake a“publicserviceannouncement” aboutAugust15th. Youreffervescentsmile,brilliance,intelligence,andwarmth areeverlasting.Yourlaughter,love,joy,andpeacecontinue toseamlesslyflowthroughthelivesyou’vetouchedandleft behind.Wewillalwaysrememberyourunwaveringdevotion toyourchildrenandtheMerricksfamily Happyheavenlybirthday.

OPINION

Sessiona winfor some reformsbut more areneeded

My team and Ispent thepast year,including actively participating in 14 autoinsurance committee hearings before thelegislative session, working with legislators to draft acomprehensive package of regulatoryand legal reform legislation aimed at reducing the cost to drivers in our insurance system —many of which ultimately passed during session.

Of the 20 insurance and legal reform bills Isupported when session began, eight became law

Tim Temple GUEST COLUMNIST

These new laws includea limit on the ability for aperson who is mostly at fault for an accident to recover damages,the requirement for aplaintiff in apersonal injury lawsuit to prove the accident caused the injury andclearer proof of loss requirements that can simplify the claims process. The Legislature also passed Act 466, which says that in lawsuits involving an accusation of negligence that resulted in an injury, juries may hear and consider

theamount actually paid to the medical providerasopposed to only theamountoriginally billed —and weall know the amountpaid is rarely as high as theamount billed. In cases where health insurance is used, Act 466 limits recovery to the amountpaid by ahealth insurer Act 466 is agood step toward fixing our medical billingtransparency problem. However,westill must address themajor issue of inflated providerbilling when the patient does not usehealth insurance.

Theemphasisonlegal reform did not limit our focus on strengtheningthe propertyinsurance market for home and business owners. Of the19regulatory and property insurance bills I supported when session began, 13 became law Twoofthese newlaws work together to create apermanent source of funding from the insurance industry for the Louisiana Fortify Homes Program (LFHP),

while three others create or increase existing tax incentives for fortified roofs.

Outsideofsolidifying theLFHP, theLegislature also passed several bills to improve policyholders’ experience in our market. These changes include required training on new insurance laws for agents, adjusters and public adjusters. This will help makesure consumers receive the best guidance. The changes also include increasing the notice period for cancellationsand nonrenewals to 60 days for most policies and requiring that nonrenewal notices include thecause for the nonrenewal so policyholders can address the issue and improve their insurability.Finally,italso contains stiffer penalties for insurers that do not provide rental car benefitstopolicyholders in atimely manner

While theLegislature passed manygood bills this year,Iam disappointed by thegovernor’s vetoofSenate Bill 111 and by theSenate’srejection of 12 other reform bills Isupported —10of which failed to pass theSenate Judiciary ACommittee. These

CancelingMid-Barataria Sediment Diversionwas theright

move forstate

For over 30 years, Ihave dedicated myself to the protection andrestoration of Louisiana’s coast. As alegislator for12 years serving as chairman of theNatural Resources and Environment Committee, a Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority board member representing the House of Representatives as well as parish president of Terrebonne Parish for eight years,I have witnessed firsthand the challenges and triumphs of coastal management. It is crucial that we maintaina balanced and strategic approach to coastal restoration.

In 2024, Iwas appointedbyGov Jeff Landry and confirmed bythe Senate to serve as board chairman of CPRA.

project area after construction.

Mitigation and adaptive management costs are not fully funded by Deepwater Horizon settlement funds. These escalating costs threatened to derail CPRA’s ability to fund other vital projects across ourcoast and obligate future funding streams, and 50 years to build land for coastal protection is just too long. We need, and can build, cost-effective projects that produce benefits within ourlifetimes.

bills would have provided meaningful legal reforms, including a cap on general damages, limiting attorney contingency fees and more.

Worse, Act 11, which went through several iterations while being pushed through the legislativeprocess by Gov.Jeff Landry, threatens theprogress we’ve madebygiving the insurance commissioner unilateral authority to disapprove rate requests and publish proprietary and/or confidential information forpurely political, personal and other subjective reasons.

Act 11 makes Louisiana’sinsurance industry moreheavily regulated than California’s, harming our efforts to create apredictable regulatory environment that fosters competition, protects consumers and ensures the financial stabilityofinsurers. This is not theright path forLouisiana.

In April, Iwrote that Iwould explore other options if we didn’t get true legal reform passed and signed into law.Because of how mixed this year’sresults are, I plan to explore one of those other

options, specifically the Louisiana Commercial Automobile Corporation.

Based on the Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Corporation which solved the workers’ comp crisis in the 1980s and 1990s, the LCAC would provide affordable insurance forbusinesses that have no realistic commercial auto options and demonstrate the degree to which our legal system is corrupting the market. Iplan to study this option and, depending on the results, may propose future legislation to establish it.

Iappreciate the sponsors of the above-mentioned bills and their serious focus on improving our insurance market this year As we begin the hard workof implementing the reforms that have just passed, my staffand I are already looking forward to working with legislators next session to continue strengthening Louisiana’sinsurance markets to the benefit of the citizens of our great state.

TimTemple is theLouisiana commissionerofinsurance.

Expandingfacialrecognition abad move forNew Orleans

Every day Iride my bike downmy block in Milan, atight-knit residential neighborhood in central New Orleans. And every day,a surveillance camera follows me down theblock.

Gordon E. Dove GUEST COLUMNIST

Iimmediately began reviewing the costly $3 billion-plus Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project. Prior to Landry’stenure CPRAleaders assured thepublic thatno tax dollars would be used forthis project. Funding for the project was cappedat$2.8 billion in Deepwater Horizonoil spill settlement funds from the Trustee Implementation Group through funding of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundationand the NaturalResource Damage Assessment.

In both business and governance, making tough decisions is adaily reality. As chairman, Iunderstand the importanceof operating withinour financial means. This principle is not just soundbusiness sense; it is essential for effectivegovernance.

The recent decision by theLandry administration to cancel the diversion projectexemplifies this approach. Along with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, a decision was made to suspendthe Corps permit and reachanagreement with the Trustee Implementation Group resolution to terminate the Mid-Barataria Diversion project.

The project aimed to address coastal erosion in alimited area andits initialconstructioncosts were envisioned at approximately $700 million. However,as theproject evolved, costs rose to over $3 billion Thisfigure would have escalated because of mitigation issues that would havebeen caused by construction. There would have been post-construction andother costs, in the form of adaptive management (known as “pay as you go”). Recent engineering estimates suggested an additional $1 7billion could be needed for maintenance dredging of navigable waterways in the20-mile

For example, thestate announced intent to pursue thecongressionally authorized diversion approved for engineering and construction in the 2007 Water Resources Development Act, known as Medium Diversion at Myrtle Grove, with dedicated dredging. This projectwill result in moreland being built faster at lower cost and with fewer impacts than the Mid-Barataria diversion.

It will leave Louisiana with more money available to fund other vital projectsalong thecoast.

Thedecision to halt thediversion project was not made lightly.Considering the uncertainties andquestionable environmentaloutcomes recognized by various agencies, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, TIG, as well as thelatest scientific modelingreport, it was necessary to abandon the current project.

This ensures that no single project jeopardizes CPRA’s mission to deliver acomprehensive, coast-wideprotection and restoration program. By stopping the financial bleeding, we can advance numerous other projectsthat will protect our communities without compromisingthe financial health of ourcoastal program.

Leadership requires making difficult choices, and Icommend Landry for prioritizing fiscal responsibility.This decision allows ustoreturn to acommon-sense approach, focusing on projects that offer tangiblebenefits without breaking thebank. It is areminder that while environmental ambition is important, it must be balanced with practicality and foresight.

As we move forward, let us embrace this opportunity to protect and restore our coast with arenewed commitment to fiscal prudence. The future of our communities depends on it.

Gordon E. Dove is chairman of the board of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority

Despite therosy rhetoricof pro-surveillance politiciansand facial recognition vendors, that camera doesn’tmake me safer In fact, it puts everyone in New Orleansatrisk.

On Aug. 20, aNew Orleans City Council committee will consider its latest version of anew facial recognition ordinance. If the ordinance is approved, Louisianawill becomethe first stateinthe nation with acitywide biometric surveillance network capable of tracking hundreds of thousands of residentsinreal time.

That’snot astep we wanttotake. Once invasive surveillance technology like that ends up in thehands of the government, thereare no guardrails or oversight mechanisms powerful enough to protect our freedom and privacy from bad actors, corrupt politicians, hackers and anyone who doesn’thave our best interest at heart.

Expanding real-time facial recognition to all city cameras would set an unprecedented shift in masssurveillance for thewhole country

It would build theinfrastructure for adatabase that would record our facial features, personal characteristics and whereabouts every time we stepped outside our front doors. All of that data, even if eventually deleted, can be used to train artificial intelligence to get better at recognizing and tracking us over time.

Disturbingly,acollection of cameras positioned across New Orleans is already capable of tracking residents’ every move, recording data and trying to match ourfaces to databases of millions of images of people.

These cameras were never approved by thepeople of New Orleans. They are owned by one local man —Bryan Lagarde, executive director of Project NOLA —which we now know because of bombshell revelations in The Washington Post.

Project NOLA has been secretly spying on New Orleans residents with live facial recognition cameras foryears. These cameras are at undisclosed locationsaround the city,and mostimportantly,police use of this technology has been outlawed since thelocal commu-

nity rallied behind asurveillance ban in 2021. Enough is enough. Time and again, NewOrleans has been used as atesting ground fordisempowering programsagainst our Black and Browncommunities —not only forsecretive racist mass surveillance tech, but also fora charter school system that has deteriorated our youth’seducation. We have been treated as asacrifice zone foroil, gas and plastic plants to destroy our ecosystem and poison our health, causing us to boast the highest rates of cancer in the country.Weare not guinea pigs, and we are not disposable. As an immigrant, Iamdesperately sounding the alarm about how devastating this surveillance ordinance would be forall New Orleanians, including our migrant communities. All over the country,our people are being kidnapped, our families are being separated and in New Orleans, even our citizen babies with cancer are being deported.

If we roll out real-timefacial recognition in New Orleans, we have to expect that our facial recognition data will be demanded by ICE, requested by Louisiana police or even hacked by anti-immigrant groups —empowering President Donald Trump’sagenda of terrorizing and violating our immigrant communities’ fundamental human rights. Instead of doubling downand investing in costly,racist technology,we should refocus on the root causes of crime and harm.More than aquarter of all adults in NewOrleans have low literacy levels. At 22.6%, our poverty rate dwarfs the national average of 10%. Dystopian face surveillance doesn’t solve those problems, but it does put us all at risk. The good newsis, we already know how to do better.Recently,this newspaper editorialized about the manycommunity programsand nonprofit efforts that are successfully reducing crime in Louisiana year by year Our elected officials have aduty to their constituents: to protect our freedoms, defend our dignity and keep us safe. Our problemscan’tbesolved with morecameras and surveillance; they have deep systemic roots that have to be addressed.

EdithRomero is an organizerwithEye On Surveillanceand avolunteer with UnionMigrante.

COMMENTARY

APPLEWHITE

ASSOCIATEDPRESS PHOTOByJ.SCOTT

Militarypersonnel departthe District of Columbia National Guard Headquarters as President Donald Trump implements hisorder to use federallaw enforcement and theNational Guardtoexpel homeless people and rid the nation’scapitalofviolent crime in Washington on Tuesday

ISSUE OF THE WEEK D.C. TAKEOVER

President Donald Trumpsent the National Guard into Washington, D.C., and federalized the city’s police force this week in an efforttocombat violent crimeinthe nation’scapital.The troops would also tackle homelessness, whichhas become an increasing problem.Somecritics saythe administration’seffort goes toofar,pointing to statistics that showinrecentyears crime has dropped in D.C.,asithas in otherbig cities. Still, othersargue the city’s crimeratesremain unacceptably high.Will the federal government stepping in makeadifference? Hereare twoperspectives.

Crimeisabig problembut National Guardisn’t needed

Imake apoint of agreeingwithPresident Donald Trump whenever heis right about something, and I’m afraid he is right that in D.C., crime and disorder is amajor problem.

It is not as big aproblem as it wasa few yearsago,but with crime, as withcancer, “somewhatless of aproblem thanitwas” is not really very good news.

This does not justify Trump’s harebrained scheme to deploy the National Guard to patrol thestreets, an idea that marries sinister overtones with very limitedeffectiveness. Nor is the problem likely to be solved by federalizing D.C. law enforcement and prosecutions, as he suggested at aMonday news conference. But Trump’scritics will not talk him out of these plansbyconjuring the specter of afascisttakeover,nor by arguing that he shouldn’t be worried about crime, because after all, lookhow much it’sfallen!

federal prosecutions? For starters, D.C.’s progressive establishment needs to show aserious commitment to solving theproblem, which means beefing up thecriminal justice system, not just hunting for “root causes” that can be addressed by social workers.

National Guardjusta temporaryfixfor issues

ega McArdle M n

D.C. had 187 homicides in 2024, or about 27 for every 100,000 residents.That is, to be sure, amassive 32% drop from the273 people who werekilled in 2023, butthat probably wasn’tmuch comfort tothose187 people or theirgrievingfamilies. And it’s horrific comparedwith Boston,whichhad 3.7 homicidesper 100,000 residents during thatsametimeframe, New York City (4.7) or Los Angeles (7.1). Even afurtherreduction in 2025 —year-to-date homicides have fallen 12 percent compared with thesame period last year —won’tbring those numbers anywherenear where theyshould be. This is the capital cityofour country Disorder,such publicdruguse or homelessness, is also aseriousissue. It does not endangerlifeor property, but it does make publicspacesless usable, frayingthe civic fabric that knits acity together.AsTrump said in his news conference, “Washington D.C. should be one of thesafest,cleanest and most beautiful cities in theworld.”At themoment it is not. So, how to solve thoseproblems, if not with the NationalGuard andtougher

writer’scity of

As Christopher Lewis andAdaner Usmani argued in a2022 paper,America is underpoliced but overincarcerated. Because we don’thave enough police to control crime, violent crimeishigh compared to the rest of the developed world, and clearance rates are low.Wehave tried to compensate for this by handing down moresevere sentences for those who are caught. Unfortunately,the sort of people who are goodatcalculatingthe expected value of their actions tendnot to become criminals, so this doesn’twork very well —especially in the case of juveniles, who have been involved in some horrific, high-profile crimes in recent years.

We don’tneed harsher sentences, but morecapacity to ensure that some sentence, any sentence, will result from a crime. Staffing fell at the D.C. police department post-pandemic, andsodid stops and arrests. Though the situation has stabilized, and crime is now falling from its pandemic highs, thelevel of violence remains unacceptable.

Those who are opposed to Trump’srecentmoves should argue not that they constitute incipient fascism, but that they aren’t areal solution. The department needs moremoney to hire moreofficers; better training,management andadvancement opportunities for those officers; and theassurance that the people they catch will beprosecuted. Andthe D.C. Department ofCorrections needs to pioneer new approaches that Republicans and Democrats can live with: sanctions focused on deterrence andincapacitation, not retribution or political showmanship Megan McArdle is on X, @asymmetricinfo.

Iwas borninWashington, D.C., at theend of 1942. Growing up in the suburbs there was so little crime it made the front page in the city’sthree newspapers. Today,unless someone who works on Capitol Hill is murdered, or associated withaprominent business, stories are usually buried in the Metro section. Then, you could walk the streetsatnight and feel safe. Now, you take your life in your hands.

President Donald Trump has ordered National Guard troops into the citytohelp D.C. policecontrol violent crime.

As U.S. Attorneyfor D.C. Jeanine Pirro notedataWhite House news conference, many teen criminals are assignedtofamily court where “they aresent to yoga and art classes. That changes today.”

There are facts, lies and statistics, as the saying goes, and Democrats are claiming statistics show violent crime is down in D.C.

n The White House has issued alist comparing actual DC crimestatistics withothercities and countries:

n In 2024, Washington, D.C., saw ahomicide rate of 27.3 per 100,000 residents. Thatwas the fourth-highest homicide rateinthe country —nearly six times higher than NewYork City and alsohigher than Atlanta, Chicago and Compton.

n If Washington, D.C., were astate, it would have thehighest homicide rate of any state in the nation.

n In 2012, thehomicide rate in Washington, D.C. was just 13.9 per 100,000 residents.

n Washington, D.C.’smurder rate is roughly threetimes higher than that of Islamabad, Pakistan, and 18 times higher thanthatofcommunist-run Havana, Cuba.

n The number of juveniles arrested in Washington, D.C., hasgone up each year since 2020 —many of whom have had prior arrests for violent crimes.

n There were 29,348 crimes reported in Washington, D.C. last year, including 3,469 violent offenses, 1,026 assaults with adangerous weapon, 2,113 robberies, and 5,139 motor vehicle thefts.

n So far in 2025, there have already been nearly 1,600 violent crimes and nearly 16,000 total crimes reported in Washington, D.C.

These statistics are not only troubling on their own, but they also likely significantly understate the level of crimeinWashington, D.C.

n Many residents don’tfeel safe reporting crime.

n More than half of all violent crime in the U.S. goes unreported.

n WUSA-TV:“D.C. residents voice frustration over rising violence, questioning police stats and demanding real action to make neighborhoods feel safe again.”

CNN notes: “Extending the takeover for alonger period requires Trump to formally notify the chairs and ranking members of congressional committees handling DC affairs. Any control lasting more than 30 days would need congressional approval and must be passed into law,a highly improbable scenario given the current gridlock in aclosely divided Congress.”

Area residents know what needs to happen in addition to swiftpunishment of the perpetrators. They include employed fathers in the home and school choice to free especially poor kids from failing public schools that give them nothing on which to build alife. Without these the National Guard will only be atemporary fix.

Email Cal Thomas at tcaeditors@ tribpub.com

ForecastFrom WWL-TV,Your Local Weather Experts

thepatternlooks to be the same with

in themid-90s accompanied by showers and storms.Inthe tropics,there is one spotinthe southernGulf that will move into South Texasoverthe nextday,which will bring them somemore rain. In the westernAtlantic Ocean, Erin is set to intensify to major hurricane status later this weekend as it passes just north of theCaribbean Islands. Aturntothe north is expected nextweek, which should keep it away from the U.S. Though, big wavesand rip currents are likely along theEasternSeaboard.

ways immersedina new book or pursuing afresh businessventure.His ca‐reer path reflectedhis ver‐satilityand drive, spanning roles in trucking,security, and construction.After Hurricane Katrina, he chose to retire andclose one chapterofa life markedbyresilience and exploration.Oceanous’s presencewas agifttoall who knew him. Hisgener‐ous spirit,gentleaffable nature, andability to make a genuineconnectionwith a smile left an enduring markthatwillbefondlyre‐memberedand deeply missed. On Monday,Au‐gust4,2025, aftera brief illness, Oceanous quietly began hisslumber await‐ing thereturnofour Sav‐ior.Oceanousleaveshis lovinglegacywithhis two children, Secret D. McCoy Aubert(Ryan)ofNew Or‐leans,KendalO.McCoy (Denise)ofJacksonville, Fl.,and twobeloved grand‐children, Niko F. Mbayeand IshaE.Mbaye.Heissur‐vived by twodevoted sib‐lings,JosephWardMcCoy (Judith)ofBrentwood,TN. and Loviland Jeaurene Howzell of LosAngeles,CA; a host of nieces,nephews, extendedfamilyand countless friendswho carry hismemoryintheir hearts. Oceanous waspre‐ceded in deathbyhis par‐ents, John &Noela McCoy; his siblings,JohnH.McCoy, Jr. andAuritaElizabeth Booker;and Beaula “Nia” McCoy,withwhomhe sharedthe privilege of raising theirchildren. Rela‐tives andfriends of the familyare invitedtoattend a FuneralService at D.W. RhodesFuneral Home,3933 WashingtonAve NewOr‐leans,LA70125 on Satur‐day,August16, 2025 at 10:00am.Visitationwill begin at 9:00am until 10:00am.Pleasejoinusby livestreamat9:50amby visitingwww.facebook com/D.W.RhodesFuneralHo me/live.Pleasevisit https://premiermemories net/users/MTcwMDY2LU9 jZWFub3VzIEphbWVz/ home.htmltosignthe on‐lineguestbook,share memoriesand condo‐lenceswiththe family. Arrangementsentrusted to D.W.RhodesFuneral Home, 3933 Washington Ave.,New Orleans,LA(504) 822-7162 www.rhodesfuneral.com.

Musmeci, WilmaSavant

WilmaSavantMusmeci passedawaypeacefullyat her home in Metairie Louisiana,inthe presence ofher family, on August 2, 2025, at theage of 88.Born December18, 1936, in Melville, St.LandryParish, Wilmawas theyoungest child of thelateAdolphSa‐vantand AdeleDeville Sa‐vant. Sheisprecededin death by hertwo sisters, Hilda Sims andThelma Musmeci,and herbrother, VernonSavant. Sheman‐agedher parents’ grocery store in NewOrleans prior toher move to Metairie in 1960. Later, Wilma worked inthe retail industry,a per‐fect fitfor herloveof clothes andfashion.She was adevoted wife, mother, andhomemaker known for herwarmth, kindness, and dedication toher family. Sheleaves behinda belovedand de‐voted husband of 69 years, Salvadore J. Musmeci, her two daughters, Monica Musmeci of Metairie and Paula MusmeciofKenner, who will forevertreasure her unwavering love,wis‐dom,and gentle spirit.She was amemberofSt. Christopher theMartyr Catholic Church anda memberofthe Humane So‐ciety.A privategraveside service will be held at Greenwood Mausoleum. In lieuof flowers, thefamily requeststhatmemorial contributions be made to the Humane Societyofthe UnitedStatesat1255 23rd Street,NW, Suite450, Washington, DC 20037.We alsoinviteyou to share yourthoughts, fond memo‐ries, andcondolences on‐lineatwww.greenwoodfh com.Yoursharedmemo‐rieswillhelpuscelebrate Wilma’slifeand keep her memoryalive

Vincent Paz, alovingfather and grandfather, left this world on the 2nd of August,2025. Born on the 25thofApril, 1949, in the city of Guayaquil, Ecuador, Vincent's journey ledhim to Marrero, LA,where he spent his final days surrounded by theloveofhis family.Hewas adevout Christian, and now walks thegoldenstreets of Heaven. Vincent was cherished by his family,including Charlene Paz, his children Vincent Paz, Rebecca Ruegge, and ChristianPaz, his step-children Sean Wilsonand Stephanie Lacaze, and hisgrandchildren Zachary Lacaze, TaylorLugo, Nicholas Lacaze, Cole Ruegge Emma Ruegge, Evelyn Paz, and his great-granddaughterEllaVillasenor, his nephew Jody Ferguson, and his beloved chihuahua,Atlas. He joins his belovedmotherLeonor Davis,sister Laura Ferguson,and auntsAnna Rosa Frazierand Susanna Varas in theeternal embrace of the Lord Vincent'slegacy is one of laughter, selflessness, and an unwavering friendship He was one of akind. He willbedearlymissed, and live in our heartsforever.

Martha Elaine Smith'Mego'

andCoryL.R.Epps III, (3) great-grandchildren Jace Carter, Jaeven Carter and JessieCarter. Also sur‐vived by ahostofother rel‐ativesand friends. Pre‐ceded in deathbyDavid R. Ramie Sr., andDavid R. Ramie Jr.Familyand friends areinvited to at‐tendthe CelebrationofLife Service on Saturday,Au‐gust16, 2025, for10:00 a.m. atDeliverance Missionary Baptist Church,6122 Hayne Blvd.,New Orleans, LA 70126. Visitation will begin at9:00a.m.PastorJessie Magee Jr., officiating. In‐terment will follow at St RochCemetery#2, 1725 Music St.New Orleans, LA 70117. Guestbook Online: www.anewtraditionbegins com (504)282-0600. Linear BrooksBoydand Donavin D.BoydOwners/FuneralDi‐rectors

Social Aidand Pleasure Clubs areinvited to attend A Celebrationservice hon‐oring thelifeand legacy of the late Irma LeeRudolph willbeheldatGentillyBap‐tistChurch,5141 Franklin Avenue, NewOrleans,LA 70122 on Saturday,August 16, 2025 at 11 am.Inter‐mentPrivate.Visitation9 aminthe church.A Tradi‐tionalJazzFuneral will fol‐low after thechurch ser‐vice, leavingCharbonnet Labat GlapionFuneral Home, 1615 St.Philip Street,New Orleans, LA 70116. Please sign online guestbook at www.cha rbonnetfuneralhome.com. Charbonnet LabatGlapion Directors (504) 581 -4411

DEATHS continued from HerbertGaines, Edith (Byron) Jupiter, Willamena Gaither,Elizabeth Wingo, VictoriaScott,Evella Roberson, andthe late MelvinRobersonWilbert Gaines, SolonScott II, James Wingo, Marius Whit‐tington,PatriciaGaines, Florence, Gloria,Mildred, and TracySmith.Alsocher‐ishinghis memories are12 grandchildren,14greatgrandchildren,2 godchil‐dren, afew extended chil‐dren, anda host of nieces, nephews,cousins,other relatives andfriends.Rela‐tives andfriends of the familyare invitedtoattend the HomegoingCelebration atDavis Mortuary Service, 6820 Westbank Express‐way,Marrero,LAonSatur‐day,August16, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. Visitation will begin at 8:30 a.m. until ser‐vicetimeatthe parlor.In‐terment:RestlawnPark Cemetery-Avondale,LA. To viewand sign theguest‐book,pleasegotowww davismortuaryservice.com. Face masksare recom‐mended.

Irma LeeRudolph,a beloved mother,grand‐mother, sister andaunt passedawaypeacefully surrounded by herloving familyonSunday, August 03, 2025 at theage of 81 Irma wasbornMarch 20, 1944 in Hattiesburg,MSto the late WilhemenaHunter and LouisTackwood.She is survivedbyher children, Jewel Bailey,Tareen and Tyree Rudolph; siblings Ernest, Joseph andMona LisaHunter; fifteen grand‐children, sevengreatgrandchildren,a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Irma wasa dedicated andvaluable employeefor over 30 years atthe Municipaland Traffic CourtsofNew Orleans, where herhardworkand commitmentwereevident toall who worked beside her.Staff andemployees of The City of NewOrleans CityHall, Municipaland TrafficCourts; members and former membersof The Original Lady andMen Buck Jumpersand allother

Eddie“EddieCool” Smith,Jr.,age 83, departed thislifeathis residenceon Wednesday,July30, 2025 Hewas anativeofDonald‐sonville, LA anda resident ofMarrero,LAfor 65 years. Eddieattended Magnolia HighSchool in Donald‐sonvilleand wasa retired pipefitter. He enjoyed fish‐ing,hunting andplaying baseball. Eddieplayedand traveledwiththe Brown Travelers Baseball Team to manyplacesand wonsev‐eraltrophies. He also loved cookingfor hisfamilyand friends.Eddielefta lasting impactoneveryonewho knewhim.Beloved hus‐bandofthe late JanieMae GainesSmith.Devoted fa‐therofEvieWalker, Aaron Smith,Clayton Smith, and Lowanda Smith. Sonofthe lateEddieand Emerle Smith.Lovingbrother of Stella Scioneaux, Myrtle Madison,Omanda(Marvin) Robinson, Roger, Gerald, and Lawrence (Margaret) Smith,and thelateLily Mae SmithWhittington Warren, Herman,and Leroy Smith.Son-in-lawofthe lateFrank andPearl Gaines.Brother-in-lawof

Shawn“BigTweet”Tou‐ssaint, age57, passed awaypeacefullyonSatur‐day,August2,2025, at WestJefferson Medical Center. He wasa native of New Orleans, LA anda resi‐dentofAvondale, LA Shawn wasa graduate of L. W.Higgins High School and he attended SouthUni‐versity of NewOrleans “Tweet”, as he wasknown tofamilyand friends, was a retiredprivate school bus driver.Hewas also known as “DJTweet”, who alwaysknewhow to hype the partieswithhis music. Shawn will be remembered asthe life of theparty and for hisfamousseafood boils andfamilygather‐ings. Thefamilywould like toextendtheir heartfelt gratitudetothe doctors,

Martha “Mego” Elaine Smith Ramiepassedaway onAugust10, 2025, at the age of 73. Martha E. Smith Ramie is survived by:(1) daughterTifanyK.Ramie, (3) grandkidsLatikaM Harris,Layla M. Harrison, See more DEATHS page

SPORTS

STANDOUTS

Five Tigers making an impact throughthe firsthalfofLSU preseason

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

When the LSUfootball team wakes up on Saturday,only twoweeks will separate it from its seasonopening showdown on the road againstClemson on Aug. 30.

The Tigers have spent the last two weeks sortingthrough position battles on theoffensiveline and in the secondary,while searching for the best ways to deploy each of the18transfers it signedinthe offseason. Not allofthem will start, but coach Brian Kelly and hisstaff are counting on most of them to fill some key roles.

Having trouble keeping track of all the new names andfaces? We’ve got you covered.

Here are five playerswho have caught our eye in the first half of LSU’spreseason camp, with returning stars such as GarrettNussmeier and HaroldPerkinsexcluded

1. CB MansoorDelane

Delane, aVirginia Tech transfer, certainly looks the part. He’sbig, physicaland competitiveinall his one-on-one repsagainst LSUreceivers. In team drills,Nussmeier has hardlythrown in his vicinity. But he’sstill madeafew stand-out plays, such as the interception he almost secured in the end zone on Monday and the scoop-and-scoretouchdown he foundonTuesday In the spring,Delane saidhejoined the Tigers largely because he wanted to boost his draft stock.

2. TE Trey’Dez Green

Saints need Penning’s recovery to be speedy

The New Orleans Saints need Trevor Penning.

Yes, you read that right. Forget the past three seasons of Penning’scareer

The Saints’ offensive line is better with him than without him

Rod Walker

ä Jaguars at Saints NOON SUNDAy, KATC

This timeaweek ago, I would have called the Saints’ O-line the team’s strength. Maybe it still is. But the foot injury left guard Penning suffered in Sunday’spreseason loss to the Los Angeles Chargers leaves agaping 6-foot-7, 325-pound hole in the line. At least fornow Areport by the NFLNetworksays Penning will miss afew weeks.

Saints head coach Kellen Moore didn’tsay how long Penning’sinjury would have him sidelined, only saying “a little while.”

How long that is remains to be seen. What we do know though, is Penning will miss somepractice time—avaluable commodity foraplayer making the transition from tackle to guard this season. There was atime whennews of Penning missing time wouldn’thaveseemed

ä See WALKER, page 4C

So far,sogood forthe senior.He’s usedpreseasoncamp to solidify his standing as LSU’stop outside cornerback.

Tulane QB Sullivan injured at practice,limps off field

BYGUERRYSMITH

Contributing writer

Tulane quarterback Brendan Sullivan exhibited his uniquebrand of toughness again in Thursday morning’spracticeat the Saints indoor practice facility. Thequestion is whetherthattoughness will end up sidelining him this time

Running akeeper in alive goal-line drill, he came up limping on hisright legafter taking on three defenders,losingthe battle and falling down awkwardly.Instead of heading to the sideline to getcheckedout, he stayed in and raced around the left side for atouchdown on the nextsnap.

Aminute later,helimped off the field and sat dejectedly on abench inapparentlysignificant discomfort before heading back to campus early for an X-ray

The exact injury or its seriousness was not clearimmediately,but coachJon Sumrall remained optimistic after practice two days ahead of Tulane’ssecondand final scrimmage of camp.

“So far everything looks clean,” he said

“So far everything looks clean. The first reportwas fairly positive at least in regard to theX-ray.... We are going to getimaging.”

JONSUMRALL,Tulane coach

“The first report was fairlypositive at least in regard to theX-ray.Theysaw nothing there initially.Itmay be just alittle foot or an ankle (injury).We’ll see. We aregoing to get imaging.” Sullivan, atransfer from Iowa whoarrived in late May, hadbeentakingplenty of snapswiththe first-team offenseina three-way competition for thestartingjob withBYU transfer JakeRetzlaff and Ball Statetransfer Kadin Semonza. Frequently, Sullivanwas the sharpestofthe three in preseasoncamp, combining excellent running abilitywith better commandofthe offense thanRetzlaff, who joined the team

ä See TULANE, page 5C

In LSU’s Texas Bowl win over Baylor, Green caught sixpasses for 53 yards and twotouchdowns. Now he’s picking up whereheleft off —and ä See LSU, page 5C

BYROD WALKER Staff writer

October22ndcan’t getheresoonenough forthe New Orleans Pelicans. That’swhen the Pelicans will be in Memphis, Tennessee, to play their season opener against the Grizzlies.

It’ll be the first of 82 opportunities the Pelicans will gettoremove the bitter taste from one of theworst seasons in franchisehistory The Pelicansfinished21-61 last season and missed the playoffs in aseason filled with farmore injuries than wins. Will this season, the first one with Joe Dumars calling the shots as the team’s executive vice-president of basketball operations, be better? Time will tell.

For now,weknow the path the Pelicans will be on afterthe NBAreleased theupcoming season’sschedule on Thursday Here are five takeaways from the Pelicans’ schedule as they try to get back on track after awoeful 2024-25 season.

See

BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS

Browns QB Sanders sidelined with injury

PHILADELPHIA Cleveland rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders remained sidelined from practice Thursday with an oblique injury, and it is unlikely he will play in the Browns’ preseason game against the Eagles. Sanders suffered the injury during drills ahead of practice Wednesday. Sanders and the Browns were in Philadelphia for a pair of joint practices ahead of Saturday’s preseason game.

MacIntyre leads at BMW Championship

BY DOUG FERGUSON AP golf writer

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Robert Ma-

cIntyre seized on a softer Caves Valley after a two-hour storm delay and rode the best putting round of his year with six straight birdies to post an 8-under 62 for a three-shot lead over Tommy Fleetwood in the BMW Championship on Thursday MacIntyre finished it off with a 5-foot birdie putt on 18th hole, and that was the easiest of his final six birdies. He holed a 65-foot birdie putt on the 12th and followed that from 40 feet. And he kept right on going until he matched his low round on the PGA Tour and left everyone chasing after the opening round of the penultimate postseason event.

“The last six holes is probably as good as I’ve ever putted in a stretch of holes,” he said Scottie Scheffler was tied for the lead when he returned from the delay and birdied three of his final four holes for a 66. Rickie Fowler was another shot behind, a big step toward making the Tour Championship for a shot at the FedEx Cup.

MacIntyre looked to be unstop-

pable except that he ran out of holes.

“When I went back out, I had a 7-footer for birdie which was going to set the tone for the rest of the afternoon, and I rolled that in nicely,” said MacIntyre, who then rolled along quite nicely

It was a different course when the top 50 in the FedEx Cup arrived to Caves Valley, which hosted the BMW Championship in 2021. Patrick Cantlay won in a playoff over Bryson DeChambeau after both finished at 27-under 261.

It has gone through a big renovation, changed to a par 70, and it was playing tough enough that Viktor Hovland at 67 had the low score of the morning before a bank of dark clouds and heavy rain pounded the course.

Softer greens made all the difference, but the 62 by MacIntyre was no less impressive. The Scot also shot 62 at the Travelers Championship last year

“The course was a lot softer so we did have a chance of shooting a score,” Fleetwood said, who was on the 16th hole when MacIntyre finished. “Did he finish with quite a few birdies maybe?” Six of them.

“That helps,” Fleetwood said with a smile. It was a nice start for Fleetwood, too, particularly after another tough ending last week when he had a two-shot lead with three holes to play and finished one shot out of a playoff at the FedEx St. Jude Championship in his bid for his first PGA Tour title. The goal was to get back into contention as quickly as possible. This was only one round, but it was a good start. Fleetwood had one of only two bogey-free rounds, the other belonging to Hideki Matsuyama (69).

“I’ve been a pro for — I don’t know how long, I’m not going to do the math — but I’ve had my fair share of playing rubbish,” Fleetwood said. “I’ve spent weeks playing terrible. So playing well and being in contention is a privilege. You’ve got to enjoy those times So while I’m playing well, I’m kind of enjoying it as well.”

Scheffler played with Rory McIlroy as the Nos. 1 and 2 seeds in the FedEx Cup, which means nothing at this stage because every one of the 30 players who advance to East Lake will start from scratch as they play for the FedEx Cup.

Tour Championship now o

BY DOUG FERGUSON

McIlroy struggled off the tee, had three bogeys in six holes and pulled it together for a 70 that included eight straight pars at the end. Scheffler wobbled a bit at the turn, twice missing greens and failing to get up-and-down. But he had three birdies in four holes at the start, and three birdies in four holes at the end.

“Golf course definitely got a bit easier but did a good job of taking advantage of the holes I had left,” said Scheffler, who posted his 14th consecutive round in the 60s. Hovland came into the BMW Championship at No. 28 in the FedEx Cup, right on the bubble for being in the top 30 to reach the Tour Championship. He figures good will take care of that. It was a more significant start for Fowler, who barely got into the top 50. Ditto for Michael Kim and Jason Day, both outside the top 40. They each shot 68. Xander Schauffele, who has never missed the Tour Championship since he won it as a rookie in 2017, might see that streak end. He was at No. 43 and is searching, and it showed. He opened with four bogeys in six holes, battled back and closed with a double bogey for a 74.

ffers richest prize in golf

will not be official money But now that the player with lowest score wins the Tour Championship

The Browns said Sanders is day to day Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said ahead of Thursday’s practice that Sanders would be out “for a little bit” and the team wanted to be smart with his health because the former Colorado standout is “a thrower.”

Lakers to honor HOF coach Riley with statue

LOS ANGELES

The Los Angeles

Lakers will unveil a statue of former coach Pat Riley on Feb. 22, as the Hall of Famer joins the likes of former team greats Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant in bronze outside their downtown arena.

The Lakers will fittingly honor Riley against their long-time rival, the Boston Celtics.

Riley coached the Lakers from 1981 to 1990 during the team’s “Showtime” era and won four NBA championships (1982, 1985, 1987, 1988). With Johnson and AbdulJabbar leading an exciting roster with a groundbreaking fast-break offense, the Lakers went 533-194 (.733) in Riley’s tenure and added 102 playoff victories over nine seasons.

Social justice messages to continue in end zones

The NFL is continuing its onfield social justice messaging for a sixth straight season.

All 32 teams will feature an end zone message of their choice at each home game throughout the season, selecting from four options: “End Racism,” “Stop Hate,” “Choose Love,” or “Inspire Change.” Once again, “It Takes All of Us” will be stenciled in the opposite end zone for all games. These messages will complement the league’s other cause campaigns such as Salute to Service and Crucial Catch, which will appear in end zones during select dates.

“We’re working hand-in-hand with players, and alongside our clubs, to amplify player voices and underscore what is most important to them,” Anna Isaacson, the NFL’s senior vice president of social responsibility, said.

Medalist Stout rallies to advance at U.S. Amateur

SAN FRANCISCO Top-ranked amateur Jackson Koivun didn’t make a birdie until his final hole for the second straight round in the U.S. Amateur The difference Thursday was he was eliminated at The Olympic Club, along with three others from the top 10 in the world amateur ranking.

Oklahoma State junior Preston Stout, the medalist in stroke-play qualifying and the No 4-ranked amateur became the only player from the top 10 to advance, taking the lead for the first time on the 13th hole before winning, 2 and 1, over David Liechty Koivun squeaked by in his opening match. He wasn’t so fortunate in the second round, as Max Herendeen took the lead on the seventh hole and led the rest of the day

money, while third place gets $3,705,000. Last place gets $355,000. The last time East Lake had an official purse was in 2018 at $9 million, and Tiger Woods won $1.62 million. Justin Rose won the FedEx Cup without winning a postseason event and got the $10 million bonus. Patrick Cantlay was among several players who liked the change away from starting strokes, and he said winning the Tour Championship — even if a player was at No. 30 was still worthy of being the FedEx Cup champion.

Brewers fans earn free burgers with 12th win Brandon Woodruff has pitched some of the most important games in Milwaukee Brewers history but even he felt a little additional pressure as he took the mound Wednesday afternoon against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Not only would a victory maintain his perfect record on the season and extend Milwaukee’s winning streak to 12 games, free hamburgers for the entire city of Milwaukee were on the line.

“There was a little bit more at stake today,” Woodruff said “I wanted to win those burgers bad. Who doesn’t want a free burger?” The Brewers beat the Pirates 12-5 to extend their winning streak to 12.

Pels’mostintriguinggames this season

Reunions,rivalries andother gamesto keep an eyeon

The New Orleans Pelicans’ schedule for the 2025-’26 season was released Thursday.The Pelicans will be looking to get back on track after finishing 21-61 last season. Here are the 10 most intriguing games on this season’sschedule.

Oct. 22: Pelicans at Grizzlies

The bad news is the Pelicans enter the season on a seven-game losing streak. The good news is they have done well in season openers. The Pelicans have won their last three season openers, including two by double digits. They’ll open this season against the Grizzlies as they try to get the Joe Dumars era off to agood start. The Pelicans and Grizzlies have played 22 times since Zion Williamson and Grizzlies guard Ja Morant went 1and 2inthe 2019 draft. But the two stars have only played against each other eight times. Both should be available for the opener

Oct. 24: Spurs at Pelicans

What better way to open things up at home than aZion Williamson vs. Victor Wembanyama matchup. The Pelicans didn’t give the Smoothie King Center crowd much to cheer about last season, winning just 14 games at home. This will be the first time fans get aclose glimpseof all the new pieces Dumars assembled.

Oct. 27: Celtics at Pelicans

The Pelicans haven’thad much luck against the Celtics in recent years. The last win against Boston came in the 2020-21 season. That’seight straight losses, including one last season when a CJ McCollum shot at the buzzer didn’t stay down. Can the Pels finallyend their eight-game skid? Maybe catching them early will help.

PELICANS

Continued

Spotlightdimming

The Pelicans were mustsee TV after drafting Zion Williamson with the No.1 overall pick in 2019. The NBA awarded the Pelicans with 30 nationally televised games that season. That number has dwindled since then as the Pelicans have beengiven about halfas many national TV games in recent years. ThePels had 18 nationallytelevised games on the schedule three years ago. Twoyears ago, they had 12. And 13 last season. This year,they have been given just twonational TV games: vs. the Spurs at home (Dec. 8onPeacock) and vs. the Grizzlies (Jan.30 on ESPN).

This will also be the fifth consecutive season the Pelicans don’tget ahigh-profile Christmas Day game. Bah humbug.

Back-to-backs

The dreaded back-toback games are always one of thefirst thingsto look for on aschedule. It’s even more important for teams like the Pelicans, especially if they continue to be cautious with playing Williamson two games in a row.The Pelicans had16 back-to-back dates on last season’sschedule. They went6-26inthosegames. This season, they have 15 back-to-backs.

Toughest stretch

Nov.14: Lakers atPelicans

This is thePelicans’ second game in group playofthe NBA’s In-Season Tournament. It’ll be the first time LeBron Jamesand Luka Doncic haveplayed as teammates in New Orleans. The Smoothie King Center should be rocking forthisone.

Nov.17: ThunderatPelicans

Last season’sNBA champs come to the Smoothie King Center.OKC is trying to become the first team to repeat since the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018. The Thunder have owned the Pelicans in recent years. Ledbylast season’s MVPShai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC has won ten straight games againstthe Pelicans, including asweep in thefirst round of the playoffs in the 2023-24 season.

Nov. 21: Pelicans at Mavericks

The third game in group play of the In-Season Tournament has the Pelicans on theroad against Anthony Davis andthe Mavericks. The Pelicans were hoping to win the draft lottery after last season,but it was theMavs who won and selected Duke superstar Cooper Flagg.

Dec. 18: Rockets at Pelicans

The Rockets have added Kevin Durant to their roster and look to be aserious contender in the West after finishing as the conference’s No. 2seed last season. This will be agood test for the Pelicans, who are trying to turn things around the same way theRockets did last season.

March 8:Wizards at Pelicans

CJ McCollum, who spent the past 31/2 seasons withthe Pelicans, returns to New Orleansfor the first time since theoffseason

Easieststretch

There really isn’tone. But since we have to put something here, let’s go withthe back-to-back home games in March against theWashington Wizards and the Toronto Raptors.

Double dipping If you’re afan of both the Pelicans andthe football team that plays next door, get thebatteries for the remote ready for thesegames Here are the twoSundays the Pels and Saints play on thesame day this season. Nov.2: (Pels at OKC, Saints at L.A. Rams)

trade. McCollum lefthis markon thecourt and in the city and most certainly will get avideo tribute in his first return. Pelicans’ newcomers Jordan Poole and Saddiq Bey,acquired in the trade, will face their old team.

March 11: Raptors at Pelicans

Brandon Ingram hasn’t played in agame since getting injured last December against theOKC Thunder.The Pels traded him to Toronto before thetrade deadline last season. Ingram makes his return to New Orleans, the city he called home for51/2 years.

March 19: Clippers at Pelicans

Who knows how long Chris Paul will keep playing? He signed a one-year,$3.6 milliondeal this offseason to return to L.A. after playing last season with the San

Antonio Spurs. Paul, considered by most to be the best player in franchise history,returns to New Orleans for what very well could be his final season.

April12: Pelicans at Timberwolves Last season, the Pelicans shut down their star players by the time they reached the finish line. Playoff hopes were dashed long before the regular season finale. Pels head coach Willie Green, in his fifth season, has alternated making the playoffs in his first four years. He made it his first and third season and missed it in Years 2and 4. Teams in the Western Conference have typically been jockeying for postseason position up until the last game. The Pelicans need this game to have somemeaning.

Twoseasons ago, the Pelicans were the best road team in the NBA. They won 28 games away from the Smoothie King Center that year.But roadwins (heck, any wins) werehard to come by last season. These two road stretches are the most difficult. First, there is athree-game trek starting in late October against theNuggets, Clippers and Thunder And in late February,there is asix-game road trip out West to play Utah (twice), both Los Angelesteams, Sacramento andPhoenix. Also,there’s a tough five-game homestand in mid-November that includes theLakers, Warriors, Thunderand Nuggets Playing the Clippers(Halloween night), Lakers,Clippers, Mavericks and Grizzlies in group play of the InSeason Tournament won’tbe an easy task either

Nov.30: (PelsatL.A.Lakers, SaintsatMiami Dolphins). There is apossible third one on January 4when the Pelicansplay at the Miami Heat. The Saints will play therival Atlanta Falcons in the regular season finale on either Saturday or Sunday that week. By theway,there were sixsuch occasionslastseason when New Orleans’ two pro franchises played on thesameday.The Pels and Saintscombined to go 2-10 in those days.

Email Rod Walkerat rwalker@theadvocate.com.

PRESEASONCAMP

Saints O-line off to slow start, QB battle continues

CARSON, Calif. Three weeksinto training camp, Erik McCoy had gotten used to the way defensive coordinator Brandon Staley likes to dial up pressure. So when the New Orleans Saints center participated in Thursday’sjoint practice against the Los Angeles Rams, andthe looks the defense gave pre-snap differed significantly from the ones he had been regularly seeing, he said it took him aminute to adjust But he was hardly alone in that regard.

“I thought we started off alittle slow,” McCoy said. “Let’scall a spade aspade.”

So much of the focus on the Saints’ training camp this year hascentered on New Orleans’ quarterback competition. But against the Rams, it was the Saints’ offensive line thatcouldn’t be ignored. Facing one of the best fronts in football, the results weren’talways pretty.Across83 reps, Spencer Rattler and Tyler Shough would have been sacked at least five times if contact wereallowed, and the offensive line contributed to many of the six penalties that were called.

There’snoneed to overreactto just one practice, but at the very least, the Rams provided greatexperience for New Orleans’ offensive line. At tackle, in particular, rookie Kelvin Banks and second-year Taliese Fuaga had their hands full with Byron Young and Jared Verse.But highs and lows are to be expected as Banks adjusts to the NFL and Fuaga movesfrom left tackle to right tackle, his collegeposition.

The near-constant pressure added awrinkle to the Saints’ evaluation of their quarterbacks.

“It’sgot to be process-focused,” Saints coach Kellen Moore saidwhen asked how he evaluates the quarterbacks when the offensiveline struggles. “You just have tomake surethey are going through the right process. Acouple of those plays —sack or no sack, certainly there may have been —you’ve just got to finish the play.”

That said, the Saints’quarterbacks were game even withall the pressure.

Here were the stats from a mostly scripted session: Rattler: 12-18 (123-184 overall)

Shough:13-22,not including spike (109-176)

Jake Haener:5-6 (78-115)

Rattler and Shough —both fighting for the No. 1spot— settled in well and looked sharp when responding to mistakes. The two alternated first-team reps again, but it was Rattler who started first and was ready to let it rip. Rattler began the morningby hitting his first seven consecutive passes.Hefound tight end Juwan Johnson —who had areally nice day with six catches —onback-

Continued from page1C

like abig deal. The first three years of his NFL career have been underwhelming, especially consideringthe Saints selected him withthe No 19 overall pick in the 2022draft. But things seemed to bepointing in theright direction for Penning this training camp as he moved to aposition that played to his best assets. Penning’sstrength is his strength.

All that brute power he has is muchbetterutilized inside at guard as opposed to theathleticism required at tackle. It’sbeen obvious that Penning, entering the final year of his rookie contract, is more comfortable and more confident at guard

The position switch is one of the most important moves Kellen Moore made since taking over as head coach. It helped transform a unit that was aquestion mark this time last year

Erik McCoy is rock solid at center.Cesar Ruiz is steady on McCoy’sright side. And there is the

to-back throws and then later hit Rashid Shaheed over Rams cornerback Emmanuel Forbes

After theyonly shared the field for one regular-season game last year,Rattler and Shaheed have built impressive chemistry as camp has progressed. Rattler’sbest throw Thursday was again on abomb to the speedy wide receiver, who got behind two Los Angelesdefenders and sprinted to the end zone for atouchdown. Shough, though, made sure he wasn’t left behind.His top moment was arguablyonashallow crosser to Mason Tipton —whose speed appeared to take the Rams’ defensebysurprise as he hit just theright angles to take off for a really long touchdown. Shough also hit BrandinCooks near thesideline to gain afirst down on what appeared to besecond-and-20.

Both quarterbacks, however, struggled in the red zone.

While Shough stood calmlyand hit Cedrick Wilson for a10-yard touchdown on his first passing attempt of the series, it was downhill from there. He then hadfour straight incompletions and took asack.

Rattler wasn’t much better.A double-blitz up the A-gap got to the quarterback immediately,and Rattler went1-of-4 across his two series of red-zone reps.

Haener,it turned out, looked the sharpest of the Saints’ quarterbacks in the red zone, though his reps wereagain limited to only the thirdstring. The third-year signal-caller hit Clyde Edwards-Helaire

promise of the two tackles taken in the first round of the last two drafts: Taliese Fuaga last year andKelvin Banks this year

All of asudden, the Saints seemed to have finally assembled the puzzlepieces up front. Then Sunday afternoon at SoFi Stadium happened

In additiontothe Penning injury, theSaints also lost backup interior linemanWill Clapp on the first series. Clapp, aNew Orleans native whoreturned to the Saints this offseason after spending the past threeseasons with the Chargers andthe Buffalo Bills, was going to be akey reserve for the Saints. Now he’sout for the season, removing depth from aunit thatdidn’t have awhole lot to begin with.

This Saints’ offensive line is probablyonly going to be as good as thefirst fiveofFuaga, Ruiz, McCoy, Penning andBanks. That quintethad taken allthe reps with thefirst-team offense throughout camp before thePenning injury

We saw last season just how quicklythings can go downhill with onemissing piece up front.

Remember last year?

Thecity was buzzingwhen the Saints steamrolled theCarolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys to

Young, Blackmon highlightSaints’ defensevs. Rams

CARSON, Calif. It took only a few plays into acompetitive period of Thursday’sjoint practice between theNew Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Ramsfor Chase Young to makehis presence felt.

in the flat and then found tight end Treyton Welch for atouchdown. Still, theSaints were pleased with how they closed practice —and how thelast few series unfolded determined why.Inaddition to Rattler’s standout deep ball to Shaheed, Shough led the Saintstowhat would have likely been agame-winning field goal during thefinal set of team drills.

Down 23-21 with 1:20 left from their 35-yard line, Shough hit three straight passes to get into field goal range. Then, after a spike, Shough found Johnson on an out route to quickly get out of bounds for a10-yard gain. After one more throwaway to burn another four seconds, the drill ended with Moore yelling, “Nice job!” to his celebrating offense.

Just as notableonthat drive, the offensive lineheldup. They didn’tseem to allowpressure outside of thefirst play of the 10-play drive. Even on that play,which resultedinShough accidentally hittingBanks’ helmet with apass because of the oncoming rush, Shough and the offense didn’tlet themistake derailthe drive.

“When you play in someunscouted situations, it’s great work,”Moore said. “You’ve got to respond. You’ve got to trust yourself. You’ve got to react.And so there’splenty of opportunities to grow,first and foremost.But they did respond, they kept fighting and kept making some plays.

“It’ll be great film for our guys to watch.”

The Ramswere trying to set up areceiver screen to the leftside of their formation —a design that in theory should eliminate talented edge rushers like Young from the play’sequation.

Except Young quickly recognized what washappening and got his hands up in the air,battingthe pass away That was one of three passes Young broke up against the Rams —two knocked downat theline of scrimmage, and another when he crunched atight end as he was in coverage. And that’snot even getting into what Young did rushing the passer

“He’s looking all-world right now,” said defensive tackle Davon Godchaux. “It’sbeen great to workwith him. His motor,his energy …isunbelievable, bar none. He’srelentless getting after the quarterback; Ithink he probably had like six sacks today.And we’regoing to need that.”

Six sacksisoverstating Young’simpact in Thursday’s scrimmage, but it’snot that far off. Young wasanear constant presence in the Ramsbackfield, either killing plays outright or forcing rushed throws.

The Saints defense did not get achance to test its mettle against the Rams’ true A-team, because quarterback Matthew Stafford continuestomiss practice with a back injury.Still, with players like Young playing at agamewrecking level, it’snot hard to seethe Saints defense being an improved unit this season.

“He has an ability to makea huge impact on this gamefor us,” coach Kellen Moore said. “We expect alot of things out of him; it’sawesome to see him getting after people.”

AndYoung wasn’tthe only one making plays.

Threeinarow

Interceptions are fairly notable things during training camp practices because they don’t happen very often.

Unless your nameis Julian Blackmon The Saints’ safety, signed at the outset of trainingcamp after Tyrann Mathieu’s surprise retirement picked off a Jimmy Garoppolo pass in Thursday’s practice, giving Blackmon at least five interceptions in trainingcamp andone in each of the last three practices.

Blackmon hasconsistently made plays when the ball is in

get off toa2-0 start. Then on the first drive of Week 3against the Philadelphia Eagles, McCoy went down withagroin injury,and theSaints were never quite the same. There were plenty of other

injuries along the way, but it all started with the loss of McCoy Offensiveline play will be even more critical this season fora team with unproven quarterbacks vying for the starting job. The

the air throughout training camp, whichisn’tsurprising when considering his résumé: He’s intercepted 10 passes since his 2020 rookie season, ranking 13th among NFL safeties in that span. It’sthe rest of his game that he’sbrought along with his playmaking skills that has been such apleasant surprise. In addition to the interception, Blackmon made several plays as arun defender, crashing hard from his place in the deepest part of the secondary to support the run. He also showed his physicality as apass defender,again crashing hard from his deep safety position to hit receiver Davante Adams right as the ball arrived, jarring it loose and incomplete in the process. “Julian is the ultimate pro,” Moore said. “A quick transition forhim,and I’mreally impressed with how quickly he was able to acclimate himself to the system,tothe team.He’s just doing an exceptional job.” Odds andends

With Alontae Taylor sidelined by agroin injury,the Saints let both UgoAmadi and Terrell Burgess take first-team snaps as the slot cornerback, with Amadi taking the first crack at it …Young and CarlGranderson werethe first edge rushers to take the field, but Cam Jordan and Chris Rumph also took first-team snaps. That’sprobably the rotation they’ll start the year with …The secondteam run defense didn’thave a great showing in the preseason game, and that wastrue again Thursday Jarquez Hunter,the Rams’ fourth-round rookie back, broke free forseveral big plays against the backups, including one that would’ve likely gone for aroughly 60-yard touchdown A2-minute drill to close things out wasthe only non-scripted part of Thursday’spractice, and it waseasily the worst part of the day forthe Saints defense. The first team allowed Adams and PukaNacua to get free forbig chunks of yardage on the first twoplays, while the second team did the samefor rookie receiver Konata Mumpfield

Saints need to be able to run the ball effectively to makethings easier forSpencer Rattler or Tyler Shough. That starts with the guys blocking up front. They also need to be able to protect Rattler or Shough.

The Saints have plugged in veteran Dillon Radunz in Penning’s spot during practice. Radunz has played mostly at tackle in camp, including in Sunday’sgame against the Chargers.

The best-case scenario is fora speedy return forPenning.

“Any player whocan keep participating would be awesome,” Moore said. “But things like this happen. Trevor will do everything he can to prepare himself for when the opportunity presents itself again. We feel good with where he’satright now.”

Where the Saints need him most though is on the field.

Any chance the Saints have of exceeding the low expectations that manypeople have forthis season depends on how well the Saints play up front.

Penning plays abig 6-7, 325 part in that.

Email RodWalker at rwalker@theadvocate.com.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

BETTER TOGETHER

LSU cornerbacks entering season with

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

Last August, LSU’s cornerbacks room was in a state of flux.

Its lone returning starter, Zy Alexander, was working his way back from a torn ACL. Sage Ryan, who started at corner in 2023, had moved back to safety PJ Woodland and Ashton Stamps were having strong camps, playing their way into potential starting roles, but had to battle with veteran transfers JK Johnson and Jyaire Brown for playing time.

In Stamps’ eyes, the competition and unknowns within the room made building camaraderie and chemistry more difficult “It was hard as a corner group to gel together,” Stamps said “Because everybody felt like they were going against each other.” Flash forward 365 days and Stamps believes the opposite is now the case. LSU’s cornerbacks room is more adept at helping each other this year than it was a year ago. That, in turn, has made everyone better.

LSU

Continued from page 1C

he’s not only flashing in the red zone. In team drills and 7-on-7 work between the 20-yard lines, the sophomore is creating enough separation on his short and intermediate routes to draw consistent targets from Nussmeier

Green still needs to improve as a blocker before he can become a complete tight end who can play on every down. But LSU is lining him up everywhere: in-line, in the slot and out wide. Expect him to at least play a large role in the passing game.

3. DT Bernard Gooden

LSU’s interior offensive linemen have had their hands full with Gooden, the 6-foot-1, 268-pound South Florida transfer He’s not a physically imposing defensive tackle — a fact that adds weight to what he’s accomplished in camp. His quick get-off and competitive motor are erasing size advantages.

Gooden’s had an unusual career

He’s a fifth-year senior, but he’s played only two full seasons one at Wake Forest and another at South Florida.

TULANE

“This year, we’ve been working together as a group, getting each other better,” Stamps said. “No jealousy none of that.”

Much of the change in lockerroom tenor at the position is a result of LSU overhauling its personnel over the offseason.

The Tigers brought back Woodland and Stamps, but they were aggressive in the transfer portal, adding Mansoor Delane from Virginia Tech and Florida’s Ja’Keem Jackson. They also signed freshman five-star recruit DJ Pickett, the No. 2 cornerback in the nation, according to the 247Sports Composite.

The additions of Delane and Jackson, in particular, have created a more structured hierarchy in the room. Their proven experience has begun to rub off on Woodland, Stamps and especially Pickett.

“Being able to have Mansoor help me out. I help Mansoor (Us) helping DJ out, PJ. Just being able to do that gets us better,” Stamps said. “It gets us all better to where we (are) all eating on the field.”

The new faces have also created more depth. Last year, Stamps and Alexander played the vast majority of snaps, making it difficult for either of them to stay fresh throughout the season.

“I felt like death,” Stamps said.

“It was really hard for us. Me and Zy we took damn near all the snaps last year.”

Already LSU hasn’t been afraid to rotate cornerbacks in and out of the first team defense during camp Stamps, Jackson and Delane have earned the majority of firstteam reps, but Woodland has also made numerous plays in coverage since the start of practices. Pickett, after a slow start, has shown incremental improvement ever since.

A lower-body injury to Jackson that sidelined him during Monday’s practice tests LSU’s depth, at least in the short term. But given the room’s obvious improvements on paper and on the field, the Tigers are stronger at cornerback this year than ever before under coach Brian Kelly

“Some people may think it’s Mansoor versus me, Mansoor versus DJ, (Ja’Keem) versus PJ, or something. It’s none of that,” Stamps said. “You know, we’re just all working.

“The only way (we’re going to) win the national championship is if we help each other Because if we help each other, we’re all going to do good.”

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

linked up for a deep touchdown pass. On Monday, Nussmeier found Brown for a roughly 30-yard score in tight coverage near the corner of the end zone.

Brown might be the fastest player on the team. He can outrun anybody and Nussmeier has the arm strength to deliver him accurate deep balls.

LSU’s offense already looks more explosive, and Brown is a large reason why

5. CB PJ Woodland

PREDICTING THE PLAYOFF

A way-too-early guess at who will make the College Football Playoff

BY EDDIE PELLS AP national writer

It is a well-versed group of athletic directors, former coaches and players along with a sports writer, who will be armed with statistics, analytics charts and graphs and enough highlights to start their own college football network as they settle into their work on the College Football Playoff selection committee.

In the end, though, the sport’s method of determining a champion — or at least deciding who gets the right to play for the championship comes down to a matter of opinion.

Now in its second year with an expanded bracket, 12 teams will make the playoff to close out the 2025-26 season. Five of those slots will go to conference champions. The rest will be at-large bids to be handed out by the 13-person committee. Here’s a far-too-early prediction at where they will end up, and what the toughest choices will be before the bracket comes out on Dec. 8.

Conference champions

There’s no debate over this — the five conference champions with the best ranking from the committee will make the playoff. But in a change from last year the top four won’t be guaranteed first-round byes. Best guess here says these will be the champions.

Southeastern: Texas, with Arch Manning, is the favorite. But Georgia wins a rematch of a Nov 15 showdown with the Longhorns in the SEC title game that won’t have all that much riding on it, CFP-wise, since, after all, these both look like top-four teams.

Big Ten: Penn State coach James Franklin is 1-10 against Ohio State Buckeyes have two Heisman Trophy hopefuls in Jeremiah Smith and Julian Sayin. Game is at the Horseshoe and Ohio State is the reigning national champion. Another Michigan upset could factor in all this, of course, but Ohio State wins the conference.

Atlantic Coast: Miami is a dark horse. Clemson has the goods and quarterback Cade Klubnik.

Big 12: Let’s assume, just because they’re a Power Four conference, that this league will produce one of the four bestranked conference champions. But not by much. Kansas State has QB Avery Johnson returning, which could be enough to

win a conference in which at least six teams, including defending champ Arizona State, have a chance.

Group of Five: If Boise State, sans Ashton Jeanty, wins at Notre Dame on Oct. 4, the Broncos are in. If not (more likely), then let’s assume Tulane takes care of business at home against both Duke and Northwestern and makes the playoff.

At-large and in charge

Texas: Longhorns split against Bulldogs with another matchup potentially in store?

Alabama: Hard to imagine the Tide losing four games again this season (or the committee overlooking any ugly number in the ‘L’ column if they do, regardless of their strong schedule.)

Oregon: QB Dante Moore chose Oregon, then UCLA, then Oregon again, and if he lives up to expectations, the Ducks could go far

Penn State: CFP semifinalists last season, the Nittany Lions try to, once again, take advantage of the second chance the playoff offers.

Miami: QB Carson Beck came over from Georgia, but this defense will need to improve.

Notre Dame: The Irish game against better-than-expected USC on Oct. 18 will be the equivalent of a playoff play-in.

Mississippi: If only to save us from another Lane Kiffin social media barrage. But seriously, this program had one of the best transfer-portal hauls in the country The Rebels are also getting used to winning 10 games a year and you can’t ignore that forever And the matchups are

The bye teams: No. 1 Georgia, No. 2 Ohio State, No. 3 Texas, No. 4 Clemson.

The first-round matchups, on campus: No. 12 Tulane at No. 5 Alabama: This will be the conspiracy theory game. Tulane, probably ranked about 16th, will take the spot that could’ve gone to yet another SEC team. (Did you know Tulane was once in the SEC?) Meanwhile, Alabama might be good enough to be ranked fourth but the committee wanted to assert its independence by not handing byes to three SEC teams. No. 11 Kansas State at No. 6 Oregon: The fifth, final and probably most decisive of the Big 12 vs. Big Ten matchups in 2025. No. 10 Mississippi at No. 7 Penn State: They met in the Peach Bowl in 2023 Now, Ole Miss gets a cold welcome to the big time. No.9 Notre Dame at No.8 Miami: They play a regular-season game Aug. 31. You can’t ever get enough of a good thing.

So it was a bit of a surprise when Gooden kept flashing early in camp

He’s now seeing significant snaps on LSU’s first-team defensive line.

4. WR Barion Brown

You can count on Brown to make a highlight-reel catch in just about every practice. He and Nussmeier have struck up a nice connection. On the first day of camp, they

Continued from page 1C STAFF FILE PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane jogs up the field during the team’s spring practice on April 12 at Tiger Stadium.

three weeks ago

“He (Sullivan)’s done a great job,” Sumrall said. “He’s really elevated his play. He’s been really consistent. He’s been leading at a high level. It’s frustrating any time a guy has a setback, but we’re a couple of weeks from the first game. I said let’s shut it down and go figure out what it is. He may be off for a few days. I don’t know yet.” Sumrall defended his decision to have full tackling of the quarterbacks in the drill. When the

Green Wave did the same thing in a short-yardage period last week in the same venue, Sullivan handed out as much punishment as he absorbed. “When we go to goal line, I don’t know any other way to practice,” Sumrall said. “You can’t just have tag or thud.” Sumrall saw Sullivan hobbling after the big hit but said he insisted on taking the next snap.

“I could tell something wasn’t right, but he then goes on to outrun half the defense to the front pylon,” Sumrall said. “That probably bodes well. Hopefully it’s nothing major Out of an abundance of caution, I said let’s get it

An injury or two in the secondary would force LSU to rely on Woodland, a sophomore who appeared in all 13 games of his freshman season. If practice is an indication, then Woodland would provide serviceable production in place of an LSU starter In camp, he’s blanketing receivers and breaking up passes thrown mostly by secondteam quarterback Michael Van Buren.

Woodland enrolled at LSU as a three-star recruit from Mississippi. Now he’s working behind only Delane, Stamps and Florida transfer Ja’Keem Jackson. Five-star freshman DJ Pickett has taken most of the second-team reps at corner opposite Woodland.

looked at immediately I think he’ll bounce back as quickly as possible because he’s a really tough guy

We’re still a couple of weeks away from the first game.”

In Sullivan’s absence, Retzlaff and Semonza split the rest of the reps with the first-team offense

Retzlaff threw incomplete under pressure on his first play of the goal-line drill, was stopped short of the end zone on a keeper and handed off to Arnold Barnes for a touchdown.

During regular 11-on-11 work, Retzlaff connected deep with West Jefferson product Shaun Nicholas, who caught the ball over his outside shoulder after expecting it to

come inside. The duo hooked up again for a touchdown on the next play

“Jake has got the ability to create plays and extend them with his feet,” Sumrall said. “He makes big throws a lot of the times in big moments. The biggest thing is just executing and operating at the line of scrimmage in the offense.”

Semonza, who participated in spring drills, threw a strike to Oliver Mitchell on the sideline but was also intercepted by nickelback TJ Smith for the third time in four practices. Safety Jack Tchienchou picked him off again later “Kadin’s really good at the operational stuff,” Sumrall said. “He

knows what we’re doing with the ball and has done some good things in his own right. We can win games with a lot of guys in that room.” Lagniappe

Sumrall said tight end Ty Thompson, who tweaked a hamstring earlier this week after having a strong first scrimmage, would be held out for a week-and-a-half to make sure he recovered, labeling it a Grade 1 (lowest

Tough waytoscore

Jiri Lehecka (22),

Quarterfinals Jannik Sinner (1), Italy, def. Felix AugerAliassime (23), Canada,6-0,6-2. Women’s singles Round of 16 Coco Gauff (2), UnitedStates, def. Lucia Bronzetti, Italy,6-2,6-4 Jasmine Paolini(7),Italy, def. BarboraKrejcikova, Czechia, 6-1, 6-2. VarvaraGracheva, Russia, def. Ella Seidel, Germany, 2-6, 6-1, 6-1. Men’s doubles Round of 16 Neal Skupski and Joe Salisbury (5), Britain def. Sadio Doumbia, France, and Brandon Nakashima, United States,6-4, 7-6 (3). Lucas Miedler, Austria, andFrancisco Cabral, Portugal, def. EdouardRoger-Vasselin France, and Hugo Nys(8),Monaco,6-3, 3-6, 10-7. Mate Pavic, Croatia, and Marcelo ArevaloGonzalez (1), El Salvador, def. MarceloMelo, Brazil, and AlexanderZverev, Germany, 6-2, 7-6 (3). Women’s doubles Quarterfinals Lyudmyla Kichenok,Ukraine,and EllenPerez (6), Australia, def. Nicole Melichar-Martinez United States, and Liudmila Samsonova Russia, 6-4, 6-1. GabrielaDabrowski, Canada, and ErinRoutliffe (2), New Zealand, def. Caty McNally United States, and Linda Noskova, Czechia, 6-2, 7-6 (3). AlexandraPanova,Russia,and Hanyu Guo, China, def. BarboraKrejcikova, Czechia,and Jelena Ostapenko,Latvia,walkover. SaraErraniand Jasmine Paolini(1),Italy def. Marketa Vondrousova, Czechia, and Peyton Stearns, United States, 6-4, 6-3. Youth baseball Little LeagueWorld Series At Williamsport, Pa Wednesday’s games Game 1: Venezuela 5, Puerto Rico 0 Game 2: Nevada 16, Illinois1 Game 3: Panama 7, Brisbane 2 Game 4: Fairfield (Conn.) 1, Richmond (Texas) 0 Thursday’s games Game 5: Tokyo(Japan) 12, Brno (Czechia) 0 Game 6: Irmo (S.C.) 13, Braintree (Mass.) 0 Game 7: Taipei (Chinese Taipei) 3, Chihuahua (Mexico) 0 Game 8: Sioux Falls (S.D.) 2, Upper Uwchlan Township(Pa.) 0 Friday’s games Game 9: Vancouver (British Columbia) vs Barquisimeto (Venezuela), 1p.m. Game 10: BonneyLake(Wash.) vs.Las Vegas (Nev.), 3p.m Game 11: Santa Cruz (Aruba) vs.Arraijan (Panama), 5p.m.

Buffalo at Chicago, 7p.m.

Monday’s game Cincinnati at Washington, 7p.m.

n It’s time to roam in the Dome on Sunday for the SAINTS FIRST PRESEASON HOME GAME against the Jacksonville Jaguars at noon. The Black and Gold will roll on their ownturf to start the 2025 NFL preseason at the Caesars Superdome against theFlorida felines. Plus, as with anySaints home game, there will be tailgating before the kickoff. neworleanssaints.com.

Blank space?

Taylor Swift memorabilia soon to leaveGrammy Museum in Miss

BY KEITH SPERA Staff writer

This week, Taylor Swiftrevealed her next musical era. Meanwhile, amuseumexhibit in Mississippi dedicated to her previous eras will soon draw to aclose.

Cleveland, Mississippi’s Grammy Museum Mississippi, asatellitefacilityofthe flagshipGrammyMuseuminLos Angeles, will shutter its “Taylor Swift: Through the Eras” exhibitonAug. 31 following a yearlong run.

Want an up-close look at the brown plaid StellaMcCartneydesigned overcoat Swift wore on the cover of her 2020 album “Evermore”? It’sinaglassenclosed case at GrammyMuseum Mississippi.

Swift also loaned the exhibit the faux-fur Free People jacket she rocked in the “Lavender Haze” video,the silver sparkle guitar sheplayed on the “Fearless” tour,the red Gibson Les Paul shedeployed on the“Speak Now” tour and the floral OscardelaRenta dress in which she walked the 2021 Grammy Awards redcarpet,among other items.

“Taylor Swift: Through the Eras” also includes acontinuous screeningof10videos that Swift directed.

An assortment of Taylor Swift’s stageclothes and instrumentsis on displayatGrammy Museum Mississippi in Cleveland, Mississippi, through August.

All of her eras are represented in one form or another,with the exception of her forthcoming 12th album, “The Life of a Showgirl.” She revealed the album’sexistence andtitleearly this week. Her stuff takes up considerable spaceinside the 28,000-square-foot Grammy MuseumMississippi, which opened in 2016 for $20 million The sleek, modern-looking facility is the equivalent of aspaceship ploppeddown in modest Cleveland, next to the Delta State University campus. The museum is the only significant tourist attraction in the town of 11,000, which is surrounded by farmland. Acouple of blocks of retail shops not far from the museum represent an

n Chill out Saturdaywith SNOBALL FEST: THE BARBEGAZI SNOBALL FIGHT,a Krewe of Krampusevent that raises fundsfor the group’s “Parading for All” mission. From1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the NewMarigny Theatre, 2301 Marais St., local marching units will compete to create icy flavors. There’smusic, an artmarket, resources, araffleand a chance to vote. Sno-balls are $5 each. kreweofkrampus com/barbegazi-snoball-fight.

n Friends of the NewOrleans Public Libraryare holding its first ALL CHILDREN’S BOOK SALE at the Norman Mayer LibraryinGentilly this weekend. The largeselection of used booksincludes picture books, chapter booksand booksfor older kids. The saleruns noon to 4p.m. Friday and from10a.m. to 3p.m. Saturday each day at 2001 Gentilly Blvd. and the proceeds go to fundthe library’sSummer Fun&Reading Challengeand other projects friendsnola.org

Ozzy

Osbourne’s

BY KEITHSPERA | Staff writer

That thousands of fans lined the route of Ozzy Osbourne’sfuneral procession in Birmingham, England, on July 30 wasn’tthe day’smost telling manifestation of his public persona’scomplete rehabilitation. That same afternoon outside Buckingham Palace in London, theBand of theColdstream Guards stepped outsmartly in theirred uniform coats and black stovepipehats for the Changing of the Guardceremony Standing ramrod straight in their customaryformation, they rendered acrisp, brassy arrangement of “Paranoid,” the signature anthem of Osbourne’sformer band, Black Sabbath.

ä See OSBOURNE, page 2D

SpikeLee’s ‘Highest 2Lowest’ aturbulent ride

Denzel Washington starsin SpikeLee’s latest movie ‘Highest 2 Lowest.’

By The Associated Press

Today is Friday, Aug. 15, the 227th day of 2025. There are 138 days left in the year

Today in history: On Aug. 15, 1969, the Woodstock Music and Art Fair opened in upstate New York; more than 460,000 people attended the three-day festival, which would become a watershed event in American music and culture.

Also on this date:

In 1057, Macbeth, King of Scots, was killed in battle by Malcolm, the eldest son of King Duncan, whom Macbeth had slain.

In 1914, the Panama Canal officially opened as the SS Ancon crossed the just-completed waterway between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

In 1935, humorist Will Rogers and aviator Wiley Post were killed when their airplane crashed near Point Barrow in the Alaska Territory

In 1947, India gained independence after nearly 200 years of British rule.

In 1961, as workers began constructing a Berlin Wall made of concrete, East German soldier Conrad Schumann leapt to freedom over a tangle of barbed wire.

In 1989, F.W. de Klerk was sworn in as acting president of South Africa, one day after P.W.

Botha resigned because of a power struggle within the National Party

In 1998, 29 people were killed by a car bomb that tore apart the center of Omagh, Northern Ireland; a splinter group calling itself the Real IRA claimed responsibility

In 2003, bouncing back from the largest blackout in U.S. history, cities from the Midwest to Manhattan restored power to tens of millions of people.

In 2021, the Taliban regained control of the Afghan capital of Kabul after the withdrawal of U.S forces from the country Today’s birthdays: Actor Jim Dale is 90. Retired Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer is 87. U.S. Rep Maxine Waters, DCalif., is 87. Author-journalist Linda Ellerbee is 81. Songwriter Jimmy Webb is 79. Actor Phyllis Smith is 76. Britain’s Princess Anne is 75. Actor Tess Harper is 75 Actor Zeljko Ivanek is 68. Celebrity chef Tom Colicchio is 63. Film director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu is 62. Philanthropist Melinda French Gates is 61. Actor Debra Messing is 57. Actor Anthony Anderson is 55. Actor Ben Affleck is 53. Olympic gold medal beach volleyball player Kerri Walsh Jennings is 47. Rock singer Joe Jonas (The Jonas Brothers) is 36. Actor Jennifer Lawrence is 35.

SWIFT

Continued from page 1D

effort to revitalize part of the old downtown.

About two hours is all that’s needed to peruse the entire Grammy Museum Mississippi, including the Swift content.

The pantheon of pop stars depicted above the broad frontporch entrance includes the Mississippi-born Elvis Presley and B.B. King, as well as Justin Timberlake, who was born just up the road in Memphis.

After entering the museum’s spacious lobby, visitors pass a small gift shop en route to a theater for an introductory film about the Grammys Columns in the main room display the major Grammy-winning albums from various decades Jon Batiste’s “We Are,” which won the Album of the Year Grammy in 2022, occupies the same column as Swift’s “Midnights” and “Folklore.”

Glass cases feature Grammy outfits worn by the likes of Beyoncé, Jon Bon Jovi, Count Basie, Barbra Streisand, Miranda Lambert and Faith Hill. There is a display on the history of the Grammy Awards, as well as nonGrammy-related items

A two-piece jumpsuit Elvis Presley wore for a 1975 benefit concert in Jackson, Mississippi, is on loan from Graceland, as is a Presley report card from third grade.

An upright piano Bob Dylan used in the early 1970s while he was living in Greenwich Village and writing songs for “Blood on the Tracks” and other albums is cordoned off along a wall.

But artifacts are not the focus of Grammy Museum Mississippi. Instead, the facility emphasizes interactive experiences and multimedia content.

The contemporary R&B star Ne-Yo appears on screen to demonstrate dance steps next to a dance floor with squares that light up when stepped on.

In multiple isolation booths, visitors can collaborate virtually with blues musician Keb’ Mo’ to finish writing, and record, a song called “Roses Are Red.” In the booth, he appears on a video monitor and performs a few bars of “Roses Are Red.” Visitors select lyrics from a pre-generated list to complete the final verse and then can record it over Keb’ Mo’s accompaniment. In a

OSBOURNE

Continued from page 1D

Short of knighthood, this was perhaps the greatest official honor to which Osbourne could have aspired.

The message delivered by the royal family’s uniformed musicians was clear: Ozzy Osbourne was a Brit in whom the nation should take pride.

That wasn’t always the case.

During the early years of his solo career in the 1980s, Ozzy vied for the title of pop culture’s Public Enemy No. 1.

His music and album artwork dabbled in demonic themes. He was hauled into court for allegedly inspiring two teenagers to die by suicide and was bedeviled by religious protesters.

His rampant drug abuse and alcoholism, coupled with a belief that outrageous behavior was key to his success, fueled a series of public and personal incidents that went well beyond the bounds of “normal” rock star bad behavior

Osbourne’s death on July 22 at age 76 from a heart attack — he also suffered from coronary artery disease and Parkinson’s disease — came barely two weeks after he reunited with Black Sabbath for a star-studded farewell concert at a soccer stadium in Birmingham. For the “Back to the Beginning” show, Osbourne perched on a black throne, too weak to walk or even stand.

This frail, final iteration of Ozzy was far removed from the maniacal Prince of Darkness who stomped around stages and terrorized parents in the 1980s.

Outrageous and general mayhem

Osbourne hailed from the Aston area of Birmingham. Seemingly destined for a grim life of factory work, he was determined to succeed as a musician.

In 1968, he and three other Aston residents formed Black Sabbath. With its occult themes and down-tuned guitars, Black Sabbath pioneered heavy metal. After being fired from Sabbath in 1979, Osbourne found himself alone in Los Angeles in a booze and drug haze. Sharon Arden, the daughter of notorious music manager Don Arden, offered to help him launch a solo career

to himself and others.

Ahead of a meeting with CBS Records executives, Sharon — his manager and eventual wife instructed him to pull two live doves from his pocket and release them, in order to make an impression. Ozzy, drunk, decided it would make more of an impression to decapitate one of the doves with his teeth. Concerts on his Diary of a Madman Tour involved the fauxhanging of a little person and catapulting meat byproducts into the audience. Fans started tossing their own animal parts — real and fake onstage.

On Jan. 20, 1982, in Des Moines, Iowa, Ozzy picked up what he thought was a rubber bat and bit off its head. But the bat was real, as were the rabies shots he subsequently endured.

On Feb. 19, 1982, a drunken Osbourne was arrested in San Antonio, Texas, for relieving himself in Alamo Plaza on the 60-foot-tall Alamo Cenotaph monument. Desecrating one of the most sacred sites in Texas got him banned from San Antonio for more than a decade.

A month later, on the morning of March 19, 1982, in Leesburg, Florida, his tour bus stopped for repairs. The bus driver, high on cocaine, borrowed a four-seat single-engine Beechcraft F35 parked at the same facility

take to the grave with me.”

An image makeover

As he aged and dialed back on the drinking and drugs, Osbourne’s image softened. The major turning point was “The Osbournes,” the MTV reality show that aired from 2002 to 2005. The show portrayed Ozzy as a bumbling, perplexed and putupon husband and dad, one who was more wacky than wicked.

The success of “The Osbournes” earned Ozzy an invitation to the 2002 White House Correspondents’ Dinner and a shoutout from President George W. Bush — the previous governor of the Alamo’s home state of Texas. Osbourne would go on to meet Queen Elizabeth and socialize with then-Prince, and now King, Charles.

That would have been unthinkable in the 1980s, as unthinkable as the Coldstream Guards playing “Paranoid” outside Buckingham Palace.

separate booth, visitors can then “produce” the finished recording by adjusting levels of the various components.

Another isolation room allows visitors to sample and compare different sound recording technologies. If you’ve ever wondered what a Beyoncé song would sound like on an Edison wax cylinder well, now you know

Touch-screen video monitors embedded in the walls offer quick summations of different musical eras. Whoever authored the text for the videos was apparently a big fan of punk rock, as references to punk turn up in seemingly unrelated topics such as the Sex Pistols’ Johnny Rotten getting a prominent mention in the “Reggae Explosion” segment.

A horizontal touch screen the size of a conference room table features a flowing “river” of musical artists. Tapping on a passing artist calls up a display about that artist; put on headphones to hear examples of that artist’s music.

Mississippi artists are prominently featured, but so are a handful of Louisianans. A purple suit that Louisiana-born bluesman Bobby Rush wore to the Grammys is on display alongside one of his guitars. A Terrance Simien accordion is part of a display on “iconic instruments.” Harry Connick Jr.’s portrait tops one of the Keb’ Mo’ sound recording booths. But through the end of August at least, Grammy Museum Mississippi is Swiftie central.

If you’re making the drive to Cleveland from New Orleans on Interstate 55 and want to work in another music-related stop, detour about 10 minutes off the interstate just over the Mississippi state line to see the Lynyrd Skynyrd memorial.

The seven-ton black granite monument tucked along a wooded backroad commemorates the lives lost when the band’s rented plane ran out of fuel and crashed on Oct. 20, 1977, while en route to a show in Baton Rouge. Three members of the band — lead vocalist Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist

Steve Gaines and his sister backing vocalist Cassie Gaines — died, as did the two pilots.

The crash site itself is located on private property some distance from the memorial.

Be sure to check out the back side of the slabs, which are etched with the faces of the deceased.

Email Keith Spera at kspera@ theadvocate.com

They recruited a young guitarist from Santa Monica named Randy Rhoads. Rhoads was the perfect foil for Ozzy, an immensely talented musician who was also a nice, quiet, level-headed Lutheran who loved his mother

Together, they wrote and recorded “Blizzard of Ozz” and “Diary of a Madman,” the solo albums that laid the groundwork for Ozzy’s career with the blistering “Crazy Train” and other anthems. The song “Mr Crowley,” about Satanist Aleister Crowley, and ominous album artwork pushed Black Sabbath’s flirtations with dark themes even further A series of outrageous incidents and general mayhem cemented Osbourne’s reputation as a danger

‘HIGHEST’

Continued from page 1D

The Japanese auteur has long been a major influence on Lee, and when the script by Alan Fox, which had been in development with other filmmakers, came his way, Lee made it his own. He also cast longtime collaborator Denzel Washington, an apt creative pairing Kurosawa had Toshiro Mifune, and Lee has Washington. This all sounds great on paper, but what ends up on screen in “Highest 2 Lowest” is a confusingly mixed bag.

Moral, identity crises

“High and Low” is based on the 1959 Ed McBain cop novel “King’s Ransom,” about a moral dilemma that becomes an identity crisis for a wealthy man. Transporting the action to Japan’s postwar economic boom, Kurosawa examined class differences in the country, and while Lee uses the text to comment on the haves and have-nots too, his focus is trained on the 21stcentury attention economy dictated by the social media hordes.

When we pick up David King (Washington) on the balcony of his Olympia penthouse, he knows that a change is going to come this beautiful morning. A superstar music mogul, King’s company, Stackin’ Hits, is about to be sold out from under him. Secretly, he’s set a plan in motion to orchestrate a leveraged buyout and take control of the sale. But when he receives a call that his son Trey (Aubrey Joseph) has been snatched off the street and the kidnappers are demanding $17.5 million, his scheme to save his company goes up in smoke.

During an attempt to buzz the tour bus in which Ozzy and Sharon were sleeping, the plane’s wing clipped the bus roof. Rhoads and the band’s stylist, Rachel Youngblood, died in the resultant crash, along with the pilot.

In the mid-1980s, the families of two young suicide victims sued Osbourne, alleging that his song “Suicide Solution” was to blame. Far from an endorsement of suicide, the song’s lyrics are an indictment of Osbourne’s alcoholism. The lawsuits received an enormous amount of media coverage but were eventually dismissed. Meanwhile, Osbourne’s relationship with Sharon was especially volatile during the years they both drank to excess. “I gave her a black eye once,” he recalled in his 2010 autobiography “I Am Ozzy.” “The fact that I ever raised my hand against a woman disgusts me. It’s something I’ll

‘HIGHEST 2 LOWEST’

HH½

MPA RATING: R (for language throughout and brief drug use) RUNNING TIME: 2 hours, 13 minutes HOW TO WATCH: In theaters now

But then, Trey shows up. The kidnappers mistakenly took his son’s best friend Kyle (Elijah Wright), the son of his best friend and driver Paul (Jeffrey Wright), a devout Muslim rich in street smarts, but not money David’s relief is cut short when he has to decide if he’s going to pay the ransom and save his best friend’s kid — and his face, considering the media scrutiny — or follow his dream and save his company “Highest 2 Lowest” mimics the high and low bisection of Kurosawa’s film, with the first hour set in the stuffy moneyed confines of the Kings’ luxe penthouse, laden with priceless African American contemporary art. As cinematographer Matthew Libatique’s camera lingers over the Basquiat and Kehinde Wiley paintings, one might wonder why he doesn’t just sell a few to remedy his money problems. Confusing, then sublime Respectfully, the first hour of “Highest 2 Lowest” is more baffling than anything else. The fluid long take cinematography by Libatique is impeccable, but with a melodramatic tone courtesy of a distracting, over-the-top score by Howard Drossin, and weak performances from the supporting cast, it feels more like a Tyler Perry movie than a Spike Lee joint. But then, liberation. The film hits the streets, and Lee unfolds

I interviewed Osbourne only once, in 2014. Calling from his home in Beverly Hills, he was personable, pleasant and focused, if still unmistakably Ozzy He spoke about his admiration for Paul McCartney and his pre-gig ritual of sipping English breakfast tea (“My favorite cup is Yorkshire Gold. It’s wonderful tea”). Not unlike Alice Cooper and Snoop Dogg, he had fully evolved from boogie man to teddy bear in the public eye.

“People know my story, that I’ve been a practicing alcoholic and drug addict for most of my life,” he said as we talked about his book. “I tried to put a bit of humor with it. If you can laugh at your mistakes, it’s a good thing.

“None of us is perfect. Everyone has got a skeleton in the closet that they don’t want people to find out. I just let it go, with a bit of humor.”

On the dust jacket of “I Am Ozzy,” he expressed a similar sentiment: “I’ve done some bad things in my time. I’ve always been drawn to the dark side, me.

“But I ain’t the devil. I’m just John Osbourne: a working-class kid from Aston, who quit his job in the factory and went looking for a good time.” He found it.

an absolutely sublime piece of New York City filmmaking, with a subway car full of Yankees fans chanting their anti-Boston sentiment, intercut with a Puerto Rican Day Parade performance by the Eddie Palmieri Salsa Orchestra.

Finally, we’re cooking with gas. It’s one of the best sequences on screen all year Soul music soundtracks David and Paul taking matters into their own hands while searching for Kyle’s kidnapper, who turns out to be an aspiring rapper named Yung Felon, played by an excellent A$AP Rocky Washington and Rocky face off in two electric scenes in the back half of the film, both times separated by glass, in a recording booth and a jail visitation. Rocky capably steps up to Washington’s loose but intense actorly flow, and contributes a great song, too. Washington is unsurprisingly mesmerizing, improvising small gestures and throwing away lines. But there’s still an element of camp and goofy humor that lingers, taking away from the leaner, meaner elements.

Generously, one might interpret this as a Brechtian nod toward the film’s artifice, as an arch and knowing remake laden with references.

But that keeps us at a distance from the emotional reality of these characters, and when Lee brings it home with a message about creating real art, from the heart, and the responsibility of stewarding Black culture, it’s a bit too little, too late to take it seriously

“Highest 2 Lowest” has its highs and lows, and when the highs are high, it soars. Those pesky lows are certainly hard to shake though.

LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) Set the stage for success and dominate situations that require leadership. To stay in control, you must first take hold of whatever you face and combat problems with solutions.

VIRGo (Aug. 23-sept. 22) Compromise if necessary, and you will make headway. Lending a helping hand will position you for a pleasant surprise or reunion with someone special. A trip, seminar or networking event looks promising.

LIBRA (sept. 23-oct. 23) Pick up the pace and apply what you know to get things done on time Set a budget, get organized and work diligently to ensure you achieve the success you desire.

scoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Pay more attention to what you do and how you do it, and less to conversations that tug on your emotions and throw you off course. Personal improvements that lead to knowledge, growth and validation are favored.

sAGIttARIus (nov 23-Dec. 21) Spend more time at home; fix up your space to suit your needs, declutter and lower your overhead by upgrading and replacing faulty equipment. Avoid emotional drama.

cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Domestic changes will place you in a better financial position. Make special plans with someone you adore, and it will bring you closer together. Don't shy away from opportunities.

AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Your interest in money will mount as you focus more

on investing in something you want to pursue. A change at home can lead to positive results and increased financial flexibility.

PIscEs (Feb. 20-March 20) Sit tight and watch. A social event that allows you to reconnect with people from your past will offer insight into how to use your skills more effectively to boost your finances.

ARIEs (March 21-April 19) Reorganize your thoughts about your professional direction. Refuse to let negativity cause you to disengage. Get involved, take on problems and be true to yourself

tAuRus (April 20-May 20) Decline invitations that don't appeal to you, cost too much or involve indulgent practices. The peace of mind you gain from wiping your slate clean will be well worth it.

GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Listen, verify information and focus on victory. You have plenty to gain if you are willing to make changes on the fly. Be the powerhouse you are and soar to the forefront.

cAncER (June 21-July 22) Take an interest in what's happening in your neighborhood and volunteer to help. The people you meet and the information you gather will help you make better lifestyle choices.

The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2025 by nEa, inc., dist. By andrews mcmeel syndication

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

toDAy's cLuE: G EQuALs c

Sudoku

InstructIons: sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. Theobject is to place the numbers 1to9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. Thedifficulty level of thesudoku increases from monday to sunday.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

By PHILLIP ALDER Bridge

Michel de Montaigne, a 16th-century French essayist who was well-known for combining intellectual exercises with casualanecdotes,said,“Inninelifetimes, you’ll never know as much about your cat as your cat knows about you.”

In bridge, nines (and 10s) can be valuable cards. If your hand has several of these intermediates, as they are known, be optimistic in the bidding. In this deal, South is in five diamonds. What should he do after taking the heart-queen lead with his ace?

North made a game-invitational limit raise. South’s decision to plunge into five diamonds worked well. If he had rebid a scientific three hearts, trying to reach three no-trump, West might have deduced that his opponents were weak in spades and led that suit. Then five diamonds would have failed.

South has three potential losers: two spades and one club. He has 10 winners: two hearts, six diamonds and two clubs. So it seems as though he needs the club finesse to work. However, South can improve those odds considerably.

Declarer should draw trumps, cash his secondheartwinner,andcastadriftwith a spade. The defenders take two tricks in the suit ending with West. (If East is on lead, he must either play into dummy’s club king-jack tenace or concede a ruffand-sluff.) When West shifts to a club, South plays low from the dummy. Here, East has to put up the queen, so the contract is home. But if East can play the 10,

dIrectIons: make a 2- to 7-letter word from the letters in each row. add points of each word, using scoring directions at right. Finally, 7-letter words get 50-point bonus. “Blanks” used as any letter have no point value. all the words are in the Official sCraBBlE® players Dictionary, 5th Edition.

Puzzle Answer

ken ken

InstructIons: 1 Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 thorugh 4 (easy) or 1 through 6 (challenging) without repeating. 2 The numbers within the heavily outlined boxes, called cages, must combine using the given operation (in any order) to produce the target numbers in the top-left corners. 3 Freebies: Fill in the single-box cages with the number in the top-left corner. HErE is a

WiShinG Well

the number of

521 feet from theintersection of Kingsway DriveEastand Westside Drive, andmeasures thence 50 feet fronton Kingsway Drive East,same width in the rear,bya depth of 102 feet between equaland paral‐lellines

Credit

COREYJ.GIROIR

Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

TheNew Orleans Advocate: August 15, 2025, September19, 2025

PANY,NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEEFOR VELOCITY COM‐MERCIALCAPI‐TALLOAN TRUST2024-5 VS MC AUTOMO‐TIVESLLC

said portionof ground is desig‐natedasLot 239A,Square7, which square is bounded by Kingsway Drive East,Westside Drive, Plaquemines Parish and Northerly boundaryof Subdivision, and said lotcom‐mences at adistanceof

This sale is sub‐ject to allsupe‐rior security in‐terests, mort‐gages, liensand privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchase price is dueatthe time of thesale.

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck, Certified Check, MoneyOrder,or Personal Check with irrevocable Bank Letterof

Aug15-sep19-2t $109.30

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:862-819

U.S. BANK TRUSTCOM‐

By virtue of and in obedienceto aWritof SEIZUREAND SALE from the 24thJudicial District Court, Parish of Jeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana, in the abovenum‐beredand enti‐tled cause, datedMarch 19, 2025, Ihave seized andwill proceed to sell to thehighest bidder at public auction, at the JeffersonParish Sheriff'sOffice Complex, 1233 Westbank Ex‐pressway,Har‐vey, Louisiana, 70058, on Sep‐b

p tember 24, 2025 at 10 o'clock a.m. thefollow‐ingdescribed property to wit: That certainlot of ground,to‐gether with all thebuildings andimprove‐mentsthereon all rights,ways, servitudes,priv‐ilegesand ad‐vantages there‐untobelonging or in anywise appertaining, situated in the Parish of Jeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana, in that part known as theTownof McDonoghville (now part of the City of Gretna), in Franklin Place, and designated as LotNo. 14 of Square No.108, bounded by Cook,Solon and Monroe Streetsand

Franklin Avenue LotNo. 14 mea‐sures32feet frontonFranklin Avenue, same in width in therear, by a depth of 120 feet between equaland paral‐lellines and formsthe cor‐nerofCook Street and Franklin Avenue Franklin Avenue is also knownas Franklin Street Parcel ID: 0100002246 Beingall the same landsand premises con‐veyedtoMCAu‐tomotivesLLC by Duke’s Castle LLCin a ActofCredit Sale dated 10/18/2023 and recorded 10/20/2023 in Book 3491 Page 441 andinDocu‐ment Number 12346702 in the Land Recordsof

Jefferson Parish,LA. TaxMap No.: 0100002246 Property Ad‐dress: 1501 Franklin Street, Gretna,LA70053

This sale is sub‐ject to allsupe‐rior security in‐terests, mort‐gages, liensand privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchase price is dueatthe time of thesale.

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck Certified Check, MoneyOrder,or Personal Check with irrevocable Bank Letterof Credit

RYAN M. MCCABE Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III

Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

TheNew Orleans Advocate: August 15, 2025, September19, 2025

Aug15-sep19-2t $95.54

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA

NO:863-866

FIRSTHORIZON BANK VERSUS PAUL DUHON,IV ANDRAVEN ROBINSON By virtue of and in obedienceto aWritof

SEIZUREAND

SALE from the 24thJudicial District Court, Parish of Jeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana, in the abovenum‐beredand enti‐tled cause, datedApril 23, 2025, Ihave seized andwill proceed to sell to thehighest bidder at public auction, at the JeffersonParish Sheriff'sOffice Complex, 1233 Westbank Ex‐pressway,Har‐vey, Louisiana, 70058, on Sep‐tember24, 2025 at 10 o'clock a.m. thefollow‐ingdescribed property to wit:

ACERTAIN TRACTOFLAND, together with allthe buildings andimprove‐ments thereon, all rights, ways i il

OFFICIAL NOTICE

Public Notice is hereby given that the Council of the City of New Orleans will consider at its regular meeting of August 21, 2025 at 10:00 a.m., to be held either via video conference or in the Council Chamber,City Hall, 1300 Perdido Street, Room 1E07, the adoption of Ordinance Calendar No. 35,191 introduced at the meeting of August 7, 2025.

SAID ORDINANCE would authorize the Mayor of the City of New Orleans to enterintoAmendment No. 1toa previously executed Cooperative Endeavor Agreement (“CEA”) between the City of New Orleans (“City”) and Hyfi,LLC, relative to the installation asystem of water level monitors to provide real time data to the City to assist with flood mitigation efforts, desiretomodify the provisions of the CEA and extend the term thereof for an additional one (1) year five (5) months, and twelve (12) days, as more fully set forth in the Amendment No. 1form attached hereto as Exhibit “A” and made apart hereof.

Said ordinance may be seen in full in the Office of the Clerk of Council Room 1E09, City Hall, 1300 Perdido Street.

AISHA R. COLLIER ASSISTANT CLERK OF COUNCIL

PUBLICATION DATE: August 15, 2025 NOCP 8555

OFFICIAL NOTICE CAL. NO. 35,191

EXHIBIT A AMENDMENT NUMBER 1TOTHE

COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS AND HYFI, LLC [COVER PAGE]

AMENDMENTNO.1TOCOOPERATIVEENDEAVORAGREEMENT BYANDBETWEEN THECITYOFNEWORLEANS AND HYFI,LLC

THIS FIRSTAMENDMENT (the Amendment”) is enteredintobyand between the City of NewOrl s, pr tedbyLaToya Cant ll, Mayor (the City”),and Hyfi LLC, representedbyBrandonP.Wong,CEO(the“PartnerAgency”).TheCityandthePartnerAgency aresometimeseach referredtoasa Party, andcollectively,asthe“Parties.” TheAmendment iseffectiveasofJuly19,2025(the EffectiveDate”) RECITALS WHEREAS,onJuly19,2024,theCity dthePart rAge yent edintoaCoope tiv EndeavorAgreementfortheinstallationasystemofwaterlevelmonitorstoproviderealtimedata totheCityto sistwithfloodmitigatio fforts(the“Ag t”);and WHEREAS,the City andthe PartnerAgency, each having theauthority to do so,desire toenterthisAmendmenttorenewtheagreementandextendthetermforone(1)additionalyear; NOWTHEREFORE,for good andvaluableconsideration, theCity andthe Partne AgencyamendtheAgreementasfollows:

1. Exte io In rd withArticleIV,SectionBoftheAgr t,thet mi extendedfor an additionalone (1)year,five(5) months,and twelve (12) days fromthe Effective Dateth ughDe ber31,2026.

2. AdditionalMiscellaneousProvisions Thefollowing termsand conditions are addedtotheAgreement:

3. Co ictedFel Stat t TheP tn Ag cy sthatitc plie ithCity Code Section2-8(c). No PartnerAgencyprincipal,member, or officer has, within thepreceding five years, been convicted of,orpledguilty to,a felony understate or federalstatutesfor embezzlement,theftofpublicfunds,bribery,orfalsificationordestructionofpublicrecords.

4. Non-SolicitationStatement ThePartner Agency swearsthatithas not employed orretainedanycompanyorperson,otherthanabonafideemployeeworkingsolelyforit,tosolicit or secure this Amendment. ThePartner Agency hasnot paid or agreed to payany person, other than abona fide employeeworking forit, anyfee,commission, percentage,gift, or anyother considerationcontingentuponorresultingfromthisAmendment.

5. PriorT Binding Excepta th wi providedbythisA ndm t,thet andconditionsoftheAgreementremaininfullforceandeffect

6. Counterparts.ThisAmendmentmay be executedinone or more counterparts, each of whichshall be deemed to be an original copy of this Amendment, but allofwhich,when takentogether,shallconstituteoneandthesameagreement.

7. Elect nicSig tu dDeliv y.ThePartie gr that llysignedcopy ofthisAmendmentandanyotherdocument(s)attachedtothisAmendmentdeliveredbyfacsimile email, or othermeansofelectronictransmission shallbedeemed to have thesamelegal effect as deliveryofanoriginalsignedcopy of this Amendment. No legally binding obligationshall be eatedwith specttoaP tyuntil chPartyh deliv ed dtobedeliv ed lly signedcopyofthisAmendment. INWITNESSWHEREOF,theCityandthePartnerAgency,throughtheirdulyauthorized representatives,executethisAgreement.

CITYOFNEWORLEANS

BY: LATOYACANTRELL,MAYOR Executedonthisof ,2025.

FORMANDLEGALITYAPPROVED: LawDep tment By PrintedName:

HYFI,LLC

BY BRANDONP.WONG,CEO 83-4573259 FEDERALTAXI.D

rights, ways, privileges, servitudes,ad‐vantages and appurtenances thereuntobe‐longingorin anywiseapper‐taining, located in SectionSeven (7)T 14 S, R 23 East,said tractoflandis describedas part of Farm No H-4A andH-305 and measuringone hundredfour and35/100 (104.35')feet frontonForty (40')foot road and by asimilar width in the rear, on pro‐posedextension of St.Thomas Street,and by a depthbetween equaland paral‐lellines of 737.1 feet,asshown on survey by J.J. Krebs& Sons,Inc., Sur‐veyors,dated February 17, 1966, attached hereto and made part hereof on which said tractisidenti‐fied as Square 2.

LESS ANDEX‐CEPT:

Portionof ground de‐scribedinthe OrderofExpro‐priation by and between State of Louisiana throughthe De‐partment of Highways and FarrellJ.Hunter, datedMay 30, 1975, Docket #176-005, 24th JDCfor the Parish of Jeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana, recorded in COB#836 folio 887,Jefferson Parish,

This sale is sub‐ject to allsupe‐rior security in‐terests, mort‐gages, liensand privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchase price is dueatthe time of thesale.

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck, Certified Check, MoneyOrder,or Personal Check with irrevocable Bank Letter of Credit

AMYR.ORTIS Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson TheNew Orleans Advocate: August 15, 2025, September19, 2025

Aug15-sep19-2t $92.89

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:862-898

MIDFIRST BANK VERSUS ROXANNE JACQUOTAKA ROXANNE JACQUOT BRYANT

By virtue of and in obedienceto aWritof SEIZUREAND

SALE from the 24thJudicial District Court, Parish of Jeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana, in the abovenum‐beredand enti‐tled cause, datedMarch 27, 2025, Ihave seized andwill proceedtosell to thehighest bidder at public auction, at the JeffersonParish Sheriff'sOffice Complex, 1233 W tb k E

OFFICIALNOTICE

Complex, 1233 Westbank Ex‐pressway,Har‐vey, Louisiana, 70058, on Sep‐tember24, 2025 at 10 o'clock a.m. thefollow‐ingdescribed property to wit:

ONECERTAIN LOTOFGROUND, together with allthe buildings andimprove‐ments thereon, andall of therights, ways,privi‐leges, ways, privileges, servitudes,ad‐vantages andappurte‐nances there‐untobelonging or in anywise appertaining situated in the Parish of Jeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana, in that part thereofknown as BELT BRIDGE SUBDIVISION, designated as LOT3A, SQUARE S-27, which square is bounded by MarreroStreet Lafitte Street (side),Second Street,and First Street (side) beinga resubdivisionof lots 3and 4of said square per subdivision plan by BFMCorpo‐ration L.L.C.,dated April5,2004 registered in COB3125, folio 225, approved by the JeffersonParish Planning De‐partment on June 11,2004, as authorized by Ordinance No.19782, adoptedAugust 14, 1996, amendedJuly 21,1999,asper OrdinanceNo. 20737,and ac‐cordingtosaid resubdivision plan,LOT 3A commences at a distance of 50 feet from the intersection of MarreroStreet

Public Notice is hereby given that theCouncil of the City of New Orleans will consider at its regular meeting of August 21,2025at 10:00

a.m., to be held either via video conference or in the Council Chamber City Hall, 1300 Perdido Street,Room 1E07,the adoption of Ordinance Calendar No. 35,202 introduced at the meeting of August 7, 2025

SAID ORDINANCE would approve and authorizethe CityofNew Orleans (“City”), by and through the New Orleans Aviation Board (“NOAB”),toenter into aCooperative Endeavor Agreement (“CEA”) with the United States DepartmentofTransportation, Build America Bureau (“BAB”).

Said ordinance may be seen in fullinthe Office of the ClerkofCouncil, Room 1E09, City Hall, 1300 PerdidoStreet.

AISHA R. COLLIER ASSISTANT CLERK OF COUNCIL

PUBLICATION DATE: August 15,2025 NOCP 8559

153595-537947-aug 15-1t $83.16

Marrero Street andSecond Street andmea‐suresthence 50 feet fronton MarreroStreet same width in therear, by a depth of 100 feet between equaland paral‐lellines;subject to restrictions servitudes, rights-of-way andoutstanding mineralrights of record affect‐ingthe prop‐erty

MailingAd‐dress: 323 Mar‐rero Court, Westwego, LA 70094

This sale is sub‐ject to allsupe‐rior security in‐terests, mort‐gages, liensand privileges

TERMS- Thefull purchase price is dueatthe time of thesale.

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck Certified Check, MoneyOrder or Personal Check with irrevocable Bank Letterof Credit

CANDACEA COURTEAU Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P.

LOPINTO, III

Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

TheNew Orleans Advocate: August 15, 2025, September19, 2025

Aug15-sep19-2t $101.89

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA

NO:865-716

LIBERTY BANK ANDTRUST COMPANY VS COLIN ROCKE

By virtue of and in obedienceto aWritof SEIZUREAND

SALE from the 24thJudicial District Court, Parish of Jeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana, in the abovenum‐beredand enti‐tled cause, datedJune12, 2025, Ihave seized andwill proceed to sell to thehighest bidder at public ti t th

OFFICIALNOTICE

bidder at public auction, at the JeffersonParish Sheriff'sOffice Complex, 1233 Westbank Ex‐pressway,Har‐vey, Louisiana, 70058, on Sep‐tember 24, 2025 at 10 o'clock a.m. thefollow‐ingdescribed property to wit: Acertain piece or portionof ground,to‐gether with all thebuildings andimprove‐ments thereon, andall of therights, ways,privi‐leges, servi‐tudes, appurte‐nances and advantages thereuntobe‐longingorin anywiseapper‐taining, situated in theParishof Jefferson, State of Louisiana, in that part thereofknown as HARAHAN CITY SUBDIVISION, beinga resubdi‐vision approved by theCityof Harahan, regis‐teredin COB3200 folio 666, EntryNo. 10755474, and accordingto which said lot thereonis designated as LOT124-Aof SQUARE N-2. Th i

Public Notice is hereby given that the Councilofthe City of New Orleans willconsider at itsregular meeting of August 21, 2025 at 10:00 a.m., to be held either via video conference or in the CouncilChamber,CityHall 1300 Perdido Street, Room 1E07, the adoption of Ordinance Calendar No.35,200 introduced at the meeting of August 7, 2025.

SAID ORDINANCEwould authorizethe Mayorofthe City of New Orleans to enter into Amendment No.6toapreviouslyexecuted Cooperative EndeavorAgreement (“CEA”)between the City of New Orleans (the “City”) and The University of New Orleans, relative to the restoration ofthe City’sinfrastructure damaged as aresult of Hurricane Katrina, including roads, the storm water drainage system, water distribution lines, sanitary sewer collection lines, and Americans withDisabilities Act (ADA)compliant curb ramps, all in furtherance of the Joint Infrastructure RecoveryRequest (JIRR) Program,tomodify the provisions thereof,as morefully set forthinthe Amendment No.6 form attached hereto as Exhibit“A” and made apart hereof.

Said ordinance may be seen in fullinthe Office of the Clerk of Council, Room 1E09, City Hall, 1300 Perdido Street.

AISHA R. COLLIER

ASSISTANTCLERK OF COUNCIL

PUBLICATION DATE: August 15, 2025 NOCP 8557

OFFICIALNOTICE CAL. NO.35,200

EXHIBIT A

AMENDMENT NUMBER 6TOTHE

COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT BETWEEN

THECITYOFNEW ORLEANSAND THEUNIVERSITY OF NEW ORLEANS [COVER PAGE]

AMENDMENT NO.6TOTHE COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR

AGREEMENT BY ANDBETWEEN

THECITYOFNEW ORLEANS AND THEUNIVERSITY OF NEWORLEANS

JIRR ARCHAEOLOGY SERVICES

THIS SIXTHAMENDMENT (the “Amendment”) is entered into by and between the City of New Orleans, represented by LaToya Cantrell Mayor(the“City”),and The University of New Orleans, represented by Dr.Edwin Litolff, Vice President, Business and Administration( UNO”) The City and the UNOmay sometimes be collectivelyreferred to as the Parties.” The Amendment is effective as of July 1, 2025 (the Effective Date”).

RECITALS

WHEREAS,the City and UNOare parties to acooperative endeavor agreement dated April 12, 2019 (the Agreement”) to advance the work of the Joint InfrastructureRecovery Request (“JIRR”) Program by UNO’s assistance with JIRR project field and lab duties as required by the City’s Archaeologist; WHEREAS,onJuly29, 2020, the City and UNOamendedthe Agreement forthe first time to extend itstermand to modifyterms; WHEREAS,onJuly6,2022, the City and UNOamendedthe Agreement forthe second time to extend itstermand to modifyterms; WHEREAS,onJuly8,2023, the City and UNOamendedthe Agreement forthe third time to extend itstermand modifyits effective date; WHEREAS,onNovember 20, 2023, the City and UNOamendedthe Agreement forthe fourthtime to increase funding; WHEREAS,onAugust 14, 2024, the City and UNOamendedthe Agreement for the fifth time to extend itstermand to add archaeological services forthe City’sFEMA-funded HazardMitigationGrant Program

AISHAR.COLLIER ASSISTANTCLERK OF COUNCIL PUBLICATION DATE:August15, 2025 NOCP 8556

SQUARE N 2 The improve‐mentsthereon bear theMunici‐palNo. 726 Oak Street,Harahan, Louisiana 701231

This sale is sub‐ject to allsupe‐rior security in‐terests, mort‐gages, liens and privileges.

TERMS- 10% down balancein 30 days

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck Certified Check, MoneyOrder,or Personal Check with irrevocable Bank Letterof Credit

WA MAIORANA,JR Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson TheNew Orleans Advocate: August 15, 2025, September19, 2025 Aug15-sep19-2t $74.89

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:865-583

U.S. BANK NA‐TIONAL ASSOCI‐ATION, NOTIN ITSINDIVIDUAL CAPACITY,BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEEOFTHE NEWRESIDEN‐TIAL MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST2024NQM2 VERSUS KEVINP.MMA‐HATA/K/A KEVINMMAHAT ANDGINA TEDESCOMMA‐HATA/K/A GINA MARIE TEDESCOA/K/A GINA M. TEDESCOA/K/A GINA TEDESCO A/K/AGINA T. MMAHAT A/K/AGINA MARIEMMAHAT A/K/AGINAM MMAHATA/K/A GINA MMAHAT By virtue of and in obedienceto aWritof SEIZUREAND SALE from the 24thJudicial District Court, Parish of Jeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana, in the abovenum‐

above num beredand enti‐tled cause, datedJune 3, 2025, Ihave seized andwill proceed to sell to thehighest bidder at public auction, at the JeffersonParish Sheriff'sOffice Complex, 1233 Westbank Ex‐pressway,Har‐vey, Louisiana, 70058, on Sep‐tember24, 2025 at 10 o'clock a.m. thefollow‐ingdescribed property to wit:

ACERTALN PIECEORPOR‐TION OF GROUND,to‐gether with all thebuildings and improvements thereon, andall therights, ways means, privi‐leges, servi‐tudes, appurtenances andadvantages thereuntobe‐longingorin anywiseapper‐taining, located in thePARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA, des‐ignatedasLOT M-11-A, CLEVELAND ES‐TATES"ON THE LAKE", as more fullyshown on a Plan of Cleve‐land Estates"On the

(HMGP) Drainage Pump Station (DPS)01Watershed Drainage Upgrades &Green Infrastructure (aka: Broadmoor HMGP) project(the“Broadmoor HMGP Project”); WHEREAS,the City andUNO,both havingthe authority to do so, nowdesire to amendthe Agreement to extend itsterm for continuity of theservices; NOW THEREFORE,the City andUNO,eachhaving theauthority to do so, agreeasfollows: A. EXTENSION.The term of theAgreement is extendedfromthe Effective Date throughDecember1,2028.

B. COMPENSATION.The total maximum aggregate amountof funding payable by theCityunder this Agreement remainsata notto exceed amountof $798,517.00

C. CONVICTED FELON STATEMENT.UNO complieswithCity Code §2-8(c) andnoprincipal, member,orofficerofthe Contractorhas, within thepreceding five years, beenconvictedof, or pledguilty to, a felonyunder state or federal statutes for embezzlement,theft of public funds, bribery,orfalsification or destruction of public records.

D. NON-SOLICITATIONSTATEMENT.UNO hasnot employed or retainedany companyorperson, other than abona fide employee workingsolely for it,tosolicit or secure this Agreement.UNO hasnot paid or agreed to pay anyperson, other than abona fide employee working for it,any fee, commission, percentage,gift, or anyother consideration contingent uponorresulting from this Agreement

E. PRIOR TERMS BINDING.Exceptasotherwise provided by this Amendment,the terms andconditionsofthe Agreement,asamended, remain in full force andeffect.

F. ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE AND DELIVERY. TheParties agreethat amanuallysigned copy of this Amendment andany other document(s)attached to this Amendment delivered by email shall be deemed to have thesamelegal effect as delivery of an originalsigned copy of this Amendment.Nolegally bindingobligation shall be created withrespect to aparty until such party hasdeliveredorcausedtobe delivered amanuallysigned copy of this Amendment

(SIGNATURES CONTAINED ON THE FOLLOWING PAGES)

(REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLYLEFT BLANK) IN WITNESS WHEREOF,the City andUNO,through theirduly authorized representatives, executethisAmendment CITYOFNEW ORLEANS

BY:_ LATOYA CANTRELL, MAYOR

Executed on this of ,2025. FORM AND LEGALITYAPPROVED: Law Department By:

Printed Name:

THEUNIVERSITYOFNEW ORLEANS

BY:_ DR. EDWIN LITOLFF, VICEPRESIDENT, BUSINESS AND ADMINISTRATION

FEDERALTAX I.D. NO.

AISHA R. COLLIER ASSISTANT CLERKOFCOUNCIL

PUBLICATIONDATE: August 15,2025 NOCP 8558

Estates On the Lake", Section 43, T12S-RI0E, Jefferson Parish,LA, by Ronald Clement, P.L.S. datedAugust 03, 2018,and as supplemented by aplanof Re-subdivision of Lots M-9, M10, M-11 &M-12, andKhanCourt into Lots M-94, M-10A, M-11A,M-12A andKhanCourt (Lot M-18), ClevelandEs‐tates"on the lake"Subdivi‐sion locatedinSec‐tion 43, T12SR10E,Jefferson Parish,LA, by Ronald Clement, P.L.S., datedSeptem‐ber29, 2020, registered at COB3445, folio 918, in theoffi‐cial recordsof theClerk of Courtfor the ParishofJeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana. FORINFORMA‐TIONAL PUR‐

POSESONLY: Theimprove‐mentsthereon bear the MunicipalNo. 1 KHAN COURT, METAIRIE,LA.

This sale is sub‐ject to allsupe‐rior security in‐terests, mort‐gages, liensand privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchase price is dueatthe time of thesale.

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck, Certified Check, MoneyOrder,or Personal Check with irrevocable Bank Letterof Credit

LAETITIA BLACK Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

TheNew Orleans Advocate: August 15, 2025, September19, 2025

Aug15-sep19-2t

$107.71

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA

NO:861-998

NEWREZ LLC

D/B/ASHELL‐POINTMORT‐GAGE SERVIC‐ING VS GREG LASSITER

A/K/AGREGORY LASSITER

By virtue of and in obedienceto aWritof SEIZUREAND

SALE from the 24thJudicial District Court, Parish of Jeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana, in the abovenum‐beredand enti‐tled cause, datedFebruary 25, 2025, Ihave seized andwill proceed to sell to thehighest bidder at public auction, at the JeffersonParish Sheriff'sOffice Complex, 1233 Westbank Ex‐pressway,Har‐vey, Louisiana, 70058,onAu‐gust 20, 2025 at 10 o'clocka.m thefollowing describedprop‐erty to wit:

CONDOMINIUM UNIT 124 of BEAU CHATEAU

cluding the sur vey, plot, plans andother in‐struments an‐nexedand recorded in COB 983, folio 940, of theParishof Jefferson; said Condominiumis situated in and on that certain portionorpor‐tionsofground describedas follows:

ONECERTAIN LOTOFGROUND, together with allthe buildings andimprove‐ments thereonand all therights, ways, privileges, servitudes,ad‐vantages and appurtenances thereuntobe‐longingorin anywiseapper‐taining, situated in theCITYOF KENNER PARISH OF JEF‐FERSON,State of Louisiana, in that part thereofknown as CHATEAU ESTATESNORTH, SECTION2, SQUARE 11 beinga resubdi‐vision of Parcel 1, ChateauEstates in accordance with survey by J.J. Krebsand Sons,Inc., dated June 19 1972, approved by theCityof Kenner under OrdinanceNo. 1420,adopted July 10, 1972, registered in COB676, folio 23, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana; ac‐cordingtosaid survey SQUARE 11 is bounded by MaconDrive Sunset Boule‐vard,Chateau Boulevard andSt. Julien Drive; thesaid lotisdesig‐natedand mea‐suresasfol‐lows:Lot A-1 forms thecornerofSt. Julien Drive and ChateauBoule‐vard andmea‐sures175.26 feet on St Julien Drive, by awidth on Sun‐setBoulevard side of 163.51 feet,and a depth andfront on Chateau Boulevardof 380.21 feet,and adepth on the sideline adjoin‐ingLot A-2of 380 feet;Lot A-1 beingcom‐posedofa por‐tion of LotA,as persurveyby R.L. Schumann, L.S., datedSeptem‐ber1,1977,re‐visedSeptem‐ber1,1977,re‐vised September9, 1977, approved by theKenner City Council under Ordi‐nanceNo. 2210, adoptedDecem‐ber27, 1977, registered in COB915, folio 951; subjectto restrictions, servitudes, rights-of-way andoutstanding mineralrights of record affect‐ingthe prop‐erty

Improvements thereonbear theMunicipal No.1020 St Julien Drive #124

This sale is sub‐ject to allsupe‐rior security in‐terests, mort‐gages, liensand privileges

TERMS- Thefull purchase price is dueatthe time of thesale.

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck, Certified Check, MoneyOrder,or Personal Check with Bank Letter of Credit

Advocate: July 11,2025, August 15, 2025

jul11-aug15-2t $132

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

24THJUDICIAL DISTRICTCOURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:861-633

FEDERAL HOME LOAN MORT‐GAGE CORPORA‐TION,AS TRUSTEEFOR THE BENEFITOFTHE FREDDIEMAC SEASONED CREDIT RISK TRANSFER TRUST, SERIES 2020-3 VS JESSIEJOHN‐SON, JR. AND DONNA THOMAS JOHN‐SONA/K/A DONNA T. JOHNSONA/K/A DONNA JOHN‐SON

By virtue of and in obedienceto aWritof SEIZURE AND SALE from the 24thJudicial DistrictCourt, Parish of Jeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana, in the abovenum‐beredand enti‐tled cause, datedFebruary 18, 2025, Ihave seizedand will proceed to sell to thehighest bidder at public auction, at the JeffersonParish Sheriff'sOffice Complex, 1233 Westbank Ex‐pressway,Har‐vey, Louisiana, 70058, on Au‐gust 20,2025 at 10 o'clocka.m thefollowing describedprop‐erty to wit:

Acertain piece or portionof ground,situ‐ated in the Parish of Jeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana, in that part thereofknown as Ames Ter‐race,being are‐subdivision of a portion of Lot6 andLot 7, Ames Farms, Southeastern Land District of Louisiana, west of the Mississippi River, allinac‐cordance with plan by J. J. Krebs &Sons, C. E. &S., dated June 1, 1964,ap‐proved by the JeffersonParish Councilunder emergencyordi‐nanceno. 6755,adopted August 7, 1964, andregistered inCOB 596, folio 704, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, which said lotis designated and describedas follows: Lot5,Square1 bounded by Ames Boule‐vard,Sixth Street (side), LincolnAvenue (side) andLincoln Av‐enue,which said lotcom‐mences at adis‐tanceof222.64 feet from the corner of Ames Boulevardand LincolnAvenue andmeasures 55 feet fronton Ames Boulevard, same with in therear, by a depth of 105 feet between equaland paral‐lel lines. Allinac‐cordance with survey of J. J. Krebs& Sons Inc.,dated March12, 1965.

Certified Check MoneyOrder,or Personal Check with Bank Letter of Credit

COREYJ.GIROIR

Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III

Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

TheNew Orleans Advocate: July 11, 2025, August 15, 2025

jul11-aug15-2t $98.18

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:855-510 TOWD POINT MORTGAGE TRUST2016-3, U.S. BANK NA‐TIONAL ASSOCI‐ATIONAS INDENTURE TRUSTEE VS LAWRENCE ED‐WARD WOODRUFF,IN‐DIVIDUALLY AND AS SURVIVING SPOUSE IN COMMUNITY WITH MARY ANNRIOLO WOODRUFF

By virtue of and in obedienceto aWritof SEIZUREAND SALE from the 24thJudicial District Court, Parish of Jeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana, in the abovenum‐beredand enti‐tled cause, datedJanuary 16, 2025, Ihave seized andwill proceed to sell to thehighest bidder at public auction, at the JeffersonParish Sheriff'sOffice Complex, 1233 Westbank Ex‐pressway,Har‐vey, Louisiana, 70058, on Au‐gust 20, 2025 at 10 o'clocka.m thefollowing describedprop‐erty to wit:

ONECERTAIN PIECEORPOR‐TION OF GROUND,TO‐GETHER WITH ALLTHE BUILDINGSAND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON, SITU‐ATED IN THE PARISH OF JEFFERSON, STATEOF

LOUISIANA, BEINGLOT NO.2 IN SQUARE "A OF THE BECHTELSUBDI‐VISION,AND AC‐CORDINGTO SURVEY BY GILBERTAND KELLY SURVEYORS, DATEDAUGUST 2, 1941, IM‐PROVEMENTLO‐CATEDMAY 6, 1942, A BLUE PRINT OF WHICHISAN‐NEXEDTOAN ACTPASSEDBE‐FORE WILLIAM A. WEST,JR.,NO‐TARY PUBLIC, DATEDAUGUST 25, 1942; AND SQUARE NO."A" IS BOUNDEDBY ALTA STREET, CATHERINEAV‐ENUE (FOR‐MERLYFIRST AVENUE), ROSELAWN STREET AND BERWYN AV‐ENUE (FOR‐MERLYSECOND AVENUE), ANDMEASURES AS FOLLOWS:

FEET ON THE SIDE LINEIFLOT No.1 NEARER TO CATHERINE AVENUE (SIDE) ANDONTHE SIDE LINE OF LOTNO. 3 NEARER BERWYN AV‐ENUE (SIDE) A DEPTHOF124.76 FEET,AND A WIDTHOF50.53 FEET IN THE REAR,ALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THESURVEYOF J.L. FONTCU‐BERTA, SUR‐VEYOR, DATED JUNE 5, 1972.

This sale is sub‐ject to allsupe‐rior securityin‐terests, mort‐gages, liensand privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchase price is dueatthe time of thesale.

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck Certified Check, MoneyOrder,or Personal Check with Bank Letter of Credit

RADERJACKSON

Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III

Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

TheNew Orleans Advocate: July 11, 2025, August 15, 2025 jul11-aug15-2t $109.83

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:865-306

SERVBANK,SB VERSUS MAURICE PIERCE

By virtue of and in obedienceto aWritof SEIZUREAND SALE from the 24thJudicial District Court, Parish of Jeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana, in the abovenum‐beredand enti‐tled cause, datedJune 3, 2025, Ihave seized andwill proceed to sell to thehighest bidder at public auction, at the JeffersonParish Sheriff'sOffice Complex, 1233 Westbank Ex‐pressway,Har‐vey, Louisiana, 70058, on Au‐gust 20, 2025 at 10 o'clocka.m thefollowing describedprop‐erty to wit: THAT CERTAIN PIECEORPOR‐TION OF GROUND,situ‐ated in theCity of Gretna, Parish of Jeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana, lo‐catedinSection 47, Township 13 South, Range20East, in that part thereofknown as HOLMES PLACESUBDIVI‐SION,bounded by Lafayette Av‐enue,23rd Street,Belle Chasse Highway and25thStreet, designated as LOTS-2 on a plan of resubdi‐vision datedOc‐tober23, 2008 by Gilbert, Kelly &Couturie, Inc.,and is more fullydescribed as follows:

distance of 39.37 feet to a point; thence in anortherly di‐rection, through an interior angle of 90 degrees 29 minutes31sec‐onds,a distance of 150 feet to a point; thence in an easterly direc‐tion adistance of 31.37 feet to a point; thence in asoutherly di‐rectiona distance of 70.32 feet to a point; thence widening in an easterly direc‐tion,through an exterior angle of 90 degrees 29 minutes31 sec‐onds,a distance of 8feet to a point; thence in a southerlydirec‐tion adistance of 79.68 feet to a pointonthe northerlyright of waylineof Lafayette Av‐enue,the point of beginning.

This sale is sub‐ject to allsupe‐rior security in‐terests, mort‐gages, liensand privileges

TERMS- Thefull purchase price is dueatthe time of thesale.

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck, Certified Check, MoneyOrder,or Personal Check with Bank Letter of Credit

JEREMY L NUSLOCH Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson TheNew Orleans Advocate: July 11, 2025, August 15, 2025 jul11-aug15-2t $99.77

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT 24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:865-304 CARRINGTON MORTGAGE SER‐VICES, LLC VERSUS THEUNOPENED SUCCESSION OF JOSEPH SCOTT, III By virtue of and in obedienceto aWritof SEIZUREAND SALE from the 24thJudicial District Court, Parish of Jeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana, in the abovenum‐beredand enti‐tled cause, datedMay 28, 2025, Ihave seized andwill proceed to sell to thehighest bidder at public auction, at the JeffersonParish Sheriff'sOffice Complex, 1233 Westbank Ex‐pressway,Har‐vey, Louisiana, 70058, on Au‐gust 20, 2025 at 10 o'clocka.m thefollowing describedprop‐erty to wit:

Sons Inc C E & S, datedNovem‐ber26, 1975, approved by the City of Kenner Flaming& Zon‐ingCommission under Ordi‐nanceNo. 1821, adopted February 9, 1976, registered under EntryNo. 710-751, andby the JeffersonParish Councilunder OrdinanceNo. 12295, adopted February 12, 1976, registered under EntryNo. 710-595, in the office of the ClerkofCourt forthe Parish of Jefferson, Louisiana. Ac‐cordingtosaid plan,saidlot of ground is desig‐natedand describedas follows: LOTNO. 1, in the area bounded by 33rdStreet theeastbound‐aryofGayle‐wood Subdivision, Charlene Court (side),and Massachusetts Avenue.SaidLot No.1 commencesat a distance of 320 feet from the northeastcor‐nerof33rd Street and Massachusetts Avenue,and measures thence in an easterly direc‐tion,73.01 feet front on 33rdStreet, by adepth alongthe east boundaryofthe subdivisionof 140.40 feet,a widthinthe rear of 22.35 feet,and a depthonthe opposite side‐line nearer Massachusetts Avenue of 122.01 feet;all as fur‐ther shownona survey by J. J. Krebs& Sons,Inc., C.E., datedMarch 17, 1976, redated, March26, 1976. This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐rior security in‐terests, mort‐gages, liensand privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchase price is dueatthe time of thesale.

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck Certified Check, MoneyOrder,or Personal Check with Bank Letter of Credit

JEREMY L NUSLOCH Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson TheNew Orleans Advocate: July 11, 2025, August 15, 2025 jul11-aug15-2t $110.36

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:863-739

Westbank Ex pressway,Har‐vey, Louisiana, 70058, on Au‐gust 20, 2025 at 10 o'clocka.m thefollowing describedprop‐erty to wit:

ACERTAIN PIECEORPOR‐TION OF GROUND,to‐gether with all thebuildings and improvements thereonand all therights, ways, privileges, servitudes,and advantages thereuntobe‐longingorin anywiseapper‐taining, situated in theParishof Jefferson, State of Louisiana, in that part thereofwhich hasbeen resub‐dividedinto SHADOW LAKE EXTENSIONSUB‐DIVISION,all as perplanofre‐subdivision made by 1.J. Krebsand Sons,Inc., L.S., datedSeptem‐ber9,1986, ap‐proved by the JeffersonParish Councilby OrdinanceNo. 17056 on Octo‐ber22,1986, recorded in COB 1595 folio 171, andsaid property is more fully de‐scribedasfol‐lows,towit: LOT32, SQUARE J, which said square is bounded Alison Drive, Whisper Lane, Flamingo Road andDrake Lane, andsaidLot 32 commences at a distance of 202.98 feet from thein‐tersection of Al‐ison Driveand WhisperLane, andmeasures thence 60 feet frontonAli‐sonDrive,same in widthacross therear, by a depthof100 feet between equaland paral‐lellines;all as persurvey made by J.J. Krebsand Sons Inc.,L.S dated April12, 1988, resurveyed May 27, 1988 and resurveyed June 3, 1988; subject to restrictions, servitudes, rights-of-way andoutstanding mineralrights of record affect‐ing theproperty.

Theimprove‐mentsthereon bear theMunici‐palNo. 1491 Ali‐sonDrive Gretna, Louisiana 70056

This sale is sub‐ject to allsupe‐rior security in‐terests, mort‐gages, liensand privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchase price is dueatthe time of thesale.

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck, Certified Check, MoneyOrder,or Personal Check with Bank Letter of Credit ZACHARYGAR‐RETT YOUNG Attorney for Plaintiff

REAL ESTATE, LLCAND FIORELAL VASQUEZAKA FIORELA VASQUEZ TRIGUEROS

By virtue of and in obedienceto aWritof SEIZUREAND SALE from the 24thJudicial District Court, Parish of Jeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana, in the abovenum‐beredand enti‐tled cause, datedMarch 28, 2025, Ihave seized andwill proceed to sell to thehighest bidder at public auction, at the JeffersonParish Sheriff'sOffice Complex, 1233 Westbank Ex‐pressway,Har‐vey, Louisiana, 70058, on Au‐gust 20, 2025 at 10 o'clocka.m thefollowing describedprop‐erty to wit:

CONDOMINI‐UMS,together with allthe rights andap‐purtenances thereuntoap‐pertaining,in‐cludingrightsto the"Common Elements"and "limited com‐monelements" as provided in theCondo‐minium Declaration, in‐cluding thesur‐l t l

ZACHARY YOUNG

Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III

Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

TheNew Orleans Advocate:

This sale is sub‐ject to allsupe‐rior security in‐terests, mort‐gages, liensand privileges TERMS- Thefull purchase price isdue at the time of thesale.

LOTNO. 2COM‐MENCES AT A DISTANCE OF 17.93 FEET FROM THECURVED LINEATTHE CORNER OF ROSELAWN STREET AND CATHERINEAV‐ENUE, MEASURES THENCE IN THE DIRECTIONOF BERWYN AV‐ENUE ADIS‐TANCEOF 50.51 FEET

FRONTON

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck Certified Check, M O d

ROSELAWN STREET,BYA DEPTH125.8 FEET ON THE

LOTS-2 begins at adistanceof 54.86 feet from thepoint of in‐tersection of thewesterly rightofway line of 25thstreet andthe northerlyright of waylineof Lafayette Av‐enue; thence in a westerly direc‐tion alongthe northerlyright of waylineof Lafayette Av‐enue a distanceof

THAT CERTAIN LOTOFGROUND, with allofthe buildingsand improvements thereon andall of the servitudes, rights andap‐purtenances thereuntobe‐longingorin anywise appertaining, situated in the Stateof Louisiana, Parish of Jeffer‐son, City of Ken‐ner, in that part thereofnow knownas GAYLEWOOD SUBDIVISION, as delineated on a plan of resubdivision, by J. J. Krebs& Sons,Inc., C.E. & S d t d N

FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION VERSUS AARON MOORE AKAAARON M. MOORE By virtue of and in obedienceto aWritof SEIZUREAND SALE from the 24thJudicial District Court, Parish of Jeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana, in the abovenum‐beredand enti‐tled cause, datedApril 22, 2025, Ihave seized andwill proceed to sell to thehighest bidder at public auction, at the JeffersonParish Sheriff'sOffice Complex, 1233 Westbank Ex‐

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

TheNew Orleans Advocate: July 11, 2025, August 15, 2025 jul11-aug15-2t $104

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA

NO:863-150

BAYVIEWLOAN SERVICING VERSUS KM HOMES

ACERTAIN PIECEORPOR‐TION OF GROUND,to‐gether with all thebuildings and improvements thereon, andall of therights, ways,privi‐leges, servi‐tudes, appurte‐nances andadvantages thereuntobe‐longingorin anywiseapper‐taining, situated in theState of Louisiana, in the Parish of Jeffer‐son, in TERRY‐TOWN SUBDIVI‐SION,SECTION 2, beingpartof OakdaleSubdi‐vision,Section 8, FirstWard, all in accordance with the survey of Adloe Orr, Jr., &Asso‐ciates,C.E., datedJune 3, 1959, revised September16, 1959, andSep‐tember 18, 1959, approved by the Parish of Jeffer‐sonParish Council under Ordi‐nance#4544 adoptedApril 21, 1960, regis‐teredinCOB 510, folio522, Parish of Jeffer‐son, Louisiana, on July 20, 1960, andinPlan Book 39/65 Of‐fice of the ClerkofCourt Jefferson Parish,which said property is more fully de‐scribedasfol‐lows, to-wit: LOT19in SQUARE 6, bounded by Ap‐pletreeLane, Athena Avenue Holmes Boule‐vard andBrowning Lane,which said lotcom‐mences at adis‐tanceof80feet from thecorner of Appletree Lane and Athena Avenue andmeasures thence 60 feet frontonApple‐tree Lane,bya depth alongthe side line nearer Athena Avenue of 95 feet,by a depthalong theopposite sideline of 95 feet,bya first widthinthe rear of 36.06 feet to apoint thence an additional widthinthe rear of 36.06 feet in accor‐dancewithsur‐veyofAdloe Orr, Jr.& Associates,C.E March15, 1963, allmorefully shownonsur‐veybyGeraldB Dunn, Surveyor,dated July 21, 1976, said lothas the same location dimensions,and boundariesas setforth above; subjecttore‐strictions,servi‐tudes, rights-ofwayand outstanding mineralrights of record affect‐ingthe prop‐erty

Theimprove‐h

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:854-971

WELLSFARGO BANK,N.A,AS TRUSTEE, ON BEHALF OF THE HOLDERSOF THE ASSETBACKED SECURITIES CORPORATION HOME EQUITY LOAN TRUST, SERIES AMQ 2007-HE2ASSET BACKED PASSTHROUGHCER‐TIFICATES, SERIES AMQ 2007-HE2 VS CARLOS RUS‐SELL ANDDE‐SHANON COBB RUSSELL(A/K/A DESHANON COBB, DESHANON RUS‐SELL) By virtue of and in obedienceto aWritof SEIZUREAND SALE from the 24thJudicial District Court, Parish of Jeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana, in the abovenum‐beredand enti‐ed cause, datedJune 13, 2024, Ihave seized andwill proceed to sell to thehighest bidder at public auction, at the JeffersonParish Sheriff'sOffice Complex, 1233 Westbank Ex‐pressway,Har‐vey, Louisiana, 70058, on Sep‐tember 24, 2025 at 10 o'clock a.m. thefollow‐ingdescribed property to wit: THAT CERTAIN LOTOFGROUND, together with allimprove‐mentsthereon, allrights, ways,servi‐tudes, andprivi‐legesthereunto belonging, lying andsituatedin theState of Louisiana, Parish of Jeffer‐soninthatsub‐division known as St.MarySub‐division,located anddesignated with aplanof resubdivisionby Michael W. Flo‐res, datedMay 20, 1985 approved by the JeffersonParish counselunder OrdinanceNum‐ber16513, filed in COB 1313, folio 60, designated as Lot10, of Square C, bounded by SantaMaria Drive, 10th Street,Cande‐ghtDrive, (side) andthe Mayronne Canal RightofWay Lot10measures 62 feet fronton SantaMaria Drive, 62.01 feet in therear, by depths of 94.55 feet along thesouthernly‐most sideline and93.29 feet alongthe north‐ernlymostside‐ne.All as more fullyshown on survey by J.J. Krebs& Sons Inc.,dated May 16, 1991.

This sale is sub‐ecttoall supe‐or security in‐terests, mort‐gages, liensand privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchase price is dueatthe me of thesale.

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck Certified Check, MoneyOrder,or Personal Check with irrevocable Bank Letterof Credit

EMILYA MUELLER Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

TheNew Orleans Advocate: August 15, 2025, September19, 2025 Aug15-sep19-2t $93.42

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT 24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:861-634

MCLP ASSET COMPANY, INC. VS BRODIE P. ARCENEAUX By virtue of and in obedienceto aWritof SEIZUREAND SALE from the 24thJudicial District Court, Parish of Jeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana, in the abovenum‐beredand enti‐tled cause, datedFebruary 10, 2025, Ihave seized andwill proceed to sell to thehighest bidder at public auction, at the JeffersonParish Sheriff'sOffice Complex, 1233 Westbank Ex‐pressway,Har‐vey, Louisiana, 70058, on Sep‐tember 24, 2025 at 10 o'clock a.m. thefollow‐ingdescribed property to wit: THAT CERTAIN PIECEORPOR‐TION OF GROUND,to‐gether with all thebuildings and improvements andall the rights,ways, privileges, servitudes,ap‐purtenances and advantages thereuntobe‐longingorin anywiseapper‐taining, situated in thePARISH OF JEFFERSON, STATEOF LOUISIANA, IN GARDEN PLACE SUBDIVISION, bounded by Garden Place, Jefferson Highway, West‐ernboundaryof subdivisionand Mississippi River, desig‐natedasLOT "G"ona survey made by J. J. Krebsand Sons, Inc.,Surveyor, datedSeptem‐ber19, 1977, re‐visedonMarch 6, 1978, accord‐ingthereto said lotforms thecornerof Garden Place andJefferson Highway, mea‐suresthence55 feet fronton Garden Place, a widthinthe rear of 80 feet, by adepth and frontonJeffer‐sonHighway of 172.47 feet anda depthon theopposite sideline of 150.33 feet

This sale is sub‐ject to allsupe‐rior security in‐terests, mort‐gages, liensand privileges. TERMS- Thefull purchase price is dueatthe time of thesale.

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck Certified Check, MoneyOrder,or Personal Check with irrevocable Bank Letterof Credit

EMILYA MUELLER Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson TheNew Orleans Advocate: August 15, 2025, September19, 2025

Aug15-sep19-2t $82.83