The Times-Picayune 11-09-2025

CanalStreet is reflected in the window of Adler’sindowntown NewOrleans on Wednesday.The Canal Street shop is iconic, but after127 years, third-generation owner Coleman E. Adler II said he is readytoretireand is closing its jewelrystores.

Losing thejewel of CanalStreet

BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff writer

ANew Orleans tradition, that exists only as an old memory,isthe excitement of aday spent shopping on Canal Street when it was lined with department stores and ladies donned white gloves —evenifonly to meet friends underthe clockat D.H. Holmes.

In the middle of thatbustling strip was Adler’s, afamily-owned jewelry and gift shop, where generationsof brides registeredfor china, crystal and sterling flatware and krewe captains commissioned pins for their courts.

Mental health backlog delays cases

Defendants in N.O. murder trials wait months for treatment, recordsshow

BY JILLIAN KRAMER Staff writer

Louisiana is failing to swiftly admit criminal defendants whoneed mental health treatment to the state’s only hospitalequippedtocarefor them, creating abacklogsosevere it hasstalled hundredsof cases across the state.

The direbacklogpersists even after aclassaction settlement required the hospitaltoaccept patients within roughly two weeks.

LONGING FORJUSTICE

Partthree in aseries

On average, murderand manslaughter defendants statewide spent nearly seven months last year waiting for abed at the Eastern Louisiana Mental Health System,ananalysis of homicide cases by The Times-Picayune shows.New Orleans’ defendants languished even longer: seven months and nine days. The delays ripple through courts statewide, but the gridlock is felt acutely in New Orleans, where homicide prosecutionsalready move among the slowest in the nation. The crushing waitfor admittance to the state mental hospital is just one force driving delays in ajustice system so clogged that cases can take yearstoresolve,eroding public trust and upending the lives caught in its churn. At the end of last year,30defendants from New Orleans wereawaiting transfer to the hospital. By

While thegloves and hatson Canal Street longago gave way to hotels, quick-serve restaurants andT-shirt shops, Adler’s, once known as the Tiffany’softhe South, hasremained—until now

AviewofAdler’sonCanal Street in the 1890s. Adler

After 127 years in continuous operation, Adler’sisgoing out of business, according to its third-generation owner,Coleman E. Adler II, who is retiring.

Adler,82, saidthe decision to close thetwo stores, located on Canal Street and in Metairie, was his alone.

“I will be 83 in January,and Ihave been doing this along time,” said Adler,who took over thebusiness in 1973 at age29, after his father and uncledied within amonth of each

other.“Many of my friends did this alongtime ago. It is time.”

Hisfourchildren, who have worked beside him in various capacities at Adler’s over theyears, will notkeep thebusiness going.

“They have their own careersand

Insiders reveal howRousse became LSU’s president

Landry played role in selection, as at otherstate universities

BY TYLER BRIDGES Staff writer

BY JENNA ROSS Staff writer

MONROE Thefriends arrived at the soupkitchen with toddlers in their arms and worry in their eyes Ashleigh Pearce and Sabrina Spearman had heard that because of the federal shutdown,their food assistance would be cut. (“Justgone.”) Then they heard that Louisiana wouldrestore aquarter of their allotment at atime. (“So I’vegotta buy some eggs.”) Then, they could lose benefits,longterm.(“People really need thosefunds.”) ‘Peoplejustcan’t afford to live’ As federalshutdownthreatens SNAP,needfor Louisiana residents on therise

ä See SNAP, page 8A

Four days before the LSU Board of Supervisors would select anew university president, McNeese State President Wade Rousse and University of Alabama Provost James Dalton met at the LSU president’shouse. Publicly,bothwerestill candidates for the LSU job. Behind the scenes,however,Rousse hadalready secured it. Gov. Jeff Landry had spread the word quietlyweeks earlier that Rousse’sbusiness-oriented approach for LSU aligned with the governor’svision. Lee Mallett, the board’svice chair and aclose Landry ally,had been working assiduously to arrange forRousse to show offhis can-dopersonalityinmeetings with other board membersand keypolitical and business leaders. But Rousse had publicly faced complaints from some faculty andstudents who said he wasn’tqual-

ä See ROUSSE, page 10A

BRIEFS FROM WIRE REPORTS

Missing girl’smother

arrested on other charge

LOS ANGELES The mother of 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard, who hasbeen missing since early October,was arrested Friday by Santa BarbaraCountysheriff’s deputies, but officials said the arrest was unrelatedto her daughter’sdisappearance.

Melodeewas last seen in August but was reported missing more recently when Lompoc Unified School District officials reported her prolonged absence Deputies searchedthe girl’s home in Vandenberg Village and spoke to her mother,but said the young girl was nowheretobe seen and that her mother was uncooperative in the investigation.

On Friday,Santa Barbara Countysheriff’s officials announced Ashlee Buzzard was taken into custodyafter she allegedly prevented avictimfrom leaving alocation. Sheriff’s officials offered no more details about the arrestexcept to say in astatement that it was not connectedtothe search for Melodee. The FBI has joined local law enforcementinthe search for the 9-year-old girl. On Thursday, Ashlee Buzzard was escortedoff the property as federal andlocal officialssearched thegirl’sSanta Barbara County home looking for clues to her whereabouts.

Lompoc school district officials reached outtothe sheriff’s office on Oct. 14 after Melodee hadbeen absent for some time.

Officials then released surveillance video that appeared to show Ashlee Buzzard and her daughter at acar rentalbusiness Oct.7

Officialsbelieve Ashlee Buzzard took her daughter and drove to Nebraska, passing through Kansas on the way Buzzard returnedhomeOct. 10, officials said.

Pfizer clinches dealfor obesity drug developer

NEWYORK U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer signed adeal to purchasedevelopment-stage obesity drugmaker Metsera Inc., winning abidding war against Novo Nordisk, the Danishdrugmaker behind weight-loss treatments Ozempic and Wegovy Metsera, based in New York, has no products on the market but it is developing oral and injectable treatments.Thatincludes some potential treatments thatcould target lucrative fields for obesity and diabetes.

Thedeal comes as Pfizer is attemptingtodevelopits own stake in that market, several months after ending development of apotential pilltreatment for obesity In astatement issued Friday, Metsera said Pfizer will acquire the company for up to $86.25 per share, consisting of $65.60 per share in cash and acontingent value right entitling holders to additional payments of up to $20.65 per share in cash.

The deal comes three days after Novo Nordisk raised the stakes in its push to outbidPfizer,saying Tuesday it would offer to pay as much as $10 billion for Metsera. That was higher than its previous bid of up to $9 billion which sparked alawsuit from Pfizer

Powerful tornado in Brazil kills 6people

RIODEJANEIRO— Apowerful tornado in Brazil’ssouthernstate of Parana killed six people and injured hundreds Friday night, state officials said Saturday.Dozens of homes were destroyed.

The tornado, which hit speeds of more than 155 mph, prompted the government to declare an emergencyinthe affected region.

State officials in astatement said at least one person was missing hours after the tornado touched down. Five of the killed wereadults and the sixth was a 14-year-old girl

The government said that more than 750 people, including childrenand pregnant women, had received medical attention. Of those, at least 10 underwent surgery and nine remained in serious condition

The tornado downed trees, overturned vehicles and lifted the roofs of several structures.

Gov.Carlos Massa RatinhoJr. declared three days of mourning in the state of Parana to honorthe dead.

Russianstrikes kill 4

BY SAMYAKULLAB and JOANNA KOZLOWSKA Associated Press

KYIV,Ukraine ARussiandrone slammed into an apartment buildingineasternUkraine early Saturday while many were sleeping, killing three people and wounding 12 others, Ukrainian authorities reported.

The attack in Dnipro, Ukraine’s fourth-largest city,was part of a largeRussianmissile anddrone barrage across the country that targeted power infrastructure. It also killed aworker at an energy company in Kharkiv,farther north, alocal official said.

Afire broke out and several apartments were destroyed in thenine-story buildinginDnipro, the emergency services said. Rescuers recovered thebodies of three people, while twochildren wereamong the wounded.

Russia fired atotal of 458 drones and 45 missiles, including 32 ballistic missiles.

Ukrainian forces shot down andneutralized 406dronesand nine missiles, the air force said, adding that 25 locations were struck.

Authorities switched offpower in several regions because of the attacks, UkrainianEnergy Minister SvitlanaGrynchuk said in a post onFacebook In eastern Ukraine, fighting for the strategic city of Pokrovsk has reached akey stage, with both Kyiv andMoscowvying to persuade U.S.President Donald Trump that they can win on the battlefield.

Meanwhile,Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrovsaid Saturdaythat work has begun on President Vladimir Putin’sorder to prepare plans for apossible Russiannuclear test, according to state news agencyTass.

Putin’sorder on Wednesday followed statements by Trump, which appeared to suggest that Washington would restart its own atomic tests forthe first time in three decades

Russia has beenpummeling Ukrainewithnear-dailydrone and missile strikes, killing and woundingcivilians. The Kremlin says its onlytargetsare linked to Kyiv’swar effort. Russia’s Defense Ministry asserted Saturday that thenighttime strikes hit military and energy sites supplying Ukrainian forces.

system toward aUkrainian positionatanundisclosed location Fridayinthisimage

Ukraine’s long-range drone strikes on Russian refineries aim to deprive Moscow of the oilexport revenue it needsto pursue the war.Russia wantsto cripple the Ukrainian power grid and deny civilians access to heat, light and running water in what Kyiv officials sayisanattempt to “weaponize winter ” UkrainianPrime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said in an X post that thestrikes damaged “several majorenergy facilities” around Kharkiv andKyiv,aswell as in the central Poltava region. Thermal power plants operated by Ukraine’sstate energy company Centrenergo were again knockedoffline by the nighttimestrikes,the company saidinastatementSaturday Centrenergo’sthreeplants in Kyiv,Kharkivand Donetskregions weredamaged by Russian attacks last year and subsequently restored. Russianforces, meanwhile, repelleda“massive”nighttime strike on energyfacilitiesinthe southern Volgograd region, Gov AndreiBocharov said Saturday, two days after Ukraine said that it hit akey oil refinery there with long-range drones. Bocharov added that the strike knocked out power in parts of theregion’s northwest,but caused no casualties.There was no immediate comment from Kyiv Russia’sDefense Ministry said on Saturday that its forces shot down 82 Ukrainian drones during thenight,including eight over theVolgogradregion. Two

people werewounded in the neighboring Saratovregionafter aUkrainian drone strike blew out windows in an apartment building,according to regional Gov.Roman Busarin.

Followingweeks of long-range strikes on Russia’senergy infrastructure that Ukraine says both fundsand directly fuels the Kremlin’swar,Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed on Friday to “finda way to ensure there is no Russian oil in Europe.” Zelenskyy spoke to reporters shortly after Hungary secured a yearlong exemption from recent U.S.sanctionstargeting major Russian oil producers. “Wewill not allow it. We will not let theRussianssell oil there. It’s amatteroftime,” he said at anews briefing aftermeeting with senior Ukrainian military leaders, without elaborating how Kyiv might seek to stanch the oil flows.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, aTrumpally whohas longurgedthe European Union to repair ties with Moscow,argues that landlocked Hungary hasnoviablealternativesto Russiancrude,and that replacing those supplieswould trigger an economiccollapse.Criticsdisputethat claim.

Elsewhere, the International Atomic EnergyAgency said that Ukraine’sZaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, whichisinanarea underRussian control, has been connected to the power grid with asecond transmission line.

Israel, Hamasagain exchange remains

BY WAFAASHURAFA, SALLYABOU ALJOUD and JULIAFRANKEL Associated Press

KHANYOUNIS,Gaza Strip More than 69,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israel-Hamas war so far, Gaza health officials said Saturday,asboth sides completed the latest exchange of bodies under the termsofthe tenuous ceasefire.

Thelatestjumpindeathsoccurred as more bodies arerecoveredinthe devastatedGazaStripsince the ceasefire began on Oct. 10, and as otherbodiesare identified. The toll also includesPalestinians killedby strikes that Israel says target remaining militants.

Israel on Saturday returned the remains of another 15 Palestinians to Gaza, according to hospital officials there, aday after militants returned the remains of ahostage to Israel. He was identified as Lior Rudaeff,according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’soffice. TheHostages andMissing FamiliesForum said that Rudaeffwas born in Argentina. Theexchanges are thecentral part of the ceasefire’sinitial phase, which requires that Hamas return allhostageremainsasquicklyaspossible. Familiesand supporters rallied again Saturday night in TelAviv for the return of all.

The most destructive war ever between Israel and the Palestinian militant group began with the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-ledattack on southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage. For each Israeli hostage returned, Israel has been releasing the remains of 15 Palestinians. AhmedDheir,director of forensic medicine at Nasser Hospital in the southern city of KhanYounis, said that the remains of 300 have now been returned, with 89 identified. “Wedonot have sufficient resources or the DNA to match them with the martyrs’ families,” Dheir said. Unidentified ones will be buried in batches.

Gaza’sHealth Ministry said the number of people killed there since the war began has risen to 69,169. The ministry,part of the Hamas-run government andstaffedbymedical professionals, maintains detailed records viewed as generally reliable by independent experts.

AllegedIranian plot to kill Israel’s ambassador to Mexico thwarted

BY MATTHEW LEE and DAVID KLEPPER Associated Press

WASHINGTON— Mexican authorities with assistance from the United States and Israeli intelligenceagenciesthwarted an alleged plot by Iran to assassinate the Israeli ambassador to Mexico, Israeli and U.S. officials said Friday.Mexicanauthoritiesdenied any knowledge of such aplot.

The plot to kill Ambassador Einat Kranz Neiger is alleged to have been hatched at theend of last year and remained active through themiddle of this year,whenitwas disrupted, theU.S.officials said.

Theofficials,speaking on condition of anonymity duetothe sensitivenature of the intelligence, said theplot was“contained” and does not pose acurrent threat.They did not offer details on how the plot was discovered or broken up. Iran’smission to the U.N. said it had no comment.

“Wethank the security and law enforcement services in Mexico for thwartinga terrorist networkdirected by Iran that sought to attack Israel’s ambassador in Mexico,” the IsraeliForeign Ministrysaid in astatement.

Mexico’sforeign relations and security ministries issueda briefjoint

statement Friday saying that “they havenoreport with respecttoasupposedattempt against the ambassador of Israel in Mexico.”

The State Department had no immediateexplanation for Mexico’sstatement. It said, “Iran’sinternational abhorrent plots, aimed at its own citizens, Americans, andcitizens of othernations areinconsistentwith thebehavior of a civilized state.”

According to intelligence documentsfromone of the U.S. officials, an officer in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps namedHasan Izadi, who also goes by the name Masood Rahnema, initiated the plotalong

planes

with other Iranianofficials while serving as an aide to Iran’sambassador to Venezuela.

HELP@THEADVOCATE.COMor504-529-0522 News Tips /Stories:

BY HALLIE GOLDEN and BRUCESCHREINER Associated Press

LOUISVILLE,Ky. Federal aviation officials issued an order Saturday for McDonnell Douglas MD-11 planes not to be flown pending further inspection, reinforcing cargo carriers’ decision to ground their fleets following adeadly crash at the UPS global aviation hub in Kentucky UPS and FedExsaidFridaythatthey were grounding their fleets of McDonnell Douglas MD-11s “out of an abundance of caution,” and the Federal Aviation Administration’s directivethe following daysidelined the planes until inspection and correction of anyproblems. In the Louisville crash, the jet’sleft engine detached during takeoff.

“This condition could result in loss of continued safe flight and landing,” the FAAsaid,adding that theissue “is likely to exist or develop in other productsof the same design.”

Thecrash TuesdayatUPS Worldport killed 14 people including the three pilots on the MD-11, which was headed for Honolulu.

MD-11aircraft makeupabout 9% of the UPS airline fleet and4%ofthe FedEx fleet,the companies said.

Boeing, whichmergedwithMcDonnell Douglas in 1997, said in astatementon itswebsite that it “recommended to the threeoperators of the MD-11 Freighter that they suspend flight operations while additional engineering analysis is performed.”

Western Global Airlines is the only other U.S.cargoairline that fliesMD-11s, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.The airline has 16 MD-11s in its fleet but 12 of them have been put in storage. Boeing announced in 1998 that it would be phasing outits MD-11jetlinerproduction,with final deliveries due in 2000.

The UPS cargo plane, built in 1991, was nearly airborne Tuesday when abell soundedinthe cockpit,National TransportationSafetyBoard member Todd Inman said earlier Friday.For the next 25 seconds, the bell rang andthe pilots tried to control theaircraft as it barely lifted off the runway, itsleft wing ablaze andmissing an engine, andthenplowed into theground in aspectacular fireball.

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mid-October, 33 remained caught in the backlog, confined in a jail that a federal judge has ruled unequipped to handle defendants’ serious mental-health needs

Jon Wool, the longtime former director of Vera Louisiana, a nonprofit researcher that advocates for criminal justice reform, called the hospital’s wait times “extraordinary.” That people in need of treatment “spend so much of that time not actually being restored to competency but being held in the local jail where there’s no capacity to help them is an extraordinary failure,” he said. In the meantime, cases freeze. Under Louisiana law, once a defendant’s mental health is questioned, no other steps can be taken in the case until the competency process is resolved.

The delays exact a toll on everyone, attorneys say: Victims’ families lose the chance for closure, defendants lose the right to a timely process and cases weaken as memories fade and evidence is lost

Admission times have improved in recent months:

Data from the state Health Department shows defendants have waited about four months to be admitted to the facility this year, after the state struck deals with four private hospitals to take in more than 200 of its patients.

But the state is still out of compliance with the lawsuit’s settlement agreement, records show, in which the hospital agreed to admit defendants within 15 days of receiving a judge’s order

Barksdale Hortenstine Jr., the director of Orleans Public Defenders’ mental health unit, called ELMHS’ recent wait-time reductions a “huge improvement,” but “still far” from what’s needed.

“Wait times cause all sorts of problems,” Hortenstine said, “but chief among them is the prolonged suffering of

people, presumed innocent, while they languish in jail.”

In one extreme case, second-degree murder defendant Tyrone Fountain has spent nearly seven years awaiting trial as he has repeatedly landed — and stayed stuck — on the hospital’s waitlist.

And some lawyers now debate whether the process itself has become a tool of delay — a system so backlogged that questions of competency, once raised to protect defendants’ rights, can also be used to stall cases.

Pandemic delays

New Orleans police arrested Fountain on Dec. 31, 2018, alleging he beat a local talent agent to death during a daytime purse snatching on a 7th Ward sidewalk

His arrest came four years after criminal defendants across the state in 2014 brought a class-action lawsuit against the Louisiana Department of Health, which runs the hospital, and top state health officials. The lawsuit alleged prolonged, unconstitutional waits for detainees ordered for treatment.

The 573-bed hospital in Jackson serves all 64 parishes and treats criminal defendants found mentally ill and unfit to stand trial. But its waitlist has swelled because there simply aren’t enough beds to accommodate the number of people across Louisiana who need treatment.

In the aftermath of a 2016 settlement in the lawsuit, the state showed progress, reducing delays somewhat yet rarely meeting the 15day deadline it had agreed to.

For example, the first time a judge ruled that Fountain was incompetent to stand trial, in 2019, he waited 16 days for admission to the hospital.

But then, the pandemic eroded the state’s gains.

The Eastern Louisiana Mental Health System suspended admissions for four months amid pandemic shutdown orders. At the time, only 16 defendants

from across the state were on its waitlist. But that number surged as admissions remained frozen and the backlog built.

By the second time a judge sent Fountain there during the throes of the pandemic, it took 10 months for him to be transferred. Last September, Fountain was ordered to the hospital a third time; it wasn’t until the following spring that he was admitted there, according to records.

Other New Orleans homicide case logs reflect a similar crawl.

A judge ordered Loretta Norman to the hospital in November 2023, but five months later, she was still awaiting transfer and sat sixth on the waitlist. In a separate case, a judge also ordered Ariel Shelling to the facility in November 2023; more than a year later, court records show she was still waiting and moved into first place on the waitlist.

Emma Herrock, the Health Department’s communications director, said in an email that its yearlong contracts with the four private facilities have helped the state hospital make gains. But the deals expire in 2026. And several of the 220 patients transferred to the private facilities have also returned to ELMHS because of “aggressive (and) unmanageable behaviors,” Herrock wrote. Herrock also said an “increase in orders for admis-

The Eastern Louisiana Mental Health System in Jackson dates back to 1848, when it opened as the first stateoperated mental health hospital.

The vast majority of patients have been referred there through the criminal justice system.

sion by the criminal courts” has meant the department’s strides haven’t been as strong as anticipated. When asked what plans the hospital has to increase the number of patients it can serve, Herrock responded: “None.”

Mental health services

Long wait times for treatment can also worsen a defendant’s mental health struggles, especially when they are confined in the Orleans Justice Center, New Orleans’ jail.

In 2013, a federal judge ordered the jail under a consent decree, citing widespread problems with mental health care along with violence, escapes and other problems.

Mental illness can drive some people to violence, and research shows that people with serious mental illness are arrested and jailed at disproportionately high rates. In a mental-health roundtable last spring, Aashia Bade, director of behavioral health for Wexford, the sole provider of health care services to New Orleans’ jail, said that trend is particularly acute in New Orleans. Last year 47% of the jail’s population received mental health services and 52% were on psychotropic medication, according to Wexford.

Even so, Wexford’s contract does not include restoration services for in-

competency a complicated process that requires consistent, hands-on psychiatric care and close medication management — far beyond what many local jails are equipped to provide.

Restoration services instead fall solely onto the state hospital’s forensic psychiatrists, whether at its facility or virtually, via a jailbased program conducted on the jail’s often inadequate video screens.

Court-appointed psychiatrists have made clear that attempting to restore defendants detained in jail has limitations. In one homicide defendant’s case, an ELMHS nurse wrote in a letter to a New Orleans judge that she was “unable to control volume, background distractions or quality of video screens” or use visual aids, all of which she deemed essential to proper restoration care.

Even defendants who are restored to competency at the state hospital can relapse once they return to jail, finding themselves in need of treatment again and again, like Fountain In the hospital, Hortenstine said, defendants receive steady medication, expert monitoring and calmer surroundings. Back in jail, the noise, instability and inconsistent medical oversight can cause them to deteriorate.

“This is a well-known phenomenon common across the country It’s not unique

here,” he said. “But when we are already struggling with admissions, it can further stress the (hospital) system and lead to increased wait times.”

Time, he added, is crucial. Defendants who struggle with mental health issues, such as hearing voices, may rack up additional charges, further clogging the slow, crowded court system, Hortenstine said.

“If you’re constantly hearing voices in your head that drown out the people speaking around you, it’s easy to see how you might struggle to follow instructions (you’re) given,” he said.

As part of the jail’s consent decree, a federal judge ordered the addition of a mental health unit, called Phase 3, scheduled to open next year The project has been controversial, though, drawing criticism from newly unseated Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson, as well as the attorneys who represent incarcerated people in the consentdecree litigation.

The critics argue that the planned new building would still fall short of delivering meaningful, clinical restoration and care.

Calvin Johnson, a former judge in New Orleans’ criminal court who launched the first mental-health diversion program in the state, said Phase 3 is unlikely to have a significant impact on the people who need competency restoration.

“Unless it can do everything that is done at the state forensic facility,” he said, “then it won’t be enough.”

Delay tactic concerns Cases are all but guaranteed to slow down when a mental competency evaluation is ordered, and attorneys argue that some intentionally use those delays to game the system.

“The moment an attorney stands before a court and says, ‘I believe my client may not be able to understand the proceedings

ä See DELAYS, page 5A

Notice of Availability

forthe

TheU.S.Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, aftercarefully weighing the environmental consequencesofthe ProposedAction, announcethe releaseof theRecordofDecisiontoconducttraining and testingactivitiesinthe WesternAtlantic Ocean along theeastern coastofNorth America, theGulfofAmerica,and portions of theCaribbean Seaasdescribed in Alternative1oftheAtlantic FleetTraining andTestingFinal Supplemental Environmental ImpactStatement/Overseas ImpactStatement

Alternative1isthe preferredalternative, and is representativeofanannual levelof training and testingactivitiesthat accounts forthe natural fluctuations of training cycles, deployment schedules,use of synthetic trainingopportunities,and testingprograms.

The Record of Decision and Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement areavailableonline at www.nepa.navy.mil/aftteis

against them,’ we cannot take any further steps in prosecution,” said Matthew Derbes, Orleans Parish District Attorney’sOffice homicideunitchief. “Ifthey’re found incompetent, you can just tack on another nine months to ayear to the case right then and there.”

At least 24% of all homicide prosecutions over the last decade included a mental-competency hearing. Cases in which competency is challenged drag on about 17%longer than cases when it is not, regardless of whether the defendant is ultimately sent to the state hospital, The Times-Picayune’sanalysis found.

It can take months for the court’sappointed psychiatrists to evaluateadefendant. Even after an evaluation, it can take weeks —ormonths —for the panel to submit reports and testify, areflection of the chronicdysfunction inside the court, where even basic steps are often delayed by crowded dockets and scheduling backlogs. Then ajudge must rule on adefendant’scompetency and sign aformal order to send a defendant to ELMHS, which places him or her on the hospital’swaitlist.

The delays are so extreme that some prosecutors accuse defendantsand their attorneys of exploiting the system foradvantage,becausecase delaystypically benefit the defense.

“You have to look at the nuances in terms of how this plays out in strategy,” said Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams, who previously worked as adefense attorney.“Oftentimes, defense attorneys willre-urge competency Obviously, competency needs to be dealt with. But you have to be very,very careful —very circumspect —ifsomething gets raised at the eve of trial every trial setting, and the case gets continued againand again ”

Defense attorneys counter that it’srarefor defendants to fakeorexaggerate symptoms of mental illness,known as malingering, and few formal diagnosessupport theclaim of widespread gaming of the system.

“I findthat claimabsurd,” said Hortenstine. “It is categorically untrueand offensive. Defense attorneys want their clientstobe healthyand capableofassistingintheir defense.”

Still, court recordsshow isolated instances where psychiatrists have agreed that adefendantwas magnifying or fabricatingsymptoms to avoidtrial.

After police arrested AnferneeSteeleonOct. 27, 2020, accusinghim of killing hisgirlfriend’s 4-year-old daughter,his defense attorney questioned hiscompetency at least three times.

Psychiatristsrepeatedly expressed concern that Steelewas malingering.

In one instance, court-appointedpsychiatrists took twomonths to evaluate him, citing a“heavy caseload of clients” that slowed them down, recordsshow. Steele received three months of jail-basedrestoration,then waited eightmonths for a subsequent two-month stint at the state hospital.

Doctorslater said they suspected he hadbeen feigning his symptoms.

In another case, Jared Raymond waschargedwith

second-degree murder in an April 17, 2023, killing in theFlorida neighborhood Ajudge orderedhim to the statehospital on Oct.24, 2024.

It took nearly five months to admit him.

After his release, court-appointedpsychiatristsevaluated Raymond. Theywrote in areport to the judge that Raymond’smanyalleged symptoms —which ranged from delusions to visual hallucinations —were“atypical” and unlikely to be experienced simultaneously,as he claimed.

“Webelieve thatnot only is he feigning, butheisdoing so poorly,” they concluded in the report.

Derbessaid prosecutors spent more than ayear “unable to do anything” on Raymond’scasewhile hiscompetency was evaluated.

Still, amid the accusations of delay and manipulation, defense attorneyssay the deeper truthissimpler: The criminal justice system isn’t built to help the people who need mental health care most.

“The absolute worst place for my clientsliving with serious mental illnessorcognitive impairmentsisjail,” saidHortenstine. “Itisdestabilizing. It is dangerous.”

Staff writer Jeff Adelson contributed to this report. Email Jillian Kramer at jillian.kramer@ theadvocate.com.

Airlines cancel over 1,000 flights again

BY JOHN SEEWER Associated Press

U.S. airlines again canceled more than 1,000 flights on Saturday, the second day of the Federal Aviation Administration’s mandate to reduce air traffic because of the government shutdown

So far, the slowdown at many of the nation’s busiest airports hasn’t caused widespread disruptions. But it has deepened the impact felt by the nation’s longest federal shutdown.

“We all travel. We all have somewhere to be,” said Emmy Holguin, 36, who was flying from Miami Saturday to see family in the Dominican Republic “I’m hoping that the government can take care of this.”

Shutdown could force 20% flight cuts

Atlanta Journal-Constitution (TNS)

ATLANTA Flight reductions could continue rising if the government shutdown prolongs, Transportation

Secretary Sean Duffy warned Friday

The Federal Aviation Administration started reducing flights Friday at 40 major airports. Capacity reductions began at 4%, rose to 5% Saturday and will increase to 6% Sunday before ramping up to 10% next week.

The move is to alleviate pressure on the country’s air traffic controllers during the government shutdown.

International flights are exempt.

At a Breitbart News event in Washington, D.C.,

Duffy said the scale-back has been caused by employees choosing to work second jobs to be able to pay bills and other necessities because of the shutdown.

“If this continues and I have more controllers who decide they can’t come to work and control the airspace but instead have to take a second job, with that you might see 10% would’ve been a good number because we might go to 15% or 20%,” he said.

wide. But they are certain to rise in the coming days if the slowdown continues.

Air traffic controllers have gone without paychecks for nearly a month as the shutdown continues, leading many to call in sick and add to already existing staffing shortages.

Most controllers are working mandatory overtime six days a week during the shutdown without pay, and some are taking second jobs to pay their bills, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association has said.

enough. Then you put these disruptions in place and it really makes everything more challenging,” she said.

Rental car companies reported a sharp increase in one-way reservations Friday, and some people are simply canceling flights altogether

There’s the potential for higher prices in stores, as nearly half of all U.S. air freight is shipped in the bel-

lies of passenger aircraft. Major flight disruptions could bring higher shipping costs that get passed on to consumers, said Patrick Penfield, professor of supply chain practice at Syracuse University

More losses will ripple through the economy if the slowdown continues — from tourism to manufacturing, said Greg Raiff, CEO of Elevate Aviation Group.

The airport serving Charlotte, North Carolina, was the hardest hit early on Saturday, with 130 arriving and departing flights canceled by mid-afternoon Airports in Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, and Newark,

Analysts warn that the upheaval will intensify and spread far beyond air travel if cancellations keep growing and reach into Thanksgiving week. Already there are concerns about the squeeze on tourism destinations and holiday shipping Flight disruptions ticked up a bit on Saturday typically a slow travel day — as each of the first two days creeped above 1,000 cancellations, according to FlightAware, a website that tracks flights.

New Jersey, also saw numerous disruptions. Ongoing staffing shortages in radar centers and control towers added to the cancellations and delays on Saturday at several East Coast airports. Not all the cancellations were due to the FAA order, and those numbers represent just a small portion of the overall flights nation-

Most passengers were relieved to find that airlines largely stayed on schedule Friday, and those whose flights were called off were able to quickly rebook. So far, longer international flights haven’t been interrupted.

There is still a lot of uncertainty about what flights will be canceled next.

And not everyone has the means to pay for a hotel or deal with a last-minute disruption, said Heather Xu, 46, who was in Miami on Saturday after a cruise and flying home to Puerto Rico.

“Travel is stressful

Little progress in weekend Senate session

BY KEVIN FREKING, STEPHEN GROVES and MARY CLARE JALONICK Associated Press

WASHINGTON— The Senate’s first weekend session since the beginning of the shutdown yielded few signs of progress Saturday as Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s wish for a quick vote never materialized

The impasse that has lasted 39 days is taking an increasing toll on the country as federal workers go unpaid, airlines cancel flights and SNAP benefits have been delayed for millions of Americans.

Saturday’s session got off to a rough start when President Donald Trump made clear he is unlikely to compromise any time soon with Democrats who are seeking a one-year extension of Affordable Care Act tax credits. He said on social media that it is “the worst Healthcare anywhere in the world” and suggested Congress send money directly to people to buy insurance.

Thune said Trump’s proposal would not be part of a solution to ending the shutdown, but added “it is a discussion that the president and all of us want to have.” Republican senators who spoke on the Senate floor Saturday generally echoed Trump’s assessment.

“I guarantee you every day we keep this system in place is a great day for the health care insurance companies who have been making out literally like bandits every day under Obamacare,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said he welcomed Republicans to the fight when it came to insurance com-

panies, “but that shouldn’t come at the cost of kicking millions off of their health care in January.”

Senate Republican leaders have signaled an openness to an emerging proposal from a small group of moderate Democrats to end the shutdown in exchange for a later vote on the “Obamacare” subsidies, which make coverage more affordable. For those enrolled in Affordable Care Act exchanges, premiums on average are expected to more than double next year if Congress allows the enhanced subsidies to lapse.

Sen Jeanne Shaheen, DN.H., said Friday evening that Democrats “need another path forward” after Republicans rejected an offer from Sen. Chuck Schumer D-N.Y to reopen the government and extend the subsidies for a year Shaheen and others, negotiating among themselves and with some rank-and-file Republicans, have been discussing bills that would pay for parts of government — food aid, veterans programs and the legislative branch, among other things — and extend funding for everything else until December or January The agreement would only come with the promise of a future health care vote, rather than a guarantee of extended subsidies. It was unclear whether enough Democrats would support such a plan. Even with a deal, Trump appears unlikely to support an extension of the health benefits. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, also said last week that he would not commit to a health vote. Republican leaders only need five additional votes to fund the government, and

the group involved in the talks has ranged from 10 to 12 Democratic senators.

Some Republicans have said they are open to extending the COVID-19-era tax credits as premiums could skyrocket for millions of people, but they want new limits on who can receive the subsidies. They lined up Saturday to take to the Senate floor and argue that subsidies for the plans should be routed through individuals.

“We’re going to replace this broken system with something that is actually better for the consumer,” Graham said.

Trump wants Republicans to end the shutdown quickly and scrap the filibuster, which requires 60 Senate votes for most legislation, so they can bypass Democrats altogether Vice President JD Vance, a former Ohio senator, endorsed the idea in an online post Saturday, saying Republicans who want to keep the filibuster are “wrong.”

Republicans have rejected Trump’s call, and Thune is eyeing a bipartisan package that mirrors the proposal the moderate Democrats have been sketching out. What Thune, who has refused to negotiate, might promise on health care is unknown.

A test vote on new legislation could come in the next few days.

Then Democrats would have a crucial choice: Keep fighting for a meaningful deal on extending the subsidies that expire in January, while prolonging the pain of the shutdown? Or vote to reopen the government and hope for the best as Republicans promise an eventual health care vote, but not a guaranteed outcome.

Schumer on Saturday persisted in arguing that Republicans should accept a one-year extension of the subsidies before negotiating the future of the tax credits.

Thestage is set, andexcitementisbuildingonce againasSTartUP Northshore prepares forthe return of theNSpireStartup Slam,the Northshore’spremierebusinesspitch competition. Backed by renewedpartnerships with Chevronasthe Presenting Sponsorand CapitalOne as theGrant PrizeSponsor,the 2026 NSpire StartupSlamwillmakeits highly anticipated return to thehistoricColumbiaTheatre forthe Performing Arts in Downtown Hammondon Thursday,January 8, 2026

Sincethe inauguralcompetition in 2023, the NSpire StartupSlamhas become oneofthe most highly anticipatedentrepreneurial events in the Gulf South, drawinghundredsofattendees and garneringnationalrecognition,including the InternationalEconomicDevelopment Council Gold Awardfor Excellence in SpecialEvents.

largeststartup prizepackagesinthe Gulf South. The2026prize packageisvaluedatmorethan $100,000 andincludes$50,000 in funding througha renewedpartnership with Capital Onepairedwithmorethan$50,000 of wraparound in-kindprofessionalservices

“Tobebornand raised just down thestreet in atownwithone redlight,and to come home awinner, knowingthe impact we canhaveon this area—it’sspecial!” said Rich Simmerman, Cofounder& CEOofCantaloupeAI, winner of the2025NspireStartup Slam “We’ve got majorproduct improvements to make with the launch of Cleo,our conversational AI interviewer.The $40,000 in non-dilutive cash and more than $65,000 in in-kindserviceswillmake abig impact forus.

During itsfirsttwo years, thecompetition has distributedmorethan$170,000incashand in-kindprizestolocal entrepreneurs, fueling growth,job creation, andnew investment in the Northshore’s innovation ecosystem Forentrepreneurs,the NSpire Startup Slam offersanunparalleledopportunity to secure funding, connectwithinvestors,and access high-quality in-kindservicestofuelbusiness growth as theevent continuesits role as acatalyst foreconomicempowerment andinnovation. Whetheryou’relaunchinganew ventureorscalinganexistingbusiness, this competitionwill providethe tools, mentorship,and resources needed to succeed.

“Gratitude fills ourheartsasweembarkon this exciting journey, leveling up ourbusiness with theinvaluableresources from theNSpire StartupSlam,”said AlanaScott,Founder & CEOofKinkz,winnerofthe 2023 Nspire StartupSlam. “The experience of being surrounded by incredible,competitive founders hasbeennothingshort of inspiring, propelling us toward ourlimitless potential.”

Each year,the NSpire StartupSlamdelivers aspectacular eveningfilled with live music, networking,and some of themostexciting business ideascomingthrough theNorthshore. The2026NSpireStartup Slam willtakeplace at theColumbiaTheatre forthe Performing Arts in Downtown Hammond, beginningwith anetworkingreceptionat4:30p.m.followed by an exhilarating live battle of innovation whererisingentrepreneurs willshowcase theirgroundbreakingideas,connect with industry leaders, andcompete forone of the

TheNSpireStartup Slam is open to any business with operations basedinorwilling to relocatetothe Northshore (St. Tammany, Tangipahoa,orWashington Parish)for at leasttwo yearsand actively participateinthe STartUPNorthshoreentrepreneurial ecosystem. Startups from allindustries,backgrounds andlocations areinvited to apply. Theventure must be legallyincorporated, have been in business forfive yearsorlessorbeanexisting business creating anew division or entity,and have generatedlessthan$1,000,000 in annual revenuein2025. Nonprofit organizations and previous NSpire StartupSlamwinners arenot eligible to enter. NSpire Startup Slam applicants willbeevaluated on core criteria includingconcept,business model, market viability, scalability, traction investment readiness,presentationskills, as well as theability andcommitmenttogenerate asignificantpositiveimpactonthe region

Thedeadlinetoapply forthislive, shark-tank stylepitch competitionis11:59 PM on Sunday November 16,2025, andall eligible businesses areencouragedtovisit www.startupnorthshore. com/nspire or contactExecutive Director, CenzoCaronna,atvcaronna@sttammanyedc orgtolearn more andapply Forthose just interested in attending, admissionisfreeand open to the publicwithregistrationavailable at www.startupnorthshore.com/nspire.

They were weary, not only from the whiplash but from the challenges that keep bringing them to Grace Place Ministries, on the city’s south side, week after week, for a hot meal and, on this morning, a pair of shoes. The air had turned chilly, and Spearman’s son was barefoot.

“Good morning!” volunteer Nathaniel Cooper bellowed, opening the back door, where a dozen people were waiting Wednesday morning to choose free clothes from the organization’s closet.

He removed his hat and began to pray: “Father God, thank you for dressing us here today I would ask that you cover them Bless their mind and body that they may know and understand that you are here for them right now, in this time of the shutdown that is taking place in the world.”

Even before the federal shutdown threatened food assistance for 42 million Americans, this soup kitchen was tallying more trays needed during its lunches, more food picked up from its pantry, more clothes given from its closet. Two decades ago, during a typical Monday, Wednesday or Friday meal, it served a dozen or two dozen people. Before the pandemic, about 100 people might have shown up, said Misty Loe, the nonprofit’s executive director By the time they shut their doors and pulled the shades on this Wednesday, church volunteers had served 355 sloppy Joes alongside baked beans and salad. It’s a number Loe expects to grow through the month, as Thanksgiving approaches and the federal shutdown wears on.

“People just can’t afford to live,” Loe said, pointing to the persistently high cost of groceries and rising rents in the area, among other factors. One in 5 Louisiana resi-

dents receives benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as SNAP or food stamps As President Donald Trump’s administration fought in federal court about whether and how to fund the program the Louisiana Department of Health launched a state plan to continue aid for seniors, families with children and people with disabilities. A federal judge ruled late last week that the Trump administration must make full SNAP payments during the shutdown, but Trump administration lawyers appealed the ruling

Still, in northeast Louisiana, the uncertainty has stretched an already frayed safety net of churches and charities, soup kitchens and food banks.

To meet the need, the Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana has cut back to offering one protein item per household, instead of two.

“All programs are getting food — but everyone is getting a bit less,” said Jean Toth, the organization’s executive director Like the people they serve, the organizations that distribute food are “stressed and distressed,” she said. “They’re very nervous that they’re not going to have enough.”

A special delivery

About four hours before Grace Place Ministries was set to serve lunch, a truck from the food bank pulled up. Volunteers chattered: What might be inside?

A worker released the back door to reveal boxes and boxes of pears.

“Lee, how many pallets is this?” Loe asked, moving chairs aside to make room.

A few volunteers from Family Church, a longtime partner, arrived with pans, coolers and 90 pounds of ground beef. They pulled on aprons, located spatulas and began browning meat. Others swept floors, wiped tables and cleaned windows.

“The Lord runs the place, but it takes an army of volunteers,” said Loe, keys around her elbow, a cross

around her neck. She first volunteered with her church a decade ago, then kept coming back, eventually taking over for the place’s founder, Rhonda Grace.

When she’s not wrangling volunteers or penning the newsletter Loe is helping people in other ways: applying for SNAP or disability benefits, for a lease or a job. She often wakes in the middle of the night, concerned about one child or another

She grabbed two armfuls worth of pillows and bedding on Wednesday and walked across the street to an old, white house the ministry bought mainly for its parking lot. Earlier this week, she had helped a struggling family move inside.

“Why isn’t he in school?” Loe asked as the 4-year-old in question, who knows Loe as his godmother, hugged her knees.

“That’s a must,” his moth-

er Antonique Miller replied, pledging to bring him the next day Loe unwrapped the bedding, taking one end of a blue sheet. Miller’s boyfriend Dontrell Clark, wearing his Burger King uniform, grabbed the other end, stretching it across the mattress.

The couple and their kids had been living in a one-bedroom apartment in Monroe where, earlier that week, two adults and a toddler had been killed next door

The place had been infested with roaches and rodents for a while, Loe said, but after the murder, they knew they needed to get out. Both Miller and Clark receive SNAP benefits — Clark typically gets $263 a month — and were relieved when Clark’s partial payment appeared with $63. Their new kitchen doesn’t yet have a refrigerator, so they used some of the money to buy bread, snacks

Grace Place Ministries Soup Kitchen serves hot meals to those in need on Jackson Street in Monroe.

and Frosted Flakes.

A half gallon of whole milk sat on the counter

“See you in a little bit?” Loe asked, as she left. “Come eat sloppy Joes with us.”

‘I sure am blessed’

By 11:30 a.m., a crowd had formed outside the door

A man who took two buses to get there. A veteran who had given five women a ride.

A man who’d lost his job at a sign company after slicing his finger A pregnant woman praying about the meal after this one. Mothers receiving SNAP, young men getting disability benefits, people more likely to trust in God than politicians.

Gladys “Joyce” Nelson first heard about this place 16 years ago, when she was cleaning houses. She brought her mother, then her kids, then her grandkids: “It helped me raise my children.” Now 67, she’s been able to afford her few expenses and no longer relies on food stamps.

“I told my friend, ‘I sure am blessed.’” Louisiana politicians of both parties have recognized the importance of SNAP in the past.

“My constituents are deeply concerned about SNAP benefits amid the government shutdown,” said U.S. Rep Julia Letlow, a Republican who represents this region, in response to questions about the future of the program.

“While Governor Landry and President Trump have

stepped up to fill the gaps,” she continued in a statement, “the best way to ensure stability for our families who rely on nutrition benefits is for the Senate to pass a clean funding bill that fully supports SNAP and WIC.” Still, across the region, organizations and businesses have been bracing for a possible pause in benefits, as well as new work requirements. In Lake Providence, Rosie Brown, who has worked for the community action network for four decades, has been fussing at her clients, whom she helps with utility payments: “Be careful with your money.” More than half of the customers at the small city’s only family-owned grocery store, Jong’s SuperValu, use SNAP, said manager Chad Toney Already, he’s seen people “holding their money close to the chest,” he said. Instead of crabs, they’re buying chicken. Instead of Frito-Lay, knockoff brands. At noon, most spots were full across two rooms of tables at Grace Place. Sitting together with their children were Pearce and Spearman, the longtime friends. Pearce nearly hadn’t made it there; her mother, who’d once walked her to this soup kitchen, had a stroke just days before. “I’ve been crying,” Pearce said, blinking back tears, “but I’m trying.” Pregnant and homeless, Pearce was staying with Spearman, who was worried about feeding everyone — her own six children and now her friend’s children, as well. She’d also been fretting about Christmas. She’d called the local Salvation Army to get children’s gifts, but their sign-up list was full. For now, though, her son was in a high chair, grinning. On his cheek, sloppy Joe sauce. In his hand, a sandwich cookie. And on his feet, gray sneakers. They were a little tight, but they’d do. Email reporter Jenna Ross at jenna.ross@ theadvocate.com.

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ified to become president of LSU because he didn’t have the necessary experience at a large research university

So Rousse and Dalton met at the president’s house to see if they could agree on an arrangement to share duties.

Board members fervently hoped they could agree, to assuage the critics.

When Rousse and Dalton emerged an hour or so later, they told several anxious board members that they had gotten along well. Rousse would serve as the system president, overseeing athletics and the entire university system, while Dalton would focus on academics and research at the flagship campus in Baton Rouge and LSU’s medical facilities in Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

“It’s not often, if ever, that during a presidential search you get lucky enough to have two candidates with the same vision whose different backgrounds complement each other to the betterment of the entire university,” board Chair Scott Ballard said during a news conference afterward

“I am proud today that LSU did just that.”

The selection of Rousse culminated in a quiet but aggressive campaign that he and his supporters waged for the highest-profile position at any of Louisiana’s colleges and universities. In many ways, they treated it like a political contest, with the LSU presidency as the prize.

This account is based on interviews with Landry, Mallett and 25 political insiders, board members and university officials, most of whom didn’t want to be identified given the sensitivity of the subject.

LSU athletics. Landry said he wasn’t involved in the decision to fire Kelly, which board members have confirmed.

Landry also played a key role in filling the last two university presidential vacancies in Louisiana when he supported the candidates selected at Northwestern State and at the University of Louisiana Monroe.

In the second of two phone interviews Thursday Landry downplayed his involvement but acknowledged making his views known to board members.

To become president, Rousse met with LSU board members, community leaders and political figures at lunches and dinners organized by Mallett and even flew to north Louisiana on a private plane to meet with two board members.

Rousse’s efforts included reaching out to the state’s two most prominent Democrats, former Gov John Bel Edwards and former U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu.

The key supporter, though, was Landry He has aggressively sought to make his imprint on Louisiana in every way possible since winning the gubernatorial primary outright in October 2023 and moving into the Governor’s Mansion in January 2024.

In the most striking recent example, Landry was blasted locally and nationally after the governor said during a news conference that then-LSU athletic director Scott Woodward wouldn’t hire the next football coach. Woodward was out of his job days later.

That move ratcheted up criticism of Landry from people who believed he had fired head coach Brian Kelly and shouldn’t meddle in

“I have not played a role in the selection of any of these presidents other than if I speak to those board members about the interview process what they think, what I think,” he said. “I think that you will find that my involvement in these matters has been at best on par with prior governors’ actions or less than.”

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where Landry graduated in 1999 with a bachelor’s degree in environmental and sustainable resources, is about to pick its next president.

Insiders say Ramesh Kolluru, the university’s vice president for research, innovation and economic development, has the inside track and that the university is poised to make its selection as soon as Thursday in what would be a truncated search.

to replace Rousse.

New law, new power

Key to Landry’s efforts has been a law passed last year by the Legislature that allows him to name the chairs of the university boards that choose the presidents. Without that change, board members appointed by Edwards would have been the chairs.

Landry was not shy about having pushed for the change through a law sponsored by state Sen. Valarie Hodges, R-Denham Springs.

“We are a state that’s really governed by a whole bunch of boards,” Landry said. “We got like 800 of them. The state of Texas might have 10. The problem is that each one of those boards, if left unchecked, they run their own politics. The politics of those boards should be the politics of the people, and the politics of the people is who sits in the governor’s chair at the time.”

Landry said Mark Romero, his pick to chair the University of Louisiana system, asked the governor whether he had a problem if Kolluru applied

“I said I got no problem,” Landry said in an interview “Y’all go find whoever you want.”

Landry could also play a role in selecting the new president of McNeese State

Jay Dardenne, a former state senator secretary of state and lieutenant governor who oversaw the operations of state government under Edwards, applied to be president of LSU in 2021, when William Tate instead was selected. Dardenne said he asked Edwards, his boss, not to advocate on his behalf.

“The governance of a university ought to rest with the governing board rather than be a political favorite of the governor,” Dardenne said. “One reason is from an accreditation standpoint A governor’s involvement lends itself to the potential of political patronage in a field that’s much too important to be regulated by political patronage.”

Landry, however, said he believes that Edwards got Tate hired by hosting a dinner at the Governor’s

Mansion with University of South Carolina officials that included Tate, who was the university’s provost.

“John Bel marched the majority of the board he appointed for a dinner when there were 25 applicants at LSU and walked in with Bill Tate and said, ‘This guy is going to be the next president,’” Landry said.

Dardenne, Edwards and Robert Dampf, who chaired the LSU board when Tate was hired, scoff at that ac-

count.

“Whoever told you that John Bel wanted Tate is wrong,” Dampf said “John Bel did nothing to put his finger on the scale of the selection process.”

How Landry played a role

Landry wasted no time in gaining greater control over the University of Louisiana board.

The same day he signed Hodges’ legislation into law on June 5, 2024, the gover-

nor named Mark Romero, an insurance executive and friend from New Iberia, as the board chair Romero replaced Jimmy Clarke, who was chief of staff under Gov Kathleen Blanco and had been appointed by Edwards. Clarke was a stickler for the board hiring university presidents through an open process. On July 2, Jimmy Genovese, an associate justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court, said he had Landry’s backing to be the next president of Northwestern State in Natchitoches.

Genovese also had the support of Robert “Skeeter” Salim, a trial attorney in Natchitoches and University of Louisiana board member who was close with Landry and had been on the tennis team with Genovese at Northwestern in the early 1970s.

Genovese had no background in higher education or overseeing a large institution. So he said he thought someone was joking when Salim first approached him about becoming the university’s president.

“I was just minding my business,” Genovese said. “This wasn’t even on the radar.” Romero aided his chances by shortening the selection process. On July 18, the University of Louisiana board gave Genovese the job. Members cited his outgoing personality and his pledge to find ways to reverse a student enrollment decline. It was not lost to political insiders that Genovese’s

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departure from the Louisiana Supreme Court opened the door for the electionof Cade Cole, whose conservative views are more in line with Landry’s.

On May 10, 2025, the University of Louisiana board met again to chooseanother president, this time at the University of Louisiana

Monroe

In the preceding days, Chris Broadwater,awellliked former stateHouse member who had served as interim chancellor at Louisiana Delta Community College in Monroe, had been told he was ashoo-in.

On the morning of the vote, Salim said he called Landry to ask if he was OK with the other finalist, Carrie Castille,aformer senior vice chancellor and senior vice presidentatthe University of Tennessee.Salim said he believed that Castille would make the necessary layoffs at the universitytosolvea budget shortfall.

“Listen, it seems to me that after talking to anumber of board members that Carrie Castille seemed to haveshined above the rest of them,” Landry said he told Salim.

Salim passed that along to other board members, and Castille won out on what Salim said was anarrow vote.

“I respect the board’s choice, and Iamatpeace with that result,” Broadwater said Friday

Howthe search happened

Nine days afterCastille’s selection, Tate announced he was leaving LSU after four years to become president of RutgersUniversity.His departure followed the exits of several other top university officials. At the same time, Landry and Republican lawmakers had pushed Tate and the presidents of the state’spublic universitiesto dismantle programs that promote diversity,equity and inclusion.

Ashort time later,Rousse made it known that he would apply to replace Tate.

Rousse had worked as an executive for amarine transport company,obtained abachelor’sdegree from Nicholls State University,an MBA from the University of New Orleans, and got a master’sdegree and Ph.D.in economics from the University of Illinois at Chicago.He worked for the Federal Reserve before becoming dean of McNeese State’sCollege of Business.

Lee Mallett, abusiness owner in the Lake Charles area and abenefactor of McNeese State, had become a bigfan of Rousse’s.

Mallett said he thought that Matt Lee, who was LSU’sinterim president after serving as the dean of the Collegeof Agriculture, had abig advantage in becoming Tate’ssuccessor Besides,Rousse had been president at McNeese since only mid-2024, and McNeese was ranked as only the 81st regionaluniversity in the south by U.S. News &World Report.

But Mallett said he believed that if he introduced Rousse to enough key decision-makers and influencers, Rousse could get the nod because of his bayou charm and businessbackground. Rousse grew up in Golden Meadow, aburg in Lafourche Parish, and Mallett thought LSU needed someone who understood the state’sculture and politics.

Mallettsaid he set up lunches and dinners with

LSU board members and Rousse and arranged for such business leaders as John Engquist, the former chairman of H&E Equipment Servicesand founder of Engquist Development,to meet himatgatherings organizedatthe Supper Club in Baton Rouge

Mallett said he chartered a private airplane to fly Rousse to Monroe to meet board memberRandy Morris and to Shreveport to meet Esperanza Moran, another board member

Mallett took three LSU pro-

fessors on the presidential search committee —Daniel Tirone, Olivia Phelps and Kenneth Schafer—todinner at Juban’sinBaton Rouge to meet Rousse.Tirone said later thatthe threemet separately with thetwo other finalists, James Dalton and Robert Robbins.

Mallett, amajor fundraiser for Landry in 2023, saidhe hadintroduced Rousse to the governoratabreakfast in Lake Charles.

Mallett talked up Rousse whenever he saw Landry.

“When Idid see him,I’d

say, ‘I’m pushing my man fromLakeCharles,”Mallett said. “Hesaid, ‘I like him, too.’”

Landryhad invited Rousse to his hunting camp in St. Martin Parish and liked what he saw from Rousse at McNeeseState.

“He’sthe only president that over thelast five years hasbeen able to take auniversity and actually put it in the black,” Landry said. “The thingshe’sdone at McNeese areunbelievable.”

Astate legislator said Landry began calling Rousse

“my guy.”

Another state legislator and an LSU board member said boardchair ScottBallard said that Rousse “was Jeff’s guy.” Ballard did not respond to interview requests.

To cover allhis bases, Rousse had Mary Landrieu inform boardmembers of her support for him

Landrieu said shehad met Rousse during Washington Mardi Gras this year

In atext, she said she “was immediately impressed with his heart for Louisiana and his humility and care for his students, demonstrated by hisliving in thedorm with his students forseveral years untilhis home couldbe rebuilt.”

Rousse andJason French, alobbyist who was helping

him navigate the political waters, met recently with John Bel Edwards in New Orleans to win him over Edwards declinedtocomment. All the hard work came together for Rousse on Tuesday,when the LSU board selected him on a12-1 vote.

“Thisistruly thehonorof my life,” Rousse said. Later,during anews conference at the LSU Foundation, Rousse wasasked about Landry “I’m sure he’ssmiling somewhere today because Ihave been told by several peoplethathe’slooking for strong leadership at LSU,” he said.

Email Tyler Bridges at tbridges@theadvocate. com.

Democrats seize on efforts to fight SNAP payments

BY JILL COLVIN, MICHELLE L. PRICE and LINDSAY WHITEHURST Associated Press

WEST PALM BEACH,Fla. The Trump administration’s legal efforts to fight having to fully fund food stamps for millions of vulnerable Americans is creating an opening for Democrats eager to use the longest government shutdown in U.S. history to paint the president as callous and out of touch.

“Donald Trump and his administration have made the decision to weaponize hunger, to withhold SNAP benefits from millions of people, notwithstanding the fact that two lower courts, both the district court and the court of appeals, made clear that those SNAP benefits needed to be paid immediately,” House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said on CNN Saturday, calling the actions “shameful.”

“Donald Trump is literally fighting in court to ensure Americans starve. HE DOES NOT CARE ABOUT YOU,” echoed California Gov Gavin Newsom, a potential 2028 presidential contender, on X.

The comments come after the Supreme Court late Friday granted the administration’s emergency appeal to temporarily block a court order requiring it to fully fund SNAP food aid payments amid the shutdown.

A judge had given the administration until Friday to make the payments But the administration asked an appeals court to suspend any orders requiring it to spend more money than is available in a contingency fund, and to move forward with planned partial SNAP payments for the month instead.

The legal wrangling comes after the administration and Republicans endured a bruising Election Day last week. Democrats scored commanding wins up and down the ballot and on ballot measures across the coun-

try amid signs that voters’ economic woes are top of mind a warning sign for the president and his party heading into next year’s higher-stakes midterm elections.

In response, the White House is planning to adjust its messaging strategy to focus on affordability to try to win over voters who are worried about the high cost of living with plans to emphasize new tax breaks and show progress on fighting inflation.

But its efforts around food stamps could complicate that.

Blame game, workarounds

Both parties have tried to blame the other for the shutdown as its impact has spread beyond Washington, D.C.

An Associated PressNORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll conducted in October as the shutdown stretched into its third week, found that roughly 6 in 10 Americans said Trump and Republicans in Congress bore “a great deal” or “quite a bit” of responsibility for the shutdown, while 54% said the same about Democrats

in Congress. At least threequarters said both sides deserved at least a “moderate” share of blame.

The White House did not respond to questions Saturday about its rationale for appealing the SNAP orders to the Supreme Court or whether it was concerned about the optics of fighting against making the full payments.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, appearing on Fox News, again blamed Democrats for refusing to vote to reopen the government and made the case that funding had to come from Congress.

“We can’t just create money out of the sky,” she said. “You can’t just create money to fund a program that Congress refuses to fund.”

While hundreds of thousands of federal workers have been furloughed and gone over a month without paychecks, the president has gone out of his way to ensure those he favors have been paid.

That includes members of the military after Trump directed the Pentagon to use “all available funds” to pay

retary Kristi Noem has said her department had found a way to pay the U.S. Coast Guard and law enforcement officers within the department with funds from the sweeping “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” Trump signed this summer

And FBI director Kash Patel has said that FBI special agents are still being paid — though other bureau workers are not. The administration has not said where that money is coming from.

Legal wrangling

The administration has faced lawsuits from Democratic-leaning states, nonprofits and cities since shortly after announcing that SNAP benefits would not be available in November because of the shutdown.

But two judges separately ordered the government to keep the money following, ruling last week that the ad-

ministration could not skip November’s benefits entirely In both cases, the judges ordered the government to use an emergency reserve fund containing more than $4.6 billion to make the payments, which cost between $8.5 billion and $9 billion each month. After the administration announced it would cover only 65% of the maximum monthly benefit, one judge ruled that they could not and would need to find the money to fully fund the program for November The Justice Department filed an emergency appeal. In its court filings Friday, the administration contended that the judge had usurped both legislative and executive authority When a higher court refused to nullify the Friday payment deadline, the Trump administration turned quickly to the Supreme Court.

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TyphoonKalmaegirampagesacrossVietnam

Philippine islands preparefor newstorm

BY ANIRUDDHA GHOSAL and JIM GOMEZ Associated Press

DAKLAK,Vietnam Typhoon Kalmaegi brought fiercewinds and torrential rains to Vietnam on Friday,killing at least five people, flattening homes, blowing off roofs and uprooting trees

In the Philippines, where the storm left at least 204 dead earlier in the week, survivors wept over the coffins of their lovedones and bracedfor another typhoon

As the storm movedon, recovery work began in battered townsand villages in both countries. Across central Vietnameseprovinces, people cleared debris and repaired roofs on their homes.

Jimmy Abatayo, who losthis wife and nine close relatives after the typhoon unleashed flooding in the central Philippine province of Cebu, was overwhelmed with sorrowand guilt as he ranhis palm over his wife’scasket.

“I was able to swim. Itold my family to swim, you will be saved, just swim, be brave and keep swimming,” said Abatayo, 53, pausing and then breaking into tears. “They didnot hearwhatI said because Iwould never see them again.”

In Cebu, 141 people died, mostly in floodings. Villagers on Friday gatheredtosay goodbyetotheir dead, including at abasketball gym turned funeral parlor where relatives wept before arow of white coffins bedecked withflowers and small portraits of the deceased.

Astate of national emergency declared by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.onThursday wasstill ef-

fect in thePhilippines, as the country braced foranother potentially powerful storm,Typhoon Fungwong,knownlocally as Uwan. Marcos, whovisited Cebu on Friday,said an unusually large volume of rain overwhelmed dikes and flood-control safeguards andcaused riverstorapidly overflowon Tuesday,flooding nearby residential communities, where residentsscrambled to climb to the upper floors or roofs of their houses in panic.

Across thecountry,Kalmaegi leftatleast 204 people dead and 109 missing, thePhilippines Office of Civil Defense said, and more than half amillion people were

displaced.

Nearly 450,000 were evacuated to shelters, and nearly400,000 remained in evacuation centersor homes of relatives as of Saturday

Theweather bureausaid Fungwong would come early next week and predicted it would span an estimated 870 miles beforemaking landfall late Sunday or early MondayinnorthernAuroraprovince It could alsopotentially affect the denselypopulatedcapitalregion of Manila.

Statemedia said fivepeoplewere killed in Vietnam —three in Dak Lak and two in Gia Lai provinces —while three remainedmissing in Quang Ngai.

Carfleeing police slamsinto bar, killing4and injuring 11

BY KATE PAYNE Associated Press

Aspeeding car fleeing po-

lice slammed into acrowded bar early Saturday, killing four peopleand injuring 11 in ahistoric district of Tampa, Florida, that is known for its nightlife and tourists

An air patrol unit spotted the silver sedan driving recklessly on afreewayat about 12:40 a.m. after it was seen street racing in another neighborhood, the Tampa Police Department said in a statement.

The Florida Highway Patrol caught up with the vehicle and tried to perform aPIT maneuver,which involves bumping the rear fender to cause aspinout, but it was unsuccessful. Highway patrol officers “disengaged” as the vehicle sped toward historic Ybor City near downtown, police said, and ultimately the driver lost control and hit more than adozen people outside the bar,Bradley’son7th.

Three people died at the scene, and afourth died at ahospital. As of Saturday afternoon, two people were hospitalized in critical condition, seven were listed as stable and two had been treated and discharged, policesaid.

WOO

TAMPABAy TIMES PHOTO By JEFFEREE

Avehicle that crashed intoalocal business is towedaway while lawenforcement investigates the scene on Saturday in Tampa,Fla.

“What happened this morning was asenseless tragedy, our heartsare with the loved ones of the victims and allthose who were impacted,” Police Chief Lee Bercaw said in astatement.

Officers identified the suspect as Silas Sampson, 22, who was booked Saturday and was being heldatthe Hillsborough CountyJail.

Court documents show Sampson was chargedwith four countsofvehicular homicide and four counts of aggravated fleeing or eludingwith serious bodily injury or death, all first-degree felonies.

“Our entire city feels this loss,” Mayor Jane Castor, who alsoserved as Tampa’s first female police chief, said on social media. Following arise in fatalities, A2023 study funded by the U.S. Department of Justice called for chases to be rare, saying the dangers often outweigh the immediate need to takesomeone into custody Florida’shighway patrol has loosened limits on car chases and PITmaneuvers, tactics thatthe Justice Department-backed report characterized as “high-risk” and “controversial.”

Fifty-two houses collapsed and nearly2,600 othersweredamaged or had theirroofsblown off, including more than 2,400 in Gia Laialone. The storm also caused multiple power grid failures and knocked down hundreds of power poles,cutting electricity to more than1.6 million households. Authorities said Saturday that power had been restored to mostareas, but about 500,000 households remained without electricity

Factorieslost their roofs and equipment was damaged because of flooding in Binh Dinh province.

In hard-hit Quy Nhon, residents woke up to find corrugated metal roofs and household itemsscat-

CornerstoneChemicalCompany,LLCis reinforcingitsroleasacommunitypartner inJefferson Parish througha series of localoutreachinitiatives andlong-term site investmentsaimed at supporting communities,strengtheningrelationships andensuringregionalsustainability

Thatcommitmentwasespeciallyvisible throughoutOctober when Cornerstone alongsidetwositecompanies—Ecoservices andUBE C1 ChemicalsAmerica (UCCA) —participatedinmultipleneighborhood Halloween celebrations across Jefferson Parish. Together,the companiesprovided 800Halloween-inspiredgoodiebagsfilled withfun activities like stickers, Play Doh,mini-paddleball,and of course, a littlecandy.Recipientsincludedthe Mt HermonBaptist Church’s Community Halloween Celebration, Live OakEstates neighborhoodHalloweenparty,OldKenner Senior Center’s HalloweenCelebration andWaggamanCommunityFoundation’s Trunk-or-Treat

tered along the streets. Later on Friday,families crowded into a brightly lit shopping mall—one of the fewplaces with backup power in thecity—clutching tangled extensioncords andtheir phones. Children rejoiced at the unexpected outing while parents lined up at every available outlet, charging their devices and anxiously calling relatives to makesure they were safe.

As the skies cleared and sunlight broke through on Friday morning, residentsinDak Lak province stepped out to assess the wreckage leftbehind.

Streets were littered with fallen branchesand twistedsheetsof metal, and muddy water still pooled in low-lyingareas where theriver had surged to record heights overnight. Shopkeepers dragged out waterlogged goods to dry in the sun, while families swept mud from their doorsteps andpatched together missing roof tiles.

Many areas in Vietnam reported uprooted trees, damaged power linesand flattenedbuildings as Kalmaegiweakened into atropical storm and moved into Cambodia on Friday In Vietnam’sfinancial capital Ho Chi Minh City,manywaded through flooded streets Friday In Lam Dong province, officials evacuated around 100 households near an irrigation lake after discovering leaks in the dam.Local authoritiestoldstate media that the evacuation was aprecaution to prevent apotential disaster Kalmaegi struckVietnamas the country’scentral region was still reeling from floods caused by record-breaking rains. Authorities said morethan 537,000 people were evacuated,manybyboat,as floodwaters rose andlandslides loomed.

withsitecompanies,includingEcoservices andUCCA, ensuresthese values are prioritizedacrossoperations.

“Ecoservices wasproud to participate inthese communityeventsand help bring alittleextra Halloweenfun to our neighbors,”saidPeterBilotta,Ecoservices site director.“We look forward to finding morewaystoconnect with andsupport our localcommunity as we deepen our roots in JeffersonParish.”

Formorethan70years,Cornerstone has operated in Waggaman as an engaged corporatecitizencontributingtime,talent andresources to charitable initiatives, sponsoring localevents, andhosting informational programs fornearby residents.Companyleaderssayresponsible industrymeans listeningtocommunity needs andactivelyworking to strengthen quality of life

Aspartofitslong-termvision,Cornerstone EnergyParkcontinues to modernizeits facilitieswithafocusonsafety,healthand environmentalstewardship.Collaboration

“CornerstoneEnergyParkishonoredto invest in thecommunity we call home,” saidAinslieBlanke,seniormarketingand communications advisoratCornerstone “Wevalue everyopportunity to connect with ourneighbors, localleaders and organizations across JeffersonParish as we work together toward astronger, brighter future forall.”

Companyofficialsnotethatlocaloutreach isnotseasonal.It’sayear-roundphilosophy supportedbycontractors andemployees acrossthepark.Volunteerism,educational supportanddonationsareintegratedinto howthe site operates

Lookingahead,Cornerstone andits partners arefocused on building lasting relationships,supportingregionalgrowth andmaintaining community-firstvalues. Thegoal,companyleaderssay,istoensure CornerstoneEnergyParkremainsapositive forceintheparishforgenerationstocome To learnmoreabout Cornerstone’s communityprograms, visitwww cornerstonechemco.com/community.

EDUCATION

Test-prep company helps students boost scores

Q&A WITH ANGELICA HARRIS

FOUNDER TOP TUTORS FOR US

BY PATRICK WALL Staff writer

Long before Angelica Harris

founded her own test-prep company, she was an ambitious New Orleans teen determined to attend a top university

A varsity athlete who earned straight A’s at a private all-girls school, Harris thought her odds were pretty good.

But when she took the ACT, she earned a dismal 16 out of 36 points on the all-important college entrance exam.

“My test score was really holding me back from getting into one of those top-tier Ivy League universities,” Harris said.

She tried going to a popular test-prep program but felt out of place. The other students were trying to maximize their already high scores, while she, the only Black person in her class, needed more basic help.

Still determined, Harris decided to create her own prep program, which focused more on filling gaps in her math, reading and writing skills than on test-taking strategies.

She also worked for the first time with a Black tutor, who she found inspiring and relatable. When she retook the ACT, she doubled her score to 32, rocketing from the 20th percentile of testtakers to the 99th percentile.

With her boosted score, Harris earned a full-ride scholarship to Washington University in St. Louis. While there, she decided

to turn her homemade test-prep program into a business aimed at Black students who, she felt, were poorly served by existing programs.

Today her company, Top Tutors for Us, provides test prep and tutoring to about 1,000 students in the St. Louis area and Louisiana, said Harris, who returned to New Orleans after college. The business partners with several schools and youth programs, including Morris Jeff Community School in New Orleans and United Way of Southeast Louisiana, which allows students to attend for free.

Though all students are welcome, Top Tutors for Us specializes in pairing Black students with Black tutors. Aside from Harris’ own experience, research shows students taught by those who look like them have higher grades, attendance and college enrollment rates.

The Times-Picayune | The Advocate recently spoke with Harris about the story and mission, behind her tutoring business. The interview has been condensed and edited for clarity

Whydoyouthinkyoustruggledwiththe ACTinhighschool?

It’s actually across the board for most students who look like me. (In Louisiana, Black students’ average ACT score was 16 in 2023, compared with 20 for White students.) A 20 is needed for Louisiana’s TOPS scholarship. So it’s really limiting for students who don’t score high enough.

I think one of the reasons I found is that the test is culturally biased. A lot of the questions —

and in the reading section, a lot of the stories — are very Eurocentric. If you’re a Black student, it’s just kind of distant from your own experience.

Secondly, I think a lot of Black students start late preparing for the standardized tests, whereas a lot of students who score really high start in middle school. Lastly, test prep is very expensive. It’s always been inaccessible for students from low-income areas.

Whydidn’ttraditionaltestprepworkfor you?

For one, it lacked individual help, like a personalized lesson plan. Secondly, the traditional programs just teach a lot of strategies. But if a student has gaps in those areas (like math or reading), those strategies don’t make a whole lot of sense and aren’t effective.

And I think just having those large groups, and not individual help, that was a problem. Also not having someone who really could break down the test and relate it to me culturally

Howdoesyourprogramwork?

We first start off with the student taking a questionnaire. They take both a behavioral and a technical assessment. And we also have our tutors take both of those as well. We look at dozens of features between the student and tutor, and then we make a culturally competent match.

From there, the student gets booked into the tutor’s calendar They meet regularly It’s virtual, so this allows the student to access their tutor anytime, anywhere.

And the great thing about our

program — and why schools like us versus traditional test prep

— is because our program incorporates academic skill-building, plus test prep.

Whatdoesitmeanfortutoringtobe“culturallycompetent?”

Culturally competent means understanding where the student is coming from in terms of their backgrounds, because that all affects their learning.

It’s really meeting students where they are. So we match (students and tutors) based on their socioeconomic level, if they’re first-generation (college students), their race and ethnicity their passions and goals.

HastheTrumpadministration’scrackdownondiversity-relatedprogramsaffected yourbusiness?

Actually, this has been our biggest growth year We’ve grown three times (the number of students served) this year

It’s because the need is so high.

The ACT reported in 2023 that scores were at a 30-year low This is across all students, all demo-

WE’RE ASKING EXPERTS ACROSS THE STATE HOW TO TACKLE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES FACING LOUISIANA SCHOOLS.

graphics.

We have all races of students in our program, but obviously the backstory behind why I founded it was to uplift minority students on these very important tests, on which they typically underperform. And demand is actually much higher now because the Supreme Court overturned affirmative action in 2023, so universities can’t look at race at all. So these test scores are more important to students’ applications.

Whatwouldyousaytostudentswho strugglewiththeACTorSAT?

Even though I’ve tutored the ACTs and SATs for eight-plus years, I’d say don’t let that be a determinant of what your success will look like in the future. That said, getting a high ACT score is actually the easiest way to get scholarships. So it’s just worth the time to maximize your score because you’re guaranteed lots of money at the end. I really felt that once I got that higher test score, I was like, whoa, the sky’s the limit for me.

After6 months,PopeLeo charting hisown path

Keyprioritiesare

BY NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press

VATICANCITY

“You get used to it.”

Thatwas Pope LeoXIV’s matter-of-fact response when King Charles III asked about the swarms of televisionscameras documenting his historic visit to the Vatican last month.

Charles is no stranger to paparazzi, so Leowasn’ttelling the monarchanythinghedidn’talready know.But Leo’sblasé comment seemedtoconfirm what Vatican observers have noticed recently: that Leo has indeed gotten used to being pope, and is finding his footing six months intothe job.

After his shock election in May and sharp learning curve over the summer,Leo’skey priorities are cominginto focus, especially where he dovetails withhis predecessor,Pope Francis, and where he diverges, as he hit his six-month mark on Nov.8

Keysocialjustice issues

Leo showed himselfinperfect lockstepwith Francis when he published his first major teaching document last month, on the church’snon-negotiable“preferential option for the poor.” Francis began writing the text before he died; Leo took it over andmadeit his own.

In it, Leo criticized how the wealthy liveina “bubbleofcomfort and luxury” whilepoor people suffer on the margins. He urgeda renewed commitment to fixingthe structural causes of poverty.

Leo has also embraced Francis’ ecological legacy,presiding over the first Mass using anew prayer formula “for the care of creation.”

He has given the go-ahead to Francis’ ambitious plan toturn a Vatican-owned property northof Rome into amassive solar farm that could make Vatican City the world’sfirst carbon-neutral state.

Perhaps nowhere was Leo more Francis-like than on Oct. 23, when he met at the Vaticanwith Indigenous groups and representatives of popular movementswho had beenchampioned by the Argentine Jesuit.

Francis had prioritized people on the margins, and exhorted the church to accompany them as they demandedthe basichuman necessities of “tierra, techo, trabajo,” land, housingand work.

Leo repeated Francis’ mantra during his audience and put his own spin on it, noting that his namesake, Pope Leo XIII, took up theissue of workers rightsatthe dawn of theIndustrial Revolution.

“Echoing Francis’ words, Isay today: land, housing andwork are sacred rights. It is worthwhile to fight for them, andIwould like you to hear me say, ‘I am here, I am with you!’”Leo said.

CardinalMichael Czerny,atop adviser tobothpopes, saidLeo is in perfectcontinuity withFrancis, implementing processes that Francis set in motion

“The transition from oneHoly Fathertoanother is not primarilya transition in policies,” Czerny said in an interview.While achange in governments from one partyto thenext can signal abreak, “here it would be amistake to look for that.”

“The stylistic differences are in theperson, not in theteaching,” he said.

Sticks to script

On style,it’snow clear that Leo is happy to pope theold fashioned way,wearing the red mozzetta cape and embroidered stole for all but themost mundane occasions. He sticks to thescript of his prepared texts, shows discipline in his liturgical observance and doesn’t ad-lib withwisecracks the way Francis sometimes did.

That has endeared him to many of the Catholic conservatives who bristled at Francis’ informality Eventhough Leo is echoing many of Francis’ Gospel-mandated social justicepreaching points,his style andgestures have generally won them over so far “WhatI’m hearing and sensing is areal joy in the maturity,the discipline and the tradition that he brings back to thepapacy,” said Patrick Reilly,founder and head of theconservative Cardinal Newman Society, which ranks Catholic colleges in the U.S. on upholding

traditional doctrine.

“I don’tknow of anyone whohas any concerns or is disturbedor anything like we saw,” withFrancis, he said.

Return of LatinMass

Many credit Leo forallowing a traditional LatinMass to be celebrated at theback altar of St Peter’sBasilica, presided over by none other than the figurehead of the American Catholic right, Cardinal Raymond Burke. Francis in 2021 cracked downon the spread of the ancient liturgy, saying it hadbecome asourceof division in dioceses. The crackdown fueled conservative and traditionalist opposition to Francis, leading to anew impasse in the age-old liturgical wars. ButLeo has expressed awillingness to engageindialoguewithtraditionalists, suggesting adetente is possible.

“Welove ourpope, we prayfor him,” said Christina Tignot, who attended the LatinMassservice during the traditionalists’ annual pilgrimage. With her was her hus-

band andhomeschooled daughter, whojoined her mother in wearing alace veil over her head.

Charting anew path

For allhis continuitywithFrancis, Leohas chartedhis ownpath and even corrected Franciswhen necessary In one case of areversal, Leo abrogateda 2022 lawissuedby Francis that concentrated financial power in the Vatican bank. Leo issuedhis own lawallowing the Holy See’sinvestment committee to use other banks, outside the Vatican, if it madebetter financial sense.

Leo has also met with agroup of activist survivors of clergy sexual abuse, whosaid he promised to engage in dialogue as they press the Vatican to adoptazero-tolerance for abuse policy worldwide. Francishad met regularlywithindividual abuse survivors, but kept advocacy and activist groups at an arm’slength.

Commentonabortion

Leo’spersonal routine is also showing abreak from that of the workaholic homebody Francis.

Leo hastaken to spending Mondayafternoonsand Tuesdays at the papal country house in Castel Gandolfo,where he can taketime off and get in atennis gameinthe estate’scourt. (He plays with his secretary).

To the newsmedia’sdelight, Leo has agreed to field somequestions each Tuesday evening as he leaves from agaggle of reporters gathered outside,weighing in on everything fromthe Gazaceasefire to immigration enforcement raids in Chicago, his hometown.

His initially timid responses were noticed. They led to abiting television skit by Italianpolitical satirist Maurizio Crozza, who suggestedthatthe name “Leo” was perhaps amismatch for a pope seemingly afraid of his own shadow

But with the passage of time, Leo seems to be getting into hisgroove. He sparked abrief but seemingly temporary alarminconservative circles when, during one recent Tuesday evening Q&A, he chimed in on the U.S. abortion debate by challenging abortion opponents about what it really meanstobe pro-life.

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LOUISIANAPOLITICS

What do Democrats’ wins mean forJohnson,GOP?

WASHINGTON —Louisianaleaders in the U.S. House downplayed

Tuesday’sDemocratic electoral victories —other than to say radical leftists took over the minority party But some political observers say theirrhetoricmasked an opening for Democrats —evenin Louisiana, where Republicanshave dominated for more than adecade.

“It’sbeen interesting to us to see all the pundits trying to spin the results,” House Speaker MikeJohnson, R-Benton, said Thursday “There were no surprises on Tuesday night. Youhad blue states and blue citiesthat voted blue to the alarm of no one, tothe surprise of no one,” added Johnson, whocoordinated messaging for House Republicans before assuming the top spot.

House Majority LeaderSteve Scalise, R-Jefferson, picked up Johnson’sline that the Democrats are now being led by a34-year-old “Marxist,” referring to Zohran Mamdani, aDemocraticSocialist who won the New York Citymayor’srace and has been dubbedby Republicans as the new leader of the Democratic Party Senate Minority Leader “Chuck Schumer is in the fetal position, scared to death of Mamdani. That’sthe real problem is that Schumer can’tmake amove without clearing it now withthe socialists,” Scalise said on Newsmax Thursday Schumer,ofNew York,has led the Democratic opposition to reopening the federal government that has been shut down since Oct. 1. But Republican talking points don’ttell the whole story

“They got thumped on thenose and they needed to get thumped on the nose,” veteranpolitical operative Roy Fletcher,ofBaton Rouge, said of Republicans. An adviser to conservative Louisiana TreasurerJohn Fleming’s efforttounseat U.S. Sen. Bill

Leaderskeep pressure up over radioactive shrimp

Louisiana elected officials continue to stump for tougheraction against foreign seafood after aseries of safety recalls due to radioactive residue in shrimp and other hazards.

Capitol Buzz STAFF REPORTS

U.S. Sens. Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy,both Republicans, sent letters lastweekto Walmart, Kroger and Albertsons urging them to take action becauseofthe recalls.

The senators wrote that the grocery chains “continue to sell imported shrimp at your stores, rather than support domestic fisheries thatoffer asafer product whilesupporting small American businesses.” Commercial seafood, especially shrimping, is amajor industry in Louisiana. State officials have seized on the recalls to push for policies that support the industry

Cassidy,R-Baton Rouge, Fletcher engineered thevictory of Republican Gov.Mike Foster back in the 1990s byturning the millionaire into aworkingman. “The argument hastobestronger than callingnames. They

Kennedy has called for tougher inspections of foreign seafood. He made headlines for aspeech on theSenatefloor in which he used aposter-sizedpicture of amonsterfromthe sci-fi horrormovie “Alien” as atongue-in-cheek illustration of the dangers of foreign shrimp.

Lt. Gov.Bill Nungesser has used the recalls to renew his calls for thefederalgovernment to impose inspectionfeesonforeign seafood.

The fee of 10 cents per pound wouldraise$600 millionwhich couldbeused tohire thousands of additionalfood inspectors, Nungesser has said.

“EnsuringthatAmerican families have accesstosafe, quality food is essentialfor us to advance President Trump’sagenda to Make AmericaHealthyAgain,” thesenators wrote in their letter

Carter bill addresses flood insurance

U.S. Rep. Troy Carter,D-New Orleans,introduceda bill in the U.S. Housethataims to fix prob-

need to stay on the economic message,”Fletcher added.

Politics professor G. Pierson Cross, of theUniversityofLouisiana Monroe, saw theeconomic message as an opening for Louisiana Democrats.

lems for homeowners unable to renewtheir flood insurance due to the ongoing government shutdown.

Congressional authorization for the National Flood Insurance Program has lapsed, meaning no new policies can be issued or renewed.

Homeownershave a30-day grace period to renew policies, and the shutdown has now lasted longer than that. Carter’sbill, alsosponsored by Mississippi Republican Mike Ezell, would createaretroactive renewal period so thathomeowners don’tface alack of coverage or premium hikes if theywerenot able to renew policies during the shutdown.

“The lapse of the National Flood Insurance Program isn’tapartisan problem —it’sa people problem,” Carter said in the news release. “Families shouldn’tlosetheir coverage or face higher premiums because of political gridlock.”

Asolid grassroots effort by a charismatic candidate focusing on affordability,food prices and other “kitchen table” issues —as Mamdani did —is“amodel for mobilization in Louisiana,” Cross said, as longasthat candidate remembers Louisiana is not New York.

“I don’tthink Louisianans are going to buyinto somecandidate who bills himself as socialist,” Cross said. “But acandidate who comes out and talks about jobs and wages and child care and employment andcommunity,those are messages that would reverberate.”

That’spretty much what Abigail Spanberger andMikie Sherrill did, but they did so as moderates. Both scored double-digit victories.

Johnson and Scalise are correct that Virginia and NewJersey are bothblue states that elected Democratic women as governors. Spanberger topped aticket in Virginia that will replace Republicans as governor,lieutenant governor andattorney general. Democrats flipped 13 seats in the

Kennedy pushesback on Trump FDICnominee

RepublicanU.S. Sen. John Kennedy told reporters during a Monday night news conference that he’ll continue to withhold supportfor President Donald Trump’sFDIC nomineeuntil he receives an update on what has been done to improve the agency’stoxic work environment.

Punchbowl, aCapitolHill online news outlet, reported that Kennedy, of Madisonville, saidhehad talkedwith Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation chair nominee Travis Hill and was told thatHill’sstill working on detailing the resolution of hundreds of complaints of sexual assault, unwanted touching, as well as racial andsexual discrimination at the agency During aSenatehearing last week, Kennedy read from aMay 2024 review by lawfirm Cleary Gottlieb that concludedFDIC officials allowed aculture that quashed reporting of suggestive comments andlewd photos,

state General Assembly Mikie Sherrill, whospent the NewJersey race only acouple points ahead of the Republican candidate, attracted the Black and Hispanic voters whohad backed President Donald Trump last year But the GOPnarrative does not account forPennsylvania, a decidedly purple swing state that Trumpwon in 2024. Democrats there held onto three Supreme Court seats.

In Georgia, astate with asimilar electoral history,Democrats ousted two Republicans on that state’sversion of the utilityregulating Public Service Commission.

Tuesday’selection leftLouisiana Democratic Party Chair Randal Gaines moreoptimistic than he has been since assuming leadership in aparty that has been out of power forthe last 14 years. With the exception of John Bel Edwards, whosuccessfully ran forgovernor in 2015 as aformer military man favoring guns and opposing abortion, the last Democrat elected statewide was Buddy Caldwell in 2007 —and he switched to the GOPin2011. Republicans have controlled the Louisiana Legislature and every other statewide office since 2011. Gaines said Louisiana Democrats need to exercise caution when interpreting Tuesday’s victories. New York, Virginia and NewJersey are much moreliberal. But the campaign strategy energized voters, particularly younger ones.

“People in Louisiana are starting to realize those points and that’seventually going to enable us to start getting moreDemocratic candidates elected to office, and hopefully at somepoint, statewide office,” Gaines said. “But I’mnot overlooking the fact that we also have to realize that we’re in aconservative state and conservative values are something that we have to protect as well.”

Email Mark Ballard at mballard@theadvocate.com.

unwantedsexualadvances and otherinappropriate conduct.

Forinstance, Kennedy noted thata supervisorrequested a Hispanic employee recite the Pledge of Allegiancetoprove he was an American.

“Did it make youproud?” Kennedy askedHill.

“It did not,”Hill replied.

Kennedy demandedareport within 30 days of Oct. 30 that detailedwho hadbeen fired, who hadbeen prosecuted and who hadbeen moved to different positions.

“If your name came up in front of me right now, Iwouldn’tvote for you,” Kennedy said. “It has nothing to do with your policy chops. …I’vehad enough of this.”

Kennedy has been critical of the FDIC’shandling of reports of the toxic work environment long before the Gottlieb Steen analysis wasreleased and has proposed corrective legislation.

The FederalDeposit Insurance Corporationinsures deposits and supervisesbankoperations.

THE GULF COAST

Former Magnolia Hotelbeing revived

Biloxiproperty previously was arestaurant

BY POET WOLFE Staff writer

Downtown Biloxi has transformed into an indulgent stretch of glittering casinos and abuzzing nightlife. Yet one historic building nearby remainssuspended in time after survivingwars and several natural disasters.

Today,it’sthe oldest known hotelonthe Mississippi Gulf Coast —and after nearly two centuries, it’s returning toits roots after abriefstint as severalrestaurants.

Jourdan and Fields Nicaud, brothers-turned-businesspartnerswho have built an empire of restaurants and vacation rentals across south Mississippi, opened Field’sMediterraneaninthe former Magnolia Hotel this spring, and asteakhouse before that.

But after realizing there weren’tenough nearby hotels to support the restaurant, they decided to open their own.

The new Le Magnolia Hotel, slated to open in early2027, will feature aFrench-inspired interior to honor the building’s original style, Jourdan Nicaud said.

The first floor will house arestaurant andlobby,with parking underneath the hotel and abar occupying the second floor.The third floor will be devoted to a two-bedroom suite.

Abreezeway will connecttoa new structure with 16 one-bedroom suites, centered around acourtyard designed for weddings and other special events.

Le MagnoliaHotel isn’t the only historic property expanding in Biloxi. Minutes away,the White House Hotel —another landmark dating back to the

1800s —debuted anew wing with 49 additional guest rooms last month.

These expansions reflect a broader shift in tourism along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, a longtime getaway for regional travelersthat, in recent years, has again attracted tourists from across the country

Developersare responding to the surge in tourists —fueled in part by apandemic-era demand for drive-to beach locations —withnew hotels, condominiumsand arevived Amtrakroutethatreconnects coastal communities, including Biloxi, destroyedbyHurricane Katrina.

Empanola closing Biloxi spot

BY ANITALEE Sun Coast Herald

EmpanolaBiloxi,a restaurant andcoffee bar on Howard Avenue, is closing Sunday the city’ssecond location to be shuttered. Asecond restaurant operating outof itsBiloxi building, Pisano’sPizzeria, also willbeshutting down.EmpanolaOcean Springs on Bienville Boulevard andPisano’sPizzeria on Promenade Parkwayare still operating. Online delivery is also an option forboth restaurants.

The restaurants are owned by Frank and TimLombardi-Benson of Biloxi, who bought their Empanola franchise from the New Orleans-based company

While contributing to theregion’s tourismboom, theNicaudshavealsofocused on honoring the Gulf Coast’sarchitectural heritage.

That remains the mission forLeMagnolia Hotel, constructed in 1847 by John Hohn, adeveloper who once operated acoffeehouse in New Orleans, according to the Mississippi DepartmentofArchives and History After Hohn died ayear later his wife operated the Magnolia Hotel, accommodatingthe annualsummerinflux of guests from New Orleans,apattern that still defines thearea’stourismtoday By the mid-1800s, Biloxi was

“The Gulf Coast has done a really good jobof trying to get peopletocome back to this area that theyused to come to prior to Katrina,” Jourdan Nicaud said. “Andthat’salwaysbeen our goal.”

themost popular resort along the Gulf Coast, withabout 6,000 annual visitors, archives show Thatsurge grew as tensions mounted between the North and South during the Civil War, when manySoutherners chose to stay closer to home. By the 1880s, the Magnolia’s clientelehad evolved, welcoming moreguests from the North. The hotel closed after World WarII, but its structure survived the decimation of Hurricane Camille. Now,decades later,the Magnolia is settoreincarnate once more,welcoming anew generation of travelerstothe Mississippi Gulf Coast Email PoetWolfe at poet. wolfe@theadvocate.com.

“Wejust want to simplifylife, that’sall,” said Frank Lombardi-Benson, who noted thecouplealsoownsTony’sBrick Oven Pizzeriaindowntown Gulfport, which also serves Italian dishes. At Empanola, empanadas are the main attraction.The stuffedpastryturnover hasSouth American roots. LombardiBensonsaidhehopes Biloxi customers will patronize the Ocean Springs location after the Biloxi restaurant closes Sunday Empanada offers about20fillings, with meat,vegetarian and vegan options. The restaurant also offers fresh-baked goods. Empanola’sBiloxi locations were the first to open in 2023, followedbythe Ocean Springs location. Biloxi’sPopp’s Ferry and Pass road location previously closed.

Pisano’sstarted offering pizza at the Howard Avenue restaurant after apizza shop opened around thecorner on Porter Avenue abruptly closed.

TheLombardi-Bensons took over the business, remodeling the Porter Avenue building andreopeningthe pizzarestaurant as Pisano’s, but it didn’tlast long. They then moved Pisano’stothe Empanola on Howard.

Frank Lombardi-Benson said the couple is closing the Biloxi shop in hopes of slowing downabit. They plan to remain in Biloxi, where they bought and renovated the historic Glenn Swetman house.

Florida to reopen bay known for its oysters

Apalachicola area had been closed for 5 years

BY KATE PAYNE Associated Press

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. North

Florida’s Apalachicola Bay

will reopen for wild oyster harvesting a move that supporters hope will breathe life into one of the last historic working waterfronts in a state where much of the picturesque coastline has long given way to high-rise condos and strip mall souvenir shops.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission approved the plan Wednesday to reopen the bay for a limited oyster season on Jan. 1, 2026, five years after the waters that had been nationally known for the sweet, plump shellfish were closed because of dwindling populations

The closure of the bay along what is known as Florida’s “Forgotten Coast” dealt a blow to an area that historically produced 90% of the state’s oysters and 10% of the nation’s supply Apalachicola oysters were iconic, comparable to Maine lobster and Maryland blue

crabs, and their loss marked another sign that a way of life for generations of commercial fishermen is disappearing along with their harvest.

The once-booming oyster industry is part of the lifeblood of the town of Apalachicola, which in the 1800s became the third-largest port on the Gulf of Mexico, trailing only New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama.

Many oystermen haven’t adjusted well to being forced off the water and into “land jobs” like construction and landscaping, said Wayne Williams, president of the area’s Seafood Work & Watermen’s Association

“You go from a boat captain to cutting somebody’s grass. You know, that’s a pretty big change,” Williams said Around the world, fish and shellfish populations have dwindled to dangerously low levels, as one of society’s oldest occupations faces warming seas, global appetites and overfishing.

Over the years, waves of drought and the water demands of metro Atlanta and farmers upstream have sapped the Apalachicola River and the bay it flows into sparking a protracted legal fight known as the

“water wars” that went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ultimately sided with Georgia.

The decreased freshwater flows, as well as predation, overharvesting, habitat loss and hurricanes, ultimately pushed Apalachicola oyster production into free-fall, spurred the federal government to declare a fishery disaster in 2013, and triggered the full closure of the bay in 2020.

Now, state regulators say populations have recovered enough to allow a limited reopening of a small portion of the bay for commercial and recreational harvesting, with rules set for the number and size of oysters that can be taken and from which reefs. The initial season will run from Jan. 1 through Feb. 28, with the following seasons running each Oct. 1 through Feb. 28.

According to a Fish and Wildlife Conservation analysis, just 500 acres of suitable potential oyster habitat remain in the bay, down from the estimated 10,000 acres that existed historically representing a 95% decline.

“That ain’t nothing,” said Ottice Amison, a county commissioner for Franklin County, which includes Apalachicola. He ques-

Some Veterans Day events canceled due to shutdown

BY ANDREW DEMILLO Associated Press

Normally on Veterans Day

volunteers gather at the Riverside National Cemetery in California to place flags alongside more than 300,000 gravesites. But not this year

The longest federal government shutdown on record is curtailing and outright canceling parades, ceremonies and other events across the U.S that are normally held to mark Veterans Day. It’s another fallout of the shutdown that has disrupted flights and food assistance, and was already being squarely felt by military families who are worried about their paychecks.

In California, organizers of “A Flag for Every Hero” said they couldn’t move forward with the event on Tuesday without access to restrooms, traffic control and other needs for the thousands of participants. Elsewhere, a lack of federal employees and access to military facilities has scrubbed other Veterans Day events.

“We have a responsibility to provide them the resources they need, and unfortunately with the shutdown we’re unable to do that,” Laura Herzog, founder and CEO of Honoring Our Fallen, which organizes the Riverside National Cemetery event.

Many communities will still hold Veterans Day gatherings, including some of the nation’s largest and

tioned whether the current regulations can support a livelihood — and allow for a revival of the area’s waterfront economy from local fish houses to boatbuilders and restaurants.

“We’d love to see it come back,” he said of the bay.

“But I don’t want to see us jump the gun.”

Republican Gov Ron DeSantis applauded the reopening, pledging to continue to

invest in the bay’s long-term restoration. State conservation staff estimate they need an additional $30 million to $55 million a year to reach their recovery goals.

In setting the new rules, Florida wildlife officials gave preference to commercial fishermen with a history of working in the bay, though they must still apply to be able to harvest. Recreational permits will be

issued to qualifying Florida residents via lottery While Williams supports reopening the bay, he and hundreds of others have signed a petition opposing the new regulations, which they consider too restrictive.. “It’s not only a job, it’s what we love to do,” Williams said of oystering, adding, “we just want to get our lives back together.”

well-known events such as the annual observance at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia and the New York Veterans Day Parade.

The Texas National Cemetery Foundation canceled an annual Veterans Day event at the cemetery in DallasFort Worth, saying organizers wouldn’t have time to stage the ceremony even if the shutdown ended soon.

Despite the upheaval, some communities are still trying to find ways to honor veterans even as events are canceled

In Mississippi, the Gulf Coast Veterans Association canceled its annual parade in Pass Christian. But the group said it would use funds for the event to instead provide Thanksgiving

dinners for veterans and active-duty members.

“While we share in the disappointment, we are choosing to turn this setback into a blessing,” the group said in a Facebook post.

When U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales learned that the Veterans Day ceremony at Fort Sam Houston Cemetery in San Antonio wouldn’t take place, the Republican congressman’s office took up organizing the annual event.

Gonzales, a Navy veteran whose grandfather is buried at the cemetery, said that meant working with nonprofits to find someone to sing the national anthem and to provide chairs for attendees. “We honor our veterans no matter what, and that’s exactly what we did,” he said.

As traditionsshift andfamilydynamicsevolve, JacobSchoen& SonFuneral Home in NewOrleans is adapting to thosechanges with guided conversationsand personalized services that honorthe life of each individual Once defined by apredicablesequence–a wake, visitation,churchservice,cemeteryburial, then home to host visitors –funeral customsare becomingmorediverse,saidOttoBriede, managing partnerofJacob Schoen &Son FuneralHome. Many families no longer want largecrowdsintheir homes, nordotheyfeelcompelled to hold aservice with a casket or urnpresent.Instead,Briedesaidpeople arelooking formeaningful, community-oriented experiences that aretailoredtoeachperson.

To meet thoseneeds,Briedesaidthe funeral home hasredesignedits spaces to includededicatedreception roomsthatcan accommodateupto 100people, with theability to expand even further when needed

“Wecan creatememorialslideshowsand have them projectedontotelevisionmonitorsinthe parlor.Weencourage families to bringframed pictures to decorate therooms,” Briede said.“You seea lotmoreofthattoday becauseeverybody wants to have that personal touch.”

Briede said thoseimagesoften bringfamilies together,especially throughmultiplegenerations “Theycreateadialogue,”hesaid. “A grandchild willask aboutaphoto on aslideshow andthatsparks aconversationabout an eventinthe past.Thathelps thosestories andthatperson’slegacycontinueon. That celebrationoflifeisthe cornerstoneofwhat we trytodo.

Thecustomizationextends to everyaspect of a serviceatJacob Schoen &Son.For example, Briede said thedaysofevery manbeing laid to rest in asuit andevery womanina dressare long gone.Ifsomeonespent theirSundays wearingblack andgold, Briede said families feel comfortabledressingtheir lovedone in NewOrleans Saints attire –agesture that honors authenticity rather than tradition Theschedulingpattern forservicesisalso changing.Briedesaidmorefamiliesare choosing eveningorweekend services outofconsideration forthe work andschoolscheduleoftheir lovedones’ networkofrelatives andfriends To help families understandwhat’spossible, thestaff at JacobSchoen&Son make it apoint to

clearlyexplain theiroptions “We’re not just ordertakers. We seeitasour responsibility to lead adialogue anda conversation with each family,” Briede said.“We want them to have as much information as possible. We’llstart talkingabout thedifferentaspects of theservice,and alot will saytheydidn’tthinkcertain things were possible It’s ourroletotellthemwhatcan be done andhow we willmakeithappen.

Briede said he andhis staff encourage people to have thoseconversations abouttheir ownfuneral services.While this dialogue canbeuncomfortable,pre-planningeliminatesconfusion,prevents rushed decisionsand givesfamiliesmoretimeand flexibility to determinea paymentplan. At Jacob Schoen &Son,individuals canoutline theirwishes, comparecosts andpay in advance.

“I’m afourthgenerationfuneral director andone of thethings my father taught me is that afuneral is oneofthe topfive most expensivesituationsyou willdealwithinyourlife,”Briedesaid. “It’sunderstandablethatpeopledon’t want to talk aboutthem, butit’ssomuchbetterwhenyou plan ahead. That way, nobodyhas to trytotakecareofthings at the last minute.” As needsdiversify,Briedeemphasizedthat JacobSchoen&Son strivestoserve NewOrleans families across allincomelevelswithdignity and respect. That philosophy hasguidedthe funeral home –one of theoldestcontinuouslyoperating

ADLER’S

theirown likesand dislikes,”he said. “They have an opportunity to do something they want to do if I don’t just hand this to them and obligate themtocontinue something that may not be their first choice.”

No firm date has been set for the closure. Adler said the stores will first liquidate their inventory at a “retirementsale” that is expected to take several months

Adler’sisthe latest in agrowing list of NewOrleans family businesses to close or sell to larger

competitorsinrecent years. In the pastsix months, Canal Barge Co., ElmerChocolate andLangenstein’s have all sold,ending, in each case, more than acentury of local ownershipinbrandsthat hadbecome institutions.

Adler’sdeparture will not only mark theend ofanera in localretail but will leave ahole on Canal Street, which Coleman Adler II continued to champion long after theiconic avenuelostits reputation as the city’spremier shopping destination.Adler’shas operated itsflagship location at 722-724 Canal St. since1909, serving as ahighend anchor amidthe strip’schanging fortunes.

“Our building is iconic on Canal Street,” Coleman Adler said. “I don’tintend for that landmark to disappear.Ijust wanttosee where else we can go with it.”

‘Tiffany’s of theSouth’ Adler’sdates back to 1898, when Coleman E. Adler I, an immigrant from Slovakia whocametoNew Orleans from Alabama, opened a fine jewelry andgift store on Royal Street after settling here withhis newwife.

Thestore didwelland,in1902, moved to the800 block of Canal Street. At the time, Galatoire’swas still ayear from opening on BourbonStreet andAntoine’shad yetto

createits signatureOysters Rockefeller,according to atimeline preparedbythe Adler family

In 1909, the store moved down thestreet to its current location. By then, Adler’swas wellestablishedasone of the region’spremiere jewelers. In 1912, the state of Louisianacommissioned the firmtodesign andmanufacture the official Louisiana Centennial coin. Afew years later,Adler’swas tapped to design the perpetual silverfootball trophy awarded to the winner of the annual Thanksgiving Day football game between Tulane University and Centenary College. In the1930s, Coleman Adler’s sons, Milton andWalter,joined

thefamily business, which officially changedits name to Coleman E. Adlerand Sons. The store prospered along withthe fortunes of Canal Street, which waslined with department stores like D.H. Holmes, Maison Blanche and Godchaux’sand attracted shoppers from throughout the region. In 1973, Milton andWalter died just 30 days apart. Coleman E. Adler II, not yet 30 and with ahouse full of young children, stepped in, taking over the duties that his father anduncle,together, hadbeen performing formorethan40years. “This was the only job Ihave

ever had,” Adler said. “I am not going to foist that upon my children. They will have a choice.”

Changing times, higher costs

Under Adler’s leadership, the store expanded and grew in new ways, even as the world and retail shopping habits were changing. In the 1970s, Adler’s opened a Metairie location in Lakeside Shopping Center, which relocated in 2018 to the Trader Joe’s shopping center on Veterans Boulevard.

For a time in the 1990s, Adler’s had a West Bank location in Oakwood Shopping Center In the early 2000s, it branched outside the metro area with a store in Baton Rouge, which remained in operation until 2023 At the same time, independent jewelers were beginning to face pressure from a variety of forces.

Legacy jewelry retailers are closing as longtime owners age out and younger generations opt not to keep the family business going, statistics show In the first quarter of this year alone, 167 jewelry stores across the country shut down, more than 20% more than during the same period a year ago, according to the Jewelers Board of Trade.

What’s more, nationally known designers that command brand loyalty among their wealthy customers are exercising greater leverage with local retailers, experts say, demanding a higher percentage of sales and specific amounts of store space and marketing support in return for their exclusive merchandise.

“A lot of retailers work directly with designer brands, and the designers set terms like any other business that comes with strict controls,” said Amanda Gizzi, senior vice president of corporate affairs at Jewelers of America, an industry trade organization

Some big luxury brands, like Rolex in particular, have cut back on the number of authorized dealers with which they do business, including Adler’s, as they open up their own proprietary stores. Adler declined to discuss why the store lost its Rolex dealership three years ago. Rolex also declined to comment.

More recently, the Trump administration’s tariffs, along with higher

prices of precious metals, have increased the cost of doing business at a time when changing consumer patterns have decreased demand for the pricey silver flatware and ornate china dinner settings that stores like Adler’s still carry “Tariffs have made it hard,” Gizzi said “Retailers are eating a lot of

the cost to to their customers.”

Adler ack winds but his decision

Looking a Adler said he’s looking

more time to civic and charitable affairs, something his family has always done behind the scenes.

“It makes me feel excited that I will be able to continue to do something other than this for the good of the community,” he said Serving on foundation boards and working with organizations centered on education, the arts and historic building preservation are the causes he particularly holds dear

He hopes his children — Tiffany Adler Mickal Adler C.E. Adler (Coleman III), and Millie Adler — will also continue to devote their time to serving the community, as they already do, and suggests they may develop new business ventures based on their experience at Adler’s over the years.

“I have enjoyed working with the Adler store family, our community and being part of our customers’ life celebrations,” said Tiffany Adler in a prepared statement. “Watching (my Dad) make this decision has me thinking about my own future. Closing the stores frees me to contemplate the impact I want to have in New Orleans, as a businesswoman, as a philanthropist and as a community volunteer.” to comment on their plans, but in prepared written statements, they praised their father’s decision and expressed gratitude for the opportunities he has given them. Mickal Adler said the pending closure of Adler’s is a milestone, not an endpoint, in the diverse legacy of the Adler family

METRO

NOLA.COM | Sunday, november 9, 2025 1bn

New Orleans officials have cut ties with the lead planning and design team for the Lincoln Beach redevelopment project in an effort to curtail excess spending and get the beach opened sooner

LINCOLN BEACH BACK ON TRACK

To cut costs, national design firm taken off project

BY JONI HESS Staff writer

New Orleans officials have cut ties with the lead planning and design team for the Lincoln Beach redevelopment project in an effort to curtail excess spending and get the beach opened sooner.

Kenner-based Digital Engineering & Imaging Inc., will take over as the sole contractor for the first phase of the project following community outcry over opening delays and failed negotiations between the city and national design firm Sasaki and Associates Inc.

“Our negotiations with Sasaki were unsuccessful for a multitude of reasons, primarily the cost,” New Orleans Urban Water Administrator Meagan Williams told a New Orleans City Council committee Tuesday Williams began overseeing the redevelopment in July after former city project manager Cheryn Robles stepped down.

Sasaki came aboard in 2023 to redevelop the historic beach, wooded enclave and recreational space for Black residents during Jim Crow segregation The firm completed an ambitious master plan in May after leading a monthslong planning process that involved a series of public meetings. Their contract ended Nov. 1, but a company representative said they were in talks with the city to continue working on the project Digital Engineering has been involved with the project in a lesser capacity since 2020, but is now charged with a full scope of architectural,

coastal and structural design work under a new contract with the city

Previous estimates to open the longshuttered beach in New Orleans East hovered between $17 million and $23 million for the first phase, which, among other things, includes an access tunnel, a pedestrian bridge over Hayne Boulevard and removal of deteriorating waterfront structures.

The new budget for the project led by Digital Engineering is about $15 million, documents show, which the city has secured through a mix of city bonds and federal grants.

“While we were in discussions with the city about proceeding with future work, there were a number of things that could not be negotiated,” Sasaki spokesperson Josh Brooks said in a statement Wednesday Asked for more details, he did not elaborate.

“We wish the city and the community the best of luck in moving this project forward. The people of New Orleans East deserve this project

and I hope that they get it soon,” he added.

The change comes as frustration mounts among those who have long pushed for safe access to the beach.

Officials announced earlier this year that they would have to push an anticipated summer 2025 opening date back by more than a year Robles had largely blamed the delays on federal red tape to obtain funding, additional funding needs and issues securing a venue for the final public meeting.

Williams on Tuesday said they’ve also lost time during the negotiating process with Sasaki and in order to remain compliant with federal regulations for funding eligibility, moving forward with Digital Engineering as the sole consultant was the best option.

Williams said they’re now working to rebuild trust with the public who previously accused city officials and

Judge to decide fate of N.O. special ed oversight

Monitoring has been in place for years

BY MARIE FAZIO Staff writer

When Nette Archangel moved to New Orleans in 2016, she tried to find a school that would meet the needs of her two sons, who have autism. But one after another, the schools failed her boys, she said. One school on multiple occasions logged that it had provided services for her son on days when he was absent, she said. Another school repeatedly called the police on her other son, who was prone to behavioral issues. Administrators at yet another school regularly called her during the day to pick up her son, effectively an off-the-books suspension.

After filing complaints with the state and seeking assistance from attorneys who told her there was little legal recourse unless her sons were expelled, Archangel’s former partner quit her job and moved their children to Maryland in June to be homeschooled.

New air sensors collecting real-time pollution data

Environmental group hopes to show air quality issues

BY DAVID J MITCHELL Staff writer

After months of work and political wrangling over potential legal impact, a new, small network of air sensors began collecting real-time data in four Mississippi River communities and has already detected spikes in pollution since going live in September, an environmental group says. For years, community and environmental advocates have argued that the state should require real-time, fence-line air monitoring around the state’s major industrial facilities to supplement its regional network with more localized data. But the idea has faced resistance from industry, regulators and legislators over the cost, the fear of false positives and of providing fuel for lawsuits. Located between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, new AQMesh sensors sponsored by environmental group LEAN represent a different tack, putting monitors in the community and offering, the nonprofit’s officials believe, the potential to spur voluntary air quality improvements even if the sensors’ data don’t have regulatory teeth.

Illegal demolitions in New Orleans could face higher fines

City leaders want tougher rules after Uptown home razed

BY HANNAH LEVITAN Staff writer

New Orleans City Council mem-

bers and other regulatory officials are calling for tougher fines for those who demolish historic structures without a permit, after the recent demolition of a century-old shotgun Uptown underscored the need for tougher rules.

The fine for illegally razing historic homes and buildings in New

Orleans is $25,000, more than double the $10,000 that was on the books before state lawmakers increased it starting in 2022. In the three years since, some regulators say, they’ve questioned whether the new, higher fine should be increased again.

“We felt like that was the cost of doing business,” said Historic District Landmarks Commission Executive Director Bryan Block at a City Council budget hearing on Oct. 27. We thought that $25,000 would discourage (property owners from demolition), but we’re seeing that it’s not.” The issue came to the fore last summer, when New Orleans real

estate developer and agent Michael Moore sought permission to demolish a house he owned on Camp Street near Napoleon Avenue. Both the HDLC and City Council denied his request for a demolition permit, according to testimony from the meetings.

Moore tore it down anyway, saying that he was concerned about the structural integrity of the home, which had termite damage. He now says he regrets the move. “I take full responsibility for the decision I made,” Moore told The Times-Picayune in a text last week “In hindsight, my decision was not the right one.” The dispute comes as preserva-

tionists and longtime residents of the city’s older neighborhoods try to balance maintaining the historic structures that make their neighborhoods unique while keeping housing affordable.

“The city has always had difficulty in certain neighborhoods with demolitions, because a lot of developers will do a cost-benefit analysis, and realize how much money they can make if they just tear something down and start from scratch,” Kristin Gisleson Palmer, executive director of the Preservation Resource Center, said.

In a city with hundreds of 18th and 19th-century structures, the

single-family shotgun once located at 4854 Camp St. was not particularly noteworthy But at around 100 years old, it met the criteria for a historic structure and had its original flooring, mantels and fireplaces.

Moore acknowledged at a July hearing before the HDLC, while requesting a demolition permit, that renovation would be possible, according to testimony from the meeting. But he also said it would be easier to rebuild a new house on the lot than preserve the old one. The HDLC denied his request, citing the home’s original fixtures

JUDGE

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“We really wanted to be in New Orleans and live in New Orleans, but the school system failed us miserably,” said Archangel.

Similar experiences led a group of New Orleans parents to sue the state in 2010 for failing to ensure their children received adequate special education services after the city school system was overhauled following Hurricane Katrina. In response, the court appointed a federal monitor to track special education in New Orleans schools

Earlier this year, the Orleans Parish School Board and the Louisiana Department of Education asked the court to end the federal monitoring, which they say is no longer necessary because schools have met agreedupon special education standards for eight consecutive years.

The Southern Poverty Law Center which filed the initial lawsuit on behalf of families, and other advocates acknowledge that schools have done a better job over the past decade serving the roughly 16% of district students who have disabilities. However, they say problems still abound, such as students not receiving legally mandated services, and ending the oversight could jeopardize the improvements that have been made.

U.S. District Court Judge Jay C. Zainey, who oversees the case, has asked parents to share their experiences at a hearing next week before he decides whether to lift the oversight. Archangel is one of the parents that advocates

SENSORS

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“It is our hope that by shining a light on contaminants in the air, we can show companies where their operations are having potentially adverse impacts on neighboring citizens, as well as on company workers and can spur constructive discussions of ways to reduce emissions and lessen the health impacts,” Marylee Orr, LEAN’s executive director said in a statement. The AQMesh sensors can’t carry the force of law because they don’t meet a new state equipment standard, LEAN officials acknowledge, but they insist the accuracy is close to regulatory-level equipment. Financed with part of a $500,000 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grant, the four LEAN air sensors are located in Alsen, Geismar, St. James and Donaldsonville. The communities were selected after an earlier phase of the project used Aclima’s mobile air monitoring car to identify pollution hot spots in the river region. Running since the beginning of the year, the four sensors were first calibrated for months standing next to Louisiana regulatory air monitors and were found to meet EPA thresholds for data comparability with the state equipment, LEAN’s scientific advisers say The monitors collect information on fine particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, total volatile organic compounds, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. They also collect data on wind speed and direction with the information published on LEAN’s website every 15 minutes. These pollutants are regulated by the state and federal government, have known health impacts and are common near industrial sources, but, in many cases, can come from many other sources as well.

Slawomir Lomnicki, an LSU environmental science professor who is advising LEAN, explained that the data so far are providing clear trends, including spikes in Geismar for volatile organic compounds, a class of chemicals that can

have recruited to testify about ongoing special education problems. The debate over whether to end the court-mandated monitoring comes as the U.S. Department of Education has significantly scaled back its oversight of special education under President Donald Trump, who is seeking to dismantle the agency After a recent round of layoffs at the department, only a handful of staffers remain who are responsible for enforcing federal special education laws.

“Now more than ever we need the consent judgment in place,” said Lauren Winkler, a senior staff attorney at the Southern Poverty Law Center who said serious special education problems persist in New Orleans schools despite some improvements. “The consent judgment shouldn’t be terminated at this point given the breadth of the issues that we’re seeing across different schools and different charter networks.”

NOLA Public Schools did not respond to a request for comment A spokesperson for the state Department of Education declined to comment, citing ongoing litigation.

10 years of oversight

Filed on behalf of 10 New Orleans families, the lawsuit alleged that the city’s charter schools turned away students with disabilities, failed to properly identify and evaluate students who may have disabilities, improperly disciplined students with disabilities and did not always provide them services required by law

NOLA Public Schools joined the lawsuit on behalf of the state Education Department, and in 2015, the parties entered a consent judgment,

be tied to toxic industrial pollution.

“When we look at the correlation between atmospherical conditions and these pollutants, in many cases, you can see a very clear correlation with the direction from where the plume is coming,” he said.

LEAN officials say they have been meeting with community members to discuss the data and then will facilitate meetings between residents and area companies “to explore ways to correct and prevent emissions incidents.”

The arrival of the sensors has sparked a mix of praise and criticism from community groups, as well as caution from industry and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality

“This is historic; for the first time, we have access to real-time information about the air we’re breathing. And now, we — the people can be part of the solution,” Pastor Harry Joseph, LEAN’s local community shepherd, who oversees the air quality sensor in St. James Parish, said in a LEAN statement.

DEQ officials said they don’t yet have enough information to comment on the air sensors. The Louisiana Chemical Association, a key trade group for river industries and outspoken critic of the cost and feasibility of public fence-line monitors, said it wants to review the findings “to better understand” them, “confirm

which required “rigorous and comprehensive” monitoring of about a dozen schools every year to ensure they were complying with the law The judgment also laid out state and district duties for ensuring that schools know and follow the laws.

The court order appears to have led the state to more actively monitor special education in New Orleans. The Louisiana Legislative Auditor said in a report last year that the state Department of Education focused more than 60% of its special education-related inspections on Orleans Parish schools, even though they serve just 7% of the state’s students with disabilities.

Though individual schools are still flagged for issues related to specific students, the state and district have been in “substantial compliance” with a court-ordered special education improvement plan since the 2016-17 school year according to the most recent monitor’s update last month.

Since the consent judgment was put in place, the graduation rate for New Orleans students with disabilities has improved 20 percentage points (statewide, the graduation rate for students with disabilities grew by over 30 percentage points during that period).

New Orleans students with disabilities have made greater gains on state tests over the past two years than students with disabilities statewide or in similar districts, according to data compiled by New Schools for New Orleans. The district also centralized its enrollment system and required a district hearing before schools could suspend or expel students, which has greatly reduced the district’s expulsion rate.

their methods and quality controls, and interpret how the results compare with reported emissions data from state and federal authorities.”

“Ambient measurements can reflect background levels and nonindustrial contributors, including traffic and other businesses, so we want to ensure these are properly taken into account,” said David Cresson, president and CEO of LCA and its sister organization, the Louisiana Chemical Industry Alliance.

“We hope to continue to work with LEAN to identify the areas of impact as indicated by their data, and if the specific source can be verified, take practical steps to remediate the issue.”

Other community groups have criticized the sensors as technologically insufficient, though those criticisms have come in the context of a parallel LEAN project still under development in St. Rose

Four more AQMesh sensors are in place and being calibrated for future reporting in the St. Charles Parish community, where chronic smells and emissions have fueled concern over a large tank farm owned by International Matex Tank Terminals.

Those sensors come after DEQ removed one of its own community monitors a few years ago which both residents and IMTT had wanted to remain.

Though LEAN’s early mobile testing didn’t find St. Rose was an emissions hot spot, according to a report on that work, IMTT agreed to finance additional LEAN sensors. The data will be collected by a third party and published in real time on LEAN’s website, like the current data.

Kimbrelle Eugene Kyereh, who leads the St Rose community group Refined Community Empowerment, said she didn’t trust LEAN’s early hot spot findings and argued the LEAN sensors won’t provide specific enough information about what kinds of toxic chemicals are in the air

Traci Johnson, IMTT’s vice president for environment, health, safety and security, said the company followed LEAN’s recommendations on which chemicals the sensors should test for.

In a February filing, OPSB said the district could be trusted to monitor the city’s schools without federal oversight.

The hearing

As Zainey weighs whether to lift the consent judgment, he will hear from families for the first time in years, Winkler said.

The Southern Poverty Law Center has been reaching out to families who may want to share their experiences with the court during hearings on Nov 12-13.

In a Facebook post last month, advocacy group Erase the Board urged parents, teachers and current and former students who received special education services to share testimony

“Without the consent decree, schools could return to denying evaluations, services, and enrollment like before federal protections existed,” the post stated. “Your 2-3 minute testimony could make the difference!”

Now, a decade after the original lawsuit, Winkler urged today’s students and families to put their special education issues on the record.

Ashana Bigard, whose daughter was in the system before the consent decree and whose son is currently a freshman at Rooted School, said there is a world of difference between her children’s experiences, which she attributes to the court-ordered oversight.

“We actually have someone who’s a watchdog,” said Bigard, who plans to urge Zainey at this month’s hearing to keep the judgment in place. “A lot has improved, and if he lifts the consent decree, we could go back to where we were.”

‘What’s going on here?’

In 2024, as environmental groups began proposing their own communitybased systems and conducting other efforts like mobile air monitoring, the Legislature pushed through new rules that barred data from these systems from being used for regulatory actions or lawsuits if they didn’t match federal standards for regulatory air monitoring equipment.

That law is the subject of a 1st Amendment lawsuit brought in federal court by environmental groups, though not LEAN.

Larry Starfield, a retired top EPA official and lawyer who also advised LEAN, said that while the sensors are not the same as regulatory air monitors, they have seen great improvement in accuracy over the past decade and come at significantly lower cost than regulatory equipment.

Starfield, who spent his last 12 years at EPA as the principal deputy assistant administrator for enforcement before his retirement in 2023, said that LEAN’s advance calibration work has shown the results “are highly consistent with readings that would be expected using LDEQ’s regulatory monitor.”

But he added that LEAN’s intended application will fit a role that EPA says is acceptable for sensors and won’t violate the new state law highlighting instead elevated emissions in the hopes of voluntary corrections, not to allege violations of law

“Where you have people living so close to industry, having a local, real-time, every-15-minute look at what’s going on in your neighborhood in terms of air quality is just unique, and so it just gives them a chance to raise a flag and say, ‘Hey, what’s going on here?’” he said

Starfield pointed out that the earlier phase of the LEAN project that used the air monitoring car found elevated emissions and a company quickly corrected the problem after it was informed. He called it a “different way of doing business” than more traditional, slower methods through enforcement or litigation.

David J. Mitchell can be reached at dmitchell@ theadvocate.com.

BEACH

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planners of poor communication about the beach’s progress and spending too much money on consultants.

Critics have also voiced concern about the planning team’s focus during public meetings on ambitious amenities such as an amphitheater, a grocery

store and a host of other recreational features. Sage Michael, a New Orleans East resident who helped lead efforts to clean and maintain the beach during the pandemic, said many of those ideas were unaffordable.

“All we want is a passive beach,” said Michael. The beach is slated to open in fall 2026. Email Joni Hess at joni. hess@theadvocate.com.

ILLEGAL

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and deeming it “structurally sound.”

In August, he appealed the denial to City Council, which unanimously upheld the HDLC decision. District B council member Lesli Harris said at the meeting that the HDLC’s findings underscored the importance of preserving even modest shotguns to maintain the neighborhood’s historic and diverse makeup. In late August, Moore demolished the house, a move he now says was a mistake. The HDLC responded by fining him $25,000, the maximum allowable penalty under state law

“I’m truthfully very speechless that both this commission denied the demolition request as well as the council and that you premeditated the demolition and went ahead and proceeded with it,” Commissioner Jennie Cannon West told Moore at its September meeting. “I would not like to see you here again.”

In addition to the fine, the HDLC required that Moore construct a new house on the site that closely replicated the architectural style of the former structure, Block said.

“I fully understand that proceeding without the proper HDLC approval was a serious mistake, and I take full responsibility for it,” Moore said after apologizing to the commission on Oct. 17, according to a recording of an HDLC meeting.

In a city with a housing shortage and looming threats to historic properties advocates for historic properties say the Camp Street story is a particularly egregious example of why tougher fines might be needed. Though preservationists say illegal destruction of historic structures is not a widespread problem, the recent situation underscores why the penalty on the books could be toughened.

Before next spring’s regu-

lar legislative session, Harris said she hopes to meet with state lawmakers and will urge them to draft legislation that would further increase the fine.

New Orleans state Rep. Aimee Adatto Freeman, a Democrat who sponsored the 2022 bill that increased the fine for unlawful demolitions of historic properties, said the problem isn’t necessarily what’s on the books.

“The problem that I have found is that you can pass a law, but if the enforcing agency and the executive branch don’t enforce it, I can’t force them to,” she said.

City regulators do not disagree that enforcement is an issue, but they say there are reasons why it’s complicated to hold violators’ feet to the fire. For instance there are different definitions of “demolition” and different penalties depending on the neighborhood What’s more, the fines are imposed at the state level, not the city To help address some of those issues, the PRC is studying how other cities’ historic districts use local laws to prevent demolitions. For months, the PRC has collected data on the last two decades of permitted demolitions to bolster future legislative reform. They plan to have a report finished by 2026, just in time for the next legislative session.

“How do we ensure that when something like this happens, that is there a way to put in a process where the developer can’t make money off of illicit behavior?” Gisleson Palmer asked.

Adams, Patricia Armbruster,Marie Baham, Poleate Cosma, Monique Dorsa, Josephine Ferrage,Kathy Fitzpatrick, Vaughan

Kessler,Beatrice Loup Jr., Felicien Mason, James

Perez, Margarita

Popp, Matthew

Resweber,Lloyd

Robert,Dolores

Robichaux, Thea

Schilleci Sr., Frank

Sears, Carol Smith,David

Suchand, Joseph

Toepfer, Brenda

Trupiano, Carolyn

Williams Sr., Shan

EJefferson

Leitz-Eagan

Schilleci Sr., Frank

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Robert,Dolores Greenwood

Popp, Matthew JacobSchoen

Cosma, Monique Smith,David Lake Lawn Metairie

Adams, Patricia

Armbruster,Marie Dorsa, Josephine Ferrage,Kathy Fitzpatrick, Vaughan

Perez, Margarita

Toepfer, Brenda

River Parish

RoselynnFuneral

Loup Jr., Felicien

St Bernard

St Bernard Kessler,Beatrice

St Tammany

EJ Fielding

Resweber,Lloyd

Grace Funeral

Trupiano, Carolyn West Bank

DavisMortuary

Williams Sr., Shan Mothe

Suchand, Joseph West Leitz-Eagan Sears, Carol

edHoly Name of Jesus, Ursuline Academy, and the Academy of the Sacred Heart.She workedfor LP&L after graduatingfrom Soule Business College. Pat marriedOrr Adams at St.LouisCathedralin July, 1955, and together, theyhad three childrenDawn Wheelahan,Orr Adamsand Patricia Adams.Pat is survived by herchildren, her daughterin-law Meg Adams,her nieces Colleenand Kathleen Church, herfour grandsons, Christopher Wheelahan, Tucker Adams, Connor Adams (Lauren) and Justin Shapiro (Appie) and one great-grandson RiverCullum Adams

Pat was an avid reader throughouther life and passed on herlove of books to allthree of her children. She loved to sew and crochetand, like her beloved mother, Ethel Molony, Pat lovedtoknitespecially sockstokeep ourfeetwarminwinter and later,baby blankets for newarrivalstofamily and friends.

Among many lovely qualities, her sweetness of spirit was adefiningcharacteristic. Shebroughta gentle kindness to the world and to those around her.Pat faced significant challenges in herlifewith remarkable grace and dignity. Her sweetness was matched onlybyher strengthofcharacter and steadfast devotiontoher family and to the Church. Pat lovedanimals, especially dogs and cats, and it'sa good thing,because she was "grandma"toa longsuccession of furry family members,most recently,Chickie, Beau, Natasha, Evie and Mal. She was agentlelight that shone softly, but steadily on those around her. She willbesorely missed by herfamily- the furry and the not so furry.The family wishes to thankthe administrationand staffofLaurel SeniorLiving for theirkindness and for taking such good careofPat over the last year.

Serviceswillbeheld at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home,5100 Pontchartrain Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70124, on Friday, November14, 2025. Visitation willbegin at 9:00 a.m. with afuneral mass to follow at 11:00a.m.A private interment will follow

Armbruster,Marie Antoinette Menendez

Marie Antoinette "Nettye" Menendez Armbrusterleftthis world in peacetolivewiththe Lord on November 5, 2025. Nettye was surroundedby the love of her family, as she had surroundedthem with love throughouther 103 yearsonthisEarth. She was precededindeath by her loving husband, Charles Conrad Armbruster, with whom sheshared 67yearsof marriage.She was also predeceased by herparents,Joseph Charles Menendez, MD and Lena VaccaroMenendez; brother,CharlesVaccaro Menendez, MD;beloved twin, Mary Elizabeth "Bettye" Hursey; and sister,Chalita MaeBaehr. Nettyeissurvived by her three daughters, Marie Antoinette "Toni" Skains (Jack,predeceased), Alison A. Foltz (George),Connie A. Quave(John); grandchildren, Jacqueline Jonassen (Hans, predeceased), Mark Skains, MD (Beth), Marina "Mars" Quave (Jake "E" Raynor), Grace Chevez (Alex), DavidQuave, and Amy Quave; great-granddaughter, Isabel Skains; anda host of nieces and nephews. Nettye lived a beautiful life. She lovedbeing surrounded by her family and she welcomedeveryoneinto her home. The family wouldlike to express their gratitude to Heart of Hospice, Brittany Melson,Cynthia Melancon, MelissaWilson, and Shineida Etheridge for their loving care in her final days. Relatives and friends areinvited to attend the Funeral Mass at LakeLawn Metairie Funeral Home,5100 PontchartrainBlvd on Saturday, November 15 at 1:00 p.m. Visitation will begin at 11:00am. Interment willfollow in Lake Lawn ParkMausoleum. In lieu of flowers, pleasemakedo-

nations to St. Vincent de Paul Ministry to thePoor St.Pius XCatholic Church, 6666 Spanish FortBlvd, NewOrleans, LA 70124 or thecharity of your choice To access thelivestreaming link or to view and sign thefamily guest book, please go to www.lakelaw nmetairie.com

Baham, Poleate

PoleateBaham Jr. Obituary PoleateBaham Jr. age 99 passed away peacefully on November 4, 2025 at his home. Poleateishusband of late Yvonne Faciane Baham. Sonofthe late PoleateSr. and Alberti r SylvasBaham. Father of Joan,Gary,Trudy(George),Li llian(Jerry),Yvonne(Troy),P aulette(Greg),Lawanna(Mi chael),Brother of Curtis(Brenda). Also survivedby12grandchildren, 21great-grandchildren,5 Sisters- in-law and 1 Brother-in-law, and ahost of nieces, nephews, cousins and otherrelatives and friends.Preceded in death by parents, brothers John and Julius Baham, Bruce Ray,Sisters Inez B. Lawrence, Dorothy B. Hines, and Theresa B. Balancier, daughter Baby Baham and son-in-law GeorgeMills. He was anative and resident of Slidell, Louisiana. Visitation on Wednesday November 12, 2025 at St. Genevieve Catholic Church 58203 LA433 SlidellLA70460 from 9:00 am until 11:00 am. Rosary at 10:15 am. Followedbya Mass. Internment at Southeast LouisianaVeterans Cemetery Slidell, LA at 1:30pm.

MoniqueDeAbate Cosma, 58,ofNew Orleans passedawaySeptember 20th. Shewas amother, wife,nurse practioner,en‐trepreneur,and friend Whileshe died tooyoung memories of herwillcon‐tinue to make us smile far into thefuture. Agraduate of Loyola’s MSNNurse Practitioner program, Moniqueheldmanyimpor‐tant rolesinher career,in‐cludinginthe neo-natal ICUand in hospice. Former patients areknown to refer to Moniqueas“an angel” forhow caredfor they felt by her. In addition to her love of medicine andlearn‐ing, Moniqueenjoyed read‐ingand trying newrecipes Shealsohad an entrepre‐neurialstreak, ranging from cupcakes to herown line of naturalcosmetics Moniqueissurvivedbyher husband Paul Cosmaand herson,Jackson,aswell as hersiblingsScott De‐Abate, Nicole DeAbate Fraser,Robin DeAbate, and Andrew DeAbate. Friends andfamilywillgatherfrom 10 AM to 12 Noon on Satur‐dayNovember15, at Jacob Schoen &Son Funeral Home.a celebrationof Monique'slifewillfollow. Condolencesmay be left at www.schoenfh.com

joyed gardening, bowling, and casinos. She loved traveling withfriendsand family,and of course, spending time with her grandchildren. Josephine is precededin death by her husband of 68 years, John Mark Dorsa, Sr; parents, Alex and Mary Maggio; son, Michael Dorsa (Karen); sister, Rosalie Maggio; and brother, Buster Maggio. She is survivedbyher sons, John Dorsa,Jr. (Debbie) and Joel Dorsa (Charmaine); grandchildren,Brooke Cornelius (Casey),Clayton Dorsa, Corey Dorsa, Rachel Dorsa Jason Dorsa (Shannon), Alyssa Machacek (Thomas), and Rebecca Dorsa (Peter);and greatgrandchildren, Bowen, Bellamy, Bexleigh, Layla, Theo,Arthur, and Daisy.

The family wouldliketo give special thankstoSt. JosephHospice

The services will take place on Friday, November 14, 2025 at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd. NewOrleans, LA 70124. The visitationwillbegin at 12:30 p.m. until the funeral serviceat2:00 p.m. The interment willfollow at All Saints Mausoleum, which is within Metairie Cemetery

Ferrage,Kathy Schmitt

Schmitt Ferrage, known by many lovedones as "Dear", passed away on Wednesday,November 5, 2025, at theage of 76. Kathy was born on January 19, 1949, in NewOrleans, where she resided until Hurricane Katrina, when she then movedto Metairie She is precededindeath by her parents, Ernest Charles Schmitt and VirginiaPizzitola Schmitt. She is survivedbyher husband of 34 years, David Ferrage, children, Stacey MaylinWohlgemuth (Stephen) and Bertrand John Maylin III(Jerri), sister, Karen Schmitt Lecke (Josepha), grandchildren, Jillian WohlgemuthMartin (Jules, III),Joseph Wohlgemuth(Siara), Cooper Maylin, and Camryn Maylin, greatgranddaughter,EllaRae Martin, as wellasmany cousins and friends Kathy was aproud graduateofthe 1966 Class at Cabrini High School and St. Dominic CatholicSchool. She also attended Southeastern University and LoyolaUniversity. She was theHuman Resources Specialist at Gibbs Constructionfor 35+ years. Kathy was amember of theCleary GoldenAge Club, AARP (4924), Back to the50's Jamaica Dance Club, and theRosedale Homemakers. She is along -time season ticketholder forthe NewOrleans Saints, an avid MardiGrasparade attendee,and enjoyed playing cards, shopping, cooking,partyplanning, decorating, and dancing. The family wouldliketo thank neighbor and "fairy godmother",Brandi Barrett, as wellasthe Gibbs Family and theGibbs ConstructionFamily for their love and friendship through theyears. Serviceswillbeheldon Thursday,November 13, 2025, at Lake Lawn

MetairieFuneral Home 5100 PontchartrainBlvd NewOrleans,LA. Visitation will be held from10AM-12 PM,with aCatholic blessingtobeginat12PM. Followingthe service, friends andfamilyare invited to join us for areception at theElks Lodge on ClearyAve.inMetairie.

In lieu of flowers, the familyasks that donations be made to theCabrini High School Alumnae Association

Fitzpatrick, Vaughan Owen

Victor VaughanOwen FitzpatrickdiedinNew OrleansonOctober 28, 2025, after asuddenillness causedbyanaggressive metastatic cancer.Hewas 76. Agiftedstorytellerand aman of powerful intellect,his deep andgenuine curiosity andexpansive knowledge of apanoply of subjectsmade himhighly soughtafter as asourceof sage advice,learned perspective,and thought-provokingdiscussion. Whetherata lunchtable at oneofhis treasured New Orleansclubs or in arockingchair on theporch of hismountain housein Hendersonville, North Carolina, Vaughan Fitzpatrickwas sure to be engaging in astimulating conversation punctuated by boisterous laughter. He wasascomfortable chatting withhis toddler grandson as he was speakingwith aRussian oligarch He lived hislifeinequal measuresofmirth and purposefulness. He was selfless and avisionary, putting theconsiderations of distantgenerationsfar aheadofhis own. Vaughan wasa man of kindness, love,and noblevirtues.He wasrespectedbyhis peers, lovedbyhis family andfriends, andwill be mourned by all whoknew him.

Vaughanwas born in NewOrleans on July 3, 1949, to William H. and Francis JamesGasquet Westfeldt"Coo" Fitzpatrick, both native NewOrleanians. He grew up in NewYorkand Virginia. Summers were enjoyed in themountains of WesternNorth Carolina, wherehis NewOrleansbasedextended familyhas vacationed for over 150 years. He wasa proudand devotedgraduate of WoodberryForrestSchool in Orange,Virginia. He attended college at the University of Colorado Boulder,where he met his belovedMary Shelton. They wedin1972. Vaughanand Mary began their marriedlife abroad in Naples, Italy, throughVaughan's service in theU.S. Navy as an officerona destroyer in the Sixth Fleet andatNATO. Life as expats suitedthem, and they decidedtolearn Arabic to advance Vaughan's career prospectsoverseas. They studied in Lebanon at the MiddleEast Center for

Arab Studiesuntilcivil war brokeout there, forcing theirevacuation andrelocation to St.Antony's CollegeinOxford, England. AreturntoNew Orleans andVaughan's enrollment in Tulane Law School followed,including summer clerkshipsinEgypt and Bahrain.Upon graduation andpassing thebar exam, Vaughan embarked on a long andmultifacetedcareer as an executive with Chevron oil company, livingand working in Saudi Arabia, Sudan,and London, whiletravelingfor projects in spots as variedasIndia, Turkey, andthe Horn of Africa. He wasa highly skillednegotiator,excellingincomplex situationsrequiringpolitical, governmental,and tribal strategic awareness. After retiringfrom Chevron initiallyin1992, the company calledhim backin1995 to serve as presidentofits Russia division (called Chevron Neftegaz). Vaughanmanaged all of Chevron'soperationsinRussia, including facilitatingthe construction of theCaspian PipelineConsortium(CPC) pipelinefrom Kazakhstan across Russiatothe Black Sea. Vaughan, Mary andtheir sons Fletcherand Welles moved home to New Orleans' Garden District in 1992. They promptly became deeply enmeshed in thesocialand civicfabric of thecity. After hiseventual secondretirement from Chevron,Vaughan devoted time to themission of preserving hisfamily'slegacy in North Carolina. He oversaw the meticulous deconstruction,relocation and transformation of thefamily'shistoricsummerhomestead theGreen House to a small nearby mountain, christened Two Jacks. With this move, he secured more generationsofNorth Carolinasummers for his extendedfamily. On the oldfamilyproperty wherethe Green Houseoncestood, Vaughanworkedclosely with local governmentofficials to develop theUnited States' first greenindustrial park. Aresoundingsuccess, Ferncliff Industrial Parkhas become amajor driveroftax revenueand employmentinHenderson County, North Carolina. In thewake of Mary's sudden tragic deathin 2013 after 41 years of marriage, Vaughan was comforted by his loyal dog Kahn. In 2017, he was seated next to Melissa Gibbs at aNew Orleansdinnerparty. He foundinher akindred soul whose wanderlust and sense of curiosity matched hisown.They marriedin2023. Melissa's joie de vivre anddevoted companionshipgave Vaughananunlimited amount of joyand intellectual stimulation in hisfinal years. They traveled widely, spendingseveral monthseachyear in France, andexploring numerouslocations in Central andSouth America in particular. Oneoftheir last trips together was to see Vaughan's dear friends in Saudi Arabia. Melissa also shared Vaughan's love forhis treasuredTwo JacksinNorth Carolina. Vaughanenjoyed nothing more than hiking that mountain with Melissa by hisside, often with a grandchildintow, singing songs of hisyouth or telling talltales Vaughanwas an enthusiastic anddedicated member of many New Orleanssocial clubsand Carnival organizations. He wasa past boardmember of numerouscivic and charitableorganizations, i l di h f

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including the Bureau of Governmental Research and the Preservation Resource Center. He was predeceased by his first wife Mary Shelton Fitzpatrick, his parents William and Francis "Coo" Fitzpatrick, and his brother Peter Fitzpatrick. Vaughan is survived by his wife Melissa Gibbs Fitzpatrick, his sons from hisfirst marriage Fletcher Dugan Westfeldt (Lessley) Fitzpatrick and Welles Fleetwood Westfeldt (Laura) Fitzpatrick, his grandchildren Mary Harris Westfeldt Fitzpatrick, Evelin Hastings"Evie" Fitzpatrick, and James Fenner Fleetwood "Fenn" Fitzpatrick. He is also survived by his brothers Whitfield and James Fitzpatrick. As the Fitzpatrick familypatriarch in New Orleans, Vaughan also leaves behind his adored nephews, nieces, cousins, and their children -many of whom carry on his legacy in the family's cherished city. Words cannot express how much they will miss him.

Amemorial service will be held on Wednesday, November 12 at 1:30pm at Trinity Episcopal Church, 1329 Jackson Avenue. Visitation will begin at noon. Aprivate interment for family willfollow

Beatrice Deliberto Kessler,March 13, 1925 –November 1, 2025.Beatrice DelibertoKessler passed away peacefully on Satur‐day, November 1, 2025,at theage of 100.Her final days were spentsur‐rounded by andcomforted by herfamilyand close friends. Shewas the belovedwifeof50-plus yearstothe late CharlesJ Kessler Jr.She waspre‐cededindeath by herpar‐ents Ciro andClaudia De‐liberto; herbrothersVin‐cent &JosephDeliberto; andher sister Cecilia Gia‐cone.Lovingmotherof CharlesJ.Kessler III (Kathy)and Patricia K. Bates(Cyrus).Proud grandmotherofStephen C. Kessler (Melissa), Jared Bates(Nettie)and Cyrus BatesIII. (Samantha) Great-grandmotherofLucy Kessler,ReaganKessler SofiaBates,Elliana Bates andMila Bates. Sheisalso survived andfondlyre‐memberedbymany nieces,nephews,cousins anddearfriends.The fam‐ilywould like to thankMs. Blanche, andthe nurses andstaff of ACGHospice forthe magnificent care of ourmother. Beatrice was born in Hammond,LAon March13, 1925, andwas a longtime resident of New Orleansbeforesettlingin Slidell, LA.She trulyen‐joyedlifethrough simple pleasuresand cared deeply forothers. Shewill alwaysberememberedfor herloyalty anddedication to herfamily, hercaring andlovingspirit, her laughter,and spoiling the grandchildren. Shewas a wonderfulexample of what it meanstocarefor others andwillbedeeply missed by us all. Relativesand friendsare invitedtoat‐tend avisitationtobeheld at St.Bernard Memorial Fu‐neralHome, 701 W. Virtue St Chalmette,LAonMon‐day, November 10, from 10:00 a.m. –1:00p.m fol‐lowedbya funeralservice in Beatrice’s memory be‐ginningat1:00p.m.She will be laid to eternalrest in St.Vincent de Paul Cemetery No.2 in NewOr‐leans.

“FJ” wasa devotedhus‐band,father, grandfather, andgreat-grandfather.He wasa retiredcarpen‐ter/painterofKaiserAlu‐minum &Chemicals and LaRocheChemicals,a proudveteran of theU.S Army,serving in Germany, anda member of the KnightsofColumbus Coun‐cil#1514 for73years.FJ enjoyedlistening to music anddancing thejitterbug with hislovelywife, Iris.He enjoyedall things about classiccarsand wasmost notablyrecognizedbyhis green 1952 ChevyBel-Air Hisfavoriteretirement pastimewas beinghis grandchildren’sbiggest fan.Felicienissurvivedby hisson,Leslie (Maggie) Loup,and daughters, Karen(Michael) Petranick Cindy(Mark)Fontenelle, andCheryl(Philip)Lyons; hisgrandchildren:Brett (Anne)and Justin (Adeline) Loup,Michael,Patrick (Rita) andEmily Petranick, Sarah(Jace)Atkinson, Daniel Fontenelle,and JacobLyons,and agreat grandchild,NoahPetran‐ick. FJ is also survived by hisbrother,CurtisLoup (Linda Leblanc),and sister, Linda(thelateMyles) Chauvin, as well as hissis‐ters andbrothers-in-law Cecile Loup andBetty Loup,Linda (the late An‐toine) Chenier, Rose Marie (the late Allen) Hymel, Ros‐alie (thelateCarol)Hymel, Aubrey (MaryEllen) Gravois, Eugene (Marie) Gravois, andLynn(thelate Ernest)Gravois,Aimee (Denis,III) Simon, Maria (the late Dean)Gravois.He is preceded in deathbyhis wife of 62 years,Iris GravoisLoup, hisparents, Felicien Sr.and LindaTre‐greLoup, andhis siblings Anabelle (Earl) Lambert, Shirley(Richard) Schex‐nayder,Ruby(Henry) Rous‐sel, Leroyand Gene Loup andhis father andmother in-law,Antoine andFlo‐renceGravois Special thanks areextendedtohis wonderfulcaregiversdur‐ingthe last 4months, Kath‐leen,Linda,Arlene, and Wendy; to allofthe caring staffofthe Southeast LouisianaVeteransHome, as well as thestaff of Amedisys HospiceCare. Services will be held at Our Lady of PeaceCatholic Church in Vacherie,on Tuesday, November 11, 2025. Therosarywillbere‐citedat8:30a.m.withthe visitation immediatelyfol‐lowing from 9:00 am until 11:00 am with theMassof ChristianBurialat11:00 a.m. Intermentwillbein thechurch cemetery.In lieu of flowers, memorial donationsinFJ’snamemay be made to theTunnelto Towers Foundation (T2T ORG)

Mason, Dr.James Walter

Mandeville,Louisiana -

Dr.James Walter Mason, age85, belovedhusband father andgrandfather passedawaypeacefullyat home on October29, 2025, surrounded by hisfamily andfriends.BorninTalla‐hassee, FL,onSeptember 8, 1940, Walter liveda life definedbycuriosity,com‐passion, andservice to others.Heissurvivedby hisdevoted wife,Linda DubusMason;his daugh‐ter, ClaudiaEveritt (Shane), as well as four cherishedgrandchildrenMarc,Ethan,Corrine,and Cooper –who broughtend‐less joytohis days.Hewas preceded in deathbyhis parents, RoyGarnett Masonand MaudeSim‐mons Mason, andhis sister KatherineMason.Walter wasalso deeply lovedby hisextendedfamily- sis‐ters-in-law, nieces nephews, anddearfriends who were blessedtoshare hisjourney Walter earned hisBachelorofScience in EducationfromFlorida StateUniversityin1963, where he wasa proud member of theKappa SigmaFraternity. He went on to receivebotha Mas‐terofScience in Public Health in 1966 anda Doc‐torate in Sciencein1970 from Tulane University.His distinguishedcareer as an ecologist andprofessor beganatTulaneUniversity School of PublicHealthand Tropical Medicine andlater continuedatthe University of AlabamaMedical Center in Birmingham.From1978 until hisretirementin2003, Walter served in leadership roles- includingProfessor of theGraduateSchool,De‐partment Chairand Head of theDivisionofEnviron‐mental Health Science, as well as Director of UAB’s Master’s Internationalist

Program Hisworkand mentorship left alasting impact on colleagues and students alike. Alifelong learnerand adventurer Walter wasmultilingual andstudied French at the University of Angers in France.His passionfor ed‐ucationand public health took himaround theworld, from theclassroomsof Kinshasa,Zaire,toglobal initiativesaimed at im‐provinglivingconditions andhealthin underserved communities.Hewas also part of thefoundingofa hospital in Africa –one of theexamplesofhis endur‐ingdedicationtohelping others.Walteralsoappre‐ciated theculture of Zaire andRwandaand collected Africanhand-made beads andother beautifularti‐facts.Walterwas aproud member of esteemed orga‐nizations, includingthe MilitaryOrder of theStars andBars, theNationalSo‐cietyofthe Sons of the American Revolution,and theLouisiana Wildfowl Carversand Collectors Guild. Beyond hisacade‐micand professional ac‐complishments,Walter wasa manofpassions. An avid outdoorsman,he found joyinthe Louisiana marshes, where he spent countless huntingseasons in Gheens, Louisiana. His artistry as aduckdecoy carver earned him awards andrecognition in wildlife publications,particularly forhis masterfully crafted workingdecoysadmired by hunters throughout the region.Healsoenjoyed restoringand cruising in histreasured 1951 Hudson Hornet,a testamenttohis appreciation forcraftman‐ship andhistory.Walter will be remembered as a kind,humbleand gentle manofgreat intellectand character. Hiswisdom, warmth,and witmade everyconversationmean‐ingful.His greatest pride andjoy were hisfamily–especially hisgrandchil‐dren,withwhomheshared an unbreakablebond. The familyextends heartfelt gratitudetoDr. Hamid Salam, Dr.Richard Jean‐sonne Jr,and Dr.PaulGuil‐bault, thecompassionate caregivers at Lakeview Re‐gional Hospital,HomeIn‐stead, Compassusand St TammanyParishFireSta‐tion 45, fortheir excep‐tional care andsupport.In lieu of flowers, donations maybemadetoSecond HarvestFood Bank in Wal‐ter’smemory. Relatives andfriends areinvited to attend aMemorialMasson Wed.,Nov.12, at OurLady of theHolyRosary, 3368 Es‐planadeAvenue,New Or‐leans, at 10 a.m.,withvisi‐tation beginningat9 a.m. InurnmentwillfollowatSt. LouisCemetery No.3

Margarita Maria Perez passed away peacefully whilesurrounded by family on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, after acourageousbattlewithcancer. She was 50 years old. A proud native of New Orleans, Margarita was a graduateofMount Carmel Academy.She earneda bachelor's degree in history and secondary education fromLoyola University. Margarita was initiated into theEpsilon Mu ChapterofGamma Phi Beta SororityatLoyola University. She earneda master's degree in higher

education administration fromthe University of New Orleans. Margarita laterreceiveda doctoraldegree in educational leadership fromthe Universityof LouisianaatLafayette

Margaritadedicated morethan25years to higher education and student affairs, including the past decade at UL Lafayette, where she served as DeanofStudents before beingappointed Associate Vice President forStudent Affairs. Over thecourse of hercareer, she also held leadership roles at Spring Hill College Newcomb College at Tulane University, and Southeastern Louisiana University. Margarita was an exceptionalleader, guidedbyempathy, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to student well-being. Herinfluence reached nearly every aspect of campus life and shaped theexperiences of thousandsofstudents. Colleagues and students alikeadmired her generosityofspirit and steadfast belief in thetransformative power of education.

Throughout her professional life,Margarita was recognized forher outstanding leadership and dedicatedservice to the many organizations and communities she touched. Most recently, she was honored with theDan Seymour Award—the highest distinction bestowed by theLouisiana AssociationofCollege & University Student Personnel Administrators—in recognitionofher lifelong commitment to student advocacy. Her many otherhonorsincludethe University of Louisiana System Outstanding Staff Award, theULLafayette Dean McPhaul Award,the Spring Hill CollegeWilliamRewak Award, the Service to Newcomb College Award, and theMount Carmel Academy Outstanding Young Alumna Award.

In everypartofher life, both professionallyand personally, Margarita radiated kindness and genuine care. Nothingbrought her morejoy than celebrating theaccomplishmentsof others—whetherfamily, friends,colleagues, or students. Margarita truly madea difference.With her bright smile, open heart,and gift formaking everyone feelseen, heard, and included,she was a blessing to allwho knew her. She brought warmth to everyconversation, calm to every challenge, and joytoevery success.

While she was devoted to her career in highereducation, her family and friends were her greatest treasure. She leaves behind her spouse, Stephanie Galendez; her sisters, Martha Stewart (Bill); Ana Perkins (Danny); Paula Duplantis (Mark); nieces and nephews, Jeffrey Stewart (Erika); Shawna Perkins; Andrew Duplantis (Caitlin) and Paul Duplantis (Bailey); greatnieces and -nephews, Collin Sparacello, Evelyn Stewart,Grace Stewart, Charles Duplantis and Mila Duplantis; and countless otherfamily and friends. Preceding her in death were her parents, Manuel Perez and MargaritaC Perez and her niece, Jennifer Stewart

"Ita" was dearly loved by her friendsand their children, who became like family to her. Over the years, those special friendships—bothold andnew—filled her life with laughter

and love.Some of herhappiestmomentswerespent with them,makingmemories on beachtrips, enjoyingChristmas traditions, celebratingMardi Gras cheering at sporting events, and sharing in all of life'scelebrations

Relativesand friends are invited to attendfuneral servicesonFriday, November 14, 2025, at Holy Name of Jesus Church, 6367 St.CharlesAvenue, NewOrleans,LAwith visitation beginningat9:00 a.m. andaMass to follow at 12:00 p.m. Aprivate burial will follow

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to theUniversity of Louisiana at Lafayette CampusCupboard in memory of Dr.Margarita Perez, Associate Vice President for StudentAffairs and Dean of Students. The CampusCupboard wasa programshe founded and championed to support students in need.Giveat bit.ly/M_Perezormail checks to UL Lafayette Foundation,P.O. Box 44290, Lafayette, LA 70504-4290, noting "Perez Memorial Gift." Memorial gifts can also be made to Mount Carmel Academy "Sue BurasLeadership Fund" 7027 MilneBoulevard, New Orleans, LA 70124 or give online at https://www.mca cubs.com/giving/make-agift.

Matthew FrancisPopp, 1971 -2025. Loving husband devotedfather, principled lawyer,and aloyal friend Born in Dayton,Ohio, on March24, 1971, Matt was oneoffoursonsbornto NancyHortonPoppand thelateAugustPopp. He is survived by hislovingwife, Kendra Couvillion,and his belovedchildren, Isabelle andJoshua.Heisalsosur‐vivedbyhis threebrothers, Christopher(Gena), Patrick (Michelle), andAndrew (Jessica). Matt wasloved andwillbemissedbyhis many nieces andnephews, to whomhewas ahero. Matt attended Archbishop AlterHighSchool in Ketter‐ing, Ohio,where he ex‐celled academically and athletically.A dozenuni‐versitiesofferedhim schol‐arships, andhechose to attend Tulane University Therehestudied business andaccountingand wasa memberofthe Tulane Men’sBasketballteam from 1989-1993. Famous for hisrough styleofplayand protecting histeammates, Matt wasnamed team cap‐tain.Hewas at thecenter

of theresurgenceofmen’s basketball at Tulane anda crowdfavorite. By hisse‐nior year,the program had achieved nationwide recognitionand played in theNCAAtournamentfor the firsttimeinschool his‐tory.Thatteamwas in‐ducted into theTulaneAth‐leticHallofFamein2020. Aftercompletinghis un‐dergraduatework, Matt re‐ceived ascholarship to at‐tend Tulane LawSchool where he earned hisJuris Doctor degree. Upon grad‐uation,heworkedasan AssistantDistrictAttorney forOrleans Parish prose‐cuting “the badguys.”He delightedinputting crimi‐nals in jail andtakingthem offthe streets. Afteryears as aprosecutor, Matt tran‐sitioned to civillaw,spe‐cializinginadmiralty,mar‐itime, andpersonalinjury defense. He became li‐censed to practice in the United States Supreme Court, theU.S.Courtsof Appealsfor theSecond, Fifth, andEleventhcircuits, andnumerousU.S.District Courts across Louisiana, NewYork, Florida, Texas, andOklahoma. Matt’s rep‐utationwas builtnot only on hisskill as atrial lawyer butonhis unwavering in‐tegrityand respectfor oth‐ers. He wasa seasoned andsuccessfultrial lawyer who earned therespect of otherlawyers andjudges, particularly in theEastern District of Louisiana, where he practicedoften.Matt Popp will be deeply missed by allwho knew him. Rela‐tivesand friendsare in‐vitedtoattend avisitation at 1:00 pm on Tuesday, No‐vember 11, 2025, at Green‐wood FuneralHome, 5200 CanalBlvd.,New Orleans, LA 70124, followed by a mass at 3:00 pm.Wealso invite youtoshare your thoughts,fondmemories, andcondolences online at www.greenwoodfh.com Your shared memories will help us celebrateMatt’s life andkeep hismemory alive.

Resweber,Lloyd Richard'Rick'

LloydRichard “Rick” Resweber passedawayon Friday,November7,2025. He wasborninBastrop,LA on January1,1943. He is survived by hiswife, Max‐ineRobin Resweber;his sister ValleauCaruthers; hischildren, Ashley Doczy (Paul) andStephanie Becker (John);grandchil‐dren,Aiden andJack Doczy, Sean,Kaitlyn and KylieBecker; stepchildren, RobinYawnMolina, Steve andCliffYawnand their children,Madeline, Lauren andEthan Yawn, Andrew Yawn andJessica Molina He wasprecededindeath by hisparents CorrineBar‐

rasResweberand LloydP Resweber.Rickspent his career as achemicalengi‐neer with Shelltravelling theworld forbusinessand pleasure with Maxine mak‐ingmanyfriendships.He will be missedbyall who knew andloved him. In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Mr.Resweber maybemadetoManning Family Children’s Hospital in NewOrleans to theLee‐manFund www.manning childrens.org. Relatives andfriends areinvited to attend thefuneral services at St.Peter Catholic Church,195 E. 19thAvenue CovingtonLA70433 on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, at 12:00 noon with visitation at church on Tuesdaybeginning at 10:00 a.m. Intermentwillfollow in St.JosephAbbey. E.J. Fielding FuneralHomehas been entrustedwithfu‐neralarrangements. The Resweber familyinvites youtoshare thoughts, fondestmemories, and condolencesonlineatE.J Fielding FuneralHome GuestBook at www.ejfield ingfh.com.

DoloresManuelRobert (92),a resident of Denham Springs, LA,passedaway peacefully at herhomeon November 1, 2025.Dolores wasbornonFebruary19, 1933, in NewOrleans,LA, to Joseph andAlice (Jenny) Manuel. Sheisprecededin deathbyher parents Joseph andAliceManuel, sisters; IdaPellebon, Irma Carmon andLetetia De‐Fillo, andbrother;Joseph ManuelJr. Sheissurvived by hersister, DeniseGib‐son; andsister-in-law,Bar‐bara Manuel. Daughters: Charlotte Rempel (Robert) WandaMouscardy (Gary), Lana Robert,Yolanda McKenzie andBonus Daughter:Terri Esprit Sons:KirkRobert(Shirley) andGlenRobert(Michelle). Sheleavestocherish (9) grandchildren, (19) greatgrandchildren, (3)bonus grandchildrenand ahost of nieces,nephews,and cousins. Family andfriends areinvitedtoattend the Mass of ChristianBurialat Corpus ChristiEpiphany Catholic Church,2022 St BernardAvenue,New Or‐leans, LA 70116 on Monday, November 10, 2025,at11:00 a.m. Visitation will beginat 9:00 a.m. Reverend Fr.John Odeyemi. Intermentwill follow at Greenwood Cemetery,5190 Canal Boulevard, NewOrleans, Louisiana70124. Arrange‐mentsentrusted to D.W. Rhodes FuneralHome, 3933 Washington Avenue,New Orleans, LA 70125. Please visitwww.rhodesfuneral. comtosignthe online guestbook,share memo‐ries andcondolences with thefamily.

September 10, 1973, in Charlotte,North Carolina to CarolynCampbell Ward and Robert Elton Ward, Jr. Shewas the cherished sister of Taeh Allison Ward, and sister-in-lawLori Perdomo Dawson (husband Alex).Thea was the beloved wifeand soulmate of Ivy CharlesRobichaux III, who stood by herside with unwavering love and support during her brieffinal journey.Theawas the devotedand incredibly hardworking motherof their two children, Zyler Ward Robichauxand Ivy Charles Robichaux IV. She isalsosurvivedbyaunts, uncles, cousins, and copious friends.

Thea grew up in Charlotte and Mooresville, NC, whereshe was an avid reader, youth group member,strong student, cheerleader,and friend to all Even as ateenager, Thea had alove of engineering such that she learned AutoCAD and focused her science projects on structural engineering.After graduating from MooresvilleSeniorHigh School, she earned her Bachelor of Sciencedegree in civil engineering at North CarolinaState University, whereshe was one of the onlywomenin her program.Thea enjoyed acareer as an engineer working on projects throughoutthe world, most recently as leadengineer incranesand rigging Shewas also amentorto other young women who admired herintelligence, strength, and commitment to simplybeing excellent in everythingshe did. Outside of work, Thea took great prideinher home,family,friends,and entertaining. Sheloved animals including her cherished pets. Sheenjoyed living with her husband andchildren on Lake Norman, NC before moving to Louisiana wherethey celebratedfestivals and many otherhappy events. Shetruly delightedinher children and their baseball and dance practice, games, tournaments, competitions, and recitals. Thealovedreading cookbooks, not just forthe recipes, but for the stories and traditions they held Shewas also an amazing cook and host, revered by allfor herspecial dishes andgenerosity,and never hesitated to share her recipes or open herdoor to afriend. Those who knew Theabestunderstand her deepaffection for Disney, areflection of her own spirit of fun,kindness, and creativity.

Though her time with us was fartoo brief, Thealeft an indelibleimpression on everyone she metthroughout her life.She will be deeply missed, remembered, and loved forever. Relatives andfriends in Louisiana attended acelebrationofThea's life on October4,2025in Covington, LA. Herfamily and friends in North Carolina are invited to attend adrop-in/boat-incelebration of Thea'slifeon November 22, 2025from 11:00am to 6:00pm on Lake Norman in Mooresville, NC (see invitation for details). We hope that those who know Thea willuploada video clip of themselves sharing aspecial memory of her to be addedtoa group video, to be shared with family and friends. Please use the following linktoupload or record your video by 11/20/2025: https://app.memento.com / celebratin g-the-l ife-o fthea-w ard-r obichau x / B_X8Hh33bX/record In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to a memorialfundraiser to covermedical expenses https://www.gofundme.co m/f/support-theas-familyin-their-time-of-loss E. J. Fielding Funeral Home of Covington, Louisiana,ishonoredtobe entrusted with Mrs. Robichaux'sarrangements.Her familyinvites you to sharethoughts, memories, and condolences by signing an online guestbook at https://www. ejfieldingfh.com.

SchilleciSr.,Frank Dominick

himdeeply,weknowhe’s home now—at peace, in God’shands,and reunited with thoseheloved.Con‐dolences maybeshared online at www.leitzeaganf uneralhome.com. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to TheMichael J. FoxFoundationfor Parkin‐son’sResearchathttps:// www.michaeljfox.org/.

With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Thea Elizabeth Ward Robichaux, age 52, of Madisonville, Louisiana on October 2, 2025, while surrounded by family and friends Thea was born on NEWS 24/7 ON

FrankDominickSchilleci Sr.passedawaypeacefully at home surrounded by his familyonFriday, October 24, 2025, at 4:39 in the morning. He was78years old. He faced everychal‐lengeinlifewithquiet strength,unwavering faith anda heartfullofgrati‐tude.Henever complained neverasked foranything, andalwaysput others be‐fore himself. Frankwas born andraisedinNew Or‐leans andlived in Chal‐mette formostofhis life until HurricaneKatrina took hishomein2005. Even after losing everything,he neverlosthis faith.He movedtoRiver Ridgetobe near family, anditwas therethatGod brought DianeHolmbergintohis life.Theymet after Sunday Mass at St.Matthew the ApostleChurch,where love soon followed,and they were marriedatthe same church less than ayear later. Frankproudly served sixyears in theLouisiana AirNationalGuard,where he learneddiscipline, teamwork,and pridein service—values he carried throughhis entire life.He wasa kind andhumble man, always readytolend ahand, fixwhatwas bro‐ken, or brighten someone’s day. He believed in doing good quietly, without needingtobeseen.He oftensaid, “Bea good per‐son, notjusta nice per‐son,”and “The only work that really matters is the work no onesees—it showswho youreallyare.” He reminded us to “Leave people andplacesbetter than youfound them,stay humbleand don’tforget where youcomefrom. Thoseweren’t just words to him—theywerehow he livedevery single day. Aftergraduatingfrom FrancisT.NichollsHigh School,hebegan hisca‐reer with L&NRailroad (later CSX) as acar repair‐man. It wasthe perfectjob fora manwho could fix anything andloved work‐ingwithhis hands. Whetheritwas apiece of machineryorsomeone’s badday,Frank somehow always knew howtomake things rightagain.Hewas theson of thelateDo‐minick LouisSchillace and KatieTinaCamino Schillace. Hismother passed away whenhewas just 18 months old, andthe familywho helped raise himmeant theworld to him. He wasalsopreceded in deathbyhis baby sister Schilleciand brother, An‐gelo Schillage, whomhe loveddearly. He is survived by hislovingwifeof18 years, DianeHolmberg Schilleci; hischildrenFrank Dominick SchilleciJr. and Tina SchilleciMarchand (Todd);and stepsons John andJames Moeller (Rachel).Hewas “Grand‐dad” to AvaSchilleci, Cheyenne Schilleci, Kas‐sidy Holden (Daniel),TJ Marchand,Hunter Marc‐hand,and Ryan Moeller; and“GreatGranddad” to Levi andAvery Holden.He also leaves behind many nieces,nephews,cousins andcountless friendswho will neverforgethis gentle spirit andquiet wisdom Relativesand friendsare invitedtoattend theFu‐neralMassatSt. Matthew theApostle Church,10021 JeffersonHighway,River Ridge, on Saturday,No‐vember 15,2025, at 1:00 p.m.,withvisitationbegin‐ning at 11:00 a.m. Inter‐ment will follow at Jeffer‐sonMemorialGardens, 11316 RiverRoad, St.Rose. Franklived hislifethe right way—with faith,humility, andlove. He wasa devoted Catholic,a proudveteran, aloyal friend,and thebest kind of husband,father, andGranddad. Hislessons will stay with us forever: to be good,stayhumble, and help others wheneveryou can. Though we will miss

Sears, Carol Ann

CarolAnn Sears, age84, of Avondale, Louisiana passed away on Tuesday, October21, 2025. Carol was born in NewOrleans, Louisianatothe lateVera and Edward Gomez.She was married to IrvinSears for49years before his passing in 2000. Loving motherofPeteSears (Terri),Bambi Sears, Susie Grabowski, and Robert Sears (Lawreen). Grandmother of Patrick Sears (Rachel) and Kaitlyn Grabowski. Sister of EdwardGomez,Jr. (Joan) Carol is also survivedby nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends who will miss her dearly Carol was aschool teacher in JeffersonParish with over 25 years of dedication to her students. She enjoyed playing dominoes with her friends and was a member of theGolden OpportunitiesSenior Group,who she was able to travel with. AMemorial Service will be held at 11:00AMon Saturday, November 15th, 2025 in the chapel of Westside/Leitz-Eagan Funeral Home, 5101 Westbank Expresswayin Marrero, Louisiana. Avisitation willbegin at 9:00AM and continue until theservice time. Interment will follow at Restlawn Park Cemetery in Avondale, Louisiana. Expressions of sympathymay be shared with the Sears family at www.West sideLeitzEagan.com.

DavidMarcusSmith.De‐cember 1, 1956 –November 3, 2025. DavidMarcus Smith, affectionately knownas"Smitty"and “Big Dave,” passed away unexpectedly butinGod’s perfecttimingonMonday, November 3, 2025, at the ageof68. Born on Decem‐ber1,1956, in NewOrleans, Louisiana, he wasthe son of thelateLillian Daret Smithand Joseph Marcus Smithand preceded in deathbyhis brotherand best friend Arthur “Smitty SmithofChalmette,LA. Dave carriedwithinhim a uniqueblend of hispar‐ents’spirits —a rebel spirit andtenacious re‐silience from hisfather anda nurturing,generous heartfromhis mother.For 25 wonderfulyears,hewas thelovingand devoted husband to Debbie Smith of Slidell, Louisiana. They just recently traveled to‐gether to Alaska forthe trip of a lifetime anden‐joyedtheir aboundingfam‐ilydaily!Hewas blessed laterinlifewithhis great‐estjoy —his son, Joseph Arthur SmithofSlidell, LA Becoming afatherata more seasoned stageof life gifted Dave theoppor‐tunity to be fully present, patient, anddeeply appre‐

ciativeofevery milestone andmemorysharedwith Joey.Inaddition to hiswife andson,heissurvivedby his stepsons,EddieChag‐nard of NewOrleans,LA, andJeffrey Chagnard of Denver,CO; hisgrandchil‐dren,Dru andKayleigh Chagnard of Slidell, LA;Sis‐terDeidreSmith Seghers (Dwayne) of Green Cove Springs, FL andLillian SmithGrose (EarlHamp‐ton) of NewOrleans,LA; Sister-In-LawJeanne Smith of Franklinton, LA,BrotherIn-Law CraigClement of NewOrleans,LA, BrotherIn-Law Walter McKnight andSister-In-Law Gwen McKnight of Slidell, LA,as well as numerous greatnieces,great-nephews,ex‐tended family, andfriends who lovedhim dearly.His presence leaves an immea‐surablevoidinthe hearts of allwho knew him. Be‐fore fatherhood,Davede‐lightedinbeing thefun anddotinguncle to his nieces andnephews: Charles“Chuck” Grose, Kelly Grose, Melissa Smith Romano,Jacqueline Smith Savarese;Dwayne“DJ” SeghersJr, Amanda Daret Houser,Corey Clement, CarlyClement,Jeffery McKnight andShawn McK‐night. Knownfor hislively storytelling, love of music, andthoughtfulgifts,— it wasa role he relished with prideand humor.Davewas abeloved member of the greaterNew Orleans fish‐ingcommunity.A commer‐cial fisherman, he special‐ized in shipping blue crabs andsoft-shellcrabs and once traveled to Brazil to assist in developing and improvinghatcherytank systemsbased on methods he perfectedoveryears of hard work andingenuity Most recently,his retire‐ment jobwas workingfor theStTammany Parish School Boardat Northshore High School sharinghis larger-than-life spirit with high schoolers, daily. He cherishedthe en‐during bondsheformed throughout hislife, espe‐cially thelifelongfriend‐ship with Roland Belsome, which beganyears agoon thefootball fieldatAbram‐sonHighSchool.Hewillbe deeply missedbythe morningcoffeecrewatNot Just DonutsonPontchar‐trainBoulevard,where he wasa dailysourceof laughter andcamaraderie Acelebration of Dave’s life will be held Monday,No‐vember 10th, 2025, at Jacob-SchoenFuneral Home locatedat3827 CanalStreet,New Orleans, LA 70119. Visitation will be held from 9:00AM until 1:00PM with services im‐mediatelyfollowing.Family andfriends will be gath‐ered to honorhis legacy of love,loyalty,and alife livedfully.Interment will be at Greenwood Ceme‐tery.Inlieuof flowers, the familyasksthatyou honor Dave by donating to Feed TheChildrenorWounded Warriors or by sharinga cupofcoffeeand adonut with afriend, tellinga greatstory,and cherishing thetimeGod givesuswith

theoneswelove! Arrange‐mentsbyJacob Schoen & SonFuneral Home.Condo‐lences maybeleftatwww schoenfh.com

Suchand, Joseph Nickola'Joe'

Joseph “Joe”Nickola Suchand, 87, of Terrytown, passedawaypeacefullyon November 2, 2025. TheLord called himhome, saying it wastimetoput down his decoycarving toolsand his fishingpoles.Joe wasborn on May20, 1938, in Algiers to thelateGeorgeHerman Suchand, Jr.and Anna Belle DeliaSanchez Suc‐hand.Hewas agraduateof St.Aloysiusclass of 1956 andreceivedhis BS in In‐dustrial Engineeringfrom LSUin1960. He married Jacquelyn(Jackie)J Rouprich,withwhomhe raised twochildrenbefore they went theirseparate ways laterinlife. He is pre‐cededindeath by hisfor‐merwifeJackieSuchand andhis longtime sweet‐heartof38years,HopeVi‐gnes with whomtheyboth hada second chance to builda life full of love,re‐spect, andcountless mem‐ories. Joeissurvivedbyhis siblings George Suchand, Mary SuchandHouk, Larry Suchandand DannySuc‐hand,his sonChristopher Suchand(Dana)and daughter Suzanne Suc‐hand,granddaughtersAsh‐lynFontana (Dominick), Tessa andNatalie DeoGra‐cias.Joe is survived by Hope’s children Andrea, Mel(Tommy),Kathy (Marc) andStan(fianceéLeslie), andtheir children and grandchildrenwhomhe considered family with very deep affection. Joe wasquite theathlete par‐ticipating in numerous sports as ayoung man. He wasa team member of the Holy Name of Mary’s junior touchfootball team that broughtthe city andstate CYOtitlestorestonthe westbank with victoriesin the1956 finals.In1990 he ranand finished both the 25thNew OrleansMardi Gras andLongBeach,CA marathons, andinhis greyhaired days,hecompeted in variousSeniorOlympic trackand fieldevents. Joe is knownfor hisattention to detail in hishobby of duck decoycarving,where hispassion centered on his coot andtealdecoys, but he also enjoyedcarving with intricatedetailhis walkingsticksand avari‐

OPINION

OUR VIEWS

Congressional payshould be cut during shutdown

The federalgovernmentshutdown has dragged on now forfive weeks, becoming the longest in history,and there is still no endin sight. That means that thousands of government workers have received zero or reduced pay for morethanamonth

Yetthere has been no correspondinghalt to pay for members of Congress, whoearnat least$174,000per year and are theveryones responsible for this impasse. Congressional pay is mandatedthrough both law and the Constitution,evenifthe government isshut down. But Louisiana Sen. John Kennedywants to change that. The oft-quoted Republican has introduced apair of bills in the Senate thatwould put representatives and senators on thesame footingasthe employees whose pay has been stopped “I don’tsee missing paychecksorempty dinner plates as leverage or bargainingchips,” Kennedy told Fox News. “If we can’tdo ourjobs and fund the government, we don’tdeserve a paycheck —plain and simple.” Kennedy is well known forhis aphorisms, which he presents as down-homecountry wisdom but critics decryasrhetoricwithout substance In this case, he’sgot apoint.Lawmakers in Washington, whose partisan pursuits andinflexibility have gotten us into thissituation, should not be able to go on as if life were normalwhile the people who rely upon them areforced to tighten their belts, go without andhopethatthe shutdown ends soon.

Kennedy has introduced two billson thematter: The first would forcemembers of Congress to go without pay for every day thegovernment hasshutdown. That billcould runinto Constitutionalhurdles. Article Iofthe Constitution requires that United States representativesand senators be paidfor their services. Andthe 27th Amendment, ratifiedin1992, prevents Congress from passing any bill affecting pay until theend of the current term. Kennedy’ssecond bill attempts to maneuver around those worries.That bill would notcut the pay,but withhold it in escrow until after the 2026 elections.

Other lawmakers are recommendingsimilar ideas. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.,has pitched aconstitutional amendmentthat wouldrequire lawmakers’ pay to be forfeited andusedtopay down thenational debt. Another bill hasbeen introduced by Republican Sen.Bernie Moreno,of Ohio.Similar billshavebeen pitchedduring earlier shutdowns, but they’ve never been passed. We applaud these efforts. Among the many terrible impacts ofthe shutdown is the forced surrender of payofthousands of workers whose service affects our lives every day: military, some law enforcement and airtrafficcontrollers, for instance. If members of Congress can’twork together and come to some sortofcompromise on how to fund the government and those workersare forced to go without pay,thenCongress should feel the same pain.

Letters are published identifying name, occupation and/or title and the writer’scity of residence

|The Times-Picayune require astreet

P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0588, or email letters@ theadvocate.com.

What mattersmostinMideast policy

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem is one of themost beautiful churches in theworld. If you’re walking in old city Jerusalem at 4in themorning, you are likely a Christian,Jew or Muslim on theway to prayer.It’sone of themost peaceful experiences in theworld.

Ihave aphotoofthe steps up to thechapel, built where we believe Christwas crucified. It was there where a priestfriend of mine celebrated Mass for my friend Andrew Breitbart the morning after he died unexpectedly from aheart attack in 2012. When Andrew died, Iwas on my first pilgrimage to the Holy Land. I had theopportunity to go again not too long ago. Iwent to the Church of the Holy Sepulchreatanearly hour.Iwasn’t going to. Iwas tempted to hit snooze. ButIheard the Muslim call to prayer and Iwas reminded the most importantthing we can do in our lives

is pray.It’sanaction beyond us, of supernatural fuel. It’sthe best that we’ve got. During that most recenttrip, Iwas having some health issues, so when we had ourtour of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Ifound aspottosit, right below where Christ had been crucified. This tripwas sponsored by thePhilos Project, which wanted to convey what wasimportantabout the land to people of various Abrahamic religions. During our time under Calvary,Iremembered aGood Fridaypast in New York.That Palm Sunday,there was an attack on aCoptic church in Egypt. In an act of prayerful solidarity, NewYork’sCardinal Timothy Dolan went to aCoptic churchinManhattan with an ecumenical crowd. Rabbi Joseph Patasnick talked abouthow he was afraid to go outdoors on Good Friday when he was young, because it was believed that Christians would retaliateagainstJews for the deathof

Jesus. But that’sthe thing. It wasn’tthe Jews.Jewishmen and women are not the enemy.Iam. The sin in the hearts of men is. That’swhy Christians are Christians. We aresinners in need of aSavior. We areimperfect and worse. Antisemitism is evil. Hating Jews is asin. We can’t tolerate people excusing or denying the Holocaust. Instead, we should be remembering the faces of individualmen, women andchildrenwho were murdered by the Nazi regime.And consider that it is evil thatwewould ever consider thathatredofJewsisanything but evil. We hear people talking about Middle Eastern foreign policy,but it often comes down to hatred of Jews. Sure, have an opinionabout apositionIsrael takes. All Iknowiswemust stand with ourJewishbrothers andsisters being hated. Adopt love forothers. It is whatmatters most.

Email Kathryn Jean Lopez at klopez@ nationalreview.com.

Time forthe Righttoclean house

Conservatives —trueconservatives,asinthe Ronald Reagan brand —have aproblem. The movement has been invaded by the“alt-right” (or alternative right), abrandthat is not conservative, but rather slogs through the mud of antisemitism and racism, staining all who supportorrefuse to denounce it

This attempt to hijack conservatism by aradical fringe is not new.Inthe 1960s,Robert Welch and his John Birch Society(JBS) infiltrated the movement.

It took thefounder of the conservative publication National Review, William F. Buckley Jr., to denounce some of Welch’sextreme views.When Welch claimed Dwight D. Eisenhower was a“dedicated,conscious agent of thecommunist conspiracy”, it was thebreaking point for Buckley,who had been reluctant to criticize Welch, largely becausemany JBS members contributed financially to his magazine. Now comes asimilar challenge for traditional conservatives and especially the evangelical wing of the Re-

publican Party. On arecentpodcast, former Fox News Channel host Tucker Carlson interviewedNick Fuentes, aWhitesupremacist and antisemite. The two joinedincondemnation of conservativeswho support Israel. Carlson specifically mentioned Sen. TedCruz, R-Texas, former President George W. Bush,and theU.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee. He called them “Christian Zionists” who have been “seized by this brain virus.”

Kevin Roberts, president of the HeritageFoundation, whichguided many of the policies of Ronald Reagan and has been influential with the Trump administration, defended Carlson,saying he “remains …and always will be aclosefriend of the Heritage Foundation.”

Alt-right proponents arenot shy about voicing theirbeliefs, including antisemitismand in some cases a denial of the Holocaust and racism.

Membersofthis small but growing movement, especially among the young, often blame Jewish people for allegedly promoting what theyclaim are anti-White policies like immigra-

tion(illegaland legal) anddiversity Recently,VicePresident JD Vance hadanopportunity to denounce these beliefs. During aquestion-and-answer sessionfollowing his speech at the University of Mississippi, sponsored by Turning Point USA, Vance was askedabout U.S. support of Israel and the theologicaldifferences between Jews andChristians. Instead of denouncing whatappeared to be a“dog whistle” andthe barely disguised political premise of the question, Vancepuntedand said America has traditionally made alliances with nations whose policies and beliefs don’t necessarily agreewith ours. Conservatives take note as Bill Buckleyeventually did whenconservatism faced similarchallengessix decades ago. As for the evangelicals amongthe alt-right, consider one of many versesabout hate: “People may cover their hatred with pleasantwords, but they’re deceiving you. Theypretend to be kind, but don’t believe them. Their hearts are full of many evils.”(Proverbs 26:24-25).

Email Cal Thomas at tcaeditors@ tribpub.com

COMMENTARY

Redistrictingcasemay endinmiddleground

When the Supreme Court rules, probably in December,onthe controversial congressional redistricting case of Louisiana v. Callais, the likelihood is that neither side’sfondest dreams or worst fears will be realized

Aclose reading of the record leads me to predict the court will find a middle ground: It almost certainly will throw out Louisiana’scurrent district configurations, but without much material change in its existing interpretation of the Voting Rights Act.

the 2024 House elections.

Louisiana surely will need to redraw its maps yet again —but still with astrong expectation that it should create asecond Black-majority (or strong plurality) district, and without sending ahost of other statesintonew maps undoing their own Black “opportunity districts” (as they technically are called). The difference will be that Louisiana’s new map should have districts that are more geographically compact and less blatantly racially motivated than the current districts that were created for

To make clear: This is not how Ithink the court should rule, but how Ipredict it actually will. At issue is howtointerpret Section2ofthe Voting Rights Act, which is meant to protect against racial discrimination in elections, particularly against Black Americans—but without running afoul of the14th and 15thAmendments, which the Supreme Court says prohibit (broadly speaking) all racial discrimination,including the useofracial considerations tomake up for past and present wrongs. For more than 40 years, the high court has made aconvolutedmess of these redistricting issues, essentiallysaying that race can’t be considered except for the timesthat it must be considered. To determine which is which (can’tvs. must), and by what methods, the court has set out what is known as the Gingles Test (namedafter acase called Thornburg v. Gingles). For purposes of this column, the Gingles substance need not be understood, but its existence is crucial.

The state of play is this:Conservative Justices Clarence Thomas,Sam Alitoand Neil Gorsuch clearly are readyto say Section 2has been misinterpreted all along, meaning that race may not be considered even to redress wrongs.

Liberal Justices Sonia Sotomayor,Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson firmly believe Section 2means that Black opportunity districts must be created aggressively and proportionatelywherepossible.

Chief Justice JohnRoberts and Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett (of New Orleans)are considered somewhere in themiddle. In theAlabama case of Allen v. Milligan in 2023, Roberts and Kavanaugh joined thethree liberals in requiring another opportunity district, while Barrett sided withthe conservatives In this year’s Louisianacase, though, theshape of the second Black opportunity district is particularly bizarre. Plus,inboth a concurring opinion in Milligan and in oral arguments last month in theLouisiana case, Kavanaugh suggested that an unspecified

time limit might apply,sothat although opportunity districts once were necessary,now they aren’t. For those two reasons, many observers expect Kavanaugh to “switch sides” by joining the conservatives, thus providing a5-4 majority to throwout Louisiana’s current, race-infuseddistricts.

Allisnot lost, however,for the liberals’side In theMilligancasefrom Alabama, JusticeBarrett joined only partofJusticeThomas’ main dissenting opinion. She conspicuously did not join the part that saidthe wholeGingles construct was nonsense andthatrace should never be afactor in fixing pastwrongs. Instead, she merely joined two sections in which Thomas explained that even if Gingles were applied, those particular Alabama districts would not passmuster. In oral argument in October in Louisiana v. Callais, Barrett asked if Louisiana’s weird district could be thrown out as “a clarification of Gingles” rather than the“big ask” to actually “change it.” In otherwords, she is loathtooverturn what she called a“40-year precedent.”

The endresult (assuming Roberts also wants to maintain the Gingles precedent) is thateven if Kavanaugh joins the conservativestooverturn Ginglesentirely andthus effectively take the courts away from ordering proportionalBlack opportunity districts, Barrett may well refuse to go thatfar.She could provide the needed fifth vote to throw outthe specific districts Louisianahas now, but still maintain a five-person majority,saying that some race-baseddistricts remain necessary

She could well say that two suchdistricts remain necessary in Louisiana,too, but without shoehorning some Shreveport voters in with East Baton Rouge voters ratherthanwith other of their ownShreveport neighbors. Section2 as liberals interpret it would be saved, but Louisiana’s legislators would have to create adifferent newBlack opportunity district—one that actually makes sense on amap, rather thanlooking like apterodactyl chasing E.T.

Email Quin Hillyer at quin hillyer@theadvocate.com

Trumpin no hurrytodeployNationalGuard to La.

President Donald Trump couldn’twait to send theNationalGuard into Los Angeles. AndD.C.. And Portland. AndChicago.All placeswhere they weren’tinvitedand where many locals wanted none of his alleged “help.”

Yetwhen it comes to Louisiana, Trump has now waited well over a month to respond to his ally Gov Jeff Landry’srequest, announced on Fox News to Sean Hannityat the end of September,tosend 1,000 federalizedLouisianaNational Guard troops into New Orleans, Baton Rouge and other citiesto fight crime.

Sure, Trump hasn’trejected Landry’s request to use federal money to deploy the troops that he has the power to activateon his own —albeit on the state’sdime And yes, he has mused at times about sendingtroopsintoNew Orleans, despite droppingcrime ratesand asuccessful partnership between the cityand state police for which Landry should beclaiming credit, not playing into the fiction that things remain out of control.

But the president hasn’tshown asmidgeon of urgency on the matter.Not even whentwo horrific fatal carjackingssoon after Landry’sask, one of achefpicking

up hischild at achurch day care and the other of aride share driver,agrandfather who’d just dropped off some tourists in the French Quarter,might have opened some more minds to the effort. Nobody official has publicly explained the delay,but Ihave atheory: Ithink we bore him Landry’sagenda is clearly toclaim asliver of the president’sthunder in usingNational Guard troops in this novel, confrontational way.But Trump isn’treturning thegovernor’s enthusiasm because it doesn’tfithis own agenda, which is to cause maximum viralconflict and toassert dominance Trump’srelationship with Landry is obviously quite different from theone he haswith governors like California’sGavin Newsom and Illinois’ JB Pritzker,who have cast Trump’smoves as unconstitutional invasions and abuses of presidential powers aimed at normalizing the sight of soldiers on American streets. Trumpfeeds on fights with guys like them, which he obviouslywouldn’tget here.

Local officials, in New Orleans anyway, are adifferent story

Incoming mayor Helena Moreno has said that sendingthe Guard intoAmerican cities is “about scare tactics and politicizing

public safety,”and correctly noted that these troops arenot trained or authorized to do police work. Yether comments at a mayoral debateearlier in September suggest an additional dynamic at play

“The National Guard can assist us when we have amajor emergency like ahurricane, or even when we have amajor event in town, to assist us withcrowd control and thingslike that,” she said at WWL’s primarydebate.

It’strue. People in New Orleans are used to seeing the National Guard around including after the New Year’smorning terrorist attack in the French Quarter not as an invading armybut as welcome backup. Andthe request from Landry is for Guard members from the state, who are far less likely to be seen by their fellow Louisianans as outside occupiers than the Texans sent to Illinois against the governor’swill, or the Louisianans deployed in thenation’scapital.

Addtothat thelack of aunited front even in the Trump-friendly set. One prominent Republican, stateSenate President Cameron Henry,recently told the Manship News Service that the Guard might be of use in Baton Rouge, where Mayor-President Sid Edwards appears open to the idea, but “mythought is not to have them come

to NewOrleans because we have State Police there and they are doing agood job.” Even Hannity,upon airing Landry’sinitial plea fortroops, had trouble staying focused on what Landry was trying to sell as acrisis. During the interview,hequickly pivoted from crime to an offer of lessons he learned as abartender forthose who brave the French Quarter: “My advice: Never ever,don’tdrink ahurricane unless you want to throw up in the bushes,” he said.

Can’tdisagree with that, but it’snot exactly acall to arms. Still, Landry has said things appear to be on track fortroops to arrive in New Orleans by Thanksgiving, which would be in timefor the Bayou Classic, and stay throughout the holidays and special event season, when National Guard troops have been called in to help with crowd control before. If that happens, it could be that Trumpwill basically help Landry do what the state usually does, generally without any resistance at all. Even if the prospect of pushback is all that keeps Trumpremotely interested in this whole escapade.

Email StephanieGrace at sgrace@ theadvocate.com.

La.and theblue‘wave’ofNYC’s Mamdani, otherDems

It’seasy for Democrats in Louisiana and across the nation to cheer after Tuesday’s“blue wave” of wins in New Jersey,Virginia and New York City Louisiana is marginally aDemocratic state based on voter registration, buta reliably Republican state when it comes to voting. Louisiana rarely swings from one party to another. Like it or not, we’re not blue or purple; we’re red. Deep red. New York state has been historically and reliably Democratic in recent years, but therehave been times in my lifetime when the Empire State was led by aRepublican. GOP legislator George Pataki was elected governor in 1994 and then reelected twice. Generally,New York Cityis viewed as the most liberal and progressive of New York State’s urbancenters. Like New Orleans, the city is largelyDemocratic and largely liberal or progressive. But comparisons end there. New York City has some strong pockets of Republicans andothers who identify otherwise. New Orleans has far fewer Republicans on aper capita basis. New York is far more diverse than New Orleans. New York City Democratic So-

cialist Zohran Kwame Mamdani won Tuesday’s mayoral election with 50.4% of thevotes. He developed abroad coalition of supportand ran an energetic, youthful, social media-savvy campaignand heldoff late efforts by billionaires, President Donald Trump andothers to stop him.

New Orleans City Council Vice President Helena Moreno developed abroad coalition of support for her mayoral campaign,but her more practical progressive Democratic ideas didn’tdraw theire of millionaires andbillionaires willing to spendbig to keep her out of office,aswas true with Mamdani. Moreno is aprogressive Democrat, butshe’sno Democratic Socialist.

Some Democrats and some Democratic Socialists might disagree with me, but, pretty much, Democrats work to change and improve capitalistic systems and Democratic Socialists aim to moveaway from capitalism to amore socialist, take-care-of-all system.

To alargedegree, that’swhy so many bankers, developers, investors, traders, millionaires and billionaires opposed Mamdani Moreno garnered support from some of thosegroups.

Shortly after his election, Mamdani launched awebsite —“New Era for New York City” —announcing atransition team, and seeking a“talented,inclusive, and mission-driven team of public servants.”

Shortly after her election, Moreno launched awebsite “New Direction NOLA” —announcing atransition team and “assembling ateam of talented, passionatepeople ready to help moveNew Orleansforward.”

Similar? Yes. However,Moreno’ssite is broader,asking citizens for input.I’m sure Mamdani will follow that approach soon. Big difference: Mamdani has an all-female transition leadership team.

Democrats flipped two Georgia Public Service Commission seats and had abig California proposition win. Louisiana Democrats haven’tfound that kind of Georgia, California, New Jersey and Virginia success. Democratic governor candidates Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill won their Virginia and New Jersey contests handily.Despite infusions of millions of dollars and big GOP pushes, it wasn’teven close. Spanberger won by about 15 points. Sherrill won by almost that much. New York has regularly elected Democrats statewide, though not

always. Virginia has, too; though not always. It’s normal forNew Jersey to elect Democrats statewide, although it sometimes has chosen GOP candidates. Not so in Louisiana.

Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards was elected statewide by a comparable amount (12%) as he ran against apolitically crippled, publicly damaged Republican candidate. But he almost lost reelection to awell-funded Republican candidate whohardly campaigned and answered few questions. New Orleans is adifferent story.Itmight be acold day in hell if we see aRepublican elected mayor in the city in the near future. ButLouisiana isn’tready fora Democratic Socialist, and neither is New Orleans. Not yet.

Afew years ago, asenior writer at FiveThirtyEight described six types of Democrats: super progressives (New York U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez), very progressives (Massachusetts U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren), the progressive new guard (New Jersey U.S. Sen. Cory Booker), the progressive oldguard (retiring U.S. Rep.Nancy Pelosi), moderates (U.S.Rep. and now Virginia Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger) and conservatives (Edwards, former U.S.Sen. Joe Manchin).

Only moderates and conservatives can come close to statewide office in Louisiana without asignificant Mamdani-like candidate to energize voters across political affiliations.

Louisiana has its share of progressives, and someDemocratic Socialists of America have made someprogress here.

Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Devante Lewis, Orleans Parish School Board member Gabriela Biro, Broadmoor Church pastor and former City Council at-large candidate Gregory Manning, and former City Council District Acandidate Bob Murrell are Democratic Socialists members. According to Jack Reno Sweeney,co-chair of the New Orleans DSA, the membership, nonprofit political organization has about 85,000 members nationally,including about 400 in New Orleans. SomeNew Orleans chapter members helped the Mamdani campaign. There are DSAgroups in Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Monroe and Shreveport. Mamdani achieved an incredible win. Many are expecting his fire to be transferable to other cities and states. We’re not ready

Email Will Sutton at wsutton@ theadvocate.com.

with meteorologist DamonSingleton

amostly sunny, mild and breezy day. Temperatures this afternoon will rise to the lowtomid-70s. Winds will be northerly at 5-15 mph with gusts to 25 mph. Except for the very early morning rain no other showers are expected today. Temperatures will drop dramatically tomorrowwith afternoon highs in the 50.

DEATHS continued from Metropolitan Witnessing in New Orleans as often as she could.She was very hospitable,loyal, and humble. Shewas agreat cook and was happy to seeothersenjoy beingtogether Shewas agreat momand "mawmaw",setting an excellent example of hard work,loyal-love andgenerosity. She was an accomplishedartist.Brenda was alocalbusinessowner for many years.

etyoflocal snakes carved fromhandselectedcy‐press rootsand driftwood hefound alongthe Missis‐sippi riverbatture.Anavid fishermanall hislife, he caughtan8-pound bass while living in Floridaafter his LSUgraduation, he en‐joyed countless fishing trips on theMissMissis‐sippi outofEmpirewithhis son Chriswithall hisse‐cretroadside fishingspots along Hwy1 between Leeville andGrand Isle.Joe willbegreatly missed by all who knew him, whether known as GrandpaJoe or Mimi-Jeaux, Hisspiritand kindnesswillforever live oninthe hearts of thosehe touched.The familywould liketoextendour heartfelt gratitude to thenursesand staff at InterimHospice and ThePeristyle at Beau West, both of Mandeville, Yourcompassionand the comfort youprovidedhim overthe last 9monthswill becherished.The funeral service washeldonSatur‐day,November8,2025 at Mothe FuneralHome. In lieuof flowers, donations may be made in Joe’s nametoSt. Michael’sSpe‐cialSchool in NewOrleans where hisdaughter Suzanne attended and graduated.Toview and signthe familyguestbook, pleasevisit www.mothefu nerals.com.

Sheispreceded in death by herparents;her beloved husband, of 37 years, Roy H. Toepfer ("Tee"); son,Jamie Lamar Studdard;stepdaughter, Peggy Egan; sister,Tina Marie Andrews; brothers, Danny Andrews, Freddie Andrews, and Sonny Andrews Survivors include her daughter, Charma Shirah (Chris); sons,Sandy Studdard,DrewStuddard (Karen), and Paul Studdard (Vanessa); sisters, Wendy Mullen and DonnaFirmin; grandchildren, Nicholas Studdard (Katie), Ashley Studdard,Sydney Studdard,Brenda Studdard,Emily Studdard, and ZacharyStuddard; two stepsons; threestepdaughters; and many belovedstep-grandchildrenand great-grandchildren. The family wouldlike to give special thanks to Dr. Peter Park,MD, DMD and his team at the LSU School of Dentistry who fought alongside Brenda in her longbattle against cancer. Touro Hospital, St Tammany HomeHealth, and St. Tammany Hospice fortheir compassionate care of Brenda and her family.

Avisitation for Brenda willbeheld Friday November 14, 2025,from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM at LakeLawnMetairie Funeral Home & Cemeteries, 5100 PontchartrainBlvd,New Orleans,LAfollowed by a memorialservice at 12:00 PM. There is alive stream forthe funeral that can be accessedonBrenda'sobituary on Lake Lawn's website. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Jehovah'sWitnesses, donate.jw.org

Trupiano,Carolyn Alfonso

CarolynAlfonso Trupi‐ano,98, passedpeacefully onNovember7,2025, and isnow joyfully reunited withher belovedhusband, SalvadorTrupiano. Born on January 25, 1927, in Gretna, La.,tothe late Bertha Al‐fonso Shipleyand Felix Al‐fonso,Carolyn marriedthe loveofher life,affection‐ately knownasSammy,on February15, 1950. To‐gether, they raised two beautiful daughtersand shareda life filledwith family, friends, global travel, gardeningand many other interests. Theirs was a life builtaround adeep faith,and they were active members of St.Andrewthe Apostle and, in lateryears, MaryQueen of Peace. Car‐olynwas alongtimemem‐ber andpastpresident of the PEOClub, andwas ac‐tiveinthe SAGESgroup in bothparishes. Carolynwas a gifted seamstress, as wellasanavidreader, walkerand puzzle maker. But hergreatestlovewas her family. Shewas a proud grandmotheroffour and great-grandmotherof six.She wasthe kind of grandmother who made suretoattend theschool events, butwas also never too busy to sitdownand playa game or read a story,evenwellintoher 90s. Sheloved allofher familydearly, anditwas evident in everybirthday card, phonecalland visit. Carolyn believed in bal‐anced eating,regular exer‐ciseand dailyprayer. She practiced allthree into her 98thyearand liveda long and full life that was filled withgood health,laughter and love.Her familywas blessedtoenjoy so many years with her. In addition toher husband,Carolyn was preceded in deathby her siblings,Juanita Spera and Felix Alfonso, andher grandson, DavidEmile Landry. Left to cherishher memoryare herdaughters, SandraLandryand hus‐bandDavid,and Donna Paciera andhusband Kirth; hergrandchildren,Amy

Fuhrman(Mike), Kirth Paciera Jr.(Mariel), and Elise MacMaster(Robert); and hergreat-grandchil‐dren, Joshua andBenjamin Fuhrman, Camryn,Paige and BrooklynMacMaster, and NolanPaciera.The familywould like to offer special gratitudetoCar‐olyn’slovingand dedicated caregivers, RenaeLaShae and Briana Misita,aswell asthe staff at Christwood Longleafand ACGHospice A privatefamilyservice willbeheldata laterdate. In lieu of flowers, dona‐tions maybemadetoThe Samaritan Center Food Bank, 402 GirodSt.,Man‐deville,La.,70448.

Mr.ShanP.Williams, Sr was born on October1, 1948, in NewOrleans, Louisiana,tothe late ArnoldW.Brooksand Juanita TheresaWilliams Thomas. Anativeand life‐longresidentofGretna, Louisiana,Shan, Sr.passed awaypeacefully on Satur‐day,November1,2025, 8:30 P.M at OchsnerMedical CenterMainCampussur‐rounded by hislovingchil‐dren, Shandrea andShan Jr.,and hisdevoted com‐panion. Aproud 1966 grad‐uateofL.B.LandrySenior HighSchool,Shan, Sr earnedhis Bachelor’s and Master’sPlus30degrees fromSouthernUniversity and A&MCollege in Baton Rouge.A trailblazerinedu‐cation, he became the first African-AmericanPhysical Education Teacherand Coach at Edna Karr Junior HighSchool andlater servedasHeadCoach and Assistant Coachinfootball, baseball, andtrack and fieldatL.B.LandrySenior HighSchool.Duringhis dis‐tinguishedcareer with the Orleans Parish School Board,Shan, Sr.servedas Human ResourcesSpecial‐istfor CertificatedPerson‐

neland InterimAthleticDi‐rector. As principal, he led withvisionand dedication atThomasAlvaEdisonEle‐mentary School,Francis T. Nicholls/FrederickA.Dou‐glass Senior High School JosephS.Clark Senior High School,L.B.LandrySenior HighSchool (Interim), OliverPerry Walker Senior HighSchool,and LandryWalkerSeniorHighSchool After retiring from the school system,hereturned toL.B.LandryHighSchool asEducation Administrator for theAlgiers Charter School Association. As President of theProfes‐sionalAdministratorsof New OrleansPublic Schools, Inc. (PANOPSI), Shan, Sr.was instrumental inaffiliating theorganiza‐tionwiththe American FederationofSchool Ad‐ministrators(AFSA), AFLCIO,Local 17, creating the South’s firstorganized school administrators’ union.Healsodevoted his timetomentoring youth through theGretnaRecre‐ation andInstructional De‐partment(GRID), the GretnaBoysand GirlsClub, and theLHSAA Executive Committee, where he earneda Lifetime Coaching Cardfor hisdedicationto athletics andleadership. A man of deep faith andfel‐lowship,Shan, Sr.was a devoted member of Mt.Pil‐grimBaptist Church in Har‐vey,LA, where he served faithfullyasChairmanof the Deacons’ Ministry and a member of theMaleCho‐rus.Hewas also aproud 50-year member of Omega Psi PhiFraternity, Inc. Gamma RhoChapter (Past Basileus);a member of the ZuluSocialAid &Pleasure Club; andO.J.DunnLodge #85 F&AM.In2023, he was deeply honoredtoserve as Grand MarshalofNOMTOC. Shan, Sr.was preceded in death by hisbeloved wife Elois “Lulu” Brown Williams,and hisparents Heissurvivedbyhis chil‐dren, Attorney Shandrea P. Williams (Tiffany) and ShanP.Williams, Jr (Keisha); grandchildren, ShanIII, Shayhan, Shaina, and Shelby;faithfulcom‐panion, siblings,and ahost ofrelatives andfriends who will forevercherish his memory.Relatives and friends of thefamily, also pastors,officers,and members of Mt.Pilgrim Baptist Church,New Hope Baptist Church,St. Stephen MissionaryBaptist Church, and allneighboring churches;members of L. B. LandryAlumniAssociation (Class of 1966),Omega Psi

PhiFraternity, Inc.,Delta Sigma ThetaSorority, Inc. ZuluSocialAid &Pleasure Club, O. J. Dunn Lodge#85 F&AM; active andformer administrators, faculty staff andstudentsof SouthernUniversityA&M College (Law Center), Pur‐due Global LawSchool,and AndrewWilsonCharter School;activeand retired employees of theOrleans ParishSchool Board, Al‐giers CharterSchools, and InspireNOLACharter Schools; employees of L&R SecurityServices, Inc. are invited to attend aVisita‐tionatSt. StephenMis‐sionary BaptistChurch, 1738 L. B. Landry Avenue, New Orleans, LA on Mon‐day,November10, 2025 from4:00p.m.-7:00p.m. Cel‐ebrationofLifewillbeheld onTuesday,November11, 2025 at 10:00a.m. Pastor NormanFrancis,hostpas‐tor;PastorLouis Harrison officiating. Viewingwillbe heldfrom8:00a.m.10:00a.m. Interment: New HopeCemetery-Gretna,LA. ArrangementsbyDavis MortuaryService,230 Mon‐roe St Gretna,LA. To view and sign theguestbook, pleasegotowww.davismo rtuaryservice.com.Face Masks AreRecommended

NEARLY

Much stillsamefor Saints afterAllen firing

Despitechanges,teamstill struggling to be competitive

BY LUKE JOHNSON Staff writer

Ayear and aweek ago, adejected Dennis Allen stood at alectern in the bowels of Bank of America Stadium andtried to come up withanswers to the questionsabout how far his team had fallen.

On Nov.3,2024, the New Orleans Saints traveled to Charlotte, North Carolina,lookingtosnap asix-game losingstreak against a1-7 Carolina Panthers team. Instead,the Saints blew afive-point lead in the closing minutes. Needingjust afieldgoal to retake thelead inside the final two minutes, the

Saints turned it over on downs near midfield with 1:04 remainingand watchedasCarolinakneeledout the clock on New Orleans’ seventh straight defeat

Thething is, there weren’t really anyanswers —nonethatwere satisfactory anyway.The Saints fired Allen the next morning. While muchhas changed in the last year,things are still very muchthe same for the franchise.

NOTHINGNEW

LSUtight endBauer Sharpfumbles the ball on astop by Alabama linebacker Nikhai Hill-Green in the firsthalf of their game on SaturdayatBryant-DennyStadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala. LSU lost 20-9 in its first game since BrianKelly’s firing AllofLSU’s cosmetic work doesn’t

Aftertwo weeksof changes, Tigers look thesameinthirdstraightloss

BYWILSON ALEXANDER Staff writer

TUSCALOOSA,Ala. Different coaches. Same results. In the first game since the firing of head coach Brian Kelly two weeks ago, LSU lost 20-9 to No. 4Alabama on Saturday night inside Bryant-Denny Stadium. LSU (5-4, 2-4 SEC)tried tochange things to avoid its thirdstraightloss. It named Frank Wilson the interim coach and changed offensive playcallers. It even benched starting

quarterbackGarrett Nussmeier in thethird quarter But not much aboutthe Tigers looked different as they lost for the fourth timeintheir past five games. While the defense kept thescore within reach intothe fourth quarter, the offense continued to struggle. Alabama (8-1, 6-0) won its eighth straightgameasit moved deeper into CollegeFootball Playoff contention. LSU finished with232 total yards and squandered multiple chances

ä See LSU, page 6C

TUSCALOOSA,Ala. What hasn’t happened at LSU in the gulf between the Texas A&M and Alabama games?

LSUfired itshead coach,its athletic director (apparently at the behest of the governor) and its offensive coordinator.Itnamed an interim head coach, hired anew system president and chancellor —he formerly worked here at Alabama. It appeared to hire anew athletic director,then left him

page 7C

BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS

Indiana survives Penn State scare

By The Associated Press

per jumped to catch a pass from Fernando Mendoza in the back of the end zone, sweeping his inside foot within the field of play to go ahead of Penn State 27-24 with 36 seconds remaining and save No. 2 Indiana from its first loss of the season on Saturday

The downtrodden Nittany Lions, led by an interim coach and riding the school’s longest losing streak in 21 years, almost denied the Hoosiers (10-0, 7-0 Big Ten) their first Happy Valley win in school history

Penn State (3-6, 0-6) came back from down 13 points in the third quarter and was a couple of first downs away from the upset. Once the Nittany Lions were forced to punt, they couldn’t respond with late-game heroics of their own in the little time the Hoosiers left them. A Hail Mary effort from midfield was unsuccessful.

“It was the most improbable victory I have ever been a part of,” Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said. “And there couldn’t have been a better place to make it happen.”

No.3 TexasA&M 38,No.22 Missouri 17: In Columbia, Missouri, Marcel Reed threw for 221 yards and two touchdowns, Texas A&M’s hounding defense made for a forgettable first start for Missouri quarterback Matt Zollers, and the Aggies beat the Tigers to remain undefeated.

Rueben Owens II added 102 yards rushing and a pair of clinching touchdown runs in the fourth quarter, as the Aggies (9-0, 6-0 Southeastern Conference, No. 3 CFP) continued their best start since 1992 with their third consecutive victory over Missouri.

No.1OHIOST 34,PURDUE10: In West Lafayette, Indiana, Julian Sayin threw for 303 yards and one touchdown and Ohio State used four straight scoring drives in the second quarter to pull away from Purdue.

Jeremiah Smith finished with a season-high 10 catches for 137 yards and caught a 35-yard TD pass to break open the game. It was his 10th scoring catch of the season and the 25th of his career, tying him with Santonio Holmes for sixth on the Buckeyes all-time list.

No.5GEORGIA41,MISSISSIPPIST 21: In Starkville, Miss., Gunner Stockton threw for 264 yards and three touchdowns and Georgia beat Mississippi State.

Georgia (8-1, 6-1 SEC) surrendered a touchdown on the opening drive of the game and then scored 38 straight points

No.6OLEMISS49,THECITADEL0: In Oxford, Miss., Trinidad Chambliss passed for 333 yards and three touchdowns to lead Ole Miss to a win over The Citadel. Chambliss completed 19 of his first 20 passes, most of them quick outs, and finished 29 for 33 before leaving after the first drive of the third quarter for the Rebels (9-1).

No. 8 TEXAS TECH 29, No. 8 BYU 7:

In Lubbock, Texas, Stone Harrington kicked a school-record five field goals and Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez had two takeaways as the Red Raiders beat BYU, holding the previously-unbeaten Cougars to a season-low 255 total yards in a game with Big 12 and playoff implications.

Behren Morton passed for 216 yards and threw a 9-yard touchdown to Caleb Douglas while Cameron Dickey ran for 121 yards and a 1-yard score for Texas Tech (9-1, 6-1 Big 12, No. 8 CFP), which played in its first top-10 matchup since 2008.

No. 18 MIAMI 38, SYRACUSE 10: In Miami Gardens, Florida, Carson Beck threw for a touchdown, caught a scoring pass and eclipsed the 10,000-yard passing mark for his college career as Miami used some tricks to roll to a win over Syracuse. Offensive lineman Francis

Mauigoa caught a backward pass and finished off what officially went into the books as a 3-yard rushing touchdown, while Keionte Scott had an interception return touchdown for the Hurricanes (72, 3-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) Keelan Marion had 116 receiving yards and Girard Pringle Jr had a touchdown run for Miami.

No.6OREGON18,IOWA16: In Iowa City, Iowa, Atticus Sappington kicked a 39-yard field goal with 3 seconds left, and Oregon escaped with a win over Iowa.

Dante Moore led a 10-play, 54yard drive to set up Sappington’s third field goal of the game, connecting with Malik Benson for 24 yards to get the Ducks (8-1, 5-1 Big Ten, No. 9 CFP) into range for the winning kick.

WISCONSIN 13, No. 24 WASHINGTON 10: In Madison, Wisconsin, Nathanial Vakos made a tiebreaking 32-yard field goal late in the third quarter and Mason Posa led a dominant defensive effort as Wisconsin snapped a six-game skid by upsetting Washington.

The Badgers (3-6, 1-5 Big Ten) had lost 11 straight games against Power Four opponents before winning this one as a 10½-point underdog, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.

No. 15 VANDERBILT 45, AUBURN 38: In Nashville, Tenn. Diego Pavia threw a 4-yard pass to Cole Spence in overtime, and Vanderbilt rallied from a 10-point deficit to beat Auburn. The win keeps hopes of a Col-

lege Football Playoff berth alive for Vanderbilt (8-2, 4-2 Southeastern Conference, No. 16 CFP). The Commodores had left themselves with no room to spare after losing 34-31 at Texas last week.

No. 10 NOTRE DAME 49, NAVY 10: In South Bend, Indiana, C.J. Carr threw for 218 yards and three touchdowns and Notre Dame beat Navy on a snowy for its seventh consecutive victory Carr completed 13 of 16 passes and Notre Dame (7-2) led 42-10 when he gave way to backup quarterback Kenny Minchey late in the third quarter

Jeremiyah Love gained 94 yards on 13 carries and scored two touchdowns. He scored on a stunning 48-yard run where he went down but didn’t touch the turf, rolling off adefender and racing to the end zone after regaining his footing.

WAKEFOREST16,No 12VIRGINIA9: In Charlottesville, Virginia, Carlos Hernandez returned a bouncing punt 88 yards in the third quarter for the game’s only touchdown, and Wake Forest handed Virginia its first Atlantic Coast Conference loss of the season.

Playing most of the night without quarterback Chandler Morris, who was injured on a second-quarter run, Virginia (8-2, 5-1, No. 14 CFP) became the last ACC team to lose a league game this year, disappointing a crowd of 55,568 at Scott Stadium that had been energized by the Cavaliers’ best start in 35 years.

Spurs down Pels despite Murphy’s big night

time in October

BY ROD WALKER Staff writer

Rybakina beats Sabalenka, wins $5.23M in WTA Finals

Elena Rybakina won the WTA Finals after producing a nearly flawless performance to beat No. 1-ranked Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 7-6 (0) on Saturday

The sixth-ranked Rybakina struck eight aces and converted the sole break of the match on the indoor hardcourt in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

It was a second loss in the final of the season-ending tournament for Sabalenka after the four-time Grand Slam winner lost to Caroline Garcia in the 2022 title match. Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, was playing her first title match in her third consecutive WTA Finals appearance. She collected $5.23 million after going 5-0 at the event featuring the top eight women. The WTA said that was the largest payout in the history of women’s sports.

Djokovic wins tournament, then pulls out of ATP Finals

Novak Djokovic has pulled out of the ATP Finals for the second year in a row, shortly after beating Lorenzo Musetti in a nearly three-hour final to win the Hellenic Championship on Saturday Djokovic said a shoulder injury would prevent him from playing in the season-ending event for the top eight men’s players that starts Sunday in Turin, Italy

“I’m sad to share that I need to withdraw due to an ongoing injury,” Djokovic said in a post on social media.

Djokovic has won the ATP Finals seven times, but the 24-time Grand Slam champion also missed the tournament last year because of an injury On Saturday, the Serb rallied for a 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 victory over Musetti to clinch his 101st career title.

Former NBA, WNBA coach Adubato dies at age 87

Richie Adubato a former Dallas Mavericks, Orlando Magic and New York Liberty basketball coach — has died, his family said. He was 87.

Adubato died Thursday, his family posted on social media Friday Adubato took the New York Liberty to the WNBA Finals three times in his six years coaching the team from 1999-2004. He still holds the franchise record for games coached with 178. Adubato was the interim head coach of the Magic in 1997 after serving as an assistant for a few years He was also an interim head coach in Detroit during the 197980 season and later was the head coach in Dallas from 1989-93.

Hataoka shares lead again during LPGA event in Japan

Japanese golfers Nasa Hataoka and Yuna Araki sat atop the leaderboard after Saturday’s third round of the LPGA’s Toto Japan Classic. Hataoka has shared the lead in each of the first three rounds with different golfers each time.

Not even one of the best performances of Trey Murphy’s career could keep the New Orleans Pelicans’ brief winning streak going Saturday night. Fresh off back-to-back wins Tuesday and Wednesday, the Pelicans were unable to stack a third one. The Pelicans couldn’t slow down Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs, falling 126-119 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio. Murphy scored 41 points, tying his career-high. His previous high this season was 24 points, scored against these same Spurs in the Pels’ home opener. Murphy made 15 of 22 field goals Saturday, including 5 of 11 on 3-pointers. He also grabbed nine rebounds. “It was great and we needed it from him,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said. “He scored on every level tonight. He got to the freethrow line. He got to the paint. He shot the ball well. He rebounded the ball well, something that we’ve been talking about. We can see him starting to implement it.” Murphy drained a 38-footer at the end of the third quarter to close the deficit to 92-85. But it still wasn’t enough for the Pelicans (2-7).

game close the rest of the way “I told the guys in the locker room that I love their fight,” Green said. “Love their ability to stick together and battle back. The Spurs are a good team. A lot of positives to take from the game.”

This one was close, too. The Spurs were without Zion Williamson (hamstring), Jordan Poole (quad strain) and Yves Missi (illness). Meanwhile, San Antonio guard De’Aaron Fox played in his first game Saturday night after missing the first eight games with a hamstring injury

“He’s another dynamic ballhandler,” Green said about Fox before the game. “He’s unselfish, and he can score on all three levels. He presents another weapon out there for those guys.”

Fox finished with 24 points to lead the Spurs (7-2). Wembanyama scored 18 points to go with 18 rebounds.

Pelicans rookie guard Jeremiah Fears scored 18 points and Herb Jones scored 15. Rookie forward Derik Queen came off the bench and finished with 13 points, seven assists, five rebounds and two blocked shots.

Hataoka shot a 4-under 68 and Araki was in at 7-under 65 — both at 15-under 201 — at the Seta Golf Club in western Japan. Three more Japanese players were just off the pace going into Sunday’s final round. Miyu Yamashita, who won the Maybank Championship in Malaysia last week, carded a 68 and was one stroke behind. She was followed by Shuri Sakuma (69), who is three back, and Ai Suzuki (70), four off the lead.

Russian doping case ends after sanctions for 12 more

The Russian doping crisis that rocked track and field in the 2010s reached a symbolic end Friday with bans and disqualifications for 12 athletes in a final set of disciplinary cases going back over a decade.

The Athletics Integrity Unit, which was founded in 2017 as part of track’s response to the doping crisis, said it was the “last batch” of doping cases using data from the shuttered Moscow anti-doping laboratory where cases were covered up.

The Pelicans trailed by as many as 19 points in the second quarter but managed to cut the deficit to 66-58 by halftime and kept the

It was the Pelicans’ second loss to the Spurs in this young season. The Spurs won 120-116 in over-

“We fought our tails off,” Green said. “Some key miscues down the stretch that we can clean up, that we have to clean up.”

The Pelicans play at the Phoenix Suns on Monday

The Russian government has consistently denied wrongdoing. They prioritized cases involving active and high-profile athletes, so the 12 named on Friday were longsince retired athletes or relatively obscure figures. The best known was arguably Elena Kotulskaya, the European indoor silver medalist in the 800 meters in 2013.

Queenproving doubters wrong, Dumars right

Tworookies, andformer high school teammates, stood on the court at American Airlines Center late Wednesday nightand swapped jerseys.

One of the rookies was the sure thing. The other one, folks weren’tso sure about at all. Especially considering what it cost to get him.

CooperFlagg, the Dallas Mavericks forwarddrafted with the No. 1overall pick, is the prodigy nobody ever doubted.

Derik Queen, the New Orleans Pelicans forward and main character in one of the mosttalked about draft night trades in recent history,isshowing that you probably shouldn’thave doubted him, either Queen left Dallas on Wednesdaywith Flagg’sjersey.More importantly,Queenleft with a victory.Itwas Queen’ssecond victory in two nights. The Pelicans wouldn’thave gotten either one of them without Queen, who delivered two doubt-removing performances over a24-hour span. All of asudden, everyone else saw in Queen thesame things that Joe Dumars sawback in June.

Dumars,inhis first year as Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations, traded away the Pelicans’ 2026 first-round pick to move up in the draft from 23 to 13 to select Queen. The decision washeavily criticized. The scrutiny grew even louder when the Pelicans started the seasonwith six straight losses. The thought of abad team with no way to get alottery pick in next year’sdraft had Pelicans fans in an uproar

Thencame Tuesday night when Queen lifted the Pelicans to their firstwin with one of the best all-around fourth-quarter showings in the past 30 years.

Queen finished with 12 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and four stealsinthe 116-112 victory over theCharlotteHornets.

Most of that production came in the fourthquarter.Queen is the first player to record 12 points, seven rebounds, four assists and threestealsinany quarter since the NBA started keeping track of play-by-play back the 1996-97 season.

Thevictory snapped a13-game losing skidfor the Pelicans.It was their first win since March 30, which was around the same time Queenhad last won agame.

Thedatewas March23when Queendraineda fadeaway jumper at the buzzer tolift Maryland over Colorado Statetoadvance to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. During the timeout right before Queen hit thegamewinner,Maryland coach Kevin Willard asked who wanted the ball.

Queen’s response?

“Give me the(expletive) ball.”

Pelicans coach Willie Green made sure he had the ball often in crunch time against the Hornets.

Queen played the entire fourth quarter

“DQ was amazing,”Green said.

“Weneeded every ounce of what

he gave us.”

Queen displayed all the versatility thatmade Dumars take the risk in June. While many want the Pelicans to have the luxury of getting ahigh first-round pick in 2026, Dumars instead chose the “Why wait?” path.

“When you have chance to get twolottery picks in one draft, you’re accounting for the following year,” Dumars said. “When you identify aplayer thatyou think can be one of the foundations here, you go and get him That’s what we did. We targeted Queen. We thought he could be aheckuva addition here, and we were really aggressive about going to get Queen in this draft.”

Queen followed Tuesday by recording 11 points, seven rebounds and threesteals in the

win over the Mavericks and his former Montverde Academy teammate Flagg. Dumars believes in Queen. More importantly,Queen believes in himself.

He said so at his introductory news conference. He used all the talk about the trade as motivation.

“I’mgoing to say it here,” Queen said that day.“Idon’tthink nobody in that (2026) class is ever going to be better than me.SoI block all the noise out. Joe’sgot alot of faith in me. Most of those guys, Ibeat on in high school so it doesn’treally matter.Iknow the NBAisawhole different level, so Ijust have to continue getting better.Just beat on them next year when they comeinand make Joe look like agenius.”

Queen, who turns 21 in December,isjust scratching the surface of his potential. And he’shaving fun while doing it. On aspin move to the basket against the Mavs, he looked over to the Pelicans’ bench and stuck his tongue out before finishing the play with adunk.

But don’ttake that play as him not being serious. He is.

“He’ssointelligent,” Green said. “You guys aren’tprivy to the questions he’sasking. He is asking questions every film session. He makes you think and makes you go back to the drawing board to make sure you have good answers for him.”

He’s become afan favorite in aweek.Social media hasbeen busy trying to come up with the perfect nickname for the babyfaced rookie.Some of the suggestions areaplayonhis initials DQ andtheir correlation to fast-food chainrestaurant Dairy Queen Big Blizzard. Baby Blizzard. Big Freeze. The Big Treat. And some nicknames, like the Big Easy,have double meanings. The Big Easy describes how effortless Queen plays while also paying tribute to the city that has quickly embraced him. That wasn’talways the case. Just four months ago, there were many asking “What in the world is Joe Dumars doing?”

But now,the draft-night trade by Dumars and senior vice president of basketball operations Troy Weaver doesn’tseem so bad.

“That’swhy Joe and Troy did what they did,” Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado said. “They saw it. It’sworking.”

Email RodWalkeratrwalker@ theadvocate.com.

Mandeville, Dominican, Jesuit swimmers shineatmetro meet

BY CHRISTOPHER DABE Staff writer

Mandeville sophomore Avery

Daigledid not anticipate swimming some of the fastest times in the country when she arrived at the New Orleans Metrochampionship meet. Her focus throughout theseason had been on perfecting her form and increasing the power with which she swims.

In 2022, it was Brother Martin.In 2023, it was Rummel. Last season,it was John Curtis. All three schools posted losing records in District 9-5A gamesin those seasons but stilladvanced deep enough into the playoffs to reach the semifinals—orasBrother Martindid three years ago, the state finals. Now with the regular season finished and LHSAA playoff brackets set for release onSunday,Brother Martin (3-4), Holy Cross (1-6) and Jesuit(2-5) each finished with losing records in district games. Ahead ofthem in the standings are reigning state champion Edna Karr(7-0) along with John Curtis (5-2), Rummel (4-3) and St. Augustine (6-1). Butifthe past three seasons are an indicator,any 9-5A schoolisathreat to advance in the playoffs regardless of where it placed in the standings In 2022, Brother Martin reached the finals as the No. 13 seed after it posted records of 5-5 overall and 2-4indistrict games. The Crusadersended the regular season with athree-game losing streak but won four in arow in the playoffs, includinga second-round win against No.4St. Augustine. Asemifinal winover No. 8Carencro advanced Brother Martin to the state finals, where it lost to No. 3Curtis 23-0. In 2023, Rummel reached the semifinals as the No. 19 seed after it went 4-5 overall and 2-4 in district. The Raiders won three postseason games with long road trips to face No. 15 Northwood-Shreveport andNo. 2 Captain Shreve in successiveweeks

followed by awin at No. 7St. Paul’s beforelosing to No. 3Catholic-Baton Rouge.Rummelhas faced Catholic in the playoffs in six of thepastseven seasons and won only once —in the 2019 DivisionI state final.

Last season, Curtis reached the state semifinals, also as aNo. 19 seed like Rummel, after it went 4-5 overall and3-4 in district games. ThePatriots, likeBrother Martin two years earlier,ended theregular season with athree-game losing streak. But playoff wins against No. 14 Brother Martin, No. 3Acadiana and No. 6Teurlings Catholic put them in the semifinals for aloss to No. 2Alexandria Could another 9-5A school make a similar runthisseason?

Possibly,yes.

There are few districts in thestate that can match 9-5A from top to bottom

Even Warren Easton, which went 0-7 in district games and missed the playoffs, began the season with three wins against schools that each qualified for theplayoffs.

Karr will have the No. 1seed when the playoff brackets are announced. Curtis and St.Augustine will have first-round byes and Rummel, Brother Martin and Jesuit arelikely to open the playoffs with homegames, according to power ratings posted at the Louisiana Sportsline website. Nothing becomes official until the LHSAAputsout thebrackets. Only then can aschool begin to chart its path through thestate playoffs with agoal of reaching the state finals at the Caesars Superdome.

ContactChristopher Dabe at cdabe@theadvocate.com

VOLLEYBALLPLAYOFFS

On Saturday,she did better than sheexpected when she postedher fastest times in threeevents, including an AllAmerica qualifying time in the 100-yard butterfly at 53.72.

Daigle set that mark while swimmingagainst Dominican junior Kendall Jollands,whose 54.48 mark earned her an AllAmerica consideration placement— meaning she will becomeanAll-American in that event if it remains amongthe top 100 at the end of the year

“There wasnoother competition greater than Jollands,”Mandeville coachRobby Fritscher said.

The strong competition allowed Daigle to earnthe AllAmerica honor in an event she did not expect

“Going intowhenI first started high school, Ialways thought thefirst event Iwould get an automatic All-American would be the 50 free or the 100 free because those are my main events. When it was in the100 fly,Iwas like, ‘Huh, maybe Ishould be doing that more,’”she said.

Daigle, whose father,Patrick is aformer Brother Martin standout whoswamfor LSU, has put greater focus on improving her butterfly technique because Fritscher toldher when theseason began in August that

she would swim that event at metros.

She put extra focuson“using my whole body”whenswimming that stroke, and “that really helped with this so far,”she said. Other events for Daigle included winning the 100backstroke with an All-America consideration time of 55.31 and setting the meet record in the 50 freestyle at 23.14 when she swam the first leg of the 400 freestyle relay For Dominican, Jollands finished secondtoDaigleintwo individual events but swamon two winningrelay teams, includingthe 200 medley relay that setametro meet record at 1minute, 47.78 seconds.

“It’ssuperfun forme, getting outthere against another of Louisiana’shighswimmers,” said Jollands, whohelped reigning DivisionIstate champion Dominican win the metro team title with 373 points aheadof runner-upMount Carmel(317.5 points).

100 freestyle: 1. Embry Palmisano, Dominican 53.26. 2. Annalise Gagliano, Dominican 53.27. 3. Emma Mae Smith, St Scholastica 54.63. 500 freestyle: 1. Terese Vocke, Dominican 5:19.53. 2. Corinne Lerch, Mount Carmel 5:24.51. 3. LillianDaigle, Mandeville 5:31.66. 200 freestyle relay: 1. Mandeville (Avery Daigle, Emma Cate Dobie, Kennedy Hall, Sydney Eagan) 1:39.06. 2.

Otherindividualevent winners from Dominicanwere juniors Embry Palmisano (100 freestyle) and Terese Vocke (500 freestyle). Jesuitwon the boys team title with 359.5 points —ahead of runner-up E.D. White(342 points)— as senior AidanVillars earned an All-America consideration time in the 100 butterfly (49.16).His otherevent wincame in the 100 backstroke (51.91).

For Jesuit team captain Grant Castillon, theteam championship was atestament to the team’s work ethic as it prepares forstate in twoweeks.

“A lotofmyguys hadpracticed this morning and last night after the meet, and they still blewitout of thepool,” Castillonsaid. “I’mextremely proud of them. Ican’twait to see what my teammates do.” Jesuit wasarunner-up to Catholic-Baton Rouge at state last year

1:56.16. 3. Marta Giarrusso, Dominican 1:59.8. 200 medley: 1. Emma Cate Dobie, Mandeville2:11.64. 2. Addison Provenzano, Northshore2:12.88.3.Blair Foss,Dominican 2:13.92 50 freestyle: 1. Braylee Ladner, Pope John Paul II 24.54.2.Annalise Gagliano, Dominican 24.57.3.Embry Palmisano, Dominican 24.63 100 butterfly: 1. AveryDaigle, Mandeville 53.72. 2. Kendall Jollands, Dominican54.48. 3. Victoria Rice, Mount Carmel 1:00.88.

Palmisano, KendallJollands,Annalise Gagliano, Terese Vocke) 3:34.79. 2. Mandeville 3:42.31. 3. Mount Carmel 3:49.99. BOYS Top10teamscores: 1.

TULANE 38,MEMPHIS 32

THREEAND OUT: GUERRy SMITH’STOP TAKEAWAySFROMFRIDAyNIGHT’S WININMEMPHIS

WHATWELEARNED

1

Tulane is resilient with the heart of a champion if not always the right execution. Coming off an embarrassing performance at Texas-San Antonio, the Green Wave nearly knocked out Memphis in the first half of amustwin game on Fridaynight with aseriesofbody blows. JakeRetzlaff was sharperthan he has everbeen in leading five touchdown drives on the firstsix series, and the receivers made play afterplay.All of the Wave’s preseason goals were on the line, and it found away to endthe Tigers 12-game home winning streak and reassert its championship aspirations.

2

TRENDING NOW

Aclearpath to the AmericanConference championship game.CoachJon Sumrall did not want to hear about it afterthe 38-32 win, butthe Wave will be asolid favorite in its remaining gamesand is avirtual lock forthe title matchup if it avoids an upset. Florida Atlantic, which plays at yulman Stadium on Saturday, is 1-4onthe road with four double-digit defeats. Charlotte, which playsatyulmanStadium to close theregular season, is 0-7againstFBS opponents. ANov.22trip to Temple couldbetricky,but the Owls lost at home to East Carolina 45-14 last Saturday.

FINAL THOUGHTS

3

Tulane has plenty to fixinthe secondary. Despiteregistering six sacks, theWave allowedMemphis quarterbacks Brendon Lewis and Arrington Maiden to go 33 of 40 for368 yards, and it wouldhavebeen 403 if Lewis had not missed aconnectionbyinchesonafourthdown pass that nearly went forapotential goahead touchdown in the final twominutes.Over the past twogames, opponentshavecompleted 65 of 74 passes forapreposterous 87.8% completionrate. Regardless of the upcoming schedule, that’snot achampionship formula and couldbefatal if Tulane reachesthe titlegame.

By

PRESS

Tulane quarterback JakeRetzlaff, right,celebrates with defensiveback Javion White after the Green Wave defeated Memphis on Friday night in Memphis, Tenn. Retzlaff was 14-of-15 passing for284 yards and aseason-high three touchdownsinthe firsthalf.

PAIN,THENGAINS

BY GUERRYSMITH

Contributing writer

Injured on atacklewhenheran for afirst down in the first quarter, Tulane quarterback JakeRetzlaff really cameuplameonthe next play against Memphis on Friday night. He hobbled to thesideline and into the medical tent after handing off to Javin Gordon fora 5-yard touchdown run.

No worries. After missing two plays, he returned and continued to produce one of the best statistical halves in Green Wave football history

Bouncing back in adazzlingway from asubpar,two-interception performance that got him benched in the third quarter eightdays earlier against Texas-San Antonio, he refused to let aleg injury bother him in the least.

“College football is collegefootball, especially in November,”he said. “You get banged up here and there. Iwent to the tent, they got me fixed up and ready to go, and I was right back on the field.” His 33-yard touchdownrun with 12:02 left in the second quarter gave the Wave the lead for good His 54- and 5-yard touchdown passes on the next two drives created enough separationthat Tulane was able to hold off the Tigers’ frantic fourth-quarterbackcomeback.

“Weweren’tsure if he was going to be able to return,” Tulane coach Jon Sumrall said after the38-32 victory that kept the Wave (7-2, 4-1) tied for first in the American Conference in the losscolumn “But man, he’satough dude and he played his tail off. JakeRetzlaff and (backup) Brendan Sullivan,if Iwas going downadark alley in New Orleans or Memphis or anywhere in the world,Iwould love to have those guys by my side because they are built the rightway between the ears.” Retzlaff, a57.9% passer lastyear at BYU and a59.6% passer in his first eight games at Tulane, was nearly perfectinthe first half at Liberty Stadium. He was 14-of-15

Tulane wide receiver AnthonyBrown-Stephens heads to the end zone for a54-yard touchdown reception.

passing for 284 yards and aseasonhigh three touchdowns beforethe break, threading throws through double coverageand dropping dimes over linebackers and in front of defensive backs. Hislone incompletion was adrop by tight end JustynReid They weren’tdump-offs, either Retzlaff began with a65-yard touchdown pass toShazz Preston, added a54-yard scoringtoss to Anthony Brown-Stephens and had three completions of 20 or more yards to Bryce Bohanon.

“We’ve been throwing and catching the ball betterthe lastcouple of weeksin practice deep,” Sumrallsaid. “They’ve been excited about letting it unleash alittle bit.

Iknow it’sNovember7,but Retzlaff’s been here for like three months. Rhythm andtimingand understanding receivers’ tempo and routes, it’s justalot more funtowatch those guys pitch and catch.”

Despite his highlight-reel half, Retzlaff still needed to make one more playatthe end to preserve the victory. Facing athird-and-4

after four consecutive three-andouts in the second half, he rolled to his right on adesigned pass out of atight formation and raced for 10 yards, sliding to the turf knowing the Wave could run out the clock.

Retzlaff loved the pre-snap look from Memphis.

“They widedout their defense there with kind of azone look, and thenumbersinthe box looked waytogood,” he said. “When Isaw the box andI sawthe perimeter, I knew Iwas going to be able tofake it to theguy (receiver) andmake sure they stay honest andjustget the yards Ineeded.”

On this night, he repeatedly gave the Wave exactly what it needed.

“The highlight was we finished drives in the redzone,” he said. “A couple of them we didn’teven need to because we were taking shots andcatching them and scoring. It goes to show these receivers were playing at another level. Those guys kept stepping up and making plays tonight.”

Retzlaff walkedout of theinterview room gingerly.The bumps andbruises finally weretaking

Altered travel routine pays o

BY GUERRYSMITH

Contributing writer

MEMPHIS,Tenn.

Before

Jake

Retzlaff’s nearly flawless performance in the first half of Tulane’s 38-32 victory on Friday, teammate Santana Hopper foreshadowedhis quarterback’s night by throwing aperfect pass at the samevenue about 24 hours earlier

Say what?

With Tulane coming offa dismalperformance at Texas-San Antonio that followed subpar outings at South Alabama and Ole Miss, coach JonSumrall altered his travel routine and brought theteamtoLiberty Stadium on Thursday night. He let them see the locker roomand thebench area, then had the offense stand on one hash and thedefense on the other while the twoplayers of the gamefrom the loss to the Roadrunners engaged in a friendly competition.

Hopper,adefensive lineman, andoffensivetackle Derrick Graham hadtostand at the 10-yard line andtry to hit the crossbar with athrow Graham airmailed his attempt. Hopper nailed it.

“Wekeptour guys up alittle later because we knew it was an 8o’clock kick,” Sumrall said. “Wewanted to get them outof thehotel.Especially whenyou playthis late, it can be along day at the hotel. We spent alittle time together with fellowship on our team.”

Sumrall saidMondayhewould do something differentbut added he wouldnot reveal what it was until after the game if it worked. “Wehadn’tdone this before,” he said as the Wave celebrated its performance.“We might do it forever now.”

Howard OK

Tulane 38, No. 22 Memphis 32 Tulane 14 21 30 —38 Memphis7 10 015— 32

First quarter TUL —Preston 65 pass from Retzlaff (Durkin kick), 12:33. MEM —Hawkins55passfromB.Lewis (Spetic kick), 10:38. TUL —Gordon 5run (Durkin kick), 4:58. Second quarter MEM —Maiden21run (Spetickick), 14:55. TUL —Retzlaff 33 run (Durkin kick),12:02. TUL —Brown-Stephens 54 pass from Retzlaff (Durkin kick),9:26. MEM —FGSpetic49, 4:27. TUL —Preston 5passfromRetzlaff (Durkin kick), :43. Thirdquarter TUL —FGDurkin 30, 11:51. Fourth Quarter MEM —Peasant 1run (Adcockpassfrom B.Lewis), 14:57. MEM —Kluse 25 pass from B.Lewis(Spetic kick), 7:49. A—30,384. TULMEM

First downs 17 23

Total Net Yards457 435

Rushes-yards32-125 29-67

Passing 332 368

Punt Returns 2-14 2-7

Kickoff Returns 0-00-0

InterceptionsRet.1-0 0-0

Comp-Att-Int 16-24-033-40-1

Sacked-YardsLost1-106-55

Punts 5-48.2 4-43.25

Fumbles-Lost0-0 0-0

Penalties-Yards 10-74 7-51

Time of Possession25:32 34:28

INDIVIDUALSTATISTICS RUSHING —Tulane,Gordon 12-66, Retzlaff 10-43, McClure3-14, Mobley 2-8, Bohanon 1-1, (Team) 3-(minus 3),Barnes1-(minus 4).Memphis, Maiden 5-35, Desrosiers 8-35, S.Smith 2-20, Peasant 4-18, B.Lewis 10-(minus 41) PASSING —Tulane,Retzlaff 16-23-0-332, Sullivan 0-1-0-0. Memphis, B.Lewis 29-34-1-317, Maiden 4-6-0-51. RECEIVING —Tulane,Bohanon 4-101, Preston 3-85, Brown-Stephens 3-69, Z.Lewis 3-37, Shackelford2-27, Reid 1-13. Memphis, Braham 11-113, Kluse 6-83, Hawkins5-98, Desrosiers4-37, Jad.Thompson 3-17, S.Smith 2-12, Bussey 1-6, Ross 1-2. MISSED FIELD GOALS —None.

their toll, but he gets eight days to recover before Tulane hosts Florida Atlantic. Contemplating that luxury,hemadeone final statementasheturned the corner “Ifyou canmakeitnine(days off), let me know,” he said.

Lagniappe Sumrall said defensive end Gerrod Henderson, who cameout for the second half in street clothes, suffered what appeared to be a “substantial” injury.Henderson is akey backup with 20 tackles. Sumrall improved to 30-1 whenhis teams outrush their opponents. Tulane had125 yardstoMemphis’67. …The Wave racked up 10 penalties for74yards,a recurring issue

After registering atackle for aloss and asack in his return from abroken fibula 27 days earlier,Tulanelinebacker Sam Howard wenttothe ground clutching the same leg in the second quarter as teammates knelt in concern.

Although he did not return after hobbling to the sideline under hisown power,the Wave’s worst fears werenot realized.

“They came in, they imaged it and he wasgood,” Sumrall said. “Nothing substantial.”

Howard started andhad five tackles before leaving.

“What afreaking dude,” Sumrallsaid. “He madesome plays,but he elevates everybody around him. He’ssuch a motivating factor because his energy is real.”

It was adominant performance fromthe linebackers, with MakaiWilliams making acareer-high 10 tacklesand ChrisRodgers adding seven. Rodgers also forcedMemphis quarterback BrandonLewis to throw adeep ball earlier than he wanted late with ablitz into his face late in the fourth quarter, andsafety Jack Tchienchou intercepted it as Tulane preserved asix-point lead.

Replay helps

The crowd at Liberty Stadium gotornery aftertwo replay reviews went in Tulane’s favoron consecutive possessions in the second quarter

With the Tigers trailing 28-14, receiver Cortez Braham tried to bring in apass in the corner of the end zone but wasruled out of bounds. Replays showed he had one foot inbounds when the ball hit his hands, but he appeared to juggle it andlandout of bounds before he had full control. Thereplay official upheldthe callafter Howard’ssack, afield goal rather than atouchdown.

On the ensuing series, Tulane’s ZycarlLewis made atough catch for athird-down conversion,but the ball cameout as he was tackled and the officials awarded a fumble recovery to the Tigers in Wave territory.The replay official ruled Lewis’sknee was downbefore the fumble, overturning the call.

OUTDOORS

Know

BY JOE MACALUSO

Contributing writer

In the next few days, the entire state will be open to deer hunters and their modern firearms seasons.

True, archery hunters have had their opening days, and some primitive firearms owners already are afield

But, it’s days-upon-days modern firearms seasons that bring thousands of hunters to stands and blinds near fields and into forests, swamps and marshes.

Now, with black bears increasing in numbers, there’s the chance of hunters encountering another large animal.

“It’s a guesstimate that we have about 1,500 black bears in Louisiana now,” JohnHanks said.

Hanks heads up Wildlife and Fisheries’ Large Carnivore Program from his office in Monroe. He’s in charge of Louisiana’s second black bear hunting season coming up in December, a hunt opened to those drawn in a lottery in October

“Most of the bears live in the Mississippi alluvial valley, lands on the eastern side of the state around the Mississippi and Atchafalaya rivers all the way to the coast,” Hanks said. “Bears are much less frequently seen in the western parishes. Yes, bears can move. They move a lot during breeding season.”

Because Louisiana’s black bears usually don’t hibernate like their northern brethren, it’s likely deer hunters in the eastern parishes will see a bear on feeding patrol especially in November and December when bears try to consume as many calories as possible to be able to bear up under wintertime’s scarce food resources

Because there have been a handful of documented instances when deer and feral hog hunters mistakenly have shot and killed black bears that hunters need to heed one of the primary rules in hunting – know your target In these documented cas-

es, hunters have faced fines up to $10,000.

“We haven’t had any cases like that recently, the mistaken-identity cases,” Hanks said. “There have been some instances when bears have been shot on purpose.”

Those cases were prosecuted, too.

“It’s always best to identify a target,” Hanks said. “If the animal is black and obscured by any cover, well, it could be a hog or someone’s black Labrador retriever, or another black dog

“We’ve had people send in trail-camera videos of animals in heavy cover and they want us to identify the animal. It’s very difficult even then The only way anyone could know is if the animal stops in an open area and, then, we have a good ID,” Hanks said. “Just be sure of what you’re shooting at before firing a shot.”

The same goes for the human animal, too. There have been a handful of instances during the past 10 years when a hunter is shot by another hunter, the latter most times mistakenly firing at movement. This comes with another warning — wear hunter orange hats and vests while on the move in the forest and fields during the hunting season

The commission

Recreational fishing groups along with conservation and environmental organizations came away from Thursday’s Wildlife and Fisheries Commission meeting vowing to fight a notice of intent to remove a portion of a half-mile buffer zone to a quarter-mile zone for the menhaden fishing industry

The move adds about 12 square miles of nearshore waters available to menhaden fishing operations.

The move comes after an agreement for a halfmile buffer zone across the state’s coast, an agreement

that lasted one fishing sea-

son for menhaden boats.

Public comment will be taken after the notice is posted on Dec. 19 in the State Register Mail comments to JasonAdriance, Fisheries Division, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, P.O. Box 98000, Baton Rouge, LA 70898-9000 or email: jadriance@wlf.la.gov The deadline is 3 p.m., Jan. 23.

Boat owners

A new website — boat.wlf. la.gov — opened late last week to handle boat registrations and renewals without boat owners having to visit a Wildlife and Fisheries office.

The new system allows customers “a secure platform” where they can create an account, provide their registration number and first four digits of their Hull ID and make a credit card payment.

The agency has sent a postcard to “certain registered businesses and coowner accounts” which do not have up-to-date personal or account information on file. The card has instructions on how to upload current information and to renew registrations and other boating-related documents.

Volunteers needed

Following work to plant 4,000 shrubs on terraces in Terrebonne Parish — named the Lake Boudreaux vegetative planting project – the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana is asking for volunteers for a Nov 20-22 project to plant dune grasses on Grand Isle.

The plan is to plant 25,000 plugs of bitter panicum along a stretch of beach near a newly constructed levee on the Gulf side of the island, a stretch badly damaged in Hurricane Ida.

The coalition will provide water, lunch, work gloves, sunscreen and all necessary equipment. Volunteers can register online: connect.crcl. org/civicrm/event/list

MONDAY

LA. OUTDOORS FOREVER

MEETING: 2 p.m., Technical Advisory and Project Selection Board, state Wildlife and Fisheries headquarters, 2000 Quail Drive, Baton Rouge. RED STICK FLY FISHERS

MEETING: 7 p.m., Regional Branch Library, 9200 Bluebonnet Blvd., Baton Rouge. Open to the public. Email Brian Roberts: roberts. brian84@gmail.com Website: rsff.org

TUESDAY

VETERANS DAY

WEDNESDAY

LA. OYSTER TASK FORCE

MEETING: 10 a.m., Lakefront Airport, 6001 Stars and Stripes Blvd, New Orleans.

BUGS & BEERS: 6:30 p.m., Skeeta Hawk Brewing, 455 N. Dorgenois Street, New Orleans. Fly tying. Open to the public. Email A.J. Rosenbohm: ajrosenbohm@gmail.com. Website: neworleansflyfishers.com

FRIDAY

CATHOLIC HIGH SPORT-

ING CLAY SHOOT: 7:45 a.m.

check-in, 9 a.m. shoot, Bridgeview Gun Club, Port Allen. Adult and youth divisions. 4-shooter teams. Fees $500, $125, $100 (students) and $25 Long Bird shoot. Website: catholichigh.org

CLAYS FOR KIDS: 8 a.m. registration, Covey Rise, Husser. 4-shooter sporting clays teams. Fee $650. Benefits Children’s Museum of St. Tammany. Sponsorships available. Call Marlo Christensen (985) 888-1555.

HUNTING SEASONS

DUCKS/YOUTH-ONLY: Nov. 9, West Waterfowl Zone.

DEER/PRIMITIVE FIREARMS: Through Nov. 14, State Deer Areas 1, 4, 5, 6 & 9. Either-sex take allowed.

DEER/MODERN FIREARMS: Nov. 15-Dec. 5, State Deer Areas 1, 4 & 6.

DEER/MODERN FIREARMS: Nov. 15-Dec. 5, State Deer Areas 5 & 9, bucks only except either-sex take allowed Nov. 15-16 & Nov. 28-30.

DUCKS/WEST ZONE: Nov 15-Dec. 7, includes coots & mergansers.

CALENDAR

Jan. 5 is the deadline for submitting activities and events for The 2026 Advocate Outdoors Calendar scheduled to be published Jan. 11. Please include: Event’s name/title, time, date and location including the site, address and city Also include all fees, age limits or skill requirements, beneficiaries for fundraising events, and full name of the contact person with the area code & phone number and/ or e-mail address. Send entries to jmacaluso@ theadvocate.com.

DUCKS/EAST ZONE: Nov. 15-16, youth- & veterans-only weekend.

GEESE/EAST ZONE: Nov. 15Dec. 8.

QUAIL: Nov. 15-Feb. 28, statewide, private lands only

DOVES: North Zone, through Nov. 16; South Zone, through Nov. 30.

DUCKS/EAST ZONE: Nov. 22-Dec. 8, includes coots & mergansers.

DEER/MODERN FIREARMS: Through Nov. 30, State Deer Areas 3, 7, 8 & 10.

DEER/MODERN FIREARMS: Through Dec. 2, State Deer Area 2, still-hunt only

GEESE: Through Dec. 7, West Waterfowl Zone. Includes Canada, blue, snow & Ross’ & specklebellies. Take of Canada geese prohibited in portions of Cameron & Vermilion parishes.

SNIPE: Through Dec. 7, first split, statewide.

RAILS/GALLINULES: Through Jan. 7, statewide.

DEER/ARCHERY: Through Jan. 15, State Deer Areas 3, 7, 8 & 10. Either-sex take allowed.

DEER/ARCHERY: Through Jan. 31, State Deer Areas 1, 2 & 4. Either-sex take allowed.

DEER/ARCHERY: Through Feb. 15, State Deer Areas 5, 6 & 9, either-sex take allowed.

RABBITS & SQUIRRELS: Through Feb. 28, statewide, private lands only AROUND THE CORNER

NOV. 16-21—FISHING CLASH TEAM SERIES: Red River, Bossier City. Major League Fishing 12 2-angler teams. $560,000 purse. Website: MajorLeagueFishing.com

Bistineau, Saline, Kepler, Iatt, Black & Clear lakes, Clear-Smithport Lake & Lake Martin. EMAIL: jmacaluso @theadvocate.com

ALABAMA 20, LSU 9

LSU turns to backup QB Van Buren

BY REED DARCEY and WILSON ALEXANDER Staff writers

LSU made a quarterback change in the third quarter of its game Saturday night against No. 4 Alabama, inserting sophomore Michael Van Buren for senior starter Garrett Nussmeier Van Buren entered with LSU trailing 17-6 and 6:26 left in the third quarter inside Bryant-Denny Stadium. It was the first time this season that he played when the game was still in the balance.

LSU interim coach Frank Wilson suggested Van Buren could play in certain situations against the Crimson Tide but Nussmeier took every offensive snap against Alabama before he was pulled in the third.

“We just thought it was an opportunity for us to change up,” Wilson said, “to throw their defense off, and so we went with the change. I don’t know if it’s something necessary that (Nussmeier) did so bad. We just thought that it would be an advantage in the things that (Van Buren) could give us.”

Nussmeier was 18-of-21 passing for 121 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions against the Crimson Tide He led LSU into the red zone on its opening drive of the second half, but the Tigers took a delay of game on third and goal from the 8-yard line, then used a timeout before the next play On third and 13, Nussmeier tried to spin out of pressure but ran into a sack, Alabama’s fifth of the game

Nic Anderson injured Wide receiver Nic Anderson appeared to injure his knee Saturday.

On the Tigers’ first drive of the second half, Anderson caught a pass from Nussmeier, then held his knee after he was tackled. Trainers helped him off the field and into the injury tent. Anderson then left the field on a golf cart.

In the offseason, the redshirt junior became one of the stars of LSU’s top-ranked transfer portal class. At Oklahoma, he caught nearly 800 yards as a redshirt freshman in 2023, then sat out the next season with an injury Anderson was quiet in his first eight games at LSU. He caught only 10 passes for 74 yards and

two touchdowns before the Tigers faced Alabama on Saturday

LSU receiver AaronAnderson also injured his elbow in the first half, but he returned to the game after missing only a handful of plays.

Change at RT

In the second half, LSU started OryWilliams at right tackle in place of WestonDavis Williams, a redshirt freshman, played only 33 offensive snaps in the Tigers’ first eight games, according to Pro Football Focus. But LSU decided to turn to him against the Crimson Tide in place of Davis, another redshirt freshman who has struggled as a starter all year. Per PFF Davis allowed more pressures in LSU’s first eight games (25) than any other lineman in the SEC.

Weeks sits again

LSU star linebacker Whit Weeks missed his third consecutive game Saturday with the bone bruise he suffered in his ankle when the Tigers faced Ole Miss on Sept. 27.

Weeks, a junior, was listed as doubtful Thursday, then ruled out on Friday He last saw the field for LSU’s Week 7 win over South Carolina.

QB not spotted

Quarterback Colin Hurley did not travel with LSU for the game against Alabama, which means that the Tigers took on the Crimson Tide with only two scholarship signal-callers: Nussmeier and Van Buren.

Hurley, a redshirt freshman, has yet to take a snap in his career He reclassified and enrolled at LSU in 2024 as a four-star recruit.

Wilson previously said that no Tigers had opted out of the Alabama game or the rest of the season after Kelly was fired.

LSU under interims

Because LSU fired coach Brian Kelly ahead of its matchup with Alabama, the Tigers have now played 15 games under an interim head coach since 2000.

Wilson is LSU’s third interim coach in the last 25 seasons. Technically, Ed Orgeron held that title twice, once after the school fired LesMiles in 2016 and again after he was fired as head coach during the 2021 season. He coached the final five games of that year after he and the university decided to part ways in October Before Saturday, LSU was 8-6 since 2000 under interim coaches.

Orgeron, Kelly’s predecessor, is responsible for all of those wins. In 2016, he led the Tigers to victory in six of their last eight games, and in 2021, he guided them to wins in two of their last five contests.

LSU’s only other interim coach over that span was current tight ends coach Brad Davis He guided the Tigers for their 2022 Texas Bowl loss to Kansas State — the only game LSU played between the tenures of Orgeron and Kelly Coin toss skid snapped Before LSU faced Alabama, it had lost 12 — yes, 12 — consecutive coin tosses.

That long skid came to an end Saturday when the Tigers won the toss and deferred to the second half, giving the game’s first possession to the Crimson Tide. The last time LSU won a coin toss? Last season’s 42-13 loss to Alabama.

“I wasn’t privy to whether we told them heads, tails or exactly what happened, to be honest,” Wilson joked on Thursday “So, I need to find out what we have done, and maybe we need to change that as well.” Koki Riley contributed to this report.

to reach the end zone. Nussmeier completed 86% of his passes (18 of 21), but he threw for only 121 yards in two-plus quarters. The offensive line was shaky once again and committed multiple false starts.

The Tigers never established the run after Wilson emphasized that would be a big part of the game plan, gaining 93 yards on the ground when adjusted for three sacks. They even used two timeouts on offense in the first quarter

The issues showed up on LSU’s first drive. After a fortunate fumble recovery on the first play, Nussmeier led the offense into the red zone. It stalled there, a common theme for a unit that has scored touchdowns on only 58.6% of its red-zone possessions this season, the third-worst rate in the SEC entering the weekend

LSU had to settle for a field goal attempt, and Damian Ramos missed from 30 yards That was the first of many mistakes.

Tight end Bauer Sharp fumbled after picking up a first down on the next drive, setting up Alabama for a field goal. And when the defense made a stop on the ensuing possession, LSU stalled again in Alabama territory after freshman running back Harlem Berry picked up 37 yards. This time, Ramos made a 37-yard kick to tie the game. Alabama took a 10-3 lead on a touchdown run that was set up by a pass interference call on sophomore cornerback PJ Woodland, and then the LSU offense completely faltered. The next two drives resulted in 3 yards on six plays. After Alabama missed a field goal, LSU took over with 2:28 left in the half. It had a chance to take advantage of back-to-back possessions because it was going to

receive the opening kickoff of the second half, but it went three-andout for the second straight drive. Alabama turned around and scored in three plays after quarterback Ty Simpson completed a 53-yard pass to Lotzeir Brooks, giving the Crimson Tide a 17-3 lead at the half. Simpson completed only 60% of his passes, but he had six completions over 20 yards Simpson threw for 277 yards and one touchdown LSU stopped the run, limiting Ala-

bama to 2.6 yards per carry when adjusted for one sack, but Simpson made just enough plays to put LSU at arm’s length. That should not have been enough if the LSU offense had been able to reach the end zone at some point, but the second half started much like the first. LSU reached the red zone for the third time and had first and goal at the 9-yard line. But after a short run and an incompletion, it was soon third and 8.

There, LSU took a delay of game. It then used a timeout before running the next play And when LSU did snap the ball, Nussmeier spun into a sack for a 14-yard loss, forcing the Tigers to settle for another field goal. Nussmeier spent the rest of the game on the sideline as LSU inserted sophomore quarterback Michael Van Buren for his first significant snaps of the season. Not much changed with him in the game. He completed 45% of his

passes (5 of 11) for 52 yards. Van Buren gave the offense a little bit of a jolt when he came in, driving LSU to midfield. But on fourth and 1 Sharp committed a false start. LSU punted, and even though senior linebacker Harold Perkins forced and recovered a fumble a few plays later — giving LSU the ball in Alabama territory — it settled for another field goal. LSU has three more games in the regular season. It won’t have to play another top-five team the way it did the past two games against Texas A&M and Alabama, but the Tigers have not inspired much confidence that they will be able to win out under an interim coach.

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THREEAND OUT: SCOTTRABALAIS’ TOPTHREE TAKEAWAySFROMLSU’S LOSS IN TUSCALOOSA

COLD COMFORTFOR CHANGE

1

Since the Tigers’ 49-25 blowout loss to Texas A&M twoweeks ago, LSU fired coach Brian Kelly,offensive coordinator JoeSloan and committed to runningthe ball to helpbeleaguered quarterback Garrett Nussmeier Afterapromising early start,itwas more of thesamefor the anemic LSU offense, which lost anet 5yards (including taking aknee) on itslast sevenplays of the first half. In thethird quarter,Nussmeier was replaced by MichaelVan Buren

WHERE’STHE PASS DEFENSE?

2

Remember when theLSU defenselooked likeone of thebest in thecountry? Turnsout the Tigers were just playing well againstineffectiveoffenses fromClemson, Florida and South Carolina. LSU gave up hugepassplays of 53, 33, 32 and 31 yards in the firsthalf.Alabama scoredonly one field goal after that, but the CrimsonTide was basically holding LSU at arm’slengthasit finished witha 344-232 edgeintotal offense.

WHAT’S NEXT?

3

Playing the Crimson Tide wasthe high-tide mark of what remainedofLSU’sseason.The 5-4 Tigers return hometoface Arkansas at 11:45 a.m. Saturdayinwhat is sure to be afar-less-than-full TigerStadium.It’sa dangerous encounter forLSU,considering thefact Arkansas can score points in bunches. CanLSU fieldanoffense that can keep pace? Will it be Nussmeier or VanBurenleading the way? It’s merely time-filling intrigue until thenextcoach arrives.

LSUtweaksoffense butresultisthe same

Tigers’rushing attack held to 59 yards on 26 carries

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

TUSCALOOSA,Ala. LSU didn’t roll into this week with the same offense that struggledthrough the firsttwo-thirds of theseason. The Tigers fired coach Brian Kelly and offensive coordinatorJoe Sloan. They promoted tight ends coach Alex Atkins to offensive coordinator,and running backs coach Frank Wilson became the interim coach. Wilson then spenttwo weeks toutinghow the run game would be alarger part of theoffense and that backupsophomore quarterbackMichael VanBuren might be used in certain red-zone situations

The changes, at leastin theory, were major,but the results on Saturday weren’tany different in LSU’s20-9 loss to Alabama in Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Wilson’sbiggest change to the offense came in the third quarter, whenhepulled fifth-year seniorquarterback Garrett Nussmeier from the game in favor of VanBuren.

Trailing 17-6 with 6:26 left in the quarter,Wilson turned to VanBuren despite Nussmeier having completed 18 of his 21 throws. Although Wilson teased the possibilityofusingVan Buren, he had insisted thatNussmeierwas the Tigers’ starter Perhaps Wilsonmade the change to revitalize LSU’soffense whenever it got deep into Alabamaterritory.Before the quarterback switch, LSU scored six points and gained just 6yards on three tripsinside the Crimson Tide 30.

But the Tigers continued to struggle in those situations with VanBuren at quarterback. Afterreaching the Alabama23on his second drive, LSU’soffense

In the end, all the changes and promises LSU made were like painting your house to try to cutdown on your electric bill. Purely cosmetic, not functionally effective Youcould make the underwhelming argument thatLSU, which got run out of Tiger Stadium 42-13 last year by alesser Alabamateam than this one, at least closed the gap on theCrimson Tide team ayear later

But that’sthe definition of a moralvictory.Ifyou’re LSU, you’re not willing to part with a combined $60 million or so to buy out former coach Brian Kelly and former AD Scott Woodward to rackupmoral victories. You’re not willing to go big-game hunting for another coach—inwhat can only be described as an even more hyper-competitive market than when you lured Kelly away from Notre Dame four years ago —tojust get alittle closer to the

stalledwith 3yards on eight plays, asequence thatincluded two false starts anda 10-yard sack. VanBurenfinished thegame completing 5of11passes for 52 yards. He only ran for 1yard

monolith that is Alabama football. That’snot strikingback against theempire, justmaking it ateensy bit more uncomfortable. Kind of afootball-sized wedgie. In the end,Frank Wilson’s LSUTigers were justabout as unwatchable as Kelly’sTigers. Double-digit penalties. Singledigitpoints. Alost turnover battle (2-1). Big chunk pass plays, confinedthough they weretothe first half,of53, 33, 32 and31yards thrown by Bama quarterback Ty Simpson. Asecond-half benchingofLSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier.Threesackstoone. Youget thepicture. Whowould havethought this is how this would all play out back when the season began? While LSUwas churningout agritty 17-10 win at preseason No. 4 Clemson,Alabama was anational laughingstock after gettingrun off thefield 31-17 in Tallahassee by aFlorida State teamcoming offa2-10 season. Bama improved,now having won eightstraight. LSU regressed like acollapsing star into

andfumbledthe ball away with LSU trailing 20-9 with 3:15 left to play In theend, theTigers’ offense didn’timprove with VanBuren in thegame. They gained just 44 yards on the22plays in

which he was the starter Between Wilson’sbackground and Atkins’ commitment to running the ball —whenheserved as theoffensive coordinator at Florida State fornearlythree seasons —there wasreason to

son, but the Crimson Tide is certainly closer to it than the Tigers are at this point.

believe LSU’srushing attack would improve. Under Sloan, the Tigers were last in theSoutheastern Conference in rushing attempts and third-to-lastinyards percarry. But LSU fans witnessed more of the same from itsground game on Saturday Besidesa 37-yardcarry from freshman running back Harlem Berry,the Tigers were held to 59 yards on 26 carries. Adjusted forlost sack yardage, they averaged 4yards per rush. And it didn’timprove much withVan Buren undercenter LSU also didn’trun the ball as often as Wilsonpromised on Saturday. The Tigers’ 26 carrieswerethe fourth fewest they’daccumulated in agame this season.

LSU’s offense looked different with the extra carries and new quarterback, but aunit that hasrepeatedly shotitself in the foot all year continued to do so from the jump against the nation’sNo. 4team.

Fifth-year senior Damian Ramos missed a30-yard field goal on LSU’s opening drive after apromising 10-play,48-yard drive. The Tigers’ next series ended after just three plays when fifth-year senior tight end Bauer Sharpfumbled what would’ve been afirst-down completion.

LSUeventually found the scoreboard with anine-play,55yard drive on its third series to start the second quarter,but it wentthe rest of the half losing 4 yards on just seven plays.

The Tigers kickeda field goal on theiropening drive of the secondhalf, but it wasn’tenough forNussmeier to keep his startingjob. VanBuren replaced him on their next series.

AfterKelly’s firing, it seemed as if there would be major changes to LSU’s offense with two weeks to prepare forAlabama.Itturns outthe result of those adjustments was moreof the samefor the Tigers’ attack.

somecritical massthat wiped out Kelly,Woodward and Sloan, with moretocome. Idon’tthink it’s likely that Alabama wins another national championship this sea-

Of course, the point is not necessarily this game, but the future. The future, and the past, wereon display here Saturday night. New athletic director Verge Ausberry was on the field where he once played(he’sthe first LSU athletic director who played football for the Tigers) before the game, thenmoved to asecluded suite just before kickoff. He followed new LSU president Wade Rousse and new chancellor James Dalton, Alabama’sformer provost. They all followed former LSU and Alabama coach Nick Saban, who also stepped through the press box with his wife Terry on theway to their private perch. It was somewhat surprising that Saban was here after being on ESPN’s“College GameDay”set 61/2 hours earlier in Lubbock, Texas. Butbefore anyone starts crafting any“SecondComing of St. Nick” stories for LSU, he waswearing a crimson sweater Ah, Ican hear some of you saying,

of course he would be disguising his imminent return to LSU. I’m shaking my head at this moment. Iwon’tentirely rule it out, but better to focus on someone else being LSU’s next coach. It won’t be Wilson or,even moreout of leftfield, defensive coordinator Blake Baker.Ifanyone knows whoitwill be at this point, I’dbe surprised. Meanwhile, the present just brings more pain for LSU. As the game ended, Nussmeier —replaced in the third quarter by Michael VanBuren —jogged off the field, atowel draped over his head. It’s hardly the season Nussmeier envisioned when he returned forhis fifthseason. He hasn’t played well, but he hasn’thad much of achance while hampered by aSwiss cheese offensive line and by an ill-crafted offense. More change, much more, is on the way for LSU It couldn’tcome soon enough to change the outcome against Alabama. It couldn’t come soon enough to suit anyone who lovesLSU football.

SAINTS GAMEDAY

FOUR THINGS TO WATCH

PROTECTING SHOUGH

Rookie QB Tyler Shough got his first start last week against the Rams He had an OK game, completing 15 of 24 passes for 176 yards with one touchdown and one interception The good news for Shough, who was sacked just once, is he won’t face a defense as good as the Rams for the rest of the season. On the flip side, the Saints will go into this game with a new offensive line.

Taliese Fuaga is out with an ankle injury, and the Saints traded guard Trevor Penning to the Chargers on Tuesday. So the new-look front will be tested.

RUN THE BALL Running the ball could make things easier for Shough.The Saints are near the bottom of the league (27th), averaging just 89.6 yards per game on the ground. Improving on those numbers may be even harder with the aforementioned changes on the offensive line.The Saints ran for only 57 yards last week.The Saints haven’t rushed for more than 100 yards in a game since a Week 4 loss to Buffalo. It would help if the Saints can

1 2 3 4 Rod Walker

way. It’s been a while since the Saints played a clean game.They will need to do so to beat the Panthers.

Panthers building momentum

BY STEVE REED AP sportswriter

CHARLOTTE,N.C.— The Carolina Panthers proved last week they could beat the best team in the NFC. Now they’ll look to maintain that momentum Sunday when they host the conference’s worst in the New Orleans Saints.

The Panthers (5-4) stepped into the playoff conversation — a rarity at this point in the season for an organization that has not been to the postseason since 2017 and turned some heads around the league with a 16-13 win at Lambeau Field last Sunday against Jordan Love and the previously once-beaten Green Bay Packers.

The win gives the Panthers a much-needed boost of confidence, but second-year coach Dave Canales is making sure his team takes it all in stride and is up for the next challenge against the Saints (1-8).

After the win, Canales received a text message from the team’s senior coaching adviser and former NFL coach Jim Caldwell, who put the victory in perspective.

to be New Orleans’ only touchdown drive of the game. This week, Shough, who finished the game, said he couldn’t really close his jaw until Tuesday “I had to get some (therapeutic) needles,” Shough said. “That hurt.”

“It was definitely a ‘welcome to the NFL moment,’ ” Shough added of the hit. “But I was happy to be able to get the ball back and be able to score after.” After reviewing video of the game with coaches, Shough was upbeat.

SAINTS

OUT: T Taliese Fuaga (ankle)

QUESTIONABLE: DT Bryan Bresee (back), RB Alvin Kamara (ankle),TE Jack Stoll (ankle), DE Jonah Williams (shoulder)

PANTHERS

QUESTIONABLE: WR Brycen Tremayne (hip),WR Tetairoa McMillan (hamstring)

OUT: G Chandler Zavala (elbow)

“He was like, ‘You know what that win means? You won five, you didn’t win four,’ ” Canales said “So to me, it’s like that’s the next-game mentality Let’s go play the next one. We have a hungry team that we’re facing this week that has to be the focus.” Bryce Young, Rico Dowdle and a much-improved defense have been big reasons the Panthers have won four of their

last five games. Young has won four straight starts he missed the team’s lone loss during that stretch to Buffalo because of an injury — and has been clutch down the stretch of tight games. Young has engineered nine game-winning fourth-quarter or overtime drives in his career with his team behind or tied, tying him with Super Bowl champions Jalen Hurts and Patrick Mahomes and veteran Geno Smith for the most in the NFL since 2023 when he came into the league as the No. 1 overall pick. In those nine drives, Young completed 75.9% of his passes with a passer rating of 115.6. Meanwhile, Dowdle has been sensational in the backfield, wrestling the starting job away from Chuba Hubbard. Dowdle is third in the NFL in

rushing despite having started only three games. He has averaged 130.4 yards rushing per game over the past six weeks. His four games of 125 yards or more on the ground are one shy of a team record set by Stephen Davis in 2003, the year the Panthers went to their first Super Bowl.

As for the Saints, coach Kellen Moore said that while his team hasn’t gotten the results it wanted, “we’ve got some young guys who’ve gotten better through the course of this thing.” Saints rookie quarterback Tyler Shough hopes his jaw feels normal by the time he makes his second NFL start on Sunday Shough took a penalized helmet-to-helmet shot from Rams edge rusher Byron Young during last Sunday’s 34-10 loss in Los Angeles. That turned out

“It was encouraging just from a decision-making standpoint,” Shough said. “I wasn’t hesitant. My whole goal was to just play each play for what it is, don’t make it bigger than what it needs to be. The New Orleans offense also will have a new look. The Saints sent deep threat receiver Rashid Shaheed to Seattle for a pair of 2026 mid-round draft picks and left guard Trevor Penning to the Los Angeles Chargers for a 2027 sixth-rounder. Shaheed had been New Orleans’ second-leading receiver this season with 44 catches for 449 yards and two touchdowns Penning had started six games and missed three with injuries. “It’s going to provide opportunities for some other guys and there’s certainly some excitement from that component,” Moore said. At wide receiver, Brandin Cooks, Devaughn

and

Allenlooksonto the

SAINTS

Continued from page1C

The head coach is different, the offensive and defensive schemes are different, thequarterbackisdifferent,but thething that is impossible to ignore is the record that showsa team mired in the NFL’s gutter New Orleans has won four out of 17 games since it jettisoned Allen. It is back at Carolina this week for the first time since thattidechanging game last season with a1-8 record under new head coach Kellen Moore, putting the Saints squarely in the mix forthe first overallpick in next year’sdraft Adivision title and aplayoff berthare so far out of the picture they’renot worth bringing up. So, what is important forthis teamas it tries to dig itself out of the place itresides? The answer depends on whom you’re talkingto. For the first-year head coach, it is about establishing therightfoundation.Moore haschangedsomeofthe way thingsoperate in the building. There are bigthings, like the way the team practices and rehabilitates (and pre-habilitates) injuries. Thereare smallinterpersonal things, like the wayhe communicates with and relates tothe players.

That can all be boiled down to one of Moore’sfavorite words: process.

“Obviously,the results are the most important part of it, but we’ve got to make sure ourprocess is going the right direction, Moore said. “I think our guysare working reallyhard, theyput in the work during the week,and ultimately we haven’tgot theSunday results that we want.

some of the best teams in Saints history.They know what winning cultureslook like.They also havebeen theretowatch theSaints win total dip from 12 to 9to7to5

For Davis, there are three things that bring him to work every day outside of the handsome paycheck: toughness, togetherness and joy. He believes those are key on arebuildingteam with asubpar record.

He said he’sseen the toughness in theway the teamhas battled throughsome of thelosses. He saidthe togetherness “speaks for itself” in the way the team has not fractured as it has gotten off to this difficult start. As for thejoy,atleast he’s still personally excited to come to the facility every day

“There’snothingfun (about losing) —the most funyou have in this game is when you’re winning,” Davissaid.“Thoseare the three components that we’re building toward.We have thosethings, so that’sa good foundation as farasthe locker room is concerned.”

Jordan stillisholding onto theideathatthese 1-8 Saints can right the ship with eight gamesremaining. In what maybethe final season of apotential Hall of Fame career,Jordan said he’s seen enough flashesfrom the team to believe it is capable of more.

Clearly you see thescoreboard indicate it’snot consistent. Let’s put 60 minutes together.I can’t sayit’sanybody else; it’sonus. But until then, we’ve gottostop beating ourselves.”

“But we thinkour guysare headinginthe rightdirection.We’ve got some young guys that have gotten better through the course of this thing; we’re going to let alot ofguys grow as we go through this process. There’ll be some really good success because of that.” Process inextricably has been linked to champions, such as Nick Saban’s Alabama teams. The legendary head coach spoke the word often,and this is the definition Moore is seeking to establish with his Saints. Process, in thiscase, involves perfecting the small details and habitually doing theright thing. The outcome is notthe vision but rather the byproduct of the process.

But “process” also can be associated with long and painful rebuilds, like the one thePhiladelphia76ers went through, enduring multiple seasons where they won less than 25% of their games before they finally broke through andmade seven consecutiveplayoff appearances. And while the head coach and othersat the top of the organization are focused on finding the right process,those on the front lines are trying to keep the foundation from crumbling beneath them as the losses pile up

CAM JORDAN, Saintsdefensiveend

“But it’snot at aconsistent level,” Jordan said. “Clearly you see thescoreboard indicate it’snot consistent.Let’s put 60 minutes together.Ican’tsay it’s anybody else; it’sonus.”

If theSaintscould do that,he said, it would be less “Bad News Bears”and more “the Saints we’vebeen for anumberof years.

“But until then, we’ve got to stop beating ourselves,”Jordan said.

ThePantherscould provide a road map for howthe Saints get out of this.

Going into that game last year thePanthers were in asimilar position to where the Saintsare now,having lost 22 of their previous 25 games.

Head coach Dave Canales was in his first season, and he lookedoverwhelmedinthe role. Bryce Young, theNo. 1overall pick of the 2023 draft, had been benched.

Starting with that winoverthe Saints, Carolina is 9-9sincelast November and appearstobean ascending team,coming into this week’sgame having just knocked offthe Green Bay Packers andsitting just outside theNFC playoff picture. Maybe it was process that got them off the mat, or finding joy in the bad place,orjust a little more consistency.Maybe Carolina just hit on the right blend of allof them, alongwith bringing the right people in.

New Orleans feelsalongway offasitcrossed theone year mark after firing Allen. It’lltakemore timestill to figure out how to change thingsfor thebetter Email Luke Johnson at ljohnson@ theadvocate.com.

Demario Davis and Cam Jordan have played for

STAFF PREDICTIONS

JEFF DUNCAN

PANTHERS 24,SAINTS19: The Saints’chancesofscoring theupset andendingtheir four-gamelosing streakhinge on theirdefense’s ability to stop theCarolina running game andTyler Shough’s ability to convert in thered zone.Ilikethe Saints to keep it closebut winningonthe road is alot to ask from therookieQB.

LUKE JOHNSON

PANTHERS 21,SAINTS18: WhileI think there’sanopportunity forthis to be thebestgamewe’ve seen yetfromrookiequarterback Tyler Shough,Idon’t like thematchup betweena Jekyll andHydeSaints rundefense againstPanthers runningbackRicoDowdle, whohas rushed for652 yardsinhis last five games.

MATTHEWPARAS

PANTHERS 21,SAINTS18: This year won’tnecessitate acoachingchange forthe Saints likethe last onedid with Dennis Allenafter aloss, butIstill seethe Saints on thelosingend.The surprising 5-4Panthersare playing too well at themoment, andthe Saints likelywill strugglewithrunning back Rico Dowdle

RODWALKER

PANTHERS 24,SAINTS17: Carolina hasn’t been above.500thislatein aseasonsince 2019.The Panthers have wonfouroftheir last five games, includinglastweek’swin over the PackersatLambeau

WEEK 10

Patriots, Bucs to clash Drake Maye leads the New England Patriots against Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a matchup of division leaders and quarterbacks who have made a case for MVP in the first half of the season The Patriots have won six straight games under first-year coach Mike Vrabel and lead the AFC East at 7-2. The Buccaneers are 6-2 for the third time since 2020 and lead the NFC South, a division they’ve won four straight seasons Maye is coming off his eighth straight game with a 100plus passer rating That is tied for the team record alongside Tom Brady.

Vikings face Ravens, Jackson The Baltimore Ravens will make their first visit to Minnesota with quarterback Lamar Jackson after getting back on track with two straight wins after a 1-5 start. Jackson returned from an injury last week with four touchdown passes in a 28-6 win in Miami over the Dolphins He had 21 rushes for 120 yards in an overtime victory over the Vikings in 2021. Minnesota is 4-4 after a 2724 victory last week in Detroit over the Lions J.J. McCarthy returned at quarterback and had two touchdown passes with one rushing score The Vikings had a season-high five sacks against the Lions

Jags try to sweep Texans

2 1 3

The Jacksonville Jaguars look to sweep the season series with AFC South foe Houston on Sunday. The Texans will be without quarterback C.J. Stroud, who is recovering from a concussion Davis Mills, who struggled to move the offense after Stroud was injured last week, will start Jacksonville should get a boost to its offense after trading for receiver Jakobi Meyers this week The former Raider has 352 yards receiving this season. DE Josh Hines-Allen needs half a sack to take sole possession of the Jaguars’ franchise record Allen notched No 55 last week, tying the mark set by Tony Brackens in 2003.

Steelers, Chargers vie for playoffs

The Los Angeles Chargers host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night in a showdown of AFC playoff contenders The Chargers defeated the Tennessee Titans 27-20 and are 5-1 against conference foes. The Steelers defense came to life by forcing six takeaways in a 27-20 win over the Indianapolis Colts, running their record in the AFC to 4-1 The Chargers won’t have offensive tackle Joe Alt for the rest of the season and now have to contend with T.J Watt Chargers OLB Odafe Oweh has four sacks and four tackles for loss in four games since being acquired in a trade from Baltimore.

Colts, Falcons battle in Germany

The Indianapolis Colts are looking to rebound from their second loss of the season The Atlanta Falcons are trying to regroup after three consecutive losses And both teams will attempt to do that Sunday in Berlin Germany. The Colts pulled off one of this week’s boldest trades by acquiring two-time All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner from the New york Jets, and he should help improve the league’s 26th-ranked pass defense. And Colts running back Jonathan Taylor will try to get back on track against an Atlanta rush defense that allows more than 124 yards per game. 5 4

BY JOSH DUBOW AP pro football writer

George Kittle said it was

for

and

30 points a game. The 49ers (6-3) did that for the first time all season last week against the New York Giants but will have a far more difficult time pulling it off again on Sunday when they host the Los Angeles Rams (62) and one of the NFL’s stingiest defenses in a key NFC West showdown. Running back Christian McCaffrey appreciated the sentiment from Kittle but added that the goals for the offense haven’t changed even if the Niners defense might be missing Fred Warner, Nick Bosa and Williams. “Why not 40? Or score 50 a game,” McCaffrey said. “Football’s funny because sometimes when guys get hurt, people act like there’s a new level of urgency that has to come. There’s always a high level of urgency in this game,

whether or not you got all your dogs or not. It’s a violent game and you have to come every Sunday with a certain mindset. That’s the way I approach it.”

The Rams come into the game on Sunday having allowed 20 points during a three-game winning streak that followed a 2623 overtime loss to San Francisco in Week 5. Warner played a big role that night in his final full game before going down with an ankle injury, making 12 tackles and helping stop a fourth-and-1 try in overtime to seal the win. The San Francisco defense hasn’t been as stout

since Warner went down. The Rams know how important Warner’s absence is but aren’t expecting anything easy against a division rival.

“Any time you take Fred off the field, it’s going to be different for sure,” receiver Davante Adams said. “They’re still the defense that they are. It’s the way that they’re coached. It’s the way that Fred has led them to be over there. No matter who’s in there, we expect them to be able to play the same brand of football. Maybe not exactly like Fred would play, but guys are still going to be flying around.”

CLARA, Calif.

Quarter-

Brock Purdy will miss his

start for the

49ers with a toe in-

but he could be available in a backup role Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams. Purdy has been limited in practice the past few weeks and has gotten some time with the starters. Coach Kyle Shanahan is still waiting to see whether he will feel good enough to suit up in a backup role. “We’ll see where he is this Saturday compared to a week ago and knowing each week’s a little bit different and seeing how much better he has gotten,” Shanahan said. Mac Jones will once again get the start in his place for a key division showdown. Jones is 5-2 as a starter this season in place of Purdy, who initially hurt his toe in the season opener and reinjured it in a Week 4 loss to Jacksonville after missing the previous

two games. The 49ers will also once again be without receiver Ricky Pearsall, who will miss his sixth straight game with a knee injury Shanahan initially hoped Pearsall would miss only a couple of games, but the injury has not healed as fast as the team expected.

“He can run and hit certain speeds, but he hasn’t been able to hit his normal speeds that would allow him to come back,” Shanahan said. “We don’t let people come back until they can hit their normal

By TheAssociatedPress

BEAUMONT,Texas Robert Coleman threw for atouchdown and Major Bowdenran for a score as Lamar moved into a second-place tie in the Southland Conference with Southeastern Louisiana, beating the Lions 14-12 on Saturday Coleman threw a9-yard touchdown pass to JaCorey Harder at the end of a12play,80-yard drive for the game’sfirst score with 28 seconds before halftime. Guillermo Garcia Rodriguez kicked field goals of 50 and 29 yards in athree-anda-half minute span in the third quarter to shave the Lions’ deficit to apoint. Jack Hunter’s22-yard touchdown run on afake fieldwith 7:23 left brought Southeastern within 14-12, but atwo-point conversion failed.

SCOREBOARD

Brooklyn 29, Duquesne 11 Lafayette 59, Colgate42 Lehigh38, Holy Cross 3 Marist 41, Stetson13 Mercyhurst 16, St. Francis (Pa.) 15 New Hampshire34, Monmouth (NJ)13 New Haven41, Merrimack31 Richmond 31, Georgetown 24 Rutgers 35, Maryland 20 SMU 45, Boston College 13 Sacred Heart 56, Va.Lynchburg10 StonyBrook 38, NC A&T12 Uconn 37, Duke34 Villanova 28, Towson 10 Wagner 24, Robert Morris 20 West Virginia 29, Colorado 22 Yale 34, Brown22 SOUTH Alabama St. 42, TexasSouthern24 Alcorn St. 35, Southern U. 17 Austin Peay 41, Cent. Arkansas 38 California 29, Louisville 26, OT Chattanooga45, Furman 28 Clemson 24, Florida St. 10 Coastal Carolina 40, GeorgiaSt. 27 Davidson 14, Presbyterian 13 ETSU 38, Samford14 East Carolina 48, Charlotte 22 FAU40, Tulsa 21 FIU 56, Middle Tennessee30 Gardner-Webb 27, SE Missouri 24 Georgia 41, Mississippi St. 21 GramblingSt. 31, Bethune-Cookman 23 Incarnate Word 38, Northwestern St. 3 Jackson St. 42, MVSU 3 Kentucky 38, Florida 7 Louisiana-Lafayette 42, TexasState 39 Maine 35, Hampton7 Mercer 49, W. Carolina 47 Miami 38, Syracuse 10 Mississippi 49, TheCitadel 0 Missouri St. 21, Liberty 17 Morehead St.

28, Nicholls 21 Vanderbilt 45, Auburn 38, OT Wake Forest 16, Virginia 9 West Georgia 24, North Alabama 17 William &Mary 30, Campbell27, OT Wofford52, VMI 10 MIDWEST E. Michigan 27, BowlingGreen 21 Illinois St. 52, IndianaSt. 20

UTRGV 28,NICHOLLS STATE21: In Edinburg, Texas, Nate Denney had 120 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 25 carries, EddieLee Marburger threwtwo touchdown passesinthe Vaqueros’ win. Marburger was 20-of-30 passingfor 247 yards and threw an interceptionfor UTRGV (7-3, 3-3 Southland Conference)

ALCORNSTATE35,SOUTHERN17: In Lorman, Mississippi, Jaylon Tolbert threw for two touchdowns and ran for ascore as the Braves rodeabig thirdquarter to take down theJaguars. Reggie Davis ledall rushers with 110 yards on 17 carries, andthe Braves (4-6, 3-3SWAC) racked up 259 yards rushing.

McNEESESTATE35,EASTTEXAS

A&M20: In Commerce, Texas, JakeStrongand Coleby Hamm each accounted for

Louisiana Tech 62

Saturday’s game Nicholls at UTEP,n Sunday’s games LSU at Georgia Southern, 1p.m. Northwestern at Kansas,2p.m. Ouachita Baptist at Grambling, 2p.m. Women’s national scores Saturday’s game EAST La Salle 84, St. Francis(PA)73 Maryland-Eastern Shore91, Cheyney (PA) 37 Pittsburgh 66, Mount St Marys52 UMass 84, Siena 73 Vermont 84, Saint Anselm49 SOUTH Auburn 82, Alabama State 41 High Point 81, Wofford73 Howard 89, FloridaA&M 53 Longwood 80, Western Kentucky 42 Radford69, Emory &Henry 36 South Alabama 91,UAB 68 West Georgia 91, Gardner-Webb 68 Winthrop 74, Newberry 37 MIDWEST Army67, St. Thomas 61 Detroit Mercy 78,Valparaiso48 Kansas City 90, WilliamJewell 35 Marquette 65, Wisconsin 62, OT

SOUTHWEST Stephen F. Austin76, TexasA&M-Texarkana 37 McNeese St. 35,East TexasA&M 20 Rice 24, UAB17 Southern Miss. 27,Arkansas St. 21 Stephen F. Austin50, Houston Christian 3 FARWEST Arizona State 73, Eastern Washington 58 BYU70, San Jose State 51 California Baptist 67,Pacific 54 Northern Colorado 72,Lamar 68,OT Oregon 90, Montana 47 Pepperdine 74, Westmont 51 Southern Utah 77, Washington State 64 Utah Tech 78, Northern Arizona 73 Weber State 84, Westminster (UT)47 Men’s State Schedule Friday’s game Ole Miss 86, UL-Monroe 65 Eastern Illinois 65,Nicholls 57 UL 68, Southeastern 61 Santa Clara79, McNeese 67 Saturday’s games Tulane 79, TexasState 71 Men’s national score Saturday’s game EAST Alabama 103, St. John’s 96 BuffaloState 80,Keuka73 Clark 74, Roger Williams 67 Emmanuel (MA) 78, John JayCollege 48 Fairfield74, NJIT 53 Fisher 94, Maine-Presque Isle87 George Washington 99, South Florida 95 Gwynedd-Mercy 70, Rosemont College 46 Haverford 111, Valley Forge79 Kean 62, SUNY-Purchase 58 La Salle 73, Monmouth 60 Lebanon Valley 93, Penn State-Berks 75 Manhattanville 77, Mitchell 74 Maryland-Eastern Shore104, Cheyney Wolves 59 Mercyhurst 93, Penn State New Kensington NittanyLions 43 Moravian 96, Muhlenberg93, 2OT New Jersey City 81, Pratt Cannoneers 70 Niagara67, Binghamton 59 Penn State 87, New Haven43 Ramapo 61, SUNY-Maritime 58 Rutgers-Camden 81, Alvernia 76 SUNY-Plattsburgh 80,Skidmore73 Saint Elizabeth 72,YorkCollege(NY)66 Saint Joseph’s 76, Drexel 65

twotouchdowns, defensive end Phillip Bradford had a pick-six and McNeese beat East Texas A&M.

Strong was 10-of-18 passing for 171 yards with a touchdown and an interceptionand added 17 carries for 136 yards, which included a 48-yard TD run that cappeda 95-yard drive and made it 2810 with 6:45 left in the third quarter.Hamm finished with 127 yards rushing for McNeese(4-6, 3-3 Southland).

GRAMBLING 31, BETHUNE-COOKMAN23: In Grambling, Hayden Benoitthrew three of his four touchdown passes in the first half to lead the Tigers. Theodore Caballero kicked a shortfield goal beforeBenoit connected with Andrew Frazier for a38-yard touchdown and Grambling (7-3, 4-2SWAC) took a10-0 lead into the second quarter

Saint Joseph’s College of Maine 100, SUNYOld Westbury 62 Saint Peter’s 93, FairleighDickinson83 Salisbury 83, Stockton 74 St. Bonaventure89, Canisius 70 St. Lawrence80, SUNY-Geneseo 72 Suffolk75, Maine-Farmington 72 Susquehanna 67, Delaware Valley59 Swarthmore71, Albertus Magnus 64 Syracuse 83, Delaware State 43 Tcnj Lions 96, FDU-Florham71 Washington College (MD)68, Bard43 SOUTH Brevard93, Oglethorpe 72 Duke95, WesternCarolina54 Elon 92, UNC Greensboro90 Georgia Southern 93, UNC Asheville 90 Heidelberg77, Greensboro74, OT Kennesaw State 92, Florida A&M 72 LaGrange 91, Truett-McConnell 76 Maryville (TN)68, Berry 53 Memphis76, San Francisco 70 NC Wesleyan 89, Johnson &Wales (NC) 72 Pfeiffer 78, Centenary 77 South Alabama 99, Spring Hill 50 Tennessee 95, Northern Kentucky 56 Tulane 79, TexasState 71 USC Upstate 105, Southern Virginia46 Vanderbilt 105, UCF 93 Virginia Tech 107, Providence 101 William &Mary 81, Norfolk State78 Wofford86, Milwaukee 76 MIDWEST Akron 104, Princeton69 Albion 74, Mount St. Joseph 61 Capital 72, Earlham 63 Dayton 77, UMBC 71 DePauw 77, Loras74 Gustavus Adolphus 96, Rockford49 Kenyon 67, Bethany(WV) 66 Marshall 85, Toledo 73 Minnesota 95, Alcorn State 50 Nebraska96, Florida International66 NebraskaKearney 85, Colorado School of Mines 76 Olivet 77, Anderson (IN) 75 Otterbein70, Wittenberg52 Wabash 90, Hanover61 Wisconsin-StevensPoint 79, MSOE 59 SOUTHWEST AngeloState 83, NewMexico Highlands 68 Central Arkansas 110, Champion Christian College 63 Dallas Christian 87, Southwestern(Tx)80 Houston 65, Towson 48 Texas97, Lafayette 60 FARWEST AustinPeay74, Air Force54 BoiseState 101, Utah Valley 77 Colorado 102, Eastern Washington 97 Montana State Billings 80, Central Missouri 75 New Mexico 74, Texas-Arlington 56 Stanford91, Montana 68 UC Santa Barbara85, San Jose State74 Wyoming 92, Cal State Fullerton82 TULANE 79, TEXAS STATE71 FG FT Reb TSU MinM-A M-AO-T APFPTS Hall 28 5-10 4-54-7 32 14 Willis 20 5-10 2-23-5 02 12 Drone 30 4-90-0 0-32 410 Emmou 28 3-82-2 1-31 310 Gumbs 33 4-80-0 1-47 49 D.Pernell171-6 2-20-4 24 5 Fields 14 0-11-2 0-21 11 Lee133-4 0-00-0 02 8 Bolden 90-3 0-00-1 02 0 Knox7 1-10-0 1-20 02 Totals 200 26-6011-1310-31 16 24 71 Percentages: FG .433, FT .846. 3-Point Goals: 8-16, .500 (Lee 2-2, Drone 2-4, Emmou 2-4, D.Pernell 1-2, Gumbs 1-2, Bolden 0-1, Hall0-1). Team Rebounds: 2. Team Turnovers: 1. BlockedShots: 5(Emmou, Fields, Hall, Knox, Lee). Turnovers: 10 (Drone 3, D.Pernell 2, Gumbs 2, Lee2,Willis). Steals: 7(Gumbs 3, D.Pernell 2, Hall, Lee). Technical Fouls: None. FG FT Reb TUL MinM-A M-AO-T APFPTS

Mddltn 28 3-62-2 0-40 210 Ringgld 27 5-11 3-31-7 34 14 Brmbgh 37 5-919-19 1-46 333 Williams 23 1-60-0 1-21 12 Woods 22 1-50-0 0-22 03 J.Moore262-5 2-20-0 11 6 Greene 18 3-54-4 0-01 111 Daniels 17 0-00-0 0-42 20 Bradford2 0-00-0 0-00 00 Totals 200 20-4730-30 3-23 16 14 79

Percentages: FG .426, FT 1.000. 3-Point Goals: 9-20, .450 (Brumbaugh 4-6, Middleton 2-4, Greene1-2,Ringgold1-3, Woods 1-3, Williams 0-2) Team Rebounds: 5. Team Turnovers: None. BlockedShots: 9(Middleton 3, Bradford2

ARTHUR NEAD

By

ILLUSTRATION

Boucherie awellspring of Louisiana food

Early on acrisp Saturday morning many years ago,this city boy was awakened at my grandparents’ country home in central Louisiana togowitness awinter ritual —aboucherie. As has been customary atthat time of the year,several families had joined together to make various foods from afreshly slaughteredpig.

Culturally and anthropologically,itwas arich experience,but Iknew nothing about eitherof those things as I watched the pig’s carcass being lifted over afire.

Nearby were piles of swine innards plus organs,fat, the head, tail and feet. Blood dripped into abowl. All would be made into something

Acertain cousin had away of providing perspective about rurallife of yore. In this season of the boucherie, Iamreminded about somethingshe told me that,inretrospect, rings true: “It was disgusting,” she said. She was not criticizing the purposeofthe boucherie but the act itself, at least as seen from the vantage point of akid for whom the choreofgetting meatfor supper simplymeant going to the grocerystore. But, “these were poor people and they worked hard,” the cousin said. “They needed to prepare food for the winter.”

Samplingthe wares

Women funneled meat through agrinder into asausage casing. Men stood over a cauldron sizzling withboiling oil into which fatty stripsof pigskin would be dropped to make cracklins. Once boiled and salted, samples werealways subject to snatching. Hot cracklins on acold morning were good for their crunchiness if not for the heart. Another crewwouldstir stuff from the pig’shead into apot while adding seasoning and gelatin, all of whichwould be spooned into abag and hung from aline to thicken into hog’s head cheese At another spot, the blood was made into one of the more

ä See FOOD, page 9D

BY RICHARD CAMPANELLA | Contributing writer

One of thelast areas of ourregion to undergo permanent settlement waseastern St. Tammany and Washington parishes, from Slidell to Bogalusa.

These woodlands were isolated from New Orleans by the Rigolets marshes, andfrom coastal Mississippi by the swampy PearlRiver Basin, whose braided channelsoften clogged with “rafts of driftwood,” andwhose valley was “too subject to inundation to admitof extensive settlements,” according to Samuel R. Brown writing in 1817.

ä See SETTLERS, page 8D

BYETHANSTENGER Contributing writer

DININGSCENE

Ian McNulty WHAT’S COOKING

In the spirit of hospitality, let’s be generoustothe venerable Michelin Guide. It’snew totown andmay arrive with acertain enthusiasm of discovery,and afew blind spots too. This was evident in the outcome of the much-heralded release of the Michelin Guide American South, which doled out a handful of coveted Michelin Stars across ahuge sixstate region, plus Atlanta (previously covered on its own, now part of this guide), and alarger selection of other honors to awide range of restaurants.

Michelin left alot of meat on the bone in this, its first run at the New Orleans dining scene, and Louisiana more broadly.Michelin updates its picks annually More restaurants can win stars (or possibly lose them); more restaurants can be included in the overall Michelin umbrella. That’s the trend in other markets where Michelin expands, and there’s reasontobelieve that will happen here too.

So let’slook forward to all that Michelin has yet to discover,and how it may even grow to appreciate whyNew Orleans reallycasts such aspell on people who love to eat.

But first, let’slook at the upside of what went down this week, which is historic, important for New Orleans and potentially game-changing forthose in the winners’ circle.

TheMichelin effect

Michelin attention can spur more gastro tourism from people who will travel to dine (not just dine while they travel). It’salsoa potential magnet for more talent drawn to acity where now restaurants are eligible for Michelin Star treatment.

Michelin’sendorsement is so highly prized because it’sa globally recognized standard, with areputation first earned by judging the top restaurantsin its native France, then Europe and now in designated cities and regions around the world (where today it expands with financial backing from local tourism groups, including ours).

Because iconic, peak dining destinations have Michelin Stars, others with the brand’sblessing bask in the same glow Iamthrilled for the local MichelinStar winners:

n Emeril’s, with its two-star debut recognizing how its young chef, E.J. Lagasse, has created something magnificent andnew with his father’slegacy

n For the three partners behind the one-star Saint-Germain (Trey Smith, Blake Aguillard, Drew Delaughter), for the guts and tireless grit to manifest their vision for boundary-pushing cuisine on their own terms in the Bywater

n Andfor Sue Zemanick at her quietly excellent,now-one-star Mid-City bistro Zasu, which has brought me such pleasure over the last few years, not leastfor the experience of introducing it to others Michelin recognition at any levelcan be abig deal for restaurants, and there is more to go around.

In addition to the star-winners, 11 New Orleans restaurants were named to the Bib Gourmand list, acategory for what Michelin calls “best value for money restaurants.”Another18were “recommended,” meaning they got a Michelin nod but not at the star levelor perceived Bib Gourmand value.

Together,itfeels like agood, if somewhat scattershot, range of local restaurants. These are weightedlargely to the modern and casual (Turkey and the

Wolf, LUFU NOLA,Mister Mao), though not to theexclusion of Parkway Bakery &Tavern and Domilise’s(bothBib),the 120-year-old Galatoire’s(recommended) and the landmark Dooky Chase’s(Bib)

The recommended category can mean anything at all. The first local listranges from expensive tasting menu restaurants (The Kingsway and Dakar NOLA) and the high end (RestaurantAugust, which Ipicked as a shoo-in for astar) to thecounterservice joint Killer Poboys (delicious, alate-nightlifesaver many times over for me and maybe thebiggestsurpriseofthe whole selection).

What’s missing

Each restaurantincluded in the overall selection is at the very leastpleasing in itsown way, and avaluable part of the overall

New Orleans food scene.

What’s fueled muchofthe discontented chatterover the picks in thedays sincethe release, though, are the misses, and not for one or two restaurants in particular.But thatisbaked into the whole Michelin approach.

It assessesrestaurants on its own Michelin matrix, one its reviewerspack along wherever in theworld theyland. Per Michelin, for starconsideration, that means five criteria: “quality products; the harmony of flavors; themastery of cooking techniques;the voiceand personality of the chef as reflected in the cuisine; consistency between each visit and throughout the menu.” Service, decor,atmosphere Michelin says these don’tfactor intostar ratings.

That’swhy considering how Michelin would playout in New Orleans has been vexing. Great food is amust, but whatIlove most about ourrestaurants is not hemmed strictly by technical mastery nor artistic expression. It also must include the way restaurants make us feel, whether that’sluxurious, adventurous or partofalocal hospitality culture with itsown grand and gregarious character. Ifeel all of those things at once at Commander’sPalace and Brennan’sRestaurant (which, along with everyrestaurant in theBrennan family tree, got no mention at anylevel of the new guide),and at MaMou, Coquette, GW Fins andPalm&Pine, all bringing NewOrleans cooking intothe nextgeneration (and none mentionedinthe guide).

Icould be nowhere else on Earth but NewOrleans while dining in the grand roomsof Arnaud’s, in the cottage parlors

of Brigtsen’s, by aneon-trimmed window at Mandina’soratalong table for10filledwith clattering platters at Mosca’s. Whether these ever land on Michelin’s guide,Ican’t imagine NewOrleanswithout them.

Theultimatevalidation

Guessing which New Orleans restaurants could possibly be Michelin Star contenders has been a sport among local dining aficionados since long before the brand’s arrival.

Now that its first results are here, that can shifttosecondguessing them,and that talk has filled dining roomsthis week.

Let’sremember this though: What makes New Orleans agreat dining townisnot that we have manyexcellent high-end restaurants (which we do, especially per capita).

It’s the fact that New Orleans has such arich culinary tradition of its own, maintained and evolved by restaurants across the spectrum of style and price. And it comes from afood-obsessed community,from people with palates trained on adistinctive local cuisine but also hungry to explore the growing diversity of flavors finding their own place in New Orleans.

Michelin drawsglobal attention anywhere, but the last wordon restaurants lies with the people whokeep returning to the places they value, the places that make them feel good. That is the ultimate validation forany restaurant. Those who can achieve this and contribute to the NewOrleans food story are the stars in my book.

Email Ian McNultyat imcnulty@theadvocate.com.

FALL IN STEP

Paige and Thorben Primke

Leo Landry, TerryVoorhies, RobertEdgecombe, StevenKinchen

n Liszt-en up!

When all were assembled forthe program, in the ballroom under five chandeliers, the acclaimed pianist commenced playing. The first selection was six études after Paganini and by composer Franz Liszt. Twoworks by Rachmaninoff concluded the raved-about recital.

Held in the Ritz-Carlton, theMusical Arts Society of New Orleanspresented Nocturne XXII. Formatted festivelyin three parts, the firstwas theChampagne reception in the hotel’sLafayetteFoyer

From there,guests moved tothe Lafayette Ballroom for the program, afterwhich wasdinner in the Grand Ballroom. Described as “combiningfierce pianism, anunrivalledbreadth of repertoire, and a level of interpretive refinement,” VadymKholodenko, thestar attraction, addressed the keyboard. He was born in Kyiv,Ukraine;took hisfirst piano lessons at the age of six; and, in 2013, received theGold Medal at the VanCliburnInternational PianoCompetition. Acurrent resident of Luxembourg, Kholodenko appears on the world’sleading stages. Crescent City denizenswerethrilledtohave this extraordinary evening of his pianism at the Nocturnegala In front of the Steinway pianoonthe stage in the Grand Ballroom, abeautiful arrangement of white and yellow roses, greens, andfall berriesthatwas placed atop asmall pedestal covered withgold cloth caught everyeye. More Petite Fleur by Lisa Brooking floral toucheswere those of the purpleand white orchids thatfigured around the reception area and as centerpieces on the dinnertables. After the gala evening, many of the patrons took home theorchids.

The multi-course seated dinner preparedbythe culinary team of the Ritz-Carlton included salad, chicken breast, andwhitechocolatepanna cotta withberries and citrus Chantilly.The Wine Seller providedthe alcohol Savoring the sights and sounds were MASNO board president RobertEdgecombe with spouse Sarah;board president-elect andNocturneco-chair TerryVoorhies with husband Rand;board secretary andevent co-chair LeoLandry with Beth;executive and artistic director CaraMcCoolWoolf with husband Vance;and patronand guest artist recital sponsor AllanLedbetter whose sponsorshipwas in lovingmemory of his latewife, Toni. She loved Nocturne. Additional sponsors were AnneandDarrenSumich,PaigeandThorbenPrimke, Lexus of New Orleans (representedby ChristineandPriceLeBlanc), Steinway Piano Gallery of New Orleans (StevenKinchen with Gina), AnneGauthier,and JulianneNice. Alsonoted were former MASNO president EmelMize with husband Ranney,RobinandDaleWilliams,MichaelBoucree with IvanGriffin,MargaretWoodard,MachelleandCarlJohnson,BarbaraandThomasSands, JoeYoung,TedMartin,TreyCassels,and ChristopherTidmore with spouse BarkleyRafferty and her parents, KatieandShaunRafferty.Dozensmore filled theranks of the revelry when piano prowessand prandial pleasures fusedfor yetanother night of stupendous music.

n Red Mass

For the recent Red Mass, which takes place annually on the first Mondayof October in the Cathedral-Basilica of St. Louis, King of France, judges from South Louisiana and other notables assembled, such as Gov JeffLandry and spouse Sharon, and Attorney General of theStateof Louisiana LizMurrill. The celebrant of the Mass was Archbishop GregoryM.Aymond and the homilist, the Rev MarkE.Thibodeax, S.J. SarahJaneMcMahonBriscoe,the cantor, directed the Saint Louis Cathedral Choir, and JesseReeks was the organist. TheVery Rev PatrickWilliams is the rector Sponsors of the Red Mass were theCatholic Bishops of the State of Louisiana and the St. Thomas MoreCatholic LawyersAssociation. The latter organization lists as officers BarbaraMalik (president), PatrickA.TalleyJr.,Judge Ellen Kovach,Judge ChelseaR.Napoleon,AndreaRibando, and LaurenA.Favret, immediate past president. Also, the Rev JosephS.PalermoJr.,J.D., and mistressofceremonies EvangelineAnnVavrick.Board members include EllenArtopoeus, Jefferson Parish Council member HansLiljeberg,PalmerBruno,RaylynReineBeevers,ThomasM.Flanagan, and J.VanRobichauxJr

n Brotherly Fidelity

“Let the Good Times Roll!” was the social exhortation for the recent Elysian Fields Forever fundraiser presented by Brother Martin High School. Aone-hour patron party with music by the JerryChristopher Jazz Trio preceded thethree hours of themainevent that washeld on campus and encompassed the PeytonFalgoust Band, dining, dancing, raffles and auction excitement, and alumnus MarkRomig ’74, as the emcee. Hancock Whitney wasthe Presenting Sponsor More than 700 Brother Martin parents, alumni, faculty and friends assembled for the“Roll” revelry that transported guests to Las Vegas foracasino night, starting with awelcoming red carpet. Bright lights and colors madeupthe “Elysian Fields Experience.” Within theGayle and TomBenson ’44 SA Mall, night trippers milled about the “casino,” complete with dice, cards, draping and lighting. Moving on to the Robert M. Conlin Gymnasium, the decorations featured centerpieces of feathers and flowers, larger-than-life dice and playing cards, and acentrally located floral chandelier.“Elysian FieldsForever” in large block letters bedecked the stage area, as did ared and black backdrop featuring acustomized poker chip. More attractions were theChampions lounge, an outdoor bar,anice luge and alittle white chapel. Gaming tables lured legions, as did the silent auction of 237 items, which produced Christine Waller as atop bidder for adeluxe condo stay.Raffle winners included TaraWimberley,WilliamA.WissIII, and Dr DeanLeone ’84.

Pigeon Catering purveyed, with thanks to alumnus DeanG.Pigeon, ’06. Further eat treats came from Copeland’sofNew Orleans, ErinCaruso and BevelryNapier, Haydel’s Bakery,and the Brother Martin Culinary Crusaders.

Mastheaders were EFF committee chairs TroyandJenniferFields,JulieSteigner, and Renée andAndréAmedee, along with school board chairman DavidGallo ’77, and alumni board president DarrelMipro ’88, with Lisa. From Brother Martin came president GregRando ’77, with Bonnie,and principal RyanGallagher ’00, with Kristen. Noted, too, were ThomasMavor director of Schools for the Province of the United States of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart, and provincial Brother RonaldHingle,S.C. And, with the men as alums, Joe Caruso and Erin,GabrielleMacaluso,MiltonDureauJr.andChristine,KurtEngelhardtandAnn,and Kenny SpellmanandJennifer They and countless others were drawntothe dance floor,when the Peyton Falgoust music makers introduced another sort of playing field.

The aforementioned, and scores more, gathered afew blocks away from the cathedral to socialize at the reception in theBourbon Orleans Hotel, where Adrian’sChristian Floristprovided thefloral embellishment, as it did in the cathedral. The sponsors for the reception were the above association, along with other lawfirms andindividuals. All enjoyed the hotel’spurveyance of mimosas and other beverages, breakfast pastries and quiche. Goodconversationadded justdeserts.

BY ELIZABETHDEAL Staff writer

Looking for auniqueway to spend acoupleofhours in northwest Louisiana? This amazing day trip culminates in aviewfrom the top that makes it hard to believeyou’re still in the same state.

One of my favorite things to do with my free time is to hike in the woods, and my latest adventure to see Driskill Mountain didn’tdisappoint.

My husband and Ihavetalked about visiting Driskill Mountain in Bienville Parish for years, and finallydecided to make it happen.

We didn’tknow what to expect and honestly didn’texpect much. We’d heard joking about Louisiana’s“mountain,” but we wanted to venture out to see the highestpoint in the state of Louisiana: Driskill Mountain is 535 feet above sea level. Finding Driskill Mountain is aknowbefore-you-go situation —don’tdepend on Google Maps and visitor signs. Don’tbelike me and just type “Driskill Mountain” into GoogleMaps or you’ll end up on the side of the road with no cell service. Youneed to locate “Driskill Mountain Trailhead only entrance &exit.” This shows an address of La.507, Simsboro, and is fortunately yards around the bend fromwhere we first landed with Google.

This is the location of the Mt. Zion Presbyterian Church and Cemetery and the Driskill Mountain entranceparking lot. The church is on La. 507, approximately one mile west of La. 797. It will be on the right when traveling west

Driskill Mountain sits on private property —not part of astate or federal park program, which is whythose brown visitor signs Iwas expecting neverappeared. The entrance signage is in the back left corner of the parkinglot where the walking path begins. There’safarm gate too, but don’tbe deterred. There’sanadequate space to walk through —the gate just keeps vehicles out. Before heading out to explore the “mountain,” we didn’texpect much. The few thingswehad heard werethat it was“just a short walk” and “nothingtosee at thetop.”

TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER

By ChristopherElliott

TRAVEL

Pathwayoptions

We were pleasantly surprised. For people whodowant to take acasual walk, there’s awide path for that with slight elevation along theway.But there’salso ahiking path for those whowant to tackle the woods

It’snot too steep or verylong, but awelcomefor those looking for it.

Idon’tknow if we chose thepath more or least followed, but we decided to hike up through the woods and walk down theroad to experience both. The hiking path takes youupFalse Mountain to reach the topof Driskill Mountain.

The main path is wide and well-maintained, but visitors will encounter afew fallen trees, rocks and uneven areas. We also cameacrossseveral mudholes as it had rained the day before.

Afterfollowing the main path for afew minutes, visitors will see theoption to take oneoftwo hiking paths through theforest: False Mountain Trail or FalseMountain bypass.

We took thetrail. Here,the pathwas narrow with more significant changes in elevation and plenty of rocks, roots, limbs and fallen trees to tackle, but Iwouldn’tcallita difficult hike.

Thetop of themountain

At thetop, there’sa clearing with signage, information and aguest sign-in book. There’salso asign that says Jack Longacre’sashes are scattered on themountain.Longacre was the founder of Highpointers Club, which had itsbeginnings in 1986, when he wanted to find others like him who wanted toreach the highest elevation in every state.

He died in 2002, with his final wish to have his ashes scattered on thehigh points of all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

When we visited, we saw onlytwo other cars in the lot, one with North Carolina and one with Alabama plates.

For thepeople who travel to the 50 state elevation points, Driskill Mountain may not feel like much morethan atick of abox compared to the competition. Louisiana’s highest point at 535 feet ranks 48 above Delaware (450), Florida (345) and the District of Columbia (415).

Butfor Louisianans, Idare say it’sthe only place where we can experience a “mountain view.”

At thetop is the sign Isaw from photos —the wooden structure in asmallclear-

ing. Then we saw asmallsign with an arrow pointing to “Overlook of Jordan Mountain.” On our walktosee Driskill Mountain, we were surprised to discover there was a False Mountain and now learning of athird one. We walked afew yards away and there it was—anactual view.The view is of a small valley and asmallmountain in the distance, but as aLouisianan, it felt amazing. We couldn’tbelieve we were standing in our own state.

History

According to the state historical marker database, the mountain is named forJames Christopher Driskill, originally of Georgia, whopurchased 324 acres of land in 1859 forabout $5.15 an acre where the mountain sits. In 1883, Driskill sold approximately 2 acres of land for$5toWoodard D. Driskill, the Rev.John A. Conville and J.E. Best, trustees of the Mount Zion congregation in the Louisiana Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. There, they built the Mt. Zion Presbyterian Church and Cemetery.Driskill and several members of his family are buried in the cemetery

Agreat daytrip

Driskill Mountain is an interesting place to see if passing through the northwest part of the state, but it’snot adestination. Driskill Mountain is a30-minute drive from Ruston, 45 minutes from Minden and 75 minutes from both Shreveport-Bossier and Natchitoches.

From Shreveport, take the Arcadia exit, where we had afantastic homestyle cooked lunch at Sharon’sCafe, just 15 minutes from Driskill Mountain. We enjoyed the best homemade onion rings we’veever had, achicken-fried steak plate lunch, a cheeseburger and one of the selections of the homemade cakes and pies. The restaurant is said to have afabulous breakfast, too, if you visit early.Sharon’s Cafeisopen 7a.m. to 2p.m. Monday through Friday at 2482 Second St., in Arcadia.

Visitors should estimate about an hour or an hour and ahalf forthe walk/hike up to the top and back, take in the overlook and rest or snack, depending on how much timeyou want to spend.

Carnival nevermentioned ‘nonrefundable promotion’ rate

IbookedaCarnivalcruisethroughAmericanAirlinesCruisestravelagencyinFebruaryforaJulysailing.Ipaid$3,738upfront, plus$342fortripinsurance.

Christopher Elliott

Whenwecanceledinmid-March,the travelagentsaidCarnivalwouldrefund $3,300butwithhold a$500penaltyfora “nonrefundablepromotionrate. Nobodymentioned thisfeewhenwe booked.Thetravelagent toldustotakeitupwith Carnival,andCarnival toldustocontactthe agent.Theinsurancecompanyalsorefused tocoverthe$500.

WhenIaskedCarnivaltoexplainthe “promotionrate,”theyredirectedmetothe agent,whoclaimedtheycouldn’taccess

faredetails.I’mstuckinaloop.HowcanI getmy$500back?—CoryBelkov,Virginia Beach,Virginia Carnivaland your travel agent hadadutytoclearly disclose cancellation terms before you booked. Federal Trade Commissionrules prohibit unfair or deceptivepractices, including buryingfees in fine print.Ifyour rate was nonrefundable, that should have beenprominently stated in your confirmation —not revealed retroactively Carnival’s“Super Saver” fares often carry strict terms, and consumers deserve to know exactly what they’re trading for adiscount. Theterms aren’texactly spelled outonCarnival’swebsite. It only says, “A nonrefundable

and nontransferable deposit is required at the time of booking,” but it doesn’tsay how much.Your travel agent, American Airlines Cruises, should have disclosed that to you. Agencies have alegal obligation under stateconsumer protection laws (like Virginia’sConsumer Protection Act) to accurately explain booking terms.Passing you between Carnival and the agent is abreach of that duty. Your travel adviser should have also acted as your advocate when you raised questions about Carnival’s$500 fee. Based on the correspondence you showed me of the back-and-forth between you and the agent, it appears that didn’thappen.

Inotice that mostofyour communication between you, your agent and the cruise line happened by phone. Certainly,a phone call can be helpful if you need immediate action to resolve something— like acancellation or rebooking. But when it comes to arefund request, you need somethinginwriting. There’sanimportant lesson for all of us here. Alwaysscrutinize the termsof your purchase before booking. The confirmation you received did not mention a$500 cancellation fee. When front-line reps stonewall you, contact an executive. Ipublish Carnival’sleadership contacts on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org. That’s

sometimes enough to break the logjam Fortunately,Carnival’sticket contract suggests cancellation penalties must be outlined at the timeofbooking. If yours wasn’t, you’ve got someleverage. Companies love blaming each other,but consumers shouldn’t pay fortheir chaos. Icontacted American Airlines Cruises on your behalf.The company refunded the $500 as a“goodwill gesture.”

Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy,anonprofit organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@elliott.org or get help by contacting him on his site.

HOLLYWOOD SOUTH

NewOrleanianspicktheir favoritesatFilmFest

When the 2025 New Orleans Film Festival ended with apacked houseatthe

Leslie Cardé

Prytania Theater,itwas a last-minute documentary addition that grabbed everyone’sattention.

“Man on the Run,” a documentary featureabout Paul McCartney’slife,covers the decade between the breakup of the Beatles and the murderofJohn Lennon, at which time Paul broke up his band, Wings.

At the helm of this project is director Morgan Neville, who won both an Oscar and aGrammy for his 2013 film “20 Feetfrom Stardom,” which explored the lives of backup singers.

When the Audience Awards from the film festival were released this past Tuesday,“Man on the Run,” (not in contention for aJury Award), won for Spotlight Documentary Feature.

No surprise, as the audience was mesmerized by the many revelations about the private Paul McCartney,the singer/songwriter the public didn’tsee.

‘Man on theRun’

The film is abehind-thesceneslook at the relationships Paul had with the Beatles, his then-wife Linda Eastman and their kids, with Apple Records, and with his band mates in Wings. According to Neville, Paul doesn’tlike to look back. He told the director he didn’twant to be an old person (McCartney is now 83) in ayoung person’s story

And, indeed, Neville has crafted the film so that the audience does not feel like it’slooking at aretrospective but is insteadonthe journey with McCartney

There are stories about McCartney’slawsuit against Apple Record’s manager,Allen Klein, and his fallout withLennon over it. Although he and Lennon had their shareof arguments over the years, Paul notes that John had away of taking off his glasses, leaning into the conversation, and saying, “Hey brother,it’sjust me, your mate from Liverpool,” which usually melted McCartney

There’salot of footage of McCartney and the family at their farmhousein Scotland, far away from the crowds he attracted everywhere else he went. He liked the privacy it afforded him.

“He’slike the CEO who

“Taylor chose it forthe outro piece because it worked so wellwith the plotline.”

‘Cowboy’

Another emotional journey is on display in “Cowboy,” directed by and starring Nathan Grubbs.

It’s the story of awar veteran, ahigh-stakes heist and the fallout that forces this cowboy to confront his past.

Native NewOrleanian Grubbs shot his entire film in Louisiana, primarily St. Bernard Parish. The unexpected love story in the film between his character Juno and ablind woman named Eve is ametaphor forso manythings which are a part of Grubbs’ real life.

“Movies like ‘Tender Mercies’ and ‘Rust and Bone,’ about two people whosave each other,were alot of the inspiration forthis film,” said Grubbs.

“The Longfellow poem ‘Evangeline,’ about two lovers whowere separated and spent the rest of their lives looking foreach other, wasanother.The blindness is about having someone who’sright in front of you, but not seeing they were madefor you.”

wants to hang out withthe guys on theshopfloor,and then someoneaskshim for an autograph,and he remembers he’snot one of theregular guys,”said directorNeville. “Itwas hard fora manlike Paul, wholikes to blend in,tobe chased by people,hounded for autographs, andhave thepaparazzi constantly peeking overhis walls and snapping photos back then of his family.”

ThankstoLinda McCartney, arenowned photographerbefore she ever met Paul,the photo archives were abundant, and gave Neville alot of insightinto McCartney’slife during this period. It’s awild ride and an insightful look at one of pop music’smajor icons. The movie will be released in theaters on Ash

Wednesday,Feb. 18, 2026, streaming 10 days later on Amazon.

‘Lovers’

Many of theother Audience Award winners for features were detailed in this column previously among them “Natchez” for Documentary Feature, “God As My Witness” for Louisiana DocumentaryFeature, and “West of Greatness: The Story of the Westwego Muscle Boys” for Louisiana Narrative Feature. Amongthe feature awards, afilm from Ghana, “The Fisherman,”a magical realist comedy,was the audience favorite for Narrative Feature.

The feature films this year were emotional ones, which stayed with you long after you left thetheater

Special Presentation film “Lovers” tells the story of two women whoreturn to their hometown of Denver for thefuneral of their longtime friend Tommy, who has died of adrug overdose.

They find themselves back at the old dive bar, Lovers, which was the longtime hangout for all their friends. This bar holds a special place for thewriter/ director of the film

“I worked there in my early 20s, and ended up many, manyyears later shooting this film during thepandemic,” said Taylor McFadden. “Wedidn’trealize how much comingtogether at bars, concertsand theaters meant until the lockdown happened. These places are such ahuge part of humanity that keeps our societytogether.”

The film weighs in heavily with the music scene, and in particular,anoriginal song

by well-knownsinger/songwriter Nathaniel Rateliff, called “Tommy’sSong,” a soothing ballad that speaks to these characters coming together over their loss.

“I put myself in the shoes of this character,because Imyself have lost friends to addiction,” said Rateliff.

It’s arough and tumble ride, with Grubbs himself riding the bulls, harkening back to his days in the rodeo. Next up forthe actor/ director is “The French Quarter,” the sequel to “The Gangs of NewYork.” It’s about the birth of the French Quarter and will detail the corrupt politicians and the French prisoners, among others, whowere a part of it. Shooting in the Quarter will begin in 2026. For acomplete list of the NOFF winners, both Jury Prizes and Audience Awards, go to www.neworleansfilmsociety.org.

Email Leslie Cardé at lesliecardejournalist@gmail. com.

BETWEEN THE PAGES WITH JOHN SHELTON REED

When the Ramos gin fizz shook things up

New Orleans drink dubbed ‘the Cadillac of cocktails’

BY MATTHEW HAINES

Contributing writer

At 83 years of age, John Shelton Reed has authored or edited a whopping two dozen books. His most recent work, “The Ramos Gin Fizz,” was published this summer by LSU Press as part of their popular series on iconic New Orleans cocktails.

The book fits well into Reed’s oeuvre, most of which has focused on the contemporary American South. That makes sense for a lifelong Southerner He was born in Kingsport, Tennessee, but has lived in Chapel Hill since 1969, when he took a job teaching sociology at the University of North Carolina.

“The only time I moved out of the South was 10 years for college and graduate school, but then I came back with great relief,” he laughed. “I wanted my daughters to grow up as Southerners, though now they live in California and Rhode Island, so the joke is on me.”

The Ramos gin fizz ignited Reed’s interest, as many regional topics have before it. The flashy drink, once dubbed “the Cadillac of cocktails,” has had moments of intense popularity and Reed a past Guggenheim Fellow and chancellor of the Fellowship of Southern Writers delighted in the opportunity to dive into

thousands of archived articles in creating this book. And, if you want to make your own, the book has the original recipe as well as

more recent riffs on the drink.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity

Let’sstartoffwithwhatexactlyisaRamosgin fizz.Whataretheingredientsand whatisitstasteprofile?

Well, first, it has upward of three times as many ingredients as most other cocktails: lemon and lime juices, gin — of course is in the name, orange flower water, heavy cream, egg whites, sugar and seltzer There is a lot going on! You put it all together you shake it like crazy for quite some time, and you get this foamy masterpiece that tastes like an orange Dreamsicle. It’s light on the alcohol, so it goes down easy but it’s also rich, so you probably don’t want to drink three of them in one sitting.

AstheLSUPress“IconicNewOrleans Cocktails”seriesshows,ifyouwanttowrite abookaboutamixeddrinkinventedinthe CrescentCity,youhavequiteafewoptions. WhydidyouchoosetheRamosgin fizz?

With a baseline of nine ingredients, there is a lot to talk about Plus, we know who the founder of the drink is, and that helps in crafting a story Finally as I did a little bit of research, I saw this was a cocktail with an amazing history It seemed like it would be a lot of fun to work on, and I was right

Let’sgetintosomeofthathistory.Whatis thedrink’soriginstory?

Well, Henry Ramos was a German immigrant to New Orleans who owned a bar on Gravier Street called the Imperial Cabinet Saloon. Ramos got his start working in beer halls, and he sometimes toyed with inventing various drinks. The one that really

caught on was his gin fizz, which he created around 1890. Businessmen would come from the old Cotton Exchange at all hours of the day for the cocktail. Its reputation grew and soon you had tourists coming to New Orleans with a to-do list topped by trying a gin fizz at Mr Ramos’ bar Records show he did an astonishing amount of business. At one point, he was using 5,000 egg whites every week and had a dozen bartenders on hand and that was during the slow season, it was way more during Mardi Gras just to make this one complicated drink.

Butyourbooksaysthecocktailhadabit ofaroller-coasterrideinpopularityafter that,right?

Exactly Obviously, all alcohol took a hit during Prohibition, but the Ramos gin fizz was hit especially hard. That’s because it was thought of as a sophisticated drink that was relatively light on alcohol. People illegally drinking during Prohibition, however, were doing it to get drunk, and the gin fizz wasn’t as helpful in that regard.

Fortunately,asyoumentioninthebook, thelate’90sandearly2000sstarteda cocktailrevival.TheRamosgin fizzhas survived.

It certainly has. Not only can you find a Ramos gin fizz in craft cocktail bars in New Orleans, but you can also find it in cities across the country and the world. Didyou findthereisanythingdifferent aboutagin fizztodaycomparedtoHenry Ramos’originaldrink?

For one, many mixologists have taken all of this shaking to the

extreme. Ramos was probably having his gin fizz shaken for three minutes at most. Later on, that probably became five minutes for showmanship. But, over the years, it has gotten ridiculous! Twelve minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes? It is probably unnecessary, but it is memorable. The other component is the tower of foam at the top of the drink. Ramos would have relied on foam from the egg whites and that would have been much less. Today, a lot of bartenders pour seltzer down the side, which kind of activates this massive tower

Ifwehaveactivatedsomeone’scraving forthiscocktail,wherearesomeofyour favoritesinNewOrleans?

You can get good ones all over town, but I like the Sazerac Bar at The Roosevelt Hotel because they played such a big part in the drink’s revival, Revel in Mid-City because Chris McMillan is so knowledgeable about how these drinks were originally made, Cure on Freret Street because they have such a strong lineup of classic cocktails, and of course the award-winning Jewel of the South.

At83years,includingawritingcareer thatisnowinits fifthdecade,itwouldbe understandableif“TheRamosGinFizz” wasyourlastbookbeforeretirement.Are youdone?

Ha, good question. After each of my last four or five books, I’ve said that was my last. But then some publisher asks if I would be interested in writing about something else, almost always related to the South. It usually sounds fun, so I do it.

La. author’s debut awarded Cave Canem Poetry Prize

BY RIEN FERTEL Contributing writer

“NaturalHistory”byBrandonKilbourne, GraywolfPress,96pages.

Since 1999, the Cave Canem Foundation, a nonprofit devoted to cultivating the artistic and professional growth of Black poets, has awarded an annual prize to a debut poetry collection. This year’s Cave Canem Poetry Prize winner is Brandon Kilbourne, a Louisiana-born evolutionary biologist living in Berlin, whose “Natural History” is a brilliant and beguiling set of poems released by the top-tier independent publisher Graywolf Press.

Born in Houma and raised in Lafayette, Kilbourne studied biological engineering at LSU and earned his doctorate in evolutionary biology at the University of Chicago. In 2014, he moved to Berlin as a research fellow at the Institute for Advanced Study and later worked at the Museum für Naturkunde.

Recently, he returned to Baton Rouge as the 2024 LSU School of Veterinary Medicine’s third artist-in-residence.

In a brief foreword to the collection, Natasha Trethewey, the Cave Canem Prize judge and inaugural winner, rightly references Thomas Jefferson, who fancied himself a lover of nature and poetry, as well as a race theorist.

“Though for a century and a half we have had under our eyes the races of black and of red men,” he writes in “Notes on the State of Virginia,” “they have never yet been viewed by us as

subjects of natural history.”

“Misery is often the parent of the most affecting touches in poetry,” he wrote further on.

“Among the blacks is misery enough, God knows, but no poetry.”

“Natural History” opens with a striking series of poems that confront the intimately intertwined histories of early modern science, colonialism and slavery — a necessary corrective to Jefferson’s unpoetic drivel.

The epic “Natural History, the Curious Institution,” a play on America’s so-called “peculiar institution,” reads as a catalog of slave ship manifests, a mix of human cargo and collected specimens.

“TWO HUNDRED AND TWELVE slaves salvaged / while rescuing people from our Guineaman / foundered amid reefs off the Swahili Coast,” one reads.

“While leaving the Bight of Benin, a squall downed the ship / fully loaded — truly a tragedy — the crew and captain lost / along with specimens of RHINOCEROS, ANTELOPE, and BATS.”

“TWENTY percent of our Africans / written off to the squalor below deck: / diarrhea, fever, chains’ wounds gangrened,” another follows. “Yesterday arrived a most diverse assortment of SEASHELLS / in the hold of a new-built slaver; I detest the trade / and pity their cargo, but science nonetheless must progress.”

Though these lines read as found texts, they are pulled from

the profound depths of the poet’s expertise and imagination.

The collection’s middle section features an engaging, 14-poem suite documenting Kilbourne’s June 2006 research expedition to Ellesmere Island, the most northerly point of land in Canada, tucked up near the far northwestern fringes of Greenland. A treeless tundra where giant mosquitoes swarm and the summer sun never sets, Ellesmere is a Darwinian dreamscape.

“This land divulges ghosts,” Kilbourne writes, “among outcrops, the bones of dead life / forms weathering out from solidified silt.”

Among the Ellesmere team’s findings was a 375 million-yearold fossilized Tiktaalik roseae skeleton, a fish possessed with fins that doubled as functioning wrists that allowed the species to prop itself up in shallow water, making it a likely evolutionary ancestor to many of the animals that walk, crawl and fly upon the Earth.

Kilbourne cleverly guides readers to Ellesmere’s “dewjeweled grasses and riverbanks / loud with purl-song the testing grounds for our upright strides— / millions of years of shape-shifting / since that first departure from water / leaving gilled beginnings forgotten to us.”

He transports us into the island’s fossil-rich rock quarries and his team’s monumental discovery

“Our eyes captivated by the anatomy / crowning you as our ancestral chimera, / ancient amalgam of land and water / Our gilled forebear, long slumbering / in the safety of your stratum, know / that the legacy unfolded

from your wrists / today dares the clouds as an owl’s wings.”

Long extinct, Tiktaalik lives on in science and now verse, as do other species honored in these pages.

Kilbourne serenades the critically endangered Sumatran rhinoceros, the world’s smallest rhino — perhaps fewer than 50 individuals remain in the wild.

He visits a preserved specimen, “an elegy in gloom,” housed in the Copenhagen Zoological Museum. “Behind an exhibit’s pane, taxidermied / feet fill the footprints of a lost species, / leaving a mounted remembrance / tangible for its final refuge: our fantasy / where wild animals live on and still exist.”

In “The Last Sea Cow’s Testimony,” he gives voice to a manatee-adjacent, mammothsized mammal that once plied the waters of the Bering Sea. First encountered by European voyagers in 1741, the Steller’s sea cow was hunted to extinction within

three decades. Now I am the last of the sea cows, my heart’s continued beating, my tail’s propelling labor my streamlined existence all become hopeless defiance of our disappearance. Departing seaward into a sapphire void, I speak a vanishing tongue now no one else understands to spite the silence closing over us forever, entrusting this account to my bones that will litter the seafloor, my eye sockets soon home to crabs who will never glimpse a sea cow “Cuvier only deduced extinction / in 1796,” he writes of the early French paleontologist credited with proving the theory that species can die out. “In little more than a century, / we have already mastered it.”

In “Natural History,” Kilbourne offers a fierce clarion call, a splendid elegy for our own destructive tendencies. In the collection’s final poem, he challenges Samuel George Morton, an early American proponent of scientific racism.

“I suppose that if Dr Morton had met me, / he would have fantasized about my skull / assuming its place among the shelves / of his collection, yet here, among these / wood-and-glass cabinets safeguarding walrus / tusks, zebra skull grins, and platypus bills, / I would like to think that with the dead / I have found my place.” This is one scientist-poet who belongs.

Rien Fertel is the author of four books, including, most recently, “Brown Pelican.”

BY MICHAEL DIRESTO Contributing writer

The first person Icalled for advice before writing this article was Pop —that is, my dad, Robert DiResto, 84. After all, Ilearned how to cook as achild from him, standing at his elbow in akitchen on Long Island, New York, where he still lives.

Iwanted to get his recommendation as to which meal would be the best choice —although Ialready had anotion.

After some banter about this meal or that, Ibegan to hint at the ingredients Iwas considering. He immediately blurted out, “Oh yeah, you mean Sunday sauce!” When Ipoint out that some people call it “Sunday gravy,” he grimaced through the phone: “Ech, we didn’tcall it that, but wha’do-I-know?” Before Ican dispute the point, his enthusiasm rises again, and he said, “Now let me tell you my best memory of Sunday sauce,” and he’soff and running. He takes me back to when he was akid, after the family would come home from church, he remembers Nana —his mom, my grandmother Aggie, for Agnes “browning the pork in a big pot and frying up the sausage in one pan and the meatballs in another.”

What he especially recalls is coming back to the house after playing ball or running around the neighborhood with friends, sneaking into the kitchen, breathing in the aroma, checking to see that nobody is watching, then tearing off ahunk of bread to steal ataste.

“Oh, Ihad to dip the bread in the sauce,” he chuckled, like akid again.

My first takeaway from my dad’sstory is to appreciate how much Sunday sauce is afamily tradition for us —amore wholesome one than the way it was depicted in movies through the years by adifferent sort of “family.”

Of course, there’sthe famous scene in “The Godfather” when Clemenza calls another Michael to the stove for alesson, because “you never know,you might have to cook for 20 guys someday.” He walks through all the steps, including “shove in all your sausage and your meatballs,” and ends with “a little bit of sugar,and that’s

AT THE TABLE

Making Sundaysaucetakes along time. And it does —up to fourhours for the DiResto family version. But more timedoes not mean more difficulty.

my trick.” (Note: Idonot recommend this. If you want ahint of sweetness in your sauce,add some torn freshbasil leaves toward the end.)

Then there’sthe prison scene in “Goodfellas,” in which the recipe begins with Paulie slicing the garlic with arazor blade “so thin it melted in the pan with very little oil.” (Note: Ialso do not recommend this, because the garlic is justaslikely to burn as to melt.)

Asecondtakeaway, as these scenes suggest, is that making Sunday sauce takes along time. And it does —upto four hours for our family’sversion. But more time does not mean more difficulty

Mostofthat time is taken up with the pot just simmering, even unattended, and forperiods long enough for achild to make off unseen with astealthy sampling.

Agood Sundaysauce doesn’thave to be expensive.

Youdon’tneedhigh-end butcher’smeat.This is a meal meant to feed alarge family of modest means, or another such “family” on lockdown.

As for whether to call it “sauce”or“gravy,” the distinctionhas to do with whether the pork you use is bone-in, thereby creating akind of bone broth within the tomato mixture as it bubbles —hence, gravy.The batch Imade does use country ribs with bones, so to double down on the concept, Ithrew in leftover steakbones from the freezer, justto add more flavor.

Either way,and whatever you want to call it, be prepared to savor the meaty goodnessofa dish that’smore thanmere “pasta with red sauce.”

And, don’tforget the bread.

LongIsland SundaySauce

Serves 8-10 people; Recipe by theDiResto family

For thesauce:

228-ouncecanswhole/peeled SanMarzanotomatoes

3-4poundsporkcountryribs, bone-in

3tablespoonsextravirginoliveoil

1smallonion, finelydiced

3garliccloves,minced

1teaspoondriedoregano

3tablespoonstomatopaste

1/2 cupredwine

1/2 cupbeefstock/broth

1teaspoonsalt

1teaspoongroundblackpepper

1poundsweetormildItalian sausage

1/4 cupfreshbasil,tornbyhand (toaddattheend)

For meatballs:

1/2 cupplainbreadcrumbs

1/4 cupmilk

1poundgroundbeef,20%or 15%fat

1poundgroundpork

3ouncesprosciutto,chopped fine(thisaddsasavory flavortothe meatballs)

1largeegg

3garliccloves, finelymincedor crushed 1/2 cupgratedParmesancheese

1/4 cupchoppedItalian(flatleaf) parsley

1/4 cupchoppedfreshbasil

1teaspoonsalt

1teaspoongroundblackpepper

2tablespoonsextravirginoliveoil

11/2 poundsspaghetti(ormore forabigcrowd)plus1tablespoon seasalt

1. In abowl, crush tomatoes by hand and discard any basil that was packed in thecans. Pat pork ribs drywithpaper towels and season with saltand pepper 2. In alarge Dutch oven, heat 2tablespoons olive oil over medium-highheat. Brown ribs on all sides,in batches,and transfer to a plate.

3. Over medium heat, add onions and cook until translucent.Add garlic and oregano and stirfor one minute. Add tomato paste

and stiruntil it starts to turn slightly brown.

4. Addwine and stock, bring back to aboil and reduce by half. Addtomatoes, saltand pepper,then nestleribs back in thepot and return to aboil. Reduce heat,cover and simmer for one hour.Stirevery 20 minutes throughout.

5. In aseparate pan, add 1tablespoon oliveoil and brown sausageonall sides

6. After thesauce has simmered for one hour, add the sausage. Stir.Cover and simmer for another hour

7. In the meantime, and after sausagehas been added to the sauce, prepare themeatballs. In alarge bowl, add the breadcrumbs and milk, stirand let soak for 10 minutes.

8. Addthe remaining ingredients(exceptthe olive oil) and form the mixture intoround meatballs no bigger than golf balls.In

alarge,nonstickpan in batches, brown the meatballs well allaround and transfertoaplate lined with paper towels.

9. At the endofthe overallsecondhourofsimmering, transferribs andsausage to aplatterorcutting boardand cuteach into 1-inchpieces

10. Transfer3 cups of sauceinto aseparate large saucepan andsimmer, covered,onthe lowest setting. Add back the cutporkand sausage to the Dutchoven, andgently addasmany meatballs as will comfortably fit (save the rest for anothertime). If sauce is dry,add asplash of beef stock andwine.Simmer, covered for onehour (That’sthreetotal hours for ribs in the sauce, two for the sausage, onefor the meatballs.)

11. With 30 minutes left, addbasil to the sauce in the saucepan.Bring alarge

potofwater to aboiland add1 tablespoon salt. Cook pasta to al dente,reserving 1/4 cupofsalty pasta water Strain pasta andadd it to the saucepan sauceand toss to combine with reservedpasta water.(Please don’teverserve pasta plain with sauceontop always toss it with sauce.)

12. Serve pasta on plates with meat sauce, with freshly gratedParmesan andgood bread

That was the European perspective, and it held sway for decades to come. Indigenous people held adifferent view,having built moundsatthe mouth of thatbasin overthree millennia prior

Through the 1600s,bandsof Choctaw,Tangipahoa andAcolapissa (Colapissa) lived north of Okwa-ta (“Big Water,” Lake Pontchartrain),one of which established ariverside village named Talcatcha, meaning rock or stone.

Mapmakers took that reference to mean “pearl,” the calciumaccretion found in some oysters.

By the early colonial era, some 700 Acolapissa occupied six Pearl River settlementsnear presentday Indian Village Road in Slidell, while afew hundred Tangipahoa lived near present-day Madisonville.

European settlement ensued tepidly,ascolonists found littleof the soil fertility and waterborne accessibility that characterized the deltaic region to the south. What they did find wereextensive pineforests where usefulbyproducts suchastar,pitch,resin, charcoaland lumber could be extracted.

Acensus in 1727 recorded 16 French colonists and 13 enslaved West Africans living on what we now call the northshore, most of themworking in pine products. By the1730s, ahundred or so Europeans and Africans lived and worked from BayouLibertyover to the Tchefuncte River

‘A Town on Lake Pontchartrain’

When the British seized the regionin1763, they found what one Englishman described as “a Town on Lake Pontchartrain call’ed Tangipahou .inhabited by frenchmen &Choctaws,”who transshipped deer pelts to sell (illegally) at Spanish-held New Orleans.

After Britain lost the American Revolution, the area northofthe lake became Spanish West Florida,and could now tap into the urban and agricultural regionsof the Spanish colony of Louisianato the south and west.

In the late 1700s, Spanish authorities greatly increased the numberofland grants made throughout what they called the Distrito de Chifoncte, today’s St Tammany and Washington parishes. Twosuch grants would lead to the foundation of Madisonville near the mouth of the Tchefuncte River,and of Covington upstream by the confluence with the Bogue

Falaya and Abita rivers.

The piney woods to theeast, meanwhile, remained largely unsettled, on account of their inaccessibility

After theLouisiana Purchase and thedisputed shift of Spanish West Florida to theU.S., incoming American administrators designatedlandsuptothe 31st parallel as St. Tammany Parish, in honor of Chief Tamanend, the legendary Delaware peacemaker who had become apopular namesake.

Subsequent population growth called for Washington Parish to be carved outof St. Tammanyin 1819, which led to the establishment of Franklinton as its centralized parish seat.

In the 1830s through 1850s, Mandeville and Abita Springs developedashealth andrecreational resorts for urbanites visiting from across the lake. In 1855, the New Orleans, Jackson &Great Northern (NOJ&GN) Railroad began servicealong thewestern shore of Lake Pontchartrain, catalyzingthe formation of Ponchatoula, Hammond and Amite City in what would later become TangipahoaParish

The map of “across the lake” was cominginto aform we would recognize today —except for the densewoodlands to the east.

Thetrain from PressStreet

In 1870, Mandeville-based investor GeorgeIngramenvisioned that arailroad curving eastward aroundLake Pontchartrain might replicate the success of the NOJ&GN to thewest.After years of delays, administrative changes andconstruction challenges, the New Orleans&Northeastern (NO&NE) Railroad began servicein1883 with acity station on Press Street in theFaubourg Marigny

Now,urbanites could board a comfortable train,head up Peoples Avenueand along presentday Hayne Boulevard to Pointe AuxHerbes, and cross a6-mile lake trestleintoSt. Tammany Parish.

The first outpost on the other side was the Guzman“flag stop,” meaning asettlement so small that trains had to be flagged down to exchange passengers or packages

Situated on low terrain near today’sEden Isle, Guzman eventually disappeared, and its residents moved inland to amore viable siteonhigher ground. That site marked thehead of navigation of Bayou Bonfouca, aligned with thelakeshore communities of Lacombeand Mandeville to the west, and abounded in tall timber and fine clay for brickmaking. Known as Robert, this enclave boasted asawmill, creosote works, grocery store and asturdy lodge known locally as “the Robert brick house.”During the track-laying phase of the NO&NE, company officials housed their workers at Robert, and in 1882, erected atrain station amid the tentencampment

The following year,surveyors laid out an adjacent street grid and called the town Slidell Station,inhonor of the late Louisiana politician and Confederate ambassador John Slidell, whose daughter had married theFrench baron Frédéric d’Erlanger,an NO&NE investor

An economic catalyst

As George Ingram had envisaged, the NO&NE economically activated the woodlands east and northofLake Pontchartrain. By 1890, Slidell had 364 residents and becamethe gateway intoeastern St.Tammany Parish.

When workers extended the railroad 7miles to the north, it catalyzed aplace called Halloo, which became ajunction for additional tracks laid westward. Hallo was renamed Pearl, Pearlville and finally today’stown of Pearl River In 1887, theEast Louisiana Railroad opened toconnect with Abita Springs,followed in 1888 by aline to Covington, and in 1892, to Mandeville. Now,passengers traveling the southern tier of the United States could arrive comfortably

into theheart of St. Tammany Parish

In 1913, historian Alcée Fortier described Slidell, now with 2,500 people, as “one of the largest townsinthe southeastern part of thestate since the railroad was built.” Abundant in sawmills, factories, brickyards and stores, Slidell served a“shipping and banking townfor the large lumber district (at) thejunction of two lines.” Rail access to virgin timber brought national attention to theregion. In 1904, the Buffalobased Goodyear family bought up vast acreages of yellow pine forests, while affiliated investors launched the Great Southern Lumber Company and extended theNO&NEfurther northward. Later called the NewOrleans Great Northern (NOGN), this line spawned asequence of stations that would becomethe communities of Florenville, Talisheek, Bush and Sun in St. Tammany Parish,and Varnado and Angie in Washington Parish.

Bogalusa,the ‘Magic City’

On theriver called Bogue Lusa (“Black Water”), timber investors in 1906 erected atent encampment fortheir workers to construct an enormous saw mill and company town to be called Bogalusa. Built soswiftly it was nicknamed the Magic City,Bogalusa incorporated in 1914 and boasted over 8,200 residents by 1920, most of them employed in what was said to be the largest wood mill in theworld. Others worked at the magnificent Great Southern Hotel, built by thesame corporate interests and described in a1909 Picayune advertisement as an “ideally situated home forWinter Tourists in theheart of the Ozone Belt, thehealthiest spot in the whole world.”

The term“Ozone Belt” referenced yet another economic sector abetted by railroads, so much so that one line wasdubbed “the Ozone Route.” It implied the widespread belief that pine trees charged the atmosphere with balsam,afragrant resin used as asalve (balm) said to produce an electrical property understood to be ozone, which people thought cleansed the air of malignant organisms.

Combined with artesian springs andrefreshing lake breezes, St. TammanyParish’spine forests becamehealth-tourism destinationsfor those seeking reprieve from pestilential NewOrleans. Boarding at 6a.m. on Press Street,city dwellers could arrive

at Slidell by 7a.m. and at Abita Springs by 8:40 a.m.; enjoy afull day at aresort; and return by nightfall.

Why rush? Tourists could stay aspell at Covington’sluxurious Claiborne Hotel, the physicianowned Ozonia Rest Cure Inn, or the sumptuous Southern Hotel, built in 1907 and reopened in 2012. Those seeking relief for“consumption” convalesced at the Louisiana Tuberculosis Sanitarium in Covington, while Slidell offered Sabrier’sResort right by the railroad station, and Lacombe boasted the OaklawnInn, “A Piney Woods Resort without aPeer,” positioned along the NOGN. Abita Springs wasthe epitome of an Ozone Belt health resort, offering quaint cabins and bucolic activities around its namesake spring. Newhighways,fancier locales In 1916, the Southern Railway acquired the NO&NE, and in 1929, the Gulf,Mobile &Northern took over the NOGN line. By then, people of meanswere increasingly traveling by automobile. Newhighways took them to fancier destinations farther afield, and the Ozone Belt faded from memory.

As forthe Indigenous population, someChoctaw persevered in remote corners of St. Tammany Parish long enough forethnologist David I. Bushnell Jr.torecord their folkways forthe Smithsonian Institution. But “by an act of Congress on July 1, 1902,” wrote Bushnell in 1909, “they were persuaded to remove to the Indian Territory and receive an allotment of land.” The virgin stands of yellow pine also disappeared, leaving sawmills to fold or convert to paper or woodbyproducts. Economies shifted from those relying on rails and natural resources to those moving on interstates and based in commerce and services. While fewLouisianians still travel by train, some 60,000 residents now live in the communities born along the 140-year-old railroad corridors that transformed these remote woodlands into the periphery of ametropolis.

Richard Campanella, a geographer withthe Tulane School of Architecture and Built Environment, is theauthor of “Crossroads, Cutoffs, and Confluences;” “Draining New Orleans;” “BourbonStreet: AHistory;”and other books from LSUPress. He may be reached at richcampanella com, rcampane@tulane.edu,or @nolacampanella on X.

FOOD

Continued from page 1D

daring of the items, boudin rouge, or blood sausage. Nearby, men with big knives chopped the meat into different cuts Boucheries are still held, and I hope they will always be. They are no longer necessities for survival, but indeed a part of the culture. For all their rich imagery, let it not be forgotten that they were rugged, sometimes squeamish work.

Pigs at church

An offshoot of the boucherie is the pig roast, which is often part of the autumn fundraising at rural church fairs and festivals. During

our post-Hurricane Katrina exile in 2005, we attended such an event at the Avoyelles Parish town of Bordelonville. There was a fiery red glow along the Bayou Des Glaises levee caused by the carcasses, fastened to a frame over a fire, turning a crispy brown while shooting off yellow sparks. Up and down the bayou, tickets had been sold for a roast pig meal to be served the next morning. Folks, some arriving after mass, stood in line for “dinners” including the crispy meat which had been roasting overnight, and a serving of classic Louisiana “dirty rice” made with organ meats and seasonings. Those wanting to embellish the culinary experience could buy cracklins in

small bags at a nearby table. Cracklins are one of the two most popular specialty items made from a hog. The other is boudin. On paper, a cracklin does not seem like something one would want to take to a spa. It consists of deep-fried pork fat, with a sliver of meat that is salted. When done right, though, there is a sweetness and crunchiness that makes a person want more. Red, white and boudin

There are two types of boudin: the red and the white. The former is the socalled blood sausage, and that is a discussion in itself. There are blood dishes throughout the world, including the English blood pudding, but they are not for the squeamish.

White boudin is another matter Pork, spices and rice are mixed together and stuffed into a sausage case. Though it is an ancient food, boudin is thoroughly modern in that it can be frozen and then microwaved. Service hint: Be sure to prick holes in the casing before using the microwave; otherwise you might have a boudin bomb in your oven. Most daring of the variations are the boudin balls served from beneath hot lights at gas stations. That experience offers the extra advantage of being in a position to buy a lottery ticket while dining.

Boudin and “kush-kush,” (rhymes with whooshwhoosh) a Cajun cereal made with cornmeal and served at breakfast with

milk, are the subject of an only-in-Louisiana football cheer used at several universities: “Hot boudin, cold kush-kush, come on (team), push, push, push.”

Sweet potato secrets

Conveniently, Louisiana farmland produces the perfect side dish, the native sweet potato. When baked, it develops a crispy caramel-like fragrance akin to pumpkin, but better. As nature intended, it is a perfect counterbalance for the spicy boucherie meats.

For the same reason, a sweet potato is also good when plopped into a bowl of gumbo, a gastronomy secret little known outside of Louisiana.

Nevertheless, the world is wise to our ways. For ex-

ample, it is globally advised to have a bottle of Tabasco sauce handy, regardless of the geography or the season. And, in modern times, boudin has gained popularity in the city Once unheard of in New Orleans, it is now on the menu at some white tablecloth restaurants and even served on a cracker at swanky cocktail parties. At Jazz Fest, boudin is sold in various forms, including crawfish, which, of course, is not really a traditional boudin ingredient. But if the trend continues, that is perhaps good news for the pigs.

Errol Laborde is a producer and panelist on WYES Channel 12’s “Informed Sources.” Contact him at elabordenola@gmail.com.

But what, exactly, is the story behind the phrase that warrants such an enthusiastic response from LSU fans?

“I wish I knew,” Bradley said. “I wish I could tell you because I don’t know where it started.”

‘An anomaly of his time’

Dan Borné, the legendary voice of LSU football for 38 years before he retired in July, recalls his aunt telling him to leave his raincoat at home when he attended games at Tiger Stadium as a kid.

“First several years of my PA tenure here, I would give the weather straight up,” Borné told ESPN in 2015. “One night, I was giving the weathercast and I said, ‘Chance of rain,’ and I just said, ‘Never.’

Borné’s on-the-fly decision blossomed into an LSU pregame tradition that has lasted decades, further cementing the phrase in LSU lore as a paramount part of it.

But if the man who popularized the saying didn’t come up with it, then who did?

Bradley theorizes that the phrase dates to the 1950s, when legendary Heisman Trophy-winning running back Billy Cannon played for LSU, leading the program to its first national championship in 1958.

“It might date back to that time because it didn’t matter what the conditions were, the guy was going to run the ball,” Bradley said

Whether it was through rain or shine, LSU was going to hand the ball off to No. 20 and win.

“He was just iconic,” Cannon’s daughter, Bunnie, said. “From everything that I hear, he was an anomaly of his time. He was equally as fast as he was strong.”

Bunnie recalls talking to her father about the origin of the saying, “It never rains in Tiger Stadium.”

Before Billy Cannon passed in 2018, he and his daughter developed their own hypothesis on the phrase.

Rainy afternoons, dry nights

LSU football played its first Saturday night in Death Valley in 1931, a 35-0 beatdown of Spring Hill. The goal of hosting night games was to attract more LSU fans who were unable to attend games in the afternoon due to their work commitments. Since then, it’s become a Tiger Stadium tradition.

With Louisiana’s afternoon showers tending to stop before sunset, the Cannons connected the dots

“It never rains in Tiger Stadium because it always rained during the day and never at night,” Bunnie said. “That’s what I always kind of thought.”

The Cannons might be on to something.

“So, that’s actually a decent philosophy,” said Josh Eachus, head meteorologist for WBRZ in Baton Rouge.

During Louisiana’s hottest months, the temperature consistently exceeds 90 degrees. Heat helps develop showers and thunderstorms which is why Louisiana summer afternoons are consistently rainy, but nights are drier as temperatures cool.

“Essentially they’ve eaten themselves,” Eachus

Storm Station LSU Football Kickoff Weather Index.

That means the Cannons’ theory holds, and it’s backed by science, but the phrase has evolved to take on a new meaning over time.

The test of time

In Bradley’s book, he writes about one of the biggest games of his collegiate career, a stunning, heartbreaking 17-12 loss at home to top-ranked University of Southern California in 1979. In the postgame news conference, a reporter tells Bradley that it was one of

the greatest and loudest games ever played in Tiger Stadium.

“’But we lost tonight,’ I said. ‘The other guys won,’” Bradley wrote.

“’Tell those people that.’ And now he (the reporter) pointed a pen upward, indicating the fans still beating their feet against the metal seats above us in the stadium,” Bradley wrote.

For nearly a century, football games have been played on Saturday nights in Death Valley Throughout the years, people from all over the world have flocked

to Baton Rouge to witness a spectacle unfold. For LSU fans, one of the country’s most passionate college football fan bases, Saturday nights in Death Valley have become a ritual, akin to church on Sunday mornings.

When you have a stadium packed with over 100,000 fans united in a sea of purple and gold, all cheering for the same team, how could it possibly ever rain on anybody’s parade?

We may never know who first coined, “It never rains in Tiger Stadium,” or how far back it goes, but we

don’t really need to. It’s a phrase that has stood the test of time for longer than anyone will ever know

Ethan Stenger is a student at Louisiana State University majoring in journalism. Do you have a question about something in Louisiana that’s got you curious? Email your question to curiouslouisiana@ theadvocate.com. Include your name, phone number and the city where you live.

said of Louisiana’s thunderstorms. “They’ve eaten their fuel source, and they tend to fall apart around nightfall.”

But is there something special about Tiger Stadium’s location for a phenomenon like this to occur?

“There are a number of places in the country that would follow that similar routine,” Eachus said. “Most of them are going to be in the South. I think you can say anywhere along the Gulf Coast that’s going to be pretty routine.”

Since 1960, approximately 1% of LSU’s home games have been played in the rain, according to WBRZ’s

By The Associated Press

Today is Sunday,Nov.9,the 313th dayof 2025.There are 52 days left in the year

Todayinhistory:

On Nov.9,1989, communist East Germanythrew open its borders, allowing citizens to travelfreelytothe West forthe first time in decades —alandmark event oftenreferred to as the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Alsoonthisdate:

In 1906, Theodore Roosevelt made the first trip abroad of any sittingU.S.president in order to observe construction of the Panama Canal.

In 1935, United Mine Workers President John L. Lewis and other labor leaders formed the Committee for IndustrialOrganization.

In 1938, Nazis looted and burnedsynagogues as well as thousands of Jewishowned stores and houses in Germanyand Austria in apogrom or deliberate persecution that became known as “Kristallnacht.”

In 1965, the great Northeast blackoutbegan with aseries of power failures lasting up to 131/2 hours, leaving 30 million people in seven states and part of Canada without electricity

In 1976, the U.N. General Assembly approved resolutions condemning apartheid in South Africa, includingone characterizing the White-ruled government as “illegitimate.”

In 2007, President Gen.Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan placed opposition leader Benazir Bhutto under house arrest fora day and rounded up thousandsofher supporterstoblock amass rally against his emergency rule. Bhutto would be assassinated weeks later on Dec. 27 in ashooting and bombing attack thatkilled at least20 people.

In 2011, after 46 seasonsasPennState’s head football coach and arecord 409victories, JoePaterno was fired alongwith the university president, Graham Spanier, over their handling of child sex abuse allegations against former assistantcoach JerrySandusky In 2023, surgeons at Langone Health in NewYork announced that they performed the world’sfirst transplant of an entire humaneye in May of that year,operating on aman whose face was badly damagedin an accident with high-voltagepowerlines. Today’sbirthdays: Film director Bille August is 77. Actor-bodybuilder LouFerrigno is 74. Gospel singer Donnie McClurkin is 66. TV writer-director-producer Ryan Murphy is 60. Rapper Scarface (Geto Boys) is 55. Blues singerSusan Tedeschi is 55. Golfer David Duval is 54. Actor Eric Daneis53. Singer-TV personality Nick Lachey is 52. Actor-TV personality Vanessa Lacheyis 45. Country singer Chris Laneis41.

Whoshouldbereturning adropped call?

DearMissManners: Ilive in a rural area where cellphone reception and internet service can bespotty,which sometimes results in calls being dropped without warning.

Ifind myself wishing it could becomeestablished phone etiquette.

Gentlereader: Perhaps, but technology changes more quickly than etiquette.

like, “Thank goodness we have enough soap!” or “Maybe we should all washour hands.”

Judith Martin MISS MANNERS

Callers who are accustomed to infallible technology can be baffled by this I’ve even been accused of having hung up on someone! But more commonly,anawkward exchange ensues, where each person tries to call the other back simultaneously and can’t getthrough In order to avoid this, I’ve gotten intothe habit of lettingcallers know upfront that if Iinitiated the call, Iwill call them back in case of an interruption (or vice versa, if they are theone who called me). This seems logical, and

Someone more knowledgeable about the inner workings of telecommunications than Miss Manners will have to explain to her why its bugs appear to have longer lives than its products.

DearMissManners: Aco-worker invited afew people and their spouses over to watch apopular sporting event. After everyone in the office bombarded him with questions about what to bring, he insisted we bring nothing.

Never having met his wife or having been to his home, I brought aseasonal hand soap as asmall thank-you for hosting us. They both laughed at thegesture. In fact, it was arunning gag between them for much of the evening, saying things

Mirren to receive Golden Globes honor

By The Associated Press

Helen Mirren hasportrayed multiple queens, aprime minister,adetective, “Barbie”narratorand many otherroles in more than ahalf-centuryofacting. Her latest: Golden Globe lifetime achievement honoree.

Mirrenwill receive the2026Cecil B. DeMille Award in January, the Golden Globes announced Wednesday “Helen Mirren is a force of nature andher career is nothing short of extraordinary,” Helen Hoehne, Golden Globes president,said in astatement. “Hertranscendent performances and commitment to her craft continue to inspire generations of artists and audiences alike.”

This time,the awardwillbepresented during anew annual prime time special, “Golden Eve,” honoring recipientsofboth the DeMille Awardand theCarol Burnett Award,whichhonors achievement in television. That special will air Jan. 8onCBS and stream on Paramount+.

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Ismiled along with them,but thought such areaction was odd. My spouse brought beer which wasshared among the guests without jokes.

To avoid such asituation in thefuture, should Inolonger bring ahostess gifttogatherings?

Gentlereader: Hostess gifts are not the requirement they were once commonly considered, and Miss Manners would definitelydispense with them if thehosts are only going to ridicule you foryour efforts.

Come to think of it, she would not be inclined to socialize with such people.

DearMissManners: My brother and Iare the financial gatekeepers forour elderly,quite wealthy mother.Mom refers all requests fordonations to us.

How do we politely get some of these requesters to just go

fora

Previous dental work canwear out.

Even if you’ve had quality dental work in the past, you shouldn’t takeyour dental health forgranted. In fact, your odds of havingadental problem only go up as you age.2

Treatmentisexpensive— especially the servicespeopleover 50 often need.

Consider these national average costs of treatment. $222 fora checkup $190 fora filling $1,213 fora crown.3 Unexpected bills like this can be areal burden, especially if you’re on afixed income.

away? One in particular keeps pestering me for ameeting with my mother.She’slooking for, Ibelieve, either amajor giftortobeincluded in the will. We have to continue to live in this relatively small town, so Ican’tbeasrude as I would like to be.

Gentlereader: Why would you wish to be rude? Fundraisers may be persistent, but they are, in Miss Manners’ experience, no moreinterested than anyone else in wasting their time. Explain that you and your brother makethese decisions foryour mother,and that you are not interested in donating to this cause. If you feel these requests have been less than polite, then you can forget to append a“thank you.”

Send questions todearmissmanners@gmail. com; or through postalmail to Miss Manners, Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City,MO64106.

Vinegarhelps when washinggreens

Reader comments

Hints from Heloise

DearHeloise: Isaw aletter from Kelly T. in your column about washing greens. You mentioned submerging them in a bowl of cold water.Adding half acup of vinegar to 1cup of water and soaking them for 3minutes helps to remove bacteria.Just rinse and pat dry —DeborahGraham, inCurwensville,Pennsylvania Sweaty clothessmell

DearHeloise: Ihad aproblem with my sweaty yard clothes having amusty smell, even after washing them. My service tech told me to add in white vinegar with thefabric softener.Now I have fresh-smelling clothes and atub that shines like new

It’sasimple solution that works without any expensive chemicals. Lafayette

Ex wo

DearAnnie: Iw for 19 years, and three children

DearHeloise: Alot of newspapers have discontinued their print publications and are onlineonly,socomics aren’t an option for gift wrapping in our area. Good old-fashioned clip binders are great for opened bagsofchips/ pretzels, etc.Also, plastic covers from prepared foods are great for flowerpot drip trays. Andyou can make your own air fryer insertsby cuttingout parchment paper. Works great! Thanks. —TrudyDillon,viaemail Litter boxes

DearHeloise: Litter boxes stink because they are plastic and should not be allowed to dry between uses Iuse metal lasagna-sized baking pans and have two in rotation so that they can dry in between uses. Ialso lightly sprinkle bakingsoda on thebottom of theclean

Since they don’tget scratched like plastic, they last for much longer and don’tsmell. Because they are shallow, Idohave them set in taller plastic tubs that also have litter in them to catch any misses. They need to be changed daily This helps monitor their health. Cats don’tlike going in a messy box, so makesure to clean it after each use. Ann’sThoughts,inRolla,Missouri Shortpeopleproblems

DearHeloise: Iamashort woman. When Igoshopping and cannot reach something,Iwait for a taller person to come by and ask if they could please reach up and get theitem for me. Then Ilook them in theeye, and withasmile, I say,“Thank you. Youhave done your good deed for theday!” It always brings a smile and alook of pride.

BarbClark,inNewJersey

DearHarriette: My manager has ahabit of scheduling meetings that often run long, and they frequently overlap with other commitments on my calendar.Most of the time, these overlapping commitments arenetworking chats with colleagues.

Iknow that my primary responsibilityis to prioritize my manager and my team’swork, but Ifeel like I’m constantly in the awkward position of having to cancel or reschedule those networking meetings at the last minute.

It’sespecially uncomfortable when Ihave to push back on someone’s

timejust minutes before the meeting starts; Iworry it makes me look unprofessional or like Idon’tvalue that person’stime. At the sametime, I don’twant my boss to think I’munwilling to be flexible since Iunderstand things come up and meetings don’t always run on schedule. How can Ibring this up with my manager in away that’srespectful but still communicates that these constant conflicts are putting me in atough spot? Iwant to makesure I’m being ateam player while also protecting my professional reputation and relationships outside of my

team —EstablishingBoundaries

DearEstablishingBoundaries:

Youhave noticed apattern with your boss, so, forstarters, schedule your networking meetings an hour later than you have been in order to give yourself abuffer. Youcan also speak to your boss to say that you have madeplans on particular days or evenings and you will have to leave even if ameeting runs long. Do your best to manage your timebysharing your cal-

Annie Lane

Our was 40 One lingering issues that the ship many slides, documented yearsoffamilyt abroad. The court them roughly in Years later,Ip have my share digitized and gave ex-husband onli so he could select wanted. Over the cade, I’ve repeate to borrow his slides can copy them, cially since some

BY RICH COLLINS Staff writer

By 8a.m. most weekdays, Patrick Comer is connected by videocall to London, Stockholm,Barcelona and other faraway citiesashemeetsremotely with executives of the publicly traded market research firmhe’srun since September 2024. Working from his suburban St. CharlesParish home,and from his stylish office in NewOrleans’Lower Garden District, he’sthe unlikely CEO of Cint, the Stockholm-based company that bought his Louisiana tech startup Lucid nearly four years ago for $1.1 billion and createdahuge payday for him and his investors. Comer,anAlabama native who moved to the New Orleansarea in 2008, is the first to say that he didn’thave being CEO of aSwedish tech company on his 2025 bingocard. But thenhedidn’tknow the acquisition of Lucidwould precede achallenging erafor Cint, whichhas seenits stock market value tumble in the years since.

See COMER, page 4E

Patrick Comer,who soldtech startup Lucid to Stockholm-based Cint, is now CEOofCintafter the companywent through aperiod of

Newofficeparkowner making thecasefor Elmwood

BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff writer

“The big picture is, 20 or 30 years agoyou’dput your office at Elmwood if you had to. Now,you want to put your office there.”

RICHARD

Vincent Saia.But Juge said thegroup plans to spend more than $1 million renovating the buildings,which were built in 1980.

“TheyneedsomeTLC andalittle updating,”he said. “But it’sa fabulous location under 300-year-old live oaks.” Three of thefourbuildings

growing submarketsinthe metroarea, with amix of industrial, commercial andretailspace with amajor newmultifamily project underway Among therecent developments at Elmwood was Reily FoodsCo.’srelocation late lastyear of its corporateheadquartersfrom aPoydras Street high-rise to abuilding on Commerce

Staff report

The following new promotions and new hires haverecentlybeen announced by south Louisiana businesses and nonprofits.

NewOrleans

Sarah Alt hasbeenhired as the first chief information officerfor Phelps.

Alt is certified in artificial intelligencegovernance by the International Association of Privacy Professionals. She has contributedto ethical guidelines and standardsfor the European Commission, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and the National Institute of Standards and Technology

BryanBass has been named chief marketing officer of Ruby Slipper Restaurant Group. Bass previously worked for MGM Resorts, Wynn Resorts, Carver Road Hospitality and The ONE Group and launched Jelly Roll’sGoodnight Nashville bar

Frank Caldwell was elected as an independent director of the board of Entergy Corp., where he will serve on committees

responsiblefor nuclearand operations oversightaswell as talent and compensation

Caldwell, aretired Navyadmiral, spent the final nine years of his military career directing the Naval Nuclear PropulsionProgram.

ment director for Children’s HospitalNew Orleans, has been namedits chief development officer

BatonRouge

AnnetteVaccaro,chief financial officerofCommunity Coffee,announced she plans to retire in June. Vaccarojoined the company in 1998 andhas been its CFO since 2004.

Keva Landrum,aformer Orleans Parish judge and prosecutor,has been promoted to becomeexecutivevicepresident of operations and chiefcounsel of the Housing Authority of New Orleans Landrum,who was runner-up in the 2020 Orleans Parish district attorney election, previously served as HANO’sgeneral counseland interim executive director.

MattMiller has been hired as special counsel for Kean Miller Millerisaformer software engineer andregistered patent attorney who joinsthe law firm’steam of a dozen intellectual property lawyers He earned abachelor’sinpsychology and computer sciencefrom Duke University and alaw degree, cum laude, from Tulane UniversityLaw School.

The American Red Cross of Louisiana announced five new appointments.

NatalieHooks,the former develop-

Sarah Mosely,formerly of the U.S Agency for International Development, becomes the regional director of service to the armed forces and international services.

Sandy Traynor,who was previously programdirector for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay, has been appointed regional volunteer services officer

Ashonia KnightHawkins,who had been regional healthdisparities coordinator for the LouisianaOffice of Public Health,was named executive assistant to the CEO of theLouisiana RedCross.

And Brie Quinlan, whohas experience withAmeriCorps FEMA and the BatonRouge Emergency Operations Center,has been appointed community disasterprogram manager for the northshore area.

Nvidia’s epic runnot changing my strategy

TimHardy,chair of the board of supervisors for the Louisiana Community and TechnicalCollege System,has been elected secretarytreasurer of board of directors of theAssociation of CommunityCollege Trustees. Hardy,who has served on the LCTCS boardsince2011, will join the ACCT Executive Committee.

Plaquemine Bank &TrustCo. recently announced the promotionoftwo officers to become senior vice presidents during its annual stockholders meeting.

CarolineCausin,who has been with the bank since 1974, is the bank secrecy act officer and oversees management of loan operations.

Rhett Vaughn,who joined the bank in 1990, supervises bookkeeping andservesasthe bank’sinformation security officer andinformation technology offer

TylerGray wasnamed inaugural director of energy innovation for the LSU Energy Institute. Gray most recently servedas secretary of the Louisiana Department of Conservationand Energy under Gov. Jeff Landry TheEnergyInstitute brings together the Center forEnergy Studies, Louisiana Geological Survey andLSU research,innovation and policy programs under one umbrella.

Acadiana MattStuller will stepdown as CEOofStuller Inc., effective Jan.1.Stuller will remainas board chair of the jewelry manufacturing company he founded in 1970. He will be succeeded as CEO by longtimepresident DannyClark, while current Chief Operating Officer BelitMyers will become company president.

Do you havepersonnel changes to shareorother ideas forour business coverage? Drop us a lineatbiztips@theadvocate. com.

Wall Street, predictably,is in astate of elation over its first $5 trillion company Nvidia recently crossed that threshold, a “sum so vast the human brain can’t properly get ahandle on it,” said Danni Hewson, head of financial analysisatAJBell

While certainly impressive, Igreeted the chipmaker’smilestone muchlike Idid when it hit a$4trillion valuation, and every trillion that came before.

Ididn’trush to buy individual shares in the stock or change athing about my investment plan. I’m not afraid of missing the artificial intelligence wave at the heart of Nvidia’sascent. No need. Retirement saving plans are already heavily weighted toward stocks, according to the Employee Benefits Research Institute. At the end of 2023, EBRI data shows, the average 401(k) participant had more than 70% of their assets allocated to stocks through different types of mutual funds or company shares.

Currently,technology makes up asignificant part of many mutual funds held by retirement savers.

“If you find yourself feeling FOMO (fear of missing out), it’sgood to first identify how muchtech you already own,” said Callie Cox, chief market strategist for Ritholtz Wealth Management. “You may be surprised by how tech-heavy your portfolio already is. The Magnificent Seven stocks (Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet, Apple, Meta Platforms, Teslaand Nvidia) comprise more than one-third of the S&P 500’s market value right now.”

In fact, that last part from Cox should raise concerns. I can’thelp but wonder whether AI is abubble. As she noted: “High-flying stocks often lead on the way up and down.” Look at what happenedin early April, when several tech stocks slumped after President Donald Trump’s tariff actions led to widespread market declines.

Nvidia is “an amazing growth story,but the stock is priced for perfection,” said Christine Benz, director of personal finance and retirement planning for Morningstar.“If thecompany’s business performance fails to deliver on the market’s lofty expectations for it, or if there’ssome kind of abroad equity market sell-off, the stock’sshare pricecould get knockeddown in ahurry.

Don’tlet your widespread enthusiasm for this stock or any other AI company distract you from the most proven way to succeed as an investor: staying diversified.

“My bias is for investors to maintain diversification across investment styles,” said Benz, author of “How to Retire: 20 Lessons foraHappy,Successful, and Wealthy Retirement.”

She recommends having exposure to the technology sector,aswell as “less sexy sectors,” such as financial companies, health care and consumer staples.

Adiversifiedportfolio would also include high-quality bonds andcash savings thatcan help you weather a market crash.

Bubbles andbusts

Abig reason diversificationmatters is that it guards against irrational market psychology

In 1996, when alot of investors were all gaga over technology-based companies, then-Federal Reserve Chair Alan Greenspan popularized aphrase that we would be wise toheed today —irrational exuberance.

“How do we know when irrational exuberance has unduly escalated asset values, which then become subject to unexpected and prolonged contractions?” Greenspan asked at an American Enterprise Institute awards dinner —aspeech now seen as an early warning about the risk of asset bubbles.

Four years later,wehad thecatastrophic dot-com crash. Prominent companies, such as Pet.com, collapsed and went out of business. Other dot-com firms with more solid business plans survived and eventually grew into today’stech giants.

FOMO has been around a long time

In 1999, at the peakof the dot-com mania, the headline on aNewsweek cover story was: “The Whine of ’99: Everyone’sGetting Rich but Me.”

The article argued that many people were feeling economic anxiety and envy because others were living the American Dream,having the foresight to pickthe right stock at the right time.

Workers who have become 401(k) millionaires (or those nearing that mark) achieve thatmilestonebypatiently and consistently investing through market downturns and rallies.

“Remember that time invested often matters more thanwhat you’re invested in as the years go on,” Coxsaid.

“You want to build aportfolio you can stick to in thick and thin. Forthat, you need to prioritize stability and con-

sistency so you’re not making rash decisions at turning points for the stock market and the economy.”

Robert Shiller,a Nobel Prize-winning economist, picked up on the theme of marketboomsinhis book “Irrational Exuberance,” in which he defined abubble: “A situation in which news of price increases spurs investor enthusiasm which spreads by psychological contagion from person to person, in the process amplifying stories thatmight justifythe price increase and bringing in alarger and larger class of investors, who, despitedoubts about the real value of the investment, are drawn to it partly through envy of others’ successes and partly through a gambler’sexcitement.”

Shiller’sresearch on market volatility continues to serve as acautionary tale.

“If we exaggerate the present and future value of the stock market, then as asocietywemay invest toomuch in business startups and expansions, and toolittle in the infrastructure, education, and other formsofhuman capital,”Shiller wrote. “If we think the marketisworth more thanitreally is, we maybecomecomplacent in funding our pension plans, in maintaining our savings rate, in legislating an improved Social Security system,and in providing other forms of social insurance.”

How profound Shiller’s words have become.

Nvidia reached itslofty perch as millions of Americans face acutoff of their Supplemental Nutrition AssistanceProgram benefitsbecause of the federal shutdown, fewer workers have pension plans, Social Security is facing asevere shortfall, and health insurance has becomefinancially unsustainable for many families.

Will this latest tech gusher give rise to alasting era of AI dominance?

BigTech’sspendingspree on AI is now helping prop up GDP growth —even as many AI ventures remainunprofitable. If this boom fizzles, economists warn that the entire economy would be hit “Investors may like tech stocks on good days, but theycan’thandle the smoke on the bad days,” said Cox. “This is why you spread your money across sectors and geographies instead of going all in on what stocks you think will continue to do well. That’s abet on the future, and nobody can predict the future.”

Email Michelle Singletary at michelle.singletary@ washpost.com

$120 millionmixed-use

ELMWOOD

Continuedfrom page 1E

Road West near theHuey P. LongBridge. Earlierthis fall, Intralox, adivisionofLaitrim Corp.,unveiled anew 17,000-square-foot expansion on itscampus that will house afood processing training center And developerLouis Lauricella, whose family first opened the Elmwood Shopping Center in 1975, is planning a$120 million project tobuild 251 apartments, as wellasshops and restaurants, at the site of theformer Kmart, which shut down nearly a decade ago. The move is partofthe ongoing transformation of the outdoor stripmall that Lauricella beganupdating adecade ago.

Juge said those factors, as wellasother nearby investments —Ochsner Health’sconstructionof anew children’shospital building on itsJefferson Highway campusand the development of asubdivision with 100 single-family homes at the former Colonial Golf and Country Clubinnearby Harahan— make Elmwood an attractive area for office space, as wellasfor the industrial properties for which it is better known.

“The big picture is, 20 or 30 yearsago you’d put your office at Elmwood if youhad to,” saidJuge, who plans to relocate his real estate brokerage office from Metairie to Elmwood Oaks. “Now,you want to put your office there.”

‘Alternative to Metairie’ Though Elmwood was developed initially as an industrial area with warehousesand “flex” space, its handful of office buildings have high occupancy rates, in part due to large

institutionaltenants that tend to have long-term leases. The averageoccupancy ratesfor Elmwood’s eight office buildings averaged nearly 93% in 2024. By comparison, the pricey East Metairie market, which includesthe Galleria and Lakeway towers, averaged 85%, while occupancy in downtownNew Orleans high rises hovered around 80%, according to Corporate Realty’sOffice Report.

Corporate Realty broker Joe Gorman said amore significant driver behind the strength of the Elmwood office market is its price point.

Elmwood’soffice stock, though slightly older than Metairie’s newest “class A” buildings, lease, on average, for about $19 per square foot.Metairie’s classAtowers, by comparison, are the steepest in the market, averaging morethan $25 per square foot,while older buildings in Metairie go for about $20 per square foot on average.

“For those who want to be in Jefferson Parish, it’s an alternativetoMetairie, Gorman said. “When Lakewayis$26 afoot, Elmwood looks attractive.”

JeffersonParish Economic Development Commission

President and CEO Jerry Bologna believes the continued growth of the area at a

timewhen other parts of the metro area are stagnating also accounts forinterest in Elmwoodoffice properties.

“Wehaveseen someorganic change in the makeup from awarehousing and logistics hubtomore commercial,retailand office use,” he said. “It’sdeveloping as acommunity within acommunity.” In Baton Rouge, the industrial and mixed-use office properties in the Industriplex corridor off Siegen Lane, which is lined with strip malls and big-box retailers, have benefited in asimilar way, according to commercial broker Grey Mullins.

“Industriplexreminds me of theElmwood-Clearview corridor —both ubercompetitive areas with industrial andcommercial space,” Mullins said. “Occupancy rates are high, and when things comeupfor sale, they tend to movefast.”

Juge hopes those synergies will help attract anew tenantortenants to Elmwood Office Park, where he plans to move his office from Metairie afterrenovations are complete.

“Our challenge willbeto make acompelling caseto come to Elmwood,not Metairie,” he said.

Email Stephanie Riegel at stephanie.riegel@ theadvocate.com.

TALKING BUSINESS

ASK THE EXPERTS

DOTD rebuilding trust through transparency, communication

BY ANTHONY McAULEY Staff writer

Q&A WITH JULIA FISHERCORMIER

Julia Fisher-Cormier is a rising star in Gov Jeff Landry’s administration, one that has leaned heavily on Landry’s promises to make state government more efficient and businessfriendly Fisher-Cormier’s résumé spanning long stints in both the public and private sectors embodies the kind of cross-sector experience Landry has prized: leaders who can quickly spot what makes bureaucracies sclerotic and slow to deliver for the public Cormier’s first assignment under Landry came as head of the Office of Multimodal Commerce, where she helped implement Louisiana’s first statewide port strategic plan and guided the creation of the Louisiana Ports and Waterways Investment Commission. Her mandate was to improve coordination between the state’s ports, rail and freight networks — a natural fit for someone who had previously served as chief commercial officer at the Port of South Louisiana, one of the largest tonnage ports in the Western Hemisphere.

In September, Landry elevated Fisher-Cormier as part of a broader shake-up at the Department of Transportation and Development, naming her deputy secretary alongside Eric Dauphine She leads the new Office of Transformation, and Dauphine leads the Office of Project Delivery Together, they are charged with carrying out Landry’s May 2024 executive order, in which the governor castigated the DOTD for “deficiencies” and for having lost public trust. He argued that there was ample room to “streamline” the department’s 4,300-employee operation. The fact that the efficiency initia-

PROVIDED PHOTO

Julia Fisher-Cormier was appointed deputy secretary of the Department of Transportation and Development in September to run the Office of Transformation. The mission is to deal with the department’s ‘deficiencies’ and make it work for the public.

tive had to be “re-launched” last month 18 months after Landry’s executive order — suggests that transforming DOTD may be less straightforward than it first seemed. Yet Fisher-Cormier’s mix of local government experience — 11 years on the St. Charles Parish Council — and background in commerce and logistics have made her one of the administration’s most pragmatic troubleshooters Cormier says her goal is not just to restructure an agency, but to restore confidence in how Louisiana delivers its infrastructure. In this week’s Talking Business, she discusses how she’s been setting up the Office of Transformation over the last few weeks. Interview has been edited for length and clarity Youwerealreadyinstategovernmentbefore beingnameddeputysecretaryatDOTD.How didyourearlierroleprepareyouforthisnew assignment?

That experience gave me an inside look at how the department operates and where it struggles. I wasn’t directly involved in road and bridge projects, but I saw close up what DOTD does well — and also what needed improvement. It helped me walk into this new role with a realistic sense of both the strengths and gaps inside the department.

Landry’s2024executiveorderdidn’tmince wordsaboutDOTD’s“deficiencies.”Whatdid you findwhenyougothere?

When the transformation effort first launched under the previous leadership, there was a basic framework put in place — 31 initiatives in response to the governor’s order — but then progress largely stalled. Decisions weren’t made and executive direction was missing So when I was appointed in September our first task was to restart the process We spent the first month meeting with staff across the state, listening to the people responsible

for each initiative, and asking what they needed to move forward. That helped us see where the work had gone quiet and how much remained to be done.

ThegovernorcriticizedDOTDforinefficiency Didyou findthatdiagnosisaccurate?

Not entirely There’s a lot the department already does right. The biggest issue wasn’t failure it was communication Good work was happening, but nobody was telling the story, either internally or externally For instance, over the past two years, DOTD completed about $20 million worth of local transportation projects on time and on budget, but the Legislature didn’t even know it because those successes weren’t being shared.

That lack of communication also extended to our challenges. People weren’t always candid about where things were stalled, whether that meant permitting delays or funding shortfalls So one of the first priorities of the Office of Transformation is creating better systems for transparency. So we’re consistently communicating not just our wins, but our obstacles, and doing it across headquarters, districts and with legislators and the public.

Howareyougoingabout fixingthat?

We’re building formal communication processes not just press releases or social media, but clear, reliable feedback loops. For example, making sure a local government is personally notified if a road closure affects them, rather than just receiving a mass email. It sounds simple, but it wasn’t standard practice. We’re also standardizing response times and expectations for developers, contractors and local partners.

There’salonglistof31initiativesunderthe transformationeffort.Whataretheonesyou thinkwillmattermosttothepublic?

One is operations and maintenance — day-to-day issues like potholes, guardrails and road closures. We’re tightening up how those are handled and communicated. Another is strengthening the link between economic development and

transportation planning. Historically, those two areas didn’t work together closely enough. Sometimes a major business project would be announced, and DOTD’s processes would unintentionally slow it down. Now we’re integrating economic impact into how we prioritize and design projects, allowing more flexibility where appropriate while keeping safety as the top priority

Thegovernorhastalkedaboutstreamlining DOTD’s4,300employees.Isthatunderway?

We’ve launched a workforce and workload assessment through the Louisiana Transportation Research Center They’re analyzing where the work is actually happening section by section, job by job — to see whether staff are balanced and resources are being used effectively It’s not just about cutting positions; it’s about aligning people with the work that needs to be done. That’s important for both efficiency and morale.

Willnewfunding,suchastheallocation fromthestate’sstabilizationfund helpreduce thebacklogofroadandbridgeprojects?

Not in a significant way That backlog, around $19 billion to $20 billion, is enormous. The stabilization funding is helpful but won’t make a noticeable dent. The bigger effort is to prioritize projects better and make sure those that are ready to go actually move forward.

Whendoyouthinkthepublicmightstartto seeresultsfromthesereforms?

Some changes — like improved communication and responsiveness — will be felt relatively soon. But meaningful reductions in the project backlog will take longer Over the next few months, we’re reviewing all 31 initiatives to decide which can yield short-term wins and which are long-term structural fixes. My hope is that as we demonstrate real progress and transparency, the Legislature and the public will see that DOTD is serious about earning back trust and delivering results.

Email Anthony McAuley tmcauley@theadvocate.com.

Fool’sTake: Blue-chip dividends andgrowth

COMER

globally andabout 130 in New Orleans while reporting revenue for the first threequarters of theyear in excess of $80 million.

Since then, Comer has focused on aturnaround even as tariff uncertainty and thelack of amajor national election cycle have softened demand for marketresearch.

Motley Fool

The Vanguard Dividend AppreciationETF (ticker: VIG) is chock-fullofblue-chipcompanies. It aims to roughly duplicate the performance of the S&P U.S. Dividend Growers Index which features companies with at least 10 consecutive years of dividend increases —byholding mostorall of the same companies. (The index also excludes the top-yielding quarter of eligible stocks to avoid yield traps —situations where astock has ahighdividend yield simply becauseits stock price has fallen often for not-so-good reasons.)

It’saweighted index, meaning that certain stocks make up more of the assets thanothers, and there were 337 stocks altogetherasofSept. 30. The top five holdingsthen were: Broadcom Microsoft, JPMorganChase, Apple and Eli Lilly. The ETF’srecent dividend yield of 1.6%may seem small, but remember that the per-share payout should growover time.The mostrecent quarterly payout was $0.865 pershare, and adecade earlier,itwas $0.443. Topholding Broadcom recently offered adividend yield of 0.6%, but it has increased its payoutby82% over the pastfive years alone. Another bonus —this fund has an extremely low fee. Itsexpense ratio of 0.05% means that for every $10,000 you have invested,you’ll pay only $5 peryear.(The Motley Fool ownsshares of and recommends the Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF.)

Ask the Fool: What’sa ‘naked call’option?

What’sa“nakedcall”option?—L.D.,Lancaster,Pennsylvania First, understand that options can be tricky andrisky,and you can build wealth successfully in the stock market without everusing them. But on to naked calls: Thereare two main kinds of options —calls and puts. Buyinga call gives you the right to buy acertain numberof shares at acertain “strike” price withina defined period of time (often just afew months). Buyingaput, conversely, gives you theright to sell shares.

When you sell (or “write”) acall, you’re committing to deliveraset number of sharesifthe buyer exercises the call. If you own theshares, it’s a“covered call.” If you don’t, it’sa “naked call.” Naked calls are riskier because should the stock surge, you may have to fulfill your contractual obligation by buying the sharesat the new,higher stock price to deliver to your buyer. Youcan lose alot of money if things don’t go the way you thought they would. But if thestock staysbelow thestrike priceuntil the optionexpires, you get to pocket the price of theoption. If you’re intrigued by options, read andlearn alot more about them before you tradeany

Now,instead of having more time to throw the ball with his kids or siprum drinks on an island, Comer is back in the trenches, trying to boost the financialperformanceofthe company that absorbed the business he built for morethan adecade. He travels multiple times each month to several continents to meet withcustomers, employees, board members and investors.

Thesurprising turn of events demonstrates that asplashy “exit,”the tech world’sterm for sellinga company, isn’t alwaysthe endofthe story.

In Lucid’scase, Comer is now working harderthaneverto preserve his startup’slegacy andboost thevalue of Cint’s stock in theprocess, while he cheers on several former Lucid execs who have created spinoff companies that are turning New Orleans intoasmall-scale hub for the evolvingmarket research industry Anyone with astake in Cint, which reported roughly $180 million in net sales in 2024 and has more than 700 employees, is no doubt rooting for Comer as well.

“I feel very responsible and accountable becauseIstood up to my investors, much less Cint’s investors, andsaidthis dealwas going to work,” Comer said during an interview at his Lower Garden District officelast week. “So my primary reason forbeing backinthe deal is because Isaid it was going to make it work. People are like, ‘Well, theshare price will make me money.’ All that may be true.But the clear reason is to fulfill my obligations.

Opportunity to expand

At thetime of their merger, Lucid and Cint were doing similarthings from different sides of theAtlantic. They both connected brands, researchers, political campaigns and other clients to aglobal audience of surveyrespondents, who might trade their feedback for airlinemiles, loyalty card points or other perks. By 2021, Lucid had grown to employ more than 500 people

Cint, meanwhile, which had been acquired in 2016 by a private equity firm, hadabout twice as many employees and reported more than $150 million in revenue for that year

Its owners saw in Lucid an opportunity to expand, and in October offered roughly $580 million in cash and$470 million in shares for the company

On paper, the mergermade a lotofsense. Former Cint CEO TomBuehlmann said thenit would “enable ourcustomers to access millions of people’s opinions in an easier, fasterand more efficient way.”

But, in hindsight, the timing might have been better for Lucid thanCint.

The deal closed just before rising interest rates and inflation, combined with artificial intelligencedisruption, shocked the entire tech industry, leadingtothe loss of nearly $7 trillion in market value industrywide over the next year

“I sold at theabsolute topof the most recentbull market for technology globally:Dec. 29, 2021,” Comer said.“Theshare price of Cint dropped by 90% in the next 18 monthsbecause thevalue of technology stocks fell from itshigh-water mark.” ‘Tonsofchallenges’

Postacquisition, Cint battled withexternalproblems, like a reduction of researchtechnology budgets, and internal ones, most notably the muchslowerthan-expected integration of theplatforms Cint and Lucid used to serve their customers.

“Wehave struggled to combine these companies and their technology,” Comer said. “In a vacuum, eitherone of them worked great, butpulling all these things together has created tons of challenges.”

The numbers tell the story: Cint wastrading at over 100 Swedish krona on the Stockholm Nasdaq stock exchange at the time of the deal. After asteep decline in 2022 and a slower descentafter that, the company’sshare price was hovering in thesingledigitsin September 2024, when Comer was tapped to take the reins.

In its most recent earnings report, Cintreported aroughly 20% quarter-over-quarter net salesdecline in the third quarter of this year.But Comer said the drop in revenue happened forthe right reason:The company chose to avoid a“death by athousand cuts” by moving mostCint customers to the new consolidated tech platform in a burst rather than over time. Nowthat most customers are working on thesame system, he believes his teams around theglobe can focus on bringing in newones.

“This is not afalling market noristhis afailedstrategy,but this is literally the cost of the transition,” he said in his Oct. 24 presentation. Lastweek, he said the company can now shift“back to innovation, back to revenue,back to ourcustomers.”

Specific moves that have Comer excited include the releaseofanew chatbotfeature that will letcustomers interact with their data and apartnership with avendor that will provide salesdata to quantify the effectiveness of ad campaigns.

The‘Lucidmafia’

Forseveral yearsafter the Lucidsale, Comer served as chair of theCintboard of directors. That advisory role allowedhim to focusonhis family andpursue other interests.

Duringthattime,hefounded thegaming startupGripnr andheco-foundedNieuxCo., which operates atech community gathering place based in the Eiffel Tower building on St. Charles Avenue. He and his wife,Christina, also have supported civic causes in New Orleans, like a$1.5 million donation to the Sonofa Saint nonprofit anda biggergift to the choir at their shared alma mater,the University of theSouth in Sewanee, Tennessee. He’snot theonly one who’s been busy

Since 2021, several former Lucid execs —who Comer called the “Lucid mafia”— have launchedtech ventures of theirown

RepData, foundedbyformerLucid employee Patrick Stokes, completed amajor fundraising round earlierthis year for itssoftware that promises high-quality data and fraud protection. The company has 100 employees, includingabout 20 in NewOrleans. RepDatabought Research Defender,foundedbyanother former Lucidemployee, Vignesh Krishnan, in 2023. Rick Rogers, whomoved to New Orleansin2015 to work for Lucid, launched RevOptimal in 2023 to help companies better target audiences for their online ads. The company has16employees,including four in NewOrleans.

Cint itselfhas about50employees working in Louisiana, but that’snot the only wayits CEO is boosting the region’s tech scene.

Comer is among thetech founders who contributed to aventure capital fund that investsinsomeofthe startups that graduate from accelerator programs at the Idea Village, the city’smost high-profile nonprofit business accelerator “That’saclear and undeniable example of the passing on,” said Comer,who said he sees similaritiesbetween the business climate nowand 15 years agowhenhelaunched Lucid.

“Wewere coming offthe economic crisis of 2008 through 2011,” he said. “Now,the next bull run is abouttostart, and you always want to start companieswhenthings are tough, because you’ve gotthe most runway or ramp to build from there.”

And while Cint is not astartup by any stretch, Comer is eager to rolluphis sleeves and treat it likeone in an era when AI presents the biggest challenge andopportunity.

“Every industry is going throughthe same terrifying opportunityand problem: Can AI replace or improve what we do,” he said. “As humans, we hope theanswerisno. But technology being whatitis, the answer maybeyes. That’s terrifying if you’re notinthe mix, but if you’re leading the change, it’s opportunity.”

Email RichCollinsatrich. collins@theadvocate.com.

AROUND THE REGION

DevDays challenging college students to find solutions

BY IANNE SALVOSA Staff writer

There are no participation trophies at Nexus Louisiana’s DevDays.

The competition challenges innovators to come up with solutions to the state’s most pressing issues in the business incubator’s latest push to connect with Louisiana’s young talent. While one team gets to walk away with a $5,000 check, Nexus CEO Tony Zanders says there aren’t any losers either DevDays brings experts and young professionals in the same room to devise tangible products that solve an issue impacting the state, such as carbon emissions and common injuries.

The contest is geared toward college students, who get feedback on how to improve their solution and an opportunity to network with industry professionals, win or lose.

“Don’t take for granted all the things that could happen today if you just be yourself,” Zanders told competitors at the first DevDay in October

This year, Nexus Louisiana has aligned its efforts to stimulate innovation in the state with college students and young professionals through networking opportunities at LSU tailgates and competitions, hosting the Nexus Technology Cup in June.

Zanders said older industry professionals may not be attuned to the latest issues in their field so the onus is on young people to become educated on the mistakes of prior generations and apply their knowledge when they enter the workforce.

The goal is to get “them to point their critical thinking skills to this problem the earlier the better,” he said.

The first DevDay competition, held late last month, asked teams to find a way to track and manage carbon capture, utilization and storage. While the issue is grounded in energy, the contest pushed students to become well-rounded in business as energy solutions must come to

the marketplace and connect with the public.

“Our future innovators in this room will have to be not just be fluent in the language of molecules, but also be fluent in the language of market,” said Ashwith Chilvery, a competition judge who serves as director of use-inspired research and development for the energy innovation organization Future Use of Energy in Louisiana.

Across the state colleges and universities are cultivating student entrepreneurs and helping them launch successful startups through new and expanded entrepreneurship classes, on-campus business incubators and pitch competitions.

The move comes as young people show a greater awareness of entre-

preneurship than older generations and less interest in trying to climb the corporate ladder for the duration of their career

Inside the Louisiana Tech Park, the inaugural competition teemed with industry leaders and college students anxious to pitch their project. A representative from Louisiana Economic Development watched to see if any competitors would be eligible for funding. Staff from energy technology company Baker Hughes and FUEL — both competition sponsors — provided critiques for teams on the scalability of their projects, their appeal to wide range of stakeholders and the originality of their solution. The next DevDay set for Friday

Beyond.

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Grambling State University student Daniel Osuoha speaks during his group’s presentation during Nexus Louisiana’s first DevDay competition Oct. 24 at Louisiana Tech Park.

challenges teams to create a solution to improve ACL injury prevention and recovery Surgeons conduct 400,000 ACL reconstruction surgeries each year and injuries commonly stem from sports.

Zanders said the topic will be “tangible” for the public, given the frequency of the injuries.

“It’s going to make technology a lot more accessible and close to home,” he said After presentations from 11 teams, a group of University of Louisiana at Monroe students took home the prize for the first DevDay competition. Their creation, titled Carbon Horizon is a dashboard that collects carbon capture, utilization and storage data from facilities and uses artificial intelligence to gener-

ate industry-compliant reports for the Environmental Protection Agency, slashing time and work spent on manual data entry and analysis. The platform also has a marketplace for companies to sell their stored carbon.

Team member Jeevan Parajuli said that as computer science students, the group wasn’t attuned to carbon capture prior to the competition. But the team saw an opportunity to apply their skills to an issue important to the public, and their work isn’t over “Part of that money, we’re going to invest in the next DevDay coming up,” he said Email Ianne Salvosa at ianne. salvosa@theadvocate.com.

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vide 24/7 on-callsupport 365daysper yr.Telecommutingpermittedupto2 days perwkfromhomeofficew/inrea‐sonablecommuting distance of Luling LA.Upto5%U.S.travelreqd. Salary Range: Employees canexpecttobepd asalaryb/w $93,000.00 to $120,000.00 Add’lcompensationmay include a bonus or commission(if relevant) Add’lbenefitsinclude health care,vi‐sion,dental, retirement,PTO,sick leave, etc. Theofferedsalary mayvary w/in this rangebased on an applicant’s location,marketdata/ranges,anappli‐cant’s skills& priorrelevantexp,cer‐tain degrees &certifications, &other relevant factors.MailresumetoJill Martin,Bayer CropScienceLLC,800 N LindberghBlvd.,E2NE, St.Louis,MO 63167 or emailresumetocareers_us@ bayer.com. ReferenceJob Code 852121.

Worrying trend

Doctors discuss why Louisiana men are dying younger than elsewhere and how they’re trying to reverse that

BY EMILY WOODRUFF Staff writer

Louisiana men live an average of around 69 years, between five and six years less than the national average, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. State data show fewer than two-thirds saw a doctor in the past year That gap, driven by delayed care, economic barriers and longstanding cultural norms, costs lives and strains families.

Many men don’t prioritize their own health, said Glenis Scott, prevention program manager at CrescentCare in New Orleans, often because showing up to work or responsibilities to family or friends win out over going to the doctor.

“Those consequences they see as greater than their own health,” Scott said.

He’s seen men who won’t seek care until a crisis makes it unavoidable His outreach teams go where men already feel at ease to talk about preventive care, testing and sexual health. To gain trust, they first must find “gatekeepers” of trusted spaces — the barbers who know every customer by name, the person who unlocks the gym or the owner of the local dive bar.

Those conversations can be raw and personal. Men talk more freely, he said, when they’re away from family or work, in places where they can drop their guard. Some are hearing basic health

Cedric Parms asks a question while talking with physician’s

on Aug 23 outside of the screening area for Goodwood

Pennington Biomedical’s Annual Men’s Health Summit

information for the first time, having grown up without comprehensive sex or health education, which is not required in Louisiana.

“A lot of them have never had these

conversations at all,” Scott said.

Dr Keith Ferdinand, professor of medicine and director of preventive

Study shows implant reverses blindness

BY ANYA SOSTEK

A team co-led by a University of Pittsburgh professor was able to restore sight to blind patients with advanced macular degeneration, according to a report published recently in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The study was conducted in Europe by a team of researchers including senior author José-Alain Sahel, who moved from his native France to join University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in 2016. The study evaluates a procedure that implants a tiny wireless panel of electrodes into the eye that works in conjunction with eyeglasses equipped with a built-in camera and infrared projector More than 80% of the participants saw a clinically meaningful improvement in their vision.

“It’s the first time that any attempt at vision restoration has achieved results in such a large number of patients,” said Sahel, chair of Pitt’s ophthalmology department and director of the UPMC Vision Institute.

Advanced atrophic age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in people older than 80, affecting more than 5 million people worldwide. As the disease advances, vision blurs in the center of the field of vision, leaving peripheral vision intact. The technology used in the study allows participants to blend their functional peripheral vision with enhancements in their central vision from the implanted electrodes and the glasses.

The study involved 38 European patients with advanced macular degeneration who were 60 years or older and had vision that was worse than 20/320 meaning that they would need to be 20 feet away to see what a person with normal vision can see from 320 feet away When the study began, participants were unable to see even the first or second line of a vision chart, said Sahel.

The participants trained with the device for several months, and 32 of the original 38 participants were still using it 12 months after the study began. At that point, with the implant and glasses, “the average was three lines of improvement,” said Sahel. “One of them had 12 lines of improvement, which is incredible.”

Those 12 lines translated to seeing an additional 59 letters on the vision chart. On average, the patients could see about 25 additional letters.

In addition to improvements in testing, most of the participants also reported that they found the implant and glasses useful in their everyday lives. They used them at home to read letters, numbers and words, as well as for daily activities such as navigating the subway,

HEALTH MAKER

Acupuncturist brings Chinese medical practices to La.

BY SHANTELL GOMEZ Contributing Writer

The Acupuncture Center of Acadiana has been a quiet and steady presence in Lafayette’s healing community since 1997. Its founder, John Hebert, is a licensed and board-certified practitioner of acupuncture and Chinese medicine who blends classical wisdom with modern understanding.

A graduate of Samra University of Oriental Medicine in Los Angeles, Hebert completed a two-year clinical internship in China and is a certified Diplomat of Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine. He also helped found the Acupuncture Association of Louisiana. At his practice inside Camélia House, Hebert focuses on helping the body restore balance through acupuncture, herbal medicine and related therapies. He shares about what acupuncture really is, how it works and what patients can expect. WhatledyoutoopentheAcupunctureCenterofAcadiananearly threedecadesago?

When I returned from studying in China, I felt a deep pull to bring that experience back home. There weren’t many places in Louisiana offering acupuncture at the time, and I wanted to create a center where people could access genuine, well-rounded care rooted in traditional Chi-

nese medicine. Over the years, the goal has always been the same: to help people reconnect with their own capacity to heal.

Forthosenewtotheidea,what exactlyisacupuncture?

Acupuncture is a method of encouraging the body to promote natural healing and improve function It’s one of eight branches of traditional Chinese medicine and is based on the principle of Yin and Yang — the balance between opposing but interconnected forces like activity and rest, or body and mind. When these forces are in

balance, life energy or Qi (pronounced “chee”) flows smoothly through the body When that flow is blocked or weakened, pain or illness can develop. Through the very precise placement of very fine needles at specific points, acupuncture helps restore balance and communication within the body

Simply put, it’s the art and practice of correcting imbalance, which allows the body’s natural self-regulating abilities to do what they’re meant to do: heal. Howdoesacupunctureworkona physiologicallevel?

The classical Chinese explanation is that energy

travels through the body in a network of meridians, like a series of rivers that nourish and connect every part of the body When one of these rivers gets blocked, you might have pain, fatigue or dysfunction in certain areas.

By stimulating specific acupuncture points, we can remove those blockages and restore the free flow of Qi. From a biomedical view, acupuncture influences multiple systems at once. It can reduce inflammation, regulate immune function, improve circulation and even rebalance the autonomic nervous system — the part that controls your body’s fight-or-flight and rest-and-digest responses. While some people talk about an endorphin release as the main mechanism, it’s only part of the story The most powerful effects come from improved circulation, nervous system regulation and the body’s ability to move out of chronic stress patterns.

Whatconditionsdoyoumost oftentreat?

Most people know acupuncture for pain things like back pain, migraines or arthritis. But we also treat a wide range of chronic and acute conditions. Common ones include hormonal imbalances, autoimmune disorders, allergies, anxiety, depression and digestive disorders.

In recent years, I’ve seen remarkable results in using acupuncture to help with

stress and anxiety One of its greatest strengths is its ability to help the body shift out of the constant “fightor-flight” state that so many people live in today

By calming the nervous system, acupuncture promotes deep relaxation and helps the body regain balance.

Whatdoesatypical firstvisit looklike?

The first session always begins with a conversation. We go over medical history, current complaints, and even emotional or environmental factors that could be affecting health. Many people are nervous their first time, but that usually fades as soon as they realize how gentle and relaxing acupuncture actually is.

Most patients leave the session feeling deeply calm and many notice some level of relief right away

Howmanytreatmentsdoessomeoneusuallyneed?

That really depends on the condition and the individual. For chronic or longstanding issues, I might recommend one or two sessions a week for several months. For acute problems like a sprained ankle or a tension headache just a few visits may do the trick.

Once a patient’s main complaint is resolved, maintenance sessions may be recommended. It’s a good way to keep the body in balance and prevent issues from coming back.

Whatareyourfavoritesuccess stories?

My favorite moments are when people start believing in their own wellness again. Sometimes patients come in after years of trying different treatments without finding relief what I call “cases of desperation.” They’ve been passed from practitioner to practitioner, collecting diagnoses and prescriptions along the way Watching them gradually regain function — to see their energy return, their pain lift and their confidence grow that’s what makes this work so meaningful.

Whatdoyouwantpeopletoknow aboutacupuncture?

First, it doesn’t hurt and second, it often feels really good. We work hard to make sure the experience is comfortable and peaceful. When someone is at ease, the body communicates and heals much more effectively

Acupuncture is part of a beautifully effective, timetested medical system. Over the last three decades, I’ve come to truly appreciate how adaptable and safe it is. It’s not just about needles it’s about restoring communication and balance in the body so it can heal itself.

I feel honored to serve this community and look forward to many more years of helping people discover that balance.

Email Margaret DeLaney at margaret.delaney@ theadvocate.com.

Advice to feed babies peanuts helped thousands avoid allergies

BY JONEL ALECCIA AP health writer

A decade after a landmark study proved that feeding peanut products to young babies could prevent development of life-threatening allergies, new research finds the change has made a big difference in the real world.

Peanut allergies began to decline in the U.S. after guidance first issued in 2015 upended medical practice by recommending introducing the allergen to infants starting as early as 4 months The rate of peanut allergies in children ages 0 to 3 fell by more than 27% after guidance for high-risk kids was first issued in 2015, and by more than 40% after the recommendations were expanded in 2017.

“That’s a remarkable thing, right?” said Dr. David Hill, an allergist and researcher at Children’s Hos-

MEN

Continued from page 1X

cardiology at Tulane University, sees the result of those years of avoidance: heart disease, stroke and kidney failure Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death for men in Louisiana and the chief driver of the state’s mortality gap between White residents and Black residents. The prevalence of heart disease is 46.7% among Black Louisianans, compared with 38.4% for White residents, according to state data.

Men have higher rates of uncontrolled hypertension and diabetes and often don’t have preventative care with a doctor because of cost, limited insurance or cultural norms about toughness and independence.

“Many of these patients feel fine until their first symptom is a heart attack,” Ferdinand said. Women, he noted, are conditioned to seek preventive care from adolescence through regular checkups and reproductive care. Men have no equivalent. That lack of routine can be deadly

pital of Philadelphia, and author of a study published last month in the medical journal Pediatrics Hill and colleagues analyzed electronic health records from dozens of pediatric practices to track diagnoses of food allergies in young children before, during and after the guidelines were issued.

“I can actually come to you today and say there are less kids with food allergy today than there would have been if we hadn’t implemented this public health effort,” he added

About 60,000 children have avoided food allergies since 2015, including 40,000 children who otherwise would have developed peanut allergies. Still, about 8% of children are affected by food allergies, including more than 2% with a peanut allergy.

Peanut allergy is caused when the body’s immune

“There’s no such thing as a well-man visit,” Ferdinand said.

Some solutions are beginning to take shape. At Tulane, Ferdinand helped lead the CHERISH study, which embedded health workers in churches to screen for high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol. But men were a small fraction of participants because they attend church less often than women. To reach them, he’s proposed expanding into New Orleans’ social and pleasure clubs through second line events and recreation centers where men already gather Next month, the American Heart Association plans to install self-use blood pressure kiosks in several New Orleans Recreation Department facilities, from Joe W. Brown Park in New Orleans East to the Tremé Center A family member is often the reason some men are prodded into Dr Clayton Runfalo’s office in Gonzales. “Their partner brings them in,” he said. “They’re quick to change their oil in their car and do the maintenance on their truck or their boat, but to do the preventative maintenance on themselves, they just don’t do it.”

system mistakenly identifies proteins in peanuts as harmful and releases chemicals that trigger allergic symptoms, including hives, respiratory symptoms and, sometimes, life-threatening anaphylaxis.

For decades, doctors had recommended delaying feeding children peanuts and other foods likely to trigger allergies until age 3. But in 2015, Gideon Lack at King’s College London, published the groundbreaking Learning Early About Peanut Allergy, or LEAP, trial.

Lack and colleagues showed that introducing peanut products in infancy reduced the future risk of developing food allergies by more than 80%. Later analysis showed that the protection persisted in about 70% of kids into adolescence.

The study immediately sparked new guidelines urging early introduction of

Boys are told to “shake it off” or “be strong,” said Runfalo, lessons that carry into adulthood. By the time men finally visit a doctor preventable conditions like high cholesterol or elevated blood pressure may already be entrenched.

He’s seen patients who delayed colon cancer screenings or ignored symptoms until they required surgery Fear is a factor, especially if the procedure involves an uncomfortable exam.

New technology has made some screenings less invasive. Runfalo pitches a take-home kit that is a colonoscopy alternative to his more reluctant patients as “poop-in-a-box.” But real change depends on men developing a long-term relationship with a doctor who can screen for the usual men killers: cardiovascular disease, prostate and colon cancers, diabetes, mental health issues and even sleep issues, which can turn into serious problems as men age.

“Their primary care doctor, their family doctor, is their biggest health care partner,” Runfalo said.

Email Emily Woodruff at ewoodruff@theadvocate. com.

peanuts — but putting them into practice has been slow

Only about 29% of pediatricians and 65% of allergists reported following the expanded guidance issued in 2017, surveys found.

Confusion and uncertainty about the best way to introduce peanuts early in life led to the lag, according to a commentary that accompanied the study Early on, medical experts and parents alike questioned whether the practice could be adopted outside of tightly controlled clinical settings.

The data for the analysis came from a subset of participating practice sites and may not represent the entire U.S. pediatric population, noted the commentary, led by Dr Ruchi Gupta a child allergy expert at Northwestern University

However, the new research offers “promising evidence that early allergen

introduction is not only being adopted but may be making a measurable impact,” the authors concluded.

Advocates for the 33 million people in the U.S. with food allergies welcomed signs that early introduction of peanut products is catching on.

“This research reinforces what we already know and underscores a meaningful opportunity to reduce the incidence and prevalence of peanut allergy nationwide,” said Sung Poblete, chief executive of the nonprofit group Food Allergy Research & Education, or FARE.

The new study emphasizes the current guidance, updated in 2021, which calls for introducing peanuts and other major food allergens between four and six months, without prior screening or testing, Hill said. Parents should consult their pedia-

tricians about any questions.

“It doesn’t have to be a lot of the food, but little tastes of peanut butter, milk-based yogurt, soy-based yogurts and tree butters,” he said. “These are really good ways to allow the immune system exposure to these allergenic foods in a safe way.” Tiffany Leon, 36, a Maryland registered dietitian and director at FARE, introduced peanuts and other allergens early to her two young sons. At first, Leon’s own mother was shocked at the advice to feed babies such foods before the age of 3, she said. But Leon explained how the science had changed.

“As a dietitian, I practice evidence-based recommendations,” she said. “So when someone told me, ‘This is how it’s done now, these are the new guidelines,’ I just though, OK, well, this is what we’re going to do.”

WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU

The Louisiana Health section is focused on providing in-depth, personal accounts of health in the state.This section looks at medical innovations, health discoveries, state and national health statistics and reexamining tried and true methods on ways to live well.

Health editions will also profile people who are advancing health for the state of Louisiana. Do you have a health story? We want to hear from you. Email margaret.delaney@ theadvocate.com to submit health questions, stories and more.

Eat Fit LiveFit

UGH TT OY OU BY

Thoseofuswho lovebakinghave beenpatiently waitingallyearforthis specialseason,atime whenwesharegratitude andaffectionthrough food.Inthecoming weeks,I’llsharesomeEat Fitholidayrecipesthat alsomakegreatbakedgoodsgifts,including gluten-freeandlowsugaroptions.Let’sstart withoneofmyfavorites: cranberryoatcookies. Thisrecipewas

createdbyJudith Montalvo,managerof FuelCaféatOchsner FitnessCenter,and blendsallthecozy flavorsoftheseason —cinnamon,pumpkin spiceandapopof tartcranberry—intoa naturallysweetened, gluten-freeholidaytreat

Eachcookieoffersanourishingmix offiber-richoatstosupporthealthy digestionandbloodsugarlevels;plantbasedfatsfromalmondflourandpumpkin seeds;andpolyphenolsincranberriesfor gutandimmunehealth.Enjoy! CranberryOatCookies Makes18cookies

1/4cupcoconutoil,softened 1/4teaspoonseasalt

2eggs

1/3cuphoney

1teaspoonvanillaextract

1cupalmondflour

1/4teaspoonpumpkinspice

1/3teaspooncinnamon

1/8teaspoongroundginger

1/4teaspoonbakingpowder

2cupsoats

1cupunsweeteneddriedcranberries

1/2cuppumpkinseeds

BY THENUMBERS

Preheatovento325degrees.Linea bakingsheetwithparchmentpaper.

Mixtogetherwetingredients Inasmallsaucepan,meltthecoconut oilovermediumheatandletcoolslightly soitiswarmbutnothot.Whiskinthesea

MollyKimball,RD,CSSD,isaregistereddietitian withOchsnerHealthandfounderofOchsnersEatFit nonprofitinitiative.Formorewellnesscontent,tuneinto Molly’spodcast,FUELEDWellness+Nutrition,andfollow @MollykimballRDand@EatFitOchsneronsocialmedia. Emailnutrition@ochsner.orgtoconnectwithMollyor scheduleaconsultwithherteam.

LOUISIANAHAS 8TH-HIGHEST CANCER DEATHRATES IN THEU.S.

In 2023, more than 9,000 people in Louisiana died from cancer,atarate of 165.1 cancer-related deaths per 100,000 people. That’shigher than the U.S. cancerdeath rate at 145.4 cancer-related deaths per 100,000 people.

According to data from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, Louisiana had the eighth-highest cancer-related death rate in the country.

Kentucky took the top spotwiththe highest cancer-related death rate with 180.4 deaths per100,000 followedbyMississippi with 179 deaths per 100,000 and West Virginia at 177.9 deaths per 100,000.

Utah had the lowest cancer-related death rates in 2023 with 121.5 deathsper 100,000 followedbyHawaii with 121.6 cancer-related deaths per 100,000 and Newyork with 125.6 cancer-related deaths per 100,000

In Louisiana, only four parishes had cancerrelateddeath rates lowerthan the national average—Caldwell, East Baton Rouge, Ascension and Cameron parishes.

These parishes had the lowest cancer-related death rates in the state, in ascending order: n Caldwell Parish with 123.9 cancer-related deaths per 100,000 people, n East Baton RougeParish with 144.7 cancer-

IMPLANT

Continued from page1X

said Sahel.

The device used in the study differed from previous implants used to enhance vision because it was wireless, said Sahel, as well as howitcould track when patients moved their eyes, versus movingtheir entire head. Sahel and others at Pitt have begun to study the technology in Pittsburgh as well.In2020, thefirstpatientinthe United States to receive the implant did so at UPMC as part of a feasibility study Sahel has been studying

salt,eggs,honeyandvanilla extractuntilsmooth.

Combinedryingredients

In alarge mixing bowl, combinealmond flour,pumpkin spice, cinnamon, ground ginger and baking powder.Stir in oats, cranberriesand pumpkin seeds until evenlydistributed.

Stirtogetherandbake Pourthecoconutoil mixtureintothedry ingredientsandstiruntil justcombined.Usingasmall scooportablespoon,portion doughontotheprepared bakingsheet,leavingspace betweencookies.

Bake9minutes,thenrotate panandbake4to5minutes longer,untiledgesarelightly goldenandcentersareset. Letthecookiescoolonthe panforafewminutesbefore transferringtoawirerack.

Perserving:150calories,7gramsfat,3 gramssaturatedfat,50mgsodium,19 gramscarbohydrates,3gramsfiber,9 gramssugar,4gramsprotein

Ratherbuythanbake?

We’veteamedupwithPigeonCatering tobringthesewholesomecookiesto lifebeyondyourkitchenverysoon.Early nextyear,you’llfindthemavailablefor purchasethroughPigeonandatselect retailers.Also,they’reofferednowatFUEL CaféformembersofOchsnerFitness CenterinElmwood.

related deaths per 100,000 people, n Ascension Parish with 145 cancer-related deaths per 100,000 people, n Cameron Parish with 145.2 cancer-related deaths per 100,000 people, n Orleans Parish with 147.7 cancer-related deaths per 100,000 people, n St.TammanyParish with 149.4 cancerrelateddeaths per 100,000 people, n JeffersonParish with 152.3 cancer-related deaths per100,000 people, n West Baton Rougeand Rapides parishes with 156.5 cancer-related deaths per 100,000 people, n Lincoln Parish with 159.8 cancer-related deaths per 100,000 people, n Livingston Parish with 159.8 cancer-related deaths per100,000 people.

These parishes had the highest rates of cancer-related deaths in the state, in descending order:

n East Carroll Parish with 251.4 cancer-related deaths per 100,000 people, n JacksonParish with 217.2 cancer-related deaths per 100,000 people, n Catahoula Parish with 213.1 cancer-related deaths per100,000 people, n Allen Parish with 206 cancer-related deaths per100,000 people,

this technology for more than 15 years, alongwith Stanford professor Daniel Palanker whois also asenior author of the study

Further research in Pittsburgh is ongoing,and the device manufacturer hasalso applied for clinical use authorization in Europe andthe United States to bringitonthe market.

In thefuture, improvements in the electrical panel mayallow participants to see at higher resolutions, andthe treatmentmay beexpanded to othervisiondiseases

“Of course there will be further developments,” said Sahel.“It’s notthe end of the story.”

Thedeath

peopleineachLouisiana parish:

n Tensas Parish with 202.7 cancer-related deaths per 100,000 people,

n St. LandryParish with 202.1 cancer-related deaths per 100,000 people,

n Webster Parish with 200.2 cancer-related deaths per 100,000 people,

n Union Parish with 197.6 cancer-related deaths per 100,000 people, n Beauregard Parish with 196.6 cancerrelateddeaths per 100,000 people, n Jefferson DavisParish with 196.4 cancerrelateddeaths per 100,000 people.

Community PurposeinAction

Thefutureofourcommunitydependsontheskills, knowledge,andresilienceoftoday’syoungpeople.That’s whyOchsnerHealthhasbeenproudlysupportingJunior AchievementofGreaterNewOrleansforover10years.Their transformativeprogramslikeJABizTownequiptomorrow’s leaderswithafoundationinresponsibility,teamwork,and financialindependence

Junior Achievement’s BizTown JuniorAchievementBizTownisn’tjustafieldtrip.It’sa dynamic,hands-onlearningenvironmentthatturnsstudents intobusinessowners,employees,andcommunityleaders foraday.After12hoursofin-classpreparation,students swearintheirmayor,managebusinesses,balancebudgets, runmarketingcampaigns,depositpaychecks,paytaxes,and evenmakethesometimes-toughchoicesbetweenspending andsaving.

Theresultsspeakforthemselves:

•98%ofstudentsleaveunderstandingtheimportanceof stayinginschool.

•41%shifttheirthinkingaboutgoalsettingandfinancial decision-making

•35%improvetheirapproachtohealthyfinancialhabits.

•25%reportastrongersenseofcontrolovertheirfuture

Thisisn’ttheory,it’slivedexperience.Studentsthroughout GreaterNewOrleansandtheMississippiGulfCoastsee firsthandhowethics,teamwork,andstrategicthinkingmake organizationsthrive.Theylearnthatleadershipisabout service,thateveryrole—fromCEOtocustomerservice—is vital,andthathealthisthefoundationforsuccess.

Investing in aHealthier Future

Weknowstrongcommunitiesrequiremorethanqualitycare. Theyneedstrongleaderswhounderstandtheroleofhealth —bothphysicalandfinancial—inachievingtheirgoals.That’s whyOchsnerHealthissoproudtosupportJuniorAchievement BizTown.Weseeitasaninvestmentinahealthiergeneration thatispreparedtoleadwithbothcompetenceand compassion

What Comes Next

WhenastudentleavesBizTownwiththeconfidencetoruna business,managetheirfinances,ormakeasmarthealthchoice, theytakeasteptowardbecomingthekindofcommunity memberwhowillshapethefutureofLouisiana.

OchsnerHealthiscommittedtofosteringtheseopportunities, becausewhenouryoungpeoplethrive,ourentireregion growsstronger.Butweneedyourhelptomakeithappen. We’reinvitingteachersacrossLouisianaandMississippitoget theirstudentsinvolvedinthislife-changingprogram.Joinus

To learn more, visit ochsner.org/communityimpact

One Million Leaders

Bytheendof2025,JuniorAchievementwillhaveempoweredits1millionth student.Joinusincelebrating70yearsofinspiringyouth—andhelpshape thenextgenerationofleadersandinnovators

LOUISIANA

Naturalinstincts

Statewidenaturalist programeducates about floraand fauna

BY JOYHOLDEN Staff writer

Long before Bob Thomas founded the Louisiana Master Naturalist Association, he grew up in central Louisiana, wandering thewoods andwaterways forsnakes, frogs and bugs.

“It was awonderful place forme,” Thomassaid, “becauseIwas in the field all thetime.Snakes were dripping outof the trees and fish were jumping out of the water.”

His love for nature, fostered by aLouisiana wilderness childhood, led him to jungle after junglestudying snakes and their adaptations —Thomas became a snakeexpert, an environmental biology professor,the founding director ofthe Louisiana Nature Center andthe director of the Center for Environmental Communication at Loyola University. He wanted to share this knowledge and passion with peoplebeyond academia After several years of trying, he finally established thefirst LouisianaMaster Naturalist Association chapter. Now, the 13-year-old program’spopularityissurging.

The Greater New Orleans chapterhas awaitlist of over ayear.Currently,seven chaptersserve thestate: Alexandria, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Monroe, New Orleans andShreveport

The501©(3) nonprofitgroup offers a statewide program toeducateLouisiana residents about the state’sflora and fauna, as well as other aspects of their environment and ecosystems. Once certified, the masternaturalistsuse their knowledge to educate others or assist programs that promote and protect Louisiana’snaturalheritage.Courses are offeredtwice ayear,inthe springand the fall.

BYJOY HOLDEN

Originsofnaturalistassociation

Master Naturalist Associations exist in 48 states, often state-funded. Louisianadoes not have statefunding. Thomas explained that he tried to establish an association with the LSU Ag Center at one point,but funding fell through.

After multiple failed attempts at startingastatewide association, Thomas says he believedthe only waytomove forwardwas to start alocal organization in New Orleans. He called naturalist friends there,and they set up the nonprofit,startingpilot classes in 2012.

The first public classes were held in the spring of 2013.

While each chapter in Louisianaisdifferent, they all have workshops, learning opportunities andservetheir communities. Every chapter presents abroad overview of the state’s natural history, but chapteractivitiesvary basedongeography

Louisiana is nicknamed the Sportsman’sParadisefor itsabundant wildlife that many residents enjoy hunting and fishingin. Thomas values thesportsmen and sportswomen of thestate for their traditional ecological knowledge. He says many have been through theprogram andhavebecome certified naturalists. Other participantsdonot have nearly as much experience, but they are curious abouttheir surroundings. Everyoneiswelcome.

“Wetell them at orientation that it’sa community of people whohavesimilar interests,”Thomassaid.“Youmight love insects, and you might love birds, or you might be intogeneral nature. Youmight love refuges.Itdoesn’tmatter.Ifyou’re interested in nature, you fit theprofile of people in these classes.”

Becoming amasternaturalist

Each chapter has different, but comparable, requirementstoreceive and maintain certification. To receive certification,aspiring naturalists must completea course (40-60 hoursofworkshop time), volunteer time to benefit theenvi-

ronment and community,aswell as pay modestdues.

Thomas says learning happens indoor and outdoor,but they don’tspend alot of timeinside. Field trips and workshops are often outside in nature.

Helen Sierminski of New Orleansleads urbannaturewalks through thecity. Her partner told her about becoming amasternaturalist. He hadcompleted theprogram afew years earlier.She was waitlisted for ayear,but was abletostart the classes when someone backed out in the fall of 2024.

“The challenging partabout it is that we get alot of information allatonce. We have classestwice amonth,and it’s an all-day class learning allthe things. We don’tlearn one thingatatime,” Sierminski said.

Visiting specific sites for field study is also amajor component of the program

When Sierminski and her class visited sites during theprogram, she noted that different expertsdiscussed multiple aspectsofthat environment, like lizards and birds in thearea and what madethe soil unique.

Sierminski startedher own company

ä See NATURAL, page 2Y

Small acts,big connections

As we approach the holidays, I’ve thought alot about people who arelonely. Peeling back the layers of what it takestobuild community might just be the antidote to loneliness.

So,let’s work backwards:

If the epidemic of loneliness is the outside layer, building community would be its undoing, which begs the question: How does onebuild community?

Doing so is nota “just add water” sort of equation. Community grows in layers, from the inside out. It’sa tangledweb of genuine relationships —and it’smessy

As therapist Amanda E. White points out, community is notfrictionless —and Ilovethat phrasing. White is executive director of Therapy for WomeninPhiladelphia.She says thatbeing in acommunity sometimes means getting annoyedbecause that one friend sends toomany texts, or youhavetolistenwhen you don’t feel like it to the friend who tells youway toomuch.

Maybe there arelimits to your patience, but being part of a community might even mean maintaining the relationship with the friend who loudly smacks at the table

The point is being in acommunity is messy,sometimesdifficult —and it comes with being in relationships at avariety of stages.

But genuine relationships are at the heartofevery strong community

The tricky part these days, especially forpeople in younger generations, is finding the other folks to build relationships with. To meet people,I’m abig fan of joining organizations that focus on sharedvalues, activities and interests —churches cometo mind, but if church isn’tone’s cupoftea, perhaps atennis league or atrivia team would work.

The secret to finding new friends is the same advice that my photographerfriend gave me to take betterphotographs: move your feet.Get up and get out. Find the clubs. Go to the meetings. Staya while.

Showup—thenshowupagain. Sometimesdoing so takes courage.

Onceapool of potential friends have been found, what’sthe next step?

It’shaving meaningful conversations —the kind that move beyond small talk andhelp us understand each other to discover howour weirds overlap. As alongtime journalist who has interviewed thousands of people, my adviceonthis is easy —ask questions. If yousincerely ask good andthoughtful questions andlistentothe answers, you’ll be amazed at what people will tell you.

Let’sdissect thatlast sentence again:

Sincerelyask: Frommyvantage point, Isee “sincerity” as the keytoalmost everything when it comes to relationships. Being sinceremeansknowing who you areand following through being true to yourself instead of following whateveritisyou saw someoneelse do andthought wascool once upona time To practicesincerity,pay attentiontowhatmakes your heart sing —and followthat song. Thoughtfulquestions: Don’tgo with the obvious. Think about what thatpersonjust said and allowyourself room to wonder Thenbeboldenough to ask the question. Yes, there’sa line not to crosstoavoid the creepy territory,but there’s alot of room

ASK THE EXPERTS

La. chapel one of the last Southern Gothic Revival churches

Building faces disrepair; roof was last replaced over 100 years ago

BY LAUREN CHERAMIE Staff writer

Spencer Chauvin is president of Friends of St. Mary’s Chapel, a 501(c)(3) corporation that is dedicated to raising funds for the preservation of the chapel in Convent, in St. James Parish. The organization is currently leasing the church from the Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge. While the chapel does not have regular mass, it does host special events.

St. Mary on the River (circa 1849) was the name of the small chapel long before it was referred to in its current English name, St Mary’s. The first St. Mary’s was completed on Oct. 2, 1849. The current and second St. Mary’s Chapel (circa 1875) building is the one standing today on River Road in Convent. The rectory was moved in 1984, but before it was a rectory it was a residence As of today, it is the oldest standing Acadian cottage in Louisiana, dating back prior to 1784.

The building was placed on the Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation’s Most Endangered List for 2021, and the organization is working to get it registered on the National Register of Historic Places. If successful, Chauvin has plans to preserve the original siding, interior and replace the steeple to reflect the original structure that was destroyed by Hurricane Betsy in 1965.

Whatisthecurrentconditionofthechapel?

It’s in disrepair It’s in need of a roof. The last time it had a roof was 1923, and it’s an asbestos slate roof. It was meant to be a 100-year roof, and I think we’ve squeezed every 100 years out of it. We formed the nonprofit to start

NATURAL

Continued from page 1y

which offers urban nature experiences. She uses her master naturalist training professionally as a guide, identifying different species and sharing how the ecosystems work with clients.

She appreciates the ecosystem context the master naturalist certification gave her “Understanding healthy ecosystems helps us to get along with nature,” she said, “like in Louisiana where you have coastal erosion and a lot of environmental factors.”

Around the state

Louisiana Master Naturalists of Greater Baton Rouge member Colette Dean was instrumental in launching the Discover Nature series in 2016 at the LSU Hilltop Arboretum. The series is one example of how master naturalists give back to their communities. He emphasized that chapters

Friends of St Mary’s Chapel is a 501(c)(3) corporation dedicated to raising funds for the preservation of the chapel in Convent, Louisiana, in St

repairs.

St. Mary’s Chapel is a mission of St Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, and I joined the pastoral council of St. Michael’s with St. Mary’s in mind, trying to make sure that it got the attention it needed.

What role did St.Mary’s Chapel play in thecommunity?

St Michael the Archangel was built in the early 1800s. People lived along the river, and it was very difficult for people to travel there, because it serves such a large area. St. Mary’s is about 13 miles from St. Michael’s, so parishioners who didn’t have a horse and buggy had to walk.

There’s stories of people who used to walk barefoot on the levee because they didn’t want to ruin their church shoes. So when they got to church, they put on their shoes.

The priest wanted to build two chapels east and west of St. Mi-

are more than learning about wildlife. The members develop a community, and chapters share presenters and enjoy cohosting field trips with other chapters LMNA hosts an annual state gathering, Rendezvous, to meet one another and share knowledge and ideas.

“Louisiana chapters may differ in their content and approach, but the coordination will ensure consistency in quality and focus,” Thomas said.

Louisiana Master Naturalist Greater New Orleans even has a resource center Thomas affectionately calls “the clubhouse” that serves as a meeting and teaching place. They have a library of about 1,200 nature books and animal artifacts they use in their workshops. They even have study groups on such subjects as mushrooms or dragonflies.

“We meet a lot of interesting people. We have regular membership meetings and gatherings in parks for mini workshops,” Thomas said. “There’s a lot more to it than just hav-

chael’s so that they could serve the people better In a Catholic Church, there’s a side chapel with Mary on the left and Joseph on the right. To commemorate that fact, the priest built St. Mary’s Chapel on the upriver side of St. Michael’s, and he built St. Joseph’s Chapel on the downriver side with St. Michael’s in the middle.

St. Joseph’s has become its own parish, but St. Mary’s never got out of being a mission of St. Michael’s.

What’sthenextmilestoneintherestorationprocessforSt.Mary’s?

We started with getting a new roof to protect it, because it’s leaking. Because it’s an asbestos slate roof, removing the roof actually costs more than putting on a new one.

So we started raising money, and we’ve raised $160,000 so far

We’re going to spend some money to try to beautify the church for now We’re going to repair the

Q&A WITH SPENCER CHAUVIN

PRESIDENT OF FRIENDS OF ST MARy’S CHAPEL

parts of the roof that are leaking,

rip off the vinyl siding and paint the front.

Whatdoesthisprojectteachaboutthe importance of preserving small, sacred spacesinruralLouisiana?

For preservation in general. For me, it’s personal. My greatgreat-great-grandfather was one of the designers and builders of St. Mary’s. Living next to it helps because when I walk out the back door, it’s the first thing I see. It’s kind of knocking on my back door like, “Hey I’m here. I need some help.” The out-of-sight, out-of-mind mentality is not an excuse for me. This church was done in the

ing workshops and learning about nature, it’s a big social occasion.”

To learn more about joining a Louisiana Master Natural-

ist Association, visit www louisianamasternaturalist.org/ chapters.html To view the association’s presentations, visit https://tinyurl.com/yfp9aywz

Gothic Revival style, which was popular in the mid-1800s. Most Gothic Revival churches are masonry construction. They were built to last, and they were built with quite large budgets. Here, they have a limited budget, so they built it out of wood. You don’t see many of those left, because they’re not nearly as strong and built to last as long.

St. Mary’s Chapel could be one of the last timber frame Gothic Revival churches in the South. They usually rot, burn or hurricanes knock them over and this one’s still standing It’s cool to save something that’s one of a kind.

RISHER

Continued from page 1y

before you get there Listen. The number of times I hear other people ask a question that a person just answered is high — and, in full disclosure, I have done it myself too. Nearly every time I do, I’m focusing on what my reply will be as opposed to simply listening and taking it in.

Peoplewilltellyou. They’ll tell you about the time they got into the Peace Corps to go to Albania but ended up in Honduras instead. They’ll tell you about their secret pregnancy They’ll tell you about driving across two states to buy a car for their exwife because it looked like a specific Pokémon.

People will tell you amazing things. In all these small exchanges questions asked, stories shared, kindnesses shared — community starts to take shape. It doesn’t arrive all at once. Community is built layer by layer — through sincerity, curiosity, courage and persistence.

Support provided for Louisianans with cancer

Groups ease the burden of caregivers, fight loneliness

BY MARGARET DeLANEY Staff writer

Once a month, every third Wednesday afternoon in a six-story building down Jefferson Highway, a room is filled with chairs arranged in a circle and women holding white Styrofoam cups of warm tea and coffee In this space, women share the most vulnerable parts of their lives: their journey through cancer Woman’s Hospital, at 100 Woman’s Way, Baton Rouge, began these “Reali-Tea Talks” this year to help patients in any phase of cancer treatment — from diagnosis to survivorship — navigate their lives. They talk about work They talk about their children. They talk about their symptoms They talk about their new realities. They talk about their treatments. They talk about the beauties of life.

They talk about anything at all.

Support groups like this are popping up all around Louisiana in an effort to brace and uplift the thousands of people each year who fight, battle and continue to live after cancer In Louisiana, there have been 29,980 estimated new cases of cancer and 9,340 estimated deaths by cancer in the state in 2025 so far, according to the American Cancer Society Each of those patients has their own stories, their own families to think about and their own lives to lead.

“We wanted our patients to have a place to vent, to talk about everything and nothing at all,” said Shelisa Cager, the manager of the support group at Woman’s Hospital.

Each Reali-Tea Talk is led by an oncology nurse navi-

gator or a social worker who help to guide the group in conversation, giving the way for all members to talk about what’s weighing on them.

“Some patients don’t really like to talk all that much,” Cager said. “But they like to listen — and know that there are people experiencing the same as them.”

Some cancer support groups are led by community members, others like the Tea Talks are hosted by medical professionals. Both can have great benefits on health outcomes after surviving cancer Research from the National Cancer Institute shows that joining a support group improves both quality of life and survival.

Cancer support groups can n help patients feel better more hopeful and not so alone.

n give patients a chance to talk about feelings and work through them.

n help patients deal with practical problems, such as problems at work or school.

n help patients cope with side effects of treatment.

These support groups can also ease the burdens of caregivers and family members. Andre Moreau recognized the importance of support groups for male-centered cancers as well.

“I’m a reluctant new member of the advocacy space,” he said.

Moreau noted that talking to family members sometimes isn’t enough to ease the hardships of surviving and fighting cancer

“You don’t want to feel like a burden to them with every thought in your head,” Moreau said. “They already do so much for us.”

Moreau was a hospital administrator for 20 years in Lafayette when his father died unexpectedly of prostate cancer He then began working in his mother’s beauty salon a business run in the family for over 40 years.

Then, his mother was diagnosed with pancreatic

cancer While he was looking at possible buyers for his family business, Moreau got unexpected news from his annual blood test. He had low levels of a prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, a key indicator for prostate cancer

He went to the urologist to check his levels. He got an MRI. It was real — Moreau had prostate cancer

“I was in the middle of the most stressful time of my life,” Moreau said “I couldn’t get out of there fast enough, because it’s the last thing I wanted to deal with.”

Like many men faced with prostate cancer, Moreau had to make a difficult choice between surgical or radiation treatment. He chose radiation.

Fatigue set in. The bone loss. The emotional toll.

“I could go back to bed at any moment, and I just woke up,” Moreau said.

At the same time, his neighbor of 15 years was diagnosed with prostate cancer as well. They raised their children together at the same high school, and now they would be battling cancer together, too.

During his nine weeks of radiation and two years of hormone deprivation, Moreau spoke to countless men, women and doctors who have had family or friends who fought prostate cancer

“The whole time I was thinking how difficult this process must be for people who don’t have a lot of resources or a network of people to tap into,” Moreau said. “Therefore, I made a commitment to try to raise awareness in our community to try to help others.

It wasn’t until Moreau was at a fishing tournament in Lafayette that he realized just how many men were impacted by prostate cancer, and how he could help.

“I ran into a hospital administrator from Our Lady of Lourdes, and we chatted about a possible group,”

Moreau said. “But I never thought I was the guy to run it.”

The prostate cancer support group started with five people — just a few men Moreau knew who had prostate cancer Over the last year they’ve expanded to 20, sometimes 30, men in one meeting.

After pills, hormonal therapies and visiting multiple doctors for second opinions,

“We just help each other out and say, ‘Hey, have you thought of this?,’ or ‘This might help with your hot flashes,’ or ‘This is what you should expect with your hormone therapy,’” Moreau said. “We encourage each other And we cry together, too.”

Celebrating

ThePower of Partnership

Universityand A&MCollegehas receiveda ative$5million investment from Shellto itiativesinthe CollegeofBusiness and ollegeofSciencesand Engineering. This nvestment directlysupports theSouthern UniversitySystem’sStrategic Pillars, includingStudent Success and Academic Excellence

EMMALEWIS Executive Vice President,Shell Chemicals Southern U transforma expand in theCo in

“Withthis investmentinengineering education and studentsuccess,weare further strengthening Shell’spartnership with SouthernUniversityand empowering thenextgeneration of innovators and leaders. We can’t wait to see howtheywill shape thefutureofenergy and technologyfor our industryand theworld.”

FAITH & VALUES

Monks, nuns harvest olives where Jesus prayed

Many gather at Mount of Olives in October

BY GIOVANNA DELL’ORTO Contributing writer

Come October, monks and nuns are busy harvesting olives at the Mount of Olives and the Gethsemane garden — where, according to the Gospel, Jesus spent the last night before being taken up the other side of the valley into Jerusalem to be crucified.

For two years, the Israel-Hamas war has cast a pall on the Holy Land. The hundreds of centuriesold olive trees here have shaken periodically in missile attacks targeting Israel.

But this year’s harvest happened as a ceasefire agreement was reached, spreading a tenuous hope for peace peace that olive branches have symbolized since the biblical story of the dove that brought one back to Noah’s Ark to signify the end of the flood.

“The land is a gift and the sign of a divine presence,” said the Rev Diego Dalla Gassa, a Franciscan in charge of the harvest in the hermitage next to Gethsemane.

The word Gethsemane is derived from the ancient Aramaic’s and Hebrew’s “oil press.”

For Dalla Gassa and the other mostly Catholic congregations on the hill, harvesting olives to make preserves and oil is not a business or even primarily a source of sustenance for their communities Rather, it’s a form of prayer and reverence.

“To be the custodian of holy sites doesn’t mean only to guard them, but to live them, physically but also spiritually,” he added. “It’s re-

ally the holy sites that guard us.”

Early on a recent morning, Dalla Gassa traded his habit for a Tshirt and shorts albeit with an olive wood cross around his neck

— and headed to the terraces facing Jerusalem’s Old City

The bright sun shone off the golden dome of Al-Aqsa Mosque, visible above the walls encircling the Temple Mount — the holiest site in Judaism alongside the bell towers of Christian churches.

Dalla Gassa and some volunteers, ranging from Israeli Jews to visiting Italian law enforcement officers, picked the black and green olives by hand and with tiny rakes, dropping them onto nets under the trees.

Once they filled a wheelbarrow, Dalla Gassa put on ear covers and got the loud, modern press

humming. Soon, the fragrance of freshly pressed green oil filled the air It takes up to 22 pounds of olives to make 34 ounces of extravirgin oil.

Up the hill from the Franciscan convent, Sister Marie Benedicte walked among more olive trees cradling the adopted kitty she has named “Petit Chat,” little cat in French.

“It’s easy to pray while picking and nature is so beautiful,” she said later while starting her harvest. “It’s like a retreat time.”

For more than two decades, the French nun has been in the Benedictine monastery founded at the end of the 19th century atop the Mount of Olives. Only half a dozen sisters live there now, their day flowing in a 16-hour rhythm of work, contemplative walks in the

garden, and prayer

“It’s very quiet here, very simple,” said Sister Colomba, who is from the Philippines and is in charge of ensuring there’s always enough olive oil in the church lamps to keep them burning by the tabernacle

Olive trees are an essential crop in this desert region where they’ve grown for millennia. For decades they’ve been at the heart of sometimes-violent land disputes between Palestinians and some Jewish settlers in the West Bank. Israel occupied it in the 1967 war along with east Jerusalem, where the Mount of Olives is.

The congregations on the hill do not have commercial productions, dedicating the vast majority of the oil to their own use, both in the kitchen and for sacraments. Many Christians use oil, blessed by clergy during an annual Chrism Mass, for rituals ranging from anointing the sick to blessing the baptized and new altars.

For the religious brothers and sisters living among these trees, the harvest itself is spiritual and full of symbolism.

“In picking the olives, we learn how we are picked. We go looking for that last olive that’s what God does with us, even those who are a bit hard to reach,” said Dalla Gassa.

Squeezing a plump green olive between his fingers, he also spoke of the sacrifice that comes with fulfilling one’s vocation of love for God and neighbor

“The olive is only good when pressed. It’s the same for us,” said Dalla Gassa.

The volunteers who’ve been harvesting this year share in the transcendent experience as much

as in the dusty, hot working days.

“The garden is very special. It’s full of spirituality and holiness,” said Ilana Peer-Goldin, who on a recent morning was helping Dalla Gassa with the harvest. An Israeli raised in Jerusalem, she draws from Jewish, Catholic and Buddhist practices.

Teresa Penta, who is from Puglia, Italy — one of the Mediterranean area’s top olive-producing regions — has spent 13 years in the hermitage next to Gethsemane.

“This place has an eternal charm,” she said.

The modern olive press has been in place only a few years. She said it added special meaning, returning Gethsemane to its original function.

This year’s harvest has been meager because of drought and fierce springtime winds that damaged the blossoms. Still, other congregations have been sending their olives to be processed by the monastery of Latrun, about halfway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv

Latrun’s Trappist monks also have olive trees and vines, though thousands of them were destroyed by a devastating fire this spring.

Walking to the olive press outside the abbey church in his black-and-white habit, Brother Athanase said the oil and wine production helps the friars earn their living. But the end goal is different for the contemplative religious.

“To create the empty space while working with repetitive gesture, to be completely available to our Lord, Jesus Christ,” he said. “It’s a life to be received completely.”

Denver’s food forests provide fruit while greening environment

BY RILEY RAMIREZ Contributing writer

Editor’s note: This story, created by Riley Ramirez for Civil Eats, is part of the Solutions Story Tracker from the Solutions Journalism Network, a nonprofit organization dedicated to rigorous reporting about responses to social problems. Louisiana Inspired features solutions journalism stories that provide tangible evidence that positive change is happening in other places and in our own communities — solutions that can be adopted around the world.

The urban tree canopy in Denver is one of the sparsest in the country Only 15 percent of the Colorado capital enjoys tree cover, and that figure drops to a mere 4 percent for the downtown area. In 2020, when Linda Appel Lipsius became executive director of the decades-old Denver Urban Gardens network, which oversees more than 200 community vegetable gardens throughout six metro Denver counties, she wanted to continue increasing community access to fresh food — a longtime goal of the garden program. But she had another aim, too: increasing the city’s tree coverage. Thinking back to techniques she had learned at the Denver Permaculture Guild, Appel Lipsius decided to build a system of food forests throughout the Denver area These dense, layered plantings incorporate fruit-bearing trees with other perennials to mimic natural forests

Now Denver Urban Gardens oversees 26 food forests, with 600 or so fruit and nut trees and 600 berry bushes. While urban trees are recognized for their multiple benefits, including cooling and carbon drawdown, “there are not a lot of players in Denver or even in most cities around the country, who are focused on food trees,” Appel Lipsius said. “We were able to step into this space to help build and bolster the canopy while adding food-producing perennials.”

Benefits of urban trees

Denver Urban Gardens started as a grassroots movement in the 1970s when North Denver neighbors created space for a group of local Hmong women to grow their own food After transforming a vacant parking lot into the Pecos Community Garden, the group helped other neighbors start gardens, too Denver Urban Gardens officially became a nonprofit in 1985, and over the past four decades, it has grown and distributed more than 62,000 pounds of food throughout the metro area. In the nonprofit’s new food forest

spaces, neighbors are welcome to enter and harvest a wide assortment of fruits, nuts, and berries.

And unlike in Denver Urban Gardens’s community gardens, where people pay a fee to have their own plots, this bounty is free.

Beyond providing fresh food in neighborhoods that need it most, these agroforests reduce the urban heat island effect, create pollinator habitat, and combat pollution and climate change by absorbing and filtering harmful gases. They also create much-needed green space within communities.

“Trees are so beneficial for mental health neighborhood security and certainly temperatures,” Appel Lipsius said. “You walk off the street into one of our food forests and it’s 5 to 15 degrees cooler.”

Globally farmers are increasingly turning to agroforestry techniques — which Indigenous peoples have employed for millennia — to improve, stabilize, and diversify crop yields in the face of climate change.

And across the U.S., cities are embracing agroforestry as well. While Denver has a network of smaller food forests, cities like Seattle and Atlanta have very large standalone sites Appel Lipsius points out that some cities may have community orchards — or simple plantings of fruit or nut trees — rather than multilayered food forests.

Building generational spaces

Denver Urban Gardens lead-

ers used tried-and-tested methods learned through its gardens program to launch the food forests project. In 2022, the organization received seed money from a family foundation to help kickstart its program With that funding, Appel Lipsius brought on her former permaculture teacher, Creighton Hofeditz, who used the funds to plan six food forest sites.

“It’s a process that requires both vision and patience,” said Hofeditz, now the senior director of gardens and food forests for the group

“This is going to look pretty raggedy for the first few years, but in 10 years, it’s going to be this incredible space to visit and explore for the whole neighborhood, and it’ll last for 100 years. We are thinking about (these food forests) as generational spaces.”

Not long after its seed funding, Denver Urban Gardens received a larger grant from a private foundation that enabled the organization to create 20 food forest installations in two years Additional funding flowed into the program, including federal funds from the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act.

“We went from zero to about 26 food forests in three years, which is just nuts,” Appel Lipsius said. Denver Urban Gardens is planning to add four more sites over the next year

Volunteers on the ground

To get a food forest started, Den-

ver Urban Gardens works with landowners usually public entities such as cities, parks, schools, and churches — to identify potential plots that are between 2,000 and 8,000 square feet, vacant, oddly shaped with some amount of slope, and have water and public access.

Denver Urban Gardens then forms agreements with the owners allowing the group to use the land for a food forest as long as they maintain it.

Once a forest is in place, community volunteers trained in tree health, pruning, and pest management — known as tree keepers help tend the site. Additionally Denver Urban Gardens solicits local businesses to sponsor and support the site.

“It’s not just planting trees. These are community-informed designs,” Appel Lipsius said. “It is reliant on the community to survive and thrive.”

Abbie Keyes spends two hours per week at the Bradley International School food forest near her house, tending apple, peach, cherry, mulberry pawpaw and hazelnut trees during the growing season. “I love the philosophy of making it so there are ways for the public to get fresh fruit and really understand how accessible it can be,” Keyes said. “I think it’s a neat way to help people realize where their food comes from.”

Olivia Stockert began volunteering at Denver Urban Gardens’s flagship food forest, the Barnum

Orchard, in 2022, soon after the program started. Over the years, she has witnessed the orchard — which was planted by neighbors in 2016 and later adopted by Denver Urban Gardens — change significantly

“That’s been one of the most rewarding parts of the volunteer role seeing the evolution,” she said. “Having some of these small trees that were planted when I first started volunteering now large enough to actually bear fruit is really cool.”

Adjusting to new funding reality

In March 2023, the Denver City Council unanimously passed the West Area Plan — a roadmap to improve the quality of life for residents in Denver West, a workingclass, predominately Latinx area that had historically been redlined and lacked green space and grocery stores.

As part of the plan, Denver Urban Gardens created the Dig Deeper Initiative to establish six community gardens and nine food forests in several neighborhoods. Denver Urban Gardens received two federal grants totaling $850,000 for the initiative under the Biden administration, but both have been terminated since Trump took office.

“It’s a real shame to see these kinds of projects cut,” said Councilwoman Jamie Torres, who represents Denver West’s District 3, “because they directly meet the needs of a community. with, frankly, not that much investment.”

The loss of $850,000 from a $4.2 million budget has been no small blow, Appel Lipsius said, adding that other Denver Urban Gardens funders now seem nervous about contributing. “It’s just heartbreaking, because this was something that the whole organization was going to be singularly focused on for the next three years,” Appel Lipsius said. “Years of planning, as well, are just out the window now.”

The Dig Deeper Initiative has not been entirely lost, however; leaders have reduced the scope from six gardens to two and from nine food forests to three, and will follow through on their plans for those.

Despite the roadblocks, Appel Lipsius said Denver Urban Gardens will continue its mission to regenerate urban green space and grow healthy food in the community They’re dedicated to the food forest program as well, Hofeditz said, with the goal of “creating a geographic spread so that you can be anywhere in the city and be pretty close to a food forest.”

SUNDAY, November 9, 2025

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.

word game

instructions: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters 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 words are not allowed.

todAY's Word — GoLdsMitH: GOLDsmith: One who makes or deals in articles of gold.

Average mark 39 words Time limit 60 minutes Can you find 59 or more words in GOLDSMITH?

ken ken

instructions: 1 -Each rowand each column must contain thenumbers 1through4 (easy) or 1through6 (challenging) without repeating 2 -The numbers within the heavily outlinedboxes, called cages, must combine using thegiven operation (inany order)toproduce the target numbersinthe top-left corners. 3 -Freebies: Fillinthe single-boxcages withthe numberinthe top-left corner

instructions: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 gridwith several given numbers. The object is to placethe numbers 1to 9in theempty squares so that each row,each column and each 3x3 boxcontains the same number only once. The difficultylevel of the Conceptis Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday

directions: Complete thegridso that numbers 1–132 connect horizontally, vertically or diagonally

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

zhouqin

wuzzLes

Simple is best

– today

super Quiz

SUBJECT: INVENTORS AND INVENTIONS

the device or

When this deal was played in a team match, both tables reached four hearts after an opening bid by West and a Michael’s Cue Bid by North. This table had a straightforward auction with South bidding what he hoped he could make. At the other table, they had some fancy bidding methods after the cue bid. They reached the same contract, but played by North, making it easier for East-West to get a spade ruff. East led a spade to the ace and got a ruff at trick two. Had North who knew the lead was a singleton from the auction, smoothly dropped his king under the ace, West might not have returned a spade. We’ll never know. Down one at that table Here, West led a diamond South won with dummy’s king, and knowing the defense had a spade ruff available, led a club to his ace. He discarded a low spade from dummy on the ace of diamonds before leading a heart. West stepped up with his ace, cashed the ace of spades, and led another spade South could do no wrong at this point. He would have prevailed by ruffing with either the queen or the seven. He chose to ruff with the seven and then cashed the king. When

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Engage in something that excites you, and it will lead to an opportunity Open communication will help you figure out what’s possible and the best way to fulfill your needs.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Look before you leap. Proceed with caution and obtain everything in writing. You are best off sticking to domestic improvements that lower your overhead or add to your convenience.

the jack fell under the king, he crossed to his hand with the 10 of hearts and led a club to make his contract. The simple auction gained big, but there was nothing wrong with the bidding at the other table. It was just bad luck.

Tannah Hirsch welcomes readers’ responses sent in care of this newspaper or to Tribune Content Agency inc., 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, Ny 14207. E-mail responses may be sent to gorenbridge@ aol.com. © 2025 Tribune Content Agency

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Forming a partnership or sharing costs or expertise with someone willing to match your input and effort will lead to a match made in heaven. Proceed with passion.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Check your schedule, how you handle your routine and what you can do to reconfigure your time management. A lifestyle change is within reach; all you need to do is put it into place. PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Engage in events that offer insight into new possibilities. The chance to head in a different direction is within reach. You can’t buy love, but you can earn it. ARIES (March 21-April 19) Put your head down, focus on what you

want to achieve and avoid letting outside influences stand between you and what makes you happy How you handle and implement change will determine your next move.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Too much in too short a time will cause problems. Stick to your routine and budget to make your life easier. Protect your physical and emotional well-being. Choose common sense.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Refuse to jeopardize yourself by fitting in or taking the fall for someone else’s shortcomings. Honesty and integ-

rity are your best options regardless of what others do.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) You can gain ground if you interact with others. Put your best foot forward, and network and socialize your way to success. Let your charm and imagination take the lead, and you’ll own the spotlight.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Ease up on yourself. Reflect on what you are good at and the things you do that bring you pride. Stand up, say what’s on your mind and be a leader who makes a difference.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) What you do will be the deciding factor in

what you receive in return. Making promises without following through are a waste of everyone’s time.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) You are walking a tightrope when it comes to excessive behavior or promising the impossible. Choose your words wisely and show passion in how you approach what and who matter to you.

The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2025 by NEA, inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

Answers to puzzles

SCORING: 24 to 30 points —congratulations, doctor; 18 to 23 points—honorsgraduate; 13 to 17 points —you’replenty smart, but no grind; 5to12points —you really shouldhit the booksharder;1point to 4points —enroll in remedial courses immediately; 0points who reads thequestions to you?

Saturday's Cryptoquote: If you retain nothing else, always remember the most importantrule of beauty,whichis: Who cares? —Tina Fey

1. Vacuumcleaner. 2. ThomasEdison. 3.George Eastman. 4. LouisBraille. 5. Basketball 6. Helicopter.7.Penicillin.8.Movable-type printing press. 9. Dynamite. 10.Atomic bomb 11. Nikola Tesla.12. Geodesic dome. 13.Steamboat. 14.(Lockstitch)sewing machine. 15. Jonas Salk. Crossword