The Acadiana Advocate 02-25-2026

‘WE’RE

WINNING SO MUCH’

TrumpusesState of theUnion speech to calm economic jittersahead of midterms

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By KENNyHOLSTON

President Donald Trumpdelivers the Stateofthe Unionaddress to ajoint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday.

BY WILL WEISSERT and MICHELLE L.PRICE Associated Press

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump declared during Tuesday’s State of the Union that “we’rewinning so much,” saying he’d sparked ajobs and manufacturing boom at home while imposing anew world order abroad —hopingthatoffering along list of his accomplishments can counter approval ratings that have been falling His main objective was convincing increasingly wary Americans that the economy is stronger than many believe, and that they should vote for

Ad targetsissue amid race forSenateseat

BYTYLER BRIDGES Staff writer

U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow,who President Donald Trump has endorsed to be Louisiana’s next senator,did not follow afederallaw that required her to report 210 individual stock trades over thepasttwo years, according to adocument she filed with Congress last month. In 100 of those trades,Letlow,RBaton Rouge, reportedthe transactions more thanayearlate, ac-

more of the samebybacking Republicans during November’smidterm elections.

Trump tried early on to appeal to bipartisan patriotic sentiments, dramatically inviting the Olympic goldmedal-winning U.S. men’shockey team into theHouse chamber to applause.The team came to theCapitol after an afternoon visit to theWhite House.

“Our country is winning again. In fact, we’re winning so much that we really don’tknowwhattodoabout it. People are askingme, ‘Please, please, please, Mister President, we’re winning toomuch. We can’t take it anymore,’ ”Trump saidbe-

cordingtothe stock trading report —known as thePeriodic Transaction Report —thatshe filed on Jan. 13, 2026. In all, thetrades involved stocks worth anywhere from $225,000 to $3,185,000. Members of Congress providea rangeofthe valuefor each trade.

Asuper PACsupporting U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-BatonRouge, is broadcasting TV and radioads attacking Letlow’sfailure to report thetrades on time. Under a2012 law passed by Congress known as the STOCKAct, Letlow and all members of Congress have to report individual

fore introducing theteam.“‘We’re notused to winning in ourcountry until you camealong.’”

The hockey players, wearing their medals and sweatersthat said “USA” in large letters, drewabipartisan standing ovation. Trumppointedto theDemocratic side of the chamber andquipped,“That’sthe first time I ever —I’ve ever seen them get up.” In another made-for-TVmoment, Trump announced he would be awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America’shighest civilianhonor,tothe hockey team’s goaltender,Connor Hellebuyck.

ä See WINNING, page 4A

stock tradeswithin 45 days of the transaction.

Butthe report she filed last monthshows that sheviolatedfederal law by failing to do so in those 210 transactions. That was asignificant number, said Kedric Payne,the senior director of ethics at the Campaign Legal Center,anonprofit in Washington, D.C.

“The public has to have confidence that thedecisions of their elected officials are based on pro-

to interviewsole

BY MEGAN WYATT Staff writer

Asearch committee in charge of recommending candidates forthe University of Louisiana at Lafayette’snext president on Tuesday named RameshKolluru as the only finalist forthe position, adecision that camethree months after public pushback against initialplans to install Kolluru as president without asearch.

Kolluru has served as UL’s interim president since November and is the former vice president of research, innovation and economic developmentofthe university

Twoother semifinalists, Hitesh Kathuria, atenured professor and former provost and executive

BY STEPHENMARCANTEL

Louisiana AttorneyGeneral LizMurilland Solicitor General Ben Aguiñaga appeared in Lafayette’sfederal district court Tuesday to argue aU.S.Foodand DrugAdministration decisionto allow abortion pills to be sent via mailbroke federal and state laws. The state’stop attorney asked the court to pause a2023 decision by the FDAunder then-President Joe Biden that allowed mifepristone, an abortion

tecting the public interest and not theirfinancial interest,”Payne said. “The onlyway to do that is have accurate reporting of the members’ financial interests.”

Matt Smith,aspokesperson for Letlow, didnot disputethe stock trading violations. But he said Merrill Lynch, her broker,handled thetransactionswithout her input and that she self-reported her failure to report them on time.

“Congresswoman Letlow did notdirect, approve,orhave prior knowledge of any trades,” Smith said. “They were executed

2 Missouri sheriff’s deputies fatally shot

A man with a long criminal history fatally shot a Missouri sheriff’s deputy during a traffic stop and then killed a second deputy in a gunbattle hours later as the deputy tried to save two wounded officers, authorities said Tuesday

“We will be honoring them for a lifetime,” Christian County Sheriff Brad Cole said at a news conference in praise of the slain men.

Cole said the suspect, 45-yearold Richard Dean Bird, also was killed. Bird’s death came just after hours after he was charged in a burglary case — the latest in a string of criminal misconduct cases that included a conviction for shooting at Kansas law enforcement more than a decade ago.

Cole said it all started just before 4 p.m. Monday with a traffic stop south of Highlandville in southwest Missouri. He said Deputy Gabriel Ramirez was found dead in the roadway afterward.

NYC officers pelted with snowballs during fight

NEW YORK New York City police are investigating after officers were pelted with snowballs while responding to a massive snowball fight at Washington Square Park in Manhattan

A video of the fracas shows two uniformed officers pacing a walkway in the park Monday as snowballs fly at them from all directions, hitting the officers and covering them in snow

The officers, growing visibly frustrated, shoved at least two people to the ground as snowballs continued to whizz by. At one point, a person runs up behind an officer and mushes some snow onto his head. One of the officers can be seen rubbing his eye toward the end of the video. In a statement Tuesday, the New York Police Department said multiple uniformed officers were struck in the face with snowballs and were “removed by EMS in stable condition” to a nearby hospital, but did not disclose additional information on their injuries.

Jessica Tisch, the city’s police commissioner called the behavior “disgraceful” and criminal” and said the department is investigating. Police have released images of two people the department is searching for in connection with the incident, asking for the public’s help to identify them.

Ex-Los Angeles fire chief sues the city over firing

LOS ANGELES The former Los Angeles fire chief has filed a lawsuit against the city, alleging that her ouster was part of an orchestrated effort to smear her conduct and decision-making so Mayor Karen Bass could avoid accountability for the most destructive wildfire in LA history Bass sacked Kristin Crowley a month after the January 2025 Palisades Fire, and her dismissal was followed by finger-pointing between the ex-chief and City Hall over the blaze’s devastation and the fire department’s funding. In March of that year, Crowley lost an appeal to the City Council to win back her job. Crowley’s lawsuit filed last week alleges that Bass spread misinformation to protect the mayor’s political reputation following the fire.

The mayor’s office said the lawsuit has no merit.

Severe floods in Brazil kill at least 25

JUIZ DE FORA, Brazil Severe floods in southeastern Brazil have killed at least 25 people and left dozens missing in the state of Minas Gerais, officials said Tuesday Meteorologists warned more rain is expected in the region in the next few days. The torrential rains began Monday in the cities of Juiz de Fora and Uba, about 192 miles north of Rio de Janeiro, forcing about 440 residents to evacuate their homes. Minas Gerais’ fire department says it is searching for 43 people who went missing since late Monday. A video shared by the department showed flooded streets in Juiz de Fora and Uba, where a river veered off its course

Northeast digs out from brutal snowstorm

Weather disrupted flights, canceled school

BY JAKE OFFENHARTZ and MIKE CATALINI Associated Press

NEW YORK Millions across the northeastern United States on Tuesday contended with treks to school and work as they dug out from a major and in some areas record-breaking — storm that blanketed the region with snow, canceled flights, disrupted transit and downed power lines.

Even as the snow moved north Tuesday, giving way to sunshine in parts of the region, the National Weather Service warned another storm originating in the Great Lakes was right around the corner, though it’s not forecast to be nearly as severe.

Many large school districts remained closed, including in Boston and Hartford, Connecticut. But in New York City, more than 900,000 students in the nation’s largest public school system had a regular day, Mayor Zohran Mamdani declared, inviting kids to pelt him with snowballs over his decision.

Many students and their caregivers seemed open to taking the mayor up on that idea, as they scrambled over mountainous snow banks and dodged salt spreaders

during the morning drop-off.

“We’re walking on thin ice here. One more day would’ve been fine,” said Danielle Obloj, the parent of a Brooklyn fifth grader “They should never have let these kids come back to school.”

Nearly 1 in 6 teachers called out sick Tuesday the first day back after the blizzard and a midwinter break, city officials said.

Mamdani, a Democrat, and Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels noted that families rely on inperson school for education and many other things, including parents’ ability to go to work. The officials also maintained that it would have been complicated to roll out remote learning at the end of a midwinter break.

Others hailed the city’s efforts at snow-clearing.

“It was much better than last time — an easy commute, no problems whatsoever,” said Raul Garcia, as he exited a cab with his three school-age children. “We thought it was going to be really bad walking, but looking at the streets, they’re so clean.”

Preliminary attendance data shows 63% of the roughly 900,000 students came in, Samuels said. City data show the average atten-

dance rate for the last school year was about 90%. Mamdani said about 12,000 of the school system’s 78,800 teachers called out sick. The city called in more than 5,000 substitutes Philadelphia switched to online learning Monday and Tuesday, while districts on Long Island and elsewhere in the New York suburbs canceled school again Tuesday Monday’s storm that meteorologists are calling the strongest in a decade dumped more than 2 feet of snow in parts of the Northeast. More than 3 feet fell in Rhode Island — surpassing snow totals from the historic Blizzard of 1978 that struck the Northeast, the National Weather Service said.

By Tuesday morning, roads began to reopen, mass transportation came back online in some cities and power had returned for some of the hundreds of thousands who had lost electricity in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Delaware and Rhode Island. More than 100,000 remained without power in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, which operates essentially on a single circuit, according to Douglas Foley, president of electric operations for the utility Eversource.

Iranians worry over buildup of U.S. military

Last-chance round of negotiations nears

BY JON GAMBRELL Associated Press

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — As the United States assembles its greatest military firepower in decades in the Middle East, Iranians are warily awaiting the next round of talks with the U.S in Geneva this week — negotiations that many see as a last chance for their ruling theocracy to strike a deal with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Some say the situation feels hopeless. Battered by decades of sanctions, heightened by Trump’s 2018 decision to withdraw from Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers, Iranians also just suffered through the bloodiest crackdown on dissent in the country’s modern history In January, security forces killed thousands of people and detained tens of thousands more.

Still, Iran heads into the Thursday talks “with a determination to achieve a fair and equitable deal—in the shortest possible time,” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted Tuesday on X.

As Iranians await the outcome of the Geneva negotiations, many fear the outbreak of a war that could surpass Iran’s bloody 1980s conflict with Iraq.

That conflict sparked a patriotic response from Iranian volunteers. But now the prospects of a war with the U.S. have riven a population that includes hardline supporters of the theocracy and those who feel Iran is splitting at the seams.

“Every morning when I get up, my brain is full of chaos,” said Sepideh Ba-

farani, a 29-year-old woman who works in a women’s clothing store. “It’s a possible war and an ongoing bad economic situation.”

Rasool Razzaghi, a 54-year-old resident in the capital, Tehran, shared similar concerns ahead of the talks.

“I predict that if both sides really mean what they are saying, a war will start,” he said. For weeks, Trump has talked about an “armada” now largely in place off the coast of Iran, including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. He has also sent the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier from the Caribbean toward the Mideast Overall, at least 16 U.S. Navy ships are assembled, according to an analysis by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies. That’s comparable to Operation Desert Fox in 1998, when American and British forces bombed Iraq for four days over Saddam Hussein’s refusal to comply with U.N. Security Council resolutions about weapons inspections.

BY JOHN SEEWER Associated Press

“Today” show host Savannah Guthrie said her family is now offering a $1 million reward for information leading to the recovery of her mother, Nancy Guthrie, who went missing from her Arizona home more than three weeks ago.

Savannah Guthrie said Tuesday that her family is still holding out for a miracle and hopes her mother will be found alive, but she also acknowledged that they realize it might be too late.

“She may already be gone,” Savannah Guthrie said in an Instagram post. “She may already have gone home to the Lord that she loves and is dancing in heaven.”

Nancy Guthrie, 84, was last seen at her home just outside Tucson, Arizona, on Jan. 31 and was reported missing the next day. Authorities believe she was kidnapped and the FBI released surveillance videos of a masked man who was outside Guthrie’s front door on the night she vanished.

Drops of her blood were found onthefrontporch,butauthorities haven’t publicly revealed much evidence. Since the first days of her disappearance, authorities have expressed concern about Nancy Guthrie’s health because she needs vital daily medicine.

Savannah Guthrie said her family needs to know where her mother is no matter what happened

“Someone out there knows something that can bring her home,” she said

Several hundred people are working the Guthrie investigation, and more than 20,000 tips have been received, the Pima County Sheriff’s Office has said. The FBI and other agencies are assisting

The porch camera footage released two weeks ago, which showed a man wearing a backpack and gloves outside Nancy Guthrie’s house, gave investigators their first major break. But it also has fueled intense speculation

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drug, to be sent through the mail. The removal of the rule wouldrequire thoseseeking abortion pills to take them in the presence of a provider Whicheverway thecourt decides will affect access to the medication in states where abortion is outlawed. The state argued thedecisionhas allowedthousands of abortion pills to enter Louisiana illegally,where abortionfaces a near-total ban, and has harmed women and the state’sfinances

More than 20 states and 60 members of Congress havethrown their support behind thelawsuit, according to the Alliance Defending Freedom,aChristianconservative legal organization.

Adecision is expected within the next month and ahalf, Murrill said. On Tuesday,representatives from the state,the FDA, and drug manufacturers Danco Laboratories and GenBioPro spent about 11/2 hours making their arguments in front of Judge David Joseph, a first-term Donald Trump appointee. The arguments centered around whether the state had standing to bring forward alawsuit.

The lawsuit, filed in early October,isbrought by Murrill and aLouisiana woman, Rosalie Markezich, who alleged she felt coerced into taking pills herboyfriendordered.Itargues that the FDAbroke federal lawwhenit allowed abortion pills to besent through the mail. Specifically, it brokethe Comstock Act, a150-year-old federal law that bars items used in abortion from being sent via mail, the suit says. Originally passed in 1873, the lawprohibited the mailingofobscene or lewd materials,including materials to perform an abortion,

LETLOW

Continued from page1A

independently by athirdparty firm with discretionaryauthority over amanaged account. This was a delayed reporting issue under the STOCK Act and not insider trading.”

Smith said Letlow would not make herself available foraninterview.Headded thather office would not make available her Merrill Lynch broker and does not have documentation showing that Letlow entrusted her individual stock trading decisions with the firm.

Letlow’sexplanation that the fault lies with Merrill Lynch is no excuse, said Brian Baird, who as aDemocratic congressman from Washington state sponsored theoriginal legislation that became the STOCK Act.

“You can’tsay,‘Ishould be entrusted withthe authority by voters to decide tax rates and send kids to war’but not be able to tell your broker that you’re obligedtofollow the rules of the Stock Act,” said Baird, who left Congress in2011.“If you’re amemberofCongress, take responsibility.”

Baird noted that the STOCKAct does notabsolve members who put the blame on afinancial adviser— the onusfor timely reporting falls to the members Bairdadded that Republicans watered down the bill to limit the fine for aviolation to only $200 but said public exposure of members who fail to report tradesserves as adeterrent.

Letlow represents the 5th Congressional District, which includes East Baton Rouge and Livingstonparishes, the Florida parishes and theparishesextending up the Mississippi River to the Arkansas border.She wasfirst electedtothe posi-

but has gonelargely unenforced by the federal government for decades. Thelaw has become a focal point in the anti-abortion movement.Rep. Becca Balint aVermont Democrat, in March introduced legislation to repeal provisions in the law,citing Republicans’ useofthe lawtofurther restrict access to abortion. At least seven similar cases are pending across the United States, Josephsaid Priorto2021, theabortion drugs hadto be takeninthe presenceof aproviderinLouisiana, arule suspended during the COVID-19 pandemicand later made permanent in 2023, ayear after the Dobbs decision. Thestate argued on Tues-

tion in 2021,after her husband Luke wonthe seatand died from COVID-19. She was reelected in 2022and 2024.

Letlow is givingupher congressional seat now to challengeCassidyinthe May16Republican primary State Treasurer John Fleming is also competing in the GOP primary

Three little-known Democratsare running in the Democratic Party primary on May 16.

Letlow’s failure to file the stock trades on time was first reportedbyNOTUS,a Washington, D.C website that covers politics.

Cassidy’sreports do not show that he has traded stockssince 2012.

But they do show that his wife, Laura, hasbought and sold stocks and has met the 45-day window in every instance butone. In that case, shemade 15 trades on Dec. 7, 2018, buthedidn’treport them untilAug. 7, 2019.

Cassidy’scampaign noted it wasanisolated incident.

Fleming servedinthe House from 2009-17. He did not report buying or selling stocks.

Fleming declined to comment on Letlow’sstock trades but noted he voted for the2012 STOCK Act

In Letlow’sJan. 13 Periodic Transaction Report, she reportedthatshe madeher first tradeonMay 1, 2024, and was particularly active over athree-day period beginning onOct. 23 that year. She continued to make trades in 2024 and throughout 2025.

Amongthe stocks she bought or sold were Alcoa, Abbott Laboratories,Apple, Amazon, AT&T,JPMorgan, CVS, Philip Morris andWarnerBrothers.

Letlow has access to a wide range of information as amember of the House. Shesitsontwo House committees: Appropriationsand

day that the FDA rule change was designed by theBiden administration to circumvent state abortion rules following the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

“Wehave seen adramatic uptick of abortions in our state because of these pills cominginthrough states like California andNew York, who are intentionally trying to nullify ourlaws, and that is being facilitated by the lack of an inpersondispensing requirement,” Murrill said at anewsconference following Tuesday’shearing.

But the federal government arguedthatthe rule change didn’t affect Louisianalawsortheir enforcement, effectively notrequiring the state to do anything. It also

Education &the Workforce.

In some cases,Letlow traded stocksincompanies within two or threedays of her congressional committees holding hearings on topics thattouched upon business activities involving those companies.

For example, on July23, 2025, theHouse AppropriationsCommittee debated and approvedbudgets for national security, theState Departmentand international lending and finance institutions. Letlow joined other Republicans in opposing amendmentsoffered by Democrats. Onesought to increase funding for the United Nations Population Fund, while another sought to prohibit theState Departmentfrom hosting eventsat propertyowned by Trump.

Within two days, Letlow traded 16 stocks— including Boeing, Goldman Sachs, Taiwan Semiconductor and Visa —that were worth anywhere from $16,016 to $240,000.

Smithreiterated that Letlow did not personally authorize thetrades.

Smith said Letlow began theprocess of reporting the individual stock trades by hiring the Washington law firm of Dickinson Wright last year to review them Thatled hertoself-report her violations on Oct. 25 to theHouseCommittee on Ethics, Smith said.

On Feb.3,the committee’s director of financialdisclosure sent aletter to Letlow saying thecommittee had agreed to herrequest to waive the $200 late filing penalty.

Smith added thatLetlow has instituted strong controls to ensure that Merrill Lynch informs her of individual stock trades to timely report them.

Public pressure has been buildingonCongress to addressconcernsthat lawmakers are buying and selling

dismissed the claim that the state hasincurred afinancial burden in enforcing those laws, noting that enforcement of any law requires resources.

Defendant’sattorneys declined to comment following the hearing.

Joseph, at one point, appeared skeptical that granting an injunctionwould truly remedy the state’s claims that abortion drugs are making their way to the state due to theFDA’s rule change.

“If there’sdemand, there’sgoing to be asupply,“ he said.

The FDA asked the judge to hold off on adecision until it completes anew review of mifepristone, but gave no definite timeline forwhen thatreview would be completed,

stocks armed withinside information theyobtain while carrying outtheir work in Washington.

Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from theBossier Parish suburb of Benton, is supporting abill that is advancinginthe House. It would prohibit legislators from buyingindividual stocks. But they could continue to own existing stocks and sell themwith 7to14 days of notice.

SmithsaidLetlowsupports themeasure,known as the Stock Insider Trading Act. So does Cassidy,according to his campaign.

ManyDemocrats and some Republicans say the measuredoesn’tgofar enough andsupport acompeting measure that would prohibit the trading of

stocks in mostinstances.

also arguing that confusion might arise from conflicting injunctions on the issue. The two drug manufacturers asked forthe case to be dismissed entirely

In 2024, Louisiana lawmakers voted to make mifepristone and misoprostol, thetwo drugscommonly used to induce abortions, controlled dangerous substances, making it the first state to do so. The lawprohibits the possessionof the twodrugs withoutaprescription and is punishable by up to five years in prison and a$5,000 fine. Markezich, oneofthe plaintiffs in the lawsuit, said she felt pressured by her boyfriend to take abortion pills that were mailed from adoctor in California. She saysshe would not have been given the drugs if she had been required to meet with adoctor in person.

“(Coercion) is not arequirement. It is against the law to facilitate an abortion,“ Murrill said.

In January,Louisiana indicted aCalifornia doctor forproviding abortion pills to aLouisiana resident, marking the second timeMurrill has brought criminal charges andsought theextradition of an out-of-state doctor forproviding abortionpills to patients. The first case involved aNew York doctor,who the state indicted on similar charges after providing drugs to aWest Baton Rouge woman.

The two cases are the first of their kind in the U.S. since the SupremeCourt’s2022 reversalof Roe v. Wade.

NewYork and California have shield laws designed to protect doctors and providers from legal action in other states. New York Gov.Kathy Hochul and California Gov. Gavin Newsom have refused to comply with the orders. About 20 states have shield laws.

“Wemay proceed in federal court against the governors of those states that areblocking our extradition paperwork based on their shield laws,“ Murrill said Tuesday

Payne said that is the best approach.

He calledthe Stock Insider Trading Act a“bad bill,” saying, “A ban is needed to stopmembersfromtrading stock in individualcompanies. That’sthe only way to eliminate the perception thatconflicts of interest with these stock trades.”

Letlow’s failuretoreport the individualstock transactions has already become an issue in the Senate campaign. Apro-Cassidy super PAC, the Louisiana Freedom Fund, cited the NOTUSarticle to attack her in aTVand radio ad campaign.

In astatement, Letlow put the blameonCassidy forthe ad, even though super PACs by lawcannotcoordinate their activities with candidate campaigns.

“Bill Cassidyknows he can’tdefend his record, so he’sresorting to desperate, falseattackstodistract fromwhatLouisiana voters haven’tforgotten: he voted to impeach President Trump, andhe’sbeen out of step withour partyever since,” Letlow said. Forhis part,Cassidy said in astatement: “Elected officials have access to information the public doesn’t. They shouldn’tbeallowed to cash in on it by trading stocks with that information.”

NickAlbares, aDemocrat running forSenate, said he favors thecomplete prohibition.

“Insider trading is wrong, it is illegaland as aU.S.senator,Iwould work to pass legislationtoban stock trading by members of Congress,” he said in astatement.

Trump made a similar surprise announcement in 2020, bestowing the award on conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh during the speech. Trump championed his immigration crackdowns and slashing of the federal government, as well as his push to preserve widespread tariffs that the Supreme Court just struck down. As he has in the past, he decried states largely run by Democrats, singling out Minnesota. The president also announced that tech companies involved in artificial intelligence are agreeing to pay higher electricity rates in areas where their data centers are located. Data centers tend to use large volumes of electricity, potentially increasing the cost of power to other consumers in the area.

He drew applause only from Democrats while describing the Supreme Court’s ruling last week striking down many of his signature tariff policies. The president called it “an unfortunate ruling” and said “everything was working well” before the court’s decision But Trump said he would plow ahead, using “alternative” laws to impose the taxes on imports and telling lawmakers, “Congressional action will not be necessary.”

He also made a bold prediction suggesting that some day tariffs would “substantially replace” the modern income tax system. He claimed the tariffs are paid by foreign countries despite evidence that the costs are borne by American consumers and businesses.

“It’s saving our country,” Trump

KOLLURU

Continued from page 1A

vice president for academic affairs at Empire State University in Saratoga Springs, New York, and Richard Ludwick, former president and current president emeritus of the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas, were not chosen as finalists.

The three semifinalists interviewed on campus Monday for the position and shared their vision for the school’s future and how they would address its financial woes during meetings with faculty, staff, students and community leaders. On Tuesday, they fielded similar questions during interviews with the search committee.

Though the UL system board previously promised a transparent process, the search committee did not publicly discuss their decision to name Kolluru as sole finalist.

Search committee members asked a few questions to each semifinalist during public meetings Tuesday, but they also met privately with each candidate in executive sessions that were closed to the public. Committee members then met privately without candidates during an afternoon executive session before their public vote. None of the committee members commented about the candidates before voting to approve Kolluru as the finalist.

The university has been without a permanent president since last July when then-President Joseph Savoie

said of tariffs, adding that they were “peace-protecting.”

The Supreme Court justices in attendance were the same who came to Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress last March:

Chief Justice John Roberts, as well as Justices Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett and Elena Kagan. Trump greeted the justices and even shook handswith Coney Barrett, after previously slamming her for siding with the majority against Trump’s tariffs — despite him appointing her to the high court in his first term.

Democrats also stood for Trump vowing to crackdown on insider trading by lawmakers, prompting Trump to offer “I’m very impressed.

Not everybody applauded, though. Rep Mark Takano, a California Democrat yelled, “How about you first!” Rep Rashida Tlaib, a Michigan Democrat, called out, “You’re the most corrupt president!”

abruptly stepped down. Since then, the board has named two interim presidents, first Jaimie Hebert, who has since returned to his position as provost, and Kolluru.

The decision to form a search committee came last fall after speculation the UL system board would forgo a search and install Kolluru as president without any input from faculty, staff or students. Professors and the public pushed back against initial plans to fill the job without a search.

UL system President and Presidential Search Committee Chair Rick Gallot promised in January a commitment to “maintaining transparency at every step.”

But there’s been little public discussion or explanation along the way

Last week, as the 21-member presidential search committee whittled down a list of candidates for the job, they did not publicly discuss their decision during an open meeting They winnowed the field from 12 candidates to three semifinalists after a lengthy executive session that was closed to the public.

The search committee handled Tuesday’s finalist selection in the same manner.

Gallot, however, maintained that the committee’s decision-making process was open and transparent, pointing to the public interviews that took place Monday and Tuesday

“There was nothing discussed in executive session that was not discussed by the candidates in the open session,” Gallot said after

When some heckling continued, Trump proclaimed, “You should be ashamed of yourselves.” Later he pointed at Democrats and proclaimed, “These people are crazy,” adding, “Democrats are destroying our country.”

Democratic Rep. Al Green was escorted from the chamber after he unfurled a sign of protest that read “Black People Aren’t Apes!”

The sign appeared to be a reference to a racist video the president posted that depicted former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama depicted as primates in a jungle. Green was also removed during Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress last year

Before he began speaking, Senate Democrats blocked a bill to restore funding to the Department of Homeland Security, pressing for new limits on immigration enforcement that Republicans have opposed.

In response, Trump invited law-

Tuesday’s meetings. “Maybe perceptions on answers that were given, but there was nothing that came up in executive session that wasn’t discussed openly and in public.”

The full UL system board is scheduled to interview the lone finalist and name the university’s next president Friday in Baton Rouge.

Kolluru said he represents a new era that is turning past challenges into future opportunity He pointed to his vision for growing enrollment and research spending while implementing new budgeting processes and accountability

“I represent continuity,” Kolluru said “But I also represent change.”

During interviews, Kolluru said he projects growing enrollment from 16,100 to 27,500 students and increasing annual research funding from $254 million to $500 million within a decade. He said he’d grow enrollment by emphasizing recruiting, along with retention and graduation rates, making sure every graduate has “two competing job offers that they can select from” by the time they walk across the stage.

Kolluru acknowledged how difficult the past several months have been as the university’s bleak financial reality came to public light a $50 million total deficit, with $25 million of that being a recurring structural deficit — and the resulting staff and budget cuts. The university will be in the black by the end of this fiscal year on June 30 and will establish a budgeting process

makers from both parties to “protect American citizens, not illegal aliens” and championed proposals to limit mail-in ballots and tighten voter identification rules.

Trump devoted relatively little time in his speech to efforts to bring down the cost of living — despite polling showing that his handling of the economy and kitchen table issues has slipped. Indeed, concerns about the high costs of living helped propel Democratic wins around the country on Election Day last November

On Tuesday, he blamed his predecessor, former President Joe Biden, along with Democratic lawmakers in the chamber, saying they were responsible for rising prices and health care costs, two issues his political opponents have repeatedly raised against him.

“You caused that problem,” Trump said of affordability concerns. He added a moment later, “They knew their statements were a dirty, rotten lie.”

As is typical, Trump also had some notable off-script moments Referencing prescription drug prices, Trump said, “So in my first year of the second term should be my third term — but strange things happen,” prompting at least one chant in the chamber of “Four more years!”

The president also put forward a new plan to give a modest boost to help some Americans save for retirement if they do not have a retirement account through their workplace in which their employer matches contributions to the fund.

Starting next year, he said, his administration would let those Americans access the same retirement accounts as federal workers and would match their contribution up

next month that will take the university into a more fiscally responsible future, Kolluru said.

He pointed to his 33 years at the university as evidence that he was the best fit for the job.

“Being an internal candidate being someone who is one of the family — has given me the opportunity to understand what our aspirations are,” Kolluru said. “That gives me the opportunity to understand what not only our biggest concerns

to $1,000.

Trump did not offer details about how he would put the program in place and did not indicate if he would ask Congress to pass the program and fund it.

The president boasted of having tamed inflation and said he has the economy humming, given that the Dow Jones Industrial Average recently exceeded 50,000 points for the first time.

Such gains don’t feel tangible to those without stock portfolios, however. There also are persistent fears that tariffs stoked higher prices, which could eventually hurt the economy and job creation Economic growth slowed in the last three months of last year It is potentially politically perilous ahead of November elections that could deliver congressional wins to Democrats, just as 2018’s blue wave created a strong check to his administration during his first term.

Trump spent relatively little time on foreign policy, despite his address coming as two U.S. aircraft carriers have been dispatched to the Middle East amid tensions with Iran.

The president has repeatedly recounted how U.S. airstrikes last summer pounded Tehran’s nuclear capabilities, and laud the raid that ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, as well as his administration’s brokering of a ceasefire in Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza. But he’s also strained U.S. military alliances with NATO, thanks to his push to seize Greenland from Denmark and his failure to take a harder line with Russian President Vladimir Putin in seeking an end to its war in Ukraine.

are but also our goals for the future.”

Kolluru said his first priority as president will be the same as it’s been during the past three months as interim president, which is to make sure the right fiscal controls are in place to reduce the existing deficit and to move forward.

“We have to address the fiscal issues,” Kolluru said. “But also, at the same time, we have to continue to build a vision for the future and a university that is ready to meet that future and get us there.” After being named interim president in July, Hebert announced job eliminations and other cost-cutting measures to try to make up for a $25 million deficit in the university’s $219 million annual budget. Kolluru announced in December that the deficit had been reduced to about $10.5 million. The university is expected to sell properties to close the gap. Staff writer Ashley White contributed to this report.

BY JOSH FUNK AP transportation writer

The House failed to approve a bill Tuesday that was crafted after last year’stragic midair collision nearWashington,D.C., to require all aircraft flyingaround busy airports to have key locator systems to prevent such crashes.

The collision of an airliner and an Army helicopter killed 67 people in January 2025.

The NationalTransportation Safety Board has been recommending such Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast systems to be installed since2008.

The bill that already passed the Senate would have required aircraft to be equipped with asystemthatcan receivedataabout the locations of other aircraft

The complementary ADS-B Out system that broadcasts an aircraft’slocation is already required.

The families of the victims who died when an American Airlines jet collided with an ArmyBlack Hawk helicopter strongly supported the measure, anda number of themwatched thevote from the House gallery.But the Airlines forAmericantrade group, the military and the major

general aviation groups that represent business jets andsmall plane owners backed acompeting and more comprehensive House bill that was justintroduced last week.

TimLilley,whose son Sam was the first officer on theairliner, saidhe’sreally disappointed, but he and the other families will continue to press for meaningful reforms.

And he hopesthat will happen before thenext tragedy

“We’re goingtoend up back here having the same conversation becauseofanother midair (collision)is what’sgoing to happen. Hopefully —fingers crossed —thatdoesn’t,” Lilley said.

Under the specialprocess that was used to fast-track the bill, the ROTORAct neededtoreceive more than two-thirds support to pass the House. It received264 votes, but 133other representativesvoted against it. ROTOR stands for “Rotorcraft OperationsTransparency andOversight Reform.”

HouseSpeaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, toldThe Associated Press that the Senateand theHousewill work together to getanaviationsafetybill done.

“We’re committed to it,” he said.

Zelenskyy: Putinhas ‘not broken’Ukrainians

BY ILLIA NOVIKOV Associated Press

KYIV,Ukraine Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared Tuesday thatRussia has not “broken Ukrainians” nor triumphed in itswar,four years after an invasion that has severely tested the resolveofKyivand itsalliesand fueled European fears about the scale of Moscow’sambitions. In ashow of support,morethan adozen senior European officials headed to theUkrainian capital to markthe grim anniversary of theconflict, whichhas killed tens of thousandsofpeople, upended life for millionsofUkrainians, and created instabilityfar beyond its borders.

Zelenskyy said his country has

withstood theonslaught by Russia’sbiggerand betterequipped army,whichoverthe past year of fighting captured just 0.79% of Ukraine’sterritory,according to the Institute forthe Study of War, aWashington-basedthink tank. Russia now holds nearly 20% of Ukraine.

“Looking back at the beginningof theinvasionand reflecting on today, we haveevery righttosay: We have defended ourindependence, we have not lost our statehood,” Zelenskyy saidonsocial media, adding that Russian President Vladimir Putin has “not achieved his goals.”

“He has not broken Ukrainians; he hasnot won this war,” Zelenskyy said.

Despite the show of defiance, Ukraine has struggled to hold off Russia’sonslaught, and the war hasbrought widespread hardship forUkrainiancivilians. Russia’s aerial attacks have devastated families anddenied civilians power and running water

Putin madenomention of the anniversary nor did he say how the warwas going when he spoke at a meeting in Moscow of top officials of the Federal Security Service, or FSB, on Tuesday However,hetold them that the threat of Ukrainian attackson Russian soil has grown. Ukraine has increasingly deployed longrange drones that it has developed to strike oil refineries, fuel depots and military logistics hubs more than 600 miles inside Russia. As the war of attrition enters its fifth year,aU.S.-led diplomatic push to endthe largest conflicton thecontinent sinceWorldWar II appears no closer to apeace deal. Negotiationsare stuck on what happens to the Donbas, eastern Ukraine’sindustrial heartland that Russianforcesmostlyoccupybut have failedtoseize completely, and the termsofa postwar security arrangement that Kyiv is demanding to deter anyfuture Russian invasion.

Lafayettetackles sewage,housing

City takesmajor step to addressaffordability

BY ASHLEY WHITE Staff writer

After competingagainst more than 630 other global applicants, Lafayette is one of 24 cities to win the Bloomberg Philanthropies 2026 Mayors Challenge.

With its $1 million award, Lafayette plans to address aging and crumblingsewage lines on private property that overburdenthe sew-

Landry seeksroof payments from insurers

BY SAM KARLIN Staff writer

Gov.Jeff Landryisasking the state-created Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Corp. to use its balance sheet to help pay for stronger roofs for homeowners inabid to alleviate ahomeowners insurance crisis that has proved an enduring political problem.

Landry,inaletter to LWCC’sleadership dated Monday,noted that the nonprofit company has sizable reserves and is in astrongfinancial position. He said unaffordable property insurance is threatening the state’seconomy,and asked LWCC to commit “a portion of its excess reserves” to help pay forfortified roofs, particularly forhomeowners covered by Citizens, the insurer of last resort.

“LWCC was createdto solve a market failure throughstate enabled action,” he wrote, referring to the Legislature’screation of the nonprofit in the 1990s to stabilize atumultuousworkers’ compensation sector.“It nowpossesses the financial capacity,flexibility and institutional credibilitytohelpsolve another.”

Landry didn’tspecify how much in funding he wants LWCC to dedicate to fortified roofs, or where exactlythe moneywould go. But the Louisiana Department of Insurance spends about $30 million ayear on grants to homeowners to helpput fortified roofs on their homes, which typically lead to lowerhome insurance costs.

It’salso not clear whether the LWCC boardcan legallysendmoney to fortified roofs, or whether it would require anew law

LWCC Chief Strategy Officer Seth Irby said Tuesday the company is reviewing the request.

“LWCC is aprivate, mutual workers’ compensation company owned by our 18,000+ policyholders, which are businesses across the state,” he said in an email. “Wetake our fiduciary responsibility to our policyholders seriously,astheir dollars are used to take care of injured workers. We haven’tspoken to the governor about this request to fund improvements in private residential household roofs.”

The company is amutual insurer meaning it returns its profits to policyholders, which are businesses whoget workers’compensationinsurance through the firm.

The Times-Picayune reported last week that while the state’sfortified roof grant program has helped many adopt stronger roofs, it is not nearly keeping up with demand. State data shows that only about 20% of homeowners whoregistered in lotteries for the program received agrant.

The LWCC is run by aboardof directors that includeLouisiana InsuranceCommissioner TimTemple, state lawmakers, and several members appointed by thegovernor Boysie Bollinger,abusiness owner and donor to Landry and other politicians, is also amember

Aspokesperson for Temple did not respond to amessage Tuesday

agesystem during storms, amajor step in addressing the city’saffordable housing. “We’re very excitedabout this and for the supportthat Bloomberg (Philanthropies) gives,” said Lafayette Mayor-President Monique Boulet. “Wecan go in and fix themost critical leaks, as wellas invest inareas that have been disinvested.”

“Byrefusing to treat broken frameworks as immovable, Lafayette won’tjust mend ailing infrastructure —theywill createa force

More than 630 cities applied for the sixth Mayors Challenge, acompetition to spur local government innovation that improves lives in cities around the world. Lafayette was selected as one of 50 cities to prototype itsplanand is oneof24 cities from20countriestowin the 2026 competition.

multiplier that drives growth, improves communities, and creates the space for its next generationto lay down roots,” Aparna Ramanan, wholeads the Mayors Challenge for theGovernment Innovation program at Bloomberg Philanthropies, said in astatement. “Welook forward to supporting the city in this work as they do.” Lafayette has ahousing issue, Bouletsaid. And not for lack of demand, but because the city’ssewagesystem isn’tequipped to take on new units. Cracks in the sewage

pipes mean when there are heavy rains, the sewage liftstations start processing morerainwater than wastewater,causing them to reach capacity

It’sthe reason the city is building anew $17.6 millionliftstation that can handle an additional 2,000 unitsinthe downtown area andsurrounding area. But Boulet said she wantedtofind asolution that didn’t include dedicating millions in funding to building more lift stations.

Pardoned from thepot

Tony

theCrawfish honoredatannual celebration

BY KRISTIN ASKELSON Staff writer

Lt. Gov.Billy Nungesser and the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board on Tuesday pardoned Tony the Crawfish during the 10th annual Pardoning of theCrawfish event at Tony Chachere’sCreole Foods in Opelousas.

Started by Nungesser in 2017, the annual event is heldthe first Tuesday afterMardi Gras and celebrates crawfish season in Louisiana and across the GulfSouth.

“Crawfish isn’tjust ameal in Louisiana. It’saway of life and acorner-

stone of our economy,” Nungesser said. “Our state leads the nation as the largest domestic producer,harvesting roughly 150 millionpounds each year and supportingthousands of farmers, fishermen,processors, restaurantsand families.Peak season brings communities together around backyard boils, festivals, and restaurant tables across Louisiana and the GulfSouth. Today, we celebrate that tradition by sparingone lucky crawfish and officially pardoningTonybeforehecould end up on someone’stray.It’safun Louisiana tradition, but it also highlights the pride we have in an industry that helps feed our people, fuel our economy,and showcase our culture to the world.”

The crawfish was named Tony in honor of the late Anthony “Tony” Chachere, founder of Tony Chachere’s Creole Foods. Chacherebegan his career as adrug salesman and founded

La.’schild welfareagency recruiting foster parents

Statesigns onto Trumpadministration pilotprogram

BYALYSE PFEIL Staff writer

Louisianaisone of the first states to join aPresident Donald Trump administration pilot program aimed at increasing the number of families available to carefor foster children. The federal initiative is called A Home forEvery Child and seeks to have afoster home-to-child ratio greater than 1-to-1 in every state, meaningtherewouldbeatleast one home available for every child in need of foster care. Currently,Louisiana hasabout 48

homes to every 100 foster children.

“The goal of our initiative is to have homes waiting on kids, not kids waiting on homes,” said AlexAdams,assistant secretary at theAdministration for Children and Families, adivisionofthe U.S. Department of Health and HumanServices.

Adams, who joined Gov.Jeff Landry on Tuesday at the State Capitol to announce the program, said the federal government putstoo many conditions on the money it gives to states for children and family services.

“Too much of that has been paperwork, busyworkthat has not statistically moved theneedle on childwelfare outcomes,” Adams said.

He saidthat,rather than requiring

TwoAcadia Parish women were arrestedfollowing separate investigations by the Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Childrenand Family Services involving children exposed to illegal drugs Authorities said the cases areunrelated but both involveminor children who tested positive for narcotics allegedly provided by their mothers.

Monesha Mouton, 32, of Crowley,isaccused of providing methamphetamine and

cocaine to her three children. She wascharged with three countsofcruelty to ajuvenile. Brooke Labouve, 36, of Jennings, is accused of providing methamphetamine and marijuana to her child. She was charged with one count of cruelty to ajuvenile. Both women were booked into the Acadia Parishjail. Suspect charged with murder in shooting

An arrest has been made in afatal Mardi Grasshooting in Mamou, police said. Quincy Thibodeaux was ar-

In tariff case, JusticeBarrett remindsus that ‘context’ matters

As amatter of policy,the Supreme Court’s decision in the tariff case known as Learning Resources., Inc. v. Trump is good for Louisiana

As amatter of law,Louisiana’sown Justice Amy Coney Barrett notably continued to chart acourse independentfromthe president who appointed her, admirably seeking to apply what shecalls theConstitution’s“text in context” to protect the proper separation of powers.

We only wish Louisiana’s most prominent elected officials would use the occasiontotry dissuading President Donald Trump fromhis economicallyand constitutionally misguidedobsession with tariffs. So far they either have been notablysilent or,inthe case of Gov.JeffLandry, have ignored home-state interests by denouncing thehighcourt.

Those home-state interests are considerable

As we noted last March, in recent years Louisiana has boasted four of the nation’sten busiest ports (measured by tonnage). Both by discouraging imports and by catalyzing retaliatory action by other nations against the U.S., major tariffs by their very nature tend to depress port activityand allthe spinoff economic benefits. Indeed,once Trump’stariffs took full effect last year, statistics showedport activity nationwide camecrashing down Louisiana’scoffee industry—importing, packaging and serving —was oneofthose that proved particularly vulnerabletosetbacks from tariffs.Moreover, despiteTrump’s ceaseless claims to the contrary,the vast majority ofeconomists agreethat high tariffs causemorepain than benefit for the nationaleconomyasa whole. Louisiana’s U.S. senators and representatives, led by Speaker Mike Johnsonand Majority Leader Steve Scalise, should be touting Louisiana’sand the nation’sinterests in keepingimport taxes low

Those, of course, are policy considerations As fundamental law,wefind persuasive theargument that Congress has not come closetoso broadlydelegating to thepresident thelegislature’s constitutionallyassigned powerto“originate allbills for raising revenue” and “tolay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises.”

Here’swhere Barrett comes in. While six justices—three usually called liberal,three called conservative —reached that same basic conclusion,theydid so through markedly differing sets of reasoning.Barrett, as is her wont, found herself writing her ownconcurring opinion representingessentially amidpoint between thetwo subfactions. Legal experts can debate who is right, or whether the midpoint in this case best captures the constitutional and statutory intent. Eitherway it is encouraging to see Barrett yet again forging athoughtful, carefulpath rather than walkingin lockstep with anyparticular team (or evenappearance thereof) within thecourt’schambers. No matter what the policy considerations,public trust in the Supreme Court is bolsteredwhenjustices are seen as thoughtfully applyingthe law rather thanplaying politics.

LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR ARE WELCOME. HERE AREOUR

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

TheAdvocate |The Times-Picayune require astreet address andphone number for verification purposes, but that information is not published. Letters are not to exceed 300 words. Letters to the Editor,The Advocate, P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0588, or email letters@ theadvocate.com. TO SEND USA LETTER, SCANHERE

Denial of parole for Shreveport momcruel

The denial of parole for Tiffany Woods is not only amiscarriage of justice but acruel and heartless decision that disregards the extraordinarycircumstances surrounding her case. The tragedy of Hurricane Katrina, one of themost devastating natural disasters in U.S. history,created unimaginable chaos and suffering for countlessfamilies, including Woods’. To dismissthe impact of this catastrophe, as Leone Fitzgerald, director of victim assistance for theDA’soffice in Caddo Parish, did by stating they are “getting alittle tired of hearing about”Hurricane Katrina, is ignorant or mean-spirited or both. Woods’ story is one of survival under extreme duress. She made adesperate decision in theface of limited resources and overwhelming stress, adecision that tragically ended in the loss of herinfant son.Yet, instead of compassion,she has been met with apunitive system that fails to recognizethe broader context of her actions.

The parole board’sdecisiontodeny her release, despite her exemplary rehabilitation, low risk assessment and strongsupportsystem, is astark reminder of the systemic cruelty embedded in our justicesystem. Woods has served years in prison, reformed her life and demonstrated her readinesstorejoin society.To force her to waitanother five years to reapply for parole, or 10 yearsfor her release, is not justice. It’sheaping crueltyupon cruelty

The commentsfrom the DA’s office, particularly thedismissive remark about Hurricane Katrina, reflect aprofoundlack of empathy and understanding.

Katrina was not merely an “excuse”; it was alife-altering event that uprooted families, destroyed communities and left survivors in astate of chaos anddesperation. To trivializeits impact is to ignore the lived experiences of those who endured it.

JESSICA COGAN NewOrleans

taxpayerswhether

The process of developing theproposed LSUsports/multi-use arena is underway,including financing, donations, etc.

Negotiations are not finalized between The Tiger Athletic Foundation, theEastBaton Rouge Metro Council and other entities including Our Lady of the Lake Hospital. It has been reported that adonation amount from OLOL could range up to $50 million for naming rights for thearenatosupportthe community

Apparently OLOL has funds,or will have, crossing some threshold amount allowed under their 501(c)(3) charitable organization charter.The fundsfor the above “donation” would come from the OLOL operating budget which means they would come from OLOL revenues received for all their healthcare services.Theserevenues are partially from Medicare (15-22% of patient revenue) and Medicaid (9-15% of

patient revenue). Medicare andMedicaidpayments are paid by federal and state governments. Those monies ultimately comefromtaxes paid by all American taxpayers.

I, for one, and Isuspect that other taxpayers do not wanteven $1 of our taxes for Medicare and Medicaid, whether directly or indirectly,tobe used for any part of theproposed LSUTAF project

Further,Ifind it inexcusablethat OLOL, with such ahumanitarian purpose as ahealth provider,would offer money to another 501(c)(3) (Tiger Athletic Foundation) forbuilding the arena rather than usingthat money for internal improvements or reducing costs for the less fortunate. I suggest that Franciscan Missionaries of OurLady Health System and the OLOL board of trusteesreconsider thewisdom of OLOL’s proposed participation in the arena project.

JAMES L. SMITH Baton Rouge

As aLouisiana business owner and former state speaker of the House, I understandLouisiana’seconomicchallengesfrom both aprivate-sector and legislative perspective.Louisiana’slongterm economic success depends on a strongworkforce, competitive businesses andcommunities wherefamiliescan thrive.One of themost effective ways to achieve allthree is through strategic investmentinearlychildhood education. Businesses across Louisiana consistentlyname workforce availabilityasa top challenge. Parents cannot workwithoutaffordable, reliable child care. When familiesare forced outofthe workforce, employers lose talent, productivity declinesand economicgrowth slows. Highqualityearlychildhood programskeep parents working andhelpstabilizelocal economies.

Earlychildhood education is also one of thestrongest return-on-investment opportunities available to policymakers. “An ounce of prevention is worth apound of cure,” as the saying goes. Research showsthat every dollar invested in high-quality early learning can return multiple dollars in future savings through higher graduation rates, increased earnings, reduced reliance on public assistance and lower involvement with the criminal justice system.Inother words, early childhood investments reduce future government costs.

Just as important, early learning strengthens the futureworkforce itself. Children arrivingatkindergarten ready to succeed are morelikely to read on grade level, graduate highschool and enter careers that support Louisiana’s growing industries. This is workforce development at its earliest and most cost-effective stage. The path forward is clear.Louisiana should prioritize fiscally responsible, targeted investments that expand access to high-quality early childhood programs, leverage public-private partnerships and focus on accountability and measurable outcomes. By aligning early childhood funding with workforce and economic development strategies, the state can ensure taxpayer dollars produce long-term value. If Louisiana is seriousabout economic prosperity,wemustbeseriousabout investing in thevery foundation of our workforce, our children.

JIM TUCKER

president and CEO CommCare Management Corporation

COMMENTARY

Focuson unitingstate, notmisguided waronDEI

TheU.S. Department of Education, thesame department that President Donald Trump wants to demolish, haslaunched an investigation into the Louisiana Board of Regents’ master plans and executive budget goalsthatfocusonincreasing the number of “underrepresented minorities” earning certificates and diplomas at public colleges and universities across the state. The goals in question are worthy in my book. But the federal education officials think focusing on “allraces other than white, Asian, non-residentsand unknown/not reported” is too narrow an emphasis andtherefore discriminatory.The way they read Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, that is aviolation of federal law

Gov.Jeff Landry wantsthe feds to expand the investigation tolook beyond the Regents, digging into individual higher education institutions to find discrimination and get rid of it.

“Let me be clear: Louisiana is done with woke DEI policies. Discrimination against ANYstudent will not be tolerated,” the governor said in astatement issued Monday “This issue began under the previous administration, and we are fixing it. That is why,I’ve formally requested that the investigation be expanded to EVERYpublic higher education institution in Louisiana.”

First of all, so-called DEI policies didn’tbegin with the Joe Biden presidency or the John Bel Edwards gubernatorial administration. The University of Louisiana at Lafayette started enrolling Black students in 1954, before Iwas born andthe year of the Brown v. Board of Education school desegregation ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court. Other Louisiana higher ed institutions admitted Black students after the 1964Civil Rights Actbecame law. Nearly all public and private colleges and universitieswent beyond admitting Black studentsto admitting other underrepresented student groups, implementing specificpolicies to betterensure greater diversity —and therefore

LSUstudents navigate campusbetween classes Feb.12near the student union.

amore well-rounded education experience. This is notnew.Neither is the fight to stop it.

We’ve called it tolerance, multiculturalism, pluralism and more, most recently including diversity, equityand inclusion.

Unlike so many Iknow and love, I’m not stuck on DEI. I’ve seen theseeffortscalleda number of things and I’ve witnessed improvements, and failures, across the decades.

DEIwas agood group of letters until it became too successful. Call it what you will in 2026 and beyond, but we’re witnessing the dismantling of efforts that have made younger generations more accepting and more welcoming to people not like them.

Under growing pressure, Louisiana State University,our state’s largest publicuniversity,and Tulane University,our state’smost eliteprivate university,changed their nomenclature to make their goals more appealing as Trump,

Landry and others work to make higher ed institutions less open to others, and therefore more White. LSU’sDivision of Inclusion, Civil Rightsand TitleIXwas rebranded as the Division of Engagement, Civil Rightsand TitleIX. Tulane’sOffice of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion is now theOffice of Academic Excellence and Opportunity.

Pressuring Louisiana higher education leaders to slow or stop providing morediverse sets of educational experiences is not agood move. Iwant to see more Black, Hispanic, Asian, women and disabled studentsdothe same. Oneofthe best ways to make sure that happens is to measure it Toss away the measuring tape and we’re guessing that what brings us closer will happen without making sure everything fits.

Replacing DEI withWhitewokenessisn’t theway to go.

Email Will Sutton at wsutton@ theadvocate.com.

Should Trumpshake up Cabinet?

Rubio is more than just the good cop

Nearly amonth into his second year in office, President Trump’s Cabinet has been remarkably stable. No Cabinet memberhas quit, been fired, pushed out or otherwise left the building. The questionis whether that is agood thing. A president does not want to let his political enemies hound his top Cabinet officials out of office. On the other hand, by the end of an administration’sfirst year, it’susually clear that one, or twoormore of the president’s Cabinet just aren’t working out. That is the issue confronting Trump today. Compare the situation to Trump’s first term. There was alot of movement, for avariety of reasons.

Firsttoleavewas White House chief of staff Reince Priebus, who resigned on July 28,2017, six months into the administration. Then Homeland Security Secretary John Kellyresigned on July 31 to become the new White House chief of staff. Then, on Sept. 29, 2017, Health and Human Services Secretary TomPrice quit under pressure over spending publicmoney on private travel.

On March 13,2018, oneyear and nearly two months into the administration, Trump fired Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. On March 28, 2018, Trump fired VeteransAffairs Secretary David Shulkin over Shulkin’suse of public funds for a European trip. On April 26, 2018, CIA Director Mike Pompeo left to

published.

become the new Secretary of State.

On July5,2018, Environmental ProtectionAgency administrator Scott Pruitt resigned while under several investigations. And on Nov 7, 2018, Attorney General Jeff Sessions was pushed out over Trump’s anger about theappointment of a special counsel in the Russia collusion matter. None of this was terribly unusual. Trump’sfirst-year turnover was very similar to the first-year changes in the Cabinets of RonaldReagan, George H.W.Bush, Bill Clintonand Barack Obama. (GeorgeW.Bush hadlittle change in his first term.) Trump hadmore second-year changesthan those predecessors, but still, all administrations have had significant Cabinet-level changes in nearly every year

So what about Trump now? After ayear with less turnoverthan any president in at least two generations, there’sablunt and obvious question: Are there any Cabinet members who need to go?

Don’tlook forany definitive answers here. Somewould say DHSSecretary Kristi Noem. Some would say AttorneyGeneral Pam Bondi. Others point to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and others.

Some of Trump’s supporters want to see no changes at all. Of those who would like to see the president move things around, Noem is probablythe name most mentioned. That’sespecially true after aWall

Street Journal article alleging all sorts of unhappiness withher work inside DHS, including rumors concerning her topaide, Corey Lewandowski.

Returning to Washingtonon Monday,Trump was asked about the Noem situation. This is from aWhite House pool report: “The president declined to weigh in on allegations about the nature of Secretary KristiNoem and her aide Corey Lewandowski’srelationship, or whether [Trump] wantsNoem to remain in herposition for long. He said he didn’tknow about the allegations but would ‘find out about it.’”

That’s not exactly afull-throated vote of confidence. Still, the problem for Trump in dealing with Noem is the same problem he would face withremoving any other Cabinet official. Doing so would undoubtedly give Democrats aburst of energy and make them resolve to keep up and intensify their attacks on the president and hisCabinet.Trump’sadversaries would have ascalp, and thatwould make themwant another one, and another,and so on. It’s just human nature, and it is also an iron rule of politics.

But Cabinet turnoverisalso a rule in politics. And everyone in Trump’sCabinet has already outlived anumber of predecessors who servedinTrump’sfirst administration.

Change is coming

Email ByronYork at byork@ washingtonexaminer.com.

My first reaction to Secretary of State MarcoRubio’s speech, delivered on Valentine’s Day,atthe Munich Security Conference, was, “Last year,President Donald Trump sent thebad cop,VicePresident JD Vance. This year,hesentthe good cop,Rubio. Progress.”InFebruary 2025, the audience at Munichtook Vance’s comments as insults. In February 2026, theaudience, as evidenced by itsstanding ovation,took Rubio’sascompliments Yet, as even journalists writing on deadline quicklydiscerned, Rubio’s words werenoless critical than Vance’sofwhat have been European elites’ cherished policies.

“Mass migration,” Rubiosaid, is “a crisiswhichistransforming anddestabilizing societies allacross theWest.” He decried a“climate cult”and “energypolicies” that “impoverished ourpeople.” He condemned policiesthat “outsourced oursovereigntyto international institutions” and“invested in massive welfare states.” Redmeat substance, suitablefor deliveryatany of the three Trump Republican National Conventions —more than have nominated anyone person,the president might remind you, except forPresident RichardNixon. But leavened, as theabove quotationssuggest, with frequent employmentofthe first-person pronouns and adjectives— “we” (69 times in thetext, by my count), “us” (11), “our” (65).

“Whatcomforted worried attendees,” wrote Michael Froman,head of theCouncilonForeign Relationsand Obama trade negotiator,“was the undertoneofthe secretary’s remarks.” Butitwasn’tjustthe undertone that hadmanyRepublicansand others start thinking of Rubio as apossible futurepresidentialcandidate, despite his recentavowals of support forVance forthe Republican nominationin2028. Andasanational leader withanintellectually serious grasp of history.Rubio began by summoning memories of the first Munich conference, in 1963, whenthe Iron Curtain ran through adividedGermanyand theBerlin Wall wasjusttwo years old.

Halfwaythrough thespeech,hewentfurtherback,to thepostwar years when “our predecessors,”faced with a“Europeinruins”and expanding Communism, “recognized that decline wasachoice, anditwas achoicethey refused to make.” An interesting way to frame thedecisionsthatproduced theTruman Doctrine andthe NATO treaty Againstthat, he describedthe post-Cold Wareuphoria that“therules-based global order” would replace nationalinterest.“Afoolishidea,” he said unemolliently, that “has cost us dearly.”ATrumpian take, followedby an implicit denunciation of opening up traderelations withChina

Rather than dwell on that critique,however,hesegued back to “centuries of shared history,Christianfaith,culture, heritage, language, ancestry,” allparts of “the common civilization to which we have fallenheir.”

This might have rankled, and perhapswas intendedto rankle,the European Unionleaders who,out of secular conviction or forfear of angering Muslim immigrants, successfully blocked mentionofEurope’s “Christian roots” in theEUcharter

As he neared his peroration,Rubio celebrated ChristopherColumbus and theEnglish, Scots-Irish, French,German, Spanishand Dutch roots of AmericansfromDavy Crockettto“the cowboy archetype born in Spain.” Rep.AlexandriaOcasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), in Munichfor herfirst security conference, ridiculed that last claim, apparentlyunaware that theAmericas hadnohorsesuntil Hernan Cortes brought sometoMexicoin1519.

More importantly, Rubio’semphasisonAmerica’sEuropean heritageisarebuke of theFranz Fanon-inspired theory, fostered on campuses fordecades andsweeping the streets in post-Oct. 7, 2023, “anti-Zionist” demonstrations,thatcolonialismwas thegreatestevil in history, andthat Europeans and Americansshould do penance fortheir complicity.

Europeans are or should be aware, from the totalitarian tides of the 20th century,that there are worse evils than colonialism —and that to exclude difficult-to-assimilate immigrants is to commit anotherHolocaust.

But rather than belabor that last point, Rubio instead made the point earlier that “it washere, in Europe, where the ideas that planted the seeds of liberty that changed the world were born.” Including “the rule of law,the universities and the scientific revolution,” plus Mozart and Beethoven, Dante and Shakespeare, Michelangelo and Leonardo, the Beatles andthe Rolling Stones.

Europe should be “proud,” aword he repeated half a dozen times, “of its heritage and its history.” Proud of a“spirit of creation and liberty that sent ships out into uncharted seas and birthed our civilization,” “with a Europe that has the means to defend itself and the will to survive.”

Among American and European elites, open expression of pride is something, well, just not done. They prefer to denounce the “systemic racism” of their fellow citizens or the “oppressive colonialism” of their forebears, to disparage the motives of “settlers” and idealize the virtues of the “indigenous.”

Butpride in one’snation andone’s civilization,properly understood,isnot awarrantfor self-satisfaction but a summons to duty,areminder that forustowhommuch hasbeen given, much is asked.InMunich, Rubio was notjustTrump’sgood cop but amature American leader towering above thecrowd. MichaelBaroneisonX,@MichaelBarone.

BY MIKE SMITH Staff writer

If you’re eating seafood at Covington restaurants, there’s a good chance your dish will be made with wildcaught, domestic shrimp, according to new testing.

A company that has been carrying out genetic testing at restaurants across the South to determine whether they are serving foreign imports instead of domestic shrimp focused its efforts on the St. Tammany Parish city recently Twenty-one of 24 restaurants, or 87%, were confirmed to be serving “authentic American wild-caught shrimp,” said the company, SeaD Consulting. Of the three serving im-

SEWAGE

Continued from page 1B

“We’re in a growth phase right now There’s a lot of positive things happening, and we have really great momentum,” Boulet said. “But we need that infrastructure modernized to be able to keep up with what’s happening.” Lafayette Utilities Systems Director Jeff Stewart told Boulet the city-owned pipes have been replaced and are in good shape. The problem lies in old clay pipes that are on private property in some of the city’s oldest — and poorest areas. With the $1 million from Bloomberg Philanthropies, the city will be able to work with residents in a privatepublic partnership to replace the old pipes. While that funding won’t address the issue entirely it’s a great start and helps

PAYMENTS

Continued from page 1B

Financials filed with regulators show the LWCC has been strong enough financially to deliver significant profits to its policyholders in recent years. From 2020 to 2024, the firm sent more than $540 million in dividends to policyholders, documents show The company had about $1.6 billion in assets that year, mostly in bonds, and had a $901 million surplus

The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, which represents thousands of Louisiana companies and has a seat on the LWCC board, declined to comment.

Landry has largely stayed out of the property insurance debate so far signing a package of bills by Temple to loosen regulations on insurer But as premiums kept rising, he pushed last year for a controversial law to allow Temple to reject rate hikes by insurers, something Temple vowed he wouldn’t use.

In his letter to LWCC, Landry said that while LWCC is not a state agency, “its ex-

BLOTTER

Continued from page 1B

rested and charged with second-degree murder, obstruction of justice and witness tampering, according to Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Office records. His bail was listed at $7,500.

The victim was identified as Allen Thomas.

Police said Thomas was found Feb. 17 at a home on Railroad Avenue suffering from a gunshot wound to the neck. He was taken to Savoy Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. The investigation remains ongoing.

Man fatally shot at Crowley apartments

A 21-year-old man was killed in a shooting early Saturday at a Crowley apartment complex, and an 18-year-old suspect has been arrested, police said.

The victim was identified as Cam’ron Scott. Javon Davis, 18, was ar-

ported, farm-raised shrimp, one openly acknowledged that its product was from Ecuador, while the other two were misleading customers, it said

One restaurant had signage indicating some of its seafood may be imported, but “staff verbally represented the shrimp as Gulf shrimp and the restaurant website claims only local Louisiana seafood is used.” The menu at the other listed Gulf shrimp, though testing revealed that was false, SeaD said in a statement.

The Covington testing, which occurred Feb. 12-13, was the latest round to occur in the New Orleans area, with mostly positive results.

In Metairie, 83% of restau-

provide a foundation to keep expanding the program, said Lafayette Consolidated Government policy advisor Yancy LeGrande. If the cracked pipes were fixed tomorrow, the city’s engineers estimate it would open development for an additional 10,000 housing units LeGrande said.

Once Lafayette was selected as one of 50 finalists over the summer, LeGrande, LCG Chief Administrative Officer Rachel Goodeaux and LCG Human Services Manager Belle LeBlanc traveled to Bogotá, Colombia, to refine the project. They met with experts and leaders from other cities. A lot of the projects, like Lafayette’s, focused on ways to address affordable housing scarcity When they returned to Lafayette with $50,000 in seed funding, it was time to test what they learned and determine how they could implement the project LCG

istence is inseparable from deliberate state action.” He said LWCC has accumulated “extraordinary financial strength” since its inception because of the Legislature’s actions.

“When families cannot insure their homes at a reasonable cost, workers relocate, employers struggle to attract and retain talent, and economic growth slows,” he said. “Housing affordability and insurance availability are now inseparable from workforce stability — and therefore LWCC’s long-term success.”

He asked LWCC to partner with the Department of Insurance and Citizens to help put more fortified roofs on homes

Fortified roofs — which use better materials and techniques and include a verification system to make sure they’re built right — have emerged as a bipartisan solution to the ongoing insurance crisis.

After a series of hurricanes in 2020 and 2021, a dozen insurers doing business here went belly up. The reinsurance market, responding to the rising threat of extreme

rested and charged with second-degree murder after surrendering to police. Davis’ bail was set at $50,000 Crowley Police Chief Troy

Hebert said the shooting occurred about 1:30 a.m. Saturday at Canan Village Apartments. Scott was found with a gunshot wound to the head and later died at Ochsner Lafayette General Hospital

Hebert said officers recovered the gun believed to have been used in the shooting.

Authorities partially ID body found in bayou

An autopsy has been completed on the body recovered Friday in Bayou Queue De Tortue near La 13 in Acadia Parish. Authorities confirmed the deceased is a female, believed to be between 20 and 50 years old. Race has not yet been determined due to the amount of time the body was in the water

“Due to the amount of time the body was in the water, officials say identifi-

rants tested were serving domestic seafood, while in New Orleans itself, the number was 87%. The West Bank performed far worse, though, with around one-third of tested restaurants selling imported shrimp, the company found.

An eight-state study released by SeaD last year found that 65% of shrimp dishes tested were inauthentic. The restaurant testing stretched from Texas to North Carolina.

SeaD has called for stronger enforcement of laws requiring labeling of imported seafood Louisiana’s struggling shrimping industry has lined up behind the testing, calling on state authorities to use the results to crack down

staff talked with residents about what it would take for them to buy into the upgrades. LUS engineers made repairs on public infrastructure to test the theory that repairing pipes would alleviate the burden on the lift stations.

“What we found is that it is proving to be successful. It’s going to be a great bang for our buck,” LeGrande said. “It would be massive cost savings for LCG going forward without adding new infrastructure that would need to be maintained and operated going forward.”

An advisory committee worked alongside Bloomberg Philanthropies to determine finalists and winners. One of the components for determining winners is whether a project can be duplicated elsewhere.

“We definitely learn from other cities,” Boulet said. “We’re excited that they can learn from us as well.”

weather because of humancaused climate change, as well as inflation, raised costs on insurers significantly

As a result, tens of thousands of homeowners in south Louisiana have faced staggering property insurance hikes, and huge numbers were forced onto the rolls of Citizens, which charges higher rates by design.

The Legislature last year also set up a tax credit program for people who pay for a fortified roof on their own dime, and established a system where $30 million a year flows to the grant program from revenue generated by the Insurance Department. Still, some housing advocates and lawmakers have called for more action, including more funding for roofs.

Aside from fortified roofs, Temple has ushered in a series of policies that loosened rules on insurers, making it easier to raise rates and drop policyholders. Rates are still rising but not by the double-digit amounts seen in previous years, in part because the reinsurance industry saw a flood of capital that is driving down costs of protection.

cation is difficult,” the Sheriff’s Office said. Officials also noted they are being cautious with descriptions out of respect for the deceased. The Sheriff’s Office also clarified that this is not a case of skeletal remains; however, wildlife in the bayou caused significant damage to the body Authorities said additional information will be released as it becomes available. Anyone with information about a missing person in the area is urged to contact the Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office dispatch center at (337) 788-8772 or Crime Stoppers at (337) 789-8477.

on the practice of mislabeling seafood.

In Louisiana, the state Health Department is responsible for compliance with labeling laws at restaurants. The department did not respond to a request for comment.

SeaD spokesperson Glenda Beasley said the company planned to meet with Health Department representatives at Wednesday’s meeting of the state’s shrimp task force. “We are happy to share all the results of the genetic testing with the Louisiana Department of Health, upon their request, for investigation and enforcement,” Andrew Blanchard, head of the task force, said in SeaD’s statement. “When local

CRAWFISH

Continued from page 1B

the Louisiana Drug Company before retiring at age 50. He later worked for an insurance company, retiring again at 65.

Known for his talent and flair for cooking, Chachere earned a reputation around Acadiana as the “Ole Master” of Cajun cuisine. In 1972, he published the “Cajun Country Cookbook,” which includ-

CHILD

Continued from page 1B

states to comply with dozens of metrics to get money for child welfare and foster care, those in the pilot program will report monthly on a single measure: The ratio of foster homes relative to the number of foster children.

The more relaxed reporting requirements will take effect this summer, Adams said. Along with Louisiana, Missouri and Oklahoma have also signed on.

Landry said Louisiana is partnering with the Trump administration to reduce unnecessary bureaucracy

The effort goes hand-inhand “with President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump’s commitment to improving the outcomes for children and youth in or at risk of entering foster care,” Landry said.

The president signed an executive order in November aimed at improving foster care across the country, increasing collaboration between state agencies and private-sector and nonprofit groups, and growing partnerships with faith-based organizations.

“If we are going to increase the number of homes per children, the faith-based partnerships are going to be so important Louisiana’s been a leader in that,” Adams said Tuesday

The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services serves 4,328 children in foster care, and there are 2,073 certified foster homes, a ratio of 48 homes to ev-

shrimp is so abundant, transparency remains critical for maintaining consumer trust and supporting Louisiana fishermen.”

rant and Oyster Bar

n Copeland’s of New Orleans n Del Porto Ristorante

n DiCristina’s

SeaD does not reveal the restaurants that failed the test to avoid letting restaurants that are mislabeling but not randomly selected off the hook. Fraud can also occur throughout the supply chain, so restaurants could incorrectly believe they’re selling local catch Testing revealed the below Covington restaurants were serving authentic shrimp:

n Abita Roasting Co.

n Bayou Boil N Geaux Covington

n Bergeron’s Boudin & Cajun Meats Covington n Buster’s Place Restau-

ed the recipe that became his Original Creole Seasoning and led to the creation of Tony Chachere’s Creole Foods. He retired for a third time at age 76, leaving the business to his family In March 1995, Chachere was honored as the first inductee into the Louisiana Chefs Hall of Fame. He died one week later, just shy of his 90th birthday In keeping with tradition, Barry Toups, owner of Crawfish Haven and Mrs. Rose’s Bed & Breakfast in

ery 100 children, Secretary Rebecca Harris said at the news conference Tuesday The national average is 57 homes for every 100 children, she said. The agency plans to certify 1,100 new foster homes and reactivate 200 foster homes by Dec 31, and it will work to prevent more children from entering the foster system and increase the number of children living in permanent homes, Harris said.

“We’re streamlining kinship certification, strengthening foster recruitment and retention, eliminating the unnecessary bureaucracy, improving technology and tracking all of our progress with clear measures,” she said.

Harris said working closely with local communities, reducing the red tape for foster certification, and increasing support for foster parents — including higher reimbursement rates for expenses — are part of that plan.

Harris and Landry “are certainly moving in a positive direction to help increase the homes for foster children and the support they give to foster parents, which is so vitally important,” said Luke Allen, interim CEO and COO of Methodist Children’s Home, which trains and supports a statewide network of therapeutic foster care families and works closely with Children and Family Services.

Kaplan, caught and selected the crawfish to be pardoned. Tony was transported to Tony Chachere’s Creole Foods, where he led a ceremonial procession.

Nungesser presented the official pardon and proclamation to the Chachere family After the ceremony the Louisiana Office of State Parks transported Tony to Chicot State Park in Ville Platte, where he will live out his days burrowing in the mud and swimming in the bayou.

Ensuring the agency has enough resources to provide support to foster parents and that foster parents get adequate financial reimbursement will help reduce the gaps in foster care, Allen said.

Streamlining the process of recruiting and certifying foster parents will also help close the gap, he said. New foster care initiatives

The Department of Children and Family Services expects to increase reimbursement rates for foster parents beginning in the next fiscal year, which starts July 1, Harris said in an interview Tuesday Reimbursement goes to foster parents to cover room and board, clothing and other basic necessities. Rates vary based on geographic region and medical needs, for example.

“What we’re looking at right now it would be above a $5 per day increase,” Harris said.

The agency is also launching a new program called Care Connections, effectively a reorganization of the agency’s foster care functions.

Previously, recruitment, training, licensing and matching children with families all happened in different parts of the agency All of those functions eventually will be coordinated under one umbrella.

Another new initiative, the Community Pathways Network, will bring together a variety of community supports for foster parents, including mentoring, parenting and caregiver classes, respite care, legal services and help with social services benefits, among others, Harris said.

“We owe it to the foster parents to make sure that we rally around them,” Harris said.

BY MICHAEL MAROT AP sportswriter

general manager John Spytek never uttered the name Fernando Mendoza while speaking at the NFL’s annual scouting combine Tuesday He didn’t need to.

As Spytek ran through the list of traits he needs in a franchise quarterback — humility, selflessness, a relentless student of the game, capable of setting the tone in the locker room — it seemed he was using the same words and phrases so often used to describe Mendoza by his college teammates during last season’s Heisman Trophy campaign. And for the team holding the No. 1 pick in April’s NFL draft, selecting Mendoza seems natural.

BY MATTHEW PARAS Staff writer

INDIANAPOLIS NFL executives typically like to speak in code. They’re extremely careful — some would say paranoid — not tip their hand on upcoming decisions. They will say they’re constantly evaluating all options or are open to listening. They will try to say just enough without saying anything at all.

Sometimes, there are exceptions.

“We’ll find a way to keep Breece (Hall) here if we can’t get a deal done,” New York Jets general manager Darren Mougey said Tuesday

With that, the top running back for this year’s free agent class won’t be a free agent at all, it seems.

neth Walker might be. Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider declined to say whether the team would use the franchise tag on the reigning Super Bowl MVP If Walker does become a free agent, he’d be in line to be the top name available Like Hall, Walker is young (25) and coming off a strong season in which he rushed for more than 1,000 yards.

“It’s such a hard game, your competitive spirit has to run really high,” Spytek said. “You’ve got to be willing to play through, you know tough circumstances and to me, it always goes back to the love of the game. The guys that truly love football, they love to practice, they love to prepare, they love to watch film, they love to play hurt, so I think those things are kind of uncompromising.”

Mendoza showed all of that and more in his only season at Indiana He demonstrated his moxie with an incredible last-minute throw to beat Penn State; missed only one play of the Big Ten championship game after getting

Mougey’s remarks weren’t the only comments that could affect the Saints’ free agency Across the combine Tuesday, as numerous general managers and coaches spoke, there were a number of hints and clues that could be useful when free agency begins March 9. RB ripples

Though Hall won’t be available, Ken-

Mougey confirmed the Jets will use either the franchise tag or the transition tag on Hall if a long-term deal isn’t hammered out before the league’s March 3 tag deadline. But the Jets’ decision to keep Hall creates ripple effects for running back-needy teams — including the Saints.

The Saints are thought to need another back after a lackluster campaign that saw them finish 28th in rushing. New Orleans’ problems in the run game extended well beyond just its rushers, but no back on the team even reached 500 yards. The Saints hadn’t had that happen since 1998, when Lavar Smith led with 457 yards. Throw in Alvin Kamara’s contractual uncertainty and Kendre Miller coming off of a torn ACL, and it’s easy to see why the Saints could be in the market for another runner

BY TOYLOY BROWN III Staff writer

One sound has become more common at LSU basketball home games since January

There have been some boos at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center as the season continues to spiral. In some cases, the team has been trounced from the first minute and booed within 10 minutes of the game. This occurred Jan. 6 against South Carolina, the lowest-rated team analytically in the SEC. Before losing by 10 points, the Tigers trailed 24-5 with 14:18 left in the first half. In its 14-point loss to Mississippi State the second-worst SEC team analytically — fans booed LSU going into the locker room trailing 44-21 at halftime. LSU (14-13, 2-12 SEC) sits last in the Southeastern Conference before its next game against Ole Miss (11-16, 3-11) at 8 p.m. Wednesday at The Pavilion in Oxford, Mississippi.

The Advocate spoke to four LSU basketball fans before LSU’s 90-83 loss to No. 17 Alabama on Saturday about this season and coach Matt McMahon. Three of the four fans said they’re unsatisfied with the season because of the consistent losing.

Brent Lockhart, 57, has attended games since he was a teenager and said he’s “disappointed” with the product on the floor He also said he’s perplexed by how the Tigers lose so often.

“I know we got a lot of talent,” Lockhart said. “I think McMahon’s a good coach. Not really sure what’s going on. I know we lost our best player, best two players, in our point guard (Dedan Thomas) and Jalen Reed. But it’s just you go on the road, and you lose by three. You come home, you lose by 30.

“I’m not sure what’s going on.

Just real disappointed, because I’m a huge basketball fan.” Cheryl Ard, a former LSU student who has attended men’s basketball games consistently for 39 years, is similarly puzzled.

“It’s had ups and downs,” she said. “It’s not good that we’ve had some players that have gotten hurt, and it’s affected it and it’s frustrating. Sometimes they start off great, and then they just tank. Like the last game, they were behind so many points, and then they came back and they only lost by three (against Texas).”

The only fan to express optimism about this season was LSU student Kyle Thibodeaux. The senior said he has gone to every home game during McMahon’s tenure. Thibodeaux said before the loss to Alabama that the team still has a chance to make the NCAA Tournament.

“I mean, it’s a little rough, but we’re still in the bubble,” he said

On TV MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

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Tigeris on theclock

Woodshas afew bigdecisions facing himnextmonth

LOSANGELES Tiger Woods kept everyone guessing —afavorite hobby of his —with one word and asmug grin last week at Riviera when he was asked if playing in the Masters was off the table

“No,” he replied.

Thegrin indicatedthere would be nothing to add. To borrow a phrase from Dan Hicks at NBC when Woods forced aplayoff in the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, “Expect anything different?”

He wasn’tabout to rule out playing in the Masterswith two months to go. And having not competed in more than ayear,Woods just doesn’tknow yet. Butbig decisions are looming for Woods in thenext month.

The Masters gets all the attention because ared shirt on Sunday hasbecome nearly as common as agreen jacket at AugustaNational.But there’salso that small matterofthe Ryder Cup.

heart Woods looked good last week in his role as tournament host at the GenesisInvitational.Morethan one person noticed thepurpose in his step—and howbig he looked —just walking through the locker room. He was comfortable in his news conference andinthe CBS booth with Jim Nantz and Trevor Immelman.

Goodenough to competewhile walking 72 holesatAugusta? Woods kept them guessing, too.

He said he is hittingfull shots— “Notwellevery day, but Ican hit them,” he said —and theAchilles tendon he ruptured ayear ago is no longer an issue, rather it’s the recovery from aseventh back surgery in September to replace adisk in his lower back.

Agedoesn’thelp.Heturned 50 at the end of last year and recovery takes longer

predictable options andfew surprises.

Meanwhile, the next two weeks mightoffer hints on how much progress Woods is making on the jobtakingupmostofhis bandwidth.

PGA Tour Enterprises CEO Brian Rolapp is expected to give an update, pulling back the curtain as much as he can, on the progress of thenew schedule.The committee is lookingatthe sequence of events—asplashy start and a finish that makes sense —with an eye on big markets.

Woods said the final workmight notbedoneintimefor 2027,perhaps only portions of what to expect.That wouldseem to indicate alater start to the season (Aloha, Hawaii) andmoving around some of the postseason events.

Braves, pitcher Saleagree to $27M contractfor ’27

ATLANTA— Left-hander Chris Sale andthe Atlanta Bravesagreed to a contract on Tuesday adding $27 million forthe 2027 season.

A36-year-old who wonthe 2024 NL Cy Young Awardinhis first season with Atlanta, Sale agreed to a deal that includes a$30 million team option for2028

Atlantaacquired Sale from Boston in December 2023 andheagreed to areworked$38 million,two-year contract that includedan$18 million club option for 2026. The Braves exercised theoption in November Sale is 25-8 with a2.46 ERA in 49 starts andone relief appearance with theBraves. He made theAllStar team twice, raising his total to nine

His11.1strikeoutsper nine inningsare themostamong pitchers with 1,500 or moreinnings.

NFL receives no tush push ban proposal this year

INDIANAPOLIS— NFL executive

Troy Vincent toldreporters at the scouting combine in Indianapolis that no team submitted aproposal to banthe controversialquarterback sneak before the deadline this year forclubs to propose rule changes. The league could still explore modifying therules regarding pushing and pulling players.

The Philadelphia Eagles behind the strong legs of quarterback Jalen Hurtshave masteredthe short-yardage strategy.After the Eagleswon the SuperBowl following the 2025 season, the Green Bay Packers authored arule change proposal to prohibit offensive playersfrompushing, pulling, lifting, grasping or encircling arunner, which would haveeffectivelyoutlawed the tush push.

Doug Ferguson

Woods is the top choice —the only choice at the moment —tobe captain for the 2027 matches in Ireland, just like he wasfor the last Ryder Cup before he turned it down. Officials were forced to wait longer than ever before announcingKeegan Bradley as captain at Bethpage Black. Now the PGA of America is askingWoods to decide before the Masters whether he wants the job. Twopeopleinformed of the situation describe it more as asoft

Acadiana

BY ERIC NARCISSE Staff writer

Acadiana High girls basketball

coach Korey Arnold isn’t interested in moral victories.

He understands his team is very young and inexperienced, but considering theRamshave afull regular season underneath their belt, he wasn’tthe least bit pleased with their performance Monday

Whether it was the playoff atmosphere or simply nerves,Arnold said the Rams didn’t follow the game plan offensively or defensively in their 58-52 loss to the Alexandria in the regional round of the Division Iselect playoffs.

“I don’tthink the momentwas too big for us,” Arnold said. “We played all over the state thisyear We just didn’tshow up for three quarters. We werenonchalant, played with no desperationorurgency. It’s frustrating. So,maybe themomentwas toobig for us because we didn’tdoanything we were supposed to do.” Arnold was most disappointed by thedefensive effort and inability to keep the Trojans from getting second and third shots.

“Wewere so undisciplined on defense (Monday),” Arnold said. “I would like to give ASH credit. I don’twanttotake anything away from them, but it wasn’t them. It was us.Wedidn’trotate on defense, we didn’trebound and on offense we missed some costly layups.Whenyou miss layups, it is just like aturnover.”

The Rams were led by Jayla Carmouche, Brooklyn White and Izzy Ledet, who combinedto score 42 points. Carmouche finished with agame-high 17points, four rebounds and two assists, whileWhite had14points, seven

deadline than an ultimatum. They spoke on conditionofanonymity becausethese mattersare private. TheRyder Cupcaptaincyhas become atime-consuming job, and Woods sounds as though he is busier thanever.His mostimportant role is chairman of the Future Competition Committee as it workstoward one of thebiggest andmost complicated overhauls of thePGA Tour schedule.

Woodsoffered as much when he said,“Ithought Ispent alot of hourspracticinginmyprime. It doesn’teven compare to what we’vedoneinthe boardroom.”

This is what drives him at the moment.Hewould love to be at theMasters, where in 2024 he set the record by making his 24th consecutive cut. He is aplayer at

As for theRyder Cup captaincy, it’sall about time and priorities. Woodsisdriven by the idea that as muchashehas done for the gamealready (think prizemoney), he can do even more as achief architect that reshapes themodel of golf at the highest level.

So when theRyder Cupcameup, hisfirst response was he hasn’tdecided. “I’m tryingtofigureout what we’re trying todowithour tour,” he said. “That’sbeen driving me hours uponhours every dayand trying to figure outifIcan actually do our team —Team USA and our players andeveryone that’s goingtobeinvolved in the Ryder Cup —ifIcan do it justice.”

By thetime theazaleas are bursting with blooms in early April, Woodscould be wearing yet another hat as Ryder Cup captain. Or the PGA of America will moveontoaPlan Bthat includes

The tour has been looking at moving some of the premier West Coast stops to August for better (warmer)weather and prime-time viewing.

To move Riviera to August would make sense except golf in LA doesn’thavea history of big attendanceinAugust, and title sponsor Genesis already has a PGA Tour event in July(Scottish Open).Torrey Pines? It was worth noting the strong attendance this year by officials fromWisconsinbased Sentry,currentlythe title sponsor at Kapalua.

PebbleBeach hasa massive car show that dates to 1950 and is amongthe best in theworld in themiddleofAugust. That tournamentisunlikely to movetosummer “There’sbeen alot of moving parts over the last couple years,” Woods said. He was speaking about the tour He could just as easily be talking abouthimself

girlsdon’t rise to the‘moment’

reboundsand five blocked shots. Ledet contributed11points, four rebounds and twosteals.

“Jayla is bigtime,” Arnold said. “She hit some clutchbaskets.”

The Trojans had four players score in double figures led by Kenya Russell, whofinished with a team-high 14 points and nine rebounds. Joining Russell among thetop performerswere Akeelah Lyons, who scored 12 points and grabbed six rebounds; Nyla Stewart, whohad 11 points and eight rebounds; andCassie Benoit, who endedwith10points, fivesteals, four reboundsand three assists.

“Our defensewas off balance all night,” Arnoldsaid. “Wewerebeingbeaten off the dribble.”

Whatwas impressive about the Rams’ performancewas despite their youth, they never gave up despite fallingbehind by as many as 16 points at 43-27 with 2:59 remaining in the third quarter.It wasthen that the Ramsbegan to showtheir grit, outscoring the Trojans21-8overthe next six-anda-halfminutestopull within 51-48 with 4:22 remaining in the game.

That’s as closeasthe Rams would get as the Trojans got acoupleofbig baskets near the goal to put the game away.

“Wehave done that all year,” Arnoldsaidofthe Ramsnot giving up no matterthe deficit. “Wewere just down too much.”

Although the vastmajorityof theroster is returning next season,Arnold doesn’twant to turn thepage soquicklyonthis season.

“Wewillbefine,” Arnold said “We’ll be back. But this hasto burn. We have to let this one burn.”

Email Eric Narcisse at enarcisse@theadvocate.com.

Suns forward Brooks out with fractured left hand PHOENIX Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks hadsurgery Monday to repair afractured left hand and will missatleast the next fourto-six weeks before being re-evaluated, the team said Tuesday The 30-year-old Brooks was hurt during Saturday’sgameagainst theOrlando Magic. He’saveraging acareer-high 20.9 points and 3.7 rebounds per game.

TheSuns have been one of the NBA’ssurprise teamsthisyear with a33-25 record, buthavesuffered arecent rash of injuries. Theteam’stop three leading scorers —All-Star guard Devin Booker (strained hip), Brooks and Grayson Allen (knee/ankle) —were sidelinedfor a92-77 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday

Grand jury won’t indict former NBA player Beverley

RICHMOND,Texas ATexas grand jury has declined to indict former NBAguard Patrick Beverley after he wasarrested last year on an accusation that he hadassaulted his sister Authorities in Fort Bend County, southwest of Houston, had arrested Beverley in November afterhis sistertoldinvestigators he grabbed herbythe neck,slammed heragainst awalland punchedher in theface, according to court records.

Thegrand jury on Monday declined to indict Beverley on one count of assault of afamily member. Beverleyhad been free on a $40,000 bond.

Beverleyplayedfor 12 seasons in the NBA, starting his career with the Houston Rockets.

SEC finesKentuckycoach Pope for criticizing referees

LEXINGTON, Ky Kentucky men’s basketball coach Mark Pope has been fined$25,000 by the Southeastern Conference forcomments he madeafter the Wildcats’ loss to Auburn on Saturday

The SECannounced the fine Tuesday afternoon, afew hours beforeUKwas set to takeonSouth Carolina in anotherroad game amidthe first three-game losing streak of the Pope era.

TheleaguesaidPopehad been finedand “issueda public reprimand” as aresult of his “postgame conduct and comments related to officiating” after Saturday’sgame. The league’sannouncement referenced SEC Bylaw 10.5.3, which states that “coaches,players and support personnelshall refrain from allpublic criticism of officials.”

Northside’s

Skilyn Joseph puts up a shot against North Vermilion on on Jan. 28 in Lafayette. Joseph and the Vikings defeated St. Michael 61-50 on Monday night to advance to the Division II select quarterfinals.

BRAD BOWIE

Northside finishes strong to advance past St. Michael

BY NEAL McCLELLAND

Contributing writer

There was a point early in the third quarter of Monday night’s girls regional basketball game when Northside was concerned its lead against St. Michael was slipping away A six-point halftime lead was down to two just minutes into the third quarter

“I was very concerned,” Vikings coach Erin Rogers said. “I called the timeout to settle the girls down and to get them refocused on the task at hand.”

The strategy worked. After the timeout, No 8-seeded Northside built a 10-point lead and

maintained it the rest of the way in a 61-50 win to advance past the No. 9 Warriors (18-9) to the Division II select quarterfinals.

“We game-planned for everything they did, and we were ready for them,” Rogers said.

“But I think in the end we got a little lazy and let them back in the game.”

Even the players had concerns when the visitors from Baton Rouge cut the lead to two.

“We were concerned, but I told the rest of the team we can’t worry about them,” sophomore Jamaria Senegal said. “We have to worry about us and what we can do.

“I noticed the team was getting down a little bit, so I decided to

step up and be a leader tonight.”

Rogers lauded Senegal’s play “(Senegal) really did take over the game and she had a standout effort tonight,” Rogers said.

The Vikings (17-8) will play at No. 1 Madison Prep (25-7) in the quarterfinals. The game time had not been set yet at press time.

Madison Prep routed No. 17 Booker T. Washington of Shreveport 65-13 on Monday in its regional game.

“We know that we’re going to have to face top teams, and we’re going to have to be our best in these games,” Rogers said. “But we’re going to practice and game plan and do our best and we feel we can play with anyone.”

Teurlings girls reach quarterfinals despite slow start vs. Tioga

BY MIKE COPPAGE Contributing writer

Teurlings Catholic is one home game away from reaching the girls high school basketball state tournament.

The No. 7-seeded Rebels overcame foul trouble and an 8-0 deficit to defeat No. 10 Tioga 50-44 on Monday in the Division I select regional playoffs. The Rebels get to host in the quarterfinals Thursday after No. 18 Liberty Magnet won at No. 2 Riverdale.

“I told them to be mentally tough and not to panic,” said Rebels coach Alyssa Credeur, who called a timeout after the slow start to reset her team. “We weren’t playing our game. We had to wake up and play with heart I guess that did it. It woke them up.”

Justyse George, who scored nine of 13 points in the second half, is going for a state championship in basketball and soccer She played in a marathon semifinal soccer playoff game on Saturday and overcame what she called “tired legs.”

“She’s a beast,” Credeur said “That’s steady running the whole game in soccer Justyse has been doing that all year I think she was a little hard on herself, but she played a great game. We rely on her a lot.”

The Senegal twins, Jayda and Ja’Nia, combined for 25 points despite each battling foul trouble. Jayda (seven points, seven blocked shots) dominated Tioga’s center while Ja’Nia scored eight of her game-high 18 points in the second quarter as the Rebels took

from page 1C

“We can still make it if we win out, if we beat Bama, we got it. I still believe in us.” When the fans were asked whether season-ending injuries to Reed and Thomas were the primary reasons for the team’s poor record, all acknowledged their impact.

Two said that it’s only a part of the team’s struggles.

LSU sophomore Revius Norris said the basketball team has been “tough to watch” but that injuries are a significant reason.

“I do think also it’s just kind of a momentum thing because, once players get injured, then the morale kind of drops, and

SAINTS

Continued from page 1C

Other backs who could be in this year’s free agent class include Detroit’s David Montgomery, Atlanta’s Tyler Allgeier, Denver’s J.K. Dobbins, Jacksonville’s Travis Etienne, San Francisco’s Brian Robinson and Pittsburgh’s Kenneth Gainwell. Of those, the Saints coaching staff already has history

it’s kind of hard to come back from that many injuries,” Norris said.

All four were asked whether McMahon should be fired after this season. Lockhart was the most definitive about getting a new coach.

“Ready for a change, I believe,” he said.

“I’m happy that he came when we were in dire need. Program was in shambles, but it’s probably time for a change.

I thought there was going to be a change a couple weeks ago, honestly.”

Norris said a firing should be considered.

“Four years and no tournament, that’s something you got to look into because you don’t want to go in the next season and make it five and rather be safe than sorry,” he said. “So I do think they got to look into that more.”

Ard said she’s not sure McMahon should

with Gainwell as coach Kellen Moore overlapped with the running back during the 2024 season in Philadelphia. Even without Hall, that’s a pretty good group. Interior push

The Saints’ run game likely won’t improve without addressing the interior of the offensive line. Fortunately for them, this free agent class is stacked with interior offensive linemen.

be fired. She also said she wasn’t a fan of former coach Will Wade’s departure after being fired for cause because of committing NCAA violations.

“I didn’t like that they fired Will Wade,” she said. “Year after Will Wade left here, he went to Lake Charles (at McNeese State), then their team won their division, and they went to the NCAA Tournament. And, you know we stayed at home and didn’t do (anything).”

Thibodeaux was the most supportive of McMahon, although he didn’t directly say the university should keep him after his fourth year

“I saw a lot of people hate (on) McMahon,” Thibodeaux said. “I love McMahon. He’s such a great guy It’s up in the air It all depends on the AD, and it depends on the boosters.”

Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz said that they’ve had discussions about re-signing Zion Johnson, but he acknowledged there’s a range in what the franchise is willing to pay If he does hit the market, Johnson would make a lot of sense for the Saints because he’s good in the run, durable and knows Moore’s offense after Moore served as the Los Angeles offensive coordinator in 2023. “You have to pay what you think a player is worth, or somewhere

a 32-24 lead at intermission.

“I told Jayda going in that we needed her in the paint,” Credeur said. “We needed her best game, for her to block shots and rebound, and that’s exactly what she did.”

Another pair of sisters, Ella and Cate Taylor, scored the Rebels’ first four points on free throws. Credeur switched to a 1-2-1-1 pressure defense after the sluggish start with Ella Taylor at the top.

“Ella played her best game of the year,” Credeur said. “We really lean on her defensively She has active hands and was all over the court.”

With Ja’Nia Senegal taking a break after picking up her fourth foul, the Rebels maintained the lead. The Indians (25-10) trailed 43-33 after three quarters but closed within 48-44 before missing a 3-pointer with 30 seconds left. Ja’Nia Senegal grabbed the defensive rebound and added a free throw

“My fouls made me realize I have to work hard to not get that fifth foul,” Ja’Nia Senegal said. “My team needs me.”

Marlie Juneau hit a 3-pointer in the first quarter for the Rebels, who held the Indians to 2-of-18 shooting in the third quarter

“This was a team win,” Jayda Senegal said. “We were down for a little bit. You have to be mentally tough. It became a team thing.” George credited her coach’s timeout with getting the team back on track.

“Coach gave us that talk and we snapped back,” she said. “Our bond is strong.”

MENDOZA

Continued from page 1C

injured on his first throw; and twisted his way into the end zone for the decisive score in the national championship game at Miami.

The Raiders certainly could use some of that magic after using 10 different starting quarterbacks over the past four seasons. They haven’t had a clear-cut franchise quarterback since Derek Carr was released in February 2023.

Geno Smith was supposed to fill the void after being acquired in a trade last offseason, but a 10-game losing streak sent the Raiders spiraling to a 3-14 mark, putting Smith’s future with the franchise in peril.

Now, Las Vegas is looking for a fresh start.

The Raiders fired coach Pete Carroll and replaced him with Klint Kubiak, the offensive coordinator for Super Bowl champion Seattle, and now have a chance to find the perfect pairing for running back Ashton Jeanty, last year’s first-round pick.

“I think you want to limit the amount of pressure you have on that guy from the start,” Spytek said. “I’m not necessarily in favor of running him out there right away, either. So, you know, having another quality player that can play the quarterback position could help. You have a young quarterback, you want to have a great offensive line, a run game, all the things that can like really limit his chances to have him really get killed — and a great defense, too.”

The Raiders believe the centerpiece of their defense will continue to be Pro Bowl defensive end Maxx Crosby, who has been the subject of trade speculation this offseason. Spytek said Tuesday he speaks routinely with Crosby as he rehabs at team headquarters and that he expects Crosby to be in a Vegas uniform next fall. But will he be joined by Mendoza, who led what had been the worst program in FBS history to Indiana’s first national championship in a season filled with highlights?

While Spytek said he will listen to trade offers and won’t put need ahead of value, it sure seems like Mendoza would be the perfect match for Las Vegas — right down to Mendoza’s Boston roots and his embrace of Raiders co-owner Tom Brady, who played for both the Patriots and in Florida, where Mendoza attended high school.

“I think whoever is playing quarterback for the Raiders has a unique opportunity to learn from the best,” Spytek said. “You know, Tom’s got a lot of humility to him, and just because he did it a certain way, he doesn’t have expectations that you do it that way too. But there are some things he’s uncompromising on, and I think that whoever the quarterback is for the Raiders, I think Tom is a great resource.”

near that,” Hortiz said. “We’ll see what happens with Zion, where the market goes, if he gets to the market. We’ll stay engaged with him through the process.” The Saints have a need at left guard, in particular, after trading Trevor Penning last season and with Dillon Radunz’s contract expiring.

Other notable guards whose contracts are set to expire include Buffalo’s David Andrews, Pittsburgh’s Isaac Seumalo, Cleveland’s Wyatt

Teller, Tennessee’s Kevin Zeitler, the Jets’ Alijah Vera-Tucker and possibly Cleveland’s Joel Bitonio if he elects to continue his playing career What’s the going rate for a top guard these days? They aren’t cheap. Seven guards make more than $20 million per year and 15 make at least $16 million. But for the Saints, it could be a worthy investment. Email Matthew Paras at matt. paras@theadvocate.com

PREP REPORT

Ascension Episcopal boys focused on first state title

After beating reigning champs, Blue Gators to face Northlake Christian in final

BY ERIC NARCISSE Staff writer

For the second consecutive season, the Ascension Episcopal Blue Gators boys soccer season will end in Hammond. And it doesn’t come as a total surprise to Blue Gators coach Munir Poca.

“We knew we had the potential,” Poca said of preseason expectations. “We knew that we would have to play hard and stay on top of our game if we wanted to reach the finals again. I’m just glad we were able to do so.”

One year after reaching the title game for the first time in school history and a 3-1 loss to Newman, the Blue Gators were able to avenge that loss this season. Although it wasn’t for a state championship, beating Newman 2-1 in the state semifinals is what punched the Blue Gators’ ticket back to the title game.

“It feels great to be back in the finals,” Poca said. “We had to work hard, very hard this season. We had a lot of ups and downs during the regular season. But we are just happy we were able to pull it off when playoffs came.”

The Blue Gators will look to capture their first state championship at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday when they face No. 2-seeded Northlake Christian at Strawberry Stadium on the Southeastern campus. Ascension is 13-8 overall and has won five consecutive matches.

“I know that Northlake Christian is a very physical team,” Poca said. “They are a team that fights the whole game. They have some very physical players, so we are expecting a team that is going to give it all on the field. They aren’t going to give up at any point in the game. It’s going to be some good soccer and a really good battle on Wednesday.”

STAFF PHOTO By BRAD KEMP

Ascension Episcopal’s Lane Girouard, left and the Blue Gators will take on Northlake Christian on Wednesday in the Division IV state championship game in Hammond.

The Wolverines (19-4-3) haven’t lost in their past 14 matches, although they have tied twice. The Wolverines, whose last loss came Dec. 29 against Fontainebleau 2-0, have been stout in the playoffs, where they’ve outscored opponents 13-3.

But the Wolverines are going to have their hands full against the Blue Gators, who have been firing on all cylinders in the playoffs Defensively, the Blue Gators have been equally stout as they’ve held their three postseason opponents to three goals.

“Defensively, we work on being locked in on those long balls and on the one-versus-one challenges,” Poca said. “But the main part is that our team understands we don’t defend with our backline only It’s a job for all 11 players.

Once all 11 players understood that it is their responsibility as a team to defend, we just became more solid defensively.”

And with their defense playing as well as they’ve been playing, combined with the offensive explosion in the playoffs, it’s no surprise the Blue Gators have looked like a team on a mission.

In their four playoff games, the Blue Gators have scored 22 goals, including eight against St. Frederick in the first round and eight

against Lycee Francais de la Nouvelle Orleans in the quarterfinals.

“We talked to the players, and in high school, you want to win every game possible, but for us it was important to peak at the right time,” Poca said. “We believe as a staff and as a team that we are doing that right now We’re peaking towards the end where everything is just clicking.”

Leading the offensive charge for the Blue Gators have been JP Rholdon and Hayes Trotter, who each scored a goal in the win over Newman.

“I would say that JP and Trotter are leading us in the playoffs, and also Lane (Girouard),” Poca said.

“But we also have the guys that have been feeding them. So, in the end, it has been collective work.”

For Poca, the Blue Gators staying even keeled throughout the match is going to be key

“We have to keep our head up in the good moments of the game and the bad moments,” Poca said.

“We have to play as a unit and as a team. Just keep supporting your teammates because when you have all the players on the field supporting each other, the ship goes in the same direction, and usually you come off strong in those games.”

Email Eric Narcisse at enarcisse@theadvocate.com.

Carencro 6,

SCOREBOARD

6-3. Pablo Carreno Busta, Spain, def. Denis Shapovalov, Canada, 6-2, 6-4. Jenson Brooksby, United States, def. Zizou Bergs, Belgium, 6-3, 6-4. Alexander Bublik (2), Kazakhstan, def. JanLennard Struff, Germany, 6-3, 6-4. Arthur Rinderknech, France, def. Fabian Marozsan, Hungary, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. Karen Khachanov (7), Russia, def. Alexander Shevchenko, Russia, 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-3. Tallon Griekspoor, Netherlands, def. Otto Virtanen, Finland, 6-3, 6-4. Jiri Lehecka (8), Czechia, def. Luca Nardi, Italy, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2. Ugo Humbert, France, def. Stefanos Tsitsipas, Greece, 6-4, 7-5. Alexei Popyrin, Australia, def. Kamil Majchrzak, Poland, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5.

Jakub Mensik (6), Czechia, def. Hubert Hurkacz, Poland, 6-4, 7-6 (7). Andrey Rublev (5), Russia, def. Valentin Royer, France, 6-3, 6-4. Men’s Doubles Round of 16 Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori (4), Italy, def. N. Sriram Balaji, India, and Neil Oberleitner, Austria, 5-7, 7-6 (8), 10-5. Harri Heliovaara, Finland, and Henry Patten (3), Britain, def. Yuki Bhambri, India, and Andre Goransson, Sweden, 6-1, 6-4. WTA World Tour Merida Open Akron Results

Tuesday At Yucatan Country Club, Merida, Mexico Purse: $1,206,446 Surface: Hardcourt outdoor Women’s Singles Round of 32 Camila Osorio, Colombia, def. Janice Tjen (6), Indonesia, 6-4, 6-3. Women’s Doubles Round of 16 Sabrina Santamaria, United States, and Anastasia Detiuc, Czechia, def. Nicole Melichar-Martinez, United States, and Irina Khromacheva (1), Russia, 1-6, 6-4, 10-8. WTA ATX Open Results

Tuesday At Westwood Country Club, Austin, Texas Purse: $283,347 Surface: Hardcourt outdoor Women’s Singles Round of 32 Iva Jovic (2), United States, def. Anna Blinkova, Russia,

Don’t skimp on flavor for Lenten season

Staff report

Fried seafood and the T Bird Sandwich

n Chimes East, 10870 Coursey Blvd. No. 4019, Baton Rouge

For a laid-back Valentine’s Day lunch, my husband and I chose Chimes East for some Baton Rouge comfort food

To start, I ordered my favorite soup, shrimp and corn served with a buttery baguette, and my husband ordered fried alligator for his appetizer The shrimp and corn soup was exactly what I craved, quality every time. The fried alligator was crispy and flavorful with just enough seasoning.

The Chimes menu can be overwhelming because there’s so much to choose from, but we settled on a combination fried seafood platter with catfish and shrimp and a T Bird Sandwich. The fried catfish was crunchy on the outside but tender on the inside. The shrimp were huge and delicious. Chimes’ hush puppies are sweet and savory with cornmeal and a dash of bell pepper The side salad with pepper jelly vinaigrette nearly stole the show for me, by the way My T Bird Sandwich hit the spot. Blackened chicken avocado, bacon and Swiss cheese on a cracked whole wheat bun checked the boxes for a cozy meal on the day of love. I got french fries, but next time, I’ll have to get that unbelievable simple salad for my side.

Joy Holden, features reporter

Quesabirria

n La Carreta, 400 Jefferson St., Lafayette

A simple meal of corn tortillas, richly stewed birria meat consomme and cheese is underthe-radar comfort food. Dipping each taco in the savory broth, with onion and cilantro providing a sharp counterbalance to the cheese and meat, creates a meal that requires a lot of napkins but you won’t be worrying about that.

Quesabirria has enjoyed a wave of popularity recently throughout the United States’ Mexican culinary scene, and La Carreta has a great version in a downtown spot perfect for people watching.

— Joanna Brown, staff writer

A fresh boil

n Crawfish on the Geaux, Acadian Perkins Plaza Shopping Center parking lot, 3655 Perkins Road

It’s tiiiiime. Crawfish

WORKING HAND IN HAND

Fish fry marks over 30 years of service for this parish community in north Lafayette

BY JOANNA BROWN Staff writer

On the first Friday of Lent, the men and women of the Knights of Peter Claver Council 166 were up to their elbows in fried fish and seafood jambalaya.

The volunteers, all members of the largest Black Catholic lay organization in the United States, gathered at St. Anthony Parish Hall on Friday to prep and serve around 750 plates to members of the surrounding community, anchored by St. Anthony Catholic Church at 600 Madeline Ave., Lafayette.

The fish fry had the air of a neighborhood party, with old friends cooking comfortably together while visiting with neighbors at the start of the Lenten season. The Knights of Peter Claver function similarly to the Knights of Columbus as Catholic fraternal service organizations, and during Lent, both societies express their service publicly through the parable of the loaves and fishes: creating

Metropolitan

its

total in a nontruncated season since the

Lincoln

in 1966.

A catfish and jambalaya plate is assembled at the Knights of Peter

enough, and serving all, through a simple meal of fish and fixings.

“It’s a meal that brings the community together,” said Council 166 Deputy Grand Knight and longtime St. Anthony parishioner Glenn Lazard. “We look forward to it every year, and being one of the first out of the gate, it’s added emphasis on the beginning of the season of Lent, which is a time of reflection and to show appreciation and gratitude.”

Lazard retired in 2023 as Lafayette city councilman for District 5, and he was joined at the fish fry by District 1 councilman Elroy Broussard, along with cooks Joseph Davis, Terry Dugas, Russell Williams, John Chevalier and others preparing the meal of fried fish, seafood jambalaya, potato salad, peas and a roll for $12.

Lazard was secretive about the seasoning on the flaky, melt-inyour-mouth fish, but said that the seafood jambalaya included crawfish, fish and shrimp in frozen, dried and powdered forms — “and we spice it up and dress it up,” he said. “We do everything from scratch. Nobody else does what we do. Always imitated, but never duplicated.”

The Knights of Peter Claver and Ladies Auxiliary were formed in 1909 in Mobile, Alabama, and the organization is now headquartered in New Orleans. The founders were Josephites, a religious order

ä See FISH FRY, page 6C

PHOTOSByLESLIEWESTBROOK

STAFF

Russell Williams pours out abasket of freshly fried catfish during the Knights of Peter Claver Lenten fish fryplate lunch sale FridayatSt. AnthonyParishHall in Lafayette.

FISH FRY

Continued from page5C

created in 1893 out of the push for Catholics to serve newly-emancipatedBlack communities.

In 2018, the Knights of Peter Claver founded their first collegiate unit at Xavier University of Louisiana, the only Catholic historically Black universityinthe U.S. Last week, the organization honored the life of civil rights leader and longtime Xavier president Norman Francis, who was from Lafayette and died in New Orleans on Feb 18 at the age of 94.

On Friday,Lazardemphasized that the fish fry is only asmall piece of the service work that the Knights of Peter Claver and Ladies Auxiliary perform all year round.

BEST

Continued from page5C

This year,Istarted with Crawfish on the Geaux on the first Friday of the Lenten season. Ishared 10 pounds of crawfishwith a mix of both potatoes (four to five per order) and corn (three per order) among three people —ifyou’re hungry,add afew more pounds!

I’m alittle picky about my crawfish, but this is by far my favorite year in and year out. The crawfish is perfectly boiled and has just enough spice to have alingering kick after each bite. The flavors of the potatoes and corn are juicy yet not overwhelming.

As the season continues, crawfish will likelyget bigger and better statewide Toptip: make sure to get to

OPERA

Continued from page5C

and Verdi’s“Aida.”

“It makes more sense for us, and this is an experiment —to present these works in extended runs,” Met general manager Peter Gelb said. “And by double-casting them, it also is more economic in terms of how many different showsare playing in one week.” Ticket sales of 72% this season are up from 70%in the first half of 2024-25.

“Basically,it’sback to prepandemic levels,” Gelbsaid “We’re not grossing as much money because the average price per ticket is slightly less than it was, because we have ayounger audience and more discounted tickets.” Mason Bates’ “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier &Clay,” which opened the current season in its world premiere, sold 84% of tickets in asuccessrate that prompted the Met to schedule an extra four performances this month.

“One of my goals at the Met istostimulate new audiences with new works,” Gelb said. “This one was one of the most successful we’ve presented so far.”

“Kavalier” was followed by an English-language holiday time staging of Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” (83%),

Displeased customersseekname

Am Iinthe wrong?

Dear Miss Manners: Iwork in afast-food restaurant, in which we only go by our first names. Often,when customers decide that Iamthe cause of whatever is not going their way, they ask me for my name. My first nameisclearly spelled out on my nametag, but I always say it for them anyway,asitisdifficult to pronounce. It is an unusual name, and no one else in the store has it. However,they also often ask for my last name, which Idecline to give them. Idon’tfeel that it is any of their business. I just politely tell them that Idon’tgive out my last name. Often,they takethis as rudeness on my part.

He said, “we do just about everythinginsupport of the church.Wefeed thehungry, not just the Knights, but thechurchasa whole.We basically adoptedthe Irene Street housing complex, which is primarilycomposed of elderly and handicapped residents, and on a quarterly basis,weprepare meals forthemand deliver them to their homes.”

Gloria McZeal, left, and Caroline St.Julien bagup fried fish lunches during the sale.

Food is love during every season —but during Lent, that urge to share meals and cook forone anothertakes on adeeper,more profound meaning that couldbetasted in everypiece of fishflying outofthe kitchenatthe St Anthony Parish Hall.

Email Joanna Brown at joanna.brown@ theadvocate.com.

Crawfish on the Geauxearly on Fridays, around 3or 3:30, to grab afew pounds

Bellini’s“IPuritani”(82%), Puccini’s“Turandot” (77%) Puccini’s“Madama Butterfly” (74%),“The Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess” (73%), and Donizetti’s“La Fille du Régiment,” Bizet’s“Carmen,” Bellini’s“La Sonnambula” and“Bohème” (68% each). Lagging were Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” and Strauss’ “Arabella” (64% each) and Giordano’s“Andrea Chenier” (57%). Next season opens onSept. 22 with anew production of Verdi’s“Macbeth” starring soprano Lise Davidsen and directed by Louisa Proske. Composer Missy Mazzoli’s“Lincolninthe Bardo,” based on George Saunders’ novel, has its world premiere on Oct. 19 and stars Christine Goerke, Stephanie Blythe,Anthony Roth Costanzo and Peter Mattei in astaging directed by Lileana Blain-Cruz. There are three new-to-the Metproductions: Janácek’s “Jenufa” starring Asmik GrigorianinaClaus Guth staging that debuted at London’sRoyal Opera in 2021 (Nov.16); Puccini’s“La Fanciulladel West”withSondra Radvanovsky and SeokJong Baek in aRichard Jones staging that premieredatthe EnglishNational Opera in 2014 (Dec. 31); and the company premiere of Kevin Puts’ “Silent Night” featuring Elza van den Heever and Rolando Villazon inaJames Robinson staging first seen at the Hous-

before they sell out.

—Margaret DeLaney, healthsection

coordinator

ton GrandOperalast month (March8,2027)

Agala with more than two dozen stars is scheduled for May 25, 2027, to markthe company’s60th season at Lincoln Center

“We’re in akind of golden ageofopera singing,” Gelb said. “The only difference between today and 30 or 40 years agoisthat30or40 yearsago operawas much more in thecultural mainstream ”

“Lincoln” was notincluded amongthe eight simulcasts to movetheaters due to apostpandemic drop in audience.

“A title that is unknown, even with whatever maximum effortsofmarketing and publicity that aredone, will underperformtoadegree where it is not really financially viable for themovie theaters or for us,”Gelb said.

ASimon McBurney staging of Mussorgsky’s “Khovanshchina”was postponed as part of budget tightening thatincluded22 layoffs and 4-15% temporary salary cuts.

“Unfortunately, Ihave to wear twohats,”Gelbsaid. “I have to wear my artistic hat, and Ihave to wear my financial hat.”

Next season will be Gelb’s 20th anniversary season as generalmanager, and he saysheintends to retire when his current contract expires in 2030.

“That certainly is our current plan,” Gelb said.

By The Associated Press

Gentle reader: The reason stores use first names —or first names and last initials —onname tags is to balance tworeasonable, but competing, requirements. Acustomer is entitled to lodge alegitimate complaint through normal channels about inadequate performance by asalesperson. So the tag has to give enough information to uniquely identifythe alleged offender But the salesperson also has to be protected against illegitimate complaints or unwarranted approaches outside of normal channels. This is whyname tags do not include afull name, which could be used to look

TODAYINHISTORY

Today is Wednesday,Feb 25, the 56th day of 2026. There are 309 days left in theyear

Todayinhistory: On Feb.25, 1964, Muhammad Ali (then Cassius Clay) became world heavyweight boxing champion for thefirst time as he defeated Sonny Liston in Miami Beach

Also on this date:

In 1870, Republican Hiram R. Revels, of Mississippi, was sworn in as aU.S. senator,becoming thefirst African American member of either house of Congress.

In 1913, the 16thAmendment to the U.S. Constitution, giving Congress the power to levy and collect incometaxes, was declared in effect by Secretary of State Philander Chase Knox.

In 1986, President Ferdinand Marcos fled the Philippines after 20 years

of rule in the wake of a tainted election; opposition leader Corazon Aquino the first womantolead the country —assumed the presidency

In 1991, during the Persian Gulf War, 28 American soldiers werekilled when an Iraqi Scud missile hit aU.S. barracks in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.

In 1994, American-born Jewish settler Baruch Goldstein opened fire with an automatic rifle inside the Tomb of the Patriarchs in the West Bank during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, killing 29 Muslimsbefore he wasbeaten to death by worshippers.

In 1997, ajury in Media, Pennsylvania, convicted chemical fortune heir John E. du Pont of third-degree murder,deciding he was mentally ill when he shot and killed world-class wrestler David Schultz. (DuPont died in prison in December 2010 while

up and harass the salesperson away from the store. From your letter’scalm tone, Miss Manners likes to think that it is the complainant whoisbeing unreasonable. But she nevertheless suggests you give this answer: “I am sorry that you are dissatisfied, but you do not need my last nametoidentifymeto management. If you want to lodge aformal complaint against me, just give my first nameand the time of my shift. Iassure you that they will know how to find me.” This response appeals to Miss Manners both forits politeness and because it calls out the customer’sattempt to intimidate.

Sendquestions to Miss Manners at herwebsite, www.missmanners.com.

serving a13- to 30-year sentence; he was72.) In 2024, the U.S. and Britain struck 18 Houthi targets in Yemen,answering arecent surge in attacks by the Iran-backed militia group on ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, including amissile strike that set fire to acargo vessel.

Today’sbirthdays: Former talk show host Sally Jessy Raphael is 91. Actor Tom Courtenay is 89. Film director NeilJordan is 76. Rock musician-actor John Doe (punk band X) is 73. Comedian Carrot Topis 61. Actor TeaLeoni is 60. Actor Sean Astin is 55. Singer Daniel Powter is 55. Comedian-actor Chelsea Handler is 51. Actor Rashida Jones is 50. FBI Director KashPatel is 46. Actor Jameela Jamil is 40. Golfer Hideki Matsuyamais34. Actor Isabelle Fuhrman is 29. Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nixis26.

warm bath,orenjoy aconvenientrefreshingshower whileseatedorstanding with Safe Step Walk-InTub’s FREE ShowerPackage! ✓ Firstwalk-in tubavailable with acustomizableshower

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✓ High-quality tubcomplete with acomprehensive lifetime warranty on theentiretub

✓ Top-of-the-lineinstallation andservice,all included at one

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Take care of domestic, legal, financial or medical issues. It's time to shed the past and to embrace personal growth and the life you desire. Get moving!

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Keep your thoughts and feelings to yourself. Conversations will escalate quickly if you discuss a touchy situation. Bide your time, and the tide will turn.

tAuRuS (April 20-May 20) Put your money and possessions in a safe place, and keep your secrets to yourself. Focus your attention on learning something new, gathering information and verifying facts.

GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Let common sense guide you. Refuse to let your emotions spin out of control and cause you to act in haste. The best way to deal with whatever is going on around you is to take a time-out.

CAnCER (June 21-July 22) Be sure to go over every detail carefully. Dealing with institutions and government agencies will command attention. Be a good listener, and you'll gain an unexpected edge.

LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) Gather information and use what you discover to make a difference. How you engage with others will set the tone for what's to come. Keep life simple and live within your means.

VIRGo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Look out for your best interests. Your success will not please your competitors, but you can win the support you need to move

forward without negativity or opposition. LIBRA (Sept. 23-oct. 23) Be careful when sharing information. Someone will twist your words if it helps them get ahead. You are best off representing yourself in situations that can affect your reputation.

SCoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Don't let the little annoyances get to you. Selfimprovement will serve you better than will trying to change others. A positive attitude will help you gain respect and loyalty.

SAGIttARIuS (nov. 23-Dec. 21) Don't share personal information. Stick close to home, and you'll save money and avoid people who annoy you. Keep your emotions in check and say no to temptation.

CAPRICoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Fend for yourself. Back away from anyone who tries to dictate what you can or can't do. You are overdue for a change, and it's up to you to enforce what's in your best interest.

AQuARIuS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) It's time to further your agenda. Don't ignore an opportunity that appears unexpectedly. If you want something, it's up to you to make the first move. High energy and a positive attitude will help you excel.

The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2026 by NEA, Inc., dist. By Andrews

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

In “The Merchant of Venice,”William Shakespeare wrote, “At thelength, the truthwill out.”

Whenever you playbridge, dwell at length on your long suitsbecause, in truth, they will usually generate extra tricks. Someplayers are too wedded to high-card pointsand forget to add value foralong suit

WhenIwatchedthisdealbeingplayed, Iliked South’sone-no-trumpresponse. His hand wassosoft, with defensive, not offensive, values. (He thought about passing, but no one would do that today.)

Then North surprised me by raising to two no-trump. Yes,hehad only17highcardpoints,butheshouldhaveaddedtwo pointsforhissix-cardsuitandjumpedto three no-trump.

True,ifWesthad been psychic and led adiamond, thecontract wouldprobablyhave gone down two. Butheunderstandably chose aspade, selecting the 10, showing zero or two higher honors by partnership agreement Southwon with his queen and played a club to dummy’s queen East shouldhave ducked this, which would have perhaps tempted South into an indiscretion. (Hemighthave, for example, playeda heart to hisqueen. Then West could have won and returned to aheart.)

However,East wonthe trick and shifted to alow heart. West wonwithhis ace and returned aheart. In the fullness of time, declarer took nine tricks. It would have been much better play forSouthtohaveledhisclubjackattrick two, so he couldhave stayed in hishand to repeat the club finesse if it were winning (or, here, East ducked). ©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:

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 ConnIVES: kuh-NIVES: Conspires

Average mark21words

Time limit 35 minutes

Can you find 32 or morewords in CONNIVES?

yEStERDAy’S WoRD —WAtCHFuL

BRIEFS

U.S. stocks rise after reminder of AI’s upsides

NEWYORK U.S. stocks rose Tuesday after getting a reminder that the artificial-intelligence boom may also have an upside.

The S&P 500 climbed 0.8% and recovered nearly three-quarters of its sharp drop from the day before. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 370 points, or 0.8%, and the Nasdaq composite gained 1%.

Advanced Micro Devices helped lead the market and rallied 8.8% after announcing a multiyear deal where it will supply chips to Meta Platforms to help power its AI ambitions. Under the agreement, Meta also got the right to buy up to 160 million shares of AMD stock for 1 cent each, depending in part on how many chips Meta ultimately buys It’s a reminder of the excitement that built in recent years about the billions of dollars pouring into AI, which could remake the world and create a more productive economy It also helped produce a sharp turnaround from the prior day, when worries about the potential downsides of AI shook Wall Street, particularly companies and industries that investors fear could be made obsolete. Industries as far flung as software, trucking logistics and financial services have recently seen investors suddenly and aggressively punish them for potentially being under threat.

IBM rose 2.7% to recover some of its 13.1% drop from Monday, which was its worst since 2000.

The pain has also filtered out to the private-equity industry, with fears building that loans it made to software companies dependent on recurring revenue may have less of a chance of getting repaid. Blue Owl Capital rose 2.8% to trim its loss for the young year so far to 28.2%.

Warner Bros. gets new offer from Paramount

NEW YORK Warner Bros. Discovery says it’s reviewing a new takeover offer from Paramount, but it continues to recommend a competing proposal from Netflix to its shareholders in the meantime

Warner disclosed Tuesday that it had received a revised offer from Paramount after a sevenday window to renew talks with the Skydance-owned company elapsed Monday Paramount confirmed it had submitted this proposal, but neither provided further details on the bid. The company was widely expected to have raised its offer

A Warner Bros. Discovery buyout would reshape Hollywood and the wider media landscape — bringing HBO Max, cult-favorite titles like “Harry Potter” and, depending on who wins the Netflix v. Paramount tug-of-war, potentially even CNN under a new roof. Consumer confidence improves modestly

WASHINGTON The American consumer’s confidence in the U.S. economy improved slightly in February after cratering a month earlier

The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index rose to 91.2 in February from an upwardly revised 89 last month.

A measure of Americans’ short-term expectations for their income, business conditions and the job market rose four points to 72, remaining well below 80, the marker that can signal a recession ahead. It’s the 13th consecutive month that reading has come in under 80. The measure of consumers’ assessments of their current economic situation fell by 1.8 points to 120. Respondents’ references to prices and inflation were little changed but remain elevated Mentions of trade and politics increased, while references to labor market conditions eased as perceptions of the job market improved modestly this month.

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.

THEADVOCATE.COM/news/business

FedEx joins call for Trump tariffs refund

After Supreme Court ruling, over 1,000 companies file lawsuits

BY MICHELLE CHAPMAN Associated Press

FedEx is suing the U.S. government, the latest company to request a refund on what it paid for tariffs set by President Donald Trump last year after the Supreme Court ruled that the tariffs are illegal.

More than 1,000 companies have filed suit in the U.S. Court of International Trade in efforts to recoup costs from the illegal tariffs, including large U.S. corporations like Costco and Revlon. Most of the lawsuits were already in process ahead of the Supreme Court decision Friday

FedEx said in a filing with the U.S. Court of International Trade that they have “suffered injury” from having to pay the tariffs and that the relief they’re seeking from the court would redress those injuries.

Tim Meyer, a law professor at Duke University, said each case is likely to have to be tried individually “We’re going to have to wait

and see how the government decides to handle the refund claims,” he said. “And then if the government chooses not to set up a process for the refunds, ultimately the Court of International Trade is going to have to adjudicate over a thousand cases.”

The National Retail Federation said in a statement on Friday that the Supreme Court’s ruling provided certainty for U.S. businesses and manufacturers.

“We urge the lower court to ensure a seamless process to refund the tariffs to U.S. importers,” it said. “The refunds will serve as an economic boost and allow companies to reinvest in their operations, their employees and their customers.”

The Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump’s far-reaching global tariffs on Friday Trump said he was “absolutely ashamed” of some justices who ruled 6-3 against him, calling them “disloyal to our Constitution” and “lapdogs.”

At one point he even raised the specter of foreign influence without citing any evidence. The court’s ruling found tariffs that Trump imposed under an emergency powers law were unconstitutional, including the sweeping “reciprocal” tariffs he levied on nearly every other country

The Treasury had collected more than $133 billion from the import taxes the president has imposed under the emergency powers law as of December, according to federal data. The impact over the next decade has been estimated at $3 trillion. A study by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York found U.S. businesses and consumers are paying nearly 90% of the tariffs that Trump has imposed. Trump has vowed to collect tariffs through other means. He reached for a stopgap option immediately after his defeat Friday at the Supreme Court: Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 allows the president to impose tariffs of up to 15% for up to 150 days. But any extension beyond 150 days must be approved by a Congress likely to balk at passing a tax increase as November’s midterm elections loom.

Hegseth warns Anthropic to expand tech access

BY MATT O’BRIEN, KONSTANTIN TOROPIN and DAVID KLEPPER Associated Press

WASHINGTON Defense Secretary Pete

Hegseth gave Anthropic’s CEO a Friday deadline to open the company’s artificial intelligence technology for unrestricted military use or risk losing its government contract, according to a person familiar with their meeting Tuesday Anthropic makes the chatbot Claude and is the last of its peers to not supply its technology to a new U.S. military internal network.

CEO Dario Amodei repeatedly has made clear his ethical concerns about unchecked government use of AI, including the dangers of fully autonomous armed drones and of AI-assisted mass surveillance that could track dissent. Defense officials warned they could designate Anthropic a supply chain risk or use the Defense Production Act to essentially give the military more authority to use its products even if it doesn’t approve of how they are used, according to the person familiar with the meeting and a senior Pentagon official, who both were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity

The development, which was reported earlier by Axios, underscores the debate over AI’s role in national security and concerns about how the technology could be used in high-stakes situations involving lethal force, sensitive information or government surveillance. It also comes as Hegseth has vowed to root out what he calls a “woke culture” in the armed forces.

“A powerful AI looking across billions of conversations from millions of people could gauge public sentiment, detect pockets of disloyalty forming, and stamp them out before they grow,” Amodei wrote in an essay last month.

The person familiar called the tone of the meeting cordial but said Amodei didn’t budge on two areas he has established as lines Anthropic won’t cross fully autonomous military targeting operations and domestic surveillance of U.S. citizens.

The Pentagon objects to Anthropic’s ethical restrictions because military operations need tools that don’t come with built-in limitations, the senior Pentagon official said. The official argued that the Pentagon has only issued lawful orders and stressed that using Anthropic’s tools legally would be the military’s responsibility

BY MICHELLE CHAPMAN AP business writer

Facebook owner Meta Platforms will buy artificial intelligence chips from Advanced Micro Devices in a deal that will also give it the opportunity to buy up to a 10% stake of the chip company. News of the AMD deal comes just days after Meta announced a long-term partnership where it will use millions of chips and other equipment from Nvidia for its artificial intelligence data centers.

Meta will buy AMD’s latest chips, the MI450, to help power data centers. The 6-gigawatt agreement will see shipments supporting the first gigawatt deployment set to start during the second half of this year The agreement could potentially be worth more than $100 billion.

that’s widely viewed as the biggest tectonic shift in technology since Apple co-founder Steve Jobs unveiled the first iPhone. Nvidia carved out an early lead in tailoring its chipsets known as graphics processing units from use in powering video games to helping to train powerful AI systems, like the technology behind ChatGPT and image generators. Demand skyrocketed as more people began using AI chatbots. Tech companies scrambled for more chips to build and run them. While the appetite for AI chips is still large, there are some concerns about how much companies like Meta are spending on AI and whether they can make back their huge investments through higher profits and productivity in the future.

from rivals such as Google and OpenAI, maker of ChatGPT In June, the company made a $14.3 billion investment in AI data company Scale and recruited its CEO Alexandr Wang to help lead a team developing “superintelligence” at the tech giant And in December Meta bought artificial intelligence startup Manus, as the owner of Instagram continues an aggressive push to amp up AI offerings across its platforms.

AMD issued Meta a performance-based warrant for up to 160 million shares of its common stock at $0.01 a piece, structured to vest as long as certain milestones are achieved.

The first tranche vests with the initial 1 gigawatt of shipments, with additional tranches vesting as Meta’s purchases scale to 6 gigawatts.

The Pentagon announced last summer that it was awarding defense contracts to four AI companies — Anthropic, Google, OpenAI and Elon Musk’s xAI. Each contract is worth up to $200 million.

Anthropic was the first AI company to get approved for classified military networks, where it works with partners like Palantir The other three companies, for now, are only operating in unclassified environments.

By early this year, Hegseth was highlighting only two of them: xAI and Google. He said in a January speech at Musk’s space flight company, SpaceX, in South Texas that he was shrugging off any AI models “that won’t allow you to fight wars.”

Hegseth said his vision for military AI systems means that they operate “without ideological constraints that limit lawful military applications,” before adding that the Pentagon’s “AI will not be woke.”

AMD is looking to keep pace with Nvidia in the AI craze

Shares of AMD jumped more than 9% before the market open Tuesday Meta to buy AI chips from AMD in a deal worth up to $100 billion

For Meta, the company has been pushing to revive its commercial AI efforts as the company faces tough competition

The defense secretary said Musk’s artificial-intelligence chatbot Grok would join the Pentagon network, called GenAI.mil. The announcement came days after Grok which is embedded into X, the social media network owned by Musk — drew global scrutiny for generating highly sexualized deepfake images of people without their consent. OpenAI announced in early February that it, too, would join the military’s secure AI platform, enabling service members to use a custom version of ChatGPT for unclassified tasks.