The Times-Picayune 11-26-2025

Caesarseyesambitious Fulton Street revitalization

revamp of corridor takesinspiration from LasVegas

BY ANTHONY McAULEY Staff writer

When Caesars New Orleans cut the ribbon on its $435 million transformation last October— complete with agleaming 340-room hotel tower rising above Convention Center Boulevard and amarble-lined foyer presided over by a15-foot Julius Caesar —the company bet big that an upmarket rebootwouldreset its fortunes and anchor anew era for the lower Canal Street corridor

Ayear later,the numberssuggest that wager is paying off. But for General ManagerSamir Mowad, the New Orleans native who has overseen the rebrand and construction blitz over his five-year tenure, the next phase of Caesars’ evolution isn’tinside the casino atall. It’s just outside the door,along the 500block of Fulton Street —a stretch he calls “a glaring opportunity.” Fulton Street, unlike the casino itself, is property Caesars actually owns. And while it boasts long-running mainstays like Manning’s and

Visitors walk past an enclosed outdoor gamblingarea at Caesars New orleans casino on thursday.

Ruth’sChris,the corridor has never quite liveduptoits potential. The Downtown Development District has done its part withspecial-event programming, but lastyear’s closure of theGordon Bierschbrewpub left

an unmistakable vacancy —and, in Mowad’swords, “a big hole.” “Wecould just go out and fill it,” he said. “But we’re working to make

BY BLAKEPATERSON and BEN MYERS Staff writers

Afterweeks spent workingtoprevent New Orleans from running out of money for payroll, Mayor-elect Helena Moreno has turned to her next financial challenge, releasinga spending planonTuesdayfor next year thatincludesnearly $150 million in spending cuts and furloughs for someCity Hall workers.

The plan, unveiled Tuesday,would spend $801 million from the city’s general fund,downfrom $878 millionin2025, as Moreno contends with a projected drop in revenues. It wouldfully fund public safety agencies and departments that provide essential services like sanitation.

But to deal with a2026 deficit that Moreno

MORENO, page 4A

Louisiana surgeongeneral to be second in command

BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN Staff writer

Louisiana Surgeon General Ralph Abraham, who has comeunderscrutiny forending mass vaccination campaigns in the state and casting doubts about COVID-19 vaccines,has been named second in command at the Centersfor Disease Controland Prevention.

Abraham, aphysician and formerU.S. congressman who ran forgovernorin2019, became the state’sfirst surgeon general in June 2024, when Gov.Jeff Landry tappedhim for the position. He previously served as the

See ABRAHAM, page 5A

LSUstudent government pushingfor more AI education

BY HALEYMILLER Staff writer

The LSU student government is calling on the university to strengthen its education in artificial intelligence, particularlyfor students outside the Division of Computer Science and Engineering.

TheStudent Senate passed legislation lastweekrequesting an onlineAIfundamentals certificate available to all studentsthat would offertrainingonbasic AI useand explore the ethical and legal considerations of the technology

“AI is goingtoaffect everymajoracross the board,” saidjunior AaronLomastro,co-authorofthe

legislation andamember of the Student Alliance for AI Regulation. “It already is. It’snot fair that only these sort of technology-specificmajors are receiving these courses. We thinkit’simportantthat everymajor and every student has equal opportunity in preparing themselves withjust afoundationalunderstanding of what AI is.”

LSU currently offers multiple coursesinAIfor computer science students, including machine learning, artificial intelligence and applieddeep learning, according to James Ghawaly,assistant professor of computer science.

“Because of the increased demand, we are growing the course

offerings in computer science,” Ghawaly said. “Wehave almost 15 new courses that we’re planning on building.”

Students can also enroll in an interdisciplinary course between business, computerscience and the honors college that gives them

ä See AI, page 5A

4more arrested in $102M Louvre heist

PARIS The Parisprosecutor announcedfourmorearrests Tuesdayinconnection withthe stunning heist at the Louvre MuseuminOctober by agang that made off with $102 million worth of jewels.

The two men and two women taken into custody are from the Paris region and range in age from 31 to 40,said the prosecutor,Laure Beccuau, whose office is heading the investigation Her statement didn’tsay what role they’re suspected of having played in the Oct. 19 theft. Police can hold them for questioning for96hours.

French media reportthat one of those arrested, a39-year-old already known to police services, is believed to be the fourth member of the team thought to have carriedout the daring daylight robbery and is from Aubervilliers, asuburb north of Paris other suspects have connections with.

The other three allegedmembers of the so-called “commando” team have been previously arrested and face preliminary charges of theft by an organized gang and criminal conspiracy

Their DNA has beenfound on the scene or on items linked to the robbery

France says ‘bon voyage’ to giant pandas

PARIS Acouple of star giant pandas who lived in France for 13 years and gave birth to three cubs wereontheir way back to ChinaonTuesday,the Beauval Zoo said.

Huan Huan, the female, and her partner Yuan Zi, both 17, are traveling on a12-hour flight from Paris’ Charles-de-Gaulle airport in big white boxes withwindows,holes forbreathing and the inscription “Bon voyage.”

Zoodirector Rodolphe Delord, during agoodbye ceremonyat the airport, said “they are reaching an age that requires highly specialized care” and will “benefit from the optimalenvironment”atthe ChengduResearch Base of Giant Panda Breeding, where they were born.

Delord had previously explained that Huan Huan has been diagnosed with kidney failure, which isn’tuncommon for acarnivore this age. French and Chinese veterinary teams decided to send them back to China while their health condition allows them to travel safely he said.

Fordecades, China hasgifted friendly nationswithits unofficial mascot as part of apolicyof “panda diplomacy.” The country now loans pandastozoos on commercial terms. The pair became famousin France since they arrived at the Beauval Zoo in 2012.

Gramma the Galapagos tortoise diesat141

LOS ANGELES Aftermorethan acenturyofmunching on her favorite foods of romaine lettuce and cactus fruit, beloved Galapagos tortoise Gramma, the oldest resident of the San Diego Zoo, has died.

Gramma was born in her native habitatand was estimated to be about 141 yearsold, zoo officials said. She died Nov.20.

It’snot clear exactly when the tortoise arrived at the SanDiego Zoo, but zoo officials said she came from the Bronx Zoo in either 1928 or 1931 as part of their first group of Galapagos tortoises. As the world changed around her, shedelighted visitorswith her sweet, shy personality.She lived through two World Wars and 20 U.S. presidents Her care specialists affectionatelycalled her “the Queen of the Zoo.” She was suffering from bone conditions related to her old agethatprogressedrecentlybeforeshe was euthanized, the zoo said.

Many visitors commentedon social media about gettingto first visit Gramma when they were young, and being able to come back years later with their kids. CristinaPark,69, said oneof her earliest memories from her childhood was going to the San Diego Zoo when she was 3or4 years old and riding on the back of atortoise. That’snolonger allowed,but theexperience inspiredher to keep asmall desert tortoise as apet and learn more about tortoise conservation

U.S. push forpeace dealgains momentum

trumpsayshe’s sending his envoys to see Putin, Ukrainians

BY ISOBEL KOSHIW and KONSTANTIN TOROPIN associated Press

WASHINGTON President Donald Trumpsaid Tuesday his plan to end thewar in Ukrainehas been “fine-tuned” and he’s sending envoy Steve Witkoff to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin andArmySecretary Dan Driscoll to meet with Ukrainian officials.

He suggested he could eventually meet with Putin and Ukrainian President VolodymyrZelenskyy, but not until further progress has been made in negotiations

“I will be briefed on all progress made, along with Vice President JD Vance,SecretaryofState Marco Rubio,Secretary of WarPete

Hegseth, and WhiteHouse Chief of StaffSusie Wiles,”Trump added in the social media posting. “I look forward to hopefully meetingwith PresidentZelenskyy and President Putin soon, but ONLYwhen the deal to end this WarisFINAL or, in its final stages.”

Trump spoke after Driscoll held talks lateMondayand throughout Tuesday with Russian officials in AbuDhabi, United Arab Emirates, to discuss theemerging proposal.

“The talksare going well and we remain optimistic,” Lt. Col. Jeff Tolbert, spokesman for the Army secretary,said in astatement.

As the talks were taking place Russialaunched awave of overnight attacks on Ukraine’scapital, Kyiv, with at least seven people killed in strikes that hit city buildings andenergy infrastructure. A Ukrainian attack on southernRussia killed three people anddamaged homes, authorities said.

Still, Trump expressed ameasure of optimism that his administration’s diplomatic efforts could soon lead to abreakthrough. Witkoff, areal estate developer

turneddiplomat, has been Trump’s chief interlocutor with Putin, while Driscoll, who is close to Vance, has stepped up hisinvolvement in the administration’speace push in recent days.

Trump’splan for ending the nearly four-year waremerged last week. It heavily favored Russia, prompting Zelenskyy to quickly engage with American negotiators. European leaders, fearing for theirown future facing Russian aggression butapparently sidelined by Trump in drawing up the proposal, scrambled to steer the negotiations toward accommodating their concerns.

“I thinkwe’re getting very close to adeal. We’ll find out,” Trump saidinanaside during theannual WhiteHouse turkey pardon, atypically lighthearted annual event to mark theThanksgiving holiday in the U.S. He added, “I thought that would have been an easier one, but Ithink we’re making progress.” French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesdaypeace efforts are gathering momentum and “are clearly at acrucial juncture.”

Winter rainsinGazabring newmiseryfor Palestinians

BYWAFAA SHURAFA and MEGAN JANETSKY associated Press

DEIR AL-BALAH, GazaStrip Children and familiesinGazascooped muddy water from their tents on Tuesday,trying to protectthe few belongings that remain after two years of war

Winter’s heavy rains have left displaced Palestinians splashing in water that reachestheirankles, andblaming bothIsraeland Hamasfor themisery that remains despite aceasefire.

“All tents were destroyed,”saidAssmaa Fayad in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, whoseshelter was damaged in Tuesday’s latest downpour.“Where is Hamas? Where are the people to see this rain and how our children are drowning?”

AHamas spokesperson, HazemQassem, lashed outina messageonTelegram: “All the world’seffortstoalleviate the disaster have failedbecause of the Israeli siege.”

Aid organizations worry that the rainy winter months will makethe stark situation worse, with ongoing shortagesof humanitarian supplies.They are scrambling to mitigate the flooding and restore infrastructure devastated by the fighting.

Nearly all of Gaza’sover 2million peoplewere forced from their homes during the war.Mosthave been living in tents or shelters, some of thembuilt over destroyed homes, with no proper sewage facilities. For toilets,theydepend on cesspits dug neartents that overflow in heavy rainfall

Rehamal-Hilu was among those assessing the damageinDeir al-Balah, one of theareashardest hitbythe rains. Her wood and metal shelter collapsed over-

night,and she said her head was injured

“Rainwater flooded the mattresses,” shesaid. “As you can see, everything is soaked —the clothes, everything —and my children areall soaked.”

The United Nations humanitarian office last weeksaid the downpours have damaged at least 13,000 tents like al-Hilu’s,and “destroyedwhatlittle shelter and belongings thousands of Palestinians in Gazahad left.”

Theoffice saidaid organizationshad begun preparingfor winter in October, when theceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect, transportingmaterials likewinterizedtents into Gaza. Aidgroups wereable to distributeover 3,600 tents, 129,000 tarpaulins and 87,000 blankets earlier this month, the U.N. office said.

But the office said efforts have been hampered by the slow entry of aid. It said deliveries into the territory continue to be “severely constrained by Israeli authorities’ restrictions on theentry of shelter supplies.”

Severe weather sweeps country

BY KATHY MCCORMACK and JULIEWALKER associated Press

Residents in morethan 100 homes north of Houston faced lots of cleanup Tuesdayfollowing atornado that tore off roofs and smashed windowsasheavy rain fell in the South and snow came downinparts of the MidwestthisThanksgiving travel week.

No injuries werereported in thestormMondaythatuprooted trees, downed power lines and created paths of debris throughout some neighborhoods. NationalWeather Service staffwere expected to survey the area to determine if multiple tornadoes hadstruck Heavy fog made it difficult to assess all the damage Tuesday morning on an otherwise calm day

Meanwhile, multiple rounds of storms and showers were expected in Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. Heavy rain shut down airtraffic control operations for about 10 minutes at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, but things wereback to normal, a spokesperson said. The storm system wasexpectedtomove to theNortheast by Tuesdaynight, with another oneinthe forecast in the Pacific Northwest. Eventhough theofficialstart of winter is nearly amonth away,awinter storm wasdeveloping in the northern part of the country,with snowfalling in North Dakota.

“That’simpacting North Dakota, Minnesota, including Minneapolis, and then portions of the northern Great Lakes,” said weather service meteorologist Marc Chenard in College Park, Maryland. Snowfall was expected into Wednesday,hesaid. The holidayitselflooked dry, coldand breezy forthe Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, with lake-effect snow expected through Friday “It’sprettynarrow bands, but they’llbesome significant snowfall accumulationsacross off the lakes in Michigan and western New York,” Chenard said.

aSSoCIateDPreSS

Photo By JaCQUeLyN MartIN

Trumpsparesturkeys butnot politicalopponents

BY CHRIS MEGERIAN associated Press

WASHINGTON— President Donald Trump didn’tbring much holiday cheerTuesday when bestowing ceremonial pardons on two Thanksgiving turkeys,dispensing more insults than goodwill at the traditional White House ritual. He joked about sending the turkeys to an infamous prison in El Salvador that has been used to house migrants deported from the United States. He said the birds should be named Chuck and Nancy —after Democratic stalwarts Chuck Schumer and NancyPelosi —but “I would never pardon those people.” Trump claimed that last year’sturkey pardons,issued by PresidentJoe Biden, were invalid because he used an autopen. “Where’s Hunter?” he said, suggesting that his predecessor’sson

couldonce again face legal jeopardy

And all of that wasbefore Trump turned hisattention to Illinois Gov.J.B. Pritzker, aDemocrat who has resisted theWhite House’splansto deploy the National Guard in Chicago.

Trumpsaid he had ajoke prepared about Pritzker, but“Irefuse to talk about the fact that he’safat slob Idon’t mention it.”

Scattered laughter rippled throughthe audience, which sat undercloudy skies and an intermittent drizzleon the Rose Garden patio.

Trump eventually got around tothe business at hand, which waspardoningthe turkeys Gobble and Waddle. Both were spared thedinnertable, but only one got thespotlight.

“Gobble, Ijust want to tell you this —very important —you are hereby unconditionally pardoned,” Trump said. He reached over to run

hishandoverthe feathers, saying, “Who would wantto harm this beautiful bird?”

Waddle hadpreviously been spottedinthe White House briefing room

“Waddle, want to give us a gobble?” WhiteHouse press secretary Karoline Leavitt asked. The turkeyobliged.

“Very on message!” Leavitt said.

Trump used part of his ceremonial remarkstoinsistthat theprice of Thanksgiving meals was dropping under his leadership, although hisnumbers are misleading. Some research indicates that holiday dinners could cost more this year,areminder of persistent frustration with inflation

The president planned to fly southtohis private Florida resort later Tuesday,a holiday interlude during what has been aturbulent and uncertain chapter of his second term

Managing diabetes during theholidays

Theholidaysare atimefor celebration, reflection—andyes,plentyofeating. Whilealittle indulgence is part of thefun,those managing diabetes should be especially mindful. Sticking to balancedmeals andhealthy snacks before heading to gatherings canhelp keep bloodsugar levels stable andcurbovereating. Focusonsavoringseasonaltreats slowly andenjoyingtimewithloved ones,ratherthantreatingevery eventlikeanall-youcan-eatbuffet.Whencooking or baking,considerhealthier swapslikeGreek yogurt for sour creamorwhole grainpasta insteadofenrichedvarieties to keep festivemeals both deliciousand diabetes friendly

projected would have been more than$222million, themayor-elect has proposed, among other cuts, reducing the number of unclassified, at-willpositions by 36 and furloughing 724 employees that don’twork in public safety or essential services for one day each pay period. Total payroll savings are projected at nearly $28 million.

The spending plan, patched togetherover thepast severalweeks, represents Moreno’sattempt to steer New Orleans throughher first year in office as the cityfaces asignificant deficit handed over fromthe outgoing Cantrell administration.

It replaces an earlier spending proposalintroducedbyMayor LaToya Cantrell, which featured 30% cuts to most city departments and that Moreno said wasuntenable.

“That’slike taking abulldozer to the budget. We wanted to be more careful,” Moreno said at anews conference Tuesday morning at CityHall. “Wewanted to be more surgical.”

De factomayor

Moreno, who doesn’tofficially take office until Jan. 12, has already taken on the roleofthe New Orleans’ de facto leader.First,she negotiated a$125 million shortterm bond issuance with state leaders to prevent acashcrunch. Now,she is working with her City Council colleaguestoreplace Cantrell’sproposed budgetthat she’ll be responsible for handling next year Moreno campaigned on apromise to fix the issues around infrastructure and other quality-of-life issues that have long plagued New Orleans residents, and thebudget crunch will undoubtedlyrequire some scaling backofambitions in her first year,accordingtopolitical analyst Ed Chervenak.

But he said that voters may appreciate her willingness totakeon thechallenge.

“Residents have high expectations for the incomingMoreno administration. However, those expectations have been tempered by the severe budget constraints,” said Chervenakina text message. “Toher credit, Moreno has been forthright about thecity’s financial realities and transparent in

outliningher approach to addressingthem.”

Budget details

Under theMoreno spending plan, New Orleans is projected to receive $725 million in revenues next year,and Moreno’sbudget identifiesnearly$76 million in additional sources of cash.

She’salso exploringother revenue-generating measures, like a$20 fee for each rider in Mardi Gras krewes.

Thebudget includes nearly $28 million in cutsinspending on personnel, including thereduction in unclassified positions and the worker furloughs. Moreno said her“main goal is to getusout of furloughsasquicklyaspossible because we needour people workingfive days aweek.”

In an interview, Amanda Fallis, president of AFSCME Local2349, aunion representing city employees apart from the police and fire departments, saidshe understood the constraints of the incoming administration.

“No plan is going to be perfect with a$200 million budget hole,” said Fallis. “But we do feel confident thattheyare actively trying to consider the least of us, the least paid of us, and that they will be communicating with theunion.”

The New OrleansCity Council is expected to takeupMoreno’sbudgetproposalatits Dec. 1meeting.

Personnelspending

Moreno said she hasn’tdecided which unclassified positions she plans to eliminate, but saidreduc-

ing 36 at-will employees should save thecity $4.16 million next year

Her budget proposes laying off 75% of workers on probationary status, or those who’ve worked for the city for less than ayear.That would affect 62 workers andsave $4.67 million.

It also proposes ahiringfreeze on 134 vacant positions, saving $9.4 million.

TheHealth Departmentwould take over the responsibilities of theMayor’sOffice of Youth and Families,and theworkofthe Mayor’sOffice of Criminal Justice Coordination would be split between the Health Department and the Department of Public Safety

With the termination last week of theNew OrleansPoliceDepartment federal consent decree, Moreno said 11 of the20positions responsible for reaching compliance are no longer needed.

The budgetalso eliminates two nonfirefighter positions at the Fire Department.

Newrevenue

Moreno saidall therevenue in her $801 million budget is spoken for,leaving nothing left over for the fund balance. Shesaid she is eyeing additional revenue and savings measures —reductions in thecityfleet, higher rentoncityowned property,for example —to rebuild the fund balance over the course of the year

Some of thenew revenue measuresMoreno has already baked into herbudgetaren’tnecessarily slam dunks. They include $32 mil-

lion from the New Orleans Sewerage& WaterBoard,partofan $87.5 million debt City Hall claims theutilityowesinreimbursements for infrastructure projects.

Negotiations over that demand areunderway,and S&WB Executive DirectorRandy Hayman said at the board’sNov.19meeting the utility hasagreed to $20 millionbefore theend of the year

Moreno saidTuesday theS&WB’s mostrecent agreement is $32 million, but S&WB officials declined to confirm that.

“Weare continuing to work through all options andwill provide additional informationonce available,” saidS&WBinterim Chief of StaffJamie Parker in an email on Tuesday,adding that a meetingwith Moreno is scheduled next week.

The revenue measures also include $14.7 million in unspent American Rescue Plan Act funds and $17 million from the Wisner trust fund, including $4 millionin taxes on Wisnerrevenue the city has already paid underprotest and will seek to recoup from the Internal Revenue Service.

“Our lawyers feel very confident that we can recover that money,” saidcouncil member Joe Giarrusso, who chairs the budget committee.

Thebudgetincludesfunding to hire 50 additional parking enforcementpersonnel, whichMoreno predicts couldreap $7 million in its first year Moreno also plans to boost collections. There are about $100 millionworth of unpaid parking tick-

ets, she said. She expects to collect $5 million of that next year

Moreno acknowledged the budget includes one-time revenue sources, abudgeting no-no that has already contributed to Moody’s Ratings downgrading the city’s credit rating.

“I am having to use one-time money to plug some of our expenses,” Moreno said. “Weare working on revenue enhancements.”

One potentially controversial measure Moreno said she will seek is an increase in the $24 monthly sanitationfee,which hasn’t been touched since 2011.

The feedoesn’tcover thespiking cost of garbage collection, but an increase is controversial because the Cantrell administration cut weekly service in half —from twice-weekly pickups to one —after Hurricane Idain2021.

Moreno hinted that any increase wouldbeaccompanied by additionalservice, but did notprovide any additional details.

“Weabsolutelyneed to figureout apath foranincreasedsanitation fee. But we are also very aware that the people of the city will want something on top of whatthey’re getting,” Moreno said.

Othercuts, revenues

The budgetwould also cut $740,000 forPathways Youth Internship Program,which provides internships for20to30at-risk youth and $400,000 for the Office of Criminal Justice Coordination’s EveningReportingCenter,anafter-school alternative to detention that serves around two dozen kids. It reduces travelexpensesby 75% —oraround $500,000 —and Morenosaid only travel that’s approved by the CAO and deemed to be essential will be allowed.

Moreno is also seeking council approval to take 25% of from the savings accounts for the Orleans Parish Communication District, public defender,district attorney, Criminal District Court and Municipal and Traffic Court to cover city services. That amounts to $4.6 million.

She also saidshe plans to go to the state Legislature next year with alist of proposals forincreasing revenue, including apotential tax on short-term rentals. “I know that this sounds grim,” MorenosaidonWWL Radio on Tuesday. “But just becausethisis agrim budget, Idon’twant people to think that big things aren’tpossible in New Orleans.”

Some families ‘adopting’ turkeysfor Thanksgiving

BY HALLIE GOLDEN and THOMAS PEIPERT associated Press

ERIE, Colo. “Gus” the turkey has been spending Thanksgiving week much differently than millions of other unlucky gobblersacross the U.S. As he trotsinasprawlinganimal sanctuary on the Coloradoplains, he is stopped every few steps by staff who pet him, hug him or even give him apeck on his red face. Gus has been theresince 2023 after being pardoned by the governor “What do you think? Do you want to do snuggles today?” Lanette Cook, educationand engagement manager at the Luvin Arms Animal Sanctuary in Erie, says to Gus. Gus is among agrowing number of turkeys that are being“adopted” instead of being covered in gravy and eaten at Thanksgiving dinner tables.

An increasing number of farm animal sanctuaries across the

AI

Continued from page1a

theopportunity to work on AI solutions for local companies and industry partners. The class is selective because of thereal-world demands of the student teams, Ghawaly said.

He said that “hype mongering” has driven increased interest in AI across the university,and that some students are worried the only way to succeed intheir careers is by learning how to use it.

“There aresome fields whereIthinkthat’strue,”Ghawaly said. “I think we want to offer somethingbroader outside of computer science.”

LSU Online offers an AI Prompting certificate as well as an AI Bootcamp, both of which are paid. The boot camp costs $10,995 and takes 26 weeks to complete, according to the LSU Online website

The boot camp is “not accessible to alot of students,” said junior Benjamin Gold-

ABRAHAM

Continued from page1a

secretary for the Louisiana Department of Health under Landry

“It’sabittersweet day in Louisiana. While we are certainly sad to lose Dr Abraham here in Louisiana, we are thrilled to see the CDC gain aselfless leader,” Landry said in astatement, adding that Abraham did an “impeccable”job as surgeon general.

“He helped lead our state to the forefront of the Make America Healthy Again movement. There is no better advocate for health freedom than Ralph Abraham,” Landry added.

Abraham didn’timmediately return requests for comment.Aspokesperson for the federal Department of Health and Human Services confirmedAbraham’s appointmentbut did not

country have startedpromoting this alternative version of Thanksgiving in whichfamilies “adopt” turkeys and donate money to their lifelong care. In return, they receive photos, certificates and sometimes even one-on-one visits with thebirds.

The goal: Spare afew of the tens of millionsofturkeys slaughtered thistimeofyear, manyofwhich are raised in what animal rights advocates sayare inhumaneconditionsinfactory farms. Some peoplewill adoptfor themselves andfeature their turkey’sphoto ontheirThanksgiving table, while others will gift the adoptions to friends or family members.

At Luvin Arms, a$25 donation comes with acertificate, photo and either avirtual or in-person visit, explained KellyNix,its executive director.Since launching the programin2022, thesanctuary,located about25miles north of Denver, hasseen the number of sponsorships doubleeveryyear. And this

stein, bill author andmember of the StudentAlliance forAIRegulation. “Almost $10,000 in extra loans is rough for alot of people.”

Goldsteinsaid the student governmentisproposing a free certificate available to any LSU student with afocus on the elementary principles of AI.

“I’m really trying to bridge the gap from thepeople who areinthe know about AI and are on the frontier of doing research on it with the people who don’treallyknow much about the technical side butrealize that this is areally high-impactthing,” Goldstein said He saidmany students rely on AI but are notAIliterate, meaningthey don’talwaysunderstand howtouse the technology to enhance their learning. Instead, they useitasashortcut,hesaid.

“A lot of what people are using AI to do is just run theirhomework assignments through it, and if they have onlineexams, they askittheir exam questions,” Goldstein

commentfurther.

Formerly aveterinarian, Abraham became adoctor at 40 after attendingthe LSU School of Medicine in Shreveport.Heonceserved in the Army National Guard andrepresented Louisiana in Congress from2015to 2020.

As surgeon general,he was tasked with advising thestate on itshealthpolicies, being an advocatefor disease prevention and handling Louisiana’sresponse to health emergencies.

Abraham made several splashes in themedia after takingonthat role

In September of last year, he blastedthe state’sCOVID-19 response, calling most of the government’s health interventions, such as mask mandates and “coerced” vaccinations, “ineffective, counterproductive and antithetical to the core principles of afree society.”

TheCOVID-19 vaccine has beenshown to be safe

year they’re on track to reach their goal of $18,000, she said. Luvin Arms’ website features Gus and agaggle of turkeys along with their personalitytraits (Gus is very talkative!)aspart of its

said.“It’s essentiallya ‘get out of jail free’ card for any assignment you didn’tdoorif you cheat on an exam.I think it’ssucha poor use of AI, because it worsensyourunderstanding of the concepts.”

Goldstein and Lomastro said their next step is to work with LSUOnline andthe LSU Division of Computer Science and Engineering to fund and develop the certificate. They have already received support from some faculty members, Lomastro said.

“It would be anoncredit course where they could receive an AI fluencycertificate that they’d be able to put on their LinkedIn, et cetera,” Lomastro said.

Theyare also urging department heads and college deanstoimplement standardizedAIguidance and policy.Goldstein emphasized that the goal of the certificate isn’t to promote universalAIuse but to give students the toolstoadopt it effectively for their field of study and understand its legal and ethical limitations.

in most instances, theCDC said in previousstatements beforechanging its guidance this year underPresident DonaldTrump’shealth secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has campaigned againstvaccines.Studies alsoshow theCOVID-19 vaccine decreases the risk of severe illness.

Earlier this year,Abraham was criticized after he banned Louisiana Department of Health staff from promoting seasonal vaccinesand brought the state’slong-standing mass vaccination efforts to an end.

He hasinsteadencouraged patients to discuss vaccination decisions with their healthcare providers.

“Perhaps there are some treatments that every human being should take, but they are few and far between, and things thatare good generally don’thave to be pushedbythe government,” he wroteinaletter

sponsor-a-turkey program.Itencourages the public to donate for the birds for Thanksgiving and maybeeven rethinktheir holiday traditions. Thefunds have helped payfor

extending theturkeys’ outdoor pasture area, alongwith feedingand rescuing more turkeys They’ve helped with veterinary bills, which can sometimes cost thousands of dollars because of the medical complications that arise for turkeys that come from factoryfarms, which breed them to growverybig in ashort period of time, said Nix. In the wild, turkeys tend to live an average of three or four years, accordingto the National Wild Turkey Federation.

But the sanctuary says the programisabout more thanjust the turkeys or money.There’salso an importanteducational factor, whether learning about the conditions in factory farmsorthat turkeys are morethan just centerpieces.

“Even if it makes you stop and double think whatitisyou’reabout to do,” said Nix. “Orthatyou’re like, ‘wow this is alifeofasentient being,’ forusthat’saconversation starter.”

sure all the pieces are complementary, so that Fulton Street becomes more of a destination and not just a place to stop.”

What exactly that looks like, he won’t yet say But he hints at the scale of Caesars’ ambition by pointing west: to The LINQ in Las Vegas, a broad, buzzing promenade with dozens of food-and-beverage concepts and a rotating mix of immersive “experiences” — from a 500-foot observation wheel to interactive art spaces, zip lines, and constantly programmed live entertainment.

Fulton won’t be that big, Mowad says, but the idea is similar: more energy, more reasons to come, more reasons to stay Also, a tunnel under Poydras Street to draw players into the casino.

A pivotal year

The vision for Fulton is shaped in part by what Caesars experienced in its first year after the makeover. It’s also shaped by how much is now gathering around lower Canal Street. Mowad, who also serves on several civic boards including the Audubon Nature Institute, sees billions of dollars in adjacent investment pulling visitors toward the riverfront like a tide.

“The French Quarter will always be top of the bill,” he said. “But there’s a real gravitational pull now toward this end of Canal Street and the River District From the Four Seasons, to Spanish Plaza and the new Delacroix, to the new 1,000-room Omni ‘headquarters’ hotel planned for the convention center — it’s transformative.”

Inside Caesars, the transformation was also dramatic. The bottom two floors of the new hotel wing host an exclusive 54-room Nobu “hotel within a hotel,” including a dozen suites, one of the quiet success stories of the renovation. Upgrades to the 115,000-square-foot gaming floor rolled out steadily through last year: a World Series of Poker room, a supersized Caesars Sportsbook wrapped around a 147-foot wall of TVs, and the twostory Nobu restaurant that connects directly to the new tower

The casino’s food offerings have been tweaked as well. Emeril’s Brasserie, at the Canal Street entrance, underperformed expectations and was recently retooled as

Emeril’s Kitchen, with a heavier tilt toward Louisiana classics and all-day service, Emeril’s spokesperson Mimi Henken confirmed.

The 12,000-square-foot food court — anchored by concepts from Nina Compton, Bobby Flay and Buddy Valastro — has become a reliable traffic driver. And the octagonal center bar, Octavia, exploded in popularity during football season, Mowad said.

Solid year, if a ‘choppy’ one

The performance metrics reflect steady momentum. From June 2024 to June 2025, visitation grew 15% to 2.7 million guests, while gaming revenue rose 12% to $270 million, according to Louisiana State Police, which tracks gaming data. That kept Caesars on track for its required $65 million annual state fee. July through October has looked even stronger: visitors are up 27% at just over 1 million and gaming revenues are up 21% at $91 million

Yet Mowad calls the year “choppy,” a patchwork of peaks and valleys. The horrific terrorist attack on Bourbon Street early in the year hit the city’s psyche hard.

The Super Bowl surge the following month helped the city bounce back but underscored the volatility of the tourism calendar

“We’ve seen weeks where it feels like the old days, and we’re super busy,” he said. “Then August, September come, football is starting, and it’s a bit slow It’s been ups and downs.”

Bucking the market

Despite the surge in Caesars’ visitors, New Orleans’ broader hotel market has been soft in 2025. STR, the industry analytics

firm, reports citywide occupancy is down roughly 10% from last year’s highs, boosted particularly by the Taylor Swift weekend in the autumn. Caesars, though, has managed to outperform the market.

Its resilience reflects both its shift upmarket and the distinct economics of casino-hotel loyalty programs, STR hotel analyst Colin Sherman said.

“Casino operators reward both gambling and spending,” Sherman said. “They offer a wide variety of properties, and the perks — especially for high rollers — are unique. Free suites, event tickets,

weekend Las Vegas just experienced hosting its third annual Formula 1 car race as evidence of the demand for big-ticket experiences in tourist destinations. Hotel occupancy was 98% and room rates were up 200% from the previous year, reflecting the big-spender crowd that follows the glamour sport.

A turning point in perception

For Mowad, the biggest change may be more psychological than economic: national perception of New Orleans.

He says guests are noticing, and commenting on, the city’s improving public safety conditions.

“We’re about to have the safest year since something like 1972,” Mowad said. “We feel that. You’re waiting for the national market or national news to catch up. Conventioneers are coming out and telling us how safe it feels, how awesome the city is. That matters.”

Recent major events helped reinforce that impression. In July, Caesars saw a surge of visitors around UFC 318 at the Smoothie King Center, which featured a BMF title fight between Max Holloway and Lafayette native Dustin Poirier

“It was like a mini Super Bowl for the city and the casino,” Mowad said.

exclusive services — you don’t get that elsewhere.”

Visitors to New Orleans are more likely to gamble than the national average for holidaymakers, with leisure travelers much more likely, according to New Orleans & Co.

“Gambling still ranks as one of the city’s midtier attractions and has an above-average propensity score, meaning visitors to New Orleans engage in it at a slightly higher rate than the average U.S. traveler,” said Kelly Schulz, spokesperson for New Orleans & Co. About 16% of leisure travelers visiting New Orleans said they’re likely to gamble, versus 6% nationally

Sherman said New Orleans is seeing the same bifurcation affecting national hospitality markets: high-end properties are holding up, while middle- and lower-tier hotels struggle.

“Hoteliers are really going for that ‘experiential’ traveler,” he said. “So, they’ll come to New Orleans for all the history and culture, but also because they’re going to Caesars and maybe taking in a Taylor Swift concert.” He pointed to the “blow-out”

Events like that — and the newly announced Hondo Rodeo next spring are the product of closer coordination among the state, city and hospitality leaders, he said.

The next frontier

That direction now leads straight to Fulton Street. Mowad sees its redevelopment not as a side project but as the next essential piece of Caesars’ long-term strategy: creating an activated, cohesive destination district that links Canal Street, the emerging River District, the Convention Center and the casinohotel complex.

If Caesars succeeds, Fulton Street could become the connective tissue between New Orleans’ legacy attractions and its rapidly evolving waterfront. And for Mowad, whose tenure has been defined by one of the largest private hospitality investments in city history, it represents a chance to shape the next chapter

“It seems like we’re pointing in the right direction,” he said. Email Anthony McAuley tmcauley@theadvocate.com.

Some DACA recipients arrested in crackdown

McALLEN, Texas Yaakub Vijandre was preparing to go to work as amechanic when six vehicles appeared outside his Dallas-area home Federal agents jumped out, one pointed aweapon at him, and they took him into custody Vijandre is arecipientof DeferredActionfor Childhood Arrivals, the Obamaera program that has shielded hundreds of thousands of people from deportation since 2012 if they were brought to the United States as children andgenerally stayed out of trouble. The Trump administration said it targeted Vijandre over social media posts. The freelance videographer and pro-Palestinian activist describedhis earlyOctober arrest to his attorneys, who relayed the information to

reporters. His arrestand several othersthis yearsignala change in howthe U.S. is handling DACA recipients as President DonaldTrump’s administration reshapes immigration policy more broadly.The change comes as immigrants have face increased vetting, including of their social media, when they apply for visas, green cards,citizenship, ortorequest therelease of their children from federal custody.The administration also hassought todeport foreign students for participatingin pro-Palestinian activism DACAwas createdto shield recipients, commonly referred to as “Dreamers,” from immigrationarrests anddeportation.Italsoallows them to legally work in theU.S. Recipients reapply every two years. Previously if their status was in jeopardy,they would receive a

warningand wouldstillhave achance to fight it before immigration officers detained them andbegan efforts to deport them.

In response to questions about any changes, Homeland Security Assistant SecretaryTricia McLaughlin issued astatementsaying that people “whoclaim to be recipientsofDeferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) arenot automatically protected from deportations. DACA does not confer anyform of legalstatus in thiscountry.” DACA recipients can losestatus“for a numberofreasons, including if they’ve committeda crime,” she said. McLaughlin also claimed in astatement that Vijandre made social media posts “glorifying terrorism,”including one she said celebrated Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, al-Qaida’s leader in Iraq who was killed in aU.S. strike in 2006.

Tests: ByHeartformula maybe contaminated

BY JONEL ALECCIA associated Press

Tests of ByHeart infant formula tied to abotulism outbreak that has sickened dozens of babies showed that all of the company’sproducts may havebeen contaminated.

Laboratorytestsof36 samples of formula from three different lots showed that five samples contained the type of bacteria that can lead to the rare and potentially deadly illness, the company said Monday on its website.

“Basedonthese results, we cannot rule out therisk that all ByHeart formula across all product lots may have been contaminated,” the company wrote. At least 31 babies in 15 states who consumed ByHeart formula havebeen sickened in the outbreak that

with botulism

began in August, according to federal and state health officials. In addition, other infants who drank ByHeart formulawere treated forbotulism inearlier months, as far back as November 2024, although they are not counted in the outbreak,officialssaid. Clostridium botulinum type A, the type of bacteria detected, can be unevenly distributed in powdered formula. Not all babies whoingestitwill become ill, though all infants under age 1are at risk, medical experts said. ByHeart recalled allofits formulanationwide on Nov 11. However, some product has remainedonstore shelves despite therecall, according to state officials and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Parents and caregivers should stop feeding the formula to babiesimmediately

and monitor the children for symptoms, which can take up to 30 days to appear Infant botulism occurs whenbabies ingest spores thatgerminateintheir intestine and produceatoxin.

Symptomsinclude constipation, difficulty sucking or feeding, droopingeyelids, flat facial expression and weakness in the arms, legs andhead.The illness is a medical emergency and requiresimmediate treatment

At least107 babies nationwide have been treated for botulism with an IV medication known as BabyBIG since Aug. 1, healthofficials said. In atypical year,less than 200 infants are treated for theillness.

To report an illness tied to the outbreak, contact an FDA consumer complaint coordinatororfill outanonline MedWatch form.

FBIseeks interviews with lawmakersintroop video

BY JOEY CAPPELLETTI

and MIKE HOUSEHOLDER associated Press

WASHINGTON Democratic lawmakers whoappeared in asocial media video urging U.S. troops to defy “illegal orders” say the FBI has contacted them to beginscheduling interviews, signaling apossible inquiryintothe matter.

It would markthe second investigation tied to the video, coming aday after the Pentagon said it was reviewing DemocraticSen.Mark Kelly of Arizona over potential violationsofmilitary law. The FBI andPentagon actions come after President Donald Trumpaccused thelawmakers of sedition “punishable by DEATH” in a social media post.

“President Trumpisusing the FBI as atool to intimidate andharass Members of Congress,” agroupoffour DemocraticHouse memberssaid in astatement Tuesday.“Yesterday, the FBIcontacted the House and Senate Sergeants at Arms requestinginterviews.”

Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin, oneofthe sixDemocratic lawmakers in the video, told reportersTuesday that “last night the counterterrorism division at the FBI sent anotetothe members of Congress, saying they are opening what appears to be an inquiry against the six of us.” She said Trump“is attempting to use the FBI to scare us.”

“Whether you agree with thevideoordon’tagree with the video, the question to

me is:isthis theappropriate responsefor apresident of the United States to go after and seek to weaponize the federalgovernment against thosehedisagrees with?” saidSlotkin. The FBIdeclinedtocomment Tuesday, but Director KashPatel,inaninterview with journalist Catherine Herridge,describeditasan “ongoing matter” in explaining why he could notdiscuss details

Askedfor his reaction to the video, Patel said, “What goes throughmyhead is the samething that goes through my head in anycase: is there alawful predicate to open up an inquiry andinvestigation,oristhere not? Andthat decision will be made by the career agents and analysts here at the FBI.”

Pakistan denies Afghanistan’sclaimsofairstrikes

BY ABDUL QAHAR AFGHAN and MUNIR AHMED associated Press

KABUL, Afghanistan Afghanistan’s Taliban government on Tuesday accused Pakistan of launching deadly overnightstrikes in three eastern provinces, but Pakistan’s military dismissed the claim and said no such strikes were carried out.

The Pakistani denial came hours after Zabihullah Mujahid, the chief spokesperson forthe Afghan government, said on Xthat Pakistan “bombed” the home of a civilian in Khost province, killing nine children and awoman.He also claimed additional strikes were carried out in the Afghan provinces of Kunar and Paktika, injuring four people.

Mujahid described the attacks as “atrocities” and said the strikes were “a violation of Afghan territory.” Afghanistan “considers the use of its airspace and territory and defense of its people tobeits

legitimate right, and at the appropriatetime,itwill give thenecessary response,” he said.

Tensions escalate Afghanistan’sreportofnew strikescame more than amonth after cross-border clashes erupted when the Afghan government claimed Pakistanidrone strikes hit Kabul.

Pakistan militaryspokesperson

Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry denied the Afghan government’s claim Tuesday,saying Pakistan does not target and kill civilians.

He added thatstrikes carried outinOctober targetedthe hideouts of PakistaniTaliban who were behind the surge of violence in the country

“Weannounce andacknowledge whenever we carry out such strikes,” he said during anews briefing in the garrison city of Rawalpindi.

Theceasefire brokered by Qatar and Turkey betweenthe two sides in October still heldTuesdayde-

spitethe reported strikes.There was no immediate comment from Qatar and Turkey Iran hasrecentlyoffered to play

arole in defusing tensions be-

tween Pakistan andAfghanistan.

AliLarijani, the secretary of Iran’sSupreme National Security

Council, said Tuesday on Xthathe met with Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in Islamabad, a dayafter arriving on apreviously scheduledvisit.Dar’soffice was also expected to release astatement aboutthe meeting.

In Khost, residents combed through the rubble of the destroyed home, retrieving belongings.

“You see the cruelty with your own eyes,thatyoung children,a womanand nine children,were martyred,” said Muhammad Iqbal, who said the dead were his cousin’sfamily

Local tribal leader Mer Adam Khan said the attack was carried out by adrone that was flying over the area at around midnight. “It is notknown whereitcame from and by whom,” he said, adding thatthe home thatwas destroyed was that of alocal man, whom he identifiedasShariat Khan.

“He hasnot interfered with any government.Helives apoorlife here,” the triballeader said.

ared

the border crossing withIsrael, to be transferred to Israeliauthorities, in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip

Israel says it got more remains

Palestinian militantsmake handoverto redCross

BY WAFAA SHURAFA, MEGAN

JANETSKY andSAMY MAGDY associated Press

DEIR AL-BALAH, GazaStrip Israel on Tuesday said it received human remains that Palestinianmilitants handed over to the Red Cross, butit wasnot immediately clear if they were one of three hostages remaining in the Gaza Strip.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’soffice saidthe remains would be taken for forensics testing and identification. The handover is thelatestunder last month’s fragile ceasefire that has held despite accusations by both sides of violations.

Palestinian Islamic Jihad said it found the remains earlier this week in Nuseirat,a refugee camp in centralGaza.

Palestinian militants have returned 25 bodies of hostages under the ceasefire deal that went into effect on Oct. 10.The remaining hostages have been two Israelis and aman from Thailand.In return, Israel has released the bodies of 330Palestinians to Gaza.Most remain unidentified.

Under Israeli pressure to hurry,Hamas says it has not been able to reach all remains of hostages because they are buried under rubble from Israel’stwo-year offensive. Israel has accused the militants of dragging their feet and threatenedto resume military operations or withhold humanitarian aid if all remains are not re-

turned Netanyahu’soffice asserted that the delay amounted to aceasefire violation

Gaza’s lack of supplies

Palestinian officials have struggled to identify bodies returned by Israel without access to DNA kits.Only 95 have been identified, accordingtothe Gaza Health Ministry,part of theHamas-run government Meanwhile, families in Gaza confronted heavy winter rainsthat worsen dire humanitarian conditions for many ofthe 2million people displaced bythe war Aidhas slowly entered Gaza, but organizations like theUnited Nation humanitarianoffice say shortages of crucial goods likefood andwintersuppliespersist, andhave called on Israel to ease aid restrictions.

The war began with the Hamas-led attack on southernIsrael on Oct. 7, 2023, thatkilledsome 1,200 people and took over 250 hostages Almost all of the hostages or theirremains have been returned in ceasefires or other deals.

Gaza’sHealth Ministry says 69,775 Palestinians have been killedand 170,863 injured in Israel’sretaliatory offensive. It does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in itsfigures buthas said women andchildren make up amajority of those killed.The ministry is staffed by medical professionals and maintains detailed records viewed as generally reliable by independent experts.

Arising deathtollinGaza Whiledailyfightinghas stopped, thedeath toll has gone up as Israel strikesparts of Gaza in response to what it

saysare ceasefire violations by Hamas.

Gaza’shealth ministryon Tuesdaysaid Israeliforces killed threepeopleeastof Khan Younis in the south. It said the bodieswerebrought to hospitals alongwith14 others recovered from the rubble over the past 24 hours. Those brought thedeath toll to 345 Palestinians since the ceasefire took effect, theministry said.

On Monday,Palestinian officials said at least four people were killed by Israeli fire. Twomen were killed in the Tufah neighborhood in Gaza City,according to Shifa Hospital. Twoothers were killed in Beni Suaila town east of Khan Younis, officials at Nasser Hospital said.

Israel’smilitary said it killed “three terrorists” it saidhad crossed thesocalled yellowline separating areas controlledbyHamas fromthose held by Israeli forces.

Stabilizationforce Planning was alsounderwayfor an international stabilization force mandated by theU.N. lastweekwhile approving Washington’s 20-pointblueprinttosecure and govern Gaza.

Indonesia said Tuesday it waspreparing troops.Officials saidthe final deploymentwould await an official order from Indonesian PresidentPrabowo Subianto, who has said his country was ready to deploy 20,000 peacekeepers to Gaza at any time.

Gen. Agus Subianto,chief of the Indonesian Armed Forces, told reporters the contingent would be abrigade consisting of health, engineering and mechanized support battalions,and that the military was preparing other support.

BY MAURICIO SAVARESE associated Press

BRASILIA, Brazil Former BrazilianPresident Jair Bolsonaro started on Tuesdaytoservehis 27-year prison sentence for leading acoupattemptdesigned to keephim in office after losing the 2022 presidential elections, amove thatmany in the South American nationdoubted would ever takeplace.

SupremeCourt Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who hasoverseenthe case, ruled Bolsonaro will remain at thesame federal police headquarters where he has been since he was preemptively arrested on Saturday for beingconsidered aflight risk.

Brazil’scriminallaw also could have allowed

the 70-year-old to be transferred to alocal penitentiary or to aprisonroom in amilitary facility in capital Brasilia.

The Supreme Courtjustice considered that Bolsonaro’s defense hadexhausted all appeals of his conviction on Monday.His lawyers wantedhim to be on house arrest due to his poor health.

The embattled leader had been under house arrest since August whende Moraes firstmentioned he could escape. Thefar-right leader said“hallucinations” had led him to break his ankle monitoring with awelder on Saturday,aclaim that de Moraes dismissedinhis preemptive arrest order

The formerpresident andseveral of hisallies were convicted by apanel

of Supreme Courtjustices forattempted to overthrow Brazil’sdemocracy following his 2022 election defeat. The plotincludedplans to kill President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin and Justice de Moraes. The plan also involvedegging on an insurrection in early 2023. The formerpresident was also found guiltyofcharges including leading an armed criminal organization and of attempting the violent abolition of the democratic rule of law Bolsonaro has always denied wrongdoing.

Twoothers convicted, AugustoHeleno and Paulo Sérgio Nogueira, both Army generals, weresent the military facilityinBrasilia to start serving their sentences.

coveragefor their entire working life, through employer-provided benefits. Whenthose benefits end with retirement, paying dentalbills out-of-pocketcan comeasa shock, leading people to put offorevengowithout care.

Simply put—without dentalinsurance, there maybe an importantgap in your healthcare coverage.

Medicare doesn’t pay fordental care.

That’s right.Asgood as Medicare is, it wasnever meanttocover everything. That means if you wantprotection, youneed to purchase individualinsurance.

Early detection canprevent smallproblems from becoming expensive ones.

The best way to preventlarge dental bills is preventivecare. TheAmerican Dental Association recommends checkups twice ayear.

Treatmentisexpensive— especially the services peopleover 50 often need

Consider these national average costs of treatment. $222 foracheckup $190for afilling $1,213 foracrown.3 Unexpected bills

24 schoolgirls abducted in Nigeria rescued

BY TUNDE OMOLEHIN, OPE ADETAYO and MARK BANCHEREAU associated Press

SOKOTO, Nigeria All 24 schoolgirls held by assailants following a mass abduction last week from a school in northwestern Nigeria have been rescued, the country’s president announced Tuesday

A total of 25 girls were abducted Nov 17 from the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Kebbi state’s Maga town, but one of them was able to escape the same day, the school’s principal said. The remaining 24 were all rescued, according to a statement from President Bola Tinubu, though no details were released about the rescue.

“I am relived that all the 24 girls gave been accounted for Now, we must put as a matter of urgency more boots on the ground in the vulnerable areas to avert

further incidents of kidnapping,” the statement quoted Tinubu as saying.

The attack in Kebbi was among a spate of recent mass abductions in Nigeria, including a raid Friday on the Saint Mary’s School in north-central Niger state in which more than 300 students and staff from the Catholic school were abducted. Fifty students escaped over the weekend.

Musa Rabi Magaji, principal of the primarily Muslim school in Kebbi, told The Associated Press that all of the girls had been released but that they were still in the custody of authorities. He had no immediate details of their condition.

Abdulkarim Abdullahi, whose two daughters aged 12 and 13 were among those abducted, said authorities told him the girls were being taken to the state capital of Birnin Kebbi.

“I am excited to receive the news of their freedom, the past few days have been

difficult for me and my family, especially their mother,” Abdullahi said in a telephone interview “I will wait to see from the government about their wellbeing, but I can’t wait to see them in good health.”

Meanwhile, 38 worshippers kidnapped during a deadly church attack in central Nigeria’s Kwara state have regained their freedom, Kwara Gov AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq said in a statement on Sunday Gunmen had attacked the Christ Apostolic Church in Kwara’s Eruku town on Nov 18, killing two people and taking the others hostage.

No group has claimed responsibility for the recent abductions, but analysts and locals say gangs of bandits often target schools, travelers and remote villagers in kidnappings for ransoms. The gangs have used kidnapping for ransom as one way of dominating remote communities with little government and security presence.

BY AMANUEL GEBREMEDHIN

BIRHANE and RAJESH ROY associated Press

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia Volcanic activity in northern Ethiopia’s long-dormant

Hayli Gubbi volcano subsided Tuesday after an eruption over the weekend that left a trail of destruction in nearby villages and caused flight cancellations after ash plumes disrupted highaltitude flight paths.

Villages in the district of Afdera in the Afar region were covered in ash, officials said residents were coughing, and livestock found their grass and water totally covered.

Airlines cancelled dozens of flights scheduled to fly

over affected areas as the meteorological department said the ash clouds were expected to clear later on Tuesday India’s flag carrier, Air India, said it canceled 11 flights, most of them international, on Monday and Tuesday to inspect aircraft that may have flown over affected areas, acting on a directive from India’s aviation safety regulator

Another Indian operator, Akasa Air, said it had canceled flights to Middle East destinations such as Jeddah, Kuwait, and Abu Dhabi scheduled over the past two days.

At least seven international flights scheduled to depart from and arrive at the Indira

Gandhi International Airport in the Indian capital of New Delhi were canceled on Tuesday while at least a dozen were delayed, according to an official at the airport.

An official in charge of health in northern Ethiopia’s Afdera district, Abedella Mussa, said the residents were coughing and mobile medical services from the larger Afar region had been launched in the remote area.

“Two medical teams have been dispatched to the affected kebeles (neighborhoods) like Fia and Nemma-Gubi to provide mobile medical services,” he said.

Another official in charge of livestock, Nuur Mussa, said animals were unable to find clean water or grass.

EPAmoves to abandonsootrule

BY MATTHEW DALY associated Press

WASHINGTON TheTrump administration is seeking to abandon a rule that sets tough standards for deadly soot pollution, arguing that the Biden administrationdid not have authority to set the tighter standard on pollution from tailpipes, smokestacks and other industrial sources.

The action follows moves by theadministrationlastweek to weaken federal rules protectingmillions of acresofwetlands andstreams and roll back protections for imperiled species and the places they live. In aseparate action, theInterior Department proposednew oildrillingoff the California and Florida coasts for the first time in decades, advancing aproject that critics saycould harm coastal communities and ecosystems.

The Environmental Protection Agency finalized arule last year that imposed strict standards for soot pollution, saying that reducingfine particle matter from motor vehicles and industrial sources could prevent thousands of premature deaths ayear

Twenty-five Republican-led states and ahost of business groups filed lawsuits seekingto block the rule in court. Asuit led by attorneys general from Kentuckyand West Virginia argued that the EPArule would raise costs for manufacturers, utilities andfamilies and could block new manufacturing plants.

In acourt filing this week,the EPAessentially tookthe side of the challengers, saying the Biden-era rule was done “without the rigorous, stepwise process that Congress required” and was therefore unlawful.

“EPAnow confesses errorand urges this Court to vacatethe Rule”before Feb. 7, theagency said in abrief filed with the U.S

DistrictCourt of Appealsfor the District of ColumbiaCircuit.Vacatingthe Biden-era rulewould revert the soot standard to alevel established adozen years ago under the Obama administration The Trump EPAisset to propose its own ruleearly next year Environmental groups said the agency’saction —which follows a pledge by EPAAdministrator Lee Zeldin to roll back thesoot rule and dozens of other environmental regulations —threatens public health and undermines its obligations underthe Clean AirAct.

“EPA’s motion is ablatant attempt to avoidlegal requirements for arollback, in this case for one of the most impactful actions the

agency has takeninrecent years to protect public health,” said Hayden Hashimoto, an attorney at thenonprofit Clean Air Task Force.

The 2024 rule set maximum levelsof9 micrograms of fineparticle pollution percubic meterof air, down from 12 micrograms established under former President Barack Obama. Therulesetsan airquality levelthatstatesand counties must achieve in the coming years to reduce pollution from powerplants, vehicles,industrial sites and wildfires.

“An abundance of scientific evidence shows thatgoing back to theprevious standard would fail to provide the level of protection

for public health required under the Clean AirAct,” Hashimoto said.

EPAsaidincreating the rule that the new standard would avoid 800,000cases of asthmasymptoms, 2,000 hospitalvisits and 4,500 premature deaths, adding up to about $46 billioninhealth benefitsin2032.

Then-EPAhead Michael Regan said the rule would especially benefit children, older adultsand those with heart and lung conditions, as well as those living near highways, factories and power plants.

“Walking away from these clean-air standards doesn’tpower anythingbut disease,”said

Patrice Simms,vice president of healthy communities at Earthjustice, anonprofit law firm that represents environmental groups in the legalcase.

President Donald Trump“has made it clear thathis agenda is all about saving corporations money,” Simms said, adding under Zeldin,the EPA“hasnothing to do with protecting people’s health, saving livesorserving children families or communities.”

Soot, made up of tiny toxicparticlesthatlodge deep in the lungs, can result in severe health harms, including premature death, and comes from sourcessuch as vehicle exhaust pipes, power plants, andfactories.

Search for missing plane continues

Wildlife & Fisheries crew locates debris in lake

BY MARCO CARTOLANO Staff writer

The search for a small airplane that crashed into Lake Pontchartrain on Monday evening continued Tuesday with search crews and the U.S. Coast Guard scouring the water near New Orleans’ Lakefront Airport for the two people believed to be aboard.

The plane, a single-engine Cessna Skyhawk, took off from Gulf-

port-Biloxi International Airport, the Biloxi Sun Herald reported.

Contact with the aircraft was lost about 4 miles north of the New Orleans airport, according to the Coast Guard

crew found apparent debris from a small plane at 11 p.m., according to the Coast Guard.

The flight took off from the Million Air Terminal in Gulfport, Dave Schramko, the terminal’s general manager, told the Sun Herald.

Flight tracking data from Flight-

Crews from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries, St. Tammany Parish, Jefferson Parish and Cajun Navy volunteers also took part in the search.

The Coast Guard helicopter spotted water discoloration just after 7:30 p.m. A Wildlife & Fisheries

Officials have not identified the two missing people, though the United Cajun Navy told WDSU-TV the victims were a flight instructor and a student. The Coast Guard was notified about the missing plane around 6:30 p.m. They deployed an MH-60 helicopter and a 29-foot response boat into the lake to search for the people aboard and to locate the crash site.

Aware showed the plane flying out from Gulfport just after 5:40 p.m.

Minutes later, the plane started descending quickly over land, dropping 2,200 feet in about 10 minutes. The aircraft continued moving west over Louisiana. The tracker

HOLIDAY MODE

ABOVE: Mauricio LeSage, top right, makes some final adjustments to the poinsettia tree that was just put up in preparation for the Celebration in the Oaks at the New Orleans Botanical Garden in City Park. Keith Claverie, who manages the marketing for the garden, said that they received a shipment of about 500 poinsettias to complete the tree. LEFT: LeSage places poinsettias on the tree frame, decorating for the Celebration in the Oaks at the New Orleans Botanical Garden in City Park on Nov. 18.

StaFF PhotoS By eNaN CheDIaK

shows the plane over Lake Pontchartrain for about 10 more minutes before descending 900 feet further over the lake and then disappearing from the airspace. Michael Carastro, of Apollo Aviation, a flight school at the airport, owns the plane, according to media reports and data from FlightAware.

Carastro, who is based in Montgomery, Alabama, was not on board at the time of the apparent crash and was headed to Gulfport to assist in the investigation Tuesday morning, WDSU-TV reported.

S&WB lead pipe project in limbo

plan unresolved because of bid protest

BY BEN MYERS Staff writer

The Sewerage & Water Board set out last year to replace as many as 85,000 lead water pipes across New Orleans A year later, the plan is in limbo because one of the bidders for the project protested and the utility has yet to resolve the squabble. The delay has left residents waiting for word on when, or whether the S&WB will begin what could potentially be a $1 billion project to tear up and replace lead water lines throughout the city At the same time, the S&WB recently sent notices to customers with information about the materials in the public service lines feeding the pipes on their private properties. The notices are part of an ongoing effort to inventory all 278,000 service lines identifying which contain lead and which are free of contaminants. An interactive map on the S&WB website is searchable by address, though the majority of service lines are still labeled “unknown.” The project was kick-started in 2021 when the S&WB landed an $86 million grant to replace lead pipes from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which

ä See LIMBO, page 2B

these races are a nutty alternative to a day at the track

BY DOUG MacCASH Staff writer

And they’re off! For the sixth year, the Human Horse Races, a nutty familyfriendly event will take place in Mid-City on Thanksgiving Day The mini festival centers on a series of sprints in which human runners, wearing big rubber horse masks, carry other humans on their backs as they gallop toward the finish line to the cheers of onlookers. The absurd activity began as an alternative to the real horse races that take place at the Fairgrounds Race Course and Slots on Thanksgiving. But over the past six years, the Human Horse Races event has taken on an identity and following of its own. Founder Ingrid Anderson of Chalmette said that she always used to head to the track on Thanksgiving to watch the ponies run and, just as importantly, watch the people peacock around in their fall Save a horse, ride

BY CLAIRE TAYLOR Staff writer

TwoLafayette Parish couples —one unable to have children and the other having already raised theirs— became new parents Monday in acelebration of creating new families and saving children during Adoption Month.

“I’m blessed,” Mary Thomas,ofBroussard, saidafter signing adoption papers that madeher and her husband the new parents of alittle boy

The couple isn’tableto have their own biological children, she said.

“Wehavealot of loveto give, so why not?” Thomas said.

The adoption ceremony was held before 15th Judicial District Court Judge Thomas Duplantier.Inhis 35 years on the bench, Duplantierestimates he has overseen about 5,000 adoptions.

This year alone,hesaid, there have been 137 adoptions in Lafayette Parish, the most in Louisiana, including 31 adoptions in September

It takes many people working long and hard to create whatDuplantiercalls“forever families.”

The goal, he said, is to reunite children with their parents. Butthat’snot always possible, even with programs forsubstance abuseand mentalhealth treatment.

That’swhen foster parents and adoptiveparentsstep up.

“It’s atough job, but one with great rewards,” Duplantier said

Thereare 4,300 children in fostercare in Louisiana today,Rebecca Harris, secretaryofthe Louisiana Department ofChildren and Family Services, saidduring the event.

“Thank you one million times over forwhat you do for Louisiana’schildren,” Harris said to those fosteringand adopting children andthose whohelpwiththe process.

Beverly and Calvin McKenzie have raised their family. Their youngestis30, and theyare grandparentsto three children. On Monday, they started over,adopting

Alfred, 4, and Neveah, 5.

“I’m relieved,”Beverly McKenzie said after the adoptions werefinalized.

Thecouple fostered the two children for over 21/2 years.

“Wedid Kinship Care with arelative,” shesaid.“When he wenthome, Ifeltlike Ilost my baby.”

That’swhen thecouple decidedtofoster childrenwho need loving, stable adults in their lives. Now they are new parents again and are fosteringanother15-month-old girl thatthey’re trying to adopt.

Beverly McKenzie encouraged others to consider becoming fosterparents becausethe need is so great Statistics suggest that without the care of foster parents or adoptive parents, children are more likely to becomeaddicted todrugs, abused or killed, she said.

“Withoutus,” shesaid, “theydon’thave achance. We give them asecond chance at life.”

Email Claire Taylor at ctaylor@theadvocate.com.

StaFF Photo By LeSLIeWeStBrooK alfred McKenzie, 4, holds up fingerstotellJudgethomas r. Duplantier his ageas Duplantierand McKenzie’s adoptive parents, Calvin andBeverlyMcKenzie, andsister Neveah, 5, fill out paperworkduring an adoption ceremonyonNov.17atthe Lafayette Parish Courthouse in Lafayette.

RACES

Continued from page1B

finery and flamboyant hats.

“It wasthe thing to do,” she said.

Sometime after 2010, she said, she’d invited a newcomer to New Orleans to come along. But, as an animal rightsadvocate, he declined to go on the basis that the horses were being exploited.

Anderson, amakeup artist and fashion designer,was thus inspired to cook up a bohemian alternative. After all, she said, most of the arty folks who go to the track don’treally care about the horse races, they just show up forthe scene. With the

Human Horse Races, she produced amore animalsensitive —and more surreal —substitute. Thefirst Human Horse Races took place in 2019.

Anyone canbecomea humanhorse, she said. Youjust have to sign awaiver before yourun. Basedonphotos and videos of past races, acertain amountofstumblingand toppling is part of the picture. Of course, the“horses” oftendecorate theirmasks individualistically andassume equestrian characters. Theschedule includes adult,family and children’sraces.

“It’sverysilly and very wholesome,”Anderson said. Audience members “dress in their bestgetups,” Anderson said.There will be

LIMBO

Continuedfrom page1B

spurredpipe replacement projects across the country

The Environmental ProtectionAgency has imposed a 2037 deadline for all jurisdictions to replace lead and galvanized pipes.

The utility,which has previously estimatedas many as athirdofthe service lines contain lead, is seeking an additional $66 million in state funding. But that still would leavea huge funding gap since the estimated full cost of the project is around $1 billion Abidding protest

The water board issued acall for contractors to manage the project in November 2024, and alengthy selection process to winnow bidders down to two finalistspushed theproject back further than expected.

Things ground to acompletehalt in May after the losing bidder,Community Infrastructure Partners, accused the S&WB of violating its own policieswith its selection of arival bidder,engineering firm CDM Smith.

The competing bidders made their argumentsata formal hearing on Aug. 25, and the hearing officer said he would deliverarecommendation within 10 days.

AccordingtoS&WBprotocols, Executive Director RandyHaymanhas thefinal say after receiving the recommendation. But he hasyet to makeadecision, and the cause of the holdup isn’tclear

Hayman, whostartedin July,said in an interview on Sept. 19 —three weeks after the hearing —that he couldn’tdiscussthe protest because it was “going through theadministrative process.”

The S&WB said in astatementonMonday that it is still working through the process. They declinedto provide atime frame for resolving thematter and gettingwork started “Weremain committed to afair,transparent procurement process and will continuetofollow all policies governing this matter,” the statement said.

food trucks, drinks, craft booths, costume contests,

carnival games and ahalftimeperformanceby“The

StaFFFILe PhotoByMaX BeCherer aconstruction crewworkstostop aleaking water pipe on MapleStreet in Neworleans on July29, 2021. the Neworleans Sewerage& Water Board’seffort to replace as manyas85,000 leadwater pipes remains in limboa full year after solicitingcontractors for the work, as abid protest has gone unresolvedfor months

Officials also noted a smaller contract to remove lead pipes near schools and early childhood learning centers has already begun. Andfor people with lead services lines or service lines with an unknown material, the S&WB is offering free water filter pitchers.

Theprotest

Five contractors responded to the S&WB’sbid request in November2024, andthe selection committeeeventuallynarrowedthe choices to two companies.

Oneofthe twofinalists, Community Infrastructure Partners, founded three years ago, has undertaken pipe replacements in Rhode Island and Wisconsin. The other,CDM Smith, is leadingpipereplacements in Chicago, Washington, D.C., and othercities, andisalso managing the $2 billion roadsoverhaulinNew Orleans.

Afterbriefly considering splitting the work between the two companies, the panel chose CDM Smith.

Community Infrastructure Partners protestedthe selection, arguing that it proposed afasterinstallation schedule at alower cost The firms said the absence of the city’shealth director,Jen Avegno, from later scoringroundsdeprivedthe selection committeeofa required health expert.

“Her removal is critical for awhole host of reasons, the biggest being that it eliminatedthe most vital perspective, whichwas that

Jamettes” Mardi Gras marching troupe. Youcan’treally bet on the races, she said, but you can buy raffle tickets and maybe win agift basket. Proceeds from the event go to Greeno Equine Sanctuary,asort-of horse rescue home in Leblanc, in Iberville Parish. Andersonsaidthatsome people split Thanksgiving between thereal track and theHumanHorse Races, which takes place just afew blocks away

“But Iguarantee they’ll have morefun at this event,” she said. Anderson said that, basedonpast years, she expects approximately 3,000 attendees on Thursday

The sixthannualHuman Horse Races takeplace from 11 a.m.to3 p.m. on

of public health,” said Community Infrastructure Partners CEO Shawn Kerachsky at the Aug. 25 hearing. Kerachskysaidinan email on Monday he has not received any official S&WB notice since the hearing and that splitting up the work is the best option. Any other alternative “would likely prevent meaningful progress in 2026,” he said.

“Timely action is critical, both due to funding availability and the need to address aknown public health crisis,” Kerachsky said.

Lawyersfor CDMSmith andthe S&WB saidinthe August hearing that Community Infrastructure Partners failed to prove it washarmed by preferential treatment.

CDM Smith’slawyer,Jeff Pastorek,saidAvegno’sparticipation in thefirst scoring round satisfied the bid requirement. He also said the firm’sinstallationschedule wasmeant “to ease into the process.”

“You don’tstart this at 100 miles an hour.CDM Smith learnedthatthrough experience working on manyother projects,” Pastorek said. ACDM spokesperson, Julia Forgas, said in astatementthat the company is “committed to delivering the program and supporting the health and wellness of the community,with our focus on being ready the moment SWBNO issuesa decision.”

Email BenMyers at bmyers@theadvocate.com.

Thanksgiving DayatEaston Park, 3141 Toulouse St. Admission is $10 in advance and $15 at the gate. Kids 12 and under free. For moreinformation, visit the Human Horse Races website. Email Doug MacCashat dmaccash@theadvocate. com.

LOTTERY

MONDAY,NOV.24,

Deaths

Abila,A.L.

Davis, Joseph Fontenot,William Garvey,Marla Rey-Cambric, Linda EJefferson

Garden of Memories

Abila,A.L. NewOrleans

Lake Lawn Metairie

Garvey,Marla West Bank

Davis, Joseph Obituaries

A.L. Abila(89) of Metairie, LA passedinto Eternal Life on November 23, 2025. A.L. wasbornin Denver, Colorado on April 20, 1936, andresided in Metairie, Louisianafor the past51years.Hewas pre‐ceded in deathbyhis par‐entsPeteAbila andRose Abila,his sister Edith Schmidt (late, Will)brother Richard Avila(Jo,surviv‐ing), daughter Jemaine Leigh Halvorsonand granddaughter Jessica. A.L.issurvivedbyhis beloved wife of 70 years Martha, hisson Vincent Peter,his grandchildren Lindsey Abila; Jennifer Caroline, andThomas Halvorson (Thomasson-inlaw)brother Robert Avila (Bess),sisters;BerthaGar‐cia (late, Robert), Agnes Palacios(Alfred), Lorraine Berkos(late,Michael)and manyniecesand nephews. A.L.graduated from St MaryHighSchool in Albu‐querque,NM. He then joinedthe U.S. AirForce duringthe Korean conflict, being honorablydis‐charged 4years later. Shortly after beingdis‐charged,heappliedand was acceptedtoa position withthe FederalAviation Administrationwhere he servedwithdistinction for 27years,becomingthe youngestfacilitychief in the Southwestregionat thattime. Duty locations withthe agency as apro‐fessional airtrafficcon‐troller were Albuquerque, NM, SanJuanPR, SanAnto‐nio,TX, Lubbock, TX Roswell NM andLakefront Airport in NewOrleans and Moisant International, New Orleans whereheretired Uponretiringheowned and operated ahunting and fishingshopinKenner, LA. He sold that business and went into avariety of outside salespositions withvarious companiesas hethoroughlyenjoyed the contact with thepeople. Duringhis lifetime,A.L was adevoted catholic parishioner at St.Christo‐pherthe Martyr,hewas veryinvolvedinthe Knights of Columbus,serv‐ing as Past GrandKnight, 3rd Degree,PastFaithful Navigator,4th Degree, Dis‐trict Deputy,PastGrand Commander,International Order of Alhambra.Hewas alsoveryactivewiththe Clearview LionsClubhav‐ingservedasPresident six

terms. He wasthe recipi‐ent of numerous KC and Lions awards includingthe Pro DeoPatreaMedal (4th Degree) andLionofthe year(sixtimes). A.L. was anavidhunter and fisher‐man andlefta largevari‐ety of trophies in hishome. A.L.traveledextensively for business andpleasure but mostly forpleasure withhis beautifulwife Martha. Family andfriends are invited to attend a memorialservice on Fri‐day,November28, 2025, at GardenofMemoriesFu‐neral Home,4900 Airline Drive,Metairie, LA 70001 Visitationwillbegin at 9:00 am, with amassstartingat 11:00 am.A burial will take place at a laterdate. To send flowerstothe family, offeronlinecondolences or plant atreeinmemoryof A.L., please visit, www.gar denofmemoriesmetairie com.

Joseph Ronald Davis, 72 ofMarrero,LA, wasbornin New Orleans, LA,onJuly6 1953, to the late Vonne Davis and thelateJoseph Shargois. He wassur‐rounded with intenselove, being oneofseven broth‐ers andeight sisters. He was abeloved husband,fa‐ther, grandfather, brother, and friend—knownfor his loveoftrucks, family,peo‐ple,and good food.Joseph leavesbehinda legacy of love, strength,service,and faith,learningearly theim‐portanceoffamily, disci‐pline,and hard work Josephmarried Shirley Davis on April27, 1980, and together they shared 45 years of marriage.Profes‐sionally, Joseph wasanen‐trepreneuratheart—build‐ing businesses, pursuing new opportunities, andin‐spiring others throughhis ambitionand discipline. He was well respected throughoutthe community for hisstrongcharacter and leadership.A true pil‐lar in the community Josephwas always willing tohelpthose in need.He was aleaderofmen, teachingand developing skillsthatallowed many to build careersthatsup‐portedtheir livesand fami‐lies. Histhrivingtrucking businessservednot only ashis livelihood butalso asa placewhere he men‐tored countless individu‐als,teachingmanyhow to drive trucks andlaunch their ownpaths in thein‐dustry.Asa part of hisen‐

trepreneurialventures, Josephalsodrove school buses fora period of time, which afforded himthe op‐portunity to buildmean‐ingfulrelationships with students, coworkers, and community members— manyofwhombecamelike extendedfamilytohim Depending on thesetting those who knew himaffec‐tionately called him“Big Daddy,” “Poncho,”or “Westside Daddy.” Joseph was strong,resilient, and confident.Baptizedatan early age, he wasa fol‐lower of JesusChristwho creditedGod forevery blessing—oftensaying, Man, Godhas blessedus too much forustobewor‐riedabout that foolish‐ness.”OnNovember14, 2025, ourbeloved Joseph RonaldDavis transitioned intoeternal rest,entering the presence of theLord whomhefaithfullyserved. Heissurvivedbyhis loving wife, Shirley; hischildren, Carlie(Loronzo),Kikoa (Thomas), Cedric (LaShawna), Terrell, and Eric; 14 grandchildren; 3 great-grandchildren;his brothers, Glenn(Darlene), Terry,Reginald(Lisa), Floyd (Marisa),Darryl (Pauline),Michael (Roslyn), andRicardo;and his sisters, Darlene, Crys‐tal,Patricia, andDebbie (Joseph). He is also sur‐vived by hisbrother-in-law James Jr.(Juanita) andhis sister-in-law Joycelyn.He isprecededindeath by his sisters Diane, Alice, Glen‐rose, andSandra, as well ashis mother-in-law Juanita andfather-in-law James.Healsoleavesbe‐hinda host of nieces and nephews,along with ex‐tendedfamilywho loved him dearly.Relatives and friends of thefamilyare in‐vited to attend thecelebra‐tionoflifeservice which willbeheldonFriday, No‐vember28, 2025, at Second Saint John BaptistChurch located at 242 Avondale GardenRoad, Avondale,LA 70094. Thevisitationwill begin at 8:30 a.m.,and the service will beginat10 a.m.PastorDamianJ Brown officiatingand in‐terment will follow at Rest‐lawnMemorialParkCeme‐teryinAvondale, La.Fu‐neral planning entrustedto RobinsonFamilyFuneral Home9611 LA -23, Belle Chasse,LA7007 (504) 2082119. Foronlinecondo‐lencespleasevisit www robinsonfamilyfuneralho me.com

William A. Fontenot, 82, passed away peacefullyin his home on November 23, 2025. Willie was born in Washington, LA and grew up in Opelousas. He was one of 8children born to L. Austin and RuthRobertson Fontenot. He became a prominent environmental justice activist.For 27 years, Willie served as the community liaisonofficer forthe Louisiana Attorney General's Office.Heplayed akey role in establishing community and environmental groupsacross Louisiana and theDeep South. He brought hopeand empowerment to marginalized communities. Eventually,hebecame known as the"Grandfather of theLouisiana Environmental Movement."Willie always treated others with kindness, patience, and respect,and he was welllovedand admired.Inhis own neighborhood, he was theGardenDistrict Easter Bunny for 24 years. He is survivedbyhis wife of 53 years, Mary, his son, Jacques and daughter, Dona. Brothers are Joe Fontenot(Linda), Freddie (Paula),Eric, deceased, (Margie).Sisters are Frances (deceased),

Carolyn Goodman,Lilias LeBlanc(deceased), Marie Porche (Ed). He leaves manynieces andnephews andgreat nieces and nephews. There will be a CelebrationofLife on Sunday, December 28, from 1:00-3:00pm at The Guru locatedinthe Circa 1857 complex at thecornerof Government and19th StreetsinBaton Rouge.If anyone wouldliketodonate agift in hisname, please consider The Louisiana Environmental ActionNetwork (LEAN) (leanweb.org) or Alzheimer'sServicesofthe Capital Area (www.alzbr.org) (3772 North Blvd.BR, LA 70806.)

Marla Redmann Garvey, alifelongresident of Metairieand NewOrleans, passedaway peacefullyon Saturday, November 22nd at the age of 88. Adevoted wife, mother andgrandmother, she waspreceded in death by herbeloved husband of 52 years, Lawrence"Larry" Garvey Marla is survivedbytheir threechildren, Dana, Michael and Lisa, and by fivegrandchildren. Her

PERRILYNALEXIS-HARRIS, OWNERS 9611 HIGHWAY23, BELLE CHASSE,LOUISIANA

OUR VIEWS

Latest school scores capyear of extraordinary educational progress

The laurels for Louisiana schools this year came early.InJanuary,whenitwas announced that the state’sfourth graders had outpaced all others in the nation for thegrowth in theirreadingscores, we were elated. It waseven more impressive that our studentswere achieving at pre-pandemic levels,while scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress had stalled in most of thenation.And itpushed Louisiana from49th of 50 states up to 32nd injust five years, its highest ranking ever on thetest, knownas“the nation’sreport card.”

But questions remained: Could thestate sustain theprogress it is making in reading andhow could it translatethose gains to other subject areas? Scores on LEAP tests released in July showed mixed results. While math scores improvedsignificantly, readingwas stagnant, but small yearly fluctuationsdon’tnecessarily mean much.

That’s why we were eagertosee theschool scores come out last week.While student assessmentsgive asnapshot of aparticulargroup of students and aparticular time,school scores canpaint abroader picture, telling us whether good systems are in place tobuild on success long-term.

And last week, there was some goodnews. School scoresaround the state were at their highest level ever.Accordingtothe statewide criteria, which looks at test scores, graduation rates and other benchmarks, 44% of elementary and middle schoolsand 70% of high schools earnedanA or Bthis year.The statewideaveragefor districts was aB,or80.9 outofa possible 150points, the highest average since it reworked the accountabilityformula in 2018. In Orleans Parish, NOLA Public Schools moved from aCtoaB ratingthisyear,its highest rating since HurricaneKatrinahit. And severalindividual schools saw their ratingsrise, including Frederick A. Douglass High School which celebrated its newly minted A-rating with Mardi Gras Indians and aband, andSophie B. Wright Institute of Excellence, whosescore jumped 14 points to an A, makingitone of the most improved high schools in the state. Jefferson Parish retained its Bgrade andhad five schools listed among the state’shighest-achieving schools, including Haynes Academy,which had the highest school performance scoreof anyhighschool in the state. St. Tammanyalso notched aB,scoring almost exactlythe same as it didlastyear With anew assessment systemplannedfor next year,SuperintendentofEducationCade Brumley and other state officials warn that scorescould dip. We have long beenaproponent of the new grading scale, whichputsmore emphasis on whether students are improving in key areas. But we are encouraged that this year’sscoresshow that schools anddistricts can meet any bar that is set for them with clear and consistent guidelines. So even withthe bar seta bit higher,weare certain that Louisiana schools have the map and the tools tocontinueinthe right direction.

LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR ARE

WELCOME. HERE AREOUR

GUIDELINES: Letters are published identifying name, occupation and/or title and the writer’scity of residence theadvocate |the times-Picayune require astreet address andphone number for verification purposes, but that information is not published. Letters are not to exceed 300 words. Letters to the editor,the advocate, P.o. Box 588, Baton rouge, La 70821-0588, or email letters@ theadvocate.com.

to SeND US a Letter, SCaNhere

Recently,Sen. John Kennedy used crude sexual analogies about “nuns” when discussing serious policy issues about the economy and the governmentshutdown. It is unclear what motivated Kennedy to say what he said, especially as he representsa statewherein 22% of the residentsare Catholic. We hope that Kennedy was not wishing to diminish or obscure our prophetic witness. Making sisters an object of ridicule and alaughingstock will not deter us. Apostolic religious life is about making visible through our various ministries the love and compassion of Jesus Christ,especially for the outcastsofsociety.Our vow of celibacy is aradical witness to the values of the Christian Gospel. It also frees us from

Thosewho ponder thebackwardnessofLouisiana’spopulation have new evidence of the moral and intellectual incapacityofour citizens and political leadersintheir reactions to Donald Trump’sblatantly criminal campaign of murder being conducted against people alleged to be transporting cocaine in boatstraveling from South America in the Caribbean and Pacific oceans. Between Sept.2and Nov.9.Trump’s government has bombed 20 boats, killing 76 people so far Trump bragsabout these killings and claims he is saving thousands of lives by preventing deadly drugs from entering theU.S.

Butheisdestroying these boats and their passengers without atrace of legal process. Therehave been no arrests, no charges, no trialsand no judgments— only summary execu-

As amoderate voter in full support of Louisiana’sformer open “jungle”primarysystem, it infuriated me that our Legislature supported thechange to closed primarieswithout apublic vote Despite theclaim of being a“deeply conservative” state, Louisiana is more thanits Republicans, who make up 35.3% of registered voters. Approximately 36.8% areregistered Democrats, plus there’sanother 27.8%, who areunaffiliated and third-partyvoters.

theresponsibilities of family life, so we can serve wherever and whenever thegospel calls. We sisters take no personal credit for any of this; it is God’sgracious gift to us to witness in this way At this time of political chaos and gross polarization in ourcountry,let us all try toact like adults. Let us work together,not against each other,for the good of all, not just the rich and powerful. Belittlingeach other along theway only serves to increase the polarization and makes the vulnerable in our world, for whom we have aserious responsibility, even morevulnerable.

MAURAO’DONOVAN ROCHELLE PERRIER on behalf of Burning Bush: Catholic Sisters and Brothers for an end to Violence

tions. Thesekillings are totally illegal and immoral. They aresimply actsof murder

Ourvery pious, pro-life Rep. Mike Johnson and our energetic Attorney General Liz Murrill, who both claim to be legal and religious experts, have enthusiastically supportedthe killings;and it seems that most Louisiana citizens have not waveredintheir supportfor President Donald Trump since he became aserial killer

So, Louisiana citizens and public policy advocates of all kinds, please takeamoment to reflect on the biblical premises of your reactions to these grotesque hypocrisies and official crimes.Satan and self-delusion are running wild today. Like the honorable Admiral AlvinHolsey, we too can say,“Count me out of this.”

MICHAEL WOLF Neworleans

There is hope forour country in the aftermath of the political shutdownwar.Wenow have an opportunity to evaluate our representatives’ take on the health care issue. They have an opportunity to articulate what their stand is and why, instead of ducking the issue under loyalty to the party.I urge you to call or email your representative about this now.Before the next election, please give serious consideration to what issues are important to you. Question the candidates and vote forthe issues rather than the party Your issues are likely not the sameasmine. Iamhopeful that a crack in loyalty to the party will allow us to moveforward with loyalty to each other

JANE METCALF Baton rouge

Gov.Jeff Landry and Attorney General Liz Murrill wanttoholler about “free speech” regarding Loyola student government’svote against right wing extremist group Turning Point USA. The governor is suggesting that LSU erect astatue to Charlie Kirk, the newly anointed martyr of the extreme right, while Trumpdefunds PBS, NPR, CPB and attacks CBS, Steven Colbert, Jimmy Kimmeland any media publishing anegative view of his poor,injured self. Trumpmini-me, Landry,and his like-minded AG, are unsurprising in their ridiculous hypocrisy

RUSS W. COPPING Covington

So, an overwhelming 62.6% of Louisiana votersare overlooked in the decisions thataffect our state. The governor has been determined since taking office to unduly influence election outcomes in GOPfavor.When the Legislature made this change, it allowed “No Party” unaffiliated voters to still have a choice in aclosed primary election. The Republican Party is nowgoing to file a lawsuit to close“their” primaries. Did anyone file alawsuit to stop the change in primaries in the first place? Ican appreciate the Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Eric Skrmetta’sconcern as he puts it, but he is off base to think senior citizens will notchange party affiliation. Ivote for the best candidates despite party lines, and Iwant to continue to be able to do just that. And to Christy Haik Iwould say,your party is not aclub. ALLYSON DIAZ thibodaux

Policy leaders debate what’s the best way to attract investment to the state

Michael Hecht is the CEO of GNO Inc.

Daniel Erspamer is chief executive officer of the Pelican Institute. Stacey Roussel is deputy director of Invest in Louisiana. They recently discussed the pros and cons of special business tax incentives at an event hosted by the nonpartisan “Neutral Ground” organization, which promotes civil discourse on matters of public interest. The Times-Picayune is a partner with Neutral Ground.

The following is an excerpt of their conversation, edited for length and clarity, as moderated by Nathalie Simon, a Neutral Ground board member and special counsel to the CEO at Laitram Industries.

SIMON: The Landry administration has been particularly aggressive with incentive programs and reforms, and Louisiana has recently secured several wins. One we’ve all read about is the Venture Global LNG; they are investing $18 billion in an expansion in Plaquemines Parish Another is the one we’ve all also read about, the Meta AI Data Center It is considered one of the biggest economic development wins in the state’s history $10 billion in Richland Parish. (That figure is now estimated to be north of $25 billion — ed.) And we’ also read about the Hyundai steel mill, $6 billion in Ascension Parish. All sound great, right? More jobs, more economic activity in a lot of poor regions of the state But not everyone’s happy Michael, what is the purpose of economic development incentives?

HECHT: There’s a three-part test for a good incentive. The first is that it needs to pass the if-not/but-for test, meaning that it has to actually change behavior An incentive that doesn’t change behavior is basically wasted money, because the company was going to do it anyway The second is it has to be net-present-value positive, meaning that money that is spent has to have a positive return to the state over time And the third is it has to be permanent, meaning that if the incentive goes away, the industry or the company stays.

SIMON: Stacey, is that your three-part test?

ROUSSEL: Well, I didn’t know that we had three-part tests. Organizationally, our lens is also low- and moderate-income households. Unfortunately, there are too many of them About 51% of the state really struggles to make ends meet, inclusive of about

20% who live below the federal poverty level. So: Are we maximizing as a state all that we can for our low- and moderateincome households?

SIMON: Daniel, you run a free enterprise think tank. What is your ideological position with regard to these incentives?

Special deals or low taxes

ERSPAMER: The challenge with incentives is that they put government in the position of picking winners or losers. And so by definition, an incentive is given to one company, one industry, one group of companies, and some political body makes that decision, some government entity or quasi-government entity Do we want to sort of cement in the Huey Long system of government, which meant that everyone had to come to Baton Rouge to kiss the ring? And so if you are a company that has a good lawyer and a good lobbyist, and a good accountant, you can do pretty well in Louisiana.

Well, the problem is, we’ve ended up with this patchwork quilt of tax policies that means, again, the government has chosen winners and losers, and we make it very difficult, particularly for new entrants into the market, for entrepreneurs. There’s a study that looked backward to say of companies that took advantage of economic development incentives, somewhere between 75% and 98% of them said they would have done this anyway So I think most of these are bad, and the ones that are good are hard to identify

SIMON: But if you look at some of these projects, they do they sound promising: Meta, 500 permanent workers, 1,000 indirect jobs, 5,000 temporary workers. The Hyundai one, I think 1,300 jobs are expected with an average salary of $95,000 a year But how does that benefit a small-business owner, working-class people? My question is, what is the return on investment?

HECHT: Let’s talk about something even

more technical, but more important, which is net present value. That means that if I’m going to pay $100 to Daniel’s company because he has the best lawyers, as he was talking about before, and so he gets $100, right? So that was $100 that I spent. Then, if the state treasury because the state gave them $100, if the state treasury gets back $10 a year in the first year, and that goes on for another 20 years, then it diminishes over time, right? The further away you get into the future, you have to discount it by some agreed-upon value, to account for inflation.

SIMON: Thank you for explaining economic development. But I do think there is that big elephant in the room, and I think we should just talk about the tax code overall.

ROUSSEL: In Louisiana, we have the 10th most regressive tax structure in the nation, according to our friends at the Institute for Taxation Economic Policy, which is a national think tank. What does that mean? It means that those who are making the least so those who are making $18,000 or below in Louisiana — are paying about 13.1% of that income in combined state and local tax.

If you go to the other end of the spectrum to our top 1% of earners, those are folks pulling down about a half million a year, they’re paying about 5.6% of their income in combined state and local tax. So really, from our perspective, the way that you raise revenue matters just as much as how you spend the revenue. But do we have what we need to invest as a state in our people?

ERSPAMER: Our baseline belief is that the best tax policy is low, flat and broad, right? That everyone has some skin in the game; that is, everyone pays essentially the same rate based on their decisions, and that it is as uncomplicated and simple as possible. Historically, Louisiana has had one of the most complex tax codes in the country If you look at the data, states that follow “low, flat and broad” have the best economic outcomes. And I suspect one of the things that Michael will tell you from talking to businesses I certainly hear it all the time — is that simplicity and predictability matter almost as much, in some cases more, as what the tax rate is. And Louisiana has a history of unpredictability

This is a question of opportunity costs, and the opportunity cost for these sorts

of tax incentives and credits and special carve-outs is that that’s money that could be reduced in taxes or, not to speak for her, but I suspect what Stacey might say, to spend on government services. The case for “good” incentives

SIMON: Michael, it sounds like Daniel’s saying, and I think Stacey as well, that although they have very different solutions, they’re saying, “simplify the tax code, and business will come.” No more need for economic development. I guess my question is, are these incentives enough to keep these businesses here long term?

HECHT: I have on my note card some examples of good incentives and some examples of bad incentives. Good incentives have to pass at least most of those three tests I mentioned earlier So, the digital media incentive, I believe that over time it’s going to be positive net-present-value. You look at the slow but steady growth we’re having in companies like Copado, DAQA, High Voltage Software. Then there’s the historic tax credit: If the historic tax credit for rebuilding did not exist, we would not have a downtown post-Katrina, and whole historic downtowns in this country would not exist. It is a stimulative incentive that jumpstarts the market, creates those buildings, which are now condos and offices and entertainment centers that become revenue-producing for the state. So that one passes the “if not/but for” test.

SIMON: We live in a poor state and region. How do you sell taxpayers on spending money on incentives versus basic services when basic services of government are not functioning?

ROUSSEL: I would like to say a word in defense of the safety net in Louisiana. There are some things we do really, really well when it comes to making a safety net that does work. There are some things that we don’t do well, but Louisiana has one of the lowest uninsured rates in the nation, and that’s because we expanded Medicaid, and those are public dollars that go into private health care providers, private health insurance companies, and what we get in return is that when people are sick, they get to go to the doctor And that’s a great thing. It’s really important that the safety net remains strong and we have enough money to keep it running.

grandchil grandchildren brought great joy to her life and she was very proud of their many accomplishments. Marla and her late husband were longtime supporters of Catholic causes and many charities, civic and cultural institutions in the New Orleans area. Both were recipients of the Order of St. Louis Medallion. She was amember of Metairie Country Club and the Laussat Society of the HistoricNew Orleans Collection. Private services and interment. In lieu of flowers, the family request donations be made to Team Gleason or to another worthy charity

DEATHS continued from companion years, Henry Dolliole Jr.Linda leaves behind her two children, Ashley Ann and Marc Hughes, who she cherished unconditionally. She also leaves behind two grandchildren, JamesD., known as Radar" and Taylor E, known as her "Weenie" and her husband Blake Hammond; her great -grandchildren, Blayde E known as "Bunnie", and the newest addition she waited so anxiously for, Chicago James, whom she had yet to give his moniker. All of whom brought her much joy.Linda is also survived by her niece Tamara (Eulis) Simien, hernephews Steven(Tyise) Dunnaway and David Dunnaway, along with ahost of great nieces and nephews. Avisitation will be held at Rabenhorst Funeral Home (825 Government St, Baton Rouge) on Saturday, November 29, at 9AMuntil funeral service at 10. Inter-

Rey-Cambric, Linda

Linda Rey-Cambric of New Orleans, La, passed away unexpectedly at Old Jefferson Community Center on November 11, 2025 at the age of 84. She was born to the unionofAlbert and Helen Rey Sr., who shaped the strong and caring person she was. Linda was preceded in death by her brothers, Hughes (Butch), and Albert Jr (Boogie Rey); her sister, Jacqueline (Sister); her nephews, Gregory and Paul (Cotton-Top); ason in love, James D. III and her companion for 34 years, Henry DollioleJ Linda

ment will follow at St Louis Cemetery #3 (3421 Esplanade Ave, New Orleans).

SPORTS

Talesfromheadcoachingsearches past

twists andturns have been thenorminpreviousLSU processes

If you think the search for the next LSU football coach over the past few weeks has been wild, I’m here to tell you something: They’re all wild. This is the seventh coaching search I’ve covered for The Advocate since 1991, and I was in school at LSU for an eighth. They’re almost all messy,and at times,itseems no one will ever take the job. Then the Tigers hire the guy everyone becomes convinced will, or won’t, take them to anational championship. And three ofthem have. But we’re not here to talk about

titles.We’re here to tell stories. Tales from coaching searches past. Away we go.

SPURNINGSPURRIER: In 1986, LSU coach Bill Arnsparger announced he was leaving to become athletic director at Florida after three successful seasons.LSU players emotionally pleaded their case for defensive coordinator Mike Archer to get the job. Steve Spurrier,who had been a head coach for three years in the defunct USFL, wanted the LSU jobbadly.LSU hired Archer,then fired him in 1990 despite winning

an SECtitle in 1988.Spurrier won an ACC title at Duke,thenturned Florida into anationalpowerhouse.

To date, Archer is the last man without head coaching experience to get the LSUjob

PATSULLIVANSAGA: In 1994, TCU coach PatSullivan —the 1971 Heisman Trophy winner at Auburn —appearedtobeheaded to LSU. All that stood in the waywas —get this —a$400,000 buyout he owed TCU.

LSUrefused to pay it. TCU refused to waiveit, which Ialways believed Sullivan thought would happen.

As then-TCU athletic director Frank Windeggertold me in a

ä See RABALAIS, page 3C

MURKYFUTURE

Saints running back alvin Kamara goes down awkwardly after beingtackled by atlanta Falcons linebackerKaden

Caesars Superdome. Kamara,who didn’t returnafter the play, has seen his productivity declinethis season.

as Kamara’s resurgence fades, Saints couldmoveoninoffseason

BY MATTHEW PARAS Staff writer

Kellen Moore hadto be correctedwhen

he first said that Alvin Kamara still wasbeingevaluated for the ankle injuryhesufferedinSunday’s loss to the Falcons.

The Saints coach meant the running back hadhurt his knee, right? Kamara alreadyhad been dealing with an ankle injury

“Oh yeah, sorry,” Mooresaid.“Yes. Moore’smixup easily can be chalked up to amental mistake.But in itsown way, the error was yet another wayKamara was

MORE INSIDE

ä Saints film review PaGe 4C

ä Former Saints Brees,Evans semifinalists forPro Football Hall. PaGe 4C

overlooked —forgotten?— by the firstyearcoach.

For whatever reason, Kamara’susage —and effectiveness— has not been the same under Moore. The 30-year-old is in themidst of the worst statistical season of hiscareer as he’saveraging career lows in yards per carry and catches per game. And

now he’shurt again.

The lack of production raises uncomfortable questions for theSaints.

Is this asign that Kamara is finally on his last legs? Or is it areflection that Moore maynot know how to utilize him properly?

Will Kamara’sdip cause the Saints to cut bait withthe running back after the season? The answers aren’tclear,but Kamara isn’thaving the season the Saints are used to seeing from him

“There’sa lot of positives; he’splayed really well,” Moore said. “He’sbeen in some challenging situations.Wehaven’tbeen

ä See KAMARA, page 4C

Saints boot Grupe, to sign ex-LSU KYork

BY LUKE JOHNSON Staff writer

The New Orleans Saints’ patience with kicker Blake Grupe met its breakingpoint when the team waivedthe third-year kicker

Tuesday

Thedecision wasmadeafter Grupe, who signed with the Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2023, missed his seventh and eighth field goalsofthe season in aWeek 12 loss to theAtlanta Falcons. Five of Grupe’smisses have come from inside 50 yards this season, includinga2-for5mark from 40-49 yards. Both of Grupe’s misses against the Falcons, from38and 47 yards, missed wide right of the uprights. With Grupe out, the Saints are planning to sign former LSU kicker Cade York to the

practice squad, asource with knowledge of thesituation confirmed.

The Saints will add York after atryout Tuesdaythatincludedthe 24-year-oldand veteran Justin Tucker,the latter of whom received hisfirst NFL workout after a10gamesuspension for violating the league’s personalconduct policy.Sixteen women accusedTucker of inappropriate misconduct during massage-therapy sessions, which Tucker has denied. York hasa career 73.3%fieldgoalmake ratein23games. Aformer fourth-round pick in 2022, York has spent timewith the Cleveland Browns, Tennessee Titans, New York Giants, Washington Commandersand Cincinnati Bengals.

ä See GRUPE, page 4C

Sumrall, playerssee flawsdespite

BY GUERRYSMITH

Contributing writer

Sumrall

ä Charlotte at Tulane. 6:30 P.M. SatUrDay, eSPNU

Even with Tulane needing only ahomewin against hapless Charlotte (6:30 p.m Saturday,ESPNU) to clincha spot in the American Conference championship game, coach Jon Sumrall, quarterback JakeRetzlaff and defensive endJordan Norman found plenty of flaws in what appeared to be acommanding 37-13 win at Temple on Saturday Chief among them was the struggle for touchdowns following a69-yard scoring strike to wide receiver Shazz Preston on the Green Wave’ssecond offensive snap. Sevensubsequent drives reached at least the Owls’ 34. Only two reached the end zone.

Sumrall and Retzlafflingered on one play in particular while giving contrasting explanations of what went wrong.With theWaveup23-7 late in the third quarter, Retzlaff rolled to his right on third and 9 and was tackled fornogainwhen atight end waswide open in front of him

Patrick Durkin’sfourth field goal madethe score 26-7.

“Wemissed one for sure on aslot option that we could have converted and not had to kick afield goal,” Sumrall said. “I could have made that throw.Wejust didn’tread it out right. Retzlaff did some good things but still has some room to grow.”

Retzlaff —named to the AmericanConference weeklyhonor roll for the fifth time —said he was more irritated about not getting past linebacker Curly Ordonez.

“The play that Iwas caught makes me upset,” he said. “I’m a guy who takes pride in not being caught by anybody.I probably would have scored if Ihad avoided that shoe-string tackle.”

Tulane (9-2, 6-1) has scored 25 touchdowns in 45 red zone possessions, while likely American Conference title game opponent North Texas has punched it in 51 times in 64 chances. Theonly three league teams with worse ratios than the Wave —Florida Atlantic, Tulsa and Charlotte —have acomposite record of 9-24.

Sumrall,who said Tulane sometimeslooked like oneofthe worst 25 teams in the FBSratherthan one of the best 25 four days before the Temple blowout, softened only slightly.Heconceded the 22ndranked Wave “might be one of the best 75 teams.”

Sumrall and Norman were no

6

6

6 p.m.

6:30

7

1

Players era Festival: tBD trUtV

8 p.m. NJIt at Louisville aCCN

8:30 p.m acrisure holiday Inv’l: tBD CBSSN

8:30 p.m. Southwest Maui Inv’l: tBD eSPN2

8:30 p.m.

9:30

11 p.m.

Inv’l: tBD CBSSN

p.m. Southwest Maui Inv’l: tBD eSPN2 WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

1 p.m. texas vs. UCLa trUtV

3:30 p.m. Duke vs. South Carolina trUtV WOMEN’S COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL

6

8:30 p.m. australian PGa Championship Golf NBA

4:10 p.m. Detroit at Boston eSPN

Pavia leading Vandy to historic season

BY TERESA M. WALKER associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt lists Diego Pavia as 6-foot, though the quarterback has allowed he’s been measured a smidge under 5-10. Cornerback Martel Hight said Pavia plays much taller with a contagious confidence that borders on cockiness.

How tall?

“Six-seven,” Hight said, making the viral hand motion.

Pavia certainly has made the most of a season granted to him by a federal judge.

The quarterback from New Mexico has played his way into the Heisman Trophy conversation by leading No. 12 Vanderbilt to its first nine-win regular season. A win Saturday at No. 18 Tennessee would give the Commodores (9-2) their first 10-win season ever and possibly a College Football Playoff berth.

“I feel like that’s my superpower is just bringing everyone together,” Pavia said.

Coach Clark Lea got Pavia to Vanderbilt as part of a package deal with his then-New Mexico State coach Jerry Kill and offensive coordinator Tim Beck

In Pavia’s first season, the Commodores beat then-No. 1 Alabama for their first win over an AP Top Five opponent in 61 tries and posted their first winning record since 2013.

Pavia, who once walked on at New Mexico Military Institute, is having his best season yet, putting himself among the nation’s very best His play is why Vanderbilt has a Heisman Trophy campaign for the quarterback who wears No. 2 with a “HEI2MAN” link on its football page and the hashtag #2turnt on social media. He leads the SEC in total offense and ranks third nationally averaging 325.9 yards per game. He’s third in the SEC throwing at 265.8 yards a game, behind Tennessee’s Joey Aguilar and Ty Simpson of Alabama. He’s completing a career-high 71.7% of his passes

GeorGe

aSSoCIateD PreSS Photo By

WaLKer Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia celebrates a touchdown during a game against Kentucky on Saturday in Nashville, tenn.

while also leading the SEC with 26 touchdown passes.

Lea said Pavia deserves to be in the Heisman conversation for how the quarterback takes over games.

“This is a guy that has been doubted every way you can be doubted and counted out, and all he’s done is bet on himself,”

484 yards against Kentucky last week with six total TDs in three quarters.

Lea gave Pavia a chance for an ovation in that game, his last at home. Pavia made a heart symbol with his hands to the fans, then started giving hugs on the sideline starting with Lea, then Kill.

“Coach Kill’s the reason, basically why I’m here,” Pavia said.

“He brought me here. He took a chance on me in New Mexico State when I was a juco. I had no Division I offers, had to walk onto juco. Almost walked on New Mexico State.”

Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said Monday that Pavia is an offensive threat with both his arm and his legs. Pavia is Vanderbilt’s leading rusher, averaging 60.1 yards per game and tied for the team lead with eight more TDs.

“He’s continued to get better throughout the course of the season and being efficient with the football and has created a bunch of big plays,” Heupel said. “But his ability to be a part of the run game, as well, is a huge part of what they do offensively.”

The Volunteers (8-3) lead the series 79-33-5. They beat Vanderbilt and Pavia, who played with an injured hamstring, 36-23 last year in Nashville needing a win to clinch a College Football Playoff berth.

Now Pavia goes to the SEC’s biggest stadium in Knoxville where 101,915 fans will fill Neyland Stadium on Saturday Pavia gave Vols’ fans bulletin board material this summer on a podcast when he said: “Vanderbilt is gonna run Tennessee after this year.”

Skenes gets record $3.4M in pre-arbitration pool

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher and former LSU standout Paul Skenes will receive a record $3,436,343 from this year’s pre-arbitration bonus pool, raising his two-year total to $5,588,400 under the initiative to direct more money to top younger players.

A 23-year-old right-hander who debuted in May 2024, Skenes was a unanimous winner of this year’s NL Cy Young Award after leading the major leagues with a 1.97 ERA and striking out 216 batters in 1871⁄3 innings. He had an $875,000 salary in the major leagues after earning $564,946 in pay last year He won’t be eligible for salary arbitration until after the 2026 season. Kansas City shortstop Bobby Witt Jr had the previous high of $3,077,595 for the 2024 season.

Red Sox acquire RHP Gray from Cardinals

BOSTON The Boston Red Sox acquired 36-year-old right-hander Sonny Gray, a three-time All-Star, from the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday for righty Richard Fitts and a prospect.

Red Sox chief baseball officer

Craig Breslow had said adding a starting pitcher behind ace Garrett Crochet was one of the team’s goals for the offseason. Gray gives them a dependable option who could take some of the pressure off the rest of the rotation. Gray went 14-8 with a 4.28 ERA for the Cardinals last season, striking out 201 batters and walking 38 in 32 starts — the best ratio in the National League He is one of five pitchers to record at least 200 strikeouts in each of the last two seasons.

Ohtani to play for Japan during next year’s WBC LOSANGELES Shohei Ohtani plans to play for Japan in next year’s World Baseball Classic, the twoway Los Angeles Dodgers star announced on social media Monday Ohtani helped Japan win the 2023 WBC, striking out then-Los Angeles Angels teammate Mike Trout for the final out of the championship game against the United States. He was named MVP of the tournament.

Pavia has shown how much he’s evolved as a quarterback over the past three games, throwing for 1,226 yards passing with 11 TDs and only one interception He has run for 203 yards with three more scores. He set the single-game passing record with

Lea said. “He’s taken risks He’s leaned into trust. He’s shown up and done the work. I hope everyone’s paying attention This guy is one of one He’s a great role model and a great team member.”

Pavia couldn’t be baited into any trash talk before the first game in this rivalry with both teams ranked. He simply said he’s heard a lot about Neyland and is excited with “everything we wanted ahead of us.”

Still, just how good does Pavia think he is?

“I feel like I’m the best player in college football right now,” Pavia said.

Young, inconsistent offense hindering Panthers

BY STEVE REED associated Press

CHARLOTTE, N.C. The inconsistent play of quarterback Bryce Young and the offense is holding the Carolina Panthers back from being a playoff team.

Eight days after Young threw for a franchise-record 448 yards and three touchdowns in a road win at Atlanta, the big question became whether the No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft could do it on a consistent basis.

Analysis

He couldn’t on Monday night Young struggled on the national stage, completing just 18 of 29 passes for 169 yards with two interceptions including one on a first-andgoal play at the San Francisco 1 — in a 20-9 road loss to the 49ers. It marked the ninth time in 11 games Young has failed to eclipse 200 yards passing. He had one TD pass.

Young’s decision-making was questionable at best, particularly on the goal-line interception when he should have either attempted to run the ball into the end zone or simply thrown it out of bounds.

“There’s no dream plays or hoorah speeches,” Young said. “I need to do a better job of executing myself. I need to take care of the ball. I needed to do a better job of making plays. I didn’t do good enough I take all ownership in that.”

Young’s failure to produce could prove costly to the Panthers’ postseason chances.

The Panthers (6-6) had a chance to take sole possession of the lead in the NFC South with a win, but instead the offense failed to take advantage of the defense’s three

first-half interceptions of Brock Purdy and managed just 230 yards.

Carolina is now a half-game behind Tampa Bay (6-5). The teams meet twice later this season.

“It’s a quick week,” Young said.

“We have to be able to flush it quick and get on to the next one.”

What’s working The starting cornerback tandem of Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson has been playing well all season, and they stepped up their play against the 49ers by combining for three picks in the first half before Horn left the game early in the third quarter because of a concussion Horn, who signed a $100 million

contract to remain in Carolina, showed why he’s emerging as one of the best cornerbacks in the league with two picks, giving him five for the season, which is tied for the league lead. His athleticism and intelligence were on display on the two interceptions He made a tough grab in traffic on the first pick, then broke off his coverage assignment on the second to intercept Purdy, who never saw him break on the ball. What needs help Play-calling. The Panthers had climbed back into the playoff race this month largely behind the legs of Rico Dowdle. But coach Dave Canales, the team’s offensive

play-caller, inexplicably went away from his highly productive running back in the team’s biggest game of the season.

Dowdle only got six carries against the 49ers despite experiencing success early on.

Chuba Hubbard carried three times.

Canales said the team was trying to build off Young’s big passing game last week and the Panthers faced some “loaded boxes” — even though Dowdle averaged 6.3 yards per carry against the 49ers.

“The run game was solid when we look at it on average,” Canales said. “There were some good runs, but the mix of it and the way we were going to try to attack this team, it didn’t play out. We didn’t come away with a lot of the passes that we wanted to make that happen.”

Canales also called for the playaction pass on first-and-goal at the 49ers 1 instead of simply handing the ball off to Dowdle, who has been productive around the goal line this season.

Instead, the intended receiver was third-string tight end Mitchell Evans.

Canales defended the play call after the game.

“There’s an option (Young) could take off and run it into the front pylon,” Canales said. “He saw (Evans) right when he turned back in, they had a defender on the edge who popped out and intercepted it at that time. He made a great play on the ball. But we’ve been running the ball there in that situation and felt like we could get another chance to run at it if we didn’t get the completion on that roll. I like the call.”

Ohtani won his fourth MVP award this month shortly after he helped the Dodgers win their second straight World Series title. He returned to the mound this season after not pitching in 2024 while recovering from Tommy John surgery Ohtani did not specify whether he plans to pitch for Japan in the WBC, which begins on March 5.

Chiefs RB Pacheco set to return for game Thursday

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs could have Isiah Pacheco in the backfield when they visit the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Tuesday that he expects his top running back to return from a knee injury that cost him three games for the matchup on Thursday Pacheco started the first eight games of the season and has 329 yards rushing and a touchdown.

“We’ll see how he does today,” Reid said “but we’ll get him in there. He’ll play How much, I can’t tell you that right now See how it goes.”

Pacheco returned to practice last week but was held out of Sunday’s overtime win over the Colts.

Oklahoma State to hire

North Texas football coach Oklahoma State has chosen North Texas coach Eric Morris as its new head football coach, the school announced Tuesday Morris has been the head coach at North Texas since 2023. The program went 5-7 his first season, but now is 10-1 and contending for a conference championship and College Football Playoff berth. The Mean Green is No. 21 in the AP Top 25. Morris has a reputation for helping quarterbacks, having coached developed or recruited Patrick Mahomes, Baker Mayfield, John Mateer, Cam Ward, Chandler Morris and Drew Mestemaker UNT leads the country in scoring offense and total offense, and the team has reached the AP Top 25 for the first time since 1959. Morris will step in for Mike Gundy who was fired in September during his 21st season.

Top 5 spots in CFP rankings stay same; Oregon, Miami rise

BY EDDIE PELLS associated Press

A sleepy week filled with nonconference blowouts locked the College Football Playoff rankings into a near standstill, with Ohio State ranked first again and Oregon’s flip-flop with Ole Miss at Nos. 6 and 7 one of the few significant changes in Tuesday’s new top 25.

Oregon’s impressive victory over Southern California in one of last week’s few games between ranked teams accounted for its move up one spot over Mississippi, which didn’t play last week.

The other meaningful change was Miami’s move to No. 12, in a switch with Utah after the Utes gave up 472 yards rushing in a tight win over Kansas State.

Pitt’s return to the rankings — at No. 22 after falling out for a week impacts the meaning of its key Atlantic Coast Conference game against the Hurricanes, who need a win and some help to make the conference title game but still have hopes of making the playoff bracket as an atlarge.

aP Photo By LyDIa eLy

oregon quarterback Dante Moore runs the ball against Minnesota on Nov. 14 in eugene, ore. the Ducks are No. 6 in the College Football Playoff rankings. COLLEGE

Following the Buckeyes for the fourth time in four rankings were fellow undefeated teams Indiana and Texas A&M. Georgia stayed at No. 4, followed by Texas Tech. After Oregon and Mississippi came Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Alabama and BYU. Ohio State and Indiana will play in what should be a 1 vs 2 Big Ten title game if both win rivalry games on the road over Thanksgiving weekend. Ohio State’s task is more difficult against Michigan, which moved up three spots to No. 15. Indiana plays Purdue. No. 10 Alabama plays at Auburn with a spot in the Southeastern Conference title game on the line. Their opponent would be Texas A&M if the Aggies win at No. 16 Texas.

Weeks reveals he broke ankle again

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

LSU junior linebacker Whit Weeks revealed on Tuesday that he broke his ankle during the Tigers’ 24-19 loss to Ole Miss back in Week 5.

Weeks, who then played two weeks later with the injury against South Carolina suffered a broken bone in the same ankle that he had broken during the Texas Bowl against Baylor at the end of last season. But this injury he suffered against Ole Miss, Weeks said is totally different from the one he suffered in the bowl game.

“I hardly even practiced before that (South Carolina) game, just

because I could hardly even walk on it,” Weeks said “But then I just kind of sucked it up for that game.

But then I remember on Sunday, I was taking a shower, and I couldn’t even stand in the shower, (so I was like,) ‘I probably need to go get this checked out.’ Sure enough, I got an MRI on it, and sure enough, it was broken.”

As a result of the injury and the pain that came with it, Weeks missed the Tigers’ next four games before returning to the field in a limited capacity last Saturday against Western Kentucky The injury still hasn’t fully healed, Weeks said, but it has improved to the point where he expects to play more this weekend in LSU’s

season-finale at Oklahoma.

“It cracked right down the middle,” Weeks said. “So once it’s healed, it’s healed. But it’s going to take just a couple more weeks, hopefully I’m trying to turn that corner, but just struggling.”

Weeks hasn’t given any thought to how the injury may affect his decision to enter the NFL Draft this spring. His focus, instead, is squarely on returning to the field in full this weekend.

“I’ve been focused on just my rehab every single day, trying to get everything around my ankle as strong as possible,” Weeks said, “just to protect it a little bit more, to be able to get out there and play this last week.”

Tulane to host league title game if it beats Charlotte

BY GUERRY SMITH

Contributing writer

It’s official: Tulane will host the American Conference championship game if it beats cellar-dweller Charlotte on Saturday at Yulman Stadium. The Green Wave stayed at No 24 in the College Football Playoff rankings on Tuesday night, while fellow contenders North Texas and Navy remained unranked The Wave (9-2, 6-1) would win any tiebreaker if it finishes 7-1 because the league uses the Nov 25 rankings to determine the host school

TULANE

Continued from page 1C

more complimentary of the defense even though Temple gained fewer than 100 yards until the final minute of the third quarter Sumrall dwelled on the first of two Owls touchdown drives — an eight-play, 75-yard series that featured passes down the middle for 22 and 30 yards.

“We just gifted a couple of plays,” he said. “Let’s play good football. Our defense played OK. Our defense did some good things but didn’t dominate by any stretch of the imagination.”

Norman had two of Tulane’s four sacks, moving the Wave into a tie for second with East Carolina for the second most in the league (26), but he said the entire unit should have been better “I don’t think it was a complete game,” Norman said. “Coach Sumrall always says focus on the next target, so our focus is now Charlotte.” The 49ers (1-10, 0-7) are last in the American in yards

when head-to-head results are not applicable Tulane did not play North Texas or Navy, which also are 6-1 entering the final weekend When comparing Tulane to the other contenders, the selection committee chairs consistently have pointed to the Wave’s significant advantage in schedule strength It faced three Power Four opponents, beating Northwestern and Duke while losing to probable playoff participant Ole Miss. North Texas faced no Power Four schools, playing Lamar, Washington State, Western Michigan and South Alabama Navy faced

likely playoff team Notre Dame, losing 49-10, but its other nonconference opponents were VMI and Air Force.

North Texas will be the Wave’s opponent if it beats Temple at home on Friday because it owns a head-towin against Navy and also has a huge advantage on the Midshipmen in the computers used as a subsequent tiebreaker

North Texas coach Eric Morris accepted the Oklahoma State job on Tuesday, but he will be allowed to coach the Mean Green if it reaches the championship game.

on aug. 16 at yulman

(299.0 per game) and yards allowed (472.7). Sumrall, who has tried to keep his players from feeling comfortable all year, will need to do his best work to make them believe the 49ers

earn it is by preparing the right way and giving great effort. I’m probably going to coach these guys harder this week than I have all year.”

RABALAIS

Continued from page 1C

private moment on a tumultuous day in Fort Worth, Texas, “$400,000 is a lot of money to us.”

LSU moved on and hired Vanderbilt coach Gerry DiNardo instead. In 1997, TCU fired Sullivan, paying him a $400,000 buyout.

BRING BACK THE MAGIC: No one won the introductory news conference like DiNardo, who vowed to “Bring the magic back” to Tiger Stadium after LSU’s six straight losing seasons. It seemed unlikely he would get hired. Even DiNardo’s wife, Terri, didn’t believe it “He came home one night and said, ‘Joe Dean called,’ “ Terri DiNardo said.

“ ‘Well, who’s Joe Dean?’

“ ‘He’s (athletic director) at LSU.’

“ ‘LSU? Right. They want someone from Brooklyn at LSU?’ “ DiNardo won for three years at LSU, then was fired after two losing seasons, though he did lay the foundation for the magic to come under Nick Saban.

NEVER SAY NEVER: In December 1999, I was at home when I got a call from my then sports editor, Sam King. He’d just heard from a source at LSU that the school was about to hire Saban, who then was coaching at Michigan State.

I called a reporter covering the Spartans I’d been talking to, asking what he knew The voice on the other end of the line chuckled, then said: “He’d never leave Michigan State to go there.”

I think both of us learned a lesson that day: Never discount credible information in a coaching search.

BLAME IT ON DEL RIO: Five Decembers later Saban had accepted the Miami Dolphins job but first would coach LSU in the Capital One Bowl on New Year’s Day 2005 against Iowa. While bowl practices took place in Orlando, Florida, the LSU coaching search rolled on. In his hotel room there that week, then-LSU athletic director Skip Bertman was awakened by a call from former President George H.W Bush, asking him on behalf of some friends to interview ex-Texas A&M coach R.C. Slocum. “OK, Mr President,” Bertman

said, and Bertman did just that. While at the bowl, LSU officials also arranged a meeting with then-Jacksonville Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio at a restaurant in Daytona Beach, Florida. As they waited, Del Rio circled the building in his car while his agent frantically told him if he took the meeting he would be fired by Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver Del Rio headed back to Jacksonville without a word to Bertman and his staff, who went on to hire Les Miles a few days later

KIFFIN AND O: Ed Orgeron was named the LSU interim coach in 2016 after Miles was fired four games in. Seeking the job permanently, Orgeron presented thenathletic director Joe Alleva with a list of names for his projected coaching staff. The name he had for offensive coordinator was Lane Kiffin, then the offensive coordinator at Alabama. Kiffin even called Alleva to affirm he would come if he didn’t land a head coaching job. That’s exactly what happened. Kiffin got the job at Florida Atlantic — the story always has been that Saban asked their agent, Jimmy Sexton, to find Kiffin a job to keep him away from LSU staying there for three seasons before going to Ole Miss in 2020.

A NAME IN THE NIGHT: I was convinced LSU was going to land Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley to replace Orgeron in 2021. I even talked our then-sports editor, Perryn Keys, into sending former Advocate sportswriter Leah Vann to Stillwater Oklahoma, for the Nov 27 OU-Oklahoma State game. That night, Riley denied he was taking the LSU job, though no one asked him about the USC job he was about to surprisingly take. Meanwhile, LSU was preparing to pull its own surprise, luring Brian Kelly away from Notre Dame. That same night, as LSU finished the regular season with an upset win over Texas A&M a source told me LSU board members were talking at halftime about hiring Kelly After we finished writing, I wrote the words “Brian Kelly” on the inside of my notebook, turned to LSU beat writer Wilson Alexander and said, “I’m going to show you a name.” Eyes widened. Three days later, Kelly was hired.

SAINTS

FILM REVIEW

Solid Saints D eclipsed by offense’s dead zone

BY LUKE JOHNSON Staff writer

Another strong performance from the New Orleans Saints defense Sunday was lost in the noise after a 24-10 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. On a down-to-down basis, the Saints mostly kept the lid on the Atlanta offense.

Talented running back duo Bijan Robinson (28.6%) and Tyler Allgeier (25%) were both held well below their season averages in terms of rushing success rate — a statistic that gauges whether individual runs were successful based on the down-and-distance situations (both of them are averaging around 42% this season).

The Falcons were working without their regular starting quarterback, Michael Penix, but backup Kirk Cousins is not far removed from signing a $180 million contract with Atlanta.

More than half of Cousins’ 199 yards passing came on three plays — which, obviously, must be factored into the equation But on a play-to-play basis, he wasn’t finding things easy going against a young Saints secondary, and New Orleans sacked him on 11.1% of his drop backs, the fourth-highest rate in the NFL last weekend.

Atlanta ran 11 plays on third down against the Saints (not counting an intentional spike to stop the clock). Those plays went for a total of 21 net yards, and only three of them moved the chains

The Saints sacked Cousins three times, all of them on third down The Falcons’ -0.75 Expected Points Added (EPA) per play on third down was the fifth-worst mark in the NFL through Sunday games. Chase Young, who record-

ed his fourth sack in six games since coming back from a calf injury pressured Cousins four times in 16 pass-rush snaps.

The only thing that really bit the Saints defensively was the explosive plays — some of which were designed to use the Saints’ aggressiveness against them.

Four plays essentially led to the Falcons’ two touchdown drives, leading to gains of 23, 32, 32 and 49 yards nearly half of Atlanta’s total yardage output.

The 23-yarder to Kyle Pitts was a fake screen to Robinson in which Pitts began as a blocker in space before sprinting up the sideline to catch a deep pass from Cousins. A few plays later, the Falcons lined Robinson up in the slot to the right side of the formation, then motioned him across the line of scrimmage to catch a screen. It officially went as a rushing play because the pass traveled backward, but Robinson made one man miss, dusting rookie Jonas Sanker with a juke before turning upfield for 32 yards.

The Falcons caught the Saints again with a screen to Robinson for a big chunk in the fourth quarter moving the chains on second and 23 and setting up the deep shot to Darnell Mooney for 49 yards — the only one of those explosives that wasn’t built off of some sort of screen pass. Overall, it might have been enough to win the game for the Saints, but Dead zone

Surprisingly, there were teams that fared worse in the red zone than the Saints did in Week 12, but not many.

At this point, it’s hard to find the words to adequately capture how poorly the Saints have fared in

prime scoring opportunities this season. Sunday against Atlanta seemed to represent a new low especially considering the Saints’ two trips inside the 1-yard line. New Orleans ran 13 plays inside Atlanta’s 20-yard line. The New England Patriots were the only other team last week to run at least five plays in the opponent’s red zone and not score a touchdown. The Falcons, by contrast, ran only three plays inside the Saints 20 (one touchdown).

Of the 13 plays inside the 20, the Saints attempted only four passes, and that number is really actually three because one pass was the result of a botched snap over Taysom Hill’s head on a designed run. Only two of those passes would have been thrown by Tyler Shough, but he was sacked on both drop backs. Some of the stats were skewed by Shough’s decision-making he had multiple scrambles in the red zone, and one keeper that included a pass option. But still, Hill was the only Saints player who actually attempted a pass inside the red zone.

Of the nine rushing plays by the Saints inside the Atlanta 20-yard line, none of them featured a running back with the ball in his hands. Hill carried the ball five times in the red zone, gaining 3 yards. Shough ran four times for 8 yards.

There were failures in execution, to be sure. But that was also a failure in play-calling by Moore.

The end result: The Saints averaged -0.89 EPA per play in the red zone. Only the Minnesota Vikings, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Buffalo Bills put up worse numbers in Week 12.

Email Luke Johnson at ljohnson@theadvocate.com.

Brees and Evans make the cut as HOF semifinalists

BY JEFF DUNCAN Staff writer

Former New Orleans Saints standouts Drew Brees and Jahri Evans have reached the semifinalist stage for possible election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026. A pair of New Orleans natives former Newman star Eli Manning and former John Ehret standout Reggie Wayne also are among the 26 semifinalists announced by Hall officials Tuesday Brees is one of five first-yeareligible players to make the list, joining Larry Fitzgerald, Frank Gore, Philip Rivers and Jason Witten.

Among the semifinalists, Willie Anderson, Tory Holt, Luke Kuechly and Adam Vinatieri will advance automatically to the finalist stage since they finished in the top seven of voting for election a year ago. Two other players, Lomas Brown and Kevin Williams, are semifinalists for the first time.

Brees, who retired from the Saints in 2020, is trying to become the first Saints player to be elected on the first ballot of his Hall of Fame candidacy He would join Rickey Jackson (Class of 2010), Willie Roaf (2012), Morten Andersen (2017) and Sam Mills (2022) on the list of Hall of Famers who played the majority of their careers in New Orleans.

Brees led the Saints to their only Super Bowl title in 2009 and is the only player in club history to win the league’s Offensive Player of the Year Award, which he did in 2008 and 2011. He was a 13-time Pro Bowler and holds every major club passing record. For 11 seasons, Evans anchored one of the most prolific offenses in NFL history and became one of the most decorated offensive linemen ever for the Saints. He was named to the NFL AllDecade Team for the 2010s and earned first-team All-Pro honors four times. He was inducted into the Saints Ring of Honor last season.

Evans has been a semifinalist in each of his three seasons of eligibility He advanced to the finalist stage the past two years.

Manning passed for more than 57,000 yards and 366 touchdowns during his 16-year career with the Giants A first-round draft pick in 2004 out of Ole Miss by the then-San Diego Chargers, Manning was quickly traded to the Giants, where he led the club to six playoff appearances, three

2026

HALL OF FAME

SEMIFINALISTS

OFFENSE (17)

QB (3): Drew Brees, eli Manning, Philip rivers

RB (2): Frank Gore, Fred taylor

WR (5): Larry Fitzgerald,torry holt, Steve Smith, hines Ward, reggie

Wayne

TE (1): Jason Witten

OL (6): Willie anderson, Lomas Brown, Jahri evans, richmond Webb

Steve Wisniewski, Marshal yanda DEFENSE (8)

DB (3): rodney harrison, earl thomas, Darren Woodson

LB (2): Luke Kuechly,terrell Suggs (also De)

DL (3): robert Mathis (also LB), Vince Wilfork, Kevin Williams

SPECIAL TEAMS (1)

K (1): adam Vinatieri

NFC East Division titles and two Super Bowl wins.

Manning, who is in his second year on the ballot, was a finalist last year He is trying to join older brother Peyton and become the first set of brothers to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Peyton Manning was inducted into the Hall in 2021.

Wayne is a semifinalist for the seventh consecutive year He had 14,345 yards on 1,070 receptions with 82 touchdowns for the Colts from 2001-14. He ranks 10th alltime in both receiving yards and receptions and was a six-time Pro Bowler He earned first-team AP All-Pro honors in 2010. He didn’t miss a game between 2002-12, and his streak of 189 consecutive games played is the third-longest by a wide receiver in NFL history

The Class of 2026 can consist of three to five modern-era players under the Hall of Fame’s bylaws. In addition to 15 modern-era finalists, the selection committee will discuss three senior finalists, a coach finalist and a contributor finalist as potential members of the Class of 2026. Finalists must receive at least 80% support from the selection committee to join the Class of 2026. The Hall’s 50-person selection committee will vote to reduce the list to 15 finalists in December The selection meeting is ahead of Super Bowl LX in San Francisco.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026 will be enshrined in August.

Saints quarterback Drew Brees takes a snap as guard Jahri evans, left, prepares to block during a preseason game against the houston texans on aug. 20, 2011, at reliant Stadium in houston.

StaFF FILe Photo

By MIChaeL DeMoCKer

able to get the run game going to the best of our ability And I think a lot of it is the explosive play We haven’t been able to generate the explosives, and that’s something we have to continue to evaluate.”

Moore is correct that the Saints haven’t consistently gotten the run game on track this season. The offensive line, particularly the interior has struggled no matter which running back takes the carry While Kamara has averaged only 3.6 yards per attempt in 2025,

GRUPE

Continued from page 1C

the other backs on the roster are also under 4 yards per carry at 3.9. Include Taysom Hill in that equation, and the non-Kamara average drops to 3.4. But the problems with the run don’t explain why Kamara’s effectiveness in the passing game has cratered. His 5.6 yards per catch is down from last year’s 8.0. And he’s being targeted far less than usual. In past years, Kamara typically finishes either first or second in team targets. But through 11 games, Kamara’s 39 targets rank fourth on this year’s squad. There have been far fewer screens run for Kamara, who also hasn’t lined up in the slot or out wide as often.

The age factor, however, can’t be ignored. Kamara said in 2024 that he didn’t feel anywhere close to having “running back body syndrome,” a diagnosis he said people like to give backs approaching their 30s. That season, it appeared to be true. He enjoyed a bounce-back campaign last fall, including a stellar four-touchdown day against the Dallas Cowboys. The resurgence is partly why the Saints rewarded Kamara with a two-year, $24.5 million contract extension.

But Kamara looks a lot different at 30 than he did at 29. According to Next Gen Stats, his minus-95 yards rushing over expected is

the second-worst in the NFL and his yards per carry average is the fourth-lowest among 48 qualified rushers. Kamara’s ankle injury, suffered in early October, may have affected those numbers, but his explosiveness continues to be a concern. Since 2023, he’s had just three rushes go longer than 20 yards — all of which occurred last season. If the Saints want to move on from Kamara in the offseason, according to Over The Cap, New Orleans could clear $8.5 million in cap space by designating his release as a post-June 1 cut. Such a move would split up the $18.2 million left in dead money on Kama-

ra’s deal over the next two seasons. Kamara, whose contract expires after 2026, has often said he wants to stay with the Saints. He did so as recently as last month when he threatened to retire if moved at the trade deadline. He told reporters that he’d go “drink a piña colada somewhere” if traded.

“I’ve been vocal that I don’t want to go anywhere, and I’ve said it countless times, y’all know that, I think everybody knows that, the fan base knows that,” Kamara said then. The fan base may be wondering how much he has left.

Email Matthew Paras at matt.paras@theadvocate.com

BY SPENCER URQUHART Staff writer

JacobiBoudreauxplayed linebacker in middle school and in hisearly high school yearsatJohn Curtis before making asuccessful transition to running back.

Now asenior, Boudreaux beganplaying running back as asophomore andswitched to theposition full-time as ajunior.Hehas been Curtis’ go-tooption this seasonwith nearly 1,000 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns in 10 games,averaging 7.9 yards per carry

Born in Harvey,Boudreaux startedplaying football at alocal park when he was6 years old. He beganattending Curtis in sixthgrade, and he’splayed football at the school ever since.

“(Boudreaux) has workedreally hard and has been abig factor in our success on offense,”coach J.T.Curtis said. “He’s dedicated tobeing the best player he can be and has done agreat job developing his skills. It shows on the field.”

BY RODWALKER Staff writer

James Borrego was relieved to finally get awin as New Orleans Pelicans interim coach.

The Pelicans had dropped their first fivegames since Borrego took overafter Willie Green was fired Nov.15.

The skid endedMonday night with a143-130 victory over the Chicago Bulls at Smoothie KingCenter

“It’shard to get awin in this league,” Borrego said afterward.

It’s even harder whenyou don’thave your best defensive player,which was the case as Herb Jones missed his second straight game with at least afew more absencesonthe way Jones, afirst-teamall-defensive team selection two seasons ago, wasdiagnosed with amildright calfstrain Monday and will be re-evaluated in aweek. The game before that, he sat out with back spasms. Jones is having adown year offensively,averaging 9.5 points and 3.5 rebounds. But it’swhathebrings on theother end of the court that makes things more challenging when he’snot in the lineup.

“Toput out fires everywhere?” Borrego asked rhetorically about not having his defensive stopper.“It’s tough.It’stough on your defense. But somebody

else hastostepintothat role. That’sthe goal here Guys like (Micah) Peavy and Bryce(McGowens)and Saddiq (Bey) have to step into thatdefensivemindset. That’sthe beautywiththis thing. Next manup. Go compete.”

All three delivered in Monday’swin.

Bey(20 points, 13 rebounds), whomadehis ninth start of theseason, recorded hissecondstraightdoubledouble.

On anight when theentire lineup produced —eight of the nine players whoplayed scored indouble figures guys off the bench such as Peavy and McGowens made sure to makeanimpact, too. Peavyfinishedwith ateamhigh foursteals to go with his 10 points, three rebounds and two assists.McGowens hadaseason-high 11 points, three rebounds and two assists.

“Itfeelslike every time we put (Bryce) on the floor,he’s responded,”Borrego said “I can’tthink of one game whenhewasn’t ready forthe moment. Peavy was massive againtonight. Those two kids deserve alot of credit. We don’tget this done without them.Weneed that, especially with Herb out.”

Peavy,drafted in thesec-

ondround,relishesthe moments he gets to playthe role Jones has mastered

“That’s what Iwant to do,” Peavysaid. “Herb is agreat defender.And Iwant to be known as agreat defender in this league.

“I take on that challenge of guarding the best player especially when Herb’sout.I think I’m doing apretty good job.”

The Pelicans (3-15) host the MemphisGrizzlies (6-12) on Wednesday.The Pels will trytoavenge a128-122 loss to theGrizzlies in theseason opener,but they will be without Jones again.

But Borrego is starting to see that he has someother players who can help put out those fires.

“Theyare watching a great example in Herb Jones,” Borrego said. “Hopefully for the rest of Micah’s career,hecan look back and say,‘Man, Ilearned from one of the greatest and Iwant to be that and that’sgoing to be my role.’

“Weare going to miss Herb tremendously until he’sback. Until then, these other guys will have to hold thefort down and Iexpect them to.

“That’sthe goal. Iexpect them to step up,especially on thedefensive end. We are putting alot of time and effort into focusing on that end of the floor.Those guys are more than capable of doing it.”

Boudreaux is thefirst person in his family to play football and credits histeammatesand coaches at Curtisfor helping him develop his on-field skills.

“I have great teammates and coaches that makemethe player Iam,” he said. “It’s been really good (at Curtis). I’ve learnedhow to become abetterman on and off the field.”

J.T.Curtisand thePatriots coaching staff decidedthat Boudreaux would make the switch from linebacker andbecomeafulltime running back after he showed enough at the position as asophomore.

While Boudreaux is nowCurtis’ primary back, he’scarried the ball just 115 times this season. Senior running backs Gavin Ledet andKolston Martinezare among those trusted to help shoulder the rushing load in the Patriots’ veer offense.

“(Boudreaux) did anice job for us playing both ways, but we needed him at running back,”J.T.Curtis said. “Wecould tell he’d be aback that could make big plays. We don’thave afeatured runningback getting the ball 90% of thetime.Wewantthem fresh so their legs are in better position when we need them to make plays.”

Boudreaux ran for 125 yards on 11 carries and scored three touchdowns in a49-7

regional playoff win over St. Thomas More to put the Patriots in the Division Iselect quarterfinals. Atwisted ankle led to Boudreaux being held out in the second half as aprecaution, J.T.Curtis said.

Next up for No. 7Curtis is road matchup against No.2Teurlings Catholic (11-0) on Friday in Lafayette, aquarterfinal rematch from last season that the Patriots won 31-10.

“Teurlings is areally good team,” J.T Curtis said. “It’ll be avery competitive ball game.”

Boudreaux, also asprinter for Curtis’ track team,hopes to cap his high school football career with astate title and continue playing college football after getting his first offer from Graceland last week.

“Wejust have to pick up on our mistakes fromlastyear andkeep the intensity up,” Boudreaux said. “Wedefinitely have the makings of astate championship team. We just have to fulfill it.”

BY TIM REYNOLDS

aP basketball writer

MIAMI— Cooper Flagg left college after one year. His education, however,continues. TheNo. 1 pick in this year’sdraft has been part of more losses with the Dallas Mavericks this season than he experienced in his last four years of basketball combined.Duke lostfour times last season, Florida’sMontverde Academy lost atotal of three games in 2022-23 and2023-24, and Maine’sNokomis Regional lostone in 2021-22. Championship contending has been an annualevent for Flagg. Duke went to the Final Four in his lone season. Montverde was considered the best high school team in the countryin his final year there. Nokomis won astatetitle with Flagg leading the way The Mavericks arenext-tolast in the Western Conference right now at 5-14. And after the latest of thoselosses in Miami on Monday night, Flagg was asked how he’s handling it all emotionally.

part,just beingoptimistic, it’salong season.We’ve had alot of guys stepup, deal with alot of injuries. And there’sbeen alot of positive that we’ve been able to take from some of thesegames as well.”

Flagg is averaging 15.9 points per game, secondbest among rookies; hisformer Duke teammate Kon Knueppel is averaging 19.4 for Charlotte.He’splayed more minutes than anyone elseinthe rookie classentering Tuesday,and evenin aloss Flaggmorethanimpressedthe Heatbyhow he wanted theballinthe final minutes with the outcome still undecided.

that would go on to winthe gold medal in France.

“I thinkprobably more than anything, I’vealways just been impressed with hiscompetitive spirit,but also how competitively mature he is for his age,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstrasaid.

“He’snot even 19 yet. Is that correct? Imean,that’s crazy.”

“I’m just trying to keep my people close to me, my family,obviously,” Flagg said. “But Ithink the other

“He’snot scared of the moment,” Miami center Bam Adebayo said.“A lot of guys would move to the corner when there’stwo minutes left in aclose ball game he was going to get the ball. He’sgrowing up faster than peoplethink.Bythe end of the season, Ifeellike he’s goingtobeone of them ones that’shard to guard because he’sgoing through those momentsnow.” Adebayohas seenthe potentialbefore. He was on the 2024 Olympic team, asquad that watched Flagg— then a 17-year-old on aselectteam made up of players brought to Las Vegas to practice with and against the Paris-bound national team —dominate a scrimmage against theteam

Flagg shot 37% in his first six NBA games; he’s up to 45% on the season now.He’s reached double figuresin scoring in all but one of his pro games tothis point.And he’s hadsome statisticalsuccess on ateam that is missing Kyrie Irving (ACL recovery) and Anthony Davis (calf strain), plus dealtwith thefallout after the firing of Nico Harrison —the general managerwho traded Luka Doncic away The losses are not fun. Thereisabit of asilverlining, Mavs coach Jason Kidd said.

“I think for himself and for the team,togothrough this toughtime of losing close games is only going to make us better as we go forward,” Kiddsaid. “Especially for Cooper —because he’sgetting to seealot of different close games and how to handle differentsituations. So, this is good.” In other words, Flaggis learning. College is over, but classisstill very much in session.

Steinbrenner won’tsay he supports salary cap

BY LARRYFLEISHER

associated Press

NEW YORK New York Yankees

owner Hal Steinbrenner declined to say Monday whether he favors asalary cap proposal in the next collective bargainingagreement but reiterated he might support a payroll floor

“I don’tfeel like I’m in position right now research-wise,knowledge-wise to answer that question,” Steinbrenner said in avideo conference from Tampa. “We’ll always be among the highest payroll-wise. We alwayshavebeen. We always willbe.”

In February,Steinbrenner said he might support asalarycap proposal as long as it containsa provision mandating minimum payrolls. MLB has had aluxury tax in place since 2003 but is the only one of the fourmajor U.S professional leagues withouta salary cap.

“Something that would be rea-

sonableenough that it would improve competitive balance significantly in the sport,” Steinbrenner saidwhen asked about apossible salary floor.“Many fans already argueit’snot been enough. Ithink we made strides the last 10 years in someofthe things we’ve done but as an industry probably not nearwhere we need to be, at least that’swhat themajority of thefans believe and there’sanumber of waystoattack.”

At the end of the regular season andnot including contract bonuses, theYankeeshad a$301 million payroll and projected luxury tax bill of $62 million.The Yankees had MajorLeague Baseball’shighest payroll for 15 straight years through2013 but have not led in payroll since, though they have paidthe luxurytax in 21 of 23 seasonsfor atotal of more than $500 million.

The crosstown Mets signed Juan Sototoarecord $765 million,15-year contract after his

only season with the Yankees and missedthe playoffs witha$340 million payroll and aluxury tax of $89 million.

The Dodgers won theirsecond straight World Seriesbybeating the Toronto Blue Jays in seven games and ended the regular season with a$341.5 million payroll and aprojected luxurytax bill of $168 million —and that did not include the$6.5 million signing bonus for RokiSasaki on aminor league contract.

Six of the 12 postseason teams hadpayrolls of $200 million or morethrough theend of the regular season, with the BostonRed Soxabout $500,000 short of the mark.

Since 1995 when expanded playoffs began, 22 teams won aWorld Series ranked in the top10inopening day payroll. Since the Yankees last won atitle in 2009, only four teams won aWorld Series ranked in thetop three of payroll: the2018 RedSox,and the 2020, 2024 and

2025 Dodgers. Baseball’scollective bargaining agreement expires Dec. 1, 2026, andmanagement lockouts have becomethe norm,which shifts the start of astoppage to the offseason. During the last negotiations, the sidesreached afive-year deal on March 10 after a99-day lockout, salvaging a162-game2022season that was delayed aweek. Amanagement salary capproposalcould containa salary floor and aguaranteed percentage of revenue to players. Baseball playershave endured ninework stoppages, including a71/2-month strike in 1994-95 that fought offa cap proposal.

TheYankees retained Trent Grisham after he accepted the $22 million, one-yearqualifying offer. Grisham wasamong arecord four players to accept along with Detroit second baseman Gleyber Torres, ChicagoCubs left-hander Shota Imanaga andMilwaukee right-hander Brandon Woodruff.

SCOREBOARD

The Yankees areexpected to make an aggressive bid to retain Cody Bellinger, who was paid $27.5 million last season.

The Cubs sent $5 milliontothe Yankees when they traded Bellingerand theversatile outfielder batted.272 with 29 homers and98 RBIs under the first of two player optionsaspart of an $80 million, three-year contract.

“Would it be ideal if Iwent down (with our payroll)? Of course,” Steinbrenner said. “But does that mean that’sgoing to happen? Of course not. We wanttofield ateam we know we believe couldwin a championship.

“It just hasn’tchanged which is why payrolls have gone up probably every year.Itdoesn’tmean they won’tgoslightlydown one year and then up the year after that. It all depends on what’sout there andwhatthe possibilitiesare andhow much Ifeelwe’re able to or we need to pull the trigger on those possibilities.”

SOUTHWEST Saint Louis70, SMU 67 FARWEST Oregon 71, Saint Mary’s 53 Wyoming 75, Chadron State 38 Men’sstate schedule Monday’s games California-Riverside83, Grambling74 McNeese 73, Murray State 60 Mississippi State 81, UNO

Turnovers:

(Giddey 5, White 5, Buzelis 2, Smith 2, Dosunmu, Phillips, Williams). Steals: 4(Carter, Essengue,Phillips,White). Technical Fouls:Giddey,10:02 fourth. FG FT Reb NO Min M-AM-A O-TA

Percentages: FG .510, FT .686. 3-Point Goals: 13-35 371 (Murphy III 4-10 Bey 3-8, Fears 2-3, McGowens 2-3,Alvarado 2-9, Peavy0-2). Team Rebounds:15. Team Turnovers: 4. BlockedShots:5(Missi 3, Queen, William-

ThirdQuarter SF_McCaffrey 12 run (Gay kick),4:42. Car_McMillan29passfromYoung (pass failed), :49. Fourth Quarter SF_FGGay 29, 9:21. A_71,337. CarSF First downs 12 23 Total Net Yards230

0-0

Punts 4-50.25 1-40.0

Fumbles-Lost 1-01-0

Penalties-Yards 4-30 2-6

Time of Possession22:18 37:42

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING_Carolina, Dowdle 6-38, Hubbard 3-16, Young 4-15. San Francisco,McCaffrey 24-89, B.Robinson7-40, Purdy6-16, Pearsall 1-2. PASSING_Carolina, Young 18-29-2-169. San Francisco,Purdy 23-32-3-193. RECEIVING_Carolina, Dowdle 4-36, Hubbard 4-27, Coker 3-32, Legette 3-22, McMillan 2-35, Ji.Horn 1-11, Sanders 1-6. San Francisco McCaffrey 7-53, Kittle 6-78, Jennings 5-41, Pearsall 2-6, D.Robinson 1-8, B.Robinson 1-4, Farrell1-3. MISSED FIELD GOALS_Carolina, Fitzgerald 57. College basketball Women’s state schedule Monday’s games West Virginia 83, McNeese 63 Virginia 69, NorthwesternState 48 Tuesday’s games Southern at Washington, n Northwestern State vs.Purdue Fort Wayne, n UL-Monroe at Clemson, n UL at Memphis, n Wednesday’s games McNeese vs.OhioState/Belmont,atNassau, Bahamas,10a.m. or 12:30 p.m. Houston Christian at UNO,1p.m. Louisiana Tech at Baylor, 2p.m. Thursday’s games Tulane vs.Elon, at U.S. VirginIslands,12:30 p.m. Friday’s games Tulane vs.Boise State/North Dakota, at U.S. Virgin Islands, TBA UL vs.High Point, at Alario Center, noon LSU vs.Marist, 7p.m. Women’s national scores Tuesday’s games EAST Boston College 77, Merrimack 72 Bucknell 65, Le Moyne41 Fairfield 79, NewHaven 60 Saint Peter’s 83, Lehman 31 SOUTH Appalachian State 66, Norfolk State 38 Central Arkansas 70, StonyBrook 42 Georgia State 69, Samford64 Indiana 82, Florida Gulf Coast 64 Mississippi State 69, Middle Tennessee47 Providence64, Alcorn State 33 Stetson 89, Northern Kentucky 63 West Georgia 69, WesternCarolina60

Change of seasons

If you crave sweater weather and holiday lunches, this new pop-up is for you

BY IAN McNULTY Staff writer

I feel like I’ve become a regular at a restaurant that has a completely different menu, staff and even name each time I go. The setting is always the same, in window-lined room overlooking the streetcar making its turn into downtown New Orleans, and so is the underlying goal that guides the changing format This time around the restaurant is called Embers, with a menu in sync with autumn, with flavors of smoke and fall produce. Add seasonal drinks and it has all the makings for an offbeat pick for those holiday-time weekday lunch outings New Orleans people put on their calendars. Embers is the latest edition of an ongoing, twice-yearly program at the New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute, or NOCHI, the downtown culinary school.

A ready-made restaurant space is part of this culinary school, on the third floor of a building that mixes historic bones under a contemporary revamp. Twice a year, a new class of students gets to make that restaurant their own. They create a concept and everything behind it, from the menu and cocktails to the logo and decor elements, and they run it as their own oncampus restaurant.

New Metairie restaurant has a satisfying menu, a debt of gratitude built in

BY IAN McNULTY Staff writer

I’ve been on a mission to find a full Irish breakfast somewhere around town. It turned up at St. Mary’s, a new restaurant in Metairie that brings a lot more to the table and is conceived around its own mission.

ST MARY’S RESTAURANT 4445 W. Metairie ave, (504) 2647594 l Initial hours: 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday to Wednesday, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.thursday to Saturday (“social hour” 2 p.m. to 6 p.m supper from 5 p.m.), 7 a.m to 3 p.m. Sunday

There it all was on the breakfast platter: the squeaky banger (sausage) and the fatty rashers (somewhere between ham and bacon), the white and black puddings (both sausage, the latter with blood), and the beans, mushrooms and tomatoes, without which this wouldn’t be a full Irish. Dredging sourdough through runny egg yolks between meaty bites hit all the buttons.

There was a menu of bloody mary options to match, and a wideranging menu of Creole and American comfort food.

Underlying it is an impulse for generosity and uplift, as a grateful father strives to build a legacy that can help others.

St Mary’s opened last week at 4445 W. Metairie Ave., in a strip mall in the former location of Nephew’s Ristorante.

On the surface, it’s an affordable, anytime-casual cafe, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner menus,

all from Brad McGehee, the chef who created Blue Line Sandwich Co in Old Metairie more than a decade ago.

McGehee’s partner at St. Mary’s is Bob Hecker He’s new to the restaurant business, having built a career in construction with his Hecker Ridge Tile roofing company He’s also a man with a sense of purpose, and the restaurant he co-founded is a vehicle for that purpose.

A permanent fundraiser

St. Mary’s Restaurant has

with a seared edge, and between them curled more smoked mushrooms and chunks of acorn squash in the base of pumpkin cream sauce, generously topped with nutty Parmesan.

Dessert, and drinks

NOCHI has a pastry program, and the pop-up is always a place for its students to shine.

This time, the pear galette

BOB WARREN

By the associated Press

Today is Wednesday,Nov.26, the 330th day of 2025. There are 35 days left in the year

Todayinhistory: On Nov.26, 2008, teams of heavily armed militants from the terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba stormed luxury hotels, apopular restaurant and acrowded train station in Mumbai, India,leaving at least 175 people dead (includingnine of the attackers) in a rampage spanning four days.

Also on this date:

In 1791, President George Washington held his first fullcabinet meeting; in attendance were Secretary of State ThomasJefferson, Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of WarHenry Knox and Attorney General Edmund Randolph.

In 1973, President Richard Nixon’spersonal secretary, Rose Mary Woods, told afederal court she’d accidentally caused part of the 18½-minute erasure of akey Watergate tape. The gap was in a1972 recording of aconversation between Nixon and his chief of staff In 2000, Florida Secretary of

THE TRACE

Continued from page1D

the restaurant business,having worked for some larger chainsas well as operating restaurantfranchises. He said he and Powers are longtime friends who came up together running Whataburger franchises. While the Old Rail and Spoke &Barrel were “chef-drivenconcepts,” Donner said, “mine is more casual dining.”

The Old Rail also featured a selection of beers brewed at the restaurant, anod to Powers’ other business, the popular Barley Oak along the lakefront that offers a large selection of craft beers.

The rebranding of the restaurant comes at atime when the dining scene in Old Mandeville has taken off, with ahost of new restaurants openinginrecent months. Donner hopes his restaurant will take off as well.

TheTrace Bar &Grill is in an

State Katherine Harris certified

Republican George W. Bush the winner over Democrat Al Gore in the state’spresidential balloting by a537-votemargin. The U.S. Supreme Court ultimately stopped recountsofthe vote, and Bush won Florida’s25electoral votes and the presidential election.

In 2011, arocket carrying NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover lifted off from CapeCanaveral, Florida.

Today’sbirthdays: Impressionist Rich Little is 87. Football Hall of Famer Jan Stenerud is 83.

Author Marilynne Robinson is 82. Bass guitarist John McVie (Fleetwood Mac) is 80. Football Hall of Famer Art Shell is 79. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W Va., is72. Football Hall of Famer Harry Carson is 72. NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Jarrettis 69. Country singer Linda Davis is 63. Actor-TV personality Garcelle Beauvais is 59. Actor Peter Facinelli is 52. DJ-music producer DJ Khaled is 50. Country musician Joe Nichols is 49. Pop singer Natasha Bedingfield is 44. Actor-singer-TV personality Rita Ora is 35.

enviable location: Thetwo-story

buildingsits at thecorner of Girodand Woodrow streets, just across from thebustling Mandeville Trailhead. The Tammany Trace passesalongsidethe eatery.Abicycle shop, O’Wheelies, operates in aspaceupstairs.

“It’sanincredible location,”

Donner said.“It’sright on the Trace. There’splenty of parking.”

Donner wants to play off the locationwith arestaurant and menu designed to attract people who frequent the TammanyTrace, as well asfamilieswith kids. He said he worked to clear thesightlines from the restaurant to the Tammany Traceand hasadded an arcade area for kidswith free games

The extensive menu, meanwhile, ranges from flatbread pizzas to burgers and sandwiches and red beansand rice. There are also drinkspecials at thebar

TheTrace Neighborhood Bar & Grill is openseven daysa week, from 5p.m. to 10 p.m.onMondays,and 11a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesdaythrough Sunday

EMBERS

matched its pastry shop beauty with its full flavor, with ascoop of ice cream melting creamy maple flavor across afiligree of pear slices in abuttery, crimped shell.

The chocolate pot de crèmeis, of course, ariff on s’mores, and an effective onewith thumbnail-sized clouds of torched marshmallow and deep chocolate flavor

Sorbet madeofmulled wine and satsuma, served in acocktailglass, seemed to be beggingfor aspirited pairing.

Embershas afull bar, with beer andwine,and cocktails or mocktails running through cranberry daiquiris and eggnog, spiced sangriaand the lighter blood orange tonic Isipped throughout (without therecommended gin …this time).

Abig step up

The drinks list underscores how aptthis restaurant conceptand menu would befor those December holiday lunches, which are social outings as much as meals.This onehas some givebackbuilt in, too.

The NOCHI restaurant is the capstone project in acurriculum designedtogive students alot of

training andexperience in ashort span. It’s an alternative to conventional two- andfour-year culinary schools, offering asingle-semester certificateprogram to providea moreaccessible, affordable jumpstartinthe field. It canbeafast trackfor workforcedevelopment that’sneeded in acultural and economic cornerstonefor the city

Many of NOCHI’sstudents get tuition help through scholarships, which aresupported by donors and with proceeds from the pop-up res-

taurants. NOCHI this month achieved national accreditation as aculinary school, meaning it qualifies to federal financialaid eligibility, abig step to open enrollment possibilities formore people.

The school also is in the midst of acampaign backed by local spirits industry magnetBill Goldring, who with his Goldring Family Foundation is matching contributions to the institution up to $5 million over five years.

GIVING THANKS!

n Affirmative Ado

Assent took on many forms at theSpecial Private Evening at the home of hosts Jeffrey and Walton Goldring in supportofYouth Empowerment Project. Itsacronym, by which it is better known,said it all: YEP! And “yes” it was adefinitive eventinrecognition of what the organization has become for the community andthe beautiful way the fête was formatted. For more than two decades, YEP,a steady caring presence, has helped “thousands of individuals to develop theskills, confidence, and relationshipsthey need to reach their goals.” Melissa Sawyer is the co-founder and CEO.The project empowers young people throughfree education, mentoring, employment readiness and enrichment programs, all within asupportive context.The slogan is “YEP + YouEmpowering CommunityTogether.”

The Goldrings’ impressivehome andgrounds were admired throughout the event as peoplestrolled about, enjoying the flow of thepartychaired by Suzanne Rusovich and Shelley Massengale. Among the decorativeattributes were flowers by host Walton —severalarrangements combined red roses, golden-yellow daisies andgreens, while those on the dining room tablewere of magnoliablossoms —and photosofYEP students, who participateinthe programming. Anumber of guestsrespondedtothe photos with adonation.

Features were extensive and includedthe YEP Drumline &Dance Team, the student musiciantrio, andastake-home gifts,hand-painted Garden Stones by YEP Enriches students.Food and drink were praised. Chapter IV by chef Dook Chase was responsible for such taste treatsasthe filet mignon carving station, cold seafood (smoked salmon, marinatedcrab claws, caviar-topped deviled eggs), while theSazerac/Goldring Family Foundation provided the bar’slibations. “YEP Spritz” wasthe specialty cocktail. To cap the comestibles, asuite of sweetswas arrayed. And duly enjoyed. Among the attendees was Bill Goldring,Sazerac chairman, and the father of Jeffrey.Along with the hosts’ children, threegenerations of the Goldring family were present.Noted,too, were Entergy CEO Deanna Rodriguez, IMTT CEO Carlin Conner and Karen, and Beth Ann Branch presidentand CEO, Port of NO —CEO NO Public Belt. Also Katie Mularz and Brian Kish,Terrah Green, Sarah Porteous, Sheldon Lykes, Chris and Kelly LeBato,Susan Read Johnson, HenryLambertand Carey Bond, Jeanette Davis-Loeb,Stephen Stryjewski andJanine Guzzo, andYEP board members Elizabeth Boh (with DarrahSchaefer)and MeganBeer Eustis (with mom Margaret Beer). The board’smast headersare co-presidents Benjamin Allen and Lynne Burkart; past presidents Suzanne Rusovich andretired Judge Calvin Johnson;officers Franchesca B. Lorio, Gretchen Chase, and Elizabeth Boh. Ahighlight of the cocktail partywas theshowcasing of the “Double Your Impact!”, an end-of-year match opportunity.Thanks to afoursomeofdeeply invested and generous supporters Kate and David deKay, Jennyand RobbertVorhoff, Rusovich Family Foundaion,and Emeril Lagasse Foundation —every gift made through January 1, 2026, will bedoubled up to $250,000, allowing donations to go twice as far for YEP’s young people. Aformidable a$$ent!

n The Beat Goes On Galerie de Galatoire on Royal StreethousedHeartGift Dinner in honor of Claire Noe Koch,who, formorethan 15 years,has been one of the organization’smost passionate and active volunteers. From the moment she met her first HG child, she joined the boardand transformed the organization from asmall, grassroots chapter into athriving, missiondriven force. Her dedication and drive has helped the organization deliver life-saving care to more than 2,000 children around the world and 101 in Louisiana. For 15 years,HeartGift Louisianahas arranged cardiac surgery at what is now called Manning Family Children’sfor little ones in parts of the world, wheremedical care is out of reach. Christy Casey-Moore is the HeartGift FoundationCEO. The event also celebrated threeyear-old Belgutie, who traveled 8,000 miles from Mongolia with his mother Ninjbadgar, to the above children’shospital for lifesaving heart surgery.They wereaccompanied at the dinner byinterpreter Otgontsetseg and their local host family Prior to the dinner and ac-

Nell Nolan SOCIETY

Contact: nnolan@theadvocate.com

n All that Glimmers Presented by The Larry and Marla Garvey Fund, “Glimmer of Hope” titled the 2025 Mission Possible Gala of the New Orleans Medical Mission Services. It washeld at theCopeland Tower Ballroom in Metairie; chaired by Simone Bruni;and sponsored in the Platinum category by Ralph and Christy Senner and the RotaryClub of Metairie. Dozens

filled theremaining Gold, Silver and Bronze levels, as well as the ranks of generous supporters.

During the patron party,the Rev Stephen R. Dardis gave theinvocation, which was followed by welcoming remarks from NOMMS board president Dr R. Daniel Jacob and medical director Dr Thomas Kennedy (with wife Mary), board member and the event’semcee. As for thebidding, the electronic portion was provided by Thompson Auction Service, LLC, and the live, by Black TieAuctioneer Chuck Mutz,who also entertained guests with the “Heads and Tales” event. The four auction tables included morethan 200 itemsofinterest, including art, jewelry and giftcertificates. Fabulous experiences and vacation trips buzzed thelive business, which hailed as its top attraction the “WindowsofHeaven” painting by Suzanne Lyell.

Decorations included the ballroom’schandeliers; navy blue linens and gold miniature trees on the tables; and the stage décor of gold drapery and large candelabras. Thanks tapped Mardi Gras Productions. Alovely LED angel and aharpist greeted arriving guests. Further attractions were the photo balloon arch booth constructed by NOMMS volunteer MikeAtwater and souvenir pictures by party photographer JoeSimon Mirepoix Event Catering sated the socializers with earlier passed food and later,at the23rd gala, salad, gumbo, primerib, chicken, and desserts of cheesecake slices, and bread pudding.

Notables in the crowd of at least 300 included Texans Lisa and Eric Tanzberger,Dr. and Mrs. ChristianJacob, live auction chair MarySue and KenMcLaughlin, silent auction chair America and GermanGacharna, Diane and Dr Hamilton Bruni, Faith Peperone, CathyDeano,Jackie Hughes, MichaelTaravella, food chair Melissa Guidry, Holly Pitchard, and Nancy Iovino To mention afew among the throng who thanked Simone Bruni (Demo Diva) forher creative organization and then headed to thedance floor to create some night moves to YeaYou Right.

colades, guests mingled for the cocktail hour, which was sponsored by spouses Melissa Hess and Georges Daou co-founder of Daou Vineyards.Once seated,and after theinvocationbythe Rev Deogratias Ekisa,everyone savored ameal of turtle soup, Gulf fish crab meunière withRockefeller spinach, filet béarnaise, and bread pudding. Theprogram speakers included HGL boardchair Rick Danielson,MFC’spediatric heart

Nickens, Stephanie Berault,

pledged to direct 15% of its profits to St. Mary’sResidentialCommunityand Services,acampus in Alexandria that serves people with severe developmental disabilities. Hecker’sson, Christopher,has lived there for the past two decades.

Thefather has found waysto give back. Each year,heorganizes abenefit event, hosted by Ye Olde College Inn.

That experience got Hecker thinking abouthow to make a permanent and ongoing funding stream for St. Mary’s. He thought of his favoritebreakfast place, Metairie’sBlue Line Sandwich Co

“The food is great, andit’sthe people too. Youjust get agood feeling there. Ithoughtthat could really work for this,” Hecker said He and McGehee have talked for years about the project. When they found the Metairie Avenue location and sawits large bar,McGehee recruited his friend Daniel Victory to develop adrinks program Victory is aseasoned talent in the local cocktail scene who once had thedowntown lounge Victory Bar and is now aconsultant forhospitality projects.

As St.Marytook shape, Victory decided he wanted to be abigger part of it, or perhaps, as McGehee tellsit, the chef wouldn’t lethim leave.

There’sa friendly,easy rapport at this restaurant. Many of the staff have worked together for years at Blue Line, including Executive Chef Sidney Montrel and manager Jayla Bonura. Thecharitable cause is made clear around the room (motto: “serving flavor, serving purpose”).

On the tight margins thatrestaurants typically run, pledging a share of profits to anonprofit is a

considerable hurdle.But McGeheeisoptimistic that the mission will resonate with the community, andbelieves therestaurant can create asocial, public venue for acause that often affects families privately “Wecan really build something special here,” McGehee said.

On themenu

The chef has developed amenu that shares someofthe eclectic comfort food range of Blue Line, while adding dishes not easily found elsewhere. Cue that Irish breakfast, one of the morning dishes served throughout theday Youcan also get astandard breakfast plate, abreakfast sandwich, eggs Benedict in afew styles and tender pork grillades over yellow grits with aflurry of fried onion strings over the top For lunch, instead of alobster roll, there’saslightly more dressed-up lobster salad on brioche toast that, at $22, is refreshingly not-quite-so pricey as the standard lobster roll.

Abrioche roll for the fried chicken sandwichisthe foundation for apleasing version with juicy pickles andspicy mayo, and thecroque madame splits open withagratifyingly gooey pull of cheese, bechamel andyolk. Thechef’sversion of aWaldorf

salad is fresh and crunchy,with atangy dose of goat feta, and he has alocal take on the crab Louie salad that swaps in shrimp remoulade.

St. Mary’swill add daily plate specials from Monday red beans to Friday fish and chips. The sup-

permenu, slated to startthis week, runs from hanger steak and redfish almondine to hamburger steak and paneed veal.

There’salso what St. Mary’s dubs the social hour,aconservative way of saying happy hour (there’s aCatholiccharity attached to this operation,after all).You can get social (or perhaps happy) over bar bites like boudin balls, chicken cracklin andFrenchoniondip with chips cut in-house.

Victory’sbar program is extensive and has morethan cocktails, including afew nonalcoholic specialties. One is ariffonthe frothy, fruity Orange Julius of 1980s mall food court fame. Another,the whitechocolate granita, is inspired by adrink fromCafé Fresca, the long-running restaurant that had a stint at this address.

Count that as one of the multiple reasons people might decide to visit. Any one of them goes to help this restaurant’smission. Email Ian McNultyat imcnulty@theadvocate.com.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Pay attention to your overhead, and you'll find a way to cut corners. Explore community programs or better interest rates, and consider refinancing to fit your budget.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Diversions are necessary to personal growth and choosing what's best for you. A warm and passionate approach to expressing yourself will attract someone of interest.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Apply your energy to honing your skills and doing the best job possible. Refuse to let outside issues cloud your vision or someone else's drama eat up your time.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Distance yourself from shared expenses and joint ventures. Use your intuitive intelligence to navigate your way forward and to promote financial matters, choice decisions and a better life.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Participation will open doors. Be brave and sign up or submit your resume for a position that allows you to do something you enjoy doing. Invest in yourself and your future.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Pay attention to how you present yourself, and update your skills, appeal and resources to suit your needs. An overhaul will give you a boost that points you in a new and exciting direction.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Refuse to let weak excuses slow you down or some-

one who wants to manipulate you stand in your way. Take charge; head in the direction that stimulates your mind and calls your name.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Check the job market, set up interviews and revise your resume. Attend reunions or events that bring you in contact with informative individuals who can enlighten you.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Let caution lead the way. If you act in haste or let spontaneity overrule common sense, you'll pay the price Choose growth, learning and striving to be your best over emotional drama.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept 22) Communication will spare you grief. Ask direct questions and make informed decisions based on facts. Personal improvements and growth will lead to unexpected gains and commitment.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Get out, mingle, challenge yourself and make personal growth your mission. However, don't lose sight of your budget, as you may find yourself in over your head.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Refuse to labor over things you have no control over. It's time to open a new door that allows you the freedom to follow your heart and explore new territory.

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

Sudoku

InstructIons: sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers1 to 9inthe empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. Thedifficulty level of the sudoku increases from monday to sunday.

Yesterday’s PuzzleAnswer

BY PHILLIP ALDER

George Ade, a columnist and playwright who died in 1944, said, “If it were not for the presents, an elopement would be preferable.”

That is a distinctly materialistic attitude. In bridge, though, you will get presents, especially from defenders. And there is an elopement play it is featured in this deal. First, though, look at the North hand. South opens two spades, a weak two-bid showing a respectable six-card suit and some 5-10 high-card points. What should North respond? Second, how should South play in four spades after West leads the diamond queen?

In the bidding, there is an instinct to head for no-trump in the face of a misfit. But how will three no-trump ever make? Even if East ducks the first round of spades, North has only seven tricks: one spade, one heart, three diamonds (benefiting from the 3-3 break) and two clubs. Instead, North should raise to four spades.

At first glance, it looks as though declarer will lose two spades, one diamond and one club. But perhaps he can take 10 tricks. To be honest, working out what to do in this deal requires some guesswork. However, with this layout, South can score his three low trumps with an elopement He wins the first trick on the board and plays a trump to his king. When that wins, he continues with the spade queen Suppose East takes his ace and returns the spade 10. South wins, plays a heart to dummy’s ace, ruffs a heart in his hand, plays a diamond to the ace, ruffs another heart,takesdummy’stopclubs,andruffs

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.

Scrabble GramS Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

ken ken

InstructIons: 1 Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 thorugh 4 (easy) or 1 through 6 (challenging) without repeating. 2 The numbers within the heavily outlined boxes, called cages, must combine using the given operation (in any order) to produce the target numbers in the top-left corners. 3 Freebies: Fill in the single-box cages with the number in the top-left corner. HErE is a

WiShinG Well

Desi Vega Present CamilleWhitworth Pre‐sent Eric Wright Present Thetotal numberpresent at roll call waseight (8). Chairman Allenasked for public commentsof agenda items. There were none.Chairman Allenrequested amotion to approvethe NOPFMI BoardMeetingMinutes of September24, 2025. Di‐rector Mantillamoved approval;DirectorBrous‐sard seconded.Motion approved Elaine Williams pre‐sented theSales and Events Report TimHemphill presented theMarketing andCom‐municationsReport. Adam Straight presented theOperationsReport. Chairman Allenre‐questeda motion to ap‐provethe Consent Agenda:Contract: 1. Ele‐vatorand Escalator MaintenanceServices –Ext.No. 1– EMRServices, LLC. Director Mantilla movedapproval; Director Capellaseconded. Mo‐tion approved Therewas no OtherBusi‐ness to come before the board. Chairman Allenasked for amotiontoadjourn.Di‐rector Broussardmoved adjournment; Director Whitworthseconded. Motion approved andthe meeting adjournedat 2:30 p.m. ATTEST: JACK RIZZUTO, SECRE‐TARY :mp 167912-NOV26-1T $26.92

Inc.,425 N. Clai‐borneAve., this city,at1:00 o'clockPMin thematterenti‐tled:

Seized in the abovesuit, Terms: Cash CashierCheck, Money Orderor y Certified Funds Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐positof10% of thepurchase priceand the balanceby4:00

OF 8:30 A.M. AND4:30P.M.MONDAYS THROUGHFRIDAYS,HOLIDAYSEXCEPTED. SUMMARY ORDINANCENO. 13,966,ANORDINANCE

MORE SPECIFICALLY THEPROPERTY AT 400WILLIAMSBOULEVARD,WHICHSAIDPROPERTY IS OWNEDBYTHE CITY OF KENNER. CASE NO.P-15-25 SUMMARY ORDINANCENO. 13,967,ANORDINANCE

Thepurchaser

LawFirm:

before Robert J. Oster, N.P.,dated May30, 1949, andthe survey of Aldoe Orr, Jr.&Associates,C.E datedJune30, 1959, an‐nexedtoanact before John McEnry Robertson, N.P. datedMay 18, 1976, said LOT26A commences at adistanceofone hun‐dred twelve feet,two inches,three lines (112’2’’3’’’) from thecor‐nerofPalmyra andS AlexanderStreetsand measures thence thirty feet (30’)front on PalmyraStreet,same widthinthe read by a depthbetween equaland parallel linesofone hun‐dred forty-nine feet eleven inches,three lines (149’11’’3’’’).Being com‐posedofthe wholeof original Lot26and of the rear portionoforiginal lot21, andfurther shown on aplatofsurveyby Gilbert, Kelly &Couturie, to an actpassedbefore FrankP.Battard,Notary Public,dated May30, 1985, except that Lot26A is bounded by Palmyra, S. Alexander, Banksand S. MuratStreets. Improvements thereon bear theMunicipalNos 4416-18 PALMYRA STREET

RichardStreet,LesterAv‐enue andVersailles Street,designatedasLOT 27, whichsaidlot com‐mences at adistanceof 600 feet from thecorner of CathyAvenueand Ver‐saillesStreet andmea‐suresthence50feet frontonCathy Avenue same width in therear, by adepth of 133.23 feet alongthe sideline nearer to Versailles Street,and adepth of 133.51 feet on theopposite sideline,all in accordance with the survey of AdloeOrr, Jr.& Associates,C.E dated December 4, 1958, acopy f hi h i d

PUBLIC NOTICE CIVILDISTRICTCOURT FORTHE PARISH OF ORLEANS STATEOFLOUISIANA CASE NO.2023-02114 DIVISION “E DAVE &FIONA,LLC v. TERRYJ.O’NEILL AND KATHRYNE.GRAFF NOTICE

Notice is giventhatDave &Fiona,LLC,plaintiff, is applying forauthority to sell at privatesalethe whole undividedinterest of 30.5% on termsof $61,915.00, forthe whole 30.5% percentinterestin theimmovableproperty describedasfollows,to wit: THAT CERTAINLOT OF GROUND,together with allthe buildingsand im‐provements thereonand al of therights, ways privilegesservitudes, ap‐purtenancesand advan‐tagesthereunto belong‐ingorinanyways apper‐taining, situated in the FIRSTDISTRICTofthe City of NewOrleans Parish of Orleans, State of Louisiana, in SQUARE 804, boundedby PALMYRA,BANKS,S MURAT ANDS.ALEXAN‐DERSTREETS, designated as LOT26A,inaccor‐dancewiththe survey annexedtoanact before P.J. Dreytous,N.P dated October15, 1909 and the survey of Gilbert& Kelly Surveyors, datedMay 21, 1949, annexedtoanact