The Times-Picayune 01-28-2026

Food stamprestrictions

settobegin in Louisiana

Population in statesees

Louisianacontinues to lagin growth amongSouthernpeers

BY STEPHANIERIEGEL Staff writer

Louisiana’spopulation ticked slightly higher last year,according to estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, suggesting that populationlossesfromrecentyearshavewaned even as the state remains one of the slowest growinginthe U.S. andamong itsSouthern peers.

BY EMILYWOODRUFF Staff writer

Louisiana SNAP recipientsmay find themselves involuntarily giving up soda and candy for Lent this year,as new restrictions on what the food assistance canbeusedtopurchasetake effect on Ash Wednesday

In announcing the changes, state health officials said the timing immediately after MardiGras was intentional. The waiver allowing Louisiana to place the restrictions on the federal

BY JOSEPH CRANNEY Staff writer

Louisiana’ssports gambling industry has come under fire in the wake of acollege basketball point-shaving scheme unveiled this month by federal prosecutors,with more than athird of the implicated athletes having played for colleges in the state.

program commonly known as food stamps was approvedlastyearbythe U.S. DepartmentofAgriculture.It wasset to begin Jan. 1, but the state received approval for the delay

“You can still buy soda, you can still buy candy, but youcannotuse your SNAPcard to do it beginning Feb. 18,” saidCamille Conaway, theexecutive director for economic independence at the Louisiana Department of Health.

“So we are going to enjoy our candy and our soda andour energy drinks all theway from Mardi Gras, and then

whether thestate’sera of legalization playedafactor Basketball players from Tulane University,NichollsState and the University of NewOrleans were indicted, accused of attempting to rig eightgames between 2024 and 2025. Twoothers from Northwestern State were implicated in the indictment, but notnamed.

For astate where legal sports gambling hasexploded into a$440 million industry, the indictments have prompted a round of questions as to why the alleged sprawling conspiracy all but centered in Louisiana, and

Sen. Beth Mizell,aFranklinton Republican and opponent of legalizing sportsbetting, said in an interview that Louisiana’s “gambling culture” where sports betting is advertised on billboards and gambling promotions are distributed to freshmen on college campuses, is part ofthe problem.

“My immediate reaction is we need to do more in every direction on gambling, because young

we’recollectively going on areally great diet.”

Roughly 25,000 productswill no longer be eligible for purchasewithSNAP funds, according to aproduct list commissioned by the state and compiled by NielsenIQ, aconsumer research company Under Louisiana’swaiver,“soft drinks” are defined as any carbonated, nonalcoholic beveragecontaining high-fructose corn syrup or

ä See RESTRICTIONS, page 8A

The figuresreleased Tuesdayshowthat Louisiana had apopulation of approximately 4.6 million as of July 1, with 3,300 morepeople living here than ayear earlier.The nudge higher was fueled by morebirths in thestate than deaths and an increase in the number of international immigrants,who offset the number of people that leftthe state last year

ä Immigration crackdown triggers drop in growth rate nationally

PAGE 11A

It was the secondstraight year that Louisiana posted amodestincreaseinpopulationafter two-straight yearsofdeclines—and adecades-long depopulation trend in the state. Still, the latest data places Louisiana at 43rd of the 50 states, both in termsofpopulation growth andout-migration,continuinga persistent trend that Gov.Jeff Landry has focused on trying to reverse through economic development and changes to the state’stax laws.

The state populationestimatesare released annually at the beginning of the year and are based on publicly available data like birth anddeath records,IRS returns andMedicare filings. Parish- and municipal-levelestimates will come out later this spring. The estimates, though imperfect, help governments and institutions plan and budget during the years between the once-a-decade census count. Since the 1980s, whenthe state’soil-based

POPULATION, page 11A

isiana

Judge bars removal of boy, 5, and father

A federal judge has issued a temporary order prohibiting the removal of a 5-year-old Ecuadorian boy and his father who were detained last week in Minnesota in an incident that further inflamed divisions on immigration under the Trump administration.

U.S. Judge Fred Biery ruled Monday that any removal or transfer of 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, is on hold while a court case proceeds

A petition seeking their release was filed Saturday as dozens of immigrant families protested behind the fences of the family detention facility where the father and son are detained in Dilley Texas, near San Antonio.

A photo of the boy wearing a beanie and a Spider-Man backpack has circulated widely on social media, sparking strong reactions.

The boy and his father were taken into custody last week outside their home in Minnesota.

France bans social media for children under 15

PARIS French lawmakers approved a bill banning social media for children under 15, paving the way for the measure to enter into force at the start of the next school year in September, as the idea of setting a minimum age for use of the platforms gains momentum across Europe.

The bill, which also bans the use of mobile phones in high schools, was adopted by a 130-21 vote late Monday French President Emmanuel Macron has requested that the legislation be fast-tracked and it will now be discussed by the Senate in the coming weeks.

“Banning social media for those under 15: this is what scientists recommend, and this is what the French people are overwhelmingly calling for,” Macron said after the vote.

“Because our children’s brains are not for sale neither to American platforms nor to Chinese networks. Because their dreams must not be dictated by algorithms.”

Mountain lion captured in posh neighborhood

SAN FRANCISCO — A 77-pound mountain lion set off a scramble Tuesday as it wandered through San Francisco’s wealthy Pacific Heights neighborhood before finally being captured as onlookers safely peered from their home windows or stood across the street.

Dozens of officials worked to capture and tranquilize the male cat after warnings were issued advising people to slowly back away if they encountered it.

The wild cat was first seen Monday morning.

The mountain lion was found Tuesday hiding in a garden between two apartment buildings, San Francisco Fire Department Lt. Mariano Elias said. Authorities shot the feline with tranquilizers three times “to make sure it was completely unconscious,” Elias said “They covered his eyes and bound its paws, just to make sure it wasn’t going to run anywhere.”

‘Doomsday Clock’ moves closer to midnight Earth is closer than it’s ever been to destruction as Russia, China, the U.S. and other countries become “increasingly aggressive, adversarial, and nationalistic,” a science-oriented advocacy group said Tuesday and advanced its “Doomsday Clock” to 85 seconds till midnight

The scientists cited risks of nuclear war, climate change, potential misuse of biotechnology and the increasing use of artificial intelligence without adequate controls as it made the annual announcement, which rates how close humanity is from ending.

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists cited risks of nuclear war climate change, potential misuse of biotechnology and the increasing use of artificial intelligence without adequate controls as it made the annual announcement which rates how close humanity is from ending

Bitter cold grips U.S. as storm deaths rise

BY SOPHIE BATES, KRISTIN M. HALL and RUSS BYNUM Associated Press

Three Texas siblings who perished in an icy pond were among several dozen deaths in U.S. states gripped by frigid cold Tuesday as crews scrambled to repair hundreds of thousands of power outages in the shivering South and forecasters warned the winter weather is expected to get worse.

Brutal cold lingered in the wake of a massive storm that dumped deep snow across more than 1,300 miles from Arkansas to New England and left parts of the South coated in treacherous ice.

Freezing temperatures hovered Tuesday as far south as Tennessee, Arkansas and North Carolina, and were forecast to plunge again overnight. Parts of northern Florida were expected to sink to 25 F late Tuesday into early Wednesday

The arctic misery over the eastern half of the U.S. was expected to worsen Friday and Saturday The National Weather Service said another winter storm could hit parts

of the East Coast this weekend, and more record lows were forecast as far south as Florida.

“This could be the coldest temperature seen in several years for some places and the longest duration of cold in several decades,” the agency’s Weather Prediction Center warned Tuesday

Officials in states afflicted with severe cold reported more than 40 deaths.

Three brothers ages 6, 8 and 9 died Monday after falling through ice on a private pond near Bonham, Texas, Fannin County Sheriff Cody Shook said Tuesday The boys’ mother said she ran into the freezing lake and frantically tried to pull her sons from the water, but the ice kept breaking beneath them.

“They were just screaming, telling me to help them,” Cheyenne Hangaman told The Associated Press. “And I watched all of them struggle, struggle to stay above the water I watched all of them fight.”

More than 470,000 homes and businesses remained without power Tuesday evening, with over

half the outages in Tennessee and Mississippi. Reconnecting some hard-hit areas could take days. Electric utility Entergy said some of its 6,000 customers in Grenada, Mississippi, might not have power until Sunday Jean Kirkland used a lighter and paper Tuesday to ignite her gas stovetop. Her neighborhood in Lexington, Mississippi, lost power Sunday, and Kirkland and her daughter have been relying on the stove and a couple of gas-powered heaters to keep warm. Outside, icicles dangling from power lines clattered.

“When you’re used to certain things, you miss them when they’re gone,” said Kirkland, who’s been getting by without hot water and lights at night, as well as her TV Health officials warn against using gas-powered stoves to heat a home. They can give off fumes that increase the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At least one carbon monoxide death was reported in Louisiana, according to the state Health Department.

Russian drones kill 3 and wound children in Ukraine

Zelenskyy urges speedier diplomacy

BY KAMILA HRABCHUK Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine — A heavy Russian drone

bombardment of Ukraine’s southern city of Odesa killed at least three people and wounded 23, including two children and a pregnant woman, officials said Tuesday, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for speedier U.S. efforts to end Russia’s almost 4-year-old invasion of his country

The Odesa attack involved more than 50 drones, some of them models recently upgraded by Russia to improve their range and strike power, according to Ukrainian authorities.

The drones targeted the power grid, which Russia has repeatedly bombarded during the coldest winter in years, and also hit five apartment blocks, officials said. Emergency crews retrieved the bodies of two men, aged 90 and 52, and a woman from the rubble, authorities said.

“The rescue operation will continue until the fate of all people who may be under the rubble is clarified,” Zelenskyy said on the Telegram messaging app, adding that an informal Protestant place of worship was also damaged.

“Each such Russian strike undermines diplomacy, which is still ongoing, and hits, in particular, the efforts of partners who are helping to end this war,” he said.

Zelenskyy said late Monday the next round of talks with the United States and Russia is penciled in for Feb. 1. but that

“it would be good if this meeting could be accelerated.”

In Ukraine’s northeast Kharkiv region, a passenger train carrying over

200 people was hit by three drones later Tuesday, in what the head of the regional administration Oleh Syniehubov labelled “terrorism.” Four people were killed and another four reported missing.

A diplomatic push by the Trump administration to end the war has made progress, according to officials, but has delivered no breakthrough on the key issue of what happens to Russian-occupied Ukrainian land and other territory that Moscow is demanding.

Analysts says that Russian President Vladimir Putin is in no rush to find a settlement, despite his army’s difficulties on the roughly 600-mile front line. He believes that time is on his side, that Western support for Kyiv will fade and that Ukraine’s resistance will eventually break under pressure, according to analysts.

To replenish its forces and keep up the pressure on Kyiv, Moscow is offering cash bonuses, freeing convicts from prison and luring foreigners to its army

Activists say at least

6,159

killed in Iran

BY JON GAMBRELL Associated Press

DUBAI,UnitedArab

Emirates Iran’s bloody crackdown on nationwide protests has killed at least 6,159 people while many others are feared dead, activists said Tuesday, as a U.S aircraft carrier group arrived in the Middle East to lead any American military response to the crisis. Iran’s currency, the rial, meanwhile fell to a record low of 1.5 million to $1. The arrival of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and guided missile destroyers accompanying it provide the U.S. the ability to strike Iran, particularly as Gulf Arab states have signaled they want to stay out of any attack despite hosting American military personnel

Two Iranian-backed militias in the Mideast have signaled their willingness to launch new attacks, likely trying to back Iran after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened military action over the killing of peaceful protesters or Tehran launching mass executions in the wake of the demonstrations.

Iran has repeatedly threatened to drag the entire Mideast into a war, though its air defenses and military are still reeling after the June war launched by Israel against the country But the pressure on its economy may spark new unrest as everyday goods slowly go out of reach of its people — particularly if Trump chooses to attack.

Ambrey, a private security firm, issued a notice Tuesday saying it assessed that the U.S. “has positioned sufficient military capability to conduct kinetic operations against Iran while maintaining the ability to defend itself and regional allies from reciprocal action.”

“Supporting or avenging Iranian protesters in punitive strikes is assessed as insufficient justification for sustained military conflict,” Ambrey wrote. “However, alternative objectives, such as the degradation of Iranian military capabilities, may increase the likelihood of limited U.S. intervention.”

Tuesday’s new figures came from the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in multiple rounds of unrest in Iran.

DHS: 2 firedshots in nurse’skilling

Official provides detailsinnoticetoCongress

BY SEUNG MIN KIM, MIKE CATALINI and STEVE KARNOWSKI Associated Press

WASHINGTON Twofederal officers fired shots during the encounter that killed intensive care unit nurseAlex Pretti in Minneapolis, aCustoms and Border Protection official told Congress in a notice sent Tuesday Officers tried to take Pretti into custody and he resisted, leading to astruggle, according to anotification to Congress obtained by The Associated Press. During the struggle, aBorder Patrol agent yelled, “He’sgot agun!” multiple times,the official said.

ABorder Patrol officer andaCBP officer each fired Glock pistols, the notice said. Investigators from CBP’s Office of Professional Re-

sponsibility conducted the analysisbased on areview of body-worn camera footage and agency documentation, the noticesaid. The lawrequires the agencytoinform relevant congressional committees about deaths in CBP custodywithin 72 hours

The notification camea day after President Donald Trump ordered border czar TomHoman to takeoverhis administration’simmigration crackdown in Minnesotafollowing Pretti’sdeath, which was the secondfatal shooting this month of aperson at the hands of immigration law enforcement. By sending Homan toMinnesota, “we’re going to deescalate alittle bit,”Trump said during an interviewon FoxNews’ “Will Cain Show.” That’ssignificant sinceWhite Housepress secretary KarolineLeavitt, when questioned repeatedlyMonday about

Homan’sbeing dispatched to Minnesota, refused to say thatdoing so was an effortto calm the situation.

Thepresidentaddedof Homan, “Tom, as tough as he is, gets along” withgovernors andmayors, evenin Democratic areas

As he left theWhiteHouse Tuesday,the president was asked whether Pretti’s killing on Saturday was justified. He responded by saying thata “big investigation” was underway.Inthe hours after Pretti’sdeath, some administration officials sought to blame the shooting on the 37-year-old intensive care nurse. Trump said in an interview broadcastTuesday that he had“greatcalls”withMinnesota Gov. TimWalzand Minneapolis MayorJacob Frey on Monday, mirroring comments he made immediately after the calls

Manwounded afterexchanging gunfirewithBorder Patrol agents

BY COLLEEN SLEVIN Associated Press

Aman who authorities say wasinvolved in a smuggling operation was shot Tuesdayinanexchange of gunfirewith the U.S. Border Patrol and afterfiring at afederal helicopter near theU.S.-Mexico border,authorities said. Federal agents were attempting to apprehend the 34-year-old Arizona mannear Arivaca, Arizona,when he shot at a Border Patrol helicopter andatagents, theFBI said. Agents returned fire, striking the man and wounding him, the FBIsaid. The manwas transported to ahospital and was recovering from surgery Tuesday evening, authoritiessaid.

The Pima County Sheriff’sDepartmentsaidthe FBI asked it to lead auseof-force investigation of the BorderPatrol. It noted that suchinvestigations are standard when afederal agency is involved in ashooting in thecounty FBI special agent Heith Janke said the suspect, Patrick Gary Schlegel, has acriminalhistory that includes aDecember warrant forescape stemming from asmuggling conviction.OnDec. 15, Schlegel signedout of theinstitutionwhere he had been incarcerated, Dismas Charities in Tucson,togotoa counseling sessionbut did notreturn, courtrecords show.

Hagle was in federal custody and is expected to be charged withassault on afederal officer,alien smuggling and felon in possession of afirearm, Janke said.

Arivaca is acommunity about 10 miles from the border.The area is acommon path for drug smugglers and migrantswho

illegallycross theborder, so agents regularlypatrol there.

“Let me be clear,any assault on law enforcement officers will not be tolerated,” said Janke, special agent in charge of theFBI in Phoenix.

TheSanta Rita Fire District said it responded to theshooting andthe person who was woundedwas transportedtoaregionaltrauma center

One level-one trauma center hospital in Tucson declinedtoreleaseinformation, andthe AP was waiting on a response from another

The shooting comes in a monththathas seen three shootings—two fatal —by immigration officers involvedinthe massive Department of Homeland Security enforcement operation in Minnesota.

While there were numerous videos of those shootings takenbyresidentsmonitoring the enforcement operationsinthe Minneapolisarea, the latest shooting in Arizona happened in acommunity of about500 people apparently without any bystander video of the incident. The sheriff department said its involvement in the investigation wasthe result of “long standing relationships” built over time in the border area to promote transparency SheriffChris Nanos, a Democrat, has previously said his agency will not enforce federal immigration law amid President Donald Trump’scrackdown and that he will usehis limited resources to focus on local crime and other public safety issues.

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TrumpvisitsIowa, trying to focusonaffordability

BY SEUNG MIN KIM and HANNAH FINGERHUT Associated Press

CLIVE, Iowa— President Donald Trump on Tuesday made his first big pitch ahead of this year’smidterm elections on his administration’seconomic performance, even as his White House remains mired in the fallout in Minneapolis over asecond fatal shooting by federal immigration officers this month.

Trump gave aspeech in a suburb of Des Moines where he talked up the taxcuts he signedinto law last year and took credit for the soaring performanceofthe stock market, saying he “made a lot of people rich,” including some “that Idon’teven like.”

“If we lose the midterms, you’ll lose so many of the things thatwe’re talking about,” Trump told Iowans, who are expected to reflect their feelings on his presidency when they vote in two highly competitive congressional races this year

The trip for the Republican president was part of aWhite House push to focus more on affordability aheadofelections in November that will determine controlofCongress.

But the president again suggested concerns about prices were exaggerated by hispolitical opponents, saying, “Theycomeup withthis word ‘affordability.’

“First time you heard about it was like afew months ago,” he said.

He went on andadded:

“You’re not hearing it so much anymore. Youknow why?Because theprices are coming down so much.”

Thevisit waspartofthe WhiteHouse’s strategy to have Trump travel out of Washington once aweek ahead of the midterm electionstofocus on economic issues facingeveryday Americans —aneffort thatkeeps getting diverted by crisis.

On the ground in Iowa, Trumpfirstmadeastop at a restaurant,where he met lo-

cals and sat foraninterview with Fox News Channel —in which he saidhewas attempting to “de-escalate alittle bit” in Minnesota.

Thelatest effort comes as theTrumpadministration is grappling withthe weekendshootingdeath of Alex Pretti,anICU nursekilled by federal agents in Iowa’s northern neighbor.Pretti had participated in protestsfollowingthe Jan. 7killingofRenee Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer.Evenassome top administration officials moved quickly to malign Pretti, Trump said he waswaiting until an investigationinto the shooting was complete. Later, as he greeted diners at an Iowa restaurant,Trump weighed in furtherwith comments that were likely to exacerbate frustrationamong someofhis backers who are also strong SecondAmendmentproponents. “Hecertainly shouldn’t have been carrying agun,” Trumpsaid of Pretti.

Judgefinds Virginia Democrats’ redistrictingresolutionillegal

BY OLIVIA DIAZ Associated Press/Reportfor America

RICHMOND,Va. AVirginia judge ruledTuesday that aproposed constitutional amendment letting Democratsredraw the state’s Congressionalmapswas illegal, setting back theparty’s efforts to pick up seats in the U.S. House in November Tazewell Circuit Court Judge Jack Hurley Jr.struck down thelegislature’sactions on threegrounds, including finding that lawmakers failed to follow their own rules foradding the redistricting amendment to a special session. His orderalso said Democratsfailedtoapprove the amendment before the public began voting in last year’s general election and failed

to publishthe amendment three months before the election,asrequired by law. As aresult, he said,the amendment was invalid and void.

Virginia House Speaker Don Scott, who was listed in Republicans’ lawsuit over the resolution, saidDemocrats would appeal the ruling.

“Nothing that happened today will dissuadeusfrom continuing to move forward and put this matter directly to thevoters,” Scott said in ajoint statement withother state Democraticleaders.

Virginians forFairElections, acampaign that supports the redistricting resolution,accused conservatives of filing their lawsuit in aknown GOP-friendly jurisdiction, saying, “Republicans court-shopped fora

ruling because litigation and misinformation are the only toolstheyhave left.”

President Donald Trump launchedanunusual middecade redistricting battle last summer when he urged Republican officials in Texas to redraw districts to help the GOP win more seats, hoping to hold on to anarrowHouse majority in the face of political headwinds thattypically favor the party out of power in midterms. So far that battle has resulted in nine moreseats that Republicans believe they can win in Texas, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio, and six that Democrats think they can win in California and Utah. Democratshopetofully or partially make up that threeseat margin in Virginia.

Wind projectallowed to continue

BY JENNIFER MCDERMOTT and MICHAELCASEY Associated Press

BOSTON Afederal judge said Tuesday anearly completed Massachusetts offshore wind project can continue, as theindustry successfully challenges the Trumpadministration in court

At U.S. DistrictCourtin Boston, Judge Brian Murphy haltedthe administra-

tion’sstop work order for Vineyard Wind,citingthe potential economic losses from the delays and the developers’ likelihood of success on their claims. Vineyard Wind is one of five big offshore wind projects on the East Coast that the Trump administrationfroze days before Christmas, citing national security concerns— andthe fourth that hassincebeen allowedtogoforward

Aspokesperson forthe

company,Craig Gilvarg, said it would “work withthe Administration to understand the matters raised in the Order.”

“Vineyard Wind will focus on working in coordination withits contractors, thefederal government, and other relevant stakeholders and authorities to safely restart activities, as it continues to deliver acritical source of new power to the NewEngland region,” he added.

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Planninga legacy is asignificantundertaking and canbeanemotionally challengingtopic forfamilies. Establishingarelationshipwithawealthmanagement firmand discussing legacy goalsand strategies may help reduce stress andprovide clarityasindividuals make estate-related decisions.

“Inmanycases,wealthadvisorscan serveas a neutralresource” Goynes said.“Families oftenhave differingperspectiveswhenitcomes to money. We sometimesworkwithmultiplegenerations,andhaving animpartialprofessionalinvolvedcanhelptofacilitate clearcommunication.”

Meet with aWealthAdvisor

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BY GARY FIELDS, JOSH FUNK and ED WHITE Associated Press

WASHINGTON — National Transportation Safety Board members were deeply troubled Tuesday over years of ignored warnings about helicopter traffic dangers and other problems, long before an American Airlines jet and an Army Black Hawk collided a year ago, killing 67 people near Washington, D.C.

The placement of a helicopter route in the approach path of Reagan National Airport’s secondary runway created a dangerous airspace and a lack of regular safety risk reviews made it worse, the board said. That was a key factor in the crash along with air traffic controllers’ over reliance on asking helicopter pilots to avoid other aircraft.

Throughout the daylong hearing, investigators emphasized the history of missed opportunities to address the risks. Those include the Federal Aviation Administration denying a 2023 request by a regional supervisor to reduce air traffic at Reagan and the failures to relocate the helicopter route or warn pilots more about the dangers after an eerily similar near miss in 2013.

“I’m sorry for you as these pages of these reports are written in your family members’ blood,” board member Todd Inman told the audience “I’m sorry that we have to be here.”

Family members listened intently during the hearing. Some were escorted out, including two in tears, as an animation of the flights was displayed on video screens. Others wore black shirts bearing the names of first responder units.

“The negligence of not fixing things that needed to be fixed killed my brother and 66 other people. So I’m not very happy,” Kristen Miller-Zahn, who watched from the front row, said during a break. Victims’ families say they hope

there’s meaningful change in response to the long list of recommendations the NTSB listed Tuesday

The measures seek to improve training and staffing at airports while strengthening safety standards. The recommendations are designed to strengthen a culture of safety at the FAA and Army and reduce the risk of a similar midair collision.

Before hearing from investigators, Inman said “systemic issues across multiple organizations,” not an error by any individual, caused the tragedy

Everyone aboard the jet, flying from Wichita, Kansas, and the helicopter died when the two aircraft collided and plummeted into the icy Potomac River It was the deadliest plane crash on U.S. soil since 2001, and the victims included 28 members of the figure skating community.

The Federal Aviation Administration last week made some changes permanent to ensure helicopters and planes no longer share the same airspace around the airport.

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said she couldn’t believe the FAA didn’t realize the helicopter route in use during the crash didn’t provide adequate separation from planes landing on Reagan’s secondary runway She noted that the FAA had refused to add detailed information about helicopter routes to pilots’ charts so they could better understand the risks, and it wouldn’t change the helicopter route even after a near miss in 2013.

“We know over time concerns were raised repeatedly, went unheard, squashed — however you want to put it — stuck in red tape and bureaucracy of a very large organization,” Homendy said. “Repeated recommendations over the years.”

Mary Schiavo, a former U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General, said it’s troubling to hear how many times the FAA failed to act.

Israel marks return of final hostage’s remains

BY SAM METZ, WAFAA SHURAFA, SAMY MAGDY and MELANIE LIDMAN Associated Press

JERUSALEM

— For more than two years, Israelis wore yellow ribbons to remember the hostages abducted during the deadliest day in the country’s history On Tuesday they finally could remove those ribbons and shut down a haunting clock in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, marking the end of a painful chapter

The return of Ran Gvili, a 24-yearold police officer killed while fighting Hamas militants during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, fulfilled nationwide hopes to return all the hostages, living or dead.

Forensic teams combed a cemetery in northern Gaza, working to locate, exhume and identify Gvili’s remains as part of a broad effort involving search crews, intelligence officers and forensic dentists.

Now, with Gvili’s remains back in Israel, attention has turned toward what comes next in Gaza.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that Israel will reopen Gaza’s border crossing with Egypt in both directions, allowing Palestinians to enter and leave the territory after nearly two years of closure.

Netanyahu did not say when the crossing in Gaza’s southernmost city, Rafah, would open, but did say it would be limited to foot traffic and not be used for cargo, adding Israel won’t “prevent anyone from leaving.”

Netanyahu said his focus was now on disarming Hamas and destroying its remaining tunnels, saying there would be no reconstruction in Gaza without demilitarization.

“As I agreed with President Trump, there are only two possibilities: either it will be done the

easy way or it will be done the hard way,” he said at a news conference.

“In any case, it will happen.“ Netanyahu reiterated his stance that Turkish and Qatari soldiers will not be allowed to participate in an international security force in Gaza and his opposition to a Palestinian state. He vowed that Israel would retain permanent security control from the Jordan border to the Mediterranean Sea

Thousands of people in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square watched and some cheered Tuesday as the clock

flashing the number of days since the 2023 attack stopped at 843 days, 12 hours, 5 minutes and 59 seconds — a bittersweet ending in a place that became the focal point for the campaign to release the hostages.

“It’s like we have been released from this huge rock hanging from our heart,” said Ofra Ophir, a retired nursery schoolteacher from Ra’anana, north of Tel Aviv

Department of Health confirmed that threepeople died of hypothermia, with twoother suspected hypothermia deaths.

One man died of carbon monoxide poisoning and another died in afatal wreck relatedtoicy conditions, according to the agency. A woman also died after her oxygenconcentratorfailed during apower outage, according to the agency

Meanwhile, road conditions prevented some residents from evacuating their homes and shut down parts of the northern parishes

Drivers were stranded for as many as 20 hourson Interstate 20, according to socialmedia reports, as stuck 18-wheelers near Arcadia and Ruston brought traffic to astandstill. Louisiana State Police troopers conducted supply drops, welfare checks and ATVevacuations in the area.

As of late afternoon Tuesday,more than 90,000 customers still lacked power, according to poweroutage us.

Gov.Jeff Landytoured East and West Carroll parishes by air Tuesday,when he also met with leaders in Ouachita and Richland parishes to discussthe effects of the storm. Landry has said he is contacting the White House in hopes of getting federal aid.

East Carrollshuts down

The storm’simpact was especially pronouncedinEast Carroll Parish, which lost power almost entirely

“It’sbeencatastrophic,” Sheriff Wydette Williams said. “We’ve had storms before, but the way the power lines and trees snapped like toothpicks, I’ve never saw this before.”

The hospital, prisons, a grocery store and other public spaces were relying on backup generators, Williams said. It was unclear when power would be restored.

“Wehave receivedword from Entergy that they have run intofar more problems thananticipated,” theSheriff’sOffice posted on Facebook. “They areinthe parish on the ground working diligently, but they cannot commit to adefinitive time and date when electrical serviceswill be restored.”

Residents in East Carrollalso lostwater service andsome struggledtokeep medical devices running amidthe outage, according to arelease from Delta Interfaith, acoalitionofcongregations and community organizations in the Louisiana Delta. Blocked roads prevented some residents from evacuating. Before thestorm, Prudence Grissom bought a propane heater for her East Carroll home.“They advertise that it’ssafe indoors,” she said. But just to be sure, the 70-year-old placed it in a doorway,leading to ahallway.Over the course of the weekend, Grissom found herselfsleepingfor sixhour stretches, struggling to wake up. Afriend called, and on Sunday, when Grissom failed to pick up,alerted the Sheriff’s Office. Adeputy knocked loud enough that Grissom awoke.

“At that point, Isaid, ‘OK, it has to be this heater,’”she said. “I haven’tbeen using it since.”

Instead, Grissom donned three sweaters, two pairs of pantsand several setsof socks. She lit candles. She watched from her window as ice-coated tree branches snapped and fell.

Grissom movedtoEast Carroll adecade ago to care for her mother.She is from New Orleans, where after Hurricane Katrina, shelived without power for weeks.

“You put one stepinfront of another,” she said. “You do thebest you can.”

Upcoming temperatures

The Baton Rouge, Lafayette and New Orleans areas were expected to seelows in the upper 20s and lower 30s Tuesday and Wednesdaynights, according to the National WeatherService, whichforecast that temperatures would stay in the low 40s Thursday night.

Meanwhile, temperatures near Shreveport, Monroe and Alexandria would be in the20s Tuesday andWednesday nights, and hover just above freezing on Thursday night,the agency predicted.

Thestate is expected to see temperatures drop again over theweekend,when

nighttime temperatures

Alexandria,Baton

and Lafayette. Officials

artificial sweeteners,such as regular or diet sodas. Flavored carbonatedwaters,suchas LaCroix, remain eligible, as do beverages containing milk or milk substitutes like soy or almond milk, and drinks made up of at least 50% fruit or vegetable juice.

Energy drinks containing added stimulants —including fortified caffeine, taurine, guarana or glucuronolactone —are alsonolonger allowed. That category includes popular brands such as Red Bull andMonster.Coffee andtea remain eligible, as do caffeinatedbeverages that do not include added stimulants.

Candy is defined as asugar-or sweetener-based product combined with ingredients such as chocolate, fruit or nuts and soldinbars,drops or pieces. Chocolate bars,gummies andhardcandies areexcluded, whileprotein bars and baking ingredients such as chocolate chips or toffee bits are still allowed

GAMBLING

Continued frompage1A

peopleare getting pulled into situations, sometimes innocently, sometimes with bad intentions,” Mizell said. “And there needs to be consequences.”

Most of the bets involvingLouisiana teams were not actually placed in Louisiana, according to prosecutors.The scheme’sringleaders were basedinPhiladelphia and Mississippi. And the conspiracy also involved college athletesin at least three states —Alabama, Georgia andTexas —where sports gambling remains illegal.

While no one involved hassaid why so many players from Louisiana were allegedly recruited into the scheme,the 70-page indictmentfiled Jan. 14 in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania offers some clues.

For one, federal prosecutors say former LSU basketball star AntonioBlakeney,accused of helping rig twoChinese Basketball Association games in 2023, laterused his influence in Louisianatohelp recruit other,younger collegebas-

Louisiana is oneofabout adozen statesthathave requested waivers from the USDA to restrictcertain SNAP purchases, part of agrowingmovement andacornerstone of the “Make America Healthy Again” movement putforth by federal healthsecretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr

Each state has slightly different rulesfor what is no longerallowed. For instance, West Virginia restricts sugary beverages but not candy.Texas defines sweetened drinks as having 5grams or more of added sugarorany artificial sweetener.Missouri added “prepareddesserts” to its list of ineligible foods.

Nearly750,000 people in Louisiana —about 1in5households use SNAP,which provides monthly benefitsloaded onto adebit-style card that canbeusedatmostgrocery retailers. Benefit amounts vary based on household size, income andexpenses suchashousing.

The averagemonthly benefit in Louisiana is $377, totaling roughly $1.78 billionper year.The program is entirely federally funded, though

ketball players in the state into thefold.Blakeney,who is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud,hasn’tentered aplea yet, according to online court records.

Some who helped to usher in legalized sports betting in Louisiana saythatdecisionisnot to blame.

Ronnie Johns, aformer state senator who chaired the Louisiana GamingControlBoard from 2021 to 2024, noted that Louisiana was an early state to banprop bets on college sports,a kind of wager on players’ individualstatisticsthat criticssaidwereespecially subject to abuse.

“The legislationweultimately passed wasn’tthe cause of the point-shaving,” said former Louisiana SenateMajority Leader Danny Martiny,who supported legalization. “The point-shaving was caused by people who wanted to take advantage of this system.”

Still, others say the culture around sports betting in the state hasgone too far

“There’sanotion that it’snot just acceptable,but that it’s safe,” Mizell said.

When sports gambling was put to areferendum in 2020,the issue had

thestate covershalf of the $337 million in administrative costs. That state share is expected to increase to 75% next year under thefederal “One Big Beautiful Bill” championed by President Donald Trump. State officialssaid thechanges are part of abroader effort to promote healthiereating. When the restrictions were first announced, Gov.Jeff Landrysaid the state would seek approvaltoallow SNAP recipientstopurchase rotisseriechicken —aprepared food item typically excluded from the program but touted by thestate as healthy, cheap andgood for feeding alarge family

That request has not yet been approvedbythe USDA, according to Louisiana Health Secretary Bruce Greenstein.

TheUSDAdoesn’t have aspecific timeline for approval or denial, according to aspokesperson. States can make anew request with additionalinformation if arequest is denied.

TheHealth Departmentisalso expanding apilot called theLouisiana CarrotProgram, which offers SNAP users 30 centsback forevery

broad appeal among Louisianans. Voters in 55 of the state’s64parishesbacked legalization

The Legislature adopted the changesinto law in 2021, which also permitted thestate to tax sportsbooksaportion of their proceeds. The industrytook off quickly

In oneparticularlyhigh profile move, CaesarsEntertainment struck adeal with LSU to become its official sportsbook andadvertise on campus. LSUstudents received an emailin2022 offering them $300 in free betsafter making a$20 wager with Caesars Sportsbook, which drew outcry on campus. LSU and Caesarshavesince ended theiragreement.

Meanwhile, thestatehas reaped financial rewardsfrom legalization. In the 2025 fiscal year,sportsbookscollected more than $443 million in netproceeds on more than $3.7 billioninwagers in Louisiana,state records show.More than $67 million of theproceeds were paid to the state in taxes.

Anew law increased thetax that the state collects from online sports gambling from 15% to a little morethan 21%. Still, some states tax online sportsgambling

dollar spent on fresh fruits and vegetables.More than 71,000 people arecurrently enrolled in 11 parishes, andthe program is expected to expand to New Orleans and Baton Rouge later this year

SNAPisananti-hunger program at its core, and nearly 830,000 people in Louisiana are food insecure,meaningtheydon’t have access to enough or adequately healthy food. SNAP’seffectivenesshas long been tied to the freedom it givesfamiliesand the discreet waybenefits areusedat thecheckout counter,and it’sunclear how changing that might affect shopping habits.

“Whatdoes this look like at the register when people are coming up with products, thinking they’re covered, andthey’renot?” said Megan Knapp, apublic health professorand researcherfocusedon food policy at Xavier University “I think there’sgoing to be some confusion.”

Knapp, who is developing aresearch proposaltostudy whether SNAPpurchase restrictions actually reduce consumptionofsugary beverages, said some retailers

at far higher rates, with New York andOregon,for example, taxing themat51%,accordingtothe Tax Foundation.

Rep.NeilRiser, aColumbia Republican who authored the tax increase foronline sports gambling, pointed to thepoint-shaving scandalasanother example of its consequences foryoung or desperate people

“It leadstothings you have right now,” Risersaid. “Any time you have gambling, you have the lure of easymoney.For young athletes, money’s enticing. It’sthe ultimate appeal.”

Riser’slegislation that was signed into law last June also includedanattempt to steer some of thestate’sgambling revenues back to those who help bring it in —university athletic departments. Aquarter of the tax money that the state receivesfromonline sports bettingshould go to the state’s11publicuniversities with Division Isports programs, which Riser estimated at around $2 milliona year,per school.

Themoney’saboost for Louisiana’ssmaller, strapped athleticdepartments, allofwhich —other than LSU —operateata deficit andrely

have also raised concerns. Smaller stores, in particular,may find it burdensome to manage constantly changing eligibility rulesand could opt out of the program altogether Marcus Coleman, apublic health researcher at Tulane University, said federalcutstoSNAPeducation funding in September undercut efforts to help families actually eat healthier

“We’re telling people to buy healthierfoods, but what if they don’tnecessarily have the knowledge about how to prepare certain things?” Coleman said.

In ruralareas, sometimescandy or asoft drink is what’savailable, said Coleman, who grew up in Tensas Parish.

“My town hasa DollarGeneral My grandmother has to travel 13 miles to the next grocery store,” Coleman said. “You need things in between to get by.” Greenstein said SNAP has always comewith limits.

“It’sa big change,but todayyou can’t buy asix-pack of beer,you can’t buy papertowels,”hesaid. “There are things the program has never paid for.”

on the university to subsidize their operations. Now that the NCAAallows universities to paytheirathletesdirectcompensation,athletic directors of cash-strapped schools have said it’sbecomeeven more difficult to recruit top players.

With moneyfromgambling proceeds, athletic departments canpay for scholarships,facility upgrades, insurance and medical coverage.

The law doesn’tpermit them to use the money to pay athletes directly

Johns, the former gaming board chair, noted that point-shaving in college basketball wasa problem long before states legalized sports gambling, with notable scandals dating as far backasthe 1950s. They include apoint-shavingscandal at Tulane in the mid-’80s, when three Tulane players were indicted and three coaches lost their jobs. Johns said it’suptothe NCAA anduniversityathleticdepartments to educate players on sports gambling’spotential dangers.

“I just hope that the universities have avery proactive program for monitoring theirathletes, educating themand keeping atab on their activities,” Johns said.

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Francesca’s to close all Louisiana locations

A national women’s clothing retailer with five stores in south Louisiana will close all of its locations this month.

Francesca’s, which has locations in the Mall of Louisiana and Perkins Rowe in Baton Rouge, The Outlet Collection at Riverwalk in New Orleans, Acadiana Mall in Lafayette and Southland Mall in Houma, will cease operations and has begun liquidation sales at its stores and website.

Layoffs began earlier this month at its stores and its corporate headquarters in Houston, according to Retail Dive.

Francesca’s, which opened in 1999, had more than 450 locations across the U.S. Francesca’s has been in financial trouble for a while. The chain filed for bankruptcy protection in December 2020 and was sold to TerraMar Capital, a private equity firm, for $18 million.

Wall Street soars to another day of records

Wall Street ticked to a record on Tuesday, as stocks zigzagged under the market’s surface following mixed profit reports from UnitedHealth, General Motors and other big companies.

The S&P 500 rose 0.4% and edged past its prior all-time high set a couple weeks ago, even though more stocks fell within the index than rose. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 408 points, or 0.8%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.9%. UnitedHealth Group tumbled 19.6% despite reporting a profit for the latest quarter that was a bit better than analysts expected. More attention was on the company’s forecast for revenue in the upcoming year, which fell short of Wall Street’s expectations Health care stocks also felt tremendous pressure from a projected rate increase for Medicare Advantage by the U.S. government, which fell well short of what investors had hoped. Humana skidded by 21.1%, Elevance Health dropped 14.3% and CVS Health sank 14.2%.

Helping to offset those losses was Corning, which climbed 15.6% after announcing a deal with Meta Platforms that’s worth up to $6 billion.

Corning will supply optical fiber and cable to help build out data centers for Meta, enough that Corning is expanding its optical-fiber manufacturing facility in Hickory, North Carolina.

Amazon to close its Go, Fresh locations

Amazon said it’s closing all of its Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh locations, as the online behemoth focuses on its grocery delivery, Whole Foods Market and a new “supersized” store concept.

The Seattle-based online retailer said Tuesday in a blog post that it plans to convert some of those soon-to-be shuttered locations into Whole Foods Market stores. The company operates 57 Amazon Fresh stores and 15 Amazon Go stores.

“While we’ve seen encouraging signals in our Amazonbranded physical grocery stores, we haven’t yet created a truly distinctive customer experience with the right economic model needed for largescale expansion,” the company said in the post.

Amazon noted that customers can continue to shop Amazon Fresh online in available areas for “fast and convenient delivery.”

The last day of operation for Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go stores is Sunday, with the exception of its California locations, which will remain open longer to comply with state requirements, Amazon said Since Amazon’s purchase of Whole Foods Market in 2017, it’s seen more than 40% sales growth and expansion to more than 550 locations, it said.

BUSINESS

NOLA.COM/BIZ

UPS looks to cut up to 30,000 jobs

BY MICHELLE CHAPMAN Associated Press

UPS is planning to cut up to 30,000 operational jobs this year as the package delivery company continues with its turnaround efforts and reducing the number of Amazon shipments that it handles.

Last year, UPS started on a plan to reduce dependency on its largest customer, Amazon, and focus on higher-profit areas such as healthcare customers.

Chief Financial Officer Brian Dykes said during the company’s conference call on Tuesday that the job cuts will be made through a voluntary buyout offer for full-

time drivers and through attrition.

“This is a tactical move,” he said during a call with analysts. “We did something similar last year in order to help us to right-size the position levels and the network infrastructure with the new volume and delivery levels.”

UPS is also looking to close 24 buildings in the first half of the year and is evaluating additional buildings to close later in the year, he added.

UPS said in a regulatory filing in October that it had cut about 34,000 operational positions and closed daily operations at 93 leased and owned buildings dur-

ing the first nine months of last year The company also announced approximately 14,000 job cuts, mostly within management. According to FactSet, UPS employs about 490,000 workers.

In April, UPS announced that it was looking to slash about 20,000 jobs and close more than 70 facilities as it drastically reduces the number of Amazon shipments it handles.

The company said in January 2025 that it had reached a deal with Amazon, its biggest customer, to lower its volume by more than 50% by the second half of 2026.

CEO Carol Tome said during the conference call that by the end of 2025 UPS had reduced Amazon’s volume in its network by approximately 1 million pieces per day.

“We’re in the final six months of our Amazon accelerated glide down plan, and for the full year, 2026, we intend to glide down another million pieces per day, while continuing to reconfigure our network,” Tome said.

UPS also said it was officially retiring its fleet of McDonnell Douglas MD-11 cargo planes after a deadly crash in Louisville, Kentucky, in November The planes, about 9% of the UPS fleet, had been grounded.

TikTok settles landmark youth social media addiction lawsuit

Video platform was 1 of 3 companies facing claims that it harms children

BY KAITLYN HUAMANI and BARBARA ORTUTAY AP technology writers

LOS ANGELES TikTok agreed to settle a landmark social media addiction lawsuit just before the trial kicked off, the plaintiff’s attorneys confirmed.

The social video platform was one of three companies — along with Meta’s Instagram and Google’s YouTube — facing claims that their platforms deliberately addict and harm children. A fourth company named in the lawsuit, Snapchat parent company Snap Inc., settled the case last week for an undisclosed sum.

Details of the settlement with TikTok were not disclosed, and the company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

At the core of the case is a 19-year-old identified only by the initials “KGM,” whose case could determine how thousands of other, similar lawsuits against social media companies will play out. She and two other plaintiffs have been selected for bellwether trials — essentially test cases for both sides to see how their arguments play out before a jury and what damages, if any, may be awarded, said Clay Calvert, a nonresident senior fellow of technology policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute.

Joseph VanZandt, co-lead counsel for the plaintiff, said in a statement Tuesday that TikTok remains a defendant in the other personal injury cases, and the trial will proceed as scheduled against Meta and YouTube.

Jury selection starts this week in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. It’s the first time the companies will argue their case before a jury, and the outcome could have profound effects on their businesses and how they will handle children using their platforms.

The selection process is expected to take at least a few days, with 75 potential jurors questioned each day through at least Thursday A fourth company named in the lawsuit, Snapchat parent company Snap Inc., settled the case last week for an undisclosed sum.

nology and exacerbated depression and suicidal thoughts. Importantly, the lawsuit claims that this was done through deliberate design choices made by companies that sought to make their platforms more addictive to children to boost profits. This argument, if successful, could sidestep the companies’ First Amendment shield and Section 230, which protects tech companies from liability for material posted on their platforms.

TikTok remains a defendant in the other personal injury cases, and the trial will proceed as scheduled against Meta and YouTube.

“Borrowing heavily from the behavioral and neurobiological techniques used by slot machines and exploited by the cigarette industry Defendants deliberately embedded in their products an array of design features aimed at maximizing youth engagement to drive advertising revenue,” the lawsuit says.

Executives, including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, are expected to testify at the trial, which will last six to eight weeks.

them into self-destructive feedback loops.”

The tech companies dispute the claims that their products deliberately harm children, citing a bevy of safeguards they have added over the years and arguing that they are not liable for content posted on their sites by third parties.

“Recently, a number of lawsuits have attempted to place the blame for teen mental health struggles squarely on social media companies,” Meta said in a recent blog post. “But this oversimplifies a serious issue. Clinicians and researchers find that mental health is a deeply complex and multifaceted issue, and trends regarding teens’ well-being aren’t clear-cut or universal. Narrowing the challenges faced by teens to a single factor ignores the scientific research and the many stressors impacting young people today, like academic pressure, school safety, socio-economic challenges and substance abuse.”

“This was only the first case — there are hundreds of parents and school districts in the social media addiction trials that start today, and sadly new families every day who are speaking out and bringing Big Tech to court for its deliberately harmful products,” said Sacha Haworth, executive director of the nonprofit Tech Oversight Project KGM claims that her use of social media from an early age addicted her to the tech-

Experts have drawn similarities to the Big Tobacco trials that led to a 1998 settlement requiring cigarette companies to pay billions in health care costs and restrict marketing targeting minors.

“Plaintiffs are not merely the collateral damage of Defendants’ products,” the lawsuit says. “They are the direct victims of the intentional product design choices made by each Defendant. They are the intended targets of the harmful features that pushed

A Meta spokesperson said in a statement Monday the company strongly disagrees with the allegations outlined in the lawsuit and that it’s “confident the evidence will show our longstanding commitment to supporting young people.”

José Castañeda, a Google Spokesperson, said Monday that the allegations against YouTube are “simply not true.” In a statement, he said “Providing young people with a safer, healthier experience has always been core to our work.”

TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday

Americans’ confidence in U.S. economy falls sharply

It’s the lowest level since 2014

BY MATT OTT Associated Press

WASHINGTON U.S consumer confidence declined sharply in January, hitting the lowest level since 2014 as Americans grow increasingly concerned about their financial prospects. The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index cratered 9.7 points to 84.5 in January, falling below even the lowest readings during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A measure of Americans’ shortterm expectations for their income, business conditions and the job market tumbled 9.5 points to 65.1, well below 80, the marker that can signal a recession ahead. It’s the 12th consecutive month that reading has come in under 80. Consumers’ assessments of their current economic situation slid by 9.9 points to 113.7. “Confidence collapsed in January as consumer concerns about both the present situation and expectations for the future deepened,” said Dana Peterson, the Conference Board’s chief economist. “All five components of the index deteriorated, driving the

overall index to its lowest level since May 2014 — surpassing its COVID19 pandemic depths.”

Respondents’ references to inflation, including gas and grocery prices, remained elevated. Mentions of tariffs and trade, politics, and the labor market also rose in January as did comments about health insurance and war Perceptions of the job market also declined this month.

The conference board’s survey reported that 23.9% of consumers said jobs were “plentiful,” down from 27.5% in December Also, 20.8% of consumers said jobs were “hard to get,” up from 19.1% the month previous.

The country’s labor market has been stuck in a “low hire, low fire” state, economists say, as businesses stand pat due to uncertainty over Trump’s tariffs and the lingering effects of elevated interest rates. Earlier this month, the government reported that employers added just 50,000 jobs in December, nearly unchanged from 56,000 in November The unemployment rate is 4.4%.

Job gains have been subdued all year, particularly after April’s “liberation day” tariff announcement by Trump. The economy gained just 584,000 jobs in 2025, sharply lower than that more than 2 million added in 2024.

Immigrationcrackdown triggers drop in growth

U.S.

BY MIKE SCHNEIDER Associated Press

ORLANDO,Fla. President Donald Trump’scrackdown on immigration contributed to ayear-to-year drop in the nation’sgrowth rate as theU.S.populationreached nearly 342 million people in 2025, according to population estimates released Tuesdaybythe U.S. Census Bureau.

The 0.5% growth rate for 2025 was asharp drop from 2024’salmost 1% growth rate, which was the highest in two decadesand was fueled by immigration.The 2024 estimates put the U.S. population at 340 million people.

Immigration increased by almost 1.3 million people last year compared with 2024’sincrease of almost 2.8 million people.Iftrends continue, the annual gain from immigrants by mid-2026will drop to only 321,000 people, according to the Census Bureau, whose estimates do not distinguish between

POPULATION

Continued from page1A

economy collapsed, Louisianahas lagged other states in terms of net growth, even though the number of people born in the state has continued to increase.

Landry was unavailable forcomment on Tuesday while in North Louisiana on Tuesday dealingwith the aftermath of afatal winter storm. Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Susan Bourgeois said the data showsthe state is heading in the right direction, though she acknowledged itstill has along way to go.

“The latest census data shows La. has stabilized its population andthatmatters,” Bourgeois said in atext message from Washington, where she is attending the annual gathering of Louisiana officials known as Washington Mardi Gras. “After years of decline, these small gains tell us thatthe

legal andillegal immigration. In the past 125 years, thelowest growthrate was in 2021, during theheightofthe coronaviruspandemic, when theU.S.population grewby just0.16%, or 522,000 peopleand immigration increased by just376,000 people because of travelrestrictionsintothe U.S

reforms and initiatives we’ve put in place over the past two years have helped stop thebleeding and that’sanimportant first step. But it’s notthe finishline.”

Still, Allison Plyer, chiefdemographer of The Data Center,aNew Orleans-baseddata-analysis group thatkeeps watch on population trends, notedthatincomparison with otherstates, Louisiana isn’t catchingup.

“Louisiana is seventh from the bottom, nationwide,”saidPlyer “Thatistrue of thelastyear and every year since 2020.”

The trends lastyear in Louisiana come against abackdropofa nation that sawsomeofthe slowestpopulation growth in its recent history, due largelytothe sharpdecrease in international immigrants to the countryduring thelastsix months of the Bidenadministration and the first sixmonthsofPresident DonaldTrump’ssecondterm.

TheU.S. population grew by around1.8 million over the year to nearly 342 million.The number of

Before that, thelowest growth rate was just under 0.5% in 1919 at the height of the Spanish flu. Births outnumbereddeathslast year by 519,000 people. While higherthanthe pandemic-era low at the beginning of the decade, the natural increase was dramatically smaller thaninthe 2000s, when it

international immigrants during that period —nearly 1.3 million was less than half thehigh of over 2.7 millionunder President Biden in 2024.

In Louisiana, 14,900 newinternational immigrants moved into the state last year,offsetting the 14,387 residents who left thestate. Thedifference of 513 net new people, coupledwith 2,774 morebirths than deaths, gave the state atotal gain last year of 3,311 people.

Plyer said it’s not clear from the datawhether thenew international immigrantsrepresent new residentstothe state,who came to work, setdown rootsand pay taxes,or whether the numbers were inflated by thenumber of migrantssent to one of the state’s detention centers. “Louisianahas adisproportionate numberofICE detention centers so the numbers couldbe distorted,” Plyer said, adding that additionalresearch willbeneeded to figure it out. “What is clear is thatwehave the seventh-highest rate of domestic outflow andthe

ranged between 1.6 million and 1.9 million people. The immigration drop dented growth in severalstatesthattraditionally have been immigrant magnets.

California had anet population loss of 9,500 people in 2025, astark change fromthe previous year, when it gained 232,000 residents, even though roughly thesame number of Californians already living in the state movedout in both years. The differencewas immigration since the number of net immigrants who moved intothe statedropped from 361,000 people in 2024 to 109,000 in 2025.

Floridahad year-to-year drops in bothimmigrants and people moving in from other states. The Sunshine State, which has become moreexpensiveinrecent years from surging property values and higher home insurance costs, had only 22,000 domestic migrants in 2025,compared with 64,000 people in 2024, and the net number of immigrantsdropped from morethan 411,000 people to 178,000 people.

New York added only 1,008 people in 2025, mostly because the state’snet migration fromim-

only reason we arenot losing population is because of international immigrants.” Louisiana has suffered aseries of setbacks in recentyearsasit has tried to attract moreresidents and stemthe tiedofpeople headingelsewhere.The state made few gains during the coronavirus pandemiceven as other states in the South saw arise in population growth.Analysts have attributed someofthe recent depopulation to the seriesofmajor hurricanes that struck the state, including HurricaneIda,which helped to spark an insurance crisis and questions about affordability

During thefive-year periodof 2020-2025, forinstance, Louisiana lost 55,000 more people than it gainedand wasthe only Southern state to experience anegative net migration

Overthe same period, Florida and Texas experienced anet increase of 1.8 million and 2million, respectively.Alabama hada net increase of nearly 200,000 and Ar-

migrants dropped from 207,000 people to 95,600 people.

South Carolina, Idaho and North Carolina had the highest year-overyear growth rates, ranging from 1.3% to 1.5%. Texas, Florida and North Carolina added the most people in pure numbers. California, Hawaii, New Mexico, Vermont and West Virginia had population declines.

The South, whichhas been the powerhouse of growth in the 2020s, continued to add morepeople than any other region, but the numbers dropped from 1.7 million people in 2024 to 1.1 million in 2025.

“Many of these states are going to show even smallergrowth when we get to next year,” Brookings demographer William Frey said Tuesday

Tuesday’sdata release comes as researchers have been trying to determinethe effects of the secondTrump administration’s immigration crackdownafter the Republican president returned to the White House in January 2025. Trumpmade asurge of migrants at the southern border acentral issue in his winning 2024 presidential campaign.

kansas gained more than 115,000 residents. Mississippi, which often battles with Louisiana for last place in quality-of-life rankings, also had anet increase of more than 11,000.

Plyersaidthe single reason Louisiana consistently lags peer states is its economy.Since 2005, the state has seen only a2%increase in the number of new jobs, compared with a20% increase nationwide.

New industrial developments like LNG plants and data centers promising investments in the billions of dollars create temporary jobs, she said, but not necessarily sustainable employment.

Bourgeoissaidher officeisfocused on “turning stabilization into sustained growth” by creating more high-wage jobs andmaking it easier to succeed in business in thestate.

“The momentum we’re seeing in record capital investment and job creation gives us confidence that we’re on the right track,” she said. “Weknow there’sstill more work to do.”

U.S. eyes reopening embassy in Venezuela

BY MATTHEW LEE AP diplomatic writer

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has notified Congress that it is taking the first steps to possibly reopen the shuttered U.S. Embassy in Venezuela as it explores restoring relations with the South American country following the U.S. military raid that ousted thenPresident Nicolás Maduro.

In a notice to lawmakers dated Monday and obtained by The Associated Press on Tuesday the State Department said it was sending in a regular and growing contingent of temporary staffers to conduct “select” diplomatic functions.

“We are writing to notify the committee of the Department of State’s intent to implement a phased approach to potentially resume Embassy Caracas operations,” the department said in separate but identical letters to 10 House and Senate committees.

The notification, sent to Capitol Hill just two days before Secretary of State Marco Rubio is due to testify on Venezuela before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the staffers would live and work in a temporary facility while the existing embassy compound is brought up to standard.

It is the first formal notice of the administration’s intent to reopen the embassy in Caracas. Such a move would be key to the restoration of diplomatic relations between the two countries which have been broken since March 2019 when the embassy was shuttered.

The Trump administration has moved slowly but surely to try to normalize ties with Maduro’s successor and current acting President Delcy Rodríguez. However doing so would require the U.S. to revoke its decision to recognize the Venezuelan parliament elected in 2015 as the legitimate government.

World marks Holocaust Remembrance Day

BY VANESSA GERA Associated Press

BY RENATA BRITO Associated Press

BARCELONA, Spain Spain’s government announced Tuesday it will grant legal status to potentially hundreds of thousands of immigrants living and working in the country without authorization the latest way the country has bucked a trend toward increasingly harsh immigration policies imposed in the United States and much of Europe. The extraordinary measure will be implemented by expediting a decree to amend immigration laws, according to Spanish Minister of Migration Elma Saiz, bypassing a similar bill that has stalled in parliament. Eligible immigrants will be granted up to one year of legal residency as well as permission to work. In contrast to other nations that have moved to restrict immigra-

tion and asylum, many emboldened by the Trump administration’s policies, Spain has moved in the opposite direction with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and his ministers often extolling the benefits of legal migration to the country’s economy and aging workforce.

Spain “will not look the other way,” Saiz told journalists during a press conference. The government is “dignifying and recognizing people who are already in our country,” she said

The measure could benefit an estimated 500,000 people living in Spain without authorization Saiz said. Other organizations have estimated up to 800,000 people live in the shadows of Spanish society

Many are immigrants from Latin American or African countries working in the agricultural, tourism or service sectors, backbones of Spain’s booming economy

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WARSAW Poland Holocaust survivors, politicians and regular people commemorated International Holocaust Remembrance Day on Tuesday, gathering at somber events across Europe and beyond to reflect on Nazi Germany’s killing of millions of people.

International Holocaust Remembrance Day is observed across each year on Jan. 27, the anniversary of the liberation of AuschwitzBirkenau, the most notorious of the Nazi German death camps. The U.N. General Assembly adopted a resolution in 2005 establishing the day as an annual commemoration.

“The attempt, carried out by Nazi Germany, to erase the Jews from the face of Europe encapsulates, in an emblematic way, all the evil that human beings are capable of committing when they allow themselves to be infected — out of superficiality, indifference, cowardice, or self-interest — by the virus of hatred, racism, and oppression,” Italian President Sergio Mattarella said in a gathering with survivors in Rome.

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At Auschwitz, located in an area of southern Poland which was under German occupation during World War II, Polish President Karol Nawrocki joined survivors for a remembrance ceremony that ended with Jewish and Christian clergy reciting prayers.

Bernard Offen, a 96-year-old survivor told participants that in today’s world he sees “signs I know too well.”

“I see hatred resurgent. I see violence beginning to be justified once again,” Offen said. “I see people who believe their anger is more valuable than another human life. I say this because I am an old man who has seen where indifference leads to. And I say this because I believe that — I truly believe — that we can choose differently.”

Nazi German forces killed some 1.1 million people at Auschwitz, most of them Jews, but also Poles, Roma and others. The camp was liberated by the Soviet army on Jan. 27, 1945.

In all, 6 million Jews were killed in the Holocaust in ghettos, concentration camps and shot at close range in the fields and forests of Eastern Europe.

In the heart of Berlin, candles burned at the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, a field of 2,700 gray concrete slabs which honors the 6 million victims and stands as a powerful symbol of Germany’s remorse. Other countries are still struggling to come to terms with the complicity of their ancestors. Mattarella condemned the complicity of ordinary Italians in the fascist-era racial laws, which persecuted Italy’s Jewish community, and deportation of its Jews.

As in recent years, Russia representatives were not invited to the observances at Auschwitz due to the country’s invasion of Ukraine. Pavel Jelinek, a 90-year-old survivor from the city of Liberec — a Czech city with a prewar Jewish population of 1,350 — told those gathered in the upper house of the Czech Parliament that he was now the last living of the 37 Jews who returned to the city after the war There are an estimated 196,600 Jewish Holocaust survivors still alive globally down from 220,000 a year ago, according to the New York-based Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany

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Former sheriff’s manager pleads guilty

Lawson siphoned federal cash for programs

BY JAMES FINN Staff writer

A former grants manager for the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office pled guilty this week to using his perch at the agency to orchestrate a sweeping theft scheme, admitting to siphoning cash marked for prisoner rehabilitation and other programs into his own pocket

The former Sheriff’s Office employee, Kenneth Lawson, funneled cash from a federal Justice Department grant to a firm he

claimed was an OPSO subgrantee.

But prosecutors said Lawson had set up the firm under a false name, and it had no ties to the office.

Lawson and a co-conspirator,

Areion Banks, initially pleaded not guilty to conspiracy counts after a federal grand jury returned an 11-page indictment against the pair on Aug. 25. The scheme was part of a broader pattern of financial mismanagement uncovered by an internal agency audit in 2024.

In changing their pleas to guilty

New U.S. 190 bridge opens in Covington

Traffic improvements expected with new span

BY BOB WARREN Staff writer

The new U.S. 190 bridge at Claiborne Hill in Covington is fully opened. Now, drivers are waiting to see if it can be a cure to one of the worst traffic snarls in St. Tammany Parish.

The state Department of Transportation and Development says the $30 million project is basically complete except for some final adjustments to traffic signals through that stretch of 190. The new bridge actually has been in use since August, but only in the past few days has DOTD removed the barriers that had restricted it to a single travel lane as work crews completed the job. The construction work had begun in the early summer of 2023.

The new bridge over the Bogue Falaya, as well additional lanes between the bridge and Lee Road, are aimed at taming one of the parish’s worst traffic nightmares: The long line of vehicles on U.S. 190 that have to slow to barely a crawl as multiple lanes in each direction were funneled to single lanes across the old Bogue Falaya bridge.

That old bridge remains in use, but it has been repurposed to allow two lanes of traffic heading south on U.S. 190, while the new bridge handles two lanes heading north. The hope is that by doubling the capacity of highway crossing the river, some of the traffic backups will be a thing of the past.

As western St Tammany has grown, motorists any have clamored for improvements through that stretch of U.S 190, which runs north of Interstate 12 and into the city limits of Covington DOTD data shows that around 50,000 vehicles travel that stretch of roadway each day

“It was a lot of stress,” said St. Tammany Parish Council member Larry Rolling, a longtime Covington-area elected official who has fielded a lot of trafficrelated complaints over the years from constituents. “But now it’s like the nightmare is gone.” Well, maybe not entirely gone.

Daniel Gitlin, a DOTD spokesperson, said that while the work crews have left the area, some adjustments still are likely to be needed to traffic signal cycles.

“In general, it takes a full two months before everything is set, and we will have crews out monitoring lights, especially during rush hours,” Gitlin said in an email Tuesday “It’s important for people to know that it’s a work in progress because of the change, and we want and need people to alert us to issues that are now happening.” Gitlin said the project is “one of the most significant roadway improvements our area has seen in decades.”

Meanwhile, the stretch of the Tammany Trace that runs beneath the Claiborne Hill bridge has also been reopened Parish officials held a ribbon-cutting at the Tammany Trace bridge over the Bogue Falaya recently

Monday before U.S. District

Judge Lance Affrick, Lawson and Banks each admitted to a single count of conspiracy to commit theft and bribery involving federal funds.

“Mr Lawson is a gentleman who in a moment of weakness made a very poor decision, to which he has now admitted and set about to rectify,” said his attorney, Michael Kennedy “This is the best he can do, and, frankly, the best that most people can do.”

The altered pleas mark a victo-

ry for prosecutors in a sprawling public corruption probe, which officials have alleged may involve other co-conspirators. No additional arrests have been made.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office did not respond to questions about what terms Lawson’s and Banks’ plea deals may carry including whether the office plans to charge additional alleged co-conspirators in the scheme.

A statement from the Justice Department said David Courcelle, the U.S Attorney for the New Orleans-based Eastern District of Louisiana, “praised the work of

the Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” and the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, in conducting the probe “While this is not a happy day, I want to take this opportunity to thank the Office of the Inspector General of the United States Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation who brought this situation to light and conducted a thorough investigation and the members of our OPSO staff for their support of the investigation to bring a

Personal parade

may not have been any

as she said, ‘Who else would want them in

spontaneous festive air

Kern family joins Galatoire’s

Mardi Gras World owners part of restaurant’s leadership

BY RICH COLLINS Staff writer

Members of the Kern family, the owners of Kern Studios and Mardi Gras World, have acquired an interest in Galatoire’s, one of the handful of “grand dame” restaurants that have been in operation for more than a century in the heart of New Orleans’ French Quarter

The deal, announced Tuesday, brings members of one of the city’s most recognizable families Carnival float builders who have promoted Mardi Gras culture internationally through various business endeavors — into a small ownership group that includes Louisiana businessmen John Georges, Todd Trosclair, former shipbuilder Boysie Bollinger and Melvin Rodrigue, who serves as president and CEO of the Galatoire’s leadership team. Georges, who has been Galatoire’s largest shareholder since 2009, owns the convenience-store distributor Imperial Trading Company and with his wife Dathel is the owner of The Times-Picayune and several other print and digital publi-

cations across south Louisiana through Georges Media Group.

Georges said the Kerns made a “substantial” investment to buy into the group when a former member decided to divest for personal reasons. The current owners declined to provide specific valuation details of the private company

“We are often approached by people wanting to invest in the restaurant,” Trosclair, chair of the restaurant’s ownership group, said in a phone interview “When the shares became available, we approached the Kerns because we know they will bring a lot of creativity and help us move the business forward.” Founded in 1932, Kern Studios constructs the elaborate colorful parade floats used by many of the city’s most wellknown Carnival krewes It also builds floats, sculptures, props, set decorations and other fabricated elements for international clients, including theme parks and corporations Mardi Gras World is the company’s working float-building facility that doubles as a tourist attraction and event space. Kern Studios CEO Barry Kern said his family’s move to join the ownership group made

BY BEN MYERS Staff writer

New Orleans officials on Tuesday took steps to firm

N.O. council reverses strip club restrictions

Council member who backed ban changed mind

BY SOPHIE KASAKOVE Staff writer

The New Orleans City Council on Tuesday reversed new restrictions for Bourbon Street strip clubs after those regulations approved earlier this month — provoked criticism from industry workers.

Council member Freddie King, who represents the French Quarter and sponsored the measure to rescind the rules he introduced

Jan 8, said Monday that he backtracked after speaking with people who would have been affected by the move. The regulations would have restricted new clubs from opening unless they met certain requirements while city planners studied permanent rules for up to two years.

Council President JP Morrell, who joined his colleagues in voting for the restrictions at the Jan 8 meeting, told dancers and others who showed up Tuesday to bash the rules that council would work harder to seek community input before changing policy.

The former state senator also touted his record in the Legisla-

ture voting against a controversial state law that raised the minimum age for dancers from 18 to 21 years old.

“It was very jarring at that time, in modern times, to have the state try to dictate at what age you could do certain types of employment,” he said. “We hear what you’re saying. We certainly are going to do better as far as trying to communicate with the industry before we do things but it’s unfortunate that ten years later we’re still having these conversations.”

More than a dozen Bourbon Street strip club workers and their supporters came to pan the proposed restrictions.

“We welcome new business on Bourbon Street, as more options means more jobs for a wider range of entertainers,” said dancer Emily Nestor noting that many of the clubs operating on Bourbon Street show preferences for dancers based on race, weight and other factors.

“We want the variety and freedom to choose where we work,” Nestor said.

Speakers recalled attempts by officials to restrict new nightlife venues on Bourbon Street a decade ago, which dancers organized to oppose. Those measures largely failed. But state code enforcement raids at that time re-

sulted in some clubs shuttering or getting suspended and dancers said Tuesday that those closures led to a higher share of corporate-owned clubs on the strip. Planners will still review whether the city should impose additional restrictions on new clubs under a separate motion approved by the council Jan. 8, which was not rescinded. Workers and their advocates have criticized the council for not seeking their input before passing the rules at the end of the previous council’s term. Three new and four incumbent council members were sworn in Jan. 12. Staff writer Joni Hess contributed to this report.

Probe: Unlawful force unlikely in death of Angola inmate

BY OLIVIA TEES Staff writer

An inmate who died at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola on Saturday afternoon was maced and subdued by officers before suffering a suspected heart attack, but officials do not believe unlawful force was a factor in his death.

Harold Brooks, 37, of Lafayette, allegedly died from a heart attack at 4 p.m. Saturday in the prison infirmary

“It appears that the correctional officers were acting in good faith and trying to subdue a disorderly offender,” West Feliciana Parish Sheriff Brian Spillman said. “We have not made a correlation between the struggle between them

and his untimely death.”

Brooks was causing a disruption in his cell block Saturday afternoon when officers approached him in an attempt to prevent any harm to nearby inmates, Spillman said Brooks, who was allegedly acting aggressively and erratically used a pair of handcuffs as a weapon against officers.

“He was subdued, and the situ-

FAMILY

Continued from page 1B

sense based on their work to promote the city and its landmark attractions.

“There’s a symbiotic relationship between Galatoire’s and the hospitality industry, because we’re always selling New Orleans, and this is one of the great places that defines the city,” Kern said. “This investment is for me, my children and grandchildren.”

Galatoire’s current owner-

BUDGET

Continued from page 1B

The City Council then agreed to furlough itself and appointed council staffers once per pay period, in line with other public servants already taking furloughs under Moreno’s plan to trim expenses and avoid a projected $222 million deficit this year

“We will be sharing the burden of having those furloughs as well, and that applies not just to our employees, but to the council as well,” Council President JP Morrell said.

The initial once-per-pay period furloughs, along with layoffs, hiring freezes and other personnel moves were expected to save $28 million before the council’s action on Thursday It’s not clear how much the council furloughs will save. Tuesday’s actions to officially adopt revenue and eke out more cost savings are aimed at correcting last-minute mayhem that colored the adoption of last year’s budget, and at avoiding a repeat of last year’s slow-building fiscal crisis. Cantrell in December barred the Revenue Estimating Conference,

ship group owns 75% of the restaurant. It has expanded the business beyond its original location in the 200 block of Bourbon Street, where it opened in 1905 and has served shrimp rémoulade, oysters Rockefeller, trout meunière and other menu classics for more than a century The Galatoire family continues to own a 25% share. In 2013, the restaurant opened Galatoire’s 33 Bar & Steak next door In 2021, the owners opened the Galerie de Galatoire restaurant, which can host large private events, in the 200 block

of Royal Street across from the Monteleone Hotel They also launched the Galatoire’s Foundation to support local nonprofits.

Georges and Trosclair said the Kerns’ investment helps ensure the restaurant, which in 2005 won the James Beard Award for most outstanding restaurant in the U.S., stays locally owned and rooted in New Orleans culture

“Now people can call the Kerns if they want to get a table,” Georges joked.

Email Rich Collins at rich. collins@theadvocate.com.

which adopts the city’s official revenue forecast, from recognizing $75 million in new and onetime funds Moreno used to balance her proposed budget The former mayor said the funds hadn’t been vetted and that there was no guarantee they would come When the council sided with Moreno, Cantrell vetoed Moreno’s budget. The council later overrode the veto.

Meanwhile, Moreno’s furloughs, layoffs of City Hall personnel and other cost-saving moves are meant to ensure the city can repay $125 million it borrowed from investors to cover its payroll, after overly rosy revenue estimates, failures to account for overtime spending and new state laws limiting traffic camera revenue caused a $160 million spending deficit last year

The reconstituted revenue panel, which Moreno leads as mayor on Tuesday adopted a formal revenue forecast that aligns with the general fund budget Moreno’s transition team crafted. Notably absent from the meeting was a city economist, who typically recommends the revenue forecast adopted by the panel. The economist under the Cantrell administration, Matthew Cooper no longer holds the position, and the

Moreno administration working to find a new one.

Giarrusso said the city expects to receive $29.5 million from the Sewerage & Water Board — around $20 million of which it already has — and $16.4 million from the Edward Wisner Trust Fund. That estimate accounts for revenue generated by leases of oil-rich land near Port Fourchon and a tax refund the city is banking on receiving from the IRS this year The city already has around $10 million in Wisner revenue in hand, Giarrusso said. The forecast also relies on a $14.8 million federal pandemic grant and $13.5 million from increased parking enforcement and collections.

The entire $800 million general fund budget is dedicated to operating expenses, and Giarrusso said auditors are now determining what exists in the city’s reserves. He said more short-term revenue bonds will need to be issued at some point this year, though the timing and amount aren’t yet clear

“What we’re trying to figure out is, how do you provide the necessary services and right size government, how do you also make sure that you’re managing your

ation deescalated, and then later he was taken for observation, and later died on what is suspected to be a cardiac event,” Spillman said.

Brooks was checked by prison medical staff because mace was used on him.

“Anytime that you utilize a gassing agent on a suspect, you need to have them checked out by medical staff,” Spillman said. Brooks was pronounced dead about 4 p.m. The West Feliciana Parish Sheriff’s Office was immediately notified and started an investigation.

MANAGER

Continued from page 1B

resolution to this matter,” Sheriff Susan Hutson said in a statement this week.

Grant money focus of probe

Lawson was a Sheriff’s Office grants manager for a little more than two years starting in 2022. That position gave him the authority to request payments from grant providers and to issue checks from Sheriff’s Office accounts to companies acting as “sub-grantees,” federal prosecutors said in court documents signed Monday by both defendants.

Lawson met Banks, who was not a Sheriff’s Office employee, through an “intermediary” in 2024. They built a plan — sometimes “using other co-conspirators,” according to court documents they signed — to steal checks made out to OPSO subcontractors and to convert those checks into cash. They admitted to stealing at least $45,000 through that scheme.

In August 2023, the Sheriff’s Office won a $3.9 million grant from the Justice Department meant to support rehabilitation of prisoners in the custody of the Sheriff’s Office, which runs New Orleans’ local jail.

Lawson set up the fake company, William James Associates LLC, the next summer in Jefferson Parish He asked the Justice Department later that year to wire $100,000 of the grant money to an account he opened in that business’s name at Gulf Coast Bank, a regional outfit with branches across the New Orleans metro area.

Concerned that a transfer of that size signaled potential financial crimes, a Gulf Coast Bank employee asked Lawson to verify that the Sheriff’s Office had approved the transfer Lawson enlisted Banks to pose as a Sheriff’s Office staffer and had her contact the bank employee.

cash flow while at the same time trying to build back the reserve?” Giarrusso said.

The stakes are high if the city cannot address its fiscal woes.

Three major bond rating agencies have all issued recent downgrades of the city’s rating, and have warned of further action if Moreno can’t right the ship. The city’s bond ratings are still at solid investment grade, but the ratings agencies recently singled out the new revenue sources as points of uncertainty

One unknown, city officials acknowledge, is whether the city can collect the $7 million it hopes to receive as 50 new parking enforcement officers come aboard over the course of the year, more than double the current force.

The new officers will be expected to ramp up the number of issued parking tickets, which has been cut in half since 2017, according to data provided by the administration. That has accompanied a similar decline in ticket revenue, from about $9.5 million to about $4.5 million.

At the same time, the number of tickets paid within one year has dropped from 80% to a little more than half. Administration officials hope

Brooks was serving a sevenyear sentence for aggravated assault with a firearm An autopsy was scheduled to be conducted Tuesday morning.

Banks said that William James Associates was a real Sheriff’s Office subcontractor and that the Sheriff’s Office had approved the payment Lawson agreed to give Banks a portion of the money he was poised to get from that payout, prosecutors say An attorney for Banks did not respond to a request for comment on her plea.

Lawson was arrested in November 2024 by the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office on separate state charges stemming from the alleged scheme. The federal grand jury indicted him nine months later and his state charges were dismissed as federal prosecutors adopted the case, said Kennedy, his attorney Shifting corruption landscape

At a 2024 news conference announcing Lawson’s arrest, Hutson said he had used the stolen funds for gambling, travel, meals and household expenses.

Under terms of the guilty pleas they entered in federal court, Lawson and Banks each face a maximum prison sentence of five years. A sentencing hearing is set for May 13. The case is unfolding at a time when President Donald Trump’s administration has slashed resources dedicated to investigating and prosecuting public corruption.

Ten days before Lawson’s indictment, the New Orleans-based U.S. Attorney’s Office secured an indictment of then-Mayor LaToya Cantrell on corruption charges, capping a yearslong probe into her affairs. Asked then if the administration’s shift from public corruption investigations had presented obstacles to that case, the acting U.S Attorney at the time said no.

“In our office, the reality is that whatever cases we have, if we have sufficient evidence, be it public corruption, be it violent crime, be it financial crimes, we do it,” then-Acting U.S. Attorney Michael Simpson told reporters.

Email James Finn at jfinn@ theadvocate.com.

more stringent booting will lead to increased compliance while providing another new source of revenue. The budget also includes $6.5 million from ramped up booting and collections on delinquent commercial fleets. Meanwhile, furloughs of council members and staff will bring in at least some additional revenue. Under the plan the council approved, staffers earning below $44,434 a year will see fewer mandated furlough days, and those making below $39,733 will be exempt entirely from furloughs. That’s in line with a plan by Moreno to exempt City Hall’s lowest-paid workers from the cost-savings move

Email Ben Myers at bmyers@ theadvocate.com.

LOTTERY

MONDAY, JAN. 26, 2026 PICK

Studentdeportedafter father’s immigrationcheck

St.Amant senior seeks asylum in U.S.

BY ELYSE CARMOSINO Staff writer

An Ascension Parish high school student seeking asylum in the U.S. was detained by federal agents and deported to Guatemala last week, according to the student andpeople who spoke with her Maria Bolvito, asenior at St. Amant High School in St. Amant, was taken into custodyonJan. 20 when she joined her father for a routine check-in with immigration officials, those close to the teensaid.Bolvito, who recently turned 18, said she did not speak with alawyer or go before ajudge. Three days later, she and her father were deported.

“I felt sad,” Bolvito,who hadbeen in the U.S. since she was about 10 years old, said in atext message to The Advocate this week from Guatemala. “I didn’t want to leave yet.”

AU.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokespersonwould not confirm that Bolvito was deported. Aspokesperson for Ascension Parish Schools referred questions to law enforcement.

Bolvito appears to be one of only afew Louisiana students knowntohave been deported as part of President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration.

Trump administration officials say they areenforcing the country’s immigration lawsand targeting adults with criminalrecords living in the country illegally.But some children and youngpeople have been caught up in the sweeps. Three Louisianachil-

BRITANy MOLINA

PHOTO PROVIDED By

Maria Bolvito, astudent atSt. Amant High School in Ascension Parish, wastaken into custodybyimmigrationagents while attending aroutinecheck-in withher father forthe family’sasylum case in NewOrleans last week. Both were deported to Guatemala days later

dren who are U.S. citizens were allegedly deported last year along with their parents A16-year-old boy also wasdeportedfrom Louisiana last year,despite having speciallegal protection forimmigrantyouth, accordingtoadvocates. Attorneys are challenging the deportations

Bridget Pranzatelli, a staffattorneyatthe National Immigration Project, which advocates for immigrants’ rights, said hergroup hasnoticed a growing number of people being detainedduring routine immigration appointments and quicklydeported. She suspects that many more young people have beenensnaredbythe Trumpadministration’s immigration crackdown than has been publicly reported.

“I encounter people and then they’re missing the next day,”she said. “I am surewhat’sbeing reported is the tip of the iceberg.”

Alifeleftbehind Bolvito, who arrivedin

the U.S. fromGuatemala as afifthgrader, said she didn’t typically accompany her father when he regularly checked in withimmigration officials on his request for asylum. Butshe said that officials askedher fatherto bring hertohis most recent appointment, which came just aweek after her 18th birthday.

Afamily member drove them to the meeting with immigration officials in NewOrleans on Jan. 20

While waiting outside, the relative received acall from Bolvito’sfather saying that the twowere being taken into custody.

Family friends eventually found Bolvito and her father in an online database of ICE detainees, which showed that they were being held at separate sites, thefriends said. Bolvitowas detained at an ICE processing center in Evangeline Parish, according to the database.

Britany Molina,Bolvito’s closefriendand classmate at St.Amant High School, said she didn’thear from her friend for acouple of

“I encounter people and then they’re missing the next day. Iamsure what’s being reported is thetip of the iceberg.”

BRIDGETPRANZATELLI, staff attorney at theNational Immigration Project

days.Then Bolvito sent her amessage: She andher father had been sent back to Guatemala.

Bolvito,who spoke with a reporter in Spanish through the messaging service WhatsApp, confirmed that shewas deported Jan. 23.

She saidshe wasnot brought before ajudge or shown adeportation order

She addedthatshe andher father did not have legal representation.

ValeriaGallardo, another

friend and classmate, said Bolvito’ssudden disappearance has rattled their friend group. They were scheduled to graduate togetherthis spring,but nowtheymust adjusttolife without her “When Ifound out she got caught, my heart just sank andthe tearsstarted flowing,” Gallardo said. “One day Iwas with her,and then the next day she’snot here anymore.”

OneofBolvito’steachers, whoasked nottobenamed out of fear of retaliation, described her as asweet and quietgirlwho hadrecently started to comeout of her shell.

“I can tell you she’snot acriminal; she’sjust a regular girl who wants to have friends,”the teacher said. “She’sloved by so many people, and she’sso missed.”

Bannon, Bruce Brown, Hillary Dodson III, Price Ferrara Sr., Charles Fromenthal,Gerald Grodsky,Donald Hemmings,Julia Johnson, Barbara Judge Jr., Harold Katsanis,Janet Laroche, Victor

Lee, Carla

Lewis, Jocelyn

McMillan, Esther

Ory, Elaine

Rohbock, Kennon

Stampley,Leona

Sumner,Diane

EJefferson Garden of Memories

Rohbock, Kennon

LA Muhleisen

Katsanis,Janet

Leitz-Eagan

Dodson III, Price

Judge Jr., Harold

NewOrleans Charbonnet

Lewis, Jocelyn McMillan, Esther

BruceAtchley Bannon, age69, ended his earthly journeyMonday,January 26, 2026,following along illness. Brucewas aloving father and grandfather, a devoted son, afaithful friend, and acherished brother Bruceattended Holy Name, graduated Magna CumLaude from Jesuit High School, attended the University of Tennessee, finishedhis BS degree at Louisiana State University, where he minored in DKE, and obtaineda lawdegree from Loyola Law School. When he retiredfrom law,hefollowed hisfather'sfootsteps in steadfastly volunteeringatthe National WorldWar II Museum, eventually giving them over10,000 hours of his time and dedication. Bruceattended Trinity Episcopal Church where he faithfully attendedthe 12 Steps forEveryone Sunday classand was Crucifer and Chalice Bearer at primarily the8:00 AM service. Brucewas ahistory buff with an incredible memory.Hecouldhave easily beena successful participant on Jeopardy. He loved allthingsBeatles, dressed foryearsasa Pirate forMardiGras, and coordinated monthlyfamilygatherings on Taco Tuesdays, which is still a treasuredtradition. Hewill be missed by familyand friends for his"Bruce" smile, his kind nature, his "quote of the day", his bad driving, his love of travel, and his fondness forthe colorblue.

Lee, Carla Stampley,Leona

Ferrara Sr., Charles

DW Rhodes Greenwood JacobSchoen

Laroche, Victor

Bannon, Bruce Grodsky,Donald Hemmings,Julia Sumner,Diane

Lake Lawn Metairie St Tammany

Grace Funeral

Brown, Hillary

Ory, Elaine

He is survived by his daughters, Payton Olson (Corey) and Erin Raines (Chase), his five grandchildren, Copper,Colette and Penny Olson, and Evelyn andCharlotte Raines, his sisters, Kathy Eastman (John), Nancy Beck, and Erin Heaton, hisbrother, Bobby BaileOakes,and his many niecesand nephews. The family is grateful for the caregiversatAvanti AssistedLivingand Forest Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Should anyone wish to make adonation in Bruce's honor, please consider the National WorldWar II Museum or Trinity Episcopal Church. AcelebrationofBruce's life willbeheldFriday, January 30, 2026 at Lake LawnMetairieFuneral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd. New Orleans, LA Visitationwillbefrom9 AM to 11 AM with aservice to beginat11AM. Private Inurnment willfollow.

HillaryBrown, age98, of Covington,LApassedaway peacefullyonJanuary 20 2026. He wasbornonJanu‐ary 13, 1928 in Whitehall, LAtoValcinBrown Sr and MargaretLauzervich. Hillary is survived by his beloved wife AdaBrown, to whomhewas married63 years;his children Debbie Ponseti (Kyle),Annette Curren, andSharonBourg (Stephen); five grandchil‐drenMonicaHanzo,Jes‐sicaHanzo,Patrick Curren Blake Bourgand Brandon Bourg;three step-grand‐childrenDaniellePonsetiGray(John-Mark), Valerie Ponseti,and Samantha Ponseti;and twogreatgrandchildren Maisyand Myles.Heisalsosurvived byniecesand nephews. Hillary is preceded in death by hisparents and siblingsEdnaHernandez, ClarenceBrown, Hodges Brown, andElton Brown and son-in-law Kevin Hanzo.Heproudly served inthe United States Army duringthe Korean Warbe‐foreworking at theJax Brewery for31years and thenjoining theInterna‐tionalLongShoremanAs‐sociation as astevedore for 18 years. "Brown" en‐joyed stayingactivewith fishingand huntinginhis early years. Laterinlife, he was an avid gardener,hav‐ing themostbeautiful red roses,and themostmani‐cured,plush lawn. He loved watchingfootball,basket‐balland baseball,espe‐cially theNew York Yan‐kees,and discussing this withhis grandkids. He also enjoyed tripswithhis wife tothe gulf coastcasinos Relatives andfriends are invited to attend visitation onWednesday,January 28, 2026 from 10:00 am until 12:00 pm at GraceFuneral Home(450HolyTrinity Drive,Covington). AMass ofChristian Burial will be heldat12:00 noon.Grave‐sideServiceswithMilitary HonorswillfollowatSt Lazarus of BethanyMemo‐rialGarden.

Price GeorgeDodson III, age87years, passedaway peacefully at his home on Saturday, January17, 2026. He was born on November 5, 1938 in Tela, Honduras to thelatePrice George Dodson, Jr.and Hildegarde Drott Dodson. He graduated fromBattleGround Academy in Franklin, Tennessee and obtained a BBS degreefrom Tulane University, where he worked until his retirement in 2002. At Tulane he met hisfuturewife,Phyllis Anne Trouard.They married in 1967 and shared a very happy life of 58 years. They had six children:

Price IV (Kim), Paul Dodson -Culotta (Raymond), AnneMarie Tabora(Marlon), David (Lindsay), Timothy, and thelatePhilip. He is also survivedby15grandchildren, threegreat grandchildrenand hissisterAnna Trunnell. AMass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Clement of Rome Catholic Church, 3990 W. Esplanade Ave.,Metairie, LA 70002 on Friday, January 30, 2026. Visitation willbefrom 10:00 AM until12:00 PM in thechurch with Mass at 12:00 noon. Interment will follow at Greenwood Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, Massespreferred. Fond memories and expressions of condolences may be shared at www.leit zeaganfuneralhome.com

FerraraSr.,Charles Joseph

CharlesJosephFerrara, Sr passedawayatthe age of 91 at hisMetairieresi‐denceonJanuary 20, 2026 surrounded by hisloving family.BorninNew Or‐leans, he wasprecededin deathbyhis parents Joseph andElizabeth MosconaFerrara,his sister Anna Marieand herspouse WilliamStanley,Sr.,and brother-in-law Arthur Balser.Heissurvivedby hiswifeof62years,Nova AnnWeser Ferrara, chil‐dren Charles“Chuck” Jr Stephen(Kellie), Angela andStacy,sister-in-law Joan WeserBalser, and many nieces,nephews, cousins, friendsand neigh‐bors.Charlie wasa gradu‐ateofSacredHeart of JesusSchool in mid-city andreceivedhis BBAand JD degrees from Loyola University in NewOrleans He enthusiastically prac‐ticedlaw forover60years andwas knownfor his zealousadvocacy forand principled servicetohis clients. He wasa US Army veteranwho enjoyed sports,travel, readingand allthingsItalian,especially thecuisine!Charlie also enjoyedactingasa hobby, appearinginnumerous movies andcommercials He served in variouslocal andnationalleadership positionswithAFTRA and SAG-AFTRAfor 28 years. He wasa manofdeep faith anda parishioner of St Mary Magdalen for60 years. Relativesand friendsofthe family arein‐vitedtoattend theFuneral Mass at St.MaryMagdalen Catholic Church,6425 West Metairie Ave.,Metairie, LA on Friday,January 30, 2026, at 12:30 p.m. Visitation is from 10:30 a.m. until Mass time.Interment will follow in Greenwood Cemetery Mausoleum. Thefamily welcomes Masses, dona‐tionstothe American Can‐cerSociety or to thechar‐ityofyourchoice. When‐ever youenjoy eggs bene‐dict,vealparmigiana, strawberry shortcake, can‐noli or gelato,think of Charlieand remember his zest forlabella vita!Mem‐oriesand condolencescan be shared at www greenwoodfh.com

Gerald "Jerry" Fromenthal passedaway peacefully on Saturday, January24, 2026. Gerald wasthe beloved husband of thelateMuriel TatfordFromenthal and thedevoted son of thelate Elvira Wagar.Hewas the eldest of seven children. He waspreceded in death by hissister Patricia Fromenthal Bufkin (Gerald) and hisbrother Denny Fromenthal (Carol).

He is survived by his loving siblings Sandra Wagar Piglia (the late Joseph Jr.), Phillip Wagar (Georgie), DebraWagar Leatherman (EB), and Floyd Wagar (Maribel), as well as numerous cherished brothers-inlaw,sisters-inlaw,nieces and nephews.

Gerald wasa graduate of WarrenEaston High School andproudly served as amember of the NationalGuard. Throughouthis career,he workedfor WesternUnion, IBM,and Al Copeland Investments.

The familywould like to extendtheir heartfelt gratitude to thestaff of Colonial Oaks Living Center for theircompassionate care andkindness over thepast twoyears.

Relativesand friends are invited to attendvisitation andserviceson Thursday, January29, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at GreenwoodFuneral Home, 5200 Canal Boulevard, NewOrleans LA 70124. Intermentwill follow at Greenwood Cemetery

Grodsky, Donald Herman

Donald Herman "Handsome" Grodsky died peacefully on January 25, 2026 in Metairie. He was born on May15, 1944 in NewOrleans.Hewas precededindeathbyhis parents, SidneyGrodsky and Jennie Miller Grodsky. He is survived by hischildren, Stephen R. Grodsky (Kay) and Karen Grodsky Thomas;former wife, Marilyn F. Winston; grand-

children, Ryan Grodsky (Nikki), Jason Grodsky, Haley Grodsky and Bryce Thomas;three greatgrandchildren; andbrothers, Melvin Grodsky (Mary) and BarryGrodsky (Cheri). He attendedSam Barth School andNewman High School, whereheexcelled at basketballand wasa partofthe statechampionship team. He then graduatedfromthe University of NewOrleans andTulaneLaw School. He workedmanyyearsinhis family's clothing business whileattendingschool. Familyand friends are invited to attenda graveside service Thursday, January 29, 2026 at 11 a.m. at Lake LawnParkCemetery,5454 Pontchartrain Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70124. To view andsignthe online guestbook, please visit www.lak elawnmetairie.com

JuliaClaire Hemmings, age 35, passed away on January 18, 2026 at her home in NewOrleans Juliawas born on August 13, 1990 in Metairie to William Hemmings and Lisa Ulmer Smith. Shewas agraduate of the University of NewOrleans with adegree in Secondary Education.She wasa Social Studies teacher at John F. Kennedy High School, whereshe wasa mentor to andadvocate for herstudents. Juliawas kind, outgoing, and beloved by all,a wonderful daughter, sister,and friend. Sheloved hercats andmade personalized collars for them.She loved making crafts andgifts for herfamilyand students. Shewas afiercely loyal NewOrleanian,and loved music and Mardi Gras Juliaissurvived by her father,William Hemmings, hermother, Lisa Smith, sister, RebeccaSmith, stepfather, Richard Smith, uncle, Douglas Ulmer, and numerouscousins. Preceded in death by herstepmother DonnaHumberd,and grandparents John Hemmings andGerry Salvaggio, Louis and Gloria Ulmer. Visitation will be Saturday, January31, starting at 11 AM at Lake LawnMetairie Funeral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd,New Orleans, with

Johnson, Barbara Boyd 89,a longtime resident of Belle Chasse, LA. Born 02/12/1936 in Vinita, OK to the late George A. Boyd & Genevieve May. Widow of Robert (Bob) Johnson. Mother of 4children Brenda J. Mason, NormaJ Poole (Eddie), Cheryll J. Chiasson (deceased), and James A. Johnson (deceased). Survived by 6 grandchildren;Julie Mason, Kelsey Poole, Carl Johnson &sister Kate Chiasson, sisters Amanda &Jamie Johnson. Predeceased by sister Norma Morgan and granddaughter Erica Poole. All are invited to a Memorial &Celebrationof Life Service, Sat. 01/31/26, Visitation 10-11am, Service immediately following, First Baptist Church Belle Chasse, 8828 LA-23-S, Belle Chasse, LA. Aprivate burial will take place at alater date.

Harold "Hal" Matthew Judge Jr.passedaway peacefully on January 21st, 2026, surrounded by his family, at the age of 76. He was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on November 30, 1949. He was aloving husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend to all. He was preceded in death by his parents, Harold Matthew Sr. and Claire Shuckrow Judge and his youngest brother Kevin John Judge. Hal is survived by his wife of nearly 49 years, Karen Waguespack Judge; theirtwo children, Christopher Thorning Judge (August V. Martens) and Victoria Lynn Judge (Katie); as well as the two loves of his life, his granddaughters Claire Catherine and Charlotte Jude Judge. He is also survived by his siblings Kathleen Judge, Erin Coolidge (Charles), Maureen Young, Colleen Casselberry, Shawn Caballero, Michael Judge (Holly), Sheila Judge Leonard (Edward) and numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and greatnephews, all of whom he loved dearly. Please join us in celebrating his lifeonSaturday January 31, 2026, at LeitzEagan Funeral Home, located at 4747 Veterans Boulevard in Metairie. Visitation will be held from 10am-12pm, followed by a mass at noon. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Anna's Place NOLA, where Hal enjoyed volunteering and sharing his time and talents. https: //stannanola.org/donate/ Fond memories and words of condolences may be shared at www.leitzeag anfuneralhome.com.

Katsanis, Janet Lambert

Janet Lambert Katsanis passedawaypeacefully on Saturday, January 17, 2026, at the age of 79. She was a resident of Kenner for most of her life and was the Account Clerk at Chateau Estates Elementary School forover 20 years. Shewas precededin death by herhusband, Eugene "Gene" Katsanis and herparents, Joseph O. Lambert and Dorothy MeyerLambert Winingham. Shewas the loving motherofMarcKatsanis (Erica), KristiKatsanis McKinney and Candi KatsanisFranzo(Rick) and Granny JtoKyle McKinney (Lisa), GracieFranzo LachlanMcKinney, Emma Franzo, Cailyn Franzo, Liam McKinney and Hanna McKinney. Sheisalsosurvived by her sister,Diane Lambert Rochelle(Gary) and nephews, JosephB Rochelle (Elizabeth)and Dr. Jared M. Rochelle (Beth). Othersurvivorsinclude her sisters-in-law, Carol KatsanisVarnado and Kathleen Katsanisand their children

Relatives and friends of the family are invited to attend the visitation and Funeral ServiceatL.A. Muhleisen and SonFuneral Home, 2607 Williams Blvd., Kenner, LA on Saturday, January 31, 2026.Visitation willbeheld from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. followed by a Funeral Service at 1:00 p.m. Interment in Jefferson Memorial Gardens Cemetery, River Road, St. Rose, LA. To share memories or condolences, please visit www.muhleisen.com

Laroche, Fr.Victor Emmanuel Fr.VictorEmmanuel Laroche,O.P., abeloved priest, brother, andfriend, diedsuddenlyonFriday, January 23,2026. Hispass‐ing leaves aprofound void inthe hearts of allwho knewand lovedhim,and in the many communities he faithfullyserved through‐out hislife. Fr.Victorwas bornonMarch 30,1959, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, to Mrs.Anne-Marie Alise Dorsinville Larocheand Dr PanestekerLaroche.From anearly age, hislifere‐flecteda deep love for learning, service, andfaith Hepursued hiseducation withpassion andpurpose earning aBachelorofSci‐enceinAgronomyfromthe State University of Haiti; a DEAEinEpidemiology from the ÉcoleNationale Vétéri‐naire d’Alfort in Paris, France; aMasterofArtsin ComputerEducation and Human Resourcesfrom Barry University in Miami Shores, Florida; anda Mas‐ter of Divinity from Aquinas InstituteinSt. Louis,Missouri. Answering God’s call to religiouslife, Fr. Victor wasordaineda priestinthe Orderof Preachers (Dominicans) on May 30,2002. From themo‐mentofhis ordination,his priesthood wasmarkedby humility, generosity,and unwavering dedication to the People of God. Fr.Vic‐tor served in awiderange ofministries, including hospitalchaplaincyinSt. Louis,Missouri, andMem‐phis, Tennessee, where his gentlepresencebrought comforttothe sick,the

suffering, andtheir fami‐lies. Upon hisarrival in the Archdiocese of NewOr‐leans,heservedassocius tothe provincial andas chaplainatXavierUniver‐sityofLouisiana.Healso ministeredpart-time with Food forthe Poor,reflect‐ing hislifelongcommit‐menttothose most in need.Hewillberemem‐bered as aman of greatin‐tegrity,deep compassion, and quietstrength. Fr.Vic‐tor’s kindness extended far beyondhis assigned min‐istries.Hewas always ready to assist fellow priests,celebrate Mass whereverneeded,and care for parishioners with pa‐tienceand love.Withinhis Dominican community,his lifewas oneoffaithfulser‐vicetohis brothers andall those around him. Hisded‐ication to theChurch,to the poor,tohis Dominican family, andtothe People of God neverwavered.Fr. Vic‐tor is survived by his brothers, Paul Larocheand Dr. Vladimir Larocheof Miami,Florida;his loving sisters,ClaireLucienne Michaud of Miami, Florida, and Panell CharlotofHous‐ton,Texas;along with manynieces, nephews, cousins,extendedfamily members,and countless friends from everychapter ofhis life who lovedhim dearlyand will forever cherish hismemory. Ser‐vices in celebrationofFr. Victor’slifeand faith are scheduled as follows: Wednesday,January 28 –Vigil Service, 1:00–3:00 p.m., at Xavier University; Thursday,January 29 –Rosary, 7:00 p.m.,atSt. An‐thony of PaduaCatholic Church,New Orleans; Fri‐day,January 30 –Massof Christian Burial,10:00 a.m., atSt. AnthonyofPadua Catholic Church.Burialwill followatRosaryville Do‐minican Cemetery in Pon‐chatoula, Louisiana. Fr.Vic‐tor EmmanuelLaroche lived alifepouredout in loveand service. Though hehas been called home, his legacy of faith,com‐passion,and selflessdevo‐tionwillcontinue to inspire all who were blessedto knowhim.Arrangements byJacob Schoen &Son Fu‐neral Home.Condolences may be left at www schoenfh.com.

Lee, CarlaAlexander With sadnessweshare thepassing of Carla AlexanderLee, on January 19, 2026. Please visitwww rhodesfuneral.comtoview serviceinformation,sign online guestbook,send flowersand sharecondo‐lences

Lewis, JocelynMetoyer

JocelynMetoyer Lewis, age 91, enteredeternal rest onThursday,January 15, 2026. Born November 8, 1934 in NewOrleans,LA, she wasthe daughter of the late John Lucien Metoyer Sr.and Catherine Clay. Jocelynattended Booker T. Washington High School.Throughouther life, shewas employed by Claiborne Towers,the Mar‐ianitesofHolyCross, the

1984 World’sFairand the Louisiana Superdome. In additiontoher parents, Jo‐celyn is also preceded in death by herbeloved hus‐band, Theodore O’Connor, ex-husband,Peter Lewis, Sr; children,Peter Lewis, Jr.,Deborah Parks, Gayle Lewis andPaulette Ross, aswellas five siblings.She leavestocherish hermem‐ory,children, Cynthia Goodmon, Ronald,Carl, Terry,Cheryl, Dwayne and GeraldLewis (Givanni); sis‐ter,PriscillaMetoyer; twentytwo grandchildren, twentyseven great-grand‐children, sevengreat-great grandchildren,a God‐daughter, ahostofnieces, nephews,other relatives and friends. ACelebration service honoring thelife and legacy of thelateJoce‐lyn MetoyerLewis,willbe heldatNew Home Family Worship Center,13800 Hayne Blvd.,New Orleans, LA70128 on Friday,January 30, 2026 at 10 am Inter‐mentProvidenceMemorial Park, 8200 AirlineDrive, Metairie, LA 70003. Visita‐tion9 am in thechurch Repasttofollowat Chateau Menteur, 8726 ChefMenteur Highway, New Orleans, LA 70127 Pleasesignonlineguest‐book at www.charbonnetf uneralhome.com. Charbon‐net LabatGlapion,Direc‐tors(504)581 4411.

Esther MaeMcMillan, transitionedtoher heav‐enlyhomeonJanuary 19, 2026. Aproud daughter of New Orleans, Esther was borntoDavid Mixonand Ora Morad. From ayoung age,she wasa dedicated and "honeststudent," eventuallyserving as her class Valedictorian. She carried this passionfor ed‐ucation to Dillard Univer‐sity, where shegraduated and became aproud mem‐ber of AlphaKappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.Es‐therdedicated hercareer tothe well-beingofher community.Startingasa fieldsocialworkerand ris‐ing to therankofSupervi‐sor forthe LouisianaState WelfareDepartment, she was knownasa well-spo‐ken,even-tempered,and deeply compassionate leader. Hercolleaguesand Arlene,Paris Statework‐ers"rememberher as a gentlesoulwho trulylived bythe Golden Rule:"Do untoothersasyou would havethemdountoyou." At age 28, Esther marriedthe lateCalvinMcMillan. To‐gether, they shared a beautiful life andone son, Brian DavidMcMillan. Af‐fectionatelyknown as "Mae" or "GranMae," she was thesupportiveheart ofher family. Sheissur‐vived by herdevoted son, Brian;her belovedsister, RubyMixon Garrison;and a host of cherishedgrand‐children, nieces,nephews and friends. Shewas pre‐ceded in deathbyher par‐entsand herthree broth‐ers.All relatives, friends and stateworkers arein‐vited to theHomegoing Service honoring thefull and peaceful life of Mrs. EstherMae McMillan in the ChapelofRoses at Char‐bonnetFuneralHome, 1615 St. Philip St., NewOrleans, LA 70116 on Friday,January

30, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. Visi‐tationat9:00a.m.Inter‐ment: Providence Memor‐ial Park Cemetery,8200 Air‐lineDr.,Metairie, LA 70003 Pleasesignthe online guestbook at www.cha rbonnetfuneralhome.com. Charbonnet LabatGlapion Directors (504) 581-4411.

Elaine Morlas Ory, affec‐tionately knownasMoo passedawaypeacefully on Thursday,January 22, 2026 atthe ageof98. Shewas borninNew Orleans, Louisiana,onMay 25, 1927, to thelateCarolineand

Bertrand Morlas.She was precededindeath by her beloved husband, Thomas J.Ory,Sr.,her son, Thomas J.Ory,Jr.,and herbrother, WhitmelF.Morlas(Made‐line).Elaineissurvivedby her daughter,Nancy O. Byrd(Mark), hergrandchil‐dren, MichaelW.Byrd(Sta‐cie), LindseyO.Morris (Conrad), JasonM.Byrd (Heydi),and Thomas J. Ory, III, andher sisters, Marilyn L.Morlasand Jeannette M. Holliman(Doyle).She is alsosurvivedbyeleven great-grandchildren,as wellasa host of nieces nephews,and cousins. She retired from theJefferson ParishSchool Board, where she worked as aschool secretary.She wasa de‐voted member of JPCGCfor morethan50years,along‐sideher best friend,Helen D.Levy.Thefamilywishes toexpress theirheartfelt gratitude to herangels, Cheryl“Freida”Jones and Sandra“Grandmaw”Sim‐mons, andtheir families, for theirloveand dedica‐tionduringElaine’s final years.A specialthank you isalsoextendedtoHeart ofHospice.Familyand friends areinvited to at‐tendthe Visitation at MOTHEFUNERAL HOME

OUR VIEWS

Continuing crusade for cockfighting is no feather in state’scap

Why did the chicken cross theroad?Perhaps it was to get away from those rabid Louisiana fans of cockfighting who just can’tseemtoleave thisbloodsportinthe rearview mirror.

Much to our bewilderment, theSt. Landry Parish Council this month drew apacked house when it was presented with aproposalfor the parish to seek an exemption to the state’s cockfighting ban. Supporters say renewing cockfightswould bring money torural Acadiana and that the ban is unconstitutional. They even invoked Cajun and Creole heritage as areason thatcockfightingshould return, arguing thatthe practice is as sacred as Mama,crawfish pie and gumbointhe culture.

Thankfully,the members of the parish council had the good sense to reject this pile of chicken droppings. They nixed theproposed resolution to askalocal representative to introduceabill to change the Louisiana statestatutewhich bans cockfighting. But it was close, andnewly elected council chairman WayneArdoin hadtocastthe decidingvoteasthe measure failed 6-7. The council then voted unanimously on asecond resolution to ask LouisianaAttorney GeneralLiz Murrill for an opinion on theconstitutionality of the cockfighting ban. Murrill laterreleased astatement that cockfightingremainsillegalin the state of Louisiana, but theAttorneyGeneral’s office has astandingpractice of not issuing opinionsonthe constitutionalityofstate laws. Somecockfighting supportersvow to continue thefight. But if this does end upbeforethe state Legislature again, we hopethe proposallaysan egg. There is no reason for Louisianatobring back asport that inflicts brutalityonanimals simply for human entertainment So what tomake of all these feathersflying?

Timmy LeJeune, the St.Landry council memberwho championed the resolution and former cockfighterJamesDemoruelle spokeupata December council meeting about all theways cockfighting could bring revenue to ruralareas like Sunset, oncehome to acockfighting ring that drew visitors from around the country and the world.

In 2008, after much squawking,Louisiana becamethe last statetoban cockfighting,and the infamous Sunset Pit closed.Since then, infrequent arrests at underground cockfights show thesport has not been entirelyeradicated, but it certainly isn’tas lucrative. And the600seat Sunset Pit, officiallythe SunsetRecreation Game Club, established in the1940s, still lies dormant with a“For Rent” signout front,a shadow of its past glory days.

All kidding aside, we know thereremainfew real economic opportunities in manyof our state’srural areas.That’swhy we’realways going to support new industries coming in to placeslike Rayville and Donaldsonville.People living in these areas deserve opportunitiesto make an honest living, too. And we alsoknow that when there is more to look forward to in the future,it’seasierto let go of the past.

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TO SEND US A LETTER, SCANHERE

Leah Chaseschoolfight shows that OPSB notworking forus

As someone who fought alongside countlessparents, educatorsand community memberstokeep Leah ChaseSchool open, Ifeel compelled to share the frustrationand disappointment many of us experienced throughout this process. From the beginning, public servants refused to answer questions,ignored emails and made falsepromisesofsupport —actions that seemed designed not to help but to slowusdown. They never delivered, never communicated and never even apologized.

Meanwhile, speaker after speaker, group after group and post after post expressedoverwhelming support for Leah Chase and shock thatclosure was even being considered after just one year of operation.

Only ahandful of letters —written by individuals far removed from our community— called for closure. These writers hadnoreal connection to the school; theyhadn’tengaged, visited or interacted. Yet, their distant voices were given moreattention and respect than

the families and neighbors who live this reality everyday Now,asthe board finally makes the right decision to keepLeah Chase open, Imust question itsbudgeting priorities. Each year,despite numerous schoolclosures, central office expenses have ballooned. The Orleans Parish School Board operates only one direct-run school, yet employs over 200 administrators and staff. At this point, OPSB resemblesa property management firm more thanan educational body If this “fiscally responsible” board strugglestosubsidize aschool and the education of children, why does it spend tens of millions annually on central office staff? Charter operators repeatedly tell me theyreceive no meaningful support from OPSB —sowhat exactly are these 200 employees doing? Our children deserve better. Fiscal responsibilityshould start with prioritizing classrooms over bureaucracy PERCY MARCHAND NewOrleans

Mayfieldhas done everything to earn second chance

Iread Tanya E. Mills’ letter about my former client, Irvin Mayfield. Iam confused by what she wrote. What more does she want him to do? She says she wantshim to atone for his past wrongs, but he has done that. In fact, Mayfield accepted responsibility for his actions, pleaded guiltyinfederal court and went to federal prison.

This month,hesuccessfully completed three years of post-prison federal supervision with no violations. As part of his supervision, U.S. District Judge Jay Zainey ordered him to complete500 hours of community service. He completed well over 1,000 hours of communityservice —lending his time to help young people. Many young New Orleanians are from similar backgrounds as Mayfield and like him, find themselves on the wrong side of life. His service shows them redemption is possible. In addition, he has performed at numerous community

Congratulations to New Orleanson amajor upgrade in mayor.Itwouldn’t takemuch to improve from theprevious mayor with all the nonsense she got away with. For all thegood things it appears Hel-

events for no remuneration, including Zulu carnival functions and at Jesuit/St. Augustine men’s rosary group celebrations. In his personal life, he is taking care of his kids while also supporting his elderly mother and autistic brother who live with him and his wife. While Mills may never personally forgive Mayfield, it is unclear what she wants. Mills correctly remarked that New Orleansisa city that gives second chances. Mayfield is trying to makethe mostofhis second chance, as afamily member andasaNew Orleanian. While Mills has theright to her opinion, Iwould urge her choose forgiveness, in this and all other matters. Forgiveness is ultimately agiftfor the forgiver and forgiven. Ipersonally believe in thepower of forgiveness and am proud to be from acity that values second chances.

CLAUDE KELLY federal public defender

ena Moreno will start doing, Ihave to wonder why she would bring in such a deplorable person as Kamala Harris to swear her in.

GEORGE MCMILLAN Mandeville

When norms fail,laws must lead

Our normsare normsbecause we have respected them as such, not because they were written in stone, but because we believed in them

They are the invisible architecture of our democracy,the guardrails of conduct, decency and restraint that have guided us through peace and peril alike.

But today,those guardrails have been battered. The unwritten rules of governance, once sacred, have been stretched, bent, and in somecases, abandoned altogether.Wehave learned the hard way that when normsare no longer respected, they must be memorialized in law

Tradition alone is no longer enough to protect the Republic. It is timetocodify not just the outcomes of government, but the manner in which we govern, our rules of engagement. We must limit the gray areas that invite abuse, regardless of who holds the Oval Office or controls Congress. The presidency should not be ablank check for power,and Congress should not be aspectator to executive excess.

This is not apartisan call; it is apatriotic one. The erosion of normsisnot aDemocratic problem or aRepublican problem;itisanAmerican problem If we fail to act, we leave the door open forfuture leaders of any party to exploit ambiguity and undermine trust.

Let us now turn lessons into law

Let us enshrine the expectations of honor,transparency and restraint that once needed no reminder.For if democracy is to endure, it must rest not only on the will of the people, but on the character of the rules that govern those who lead them

REP.TROYA.CARTERSR. Louisiana’s2nd Congressional District

Mitt Romney should be focusedon cuttingspending, notraising taxes

Congress is debating major funding bills that would avoid another of those phony government “shutdowns” now scheduled for Friday

One sticking point is that Democrats want to either defund ICE, or greatly reduce its budget even though it is following the law in arresting and deporting people from other countries, some of whom have committed crimeswhile here. Adding nothing positive to this debate is Mitt Romney, the former Republican nominee for president in 2012.

In alengthyletter to theeditor of The Wall Street Journal, Romney seems to be channeling Democrats when he writes that he is fine with tax increases because “...continuing to add to the national debt at arate far greater than the growthofthe economy can’tgoonforever.” It can go on long enough to result in serious consequences if Congress refuses to address themain problem, which is not revenue, but spending. Romney is at the wrong end of the debate. The U.S. government has been taking in recordamountsofrevenue, largely driven by asurge in tariff collections under President Trump’spolicies. Total revenues have reached new highs, exceeding $5 trillion in Fiscal Year 2025. Individual income taxes have reached record levels in recent years, significantly boosting federal coffers. Yet, the national debt is approaching $39 trillion. Visit USDebtClock.org and see how many numbers are in red and quickly rising.

So total revenue has hit new highs, individual income taxes are at record levels (though down slightly

theDepartment of Healthand Human Services.We’ve heard the howls from Democrats and themedia when there are suggestionstocut anything, including therate of increased spending, along with unnecessary and fraudulent spending. Human naturetells us that the more people relyonothers —inthis case government —the lesslikely they are to relyonthemselves

Thebig probleminthe transgender sports rights case

Almost every lawyer whogoes before the SupremeCourt has at least one sizable hole in their argument. After all, if the questions wereclear-cut, the case would have been resolved in the lower courts. But there are holes, and then there are holes.

under President Trump) but thedebt keeps rising. Raise your hand if you know why.Yes, it’sbecause spending keeps increasingand despite efforts by Elon Musk and his DOGE crew,Congress appears unwilling to reduce spending and borrow more money These arguments are familiar to most people who are paying attentionand care about the future, but fewer seem to becauseso many are receiving government benefits. Nearly 100 million Americans —about one-third of the total population —received some form of government assistance in 2019, according toa2023 estimate from

At theend of his letter to theeditor of the Journal, Mitt Romney writes, “I’m agreat deal moreconcerned about the future of the country than thesizeofmytax bill.” If that is true, Romney should be focused on cutting spending and reducing debt beforegiving Washington another dime, whether it’shis dime or dimes from therest of us.

In an address to the nation on April 24, 1985, PresidentRonald Reagan said: “No matter how hardyou work, no matter how strongthis economy grows,nomatter how much more tax money comes to Washington, it won’tamount to ahill of beans if government won’tcurbits endless appetite to spend.Overspending is thesubject we mustnow address —how budgets gotsofar out of balance and, yes, what together we can andmustdotocorrect this. Every dollar thegovernment spends comes out of your pockets. Every dollar the government gives to someonehas to first be taken away from someone else. So, it’sour moral dutytomake sure that we can justify every one of your tax dollars, that we spend them wisely and carefully and, just as important, fairly.”

MittRomney should watch Reagan’saddress.

Email Cal Thomasatcaeditors@ tribpub.com

Look at allaspects of Epsteinscandal

In the transgender sports cases heard at the SupremeCourt recently,attorneys forthe trans athletes spent much of their time trying to skirt asinkhole the size of Atlanta. The court was weighing whether lawsintwo states banning trans athletes from competing in women’s sports violates their civil rights.

“For equal protection purposes,”

Justice Samuel Alito asked Kathleen Hartnett, the attorney representing a Boise State University cross-country runner,“what does it mean to be aboy or agirl or aman or awoman?”

“Wedonot have adefinition forthe court,” Hartnett said. It wasamoment madefor social media, and it attracted immediate ridicule. But it wasonly one of several such exchanges, none of which helped the trans inclusion cause. As Alito asked in his followup, “How can acourt determine whether there’s discrimination on the basis of sex without knowing what sex meansfor equal protection purposes?” Excellent question! And one that trans rights activists have avoided foryears.

Consider the Lambda Legal conversation guide released before oral arguments. It suggests that people respond to reasonable questions such as “How can it be fair (or safe) foragirl to compete against aboy?” with psychotherapy prompts such as “What do you think matters mostinsports?” or “Have you ever been leftout just because of who you are?” This exercise in evasion is political and legal malpractice.

Aforthright argument is the better tactic. Samesex marriage advocates wonbyconvincing the public of three propositions: That gay people were born that way, not making a“lifestyle choice;” that excluding them from marriage was therefore unfair; and that giving gay people the samemarriage rights as everyone else wasgood forthem and didn’t hurt anyone else.

Froma Harrop Cal Thomas

Of course, Bill Clinton should cooperate with any investigation into Jeffrey Epstein’straffickingofunderage girls. The suggestion thatDemocrats wouldshieldaformer president from questions that mighttarnish his legacy speaks ill of Democrats. This concerns acriminal enterprise, not bad-boy behavior Democrats siding with the pursuit of justice should be commended.Nine of them joined Republicansonthe House Oversight Committee in voting to hold Clinton in contempt of Congress for refusing to testify Committee Chair Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., then gave Clinton twoweeksto address the matter before bringingit to the House floor for avote.

As president, Clinton topped the charts for success,inmybook.But his overseeing afederal government budget surplus is apast triumph. This is about asex ring that abused minors and about which Clinton may have some knowledge.

There is, so far,noevidence that Clinton took part in the crimes —and no publicly verified evidence thathe ever set foot on Epstein’s“Pedophile Island.” But he was afriendofEpstein and flew on his privatejet

Some commentary suggests that Bill and Hillary Clinton are Democratic royalty that many in theparty want to protect. May we swat down the concept of royalty in acountry founded on sweeping away hereditary rule? The Kennedys have been heralded as somehow royal, which is how Donald Trump got away with putting the lunatic Robert F. Kennedy Jr.incharge of the nation’shealth. It would appear that Trump held far closer ties to Epstein thanBill Clinton did. He, too, should testify under oath about what he knows aboutthe sexual abuse of minors. Clinton should not give him cover by refusingtoparticipate in the probe

The Trump administration appears to be throwing wrenches in the gears of aserious investigation.Attorney General Pam Bondi was ordered to releaseall Justice Department docu-

House Oversight Committee ChairmanJames Comer,R-Ky., speaks during a House Committee on Oversightand GovernmentReformmarkup business meeting about finding former PresidentBill Clinton and former SecretaryofState HillaryRodham Clinton in contempt of Congress on Jan. 21 in Washington.

mentsrelatingtoEpstein by Dec. 19.

That was over amonth ago. Some in theDemocratic leadership wrongly saw protecting Clinton from uncomfortablequestions as ameans to improve their prospectsinthe midterms. On the contrary,having himtestify would show aprincipled interest in getting to thebottom of an appallingcriminal case. And so kudos to the Democratic reps who joined Republican committee members in voting to hold Clinton in contempt. Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., explained her vote: “I’m just focused on survivors We want to hearfromanyone whohas information. And that should not be limited to partylines.”

Sure, Republican calls to look into Clinton’s possible ties with Epstein are also intended to dredge up memories of the former president’s tawdry sexual behavior as somekind of excuse for Trump’s.But theEpstein investigation isn’tabout adulterous trysts. It’saboutsexual abuse of girls young enough to be in junior high.

I’m hardly alone in believing that much of Trump’sdaily flame-throwing —fromtalking about 100% tariffs on Canada to staging military-like sieges of American cities —are related to changing the subject from, as he complains,“Epstein, Epstein, Epstein.” About the deportation of illegal immigrantswho committed crimes: Democrat Barack Obama did better than Trumpwithout the theatrics. Through his eight years in office, Obama quietly oversaw over 3.1 million deportations by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. By comparison, fewer than 932,000 were removed in Trump’sfirst term. And since Trumpreturned to office on Jan. 20, 2025, ICE has deported about 540,000 people.

Trumpsurely wantstobury the public in daily spectacle tokeep thespotlight off the Epstein probe. Exempting Clinton from testifying would have only slowed it down.

Froma Harrop is on X, @ FromaHarrop.

Aparallel process fortrans inclusion in sports would have consisted of convincing people either that women’s sports reflect asocial distinction, not a biological one; that trans inclusion takes precedence over creating alevel playing field for biological females; or that trans women are biologically indistinguishable from cisgender women.All were tried. Noneworked.

The public was not receptive to the idea that females should step back and give males moreopportunities to winathletic competitions. As more trans womencompeted and won in women’ssports, it becameharder to argue that there wasnoresidual advantage.

The fallback strategy wastosuggest that it’snaive to think in termsofbiological binaries. Sex is a social construct, aspectrum,anincomprehensible mystery,like the inner workings of the Holy Trinity.Like all sacred mysteries, it is knowable not by any outward signs, but by inward revelation, and a person’stestimony to their own gnostic experience must be taken on faith by the rest of us.

The mostobvious problem with this argument is that it’snot so much an argument for trans inclusion as it is forabolishing women’ssports. What is the point of having acompetition that excludes cisgender men but puts Lia Thomas, atransgender woman, and Iszac Henig, atransgender man,inthe pool with cisgender women?

The law requires clear definitions, not ecstatic invocations of the infinite complexity of human experience. For mostnormal people, asking whether we can even know what awoman is doesn’tmake you look wise and compassionate; it makes you look crazy.Nowonder Republican senators keep asking progressives at hearings someversion of this question: “What is awoman?”

Nonefound agood answer,which could not be evaded by dressing asenator downfor transphobia, nor by challenging the premise of the question, nor by pleading ignorance. “I’m not abiologist,” Ketanji BrownJackson said during her confirmation hearing forthe SupremeCourt. Afraid to suggest that biology might matter morethan gender identity, not quite brave enough to assert the opposite, they instead madethemselves look foolish. As did writers and scientists whostarted insisting that even the idea of two sexes wassimplistic and unscientific. This worked among college-educated elites, bolstered by the fear of being called abigot. But tragically,the moretrans rights advanced, the more popular support retreated. Aclean compromise was available, similar to the compromise we madeon women’s sports: treat males and females as interchangeable in contexts where biology is irrelevant or minor,while reserving segregated spaces forcontexts where it is not. Advocates rejected that compromise in favor of an insistence that gender identity always trumps biology.The risk of all-or-nothing arguments is that they often end with nothing. MeganMcArdle is on X, @asymmetricinfo.

7040 LapalcoBlvd.,Mar‐rero, LouisianaonThurs‐day,January 29, 2026 from 9:30AMuntil 11AM. AFu‐neral Servicewillbeheld atthe funeralhomeon Thursday at 11AM.Inter‐mentwillbeinOur Lady of PromptSuccorChurch Cemetery, Westwego, Louisiana.Inlieuof flow‐ers,Masseswould be ap‐preciated

Rohbock, KennonRichard

Kennon RichardRo‐hbock,a devotedhusband, fatherand grandfather passedawayonFriday, January 23, 2026. Sonofthe lateJohnRogerRohbock and GenevieveShoup Ro‐hbock.Hewas alifelong residentofLakeview neighborhood in NewOr‐leans until HurricaneKat‐rinain2005whenherelo‐cated to Diamondhead, Mississippi.Kennonwas a graduateofTulaneUniver‐sity, where he earned de‐grees in geologyand math‐ematics.Hecontinued his education at Tulane Gradu‐ate School in thePsychol‐ogy Department,focusing onexperimentaldesign. His career included em‐ploymentwithTacaAir‐lines,Shell OilCompany, the Chrysler SpacePro‐gram, Tulane University ComputerCenter, and Mobil OilCorporation.In his free time,heloved salt‐water fishingaboardhis sailboats,Rohboat and Rainbow,enjoyed playing golf, andmaintaineda life‐longpassion forcultivating his piano-playingskills. He was preceded in death by his belovedeldestson David RichardRohbock Kennonissurvivedbyhis beloved wife of 72 years, ThelmaSchwehm Ro‐hbock;his belovedchildren StevenRobertRohbock and JanRohbocks Clements; five cherished grandsons,Matthew James Polopolus,AustinDavid Clements,Tyler Cranston

Clements,Zachary James Rohbock,and Shouki YonekuraRohbock;and one greatgrandson, Kahlo Lewis MolinarioClements. Tooffer thefamilyonline condolences,pleasevisit www.gardenofmemorie smetairie.com.

Stampley,Leona F. With sadnessweshare the passingofLeona F. Stampleyon January14, 2026. Please visitwww.rho desfuneral.comtoview service information, sign onlineguestbook,send flowersand sharecondo‐lences.

Sumner, Diane Barnwell

Diane Barnwell Sumner, 86, alifelongresidentof Metairie, Louisiana and most recently Covington, Louisiana passed awayunexpectedly and peacefully on January 19, 2026.Diane is survived by her two daughters, Nancy Sumner Hewitt (Rob) and StephanieSumnerBass (Ricky). She wasalsosurvived by herprecious grandchildren Caroline, Lizaand Leighton Hewitt and Sumner and Gibson Bass. She was predeceased by her loving husband of almost 60 years, George RussellSumner, her father William Crane Barnwell and her mother Don Andrews Barnwell Born on June 25, 1939,in Bogalusa, Louisiana, Diane graduated from Bogalusa High School and attended Louisiana State University whereshe was amember of Chi Omega Fraternity. Diane graduatedfrom University ofSouthern Mississippi in Biology and upon graduation completed an internshipinMedical Technology at Ochsner

FoundationHospital. She worked in hematology at Ochsnerand in Cancer Research at Tulane Medical School. After the birthofher first child, Diane devoted her life to her family.She was deeply involvedatSt. Martin's Episcopal School, where hertwo daughters graduated, servingasPresident of theMother'sClub and participating in numerous activities.

Diane was also very involved in theChi Omega Alumnaechapter in New Orleans, where she served as President and Out-ofStateRecommendation Chairman. Aproud memberofChi Omega, she found greatjoy in seeing both her daughters and twogranddaughters follow in her footsteps. Diane devotedmany years to volunteeringatWYES, the nonprofit PBS station in New Orleans, serving as Processing Chairman for

thestation'sannual auction. She was amember of theOrleans Club and Entre Nous BookClub. Diane possessed arare gift forconnectionand never met a stranger; her greatest happiness came frombeing surrounded by people, laughter, and conversation. The trueembodiment of aSouthern steel magnolia, she was polishedbut powerful--fiercely devoted to her family and blessed with thesweetest Southern drawl that filled our liveswithcomfort and love.Diane treasured time spent with her family aboveall else. She created achildhoodfor herdaughters and their friendsthat was warm, nurturedand filledwithjoy, and the deep,abidingloveshe shared with her husband was abeautiful and enduring example for her children.As"DeeDee", she was afun-loving,devoted, and endlessly caring d h h fi

grandmother to her five grandchildren, cherishing everymoment spent with them.Together,Diane and George lovedtraveling, enjoying dinnerswithdear friends, andending each day with acocktail on their backporch. Dianealso foundjoy in playingbridge with numerousfriends, doingPilates andreading. Sheleft this worldjust as shelived everyday of her life—with timeless elegance, radiantbeauty,and boundless love

Relativesand friends are invited to attendthe Memorial Service at Lake LawnMetairie Funeral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd.New Orleans, LA 70124 on Friday, January 30, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. Visitation willbeginat 11:00 a.m. untilservice time.A privateinterment for thefamilywill follow in MetairieCemetery.For those whowould like to honor herwith amemorial

please consider donations to ChiOmega Foundation, Second Harvest Food Bank NewOrleans,orthe charity of yourchoice. To view and sign theonline guest book, please visit www.lakelawn metairie.com

LARGE PERSONALITY

Nwoko’s outgoing demeanor just as big as his size for LSU

BY TOYLOY BROWN III

Staff writer

Jalen Courtney-Williams quickly learned LSU center Mike Nwoko’s favorite question.

“Why?”

“He has this big game that he wants to show off,” Courtney-Williams, a secondyear assistant coach at LSU, said. “Our job is to really refine it and cut the fat and, you know, his first question is why? And it’s a fair question, right? So just

helping him understand why that’s necessary what it means to be efficient.”

Nwoko is inquisitive at heart. It’s the root of how the 21-year-old became one of the most improved basketball players in the Southeastern Conference, upping every stat from his sophomore season at Mississippi State. In 21.3 minutes per game, the Toronto native is averaging eight more points (14.1), 1.3 more rebounds (5.9) and shooting 14.8 percentage points better from the field (an SEC-leading 67.3%) and 9.8

percentage points better from the freethrow line (70.6%)

Nwoko will showcase his on-court growth against his former team when LSU (13-7, 1-6 SEC) faces Mississippi State (10-10, 2-5) at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

“Sincerely, I am excited about playing my old team,” Nwoko said. “(But) I’m just focused on one thing, which is to win the game and get our team better.”

ä See NWOKO, page 3C

Sophomore’s adjustment to college game key for Tigers

She took away a top scorer She orchestrated the offense. Jada Richard, once again, gave the LSU women’s basketball team something it’s been missing lately

The Tigers played each of the past two seasons without a point guard. At least not one with all the tools Richard now is using to make sure coach Kim Mulkey’s system runs smoothly so it can power a younger group of players through its first stretch of challenging games against SEC opponents.

“It wasn’t like she didn’t have those skills last year,” Mulkey said. “It was just adjusting to this level of college.”

Now Richard is up to speed, as she’s shown throughout her breakout sophomore season The 5-foot-7 Opelousas native pieced together another strong show-

ing Monday, when she held one of the nation’s five leading scorers in check on one end of the floor and notched a game-high 20 points on the other, leading the No. 6 Tigers (19-2, 5-2 SEC) to a 29-point win over Florida. Richard is one of LSU’s most important players, and her emergence has made the Tigers less reliant on their stars. Flau’jae Johnson and Mikaylah Williams can shoulder lighter offensive loads. MiLaysia Fulwiley can play with more freedom, less burdened with the extra responsibilities Mulkey gives her lead ballhandlers.

“Jada grew up being a point guard,” Mulkey said. “It’s not any magical thing I’ve done other than to maybe toughen her

Intriguing week ahead for Saints

BY MATTHEW PARAS Staff writer

The Saints have a history of drafting players they scout at the Senior Bowl. Last year’s haul included quarterback Tyler Shough, cornerback Quincy Riley, running back Devin Neal and tight end Moliki Matavao. The year before that yielded tackle Taliese Fuaga, quarterback Spencer Rattler and linebacker Jaylan Ford. New Orleans’ classes in 2023 and 2022 also netted several Senior Bowl participants. Chances are the Saints will dip back into the well again this year, which makes this week of Senior Bowl practices all the more important. Here are four Saints-related Senior Bowl questions as practices for the allstar outing began Tuesday in Mobile, Alabama: Advantage to coaching American Team? Kellen Moore’s coaching staff is well represented in Mobile, with running backs coach Joel Thomas serving as the head coach of the American Team and several other assistants taking on other important roles. That will allow Saints coaches to get a close look at an intriguing group of prospects that includes Florida defensive tackle Carl Banks, Ohio State cornerback Davison Igbinosun and USC wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane. Of that trio, Banks is seen as a potential first-rounder though New Orleans doesn’t have a strong need at that position. Igbinosun, a 6-foot-2, 193-pound corner, could be an interesting Day 2 option if Alontae Taylor leaves in free agency, while Lane a 6-4 jump-ball-catching specialist — would give the Saints a shiny new red-zone target. Regardless, the Saints are coming off their best draft class in years and getting a detailed look at an entire team of prospects should help their evaluations this year

BY

JOHN WAWROW AP sportswriter

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y The Buffalo Bills stayed in-house by promoting offensive coordinator Joe Brady as their new coach on Tuesday, in a move that provides continuity to a Josh Allen-led perennial winner that has accomplished everything short of reaching a Super Bowl. The team announced the five-year deal. The 36-year-old Brady just completed his fourth season in Buffalo and his second full season as coordinator He previously served as quarterbacks coach before taking over the offense after Ken Dorsey was fired midway through the 2023 season. Brady’s promotion

Gauff loses chance at semifinals

BY JOHN PYE AP sportswriter

MELBOURNE,Australia A searing hot day turned into a sweltering night at the Australian Open and eventually Coco Gauff let off steam, shattering her racket after a lopsided loss to Elina Svitolina that cost her a place in the semifinals.

Day 10 of the season-opening major began with top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka beating 18-year-old Iva Jovic 6-3, 6-0 on Tuesday before the Extreme Heat Policy was activated and the roof was closed on Rod Laver Arena.

The center court was still under cover when No. 12 Svitolina stunned the third-seeded Gauff 6-1, 6-2 in 59 minutes to earn a semifinal against Sabalenka.

The men’s quarterfinals also were split into day and night sessions, with one played under a roof and the other under the stars.

Top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz moved within two wins of completing a career Grand Slam after a 7-5, 6-2, 6-1 victory over Australia’s Alex de Minaur to close play In his first semifinal in Australia, Alcaraz will take on 2025 runnerup Alexander Zverev who beat 20-year-old Learner Tien 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-1, 7-6 (3) under cover in an afternoon match.

They’re 6-6 in head-to-heads, with Zverev winning the quarterfinal here in 2024, their only meeting in Australia.

“It’s going to be a great battle,” Alcaraz said. “I’m looking forward to playing him here, taking revenge.”

Svitolina’s streak

Weeks into a return from a mental health break, Svitolina is in the semifinals here for the first time, and is on a 10-match winning streak after starting the season with a title in Auckland, New Zealand.

The series of wins will put her back into the Top 10 next week

“Very pleased with the tournament so far and, of course, always been my dream to come back af-

ter maternity leave in the Top 10,” said Svitolina, a 31-year-old Ukrainian who is playing her 12th major tournament since taking a break in 2022.

She and Gael Monfils, the French player who is retiring this year, are parents to Skai.

Svitolina lost quarterfinals here in 2018, 2019 and last year, but she dominated Gauff from the outset.

The 21-year-old American struggled with her serve and recorded five double-faults in the first set, when she was broken four times.

She finally held in the fourth game of the second set, but by then it was too late. After leaving the court, the two-time major winner smashed her racket into the floor of a concrete ramp seven times on her way back to the player area.

Gauff said she tried to find a place where there was no cameras to let out her frustrations, and went to the quietest area she could find.

Svitolina, meanwhile, wanted to win for millions of people watching from afar

“It’s very close to my heart to see a lot of support from Ukrainians,” she said. “Right now it’s very — it was one of the toughest winters for Ukrainian people and without electricity and everything.

“So I feel like (I) bring this light, a little light, you know, even just positive news to Ukrainian people.”

Sabalenka-Jovic

Sabalenka is aiming for her third Australian Open crown in four years. She won back-to-back titles here in 2023 and 2024 and lost the final a year ago to Madison Keys.

The first of the quarterfinals was played outdoors, despite predictions of extreme heat. It was closed for subsequent matches after the tournament’s heat index hit the threshold.

“I guess, yeah, as a woman, we are stronger than the guys,” Sabalenka said at her news conference, laughing. “They had to close the roof for the guys so they don’t

to Elina Svitolina of Ukraine at

Australia, on Tuesday.

suffer!”

Sabalenka went up 3-0 in the first set and established her dominance early against the 29th-seeded Jovic.

Jovic had three breakpoint chances in the ninth game, which lasted 10 minutes, but wasn’t able to convert against the world’s No. 1-ranked woman.

In the last game, Sabalenka served an ace on break point and clinched it with another ace on match point. She saved all five

break points she faced. It gave her back-to-back wins over up-and-coming teenagers following her fourth-round victory over 19-year-old Canadian Vicky Mboko.

“These teenagers have tested me in the last couple of rounds, incredible player,” Sabalenka said of Jovic. “It was a tough match. Don’t look at the score. She played incredible tennis and pushed me to a one-step better level. It was a battle.”

Koepka ‘nervous’ ahead of return to PGA

BY DOUG FERGUSON

AP golf writer

SAN DIEGO Brooks Koepka was freed from the final year of his contract with Saudi-funded LIV Golf and the first person he called was Tiger Woods. Three weeks later, the PGA Tour created a path back for him that starts at Torrey Pines.

Koepka said Tuesday he can’t wait for the week to end because of all the attention. The gratitude of returning to the PGA Tour comes with the kind of nerves the fivetime major champion rarely experiences — wondering what others think about him.

“It feels a little bit different,” he said ahead of the Farmers Insurance Open, his first non-major on the PGA Tour since he lost in the quarterfinals of the Match Play in March 2022. “I’m definitely a little bit more nervous this week just coming back. But it feels good. I’m super grateful to be back.” Koepka cited the need to be closer to family as his main reason for wanting out of LIV His wife announced in early October she had a pregnancy loss at 16 weeks. Woods was partially responsible for Koepka’s path back, along with other player-directors on the PGA Tour board who worked with CEO Brian Rolapp in coming up with a plan for select players to return. Koepka is the first LIV defector, and it came at a price.

He is making a $5 million charity contribution (still to be decided with the tour), receives no FedEx Cup bonus money this year and has no access to equity shares in the PGA Tour for five years a value the tour has estimated at $50 mil-

of the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club on June 13 in Oakmont,

lion and beyond. He also can’t play the $20 million signature events until he qualifies on his own.

“I guess it’s a fresh start for me, which is cool,” Koepka said.

“It’s just another chapter I guess in my book I’m excited for that. I feel like my game’s in pretty good shape and I want to see where it’s at. Obviously this week is a little bit different Would just like to get this week over and just feel like I can start playing golf again.”

Woods never contemplated going to LIV and disparaged those who did — “They’ve turned their back on what has allowed them to get to this position,” he said a month after LIV began — and he now is the leading player’s voice on the PGA Tour board.

Koepka said he’s always had a good relationship with Woods. Besides, he had never met Rolapp, who had been on the job barely six months. Commissioner Jay Monahan, who attended Koepka’s wedding a month before Koepka left for LIV in 2022, would have been next on his list.

Woods has been among several players who supported the decision to let Koepka back in, saying it made the PGA Tour stronger and ultimately would raise value for players who have been receiving equity shares. “It’s a win for everyone,” Woods said earlier this month.

Scottie Scheffler, the world’s No. 1 player who shares the same manager as Koepka, also supported the decision.

Chio wins second SEC gymnast of week nod

Kailin Chio dominated the Southeastern Conference freshman of the week honors in 2025, winning the award a record nine times. The LSU gymnast has started the 2026 season in similar fashion. On Tuesday, the Tigers sophomore was named SEC gymnast of the week for the second time in three weeks by the conference office. The honor came after she posted the nation’s first perfect 10 on Friday on balance beam against Kentucky and won the all-around title with a 39.775, the second-best total in the nation this season.

Chio also finished first on vault (9.95) and scored a 9.925 on floor and a 9.90 on uneven bars.Chio has won seven individual titles this season and 30 for her career in 18 meets.

Titans hire former Giants coach Daboll to run offense NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Former New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll is an offensive coordinator again as part of new Tennessee Titans coach Robert Saleh’s staff. The Titans announced the hire of Daboll on Tuesday Daboll, 50, has previously been an offensive coordinator with the Cleveland Browns (2009-10), Miami Dolphins (2011), Kansas City Chiefs (2012) and Buffalo Bills (2018-21). He also was the University of Alabama’s offensive coordinator in 2017.

He was a part of five Super Bowl championships while working on Bill Belichick’s New England Patriots staffs from 2000-06 and 2013-16. Daboll also was part of Alabama’s 2017 national championship team.

Jets, OC Engstrand part ways after tough season NEW YORK — Aaron Glenn is now in the market for both a new offensive and defensive coordinator On Tuesday, offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand and the New York Jets mutually parted ways, sources confirm to the New York Daily News. Glenn and Engstrand had recently discussed his role moving forward. Glenn initially planned to keep Engstrand on staff while reducing his responsibilities, including stripping him of play-calling duties. But both sides thought it was best to part ways instead. The Jets under Engstrand fielded one of the worst offenses in the league last season. They finished No 29 in both yards and points per game.

Giants, outfielder Bader agree to two-year contract

“I think it’s good getting someone back on tour that want to be back,” Scheffler said last week. “Brooks had a desire to come back to the tour The last few months he certainly had a large desire to get back to the tour, and I’m glad that Brian and the team and the board was able to find an avenue for him to be able to get back and start competing out here again.”

Still to be determined, at either Torrey Pines or next week in the Phoenix Open, is how golf fans receive a player who bolted from the PGA Tour after the 2022 U.S. Open for a rival league that was paying outrageous signing bonuses. Koepka once confirmed his was “nine figures.”

He returns to a PGA Tour in the midst of big changes. Woods leads the Future Competition Committee that is reshaping the schedule so that every event feels like a big one. There are 11 tournaments with prize money of at least $20 million, not counting the four majors.

Is it better than when he left?

“I’m two days in,” Koepka said with a smile.

Justin Rose answered that for him last week when asked about Koepka’s return.

“We’ve all benefited from this chaos in one way or another,” Rose said. “It’s been good for tour players in the sense the powers that be pushed a little harder in our direction with equity in the tour and prize funds.

“But we need a premium product,” he said. “And this is the first time we’ve had someone who moves the needle come back our way.”

SAN FRANCISCO Free agent outfielder Harrison Bader and the San Francisco Giants have agreed to a $20.5 million, two-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Monday

The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal was subject to a successful physical and had not been announced.

Bader confirmed the agreement on “The Show with Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman,” a New York Post podcast. Bader shared how he came up with San Francisco third baseman Matt Chapman in the Texas League and also faced Willy Adames in the NL Central when the shortstop was with the Brewers and Bader was on the Cardinals.

Cavaliers forward Mobley to miss up to three weeks CLEVELAND Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley will be sidelined for the second time this season due to a strained left calf, the team said Tuesday The reigning Defensive Player of the Year is expected to miss 1 to 3 weeks.

Mobley suffered the injury during Monday night’s 114-98 victory over the Orlando Magic. He had tightness in the calf after the game and an MRI on Tuesday revealed the strain.

Mobley

cember with

in

Mobley

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

winstreakover

BY GUERRYSMITH

Contributing writer

Searching Friday for anyone who could make a3-point shot, Tulane coach RonHunter turned to an unlikely source against Charlotte.

Sophomore Luke Rasmussen,who hadplayed four minutes through theGreen Wave’s first 19 games, sank a3-pointer 24 seconds after entering midwaythrough thesecondhalf. Indicatingthat basket wasnofluke, he hit another one12seconds after returning to the court about four minutes later

hit four or fewer 3-pointers six timesthis seasonand is 24 of 87 (27.6%) since draining aschoolrecord 19 at Texas-San Antonio in its last win.

“I’m excitedtohopefully wedge myself into agood role here and help this team win,” Rasmussen said. “I have the mindsetofa shooter.Iwasn’tsupposed to be at the Division Ilevel coming out of high school. I’m an insanely late bloomer.I was 5-foot-5 as a freshman in high school.”

Stopping Tulane’sskid will be tough against South Florida. The Bulls have wonfive of their last six, including a15-point victory at contending Tulsa and Sunday’s 14-point homewin against leagueleading Florida Atlantic.

Brickbrothers

By The Associated Press

ARBOR,

ANN

Mich. Major college basketball’slongest winning streak in more than adecade ended at 24 games Tuesday nightwith No. 5Nebraska’s75-72 loss at No. 3Michigan.

“Tobeat Michigan, you have to play almost perfect and we had alapse at the end,” Cornhuskers guard Sam Hoiberg said Nebraska did not score over the final 3:20,missing its last five shots after leading most of the game despite two key players being out of the lineup.

“That just proved, hopefully to everybody,most importantly to the guys in the lockerroom, that we can compete with anybody,” coach Fred Hoiberg said Rienk Mast missed the game with an illness as did double-digit scorer Braden Frager,who was out for asecond straight game withan ankle injury

“It’sunfortunate, but Igiveour guys alot of creditfor the fight they showed in the game from start to finish,” Fred Hoiberg said. The 24-game winning streakwas an improbable run for aschool

NWOKO

Continued from page1C

Courtney-Williams has been around his fair share of big men in basketball. The 33-year-oldwas a6-foot8forward himself at LSU for three years and has beenon coaching staffs in the SEC and Big East. Nwoko’soutgoingnature is ararity at the position, the assistant said “His personality is bigger than his 6-10, 260 frame,” Courtney-Williams said.“A lot of bigguys tend to be a little bit more timid, they want to hide just because of how,you know,theirlife

RICHARD

Continued from page1C

up, change afew mannerisms, makeher understand you won four state championships, and you had to be the scorer “You don’thavetobethe scorer here, but you can be.” Before thisseason, LSU hadn’treceived a20-point game from one of its point guards since Hailey Van Lith scored 26 in aroadwin over Tennessee on Feb. 25, 2024 She hit that mark in only three of the 16 games she played against SEC opponents in her lone season with the Tigers. Richard hastallied at least 20 points in two of LSU’slast three contests. In league play,she’sshooting 46% from the field and 37%from 3-point range. Against theGators(139, 1-6), Richard shot 6of 10 from the field, 2of3 from 3-point range and

with amodest historyinmen’sbasketball.Nebraskahas emergedas the feel-good story of the season before hittinga bump in theroad at theCrisler Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

The Cornhuskers’previous loss came inlast year’sfinal regularseasongame, 83-68toIowa at home on March 9. The streak started when they swept through four games to win theinaugural College Basketball Crown Tournament in LasVegas in April.

“Wehaven’t had this feelingina long time. It’sbeen almostayear,” FredHoiberg said. “They were hurt by it. We’re going to findout what we’re made of.”

No.7 MICHIGANSTATE 88, RUTGERS 79:

In Piscataway,New Jersey, Jeremy Fears scored 27 of his careerhigh 29 points in thesecond half andovertime, and MichiganState outlasted Rutgers.

Fears also had nine assists, including apass to Divine Ugochukwu for thetying 3-pointer from the corner with 11 seconds left in regulation.

wasgrowing up.They’realways biggerthan everybody else, and they want to fit in So they try to make themselves shrink alittle bit. So I think it’sreallyunique when you get abig guy that’scompletely (himself).

“Just hispersonality is bigger than he is,and hisgame is bigger.It’sfun.”

When Nwoko’steammates tease him because they hear his music when he parks his car, thecenterwillaccept theplayful jabs and continue blasting his Afrobeats songs by Burna Boy andWizkid.

When asked in anewsconference about what he saw on thecourt afterscoring 29 points and missing three

6of6atthe free-throw line. She scored 12 of her points in the third quarter when the Tigers builtan insurmountable lead. She drained pull-up jumpers in the mid-range and catchand-shoot shots from beyond the arc

Richardalso played tight defenseonFlorida star Liv McGill, a23.4 points per game scorer who finished with only 14 points Monday Richardkept walling off herdrivestothe rim, turning in aperformance reminiscent of the one she threw together againstOklahoma star freshman Aaliyah ChavezonJan. 18. Mulkey said she may keep asking Richard to take on thetoughest defensive assignmentonthe perimeter moving forward, especially if that opposing playerisa pointguard. “I would say it starts with her,” Mulkey said, “but I thinkwehavetwo orthree (defenders), depending on who’s the best player on the perimeter for the opposing team.”

When theSpartans (19-2, 9-1 Big Ten) scored the first points of overtime on twofree throwsbyJaxon Kohler,itwas their first lead since they were ahead 9-8. Michigan State pushed ahead 78-73 andled comfortably from thereonthe way to its seventh straight win.

TariqFrancis scored 23 points and missed afloater at the regulation buzzer that could have won it for Rutgers, (9-12, 2-8) which has lost four in arow Fearswas 16 of 17 from the freethrowline and 6of12from the field. Coen Carr scored 13 points forthe Spartans, andCarson Cooper had 12 pointsand 14 rebounds. No. 15 ARKANSAS 83, OKLAHOMA 79: In Norman,Oklahoma, freshman star Darius Acuff had 21 points and nine assists, and Arkansas held off Oklahoma.

MeleekThomasadded16points for the Razorbacks (16-5, 6-2 Southeastern Conference),who have won fouroftheir past five games. Arkansas shot 55.6% from the field despite making just 2of 17 3-pointers. Nijel Pack scored 22 pointsfor Oklahoma(11-10, 1-7 SEC),which lost its seventh straight. TOP25ROUNDUP

shots against Alcorn State he’ll say that he saw “baby food.” Afteran18-point win over Florida International, he graded the team’s performance aD-because it didn’t reach the standard.

In another postgame news conference, he joked that whenever Dedan Thomas turnsdown 3-pointers when adefender goes under ascreen, he threatens him with ablow to the chest. The6-1 point guard said his favorite lob target is agreat person on and off the court.

LSU walk-on Jaden Bobbett, who has been in locker rooms at Division IIIMiddlebury College and the Big

That’s an example of how Richard’s breakouthas unlocked amore dangerous version of LSU. Johnson may have had to defend Chavez or McGill in previous seasons,but now shedoesn’t have to,which means she can save more of herenergyfor theoffensive end of the floor

And if Johnson’sshot isn’tfalling, Richard has shown she can pick up theslack. She’sscored at least10points in sixofthe seven SEC matchups LSU has played so far,largely through ahealthy diet of pull-upjumpers and spotup 3s.

Richard canned three more of those shots on Monday,anight in which her breakout season chugged along,reminding the Tigers exactly what they were missing for the last two seasons.

“I always knewIcan get to this stage,” Richard said “It was justamatter of me being humble andjustputting my headdownand going to work.

“Itfelt great,” he said. “It felt like alongtime coming. I’ve been an underdogmywhole life, so any crack Igot,I was going to make the most of it 100%. I’m just thankful Iwas able to get a chance.”

Adding alate layup, he finished 3of3 from the floorfor eight points. His two 3s in as many attempts contrasted with his teammatesgoing 2of19from behind the arc in Tulane’s73-70 loss —its fourth in arow afterstarting3-0 in the American Conference.

“(Rasmussen) hadbeen playingrealwell in practice,and I thought this wasanopportunity (to usehim),” Hunter said. “He’s undersized defensively,but when he got in,wewere able to run our offense alittle bit more.”

Rasmussen, a6-foot-8 forward, was redshirtedlast season after transferring from Lafayette College, where he averaged 2.5 points and made143sasafreshman walk-on. Whetherhecan prove to be aviable option moving forward on half ascholarship at Tulane (128, 3-4) remains to be seen, but the Wave clearly needsbetteroutside shooting to getout of aslidethat has takenitfrom atie for first to atie for eighth in the American standings in two weeks.

Tulane, which hosts South Florida(13-7, 5-2) on Wednesday,has

TenatIndiana, is roommates with Nwoko during road games and calls him the“ultimate teammate.”

“He has so much energy, so much joy,somuch love and he’scompetitive,” Bobbett said. “He’snot worried to voice his opinion when he needs to, and he tells the real.

“And he just wants to win. He’sanultimate competitor.”

Nwoko’sdad,Leonard Nwoko, said his son isn’t easily discouraged. He and his younger sister, Krystle Nwoko, who plays volleyball at IMG Academy,are alike as high leapers who exude confidence.

Seton Hall transfer Scotty Middleton is mired in amassive shooting slump since hitting four 3s and scoring 16 points in the Wave’s conference-opening win at East Carolina. His 0-of-4 performance at Charlotte droppedhim to 12 of 43 in six games since then. He is only 2of12inthe past three, scoring five points.

Compoundingthe problem, preseason second-team all-league pick AsherWoods is 5of18overall and 0of8from 3-point range in the samethree-gamespan.

“They’re really struggling at the wrong time when we really need somebody to score,” Hunter said. “Weneed oneofthose guys to step up.”

Lagniappe

South Florida is one of two American teams with fiveplayers averaging in double figures along with UAB, whichbeatTulane 8269 in New OrleansonJan. 14. The Bulls were tabbed second in the preseason coaches poll, one spot ahead of the Wave South Florida leads the league in scoring (89.8 ppg) and is 12th nationally Izaiyah Nelson,a6-10 forward for theBulls, is theonlyplayerinthe American averaginga double-double (15.7 points, 10.1 rebounds)

Amid LSU’sstruggles with Thomas sidelined foralmost three weeks, Nwoko’scompetitive streak and curiosity didn’ttake aback seat Thatwas crucial after he scored six or fewer points in four straight games after a 21-point outing againstTexas A&M in the SEC opener

His skills trainer, Filip Music,said thejuniorisatrue “student of the game.”

In Nwoko’slast two contests against No. 19 Florida and No. 15 Arkansas, he averaged 15.5 points on 63.2% shooting, 2.5 offensive rebounds and 1.5 stealsin25 minutes. The physical gifts, touch around the rim and the mind to learnthe reason foreverything arewhy coach Matt McMahon said Nwoko“can be as good as he wants to be.” The Tigers will lookto Nwoko to continue tapping into his potential as the team pushes for ahot streak in SEC play now that Thomas is back.

“Mike always asks questions,” said Music, whohas worked with Nwokosince hishighschooljuniorseason. “He’salways like,‘OK, why am Igooing to do this move? When would Idothis move?’ Youknow, he’s constantly looking to getbetter and that’ssomething Idon’t really experiencewithalot of guys.”

Torina tweaks howLSU softball will operate

BY JIM KLEINPETER

Contributing writer

LSU softball coach Beth Torina’s 2026 team will have anew look in her 15th season, from the outside in and inside out

Eleven additions —fivefrom the transfer portaland six incoming freshmen —gracethe roster to better fit the challenges of an expanded SEC while the coach herself moves from the third-base coaching box to in the dugout all of the time.

Another move into new territory is the election of three permanent team captains —senior catcher Maci Bergeron, senior center fielder JaliaLassiter andsophomore first baseman Tori Edwards.

The fresh vibe is by design

“It’sastrong group and there was alot of intention in howwedesigned this roster,” Torina said at Tuesday’smedia day.“(Assistant coach) Bryce (Neal) wasavoice from theoutsideofalot of different things. He challenged us in different ways to develop aroster that provides us strength against any competition we face.

“They asked for it (permanent captains). They voted everyweek of the entire fall. It wasn’tadrop in the bucket popularity contest. These were the three most consistent leaders and three different personality types.” LSU, ranked as high as No. 12 by D1 Softball and No. 16 by NFCA, opens its season Feb. 5against North Carolina State.

The 2025 season ended witha double thud of back-to-back losses to No. 4regional seed Southeast-

ern Louisiana followed by the unexpected loss of ace pitcher SydneyBerzon to the transfer portala day later.Berzon, now at Oklahoma, was one of seven portal departures, but Torina still had plentytobuild around

Among the seven returnees is sophomore left-hander Jayden Heavener, whostarted hercareer with aperfect game and improved throughout theseason to earn freshman All-America honors with a13-5 record,2.75 ERA and 152 strikeouts in 1192/3 innings.

Edwardsalso earned afreshman All-America nod with 18 homers, 73 RBIs and a.383 batting average. She’s already earned preseason All-America projections andison several watch lists.

Bergeron had her best offensive season with nine homers, 49 RBI anda.364 average while remaining one ofthe top defensive catchersinthe nation.

With more financial support from the athletic departmentfor NILmoney,Torina added notable transfersKylee Edwards, Ally Hutchinsand Char Lorenz.Kylee Edwards, from Mississippi State, andHutchins, from Kentucky, bring power and awealth of experience, each having started100 plus games on the infield in their two-year careers.

Lorenz started 50 games at Louisville, mostly in left field, and hit nine homers while batting .368.

“I would imagine probably all three in theopening day lineup right off the bat,” Torina said.

Lassiter,who hit.330lastyearafter astrong finish, is astrong candidatetoreplace Danieca Coffey

as theleadoff hitterwhile Sierra Daniel is also back after hitting .381 with43startsand 50 games played.

Torina said being in the dugout full time should help withthe seven-player pitching staff thatadded Cece Cellura from San Diego State and Paytn Monticelli from Oklahoma. Cellura pitched 262 innings in two seasons while compilinga 2714 record. Monticelli has struck out 125 batters in 1202/3 career in-

Broncos QB Nix’sankle fracture wasonly‘a matter of when’

BY ARNIE STAPLETON AP Pro Football Writer

ENGLEWOOD,Colo. SeanPayton

said at his season-ending news conferenceTuesday that Denver Broncos quarterbackBo Nixhad apreexisting ankle condition that make afracture inevitable.

Nix broke abone in his right ankle on Denver’sgame-winning drive in the Broncos’ 33-30 overtime victory overthe Buffalo Bills in the divisional round of theplayoffs.

Nix flew to Birmingham, Alabama, last weekfor an operation performed by Dr.Norman E. Waldrop III, arenowned foot and ankle specialist at the Andrews Sports Medicine and OrthopedicCenter

Nix watchedfrom asuite Sunday as backup Jarrett Stidhamtook his place in Denver’s10-7 losstothe New England Patriots in the AFC championship game.

On Tuesday,the Broncos’brass provided the fullest accounting yet of Nix’sinjury,with Payton saying apreexisting issue madethe fracture“amatter of when.”

“What was found was acondition that was predisposed —they always find alittle more when they go in,” Payton said. “It wasn’t amatter of if, it was amatterof when. When you look atthe play and you’re tryingtoevaluate it the operating surgeon said that this was going to happen sooner than later.Now,you go about the rehab, properorthotics,all those things.” Payton said he has no concerns about Nix’shealth goingforward even though Nix has had several ankleoperations going back to high school.

“So listen, he’ll rehab his tail

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JACK DEMPSEy

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix leavesthe field after adivisional round playoff game against the Buffalo Bills on Jan. 17 in Denver.

off and get ready and getback to being healthy,” Payton said. “I think for someonewho runs with the ball, Ithink he’sdone apretty good job of protectinghimself, not allthe time, but forthe most part, he’s done apretty good job of slidingand understandingplaying for another day.”

General manager George Paton said Nix is tracking to return in Maywhenthe Broncos begin organized team activities.

Just before going to the lectern for his wrapup news conference, Payton said he saw Nix cruising aroundteamheadquartersonhis medical scooter,which he’ll use until he graduatestocrutches and then awalkingboot.

“He was just up above us here,”

Payton saidfrom theatrium of the Broncos’ suburban headquarters.

“I said, ‘What are you doing? Getting your scooter laps in?’

“You have to know him.He’s

fidgety to begin with,”Payton said. “He might have justbeen getting his scooter laps. He was up there, like, in an areahe’d never be in department-wise. He’shandling it like apro. Man, I’m sure there’s disappointmentfor him to have to watch” on Sunday

Nixled theBroncos(15-4)toa franchise record-tying 14 wins in the regularseason andtheir

first playoff triumph sinceSuper Bowl 50 adecade ago. He’s won 25 games in two seasons and hasan NFL-best 11 game-winningdrives in thefourth quarter or overtime during that span.

“It’sdifficulttoget as far as he broughtus, andthenalsotosee one of his contemporaries,someone in his draft classwho he would have loved to have competed against, advance,” Payton saidofPatriots QB Drake Maye, who was Nix’s predraft training partner

“It’s atough deal.”

Colorado coachSanders institutes bigger fines forruleviolations

BY PATGRAHAM AP sportswriter

For the Colorado Buffaloes, there’sastiff price to pay for being late to football practice: a$500 fine.

Coach Deion Sanders iscracking down on violations of team rules with heftier finesfor his players. Fresh off a3-9 season, Sanders unveiled his fine structure during hisfirst meeting with the team last Friday.The fees are seen inthe background of avideo posted by “ Well Off Media,” the social media company run by his oldest son, Deion Jr., that chronicles the team. It’snot connected to name, image and likeness licensingagreements, and not related to on-field

performance. It’s strictlyfor violating team rules, which is permissible, according to the school. This isn’tthe first time Sanders has enacted afine system. It’sjust now more costly

Other fines that could be assessed include $2,000 for being a no-show to ameeting or filmsession ($400for being late), $1,500 for not showing up to astrength andconditioning workout,$1,000 forbeing late to treatment ($1,500 for ano-show), up to $2,500 for a violation of team rulesand up to $5,000 for public or social media misconduct

Sanders also banned profanity outside of the meeting room and especially in the dining area because, “we’re not the only ones

in thecafeteria.You need to be respectful.” In addition, Sanders stressedthe importance of being respectful to women

Oneofhis biggestforbidden items was directed at transfers: T-shirts,sweatshirtsorany other gear of theirformer team.

Sanders hadhis staff introduce themselves at the meeting, includinghis head of security,Michael Rhodes.Herevealed he fields aboutfivedeath threats aday and warned the team about being mindful of who they let into the building.

“Everybody’strying to get to Coach Prime,” Rhodes said. “Thosepeople trying to get to him, not allofthemhavegood intentions.

nings. Holdover Tatum Clopton compiled an 8-2recordasLSU’s thirdoption last season.

“It’stough to lose aplayer like (Berzon)but Iabsolutely love the atmosphere in the bullpen,” Torina said.“It has adifferent feel. It’sastaff mentality which is how it should be. Everyone pulls for each other, they each have aspecific role and understand their strengths.”

Torina will hand third-base coaching duties to assistant San-

draMoton while newly hiredfulltime assistantand former Tigers shortstop Taylor Pleasants will coach first base.

“It was hard, but probably adecisionIshould have made earlier,”

Torina said. “I enjoyed it in the fall. Ican seethe game alittlemore global. If one of the pitchers needs me, Ican step into the bullpen.

“It will provide me alot of opportunities to manage the game differently.Inall eight fall ball games it felt great.”

Toughcoaching helped NewEngland QB Maye flourish

BY ROBMAADDI AP pro

football writer

DrakeMayegot the tough coaching he wanted and thrived.

The 23-year-old Maye is one victory away from being the youngest quarterback in NFL history to win aSuper Bowl. He is grateful to have coach Mike Vrabel and offensive coordinator Josh McDanielsinNew England.

The Patriots went from 4-13 under Jerod Mayo in Maye’s rookie season to 14-3. They won their 12thAFC championship game and will seek arecord seventh Super Bowl title when they face the Seattle Seahawks on Feb.8 “Coach McDaniels and coach Vrabel coming in, they’ve been awesome,” Mayetold TheAssociated Press. “Two coaches that have madea huge impact on not only us as ateam, but my personal play and personal life outside of football. Ithink one of the biggest things about them is they coach me hard,but they care about me as aperson and they wantthe bestfor me They coachmehardeachand every day. And, it’snot always aboutfootball, it’sabout life and leadership and things thatgoa longway playing my position at quarterback.And Ithink from there Ashton Grant in the quarterback room, as well as the quarterbacks in the room, man, we got agreat group. I’m justfortunateenough to have great players around me.”

Thesupporting cast includes wide receiver Stefon Diggs, running backs TreVeyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson andtight endHunter Henry

Selected No. 3overall in the 2024 draft behind CalebWilliamsand Jayden Daniels, Maye started 12 games as a rookie and was3-9. He threw for 2,276 yards,15touchdowns and10interceptions on ateam that lacked talent anddirection Vrabel, McDaniels and Grant came in and quicklyunlocked hispotential. Maye threwfor 4,394 yards with 31 TDsand only eight picks this season, becoming afinalist forthe AP NFLMVP and Offensive Player of theYear awards. He led the league in completion rate (72.0%)and passer rating (113.5),and also rushed for 450 yards and four TDs, earning second-team AP All-Pro honors.

“Having the experience from lastyear,I’m fortunate enough my rookie season to get some

starts and play meaningful footballand justunderstand what theleagueislike, what it’sabout, what the defenses are like, kind of running the offense, running theshow,” Maye said.

“Playing quarterback in this league at this level is tough. It takes alot.And Ithink knowingthatour jobplaying quarterback is one of the toughest jobsinsports, but also it’sone of the most rewarding. And just feelingthatand translating that in my year two and learning a new offense.”

TomBrady, Kurt Warner, Russell Wilsonand Ben Roethlisberger won Super Bowls in their second seasons in the NFL. Joe Burrow,Brock Purdy, Colin Kaepernick and Dan Marino got there and lost. Marino is theyoungest to start the game. Roethlisberger is the youngest to winit. Maye’sonly other trip to the Super Bowl also was at Levi’s Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers. Tenyears ago, he was afan in the crowd cheering for Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers against PeytonManning andthe Denver Broncos.

Denverdominated in a24-10 win.Fittingly,Maye became thefirst quarterback to lead the Patriots to aroad win over the Broncos in the playoffs.

“It’s fullcircle,” he said. “My dad, when Iwas maybe in seventhgrade, saidifthe Panthers made it, we were going to go. It was heartbreaking, theylost to the Broncos. But no, it was agood experience for akid my agewho loved football, loved quarterbacks. That was Peyton’slast game. What aHall of Fame career he had. Pretty cool to be full circle, going back here 10 years later,and Ithink it’sjust aspecial moment for this wholeteam.” Maye hasn’tplayedhis best in the playoffs. He’scompleted just55.8% of his passes for 533 yards, fourTDs, two interceptionsand has lost three fumbles and been sacked 15 times in three games. He’sused his legs effectively,rushing for 141 total yardsand the team’sonly TD in the 10-7 winover Denver on Sunday “That’sthe great thing about Drake, hisability to extend plays andifit’snot there, gain chunks,” Vrabel said. “He’s done that most of theyear Again, we’llhavetoget alot of things corrected, and we’ll have to play our best football game in two weeks if we want to finish as champions.”

Mensah, Duke resolve their legal fight

Settlement clears way for QB to transfer

BY AARON BEARD Associated Press

The legal fight between Duke and Darian Mensah is over Now the quarterback can transfer elsewhere after bringing the Blue Devils an unexpected Atlantic Coast Conference title.

The school and Mensah’s agency released statements Tuesday confirming they had reached a settlement without providing any details It came roughly a week after Duke filed a lawsuit seeking to block Mensah’s efforts to transfer and reach a contract with another school to play elsewhere next season.

The case was scheduled for a hearing Thursday in Durham County Superior Court, with a judge having granted Duke’s request for a temporary restraining order blocking Mensah from doing anything beyond entering his name into the transfer portal.

Attorneys for both sides filed a joint motion with the court Tuesday morning for dismissal, citing a “confidential agreement” reached to resolve the case.

Mensah, who transferred from Tulane and led the Blue Devils to their first outright ACC title since 1962, had signed a two-season contract in July 2025 running through 2026 that paid him for exclusive rights to market his name, image and likeness tied to playing college football.

That became the latest in what is becoming a more frequent occurrence in the revenue-sharing

era of college sports: potential legal fights over contracts between schools and players seeking to transfer Resolution and next moves

“We are committed to fulfilling all promises and obligations Duke makes to our student-athletes when we enter into contractual agreements with them, and we expect the same in return,” the school said in a statement “Enforcing those agreements is a necessary element of ensuring predictability and structure for athletic programs.

“It is nonetheless a difficult choice to pursue legal action against a student and teammate; for this reason we sought to resolve the matter fairly and quickly.”

Young Money APAA Sports, which represents Mensah, issued a statement in a social media post saying the agency had “successfully navigated an unprecedented path, one that has now reached a fair and mutually agreeable resolution.”

“Darian extends his sincere gratitude to Duke University for engaging in good-faith discussions and reaching this resolution,” the agency said. “He wishes the Blue Devils, Coach (Manny) Diaz, the staff and the entire fan base continued success in the seasons ahead

“The 2025 ACC championship run will forever stand as a remarkable chapter in Duke football history, one Darian is proud to have been part of.”

Mensah was in the process Tuesday of scheduling and going through a visit to Miami, a person familiar with the quarterback’s plans told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because those details were not revealed publicly

Miami has long been expected to be Mensah’s landing spot. The Hurricanes have excelled with portal quarterbacks, getting No. 1 overall NFL draft pick Cam Ward for the 2024 season and bringing in Carson Beck for this year’s run to the national championship game.

Receiver Cooper Barkate, Mensah’s top target at Duke with 1,106 yards and seven scores, has also entered the transfer portal but has yet to announce his next stop.

Legal fight

Mensah, who transferred in from Tulane and even faced his former team, finished second in the Bowl Subdivision ranks by throwing for 3,973 yards while ranking tied for second with 34 passing touchdowns.

Mensah and Duke announced his return in December, coming between the Blue Devils’ overtime win against Virginia for the ACC title and their Sun Bowl win against Arizona State. But Mensah abruptly reversed course with hours left before the Jan. 16 window closed for players to enter their name into the transfer portal, deleting the Instagram video announcing his return and tweeting his intention to depart.

Duke sued Mensah to block his

move three days later, arguing the contract required parties to go through arbitration before any dispute can be resolved.

The Blue Devils unsuccessfully sought to block Mensah from entering his name into the portal entirely But a judge did grant the temporary restraining order blocking Mensah from taking any additional steps — such as enrolling elsewhere or reaching a financial deal tied to play for a new school until the upcoming hearing meaning Mensah could do little other that state his intention to transfer

That hearing was originally slated for Feb. 2 before Mensah’s attorney filed an emergency motion asking the judge to “reconsider” the temporary restraining order,

SCOREBOARD

Reach for the sky

as well as moving up the hearing date. In a striking passage, Mensah’s filing argued that “neither Mensah nor counsel was aware of any enrollment deadlines” at the case’s first hearing on Jan. 20. In an accompanying affidavit, Mensah stated he “learned for the first time” that enrollment deadlines at other schools would expire Friday and that he was “not informed” of deadlines before the hearing. A judge moved up that hearing a few days, but the potential of going through arbitration Duke had already filed the request to start that process — would have lengthened this case even more. Now, Mensah is cleared to enroll at another school ahead of spring practices for the 2026 season this fall.

PHOTO By MATT DOBBINS

GOINGFOR THEGOAL DominicanstarZippert breaking records

BY CHRISTOPHER DABE Staff writer

Dominican junior Stella Zippert started playingsoccer competitively at age4 with one thing in mind: scoring goals.

“I didn’tcare who was on my team and who wasn’ton my team,” she said. “I was just going for the goal.” Years later,Zippert is still scoring at aprolific pace but with moreemphasison teamwork.

Zippert holds the Dominican school record for career goals with 126. Her 42 goals this season tie the singleseason school recordshe set as afreshman.

Senior striker Evelyn Ieyoub has played akey role. Nearly half of Zippert’s goals this seasonhave come off passes from Ieyoub, whose 22 assists are one shy of the school record for a season. The duo has helped undefeated Dominican (18-0-4) rank near the topofthe LHSAA power ratings aheadof akey New Orleans district game against reigning state champion Mount Carmelon Saturday at Pan American Stadium.

“She just knows where I like the ball placed,” Zippert said.

Zippert and Ieyoub arein their third season together as starters, and their chemistry as teammates has only grown.

“A lot of our goals come

National Team coach MikeKafka of the Newyork Giants talks with quarterbacks Tyler Shough, left, of Louisvilleand Taylor Elgersma of Laurier during practice forthe Senior Bowl on Jan. 30 in Mobile, Ala.

ASSOCIATED

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offflicks,” said Ieyoub, who describedaflick as aquick maneuver that nudges the ball with the outside or top of her foot into open space to make use ofZippert’sspeed. On those plays, Ieyoubwill have herback facing the goal and pressed against a defender

“They think I’m playing it back,” she said, “and then a second later the ball is behind youand (the opposing defender) is like, ‘What?’

Thepair combinedfor onesuch goal when Zippert broke thecareer scoring record in aNovember match on theroad againstDestrehan.

“She just flicked it,and I just ran,” Zippert said.

The goalmoved Zippert past former recordholder Ella Goings, a2023 graduate whofinishedher career with 88 goals.

“Those two have agood workingrelationshipwith oneanother,” Dominican coach Al Silvas said about Zippert and Ieyoub. “They basically know where each other is on thefield. They feed off each other constantly ”

Opposing teams try many different tactics against Zippert, commonly doubleteamingher or assigning theirfastest defender to mark her

If teams use asweeper —a defender who plays farther backthanthe restofthe back line —Zippert said it becomesmore aboutgetting

the ball to her feet and lettingher create.

Zippert often thrives in those moments.

“When she’sonher own with theball,she can dribble through the whole team,” Ieyoubsaid. “She can go straight to the goal —definitely asuperpower to have.”

Zippert, whose sister Paige also was atop scorer for herhigh school team at Willow before shegraduated in the spring, did notalways play an attacking role.

Early on, sheplayed defense, positionedinfront of thegoalie.

“I’ddribble until Iran into somethingand then I’d pass it, which is not what you’re supposed to do,” she said.

Only after she broke aleg by pushing so far up the field thatshe collided with the opposing goalie did her coach moveher to another position. She was in fifth grade at the time.

Zippert hasalso starred on the Dominican track and field team. She placed second in the high jump at theClass 5A state meet last spring, ranona statequalifying 4x200-meter relayteam andwas adistrict runner-up in the 100- and 200-meter sprint events.

That speed can pay off on thesoccer field —especially when Ieyoub is there to flick her theball.

Contact Christopher Dabe at cdabe@theadvocate.com

expected to attendthe SeniorBowlafter previously committing to it.

Despite the lack of star power,this year’s defensive line class is arguably the deepest position in the draft.

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as both playedcollege at William&Mary.Brady played receiver and upon graduating in 2012, he took on arolewith the Tribe as linebackers coach. Brady was the first to interview for theBills job in asearch that began Jan. 21 AsidefromBuffalo,Brady also interviewed for five other NFL openings. Buffalo eventually met withnine candidates in an interview process led by general manager Brandon Beane that included Allen. Buffalowas the10th and final team to have acoaching vacancy, and missed outoninterviewing John Harbaugh, whowas hired by theNew York Giants.

Amongthe candidates were former Giants coach Brian Daboll, whowas the Buffalo offensive coordinator before landing the job in New York.The Bills also interviewed Jacksonville offensive coordinator GrantUdinski and 44-yearold quarterback Philip Rivers, who removed his name from consideration three days after meeting with Buffalo.

Under Brady,the Bills offense took afar morebalanced approach in part to take the burdenoff of Allen. Brady also introduced what became known as an “Everybody Eats,” sharethe-wealth approach to the passinggame, whichfollowed Buffalo trading leading receiverStefonDiggs to Houston in April 2024.

The approachworked the following season, with Allen earning MVP honors forhis 28 touchdowns passing(plus 12 rushing) and a career-low six interceptions to areceiving groupled by Khalil Shakir’s76catches for821 yards.

This season, the Bills offense rankedfourthin the NFLintotal yards and tied forfourth in scoring. Though Buffalo was knocked for amiddling group of receivers, fourthyear running back James Cook finishedwith 1,621 yards rushing to become the first Bills player to lead the NFL in rushing since O.J. Simpson in 1976. It’snow on Brady to get theBills over thehump in the postseason. In nine seasons, McDermott transformeda longtime loser— ending Buffalo’s17-year playoffdrought

in his first season —intoa franchise that became the NFL’s only team to qualify for the postseason in each of the past seven years. Buffalo had10ormore wins in each of those seven years and enjoyed afiveyear stretch as AFC East champions before going 12-5 and

Whichskill playersare targetsfor Shough?

The Saints are projectedtohaveeight draft picks in April when factoringinthe compensatory pick they likely will receive for Paulson Adebo’sdeparture in free agency last spring. That gives them ample opportunity to find playmakers to help Shough, who’scoming off an electric rookieseason at quarterback.

TheSenior Bowlwon’t have regarded prospects such as Ohio Statewide receiver Carnell Tate or Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, but there areopportunities for others to boost their stock. Specifically, several draft analysts have remarked that there isn’taclear-cut “RB2” in this year’s draft behind Love. Perhaps that opens the door for someone like Penn State running back Nick Singleton or Washington running back Jonah Coleman. At wide receiver ESPN named Missouri’s Kevin Coleman(511, 174 pounds) as apotential sleeper Howgood is defensivelinemen class? Unfortunately,Miami’s Rueben Bain and Texas Tech’s David Bailey are no longer

The Saints could use another edge rusher, even though ChaseYoung and Cam Jordan each recorded double-digit sacksin 2025. Miami’sAkheem Mesidor,Clemson’s T.J. Parker and Alabama’sLTOverton are amongthose worth watching in Mobile. Will anySaintsnewsbreak in Mobile?

Unlike last year,the Saints don’t have to worry aboutconducting ahead coaching search during Senior Bowl week.The year beforethat, New Orleans was in the midst of an offensive coordinator search. Despitenolarge issue overshadowing this year’s event, thereare stillseveral unanswered questions surrounding this offseason. Will theSaints bring back Demario Davisand Jordan? Will Taysom Hill retire? How aggressive will the Saints be in free agency?

This week won’tprovide all those answers, but withteams gathering in Mobile,there could beenough exchanging of information for therumor mill to churn.

Email Matthew Paras at matt.paras@ theadvocate.com

James Beard Awards names ’26list

BY IAN McNULTY Staff writer

Anew slateofNew Orleans, Louisiana andGulf Coast regional restaurants and chefs is in the running forthisyear’sJames Beard Foundation awards, including well-knownnames, rising talent, bakers and pros in the wine realm.

The culinary organization has released its list of semifinalists for these high-profile honors.

The long list of national semifinalists hasfor the past few yearsshown abroader rangeof restaurant styles, price ranges andcuisines, and once again that’strue of the local semifinalists, too.

The list will be narrowed to finalists, scheduled to be named on March31, along with winners of the foundation’sleadership, humanitarian of the year and lifetime achievement awards. Chef and restaurant awards winners willbenamed during a gala event in Chicago on June 15.

New Orleans typicallyhas many contenders each year,but has won fewerawards in recent years. In 2025, more than adozen local names were listed as semifinalists, though just one made the cuttofinalist, Lagniappe Bake House, the new bakery cafe in Central City from Kaitlin Guerin, and none won chef or restaurant awards

Dooky Chase’sRestaurant was also named last yeartothe group’sAmerica’s Classics, a honor recognizing restaurant thatare notable contributors to their community’sfood, culture and traditions.

New Orleans semifinalistsfor 2026 year by category are:

OutstandingRestaurateur

Round Round

In awildweekofhighs andlows, abakeryrolls on

BY IANMcNULTY Staff writer

From afestiveCarnival block party to firesblazing up anddown their street —and inside their deliveryvan —tonews of national recognition, it’sbeen awild week for Bywater Bakery

On Saturday,Chaya Conrad and Alton Osborn hosted their 10th annual KingCake Festival, this year to benefit another local organization, demons trating thecommunity spirit thecouple hasbuilt intotheir business.

annual blockparty that always drawstop NewOrleans music talent to perform and gathers ajoyful crowd

This time,itwas also abenefit for WWNO, thepublic radio station that has seen its financesupended by the Trumpadministration’s funding cuts to public broadcasting nationwide. The event raised $7,400 for the station and left the bakery crew exhausted but grateful.

DonaldLink and Stephen Stryjewski, Link Restaurant Group(which includes Pêche Seafood Grill, Herbsaint, Cochon, Gianna, Cochon Butcher,LaBoulangerie, and Chemin ÁLaMer with the Four Seasons Hotel). These two chefs started working together at Link’sfirstrestaurant, Herbsaint, started apartnership with the next, Cochon, and as arestaurant group have six JamesBeard awards forrestaurants, chefs and Link’scookbooks and numerous nominations through the years

Emerging Chef

E.J.Lagasse,Emeril’sRestaurant, 800Tchoupitoulas St. Theson of restaurant founder Emeril Lagasse is now chef at the flagship,which he has transformed into aworld-class tasting menu experience built around Louisianaflavor.Last year,itmade an extraordinary two-star debut in the Michelin Guide. Best NewRestaurant Evviva, 2600 DauphineSt. Thisseductive, modern Italian

Aday later, they thought it may have all gone to ash in aseries of suspected arsons.

And then, with theemotional whiplash still sharp,there was exaltation as Bywater Bakerywas announced as aJames BeardAwards semifinalist, arecognition the couple neversaw coming but that can lift asmall shop like theirs.

“It was the mosteventful week of my life,” Conrad said, taking aquick break at the bakery on Thursday as

customersalternately offeredconsolations and congratulations. In the way thebakeryhas rolled with it all, andthe communityresponse it hasinspired, it also illustrates howintegralBywater Bakery has become in its neighborhood. Community throughcalamity

Saturday marked the bakery’s

On Monday,around 2:30 a.m.,Osborn and Conrad were awakenedattheir Bywater home by their frantically barking dogs. Theysaw flames engulfing their delivery van parked outside on Desire Street. It wasone of eight vehicles torched in quick succession on their block and adjacent streets, apparently at random But the couple didn’tknow that at thetime.The fire kept them

By The Associated Press

Today is Wednesday, Jan. 28, the 28th day of 2026. There are 337 days left in the year

Today in history: On Jan. 28, 1986, the space shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after liftoff from Cape Canaveral, Florida, killing all seven crew members including schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe.

Also on this date: In 1813, the novel “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen was first published, anonymously, in London. In 1956, Elvis Presley made his first national TV

BEARD

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restaurant in the Marigny is run by Heather Lolley and Humberto Suazo, with chefs Marcus Jacobs and Rebecca Wilcomb sharing the kitchen It was one of NOLA.com’s top five best new restaurants for 2025. Saint Claire, 1300 Richland Road. The second restaurant from chef Melissa Martin, of Mosquito Supper Club, developed with Cassi Dymond of Kalimera construction firm, feels like a country retreat by the levee in Algiers. It too was one of NOLA. com’s top five best new restaurants for 2025.

Outstanding Bakery

Bywater Bakery 3624

Dauphine St. Since baker Chaya Conrad opened her shop in 2017, it has grown into a neighborhood anchor, known for its block parties, community outreach and one of the most popular lines of king cake each Carnival.

Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service

Braithe Gill, Brennan’s Restaurant, 417 Royal St. The beverage director for the Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group (parent company of this French Quarter landmark,) Gill is a sommelier who led the effort for Brennan’s to regain its Grand Award status from Wine Spectator in 2021 after a long hiatus after Hurricane Katrina ruined its previous collection.

Best Chef, South

This regional award covers Alabama, Arkansas, Flori-

BITES

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the same from the street, the transformation is remarkable.

It has all the makings for a fun and easy new neighborhood spot for fast casual meals, a different addition for a quick bite in a stretch with a well-established cluster of full-service restaurants.

Between old pressed-tin ceilings and the tile floor, the room now has the feel of a vintage diner and adds all kinds of whimsical features to discover around the space, like an old coinoperated “Chicken Machine” game that dispenses plastic Easter eggs with trinkets inside.

There’s a diner counter, booths and also standup counters if you just want to quickly gobble down your sandwich, in line with the concept’s street food roots.

The Bonafried chicken sandwich is a thing of beauty The irregular cut of the chicken gives lots of crags and crevices of crunch. It comes out crisp, juicy and not greasy

Get the version with the spicy garlic chili oil, and the chicken sings with layers of earthy, lingering heat. Get “the Chris,” and you have a combination of heat and sweet from a blend of sauces.

This is the sandwich that has twice won Bonafried top honors at the highlycompetitive National Fried Chicken Festival in New Orleans, in 2022 and 2024.

The initial menu will expand as the restaurant progresses toward a grand

appearance on “Stage Show,” a CBS program hosted by Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey In 1980, six U.S diplomats who had avoided being taken hostage at their embassy in Tehran flew out of Iran with the help of Canadian diplomats; the events were later dramatized in the film “Argo.” In 2011, protesters opposed to Hosni Mubarak’s nearly 30-year rule of Egypt seized the streets of Cairo, battling police, burning down ruling party headquarters and defying a military curfew Hundreds of protesters would be killed in ensuing days in attempts

da, Louisiana Mississippi and Puerto Rico.

Ana Castro, Acamaya, 3070

Dauphine St. With her sister Lydia Castro, the chef opened this modern and stylish Mexican seafood restaurant in the Bywater, which has gained many accolades. Castro has been a semifinalist or finalist for numerous James Beard awards for her prior work at other restaurants and for Acamaya.

Serigne Mbaye, Dakar NOLA, 3814 Magazine St. The chef started with a pop-up and in 2022 with partner Effie Richardson opened as a modern Senegalese tasting menu restaurant. It’s been a magnet for high-profile accolades since. The James Beard Foundation named it Best New Restaurant in 2024 and last year it landed at No. 6 on North America’s 50 Best Restaurants List

Charly Pierre, Fritai, 1535 Basin St. This casual, vibrant Treme restaurant blends traditional and original Haitian dishes, as well as cocktails. Lately, Pierre has brought these flavors to French Quarter Fest and Jazz Fest too. Fritai was a semifinalist for the James Beard Best New Restaurant award in 2022.

Regional recognition

One change in the James Beard awards in recent years has been the inclusion of smaller markets. This year, in addition to the New Orleans area nominees, there are several more from the region

Outstanding Bar

Wild Child Wines, 210 E Vermilion St., Lafayette It’s a wine store, a wine bar, a bakery and an overall epi-

opening, likely after Jazz Fest, which is held just a few blocks away at the Fair Grounds Race Course.

Emeril’s 34 to close

If you’ve not yet experienced the jamón bar, the paella platters, the bacalao or the Portuguese wine list at 34 Restaurant & Bar, 714 Baronne St., (504) 498-3434, you have just a few days left to get a taste.

The upscale Portuguese restaurant from Emeril Lagasse and his son E.J Lagasse in downtown New Orleans will close after service on Jan. 31, the Emeril Group confirmed.

“The restaurant has been a true labor of love, but due to the high costs of operating in the current environment, we have made the difficult decision to close,” the company said in a statement.

The company said it will offer 34’s staff “opportunities at other Emeril Group ventures” after the closing.

The restaurant had a short run of about 15 months, but the Lagasses expressed gratitude for what it accomplished, especially “introducing many guests to the joys of Portuguese cuisine for the first time.”

Indeed, 34 debuted in the fall of 2024 as a passion project for the famous chef. He and his son drew it up as a love letter to Portuguese culinary culture It was directly inspired by their family heritage and the senior Lagasse’s earliest influences growing up in a Portuguese family and community

It’s the second major closing announced for downtown in as many weeks.

Devil Moon BBQ and Brew-

to crush the uprising before Mubarak stepped down as president that February. Today’s birthdays: Actor Alan Alda is 90. Former NBA coach Gregg Popovich is 77. Golf Hall of Famer Nick Price is 69. Film director Frank Darabont is 67. Singer Sarah McLachlan is 58. Rapper Rakim is 58. Humorist Mo Rocca is 57. R&B singer Anthony Hamilton is 55. Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett is 54. Rapper Rick Ross is 50. Singer Joey Fatone Jr (’N Sync) is 49. Singer Nick Carter (Backstreet Boys) is 46. Actor Elijah Wood is 45. Rapper J. Cole is 41.

curean delight in downtown Lafayette, with everything from cookbooks to tinned seafood to events, first created by Katie and Denny Culbert in 2020 and growing ever since.

Regional best chefs

More chefs in Louisiana and the Gulf Coast are also nominees for the regional Best Chef, South category

They are:

Cory Bahr, of Parish in Monroe. A modern take on Louisiana and Southern flavors makes Parish a regional standout in north Louisiana. Bahr, a Monroe native, is an official culinary ambassador for Louisiana and has appeared on numerous Food Network competitions.

Austin Sumrall, of White Pillars in Biloxi, Mississippi. The farm-to-table restaurant in a historic downtown Biloxi building is known for an eclectic menu and a popular drag brunch. The McComb native has picked up prior James Beard nominations for White Pillars as well.

Hunter Evans, of Elvie’s in Jackson, Mississippi Created as an homage to the chef’s grandmother, this is an all-day cafe shifting from Southern breakfast classics to a more sophisticated dinner menu. It’s the fourth year for Evans as a semifinalist for the award.

Jim Smith, of the Hummingbird Way in Mobile, Alabama. The Alabama chef, well known as a Top Chef competitor and his tenure as the state’s executive chef, runs this modern seafood spot and oyster destination in the leafy Oakleigh Garden District outside downtown Mobile.

ery St. X, the combined restaurant/brewpub that shared an address a few blocks away in the South Market District, closed on Jan. 17 after about three years in business.

34 made a splash when it opened. It was one of NOLA.com’s top 5 new restaurants for 2024, and last fall it made the recommended list on the inaugural Michelin Guide for the American South. Its wine program, led by sommelier Nicole Maddox, brought more Portuguese wine than the city has ever seen, and it earned the Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator

A Portugal Day party at the restaurant in June packed the house with people digging into bifana sandwiches and jamón cones. But day to day, business could be slow

The impending closure comes amid a hot streak for the Lagasse family Their flagship, Emeril’s Restaurant, has been the talk of the town after winning an extraordinary two-star Michelin ranking in November, and it has drawn other prestigious international accolades. E.J. Lagasse last week was named a semifinalist for the James Beard Foundation’s award for Emerging Chef, a national honor

There’s no word yet on what could be next for 34’s address, though in its statement, the Emeril Group hinted there could be plans ahead.

“This isn’t the last caldo verde we’ll be sharing with the New Orleans community,” it read, referencing the traditional Portuguese kale soup, “and we look forward to what’s to come.”

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temporarily penned in their house. It was a terrifying time as they tried to comprehend what was happening.

“We thought it was targeted at us; we are vocal politically,” Osborn said.

If so, they were afraid the bakery was at risk as well.

“We’d had this huge joy, and then this huge fear,” Conrad recalled.

The bakery was untouched. But the scene in the neighborhood was surreal, with multiple vehicles blazing and bursting, and days later, the charred shells of some remain where they were parked that night.

National recognition

The bakers had to get back to work quickly. It’s the middle of Carnival season, a pivotal time as king cake sales keep the business viable through slower months.

On Wednesday morning, with more king cakes in the oven, news came that Bywater Bakery had been listed as a semifinalist for the James Beard award for Outstanding Bakery It’s one of 20 bakeries around the country up for the award, a list that gets narrowed to finalists on March 31, and the winner named in June.

In the wake of the arson, the honor arrived with extra meaning, an unanticipated validation of the bakery’s work.

The now-destroyed bakery van is a key part of that work.

Year-round, it’s how the bakery delivers wedding cakes, gingerly navigating the city’s bumpy streets, and during Carnival season, it does double duty supplying King Cake Hub and other distribution points with its king cakes. The couple is working on replacing the van now

But they are encouraging people who want to help to

support their neighbors instead, and donate to a relief fund started by the Krewe of Red Beans, the Carnival group and creative community organization based in the Bywater

“For us, just come support us as a business, that’s what we are, that’s the best way to help us,” Conrad said.

Still, musicians who regularly play at the bakery’s events quickly got in touch, eager to help. The gears are turning for another benefit, this time aimed at helping offset losses from the arson.

Bakery life goes on By Thursday things felt more or less normal at the bakery, until, in the latest twist, the kitchen’s indus-

trial dough mixer, dubbed Big Bertha, chose that day to bite the dust. It means the bakery will be working with smaller batches for a while. But neighborhood life keeps flowing through the shop. Between walls decked in art and emblems of New Orleans cultural life, people with happy dogs on leashes breezed in for self-serve coffee and pastries. Some tucked into gumbo served in go-cups at sidewalk tables, and others gathered stacks king cakes. Over a mellow soundtrack of reggae, Osborn was explaining to customers how the Cajun bouille king cake was based on the famous custard pie of Louisiana bayou country A man passing in a flatbed work truck spotted Conrad outside, hollered to see if his favorite turkey sandwich was available and then immediately parked to get one. How long does it take for a place to become a local institution? Bywater Bakery clearly has obtained that status since opening in 2017. For Conrad, a tumultuous week just puts their journey into perspective. “It’s everything I ever dreamed of,” she said. “We’re here able to live our core values every single day I’m literally living my dream And I think that comes through, and people want to support that and be part of that.”

Local support. Local impact. TheAmerican RedCross in Louisiana serves4.65millionresidentsacrossall64parishesandextendshopeto communitiesacrossthenationandaroundtheworld.Whenyousupportyour localRedCross,youmakeadirectimpactinyourcommunity Poweredbygenerosity. TheRedCrossisnotagovernmentagency.Wearea501(c)(3) nonprofitthatreliesonthepowerofvolunteersandthegenerosity ofdonorstocarryoutourhumanitarianmission. RedCrosssupportersprovideabeaconofhope.Fromhelping duringdisasters,toprovidinglifesavingtrainingandsupporting militarycommunities,theRedCrossistherewhenhelpcan’twait. TheAmerican RedCross ofLouisiana

Nell Nolan SOCIETY

Contact: nnolan@theadvocate.com

n TheChurchill Society

Each year,The Churchill Society of New Orleans assembles donors, Corey Circle members, and society members for abirthday dinner to celebrate its namesake, statesman and United Kingdom Prime Minister (19401945 and again, 1951-1956) Winston Churchill. Housing the most recent dinner was the New Orleans Country Club, which served afine menu of Bibb lettuce, amain course choice (fish or pork tenderloin) and white chocolate bread pudding, along with complementary wines. To entertain, Bon Operatit!brought back theirstellar performance from the precedingyear.Hands were clappedfor opera singers Lauren Gisclair,MaryAkin, JoeAkin, and Jake Penick,whose performance included Gilbert and Sullivan numbers, as well as rousing renditionsof“The Battle Hymn of the Republic” and “Rule Britannia.”

n Loyola 1912 Society

Integrity was to theformal, and festive, fore at the Audubon TeaRoom during therecent 1912 SocietyDinner of Loyola University New Orleans.Ahighlight of this annual event is the presentation of the Integritas Vitae Award, one of the university’s most prestigious honors, which is given “to an individual of remarkable integrity who has demonstrated through acts and service theideals of aJesuit education.”

The 2025 recipientwas John Benedict “J.B.” Cordaro, Loyola class of 1963, who has sixdecades of global problemsolving experience in awide range of food service initiatives in approximately 50 countries. An alumnus of Loyola (B.S.) and of Cornell University (M.S. in agricultural economics and nutrition policy), he is the oldest of 11 children andthe grandson of Sicilian immigrants, Giovanni and Benedetta Cordaro. Last year,the laurels befell Louellen Aden Berger who, with husband Darryl Berger,served as the 2025 event sponsors, along with Michie McHardy Bissell, Lori and BobbySavoie, and Teamer Strategy Group, LLC. The Bergers; alumna Michie Bissell; Edmund Giering, on behalf of the Louisiana Bar Foundation; James Morton, J.D., ’81, on behalf of theHyslop Shannon Foundation; and MetteryI.Sherry Jr ,’58, J.D., ’61, were inducted intoLoyola’sSociety of St. Ignatius, one of the several giving societies.

The featured speaker, Katherine Carter,garnered raptattentionduring her talk on her new book, “Churchill’sCitadel: Chartwell and the Gatherings Before the Storm.” It revealed secrets and insightsintoChartwell, Sir Winston’scountry home for over40years. During the 1930s, Churchill’son-premises meetings,where he gathered intelligence about Germany’spreparationsfor war,strengthened his fight against the Nazis. Author-historian-curator Carter has managed the manor house and collections at Chartwell for morethanadecade. “No one could be betterqualifiedthan Katherine Cartertowrite this fascinating account…” stated Andrew Roberts, author of “Churchill, Walking withDestiny.”

Among thoseseated for the evening’s attractionswere TCS vice president Christopher Tidmore secretary TedMartin,Anne (Mrs. Herschel L.) Abbott with daughter and son-in-law Cathryn and Sam Wagner,John and BonnieBoyd, Rand and TerryVoorhies, SandraLobrano and Mary Bourdin, Ouida and Ferdie Laudumiey,Edieand John Wilson, Betsy andWendell Stout, David Perlis andDebb Almeida, RobertE.Young,Sherryand Hunter McFadden, Jacqueline Gamble, Lois andJay VanKirk, Lucie Whitley, andscores more.

n Good Shepherding

Asilver anniversary it was when Good Shepherd School

Romero Stewart,Kelly Gottsche, TimothyBennett

JohnnyFitzpatrick, Michelle Hennessey,MikeScott

Alovely,seasonal décor of ferns, poinsettias, and floral arrangements by The PlantGallery welcomed the guests, whowere entertained by cellist Jennie Brent, alumni violinists/spouses Natalia Cascante and Harry Hardin,and alumna LaurenLemmler, viola. The prandial pleasures were purveyed by Dickie Brennan &Company and consisted of aBibb and romaine salad, beef tenderloin medallions and crab cakes, and a dessert reception with brownies and beignets in the TeaRoom Garden.

Relishing the manyaspects of the evening wereLoyola Jesuit Community Rector the Rev Penn Dawson,S.J., J.D.; University President XavierCole,Ed.D and Susanne DeBerry Cole, Ph.D.; College of Business Dean Robert “Bobby” and Lori Savoie; and additional college deans Madeleine Landrieu, Law; SherylKennedy Haydel,Music and Media; and Leonard Kahn (with spouse Kimberly), Arts and Sciences. Also board trustees Toya A. Barnes-Teamer with Roderick Teamer Sr., Lisa Baudot with MichaelJay Baudot, and Dusti Jones. And, seniorJudge MaryAnn Vial Lemmon,Nina Kelly and son Barry Cooper,Stephen “Derby” and Claire Gisclair,Claire and Harry Stahel, Janice Foulks, Caroland Roland Waguespack,Carole and Morton Katz, Stephen Landry, and Anne and King Milling Others, as well, lent an attentive ear to program principals Stephanie Hotard,’04, MBA ’10, forthe welcome; Father Dawson’sinvocation and award presentation; Dr.Cole and Ms. Hotard’srecognitionofthe giving societies; and thebenediction by the Rev John Cunningham,S.J., Ph.D. At theclosure, an opening awaited forthose assembled to congratulate J.B. Cordaro.

n The NewOrleans Lawn Tennis Club

“Tennis (party), anyone?” Everyone?

Oneofthe holiday season’sliveliest events is the club’sAnniversary Party Most recently,itwas the 149th and began with aPast Presidents’ Reception hosted by theboard of governors.

hailed 25 years of educating the city’smostin-need children within the framework of a gala at The Cannery The celebration highlighted the legacy of GSS founder theRev Harry Tompson, S.J. The Rev Ajani Gibson offered the prayer before the Toulouse Gourmet Catering meal of cheese tortellini, shrimp and grits, round of beef,Italian vegetables, andassorted desserts. All of this, as well as theamazing auction(with tripsto SouthAfrica, Greece and a few islands,and Italy’sAmalfi Coast), regaled Cindy and Ron Paulin,Jennifer and BobbyTalbot,Michelle and John Hennessey,MikeScott, Juan Nathan,Liz Hefler,DougAdams,Mickey andChristine Parenton,Romero J.Stewart,Patand ByronLeBlanc,Melissa Maia and Patrick Eagan,Alphonseand Lasie Smith,Jordan Retif,Danna and Craig Cousins,Keananand Stephen Romig AndreaWilliamsAdams, and, from GSS, president and CEO Thomas MoranJr., board chair Chris Sullivan, board president JohnnyFitzpatrick with Kristy, and board members Brian Grenrood,Kelly Longwell Gottsche, and Keith Jenkins.Also, Shepherding Hope President TimBennett, GSSgraduate SemajHollins with Tania Hahn,and Casey Cadella,GSS director of administration. In the fun momentum of “Celebrating Father Tompson’sDream,” as the gala was dubbed, folks responded to thecall to the floor of the international, but New Orleansbased band, After Party

Notables were NOLTC president John Jeremiah Jr with Lisa, immediate past president Elizabeth Brinson with Steve,vice president MichaelMcNulty III and Mary,secretary Leo Congemi with Jane, treasurer William Wolf with Megan, Meredith Montgomery,Patrick Summerour,and S. Parkerson McEnery with Marti. The Eric Merchant Trio greeted arriving guestsdownstairs. Up thegarlanded staircase, and into The 1876 spacious area, the music of The Boogie Men closed out the night Outdoors, and under atentedcanopy by thepool, Lucky Minou Sushiand Justin Trosclair,owner of Lady Nellie Oyster Farm, set up, respectively,asushi station and raw and chargrilled oysters. The principal dinner service inside was curated by NOLTCexecutive chef Ryan Conn, whose seafood display,striploin, and salmon pleased thecollective palate. Desserts were back downstairs.

Noted within the comely crowd were Margaretand John Long, Holly and Guy Perrier,Amanda and Ryan Berger,Christina and AlecFritchie, Scott Howard, Susu and MikeKearney,Caroline and David Kearney, Charlotte and Robert Henry, Reneeand Pablo Labadie,Lynne Stern,Laurie and Claude Williams, Jeanie and ClaibornePerrilliat, and Nancy and Stephen Hales.Yuletide joy rocked the rafters.

AQuARIuS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Express your thoughts, feelings and intentions with vigor, and engage with those who see the value in what you want to pursue. Life is about doing; stop talking and start making things happen.

PIScES (Feb. 20-March 20) You'll feel tension mount if someone opposes your suggestions. Don't waste time trying to talk others into seeing things your way. Put differences aside and complete your mission.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) If you like something, endorse and use it to further your interests. Interacting and building connections with people you can rely on will make a difference to your lifestyle and your peace of mind.

tAuRuS (April 20-May 20) Put your energy into taking care of your responsibilities. Discipline and honesty will keep you on track and impede those trying to take advantage of you. Put yourself first.

GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Put your desire to learn and fulfill your curiosity at the top of your to-do list. What you discover will change your perspective about life, love and personal gain.

cAncER (June 21-July 22) Refrain from letting anyone manipulate you into doing more for them than what you'll get in return. Maintaining equality in situations and partnerships is necessary if you don't want things to go awry.

LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) Set high standards and goals, and lock into what you want to achieve. Enjoy conversations that make you think and offer insight into

others' perspectives. Reach out, and the response will surprise you.

VIRGo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Put your emotions aside and listen. The information you gather will help you rearrange your thoughts and point you in a realistic direction. You may crave change, but if there is comfort in familiarity, stick with it.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-oct. 23) Keep life simple regardless of temptation. Do your research and take on only what's necessary. Develop relationships with people who share your interests and concerns.

ScoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Expand your knowledge, talk to experts and figure out how you can get the most for the least. Time spent with someone who appreciates you will help you put situations in perspective.

SAGIttARIuS (nov. 23-Dec. 21) Don't overlook an opportunity to use your skills differently or to submit your resume to a prospective employer Travel, communication and input from someone you value will help you invest in yourself.

cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Refuse to make changes based on what others imply. Get the facts and figures, and consider how they can affect your future. The best change you can make is to adopt a positive, healthy lifestyle.

The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2026 by nEa, inc., dist. By andrews mcmeel syndication

Sudoku

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

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

By PHILLIP ALDER Bridge

Yesterday, Igave the deal for which Peter Bertheau from Sweden won the International Bridge Press Association Yeh Bros. BestBid of the Year award. That wasexcellent, but Iparticularly admired thisaction by Peter Fredin, also from Sweden. Thedeal was originally described by Shane BlanchardofNew YorkCity Look at theSouth hand andthe auction. Partner’s redoubleshows10or more pointsand fewer than four hearts. Doubler’s one no-trump indicates equal lengthinthe minors. And partner’s jump to four hearts promisesthree-card support and opening count. What wouldyou do now, if anything? Fredin paused to work out who had what. East would surely have bid one spade over the redouble with four,and West probablyhad three spades because hewouldhaverescuedviaonespadewith four. So North rated to have five spades. (Notsix, because he would have called one spade instead of redouble.)

If West had equal length in the minors, his hand’s distribution wassurely3-2-4-

4. Ergo, heartswere breaking 3-2. North also had three or four diamonds,but had not doubledtwo diamonds for penalty. So he was probably weak there. Fredin deduced that his partner’s 12-plus points weremostlyinthemajors.Andwithboth of those suits lyingwell, Fredin bidfour no-trump,Roman Key-Card Blackwood, followedbysix hearts. Asyoucansee,thiswaslaydown;South taking five spades, five hearts and two clubs. ©2026 by nEa,inc., dist. By andrews mcmeel syndication

Each Wuzzle is awordriddlewhich creates adisguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: nOOn gOOD =gOOD aFTErnOOn

Previous answers:

word game

InStRuctIonS: 1. Words must be of fourormore letters. 2. Words that acquire fourletters by the addition of “s,”such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed.3 additional words made by adding a“d” or an “s” may not be used. 4. proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit wordsare not allowed toDAy’S WoRD ALREADy: awl-RED-ee: Previously.

Average mark22words

Timelimit 35 minutes

Can you find 29 or morewords in ALREADY?

yEStERDAy’S WoRD —PERFoRcE

GramS

dIrectIons: make a 2- to 7-letter word from the letters in each row. add points of each word, using scoring directions at right. Finally, 7-letter words get 50-point bonus. “Blanks” used as any letter have no point value. all the words are in the Official sCraBBlE® players Dictionary, 5th Edition.

Puzzle Answer ken ken

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

Well

INVITATION TO BID Sealed Bid No. 26-6932

The CityofKenner (alsoreferenced as “Kenner” and “Owner”) will receive sealed bidsfor: CITY OF KENNER -FOOD BANK GENERATOR ADDITION 317 OXLEY ST KENNER, LA 70062

The proposedwork(“Work”) includes:

This project consists of installation for owner provided generator and ATSona new elevated platform as per plans. It also includesall necessary conduit and wire from newequipment to existing service entrance. Contractor will be responsible for unloading and coordination for commissioning and testing for all owner provided equipment.

Sealed bidswill be received until 9:45am, Thursday February 12, 2026,bythe CityofKenner in the Finance Departmentlocated at: 1610 ReverendRichard Wilson Drive, Building D Kenner,Louisiana70062

All interested parties are invited to attend the Bid Opening on thesame day at 10:00 a.m. in the City of Kenner,Building DAuditorium, 1610 Rev.RichardWilson Drive, Kenner Louisiana, at whichtimethe bidswill be publicly read. Therewill be apre-bid meeting on Monday,January 26, 2026 at 10:00am at CityofKenner Building DAuditorium, 1610 Rev.RichardWilson Drive, Kenner,LA70062. All interested bidders

INVITATION TO BID Sealed Bid No. 26-6939

January 21, 2026 Furnish and Install HighSolids Silicone to Rivertown Theater

Metal Roof Sealed Bid No. 26-6939

The City of Kenner (alsoreferenced as “Kenner” and “Owner”) will receive sealed bids for:

FURNISH AND INSTALL HIGH SOLIDS SILICONE TO RIVERTOWN THEATER METALROOF

Bidders may alsoobtaincopies of thebid documentsand submit bids electronically by visitingwww.centralauctionhouse.com.

Sealed bids may also be received by mail or in-person until Wednesday,February25, 2026 at 9:45 a.m.CST,bythe City of Kenner in the Finance Departmentlocated at: 1610 ReverendRichard Wilson Drive Building D Kenner,Louisiana70062

All interested parties areinvited to attend theBid Opening on the same dayat10:00 a.m.inthe CityofKenner, Building DAuditorium, 1610 Rev. RichardWilsonDrive, Kenner Louisiana, at which timethe bidswillbepubliclyread.There will be an optional pre-bid meetingonJanuary 30, 2026 at 9 a.m. CST at 325 MinorStreet in Kenner,Louisiana70062. All interested biddersare encouragetoattend. CITY OF KENNER

/s/Elizabeth Herring Chief Financial Officer

Advertisement: The Advocate January 21, 2026 January 28, 2026 February 4, 2026

INVITATION TO BID Sealed Bid No. 26-6940 January 28, 2026 Provide Cleaningand Flushing of SubsurfaceDrain Lines and Drain Structure Sealed Bid No. 26-6940

The City of Kenner (also referenced as “Kenner” and “Owner”) will receive sealed bids for:

PROVIDE CLEANING AND FLUSHING OF SUBSURFACE DRAIN LINESAND DRAIN STRUCTURE

Bidders may also obtain copies of thebid documents andsubmit bids electronically by visitingwww.centralauctionhouse.com.

Sealed bids may alsobereceived by mail or in-personuntil Monday,March 2, 2026 at 9:45 a.m.CST,bythe City of Kenner inthe

TheCityofKenner

Theproposed

CAPT.ANDYLAKE, and FloridaMarine, LLC, as improperly namedowner of theM/V CAPT.ANDY LAKE have fileda Com‐plaint pursuant to Title 46 of theUnitedStates Code,§ 30505, et seq. claiming theright to

nesses. TheBurmaster Boulevard Wastewater Treatment Wastewater Treatment Plantisatcapacityand requiresimprovements tomeet theneedsofcur‐rentand projectedde‐mand. In addition to the need forincreased ca‐pacity, thereisa dire need forredundancyin facilitiessopropermain‐

investigations.

2. DHS/CISA PCCP Security Assessment update NEWBUSINESS: RESOLUTION01-13-26-02– APPROVED LISTOFATTORNEYS ANDLAW FIRMS. On themotion of Mr.Carubba, SecondedbyMr. Marsiglia, the following resolution was offered:

“A resolution to approve alistofattorneys andlaw firms fromwhich the SLFPA-Emay choose to enter into contracts to providespeciallegalservices, as needed, by the SLFPA-Eand thelevee districts within its jurisdiction.

WHEREAS,the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East (SLFPA-E) published aRequest for Qualifications (“RFQ”)for special legalservices for the SLFPA-Eand the levee districts within its jurisdiction;and

Parish of Or leans, in the aboveentitled cause, Iwillpro‐ceed to sell by publicauction, on theground

floorofthe Civil District Court Building,421 Loyola Avenue, in theFirst Dis‐trictofthe City on March5 2026, at 12:00 o'clocknoon thefollowing describedprop‐erty to wit:

Parish of Or leans

BD 7 DEAN MORRIS, LLC 318-3881440 ZACHARYG YOUNG

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 1/28/2026 & 3/4/2026 JAN28-MAR42T

PUBLICNOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND BERING MUNICIPAL NUMBER 4220 DALE ST,CITY OF NEWOR‐LEANS, IN THEMATTEREN‐TITLED:CTP FUNDING, LLC VERSUS DIVINE CARE GROUP, LLCAND RENE KEY

CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE AN S Case No: 2024-6709

By virtue of a Writ of FieriFa‐cias directed to me by theHon‐orable Judges of CivilDistrict Court forthe Parish of Or‐

4220DALEST NEWORLEANS, LA 70127 LOT7 -SQUARE 4 3RDMUNICIPAL DISTRICT ACQMIN: 1461954 ROSEDALE SUB‐DIVISION WRIT AMOUNT:

$52,400.00

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐positoften per‐cent of thepur‐chaseprice,and thebalance within thirty days thereafter

Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certified CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐sonalChecks. FACE MASKS ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS AREREQUIRED UPON ENTERING BUILDING

SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐

SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND BEAR‐INGMUNICIPAL NUMBER 8410 OLEANDER STREET,THIS CITY,IN

THEMATTEREN‐TITLED:JPMOR‐GANCHASE BANK,NA‐TIONAL ASSOCI‐ATIONVERSUS SARAHBROWN RICHARDSON (A/K/A SARAH BROWN, SARAH RICHARDSON, SARAHCOLLINS

C IV IL DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE AN S Case No: 2024-4090

By virtue of a Writ of Seizure andSaledi‐rected to me by theHonorable Judges of Civil District Court forthe Parish of Orleans, in the b titl d

THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THEPORTOF NEW ORLEANS MINUTES OF THEREGULAR BOARD MEETING THURSDAY,DECEMBER18, 2025

AREGULAR MEETING OF THEBOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE PORTOFNEW ORLEANS, HELD IN THEFIRST FLOOR AUDITORIUM AT ITS OFFICE LOCATED AT 1350 PORTOFNEW ORLEANS PLACE, NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, WASCALLEDTOORDER BY CHAIRMAN MICHAEL A. THOMAS AT 1:42 P.M.

MEMBERS Michael A. Thomas, Chairman

PRESENT: Jeanne E. Ferrer,Vice-Chair

Sharonda R. Williams, Member Todd P. Murphy,Member James J. Carter,Jr.,Member

Dale S. Revelle, Member

MEMBER Darryl D. Berger, Secretary-Treasurer

ABSENT:

STAFF:

B. Branch, President &Chief Executive Officer

J. Escudier,Chief LegalOfficer

Chief M. Montroll, Harbor Police Department

K. App, Chief Commercial Officer

K. Bulliard, Prime Consultant

K. Gilmore, Director,Real Estate

C. Gilmore, Chief EngineeringOfficer

T. Black, General Counsel

M. Sulser,Manager,Engineering

G. Brown, Vice-President,People &Culture

A. Lopez-Salazar, Marketing Commercial

A. Dawson, Director,EmergencyManagement

B. Bailey,Information Technology Specialist

C. Labat, Director,Procurement

K. Mills, Manager,Government &Community Affairs

J. Fields, Marketing &CommunicationsOfficer

A. Taylor,Procurement

A. Coates, Vice-President,Cargo Development

C. Donze, Staff Attorney

S. Gauthier,Vice-President,Cruise

A. Hanks, Manager, Cruise

J. Bruner,Manager,Cruise

L. Thornton, Procurement

N. Dietzen, StaffAttorney

M. Singley,Executive StaffOfficer

S. Hodges, BoardSecretariat

T. Bryant, NOPB

GUESTS:

C. Kocur,NOPB

M. Scelson, NOPB

A. Ferrand-Goodwin, NOPB

A. Thompson,Stop the Grain Train

C. Ponstein, St.Bernard

M. Moore, MOREO

M. Moore, MOREO

B. Perez, Holy Cross NeighborhoodAssociation

A. Perez, Holy Cross NeighborhoodAssociation

K. Boulton, Kiewit

M. Bowers, Kiewit

D. Lambert,GEC

M. Leblanc

I. Roll Call &Determination of Quorum

Following aroll call of Boardmembers, Chairman Thomas confirmed aquorum and calledthe meeting to order at 1:42 p.m.

II. Public Comment

Chairman Thomas called forpublic commentand Ms. Singley announced that two (2) individuals had requested to makepublic comment on matters not listed on the agenda.

Prior to inviting the speakers to the podium, Ms. Singley read the Board’spublic comment parameters.

Amanda Thompson and Betty Perez expressed opposition to the lease agreement with Sunrise Foods International, Inc., the establishment of an organic grainterminal at the Alabo Street wharf andthe rehabilitation of the rail lines along Alabo Street

III. Report by the President and Chief Executive Officer

Ms. Branch presented an overview of the November 2025 volume and productivity statistics, along with asummary of the month’skey highlights.

IV.Approval of the MeetingMinutesfor November 2025

Chairman Thomas calledfor amotiontoapprove the public meeting minutes for November 2025, as previouslycirculated. Commissioner Williams moved to accept the minutesand Commissioner Carter seconded. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

V. Action Items:

A. Acceptance of the Consolidated Financial Statementsfor November 2025.

Ms. Barrancopresented the consolidated financial statements for the month of November,acopyofwhich is made apartof

Orleans in the aboveentitled cause, Iwillpro‐ceed to sell by public auction, on theground floor of theCivil District Court Building,421 Loyola Avenue in theFirst Dis‐trictofthe City on January29, 2026, at 12:00 o'clocknoon, thefollowing describedprop‐erty to wit: 8410 OLEANDER ST NEWOR‐LEANS, LA 70118 LOT3,SQUARE 469 SEVENTHMU‐NICIPALDIS‐TRICT ACQMIN: 896288 WRIT AMOUNT:

$28,235.55

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐positoften per‐cent of thepur‐chaseprice,and thebalance within thirty days thereafter

Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certified CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐sonalChecks. FACE MASKS ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS AREREQUIRED UPON ENTERING BUILDING

SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans GH 18

GH 18 LOGS LEGAL GROUPLLP 504838-7535 EMILYA MUELLER

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 12/24/2025 & 1/28/2026

dec24-jan28-2t

PUBLIC NOTICE

SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND BEAR‐INGMUNICIPAL NUMBER 6141 VICKSBURGST, CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, IN THEMATTEREN‐TITLED:HAN‐COCK WHITNEY BANK VERSUS WILSON HARRIS BARNES

CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE AN S Case No: 2023-13413

By virtue of a Writ of FieriFa‐cias directed to me by theHon‐orable Judges of CivilDistrict Court forthe Parish of Or‐leans, in the aboveentitled cause, Iwillpro‐ceed to sell by public auction, on theground floor of theCivil District Court Building,421 Loyola Avenue, in theFirst Dis‐

in the First Dis trictofthe City on March5 2026, at 12:00 o'clocknoon, thefollowing describedprop‐erty to wit: 6141 VICKSBURG ST NEWOR‐LEANS, LA 70124 LOTS 11 &12SQUARE 287 2NDMUNICIPAL DISTRICT ACQMIN: 1138167 LAKEVIEW SUB‐DIVISION WRIT AMOUNT: $141,863.00

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐positoften per‐cent of thepur‐chaseprice,and thebalance within thirty days thereafter Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certified CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐sonalChecks. FACE MASKS ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS AREREQUIRED UPON ENTERING BUILDING

SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans RB 23 NEWMAN MATHIS BRADY &SPEDALE A PROFESSIONAL LAWCORPORA‐TION 504-8379040 WAYNEA.MAIO‐

these minutes. Commissioner Murphy movedtoapprove the consolidated financial statements and Commissioner Ferrer seconded. MOTIONCARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

B. Consider Approval of aResolution Authorizing the President and ChiefExecutive OfficertoEnter into Contract with DRC Emergency Services, LLC, to Provide As-Needed Emergency Debris Removal and Site Management Services for aPeriod of OneYear withTwo Additional Renewal PeriodsofOne Year at the Board’sDiscretion, in an Amount NottoExceed $1,000,000 for the Full Contract Term

Mr.Chris Gilmorepresented and recommended approval of the resolution. Chairman Thomas calledfor amotiontoamend the item and enter into acontract witha second contractor in addition to the other proposer.Therewerenoquestions nor comments and Commissioner Murphy seconded on the motion. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

Mr.Gilmorepresented the proposed amendedresolution: Consider Approval of aResolution Authorizing the President and ChiefExecutive OfficertoEnter into Contracts with DRCEmergency Services, LLC and Dynamic Group,LLC, to Provide As-Needed Emergency Debris Removal and Site Management Services for aPeriod of OneYear withTwo Additional Renewal PeriodsofOne Year Each at the Board’s Discretion, in an Amount NottoExceed $1,000,000 Each for the Full Contract Term Commissioner Williams movedtoapprove the resolution and Commissioner Murphy seconded. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

C. Consider Approval of aResolution Authorizing the President and ChiefExecutive OfficertoEnter into aContract with All SouthConsulting Engineers, LLC to Provide As-Needed Damage Assessmentand DisasterRecovery Services for a Period of Three Years in an Amount NottoExceed $2,000,000 for the Full Contract Term

Mr.Chris Gilmorepresented and recommended approval of the resolution. Commissioner Ferrer movedtoapprove the resolution and Commissioner Murphy seconded. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

D. Consider Approval of aResolution Authorizing the President and ChiefExecutive OfficertoEnter into an Agreement with Entergy Louisiana, LLC, for aClass 3FacilityStudythat will IncludeEngineering and Cost Estimating Associated with the AlternateMain PowerFeed to the Louisiana International Terminal (LIT), in an Amount NottoExceed $180,000.

Mr.Chris Gilmorepresented and recommended approval of the resolution. Commissioner Williams recused herself from voting on thisitem. Commissioner Murphy movedtoapprove the resolution and Commissioner Revelle seconded. MOTIONCARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

E. Consider Approval of aResolution Authorizing the President and ChiefExecutive OfficertoEnter into an Agreement with AtmosEnergyCorporation forEngineering and Design of the Relocation of its Natural GasLine along E. St. Bernard Highway Associated withthe Louisiana International Terminal (LIT), in an Amount NottoExceed $170,000.

Mr.Chris Gilmorepresented and recommended approval of the resolution. Commissioner Williams movedtoapprove the resolutionand Commissioner Revelleseconded. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

F. Consider Approval of aResolution Authorizing the President and ChiefExecutive OfficertoAmend the Contract with Ardurra Group,Inc.,for the Access, Drainage, Earthwork, and Ground Improvement Contract Associated with the Louisiana International Terminal (LIT), to Increase the Not-to-Exceed Cost by $500,000.

WAYNE A MAIO RANA

TheN.O.Advo‐

cate Date (s): 1/28/2026 & 3/4/2026 JAN28-MAR42T

PUBLIC NOTICE SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND BEAR‐INGMUNICIPAL NUMBER 4818 KEEN COURT, THIS CITY,IN THE MATTER ENTI‐TLED:FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION VERSUS AISHEH ZAKKIYYAPOW‐ELLA/K/A AISHEH Z. POWELL A/K/AAISHEH POWELL

CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE AN S Case No: 2025-2722

By virtue of a Writ of Seizure andSaledi‐rected to me by theHonorable Judges of Civil District Court forthe Parish of Orleans, in the aboveentitled cause, Iwillpro‐ceed to sell by public auction, on theground floor of theCivil District Court Building,421 L l A

G.

Mr.Chris Gilmorepresented and recommended approval of the resolution. Commissioner Williams movedtoapprove the resolutionand Commissioner Murphy seconded. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

by $250,000.

Mr.Chris Gilmorepresented and recommended approval of the resolution. Commissioner Williams movedtoapprove the resolutionand Commissioner Murphy seconded. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

H. Consider Approval of aResolution Authorizing the President and ChiefExecutive Offi

IMPROVEMENTS THEREONBEAR MUNICIPALNO. 4818 KEN COURT, NEWOR‐LEANS, LA 70131

WRIT AMOUNT: $208,444.98

Seized in the

Convention Center’s Property for Overflow CruiseParking on an As-Needed Basis,ata Cost of $10per Vehicle per Day,for aPeriodofOne Year Starting on January 1, 2026

Mr.Gauthier presented andrecommended approvalofthe resolution.Commissioner Ferrer movedtoapprove theresolution andCommissioner Williams seconded. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

K. Briefing on Renewalofand Amendments to the Board’s Bylaws

Mr.Escudier informedthe Commissionersthat, pursuantto theregular five-yearreview of theBoard’sBylaws, Staff is recommending some amendmentstobeapproved during the January 2026 regular Board meeting.

L. Consider Approval of aResolution Awarding aContract to Arcco Power Systems in the Amount of $525,760.12for the Purchaseand Delivery of Four Generac Industrial Diesel Engine Generators and Accessoriesunder State Contract #4400026321for the Replacement of Existing Generators.

Mr.ChrisGilmore presented andrecommended approvalof theresolution.Commissioner Murphy movedtoapprove the resolution andCommissioner Ferrer seconded. MOTION CARRIEDUNANIMOUSLY

VI. Closed Executive SessionConvened in Accordance with La. R.S. 42:17A(2), to Discussthe Matter Entitled: •BoardofCommissionersofthe Port of NewOrleans v. MW Industrial Services, Inc., Docket No. 2021-05243,pending beforethe Civil District Court for theParish of Orleans,State of Louisiana.

Chairman Thomas read theagenda item aloud andcalled for amotion to enterintoa closed executive session, convenedinaccordancewith La R.S. 42:17(A)(2) to discuss theabove matter

Commissioner Carter movedtoenterintoaclosed executive session andCommissioner Williams seconded. The MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY andthe Board enteredintoclosed executive session at 2:17 p.m.

Followingthe conclusion of thediscussion, Chairman Thomas called for amotion to endthe closed executive session andreturn to theopen meeting. Commissioner Carter movedtoend the closed executive session andCommissioner Williams seconded. The MOTION CARRIEDUNANIMOUSLY andthe closed executive session concludedat2:35 p.m.

VII. Consider Approval of aResolution Authorizingthe President and Chief Executive Officer to Enter into aSettlement Agreement in the Matter of: BoardofCommissionersofthe Port of New Orleans v. MW Industrial Services,Inc., Docket No. 2021-05243,pending before the Civil District Court for the ParishofOrleans, State of Louisiana.

Mr.Escudier presented andrecommended approvalofthe resolution.Commissioner Carter movedtoapprove theresolution andCommissioner Williams seconded. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

VII. Chairman and Commissioners’ Comments Chairman Thomas asked for Commissioners’ comments but there were none

IX. Adjournment Therebeing no further business to come beforethe Board,Chairman Thomas called for amotion to adjourn. Commissioner Carter so movedand Commissioner Ferrer seconded. MOTION CARRIED

Building, 421 Loyola Avenue, in theFirst Dis‐trictofthe City on March5, 2026, at 12:00 o'clocknoon, thefollowing describedprop‐erty to wit: ONECERTAIN LOTOFGROUND, TOGETHER WITH ALLTHE BUILD‐INGS AN IMPROVEMENTS THEREON, AND ALLTHE RIGHTS WAYS,PRIVI‐LEGES, SERVI‐TUDES ANDADVAN‐TAGESTHERE‐UNTO,BELONG‐INGORINANY‐WISE APPER‐TAINING, SITUATED IN THEFIFTH DIS‐TRTICT,CITYOF NEWORLEANS, PARISH OF OR‐LEANS, STATEOF LOUISIANA, IN THAT PART THEREOF KNOWNAS HUNTLEEVIL‐LAGE SUBDIVISION, SECTION“D” IN ACCORDANCE WITH SURVEY OF ADLOEORR, JR. & ASSOCIATES C.E.,DATED MARCH13, 1963. ACCORDINGTO SURVEY OF R. L. SCHUMANN & ASSOCIATES, LAND SURVEY‐ORS, DATED SEPTEMBER5 1974, THELOT IS FURTHERDE‐SCRIBEDAS FOLLOWS: LOT43, SQUARE 25, WHICHSAID SQUARE IS BOUNDED BY SQUARE IS BOUNDEDBY KENCOURT, HUNTLEE DRIVE, ERKISON STREET (SIDE) BERKLEYDRIVE (SIDE),AND SOMERSET DRIVE (SIDE),AND THE SAID LOT43 COMMENCESAT ADISTANCEOF 120.00 FEET FROM THE CORNER OF HUNTLEEDRIVE ANDKEN COURT ANDMEASURES THENCE AFIRST FORNTAGE ON KENCOURT OF 32.67 FEET THENCE ASEC‐ONDFRONTAGE ON KEN COURTOF27.39 FEET,A FIRST WIDTHACROSS THEREAROF 32.67 FEET, THENCE A SECOND WIDTH OF 27.56 FEET BY ADEPTH OF 118.36 FEET ALONGTHE SIDE LINE NEARER TO HUNTLEEDRIVE, BY ADEPTH OF 118.36 FEET ALONGTHE SIDE LINE NEARER TO HUNTLEEDRIVE, BY ADEPTH OF 116.85 FEET ON THEOPPOSITE SIDE LINE

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐positoften per‐cent of thepur‐chaseprice,and thebalance within thirty days thereafter

Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certified CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐sonalChecks. FACE MASKS ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS AREREQUIRED UPON ENTERING BUILDING

SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans GH 10 HALLIDAY WATKINS& MANN P.C. AT‐TORNEYSAT LAW

Susan Hutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans

RB 19 LAWOFFICESOF HERSCHEL C. ADCOCK,JR., LLC(225) 7560373

DENNIS F. WIG‐GINS

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 1/28/2026 & 3/4/2026

JAN28-MAR42T

PUBLIC NOTICE SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE AN S Case No: 2024-4979

NEW ORLEANS, LA 70115 LOTS:8 AND9, SQUARE:350 SIXTHMUNICI‐PALDISTRICT ACQMIN: 1299496 WRIT AMOUNT:

$390,150.49

O R L E A N S

Case No: 2024-11204

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 1/28/2026& 3/4/2026 JAN28-MAR42T cate Date (s): 12/24/2025 & 1/28/2026 dec24-jan28-2t

PUBLIC NOTICE SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND

THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND BEAR‐INGMUNICIPAL NUMBER 5315 LASALLEST, CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, IN THEMATTEREN‐TITLED:U.S BANK TRUST COMPANY, NA‐TIONAL ASSOCI‐ATION, AS TRUSTEE FORVELOCITY COMMERCIAL CAPITALLOAN TRUST2024-2 VERSUS 5315 LASALLE, LLC

CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE AN S Case No: 2025-1207

By virtue of a Writ of Seizure andSaledi‐rected to me by theHonorable Judges of Civil District Court forthe Parish of Orleans, in the aboveentitled cause, Iwillpro‐ceed to sell by public auction, on theground floor of theCivil District Court Building,421 Loyola Avenue, in theFirst Dis‐trictofthe City on January29, 2026, at 12:00 o'clocknoon, thefollowing describedprop‐erty to wit: 3939 MIMOSA DR NEWOR‐LEANS, LA 70131 LOT505, SQUARE 106 FIFTHMUNICI‐PALDISTRICT ACQMIN: 1183744 TALL TIMBERS, SECTION8 SUB‐DIVISION WRIT AMOUNT: $181,527.73

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐positoften per‐cent of thepur‐chaseprice,and thebalance within thirty days thereafter

Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certified CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐sonalChecks. FACE MASKS ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS AREREQUIRED UPON ENTERING BUILDING

SusanHutson

Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans

GH 12

LAWOFFICESOF HERSCHEL C. ADCOCK,JR. LLC (225) 756-0373

COREYJ.GIROIR

By virtue of a Writ of Seizure andSaledi‐rectedtomeby theHonorable Judges of Civil District Court forthe Parish of Orleans, in the aboveentitled cause, Iwillpro‐ceed to sell by public auction, on theground floor of theCivil District Court Building,421 Loyola Avenue, in theFirst Dis‐trictofthe City on January29, 2026, at 12:00 o'clocknoon, thefollowing describedprop‐erty to wit:

248 CHEROKEE ST NEWOR‐LEANS, LA 70118 APT33

ACONDO: SQUARE 39 &40, LOTS 7,11-B, 8, 14, 17-A, 18-A, 19, 20, &21

SEVENTHMU‐NICIPALDIS‐TRICT

ACQ

MIN:1386842

WRIT AMOUNT:

$253,204.38

PUBLIC NOTICE SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND BEAR‐INGMUNICIPAL NUMBER 5100 KENDALLDRIVE, THIS CITY,IN THE MATTERENTI‐TLED:U.S.BANK NATIONAL AS‐SOCIATIONVER‐SUSANNAMAE C. WOODS A/K/AANNA‐MAE CROCKER WOODSA/K/A ANNAMAE CROCKERVIN‐CENT WOODS

CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE AN S Case No: 2025-867

to make a de positoften per‐cent of thepur‐chaseprice,and thebalance within thirty days thereafter

Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certified CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐sonalChecks. FACE MASKS ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS ARE REQUIRED UPON ENTERING BUILDING

SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans

GH 6 DEAN MORRIS, LLC318-3881440 ZACHARYG YOUNG

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 12/24/2025 & 1/28/2026 dec24-jan28-2t

ceed to sell by public auction, on theground floor of theCivil District Court Building,421 Loyola Avenue, in theFirst Dis‐trictofthe City on January29, 2026, at 12:00 o'clocknoon, thefollowing describedprop‐erty to wit: 919 NRENDON ST NEWOR‐LEANS, LA 70119 LOTD,SQUARE 443 SECOND MUNIC‐IPAL DISTRICT ACQMIN:2010108016 WRIT AMOUNT: $161,059.37

VELASQUEZ

Case No: 2025-8755

By virtue of a Writ of Seizure andSaledi‐rected to me by theHonorable Judges of Civil District Court forthe Parish of Orleans, in the aboveentitled cause, Iwillpro‐ceed to sell by public auction, on theground floor of theCivil District Court Building,421 Loyola Avenue, in theFirst Dis‐trictofthe City on March5 2026, at 12:00 o'clocknoon, thefollowing describedprop‐erty to wit: 4790 EUNICE ST NEWORLEANS, LA 70127 LOT167SQUARE 8 3RDMUNICIPAL DISTRICT ACQMIN: 1424104 DONA VILLA SUBDIVISION WRIT AMOUNT:

$3,721.00

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐positoften per‐cent of thepur‐chaseprice, and thebalance within thirty days thereafter

Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certified CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐sonalChecks. FACE MASKS ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS AREREQUIRED UPON ENTERING BUILDING

SusanHutson

By virtue of a Writ of Seizure andSaledi‐rected to me by theHonorable Judges of Civil District Court forthe Parish of Orleans, in the aboveentitled cause, Iwillpro‐ceed to sell by public auction, on theground floorofthe Civil District Court Building,421 Loyola Avenue, in theFirst Dis‐trictofthe City on March5 2026,at12:00 o'clocknoon, thefollowing describedprop‐erty to wit: 5315 LASALLE ST NEWORLEANS, LA 70115 LOT5 -SQUARE 577 6THMUNICIPAL DISTRICT ACQMIN: 1432231 WRIT AMOUNT: $449,136.11

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐positoften per‐cent of thepur‐chaseprice,and thebalance within thirty days thereafter Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certified CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐sonalChecks. FACE MASKS ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS AREREQUIRED UPON ENTERING BUILDING

SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans

RB 21 MCCABE LAW FIRM,LLC 504782-3436 RYAN MCCABE

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 1/28/2026 & 3/4/2026 JAN28-MAR42T

PUBLIC NOTICE SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL

MENT THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND BEAR‐

NUMBER 3939 MIMOSA DRIVE, THIS CITY IN THE MATTERENTI‐TLED:MIDFIRST BANK VERSUS CRAIGCHRISTO‐PHER VICTOR SR

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐positoften per‐cent of thepur‐chaseprice,and thebalance within thirty days thereafter

Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certified CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐sonalChecks. FACE MASKS ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS AREREQUIRED UPON ENTERING BUILDING

SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans

GH 5 DEAN MORRIS, LLC318-3881440 ASHLEY E. MOR‐RIS

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 12/24/2025 & 1/28/2026 dec24-jan28-2t PUBLIC NOTICE

SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND BEAR‐INGMUNICIPAL NUMBER 5209 PERRIER STREET THIS CITY,IN THEMATTEREN‐TITLED:ROCKET MORTGAGE,LLC F/K/AQUICKEN LOANS, LLC F/K/AQUICKEN LOANSINC VERSUS AMYLE‐MANNSTED‐MAN A/K/AAMY L. STEDMAN A/K/AAMY STEDMAN, PATRICKSTED‐MAN, AND RICHARDR STEDMAN, II A/K/ARICHARD STEDMAN, II CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA R IS HO F OR LE AN S Case No: 2024-10929

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 12/24/2025 & 1/28/2026 dec24-jan28-2t

PUBLIC NOTICE SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND BEAR‐INGMUNICIPAL NUMBER 248 CHEROKEE STREET,THIS CITY,IN THEMATTEREN‐TITLED:FED‐ERAL NATIONAL MORTGAGE AS‐SOCIATIONVER‐SUSMICHELLE BUSHEY WASHINGTON A/K/AMICHELLE BUSHEY IVY WASHINGTON CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE AN S

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐positoften per‐cent of thepur‐chaseprice,and thebalance within thirty days thereafter

Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certified CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐sonal Checks FACE MASKS ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS AREREQUIRED UPON ENTERING BUILDING

SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans

GH 7 DEAN MORRIS, LLC318-3881440 ZACHARYGAR‐RETT YOUNG

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date

By virtue of a Writ of Seizure andSale di‐rected to me by theHonorable Judges of Civil District Court forthe Parish of Orleans, in the aboveentitled cause, Iwillpro‐ceed to sell by public auction, on theground floor of theCivil District Court Building,421 Loyola Avenue, in theFirst Dis‐trictofthe City on January29, 2026, at 12:00 o'clocknoon, thefollowing describedprop‐erty to wit: 5100 KENDALL DR NEWOR‐LEANS, LA 70126 LOT:K,SQUARE: 25 THRIDMUNICI‐PALDISRTICT ACQMIN: 513646 WRIT AMOUNT: $15,863.23

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐

THENEW ORLEANSPUBLIC BELTRAILROAD COMMISSION FORTHE PORTOFNEW ORLEANS MINUTESOFTHE REGULAR COMMISSION MEETING THURSDAY,DECEMBER 18,2025

AREGULAR MEETING OF THE NEWORLEANS PUBLIC BELT

RAILROAD COMMISSION FORTHE PORTOFNEW ORLEANS, HELD IN THE FIRST FLOOR AUDITORIUMOFTHE PORTOFNEW ORLEANS’ OFFICES, LOCATED AT 1350 PORTOFNEW ORLEANS PLACE, NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, WASCALLED TO ORDER BY CHAIRMAN MICHAEL A. THOMAS AT 1:32 P.M.

MEMBERS Michael A. Thomas, Chairman PRESENT:Jeanne E. Ferrer,Vice-Chair Sharonda R. Williams, Member Todd P. Murphy, Member JamesJ.Carter, Jr Member Dale S. Revelle, Member

MEMBERS Darryl D. Berger, Secretary-Treasurer

ABSENT:

STAFF:B.Branch, Chief Executive Officer T. Bryant, GeneralManager &ChiefStrategy Officer C. Kocur,Vice-President,Engineering M. Scelson,ChiefAdministrative Officer and GeneralCounsel

I. McPherson, Vice-President,Operations J. Mackie, Assistant Superintendent

PUBLIC NOTICE SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND BEAR‐INGMUNICIPAL NUMBER 919 NORTHRENDON STREET,THIS CITY,INTHE MATTER ENTI‐TLED:MORT‐GAGE ASSETS MANAGEMENT, LLCVERSUSL.T JENKINSAND JEANETTE STEWARTJENK‐INSA/K/A JEANETTE S. JENKINSA/K/A JEANETTE JENK‐INS

CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE AN S Case No: 2024-1995 By virtue of a Writ of Seizure andSaledi‐rected to me by theHonorable Judges of Civil District Court forthe Parish of Orleans, in the aboveentitled cause, Iwillpro‐ceed to sell by bli i

II. Pledge of Allegiance

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐positoften per‐cent of thepur‐chaseprice,and thebalance within thirty days thereafter Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certified CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐sonalChecks. FACE MASKS AND TEMPERA‐TURECHECKS AREREQUIRED UPON ENTERING BUILDING SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans

GH 13 LAWOFFICESOF HERSCHEL C. ADCOCK,JR. LLC (225) 756-0373 COREYJ.GIROIR

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 12/24/2025 & 1/28/2026 dec24-jan28-2t

PUBLIC NOTICE SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND BEAR‐INGMUNICIPAL NUMBER 202 WARRINGTON DR,CITYOF NEW

Chairman Thomas lead thePledgeofAllegiance.

III. Public Comment

IV.Reportofthe General Manager

NEW ORLEANS, IN THEMATTEREN‐TITLED:NEWREZ LLCD/B/A SHELLPOINT MORTGAGE SER‐VICING VERSUS SHAWNSCOTT (A/K/A SHAWN NICHOLAS SCOTT, SHAWN FELICIASCOTT)

CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE AN S Case No: 2025-625

By virtue of a Writ of Seizure andSaledi‐rected to me by theHonorable Judges of Civil District Court forthe Parish of Orleans, in the aboveentitled cause, Iwillpro‐ceed to sell by public auction, on theground floor of theCivil District Court Building,421 Loyola Avenue, in theFirst Dis‐trictofthe City on March5 2026, at 12:00 o'clocknoon thefollowing describedprop‐erty to wit: 202 WARRING‐TONDRNEW ORLEANS, LA 70122 LOT2 -SQUARE A 3RDMUNICIPAL DISTRICT ACQMIN: 1121142 GENTILLY PARK WRIT AMOUNT: $70,399.21

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐positoften per‐cent of thepur‐chaseprice,and thebalance within thirty days thereafter

Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certified CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐sonalChecks. FACE MASKS ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS ARE REQUIRED UPON ENTERING BUILDING SusanHutson h iff

Chairman Thomas calledfor agenda-related publiccomments but therewerenone.

Ms. Bryant reported on theNovembervolumes andproductivity statistics.

V. Approval of Meeting Minutes forNovember2025

Chairman Thomas calledfor amotiontoapprovethe publicmeeting minutes forNovember2025, as previouslycirculated. Commissioner Williamsmoved to approvethe minutes andCommissionerFerrer seconded. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

VI.Action Item:

A. Acceptance of the Financial Statement forNovember2025. Ms. Barranco presented theCommission’s financial statementfor themonth of November, acopy of which is made apart of these minutes.CommissionerRevellemoved to accept the financial statementand CommissionerCarterseconded. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

By virtue of a Writ of FieriFa‐cias directed to me by theHon‐orable Judges of CivilDistrict Courtfor the Parish of Or‐leans, in the aboveentitled cause, Iwillpro‐ceed to sell by public auction, on theground floor of theCivil District Court Building,421 Loyola Avenue in theFirst Dis‐trictofthe City on January29, 2026, at 12:00 o'clocknoon, thefollowing describedprop‐erty to wit: 5209 PERRIERST NEWORLEANS LA 70115

GUESTS:J.Escudier,PONO Chief M. Montroll, PONO K. App, PONO K. Bulliard, PONO K. Gilmore, PONO C. Gilmore, PONO T. Black, PONO M. Sulser,PONO G. Brown,PONO A. Lopez-Salazar,PONO A. Dawson,PONO B. Bailey,PONO C. Labat, PONO K. Mills, PONO J. Fields,PONO A. Taylor, PONO A. Coates, PONO C. Donze, PONO S. Gauthier, PONO A. Hanks, PONO J. Bruner, PONO

L. Thornton,PONO N. Dietzen,PONO M. Singley,PONO S. Hodges,PONO A. Thompson, Stop theGrain Train

C. Ponstein,St. Bernard M. Moore, MOREO M. Moore,MOREO B. Perez, Holy CrossNeighborhoodAssociation

A. Perez,Holy CrossNeighborhoodAssociation

K. Boulton, Kiewit M. Bowers,Kiewit D. Lambert,GEC M. Leblanc

I. RollCall &Determination of Quorum

Following aroll call of Commission members, Chairman Thomas confirmed aquorumand called themeeting to orderat1:32p.m Chairman Thomas appointed Commissioner Williamstoserve as temporary Secretary-Treasurer forthismeeting,inthe absenceof Commissioner Berger

B. Consider Approval of aResolutionAwardinga ContracttoC.D.L. Electric Company,Inc. forthe Crossing SignalUpgrades at Esplanade Avenue in the Amount of $643,472.37

Mr.Kocurpresented andrecommended approval of theresolution. CommissionerMurphy movedtoapprovethe resolution andCommissionerFerrer seconded. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

C. Consider Approval of aResolutionAuthorizing the ChiefExecutive Officer to Enter intoaCooperative Endeavor Agreement with the City of NewOrleans forthe Audubon UptownRailAt-Grade Crossing Improvements Design.

Ms. Scelson presented andrecommended approval of the resolution. CommissionerRevellemoved to approvethe resolution andCommissionerWilliams seconded. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

D. Briefing on Renewal of and Amendments to the Commission’s Bylaws.

In accordancewithArticle XIV of theCommission’sBylaws, Mr Escudier briefed theCommission on theproposed renewal of and amendments to theBylaws to be consideredatthe next Regular BoardMeeting

VII. Chairman&Commissioners’Comments Chairman Thomas asked forCommissioners’comments but there werenone.

VIII. Adjournment Therebeing no further businesstocomebeforethe Commission, Chairman Thomas calledfor amotiontoadjourn.Commissioner Cartersomoved andCommissionerFerrer seconded. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY andChairman Thomas adjourned the meeting at 1:40 p.m 175333-610676-jan28-1t

CAPITAL PART NERS LLCVER‐SUSXAVIORES‐TATES, LLC

CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE AN S Case No: 2025-4226

PUBLIC NOTICE SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND BEAR‐INGMUNICIPAL NUMBER 2623 FRANKFORTST, CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, IN THEMATTEREN‐TITLED:WELLS FARGOBANK, N.A. VERSUS DERRICK DOO‐LEY, (A/K/A DER‐RICK DOOLEY,SR.) ANDJONATHAN BURDEN AND ANGELBUCK‐HALTER SHUL‐TERBRANDT, (A/K/A ANGEL BUCKHALTER, ANGELNEU ANGELSHUL‐TERBRANDT) CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE AN S Case No: 2025-2688

By virtue of a Writ of Seizure andSaledi‐rected to me by theHonorable Judges of Civil District Court forthe Parish of Orleans, in the aboveentitled cause, Iwillpro‐ceed to sell by public auction, on theground floor of theCivil District Court Building,421 Loyola Avenue in theFirst Dis‐trictofthe City on January29, 2026, at 12:00 o'clocknoon, the following describedprop‐erty to wit: 2623 FRANK‐FORT ST NEW ORLEANS, LA 70122

LOTE-4SQUARE 5294

3RDMUNICIPAL DISTRICT ACQMIN: 633593 WRIT AMOUNT:

$52,584.34

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐positoften per‐cent of thepur‐chaseprice,and thebalance within thirty days thereafter

Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certified CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐sonalChecks. FACE MASKS ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS AREREQUIRED UPON ENTERING BUILDING

SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans RB 21 ALBERTELLI LAW, P.A. 813221-4743 PENNY M. DAI‐GREPONT

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 12/24/2025 & 1/28/2026 dec24-jan28-2t

PUBLIC

By virtue of a Writ of Seizure andSaledi‐rected to me by theHonorable Judges of Civil District Court forthe Parish of Orleans, in the aboveentitled cause, Iwillpro‐ceed to sell by public auction, on theground floor of theCivil District Court Building,421 Loyola Avenue, in theFirst Dis‐trictofthe City on March5 2026, at 12:00 o'clocknoon thefollowing describedprop‐erty to wit: 1335-37 FRENCHMANST NEWORLEANS LA 70116 LOT: 2, SQUARE: 511 THIRDMUNICI‐PALDISTRICT ACQMIN: WRIT AMOUNT: $180,517.94

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐positoften per‐cent of thepur‐chaseprice,and thebalance within thirty days thereafter

Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certified CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐sonalChecks. FACE MASKS ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS AREREQUIRED UPON ENTERING BUILDING

SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans GH 13 JACKSON& MCPHERSON, LLC504-5819444

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 1/28/2026 & 3/4/2026

JAN28-MAR42T

PUBLIC NOTICE SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND BEAR‐INGMUNICPAL NUMBER 5530 REDMAPLE DR, CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, IN THEMATTEREN‐TITLED:HOPE FEDERALCREDIT UNIONVERSUS KRISHELL KING

CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE AN S Case No: 2025-8699

By virtue of a Writ of Seizure andSaledi‐rected to me by theHonorable Judges of Civil District Court forthe Parish of Orleans, in the aboveentitled cause, Iwillpro‐ceed to sell by public auction, on theground floor of theCivil District Court Building,421 Loyola Avenue in theFirst Dis‐trictofthe City on March5, 2026, at 12:00 o'clocknoon, thefollowing describedprop‐erty to wit: 5530RED MAPLE DR NEWOR‐LEANS, LA 70129 LOT32- SQUARE 1 3RDMUNICIPAL DISTRICT ACQMIN: 1161621 MAPLERIDGE SUBDIVISION WRIT AMOUNT: $98,985.41

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐positoften per‐cent of thepur‐chaseprice,and thebalance within thirty days thereafter

Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certified CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐sonalChecks. FACE MASKS ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS AREREQUIRED UPON ENTERING BUILDING

SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans RB 17

LAWOFFICES OF HERSCHEL C. ADCOCK,JR. LLC(225)7560373

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 1/28/2026 & 3/4/2026

JAN28-MAR42T

PUBLIC NOTICE SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND BEAR‐INGMUNICIPAL NUMBER 3114 PITTARIPLACE THISCITY, IN THE MATTERENTI‐TLED:WELLS FARGOUSA HOLDINGS INC. VERSUS THEUN‐OPENED SUC‐CESSIONOF AND UNKNOWN HEIRSOF

ZENOMA WILLIAMS BAR‐ROWA/K/A ZENOMA WILLIAMS BAR‐ROWA/K/A ZENOMA W. BARROW A/K/A ZENOMA BAR‐ROW

CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE AN S Case No: 2024-1205

By virtue of a Writ of FieriFa‐cias directed to me by theHon‐orable Judges of CivilDistrict Courtfor the Parish of Or‐leans, in the aboveentitled cause, Iwillpro‐ceed to sell by public auction, on theground floor of theCivil District Court Building,421 Loyola Avenue in theFirst Dis‐trictofthe City on January29, 2026, at 12:00 o'clocknoon, thefollowing describedprop‐erty to wit: 3114 PITTARIPL NEWORLEANS LA 70131 LOTS:39, SQUARE:5 FIFTHMUNICI‐PALDISTRICT ACQ: 678322 WRIT AMOUNT: $51,110.87

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐positoften per‐cent of thepur‐chaseprice,and thebalance within thirty daysthereafter. Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certified CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐sonalChecks. FACEMASKS ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS AREREQUIRED UPON ENTERING BUILDING SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans GH 23

THELAW OF‐

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 12/24/2025 & 1/28/2026 dec24-jan28-2t

PUBLIC NOTICE

SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND BEAR‐INGMUNICIPAL NUMBER 7710 SHUBRICK AV, CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, IN THEMATTEREN‐TITLED:U.S BANK TRUST COMPANY, NA‐TIONAL ASSOCI‐ATION, AS TRUSTEE FORVELOCITY COMMERCIAL CAPITALLOAN TRUST2024-6 VERSUS WAR‐RENWOODS

CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE AN S Case No: 2025-4472

By virtue of a Writ ofSeizure andSaledi‐rected to me by theHonorable Judges of Civil District Court forthe Parish of Orleans, in the aboveentitled cause, Iwillpro‐ceed to sell by public auction, on theground floor of theCivil District Court Building,421 Loyola Avenue in theFirst Dis‐trictofthe City on January29, 2026, at 12:00 o'clocknoon, thefollowing describedprop‐erty to wit: 7710 SHUBRICK AV NEWOR‐LEANS,LA70127 LOTS -SQUARE 42 3RDMUNICIPAL DISTRICT ACQMIN: 1452626 SOUTHSHORES SUBDIVISION WRIT AMOUNT:

$70,000.00

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐positoften per‐cent of thepur‐chaseprice,and thebalance within thirty days thereafter

Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certified CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐sonalChecks. FACEMASKS ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS AREREQUIRED UPON ENTERING BUILDING

SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans

RB 29

MCCABE LAW FIRM,LLC 504782-3436 RYAN MCCABE

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 12/24/2025 & 1/28/2026 dec24-jan28-2t

PUBLIC NOTICE

SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND BEAR‐INGMUNICIPAL NUMBERS412426 ELBA ST,CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, IN THEMATTEREN‐TITLED:FED‐ERAL NATIONAL MORTGAGE AS‐SOCIATIONVER‐SUSKATHERINE MICHELE BOYKINSANDERS

CI

Writ of Seizure andSaledi‐rected to me by theHonorable Judges of Civil District Court forthe Parish of Orleans, in the aboveentitled cause, Iwillpro‐ceed to sell by public auction, on theground floor of theCivil District Court Building,421 Loyola Avenue, in theFirst Dis‐trictofthe City on January29, 2026, at 12:00 o'clocknoon, thefollowing describedprop‐erty to wit: 4124-26 ELBA ST NEWORLEANS, LA 70125 LOT13AND PORTIONOF12SQUARE 175 6TH MUNICIPAL DISTRICT ACQMIN: 1383032 WRIT AMOUNT: $316,775.79

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐positoften per‐cent of thepur‐chaseprice,and thebalance within thirty days thereafter

Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certified CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐sonalChecks. FACE MASKS ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS AREREQUIRED UPON ENTERING BUILDING

SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans

RB 3 DEAN MORRIS, LLC318-3881440 CANDACEA COURTEAU

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 12/24/2025 & 1/28/2026 dec24-jan28-2t

PUBLIC NOTICE

SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND BEAR‐INGMUNICIPAL NUMBER 14551 DUANEROAD, THIS CITY,IN THE MATTER ENTI‐TLED:U.S.BANK NATIONAL AS‐SOCIATIONVER‐SUSTANGELA MILLER GOUDEAU,IN HER CAPACITY AS TESTAMENTARY EXECUTRIXOF THESUCCES‐SION OF JUANITASNOW BELL A/K/A JUANITA SNOW BELL A/K/AJUANITA S. BELL A/K/A JUANITABELL CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE AN S Case No: 2025-3684

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐positoften per‐cent of thepur‐chaseprice,and thebalance within thirty days thereafter

Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certified Check or Money Order. No Per‐sonalChecks. FACE MASKS ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS AREREQUIRED UPON ENTERING BUILDING

SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans GH 24 THELAW OF‐FICESOFHER‐SCHELC.AD‐COCK,JR.,L.L.C (225) 756-0373 COREYJ.GIROIR

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 12/24/2025 & 1/28/2026 dec24-jan28-2t

PUBLIC NOTICE SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND BEAR‐INGMUNICIPAL NUMBER 613 WAGNER ST CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, IN THEMATTEREN‐TITLED:CTP FUNDINGCOR‐PORATION, F/K/ACTP FUND‐ING, LLCVERSUS LINNEAUS PROPERTIES, LLCA/K/A LIN‐NEAUSPROPER‐TIES,INC AND SAMMY SYLVESTER

CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE AN S Case No: 2025-3649

By virtue of a Writ ofSeizure andSaledi‐rected to me by theHonorable Judges of Civil District Court forthe Parish of Orleans, in the aboveentitled cause, Iwillpro‐ceed to sell by public auction, on theground floor of theCivil District Court Building,421 Loyola Avenue, in theFirst Dis‐trictofthe City on January29, 2026, at 12:00 o'clocknoon thefollowing describedprop‐erty to wit: 613 WAGNER ST NEWORLEANS, LA 70114 LOTO - SQUARE 109 5THMUNICIPAL DISTRICT ACQMIN: 1442507 WRIT AMOUNT: $124,000.00

cate Date (s): 12/24/2025 & 1/28/2026 dec24-jan28-2t

PUBLIC NOTICE

SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND BEAR‐INGMUNICIPAL NUMBER 7619 LADY GRAY ST, CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, IN THEMATTEREN‐TITLED:LAKE‐VIEW LOAN SER‐VICING,LLC VERSUS SEAN GOINS, JR.

CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE AN S Case No: 2025-335

By virtue of a Writ of Seizure andSaledi‐rected to me by theHonorable Judges of Civil District Court forthe Parish of Orleans, in the aboveentitled cause, Iwillpro‐ceed to sell by public auction, on theground floor of theCivil District Court Building,421 Loyola Avenue, in theFirst Dis‐trictofthe City on January29, 2026, at 12:00 o'clocknoon, thefollowing describedprop‐erty to wit: 7619 LADY GRAY ST NEWOR‐LEANS, LA 70127 LOTS 30 AND31 -SQUARE164 3RDMUNICIPAL DISTRICT ACQMIN: 1284574 WRIT AMOUNT: $128,631.02

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐positoften per‐cent of thepur‐chaseprice,and thebalance within thirty days thereafter Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certified CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐sonalChecks. FACE MASKS ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS AREREQUIRED UPON ENTERING BUILDING

SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans

RB 1 DEAN MORRIS, LLC318-3881440 CANDACEA COURTEAU

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 12/24/2025 & 1/28/2026 dec24-jan28-2t

PUBLIC NOTICE

cause, I will pro ceed to sell by public auction, on theground floor of theCivil District Court Building,421 Loyola Avenue in theFirst Dis‐trictofthe City on January29, 2026, at 12:00 o'clocknoon, thefollowing describedprop‐erty to wit: 4048 TALL TIM‐BERS DR NEW ORLEANS, LA 70131 LOT: 14, SQUARE:11 FIFTHMUNICI‐PALDISTRICT ACQ: 663933 WRIT AMOUNT: $218,738.20

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐positoften per‐cent of thepur‐chaseprice,and thebalance within thirty days thereafter Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certified CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐sonalChecks. FACE MASKS ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS AREREQUIRED UPON ENTERING BUILDING. SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans

GH 20 NEWMAN, MATHIS,BRADY &SPEDALE, APLC 504-8379040 WAYNEA.MAIO‐RANA

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 12/24/2025 & 1/28/2026 dec24-jan28-2t

PUBLIC NOTICE SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND BEAR‐INGMUNICIPAL NUMBER 5647 CATINA STREET THIS CITY,IN THE MATTER ENTI‐TLED:FIDELITY BANK VERSUS RHONDA B. GRIFFISAND RHONDA B. GRIFFIS, AS TUTRIX FOR JACOBJAMES CARTY

CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE AN S Case No: 2025-756

Order No Per sonalChecks. FACE MASKS ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS AREREQUIRED UPON ENTERING BUILDING

SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans

GH 9 GRAHAM,ARCE‐NEAUX& ALLEN, LLC504-5228256 LOUISG.ARCE‐NEAUX

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 12/24/2025 & 1/28/2026 dec24-jan28-2t PUBLIC NOTICE SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT THAT PORTION OF GROUND BEARINGMU‐NICIPALNO. 2520-22 JENA ST, THIS CITY IN THEMATTEREN‐TITLED: DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUSTCOM‐PANY,AS TRUSTEEFOR HOME EQUITY MORTGAGE LOAN ASSET-BACKED TRUSTSERIES INABS2007-B HOME EQUITY MORTGAGE LOAN ASSETBACKED CERTIFICATES SERIES INABS

Case No: 2020-4347

Seized in the

By virtue of a Writ of Seizure

By virtue of a Writ of Seizure andSaledi‐rected to me by theHonorable Judges of Civil District Court forthe Parish of Orleans, in the aboveentitled cause, Iwillpro‐ceed to sell by public auction, on theground floor of theCivil District Court Building,421 Loyola Avenue in theFirst Dis‐trictofthe City on January29, 2026, at 12:00 o'clocknoon, thefollowing describedprop‐erty to wit: 14551 DUANERD NEWORLEANS LA 70128 LOT: 21, SQUARE:E, PART B THIRDMUNICI‐PALDISTRICT ACQMIN: 796087 WRIT AMOUNT: $118,004.92

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐positoften per‐cent of thepur‐chaseprice,and thebalance within thirty days thereafter

Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certified CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐sonalChecks. FACE MASKS ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS AREREQUIRED UPON ENTERING BUILDING

SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans RB 2 DEAN MORRIS, LLC318-3881440 ZACHARYG YOUNG

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date

SALE BY SHERIFF JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT THAT CERTAIN PORTIONOF GROUND BEAR‐INGMUNICIPAL NUMBER 4048 TALL TIMBERS DRIVE, THIS CITY,IN THEMATTEREN‐TITLED:LIBERTY BANK AND TRUSTCOM‐PANY VERSUS MEL'STRANS‐PORTATIONII, LLCAND MELISSA MICHELLE NOEL

By virtue of a Writ of Seizure andSaledi‐rected to me by theHonorable Judges of Civil District Court forthe Parish of Orleans, in the aboveentitled cause, Iwillpro‐ceed to sell by public auction, on theground floor of theCivil District Court Building,421 Loyola Avenue, in theFirst Dis‐trictofthe City on January29, 2026, at 12:00 o'clocknoon, thefollowing describedprop‐erty to wit: 5647 CATINA ST NEWORLEANS, LA 70124 LOT: 10-A, SQUARE:427 SECOND MUNIC‐IPAL DISTRICT ACQMIN: 1220974 WRIT AMOUNT: $192,905.61

By virtue of a Writ of Seizure andSaledi‐rected to me by theHonorable Judges of Civil District Court forthe Parish of Orleans, in the aboveentitled cause, Iwillpro‐ceed to sell by public auction, on theground floor of theCivil District Court Building,421 Loyola Avenue, in theFirst Dis‐trictofthe City on March5 2026, at 12:00 o'clocknoon thefollowing describedprop‐erty to wit: 2520-22 JENA ST, NEWORLEANS, LOUISIANA LOT17A SQ 604 SIXTHMUNICI‐PALDISTRICT ACQUIRED MIN 894679 WRIT AMOUNT: $124,597.85

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐positoften per‐cent of thepur‐chaseprice,and thebalance within thirty days thereafter Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certified CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐sonalChecks. FACE MASKS ANDTEMPERA‐TURECHECKS AREREQUIRED UPON ENTERING BUILDING

SusanHutson Sheriff, Parish of Or‐leans

CI VI L DI ST RI CT CO UR TF OR PA RI SH OF OR LE AN S Case No: 2024-6700 By virtue of a Writ of FieriFa‐cias directed to me by theHon‐orableJudgesof CivilDistrict Courtfor the Parish of Or‐leans, in the aboveentitled cause, Iwill pro‐d t ll b

Seized in the abovesuit, TERMS- CASH Thepurchaser at themoment of adjudication to make ade‐positoften per‐cent of thepur‐chaseprice,and thebalance within thirty days thereafter Note:The pay‐ment must be Cash,Cashier's Check, Certified CheckorMoney Order. No Per‐

BD 29 THELAW OF‐FICESOFHER‐SCHELC.AD‐COCK,JR.,LLC

TheN.O.Advo‐cate Date (s): 1/28/2026 & 3/4/2026 JAN28-MAR42T