The Times-Picayune 10-03-2025

“This agreement solidifies apartnership for decades to come.”

SAINTS OWNERGAyLE BENSON

Saints sign long-term leasedealfor Dome

Saints owner Gayle Benson and Gov. Jeff Landrycelebrate during anewsconference Thursdayannouncing anew long-termlease of theCaesarsSuperdome.

Statewinsseveral concessionsinagreement

BY ANTHONY McAULEY, TYLERBRIDGES and JEFFDUNCAN Staff writers

Gov.Jeff Landryand Gayle Bensonhavesigneda newlong-term lease that will keep the Saints playing at the CaesarsSuperdomefor at least another decade, after lengthy negotiations that were hung up over side real estate deals andthe state’s share in profits from foodsales and other concessions.

BY AAMER MADHANI andLISA MASCARO Associated Press

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump has declared drug cartels to be unlawful combatantsand says the United States is nowin an “armed conflict” with them,according to aTrumpadministration memo obtained by The Associated Press on Thursday,following recent U.S. strikes on boats in the Caribbean. The memo appears to represent an extraordinary assertion of pres-

Benson andLandrybothpraised the agreement, withBensoncalling it “an example of our continued special partnership withthis great state of Louisiana.”

“This agreement solidifiesapartnershipfor decades to come,”she added

Thelease runs through 2035 and

The dealwas formally announced Thursday during asigning ceremony on the field of the Superdome, where Benson and Landry gathered with Saints officials and civic leaders.

then gives the Saints optionstorenew every five years through 2055. It also resolves sticking pointsthat haddelayed finalapproval even afterthe stadium lease itself was finalized last month At issue were theteam’s lucrative leases tied to Benson Tower, ChampionsSquare,and theSaints’ practice facilityinJeffersonParish, which state officials had sought to separatefrom theSuperdomedeal. In theend, thestate and the Saints agreed to sign thepackage together,

ä See SAINTS, page 7A

BY BEN MYERS Staff writer

With just over aweek left before the Oct. 11 primary,New Orleans mayoral front-runner Helena Moreno is far outspending hertwo major opponents and is sitting on twice as muchcash as both combined, according to the latest campaign finance reports. Moreno, an at-large City Councilmember,and RoyceDuplessis, astate senator,each raised more than $200,000 from Sept. 2to Sept. 21, according to the reports, whichweredue Wednesday. Council member OliverThomas brought in just $26,000. All three are Democrats. Moreno spent $925,000 and still has $770,000 cash on hand. Duplessis also spent agood amount, at $586,000, andholds $221,000. Thomas spent$222,000 and has $120,000.

“Moreno’scampaign continues to be afinancial juggernaut,” said Ed Chervenak, aUniversity of New Orleanspolitical science professor

Alarge portionofMoreno’s spending— more than half a milliondollars in the three-week reporting period —went to television, radio and digital advertising, as polling shows an outright primaryvictory within reach. Moreno commanded 49% in aUniversity of New Orleanssurvey this week, followed by Duplessis with 15% and Thomas with 13%. One in five respondents were undecided.

Several earlier polls showed Moreno hovering near the majority needed foraprimary win, with

“The President determined that theUnited States is in anoninternational armed conflict with these designated terrorist organizations,” the memo says. Trump directed the Pentagon to “conduct operations against them pursuant TrumpsaysU.S., drug

idential war powers, with Trump effectively declaring that traffickingofdrugs into the United States amounts to armed conflict requiringthe use of military force —a newrationale for past and future actions.

ä See TRUMP, page 6A

BY ALEXLUBBEN Staff writer

New Orleans’ levee authorityisstarting aspecial policeunit armed withsemiautomatic rifles and trained in SWAT tactics, according

to an internal memo and agency officials, achange it says is needed to professionalize theforce, but which watchdogs call concerning. The first phase of training for the new Special Response Team began on Sept. 22 andwill involve “tactical movement with handguns and rifles,” “roomentering and clearing,” and SWAT certification, according to the memo. The movecomes

Iowa ex-superintendent charged with gun offense

DES MOINES Iowa The superintendent of Iowa’s largest school district, who was detained last week by immigration agents, was charged Thursday in federal court with possessing firearms while in the U.S. illegally, prosecutors said.

Ian Roberts resigned this week as Des Moines’ superintendent of schools, just days after he was pulled over and fled from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, who ultimately arrested him with the help of officers from the Iowa State Patrol. When he was arrested, federal agents found a handgun that was wrapped in a towel inside the Jeep Cherokee he was driving, according to court papers.

Officials said Roberts, who is originally from Guyana was taken into custody on a federal arrest warrant for the weapons charge and appeared by video before a federal magistrate judge. Roberts’ attorney said his client will plead not guilty Roberts, 54, is alleged to have been in possession of four firearms, according to court documents. Authorities said Roberts had been authorized to work in the U.S. between December 2018 and 2020 but has since “not had lawful employment authorization,” according to the complaint

Megachurch founder admits child sex abuse

The founder of a Texas megachurch who resigned last year after a woman in Oklahoma accused the pastor of sexually abusing her in the 1980s pleaded guilty Thursday to five counts of lewd and indecent acts with a child, authorities said.

Robert Preston Morris, 64, entered the pleas before a judge in Oklahoma’s Osage County as part of a plea agreement, according to the state attorney general’s office.

The alleged abuse began in 1982 when the victim was 12 and Morris was a traveling evangelist staying in Hominy Oklahoma, with her family, according to the statement by Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond. The abuse allegedly continued for four years. Morris, the senior pastor of Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, until his resignation, was indicted by an Oklahoma grand jury last year Under the plea agreement, Morris received a 10-year suspended sentence with the first six months to be served in the Osage County Jail.

The victim, Cindy Clemishire, now 55, said in a statement that “justice has finally been served, and the man who manipulated, groomed and abused me as a 12-year-old innocent girl is finally going to be behind bars.”

Trump-Epstein statue is back up on

D.C. Mall

The controversial statue of President Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein holding hands has been reinstalled on the National Mall almost a week after it was taken down by the National Park Service. “Just like a toppled Confederate general forced back onto a public square, the Donald Trump Jeffrey Epstein statue has risen from the rubble to stand gloriously on the National Mall once again,” a rep for the Secret Handshake wrote in an email. “The ‘Why Can’t We Be Friends?’ (originally titled Best Friends Forever) statue is repaired and back up for a limited time on 3rd Street just north of the U.S. Capitol.”

The statue was erected Thursday afternoon after the anonymous “satirical activist” group says it worked “nonstop on ways to get this up legally within the Parks Department’s process.”

$1M in coins found in shipwreck

BY KATE PAYNE

Associated Press/Report for America

Hidden beneath the turquoise waters off a stretch of Florida known as the “Treasure Coast,” a team of divers from a shipwreck salvage company have uncovered exactly that — a load of long-lost Spanish treasure they estimate is worth $1 million.

More than 1,000 silver and gold coins thought to be minted in the Spanish colonies of Bolivia, Mexico and Peru were uncovered this summer off Florida’s Atlantic coast, 1715 Fleet — Queens Jewels LLC announced this week.

It’s not the first time the site has yielded a trove of, well, treasure.

Centuries ago, a fleet of Spanish ships laden with gold, silver and jewels taken from the New World was sailing back to Spain when a hurricane wrecked the flotilla on July 31, 1715, spilling the treasures into the sea, according to the 1715 Fleet Society

Over the years, millions of dollars in gold coins from the 1715

Fleet have been found by salvagers and treasure hunters in a coastal area stretching from Melbourne to Fort Pierce. Dates and mint marks are still visible on some of the recently recovered coins, the salvage com-

pany said, a benefit for historians and collectors hoping to glean more from the lost treasure.

“This discovery is not only about the treasure itself, but the stories it tells,” Sal Guttuso, director of operations for the salvage compa-

Car ramming, stabbing attack at synagogue kills 2

BY BRIAN MELLEY, PAN PYLAS and IAN HODGSON Associated Press

MANCHESTER,England An assailant drove a car into people outside a synagogue Thursday in northern England and then began stabbing them, killing two and seriously hurting at least three in what police called a terrorist attack on the holiest day of the Jewish year Officers shot and killed the suspect at the synagogue in Manchester, police said, though authorities took some time to confirm he was dead because he was wearing a vest that made it appear as if he had explosives. Police later said he did not have a bomb.

The Metropolitan Police force in London, which leads the nation’s counterterrorism policing operations, declared the rampage a terrorist attack.

Authorities said the man believed responsible was a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent named Jihad AlShamie, who entered the U.K. as a young child and became a citizen in 2006. An initial check of records showed he was not part of a U.K counterterror program that tries to identify people at risk for being radicalized.

Police also said three people were arrested on suspicion of acts of terrorism. They are two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s.

Authorities were working to formally identify the dead and determine the motive for the attack.

At least three people were hospitalized in serious condition, officials said. One person sustained a stab wound while a second was struck by the car involved in the attack. A third person arrived at a hospital with an injury that may have been sustained as officers stopped the attacker

The assault took place as people gathered at an Orthodox synagogue in an outer neighborhood of Manchester on Yom Kippur, the day of atonement and the most solemn day in the Jewish calendar Police said the two people killed were Jewish.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer denounced the “vile” assailant who “attacked Jews because they are Jews.” He promised the Jewish community that he would do “everything in my power to guarantee you the security that you deserve, starting with a more visible police presence.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel grieved with the Jewish community in the U.K.

“Our hearts are with the families of the murdered, and we pray for the swift recovery of the wounded,” he said. “As I warned at the U.N.: Weakness in the face of terrorism only brings more terrorism. Only strength and unity can defeat it.”

Abrego Garcia’s bid for asylum denied

BY TRAVIS LOLLER Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. A U.S. immigration judge has denied a bid for asylum from Kilmar Abrego Garcia.

The judge in Baltimore on Wednesday rejected an application to reopen Abrego Garcia’s 2019 asylum case. Abrego Garcia has 30 days to appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals.

The Salvadoran national immigrated to the United States illegally as a teenager In 2019, he was arrested by immigration agents. He requested asylum but was not eligible because he had been in the U.S. for more than a year But the judge ruled he could not be deported to El Salvador, where he faced danger from a gang that targeted his family

He was mistakenly deported to El Salvador by President Donald Trump’s administration in March and was held in

a notorious prison. The administration returned him to the U.S. in June, only to charge him with human smuggling. Abrego Garcia faces criminal charges in Tennessee, based on a 2022 traffic stop. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is also seeking to deport him to a third country His attorneys have denounced the criminal charges and the deportation efforts, saying they are an attempt to punish him for standing up to the administration. If approved, asylum could provide Abrego Garcia with a green card and a path to citizenship. But if he loses, an immigration judge could remove his protection from being returned to his native country That could place him back in the infamous Terrorism Confinement Center It’s where, he alleges in a lawsuit, he suffered severe beatings, sleep deprivation and psychological torture. El Salvador’s president has denied those allegations.

ny said in a statement. “Each coin is a piece of history, a tangible link to the people who lived, worked, and sailed during the Golden Age of the Spanish Empire. Finding 1,000 of them in a single recovery is both rare and extraordinary.”

Guttuso’s team employs dive crews and a fleet of boats and uses underwater metal detection-devices, plus hand-fanning of sand or sand suction to comb the sea floor, according to a public notice for a federal permit application the company filed. Under Florida law, any “treasure trove” or other historic artifacts “abandoned” on state-owned lands or in state waters belong to the state, though excavators can be permitted to carry out “recovery services.” The law requires that roughly 20% of the recovered archaeological materials be retained by the state for research collections or public display

Guttuso said his team develops a detailed inventory of all the artifacts collected each season to be reviewed by the state.

FBI director touts city crime crackdown

BY CARSON SWICK Baltimore Sun (TNS)

BALTIMORE A three-month federal crime crackdown across America’s major cities led to more than 8,000 arrests and enough fentanyl to kill 50 million people being seized, FBI Director Kash Patel said Thursday during an interview with Baltimore Sun co-owner Armstrong Williams. Patel said “Operation Summer Heat,” the FBI’s nationwide initiative targeting violent crime from June 24 to Sept. 20, worked as President Donald Trump deployed the National Guard to Washington, D.C. — and later other cities — in a more visible fashion. Reported crime in the nation’s capital dropped by 18% during the first 30 days of that deployment, according to data analyzed by The Sun. Patel suggested the public-facing nature of National Guard troops in D.C. allowed FBI agents to break up crime behind the scenes. The director said Guardsmen were never intended to be law enforce-

ment officers, but needed to “set a stable perimeter” for agents to pursue organized crime and drug offenders.

The director credited collaboration with local law enforcement — and his decision to relocate more agents from D.C. to cities around the country — with helping to record 8,629 arrests, as well as seize 2,281 firearms and about 928 pounds of fentanyl nationally during Operation Summer Heat. Data from the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, or CID, also showed that agents seized 98,258 pounds and convicted 1,475 violent offenders during the mission. CID data showed the FBI’s Baltimore field office — which covers all of Maryland and Delaware made 224 “violent crime arrests” from June 24 to Sept. 20, ranking 10th across all 56 FBI field offices nationally The top nine were New York (471), Los Angeles (441), Boston (404), Nashville (394), Jackson (369), Cincinnati (300), New Orleans (254), Miami (239) and Mobile (231).

Obituaries: 225-388-0289•

Trumpasks9 colleges to commit to hispolitical agenda

BY COLLIN BINKLEY and AAMER MADHANI Associated Press

WASHINGTON The White House is asking nine major universities to commit to President Donald Trump’s politicalpriorities in exchange for more favorable access to federal money

Adocument sent to the universities encourages them to adopt the White House’svision for America’s campuses,withcommitments to accept the government’spriorities on admissions, women’ssports, free speech, student discipline and college affordability, among other topics.

Signing on would give universities “multiple positive benefits,” including “substantial and meaningful federal grants” and “increased overhead payments where feasible,” according to a letter sent to universities alongside the compact. The letter calls it aproactive effortasthe administration continues to investigateallegedcivil rights violations at U.S. campuses. Called the “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education,” it asks universities to accept the

government’sdefinition of gender and apply it to campus bathrooms, locker rooms andwomen’s sports teams

It asks colleges to stopconsidering race, genderand awide range of student demographics in theadmissions process and to require undergraduate applicants to take the SATor ACT

The 10-page proposed agreement was sent Wednesdaytosome of themost selective public and private universities: Vanderbilt, the University ofPennsylvania,Dartmouth College,the University of Southern California, theMassachusetts Institute of Technology,the University of Texas, the University of Arizona, Brown University and the University of Virginia.Itwas not clear how these schoolswere selected or why

The nine universities couldbecome“initialsignatories” and are being invited to providefeedback before the languageis finalized, accordingtothe letter. It asks for adecision byNov.21.

Incentive-basedapproach

Thememorepresentsa shift in strategy as the administration offers areward —not just punishment— as

an incentive for adopting Trump’spolitical wish list. Many of the demands mirror those madebyhis administrationasitslashed billions of dollarsinfederal money for Harvard,Columbiaand others accused of liberal bias. Afederal judge overturned cuts at Harvard in September, saying the government had overstepped its authority

Severaluniversitiessaid they were reviewing the compact andhad no comment. Astatement from the UniversityofVirginia said there was nothing to suggest why it was chosen. The university’sinterim president assembled agroupof administrators on Thursday to review theletter Leaders of theTexassystem were “honored” that the Austin campus was chosen to be apartofthe compact andits “potentialfunding advantages,” according to astatement from Kevin Eltife, chairofthe Board of Regents.

Restrictions on enrollment

Under the compact, international enrollment would have to be capped at 15% of acollege’sundergraduate student body,and no more

than5%could comefroma single country. Allthe universities invited tothe compact appear tobewithin the 15% threshold, though Dartmouth andUSC are close, at 14%, according to federal data. Many universities do not report breakdowns by individual countries.

Most other U.S.universities also fall within the15% cap, but about 120 exceed it, federal data show Someofthe most sweeping commitments are aimed at promoting conservative viewpoints. Universities would have to ensure their campusesare a“vibrant marketplace of ideas” where no single ideologyis dominant,the compact said They wouldhavetoevaluate views amongstudents and faculty to ensure every department reflectsadiverse mix of views.

To accomplish that,itsays universitiesmust take steps,

including “transforming or abolishing institutional units thatpurposefully punish, belittle, and even spark violenceagainst conservative ideas.”

It requires policies meant to counterthe kind of protests that roiled U.S. campuses last year amidthe Israel-Hamas war. It asks fora commitment to prevent any disruption to classes or campus libraries andtoensure demonstrators don’theckle other students.

Campuses that sign the compact would have to freezetuitionfor U.S. studentsfor five years, and those with endowments exceeding $2 million per undergraduate could not charge tuition at all for students pursuing “hard science” programs.

Opponents’ reaction

TedMitchell, president of the American Council on

Education, urgeduniversities to reject the deal, saying it violates campus independence and undermines free speech.

“It’snot worth the compromises that they would have to make,” he said. “This is a Faustian bargain.”

Larry Summers, aformer Treasury secretary and Harvard president,saidhe believes elite universities have lost their way,but he said the compact is liketrying to “fix awatch with a hammer —ill conceived and counterproductive.”

“The backlash againstits cruditywilllikelyset back necessary reform efforts,” Summerssaid.

The terms of the deal would be enforced by the JusticeDepartment,with violators losing access to thecompact’sbenefits forno lessthana year.Following violations bumpthe penalty to twoyears.

Bloomberg

California Gov.Gavin

Newsom threatened to pull

“billions of dollars” in state funding from any California university that signs a Trump administration proposal offering preferential funding in exchange for certain demands. The University of Southern California was the only California school on thatlist.

“California will not bankroll schools that sell out their students, professors, researchers and surrender

academicfreedom,” Newsom said in astatement.

“Ifany California university signs this radical agreement, they’ll lose billions in state funding —including Cal Grants —instantly.”

Newsom wouldalso require approval from the Legislature to be able to pull thefunds.

The White Househas threatened hefty cuts in federal funds to the state,includingmore than $500 million to the University of California-LosAngeles. The Trump administration sus-

pended the UCLAfunding over allegations of antisemitism andbiasoncampus.A federal judge later ordered themoney restored.

“President Donald Trump’s so-called proposed ‘compact’ is nothing short of ahostile takeover of America’suniversities,”Newsom said in the statement. “It would impose strictgovernment-mandated definitions of academic terms,erase diversityand ripcontrol away from campus leaders to install government-mandated conservative ideology in itsplace.”

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as the South Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East, whose core mission is overseeing floodcontrol infrastructure, has increased its police budget from $8 million last year to nearly $12 million this year,drawing on cash reserves to cover thegrowth.

Agency leaders say the unit will handle “high-risk situations,” while watchdogs questionwhether the spending serves flood protection.

Gov.Jeff Landry’sappointed leadership has sought to professionalize the police force and expand its purview.The agency’s 50 officers are tasked primarily withphysicallyprotecting flood control infrastructure. Until recently,they used their personal sidearmsat work, and some still carry theirown rifles.Theyprimarily patrol the areas near the levees on Lake Pontchartrain and the Mississippi River Flood authority spokesperson Stacy Gilmore confirmed that the agency was starting aSpecial Response Team. She said the agency has “the responsibility to ensure officers can respond safely andeffectively to all incidents, including those that require specialized training and equipment.

TRUMP

Continued from page1A

to thelaw of armed conflict.”

“The United States has now reached acriticalpoint where we must use force in self-defense anddefense of others againstthe ongoing attacks by these designated terrorist organizations,” the memo says Besides signaling apotential new moment in Trump’sstated“America First” agenda that favors non-intervention overseas, the declaration raises stark questions about how far the White House intends to use its war powers and if Congresswill exert its authority to approve —orban —such militaryactions.

“The UnitedStates is taking amuch more dramatic step —one that Ithink is avery, very farstretch of international law and adangerous one,” said Matthew Waxman, who was anational security official in the George W. Bushadministration. It “means the United States can target members of those cartels withlethal force. It means the United States can capture and detain them without trial.”

The U.S. military last month carried out three deadly strikes against boats in the Caribbean that the administration accused of ferrying drugs. At least two of those operations were carried out on vessels that originated from Venezuela. Those strikes followed up abuildup of U.S. maritime forces in the Caribbean unlike any seen in recent times. The Navy’spresence in the region —eight war-

When first asked about the change, board President Peter Vicari saidthat he did not know about the SpecialResponse Team and denied that the agency was training officers in SWAT tactics. He followed up by email acknowledging the existence of the Special Response Team but said that they would be trained in deescalationand crisisintervention,law enforcement techniquesfor responding to aperson having amental health crisis.

“I don’tunderstandwhat it’s going to be used for,” said one agencyemployee, whowas granted anonymity because theyare notauthorized to speak and feared retaliation.

Theagencydid notrespondtoquestions about the cost of formingthe Special Response Team or how it would operate. In response to aSept.23public records request seekingbudget and policyinformation, Police Superintendent Joshua Rondeno said therecordswould be providedbyOct.17. It was not clear whether the flood protectionagency has coordinated with other local law enforcementagencies, such as the New Orleans Police Department or the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, on how theteam wouldbedeployed. JPSO declined to comment and the NOPD did notimmediately respond.

ships with over 5,000 sailors andMarines —has been pretty stable forweeks,accordingtotwo defense officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity todiscuss ongoingoperations.

The memo did notinclude atimestamp, but it references aSept. 15 U.S.strike that “resultedinthe destructionofthe vessel, theillicit narcotics, and the death of approximately 3unlawful combatants.”

“Aswehave said many times, the President acted in line with the law of armed conflict to protect our country from thosetrying to bringdeadly poisontoour shores,and he is delivering on hispromise totake on the cartels and eliminatethese national security threats from murdering more Americans,” theWhite House said.

Pentagonofficialsbriefed senators on the strikes Wednesday, according to aperson familiar with the matter, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spokeon the condition of anonymity.The Pentagon referred questionstothe White House.

What the Trump administrationlaid out at the classifiedbriefing at the Capitol wasperceived by several senators as pursuing anew legal framework that raised questionsparticularly regarding the role of Congress in authorizingany such action, that person said Pentagon officials also briefed House staffers last week on the strikes, according to anotherperson who was briefed on the meeting and similarly spoke on condition of anonymity.

Thememo,which wasre-

Theagency has alsopurchased semiautomatic rifles that will be issuedtothe officers who are selected for the team, according to the internal memo.

An officer posted apicture to social media of what appeared to be oneof those weapons: aSig Sauer rifle similartothose used by military special forces units, equipped with ared dotsight anda sound suppressor. Asource with the agency confirmed thatwas thestyle of gun being purchased.

Several local firearms retailers said that the rifles’ marketprice was about $4,500 per weapon. It was not clear howmany the agency bought,oratwhat price.

“We’re confused as to

ported earlierbyThe New York Times,lays out arationale seen bothasthe administration’sjustification for the military strikes it has already taken on the boats in theCaribbean —which have raised concerns from lawmakersaspotentially unlawful —aswellasany action to come.

AWhiteHouse official who wasn’t authorizedtocomment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity said the memo was sent toCongress on Sept. 18 anddoes notconveyany newinformation.The person familiar with the Senate briefing said it was transmitted this week.

Trump hasdesignated several LatinAmerican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, andthe administration hadpreviously justifiedthe military action as anecessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into theUnited States.

Pentagon officials could not provide alistofthe designatedterrorist organizationsatthe center of the conflict,amatter that was amajor source of frustration for someofthe lawmakers who were briefed this week,according to one of thepeople familiar with thebriefings.

While“friendly foreign nations have made significant efforts to combat these organizations,” the memo said, the groups “are now transnational and conduct ongoing attacks throughout the Western Hemisphere as organized cartels.” The memo refers to cartel members as “unlawful combatants.”

TheTrump administration is trying to justify the use of military force against drug cartels in the same way the

howthe purchases of this police equipment keeps citizens safer from catastrophic flooding,” saidBlair duQuesnay,the chair of Citizensfor 1Greater New Orleans, an organization that advocated for levee board reform after Hurricane Katrina.

The South LouisianaFlood ProtectionAuthority-East’s sister agency on thewest bank, the South Louisiana Flood Protection AuthorityWest,does not have apolice force.

Rep.Stephanie Hilferty,RNew Orleans, acknowledged that thelevee police has provided valuablesupport to the NOPD,but said she would be “concerned if the decision to start aStrategic Response Team diverts any funding away from thecriti-

Bush administration justifiedthe war againstal-Qaida following the Sept. 11 attacks, said Waxman, who servedinthe State andDefense Departments andon theNationalSecurityCouncil under Bush. Bush, however,had authorization fromCongress, unlike Trump. The Trump administration is arguing that it no longer has to consider the individual circumstances of using force, said Waxman, who nowchairs Columbia Law School’s National SecurityLaw Program.

“It’sbasically saying, ‘Wedon’thave to engage in

cal flood protection work that ensuresthe safety of people and property.” Shane Guidry, abusinessmanwho hasdonated significantly to Landry’spolitical campaigns and has been overseeing changesat the flood protection authority,said recent instances of campus violenceunderscored theneed to expand the police force. “Wehaveacollege right thereonthe levee, right?” Guidry said, referring to the University of New Orleans. “There’salot of crazy stuff happening at colleges these days.”

There have been no recent major incidents on the UNO campus. He also said that the agency’spreviousleadership had notinvested in thepolice department, andsoextra spending was justified. And he noted that the New OrleansPoliceDepartment is short-staffed.

Under Rondeno —who earns $208,000 annually, nearly twicewhathis predecessor made—the department purchased anew fleet of policevehiclesfor over $1 million. Overall, policing costs are up $3.7 millioncompared with last year,a hikeofabout 45%, according to budget documents. South Louisiana Flood Protection AuthorityEast, funded largely by local property taxes, has not received additional revenue

that kind of case-by-case decision-making,’”Waxman said. “All of thesevessels that are carrying enemy personnel can be targeted, whetherthey’re headed towards the United States or not.”

Waxmansaidheexpects more strikes and “we’ll see if the United Statestakes the next big step and engages in lethal force or armed force on the territory of another state.”

Lawmakers of both majorpoliticalparties have pressed Trump to seek war powers authority from Congress for operations

to cover theexpansion and is drawing on reserves typically used forcapital work such as levee raises and pumprepairs.

“Tapping reserves for ongoing expensesmay seem helpful in theshort term,but it leaves theauthoritymorevulnerable in the long run,” said Steven Procopio,the president of the Public Affairs ResearchCouncil, agovernment watchdog group. “Every dollar redirected away from flood protection reduces the authority’s abilitytocarry outits core mission of keeping the regionsafefromflooding.”

Though spending has increased at the agency’spolice force, Vicari, Landry’s appointed boardpresident, scrutinized other purchases at aSept. 18 boardmeeting He questioned bank fees and allegedthata$60,000 Ford F-250 high-water vehicle was inappropriately bought, even threatening to resign if tighter spending controls werenot adopted.

Aftera review, agency staff said the vehiclepurchase complied with policy

“The vehicle has the same specifications as Jefferson Parish’shigh-water vehicles and will be used to safely access low-lyingareas of the leveesystemand to assess conditions after severe weather —anessential step before floodgates can be reopened,” Gilmore said.

against alleged drug traffickers. Several senators andhumanrights groups have questioned the legality of the strikes, calling them potential overreach of executive authority in part because the military wasused for lawenforcement purposes. Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the topDemocrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said drug cartels are“despicable”but the Trump administration hasoffered “nocredible legaljustification, evidence or intelligence forthese strikes.”

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clearing the way for Landry and Benson to make the extension official at the ceremony inside the Dome.

The signing averts what had become atense standoff that has complicated New Orleans’ bid to host the 2031 Super Bowl, ashowcase event that requires a long-term stadium commitment. Because of the stalemate, the city missed an NFLdeadline last month to be placed on the shortlist of host sites.

Saints spokespersonGreg Bensel said then that if a lease could be finalized in time,Benson wouldaim to persuade NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to reopen the bidding.

“Governor,Iamconfident that between you and I, we will give it our absolute best effort,” Benson said Thursday.

Any bid would still require aformal proposal from the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation and City Hall, and there is no assurance New Orleans will ultimately land the game. On the stadium lease, formally called the “Stadium Use Agreement,” the state —represented by the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District, known as the Superdome Commission —won several concessions compared with the landmark2009 deal negotiated under former Gov.Bobby Jindal.

The Saints will no longer automatically receive 42% of all gross food and beverage sales at games. Instead, the parties will use profitsharing model: theSuperdome Commission will share in annual concession proceeds above $7 million, whilethe Saintswillcontribute $2.75 million each year toward overhead costs. If concession proceeds do not reach $7 million, the Saints will still get 38%of gross sales, but only if annual attendance tops 530,000. If not, their share drops to 37%.

In addition,the deal gives the state more favorable terms in marketing the Dome’sexclusive suites for marquee events such as the SuperBowl, NCAA Final Four and College Football Playoff games, while also requiringthe Saintstoshare in thecosts of future upgrades, including those mandated by the NFL.

The new lease also includesthe first-ever provisionsmeanttodeter afuture owner from relocating theteam.This version of the leaseislikely to extend past Benson’slifetime, which means it will likely be in place at thetimethat anew owner buysthe team.

Should the Saints decline to renew after the initial 10year term, they wouldowe the state $75 million —a penalty that gets smaller overtime.Separate “liquidated damages” provisions, initially as high as $200 million,are designed to recoup some of the state’sinvestment in Superdome renovations. Those also decline over thelife of the agreement

It’snot clear the extent to which the provisions in thelease would dissuade a

future owner from moving theteam. In the past, Benson said that SaintsPresident Dennis Lauscha, who will likely negotiate thesale someday,has been instructed not to sell to anyone who would consider moving the Saintsout of New Orleans.

The NFL and its owners also have arole in approving any ownership transition, which would requireavote of support by at least threequarters of the owners.

The state and Benson’s ownershipgroup also reached anew lease for Benson Tower,the 26-story office building adjacent to theSuperdome that has long been apoint of contention. Under the newterms,the state government will lease the building for10years, with asingle five-year extension option.Thatreplaces thepreviousarrangement, under which the Benson Tower lease was automatically tied to the length of the stadium lease.

The deal reduces the amount of space the state mustrent and lowersthe rent by $1 per squarefoot starting next year,trimming annual costs by about $200,000, to $9.1 million.

Future annual increases are capped at 2%, and the state gains the right to subletun-

used space.

Thestate’sshare of operating expenses is also reduced,and thelease includes an exit clause if Bensonweretonolongerown the Saints.

The state also secured more favorable termsfor Champions Square, theoutdoor entertainment space next to the Superdome that is owned by Benson.

The lease will now run for 10 years with no renewal options, at afixedrentof$2.2 millionannually.Parking revenue from theproperty will go to the state, while the twosides will split the costs of future upgrades equally

Finally,the ground lease forthe Saints’trainingfacility in Metairie has been extended on thesametimetable as thestadium agreement,but with additional costs shifted toward the team. The Saints will now pay alarger share of operating expenses, particularly the insurance bill.

Taken together,the package represents the most

significant overhaul of the Saints’ lease arrangements since 2009. While the team retains key revenue streams that help it stay competitive in oneofthe NFL’ssmallest markets, the state secured limitsoncosts, greater protectionsfor taxpayers and provisions that tie the Saints to New Orleans forthe foreseeable future.

Bensel said the Saints organization sees the deal as mutually beneficial.

“Wehavenegotiated at various times with the state on lease extensionsfor more than 20 years and we must saythatweare extremely pleased with the outcome of this particular agreement,” he said.

“Our goal remains to be here long-term, continue to improve the stadium forthe benefit of our fans and be a great partner to the city of NewOrleans andstate of Louisiana,” Bensel added. Email AnthonyMcAuley tmcauley@theadvocate. com.

Mayoralcandidatesaddress school funding

Next leader to decide on collecting cutoftaxes

BY MARIE FAZIO Staff writer

New Orleans’ next mayorcould have considerable sway over how much money flows to the city’s schools.

Twoofthe leadingmayoral candidates said in arecent survey that they would end the city’scontroversial practice of taking acut of thetaxes it collects for the Orleans Parish School Board, while athird candidate saidhewould reduce the fee the city charges

The fee, which is at the heartofa long-running legalbattle between the city and its schools, costs the school system more than $10million annually.Last year,the city was preparedtosettle the lawsuit and stop collecting the fee, but Mayor LaToya Cantrell abruptly backed out of the deal.

The incident put aspotlight on the role that New Orleans’ mayor can play in education,even withoutcontrolling the city’s system of independently operated charter schools. Now,with early voting for the Oct. 11 mayoral election underway,the candidates’stance on matters like tax collection could haveanoutsize impact on the city’s schools.

The three leading candidates were asked about that and other education-related issues in arecent survey by LouisianaCharter Schools in Action, the politicalaction committee supportedbyLouisiana Association of Public Charter Schools. Helena Moreno,New Orleans City Council vice presidentand the front-runner in recent polls, said she would stop chargingthe tax-collection fee and honorthe

original settlement. CityCouncil member Oliver Thomassaidhe would immediately end the fee. Andstate Sen. Royce Duplessis did not promise to eliminate the fee, but said he would keep it as small as possible.

(Moreno submitted written responses to The Times-Picayune, while the other candidates submittedvideo responses to the Louisiana CharterSchools in Action website.)

Decisions at City Hall and the relationship between city andschool officials canimpactschoolsand students,even though theOrleans Parish School Boardand NOLA PublicSchoolssuperintendent

have oversight over New Orleans’ public schools.

In February,Cantrell pulledout of asettlementagreementwith the school board that would have ended the tax-collection charge and awarded the schools $90 million over thenextdecadeto payback past fees.Inresponse, City Council memberswho had backed theagreementjoinedthe School Board’slawsuit against the city Under the next mayor,the stalled settlement could comeback to life.

Moreno said she would stopcollecting the fee and would abide by theterms of the original agreement, which included a$20 million

cashpayment and$70 million in funding commitments forspecific programsover the next decade.

“When Iammayor,this will finally STOP,” Moreno said in her writtenanswer.“Iwill follow through on theoriginal agreement, make ourschools whole,and move towards closer collaboration across theboard.”

Thomas also said he would put an end to the fee, deeming it “a tax on our kids.”

“Wecan’tsay we want ahealthy city and we want to help our kids if we’re taking dollars from them,” Thomas said.“Iwould stop that practice yesterday.”

Duplessis said he would aim to

funnel as much money as possible back to the schools, but that if the city continues to collect taxes “there has to be afair collection feenegotiatedbetween the schools and the city.”

Candidatesalso were asked how they would improve fiscal transparency and timely reporting of city tax revenue. School district officials have said delayedcommunications from the city last year contributed to the district’sflawed revenue projections, which triggered afinancial crisis.

Duplessis said he would promote existing publicdata dashboards because “that’show you build trust, that’show you build engagement, that’show youbuild people feeling like they have asay in the matter.”

Moreno said increased fiscal transparency “must be oneofour top priorities.” She said she would focus on management of the city’s annual operating budgets, including tax collections.

Thomas said the relationship between the superintendent, School Boardmembersand districtleaders “ought to be in lockstep”with the mayor and city officials. Mayoral candidates also offered ideas on how they would improve education.

Duplessis said he would try to create universal child care access forchildrenagesthreeand under and aliteracy program to get children reading by age 8.

Moreno said she would revamp the city’srecreation department so children have access to free afterschool activities and enrichment. Shealsosaid she would alsopursue subsidies to help teachers pay forhousing, public transportation and utilities.

Thomas said he would expand access to early childhood education and expand after-school programsaround the city

and divisive claims.”

Duplessis and Thomas jockeying for second place.

Duplessis also focused his spending on advertising, with nearly two-thirds of his spending on media buys. Thomas spent less on advertising, focusing more on canvassing and “get out the vote” activities

“Our campaign is built on grassroots efforts that have built and continue to build trust,” said Thomas’ campaignmanager,Ethan Ashley Attack mailers targeting Moreno andDuplessis have also popped up in recent weeks.

Twogroups funding the mailers refer to themselves as political action committees, or PACs, but neither appears on the State Ethics Board’slist of PACs that have filed statements of organization or campaign finance reports.

Theanti-Duplessis group

Protecting Our Future,is aWashington, D.C.-based 501(c)(4) organization, meaning it is anonprofit that engages in political activities. Marcus Mason is listed as the principal officer on tax forms. No one from the

groupresponded to phone andemail messages

Protecting Our Future’s flyers noted that Duplessis once worked for Entergy andclaimed he “fought to raise” Entergy rates in 2014 whileworking “forthemon theinside.”

Duplessis said in avideo on Thursday he interned at Entergy while attending Xavier University more than twodecades ago, and worked there for less than ayear aftergraduating. He later worked as alawyer for afirm that contracted with the City Council —not Entergy —toserveasutility adviser.The council regulates Entergy New Orleans. He called the flyer “dark money,anonymous stuff.”

“Theyseemtobewanting to blame the rates on a 21-year-old college student,

recent graduate,” Duplessis said. “As an adviser, I worked for amultinational lawfirm that actually represented theCity Council where we fought against Entergy to keep therates as low as possible.”

People for aBetterNew Orleans, which is behind the mailers criticizing Moreno, was created by businessman Jeff Thomas andDillard University professor Blair Condoll, according to SecretaryofState’sOffice filings.

Condoll said thegroup has raised about $20,000 and is finalizingits EthicsBoard filings.

The flyer accuses Moreno of hostility towardBlack businesses, though Condoll denied the group is “anti-Moreno.” He saidthe group aims to promotebusiness development and is alsoplanning to scru-

tinize OliverThomas, who he predicted will make arunoff withMoreno.

“(The mailer)iscritical of Moreno, and we’re going to be critical of Thomas too,” Condoll said. “We’re going

to do deeperdives in the runoff, into everybody’srecord.”

In astatement, the Moreno campaign said the People for aBetter NewOrleans mailer is “spreading false

“Helenahas theforemost legislative recordsupporting smalland Black-owned businesses in the city over the past eight years,” the statement said.

it into the

Boats attempting to break Gaza blockade intercepted

BY IBRAHIM HAZBOUN and RENATA BRITO Associated Press

JERUSALEM Hundreds of Israeli police officers were deployed Thursday to the southern port of Ashdod to process some 450 international activists detained by Israeli naval forces hours earlier in the Mediterranean Sea, Israeli authorities said The activists were taking part of a flotilla attempting to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza when their vessels were intercepted, drawing widespread condemnation and sparking protests around the world.

The Global Sumud Flotilla was the largest yet to try to break the blockade, and it comes at a time of growing criticism of Israel’s conduct in Gaza, where its offensive has laid waste to wide swaths of territory and killed tens of thousands of people.

Activists had said they hoped that the sheer number of boats would make it more difficult for Israeli authorities to intercept them all — but Israel’s Foreign Ministry declared the operation over on Thursday afternoon Israeli police shared a video showing some 600 officers working on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur considered the holiest in the Jewish calendar, to register the detained activists ahead of their expected deportations

Thousands of people supporting the flotilla took to the streets in several major cities after news of the interception broke to decry the

BY JOSH FUNK AP transportation writer

Two Delta Air Lines regional jets collided at the intersection of two taxiways at LaGuardia Airport in New York, injuring a flight attendant, damaging a cockpit and tearing off part of a wing, the National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday.

Israeli operation and the ongoing offensive in the Gaza Strip. Italy’s largest union called for a one-day general strike on Friday

The flotilla, which started out with more than 40 boats and some 450 activists, was carrying a symbolic amount of humanitarian aid to Gaza. Its main goal, they said, remained “to break Israel’s illegal siege and end the ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people.”

Israel’s Foreign Ministry dismissed it as a “provocation,” saying that various countries have offered to deliver the aid the boats were carrying. Israel has come under intense criticism for how much aid it lets into Gaza and how it distributes the goods It has vehemently denied it is committing genocide.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commended his nation’s navy and soldiers for stopping the flotilla on Yom Kippur.

Flotilla organizers said at least 41 of their boats were intercepted or assumed intercepted in the nightlong Israeli operation. Israeli authorities later said only one boat remained “at a distance” and would be intercepted if it approached.

The Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, triggered this war Militants killed some 1,200 people that day, while 251 others were abducted. Forty-eight hostages are still held in Gaza — around 20 believed to be alive.

Israel’s ensuing campaign has killed more than 66,000

The NTSB said it sent a team of 10 investigators to the airport after the collision Wednesday night, and flight recorders have already been recovered from both airplanes and sent to its headquarters for analysis. It wasn’t immediately clear who was at fault, but air traffic control had instructed the Virginia-bound plane “to hold short and yield to the other aircraft” before the collision the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement An aircraft carrying 32 people was preparing for takeoff to Roanoke, Virginia, when its wing made contact with the fuselage of an aircraft arriving from Char-

Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and militants in its toll.

Israeli forces detained and removed dozens of people — including Greta Thunberg, former Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau and European Parliament member Rima Hassan from the flotilla.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry posted photos and videos of some of the detainees saying in a statement that they were “safe and in good health” and would be transferred to Israel for deportation.

Turkey, Colombia, Pakistan and others condemned Israel’s interception of the flotilla.

Italy, France, Poland and other European nations, which had warned the activists not to continue the journey and avoid confrontation with Israel, said they were working with Israeli diplomatic authorities to ensure their citizens were transferred to land and deported home swiftly

Israel has argued its actions constitute a lawful naval blockade needed to prevent Hamas from importing arms, while critics consider it collective punishment of Palestinians in Gaza.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced late Wednesday that his government would expel Israel’s diplomatic delegation in the South American country and terminate a free trade agreement with Israel over the interception. Two Colombian citizens are taking part in the flotilla.

lotte, North Carolina, with 61 people aboard, according to a statement from Delta. The airline described it as a “low-speed collision.” But it would not provide the planes’ exact speeds, saying in a statement that that information is “germane to the open and ongoing investigation.”

Images of the damage showed the broken wing on one plane while the other plane’s cockpit window was shattered and its nose was deeply gouged in several places.

Woman sues Mississippi police over son’s killing

BY SOPHIE BATES Associated Press

JACKSON,Miss.— The mother of a 25-year-old Black man who was fatally shot by police is suing the officers involved, the Mississippi Capitol Police and the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, among others. Arkela Lewis’ son, Jaylen Lewis, was shot by Capitol Police during a traffic stop on Sept. 25, 2022. Two officers involved, Stephen Frederick and Michael Rhinewalt, were indicted for manslaughter in March. Both have entered not guilty pleas and are no longer employed with DPS.

According to the lawsuit, Frederick, Rhinewalt and other Capitol Police officers were conducting a drug op-

eration when they pulled Lewis over He reversed his car into a police vehicle, and officers opened fire.

“Jaylen (did not) brandish a weapon, reach for a weapon, make any violent gestures, threaten anyone or otherwise take any actions that could reasonably be perceived as endangering officers,” the lawsuit says.

Arkela Lewis, who has spoken out against Capitol Police, is asking the court to force DPS and Capitol Police to adopt a policy that would “prevent future instances of the type of misconduct” that led to her son’s death. She is also seeking compensation for emotional damages.

“The Mississippi Department of Public Safety is aware of the lawsuit

and does not comment on pending litigation,” Bailey Martin, a spokesperson for the department, wrote in a statement.

Rhinewalt and another Capitol Police officer are also being sued by another woman, Sherita Harris, who says she was shot in the head by Rhinewalt during a pursuit after a traffic stop, also in 2022.

The officers have said the car Harris was in fled after they exited their patrol vehicle, and they heard gunshots from the car as they gave chase, according to court records.

Two officers involved in that shooting, including Rhinewalt, have been indicted on aggravated assault charges. They have both pleaded not guilty

BRIEFS

Popeyes to build 300 restaurants in Mexico

Popeyes said it will make a major expansion in Mexico, working with four franchisees to open more than 300 restaurants across the country over the next decade.

There are 42 Popeyes restaurants in Mexico, according to its website, with most around Mexico City and in the state of Jalisco.

“Mexico represents a tremendous growth opportunity for Popeyes, and we’re thrilled to be partnering with experienced and passionate franchisees who share our vision,” said Duncan Montero, LAC president of Restaurant Brands International, parent company of Popeyes. Miami-based RBI also owns Burger King, Tim Hortons and Firehouse Subs.

Popeyes has more than 5,000 locations worldwide. The chain has made recent aggressive moves to grow internationally, launching ambitious plans to open 1,700 restaurants in China over the next decade, while moving into Italy Czech Republic, Costa Rica, South Korea and Poland.

NBCUniversal, YouTube TV mend rift with deal

YouTube TV and NBCUniversal announced a new distribution agreement Thursday, averting a blackout that could have interrupted programming routines for nearly 10 million customers.

NBCUniversal secured carriage for its entire portfolio of TV channels, including NBC, CNBC and Spanish-language Telemundo In addition the company will launch a new channel, NBC Sports Network, this fall and it will join YouTube TV’s lineup. The deal also makes Universal movies and television shows available to YouTube consumers on-demand.

YouTube now ranks as the nation’s top video provider, according to Nielsen.

Wall Street ticks to more records, led by tech

NEW YORK U.S. stocks edged up to more records on Thursday as technology stocks kept rising and as Wall Street kept ignoring the shutdown of the U.S. government.

The S&P 500 added 0.1% to its all-time high set the day before. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 79 points, or 0.2%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.4%. Both also hit records. Thursdays on Wall Street typically have investors reacting to the latest weekly tally of U.S. workers applying for unemployment benefits. But D.C.’s shutdown meant this week’s report on jobless claims has been delayed Friday’s monthly tally of jobs created and destroyed across the economy also will likely not arrive on schedule.

That increases uncertainty when much on Wall Street is riding on investors’ expectation that the job market is slowing by enough to convince the Federal Reserve to keep cutting interest rates, but not by so much that it leads to a recession Musk reports Tesla sales jump after boycotts

NEW YORK Months after Elon Musk left the Trump administration to the relief of Tesla investors worried about boycotts, the world’s richest man has announced some good news: Sales of Tesla cars are back. Well, maybe. The electric vehicle maker run by Musk reported Thursday that car sales jumped 7% in the three months through September after plunging for most of the year as people turned off by his embrace of President Donald Trump and far-right politicians in Europe balked at buying his cars. But the jump comes with a caveat: Tesla benefited from consumers taking advantage of a $7,500 tax credit before it expired on Sept. 30, a surge in buying that helped all EV makers. In fact, many Tesla rivals saw sales rise more. Rivian Automotive reported a 32% increase.

OxyChem deal reached

Bid potentially Warren Buffett’s last big deal

BY JOSH FUNK Associated Press

OMAHA, Neb Berkshire Hathaway is buying Occidental Petroleum’s chemical division for $9.7 billion in what may be the last big acquisition involving the consummate dealmaker, Warren Buffett. Buffett wasn’t mentioned anywhere in materials released by Berkshire Hathaway discussing the deal Thursday, potentially

signaling a passing of the torch to Vice Chair Greg Abel, to whom Buffett will hand the CEO title in January But given the relationship that Buffett has with Occidental CEO Vicki Hollub, who he has praised ever since helping her with an acquisition back in 2019, and the fact that he likes to be involved anytime Berkshire spends more than $1 billion dollars, he certainly had a role. Even after the transition, Buffett will remain chairman at Berkshire and will still be involved in deciding how to spend the conglomerate’s colossal pile of more

than $344 billion cash. Berkshire’s cash reserves have been growing for years because Buffett has been unable to find any major acquisitions at attractive prices since completing the $11.6 billion acquisition of Alleghany Insurance in 2022. Prices for big acquisitions have been driven higher in recent years by the entry of more hedge funds in the market. The OxyChem deal is sizeable, but it still uses less than 3% of Berkshire’s cash and likely isn’t big enough to make a significant difference in the conglomerate’s

bottom line. Investors seemed underwhelmed with the deal with Berkshire’s shares trading down slightly and Occidental’s shares dropping more than 7% Thursday after it was announced.

OxyChem makes chlorine for water treatment, vinyl chloride for plastics and calcium chloride that’s used to treat icy roads along with an assortment of other chemicals. It will fit nicely alongside Lubrizol, which Buffett bought in 2011 for $9 billion, but Berkshire typically doesn’t consolidate the operations of the companies it buys.

Gatorade, Cheetos among Pepsi products getting a natural makeover

BY DEE-ANN DURBIN and TED SHAFFREY Associated Press

VALHALLA, N.Y Pepsi has a new challenge: keeping products like Gatorade and Cheetos vivid and colorful without the artificial dyes that U.S. consumers are increasingly rejecting.

PepsiCo, which also makes Doritos, Cap’n Crunch cereal, Funyuns and Mountain Dew, announced in April that it would accelerate a planned shift to using natural colors in its foods and beverages. Around 40% of its U.S. products now contain synthetic dyes, according to the company

But just as it took decades for artificial colors to seep into PepsiCo’s products, removing them is likely to be a multiyear process. The company said it’s still finding new ingredients, testing consumers’ responses and waiting for the U.S Food and Drug Administration to approve natural alternatives. PepsiCo hasn’t committed to meeting the Trump administration’s goal of phasing out petroleumbased synthetic dyes by the end of 2026.

“We’re not going to launch a product that the consumer’s not going to enjoy,” said Chris Coleman, PepsiCo’s senior director for food research and development in North America.

“We need to make sure the product is right.

Coleman said it can take two or three years to shift a product from an artificial color to a natural one. PepsiCo has to identify a natural ingredient that will have a stable shelf life and not change a product’s flavor Then it must ensure the availability of a safe and adequate supply The company tests prototypes with trained experts and panels of consumers, then makes sure the new formula won’t snag its manufacturing process. It also has to design new packaging.

Tostitos and Lay’s will be the first PepsiCo brands to make the shift, with naturally dyed tortilla and potato chips expected on store shelves later this year and naturally dyed dips due to be on sale early next year Most of the chips, dips and salsas in the two lines already are naturally colored, but there were some exceptions. The reddish-brown tint of Tostitos Salsa Verde, for example, came from four synthetic colors: Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Red 40 and Blue 1. Coleman said the company is switching to carob powder which gives the chips a similar color, but needed to tweak the recipe to ensure the addition of the cocoa alternative wouldn’t affect the taste.

In its Frito-Lay food labs and test kitchens in Plano, Texas, PepsiCo is experimenting with ingredients like paprika and turmeric to

mimic the bright reds and oranges in products like Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, Coleman said.

The company is looking at purple sweet potatoes and various types of carrots to color drinks like Mountain Dew and Cherry 7UP, according to Damien Browne, the vice president of research and development for PepsiCo’s beverage division based in Valhalla, New York.

When the Pepsi-Cola Company was founded in 1902, the absence of artificial dyes was a point of pride. The company marketed Pepsi as “The Original Pure Food Drink” to differentiate the cola from rivals that used lead, arsenic and other toxins as food colorants before the U.S. banned them in 1906. But synthetic dyes eventually won over food companies. They were vibrant, consistent and cheaper than natural colors. They are also rigorously tested by the FDA.

Still, PepsiCo said it started seeing a small segment of shoppers asking for products without artificial colors or flavors more than two decades ago.

“We’re looking for those little signals that will become humongous in the future,” Amanda Grzeda, PepsiCo’s senior director of global sensory and consumer experience, said of the company’s close attention to consumer preferences.

FDA OKs another generic abortion pill, prompting outrage

BY MATTHEW PERRONE Associated Press

WASHINGTON Federal officials have approved another generic version of the abortion pill mifepristone, a regulatory formality that quickly triggered pushback from anti-abortion groups and politicians aligned with the Trump administration. Drugmaker Evita Solutions announced on its website that the Food and Drug Administration signed off on its low-cost form of the pill, which is approved to end pregnancies through 10 weeks. Students for Life Action, which opposes abortion, in a statement

Thursday called the approval “a stain on the Trump presidency and another sign that the deep state at the FDA must go.”

Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri also criticized the move in a post on X, stating: “I have lost confidence in the leadership at FDA.” President Donald Trump’s top health officials, including Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., face growing pressure from abortion opponents to reevaluate mifepristone, which was approved 25 years ago and has repeatedly been deemed safe and effective by FDA scientists.

In a letter to Republican attorneys general last month, Kennedy

and FDA Commissioner Dr Marty Makary pledged to conduct a full review of the drug’s safety

The FDA approved the original version of mifepristone in 2000 and gradually eased access over time. That included approving the first generic pill, from drugmaker GenBioPro, in 2019. In 2021, the FDA under Democratic President Joe Biden permitted online prescribing and mail-order delivery of the drug, greatly expanding access. Abortion opponents have been fighting the change ever since.

Approval of generic drugs is typically a rote process at the FDA, with multiple copycat versions

usually approved after the patent on the original drug expires. The FDA typically approves such applications within 10 months. But filing documents posted to the FDA’s website show that Evita Solutions filed its application to market mifepristone four years ago.

Approval of a second generic is unlikely to affect access to the pill, which is typically taken with another drug, misoprostol. The combination accounts for roughly two-thirds of all U.S. abortions. Mifepristone dilates the cervix and blocks the hormone progesterone while misoprostol causes the uterus to cramp and contract.

Trumpthreatens mass firingsofworkers

BY LISA MASCARO, JOSH BOAK and SEUNG MIN KIM Associated Press

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump has seized on the government shutdown as an opportunity to reshape thefederal workforce and punish detractors, meeting with budget director Russell Vought on Thursday to talk through “temporaryor permanent”spending cuts that could set up alose-lose dynamic for Democratic lawmakers.

Trump announced the meeting on social media Thursday morning, saying he and Vought would determine “which of the many Democrat Agencies” would be cut —continuing theirefforts to slash federal spending by threatening mass firings of workers and suggesting “irreversible” cuts to Democratic priorities.

“I can’tbelieve the Radical Left Democrats gave me this unprecedented opportunity,” Trump wrote on his social media account. “They are not stupid people, so maybe this is their way of wanting to, quietly and quickly, MAKE AMERICA GREATAGAIN!”

Trump has been very direct about his intentions in saying thathebelieves the

Democrats would get the blame if he choosestofire people orcut spendingas part of the shutdown.

“There could befirings andthat’stheir fault,”the president said in an interview with OneAmerica News set to air Thursday.“I mean, we could cutprojects that they wanted, favorite projects,and they’dbepermanently cut.”

TheTruth Socialpostwas notable in its explicit embraceofProject 2025, acontroversial policy blueprint drafted by the Heritage Foundation that Trump distanced himself from during his reelection campaign.

Theeffort aimed to reshape thefederal government around right-wingpolicies, and Democratsrepeatedly pointed to its goals to warn of the consequences of asecond Trumpadministration.

Voughton Wednesdayoffered an opening salvo of the pressure he hoped to put on Democrats.He announcedhewas withholding $18 billion for the Hudson River rail tunnel andSecond Avenue subway linein New York City that have been championed by both Democratic leaders, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jef-

the fiscal year,causing that money to lapse.

All of this means that Democratic spending priorities might be in jeopardy regardless of whether they want to keep the government open or partially closed.

Aheadofthe endofthe fiscal year in September, Vought usedthe pocket rescission to block the spending of $4.9 billioninforeign aid.

offs starting in the next day or two. It’s an extension of the Department of Government Efficiencyworkunder Elon Musk that slashed through the federal governmentatthe start of the year

“These areall things that theTrump administration has been doing since January20th,”Jeffriessaid. “The cruelty is the point.”

fries, in their home state.

“Trump’s so-called‘maximumpain’plan isn’t hurting Democrats— it’s hurting American families,” Schumer said in astatement Thursday.“He’ssnatching paychecks,threatening jobs, and deliberately inflicting suffering on working people just to score petty political points.”

Meanwhile, theWhite House is preparing for mass firings of federal workers, rather than simply furloughing them, as is the usual practice during ashutdown. White House press secre-

Trump, Vought cut$7.6B

BY MATTHEW DALY and MICHAEL PHILLIS Associated Press

WASHINGTON The Trump administrationiscancelling

$7.6 billioningrants that supported hundreds of clean energy projects in 16 states, all of which voted for Democrat Kamala Harris in last year’s presidential election.

The move comes as PresidentDonaldTrump threatens deep cuts in his fight with congressional Democrats over the government shutdown.

The Energy Department saidina statement Thursdaythat223 projects were terminated after areview determined they did not adequately advancethe nation’s energy needs or were not economically viable. Officials did not provide details about which projects are being cut, but said funding came from the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, Office of Energy Efficiency and RenewableEnergy,and other DOE bureaus.

Thecutsare likelytoaffect battery plants,hydro-

gen technology projects, upgradestothe electric grid andcarbon-captureefforts, amongmanyothers, according to the environmental nonprofitNatural Resources Defense Council.

RussellVought, the White House budgetdirector, highlighted thecutbacksina social media post lateWednesday, sayingmoney “to fuel the Left’sclimate agenda is beingcancelled.”

He said projects are on the chopping block inCalifornia, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey,New Mexico, New York,Oregon,Vermont and Washington state.

Vought and theEnergy Department did not explain how they came up with their list of targeted states considering that dozensof stateshaveclean energy projects. Butall 16 targeted states supported Harris, and in each of thosestates, both U.S. senators voted against theRepublican’sshort-term funding bill to keep thegovernmentworking.

Thecuts include up to $1.2 billionfor California’s hydrogen hub that is aimed at accelerating hydrogentechnology and production, and up to $1 billionfor ahydrogen project in the Pacific Northwest. ATexas hydrogenproject anda three-state project in West Virginia, Ohioand Pennsylvania were spared, according to clean-energy supporters who obtained a list of the DOEtargets

Trumpsaidinaninterview taped WednesdaywithOne America News, aconservative outlet, that his administration couldcut projects Democrats want —“favorite projects, and they’d be permanently cut.”

“I’mallowed to cut things that never should have been approved in the first place and Iwill probably do that,” Trump said. Aclip from the interview wasreleased ahead of the full interview set to air Thursday night.

Trump’scommentsshow thatheand Vought are treating American “families and their livelihoods likepawns in some sort of sick political game,” said Sen. PattyMur-

Climbing star dies in fall from El Capitan

BY JAIMIE DING Associated Press

LOS ANGELES Apopular

tary Karoline Leavittsaid earlier this week that layoffs were “imminent.”

“If they don’twant further harmontheir constituents back home, then theyneed to reopen the government,” Leavitt said Thursday of Democrats.

Democratic lawmakers seeVoughtasthe architect of astrategy to refuse to spend congressionally approved funds, using atool known as a“pocket rescission” in which theadministration submits plans to return unspent money to Congress just before the end of

ray,D-Wash.

“This administration has hadplansinthe worksfor monthstocancel critical energy projects, and now they are illegally takingaction to kill jobsand raise people’s energy bills,” shesaidina statement.“This is ablatant attempttopunish the political opposition.”

CaliforniaGov.Gavin Newsom said the private sector has committed $10 billionfor thestate’shydrogen project. The cut threatens over 200,000 jobs, New-

White House officials refusedtospeculateonthe future use of pocket rescissions after rollingthemout in late August. But oneof Vought’sformer colleagues, insisting on anonymity to discuss the budgetdirector’splans, said thatfuture pocket rescissions could be 20 times higher

Thursday is Day 2ofthe shutdown, andalreadythe dialisturnedhigh. The aggressive approach coming from the Trumpadministration is what certain lawmakers and budget observers feared if Congress, which hasthe responsibility to pass legislation to fund government, failed to do its work and relinquished control to the White House.

Vought,ina private conference call with House GOPlawmakers Wednesday afternoon, told them of lay-

som said.

The California project is one of seven clean-energy projects from West Virginia to Washington state selected by the Biden administration for a$7billion programto kickstart development and productionofhydrogenfuel, part of formerPresident Joe Biden’sagenda to slow climatechange.

TheDOE said it hasreviewed billions of dollars awardedbythe Bidenadministration after Trump won the presidentialelec-

HouseSpeakerMike Johnson, R-Benton, underscored Thursday that the shutdown givesTrump andVought vast power over the federal government. He blamed Democrats and said “they have effectively turnedoff the legislative branch” and “handed it over to the president.”

“WhenCongressturns off the funding, and the funding runs out, it is up to the commander-in-chief, thepresident of the United States, to determine howthose resources will be spent,” the speaker said. Still, Johnsonsaidthat Trumpand Voughttake“no pleasure in this.” The Democrats are holding fast to their demands to preserve health care funding andrefusing to back a bill thatfails to do so,warning of pricespikesfor millions of Americansnationwide.

tion last November.More than aquarter of the rescinded grants were awarded between Election Day and Inauguration Day, the department said.

“President Trump promised to protect taxpayer dollars andexpand America’s supply of affordable, reliable, and secure energy.Today’scancellationsdeliver on that commitment,” Energy Secretary Chris Wright said. Award recipients have 30 days to appeal theDOE’s termination decision.

“He’sbeenclimbing since he was ayoung boy,” she said. “His heart and soul was truly to just climb.”

Thedeath came on the first dayofthe federalgovernment shutdown, which left national parks“generally”open, withlimited operations and closed visitors centers, according tothe

Alaskan climber fell to his death from Yosemite National Park’sElCapitan, marking the third death in the park this summer Balin Miller,23, died ina climbing accident Wednesday,his mother Jeanine Girard-Moorman confirmed.

National Park Service. The park servicedid notrespond to an email requesting comment, and it’s unclear what staff remains at Yosemite during theshutdown.

El Capitan is an enormous sheer granite rock face of approximately3,000 feet thatentices big-wall rock climbers from all over the world.

Chef killed in carjacking honored

Community remembers man as ‘devoted father’

BY MISSY WILKINSON

Staff writer

A New Orleans man who was shot and killed in a Tuesday carjacking as he picked up his young son from a Mid-City nursery was “a devoted father, a respected chef and an excellent team member,” according to restaurateur Ralph

Brennan. “Carl Morgan brought an energy to our kitchen that won’t be replaced,” Brennan said in a statement issued Thursday afternoon.

“This is a tremendous loss for his family for our team and for everyone who knew him.”

Morgan worked as a sous chef for Brennan’s Restaurant, where

he brought “heat, hustle and heart” to his cooking and his team members, according to a fundraiser for funeral expenses and family support. Though his presence could be “intimidating,” thanks in part to his large build and chef’s knife tattoo, Morgan was a “sweet” person who served as a teacher in the kitchen and a master coordinator

Murrill stands by Duncan criticism

Court clerk candidate, DA reject her claims

BY JOHN SIMERMAN Staff writer

BY

BY LARA NICHOLSON Staff writer

Jefferson Parish unveiled its new

$3.6 million COVID-19 Memorial Park on Thursday morning in Marrero to honor the roughly 1,400 residents whose lives were claimed by the virus during the pandemic.

The memorial, on the Westbank Expressway across from the Walkertown bus terminal, resembles a miniature coliseum from its exterior, while the inside showcases a wall of black granite tiles and an engraved prayer by Parish Council member Byron Lee, who spearheaded the project, along with benches and a fountain in its center Outside the memorial, a concrete walking path snakes through a grass

field and two covered picnic areas.

The memorial does not include any names of COVID-19 victims yet, as the parish is still collecting those but plans to add them next month.

“Bottom line is that COVID affected all of us, so this is something that is beneficial for all of us in this parish,” Lee said.

Myra Barrios hugs her daughter-in-law Amanda Davis next to Raymond Minor at the Memorial Park honoring the lives lost during the COVID-19 pandemic in Marrero on Thursday. Davis’ father and Barrios’ husband, Eugene J

Jr died from complications after battling COVID-19 on Jan. 6, 2021.

Attorney General Liz Murrill on Thursday stood by her allegations that a candidate for New Orleans criminal court clerk has falsely declared himself “exonerated” and that District Attorney Jason Williams acted in the case despite a conflict — even as Williams and candidate Calvin Duncan rejected her claims.

Murrill sent Duncan a letter this week threatening legal action if he continued to claim in campaign ads that he was exonerated in 2021, when a judge vacated his conviction and sentence in a 1981 killing. Much of Murrill’s twopage letter claims that decision was bogus. She says Williams, whose office agreed to vacate the conviction, should have recused because court records show he appeared in 2005 on Duncan’s behalf. Murrill also noted that the judge who signed off on the agreement, Nandi Campbell, had worked as a lawyer at Williams’ defense firm.

Shorty, Woodfork take aim at each other

BY JOSEPH CRANNEY Staff writer

her record as a New Orleans police officer Shorty released his attack ad first, with a 30-second spot that started airing last week It states Woodfork — who held a stint as interim NOPD superintendent in 2023 — was suspended as an officer six times under four NOPD chiefs. She was accused of defying orders, lying, intimidation, striking another officer and other misconduct, the ad said.

Landry suspends BelleChasseBridgetolls

Officialsinvestigate complaints about highfees

BY LARA NICHOLSON Staff writer

Gov.Jeff Landry announced

Thursdaythat tolls will be suspended for the new Belle Chasse Bridge as officials investigate the numerouscomplaints made by residents that the tolls have been exorbitantly high.

Landry postedavideo to social media of him standing in the Superdome next to Plaquemines

Parish President Keith Hinkley andstate Rep. Jacob Braud, RBelle Chasse, in whichhesays he’s placed the company responsible forthe tolls, Plenary Infrastructure Belle Chasse, “on notice” and suspended all tolls for the time being.

The announcement comes days afterLandryblamedformerGov John Bel Edwards in another social media video for negotiating “a terrible deal” with Plenary regarding bridge tolls, and said he planned to giverelieftoPlaquemines Parish residents soon.

“We’re going to get abetter deal,” saidGov.JeffLandry in his latest video. “A better deal for

Tech outage disrupts La. financialaid programs

Agency says payments may be delayed

BY PATRICK WALL Staff writer

Atechnologyoutage has hobbled the state agency that manages Louisiana’sTOPS scholarship andcollege-savings programs, which could cause payment delays, the agency said Thursday

The Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance, or LOSFA, is experiencing an “incident” that disrupted its information technology systems, according to astatement posted online and sent to the news media Thursday afternoon.

The agency administers the state’sTOPS college-scholarship program and its STARTprogram, a529 education savings account program to help families save for college or private school tuition. As of Thursday afternoon,the STARTwebsite andanonline tool for students totrack their TOPS scholarships were not working.

The outage could leadtodelayed scholarship or savings account payments,according tothe statement, which said the Louisiana State Police and other agencies are investigating the cause. “While we continuethe

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Family of anyJefferson Parish resident who died from COVID-19 canadd anametothe wallbyfilling out an online form. Lee said his office will confirm with relatives of each victim that they have permission to include the name on the wall. Hisoffice has received the names of 148 victims so far out of an estimated 1,400 COVID-19 deaths in the parish.

Among those victimsisEugene Barrios Jr., whodied in January 2021 due to complications from

investigation, we have notified all institutions regarding potential delayedstudent STARTaccount or statescholarshippayments,” thestatementsaid. “Wehave asked institutions to extend payment deadlines to minimize any disruptions to education.”

The statementraised several unanswered questions, including whether the disruption was due to acyberattack andwhether students’ and families’ personal data wascompromised. Agency staffers are analyzing the outage “to determine what, if any, informationwas involved in the incident,” the statement said.

ABoard of Regents spokesperson said he could notanswer follow-up questions.

The timing of the statement also raisedquestions. LOSFAbeganexperiencing technical difficulties at least three days earlier, according to aMonday morning Facebook post.And for several days, the agency’swebsitehas said that staffers “are unable to answer phone calls, emails,orassist customers at thistime.”

Some families have been alarmed by the extended outage.

Kayne Pierce, who put money in Louisiana’s STARTprogram to help payfor his children’scollege costs, said he hasn’t been able to reach anyone at LOSFAoraccess the STARTwebsite for several days.

COVID-19afterheand his wife, 71-year-oldMyra Barrios, both contracted the virus two months previously. Whileshe had been hospitalized for her symptoms and recovered, Eugenenever left.

“I know now that it was his time,

Barrios said. “Thehardest ride was coming home by myselfknowing that he was never coming home.”

MyraBarrios stood at the memorial andhuggedher stepdaughter in front of the black granite slabs

Teary-eyed, shesaid she plans to visit the memorial regularly,not just to mourn theloss of her husband, but to celebrate thefouryears of marriagethey hadtogether:their visits to church, mealstogether andthe

Plaquemines, abetter deal for Louisiana, and we are going to keep ourinfrastructure rolling.”

Plenaryspokesperson Angela Noote saidThursday evening the companyhad receivedthe order from Landryand suspended bridge tolls.

The $170 million Belle Chasse Bridge opened last March, nearly ayear after the target date, in the state’sfirst public-private partnership of itskind. The state fined Plenary $10,000 per day for the delays, totaling more than$3million.

Tollingstarted May14, after at least12construction-related delays since March. Sincethen, electedofficialssay

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ButWilliams responded thathe neverrepresented Duncan,who spent 28 years in prison before his release in 2011 under an agreement with former district Leon Cannizzaro, who now works under Murrill.

Duncansaid Thursday that Williams was “never my attorney, blaming aclericalmistakefor the court recordmakingitappear so.His supporterssaidWilliams hadn’trepresented Duncan on those dates, but rather adifferent life prisoner,George Toca.

“I proved my innocence inside this very courthouse,” Duncan said as he stood Thursday on the courthouse steps on Tulane Avenue and Broad Street.“They can’t scare me, because I’ve been here before.”

But Murrill, whohas said there was “no question” Williams’ office should have recused in Duncan’s case, wasn’tgiving much ground Thursday

“This isn’treally about District Attorney Jason Williams —this is about Calvin Duncan claiming he was exonerated when he really wasn’t,” Murrill saidina statement. “His conviction was vacated but notbased on factual innocence.”

Murrill’sopining comes as the incumbent in theclerkofCriminal District Court race, Darren Lombard, trails Duncan in fundraising. Lombard has suedDuncanand his campaign, alleging aviolation of state election codes

celebration of her oldest daughter’s birthday just before his passing.

The parish first announced plans for thememorial in February 2024, lessthana year after theWorld Health Organization ended itsglobal public healthemergency declarationfor the virus.

The original costestimate was $2.8 million, but Lee said thecost increasedbecauseofconstruction delays and change orders. Amajority of theproject’sfunding came from proceedsfrom the 2015 lease of West Jefferson Medical Center to LCMC Health. By law,the parish canspend thosefundsonly on health andwellness initiatives.

The park comes in addition to a

they’ve fielded numerous complaints from constituents over the “unrealistic financial burdens” that thetolls have placed on them, including one mother who received abill of over $6,000 in administrative fees due to aglitch with her Geaux Pass. Three state lawmakers —Sen. Pat Connick, R-Marrero; Sen. Gary Carter,D-NewOrleans; andRep Jacob Braud, R-Belle Chasse —issueda letter to the attorney general last week requesting an investigation into Plenary and acease and desistletter for excessive fees.

In that letter, lawmakers say Plenary has billedusers more for administrativefees, postageand

incidental fees than for the tolls themselves —$6,835,205 versus $5,178,012.67 between May14and Sept. 14 of this year They also allege that local businesses report revenue losses of up to 30% as customersnolonger want to travel over the bridge to patronize their businesses.

“The people of Plaquemines Parish have only one main road in and out of the parish,” Connick said in a statement. “Our people should not be held hostage by aflawed tolling system on abridge that is less than one mile long.”

EmailLara Nicholson at lnicholson@theadvocate.com.

Civil District Judge Omar Mason rejected Lombard’srequest for atemporary restraining order Masoninstead scheduleda hearing for Tuesday.The election is Oct. 11. Duncan was convicted of killing a23-year-old maninTreme on anight in 1981. He was arrested several months laterwhile attending aJob Corps program in Oregon. Sentenced to life in 1982, he became asuccessful jailhouse lawyer while pressing for records in his own case. Adecade after Duncan’srelease, Campbell agreed that theevidencefor vacating his conviction included false testimony from police officers. Campbell said police alsowithheld evidence from prosecutors, and that an alibi Duncan hadwas “confirmed by multiple witnesses.” Campbell’sorder cited aprovision of state law that called for sentences to be vacated when adefendant has proven “factual innocence.” That wasn’tenough for Murrill or Lombard.

“My position on this is Mr.Duncan is aconvicted murderer.He

$1.2 million splash pad that opened oneyear ago at Johnny Jacobs Playground across the expressway, alongwith a$3.8million farmers market set to open in the coming weeks and aminiature golf course in the works.

“When we look at allofthis in totality,wehaveanopportunity for people to come here andrelax,take advantage of the pavilions we have over here, butalso go over there to spend money when the farmers market opens,” Lee said. “This is our happy place.”

Since 2020, there have been more than 1.2 million COVID-19 deaths across the United States, more than 18,800 of which occurred in

funk/R&B, and local favorites. In addition to the music, the fest features dozens of food vendors, carnival rides,kid-themed areas and other attractions. The main “midway” runs alongHueyP.Long Avenue near Gretna City Hall. The two main stages are on the Mississippi River side of the levee, with aview of downtown New Orleans across the river The 31st anniversaryGretna Fest

gets underway with alimited lineup on Friday afternoon. It’s ’90s rock nightonthe mainstage with Tonic kicking things offat4 p.m Next up is south Louisiana’sown BetterThan Ezra, which recently marked the30thanniversary of Elektra Records’ release of the band’s million-sellingdebut album, “Deluxe.”Alt-rockhitmakers Collective Soul thencranks out “Heavy” and other rock radio staples to close out the main stage Friday Also on Friday,Wyatt Putnam and Rhys Rutherford are on the City Hall stage, and the YATPack powers the party in the Italian Village.

Country music takes over the main GretnaFest stageonSaturday SamHunt,who sings about a“Body Like aBackRoad,”headlines from 8:30 p.m. to 10 p.m He’spreceded by the BrothersOsborne, Tigirlily Gold and, starting at 2p.m., New Orleans’ own countryCajunfiddlerand singer,Amanda Shaw.

Other homegrown acts on the Gretna Fest grounds on Saturday include thetrombone-powered rock band Bonerama, the rock/soul ensemble Jand theCauseways, Rockin’Dopsie Jr.&the Zydeco Twisters and, once again, the YATPack.

Meanwhile, the fest’sMemorial Square hosts aprogression of high school bandsfromL.W.Higgins, Holy Cross andArchbishopShaw, along with the JPSO Band of Excellence. And Mariachi Los Viejeros does two sets in the fest’sMargarita Village. The closing Sunday main stage lineup leanstowardsoulful funk, rock and blues. The main stage opens at 12:30 p.m.with Uncle Lucius, followed by St. Paul &the BrokenBones and JJ Grey &Mofro.

Calvin Duncan, center,stands with supporters on the steps of Orleans Parish Criminal Courttotalkabout hisambitions to be the next clerk of courtonThursday.

STAFFPHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

wasconvicted by aunanimous jury,” Lombard said Thursday “He appealshis conviction on three or four occasions, and that didn’twork. …And then it’smy understanding that there was never any exculpatory evidence offered, from what I’ve read or heard.”

The two sides agree on one thing: “exoneration”ishardly a legal term.

Merriam-Webster defines it primarily as “the action of officially absolving someone fromblame; vindication.”

Whether it applies to Duncan maybehard to prove, as are many legal challenges to campaign statements, said Robert Collins, apolitical analyst andDillard University professor.Collins said Lombard’sattacks could backfire.

“Whether people agree with his positions on reforming the clerk’s office, Duncanhas avery compelling story,” Collins said. “And I think by Lombard and the attorney general attacking him, that plays into the hands of that compellingstory andhelpshim get free publicity.”

Louisiana. Early in the pandemic, New Orleans became aCOVID-19 hot spot as aresult of Mardi Gras 2020, where researchers estimate roughly50,000 cases spawnedfrom asinglesource. TheWestBankfeltthe crushof thepandemic particularly hard. At Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church in Marrero, morethan 20 members of the congregation died from thevirus “Itseems as thoughweweregetting phone calls …every hour of a member who hadtransitioned,” said theRev.Thomas Brown.“Ibelieve our church was perhaps one of the churchesthathad thehighest mortalityrate.”

Trombone Shorty &Orleans Avenue close it down from7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m Also on Sunday,catch Easton Corbin,JohnFoster,the Chase Tyler Band, Few Blue, LVVRS, theRoots of Music marching band,the Belle Chasse High School Bandand more. Gretna Fest is entirelycashless. A three-day general admission pass is $100. Single-day general admission tickets are $45 on Friday and Sunday and $55 on Saturday.Anyone 13 or older must have aticket. A“Friend of the Fest” VIPticket, whichgrants access to the main stage viewingdeck and other amenities, is $250. Go to www.gretnafest.com formore info

Stateenergy regulatorhas newname

Agency to take on expanded mission

BY DAVID J. MITCHELL Staff writer

Louisiana’senergy and natural resourcesagency will be fully reorganized and have its second new name in less than two years starting Wednesday aftera suite of internal and legislative changes over the past 21 months.

Officials with the new Louisiana Department of Conservation and Energy, formerly the state Department of Energy and Natural Resources, say the changes will place it on amore modern and transparent footingtobalance “economic growth and environmental stewardship.”

The changes are also expected, the department’s secretaryhas said, to enhance enforcement of the state’soil and gas sector. It will also streamline permitting, achange welcomed by the industry

“In many ways, this agency has stillbeen doing things the way it did when first created as DNRnearly 50 years ago. Technology, industry and environmental best practices have changed agreat deal over those decades, and it’stime this agency caught up,”

Dustin Davidson, secretary of the renamed department, said in astatement earlier

this month. Oftenatthe center of complex disputes in astate rich with energy resources, the department has alarge andexpandingfootprint.It has ahand in regulating oil and gas, pipelines, wind and solar energy,underground injection,carbon capture andsequestration,groundwateruse,and development in the coastal zone.

Department officials warned that, thoughthe reorganizationwouldbein effect Wednesday,the full integrationfrom operating under the old structure to thenew one could taketime. Amongthe changes institutedthis spring and summerbythe Legislature,the reorganizationhas also done away with adistrict dating from themid-1970s that oversaw groundwater use to preventsaltwaterintrusion into the Baton Rougearea’s aquifer. Groundwater regulationinBaton Rouge is nowfully under the control of thenewlyreorganized state agency

Oiland gas groups welcomed the broader reorganization, while one environmental group said it expected to see little difference from what theyclaimedis an agency that has been an industry rubber stamp.”

Anne Rolfes, directorof the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, pointed out that the former department secretary who led the reorganization,Tyler Gray,previously led an industrytrade group, theLouisiana Mid-Continent

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Pendleton said Morgan adored his partner,Lisa. And whilehetookimmense pride in his culinary achievements, he consideredhis son,Silas,his greatest legacy. After arecent family trip to Disney World, Morgan came back wearing Mickey Mouse ears andshowing offpictures of the “Star Wars” attractions.

“He loved his job and his family,” Marie said. “He loved his life.” Marie said Morgan had asoft spot for sad clowns and agift for talking people down in moments of crisis. His pork tenderloin with

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“Now you know why she’s notsuperintendentand why she shouldn’tbeour sheriff,” the ad says. But Woodfork’scampaign quickly countered with its own ad that criticizes Shorty.Woodfork’sadblasts Shorty over aformer deputy’s handling of areportof aFrench Quarterrapein 2022, which received heavy news coverage.

During ateleviseddebate Monday,Woodfork accused Shorty’sadof“slinging mud.”

“You’re not slinging mud if it’sinyour file,” Shorty replied. Woodfork’spersonnel records, which news outlets have previously reported on, confirm the six suspensions cited by Shorty though one wasreversedon appeal. Shorty’s ad doesn’t say when the infractions occurred. The last one came in 2005, and Woodfork’sdisciplinary history dates to 1993.

“It’stroubling that Former Superintendent Woodfork would gaslight voters into not believing their own eyes, that she was personally suspended anumber of times formisconduct,” Shorty said in astatement.

“This has been widely reported in the media. We deserve aSheriff who will be responsive and transparent with the people of New Orleans.” Woodfork, meanwhile, defended herself.

“The recent attacks

Oil and Gas Association.

“This agency is designed by the oil industry for its own benefit, and thatshould scare everyone in this state,” Rolfes said.

Tommy Faucheux, the current presidentofLMOGA, counteredthathis trade group is optimistic the changeswill clear up red tape and uncertainty, ashift that is “essential for the state to prosper.”

“It’simportant thatour state’sregulatory structure can challenge industry to improve while working productively to foster the economic opportunities in oil and gas that will keep our kids here in Louisiana,” he said.

Sixnew offices

Faucheux andMikeMoncla, president of theLouisiana Oil andGas Association, alsowelcomed the arrivalof Davidsonasthe newsecretary.Faucheuxhighlighted his experiencewith energy policy,while Moncla cited his past work with Davidson, who was previously DENR deputy secretary anda former congressional staffer in Washington.

Gray,Landry’sfirst appointment to the department, led the reorganization until he stepped down last month. The effort followed an executive order from Gov.Jeff Landry early in his term

The new department will go by the acronym “C&E,” which had been theDepartmentofNatural Resources for decades before an earlier

namechangeinJanuary2024 to the Department of Energy and Natural Resources. Implemented through two regular sessions andone special legislative session, the changesdid away with the historical Office of Conservation and shuffled offices within the new department while boosting their number from four to six.

The OfficeofConservation was Louisiana’schief oil and gas regulator since the early days of the state’s petroleum industry.The office’sgubernatorially appointedcommissioners retained independent regulatorypowersthrough theyearsevenafter theoffice was folded inside DNR

The Legislature, at department officials’ urging, first removedthe administrative division between thedepartment andthe office. It then didawaywiththe conservation commissioner and vested the commissioner’s powers in the secretary of the new department.

In the most recent session, Act 458, sponsoredbystate Sen. BobHensgens, R-Abbeville, wasthe primaryvehicle for the reorganization. Many of its more than 225 pagesremoved responsibilities from the state commissioner of conservation and handed themtothe new C&E secretary

Among the sixnew offices the reorganization consolidated oil, gasand coastal management permitting and compliance, the latter of which affectswetlands development, under one Of-

Carolina Gallop,left, and Jose Luis Rodriguez, both fashion designersand florists, place donated flowers in theparking lot at Abeona House Child Discovery Center in NewOrleans at the spot where Brennan’ssous chef Carl Morgan was shot and killed the daybefore during acarjacking as he waswaiting to pick up hisyoung son. The center was closed on Thursday. The owner of the floral shop, Doris Ione, has ason whoalso attends the center

against me and my record are distorted and false,” Woodfork said in astatement. “Morethan 20 years ago, there were afew disciplinaryactions—including one that was overturned on appeal and another that stemmed from acar accident while on duty.Tonow inflate or misstate these incidents and suggestthey prevented me from becoming police chief is categorically false.”

Broken window,threats

A2004 internal NOPD investigationdetermined Woodfork broke awindow during afight at another officer’shome, then poured transmission fluid into the home and threw rocks through the broken window

Woodfork’s 20-day suspension was overturned by the Civil Service Commission, however,which found that the investigation relied on awitness, but no physical evidence was collected at the house. Woodfork was suspended three timesin1997, includingfor avehicle accident, according torecords. She was also suspended for intimidationin1993 for threatening awoman while in uniform. And in 2005, an investigation found Woodfork had witnessed an officer commit battery against twoothermembers of the force, and that Woodfork, then asergeant, failed to take action.

Adepartmentinvestigationin2013 also found that Woodfork refused tocomply with an order to process some paperwork,for

which shereceived aletter of reprimand.

Askedabout herdisciplinaryhistory Monday during atelevised debate, Woodfork said, “What my opponent doesn’t understand is that discipline is meant to change behavior

“And so 22 years ago, I changed my behavior.”

Aconstable’s response

With an enormous cash lead, Woodforkspent at least $24,000 in television advertising through the third week of September, accordingtofederal disclosures. That included her campaign’slatest ad attacking Shorty’soffice for adeputy’shandling of the2022 rape report in the French Quarter

The deputy,who was working asecurity detail on amovie set, declined to intervene for morethan three minutes after awoman flagged him down to report that aman was raping an unconscious woman on the street corner ablock away

German spaetzle could “knock your socks off,” shesaid.

Morganrose through the ranks at Brennan’s, excelling in both culinary and leadership roles as he led ateam that handled more than 1,800 privateparties at the French Quarter landmark.

“He went out of his way to put people in aplace to succeed dayafter day— growing their responsibilitiesuntil he had the confidencetodoanything in his kitchen,”saidPendleton “He just wanted to make people happy.”

Just over an hour after Morgan waskilledTuesday,Jefferson Parish Sheriff’sOffice deputies found Wells in thestolencar on theshoulder of Interstate

The deputy,who had a20year career in law enforcement, resigned during an internal investigation from Shorty’soffice.

“Ed Shortyislying about Chief Michelle Woodfork because he wants us to forgetitwas his deputy who did nothing to stop aFrench Quarter rape happening a block away,”Woodfork’s ad states.

“IfEdShorty can’t train adeputy to stop arape, he can’tbeour sheriff,” the ad

fice of Permitting and Compliance.

Aseparate division, the OfficeofEnforcement, will handle inspection and enforcementofpermitted oil andgas wells andother activities forwhich the state hasregulatory primacy,such as underground injection and carbon capture.

‘Win over thepublictrust’

In arecentspeech to carbon capture executives at LSU,Davidson emphasized the significance of separating permitting from enforcement.

“Wesaw that as something that needed to change significantly because alot of times you had folks that were having those relationships with the applicants that then had to turn around andenforce actions against those applicants. Sometimes that can be difficult,” Davidson said in the Sept. 5speech.

He added that the department hasa“robust enforcement system that,Iwould say,inthe past hasnot been used to our advantage the wayitshould have been.” Davidson said enforcement is thedepartment’s “biggest tool to win over the public trust.”

Other new offices include theofficesofthe secretary, administration, state resources and energy

Otherchanges took effect last year,including abill that created the NaturalResources Trust Authority to handle the financial security of state oil and gas wells.

10’swestbound lanes near the Bonnabel Boulevard exit. He had been shot in the head and was in “extremely grave condition” Wednesday afternoon, authoritiessaid. Awarrant forfirst-degree murder awaits him should he survive. Officials did not say who is suspected of shooting Wells.

On Thursdayafternoon, Marie wasgearing up for herfirst shift back at Brennan’swithout Morgan at the helm.

“I imagine theair is going to be alittle different in the restaurant tonight. …All of us are grieving the loss,” she said. “He was such a big part of the unity in the kitchen.I imaginewewill alltry to getthrough it as best we can.”

concludes.

In astatement, Shorty saidthe deputy was aretired officer withthe HarborPoliceDepartment, whereheshouldhave receivedadequate training.

“Still, hisresponse was unacceptable,” Shorty said. “Weregularly train our deputies on responding to sexual violence. When this incidentoccurred, he was suspended without payand resignedbeforehecould be terminated.”

Richardson FH

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Obituaries

James 'Lil James'

4B ✦ Friday,October 3,2025 ✦ nola.com ✦ TheTimes-Picayune McDaniel,Deborah Alvin, andGaryThi‐bodeaux. Clarence is also survived by ahostof nieces,nephews,cousins andfriends.Familyand friendsare invitedtoat‐tend aCelebration of Life ServiceonSaturday, Octo‐ber4,2025, for11:00 a.m. at Tulane Memorial Baptist Church, locatedat3601 ParisAvenue,New Orleans, LA 70122. Theviewing is scheduledtobegin at 10:00 a.m. Pastor Ross Johnson, officiating. Intermentwill be private. Guestbook On‐line:www.anewtraditionbe gins.com (504) 282-0600. DonavinD.Boydand Linear BrooksBoydOwners/Fu‐neralDirectors

James Baker departed this life on September 22, 2025. Sonofthe late Ulysses and Rosalee Kelson Baker. He leavesto cherish his memories, his children, Jennifer Baker, Antoine Tuco, James and Jason Garrison, siblings and ahost of other relatives and friends.

Funeral Services on Saturday, October 04, 2025, at 10:00 am at Milesville MemorialChurch of God in Christ 129 Apple St. Laplace, LA 70084. Viewing from 8:30 am until service time. Bishop Ronald Frank Pastor officiating Interment: Providence Cemetery Montz, LA.

Funeral Services

Entrusted to Hobson Brown Funeral Home, 134 Daisy St., Garyville, LA 70051

DarrellAntoniusBates enteredintoeternal rest on Tuesday, September23, 2025, at theage 53. Darrell leaves to cherishhis mem‐ory; hissiblingsJohnell Carlousand QianaBates of Metairie,LA, Suprina (Ty‐rone)JordanofMarreo, LA, Kassandria (Philip) Stewart andCaddessa BatesofMc‐Comb,Ms.,and Winette Knox of Texas. Hisdevoted nieces Ashley Brownand KaylaBates,goddaughter Jada Hutchinson,best friend MarshelleNelson, anda host of nieces, nephews, otherrelatives andfriends.Heispreceded in deathbyhis loving par‐ents,his sister LindaFaye Bates, grandparents Willie Bates, Sr Berdie Thomp‐son, Fred Brownand Mil‐dred Brown. Aunts Michelle Adamsand Ruby LeeWhite,unclesMorris andJesse Bates, Roosevelt andDonald“Don” Nunnery. Relativesand friendsofthe family areinvited to attend aFuneralService at Dennis FuneralHome, 1812 LouisianaAve NewOr‐leans, LA,onSaturday, Oc‐tober4,2025, at 11:00 am Visitation begins at 10:00 am.Interment:Private Arrangements entrustedto Dennis FuneralHome. Please visitwww.dennism ortuaryservice.com to sign theonlineguestbook

Clarence T. Coleman, Jr., passedawayonSeptem‐ber26, 2025, at theage of 82. Clarence is survived by hiswife: DebraColeman children:StaceyColeman, Clarence Coleman, III (Lita),Candace Cobb (Mar‐vin),and JasonColeman Sr.(Kimberly), grandchil‐dren:CourtneyArnaud, Bréa Arnaud,Tyson Moss, DesmondJackson,Jr., ColbyJackson,Jason Cole‐manJr.,and Jordin Cole‐man, sisters; Carolyn Cole‐man-Griffin, andMary Coleman; sisters-in-law: Brenda,Gaynell,and Jackie Thibodeaux ;brothers-inlaw: Albert,Alfred, Darryl,

Edouard, Juder

www.lakelawnmetairie.co m 2025, at CrossCommunity Church locatedat3233 Ames Blvd,Marrero,La 70072. Thevisitationwill beginat9:30amand the servicewillbegin at 11am. Pastor Orin Grantofficiat‐ingand intermentwillfol‐lowatSoutheast Louisiana Veterans Cemetery on Monday October6,2025, at 12:30pm. Funeralplanning entrustedtoRobinson Family FuneralHome9611 La 23 BelleChasseLa 70037. (504) 208 -2119. For online condolencesplease visitwww.robinsonfamilyf uneralhome.com. Robinson Family FuneralHome, “Strivingfor Excellence” (504)208-2119.

Combe,Ronald Andrew

Ronald AndrewCombe passed away9/28/2025 at the age of 82, in the arms of his beloved wifeof59 years of marital bliss. He leaves behind hisadoring children, Brian (Lacy), Aaron (Dawn) and Shannon, and his precious grandchildren, Charlotte and Nigel Combe,and Avun Combe. Ronnie was predeceased by his father, Emile Frank Combe, Sr. and mother, MildredMary CarriganCombe,and his sisterValreeEberle. He leavesbehind hissister, Pat Quinn; his brothers, Emile Jr (Doris) and KennethCombe;and severalnephewsand nieces. Ronnie met Carol at LSU in Baton Rouge.She fell in love with his redhairand freckles. Ronnie graduated in ChemicalEngineering with membershipinTau Beta Pi, an honoraryengineering fraternity.After one year employed by Shell Oil, he returned to school in Boulder, CO to earn his MBA, after which he was offered ajob with Texaco- back inNew Orleans.Ron workedinthe greaterNew Orleansarea oil fields for 3years,and then the fun really began and life got more exciting! In the fall of 1971,Ron and his wifeand young son moved to Tripoli, Libya. He wouldconsult, designand overseethe building of new oil rigs in the Mediterranean Sea. In 1974,Ron was sent to Sumatra, Indonesiaonthe equator. In 1977,Ron was sent back to London, Englandand then offto Rotterdam in Der Nederlands (Holland) for 3 years. Back to London for more consulting and in 1979 to Aberdeen, Scotland to overseeconstruction and dedication of the "North Sea OilPlatform", throughout which he was supervisorofitall.

Roncame back home in 1982 to live anormal life. Theybuilttheirdream house and raised theirkids in New Orleans.But World Travelling called to him again, and in 1988 Ron and his family moved to the Peoples Republic of China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Angola, West Africa, and Bangkok, Thailand Thenheretired at an earlyage of 60 after 35 yearswith Texaco, after Chevronbought out Texaco International.He embarked on asecond career of real estate investmentsand rental properties, where he became known as "Mr. Ronnie" and for another 22 years he worked eagerly, developinghis opportunities to become successful again and enjoya satisfying andhappy family life,neverforgetting the less fortunate and the needy. He likedto spread the wealth. He likedgolfand swimming.Heliked cooking. He likedthe outdoors. He loved to travel and attend Holy mass allover the world. He likedEverybody, and Everybody likedhim. Relatives and friends are invited to attend the funeral services atLake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd. in NewOrleans on Saturday,October 4, 2025. Visitationwillbegin at 12:00PMwith aCatholic Mass following at 2:00 PM Ronald willbelaidtorest at LakeLawn Park Mausoleum afterMasshas concluded. To view and signthe online guestbook, visit l k l i i

JuderEdouard entered eternalrestathis resi‐denceonSundaySeptem‐ber14, 2025, at theage of 34. He wasa native of Haiti, anda resident of Terry‐town, LA.Juder wasem‐ployed as atransportation driver.Beloved husband of LoudianieSanon Edouard. Loving father of Valencia Edouard, Cassie Edouard, Jhounicsha Edouard, Jucas JhouvernskyEdouard,Liaih Keisha Edouard. SonofDel‐cieEdouard andMarie Martha Jean.Brother of Ju‐nior Jean,JeanKens Edouard, JimmyEdouard Anderson Edouard, and DarlineEdouard,alsosur‐vivedbya host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relativesand friends. Rela‐tivesand friendsofthe familyalsopastors,offi‐cers,and membersof Church of GodYahweh Salem, andneighboring churches areinvited to at‐tend aCelebration of Life at Mount CalvaryInterna‐tional WorshipCenter, 1600 Westwood Drive, Marrero, LA,onSaturday, October4, 2025, at 10:30am.Visitation will beginat9:30a.m.until servicetimeatthe abovenamedchurch.Apostle Terry Gullage, Sr.HostPas‐tor- Bishop AmberLaque‐rre, officiating. Viewingwill be held at DavisMortuary Service230 Monroe St Gretna,LAonFriday, Octo‐ber3,2025, from 5:00p.m. until 7:00p.m. Interment: Woodlawn Park Memorial Cemetery Westwego, LA Arrangements by Davis Mortuary Service, 230 Mon‐roeSt.,Gretna, LA.Toview andsignthe guestbook, please go to www.davismo rtuaryservice.com. Face MasksAre Recommended.

Epherson,Willie Lowry'Chief'

EthelT

Johnson,Rochon Raymond

LydiaAnn Felix departed this life andentered eter‐nalrestonFriday, Septem‐ber26, 2025, at theage of 64 at herhomeinHarvey, LA.She wasbornDecem‐ber3,1960, to herparents Jessie Maeand Isaac Felix Lydiagraduated from L. B. Landry in 1978 andcontin‐uedher educationatthe University of NewOrleans andthe University of LouisianaatLafayette Lydiawas afaithfulmem‐beratStJosephthe Worker Catholic Church where sheworkedwiththe HelpingHands Ministries andparticipatedwithdif‐ferent children ministries Heronlyplace of employ‐ment wasTacoBellwhere sheworkedfor 42 years. Shewas involved with the Westside Carnival Club for more than twenty years riding in theparades dur‐ingMardi Gras time.She also wasa NewOrleans Saints season ticket holder fornineteen years. Thede‐votedmotherofBrittany andMarquis Felix.Loving andPassionategrand‐mother of Braylonand Brylee Mickey.Sisterof Ivory, Tholover,Isaac, Terry,Christopher (Donna Lynn),LorraineElmoreand VereniaRoussell(Calvin). Relativesand friendsofthe family, membersofSaint Joseph theWorkerCatholic Church,All Saints Catholic Church,PhiladelphiaMin‐istries,Evening Star Bap‐tist Church,UnitedStates Postal Service, L.B. Landry Classof1978, L.B. Landry alumni,TacoBell, and NatchezSteamboat arein‐vitedtoa mass of Christ‐ianBurialonFriday, Octo‐ber3,2025 at St.Josephthe Worker Church,455 Ames Blvd,Marrero,LA70072 at 10AM. Funeralserviceswill be officiated by Rev. Sid‐neyO.SpeaksIII. Visitation 8AM-9:45AM.Tribute starts at 8:45AM.Thisservice will be live streamed on St Joseph theWorkerweb‐site:(www.Stjworker. church), Facebook (Saint Joseph theWorkerChurchMarrero),and YouTube(St Joseph theWorkerCatholic Church Marrero).Inter‐ment at Restlawn Park Cemetery andMausoleum, 3540 US-90W Avondale,LA. Funeralplanningentrusted to Robinson Family Funeral Home,9611 LA-23, Belle Chasse,LA(504)208-2119. Foronlinecondolences please visitwww.robinso nfamilyfuneralhome.com.

Wayne Harrison entered intoeternal rest on October24, 2025, at the blessedage of 60. Sonof thelateRonald A. Harrison Sr. and thelateGertrudeA Harrison. Survivorsinclude AnnetteH.Young (Byron), Ronald A. Harrison Jr., Dimitris H. James, Nathaniel Harrison Sr. (Stephanie), Denise H. Dunnum (Coleman) and a host of uncles, aunts, cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.

Willie Lowry"Chief" Epherson,age 75,passed away on September19, 2025. He wasbornonDe‐cember 30,1949, andwas a lifelong resident of Mar‐rero,La. He accepted Christ andwas baptizedat an earlyage Willie,known as "Chief "graduated from AddisonHighSchool and also studiedatAlcorn StateUniversityinLorman MS.Heenjoyed taking fam‐ilyvacations andtalking abouthis time in theArmy. He wasthe sonofthe late Lester Epherson Sr.and Willie MaeEpherson. He leaves to cherish(4) chil‐dren,Vivianand Mitchell Epherson,Samueland Dal‐phineGlass. He also had (3)brothers, Willie E. Epherson,LesterEpherson Jr.(Muriel), Willie Fred Epherson Sr.(Mary)all of Marrero. La,(2) sisters, JosieWestofMarrero,La andRuthieEarls of Patti‐son, Ms.(19) grandchildren and(7) greatgrandchil‐dren anda host of nieces He leaves to cherish(4) children,Vivianand Mitchell Epherson,Samuel andDalphineGlass. He also had(3) brothers, Willie E. Epherson,Lester Epherson Jr.(Muriel), Willie Fred Epherson Sr (Mary) allofMarrero.La, (2)sisters,Josie West of Marrero, La andRuthie EarlsofPattison, Ms.(19) grandchildrenand (7) greatgrandchildren and a host of nieces,nephews relativesand friends. Willie wasprecededindeath by hisparents,LesterEpher‐sonSrand Willie Mae Epherson,son,Ron Glass, sister,Alberta Brinston (BabyRuth).The staff at Davita Oakwood,the staff at Able Life,and members of theUSDA(GrainEleva‐tor) areall welcometoat‐tend.Predeceased by (2) brothers;Percy Epherson, Sr &Henry CharlesEpher‐son. Relatives& friendsof thefamilyare invitedtoat‐tend thecelebration of life servicewhich will be held on Saturday,October 4,

EthelT.Henderson,a re‐tirededucator, transi‐tioned to herheavenly home on Monday,Septem‐ber15, 2025, at theage of 95. Shewas anativeof Modeste, LA anda resident of Gretna,LA. Ethelre‐ceived herBachelorofArts Degree in Elementary Edu‐cation andher Master of Arts in Counseling and Guidance from Southern University of BatonRouge Sheretired from theJeffer‐sonParishPublicSchool System after 34 yearsofin‐spiringyoung minds. Ethel wasa faithfulservant and lifelong member of Thomp‐sonTempleCOGIC forover 70 years, making herthe eldest member of the church.She served in the local, district,jurisdic‐tional,and national church Shewillberememberedas abeaconinher family, church,and community, who made asignificant dif‐ference. Belovedwifeof thelateMervinHenderson, Sr.Devoted mother of SonyaHenderson,Mervin Henderson, Jr., John A. Henderson, andAndrea Nikoi-Mabry. Loving grand‐mother of Dr.Vaneshette Henderson, Toya (Greg) Brown, Eld. Andre (Danielle)Powell, Alexan‐derPowell, DeiNikoi AlexandraHenderson,Do‐miniqueHenderson,John MabryIII, Angelle Hender‐son, Esq.,GregoryAndrus, Brandi Andrus,and thelate Mervin HendersonIII. Great GrandmotherofImani Imari, Indya, Logan, Lan‐den, Benjamin,Jonathan, Gabrielle,Autumn, Izaiah, andthe late JarriusMalik Lofton.Daughterofthe late Willie andAnnie Thompson.SisterofElnora Brown, Marcus Thompson, andthe late Bishop Joseph S. (CarrieB.) Thompson, Willie Wesley (Helen) Thompson,Edward Thompson,Rosetta (Dr. George, Sr.) Diggs,Annie Belle (Walter) Malloy,and Newton D. (Shirely W.) Thompson.Mother-in-law of Iris Hendersonand John MabryII. Sister-in-lawof Albert Henderson, Frances Henderson, ShirleyThomp‐son, andthe late Irene Thompson.Alsocherishing hermemoriesare ahostof nieces,nephews,great nieces,great nephews, cousins, otherrelatives andfriends.Relatives and friendsofthe family, also pastors, officers,and membersofThompson Temple COGICand all neighboringchurches are invitedtoattendthe HomegoingCelebration at Thompson Temple COGIC, 1515 WhitneyAvenue, Gretna,LAonSaturday, Oc‐tober4,2025, at 10:00a.m. Supt.Keith Thornton,Sr. officiating. Visitation will beginat8:30a.m until ser‐vice time thechurch.Inter‐ment:McDonoghville Cemetery-Gretna, LA. Arrangements by Davis Mortuary Service, 230 Mon‐roeSt. Gretna,LA. To view andsignthe guestbook please go to www.davismo rtuaryservice.com. Face MasksAre Recommended

Rochon RaymondJohn‐son, alifelongresidentof NewOrleans enteredinto eternalrestonSeptember 4, 2025, at 3:40 a.m. Sonof RoyGreenwood andthe late Lisa Johnson-Andrews. Father of Rochon Ray‐mond,Jr.,Rychon, Raya andRojae.’ BrotherofTro‐chon,Val Je’an, Justin,Ju‐lian,Treasure, and Kennedi.Bonus sonofJune andUlysses, andspecial friend of Lindsey. Rochon is also survived by his nieces,nephews,a host of otherrelatives andfriends Relativesand friendsofthe familyare invitedtoattend theCelebration of Ro‐chon’s Life on Saturday October4,2025, at 1:00 p.m. at TheBoydFamilyFu‐neralHome, 5001 Chef MenteurHwy,New Or‐leans, LA 70126. Visitation will beginat12:30 p.m. Reverend Cedric Daniels, officiating. Burial will be private. Guestbook Online: www.anewtraditionbegins com(504)282-0600. Linear BrooksBoydand Donavin D. Boyd Owners/FuneralDi‐rectors.

LaCour,Lorraine Armagnac

Rogers “Scub” Javers transitioned to hisheav‐enly home on Tuesday, September23, 2025. Rogers "Scub" wasbornatCharity Hospital on September 7,1975 to Alfred AndrewsJr. andLilly Javers.Hewas the second oldest sonofAl‐fred.Rogers ‘Scub’ wasthe father to twin girls, Tiaand Tamera Maxwell. He leaves to cherishhis memory,his parents, daughters, and threebrothers, Alfred An‐drewsIII, DamonAndrews andAlexAndrews.Healso leaves to cherishhis mem‐ory, ahostofuncles, aunts, nieces,nephews,relatives andfriends.Relatives and friendsare invitedtoat‐tend theCelebration of Life Serviceinthe Chapel of RosesatCharbonnetFu‐neralHome, 1615 St.Philip St., NewOrleans,LA70116 on Saturday,October 4, 2025 at 1:00PM.Visitation at 12:00PM.Interment: Pri‐vate.A Repass will be held after theservice at Cele‐brationHall, 1701 St

Lorraine Louise Armagnac LaCour, anative of NewOrleans and aresident of Kenner after HurricaneKatrina, passed away peacefullyon September 29, 2025. She was104 years old. Shewas predeceased by herhusbandofnearly80years, Owen J. LaCour, Sr Shewas the loving and devoted motherofseven children: Judy L. Drezand herhusband, Ron(and their children:Ron,Jr. (Allison);Kevin (Ann); Diane D. Barnett (Tom); and Craig (Amy)); the late O.J., Jr and his wife, Sandy (and theirchildren: Jay (Stacey), Greg (Yvette) Stephen (Sarah), and Jeffrey (Jackie)); Ronald and hiswife,Joanne(and their children: KristieL Broussard and Keith (Angelina)); Charles and hiswife,Jean(and their children: Mark (Ginger) and JulieL.Isch (Roberto)); Barry and hiswife,Jenny, of NewIberia (and their children: Gabrielle L. Heil (John)and Joey (Laura)); Edmundand hiswife, Robin, of Dothan, Alabama (andhis children: Eddie, Jr (Alice); Danny; Will;and Rachael);and Karen L. Puente andher husband, Mickey (andtheir children: Michael, Jr.; Andrew; James; and Madeline). She is also survived by 42 great -grandchildren, twogreatgreat-grandchildren,and numerousnieces and nephews. In additiontoher husband and son O.J, she was predeceased by herparents, HenryE.Armagnac and Marceline Petit Armagnac;her brothers, HenryV.Armagnac and Maurice D. Armagnac;and hersister,GloriaA Cacamo Lorraine wasa devout RomanCatholic and prayedthe Rosary daily. Youknewyou were in goodhands when she told you that she wasmoving you up to the top of her prayer list. In 1970, she became afoundingmember of theSt. Michael Ladies' Guild, aspiritual club dedicated to the cause of helpingand supporting thestudentsofSt. Michael Special School. Shewas a1937 graduate of John McDonoghHigh School, foregoinga scholarship to collegeinorder to help support herfamily.

She grew up during the Depression, which undoubtedly prepared her for being the chief disciplinarian of her children and a tough taskmaster.

"Mumsy," as she was known to her grandchildren, was an avid reader,a keen bridge player, and an excellent dancer. As the matriarch of avery large family, she held strong beliefs on many subjects and never hesitated sharing those beliefs. She cherished her family andenjoyed family gatherings, especially those at which she was the center of attention, as she engaged everyone around her. Lorraine had azest for life; she was loved and will be missed. Services will be held on Saturday,October 4, 2025, at St. Anthony of Padua CatholicChurch, 4640 Canal Street, New Orleans, with visitation commencing at 10 a.m. followed by words of remembrance at 11:45 a.m. and aFuneral Mass at noon. The celebrant of the Funeral Mass will be Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond, assisted by Deacon Ronald J. Drez, Jr Interment will follow at Lake Lawn Park Mausoleum. In lieu of flowers, please consider the offering of Masses or making adonation in memory of Lorraine LaCour to St Michael Special School, 1522 Chippewa Street, New Orleans, LA 70130, https:// www.stmichaelspecialsch ool.com/support-smss or the Ashley Code Project (for pediatricbrain cancer research), P.O. Box 24085, New Orleans, LA 70184

LautenschlaegerJr., LesterJoseph

Lester Joseph Lautenschlaeger,Jr. passed away peacefully on September 30, 2025. Lester, affectionately known as Schlaeger", was born on August 30, 1931, in New Orleans, Louisiana,the son of Lester Joseph Lautenschlaeger Sr. and Lizzette Mackie Lautenschlaeger.

Lester grew up in New Orleans, attended Jesuit High School, and upon graduation, attended Tulane University where he earned his undergraduate degree in Business. During his time at Tulane he wasa member of Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity and the Tulane footballteam. After graduating, Lester served in the United States Navy where he earned the rank of Lieutenant. Hethen attended Tulane University School of Law where he graduated with aJuris Doctor degree.

Lester practiced Maritime law in New Orleans at Faris, Ellis Cutrone, Gilmore & Lautenschlaeger and then at Lautenschlaeger& Oberhelmanuntil his retirement in 1999. While living in New Orleans, Lester was an active memberof severalsocial organizations including: The Stratford, Pickwick, Iris and Bienville Clubs.Healso served on the boardof Louise S. McGehee School. After retirement, Lester relocated to Pass Christian where he made his home for the remainder of his life.

Beyond his professional achievements,Lester was aman of many passions. An avid hunter, fisherman, tennis player and woodworker, he loved spending time outdoors and sharing those experiences with family and friends. He was agifted cook, known for his skill in the kitchen and hisjoy in preparing meals for others, especiallydown at hishunting camp in Houma. On Thursday and Fridays he could almost always be found at the Pass Christian Yacht Club enjoying fellowship and the coastal life he cherished.

Lester is survived by his two children Lester Lautenschlaeger III and AddieLouis (Tommy); his stepchildren Carol Helm, Mark Drapanas (Thierry) and Wendy Stokes (George); his grandchildrenLisa Lautenschlaeger

(Orlando), LucieLouis, CourtneySteiner (Chris), Trevor and Kelsey Cangelosi, Abigailand Anna Helm, Christophe, Alexis, and Nicholas Drapanas; and hisgreat grandchildren Ethan and Tristan Steiner,and Elidia and Noah Marchan. Lester was precededindeath by his wifeArlene Drapanas Lautenschlaeger, son Robert "Bob" Beattie Lautenschlaeger, sister Lizette Lautenschlaeger Verlander, and parents LesterJoseph Sr. and Lizzette Mackie Lautenschlaeger. Lesteris also survived by hislongtime companion, Terry Scott, who brought him much joyand companionshipinhis later years.

The family wouldlike to thank allthe loving caregivers.

Lester willberememberedfor his love of family andthe zest with which he embraced life both in New Orleans and in Pass Christian.

Services will be held on October9,2025,atTrinity Episcopal Church, 125 ChurchAve, Pass Christian, MS with visitation at 9:00 a.m. followed by amemorial service at 10:00 a.m.. ACelebration of Lifereception will follow at The Pass Christian Yacht Club.

Charles"Chuck" Wayne Margavio passedintoeter‐nalrestonSeptember 24 2025, after abrief illnessat theage of 67. Chuckwas born in NewOrleans but raised in Harahan, where theBatture andthe Missis‐sippi Riverwerehis play‐ground.He& hislifelong friendsbuilt the firstbon‐fire on thelevee in Hara‐hanthatwas litonNew Year’s Eve. Thetradition continuedfor 10 years. He graduatedfromBonnabel High School in 1976. As a third-generation cobbler & talented leathercraftsman he owned& operated BayouBelts &ShoeRepair until hishealthforcedhim into retirement.Asa proud member of theKrewe of Thoth, he enjoyedthe ca‐maraderiewithhis fellow riders of theIconicRoyal Barge. Chuckwas an avid sportsmanand agreat cook;his duck &sausage gumbowas wellrenowned.Hespent many summersboating and waterskiingwithfamily andfriends.Countless adults andchildren learnedhow to waterski becauseofhim.His love of fireworkswillliveon throughhis son, grandchil‐dren,and nephews. Chuck waswellknown forhis teasingsense of humor andyou alwaysknewhe wouldlikeyou if he gave youhell. He wasa gener‐ous, loyal, and firmly opin‐ionatedman who willbe missed by allwho knew him, buthis crowning joy in life washis grandchil‐dren.Hewas preceded in deathbyhis parents, Joseph andAlice Margavio He is survived by hiswife of 45 years,Stephanie Roc‐caforteMargavio, as well as hisson,Wayne Mar‐gavioand hisgrandchil‐dren,Landon, Harper & Olivia;two sisters: Debo‐rahMargavio, Cindy(Lee) Fox, brothers-in-lawFrank David& Andrew(Lisa)Roc‐caforte, sisters-in-law Ali‐ciaHayward (Kenny, de‐ceased)and MicheleRoc‐caforte, andnumerous nieces,nephews,great nieces &nephews.Visita‐tion will be held on Satur‐day, October4,2025, at Greenwood FuneralHome from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.,witha Mass to follow in theChapel, andintern‐ment at Greenwood Ceme‐tery.Inlieuof flowers, please make donationsto DucksUnlimited or achar‐ityofyourchoice. We also invite youtoshare your thoughts,fondmemories, andcondolences online at www.greenwoodfh.com Your shared memories will help us celebrateChuck’s life andkeep hismemory alive.

McDaniel,Deborah Ann

DeborahAnn McDaniel enteredeternal life on Tuesday, September23, 2025, at theage of 70. She wasa native of Marrero, LA anda resident of Harvey, LA.Deborah wasa gradu‐ateofL.W.Higgins High School.She wasa retired paraprofessional with Jef‐ferson Parish Public Schools. Belovedmotherof BrannonK.McDaniel, El‐lanese S. McDaniel,and Carde’ A. McDaniel.Daugh‐terof thelateLouis Mc‐Daniel,Sr. andEllaTorry McDaniel.SisterofJoseph McDaniel,Leroy McDaniel, LouisMcDaniel, Jr Pamela Gaines,and thelateMelvin Torry,alsosurvivedby10 grandchildrenand ahost of nieces,nephews, cousins, otherrelatives andfriends.Relatives and friendsofthe family, also pastors, officers,and membersofNew Salem Church of Christ Holiness USA, andall neighboring churches areinvited to at‐tend theCelebration of Life at NewSalem Church of Christ Holiness USA, 1540 MansfieldAve.Marrero,LA on Saturday,October 4, 2025, at 10:00a.m.Elder

George Taylor,HostPastor -PastorRicky Johnsonof Mt.Olive BaptistChurch, officiating. Viewingwillbe held from 8:00a.m. until 10:00a.m.ONLYatthe above-namedchurch.In‐terment: Restlawn Park Cemetery-Avondale,LA. Arrangements by Davis Mortuary Service230 Mon‐roeSt. Gretna,LA. To view andsignthe guestbook please go to www.davismo rtuaryservice.com. Face MasksAre Recommended.

Alice Coig McDonald, age 85, of Nashville, Tennessee, passed away peacefully on September 29, 2025. Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on September 26, 1940, Alice liveda life devoted to education, public service, and family. She began her career as ateacherand guidance counselorinNew Orleans and laterin Louisville, Kentucky,where her passionfor education and communitydevelopment took root.Inthe 1970s, Alice entered public serviceasDirector of Neighborhood Development in the Mayor's Office of Louisville.She went on to serveatthe national level when President Jimmy Carter appointed her to the President's Advisory Committeefor Women in 1979. From 1983 to 1987, she was honored to serve as theSuperintendent of Public Instructionfor the state of Kentucky, where she championededucation reform and opportunities for future generations. Alice was deeply committedtoadvancing education, expanding opportunities forwomeninthe workforce, and fostering leadership in publiclife Beyond her remarkable career, she was aloving mother and grandmother who set abeautiful exampleofstrength, compassion, and dedication. She was predeceased by her parents, Olas and Genevieve Coig, and by her husbands, Glenn McDonald and Robert Hardesty. She is survivedbyher daughter, Michel McDonald,sonin-law,Ward Pace, granddaughter, Genevieve Pace, and step-grandson, Max Pace, all of whom willcarry forward her legacyof love and determination. A service to honorAlice's life willbeheldatLakeLawn Funeral Home on Monday, October6,2025 with visitation from 11am to 12pm followedbymass at 12pm. In lieu of flowers,the family suggests donations be madetoAbe's Garden in Nashville,Tennessee.

Miller,CarrieEncalade

Carrie “Momma Carrie” Encalade Miller wascalled to herheavenlyhometobe with theLordonSeptem‐ber27, 2025, at theage of 97. Shewas aresidentof Dalcour, Louisiana. She leaves to cherishher love andpreciousmemoriesher devotedchildren, Audrey M. (Ulysses, Jr)Banks Eddie(Shanna)Miller, Beatrice (Lester) Williams, andHicks (Ashley) Miller;a devotedgranddaughter, TrinaRodrigue; daughterin-law,PatriciaMiller;sonin-law,Joseph“Charlie” Francis; 19 grandchildren and20great-grandchil‐dren;a host of nieces, nephews, otherrelatives andfriends.She waspre‐cededindeath by herpar‐ents,Morrisand Victoria Taylor Encalade;her hus‐band,Freddie Miller,Sr.; herchildren, Carrie “Bert” Francis, FreddieMiller,Jr. Melvin Miller,and Allen Lewis, Sr.; siblings, Bernice Jiles, Joseph Schexnayder, AgnesEncalade, Louise Barthelemy,and Beulah Thomas.Momma Carrie’s life wasa beautifultesta‐ment to thepower of faith andstrengthoffamily. She cherishedher pas‐tor/nephew anddeeply lovedher church family. Oneofher greatest joys wasusing theAMAZING gift of singingGod blessed herwith. Hervoice moved theheartsofall who heard it;itwas her ministry! Though shemay no longer be with us in body,her spirit livesonthrough her familyand thelegacyshe left behind.Relatives and friendsofthe family, Pas‐tors,officers andmembers of BethlehemBaptist Church of Dalcour, LA,sur‐roundingchurches,em‐ployees of Plaquemines Parish School Boardand Fire Department,LCMC Health,UnitedStates Postal ServiceofPlaquem‐ines,Louisiana areinvited to attend theservice.A ChristianCelebration will be held at BethlehemBap‐tist Church,111 Bethlehem Lane,Braithwaite,LAon Saturday,October 4, 2025, at 11AM,Rev.Dr. Michael W. Jiles, Sr., officiating. In‐terment: BethlehemBap‐tist Church Cemetery.258 Bertrandville Rd Bertrandville,LA. Final arrangements entrustedto Robinson FuneralHome, 9611 LA-23, BelleChasse LA 70037 (504) 208 –2119. Foronlinecondolences please visitwww.robinso nfamilyfuneralhome.com

MoranSr.,Michael P. International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, LocalUnion #130. TheOfficers andMembers of this localunion are hereby requestedtoattend thecelebration of life of MichaelP.Moran Sr.on Saturday,October 4, 2025, at E.J. Fielding Funeral Home,2260 W21st Ave, Covington, LA 70433, at 9:00 a.m. anda servicewillfol‐lowat11:00 a.m.

Herford"Nutsie"Parker, age84, peacefully entered into thearmsofGod early Wednesdaymorning Sep‐tember 17, 2025, whenhe heardGod whisper "Happy birthday my child, youmay come on home". He was thebeloved father of Timo‐thyQ.Parker(Alethia), NorbertL.Allen (Leslie) andCapella Young-Mayo Darryl). Sonofthe late Isa‐iahand AlmediaParker. Herfordwas anativeof Vacherie LA.anda resident of Avondale LA.for many years. He is also survived by abrother Herbert Parker,his grandchildren Kyra Parker,JuVrelle Smart, Ka'Ron Allen, CoCo Williams,Davon Young and Todrel Young,nieces; Yvette Payne(Ferdinand) andYolanda Phoenix, nephew;DonaldEdgerson (Angel), longtime friends; JamesHowardand Lor‐raineMitchell(mother of hisson Timothy),aswell as ahostofgreat nieces andgreat nephews, cousins, otherrelatives andfriends.Herford wasa member of 2ndSalvation Church in Bridge City,LA. where he gave hislifeto Christ.Helater became a member of St.JosephThe Worker Catholic Church in Marrero. He retiredfrom Avondale Shipyard after 30 yearsbut went back to work yearslater as asecu‐rity guardwithScheuering Security Serviceuntil Marchof2025. He waspre‐deceased by hisparents Isaiah Parker Sr.and Alme‐diaParker, hissiblings; Se‐doniaParker, Isaiah Parker Jr.and Earl Williams,and hisgrandson; MichaelM.W Emery. Relativesand friendsofthe familyare in‐vitedtoattend thememor‐ialservice on Saturday,Oc‐tober4,2025 at Robinson Family FuneralHome9611 LA-23, Belle Chasse LA 70037 at 2PM. (504) 2082119. Foronline condo‐lences please visitwww robinsonfamilyfuneralho me.com

andRobin Perkins, Debra andJacquelineThompson, Uncles Ernest Perkinsand John Thompson.Alsosur‐vivedbya host of nieces, nephews, cousins, family andfriends.Gregoryispre‐cededindeath with his Mother Yvonne Pendleton, Father AlfredBanks,his GrandmotherMarguerite PerkinsThomas, Grandfa‐ther Ernest Jones, 1and only Sister DianePowers, Uncles James, andCalvin Perkins, JamesThompson, andRobertHudson, Aunts CynthiaJones,Ida Maeand AnnieMae Perkins, Laberta Fleming, Dalphine Perkins, CousinsKendrickPerkins, JamesJones,WilsonJones DerrickGabriel,Robert Hudson Jr TrinaSmith Sheila Johnsonand Ron‐drickGordon. Relatives andFriends of theFamily areall invitedtoattend the FuneralService on Satur‐day, October4,2025 at 10:30am at IsraeliteBaptist Church 2100 Martin Luther King,Jr. Blvd.New Orleans, Louisiana70113. Visitation will beginat9:30am. Inter‐ment in ResthavenMemor‐ialPark. Professional Arrangements Entrustedto Majestic Mortuary Service, Inc. (504)523-5872.

GregoryPendleton was born October9,1961, to the late Yvonne Pendletonand Alfred Banks. He entered into rest on Monday,Sep‐tember 22, 2025. He gradu‐ated from McMain High School.Gregorywas a hard-workerand dedicated to beinganawesome fa‐ther despitehavinga hear‐ingdisability. That never stoppedhim from beingin‐dependent. He leaves to cherishhis many memo‐ries his twoChildrenGre‐goryand Sierra Pendleton (Cornelius), Grandchildren London Pendleton, Kingston andJamaica Scott, BrotherRobert Pendleton, AuntsRoslyn

Edmond Wilson Ragas Jr."Wes",entered into eternalrestonFridaySep‐tember 26, 2025 at his home in Port Sulphur LA.at theage of 68. He wasthe sonofthe late Edmond Wilson RagasSr. andthe late AlbertineGibson Ragas. Belovedbrother of Olibra Magee(Jerry), Eric RagasSr. (Vanessa), Jonathan Ragas(Christy), John RagasSr. (Monica) andthe late Shelia Turner (Frederick deceased), Lori Ann Turner andDianne AgnesRagas.Hewas a brother figure to Serena AnnGibson. He wasa fa‐ther figure to Cierra Gabriel. Devoteduncle of FrederickTurnerJr. Amanda Turner (Rob), ShannonMackey(Otis), Nelson C. Williams III (An‐gelle), Trevor S. Williams Sr.(Trekira),Jamie Scott (LionelJr.), JerilynMagee Rogers (Eric),MariahA Magee, Eric JamesJr. (Kris‐ten),Vania andEricJoseph Ragas, Albertine Stephens (Naquarius), BreckTurner (Jessica), VincentTurnerJr. CajuanaJackson,Jonathan Scott, KennethParker(Jas‐mine), DasiaRagas ,Devin Badeaux, Brittany Johnson (Robert) John Jr.and Blake RRagas.Wes wasa promi‐nent figure in thelives of hismanygreat nieces and nephewsand shared aspe‐cial bond with them all. He wasa retiredemployeeof Daybrook Fisheriesfor 30 yearsand wasa proudDal‐lasCowboys fan.Relatives andfriends of thefamily andemployees of Day‐brook Fisheries, areinvited to attend thefuneral ser‐vice on Friday October3 2025 at St.Patrick Catholic Church 28698 LA-23, Port Sulphur LA.70083. Thevisi‐tation will beginat9AM followed by an 11AMmass. Father Lawrence Murori will officiateand interment will follow in Barthelemy Cemetery in DiamondLA.

OPINION

Do somethingpatriotic andbecomeapollworker

Ellen Gustafson GUEST COLUMNIST

Aug. 12 was National Poll Worker Recruitment Day,and it served as areminder that we’re sounding an urgent call to the people of Louisiana: We need you. The U.S. Election Assistance Commission established this advocacy day in 2020 to spotlight asimple truth: Serving as apoll worker is the single most impactful, nonpartisan way thatany individual person can engage in America’selections. Right now, hundreds of counties andparishes across the country are looking to fill poll worker positionsand Louisiana is no exception. The reasons are plain. The pool of experienced poll workers is aging,recruitment pipelines have thinned and disturbing harassment and threats aimed at election officials have pushed some public servants out of the booth Thatleaveslocal election administrators actively workingto staff polling places, train workers and protect the integrity of every vote.

Becoming acertified com-

Donald Palmer GUEST COLUMNIST

missioner in Louisiana is easier than many think. Youcan register through your local Clerk of Court’s Office or theLouisianaSecretary of State’swebsite. It pays well, fitsmany schedules and, most importantly, offers an opportunity to serve something bigger than ourselves Serviceisalanguage we both knowwell.Asfounder of Vet the Vote andamilitary spouse, I’ve seen how military families translate commitment into action every day At We the Veterans and Military Families, we launched Military250 in New Orleans this February atSuperBowl LIX to markthe 250thanniversaries of the U.S.Army, Navy and Marine Corps. That launch wasn’tjust a ceremony,it was acall to action. Patriotismismore than aconcept; it’sapractice rooted in our daily actions.

This year, Military250 is recognizing 250veteran and military familyservice organizations, 250 leaders continuing their service

and 250 acts of service. The campaign reminds us that the journey to our nation’s250th anniversary is atime to honor thepast, reflect on our shared values and decide how we will carry forward this legacy of service. Military250 challenges every American:How will you serve?

For someveterans and military families, that service means stepping intolocal civic leadership or mentoring through aservice organization. For others, it is volunteering at aschool, joining aneighborhood association or serving as apoll

Congress must support themedical research that changedmy son’slife

When my son was only 4monthsold, he was diagnosed with epilepsy.His first seizure lasted 45 minutes andleft ourfamily absolutelyterrified

But from that moment on, we were focused on finding the best way to help him survive. Medication after medication failed to control his seizures, and we were constantly worried about his safety. It was heartbreaking to watch the negative impacts epilepsy had on his quality of life.

Voting clerk Will Clancy opens the curtainfor Charlotte, 4, to join her mother,Megan Gibbens, in the voting booth.

STAFFFILE

PHOTO

worker.These everyday acts of patriotic participation transform communities by fostering connection and reinforcing the shared values that bind us. We returned to New Orleans in August to link the momentum of Military250 with National Poll Worker Recruitment Day. We want to spotlight poll workasa patriotic act —accessible, meaningful and vital.

Certified commissioners ensure local elections run smoothly and correctly; they welcomevoters, verify registrations and protect theprocess from error and dis-

ruption. Their workupholds the very freedoms Military250 seeks to honor President Ronald Reagan warned that “freedom is afragile thing and it’snever morethan one generation away from extinction.” ArmyAir Corps and Air Force General Jimmy Doolittle captured the power of volunteerism when he said, “There’s nothing stronger than the heart of avolunteer.” If you’re looking foraway to celebrate America that goes beyond waving aflag on aholiday,consider this your invitation.

Louisiana needs poll workers. Whether you’re acollege student, retiree, active-duty spouse or someone seeking ameaningful waytogive back, this is how you can help.

Visit your local Clerk of Court’s Office or the Louisiana Secretary of State’swebsite to learn how to register

Ellen Gustafsonisa Navy spouseand theco-founder and executive director of We the Veterans and Military Families. Donald Palmer serves as chairmanofthe U.S. Election AssistanceCommission.

Data showsNationalGuard is notneededinour city

Amanda Mitchell GUEST COLUMNIST

During our search for an effective treatment, Ilearned thatmany people with epilepsy never reach complete seizure control. The statistics were troubling, but we continued to searchfor answers

Then came two new medications neitherofwhich wereeven approved when he was first diagnosed.Thanks to the groundbreaking research that made them possible, my son’sseizures arenow under control.

Many people don’tknow this, but epilepsy is more than just seizures, and while my son still faces many challenges of living with epilepsy,heisthriving. Being seizure-free allows him to spend time with his family andfriends, doing things he loves. He has also made significant progress in his education This is alife we couldonly have hoped for before these innovations.

But here’sthe reality: Stories like mine don’thappen withoutstrongfederal investment in medical research. The National Institutes of Healthhelps fund the work that turns promising ideas into lifesaving treatments. In fact, NIH-funded research wasthe basis for virtually every oneofthe 356 new drugs approved by theFDA between 2010 to 2019 Potential cuts to the NIH in the fiscal year 2026 budget would put that progress in danger,stalling the very breakthroughs thatallow kids like my son the chance for alife where theylearn and grow.Wecan’tlet that happen While we can’tpredict where thenext big medical discoverywill comefrom, we can make sure researchers have the resources to find it through funds

reliably distributed by theNIH.When funding is reliable, research institutions can pursue bold ideas and translate them into new therapies more efficiently.That means my son andother people with epilepsy may benefit from treatmentswehaven’teven imagined yet,treatments that could mean others currently living with uncontrolled seizures could live ahealthier life. From new treatmentsfor epilepsy to advances in cancer care and Alzheimer’s prevention,NIH funding fuels thepipeline of hope for patients. Here in Louisiana, that investment doesn’tjust help patients; it also supportsthe people and places around them.In2024, NIH awards brought in more than $211 million to our state. That meansscientists at places like LSUcould keep working on promising projects. It means jobsfor residents, opportunities for students and partnerships that strengthen our hospitals andclinics. Every dollar spent on NIH research multiplies our scientific knowledge, moves forward innovation and saves lives. When we invest in research, we’re investing in our neighbors.

CuttingNIH funding would force research institutions to scale back or abandon critical projects. It would slow the development of treatments and cures before they even get off the ground and it would shrink the network of people dedicated to helping patients live longer,healthier lives. My son’s life today is living proof of what’spossible when we support research. We can’t afford to let progressstalland let down future generations.

As Congress works to reach adeal on thefiscal year 2026 appropriations, Iurgelawmakers to ensure strong, steady growth in NIH funding. Small discoveries today lead to life-changing breakthroughs tomorrow that give children like mine abrighter,healthier future.

Amanda

Mitchellisthe executive director of Epilepsy Alliance Louisiana.

Sending theNational Guard to New Orleanstofixcrimehere is abad idea that denies thecommendable progress that the city has madeinlowering crime over thepast three years, would hurt local businesses and would further strain theservice of the men and women who must drop their lives for an open-ended mission with no clearly defined purpose for which they have no training.

Arguing against the deploymentofthe National Guard here does not deny that crime in New Orleansremains aserious issue in need of continued improvement. But it’saserious issue that has dramatically improved since thecity was the murder capital of thecountry in 2022.

We should appreciatejust how farthis city has progressed in thelastfew years. Murder is down more than 60% since peaking in 2022. There were 75 murders this year in New OrleansasofmidSeptember —including 14 lives lost on Bourbon Street on Jan 1. During the same stretch in 2022, there were exactly 200. It’snot just murder,either.Since peaking in the last few years, carjackings are down morethan 80%, and car theft and car burglary are down around 70%. And responsetimes, which swelled from 50 minutes on average in 2019 to 180 minutes on average in early 2023, havereturned to pre-pandemic levels thanks to smart investments by thecity in NOPD civilianization and new contractors.

These are remarkable gains which are theproduct of strong federalsupport for thecity,smartpartnerships between the police department, district attorney and thestate police, and alitany of violence reduction programsimplemented by the city

The city’sprogress over the last 3years screamsout for abetter understanding of why things are improving and investing moreresources —atalocal, state and federal level —intothe policies andprogramsthat have had success. We should be closely examining the impact of the HealthDepartment’sviolence intervention program,the District Attorney’s N.O.D.I.C.E., the police department’s substantially improved murder clearance rate, thestate’sTroop Nola deployment and the hard work of countless local nonprofit organizations.

Deploying the National Guard —with no training in law enforcement —potentially against the will of the people does none of this while lowering the morale of the men and womentrying to serve their country The violent crime trend in D.C. is largely unchanged in the aftermath of the federal intervention. Violent crime was falling before the deploymentand it’sfalling at asimilar rate now.Yes, carjackings in D.C. were downalot in August, but they were downalot in July,too. Carjackings have fallen by 30% or morerelative to the samemonth the previous year in D.C. in 16 of the last 18 months.

The data from Washington, D.C., does show the possibility of very real costs to New Orleanians should the National Guard be deployed here.

There is growing evidence that fewer people are out and about in D.C. and this change in mobility is hurting local businesses. Reservations at restaurants —measured by seated diners through OpenTable —are down6%inSeptember relative to September 2024 after having been up significantly in previous months. Reservations werehigher nearly every day in late July and early August compared to ayear earlier but they have been lower nearly ever day in late August through mid-September

It’s not just restaurants.

Arecent terrific New York Times analysis found asubstantial drop in cellphone usage —including by pedestrians —in popular local D.C. neighborhoods after the deployment. D.C.’sbike share program saw adramatic drop in ridership beginning in mid-August 2025. The drop is concentrated almost exclusively among members of the bike share service, suggesting that it is local residents whouse the program that are out and about less. New Orleans has seen vast progress against manyofthe city’svery worst problemsover the last fewyears. These problemsare by no meanssolved, but denying this progress and trying to solve them by deploying armed soldiers fora poorly defined mission forwhich they are not trained is by no meansthe solution.

Jeff Asher is aNew Orleans-based consultant and data analyst whoisnationally recognized for his work interpreting crime trends in major urban centers.

COMMENTARY

ISSUE OF THE WEEK ECONOMIC POLICy

The Trump administration came into office promising to remakethe economy in ways that benefit businesses and American workers. Executiveorders have aimed at reducing regulations,and recently, President Donald Trump has changed the rules to make bringing in foreign workersonH-1B visasless attractivetoemployers.How will the administration’spolicies affectthe broader economy? Here aretwo perspectives

Trumpisright that tech visas araw deal forU.S.workers

The time has come to praise Donald Trump. Let’ssavor the moment.

The president is right to challenge the tech worker visa known as H-1B. This is atemporary visa thatlets Americancompanieshire skilled foreign workersin“specialty occupations.”

The visa’sfans offer amirror image,withatwist,ofthe popular argument that low-skilled immigrants do jobs Americans won’t do. They say that the H-1B program providesworkers forjobs that Americans can’t do Consider,however,the employers’ extra incentive of paying holders of the H-1B visas less than the “prevailingwage” forAmericans with similar skills. They’re not allowed to,but they often do.

therecipients are Indians. That reflects agrowing industry dedicated to flooding the H-1B lottery with Indian applicants. Tata Consultancy,anIndian tech services firm, lastyear captured 5,500 H-1B visas outofthe annual quotaof85,000.

Can-do spirit needsliberation from can’t-do regulation

4.7 years.

Froma Harrop

Some have laid off their American employees after forcing them to train their cheaper H-1B replacements. The maneuver is cleverlyspunas“knowledge transfer.” Companies accused of such practices include Disney andSouthern California Edison.

Critics further note that thevisa holders frequently don’tcome withskills so fabulous that there aren’t Americans willingand able to do the job

Another concern is the currently weak demand for tech workers in this country Since 2024,more than 240,000 tech workershavebeenlaid off. Americanswith thesecredentials are finding it harder to get these positions,and therise of artificial intelligence is likely to reduce opportunities even further

An H-1B visa is valid for uptothree yearsbut renewable for atotal of six years. The job can turn permanentifthe worker has agreen card applicationin the works. Thus, the visa eases one’sway to U.S. citizenship withoutgoingthrough the usual immigration process.

The program’sboosterscontend that the visa brings in highly skilled workers from all over the world who may stay and build the economy.That’sacompelling argument.

But the mechanics behind disbursing these visas do not speak of alevel playing field across the globe. About 70%of

“The Path to the American Dream Is Narrowing for Indian Tech Workers.” So reads aWall StreetJournal headline about expected changes in theH-1B visa program.

Why must theIndian Dream be to movetoAmerica? We understand the allure of Silicon America and the vast riches some tech entrepreneurs have harvested there. Several ofthe billionaires were Indian immigrants.

But thereisa considerable and growingtech industry in India that also needs workers with valuable tech skills. Those with invaluable skills would still be able to work in America under the proposed changes. The administration’splan isn’ttoend theprogram but to charge $100,000 for every H-1B application. The biggestusers of these visas are Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Apple and Meta. These companies are loaded. Given what top tech talent gets paid these days, afee of $100,000 per applicant would seem a mere rounding error

The fee would weed out the less-impressive applicantsand reduce thefinancial incentive to recruit cheap talent abroad.

SomeSiliconValley CEOs see wisdom in this approach.Posting on X, Netflix cofounder Reed Hastings called it “a great solution.”

By reducing competition, thefee would enhance thechances of candidates with truly special skills —and lessen theneed for alottery

Even if you buy theargument that Americanslack the skills that foreigners bearing H-1B visas offer,there’sanalternative. Sometimes theway to find Americanswho can do thejobs they allegedly can’t do is to train Americans to do them.

FromaHarrop is on X@FromaHarrop. She can be reached at fharrop@gmail. com

Philip K. Howard, agraduate of Taft prep school, Yale and the University of Virginia School of Law, says he never wore“white bucks.” This 1950s campus fashion waned before he matriculated. Those buckskin shoes were popular among young blades destined to become“whiteshoe lawyers” at prestigious “whiteshoe law firms,” such as Covington & Burling, where Howard, 76, is senior counsel.

He also is agenteel inveigher against the coagulation of American society,which is saturated with law. In his new book “Saving Can-Do: How to Revive the Spirit of America,” he argues thatlaw’sproper role is preventingtransgressions by authorities, not micromanaging choices so minutely that red tape extinguishes individual responsibilityand thesocial trust thatindividualism engenders.

K-12schoolsmicromanaged by multihundred-page collective bargaining agreements withteachers unions “more closely resemble penalinstitutions” than centersfor nurturing,Howard writes. “The disempowermentofschool leaders” by unionrulesinthe past 50 years “isthe main reason badschoolsget worse, andwhy mediocreschoolsrarely improve.”

New York State, pandering to 19thcentury immigrants, mandates instruction aboutthe Irishpotato famine (1845-1852). Some Florida school districts, preemptively fending off lawyers, require written permission before giving a pupil aBand-Aid.

What has been called the “fetishization of process” —process as an end in itself costsmoney and stymies progress. Howard writes, “Doctors and nurses spend almost half their day doing deskwork”tocomply withregulations.

Historian Henry Steele Commager (19021998) deplored the nation’s“almost lawless passion for lawmaking.” This has built what Howard calls a“monument to theprecautionary principle”: “The obsessivedrive to foreclose anything thatmightgowrong has left little room for the freedom to make things go right.”

Almost 150 millionwords of federal laws and regulations, almost all generated since the 1960s, have created a“dreary public culture” and “a societyriven with distrust.”

This “squeezes the life out of freedom.” And nothing gets done.

In 2021, the Bidenadministration allocated $7.5billion to build anational network of electric vehicle charging stations. Three years later,only 11 had been built. For the administration’sfailure to expand broadband service, blame legislation larded withDEI (diversity, equityand inclusion)requirements, climate change rules, price controls, union preferences, etc.

An act was passed to reduce the4.7 years’ average time to completeenvironmental impact statements for federal projects.Four years later,the average completion time was:

Before Hurricane Katrina,aNew Orleans high school valedictorian could notgraduate because shefailedthe state proficiency test five times.Itshouldnot takeanatural calamitytofracture society’s stalecrust, opening fissures through whichgreen shoots of fresh thinking can sprout, as has happened in postKatrina NewOrleans.

In arecent18-year period in Illinois, an annualaverageofonly twoout of 95,000 teachers wereterminated forpoor performance. Illinois public education is acalamity in need of acalamity:aKatrina.Otherwise, thetask of reviving union-dominated schoolsis, Howard says, akinto“putting fumesback into a bottle.”

Whenchoices by peopleinauthority are, in Howard’swords, “strained through a legalsieve,” we understand Alexis de Tocqueville’s warning from nearly200 years ago: Minuteregulations that stifle intuition, judgment andfreedom perpetuate “a drowsy regularity,” andthe statusquo Ourancestors began this nation as an errandintoaninhospitable wilderness, then walked to Oregon, without laws preempting theirjudgments in daily choices. Butthe nation’s spirit “has been collapsing over the past fifty years,” Howardwrites, as Americanshavebeen trained by too much law “to focusoncompliance.” So,they“tiptoe through theday looking over theirshoulders” andavoiding risks. For thenation’s long-term vitality, nothing is riskier.

Email Will at georgewill@washpost.com

Regional Summary

Funeralplanningentrusted toRobinsonFamilyFuneral home(5040208-2119. For onlinecondolences please visit www.robinsonfamilyf uneralhome.com.

Deacon IsiahRileyen‐tered into eternalreston MondaySeptember 22, 2025. Husbandofthe late Yvonne Berry Rileyby first marriageand thelate Dorothy SandersRileyby secondmarriage. Father of Isiah (Yvette)Riley, Rogers (Giselle)Riley, Randell (Gloria)Riley,Sr.,Rodney (Nicole)Borden, CynthiaR Sullen, Madeline R. Rose DianneBorden, andthe lateSheliaRoseand Cliff Riley.Hewas theson of the late Mosesand Classie JacobsRiley. Brotherofthe lateAlberta R. Gant,Leola R.Ancar,Rebecca R. Elli‐son,OliviaR.Mitchell, James Riley, ClassieR Washington, MosesRiley, BernadetteRiley, Vivian R. Ellison, andVirginiaR.Mc‐Call. Brother-in-law of Yvonne Berry.Alsosur‐vived by ahostofgrand‐children, greatgrandchil‐dren, great-greatgrand‐children, nieces,nephews, cousins,other relatives, friends,and hisSecond Baptist Church family. A nativeand lifelong resident ofAlgiers (CutoffCommu‐nity),LA, age93. Deacon Riley wasa lifelong mem‐ber of Second Baptist Church. Deacon Rileywas a manofgreat faith who loved theLorddeeply.His greatestdesireinlifewas totouch thelives of others His love forhis familyand his church wasthe founda‐tionofhis life.Relatives and friendsofthe family alsoPastors,Officers and Members of Second Bap‐tistChurch, Second NazareneBaptist Church Asbury United Methodist

Church andall neighboring Churches areinvited to at‐tendthe FuneralServices at10:00am on Saturday October 4, 2025, at Second Baptist Church,2836 Sullen Place,Algiers,LA. Rev. Andre'Singler,officiating. Visitationwillbefrom 8:00am -9:50amONLY. In‐terment in McDonogh CemeteryGretna, LA.Final Arrangementsentrusted to Patrick H. SandersFuneral Home& FuneralDirectors LLC.605 Main Street, Laplace,LA70068. 985-3591919. “Providing Care & Comfort is OurHighest Mission

Lloyd Tennyson Soule’ transitionedtohis heav‐enlyhome, on Monday, September 22,2025. Lloyd was born on August 6, 1932 inNew Orleans, Louisiana tothe late Lloydand Anita Soule’. He marriedthe love ofhis life,Katherine Isidore and from this union three childrenwere born,Sonja Bridges,Kerry Soule’,and ShellyBurrle. Lloydworked for theFederal Government General ServiceAdminis‐tration.Heretired from there aftertwenty-seven years.Heleavestomourn his wife of sixty-nine years, Katherine I. Soule’;chil‐dren, SonjaBridges (Earl), Kerry Soule’,ShellyBurrle (Randall) andtwo bonus daughters,Beverly BaileySiesserand RhonaAlexisJones;two grandchildren, Casey Howard,Blair Porter (Geno); twonephews,Gre‐goryand Glen Soule’; brother-in-law, Claude Isidore (Annamae)and a hostofcousins,nieces, nephews andfriends.Fam‐ily,relatives andfriends are invitedtoattend a Massofthe Resurrection atCorpusChristi-Epiphany Catholic Church,2022 Saint Bernard Avenue,New Or‐leans,LA70122 on Satur‐day,October 4, 2025 at 10:00 AM.Visitationat9:00

AM.Interment at Mount OlivetCemetery, 4000 Nor‐man MayerAve NewOr‐leans,LA70122. Please signthe online guestbook atwww.charbonnetfuner alhome.com. Charbonnet Labat Glapion, Directors, (504) 581-4411.

FuneralServices will be heldwith avisitationbeginning Thursday, October 2, 2025, at 12 noon at Tucker Choctaw Community COVID/ Emergency Relief Facility (CERF) Building, and a Celebration of Life funeral mass on Saturday, October 4, 2025, at 11 a.m. at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in theTucker Choctaw Community in Philadelphia,MS. Burial services immediatelyfollow.

It is with deep sadness that thefamily announces thepassing of Mrs. Geraldine Billie Williams,a member of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, whopresently resides in New Orleans, LA. Mrs. Williams peacefully entered intoeternal rest on Sunday, September28, 2025, surrounded by loved onesfollowing her heroic battle with acute respiratory distress from systemicscleroderma.

BornNovember 20, 1951, in Philadelphia,MS, Mrs. Williams wasthe second child and eldest daughter of nine children of thelate Paul and Kathleen Chickaway Billie of the Tucker Choctaw community.Following theIndian RelocationAct of 1956, the Billie family moved to Chicago, IL, where she completed her secondary education. While in Chicago, she worked as a clerk typist for theU.S

Department of Interior at theBureau of Indian Affairs. Thereafter, the Billie family returned to the Tucker Choctaw community where she worked as a Pre-School Teacher at Tucker Elementary School

Mrs. Williams briefly attended Cullman College in Cullman, AL where she met theHonorable Byron C. Williams,her husband of 52 years. Mrs. Williams completed her undergraduatedegree in 1981 in Business Education at the UniversityofMontanaMissoula, MT.After graduation, Mr.and Mrs. Williams relocated to New Orleans, LA where she beganher employment and subsequent retirementas aFederal Deputy Clerk at theU.S.DistrictCourt-EDLA after36years of employment

She waspreceded in deathbyher parents and her sister, DarleneBillie Adams

She is survived by her devoted husband,the Honorable Byron C. Williams of NewOrleans, LA, and theirfour children and families: Dr. Powtawche Neengay Williams-Valerino (Orlando); Ta-Shina Kathleen Williams-Ramirez (Jose' IV); Byron Craig Williams,Jr.,Esq. (Sisy); and,Tahlako Billie Williams (Lisette). She is lovinglyremembered by her six grandchildren: Nitakallo,Carter, Taloa, Tabokah, Jose V, and Nashoba. She is also survived by brothers: Robert Billie (Cathy);Howard Billie (Patricia); RandyBillie (Michelle); Paul Ray Billie (Maria); Andrew Billie (Sally)and sisters: Shirley Billie and Brenda Billie Bernard.

In lieu of flowers, the family requestsdonations or contributions to be made to theGeraldine Billie Williams Early Childhood Education ScholarshipFund that will supportTucker Community Choctaw members who are pursuing adegree in early childhoodeducation Your donations or contributions can be mailed to Geraldine Billie Williams ScholarshipFund P.O. Box 8111 or 2051 CantonSt. New Orleans ,LA70182. Youcan also send donations or contributions at thepayment application

below: https://venmo.com/cod e?user_id=24294336044728 32385

Wilson,Wanda Jean

WandaJeanWilson

June 15, 1953 -September 20, 2025. WandaJeanWil‐son wasbornonJune 15 1953, in NewOrleans,LA, to the unionofJames and Rosalie BurnsWilson. She gainedher wingsonSatur‐day,September 20, 2025 She graduatedfrom Riverdale High School and SouthernUniversityof Baton Rougeand builta fulfillingcareer in theJef‐fersonParishSchool Sys‐tem,where sheexcelledin teachingspecial educa‐tion. Shealsoworkedin her community as aYMCA Director. Sheleavesto cherish hertwo sons,Craig Wilson,Sr. (Shavon),and ByronWilson. Shealso

leaves to cherishher mem‐ories,her siblings Sheila Wilson Rome (Daniel) and RyenWilson, Sr (Monique),her grandchil‐drenShaylen,Layla,and Craig Wilson,Jr.,nieces and nephews, Bianca Rome, Daniel Rome,IV, RyenWilson, Jr Sonya Hazel,Kathy Mattox, James Wilson,IV, Alexandria Wil‐son,and Damion Wilson her Aunt CarolynMadere, special friends, ZeldaUrsin and Inez Shaw,and ahost ofsurviving relativesand friends.The services are entrusted to Richardson Funeral Home of Jefferson, River Ridge, LA.Burialat ProvidenceMemorialPark, Metairie, LA.Viewing 9:00 am- 11:00 am andthe Ser‐vice11:00 am at TheNew GenerationFellowship, 1000 Clay Street,Kenner, LA70062. Bishop E. Craig Wilson,Officiating. www richardsonfuneralhomeof jefferson.com

When youneed thenews. Wherever youreadthe news

Deal securesSaints’ future in N.O. —for now

Newlease ensuresNFL franchisewillremaininLouisiana through2035

The immediate future of theNew Orleans Saints is secure.

The Saints are staying where they belong —inNew Orleans —for at least another decade.

The new lease signed by Gov.Jeff Landry and Saints ownerGayle Benson on Thursday will ensure the Saints rep the fleur de listhrough 2035 and perhaps longer

The new accord is one of those rare winwins. The state reduced costsand secured

Skenes’ stellarseason deserves to be celebrated

Former LSUstandouthas been aforce in less than two full seasonsinthe majors

It was during the 2023 NCAA tournament that LSU coach Jay Johnson knew.Knew how good apitcher Paul Skenes would be once he got to the major leagues.

“During the postseason, he faced Kentucky in the super regionaland Tennessee in the College World Series, thesecond time that he faced those teams,” Johnson said this week. “Andhecompletely flipped on its head how he pitched them.

greater protections for taxpayers, while locking down thecity’sprized NFL franchise for another decade and (likely) landing another Super Bowl for thecity

TheSaints, meanwhile, maintain oneofthe most user-friendly leases in professional sports that allows them to remain competitivewith their big-market peers for theforeseeable future. After months of intense and often con-

tentiousnegotiations, harmonyreigns.

For now

Beyond 2035, all bets are off. Nothing is certain, including who owns and operates theteam and where it plays.

The new deal has four five-year options that could extend the lease another two decades. Butthe Saintsown the right to execute the options, so theoretically they —oranew owner —could leave in 2035 or 2040 or 2045, etc.

Nothing the Saints have said or done sug-

gests they’d do so. Owner Gayle Benson and team president Dennis Lauscha are NewOrleans natives, as are manyofthe club’sother top executives. They’ve vowed to keep the team here foraslong as she owns the team and have invested hundreds of millions locally as ashow of their invested interests. Nevertheless, the reality of the situation is the 78-year-old Benson will be approaching 90 when the 10-year extension ends, and, according to the terms of her succession plan, the team will eventually have to

Scott Rabalais

“I was like, ‘Man, this guy’s going to dominate in the major leagues.’ Like, there’s going to be no issueoffacing somebody three times in a season.”

Skenes has proven Johnson as right about that as he was right to get the 6-foot-6 fireballer totransfer to LSU from Air Force.

Skenes has been aforce in less than two full seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates, the team that made him the No. 1overall pick in the 2023 MLB draft shortly after his MVP performance in theCollegeWorld Series ledthe Tigers to that year’s national title.

Afterrocketing throughthe minor leagues, Skenes went 10-3 witha 1.96 earned run average in 2024 andstunned thebaseball worldbystarting theAll-Star Game for the National League en route to beingnamed NL rookie of the year In 2025, Skenes was even more impressive. As the major league playoffs thunder on without Paul and the Pirates (71-91),his season deserves to be celebrated In his first full major leagueseason,the big right-hander posted a1.97 ERA, the first sub-2.00 ERA in the majors since 2022 (his ERA from 2024 doesn’t count because he wascalled up twomonthsinto the season). He set aPirates franchise recordwith 216 strikeouts in 187-2/3 innings pitched. His WHIP (walks and hitsper innings pitched) of 0.95 was fourth-best in themajors, and his opponents’batting average of .199 was sixth-best. On top of that, Skenes again was the National League’s starting pitcher in the All-Star Game. After piling up such aglitteringresume, Skenes pokedfun at himself for his ERA

ä See RABALAIS, page 3C S Pirates pitcher

Paul Skenes AP PHOTO

RUNNERSUP

Saints ramp up rungamebygoing undercenter, changing scheme

BY LUKE JOHNSON Staff writer

The first New Orleans Saints touchdown last week against the Buffalo Bills was asign of things to come.

The Saints linedupundercenter with two tight ends to theleftoftheir formation. Rookie Moliki Matavaomotioned across theformation and performed akick-out block to theright after thesnap. The other tight end, Jack Stoll, followed him after thesnap, only to curl theblock back through the middle where the run wasintended togo. Everyoffensive lineman gothis hands on aplayer and turned him away from the play.Itwas up to Kendre Miller to do therest. Miller made defensive back Taron Johnson missinthe hole and got to the second level. He slipped out of an ankle tackle by safetyCole Bishopand busted through atackle attempt by corner Tre’Davious White, rumbling

into the end zone foran18-yard touchdown.

The play featured heavy personnel, misdirection, solid blocking acrossthe boardand some spectacularplaymaking in theopenfield— allelements of agood rushing offense. And, forthe mostpart, those were all things the Saints did frequently against Buffalo.

New Orleans used heavy personnel —with two or more tightends on the field —on12oftheir 34 rushing attempts. In 12 personnel (one running back and two tight ends), the Saints averaged 9.1 yards per carry,with six of their nine attempts gaining at least 5yards.

The Saintswere undercenter on 55.9% of their run plays, easily their highest rate of the season (previous high: 27.6%), apivot coach Kellen Moore said wasintentional in order to allow New Orleans to use cadence to its advantage.

ä See SAINTS, page 5C

Freshman OT Curneoff to strong startwithLSU

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

Kickoff was only minutes away when LSU’stop young offensive tackle learned that he’dbemaking his first career start on the road against an SEC defense.

YetCariusCurne held his own.The fourstarfreshman allowed only one quarterback pressure,according to Pro Football Focus, in theNo. 13 Tigers’ loss to Ole Miss, even though he was thrown ontothe fieldatthe last minuteinplace of Weston Davis —the starting right tackle who suffered abroken nose and aconcussion in

pregamewarmups.

“(Curne) reminded me of Emery Jones as atrue freshman,”coach Brian Kelly said on Wednesday That’slofty praise from Kelly.AtLSU, Jones was athree-year starter and an AllSECtackle before he becameathird-round NFLDraft choice of theBaltimore Ravens. He joined theTigers as afour-star recruit andstarted 12 gamesasafreshman, blocking well enough to find himself on acouple true-freshmanAll-America teams by the end of the 2022 season.

“Ifyou remember Emery,” Kellysaid, “technically he was notvery sound, but he

was fighting for dear lifeand was really active. Had alot of hustle errors, but he’s hustling and playing physical.

“It’sjust hard to be atechnician at this point.” But Curne can still use his raw strength and size to his advantage. In his three appearances this season, PFF has charted only one hit, one hurry and twopressures for Curne across his 57 pass-blocking snaps.Davis,incomparison, has allowed 11 hurries and 14 pressures on

2p.m.

5:30 p.m. Wake Forest at Louisville ACCN COLLEGE FOOTBALL

6p.m.W.Kentucky at Delaware CBSSN

6p.m. Charlotte at SouthFloridaESPN2

6:30 p.m. Columbia at Princeton ESPNU

9p.m. NewMexico at San Jose St.FS1

9:30 p.m.

9:

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7p.m. Pittsburgh at DukeACCN

7p.m. Maryland at UCLABTN

9p.m. Indiana at Washington BTN WOMEN’S COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL

6p.m. Kentucky at Ole Miss SECN

7p.m. Nebraska at Penn St. FOX GOLF

11 a.m.KornFerry:ComplianceGOLF

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Texasbeginsawaystretch againstFlorida

BY MARK LONG AP sportswriter

GAINESVILLE, Fla. No. 9Texas

is about to find out what it’sreally like to play on the road in the Southeastern Conference.

The Longhorns travel to one of the league’smost daunting venues when they openSEC playatFlorida on Saturday.It’s the first of eight consecutive conference games for quarterback Arch Manning andCo., with the next four coming away from home.

“Everybodybetter buckle up,” coach Steve Sarkisiansaid. “There are no gimmies.”

Texas(3-1) opened theseason with a14-7 loss at then-No. 3Ohio State, getting more than atasteof road hostilities. But playing four in arow away from home —the Longhorns are the only SEC team dealt that kind of slate in 2025— is sure to present new challenges and provide plenty of adversity

“It’sgoing to be aroad-warrior mentality,and we always talk about that,” Texassafety Michael Taaffe said.

It begins with the Longhorns’ first visit to Gainesville since 1940. They wonthat one 26-0 but probably shouldn’texpect the returntrip to be as smooth.

Although the Gators (1-3, 0-1 SEC) have dropped threea row askid that has coach Billy Napier back on the proverbial hot seat —they played wellenoughdefensively to win all three. And they have ahistory of rattling quarter-

TexasdefensivebackJelani McDonald celebrates aturnoverondowns in thethird quarter of agameagainst the SamHouston State on Sept. 20 in Austin, Texas.

backs in the Swamp.

Texaswon all three of its SEC road games in 2024, its first yearin theleague, butthosecame against Vanderbilt andlongtime rivals Arkansasand TexasA&M. The Longhorns have four trueconference road games this season,including atrip to 12th-rankedGeorgia next month.

Florida is 15-7 at homeunder Napier but did win its last two against ranked teams, beating LSU andMississippidown the stretch last season

TheGatorsneedsophomore quarterback DJ Lagway to play better to improve their chances as 61/2-point home underdogs, according to BetMGM Sportsbook

Lagway,who missed most of the year while dealing with various injuries,has looked rusty in his return and less thancomfortable in the pocket.

“Everygame you got achip on your shoulder,” Lagway said. “Especiallyright now(with)how the world’s counting us out. So we all got achip on our shoulder to go out there and compete, let it loose and have fun.”

Cleanupneededfor Longhorns

Texas is averaging 81/2 penalties agame, which ranks among the worst in the nation and the SEC. Theflags proved particularly costly at Ohio State and have dogged the Longhorns on both sides of the

ball since.

Gators turn to Dallas

Florida receiver Dallas Wilson, a6-foot-3, 213-pound freshman and one of the team’stop recruits, is scheduledtomakehis collegiatedebut after missing amonth with aleft foot injury

TheTampa native caught 10 passesfor 195 yards and two touchdowns in the spring game and could provide alift foran offense that scored 16, 10 and 7pointsinconsecutive losses.

“He’sthe real deal,” Florida linebacker Myles Graham said. “He’s out there running and jumping like he was never hurt.”

Texaswaiting forpassrush

Preseason All-American Colin Simmons got his first solo sack of the season on the first playagainst SamHouston StateonSept.20, then didn’tget another.Simmons notcheda team-leading nine sacks as afreshman in 2024 but has been less effective though four games this season.

Texasranks tied for eighthin theSEC with 11 sacks.

RB depthcould be an issue

Florida will be withoutbackup running back Ja’Kobi Jackson, clearing apath forJadan Baugh to get more work. Texas likely will be without running back CJ Baxter(hamstring),who was listed as doubtful, and maybe co-starter Quintrevion Wisner (hamstring). Wisner was listed as questionable.

Bama says it’s abouthandlingsuccess vs.Vanderbilt

BY KENNINGTONLLOYD SMITH III

Associated Press

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. No. 10 Alabama surely wants some measure of revenge against Vanderbilt, even if players and coaches won’tacknowledge it

TheCrimson Tide host thesurprising and 16th-ranked Commodores on Saturday —and insist they won’tget blindsided again

Ayear ago, the Tide followed awin over fellow Southeastern Conference power Georgia with a 40-35 loss at Vanderbilt as threetouchdown favorites. Thatstunning setback played apart in keeping Alabama out of the College Football Playoff.

Coming off another victory against the Bulldogs, Vandy is up next again. How is Alabama (3-1, 1-0SEC) approaching this one?

“You’ve got to handle success and come back every single week in this league,” coachKalen DeBoer said. “Wedidn’thandlesuccess last yearwell.You can’targue that. Oursuccessthatwe had (against Georgia), none of it matters. None of it carries over Every game is its own game.”

Added Bamatight end Josh Cuevas: “We’re not tooworried about

last season. Last season’slast season. Just moving forward, taking the next step, this new year,just kind of keeping within theteam and doing what we’redoing and playing ourgame.”

Vanderbilt’ssituation is considerably different ayear later. The Commodores (5-0,1-0) may have been overlooked in 2024, but they sit nearthe topofthe SECstandings after the first month of the season.

Vandy is off to itsbest start since 2008, with each win coming by at least 20 points. Coach Clark Lea and quarterback Diego Pavia have led acampaign of a“New Vanderbilt” sincelast year,and now there’sevidenceofatangible shift.

“Last season was important for us in terms of getting some of those breakthrough moments to see, ‘Hey,this is something we can do,’”Lea said.“Ithink this season has been about the confidence to dominate, to have adominant mindsetwhenwetake thefield.”

Amarquee QB battle on tap?

Thegame features the two highest-rated passers in the SEC, with Pavia’s184.6pass efficiency rating topping the league just ahead of Ty Simpson’s173.1. Both rank in the top 15 nationally

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOByVASHAHUNT

Alabama linebacker yhonzae Pierre, left, celebrates asackwith linebacker Deontae Lawson during the second halfagainst Wisconsin on Sept.13inTuscaloosa, Ala.

Simpson is completing 82% of his passes over his last three games, with nine touchdowns and no interceptions. His11 TDs arethird in theSEC, and he haszero turnovers. On the other side, Pavia tied aVanderbilt school record with five TD passeslast Saturday and ran for another. His13TDpassesare tied for first in the SECand rank fifth nationally

Rungames should be key

An area to watch will be the run game. Vanderbilt gashed Alabama for166 yardsonthe ground last year andboasts oneofthe SEC’s best rushing attacksin2025. TheCommodores rank first in the league with 6.49 yardsacarry and18 rushingtouchdowns and are second with 1,117 yards rushing and 223.4 yards agameonthe ground.Defensively,Vanderbilt is allowing the third-fewest yards rushing agame.

FROM STAFFAND

Brehm shares first-round lead in Dunhill Links debut ST.ANDREWS,Scotland Ryan

Brehm made his Dunhill Links Championshipdebut with a63 on the only course he didn’tplay in practice to share the lead. Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood and aRyder Cup quartet of stars played on fumes and held up quite nicely Thursday

The other surprise from the opening round was Dustin Johnson with a64atCarnoustie that left the former world No. 1just one shot outof the lead in his return to this tournament forthe first time in 13 years. Hatton and RobertMacIntyre at 66, and Fleetwood andMatt Fitzpatrick at 67, all received a rousing cheer at Carnoustie to celebrateEurope’sfifth road victoryinthe Ryder Cup.

AirForce-Navy game

still on despite shutdown

The AirForce-Navy football game will go on as planned in Annapolis, Maryland, on Saturday,but that doesn’tmean the athletic departments at the service academies are unaffected by thegovernment shutdown.

The Naval Academy Athletic Associationisa nonprofitthathas acted independently since1891, limiting the impact of government actions on Navy’sathletics.Scott Strasemeier, Navy’ssenior associate athletic director,said some coaches whoare civilians and are paid by the governmentare affected, though none are with the football program.

Air Force is feeling it as well. Emails to Troy Garnhart, the associate athletic director forcommunications, prompt an automated response saying he is “out of the office indefinitely due to the government shutdown.”

Gauff to faceAnisimova in China Open semifinal BEIJING Reigning champion Coco Gauff reached thesemifinalsofthe China Open forthe third straight year after beating hard-hitting Eva Lys6-3, 6-4 on Thursday

The second-seeded American was troubled on her serve and conceded seven break-point chances in Beijing. But Lys, aGerman player seekingher first career WTAtitle, could convertonly three of themand droppedher own servefive times against theFrench Open champion

“She’satough opponent, she hit someincredible shots on the run,” said Gauff, who is seeking her 11th career title. “I was trying my best to stay aggressive.” Gauff next faces fellowAmerican Amanda Anisimova, theWimbledon andU.S.Openrunner-up.She ralliedtobeat sixth-seeded Jasmine Paolini6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-4 in atight match lasting nearly three hours.

Suns,

Mercuryannounce arena naming rights deal

PHOENIX ThePhoenix Sunsand Phoenix Mercury have announced a$115 million, 10-year naming rights partnership with United Wholesale Mortgage thatwill rename theteam’sarenathe Mortgage Matchup Center MatIshbia is the owner of the Suns and Mercury and is also the CEO of United Wholesale Mortagage. The45-year-old took over the as CEO in 2013, guiding its transformation into one of the top mortgage lenders in the U.S. “I’m extremelyexcited about this partnership as it represents twoorganizations that have natural alignment and ashared commitment to excellence,” Ishbia said in astatement.

Continued from page1C

other LSU lineman has given up more than fivepressures or nine hurries.

How was Curne able to succeed so early?

Start with his physical tools and talent. Curne is listed at 6-foot-5, 320pounds. As arecruit, according to 247Sports composite rankings, he was atop-100 prospect, oneofthe nation’s three best interior offensive linemen and the best player from Arkansas.

“The strongest freshman Ihave ever seen,” redshirt sophomore left tackle Tyree Adams said in August. “The strongest, the fastest. He’sbeen great. Hisdevelopment is going through the roof, and Ifeel like the sky’sthe limit for him, and he can literally play all over the field.” Curne only started against Ole

Miss thanks to an unusual series of events. Ordinarily,LSU would’veturned to sixth-offen-

sive linemanDJChester in a pinch. But he was suspendedfor the first half of thegame against

Ole Miss because officials had flagged him for targeting the week prior in the Tigers’ win over Southeastern Louisiana. Now Curne might have achance to stay on thefield, in largepart because twostarters on LSU’soffensivelineare battling injuries Davis (concussion) could miss LSU’shome matchup with South Carolina. The sameistrue forleft guard Paul Mubenga, whosuffered ahigh ankle sprain in the loss to the Rebels. Either absence could open more snaps for Curne, thefreshman who impressed Kelly in his first career start. “We’re going to take what we get from him,” Kelly said, “and that’s hard play,physicalplay.Hecan movesome people.”

Email Reed Darcey at reed darcey@theadvocate.com. For more LSU sports updates, sign up for our newsletter at theadvocate.com/lsunewsletter

U.S. increasing embassy staff to handleWCfans WASHINGTON TheState Departmentwill increase staffing at certain U.S.embassies and consulates to accommodateanexpected majorjump in visa applicationsfrom soccer fans wanting to attend World Cup matches in the United States next year The department said Thursday it will send hundreds of additional consular officersto“designated countries” to handle the demand forvisa interviews. The numberofstaffers and the countries where theywill go have yet to be determined because the 48-teamfield forthe 2026 World Cup has not been finalized. Tickets forthe tournament hosted by U.S., Canada and Mexico went on sale Wednesday amid concerns over the Trumpadministration’scrackdownonmigration and temporary visasthatofferpermission to enter the United States.

Dingler, Pérez lead Tigers past Guardians

BY JOE REEDY AP sportswriter

CLEVELAND Dillon Dingler

hit a tiebreaking homer in the sixth inning, Wenceel

Pérez drove in a pair of runs in a four-run seventh and the Detroit Tigers defeated the Cleveland Guardians 6-3 on Thursday in the deciding Game 3 of their AL Wild Card Series.

It is the second straight season the Tigers have won a Wild Card Series on the road. Detroit heads to Seattle for the first two games of a bestof-five Division Series, with Game 1 on Saturday

It was also a little bit of sweet revenge for the Tigers after their season ended in Cleveland last year with a loss in Game 5 of the ALDS.

“I don’t think it needs to be any sweeter than what it feels like right now because you have to earn these wins,” manager A.J. Hinch said.

“You have to earn the opportunity to play in October

You’ve got to earn a fullseries win over a good team, a hot team, a team that we know well.” The AL West champion Mariners, the second seed, took four of six regular-season meetings with the Tigers, who are the third AL wild card

José Ramírez drove in Cleveland’s first run with a single. The AL Central champion Guardians were 15 1/2 games back in early July before completing the biggest comeback in division or league play in baseball history

However, they ran out of steam in the playoffs as De-

troit turned the page after posting the second-worst record in the majors in September (7-17).

“It stinks for it to end that way I couldn’t be more proud of them, of what we accomplished,” Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said. “It’s not enough. We want more. And I think that’s really the message, is let this sting. We’re close. We are really close. We’re not quite there yet.”

The game was tied 1-all with two outs in the sixth when Dingler got an elevated changeup from Joey Cantillo on a 1-1 count and drove it 401 feet into the bleachers in left-center to put the Tigers on top. It was also the first postseason hit and RBI for the Tigers catcher “I was able to get a pitch to hit and do a little damage,” Dingler said “I feel like the momentum in the series was the biggest thing. The team with the biggest momentum or the most momentum was the one that was going to carry on.”

Detroit then broke it open in the seventh by sending 10 batters to the plate and scoring four times to make it 6-1 With one out and the bases loaded, Pérez lined a base hit to right off Erik Sabrowski to drive in Javier Báez and Parker Meadows. Hunter Gaddis came in and gave up RBI singles to Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene, which brought in Kerry Carpenter and Pérez.

Kyle Finnegan got the win, retiring all four batters he faced in relief. Can-

tillo took the loss.

“When Wenceel got the hit — I don’t know why, in baseball, it seems like one good thing happens and then two, three, four, five at-bats in a row were exceptional,” Hinch said. “We wanted to get even more greedy and do more. But it was nice to separate and breathe a little bit. But knowing they weren’t going to give in.”

The Tigers opened the scoring in the third With one out and runners on the corners, Carpenter hit a grounder down the first-base line that deflected off C.J. Kayfus’ glove when he tried to backhand it. The ball rolled into foul territory near the stands as Meadows scored. Carpenter went to second and Gleyber Torres advanced to third on what the official scorer ruled a double.

The Guardians tied it in the fourth. George Valera led off with a double to the right-field corner and scored on Ramírez’s base hit on a knuckle curve by starter Jack Flaherty on a full count.

The single was the 40th hit of Ramírez’s postseason career, making him the fifth player in franchise history to reach that mark.

In the eighth inning, Detroit reliever Will Vest dropped a throw while covering first base on Ramírez’s grounder for an error that allowed Brayan Rocchio and Steven Kwan to score. Vest quickly recovered the ball near the dugout, however, and threw out Ramírez trying to reach second on the play

RABALAIS

Continued from page 1C

having risen infinitesimally from 2024.

“Yeah,” he said last week after his season’s last start at Cincinnati, “I got a hundredth worse than last year.

Skenes has arguably been one of the best young pitchers in MLB history, just the fourth in the so-called “live ball era” (since 1920) to have a sub-2.00 ERA at 23 or younger and the first to accomplish that since Dwight Gooden in 1985.

“He’s the best in the world,” Pirates first baseman Spencer Horwitz said. “I’ve said that time and time again, and he doesn’t disappoint.”

The only possible knock on Skenes in his pursuit of the NL Cy Young Award is his 10-10 record. He is the first pitcher since ERA became an official statistic in 1913 to have 200-plus strikeouts AND a sub-2.00 ERA and not finish above .500.

It is possible the major league beat writers who vote on the Cy Young — a notoriously nitpicky bunch — could hold that against him. But Skenes’ record is an indictment not of him but of the anemic run support the Pirates gave him throughout the campaign

No less an expert than ESPN baseball writer Jeff Passan doesn’t believe Skenes’ record will be an issue.

Aces, Mercury overcame challenges to reach Finals

BY MARK ANDERSON AP sportswriter

LAS VEGAS Las Vegas and Phoenix faced serious questions during the regular season about whether they were championship material, then came dangerously close to being forced to clean out their lockers before the WNBA Finals.

The second-seeded Aces were a Jackie Young follow shot away from losing to Seattle in the opening round and then were extended to overtime of Game 5 by an Indiana team with more stars watching than playing.

The No. 4 Mercury found themselves down 20 points to Minnesota and a probable 2-0 semifinals series deficit to the league’s top-seeded team.

But some way somehow both teams made it to the best-of-seven championship series, which opens Friday, and those postseason escapes leave two opponents that aren’t likely to back down regardless of the situation. The Aces are -125 series favorites, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.

“Paul Skenes is going to win the National League Cy Young unanimously this year,” Passan said late last month. “And deservedly so.”

There’s nothing Skenes can control about that, however His domain is the mound, and it is there that he creates his own environment with a mix of exceptional skill and intense drive and dedication.

“It may be surprising to everybody in baseball or in the world” what Skenes has done, said Johnson, whose current Tigers begin fall practice next week. “But when you know Paul Skenes, it actually is not surprising to me. Not just because of the overwhelming talent, but I don’t think I’ve ever met a more committed, focused, attention to detail, driven athlete in all my life.

“He has done everything to take that ability and turn it into the skill of the best pitcher on the planet.”

We won’t know for sure that Skenes has won the NL Cy Young until sometime in November, after the World Series has concluded. Going forward, it will be riveting to watch whether the Pirates will try to build a winner around this generational talent. More likely he will be shipping off to a bigger market team with deeper pockets once he can become a free agent, though that’s not until 2030. Meanwhile, we all wait to marvel at him once again. Bring on 2026.

For more LSU sports updates, sign up for our newsletter at theadvocate.com/ lsunewsletter

Las Vegas’ path to the finals has been anything but smooth. The Aces needed Young’s rebound shot to beat the Storm in the deciding Game 3 first round. Then they were taken the distance by a Fever team that went into the playoffs without players such as Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham, lost Kelsey Mitchell to injury in Game 5 and played OT without Aliyah Boston after she fouled out

ä MERCURY AT

But now they’re here.

“We’re battle tested,” Aces point guard Chelsea Gray said.

“Each series was completely different, but they were challenges. I’m proud of the way we responded to those challenges.”

The Mercury showed their own mettle after falling behind 59-39 with 5:45 left in the third quarter of their Game 2 semifinal series against Minnesota. They rallied to force overtime and win 89-83 and stun the Lynx to make the series 1-1. Phoenix then won the following two games at home, going against a Lynx team without star Napheesa Collier in what became the decider after she was injured toward the end of Game 3.

“I think (the comeback) speaks volumes to the team and how we stay composed and go on runs and ride the waves,” Mercury star forward Alyssa Thomas said.

“It’s the same in the finals. It’s going to be a hard-fought battle, a tough series. You don’t know what each game is going to bring.”

History on the line

No matter which team wins, that side will claim of piece of WNBA history

Las Vegas, which won titles in 2022 and 2023, is hoping to becoming the second team to win at least three championships in four years. The Houston Comets in 1997-2000 won the league’s first four titles.

Phoenix hopes to add to its

trophy haul from 2007, 2009 and 2014. Should the Mercury prevail, they would tie the Comets, Storm and Lynx for the most WNBA championships.

Regular-season downplayed

The Aces took three of four from the Mercury in the regular season, but both sides said these are different circumstances.

“Playoff basketball, man,” Gray said. “It’s totally different than regular season.” Thomas said Phoenix’s postseason success showed its seeding, which was based on the regular season, was not relevant.

Finals format uncertainty

This is the first time the WNBA Finals will be a bestof-seven series. It had been a best-of-five. Neither side is certain what to expect from what could be the longest finals series in league history

“It’s exciting being a part of the first one,” Thomas said. “At the same time, you don’t know what a best-ofseven brings, but nothing changes. You still approach it the same way.”

Copper looking for edge

Bulletin-board material may or may not materialize, but that won’t stop Mercury forward Kahleah Copper from searching for any kind of slight that might give her and her team an advantage.

“At this point, I’m a pyscho looking for something,” Copper said. “Give us an edge. Don’t pick us. It’s cool. I’m just wired a little different.”

RiverdaleQB Simmons back aftersuffering torn ACLin2023

BY SPENCERURQUHART

Staff writer

Riverdale quarterback

Lance Simmons had a lengthy rehabprocess after suffering aknee injury duringWeek 5ofhis sophomore season.

Simmons playedthrough the injury as asophomore, but he ended up needing surgery afterthe season to repair atorn knee ligament

The surgery cost Simmons most of his junior season, but after a10-month rehab process he’sback as the starting quarterback “(Simmons) didn’tknow he tore his knee,” coach Mark Longo said of the5-foot-10, 185-pound senior.“He got the results back amonth after his sophomore season He rehabbed and came back in Week 9oflast year.He’s continuously beeninthe weight roomand working on cuts to strengthen his knee in everyway he can.”

Riverdale (4-0) is averaging more than 40 points per game with ahealthy Simmons leading the offense.

Simmons returned last season in areduced role but is back to full healthafter physical therapy

“The injury really taught me patience,” Simmons said.

“I rehabbed almost every day,soIwas trying to get back to where Iwas before. I’m just thankful. It feels amazing because it feels like I’m back to where I’msupposed to be, especially at my position. Ijust feel 100%.”

Simmons has completed 27 of 41 passes for 522 yards and nine touchdowns with two interceptions. He helped avenge aloss to Pope John Paul II from last season in a 36-14 Week 3win.

Riverdale has an experienced skill group for Simmons to lean on, with senior runningback Byron Perrilliat and senior wide receiv-

THE VARSITYZONE

PROVIDED PHOTO

Senior quarterback LanceSimmons has led Riverdale to a 4-0 recordthis season. The Scottish Rebels visit Newmanon Friday night

Holy Crossvs. Jesuit and Karr vs.St. Augtop list

BY CHRISTOPHER DABE Staff writer

St.Augustine vs.EdnaKarr

St. Augustine brings ahigh-scoring offense with 56 pointsper gameagainst a stingy Karr defense that hasallowed 20 total pointsthrough four games —and has notsurrendereda touchdown againstthree Louisianaopponents.

Karr haswon thepast three meetings against St. Aug, including a34-13 decision last season.

St. Aug quarterback Vashaun Coulon threwthree TD passes to Miguel Whitley last week against Warren Easton, and that came oneweek after he threwseven TD passes against aschool from Texas.

For Karr, John Johnson hasshown a strong dual-threat ability.Heaccounted for fourtouchdowns(two rushing, two passing) as he ran 11 times for165 yards last week against Holy Cross.

Jesuit vs.HolyCross

Bothteams went 3-0innondistrict play but dropped their district openers when Jesuitlost on alast-secondfield goal against BrotherMartin andHolyCross got trounced by reigning state championKarr Now comes this historic rivalry that dates to 1922. Jesuit leadsthe series 61-43-1, but Holy Cross has won the past three meetings —including a21-7 victory last season. The three consecutive wins are the most forHolyCross since it won aschool-record five in arow in the 1980s.

BrotherMartinvs. Rummel

two lossesagainst state-ranked teams by acombined three points.

Riverdale at Newman

Tulane commitment Jake Randle rushed for220 yards andthreetouchdowns to help first-year Newman coach Aaron Vice get hisfirst win at theschoolasthe Greenies defeated Willow last week. UndefeatedRiverdale hasByronPerrilliat and Torren Signal as key playmakers with onegameremainingbeforethe start of District 10-5A play Newmanwon 49-21 when the teams met last season.

Terrebonne at Destrehan

er Toren Signal leading the way

“I’m justtryingtoget my guys the ball,” Simmons said. “Wetry and get our playmakers theballout in space and let themdotheir job.

“I know(Toren Signal) is going to be there with any routes we give him.Ijust trusthim, andByron is just adog himself.

Perrilliat leadsRiverdale with 516 yards rushing on 29 carries with seven touchdowns. Signal is theleading receiverwith14 catches for 286 yards and six touchdowns.

Riverdale has adeep senior classwith Simmons, Perrilliat andSignal anchoring the offense alongside Zachery Brown and Bryan

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Jackson. Cole Moses, Keith Walton and Dwain Swilleyare among the senior leaders on defense.

“We’ve been (playing together)since secondorthird grade,” Simmonssaid.

“Our connection is unmatchable.”

Riverdale will look to keep their strongstart going Friday at Newman (1-2). The Greenies defeated Riverdale 49-21 last season.

“WeknowNewmanwillbe tough and is coached well,” Longo said. “All we can do is prepare as best we can. We have our gameplan, and Ihaveall my faith in my coaches.”

Email Spencer Urquhart at surquhart@theadvocate.com.

FCSplayoffsare afinancial drainfor most of

Commisioners explorebringing privateequity investment

In fact, officials say,most of the 24 teams that go to theplayoffs lose moneyor breakeven.

That’sjust wrong, Big Sky Conference commissioner TomWistrcill said, and it is among the reasons Football Championship Subdivision commissioners are exploring aproposal from aprivate equity firm that could turn the FCS playoffs into amoney-maker for the schools.

“I’m very open to the suggestion because it’sa new day and we have to figure out new ways to generate revenue,” Wistrcill told The Associated Press. “We’re sharing revenue with our student-athletes now,so that leads us to aplace where we’ve got to find new revenue streams. It doesn’t mean it’sgoing to happen,it doesn’tmean I’ll be in favor of it when it’sall said and

done, but these are the types of discussion we have to be having.”

Leaders of Sequence Equity gave apresentationto FCS commissioners in Chicago last week. Sequence Equity co-founders Marcus Stroud and Brandon Allen, reached by phone, declined to discuss detailsoftheir proposal andsaidcommissioners wouldtake the lead in discussions with the NCAA, which also declined to comment.

Stroud played football at theFCS level, at Princeton, and his father,also named Marcus, played in the NFL in the1990s. He saidhis firm andthe commissionersare in early discussions.

“Everything is educational right now,”hesaid.

Describing theproposal, Wistrcillsaid theFCS conferences would be the majority owners ofthe playoffs andSequence Equity would hold aminoritystake. According to Hero Sports, whichfirst reported the proposal, Sequence would offer tens of millions of dollars in investment and take over theoperation of theplayoffs Sequence Equity gave the commissioners aprojected annual revenue figure, but Wistrcill declined to make it public.

Playoff revenue would be directed to theFCS conferences to split among schools similartohow the BowlSub-

division’sCollege Football Playoffdirects proceeds, Wistrcill said. The CFP and bowl games do not operate under theNCAA’s purview CurrentNCAArules require member schools to participate in NCAA-sponsored championships if they are selected. To take the FCS playoffs from an NCAA-administered championship to privateenterprise, the FCS Oversight Committee would have to make arecommendation to the NCAA Administrative Committee. Thatcommittee would make adecision,but the Division IBoardofDirectors would have vetopower Another obstacle could be theNCAA’stelevision contract withESPN. The FCS playoffs are includedina contractrunning through 2032 that pays theNCAA $115 million annually to televise championships in 40 sports.

North Dakota State’s35-32 win over Montana State in the 2024-25 championship gameonJan. 6averaged 2.4 million viewers and was the second-most-watched FCS title game on ESPN. Viewership peaked at 3.1million viewers. The overall average viewership for all FCS playoff games was 1.3million across ESPN platforms, mostsince 2009-10. Montana State’sbottom linefor theplayoffs was a $40,000 loss.

EastonRoyal scored two second-half touchdowns to help BrotherMartin (4-0) beat Rummel 17-13 when theteams met last season. This season,Royal hascontinuedasone of the topwideoutsinthe NewOrleans metro area. Afrequent passing target for junior quarterback Hudson Fields,Royal scored two touchdowns last week in awin against Jesuit. Rummel (2-2), withJaden Terrance and Coryan Hawkins as leading rushers, has

Destrehan lost adistrict game for the first time since 2019 when the Wildcats lost at Terrebonne last season. Jackson Fields threw four touchdown passes and Jabari Mack and Malachi Dabney each reached the end zone twice against East St. John in the district opener last week.

Terrebonne senior running back Quincy Adams ranfor 291 yards and four touchdowns against Hahnville last week. Contact Christopher Dabeatcdabe@ theadvocate.com

Giants bringing star-studded defensive line to N.O.

BY LUKE JOHNSON and MATTHEW PARAS Staff writers

On a surface statistical level, the New York Giants defense that will visit the Caesars Superdome this week has not been especially impressive.

New York comes into its Week 5 matchup against the New Orleans Saints ranked No. 23 in scoring defense and No. 29 in total defense. It has given up a staggering 6.1 yards per carry this season (rank: 31st).

Opponents are converting 42.3 % of their third downs (26th) and 72.7 % of their red zone opportunities (27th).

But there is one specific unit on the Giants’ defense that might be rounding into form right as they roll into town: Their defensive line is loaded with talent and is coming off a strong performance against the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Chargers were without both of their star tackles, and the Giants took full advantage, pressuring quarterback Justin Herbert on nearly half of his dropbacks. The result was Herbert’s worst game of the season, with the star quarterback completing just 56 % of his passes while compiling a season-low 57.3 passer rating.

As the Saints have done with their offensive line, the Giants have devoted a significant amount of resources into their defensive front.

They sent a second-round draft pick to the Carolina Panthers last

spring for Brian Burns, who currently leads the NFL with five sacks. In May of 2023, they made Dexter Lawrence one of the NFL’s highest-paid defensive tackles with a $90 million extension. They used the No.

3 pick in this year’s draft on Abdul Carter, who had a team-high eight pressures last week, and the No. 5 pick in 2022 on Kayvon Thibodeaux.

All of those players have been on the field for at least 65 % of the Giants’ defensive snaps this season.

“They got some of the best play-

Egbuka’s first

ers in our league, premier players,” Saints coach Kellen Moore said “They have some different tools where they can get them all on the field at the same time, which is obviously going to stress you from a protection standpoint. They’re trying to create as many one-onones for these guys (as they can), because obviously they’re really talented.”

Injury report

Two important contributors to

month in the NFL with the Bucs has been impressive

BY ROB MAADDI AP pro football writer

TAMPA, Fla. — Emeka Egbuka

caught a deep ball that sailed through two defenders and raced toward the end zone before slowing down at the 1, turning around and walking backward to complete a 77-yard touchdown catch.

The rookie wide receiver had an impressive first month with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Egbuka has 18 receptions for 282 yards and four touchdowns. He leads all rookies in yards and TDs. With Mike Evans sidelined by a hamstring injury the Buccaneers (3-1) are counting on Egbuka even more. His long TD catch sparked a rally against the Eagles last week that fell short.

The Buccaneers had other needs when it was their turn to pick 19th in the first round of the NFL draft. But they couldn’t pass up Egbuka, who had a stellar career at Ohio State. He’s lived up to expectations.

“There (have) been a lot of adjustments it has taken to go from college to the NFL,” Egbuka said Wednesday “There is not specifically one I can point at. Just taking the steps to be able to learn from my mistakes and grow each and ev-

Continued from page 1C

be sold because she has no heirs.

As the executors of her estate, Lauscha, general manager Mickey Loomis and longtime director of communications Greg Bensel have been charged with overseeing the sale. Benson has stipulated that they pick an owner who agrees to keep the team in New Orleans, but there’s no way to ensure that happens beyond an ironclad legal lease.

“I am never going to leave,” Benson quipped during the ceremony. Understandably, you might be wondering why the Saints wouldn’t agree to an ironclad long-term lease if they are so committed to keeping the team in New Orleans. Or why state officials didn’t lock in the Saints for 30 years the way Buffalo and Jacksonville did recently with the Bills and Jaguars?

Two complicating factors withered the state’s leverage and prevented officials from securing a longer-term deal, according to sources close to the negotiations.

Because the lease is for a renovated stadium rather than a new one, Saints and NFL officials were hesitant to tie the club down to a 50-year-old stadium.

While a $560 million renovation of the Superdome was completed

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By CHRIS

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka runs for a touchdown during the second half against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday in Tampa, Fla.

ery week It is a very long season (and I have) to be able to not stay the same week in and week out, (have) to continue to grow.”

The Buccaneers got Chris Godwin back last week for the first time since last October They have more depth at the position with veteran Sterling Shepard and rookie Tez Johnson When Evans and Jalen McMillan come back, it’ll give Baker Mayfield even more options.

just last year, it still pales in comparison to the $2 billion new stadiums being constructed in Buffalo and Nashville

When the Bills and Bears move into new stadiums in the next few years, the Superdome will be the second-oldest stadium in the NFL behind only Lambeau Field in Green Bay Wisconsin.

Equally if not more important, the eventual sale of the club looms over all future decisions. Understandably, the NFL wants flexibility for the future owners. Skeptics would say they also want to increase the sale price of the team, and an open-ended lease deal with a small relocation fee would certainly bolster the asking price. State officials added legal language to the new deal to try to deter the new owners from relocating to another city, but contracts only go so far History has shown, where there’s a will for an NFL owner to relocate, there is a way The Chargers and Rams both broke leases to move to Los Angeles The $378 million relocation fee did not stop the Raiders from moving to Las Vegas from Oakland. Ultimately, the future of the Saints rests in the hands of Benson’s trustees and their NFL overlords.

The NFL and its owners also have a role in approving any ownership transition, which would require a vote of support by at least three-quarters of the owners.

Egbuka is already drawing coverage from top cornerbacks.

“Well, he’s going to attract the attention and he attracted Quinyon Mitchell, who’s a very good corner in his own right,” coach Todd Bowles said. “So, it was a good battle that way But with Chris coming back, and Shep making plays, and with Tez coming on, we expect those guys to step up and make more plays too, to take some of the attention off him.”

“The significant investment by the team and Gayle Benson was done so purposely to position the team, city and state so that any future new owner would see and reap the benefits of an updated stadium with surrounding fan facing amenities that make keeping the team in New Orleans attractive,” longtime Saints spokesman Greg Bensel. “… Our goal remains to be here long-term.”

It’s not the Benson-led Saints whom fans and New Orleanians should be concerned about, though.

As we learned from the Cleveland Browns relocation to Baltimore, any NFL team, even beloved, wellsupported ones, can leave.

“I don’t think Mrs. Benson wants to leave, the state does not want them to leave and I don’t think the NFL does either,” said Rob Vosbein, the chairman of the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District and lead negotiator for the state on the deal.

As we all know things can change. Ten years is a lifetime in professional sports. Ten years ago, the Rams were in St. Louis, the Chargers were in San Diego and the Raiders were in Oakland.

Let’s hope the new owner is someone with local ties and/or interests. Someone who understands they are just a steward for the team and are protecting the asset for the city, as Benson said. The Saints don’t just belong in New Orleans. They belong to New Orleans.

weeks.

Elsewhere, the Saints were missing defensive tackle Davon Godchaux (rest), cornerback Isaac Yiadom (hamstring), wide receiver Trey Palmer (ankle), guard Dillon Radunz (toe), defensive end Chase Young (calf) and Ruiz (ankle).

Young and Ruiz won’t play in Sunday’s game against the New York Giants.

Safety Justin Reid (knee) and defensive tackle John Ridgeway (shoulder) were also full participants after being limited Wednesday Tight ends Taysom Hill and Foster Moreau remained limited.

Pettis returns

After the Miami Dolphins poached Cedrick Wilson from their practice squad, the Saints filled his spot by signing another veteran receiver with recent ties to the organization.

the Saints returned to practice Thursday

Tight end Juwan Johnson (ankle) and guard Trevor Penning (ankle) were both back and participating in the individual portion open to reporters. The two returned after a one-day absence, being officially listed as limited.

Coach Kellen Moore said Wednesday that Penning’s ankle injury was not as severe as Cesar Ruiz‘s high-ankle sprain, which will keep him out a reported 4-6

The Saints signed Dante Pettis to the practice squad, bringing back a receiver who appeared in eight games with the club last season. Pettis was with the Saints throughout training camp, but did not make the 53-man roster In his time with the Saints last season, Pettis caught 12 of his 20 targets for 120 yards and a touchdown.

He also provided some value as a return man, recording a 53yard punt return and a 38-yard kick return last season.

Email Luke Johnson at ljohnson@theadvocate.com.

NFL to launch flag

football leagues before Olympics

BY KEN MAGUIRE AP sportswriter

LONDON The NFL plans to launch women’s and men’s professional flag football leagues “in the next couple of years,” Commissioner Roger Goodell said Thursday

The timeline outlined by Goodell at a sports conference in London would see the leagues created ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, which will feature flag football for the first time.

“We’re committed to creating a women’s professional league, and a men’s professional flag league We’ve had a great deal of interest in that and I expect that we’ll be able to do that, launch that, in the next couple of years,” Goodell said at the Leaders in Sport conference at Twickenham Stadium.

The league has prioritized flag football as a way to attract young

SAINTS

Continued from page 1C

Notably, New Orleans also used motion on a season-high 79.4% of its run plays, averaging 6.1 yards per carry on such plays.

“With the motion, it felt like a little bit of a game-plan opportunity that we felt very good about,” Moore said “Felt like it was productive for us.”

When the game was done, the Saints had racked up a seasonbest 189 yards on the ground. It was what the Saints running game was supposed to look like when Moore and the assistant coaching staff designed it this offseason.

“This should look like basketball on grass,” run-game coordinator

T.J. Paganetti said about the rush offense this summer “It’s not,

‘We’re going to go out there and do calculus on the field and try and come up with the perfect play.’

The plays kind of need to solve themselves on the run, and players also have to have tools in their toolbox to solve things on the run.”

Yes, but: Miller said the Saints madeabitofaphilosophicalchange in the lead-up to the Bills game.

“We switched up our run scheme because we weren’t (getting results) in the first three games,” Miller said. “We went to more zone runs I feel like that’s what we’re good at; zone, outside zone. You could definitely see it on display.”

fans, both male and female.

“The demand is there We’re seeing colleges in the states and universities internationally also that want to make it a part of their program,” Goodell said.

“If you set that structure up where there’s youth leagues, going into high school, into college and then professional, I think you can develop a system of scale. That’s an important infrastructure that we need to create.”

Mexico City has been off the NFL’s rotation of hosts for international games while Azteca Stadium was under renovations ahead of the 2026 World Cup. It’s back in the picture now though.

“We’ll be back in Mexico City next year, which we’re thrilled about,” Goodell said

The league is playing a recordhigh seven games internationally this season — six of them in Europe. Brazil hosted one game.

Under offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak last season, the Saints almost exclusively used zone running schemes, where the offensive line moves in sync along a “track” after the snap, blocking an area rather than a specific player or gap The idea was to be more multiple this year, according to offensive line coach Brendan Nugent, utilizing both gap and zone schemes.

But because the offense skewed so heavily toward zone schemes last season, much of the early offensive install in training camp focused on gap-scheme runs.

“We put a heavy emphasis on gap schemes since we’ve gotten in pads, because they didn’t really do it last year,” Nugent said early in training camp.

The shift toward more zone runs last week isn’t necessarily permanent. The Saints intend to tailor their rushing attack to the opponent they play in a given week. The right way to attack the Bills won’t be the same against this week’s opponent, the New York Giants.

“From an outside zone perspective, we probably had a higher percentage last week, and there were obviously some positives there, so we recognize that,” Moore said.

“Butatthesametime,(Giantspresent) some really big challenges.”

New York has one of the best defensive fronts in football, anchored by three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. He is bookended by the NFL’s sack leader, Brian Burns, as well as this year’s No 3 pick, Abdul Carter and 2022 No. 5 overall pick Kayvon Thibodeaux. Despite that talent up front, the Giants have had a tough time against the run this season. They have allowed an NFL-worst +.18 Expected Points Added (EPA) per rush while yielding the thirdmost yards before contact per attempt (2.04).

Last week, Chargers rookie running back Omarion Hampton racked up 128 rushing yards on just 12 carries against New York, including a 54-yard touchdown run. The Saints are tied with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the NFL’s 10th-best rushing attack. This week should show whether the arrow is pointing up.

Lance Barrett; First, Quinn Wolcott; Second, Alfonso Marquez; Third Tripp Gibson; Right, Nick Mahrley; Left, Ryan Additon. T—3:01. A—50,465 (56,000) Detroit 6, Cleveland 3

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Gretna Fest,‘Frankenstein’withthe LPOand DeathbyChocolate

n GRETNA FEST gets the fall festival calendar off to aroaring good starton the West BankFridaythrough Sundaywith music, food, family fun and more in this Jefferson Parish city by the banks of the Mississippi River.With five stagesof entertainment, includingBetter Than Ezra, CollectiveSoul, Natasha Bedingfield,Trombone Shorty and Amanda Shaw, the fest ticketsstartat $45 at 740Second St.

The festruns 4p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturdayand 11 a.m. to 8p.m. Sunday. gretnafest.com.

Down to Earth

Hozier wasall business in stop for Unreal UnearthTour

BY KEITH SPERA Staff writer

Twice in his first 15 minutes at afull

Review

Smoothie King Center,Hozier mentioned joy.Itwas a“joy to be back” in NewOrleans. It was “a privilege and ajoy”tofill such a large arena. Hozier hasafunny wayof showing joy.For themost part, he doesn’t.

Late in the show,securityescorted him along the edge of the standing-room-only crowd to asmall “B” stageatthe rear of the arena floor.Onthe way back,heheld outhis hands to high-five joyous fans.But in the midst of all this adulation,heneversomuch as cracked asmile.

Sure, he’d grin briefly when themusic reachedasatisfyingpeak. Buthemostly came across as an especially serious sort of Irishman. He makes his countryman Bono, who is also prone to taking up causes,seem like David Lee Roth by comparison At 35, Hozier aspires to be aprogressive sort of pop star,one whotraffics in

See HOZIER, page 2D

afull Smoothie King Center in NewOrleans.

Vampire Weekendlights up N.O. with smartindie rock

BY KEITH SPERA Staff writer

Review

That the membersofVampireWeekend know the Arctic Monkeys’ “505” andthe Cranberries’ “Dreams” —but notLynyrd Skynyrd’s“Freebird” —is completely on brand During the audience request encore of VampireWeekend’s21/2-hour show Sept. 24 at theSaenger Theatre, singer,guitarist andprimary songwriter Ezra Koenig and his bandmatestook astab at that most cliched of classic rock crowd pleasers. They quickly aborted— their “Freebird” just wouldn’t fly “Freebird” isn’tbaked into the band’s DNA, but that’sperhaps indicative of Koenig

n DEATH BY CHOCOLATE

NOTBREAST CANCER is the KrewedePink’sannual fundraiser to fight against the disease and enjoy a mouthwatering feastfor the palate. The Champagne and chocolate taster of both sweet and savory items is alive competition of localculinarians to be held6:30 p.m. Saturday at the Schoen Mansion, 3827 Canal St. There’salsoasilent auction with trips and more. Festive attire recommended. Tickets startat$65. krewedepink.org

Willie Nelson is the outlaw hippie of Texas music and George Strait is the cowboy-in-chief, Lyle Lovett is the Lone Star State’smost debonair bandleader For 40 years, he has crafted finely wrought albums that intermingle nimbleWesternswing, crisp jazz, high-caliber country andintimate singer-songwriter confessionals. Onstage, thesharp-dressed Lovett spinstales with deadpan wit and spot-on comedic timing.

He’ll lead his Acoustic Group —a smallerensemble than his Large Band —at the Jefferson Performing Arts Center in Metairie on Wednesday.Ticketsstart at $72 via Ticketmaster.Show time is 7:30 p.m.

The followinginterview with Lovett, lightly edited for length and clarity,is from “Let’sTalk with Keith Spera,” which airs on WLAE-TV and WWNO 89.9 FM.

and company’spedigree.

Formed on the New York campus of Columbia University in the mid-2000s, Vampire Weekend specializes in smart, nimble and eclectic East Coast indie rock that has little in common with Southern rock standards suchas“Freebird.”

The band has been on the road steadily since 2024 supporting its fifth album, “Only God WasAbove Us.” Alively audiencefilled much of the Saenger for what was only Vampire Weekend’ssixth New Orleans performance in the band’s20-year history Following an opening set by alocal avant-jazz trio consisting of bassist James Singleton, drummer Johnny Vidacovich and percussionist/vibraphonist Mike Dillon, acurtain emblazoned with “Vampire Weekend” hid most of the stage. After the house lights dimmed, Koenig ambled on-

HOZIER

Continued from page1D

musicians madefor adramatic, stark backlit effect

stage, strumming the gentle “Hold YouNow,” theopeningtrack of the2019 album “Father of the Bride.”Bassist Chris Baio anddrummer Chris Tomson, the other two core members ofthe band, soonjoined in. Koenig prefaced “One (Blake’sGot aNew Face)” bynoting it functions best as acalland-response; theaudience obliged

acceptanceand acknowledgment

Whenanaudience member tossed atrans-rights flag onto thestage, Hozier draped it over his microphone stand.

He not only introduced each bandmember —twice —but also thanked more than adozen members of his road crew by name. Stage manager,carpenter, rigger, head of security,guitar tech —all received apersonal shout-out. In 40 years of concert-going, I’venever witnessed an arena headliner thank so many individual crew members by name. It was aclassy gesture aimed at the people who work extremely hard to keep the show on the road Eleven years after Hozier releasedhis self-titleddebut,he hasparlayed arelatively modest catalog of hits into arena-filling tours. That is in part because his brand of sometimes brooding rock, informed by blues, R&B,

They delved into atrio of “Only God WasAbove Us” cuts with “IceCream Piano.” In an exclamation point moment, thecurtain dropped to reveal the other five membersofthe touring version of Vampire Weekend —including asecond drummer/percussionist and aviolinist —and the full stage. Abrace of strobe lights arrayed behind the

folk and Irish music, has much more musical and lyrical depth thanwhat is typically demanded of apop song. His two-hour set in NewOrleans on Sept. 23, partof hisUnreal UnearthTour,made that clear

The contemporary Irish folk bandAmble andAmerican singersongwriter GigiPerez, whose 2024 viral TikTok single “Sailor Song” describesher desire for a woman whois“looking like Anne Hathaway,” opened the show Hozier arrived onstage in afloppy double-breastedgray jacket andmatchingslacks augmented by ablack button-down and white sneakers. The 10 musicians and vocalists behind himwore various shadesofgrayand silver Dimly lit against abackdrop of thecosmos, heintroduced himself with an acoustic guitar and “De Selby(Part 1),” thefirst track of his2024 release “Unreal Unearth.” Inspired by acharacter in Flann O’Brien’s novel “The Third Policeman,” the song starts with thelines, “At last,when all of theworld is asleep/You take in

The burbling beat, curlicue guitar figure, refrain and, especially,Koenig’svocals in “White Sky” evoked “Graceland”-era Paul Simon.The subsequent “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa” was also Simon-esque. Later,the chiming guitar and vocal phrasing of the uptempo “A-Punk” hinted at the pop/ punk/ska of Sublime. Vampire Weekend’sinfluences and output are varied. The ensemble shifted easily from the breezy “This Life” to thetempo shifts, startsand stops of themore complex “Sunflower” to thecrisp “Diane Young” to thefrenetic “Cousins,”which would not be out of place in an old Looney Tunes cartoon.

Koenig illuminated himself withalight stick for “Mary Boone.” During “Hannah Hunt,” apiano figure gave way toaslide guitar as the arrangement expanded and took full advantage of all the musicians onstage.

Upon discovering that

theblackness of air/the likes of a darkness so deep/that God, at the start,couldn’tbear.”

He sang thesong’soutro in Irish, with an English translation scrolling on the tall LED screens flanking thestage. Frivolous he is not.

The full band, fully amplified, kicked in for “De Selby (Part 2).” The chorus of “Jackie and Wilson,” an ode of sorts to the rhythm &blues Hozier heard as a child, lightened the mood, as did thedouble-time refrain of “Angel of Small Deathand the Codeine Scene.”

Literal storm clouds returned to theLED screens for “Dinner &Diatribes.” Hozier held along note as drummer RoryDoyle thundered away.(The drum set’s floor tom would get aworkout in “Would That I” and elsewhere.)

Statistics about global military spending and homelessness flashed on the screens during “Eat Your Young.” Hozier noted that his parentsand brother were in attendance before finger-picking an electric guitar in “Like Real

this was the first concert forone kid in the crowd, Koenig quipped, “Hopefully we didn’tput him off live music.” He then dedicated a lush “Harmony Hall” to the kid. “Hope,” the final track on “Only GodWas Above Us,” wrapped up the regular set after two hours.

In anifty bit of stagecraft, the musicians kept playing as, one-by-one, they peeled off and disappeared toward alight at the rear center of the stage. The last to leave was Baio, whose bass resonated as alone heartbeat before he finally set it down.

Koenig soon returned and announced, “That was the show.”

But it wasn’t. For nearly 30 moreminutes, he and his bandmates took requests, banging out averse and achorus of agrab-bag of covers.

They had funwith chunks of the Cure’s“Just Like Heaven,” Katrina &the Waves’ “Walking on Sunshine,” Bruce Springsteen’s “Atlantic City,” the Violent Femmes’ “Blister in the

People Do”; Doyle swapped out his drumsticksfor mallets.

“Francesa,” Hozier noted, was based on Dante’sInferno. The audience quieted downafter “Francesca,” only to cheer “ItWill Come Back.” The band carved out thegroove of “Too Sweet,” one of Hozier’stwo biggest hits. The subsequent“Someone New” was as close to abreezy pop song as he gets.

Momentum stalled during “Movement,” only to revive as theband pivoted directly into “Take Me To Church,” the global smash that first madehim astar The band leaned into it heavily; it crashed to athunderous close. Aloneonthe B-stage, he accompanied himselfonacoustic guitar for “Cherry Wine.” He stayed there and switched to an electric guitar as therest of the band backed himfrom the mainstage on “Unknown/Nth.”

After his stone-faced walk back to themain stage, he spoke about how theAmerican Civil Rights Movement directly inspired a civil rights movement in North-

Sun,” Taylor Swift’s“Blank Space,” David Bowie’s “Changes” and his Freddie Mercury collaboration “Under Pressure,” and Weird Al Yankovic’s“Ode to aHero,” with lyrics about Spider Man set to the tune of Billy Joel’s“Piano Man.” They managed acredible take on Steely Dan’s“Dirty Work” and, in anod to the show’s host city,“House of the Rising Sun.” Just past 11:30 p.m., they concluded by covering themselves. “Walcott,” from the band’sself-titled 2008 debut album, is named foracharacter in the unfinished, low-budget, homemadefilm Koenig made in college. The film’s title, “Vampire Weekend,” became the band’sname. Earlier,Koenig asked the audience if the request segmentwas the best or worst part of the show ‘It’satrick question,” he said. “The show’s over We’re just hanging out.” Hanging out, having fun and giving fans alot to savor —even without “Freebird.”

ern Ireland. He listed the right to vote, and workers’ rights, and union rights, and women’sreproductive rights. He touched on Palestine, and antisemitism, and Islamophobia, and, on the night Jimmy Kimmelreturned to the airwaves, freedom of speech. All that led to “Nina Cried Power,” his salute to singer and activist Nina Simone. On the song’s recorded version, Hozier duets with Mavis Staples. At the arena, backing vocalist Amanda Brown stepped up to wail Staples’ parts. After the band and crew shoutouts, Hozier called Gigi Perez back out; this was her last night on the tour She joined him forhis “Work Song,” the show’s conclusion. They sang, “When my timecomes around, lay me gently in the cold, dark earth/ No grave can hold my body down/I’ll crawlhome to her.” It’s alove song. And because Hozier is Hozier,itisalso adeath song.

Email KeithSpera at kspera@ theadvocate.com.

By The Associated Press

Today is Friday, Oct. 3, the 276th day of 2025. There are 89 days left in the year

Today in history: On Oct 3, 1990, West Germany and East Germany ended 45 years of postwar division, declaring the creation of a reunified country

Also on this date: In 1944, during World War II, U.S. Army troops cracked the

LOVETT

Continued from page 1D

They

When you’re at Tipitina’s you just really feel like you’re in New Orleans. You can feel the history

Whenever a member of your band takes a solo onstage, everyone else turns to watch. That’s a sign of mutual respect.

Just selfishly, I like to listen to them. They’re all masters of improvisation I’m curious to hear what they’re doing.

I have immense respect for the people I get to work with. It’s one of the things that keeps me going, getting to play my little songs with icons in the (music) business.

When you performed at the 2000 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Jimmy Buffett joined in on one of your signature songs, “If I Had A Boat.” I assume that was planned Jimmy didn’t just surprise you, did he?

He absolutely surprised me I’d met him, but I didn’t know him well. I’d heard that he played “If I Had A Boat” in his shows sometimes. But I didn’t know he was there (at Jazz Fest). He just jumped up. All of sudden, there was Jimmy Buffett standing next to me It was great fun.

You wear your Texas A&M University class ring when you perform. It’s the size of a gold nugget. Does it get in the way when you play guitar? Maybe if I played better, it

Siegfried Line north of Aachen, Germany. In 1974, Frank Robinson was named the American League’s first Black manager after he was hired by the Cleveland Indians. In 1995, the jury in the O.J. Simpson murder trial in Los Angeles found the former football star not guilty of the 1994 killings of his former wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman

would. But the way I play, it’s fine.

I’ve gotten used to it.

When I first got my ring, it was a little bit small, so I didn’t wear it all the time. I wore it for Aggie occasions and when I thought it was appropriate I assumed it would be difficult to play with.

But since I’ve gotten it resized and wear it all the time, it feels just fine on my finger And I’m happy to represent.

Your 2022 album “12th of June” was your first album in 10 years, the longest gap between albums in your entire career

My 2012 album “Release Me” was the last (album) on my original record deal with MCA and Curb Records. “Release Me” fulfilled my record deal. It was the first time in my career that I was a free agent. So I took a while to decide how to do the next record. I took my time writing songs.

The band and I never stopped playing, so it really didn’t feel like a gap to me. But I wasn’t on that record company schedule of releasing a record every year or two. I enjoyed that. I just kind of waited for songs to come to me.

And I got serious about trying to have a family. When my children were born in 2017, they provided me with lots of material.

You went through significant life changes by getting married and having twins Do you think “12th of June” would exist if you hadn’t?

It wouldn’t have been this record I wrote the title track for my children And they inspired others on the record, like “Pants Is Overrated.”

I found myself just singing to them spontaneously to change the direction of whatever might be going wrong at the moment. Things just popped into my head. “Pig Meat Man” was a result of how much my little boy loved bacon.

In 2008, O.J. Simpson was found guilty of robbing two sportsmemorabilia dealers at gunpoint in a Las Vegas hotel room. (Simpson was sentenced late that year to nine to 33 years in prison; he was granted parole in July 2017 and released from prison in October of that year He died at age 76 on April 10, 2024, after battling prostate cancer.) In 2023, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to remove

All my songs have been inspired by real parts of my life. Sometimes I think about writing songs in the way of, “You don’t have to write things — you just have to write them down. Write down the things that happen.”

Are you still a big fan of flour tortillas, as you were when you wrote “Nobody Knows Me”?

I’ve stopped drinking milk in my coffee, but I’m still a big fan of flour tortillas. I like corn tortillas, too. Sometimes it’s about how many syllables you need (in a lyric).

Your children did you an enormous favor by being born in June instead of February.“12th of February” would be trickier to sing

In making up a song and getting it in its final form, sometimes you have to think about how words sound or how they sing.

Why is the Horace Silver instrumental

“Cookin’ At the Continental” the first song on the “12th of June” album?

We start our live shows with an instrumental as an overture, just to give the audience a glimpse of what’s in store for them for the rest of the show To give them a chance to hear the band and to realize, “Oh, wow, these guys are serious.”

“Cookin’ At the Continental” is one of the instrumentals that we hadn’t recorded in the studio and documented. That’s why I chose it (to open) the record.

There are a couple other standards on the record featuring (vocalist) Francine Reed, who I first sang with in 1984 and who retired a couple years ago. I wanted to make sure we documented those performances with Francine.

Was the song“Her Loving Man”inspired by your wife,April?

Yeah. Sure. We kind of tease each other The serious part of that song is

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy the first time in U.S. history a speaker had been ousted from the position. Though McCarthy had the support of many fellow Republicans, several hard-right detractors from his party essentially forced him out.

Today’s birthdays: Composer Steve Reich is 89. Rock ’n’ roll star Chubby Checker is 84. Musician Lindsey Buckingham (Fleetwood Mac) is 76. Blues musician Keb’

when you realize that you’re in a relationship that’s it. No matter how much you try to mess it up, you’re still OK. That’s where that song came from.

The “12th of June” title track, named for the day your twins were born, is especially heartfelt.

It’s how I feel. On my dad’s side of the family, we have a family cemetery That’s where the song is set. I’ve written several songs from the point of view of the dead guy at the funeral. (laughs) So it’s kind of a tradition in my thinking.

It’s a song about saying, “This is my life, and this is enough. This is all I need to be happy.”

You were 59 when you became a dad for the first time. The lyric “To these beautiful two children, and to my sweet and tender wife/I will love you three forever, though I fly beyond this life” acknowledges that, statistically….

I realize that I won’t have as much time, statistically, with my children as I had with my parents. I know how important my relationship with my parents has been to me from the very beginning. (So) I want to be present every second that I can.

Playing live is how most of us make a living. But when I’m not touring, I’m home. I get to take my children to school and pick them up and play with them.

I’ve done lots of things for fun in my life. I enjoy people, I enjoy activities. There has been nothing that I’ve ever done for fun that even comes close to just sitting on the floor with my children.

My buddies, who are all grandparents at this stage, teased me when we were expecting: “Oh, is your life going to change!”

And they were right. But what they didn’t tell me is that your life doesn’t change in a single way that you don’t want it to. I don’t feel like

I’ve given anything up to become a dad. I feel like I’ve just added the best parts that I had no idea about.

Becoming a father has enhanced every aspect of my life.

I’ve thought to myself, “I’m so glad I didn’t realize what I was missing” (by) waiting so late to have children.

I realize having children is not for everybody But if a person is inclined to want to have children.

I just think it’s the best thing in the world.

And you get songs like “Pig Meat Man.”

And even sillier songs.

Like “Naked Party.”

After a show one night in the summer of 2022, I expected (the twins) to be asleep on the bus. But they were not. They were running up and down the aisle of the bus singing, “It’s a naked party!” And they were dressed accordingly It was catchy The way they were singing, it had melody I stopped them: “That’s a song. Let’s finish it together.”

Your son put things in perspective while watching a candidate’s commercial during the last presidential race. He watched the commercial very seriously, which fascinated me. When it was over, he turned to me and said, “When I’m president, you’ll probably be dead.”

What did you say to that?

I said, “Not necessarily You’re a fast learner.”

You’re 67. Are you going to be like B.B.King and keep touring as long as you can?

I love getting to play music. I love the people I work with. There’s not a greater privilege than to do something you love with people you admire. As long as people keep showing up, we’ll keep playing.

Email Keith Spera at kspera@ theadvocate.com.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-oct. 23) Be creative; consider how you can make your surroundings and lifestyle more accommodating and practical. Take on only what's within your means mentally and financially.

ScoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Refrain from sharing too much information or secrets. Be a good listener and respond only when necessary. Anger and frustration can lead to opposition and setbacks.

SAGIttARIuS (nov. 23-Dec. 21) Be open regarding your intentions, and you'll receive positive input that helps you gain insight into how best to proceed. It's time to invest in yourself instead of supporting someone else's dreams.

cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Stick to simple, cost-effective solutions. Channel your energy into doing, not arguing over what others think or want from you. A physical change will boost your confidence.

AQuARIuS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) You know the protocol regarding financial, medical or legal affairs. A change at home will turn out better than you anticipate and help set you on a positive path.

PIScES (Feb. 20-March 20) Don't limit yourself when it's others who need to adjust to what's happening. A change in attitude or perspective can help you adapt your routine to suit your needs.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Sort out any differences you are having and con-

centrate on tying up loose ends. Use your imagination, and you'll discover a cost-effective way to get things done with panache.

tAuRuS (April 20-May 20) Emotional decisions will backfire if you aren't careful. Do your research before making a purchase, signing up for a subscription or volunteering your time, skills or money.

GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Share your experience with colleagues or experts. Airing how you feel will be met with a sympathetic response. Avoid taking risks with your health.

cAncER (June 21-July 22) Go on a learning spree. Discover what you can do to stay healthy, fit and mentally sharp. Leading someone astray will tarnish your reputation. LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) Emotion and anger will hurt a relationship if you aren't careful. Ask questions and verify your facts before agreeing to participate in something costly.

VIRGo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Intelligence coupled with intuition will help you sidestep potential professional risks. Focus your energy on staying current with industry changes. Attend networking functions.

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

Sudoku

InstructIons: sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers1 to 9inthe empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. Thedifficulty level of the sudoku increases from monday to sunday.

Yesterday’s PuzzleAnswer

Bridge

By PHILLIP ALDER

Paul Valery,a French poet and critic who died in 1945, said,“Every thought is an exception to the general rule that people don’t think.”

Bridgeplayersalwaysthink—although expertsthink more than others.

Today’s deal requires careful thought. Southisinthreeno-trump.Westleadshis fourth-highest heart. What shouldSouth do afterwinning with hisjack?

South seems to have atextbook twono-trump opening bid, but it is closeto an upgrade to two clubs, with that good five-card suit worth an extra point.

Declarer has only five top tricks:two spades and three hearts. It looks obvious to attack diamonds,wherehehas so many cards. And that is true, but it helps if he pauses to think about the right play at tricktwo.

SupposeSouthmakesthenatural-lookingchoice of alow diamond to dummy’s jack. Here,East wins the trick withhis ace and returnsaheart, after which declarer has no chance. If South then triesclubs,East takes the trick withthe ace and leads his last heart.

True, if declarer starts at trick two with aclub to dummy’s 10, that makes it harder for thedefense. Whichever defender takes thetrickmustshift to spades.

However, Southcan leave the defenders with no chance if he leads the diamond king from his hand at the second trick. If East wins the trick, declarer takes East’sreturnand ducks adiamond to collect twospades, three hearts and four diamonds.Alternatively,ifEast ducks the diamond king, South turns to clubs, taking two spades, three hearts, one diamond and three clubs. ©2025 by nEa,inc., dist. By andrews mcmeel syndication

wuzzles

Each Wuzzle is awordriddlewhich creates adisguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: nOOn gOOD =gOOD aFTErnOOn

Previous answers:

word game

InStRuctIonS: 1. Words must be of fourormore letters. 2. Words that acquire fourletters by the addition of “s,”such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed.3 additional words made by adding a“d” or an “s” may not be used. 4. proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit wordsare not allowed toDAy’S WoRD PEASAnt: PEH-zent: Ausually uneducated person of low social status.

Average mark24words Time limit 40 minutes

Can you find 33 or morewords in PEASANT?

yEStERDAy’S WoRD —DuoDEcIMo

duomo odeum odium code coed come cooed iced idem medic mice

mode mood mooed moue

GramS

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

Well

Council Chamber, City Hall,1300 PerdidoStreet,Room 1E07, theadoptionofOr‐dinanceCalendarNo. 35,244 introduced at the meetingofSeptember 25, 2025. SAID ORDINANCEwould a conditionaluse to permit awarehouse in aMardi Gras deninanMU-1 Medium IntensityMixedUseDistrict, on Square 22, Lot9-A,inthe Fourth MunicipalDistrict, bounded by Tchoupi‐toulas Street,Sixth Street,Seventh Street andSaint Thomas Street (Municipal Addresses: 2901-2917 Tchoupitoulas Street,418-436 Sixth Street,2918 Saint Thomas Street,and 435439 SeventhStreet). (ZONINGDOCKETNO. 39/25) Said ordinancemay be i f ll i h ffi

NOTICE Please take notice that NewOrleans Investment GroupIV, LLC, hasbeen placed in dissolutionpur‐suanttothe certain orderofthe Twenty-Sec‐ondJudicialCourt forthe Parish of St.Tammany datedJuly30, 2025, Docket No.2024-15726, Division A.

1300 PerdidoStreet Room 1E09, City Hall LORA W. JOHNSON, LMMC,MMC CLERKOFCOUNCIL PUBLICATIONDATES: October3,10and 17, 2025 NOCP 8677 161011-oct3-10-17-3t $38.58

p ing more financiallyselfsustaining,and better servethe needsofciti‐zens andofvisitorsto Louisianathrough collab‐orationutilizing Public PrivatePartnerships. TheRFI packet,which in‐cludes atimeline, in‐structions forproposal submission,and selec‐tion criteria,isavailable at http://www.opportu nitiesinlouisiana.com. It mayalsobepickedup between 9a.m.and 4 p.m. weekdays at theOf‐fice of StatePark, Capitol Annex, ThirdFloor,1051 NorthThird Street,Baton Rouge, LA,70802. Written Proposalsmustbere‐ceived by StateParks at this addressnolater than 4:00 p.m. CT onFri‐day, October31, 2024. StateParks will continue itscommitmenttoen‐sure allprojectspromote ourmission statement, have community sup‐port,and supportoflocal andstate electedoffi‐cials. StateParks also commits to notproceed with anyprojectsthat will be detrimentaltothe localcommunity or any localbusiness. Allinquiries concerning theRFI should be submit‐ted in writingtothe Issu‐ingOfficer, BrettSan‐difer, at bsandifer@crt.

DONNA MARIESPARKS, Donald RayBlackwell Jr Frida Pack,LESTERJERMAINE BLACKWELL, LARRY STEVEN BLACKWELL, CHARLOTTE SSTEWART DETRAMARIE BLACK‐WELL,ClarenceEdwards Andrews, Thelma Price, ZANDRA ACHAMBERS, REGINALD PAUL GOINS, PAMELA DENISE AN‐DREWS, SONYAP AN‐DREWS, KEYSHUN TRINELLBURNETT,CRYS‐TALGAY SIMMS, Sharon Burnett, KELVIN WILLIE BURNETT, WARRENADAM BURNETT, COLISAANN BURNETT, SybilM.Bur‐nett, JANICE AMULDER, Patricia Andrews Richard, Carrie MaeHall, Tony Blackwell, Doris Brown SQ 1312 LOTD 1ORPTDCMONTEGUT38X 98 DBLE 7/RA/R Improvements thereon bear MunicipalNo. 2417 Montegut St,New Or‐l g leans,LA70117 TaxBill1016-CHARBON‐NETST ANNA FRANCESRETIF,Al‐bertaGertrudeGrun Retif, City of NewOr‐leans, richardesler III, frances fincik suehig‐ginbotham, charles meitin,michael meitin SQ 333 LOTJ CHARBON‐NET31X108 1016-18 CHARBONNET Improvements thereon bear MunicipalNo. 1016 Charbonnet St,New Or‐leans, LA 70117 TaxBill2482BEHRMANHW GARRICK M. SLACK, CITY OF NEWORLEANS,U.S DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY -INTERNAL REVENUESERVICE,ASI FEDERALCREDITUNION ONPath federalcredit union ELMWOODSQ50LOTS 41/43 30 X120 EACH BEHRMANHWY LOT4434 X120 2482 BEHRMAN & FLORENCE AV

OFFICIAL NOTICE

Public Notice is hereby given that the Council of the City of New Orleans will consider at its regular meeting of October 9, 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 35,238 introduced at the meeting of September 25, 2025.

SAID ORDINANCE would authorize the Mayor of the City of New Orleans to enter into aCooperative Endeavor Agreement between the City of New Orleans (the “City”) and New Orleans Workforce DevelopmentBoard,with aterm greater than one year,for thepublic purpose of developing aquality workforce, serving as focal point for all local and regional workforce development initiative, and facilitate the development of a“seamless one stop workforce delivery system,” consistent with the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, as morefully detailed in the Intergovernmental Agreement form attached hereto as Exhibit “A”. Said ordinance may be seen in full in the Office of the Clerk of Council Room 1E09, City Hall, 1300 Perdido Street.

LORA W. JOHNSON, LMMC, MMC CLERK OF COUNCIL

PUBLICATION DATE: October 3, 2025 NOCP 8662

OFFICIALNOTICE CAL. NO. 35,238 EXHIBIT A

INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT BY AND BETWEEN THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS AND THE NEW ORLEANS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD LOCAL

WORKFORCE DEVLOPMENT BOARD RULES AND POLICIES

INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT BY AND BETWEEN THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS AND THE NEW ORLEANS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD LOCAL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD RULES AND POLICIES

THIS INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT (the Agreement”) is entered into by and between the City of New Orleans, represented by LaToya Cantrell, Mayor (the “City”),and the New Orleans Workforce Development Board(the NOWDB”).The City and the NOWDB may sometimes each be referred to as a“Party,” and collectively,asthe Parties.” The Agreement is effective as of July 1, 2025 (the Effective Date”).

RECITALS

WHEREAS,the City is apoliticalsubdivision of the State of Louisiana; WHEREAS,the NOWDB is aMayoral appointed public board, which principal address is located at 1300 Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard, Suite 3000, New Orleans, LA 70113; WHEREAS,onDecember 10, 2024, and effective April 1, 2024, the City entered into aSubawardGrant Agreement, attached and incorporated herein as “Exhibit A”, with the State of Louisiana, Louisiana Workforce Commission (the LWC”) to receive funds from theWorkforce Innovation andOpportunity Act (the WIOA”);

WHEREAS,WIOA Sec. 107(b)(1) requires the establishment of aLocal Workforce Development Boardin each local area or state receiving WIOA finding;

WHEREAS,the WIOA authorizes the Local Workforce Development Boardtoprovide oversight of employment and training programs consistent with WIOA, the Louisiana Combined State Plan, the local plan, and the Sub AwardGrant Agreement; WHEREAS,the City desires to establish the New Orleans Workforce Development Boardasthe Local Workforce DevelopmentBoard; WHEREAS,the City and the NOWDB desireto enter into an agreement to establish their roles and responsibilities in the administration, supervision and policy oversight of the WIOAservices and activities administered through the American Job Center(s), locally known as the JOB1 Business and Career Solutions Center(s); WHEREAS,the Parties desires to enter into an agreement to establish commitments, shared values, joint processes and procedures that will enable the Job1 Business and Career Solution Centers to integrate WIOA employment and training services into aseamless delivery system; NOW THEREFORE,the City and the NOWDB, each having the authority to do so, agree as follows: ARTICLE I-THE NOWDB’S OBLIGATIONS A. Obligations.The NOWDB shall:

1. Develop andsubmit alocalplan to theGovernorofthe State of Louisiana in coordination with the Chief Elected Official (the CEO”).

2. Comply with all regulations and requirements set by the Code of Federal Regulation Title 20, Chapter V, Part 675-678, which are incorporated herein by reference, andall other applicable federal and state rules and regulations.

3. Develop abudget for the activities of the NOWDB. This shall be consistent with the local plan, attached and incorporated herein as Exhibit B”.

4. Provide oversight of WIOAtoyouth, adult and dislocated worker programs. Promote the participation of private sector employers’ through brokering andcoaching to connect with the workforce investment system to assist employers in meeting hiring needs.

5. Make available to the public, on aregular basisthrough open meetings, information regardingactivities of the local board.

6. Develop abudget for the purposes of carrying out the duties of the Boardinpartnership with the CEO.

7. The NOWDB shall comply with all assurances and requirements laid out in The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act BoardComposition and Certification Handbook, attached and incorporated herein as Exhibit C”. ARTICLE II -THE CITY’S OBLIGATIONS

A. Obligations.The City shall:

1. Establish alocal workforce development boardtoset policy for the portion of the statewide workforcedevelopment system within the local area.

2. Ensurethe composition of the membership shall be as required by TheWorkforce Innovation and Opportunity Act BoardComposition and Certification Handbook (Exhibit C).

3. Administer this Agreement through the Office of Workforce Development (“OWD”);

4. Provide the NOWDB with any documents deemed necessary for the NOWD’sperformance of any work required under this Agreement; 5. Provide access to Department personnel to discuss the required services during normal working hours, as requested by the

Grant oversight is provided by the Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development (“OWD”).OWD is responsible for implementation of the NOWDB operational, programmatic, and fiscal plans; staffmanagement and development; and monitoring processes and outcomes. OWD reports directly to the NOWDB and the NOWDB committees. The NOWDB is responsible for policy making and planning, programmatic and fiscal direction, and oversight through the committee structure. The NOWDB is the governance body for grant purposesand shall direct the policy development and disbursal of funds for Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act.

C.The City serves as the Fiscal Agent for theNOWDB. The NOWDB will utilize the City of New Orleans’ procurement process for the selection of the One Stop Operator(s) and WIOAadult, dislocated worker,and youth service/training providers.

Improvements thereon bear MunicipalNo. 2482 BehrmanHwy,New Or‐leans, LA TaxBill3519-SMIROST OPHELIA SPRIGGS,LEOna ASBERRYPIERE,WILMA ASBERRYCOLEMAN GEORGE ASBERRY, VELMABURbRIDGE AS‐BERRY, GANT BERCHMAN ASBERRY, ClaRENCE AS‐BERRY, EDNA ASBERRY FURTIES, Stateof Louisiana, Department of Labor, Division of Em‐ployment Security,CITY OF NEWORLEANS,sylvia shannon, sharon shan‐non, herbertfortier jr., joycefortier,barbara clavins, veronica bur‐bridge,judiththomas, dovelynwinbush,brandi johnson, brandonjohn‐son, joseph y. johnson, joshua johnsonsr.,larry alle johnson, philip john‐sonsr.,terry johnson, timothyjohnson sr karenperks,david wat‐son, lindawatson, rose

hampton, terrellhard‐well, ty adams, dorisken‐ney, tyrone pierre,an‐drea pierre,cherylpierre, yolandasmith,alicia morris, travis leblanc, corlissjones,carljones jr glynnfuertes SQ 11 LOT15S MIRO ST 30X105 Improvements thereon bear MunicipalNo. 3519 S Miro St,New Orleans, LA TaxBill2527-JOURDANAV ELIZABETHA.BULLOCK GRAY,OLLIE RUTH KELLY, INEZ I. ROWEL, GREEN TREE FINANCIALSERVIC‐INGCOPORATION, LUCIA E. PARKER,CITYOFNEW ORLEANS, jacqueline earthly, hortense evans, mary llorance,clifford thompson,herbert thompson,lawrence thompson,ronaldthomp‐son, rose thompson richardevans,johnw brink, timcoss, susan coss, wendyforsman amanda scheid,kaitlyn scheid,tinascheid, laura

schwartz, jamescoss SQ 1414 LOTF JOURDAN AVE30X134 ALSO LOTE SGLE 5/RMSA/R Improvements thereon bear MunicipalNo. 2527 JourdanAve,New Or‐leans, LA TaxBill5463-NRAM‐PARTST AllisonB.Pickett, THERESAGIVENS, GUAR‐ANTY SAVINGS& HOME‐STEADASSOCIATION, CITY OF NEWORLEANS harry landry sr dandra landry,stephanie landry derricksmith,homebank SQ 336 LOTN PT LOTS 10 AND11N RAMPARTAND FLOOD45X 76 SGLE 7/RMSA/R SEEEREC TEMP ADDRESS3/13/2006 Improvements thereon bear MunicipalNo. 5463 NRampart St NewOr‐leans, LA 70117 TAXSALETITLE TO THE ABOVEDESCRIBED PROP‐ERTY HASBEEN SOLD FORFAILURE TO PAY TAXES. YOUHAVEBEEN IDENTIFIED AS APERSON WHOMAY HAVE AN IN‐TEREST IN THIS PROP‐ERTY YOUR INTEREST IN THE PROPERTY WILL BE TER‐MINATEDIFYOU DO NOT REDEEM THEPROPERTY BY MAKING ALLRE‐QUIRED PAYMENTS TO THETAX COLLECTOR LISTEDBELOW OR FILE A LAWSUITINACCOR‐DANCEWITHLAW WITHIN 60 DAYS OF THE DATE OF THEFIRST PUB‐

ARTICLE IV -DURATION AND TERMINATION

The term of this Agreement shall be July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2027 as required by The Workforce Innovation and OpportunityAct Board Compositionand Certification Handbook to cover the NOWDB’stwo-year certification period.

ARTICLE X- NON-DISCRIMINATION

A Equal Employment Opportunity.Inall hiring or employment made possibleby, or resulting from this Agreement,the NOWDB(1) will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color,religion, sex, gender,age, physical or mental disability, national origin, sexual orientation, creed, culture, or ancestry and (2) whereapplicable, will take affirmative action to ensurethat the Contractor’semployees aretreated during employment without regardto their race, color,religion, sex, gender,age, physical or mental disability national origin, sexual orientation, creed, culture,orancestry. This requirement shall apply to,but not be limited to the following: employment, upgrading, demotion or transfer,recruitment or recruitment advertising, layoff or termination,rates of pay or other formsofcompensation, and selection for training,including apprenticeship. Allsolicitations or advertisements for employees shallstate that allqualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regardtorace, color, religion, sex, gender,age, physical or mental disability,national origin, sexual orientation, creed, culture, or ancestry

B Non-Discrimination.Inthe performance of this Agreement,the NOWDBwill notdiscriminate on the basis, whether in fact or perception, of aperson’srace, color,creed, religion, national origin, ancestry,age, sex, gender,sexual orientation, gender identity,domestic partner status, marital status, physical or mental disability,orAIDS- or HIV-status against (1) any employee of the City working with the NOWDBinany of the NOWDB’soperations within Orleans Parish or (2) any person seeking accommodations, advantages, facilities, privileges, services, or membershipinall business, social, or other establishments or organizations operated by the Contractor. The NOWDBagrees to comply with and abide by all applicable federal, state and local laws relating to non-discrimination, including, without limitation, Title VI of the Civil RightsAct of 1964, Section Vofthe RehabilitationAct of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

C. Termination for Breach.The City may terminate this Agreement forcause if the NOWDBfails to comply with any obligation in this Article, which failure is amaterial breach of this Agreement

ARTICLE XIII -NOTICE

A. In General.Except forany routine communication, any notice, demand, communication, or request required or permitted under this Agreement will be given in writing and delivered in person or by certified mail, returnreceipt requested as follows:

1. To the City: Office of WorkforceDevelopment 1307 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd. New Orleans, LA 70113 & City Attorney City of New Orleans 1300 Perdido Street, Suite 5E03 New Orleans, LA 70112

2. To the NOWDB: New Orleans WorkforceDevelopment Board 1307 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., Suite 3000 New Orleans, LA 70113

B. Effectiveness.Notices areeffective when received, except any notice thatisnot received due to the intended recipient’srefusal or avoidance of delivery is deemed received as of the date of the first attempted delivery

C. Notification of Change.Each party is responsible for notifying the other in writing that references this Agreement of any changes in its address(es) set forth above.

ARTICLE XIV -ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS

A. Amendment.Noamendment of or modification to this Agreement shall be valid unless and until executed in writing by the duly authorized representatives of both parties to this Agreement

B. Assignment.(i) Neither aContractor nor subcontractor may assign or transfer its rights, duties, or obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the City,which consent must be approved by aresolutionofthe City Council. (ii) Atransfer requiring the prior written consent of the City, as described in the preceding subsection, shall occur upon achange in ownershipofthe Contractor or subcontractor.A“change in ownership” shalloccur on the date that any one person, or morethan one person acting as agroup, acquires, directly or indirectly,anaggregate ownershipinterest in the Contractor or subcontractor that exceeds 50% of the fair market value of the Contractor or subcontractor or 50% of the total voting power of the Contractororsubcontractor.The foregoing shall not apply to the acquisition of additional ownership interests by aperson whose ownership interest in the Contractororsubcontractor exceeds 50% of the fair market value of the Contractor or subcontractor or 50% of the total voting power of the contractor or subcontractor as of the effective date of the Agreement

C. Choice of Law.This Agreement will be construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the StateofLouisiana without regardtoits conflict of laws provisions.

D. Construction of Agreement.Neither party will be deemed to have drafted this Agreement.This Agreement has been reviewed by the Parties and shall be construed and interpreted according to the ordinary meaning of the words used so as to fairly accomplish the purposes and intentions of the Parties. No term of this Agreement shall be construed or resolved in favoroforagainst the City or the NOWDBonthe basis of which party drafted the uncertain or ambiguous language. The headings and captions of this Agreement areprovided for convenience only and arenot intended to have effect in the construction or interpretationofthis Agreement Whereappropriate, the singular includes the plural and neutral words and words of any gender shall include the neutral and other gender

E. ConvictedFelon Statement.The Contractor complies with City Code §2-8(c) and no principal, member,orofficer of the Contractorhas, within the preceding 5years, been convicted of, or pled guilty to,a felony under state or federal statutes for embezzlement, theft of public funds, bribery,orfalsification or destruction of public records.

F. Cost Recovery.Inaccordance with Section2-8.1ofthe Municipal Code entitled “Cost recovery in contracts, cooperative endeavor agreements, and grants,” to the maximum extent permitted by law, the Contractor shall reimburse the City or disgorge anything of value or economic benefitreceived from the City if the Contractorfails to meet its contractual obligations.

G. Entire Agreement.This Agreement,including all incorporated documents, constitutes the final and complete agreement and understanding between the parties. Allprior and contemporaneous agreements and understandings, whether oral or written, aresuperseded by this Agreement and arewithout effect to vary or alter any termsor conditions of this Agreement

H. Exhibits.The following exhibits will be and areincorporated into this Agreement:

■ ExhibitA:SubawardGrant Agreement

O. Prohibition of Financial Interest in Agreement.Noelected official or employee of the City shall have a financialinterest, direct or indirect, in this Agreement. For purposesofthis provision, a financialinterest held by the spouse, child, or parent of anyelected official or employee of the City shall

andremedies available to the City,all monies paid by the City to the NOWDBpursuant to this Agreementwithout regard to the NOWDB’sotherwise satisfactory performance of the Agreement. P. Prohibition on Political Activity.None of the funds, materials, property,orservices provided directly or indirectly underthe terms of this Agreementshall be usedinthe performance of this Agreementfor anypartisanpolitical activity,ortofurtherthe election or defeat of any candidate for public office.

Q. Remedies Cumulative.Noremedy set forth in the Agreementor otherwise conferred upon or reserved to anypartyshall be considered exclusive of anyotherremedy available to aparty. Rather, each remedy shall be deemed distinct, separate andcumulative andeach maybe exercised from time to time as oftenasthe occasion mayarise or as may be deemed expedient.

R. Severability.Should acourt of competent jurisdiction find anyprovision of this Agreementtobeunenforceableaswritten,the unenforceableprovision should be reformed, if possible, so thatitis enforceabletothe maximum extentpermittedbylaw or,ifreformation is not possible, the unenforceableprovision shall be fully severable andthe remaining provisions of the Agreementremaininfull force andeffect and shall be construedand enforced as if the unenforceableprovision was never apart the Agreement.

S. Survival of Certain Provisions.All representations andwarranties andall obligations concerning record retention, inspections, audits, ownership, indemnification, payment, remedies, jurisdiction, andchoice of law, shall survive the expiration,suspension, or termination of this Agreementand continue in full force andeffect

T. Terms Binding.The terms andconditions of this Agreementare binding on anyheirs, successors, transferees, andassigns.

ARTICLE XV -COUNTERPARTS

This Agreementmay be executedinone or morecounterparts, each of whichshall be deemed to be an originalcopy of this Agreement, but allofwhich, whentaken together, shall constitute one andthe same agreement.

ARTICLE XVI- ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE AND DELIVERY

The Parties agreethata manually signed copy of this Agreementand anyotherdocument(s) attached to this Agreementdelivered by emailshall be deemed to have the same legaleffect as delivery of an originalsigned copy of this Agreement. No legally binding obligation shall be created with respect to apartyuntil such party hasdelivered or caused to be delivered amanually signed copy of this Agreement.

[SIGNATURES CONTAINED ON NEXT PAGE]

[The remainder of this page is intentionally leftblank.]

IN WITNESSWHEREOF,the City andthe NOWDB, through their duly authorized representatives, execute this Agreement.

CITYOFNEW ORLEANS

BY:____________________________________________

LATOYACANTRELL, MAYOR

Executed on this____of 2025

FORM AND LEGALITY APPROVED:

Law Department

By:

Printed Name:

THENEW ORLEANS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD BY:_ GREGORYCURTIS, BOARDCHAIR

FEDERAL TAXI.D.

[EXHIBITS A- CATTACHED SEPARATELY]

INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT BY ANDBETWEEN THECITY OF NEW ORLEANS AND THENEW ORLEANS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:RECEIPT OF CONTRACT ATTACHMENTS

The Contractor,The NewOrleansWorkforce Development Board, through Gregory Curtis, its BoardChair,acknowledges electronic receipt of the following documents, whichare incorporatedinto this Agreement:

■ Exhibit A: Subaward Agreement

■ Exhibit B: Local Plan

■ Exhibit C: Louisiana Workforce Commission BoardCertification Handbook

BY:_ GREGORY CURTIS, BOARD CHAIR

Date:

LORA W. JOHNSON, LMMC, MMC CLERK OF COUNCIL

PUBLICATION DATE:October 3, 2025

NOCP 8663

Scars/Tattoos: Louisiana 160952, Oct3-4

I, JEROME DECLOUET, have been convictedof 14:42- Aggravated Rape (attempted) Date Convicted: 6/3/2003. 15:542Failure to Register/Notifyasa SexOffender (attempted).Date Convicted: 2/14/2022. My Addressis: 3502 VESPASIANST, 15B, NEWORLEANS,LA 70114

Louisiana 160920, Oct3-4 $250.00

WARRENW KNIGHT akaROACH KNIGHT akaWARRENKNIGHT akaCHARLES TASSIN, have been convictedof 14:43.1- Sexual Battery (attempted) Date Convicted: 10/9/2013. My Addressis: 16500 CHEF MENTEURHWY NEWORLEANS,LA 70129

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT 24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:858-477 CARRINGTON MORTGAGE SER‐VICESLLC VS ELVISSMITH RHONDA RAY‐MOND ZERINGUE A/K/A RHONDA R. ZERINGUE A/K/ARHONDA ZERINGUE,AND KELLYRAY‐MOND,HEIRS OF ANGELA CIAC‐CIO RAYMOND

andmeasures thence 54 feet frontonFour O’ClockLane, thesamein width in the rear,bya depth of 100 feet between equal andparallel lines.

This sale is sub‐ject to allsupe‐rior security in‐terests, mort‐gages, liensand privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchase price is dueatthe time of thesale.

STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:858-287

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck, Certified Check, MoneyOrder,or Personal Check with Bank Letter of Credit DENNISWIG‐GINS,JR. Attorney for Plaintiff JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson TheNew Orleans Advocate: August 29, 2025 October3,2025 aug29-oct3-2t $89

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

EMILYA MUELLER Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson TheNew Orleans Advocate: August 29, 2025 October3,2025 aug29-oct3-2t $89

the provisions thereof, as morefully set forth in the Amendment No. 3form 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.

LORA W. JOHNSON, LMMC, MMC CLERK OF COUNCIL

PUBLICATION DATE: October 3, 2025 NOCP 8666

OFFICIALNOTICE CAL. NO. 35,249 EXHIBIT A AMENDMENT NUMBER 3TOTHE

COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT BETWEEN

THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS AND THE AUDUBON COMMISSION [COVER PAGE] AMENDMENT NO. 3TOTHE COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS AND AUDUBON COMMISSION

GOVERNOR NICHOLLS AND ESPLANADE AVENUE WHARVES

THIS THIRD AMENDMENT TO THE COOPERATIVE ENDEAVORAGREEMENT (the Amendment”) is enteredinto by and between the City of New Orleans, represented by LaToya Cantrell, Mayor (the City”), and Audubon Commission, represented by J. Kelly Duncan, President (“Audubon”),which aresometimes each referred to in this Amendment as a“Party,” and collectively,as the Parties.” The Amendment is effective as of the date of execution by the City (the Amendment Effective Date”) RECITALS

WHEREAS,the City is apolitical subdivision of theState of Louisiana; WHEREAS,Audubon is an unattached commission of the City’s executive branch pursuant to Article VChapter 8Section 5-80l et seq. of the Home Rule Charter of theCity of New Orleans, retaining all authority granted to it by Louisiana State Act No.19l of 1914, as amended, having its principle place of business at 6500 Magazine Street, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70118; WHEREAS,pursuant to the authority contained in Article 7, Section 14(C) of the Louisiana Constitutionof1974, and statutory authority supplemental thereto, the State of Louisiana and its political subdivisions, including the City,may enter into cooperative endeavorswitheach other or with any public or private corporation or individual; and further pursuant to section 9-314 of the Home Rule Charter of the City of New Orleans, theCity may enter into cooperative endeavorswith any public or private association, corporation or individual for activities in support of economic growth andother public purposes; WHEREAS,byOrdinance dated December 1, 2017, Calendar No 32,098 (27639 M.C.S.), the Council of the City of New Orleans, on January 11, 2018, adopted said Ordinance authorizing the Mayor of the City of New Orleans to enter into aCooperative Endeavor Agreement (the Public Belt CEA”) by and between the City,the Public Belt Railroad Commission for the City of New Orleans (the Commission”),the BoardofCommissioners of the Port of New Orleans (the Port”),and the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad Corporation (the NPC”) for thepurpose of transferring all rights, title and interest that the City and the Commission have in all the Commission’sproperties and assets (collectively,the Public Belt Railroad”) to the NPC, in exchange for the Port’sGovernor Nicholls and Esplanade Avenue Wharves (the Wharves”orthe Property”); WHEREAS,tothat end, on February 1, 2018, the City,the Commission, NPC, and the Port entered into the aforementioned Public Belt CEA to exchange the Public Belt Railroad for the Wharves; WHEREAS,infurtheranceofthe objectives set forth in the Public Belt CEA, the Port agreed to use its best efforts, at no cost to the Port, to facilitate fundraising up to $15 million froma hospitality coalition for the express purpose of redeveloping the Wharves into public park spaces; WHEREAS,the City and the Port acknowledged that the aforementioned $15 million commitment to redevelop the Wharves into public park spaces is considered aportion of thevalue of the assets the City is receiving in the transaction; WHEREAS,onFebruary I, 2018, the City and the Port entered into that certain Act of Transfer ofOwnership, Exchange,Consent, Servitude Agreement, and Assignmentand AssumptionofLeases (the Act of Transfer”), whereby the Wharves weretransferredfromthe Port to the City and the City assumed the existing leases of the Wharves with the tenant currently in possession (“TCI

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 20, 2025, Ihave seized andwill proceed to sell to thehighest bidder at public i h

p auction, at the JeffersonParish Sheriff'sOffice Complex, 1233 Westbank Ex‐pressway,Har‐vey, Louisiana, 70058, on Wednesday, Oc‐tober8,2025 at 10 o'clocka.m thefollowing describedprop‐erty to wit: That portionof ground,to‐gether with all thebuildings andimprove‐mentsthereon and allofthe rights ways,privi‐leges, servi‐tudes, appurte‐nances andad‐vantages thereuntobe‐longingorin anywiseapper‐taining, situated in theState of Louisiana, Parish of Jeffer‐son, in Floral AcresSubdivi‐sion,saidpor‐tion beingdes‐ignatedasLot 10 of Square 9, accordingto a plan by Adloe Orr, Jr., &Asso‐ciates,C.E dated August 25, 1969, Square 9is bounded by Four O’Clock Lane,Azalea Drive, ButtercupDrive andEvergold Land.Lot 10 commences at a distance of 114 feet from thecorner of Azalea Drive andFour O’ClockLane

WHEREAS,onFebruary 6, 2018, the City and Audubon entered into the Wharves CEAinfurtherance of their desirefor Audubon to redevelop the Property into public park spaces and to operateand assume responsibilityfor the Property; WHEREAS,the extent to which Audubon’sredevelopment of the Wharves into public park spaces was consideration forthe exchange is further evidenced by Article II Section2.2 of the Wharves CEAentitled “Condition to Agreement”which provides that “[t]his [Wharves CEA]

Agreement shall become effective only if and when the City becomes the owner of the Port’scurrent interest in the Property pursuant to the Act of Transfer”; WHEREAS,onFebruary 6, 2018, the City,Audubon, and IBERIABANK, aLouisiana Banking Corporation (the Escrow Agent”) entered into an escrow agreement (the Escrow Agreement”or“MK18008A”), obligating Audubon to deposit the sum of $15 million into escrow as afund for use in paying for the Initial Improvements(as defined in the Wharves CEA); WHEREAS,byOrdinance dated November 7, 2019, Ordinance Calendar No.32,838 (28,270 M.C.S.),the Council of the City of New Orleans, on December 5, 2019, unanimouslyadopted said Ordinance authorizing the City to lease its sheds on Esplanade Avenue Wharf and Governor Nicholls Wharf to TCI (“TCILease”); WHEREAS,byOrdinance dated August 22, 2019, Calendar No 32,754 (28185 M.C.S.),the Council of the City of New Orleans, on September 5, 2019, unanimously adopted said Ordinance authorizing the Mayor to enter into a first amendment to the Wharves CEA (“Amendment No. 1tothe Wharves CEA”), to modify the terms or conditions, to extend certain deadlines and otherwise to provide with respect thereto; WHEREAS,tothat end, on and effective March9,2020, the City and Audubon entered into Amendment No.1tothe Wharves CEA; WHEREAS,onOctober 21, 2021, the City and Audubon entered into asecond amendment to the Wharves CEA( Amendment No. 2 to the Wharves CEA”), to extend certain deadlines due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic; WHEREAS,the City and Audubon now desiretomake certain additional changes to the Wharves CEA, as morefully described below; NOW THEREFORE,for good and valuableconsideration, the City and Audubon amend the Wharves CEAasfollows:

1. ARTICLE 1DEFINITIONS. The City and Audubon reaffirm the meanings of the terms set forth in the Wharves CEA, unless otherwise expressly provided in this Amendment.Capitalized termsused but not defined herein, shall have the respective meanings expressly provided in the Wharves CEA.

2. ZONING.Article III, Section3.1(c) of the Wharves CEA, as amended, is further amended to read as follows: (c) After the Opening of the Initial Improvements, and unless otherwise provided herein, the Property shall be used as apublic park and recreational facilities that meet allofthe following requirements: (i) the use is apermitted use under the CZOrequirements that areapplicable to the Property; (ii) the use is of atype conducted in either NewOrleans City Parkor Audubon Parkasofthe Effective Date, with the public park space being free and open to the public, and with the entire Property operated and maintained in accordance with the Operating Standardand containing theamenities described in the Initial ImprovementsConstruction Plans, and any Additional Improvements that Audubon may makeinaccordance with this Agreement (the “Permitted Uses”). The Property may not be used forany other purpose without the prior written consent of the City Notwithstanding the foregoing, Audubon shallnot:(1) cause or permit obnoxious or offensive odors or fumes to emanate or be dispelled from the Property; (2) cause or permit the accumulation of garbage, trash, rubbish, or any other refuse in, on, or about the Property; (3) create, cause, maintain or permit any public or private nuisance in, on or about the Property; (4) use or allow the Property to be used for any unlawful purpose or for any purpose that violates any easement, restriction, or encumbrance on the Property existing as of the Effective Date; (5) use or allowthe Property to be used in violation of the applicable portionsofthe Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance (“CZO”) of the City of New Orleans or any other Governmental Requirement in effect from timetotime; (6) use or permit any use or condition of the Property in breach of any insurance policies required hereunder or any insurance provisions of this Agreement or in amanner that would make it difficultorimpossible to obtain any required insurance at commercially feasible rates; (7) use or occupy the

JPMORGAN CHASEBANK NATIONAL AS‐SOCIATION vs DEVONJACK‐SONGILES (A/K/A DEVONJ GILES, DEVON GILES) AND HENRY GILES, JR. (A/K/A HENRY GILES) AND KRYSTALJ.WIL‐SON(A/K/A KRYSTAL WILSON)AND ADOLPHUS WIL‐SON, SR 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, datedNovem‐ber27, 2024, I have seized and will proceed to sell to thehigh‐estbidderat public auction, at theJefferson Parish Sheriff's Office Complex, 1233 Westbank Expressway, Harvey, Louisiana, 70058, on Wednesday, Oc‐tober8,2025 at 10 o'clocka.m thefollowing describedprop‐erty to wit: ONECERTAIN

LOTOFGROUND, together with allthe buildings andimprove‐ments thereonand all therights, ways, privileges, servitudes and appurtenances thereunto belongingorin anywiseapper‐taining, situated in theParishof Jefferson, State of Louisiana, in SQUARE "D"of KENSINGTON GARDENSSUB‐DIVISION bounded by ABBEYROAD, OLDCOMPTON ROAD,WEST CHELSEAROAD andJUSTIN LANE,desig‐natedasLOT NO.19-B-1on a survey made by Wilton J. Dufrene, Land Surveyor,dated September16, 1983, revised March28, 1984, acopyofwhich is annexedtoAct No 84-26872, andaccording thereto, said Lot commences at a distance of 64 feet from the comerofABBEY ROAD andOLD COMPTON ROAD measures thence 64 feet frontonABBEY ROAD, same widthinthe rear,bya depth of 127 feet be‐tween equal andparallel lines.

attached to this Amendment delivered by facsimile,email or othermeansofelectronic transmission shall be deemed to have the same legaleffect as delivery of an originalsignedcopy of this Amendment. No legally binding obligation shall be created with respect to apartyuntil such party hasdeliveredorcaused to be delivered amanually signed copy of this Amendment.

[The remainder of this page is intentionally leftblank] [SIGNATURES CONTAINED ON NEXT PAGE] IN WITNESS WHEREOF,the City andAudubon, through their duly authorized representatives, execute this Amendment. CITYOFNEW ORLEANS BY:_______________________________________________ LATOYACANTRELL, MAYOR Executed on____ this of_________________ ,2025. FORM AND LEGALITY APPROVED: Law Department By:

Printed Name: AUDUBON COMMISSION BY:_ J. KELLY DUNCAN, PRESIDENT

TAXI.D.

[EXHIBIT AATTACHED ON THE FOLLOWING PAGE]

LORA W. JOHNSON, LMMC, MMC CLERK OF COUNCIL PUBLICATION DATE:October 3, 2025 NOCP 8667

OFFICIAL NOTICE

Public Notice is hereby given that the Council of the City of New Orleans

will consider at its regular meeting of October 9, 2025 at 10:00 a.m., to be held either via video conference or in the Council Chamber,City Hall, 1300Perdido Street, Room 1E07, the adoption of Ordinance Calendar No 35,237 introduced at the meeting of September 25, 2025.

SAID ORDINANCE would authorize the Mayor of the City of New Orleans to enter into aCooperative Endeavor Agreement(“CEA”) between the City of New Orleans (the “City”) and Orleans Parish Communications District (the “OPCD”), with aterm greater than one year,for the public purpose of improving the management, quality,speed, priority,standardization, and consistencybywhich 9-1-1 call areprocessed, non-emergency calls are handled, and the overall organizational structureof OPCD, asmorefully detailed in the Cooperative Endeavor Agreementform attached hereto as Exhibit “A”.

Said ordinance may be seen in full in the Office of the Clerk of Council Room 1E09, City Hall, 1300 Perdido Street.

LORA W. JOHNSON, LMMC, MMC CLERK OF COUNCIL

PUBLICATION DATE: October 3, 2025 NOCP 8660

OFFICIAL NOTICE CAL. NO. 35,237

EXHIBIT A

COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS AND ORLEANS PARISH COMMUNICATIONS DISTRICT [COVER PAGE]

COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF NEW ORLEANS AND ORLEANS PARISHCOMMUNICATION DISTRICT

FOR 9-1-1 AND 3-1-1 CALL CENTER OPERATION, PERSONNEL, FACILITIES, AND SYSTEMS

THIS COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT (the Agreement”)

is entered into by and between the City of New Orleans, represented by LaToya Cantrell, Mayor (the City”), and the Orleans Parish Communication District, represented by Dr.Jennifer Avegno, Chair of the Board( OPCD”). The Agreement is effective as January 1, 2026 (the Effective Date”).

RECITALS

WHEREAS,pursuant to Article 7, Section 14(C) of the Louisiana Constitution of 1974, and related statutes, and Section 9-314 of the Home Rule Charter of the City of New Orleans, the City may enter into cooperative endeavors with the State of Louisiana, its political subdivisions and corporations, the United States and its agencies, and any public or private corporation, association, or individual with regard to cooperative financing and other economic development activities, the procurement and development of immovable property,jointplanning and implementation of public works, the joint use of facilities, joint research and program implementation activities, joint funding initiatives, and other similar activities in support of public education, community development, housing rehabilitation, economic growth, and other public purposes;

WHEREAS,the City and OPCD (collectively the “Parties”) arepolitical subdivisions of the State of Louisiana;

WHEREAS,pursuant to Act 155 of the 1982 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature, as amended by Act 897 of the 1990 Regular Session and Act 726 of the 1995 Regular Session and Act 710 of the 2024Regular Session, OPCD was created to establish and maintainthe 9-1-1 emergency telephone number for Orleans Parish and to provide for communication enhancements for law enforcement and public safety agencies to decrease call answer times and improve effectiveness;

WHEREAS,the City and OPCD previously had aCooperative Endeavor Agreement (“CEA”) in place that allowed the City to provide pensionand health benefits to OPCD employees, while OPCD provided funding support for call takers, administrative and maintenance support for the 9-1-1 system, building, and personnel;

WHEREAS,the City currently provides pension and health benefits to employees of separate political subdivisions as authorized by City Ordinance;

WHEREAS,the OPCD is the 9-1-1and 3-1-1administrator for Orleans Parish;

WHEREAS,the OPCD and the City have been seeking to improve the operations of the 9-1-1 call center;

WHEREAS,in2011, the OPCD contracted with L.R. Kimball and Associates, Inc. to provide an assessment report on current operations and approved aconcept charter document for aconsolidated 9-1-1 operation;

WHEREAS,the concept of consolidation is definedasthe physical and organizational placement of all emergency communications functions into one facility as one organization supporting NOPD, NOFD, NOEMS and New Orleans Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (“NOHSEP”) using common systems;

WHEREAS,consolidationisa method by which 9-1-1 call taking and dispatching services can be improved by reducing the number of transferred and abandoned calls, streamlining automated systems and processes, and implementing formal training and quality assurance programs that will improve the professionalism and skills of operations staff;

WHEREAS,the OPCD and the City desired to accomplish the valuable public purpose of improving the management, quality,speed, priority standardization and consistency by which 9-1-1calls areprocessed, nonemergency calls arehandled, and the overall organizational structureof OPCD is maintained; and WHEREAS,onJanuary 12, 2016, the Louisiana Attorney General opined that the City and the OPCD can enter into aCEA to consolidate operations under the OPCD; WHEREAS,pursuant to Cooperative Endeavor Agreement dated April 13, 2016, as amended by Amendment No. 1dated December 14, 2016, and Amendment No. 2dated January 26, 2018, 9-1-1 operations for the New Orleans Police Department (“NOPD”), New Orleans FireDepartment (“NOFD”), New Orleans Emergency Services (“NOEMS”), and New Orleans Homeland Security and Emergency preparedness (“NOSHEP”) wereconsolidated under OPCD;

WHEREAS,the City currently 1provides funding support for the operation of OPCD, including but not limited to salaries, pensions, and benefits for OPCD employees as well as maintenance and support for the 9-1-1 and 3-1-1 systems and buildings;

WHEREAS,the City and OPCD seek to provide for the continued operation and improvement of 9-1-1and 3-1-1operations for Orleans Parish;

WHEREAS,itisinthe interest of the citizens, business, and visitors of Orleans Parish that the City and OPCD continue to engage in cooperative endeavors to provide moreefficient means for the citizenry to communicate their need for 9-1-1and 3-1-1 services; WHEREAS,the Parties have aparallel and complimentary desireto provide for 3-1-1 services (the “Gateway to Government”) for citizens and visitors to the City of New Orleans; WHEREAS,the Parties can fulfill that goal through entering into this CEA for the continued operation of OPCD. NOW THEREFORE,the City and the OPCD each having the authority to do so, and under the conditions set forth, do agree as follows:

ARTICLE I- OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES

Section 1. The City’sObligations.The City shall perform the following:

a. Administer this Agreement through the Chief Administrative Officer (“CAO”);

b. Provide an annual appropriation to the OPCD for OPCD personnel and other operating costs pursuant to Article III, Section 2ofthis Agreement;

c.

h.

communications system used for dispatch and communication with public safety field personnel for and in the City of New Orleans.

i. Provide for the routing, review,updates and resolution of 3-11reports and requests entered by OPCD personnel to the appropriate City Departments or contractors;

j. Provide the services of aMedical Director in accordance with Article IV,Section 2ofthis Agreement;and

k. Provide OPCD an interface to the City intranet for CAD/City service required interconnectivity,included but not limited to MDTs,RecordManagement Systems, etc.

Section 2. OPCD’sObligations. The OPCD shall:

a. Adopt,maintain, and implement appropriate protocols for operators to become cross-trained to take all typesofemergency calls, and to be able to dispatch the same;

b. Maintain aformal hiring, eligibility,and disciplinary program which shall affordOPCDemployees the opportunity fora full and fair hearing and the right to appeal fordisciplinary actions to the OPCD BoardPersonnel Subcomittee;

c. Adopt and maintain training and quality assurance programs to improve the overallservice and the professionalism, skills, and abilities of the call taking and dispatch staff.

d. Purchase, implement, and maintain dispatching softwarefor EPD and EFD protocols to supplement EMDprotocols currently in use by NOEMS, and contract with the appropriatevendor forfuture employee training and certification on such softwareasrequired;

e. Improve interoperability, situational awareness, and coordinated response and recovery through aunified communications operation supported by common policies, procedures, protocols, and technology;

f. Develop and implement standardoperating procedures complimentary to and compatible with the fieldresponse policies and procedures of NOPD, NOFD, NOEMS, and NOHSEP,and introduce new policies and procedures that reflect best practices and compliance with National Emergency Number Association (“NENA”) and other applicable standards;

g. Maintain an administrative and organizational structurethat ensures consolidated operationsmaintain and improve upon the current operational performance of 9-1-1 services for the City;

h. Develop and implement standardoperating procedures to provide forthe operationofthe 3-1-1 system, contingent that OPCD’s responsibilities areonlytoprovide for the entry of 3-1-1 requests into the QuickBase or any successor system foraction by the appropriate City Departments or contractors;

i. Contract for services and equipment with local telephone exchange carrier(s) and other vendors to provide 9-1-1 and 3-1-1 telephone routing service to the citizens of the City;

j. Interface with and assist providers of local exchange telephone and wireless telephone service to ensurestandardized performance capabilities and service to their subscribers for access to 9-1-1 and 3-1-1;

k. Purchase, implement and maintain hardware, software, and systems required for the provision of E911 service throughout Orleans Parish, specificallyincluding but not limited to 911 Telephony and Logging Systems, Computer Assisted Dispatch (CAD) as wellasthe interfaces necessary for the CADsystem to receive location information from public safety response units, and to provide requested CADdata for City functions including the CADMobile client softwarefor allCity public safety agencies;

I. Work with the City and other agencies to develop projects to help fulfill the missions of the City,OPCD, NOPD, NOFD, NOEMS, to provide 9-1-1, non-emergency,and 3-1-1 services to the citizens, businesses, and visitors of Orleans Parish;

m. Provide support and engineering services to maintainand improve the 9-1-1 call center,and provide for maintenance agreements on hardwareorsoftwareused exclusively by the 9-1-1 call center or the OPCD;

n. Provide OPCD personnel and public safety personnel with professional training and support to 9-1-1 and 3-1-1 related community education programs;

o. At the discretion of the Executive Director,provide opportunities forOPCDpersonnel and public safety personnel to attend applicable conferences and training opportunities;

p. Provide and maintain the physical facility known as the Warren E McDaniel 9-1-1 center;

q. Maintain acurrent and accurate data collection and reporting system to the OPCD BoardofCommissioners as requested by the Board; and

r. Submitdetailed reports monthly in accordance with Code of Ordinances Article III Section2-63 through Section2-85.

ARTICLE II -PERFORMANCE MEASURES

Section J. In General The Parties agree to comply with all of reporting requirements to determine the efficacy of OPCD operations.

Section 2. The Executive Director’sRole. The Executive Director will recommend performance metrics and policies and procedures by which consolidated operations can be evaluated to determine that 9-1-1 industry standards established by NENA arebeing met or ideally,exceeded, best practices arebeing followed, and policies and procedures established by NOPD, NOFD, and NOEMSfor 9-1-1 operational performance arebeing maintained. The Executive Director should recommend procedures and protocols thatwould bring and maintainanswering times into compliance, review policies suggested by City Department liaisons, assess interandintra-operability, and develop and submit to the OPCD Boardof Commissioners the policies thatensurethat OPCD complies with the best practices and standards of national ratings.

Section 3. Reporting Obligations for theOPCD.The OPCD agrees to maintain acurrent and accurate data collection system to, at aminimum, report quarterly to the OPCD BoardofCommissioners those performance standards recommended by the Executive Director and adopted by the OPCDBoardofCommissioners. In addition, data collection efforts for the benefitofimproving performance that arerequiredbyNOPD, NOFD, and NOEMS pursuant to these agencies’ written policies and procedures and recommended by the Executive Director shall also be areporting obligation of OPCDtothe City.

Section 4. Reporting Obligations for theCity.The City agrees to maintain acurrent and accurate data collection system to, at aminimum, report quarterly to the OPCDBoardofCommissioners those performance standards recommended by the Executive Director and adopted by the OPCDBoardofCommissioners. In addition, the City will provide a process to accept data provided by OPCD for the benefitofimproving performance of NOPD, NOFD, and NOEMSoperations pursuant to these agencies’ written policies procedures.

ARTICLE III -FUNDING UNDER THIS AGREEMENT

Section 1. Funding provided by OPCD for Costs of 9-1-1 Operations In accordance with the other provisions of this Agreement,each fiscal year OPCD will provide self-generated funding for the purpose of supporting 9-1-1 operations. OPCD’scontribution to operations shall be authorized in the annual budget approved by the OPCDBoardofCommissioners.

Section 2. Funding provided by City for Costs of 9-l-l and 3-1-1

Operations. In accordance with the other provisions of this Agreement each fiscal year,the City will provide the OPCD with an annual appropriation forkey operational costs, including but not limited to salaries, overtime, holiday pay,NOMERS employer pension contribution, employer medical plan contribution, workers compensation, unemployment insurance, life insurance, uniform allowance, sick leave, annual leave, and terminal leave foroperationspersonnel. Funding for 911 operations shall be subject to approval by the City Council through the regular budgeting process. The annual appropriation may also include an allocation for other operating costs required to support OPCD. The Executive Director shall be responsiblefor continuallycoordinating with the CAOand these City departments to ensurethat the annual appropriation provided is sufficient to continue this Agreement

Section 3. Maximum Amount. The maximum amount funded or payable by the City under this Agreement will be determined annuallybased on the annual budget appropriations. Section 4. Rate of Compensation.The City will pay OPCD in accordance with the following schedule: 1/4th of the annual budget appropriation per quarter withthe first and second quarters payment becoming due and payable January 1st. The remaining payment becomes due and payable per month beginning July

or disgorge anything of

or

received from the City if OPCD fails to meet its contractualobligations.” ARTICLE IV -OPERATION ANDLOCATION OF THE 9-1-1 CALL CENTER Section 1. Medical Director Designated by City.The City shall provide the services of aMedical Director who is Board Certified in Emergency Medicine.The physician medical director shall perform the following tasks:

1. Serve as aconsultant andadvisor to the OPCD Executive Director andDirector of 9-1-1 Operationsonmedical issuesrelated to medical services andmedical priority dispatch performed by OPCD, including compliancewith policies, standards, and protocols issuedbyNOEMS, NOFD, andNOPD governing the provision of emergencymedical dispatch;

2. Advise on Quality Improvement andRisk Management activities relating to medical services andMedical Priority Dispatch performed by OPCD;

3. Provide medical control andaccountability within OPCD;

4. Provide consultation for OPCD medical education andtraining programs;

5. Assist in the developmentand oversightofemergency medical triage anddispatchprograms for OPCD telecommunicators;

6. Review andconsult on OPCD Medical Dispatch policies and procedures to ensurecompliancewith allapplicable local State,and Federal regulations for Priority Dispatch andMedical ResourceDeployment;

7. Consult during the planning anddesign of allMedical Priority or EMS ResourceDeployment training programs, including the curriculum, communications floor internships, andprogram evaluation;

8. Collaborate with OPCD Operationsand Administrative Managers to ensurethatoccupational safety andhealth and accident prevention strategies arefully incorporatedinto the communicationsdistrict;

9. Assist in the developmentofprograms thatintegrate OPCD into community safety andemergency medical education/awareness programs; and

10. Serve as the liaison for OPCD to NewOrleans’ professional medical community

Section 2. Liaison Officers from City Departments. NOPD,NOFD, and NOEMS will each provide aliaison officer of supervisory rankwho will workincoordination with the Director of OPCD to representthe interests of their respective departments andensurethatpoliciesand procedures establishedbyOPCD,with input from the City departments, for call taking, dispatching, anddatacollection, arebeing adhered to by OPCD personnel andsupervisory staff. The Liaison Officers will not have any operational/disciplinary control of OPCD personnel, regardless if they were previously underhis/hersupervision prior to consolidation.Liaison Officers will be provided accesstotelephone andradiologgers to aidin their review of calls for service. The Liaison Officers understandthatthey may not distribute anydatafromOPCD systems without express written consent of the Executive Director.Liaison Officers mayalso come across confidential andlegally protected information whichmay not be disclosed to unauthorized parties.

Section 4. Maintenance of the9-1-1 Communications Center OPCD shall maintain facilitiesfor the purpose of housing the calltaking and dispatching equipment,personnel, andfunction of the 9-1-1 emergency communication system, the 3-1-1 system, andany additionalnonemergencysystems as required. The OPCD shall coordinate with NOPD NOFD,and NOEMS Liaison Offices (as outlinedinSection 2above) in the design andestablishment of these facilitiestoensurethatconsolidation operations can be facilitated. Suchfacilities, including the physical plan andall equipment, shall be provided, managed, andmaintainedbyand at the expense of the OPCD. The facilitiesshall house the calltaking anddispatching personnel, their supervisory personnel, andOPCD’s administrative,engineering, andtraining staff.

Section 5. Declared Emergency AlternateFacility for 9-1-1 Communications Center. In case of adeclared emergencybyfederal state, or local government, or in the case in whichpersonnelare required to evacuatefromthe Communications Center, the City shall provide to OPCD an alternatefacility to house the calltaking anddispatching equipment, personnel, andfunction of the communication system as needed pursuant to policies andproceduresestablished by the City and OPCD. OPCD shall be responsible for ensuring thatsufficientequipment to continue operationsisavailable in the backup facility in the eventofan emergency, while the City shall be responsible for maintaining the physical location.

Section 6. Declared Emergency, JCS Command andControl. In case of adeclared emergencybyfederal,state,orlocal government, the Executive Director will have the authority to coordinate 9-1-1 operational andtechnology support efforts with the City’sIncident Commanderper Incident Command System(“ICS”) guidance.

ARTICLE V- PROVISIONS OF EMPLOYMENT UNDER THIS AGREEMENT

Section 1. Protections for OPCD Positions Funded by this Agreement. The OPCD maintains the Employee Protection andConductPolicy (“EPCP”) whichprovides awritten policy of progressiveemployment protection for allOPCD positions. The employment protection policy and anyfutureamendments to the policy shall be approvedbythe OPCD BoardofCommissioners.

RITA SHARBONO VOORHIES

MANN GIUSTI

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 7, 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 Wednesday, Oc‐tober8,2025 at 10 o'clocka.m thefollowing describedprop‐erty to wit:

ACERTAIN POR‐TION OF GROUND,to‐gether with all thebuildings and improvements thereon. allthe component partsthereof andall of the rights,ways, privileges, servitudes,ap‐purtenances andadvantages thereuntobe‐longingorin anywiseapper‐taining, situated in theSTATE OF LOUISIANA, PARISH OF JEFFERSON in that part known as MARVIS GROVESUBDIVI‐SION OF BERTHAUD PLANTATION designated as LOT97-A-1 which is bounded by Big BayouBarataria

y andLouisiana Highway45and is more fullyde‐scribedasfol‐lows:

Commenceat theintersection of thewesterly right-of-way line of Louisiana Highway 45 andthe southlineofLot 96-C, said inter‐sectionbeing 18,651.6feet to center of FlemingCanal and3.2 miles more or less southofthe Kenner Bridge

Thence.turn andgo along thewesterly right-of-way line of Louisiana Highway45, S 12 degrees 53 feet 20 inches E adistanceof 109.49 feet to a pointatthe in‐tersection of theaforesaid westerly rightof-way line and thecommon line of Lots 97-A1and 97-A-2.

Thence,turn andgoalong theaforesaid commonline, S 58 degrees 32 feet 20 inches Wa dis‐tanceof105.00 feet to a point. Thence turn and go N7 degrees 37 feet 00 inches Wa distance of 113.47 feet to a point.

Thence.turn andgo N58de‐grees 32 feet 20 inches Ea dis‐tanceof94.00 feet to a pointatthe in‐tersection of thewesterly right-of-way of LouisianaHigh‐way45and the commonlineof

Lots 97-A-1 and 96-C; subjectto restrictions, servitudes, rights-of-way andoutstanding mineralrights of record affect‐ingthe property

Improvements thereonbear MunicipalNo: 4320 JEAN LAFITTEBOULE‐VARD,JEAN LAFITTE, LA 70067

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 ofCredit.

ZACHARYGAR‐RETT YOUNG Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

TheNew Orleans Advocate: August 29, 2025 October3,2025 aug29-oct3-2t $121

NO:800-824

STRUCTURED ASSETSECURI‐TIES CORPORA‐TION MORT‐GAGE LOAN TRUST MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES SERIES 2006BC4, U.S. BANK NATIONAL AS‐SOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE VERSUS WILLIE H. FRANKLIN,JR. ANDD'ANDREA WALKER FRANKLIN

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, datedOctober 31, 2019, 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 Wednesday, Oc‐tober8,2025 at 10 o'clocka.m thefollowing describedprop‐erty to wit:

THAT CERTAIN PIECEORPOR‐TION OF GROUND,to‐gether with all thebuildings andimprove‐mentsthereon andall the rights,ways, privileges, servitudes, advantages and appurtenances thereuntobe‐

longingorin anywiseapper‐taining, situated in Jef‐ferson Parish, Louisiana, in SQUARE "M”, WOODMERE SUBDIVISION SECTION2, bounded by Lynnbrook Drive, Paige Janette Drive, PaigeJanette Drive(side)and OakmereDrive (side),desig‐natedasLOT NO.642, commences 251 feet from the corner of Lynnbrook Drive andPaige Janette Drive, measures thence 63 feet fronton Lynnbrook Drive, same width in the rear,bya depth of 100 feet between equaland paral‐lellines.All as more fully shownonsur‐vey of Gilbert, Kelly &Couturie, Inc., S&E, datedAu‐gust 8, 1992, a copy of which is attached to act datedAugust 12, 1992 and made apart thereof; subject to restrictions, servitudes, rights-of-way andoutstanding mineralrights of record affecting the property

Improvements thereonbear theNo. 2417 Lynnbrook Drive.

This sale is sub‐ject to allsupe‐rior security in‐terests, mort‐gages, liensand privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice is dueatthe time of thesale.

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck, Certified Check, MoneyOrder,or Personal Check with Bank Letter of Credit

ASHLEY E. MORRIS Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

TheNew Orleans Advocate: August 29, 2025 October3,2025 aug29-oct3-2t

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 Wednesday,Oc‐tober8,2025 at 10 o'clocka.m thefollowing describedprop‐erty to wit:

ACERTAIN LOT Of 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, lyingWestof theMississippi River, within Section30of Township 14 South, Range24 East,being comprisedof arpent Lots 27 through35of theCazalar Plantation,des‐ignatedasTract Bonplatofsur‐veybythe office of Gandolfo,Kuhn, Luecke &Asso‐ciates,dateAu‐gust 10, 1977, registered in COB913, folio 622, and a portionofar‐pent Lot26of theCazalar Plantation,des‐ignatedasLot 26-X-2A on plat of survey by the office of Gan‐dolfo, Kuhn, Luecke &Asso‐ciates,

datedMay 1, 1978 (drawing No.B-282-3) a printofwhich is attached to an act before Gerald R. Cooper,N.P., datedSeptem‐ber20, 1978, registered in COB939, folio 318, now designated as PARK PLACE SUBDIVISION, andfurther re‐subdivided to show Phase III by aplanofJ J. Krebs& Sons Inc.,dated June 27, 1980, and approved by the JeffersonParish Council under OrdinanceNo. 14412, datedAu‐gust 12, 1980, recorded in COB 987, folio 8, and accordingto said resubdiv‐sion plan,and an individual lot survey by J. J. Krebs& Sons, Inc.,August15, 1980, resur‐veyed January5,1981, to show im‐provements, a copy of which is annexedtoan actbefore Clifford P. De‐Laup,Jr.,N.P., datedJanuary 26, 1981, said lot lies in asquare bounded by ParkPlace and Fairfax Drives, GladstoneCourt (side),and Lennox Boulevard (side),and is designated as LOTNO. 446. Said lotcom‐mences 501.34 feet from thein‐tersection of Park Placeand Fairfax Drives andmeasures thence 23.50 feet front on Park Place Drive, same

widthinthe rear,bya depth between equaland paral‐lellines of 110 feet.All as more fullyshown on a survey by Gilbert, Kelly &Cou‐turie,Inc., dated September22, 1990, adding boundaryof Parcel B-1.

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

EMILYA MUELLER Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson TheNew Orleans Advocate: August 29, 2025 October3,2025 aug29-oct3-2t $89

the Clerk of Council, Room 1E09, City Hall, 1300 Perdido Street.

LORA W. JOHNSON, LMMC, MMC CLERK OF COUNCIL

PUBLICATION DATE: October 3, 2025 NOCP 8664 OFFICIAL NOTICE CAL. NO. 35,241

EXHIBIT A INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT BY AND BETWEEN THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS AND THE STATEOFLOUISIANA –LOUISIANA WORKFORCE COMMISSION [COVER PAGE] STATEOFLOUISIANA LOUISIANA WORKFORCE COMMISSION WORKFORCE INNOVATION AND OPPORTUNITY ACT (WIOA) SUBAWARD GRANT AGREEMENT

The Governor of the State of Louisiana has received agrant from United States Department of Labor (USDOL) to administer the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). The Governor has authorized the Louisiana Workforce Commission (LWC),Office of Workforce Development, acting as State Administrative Entity (SAE) under this agreement, to award and oversee allocations of these funds to the Local WorkforceDevelopment Board(LWDB)and the local area Chief Elected Officials.

The WIOA authorizes the LWDB to provide employment and training programs consistent with WIOA, the Louisiana Combined State Plan, the local plan, and this SubawardGrant Agreement (Agreement). All parties to the Agreement consent to the following:

This Agreement is entered into between the LWC, Office of Workforce Development, hereinafter referredtoasSAE and the Local Subaward Grant Recipient, hereinafter referredtoas

Subrecipient Name: City of New Orleans

Address: 1300 Perdido Street, Room 2E10 New Orleans, LA 70112

Federal TaxIDNo.: 72-6000969

DUNS#: CLE8JX1PQ674

Contact Person: LaToya Cantrell

Title: Mayor

Telephone: 504-658-4900

Fax: 504-658-4939

E-mail address: ttjohnson@nola.gov

The Fiscal Agent appointed by the Subrecipient:

Fiscal Agent: City of New Orleans

Address: 1300 Perdido Street, Room 2E10 New Orleans, LA 70112

Federal TaxIDNo.: 72-6000969

DUNS#: CLE8JX1PQ674

Contact Person: LaToya Cantrell

Title: Mayor Telephone: 504-658-4900

Fax: 504-658-4939

E-mail address: ttjohnson@nola.gov

FUNDING INFORMATION

Funding Source: U.S. Department of Labor,Employmentand Training Administration Federal AwardIdentificationNumber (FAIN):

25A55AY000144 Youth Program Activities(Fed. AwardDate-07/17/2025)

25A55AT000129 Adult Program Activities (Fed. Award Date -07/25/2025)

25A55AW000138 Dislocated Worker Program (Fed. AwardDate08/04/2025)

Total Amount of Federal Funds Obligated to Subrecipient: $3,680,988

Total Amount of the Federal Award: Youth: $13,943,764; Adult: $13,800,624; Dislocated Worker: $13,178,385

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Numbers and Name: 17.259 WIA/WIOA Youth Activities 17.258 WIA/WIOA Adult Activities

17.278 WIA/WIOA Dislocated WorkerActivities

Is this Agreement for R&D?____Yes XNo CONTACT PERSON: Rufus Nwogu, Ph. D

AGREEMENT TERM

This Agreement covers the period from April 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027.However,this Agreement is not effective until signed by both the Subrecipient and the Secretary of LWCordesignee.

MAXIMUM AGREEMENT AMOUNT

In consideration of the services described in this Agreement, LWChereby agrees to reimburse the Subrecipient amaximum amount of $3,680,988

Reimbursement of all costs, direct and indirect aresubject to allowability criteria set forth in Office of Management and Budget (OMB), 2CFR Part 200,etal.

COST REIMBURSEMENT BASIS

Pursuant to WIOA §184(a) (3) (B) procurement transactions between Subrecipient and units of State or local governments shall only be conducted on acost reimbursement basis. This sub awardgrant agreement is not a“procurement transaction” between LXC and the Subrecipient. This subsection refersto“procurement transactions” involving the acquisition of supplies or services by the Subrecipient and units of State or local governments.

SCOPE OF SERVICES

The Subrecipient shall provide workforce development services in accordance with Title I-B of WIOA (Public Law 113-128, July 22, 2014), and the Local and Regional Workforce Development Area Plan, including approved modifications and amendments to the plans, and any other waiver plan approved under WIOA§189(i) (3) (A) or Workforce Flexibility plan approved under WIOA §190. In providing workforce development services, the Local Grant Recipient must comply with all applicable OMB circulars, including, but not limited to, Uniform Guidance issued December 26, 2013 (Federal Register,2 CFRChapter I, Chapter II, Part 200, et al.) and all applicable Federal and State statutes, regulations, andpolicies.

REGIONAL/LOCAL PLANNING

The Local Workforce Development Boardinpartnership with the Chief Elected Official (CEO) must develop and submit acomprehensive 4-year local plan for PY2024 through PY2027, which begins on July 1, 2024, as set forth in WIOA §108. If part of aplanning region, thelocalboard shall comply with section 106(c) in the preparation and submission of a regional plan.

At the end of the first 2-years of the 4-year local plan, each local board shall review the local plan, and in partnership with the CEO, prepareand submit modifications to the plan that reflects changes in labor marketand economic conditions or other factors affecting implementation of the plan.

PROGRAM PERFORMANCE

The performance accountability system set forth in WIOA§116 establishes measures that apply acrossthe coreprograms to assess the effectiveness of programs in achievingpositive outcomes for individuals served by those programs. The local board, the CEO,and the Governor shall negotiate and reach an agreement on local levels of performance based on the State adjusted levels of performance established

LWCwill

Helping IndividualsReaching Employment (HiRE)

recorded in LWC

LWCwill collect data and report on the following WIOA Business Metrics used to assess LWDA performance:

1. Overall Business Market Penetration

2. Repeat Business Customers

LWCwill negotiate with each LWDB on performance of WIOA Measures and will report outcomes as exceeded, met, or failed.

If asubrecipient fails to meet coreindicators of performance measures foraprogram in aprogram year,LWC will inform in writing the local board chairperson, local boarddirector, and CEO, identifying the failure. This report shall include the specificcoreindicators of performance measures, and specificchanges and steps needed to meet coreindicators.

The Subrecipient must then createand submittoLWC acorrective action plan addressing the reported failurewithin 45 calendar days of issuance of notice. Failuretocomplymay result in penalties for noncompliance. Reference Penalties forNoncompliance section in this contract.

Should aSubrecipient fail the same coreindicators of performance measures fortwo consecutive program years, LWCwill issue written notice to the local boardchairperson, local boarddirector,and CEOof the failure. LWCwill revi corrective action plan. LWCmay take additional actions or make recommendationstothe Governor that may include, but arenot limited to:

1. The appointment and certification of anew local board

2. Prohibit the use of eligible providers and One-Stop partners identified as achieving apoor level of performance; or Take such other actions as the Governor determines to be appropriate. Those areas designated as LWDAs must performsuccessfullyand maintain fiscal integrity during adesignation period. Shouldlocal areas fail to do so, LWCmay deny subsequent designation or take other administrative corrective actions.

PROGRAMINCOME

General.Subrecipients areencouraged to earnincome to defray program costs whereappropriate.

Cost of generating program income.Ifauthorized by Federal regulations or the Federal award, costsincidental to the generationofprogram income may be deducted from gross income to determine program income, provided these costs have not been charged to the Federal award.

Governmental revenues.Taxes, special assessments, levies, fines, and other such revenues raised by aSubrecipient arenot program income unless the revenues arespecificallyidentified in the Federal awardor

Federal awarding agency regulations as program income.

Property proceeds from the sale of real property,equipment, or supplies arenot program income. These proceeds must be handled in accordance with the requirements of SubpartD Post Federal Award Requirements of this part, Property Standards §§ 200.311 Real property, 200.313 Equipment, and 200.314 Supplies, or as specificallyidentified in Federal statutes, regulations, or the termsand conditions of the Federal award.

Use of program income.The deduction method described in 2CFR 200.307 must be used in allocating any program income generated for this grant award. Subrecipientsmust expend all program income prior to drawing down additional funds as required at 2CFR 200.305(b) (5) and 2CFR 200.307(e).Subrecipients must returnany program income found remaining at the end of the period of performance.

PENALTIES FOR NONCOMPLIANCE

LWCmay impose additional specificawardconditions, as described in 2 CFR§200.207, in the event of the Subr oncompliance with Federal or state statutes, regulations or the termsand conditions as described herein.. If LWCdetermines that noncompliance cannot be remedied by imposing additional conditions, LWCmay take one or moreofthe following actions, as appropriate in the circumstances:

1. Temporarily withhold cash payments pending correction of the deficiency by the local area or moresevereenforcement action by LWC.

2. Disallow (that is, deny both use of funds and any applicable matching credit for) all or part of thecostofthe activity or action notincompliance.

3. Wholly or partly suspend or terminate the allocation of WIOA funds.

4. Recommend that suspension or debarment proceedings as authorized under 2CFR part 180 be initiated by aFederal awarding agency

5. Withhold further WIOAfunds for the project or program.

6. Take other remedies that may be legally available.

ALLOCATIONS

Funds areallotted to the local area forservices to youth, adults and dislocated workers in accordance with WIOAsections128(b)(2)(A),133 (b) (2)(A), 133 (b)(2)(B)and WIOA Combined StatePlan.

Funds allocated to asubrecipient under WIOA sections 128(b) and 133(b), forany program year areavailable for expenditure onlyduring that program year and the succeeding program year.[20 CFR683.110]

Thereare two general categories across which allcostsare allocated: administrative and program.

1. Administrative costs arethat portion of necessary and allowable costs incurred for the overall management and administration of the WIOAprogram and which arenot directly related to the provision of services to participants and employers.

a. No morethan 10 percent of the funds available during the Agreement period, may be spent on administrative costs.

b. The term “administrative costs” refers to expenditures incurred by Stateboards and local boards, direct recipients (including Stategrant recipients under subtitle Boftitle Iand recipients of awards under subtitles Cand Doftitle I), local grant recipients, local fiscal agents or local grant subrecipients, and one-stop operators in the performance of administrative functions and in carrying out activities under title Ithat arenot related to the direct provision of workforce investment services (including services to participants and employers).

c. Such costsinclude both personnel and non-personnel costs and both directand indirect costs. [WIOA§3(1)]

2. Program costsare those expenditures directly related to the provision of workforce development activities and not related to the overallmanagement and administration of the workforce investment system. Aminimum of 90% of the funds available under this Agreement must be spent on program costs.

WIOA requires allmandated partners contribute to infrastructurecostsin all Comprehensive American Job Centers and any Affiliate American Job Centers in which they provide access to services. WIOA §121 requires that the local board, CEO, and mandated one-stop partners agree on the methodology forallocating infrastructurecostsand the method by which each mandated partner will contribute their allocated share. Contribution methods allowed arecash, non-cash, third party in-kind, funding from philanthropic organizations and funding from other private entities. Individuals with authority must sign and recordanInfrastructure Agreements(IFA) via aMemorandum of Understanding (MOU), to bind the signatories to the IFA.

percentofthe allocation for adult anddislocated worker training activitiestoprovide transition jobs. [WIOA §134 (d) (5)]. The policy will be requested by Louisiana Workforce Commission for internal office filing. The definition for transitionaljobs is: time-limited, subsidized workexperiences thathelpindividuals whoare chronically unemployed andhave barriers to employment, who have establishedaworkhistory, andwho have developed skills to accessunsubsidized employment and progressed in the workplace.

The local boardmay use up to 10 percentofthe totalfunds allocated for adult, dislocated worker,and youth activitiestosupportpay-forperformance contracts. The term “pay-for-perfromace contract strategy” means aprocurement strategy thatuses pay-for-performance contracts in the provision of training services described in section 134(c)(3)or activitiesdescribed in section 129(c)(2).

In accordance with WIOA §129 (a) (4)(A), in general, not less than75 percentoffunds (currentwaiver expireson06.30.2024)available for youth workforce investment

REPORTING OF EXPENDITURES AND OBLIGATIONS

Accurate

accordance with

set forth

LWCPolicyNumberOWD 4-15 WIOA Title IAllocations andFinancialReportingand anyamendments/ addendums thereof, areincorporatedhereinthe Agreementbyreference. LWCpoliciesare available underHiREStaff Online Resources

Subrecipients must electronically report accrued expenditures and obligations on amonthly basis for allprograms. Subrecipients using accrual accounting systems thatdonot necessarily captureall accrued expenditureorusing cash basis accounting must maintain accrual worksheets to capture the additionaldataand documentation required to report expendituresonanaccrual basis. Accrued expenditures areapart of the totalobligations, andmust be reported. In general, totalaccrued expenditures arecosts incurredfor goods andservices received regardless of whethera payment hasbeen made.Prior month expenditurereports aredue no laterthanthe 25th day of the currentmonth, as specified in the LWCPolicyOWD 4-15, WIOA Title IAllocations andFinancialReporting. Final expenditures andother financialrecords must be submittednolater than60days following the enddateofthe Agreementperiod as part of the closeout process

LWCwill send an electronic late notification to the LWDB director and boardchair if prior month expenditurereports arenot received by the 25th day of the following month. The CEO, the LWDB director,and boardchair aresubject to noticebyLWC of this performance issue if expenditure reports areconsistently late.Failuretocorrect the performance issue is subject to sanction andmay result in penalties for noncompliance Cash draw is not permitted for anyprogramuntil allpast due reports are received andcertified by LWC’s fiscal unit.

Local Workforce Development Boards must request cash draws no later thanten (10) calendar days afterthe monthly expenditurereport duedate (ten days afterthe 25th of each month).

Consistently failing to draw WIOA funds in atimely mannerisconsidered unsatisfactory performance, andmay result in notification of such delinquency to appropriate entitiesand penalties for noncompliance

LWCshall monitor the Subrecipeint’sexpindituresand obligations during the program year to ascertainthatprogramspending levels are appropriate andifthe Subrecipient will spend and/or obligate least eighty percent(80%) of Title Ifunds by the conclusion of the first program year for whichthe funds areallocated.

RETURNED AND REALLOCATION OF UNOBLIGATEDFUNDS

The State mayrecaptureand reallocateexcess unobligatedfunds among Subrecipients in the state at the endof first programyear in accordance with WIOA Section 128 (c) and133 (c). If the Governor chooses to reallocatefunds, the following provisions apply:

For the Youth, Adult andDislocated Worker programs, anyamount to be recaptured from alocal area for purposes of reallocation,may be based on the amount by whichthe first year’s unobligatedbalance of allocated funds exceeds 20 percentofthatyear’sallocation for the program; less anyamount reserved (upto10percent) for the costs of administration. Unobligatedbalances aredeterminedbased on allocations adjustedfor allowable transfers between funding streams. This amount is separately determined for each funding stream

To be eligible to receive Youth, Adult or Dislocated Worker funds under the reallocation procedures, alocal area must have obligated at least 80 percentofthe first program year’sallocation, less anyamount reserved (upto10percent) for the costs of administration,for Youth, Adult, or Dislocated Worker activities, as separately determined. ASubrecipient’s eligibility to receive areallocation is separately determined for each funding stream

When usedinconnection with anon-Federal entity’s utilization of funds underaFederal award, an obligation is an orderplaced for property and services, acontract andsubawardmade, or asimilartransactions during agivenperiod thatrequires payment by the non-Federal entity during the same or futureperiod. (OMB 2CFR Chapter 1, Chapter II, Part 200, et al §200.71)

AGREEMENT APPROVAL

This Agreementisnot effective until it is signed by the Secretary of LWC or designee. It is the responsibility of the Subrecipient to notify LWCin advance if Agreement Funds or AgreementTermsmay be insufficientto complete AgreementObjectives.

SALARYAND BONUS LIMITATIONS

In accordance with WIOA sections101(h)(3)and 107(f)(3), the State andlocal boarddirector (andstaff)are subject to the limitations on the payment of salary andbonusesdescribed in WIOA section 194(15).This means thatpaymenttoaState or local boarddirector,including salary andbonuses, eitherasdirect costs or indirect costs, may not exceed the annualrateofbasicpay prescribed for level II of the Executive Schedule undersection 5313 of Title 5, UnitedStatesCode.Where applicable,the Subrecipient agrees to comply with the Salary andBonus Limitations. The incurrence of costs andreceiving reimbursement for these costs under this awardcertifies thatyour organization hasreadthe above special condition andisincompliance.

VETERAN’SPRIORITYPROVISIONS Federal grants for qualified job training programs fundedinwhole or in part, by the U.S. Department of Labor,are subject to the provisions of the “Jobs for VeteransAct”(JVA), Public Law107-288 (38USC 4215).The JVA provides priority of service to veterans andspouses of certainveterans for the receipt of employment, training, andplacementservices. Please note thattoobtain priority service, apersonmust meet the program’s eligibility requirements. Training andEmployment GuidanceLetter(TEGL)

TIONAL ASSOCI‐ATIONNOT IN ITSINDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUTSOLELYAS OWNER

TRUSTEEOF RCAF ACQUISI‐TION TRUST vs CHAD W. VINJU ANDSHAWN M. VINJU

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 21, 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 Wednesday, Oc‐tober8,2025 at 10 o'clocka.m thefollowing describedprop‐erty to wit:

ONECERTAIN LOTOFGROUND, TOGETHER WITH ALLTHE BUILD‐INGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON, AND ALLTHE RIGHTS WAYS,PRIVI‐LEGES, SERVITUDES, APPURTE‐NANCES AND ADVANTAGES THEREUNTOBE‐LONGING OR IN ANYWISE APPERTAINING, SITUATED IN

Theimprove‐mentsbearthe municipalad‐dress1612Sev‐ernAve., Metairie,LA 70001

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 ofCredit.

ASHLEY E. MORRIS Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson TheNew Orleans Advocate: August 29, 2025 October3,2025 aug29-oct3-2t $89

THEPARISHOF JEFFERSON STTE OF LOUISIANA, IS FAIRFIELDADDI‐TION NO 2, PER SURVEY OF ADLOE ORR, JR &ASSO‐CIATES,C.E DATEDAPRIL 11, 1955, ACOPYOF WHICHISON FILE IN THEOF‐FICE OF THE CLERKOF COURT, PARISH OF JEFFERSON, IN PLAN BOOK 26, FOLIO 18,AND SITUATED IN SQUARE NO.87 SHREWSBURY, WHICHSQUARE IS BOUNDEDBY SEVERN AVENUE 43RDSTREET, ARMAULT ROAD AND44TH STREET ANDAC‐CORDINGTOA SKETCH OF SUR‐VEYMADE BY GILBERT KELLY& CON‐TARIESURVEY‐ERS, DATEDMAY 8, 1971, APRINT OF WHICHISAN‐NEXEDANACT RECORDED AT COB735 FOLIO 536 SAID LOTIS DESIGINATEDAS LOT'L' CONTIN‐UATION AT A DISTANCE OF 80 MINUTES FROM THE COVEROFSEV‐ERNAVE AND 43RDSTREET ANDMEASURES THENCE,INTHE DIRECTIONOF 44THSTREET,60 MINUTESFRONT ON SEVERN AVE, NAME WIDTHIN THEREAR, BY A DEPTHOF100 MINUTES BETWEEN EQUAL AND PARALLEL LINES SAID LOT 'L'IS COMPOSED OF THE GREATERPOR‐TIONSOFORIGI‐NALLOTSNOS 11 AND12; subject to restrictions, servitudes rights-of-way andoutstanding mineralrights of record affect‐ingthe property

OFFICIAL NOTICE

Public Notice is hereby given that the Council of the City of New Orleans

will consider at its regular meeting of October 9, 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 35,252 introduced at the meeting of September 25, 2025.

SAID ORDINANCE would authorize the Mayor of the City of New Orleans to enter into Amendment No. ItoanexistingCooperative Endeavor Agreement between the City of New Orleans (the “City”) and the Audubon Commission (the “Audubon”) for the design and construction of improvements to the Audubon Riverview,Audubon Park and Waldenberg Park. Amendment No. Itothe Cooperative Endeavor Agreement will now include the Governor Nicholls St. Wharf SubstructureRepairs as a project, extends the CEA through January 1, 2028, and adds an additional $3,551,412.00 of City Bond funds.

Said ordinance may be seen in full in the Office of the Clerk of Council Room 1E09, City Hall, 1300 Perdido Street.

LORA W. JOHNSON, LMMC, MMC CLERK OF COUNCIL

PUBLICATION DATE: October 3, 2025 NOCP 8668

OFFICIALNOTICE CAL. NO. 35,252 EXHIBIT A AMENDMENT NUMBER 1TOTHE COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS AND THE AUDUBON COMMISSION [COVER PAGE]

AMENDMENT NO. 1TOTHE COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT BY AND BETWEEN THE CITYOFNEW ORLEANS AND AUDUBON COMMISSION THE RIVERVIEW,STORMWATER

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:862-382

LAKEVIEW LOAN SERVICING, LLC VS RAYCHELL

MARIEHARRIS A/K/ARAY‐CHELLE M. HAR‐RIS

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 6, 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 Wednesday,Oc‐tober8,2025 at 10 o'clocka.m thefollowing describedprop‐erty to wit:

ACERTAIN PIECEORPOR‐TION OF GROUND,to‐gether with all thebuildings and improvements thereon, andall therights, ways, i il

g privileges, servitudes,ad‐vantages andappurte‐nances there‐untobelonging, or in anywise appertaining situated,lying andbeing in the Parish of Jeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana, in that part known as the WHITEHOUSE SUBDIVISION, formingpartof theTownof Westwego, and designated as theWHOLE OF LOTS NUMBERS THIRTEEN (13), FOURTEEN (14), FIFTEEN(15) ANDFOUR(4') FEET OF LOT NUMBER SIX‐TEEN (16),ad‐joiningLot No.15of SQUARE NUM‐BERFORTYEIGHT(48) of said subdivi‐sion,ona plan of survey made by AlvinE.Hotard, Parish Surveyor datedGretna, Louisiana, June 1, 1936, ablue printofwhich is attached to and made part of an actofsaleby Marrero Lane andIm‐provementAs‐sociation, Lim‐ited,toLeonRi‐choux, passed before Ernest M. Conzelmann, Notary Public, datedJune17, 1936; andac‐cordingtosaid plan, said Square is bounded by Av‐enue "E and"D, Fifthand Sixth Streets; said

Lots NumbersThir‐teen (13),Four‐teen (14),and Fifteen (15),ad‐join each other, and measureeach THIRTY-TWO (32')feet front on Avenue "D", thesamewidth in the rear,bya depth between equal andparallel linesofOne Hundred Twenty-Fiveand 81/100 (125.81) feet,saidpor‐tion of LotNum‐berSixteen (16) adjoinsLot No 15, and measures Four (4') feet fronton Avenue "D", the same width in therear, by a depth between equal andparallel linesofOne hundred Twenty-Fiveand 81/100 (125.81') feet,saidpiece or portionof ground mea‐suresOne Hun‐dred (100')feet fronton Avenue "D", by adepth be‐tween equal andparallel linesofOne Hundred Twenty-Fiveand 81/100 (125.81') feet;subject to restrictions, servitudes, rights-of-way andoutstanding mineralrights of record affect‐ingthe property

Theimprove‐mentsbearthe municipalad‐dress645 Av‐enue D, West‐wego, LA 70094.

in writing prior to January 1, 2028.

B. ADDITIONAL PROJECT.The following project will be added to the Agreement:

i. Governor Nicholls St. Wharf SubstructureRepairs: Repairs and replacement of existing timber and steel piles and concrete slab between column lines 43 and 59 on the Gov. Nicholls St.Wharf.

C COMPENSATION.The following fees will be paid by the City to Audubon forthe additional services needed for the projects:

i. Governor NichollsSt. Wharf SubstructureRepairs: $2,393,412.00.

ii. WoldenbergPark Improvement overruns: $1,158,000.00

D MAXIMUM COMPENSATION.The total maximum aggregate compensation payable by the City under this Agreement is increased from $8,620,000.00, not to exceed $12,171.412.00.The City’s obligation to compensate Audubon under this Agreement will not exceed the maximum aggregateamount payableatany time, unless increased by a validly executed written amendment.

E. STATEPROCUREMENT LAWS.Audubon swears to comply with all state procurement laws.

F. CONVICTED FELON STATEMENT.Audubon swears that it complies with City Code Section§2-8(c). No Audubon principal, member or officer has, within the preceding five years, been convicted of, or pled guilty to,a felony under state or federal statutes for embezzlement, theft of public funds, bribery,orfalsification or destruction of public records.

G. NON-SOLICITATION STATEMENT.Audubon swears that it has not employed or retained any company or person, other than abona fide employee working solelyfor it, to solicit or securethis Amendment Audubon has not paid or agreed to pay any person, other than abona fide employee working forit, any fee, commission, percentage, gift, or any other considerationcontingent upon or resulting from this Amendment

H. ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE AND DELIVERY.The Parties agree that amanually signed copy of this Amendment and any other document(s) attached to this Amendment delivered by facsimile, email,or other means of electronic transmission shall be deemed to have the same legal effect as delivery of an original signed copy of this Amendment.No legally binding obligation shall be created with respect to aParty until such Party has delivered or caused to be delivered amanually signed copy of this Amendment I. PRIOR TERMS BINDING.Except as otherwise provided by this Amendment,the terms and conditions of the Agreement remaininfull forceand effect.

J. COUNTERPARTS.This Amendment may be executed in one or morecounterparts, each of which shallbedeemed to be an original copy of this Amendment,but all of which, when taken together,shall constitute one and the same amendment.

[SIGNATURES AND EXHIBIT “A” CONTAINED ON THE FOLLOWING PAGES]

[The remainder of this page is intentionally left blank.]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF,the City and the Audubon, through their duly authorized representatives, execute this Amendment CITY OF NEW ORLEANS

BY:_ LATOYACANTRELL, MAYOR

Executed on this____ of__________________ ,2025.

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 CANDACEA COURTEAU Attorney for Plaintiff JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

TheNew Orleans Advocate: August 29, 2025 October3,2025 aug29-oct3-2t $89

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT 24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:866-995 FEDERALHOME LOAN MORT‐GAGE CORPORA‐TION AS TRUSTEEFOR THE BENEFITOFTHE FREDDIEMAC SEASONED LOANSSTRUC‐TURED TRANSACTION

TRUSTSERIES

2020-3 VERSUS SARAHBECNEL, ALAINA BECNEL ANDKYLEBEC‐NEL

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, datedJuly23, 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 Wednesday,Oc‐tober8,2025 at 10 o'clocka.m thefollowing describedprop‐erty to wit:

ONE(1) CERTAIN LOTOFGROUND, TOGETHER WITH ALLOFTHE BUILDINGS, RIGHTS,WAYS, PRIVILEGES, SERVITUDES, ADVANTAGES AND APPURTE‐NANCES THERE‐UNTO BELONG‐INGORINANY‐WISE APPER‐TAINING, SITUATED,LYING ANDBEING IN THEPARISHOF JEFFERSON, STATEOF LOUISIANA, IN THAT PART KNOWNAS STONEBRIDGE

FORM AND LEGALITY APPROVED:

Law Department

By:

Printed Name:

CITYOFNEW ORLEANS, CITY COUNCIL

BY:_

CITYCOUNCIL PRESIDENT

AUDUBON COMMISSION

BY:_ J. KELLYDUNCAN, PRESIDENT

Executed on this____ of__________________ ,2025.

FEDERAL TAXI.D. NO.

SUBDIVISION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEPLAN OF RESUBDIVI‐SION BY J.J. KREBS& SONS, INC, DATEDAU‐GUST 31, 1981, APPROVED BY THEJEFFERSON PARISH COUNCILUNDER ORDINANCE 15014, ADOPTED JANUARY6, 1982, REGISTERED UNDERENTRY NO.1001764, COB1019, FOLIO 674; AND ACCORDINGTO SAID PLAN SAID LOTISDESIG‐NATEDASLOT FOUR HUNDRED TWENTY ONE (421) OF SQUARE FIFTEEN (15),WHICH SAID SQUARE IS BOUNDEDBY PARCEL A, LAKE LYNN DRIVE, LAKE LOUISE DRIVE, LAKE KRISTIN DRIVEAND LAKE TIMBERLANE DRIVE,AND AC‐CORDINGTO SAID PLAN,SAID LOT421 MEA‐SURESONE HUNDRED THIRTY EIGHT AND 61/100 (138.61') FEET FRONTON LAKE TIMBER‐LANE DRIVE WITH AWIDTH IN THEREAROF SEVENTYAND 56/100 (70.56) FEET,BYA DEPTHONTHE SIDELINE AD‐JOININGLOT 420 OF ONEHUN‐DRED FORTY ANDNO/100 (140.00') FEET,AND A

[EXHIBIT ACONTAINED ON THE FOLLOWING PAGE]

AMENDED EXHIBIT “A”: LISTOFPROJECTS

•InfrastructureImprovements to Audubon Riverview -$1,520,000.00. Project includesreplacing lighting with energy-efficientstandards, repairing/repaving Riverside walkwayand replacing benches with graffiti- resistant seating, renovating pavilions, tree protection, andrepaving roads. Improvements include replacement and installation of energy-efficientlighting, installing emergency communication system, repaving walkway, replacementof benches, renovation of pavilions, the repaving of Riverside East andWest Drives, andthe striping of abike lane

•Audubon Stormwater ResilienceProject -$0.00. Audubon Park lagoons will be terraced andthe shoreline reinforced with geosynthetic andnative plants. The lagoons will also be connected to improve circulation andwater quality between lagoons. Terracingofthe lagoons is anticipatedtoadd 75 million gallons of storm waterstorage

•Woldenberg Park Improvements -$5,398,000.00 Improvements to the river front park where festivals andevents areheld, including dedicated stage locations, reinforced vehicular accesspaths, dedicated facilitieslocations, permanent electrical andsound connections, newlighting, landscaping and reconfiguration of the lawn

•Governor Nicholls St. Wharf SubstructureRepairs -$2,393,412.00

Repairs andreplacementofexisting timberand steel piles and concrete slab between column lines43and 59 on the Gov Nicholls St. Wharf

•Audubon Riverview Erosion Repair- $2,860,000.00

Repairs andreplacementoferosion controls, bulkheads, and sidewalks along the length of Riverview Park. Originalstructures were constructedinthe 1980’sand have exceeded their functional life expectancy

LORA W. JOHNSON, LMMC, MMC

CLERK OF COUNCIL

PUBLICATION DATE:February 24, 2023 NOCP 8669

160622-562029-oct3-1t $332.64

SIDELINEAD‐

(221.11')FEET; subject to re‐strictions, servitudes rights-of-way andoutstanding mineral rights ofrecordaffect‐ing the property

THEREONBEAR MUNICIPAL NO 3737 LAKE TIM‐BERLANE DRIVE.

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 withBankLetter ofCredit. ZACHARYGAR‐RETT YOUNG Attorney for Plaintiff JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

August 29, 2025 October 3, 2025 aug29-oct3-2t $89

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:865-303

REGIONSBANK D/B/AREGIONS MORTGAGE VERSUS CODY CLARE VEGA 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 May29, 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 Wednesday,Oc‐tober 8, 2025 at 10o'clock a.m. the following described prop‐ertytowit: ACERTAIN

PIECEORPOR‐TIONOF GROUND, to‐getherwithall the buildings and improvements thereon, andall ofthe rights, ways, privi‐leges,servi‐tudes,advan‐tages andappurte‐nancesthere‐untobelonging orinanywise appertaining, situated in the Parish of Jeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,in HARLEMPARK‐WAY,inSQUARE NO. 4, whichsquareis bounded by BoreStreet, Ridgelake Drive, WhiteStreet and the property line of MetairieLawn Subdivision, whichlot is des‐ignated as LOTF ona plan by R. P. Rordam, C. E. dated Novem‐ber 5, 1940, im‐provementslo‐cated April2, 1941, acopyof which is an‐nexed to an act beforeMayer L. Dresner,Notary Public datedOctober 4,1941,and ac‐cording thereto saidLot Fcom‐mencesata dis‐tance of 110feet from the corner of BoreStreet and Ridgelake Drive and measures thence42 feet fronton

Bore Street, samewidth in the rear,by a depth between equal and parallel linesof 120 feet.Ac‐cording to asur‐vey by Gilbert, Kelly Couturie, Inc. dated January11, 1973, acopyof which is an‐nexed to an act beforeHenry O'Connor, Jr Notary Public dated January 22, 1973, said lot has thesame location, desig‐nation, boundariesand measurements hereinaboveset forth 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 withBankLetter ofCredit.

JEREMY L NUSLOCH Attorney for Plaintiff

Advocate: August29, 2025

October3,2025

aug29-oct3-2t $89

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:864-802

DEUTSCHE BANK TRUSTCOM‐PANY AMERI‐CAS, AS TRUSTEEFOR RESIDENTIAL ACCREDIT LOANS, INC., MORTGAGE ASSET-BACKED PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006QS10 VERSUS ERNEST J. BAKERA/K/A ERNEST BAKER, KRISTINGUFFEY BAKERA/K/A KRISTING BAKERA/K/A KRISTINBAKER ANDMARGARET G. SPEED A/K/A MARGARET SPEED

Byvirtueofand inobedience to a Writ of SEIZURE AND SALEfromthe

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson TheNew Orleans

y OrdinanceNo. 8286, and recordedinCOB 3032, folio 469, Instrument No 10026577, said ordinancehav‐ing been cor‐rectedbyReso‐lutionNo. B14035 of theCity ofKenner, datedJanuary 18, 2001, and saidplanbeing further revised July26, 2000, and September 12, 2000, andbeing further ac‐ceptedbythe CityofKenner onOctober 19,2000, Ordi‐nance No.8363, and recorded in COB 304’,folio 141, Instrument No. 10055016, said ordinance hav‐ing been cor‐rectedbyReso‐lutionNo. B14036 of the City of Kenner, dated January 18, 2001, and recordedinCOB 3046, folio237.

Said Lot5A, SquareF mea‐sures 67.00 front on Cane Bayou Lane, sameinwidth in the rear,by a depth of 120.00’ between equal and parallel lines

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

purchase price isdue at the timeofthe

datedJune 2, 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 Wednesday,Oc‐tober 8, 2025 at 10o'clock a.m. the following described prop‐ertytowit: Onecertain lot orportion of ground,to‐getherwithall the buildings and improve‐ments thereonand all the rights,ways, privileges, servitudes,ap‐purtenances and advantages thereuntobe‐longing or in anywise apper‐taining,situated inthe City of Kenner,Parish ofJefferson State of Louisiana,des‐ignated as Lot 5A, Square F, of SouthlakeVil‐lages Subdivi‐sion, SectionII, asmorefully shown on the planof resubdivisionof BFM Corpora‐tion, datedMay 12, 2000, revised May 16, 2000 and May17, 20000 acceptedbythe CityofKenner on May18, 2000,

TERMS- Thefull

NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certified Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withBankLetter ofCredit.

DENNIS WIG‐GINS,JR. Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

TheNew Orleans Advocate: August 29,2025 October3,2025 aug29-oct3-2t $89