The Acadiana Advocate 03-01-2026

STRIKE ON IRAN

Ayatollah

killed in jointU.S., Israeliattack

Iran retaliates as PresidentTrump callsfor regime change

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO

This imageprovided by Airbus showsthe strike on the Iranian supreme leader’scompound on SaturdayinIran. President Donald Trump says the attack launched by Israel and theUnited States killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.Trump made the announcement Saturdayand said the assassination gave Iranians their ‘greatest chance’ to ‘takeback’ theircountry.

La.members of Congress

weighinonattackonIran

Republicansrally around PresidentTrump

BY MARK BALLARD Staff writer

WASHINGTON —Louisiana Republicans in Congress were quick to rally aroundPresident Donald Trumpafter he orderedanattack on Iran Saturday morning. Democratic members of thestate’s delegationwere more cautious, callingon the Trump administration forfurther clarification on the president’s plan and

legal authority

U.S. HouseSpeaker Mike Johnson, RBenton, said he had been briefed on the situation andhas been kept up-to-date by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

“President Trump andthe Administration have made everyeffort to pursue peaceful anddiplomatic solutions in response to the Iranian regime’ssustained nuclearambitions and development,terrorism, and the murder of Americans —and even theirown people,”Johnson said in astatement. “For decades, Iran hasdefiantlymaintained its

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILEPHOTO

BY JON GAMBRELL, MELANIELIDMAN, JOSH BOAK and ERICTUCKER Associated Press

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates Amajor attack launched by Israel and the United States killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, President Donald Trumpsaid Saturday,announcing an assassination that he said gave Iranians their“greatest chance” to “take back” their country but that also put the future of the Islamic Republic in doubt and raised the risk of regional instability “Khamenei, oneof themostevil people in History,isdead,” Trumpwrote in asocial media post. He warned of “heavy and pinpoint bombing”that he said would continue throughout the week andevenbeyond, part of alethalassault the U.S. hasjustified as necessary to disable the country’snuclear capabilities. Iran did notimmediately confirm the death. The attack opened a stunning newchapter in U.S. interventionin Iran and carried the potential for retaliatory violence in the Middle East and elsewhere. It also represented astartling flex of military might for an American president who swept into office on an “America First” platform andvowed to keep out of “forever wars.”

ä War powers debate grows after attack on Iran. PAGE 3A

ä Travelers stranded by flight disruptions after Iran strikes.

PAGE 4A

ä World leaders react cautiously to U.S., Israeli strikes.

PAGE 7A

Trump ä See STRIKE, page 6A ä See CONGRESS, page 4A

In this photo releasedbyan official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader,Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei attendsa meeting in Tehran, Iran, on Jan. 17.

If confirmed, the killingofKhameneiin the second Trumpadministration assault on Iran in eight months appeared certain to create aleadership vacuum given the absence of aknown successor and because the 86-year-old supreme leader had final say on all major policies during his decades in power. He led Iran’sclerical establishment and its

Lafayettehomicides drop in 2025 afterrecord-setting2023spike

BY STEPHENMARCANTEL Staff writer

ThecityofLafayette recorded 10 homicides in 2025, or a44% drop from the previous year That decrease was alsoseen in the parish as awhole,which had zero homicides last year,according to data provided by the LafayettePolice Department and the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office. The change standsin stark contrast to 2023, when the city counted its deadliest year on record at 29 homicides. The following year,the city expe-

rienced a38% decrease in murders, according to theFBI’s 2024National Incident-BasedReporting System data The firsthomicidevictimin2025 was a15-year-old Lafayette High School student. TameronWillis, was fatally shot Feb.1onArthur Street. Last year’scases alsoincluded a murder-suicide that resulted in the death ofa16th Judicial District assistant attorney andthe shooting deathofa6-year-old attending avigil against another gun violencevictim killed by aformer Lafayette police officer

Thedownward trendfollows ana-

tional one, with 2025 seeing the national homicide rate at its lowest level in more than acentury.Nationally, homicides were down 21% compared to theprevious year,according to the Council on CriminalJustice, which tracked homicides across 40 large American cities. In New Orleans, violent crime saw a3%decline, with 121 homiceds recorded, compared to 125 theyear prior Since2022, New Orleans has seen a55% decrease in its homicide rate. EastBaton Rouge Parish reported 94 homicidesin2025, breaking arun

of homicide totals that had remained stubbornly high even as much of the rest of the country saw post-pandemic reductions in killings. The 2025 reduction in reported homicides moved theparish closer to matching national trends.

In Shreveport, the number of criminal homicides dropped19% year over year,from 52 in 2024 to 42 in 2025, the lowestnumbersince before the COVID pandemic struck.

“It’sbeen anational trend,” said Lafayette PoliceChief Paul Trouard

ä See HOMICIDES, page 6A

From 2021 to 2024 Lafayette’s murder rate decreased by 28% to 14.8 murders per 100,000, or 1.81 times greater than the 2024 national average.

Plane crashes in Bolivia, killing at least 22

LA PAZ, Bolivia The death toll rose to 22 on Saturday from the crash of a military plane carrying 18 tons of new bank notes a day earlier near Bolivia’s capital, damaging about a dozen vehicles and scattering bills on the ground, a police commander said Saturday

Another 29 people were injured, mostly passengers traveling on public transportation where the plane crashed. Among the dead are 12 men, including one crew member, six women and four children, police commander Mirko Sokol said.

Forensic investigators were still recovering remains from the wreckage Saturday. The injured were taken to clinics in the city of El Alto, near La Paz, where the airport is located.

Defense Minister Marcelo Salinas said Friday that the Hercules C-130 plane was transporting newly printed Bolivian currency from the eastern city of Santa Cruz when it “landed and veered off the runway” at an airport in El Alto, a city adjacent to La Paz, before ending up in a nearby field. Firefighters managed to put out the flames that engulfed the aircraft.

Images on social media showed debris from the aircraft, destroyed cars and bodies scattered on the road.

2 indicted in connection to Utah church shooting

SALT LAKE CITY A federal grand jury has indicted two men on firearms charges in connection with a shooting last month in a church parking lot in Salt Lake City that left two people dead and six more injured.

The indictment unsealed Friday charges 32-year-old Ryan Toutai with unlawful disposition of a firearm and 26-year-old Fineeva Maka with felon in possession of a firearm, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah said.

Investigators used cellphone videos and photos and GPS ankle monitor evidence to tie the two men to a pistol recovered from the Jan. 7 shooting, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. Prosecutors allege the two men are gang members.

The violence took place in the back parking lot of a place of worship for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the Mormon church. Investigators have said the shooting broke out from a dispute between people who knew each other and were attending a funeral. All the victims were adults.

Cher’s son faces counts of assault, trespassing

CONCORD N.H.— Police say Cher’s son was arrested on Friday after acting belligerently at a New Hampshire private high school, of which he has no association.

Elijah Allman, 49, was charged with four misdemeanors: two counts of simple assault, criminal trespass and criminal threatening. Allman, whose father was the late Gregg Allman, was also charged with a violation of disorderly conduct, which is illegal in the state but not considered a crime.

At about 7 p.m. that day, Concord police responded to reports that Allman was disturbing people in the dining hall of St. Paul’s School. After charging Allman, police said he was released on bail as his case works through the court system.

A representative for Cher was not immediately available. St Paul’s School declined to comment.

Pakistan strikes inside Afghanistan

‘Open war’ continues on border

BY MUNIR AHMED and ABDUL QAHAR AFGHAN Associated Press

ISLAMABAD Pakistan’s military, backed by artillery and air power, struck more military installations deep inside Afghanistan overnight after Pakistan said it was in “open war” with its eastern neighbor

Pakistan on Saturday claimed more than 330 Afghan forces had been killed since fighting erupted Thursday night during a broad Afghan cross-border attack into Pakistan Afghanistan rejected the figures as false.

The casualty figures provided by either side could not be independently confirmed

The fighting was in response to Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan last Sunday. Pakistan said it was targeting the outlawed Pakistani Taliban, or TTP The group is separate but closely allied with Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban. Afghanistan, however, said only civilians were killed in Sunday’s airstrike.

After the Afghan attack, Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif declared Friday: “Our patience has now run out. Now it is open war between us.”

Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said Saturday that more than 331 Afghan forces had been killed and over 500 others wounded during the ongoing military strikes in Afghanistan Pakistan destroyed 102 Afghan posts, captured 22 others and destroyed 163 tanks and armored vehicles at 37 locations, he said Kabul has dismissed the casualty claim as inaccurate.

On Saturday the Afghan Defense Ministry claimed that Afghan forces killed 110 Pakistani soldiers during ongoing fighting Enayatullah Khawarazmi, a ministry spokesman, wrote on X that Afghan forces also captured 27 Pakistani posts.

There was no immediate response from Islamabad.

Pakistan’s army spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said on Friday that 12 Pakistani soldiers were killed in the fighting.

The Afghan government’s deputy spokesman, Hamdullah Fitrat, on Saturday accused Pakistan of targeting civilian areas in the provinces of Paktika, Khost, Kunar, Nangarhar and Kandahar, as well as refugee camps in Torkham and Kandahar Fitrat said 52 people had been killed, most of them women and children, and 66 others wounded.

Meanwhile, the United Nations wrote on X that major cities in Afghanistan were reportedly bombed by the Pakistani military on Friday, marking a new escalation and raising fears for civilians already struggling under the harsh rule of the Taliban authorities.

On Friday, Afghan government spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said 13 Afghan forces were killed and 22 wounded He also said 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed. Pakistan put its own military figures at 12 killed, 27 wounded and one soldier missing in action.

Pakistan’s state-run media reported the country’s air force carried out strikes targeting key military installations in various areas of eastern Afghanistan.

According to Pakistani authorities, hundreds of residents living near the northwestern Torkham border crossing had fled. In recent days, Pakistan has also deported dozens of Afghan refugees to Torkham.

Ejaz Ul Haq, an Afghan refugee stranded near the Torkham border with his family, said he could not return to Afghanistan because of the fighting Many others were struggling to obtain food during the fasting month of Ramadan, he said.

Afghanistan’s Defense Ministry on Saturday said Afghanistan attacked Pakistani military bases in Miranshah and Spin Wam overnight, destroying military installations and causing heavy casualties in response to the ongoing airstrikes by Pakistan.

Mexican authorities hand over body of ‘El Mencho’ to his family

By The Associated Press

MEXICO CITY Mexican authorities returned the body of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho,” to his family after he was killed by the Mexican army last week, officials said on Saturday

In a brief note on X, the Attorney General’s Office said that it handed over the body of El Mencho after completing all the necessary procedural protocols.

“Genetic tests were carried out to confirm that there were indeed blood ties between the person who requested the release and the deceased,” the organ said.

Case on gun rights, cannabis use builds unusual alliances

High court to hear arguments Monday

BY LINDSAY WHITEHURST Associated Press

WASHINGTON Gun rights and cannabis legalization are usually on opposite ends of the political spectrum, but both movements have brought about seismic shifts in the United States in recent decades.

Now those forces are lining up for a rare overlap in a case coming before the Supreme Court on Monday, and it is not the only unusual alliance.

The Republican Trump administration will be defending a firearm restriction, with backing from gun-control groups typically more aligned with Democrats.

On the other side is a pairing of the National Rifle Association and the American Civil Liberties Union.

At stake is a federal law that bars people who regularly use marijuana from legally owning guns. It is an issue that has divided lower courts since a landmark 2022 Supreme Court decision expanded gun rights.

Cecillia Wang, legal director at the ACLU, said the law violates the Second Amendment and is unconstitutionally vague about what it means to be a drug user

“We’re deeply concerned with the potential of this statute to basically give federal prosecutors a blank check,” she said. “Millions of Americans use marijuana and there is no way for them to know based on words of this statute whether they could be charged or convicted of this crime because they own a firearm.”

Cannabis is legal for medicinal use in most states and for recreational use in about half the country

But the law also applies more widely against all illegal substances, meaning the case could allow broader legal gun use by other drug users. The group Everytown for Gun Safety said the law meets the Su-

preme Court’s requirement that gun laws must have a strong grounding in the nation’s history and tradition.

“Restricting firearm use by illegal drug users is ‘as old as legislative recognition of the drug problem itself,’” attorneys wrote.

Cannabis remains illegal on a federal level, though President Donald Trump has signed an order to fasttrack its reclassification as a less dangerous drug.

His Justice Department is also asking the justices to revive a criminal case against Ali Danial Hemani, a Texas man who was charged with a felony because he had a gun in his house and acknowledged smoking marijuana every other day FBI agents also found a small amount of cocaine when they searched his home as part of a broader investigation, but the gun charge was the only one filed against him.

The conservative-leaning 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the case, finding that only people who are intoxicated while armed can be charged with a crime.

The administration has argued in favor of gun rights in other cases, but government lawyers say this law is a justifiable restriction. “Habitual illegal drug users with firearms present unique dangers to society — especially because they pose a grave risk of armed, hostile encounters with police officers while impaired,” they wrote in court documents. The law fits within the nation’s history of restrictions on people who were frequently drunk, they argued.

While the conservativemajority Supreme Court has expanded gun rights, it also has upheld a federal law disarming people who are subject to domestic violence restraining orders.

The Department of Justice argues that drug users are similarly risky But the NRA and other gun-rights groups, typically aligned with the GOP, are arrayed against the administration in Hemani’s case.

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In today’s tribute section for the late Norman Francis, a production error garbled a few words. In Edwin Lombard’s column, a sentence should state: “It was Doc who talked Rudy into coming out after he was arrested to meet those folks.” In Reynold Verret’s column, a sentence should state: “His legacy lives on in our alumni, the leaders he formed, and in so many across the nation who were blessed by his greatness.” The Advocate | The Times-Picayune regrets the errors

The killing of the country’s most powerful drug lord was met with a wave of retaliatory violence in some 20 states. More than 70 people were killed.

The violence has fueled fears that the bloodshed could hurt tourism ahead of the FIFA World Cup later this year

“I don’t think handing over the body to the family is going to recreate the havoc,” said David Mora, a senior analyst and Mexico expert at global think tank International Crisis Group.

“The violence that is going to come next is going to play out differently,” Mora added, pointing to the reorganization of the cartel following the decapitation of its leader and potential turf wars between smaller criminal groups.

The U.S. State Department had offered

a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to the arrest of El Mencho. The Jalisco New Generation Cartel, which he ran, is one of the most powerful and fastest growing criminal organizations in Mexico and began operating around 2009.

In February 2025, the Trump administration designated the cartel as a foreign terrorist organization.

The drug lord’s death was the Mexican government’s biggest prize yet to show the Trump administration in its efforts to crack down on the cartels.

Warpowersdebategrows afterattackonIran

BY LISA MASCARO AP congressional correspondent

WASHINGTON Key members of Congress are demanding aswift vote on awar powers resolutionthat would restrain President Donald Trump’smilitary attack on Iran unless the administration wins their approval for what they warn is apotentially illegal campaign that risks pulling the United States into adeeper Middle East conflict.

Both the House andSenate, where the president’sRepublican Party has aslim majority,had already drafted such resolutions long before the strikes Saturday.Now they are ready to plunge into a rare war powers debate next week that will serve as areferendum on Trump’sdecision to go it alone on military action without formalauthorization from Congress

“HasPresident Trump learned nothing from decades of U.S. meddlingin Iran and forever wars in the Middle East?” said Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., aleaderinthe bipartisan effort. He said the strikes on Iran were “a colossal mistake.”

In the House, Reps. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and Thomas Massie,R-Ky.,are demanding Congress go on record with apublic vote on theirown bipartisan measure. “Congress must convene on Monday to vote,” Khanna said, “to stop this.”

Massie blasted Trump’s own presidential campaign slogan and said: “This is not ‘America First.’

But most Republicans, particularly their leaders, welcomed Trump’smove

Defense Department“as this operation proceeds.”

SenateMajority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., commended Trump “for taking action to thwart these threats.

Thune said he looked forward to administration officials briefingall senators —a signal that lawmakers are seeking more answers to their questions about Trump’splans ahead.

Many Democrats arecalling theoperation illegal, saying the Constitution gives Congressalone thepower to declare war.Tothem, the administration hasfailedto lay outits rationaleorplan for the militarystrikes, and

the aftermath.

Sen. Chris VanHollen, who serves on the Senate Foreign RelationsCommittee,said the president has undertaken “illegal, regime-change war against Iran.”

“Thisisnot makingus safer &only damages the US &our interests,” VanHollen, D-Md., said in asocial media post. “The Senate must immediately vote on the War Powers Resolution to stop it.”

HouseDemocraticleader Hakeem Jeffries of New York saidwhile Iran is a “bad actor and must be aggressively confronted” for its human rights abuses and the threat it poses to the U.S. and allies, the administration

“must seek authorization for the preemptive use of military forcethatconstitutes an act of war.”

NewYork Sen. Chuck Schumer,the Democratic leader,demanded that Congress be briefed immediately on the administration’s plans.

“Iranmust neverbeallowed to attain anuclear weapon but the American peopledonot want another endless and costly warinthe Middle East when there are so many problems at home,” he said.

Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick and Matt Brown contributed to this report.

against Iran.Many citedthe longtime U.S. adversary’s nuclearprograms and missile capabilities as requiring amilitary response

“Welldone, Mr.President,” said Sen. LindseyGraham, RS.C. “As Iwatchand monitor this historic operation, I’m in awe of President Trump’s determination to beaman of peace but at the end of the day, evil’sworst nightmare.”

While presidentshave the authority as the commander in chief to conduct certain strategic military operations on theirown,the Constitution vests Congress with the power to wagewar.Before the Iraq Warbegan in March 2003, Republican President George W. Bushmade a monthslong push to secure congressional authorization. No such vote wasattempted on Iran, and an earlier Senate effort to haltTrump’sactions afterlastsummer’sstrike on Iran failed.

Thecongressional debate over war powers would

mostly be symbolic. Even if aresolution were to pass thenarrowly split Congress, Trumplikely would veto it andCongress would not have the two-thirds majorityneeded to overturnthat rejection. Congress hasoftenfailed to block other U.S. militaryactions,including in aSenate vote on Venezuela, but the roll calls stand as a public record.

TheresponsebyHouse Speaker Mike Johnson reflected theparty’s longstanding views.Iran, he said, is facing “the severe consequences of its evil actions.”

Johnson, R-Benton, said the leaders of theHouseand Senate and the respective intelligence committees had been briefed in detail earlier in the week that militaryaction “may become necessary” to protect U.S. troops and citizens in Iran. He said he received updates from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and will stay in “close contact” with Trump and the

Travelers stranded by flight disruptions after Iran strikes

BY CARA RUBINSKY, MARC LEVY and JOSH FUNK Associated Press

LONDON America and Israel’s attack on Iran disrupted flights across the Middle East and beyond Saturday as countries around the region closed their airspace and three of the key airports that connect Europe, Africa and the West to Asia halted operations.

Hundreds of thousands of travelers were either stranded or diverted to other airports after Israel, Qatar, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait and Bahrain closed their airspace. There also was no flight activity over the United Arab Emirates, flight track-

ing website FlightRadar24 said, after the government there announced a “temporary and partial closure” of its airspace That led to the closure of key hub airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha, and the cancellation of more than 1,800 flights by major Middle Eastern airlines The three major airlines that operate at those airports — Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad typically have about 90,000 passengers per day crossing through those hubs and even more travelers headed to destinations in the Middle East, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. Then later on Saturday officials at Dubai Interna-

tional Airport the largest in the United Arab Emirates and one of the busiest in the world — said four people were injured as the Emirates condemned what it called a “blatant attack involving Iranian ballistic missiles.” Strikes were also reported at other commercial airports in the region, including Kuwait International.

“For travelers, there’s no way to sugarcoat this,” said Henry Harteveldt, an airline industry analyst and president of Atmosphere Research Group. “You should prepare for delays or cancellations for the next few days as these attacks evolve and hopefully end.” Airlines that are crossing

the Middle East will have to reroute flights around the conflict with many flights headed south over Saudi Arabia. That will add hours to those flights and consume additional fuel, adding to the costs airlines will have to absorb. So ticket prices could quickly start to increase if the conflict lingers.

The added flights will also put pressure on air traffic controllers in Saudi Arabia who might have to slow traffic to make sure they can handle it safely. And the countries that closed their airspace will miss out on the overflight fees airlines pay for crossing overhead.

But Mike McCormick, who used to oversee air traf-

fic control for the Federal Aviation Administration before he retired and is now a professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, said over the next few days these countries might be able to reopen parts of their airspace once American and Israeli officials share with the airlines where military flights are operating and how capable Iran remains at firing missiles.

“Those countries then will be able to go through and say, OK, we can reopen this portion of our space but we’ll keep this portion of our airspace closed,” McCormick said. “So I think what we’ll see in the next 24 to 36 hours how the use of airspace

a counterattack.

nuclear program while arming and funding Hamas, Hezbollah, and other internationally recognized terrorist organizations. Iran and its proxies have menaced Am er ic a and American lives, undermined our core national interests, systematically destabilized the Middle East, and threatened the security of the entire West.”

House Majority Leader S te ve Scalise, RJefferson, was one of the first in Congress to announce his support of the military strikes by the U.S. and Israel with the stated goal of eliminating Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

“The President has worked tirelessly to establish a lasting peace through diplomacy with Iran. Instead, Iran continued to pursue their sinister ambitions, promoting terrorism, developing missiles, attempting to rebuild their nuclear program, and posing an imminent threat to the security of the United States and our allies,” Scalise wrote on X. “We can never allow the world’s number one state sponsor of terrorism to have a nuclear weapon.”

The Trump administration held three rounds of negotiations with Iranian officials on limiting the nation’s nuclear program. Trump said Friday he was “not thrilled” with the talks.

“They can never have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said in a speech.

With the help of Israel, the U.S. launched massive and ongoing strikes Saturday morning targeting Iranian leaders and military

Soon after America woke up to the news, incumbent Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Ro ug e , wrote on social media: “The President’s decision to attack Iran presumably was based upon a clear and present danger to the United States, and a planned execution that does not put the United States in a forever war We pray for the safety and success of our servicemen and servicewomen.”

Cassidy is seeking a third term but faces a tough closed primary May 16 against a number of conservative Republicans including Rep Julia Letlow, R-Baton Rouge, who has Trump’s endorsement.

Letlow’s office released a statement: “Iran is the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism and actively plots to kill Americans. President Trump’s decisive strikes send a message that America will not tolerate Iran’s threats to our national security May God bless our troops and keep them safe as we confront radical Islamic terrorism and seek lasting peace.”

After reports surfaced that Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been killed in the attacks, Sen. John Kennedy, R-Madisonville, posted on X: “Khamenei chose war. He paid with his life.”

Kennedy addressed the situation in a speech on the Senate floor Friday before the strikes began.

“Put down the nuclear weapons. Put down the nuclear enrichment. Stop exporting terrorism to Hamas and Hezbollah. End your missile program. Stop killing and torturing your people. That’s all we want,” Kennedy said “I’m not about to give the president any advice He has intelligence that I don’t have, and I respect the fact that he’s being very deliberate

and careful in making the decision.”

serve.

evolves as the kinetic activity gets more well defined and as the capability of Iran to actually shoot missiles and create additional risk is diminished due to the attacks.”

But it is unclear how long the disruption to flight operations could last. For comparison, the Israeli and U.S. attack on Iran in June 2025 lasted 12 days. The situation was changing quickly and airlines urged passengers to check their flight status online before heading to the airport. Some airlines issued waivers to affected travelers that will allow them to rebook their flight plans without paying extra fees or higher fares.

“In the South, we give fair warning before we crack a jaw I would say 46 years, 3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days is fair wa rni ng,” Rep. Clay Higgins, RLafayette, wrote on X Saturday afternoon.

Trump told Iranians there may never be a better chance to overthrow the theocratic regime that has ruled the Islamic Republic of Iran since March 1979.

“When we are finished, take over your government It will be yours to take,” Trump said.

Louisiana’s Democratic members of Congress didn’t condemn the attack but asked Trump for further information on his plans and legal authority to strike.

“Any use of military force demands serious consideration with a clear and coordinated plan,” said Rep. Troy Carter Sr., D-New Orleans.

“The American people deserve to understand the objectives, the risks, and the path forward My focus is protecting American lives, supporting our troops, and ensuring Congress plays its proper constitutional role.”

Carter’s wife, Ana, is a twostar general in the Army Re-

Carter later said in a statement: “History has shown that conflicts involving Iran rarely stay contained. With partners and proxy forces operating throughout the region, the potential for escalation is real, and the consequences could reach far beyond.”

Air raid warnings set off all over Israel, the United Arab Emirates and five other countries as well as American bases in the Middle East as Iran launched missiles in

Many Democrats and some Republicans are calling on Congress to vote Monday on a war powers resolution.

The Constitution gives only Congress the right to declare war Over the years, however, presidents have been able to call for military strikes in emergency situations.

“While I understand the gravity of the threat, the process here cannot be ignored,” Rep. Cleo Fields, DBaton Rouge, said in a statement. “The War Powers Act

exists for a reason: to ensure that no single person can commit this nation to war without accountability to the American people. President Trump had ample time to come before Congress, fulfill his legal obligations, and bring transparency to his decision-making he chose not to. That is not a procedural oversight; it is a deliberate decision to sideline the legislative branch and concentrate war-making authority in the executive branch.”

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paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, the two main centers of power in the governing theocracy

As reports trickled outabout the death, eyewitnesses in Tehrantold TheAssociated Press that some residents were rejoicing, blowing whistles and letting out ululations.

Iran, whichresponded to the strikes with its own counterassault,warnedofretribution

Ali Larijani, the secretary of Iran’sNationalSecurity Council, said Saturday that Israel and America will“regret theiractions.”

“The brave soldiers and the great nation of Iran will deliver an unforgettable lesson to thehellish international oppressors,” Larijani posted on X.

Months of rising tensions

The joint U.S.-Israeloperation, which officials say wasplanned for months, tookplaceSaturdayduringthe Muslim holy fastingmonth of Ramadan and at the start of the Iranian workweek. It followed stilted negotiations and warnings from Trump, who last year trumpeted his administration’ssuccess in incapacitating the country’s nuclearprogram butnonetheless cast the latest round as necessary to head off its potential resurgence.

About 12 hours after theattacks began, the U.S. military reported no U.S. casualties and minimal damage at U.S. bases despite “hundreds of Iranian missile anddrone attacks.” It saidtargets in Iran included Revolutionary Guard command facilities, air defense capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and military airfields

Israel, for its part, said it had killed the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps andthe country’s defenseministeraswell as the secretary of the Iranian Security Council, aclose adviser to Khamenei.

Khamenei “was unable to avoid our Intelligence and HighlySophisticated Tracking Systems and, working closely with Israel, there was not athing he, or the other leaders that have been killed along with him, coulddo,” Trump said. “This is the single greatest chance for the Iranian peopletotakeback theirCountry.”

An Iranian diplomat told the United Nations Security Council that hundreds of civilians were killed and wounded in the strikes. Iran retaliated by firing missiles anddronestowardIsraeland at U.S. military bases in the region, and exchangesoffire continued into the night.

Some of the firststrikes on Iran appeared to hit near the offices of Khamenei, the second leaderof the Islamic Republic who succeeded Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, theleader of the1979Islamic Revolution. Israeli officials confirmed the death, followedby Trump. Democrats decried that Trump

HOMICIDES

Continued from page1A

inearly January.“Butlocally,I havetoattribute it to themen and women of that Lafayette Police Department and their proactive approach.”

hadtakenactionwithout congressional authorization. White Housespokesperson Karoline Leavitt said the administration hadbriefed several Republican andDemocraticleadersinCongress in advance.

Unsuccessful nucleartalks

Tensions hadsoared in recent weeks as American warships

moved into the region as Trump insisted he wanted adeal to constrain Iran’s nuclear program while the country struggled with growing dissent followingnationwide protests.

Though Trumphad pronounced theIranian nuclear program obliterated in strikes last year, thecountry was rebuildinginfrastructure that it hadlost, accord-

ing to asenior U.S. official who spoke to reportersonconditionof anonymity to discuss Trump’sdecision-making process. The official saidintelligenceshowedthat Iran haddeveloped the capability to produce its own high-quality centrifuges, an important step in developing thehighly enriched uranium needed for weapons.

Iran responded to the latest strikesbylaunching missiles anddronestargeting Israel and strikes targeting U.S. military installations in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar.Israel’s militarysaid Iran fired“dozens” of missilesat Israel, with many intercepted EmergencyresponderMagen David Adom noted 89 “lightly injured” people.

At leastthreeexplosions were heard Saturday evening near the Intelligence Ministry building in northern Tehran, witnesses said,adding that air defense systems hadbegun operating there.

Israel’smilitarysaidithad begun new strikes against missile launchers andaerial defense systems in central Iran.

In southern Iran, at least 115 people were reported killed when agirls’ school was struck, anddozens more were wounded, the local governor toldIranian stateTV. U.S. Central Command spokesperson Capt. TimHawkins said he was “aware of reports” that agirls’ school was struck andthat officials werelooking into them.

Iran’sstate news agency IRNA said at least 15 people were killed in the southwest,quoting the governor of Lamerd, Ali Alizadeh, as saying asports hall, two residential areas and ahall near aschool were hit.

Flights across the Middle East were disrupted,and airdefense fire thudded over Dubai, the United Arab Emirates’ commercial capital. Shrapnel fromanIranian missile attack on the UAE capital killed one person, state media said.

Attack wascoordinated

Israel said the operationhad been planned for months with the United States. Air Force pilots struck “hundreds of targets across Iran,” Israeli military chief of staffLt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said in astatement.

Targets in the Israeli campaign includedIran’smilitary, symbols of governmentand intelligence targets, according to an official briefed on the operation, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discussnonpublicinformation on the attack.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio canceled his trip to Israel planned forearlynext week following the strikes, aState Department official said.

Trump acknowledged Saturday that there could be American casualties, saying “that often happens in war.” He saidhewas aiming to “annihilate” theIranian navy and destroy regional proxies supported by Tehran. He called on the paramilitary Iranian Revolutionary Guard to laydown arms, saying members would be given immunity or face “certain death” if they did not.

Iranhad said it hopedtoavert a war, but it maintained its right to enrich uranium Iran has said it has not enriched since June, but it has blocked international inspectors from visiting the sites the U.S. bombed. Satellite photos analyzed by AP have shownnew activity at two of those sites, suggesting Iran is trying to assess andpotentially recovermaterial.

Trump had threatened military action but held off following Iran’s recent crackdown on protests spurred by economicgrievances that evolvedintoanationwide push against the ruling clerics.

TheHuman Rights Activists News Agency says it confirmed more than 7,000deathsinthe crackdownand is investigating thousands more. The government has acknowledged more than 3,000 killed.

Regional effects

The strikescould rattle global markets, particularly if Iran makes the Strait of Hormuz unsafe for commercial traffic. Athird of worldwide oil exportstransported by sea passed through the strait in 2025.

SaudiArabia saidIranhad targetedits capital and eastern region in an attack that wasrepelled. Bahrain said amissile attack targeted the U.S. Navy’s5th Fleet headquarters in the island kingdom, and three buildings were damaged in the capital, Manama, and Muharraq city by drone strikes and debrisfrom an intercepted missile Kuwait’s civil aviation authority said adrone targeted the main international airport, injuring several employees. Kuwait’s state-run news agency said three troops wereinjured by shrapnel fromstrikes that hit Ali Al-Salem air base. Explosions could also be heard in Qatar.Jordan saidit“dealt with” 49 drones andballistic missiles.

In 2025, there were 49 nonfatal

That would still put Lafayette’s homicide rate at8murders per 100,000, or doublethe projected national average. From 2021 to 2024, thecity’smurder rate decreased by 28% to 14.8murders per100,000, or 1.81 times greater than the 2024 national average Compared, New Orleans, Shreveport and Baton Rouge were on average4.4 times deadlier than the national average during thesame period.

shootings in Lafayette,with 165 guns seized by thecity Police Department.Additionally,the cityrecovered $8.9 million worth of illegal drugs. In theparish, deputies investigated 12 attempted homicides. Trouard said the improvement canbeattributedinparttohis calls for stabilitywhen he assumed the office of interim chief in 2024. When he took office, he created a list of 82 things he wanted tosee

changed —from procedure, to policy,toprocurement. He said he was able to cross off that entire list during his first year in office.

“We’ve concentrated on those three things: stability, pay and equipment to help the department getwhere it needs to be. And it seems that themoralehas gotten quite abit better,” Trouard said.

Another contributing factoristhe department’srenewed approached to community policing with the Community Engagement Unit, which handlescrimeatthe neighborhood level, Trouard said. For instance, if apolice officer notices astring of burglaries in an area, aCEU officerwould be assigned to patrol that area. While it sometimes leadstoarrest, it also increases police presence in an area, providing aproactive approach to deter crimes.

World leaders react cautiously to U.S., Israeli strikes

BY CLAUDIA CIOBANU, SAM McNEIL and SAM METZ

Associated Press

BRUSSELS How long will it last? Will it grow? What will the conflict and the reported death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. mean to us — and to global security overall? Those questions echoed across the Middle East and the planet Saturday as world leaders reacted warily to U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran

President Donald Trump said on social media that Khamenei was dead, calling it “the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their Country.” His death will not bring an end to the joint airstrikes, Trump added.

There was no immediate comment from Iran. Israeli officials previously told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity that Khamenei was dead. And Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a televised address, said there were “growing signs” that Khamenei had been killed when Israel struck his compound early Saturday

The apparent demise of the second leader of the Islamic Republic, who had no designated successor, would likely throw its future into uncertainty — and exacerbate already growing concerns of a broader conflict. The U.N. Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting.

Perhaps cautious about upsetting already strained relations with Trump, many nations abstained from commenting directly or pointedly on the joint strikes but condemned Tehran’s retaliation. Similarly to Europeans, governments across the Middle East condemned Iran’s strikes on Arab neighbors while staying silent on the U.S. and Israeli military action.

Other countries were more explicit: Australia and Canada expressed open support for the U.S. strikes, while Russia and China responded

between Iran and the U.S., said in a statement that the U.S. action “constitutes a violation of the rules of international law and the principle of settling disputes through peaceful means, rather than through hostility and the shedding of blood.”

Countries in Europe and the Middle East used careful wording, avoiding perceptions that they either support unilateral American action or are directly condemning the United States.

concerned” about the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran and called for an immediate halt to the military action and a return to negotiations.

“Iran’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity should be respected,” a Chinese Foreign Ministry statement said.

with direct criticism.

The U.S. and Israel launched a major attack on Iran on Saturday, and Trump called on the Iranian public to “seize control of your destiny” by rising up against the Islamic theocracy that has ruled the nation since 1979. Iran retaliated by firing missiles and drones toward Israel and U.S. military bases in the Middle East.

In a statement, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called on the U.S. and Iran to resume talks and said they favored a negotiated settlement. They said their countries didn’t take part in the strikes on Iran but are in close contact with the U.S., Israel and partners in the region.

The three countries have led efforts to reach a negotiated solution over Iran’s nuclear program. “We condemn Iranian attacks on countries in the region in the strongest terms Iran must refrain from indiscriminate military strikes,” they said. Ultimately, the Iranian people must be allowed to determine their future,” they said.

Later at an emergency security meeting, Macron said France was “neither warned nor involved” in the strikes.

He called for intensified efforts for a negotiated solution, saying “no one can think that the questions of Iran’s nuclear program ballistic activity, regional destabilization will be settled by strikes alone.”

The 22-nation Arab League called the Iranian attacks “a blatant violation of the sovereignty of countries that advocate for peace and strive for stability.” That coalition of nations has historically condemned both Israel and Iran for actions it says risk destabilizing the region.

Morocco, Jordan, Syria and the United Arab Emirates denounced Iranian strikes targeting U.S. military bases in the region including in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the Emirates.

Under former President Bashar Assad, Syria was among Iran’s closest regional allies and a staunch critic of Israel, yet a statement from its foreign ministry singularly condemned Iran, reflecting the new government’s efforts to rebuild ties with regional economic heavyweights and the United States.

Saudi Arabia said it “condemns and denounces in the strongest terms the treacherous Iranian aggression and the blatant violation of sovereignty.” Oman, which has been mediating the talks

Others were more blunt. Russia’s Foreign Ministry called the strikes “a preplanned and unprovoked act of armed aggression against a sovereign and independent U.N. member state.” The ministry accused Washington and Tel Aviv of “hiding behind” concerns about Iran’s nuclear program while actually pursuing regime change.

Similarly, China’s government said it was “highly

Despite recent tensions with the U.S., Canada too expressed its support for the military action. “The Islamic Republic of Iran is the principal source of instability and terror throughout the Middle East,” Prime Minister Mark Carney said.

And the U.N Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting on the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran, at the request of Bahrain and France.

Palestinians in the occupied West Bank said they were largely unfazed as war erupted Saturday, barely pausing as booms echoed across the sky from Israel’s

Iron Dome intercepting missiles overhead. Unlike Israel, Palestinian cities have no warning sirens or bomb shelters, despite the risk of falling debris or errant missiles. As people sheltered less than 10 miles away in Jerusalem, streets in Ramallah swarmed with shoppers browsing meat counters, vegetable stalls and Ramadan sweets, some stopping to record the sounds of distant sirens and missile interceptions.

But as Israel closed checkpoints to the movement of people and goods on Saturday gas stations saw longerthan-usual lines as residents filled spare canisters in case of supply disruptions. The Palestinian Authority, in a statement, condemned the Iranian attacks on Arab nations, many which have historically helped underwrite its finances. It made no mention of the Israeli or U.S. strikes.

AsAcadianaDodgeChryslerJeepRamcelebrates its35thanniversary,the companyismarking the occasionwithameaningfulinvestmentinthe Lafayettecommunity Thedealershiphascommitteda$35,000matching gifttoFoodNetFoodBank,adonor-fundedprogram ofCatholicCharitiesofAcadiana.Otherbusinesses andcommunity membersare encouraged to give, witheverydollarmatchedtodoubletheimpactfor localfamiliesfacingfoodinsecurity.

ChristaBilleaud,co-ownerofAcadianaDodge ChryslerJeepRam,saidthedecisiontodonatewas deeplypersonal

“WhenIthoughtandprayedaboutthebestway forustocelebrate our35thanniversary,I thought aboutmyparentsandwhatthisplacereallymeans to me.Iwantedtohonor them,and Ibelieve this wasthemostmeaningfulwaytodothat,”shesaid “Mydadrememberedwhatitwasliketobehungry andhesharedthose storieswithme. As part of a community, whetherwerealizeitornot,hunger affects allofus. Thereare so many people living inourarea,especiallychildren,thatlivewithfood insecurityanddailyhunger.Ingratitude,webelieve feedingpeopleinpartnershipwithFoodNetwasthe mostmeaningfulwaytogivebacktothecommunity thathassupportedusforthepast35years.”

Billeaudsaidhungerreliefalignscloselywiththe company’svaluesanditslong-standingcommitment tocommunityinvolvement

“Whenfamiliesare struggling to putfood on thetable,itaffects everypartoftheir lives– from healthandeducationtostabilityandopportunity, shesaid. “Asacompany that serves thousandsof families throughout theyear, we understand that strongcommunitiesarebuiltwhenbasicneedsare met. Supporting hunger relief is aboutsupporting dignity,stabilityandhopeinAcadiana.”

FoodNetFoodbankdistributesmorethan33,000 supplemental food bags peryeartolocal families Thesebagsare designed to create severalmeals to sustainafamilyorindividual.Afullyfunded$35,000 matchwould allowthemtomake$70,000 in local food purchases, therebyserving more than 6,300 familiesintheregion.

Inrecentmonths,foodinsecurityhasbecomemore prevalentintheareaduetochangesinsupplemental nutritionassistanceguidelinesandeconomicinflation. FoodNetrepresentativessaidtheyareseeingmore callsfor assistance from individualsand families whoareonfixedincomesorfacingbudgethiccups.

“Ourneighborsarehavingtomakechoicesthat nooneshouldhavetomake,suchaswhethertofix aflattireinordertogettoworkorputfoodonthe table,”theysaid.“Asrisingcostsstrainalready-tight budgets,unexpectedchallengessuchasaseriousillness andtheneedforcostlymedicationcanquicklypush them into crisis.Supplementalgrocery assistance

helpsbridgethatgap,allowingthemtomaintain stability,dignityandhealthduringdifficultperiods.”

FoodNetleaders addedthatthe matching gift model significantly amplifies both donationsand awareness. Theirhopeisthatthe donation from Acadiana DodgeChryslerJeepRam will signal leadership,confidenceand shared responsibility, andencourageotherstoparticipate.

“Donorsknowthattheir contribution will be matcheddollarfor dollar,effectively doubling the valueoftheirgiftandthenumberofpeoplehelped Thissenseofurgencyandpartnershipoftenmotivates individualswho mightnot otherwisegive, or to givemorethantheyoriginallyplanned,”theysaid.

ForAcadianaDodge Chrysler Jeep Ram, the matching donation reflects abroaderphilosophy of purposeful engagementthatalsoextends to localschools,nonprofits,firstrespondersandother communityinitiatives

“Community involvementisn’t somethingwe do occasionally. It’s part of whoweare,” Billeaud said.“Acadiana DodgeChryslerJeepRam has beenandcontinuestobecommittedtoreinvesting inthecommunitythathasallowedustogrowand thrive.We’re always lookingfor ways to deepen ourcommunity impact,whether throughmatchinginitiatives,employeevolunteer opportunities, dealership-hosteddrivesorlong-termcollaboration. Whenorganizationssharevaluesandvision,there’s alwaysroomtogrowtogether.”

Visithttps://catholiccharitiesacadiana.org/ foodnettolearn more abouthow youcan give to FoodNetFoodBank.

EDUCATION

Educator says evaluationsa tool forgrowth

BY ELYSE CARMOSINO Staff writer

Back when Wendi O’Halloran was an elementary school teacherinRapides Parish, she received feedback after aclassroom observation that improved her practice and showed her the power of teacher evaluations.

After observing her lesson, her principal pointed out at that O’Halloran had spent most of the time standing behind apodium. As aresult, some studentsinthe back lost interest in what was being taught.

After her evaluation, she and her principal sat down as ateam to discuss why it was important for educators to move around while teaching and how doing so could improve their relationship with their students.

“It wasn’t, ‘You need to move around more,’” O’Halloran recalled. “It was asupportive,‘Let me show you why this is important.’” Today,O’Halloran is director of clinical practice and partnerships for the School of Education at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, where she preparesstudent teachers for careers in the classroom.

One topic O’Halloran spends a lotoftime on are the mandatory evaluations that public school teachers receive twice ayear, which rate their effectiveness through metrics like classroom instruction and student test scores. Results are used to help teachers improve, and sometimes to

determine whether they receive tenureorbonuses.

Some educators dread evaluations, but O’Halloran argues theycan be apowerfultool for improvement by clearly defining effective instruction and giving teachers clear-cut goals to work toward.

This school year,Louisiana rolled out arevamped evaluation rubric.

Thenew rubric measures four key aspects of teachers’ performance: instruction, including how well they pace lessons and present content; lesson planning; environment,which looks at teacher’sclassroom culture; and professionalism, including teachers’ abilitytogrow professionally

O’Halloran saidthe revised system gives educators aclearer guide on how to improve their practice and more opportunities to reflect on their performance and work withevaluators to pinpoint areas for improvement. Yet there’salsoaplace for spontaneity in the classroom, for teachers to bring their unique personalities into their work.

“The beauty of teaching is that it’sacreative practice,” shesaid, “that’sabout human development and making connections with your students.”

O’Halloran recently spoke with The Times-Picayune |The Advocate aboutwhy teacher evaluations are important and how educators can usethem to make the most of their time in theclassroom This interview has been edited

and condensed for clarity

What makes agood teacher,and what are some effective teaching strategies?

It can look different from one classroom to the next, but there are commonalities that are all grounded in research-based practices.

Youhave to look for whether ateacher is using clear communication and whether they’re building relationships with their students.

Thereare several things you always need in aclassroom, like student engagement and classroom management, because studentscan’tlearn in achaotic environment. Teachers shouldn’t be scrounging around to find pencils, and they should have everything readytogoinadvance.

They alsoneed to be paying attention to whether andhow their studentsare taking in material; for example, are they getting any misconceptions from theway the information is being presented? Teachers have to monitor what studentsare able to do and be able to adjust instruction in the moment.

What are teacher evaluations?

Teacher evaluations identify if ateacher is utilizing best research practices in the classroom to better deliver theircontent to students.

With this new rubric, teachers also sitdown with their evaluator after the fact, andthe evaluator asks them what they felt went well, what they think they could have improved on and let them lead theconversation about how they can grow.Teachers’ self-

the lessonwhile the evaluator reviews it.

During the lesson, evaluators arelooking forseveral things: Howoften is the teacher posing aquestion? Are they giving enough time for thatquestion to be processedand answered by students? Are students collaborating with oneanother?

You’re also noting if there’s wasted instructional time. Is the teacher efficient at distributing materials? Are there procedures in place so thatthe teacher is notconstantly having to say the same thing over andover? Can I hear the teacher from the back of the room?

You’re really just trying to see the big picture of whatthis classroom’sinstruction looks like on adaily basis andget asense of whether the teacher is delivering content effectively

How do you useevaluations to help teachers improve?

In the same way that we want teacherstohelpstudents have a growth mindsetand give them asafespace to talk about their mistakes.

assessments arealso included in theiroverall rating. How do the new teacher evaluations work?

When it’stime fora teacher to be rated,the evaluator schedules ameeting with them to sit down and look at the lesson plan for that day together and have aconversation to make sure the teacher has thought about the different areas they’ll be scored in. This preconference is atime to makesure the teacher has considered everything andto make sure theyfeel supported and confident enough to deliver

Whenworking with astudent, ateacher may askthem what made thembelieve their wrong answerona test was correct. Thentheybothdig deeper and have aconversationabout the student’sthought process and howtheycan change their thinking to come to the right conclusion.

Evaluators use the same tools andthe same language, because we’re here to coach teachers and help themgrow. We want themtobelifelong learners, andwewantthem to continue to be better than they were yesterday.

Email Elyse Carmosino at ecarmosino@theadvocate.com

R.S. 44:3.2(D),Bidders who submit documents or informationtheybe‐lievetobeproprietary or tradesecretmustclearly mark each page or piece of informationwhich is in theBidder’sopinion proprietaryortrade se‐cret andmustalsosub‐mitwithsuchinforma‐tion acover sheet that

mita

or

of

thoritywiththe bidshall

bid. Copies of

documentsare

upon requestbycontact‐ingPurchasing& Prop‐erty Management Divi‐sion,located at 705 West University Avenue Lafayette,Louisiana upon paymentofFifty Dollars($50.00) perset non-refundable,made payabletothe Lafayette Consolidated Govern‐ment NOTE:NOCASH WILL BE ACCEPTEDONLY CHECKS OR MONEY ORDERS MADE PAYABLE TO LAFAYETTE CONSOLI‐DATEDGOVERNMENT. Bid Documentsshall be availableuntil twentyfour hoursbeforethe bid opening date Questions l i h biddi p g Q relative to the bidding documentsshall be di‐rected to DabneDover by emailatdabnedover@ lafayettela.gov Within one(1) week upon receiptofthe Invitation to Bid, Biddersare en‐couraged to confirm in‐tent to submit abid by replying to the"Invita‐tion to Bid" email sent by DabneDover (dabne‐dover@lafayettela.gov). Each bidshall be accom‐panied by acertified check, cashier’scheck or bidbondpayable to theLafayette Consoli‐datedGovernment, the amount of which shallbe five percent(5%)ofthe base bidplusadditiveal‐ternates.Ifa bidbondis used,itshall be written by asuretyorinsurance companycurrently on theU.S.Departmentof the Treasury Financial Management Servicelist of approved bonding companieswhich is pub‐lished annually in the FederalRegister, or by a Louisianadomiciled in‐surancecompany with at leastanA-Ratinginthe latest printing of theA.M Best’s KeyRatingGuide to writeindividualbonds up to tenpercent (10%) of policyholders’ surplus as showninthe A.M. Best’s KeyRatingGuide, or by an insurancecom‐pany in good standing li‐censed to writebid bondswhich is either domiciledinLouisiana or ownedbyLouisiana resi‐dents. Thebid bond shall be issued by acompany licensed to do business in Louisiana. Thecerti‐fied check, cashier’s check, or bidbondshall be givenasa guarantee that thebiddershall exe‐

List of jurors randomly drawn and to serve for the term beginning on March 9, 2026:

AHNEMAN, CHRISTOPHER R ALEXANDER, SENTORRIA RENEE

ALFRED, JOSHUA JAMES

ALLEMAN, RANDALL J ALLEN, AMIRE JOSEPH ALLEN, PRENTISS J ANDERSON, JORDAN BRYANT ANDREWS, MIA JENAE ANDREWS, ALUNDREE TIERRE ANDRUS, MARILYN MARIE

ANGELLE, LIONELLO P

ARCENEAUX, LOUIS ANDRE

ARMAND, STACEY SHAW

ARMENTOR, JANICE ANN

ARMSTRONG, MATTHEW TYLER

AUCOIN, AMBER MARIE

AUGUST,TRICIAM

BAKER, ROBERTPAUL

BALUTA, ALFREDO OSVALDO DA SILVA BARILLEAUX, HEATHER ANGELLE

BARNES, JULIA CLARISSA

BARROW,KIRA BINAH

BAUDOIN, ADAM DOUGLAS

BAUDOIN, ROCKY DALE

BENOIT,ALYRIE TIZHANE

BERTRAND, ANDREA BERNARD

BERTRAND, DRAKE ADAM

BOB, KEVIN JAMES BOCK, BALI N

BORDES, CHRISTOPHER JOSEPH

BOREL, MADISON AMIREE

BOUDREAUX, MACI JENEE

BOUDREAUX, JOHN KERBER

BOUILLION, DENNIS JOSEPH

BOURQUE, SAMANTHA LYNN

BOURQUE, MELINDA C

BOURQUE, KALEB KELLY

BOUTTE, LYNN T

BOUTTE, JACOB ALEXSI

BRANNON, JOHN EDWARD

BREAUX, TIMMY JAMES

BREAUX, BENJAMIN THOMAS

BREAUX, JAZIMINE JUSTINE BREAUX, JESSIE A BREAUX, JERRYWAYNE

BROADWAY,MELISSA DAWN

BROUSSARD, BRIANNA ANGEE

BROUSSARD, BRENDA S BROUSSARD, HALEY ELIZABETH BROUSSARD, AMY BLAIR

BROUSSARD, BRITTANY BRIANA

BRUGMAN, FELISHA RENEE

BRUNO, LARRYJOHN BUSBY,DEVIN PAUL BUTLER, ERIN ANN CAIN, ANNA MARIA

CALLOWAY,MARYGRIFFIN

CAMPBELL, KANNA PERROT

CAMPORA, JOHN P CANINO, TINA MARIE CANOVA, LYNDON EDWARD CARRIGEE, RICHARD J CASSELMAN, EDYTHE DAWN

CASTILLE, LYNN H CATALAN, DANIELLE SKRZYSINSKI

CELESTINE, RENEE DENISE

CELESTINE, CARL JAMES

CHAISSON, AMBER RENEE

CHAMPAGNE, DUSTIN COLBY CHANEY,GEORGIALEE CHAUVIN, BENJAMIN DONALD CHAVEZ-LOPEZ, KARLA MARIA CHENIER, MABLE MARY CHESSHER, MEGAN NICOLE CHIASSON, FRANCIS

CLARK, ISAAC J CLAY, UNIQUA LA TROY CLEMENT,KRISTEN CLEMENTS,CLETIS J COCHRAN, JERRYVINSON COLEMAN, LATANYAWILLIAMS COLEMAN, WILLIE DEE

COLEY-GASPARD, LAURA WHITNEY COLLINS, CHRISTOPHER W COLLINS, CONRAD COMEAUX, ELAINE G COOK, JAIME LAGNEAUX COOPER, INDIADSHONNA ARIE JACKSON CORMIER, PAMELA FABACHER CORMIER, JENNIFER STEPHENY CORONA, CHERYL JANE CORRY, LESLIE WAMPOLD COULTER, UNA JOYCE CRAIN, VANESSA NICOLE

CROCHET,TERRELL A CROSS, PAUL ANTHONY DAIGLE, MARYDUPLANTIS DAIGLE, DAVID ANTHONY DAIGLE, TRINITY LEE DAIGLE, SYLVIA FONTENOT DAMICO, JENNIFER C DARVILLE, COREY D DAVID, LANCE MICHAEL DAVIS, MICHAEL JOSEPH DEAN, MARLAND JOSEPH

DEGRAFFENREID, DENIDRAMITCHELL

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DOUCET,MICHAEL C DRAGON, NOEL P

DRONET,SEAN CHRISTOPHER

DUFRENE, ASHLEY ANN DUGAS, JASON LEE

DUPRE, ADAM G DUPREE, NOAH JAMES

ENEJOSA, JOHN ANTHONY RECTO ENGA, DORIS B

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EUGENE, JERMAINE

FAIR, JEANNE LESLIE

FALCON, MEGAN ELIZABETH

FALGOUT,TESSIE MHARGRAVE

FASKE, LESLIE DARBY

cute thecontract, should it be awardedtohim,in conformity with theCon‐tractDocuments within ten(10) workingdays. No bidder maywithdraw hisbid foratleast fortyfive (45) calendar days after thetimescheduled forthe openingofbids. Each bidshall be submit‐tedonlyonthe bidform provided with thespeci‐fications. Thesuccessful bidder will be required to executeperformance andlabor andmaterial paymentbonds in the full amount of thecontract as more fullydefinedin thebid documents. In

p tracting of materials, supplies, services and laborand material in which disadvantaged businesses areavailable Assistance in identifying said businessesmay be obtained by calling337291-8410.

PURCHASING DIVISION Lafayette Consolidated Government PUBLISHDATES: 2-23-26, 3-01-26 DPR1002062 178036-feb23-mar1-2t $153.56

PUBLIC NOTICE REQUESTFOR PROPOSALS Notice is hereby given that sealed proposals will be received in theof‐fice of thePurchasingDi‐vision at theLafayette Consolidated Govern‐ment Building,located at 705 West University Av‐enue,Lafayette Louisiana, until 4:00 p.m. CentralTimeonthe 26th dayofMarch 2026 forthe following: RFPDISASTER DEBRIS REMOVAL andwill, shortlythere‐after,beopenedand the NAMESONLYreadaloud in theOffice of Purchas‐inglocated at 705 West University Avenue Lafayette,LA. Proposals received after theabove specified time foropen‐ingshall notbeconsid‐ered andshall be re‐turned unopened to the sender.Sealedproposals maybehandcarried or mailedtothe address

listed above. Proposers areinvited to attend the openingvirtually by usingthe followinglink https://us02web.zoom us/j/86323957233? pwd=xtWPF5psQ9h6bVk nE5RkaWU9BQlIQs.1 MeetingID: 863 2395 7233 Passcode:833313

Thescope of work shall consistor, butisnot lim‐ited to,the contractor providingthe labor, ma‐terial,equipment,man‐agement, administration supervision, andsafety to performeligiblework such as debris clearance, collection,removal,dis‐posal, reduction, recy‐cling, and/or monitoring to remove debris on pub‐licproperty and/or public rights-of-wayinthe af‐termathofa naturalor manmadedisaster. Such work shallbedonefol‐lowing federaland state guidelines fordebrisre‐moval. Theprimary pur‐pose of this work is to maintain thepublic health,safetyand wellbeingofthe Ownerdur‐ingthe response to an emergencysituation as well as restorethe public areastoa normal condi‐tion in themostexpedi‐tiousmannerpossible andtomakeevery effort to complete allrequire‐mentsofthiscontractin theshortesttimepossi‐ble. This work mayalso include, under thesame termsand conditions,re‐movalofdebrisfrompri‐vate property.Suchde‐bris removalwillonly occurunder very specific circumstancesasde‐cidedbyLafayette Con‐solidatedGovernment where public health and safety is paramount.No privatepropertydebris removalwillbedone

MOUTON, KVAHN PARIS

FILS, CHANOBIASADE FLEWELLEN,DANIELLE MONIQUE FLORES, BRENNAN VINCENT FOLSE, JOSHUA JAMES LEE FONTENOT,TAYLOR PHILLIP FONTENOT,ANNA KHARISMAOLITA FORD, ADRIENNE FOSTER, SHANEMARCUS FOSTER, MADISYN GABRIELLE FOSTER, RANIA ARMANI FRANCIS, PAIGE ELIZABETH FRAWLEY,TANITYDEROUEN FREDERICK, DOUGLASMARCEL FREDERICK, LILLIAN BROWN FREEMAN, MARIAPIZANO GALLET,ELIZABETH GARY,ANTONIO DAVID

GASPARD, CHRIS LANE

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GUIDRY,SUE ANN GUIDRY,AMANDA ANN GUILBEAUX, JEANELLE G

GUILLOT, LESLIE L HACKETT,RAMIEMARIA

HAISE, MICHAEL CHARLES

HARDY,VERNAJ

HARRIS, MARVIN A HARRIS, VIDARILL

HASSAN, DIANNA

HAWKINS,ASHLEY MARIE

HAYES, JENNIFER MICHELE

HEBERT, DANIELJOHN

HEBERT, GARLYN S

HEBERT, HOLLYMARIE

HEBERT, MELISSA LEBLANC

HELFERS, AMANDA TINE

HENDRIX, ADRIENNE RENEE

HIDALGOBURGAL, NORGELISINES HITZMAN,EARL HENRY

HOAR, JEREMY MICHAEL

HOFFPAUIR,SUE WEEKS

HOLLIDAY, NANCYANN

HOLMAN, DEBORAH D

HOQUE, SMSHAMSUL

HUGGINS,JEFFREY R HUGHES, TYLER

HULIN,JEFFREY JAMES ISTRE, RYLIE RENEE

JACKSON, WANDAANN

JACOB, KEVINA

JOHNSON, JOSEPH COLIN

JOHNSON, STEPHEN

JOHNSON, DON W

JOHNSON, CYNTHIA G

JOLET,KATHLEEN ANN

JONES, KENNETH D

JONES, MADELINE ELOISE

JOSEPH, NATAISHA JONEL

JOURNET,DAWNMARIE

JOURNET,KRISTIAN ELIJAH

JOWERS, TRAVISANDREW

JUNEAU, WENDELL J KEMPER, HERMAN TYRONNE

KEYS, KAMILAHSDUGAS

KLINE,JACKFLETCHER

KOZMA, NATHANIELRICHARD

LACOMBE, GAVINCOLE

LADAY, NATASHAL

LAFLEUR, MARIAL

LANDRY, ARIELLE MONE

LANDRY, JENCY LANNIE

LANDRY, BERNARD

LANDRY, TRISHAANNE LANE, EVAN LAWRENCE

LANGLINAIS, PATRICK MICHAEL

LANGLINAIS, MELANIE J LASTRAPE, TORI DENAY LATIOLAIS, AARON LANE

LAYNE, TRAVISLAMONT

LEBLANC,FAYER

LECORGNE, LYLE L LEJEUNE, DENISE LANDRY

LEON, LINDA MARIE

LEWIS, ELIZABETH LINDON,TRAVISJOSEPH

LINTON, SHAUGHNDRE T

LORMAND, MARIEDUGAS

LYNCH, MARTIN LEE

MAHMOUD, MOHAMED S

MALVEAUX, DWAINA L

MALVEAUX, AHMYRIIELISE

MANUEL,GLORIA MANZANARES, CAITLYNELISE MARKEY,KIRKJ

MARSHALL, HOUSTON A

MARTIN, MILES C

MAS, DAVID MATT,CHRISTOPHER JUDE

MATT,IRISB

MATTHEWS, STEFAN NEIL

MCBRIDE, KEVINCHARLES

ELIZABETH

MCGEE, HANNAH

MCMILLIAN, CLIFFORD LEON

MEAUX, ELTON MECHE, BRENT MICHAEL

MECHE, KALYN ANN

MELDER, JODI NOEL

METZ, OCTAVIAW

MITCHELL, MADILYNN JONAE

MODESTE, SOLOMON

MOUTON,TONYJ

MOUTON,JASON CHARLES

MOUTON,EDWARD P

ATTORNEY SUSPENDED

George R. Knox,Lafayette, has been Suspended from thepractice of law for three years, retroactive to December 21, 2023, the date of his interim suspension. TheCourt further orderedRespondent to provide an accounting and refund any unused portion of theadvanced deposit to theclient, as appropriate,byOrder of the Louisiana Supreme CourtonJanuary 28, 2026. JUDGMENT FINAL and EFFECTIVEonFebruary 11, 2026. Gist: Respondent failed to providecompetent representation to aclient,failed to comply with his professional obligations, neglected alegal matter,failed to communicate witha client, failed to refund an unearned fee, and failed to cooperate withthe ODCinits investigation. 178114-619612-March1-1t $240.00

MOUTON, BETTY M MOUTON, RUKIA RHEA MULA, KATHERINE ELAINE MURRY, LOGAN MICHAEL NAQUIN, LAURACLARK NED, CHRISTASIA MARIE NEWLAND,THOMAS HARVEY NICHOLSON, NANCY ANNE NOEL, SANDRA ANN NOEL, ALBERT NOLAND,CASSAUNDRA GEORGIA LEE OERTEL, CAROLYN S OHARA, SEAN J ORTEGAJARAMILLO, FABIAN I PAGE, KAITLYN MARSHE PAGE, LAUREN PARKER, SELENA PELLERIN PATIN, DENNIS DEAN PAYAN, SARALOPEZ PELSIA, RUSTY JAMES PERSON,NATALIE PETRO, CONNIE L PHILLIPS, SHALAWN E PIERCE, MORGAN ELIZABETH PITEO, MATTHEW STEVEN PITRE,PALLAS LENORE PLUMBAR, DEONTRE MICHAEL POIRIER, ANGELO JOSEPH POOLE,PATSY J POWER, KATHLEEN KIRBY PRATT,BYRON MICHAEL PRESLEY, HAYDEN DALLAS PREVOST, JANATHAN ALFRED BROUSSARD PRICE,SAMUELLEE PRIMA, AMANDATHORNTON PROVOST,MICHAEL J RABALAIS, JACOB TYLER RABY,TRENTON KENDALL REDDOCH, JESSICA MARIE REYES, JULIAN ALEXANDER REYNOLDS, CHRISTOPHER C REYNOLDS, MEGAN TAYLOR RHYMES, JACOB JAMES RIBANDO, BRINLEYASHTON RICHARD, FREDERICK SCOTT RICHARD, TANNERKOLE RICHARD, ALEXIS RINK, SAMANTHA KAYE ROBERTS, FREDERICK ROBERTS, DANIELLE ROBERTSON, JOHN PHILLIP ROBIN,RENEE NICHOLE ROBIN,AMBER MICHELLE ROY,JOEL LANCE SABATIER, ROSA V SALAS, FONDAG SALE,ELLIOT TRACY SALTZMAN, CANDICE STANFORD SAM, DELORES JACQUET SAMUELS,JEFFERYMORRIS SANCHEZ-BORGES,JUAN CARLOS SCHOMAKER, LAUREN BETH SELF,MELISSA BOYD SHIN, HEECHAN SIMMONS, JASLYN MONE SIMON, WAYNERPAUL SIMON, CODYJ SIMON, ABBY LEBLANC SIMONEAUX,BERNICE D SINEGAL,RITASTJULIEN SINEGAL,BRANDON JOHN SINITIERE, NICHOLAS PATRICK SION, DELIA TEREZE SMITH, SRI P SMITH, KELINN MYCAL SMITH, LEXX SMITH, TELLISANTHONY SMITH, MSUZANNE S SOLOMON, CHAD E SONNIER, ADANICHOLE STECKLER, JASON R STIGALL, BRAYDON COLE STOUTE,MICHELLE ANN SULLIVAN, ALEXANDER MIGUEL SUNCHEEFORE, ANGELIQUE THIBODEAUX, ALEX DEVON THIBODEAUX, BOBBIE B THOMPKINS, TANYRIAH LASHAYBREION TOLIVOUR, PEGGY B TOLLIVER, JACOB J TORNBLOM, ELIZABETH ANNE TRAHAN, TAYLOR JOHN TRAHAN, EVAFRITZ TRAN, LINH T TUCKER, ROBERT VEAZEY,SETH ANDRE VERRET,WENDELLR VERRETT,HELLIANA M VILTZ, RICKEY VINCENT,AMANDA CHRISTINE VINING, KEITH JAMES VIZINAT,DARLA SUZANNE WALKER, AVION LENTRELL WALLER, LANE J WELLS, HOWARDLEWIS WHEELER, RHYAN SHEA WILLIAMS, LINDAA WILLIAMS, GERARD JUNIUS WILLIAMS, CHRISTIANA JANAE WILLIAMS, JOSHUA ZANE WILLIAMS, BONITAWASHINGTON WILTZ, HUNTERGABRIEL WINCHESTER, CARMEN NICOLE WOODRUM, TERESA R YONGUE,HAZELANN VENEZIA ZENON, THERESA CANTRELL ZEPERNICK, ROBERTGRAVES ZERANGUE,WENDEL ZHU, ZHIHONG

LOUISIANAPOLITICS

Effectsshowing as health insurancesubsidies expire

afford the costs.

WASHINGTON —The federal government shut down for 43 days last year when Democratsdemanded Republicans extend the enhanced premium credits that helped pay for health insurance on the AffordableCare Act marketplace that expired Dec. 31.

But negotiations stalled,leaving 24.2 million Americans —small businesses, gig workers, independent contractors, early retirees and others —paying twice as much for their health insurance this year compared to last “These enhanced premium tax credits keep their coverage affordable,” said Jan Moller, executive director of Invest in Louisiana, progressive Baton Rouge-based analysts on state finances.

The Congressional Budget Office estimated 2million people in 2026 could no longer afford health insurance and would drop their policies, with increasing numbers thereafter.The Urban Institute calculated 5million would loseinsurance because the financial cushion was removed.

The

first snapshotofactual sign-ups indicatesthose estimates could be reachedorexceeded by the end of the year

About 1.2 million policyholders have already dropped their ACA marketplace policies compared to enrollment numbers on the same date last year,according to the Centers for Medicare& Medicaid Services. CMS, which oversees Obamacare,took its initial census on Jan. 15, the day open enrollment ended.

Just how many in Louisiana dropped coverage is unknown. ButCMS reports 296,648 enrolleesinthe state —upslightly from last year KFF,nonpartisan healthcare analystsbasedinWashington, cautions that the initial enroll-

John Carmouche namedLSU vice chair

The LSU Board of Supervisors on Friday chose veteran trial attorney John Carmoucheasits vice chair

Carmouche succeeds business owner Lee Mallett,who was named by Gov. Jeff Landry earlier this month to chair the 16-member board that oversees the university’s activities. Traditionally, themembersof the board chose the chair,who would serve ayear andthen be replaced by the vice chair But Landry got the state Legislature in 2024 to allow himto name the chair,and the chair now servesatthe governor’spleasure. Serving on the LSU board is one of the most sought-after appointments in state government. Board members get to buy two tickets to sit in the LSU board suite at football games and hobnob with business, higher education andpolitical insiders.

ment report comes with alot of asterisks.

For instance,Louisiana saw a 1.2% increase in enrollment. But last year’sreport showed a27% increase.

About 40% of policyholders automatically reenroll for thesame policy,possibly without checking theprice, says KFF

New policyholders must pay a monthofpremiumsupon signing up. Renewalsare allowed three months to pay premiums.Thus, the numbers will be adjusted later this year to remove those whodon’t makethe payments. Those numbers won’tbeavailable

Carmouche, 57, is ahigh-profile attorney with aBaton Rouge firm that is best known for suing oil andgas companies, accusing them ofcausing coastal landloss through their drilling activities.

Carmouche is also amajor donor in judicial and gubernatorial races.

Landry named him to the board two years ago, to the consternation of some conservatives.

Carmouche was directly involved in thehiringofLane Kiffin as LSU’s football coach late last year through his role as chair of the board’sathleticscommittee.Hewas oneof thethreepeoplewho first met with Kiffin at his home in Oxford, Mississippi, to discuss apossible move to LSU.

Carmouche then served as the pointperson on theboard during thenegotiationsfor Kiffin’scontract.

CarmoucheisanLSU grad. Two of hischildrenhave graduated from LSU, while two more are

until July

Exchanges run by thestates, rather than relying on the federal government’s website, report that ACA Marketplace customers are buying policies that cost less but have much higher deductibles and provide much less coverage. For instance, California reported about athird of itsrenewing membersswitched to the less expensive bronze plan, which requires consumerstopay out $7,500 before theinsurance starts paying mostmedical costs.

Enacted in 2010, theAffordable Care Act expanded state and federally paid Medicaid coverage

studentstherenow

“I lovethe university,” Carmouche said. “It’sa passion of mine.Iwant to make sureweeducate andkeepasmanystudentsas we can in Louisiana.”

Landry touts Louisiana tax changes

As Louisianans findthemselves in themidst of taxseason, Gov Jeff Landry celebrateda majorcut to thestate income tax his administrationapproved over ayear ago, which taxpayers arenow seeing reflected in the returnsbeing filed for 2025.

“This year,this tax season, it’sgoing to be like every Louisianacitizen is going to hit the lottery,because their paychecks, their refunds are going to be real and going to go up,” Landry told reporters gathered at theCapitol in Baton Rouge.

“The typical middle-class workingfamily will save nearly$500 this year,” he said.

“The averageworking individual

for households making less than 138% of the federal poverty level, or $44,367 forafamily of four

It also recognized that many employers don’thelp their employees pay forhealth insurance, which is how about 60% of the nation is insured. The ACA Marketplace was created to fill in the gap by offering individuals bronze, silver,gold and platinumpolicies, each providing differing levels of coverage through private health insurers. Obamacare also provided a range of subsidies, mainly based on annual incomeand household size, for those whocouldn’tfully

is gonna save about $261.”

State Rep. Tony Bacala,R-Prairieville, whorecently tookover as chair of the House tax-writing committee for Julie Emerson who resigned her seat to serveas thegovernor’schief of staff, said the taxcuts “are notanacademic study.”

“This is afamilywho goes out and earns aliving and gets to keep moreoftheirmoney,” Bacala said.

In aspecial session dedicated to Louisiana’stax system late in 2024, thegovernor andthe Louisiana Legislature reduced the state’stop individual income tax rate from4.25% to 3% and changed it from agraduated rate with three different brackets to oneflat rate.

They also increased the standard deduction from $4,500 to $12,500, an amount that will now be adjusted for inflation every year.And they doubled the tax exemption seniorsget on retirement income to $12,000.

“When people file taxes this year, they are going to geta biggerrefund,” Landry said. Landryalso slashed the highest corporate income rate tax by two percentage points and set aflat

Any household of four making morethan $128,600 annually 400% of the federal poverty level —paid the premiums. But those falling in between the 138% of poverty and 400% could receive financial aid.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the income-level eligibility was lifted from 2021 through 2025, allowing some premium tax credits forfamilies making more400% of the federal poverty level —the amounts depended on several factors. The end of the premium tax credits on Jan. 1dramatically increased what those people pay

As manyconsumers fret over increased costs, the Democrats hope to focus on the Republican majorities’ refusal to renew the subsidies as akey point in this fall’scongressional midterm campaigns.

While “affordability” resonates in Louisiana, five of the six House races aren’tcompetitive, so touchy issues likely won’tbe addressed, said Pearson Cross, a political science professor at the University of Louisiana Monroe.

The Fifth Congressional District, which includes parts of the Baton Rouge area and the Florida parishes, has seven Republican and five Democratic candidates. “Itispossible that candidates could stake out different positions on the tax credits, and it could be quite an issue,” Cross said.

In the Senate race, incumbent Sen. Bill Cassidy,the Baton Rouge Republican whochairs the Senate Health committee, faces twostrong GOPchallengers.

“Itcould really be acontributing factor in the race,” Cross said. Ithink Cassidy would have much morecredibility on this issue than any of the other candidates. This might be something that he would capitalize on.”

Email Mark Ballard at mballard@theadvocate.com.

rate of 5.5%.

“Wemade Louisiana one of the most competitive states in America forbusiness investment,” he said. “That investment translates into jobs.”

To make up forthe lost revenue to state coffers, Landry signed off on an expansion and increase of the state sales tax, which is now 5% andisscheduledtodropto 4.75% in 2030.

Legislature convenes on Monday,March9

The Louisiana Legislaturewill convene its annual regular session on Monday,March 9, at noon. Gov Jeff Landry is expected to open the session with an address laying out his legislative agenda.

The sessionwill last through 6p.m. on June 1, unless extended. Hundredsofbills have already been pre-filed, covering everything from carbon capture and storage to prescription drug prices to social media safety and AI Check outnextSunday’sedition of The Advocate |The Times-Picayune forspecial coverageofthe biggest issues that are likely to emerge.

BY STEVEN SLOAN Associated Press

WASHINGTON— President Donald Trump, whose fierce denunciation of military adventurism abroad fueled his unlikely rise to the top of the Republican Party,risks becoming ensnared by that very type of conflict.

The U.S. and Israeli attackon Iran Saturday cementedTrump’s decadelong transformationfrom acandidate who in 2016 calledthe Iraq Wara“big, fat mistake” to a president warning Americans to prepare for potential casualties overseas and encouraging Iranians to “seize control of your destiny.” The strikes were also at odds with Trump’swarningsduring the 2024 campaign that his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris,was surrounded by “war hawks” eager to send troops overseas.

Trump justified theaction as necessary to prevent Iranfrom obtaining nuclear weapons or developing missiles capable of reaching theU.S., lessthana year afterhe said airstrikes “obliterated” their capability.U.S. intelligence has alsosaid Iran’sweapons capability was substantially degraded.

For Trump, memories of the false pretenses underlyingthe Iraq Warcould leadtopressure to prove his assertion that Iran’s weapons production posed an imminent threat to Americans.And for Republicans alreadyfacing a challenging election year weighed down by economic anxiety,the shift could force areassessmentof how the attacks fit into the “America First,” isolationist-leaning movement the party hasembraced during the Trump era.

While Trump might benefit from an early rally-around-the-flag effect, that could be hard to sustain for weeksand months, if not longer,afar different scenario from the swift effort to removeNicolás Maduro from power earlier this year in Venezuela

Success on day one is one thing. Thedays after are inherently unpredictable.

“The questioniswhether Iran’s goal is simply to outlast America and whether Trump has strategic attention deficit disorder,which will allow the Iranians to risefrom the ashes and claim victory,” said Michael Rubin, ahistorian at the

American Enterprise Institute who worked as astaff adviser on Iran and Iraq at the Pentagon from 2002 to 2004.

Republican reaction

ManyRepublicans werequick to line up behind thepresident, including Texas Sen.John Cornyn and state attorney general Ken Paxton, whoare fighting acompetitive Senate primary election on Tuesday

“Hopefullylives will not be lost needlessly,but this always entails risk,” Cornyn said Saturday at a campaignstop near Houston. “But we know that Iran will not stop unless the United States and our allies stop them.”

Others, likeSen. Todd Young, of Indiana, praised the militaryand were criticalofIranwhile noting that Americanswill have questions that “must be answered. And there was outright opposi tion from somewho have long crit icized overseas entanglements, in cluding Sen. Rand Paul, the Repub licanofKentucky,who lamented the start of “anotherpreemptive war.” Former Rep. Marjorie Ta

lorGreene, the Georgia Republican who wasonce aclose Trump ally,rejected the president’swarning of Iran’snuclear capabilities.

“It’salways alie and it’s always AmericaLast,” she wroteonline

“But it feels like theworst betrayal this time because it comes from the very man and the admin who we all believed was different.”

Little advancepreparation

The administration did littlein advance to prepare Americansfor such adramatic action

Vice PresidentJDVance told TheWashington Post this week there was “nochance” that the U.S. wouldbecome involved in a drawn-out war as it did in Iraq

During his State of the Union speech on Tuesday,Trumpdedicated just afew lines to Iran, arguing the country and itsproxies have “spreadnothing butterror-

Colin Powell delivered anow-infamous speech to the United Nations in February 2003, making the case forwar based on the inaccurate assertionthat Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction. The invasion, which ultimately dominated Bush’s second term,didn’tbegin until March 2003.

“Wejusthavetobehonestthat there is asense that this was not sold to the American public sufficiently,” Andrew KolvetsaidSaturdayon“TheCharlie Kirk Show,” an online program founded by the late conservative activist whowas close to Trump. “Perhaps there will be an opportunity on the back end of this.” Kolvet waswilling, however,to give Trump leeway, noting these are the types of challenging decisions presidents are entrusted with “President Trumphas earneda

dent in the president’sresponse.

About half of U.S. adults were “extremely” or “very” concerned that Iran’snuclear program poses adirect threat to the U.S., according to apollthis month fromThe Associated Press-NORC Center forPublic Affairs Research. Most Americans, 61%, said Iran is an “enemy” of the U.S., which is up slightly from aPearson Institute/AP-NORC poll conducted in September 2023. But their confidence in the president’sjudgment when it comestorelationships with adversaries and the use of military force abroad is low,the new pollshows, withonlyabout 3 in 10 Americanssaying theyhave “a great deal” or “quite abit” of trust in Trump.

Democratssenseanopening Democrats sense apolitical opening on the issue.InMaine, Gov.Janet Mills and Graham Platner are competing for the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbentSen. Susan Collinsinthe fall. They both issued statements on Saturday pressing Collins, the only Republican on theballotthis year in astate won by Harris, to step up her oversight of the administration.

Collins was one of three Senate Republicans who backed an unsuccessful push last month fora war powers resolution that would have limited Trump’sability to conductfurther attacks on Venezuela. Democrats saidSaturday theywould quickly seek avoteon asimilar proposal forIran.

“If we’ve started awar where we begintoloseAmericanlives,that starts changing the political calculus,” saidRepublican strategist Ron Bonjean.

But he noted that Democrats have vulnerabilities of their own, particularly if there’s adomestic terror attack while theDepartment of Homeland Security is closedastheydemand changes to howimmigration operationsare conducted.

Fornow,Trump isn’toffering muchofadetailed strategy on

FESTIVAL PASSES FESTIVAL PASSES PERFECT YOUR FEST PERFECT YOUR FEST

Judge: Short-term ban should stay

Magistrate argues ordinance doesn’t infringe on fundamental rights

BY CLAIRE TAYLOR Staff writer

A federal magistrate judge is recommending the dismissal of a lawsuit filed against Lafayette Consolidated Government over its prohibition of short-term rentals in residential neighborhoods.

Federal Judge David Joseph will make a decision on the lawsuit that alleges a 2023 ordinance banning short-term rentals like Airbnbs in neighborhoods zoned for singlefamily use is unconstitutional.

Michael Deselle and Rebecca “Becky” Guidry filed the lawsuit, which was later joined by Stellaris-

David Ayo, magistrate judge in U.S District Court in Lafayette, on Feb. 10 filed a 16-page report with recommendations after reviewing written arguments in the June 2025 lawsuit.

Delta Biofuel sued for $56M

Jeanerette facility accused of misrepresentation

BY CHRISTOPHER CARTWRIGHT Staff writer

A new lawsuit alleges a renewable fuel plant misrepresented its commercial viability and now owes more than $56 million to an Ascension Parish company Delta Biofuel LLC, the operator of a renewable fuel facility in Jeanerette, was sued Feb. 9 in the 23rd Judicial District Court by Ascension Bulk Terminals LLC, also known as ABT In the complaint, written by attorney L. Etienne Balart, ABT alleged counts including breach of contract, violations of the Louisiana Unfair Trade Practices Act and fraudulent inducement.

Delta Biofuel aims to turn sugar cane bagasse, a byproduct of pressing sugar cane stalks, into biofuel pellets that can then be burned at biofuel plants to generate electricity

The company announced it was investing $100 million into the project in May 2023, and Louisiana Economic Development said it was expected to create 126 direct jobs with an average salary of $62,500.

Delta Biofuel and its attorney did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

The lawsuit stems from a 15-year storage service agreement the two companies struck in May 2023, through which ABT agreed to deliver and store the bagasse pellets at its Ascension Parish location. As part of the agreement, which included a $23 million expense cap, ABT constructed a storage dome to store the pellets. In the complaint, Balart wrote that Delta Biofuel produced “a small amount of bagasse product in the summer of 2025, but the pellets didn’t meet the commercial specifications required by Delta Biofuel’s customers.

ABT issued invoices for the trucking of the pellets and for the agreement’s payments for the first two quarters of 2025, totaling more than $1.2 million. Delta Biofuel did not pay the invoices and failed to pay a third one of $636,327 that was due by mid-October Balart wrote.

ABT said in the complaint that it terminated the agreement, and Delta Biofuel owes more than $56.2 million, which includes the unpaid invoices and all remaining payments under the agreement adjusted for inflation. Delta Biofuel did not respond to a notice of early termination of the agreement, the complaint added. The lawsuit also alleges that Delta Biofuel and its leaders misled ABT when negotiating a 2025 amendment to the agreement. The initial agreement required Delta to pay all construction cost overruns, and the construction of the dome totaled $26 million, according to the complaint.

It stated that the two parties negotiated an amendment to the agreement, which included ABT

ing LLC and EPH320 LLC.

Ayo recommends granting an LCG motion to dismiss the claims of Deselle and Guidry without prejudice for lack of standing in the case and dismissing the claims with prejudice by Stellarising and EPH320 for failure to state a claim.

Louisiana courts, Ayo wrote, interpreted the law as prohibiting an individual member of a limited liability company from taking le-

gal action for damages to property owned by the LLC. Therefore, he wrote, Deselle and Guidry have no ownership of the properties owned by Stellarising and EPH320 and should be dismissed from the lawsuit.

The lawsuit alleges the ordinance deprives the owners of economic benefits because they made more money renting the properties short-term than through long-

term leases. The owners also contend that they have been unable to sell the properties at a price that allows them to recoup money they spent to turn them into short-term rentals.

Ayo said the assertion that the ordinance decreased the properties’ values is “possible,” but not “plausible” and constitutes “mere speculation as to the reason.” However, he does take as factual allegations that the companies

ABOVE: An RC propellor plane flies through the airspace.

RIGHT: L.J. Arpin, right, helps Chuck Nowell load up his remote control helicopter after a flight

HIGH IN THE SKY

Comeaux Recreation Center to be renovated

$750K project expected to be complete by end of summer

BY STEPHEN MARCANTEL Staff writer

The Comeaux Recreation Center will soon receive $750,000 in renovations. The project includes repairing and resealing exterior walls, replacing aging ceilings, repainting interiors and damaged sidewalks,

all Parks, Arts, Recreation and Culture instructor-led programming currently held at the Comeaux Recreation Center will temporarily relocate to the Girard Recreation Center (500 Girard Park Drive) beginning March 1. Athletic programming, including basketball and volleyball games and practices, will con-

tinue at the Comeaux Recreation Center during construction In addition, the outdoor pickleball courts, dog park, and Beaullieu Park will remain open and available to the public throughout the renovation period. Residents participating in instructor-led classes such as mahjong, karate, and aerobics are encouraged to attend these programs at Girard Recreation Center while renovations are underway Updated schedules and program information will be provided as the project progresses.

ä See JUDGE, page 2B ä See DELTA, page 2B

THE GULF COAST

Mississippi prosecutor who took on the Dixie Mafia dies

Peter Barrett considered ‘a stand-up guy’

BY ANITA LEE

The Sun Herald

Peter Hickman Barrett, a key prosecutor in one of Mississippi’s most notorious modernday murder conspiracies, passed away at his home in Gulfport. He was 78. The scrappy lawyer was working as an assistant U.S. attorney for Mississippi’s Southern District when he helped prosecute defendants whose conspiracy led to the murders of Circuit Court Judge Vincent Sherry and former council member Margaret Sherry in their Biloxi home. The investigation into the couple’s September 1987 murders led to the convictions of Dixie Mafia members and Biloxi’s former mayor FBI Special Agent Keith Bell, now retired, oversaw the 10-year case through the investigation and three trials that resulted in convictions. Barrett helmed the first trial in 1991. Bell said some prosecutors were hesitant to take up the case, but Barrett plowed through the investigative material in FBI offices daily for weeks, including hundreds of interviews with members of the southeastern mob known as the Dixie Mafia Bell said he credits Barrett with the overall successful prosecution of those responsible for the Sherry murders in what is one of the most notorious cases in Gulf Coast history

“He stepped up to take it on when others would not,” Bell said.

Although Barrett was devoted to his legal career, he was also an involved father to son William Carl “Bill” Barrett and daughter Susan Barrett Creegan.

Peter Barrett attended all their sporting events and also found time to coach their soccer teams.

“For somebody who was so busy he was a generous person,” Bill Barrett said. “He was still present. To me and Susan and my mother, he was just dad, and he showed up.”

Peter Barrett was born and raised in Gulfport. He graduated from the University of Mississippi before attending law school there. His obituary modestly notes: “Over his ca-

DELTA

Continued from page 1B

agreeing to cover the excess costs in return for an increase in the take-or-pay commitment. Take-or-pay commitments typically state that one company will supply a certain amount of product or pay a penalty if they come up short.

ABT claims that during those negotiations, the Delta Biofuel project was facing trouble. These claims include that the project was over budget, subcontractors weren’t being paid timely, Delta’s commercial partners were canceling or altering their commitments and that the company hadn’t yet been able to produce a viable product.

reer, Peter tried a number of ‘firsts’ in federal criminal cases in Mississippi, including the first federal death penalty prosecution, the first federal wiretap case, and the first federal possession of child pornography prosecution.”

It goes on to say, “He famously avoided the spotlight in the newsworthy cases,” which was very true as this reporter can attest, having covered the Sherry case. Like most federal prosecutors, Barrett refused to speak with the media. But he was always polite and friendly, never rude or arrogant.

His duty, he felt, was to his client, whether that was the U.S. government, a corporation or a criminal defendant, his son said.

“He was a great one,” said former assistant U.S. attorney and Jackson lawyer Joe Hollomon, who prosecuted the Sherry murderconspiracy case alongside Barrett in 1991.

“The most important cases prosecuted in the Southern District of Mississippi were handled by Peter Barrett. He did a great job, just a fearless trial lawyer, always did the right thing,” Hollomon said.

Barrett and Hollomon shared many tense moments, but Barrett always found a way to lighten the mood.

“He was just a stand-up guy,” Hollomon said.

Barrett’s sister, Mary Elizabeth “Betty” Barrett, said that she was teaching school when Peter Barrett helped convince her that she needed to get a law degree.

He helped support her through Ole Miss law school. After graduation, she enjoyed a career as an attorney

His wife, Fay, was also an attorney and both their children followed them into the practice of law Bill Barrett practiced with his father in Gulfport before receiving an offer to go to work for Tony Lawrence, then district attorney for Jackson, George and Greene counties. Bill Barrett is an assistant district attorney in the office.

He said his father encouraged him to take the job under Lawrence because he thought it would be a good learning experience.

“He was like that,” Bill Barrett said. “His advice was what was best for us.”

Daughter Susan, now a busy mother of three in Texas, also spent time in practice with her father

Bill Barrett said that his father led by example: “It was obvious that hard work and trust were important.”

Former Tripletails building up for sale in Bay St. Louis

BY POET WOLFE Staff writer

A three-story waterfront building that for more than a decade housed Tripletails Restaurant in downtown Bay St. Louis hit the market last week with a price tag of $2.35 million. The property on South Beach Boulevard, with its metal roof, lime-green façade and blue-trimmed windows, spans 4,413 square feet and includes a 3,920-squarefoot parking lot It is being marketed as “ideally suited for a destination restaurant, elevated retail concept or mixed-use hospitality venture,” according to John McDonald Realty, the listing brokerage.

The first floor includes a fully equipped kitchen, an office space and two restrooms, the listing said. An elevator and multiple stairways lead to the second and third levels, featuring indoor and outdoor dining areas and bar spaces that overlook the waterfront. The upper floors also include balconies, deck walkways and four additional restrooms.

The sale comes as downtown Bay St. Louis continues to evolve with new restaurants and other developments shaping the area, often compared to Destin and Pensacola Beach. South Beach Boulevard

“Pointedly, in connection with the renegotiation of the March Amendment, representations were made by Delta and its officers about the status of the Project to lead Plaintiff to believe that the Project was, in fact, soon to be operational and productive,” Balart wrote. “At or around this time, the

Project was in jeopardy and Defendants knew, at all material times, that significant obstacles existed affecting the

commercial viability of the Project,” he added “These facts were not disclosed to ABT by Defendants.”

JUDGE

also is still home to longtime local eateries, including The Blind Tiger, Buoy’s, Sycamore House and Trapani’s Eatery even as new businesses and restaurant concepts open this year

Flying Dolly’s, a Mandeville-based snoball shop, plans to expand to downtown in March, adding to a growing presence of New Orleans-area establishments such as PJ’s Coffee, Creole Creamery and Tacos and Beer Last week, the building that formerly housed O’Dwyer Realty, between Lemoine’s Landing and The Blind Tiger, was demolished to make way for a four-story arcade scheduled to open next spring.

Tripletails first opened in 2015, joining a beachfront row of colorful buildings offering food, drinks and nightlife in the growing Mississippi Coast city Jonathan Allen, the co-owner of Tripletails who purchased the building in 2021, announced in January that the restaurant was closing, citing rising insurance costs and food prices. “It’s been a fun ride owning this place for the last 4 years,” Allen said in a January interview, “But we need to turn it over to a new business ready to tackle the challenges of the modern restaurant world.” Tripletails drew in a steady clientele for more than a decade, offering seafood and live music to the Mississippi Coast.

Continued from page 1B

lost rental income, which satisfies the first prong of an analysis of a previous court case.

Ayo agreed that the plaintiffs’ allegations that the ordinance has interfered with their “reasonable investment-backed expectations” satisfies the second prong.

The companies have not alleged facts sufficient to satisfy the third prong of the prior analysis, Ayo wrote.

“The ordinance is a reasonable land-use restriction on commercial activity in a residential neighborhood,” he wrote, “which does not constitute a compensable taking under the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment.”

The lawsuit alleges the 14th Amendment is violated by the ordinance be-

cause the amendment says “no state shall ‘deprive any person of life, liberty or property, without due process of law.’” No fundamental rights are infringed upon by the ordinance, Ayo wrote, because there is no fundamental right to lease one’s property for less than 30 days.

Ayo added that as long as the ordinance is “regionally related to a legitimate state purpose,” the ordinance may stand. The ordinance states that its purpose is to protect the health, safety and welfare of Lafayette citizens and to promote, protect and preserve the general welfare, safety, health, peace, good order and economy of Lafayette and its citizens. He concluded that the lawsuit fails to plausibly plead a claim under the 14th Amendment.

Contact Claire Taylor at ctaylor@theadvocate.

NewOrleans school district weighs whichschools to close

As enrollment drops, up to nine campuses at risk

BY MARIE FAZIO Staff writer

In NewOrleans’ allcharter system, lowperformingschools are routinely shut down. But now district officials face anew,more contentious situation:They will likely have to close schools not forpoor performance, but because the shrinking system has too many campuses.

An analysis by the nonprofit New Schools for New Orleans, shared with the School Board last week, said that up to nine schools should be shut down in the next four years to accountfor the city’sdecliningstudent population.

Now,with few schools across the B-rated district struggling academically officials face the prospect of closing schools based moreonenrollment than performance issues.

In coming weeks,the board plans to craft anew policy to guidethe difficult and sure-to-be-controversial closure decisions, which officials said will likelytake into account schools’ academic quality,building conditions finances, enrollmentand community impact.

“We’re at the point whereweknow there’s no low-hanging fruit,” said Maxwell Daigh, the district’schief of data, accountability and portfolio. “There are goingtobe hard discussions.”

Shrinkingsystem

Since 2020, New Orleans public schools have lost 3,000 students because of adeclining birthrate and outmigration from the city,Holly Reid, chief of policy and portfolio for New Schools for New Orleans, toldthe School Board on Tuesday Reid said the decline has been partially offset by an influx of immigrant students, butofficials expect those numbers to fall due to the Trumpadministration’simmigration policy.

School funding is mostly doled out based on student count, so emptier classrooms can create afinancial strain for schools, some of which have al-

ready closed or consolidated operations in recent yearsbecause of low enrollment.

One solution is to close under-enrolledschools, which reducescosts and increases the population at other schools. Reid recommendedclosingfive to six K-8 schools andtwo to three high schoolsbythe 2029-2030 school year.

She presentedthe board with acase studyofaNew Orleanshighschool that added35studentsafter other high schools closed.

Theenrollment boost translated to $570 extra per student, allowing the schooltoadd staffmembers, increase teacherpay or update technology.

School Board memberOlinParker said that shuffling studentsmay be theonly way to increase school funding amid flat state aid and aprojected drop in local tax revenue.

“You have to have more students enrolledin thosecampuses,” he said. “That’sthe financial reality.”

More closures

The ongoing enrollment decline poses anew challenge for the district, which until now has closed schools due to academic, financial or operational issues.

Some charteroperators, feeling the pinchof too few students, have voluntarily closed or consolidated schools. Most recently,Einstein CharterSchoolsopted to close Sarah T. Reed HighSchool andcombine itsthreeK-8 schoolsintoone,citinglow enrollmentacrossthe network as one reason.

But the enrollment declines couldforcethe districttopursue more controversial closures, such as high schoolswith decentacademicsbut verylow enrollment— including, potentially,some schoolswithlarge and vocalalumni contingents.

Board members on Tuesdayexpressed concern that single-site schools like RootedSchool, asmall high school that doesn’t have the alumni backing of legacy schools but fills a program niche in the city, could be acasualtyofdistrict downsizing.

Parkersaid somehigh schoolswithdeep rootsin thecommunity mayhave to close to keepupwithen-

rollmentdeclines,amove that is sure to be controversial.

“Do we care about the politics of school closure?” he asked hisfellow board members. “Or do we care aboutprovidingmore resourcestostudents and teachers andraising teacher pay?”

Theboardalready has apolicy for helpingcharter schools through the closure process, but it expires in June. The board plans to update the policy, which helpsstudents from closing schools findnew placements and addresses thefinances of closing schools

Butthatpolicy does not offer guidancefor how or when the district should close schools in response to declining enrollment. It also does notaddress district-run schools like the Leah Chase School, which theboardopened in 2024 and recently considered closing partly due to its low student count.

Theboard appears poised to update thepolicy from assisting charters that must close due to academic or financial issues to more proactively lookingfor schools to shutter or consolidateinorder to downsize thedistrict. Daigh recommended the boardtakeintoaccount multiple factors, including academics and building conditions, but it remains to be seen howtheywould steer closuredecisions

NOLA Public Schools Superintendent Fateama Fulmore said the policy should include district-run schools andmakeclear that when acharterschool closes, it won’treopen as a traditional public school, which could undermine the district’sconsolidation efforts.

In comingmonths, the district will also update the Charter School Accountability Framework, which it uses when decidingwhether to renew schools’charters, to bring it in line with the state’s new accountability system.That revision could include measurestomake it easier to closeschools to addressthe district enrollment problem.

“I personally wouldlike to see us move quicklyto optimize our facilities,” Parker said, “knowing that it’sthe only way that we’re goingtobring more resources toour campuses.”

Obituaries

Guidry, Burton BurtonGuidry was a lawyer, farmer, musician, and bonvivant, who loved life and shared that love of life with so many.

AnativeofSouth Louisiana, Burton was of thepeopleand forthe people. He was born in 1954 in Vermilion Parish, in Abbeville,Louisiana.Burtonhad aspecial love for "Cajun country" and the people of Acadiana.

After graduating Kaplan HighSchool, Burton received aBachelor of Arts in PoliticalScience from LSU and subsequently earned hisJuris Doctor degree fromLoyola School of Law.

Burton had alongand vibrantlegal career, which he used to help thecitizens of Louisiana. He saw thelaw as acalling and believed that trial work was particularlyfulfilling

The majority of Burton's legal careerwas in public service,includingserving as apublicdefender, assistant district attorney, assistant parish attorney, assistant city prosecutor,assistant attorneygeneral and directorofthe Crimi-

nalDivision of theAttorney General's Office. He was most gratified by hiswork in Washington,D.C. on behalf of Louisiana, toward recovery efforts afterHurricanes Katrinaand Rita. Burton was aCajun to hiscore.Hewas known as "Crawdaddy" to all -even to those whodidn'tknow himdirectly. Burton lovedmusic.His guitar and fiddle were his favorite instruments outof his13-instrumentrepertoire. Burton foundjoy in hismusic,and hismusic gave joytothosewho heardit. He enjoyed mentoring up-and-coming musicians, as much as he enjoyed mentoring thenext generation of lawyers. Burton wasalways happy to be of service—to peopleand to God. He had a deep andunshakablefaith

in thegoodness of God's plan, which wasstrengthened by histhree-decade commitmenttothe Jesuit men's retreat, Manresa, in Convent, Louisiana. Burton wasprecededin death by hisparents, J.D andMarie Authorine Guidry andhis sisters, Debbie Menard andNadine Kemmerly. Burton is survivedbyhis wife, Lisa Freeman,his daughters, Jessica (Kevin) Balfour and Mary Katherine Koch, his grandchildren, Savannah andConnorBalfour, and hisniece, Amber Kemmerly-Louviere.

Acelebration of life will be held at alater date. Repose en paix, Burton

IN LOVINGMEMORYOF

Sharon Turner

Dec22, 1959 -Mar 02, 1976

Sherry was only 16 years old when her life was taken from her and her family. Sherry's sister, Lisa was only 12 years old; they shared abedroom. Her brother Bradley was only 3. He was the light of Sherry's life. Then she was murdered on Mardi Gras, 1976 in Lafayette LA.

Abig part of Sherry's mother, Jackie, died along with her. She never fully recovered; not just from Sherry's death but having to live with the fact that those responsible were never brought to justice.

Even though it's been 50 years since her death, our family has never given up hope that someone will do the right thing and bring Sherry and her family some peace and even asmall amount of justice.

if you have information you'd like to share, please contact the Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office at 337-2329211

Sherry was bright, cre-

OPINION

OUR VIEWS

La.builds on momentum with data center boom

With Amazon becoming thelatest bigtech company choosing to makea biginvestment in our state, we applaud the effortsofstate leaders and Louisiana Economic Developmenttocapitalizeonmomentum to attract new industries.

Thecompany said Monday it planstobuild twonew Amazon WebServices AI data centers in Caddo and Bossier parishes as part of $12 billion development expected to create up to 450 jobs

Theannouncement puts an exclamationpoint on the burgeoning potential in north Louisiana, an area of the state stillreelingfromthe lossof some of its major employers over thepastfew decades.

Theregion’sfortunes began to turn around in 2024 when Meta unveiledplans to build afourmillion-square-foot facility in RichlandParish, aproject whose price taghas now risen to $27 billion. Construction has spurred something of gold rush to thosepiney woodsasproperty values have soared and tiny townshaveseen a boom in economic activity.

Amazon’stwo data centers will bepartof 7-million-square-foot campuslocatednear Blanchard in CaddoParish andnearBentonin Bossier Parish. Athird Shreveport data center wasalsoteased.

Theexpansion of data centers to power the rapid development of AI technologyhas raised concerns in some quarters, specifically about electricityand water usage. AWSsaid it plansto invest $400 million in public water infrastructure in this project.

But as more data centers are built in ourstate, we also have the opportunity to makesurethere is asufficient regulatory framework in place to address public concerns.

The Louisiana Public Service Commissionisa key to that, and we urge commissioners to make theimpactonour communities theparamount issue.

We take utility officials and Gov.JeffLandry at their word when they say this datacenter will notraise costs for ratepayers. Yetweare glad to see that on the federal level, PresidentDonald Trump is also vowing action, saying in his State of the Union address Tuesday that hewould seek pledges from techcompanies to pickup more the electricity costs of datacenters. Those issues aside, we areenthusiastic about what this new data centerannouncement by Amazon represents. Louisianaseems to be on themap nowfor largeeconomic development projects

That’slargely thanks to thework of LED Secretary Susan Bourgeois and herteam. It’sa good sign that for the second time nowthe state has been given astamp of approval by oneof the country’smost cutting-edgecompanies. We can’twait to see what comes next.

CORRECTION

Antoine Garibaldi was the third-longest-serving president of the UniversityofDetroit Mercy. Will Sutton’scolumn on Feb. 22 incorrectly said he was the longest serving

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 and phone 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, BatonRouge, LA 70821-0588, or email letters@ theadvocate.com.

Carbon

Carbon sequestration wells don’t look much like windmills.

Butthat isn’tstopping ahandful of legislators from tilting at them regardless.

Pineville (not to be confused with U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, a Republican from Benton).

thing that would further restrict carbon capture.”

Carbon capture and sequestration, or CCS, the process by which excess carbon dioxide created during industrial processes is captured and stored underground rather than being released intothe atmosphere, appears poised to generate a fair bit of heat —but little in theway of new law —inthe upcoming legislative session.

During the prefiling period that ended last week, no less than eight bills were filed on thetopic, most of them aiming to give parish authorities more power to reject CCS infrastructure, including injection wells and pipelines; protect landowners in case of an accident, and prohibit companies from storing carbon under land without a landowner’sconsent.

The headliner is House Bill 5, which would award broad power to parish councils to reject carbon capture wells, pipelines or storage. The bill is sponsored by House Speaker ProTem Mike Johnson, aRepublican from

Johnson and acoalition of other lawmakers, manyfrom central Louisiana, filed the bills after monthsoffurious opposition to CCS in their districts. The bills are just the latest salvos in what has been asimmering fight between pro- and anti-CCS forces in thelegislature, in public meetings andinthe courts. Johnson’sbill, in manyways, echoes one filed last year by Rep. Chuck Owen,ofVernon Parish. That bill failed to make it out of committee.

AndifSenate President Cameron Henry is agood prognosticator,Johnson’sbill is unlikely to improve on that outcome.

“No,” he said, whenasked if he thought Johnson’sbill had abetter chance than Owen’s did last year

Regardless of whathappens in the House, Henry said he didn’tsee apath for thebills through the 39-member Senate.

“It comes down to avote to get 20 votes one way or the other,” he said.

“I don’tsee an appetite now to do any-

As Henry noted, the basic conundrum is this: Many industries coming to Louisiana cite carbon capture as a central piece of what makes the state attractive. The state has been granted expedited permitting authority from the feds, and so seemspoised to become aleader in the process. But manylandowners don’twant it. They worry about the CO2 stored underground seeping up into water supplies or pipeline accidents.

This isn’tthe old business-versusenvironmentalists debate. This is two strands of conservative Republicans —one pro-business, the other pro-local control —duking it out. The safebet is on the former,atleast in the Legislature’supper house. In the famous musical, “Man of La Mancha,” based on Cervantes’ classic novel Don Quixote, the windmill-tilting knight sings, “Todream the impossible dream,tofight the unbeatable foe… this is my quest.” Louisiana’scarbon capture opponents can relate.

Email Faimon A. Roberts III at froberts@theadvocate.com.

Timing is everything in journalism

Journalism is alot about waiting.

People often thinkit’sa job where you’re running here and there all thetime, and that can happen during big breaking news events, but most journalistsspend alot of time waiting —waiting outside courthouses, waiting in lobbies, waiting at concerts, waiting, waiting, waiting. That’sbecause to get the story,orthe perfect photo, you have to be in position before events unfold. If you get to aspot as things are happening, it may already be too late to get the information you need. That’swhy mostjournalists who’ve been in this business for awhile are always early to an assignment. You never know what can happen in the time you are waiting.

that perhaps would have gone unnoticed in acrowd. In Opinions, we sometimes have the luxury of letting the dust settle abit before weighing in. We do like ourcommentary to keep up with what people are talking about. Online, we publish opinions on news events if there is alot of interest in atopic.

Youcan catch asource in ahallway for an informal chat or see something

On somedeveloping stories, though, especially ones where facts may be unclear,welike to wait to write an editorial until there’smore information, particularly before stating aposition on ahot-button issue. That’snot always what happens on the internet, we know,where opinions are quickly shared after any controversy —even if they are later retracted. We like to stand by ouropinions, so that sometimes means holding

back our full-throated endorsement of aplan or idea until the details are known. There’smuch that can change during the implementation phase, and unintended consequences can become moreapparent. So we can come back later and clarify our opinion if necessary

Turning to our inbox forthe weekof Feb. 19-25, we received 53 letters. No one topic stood out. There werethree letters on Mardi Gras and its aftermath, twoletters on education, two letters on immigration and two letters on the TenCommandments law,which recently passed judicial muster.So perhaps this week, manyofyou were waiting before registering an opinion on atopic. We will be waiting to hear from you.

Arnessa Garrett is Deputy Editor | Opinion Page Editor.Email her at arnessa.garrett@theadvocate.com

COMMENTARY

When an innocent manisjailed, we alllose

Sometimes it’seasy to see a story about asingular,gross miscarriage of justice and just stop reading, because it seems to have no real bearing on your own life.

Please don’tdothat here —because there’sabigger issue than the immediate injustice.

Iwrote last July about Jimmie “Chris” Duncan, who spent 32 years in prison after aconviction for allegedly raping and murdering the 23-month-old daughter of his live-in girlfriend. Famed lawyerauthor John Grisham also wrote about thecase in these pages, flatly stating of Duncan that it was “a crime he did not commit.” Two months before Grisham wrotehis column, Judge Alvin Sharp of the 4thJudicial District in Ouachita Parish had come to the same conclusion, declaring Duncan “factual[ly] innocen[t].

—and sincethen, Duncan has found ajob andreportedly is doingwell.

The state though, won’t drop its appeal, so Duncan isn’tfree and clear.That’s where thenew development comes in.

Quin Hillyer

On Feb. 4, thefamily of Loyd Donald Oliveaux, the since-deceased father of deceased 2-year-old Haley Oliveaux, filed an amicus brief with the Louisiana Supreme Court declaring afirm conclusion that Duncan is innocent and requesting thefinal vacation of his conviction.

AuntJennifer Berry,uncle JoshuaBerry and cousin Jacob Hamm wrote that “we don’tbelievethere is anyevidence for anycrime at all.” Notewell: Not just zero evidence that Duncan committed thealleged crime, but that no crime was committed by anybody.

Still, Duncan remained behind bars for sevenmore monthsbecause Louisiana prosecutors are appealing Sharp’sruling. In November,Sharp ruled rightly that Duncan should be released on bail while the appeal moves forward

Haley’s mother,Allison Statham,also was quoted last year saying shebelieves Duncan is innocent.

What is undisputed is that Duncan was babysitting for little Haley when she died by drown-

ing. Duncan says he left her in apartly filled bathtub while he washed dishes, returning minutes later to find her face down. Prosecutors alleged, though, that he deliberately drowned her after raping her,and cited what may have been bitemarks on her face and some inflammation in her posterior region.

Duncan, though, had no criminal history or record of sexual deviance. He is theone who carried Haley’sbody,while weeping, to neighbors and asked them to call paramedics.

As Grisham noted, the assertion about the bite marks was based on what Grisham called “the wholly fabricated theories of two notorious forensic experts” with long histories of having their “bitemark evidence” subsequently found utterly unreliable by courts. Grisham also noted there was no blood or semen found at thescene of the death.

So far,everybody but theprosecutors seems to believe Duncan spent 32 years in prison, 27 on deathrow,for acrimehedidn’t commit. Notably,Duncan for decades was amodel prisoner,including working as aGeneral Ed-

ucational Development instructor to coach 16 fellow inmates in earning diplomas.

Meanwhile, Berry family members, who said that they fordecades believed Duncan wasguilty until being apprised of the exculpatory information,said that for some27years they have been denied their “basic rights as surviving family members of Haley Oliveaux,” including “the right to be present andheard during all critical stages of pre-conviction and post-conviction proceedings.”

Their brief says they wrote to Attorney General Liz Murrill, Gov. Jeff Landry and District Attorney Robert Tewtoask to present their support forDuncan, but they haven’treceived the courtesy of areply OK, let’spause here. The obvious question arises as to whythe statecontinues to press to imprison aman whoalready served 32 years behind bars even though the“evidence” against him was outrageously dubious and even though atrial judge and the victim’sfamily “believe fully in Mr Duncan’sinnocence.”

There seems to be no good answer

The next question is whyreaders should care. Well, there’sabigger issue here. Afundamental tenet of the American creed, atenet especially at the heart of Reaganite conservatism, is that the main role of domestic government is to safeguard liberty.That’sthe very reason American government exists. And our Madisonian system is designed around the recognition that unchecked, centralized power is anathema.

That’swhy it is both unconservative and un-American, for example, to countenance massive internal policing by the federal government without extensive training or respect forcivil liberties. (Minnesota, anyone?) And that’swhy every time state power is used to take way liberty from someone unjustly accused, it is a travesty,asin —and athreat to us all.

Jimmie “Chris” Johnson has suffered enough. It’s timefor the state to drop its appeal —sohe can keep making his new lifein freedom.

Email Quin Hillyer at quin hillyer@theadvocate.com.

Twoverydifferentleaders agree: Higher ed in La.mustadapt

Percy Miller,aWarren Easton High School grad, ran arecordstore then became asuccessful record label businessman, rapper,entertainer and eventually Master P, an entrepreneurwho hit it big with 1997’s“Make ‘Em Say Uhh!” CameronHenry,aJesuit High School grad, became alegislativeaide to aLouisianapolitician, replacing him in the Louisiana House of Representatives, serving in the state Senate and,eventually,becoming thestate Senate president. Both have strong business acumen and experience. Neither has led asystem or auniversity.Neither has led adepartment, college or school. Butboth think something significant needs to be done with Louisiana’shighereducation and they’ve come to that conclusion from theoutside lookingin.

responsible for day-to-day oversight of the colleges and universities. Each institution hasits own leadership,faculty,staff and students.

To an outsider,that might seem like alot of bosses with multiple layers of system administrations, each claiming apiece of our academic focus, resultsand success In recent years, that hasn’tnecessarily led to success,with several of thestate’suniversities facing financial trouble, including UNO, which is struggling to close an estimated $10 million budget gap.

Will Sutton

To insiders, much of what exists is necessary because there’sno one layer of leaders that can keep up with all of the federal, state and accreditation requirements while also constantly changing curricula to meet ever-changing professional and workplace needs.

Last year,the UniversityofNew Orleans named Master Ppresident of itsbasketball operations, largely in an attempt to improve its marketing and branding.

In his Senate role, Henry is in charge of crafting astate budget that includescolleges and universities as some of itsbiggest ticket items.

In separate conversationsthis week, I found that Master Pand Master C(Cameron Henry) were sayingsome of the same things. In differentways, they each said thatfor higher educationinour state to succeed,some people are going to have to get out of the way

The state of Louisiana has about30publiccolleges and universities, dependingon which institutions you count. The Louisiana Board of Regents, created bythe 1974 state constitution, has the responsibility of coordinating higher education across the state. Four separate system boards are

Master Pand Master Chave some questions, and they think we need to seriously look at what we’ve been doing.

“Weneed more business-thinking people,” Master Ptold me during WBOK’s Good Morning Show on Wednesday.“We need morebusiness-thinking people in leadership. Ithink alot of academic people are afraid of that. They’re afraid of the changeand the growth. Things aredifferent. Our educators, they think that they’regoing to losetheir jobs. We just needtounderstand where thetimes are going. Andthis is abusiness.”

Henry is about to go intoaMarch legislativesession with lots on his mindand the minds ofour legislators. Oneissue is higher education and whether we’re getting the mostfor our taxpayer money

In ameeting with editorial board members, reportersand editors on Wednesday afternoon,Henry expressed concerns

about what he sees as alack of critical financial responsibility.

Pointingtothe BoardofRegents and its oversight role, he said that thegroup can’t shirk itsduty.

“They have tocome back andsay,with all of the universities that are struggling financially,ifyour job, big picture job, is to forecast what universitiesneed, want, desire and the role of the future, that’snot working real well,” he said.

Butthere are many factors at play.We Louisianans aren’tmaking enough babies and not enough young people have been moving into our state recently.The college-age population continues to decline. Not everyone goes to college, but the number of those who could dropped from 220,000 in 2012 to 201,000 in 2022. That decline has continued. Some projections say we could lose up to 15% more college-age

students by 2029. That meansthe samenumber of institutions will be competing forfewer students, knowing that someofthem will go to private, in-state colleges and universities and others will leave the state.

UNO has leftthe UL system,officially moving to the LSU system in July.Master Pisexcited about the move, especially the branding opportunities. But UNO and all of our schools need students. We can’tcontinue to pay morefor the samenumber of leaders and people to educate fewerstudents.

Master Pand Master Cdon’thave the answer,but they have an answer: amore serious business approach.

Universities aren’tbusinesses. But the numbers must add up.

Email Will Sutton at wsutton@gmail.com

Is time runningout forsanctuary cities?

In the end, the conflict between federal immigration authorities andprotesters in Minneapolis boiled down to one fundamental policy question: Should sanctuary cities be allowed to exist? Should cities, and counties, and states be allowedtoprohibit their policefrom cooperating with the enforcement of federal immigration law,even as those local agencies cooperate with all other law enforcement?

In the wake of Minneapolis, some hardcore Democratic leaders are doubling down on sanctuary policies.

Erika Smith at Bloomberg summarized what’sgoing on in apiece titled “This Immigration Crackdown Is Creating More Sanctuary Cities.” Abigail Spanberger,the new Democratic governor of Virginia, has ordered state authorities to cancel any

agreements withthe federal government allowing cooperation with immigration enforcement. In New York, Democratic Gov Kathy Hochul is pushing abill to do thesame thing. In New Jersey,new Democratic Gov.Mikie Sherrill has signed an order that in many situations will bar federal immigration authorities from state property.And in Maryland, DemocraticGov WesMoore is hoping to bar local jails from cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.

Similar things are happening in blue cities, which already had sanctuary policies.

In New York, new Democratic Socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani wants to ban ICE agents from almost any cityproperty unless the agentsget ajudicial warrant.

AndinLos Angeles,Democratic Mayor Karen Bass has just signed alaw with new restrictionsonICE. No surprises there. Anything to resist thehated Trump. What is striking, though, is at thesame moment all that is happening, there is growing cooperation with federal immigration law enforcement elsewhere in thecountry NBC News reports that “agreements between Immigration and Customs Enforcement and local law enforcement that allow officerstomake federal immigration arrests have increased by 950% in the first year of President Donald Trump’ssecond term.”

The NBCreport continues: “As of Jan. 26, there were 1,168 agencies with officers trained to help ICE, up from 135 during the Biden administration and 150 at theend of Trump’sfirst term.”

The Trump administration has restarted an oldprogram under which local police officers essentially act as ICE deputies, with theauthority to arrest people suspected of being in the country illegally.ICE is encouraging local agenciesbyoffering grants for assistance. NBC reports the states that have the most agencies enrolled in the program are Florida, Texas, Tennessee, Pennsylvania andAlabama. They’re theanti-sanctuary jurisdictions. Public opinionseems to be on theirside. AHarvard CAPS Harrispoll from late January asked, “Do you think thatlocal officials should hand over to immigration authorities criminals in jail who are here illegally,orshould state and local officials notturn over criminals for deportation?” Sixty-seven percentofrespondents saidofficials should hand over thecriminals, while just 33% saidthey should not.

The poll also asked, “Do you think thatstate andlocal authoritiesshould cooperateorrefuse to cooperatewith federal immigrationauthoritiesonthe deportations of criminals?” The answers came out exactly the same —67% said authorities should cooperate, while 33%said theyshould not. There areseveral bills in Congress, allproposed by Republicans, thatwould outlaw or sharply limit sanctuary noncooperationpolicies. Evenifone or more of them make it through Congress —and despite public opinion, it is likely Democrats will fight them tooth andnail—theywill surely face court challenges. Still, it could be thatthe real momentum after Minneapolis is against sanctuary jurisdictions.

Email Byron York at byork@ washingtonexaminer.com.

CH G GR S

LSU star Johnson nearing significant scoring milestone in final season

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

Her senior night is behind her Now it’s time for Flau’jae Johnson to try one last time to lead the LSU women’s basketball team back to the Final Four

The basketball and hip-hop star is hoping to bookend her career with national championships Johnson was a freshman starter on the Tigers’ team that won it all in 2022-23. Now she’s a senior one who’s already accomplished enough to become one of the Tigers’ all-time greats — no matter what happens next.

“When I think of LSU and all the tremendous athletes that have played all the sports here,” coach Kim Mulkey said, “her name’s gonna be right up there with them.”

If Johnson scores 25 points in a road game against Mississippi State that tips off at 3 p.m Sunday (SEC Network), then she’ll become just the sixth player to tally

BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

more than 2,000 career points in an LSU uniform. Joyce Walker, Seimone Augustus, Julie Gross, Cornelia Gayden and Sylvia Fowles are the only other Tigers who have hit that mark. LSU’s 2,000-point club last added a new member in 2008 — the year Fowles joined. She scored 2,234 career points. Johnson has a shot to eclipse 2,100 points. If she maintains her current scoring average (14.1 points per game), then it would take her nine more games to hit that mark.

Only eight Tigers have ever posted a higher career scoring average than Johnson (14.6). She has more career points than all but seven active Division I players. “She’s all over this campus,” Mulkey said. “She’s all over this community We don’t even know all the things (Flau’jae) does for people, and she’s very generous and shares her wealth.

BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

UL starting pitcher Andrew Herrmann didn’t need much offensive support in Saturday’s 8-0 victory over UC San Diego at Russo Park.

But it was good for the Ragin’ Cajuns anyway, pounding out 13 hits while Herrmann was tossing a historic onehitter with a career-high 13 strikeouts.

“He’s awesome, and it couldn’t happen for a better kid, better teammate, harder worker,” UL coach Matt Deggs said of Herrman. “I mean, he checks every single box and he has for three years that he’s been with us.

“We’re very blessed to have him, and thank goodness for the (Diego) Pavia (NCAA) ruling, getting back for another year He’s making the most of it. I’ll give him that.” Herrmann couldn’t have been much better in improving his record to 2-0 on the season. It was the first one-hitter at UL since Evan Guillory did it on April 5, 2016, and was the most strikeouts ever in a Cajuns’ one-hitter

BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

After holding on for an upset of No. 15

Texas A&M on Friday night, the UL softball team didn’t sleep quite as well Saturday after Day 2 of the Texas A&M Invitational in College Station, Texas. It started fine enough with a 14-4 win over Kennesaw State, before falling to St. Mary’s 5-2 in the second game. The Cajuns are now 14-7 with the split, while St. Mary’s improved to 10-6. UL will finish the tournament with a 1:30 p.m.

Wait over for Rebels

back of the net in the 93rd minute

“I think I was getting manmarked on the throw-in,” Brown said. “They threw it far, (and it was an) unlucky bounce and I just hit it. It deflected and went in.”

BY ERIC NARCISSE Staff writer

It took longer than Teurlings Catholic would have liked, but the wait was worth it.

One year after finishing as state runner-up, the Rebels’ boys soccer team won their third state title. Behind an offensive attack that peppered Prairieville with shots on goal, the third-seeded Rebels defeated the No. 4 Hurricanes 2-1 in overtime to win the Division II state championship Friday at Strawberry Stadium in Hammond.

“It’s awesome,” coach Stephen Devine said. “You see these guys do so much to become a team and bond. It’s so rewarding to see it all come to fruition.”

It is Teurlings’ first soccer title in 17 years. The Rebels’ last one

came in 2009 against Loyola.

“Last season we lost, so it is amazing to finally be able to do it now,” said senior Luke Brown, who scored the winning goal.

With the game tied 1-1 after regulation and through the first 10-minute overtime, the Rebels scored when Brown put a shot in off the left sidebar and into the

Devine said his first thought when Brown scored was “about time.”

“He’s done it so often, but he has had the worst luck with timing,” Devine said. “Sometimes he can get down on himself and get frustrated. I had a feeling that (Friday) was going to be his night. I’m so happy for him that he was able to find the back of the net.”

With Prairieville goalkeeper Benjamin Tilley being stout on goal, the Rebels needed the ball to bounce their way

“The keeper was amazing,” Brown said of Tilley “He was amazing. I don’t know what he ate that morning or whatever, but he was good.”

The Rebels scored first on a goal by Eden Schlabach, who dribbled through several defenders before

perfectly placing a shot to the left of Tilley during stoppage time. In the second half, the Rebels (18-7-1) were called for a penalty in the box that resulted in a penalty kick. The Hurricanes’ Khoen Tripode placed the ball just past the outstretched arms of the Rebels’ keeper to tie the game 1-1 in the 53rd minute.

The Rebels’ senior midfielder

Luke Breaux was named the game’s most outstanding player “Coming back from losing in the state championship last year, we knew what we had to do,” Breaux said. “We knew we had to come together and I think all my teammates put their faith in me and I put my faith in them. All of my teammates have helped me so much, I thought at least one of them deserved it too.” Devine said he was glad to see Breaux honored.

“He has done it all year for us, so I’m happy for him,” Devine said.

“He’s a special player and he can do a lot for his teammates and for the program.”

Teurlings girls finish as Div. II runners-up

BY ERIC NARCISSE Staff writer

All season, the Teurlings Catholic girls soccer team has risen above its youth and inexperience.

While they again turned in a solid performance Friday, the task of beating two-time reigning state champion St. Scholastica proved to be too much in a 2-0 loss in the Division II state championship at Strawberry Stadium in Hammond.

“I thought we played well and hard,” coach Dave Lapeyrouse said. “It just wasn’t our day. It was

just one of those games. SSA is always tough. We’re a young team playing against a lot of juniors and seniors. We’ll be back.” It was the third straight state title for the Doves, who have won back-to-back Division II state championships and claimed the Division I title three years ago.

“The physicality played a part,” Lapeyrouse said, “but they made a few more plays than we did. They’ve been here before. They were more composed.” After a scoreless first half, the second-seeded Doves got on the

board with a goal by sophomore center back Ella McCollum. Later in the second half, Molly Montgomery, who was named the game’s MVP, drilled a shot from 30 yards out to put St. Scholastica ahead 2-0. “At halftime, coach (Glenn Benjamin) changed our formations,” Montgomery said. “We shifted more midfielders to the middle and that really shifted our momentum.”

The fifth-seeded Rebels (15-7-3) found scoring opportunities hard to come by and Lapeyrouse credited the Doves’ game plan.

“SSA is a good team and they had a good game plan,” he said. “They neutralized our forwards and put us under pressure. We weren’t able to play with composure or string passes together When you are chasing, you start to wear down. They controlled the game.”

While finishing as the state runner-up wasn’t the outcome the Rebels had hoped for, Lapeyrouse said Teurlings had a great season.

“I’m proud of the girls,” Lapeyrouse said. “No one expected us to be here, so we had a great year.”

Rangers lose Jung, Foscue for 10 days with injuries

Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung is expected to miss about 10 days with an adductor strain. Rangers manager Skip Schumaker also told reporters, including MLB.com, on Saturday that designated hitter Justin Foscue has a hamstring strain and also could miss 10 days. Jung, 28, hit .251 with 14 home runs and 61 RBIs in 131 games in 2025. Foscue, 26, had only nine atbats last season and is contending for a share of a platoon at designated hitter

Neither player’s ability to be ready for Opening Day would appear to be impacted, which is good news, given the sudden lack of infield depth. After trading Marcus Semien to the New York Mets, the team is expecting Josh Smith to move from a utility role to being the regular second baseman.

Mavs waive Jones, sign Nembhard to 2-year deal

DALLAS The Dallas Mavericks have waived point guard Tyus Jones, one of the players involved in the three-team trade that sent Anthony Davis to the Washington Wizards.

The move announced Saturday gives Jones a chance to pursue a deal with a contender needing backcourt help. The 29-year-old made the playoffs three consecutive seasons with Memphis from 2021-23.

The Mavericks now have the flexibility to convert rookie point guard Ryan Nembhard to a standard contract. Nembhard is closing in on the maximum number of NBA games allowed for players on two-way deals.

Jones made two starts among eight appearances for the Mavericks, averaging 3.9 points and 3.8 assists in 16.6 minutes per game

RHP Melton expected to miss opening day for Tigers LAKELAND, Fla. — Detroit Tigers right-hander Troy Melton is not expected to be available for the start of the season due to inflammation in his right elbow Tigers manager A.J. Hinch told reporters Friday that Melton won’t throw for one to two weeks. Melton told the Detroit Free Press on Saturday he is “not too concerned over anything too long-term.” Melton, 25, was 3-2 with a 2.76 ERA in 16 games, including four starts, as a rookie in 2025.

“We’ll know more in a week or two,” Melton said, “So, I don’t really know how much I can say.” Melton’s chances of earning a spot in the rotation took a hit when the Tigers agreed to deals with veteran starting pitchers Justin Verlander and Framber Valdez.

Australians Green, Lee take lead at LPGA Singapore

SINGAPORE Australians Hannah Green and Minjee Lee moved to the top of the leaderboard Saturday to lead by one stroke after three rounds of the HSBC Women’s World Championship. Green, the 2019 Women’s PGA Championship winner and who won the Singapore tournament in 2024, shot a 4-under 68 and threetime major winner Lee 69 to post three-round totals of 11-under 205 at the Sentosa Golf Club. American Angel Yin (68) and Haeran Ryu (70) of South Korea were tied for third in the LPGA tournament. With the final group on the eighth hole, six players were tied for the lead at 9-under Yin took the lead for first time with a birdie from off the green on the 10th, displacing her fellow American Auston Kim, who had led after the first two rounds.

F1 testing canceled following missile strikes

A planned two-day F1 tire test in Bahrain has been canceled following missile strikes as tensions grow in the Middle East. All Pirelli and F1 personnel on site in Sakhir are safe in their hotels following the United States and Israel launching attacks on Iran on Saturday morning. In retaliation to the attacks, Iran launched missiles across the Middle East, with a missile striking the command center of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain.

Mercedes and McLaren had supplied mule cars for Pirelli to conduct routine tire testing, with the two-day event planned to feature wet-weather running by artificially wetting the track to gather crucial data.

CAJUNS

Continued from page 1C

Braxton Brown hit a home run in the second off Hoover and then doubled home another run in the fourth.

The other culprit was Taylor Lane, who delivered a two-out, two-run single off reliever Noble in the fourth and later hit a solo homer off Noble in the sixth.

UL’s first run came on a leadoff solo homer from Kennedy Marceaux in the fourth. Emily Smith then had a run-scoring groundout in the sixth as the tying run at the plate.

Odhi Vasquez threw a complete game for the Gaels only yielding two runs on five hits, four walks and struck out six over 127 pitches.

In the first game Saturday, the

Cajuns weren’t able to record a run-rule win over the Owls, but slowly dismantled the opponent with 13 hits by nine different players. Ironically, Kennesaw State had more extra-base hits than the Cajuns – three doubles to one Mia Liscano led the attack with 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. Mia Norwood was 2-for-4 with an RBI Lily Knox ended a recent cold stretch with a two-run single as a pinch-hitter and Emily Smith also drove in a pair in the win.

Lexie Delbrey got the win in the circle, allowing three runs (one earned) on five hits, two walks and struck out one on 92 pitches.

Bailey Mackles finished it off by giving up one unearned run in the seventh.

Email Kevin Foote at kfoote@ theadvocate.com

UL

Continued from page 1C

“I think the main focus today was kind of pounding the zone and I got away from that a little bit in the start, but I found my groove a little bit later as the game went on,” Herrmann said

The senior left-hander only surrendered one hit.

“It is what it is,” Herrmann of the one hit. “ It’s better with two outs than a zero. I was fortunate enough to get a zero that inning, and at the end of the day, as a pitcher that’s all that matters, just putting them zeros.”

In throwing 117 pitches over nine innings, Herrmann walked three and struck out 13.

“Funny enough, he (pitching coach Taylor Sandefur) texted me last night, saying he got 120 pitches to throw CG (complete game),” Herrmann said.

The victory evened the series heading into Sunday’s 1 p.m. rubber game. UL is now 8-3, while the visiting Tritons are now 4-5.

The Tritons’ only hit was a twoout single to center from Alex Leopard in the sixth inning

By that time, UL’s offense had alreadyputHerrmannoneasystreet.

While Herrmann was the hero of the day, right fielder Donovan LaSalle was 2-for-5 with a 415foot home run to left.

“It felt great, you know, just to get the team going,” LaSalle said of the homer “Anything to help my guys out. I love this team. It’s awesome — awesome environment here at the Tigue.

Continued from page 1C

“Her soul is so pure. She’s

UL second baseman Mia Liscano continues to lead the Cajuns in hitting

LSU falls to Oklahoma

“The fans pack it, so we just love coming here and playing for them.”

After missing games early on with a wrist injury, LaSalle doubled twice in Friday’s loss and is hoping he’s hitting his stride.

“I was just trying to go out there and do my best, struggling through some nagging pain,” LaSalle said “I’m just healthy, you know, going out there and just playing ball and just relaxing and having fun.

“I’m Catholic. My mom just plays a huge role in my faith, in my journey It’s just a breath of fresh air Jesus is, he’s real. He always has a plan for everyone just trusting his plan.”

The Cajuns got a run in the first when Drew Markle walked with one out and scored on Colt Brown’s two-out RBI single.

In the third, Rigoberto Hernandez sparked the three-run frame with a hit batsman. After Brown’s single, Blaze Rodriguez got a runscoring single up the middle.

Maddox Mandino quickly followed with a two-run double to right-center for a 4-0 cushion.

LaSalle later homered to left with one out in the sixth and Hernandez added a sacrifice fly for the 6-0 lead

“(Friday) night, we gave them a big head start, and when you look at the seven freebies we gave out, five of them scored,” Deggs said of Friday’s 7-3 loss. “That’s just not a good game plan. We’re built to pitch it and defend it, find ways to reach base, move runners, and come up with big knocks with two outs — just basic, fundamentals of baseball.”

Tigers can’t win second consecutive SEC game as home losses continue

BY TOYLOY BROWN III Staff writer

LSU has had its fair share of letdowns at home this season.

From the heartbreaking gamewinner by Kentucky to headscratching defeats to Southeastern Conference opponents, including Mississippi State and South Carolina, fans have not left the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in good spirits often.

The trend of home losses continued as the Tigers were unable to win a second game in a row for the first time in SEC play They fell 83-67 to Oklahoma Saturday at the PMAC.

Max Mackinnon had 17 points on 6-of-20 shooting, three days after scoring a season-high 34 in the team’s win at Ole Miss on Wednesday

PJ Carter had 12 points, and Pablo Tamba had 10 points and 10 rebounds.

This was the first time LSU (1514, 3-13) played Oklahoma at home since the Sooners joined the SEC during the 2024-25 season. For the second game in a row sophomore center Robert Miller started in place of junior Mike Nwoko.

Miller’s defense was impressive from the onset, getting an interior steal on Oklahoma’s second possession. That turnover led to the Tigers’ first score, a corner 3-pointer for Marquel Sutton, who was scoreless in the last game.

on

41% from 3-point range. Williams is converting 50% of her field-goal tries and 40% of her 3-point attempts. Both of those rates would be careerhighs. Johnson scored only 10 points on 3-of-10 shooting on Thursday in a win over Tennessee But she averaged 18.3 ppg on 48% shooting in the three games LSU played before they beat the Lady Vols. That stretch includes Johnson’s 21-point outing against South Carolina on Feb. 14 and her 18-point showing vs. Ole Miss five days later She missed two key free throws late in the fourth quarter of the Tigers’ loss to the Gamecocks, then bounced back by teaming up with MiLaysia Fulwiley to lead LSU to its come-frombehind win over the Rebels. Now Johnson’s eyeing some bigger victories. She’ll join LSU’s exclusive 2,000-point club as she chases those wins. “First year, winning the national championship really set the bar for me,” Johnson said, “and now I want the freshmen to feel that,

Miller finished the game with six points, eight rebounds and four blocks.

Oklahoma (15-14, 5-11 SEC) found its footing offensively after Mackinnon was handed a flagrant one foul, grabbing Oklahoma while falling to avoid a fastbreak scorer following a passing turnover by Jalen Reece. Xzayvier Brown’s two made free throws were the catalyst for an 8-0 run that gave his team a 10-5 lead after four minutes

The Tigers were active on the offensive glass as Sutton had two of the team’s four after six minutes of play The alertness kept LSU’s offense afloat as it repeatedly fouled Oklahoma on shots around the hoop. The Sooners led 17-11 with 12:45 left and were 7 of 8 from the free-throw line. Nwoko helped counter LSU’s free-throw discrepancy, making 5 of 6 free throws in the first half.

LSU’s offense was chilly in the first half. The plays coach Matt McMahon called were well defended by Oklahoma who forced LSU to play late in the shot clock more than it wanted. With 7:42 remaining before halftime, the Tigers trailed 26-20 and were 8 of 21 from the field.

No player had made more than one field goal until Tamba made a second shot with 6:01 left. The graduate student transfer from UC Davis was engaged on both ends. He was relentless on the glass and used his speed at 6-7 to roll hard and finish contact layups. He had six points, seven rebounds and a steal as LSU trailed 41-33 at halftime.

The Sooners’ top players are guards Nijel Pack and Brown, who average 15.7 and 15.5 points, respectively, in conference play

Both demonstrated their shot-creating abilities. Brown made all six of his free throws in the first half and Pack, a 5-foot-10 redshirt senior, was crafty around the hoop He was a deadly pull-up shooter from beyond the arc. Brown and Pack had 11 and 10 points, respectively at halftime.

LSU had to be cognizant of its opponent’s perimeter shooting. Oklahoma is third in the SEC in 3-pointers made per game (10) and tied for second in 3-point field goal percentage (36.7%). In its most recent 91-79 home win over Auburn, it was 13 of 19 from beyond the arc, which was a season-high percentage (68.4).

The Sooners were not as lethal, but still went 10 of 25 from the 3-point line compared to the Tigers’ 6 of 23. Mackinnon found his shooting touch to open the second half. He scored LSU’s first seven points, using his off-ball movement more effectively to make plays. The Australian guard had 11 points in the second half.

However, Oklahoma kept LSU at a distance with timely 3s from Pack, who finished the game with a game-high 21 points, and company

The Sooners went on a 14-2 run to go up 71-52 with 7:52 remaining. PJ Carter made back-to-back 3s to cut the Tigers’ deficit to 79-65 with 4:29 remaining, but that run stalled after a timeout from Oklahoma.

The Sooners got revenge from last season as LSU beat Oklahoma on the road 82-79 in dramatic fashion. Former Tigers guard Cam Carter went on a personal 7-0 run in the final 20 seconds, including the go-ahead three-point play with eight seconds left.

week, UL played without its top player, Dorian Finister, who is in concussion protocol.

He remains questionable for the Sun Belt Tournament.

to only four for UL. Imani Daniel led the Cajuns with 16 points and eight rebounds, while Mikaylah Manley had 16 points and 10 boards.

The two teams will meet at 2 p.m. Tuesday in the opening round, with the winner taking on No. 10 UL Monroe at 2 p.m Wednesday On the men’s side, the No. 12 Ragin’ Cajuns (10-21, 7-11) will meet the No. 13 Georgia State (10-21, 7-11) at 5 p.m. Tuesday The Cajuns were beaten 81-58 at Arkansas State in Friday’s finale. For the second time in the

Karris Bilal scored the secondmost points of his career with 15, along with six rebounds in his absence De’Vion Lavergne settled for 11 points, three rebounds and four assists.

The Cajuns only made six 3-pointers and missed 11 of 23 free throws for 52.2% shooting at the line. The winner of the UL-Georgia State game will play No. 9 James Madison at 5 p.m. Wednesday Email Kevin Foote at kfoote@theadvocate.com.

Carencro’s deep bench leads way in win over Bonnabel

BY MIKE COPPAGE Contributing writer

Carencro doesn’t introduce its starting lineup before home basketball games.

Coach Christopher Kovatch said he feels that his bench is so interchangeable with the starting five that he prefers to say that the Bears have eight starters, and the number was nine before Nicholls State football signee Chantz Babineaux suffered an injury Dentrell Morrison and Hayden Monroe came off the bench to score a combined 28 points, and senior Kendrick Bernard’s 21 points fueled a fast start with three 3-pointers in the first quarter of the No. 15-seeded Bears’ 69-51 win over No. 18 Bonnabel in a bidistrict Division I select playoff game Friday

“We moved our lineup around,” Kovatch said. “Hayden had been starting. He’s battling a pulled muscle Dentrell is probably the best sixth man in at least the area. He’s so shifty If you look at him, he’s diminutive, but he works hard, gets to the rim and studies the game.”

Carencro (21-10) got a 7-0 run to end the first quarter ahead 157. Bernard had a 3-pointer, and Joseph Jones (five points) and Monroe each added a bucket. The Bears scored the first nine points of the second half to lead 40-19. Senior Wilson Landry came off the bench to hit his first bucket a 3-pointer Monroe had a put-back in both sequences.

“Bernard is knocking on the door of 1,000 points,” Kovatch said. “There was a point in early December when I really challenged him on a couple of things. From that moment, he’s been stellar.” Morrison, who scored 10 points in the fourth quarter, made his final four shots and connected

on 7 of 10 field goals. When the Bruins (25-9) cut the lead to 4736 midway through the fourth quarter, Landry and Morrison answered with a basket and two free throws. Sophomore Jaden Batiste finished with eight points.

“I did what I had to do to get the win,” Morrison said “I came in and was aggressive. I was trying to find my teammates. They know I’m a passer.”

Thomas Mollette led the Bruins with 21 points (11 in the fourth quarter). Kenyon Harper added 12, and Jordan Jarreau contributed nine points for Bonnabel, which was held without a field goal for the first five minutes of the second quarter

“We had them scouted really well,” Kovatch said. “Sometimes, that’s great. It’s only great if your kids go out and execute it. Kudos to Bonnabel. That’s a team that kind of gets overlooked in the grand scheme of teams in the state, but how many times has (coach Micah Hagens) had them in the top 28 in the past decade?”

The Bears advance to the regional round against No 2 Alexandria (29-3) In last year’s second round, a No. 21-seeded Carencro team lost 46-38 at No. 5 Alexandria, which features UL signee Tyshawn Duncan and versatile scorer Jarvell Bordelon.

“They’re so talented,” Kovatch said of the Trojans, who had a first-round bye. “We faced that same team a year ago. I thought we had a great game-plan coming in, and I thought we couldn’t do much better than what we did.

“They were just better than we were. If you look on paper, they’re still better than us: by far. The kids are going to come in (Sunday) and make the game plan with me — how we’re going to attack them.”

Lafayette High boys fall in

first

Lions ousted by hot-shooting Pineville

BY NEAL MCCLELLAND

Contributing writer

The Lafayette High boys basketball team found out Friday night what can happen when you run into a team with a hot shooting touch.

“I don’t know how many 3-point shots they made in the game, but it was a lot,” Lafayette High coach Clifton Brown said of Pineville. “That was a story of the game. They just had a hot hand tonight.” The No. 19-seeded stunned No. 14 Lafayette High 68-58 in the opening round of the Division I select boys basketball playoffs.

“We came into this game thinking it was a good matchup for us,” Pineville coach Chad Sears said. “Lafayette is a good team and had a good season. We are a young team and for many of our players this was their first playoff game and had to come on the road.

“We made some big shots early And when we started seeing the big rim, we had players started shooting and making shots for us.” Pineville jumped out early on

round

the Lions, leading by 12 in the first quarter before Lafayette started coming back.

It seemed every time the Lions got closer, the Rebels made another big shot and pulled away again.

“We just kept hitting shots at the right time,” Sears said. Brown agreed with Sears’ comments.

“We kept trying different things, but every time they would respond or they would hit a big shot,” he said.

Lafayette High did make an early second-half run and had a four-point lead early in the third quarter But Pineville survived the Lafayette charge, and regained the lead by 10 going to the fourth quarter and never relinquished it again.

“We were able to scratch and claw and get that four-point lead in the third quarter, but again they hit the big shot when they needed it,” Brown said.

Pineville advances to the regionals, where it will make a return trip to Lafayette on Tuesday to face No. 4 St. Thomas More.

“I know that STM is a really good team and that coach Danny Broussard is going to have his players ready to go for us, so we are going to have our work cut out for us again Tuesday night,” Sears said.

AREA

SCOREBOARD

0 0 0 3 Cazares 2.0 0 0 0 1 2 ULIPHRERBBSO Roman, L(0-2) 5.0 7 6 6 3 8 Williams 0.1 1 1 1 2 0 Dathe 3.2 1 0 0 1 4 WP — Murdock (3). HBP — by Roman (Camacho); by Roman (Leopard); by Roman (Camacho); by Murdock (Hernandez); by Taylor (Crossland); by Cazares (Amedee). PB — Martinez (1). Umpires — HP: Anthony Bryan Clark 1B: Zachary Edgens 2B: Luke Weems 3B: Rob Schlicher Start: 6:05 pm Time: 3:11 Attendance: 4152 Late Friday LSU 5, Dartmouth 2 DartmouthLSU (1-3)(9-1) abrhbiabrhbi Rodriguez

Curiel

DeMastrie

TALS28555 Dartmouth011000000—232 LSU00010211X552 E

Riess (1); Andersen (1); Dardar

Guirdry, W(3-0)

WP — Parsky 2 (3); Burke (2); Evans 4 (4). HBP — by Parsky (Brown); by Parsky (Yorke); by Parsky, Izzy (Dardar). Umpires — HP: Clayton Hamm 1B: Jeff Head 2B: Kevin Elzey 3B: Ray Gregson Start: 6:34 pm Time: 3:00 Attendance: 11422 College basketball Men’s state schedule Friday’s games Arkansas State 75, UL 63 Saturday’s games Fl. International 84, Louisiana Tech 76 Nicholls 68, Southeastern 60 Bethune-Cookmam 82, Southern 79 McNeese 66, UNO 63 Oklahoma 83, LSU 67

Woodson 2-8 1-3 7, Lavergne 4-10 0-0 11, Mejia 0-2 0-0 0, Olvera 5-17 2-4 13, Bilal 4-11 7-11 15, Collins 1-6 1-2 3,

DannyHeitman AT RANDOM

Thanks to “Winter,” abook by ValMcDermid that Iwrote about last week, Ilearned about atradition in McDermid’snative Scotland that helps locals avoid the winter blues.

Every January,the National Gallery of Scotland brings out 38 brilliant watercolors by William Turner for everyone to see. Henry Vaughan, a wealthy patron who donated the pictures long ago, madethe January show acondition of his bequest. He thought showing the masterpieces in weakwinter light would be the best way to preserve them. Vaughan’sidea had another pleasing result. During Scotland’sgray winters, Turner’svivid images give visitors to Edinburgh’spremier art venue aredeeming splash of color.McDermid’sstory about Vaughan and those Turner watercolors really resonatedwith me because every winter,Ifind myself especially drawn to the dazzling palettes in art museums, too. My birthday falls in January,when the holidaysare gone and the weeks can fall prey to post-Yuletide blahs. For the past few years now, I’ve answered that challenge by giving myself the gift of an art museum visit. Previous itineraries have included the Dallas Museum of Art, home to astellar VanGogh exhibition in 2022, and the LSU Museum of Art, which staged an exhibit of American Impressionist paintings last winter

This year,mywife and I flipped the script abit by visiting an art show to celebrate Valentine’sDay rather thanmy birthday.The LSU Museum of Art obliged with an eveningof Champagne, desserts and fellowship to openits new exhibit of Marc Chagall lithographs, which runs through May 24 Chagall’slyrical senseof humor and vivid embraceof color make his pictures blaze like afestive hearth, and openingnight visitors to the exhibit almost seemed to warmtheir hands around his masterworks.

“I need thisnow,” the museum’sexecutive director,Mark Tullos, said of the exhibit

“This puts me at peace. I’m glad you’re here to enjoy this with us.” Chagall, who died at 97 in 1985, lived in several places throughout his life, but his most formative years were in France. In anod to Chagall’s artistic roots, Rudolphe Sambou, consul general of France in New Orleans, was on hand to offer remarks, too.

“Culture is not an ornament for prosperous times,” Sambou told listeners. To the contrary,Sambou pointed out, it’sasustaining part of our sharedhumanity.

Ithought about Sambou’s words as patrons sipped bubbly from plastic cups and milledaround the lithographs, which were mostlyconceived to explore romantic love. In aseason of grim headlines, it was comforting to see so many people gathered at an event that joyously celebrated matters of the heart. For Chagall, who had suffered in life but answered its pain with beautiful images of soaring spirituality,art wasn’tmerely an escape. It was away to summon the best in us, something we all need now more than ever Email Danny Heitman at danny@dannyheitman.com

Louisianaactor wasinaSuper Bowl commercial.Noone at theparty noticed.

BY JANRISHER Staff writer

WhenElliotHamilton’s face appeared in aSuper Bowl commercial last month, no one at the Midtown Manhattan party where he was watching the gamenoticed. They were talking aboutBad Bunny’shalftime show Hamilton, 31, hadknown the advertisement would air during the game, but he had no idea

when.Bythe fourth quarter, he was starting to suspect that somethinghad gone wrong.

“Was Ilied to?” he wondered.

When theadvertisement came on,itwas theculmination of years of auditioning and near-misses—his first commercial to air nationally.But around him, the conversation continued uninterrupted.

“I said, ‘Who was that guy?’ to my friends, buttheywere still talking about BadBunny,” Hamilton said.

Within seconds, though, his phone began lighting up. Texts pouredinfromLouisiana from high school friends in Lafayette,fromLoyolaclassmates all over,from his family who had been sworn to secrecy At 31, the Lafayette native had just made his national advertising debut on the biggest television night of the year Twoweeks later,not muchhad changed.

ä See HAMILTON, page 4D

Idon’t want to be stuck justworking side hustlesforever. But Ialwayshaveconfidence thatI’ll figure it out.” ELLIOTHAMILTON

BY RACHELMIPRO Contributing writer

BETWEEN THE PAGES WITH DR. MARC SIEGEL

Scalise among cases called ‘miracles’ in new book

Bestseller tells stories of divine, modern medicine working together

BY JUDY BERGERON Staff writer

Dr Marc Siegel offers three reasons why his book, “The Miracles Among Us,” was recently on The New York Times and Publishers Weekly bestsellers lists for seven weeks. First, it’s hopeful. Second, people like stories, and third, people can relate to these stories.

“The idea that miracles aren’t rare, that they’re more common than we think, that they are relatable, is very uplifting to people, and it’s also true,” Siegel said His years in the medical field don’t conflict with his belief in these inexplicable events, as Siegel sees the doctors and the divine working together in these situations, he said.

Siegel spoke by phone from New York, where he’s a clinical professor of medicine and practicing internist at NYU Langone Health, medical director of “Doctor Radio” on SiriusXM and senior medical analyst for Fox News.

The author devotes each of 16 chapters to a different “miracle”

subject, detailing, through extensive research and interviews, how divine intervention unfolded for that person. Among these stories are those of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest during a 2023 game, Dan Redfield’s traumatic brain injury and subsequent hemicraniectomy (removal of the front half of the skull) after a fall from a moving golf cart, and that of House Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Metairie.

Scalise was critically wounded by gunfire in a 2017 shooting during a practice for the annual Congressional Baseball Game in Alexandria, Virginia. He had a 10% chance of survival. Here, the author discusses the Scalise case, how different religions view miracles, how accurate the TV medical dramas are and why he

included prayers in his book.

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity

What struck you as you interviewed Scalise about the shooting and its aftermath?

His courage and strength. His indomitable spirit. He’s a person of great faith in prayer He believes that people praying for him made a big difference. He believes the people on the field that got him off the field, into that helicopter, got the tourniquet on, got the IV and gave him fluids. And he arrives in the ER with a blood pressure close to zero and needing 50 units of blood.

He feels that that coordination of effort was divine.

In the book, you touched on the different religions and how they look at miracles. Would you talk a little on that?

The Catholic Church tends to define miracles as there is no other explanation but divine intervention.

But it’s not the only way to look at a miracle. Cardinal (Timothy) Dolan says to me that there’s also soft miracles where, if God’s hands are the hands of great physicians, that, plus an accumulation of coincidences, leads to a miracle that would be a soft miracle, where a personal God is present in the world.

That is incredibly uplifting to people the effects of prayer God choosing what miracles he wants to give. That’s perhaps a Christian point of view on miracles, but not a Catholic point of view It’s certainly the Jewish point of view on miracles, that God is present every day and makes his presence felt every

day in magical events.

I’ve had many conversion moments in my life, and many things occur that are unfathomable. Like the time in the ICU when I was a resident, when a man had been in a coma for three months, the family praying every day at the bedside. The man woke up when everybody had written him off, and we thought the family was crazy They’re saying, “Look, he’s moving. Look, he’s twitching. Look, his heart rate’s going up.”

We were just dismissive, and then the man walks out of the ICU and goes back to work.

What do you do when you are working alongside a doctor who doesn’t believe any of this?

I haven’t had that, because over 70% of doctors have faith and over 55% think they’ve seen miracles in their daily practice. But doctors don’t want to admit it because they’re afraid that people will see them as diluting their science.

Not a single physician has complained or come to me and said, “This is hogwash,” because I’m careful to distinguish what is a miracle, including science. It’s not instead of science, it includes science. It’s like saying, “Let’s value the preciousness of each human soul.” Doctors like that, because many of them, the vast majority, already believe. What led to your including prayers in the book? And does a miracle have to come from a prayer, in your opinion, or through prayer?

Prayers are connected to miracles, but not all your prayers are going to be answered the way that

you ask. I added that section because those are healing prayers. These are, for the most part, healing miracles, and I am a healer I see myself as a healer

We’re too ecumenical about it these days. We’re like, “We’re scientists.” But there’s no distinction between faith and science when you get inside the human body and see the incredible miracle of life itself. So I think the prayer section fits because it’s icing on the miracle cake.

How well do you think TV medical dramas are capturing accurately what happens in a hospital?

“The Pitt” is doing a good job, and I think “ER” did a pretty good job. I think “Grey’s Anatomy” does a pretty good job.

But here’s where they fall short: Drama always supersedes the differential diagnosis.

So something that’s unlikely if it’s dramatic enough, will appear more likely in a medical drama, whether it’s “The Pitt, or whether it’s “ER” or whether it’s “Grey’s Anatomy,” the drama supervenes. Anything to add?

If my book accomplished anything, it’s to teach people that there’s no separation between science and faith. That doesn’t need to be there. Most doctors will tell you they’ve seen miracles in their practice. Look at miracles as an accumulation of events that have a positive outcome — that creates a sense of hope and togetherness in our society at a time when it’s badly needed.

Email Judy Bergeron at jbergeron@theadvocate.com.

Mississippi author pens micro-memoir, ‘The Irish Goodbye’

Fennelly to teach class on unique writing style at workshop

BY RIEN FERTEL

Contributing writer

“The Irish Goodbye: Micro-Memoirs,” by Beth Ann Fennelly Norton, 144 pages.

I love authors that swerve, those multitalented multihyphenates. Case in point, Beth Ann Fennelly, who started as a poet, publishing three collections of personal, frequently humorous verse that rank, in my estimation, as modern classics. She then published a compilation of epistolary essays on motherhood, “Great with Child,” followed by a novel, “The Tilted World,” co-written with her husband and University of Mississippi colleague, Tom Franklin In 2017, while serving as Mississippi’s poet laureate, she swerved once again, releasing “Heating & Cooling,” a collection of what she calls “micro-memoirs” short-form poetically informed often quite intimate prose. Years later, I can still recite a few of her punchier pieces, many just a sentence long.

She returns to the form in “The Irish Goodbye,” an as-always revealing book that finds Fennelly mourning family redefining relationships with old friends and posing for a naked self-portrait.

Fennelly will appear at the New Orleans Book Festival March 14, and, the day following, will lead a micro-memoir workshop with the New Orleans Writers Workshop

This interview has been condensed and edited. What was the impetus for the micro-memoir form?

I confess it’s not anything I plotted out in advance. What happened was I had written a collaborative novel with my husband, Tom Franklin, and it was a pretty big project After it was published, I wasn’t sure what was going to come next. I thought, “Maybe I’m going to write my own novel now.” And every day I would go to my notebook, and I would wait for this big novel to announce its grand arc. Meanwhile, I’m scribbling little funny thoughts or a bizarre memory that I didn’t know why I remembered or something I’d overheard. At some point I looked at my notebook and thought, “OK, I don’t know what this is.” It’s not a novel, clearly It’s not essays. It’s not poetry But I’m having fun. And, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned to follow the fun.

So I thought of the word micro-memoir And when I thought of that word, it changed everything. It actually gave me permission, because now I had a thing to call it. It wasn’t that I wasn’t writing, it was that I hadn’t recognized what I was writing. I looked back at my notebook, and I realized I’d probably written a book already in there. I’m still finding out what this form has to teach me. When it comes to the observations you’re making, the act of recording, do you now immediately see things as micro-memoirs, or could they be poetry?

What I love from poetry is that extreme compression and abbreviation and lyrical thrust And what I love from fiction is creating a narrative arc and maybe suspense. And what I love from nonfiction is truth telling.

This form allows me to steal from those different genres and create this thing that takes the best of all three. Right

now, even though my training is in poetry and I love poetry and I do hope to return to it one day, I’m still just crushing on the sentence.

I love the idea of crushing on the sentence.

My whole life was organized around the line break. For someone who’s spent so much time balancing and thinking about the rhythm of the line break, it felt really liberating to stretch all the way to the period. And it allowed me to have a different ability to craft narrative.

Can you talk about the role of humor in your writing?

I grew up Irish Catholic in a very conservative neighborhood, going to Irish Catholic schools. It was a very, very patriarchal society Women didn’t crack jokes or seek the limelight. When I got to graduate school and I wanted to be taken seriously as a poet, I thought at first I had to be very serious.

And what the serious poets were doing at that time was writing poems about Greek myths, like everyone had their Odysseus poem or whatever And so I thought, “OK, I want to be taken seriously, so I better write my Odysseus poem.” And I don’t give a (expletive) about Odysseus. It took me a while to find my voice and give myself permission to think, “I don’t care if anyone else thinks this is interesting or important. I think it’s interesting. I think it’s important.” I stopped forbidding myself from having this quirky worldview and just telling it like I saw it. And when I started doing that, I felt for the first time like I was writing in my own voice. I’ve gotten more me since then. What do you think the micro-memoir can offer the writing community at large, whether that’s established writers or writers who are just starting out?

I’m teaching a class in the micro-memoir for the New Orleans Writers Workshop. One thing I really love about the micro-memoir is what a teachable form it is. It’s kind of low stakes and doesn’t come with a lot of pressure. Sometimes I work with senior citizens, and they want to write their life story for their grandkids, but they don’t know where to start. So I’m not saying you have to write your whole life story, I’m saying let’s write this paragraph. Then they can do it. They can write another one and another one — these little pieces start adding. I’ve done it with school kids who have learned from their phones that their attention span is approximately 36 seconds. And I can get something good out of them So I have found it to be a really teachable, joyful form. It helps me help people who feel the urge to write and who need it to be made a little more user-friendly

Rien Fertel is the author of four books, including, most recently, “Brown Pelican.”w

BY JESSICA PUCKETT TravelPulse (TNS)

Workers in the United States arenot greatabout taking paid vacation days, due to an array of factorslikebeing overwhelmed by heavy workloads and feeling guilty for taking abreak. But 2026 can be different if you know the right way to plan and focus on adjusting your mindset. That might feel like anear-impossible taskfor some, according to the numbers.

Nearly aquarter (24%) of U.S. workers took no paid time off in 2024, even though 82% of employees have PTOtouse, saysarecent survey fromFlexJobs, aplatform that helps workers find remote and hybrid positions.

“Even when PTO is technically available, many workers still don’tfeel comfortable usingit,” says Keith Spencer, acareer expert at FlexJobs. “Heavy workloads, fear of falling behind, lack of coverage, and pressure to be ‘always on’ can make stepping away feel risky.There’salso the concern abouthow time offwill be perceivedorwhether it unintentionally signals alackofcommitment or reliability.”

According to the survey,43% of workers said their workload was too heavy to justify timeaway, while 29% of respondents said they felt too guilty or too much pressure to appear committed to their job to take avacation.

Further complicating matters are unspokenworkplace cultures against taking PTO, ongoing economic uncertainty in the U.S., and concerns about jobsecurity, which can all make “PTO feel like aluxury rather thana right,” Spencer says But with the right planning and communication,it’spossibleto maximize paid vacation daysand minimize guilt.

Thefirst step to quieting that judgmental voice is to try to consider paid time off the same way as asalary

TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER

By ChristopherElliott

TRAVEL

withoutfeeling guilty

“It helpstostart by reminding yourself that PTOisacore part of your compensation package, not afavor youremployerisgranting,” Spencer says. “It’sthere to be usedand taking regulartime off is associated with better focus, creativity, and long-term resilienceatwork.”

Just as thereare documented workplace benefitstotaking time to unplug and regroup, thereare professional downsides to never taking timeoff. Employees who skiptheir PTO can experience burnout and declines in productivity, according toSpencer “When workers recognize that time off actually supports their long-term performance, it becomes easier to advocate for it, he says.

Another way to minimize guilt is

to makesurecoworkers areprepared for the time away from the office.

Telling amanager and team about the time off as early as possible,making acoverage plan like naming aspecific point of contact while away,and trying to finishup anymajor tasksbefore heading out can help bring peace of mind during vacation.

Being strategic withthe allotted time off can help maximizevacation days in 2026. To getthe most from days off, plan to group PTO with federal holidays that might be company holidays,too.

Delta AirLines,for instance, hasahelpful guide on howtouse this strategy to take 18 days of PTO and turn them into 61 vacation days in 2026bygrouping them with weekends and federal

holidays.Somepeople may or may notbeable to stretchtheir vacation days that far,depending on theholidays different offices observe. For example, Deltacounts Veterans Day andColumbus Day as potential company holidays, but manyoffices remain open on those days.

If travelersdoget Veterans Day off, the airline suggests adding twoPTO daysonto theholiday, whichfalls on aWednesday in 2026, to stretch it into afive-day break, including one weekend. Thetiming would be ideal fora fall shoulder season trip just before Thanksgiving travel begins. For alongertrip or international vacation in 2026, the airline’splan suggests taking nine days of PTO from June 19 through July 5to incorporate twofederal holidays

—Juneteenth (Friday,June 19) andFourthofJuly (whichison aSaturday butwill be observed on aFriday this year) —plus two weekends, for atotal of 17 days off.

Delta’soutline also recommends using threePTO days during Thanksgiving 2026 to bridge the gapbetween the holiday itself (Thursday,Nov.26) and the two surrounding weekendsfor atotal of nine vacation days from Nov. 21 to 29.

Taking three or fourwellplaced PTO days in December can stretch Christmas —which falls on aFriday thisyear —into an 11-dayvacationfromDec. 24 to Jan. 3bycombining vacationdays with weekends and New Year’s Day, whichwillbeonthe Friday following Christmas in 2026.

HollandAmerica wantsanother $800 afterpayment

Irecently booked aseven-dayCaribbean

cruise on Holland America. Ipaid $650for averanda stateroom, courtesy of an MGM casino certificate.

Christopher Elliott

An agent verbally confirmed the booking, and Igot azero-balance invoice.ThenHolland Americachanged the price to $1,450and told me to pay $800 more or lose my cabin. I’ve begged supervisors to call me; all Iget are formletters blamingMGM. I’ve already booked nonrefundable airline tickets from Los Angeles to Fort Lauderdale for $850. I’ve also lost two days of sleep. Help! —Greg Rothman,West Hills, Calif.

Once HollandAmerica issued an invoice showinga paid-in-full stateroom, it created abinding contract under federal maritime law and California’sconsumerprotection statutes. Thecompanycan’tunilaterally rewrite thedealbyciting an internal mix-up with MGM. If the agent miskeyed thecertificate level, that’sonHolland America —not you Youfollowed thescript to resolve this. Youaccepted aquoted price,paidinfull, received written confirmation,then made downstream plans. Holland America, meanwhile, followed a different script:Blame thecasino

partner,change theterms and dare thecustomer towalk away That’snot customer service. It’sa shakedown.

I’ve seen this kind of thing before. It usually happens when someonepays atoo-good-to-betrue price, like azero fare. But your initial $650 fare was not a decimal point error,and since you received it in conjunction with aspecial offer from MGM, you couldn’thave known that Holland America would kick it back to you. What could you have done differently? In hindsight,just alittle. Youcould have taken a screenshot of the confirmation

page as proof of your purchase. Andyou could have roped MGM into this, to get the company to pressure Holland America to do theright thing. When the stonewalling started, you escalated —exactly as Irecommend. Youasked forsupervisors, kept every email,and finally copied the cruise line’schief commercial officer,its senior VP of guest services andits president. You’ll find the direct contacts for all the Holland America executives on my consumer-advocacy site, Elliott.org Ialso reached out to Holland America for you. Arepresentativecalled you, apologized and

reinstated your original obstructed-view veranda forthe $650 you already paid. Holland America also threw in a$200 in shipboard credit.

I’mhappy this is resolved, but it shouldn’thave taken all of these escalations forHolland America to help you. But in an age of increasing automation, apparently that’swhat it takes.

Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy,anonprofit organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@elliott.org or get help by contacting him at elliottadvocacy org.

Struggling reader takesout loansfor vacation

Dear Harriette: Irecently took out loans so Icould go on avacation Iknow that sounds financially irresponsible, but I hadn’tgone anywhere in 10 years. Iwork paycheck to paycheck, and Ineeded abreak from working all the time. For amoment, the trip made me feel human again, rested in away Ihaven’tfelt in years. Now that I’m home, reality has set in. I’m overwhelmed by guilt and anxiety aboutthe debt Iadded to my already tight finances. Ikeep replayingthe decision in my head, wondering if Iwas selfish for choosingrest over responsibility.Atthe same time, Ican’tignore how close I

HAMILTON

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felt to breakingbefore Ileft, and Iworry aboutwhat will happen if Inever allow myself momentsofrelief. I’m struggling to reconcile my need for rest with the constantpressure to make the“smart” financial choice. Wasthis amistake Ishouldregret, or is it OK to acknowledge that survival sometimes requires more than just paying bills? How do Imove forward withoutpunishing myself forfinally choosingmyown wellbeing? —Riddled With Guilt Dear Riddled With Guilt: Youalready took out theloan and spent the money,sothere’s no use beating yourselfupover it.You made a

decision that you thought would provide somerelief for your stressed-out life. Did you enjoy your vacation? Ihope so. Rather than spiraling out about how much money you spent,focus on thefuture. What can you do today to help improve your qualityof life? While you cannot afford regular vacations, you can do thingstotakecare of yourself. Schedule in sometype of physical activity each week. Find free events in your town.Put yourself in social environments so that you can have alittle fun. Findways to smile, even as you map out astrategy to pay your bills and earn aliving. Stop fretting about what was. Live your life.

Dear Harriette: I’ve been tasked

with ahuge assignment at work, but Ifeel overwhelmed. I’ve felt this way for months, but Iwas able to skate by doing what Ican without raising too manyflags. Now that we have this major assignment, though, it is hard for me to avoid my workload. The spotlight is on me, and Ifeel like I don’thave the capacity to give my all to this project. We’re asmall team, so Idon’tfeel like Ihave theoption to share the workload with my boss or my colleagues. There’snoone else on the team who is available to take on this project.DoI have any other options? How do Iget back to feeling motivated and capable of doing my best work? —Burnout Dear Burnout: Your boss will ap-

preciate the heads-up that you do not have the capacity to complete the workathand. It’s much better to say something before you miss adeadline than to apologize after Ask forhelp. Who knowswhat will happen? Perhaps your company can find interns or interim workers whocan come in fora fewdays or weeks to help lighten the load. As uncomfortable as you may be in revealing your inability to get the job done, trust that a cry forhelp now is better than the alternative.

Sendquestions to askharriette@ harriettecole.com or c/o AndrewsMcMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.

Hamilton still auditions regularly —about two to three times a week for commercials, webshows and television roles. He stillworks weekends at aBrooklyn restaurant that specializes in Southern food. During the week,hecoaches youth baseball. He buys and resells baseball cards for extra money He performs stand-up comedy five nights aweek, mostly at open mics.Heruns ashow at Freddy’s Barand oftenperforms at O’Keefe’sBar &Grill, Halyard’s Barand Young Ethel’s—all in Brooklyn.

“In acting,” he said, “you audition for like 8billion things and never get anything —and then something justappears.”

TheSuper Bowl commercial was hissecond national advertisement, butthe first one he shot never aired

Choosing sports,thenacting

Hamilton graduated from Episcopal School of Acadiana in2013 and earned an economicsdegree from Loyola University NewOrleans in 2017.

Acting, for most of that time, lived in the background.

He had always liked performing. As achild, his mom says he was unusually verbal. He memorized thepresidentsand couldrecite them to acrowd. He enjoyed performing. Then, somewhere around middle school, sports took over Mark Broussard, his high school baseball coach at Episcopal School of Acadiana, said that duringthe Super Bowl advertisement, he first recognized his former student’svoice and then he realized it was Hamilton on television.

Hamilton is grateful for his time on the baseball field despite it taking him away from theater and performing.

“In junior high and high school, if you do anything other than sports, kids make fun of you,” Hamilton said. “So, Ileaned into that.”

He was part of his small high school’s theater productions, which were directed by Kat Surratt Movassaghi. She says she loves seeing former students pursuing paths of the arts in today’sworld.

“I always knew there was something

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special abouthim on thestage. He had adry wit andgood comic timing,” Movassaghi said Despite hisease on the stage, Hamiltonchose to major in economicsatLoyola and didn’treturn to actinguntilhis senior year, when he took atheater elective. He auditioned for acampus play and landed the lead.

“All the theaterkids were like, ‘Who’s this econ major gettingthe lead in our play?’” his father,Dr.

Scott Hamilton of Lafayette, said.

ForElliot Hamilton, getting back on stagefelt less like adetour and more like acorrection.

“I remembered howmuch Iliked it,” he said. “I was like, why did I ever get away from this?”

From accounting to waitingtables

After graduating from Loyola in 2017, he took ajob in accounting in New Orleans. He worked in an accounting firm for four years while quietly auditioning for independent filmsand small roles in New Orleans,where the film industry was booming at the time.

He signedwith an agent. He auditioned constantly

Nothing landed.

Then, in 2021, he booked arole in an Amazon series thatwas settoshoot in New Orleans. On his first day on set, production shut down because of COVID exposure. Soon after he learnedhis scene had been written out

“Itwas really devastating,” he said.

Twoweeks later, he booked asmall role in AMC’s“Mayfair Witches.” That onedid film. It was enough to convince himthe grind might lead somewhere.

After he was fired from his accounting job, he leaned further into actingand performing.

“I just didn’t care aboutbecoming a better accountant,” he said. “IfIdon’t have full interest in

something, it’svery hard formeto apply myself. But if Ido, Ikind of obsess over it.”

He began waiting tablesinNew Orleans— andthe money was good. Then he moved to NewYork in 2022, chasing broader opportunity.Hesays the first few months in the BigApple felt like an adventure. He clicked withthe pace of life immediately

“Every dayIgot up, Iwas excited,”hesaid. “You don’tknow what’sgoing to happen, but it’sgoing to be interesting.”

Embracingthe hustle

Elizabeth FournetHamilton, his mother,describes her son as positiveand hardworking.

“He auditions every day,” she said. “He hasn’tgiven up.”

Likemany parents, she hopes her son will oneday buya house and settle into financial stability

As parents, the Hamiltons have watched theirson navigate theups and downs of the arts withsurprising tranquility

“He doesn’tmind the uncertainty,” she said.

Elliot Hamilton acknowledges theinstability. Acting pays well when the jobs come, he said, but thechallenge is neverknowing when that will be.

“I don’twanttobestuck just working side hustlesforever,” he said. “But Ialways have confidence that I’ll figure it out.”

Work has never intimidated him.

As ateenager,hespent summers working at his grandfather Howard Fournet’sChevron station on Johnston Street in Lafayette —pumping gas, patching tires andcleaning the

service bay in the heat.

From 7a.m.to5 p.m., six days a week.

“Ittaught me alot about being hotoutside in thesummer,”hesaid with alaugh.

His mother’sbrother, Brian Fournet, ran the service station. It wasthe Fournets —his mother’s large, lively and loud family of storytellers —who shaped his instincts on stage.

“The only waytoget their attentionisifyou tell agood story,” Elliot Hamilton said. “They all talk over each other.Ifyou don’thook them,they won’tlisten.”

Thatlesson translates easily to stand-up comedy

Afterthe camerascut away

Since the Super Bowl, he has been testing thestory of theunnoticed commercial at open mics. It usually works. Still,headmits it feels awkward. He’snot completelycomfortable talking about the experience.

“Itfeels self-congratulatory,” he said. “Like, ‘Hey,I was in aSuper Bowlcommercial.’

In reality, themoment wasless glamorous than it looked from afar.Atthe party in Manhattan, he eventually had to tell friends what they had missed. They pulled up the commercial on YouTube and replayed it.

He still appreciates the element of surprise.

“I think it’smore funifyour face just comes on the screen and peoplehave no idea it’s going to,” he said.

He knows building acareer today is nearly impossiblewithout the likes and follows. The industry,heknows, now runs on visibility.Social media followers matter Short clipsmatter.Recognition matters.

Even still, Elliot Hamiltonappreciates the other indicators of success.

“AslongasI feellikeI’m making progress, I’mcomfortable,” he said.

Most viewers sawhim for afew fleeting seconds during the Super Bowl. The rest of the work —the auditions, open mics, restaurant shiftsand coaching sessions continueslongafter the cameras cut away Back home in Louisiana,they noticed.

ElliotHamiltongrewupina large,loudLouisiana family where stories competed for air,and attention had to be earned.

In New York, on small stages and in crowded audition rooms, he’s still earning it.

Follow Elliot HamiltononInstagram @definitelyelliothamilton.

Email Jan Risheratjan.risher@ theadvocate.com.

was built, creating the Company Canal waterway.Maritime workers, drawn by trade, becamefamiliar with the area. But Westwego owes its name and population increase to later developments—namely the growth of the railroadindustry a few decades later. New Orleans native John Churchill Chase gave an account of the settlement’s history in his book, “Frenchmen, Desire, Good Children and Other Streets of New Orleans.” The New Orleans, Mobile & Chattanooga Railroad, by 1870, hadcompleted aline to Mobile. The company decided not to go onto Chattanooga,instead turning westward, aiming for Texas. The western division of the company, known as the New Orleans, Mobile &TexasRailroad, started looking for suitablesitesfor this westward line. They needed to build aterminus with all the trimmings,docks wharves and infrastructure for a

railroad ferry.A plantation was purchasedfor this purposeand renamedAmesville. Disappointment struck when Amesville was discovered to have an unstable riverbank,unsuitable for transportation and construction purposes. Anew site had to be found. The area near Company Canal, with its steadyriverbank, rose to the occasion.The Westwego terminuswas builtthere, and by 1871, construction on awestern line began. Local stories have several versions ofthe namingprocess for this terminus. Oneofthe more popularversions attributes the name to railroad conductors shouting “West-We-Go,” as the trainstook off westward. Chase hasadifferent theory: New York board directors. “It grew out of aseries of meetings of the railroad’sboard of directors in farawayNew York,” Chase wrote. “They had purchased ahuge plantation, only to findituseless for terminus purposes. …Whenthe recommendationscame in from the engineers that the CompanyCanal was suitable, itwas withgreat relief

that they voted, “Then west we go from here!” In 1872, one of theearliest documented newspaper uses of the namewas reported in The TimesPicayune.

“The New Orleans, Mobile and Texas Railroad have completed and have in operation their main stem from Westwego, distant from Canal street about five miles on the opposite bank of the river,

Donaldsonville,” the Times-Picayune reported on July 19, 1872.

While the terminal namecaught on quickly,“Westwego” the city took timetobuild.

Sensing an opportunity in 1892, entrepreneur Pablo Sala bought a tract of land on the lower side of Company Canal. He split the land into 162 plots, naming the whole area “Salaville.”

After an 1893 hurricane wrecked the nearby fishing community of Cheniere Caminida, manyCheniere refugees bought plots and moved into the area, drastically swelling the area’s population. Residents knew the area by the Westwego terminus and the nameofWestwego became the common way to reference the settlement.

The name was formalized in 1919, when thearea was incorporated as the“Village of Westwego.”

Do you have aquestion about something in Louisiana that’s got you curious? Email your question to curiouslouisiana@ theadvocate.com. Include your name, phonenumber andthe city where you live.

Family andULtakecenterstage at Gabriel’sluncheon

King Gabriel LXXXVII, John Wesley Bordelon, presidedover the annual King’sLuncheon on Feb. 15.

Kris Wartelle

The mild weather and festive spirit brought out hundreds to the event at the Cajundome Convention Center

Bordelon spoke fondly of his days as aUSL (now ULLafayette) football player and student at the university.Herecalled how he wasrecruited as ahigh school football player to play for the university After graduation,hedecided to make Lafayette his home.

Bordelon’sspeech emphasized hislove of family life in Acadiana. He and his wife, Suzanne, have raised three daughtersand are enjoying being grandparents to six grandchildren. He alsohighlighted the lovefor the many friends he has made as an active memberinvolved in the community

The king’s luncheon is ahighlightof the Carnival season formany.Guests look forward to hearingfrom the king and enjoying the presentation of the royal maids. The four days of nonstop activities include aQueen’sLuncheon, aQueen’sparade and, of course, FatTuesday parades where King Gabriel presides over the day.That is followed by what is known as the City Ball put on by TheGreaterSouthwest Mardi Gras Associationthat evening. We salute the King and hislovely wife, Suzanne, on asuccessful reign as King Gabriel LXXXVII. Congratulations on awonderful year

QueenEvangelineLXXXVIIhonorsroyal maidsatluncheon

Queen Evangeline LXXXVII Lily Claire Hutchison reignedoverher royalluncheon on Feb. 16 at Le Pavillon in Lafayette. The beautiful eventisa tradition that includes friends, family members, Krewe of Gabrielladies andthe royal maids who serve on thequeen’s court The luncheonisone of themost anticipated eventsofthe year Guests are treatedtoagourmet lunchinastunning room decorated in pastelsreminiscentofMardi Gras colors. Forthisoccasion,the queen and family chosebeautiful huesofpastel green andlavender with elegantflower arrangements. Ahighlight of theluncheonisthe queen’s address to herroyal court andguests. Hutchison recalled her days growing up with MardiGras traditionsand festivities throughout herchildhood. She also paid tribute to herfamily andmembers of the queen’s committeethathelped her carry out herroleasqueen. She honoredeach of herroyal maidsfor supportingher journeyand making that journey so enjoyable. As manyknow, that journeycan mean nonstop activities forthe queen.Hutchison, who is aformer cheerleader andgymnast, still relies on herstaminafromher tumblingbackground to helpher keep up that pace. She alsogets alot of helpfromthe fabulous queen’s committee. The ladies make sure everything is perfect.

Congratulationsonanincredible year Queen Evangeline LXXXVII. It was indeedone to remember.

Bonaparteservesupa partyatLeBal Du Couronnement

Bonaparte can dish it out, but can they take it? Answer: Yes, they can!

Kris Wartelle

The theme for theKrewe of Bonaparte’s2026 ball and pageant was “Bonaparte Dishes It Out.” The krewe, whose members are known for their love of amusement and whimsy,really took it to the next level.The ball was held on Feb. 16. Royalty paraded around the Cajundome Convention Center dressed as culinary themes from aroundthe world. There wasthe Italian table set with wine and pizza, and Louisiana made thecut with adancing Tabasco hot pepper

We all know how agood restaurant can draw big crowds. Thiswas true here as hundreds gathered to enjoy aBonaparte partyserved with lots of side dishes. Those included beads, favors and aband thathad everyone dancing.

L’Empereur NapoleonXLIX Douglas Comeaux and his wifeL’Imperatrice Josephine XLIX Rachel Comeaux reigned over themerriment in gorgeous red andgold royal attire. Josephine’sjeweled gown was particularly stunning.Many saidthey had been waitingyears to see one of their most valuable Bonaparte devotees be honored. Rachel Comeaux’swork and dedication has helped the krewe and its ball grow into the hugely popular force that it is today When it comes to fun, Krewede Bonaparte, not only canyou dish itout, but you can take it to the next level Félicitations pourcettenouvelleannée de succès!

TODAYINHISTORY

By The Associated Press

Today is Sunday,March 1, the 60th day of 2026.There are 305 days left in the year

Todayinhistory:

On March 1, 1961, President John F. Kennedy signed an executive order establishing the Peace Corps;since its establishment, more than 240,000 Americans have served as Peace Corps volunteers. Also on this date:

In 1872, President Ulysses S. Grant signed the Yellowstone National Park Protection Act, making Yellowstone the nation’sfirst national park.

In 1932, Charles A. Lindbergh Jr., the 20-month-old son of Charles and Anne Lindbergh, was kidnapped from the family home in New Jersey.(Remains identified as those of the child were found two months later; Bruno Richard Hauptmann was convicted of murder in the case in 1935 and executed in 1936.)

In 1954, four Puerto Rican nationalists opened fire from the spectators gallery of the U.S. House of Representatives, wounding five members of Congress. In 1966, the Soviet space probe Venera 3crash-landed on the surface of Venus, becoming the first spacecraft to reach another planet. However,Venera was unable to transmit any data back to Earth because its communications system had failed In 1971, abomb went off inside amen’sroom at the U.S. Capitol. The radical group Weather Underground claimed responsibility for the pre-dawn blast, which damaged the building but caused no injuries.

In 1974, seven people, including former Nixon White House aides H.R. Haldeman and John D. Ehrlichman;former Attorney General John Mitchell; and former assistant Attorney General Robert Mardian, were indicted by agrand jury on charges of conspiring to obstruct justice in connection with the Watergate break-in. (These four

defendantswere convicted in January 1975, thoughMardian’sconviction was later reversed.)

In 2005, Dennis Rader,the churchgoingfamily man accused of leadinga doublelife as theBTK serial killer,was charged in Wichita, Kansas, with 10 counts of first-degree murder.(Rader later pleaded guilty andreceived multiple life sentences.)

In 2007, atornadooutbreak in the Southeast U.S.killed at least 19 people across Alabamaand Georgia. Oneofthe tornadoes toppled aconcrete wall at ahigh school in Enterprise,Alabama, killing eight students.

In 2014, amass stabbing by menwielding knives and machetes atarailway station in Kunming, in southwest China, left at least 29 people deadand 130otherswounded.Authorities blamed a militant separatist group for the attack and said fourofthe suspects were shot dead.

In 2024, thousands of mourners bidfarewell to Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalnyata public funeralinMoscow,two weeks after his unexplained death in an Arctic penal colony. Navalny had been jailed since January 2021, when he returned to Moscow to face certain arrest after recuperatinginGermany from nerve agent poisoningheblamed on theKremlin.

Today’sbirthdays: Rock singer Roger Daltrey is 82. Actor Dirk Benedict is 81. Republican Sen.Deb Fischer of Nebraska is 75. Filmmaker Ron Howard is 72. Actor TimDaly is 70. Hockey Hall of Famer RonFrancis is 63. Filmmaker Zack Snyder is 60. Actor Javier Bardem is 57. Basketball Hall of Famer Yolanda Griffith is 56. Basketball Hall of Famer Chris Webberis53. Actor Mark-PaulGosselaar is 52. Actor Jensen Ackles is 48. Actor Lupita Nyong’o is 43. Popsinger Kesha is 39. Pop singer Justin Bieber is 32. NFL wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase is 26. Actor Izabella Alvarez is 22. Actor Sawyer Sharbino is 20.

Creepy mansplaineroutdoes himself

to stop and avoidthe trap of telling him that women do not wish to hear aman’sopiniononwomen things.

Dear Miss Manners: Iamafemale student,and Ihave asituation where amale classmate inappropriately chimes in on personal conversations. For example, Iwas asking my friends about atype of bra, and later that day,this classmate followed me to my car and gave me atutorial about bras. The crazy thing is he didn’tseem to notice thatIwas very uncomfortable. So Ididn’tsay or do anything about thatsituation, and now today,he chimed in again. Iwas talking with my teacher about severe cramps and vaginal pain, and he jumped in the conversationtoexplain why it’s happening.

Ineed to know how to tell this person he’sbeing inappropriate and needs to stop. He does these things to other people, as well, and none of us know how to handle it

GentleReader: The fact that he is following you to your car is more concerning to Miss Manners than his choice of subject.She recommends you focus on that needing

Of course it is irksome, but would it not be worse to have him explain to youhow you would feel if the situationwere reversed?

Better to have your personal conversations out of his earshot —but not before pointing out that aman ought to know better than to follow awoman to her car Dear Miss Manners Adirector at my place of work sent out asystemwide email inviting everyone to a baby shower forher daughter,who does not work here, never has, and no one here knows her,except by name.

The shower is scheduled fortwo hours, during work, in one of the roomsatmyplace of employment.

Many of us are baffled by,first of all, the use of the companywide email system (that very fewpeople have access to) forsuch astrange invitation, and second, the fact that she somehow thinks this is appropriate.

On occasion, we have had departments host brief showers forpeople who do work here, but have never done so for grandparents, aunts,

etc. Making people further uncomfortable is that, because of her position, she has influence over many of us. Are we overreacting? Should we attend this event to protect our jobs, or should we politely decline due to our workload and hope she realizes how tacky this all is? To the best of my knowledge, managementhasn’tsaid anything to her, because she acts as if everything is perfectly fine.

Gentle Reader: This is awild overreach on the director’spart and an abuse of both the facilities and the people whoreport to her But before you go tattling on her to management (which is indeed tempting and warranted), Miss Manners suggests you bring it up to her delicately —asking if there might be abetter place to hold the event that does not utilize company resources or involve people her daughter doesn’tknow If your colleague balks, then you mayconsider going to HR or management. They probably already have arule in place that guards against such practices.

Email dearmissmanners@gmail. com.

Dear Heloise: Alot of people use white boards to makelists and notes. Butdid you know that you can use dry-erase markers on your bathroom mirror? It’seasy to jot notes on the mirror while you’re gettingready for theday,and more than likely,you will be back in that same bathroom throughout theday to see your notes. Additionally,you can write inspirational notes toyourself on the shower wall above where thewater hits. —Karen McV., via email Blisterpackmishap

Dear Heloise: Ihave ahint that might save someonealot of unwanted pain. Ihave aprescription drug that Itake once aweek. It comes in a blister pack and is very difficult to

open. Ihave been cutting the foil around the pill into about half-inch squares that fit into my SundaySaturday pill holder

This seemed like agood idea until Ididn’tsee the squares under the other pills in one of the daily sectionsand tossed everything in my mouth as usual to swallow with somewater.Immediately,the sharp edges of the blister card began cutting into my throat! Itried to swallow more water,not realizing that the foil-covered pill was in my mouth. It then slipped over my windpipe, andIstarted to choke, not being able to breathe. Running to the kitchen sink, I folded my body over the edge and mademyself throw up. When Isaw theblister card in the sink, Istarted to cry.Inever imagined that Icould pop my pills withoutseeing the blister card.

So, this is my warning: Never cut

out asection of pills that is smaller than 1inch, whether it’ssquare or round. Make sure that you keep these pills away from daily ones. It madefor ascary momentfor my husband and me. —Patti W.,inThousand Oaks, California

Anti-dampnesspackets

Dear Heloise: Iread Erika B.’shint about storing vitamins in the refrigerator.I use the anti-dampness packets that come with my prescription meds. They workgreat with my gummy medications and vitamins. If they are safefor our prescriptions, then they are definitely safefor over-thecounter meds. Ialso use

By

HOWLOUISIANA IS BECOMING ADATACENTERDESTINATION

BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff writer

When Facebook parent company

Meta announced plans in December 2024tobuild amassive artificial intelligence data center in rural northeast Louisiana,the state’seconomic developmentchief, Susan Bourgeois, predicted the deal, now estimated to cost$27 billion, would attract other big data centers to thestate. Those statementsnow seem prescient. Earlierthisweek, Amazon Web

Services announced it wouldbuild a $12 billion AI data center across three sites in the Shreveport area.

Twoyearsago,manypeople in Loui-

siana had never heard of AI datacenters,muchless knewwhatthe airportsized warehouses full of computer servers looked like or did.

Now,the state has two big ones on the way,including oneofthe country’s largest, Meta’sHyperion near Monroe. Athird one, partially backed by Google, is planned for asite in West Feliciana Parishnear Baton Rouge.

Thedeals illustrate how Louisiana has landed on the radar of the tech companies and real estate developers racing tobuild AI datacenters, aconstruction boom expectedtoexceed $700 billion this year alone.

Butthe AI datacenter arms race is competitive andincreasingly controversial. Louisianaisn’tamong the top 10 fastest-growing states for new data centers, alistthat is topped by Texas and Virginia. And somecritics question whether thepromised jobs are worththe lucrative state incentives

or the potential strains they could place on local power grids and water resources.

“These things are popping up everywhere,” said Laurent Withycombe Keeler,anassociate professor at Arizona State University who studies data centers. “The Beltway is the front-runner,but there’s increased interest in Texas, Illinois and Indiana, and the mountain west because of the hospitable climate.”

Twodecades of trialand error in theindustryhavehelped owners and operators calibrate theirofferings based on what remote workers, freelancers andentrepreneursare lookingfor ä See DATACENTER, page 2E

Pandemic cooled co-working industry,but newspacessurging

BY RICH COLLINS Staff writer

On arecent weekday,construction workers were installing fiber optic lines beneaththe plywood subfloors in a1960s-era building at the corner of St. Charles and Louisiana avenues. The crew was hustling to completethe renovation of aformer medicalbuilding that soon will house New Orleans businessman Chris Reade’snew venture aco-working space named 1538, whichwillfeature private offices, shareddesksand alargecommon area with comfortable seating, astocked barand plenty of light from floor-to-ceiling windows.

Reade is counting on demand for theseoffices and amenities andthe ample parking beneath theraisedone-story structure— to make his$1.8millionpurchase of the property and an extensive renovation pay off.

Lately,he’snot the only one in Louisiana making thesame bet. The 20-year-old co-working industry,which experienced major growth in the late2010s before apandemicslowdown,isascendant again —and evidence canbeseen across thestate. Last week, TheShopatthe CAC announcedplans to opena second location in downtown New Orleans

Regus employees meet at the company’s PlaceSt. Charles co-working location. Regus is abrand of the International Workplace Group that opened several newcoworking spaces in Louisiana last year and now has 15 total in the state. STAFFPHOTO By RICH COLLINS

Continued from page 1E

Pulling out the stops

States poised to emerge as data center hubs are those with lots of available land and sources of cheap power, both of which are available in north Louisiana. Another factor, according to industry researchers, is a lack of organized opposition, which can slow the permitting and approval processes.

“What attracts data centers is speed to market,” said Ning Lin, an economist at the University of Texas. “So, they go to places that have abundant power, land and the ability to ramp up quickly.”

The Meta deal in Richland Parish, which came together in a matter of months, is an example of how Louisiana pulled out all stops to woo the tech giant to a state-owned cornfield in tiny Holly Ridge.

State officials quietly changed a bill about broadband access into a sales tax exemption on computer equipment — which Meta had said was a must letting only a handful of legislative leaders in on the deal and forcing them to sign nondisclosure agreements in the process.

Bourgeois says the law change was key to winning the deal.

“Without doing the sales tax exemption during the session in 2024, none of these conversations would have happened,” she said It also helped that the state already owned 1,400 acres of shovel-ready farmland, which had been marketed by economic development officials for years after an unsuccessful attempt in the early 2000s to attract an auto manufacturer to the site.

Entergy, which struck a deal with Meta to build three new natural gas plants to power the site, was also key

“These facilities are going up quickly, which means three to five years, so they want to know they can get power and get through permitting,” Keeler said.

CO-WORKING

Continued

Independent

already have one data center,” she said. “Community support or opposition can be more easily understood and you have figured out how to access power All of that eases barriers to entry.”

Cons and pros

Whether Louisiana should focus its economic development efforts on attracting more AI data centers is a question some policymakers and environmental advocates are now asking. Data centers are increasingly controversial because they can disrupt communities, drive up utility rates and draw heavily from local water supplies.

Some states and municipalities are pushing back against them.

sparsely populated and has struggled for decades to diversify its largely agricultural economy Rob Cleveland, head of Grow NELA, the regional economic development organization, said data centers are an important piece of a puzzle that is paying off.

“We have so much activity in this region and so many eyes on us,” said Cleveland, who pointed to seven potential industrial projects that are also in the works. “They’re all sizes, from $50 million to $1 billion, and they’re not all in Ouachita and Richland parishes.”

He predicts the deals will come to fruition in the next 12 months. Making it work for everybody

It’s hard to say how many more data centers will be developed in the next few years and where Louisiana fits into the larger picture.

“Also remember,” Lin said. “It’s happening so fast. Not all of the mega campuses will be 100% delivered.”

Still, given the expected growth, Lin and others who study the industry say it’s important for communities to educate themselves about what data centers can bring to an area and ensure they are extracting meaningful concessions from developers if they decide it’s worth pursuing them.

“Data center demand is real, and there are pros and cons,” Lin said. “Communities need to align their interests with the data centers and know what they can ask for, and what their options are.”

Contracts between data centers and communities, called Community Benefits Agreements, are increasingly common and important, Keeler said, in creating better deals.

ers and operators calibrate their offerings based on what remote workers, freelancers and entrepreneurs are looking for And now big companies like Amazon and JPMorgan Chase are buying into the co-working concept as well.

Last month, the Wall Street Journal reported that co-working has rebounded from its pandemic downturn, with its U.S. footprint growing from 115.6 million square feet three years ago to 158.3 million square feet. Co-working businesses now occupy 2.2% of U.S. office space, up from 1.7% three years ago.

For Reade, who previously owned a co-working facility in the Bywater called Club Discovery this new project is a chance to put an empty building back into commerce and, he hopes, bring in more income than if he rented to just one tenant.

As the leader of a mostly remote software team, he’s also looking forward to the company

“I wanted an office again,” Reade said. “I thought I could work from home after selling the last building, but I couldn’t. It’ll be nice to have a lot of people around.”

Co-working turns 20

The modern co-working industry traces its roots back to the early 2000s in San Francisco, where a software engineer opened what is considered one of the prototypes of the modern shared office space. Copycats followed, offering small offices or desks that users could rent for a fee that also enabled them to access common areas, kitchens, conference rooms and basic business services. Furnished and staffed executive offices that could be leased for short periods had been a thing for years, but they didn’t come with the amenities and programming designed to support the freedom of freelance with the community of a traditional office. The idea spread across the U.S. and Europe, with the high-profile company WeWork leading the charge. But the pandemic disrupted the office market, and the co-working industry stumbled as customers canceled contracts and operators struggled with longterm leases. WeWork itself went from poster

Economic development officials say the Meta project has already spurred economic activity in the area, driving up sales tax collections, doubling the number of new building permits issued in a year, spawning new housing and hotels and attracting new air service to the Monroe Airport. The biggest proof of concept,

however, is the Amazon deal, which Bourgeois said would not have happened had it not been for Meta.

“Meta was the catalyst,” she said. Keeler said that’s because data centers tend to cluster

“There are some transaction costs that are lowered when you

Bourgeois has said the state is not putting all its eggs in the data center basket. South Louisiana’s economy is still primarily dependent on the energy and petrochemical sectors. Because of its climate vulnerabilities, it isn’t suitable to house data centers anyway, she said.

North Louisiana, by contrast, is

has 500 or so members, including the growing software company Copado Club Discovery, which opened in 2019, was rechristened last year as a co-working space for nonprofits in the Bywater, where a larger workspace called The Warehouse has attracted more than 100 members. The Green House in Mid-City offers lush environments inside and out, and Maroon on St. Charles offers perks and support for entrepreneurs along with the advantage of being just on the edge of downtown.

Open since 2024, The Rigs at the Batture has a dozen or so private offices plus shared workspace in two renovated structures that were one part of active oil rigs in the Gulf. Members have views of the Mississippi River and access to ample outdoor space.

Creating communities

Reade isn’t the only entrepreneur in Louisiana combining coworking facilities with his own office space.

“A community can put a floor on salaries, require job training for workers, establish special funds for projects like parks,” she said. “And it’s OK to ask for what feels like a lot It’s not a lot for these data centers.”

Email Stephanie Riegel at stephanie.riegel@theadvocate. com.

weeks,” he said.

His business joins Creative Bloc, Spaces, The Brewery and other active co-working concepts in the capital region.

In Lafayette, marketing and branding veteran Jaci Russo opened a co-working hub last year in her downtown building. She sells access by the day, week, month or year to co-working desks and private offices as she competes with other Lafayette co-working options, including Trendy Spaces.

“We’ve already paid for the remodel, and now it’s a profit center, even with new places opening constantly,” Russo said.

In New Orleans, attorney Jade Brown-Russell is trying new things this year to grow Maroon, her 4-year-old co-working space near the Pontchartrain Expressway Her offerings include a podcast area, several lounges and a conference room. She rents private offices to clients that include a barber, whose customers add to Maroon’s foot traffic. And the space hosts meetings, parties and special events.

This year, Brown-Russell launched Kinfolk Coffee, a coffee shop that’s reserved for Maroon members now but will soon serve the public.

“People are looking for social spaces,” Brown-Russell said. “If they’re going to come and sit at our space for work, we want to make sure they don’t have to leave to find coffee or food.”

Not just ‘beer pong, happy hours’

The independent ventures are joined by options from national and international companies including Regus, a brand of the International Workplace Group that opened several new locations in Louisiana last year and now has 15 total in the state.

To industry vets, the investment demonstrates that co-working is more than a trend and it has room to grow

child to cautionary tale. In 2018, the company bragged that it occupied more Manhattan real estate than anyone else. Five years later, its leaders declared bankruptcy The controversial startup never made it to New Orleans, but the city had its own co-working pioneer: Launch Pad, which opened in 2009 in the Warehouse District and for a few years “served as the heartbeat of our city’s first tech generation,” according to New Orleans tech executive Patrick Comer Launch Pad moved to another location in 2017 and closed in 2020 as the pandemic and other factors took their toll.

In the years since, as employers and employees have embraced remote and hybrid work, co-working spaces are finding what appears to be a more stable niche.

“People thought we could all work from home, and we were silly to think we needed offices,” said Ann Olsen, director of co-working at The Shop. “Then we started to understand all the points of creativity and sharing that you’re missing by working in your kitchen, and a new understanding of the value of co-working has emerged.”

In New Orleans, there are heirs to what Launch Pad started. The Shop, which debuted in 2017,

In Baton Rouge, tech entrepreneur Matt Adler opened Studio Cowork last year to make additional income and have a lively place to work.

“I feel most productive when I have other people to talk to,” he said.

He gave his rented space in the city’s downtown a face-lift to make it more inviting and comfortable Now, it features shared space, one private office, semi-private desks, lounge areas and a creative studio space with photography, video and podcast studio.

“Someone might come in on a weekday and make all the content they need for the next couple of

“People think it’s just for startups interested in beer pong and crazy happy hours, but that’s not true,” said Olsen. “Companies that have been established for over 100 years are embracing it.”

Mike Siegel, president of Corporate Realty, who focused much of his career on the traditional office market, believes co-working is here to stay

“It’s a way to quickly get space without a long design and construction process, and without having to deal with a lease negotiation or order furniture,” he said. “Office building owners are now looking at whether they do it themselves or bring in third parties to lease to and let them do it.”

Email Rich Collins at rich collins@theadvocate.com.

TALKING BUSINESS

ASK THE EXPERTS

Solar deal fuels growth for St. Landry’s Noble Plastics

BY ADAM DAIGLE Acadiana business editor

Q&A WITH MISSy ROGERS

When Missy Rogers left LSU with a degree in mechanical engineering almost 40 years ago, she went to work at Texaco. Back then most engineers found jobs in the petrochemical industry

While that’s still primarily the case, Rogers, now CEO of Noble Plastics in Grand Coteau, is optimistic about the potential for new employment in the state’s manufacturing sector, which has grown significantly since the pandemic and is poised for more in the coming years. It ranges from the massive Hyundai steel plant in Ascension Parish that will employ 1,300 to the First Solar plant that went online in Iberia Parish at the end of 2025 and will employ about 700.

“With the (Mississippi) river, the ports and the local energy production, there are a lot of reasons Louisiana should be a much bigger player in the manufacturing space,” said Rogers, who has headed Noble Plastics for 25 years.

“We have tens of thousands of skilled craftsmen who have really perfected the building of things. I think it’s not just good for America it’s good for this region of Louisiana.”

The number of manufacturing jobs across the state has bounced back since the pandemic, with gains in Acadiana particularly strong. The sector topped 20,000 jobs in the region in the second quarter of 2025, the first time that’s happened since the fracking boom in 2014.

Last fall, Noble Plastics announced an $8.5 expansion after landing a deal to make precisionmolded plastic components for First Solar The business that’s housed in an unassuming building

just off Interstate 49 will also add 29 jobs to its current staff of 65.

In this week’s edition of Talking Business, Rogers talks about her custom plastic injection molding company’s expansion to supply solar panel manufacturer First Solar, how it meets its workforce needs and her role as chair of the board at the Federal Reserve Bank in New Orleans. This interview has been edited for clarity

Tell me about the First Solar deal.That’s 29 more jobs and 15,000 square feet that is being added to your building to accommodate their business.Will this be a transformational deal for you?

It’s a good 25-30% expansion, and we love that. What we love more is this is a company that puts its words to action. They are spending in the community They want their whole ecosystem to thrive. They want uniform companies, plate lunch companies and day cares.

You see that it’s a genuine commitment to American manufacturing to rural communities.

How did you all initially get connected with First Solar?

We have a good reputation in the industry and find ourselves on some short lists when people start looking at manufacturing capacity and capabilities. What was very rewarding to my team is to know that they have a global supply chain organization. There’s a VP of this and a head of that and a commodities manager, and they all had to come down, and we were assessed and vetted So to be selected by them is a real honor and privilege for my team. Their machines are going to run pretty much 24/7, so our warehousing — which is five days a week — is going to go seven.

You’ve diversified from the energy sector like many other manufacturers in the region. Is that a lesson everyone has kind of had to learn?

It’s a part that I think the Acadiana region and Louisiana as a whole had to understand that solar or other green energies are not a threat to oil and gas. They’re too deeply embedded in the American lifestyle. You’re looking at a generation at least of primary oil and gas, energy consumption. So it’s not “or.” It’s “and.” And I think the more the state can say and the more Acadiana can say, “Now my clients are oil and gas and solar.”

You’re a small manufacturer with about 65 employees. Are there challenges for you to find employees? How are you finding qualified workers? We’ve had robot technicians who used to work retail at Dollar General. We have a quality inspector and assembler who used to work in the cafeteria at a middle school. We have people whose background maybe didn’t challenge them or their education didn’t expose them to opportunities for programming. Our traditional education doesn’t do a very good job identifying spatial skills One of our favorite ladies here spent her entire career in banking. She came here as a re-

Always Do the RightThing

tiree looking for a little part-time work. We put her to assembling product, and she loved it. It never occurred to her at any point in her young adulthood, midcareer or advanced career that she had a spatial skill and an attention to detail that would serve well in a quality control environment.

Are you still a unicorn of sorts as a female executive in the manufacturing sector? Or are more women leading companies now? Definitely more than when I started, for sure. Maybe there are two other female founders I can think of It tends to be a secondgeneration (thing), something that they’ll come to. They tend to be younger professionals, but that’ll change. You’ll start to see more and more female founders. It’s a capital-heavy business, and I think there’s a barrier to entry there for anybody who isn’t already either in the business or closely associated to the business. But we see women in every field now, and I would like to think that in another generation, you don’t even think about what’s traditionally male and traditionally female.

Tell me more about your role with the Federal Reserve Bank in New Orleans. That sounds like an opportunity to make a significant impact.

I am one of the appointees who is a director representing industry That helps the rest of us have a voice and a seat at the table for those larger economic things. I really feel like I represent the little guy at the table. There’s something to be said for little Noble Plastics being at the table and saying things like, “Hey guys, if these rates don’t come down, my workers, St. Landry Parish residents, are looking at how they can get into that next vehicle when this one dies. And if cars cost too much and the cost of financing cars cost too much, how are they supposed to make a living when there’s no public transportation service in a rural parish?” Email Adam Daigle at adaigle@ theadvocate.com.

Issued Feb. 11-24

Commercial alterations

MEDICAL: 1105 Kaliste Saloom Road, description, energy plant upgrades at Our Lady of Lourdes Heart Hospital; applicant, ADG Engineering; contractor, Kent Design Build, $5,000.

BAKERY: 505Jefferson St., description, new location for Insomnia Cookies; applicant, Inventure; contractor, Hernandez Consulting& Construction;$40,000.

OFFICE: 600 JeffersonSt., description, work at JP Morgan Chase building; applicant, Inventure; contractor, Hernandez Consulting & Construction; $40,000.

OFFICE: 2701 Johnston St., description, second-floor of-

fice at The Financial Center; applicant, Ziler Architects; contractor, Joelco General Contractors; $60,000.

OTHER: 1334 Jefferson St., description, work for Desormeaux Foundation; applicant and contractor, Domingue Construction; $50,000.

SALON: 1137 S. BernardRoad, Suite F, Broussard; descrip-

Fool’sSchool: Don’t

neglect estate planning

BUILDING PERMITS

tion, interiorrenovation; applicant, MMK Nails and Spa; contractor, Larry Dinh; $40,000. OFFICE: 1101 S. College Road, description, work for Pain Management Intervention; applicant, Ziler Architects; contractor, TriCon Enterprises; $65,000.

OTHER: 207 W. VermilionSt., description, shellrenovation; applicant, Prouet Architecture&Engineering;contractor, Southwest Contractors; $350,000. TECH: 1620 LA 1252, Carencro; description,not listed; applicant, Foresight Communications; contractor, Next EdgeNetworks Holdings; $25,000.

Newcommercial OTHER: 618 VerotSchool Road, description, new building for AdventureFun Park trampoline park;applicant and contractor, LMH Steel Construction; $3 million INDUSTRIAL: 112 Charbonnet Road, description, work at Rentals on Ridge; applicant and contractor, Hargrave Homes and Construction; $300,000. OTHER: 1811 Eraste Landry

Road,description,nonelisted; applicant and contractor, OrtizCommercial Services; $600,000.

Newresidential

246 ANTIGUADRIVE: Joshua Lewis, $1,425,500. 3623 MILLS ST., CARENCRO: Heath Homes, $518,875. 200 TOPEKA ROAD,SCOTT: ManuelBuilders, $534,250. 3619 MILLS ST., CARENCRO: Heath Homes, $452,000. 307 WAKELY COURT: DSLD $326,750. 102 BRADDISH COURT: DSLD, $311,625. 118 STEEP MEADOWS LANE: DSLD,$326,750. 729 LAFITTES LANDING PASS: ManuelBuilders, $377,000. 205 GUNRUNNER DRIVE, CARENCRO: ManuelBuilders, $328,000. 119 ELMDALE ROAD: Manuel Builders, $264,125. 206 CAMERONS COVE DRIVE, CARENCRO: ManuelBuilders, $215,500. 108 BELLE LAKEDRIVE: DR Horton, $427,375. 725 LAFITTES LANDING PASS: ManuelBuilders, $315,000. 110 TOPRIDGEROAD, DU-

SON: DR Horton, $405,750.

112 TOPRIDGEROAD, DUSON: DR Horton, $353,750.

114 TOPRIDGEROAD, DUSON: DR Horton, $350,375.

123 NELLIES LANE, HOUSE A, BROUSSARD: Ste. Marie Home Builders, $550,000. 1618 LA. 1252, CARENCRO: self-contract, $475,000.

219 ROSEST.: Castle Row Construction, $138,250. 111 CASTLE VINE WAY: Braniff Construction, $680,125.

111 BELLE LAKEDRIVE: DR Horton, $360,625. 110 BELLE LAKEDRIVE: DR Horton, $347,125. 202 EAGLEHEIGHTS DRIVE, DUSON: DR Horton, $298,750. 310 SWEET HARVEST ROAD: LevelConstruction &Development, $228,696. 101 QUEENSTOWNAVE., YOUNGSVILLE: Milton Hebert Builders, $500,000. 313 SWEET HARVEST ROAD: LevelConstruction &Development, $244,218. 313 FEM GROVE DRIVE, YOUNGSVILLE: Southern Bend Homes, $400,000. 208 AMSTERDAM WAY, YOUNGSVILLE: E.J. Rock Construction, $300,000.

Leaders for aBetter Louisiana, now in its 38th year,announced the52members of its class of 2026: Thad Angelloz, director of grants and communications, Greater Lafourche Port Commission; Lance Armentor, president and CEO, Opelousas General Health System; Abbey Bain, vice chancellorfor student engagement, LSU Alexandria;Elizabeth Bentley-Smith, deputy commissioner for finance and administration, Louisiana Board of Regents; Pilar Blanco-Eble, vicechancellorfor advancement and executive director of the BRCC Foundation, Baton Rouge Community College; Dani Borel, partner,Breazeale Sachse Wilson;Brett Brown, senior financialanalyst, BRF; Eddie Buttross, vice presidentand commercial relationship manager,First Horizon Bank; David Carter,principal, Emergent Method; Justin Centanni, assessor,Lafayette Parish Assessor’sOffice; and Steven Ceulemans,president and CEO, Baton Rouge Health District.

It’seasy to avoid thinkingand planning for death, especially when we’re still relatively young, but the Grim Reaper comes for young people on occasion, and for us all eventually.Get some estate planning done, and you can save your loved ones alot of hassles and perhaps a lot of money,too. Death often triggers probate,the legal process of administering an estate.Itinvolves demonstrating that awill is valid, valuing anddistributing the deceased’sproperty,paying debts and taxes, transferring titles and more. It can be a lengthy and costly hassle,sometimes leaving assets in limbo until everything is settled.

Check the rules for your state, because you can probably bypass probate by taking certain steps now,such as setting up alegal document like aliving trust. This lets you formally transfer assets and properties to your heirs beforeyou die. Youmight

also designate “transfer on death” or “payable on death” beneficiaries on various financial accounts, permitting the accounts’ assets to pass directly to thebeneficiaries on your death. Aboveall, be sure thatyou don’t die “intestate” —without having prepared awill. Without awill, your estate will be handled according to government rules, with your assets distributed according to formulas, ofteninvolving court proceedings.

To learn more, search for “estate planning” at sites such as ncoa.org, nolo.com and aarp.org. Or check outbooks such as “Nolo’sGuide to Estate Planning” by Liza W. Hanks or “Essential EstatePlanning for Beginners: Protect Assets by Avoiding Probate, Reduce Taxes and Minimize Expenses, Ease the Legal Burden for Loved Ones” by Freeman Publishing. Also consider consulting an estate planning professional. Get your affairs in order.Revisit your plans now and thentosee if anything needs updating.

My Smartest Investment: Held gold for decades My smartest investment?Well,in 1971,just

before President Nixonendedthe gold standard, my fatherbought aplastic sleeve of SouthAfrican Krugerrands.I thinkhegot adozen for around $35 each.The clerk at thestore where he bought them encouraged my father to buymore,buthe didn’t.Toobad for me!They sit safely in asafe deposit box,but with gold now trading at close to $5,000 perounce,that’s astratosphericreturn on investment! —N.S.,San Diego It is indeed. AKrugerrand contains an ounce of gold, so your 12 coins are now wortharound $60,000. Gold hasn’talways been agreat investment, though. As Wharton business school professor JeremySiegel noted in his book “Stocks for the Long Run,” an investment in gold between 1946 and 2021 would have averaged annual real gains of just 1.6%. Between 1982 and 1999, it would have averaged an annual real loss of 4.9%. How an investment in gold will perform depends on which years you hold it, and no one knows how it will do from year to year.It’sthe samewith stocks, but stocks are generally tiedtogrowing businesses and not just to the value of ametal.

Do you have asmart or regrettable investment move to share with us? Email it to tmfshare@fool.com

Beyond Boundaries.

Thehealthcareindustryhas asingle constant:change.

Also, Kalli Christ, CEO, Big BrothersBig SistersofAcadiana;Hardeman Cordell,president,Central Oil &Supply; Lyla Corkern, owner and CEO, Finding Solace; Martha Crenshaw,general counsel, RoyOMartin; Shannan Cvitanovic, executive director,Friends of New OrleansPublicLibrary; Anna deTiege, director of innovation capital, Louisiana Innovation (LA.IO);Megan Duhon, director of economic development, One Acadiana; Karla Edwards, HR business partner,Sasol;Bobby Fruge, owner andfounder,Radix; and Jill Galmarini,director of civic initiatives, Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana. Also, Kate Griener, senior communityaffairs adviser,Woodside Energy; Judd Jeansonne, executive director, Volunteer Louisiana; Viveca Johnson, owner and clinical administrator,Forward MovingCounseling Services;Chris Joseph Jr., associate, Adams and Reese; Heather Kleinpeter, director of strategic projects, Corporate Mobile Housing; Deanna Lafont, parish administrator,Lafourche Parish

As thefastest growingsectorofthe American economy, theindustryisalwaysinastate of change in responsetomacroeconomic forces,the public’s demandfor high-quality andaccessible health care,and fiscalconstraints.Wehelpour clients successfully navigateachallenging andconstantly evolving business andregulatorylandscape as they create,and respond to,new delivery models to meet thesenew challenges. LOOKINGBEYOND:

William

H. Hines Managing Partner

Government; Ryan LaGrange, director of workforce development,Lafayette Economic Development Authority; Matthew Lee, member, Bradley Murchison; Christina Lord, regionalmedical director forthe office of public health, LouisianaDepartmentofHealth; and JustinMarocco, partner,Jones Walker. Also, Pamela Matassa, deputy chiefadministrative officer andcommunications director, Ascension Parish Government; Samantha McKee, assistant treasurer,Cleco; Ethan Melancon, governmentaffairs director, CoalitiontoRestore Coastal Louisiana; Jennifer Messina, vicepresident of development, Habitat forHumanity St.Tammany West; Kim Montie,executive director,Port of Cameron;BaileyMorse, chieflegal officer,Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency;Ana Nanney,vice chancellor forenrollmentand student development, Fletcher Technical Community College; James O’Quinn, II, executive director,Louisiana Troopers Association; Ryan Page,CMO,CoastalConservation Association of LA; and Emily Fenet Parker, director of marketing,L’Auberge. Also, Nga Quinlan, partner andchief experienceofficer Hippo Technologies; Paula Shepherd, executive vice president forhealth planoperations and technology,Louisiana Blue; Ronald Simpson, director of community engagement and public affairs, Ochsner Health; Blake Stanfill, executive vice president andCOO, Finance New Orleans; Shannon Warren, campus president, Unitech Training AcademyWest Monroe Campus; Jesse Watson, director of community engagement and partnerships, Discovery Schools; Liz Webb Hebert, seniordirector of business development, Surgery Partners, and Lafayette City Council member; Tifferney White, CEO,Louisiana Children’s Museum; Matthew Woodard, chief financial officer,Hunt, Guillot and Associates; Tony Zanders, president and CEO,Nexus Louisiana, founderand CEO, SkillType; and Kristin Zatta, customer service manager, Entergy.

Evolving LegalLandscape Shapes Digital Healthcare Innovation andCompliance.

Digitalhealthcareinthe United States is continuously shaped by acomplex patchwork of federaland statelawsand regulations.

Federallawsgovernprivacy,while federal agencies regulate medicaldevices and certainsoftware. Telehealth rulesvaryby state, though Medicare andmanystates have expanded coverage andlicensure flexibility,and oversightcomes from multiple agencies. However, challengespersist regardingthe regulation of AI,cross-state telehealth practices, cybersecurity, anddata notcovered by federallaw,sopolicymakers continue to pursue reformstoensure innovationaligns with patientprotections

Ourfirm is proudtohelpleadthe wayforward forLouisiana healthcare providersand supportcompanies as they undergo digitaltransformationand navigate this evolving andcomplex legal andregulatoryenvironment.

MADE IN LOUISIANA

State’s largest salsa maker looks

BY JONAH MEADOWS Staff writer

Twice a year, things kick into gear at the 2 Sisters’ Salsa Co. plant in Avoyelles Parish

Over the past decade, the company has become Louisiana’s largest salsa producer, shipping the popular condiment to about 30 states. And its production schedule is determined by the tomato season.

“You can only get them at certain times of the year,” said Denise Ramon, president and new majority owner “So they’re picked, and we cook at that perfect time.”

That means Florida tomatoes in the winter and Indiana tomatoes in the fall.

During peak production 2 Sisters’ Plaucheville manufacturing facility operates 24/7, with a handful of employees working 12-hour shifts to produce 16,000 jars a day along a largely automated assembly line. Those jars eventually make their way onto the shelves of more than 6,000 grocery stores around the country

Earlier this year the company’s founder, Avoyelles Parish farmer Patrick Deshotels, sold 2 Sisters to Ramon, the company’s president and a longtime employee. She plans to grow 2 Sisters, which has revenues of between $2 million and $5 million a year, by focusing on e-commerce and building out the company’s private label business, or producing goods for other retailers under their own labels.

“People are focused on saving money but they still want the same quality product, and they’re looking for a ‘better-for-you’ product,” said Ramon. “A lot of grocery stores are going in that direction, and we can help fill that void with private label.”

Widespread distribution

2 Sisters’ makes its salsa from a handful of basic, raw ingredients: onions, jalapeños and cilantro. They’re dumped, along with the fresh tomatoes, into an automated washer and dicer, then loaded into 150-gallon kettles, where locally made Cajun seasoning is added.

Each kettle boils for more than two hours, producing about a thousand jars.

“The sauce is pumped through into these fillers, then from the fillers, there’s a feeder feeding jars,” Ramon said. “The lids are placed on them, torqued, then the label goes on them, and then they go in a box.”

The boxes are stacked on pallets with room for 1,200 jars each.

They await pickups from trucks, which distribute the salsa across the country

2 Sisters is sold in mom-and-pop retailers as well as regional and national chains — about half its sales come from the 1,000 Walmart locations that shelve its jars.

A crossroads

When Deshotels started 2 Sisters’ Salsa a decade ago, he wasn’t chasing a dream of becoming a

condiment baron. Rather, his garden produced too many tomatoes and he wanted to put them to use.

He started experimenting with different salsa recipes in his kitchen before testing them out at local farmers markets

From there, 2 Sisters — named in honor of his daughters, now students at LSU — began distributing to grocers and wholesalers, starting with Rouses Markets and eventually growing to include more than a dozen supermarket chains and warehouse groups.

The company now produces five salsa flavors and employs about 15 people, a third of whom are brokers who act as liaisons between the company and the retailers.

Late last year, Deshotels found himself with another kind of surplus — piloting his own small plane to sales meetings for his growing salsa company, while juggling

responsibility for 5,000 acres of soybeans, sugar cane, rice and crawfish.

“I just went through and said, ‘Look, my plate is a little too full,’” Deshotels said.

After a conversation with his wife, they decided it was time to sell.

Ramon, who started as a sales manager in 2018 and has been company president since 2021, bought a majority stake in the salsa company in February

The deal allows Deshotels to retain ownership of the plant through a holding company while Ramon owns 90% of the brand, including its recipes and intellectual properties.

The sale coincides with a redesign of the salsa’s packaging, which now emphasizes that it is “farm fresh” and has no added sugar

Room to grow

In 2022, the company completed an approximately $400,000 expansion that more than doubled the size of its production facility

Now it has the capacity to produce 5 million jars of salsa every year from the 17,000-square-foot complex.

“We still have the capacity to grow into the facility, which was on purpose,” Ramon said. “We sit on close to 10 acres of property, so there’s definitely room for growth as we continue to scale the brand, both in terms of the facility and the land.”

But Ramon hopes that an increased focus on e-commerce, combined with an expansion into the private labeling and food service markets, can help boost sales volume beyond the 1 million jar mark.

The company has already found some international distribution, launching in Costa Rica in 2024 and in Hong Kong earlier this year

The recent focus on e-commerce also includes partnerships with influencers and affiliates to increase awareness of the 2 Sisters’ brand in a very competitive category

“Back in the day, you stuck it on a shelf, put it there, and they will come,” said Ramon.

Not anymore. Now, you need to run in-store promotions and create a secondary location in the store with high-visibility displays. And, she said, brands need to ensure that their product can reach customers outside of the grocery store.

That means selling on Amazon, improving its own website and getting more involved in sales through social media channels like TikTok Shop.

“We definitely want to get incremental business, but we also want to use it for brand awareness,” she said. “If somebody is out of town and walks into a store, buys the salsa and loves it, we want them to be able to get online and find it.” Email Jonah Meadows at jonah. meadows@theadvocate.com.

REMEMBERING NORMAN FRANCIS

March 20, 1931 l February 18, 2026

Reflecting on longtime leader and activist’s legacy Page 4

Remembering the life of Dr. Norman Francis Page 2

Friend. Mentor. Teacher. Community looks at his impact. Page 6

Saying farewell to civil rights icon, longtime

Xavier University president

BY JOHN POPE Contributing writer

Norman Christopher Francis, the president of Xavier University for 47 years who was a force for justice in classrooms and boardrooms at the local, state and national levels, died Feb. 18 at Ochsner Hospital. He was 94.

During Francis’ years as the leader of the country’s only Black Catholic institution of higher learning, the Gert Town campus grew from five to 16 buildings, expanding far beyond its original boundaries.

Because of his focus on science, Xavier became a university that consistently sent more minority students to medical schools than any other college in the country

“His impact is immeasurable,” said Dr Michael Francis, his son. “He would do anything for his family the Xavier family and the Louisiana family.”

Among those Francis welcomed to Xavier’s campus were the Freedom Riders, civil rights activists he housed in a dormitory in 1961 after White supremacists attacked them in Alabama; former President Barack Obama, who was Illinois’ junior senator when he delivered the university’s 2006 commencement address; and Pope John Paul II, who, during his September 1987 visit, spoke in the campus’ quadrangle to the leaders of every Catholic university in the country

“It was a great, great moment for Xavier,” Francis said of the pope’s visit in a 1997 interview

“That moment gave us a national presence.”

Francis’ years of service have been recognized with a slew of awards, including 42 honorary doctorates and, in 2006, the Presidential Medal of Freedom the country’s highest civilian honor.

Because he built the university and thereby drew national attention to it, Francis is “clearly one of the most influential New Orleanians of the 20th century ” said former New Orleans Mayor Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League.

“His greatness is being a builder of institutions that are going to continue being significant players in New Orleans.”

People- and book-smart

Francis, who served on 54 boards and commissions and advised eight presidents on education and civil rights issues, was born on March 20, 1931, in Lafayette during the Great Depression. One of five children, he earned money by shining shoes and painting houses.

He graduated from St Paul High School and considered enlisting in the Army because his family couldn’t afford to send him to college.

But a nun who had taught him contacted the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament the order of Catholic nuns that founded and ran Xavier The group arranged a scholarship for Francis that allowed him work in the library to pay his tuition. He enrolled in 1948 at 17.

His leadership skills were evident even then, said Sybil Morial, a friend since their undergraduate days at Xavier, an educator and a civil rights activist. Sybil Morial, the wife of former Mayor Dutch Morial and mother to Marc Morial, died last year

“I knew he was full of life and very smart, not just book-smart but peoplesmart,” she said. “It was an innate talent.”

Francis was president of his class each year until his senior year, when he was elected student body president and graduated with honors in 1952. He later applied to Loyola University’s law school, becoming its first Black student. But there was a catch: Even though Francis had integrated the law school, he couldn’t live in a Loyola dormitory So he bunked in a Xavier dorm, where he was in charge of freshmen men.

“I was a budding lawyer living with a bunch of rowdy teenage boys,” Francis said in an interview “At night, they’d set up bowling pins at one end of the hall and roll a Coke bottle down it to knock them over Those were some of the best years of my life.”

His first day there, Francis met a fellow student, Maurice “Moon” Landrieu, in the lobby “I put my hands on his shoulders and said, ‘Welcome aboard. If there’s any

way I can help you, let me know,’” said Landrieu, a former New Orleans mayor who died in 2022.

Before the two met, “I never thought about segregation. That’s just the way things were,” said Landrieu, who often called Francis for advice during his public service career “But when I met Norman, I began thinking in terms of fairness and integrity I became convinced that as long as his freedom was limited, mine was, too. It made me angry.”

After Francis got his law degree, he joined the U.S. Army, serving in the 3rd Armored Division. He later worked on special assignment with the U.S. Justice Department to desegregate federal agencies in major cities, especially in the South. He also joined the New Orleans law firm of Collins, Douglas & Elie, which was counsel for the Congress for Racial Equality the civil rights organization known as CORE. In this job, Francis fought segregation and represented activists who were challenging shop owners on the then-bustling Dryades Street to hire Black workers and staging sit-ins at White-only lunch counters on Canal Street.

A legacy as an educator

Although his legal career was going well, Francis decided in the late 1950s to pivot.

“I made a decision that education was going to be the answer for me because as I looked at the struggle for African Americans, I knew we weren’t going to make it if we just kept showing up in courtrooms defending ourselves against whatever the circumstances,” he said in a 1992 interview

He returned to Xavier in 1957 to become its dean of men, the first of several posts he would hold during his climb up the administrative ladder In the spring of 1961, a group of Xavier undergraduates told him about the Freedom Riders, a group of young people who planned to take a Greyhound bus from Washington, D.C., to New Orleans in a bid to end segregation in bus travel in the South.

The riders got as far as Anniston, Alabama, where about 50 White supremacists

attacked them and their bus. The next day, Vincent Roux and Rudy Lombard, who were coordinating the New Orleans end of that ride, went to Francis’ office to ask if the Freedom Riders could beput up in St. Michael’sDormitory, which had an empty third floor

“I had to think about it awhile for two reasons,” Francis said. “I knew if Iput them in thedormitory, Iwas perhaps endangering the lives of the other kids there, but this was the right thing to do.”

SisterMary Josephina Kenney,Xavier’s president, agreed,Francis said, on the condition that theschoolnot announce the decision in anews release, as localhotels andresidents feared violence would followthe group.

But he didn’tkeep alow profile. Instead, Francisheld anews conference in the dorm lobby to celebrate the group, who arrived on campus bloodied and bandaged in ascene Francis described as“sad and triumphant.” He also joinedthe group at Zion Baptist Church to celebrate the seventhanniversary of theU.S.Supreme Court’sdecision that outlawed segregation in publicschools.

Seven years later,the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament decided it wastime for aXavier graduate to become presidentofthe 43-year-old university thatSt. Katharine Drexel, the order’sfounder,had established for Black students. Francis became Xavier’sfirstlay president and first Black president

When he took over, “everyone was tryingtobeageneralliberal artscollege,” Marc Morial said. “He had afocus. Hepositioned Xavier with afocus on science. He diditbefore it was atrend.”

These days, Xavier turns out dozens of graduates each yearwho go on tomedical schools, and it has one of Louisiana’s twocolleges for training aspiring pharmacists.

Sybil Morial, who heldaseries of administrative positions at Xavier for 28 years, witnessedall thechanges.“It wasanexciting jobtobepartofthisvibrantthing that was turning out these successfulstudents who were contributingnot only professionally butalso personally,” she said. “Heset the example.”

As president, he was perpetually cheerful, and he had aheartygreeting for everyone. But he couldbe serious whenthe situation demanded it, as Sybil Morialremembered whenshe describedaprotest on campus.

“It could have been very ugly,”she said. “He told the students he wanted to meet withthemand hear what theirconcerns were. He let them talk, not just theleader.Hetotally disarmed them, and they

DR.NORMAN C. FRANCIS

walked away satisfied. Iguesstheydid somemarchingand public speaking on the campus, but it wasn’t angry.Hehad the talent to do that.”

A1986 survey by theCouncil for Advancement andSupport of Education named him one of the 100 most effective collegepresidentsinthe country

When HurricaneKatrina’sfloodwaters battered southeast Louisiana, ravaged his Gentilly home and torethrough Xavier’s campusinAugust 2005, Francis vowed to notonly rebuild thecampus but makeit better

“Bringing us back to where we were before Katrina wasn’tgood enough,” he said in an interview.“We hadtoget wherewe were planning to go. We were able to combine the plan thatstartedbefore Katrina …and see how we could move tothe next step.”

Eventhough the campus marinated for weeks in water as deep as 6feet, Francis vowed that classes would resume in January2006. They did.

“Some saiditwas crazy.Some said it couldn’t happen,”Obama said on campus on the fifth anniversary of thestorm. “But they didn’tcount on what happens when oneforce of nature meets another.”

‘Never forget’

Francis also developed areputation for leadership in civic and business organizations, including Liberty Bank, one of the biggest Black-owned financial institutions in the United States. He helpedfound it in 1972 and was chairman of its board of directors.

Gov. KathleenBlancoalsoappointed Francis in 2005 to lead theLouisiana Recovery Authoritytocoordinate the state’s comeback from Katrina.

“He was one of the few people that peopleinpolitics trusted to do theirthings,” Dr.Michael Francis said of his father

Despite his accolades, “I don’twear my title on my chest,”Francis saidina1992 interview.“It’s the last thing Iwould do Ijust see everybody as important. I’m president because thathappenstobemy job, butthatdoesn’t make me anybetter than anybody else.”

Francis chaired theNew Orleans Aviation Board and the boards of the Educational Testing Service, the Carnegie Foundation for theAdvancement of Teaching, the Southern Education Association, WLAE-TV,the MetropolitanAreaCommittee EducationFundand theSouthern Association of Colleges andSchools, aregional accrediting agency.Hewas president of the American Associationof Higher Education andthe UnitedNegro College Fund and amember of the Catholic University of America’sboard of trustees and The Times-PicayuneEditorial Advisory Board.

In addition to the honorary degrees he received, Francis was awarded The Times-Picayune Loving Cup andthe UniversityofNotre Dame’sLaetare Medal.

In 2020, the New Orleans City Council changed the nameofJefferson Davis Parkway,whichruns past theedge of Xavier’s campus, to NormanC.Francis Parkway

At Francis’final commencement, in 2015, the tributes raineddown. Vartan Gregorian, the Carnegie Corporation president and an honorarydegree recipient,was succinct when he toldFrancis, “The universe is notgoing to see anyone like you again.”

In response to all the praise,Francis said

Mrs. GayleBenson&theNewOrleans Saints

he felt privilegedtobeofservice, andhe told the graduates to “never forget from whenceyou come. …Iwould especially hope that yougiveyour talent and your expertise to those who need it most. …You have the tools. Youhave the strong leadership example. Now go out and contribute.” Francis’ wife,Blanche Macdonald Francis, died in 2015.

Survivors include four sons, Michael Timothyand David Francis, allofNew Orleans, and Patrick Francis of Austin, Texas; two daughters, Kathleen Francis of NewYork City and Christina Francis of Los Angeles; asister,Mabel Bailey of Lafayette; and 11 grandchildren.

Hisbodywill lie in repose on Monday from 9a.m. to 3:30 p.m.inXavier’sConvocationCenter,on7910 Stroelitz St. Francis’ family will be there from 4p.m. to 5p.m.

The Most Rev.Curtis Guillory,aformer bishop of Beaumont, Texas, will deliver opening andclosing remarks, andaprogram will begin at 5p.m.

AMasswillbesaidat10a.m. on Tuesday at the cathedral after visitation there from 8a.m.to9:30 a.m.Cardinal Wilton Gregory,aformer archbishopofWashington, D.C., will be the principal celebrant. In the half-hour before the service, the rosary will be prayed, andpeople will offertheir thoughts about Francis.

Burial will be in St. Louis Cemetery No. 3, 3421 Esplanade Ave. D.W. Rhodes Funeral Homeisincharge of arrangements.

Contact JohnPope at pinckelopes@ gmail.com.

Dr.NormanC.Francis

Mrs. GayleBenson: Iwas deeply saddenedtolearn of thepassing of Dr.NormanC.Francis.Iwas grateful forhis friendship andheldgreat admiration andrespect forthe leadership andinfluencehebrought to ourcity, state, and nation fordecades

Afterbeginning hiscareerinthe military andinlaw,Dr. Francis became atransformationalleader in civilrightsand higher education, servingmorethan50years at Xavier University of Louisiana, including47asPresident.Healso played an earlyroleinsecuringanNFL expansionfranchise forNew Orleans andwas aproud original investor in theSaints.

Iextendmy deepestcondolences to Dr.Francis’family.

REFLECTIONSONA LEGACY

Norman Francis’impactisapparent in so manyaspects of life in New Orleans and the state of Louisiana. His quietcontributions always aimed at making amore just and equitable future for all.

Xavier head showed thepower of quietleadership

As achild, Ioften visited “Miss Blanche’s” home with my parents and siblings in the tree-lined Gentilly neighborhood of New Orleans. It was a beautiful house on aspacious lot, complete with a detached garage that doubled as a guest space. Even at ayoung age, Iunderstood that visits to Miss Blanche’s home were different. We dressed a little nicer.Wewere reminded to mind our manners. And we showed up with respect Miss Blanche was always warm and welcoming and she never failed to offer candy One day,myparents toldmewe

were going to visit Dr.Norman C. Francis. Ihad no idea whothey meant.They describedwhere he lived,what he looked like and spoke of his many accomplishments. None of it connected until my mother finallysaid, “You know,Miss Blanche’shusband …” Suddenly, everything clicked. Looking back, Inow understand whyIdidn’trecognize Francis by name. His leadership never demanded thespotlight.Whenhe was home, he was fully present with hischildren and his beautiful wife. In aworld where many leaders command every room they enter,even theirown living rooms, Dr.Francis led differently.

He led quietly. In allthe time Iwas around him, Inever once heardhim raise his

TheworkofNorman Francis’ life goes

Dr.Norman Francis andmyfather,Moon Landrieu, were both born into working-class families in the segregated South. They met as college students in 1950 whenNorman, at Xavier, and Dad, at Loyola, planned atripto aCatholic conference in Grand Coteau.

Norman later chuckled, recalling my father’s naiveté about their meticulous planning process. “We’ll just stop when we’re hungry,” Dad said, not realizing that his new friends couldn’tjust stop anywhere. Dad later explained that “White Only” signs dotted the landscape —but you only noticed them if they impacted you.

on

voice, not even when he was overlooked to receive apiece of chocolate cake at abank celebration. As I’ve matured professionally,those small moments have become powerful lessons.

Today,weoften measureleadership by visibility. The louder the voice, the moreattention it receives.The moresomeone is seen, the morevaluable theyare perceived to be.

But Dr.Francis’ life provedthat impact does notrequire noise He achievedextraordinary successwithout seeking attentionfor himself. Instead,heelevated others andwhatmattered to them. He had araregift for weaving history,common sense and genuine compassion intoconversations about the issuesdiscussed. At the center of everything he

did, Dr.Francisdid so withthe embodimentofone simple but profound belief: People matter He believed in people and movements when othersand evensocietydid not. In 1972, Dr Francisinvited my father, AldenMcDonald Jr., to joinhim in creating Liberty Bankand Trust Company,whichtoday stands as the largest African Americanownedbankinthe United States. Once again, Francissaw potential long before it waswidely recognized.

Thatabilitytosee potential and greatness in othersand institutions before it is realizedwas one of his greatest gifts. He understood that whenpeople aregiven opportunity,trust andspace to grow, the result is often fargreater than the presentmoment.

He saw people,listened to what they hadtosay,respected their perspective even if it wasdifferentfrom his.And, mostimportantly, after speaking withDr. Francis, youfeltheard.

In an era that rewards volume over substance andvisibility over values, Dr.Francis reminds us of adeeper truth:The most enduring leadership is rooted in humility, faithand an unwavering beliefinpeople

Quietleadership doesn’t seek recognition. It creates legacy Andsometimes, theleaders who shapeusmost are theones who neverraise theirvoices but raise thepeople around them.

Todd McDonaldisthe president of Liberty Bank andTrust Company

Idecided in 1988 that Iwanted to become acollege president Oncethat occurred, Ibegan to read everything Icould about presidents, generally in trade publications like The Chronicle of Higher Education and Black Issues in Higher Education. Back then, before therewas easydigital access, Icut out articles andplaced them in afolder,a folder Istill have.

As Iprogressedthrough graduate school to thecompletion of aPh.D., I read anything Icould get my hands on aboutpresidents. Everywhere Iworked, Ialways found away to engage the president, be it Jim Laney at Emory,CarlPattonat Georgia State, Jim Koch at Old Dominion or Portia Holmes Shields at Albany State

But there was one person Iadmired from afar He began his higher education career working in student affairs, like me.Hewas amemberofAlpha Phi Alpha Fraternity,like me. He became acollege president at 37.

Being from Atlanta, Iwas terrified of hurricanes (still am to be honest), but he and Dean Joseph Byrd spent two hours with me,not just explaining hurricane season, but how he facilitated the development of their premedical program, and whatheproposed Dillard do as acomplement. When the federal government changed the qualifications for receiving the Parent PLUS loan, he was the one who called me to tell me to see if Iwas seeing what he sawatXavier. He was my hero, and that made me protective of him. Iampraying Ican still get into heaven after Ipublicly reprimanded Archbishop Gregory Aymond in an op-ed after he disrespected Francis right before his last commencement. I’m sure Iconfused people. The president of Dillard University,publicly supporting his crosstown rival. He did not need my defense, but Iwantedto remind everyone that there would be no disrespect to Francis, no matter who youwere And yes, while Iloved beating Xavieronthe basketball court, especially there, Ineverreally celebrated out of respect for him. But when he retired, it was adifferent story

Twoyears later, Norman and another Black student, Ben Johnson, became Loyola’sfirst AfricanAmerican law students

In considering Norman’sapplication, law school Regent the Rev.Louis J. Joseph Twomey wrote to the university president: “[Norman Francis] represents the type of law school applicant whom we rejoice to welcome into our studentbody Ordinarily,wewould not hesitate to accord him unqualified acceptance [However], we cannot act affirmatively on his application without prior clearance from higher authority.For it happens that Norman Francis is aNegro.” Francis shared two things with me aboutthat era: First, he wanted to make sure Iremembered thatother,equally or betterqualified Black applicantswere denied admission in prior years; and second, my father greeted him at Loyola by saying, “I know who you are and I’m here to be your friend.” Indeed, friends for life they were. In 1954, when the U.S. Supreme Court’slandmark Brown v. Board of Education decision ended legal segregation in public schools, Dad enthusiastically and naively (his words) said,“Norman, it’sfinally over.” Sadly,itwasn’t. One evening, ageneration later,after Norman and Dadhad both “married up” (as they would say of Norman’swife, Blanche,

andmymother,Verna), served in the military,and had15childrenbetweenthem,Dad arrived at Carrollton playground to pick us up from theopening night of Little League baseball. Upon arriving, Dad learned that two boys —Norman and Blanche’s two eldest sons, Michael andTim —were sent home because they were Black My father, then the mayor-elect of New Orleans, raced to the Francis home to apologize to Norman and Blanche personally and on behalf of the city.He asked Norman to bring theboys back to the playgroundand promised they would play.Norman responded, “Thankyou, Moon. I knowyou can fix itfor my boys, but the question is bigger than that. Can anyBlack kid play? I didnot know theplayground was segregated, or Iwould not have sent them over there.”

That response was typical of Francis. More than opening doors forhimselfand his family,hewanted doors opened for all. It also underscored how tirelessly peopleofcolor had to work to shield their children from the remnants of Jim Crow years after legal segregation was outlawed.

Thelessonsimparted by Dad andNorman’slifelong friendship could fill volumes,but what comes to mindmost clearly is this: They wanted us to play ball together so we could learn afew things about life. Show up. On time. Dressed to play.Run hard. Playfair.Trust yourteammates. Back each other up. When everyone gets an equal opportunity to play, we can all be as good as our talents and hard work take us.

This is what Francis would wantusall to remember.His and Dad’s unfinished workremains forustocomplete. Because it’s still not over I’m blessed to have grown up in the shadow of their beautiful friendship. Dr.Francis, may yourestinpeace inGod’sloving embrace.

Madeleine Landrieu is dean of Loyola University New Orleans College of Law

When Ibecame president of Philander Smith College in 2004, I, too, was 37. With Philander Smithbeing aUnited Negro College Fund institution,like Xavier University,Ifinally had achance to meet Dr.Norman C. Francis in March 2005 at our annual meeting in New York. For me, Iwas meetingacelebrity,aMichael Jackson-level superstar in myeyes. Butthose seven and ahalf years in Little Rock only provided semi-annual opportunities to see him work, particularly as chair of our governmental affairs committee. It wasn’t until 2012, when Imoved to New Orleans, that I got to see this legend regularly,and he did not disappoint.

Although Iwas an experienced president, Itook advantage of everychance to learn from Dr.Francis.

“Why do Idothis? Iwant no political influence, no prestige, no office. Why do Idothis? Ibelieve Idothis because Iambuilt this way.”

These words by Louis A. Martinet,one of the first Black lawyers in this statewho led the Citizens Committeethatchallenged the separate but equal doctrine, describe Dr.Norman C. Francisperfectly While Doc had many titles and roles in his life, threeofhis roles had thedeepestimpact on my life: the preeminent educator,avisionary and leader in thebusiness community anda servant leader in thenation. Through his faith, Doc was “built”tobe the longest serving historically Black colleges and universities president in this country,educating thousands of African American students. He was “built” to found the largest African American-owned bank to createBlack homeowners and Blackowned businesses; and he was “built” to be an amazing servant leader for our community and nation, chairing the Louisiana Recovery Authority that addressedthe recovery and rebuilding of Louisiana and New Orleans after the devastationofhurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005,while also rebuilding XavierUniversity. As ahigh school senior in 1980, Itook acourse at Xavier.Being on Xavier’s campus under the leadership of Doc was amazing —Xavier was alive, and youfelt it.Xavier recruited topBlack students from all around the country who, consistent with Xavier’smissionand the leadership of Doc,believedthey were theretocontribute as leaders to a better society. Doc had an unshakable commitment to the power of education and believed thateducationwas transformative to everystudent whoset foot on Xavier’scampus.While Iultimatelyattended another university out of state, Doc left an indelible impact on me, suchthat Ibecameapart-time instructor at Xavier as ayoung attorney.Inhigh school, Iwitnessed thetransformationalnature of a Xavier education, and Iwanted to play evena small role at Xavier under his leadership.

Iwas talking to my wife about his legacy, and she wondered who fills that void? Is there an HBCU president who is known outside of higher education, someone who was viewed not only as ahigher education leader,but aBlack leader,like Benjamin Mays or Johnnetta Cole? He cannot be replaced, but we need that kind of national voice forour sector,now more than ever As akid, other than my parents, my hero was Muhammad Ali. As aman, Ialso have ahero: Dr NormanC.Francis.

Walter Kimbrough is executive vice president, member services and engagement, at the United Negro College Fund. He previously served as president of Dillard University from 2012-2022.

In 2017, Ihad the honor of being asked to serve on the Liberty Bank board of directors underDoc’s leadership as chairman. This allowed me to witness his phenomenal business acumen and commitment to working to ensure that every individual, regardless of race or ethnicity,has the right to “financial dignity” as we refer to it at Liberty Bank. His commitment to fairness and equity hascreated substantial home ownership and businessesand expanded access to capital in the African American community His calling as aservant leader for our community and the nation was, and will always be, the most significant to me.The positions he had, the roles he served, the individuals he assisted and the contributions made to our community and the nationare numerous. But Doc’swork as chair of the Louisiana Recovery Authority for ourcity and state after the devastation of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005 mayhave been his most notable philanthropic achievement, positively impacting the lives of millions of Louisiana citizens. As amember of the LRA, Ihad the privilege of watching Doc navigate the politicsof recovery (national, statewide and local), while serving as the moral voice for why Louisiana and New Orleans had to be rebuilt. As then-Gov. Kathleen Blanco recognized in appointing Doc as the chair of the LRA, he was the only person who had the undisputed integrity,reputation and credibility to serve as chair Some of Doc’s words make clear who he was and what he contributed to our nation: “Wehavetobe able to make decisions about who needscertain things to be able to live alife, go to school, or anything else that is apart of living.” There will never be another Dr.Norman C. Francis, and Iamhonored that Ihad the privilege of knowing him, learning from him and being mentored by him.

Kim Boyleisapartner withthe Phelps

Thearchitect of opportunity

FrombreakingbarriersasthefirstBlackgraduateof theLoyolaUniversityNewOrleansCollegeofLawtoguiding XavierUniversityandhelpingleadLouisiana’srecovery afterHurricaneKatrina,Dr.NormanC.Francislivedthepromise ofhopeandopportunity.Hebelievedindignity,in educationasjusticeandinfulfillingeverystudent’spotential.

Carryingforwardhispassionofempoweringfuturegenerations througheducation,weareproudthatmanyOchsner programsareconnectedtohislegacy,includingtheXavier OchsnerCollegeofMedicineandothersatXavierUniversityof Louisiana.Hislifewasaninvitationnotonlytobelieveina betterworld,buttobuildit.Somethingwestriveforeveryday.

PresidentEmeritus XavierUniversityofLouisiana IN LOVINGMEMORY

Dr.NormanC.Francis | 1931–2026

SCENES FROM ALIFE

NormanFrancis was afriend and mentor to many. His calm demeanor and steadyguidance left an impression on all who knewhim.Their stories,gathered through countless encounters with him overthe years, paint apicture of aman whoalways strove to make thosearound him better,and in so doing, to make our society better

‘Itwas theright thingtodo’

Norman Francisprovided Freedom Riders asafehaven

My

Francisknew education wasthe keyto empowerment

first encounter with Norman Francis waswhen Iwas in seventh gradeat All Saints Elementary School. As is the custom in most Catholic schools, they have fundraisers for the students, and Iwas out tryingtoraise money on my own.My brother Rudy,who wasthen afreshman or so, said, “Why don’tyou gotoXavier and ask them to buyanad?”And theyreferred me to thisguy namedNormanFrancis,who was adean. And he was anice guy.Wesat forabout an hour and ahalf, and he gave me whatI thought was, at the time,avery large ad to putinthe school paper.Itwas $25. So my first memory of Dr.Francis was longbefore any relationship he developed withmeor withRudy.

Butthe mostsignificantthing is thatRudy and Iwould meet with Doc often,and Rudy would recordsome of the conversations and go over what happened duringthe time when the Freedom Riders were broughtto Xavier It took alot for Dr.Francis to make that move. If you put it in the proper contextof his time, it was avery riskymove forhim to make in terms of not only endangering Xavier and the students because of thehatred at the time, but alsothe risk of losing his job. It was not aunanimous kind of decision. At the time, people were afraid for their lives, people werebeingkilled.This was for real, and to makethatone decision, to let those people stay in St. Michael’sHall. When Italked to him aboutitlater,he said, “You know,itwas theright thing to do.” He knew it was goingto be controversial, but his Christian belief was thatthese people were injured and needed aplace to go. Francis is the one who got Rudy out of jail after hewas arrested for leading the lunch counter sit-in at McCrory’sonCanal Street to protest segregation (his case went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, where he won). He used to lovetotell this story; He was at Xavier,and there were two recruiters on campus on Xavier campus, one from Harvard and one from Syracuse (where Rudy Lombard would go on to earn aPh.D.) who wanted to talk to Rudy.Rudy had decided that he wasn’tcoming out of jail. He

Members of the Congress of Racial Equality picket outsideMcCrory’sDepartment store to protest the five-and-dime store’spolicy of segregating lunch counter customers. This demonstration followedthe historic demonstration on Sept. 17, 1960, when four young Civil Rights Movementactivists were arrested for apeaceful sit-in at the lunch counter.Theywere Oretha Castle,RudyLombard, Sidney‘Lanny’ Goldfinch and Cecil W. Carter Jr

was going to makeastatement while in parish prison. AndDoc tells the story that he went back there and the prison guard asked him:Did he represent Rudy? Doc remembered he was alawyer,and he said, “Yeah, that’smy client.” It was Doc who talked Rudy into coming out after he was arrested to meet those folks.

Edwin A. Lombardisaretired judge who served on Louisiana’s4th Circuit Court of Appeal.

Francisguideda youngXavierite’s steps

“Regina, you know you canalways come home.”

Dr.Norman C. Francis was my universitypresident, my guidance counselor,mymentor,myconfidant and my friend.

During my days as ayoung Xavierite, my fellow students and Iwould oftensee Francis walking across the quadrangle, andhe would stop to chat. Ilater realized he had gotten to know each of us by name, where we were from, our family histories, our hopes and struggles. He then followed ourcareers. Years later,ifIweregoingtovisit anew cityortown, he would givemethe name of an alum to look up, and everything Ineeded to know about them.

While J.W.Carmichael prepared us well for medical school, it was Francis who personally introduced me to afuture mentor,

Dr.Louis Sullivan, at the Morehouse School of Medicine. Ibecame amember of the school’ssecond entering class. Throughout my leadership rise in theAmerican Medical Association andinmedical regulation, Francis would get me on thephone with former U.S. Labor Secretary Alexis Herman to discuss political strategy They were supportive as Iestablished my clinic in Bayou La Batre, Alabama. They were confidants when President Barack Obama asked me to serve as the 18th U.S Surgeon General. Behind the scenes, they held my hand and guided me through aunanimous U.S. Senateconfirmation

As Iconsidered the difficult decision to leave government to keep my BayouClinic going, Icalled Francis, once again, for guidance. His responsetomewas simply,“Regina, youknow you can always comehome.

On alater call, he offered me aposition at Xavier and allowed me to volunteer at my clinic. Iwas the NOLA.com |TimesPicayune Endowed Chair in Public Health Sciences.

Oneofmyroles included the privilege of representing him at outsidemeetings and events, especially those that required overnight travel. He lovingly took care of his beautiful but ailing wife. He alwaystried to makeapoint of being home with her each night.Once someone commented to him that “she may not even knowwho you are” and he responded, “but Iknow whoshe is.” Dr.Francis, we know who you are, and we are blessed to have had you in our lives.

Regina M. Benjamin, M.D.,founder and CEO of BayouClinic, holds the Endowed Chair of PublicHealthSciences at Xavier University.She wasthe 18th U.S.Surgeon General from 2009-2013.

I’manactor,but moreimportantly,I grew up here in New Orleans, and one of the icons that I’ve always knownisDr. Norman C. Francis. He was aleader in the community whodidn’tjust talk the talk, but he walked the walk. He was aman whomade me understand the importance of the mantra to exercise your right of self-determination. And he also taught me that education is your first wealth: Nothing monetary,nothing that is property,but the wealth that you get from getting agreat education is something that no one will ever be able to take away from you. He led Xavier University fornearly 50 years, after he decided to makethat pivot from being alawyer in the Civil Rights Movement to aleader in an education movement, knowing that there’sthe one thing that can actually change lives. Education can actually change people’sminds, and the power of education and knowledge can change their spirit. And that wasthe weapon that he used to fight injustice, to give people opportunity,tomake sure that those whodid not have avoice received avoice, and those whodid not have away madeaway out of no way. He gave them the tools that they needed to have asuccessful life. And whenever confronted with the violence, the ignorance of racism and oppression, Francis gave us the weapons to fight back because he knew there are those whowill never have our best interest at heart. So we would have to do it ourselves. The waytodothat is to makesure that you are empowered.

There’saline in the play “Waiting forGodot” where Vladimir says: “All humanity is us. Let us do something while we have achance before it’stoo late.”

And that’sthe lesson that Francis taught us: Do something now,before it’stoo late.

He’sleft us agreat legacy,and his death is areminder of what we have to do. What is our contribution to the paradigm going to be? He’s given us ablueprint and given us the great command and call to service. So thank you, Dr.Francis. Rest in peace.

WendellPierce is an actor and businessownerinNew Orleans This piece was originally aired on WBOK and is printed with permission.

Forceof Norman Francis’ characterkeptLRA on track

At one of our Louisiana Recovery Authority meetings, agroup of protesters started chanting about one of the issues we were addressing. Norman Francis, who was the chairman, turned to me and said he had to go to the bathroom. He told me, as vicechair,that I had to take over the meeting.

“Don’tgo,” Ibegged, as the protests were getting heated.

“When you’re my age andyou have to go,” he said, “you have to go.” Donna Brazile,amember of the LRA, started challengingthe protesters. Things went downhill. Iasked astaffer to go to there-

stroom and find Dr.Francis and tell himtohurry When he got back, the room miraculously settled down. Thetension disappeared andthe chanting stopped. He smiled Dr.Francis had that effect throughout his life. He could calm the waters while also pushing for progress. He was not only nice, but he madeeveryone aroundhim nicer Historically,that helped New Orleans duringthe Civil Rights years. When he housed theFreedom Riders at Xavier,or when hegathered theBlack and White civic leadersofthe city in the upstairsroom at Dooky Chase’s, he was always able to inspire people to be better

In 1988, Dr.Francis invited my wife, Cathy,and me to be with him at the Vatican,where he was celebrating alongside Pope John Paul II the beatification of Mother Katharine Drexel. It occurred to me as Iwatched him next to thepope that, at least among those who were blessed to know him,Francis deserved to be in that venerable number someday We were fortunate to have among us such aforce for good, and we can pray that his memory will inspire all of us to try, every day,tohave our course guided by his moral compass

Walter Isaacson, ajournalist and bestselling author,was vice chair of the Louisiana Recovery Authority

DR.NORMAN C. FRANCIS

FILE PHOTOByTED JACKSON

Aquiet giantand moralforce setanexample

Ihave been thinking for daysabout how to put into words what Dr.Norman C. Francismeant to me, not only as aleader of extraordinary vision, but as an exemplar whose quiet confidence and steady counsel guided my own journeyin ways Iamstill discovering. Francis was already aliving legacy when Icame to knowhim, first as ayoung faculty member at aneighboring institution.Toso many,hewas the longest-serving universitypresident in the nation in modern times, amoral force in American higher education,and the steward who guided Xavier University of Louisiana throughnearlyfive decades of profound change. To me,hewas also somethingmoreintimate and enduring—agenerous teacher whoexemplified

responsibility of leadership and the dignity of service to others. When Iwas selected to succeed him as president of his beloved Xavier,Iwas keenly aware of themagnitude of that moment. Onedoes not simply “follow” Norman C. Francis. One inherits asacred trust.Dr. Francis understood this better than anyone whenhetook on the weight of leadership. Yet, Francis did not allow hisformidable legacy to preclude hisprudent counsel and support for my work as his successor.He encouraged without presuming, advised without directing and affirmed withoutever centering himself. His encouragement was steady and sincere in momentswhen thechallenges were great. Moreover,Iprized and will miss his

deep faithand spiritual counsel.When we met, it was rare for him not to speak of his prayers for me as president andfor my family.Wespoke of prayer forour children and his grandchildren. This man of faith would remind me of our mission and call from St. Katharine Drexel. What struck me mostabout Francis was how consistently he lived his values. He lived his commitment to theflourishing of thehuman community.Hebelieved, unwaveringly,infull freedomfor the oppressed, especially thedescendants of the enslaved, and he understood education as a liberating instrument.His leadership was anchored in faith and love for the manyhe served, and he never separated excellence from responsibility

Even after stepping away from the presidency,Francis remained deeplypresent

in the lifeofthe university.Hewanted Xavier not only to endure, but to thrive and to remain faithful to its mission while meeting the demands of achanging world. This is agiftI will always treasure. As we mourn his passing, we are grateful. Grateful forhis guidance, forhis trust and forthe example he set. It wasone of humility,courage, and unwavering love forXavier University.His legacy lives on in our alumni, the leaders he formed and in so manyacross the nation whowere blessed by his greatness. Iamhonored to be among these.

Reynold Verretispresident of Xavier University of Louisiana. He succeeded Dr.Norman C. Francis in that role in 2015 after Francis served as president for 47 years.

Honoring Dr.NormanC.Francis: ALegacy That LivesOn

Onbehalfofthedirectors,officers,staff,andcustomersofLiberty BankandTrustCompany,wehonortheremarkablelifeandenduring legacyofDr.NormanC.Francis,ourfounderandChairmanEmeritus. Dr.Franciswasabold,courageousvisionarywhosesteadfast commitmenttoequitablequalityoflifeandservantleadershipshaped LibertyBankfromitsfoundingin1972.Heinstinctivelyunderstood thatgenerationalchangebeginswithaccess–toeducation,to opportunity,andtoqualityfinancialservices.Hisconvictionwas unwavering:financialdignityisacivilright

Poweredbythatbelief,LibertyBankgrewfromaboldideawithjust $2millioninassetsintoaninstitutionwithover$1billioninassetsand a53-yearlegacyofimpact.ItisbecauseofDr.Francis’sdetermination, resilience,andhumbleservantleadershipthatwestandtodayasthe largestBlack-ownedbankintheUnitedStates,continuingtoprovide fairfinancialaccesstotheunderserved.

Heknewthatthrivingsmallbusinesses,homeownership,financialsecurity,andhealthycommunitiesareonlypossiblewhen individualsareempoweredwiththerightfinancialtools–andhededicatedhislifetoensuringthataccesswasavailabletoall, regardlessofrace,origin,orreligion.

Withprofoundrespect,weacknowledgeDr.Francis’spassingandexpressourdeepestgratitudeforhisgenerationalimpact.His principles,compassion,andleadershipnotonlyshapedourcompanybutstrengthenedourresolvetocombatthewealthgapand expandopportunityforallAmericans.Hisexamplesetastandardthatcontinuestoguideourhearts,ouractions,andourmission.

Aswemoveforward,LibertyBankremainsdevotedtofulfillingourvisionoffinancialinclusivityandopportunityforeveryone Wewillcontinueourworkwithhumility,determination,andaccountability–provingeverydaythatitmatterswhereyoubank.

Thankyou,Dr.Francis,foryourextraordinaryleadershipandtimelessinfluence.Yourlifewasalesson;yourworka witness;andyourimpactwillendure.

–Liberty Bank BoardofDirectors LibertyBankandTrustCompany

Louisiana oyster farmer, part-time nurse keeps family business alive

BY MARGARET DELANEY Staff writer

Brandi Shelley, a registered intensive care unit nurse at Ochsner West Bank hospital, has a passion for the bayou.

She can’t stay away from the water

Shelley grew up in a commercial farming family in Belle Chasse. Her father, Terry Shelley, has been a commercial fisherman since he was 19 years old. Terry Shelley, now 75, is leaving the bayou business to his daughter as he looks to retirement.

Shelley was studying at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary until Hurricane Katrina hit the city. She then relocated to Hattiesburg, Mississippi, where she completed her education in nursing at William Carey University After finishing school, Shelley decided to settle in a hospital as close to home as possible.

Shelley owns Shelley Farms, an oyster farm in Bayou Hertesa in Port Sulphur in Plaquemines Parish. She also part-owner of Terry Shelley’s Shucking House with her brother and father The oyster farm and distribution company services Louisiana, Texas and Kentucky

During the week, Shelley works two 12-hour shifts as an ICU nurse at Ochsner West Bank. The rest of the week she is either at the shucking house or on the bayou, working between 60 and 80 hours a week

Shelley Farms brings in 5,000 single oysters each week The wild division of the family oyster business, which harvests the oysters they shuck, brings in 500 to 600 sacks a week The shucking house is open to the public for walk-in sales Monday through Friday from 8

time.

and

a

a.m. to 3 p.m. In 2016, Shelley donated a kidney to a friend. Ten years later, both are doing well.

Tell me about your career as a registered nurse.

What do you like most about the job?

I’ve only ever done ICU as a registered nurse. I did case management for a few years when my little girl was younger I’ve always liked the puzzle of a patient who’s sick trying to figure out the complexity and what goes into fixing them. If the patient is taking a turn for the worst, knowing beforehand what’s going to happen and seeing symptoms

LSU students tour hospital in BR

Our Lady of the Lake visit included android patients, ER rounds

BY MARGARET DELANEY Staff writer

Over 50 LSU College of Science students practiced intubating lifelike mannequins and diagnosing a talking android patient during a February “house tour” at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center

The regional medical center tour, which started nearly four years ago, includes a trip to the Lake’s educational building, where students try their hands at intubating human mannequins, using minimally invasive surgical tools in a game-style simulation and speaking with a human android patient that complains of symptoms in real time.

“It’s a great opportunity to expose these kids early to the hundreds of options in the medical field,” said Lauryn Modenbach, the director of academic affairs at the Lake.

Because the path to advanced medical degrees can take up to eight years beyond college early exposure helps students make informed decisions, Modenbach said.

The day begins with a meet-andgreet with physicians before students break into small groups for rotations through the lab, emergency room and education center

“I thought I wanted to do cardiology,” said LSU junior Jessica Rodney after intubating a practice dummy “But now I’m thinking about lab work and emergency medicine, too.”

BEYOND THE SCALE

Join us on a health journey through 2026 with ‘BEYOND THE SCALE: Addressing Louisiana’s obesity epidemic’ Do you want to start a health journey? We want to hear from you — not about weight, but about health, stress, food and life. As we move through 2026, we are inviting readers to come along a health journey with us.

Our next project will explore youth obesity We pose one question to our readers: What are some healthy school lunches your kids actually liked? Send us photos. Email your answers, comments or questions to Margaret DeLaney at margaret. delaney@theadvocate.com.

HPV-related throat cancers rising in men, doctors say

BY MARGARET DELANEY Staff writer

Michael Hamilton devel-

oped a lingering cough in June 2023 that would no go away Hamilton, 72, knew something was wrong.

He visited his ear, nose and throat doctor, Dr Ben Walton, who said his vocal chords looked strained. Walton’s advice, according to Hamilton, was to limit talking and revisit in a months time.

“It did not go away,” Hamilton said.

His next appointment included a CT scan that led to a scope and a biopsy at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center He was diagnosed with throat cancer in January 2024. Hamilton never smoked. He never drank beer wine or mixed drinks. He never drank coffee.

He was “baffled” by his diagnosis, he said. However, in many cases, like Hamilton’s, these cancers can occur in nonsmokers

Throat cancers, including larynx and oropharyngeal, account for roughly 3% of malignant cancer in U.S with more than 60,000 new cases annually Incidence rates are also rising, accord-

ing to the American Cancer Society, driven by human papillomavirus-associated oropharyngeal cancer, particularly in men over the age of 55.

cinations and regular checkups for HPV as it pertains to cervical cancers. This regular, watchful eye has not yet translated to the male space, according to Vernado.

“We’re not sure yet why incidence rates are going up,” said Dr William Vernado, a medical oncologist and Hamilton’s doctor at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Baton Rouge Head and neck cancers, a broader grouping of cancer types, includes diseases starting from the lips through the larynx and windpipe. HPV-related head and neck cancers occur in the oropharynx, the back of the tongue in the tonsils.

While the vast majority of head and neck cancers are attributed to smoking, the majority or oropharynx cancers are driven by HPV the virus can remain dormant for years and ultimately cause enough inflammation to form cancers

Rates of HPV-related throat cancers are higher in men, primarily because women typically receive vac-

“We expect, hopefully, for the incidence to go down over the next 10 to 15 years,” Vernado said. “Because children who grew up with the HPV vaccination growing up will reach the age where these cancers are common.”

However, national skepticism over vaccines could halt any potential progress to be seen over the years.

Cervical cancer rates fall

The rate of new cervical cancer cases in the U.S. has fallen significantly over the last three decades from 11.1 per 100,000 people in 1992 to 6.9 per 100,00 in 2022.

The American Society of Cancer attributes the decreased incidence rates to increased cervical HPV screenings that have been normalized across the country and regular HPV vaccinations in children.

HPV vaccination coverage stalled in 2023 for the second consecutive year according to a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HPV vaccine cover-

as early as age 9.

“The idea is to initiate vaccination before any sexual intercourse or potential exposure to HPV,” said Dr David Barrington, a gynecologic oncologist at Ochsner Health in New Orleans. “We’re getting more and more data that even one dose of the HPV vaccine (without a booster later in life) is effective at preventing any infection.”

Beyond vaccination regular screening has greatly benefited female HPV-related cancers to slow the incidence of the disease.

Men, however should be aware of the HPV-related cancer symptoms in the body including lumps in the throat, genital warts or skin tags.

age already lags most other routine vaccines.

In 2023, about 77% of adolescents, ages 13 to 17, received at least one dose of HPV vaccine and about 61% of teens were up to date on HPV vaccination, including 64% of females and 59% of males.

Nearly all cervical cancers, developed in the lower part of the uterus, are caused by persistent HPV infection and are preventable. Each year in the U.S. 13,000 new

cervical cancer cases are diagnosed with Louisiana among the highest cervical cancer death rates in the country

Cervical cancer rates have declined by 11% each year for women ages 20 to 24, “reflecting the first signs of cancer prevention from HPV vaccination,” according to the American Cancer Society

Both men and women are recommended to receive their first HPV vaccination

“I do not have enough kind words to describe the care I received and the compassion shown by the doctors, nurses, technicians and support staff at the Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center,” Hamilton said. After 33 radiation treatments, six chemotherapy visits, a blood transfusion, a feeding tube in his stomach, a nine-day stay in the hospital, losing 70 pounds and many treatments for dehydration, Hamilton is cancer free.

FDA to drop two-study requirement for new drug approvals

BY MATTHEW PERRONE AP health writer

WASHINGTON The Food and Drug Administration plans to drop its longtime standard of requiring two rigorous studies to win approval for new drugs, the latest change from Trump administration officials vowing to speed up the availability of certain medical products. Going forward, the FDA’s “default position” will be to require one study for new drugs and other novel health products, FDA Commissioner Dr Marty Makary and a top deputy, Dr Vinay Prasad, wrote in a New England

NURSE

Continued from page 1X

that alert you to say, “Oh, this patient is going in the wrong direction. I need to do this or do that, or let the doctor know about the different things.”

I guess I like stressful situations.

What was it like to grow up in a commercial fishing family?

I liked it. I love the bayou. I love anything that has to do with water the beach the bayou. It’s just like a drug to me. It’s so relaxing and soothing to me to be out there. My dad has been a commercial fisherman as long as I can remember He went straight to the bayou from high school. He was a commercial shrimper He had a 72-foot double river boat. When we were little and out of school during the summers, we would spend a week or so out on the boat with him. My dad has caught every thing shrimp, crab, all of it — finally ending up in oysters. In 2009, he opened a shucking house called Terry Shelley Shucking House. In 2017, he decided to open an oyster farm, Shelley Farms. We have a brand called Terry’s Oysters. We shuck oysters into gallons, and we ship them out. At the beginning, I was working as a nurse, but then also helping with the business just a smidge. We opened it for six months, then the BP oil spill happened. We closed for six months, and we were able to reopen again. Instead of being commercial fishermen, we had to reinvent ourselves more like farmers. We replenish the water with the leftover oyster shells to be able to have a crop the next year or the next few years — that’s the hope. My father started investing more into oysters and putting rocks out so his

Journal of Medicine piece published Feb. 18.

The announcement is the latest example of Makary and his team changing longstanding FDA standards and procedures with the stated goal of slashing bureaucracy and accelerating the availability of new medicines.

Since arriving at the agency last April, Makary has launched a series of directives that he says will shorten FDA reviews, including mandating the use of artificial intelligence by staffers and offering one-month drug assessments for new medications that serve “national interests.”

It contrasts with the FDA’s more restrictive approach to other products, including vaccines.

In their piece, Makary and Prasad state that dropping the two-trial requirement reflects modern advances that have made drug research “increasingly precise and scientific.”

“In this setting, overreliance on two trials no longer makes sense,” they write.

“In 2026, there are powerful alternative ways to feel assured that our products help people live longer or better than requiring manufacturers to test them yet again.”

The FDA officials predict-

business would grow I told him then that I wanted to work on the farm

That’s when I stepped back from nursing for a little while to help him run the farm full time. After two years of high rivers and two hurricanes (Zeta and Ida), I had to flip the script. I went back to nursing full time and farming part time.

Meanwhile, my dad is getting older In February of last year, he said, “I think I’m done. I’m too old for this.” He wanted to shut down Shelley Farms. That made me so sad So I decided to take over for him and the family I ordered seed I got the oysters in the water in July I worked all summer — getting everything back and running after the offseason. I couldn’t use the same cages he used, because they were way too heavy for me, so I used a smaller cage that I can actually get in the water Since July I’ve been working nonstop six (some-

times seven) days a week between the oyster farm and the shucking house and nursing. It gets overwhelming, but I want my dad to feel like he can slowly back out and know that somebody is going to be there to continue to carry on his legacy

How does it feel to keep the legacy going?

Just like my dad always said, “The bayou is a disease. Once you get addicted, you just want to be there always.”

There’s so much freedom in the water The sun’s shining. Sometimes it’s just not work. But then sometimes it’s so stressful.

Coming to the hospital is easier because the days are so controlled and regulated. It’s not like on the bayou where one machine breaks and a new batch is coming in while we’re trying to get things to run smoothly I bring oysters to the hospital staff here all the time. We did a shucking class one day for lunch, and I showed all my colleagues and friends how to shuck

ed the shift would lead to “a surge in drug development.”

Dr Janet Woodcock, the FDA’s former drug director, said the change makes sense and reflects the FDA’s decadeslong move toward relying on one trial, combined with supporting evidence, for various life-threatening diseases, including cancer

“The scientific point is well taken that as we move toward greater understanding of biology and disease we don’t need to do two trials all the time,” said Woodcock, who led the FDA’s drug center for about 20 years before retiring in 2024.

The two-study standard for

drugs dates to the early 1960s, when Congress passed a law requiring the FDA to review data from “adequate and wellcontrolled investigations,” before clearing new medications. For decades, the agency interpreted that requirement as meaning at least two studies, preferably with a large number of patients and significant follow-up time.

The reason for requiring the second study was to confirm that the first trial’s results weren’t a fluke and could be reproduced.

But beginning in the 1990s, the FDA increasingly began accepting single studies for the approval of treatments

oysters. Then, we air-fried them.

Tell me about donating your kidney to a friend. How did that come about?

I went into labor one Sunday morning at 26 weeks with my little girl. She ended up being born that day at one pound, nine ounces. She was in the hospital at the Ochsner West Bank. She did so well. She came home a month early

When my daughter came home with me, one of my friends who I grew up with came to visit. My friend, Jasmine Meladine, has had lupus since she was a young girl. Growing up, I would spend the night with her at Ochsner’s main campus hospital for her treatments. When she came to visit me after my daughter was born, I kept thinking I needed to find a way to pay it forward. Because God gave me my daughter Even though she was a preemie,

she was still perfect. I couldn’t just go buy somebody a cup of coffee and that be equivalent. Jasmine came to visit, and I told her, to pay my miracle little girl forward, “I’m going to give you a kidney.” Jasmine had been on dialysis for eight years. She rejected her mother’s kidney Her dad and her brothers weren’t a match. I figured I could try to give her mine. She told me to think about it — at least for a month.

So I waited a week and called her transplant coordinator to start the process and get tested to see if I was a match.

To make a long story short, we were a match. The transplant team gave us the green light and we had our transplant surgeries on March 21, 2016.

Email Margaret DeLaney at margaret.delaney @theadvocate.com.

for rare or fatal diseases that companies often struggle to test in large numbers of patients. Over the last five years, roughly 60% of first-of-akind drugs approved each year have been cleared based on a single study The shift reflects laws passed by Congress that directed regulators to be more flexible when reviewing drugs for serious or hard-to-treat conditions.

Woodcock said the new policy announced Wednesday will mainly impact drugs for common diseases that previously weren’t eligible for reduced testing standards.

PROVIDED PHOTO LSU College of Science students got an inside look at being doctors lab technicians, nurses and more in a ‘house tour’ put on by Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in February.

STUDENTS

Continued from page 1X

Throughout the eighthour day, students explore:

n The lab, where they learn about blood samples, cultures and testing bacteria; n The emergency room, where they learn about triage and emergency medicine; n and the education building, where they get to practice on state-of-theart “dummies.”

The tours happen quarterly, according to Modenbach and programs all over the state participate — including Southern University and high schools.

Hospital leaders say the impact is already visible.

“I really see a difference this program has made. It’s pretty unique,” said Dr Mark Laperouse, the chief of emergency medicine at the Lake. “I’ve had emergency medicine interns come up to me on their first day at the hospital and tell me that this tour is what inspired them to become doctors.”

Eat Fit LiveFit

Tracking without tension: howtouse wellnessdatawisely

archinSouthLouisianacan

Mofferusabitofareprieve. Carnivalseasonisbehind us,andfestivalseasonhasn’tfully arrived.Socialcalendarstendto feelalittlelighterwithabitmore downtime.Formany,thisbecomes anaturalwindowtorefreshroutines andfocusonhowwewanttofeel daytoday.

Foralotofus,thatresetstarts withdata.

TheUpsideofTracking

Youmightbepayingcloser attentiontoyourAppleWatchor checkingyoursleepscorewithan Ouraring.Maybeyou’rewatching yourrecoveryonWhooporlooking atstepcountsonaFitbit.Perhaps you’veheardaboutglucose monitoring,andyou’recurious aboutwhatacontinuousglucose monitor(CGM)mightrevealabout yourownpatterns. IgettheappealbecauseIshare it,too.Ilovedata,Ilovethesefitness wearablesandIlovetalkingandwriting aboutwellnesstrackers.Infact,CGMs aremycurrentpersonalfavoritewhen itcomestotoolsthatoffermeaningful insighthelpingusidentifytrendsand seewhetherwhatwe’redoingisactually havinganimpact.

That’stheupside.

TheRisksofOver-Tracking

Thepartwedon’talwaysrealizeis howquicklythesetoolscanshiftfrom helpfulintostressful.Thesamedevices thatcanbuildawarenesscanalsofeed perfectionism.Iseeitwithpatientsand clients,andI’veexperienceditmyself. Whenthenumbersstarttofeellikea grade,itchangesthedynamic.It’seasy tofeelfrustratedifaworkoutdoesn’t “count”becausethetrackerdidn’t

sync.Wefeelguiltywhenwemissastep goal.Wecheckoursleepscorebeforewe evencheckinwithhowwefeel.Thedata becomesthedriverofourbehaviorsand moodinsteadofatoolquietlysupporting usinthebackground.

UsingDataWisely So,ifyou’reconsideringusingafitness trackertosupportyourspringgoals, here’stheapproachIencourage:usedata

BY THENUMBERS

intentionallyandputguardrailsaroundit. Startwithclarityofpurpose.What areyouactuallytryingtoimprove? Sleepconsistency?Energy?Bloodsugar awareness?Trainingperformance? Mealplanning? Pickoneprimaryfocus.Whenwetry totrackeverythingallatonce—steps, calories,macros,sleep,hydration,heart ratevariability,fastingwindows—it quicklybecomesoverwhelming.Weend

MollyKimball,RD,CSSD,isaregistereddietitian withOchsnerHealthandfounderofOchsner’sEatFit nonprofitinitiative.Formorewellnesscontent,tuneinto Molly’spodcast,FUELEDWellness+Nutrition,andfollow @MollykimballRDand@EatFitOchsneronsocialmedia Emailnutrition@ochsner.orgtoconnectwithMollyor scheduleaconsultwithherteam

LOUISIANA RANKSLAST IN THEU.S.FOR WOMEN’S ANDCHILDREN’SHEALTH

Louisianahas the worst health outcomes and environment for women andchildren in the country, according to areportfrom the United Health Foundation.

The foundation released the America’s Health Rankings 2025 Health of Women andChildren Reportearly this year, which takes acomprehensiveviewof 125measures of health and well-being from 34 data sources to compare health nationwide and within individual states. Some measures for children’shealth include: childhood obesity,early childhood education, neighborhood amenities, household smokeexposure. Somemeasures for women’shealth include: smoking duringpregnancy,wellwoman visits,women with adedicated health care provider,excessivedrinking and chronic conditions.

Nationally,this year’sreport finds encouraging gains in children’shealth and well-being across arangeof measures,aswell as in some maternal health behaviors. However, these advances were offset by worsening mortality rates among children of all ages and continued increases in maternal mortality

The healthiest state for womenand childrenwas Massachusetts, followed by Vermont, Minnesota, NewHampshire andUtah.

Louisianawas the least healthy, followedbyArkansas,Mississippi, Oklahoma and West Virginia.

Some highlights from the national data include:

n The percentage of children who were overweight or obese improved7%from 2021-22 to 2023-24.

n Early childhood education enrollment rose 4% from2022 to 2023.

n Children’sphysical environments improved: between 2021-22 and 2023-24, household smoke exposure decreased 19% and the rate of neighborhood amenities improvedby 6%.

n Smoking during pregnancy decreased 19% between 2022 and 2023.

n Well-woman visits improved3% from 2020-21 to 2022-23, but the percentageofwomen with adedicated health care provider decreased2% between 2021 and 2022-23.

n Child mortality increased 14% between 2018-20 and 2021-23, while infant mortality increased 4% between 2020-21 and 2022-23 —the first rise in this measure since theHealth of Women and Children Report began reporting

n Maternal mortality rose 36% between 2014-19 and 2019-23, even though overall mortality among women decreased 8% from 2022 to 2023. Racial differences persisted forboth measures.

n Women living in rural areashad healthier rates of excessive drinking than their metropolitan counterparts in 2022-23, but alsoexperiencedseveral chronic conditions at higher rates.

Thestates with the highestoverall scores for health for women in children, in descendingorder,include:

n Massachusetts with an overall health score of 0.766; n Vermont with an overall health score of 0.628; n Minnesota with an overall health score of 0.607; n NewHampshire with an overall health score of 0.587; n Utah with an overall health score

upmanagingadashboardofdata insteadoffocusingonthebehaviors thatmovetheneedle. Italsohelpstorememberthat mostmetricsareestimates,not verdicts.Stepcountsvarybydevice andplacement.Calorietrackingis notoriouslyimprecise.Sleepstaging fromwearablesisabestguess,not aclinicalsleepstudy.EvenCGMs,as valuableastheyare,havelagtime andvariability.Theyaretoolsfor learning,notforjudgment.

Ifyou’rewearingaCGM,think ofyourselfasacuriousobserver. Focusontrendsratherthansingle datapoints.Lookforpatterns insteadofstrivingforperfection. Noticewhathappenswhenyoupair carbohydrateswithproteinorfiber comparedtowhenyoueatcarbson theirown.Payattentiontowhata shortwalkafterdinnerdoes.Observe howpoorsleeporalcoholintake impactsyournumbersthenextday. It’salsoimportanttokeep listeningtoyourownbody.Buildin momentswhereyou’renottracking.Take awalkwithoutcheckingyourpaceand exercisewithoutwatchingyourheart rate.Thosebreaksprotectyourinternal cues—hunger,fullness,energy,mood recovery,satisfaction—whicharejustas important,andhonestlymoreimportant, thananymetric.

Ifdatahelpsyoumoveyourhealthin apositivedirection,I’mallforit.Butif trackingmakesyoumoreanxious,more rigidormoreself-critical,it’salsookayto stepaway.

Thegoalisn’tperfectnumbers.Thegoal isbetterenergy,steadiermood,stronger bodiesandhabitswecansustain.The healthieststrategiesaren’ttheonesthat lookimpressiveonadashboard.They’rethe onesthatfitintoreallifeandstillworklong afterthatinitialburstofmotivationfades.

Health forAmericanwomen andchildren

An overallscore forhealthwas givenbycombining 2025 data on health outcomes,health behaviors, clinical care,physicalenvironment andsocialand economic factorsineachstate

of 0.55;

n NewJersey with an overall health score of 0.522;

n Connecticut with an overall health score of 0.492;

n Colorado with an overallhealth score of 0.482;

n Maryland with an overall health score of 0.462;

n Washington with an overall health scoreof 0.445;

n Rhode Island with an overall health score of 0.443;

n Hawaii with an overall health score of 0.381;

n Nebraska with an overall health score of 0.35

Thestates with the lowest overall scoresfor health for women in children, in ascending order,include:

n Louisiana with an overall health score of -0.868; n Arkansas with an overallhealth score of -0.84; n Mississippi with an overall health score of -0.806;

n Oklahoma with an overall health score of -0.712; n West Virginia with an overall health score of -0.62; n Alabama with an overall health score of -0.504; n Tennessee with an overall health score of -0.503; n Nevada with an overall health score of -0.477; n NewMexico with an overall health score of -0.455; n Missouri with an overall health score of -0.391; n Kentucky with an overall health score of -0.34; n South Carolina with an overall

score of -0.281; n Ohio with an overall health score of -0.263; n Georgia with an overall health score of

Theteambehind your triumph

Cassandrabringsanathlete’smindsettoeverythingshedoes—focused, determined,andalwayspushingforward.WithshouldersurgerybyDr.Otis Drewandsports-drivenphysicaltherapy,shehasthesupportneededto keepthatmomentum.Now,she’srebuildingherstrengthandpushing forwardwiththesamedeterminationshestartedwith.

Learnmoreorscheduleanappointmentatochsner.org/lafayetteortho

Growinggarden

Clover expands, now reaching over 8,000 individuals annually with family-orientedservices

BY JONAH MEADOWS Staff writer

On arecent afternoon at Clover’s8-acre

New Orleans’ Lower Garden Districtcampus, toddlersnapped in classrooms while preschoolers built withmagnetic tilesand seniors played bingo.

In the decade since opening Louisiana’s first purpose-built intergenerationalcampus, the nonprofit —knownasKingsley House until a2022 rebrand —has expanded dramatically

The number of children served has increased sixfold. Itsbudget, staff andadult day care participation have doubled. Today,Clover reachesmore than 8,000people annually

The organizationhas adopteda multigenerational, family-oriented approach to meetingthe needsofthe young and old alike, accordingtoco-CEO Keith Liederman. Sometimes, that happens simultaneously,like when the preschoolers and their elders —some with cognitive challenges —doart projects, songs, storytelling, parties andMardi Gras balls.

“It’sawin-win foreverybody,the kids —infants, toddlers —lovebeingaround older folks, andkids get exposure to people with all kinds of special needs and differential abilities,” Liederman said. “When they transition out of heretokindergarten, our kids are the kids thatare themostwelcominginthe classroom for kids that are different in any way, shape or form.”

Historyof firsts

Nowinits thirdlocation,the organization known today as Clover has atrailblazing historydating back to its founding in 1896 as thefirst settlementhouse in theSouth. Under itslongest-serving leader,Eleanor McMain, Kingsley House becamesecular and launchedthe city’s first free health clinic, kindergartenand classes for the blind.

As thedemographics of the surrounding neighborhood evolved —with fewer foreign-born Whites anda growing Black population —sodid the organization.

Despite state laws forbidding it,Kingsley Housebegan racially integrating its programs in the1940s. It operated the city’sfirst integrated swimming pool in the 1950s,becameone of the state’sfirst two

Head Start providers in the 1960s and one of the state’sfirst adult day care programs in the 1970s.

AfterKatrina,itwas the first New Orleans child care facility to reopen, resuming classes for about 100 children in its historic gym in December 2005 and coordinatingwithother six nonprofits doing recovery work while completing about $5 million in repairs and storm-mitigation work.

Multi-generational services

Clover’sservices begin with Early Head Start andHead Start for infants, toddlers and preschool-aged children, offering free education for low-income families alongside developmental screeningand other forms of advocacy

Chinell Williams, amother of two Clover Academy students, crediteda parent advocate with help diagnosing and treating her youngest daughter’sautism.

“IfIdidn’thave my advocate pushing me to say,‘Hey,listen, let’sgoand get this checked out.’ Iprobably would have prolongedit, which wouldn’thave benefited herinany type of way,” saidWilliams,who also received help with herown professionaldevelopment and financial literacy through Clover Williams saidshe encourages others to send theirchildrentoCloverbecause of theorganization’sdedication to advocating for its students.

“That’s where you want to send your baby,” she said.

Clover also partners with 10 childcare providersacross Orleansand Jefferson parishes. Combinedwith the students on its main campus and at EducareNew Orleans at Columbia Parc, the first such program in theDeep South,Clover reaches morethan2,000 children —meeting

As we are doing all the things necessary to rebuild our house after the August fire, I’m going to places I’ve never had reason to visit before.

I’m looking for tile, flooring options, bathtubs, furniture, front doors, ceiling fans —somany little things to find, to order,topay for Aweek ago, Iwas in the tile/ flooring store and saw asample of arug. I’ve long loved the depth, colors and designs of Persian rugs. So, Iwas surprised when this new, rather plain, solid ivory-colored rug sample caught my eye. Idon’tanticipate ordering it, but the salesperson told me that I could take the small sample piece with me to consider it further Later,Iturned it over to read the label. In large printed letters, it read: “70% Art Silk and 30% wool.” Because the price seemed reasonable, Iwondered: What is “art silk”?

So, Iwent on asearch and learned that “art silk” is short for “artificial silk.” It’saterm used to describe any synthetic fiber that resembles silk, but typically costs less to produce. Frequently,the term is just a synonym for rayon. “Art silk” sounds alot more impressive than rayon.

Irealized my reaction wasn’treally about rayon. It was about the name.

Art silk felt fancy.Rayon felt ordinary And yet, they are the same thing. Iwondered how often Iallow words to inflate or deflate value. Isent amessage to the newsroom to ask if people knew what “art silk” meant.

One person responded: “I picture alarge piece of the finest silk, almost like awater-ish texture. Something you would see in agallery.”

Another said, “A silk canvas.”

Acouple of people did, in fact, already know whatitwas —one of them majored in fashion merchandising. The vast majority of people were with me. Theydidn’t know either Istarted thinking about all the ways people play with language and connotation:

n Pre-owned vs. used.

n Curated vs. collected.

n Starter home vs. small house.

n Bespoke vs. homemade.

n Season of transition vs. grief.

n Rebuilding vs. burned down.

In the months since our fire, I’ve learned alot of vocabulary —replacement value, depreciation, allowance and more. Most of the new terms I’ve learned are connected with attempts to assign numbers to memory —aline item for the linen cabinet, 17 pages of the contents of our home, aformula for loss. At first, none of those words felt big enough. But they were tidy and contained —easier to absorb than simply saying: everything we built here is gone.

Maybe “art silk” is harmless. Maybe it’sjust branding. Branding works because we want to believe the upgraded version of something is better —shinier, more elevated, more valuable. There is nothing wrong with rayon. There is nothing wrong with choosing something affordable. But these days, Ihave less patience for anything that tries to sound bigger,fancier or more than it is.

Call it rayon. Call it

ASK THEEXPERTS

DavidBegnaud launches ‘DoGoodCrew’

Firstshowincludes Oprahinterview

BY JANRISHER Staff writer

Lafayette nativeand longtime

CBS journalist David Begnaud

launched anew venture called Do Good Crew on Feb. 23, beginning with an interview featuring Oprah Winfrey

The venture includes apodcast newsletter,live events and social mediaaccountsunder the handle, @DoGood. Begnaud will continue his Monday morning segments on CBS.

To learn more about Do Good Crew and to join the community, visit thedogoodcrew.com. Listen or watch “The Person Who Believed In Me With David Begnaud” on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes drop every Monday. Howare you feeling about thelaunchof your new venture?

Relieved that it’shere.It’sbeen years in the making. AfterPuerto Rico, Istarted getting this itch. It wasn’twhat Iwanted to do with the rest of my life —knock on doors of mothers whose kids die in school shootings; cover hurricanes that devastate families and ruin homes. Iknew Iwasn’t destinedtodo that forever.It’swhat Ihad to do, and Ifelt like it was time to do what Iwant to do.

You’vebeendoing this work alongtime. How manyyears, total? Almost 25. Iwas ateenreporter at KLFY in Lafayette as asenior in high school. Maria Plasser put me on the air at 18. That was 2001. Youmentionedthe emotional toll of hard news. Is that what’sdriving this pivot?

Athousand percent. It’salso areminder that Ihad to do the work to gethere— Lafayette, Shreveport, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas, New York. People know me through differ-

ent moments:COVID, Puerto Rico, disasters. Iloved being Johnny-onthe-spot. But Iknew it couldn’tbe forever

Q&A WITH DAVID BEGNAUD LAFAyETTE

significantlymore rigorous standards than those set by the state. It also offers summer camps for kids aged 8to16ofall incomes, with sliding-scale tuition

Forworking-age adults,Clover offers arange of services to help achieve economic independence, including training, financial coaching, tax preparation or emergency assistance.

For older family members who need full-time assistance, there’s Clover Care, afive-day-a-week adult day care with nursing care, social services, meals and structured activities. Licensedfor upto 158 participants, it hosts about half that many on atypical day.It’spaid for by Medicaid waivers, the VA or sliding-scale private pay,with about 95% of participantsable to remain at home.

Liederman said program aims to preventpeoplefrom unnecessarily going into nursing homes, which costs three to fivetimesasmuch as the community-based program.

Yousaid this is also areturntoyour roots. What do you mean?

When IstartedatKLFY,I wasn’t doing hardnews.They had me doing the softer storytelling —the stuff Iloved because Icould connectwith people.Faces-in-Placesof-Acadiana type stories.

My partner,Jeremy, said it best: “That’snot apivot —it’sa return to your roots.”

My mom and dad have always been public service-oriented people. This is that,inadifferent form.

Whydothese “news forthe soul” stories matter right now?

People crave them —maybe more than ever.When Iwas growing up, this was seen as “feel good” and soft. Today,it’ssalve for the soul. We’re living in aworldthat feels upside down. Istay away from politics. My soul needsthis too.

Somepeople treat this kind of workasless important than hard news.What do yousay to that?

Ihave mad respect for hard news and thestandards of journalism which is why this shift took real conversations at CBS.We’re not blurring the lines without thinking about it. But in atwo-hourmorningshow,there’sroom for news for the heart. Hardnews can feel soulsucking. Storieslike these can feel soul-filling. I’m not saying everything shouldbethis —I’m arguing forbalance.

Howdoes Do Good Crew relate to CBS?Are youstaying on the Mondaymornings? Ahundred percent. Nothing changes with CBS. Do Good Crew is happening at the same time. The relationship is aliving, breathing document we’refiguring out with goodintentions. Onething that’s different in the Do Good Crew newsletter is the calls to action. We tell stories —and where there’sa way to get involved,we

“Getting caregivers andtheir lovedones outofisolation is abig part ofwhat we do,” Liederman said. “When theirparticipantsare here, their caregivers can take a bath,theycan go shopping, they can work outside of the home, they can gotoschool.”

Challenges andexpansion

Despite that success rate,Clover mustcontend with strong lobbying from for-profit childcareproviders and nursing home operators looking to improve their bottom lines. Commercial day care operations pushbackonthe lower teacher-to-student ratios, whilefederal and state regulations favornursing homes over community-based care.

Of Clover’s $17.5 million annual budget,about 78% comesfrom Head Start andrelatedprograms, about 4% comes from Medicaid and theVA, while theremaining 18% comes from private donors, foundations and corporations.

During last fall’sgovernment shutdown, the organization’s board was forced to draw on aline of credit andits reserves.

“Without any kind of guaran-

PROVIDED PHOTO

theirinterviewfor

provide it.Sometimes it’ssending anote of encouragement. Sometimes it’s aGoFundMe or anonprofit.Sometimes it’s donating blood.I don’tjust wantpeople to read and watch. Iwant them to be activated to do something. Youmentioned CBS taking arisk. Howdid that happen? Iwalked in andtold them, “I’m coming to you with an ask thatwill cross aline— andI understand if you need to let me go.”

Wendy McMahon, aNew Orleans native(andthen president and CEO of CBS),said, “This is an experiment we’redoing together,” and she took arisk on me. The current leadership has continued that good faith. We do things case by case, and standards matter—but this can be done in away that’shonest and clear to viewers. Howbig is your “Do Good Crew” team? About five people right now— a small andmighty team. My busi-

ness partner and co-founder is Olivier Defoe. Everyone has experience, butI’vealsocarved outroom for young people —like Iwas who have alot to give What do your parents think about your new chapter?

Theywantmetomakesure I’m getting enough rest —and I’m probably not. Theydidn’tdream this for me because it’sbiggerthan what they could have imagined. They’reproud because they can seeI’m notjustdoingwhatmade me successful —I’m doing what sets my soul on fire.I’m grateful they’re here to see it

Howdid you decide to startwithOprah?

Because the coreideais: Celebritiesand successfulpeopledon’t often gettoshine the light outward. People are always fawning over them. Buteveryonehas “the personwho believedinme.”

And Ithink famous people would like to sit down and talkabout that

teethat we were going to seethis money again, we drew out about $1.5-$2 milliontokeepeverything going,”Liederman said.

Since COVID-19, Clover added a food pantry,partnered with Lycee Francaisfor French immersion starting at age2,and will soon offer in-homeadult day care with

housekeepingand errands.And it will soonhostanew “one-stop shop” 17 partner organizations offering wraparound services.

Liederman is retiring in April after 32 years with the nonprofit and more than 20 as its chief. He’s succeeded by co-CEOArnelCovey, alongtime community college ad-

—because it’snot about them.It’s about gratitude and who helped makethem Youmentioned aquestionthat stuck with me:“When did you begin to believe in yourself?”Whendid you?

The biggest moment was after Puerto Rico andthe response Igot to my coverage. It groundedme. It made me softer,kinder, more naturaloncamera, more contentin my ownskin. Iremember feeling different —inhow Isat in chairs in front of cameras. It wasless about one person and more about an event.

What wassotransformative about Puerto Rico for you?

Iwentthere notlooking for validation and not prepared for a tsunami of support.There wasno power,barely any connectivity —I could transmit out, but Icouldn’t download. Icouldn’teven see the messages or follower count rising. Then suddenly,people were flocking to me.I’ll always be grateful to Puerto Ricans and to the peoplewho followed the coverage. It gave me thecomfort to takearisk andsay:I don’twanttoliveona plane and chase the bad headlines forever.Ican prove there are ratings and revenue behind good news. Are you excited —orterrified?

I’m more afraid than excited. Every good story hasthe glory and the struggle.The struggle is:I sleep like ababy —Iwake up twice anight screaming. Ihave investors. Ihavebackers. Ihave acommunity I’ve built for 25 years.And nowI’m saying to thatcommunity: come with me.On Feb. 23, liveonnational television, Iwant to say: Do Good Crew is in the world.Joinus. Where will people find the podcast —and will it be video too?

Everywhere youget podcasts —Apple, Spotify —and it’ll be on YouTube, too.

Email Jan Risheratjan.risher@ theadvocate.com.

ministrator,who was on thenonprofit’sboard before becoming its strategy and impact officer.Covey said she aimstoincrease policy advocacy workwith elected officials, expand community partnerships and use moredata-driven approaches to track progress and improve services.

“Our prioritiesare always focusedonthose things thatare impactingour children andfamilies —not necessarily just the ones we serve in our programs —because they represent so much of the larger part of the entire community,” Covey said.

With heryoungest entering her final year at Clover Academy, Williamsit’sbeen morethan a preschool, it’shelped her manage money,grow professionally and connect with other parents. She nowservesasthe parent representative on Clover’sboard and plans to runfor president of itsparents council.

“They wanttosee the families advance, and they wanttoprovide theresources to make it happen. It’snot just about what they say,” she said. “They make sure that their walk matches their talk.”

HPV VACCINE

In December 2022, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, committed to expand access to the HPV vaccine in lower-income countries, aiming to protect 86 million girls against the virus that causes most cervical cancers by the end of 2025.With $600 million in new investment, the program raised coverage in Africa to 44% by the end of 2024. In November Gavi met its target ahead of schedule, expecting to save around 1 million lives and produce $2.3 billion in economic benefits. More than 50 countries now offer the vaccine nationwide, free of charge, with Gavi support.

TUMOR ELIMINATION

Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine have identified a molecular signal that tumors use to exhaust T cells — the immune cells that are supposed to attack cancerous cells — and found a way to counteract it.Tumors increase CD47 on T cells, which interacts with thrombospondin-1 to weaken these cells over time. In mouse models, disrupting this interaction with a peptide called TAX2 helped T cells stay active longer and slowed tumor growth.The scientists hope that targeting the CD47–thrombospondin pathway could improve T cell-based cancer immunotherapy They also plan to explore the idea of blocking both PD1 and CD47 to produce T cells that are more effective at killing cancer cells.

COP30 CLIMATE SUMMIT

The 2025 United Nations Climate Change Conference was held at the Hangar Convention Centre in Belém, Brazil, in November

In September, Switzerland’s parliament approved a law that designates corporal punishment

There, almost “every country in the world signed off on a final COP30 package called the ‘global mutirão’ — meaning ‘collective efforts’ — after two weeks of talks,” as reported by Carbon Brief. The package mentions biodiversity loss, land rights and deforestation, but did not feature food.A highlight was the launch of the Tropical Forest Forever Facility, Brazil’s new program

that rewards countries that conserve their tropical forests More than 3,000 representatives of Indigenous peoples attended the summit where the mutirão decision secured recognition of Indigenous peoples’ land rights.

CHILD PUNISHMENT

Starting this year, slaps, hits or severe verbal humiliation is no longer considered acceptable

disciplinary methods in Switzerland according to End Corporal Punishment In September 2025, Switzerland’s parliament approved a law that designates corporal punishment of children as an act of violence rather than an acceptable parenting practice

The law requires cantons (states) to provide access to counselling and support services for children and parents.With this, Switzerland becomes the 70th jurisdiction to ban corporal punishment.

Fixthenews.com is a solutions journalism newsletter that finds stories of progress and shares them with readers from across the world. Acclaimed author Steven Pinker calls Fix the News “the best source for positive news on the internet.”

FAITH & VALUES

Church fundraising goes beyond bingo night

Religious groups look for new ways to raise money

BY JON PARKS Contributing writer

As LaTrice Stampley made her way onto the grounds of St. George Parish Fair in October she was overwhelmed by the sheer scope of the festival.

“I’d heard it was a great event,” she recalls, “but I was still amazed by how much was going on.”

Stampley and her children spent several hours at the fair enjoying live music sampling foods and trying out the carnival rides. The annual three-day event draws thousands of people — and raises thousands of dollars for the church and school.

“It has grown a lot over the years,” said Jo Dale Ales, a member at St. George, who noted that in its early days the fair was just a few tents with craft sales and hot dogs. “Not only is it a great fundraiser for the church and school, it builds our community and brings us together.”

St. George is not alone

Many area congregations and parishes have begun organizing festivals, fundraisers and other events to add to their income. These range from simple activities like bingo nights, bake-offs and pumpkin patches that involve a few people, to larger and more creative endeavors like festivals or raffling off Taylor Swift concert tickets.

For most congregations, these types of activities are nothing new, but the need is greater now than ever before.

In its 2024 report, the Giving USA Foundation noted that, while total charitable giving rose in 2024 (a 2.7% increase, adjusted for inflation), giving to religious and faith-based organizations has been steadily declining for decades. In

PROVIDED PHOTOS

Mark Deymaz is the founding pastor of Mosaic Church in Little Rock, Ark., and author of of the 2019 book ‘The Coming Revolution in Church Economics: Why Tithes and Offerings Are No Longer Enough, and What you Can Do About It.’

1985 to 1989, 56% of all charitable giving went to religious groups.

From 2020 to 2024, that percentage dropped to 25% of total giving.

In short people are still giving — they’re just choosing to give to other causes.

The drive for clever, new fundraising ideas is as old as religion itself, but statistics predict that the funding gap will continue to widen.

While some religious groups keep looking for creative new ways to raise funds, others believe that congregations must make a larger, strategic shift.

In his 2019 book, “The Coming Revolution in Church Economics,” pastor, author and speaker Mark DeYmaz asserts that most Christian congregations are no longer able to sustain their ministry using only the tithes and offerings of their congregants. He cites factors such as changing religious demographics, generational differences in approach to giving and wages that aren’t growing to meet increasing demands on family budgets.

While giving is down, costs are rising.

Basic utility costs continue to rise, and insurance rates for many houses of worship have more than doubled in just the last two to three years. For more established congregations with aging facilities, the cost of repairs and maintenance is soaring.

Many congregants believe the answer lies in specialized giving campaigns and attracting new members. It falls on church leadership to find a “magic bullet” approach that will turn the statistics around. But tithes and offerings, according to DeYmaz, won’t be enough to cover the growing gap between revenue and expenses.

“To expect people to give more while making less… it’s just not going to happen,” says the Rev

Brady Whitton, pastor at First United Methodist in Baton Rouge.

Whitton brought DeYmaz to Baton Rouge in August 2025 to hold a workshop for church leaders. At the workshop, DeYmaz challenged the notion that faith leaders are solely responsible for finding a magic-bullet solution.

“It’s actually liberating for church leaders to hear this message,” Whitton says. “The answer to declining giving is not about learning new ways to ask for money and it’s not about getting more people in the pews We have to change the way we think about funding.”

Whatever the answer, it’s clear that faith-based organizations can’t rely simply on past methods and a single-source income.

“At the end of the day,” Whitton says, “we have to find a way to thrive and accomplish our mission in an economic landscape that keeps changing.”

DeYmaz’s Mosaic Church of Central Arkansas and other congregations have found success by moving their outward-focused ministries, like food pantries and shelters, to a new nonprofit organization owned by the church. This opens opportunities for funding from governments, businesses and civic groups many of which will not contribute directly to a religious organization. While attractive, some church leaders balk at the legal, financial and theological hurdles.

Standing Rock Sioux Tribe looks to expand buffalo herd

BY GABRIELLE NELSON Contributing writer

Editor’s note: This story, created by Gabrielle Nelson for Buffalo’s Fire, is part of the AP Storyshare Louisiana Inspired features solutions journalism stories that provide tangible evidence that positive change is happening in other places and in our own communities — solutions that can be adopted around the world

Driving a pickup truck to one of the two buffalo pastures on the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Reservation, William Thompson spots a group of about a hundred buffalo grazing at one of the herd’s typical spots near the pasture’s entrance. Though the wind is biting and the temperature is below freezing, the herd seems unfazed.

As the tribe’s buffalo herd ranger, Thompson checks on the herd every other day His second stop on Friday, Jan. 9, is at the larger of the two parks, about a 20-minute drive from his office at the Standing Rock Game and Fish Department in Fort Yates, North Dakota On the 12,350 acres of arid badlands, Thompson has seen the buffalo run down the steep sides of buttes and jump 10-feet ruts but the terrain is impossible for large vehicles to traverse So to get to “all four corners” of the pasture, Thompson exits his truck, starts up a side-by-side vehicle and drives out to meet the herd

“I think our big bull is out there,” he says, singling out one buffalo in a sea of brown fur “That’s him. Even laying down he’s bigger than the rest.”

Unit is the tribe’s biggest male buffalo, weighing around 2,700 pounds. Most weigh around 2,000 pounds, twice the typical weight of females. He was transferred to Standing Rock from Yellowstone National Park in the 1990s, when the tribe reintroduced buffalo to the reservation, says Thompson. For 30 years, the herd’s population has been stable. It currently sits at 324 — 276 cows (female buffalo) and 48 bulls (male buffalo).

Now Thompson wants to expand the herd, which he said will revitalize the tribe’s economy, land and Native culture The Game and Fish Department’s goal is to have more than a thousand buffalo. But the department doesn’t have enough funds to lease more land or install more fencing, and the tribal

government isn’t providing more funding. So Thompson is turning to tribal organizations for grant funding, including the Buffalo Nations Grasslands Alliance, which provides technical and financial assistance to support environment programs of the Northern Great Plains tribal nations.

“There are a lot of costs with raising buffalo,” the alliance’s CEO, Shaun Grassel, told Buffalo’s Fire. “And when those herds are managed for the community, quite often there’s not a lot of revenue to be made. So if they want to do more with their buffalo, that’s just added costs that they have to source from somewhere.”

The Game and Fish Department is currently trying to acquire land abutting the existing buffalo pastures. Thompson says the alliance can provide funding for land acquisition and cover some fencing costs. A specific grant aims to help tribal environment departments cover the cost of leasing croplands for grassland restoration a process buffalo are essential to.

With the current herd size, yearly buffalo auctions pay for Thompson’s salary, equipment (like tractors and corral gates) and material to repair fencing

This past year, Standing Rock auctioned off 81 buffalo, mostly calves and yearlings, to private buyers, bringing in $148,400, says Thompson

With a larger herd, he says, the tribe could make a profit at its auctions, plus the department could

start holding buffalo hunting auctions. But increasing the herd would require more land, fencing and staff. Thompson says it’s “a gamble” that some tribal council members are hesitant to invest in.

“Buffalo are assets of the tribe,” he says. “If we get more support from them, it’ll actually help in the long run, creating better job opportunities, creating more surplus of funds.”

Bringing buffalo home

Buffalo are a keystone species of grasslands They helped shape the Northern Great Plains, and their presence supports the overall health and stability of the ecosystem. Their hooves help aerate the soil. They spread seeds that get trapped in their thick fur as they roam, and their poop has essential nutrients to fertilize the soil.

As a testament to their ties with the land, Thompson says he’s seen sick buffalo cure themselves by finding natural medicine in the pasture, like bear root and bitterroot. And unlike cattle, they don’t require supplemental hay grain or soy meal. They can get all the nutrients they need from grazing

He says a couple private buffalo ranchers in the area have gone the last four winters without feeding their herds, which lowers operation costs.

“They’ve been here way longer than us,” he says, adding that millions of buffalo used to roam from Canada all the way to Texas. Their

population fell to less than a thousand in the late 19th century when the U.S. Army, American settlers and fur traders hunted buffalo to near extinction for sport and as a way to weaken Native American communities that relied on the species.

Recently buffalo populations have been growing due to restoration projects.

Yet, in the last few decades, grasslands buffalos’ native ecosystem — are declining. Over half the world’s temperate grassland, 62%, has been lost to agriculture, urban development and climate change. Indigenous grassland species, including pronghorns, elk and porcupine, are in danger, says Grassel, who, before starting the Buffalo Nations Grasslands Alliance, worked for 25 years as a wildlife biologist for the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, where he’s a citizen.

“I got to experience seeing those animals, hunting those animals, but my grandkids might not,” he says, honoring the Native value of “looking seven generations ahead.”

In 1975, the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act recognized tribes’ right to selfgovernance and granted authority to tribes to manage their own fish and game programs, including the management of buffalo herds in the Northern Great Plains.

Less than two decades later, 19 tribes created the InterTribal Buffalo Council to support the restoration of tribal buffalo herds. Today the council consists of 86 member tribes in 22 states and has returned 20,000 buffalo to tribal lands. Standing Rock Game and Fish Department Director Jeff Kelly started working for the tribe in the early years of its program 20 years ago.

“It’s part of our past and our ancestry that we were close with the buffalo,” he says. “They provided us with everything — shelter, food, anything we could have needed to survive.” He says that while working with them he “learned to appreciate them as our relatives.”

And as people drive past the herd, which can be seen from the highway, Kelly says he hopes they are reminded of the relationship between Native communities and buffalo: “Our relatives are still here. We’re still here.”

Restoring land

Back at the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Reservation, wildlife is thriving, particularly on the largest pasture, called Unit 41.

The land is now home to 80 elk, which the Buffalo Nations Grasslands Alliance helped reintroduce, as well as a mountain lion and her three cubs, mule deer, coyote, beaver, porcupine, raptors and prairie dogs, in addition to buffalo. Together, the two pastures span roughly 17,000 acres with 58 miles of fencing, which Thompson checks every week in case there’s a need for repairs. But the setup can support only 300 more buffalo, he says.

As they return buffalo herds to tribal lands and restore native ecosystems, Thompson says Native communities are “gaining back our identity.” He has worked with buffalo for 15 years. About a year ago, he started managing the herd at Standing Rock, where he’s an enrolled citizen.

Thompson says he’s come to know the herd and their personalities in the past year Some of them are curious, getting so close you can feed them by hand, while others are mean and rowdy and will challenge your vehicle, he says.

“It’s the bulls you have to get to know,” he says, driving the sideby-side vehicle up to a particularly “mischievous” group of young bulls tussling apart from the herd.

“They’re smart. They’re powerful. But I know where they’ll be and where they’re trying to get out.”

The bulls butt heads and leap across crevices in the rocky, grassy landscape as they chase one another Wary of the sound of the engine, they separate and run back to the herd. Thompson points out a cow with a red tag affixed to her ear She’s marked for harvest.

The Game and Fish Department typically harvests one buffalo a month to distribute the meat to community members. The hides and skulls, he says, are gifted to tribal members for sun dance ceremonies.

The department keeps its freezers stocked with 500 to 1,500 pounds of meat, which is processed at Wozu Inc., a Native community-focused organization on the Standing Rock Reservation, and West Side Meats, a meat market in South Dakota run by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe.

SUNDAY, MArch 1, 2026

grams

directions: Make a 2- to 7-letter word from the letters in each row Add points of each word, using scoring directions at right. Finally, 7-letter words get 50-point bonus. “Blanks” used as any letter have no point value All the words are in the Official SCRABBLE® Players Dictionary, 5th Edition.

word game

instructions: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

todAY's Word — unrAVeLs: un-RAVuls: Disengages or separates the threads of Average mark 41 words Time limit 60 minutes Can you find 60 or more words in UNRAVELS?

ken ken

instructions: 1 -Each rowand each column must contain thenumbers 1through4 (easy) or 1through6 (challenging) without repeating 2 -The numbers within the heavily outlinedboxes, called cages, must combine using thegiven operation (inany order)toproduce the target numbersinthe top-left corners. 3 -Freebies: Fillinthe single-boxcages withthe numberinthe top-left corner

instructions: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 gridwith several given numbers. The object is to placethe numbers 1to 9in theempty squares so that each row,each column and each 3x3 boxcontains the same number only once. The difficultylevel of the Conceptis Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday

directions: Complete thegridso that numbers 1–132 connect horizontally, vertically or diagonally

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

super Quiz

Aggressive behavior

This is another deal from a recent team match in Sweden. South was Swedish expert PerOla Cullin. Cullin’s four-spade bid was very aggressive, based on useful distribution and high hopes. It served to shut West out of the auction, despite his fine hand, after opening the bidding. West led his ace, and when dummy had a singleton in the suit, it became a suit-preference situation.

East played the two as a suitpreference for clubs, so West led the king of clubs and another club. East took his ace and shifted to a heart. Cullin won with the ace and led a spade to dummy’s queen, He ruffed a heart and led another spade, picking up West’s king and drawing trumps When another heart ruff dropped down the king, Cullin could claim ten tricks.

Tannah Hirsch welcomes readers’ responses sent in care of this newspaper or to Tribune Content Agency inc., 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, Ny 14207. E-mail responses may be sent to gorenbridge@ aol.com. © 2026 Tribune Content Agency

At the other table, North overcalled one spade rather than two diamonds and East made a negative double. South raised spades, but West bid three no-trump A heart lead and a spade shift would have defeated the contract by two tricks, but North made the reasonable lead of the queen of spades. West took his king and made nine tricks, thanks to the friendly club position. Bidding and making game at both tables created a huge gain for Cullin’s team

guilty

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Let your imagination and ingenuity take the lead, and your creativity and discipline help you complete your mission Don’t reveal secrets or let your ego cost you.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Use your intelligence, charm and wit to win favors. A colorful approach to promoting and presenting your capabilities will grab attention. Refuse to miss out on something good due to stubbornness. LEO (July 23-Aug 22) Control your emotions. An unnecessary

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) You may want to address how and when to let go of what no longer benefits you. Shedding negativity or whatever weighs you down or holds you back will exhilarate you once you start the process. GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Be open regardingmoney,jointventuresand shared expenses. Make sure you go throughtheproperchannelsandfollow the required documentation to protect against loss.

change will leave you vulnerable. Focus, get ready to learn as you go and give your all. Discipline and hard work are your tickets to success.

recting your skills, qualifications and interests.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Too many choices will confuse you. Take the path that minimizes discord. Be open to suggestions and willing to learn, and express your desires with truth and hope for a better future in mind.

VIRGO(Aug.23-Sept.22) Putyourhead down and finish what you start Stay focused, read the room and do your part, and something good will transpire. A personal pick-me-up will attract the attention of someone you look up to. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Keep your thoughts and emotions to yourself until you gather all the information necessary to make better choices. Broaden your opportunities by redi-

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23-Dec 21) Concentrate on personal strength, fitness, a healthy diet and doing your best in all things. Pay attention to money matters and go through the proper channels to reach your objective. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Denial won’t get you where you want to go. Face situations head-on, and use your insight, experience and wherewithal to bring about positive change before it’s too late.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Keep close tabs on your finances and career options. Timing is everything, and being aware of what’s possible is crucial if you want to get ahead. Channel your energy wisely Choose positivity over negativity wuzzLes The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2026 by NEA, inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

1. Avis. 2. Intel.3.Pepsi.4.Sony.5.Certs. 6. Midas. 7. Nivea. 8. Tums.9.Avon. 10. Advil. 11 Evian. 12.Mobil.13. Folgers.14. Lacoste.15. Renault.

SCORING: 24 to 30 points —congratulations, doctor; 18 to 23 points—honorsgraduate; 13 to 17 points —you’replenty smart, but no grind; 5to12points —you really shouldhit the booksharder;1point to 4points —enroll in remedial courses immediately; 0points who reads thequestions to you?

Saturday's Cryptoquote: Whatever we believe about ourselves and our abilitycomes true for us. —Susan L. Taylor