The Advocate 03-08-2026

HEARING THEBUZZ

Amazon PrimeAir drones readytostart deliveries in BatonRouge by earlysummer

BY IANNE SALVOSA

Staff writer

In 2013, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos unveiled avisiontoreimagine how the online marketplace delivers packages by taking them off the ground and into theair.The drone deliveries,known as Prime Air,will takeflight next in Baton Rouge. Earlier this month,a company spokespersonconfirmed thatAmazon is in the “early planning stages” of bringing drone deliveries tothe Capital City.The company has agoal to de-

liver500 million packages via drone by the end of the decade.

APrime Air officeand drone launchpadare under constructioninthe parking lot of theAmazon fulfillment center at Cortana Place, set for completion in afew months. The company wants packages in theair and headed towardcustomers in Baton Rouge by early summer

“Baton Rouge is agreat place to live and work, andwe’re excited by the prospectofexpanding ourpresence in the city through Prime Air,” Allie Payne, Amazon spokesperson, said

in astatement. “Prime Air provides customers with ultrafast, convenient access to millions of in-demand items and essentials. As we work through this project, we’restaying close with our partners in Baton Rouge, and we look forward to sharing moresoon.” Mason Batts, executive director of theMayor-President’s Office,said Amazon representatives metwith city officials in late 2025 to discuss bringing Prime Airtothe city,aswell as drone safety and protocols. The rollout of

Iranian families in La.cheer possible change

BY JENNA ROSS Staff writer

Foryears,Zohreh Khaleghipainted colorful landscapes and nude figures. But in January,asnews from Iran filledwith blood, the New Orleans artist’ssketches turned dark.

Aprotester,deadinthe street. Aman, his mouth bound shut. Amother,grasping her son’shand as an unknownforce pulls him into the sky Khaleghi,60, didn’t decide to make art about Iran, herhome until she was 16 years old, whenshe fled with hersistertoGermany But the images kept coming.

“Mypainting, my drawing, my writing, everything, it all changed,” Khaleghi said. It changed again last weekend, when the United States and Israel launched airstrikes against Iran, killing the country’s supremeleader,Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, knownfor his repressive rule. Khaleghi writes now of joy.Ofhope. But she’sunsure what her artwork will look like in aweek, amonth,a year.Like many Iranian-Americans living in Louisiana, she is optimistic. Like manyIranianAmericans living across the world, she is clear-eyed.

Warnings ignoredinHealthy BR program, memosshow

Compliance

BYPATRICK SLOAN-TURNER

Staff writer

Yearsbefore criminal charges came down, acompliance firm hired by the city-parish raised alarmsthat ataxpayer-funded Baton Rouge health and violenceprevention initiative was marred by conflicts of interest,duplicate payments, improperly used credit cardsand no proof thatthe work was beingdone. Leaders of theSafe, Hopeful, Healthy program andits companion Mayor’sHealthy City Initiative nonprofit—started underthenMayorSharon Weston Broome repeatedlydisregarded concerns raised from 2021 to 2024 by CSRS,

thecompany said in internal memos obtained by The Advocate.

“In these cases, the concerns expressed by CSRSwere ignored, and exceptions werefrequently made by the Mayor’sOffice, directingexpeditedpaymentsto vendors,” companyemployees wrote in October 2023.

The Advocateobtained 27 mem-

os totaling 213 pages detailing risks reviewers identified in the handling of federal funds by the Mayor’sOffice and Healthy BR, as the initiative was commonly known. It is unclear whether those memos were circulated outside the company

Thetaxpayer-funded nonprofit

engaged in practices raising “significantrisks,” including cutting CSRS outofthe loopindrafting and processing contracts even though the firmwas hiredtoparticipate in both tasks, the company noted in one memo.

Agrand jury recently charged former Broome staffer Courtney Scott with taking kickbacks and bribes from taxpayer funds that

Nightclub bombing in Peru injures 33

LIMA, Peru A bombing at a nightclub in Peru has injured 33 people, including minors, authorities said Saturday

The explosion happened in the pre-dawn hours at the Dali nightclub in the province of Trujillo along Peru’s northern coast, according to a statement from the local Emergency Operations Center It’s a region that has recently been plagued by violence and crime.

It wasn’t immediately clear who was responsible and a motive wasn’t immediately known.

At least five of the injured were in serious condition, according to the executive director of the Trujillo Health Network, Gerardo Florián Gómez. Some of the victims suffered amputations and shrapnel wounds and were undergoing surgery, he told reporters. Among the injured are three minors: one 16-year-old and two 17-year-olds, Florián said Fiorella Mantilla, who was at the nightclub when the blast took place, told reporters that she had glass embedded in her legs and recalled that “it sounded as if the sound system had suddenly been turned off.”

The explosion took place less than a month after another blast in the same city that damaged 25 homes but caused no injuries or fatalities.

$2M bail for woman accused of killing girls

CLEVELAND A Cleveland judge set bail at $2 million Friday for a woman accused of killing her two young daughters and burying them in suitcases in shallow graves.

Aliyah Henderson, 28, faces two counts of aggravated murder in the deaths of Mila Chatman and Amor Wilson, whose bodies were recovered after a dog walker alerted police to one of the suitcases on Monday Hend er son said little during the brief court appear ance. Prosec utor s said they found no criminal record for her and Henderson’s public defender said she has a place to live and had been looking for a job. Mila’s father, DeShaun Chatman described her as happygo-lucky — a “kid’s kid” who was always smiling. He said he hadn’t seen Mila for five years and had unsuccessfully sought emergency custody He said he felt “useless — I couldn’t save my baby.”

The county Medical Examiner’s Office has said Mila would have been 8 years old, her halfsister Amor 10, and that DNA relationship testing helped identify them Authorities said a third child, apparently healthy, was in the hands of child welfare authorities after being found in a home that investigators searched.

California’s Issa to retire after district is redrawn LOS ANGELES Just three months after declaring “I’m not quitting,” California Republican Rep. Darrell Issa announced Friday he is retiring instead of facing a difficult reelection campaign in a redrawn district

“It’s the right time for a new chapter and new challenges,” Issa, who represents a district anchored in San Diego County, said in a statement. “Serving in Congress has been the honor of my life.” Issa, a car alarm magnate considered one of the wealthiest members of Congress, had been a chief antagonist for President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton while he served as chair of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, from 2011 to early 2015. Issa’s abrupt reversal injects more uncertainty in the race for Southern California’s 48th District, which was drastically reshaped in November after voters approved a new U.S. House map for California to favor Democrats.

Trump joins soldiers’ families

Officials attend dignified transfer of 6 soldiers killed in Kuwait

BY SEUNG MIN KIM and JULIA

DEMAREE

NIKHINSON Associated Press

DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. — President Donald Trump on Saturday joined grieving families at Dover Air Force Base at the dignified transfer for the six U.S. soldiers killed in the war in the Middle East.

The dignified transfer, a ritual that returns the remains of U.S service members killed in action, is considered one of the most somber duties of any commander in chief. During his first term, Trump said bearing witness to the transfer was “the toughest thing I have to do” as president Trump, speaking at a summit of Latin American leaders in Miami before his trip to Delaware, said the fallen service members were heroes “coming home in a different manner than they thought they’d be coming home.” He said it was “a very sad situation” and he pledged to keep American war deaths “to a minimum.”

Both Trump and Vice President JD Vance were present for the transfer, as were their spouses. A host of top administration officials were in attendance including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who wrote in a social media post Friday of “an unbreakable spirit to honor their memory and the resolve they embodied”; Attorney General Pam Bondi, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence. Also present for the sol-

An Army carry team moves a flag-draped transfer case with the remains of U.S Army Reserve soldier Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor, of White Bear Lake, Minn., who was killed in a drone strike at a command center in Kuwait after the U.S and Israel launched its military campaign against Iran, past President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump during a casualty return Saturday at Dover Air Force Base, Del.

emn event were governors and senators from Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and Florida.

Those killed in action were Maj. Jeffrey O’Brien, 45, of Indianola, Iowa; Capt. Cody Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Florida; Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Marzan, 54, of Sacramento, California; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota; Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska; and Sgt. Declan Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, Iowa, who was posthumously promoted from specialist.

As is protocol, Trump — wearing a blue suit, red tie and a white USA hat did not speak during the transfer The president saluted as each flag-draped transfer case was carried from the military aircraft to awaiting transfer vehicles, which would take them to a mortuary facility to pre-

pare them for their final resting place. The families were largely silent as they observed the ritual, which lasted about a half-hour

The six members of the Army Reserve, who were killed by a drone strike at a command center in Kuwait, were all from the 103rd Sustainment Command based in Des Moines, Iowa, which provides food, fuel, water and ammunition, transport equipment and supplies. They died just one day after the U.S. and Israel launched its military campaign against Iran.

“These soldiers engaged in the most noble mission: protecting their fellow Americans and keeping our homeland secure,” Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, a combat veteran, said earlier this week after the six were identified. “Our nation owes them an incredible debt of gratitude that can never be re-

paid.”

During the ritual, transfer cases draped with the American flag and holding the remains of the fallen soldiers are carried from the military aircraft that transported them to an awaiting vehicle to take them to the mortuary facility at the base. There, the service members are prepared for their final resting place.

Amor’s husband, Joey Amor, said earlier this week that she had been scheduled to return home to him and their two children within days.

“You don’t go to Kuwait thinking something’s going to happen, and for her to be one of the first — it hurts,” Joey Amor said.

O’Brien had served in the Army Reserve for nearly 15 years, according to his LinkedIn account, and his aunt said in a post on Facebook that O’Brien “was the

sweetest blue-eyed, blonde farm kid you’d ever know He is so missed already.” Marzan’s sister described him in a Facebook post as a “strong leader” and loving husband, father and brother

“My baby brother, you are loved and I will hold onto all our memories and cherish them always in my heart,” Elizabeth Marzan wrote.

Coady was among the youngest people in his class, trained to troubleshoot military computer systems, but he impressed his instructors, his father, Andrew Coady, told The Associated Press.

“He trained hard, he worked hard, his physical fitness was important to him. He loved being a soldier,” Coady said. “He was also one of the most kindest people you would ever meet, and he would do anything and everything for anyone.”

Khork’s family described him as “the life of the party” who was known for his “infectious spirit” and “generous heart” and who had wanted to serve in the military since childhood.

“That commitment helped shape the course of his life and reflected the deep sense of duty that was always at the core of who he was,” according to a statement from his mother, Donna Burhans, his father, James Khork, and his stepmother, Stacey Khork.

Tietjens, who came from a military family, previously served alongside his father in Kuwait. When he returned home in February 2010, he reunited with his overjoyed wife in a local church’s gym.

Tietjens’ cousin Kaylyn Golike asked for prayers, especially for Tietjens’ 12-year-old son, wife and parents, as they navigate “unimaginable loss.”

Strikes light up Tehran as Israel vows ‘many surprises’

BY JON GAMBRELL, SAM MEDNICK and SAMY MAGDY Associated Press

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates

The Iran war exploded further late Saturday as pillars of flame rose above an oil storage facility in Tehran, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised “many surprises” for the next phase of the week-old conflict.

Israel’s military confirmed that it hit the fuel storage facilities in Tehran. Associated Press video showed the horizon glowing against the night sky above Tehran

It appeared to be the first time a civil industrial facility has been targeted in the war State media blamed an attack from the U.S. and the Zionist regime” at the facility that supplies the capital and neighboring provinces in the north. Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes killed eight people in southern Lebanon, the Lebanese Health Ministry said, and local media reported that an Israeli drone hit a hotel in Beirut, killing four and wounding 10 others The deaths come on top of at least 47 others killed in Saturday’s Israeli strikes. Strikes and drone attacks in Kuwait, Iraq and Saudi Arabia also caused havoc and some additional deaths.

Earlier in the day, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian apologized for attacks on “neighboring countries,” even as his country’s missiles and drones flew toward Gulf Arab states and hard-liners asserted that Tehran’s war strategy would not change.

A rift between politicians looking to de-escalate the war and others committed to battling the United States and Israel could

complicate any diplomatic efforts. Conflicting Iranian statements came from two of the three members of the leadership council overseeing Iran since Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the war’s opening airstrikes.

Pezeshkian, who is a member of the council, also dismissed U.S President Donald Trump’s call for Tehran to surrender unconditionally, saying: “That’s a dream that they should take to their grave.”

Trump threatened that Iran would be “hit very hard” and more “areas and groups of people” would become targets, without elaborating. Already, the conflict has rattled global markets and left Iran’s leadership weakened by hundreds of Israeli and American airstrikes.

“We’re not looking to settle,” Trump told reporters Saturday aboard Air Force One. “They’d like to settle. We’re not looking to settle.”

He described the ongoing U.S. operations in Iran as an “excursion” and said issues such as rising gas prices and the safety of Americans would improve once the conflict ends.

Iran’s varying statements

Pezeshkian’s message, seemingly recorded in a hurry, underlined the limited powers exercised by the theocracy’s leaders over the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which controls the hundreds of ballistic missiles targeting Israel and other countries. It answered only to Khamenei and appears to be picking its own targets.

Pezeshkian’s statement said Iran’s leadership council had been in touch with the armed forces and “from now on, they should not attack neighboring

countries or fire missiles at them, unless we are attacked by those countries. I think we should solve this through diplomacy.”

The U.S. strikes have not come from the Gulf Arab governments under attack, but from U.S. bases and vessels in the region.

But hard-line judiciary chief Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Ejei another member of the three-man leadership council, suggested that war strategy will not change. “The geography of some countries in the region — both overtly and covertly — is in the hands of the enemy, and those points are used against our country in acts of aggression. Intense attacks on these targets will continue,” he posted on X.

“As long as the presence of U.S. bases in the region continue, the countries will not enjoy peace,” Iran’s Parliament speaker and a former Revolutionary Guard general, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said on X. He called defense policies in line with the late supreme leader’s guidance.

Iran’s U.N. mission later suggested, without offering evidence, that strikes on nonmilitary sites “may have resulted from interception by U.S. electronic defense systems.”

Late Saturday, top Iranian security official Ali Larijani asserted in an address carried by state media that “our leaders are united on this issue and have no disagreements with one another.” He also said the leadership council has requested that “arrangements be made” to convene the Assembly of Experts to choose the next supreme leader, but did not say when.

Kurds won’t be involved Trump said he has ruled

out having Kurds join the war, even though Kurdish fighters in the region are willing to assist in efforts to topple the Iranian government.

“The war is complicated enough without having

the Kurds involved,” Trump told reporters. Three Iraqi security officials said a missile landed on the helicopter landing pad in the U.S. embassy complex in Baghdad. There were no reports of casualties.

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Trump encourages military action to fight cartels

He says U.S., Latin American countries are banding together

BY AAMER MADHANI, JOSHUA GOODMAN and ALANNA DURKIN RICHER Associated Press

DORAL, Fla. — President Donald Trump said Saturday that the United States and Latin American countries are banding together to combat violent cartels as his administration looks to demonstrate it remains committed to sharpening U.S. foreign policy focus on the Western Hemisphere even while dealing with five-alarm crises around the globe.

Trump encouraged regional leaders gathered at his Miami-area golf club to take military action against drug trafficking cartels and transnational gangs that he says pose an “unacceptable threat” to the hemisphere’s national security

“The only way to defeat these enemies is by unleashing the power of our militaries,” Trump said. “We have to use our military You have to use your military.” Citing the U.S.-led coalition that confronted the Islamic State group in the Middle East, the Republican president said that “we must now do the same thing to eradicate the cartels at home.”

The gathering, which the White House called the “Shield of the Americas” summit, came two months after Trump ordered an audacious U.S. military operation to capture Venezuela’s thenpresident, Nicolás Maduro, and whisk him and his wife to the United States to face

President

drug conspiracy charges.

Looming even larger is Trump’s decision to launch a war on Iran with Israel one week ago a conflict that has left hundreds dead, convulsed global markets and unsettled the broader Middle East.

Trump’s time with the Latin American leaders was limited: Afterward, he set out for Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, to be on hand for the dignified transfer of the six U.S. troops killed in a drone strike on a command center in Kuwait.

Trump called the American deaths a “very sad situation” and praised the fallen troops as “great heroes.”

With the summit, Trump aimed to turn attention to the Western Hemisphere, at least for a moment. He has pledged to reassert U.S. dominance in the region and push back on what he sees as years of Chinese economic encroachment.

Trump also said the U.S. will turn its attention to Cuba after the war with Iran and suggested his administration would cut a deal with Havana, underscoring Washington’s increasingly aggressive stance against the island’s communist leadership. “Great change will soon be coming to Cuba,” he said, adding that “they’re very much at the end of the line.”

Cuban officials have said on several occasions that they were open to dialogue with the U.S. as long as it was based on respect for Cuban sovereignty, but they have never confirmed that such talks were taking place.

Who was there

The leaders of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guyana, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, and Trinidad and Tobago joined the Republican president at Trump National

Doral Miami, a golf resort where he is also set to host the Group of 20 summit later this year

The idea for a summit of like-minded conservatives from across the hemisphere emerged from the ashes of what was to be the 10th edition of the Summit of the Americas, which was scrapped during the U.S. military buildup off the coast of Venezuela last year

Host Dominican Republic, pressured by the White House, had barred Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela from attending the regional gathering. But after leftist leaders in Colombia and Mexico threatened to pull out in protest and with no commitment from Trump to attend — the Dominican Republic’s president, Luis Abinader, decided at the last minute to postpone the event, citing “deep differences” in the region.

The Shield of the Ameri-

cas moniker was meant to speak to Trump’s vision for an “America First” foreign policy toward the region that leverages U.S. military and intelligence assets unseen across the area since the end of the Cold War.

To that end, Ecuador and the United States conducted military operations this week against organized crime groups in the South American country Ecuadorian and U.S. security forces attacked a refuge belonging to the Colombian illegal armed group Comandos de la Frontera in the Ecuadorian Amazon on Friday, authorities reported.

This joint fight against drug traffickers “is only the beginning,” said Ecuador’s president, Daniel Noboa.

Notably missing at the summit were the region’s two dominant powers — Brazil and Mexico as well as Colombia, long the linchpin of U.S. anti-narcotics strategy in the region.

Trump grumbled that Mexico is the “epicenter of cartel violence” with drug kingpins “orchestrating much of the bloodshed and chaos in this hemisphere.”

“The cartels are running Mexico,” Trump said. “We can’t have that. Too close to us. Too close to you.”

The challenge from China

Trump made no mention of his administration’s insistence that countering Chinese influence in the hemisphere is a top priority for his second term.

His national security strategy promotes the “Trump Corollary” to the 19th century Monroe Doctrine, which had sought to ban European incursions in the Americas, by targeting Chinese infrastructure projects, military

cooperation and investment in the region’s resource industries.

The first demonstration of the more muscular approach was Trump’s strongarming of Panama to withdraw from China’s Belt and Road Initiative and review long-term port contracts held by a Hong Kong-based company amid U.S. threats to retake the Panama Canal. More recently the U.S. capture of Maduro and Trump’s pledge to “run” Venezuela threatens to disrupt oil shipments to China the biggest buyer of Venezuelan crude before the raid — and bring into Washington’s orbit one of Beijing’s closest allies in the region. Trump is scheduled to travel to Beijing later this month to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

For many countries, China’s trade-focused diplomacy fills a critical financial void in a region with major development challenges ranging from poverty reduction to infrastructure bottlenecks. In contrast, Trump has been slashing foreign assistance to the region while rewarding countries lined up behind his crackdown on immigration a policy widely unpopular across the hemisphere.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio hosted the leaders for a working lunch after Trump left for the event in Delaware. The lunch gave Kristi Noem, whom Trump fired as homeland security secretary on Thursday the chance to make her debut in her new role as a special envoy for the “Shield of the Americas.” “We want our hemisphere to be safer, to be more sovereign, and to be more prosperous,” Noem told the leaders.

U.S. aims to exhume, identify remains of 88 Pearl Harbor dead

BY AUDREY McAVOY

Associated Press

HONOLULU The U.S. mili-

tary plans to exhume the remains of 88 sailors and Marines killed when the USS Arizona was bombed during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and who were buried as unknowns in a Honolulu cemetery

It’s part of an effort to use advances in DNA technology to attach names to those the military was unable to identify after the aerial assault 85 years ago

The disinterments from the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific are due to begin in November or December, Kelly McKeague, the director of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, said Thursday in a statement.

About eight sets of remains will be removed every two to three weeks, and the DNA will be compared with samples collected from family members of missing troops.

Dozens of ships sank, capsized or were damaged in the Dec. 7, 1941, bombing of the Hawaii naval base, which catapulted the U.S. into World War II. The identification effort follows earlier projects dating back a decade to use DNA for Pearl Harbor unknowns. The agency identified hundreds of crew members from the USS Oklahoma, USS West Virginia and other ships using similar methods.

The Arizona sank just nine minutes after being bombed, and its 1,177 dead account for nearly half the servicemen killed in the attack. Today the battleship still lies where it hit bottom, with more than 900 sailors and Marines are entombed inside. Remains in that underwater grave will stay where they are Only those in the cemetery will be exhumed Robert Edwin Kline was a 22-year-old gunner’s mate second class when he was killed on the Arizona. Kevin Kline, a real estate agent in northern Virginia, said he was always told that his great-uncle’s remains were on the ship. It was only a few years ago that he heard some crew members were buried as unknowns in a cemetery

Kline does not have high expectations that his greatuncle will among those identified. But he believes that families that do get a DNA match, some of whom continue to grapple with “generational grief,” will get some closure.

He shared the story of one woman who was mystified why she was always so sad around Christmas. She later noted that her grandmother, who lost a son on the Arizona, and her mother, who lost her brother never celebrated the holiday as it came just weeks after the anniversary of his death

“As she got older, she realized that her grandmother and her mom were still grieving about this loss,” Kline said. “And it fell on her as well.”

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, which is part of the Department of Defense, resisted exhuming the Arizona remains for years, saying it would not be pragmatic because it had medical and dental records and relatives’ DNA samples for only a small share of the men just 1% of the families as of 2021.

Kline and an organization he founded, Operation

FRIDAY, MARCH

Authorities search debris after tornadoes kill 6 in 2 states

BY DAVE COLLINS, STEVE KARNOWSKI and MIKE HOUSEHOLDER Associated Press

UNION CITY,Mich Authorities

searched through rubble and debris in southern Michigan on Saturday after suspected tornadoes tore through the region and killed four people, including a 12-year-old boy, during powerful storms also blamed for two deaths in eastern Oklahoma.

First responders from multiple agencies in the Union Lake area near Union City looked for more possible victims and worked to clear roads, authorities said. Photos and videos posted on social media showed flattened homes and downed trees in a lakeside neighborhood.

The National Weather Service said an initial assessment confirmed that an EF3 tornado with winds of at least 150 mph struck the Union Lake area Friday

The weather service also reported seven preliminary tornado tracks in eastern Oklahoma that same day, according to the state’s emergency operations center

The threat of severe

weather continued Saturday in the nation’s midsection, with tornado watches posted in the afternoon for eastern Ohio, northern West Virginia and western Pennsylvania and New York

Severe thunderstorms that began in northern Indiana appeared to spawn multiple

tornadoes in southern Michigan the previous day, said meteorologist Lonnie Fisher of the National Weather Service, which sent teams to the region to evaluate the damage and confirm tornadoes.

“Mostly likely there were three distinct tornadoes, but we won’t know 100% for sure

until they finish the survey,” Fisher said, adding that the storms intensified rapidly in southern Michigan after hitting northern Indiana.

Three people were killed and 12 were injured in the Union Lake area, according to the Branch County Sheriff’s Office. It was the second

Embattled FDA vaccine chief Prasad

BY MATTHEW PERRONE Associated Press

WASHINGTON The Food and Drug Administration’s embattled vaccine chief, Dr Vinay Prasad, is once again leaving the agency — the second time in less than a year that he’s departed after controversial decisions involving the review of vaccinations and specialty drugs for rare diseases.

FDA Commissioner Marty Makary announced the news to FDA staff in an email late Friday, saying Prasad would depart at the end of April.

In July, Prasad was briefly forced from his job after running afoul of biotech

executives, patient groups and conservative allies of President Donald Trump. He was reinstated less than two weeks later with the backing of Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr and Makary

In the last month, Prasad has come under fire from pharmaceutical executives, investors, members of Congress and other critics for multiple decisions.

First, Prasad initially refused to allow the FDA to review a highly anticipated flu vaccine from drugmaker Moderna made with mRNA technology The rejection of the application, highly unusual for the FDA, prompted Moderna to go public with

Prasad’s decision and vow to formally challenge it.

A week after the rejection became public, the FDA reversed course and said it would accept the shot for review after all, pending an additional study from Moderna.

Then, the FDA engaged in a highly unusual public fight with a small drug company developing an experimental treatment for Huntington’s disease, a fatal condition that affects about 40,000 people in the U.S.

The company, UniQure, said Monday that the FDA was demanding a new trial of its gene therapy that would involve performing a sham surgery on some of the pa-

tornado to hit Union City in two years. An EF1 tornado with 95 mph winds touched down briefly in May 2024 and destroyed a machine shed.

Lisa Piper stood on her back deck and took video of a terrifying scene that played out on the other side of frozen Union Lake as a funnel cloud formed and then dropped toward the ground Friday Trees were torn from their roots, and debris flew into the air

“It’s lifting houses!” she said. As the devastation continued, she exclaimed: “Oh my heart is pounding. Oh, I hope they’re OK.”

Dan Taylor raced home to Union City from his cleaning job at a nearby hospital that day to find his brother and two dogs safe. But a tree fell on his home of 20 years, and portions of the roof of a house across the street blew into his yard.

“I didn’t know what to say I was lost for words,” he said Saturday “I’m just thankful that my brother’s all right, my dogs, because it could have turned bad.”

About 50 miles southwest of Union Lake, a 12-year-old boy died and several other

people were injured during a possible tornado, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office said. Sheriff Clint Roach said in a Facebook post that Silas Anderson’s parents found him injured and provided first aid, but he later died at a hospital. Disaster relief workers went door to door in the Union City and Three Rivers areas to offer meals and cleanup supplies. Gov Gretchen Whitmer said she would declare a state of emergency in Branch, Cass and St. Joseph counties. In Beggs, Oklahoma, about 30 miles south of Tulsa, a tornado was blamed for the deaths of two people in a house on Friday, the Okmulgee County Sheriff’s Office said. The tornado cut a roughly 4-mile path of damage in Okmulgee County including Beggs, said Jeff Moore, the county’s emergency manager Large trees toppled and power outages were reported.

Suspected tornadoes also were reported in northern parts of Tulsa, where a building at the Tulsa Tech Peoria campus was damaged.

leaving for the second time

tients in the trial The company’s gene therapy is injected directly into the brain during a surgical procedure.

Company executives said the request for a sham-controlled trial contradicted

previous FDA guidance and raised ethical concerns for patients.

On Thursday, the FDA held a highly unusual press conference with reporters to criticize the company’s ther-

apy and defend the agency’s request for an additional study

A senior FDA official, who requested anonymity, called the company’s original study “stone cold negative.”

ColoritSpring: LouisianaNursery shares season essentials fora thriving garden

Thelastfrost hasretreated,and thelushness of spring is unfoldingacrossSouth Louisiana. Buds,early blooms,and hardworkingbees arereturning to thesunlight, beckoning us outdoors as well.Layingthe groundwork fora strong growingseasonisn’t always simple,but it’s aprocess LouisianaNursery embraces and is happytoguide fellow plantloversthrough acrossthe BatonRouge community.

“There’s nothingbetterthana garden center jobinthe spring,” said Beau Mutrie,Digital MediaManager at LouisianaNursery.“We’re alldonewithfreezingcoldtemperatures. Now we gettosee color.

AccordingtoMutrie, some of thefirstflowers to make an appearance on thetablesatLouisianaNursery andinneighbors’garden beds arebougainvillea, gerberadaisies,geraniums marigolds,and petunias.These selections area greatway to jump-start spring colorand quickly refresh beds andcontainers.Pentas, lantanas andsalviaare additional warm-seasonfavorites that cancarry vibrantcolor toward thestart of summer heat

Forlonger-term landscaping, floweringevergreenshrubssuchasazaleas,gardenias,and sasanqua camelliasare excellentchoices for thelocalclimate.While some varietiesbloom just once ayear, newerintroductions —such as Encore®azaleas —bloom multiple times, typicallyinspringand againinfall. With proper care,floweringshrubsare alasting investment that willheraldthe arrivalofspringeachyear with theirlivelyblooms. Tropicalstruly shineinLouisiana’s intense heat andhumidity. Planting them earlyinthe season cantransformany suburbanyardinto alivelyparadise that lastsuntil autumn.Hibiscus, mandevilla,dipladenia, andtibouchina areamong thecolorfulvarieties that tend to thrive in thehumid,subtropical climateof SouthLouisiana

Recent advances in plantbreedinghave introducedimprovedvarieties of classicfavorites Petunias,for example, remain aquintessential spring bloom, andnewer Supertunia® types areknown fortheir vigorous growth andheat tolerance. Angelonias areanother longtime staple that nowcomeinexpandedcolor and shape selections,allowinggardenerstomix and matchfor afresh look.BlueDaze(Evolvulus) is anothereye-catchingoption; considered a

tender perennial, it maysurvive mild South Louisianawinters with protection andfares well in heat In termsofplantingstyle,thisseasonmay reflect thegrowing popularity of “meadow-core” —a relaxed, naturalistic design aestheticthat favors organicshapesoverdefinedrowsand borders. Wildflower-inspired optionssuchas cosmos andalyssum,along with trailing plants like creeping thyme, fit naturallywithin this theme. Even traditional bedding plants canbe reimagined with looser groupingsand layered textures to capturethe look

Though flowers andfoliage oftensteal the spotlight, everysuccessful garden begins with thesoil. Ensuring plants have thenutrients they need to transition from dormancy into active growth is essentialtostartingthe season strong Revitalizing beds with fresh organicmatter, balanced fertilizers, root stimulatorsand mulch helpsplantsestablish healthyrootsystemsand regulate soil moistureasweather conditions fluctuate.Using pre-emergent herbicides can also help controlweeds before they surgein warmer weather. “Weare here forthe flowerenthusiasts.We’re herefor thelandscapers.We’re herefor edible gardeners, too,”saidMutrie. “And we have an excellentteamofexperiencedprofessionals whoare here to help youthroughoutyour gardeningjourney.” Formoreinformation,visit louisiananursery.com.

While surveys show that most Iranians have supported a regime change, a segment of Iran’s population still supported Khamenei, mourning the cleric’s passing. But those in the diaspora, many of whom fled after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, largely cheered his death

Over the course of the week since the war began, hundreds of Iranians have died, six U.S. soldiers have been killed and more countries have been dragged into the conflict.

‘Where I should be’

For weeks leading up to the airstrikes, a group of Iranian-born Louisiana State University students, professors and alumni gathered in Free Speech Alley on campus. They stood in silence.

Some held Iranian flags. Others cradled photos of those who had died.

They were protesting Iranian security forces imprisoning and killing unarmed protesters. Iranian health officials said as many as 30,000 people could have been killed on Jan. 8 and 9 alone, national outlets reported

But after news of Khamenei’s killing, the group returned to the same spot Monday, waving flags and cheering.

As Roza Homafar walked over to join them, her mother called from Iran.

Homafar, a Ph.D. student in kinesiology, told her mom where she was headed, and that there would be two protests happening simultaneously — one criticizing the U.S. and Israel’s attacks on Iran, one celebrating them.

“What do you think?” Homafar, 30, asked her mother.

“Where should I stand?”

“We need this regime gone,” her mother told her, “no matter how.”

During an internet blackout earlier this year, Homafar couldn’t call her mother friends or family, couldn’t know if they were safe. She sunk into a deep depression

and struggled to get out of bed.

“All Iranians, outside and inside, were experiencing a huge trauma,” Homafar said. When, at last, she could talk with her loved ones again, she learned that a few friends had been shot, but all were alive. Several said the same: “They said, ‘We are alive, but just physically,’” she said, quietly “Alive, but just physically.”

Growing up in Iran, Homafar had always struggled with the restrictions for women, including laws requiring them to cover their hair and bodies. Upon moving to the United States for school, she felt a kind of comfort. “It wasn’t something new, like ‘this is so different,’ ” she said. The freedom here “was what I was always imagining and always fighting for “OK, now I’m exactly where I should be.”

The past few months have brought a jumble of emotions — fear and anger, joy and hope On top of all that, Homafar feels judgment. The judgment of students, of pundits, of “people who don’t know where Iran is on a map.” Given the death toll in January alone, “Of course we are celebrating, of course we are thankful.”

The situation in Iran is complicated she knows, and even after growing up there, she checks in with family and friends before speaking

up. So she asks that people trust the knowledge and experience of Iranians, as well.

Her mother called again Wednesday There was bombing in the background. Homafar asked if she was worried.

But her mom’s fear was not for her individual safety It was that the United States and Israel would, after starting a war leave without finishing off the regime.

‘It could get really bloody’

Homafar was among those on the LSU campus holding signs thanking President Donald Trump and the U.S Army The group chanted “U.S.A!” and “God bless Israel.” On a boom box, one man blasted the Village People’s “Y.M.C.A.”

They danced.

“It is really probably not understandable for many people, particularly those in the younger generation, why they’re celebrating their country being bombed,” one LSU professor said. “But we don’t see it as a war “We see it as a rescue mission.”

Though the Iranian-born professor attended the celebration, he later asked that his name not be printed, fearing reprisal against family members still living in Iran.

He had been among those calling for Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the shah ousted in 1979, to lead the transition

sick, and she found that she wasn’t. New Orleans, with its European charm, had become her home. But she dreams of visiting Iran. Her son Paymon, 30, is a history buff who is fascinated by the country’s past. Her other son, Ali, 35, talks regularly on WhatsApp with their 18 first cousins living there.

After Khamenei’s death, their tone shifted. They sounded lighter, brighter

“It was a tone of hope,” Ali Khaleghi said last week, smiling, sitting across from his mother “It’s a new history for the Iranian people. They’re the authors of a new history written in a language of hope.”

to a more moderate, more secular government. By midweek, reports out of Iran indicated that Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, was the front-runner to succeed his father, suggesting that hard-liners could remain in charge.

“The system is not designed to produce moderates,” said Christopher Fettweis, a political science professor at Tulane University and author of books about U.S. foreign policy Khamenei’s regime is “terrible,” Fettweis said, and half to three-quarters of Iranians were eager to see him go.

Still, he called the weekend’s attacks by the U.S. and Israel “totally bizarre and ham-fisted and shortsighted.” Best case, the two countries have a plan for an alter-

native leader of Iran set to go, Fettweis said. But he said their public statements seem to contradict one another, indicating a lack of foresight and follow-through.

If citizens fight for a new regime, “it could get really bloody,” he warned.

‘Language of hope’

Like other Iranians who fled, Khaleghi has never returned to Iran, even to visit.

As a kid, she’d planned to go to college in Iran and raise a family there. But she ended up in Germany, forced to learn a new language and make a new life

She earned a Master of Science degree at Mannheim University, then a Master of Arts at Loyola. At one point, after moving to New Orleans in 1990, her late husband asked if she was home-

And while visiting would be nice, Iranians are the ones who will benefit from a political shift, should it happen, Zohreh said. “Whatever happened right now, it’s for them.”

Later in the week, the poet and artist flew to Washington, D.C., for a gathering of the Iranian Writers’ Association. She was set to recite a poem and give a speech in Farsi. In a draft of that speech, translated to English, she planned to mention the decades of protests, the tens of thousands killed. Then she spoke of the future.

“The freedom of Iran will not come from bombs or political deals,” she said. “It will come from the courage of its people who, for decades, have never stopped fighting for their freedom.”

Contact reporter Jenna Ross at jenna.ross@ theadvocate.com.

TheHiddenCostof Outdated PhoneSystems, AndWhatSmart Businesses AreDoing Instead

In today’srapidly shifting business landscape, communicationhas become more than abasic operationalneed, it’s astrategic advantage. Whetheryou’rerunning asmall business, managing ahealthcarepractice, supporting students in an educationalsetting,orkeeping ahospitality operationrunning smoothly,the abilitytoconnect quicklyand reliably hasnever mattered more Yetmanyorganizations arestill relyingon outdated phonesystemsthatweren’t builtfor thewayweworktoday.Hybridschedules,remote teams, customer expectations,and theneedfor real-timecollaboration have pushed traditional systemstotheir limits.Weall have instant communicationatour fingertipsand expect that same connectivity with thebusinesseswe work with andfor.That’swhere cloud-based communication solutionsare stepping in to transformthe waybusinessesoperate CoxBusinessConnect with RingCentralis helping organizationsmodernize theircommunicationswithtools designed forflexibility mobility,and growth.Instead of beingtiedtoa physicalphone line or location,teams cancall, message, meet,and collaboratefromanywhere, allthrough asingle, unified platform. Forsmall businesses,thisshift is especially powerful.Ownerscanstayconnectedtocustomers whetherthey’re on-site, on theroad, or working from home.Calls canberoutedintelligently customer interactions canbetracked more easily,and teamscan respondfaster, without thecostorcomplexityoftraditional systems.

In thehospitality industry,where guest experience is everything,cloudcommunicationshelpstaff coordinate seamlessly across departments. Whetherit’shousekeeping, front desk,maintenance,ormanagement, everyone staysaligned in real time,improving service andreducingdelays.

Educationenvironmentsbenefitfromthe abilitytoconnect faculty, staff,and families throughsecure,reliablechannels. With communication toolsthatworkacrossdevices,schools canstreamlineoperations, supporthybrid

learningmodels, andensurethatimportant informationreaches theright people quickly. Healthcare organizations, meanwhile, are navigatingaworldwherepatientcommunication is increasingly digital. Cloud-basedsystems help practicesmanageappointment reminders, telehealth interactions,and internal coordination with greater efficiency whilemaintaining compliance andreliability

Across allindustries, thecommonthreadis clear: businesses need communicationtools that adaptasquickly as they do. CoxBusiness ConnectwithRingCentral offersascalable, cloud-basedsolutionthatgrows with your organization,reduces downtime,and supports themodernworkforce

As technology continuestoevolve, theorganizationsthatinvestinsmarter communication toolstoday will be theonesbestpositionedto thrive tomorrow.Cloud communications aren’t just atrend,they’re becoming thenew standard foroperational excellence

To explorehow CoxBusinessConnect with RingCentralcan supportyourorganization’s communicationneeds,visit ourwebsite:www cox.com/business/collaboration/ringcentral.html

Prime Air in Baton Rouge indicates that the company recognizes the impact of the fulfillment centers in the city, he said.

“They see a lot of great things in this community,” Batts said.

How it works

Customers purchasing items from Amazon that weigh 5 pounds or less which includes about 60,000 items available in the marketplace — and live within a 7.5-mile radius from the fulfillment center at Cortana Place, can select the drone delivery option at checkout. The 7.5-mile radius area surrounding the fulfillment center includes Scotlandville, Central, parts of St. George, LSU, Southern University and downtown.

There is a fee for the drone delivery service, which ranges from $4.99 for Amazon Prime members to $9.99 for non-Prime members, according to The Economic Times.

The MK30 drone, Amazon’s latest drone technology will deliver the item from the fulfillment center’s launchpad to a selected drop-off point in an hour or less The drone has a detectand-avoid capability, which allows it to sense obstacles and move out of the way, and can operate in light rain. It’s designed to be quieter and can travel twice as far as Prime Air’s previous drones Batteries and other essentials like beauty and hygiene products are the most popu-

PROGRAM

Continued from page 1A

flowed through Safe, Hopeful, Healthy and Healthy BR.

Contractor Veronica Mathis was also charged. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill’s office says Mathis received nearly $750,000 through the nonprofit, Investigators say Scott, who oversaw the nonprofit for Broome’s office, helped give Mathis those funds and in turn received nearly $200,000. Sources close to the investigation say she used the money to pay off her mortgage and credit card debt. Scott and Broome did not respond to requests for comment.

Broome, who was mayor from 2017 to 2024, has not been accused of any wrongdoing.

Conflict of interest

Several memos raised red flags about a conflict of interest, citing a crossover in program oversight involving Mayor’s Office personnel and the healthy city nonprofit.

lar Prime Air items in the Texas market. The company is currently hiring maintenance technicians, a flight monitor a ground handler and an op-

erations manager for Prime Air in Baton Rouge.

Flying in Louisiana

Many of the rules that will dictate Prime Air

drones’ flight in Louisiana airspace stem from Federal Aviation Administration regulations, making it consistent among the markets where the service has

already been implemented.

“Louisiana’s airspace is similar to that of most states,” the FAA said in a statement. “It includes a mix of controlled and uncontrolled airspace, depending on location and proximity to airports or military bases and it accommodates a variety of airspace users.”

The FAA regulates drone activity in the United States and granted Amazon an Air Carrier Certificate in 2020 that allowed it to start drone deliveries. In 2024, the company received approval to operate drones beyond the visual line of sight of the operators.

Amazon is awaiting final approval to operate Prime Air in Baton Rouge, which could arrive close to their desired rollout in early sum-

mer Prime Air also operates under an FAA exemption, which states that its drones can fly in uncontrolled airspace, meaning airspace where air traffic control is not necessary Drones also cannot fly over some areas like crowds, power plants and busy roads, barring for quick crossing, without special permission and must have certain safety features like immediate landing in case of emergencies.

The state may see more drone deliveries in the future, and not just from Amazon. Dacoda Bartels, chief operating officer for FlyGuys, a Lafayette-based drone data capture company, said Louisiana’s prominence in the oil and gas industries positions the state to lead in drone cargo flights to offshore oil platforms.

Prime Air coming to Baton Rouge is great news, he said, and their operation of drones beyond visual line of sight will act as a model for others. “It’s always really interesting to see what they do; it kind of helps pave the way for other folks that are out there operating,” Bartels said.

Prior rollout

In the past few years, the program has expanded throughout the country and in Europe and is currently offered in seven cities across Arizona, Michigan, Texas and Florida, with hopes of expanding across the country Some of the cities with the service include San Antonio, Tampa and Pontiac, Michigan.

Residents in cities where Prime Air previously or is currently offered have lauded the drone deliveries’ speed and ease. But the program has hit a few snags, including noise complaints of a previous drone model and a collision with a crane, as it has developed in the past few years.

Before service beginning in Lockeford, California, in 2022, The Washington Post reported that locals were threatening to shoot the drones down, which is a federal crime that Bartels says could be a reality in Baton Rouge with its large number of outdoorsmen.

Prime Air was previously offered in College Station Texas, in partnership with the city and Texas A&M. An LSU spokesperson said the university and Amazon are not involved in a partnership at the moment.

A 2022 independent audit conducted by the accounting firm Kolder Slaven & Company scrutinized $1 million in federal grants issued to the nonprofit that year and found more than half of the spending was noncompliant. That prompted an “adverse opinion” the most severe audit response possible — pointing to a lack of internal controls and unreliable financial statements

Duplicated payments

CSRS also noted that the Mayor’s Office improperly used city-parish credit cards — or “P-Cards” — on an array of expenses in 2024, often with little to no documentation supporting the spending

“Most of the transactions were for travel, including

CSRS said the employees tasked with scrutinizing Safe, Hopeful, Healthy contracts for the Mayor’s Office were also doing that work for the nonprofit. Contractor reimbursement requests were approved without the necessary scrutiny of proof of work, reasonable costs or compliance with grant rules, the memos say “The lack of proper oversight and the approval of expenditures without due process exposes the City-Parish to significant risk and raises serious concerns regarding non-compliance with federal guidelines,” CSRS officials wrote in October 2023. As the Mayor’s Office continued to make improper payments to contractors the CSRS memos said, risks grew that the city-parish and nonprofit could both be hit with negative audit findings.

payments made for flights, limousine rides, rideshare and hotel accommodations,” reviewers wrote. “Other charges include payments made to restaurants, food delivery service and event vendors. There is lack of evidence indicating public purpose.”

The cards were funded by COVID-19-era federal grant dollars under the American Rescue Plan Act. CSRS stated concerns that many of the transactions were not compliant with federal grant rules.

One memo said, “CSRS has previously identified duplicative expenditures in HealthyBR, where reimbursements were submitted for the same expenses under two separate contracts funded by different sources.”

That September 2023

memo says Safe, Hopeful, Healthy’s violence intervention contracts still lacked safeguards to prevent those duplicate payments.

Auditors from Kolder Slaven found duplicate payments by the nonprofit totaling $27,083 in 2022. The duplicated payments were later reconciled, healthy city officials said in their response to the accounting firm’s findings

The firm did not specify which contractors received duplicate payments.

Email Patrick SloanTurner at patrick.sloanturner@theadvocate.com.

WhenLouisianacompaniesfaceworkforceshortages,manyturnto theLouisianaCommunityandTechnicalCollegeSystem(LCTCS)for solutions.Fromhospitalsystemsseekingmorenursestomanufacturers inneedofskilledtechnicians,employerssaycollaborationwithLCTCS institutionsisessentialtokeepingtheirbusinessesrunningsmoothly.

InNewOrleans,OchsnerHealthhasdeepeneditspartnershipwith DelgadoCommunity Collegetostrengthenthe region’s healthcare talentpipeline.Forexample,Delgado’sLPNtoRNtransitionprogram allowslicensedpracticalnursestocompleteacurriculumtobecome aregisterednurse,therebyadvancingtheirskillsandmakingthem qualitycandidatesforlucrative,in-demandroles

This initiative allows experienced LPNs to grow into expanded scopes of practice whilecontinuing to serveour community, which directlysupportsaccesstohigh-qualitycareacrossLouisiana,”said MissyHopson,Ph.D OchsnerHealthSystemVicePresidentandChief LearningandWorkforceDevelopmentOfficer.

“Delgado’s LPNtoRNpathway represents exactlythe kind of bold,employer-educationpartnershipourregionneeds,”Dr.Hopson continued. “Bycreatingseamlessadvancement opportunitiesfor workingnurses,wearenotonlystrengtheningthetalentpipeline–weareinvestingincareermobility,clinicalexcellenceandlong-term workforcestability.”

Jennifer Fernandez, DelgadoDeanofNursing,saidthatwhile adultlearnersstill make up themajorityofthe studentpopulation, therehasbeenanincreaseinrecenthighschoolgraduatesinterested inenteringhealthcare.Delgadooffers28alliedhealthprogramsand four nursingprograms, allofwhich have been expanded to accept themaximumnumberofstudentspossibleduetorisingdemand.

“Whenwegraduatea class, we’renot just awarding degrees. We’restabilizingtheworkforceandstabilizingfamilies,”Fernandez said.“WeseealotoffamiliescomingtoDelgadotogether–siblings cousins,evenparentsandchildren.Healthcarerunsonpeople,and wehelptobuildthosepeopleup.”

Fernandeznoted that Delgadohas partnerships with allmajor healthcaresystemswithindrivingdistanceofNewOrleans,making it akey institutiontoconnect qualifiedgraduates with career opportunities, whetherthose areinnursing or other fields,suchas imagingtechnology. Thatsameemployer-drivenresponsivenessisguidingDelgado’s broaderworkforce development efforts,particularlythrough the GreaterNew OrleansInfrastructurePartnership.Thankstothat partnershipandaU.S.DepartmentofLaborStrengtheningCommunities grant, DelgadoisdevelopingLouisiana’s firstElectricVehicle Technologyprogram.

“Weare also enhancingtraininginworkforce developmentand developingtop-of-the-line coursesfor high demand jobs in diesel technology,commercialvehicle operatorand heavyequipment operator,” said Dr.Susanne G. Dietzel, ProgramDirectorfor the StrengtheningCommunityCollegesTrainingGrantatDelgado.“The partnershipallowsustomeetwithindustrypartnersandGNOInc regularlytodiscusseconomicdatathatforecaststhetypesoftraining andindustry-basedcredentialsthatstudentswillneedtosucceed.

That type of collaborationisamodel that RoyO.Martinrelies on heavilywithCentral LouisianaTechnical CommunityCollege

(CLTCC). RoyO.Martinisamajor forestry,landmanagementand woodproductsmanufacturingcompany,headquarteredinAlexandria “WehaveaverylongstandingrelationshipwithCLTCC.Any timewehaveanideaforaprogram,theyworkwithustohelpcreate it,”saidConnieBaker,seniordirectorofhumanresourcesatRoyO Martin.“Weareoftenlookingforproductionteammembers,skilled craftlaborersandmaintenancetechnicians.Whatstandsoutabout CLTCCistheirwillingnesstohelpcreateaprogramwherewehavea need Theyareverywillingtoadapt.

BakersaidCLTCCfrequentlyprovideseducationandtrainingfor newhiresatRoyO.Martin,usuallyinasix-toeight-weekprogram In addition,the entities have workedtogetherwithinthe last two yearstocreateanew industrial maintenanceprogram,inwhich CLTCCstudentsworkpart-timeforRoyO.Martin,givingthemthe chancetogainreal-worldproductionexperiencetosupplementtheir classroomlearning.

“Companiesinourregionneedemployeesnow,butthoseemployees need skillsand readiness,”saidCLTCC Chancellor HeatherPoole Ed.D.“We have come up with ways to keep them in programs here whilegivingthema foot in thedoorwithindustrypartners. That hasbeenawin.”

InadditiontoworkingcloselywithRoyO.Martin,Dr.Poolesaid otherkeyCLTCCpartnersincludeLouisianaCentral,whichservesas acatalysttofosteraneconomydrivenbyknowledgeandinnovation, aswellasHayesManufacturing,aPineville-basedcompanyfocused oncutting-edgefabrication,machiningandotherindustrialwork Overall,Dr.Poolesaidsomeofthemostin-demandjobsinclude industrialelectricians,instrumentationtechnicians,millwrights,CDL drivers,maintenancetechnicians,weldersandfabricators

“We’ve hadsuccess with work-based learning becausealot of companiesthatneed people in those rolesoperate 24 hours aday sevendaysaweek. Students canbeinclass here Mondaysthrough Fridaysandworkontheweekendsorevenings,”Dr.Poolesaid. That givesthemachancetoearnawageandlearnmoreaboutworkingat anindustrypartnercompany.”

Dr.PooleaddedthatCLTCChasdoubledthesizeofitselectrical andHVACprogramsduringthe past 18 monthstomeet employer demand,andplanstoexpandanelectricalprogramtotheAvoyelles campuslaterthisyear.Overall,mostCLTCCprogramsaredesigned for completers to earn an associate’sdegree, andmanyalsoinclude industry-basedcredentialsthatcanbeappliedtomultiplejobs. “WefeelthatthejobneedswillcontinuetogrowinLouisianaas moredatacentersandlargecorporationsestablishapresencehere, Dr.Poole said.“We’reexcited aboutthe opportunitiesthatpresents forCLTCC.Wewanttostrengthenourpartnershipswithourregional energyprovidersandothercompanies,andwe’relookingtogrowour curriculum around automationand programmingtosupport the needsofthe21stcenturyeconomy.”

AsindustriesacrossLouisianaevolve,partnershipsbetweenemployers andLCTCSwillremaincriticalstrategymeetingworkforcedemands By

Finally, atreatment to conquer lowback, neck,leg andarm pain withoutdangerous medicationsorpainful surgery

Pain affectsevery part of your life-walking,sitting,and even sleeping.Nothing’s worse than feeling greatmentally, butphysicallyfeeling held back from lifebecause your nerveorbackpainhurts-and it just won’tgoaway.

Scientificstudies tellusthatspinaldiscs areresponsiblefor most of theaches andpains people suffer from

When thesenatural cushions betweenyourbackbonescalledspinaldiscs-becomeinjured or wear out from strain,poorposture,oraging -theybegin to degenerate andlosetheir abilityto absorb shock.

This canleadtopainful bulgingorherniated discs that pressonnearbynerve roots.

Themostcommontreatment fordischerniations is surgery-but this invasive option comeswithmajorrisks:costs,and recovery time

Patients areusually givenlimited treatment options- whichiswhy we runthese bigadvertisements! We want peopleinthe communityto know thereisanotheroptiontorelieve pain without surgery,injectionsorpainpills

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NON-SURGICAL SPINAL DECOMPRESSION is a breakthrough,non-invasivetreatment fordegenerativediscs that areherniated,bulging,orruptured. It is proveneffective foralleviating pain in theback, neck,hip,arms, legs andfeet.

WE AREDR. SCOTT ANDDR. DANA LEBLANC, owners of LeBlancSpine Center.Wehavebeentreatingpatientsinthe BatonRouge andNew Orleans areasfor over 14 yearswithNon-SurgicalSpinal Decompression-and we love what we do! We have 10 state-of-the-art Spinal Decompression machines to keep up with thehighpatient demand at ouroffices,and ourexceptionally high success rate in relievingpainisbuilt on yearsofexperience, understanding,and thepersonalized attentionwe give to each patient.

Ouradvancedtreatment technology is FDAapprovedand targetsthe exactsourceofdiscrelated pain.Itcreates avacuumeffectinsideofthe spinal disc to retractdiscbulgesand herniations. This negative pressuredraws in oxygen,nutrients,and hydrationfromsurrounding tissues-allowing for thebody’snatural healingand repair processatthe cellular level.

FIND OUTIFCOULD THIS TREATMENTBEYOUR BACK PAIN SOLUTION?

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Schedule your FREE 17-point “Smashed Disc”Assessment at ourBaton Rouge or Kenner office -it’scompletelyfreefor thenext7days to anyone that is sufferingin ourcommunity andwants answerstowhatiscausing theirpain.

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IcametoDr. LeBlancbecause Ihad been suffering with severe sciatica.The pain in my lowbackand legs wasso severe that Ibegan stayinghomerather than attendingsportingorsocialevents. Ibegan Spinal Decompression treatments andsince then,Iam70% improved!Iamfeeling well enoughand energeticafter workingall daytocook, do household chores,attendfunctions, etc. Ihavemoremobilityand Iamnot exhaustedfromthe pain!The staff and Doctorshereare wonderful.Everyoneis so kind andfriendlyand will do whatever is needed to decreasethe pain.What Ilikemostabout my care at LeBlanc SpineCenterisTHE RESULTS! Ihighly recommendLeBlancSpine Center dueto thenon-invasivetreatment andresults! As amatteroffact, Ihaverecommended Dr.LeBlanctopeoplealready

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Russianmissile hits apartmentbuilding; at least10killed

BY SUSIE BLANN Associated Press

KYIV,Ukraine Twochildren were among at least 10 people killed on Saturday in a Russianmissile that hita five-story residentialbuilding in Ukraine’ssecond-largest city,Kharkiv, officials said. Sixteen others were wounded.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack and called for an international response. He said that Russia struck Ukraine overnight with 29 missiles and 480drones, targeting energy facilities in Kyivand other central regions and with damage reported in at least seven other locations across the country

Accordingtopreliminary data,air defensesystems downed 19 missiles and 453 droneswith hits from 9missiles and 26 strike drones recorded at 22 locations.

In Kharkiv,inUkraine’s northeast, emergency workers were combing the rubble,looking for survivors. Among the dead was aprimary schoolteacher and her son, asecond-grade student, who were killed in their home and an eighthgrader who also died with

Fire

put out the

her mother,according to the city’s mayor, Ihor Terekhov The regionalProsecutors’s Office said thebuildingwas hit by anew Russian cruise missile, known as Izdeliye-30. Ukrainian reports said that the new subsonic air-launched weapon that Russia has recently started to use against Ukraine has arange of 930 miles and is equipped with anew satellite navigation system more resistant to jamming.

In theKyivregion, damage from debris was reported in three districts, according

to local authorities. In the southern Odesa region, 80 firefighters were called in to help battle massive firesat infrastructure facilitiesfollowing an attack with multiple drones. Ukraine’sstate railoperator Ukrzaliznytsia saiddamagetothe rail infrastructure forced changes to anumberofroutes in the center-west of the country Russia’sDefense Ministry said the overnight strike targeted Ukrainian military factories,energyfacilities and air bases.

“There must be aresponse

Appealscourt rulesagainst efforts to endprotected status forHaitians

By The Associated Press

WASHINGTON— Afederal appeals court this week sided with alower judge’sruling against the Trump administration’sefforts to end temporary protected status for roughly 350,000 Haitians living in the U.S. The U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., issued the 2-1 rulingonFriday.“The government’sfailure to meet its burden of demonstrating irreparableharmalone justifies denying emergency relief that would upend the status quoand increase un-

certainty while thisappeal proceeds,” the court said Temporary Protected Status can be grantedbythe Homeland Securitysecretary if conditions in home countries aredeemed unsafefor return duetoa natural disaster,political instability or other dangers. While it grants TPS holders theright to live andwork in the U.S., it does not provide a legal pathwaytocitizenship. Haiti’sTPS status was initially activated in 2010 after acatastrophicearthquake and has been extended multiple times.The country is

racked by gang violence that has displaced hundreds of thousands of people.

TheTrump administration has aggressively sought to removethe protection, makingmorepeopleeligible for deportation.

In addition to themigrants from Haiti, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noemhas terminated protections for about600,000 Venezuelans, 60,000 people from Honduras,Nicaragua and Nepal, more than 160,000 Ukrainians andthousands of people from Afghanistan and Cameroon.

from partnerstothesesavage strikes against life,” Zelenskyy said in aposton X. “Russia hasnot abandonedits attempts to destroy Ukraine’sresidential andcriticalinfrastructure, and therefore support must continue.Wecount on activework with theEuropean Union to guarantee greater protection for ourpeople.I am gratefultoeveryone who helps strengthen our protection.”

Russia has firedtens of

thousands of Iranian-designed drones at Ukraine since it invaded its neighbor just over four yearsago.It haslauncheda large-scale domestic production of them and battered Ukraine with hundreds of drones in asingle night —morethan were used during some entire months in 2024. Iran has responded to joint U.S.-Israelistrikesby launching the same type of Shahed drones at countries in the Middle East.

Zelenskyy said he had received aU.S. request for support to defend against the Iraniandronesinthe Middle East and had given the order for equipment to be provided along with Ukrainian experts. The warinthe Middle East has drawn international attention away fromEurope’s biggest conflict since World WarII, and forced the postponement of anew round of U.S brokered talks between Russia and Ukraine.

If there’sone thingfanscan expect at Southern Lady Jaguarssoftballgames,it’sanenergy levelthatis unmatchedanywhereelse.

“Thecheeringisexciting.You’llhearuscheeringfrom thedugout,andtheotherteamaswell.Wegobackand forth. It’s kind of what we do in theSWAC,”saidHead Softball CoachBrittneyWilliams. “You have to come tothegamestoseewhatweworkedonandexperience that enthusiasm.”

CoachWilliamssaidthathigh-energy tone is set betweengames,whenthesoftballteamhascheerpractices alongwithhoningtheir skills in thebatting cagesand on thefield. Theenthusiasmhas reachednew heights this year,inpartdue to equipmentand infrastructure upgrades that arehelping theteamtobecompetitive Many of theupgradeshavebeenmadepossiblewith financialcontributionsfromdonors.

“Youcanseewhereyourdollarsaregoing,”shesaid. Allofthathastranslatedintoon-fieldsuccessforthe Lady Jaguars. In 2025,the team posted 22 wins,the program’shighesttotalsince2008andgoodenoughto earn aberth in theSWACTournamentfor thesecond straightseason.Thisyear,theyhavestartedtheseason withmorebigvictories,includingwinningfourstraight intheLeonardMoodyHBCUInvitationalanddefeating ArlingtonBaptist twiceonthe road TheLadyJaguars beganSWACconferenceplayon March6 with aseriesatPrairie View A&M. CoachWilliamsnotedthattheteamwillhostAlcorn forathree-gameseriesatLadyJaguarFieldonMarch 27,thesamedayasthisyear’sJag-A-Thon,whichwillbe acombinedin-personandvirtualevent.Donationsmay bemadeviaphone,online,inpersonorthroughthemail

In addition to helping improveinfrastructurefor Southern Jaguar Athletics, donationsmadethrough theJag-A-Thonalsogotowardenrichmentprograms forstudent-athletes.Oneofthosesignatureprogramsis Uncaged:BuildingBeyondTheBluff,whichlaunchedits firstcohortthisyear.InUncaged,student-athletesare learningaboutbranding,communication,networking, social mediaand otherskillstohelpthemsucceed in sports andinlife.

“Myfavoritethingaboutbeingastudent-athletehere hasreallybeentheopportunitiesithasgivenmetoconnect withotherpeoplearoundcampus,”saidseniorsoftball player KeiraJohnson,who is also in thefirstUncaged cohort.“AlthoughImightbeloudonthefieldandloudin thedugout,IliketothinkI’maprettyshyandreserved

person.I thinkbeing astudent-athlete has definitelybrought me more outofmyshell.”

Johnsonaddedthat asaLadyJaguaranda memberoftheUncaged cohort,sheisproudtobe inapositiontoelevateall femalestudent-athletes “Althoughweare women, we arenot to be countedout,” she said.“I’mverygrateful to have theopportunity to play here at Southern.” This year’s Jag-A-Thon on Friday,March 27 will encompassphonebanking,livestreamingandsocializing Alivestreamwillbeavailable from 9a.m.to5 p.m. on JaguarsSportsNetwork.com,FacebookandYouTube.It willalsobebroadcastliveonCumulusRadio:Max94.1, Q106.5,Heaven95.7and ClassicHits103.3

Jag-A-Thondonationsmaybemadeinthefollowing ways:

•Phone:Call225-771-2436thedayoftheJag-A-Thonevent

•Online: https://foundation.sus.edu/jag-a-thon/

•Inperson: Leon R. Tarver II Cultural andHeritage Center (9 a.m. to 5p.m.March 27)

•Mail: Southern University Athletics, P.O. Box9942, BatonRouge,LA,

‘Anti-Islamification’ rally in New York City turns chaotic

New york Daily News (TNS)

NEW YORK

An anti-Muslim rally led by Jan. 6 rioter and far-right influencer Jake Lang erupted into chaos as Lang and his cronies were confronted by scores of counterprotesters outside of Gracie Mansion on Saturday the home of Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the city’s first Muslim mayor — and a smoking improvised device was thrown, sending demonstrators scrambling for cover

A group of counterprotesters were also peppersprayed as they chased down two Lang supporters, videos posted online about the wild protest show Saturday’s anti-Muslim protest — with Lang demanding an end to what he sees as the “Islamification of New York City” — was fueled by the ongoing war in Iran and Mamdani’s election to City Hall.

During the protest someone threw a homemade device at Lang and his crew, which amounted to about 10 people The object gave off some smoke, but didn’t explode.

“They threw a bomb at us!” Lang and his supporters screamed as a suspect was handcuffed.

“Get your s*** together!” Lang yelled at cops. “This should be a state of emergency!”

It was not immediately clear if the device was a smoke bomb, or an actual explosive that didn’t ignite.

“I just survived an assassination attempt by these two Muslim men,” Lang posted on X. “The homemade bomb

A

fluencer Jake Lang in front of Gracie Mansion, the official mayor’s residence, in New york on Saturday

they threw landed 3 feet in front of me. The detonator failed to ignite, because God is on the throne of my life.”

Cops grabbed the device thrower and an associate, but it wasn’t clear if they were Muslim, as Lang accused. The man who threw the device had another one on him as cops jumped on him and wrestled him to the ground

By the time the protest ended, at least six people were in custody, including the one who hurled the device and the Lang supporter who pepper-sprayed counterprotesters, according to police sources. The NYPD could not provide a final arrest count Saturday afternoon.

Mamdani had no scheduled events Saturday and it wasn’t clear if he was at Gracie Mansion when Lang arrived Pro- and anti-Muslim protesters openly shoved and

kicked each other during the protest, which began with Lang holding a pig roast at a cafe on East 88th Street and York Avenue — a direct slap in the face against practicing Muslims, who aren’t allowed to eat pork.

Lang and a handful of associates then carried the roasted pig, wrapped in tinfoil, down York Avenue against a growing sea of counterprotesters.

Counterdemonstrators banged drums and called Lang and his supporters “Nazis.”

Close to 100 counterprotesters screamed and lobbed eggs at Lang and his supporters as the latter demanded Mamdani be deported and screamed “USA!” back at the demonstrators.

Lang also brought a live goat to the protest, which he called “Mamdani’s second wife.”

Overwhelmed by the counterprotesters, Lang his sup-

porters ultimately ran to a nearby U-Haul truck. Demonstrators tried to prevent their escape as Lang threw himself and his goat into the truck Protesters then chased after the truck, damaging it, as it sped off.

“It’s almost laughable how successful we were in comparison to those Nazis,” counterprotester Isabelle Pinsky, 29, told the Daily News. “There were like six of them and there were tons of us.”

Pinsky said she supports Mamdani, but “was pissed at him” for meeting with President Donald Trump. But the mayor wasn’t what brought her to Gracie Mansion on Saturday. “(My goal was) to come here and yell at some Nazis,” she said. She also wasn’t too concerned about the device that was thrown.

“I saw a small box and there was a little bit of fog,” she said. “The cops reacted

like it was a live bomb The drama was a lot of drama.”

Before the chaos, one of the first counterprotesters to arrive at Gracie Mansion was 87-year-old William Voelkle. The lifetime Upper East Sider, who has only one eye, proudly walked into a cordoned-off area, his cane leading the charge.

“I’m in favor of the new mayor and against the other side that’s protesting against, I guess, what they call the Islamization of Gracie Mansion, which is ridiculous,” said the octogenarian, who saw a poster about Saturday’s protest on a lightpole.

Voelkle hoped his “presence” would speak volumes against Lang and his cronies.

“I have a cane, and I have difficulty walking, but I felt I wanted to come,” he said. “I just hobble along.”

Lang was one of more than 1,500 people pardoned by Trump after their criminal

convictions relating to the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. He has since become a right-wing provocateur, holding a pro-ICE demonstration in Minneapolis, during which he claimed he was stabbed by a counterdemonstrator and was saved by his protective vest.

On Friday night, three people were taken into custody amid a clash between proIranian regime demonstrators, who erected a shrine to the slain Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei, the former supreme leader of Iran, and anti-Khamenei protesters at Washington Square Park. The three people arrested were given criminal court summonses and released, an NYPD spokesman said. Lang briefly showed up in a van during that protest and committed a lewd act directed at the pro-Iranian regime protesters.

Rescue swimmer was injured while on a medical evacuation

BY CLAIRE RUSH and GENE JOHNSON Associated Press

PORTLAND,Ore.— A U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer has died after being injured while on a medical evacuation mission off the Washington coast.

But before he passed away Thursday evening, two poignant ceremonies were held on his behalf: His partner posted on social media that she had accepted a hospitalroom wedding proposal carried out by his family And the Coast Guard awarded him the Distinguished Flying Cross, one of the highest military awards for heroism during flight, as his family and crewmates watched The rescue swimmer, Tyler Jaggers, was also promoted to petty officer 2nd class “He demonstrated extraordinary heroism in the face of danger, upholding the highest standards of courage and excellence for Coast Guard

operations,” Admiral Kevin Lunday, Commandant of the Coast Guard, said in a statement Friday “We honor his selfless actions and unwavering devotion to our highest calling: to save others.”

Jaggers was part of an Astoria, Oregon-based crew that responded Feb. 27 to transport a stroke victim from a commercial vessel 120 nautical miles (222 nautical km) off the Washington coast, the Coast Guard said.

The agency did not specify what happened, citing an ongoing investigation. But according to Rick McElrath, board president and founder of the Coast Guard Helicopter Rescue Swimmer Association, Jaggers fell as he was being lowered to the deck from a helicopter The association is a nonprofit dedicated to helping Coast Guard aviation veterans.

Jaggers had been on life support, the association said. He was treated at hospitals in Victoria, British Columbia, and at Joint Base LewisMcChord, south of Seattle. He died Thursday evening, the Coast Guard reported. Jaggers joined the Coast Guard in January 2022 and had served in Astoria since 2024. The Department of

Homeland Security had previously recognized him for superior performance as a crew member aboard U.S. Coast Guard cutter Legare during operations in the Caribbean, the Coast Guard said.

The Coast Guard said it is conducting an investigation into the cause of his injuries.

The Canadian Coast Guard subsequently responded to evacuate the stroke victim, McElrath said.

In a post on social media Thursday, Jaggers’ partner described how she became his fiancee: While at his hospital bedside, his dad placed the ring on her hand.

“What I didn’t realize was that he had recently told some of his closest buddies that he was getting ready to propose,” Cassandra Weaver wrote. “So yesterday surrounded by the people who love him most, his family carried out the proposal on Tyler’s behalf.”

Her post included photos of her hand — with the new engagement ring — holding his, and touching his Coast Guard uniform.

“I always told him I didn’t care if he proposed with a Ring Pop,” she wrote. “I said yes.”

Jan. 6 plaque honoring police officers displayed at Capitol

BY MARY CLARE JALONICK and LISA MASCARO Associated Press

WASHINGTON Visitors to the U.S. Capitol will now have a visible marker of the siege there on Jan. 6, 2021, and a reminder of the officers who fought and were injured that day Steps from the Capitol’s West Front and where the worst of the fighting occurred, workers quietly have installed a plaque honoring the officers, three years after it was required by law to be erected. The plaque was placed on the Senate side of the hallway because that chamber voted unanimously in January to install it after House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, had delayed putting it up

“On behalf of a grateful Congress, this plaque honors the extraordinary individuals who bravely protected and defended this symbol of democracy on January 6, 2021,” the plaque says. “Their heroism will never be forgotten.”

The Washington Post first reported the installation of the plaque, which was witnessed by a reporter about 4 a.m. ET Saturday It is the first official marker of the violent day in the Capitol. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., led the recent effort to install it as he commemorated the fifth anniversary of the attack on the Senate floor in January and described his memories of hearing people break into the building “We owe them eternal gratitude, and this nation is stronger

because of them,” he said of the officers who were overwhelmed by thousands of President Donald Trump’s supporters and eventually pushed them out of the building.

The mob of rioters who violently forced their way past police and broke in were echoing Trump’s false claims of a stolen election after the Republican was defeated by Democrat Joe Biden. The crowd stopped the congressional certification of Biden’s victory for several hours, sent lawmakers running and vandalized the building before police regained control. More than 140 officers from the U.S. Capitol Police, the Metropolitan Police Department and other agencies were injured.

The fight to have the plaque

Capitol rioter pardoned by Trump gets a life sentence for molesting 2 children

BY MICHAEL KUNZELMAN Associated Press

WASHINGTON A Florida

handyman who was sentenced on Thursday to life in prison for molesting two children had been convicted of storming the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, but was pardoned by President Donald Trump.

Andrew Paul Johnson, 45, is among several Jan. 6 defendants who have been charged with new crimes since Trump’s sweeping act of clemency for Capitol rioters On his first day back in the White House last year, Trump pardoned, commuted prison sentences or ordered the dismissal of cases for all 1,500-plus people charged in the attack.

Johnson, of Seffner, Florida was convicted last month of two counts of lewd or lascivious molestation of a child and one count of electronically transmitting material harmful to a minor, according to prosecutors in

Hernando County, Florida. County Circuit Judge Judge Stephen Toner handed down Johnson’s life sentence

Sheriff’s deputies began investigating the child molestation allegations against Johnson in July 2025. One of his victims told investigators that the abuse started around April 2024, several months before Johnson was sentenced for his Capitol riot conviction.

Johnson told one of his victims that he expected to be compensated for being a pardoned Jan. 6 defendant and would be putting the child in his will to inherit any leftover money, according a sheriff’s office report.

“This tactic was believed to be used to keep (the child) from exposing what Andrew had done,” the report said.

Investigators found sexually explicit messages that Johnson exchanged with one of his victims on the Discord app, according to Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney

Bill Gladson’s office.

“In the messages, Johnson attempted to have the victim download another application for a more private conversation and encouraged the victim to delete their messages afterwards,” Gladson’s office said in a news release.

Chief U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg in Washington sentenced Johnson in August 2024 to one year behind bars after he pleaded guilty to four misdemeanor charges stemming from the riot. Johnson had asked to withdraw his guilty plea, claiming that he was pressured into it, but the judge rejected his request before sentencing.

Johnson was carrying a bullhorn as he marched to the Capitol after attending Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally near the White House. He entered the building through an office window that other rioters had smashed, according to federal prosecutors.

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installed came as Trump returned to office and the Republican Congress has remained loyal to him. Trump, who has called Jan. 6 a “day of love,” has tried to deflect blame on Democrats and police for instigating the attack, and many Republicans in Congress have downplayed the violence.

Congress passed a law in 2022 that set out instructions for the honorific plaque listing the names of officers

“who responded to the violence that occurred.” It gave a one-year deadline for installation, but the plaque never went up.

Democrats who were angry about the missing plaque installed replicas of it outside their offices and called on the GOP leadership to erect it or explain why it was missing.

After more than a year of silence and a lawsuit from two officers who fought at

the Capitol that day Johnson’s office put out a statement on Jan. 5, the night before the fifth anniversary of the attack, that said the statute authorizing the plaque was “not implementable” and the proposed alternatives also “do not comply.” Tillis went to the Senate floor later that week and passed a resolution, with no objections from any other senators, to place the plaque on the Senate side.

TheBaton RougeClinic elevates localvision treatment

By Amanda McElfresh | amcelfresh@theadvocate.com

TheBaton RougeClinichas opened anewly expanded EyeCareCenterat7479Perkins Road, bringing enhanced access,advanceddiagnostic technology andafull-serviceoptical shop to patients across theregion.

“One of thegreatestthings aboutthe Clinic is that we area multidisciplinarygroup with so many specialtiesunder oneumbrella,”hesaid. Thecoordinationofcareisfantastic here.”

Thenewcenterfeaturesaground-levelentrance andits owndedicated parkinglot,makingvisits easier andmoreaccessible forpatients. The expanded footprintalsoallowsfor upgraded technology anda more streamlinedexperience from check-intotreatment

Dr.CarolineSowell, an ophthalmologistat TheBaton RougeClinic, said theupdated facility allows formoreadvanceddiagnosticcapabilities. “A lotofour fieldinvolvesimaging andtechnologybeforeyouevenseethedoctor,”Dr.Sowell said.“Wehavealotmorespaceforallofthatnow.”

With increasedroomfor advanced imaging equipmentand diagnostic tools, theEye Care Center supports awiderange of services,from routineeye examstothe diagnosisand management of complexeye conditions.Servicesinclude glaucoma treatment, cataract management,dry eyeand redeye treatment, clearlensexchange andnearvisioncorrection, pediatriceye exams, maculardegenerationtesting andmanagement, andurgentcarefor eyeinjuriesand pain

An on-siteoptical shop offerspatientsa wide selectionofprescriptioneyeglassesandsunglasses, creating aseamless transition from exam to eyewearselection

Dr.AdamMartin, an optometrist, said the collaborativenatureof TheBaton RougeClinic strengthensoverall patientcare.

Dr.NickFrisard,anophthalmologist,noted that modern lifestylehabitsare drivingincreased demandforeyecareandprofessionaladviceabout howpeoplecan keep theireyeshealthy

“Excessivescreenuse meansyourblinkrate reduces. Your eyes stay open longer andcan dry out,”Dr. Frisardsaid. “Werecommend people closetheir eyes or look away from screensevery 20 minutes.”

With expanded facilities,advanceddiagnostic capabilities andintegratedspecialty care, The BatonRougeClinic’sEyeCareCenterispositioned to providecomprehensive andconvenientvision services forpatientsthroughoutthe region

Formoreinformationortoscheduleanappointment call(225)246-9240orvisithttps://batonrougeclinic. com/services/subspecialties/eye-care/.

Scan to Watch

BY LEAH WILLINGHAM and KIMBERLEE KRUESI Associated Press

PROVIDENCE, R.I The soundofthe school nurse’soffice door opening.

Light reflecting off astained-glass window.Tearful outbursts and fear of getting on the school bus.

For many survivors ofclergy abuse, memorieslike these linger for decades.

Areport released this week by the Rhode Island attorneygeneral detailed decades of abuse inside the state’sCatholicDiocese of Providence, identifying 75 clergy members who sexually abused more than 300 children since 1950. Theinvestigation drew on thousands of churchrecords and years of interviews with victimsand witnesses. Officials said the true number of victims is likely much higher

But survivors say the numbers capture only part of the story.Behind each case,they say,are childhood fragments that resurface years later —along with the long struggle to understand what happened.

Many survivors spent decades searching for answers and pressing authorities to investigate.

Now some are speaking publicly about what they endured andwhat they hope will come next: broader support for survivors, help from the church to pay for therapy and counseling, and accountability from Catholic leaders.

From survivor to advocate

“I can still hear the click ofthe hardware in that metal door opening to this very day,” saidDr. Herbert “Hub” Brennan, an internal medicine doctor who lives and works in his hometown of East Greenwich, Rhode Island, where he grew up in adevoutlyCatholic family

Brennan was sexuallyabused in elementary school by the Rev Brendan Smyth, an Irish priest whoarrivedinthe community in the1960s.Brennan wasanaltar server at Our Lady of Mercy Par-

real:money,tuition, therapy,” he said. “Theeffects are real; they lastalong, long time.”

In avideo statement, Bishop of Providence Bruce Lewandowski said the reportdescribesa “tragic history” of abuse that caused lasting harm to victims and their families.

He said he felt “extreme sadness” and “intense shame” while reading it and apologized to survivorsfor church leaders’ past failures to protect children. Lewandowski said the diocese hassince implemented safeguards aimed at responding quickly to allegations and preventing abuse.

Leboeuf rejectsthatframing.

“It’snot oldhistory.It’sjustice denied formorethan60years for some people,” he said. “These are people whobrought theircomplaints to thedioceseaskids in the1960s, andtheywere ignored, ridiculed, even punished.”

Fighting to be believed

ishwhenthe abuse beganinthe church sacristy.

Brennan says anun would pull him from class and sendhim to wait in the principal’sofficeuntil Smytharrived and led him into the nurse’sroom.

“They say that rapeisone of thefew crimeswhere thevictim feelsthe shame,” Brennan said.

“But the shame is enormous. And then the secrecy that follows to hide that shame gets in theway of healing.”

Brennan confronted it yearslater when anewspaper arrived on his doorstep in 1995. The headline about Smyth’sarrest in Ireland read:“Diocese has no complaints about jailed priest.”

Smyth was later convicted of assaulting children at least 100 timesover four decades.

When Brennan later tried to discuss theabuse with aparish priest, he said he was assured there hadbeen no complaints, only to learnlater the priest had been Smyth’sroommate.

Therevelationpushed Brennan to seek accountability. He later worked with attorney Mitchell Garabedian and settled in MassachusettsSuperior Court.

“I needed to make sure that oth-

ers knewexactlywhatwas going on in this diocese —ifithappened to others, whowas responsible andhow they were hiding it,” Brennan said.

Thereport released this week felt likeaculmination of that effort, he said: “That allowed me to switch from survivor-victim to advocate.”

Breaking the‘wall of secrecy’

For Claude Leboeuf, amber light streaming through stained-glass windows still triggerspainful memories.

Leboeuf,who was abused by a priestasachild in neighboring Massachusetts and now advocates for victims in Rhode Island, called the reportanimportant step toward dismantling what he calls the church’s“wall of secrecy.”

Leboeuf said his memories resurfaced only afew years ago, prompting him to pursue legal action andspeak publicly about what happened to him.

“There’sa need to do something for thesepeople —something

Ann Hagan Webb remembers thedreadshe felt before the school bus arrived each morning. Webb was only akindergartnerwhenher parish priest begansexually abusing her at school in Rhode Island.

Theabuse took place between 1957 and 1965, du ri ng wh ic h Webb —who was abused from the age of 5to12— remembers tearful outbursts before school, sometimes needing to be pulled onto thebus.

It wasn’tuntil decades later,at 40, that Webb turned to therapy to help process the memories. But whenshe wasready to report the abuse, Webb was met with hostility Initially,she asked only forcompensation to cover her therapy bills.Still, she wasmet with skepticism, with leaders at the Diocese of Providencedemanding her medicalrecords and questioning the veracity of her claims. Webb turnedtoadvocacy,becomingknown as aforce for survivors of clergy abuse. In 2019, she helped convince the Rhode Island Legislature to enact legislationdubbed “Annie’sLaw,” which

allows child sexualabusers to be held civilly accountable to victims.

The advocacy has been exhausting, Webb said, andshe still faces stigma when speaking publicly Her abuse is often overlooked, she says, because many assume clergy abuse affected only boys.

“For 32 years, the diocese has called me not credible. Ican’ttell you what that feels like,” Webb said.

The releaseofthe attorneygeneral’sinvestigation has renewed herhopethatchange and justice are still on the horizon.

“Itfeels likevindication,” she said.

“I hope the public demands their church be different,” she added. Along-coming reckoning

The RhodeIslandinvestigation comes at atime when examining possible clergy abuse is no longer unusual.

The shift is afar cry from2002, when TheBoston Globe exposed the Boston Archdiocese’spractice of moving abusive priests between parishes without warning parents or police, prompting investigations around the world.

That reckoning tookdecades longer in Rhode Island.

With one of the highest Catholic populations per capita in the country —nearly 40% —the Diocese of Providence maintained secrecy around clergy abuse even as accusations and lawsuits surfaced over the years.

AttorneyTim Conlon, who has long represented sex abuse victims in Rhode Island, said that whenhefirst filed suits against theDioceseofProvidence, many people wereunwilling to believe such allegations couldbetrue in their own parishes.

At one point in the late 1990s, he said, even his mother questioned whether he was doing the right thing.

State lawhas also made it difficultfor victims to seek justice, Conlonsaid, citing strictlimits on civil suits against institutions like theCatholic Church andnarrow statutes of limitationsfor seconddegree sexual assault.

“Clearly there’sa call for reform,” Conlon said. “The magnitude of the need is well documented.”

$220M ad blitz, split with Trump ended Noem’s tenure

BY REBECCA SANTANA Associated Press

WASHINGTON In a one-minute video, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem decked out in Western riding gear and a cowboy hat, rides a horse through a pine forest near Mount Rushmore She trumpets her department’s hard-line message: “You cross the border illegally, we’ll find you.”

The ad was one of the many times the outgoing secretary made herself the public face of her department. In the end, that approach led to her undoing.

President Donald Trump on Thursday announced he was firing Noem, a decision that came on the heels of back-to-back hearings in Congress last week where she faced rare but blistering criticism from Republican lawmakers, especially over the $220 million ad campaign that featured the secretary on horseback.

An administration official said the ad campaign, along with other “many unfortunate leadership failures” such as fallout from the immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota and mismanagement of her staff, led to her firing. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss the private considerations for the firing.

Noem had faced criticism for months, primarily from Democrats, about the administration’s tough immigration crackdown, especially in the aftermath of the shooting deaths of two Minneapolis protesters at the hands of federal officers. Despite outrage over how she characterized the protesters as agitators, publicly Trump stood by her throughout her 13-month tenure.

Noem’s social media was awash in videos of her out on the streets seemingly joining arrest sweeps of illegal migrants, and photographs of her posing in front of in-

mates at a notorious El Salvadoran prison. Airports across the country also beamed videos of Noem blaming Democrats for a federal government shutdown.

In the end, keeping the spotlight on herself drew fierce scrutiny that may have pushed the president over the edge in deciding whether to keep her on board. Trump said he will nominate Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin in her place and will make Noem a “Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas,” a new security initiative that will focus on the Western Hemisphere.

Noem grilled in Congress

In the Mount Rushmore ad, a montage of video clips shows classic images of American history and culture — a rocket launching into air, a woman standing in a golden wheat field — interspersed with images of Trump being sworn into office, pumping his fist in the air after being shot at, and walking along a row of saluting cadets.

“Anyone who searches for freedom can always find a home here, but that freedom’s a precious thing. And we defend it vigorously You cross the border illegally, we’ll find you,” Noem says in the video. “But if you come here the right way your American dream can be as big as these open skies. From President Trump and me, welcome home.”

Over two days of questioning, senators and representatives pushed her to explain the ad campaign

Republican Sen. John Kennedy of Madisonville asked whether spending $220 million was appropriate when the administration was in a battle against waste. And he asked what the president knew

“The president approved ahead of time you spending $220 million running TV ads across the country in which you are featured prominent-

ly?”

“Yes, sir,” Noem replied “We went through the legal processes. Did it correctly.”

She was repeatedly pressed about contracts awarded surrounding the campaign.

The Associated Press reported last year that the Department of Homeland Security, citing “an unusual and compelling urgency” over the situation at the U.S.-Mexico border, skipped a fully competitive bidding process when it launched an ad campaign early in 2025 and gave two Republican-linked firms the first part of the funding.

Noem insisted to Kennedy that the campaigns were effective.

“Well, they were effective in your name recognition,” Kennedy replied.

Trump called Kennedy

Kennedy went on to suggest that the campaign “puts the president in a terribly awkward spot.”

“It’s just hard for me to believe knowing the president as I do, that you said, ‘Mr. President, here’s some ads I’ve cut and I’m going to spend $220 million running them’ that he would have agreed to that,” said Kennedy

Trump later told NBC News that he didn’t know about the campaign and that he wasn’t “thrilled” with it

“I spent less money than that to become president. I didn’t know about it,” he said.

Kennedy told CNN that he got a call from Trump Tuesday evening and the president was angry “Her version and the president’s version of whether the president, A) was informed and B) consented are decidedly different,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy, speaking after Noem’s firing, said he spoke with the president after the secretary’s testimony and he was “mad as a murder hornet.”

When Trump nominated Noem for his Cabinet, he said

he’d known her for years and she was “very strong” on border security As recently as after the Minneapolis fallout in January, Trump said she was doing “great.”

Public face of DHS

Beyond the Mount Rushmore ad, Noem appeared in other ads and a stream of social media videos and photos put out by the DHS communications team or in news reports. The constant appear-

ances and content showed an image of a secretary out in the field, carrying out Trump’s vision. She swooped into the heart of immigration enforcement operations, with visuals of the action following shortly after It was a tactic she employed right from the beginning of her tenure, when she went out with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents making arrests in New York City. Wearing a

flak jacket and baseball cap, Noem said in a video that they were “getting the dirtbags off the streets.” Later images showed her at the controls of a plane in Alaska or decked out in firefighting gear taking part in a training exercise. She may have successfully raised her profile. But in the end, she became the latest senior administration official to rankle the president and be shuffled into obscurity

As school districtsacrossthe countryworkto modernizetheir fleets,manyare discoveringthat propanebuses canserve as apractical alternative. More than 1,000 districtsinthe United States are nowusingpropanebuses

“Louisiana hasbeena little slow to reap allthe benefits of propane-poweredbussesbut that is changing,”saysRandyHayden,ExecutiveDirector oftheLouisianaPropaneGasAssociation.

“Wehavealwayssupportedthephilosophyof‘All oftheAbove’whenitcomestosupportingtransportationfuels.Webelievethefreemarketshouldmake thesedecisions,notgovernmentmandates.Andwhen freeenterprisedecisionsaremadeforschoolbusses propane-poweredvehiclesareverycompetitiveboth environmentallyandeconomically,”Haydenadds AccordingtothePropaneEducationandResearch Council(PERC),propaneisalow-carbon,near-zero alternativeenergysourcethatdeliversenvironmental and financialbenefits.PERCsaidits studiesshow thatpropaneschoolbusesproduceupto96percent fewertoxicemissionsthandieselbuses,dramatically reducingnitrogenoxides(NOx)andvirtuallyeliminatingparticulatematter–pollutantsthathavebeen linkedtoasthmaandotherrespiratoryproblems.

“There’snosmell,nofumes –nothing forthe children to smell,”bus driver Dawn Tiemannof HenricoCountyPublicSchoolsinVirginiatoldPERC

Students anddrivers on propanebuses aren’t theonlyoneswhoexperiencehealthierairquality. PERC noted that theuse of propanebuses means feweremissionsinneighborhoods,schoolparking lots andbus stops– areaswhere parents, teachers andthegeneralpubliclive,workandtravel.

In addition to environmentalbenefits,proponentssaypropanebusesoffercostsavingstoschool districtswithoutsacrificingdrivingrange,reliability orperformance.AccordingtoPERC,thefuelcosts forpropanebusesisupto50percentlessthandiesel buses.Theyalsoeliminatetheneedforcostlyfilters and fluids needed on newdieselbuses.Plus, new propanebuses cost aboutone-third theprice of newelectricbuses

AJune2025report from MinnesotaClean Citiesfoundthattheaveragefuelcostsavingswere approximately$134per monthper bus, basedon cost andmaintenance differences. In addition,the reportshowedthatpropanebusmaintenancecosts were about32percent lowercomparedtodiesel buses, andthe averagetotal cost of ownershipwas approximately$43,500lessthandieselalternatives overthevehiclelifetime “Iwasexcitedaboutbuyingbusesforlessmoney andrealizingthattheoverallcostofownershipwas

goingtobesignificantly lower,”Amy Rosa,directorofschoolsafetyand transportation at Wa-Nee CommunitySchoolCorporation in Indiana, told PERC.Rosa’sdistrictoperatesamixed fleetthat includes25propanebuses

“Weofferallofourextracurricularsatnocostto students,sotheydon’thavetopayfortravel,”Rosa added.“Everyyear,wesavemoneysothatourkids cancontinueinsportsandmusicprogramswithno fees That’sourgoal–tocontinuetosavemoneyfor ourstudentsandourtaxpayers.”

Around thecountry,drivers have also reported noticeableoperational improvements when using propanebuses Theseincludequietengines,smooth accelerationandreliableperformanceacrossvarious climates.Thebenefitsincludebetterperformancein stop-and-gotrafficandabetterabilityfordriversto hear what’s happeninginsidethe bus. Proponents areoptimisticthatthiswillleadtolong-termdriver satisfactionand,inturn,strongerstaffretentionand moreconsistentbusoperations. Thepropanebussesaredefinitelyquieter. Infact, oneofthe fewcomplaintswehearfromparents is that they cannolongerwaittohearthe diesel bus chugging down theroadtosendtheir kids outin time,”saysHayden Asschoolsystemsaroundthenationcontinueto evaluatecleanertransportationoptions,propaneis provingtobeaviable,provensolutionthatisalready deliveringmeasurablebenefits “Thefueling infrastructure forpropane is relativelystraightforwardtoinstallandmaintain,with widespread availabilityofpropane suppliersand servicetechnicians,” theMinnesota CleanCities reportnoted.(Propanebuses)effectivelybridgethe gaptowards acleaner transportation futurewhile districtsalsoconsiderthe evolving landscape of propanevehicletechnology.”

LOUISIANAPOLITICS

Stranded Louisianansscrambletoget outofMideast

WASHINGTON —About halfway into their 13-day religious and archaeological tour of Israel, Michael Sprague and the 44 faithful he hosted, mostly from Louisiana, were about to spend afew daysin the Old City of Jerusalem. Then the air raid sirenswentoff Their tourguide hustled thegroup into abomb shelter

Mark Ballard

“Weshifted into atotal different mode for the next three days as 20 times we gotthe messages to get to safety,” said Sprague, of Mandeville and the Louisiana State Chaplain with the Capitol Commission, anonprofit that places chaplains in statecapitols.

“Right in front of my eyes, there’stwo missiles that shot through the air and then theIron Dome took them out. Andyou know,itwas boom, boom, boom,” Sprague recalled.

That was Saturday,Feb.28. By Monday,the State Department told Americans to immediately leave 14 Middle East countries that were targeted for retaliation by Iran “using available commercial transportation.” Unfortunately,airports were closed, as were some U.S.embassies, leaving an unknown number of stranded Americans frustrated. Many blasted the Trump administration for not havingan evacuation plan in place.

Others contacted family and friendsathome, who called their representatives in Congress.

House Speaker Mike Johnson’s office is referring constituents to the State Department.

“We’re helping as needed. Also, staff has been available24/7 to help,” said Griffin Neal,aspokes-

Congressional race wide open, poll finds

manfor theBenton Republican.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, said: “I encourageresidents who have questions or have family or friends there to contact my office right away so we can assist in liaising with theState Department.”

Rep. Cleo Fields, D-Baton Rouge, and Rep. Julia Letlow, R-Baton Rouge, said they too are helping constituents get home.

Secretary of StateMarco Rubio told reporters at theCapitol that the U.S.has an evacuation plan for citizens, butran into challenges from closed airspaces.He asked themarooned Americans to signupfor theSmart Traveler

600 likely Republican voters in thedistrict.

Enrollment Program,orSTEP, so theState Department could coordinate thelatest information directly withthe travelers.

About 3,000 have signed up so far.The StateDepartment also estimated that about 9,000 have returned.

Nobody knows how many Americansare stranded in the Middle East.The BBC estimates 500,000 to 1million Americans are in theaffected countries, including teachers, engineers, and oil industry workers in addition to tourists.

“I know that we have gotten alot of phone calls from people who have grave concerns, which

prompted my involvement to write the letter and to push on theSecretary of State to do somethingproactively to address these concerns,” said Rep. Troy Carter, D-New Orleans. Carter wrote Rubio, “Constituents have also informed my office that the State Department’semergency contact line simply repeats online security updates, offering little substantive guidance or theopportunity to speak with knowledgeable personnel who can assist them in real time.” He asked for explicit guidance and chartered evacuation flights.

Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy,Spain and the United

Kingdom started evacuating their citizens on charter flights. President Donald Trumpposted on Truth Social that the U.S. would do so as well.

By Thursday evening, the first such evacuation landed at Dulles International Airport in the Virginia suburbs of Washington. Somecommercial airlines also began to resumeflights.

Luckily forthe Sprague party, the tour company he contracted arranged the paperwork forall of its tour groups and on Monday headed forEgypt in acaravan of five buses flanked by armed security vehicles.

Avoiding war-torn Gaza, the mostdirect route, the tour group took acircuitous 19-hour bus ride to Cairo.

Some of his party returned to the U.S. via Istanbul, others through Frankfurt. Sprague camehome via London and Newark, arriving at his Mandeville home around 3a.m.Wednesday morning.

Sprague said Sen. Bill Cassidy,R-Baton Rouge, reached out during their evacuation after learning of the tour’ssituation via Facebook posts. His staffthen wasintouch regularly

“Anything Ineeded, they were available to help,” Sprague said. Cassidy said he has also been explaining to constituents how to get information through the State Department.

“Itisincredible in the midst of chaos and disaster,war,knowing that people stand by each other,” Sprague said. “It’sagreat feeling that people come together in that way, not just forme, but caring forhundreds and thousands of people that are still trying to maketheir way home.”

Email Mark Ballardat mballard@theadvocate.com.

No one has the advantage among Republican voterstobe the next representative for the 5th Congressional District, which includes East Baton Rouge and Livingston parishes, as well as the Florida Parishes and the parishes in northeast Louisiana, according to arecentpoll. AFeb. 20-21 survey by pollster Greg Rigamer found that state Sen. Rick Edmonds of Baton Rouge, state Rep Michael Echols of Monroe and state Sen. Blake Miguez of Erath are all virtually tied in single digits.

When undecided voters were pushed to identify who they supported,Edmonds developed asmall lead. Butmost voters remained unsurewho to choose.

Edmonds, Echols, Miguez and former Board of Regents chair Misti Cordell of Monroe are vying to replace U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow,who is giving up the seat to try to unseat U.S.Sen.Bill Cassidy

“The defining characteristic of the survey is the near-total lack of familiaritywith the candidates, leading to roughly three-quarters of theelectorate remaining undecided on the initial ballot,” Rigamer,who is based in New Orleans,wroteinan analysis of the results. He polled

pointed John Condos, aformer member of theUniversityof LouisianaSystem Board of Supervisors, to theLSU Boardof Supervisors.

Capitol Buzz STAFF REPORTS

Other Republican candidates are Sammy Wyatt, Austin Magee andMichael Mebruer

The Democrats are Jessee Fleenor,Larry Foy,Lindsay Garcia, Dan McKay and Tania Nyman. Rigamer’spoll showed that President Donald Trumphad a79% favorable rating among Republicansinthe 5th Congressional District, while Gov.Jeff Landry hada66% favorable rating.

Letlow, less well known, had a 48%favorable rating in her district.

Rigamer conducted thesurvey formajor business lobbyist Alton Ashy, whohas dozens of federal andstate clients.

Condostoreplace

Armentor on LSU board

Gov.Jeff Landry this week ap-

“John is aproven leader with the experience and vision to help takeLSU to thenext level,” Landry wrote on X.

Condos replaces Glenn Armentor,who stepped down Tuesday.Landry said Armentor wanted to dedicatehimself full-time to his law practice.

Condos, an alumnus and former associate professor at McNeese StateUniversity,has adoctorate in business administration.

He has been acommissioner of theLouisiana Stadium and Exposition District, which oversees theSuperdome and Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, and is an entrepreneur in the medical-legal industry,according to his biography on the district website. According to Shane Guidry,atop adviser to the governor in New Orleans, Courtney Guastella, who is afundraiser for Landry,U.S. Rep.Julia Letlow and other Republicans,will be replacing Condos on thestadium district.

Condos joining theboard marks Landry’sninth appointment, including three reappointments, to theLSU governing body.The board includes 15 members at-

large and one student representative.

Longtime AFL-CIO lobbyist Reineretires

Louis Reine has been at the Capitol for 69 regular and special legislative sessions over thepast 29 years.

He won’tbeat theCapitol on Monday,when this year’sregular session convenes.

Reine, 70, retired in September as the president of the Louisiana AFL-CIO. He had been the group’spresident since 2006 andhad served in senior roles before that.

“It’s time fornew young folks with enthusiasm and energy to takeover,” Reine said.

MattWood has replaced Reine as the state president.

During his long career,Reine pushed for what he described as “economicsecurity forworkers through afair wage, the opportunityfor their children to get an education, available and affordable health care and the opportunity to retire with secure pensions.”

Reinefought yearly battles with the Louisiana Association of Businessand Industry,the most powerful business lobby in Baton

Rouge.

“The majority of my personal dealings with LABI have been with (lobbyist) Jim Patterson,” Reine said. “He has aconstituency that pushes forcertain things. Ihave aconstituency that pushes forother things. He wasalways truthful and aman of honor.”

While Reine appreciated his oldschool relationship with Patterson, he didn’tappreciate what he saw as the biggest change over 29 years, the increased partisanship. “It’sbecome moreabout the party than the issues,” Reine said. “It’snot agood change. It focuses on what’sbest forthe party and not what’sbest forthe people.”

Reine also believes that term limits —12years in each chamber —rob the Legislature of institutional knowledge.

“As members begin to learn the issues —that takes time—they becomemore effective,” Reine said. “Then they are termed out, and someone has to start from the beginning.”

Reine worked with five governors.

He used to laugh when Bobby Jindal wasgovernor because Jindal always mispronounced his last name. (It sounds like the pronunciation forthe bird “wren.”) John Bel Edwards never had trouble with Reine’sname because Reine helped secure the union’sendorsement forEdwards early in the 2015 governor’srace.

Soldiers honored in traveling exhibit

BY JANIE HAR Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO Afterthe

bombing of Pearl Harbor, second-generation Japanese American soldiers signed up to fight for the UnitedStates in World WarIIeven as their families were locked up in government-run internment camps and declared “alien enemies” of the state.

Decadesaftertheyreturned home from the war to face more racism and discrimination, the soldiers are now being honored in anew traveling exhibit kicking off in San Francisco called “I am an American: The Nisei Soldier Experience.” The title of the show comes from alarge sign posted to aJapanese American storefront in Oakland, California, the day after Pearl Harbor

The 1,500-square-foot exhibit featuresfamilyphotos, mementos andshort bios of the Nisei men shared by their relatives to ensure that storiesofpast bravery endure for younger generations, especially as questions of nationality still persist

‘Nintai’

On display is atravel bag that belonged to Sgt. Gary Uchida, marked by drawings he made of his native Hawaii and places he went while in the Army

There is aU.S. Army identificationcard on which Oregon-born George S. Hara wrote undernationality: American. Rihachi Mayewaki made anote holder from lumber scraps while imprisoned at Jerome camp in Arkansas. It features an American bald eagle and ablue star banner with three stars, one for each son: Ben, who helped collect, evaluate and interpret enemy intelligence; Charles, who trained as arifleman with the famed 442nd Regimental Combat Team; and Hachiro, who trained as alinguist and worked as a translator

At the bottom of the holder is written “nintai,” the Japanese word for endurance.

“The father was incredibly proud he had three sons serving in the American army,” Christine Sato-

Yamazaki, executive director of theNational Veterans Network and co-curator of the exhibit, said at aribboncuttingceremony.

Fighting fortheir country

About33,000 Japanese Americans fought in World WarII, despite the U.S. government shipping an estimated 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry to desolate camps.Thousands were elderly or children too youngtoknowthe meaning of treason.Two-thirdswere U.S. citizens. Their homes and businesses were seized whilethey were imprisoned, ofteninovercrowded, wooden bunk houses in bleak locations with harsh conditions.

The United States didn’t offera formal apologyuntil 1988.

“These soldiers wanted to prove they were loyal patriotic Americans, part of the greatestgeneration at that time andthey were American —justlike anybody else,” saidSato-Yamazaki, whose grandparents did not talk abouttheir timeincamp or at war.The garrison cap worn by her grandfather, Tech. Sgt.Dave Kawagoye, is featured in the exhibit. It contains the words “Go for Broke,” the motto of the famed 442nd.

Japanese Americans joined the442nd Regimental Combat Team or 100thInfantry Battalion, both highly awarded yet segregated units. They alsoserved as

linguists in theMilitaryIntelligence Service. Some 800 Nisei soldiers were killed in action.

tance.”

The five-year exhibit runs in SanFrancisco’sPresidio through August before heading off to 10 other cities, including Honolulu, Los Angeles, andPortland, Oregon. It is presentedbythe National VeteransNetwork, National Museum of the United States Armyand theArmyHistorical Foundation.

Classringfound,returned

Among those featured in theexhibit is Staff Sgt.Robert Kuroda, who was unable to get work as asecond-generation JapaneseAmerican in Hawaii solely because of his ancestry.Sohesigned up to fight in World WarII, reasoning that if he fought for his country,employers could no longer deny him a job

On Oct. 20, 1944, Kuroda advanced through heavy enemy gunfiretotake out two enemy machine gun nests after helping liberate the French town of Bruyères from Nazi occupation. He continued his assault until sniper firekilledhim. He was 21. Kuroda was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, which was later upgraded to the Medal of Honor.The medal citation noted that his “courageous actions and indomitable fighting spiritensuredthe destructionofenemy resis-

are Kuroda’sMedal of Honor and high school class ring, which was prizedinhis family as he wasthe first of nine siblings to graduate. The ring wasmissing until 2021 when ametal detector hobbyist named Sébastien Roure found it buried in a forest near Bruyères.Roure worked tirelessly to return the Farrington High School class ring to the Kurodas andnow,the twofamilies visit, using an app and high school French and English to

communicate.

Before the exhibit, both the ring and medal had been displayed in aglass case at a cousin’sauto body shop near Honolulu.

“The family just felt if we could, in our own ways, help others,the country, know the sacrifices of the previous generation and what they did for our lives, then, even better,” said Kevin Kuroda, anephew who traveled from Hawaii for the exhibit’sopening.

EDUCATION

Navigating conversationswithkidsabout war

BY CHEYANNEMUMPHREY Associated Press

The latest conflict in the Middle East is developing quickly and deeply complex,which canmakeit difficult for childrentomake sense of events they see unfoldingonsocial media, hear adults anxiously discussing or are experiencing in real life. Experts say exposure to war,even if it is indirect, can affect how kidsthink, feel and behave.

Child psychologists anddevelopment experts say talking about it may help.

“Sometimes adults think if they don’ttalk about something thatis difficult, than it doesn’texist. But we know that’snot the reality in children’slives,”saidRebecca Smith, the global head ofchild protection at Save the Children, an internationalaid and advocacy organization. “Ignoring or avoidingthe topic of conflict canlead to children feeling lost, alone and scared. …Itisessential to have open and honest conversations with children to help them process what is happening.”

Below are suggestionsfor having conversations with children about war and its impacts.

Create asafespace

Experts recommend starting with whatachild might know about what is happening in Ukraine, Gaza, Iran, Israel,Sudan or other parts of the world before attempting to address any feelingsoffear,sadness,anger or anxiety

Some childrenmay notknow that fighting has escalated between the United States and Israel on one side and Iran and its proxies on the other. Other kids may be more aware than theirfamilies

realize and suppress their emotions. Children visiting or living in Middle Easterncountries directly impacted will haveseen weapons lightup the skyand may know peoplekilled or have to leave their homes.

“For some children where missiles are now visibleinthe skies, this might beanentirely new and terrifying experience,” Smith said.

“When events like this happen, theydisrupt achild and family’s sense of safety.What once felt stable and secure may suddenly feel uncertain.

To helpchildrenworkthrough their emotions, the trusted adults in their lives also need to take care of themselves, accordingtoexperts. Guidance from theNational Child Traumatic Stress Network says adults sharingtheir own feelings with children canbeanopportunity to convey personal be-

liefs and values about how to treat others. The key is to not assume what children might be thinking or feeling.

If childrendonot wanttotalk or arenot ready,experts suggest adults remain patient and tell children they are there for them.

“It is necessary to respect child’s abilitytorefuse communication their ability nottotalkornot to tell about something. Because they can have their own feelings,their own states, which they might not wanttoshare,” child psychologist Nataliia Sosnovenko said, speaking in Ukrainian. Sosnovenko works with VoicesofChildren, aUkrainianorganization thatprovides psychological support anddocumentschildren’sexperiences in the countryduring the yearslong war with Russia. Somechildren might share what they have seen or heard, how they

feel or ask questions when given an opportunity.Experts say this is when adults should validate their feelings and address what’shappening honestly while taking their ages and maturitylevelsintoaccount.

Letage guide theconversation

The American Psychological Association recommends giving kids basic, age-appropriate information about warand conflict, and addressingany upsetting images, headlines or conversations they were exposed to without going into details that might makethem unnecessarily anxious. But ultimately,parents know theirchildren best,experts say Families whohave loved ones in the region may need to take the extra time to discuss the safety of theirrelatives and friends, and the difficultyofuncertainty

Families in the region themselves may need to have aplanin place for what to do if they become separated.

Experts with Save the Children say to keep it simple and to practice the plan calmly

Depending on how young, some childrencan understand the idea that two countries are fighting. But young children living abroad may not be able to distinguish between what they see on screens and what is happening nearby.For children in the U.S., the Iran war can seem much closerthanitisiftheyare frequently seeing imagesonTV or social media, meaning they may need additionalreassurance they are safefrom danger

Older children are likely to understand war and its consequences,which meanstheymight be moreconcerned and have more questions, the American Psychological Association says. Adults may want to considerfocusing on what is within their control and giving children someagency, such as supporting humanitarian efforts, staying informed andaddressing misinformation.

UNICEF,the United Nations agency that provides humanitarian aid and long-term support to children worldwide, says it is OK to not have all the answers.

In Lebanon, some familieshave sought refuge sinceSaturdayina brick school building. Nora Ingdal, Save the Children’sLebanon Country Director,says children there are asking several questions about the reason for conflict and when things might return to normal.

“This one daughter was clinging to her mother and looking up to her momand asking, ‘Mom,why are they fighting? Why are they attacking us?’ The mother looks at me, but has no answer.Then she’s asking, ‘Whenare we gonna go home?’ Again, the mom looked at me,” Ingdal said. “I said to her,‘It’s all right to say that you don’tknow youcannotguaranteeanything, but I’mhere with you.’”

Claims of ‘rediscovered’ Michelangelos unsettle experts

BY NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press

ROME An independent researcher claimed last week that a marble bust of Christ in a Roman church is by Michelangelo, the latest purported attribution to the Renaissance genius who is one of the most imitated artists in the world.

The unverified claims by Valentina Salerno has unsettled Renaissance scholars, especially since a recent sketch of a foot that was attributed to Michelangelo, but disputed by some as a copy, recently fetched $27.2 million at a Christie’s auction.

Given the stakes — and Salerno’s suggestion that several other works can now be attributed to Michelangelo based on her documentary research — many leading experts have declined to comment.

Salerno has published her theory on the commercial website academia.edu, a nonpeer reviewed social networking site academics use, and announced the first “rediscovery” at a news conference.

The Culture Ministry was invited to participate in Salerno’s news conference and didn’t, said the abbot of the order that runs the church, the Rev Franco Bergamin. The Carabinieri’s art squad refused to weigh in on the authenticity of the statue, but said it was being protected. A laminated sign now graces the sculpture:

“Alarm armed” it reads.

“We hope that this asset, which belongs to our cultural heritage regardless of whether it can be attributed to Michelangelo Buonarroti or not, is part of the national heritage that we are responsible for defending,” said Lt. Col. Paolo Salvatori.

Michelangelo Buonarroti, who lived from 1475-1564, created some of the most spectacular works of the Renaissance: the imposing statue of David in Florence and the delicate Pieta in St. Peter’s Basilica, the Sistine Chapel ceiling and “The Last Judgment” fresco behind the chapel’s altar. Salerno now says she has located another a bust of Christ in the Basilica of Sant’Agnese Fuori le Mura, listed by Italy’s Culture Ministry as anonymous from the Roman school of the 16th century

The claims have drawn perhaps more attention than they normally would, given the Vatican seemed at least initially interested in them Friday marked the 550th anniversary of Michelangelo’s birth and there are a number of exhibits, conferences and commemorations that are reviving attention about his genius and legacy

She is not the first to claim it. In 1996, Michelangelo expert William Wallace wrote an article in ArtNews about the well-documented history of wrongly attributing works to Michelangelo. It quoted the 19th-century French author Stendhal as writing that at the Sant’Agnese church, “we noticed a head of the savior which I should swear is by Michelangelo.”

“Stendhal’s vow notwithstanding, the head has never been taken seriously, and nowadays would not even appear in a catalog raisonné under ‘rejected attributions,’” Wallace wrote.

Salerno suggests that several documents in the first few hundred years after Mi-

chelangelo’s death correctly attribute the work to the artist but that in 1984 a scholar debunked it, erroneously in her view, and it has remained wrongly attributed ever since.

“I have provided and will

BY NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press

VATICAN CITY Michelange-

lo’s “The Last Judgement” is getting a facial, with restorers removing a chalky white film of salt that has accumulated over the Renaissance masterpiece since its last major renovation three decades ago.

The Vatican last month gave the media a sneak peek to the cleaning operation, which is taking place on a floor-to-ceiling scaffolding that has obscured the imposing fresco of heaven and hell that dominates the front of the chapel. The cleaning operation is expected to be completed by Easter, in the first week of April.

The public can continue to visit in the meantime but will have to settle for a reproduction of “The Last Judgment” superimposed on a screen that covers the scaffolding.

Vatican Museum officials described a simple but important cleaning operation to remove the white film of salt that has accumulated on the fresco thanks to the nearly 25,000 people who pass through the Vatican Museums each day

“This salt is created because, above all, when we sweat, we emit lactic acid, and unfortunately lactic acid reacts with the calcium carbonate present on the wall,” said Fabio Moresi, in

charge of the scientific research team at the Vatican Museums that is overseeing the cleaning Climate change also has a role to play, since the visitors who do come tend to sweat more, creating even more humidity that reacts with the fresco, he said Vatican Museums chief Barbara Jatta described the film as a “cataract” that is easy enough to remove: Restorers dip sheets of Japanese rice paper into distilled water and apply them to the fresco, and carefully wipe away the salt film.

Viewed up close on the scaffolding, the difference between before and after is remarkable: Sections of the fresco that haven’t been cleaned look as if they are coated in a chalky dust; the

continue to provide I hope, because the research continues — a whole series of documentary evidence on this,” she said. She suggested that the bust was modeled on Michelangelo’s intimate friend, Tomaso De’ Cavalieriis, and was part of the great artistic inheritance Michelangelo left to his friends and students when he died. Salerno said she came to the conclusion tracing wills, inventories and notarized documents held in church and state archives and the archives of Roman confraternities to which Michelangelo and his students belonged.

Salerno, an actress and fiction author, has no college degree or expertise in art history She has said she fell into the research “by chance” when she set out to write a novel about Michelangelo 10 years ago.

According to her research

published on academia.edu, Salerno uncovered evidence of a secret “pact of indissolubility” among some of Michelangelo’s students and their heirs to keep Michelangelo’s works after he died. The pact included the previously unknown existence of a chamber, whose locks could only be opened with three keys, held by three different students, she said. Salerno’s research caught the eye of Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, who runs St. Peter’s Basilica. He named Salerno and her mentor to a scientific committee formed in 2025 to discuss a possible Vatican exhibition to commemorate the anniversary of Michelangelo’s birth. Nothing has yet come of the committee’s work Its members have downplayed the significance of Salerno’s work or refused to discuss it.

cleaned sections show the vibrant colors and detail of the original On the figure of Jesus, for example, at the center of the fresco, a privileged visitor can see how Michelangelo painted his hair and the wounds of his crucifixion.

The Sistine Chapel is named after Pope Sixtus IV, an art patron who oversaw the construction of the main papal chapel in the 15th century

But it was a later pontiff, Pope Julius II, who commissioned Michelangelo to paint the famous ceiling, the “Creation of Adam” showing God’s outstretched hand, between 1508 and 1512. A later pontiff, Pope Clement VII, commissioned Michelangelo in 1533 to return to paint “The Last Judgment.”

THE GULF COAST

TwoGulfCoast destinations getrankedas‘most desirable’

BY POET WOLFE Staff writer

Twocounties along the GulfCoast were among the nation’s“most desirable”counties to move to in 2025 in arecent ranking by U.S. News &World Report, reflecting continued growth as more newcomers settle in the region.

The publication evaluated the top 50 states, counties and citydestinations by theirmove-in-to-move-outratiosusing publicdata and population trends.Baldwin County in Alabama ranked No. 15, while Okaloosa County in Floridaranked No.25.

U.S. News &Report noted the U.S.South dominatedthe list of sought-afterrelocation destinations, attributing the trend to “mild temperatures, coastal living and year-round outdoor activities,” as well as lower costs of living and more affordable housing

The ranking is the secondthisyear in which Gulf Coast communitiesinAlabama and Florida have appeared.The recognition reflects how both areas —long knownas beach destinations for neighboringstates —haveinrecent years expanded beyond their tourism identities to become desirable places to live. Baldwin Countyishome to cities like Daphne,Fairhopeand Orange

Beach,while Destin is in Okaloosa County.

In January,U.S. News&Report released its annual list of thenation’sbestplaces to live, scoring cities on ascale of one through 10 based on factorsincluding housing affordability,job markets and overall quality of life, such as crimerates, weather and cultural amenities. The ranking evaluated 250 cities nationwide. Daphne,inBaldwin County,placed 182nd with ascore of six, whilePensacola ranked 166th with the samescore.

Recent census data also shows thecoastal communitiescontinuing to grow.According to a2023-2024report from the U.S. Census Bureau, Baldwin County’spopulation grew by more than 7,000 people, making it the sixth fastest-growing county in the country Okaloosa County grew by more than 4,000 people Tourismhas also surged across theAlabama and Florida coasts as the region sees more residents.

Alabama Tourismreported that more than 28 millionpeople visitedin2024, arecord high.Meanwhile, more than 34 million peoplevisited Florida between July and September2025, with domestic travelers accounting formore than 90% of visitors, thestate tourism group Visit Floridasaid.

HartzChicken Buffet is lowonfrills, bigonfood

BY POET WOLFE Staff writer

Acurtain of fog fell overOcean Springs, Mississippi, on aFebruary afternoon, draping over live oaks, railroads, telephone poles and roadside advertisements. Yet, one sign —butterscotch-yellow,accompanied by ashabby metalchicken —stood out along Bienville Boulevard.

The sign is plantednext to aone-story building capped withaflat red roof and another slender placard that reads: Hartz Chicken Buffet.

Inside, it’snothing fancy

Fluorescent lighting glows fromagrid ceiling, the kind thathovers over corporate offices, casting light onto faux-brick floors.

In one corner of theroom, walls are covered in framed sketches of cartoon chickens and hens, as well as shelves filled with knickknacksgrandmothers tend to collect: display plates, potted polyester flowers, dolls.Bubblegum pop playsquietly overhead —the only reminder that you’re not in the 1970s.

In avisuals-obsessed age, morerestaurants are leaning into hyper-curated aesthetics, hoping to seduce patrons with sultry, low-dim lights, neon signs and velvet booths.

If you’relooking to eat somewhere with avibey interior worthy enough to pull out your phone,snapa pictureand share it with your followersonsocial media, this roadside joint isn’tthe place foryou.

Hartz opened in 1975 at the height of a fried chicken boom, when chains like Popeyes andChurch’s wereturning cuisine long anchored in the South into national franchises.

TheMississippi Coastwas riding that wave withbothHartzand Cajun’sFabulousFried Chicken,which lateropenedin Gulfport in 1979. Today,asmore restaurantsalong the Coast embrace modern techniques and global flavors, both buffets continue celebrating the region’sstaplesat home.

The swivel chairsand woodenbooths fill up quickly at Hartz, welcomed by the cracklingoffrying oiland thehum of lunch-break conversations.

More than 20 people crowded the buf-

fet,lifting friedchickenand fish with metal tongs, then carrying to-go plates to the counter to be weighed and rung up at the register for amodest price before taking their seats. The movements came naturally to mostofthem, as if they’d been coming to Hartz for lunch since they were little kids.

One of the workers carried on acomfortable conversation with acouple at abooth as she swept the floors, joking, “I’m an expert with this broom.”

It’s not trendy decor and flattering lighting that’sdrawnpeople into the restaurant formore than five decades —it’sthe fried chicken, piled into perfect gold mountains high beneath the heat lamps. Both Popeyes and Cajun’sbuild heat into each bite, layering Cajun-inspired spice into their crust. Hartz goes in the opposite direction: acrispy,delicately seasoned crust over tender meat

The same restraint defines their sides, including the mashed potatoes, cornbread, red beans and sweet roasted carrots. If you aren’tfeeling like bone-in chicken, there are fried tenders, gizzards and livers, too. The restaurant’sapproach feels refreshing in an era whenrestaurants, in pursuit of distinction, put great effort into reinventing once-humble fried chicken with elaborate dipping sauces,layeredseasonings and intricate batters and brines. At Hartz, the food remains unpretentious, straightforward andunmistakably Southern.

Industry accounts for95% of exports

BY EMMA BURROWS, KWIYEON HA andEVGENIY MALOLETKA Associated Press

ILULISSAT, Greenland Fisherman Helgi Áargil no longer knows what to expect on Greenland’sfjords, where he spends up to five days at atimeonhis boat with his dog, Molly,and the everchanging northern lights in the sky as company Last year,his boat got stuck in ice that broke off thenearby glacier.This year,it’sbeen very wet instead. His income is just as unpredictable. An outing could bring him around 100,000Danishkroner (about $15,700), or nothing at all.

The Arctic’srapidly changing climate is bringing more questions for Greenland, the semiautonomous territory of Denmark that’sbeen shaken by U.S. President Donald Trump’s interest in owning it.

While Trump’sapproach to Greenland has shifted, the world has been unable to slow the effects of climate change. The Arctic is warming faster than any other region in the world, driven by the burning of oil, gas and coal. What that means for the fishing industry that largely drives Greenland’seconomy is unknown. Fishing accounts forupto95% of exports,many to the territory’sbiggest market, China, along with the United States, Japan and Europe. Disappearing seaice Wrappedinawool sweater against the freezing wind,Áargilexplainedhow he fishes for halibut and cod

Other top catches are shrimp and snow crab, which including legs can

reach more than 3feet in length.

Traditionalice fishermen who make up halfthe local industry are seeing the most dramatic changes to the way they fish.

“Myfather wasfishing fromthe sea ice” almost 5feetthick,recalled Karl Sandgreen, head of the Icefjord Center that documents climate change in theregion andisbased in the town of Ilulissat.

That sea ice started disappearing around 1997, Sandgreen said, and fishermen who drilled through the ice to fishincreasingly started to fishbyboat instead.

Theuse of boatsallows fishermen to reach larger areas,but thatcan come with extra costs and pollutionthat accelerates warming.

Fishing has shaped Greenland’scommunities.The harbor where fishermen returntoselltheir catch is at theheart of everytownor village.

Before heading out, some fishermen pick up boxes from theisland’sfishing companies to pack their catch which,inthe capital

of Nuuk, is winched from theboat to the fish factory

Toke Binzer,the chief executive of the island’s single biggest employer, Royal Greenland,said he is increasinglyworried about afuturewithgreatlydiminished sea ice. That could push traditional fishermen toward larger communities and intothe ranks of commercial fishing.

The challenge now is howtosupport traditional fishermen when thereis sometimes “too much ice to sail, too littletogoout on,” Binzer said.

Already, thatunpredictabilityhas caused a“huge” problem.

Royal Greenland already loans fishermen money to buy aboat, which they repay from sellingtheir catch, Binzer said.

If everyoneturns to fishing from boats, that could help economically but lead to overfishing, said Boris Worm,anexpert in marine biodiversityatDalhousie University in Canada.

In Greenland, there are already signs of too much fishing close to shore as halibut are getting smaller,

Binzer said. Worm agreed, calling it aclassic sign of

overfishing as thebigger fish arecaught and the smaller, younger ones are left.

Thatproblemcould worsen as the retreating ice makes fish more accessible. Fish stocks could rise as the warmer weather causes increased rain and melting ice to bring morenutrients for plankton, whichthe fish feed on,Wormsaid.

He warned, however,that the fishmay not behave as “predictably,” as in thepast, perhaps by seeking new food sources if they can no longer feed on the algae which grows underthe sea ice.

Fewoptions beyond fishing

On his boat near Nuuk, Áargil consideredanother challenge:Warmweather is making somefish harder to catch as they go deeper in search of colderwaters.

“It’stoo warm,” he said,

looking at the hills around the fjord.

“I don’tknow where the fish is going, but there’snot so much.” Options beyond fishing remain fewinGreenland. Tourism is increasing but farfrommaking up asignificantpartofthe economy Tradition, too, is at the heart of worries about climatechange.Already,dog sledders have been confined to land whenthere is no sea ice.

“It’sreally important formanyGreenlandersto have the ability to go out andsail,”saidKen Jakobsen, the manager at Royal Greenland’sfactory in Nuuk. Fishing is the“most important” thing. In the capitalalone,he said, there are morethan 1,000boats in theharbor during summer —inaterritory where the total populationislittle over 50,000.

Four candidates viefor Houseseat

ThreeRepublicans, oneDemocratrunning in specialelection

BY CLAIRE GRUNEWALD Staff writer

Three Republicans and one

Democrat are competing in a special election to filla Louisiana House seat that representspart of Baton Rouge.

Theseatfor the 69th Districtwas vacatedwhen state Rep. Paula Davis resigned in January.

Candidatesare RepublicansPaul Sawyer,Adam Beach and Lynn

Panel refusesto reinstate professor

SLUcommittee cites patternofpoor management

BY DAVID J. MITCHELL Staff writer

An internal committee has refused to back abid by aSoutheasternLouisiana University professor to be reinstated to her role investigating environmental conditions on Lake Maurepas after her removal last summer

The panel cited apattern of poor management practices by chemist Fereshteh Emamion on that job. It also rejected her calls for an independent investigation intothe matter Emamion contends her removal violated First Amendment and academic freedom principles

She alleged the universityremoved her because she publicized findings that heavy metals andother contaminants were in the lake, possibly from industrial sources, in apeer-reviewed journal and laterspoke about themtonews organizations last summer while on the industry-financed project.

Air Products has paid SLU to document the lake’s healthbeforethe company builds alarge and controversial carbon capture and storage network there.

Both Emami’spublishedstudy and the initial news story about it caught university officials by surprise and, Emami alleged, endangered new opportunities for the university to get environmental work for similar industrial projects in other locations. But in their recommendation to SLU President William Wainwright, aseven-member grievance committee rejected Emami’sclaim. Wainwright has the final decision on her future with the Lake Maurepas work.

The committee foundthatmaterials providedbyprofessor Kyle Piller the director of the project, and two other university officialsinvolved showed removing Emami had been discussed for at least eight months before she lost her post.

The documents “established a multiyear patternofineffective administrative oversightinplanning, organizing, staffingand controlling the Lake Maurepas Project,” the committeewrote. In addition to recommendingher removal be upheld, the panel declined to recommendrestoringher teaching schedule or supplemental pay.She remains an assistant professor

The panel also rejected Emami’s request to amend its media policy to conform with the First Amendment, saying it was outside the scope of their work. Theyrecommendedshe take it to the Faculty Senate. Emami contends the alleged administrative problems were an afterthe-fact justification for her removal.

In astatement, William Most, Emami’slawyer,pointed out that the committee relied partially on evidence she was not allowed to seein advance

Coxe Graham, as well as Democrat Angela Roberts.

The special legislative election is Saturday.Polls will be open from 7a.m.to8p.m.

Sawyerrecently served as chief of staff to U.S.Rep.Garret Graves andhas also served as chiefof staff to former CongressmanRichard Baker.Inaddition, he has held senior roles in state government at Louisiana EconomicDevelopment.

“I’ve been working for this dis-

trictmyentire life,” Sawyer said. “I got tired of throwing my shoe at theTV; when the opportunity presented itself, Ihad to do this.”

Sawyersaid thefirst three priorities he instinctively would want to addressare infrastructure,insurance and crime. He spoke of his experience work-

ing on infrastructure projects with Graves, saying theywould go after projects that were “stuck in mud, and we would bring those back to life.”

He said getting infrastructure projects“unstuck and prioritized” would also directly help insurance issues by helping lessen the numberofaccidents. Sawyer also wantstomake sure law enforcement hasall the tools it needs, such as updated technology,and also fo-

cus on helping parolees reentering society after incarceration.

Roberts has worked as aparalegaland legaltranscriptionist. She has also served as aCourt Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer “Weneed newblood in office, she said. “I have agood perspective of the common people.” Roberts said she wants to help make politicsunderstandable andthat“the systemhas gotten too complicated for us.” To

Procuring produce

BY CLAIREGRUNEWALD Staff writer

Breanne and ShelbyHorne, for the past week,haveserved hundreds ofnew customersat their new brick-and-mortar locationfor He’Brews My Cup, demonstrating howmuchthe town of Livingstonneeded a coffee shop

TheHornes, of Walker, opened their first shop for He’Brews My Cup on Feb. 28, andthe momentum fromthe grand openinghasn’tslowed down since then.

“It definitely filleda void in thisarea,” Shelby Horne said. “A lot of people commute back andforthonU.S. 190 going to Hammond. So, it’sagoodspot right here.”

For its first week, the coffeeshop has seen over 100 customersdaily,including 250completelynew customers, according to theowners. It is now one of the fewcoffee shopsonthe east side of Livingston Parish. While they ordered,customersonFridaymorning were telling shopemployees, “It’s such agift thaty’all are here,”

and “I tried to come the day y’all opened,but the linewas down the road.”

The shop is located on Florida Boulevarddirectlyacross from the Livingston Parish School Boardoffice. It is open 6:30 a.m. to 4p.m.Monday throughFriday and 8a.m. to 3p.m. Saturday. Thelocation may be new, but the Hornes arenot newto selling coffee to thecommunity.The couple started their business in August 2024 with amobile trailerinDenham Springs andeventually went to locations throughout Liv-

ingston Parish —and still do.

“It exceededour expectations. We started with 20 customers, and we started at a gym,and it just took off,” Breanne Horne said. “This wasn’t even on the radar.”

TheHornes werelooking to purchase another coffee trailer until the opportunity to purchase andrenovate an old sno-ball stand camealong. The shop’s menu features acreative listofspecialty drinks that change based on the season, such as thesweet

EMMA DISCHER Staff writer

Bayou Water Park will reopen in time for MemorialDay weekend this

N.O. sobering center closes after budget cuts

BY SOPHIE KASAKOVE Staff writer

A facility hailed as an alternative to jail and hospital stays for intoxicated people the vast majority of whom were homeless — has shuttered its doors as city officials cut costs to claw out of a budget crisis.

The Sobering Center, a 25-bed facility on St. Ann Street and North Claiborne Avenue run by Odyssey House Louisiana, closed on Jan. 15 after its $1.45 million budget was axed in Mayor Helena Moreno’s 2026 spending plan.

Supporters of the facility say that it helped get people safely off the streets and often served as a first stop to longer-term treatment. A Moreno spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment, but has said that the city needs to trim costs to avoid a projected $222 million budget deficit this year inherited from Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s administration.

The 25-bed facility was visited thousands of times by nonviolent intoxicated people in need of a place to sober up since it opened in 2019. Visitors to the center typically wound up there after being picked up by police, emergency responders, or a “sober patrol” operated by the center, once those responders determined that higher-level medical care at a hospital wasn’t needed

The facility was also open to walk-ins. About 90% of the people it served were homeless, said Robert Chandler, an Odyssey House Louisiana program director.

The closure of the facility comes as the city has also reduced other homeless services. The city’s Office of Homeless Services saw major cuts this year — one of several city departments to see staff slashed under Moreno’s fiscal plan. It is getting just $700,000 this year from the city’s general fund, down from $3.6 million in 2025. Funding the city used to ramp up placements into permanent housing in recent years has dried up.

In an interview at Washington Mardi Gras, nearly two weeks after the center’s closure, Moreno said she was interested in San Francisco’s approach to cracking down on public drug use. Beginning this spring San Francisco police will give people arrested for public drug use the option to go to a sobering center, instead of to jail. Under that plan, people are free to leave after they sober up, the pub-

HOUSE

Continued from page 1B

accomplish this, she said she would draw on her experience in legal proceedings through CASA.

She wants to focus on increasing access to high-quality early childhood education, improving infrastructure and insurance, and also making government transparent and accountable.

“Our community stakeholders should be heard, and not just heard but valued in the decision-making process,” she said about government transparency.

Beach is currently a high school principal at Bethany Christian School. He has also served as an instructor at Bethany College and a pastor at Bethany Church Beach said his high school history class students encouraged him to run for office and that it was always “one of the dreams.”

“I’m not a political insider,” he said about his experience.

The educator said he would draw on his teaching experience to help make connections to voters about what is going on in government. He would want to support education initiatives in office, such as the LA GATOR Scholarship Program.

“I really do enjoy working with people I think I’d be uniquely qualified,” he said.

Graham currently serves as a member-at-large on the East Baton Rouge Republican Parish Executive Committee and District 16-C representative on the Republican State Central Committee She is also an officer of the Louisiana Federation of Republican Women.

“We must make Louisiana the best place in the Gulf South to live, work and start a business,” Graham said in her campaign announcement

Graham wants to emphasize creating efficiencies in the areas of state government that most often interface with the public, like the Louisiana Department of Revenue and the Office of Motor Vehicles. She also wants to lower insurance costs and eliminate the state income tax.

“Currently, it seems that common sense is sorely lacking in state government. I will work tirelessly to correct this,” she said in her announcement.

Intake specialist Scott Weiss, center, talks to Louisiana State Troopers during an official opening ceremony of a Sobering Center operated by Odyssey House Louisiana at 732 N. Claiborne Ave. in New Orleans on Nov 7, 2019. Mayor LaToya Cantrell celebrated the center’s opening as a place where intoxicated people can be taken to sober up as an alternative to putting them in jail or filling up beds in a hospital. The center provided intoxicated people a place to eat, hydrate, wash clothes, take a shower and connect with other social services

The 25-bed facility has shuttered its doors as city officials cut costs to claw out of a budget crisis.

lic radio station KQED reported, but can be arrested and brought to jail if they leave sooner than that, prompting questions about the site’s legality Moreno did not mention the New Orleans center’s closure or say if the city had identified funding to reopen such any kind of sobering facility locally, and her team did not return requests for further comment

In a statement announcing the center’s closure in December, Ed Carlson, director of Odyssey House, said that the organization was “deeply saddened to see this program forced to close.” The center “generated tremendous value for our city — strengthening public safety, reducing strain on emergency systems, and serving as a lifeline for people struggling with addiction,” Carlson said.

The idea of a sobering center was promoted by criminal justice reform and addiction treatment advocates in the city for years as an alternative to sending people to more expensive jail or hospital beds, and to avoid landing them with a criminal record or a hospital bill.

It is unclear what the impact of the center’s closure has been so far A NOPD spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment or for data on arrests for intoxication before and after the center’s clo-

sure. A spokesperson for University Medical Center New Orleans didn’t respond to a request for hospital admissions of intoxicated people before and after the center’s closure.

But Bill Salmeron, the city’s head of Emergency Medical Services, said that the center was successful in diverting patients away from hospitals who don’t need that level of care.

“At the emergency room, you’re taking up a bed from someone who really needs the bed,” said Salmeron.

“There is a place in the community for (a sobering center),” Salmeron said. “We just need the funding to support that.”

The center, which on average served around 350 people per month, was also an entry point into other treatment programs like detox and residential facilities operated by Odyssey House.

Since the center reopened in 2022 after being closed during the pandemic, it served more than 2,000 individuals, according to Odyssey House. Of those, 610 were discharged to detox programs and 64 were referred into residential treatment.

In the French Quarter, where neighborhood advocates and residents have long complained about

public drinking and drug use, neighborhood leaders said this week that the impact of the closure is unclear

Erin Holmes, executive director of Vieux Carre Property Owners Residents & Associates, said that while she has seen significant drug activity in the neighborhood recently, she “couldn’t say that the individuals we see on the streets would go to the sobering center if it was an option.”

But Holmes said that she had heard positive feedback from 8th District officers about the center as a “diversion from overnight lock up” and that “it is definitely a loss that it shut down.”

Glade Bilby, a commissioner for the French Quarter Management District, said that the facility never had enough beds to make a major dent in the issue of public alcohol and drug use in the French Quarter

“I don’t think there were any great results by it being open,” Bilby said. Bilby said his bigger concern are the cuts to the city’s Office of Homeless Services and the lack of available funding generally to get people off the street.

“There’s a lot of budget cutting going on,” Bilby said.

Staff writer Blake Paterson contributed to this report.

COFFEE

Continued from page 1B

magnolia latte and dirty marsh chai latte. It also has yearlong drinks, like its most popular drink, blueberry cobbler coffee.

“Our drinks are fully customizable. You can build whatever drink you want,” Shelby Horne said. For the couple, faith has played a large part in starting and sustaining the shop. The moniker of the business comes from the Bible verse Hebrews 13:2, which is on a sign by the shop’s order window and on its road sign. The Hornes also have prayer cards at the window and stickers for cups.

“Having the worship side — or the spiritual side to it has really played a big role,” she said.

Continued from page 1B

Ticket information

Season tickets for 2026 are on sale now, starting at $69.99 for Blue Bayou and $79.99 for Blue Bayou and Gulf Islands Waterpark. Daily tickets are not yet on sale.

Now hiring The water park is hiring for the summer for everything from lifeguards to cleaning crews. Both full- and parttime roles are available. n Lifeguard, pay starting at $10.50/hour n Splash crew, pay starting at $12/hour n Cleaning crew, pay starting at $12/hour n Crew member, pay starting at $7.50/hour Applications for the positions are now live.

Past seasons

The parks have operated on a limited basis since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dixie Landin’ was closed from 2019 to 2024, while Blue Bayou closed after a shortened season in 2021 due to Hurricane Ida. In 2022, the water park was open for only a couple of weeks due to staffing issues.

In 2023, park officials said Blue Bayou was open while Dixie Landin’ remained closed because the water park was more popular They denied the widespread speculation that staffing issues were keeping both parks from operating fully Before COVID, the parks traditionally were open from mid-May to Labor Day weekend and featured concerts from pop, rock and country acts including Blake Shelton, Panic! at the Disco, Jason Aldean and Cheap Trick. Additional reporting by Ellyn Couvillion and Timothy Boone

Email Emma Discher at edischer@theadvocate.com.

Continued from page 1B

or during the hearing.

“That evidence was never disclosed to Dr. Emami. That is directly contrary to the university policy, which requires the committee to deliberate based on the evidence presented ‘at the hearing’ — not based on secret evidence submitted in advance,” Most said.

In a statement Thursday, SLU officials pointed out the committee is one piece of an “overall process” for grievances that “remains ongoing.”

“Commenting on or making statements about these recommendations at this stage would be unfair to those involved and could undermine the integrity of the process,” SLU officials said.

Most also has asked Wainwright to recuse himself from the matter, saying Piller during the hearing acknowledged the decision to remove Emami involved SLU higher-ups, including the president.

Most said the Faculty Senate should make the final decision or have the Senate name “a neutral, unconflicted decision-maker on the matter.”

Wainwright has declined, saying that would deviate from university policy The grievance committee process, he wrote in response, “is simply the mechanism by which SLU’s president is provided formal input from the faculty” in reviewing a decision.

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

NewOrleans veteranwho served in WWII dies at 98

Afterwar,Marion

Hess wasa ‘happy-go-lucky kind of guy’

BY BOBWARREN Staff writer

When Marion Hess Sr talked with his kidsabout his time in the Army in World WarII, it was often castinterms of how cold it was in Europe in 1944 Or how hungry he and the restofthe population were.

There was little talk, his children say now,about thebrutalfightingthat had taken place all around him.

“My dad was ahappy-golucky kind of guy,” Melissa Hess Daou, his youngest child, said recently “He always wanted to talk about thegood things in life. He was asurvivor.”

Hess, of New Orleans, diedJan. 27 at the age of 98. He was aformer U.S. Army soldier whose time in Europe included taking part in the Battle of the Bulge, andwhile he was immensely proudofhis service, there were other parts of his long life that fulfilled him even more

Afamily man, Hess’ children say their father’s long, happy marriage wasa pinnacle of his life

Marion Hess Sr.and Jean Catherine Meliet Hess were married in September1947, in acandlelight ceremony due to power still beingout from ahurricane that had passed over the region the day before.

Earlier this year,Gov Jeff Landry recognized the couple’s78-plus-year union as the second-longest in Louisiana.Hess is survived by hiswife, who is now 96, and the couple’s threechildren, Deanna HessHarvey, Marion Hess Jr.and Melissa Hess Daou.

After the war,Hess had along career at Avondale Shipyard and enjoyed spending time with his family and friends.

Marion Hess Jr.recalls that the family camp in theRigolets, built in 1971, was acentral part of their lives. “He called it ‘The Summer House,’”hesaid.

“He loved that place.”

‘Losingapiece of history’ Marion Ferdinand Hess Sr.was theyoungest of 10 childrenborn to George G. and Elizabeth Amelia Ricks Hess in New Orleans. His father died when he was3,and Marion’solder siblings helped raise him.

Hess Sr.enlisted in the Army at age 17 and was in the service for nearly two years, his son said. He was assigned to the Army’s610 Engineers and spent much of his time in Europe, includingthe Battle of the

Marion and Jean Ferdinand Hess celebrate their 75th wedding anniversary on Nov.19, 2022, at their homein Metairie.

Bulge, the bloody campaigninthe bitterly cold Ardennes Forest region in late 1944 and early 1945. Germanand Allied casualtiesran wellinto the thousands HessJr. said he often spoketohis father about histime in World WarII, buthesaid the conversationsrarelytouched on thefighting. HessHarvey said their father sometimestalked about having to stand guard somenights at the base in Stuttgart and hearing the Germans takingshotsatthe guards.

“He said he felt likehe wasa decoy,”she said. “Theywereshooting at them.”

Hess Harvey said he also talkedabout slipping food to hungry Germans.

“Itwas war.Nobodyhad food,” she said. “He had access to thekitchen, and he saidhegaveout alot of food.”

And all the children knew about how cold it was.

“He talkedabout the guys who froze —and him freezing,” Hess Daou said.

Thechildren saidtheir father suffered frostbite on his toes and fingers from the harsh winter conditions across Europe. “Dad suffered with (the effects of frostbite) his entire life,” HessJr. said.

Bradley Hart,the senior historian at TheNational WWII Museum in New Orleans —aplace Marion Hess Sr.loved to visit and volunteer —said more history is lostwith each death of awar veteran Of the 16.4millionpeoplewho served in theU.S. military during WorldWar II,lessthan 1% are alive today

“We’re losing probably 100 aday,” Hartsaid,addingthat early next decade “we’lllose thelast one.”

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs said just morethan 45,000 U.S. World WarIIveterans were stillalive in 2025. The Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs says just morethan300 Louisiana veterans were aliveas of 2025. TheWWII Museum put thattotal in Louisiana at closer to 200.

“A lot of history goes to

Perdue Sr., Walter OursoFuneral Home,13533 Airline Highway in Gonzales,at4 p.m

Obituaries

Boudreaux, Nolan Jules

thegrave withthem,”Hart said. “Ask those questions while youcan.”

Areminderofhome

One of their dad’swar stories that the Hess familyloves involves adog named “Lucky.”

HessSr. was working in akitchen somewhere in Germany and adopted a“skinny dog” that he named “Lucky,” his kids say.

“He wantedtotake the dogback with the U.S.,but of course theywouldn’tlet him do that,” Hess Daou said.

“It broke his heart,” HessHarvey said. “He haddogsback home, and Ithink (Lucky) reminded him of home.”

After Hurricane Katrina,HessSr. would come to ownanotherdog, one that resembled his Luckyfrom back in Germany.Hess Daou said the new dog was also named “Lucki,”justwith adifferentspelling.

“And that dog lived 18 years!” shesaid with a laugh.

Afuneral for Hess was held Feb.7atGrace Lutheran Church,and interment followed at Metairie Cemetery with military honors.

Today Maven,GourmetCook, Crossword Master, Prolific Reader andabove all BelovedHusband, Father, Grandfather, Great-Grandfather,Uncle, Brother-oftheHeart and Exceptional Friend On February 20, 2026, the full andtransformational life of D'OrsayDeavenportBryantJr., MD ebbedtoa close,due to medical complications following surgery.The sense of loss is immeasurable,as theimpact of what he meanttosomany- personally, professionally and as achangeagentinthis community- looms large followinghis transition. His brilliantmindand profoundcompassion, coupled with hissignature wry humor andperpetual twinkle, live on in the memories of all whoknewhim. Born in Washington,DC on September 9, 1932, Dr Bryant was theonlychild of CecilBarbara McIntosh and D'OrsayD.BryantSr. Instilled withalifelongrespect for education, he attended historicDunbar High School in Washington DC andthenHoward University, wherehewas Presidentofthe Freshman Class, joined theXiChapterofKappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. andwas namedtothe Dean's List and honor societies,graduatingin1954. During his time at Howard, he met Elayne Butler of Baton Rouge,LA, whom he later marriedin1956. He attended Howard University College of Medicine,where he wasinductedintothe AlphaOmegaAlpha Honor Society, graduating in 1958. He completed hisinternship andresidencyinObstetrics andGynecology at Freedmen's andDCGeneral Hospitals. Dr.Bryant served as aCaptain in the U.S. Army, 1963-65. After relocating to Baton Rouge with his wife, as thefirst black board-certifiedobstetrician gynecologist in the region for ten years, he hada flourishing practice for more than 6 decades.Dr. Bryant took great pride in being credentialedatthe highest levelofhis area of specialization. He was aDiplomate of theAmerican Board of Obstetricians& Gynecologists anda Fellow of theAmerican Collegeof Obstetrics& Gynecology. Professionally, he taught at LSUCollegeofMedicine andheld leadership roles in theLAState HealthCoordinatingCouncil,the East Baton Rouge Parish Medical Association,the LA State Medical Association andthe LA State MedicalCareAdvisory Committee.

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Nolan Jules Boudreaux passed away on March 3, 2026, at theage of 87. He was born on December 10, 1938, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; he attended Catholic HighSchool and graduated from St.Stanislaus in Bay St.Louis. For 50 years, Nolan ownedand operated AutoBrake and ElectriconNorth Leo Street in BatonRouge. Afterhis retirement,heenjoyed raising cattle, donkeys, goats, rabbits, and chickens, and tending his fruit trees. He was an avid cowboy and lovedthe rural life he lived. Nolan was a devoted member of St. Gabriel CatholicChurch, where he was famous for his white beans and jambalaya. Aloyal and supportivevolunteer, he served theparish in many ways. He was also afounding boardmember of the restorationproject at St. Paul Church in Bayou Goula, where he maintainedthe church grounds. Nolan was amember of AA for34years and helped many newcomers along their journey withcompassion and encouragement. Nolan is survived by Catherine Broussard; his sons, David,John Paul,and LeslieBoudreaux;and numerous members of the extended Boudreaux and Burtonfamilies.Hewas preceded in death by his parents, Clebert "Shorty" Boudreaux and Mary Olive Louviere; and four sisters, Grace Burton, Odette Burton, Kathy Prouty, and Marie Trosclair. Relatives and friends are invitedto attend aVisitation and Mass of Christian Burial celebrated by Rev. Charles Landry, on Thursday, March 12 at St. Gabriel CatholicChurch. Visitation willbeheldfrom 9:00 a.m to 10:45 a.m. followed by a Mass of ChristianBurial at 11:00 am. Burial to follow at thechurch cemetery. In lieu of flowers,donations may be madeinNolan's memory to FriendsofSt. Paul Church, P.O. Box1481, Plaquemine, LA 70765.

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South,a community-based health center, he retired andwas finallyabletoenjoymanyofthe activities hisbusypractice hadlong postponed, including travel to far flung locations. During his ninth decade, Dr.Bryant'shealthdeclined,but nothis indomitable spirit.His quick witcontinued to sparkle. Dr.Bryantwas predeceased by hisparents; his latewife,Elayne Butler Bryant; sisters-in-law, V. Jean Butlerand Shirley Butler Pierce;nephew,Valerian E. Butler-Smith II; andnumerous maternal andpaternalrelatives. He is survivedbyhis wife Kathy Weaver Bryant; his children: Dr.D'Orsay D. Bryant III (Karen), El Dorado, AR; SharonBryant Zimmerman (James), Washington,DC; Sherri BryantMoore,CollegePark, MD; Leighton Butler Bryant (SharriLynn), Baton Rouge;DamonAllen Bryant, Pineville, LA; Dorian Lamar Matthews, Houston,TX; DrexelLaSalle Matthews, Houston, TX; D'Orci DeShay Bryant, Baton Rouge;and stepsons: Aaron Mitchell Weaver, Pittsburgh,PAand Neil Clifton Weaver,Henderson, NV Hisgrandchildren: D'Orsay Deavenport BryantIV andCarter Ashton Fabre Bryant (Haley), El Dorado, AR; Claire Estelle Moore, Hyattsville,MD; KristinDollisonMoore,Laurel,MD; Olivia Alexis Zimmerman and NicolasJordan Zimmerman,Washington,DC; Leia BrianaBryant, Baton Rouge;Davin Bryantand BrendenBryant, Baker, LA; andDevereauxLondon Matthews, Houston, TX. He hadone great-grandchild, Josiah Moore of Laurel, MD He is also survived by sisters-in-law: HediM.Butler, Baton Rouge;Nina Wells, (Ted Wells), Livingston,NJ; VickiPendleton,North Wales, PA;LaurenSmith, (JamesBoll), Montclair,NJ; brothers-inlaw:EricMitchell, (Carmen), LivermoreFalls, ME; andPeter Mitchell (Pat), Tarpon Springs, FL; nieces: LynnWhitfield, Atlanta, GA; Kimberleigh ButlerSmith (goddaughter)and ShawneLangston Emery, Baton Rouge;Donna Pierce Lazarchik, Antioch, CA; and nephews: DuaneD.Pierce, CitrusHeights, CA and Clifton F. Nelson III,Baton Rouge Serviceswill be held on March12, 11:00 AM,atHall Davis &SonsFuneral Service,9348 Scenic Highway, Baton Rouge,LA. Thefamily will be availablefor visitation at 10 AM.Inlieuof flowers, Dr.Bryant'sfamily gratefully requests that you considera donation in hisname to theNAACP Legal Defenseand Educational Fund, www.naacpldf.org.

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Dr.Bryantwas adeeply engagedcommunity leader,serving as presidentof theNAACP from1966-80, duringatimeoftension related to integrating the publicschools. In that role, he signedonasa plaintiffintervenorinone of the last East Baton Rouge Parish desegregationsuits. He wasalso amember of numerouscommunitybasedhealthinitiatives,including the NAACP National HealthCommittee,the Baton Rouge CancerSocietyand theSickle Cell Anemia Foundation Hissocialand civic affiliations includedKappa AlphaPsi Fraternity, Sigma Pi PhiFraternity, (Alpha Xi Boule); East Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce; andMasonic: East End Lodge 209. He earnednumerouscivic awardsand citationsfor his activities in civil rights andyouth-related activities After thepassing of his wife in 2005, Dr.Bryant began anew chapter withhis marriagetoKathy Weaver After abrief stint at Care-

4B ■ Sunday,March 8,2026 ■ theadvocate.com

daughter of the late Malcolm and Denise Brock Chapoton; and aloving sister to Conrad (Cindy) and thelate Malcolm Chapoton Jr. (Marjorie).

She was blessed with eight grandchildren —Abby Altazan(Clayton), Samantha Salisbury (Daniel), Taylor (Zach Honey), Sloane (Hank Vockroth), Remi (Pete Hintze), Grace Eley (Garrett), Adam and Emma —and greatgrandchildren Leo and baby girl Altazan; Scotty, Walker and baby Salisbury; Bridger and Roan Honey; and Elliot and Logan Vockroth —each of whom she showered with endless love and affection.

AReserve, Louisiana native and graduate of Leon Godchaux High School, Pat later earned her degree, with honors, in elementary education from Nicholls State University, also earning induction into the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society. Whilemarried and raising three boys, she commuted to classes and devoted countless latenight hours to her studies.

She dedicated 30 years to teaching at St. Peter Chanel Interparochial School in Paulina, Louisiana, where she instilled in her students not only alove of learning,but also confidence, discipline, and abelief in their potential. The countless children whose lives she touched stand as part of her enduring legacy. In retirement, she and Clark embarked on ajourneyofdiscovery and adventure, traveling the world, including visits to Italy, The Vatican, France, Germany, Switzerland, Singapore and more. At home, she was the heart of the family, hosting numerous familygatherings, delighting in everything from the most joyous holiday celebrations to simple game nights.She was both an avid reader and apassionate advocate for reading, especially among the children in her life. Her legacy of love, laughter, and togetherness will continuetoinspire those who knew her. She will be deeply missed but forever remembered in the hearts of her family and friends

The family would like to extend gratitude to Myra Cook, MarvisAnn Batiste, Barbara Stewart and BridgewayHealthcare & Hospice for the excellent care provided in her final years. Relatives and friends are invited to attend the Visitation and Mass of Christian Burial on Thursday, March 12, 2026 at St. Joseph Church ,Paulina, La.Visitation will be from 9:00-11:00 a.m. followed by aMass of Christian Burial at 11:00 a.m. Entombment to follow at the St. Joseph Cemetery Mausoleum.

Hilda B. Fitzgerald passedawayTuesday, March 3, 2026, at the age of 90. She was aresident and native of Addis,LA. A graveside service will be held at Grace Memorial Park, Plaquemine on Monday, March9,2026,witha Rite of Christian Burial at 10am, conductedbyFather Martin Lawrence. Hilda is survived by her daughters PaulaComeaux (Perry), Mamie Lafleur (Wayne), and ShirleyGulotta;six grandchildren; ninegreat grandchildren; sister, HelenBreaux;and brother, Irvin Breaux. Preceded in deathbyher husband, Warren Fitzgerald. Please share memories online at www.wilbertservices.com.

GumJr., John Nathaniel 'Johnny'

ries online at www.wilbertservices.com.

Gentle heart, loving spirit,Minnie Lou "Doshie" Golden Ellis, passed away February 3, 2026 at the age of 91. Born in Montgomery, Alabama and raised in Opelika until 19, Doshie grew up one of ten brothers and sisters. After her marriage to the love of her life for more than 63 years, Harry Ellis, Harry and Doshie raised their three daughters in Baton Rouge Louisiana, which became her lifetime home. She is preceded in death by her husband, Harry; daughter, Stephanie; son-inLaw, Ken Hebert; great grandchild, Hope Shearer;parents, Virgil and Viola Golden; and numerous siblingsand family members in Opelika and BatonRouge. She is survived by her daughters, Susan Ball(Rick), Sandra Hebert; grandchildren, Lindsay Shearer (Rob), Justin Ball (Paige), Mark Hebert, Monica Ball; Great grandchildren, Chloe Alyssa, Tyler and Aiden Shearer, Kensley Hebert; and brothers,Perry and Ronnie Golden of Opelika Visitation will take placeat Resthaven Funeral Home 11817 Jefferson Hwy, Baton Rouge, Louisiana on Saturday, March 14, 2026, beginning at 9:00 AM until memorial services at 11:00 AM. Burial to follow at Resthaven Gardens of Memory.

John "Johnny"Nathaniel Gum, Jr., age 88, was born August 15, 1937, and passed awaypeacefullyat hishomeinPlaquemine, LouisianaonMarch 5, 2026, surroundedbyloved ones. Johnwas borninFreeport Texas to John N. Gum, Sr., and Minnie MayLowry Gum. He has been aresidentofPlaquemine, Louisiana since 1951and devoted his life to hisfamily, businesses, and community.Johnny was adevoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather,and friend to many He shared 68 beautiful yearswith his beloved wife, Gwendolyn Case Gum, aretired educator, and he took greatpride in his three children: Darryn Gum (Alex Frantz),Danielle Gum Prejean (ThomasPrejean),and Devin Gum (Bobbi Parker).Tohis numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren, he was known lovingly as Papadu, aname thatcarried warmth, comfort, laughter -sometimes fear, and countless cherishedmemories. Johnny was agraduate of PlaquemineHigh School in 1955and served as classpresident.Helater attended LSU and earned a MasterofSocialWorkdegree in 1964.During his master's program, he was elected president of his class. After graduation, he remained active as asocial worker and administrator for IbervilleParish andthe State of Louisiana.Later, he owned numerous businesses servingthe needs of his community, including Legacy Nursing Homes in Plaquemine and Port Allen, Louisiana. Johnny had adistinguishedcareer in publicservice.Atthe age of 23, heran the Iberville Parish Office of Family Support, making him the youngest parish administrator in the state of Louisiana at the time. He enjoyed servingthe poor, neglected, and abused residents of IbervilleParish with responsibilities of running the FoodStamp Program, Child Protective Services, and other department programs.Hecofounded the Associationof Retarded Children (ARC) forIbervilleParish. Johnny cared deeplyfor theresidentsofIberville Parish, even afterretirementand up until his passing. He later moved to Louisiana Department of PublicWorks, becoming Under Secretary at the Department of Health and Hospitalsassisting in bringingMedicaid to the state of Louisiana and otherstatewide programs. Hislastcareer jobinthe State was workinginthe Lt. Governor's office of RobertL "Bobby"Freeman,a close friend through the years. Throughout his career, he also mentoredLSU social work students and was activeinthe Louisiana Conference of Social Welfare, serving as state treasurer, executive board member and Chairman of Louisiana Region VII. He wasalsoa memberofthe Louisiana National Guard and the

Louisiana Nursing Home Association. Beyond his professional accomplishmentsJohnny was deeply involvedincivic and community life.Heserved on theBoardofDirectors of Plaquemine Bank for46 years and was theVice Chairman of the Board for many of those. He was a member of theLouisiana StateUniversity Board of Advisors to theDeanofthe School of Social Welfare, theLSU Alumni Association and theTiger Athletic Foundation. He was achartermember of theIberville Museum and aco-founder of Plaquemine Little Theater. He was also amemberofSt. John theEvangelist Catholic Church, serving as an usher and member of theFinance and Building Committee. In addition,heco-organizedthe St. John's Vincent de Paul conference and was past president of theSt. John Father's Club and the Plaquemine Rotary Club. He was also amember of theAcaciaMasonicLodge, Legatusand Order of Alhambra. In earlieryears, he enjoyed coaching Cub Scout softball.Johnny also enjoyed Mardi Grasand was acharter member of Le Krewe du Roi,servingas past president of theBoard and as Duke and King. Until his passing, he was the longest servingmember of theKrewe du Roi. He was also amember of the Krewe of Okeanos and the Mystic Crew of Louisiana in Washington, DC.Hereceived numerous awards and honors throughout his life,including the Jaycees DistinguishedService Award, KeyMan Award, Outstanding Young Men recognition, theGrand Marshal of theAcadian Festival Parade, and the Alumni of the Decade(1960 -1969) from LSUSchool of Social Work.Johnny loved life,traveling and snow skiing.Hewas known for being loving, compassionate, generous, and sometimes even alittleonery He lovedanythingLSU and going to his camp on the AtchafalayaRiver, even though his hunting skills were questionable.He lovedtofish in his ponds and lovedtohavepeople come fish, even though he wouldnot lethis friends eat their catch out of fear of contamination. He spent many nightsinFlorida at hiscondoand on his boat Papadu's Playmate. Rumor is he may havesunk aboat or twobyaccident or hit sandbarsinFloridaand the Atchafalaya. His legacy continues throughhis children, grandchildren, greatgrandchildren, and greatgreatgrandson. He willbe remembered forhis leadership, service,steady presence and unwavering devotion to his family and community. He willbe deeply missed and loved forever.Heissurvived by his wife, Gwendolyn; his threechildren; hisgrandchildren; Brettanye Michelle, Genevieve Prejean, Jeanne "MeMe" Favret, and Alex Favret; greatgrandchildren, Brennan Michelle(Faith Sonier), Brody Rivet, BraydenDupre, VictoriaDupre; and great-great grandson, Beckham Michelle; brother,Billy Gum (Cindy Rhorer); sisters-in-law, Clara Gum and Amy Flatau (Edison Flatau); and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in deathby his parents and grandparents; brother, James "Jimmy" Gum; brother-in-law, CharlesKimbleCase, mother-in-law, Mildred Case Thomas; and step-father-in-law, Alan Thomas. Pallbearers willbeBrennan Michelle, Brody Rivet, Brayden Dupre, Alex Favre, Ed Case,Steven Case,Eric Flatau,Chene Flatau and Michael Gum. Honorary pallbearers willbeAndrew "Bruck" Nadler, Francis Becnel, Samuel Carville and StevenPanepinto. VisitationwillbeheldatSt. John theEvangelist Church, Plaquemine on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, from8:30a.m. until Mass of ChristianBurial at 11am, celebrated by Father Cleo Milanoand con-celebrated by Father Martin Lawrence.Entombment at Grace Memorial Park will follow themass. In lieu of flowers,pleaseconsider donations to St.John Church 100 Years Campaign, 57805 Main Street, Plaquemine, Louisiana, 70764. The family extendsa special thanks to Comfort Care Hospice, particularly Johnand Mike Barbee,and his loving caretakers: Vickie Guillot,Carmesha Wilson, JoelleGeorgetown, Alice Gailes,Ava Cain, Jairo andRemeEsteves, as well as thenumerous friends and families that havedonatedfood, time and comfort. Please share memoi li

Victoria PelaezKlein,affectionately known as "Toto", passed away peacefully on February 22, 2026. She wasborn on June 2, 1941, in Manizales,Colombiato Elvia and Jose' AbelPelaez. Her family realized the American Dream when her father moved them from Colombia to Miami in the early 1950s and beganan agricultural and beef cattle operationthatthrivedfor 75 years. Totowas the middle of seven siblings and served as bridge from theolder threesiblings to theyounger threesiblings. She was agraduateof NotreDame Academy and attended theUniversity of Miami.Whileworking in highereducation in Miami, she met her future husband, George, whileonan international trip. This chance encounter would prove to be aforeshadowing of their life together when they married and began traveling theworld During their years together,theyvisited every continent and relishednew adventures. They enjoyed semi-retirement in Palm City, Floridawhere they built their dreamhouse and entertained family foryears. After George'spassing in 1997, Toto took over his property development company and successfully ran it forseveral years. She laterreturned to Miami and settled in abeautiful Mediterranean-style waterfront condominium on Williams Island. Soon after celebrating her 80th birthday, she made thedifficult butnecessary decisiontomovefrom South FloridatoLouisiana to be closer to her younger sister, Carmenza, and Carmenza's family.She moved intoSt. James Place in 2023 and took greatpridein renovating her apartment intoa beautiful openfloor plan that was showcased to visitorsatSt. James Place.Despite thechange, she was happy to be reunited withfriendsfrom BatonRouge and St.Jean Vianney CatholicChurch with whom she had traveled with over theyears.

DiegoPardo, Samuel Pardo, Jacob Orrego, McKinley Fowler, Leighton Moeschingand Tobias Moesching. Hernieces and great nieces will serve as gift bearers andhonorary gift bearers at theMass: Deborah Hooker,Veronica Orrego, Stephanie Moesching, Emilie Darling, MoniquePardo, Victoria Funes, Alexandra Funes, Olivia Funes,Kathleen Elvia"Kate"Funes,Camille Funes, Juliette Orrego and Mila Orrego. Thespouses of hernephews &nieces were aspecial partofher life, andtheywill be represented by ChristinePardo, BenitaPardo andKristina Funes as readersatthe Mass. The familywould like to thank Toto'sloving andsupportive team including herpriestsinresidenceatSt. JamesPlace Fr. Donald Blanchard and Fr. Tony Russo; herloyal friendand guideCarolynn Gaines, herdevoted companion Javetta Queen,her design consultant Joli Bryan; WendyStanford, Cori O'Brien andthe team at Stanford Senior Services; Mother Joan Weber, thestaff at St.James Place, St.James Place HighlandCourt Nursing Unit,the St.James Place Caring Companions, Baton Rouge Hospice,Triton Therapy andthe wonderful residents and familiesof St.James Place for their love andsupport.Inlieuof flowers, please considera donation to St.Joseph's Academy -3015 Broussard Street,Baton Rouge,LA 70808; Louisiana Parole Project- PO Box 2029, Baton Rouge,LA70821 or the Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge's Office of Life, Peace and Justice -1800 SouthAcadian Thruway, Baton Rouge,LA70808.

TheMasson andMarti familiesare heartbroken by theloss of their beloved wife, mother, sister,aunt anddaughter. Pamela "Pam" Masson, age 71 and aresident of Baton Rouge LA passedawayonFriday, February 13, 2026 after a courageous battle against cancer with herhusband Michael at herside. Pamela AnnMarti Masson wasthe oldest daughterofJoEllen Smith Marti of Ruston LA and George Junior Marti of Warren, Ohio andher step-mother, Mary Marti of Madisonville LA. Pam wasbornand raisedinRustonand Covington,later moving to Baton Rouge whereshe met thelove of herlife, Ellis, Minnie Lou Golden 'Doshie'

Toto was aloving and supportivewife,daughter, sister, aunt and great aunt to George, her parents, siblings, nephews, nieces and their children and grandchildren. Her generosity knew no bounds, and she consistently shared her blessings with family and numerous Catholicparishes and causes. Her Catholicfaith was at the center of herlife,and she was grateful to her parents for thegiftofher faith and for proudly living Gospel valueseach day. She carried their devotion to the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary throughout her life.Toto was predeceased by her husband George, her parentsElvia and Jose' Abelas well as her olderbrother, Fernando. She is survived by her siblings Christina Hooker, Myriam Pelaez, Carmenza Funes(Ronaldo), RalphPelaez (Bonnie) and MauricioPelaez; sister -in-law Mary Pelaez, nephews and nieces Andy Pardo(Christine), Mauricio Pardo(Benita), DiegoJose' Pardo(Alexandra), Henry Hooker, Deborah Hooker (David), David Funes (Kristina), John Paul Funes (Ann), ChristopherFunes (Kelsey), Veronica Orrego (Carlos), Stephanie Moesching (Cory)and EmilieDarling (Dan) as well as numerous greatnephews and nieces, whom she loveddearly.

Michael. Sheissurvivedbyher husband andcherished children, Matthew Masson and Elizabeth Masson; and sisters, Taama Marti Forasiepi(John) andRoan Marti Baker (Kelly); Sheis also survived by many lovednieces andnephews, brotherand sister in-laws, andgreat friends. Shewas preceded in death by her motherand father "MissPam" wasanaccomplished Montessori teacher, instructing many generationsofchildren in theMontessori Method duringtheir key developmental years at La Printaniere Montessori, Belfair Elementary, and the MontessoriSchool of Baton Rouge Shewas lovedbyfamily andfriends andneverhad an unkind word to say about anyone. Pam adored animals, music,literature, travel, and art Thefamilywould like to thank themedical staff at Baton Rouge General and theteam at The Crossing at Clarity Hospice fortheir care duringthisdifficult time

ACelebrationofLife for Pam will be held on Saturday, March 14, 2026, from 2 pm to 4pmatOurso Funeral Home, 13533 Airline Hwy, Gonzales, LA 70737. All familyand friends are invited

LawrenceHiern Mercier, Sr,known as Larry to his familyand friends, was born on August 24, 1944, in NewOrleans,Louisiana. He passedawayonSaturday, February 14, 2026. LarrygrewupinBaton Rouge andgraduated from Istrouma High School. He earnedhis degree in Entomology from Louisiana State University. Larry ran American Exterminators for over 30 years, thenworkedfor both East Baton Rouge and Livingston Parish Mosquito Control beforeretiring. He wasanavidcar enthusiast, drag racer,gardener, andsoccerplayer. He also coachednumerous soccer teams over aspan of 30 years. Larry wasprecededin death by hisparents, AlfredMercierand Maris Berault Mercier;and hiswife of 53 years, Margaret Turk Mercier. He is survived by hischildrenand grandchildren Acelebration of life will be held from12:00 p.m. until2:00 p.m. on Sunday, March15, 2026, at

AfuneralMass will be held at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church at 445 MarquetteDrive in Baton Rouge on Thursday,March 12, 2026, with visitationbeginning at 9amfollowed by aMass of Christian Burial at 10 am concluding with interment in Our Lady of Mercy's Gardenof Peace and Memorial Columbarium. Honorary pallbearers areRalph Pelaez, MauricioPelaez, Dr. RonaldoFunes,Andy Pardo, MauricioPardo, Diego Jose'Pardo,Henry Hooker, David Funes, John Paul Funes,Christopher Funes, Daniel Pardo, Patrick Funes,LukeFunes,

Resthaven Funeral Home, 11817 Jefferson Highway in Baton Rouge. Family and friends may sign the online guestbook or leave apersonal note to the family at www.resthav enbatonrouge.com

Miglacio, Peter Thomas

With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Peter Thomas Migliacio, who left this world on March 2, 2026, at the age of 69, at his home in White Castle, Louisiana.Itishard to describe aman who brought so much life, light, and laughter to all who knew him. Peter, affectionately known as "Peep (thanks to Brody), was a kind, quiet, and giving man. He had the biggest, kindest heart and would do anything for anyone in need. He was afriend, mentor, confidant, jokester, and afive-star giver of nicknames. Peter was the youngest childof "Jimmy" and Sarah Migliacio and grew up in alarge Italian family. He was adored by all of his family, especially "Deedy" and "Lina." He graduated from Plaquemine High School in 1976. With the help of his brother-in-law, P. W. Albert, he moved to Jackson, Mississippi, where he began learning the trucking trade. He worked for many years as adispatcher and later became the proud owner and chairman of Capitol City Trucking, LLC based out of Florence, Mississippi. He was devoted to his work and to the people who worked for him. He dispatched his last truck in 2019. During his working years, Peter spent most of his waking hours on the phone dispatching and negotiating rates like only he could. He spentsomuch time on the phone that when he answered, he barely muttereda decent hello or goodbye.The only time he ever raised his voice was to argue over the price of aload of chicken. He fought tirelessly to ensure his drivers were fairly compensatedfor their time. In 2003, after23 years apart, Peter rekindled an old romance with Jerilyn. His bachelorhood ended at age 56 when they married and settled in White Castle, where he grew to love the quiet country life. There, he finally had afamilyhecould call his own—never imagining it would growtobe so large.Along the way,he gained sons- and daughters-in-law and eventually ahost of grandchildren. Life was agame of chance to Peter, and he was always willing to place abet on just about anything. He loved sports of every kind, and no matter the season, there was always agame on TV. College footballand March Madness were among his favorites, and he considered himself especially good at predicting aseries winner. He also loved agood Super Bowl party with friends and family. In 2023, he made his first trip to Omaha for the College World Series and returned againin2025. Part of his character was expressed through his courageous five-year health battle. Through multiple heart surgeries, brain surgery, radiation, and five years of immunotherapy he did not complain—not even once. He endured all of thiswith resilience and grace, with his wife always at his side. Every time we thought he might give up, he didn't. Any betting man should have "put their money on Peter." He certainly possessed apowerful will to live.Peter is survivedbyhis wife, Jerilyn Kember Migliacio; his sister, Delia "Deedy" MigliacioAlbert; and his brothers, James "Jimmy" Migliacio(Pam) and Nicholas "Nicky" Migliacio(Sheila). He is also survived by "The Children," who were never called by their given names but instead by the special nicknames he gave them: Kasey "Queen Bee" OursoNewman (Scott), John "Johnny Boy" Barker, Jr. (Kirsha), Jacqueline "Bust" Barker Savoia (Charlie), James "Louis" Barker (Jessica), and Jude "Whistle Britches" Barker (Heather). He is also survived by 13 grandchildren, who brought him the greatest joy in life: Jonah d

and Harper Newman; Bowen and Kellan Barker; Joshua, Matthew, and Samuel Savoia; Chett Bickham; Grace and Lucas Barker; and Eli, Wesley, and Archie Barker. He is also survivedbynumerous nieces and nephews and theirchildren.Hewas preceded in death by hisparents,JamesFrank Migliacio and Sarah VitaleCalvaruso Migliacio; his brother, JackieJames Migliacio; his sister, KatherineAnn Migliacio; and Joshua O'ThaneBarker.PallbearerswillbeJohn Barker, James Barker, Jude Barker, Scott Newman,Will Albert, and Steve Albert. Honorary pallbearersare KeithKember, Perry Francise,Pierce Rodriguez, Michael Vitale,and Sydney Clifton.Thankstoall the physicians who lovingly caredfor Peter over the years, including Dr. Daniel LaVie, Dr. Konstantin Kovtun, Dr. Denzil Moraes, Dr. Terry Stelly,Dr. JohnOlson, and their associates. Your dedication, expertise,and compassionhavemade an unforgettable differencein his journey,and we are truly grateful for your care. Aheartfelt thank you to the incredible staff at Mary Bird Perkins CancerCenter.Fromthe doctors and nurses to the medical assistants, clerks, radiology techs,volunteers, and transporters —your care, professionalism, andkindness have made alasting impact. Yourdedication willnever be forgotten. Recent thanks also goesto the staffofNeurosurgery, Neurology,Palliative Care and Trauma,aswellasthe staffofthe ER and TNCCat OurLady of the Lake,who cared forussowell. Your patience and kindness will also not be forgotten.The family wouldliketoextend their sincere thanks to Comfort CareHospice for the kindness, compassion, and careshowntoPeter and his family duringhis final days. Visitationwillbe held at Wilbert Funeral Home in Plaquemine on Tuesday,March10, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., and at Our Lady of Mercy CatholicChurchon Wednesday,March11, from 9:00 a.m. until Mass of ChristianBurial at10:00 a.m., celebrated by Father Cleo Milano.Entombment will follow at GraceMemorial Park,Plaquemine. Though our heartsare broken,wefindcomfortinthe countless memories sharedand the enduring impact of alifewelllived and aman well loved.Peter willbedeeply missed and foreverremembered

Al Carlos Montelaro, a resident of Livonia, Louisiana,passed away peacefully at home on March5,2026,atthe ageof 78. Born on June 21,1947,in Fordoche, Louisiana,Al liveda life centered around family,faith,service,and the simplejoysof the outdoors. He proudly served his country as a veteran of the United States Armyand continued his serviceinthe National Guard. Al was known for his love of fishing, gardening,and woodworking, hobbiesthat reflected his patience,creativity, and appreciationfor nature.He was also an enthusiastic supporter of LSU Women's Basketballand rarely missed the chance to cheeronthe Lady Tigers. In his community, Al gave generously of histime as a volunteer with the local FoodBank and wasa devoted member of St. FrancesXavier Cabrini CatholicChurch. He was preceded in deathbyhis parents, Carlo andJulia Montelaro.Heissurvived by his lovingwife, Faye Brown Montelaro; his daughters, Cathy LeJeune (Travis), ValerieWebre (Ken), and Lisa Dalfrey (Jason).Hewas aproud grandfathertoGarrett Dalfrey (Chelsea), Zachary LeJeune (Leah), Haley Brooks(Ryan), Camille Webre(Cy Hebert),Ethan Webre, and Julia LeJeune (Dillon Wilson). He wasalso blessedwith great-grandchildren Autumn, Myles, and Graham LeJeune, and Lilyand Ivy Dalfrey. Al is also survived by hissister, Carolyn Montelaro (Lynn McMorris), and his brother, Ricky Montelaro (Cindy).Al willberemembered forhis

quietstrength, generosity, kindness of heart,sense of humor, and hisdevotionto his loving wife, family,and friends. His presence will be deeplymissed by all who knew and lovedhim. Visitation willbeheldon Monday, March 9, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. at St.Frances Xavier Cabrini CatholicChurch. A Mass of Christian Burial willfollow at 11:00 a.m., with burial immediately afterward at St.Frances Cemetery. Pallbearers will be his sons-in-law and grandsons. In lieu of flowers, donations may be madetoSt. Frances Food Bank.

Perry, Stephen Alvin

Stephen "Steve"Alvin Perrywas bornonNovember28, 1955, in Altoona, Pennsylvania, and passed peacefully intothe presence of his Lord and Savior on Thursday, March 5, 2026. Steve spent thepast 48 years in Prairieville, Louisiana, where he builta life rooted in faith, family, and communityalongside his beloved wife while raising their threechildren. He is survivedbyhis devoted wife, Deborah RobertsPerry; his daughters, Stephanie Breeden (Buzz) and JenniferCook(David); his cherished grandchildren,Hunter Cook, Lynkin Cook, Trace Breeden, and Becca Breeden; and his siblings, Mark Perry (Sandy) and Elizabeth Beaupre (David). He also leavesbehind many nieces, nephews, cousins, and dear friendswho were blessed by his kindness and presence. He was preceded in deathbyhis son, Stephen Michael Perry, and hisparents, Wallace and Lorraine Perry. Steve was apassionate fan of theLSU Tigers and treasured Saturday nights in Death Valley. He was also agifted singerwho loved sharing his voice with his family,church, and anyone fortunateenough to be within earshot. Above all, Steve's life was guidedby his deep faith and his love forhis family.Hedearly lovedhis wife, children, and grandchildren, who havebeenthe biggest joys and lovesofhis life.Steve valuedthe friendshipshe formed withneighbors, coworkers, and themany people whose liveshe touched over theyears. During hishealth journey, he was deeplymovedby theoverwhelming support shown to him and Debbie. Every visit,phone call,text and prayer meant the world to him, and he treasured theloveand compassionshared with him during that time. The family extends their heartfelt gratitudetothe team at BaylorSt. Luke'sHospital in Houston,aswellasthe many medical professionalswho cared for Steve with extraordinary kindness over thepastseveral years. Steve's life was marked by generosity and hope—he was both an organ recipient and an organ donor, continuingtogive even in his passing. Services forStevewillbeheld Tuesday,March 10, 2026, at St.John theEvangelist Church in Prairieville, Louisiana. Visitation for family willbefrom 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.,followedby public visitationfrom11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.,witha Mass of ChristianBurial at 12:00 p.m. Burial and a graveside servicewillfollowatOak GroveBaptist Church in Prairieville. Pallbearersare EddieRoberts, JoeRoberts, KenStevens, Mark Perry, Phillip Gangi, and Hunter Cook.Honorary pallbearers are Trace Breeden, Lynkin Cook,Buzz Breeden, and David Cook. In lieu of flowers,donations may be madetothe Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency

Thompson,Leatrice Diane

"I knowWhom Ihave believed," 2Timothy 1:12. Leatrice Diane Albin Thompson, 75, of Central, Louisiana, went to be with her Heavenly Father

peacefully surrounded by family on March 6, 2026. BorninIndependence, Louisiana on March 17, 1950, she dedicated her life to her family and to the Lord.She taught at Denham Road ChristianSchool from1979 until it closed She lovedteaching Sunday School, shopping, and dotingonher grandchildren. Diane is survivedbyher belovedhusband of 56 years, David Thompsonof Central,daughterKim Saia (John) of Baton Rouge, son DonaldThompson, Sr (Lori) of Walker, grandchildren DonaldThompson Jr (Devin), Dalton Thompson (Lexy),and Daniel Thompson, great-grandchildren Dean,Duke, Luke, and Heather Thompson, and many otherdear relatives and friends. She waspreceded in death by parents Donaldand Gloria WhiddonAlbin, father and mother-in-law Charles and Alma Jordan Thompson, brother-in-law and sister Terry and Annette Albin Stevens, grandparents Davis andLeevellBarnes Whiddon,Daniel and BessieBishopAlbin, cherishedpet Pepper,and numerous other relatives. Visitationwillbeheldat Fellowship Baptist Church, 14512 Greenwell Springs Road,Greenwell Springs, LA on Wednesday, March 11, 2026 from10am-12pm. Funeral service is at noon, officiated by PastorMardy Guidry. Followedbya committal service at Louisiana NationalCemetery, 303 W. Mount Pleasant Zachary Rd,Zachary, LA at 2pm. Pallbearers willbeDonald Thompson, Jr., Dalton Thompson, Daniel Thompson, Terry Whiddon,Ronnie Whiddon, and Austin Friloux. In lieu of flowers, please consider adonation in Diane's memory to Alzheimer'sServicesofthe Capitol Area,Fellowship Baptist Church, or charity of your choice.The family extends heartfelt thanks to our church family at Fellowship Baptist Church, thenurses at Pinnacle Hospice, Mrs. Mary for helping us take care of mom in her time of need, and family,neighbors,and friends for your prayers.

Truax III, William Frederick

William Frederick Truax III,affectionately known as Billy Truax andPoppiTru, passedpeacefullyinto the loving arms of hisCreator on January 7, 2026 surroundedbyhis loving family. He wasa loving father brotherand friend who wasinductedintothe Holy CrossHigh Sports Hall of Fame, the LSUAthletics Hall of Fame and theAllstateSugarBowl'sNew OrleansSportsHallofFame. Billy played 10 years in the NFL for the Los Angeles Rams andthe Dallas Cowboys, winningthe 1972 SuperBowlVIChampionship in NewOrleans in front of hisfamilyand friends. Amemorial service will take place at St.Thomas theApostle Catholic Church,March14, 2026 at 11:00am on hisbeloved Mississippi Gulf Coast. Addressis720 Beach Blvd East, LongBeachMississippi, 39560 Memorial contributions may be made to theTiger FundatHoly CrossSchool in memory of Billy Truax '60, 5500 Paris Avenue,New Orleans, Louisiana70122. Seefullobituaryat https://www.riemannfamil y.com/obituaries/williamtruax-iii or https://neptunesocie ty.com/obituaries/northrichland-hills-tx/williamtruax-12696837

Williamson, Gerald Jerry Jerrypassed andwent to Heaven duetocomplications of dementia on 2/ 1/26, at theLouisiana War Veterans Home in Jackson Jerrywas born on 11/18/ 45, at OurLady of theLake Hospital in Baton Rouge to Marie (née Tate) andL.D. Williamson. He attended Istrouma Baptist Church andIstrouma Elementary School. He graduated from Baker High School, where he played football, drums in thebandand wasvoted "TheWittiestSenior".He grew up on Foster Road in Central and was afound-

ingmember of Foster Road Baptist Church,where he acceptedJesus,was baptised andsang in thechoir. Jerrygraduated from LSU in 1968 with adegree in accounting and earnedhis CPA.After graduation,he served three years as a Navy Corpsman in theVietnamWar, stationed in Guam .Hethensettledin NewOrleans andbegan his accounting career, keeping books for multiple companies in thearea. Hislast jobwas as Comptroller at NY Associates, from which he retiredin2020. After retirement,Jerry returned to Baton Rouge to be near familyand later moved to theWar Veterans Home, whereheresidedfor the last threeyears. He was an avidNew OrleansSaints fan holdingseason tickets for many years. He was also enjoyed theLSU Tigers, RVingwithhis brother, saltwater fishinginhis boat, hangingout with his buddies,sportsradio, singing,and telling dad jokes. Jerryispreceded in death by hisparents L.D andMarie Williamson, brotherHoward Williamsonand grandson ColinWilliamson. He is survivedbyson Kevin Williamson(Laurie), daughterKasey WilliamsonStella(Jason), former wife Kathleen(née Taylor), granddaughter Camille Williamson, brother Walter"Bopper" Williamson(Ginger),sister -in-law Sheila Williamson andmultiple cousinsand nieces. Amilitarymemorial service will be held at a later date. For information on theservice,call Walter at (225) 235-3177.

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OPINION

As lawmakers return to stateCapitol, it’s a good time to go slow

We’ve been keeping a close eye on theLouisiana Legislature over the past couple ofyears. We’ve had to.

Gov.Jeff Landry andlawmakers have moved fast to adopt sweepingchanges to everything from taxation to elections, from criminal justice to insurance to education and more. As the 2026 legislative session begins this week, Landry’sagenda appears lighterand allows legislators to take abroader role.Wethink that’s agood thing. State finances are stable,but challenges loom on the horizon,and theeffects of the many big changes alreadyadopted are still becoming clear,sonow seems likea good time to slow down, take stock andact with prudence

Landry has proposed alargely standstill $46.9 billion budget. Thisyear,unlike many in the recent past, the state is on track to seeabit of asurplus, but that extra money canquickly be used up in addressing the pressing needs we have.

Landry’sbudget seeks an additional $82 million for corrections, after theLegislature walkedback reforms aimed at reducingLouisiana’sprisonpopulation.

There’salso more money proposed forthe juvenile justice system, which badly needsupgrades to its facilities and additionalstaffing. We urge lawmakers,though,topairany additional spending with programs to helpthe young people in thesystem rehabilitateand setthem up for productive adulthoods.

Another areathat could seemore spending is the state’sfortified roof grantlottery.Two yearsago, lawmakers passed asweeping packagethatreduced regulations and restrictions on property insurers, with thehope that more would offer policiesand thecompetitionwould bring exorbitant policyprices down, or at least stabilize them. But many homeowners arestill struggling with high costs, andhelpingmoreof them put on stronger roofs is oneapproach that promises real, widespread relief. We support theexpansion of this popular programtobetter meet thehighdemand.

Asecond program that has generatedstrong interest among Louisianaresidents is theLA GATOR scholarship, which allows public dollars to go to private schools andother education expenses.The program’sgoal of allowingstudents to move from underperformingpublic schools is onewehave supported.While Landry’srequest to double the amount spentonthe voucher programfrom$43.5 million to $88 millionhas been met with some skepticism for budgetary reasons, we hope that lawmakers, as they consider what to do, look at what will help the state’schildren most as well aswhatwe can afford.Likewise, in higher education, we support amove to take adeep diveinto the budgets of Louisiana’shigher education institutions and boards.Yet, we think savings shouldn’tcome at theexpense of improving opportunitiesfor students who rely on these schools and theprofessors and administrators whohavespenttheir lives making them what they are.

After years of much activity andbig changes, the Legislature has aluxury thisyear. There are no fiscalcliffs to avoid or gaping holestofill. It can craft abudget for Louisiana’sfuture Akey reason we urge ago-slow approach this year is that major policy revisionshavealso been happening in Washington. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act made significantcutstoMedicaid andSNAP,the federal food aidprogram, thatare already starting to impact state budgets and will likelyshift more costs in the coming years. The full impact remains to be seen, but lawmakers would be wise to set Louisiana up to be prepared. That’swhy this year,wethink slow and steady is the way to go.

La.water crisis notchesanother city

Stop meifyou’ve heard this before: ALouisiana city’swater infrastructure failed, leaving residents, businesses and public services with low pressure and unflushable toilets

This wasn’tinone of the state’smany struggling rural water systems, like Monterey Tallulah or Killian. It wasn’tinNew Orleans, where Sewerage &Water Boardstruggles are as much apart of the background noise as the sound of the streetcar This was in Shreveport,the state’sthirdlargest city where, last weekend, a 42-inch water main busted. Water pressure throughout thecity was affected. Officials scrambled to bring in bottled water and get an emergency fix in place. This sort of news has become so commonplace that, outside of the affected area, most people greet it with aho-hum.

For Shreveport’s nearly 200,000 residents, however,itwas more than that Fireofficials warned that hydrants could be affected. Caddo school officials shut schools. Hospitals and dialysis centers went totheir backup plans. The break in thewater main should not have been asurprise. Shreveport’s water system has long been in disrepair.Even arecently passed bond package that will raise $80 million to fix someofit— including the pipe that

momentum by focusing acampaign on repairing pipes, pumps and towers. That’swhere politics and governing differ. One is about persuasion; the other is moreimportant.

Drinking water systemsaren’tthe focus of political urgency …until they demand it.

That’shappening in Shreveport right now.Challengers to Mayor TomArceneaux have repeatedly raised the water system problemsasakey issue in their campaigns. And during his term Arceneaux did persuade voters to approve abond issue forwater system repairs.

What we spend money on shows what we value. So in avery real sense, abudget is simply alist of priorities. As legislators gather at the Capitol for this year’s legislative session, they’ll find a number of competing interests seeking funding for projects. That’swhy we would like to hear from you as the session moves forward. What do you thinkshould be at the head of the list for state funding? Or conversely,what do you think should be on the chopping block? Send us your thoughts to letters@theadvocate.com, and we’ll publish thebest letters during the session.

broke —isstill not nearly enough. Thankfully,the situation improved within just afew days. But it is still a clear signal of asystem that is struggling. If this had happened only in Shreveport,itwould be one thing. But similar scenes have played outall over the stateinsystemslarge and small.

Shreveport alone needs maybe a half-billion dollars worth of repairs to its drinking water system to get it right

It’simportanttonote here that water systemsare separate from sewerage systems, which handle wastewater Those are also in bad shape.

Shreveport is similar to alot of local water systems, which wereneglected for decades as they decayed. Leaders and officials just kicked the water bottle down the road. After all, it’s normally hard to generate political

At the state level, there are someefforts underway: Annual water grades provide apublic window into the financial sustainability of local water systems, and the water sector program helps find funds to makeneeded repairs and upgrades.

But it’snot enough. Last year,Louisiana officials estimated that the state’s water systemswill need roughly $9 billion in repairs and upgrades over the next 20 years. That’smoney the state just doesn’thave.

In astate already dealing with a population problem,none of this is good. We love to say how our great food, music and culture attract people to our state. But without clean water,they won’t be coming to stay

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

Ourpolitics team is prepared to bring you gavel-to-gavel coverage of

theissues that matter.And though there are many places to get your news nowadays, Iwould venture to say that no one has the breadthand depth of coverage of the Louisiana Legislature as this news organization. Andweknow lawmakers are following our pages as well, so if you want to get your views before peoplewho are making thedecisions, drop us aline. We generally see aspike in letters during alegislative session as bills get debated on the floor.Wetry our best to publish them as that debate is occurring, but please understandthat sometimes, with fast-moving legislation, we may notbeabletopublish all of the letters we receive before avote.

Turning to our letters inbox forthe weekofFeb. 26-March 5, we received 66 letters. The maintopic that you wanted to talk about wasthe Letters page itself,and we received 13 letters about the viewswepublish. Next in interest wasthe warinIran, which prompted eight letters. Lastly,wereceived three letters on immigration, three on Mardi Gras and three on the TenCommandments issues. Afew letters have begun to trickle in on various bills up forconsideration at the Capitol. We expect that trickle to becomearushing river in the coming weeks.

Arnessa Garrett is Deputy Editor | OpinionPage Editor.Emailher at arnessa.garrett@theadvocate.com.

COMMENTARY

Elderlybeing kept from thenursing homestheyneed

If you have an elderlyparent with health needs requiringnursing home care, but you liveina parish with no nursing home beds available, well tough luck

That, essentially,isthe reality of acruelly wrongheaded state law in Louisiana, which doesn’tjust ban new nursing facilities statewide but evenbans additional beds in current facilities until July 1, 2027. Looked at one way,the law creates asort of protection racket for existing facilities by keeping competitors and innovators away Amazingly, bills introduced in both thestate House and Senate this year would extend that moratorium —that quasi-racket —for five more years, until mid-2032. Such arestraint not justoftrade but of patient services would be unconscionable.

Frankly,it would makesense to go much farther: Removeall restrictionsonthe number or capacity of nursing homes, subject only to stringent health andsafety requirements and to thedemands of the free market. Numerous public policy groupsfrom across thepolitical spectrumadvocate approaches close to that.

Berault’sbill, though, recognizes the political realities at the stateCapitol, so its reach is far narrower and should be seenbythe nursing homelobby more as afriendly amendment to currentlaw than as afrontal assault.

by eliminating excess, underused capacity,the costsofwhich they say are passed on to consumers or to the government entity subsidizing thecare. In extreme circumstances,such as when agovernor could confer health care operator’slicenses willy-nilly to thehighest bidder (think of what Louisiana’sown, late Gov Edwin Edwards was accused of doing), it might make senseto have stringent reviews and limits

Such is hardly thecase in Louisiana now,though, or at least in six parishes:Orleans, Jefferson, St.Tammany,Livingston, St. Bernard and Ascension.

single bed available.

“My billkeeps restrictions in place so that we don’thave overbuilding, but in areas where there’sgrowth or need, there is apressure valve so we can add beds where needed,” Berault said.

“Currently,there is no mechanism to add new beds even when they are needed.”

Fortunately,Rep. Stephanie Berault, R-Slidell, has introduced House Bill 654 to move, ever-socarefully,inthe other direction, to provide relief for the six Louisiana parishes with obvious shortages of nursing home beds.

To understand current law, one must understand that its proponentsargue, in effect, that theordinary rules of supply and demand do not apply in the nursinghomeindustry.They say that having more competition would actually raise costs, not reduce them. They arguethat requiringacertificate of need —or, as Louisiana calls its slightly differentarrangement, aFacility Need Review —actually controls costs

“I have been told by multiple local hospitals in St. Tammany parish that we do not have enough capacity to discharge patients from thehospital who need to go to anursing homefacility,” Berault said.

In fact, as she noted, theofficial LouisianaDepartment of Health statistics on the occupancy rate of nursing homes counts only Medicaid patients, not self-paying ones —so, for example, one facility listed as being filled only to 74% capacity actually has not a

Specifically,Berault’sbill would do two things. First, eliminate the moratorium. Period. Second, replace it with asystem,still quite restrictivebut with someleeway based on objective data, fornew homes or beds to be allowed. The bill would compare each parish’snumber of nursing facility beds withthe per capita average of such beds nationwide. If the parish is below that quota by 30-120 beds, then existing facilities would be allowed to expand capacity.Ifthe shortage is more than 120 beds, the state would “accept applications to grant a license to operate anew nursing facility.”

The new facilities would be required to meet exacting standards for space-per-patient and for various health and safety

measures. Right now the state’s actual enforcement of standards at existing facilities is arguably rather lax, which could mean that under Berault’sbill, any new facilities (or expansions of existing ones) may wellbeofhigher quality than what exists now There’smore, but that’sthe gist of it. To repeat, only the six parishes mentioned above would be likely to qualifysoon fornew beds or facilities. And the termsofBerault’sbill mean the barriers to entry for new nursing homes in other parishes would remain high, based on the objective numerical formula mentioned above, and with high standards.

It is well knownthat a“silver tsunami” —aninflux of retiring Baby Boomers —isunderway Berault’sbill would allow Louisiana to meet those expanded needs fornursing homes, without upsetting the existing apple cart. The bill is measured and wise. It merits passage.

Email Quin Hillyer at quin hillyer@theadvocate.com

Kennedy’stakedownofNoemablast from hispast

to playthe rube, always casting about for more demeaning ways to mock whoever’sinhis crosshairs on agivenday

When Louisiana’sjunior senator methodically but brutally grilled now-ousted Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Ithought: That guy reminds me of someone. Iquickly realized who.The U.S. Sen. John Kennedy Iwatched last week reminded me of Louisiana Treasurer John Kennedy,who served in Baton Rougefrom 2000 until hewent to Washington nearly adecade ago. But wait, you might be thinking, aren’tthey the same person?

Well, yes and no. Treasurer Kennedy wasanavid watchdog eager to call out waste and mismanagement, no matter theoffender’spolitical persuasion. Indeed, one frequenttarget wasafellow Republican, Gov Bobby Jindal.

Sen. Kennedy,with very few exceptions, has traded his onceproud independence for predictability,both on his votes (Republican party line) and his on targets(nearly always Democrats) While he occasionally shows his stuff in hearings, he’slargely abandoned incisivequestioning for the sort of easy showmanship that wins clicks but rarely changes minds. And although he’sahighly educated attorney and wasn’tafraid to show it in Baton Rouge, these days he opts

You’ve got to admit theschtick worksfor him. Kennedy’sa popular guestonFox News,and he’s even written abestseller,“How to Test Negativefor Stupid: And WhyWashington Never Will.”

But for many who knew him when,the transformation has been disappointing, if not downright depressing.

Until last week, that is, when the old Kennedy suddenly reappeared in ahearing before theJudiciary Committee featuring the deeplyembattled soon-to-be-ex homeland security chief, part of an administration to which Kennedy hasshown nothingbut the most fawning loyalty

Likethe skilled lawyer he is, Kennedy first lulled Noem into comfort, congratulating her on success in sealing the border

Then,without really changing his solicitoustone, hemoved in for the kill by cornering her on two of Noem’smany,many controversies.

Onethreadinvolved theglitzy ad campaignfeaturing Noem on horseback atMount Rushmore, warning people in this country illegally to leave. The contract, whichcost areported $220 million in taxpayermoney,was awarded on an “emergency” basis, thus bypassing normal

public bid laws. DespiteNoem’s insistence that the contract was let competitively by nonpolitical appointees, Kennedy noted that it had gone to anewly formed company with no footprint, which then hired Noem’sown former ad man who just happened to be married to her spokesperson.

“How do you square (your) concern for waste, which Ishare, with the fact that you have spent $220 million running television advertisements that feature you

prominently?” Kennedy asked.

The senator also zeroed her characterization of two American citizens killed by immigration officers in Minneapolis as domestic terroristsand got her to say that it was her description, not White House adviser Stephen Miller’s, as she’d been quoted as having said.

The whole show wasrefreshing, not just because Kennedy put his skill to good use but because he zeroed in on obvious bad behav-

ior,nomatter whoconducted it. Just like in the old days.

Of course, none of it happened in avacuum.

While it’spossible Kennedy really had enough and was ready to show it, it’salso perfectly likely that he madeastrategic choice to either help Trumporpush him to fire Noem.

Maybe that’swhy,instead of saying the buck stops with the president, he claimed that the poor guy has been ill-served by an ad campaign that, it so happened, featured Trumpprominently too.

“I mean to me, it puts the president in aterribly awkward spot,” Kennedy said.

“It’sjust hard formetobelieve, knowing the president as Ido, that you said, ‘Mr.President, here’ssome ads I’ve cut, and I’m going to spend $220 million running them,’ that he would have agreed to that.”

What’sclear is that Trumpwas “mad as amurder hornet,” in Kennedy’stelling, and that the questioning helped put an end to a short tenure chock full of abuses and embarrassing failures on multiple fronts. No matter why Kennedy did it, it’sgood to see Noemgo.

As forKennedy 1.0, it wasnice to see him again. Maybe he’ll stick around forawhile.

Email StephanieGrace at sgrace@theadvocate.com.

Theseadvocates arepreparing forCallais decision

It seems every week since the U.S. Supreme Court heard oneof the court’smost consequential cases in the fall that court watchers have expected adecision that most likelywill change howwe vote in Louisiana and theUnited States. Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and Janai Nelson aren’tholding their breaths. They’re getting ready for whatever comes. Holder chairs the National Democratic Redistricting Committee. Nelson is president and director-counselofthe Legal Defense Fund. Holder argued cases on behalf of the United Statesduring PresidentBarackObama’sadministration, and he’snow fighting to hold onto more democratic, fair districts. Nelson argued theCallais case on behalf of plaintiffs, and those of us who have benefited from the protectionsofthe 1965 Voting Rights Act for 60-plus years

The Louisiana v. Callais case, formerly known as Callais v. Landry,stems from thesuccessful Robinson v. Ardoin case, avoting rights lawsuit that resulted in adecision to mandate that Louisianacreate asecond majorityBlack U.S.congressional district. U.S. Rep.Troy Carter,D-New Orleans, holdsthe Second Congressional District seat in what was theonlymajority-Black district until asecond majority-Black district was created in 2024, leading to U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields, D-Baton Rouge, winning the Sixth Congressional District seat and returning to Congress in 2025. The nation’shighest court heard theCallais case in March last year.Many were awaitingthe court’s consequential decisionwhen, on June 27, the last day ofthe court’sterm, the court announced that it wanted to rehear the case, puttingitonthe fall calendar The disappointment by propo-

nentsand opponentsofLouisiana having two majority-Black congressional districtswas almost audible.

Back to thehard work of preparing for another Supreme Court appearance thetop case lawyers went. Months of work for astandard, 60-minuteargument, 30 minutes for each side, with questions from thejustices in March. Each side had less time to prepare for 30-minutearguments before thecourt in October.Only in rare circumstances does the court give moretime.

Obviously,this is acritical decision in theeyes of the justices.

The rehearing went well beyond theone-hour limit

It took nearly 2.5hours as justices honed in and explored specific, narrow,constitutional issues involving how race should and should not be used to makeredistrictingdecisions. The general thinking was that adecision would be madein 2025, no later than the end of the year,sothere was timefor the

LouisianaState Legislature, and legislatures across the country,to have time to create new congressional districts before this fall’s congressional midterm elections. Depending on what the court does, it could eliminate 25% or moreCongressional Black Caucus members whohold majorityBlack seats. December came and went. So did January.And February Still, no decision.

That’snot abad thing.

“Weinitially expected adecision in 2025, given the electoral calendar here in Louisiana,” Nelson toldmeinaninterview after aBaton Rouge church program afew weeks ago. “But what we care most about is that justice is delivered. As long as it takes for thejustices to deliberate to decide theright thing to do in this case, we will take it.”

Nelson looks at the U.S. DepartmentofJustice and sees an uninterested, weak approach to voting rights—and she doesn’tlike it.

“They aretechnically respon-

sible,” she said of the DOJ. “They have abdicated that duty.They have fallen off on the job. They have rejected that responsibility, and, frankly,I believe they are in dereliction of their constitutional duty to enforce the constitution and the federal statutes of this country.”

When Holder headed the DOJ, his team fought terrorism,financial fraud and enforced voting rights. That last part is not happening under President Donald Trump.

No matter when the court rules, Holder wants to see the justices “minimize the damage that they’ll do” so “wedon’tcontinue to engage in what Ihave called the resegregation of America.” Nowthat so much time has gone by without aCallais decision, Holder said “the timing is relatively unimportant.” What’s important, he said, is “what it is that they say.”

Email Will Sutton at wsutton@ theadvocate.com

Many Americans are fortunate to have dental coveragefor their

working life,through employer-provided

end with retirement,payingdental bills out-of-pocket can come as a shock,leading peopletoput offoreven go without care.

Simplyput —without dental insurance, there may be an importantgap in your healthcarecoverage

Whenyou’recomparing plans ...

 Look forcoveragethat

Medicare doesn’tpay for dental care.1

That’s right. As good as Medicare is,itwas never meanttocover everything. That means if youwant protection, youneed to purchase individual insurance.

Early detectioncan prevent small problemsfrom becomingexpensive ones

The best way to preventlarge dental bills is preventive care. TheAmerican Dental Association recommends checkupstwiceayear.

Previous dental work canwearout

Even if you’ve hadqualitydentalworkinthe past, youshouldn’t take your dentalhealth forgranted. In fact, your odds of havinga dentalproblemonly go up as youage.2

Treatment is expensive especially theservicespeople over 50 often need

Consider these national average costsof treatment. $274for acheckup $299 for afilling $1,471 foracrown.3 Unexpected bills likethiscan be areal burden, especially if you’reonafixed income

ON ALOOP

SouthCarolinarunsdominance of LSUto19games in arow

BY REEDDARCEY Staff writer

GREENVILLE, S.C. Once thefinalityof LSU’slatestlost setin, Flau’jae Johnson spent about two minutes sitting at her locker,hunched over andstaring at abox score.

MaybeitwouldgiveJohnson some answers. Maybe she’d find asilver lining or two. The star senior guard has lost six of these games to South Carolina, soshe’s been here before. She’s had towrestle with that familiar feeling —the one that arrives onceshe realizes her Tigers still are searching for the only victory that’s eluded them in her career “I feel likeeverytime we play them,” Johnson said, “we lose the sameway.And

Ijust gotta do better.”

TheLSU women’sbasketball team went toe-to-toe with South Carolina on Saturday,just like it usually does. But the Tigers fell short once again, this time losing 83-77 to theGamecocks in the SEC Tournament semifinals.

LSUled at halftime and trailed by only five points with 1:56 left in thefourth quarter.Then it gave up alayup to South Carolina forwardMadina Okot, and MiLaysiaFulwiley tossed an errant pass on theensuing possession,giving away the No. 4-seeded-Tigers’ lastchancetosteal what would’ve been amonumental win.

South Carolina has won 19 straight matchups with LSU, including all seven it’splayed sincecoach Kim Mulkey’stenure began. Mulkey said Saturday thatthe

Tigers (27-5)lost in large part because they didn’tdo“the little things” well enough in the second half.

“Look at the statsheet, how similar,” Mulkey said. “Look at thestat sheet. So what are those little things?Maybe that one last tough rebound. Maybe thatone last tough defensive presence.”

LSU’sinterminable losing streak to SouthCarolina nowincludesthree SEC Tournament defeats. The two rivals last metinBon Secours Wellness Arena twoseasons ago, when an on-court scuffle marred theend of an otherwise compelling championship game. The Gamecocks won that matchup 79-72 to takehome one of the eight conference

LSUmen fall in 3OTs to Aggies

BY TOYLOYBROWN III Staff writer

LSU basketball has performed worse at home than on theroad for most of the season. But in the regular-season finale, LSU put forth one of itsmostinspiring performances in the Pete Maravich AssemblyCenter,but it wasn’tenough as Texas A&M prevailed 94-91 in triple overtime on Saturday.According to the SEC Network broadcast, it was thefirst triple-overtime SEC game since 2017. LSU nowsits alone in last place in the SEC standings.

“A heck of acollege basketball game here this Saturdayevening,” LSU coach Matt McMahon said.“I wasreallyproud of thefightand competitive spirit of our players. I thought they laid it on the line for Iguess, what endedupbeing 55

minutes. Unfortunately for us, too many turnovers that led to empty possessions.” LSUhad 22 turnovers to Texas A&M’s10. McMahon’steam also had14 fewer field goals. In the third overtime, LSU guard Jalen Reece drove from the left corner to the paint and drained a floater to give theTigers a91-90 lead with 42 seconds remaining.

But Rashaun Agee of TexasA&M didanexaggerated pumpfake from the top of the keyand drove for an and-one layup. Afterthe free throw,his team led 93-91 with 24 seconds remaining.

After Reece missed ashotinthe lane,the Aggiesadded afreethrow to go up 94-91. Max Mackinnon dribbled up the court andfound an open pull-up 3-pointer for LSU, but hisshot was wellshort as the Aggiesdelivered LSU athird straight defeat.

TexasA&M coach Bucky McMillan said his team was supposed to foul Mackinnonbut didn’t. The first-yearcoach saidtongue-incheek that his team couldn’tplay a fourth overtime.

“I couldn’tlive if we went to the fourth overtime,” he said.“Iwould just walk out of there …and if he madethat 3, LSU would have won by forfeit.Icouldn’thave done it anymore.”

Mike Nwoko had 16 points and 13 rebounds for theTigers. Mackinnon had 20 points,and Reece chipped in 17 pointsand five assists andhad only two turnovers.

The Aggies appliedtheirfullcourt defense throughout.Texas A&M entered the game forcing 13.5turnovers per game, which were themostinthe Southeastern Conference.

Chio staking herclaim amongLSU gymgreats

BY SCOTT RABALAIS Staff writer

There was atime last season when it seemed unlikely LSU would produce another gymnast as great as Haleigh Bryant. In five seasons, Bryant won 105 events, including two NCAA individual titles. In 2024, she helped lead LSU to its first team national championship. Her18careerperfect 10s are twice as many as anyother LSUgymnast ever ThenKailin Chio camealong.

To

Chio has 50 individual wins in 24 career meets, including the 2025 NCAA vault title, to rank 12th on LSU’scareer wins list. She already has seven perfect 10s, which is seventh on the program’s career list.

Going intoSunday’smeet at No. 4 Florida (5 p.m., SEC Network), Chio is ranked No. 1nationallyinthe all-around, on vault and on balance beam. It’sinthe latter event where she has excelled the most, withfourperfect 10s,including three straight, to make her the first LSU gymnast since1995 with threestraight 10.0 marks in the same event.

What makes Chio so good, and how great can shebe? We put that question to four legitimate all-timeLSU gymnastics greats: Jennifer Wood, Susan Jackson, Rheagan Courville Brantonand Ashleigh Gnat. Gnatcompeted for LSU from 2014-17, winning 62 titles—including the 2017 NCAA floor championship and nine perfect 10s. Gnat returned as an LSU assistant coach forfive seasonsfrom202125, when she wasinvolved in recruiting Chio, then afive-star prospect, from her hometown of Henderson, Nevada “Weall knewthe competitor shewas,” Gnat said from her new home in Tampa, Florida,where she works as arepresentative for GK Elite leotards. “She’d alreadyshown that as aLevel 10 (gymnast) and an elite athlete before that.

LSU guard Max Mackinnon takes the final shot of the third overtime periodagainst Texas A&M with the Tigers down by three on Saturdayat the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.The missed shot allowedthe Aggies to win 94-91.

Oncethe Tigers understood the freneticnature of theiropponent, they adaptedand scored. LSUhad astretch where it made 7of8field goals. Marquel Sutton was the earlybeneficiary,scoring adriv-

ing layup and then aleft-corner 3-pointer

See LSU MEN, page 5C

8

Louisville vs Duke ESPN

1:15 p.m.Big Ten: Iowa vs. UCLA CBS

1:30 p.m.Big East: Creighton vs. UConn NBCSN

2 p.m SEC: TBD vs. S Carolina ESPN

3 p.m. Summit: SDSU vs. NDSU CBSSN

3 p.m. A-10: Geo. Mason vs. Rh. Island ESPN2

4

4 p.m. Big East: TBD NBCSN

5 p.m. Big South: TBD vs. High Point ESPN2

WOMEN’S COLLEGE GYMNASTICS

3 p.m. 2026 Elevate the Stage ACCN

5 p.m. LSU at Florida SECN COLLEGE SOFTBALL

11 a.m. Texas at South Carolina SECN

1 p.m. LSU at Tennessee SECN

3 p.m. Missouri at Florida SECN

5 p.m. Georgia Tech at Clemson ACCN MEN’S COLLEGE WRESTLING

3 p.m. Ivy League Tourn. Champs. ESPNEWS

3:30 p.m. Big Ten Tourn. Championships BTN

7 p.m. ACC Tourn. Championships ACCN GOLF

11:30 a.m PGA: Arnold Palmer Invitational Golf 1:30 p.m.

WOMEN’S TOP 25 ROUNDUP

Texas pulls away from Ole Miss

By The Associated Press

GREENVILLE, S.C. — Preseason AllAmerican Madison Booker had 31 points, 11 rebounds and five assists and No. 4 Texas pulled away in the fourth quarter and beat 24th-ranked Ole Miss 85-68 Saturday to reach the Southeastern Conference Tournament championship game for the second straight season.

Kyla Oldacre was strong in the paint with 19 points and eight rebounds for the Longhorns (30-3), who’ll face No. 3 South Carolina (31-2) in a rematch of last year’s title game which the Gamecocks won 64-45.

Cotie McMahon and Denim DeShields each 20 points for Ole Miss (23-11), which was outscored 28-13 in the fourth quarter

The Rebels reached the semifinal round after a stunning win over No. 5 Vanderbilt in which they jumped out to a 23-2 lead and led by 32 in the third quarter before holding off a late rally by the Commodores.

They didn’t start nearly as fast on Saturday The taller Longhorns used a 12-0 run to build a 16-point lead in the first half, outscoring the Rebels 30-14 in the paint.

UCLA 72, NO. 11 OHIO STATE 62: In Indianapolis, Kiki Rice scored 17 points to lead five UCLA players in double figures and the Bruins won their school-record 24th consecutive game in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals.

Conference Player of the Year

Lauren Betts and Angela Dugalic each scored 14 points for the Bruins (30-1), who led the entire way Gianna Kneepkens scored 13 points and Gabriela Jaquez added 10 points.

The Bruins will meet No. 9 Iowa in Sunday’s championship Chance Gray led the fifth-seeded Buckeyes (26-7) with 23 points. NO 1 UCONN 84, GEORGETOWN 39: In Uncasville, Connecticut, Serah Williams had 12 of her 14 points in the first half, Sarah Strong had 11 points and Azzi Fudd had 10 points as No. 1 UConn rolled over Georgetown in the quarterfinals of the Big East tournament to extend its winning streak to 48 games.

KK Arnold added 12 points and Kayleigh Heckel had eight points for UConn (32-0), which won its

LSU WOMEN

Continued from page 1C

tournament titles they’ve picked up in the last 10 years South Carolina hardly ever loses in the SEC Tournament. Greenville had hosted the event seven times before this season, and the Gamecocks cut down the net at the end of six of those tournaments.

Overall, South Carolina is 20-1 in Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Its 17-game winning streak in that building dates back to 2020. That’s what LSU was up against on Saturday, when it kept attacking the rim and chasing missed shots — on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor. The Tigers tried to be the aggressors. In the first half, they outscored South Carolina in the paint 24-16, won the rebounding

IN BRIEF FROM

LSU softball can’t hold early lead vs. Tennessee

The No. 1 Tennessee softball team remained undefeated on Saturday after an 11-6 victory against No. 17 LSU in Knoxville, Tennessee.

LSU (17-6, 0-2 SEC) jumped ahead 4-0 in the top of the first inning, with catcher Maci Bergeron providing the big shot on a threerun homer

After scoring a run in the second inning, the Volunteers (22-0, 2-0) took control with six runs in the bottom of the third inning. LSU starting pitcher Tatum Clopton was responsible for the first two runs, and reliever Cece Cellura absorbed the rest. Jalia Lassiter was the only LSU player with multiple hits, and she also scored two runs for the Tigers. The two teams will conclude the weekend series at 1 p.m. Sunday

Berger keeps Bay Hill lead as third round suspended

ORLANDO, Fla. — Daniel Berger stopped making as many birdies even after a rain delay took some of the bite out of Bay Hill on Saturday He still had a two-shot lead in the Arnold Palmer Invitational when darkness kept the third round from finishing.

37th consecutive conference tournament game and 43rd in a row against the Hoyas.

Laila Jewett had nine points for Georgetown (14-17).

NO 9 IOWA 59, NO. 8 MICHIGAN 42: In Indianapolis, Ava Heiden scored 16 points, Hannah Stuelke and Chazadi Wright each had 13, and No. 9 Iowa pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat No. 8 Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals.

The Hawkeyes outscored the Wolverines 24-6 in the fourth quarter Stuelke, who also had 10 rebounds, scored seven points in the initial 2:23 of the final quarter to push Iowa ahead 42-38.

The Hawkeyes (26-5) advance to Sunday’s championship game against reigning champion UCLA (30-1).

Michigan (25-6) set a program record for regular-season and conference victories.

NO 10 TCU 74, KANSAS STATE 62: In Kansas City, Missouri, Marta Suarez scored 14 of her 22 points in the third quarter and No. 10 TCU used a 24-16 scoring edge in the period on the way to defeating

battle 24-15 and played disruptive defense around the rim. But the Gamecocks (31-2) figured out how to score in the second half. Across the third and fourth quarters, they shot 48% from the field and 3 of 9 from 3-point range. LSU couldn’t keep up.

Fulwiley scored 24 points on 10of-21 shooting in her sixth straight game with at least 15 points. Point guard Jada Richard tallied 17 points, five rebounds and four assists, and forward Amiya Joyner scored nine points and grabbed 11 boards.

LSU didn’t receive enough offensive production from Johnson and Mikaylah Williams, though. They combined to score 20 points on 6-of-20 shooting South Carolina guard Raven Johnson finished with a careerhigh 22 points, while Ta’Niya Latson chipped in 19. Star sophomore forward Joyce Edwards scored 18

Kansas State in a semifinal round game of the Big 12 Tournament.

The Horned Frogs, who were the regular-season champions, will look to repeat as tournament champions Sunday against No. 15 West Virginia or Colorado.

Kansas State, which played in its fourth game in four days, was the first No. 12 seed to reach the tournament semifinals.

TCU (29-4) received 18 points from Olivia Miles, while Taylor Bigby and Veronica Sheffey each scored 10.

Kansas State (18-17) was led by Jordan Speiser’s 16 points, Nastja Clasussens added 14, Taryn Sides had 11 and Tess Heal 10.

NO 12 LOUISVILLE 65, NO 16 NORTH CAROLINA 57: In Duluth, Georgia, Imari Berry scored 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead No. 12 Louisville past No. 16 North Carolina in a semifinal of the ACC Tournament.

The No. 2 seed Cardinals (276) led by five points heading to the fourth quarter and quickly pushed their lead to 10. Thirdseeded North Carolina cut it to 52-46 midway through the quar-

points, corralled 11 boards and assisted three shots.

“I just thought we just held on until we could get to halftime, talk about things,” South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said. “I felt good. I felt our players were right there When we came out in the third quarter, we made a run, took the lead. Then it was back and forth. But I thought our kids were really resilient.”

Fulwiley drove most of LSU’s success in the first half. The Tigers entered the halftime break with a 17-0 edge in bench points, with the star junior guard accounting for all but two of them. They weren’t hitting 3-pointers, but they were forcing misses, scoring in transition and crashing the offensive glass. LSU controlled both the paint and the boards across the first and second quarters — two key reasons why it led 40-36 at halftime.

ter before Berry scored Louisville’s next six points, leading to a 58-48 advantage with two minutes left.

NO 13 DUKE 65, NOTRE DAME 63: In Duluth, Georgia, fifth-seeded Notre Dame had three shots in the final 11 seconds with the game on the line, but top-seeded Duke hung on and came out on top in the semifinals of the ACC tournament.

The Irish overcame a flat start, taking their first lead of the game with just over six minutes remaining in the third quarter

Hannah Hidalgo led the Irish with 24 points and eight rebounds.

Taina Mair had a team-high 16 points and added eight rebounds for Duke. Toby Fournier added 14 points and eight rebounds.

NO 23 PRINCETON 78, YALE 55: In Princeton, New Jersey, Fadima Tall scored 22 points, Madison St. Rose added 17 and No. 23 Princeton captured the Ivy League regular-season title with a victory over Yale.

Leading by 10 points heading to the fourth quarter Princeton (243, 12-2 Ivy League) blew the game open in the final 10 minutes.

Then the third quarter rolled around, and South Carolina started pulling rebounds off of the offensive glass. The Gamecocks grabbed six of those boards in that quarter, then turned them into 10 second-chance points They also hit three 3-pointers.

LSU battled back. At the 5:02 mark of the fourth quarter, a 3-pointer from Richard cut South Carolina’s lead to 69-66. The Tigers just couldn’t get the defensive stops they needed to regain the lead and end the losing streak. “Just get that one rebound,” Mulkey said. “The beginning of the third quarter, just, like, what are we doing? Missing shots, jacking up shots. What are we doing?”

LSU next will begin its NCAA Tournament run. The Tigers are expected to be given their first No. 2 seed since 2008 when the full bracket is set on March 15.

Berger was to return Sunday morning to face a 35-foot eagle putt on the par-5 16th. After watching Akshay Bhatia get up-anddown from a bunker for birdie to close within two, Berger handed the putter to his caddie and decided to wait 13 hours before his next putt.

Rory McIlroy withdrew about 30 minutes before his tee time after he felt muscle spasms in his back. It was his first time withdrawing from a tournament in 13 years, though it was not likely to keep him from The Players Championship.

Ravens pick up DE Crosby for two first-round picks

Five-time Pro Bowl edge rusher

Maxx Crosby is heading to the Baltimore Ravens, two people with knowledge of the trade told The Associated Press late Friday night. The Las Vegas Raiders will receive two first-round picks from the Ravens, including the No. 14 overall pick in next month’s NFL draft, one of the people said. The 28-year-old Crosby had 10 sacks and a career-high 28 tackles for loss last season, and he has reached double-digit sacks four times in his seven seasons. Baltimore is in a win-now mode with three-time All-Pro quarterback Lamar Jackson. Crosby is a significant boost for a defense that finished tied for 28th in the league in sacks with only 30 last season.

American Masters

earns 20th Paralympic medal

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO Italy Oksana Masters, the most decorated American winter paralympian, surprised even herself by adding a 20th Paralympic medal to her overall tally at Milan Cortina on Saturday After overcoming a series of adversities that hindered her preparations in the leadup to the Games, Masters came through with victory in the women’s sprint sitting discipline in para biathlon, finishing ahead of fellow American Kendall Gretsch.

“Oh my gosh, my emotions are just pure shock. I did not expect this. All I was hoping was just to have a good time in the shooting range,” she said. It was her sixth Winter Paralympic gold medal to go along with her four victories at the Summer Paralympics.

Lee in position for first LPGA win in eight years

HAINAN ISLAND, China Mi Hyang Lee made only five pars Saturday in a wild and windy round at the Blue Bay LPGA that ended with a 1-under 71, good enough to seize control with a three-shot lead as the South Korean goes after her first LPGA win in more than eight years.

Lee put together seven birdies at Jian Lake Blue Bay, offset by enough mistakes — six bogeys — to keep her from an even larger lead. She was at 12-under 204, three shots ahead of

A whole lot to talk about

BY JOE MACALUSO

Contributing writer

Red snapper, black bears, green-hued largemouth bass, black-bellied whistling ducks along with the white and black varieties of sac-alait made for interesting and colorful news and discussion during Wednesday’s Wildlife and Fisheries Commission meeting in Baton Rouge

For offshore fishermen, the recreational red snapper season will open May 1 — the same as last year

The biggest change, outlined by Wildlife and Fisheries’ marine biologist Jason Adriance, is a reduction in 2026 allocation of red snapper to this sector, which includes the catch made by state-permitted charterboat operations.

Adriance told the sevenman commission that 2025’s 200-day recreational red snapper season mapped out the staff recommendation for 2026’s seven-day-a-week, four-fish-per-day limit. The snapper must measure a minimum length of 16 inches. Federally permitted charterboats crews must wait until June 1 to open their season.

Adriance said the private recreational season haul was 947,103 pounds in 2025, a catch that was 105.8% of our state’s 2025 allocation, a take that mandates a reduction of the 2026 allocation to 882,439 pounds The LA Creel system estimate of the federally permitted char-

MONDAY

RED STICK FLY FISHERS

PROGRAM: 7 p.m., Bluebonnet Regional Library, 9200 Bluebonnet Blvd., Baton Rouge. Open to the public. Email Brian Roberts: roberts.brian84@ gmail.com. Website: rsff.org

WEDNESDAY

BUGS & BEERS: 6:30 p.m., Skeeta Hawk Brewing, 455 N. Dorgenois St., New Orleans. Casual fly tying. Open to public. Email A.J. Rosenbohm: ajrosenbohm@gmail.com Website: www.neworleansflyfishers.com

THURSDAY

JUNIOR SOUTHWEST

BASSMASTERS MEETING:

7 p.m., Seminar Room, Bass Pro Shops, Denham Springs. Boys & girls age-group bass tournaments for ages 7-10, 11-14 & 15-18 anglers. Call Jim Breaux (225) 772-3026.

HUNTING SEASONS

GEESE/CONSERVATION ORDER: Through March 15, East & West zones. Limited to take of blue, snow and Ross’ geese

ters was 147,830 pounds.

Better news from Adriance was the average weights and lengths of red snapper were up over the same 2025 measurements, and even better was his statement that “there is a pretty stable age structure and there is good recruitment of young snapper.”

The recreational season will be closed when state fisheries managers, using LA Creel, determine the 2026 allotment has been reached

Black bears

More good news from the Wildlife and Fisheries biologist John Hanks The Dec. 5-20 black bear season will expand to all seven Louisiana bear areas, up from the three areas hunted in 2025.

Hanks said permits in each of the seven areas will be determined by population studies of the bears in each area.

Hunters took 16 bears — 10 males and six females — with an average weight of 341 pounds from the 26 tags issued for 2025’s December season.

Hanks outlined other changes, notably to move all of Franklin Parish into Bear Area 4, and the chance for nonresident landowners to get a tag Public comment on this proposed season will be accepted until 4 p.m. April 28.

only. No daily nor possession limits. Hunters allowed to use electronic calls and shotguns capable of holding more than three shells.

AROUND THE CORNER

MARCH 15—FEELING LUCKY/ NSCA REGISTERED EVENT: Sporting Clays shoot, Covey Rise, 58256 Covey Rise Drive, Husser. 100-target main event, 50-target Super Sport & 5-Stand. Fees $45-$85. Call Covey Rise (985) 747-0310, Ext. 2. Website: scorechaser.com MARCH 17—LAFAYETTE KAYAK FISHING CLUB MEETING: 6 p.m., Pack and Paddle, 601 E. Pinhook, Lafayette. Call (337) 232-5854. Website: www.lafayettekayakfishing.com

MARCH 18—FLIES & FLIGHTS: 7-9 p.m, Rally Cap Brewing, 11212 Pennywood Avenue, Baton Rouge. Casual fly tying. Open to public. Email Chris Williams: thefatfingeredflytyer@gmail.com

MARCH 19—ACADIANA FLY RODDERS PROGRAM: 6 p.m., Pack and Paddle, 601 E. Pinhook, Lafayette. Open to public. Email Darin Lee: at

OUTDOORS

Hogapalooza

A pack of feral hogs runs through a field at the LSU AgCenter in Clinton on June 6, 2023. Now that the bulk of the hunting season is over, Louisiana’s Hunters for the Hungry knows hunters can extend their efforts to help remove the burgeoning feral hog population by donating hogs to the H4H’s effort to feed the hungry of our state with the Hogapalooza program.

Processors across the state will process the hogs and turn the meat over to soup kitchens and other civic groups H4H also announced the Dubach Deer Factory & Smokehouse is awarding cash prizes to hunters donating feral hogs to the program. For details and a list of processors, email executive director Julie Grunewald at Julie@h4hla.org

Amendments

March’s meeting is the final one for amendments to the next hunting seasons which were proposed in January

Two months ago, duck hunters found out about a new special October season offered to take black-bellied whistling ducks, a species that has found a home and prospered in south Louisiana. The rub in past years was these ducks wandered all over the marshes during the special September teal season, but were prohibited from being taken at that time.

Rub No. 2 was these ducks would migrate out of the state shortly after the 60-day “big” duck season opened in

cbrsandcdc@gmail.com. Website: acadianaflyrodders.org

FISHING/SHRIMPING

SHRIMP: Fall inshore season closed in Zones 2 & 3 & portions of Zone 1 except Breton/ Chandeleur sounds. Outside waters from Caillou Boca west to Freshwater Bayou Canal closed. All other outside waters open.

OPEN RECREATIONAL SEA-

SONS: Gray triggerfish; flounder; lane, blackfin, queen and silk snappers & wenchmen among other snapper species; all groupers except closed for goliath & Nassau groupers in state/federal waters.

CLOSED SEASONS: Red snapper; greater amberjack; bluefin tuna; gag, goliath & Nassau groupers in state/federal waters. Commercial greater amberjack season closed.

LDWF UPDATES

CLOSED: Hope Canal Road/ boat launch (Maurepas Swamp WMA, levee construction); Price Lake Road (Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge) weekdays from March 2-20 (repair hurricane damage).

EMAIL: jmacaluso@theadvocate.com

Wallace feeling left out as

Reddick sets NASCAR mark

BY JENNA FRYER AP auto racing writer

AVONDALE,Ariz. — The flipside to Tyler Reddick taking Michael Jordan to victory lane in NASCAR’s first three races this season is teammate Bubba Wallace feels a bit left out of the euphoria surrounding 23XI Racing. Reddick set a NASCAR record in winning the first three races of the season, the Daytona 500, at Atlanta and last weekend on the road course in Austin, Texas, with Jordan in attendance, and Jordan will be at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday when Reddick goes for four in a row The success has 23XI Racing buzzing and Reddick and Wallace are 1-2 in the Cup Series standings. Wallace

can find solace in how he’s running he had chances to win at Daytona and Atlanta — but is still disappointed the wins have gone solely to Reddick

The difference between the Toyota teammates, Wallace joked, is that Reddick inherited the mythical lucky horseshoe Jimmie Johnson had for seven Cup championships.

“You know, Tyler’s been driving his (butt) off, simple as that, I couldn’t be more proud of him and the way he’s turned around from his (winless) season from last year,” Wallace said It’s been pretty cool to wit-

ness that. I wish it was our team.”

Reddick can empathize with Wallace and noted he had a tinge of jealousy last season when Wallace won the Brickyard 400 as Reddick was slumping.

“I’ve experienced it other places that I’ve raced and feel like I contended to win, didn’t win and teammates did, so I understand where he probably would be with that part of it,” Reddick said. “I think he’s doing a good job of remaining positive and it’s a good start to the year for him.” Reddick and Wallace are winless at Phoenix. Reddick was third in 2023 and 2024, while Wallace has an average finish of 20th and failed to finish either race at Phoenix last year

November

After working for years with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to get a special season on whistling ducks, the USFWS came back to limit shooting hours from sunrise to sunset after the federal managers voiced concerns about identifying this species from other migratory waterfowl in lowlight periods.

A second amendment came after appeals from recreational fishermen about for-hire fishing operations on the Dewey Wills Wildlife Management Area. The objections revolved about multiple-trip days and the use of Live Scope to target sac-a-lait. The discussion prompted an ap-

proved amendment to ban charterboat operators from keeping fish on all WMAs as part of the overall 20262027 hunting regulations and WMA/federal refuge proposals.

A public hearing is scheduled in April on all amendments to the hunting regs package.

More land

Three wildlife management areas needed the commission’s attention.

The Salvador WMA in south Louisiana increased by 628.4 acres of freshwater marsh for a total 37,075 acres, including adding four miles of shoreline along Lake Salvador

The John Franks WMA

to bring its total to 4,706 acres. Larto-Saline

The commission also passed a notice to change the daily creel limit on saca-lait to 25 (with a 10-inch minimum length) and reduce the allowed daily take of black bass to seven with a 14-inch minimum “keeper” size in the Larto-Saline complex.

Public comment on these changes will be accepted until May 27 and can be emailed to Shelby Richard: srichard@wlf.la.gov

CJ PATT ON General Manager

Zion Williamsonalmost stole apass near midcourt that would have given the New Orleans Pelicans a chance to forceovertime and steal awin Friday night. But he couldn’tgain control of the ball,and the Phoenix Suns ended up dribbling out the clock to hand the Pelicans a118-116 loss. Those final few seconds pretty much summed up the Pelicans’ six-game trip to the West Coast. Oh, so close. But just not quite there yet.

The Pelicans went 3-3 on the road trip. They very well could have gone 5-1.

Iknowwhat you’re probablysaying: “Coulda, woulda, shoulda.”

The Pels beat the Utah Jazz (twice) and the Sacramento Kings. The Jazz and the Kings, both tanking down the stretch, are

theonlytwo teams in the Western Conference with worse records than thePels (20-45). Sothe Pels handled theirbusiness by beating teamsthey are supposed to beat

Butthe Pelswent0-3 against three teams (L.A, Clippers, L.A. Lakers and Suns) that will either be in theplayoffs or play-in tournament. The Pels had alackluster performance against theClippers, but they hadchancesagainst the Lakersand Suns. ThePelicanshad the Lakersonthe ropes Tuesday night but couldn’tdeliver the knockout. Theyled 9486 with 7:20 remainingbefore gettingoutscored24-7 the rest of theway On Friday night, it was just the opposite. They trailed by asmanyas14 points in thefourth quarter, then climbed out of the hole before falling short.

Thomas

during the first half of Saturday’sgame in Lexington, Ky.The Gators won84-77. Pelicans’3-3

road trip just misses themark

Rod Walker

ä Wizards at Pelicans. 6P.M.SUNDAy,GCSEN

There were some missed opportunities. Dejounte Murray,soinstrumental in thecomeback, missed alayup in thefinal minute. And Williamson missed afree throw with 8.6 seconds left that could have trimmed thedeficit to one.

“I thought it was agood fight,” Pelicans interim head coach James Borrego said. “Wecould’ve given in. We kept battlingdown 12 and 13, and kept clawing in there and found away to

in arebound infront of Kentucky’s Malachi

Gators on aroll

No.5Florida beatsKentuckyto finish regularseasonwith11-game winstreak

By The Associated Press

LEXINGTON, Ky.— Thomas Haugh had 20 points and nine rebounds as No. 5Florida beat Kentucky 84-77 on Saturday to end the regular season with an 11-game winning streak. Boogie Fland added 16 points and six assists for the Gators (25-6, 16-2 Southeastern Conference), the No. 1seed in next week’sSEC Tournament at Nashville, Tennessee.

The reigning national champions completed a regular-seasonsweep of the Wildcats (19-12, 10-8). Alex Condon scored 14 points forFlorida.Rueben Chinyelu had 13 points and eight rebounds, and Xaivian Lee finished with 11 points, seven rebounds and five assists.

Otega Oweh ledKentucky with28points, 17 in the first half.

Oweh was honored before the game along with follow senior Denzel Aberdeen and walk-ons Zack Towand Walker Horn.

No.1DUKE 76,No.17 NORTH CAROLINA 61: In Durham, North Carolina, CameronBoozer had26points, 15 rebounds and five assists to help Duke beat North Carolina in arivalry rematch Maliq Brown added 15 points as Duke led by asinglepossession early after halftime before taking over with 16 unanswered points in what ballooned to a24-2 surge. The Blue Devils(29-2, 17-1) completed asecond straight one-loss run through ACC regular-season play,this one cominga monthafter losing at North Carolina on Seth Trimble’s last-second 3-pointer.Duke has won eight straight, including aneutral-court victory over then-No.1Michigan and aromp against No. 13 Virginia.

MARQUETTE 68,No. 4UCONN 62: In Milwaukee, Nigel James scored 19 points and UConn coach Dan Hurley was ejected in the final second as Marquette hung on to preventthe Huskiesfrom claiming ashare ofthe Big East regular-season title. UConn (27-4, 17-3) trailed 64-62 when the Huskies’Silas Demary drove to thebasketwhile being defendedby Ben Gold.Demary’sshot hit theglass and the rimbefore theball bounced off acouple of players andhit thefloor No.6 IOWASTATE 86, ARIZONA STATE65: In Ames, Iowa,Joshua Jefferson, TaminLipsey and Milan Momcilovichad 16 points apiece, and Iowa State scored 24 straight points to break open awin over ArizonaState. No. 7HOUSTON 82, OKLAHOMA STATE75: In Stillwater,Oklahoma,reserve Chase McCarty scored14 of his20 points in thesecondhalf and Houston rallied.

No.14KANSAS 104,KANSAS STATE85: In Lawrence, Kansas, freshman star Darryn Peterson scored 27 pointsin his likely AllenFieldhouse finale, TreWhite and Melvin Council had memorablesenior send-offs oftheir own, and Kansas rolled Peterson, thepotential No. 1pick in this year’sNBA draft, was an efficient 10 of 15 from thefieldfor the Jayhawks(22-9, 12-6Big 12), who clinched adouble-bye in next week’sconference tournament by winning on senior day for the 43rd consecutive year WISCONSIN 97, No. 15 PURDUE 93:InWest Lafayette, Indiana, JohnBlackwell made five 3-pointers and scored 25 points,NickBoyd added 23 and Wisconsin set aschoolrecord with 18 3-pointers.

No. 13 VIRGINIA 76, VIRGINIA TECH72: In Charlottesville, Virginia, Ugo Onyenso and Malik Thomas each had16 points,Sam Lewis scored

makeitaone-possession game. Overall, agood road trip.Could’ve been better We probably had two wins there that we let slip from our fingertips. Good battle. It’sa new group that’splaying together and we’re going to find our way and figure it out.”

Theline between winning and losing in the NBA is a thin one. This trip showed that.

It also showed how competitive the Pels can be when healthy.For the first time this season, the Pelicansplayed with a fully healthy roster for two games on this road trip. The resultswere losses to the Lakersand Suns.

Butoverall, Borrego liked what he saw from his team.

“It was apositive (trip) in that we were in every game,” Borrego said. “We built momentum. We were competitive throughout ev-

ery single game. Ilove our spirit, our fight, the identity on both sides of the ball. We’ve got guys in and out of the lineup, so it’salittle funky right now.”

Murray,who returned twoweeks ago after missing morethan ayear with atorn Achilles, sat out two games on the trip because he isn’tyet playing in both games of aback-to-back situation. His presence wasfelt Friday,though, as he finished with 15 points, eight rebounds and five assists. He also wascredited with twosteals. “He turned that game with his defensive tenacity,” Borrego said. “That’s what makes him special. He can get out there on the ball and hawkthe ball and make big plays. It’s great to see him making progress and getting morecomfortable with our group.”

All five starters scored in

double figuresFriday.The night before, the Pelicans gotmajor minutes from nine players in the win over the Kings. They’ll need similar performances as they take on these last 17 games. The next one is Sunday when the Pels host the Washington Wizards at the Smoothie King Center.The Pelicans have won their last five games against the Wizards. Based on how the Pels played on the road trip against struggling teams, that streak should extend to six straight on Sunday But they will finish the weekwith ahome game against the Toronto Raptors and then aroad trip to Houston to play the Rockets. Those are the type of games the Pels need to start finding away to win.

Email Rod Walker at rwalker@theadvocate.com.

Judge, Turang power U.S. to openingrout

By The Associated Press

WBC

AaronJudge hit atwo-run homerand Brice Turang had threehits and four RBIs to lead the United States to a15-5 win over Brazil in its World Baseball Classic opener Friday night.

Therewas oneout and oneoninthe first when Judge, the first player to commit to theteam in April, connected off Bo Takahashi at Houston’sDaikin Park.

LucasRamirez —with his father,12-time All-Star Manny Ramirez,inattendance —homered twice for Brazil. He cutthe lead to 2-1 with his leadoff homer,and his soloshotinthe eighth got Brazil within 8-5.

At 20 years, 49 days, he becamethe youngest player in WBC history with a multi-homer game.

ASSOCIATEDPRESS PHOTOByASHLEy LANDIS Aaron Judgeofthe United States hits atwo-run home run during the first inning of aWorld Baseball Classicgame against Brazil on FridayinHouston. The United States went on to a15-5 win. The USA’s game against Great Britainon Saturday was not over at press time.

ninth as the U.S. tacked on seven moreruns. The Americanswalked 17 timesand forced Brazil to throw 221 pitches.

15 and Virginia held off Virginia Tech.

No.20ARKANSAS 88, MISSOURI

84,OT: In Columbia,Missouri Arkansas beat Missouri in overtime to makeJohn Calipari thefifth Division Imen’s basketball coach to win 900 games.

Meleek Thomas scored 28 andTrevon Brazile had19 points andninereboundsfor Arkansas (23-8, 13-5 Southeastern Conference).

LOUISVILLE 92,No. 22 MIAMI 89: In Coral Gables,Florida, Ryan Conwell scored 18 of his 24 points in thefirst half,Adrian Wooley hitthe go-ahead 3-pointer with18.4 seconds remainingand Louisville wasted a12-pointlead before hanging on.

No.24VANDERBILT86, No. 23

TENNESSEE 82: In Knoxville, Tennessee, Tyler Tanner scored25points to lead the Commodores past theVols.

The Commodores(24-7, 11-7 SEC) led by double digits most of thegame.

GEORGE MASON86, No. 25

SAINTS LOUIS 57: In Fairfax, Virginia, JahariLong had 21 pointsand nine assists, and George Mason routed Saint Louisinthe regular-season finale for bothteams.

Late Friday No. 19 MIAMI (OHIO) 110, OHIO

108: In Athens, Ohio, the RedHawks finishedthe regular season as theonly unbeaten team in Division I men’sbasketball, with Eian Elmer scoring acareer-high 32 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in agritty overtime victory over Ohio.

Peter Suder scored five of his13pointsinovertime forMiami (31-0, 18-0MidAmerican), which became the firstteamtocompletean unblemished regular season since Gonzaga in 2021.

Despite its magical season, Miami might need to win the conference tournament next week to guarantee aspot in theNCAA Tournament.

ByronBuxton was hit by apitch in the fifth to push theAmericans’lead to 4-1. Turang cleared thebases with his double to left field two pitches later tomake it 7-1.

Brazil is in the WBCfor just the second timeand first since2013. Theteam fell to 0-4 all-time in the tournament after losingto Japan, Cuba and China in 2013.

Another highlight for Brazilcame when 17-yearoldhighschoolseniorJoseph Contreras got Judge to ground intoabases-loaded double play to end the second inning. Contreras, the youngest player in the WBCthis year,isthe son of pitcher JoséContreras, who played 11 MLBseasons.

Lucas Rojo hit an RBI single for Brazil in the seventh before atwo-run shot by Victor Mascai off Michael Wacha cut the lead to 7-4.

BryceHarper’sRBI single got things going in the

On Saturday,Brazil faced Italyand theU.S.played Britain.

Saturday’s games

JAPAN8,SOUTH KOREA 6: In Tokyo, Shohei Ohtani homered for the second straight day and Seiya Suzuki went deep twice and reigning champion Japan beat South Korea and improved to 2-0 at the World Baseball Classic.

Suzuki drove in four runs andMasatakaYoshida homered and had three RBIs for theSamurai Warriors, who overcame a3-0, first-inning deficit.

Aday after hitting a grand slam in a13-0 win over Taiwan, Ohtani hit a tying home run on ahanging curve from Young Pyo Ko in the third.

CANADA8,COLOMBIA2: A run-saving defensive play by brothers Josh andBo Naylor boosted Canada in the first inning at San Juan,

Puerto Rico,and Owen Cassie hit ago-ahead, tworunhomer in thesecond offemergency starter Austin Bergnerafter Julio Teheranwas scratched. A 35-year-old right-hander who last pitched in themajor leaguesin2024, Teheran felt right shoulderimpingementwhile warming up. Canada won its opener whileColombia droppedto 0-2 in Group A. ITALY8,BRAZIL 0: Dante Nori hit two home runs and Dominic Canzone homered with four RBIs to help Italy to an over Brazil in Pool Bplay on Saturday in Houston. The game was scorelessuntilthe sixthinning when Astro Zach Dezenzo hit an RBI single withone outtoput Italyontop.Jac Caglianone followedwith a two-out double that scored another run but Dezenzo was tagged out at homeon the play to end the inning. NETHERLANDS4,NICARAGUA 3: Ozzie Albies hit agamewinning three-run homer in the bottomofthe ninth inning to lead the Netherlands over Nicaragua.

Jays’Scherzerthrows4no-hit inningsinspringdebut at 41

By The Associated Press

CLEARWATER,Fla.

Max

Scherzer had avintage performance in his first spring train in g outingfor the Toronto Blue Jays, with the 41-year-old throwing four no-hit innings in a1-0 winover the PhiladelphiaPhillieson Saturday The three-time Cy Young Award winner signed a$3 million, one-year contract in Februaryand is entering his 19th big league season. He can earnanother

HOME-DELIVERED EVERYDAY

$10 million in performance bonuses. Scherzerneeded just 40 pitches to navigate his four innings on Saturday,throwing 29 strikes.Hestruck out one and walked one. Theeight-time All-Star was5-5 with a5.19 ERA over 17 starts forthe Blue Jays last season before being akey contributor during the postseason. The veteran right-hander gave up one run over 41/3 innings in Game 7ofthe World Series, which the Dodgers eventually won5-4 in an 11-inning classic. Scherzer has won two World Seriestitles, with Washington in 2019 and Texas in 2023. The eighttime All-Star is 221-117 with a3.22ERA forthe Diamondbacks, Tigers, Nationals, Dodgers, Mets, Rangers and Blue Jays. He ranks 11th on the career list with 3,489 strikeouts —20behindHallof Famer Walter Johnson.

LSUbatsfizzle forthird loss in four games

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

If Friday wasamassivestep forward,Saturdaywas aleapbackward for the LSU baseball lineup. TheTigershad justone hit through seven innings. Theygot underneath theball too often to start the game and struck out far too many times after that.After smacking the ball around the park to the tune of six home runs and 10 extra-base hits the night before, Saturday’s contest at Alex Box Stadiumwas the opposite of what LSU coachJay Johnson envisioned, as LSU trailed 1-0for most of the day

The disappearance of the offense is amystery that BenoitBlanc from the “Knives Out” films would have trouble solving. The Tigers’ inability to get anything going at the plate placed too much pressure on their pitching staff, which kept the deficit at one until redshirt junior right-hander JadenNootallowed agrand slam with two outs in the eighth inning. The shot was the finishing blow in LSU’s5-4 loss to Sacramento State.

“I trust the effort the guysare putting in. We’re putting in aton as coaches,” asubdued Johnson said after LSU’sthird loss in four games. “I think today’sagoodindicationofhow you neverhave baseball (totally figured out). It requires the right kind of prep, focus, intent and, ultimately,execution to

CHIO

Continued from page1C

“You could see she was going to be the one. Ahitter.A game-time go-getter.I don’t know that we knew it would be exactly the way it’sturning out to be, but we were all there hoping she would choose us.”

Branton, who won 95 events at LSU from 201215 —includingthe 2013 and 2014 NCAA vault titles,and fiveSEC individual titles —is still highly involved with the program. She designsthe leotards for GK Elite that the Tigers wear in every competition.

As aresult, Branton has gone to her fair share of practices and meets, figuring out up close what makes Chio such aspecial performer Branton said it’sher consistency and ability to take her game from the practice gym to the meet floor that make her special.

“Everything looks so easy,” Branton said. “Effortless. She has her own style for everything. But mainly, she’s so consistent. That’swhat makes her so great. Youcan rely on her,sothere’sacalmness with everyone around her “That’sjust how she is in practice. Everything is finished. Everyonetrusts her Youcan tell she has alot of competitions under her belt She’sjust seasoned.”

Jackson, an LSU gymnast from 2007-10, won 74 titles and is LSU’sonly three-time NCAA individual champion. She was the firstTigertowin the NCAA all-around back in 2010,and she also won the 2008 NCAA vault title and the 2010 NCAA beam trophy

LSU MEN

Continued from page1C

Mackinnon wasalso aggressive as ascorer,going to the basket for six quick pointsoncuts and drives. LSU led 19-7 with 12:37left in the first half.

Texas A&M was 3of24 from the field with 8:52 left in the first half, and LSU led 26-11. The Aggies turned to Rylan Griffen’sshooting to catch up as the senior guard had ateam-high 13 points at halftime. TheTigers led3833 at the half. LSU held a56-50 lead after eightminutes in the second half. Agee showed his ruggedness around the rim in his post-ups, which helped contribute to four foulson Nwoko with 11:43 left in the game. Agee finished with 26 points and 11 rebounds.

be really good,and so we have to see the course with that.”

Sophomore CadeArrambide’s single in the second inning was LSU’sonlyhit until Grand Canyon transfer Zach Yorke smashed a run-scoring double in the eighth. That inning was when theTigers scored three runs to cuttheir fiverun deficit to two. Yorke’s double was LSU’slone knock in the inning, as the rallywas aided by twowalks, awild pitch and an error

But the comeback attempt fell short in theninth, despiteasolo home run from pinch-hitter Daniel Harden that cut the deficit to 5-4, and apair of walks fromjuniors Jake Brownand Steven Milamthat put the game-tying and winning runs on base with oneout.

Yorke struck out, and Kansas State transfer Seth Dardar flew out to center field toend the game.

“I don’tthink we gotthree good at-batsinarow in the entire game,”

Johnson said, “and that’sjust a must for us to score.”

Sacramento State (4-10) separated from the Tigers in the top of the eighth by taking advantage of an uncharacteristicallypoor outing from redshirt sophomore righthanderDeven Sheerin.

Sheerin —who entered Saturday having notalloweda hitora run in five appearances —walked two batters and surrendereda single that setupthe bases-loadedjam with two outs. Then, in atwo-strike count,Noot allowed afastball over

all accomplishmentsthat landedher in the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 2022. Jackson has marveled at what she calls Chio’s“pure precision.”

“Everythingshe doeshas this effortless, almost robotic quality,” Jacksonsaid.“But I assure you, nothing shedoes is easy.Itcomes from years of discipline andintentional training and an unbelievablework ethic.Whatmakes her stand out is her mental toughness.”

Last Sundayinthe Podium Classic at the Raising Cane’s RiverCenter,Chio achieved something not done by an LSU gymnast in 31 years. She recordedher third straight perfect10onbeam, thefirst Tiger to have three straight 10.0 scores on one event since Wood in 1995 on vault.

A10-time All-American and member of the 1992 Canadian Olympic team,Wood excelledonvault, recording all nine of her 10.0 scores in thatevent. Today the Calgary,Alberta, nativelives just outside ofColumbus, Ohio.

She marveled that oneof her marks from three decades ago still stood, but she acknowledged thatChio has theentire LSU record book underassault.

“Somepeopleare just good at being on inthe moment,” Wood said. “You can’tteach that. She has that special ‘it’ factor you can justsee.

Texas A&M took its first lead since 3-2 at 61-60 with 7:25 remaining, and the game was back and forth from there on out. The Tigers hadpossession down 70-68 with undera minuteremaining. Mackinnon had back-to-backspin movestofinisha left-handed layup to tiethe game. LSU gota defensivestopand, with 7.1 seconds remaining, called atimeout to draw up a potential game-winning play in regulation. Mackinnon set up aright-corner 3-pointer for Sutton, who missed. The Tigerstook their first lead in theextra fiveminutes after acatch-and-shoot 3 from Mackinnon to take a7776 lead with 1:23 left in the firstovertime. TexasA&M replied with a3 from Agee to go up 79-77 with 1:05 left. After asteal from Sutton, Reece made agame-tying floater with6.7 secondsremaining. Griffinairballed amid-range jumper while falling down to forcea second overtime. Whenthe freshman was asked if there was any nervousness in that moment, he said there wasn’t. “No nerves,” Reece said.

the plate that second baseman Cameron Sewell sent into the rightfield bleachers.

“He’d been good up until today,” Johnsonsaid when asked about Sheerin. “I’m proud of him for that.”

Saturday was not Kansas righthanded transfer Cooper Moore’s best start. The junior couldn’tescape the fifth inning and, uncharacteristically,walked three batters andhit twoothers. Moorehad more walksonSaturday than he hadin his first threestarts combined.

But he surrenderedonly one run, allowing arun-scoring double with twoouts and two strikesinthe secondinning. Still, hisinefficiency forced Johnsontoturn to juniorcollege transfer Ethan Plog to finish the fifth.

“I don’tthink he hadhis best stuff or outing,” JohnsonsaidofMoore, “but Ithought he competed like he does,and that’swhy I’m very comfortable winning or losing with him.”

Plog was excellent in relief. With LSU (12-4) trailing by arun, he tossed22/3 scorelessinnings to drop his ERAonthe season to 1.50. He walked just one batter andhad two strikeouts while consistently generating weak contact.Heexited for Sheerin withone out in the eighth inning.

“Justgetting aheadinthe zone, finishing guys off quickly,” Plog said,“hasbeenbeneficial forme the most.”

LSU finishes offits three-game series with Sacramento State on Sunday. First pitch fromAlexBox Stadium is set for6 p.m and the game will be available to stream on SEC Network+. The matchup was originally set to begin at 1p.m.but wasmoved back because of Sunday’sweather forecast.

ON DECK

WHO: LSU (12-4) vs.Sacramento State (4-10)

WHEN: 6p.m. Sunday

WHERE: Alex Box Stadium

ONLINE: SECNetwork+

RADIO: WDGL-FM, 98.1 (Baton Rouge); WWL-AM, 870 (New Orleans);KLWB-FM,103.7(Lafayette)

RANKINGS: LSUisNo. 2by

D1Baseball; SacramentoState is not ranked

PROBABLE STARTERS: LSU— TBA; Sacramento State —TBA PREGAME UPDATES: theadvocate com/lsu ON X(FORMERLYTWITTER): @ KokiRiley

WHATTOWATCH FOR: LSU will, in all likelihood, startsophomore right-handerWilliam Schmidt He tossed71/3 shutout innings in his last startagainst Dartmouth, allowingjust four hits and no walks. His ERAfor the year is down to 1.65.The Hornets’ win on Saturday snappedtheir six-gamelosing streak. The five runs theyscored were the most they’dhad in agame since their 8-7 loss to Pacificon Feb. 25.

RESULTS,SCHEDULE

It’s preparation, too. When you’resoconfidentand it looks like it’s so easyfor her —that’sthe goal.

“She’s an amazing athlete. She seems like she just loves it. There’smore pressure on these girls with theTVand thefansand theinternet. I didn’thave that. She appears to take it in stride.”

Chio has excelled on beam, that most exacting of events wheregymnastscompete on a4-inch-wide apparatus perched 4feet off of the ground.

Jackson saidthe amount of concentration needed to perform theway Chio has on beam is remarkable.

“You’vegot to make sure thereare no distractions,” Jackson said. “You’re up there for aminuteand 30 seconds,and in that time you’ve got people cheering and yelling and pompoms waving. Andsomeone may have just gotten a10onfloor, but you have to stayinyour zone. If youlet anydistractions in, that’swhenmistakes happen.

“The beam is 4incheswide, and in ahigh-stakes situation it’seasytoforget themental part of it and letthe nerves creep in. That’swhatKailin is really good at —staying focused, especially under pressure.”

Both Chio and LSU coach Jay Clark have done their best to keep thefocus off her individual achievementsand focus on what shemeans to

“Just trying to do what Ican to help my brothers win the game. That’sit.”

In the second overtime, Mackinnon tied thegame at 81-81 on the free-throw line.Onthe other end, Miller deflected apass for asteal, which sparkeda fastbreak layup for Mackinnon. LSU tookan83-81 lead with 1:03 left. Marcus Hill madehis first field goal of thegame for the Aggies, which was an andonelayup.After making the free throw,hegavehis team an 84-83 lead with50seconds remaining. TexasA&M got thestop andthenmade1 of 2free throwstotake an 8583 lead with 21 secondsleft. Mackinnonwas fouled away from the ball while theteam was in the double bonus and tied the contestat85-85 with 12 seconds remaining. With achance to tie, Hill hadthe ball rippedout of his hands by Reece.

The Tigers’ next gameis in thefirst round of the SEC Tournamentat11:30 a.m. on Wednesday.

the team.

But for these formerLSU greats,the questionmust be asked: If Kailin Chio can stay healthy the rest of her collegiate career,how good can shebe?

“She is absolutely track-

ingtobeupthere in the ranks withSusan (Jackson), Haleigh (Bryant) andSarah Finnegan,”said Gnat, modestlyleaving herself offofthe LSUalltime greats list.“What she can do from an all-around

perspective is what sets herapart. Consistency She’sone of the most consistent all-around athletes we’ve had. Herinabilityto be shaken and strive for success will put heratthe top.”

Cubs make it count

U-High holds off Madison Prep for state title

BY JACKSON REYES Staff writer

Moments after the final buzzer

sounded Saturday, University High donned shirts that were fitting considering the circumstances: “revenge.”

The second-seeded Cubs, who finished third in District 6-3A behind No 3 Parkview Baptist and No 1 Madison Prep, did it when it mattered most in winning the Division II select state championship.

“That motivated us to get out here and do it when it counts,” coach Bonita Johnson said. “My girls were ready to go out there and play tonight.”

After U-High beat Parkview Baptist in the semifinals, the Cubs fended off a late Madison Prep comeback to nab its third state championship with a 52-44 win at the University Center in Hammond. Kennedy Aldridge scored 27 points and was named the most outstanding player Hailey Hurst had 11 points, 15 rebounds, five assists and four steals for U-High (26-4).

Aldridge said the team may have been too confident in its regular-season loss to Madison Prep on Jan. 30, which gave them a chip on their shoulder in the title-game rematch.

“We were like, ‘We have to win it,” ’ Aldridge said. “We have everything to lose. We put everything on the line to get the (win).”

The Cubs rolled early, leading 15-6 after one quarter behind 50% shooting as Aldridge hit a fadeaway jumper to cap the first period.

The lead swelled in the second quarter after Hurst drove the length of the court and hit a floater through contact. She hit two more jumpers later in the quarter

Aldridge looked unstoppable midway through the second quarter with three straight jumpers and closed the first half with two free throws to put her team up 3011 at halftime.

Meanwhile, Madison Prep (26-8) shot just 3 of 24 (12.5%) in the first half. The Chargers’ shooting woes continued in the third quarter with one field goal on eight tries midway through the quarter

U-High led by 20 points after a pair of layups by Olivia Jefferson off Hurst assists.

Madison Prep chipped away using a 7-0 run capped by a Kenli Addison 3-pointer late in the third. Aldridge answered with three field goals, putting the Cubs up 40-25 heading to the fourth. The Chargers used a 6-0 run to

hang around. Cubs junior Maris McMahon made a 3-pointer off an Aldridge assist to halt the run.

Aldridge followed with two more fast-break layups to keep growing the lead

Madison Prep refused to bow down. Addison hit another 3-pointer to spark a 9-2 run to cut the deficit to nine with 2:07 left.

Chargers senior Auri Ray hit two free throws late to cut the deficit to five with 42 seconds left.

The comeback would fall short after Hurst iced the game, going 3 of 4 in two trips to the free-throw line.

“I don’t want to miss four in a row,” Hurst said, on what was going through her mind. “It was close. I’ve got to finish it now.”

Madison Prep coach Dwayne Hayes was proud of his team’s fight in the comeback.

“They gave it all they got at the end,” Hayes said. “Got off to a slow start. Just ran out of time.”

St. Joseph’s historic season comes to end

Redstickers fall to John Curtis in final

BY JACKSON REYES Staff writer

St. Joseph’s Academy’s first appearance in a state title game didn’t go as planned, but coach Tim Waller came away proud of the team’s historic season.

The Redstickers fell to John Curtis 82-36 in the Division I select state title on Saturday in Hammond. Despite the loss, the team brings home a runner-up trophy back to Baton Rouge after a semifinal win over Teurlings Catholic, which put them in their first state final.

“That’s the silver lining in all of this,” Waller said. “I want everybody to understand that St. Joseph’s is here.” Waller pointed to the championship appearance and 21-7 record as points that the Redstickers have elevated into the upper tier of programs in the state

“We have evidence to prove that we are a really good program,” Waller said. “We are a championship-contending program.”

The team loses just one senior in Kendall Dailey

“I wouldn’t want to bring any trophy home with any other group of girls,” Dailey said. “I don’t want this loss to affect them because

I’m very proud of them.” Sophomore Ella Gisclair credited Dailey’s work as a leader, and said she hopes the the team can continue the momentum

Southern Lab girls’ defense does it again

Kittens shut down JS Clark late for third straight title

BY JACKSON REYES Staff writer

Southern Lab has relied on stifling defense all season. In the final minutes of Saturday’s Division IV select girls championship game against JS Clark, defense helped the Kittens to another championship.

Top-seeded Southern lab led 33-30 after three quarters, and then held No. 2 JS Clark to 2-of13 shooting in the final quarter to fend off any Bulldogs comeback aspirations in a 43-38 win at the University Center in Hammond.

The win marks Southern Lab’s third straight state title and fourth in five years.

“The way we united as a family,” senior point guard Asia Patin said about what stood out in winning three straight titles. “We’ve always built on top of what we had.”

The win also marks coach Krystal Flowers’ first state title in her first year coaching Southern Lab, her alma mater

“As soon as the clock showed zero, tears started flowing,” Flowers said. “To be winning a state championship where I once had the green and gold on my back and played on the same floor many, many years ago. It’s a fullcircle moment.”

The first half was a game of runs. Southern Lab (26-5) opened on a 10-0 run, capped by Jamya Cain’s layup. After six scoreless minutes, the Bulldogs closed the first quarter on a 13-0 run to take a 13-10 lead.

JS Clark’s run ended at 17-0 after Taylor Barnaba’s layup as the Bulldogs made eight straight shots.

Southern Lab freshman Shelby Johnson hit a fadeaway jumper to end the surge before Kori Wesley made a corner 3-pointer to get her team within two to and start an 11-0 run that put the Kittens up 21-17.

Patin’s pull-up jumper put Lab up 26-22 at halftime.

“Keep the main thing the main thing,” Flowers said she told her team after falling behind. “If we continue to play defense and stay

poised, and keep the main thing the main thing, then we’ll eventually push back.”

Patin was named the most outstanding player after finishing with 12 points, five assists and four rebounds.

“I know we can do it,” Patin said on the team’s run. “I know the work we put in. We were built for moments like this.”

JS Clark (25-6) opened the second half on a 6-0 run to regain the lead before Patin’s field goal tied it at 28-28.

Johnson then connected on a 3-pointer to put the Kittens up by three. JS Clark got a shot back, but Patin drove the baseline and dropped in a layup to put her team up 33-30 after three quarters. Southern Lab went up by five after Patin found Wesley, who knocked down a 3-pointer with five minutes remaining. Johnson then found Cain cutting down low for a layup. With 2:39 left, Bre’Aile Clark grabbed an offensive rebound and dropped in a layup through contact to put her side up six.

The Kittens’ defense held the Bulldogs without a field goal for four minutes late in the fourth to clinch the title.

“Defense wins championships,” Wesley said. “If you have the mindset, then you have already won and you just have to work for it.”

“She left us in great hands,” Gisclair said. “We know what we can do now with her and without her We’re just very thankful. Waller echoed Gisclair’s sentiments. “She demonstrated that playerled teams are winning teams,” Waller said. “It will serve as a stepping stone.”

The growth the team made throughout the season is what sticks with him the most when he recalls his team’s special season. He remembers when they started summer league training in June, players mentioned how they need-

ed to start bonding earlier

That became a focus throughout the summer, and when the school year started, he saw his team turn a corner in their team chemistry

“These ladies in so many different capacities, they grew and connected with one another,” Waller said. “It wasn’t easy With all the wins and the close games, just how they all bonded and grew up together.”

Now, with a championship appearance under their belt, Waller and his young team are ready to prove that this season was no fluke.

ASSOCIATEDPRESS FILE PHOTO By MATT LUDTKE

NewOrleansSaints running backTonyJones carries against Green BayPackers linebacker QuayWalker during the firsthalf of apreseason game on Aug. 19, 2022, in Green Bay, Wis. Walker is someone the Saintscould pursue in free agency

Saints have more to spend in free agency

BY MATTHEW PARAS Staff writer

The New Orleans Saints have an opportunity to do something this offseason they’ve avoided recently— spend money

The Saints’ salary-cap troubles are far less complicated this year than what had become the norm. While they still entered the offseason over the cap, the work NewOrleans hasto do to become cap compliant is relatively light work for cap guru Khai Harley. And if they want to, the Saints can restructure enough contracts to open considerable cap room in free agency

General manager Mickey Loomis and coach Kellen Moore havecautioned the Saints still need to build theirroster the right way, even while quarterback TylerShough’s rookie-scale contract opens awindow for theteam.

The end product may not result in the Saints going on afull-on shopping spree, but there’senough out there to update thewardrobe, so to speak.

Let’stake alook at some plausible targets for the Saints when free agency opens Monday Travis Etienne, JacksonvilleJaguars RB

Kenneth Walker is lined up to be the most pursued running back in free agency,but Etienne wouldn’tbea bad consolation prize for those not willing to dip into Walker’sprice range, projected to be as high as $15 million per year.Etienne has been hit or miss as apro, but he’s topped 1,000 yards rushing in three of hisfourseasons. The Saints were mentioned as apossible suitorfor the former first-rounder by NBC Sports analyst Matthew Berry Zion Johnson, LosAngeles Chargers G

The consensus is that thisfree-agent guardclass is loaded, but the Saints don’tnecessarily seeit that way. Still,Johnson is worth keeping an eye on because of his connections to Moore, who coached Johnson in 2023 when he wasthe Chargers offensive coordinator, and the 26-year-old has improved sincethen. While Johnson hasn’tbeen the steadiestin pass protection, he was the Chargers’mostdependable linemanlastyear— especially since he playedall 17 games. His health would appeal to the Saints given the team’sstruggles to stay healthy upfront in recent years. It is unknown whether New Orleans is willing to shell out the $17 millionto 20 million per year it could take to land him. KennethGainwell, Pittsburgh Steelers RB Here’sanotherplayer with aconnection to Moore. Gainwell was anice change-

Topics to consider as NFLfreeagencylooms

BY ROBMAADDI AP pro football writer

The Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks found theirstartingquarterback in free agency lastyear, landing Sam Darnold.

The New England Patriots went from worst to first in the AFC East after signing several key veterans who helped them reach the Super Bowl.

Winning free agency doesn’talwaystranslate into success on the field. Plenty of moves have backfired over the years.

Kirk Cousins($100 million guaranteed) and Christian Wilkins ($82.75 million guaranteed) are among severalbig contractsthat didn’twork out recently

Butthe Seahawks and Patriots proved smart spending canmakeall of the difference.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By GERALD HERBERT

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne carries in the firsthalf of agame against the NewOrleans Saints on Oct. 19, 2023.

of-pace back for the Eagles when Mooreserved as the Philadelphia play-caller in 2024,and the26-year-old went on to shine with the Steelers last year.Named team MVPfor Pittsburgh, Gainwell is an effective playmaker in thepassing game,ashehas almost as many career receiving yards (1,207) as rushing (1,722).

Asante Samuel Jr., Pittsburgh Steelers CB

After undergoing spine surgery in April, Samuel was linked to the Saints all of last season until he signed with Pittsburgh inNovember.Heisfamiliar with defensive coordinator BrandonStaley,havingbegun his career with the Chargers. Samuel wouldmake sense as acheaper replacement for Alontae Taylorshouldthe Saints cornerback departin free agency

ChrisPaul, Washington Commanders G

If the Saints want to stay away from high-priced guards,suchasJohnsonand DavidEdwardsofBuffalo, Paul couldbeanintriguing upside play. Aformer seventh-round pickin2022 Paul has developed nicely and unseated rookie Brandon ColemaninWashingtonlast yearfor astarting spot. The 27-year-old is big, strong and ranked eighth among allguards in passblockwin rate in 2025.

Quay Walker, GreenBay PackersLB

If theSaints want to get more athletic at linebacker,Walker couldbeanexpensive option worth the swing.Walkercan cover themiddle of the field, somethingthe Saints linebackers have struggledto do over the last few seasons. There are differing opinions on the 25-yearold’simpact,asESPN ranked himasthe 10thbest availablefree agent, while The Athletic put him at No. 57. He’d be anice fallback option if Demario Davis leaves and the Saints want amoreveteran option than 2025 fourth-

rounder Danny Stutsman. Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, MiamiDolphinsWR

Released on Feb. 16, Westbrook-Ikhineiseligible to sign at anytime. He’scoming off adown season with Miami, but at 6-foot-2, he’s asteady run blocker and could contribute in special teams. The Saintsmake this kindofsigning every year,and Westbrook-Ikhine wouldmakesense as alowcost flier

Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles TE

The Saints are bracing for their tight end room to look dramatically different next season. With Jack Stoll and Foster Moreau free agents, and withTaysom Hill’spossible retirement, Juwan Johnsonand Moliki Matavao are settobethe mainholdovers. Goedert would add a veteran to the mix, onewho can contribute to the passing attack and hold up as a blocker.Healsooverlapped with Moore in 2024.

Ryan Wright, MinnesotaVikings P

Punter might be one of the Saints’ biggest needs. New Orleans might prefer to take ashotonanother undrafted free agent, but if it turns to aveteran,Wrightiscoming offa seasoninwhich 38.5% of hispunts landedinside the 20. At the very least, incumbent Kai Kroeger needs competition.

Sean Tucker, Tampa BayBuccaneersRB

Signing theplayer who historically hastormented you might not always be the soundest strategy.But against New Orleans, Tucker has looked like alegitimate superstar,and it could be worth seeing whether thattranslates to the black and gold. Morethan athird —34.2% —ofhis career rushing yards have come against theSaints, including his136-yard outinginTampa Bay’s 51-27 routin2024. Tucker has been buried on TampaBay’sdepth chart, so maybe he’sadiamond in the rough.

NFL teams can start reshaping theirrosters when agents begin negotiating withclubexecutivesat 11 a.m. Monday when the legaltampering period opens. Players can’t officially sign new deals until the start of theleague’s new year at 3p.m. Wednesday

Here are some topics enteringNFL free agency Topquarterbacks

Cousins andKylerMurray won’tofficially be free until they’rereleased by their teamsnext week, but they’llbetwo of themost accomplished QBsonthe market. Four-time NFL MVPAaron Rodgers hasn’t declared his intentions to play another season.Ifhe wants to play, he’llgenerateinterest afterhelping theSteelers win theAFC North.

If the Dolphins cutTua Tagovailoa,he’dbeaninteresting option, especially

forthe veteran’sminimum Malik Willis could end up with alucrative deal from ateam that considers him a possible long-term option.

Russell Wilson will be seeking his fourth team in four years. The Colts placed atransitiontag on DanielJonessohe’snot as “free” to go elsewhere because Indianapolis can match any offer he gets.

Best edge rushers

Pressuring quarterbacks is apriority forevery defense, and that starts with talented edge rushers.

Trey Hendrickson, a 2024 All-Pro,had 171/2 sacks in back-to-back seasons before injuries limitedhim to seven games last season. He’ll have plentyofsuitors.

Jaelan Phillips, Odafe Oweh andK’LavonChaissonare amongthe top rushers. Three-timeAll-Pro Khalil Mackjustturned35 but he can still get after QBs.

Checking with WRs

TampaBay WR Mike Evans, asix-timePro Bowl pick, is exploring free agency for the first time,and there’s areal possibility he could playhis 13th season for anew team.He’slooking for achampionship contenderwith an established quarterback and would be an idealfit forseveral teams, including the 49ers, Patriots and Chargers. D.J. Moore is heading to Buffalo in atrade. Other teams would have to trade a premium to get A.J. Brown from the Eagles. Alec Pierceled the league in yards per reception over the last two seasons with theColts, and he’sonly turning 26 in May so he’s going to be hotly pursued. Five-time All-Pro Tyreek Hill is coming off aserious knee injury.Deebo Samuel, Jauan Jennings, Christian Kirk and Wan’dale Robinsonare amongthe topavailable receivers.

that heavily influenced Jimi Hendrix,Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan and others considered guitar gods.

AGrammy Lifetime Achievement Award winner and Kennedy Center honoree, Guy is still going strong with a tour of Australia set for April.

Fellow blues senior and Homer native Bobby Rush has also enjoyed “Sinners” notoriety,along with the late harmonica legend Little Walter of Marksville. Rush, 92, wasn’t seen in the movie, but his harmonica was used for the character “Delta Slim.” Guy and actor Miles Caton performed the Little Walter original, “Juke.” The songhas more than 2.2 million streams on Spotify and nearly750,000 plays on YouTube.

Like Guy,Rush is not resting in his senior years. Between now and end of May,Rush has gigs stretching from the French

STAFF FILEPHOTO By CHRISGRANGER BuddyGuy usesadrumstick to playaJimi Hendrixtuneat the 2023 NewOrleans Jazz & HeritageFestival.

SPECTRUM Across the

BY JANRISHER Staff writer

Afewweeksago,Iasked threemembersofthe newspaper’sfeatures staff to meet me outside theOld StateCapitol for asmall experiment.

We would each drawacolor from ahat. Then we had one hour to walk around downtown Baton Rouge, photographing anything we saw in that color That was theentireassignment No competition. No prizes. Just one color and one hour

Margaret DeLaney drew yellow Joy Holden pulled purple.

Maddie Scottgot blue. That left me withred When Isentthe calendar invitation,I suspected my colleagues might greet the ideawith some skepticism. I’m awareenough to realize that my ideas sometimes exhaustthem.

DeLaney later confirmed that suspicion.

“When theidea of acolor walk came up, Ihavetoadmit Iwas slightly amused,” she said. “Walkingarounddowntownhyper-fixating on one color seemed like agood way to spend the afternoon, but I didn’tthink it would bring peace or calm my nerves.”

We had all left thenewsroom with deadlines on ourmindsand doubtsthat theexercise would be particularly meaningful.

Butonce we scattered in different directions looking for our colors,something unexpected happened.

Afterward,when we compared notes,werealized we had all experienced thesameshift.

Once each of us started looking for asingle color,webegan seeing

it everywhere —insigns, storefronts,buildingdetails andtiny flashes we would normally have walked right past.

The color hunt added intention to what would have otherwise been just another one-hour walk.

Sometimesthe discoverieseven came with aburst of delight.

“Once or twice Ijumped up and exclaimed, ‘Yellow!’ while people passed me by on the sidewalk,” DeLaney said.

Scott quickly decided blue might be the easiest color to find.

“Blue is everywhere,” she said.

“Instorefront logos, in the library, even on somegreat album covers.”

Butthe mostsurprising part came after the walkended.

“As Idrove home, my mind kept noticing more blue,” she said. “It feltlike scoring points in agame.”

She said the experience brought awonderful change in perspective for her

BYROBIN MILLER Staff writer

Frogs? In space?

Cue afroggy theme songby John Williams while the “Frogs in Space” prologue slowly scrolls from the bottom of the screeninto the infinite galaxy This is where the Frogs must find away to destroy the Death Star before it obliterates the universe, right?

Wrong. Unfortunately,frogs don’treally factor into heroics at all when it comes to outer space,that is, unless commendations are awarded for inner

ear studies,

Louisianagiving NASA two frogs from Rayne when I was akid,” the Baton Rouge reader said. “Is this true? And if it is, what was the purpose?”

on New Iberia’sMain Street, is more than acelebration of local authors like James Lee Burke,who usedNew Iberia as inspirationfor hisDave Robicheauxseriesofdetec-

Lakeshore Lions Club

PROVIDED PHOTO

The Lakeshore Lions Club gathered for a lunch meeting on March 2. Stacey Howell of the yMCA of the Capital Area spoke and accepted a donation from the club Shown are, from left, Marion Sebastian, Lakeshore Lions member; Howell, vice-president of financial development for the yMCA; and Eric Hogan, Lakeshore Lions president.

PROVIDED PHOTO

Houston Ballet Scholarship

Berklee Zanders was awarded a partial scholarship to the Houston Ballet Trainee Summer Intensive for six weeks this summer at a weekend workshop hosted by Cangelosi Dance Project. Shown are, Kris Cangelosi, left, and Zanders.

Thomas Jefferson DAR

Members of the Thomas Jefferson Chapter Daughters of American Colonists met at Piccadilly Cafeteria on Sherwood Forest Boulevard and enjoyed a presentation from Brittney Kean about Gen. Philemon Thomas. Gathered are, from left, Lora McDaniel; Patti Milan, state regent; Carol Howell; Pat Gallagher chapter regent; Candice Binder; Betty Kean and Brittney Kean.

COMMUNITY GUIDELINES

The Community column runs Sundays in the Living section and accepts submissions for news of events that have taken place with civic, philanthropic, social and religious auxiliary organizations, as well as academic honors.

Submissions should be sent by noon Monday to run in

the upcoming Sunday column. Because of space limitations, organizations that meet monthly or more are limited to one photo per month. If submitting digitally, we prefer JPG files 300KB or larger If taking a photo of a group, have them stand or sit shoulder-to-shoulder If more than six people are in the photo, arrange them on multiple, distinct rows.Avoid strong

Grooves on Goodwood

FYI BR staff reports

As part of the One Book One Community series focus on poetry and community connection, the East Baton Rouge Parish Library presents Tarriona “Tank” Ball, lyrical and spoken word artist, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. March 13 at the Main Library on Goodwood. This program is free to the public. Ball is part of the New Orleans-based musical group Tank and the Bangas, who have released studio albums and received a nomination for Best New Artist at the 2020 Grammy Awards. In 2025, the group won their first Grammy for the 2024 album, “The Heart, The Mind, The Soul” for Best Spoken Word Poetry Album.

American Media at 250

LSU’s Reilly Center for Media & Public Affairs announced the final agenda for the John Breaux Symposium, themed “American Media at 250” with a roster of speakers lined up for a half-day symposium on March 20. Scholars, journalists and media leaders will gather at LSU to examine how American media has shaped civic life and how it continues to influence democracy today The Reilly Center invites the public to join them from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on March 20 at the Lod Cook Alumni Center near LSU’s campus. The event will offer national voices, innovative scholars, networking opportunities and continental breakfast and lunch, all free with registration through www.lsu. edu/reillycenter

The event will begin with a special video message by the symposium’s namesake, former U.S. Sen. John Breaux. Registration is encouraged.

Spring Equinox Celebration

The inaugural Spring Equinox Celebration is a full-day, come-and-go open house at The Red Shoes, welcoming the community to experience programs and facilitators. Community members are invited to participate in any class or offering at no cost from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. March 21 at Red Shoes, 2303 Government St., Baton Rouge. Guests may attend one class or spend the entire day moving through various experiences. The Spring Equinox marks a moment of balance between light and dark, symbolizing renewal, intention and new beginnings. The following activities will be available:

n Gentle yoga n Body scan meditation

n Using crystals to enhance your life

n Demonstrations on decorative peace and prayer poles

n A spring nature writing circle

n Garden demonstrations, plant talks and seed swaps

n Spring renewal sound bath

n Tarot workshop and reading

n Sacral sensuality belly dance

n Astrology readings and channeled messages.

background light sources.

Identify those pictured by first and last names as viewed from left to right, row by row.We prefer emailed Community column submissions to features@theadvocate.com.We also accept submissions by mail at P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge LA 70821.A phone number must be included.

Assisi explores ‘Louisiana Myths & Legends’ at ball

With the theme “Louisiana Myths & Legends,” the Krewe of Assisi hosted its sixth annual royal ball at The Mallory in St. Francisville on Jan. 30.

Assisi Ball Captain Amber Thorne called the festivities to order followed by a benediction by the Rev John Stone.

Brandy B Fournet, board president, along with Tab Ballard and Jeanne Pipsair, philanthropy chairs, presented a check for $10,000 to the krewe’s 2026 philanthropic partner West Feliciana Food Pantry The king and queen’s gift, a program that began last year, honored the Purple House Foundation Emcee Luke Williamson led the festivities, which began with the traditional presentation of the krewe’s past court.

King Assisi VI and Queen Assisi VI were portrayed by Miles Higgins and Julie Brashier respectively Royal pages were Elise Mae Wax, daughter of Jordy and Ali Wax, and Bradlee Coarsey, son of Caleb and Celeste Coarsey.

The dukes and duchesses portrayed myths and legends from Louisiana’s colorful past. The royal dukes included Robert Hanna as the Rougaroux; Jackson Thorne as Jim Bouie; Dr Thomas Payne as Clyde Barrow and Lee Ledet as Jean Lafitte.

The royal duchesses were Pam Malera as Feu Follet, Elizabeth McKinney as Evangeline, Darla Payne as Bonnie Parker and Misty Metz as Marie Laveau.

The krewe was entertained by Yul Lorio as former Gov Huey P. Long. He was still looking for his constituency and promising a chicken (RaeLynnw Thomas) in every pot Skye & Blakely Willis styled the decor with photo backdrop, florals and additional styling by Kendall Todd.

After the program, the court and krewe enjoyed food by Scott Varnadoe and Ryan Burlingame of Feliciana Catering, desserts by Soireé and dancing to the music of Snapper and the Fishsticks.

In addition to Brandi B. Fournet, Pipsair Ballard and Amber Thorne, Krewe of Assisi board members are Shannon Kirby, vice president, membership; Celeste Coarsey, secretary and communications; Caleb Coarsey; William David; Missy Higgins, Queen Assisi III and social; Miles Higgins. King Assisi VI; Lee Kirby, logistics; Daniel Fournet; Angie Ray, former president, costumes; and Neil Thorne, community events. For more information go to kreweofassisi org

Lee

TRAVEL

Grab your boots! It’s rodeotimeinHouston

Alongweekend

BY MARGARET DELANEY Staff writer

The Houston FatStock Show was established in 1932 to promoteagriculture and celebrate western heritage. Now called The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, or the Houston Rodeo for short, it continues its mission with afocus on Texas youth and education. Since 1932, over $600 million has been dedicated to Texas youth and education. While therodeo every day is a big part of theevent, there’smuch more to the Houston Rodeothan just the “rodeo.” With big-name performers, agricultural exhibits, free shows, carnival ridesand more, NRG Park (home of the rodeo) is full of things to do.

For aweekend away at the Houston Rodeo,arriving on Thursday evening is best. Settle into ahotel just south of downtown Houston —Medical Center Area hotels, an Airbnb in Rice Village or aspotin the Astrodome area —for agood spot to stay On Friday,take awalkthrough Herman Park after breakfast at Sunday Pressinthe park.Spend the day exploring the cityat the Houston Museum of FineArts, Houston’sNatural Science Museum, the Houston Zoo and Rice University —all of which are walkable from the hotel orbythe above-ground metro.

Have an early dinner at Tiny Boxwoods in River Oaks, a15-minute drive from the area, but it’s worth it. Patio diningis king in Houston.

PROVIDED PHOTOS

Now,it’srodeo day.The rodeo is not just about the big stars although KellyClarkson, Riley Green and yes, in previous years, Hannah Montana, drewthe Texas crowds. At the heart, it’sasporting event home to many community and statewide competitions. After aquick breakfast either at the hotel or anearby coffee shop, take the metro rail red line that runs from downtown and through Midtown,which goes directly to the stadium In the evenings, there can be a long wait to get on themetrorail. It gets quite crowded, but it is full of rodeo goers and not theusual downtown crowd. Onceonthe train,visitors canget to Midtown in about 17 minutes and reach downtown in about 25 minutes. It’s reallynot thatmuch longerthan driving, andwithall thetraffic, it mayeven be faster

TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER

By ChristopherElliott

ABOVE: The Houston Rodeo is not just about the big stars. It’s still a sporting event and home to manycommunity and statewide competitions FARLEFT, Riley Green kicked off the wide range of entertainers at the Houston Rodeo on March 1. LEFT, Everything is bigger in Texas —eventhe Houston Rodeo.

The rodeo gates open at 8a.m.

Take awalk through the agriculture areas to visit withstudents and volunteers and see animals, from longhorns to horses to sheep. Taste the award-winning wines fromthe RodeoUncorkedInternational Wine Competition, with winners from Texas and national competitors.

The wine garden, which features 13 top winners and450 additional wines for sale,isa favorite spot among visitors with live music each day

Thewine garden is outside the northeast corner of the stadium —right between the stadium and NRGCenter.Itwraps around the Astrodome, and there are acouple of stages, private tents available forrent and tables.

Pro-tip: Go early and get agroup together to save atable so people can get up to forfood or more wine. There areporta-pottieson opposite ends of the garden, which are well-maintained.

There’salso art to view from the high school student rodeocompetition and various other art competitions, like quilting.

Make sure to geta snack and somelunch at one of the manycarnival vendors outside the stadium before heading into NRGbefore themaineventsbegin on schedule: n Monday through Friday,the stadiumopensat6 p.m.,rodeos start at 6:45 p.m., and the concert takes thestageatapproximately 9:15 p.m n Saturday andSunday,the stadium opens at 2p.m., rodeos start at 2:45 p.m., andthe entertainer takes thestageatapproximately 5:15 p.m

Although the daily schedules are different, all of the rodeo sports are entertaining to watch, including bull riding, barrel racing, calf scrambling, mutton busting anda whole program of rodeo sports. Afterthe concert, theHideout is open until midnight, as well as manyadult-only,21+ booths in the carnivalareawithmore live music and dancing. The day after concert day,and a full day of rodeo fun, might drag you down abit, but Mo Brunch and Brews is the answerfor agood pick-me-up before thedrive back home.

Christopher Elliott

Ibooked aCondor Airlines flightfrom Portland to Frankfurtthrough Orbitz formy family. Orbitz’swebsite explicitly listed the fare as Economy Classic, which included one free 70-pound checked bag forboth legs.The confirmation itineraryconfirmed this. But Condor’semail showed something different: Our return flight wasbooked as Economy Zero —with nochecked bags included.Worse, the outbound flight’s baggageallowance was listed at50pounds, not the 70 pounds Orbitz stated.

Icontacted Orbitz repeatedly via chat. After days of delays,itdirected me to Con-

dor,which confirmed nothing had changed post-booking.The faultlay with Orbitz’s inaccuratelisting Orbitz blamed TravelFusion, its booking platform,and stonewalledmewith cookiecutter replies to “contact the airline.”When Ithreatened to report it for fraud, Orbitz doubled downondeflection.

Ipaid$540 forthreereturn-flight bags I waspromised forfree. Orbitz must honor its advertised fare and reimburse me. Can you help? —Patrick Bruce,Troutdale, Oregon

Orbitz should have stood by its advertised fare —noexcuses When an onlinetravel agency displays specificamenities like baggage allowances, it’slegally obligated to honor them under

theDepartment of Transportation regulations, which prohibit “deceptive or misleading” fare descriptions. Orbitz’sown itinerary listed Economy Classic with a free checked bag. Orbitz, and its parent company Expedia, can’t pass thebuck to Condor or TravelFusion.

Youhandled this by thebook. Youchecked airline policies before booking, preserved your correspondence, and escalated calmly.Ihave two recommendations First,when you makeabooking, always take screenshots in case theconfirmation doesn’tmatch up with the booking screen. Also, as asidenote, there’sno

such thing as a“free” bag. Whether it’sincluded in your fare or it’s abenefit of your credit card, you are paying forit. Youcould have also escalated this to Orbitz’sexecutive contacts.Ilist them on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org.

My advocacy team contacted Expedia Group on your behalf.A spokesperson admitted,“The baggage information provided by the airline may have been unclear.” Expedia says it’sworking with Condor to “clarify” the baggage details.

Orbitzsays your flight did not include achecked bag, but agreed to reimburse your $540 as acour-

tesy Online agencies like Orbitz profit by aggregating airfares. But when they misrepresent those airfares, they should own the fallout. As I’ve noted before, cases like yours rarely end well. When airlines and online agencies fingerpoint, you often pay the price. But not this time.

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.

SashaBonét,‘TheWaterbearers: AMemoirofMothers and Daughters’

A memorableevent

Houston native Sasha Bonét’s Louisiana rootsrun deep, buther life was worlds removed from the cotton plantationthat raised her grandmother,Betty Jean, and the Texas bayous that shaped Bonét’smother, Connie. Each generation improved their finances, but the complex legacy of Black American motherhood and its origins in slavery persisted. When she had her owndaughter, Bonét brought her to New York to start anew familytradition. She also set out on an ancestral journeytounderstand both the love and pain Black mothers passedonto their children. Bonét will be apartoftwo discussions:

n “The Waterbearers: AMemoir of Mothers &Daughters” with Sasha Bonét and moderated by Stevona Elem-Rogers from noon to 12:45 p.m. on March 13 in the Burgundy Room on the Berger FamilyLawn.

n “Power,Memory&the Stories We Tell: Black Women Leading through Generations” withKeisha N. Blain and Sasha Bonét,moderated by Kim Boyle from 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. on March14atDiboll Gallery,Malkin Sacks Commons.

Jedidiah Jenkins, ‘Mother, Nature:A 5,000-MileJourney to Discover If aMotherand Son CanSurvive TheirDifferences’

In “Mother,Nature: A5,000-Mile Journey to Discover If aMother and SonCan Survive Their Differences,”Jedidiah Jenkins takes on aliteral and emotional journey by traveling across continents while reckoning with faith, identity and his relationship with his mother. He will participate in one session at the festival:

n “Mother,Nature: AJourney of Distance, Belief &Becoming” withJedidiahJenkins and moderated by Nicole Richie from 1p.m. to 1:45 p.m. on March 13 in the Burgundy Room on Berger Family Lawn.

MollyJong-Fast,‘HowtoLose Your Mother’

Molly Jong-Fast is the onlychild of the writerErica Jong, whose book

BY JOYHOLDEN |Staff writer

The literary extravaganza that is the New Orleans Book Festival, also knownas“Mardi Gras forthe Mind,” is scheduled for March 12-15 at Tulane University.The event is expanding from three days to four,withafamily day on Sunday.More than 250 authors, creators, business leaders and political figures will be participating in over 100 sessionsonTulane’scampus.

Personal stories arealways abig draw,and this year,avariety of authors will be there to share theirlives

Here are sixmemoir authors to look out for at the NewOrleansBook Festival.

Spizer” and moderated by Gayle Wald from 2p.m.to2:45 p.m. on March 13 in theROTCBuilding. SusanOrlean, ‘Joyride’ Susan Orlean hasbeen astaff writer at The NewYorkersince 1992. She is the NewYork Times bestsellingauthor of seven books, including “The Library Book,” “Rin TinTin,” “Saturday Night” and “The Orchid Thief,” which wasmadeintothe AcademyAward–winning film “Adaptation.” She liveswith herfamily andher animals in Los Angeles. Orlean’s memoirbegan as aguide forwriters but became aseries of stories about her books and her life. She will be participating in two sessions, but just one about her memoir: n “InstantClassics: New Memoirs from Molly Jong-Fast and Susan Orlean,” moderated by Thomas Beller from 1p.m. to 1:45 p.m on March 14 in Kendall Cram Lecture Hall.

Viet ThanhNguyen, ‘A Man of TwoFaces:AMemoir, A History, AMemorial’

“Fear of Flying” contributed to second-wave feminism. Jong-Fast’srelationship with her mother was complex, and when she wasdiagnosedwith dementia, JongFast confronted their relationship.

“How to Lose Your Mother” tells astory of loss alongside astory of aunique childhood. She willparticipate in fivesessions, butonlyone about hermemoir:

n “Instant Classics: New Memoirs from Molly Jong-Fastand Susan Or-

lean,”moderated by Thomas Beller from 1p.m. to 1:45 p.m. on March14 in the Kendall Cram Lecture Hall StephenRea,‘Ozzy &Me: Life Lessons, Wild Stories, andUnexpectedEpiphanies from FortyYears of Friendship with thePrinceofDarkness’

Originally from Northern Ireland, Reahas lived in New Orleans since2004. He has written amemoir,“Finn McCool’sFootball Club,” aboutthe community he found in a pub soccer team in New Orleans When he was 15, he met Ozzy Os-

RetiredLSU scholaroffersnew

Andrew Burstein recently retired as aprofessor of history at LSU, where he earned distinction as an author of numerous works about early America. Amonghis credits are awell-received biography of writer Washington Irving and alife of Andrew Jackson. Now,just in time for the country’s 250th birthday, Burstein’s“Being Thomas Jefferson” promises “an intimate history” of the primary author of the Declaration of Independence.

Many books have been written about The Sage of Monticello, and readers might reasonably wonder if we need another one. In his study,Burstein attempts to plumb the inner life of aFounding Father and American president whose public exploits are already well known. “What was it like to be Thomas

Jefferson?” Burstein asks in his openingsentence.

Copiously researched and spanning more than 400 pages, “Being Thomas Jefferson” offers plenty of clues.

Jefferson lives most vividly in national conversations today because heeloquently championed liberty buthad an enslaved work force at his Virginia plantation, includingSally Hemings, who bore himsix children.

“Within Jefferson resides an eerie duality that today’sAmerica still struggles to resolve,” Burstein tells readers. “As an embodiment ofthe American Enlightenment,hestated peerless proposi-

tionsfor humanity while living by adifferent set of rules at home.” Burstein unpacks akey insight into Jefferson’sthought while exploring his connection with the Marquis de Condorcet,aFrench reformer Jefferson befriended during his stint in Paris.Con-

borne and started alifelong friendship. “Ozzy and Me”shares behindthe-scenes stories, life lessons and insightsintoOsbourne’spersonality, exploringhow musichelped Rea escape “The Troubles” and chronicling their adventures, including touring together He will be participating in one session at thefestival: n “From theBeatles to Ozzyto JohnPrine: Music Legends with TomPiazza, Stephen Rea and Bruce

Viet Thanh Nguyen’snovel “The Sympathizer” won thePulitzer Prize for Fiction and numerous other awards. Hismost recent publication is “A Man of TwoFaces: A Memoir,A History, AMemorial,” which integrates his memoir with being arefugee, colonizationand ideas about Vietnam and America. Hisother books are the sequel to “The Sympathizer, The Committed; a short story collection, “The Refugees;” and“Nothing EverDies: Vietnamand the Memory of War.” He is participatingintwo sessions at the festival: n “Lives Lived, Stories Told with JohnT.Edge,NicholasLemann and Viet Thanh Nguyen,” and also moderated by Anna Adams from 2p.m.to2:45p.m.onMarch 14 in the ROTC Building.

n “Who We Are: Stories That Shape aNation withStacey Abrams, Eddie S. Glaude Jr.and Viet ThanhNguyen,” moderated by Charles M. Blow from 4to5 p.m.on March14inMcAlisterAuditorium. Authorswillbeavailable for book signings,and thebookswill be available forpurchase at the Book Tent.

dorcet,Burstein writes, was “a forceful antislavery thinker and protofeminist.” Jefferson was impressed by Condorcet’sintellect, though he didn’tultimately reject thepractice of slavery once he returned to Virginia.

“The point is that he came closer than mostthink to imagining adifferent path, and adifferent outcome,” Burstein writes of Jefferson.

The slavery question is just one of many contradictions in Jefferson’slife that Burstein attempts to puzzle out.

He was asuccessful politician who was deeply private —aselfstyled man of the people who often found people exhausting. As Burstein puts it, “Jefferson was essentially an introvert, abookish individual whose ‘alone time’ was precious to him.Heinternalized a great deal of what sat on his bookshelves, andordered his private world accordingly.”

As an inveterate reader,Jefferson was also, of course, the

American Revolution’smost celebrated writer

“He wrote constantly,lyrically affectingly,” Burstein notes. At atimewhen television, cinema and the internet had yet to arrive, Jefferson’sgifted pen perfectly aligned with his times.

“Theirs was an age of typography,” Burstein writes of those wholived in Jefferson’sworld. “The penned or printed word directed both reason and imagination.” Jefferson’simagination conceived acountry large enough to accommodate the Louisiana Purchase, and Burstein’schronicle of the role that NewOrleans played in driving that epic real estate deal is intriguing.

It’s astriking reminder that Jefferson’slegacy endures —all the morereason to read what might be Burstein’scrowning achievement.

Email Danny Heitman at danny@ dannyheitman.com

Competitivekitchen hits TV in ‘America’s Culinary Cup’

‘The finest detail’

BY MARK KENNEDY Associated Press

NEW YORK PadmaLakshmi is back in the kitchen with aknivesout cooking competition, and this time the stakes are higher —for the contestants and for her

The former host of Bravo’s“Top Chef” lands on network primetime hosting and judging the CBS show “America’sCulinary Cup,” which boasts the largest cash prizein culinary television history —$1 million.

“This is aboutmyloveand appreciation and respect for chefs, especially after what the restaurant industry in this country and everywhere has gonethroughafter COVID-19,” she says The network has given the show the coveted spot after “Survivor” on Wednesdays. It launched last week and episodes also streamon Paramount+.

Whereas “Top Chef” pitted upand-comers againsteach other, the first season of “America’s Culinary Cup” has invited 16 men and women who are at the peak of their culinary powers. Who’sonthe show?

The inaugural class includes six Michelin star chefs, twoJames Beard winners, 14 James Beard nominees, three Food +Wine best new chefs, two Bocuse d’Or medalists and multiple “Top Chef” winner Buddha Lo.

“I’m not judging them onwho they are, or where they come from, or where their pedigreeis,” says Lakshmi. “All of that might have been what got them in thedoor.I am judging them by the plateof food they put in front of me.” Lakshmi is joined on the judge’s table by three-Michelin star and fish specialist Michael Cimarusti

TasteofMid City

Tickets areonsalefor TasteofMid City 2026: ACelebration ofFood, Community,and Music Education, benefiting vital funds for local nonprofit Kids’ Orchestra.

Presented by Franklin Associates and The ExecutiveCenter, this annual event brings together local chefs, eateries andthe community for a dayoffood, musicand impact.

Taste of Mid City is also hosting asilent auction to benefit Kids’ Orchestra, featuring items and experiences generously donated by local businesses. The auction runs through March 22. Tickets on sale until March 22. For tickets or to bid in the silent auction, visit TasteOfMidCityBR.com.

‘MadamaButterfly’

Tickets areonsale for Opera Louisiane’s production of Giacomo Puccini’s grand opera, “Madama Butterfly” at 7p.m. April 11 in the Raising Canes River Center Performing Arts Theater, 240 St. LouisSt. Tickets are$20-$150. Visit operalouisiane.com/madamabutterfly At RedMagnolia

Tickets areonsalefor the original cabaret production, “Roots,Briars, and Branches: AReflection on America,” at 7:30 p.m. March 21and 2p.m.March 22 at the LSURural Life Museum, 4560 EssenLane This collaborativeproduction between the RedMagnolia Theatre Companyand LSURural Life Museum wasconceived andcurated by Jennifer Ellis andJessica Wilson and

andmolecular gastronomy pioneerWylieDufresne.

“These guysare lookingatit as professional chefs, having so many decades under their belt of doing this at avery,very high, high level,” she says. “I am the audience’srepresentative.”

Fittingly for ashow that makes its debut after “Survivor,”there’s abit of that show’sDNA in the new one, with thechefsmaking strategic decisions about who competes against theothers andthe need to make allies.

“It’s ashow that Ithink will really appeal to people who like ‘Survivor’ or ‘TheAmazing Race,’ says Lakshmi. “Wewere definitely conscious, obviously,ofwho we’re going on after and also what works on CBS. I’d beafool not to be.”

High production values

One earlytip that “America’sCulinary Cup” is an upscale cooking competition show is ashot of Lakshmi sauntering outofahelicopter in an asymmetrical yellow gown

Thesprawling workstations in the communal kitchen have plentyof marble and all kinds of top-notch kitchen toys are available —like wood-firedovens and smoking guns.

The initial chefs invited hail from 10 states —California, North Carolina, Arizona, Illinois,Colorado,New York, Virginia,Texas, Wyoming andConnecticut. One postponedher wedding to compete, one is pregnant andone was formerly incarcerated.

“The accolades andthe talent andthe awardsand everything

else that all of these people walk through the door with, in away theyhad to hang them up when they entered the kitchen because it was all about whatthey were able to do that day,inthat moment, in that challenge,” says Cimarusti.

The first episode is particularly brutal, withfourcontestants eliminated. The 16 chefs’ first challenge is to cook theirdefining dishand then theygohead-to-head, judged on taste, creativity,presentation and technique.

“You’re in the big leagues now,” Lakshmitells them.

The dishes that come out include Singapore Chili Crab and Thai Curry,Sous Vide Hamachi with Scallop and Turnip, and Ras El Hanout Duck Breast with aMiso-Harissa Glazed Cabbage.

ON THEARTSAND CULTURESCENE

is inspiredbythe 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Theshowfeatures a cast of 13and aliveband.

Tickets aregeneral admission, $30 for adults; $25 seniors and students. Visit redmagnoliatc.org/tickets.

Ellemnop groupshow

Ellemnop is showing“Overlook the Obvious,” agroup exhibitionfeaturing work by sixcontemporary visual artists through March 27 at the HealthcareGallery,3488 Brentwood Drive, Suite 103. The exhibit isathought-provoking group exhibition featuring six contemporary visual artists whose work challenges viewers to slow down, question assumptions and rediscoverthe powerofattention.

The closing reception will be from 6p.m. to 9p.m. March 27.

Featured artists areAlanna Ali, SharonFurrateBailey, Aria Mickenberg, ClaireGowdy, Chasity Schererand Chad Schoonmaker

Admission is free. Visit ellemnop. art/theobvious

Call forstudent artists

The Louisiana Art &Science Museum, 100 S. RiverRoad, in collaboration withEllemnop.Art, will host its2026 Student Art Exhibition, “BlueprintsofCulture:Architecture and Design That Shapes Louisiana,” in themuseum’s STEAM Gallery.

The museum invites Louisiana students in sixththrough 12th grades to participate through an open call for art submissions. The exhibition will explorethe foundations of architecturaldesign in

Louisiana, encouraging students to create original artworks inspired by the past, presentand futureofthe state’sbuilt environment. The show will runfromApril 2026 through April 2027. Deadline for submissions is March 31. Forspecific requirements and a submission form, visit ellemnop.art/ steamgallery

At theManship

Tickets areonsale for Flamenco

VivoCarlota Santana at 2p.m

March 22atthe Manship Theatre in the ShawCenter for the Arts, 100 Lafayette St.Tickets start at $30.

Tickets arealsoonsalefor Houston BalletIIat2 p.m. and 8p.m.March 28. Tickets start at $46. Visit manshiptheatre.org

At theOld Capitol

Louisiana’s Old State Capitol, 100 North Blvd.,isshowing “Present Day

Traces of Segregation,Civil Rights, and CollectiveMemory in Louisiana” by the Louisiana Photographic Society through March 14

Also, the exhibit, “Japanese War Brides: Across AWide Divide, opensonMarch 24 and runs through June 13, exploring the story of morethan 45,000 Japanese women who immigrated to the United States after WorldWar II and howtheir bold passage reshaped communities across thecountry. And the museumwill host its annual Easter EggRollfrom1 p.m. to 4p.m on March 28

Admission is free to all events. Visit louisianaoldstatecapitol.org.

Glasgowexhibit

The GlasgowMiddleSchool Talented Art Students’ annual art exhibit runs through March 31 in theShaw Center forthe Arts, 100 Lafayette St. This year’s exhibit is titled, “Power of Symbols and Cultural Pride: African Textile Design.” Admission is free.

At theArchives

The Friends of theLouisiana State Archives and theFriendsofthe Old State Capitol will host“The Africans,” thenextinstallment in its lectureseries,“Becoming Louisiana,” at 5:30 p.m.March 24, at the Louisiana State Archives, 3851 Essen Lane.The lecturewill be given by John K. Pierre,chancellor of Southern University. Admission is free.

At Longview

Tickets areonsale for theLouisiana TravelAssociation’s reception, “An Evening at Longview,”from6p.m. to 8:30 p.m. March 10 at 1465 Ted Dunham Drive, Baton Rouge The evening will featurelivemusic by the Coteau Grove Bandwith special guest Wayne Toups. Tickets are$250.

Visit e.givesmart.com/events/Nt0/.

In Hammond

The Hammond Regional ArtsCenter

217 E. Thomas St., Hammond,will open its annual “Young Artists Exhibition” in theMain Gallery.The exhibit is ashowcase of artwork created by Tangipahoa Parishstudents under theguidance of their

Eight who lost the first round go head-to-head making classic American dishes —fried chicken, clam chowder,shrimp and grits and beef stroganoff— to determine the four going home, prompting the weekly slogan, “You served your final dish.”

In later episodes, thecontestants must prove their mastery of 10 Culinary Commandments —meat preparation, innovation, culinary science &tech,flavors, sustainability,vegetables, sauces, world cuisine, consistency and dessert.

The level of excellence in the kitchen is very high and the judges have theirworkcut outfor them separating the better dishes. A pinch of salt or asplash of citrus makesthe difference between staying and going home.

“It’slike any good competition at the very highest level, whether it’s footballorprofessionalgolfortennis or whatever,atthe endofthe day,itjust comes down to thefinest detail,” says Cimarusti.

Thejudges say that whilethey may knowsome of the contestants, their mentors or knowthe restaurants they worked in, they will not let any of that sway their decisions.

“I take my judging very seriously,” Lakshmi says. “There’sa lot of money on the line. It’s$1million. And so, as the creator of the show, as an executiveproducer,there’s nothingmoreimportanttomethan the fairness of this competition because my name’sonit.”

Dufresne says the judges are looking to the ultimate taste and whetherthe chef nailed theweekly assignment. After all, good knife skills can’tcamouflage apoor dish.

“We’re splitting such afine hair that we are sometimes on either side of that hair,” he says, jokingly adding: “That, again, is atestament to the caliber of the contestants and the fact that I’m usually right and Michael’swrong.”

art teachers. Asimultaneous exhibition, “The StudioCollection,” also opensthat evening in theCenter’s Mezzanine Gallery on thesecond floor is “The StudioCollection.” This show features expressive paintings by Pat Macaluso, along withstainedglass works by Sharon Sledge.

Both showsrun through April 2. Gallery hours arenoon to 6p.m. Wednesdaythrough Friday.Admission is free. Visithammondarts.org.

SLUstudent show

The Southeastern Louisiana University Contemporary Art Gallery will open the2026 Juried StudentExhibition withareception from 5p.m. to 7p.m. on March 12. The show runs through April 17, and features artwork by Southeastern students. The exhibition is juriedbygraphic designerand NewOrleans artist Kay Curleyand Orlando Hernandez Ying, curator of theArtsofthe Americas at theNew Orleans MuseumofArt. The gallery is in EastStrawberry Stadium on campus at 411 NedMcGeheeDr., Hammond.Gallery hours are8 a.m. to 5p.m. Mondaythrough Thursdayand 8a.m. to noon Friday Admission is free. Visitsoutheastern.edu/slucontemporary At NuNu Nunu Artsand CultureCollective, 1510 BayouCourtableau Highway, Arnaudville, will host an “Acadian BrownCotton: Seed Distribution & RegenerativeAg” seminaronMarch 14. Formoreinformation, visit nunucollective.org

COLOR WALK

Continued from page 1D

Holden, who expected purple to be easy to find thanks to LSU and Mardi Gras, had the same experience, but what surprised her most was the change in pace.

“After a busy day at work and driving around town, the color hunt was an immediate downshift into a state of mindfulness,” she said.

As she wandered from the Old State Capitol to the River Branch Library and through the LSU Museum of Art in the Shaw Center, she began spotting purple in places she might otherwise have missed

Even though they thought their colors were easy to spot, my assignment was red. I felt rather smug about that random draw after all, they don’t call it Baton Rouge for nothing

But what struck me most during the hour wasn’t simply how many red things I found — though there were plenty. It was how differently my brain began working.

Instead of moving quickly from place to place, I slowed down. I noticed details I had likely passed dozens of times without seeing — a stripe on a sign, a book spine, a bit of paint on a doorway

Some of my favorite images weren’t the ones saturated with color They were the ones that revealed someone had slowed down long enough to really see.

For one hour, the usual swirl of thoughts deadlines, emails, everything competing for attention — quieted.

The experience confirmed something simple but powerful about attention.

We tend to find what we look for

Once our brains lock onto a pattern a color a problem, a worry, a joy — we begin spotting

FESTIVAL

Continued from page 1D

in Iberia Parish — and the people that bring it to life. The festival will take place this year on April 10 to 12 at sites in downtown New Iberia, centered around the Sliman Theatre and the Shadows-on-the-Teche historic home museum. The programming offers a number of gems for book lovers, such as a talk with celebrated southern author and columnist, Rick Bragg, who said, “I look forward to seeing all the readers and writers there — and the food. Especially the food.”

The majority of panel events at Books Along the Teche Literary Festival are free but require registration, such as a talk exploring the Louisiana Creole lineage of Pope Leo XIV, and a panel on the “magic of romance” with Romantasy genre author Juliette Cross. Other events, like “A Novel Evening” festival celebration at Shadows-onthe-Teche, require the purchase of

it everywhere. The world is full of signals, and our minds play a big role in deciding which ones to notice. Adults spend a lot of time rushing past their surroundings. The color walk interrupted that rhythm. For one hour, our only assignment was to look. Weeks later, we are still noticing our colors flashes of blue, purple, yellow and red that seem to appear out of nowhere. The beauty of the experiment is how little it requires. Write a few colors on slips of paper Each person draws one color from a hat. Pick a meeting place and set a timer for an hour (or two, if you have more time). Then go for a walk. We were surprised by what all we saw — and hope that you will be too.

If you try a Baton Rouge color walk, we would love to see your best photos. Share them with us at jan.risher@theadvocate.com.

Teche Literary Festival in 2025.

a ticket — but any way you attend, this festival is a lovely way to experience New Iberia in spring. The

weekend will close with Symphony Sunday in the Park, a free event in New Iberia City Park on Sunday, April 12.

This year’s festival co-chairs, Deb and Paul Lindsey, are new Louisiana residents after attending and volunteering at their first Books Along the Teche Literary Festival in 2023. They’ve lived a life of adventure, working all over the country and retiring for over seven years in Guanajuato, Mexico, before a health scare drove them to search for a new hometown in the United States. Deborah grew up in Wisconsin, and Paul in West Tennessee and Minnesota — but a night out dancing in New Iberia three years ago showed them the power of community in Acadiana.

“We said we wanted to live in a place that reminded us of Mexico, in that people would be warm and kind and welcoming and friendly, where there was a lot of culture, and the food was spectacular And so we started exploring Acadiana,” said Deb Lindsey who had experienced a cardiac arrest while visit-

ing their son in Canada a couple of years prior

On their first trip to the area

the Lindseys met Cathy Indest, president of the Iberia Cultural Resources Association. Indest invited them to return in April 2023 for the literary festival, where Lindsey started experiencing the symptoms of a heart attack after a night of whirling on the dance

floor

“We were just there volunteering, meeting people, and all of a sudden we’re shutting the door on her in the back of an ambulance,” said Paul Lindsey. “All of these people were offering to follow us to the hospital, and put us up for the night if I didn’t feel comfortable going back to the hotel, and it turned out to be fine they let her out after a few minutes — but it was still a tough incident That sealed the deal for me. These are the kind of people I want around if something happens.”

The Lindseys have since become thoroughly enmeshed in New Iberia’s constellation of cultural events, from the “Beneath the

Balconies” event that highlights the region’s theatrical and musical artistry, to New Iberia’s Spanish Festival, which will take over downtown the weekend following the literary festival. Paul Lindsey says that the literary festival regularly brings in volunteers and participants from New York, Pennsylvania, Scotland and other places around the world — just like it attracted him and his wife to the community According to Deb Lindsey, the reason is simple. “It’s that sense of community It’s that commitment to high quality cultural programming. People feel connected because of how welcoming the community is. You could go to a book festival in Chicago, and come and go to sessions and not feel connected at all Nobody would talk with you. It’s very different here people talk to you. People engage you. They invite you over You don’t get that feeling everywhere.”

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

Frog capitaland ears

Yes, it’strue, and Louisiana used it as an opportunity to promote the City of Rayne as the Frog Capital of the World while helping NASA investigate the effects of microgravity on balance,specifically targeting the causes of space motion sickness, which had significantly affected Apollo astronauts

As reported by NASA at the time, afrog’sinner ear structure is similar to that of humans. The frog’s smaller size provided asimplified but accurate model for the study

“Since 1965, NASA has flown more than 80 different organisms as biological payloads to space,” said NASA Chief Historian Brian C. Odom. “These space biologystudies have explored fundamental questions relatedtofields such as cell and molecularbiology,developmental biology and neuroscience,just to name afew.”

The 1970 mission, Odom said, was called the Orbiting Frog Otolith, or the OTO experiment.

Otoliths are small, oval, calcareous bodies in the inner ear of vertebrates involved in sensing gravity and movement. Humans have two otoliths inside each ear.Frogs have three.

“One of the goals of NASA’sOffice of Advanced Research and Technology at that time was to study vestibular organ function in space and on the Earth,” Odom said. “The OFO-A mission was designed to collect neurophysiological dataonthe responseofthe otolith,apart of theinner ear that is associated with equilibriumcontrol, to prolonged periods ofweightlessness.”

Acasefor Louisianafrogs AccordingtoaSept. 27, 1970, article in TheAdvocate,the City of Rayne made a“strong bid to have its famous bullfrogs or ‘wah-wah-rons,’ as they are called in thebest Acadian circles, included in the ‘OFO’ spacecraft projects to be launched. by NASA from Wallops Island, Va.”

Rayneearned its moniker of“Frog Capital of the World” when entrepreneur LouisBaer teamed upwith brothers Lionel, Desire and Pete Babineauxin1933 to establish the Louisiana Frog Co. The business operated outofRayneand became theworld’slargest shipper of edible frogs.

However,Rayne’sroad to frog fame began in the 1880s with chef and barkeep Donat Pucheu,who harvested andsoldlocal bullfrogs to New Orleans restaurants.

Then came French immigrant Jacques Weil, who, alongwith hisbrothers Edmondand Gontran, founded the Jacques Weil Co. in 1899, which expanded Rayne’sfrog industry globally,shippingfrog legs to restaurants in New York and Paris.

This marked thebeginning ofRayne’sreign as Frog Capital of the World.

TheLouisianaFrog Co. was Rayne’sglobal supplier of frogs when NASA initiated its OFOprogram.

The finest frogs

“Effort to have only the finestfrogs fromRayne included in thepending NASA program havebeen

aided by Rep.Edwin Edwards,”The Advocate’s Sept.27, 1970, article continued.

Yes, this was thesame Edwin Edwards who would later serve four terms as Louisiana’sgovernor.He was representing Louisiana’s7th Congressional District at the time, which included Rayne. “Edwards, knowing the superior qualityofRayne frogs, contacted theNational Aeronautics and Space Administration as soon as he learned of the experimental launch tosee if there was apossibility that

thetwo male bullfrogs to be used on the OFO might be supplied by Rayne,”the article stated.

The frogs were to be monitored in their weightless environment while orbiting theearth for at least five days.

On Oct. 6, 1970, The Advocatereported that 20 bullfrogs were to be jetted to NASA’sWallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

“Brief ceremonies were staged at Louisiana Frog Co. Friday afternoon as a ‘send-off’for the bullfrogs,” thearticle stated. “Participating were Congressman

(Edwin) Edwards; Mayor W.J. (Bill) Cossen; Mayor Pro TemRalph Stutes; Miss Sue Guidry,who is Rayne’sFrog Queen and (David ‘Pete’) Babineaux (of Louisiana Frog Co.), who personally caught the frogs and whowill be responsible forplacing them on the plane forSalisbury,Md., where they will be met by NASA personnel and taken to Wallops Station.”

Pierre andTee-Nom

Once at the NASA station, twofrogs werechosen: Pierre and Tee-Nom, who werelaunched into space on the 292-pound craft on Nov.9,1970. Both were sealed in water-filled capsules containing artificial lungs and heaters to keep them stable. Their limb nerves had been cut to prevent them from dislodging electrodes, while also lowering their metabolic rates so they could survive without food foruptoamonth.

Pierre and Tee-Nom died from heart failure on Nov 15, their sixth day in orbit. But they didn’tdie in vain.

“The Rayne residents whostaged adiligent effort to have the space agency use their frogs may take comfort in knowing all experiments were completed before death came,” The Advocate reported on Nov. 16, 1970. “The National Aeronautics and Space Administration declared the mission fully successful before death came.”

As forthe other 18 frogs whomade the trip from Rayne to Wallops Island, Virginia, nothing is mentioned of their fate. But Pierre and Tee-Nom will forever be immortalized as Louisiana’s“Frogs in Space.”

Do you have aquestion about something in Louisiana that’sgot you curious? Email your question to curiouslouisiana@ theadvocate.com. Include yourname, phone number and thecitywhere you live.

from page1D

Quarter Festival in New Orleans to the Ribs & Blues Festival in the Netherlands. Similar to Guy, Little Walter,born Marion Walter Jacobs in 1930, leftLouisiana forChicago, where he recorded “Juke,” “My Babe” and moregroundbreaking harmonica blues. Renowned as an alcoholic with ashort fuse and numerous fight injuries, Walter only lived to the age of 37.

Yetthe blues of Walter, Rush and Guylive on, thanks to “Sinners,” introducing anew generation to the foundation of American music.

HermanFuselieris executive director of theSt. LandryParish Tourist Commission

Alongtime journalist covering Louisiana music andculture, he lives in Opelousas. His “Zydeco Stomp”show airs at noon Saturdays on KRVS Public Media.

BY ABNEY HARPER

Contributing writer

Meringue and strawberries are amatch made in heaven

Meringues, made of egg whites, sugar and mostly air,soak upall the tangy,sweet juices of macerated strawberries. Addsome sweetened whipped creamand ice cream, and you have adessert that’sspecial enough for entertaining yet simple enough fora weeknight dessert.

Ifirst fell in love withFrench meringuewhenmyworktook me to Paris multiple times each year for over adecade. Ibecame obsessed with the huge French meringueclouds all over the city,which set me on apath of studying, developing recipes, producing and creating businesses around French meringue.

This is asimple recipe with some tips I’ve learned over the yearstomake what can bea tricky process (especially in south Louisiana humidity)alittle bit easier

Crushed MeringueMess

Recipe by Abney Harper

Serves4people

4meringue cookies (or about 4cups of meringue crushed into various-sized pieces) (see below for meringue recipe)

1pint of strawberries, hulled and sliced 1/2 cup granulated sugar (a little less or more depending on the sweetness of your strawberries)

Sweetened whipped cream, recipe follows

2pints of your favorite ice cream,slightly softened (I prefer vanilla bean forthis recipe, but strawberry or pistachio wouldbe delicious as well) Mint leaves, for garnish (optional)

1. In amedium bowl, addsliced strawberries and sprinkle with sugar.Give astir to makesure each strawberry is tossedvery lightlyinsugar and set aside for at least 20 minutes. As thestrawberries macerate, will

the strawberries and thesugar

2. Pull theice cream from the freezer to let soften slightly so that it’seasy to scoop.

3. Meanwhile, make the whipped cream. Iamnot above store-bought whipped cream here, so do whatmakes your life easier

4. Once yourstrawberries have maceratedand your remaining ingredients are prepared, it’s simplyamatter of assembling.

5. This dish can be assembled in dividual bowls. For adramatic

presentation, pile all the ingredientsina large shallow serving bowl and let guestsserve themselves.

6. Start by scooping ice cream into thebottom of the serving dish. Addalittle whipped cream, then alayer of crumbled meringue and aspoonful of strawberries. Repeat layers of whipped cream, meringue and sliced strawberries, then drizzle thedessertswith any strawberry syrup left in the bowl of strawberries. Garnish with mint leaves.

Note: This dish is literally called amess, so there are no rules on how to assemble. The goal is to achieve amix of flavors and textures in each bite.

French Meringue

1cup of eggwhites(about 6egg whites) at room temperature 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar 1cup of finely granulatedsugar

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

2. Place egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowlofa standing mixer.Set atimer forthree minutes. Turn your mixer on medium-low

3. Slowly add sugar in asteady stream over thecourse of three minutes. Leavethe mixer running on medium-low foranother two minutes to allow the sugar to dissolve in the egg whites.

4. Crank the mixer up to high speed and whisk foranother three to five minutes until stiffpeaks form. The batter will be ready when you remove the whisk and themeringue stands up straight and tall.

5. Using alarge serving spoon,

place four to six large mounds of meringue on aparchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in the oven for6-12 hours. Meringues will be ready when you can easily removethem from the parchment paper.(Imake my meringues in the afternoon and leave them in the oven overnight at 200 degrees).

Fresh whipped cream

1cup heavywhipping cream

4tablespoonspowdered sugar

1. Place heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar in alarge bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium-high heat just until stiffpeaks begin to form

Note: Make sure not to overbeat or cream fresh whipped cream. It will keep in the fridge forthree days.

Abney Harper co-owns Prima Après, featured in the LSU Student Union, and Sucré Baton Rouge. She is achef and entrepreneur whopreviously owned a casual fine dining restaurant in Georgia.

Today is Sunday,March 8, the67thday of 2026.There are 298 days left inthe year.Daylight saving time returns at 2a.m. local time.

Todayinhistory: On March 8, 1965, the United Stateslanded itsfirstcombat troops in South Vietnam as 3,500 Marines arrived to defendthe U.S. air base at Da Nang.

Also on this date:

In 1817, aconstitution was adoptedformally creating the New York Stock &Exchange Board, forerunner of the New York Stock Exchange.The constitution laid outrules for transactions and brokers initially gathered twicedaily in arented room on Wall Street to trade 30 stocks and bonds.

In 1917, protests against food rationing broke out in Petrograd (now St. Petersburg), triggering eight days of rioting that resulted in the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II and theend of the Russian monarchy

In 1948, the Supreme Court, in McCollum v. Board of Education, struck down religious education classes during school hours in Champaign, Illinois, publicschools, sayingthe program violated separation of church andstate

In 1971, in the first of three fights between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier,Frazierdefeated Ali by unanimous decision in what was billed as “The Fight of the Century”atMadison Square Garden in New York

In 1983, in aspeech to the National Association of Evangelicals convention in Orlando Florida, President Ronald Reagan referredto theSovietUnion as an “evil empire.”

In 1988, 17 soldiers were killed when two Army helicopters from Fort Campbell,Kentucky,collidedduring anight trainingmission.

In 2008,President George W. Bushvetoed a bill that would have banned theCIA fromusing simulated drowning, or waterboarding, and other coercive interrogation methodstogain information fromsuspected terrorists.

In 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, a Boeing 777 with 239 people on board, vanished during aflight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, settingoff amassive andultimatelyunsuccessful search. The aircraft’sdisappearance remains one of airtravel’smajor unsolved mysteries.

In 2023, the U.S. Justice Departmentfound that police in Louisville, Kentucky,had engagedinapattern of violating constitutional rightsand discriminationagainst theBlack community following an investigationprompted by the fatalpolice shootingofanAfrican American woman, BreonnaTaylor Today’sbirthdays: Author JohnMcPhee is 95. Songwriter Carole Bayer Sager is 82. Actormusician MickyDolenz(The Monkees)is81. BaseballHallofFamer Jim Rice is 73. Singer Gary Numan is 68. TV journalist LesterHolt is 67.Actor Aidan Quinn is 67. Actor Camryn Manheim is 65. Actor Freddie Prinze Jr.is50. Songwriter-producer Benny Blanco is38. Actor Montana Jordan is 23. Actor KitConnoris 22. Actor Samara Lee is 18.

Rule-following guestendsupfeeling rude

Dear Miss Manners: After asking my dinner guestsnot to bring any dishes, some still do. My question is what do Idowhen

Person Ashows up withadish, andPerson B— lovely,lovely

Person B, who was polite and kind enough to take me at my word sees the exchange.

Person Binvariably getsembarrassed and asks if they should have brought something. Iusually say,“Oh,no! This is not apotluck. Person Ajust had adish she really wanted to share.”

correct to take you at your wordistogo about your evening.

When you speak to Person Balone, add that you are most grateful for thecourtesy of being listened to. Miss Manners is sure that that, coupled with your evident passion on the subject, will leave Person Binnodoubt as to how you truly feel.

But inside, Iamscreaming, “No, Person B, you have manners —unlike this completely overbearing person!”

The problem is that Bisnever comfortable with my answer,even if Italk to them later and explain what happened. It’savery awkward situation.

I’m not worried about getting through to Person A; they’re alost cause. But how do Imake things right for B, who is absolutely adream dinner guest?

Gentle Reader: Short of dropping Person A’sdish on Person A’sfoot, theway to demonstrate to Person Bthat they were

Dear Miss Manners: We wereinformed of afriend’sdaughter’s wedding plans recently,and were surprised when the formal invitation stated “black tie optional.”

The black tie notation wasadouble whammy for us, as we are agay male couple. We have no intention of purchasing or renting tuxedos for this event, so theissue is whether to attend it at all.

My partner says that he would be comfortable wearing ablack suit, and that thehosts and the bridal couple would also be fine with that, as black tie is merely optional. He also notes that what passes for “black tie” these days looks very much like an ordinary black suit with afew shiny bits and ablack necktie,

so we wouldn’tstand out much. Imaintain that “optional” means“requested,” and that the real instruction is, “Black tie is expected so that you can contribute to the atmosphere we are attempting to create. If you attend less formally attired, we will be disappointed and perhaps miffed, but you won’tbe barred at the door.”

Iaminclined to decline the invitation forfear of irking the hosts, whotend to be rather formal anyway,and so as not to disrespect the bridal couple, whoclearly want the guests to help them create an effect on their special day Am Iinterpreting things correctly,or should Iaccept “optional” at face value?

Gentle Reader: Your partner is right about what passes forblack tie these days. And while you each perfectly define acompeting meaning of “black tie optional” in current use, Miss Manners does not know the happy couple, and therefore cannot say which applies. She would take “optional” seriously

Sendquestions to Miss Manners at dearmissmanners@gmail.com.

Open fruitcupswithout spills or frustration

Cleaning hard-to-reachplaces

Dear Heloise: In response to thequestion about how to open fruit cups without spilling: Beforeopening it,tilt the cup back away from you so that the juice is away from one side. When opening it, tilt it back toward you while continuing to peel off the top. Works like acharm! —Terri M., in Youngstown, Ohio

Extendingthe life of shoes

Dear Heloise: Ilove shoes, and Ilike to buy good-quality shoes that will last.I don’tsplurge for designer shoes, but Ido have away to make my shoes last for a long time in pristine condition: Idon’tdrive in them or walk in them at my big parking lot at work. Instead, Icarry theshoes or bootsthat I’ve planned to wear for the day in abag. I also have shoes that are just for walking and driving. When Iget to work, then Iput on the shoes that Ibrought to go withmyoutfit for theday Ihave very good luck at extending the life of my shoes, and it’snot ahassle at all. Ialso employ acobbler when necessary! —Linda L., in San Antonio

Dear Heloise: Ihave found asolution to thepesky job of cleaning under appliances. Itake ayardstick and wrap the end with acleaning pad; then Irun it under thestoveand fridge, getting most or all of the dirt hiding there. —Judy B.,in Vancouver,Washington Judy,Idothe samething. It’salmost impossible to clean under somepieces of furniture or appliances. If arepairman comes in and needs to movethe item,itcan get alittle embarrassing if he finds athick layer of dirt, pet hair,and maybe abug or alost earring. Ayardstick with adust cloth on the end works well. —Heloise Pollyanna letters

Dear Heloise: Iknow Christmas is over, but Iwish people would stop sending annual Christmas letters. Yes, somefolkslike them, but Idon’t know why.Every boring detail (from every new appliance they bought to a 3-year old losing his first tooth) thrills theauthors,but what makes them think that people find their lives so interesting?

Igot such aletter from my sister-inlaw this year.She forgot to mention her pregnant 16-year-old whodropped out of

school. There wasnomention of her youngest kid climbing atree in asnowstorm and getting stuck there.

They had to call the fire department to get him down. Sadly,their dog ran away from home, but there was no mention of him either Please think before you send aPollyanna letter.Just pick up the phone and call whomever you wish to update instead. Gloria W.,inPonca City,Oklahoma

Peskyportals

Dear Heloise: Ihave adifficult time keeping track of my different doctors’ patient portals whenI want to contact them via email or check an appointment or atest result. How do you and your readers know where to go? —K.B., in UniversalCity, Texas K.B., Idon’tseem to have this problem, but maybe one of my readers would like to send ahint on how they retrieve their information.

One idea might be to call the doctors’ offices and ask them to send you avirtual tutorial on how to use the portal for their respective office or hospital. —Heloise

Sendahinttoheloise@heloise.com.

Vintagefilmformatrevived in ‘One Battle AfterAnother’

BY JAKE COYLE

AP film writer

NEWYORK— When Paul Thomas Anderson told his cinematographer Michael Bauman that he wantedto shoot “One Battle After Another” on VistaVision —a large-scale film format born in the 1950s —hehad some questions.

“Question one was: Is this even going to be reliable?” Bauman recalls. For much of the past60 years, the few remaining VistaVision cameras have been mostly collecting dust on shelves. Though the format was widely used in the 1950s, when Alfred Hitchcock shot “Vertigo” on it and Cecil B. DeMille used it for “The TenCommandments,” VistaVision went dormant by the early 1960s.

Yetatthe March 15 Academy Awards,a moviemade largely with decades-old antique cameras is poised to win best picture. Evenin 2026, when most films are shot digitally and AI has begun filtering into moviemaking,“OneBattleAfter Another” has —with film equipment borrowed from collectors and museums —showed that avintage, analog film system can still astonish moviegoers.

“One Battle After Another” presented amajor newtestfor an oldformat Asprawling American epic filmed largely in dusty,rural locations, Bauman estimates it meant running 1.5 million feet of film through antique cameras.

“VistaVision is great if you’re sitting on atripod and filming anice,beautiful waterfall or something,” says Bauman. “But when you’re putting it on aSteadicam, using it as ahandheld strapping it to cars, or doing any of the myriad things we were doing —because ultimately Paul wanted it to feel like ‘TheFrench Connection —itwas aquestionifthe camera could hold up to it.” But it turns out that VistaVision isn’tjust holding up, it’senjoying abig-screen revival. At last year’sOscars, Lol Crawley won best cinematography for Brady Corbet’s“The Brutalist,” much of which was shot on VistaVision. This year,Baumanisnominatedfor the same award aftershooting an even greater amount of “One Battle After Another” (he estimates 80%) on VistaVision.

Bigger is better

VistaVision is all about the size of the negative. First introduced by Paramount with 1954’s“White Christmas,” it has double the resolution of standard 35mm. Normal film stock is four perforations wide, but VistaVision is eight. To make ahigherresolution image, thefilm runs horizontally through the camera, instead of vertically Before “One Battle After

kind of have to earn it, and I like that.”

For Ribisi, theVistaVision image speaks foritself: multidimensional, inviting, immersive. He thinks formats like VistaVisionare more than analog novelty, buta rich future for increasingly image-savvy audiences.

“I don’tthink it’s just a flash in thepan,” says Ribisi “I thinkalot of people —especially withthe phone calls I’m getting —are wanting to not just explore this but consider it their new sword in thebattle for filmmaking.”

has been used for formally composedvistas. But Anderson wanted to approach “One Battle AfterAnother” with amore’70s-style feel —essentially combining separate Hollywood eras, not unlike how the movie’s revolutionary saga blends generations in political resistance. So they leaned into the organic process, intentionally underexposing the film and then leaving it longer in development to add grain and texture.

Another,”the last film shot andprojectedon VistaVision was 1961’s“One-Eyed Jacks,” Marlon Brando’s soledirectorial effort. But, with some notable exceptions (George Lucasshot the visual effectsto1977’s“Star Wars” in VistaVision), Hollywood moved on.

Butnow,VistaVision is back in abig way.After being impressed with it for parts of 2023’s“Poor Things” Yorgos Lanthimos and his cinematographer Robbie Ryan shot the best picture-nominated “Bugonia” on VistaVision. Emerald Fennell’sjust-released “Wuthering Heights” was also made with VistaVision.

“It’s arevitalization of a levelofthe craft of cinematography,” Bauman says. “Photochemical has got a strong voice in theroom, still.”

The1950s-set “The Brutalist” helpedspark therevival “Wewere excited by the colors and thefeeling and the weight of the camera,” Mona Fastvold, co-writer and producer of “The Brutalist,” said in an interview last year.“It limits howyou move it and dictates the shots, which Ithink is somethingthatalsohelpstotransport you backtothe period.”

Aformatthatchallenges

VistaVision has its drawbacks. Thecamera (which

looks sideways) is awkward and noisy. Youcan film takes only for about five minutes

For her 2025 Shaker drama “The TestamentofAnn Lee, Fastvold considered VistaVision but ultimatelydecided itscameras were too loud for the quiet intimacy she wanted.

But formanyfilmmakers, theextra hassleisworth it for thebeauty and clarity of theimage it creates.Anderson has been pondering it for awhile. He andBauman first met when thedirectorwas experimenting with VistaVision for 2012’s“The Master.” Anderson decided not to use it then,but he trieditout in a short film for ThomYorke’s “Anima.”

Just trackingdown the equipmentfor “OneBattle After Another” wasa challenge, though. Much of “One Battle After Another” was shotona cameraowned by the actor Giovanni Ribisi. He’slong been enamored by the capabilitiesofthe format and the tactile, vinyllike nature of the camera. Years ago, Ribisi acquired a Beaumont VistaVisioncamera, amore mobile camera than traditional VistaVision cameras.

“It’snot something that youcan just press abutton and you just let it roll for twohours It fightsback a littlebit,maybe too much,” Ribisisays, chuckling. “You

The “One Battle” filmmakers added two other VistaVision cameras, rented from Geo Film Group, and augmented the production with Super 35mm.They continued testingthe Vista cameras even once shooting began. To lessen the noise for some scenes, theybuilt ablimp, or abox, around it.

Historically,VistaVision

VistaVision and CinemaScopewerebothfirst introduced as waytocombat the rise of television. VistaVision’ssecond life corresponds with anew age of anxiety formovies, where streaming and mega-sized flat-screen TVs have pushed filmsonto bigger and bigger screens.

Increasingly,film format is aselling point. Christopher Nolan and others have

emphasized and promoted theuse of IMAX cameras. Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” was shoton70mm. In the case of “One Battle After Another,” the movie was also projected in VistaVision, a first forawide release movie in morethan 60 years. Only four theaters were able to do it, including Quentin Tarantino’sVista Theatre in Los Angeles. Before the movie’srelease, Anderson urged moviegoers that “seeingfilmonfilmisthe way Nature intended.” To project in VistaVision, theCoolidge CornerTheatre in Brookline, Massachusetts, went to unusuallengths, borrowingprojectors that had been on display from the George Eastman Museum At the Coolidge,audiences came in droves to see it on Vista, and “One Battle After Another”became thetheater’s highest-grossing feature ever

THE NEXT BATCH

BY RICH COLLINS Staff writer

New OrleansEntrepreneur Week, the annual celebrationof startup businesses, turns 16 this year And, like many teenagers, the event is trying out anew identity. NOEW debuted in 2010, when business leadersin post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans were looking forwaystocreateand keep jobs in the city.Inthe years that followed, its non-

profit producer experimentedwith different formats, teamed up with variouspartners and piggybacked on other events to boostawarenessand attendance.

IDEAS INNOVATION & IDEA

Now, forthe first time Loyola University New Orleans has taken over productionofthe event, shifting thefocus away from high-growth ventures and toward supporting budding entrepreneurs of all types and increasing the school’s role as agathering place for the region’s business community

Highlights of the five-day event include aconversation between NewOrleans Mayor Helena Moreno and national political podcasterTim Miller; akeynote address from former Tesla and Lyft executive Jon McNeill; and a talk fromNicolaCorzine,ofthe Nas-

daqEntrepreneurialCenter, whichrecently released areport praising New Orleans’ startup growth.

In all, morethan70speakers have been curated to support the next batch of “tech founders in hoodies” alongwithentrepreneurs of alltypes that reflect the diversity and reality of the south Louisiana economy,according to Lisa LaCour,part of the NOEW programming team

“Entrepreneurship in NewOrleans has always looked different, whether it’smusicians building hospitality

ä See NOEW, page 2E

the workforce system that we need to address.” As in thepast, the state’sbusiness lobby is

Covingtonfirm renews Navy contract for$291M

BY IANNE SALVOSA Staff writer

ACovington-based offshore transport service company was awarded acontract to continue work on Navy-owned vessels.

Hornbeck Offshore Services will operate and maintain four Navy-ownedships in a$291million contract that extends aprevious contract with the military to work on the vessels. Hornbeck began work on the vessels in Kings Bay, Georgia, and Bangor,Washington, earlier this month.

The ships are owned by the Navy’sMilitary Sealift Command the Department of Defense’ssea transportation provider comprised of 125 civilian-crewed vessels that assistthe Navy by transporting supplies, conducting surveillance and data missions and maintaining combat cargo near ships for quick deployment.

The contractcovers four Navy vessels: USNS BlackPowder, USNS Westwind, USNSEagleview and USNS Arrowhead, whichare Transportation AuxiliaryGeneral Submarine Escort ships, allpart of the Military Sealift Command’s Submarine and SpecialWarfare Support. The four ships help move

NOEW

Continued from page1E

empires, restaurant owners becoming tech founders, or community organizers turning social impact into sustainable business models,” said LaCour,founder of the marketingfirm The Vault Collective. “Wehaven’tcelebrated that as loudly as we should.”

‘Don’t have to play ringleader’ NOEW gets underway Monday at various satellite locations around the city and continues throughoutthe week, moving to Loyola’s campus for atwo-day summit on Thursday and Friday

Several panels will examine business models based on music, artand community. Another will spotlight Louisiana’splans for tech innovation. There will be fundraising advice, alook at multigenerational family businessesand a talk about historically Black colleges or universities as enginesof Black innovation. A“crazy ideas” challenge will offer up to $5,000 in scholarships and other prizes.

New wellness programming includes a“networking walk” aroundAudubon Park, breathing exercises and ademonstration of a10-minute meditation. Event organizers say the moments of mindfulness are designed to improve clarity,decision-making and composure —all critical to running a successful business.

“Our school’smissionand the goal of the event is to bringas much of the community together as possible,” said Sam McCabe, director of Loyola’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Community Development, which is responsible for NOEW programming. “Whether you’restarting an icecream shop or anew tech venture, this community wantstobuild youup.” Organizers say the holistic approachreflects Loyola’sJesuit values —and NOEW’schanging role in the evolving New Orleans startup scene Sixteen years ago,The Idea Village, the nonprofit business accelerator that startedNOEW, was one of the few institutionsintown serving that community,sothe event was away to create momentum. Now,the scene has grownand spreadout.

Tulane University andOchsner Health have both launched innovation-focused entities to support new ventures. The Nieux on St. CharlesAvenue hostsa steady stream of innovation-themed events. Economic development groups like Greater New Orleans Inc. andLouisianaEconomic Development have made innovation key priorities. Newventurecapital firms, like Boot64, Corridor Ventures and 1834 Ventures, have cropped up to search for promising young companies. Andatleast one new private equity fund is planning bigger bets on more mature enterprises. As aresultofthat growth, organizers say,NOEW’smission is less about kickstarting ascene as itis getting everyone together and on the same page for afew dayseach year “Originally,they had to manifest something out of nothing,” said Matt Wolfe, chiefmarketing officer at GNO Inc., the nonprofit economic development organization that provides NOEWwithfinancial and programming support. “Now we have legitimate startups, capital on the table and successful

Hornbeck Offshore Services wasawarded

ships.

military equipment and personnel on submarines andspecial operations.

They’re apart of theMilitary Sealift Command’sSpecialMissionprogram, agroup of 20 vesselsthat performmissile tracking, oceanographicand hydrographic surveys, acoustic surveys, underwater surveillance, submarine

support andspecial warfaresupport.Theyserve various military and government players, including the Environmental Protection Agency,the Air Force and the U.S. Fleet Forces Command. Jennings-based Leevac Industries built thefourvessels in 2008 and 2009 for Hornbeck, which chartered them to the Navy.Con-

Attendees ofthe 2025New Orleans EntrepreneurWeek network on thecampus of Loyola University NewOrleans. Loyola is shifting the event’sfocus this year toward supporting budding entrepreneurs of all typesand increasingthe school’srole as agathering place for the region’s business community

company‘exits,’ so they don’thave to playringleaderinthe sameway anymore.

For Bobby Savoie, dean of Loyola’sJoseph A. Butt,S.J.College of Businessand founder of several successful software companies NOEW alsoisa chance to connect promising students with potential employers while bringing energy to the business program he’sled for the last two years. Savoie said last year’sevent, which attracted roughly 3,000 people citywideand 1,200 to Loyola, was well-received by students, faculty and participants.

“Mixingentrepreneurs, investors andspeakers with thecampus really gelled,” he said.“We saw that this could work.”

‘Like rock stars’

Theseeds of NOEW date back to 2006, when TheIdeaVillage partneredwith Tulane to connect MBA studentswith entrepreneurs looking forhelpafter Katrina. Over the next couple of years, out-of-town students from Stanford University andother schools jumped into the fray,along with employees of corporations like Googleand Salesforce.

In 2009, organizers brought all the teamstogether for aone-week challenge at Tulane’sbusiness school.In2010, they changed the event’snametoNOEW and added apitch competition for outside entrepreneurs.

That year,WestCoast investor Jim Coulter,who hastiestoNew Orleans, joined as afinancial backer andprogramming partner. For several years after,hewas instrumentalto NOEW’sgrowth.

By 2012, the annual gathering was attracting hundreds of attendees to raucous “fan vote” pitch competitions that had Mardi Gras parade energy

“The peopleonstage were like rock stars or Saints players,” said TimWilliamson, co-founder and former CEO of The Idea Village. “Entrepreneurship had become part of ourculture.”

NOEW continued to grow throughoutthe 2010s withhelp from partner organizations. After apandemic break, organizers experimented with different formats, addingalive musicfestival one year,and launching the “NOEWinYourNeighborhood” series of eventsacross the metro area.

But the biggestchangecame with thehandoff of production to Loyola, which co-produced theevent lastyear with The Idea Village and took it over completely this year

The Idea Village CEO Jon Atkinsonsaidthe move helps his organization focus on the needs of venture-funded, high-growth startups anditallows NOEW to return to its roots andbe the“place whereNew Orleans comes togethertoenvision the future.”

Fillingagap on themap

The change has freed up The IdeaVillage to producea related event, the 3rdCoastVenture Summit. Theinvitationonly gathering scheduled for thesame week is designed to connect promising Gulf South companieswithdeep-pocketed national investors

Andrew Albert, programs director at The Idea Village, said the goal of the 3-year-old summit is to leveragethe region’s expertise in industrieslike maritime, energy and manufacturing while getting investors accustomed to coming to New Orleans to look foropportunities,filling in thegap on the map between Houston and Atlanta.

“Wewanttoserveanyone who’s‘Gulf South curious,’”he said. “JPMorgan Chase alone is investing $4 trillion in the region, and that’s asignal that investors seevalue in what we create here.”

The summitwill take place Tuesday andWednesday at the Common HouseNew Orleans, then movetoLoyola’scampus foraninvestorbreakfast that will tie the two events together Savoie said theone-two punch will show thepotential of the city’sbusiness community “Wehave agreat ecosystem that’sbeen built here,” he said. “Ifyou give these companies permissiontosucceed andgive themsupport, they’re going to kick ass.”

Email Rich Collinsatrich. collins@theadvocate.com.

gress required themilitary branch to acquirethe vesselsinorder to keep using them,and Hornbeck sold thefourships to the Navy for $152 million in 2015. The Navy awarded Hornbeck a10-year operations and maintenancecontract with theacquisitionthatexpired lastyear.The company waspreviously awarded

LEGISLATURE

Continuedfrom page1E

civil lawsuits and lower insurance payoutstouninsured motorists injured in accidents.

They’ll also be playing defense on theissue of carbon sequestration,a key element of the “all-ofthe-above-energy” policy promoted by Gov. Jeff Landry and his predecessor,formerGov.JohnBel Edwards.

“There have been aton of bills filed that are anti-carbon capture and sequestration,” saidJim Patterson,executive vice president of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry.“There is alot of fear,alot of thatisill-informed. We need to make sure companies know that they can comehere and operate.”

Consolidatingmoney, authority

The session comes more than two years intoLandry’sterm.During thattime, his pro-business administration has simplified the state’s tax code to make it more friendly to companies, rolled back regulations opposed by big industry,created new incentives to attract data centers andother manufacturers, and reorganized the state’seconomic development agency

Thegovernorand Louisiana EconomicDevelopment officials say those changes have paid offin billions of dollars in new projects planned or under construction, including Meta and Amazon artificial intelligence data centersinnorth Louisiana, aHyundai steel mill in Ascension Parish and new liquified naturalgas facilitiesalong the Gulf Coast.

Thosebig-ticketindustrial projects have created additional demand for newconstruction workers, who were alreadyinshort supply.The health care, hospitality andmanufacturing sectorsalsoare stretchedthin, according to data from theGreater Baton Rouge Industry Alliance, which projects that Louisiana will need about 70,000 more skilledtradespeople over the next five years.

Amongthe measures business groups are pushing is abill by Rep. John Wyble,R-Franklinton, that would consolidate power and millions of federal workforce training dollars under Louisiana Works, the former Louisiana Workforce Commission, whichwas restructured during the 2025 legislative session.

Thosefederal dollars, whichtotaled$115 million thisyear,currently flowto15different regional councils charged with devising and overseeing workforce training in their respectivegeographicareas Wyble’sbillwould effectivelyfunnel themoney andcontrol to the state,which advocates saywould allow for greater coordination, oversight and efficiency

“A lotoftimes, the funding is just notascoordinatedasitcould be,” Pattersonsaid. “All these regional boards are operating in their own

a$48 millioncontract in February2025 to operate andmaintain the four vessels that expired last month.

Hornbeck operates afleet of offshore supply vessels to support the oil and gas industry,the U.S military and offshore construction, mainly in the Gulf. They’re headquartered in Covington and have offices in Houston,Braziland Mexico.

The continuation of the contract builds on Louisiana’sroleinthe Navy,being hometothe Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Baseand Naval Support Activity base, both in NewOrleans. The state is also home to other defense contractorsincludingThoma-Sea Marine Constructors, amarineconstruction company based in Houma, and Swiftships, ashipbuilding and engineering company with three offices in south Louisiana. Hornbeck was founded in 1997 andoperatesa fleet of nearly75 offshore supply vessels and multipurpose support vessels that operate primarily the Gulf of Mexico, the East Coast and West Coast, Brazil and the Caribbean.

Email Ianne Salvosaatianne. salvosa@theadvocate.com.

little theater,and there’s no ability to make sure we have all been rowing in the same direction.”

Arelatedbill by Rep. Stephanie Berault, R-Slidell, would create the funding mechanism for the new workforce training initiative, establishing the Bayou Growth Opportunity Fund, whichalso would be administered by Louisiana Works.

“It’sgreatweare on themap as aplace where folks can comeand situate their business,” Patterson said.“Butwehaveanumberof folks whoare not in the workforce because they lack the skill set. That is something we aretrying to address.”

Trying again

As in the past, business lobbyistswill be pushing bills that would lower the duration and cost of workers’ compensationclaims, whichare among the costliest in the U.S. even thoughthe state has someofthe lowest incident rates of workplace injuries in the nation. That’saccording to statisticsfrom the national Workers Compensation Research Institute, anonprofit research organization.

Abill by Rep. Gabe Firment, RPollock, wouldimpose new rules on workers’ compensation claims.Another measure by Rep. Raymond Crews, R-Shreveport, would abolish the Workers Compensation Advisory Council, as part of abroader restructuring of the system. Business groups will also try again to tackle tort reform, an area where they have had only limited success because of the state’spowerful trial bar.This session, abill by Sen. Jay Morris, R-Monroe, would make it harder to get money for mental anguish or emotional distress absent physical injury,requiring theplaintiff to prove “outrageous conduct” by adefendant. In auto insurance, abill by Rep. Dennis Bamburg, another Monroe Republican, would extend the law,which denies recovery for the first $100,000 of bodily injury or property damage for an uninsured motorist, to those whose insurance coverage has lapsed for more than 30 days.

Playingdefense

Newonthe agenda forthis session are aseries of bills that would ensure carbon capture and sequestration is allowed to go forward. Environmental groups and residents of areas near proposed injection wells areincreasingly opposedto the projects, which have already received federal permits and represent billions in new investment for the state.

Several bills would ban or restrict new carbon wells. LABI and groups that lobby forthe petrochemical industry are supporting measures that prevent such limits.

“The Legislatureneeds to say there is no reason for these projects not to go forward,” Patterson said. “There arejobsand opportunities and everyone needs to calm down and relax.”

EmailStephanie Riegel at stephanie.riegel@theadvocate. com.

TALKING BUSINESS

ASK THE EXPERTS

CEO launched nonprofit to meet training demands

BY RICH COLLINS Staff writer

In 2018, educator Claire Jecklin

led a team that launched the New Orleans Career Center with a mission to create pathways into “midskilled” careers in health care, construction and other sectors that don’t always require the traditional higher education route.

The nonprofit moved from one location to another for five years while contractors completed a $27 million renovation of the former McDonogh 35 High School building in Treme. Now, the career center operates out of the building, which reopened in 2023 offering training to Orleans Parish high school students and adults in the building trades, health care, hospitality and engineering, among other tracks.

The center’s enrollment has grown from 100 to 800 students, fueled in large part by the move into its 143,000-square-foot facility

Jecklin, who spent a decade at New Orleans Charter Science & Mathematics High School before launching the career center, explains why demand for workers in the building trades, health care and other industries is strong and how her 50-person team navigates a complicated web of funding sources to keep the center growing.

This conversation has been edited for brevity and clarity NOCC offers training in several fields.Where are you seeing the most demand?

Health care continues to be big, but the building trades make up the biggest area of enrollment growth, grant and investment growth, and demand from employer partners. Our new facility is what has allowed that to happen. We teach carpentry, electrical, HVAC and welding. We’re about to add plumbing. We train just over 200 people every day, and right now, the largest specific enrollment area is electrical, which I think is great because it’s also the area where we’re seeing the largest growth in the state, whether it’s for big projects like the Meta center or others.

city that needs a lot of repairs and historic renovation work, but we also have new projects on the horizon like the Shell headquarters in the River District.

We’re also training for Ochsner Health and Providence Housing. We have created customized training for Sheraton. We also had program participants last year who were hired after doing facilities maintenance internships at the LSU Health Sciences Center

And what’s the focus in health care?

The No. 1 high-demand job in the U.S. is a nurse.

medical sonographer, lab tech.

There’s need for those allied health jobs that require a two-year degree and licensing board.

We provide a pipeline to the licensed practical nursing programs

We tee people up to make that choice and know why they’re making it and know what the jobs are.

What other training do you offer?

We train about 50 high school students in culinary arts but you can only really train 20 at a time safely We don’t train adults in this field because there are other strong providers in the community

The building is beautiful How did it get funded?

It was paid for through a combination of the last of the FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) recovery dollars from Hurricane Katrina, Community Development Block Grants and tax credits related to our function in job training. Unlike many projects, where one person puts the stake in the ground that makes everything possible, in this case, it was many folks.

The career center came to be at a time when the Recovery School District and Orleans Parish School Board were merging into one, and both entities had to agree on the plan. The Louisiana Department of Education approved the project.

The most significant investor is the city We received $2 million in American Rescue Plan funding that was approved by the City Council, and the state provided capital outlay dollars.

The facility is owned by Orleans Parish School Board, but we are the operators and we have a contract to provide the services. Every openenrollment public high school has students here this year Who comes to NOCC?

Why is there demand now for building trades in particular?

One reason is the silver tsunami of baby boomers reaching retirement age. Statewide infrastructure projects also create demand. Power generation and transmission projects, whether traditional or sustainable and green variations, are all actually construction jobs, as is a potential road to connect new port facilities to the highway system and water management infrastructure. So much of the investment in Louisiana requires skills in the building trades to fill those jobs, and the city of New Orleans is always going to have different needs. We are an old

Health care is an example of where you have both a retiring workforce and that retiring workforce needs care, so the pre-nursing pipeline is huge. To respond to that, we do certified nursing assistant training. We also do some patient-care tech training. We also do medical assistant training, and licensed practical nursing training in partnership with Delgado and Ochsner

We don’t do two-year and fouryear degree paths, but we are providing exposure and education around what those jobs are and other high-demand jobs: X-ray tech,

Beyond Boundaries.

Thehealthcareindustryhas asingle constant:change.

As thefastest-growing sector of theAmerican economy, thehealthcareindustryisalwaysinastate of change in response to macroeconomic forces, thepublic’sdemand forhigh-quality andaccessible healthcare,and fiscal constraints. We help ourclients successfullynavigateachallenging andconstantly evolving business andregulatory landscape as they create andrespond to newdeliverymodelstomeet thesenew challenges.

William H. Hines

Managing Partner bhines@joneswalker.com 504.582.8000

201St. CharlesAvenue NewOrleans,LA70170-5100 joneswalker.com

We also have an introduction to all of the types of engineering, which is in demand and usually requires a college path afterward.

How did NOCC come to be?

I loved my job as principal at Sci High (a New Orleans charter school), which has spaces for makers, trades and health care. It was wonderful for the 400 students that we serve, but I wanted it for everybody, so we created a nonprofit.

I never would have gotten there on my own, but I credit founding board member Dana Peterson, who runs New Schools for New Orleans, for her guidance.

The largest number of seats are available for students who enroll through their New Orleans public high school. We also offer a bridge year, which is a fifth year of public education, and adult training. If you receive SNAP benefits, you can access the training. We also train for employers through private agreements.

What are challenges?

There’s a shrinking student population, and education funding is tricky

I’ve never met anyone who thought that the career center was a bad idea. Everyone wants people to have jobs and wants communities to be prosperous and people to have connections. It’s just a question of what resources exist to make that possible.

Email Rich Collins at rich. collins@theadvocate.com

Although pandemic-eraflexibilities have largely expired, telemedicine anddigitalhealthremain integral to thecountry’s healthcare delivery. Regulatory uncertainty, fundingcuts, and fragmentedstate laws create compliance pressure,while artificialintelligence(AI) integrationaccelerates diagnosticsand workflowoptimizationbut raises apprehension around bias,liability,and cybersecurity. However, global initiativesreinforce digital health’s importanceworldwideand venture capitalremainsstrong forclinicallyvalidated solutions,signaling resilience despiteeconomic volatility.Ultimately, success hingesonrobust complianceframeworksand balanced regulation to sustain access,efficiency,and qualityinanevolvingtelemedicine and digitalhealthcarelandscape

Ourfirm is proudtohelpleadthe wayforwardfor Louisiana healthcare providersand supportcompanies as they undergo digitaltransformationand adapttoa dynamicand intricatelegal andregulatoryenvironment.

NATION & WORLD

FROM DABBLERS TO DAY TRADERS

Individual investors’ impact on Wall Street growing

BY ALEX VEIGA AP business writer

LOS ANGELES For years, individual investors were dismissed by some on Wall Street as “dumb money.”

That typically referred to those prone to trading on hype, or chasing trends rather than company or industry fundamentals, or responding late to big market moves.

That’s no longer the case.

An analysis of where individual investors put their money last year shows they outperformed two of the most popular, professionally managed index funds, SPY and QQQ, whose goal is to mirror the performance of the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100, respectively

These investors, also known as retail investors, accounted for $5.4 trillion in trading activity in 2025 across stocks and exchangetraded funds, according to Vanda, an independent data and research firm. That’s a nearly 47% increase from the previous year and the most going back to at least 2014.

“I personally want to dispel the myth of retail being dumb money, because it’s not dumb money anymore,” Joe Mazzola, head trading and derivatives strategist at Charles Schwab, said in November at an investor education event in Anaheim, California, that drew around 800 of the financial services company’s clients.

or attending investing seminars like Schwab’s.

“I learned a lot more about options strategies and charting and everything from there,” he said in an interview in November “Now I’m independent. I just look for my own trades. I have my own strategy I hunt on my own.”

Sabia, a high school registrar, said he trades in cryptocurrencies and other assets but that his “bread and butter” is options trading.

That involves trading contracts to buy or sell a stock at a specific price before a specified date. This can be less costly upfront than buying stocks, but can also be riskier, because options expire and a small move in a stock’s price can translate into a big swing in the value of options contracts.

Many Americans have long invested in the stock market, although largely hands-off through managed funds in retirement plans, such as a 401(k). But over the last decade, the advent of mobile trading apps, zerocommission trading, stock market-focused communities on social media and online tools for education and research has helped usher in a new era of do-it-yourself trading in stocks, crypto and other investments. The COVID-19 lockdowns were an inflection point. A new crop of investors, many young newcomers using investing apps like Robinhood, helped drive the “meme stock” frenzy that catapulted the price of GameStop, AMC Entertainment and other stocks. Meme stocks aside, years of mostly uninterrupted,

strong stock market gains provided an attractive backdrop for more people to take up investing. The benchmark S&P 500 has posted an annual loss only three times going back to 2015.

By early last year, the number of people moving money from checking accounts to investment accounts reached its highest levels since 2021, according to a report by JPMorgan Chase. Some may have been younger Americans who couldn’t afford to buy a house and instead put the money in stocks, the report suggests.

All told, money coming into the market from indi-

vidual investors jumped about 50% from 2023 to early 2025, according to the report.

“I would say they are considerably more important as a force in markets right now,” said Steve Sosnick, chief strategist at Interactive Brokers. “Markets used to be really dominated by institutional investors, but if you put enough ants together they can move a very big log.”

Frank Sabia, of Encino, California, started dabbling in investing in 2018. Over the years, he’s leveled up his market and trading knowledge by joining private investor chat groups online

Last April, Sabia opened a Roth IRA account and bought into the market as stocks tanked after President Donald Trump announced a sweeping set of tariffs that were more severe than investors expected. The announcement sent the S&P 500 into a two-day tailspin of more than 10%, the type of plunge not seen since the 2020 COVID crash.

“I just bought the dip,” Sabia said. He wasn’t alone. Retail investors seized on the market skid, buying more than $5 billion in stocks over the two days, according to Vanda.

“In April, it was retail (investors) that bought the dip,” Mazzola said. “They were the ones that were willing to step in front They saw the opportunity.”

Retail investors also had one of their biggest buythe-dip days of the year on Oct. 10, when the market dropped 2.7% after Trump threatened a “massive increase on tariffs” on China

Many retail investors have gone beyond stocks or ETFs and into other investment vehicles. Options trading, which can expose them to higher risk, accounted for about $650 billion of retail investors’ trading last year and has been mostly rising steadily going back to at least 2019, according to Vanda. It’s not uncommon for retail investors to strike a balance between higher-risk moves and making trades to build out a long-term investment portfolio. Andy Hu, a financial analyst in Los Angeles who attended the Schwab event in November, said he had 50% of his investment portfolio in the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust,

ANewLouisianaFundTurnsSite PreparationIntoaRevolvingInvestment

Forthe firsttime, Louisianais deploying statedollarstoprepare industrial sitesfor development throughadisciplined investment framework—not grants or giveaways.

LouisianaFastSites targetssites with real market demandbut aremissing critical infrastructure: water, sewer, utilities,railorroadaccess. As sites aresold or leased,the Staterecoversits investment andredeploys thosefunds into future site and infrastructureprojects, creating aself-sustaining revolving fund

Louisianahas already seen thebenefitsof proactiveinvestmentinreadiness.State-supported infrastructureand site preparation have helped enable majorprojects, including more than 5,000 jobs associatedwithHyundaiSteel andover $875 millionincontracts awardedtoLouisianabasedbusinessesthrough Meta’s investment

This month, 19 sites across 16 Louisianaparishes move forwardinthe program’sfirst competitive round.Morethan $330 million in competitive requests were submittedstatewide,withpublic andprivate landownersproposing partnerships that return statecapital,quickly fueling thenext wave of development.

This isn’teconomicdevelopment as usual. It’s adisciplined capitalstrategydesignedtokeep reinvestinginLouisiana’sgrowth.

Staff report

SouthLouisiana businesses and nonprofit groups recently announced the following promotions, new hires and resignations.

BatonRouge

Baton Rouge General has hired Dr.Nathan Quin,a boardce rti fi ed intern al medicine physician, to work at its Prairieville location.

Quin, who has 15 years of experience as ahospital medicine physician, joins three other doctors at Baton Rouge General Physicians-Ascension

Emergent Method has hired Brian von Schulz as creative manager,where he will lead creative strategy and exec ution andspearhead the consulting firm’sinternal creative processes.

VonSchulz previously held creative roles at Horne andthe University of Denver

Guaranty Corp. promoted Gordy Rush to vice president of business de ve lopment for Guaranty Communications Rushpreviously oversaw Baton Rouge radio stations 104.5 ESPN, Eagle 98.1 and 100.7 The Tiger as Guaranty Media’svice president and general manager

Guarantee Restoration Serviceshas hired Emilia Henry as its Louisiana business development manager. Henry,acertified fundraising executive,previously served as seniorvicepresident ofinvestordevelopment for the Baton Rouge Area Chamber andhas also held leadership roles at theLSU Foundation andLSU College of Science.

Hancock Whitney announced the hi ri ng of three new bankers to itsBaton Rouge office

Joanie Montelaro,who led Regions Bank’sbusiness and community banking group for southLouisiana, becomes

Fool’sTake: Communicating adividend

Verizon Communications

asenior vice president andmiddle market banker; Patrick Danna,who has more than 18 yearsof commercial banking experience, becomes avice president andmiddle ma rke t banker;and Katie Gibbons,a BatonRouge native withnearly 25 years of experience aiding high-net worthclients, becomes avice president and private banker

Louisiana Blue hasappointed Tina Bourgeois as its newchief digitaland operations officer

Bourgeois, whohas been with thecompany formore than 25 years, hadpreviously worked as senior vice president and chief information officer for thehealth insurer

LSUhired Michele Montero as its newsystem chiefprocurementofficer.Montero, who has more than20years of ex-

perience in the field, was previously thedesignated chief procurement officer for LSU A&M.

Neel Schaffer,aJackson, Mississippi-basedengineeringand constructionmanagementfirm,announcedthe promotion of six senior vice presidents and the appointment of 10 newvicepresidents, including several in Louisiana.

They include DishiliCurre as seniorvice president and engineer manager; Matt Stevenson as vice president and director of safety andhealth;and Leah Selcer as vice president and project manager in the Baton Rouge office. Warren Huggins becomes vicepresident and project manager at the New Orleans office.

Ochsner Healthannounced thehiring of several new healthcare providers in Baton Rouge. Alexis Ambeau,aclinical neuropsychologist who last year completed afellowship at Ochsner Health; Sherry Coleman,anurse practitioner who specializesinmental health care; Dr.Madeleine Dehner,who practicesfamilymedicine withaninterest in wom-

en’shealth, sports medicine and preventative care; and Maci Petite,a nurse practitioner who practices women’shealth medicine, all nowworkatOchsner Health Center-O’Neal. Amy David,anurse practitioner whospecializes in ear,nose and throat medicine,now works at Ochsner Health Center-Prairieville and Ochsner Cancer CenterBaton Rouge; Dr.Victoria Page, aboard-certified ear,nose and throat physician, works at OchsnerCancer CenterBaton Rouge;and Dr.Anna ClaireSaucier,anOB/GYN who has contributed to published research on gynecologic surgery,pregnancyoutcomes and women’smental health, now works at Ochsner Medical Center-Baton Rouge.

Acadiana

in

andlabor market forecasts and analysis. Vincent, a former Navy flight officer previously worked as thechiefeconomist forthe Louisiana Legislative Fiscal Office, the Louisiana WorkforceCommission and the Louisiana Department of Revenue.

The Blanco Public Policy Center at theUniversity of

Do you have personnel changes to shareorother ideas for our business coverage? Dropusaline at biztips@theadvocate.com

Motley Fool

(NYSE: VZ), which had arecent market value north of $200 billion, provides telecommunications services to millions of consumers and businesses worldwide. Its recent dividend yield of 5.8% should be enticing to incomeseeking investors, along with the fact that the telecom leader has increased its dividend for 19 consecutive years. Management appears to be committed to extending that impressive streak of dividend hikes.

Notably,Verizon’sfinancial strength is improving. It just had one of its best quarters in years, with nearly 1million netadditions (added accountsminus dropped accounts) to its mobile andbroadband services —the most since 2019. For 2026, it expects to doubleortriple its postpaid phone net additions, increase its earnings per share by 4% to 5% and boost its free cash flow by 7%

Verizon is also at an inflection point.Inits fourth-quarter update, CEO Dan Shulmannoted that the recent close of its Frontier Communicationsacquisition was a significant milestone in Verizon’s plan to deliver stronger growth

The stock maynot be afast grower, but anyone buying at recent levels is likely to enjoy sig-

nificantdividend income —along with thestock’s priceappreciation over time. (The Motley Fool recommends Verizon Communications.)

Fool’sSchool: Required minimum distributions

Youmay not realize it, but certain kinds of retirement accounts feature mandatory “required minimum distributions” —and thepenalty for not following the rules is severe. You’ll find that RMDs generally apply to tax-deferred retirement accounts such as traditional, rollover,inherited, SEP and SIMPLE IRAs, as well as to traditional 401(k)s. Note, though, that Roth IRAs do not have RMDs,nor do

Roth 401(k) accounts, during the account owner’slifetime. RMDs must be withdrawnby Dec. 31 of each year,once you turn 73. There’sanexception for your first RMD,though. For the year in which you turn 73, you have until April 1ofthe following year to take your first RMD.So, if you turn 73 in 2026, you’ll have until April1,2027, to do so.

Note that if you do delay your first RMD until the following year,your second RMD will be due then as well, and withdrawing amuch larger sum forthat year might push you into ahigher tax bracket andplumpupyour tax bill.

Above all, don’tbelate taking your RMDsbecause if you fail to takeanRMD on time, the IRScan

penalize you 25% of the amount you should have taken. So if you needed to withdraw,say,$8,000, you might have to fork over $2,000! (There’sabit of agrace period here; if you spot your mistake soon after the due date and take your RMD,the penalty may fall to 10%, costing you just $800.) If you’re wondering, RMDsare calculated based on factors such as the fair market value of your account as of the end of the previous year,along with your age and lifeexpectancy.The IRSoffers tables to help you determine your RMD.Many companies that manage retirement accounts will automatically calculate RMDsfor account holders, and somealso let you set up automated annual withdrawals.

Rooted in PlaqueminesParish: ALifeinLouisiana’s Menhaden Industry

AlongLouisiana’s coast, themenhaden industry hasquietly poweredlocal economies for generations–providing industrial jobs,rebuilding communitiesafter disasters, andallowingfamiliestostayrooted in ruralcoastal parishes.The small, silvery fishharvested in theGulfare processedinto high-proteinfish meal andnutrient-rich oil used in aquaculture, petfood, agriculture, andother essentialproducts. In Plaquemines Parish,thatworksupportsfamilies, schools, andsmall businesses

ForTravisHarvey, it hassupported an entire life

“Thiswillbemy29thfishingseason,” Harvey says.“Istarted when Iwas 20 years old. This is allI’veeverdone, andall Iever wanted to do.” Harvey is PlantManager at Daybrook FisheriesinEmpire, LA, theprocessingpartner to Westbank Fishing. Buthis storyislessabout job titles andmoreabout roots.

Growing Up SevenMiles Away

Harvey wasbornand raised in Home Place, just seven milesfromthe plant.

“I’venever reallyleft,”hesays. “After Katrinaweevacuated fora fewmonths, but we came back andrebuilt.I’vealwayswanted to stay righthere.”

In arural parish wheremanyyoung people feel pressure to move away to findopportunity Harvey considersthatagift.

“Tobeabletostayinthe ruralarea yougrew

up in andmakeagoodlivingisa blessing,” he says.“Most people have to leaveand maybe come back oneday.I neverhad to.”

Outsideofwork, Harvey embraces the outdoors. He is an avid rabbit hunter and competitivebeagleenthusiast.

“Mygrandfather startedmeonrabbit hunting,”hesays. “Now it’s my biggesthobby outsideofwork. I’mrunningdogsyear-round.

Theconnectionbetween work andhomelife runs deep.The menhaden meal produced at theplant is akey ingredient in many premium dogfoods

“All my dogfeedhas menhaden fishmealin it,” Harvey says.“That tellsyou thequality.”

LearningtheBusinessfromtheGroundUp

Harvey didnot startinmanagement. His first job wasrunning thecookers, thefirst stageofprocessingafter fishare offloaded from theboats

“After thefish come in,theygointovats andintothe cookers,”heexplains. “That’s whereI started.

From there, he worked throughoil separation,refining, andother partsofthe operation.Hewas promoted to shiftsupervisorjust months before Hurricane Katrinahit in 2005

“The plantwas devastated,” he recalls. “But by thefollowing April, we were processing again. When yourebuild from that,every other problem feelssmaller.”

That experience shaped howheleads today.

Each morninghearrives around 6:30 a.m.,

reviewsthe night’sproduction, checks safety reports, andwalks theplant floor to make sure everythingisoperating as it should When theplant is runningatfullcapacity, he finds satisfaction in therhythmofitall

“You hear thepresses running, seethe meal moving throughthe warehouse, smell fresh fishcomingin,”Harveysays. “When everything’sclicking, youknowyou’redoing it right.”

More Than aJob

In lowerPlaquemines Parish,commercial fishingisnot an abstract concept. It is personal

“WhenIwas growingup, theoilfield was king,”Harveysays. “Those jobsare mostly gone now. This plantisone of thebiggest employers on this endofthe parish.”

He estimatesthatmostofhis workforce liveslocally,withmanysecond- and third-generation employees

“I’vegot guys whosefathers andgrandfathersworkedhere,”hesays. “Thiscommunity revolvesaroundthisindustry.Our employees live here.Their kids go to school here.They shop at thelocal stores.EverythingI have –my home,raising my kids,takingcareofmy family –comes from this plant. It supports thewhole area.”

He even methis wife at theplant.She worked in thelab “Soyes,” he says with asmile.“Everything aboutmylifetiesbacktothisplace.”

Investing in theNextGeneration

Harvey hopesmoreyoung people in PlaqueminesParishconsidercareers in theindustry

“Not everykid wantstosit behinda desk,” he says.“Some want to work with theirhands be mechanics, electricians,operators.There’s nothingwrong with that.”

He wouldliketosee stronger partnerships with localschools to introducestudents to industrial career pathsthatallow them to stay closetohome.

“Let’s findthose young, hungry kids and give them good jobswithbenefits,” he says “That’show youkeepacommunity strong.” When askedwhatworking in themenhaden industry hastaughthim,Harveyanswers withouthesitation.

“Hardwork. Values.Family,”hesays. “You spend long hourstogether.The people here become family.”

Nearly threedecadesin, Harvey stillwalks thesameplant floor each morning, just miles from wherehegrewup. Theindustrythat gave himhis start hassurvivedhurricanes, downturns, andshiftingpolitical tides– and continuestoprovide good industrial jobs wherefew alternatives remain.For Travis Harvey,the menhaden industry isn’t just a business.It’swhatallowsfamilieslikehis to stay,work, andbuild theirlives in PlaqueminesParish.

SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

Abry Brothers keeping it on the level for 7 generations

BY JONAH MEADOWS Staff writer

For more than 180 years, one family has been lifting, leveling and relocating buildings around the New Orleans area.

Abry Brothers completes about 150 projects every year, almost entirely in the Greater New Orleans area. They range from $1,500 repairs completed in a single day to six-figure commercial shoring jobs that can take months or more

In a place where the ground keeps sinking and the water keeps rising, there’s a steady demand for companies with expertise at raising houses, repairing foundations and shoring up collapsing structures, which has helped keep Abry Brothers in business for generations.

“It’s kind of like the undertaker and the corner bar,” said President and CEO Greg Abry, whose great-greatgreat-great-grandfather founded the company he now runs with his sons Patrick and Thomas. “There’s always a need for us.”

At any given time, Abry Brothers has 25 to 30 workers spread across six or seven active work sites, with another eight employees in its offices.

In addition to those sites, it’ll have up to 20 other projects in progress — generally awaiting other contractors to finish work or secure permits.

Having worked on such notable structures as Warren Easton Charter High School on Canal Street, Central Grocery on Decatur Street and the Dew Drop Inn on Lasalle Street, Abry Brothers is no stranger to historic preservation, even when its worksites don’t have landmark protections.

“The vast majority of what we work on, I would consider

historic,” said Patrick Abry “Because they’ve been here long enough for the foundation to fail.”

Changing gears

Abry Brothers dates back to 1832, when John Abry brought along his house-moving expertise when he immigrated to New Orleans from Frankfurt, Germany

In the nearly two centuries since, the Bayou St. Johnbased business has evolved alongside the city whose foundations it’s helped form.

In New Orleans’ early days, the materials it took to build houses were expensive, but labor was cheap, so physically moving houses was easier and more common than one might think, Greg Abry said. That situation reversed in the post-World War II years, when materials were cheap and labor got a lot more expensive.

And as relocating houses became more challenging, hindered by modern innova-

tions like fiber-optic wires and protections for oak trees, Abry Brothers pivoted toward repairing foundations, leveling houses and shoring up collapsing structures.

Today, about 80% of its job sites are private homes, though commercial and residential projects comprise roughly equal parts of Abry Brothers’ more than $5 million in annual revenue.

Lego bricks

Over the decades, the company’s methods have evolved alongside changing building techniques.

In older areas of the city developed before the flood protection system, like the French Quarter and Garden District, houses were originally raised off the ground. Shoring in such cases involves leveling the structure on top of the vertical supports, called piers, and replacing rotted horizontal supports, which are called sills. Homes in neighborhoods

built out in the mid-20th century, such as Metairie and Lakeview were built on concrete slabs, which couldn’t be lifted using the same jacks.

“When you try to lift the slab house, all your jack and stuff goes in the ground and the house doesn’t come up,” Greg Abry said. “You’ve got to develop something that’s big enough that can pick up the load to actually cause the the house to lift and level. And that’s what my father did.”

Instead of using a traditional pile driver to hammer beams into the ground, Abry Brothers uses hydraulic jacks, relying on the weight of the building to push down the piling.

The company uses precast concrete pile sections, which are stacked one on top of the other and pushed into the ground until they reach a layer of soil stable enough to support sometimes as far as 80 feet underground.

“It’s like Lego bricks,” Thomas Abry said. “You put

a Lego brick on the dirt, you put a jack on top, you push it down until the top is still poking up, and you put another Lego brick on, you push that down.”

Disruptions and pressures

While the New Orleans terrain provides an endless supply of potential customers for Abry Brothers’ services, market pressures are making it increasingly difficult to do business.

Homeowners insurance excludes foundation repairs and leveling — unless they result from a covered event like a car crash or fallen tree — meaning that most Abry Brothers tabs are not picked up by insurers. At the same time, the company’s own insurance has skyrocketed rising by at least 300% over the past five years.

“That’s our biggest hurdle, crazily enough,” Thomas Abry said

Disruptions to federal flood mitigation grants associated with President Donald Trump’s efforts to shift disaster response away from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to state governments and multiple government shutdowns — have led to more complications.

As of early March, Abry Brothers had at least 20 contracts worth about $2.5 million tied up due to uncertainty involving FEMA grants. That has led the Abrys to postpone or hesitate taking on new projects, cutting into the pipeline for the grant-supported work that usually provides up to 25% of its company’s business.

Changes to the way flood insurance rates are calculated — the Risk Rating 2.0 system have also thrown a wrench into the company’s business. Under the old flood map system, taking part in a grant

program to raise up a New Orleans house could make financial sense for homeowners because they could reasonably expect to recoup that investment through savings on flood insurance premiums.

“But when I’m working with these programs and elevating people’s houses, sometimes the (flood) insurance that they get is more expensive after the home is elevated than before it’s elevated,” Thomas Abry said. “How does this even make sense? There’s no rhyme or reason.”

Looking to the future

In recent years, private equity firms have approached the Abry Brothers on a regular basis about selling the company The Abrys say it would take an astronomical bid to convince them to part ways with their company after nearly 200 years.

“The way we run this business today, somebody would come in and say, ‘Man, y’all are crazy Y’all get out of here, I’m going to set this thing up to maximize what we do and efficiency,’” Greg Abry said. “That’s not that important to us.”

Instead, he intends to pass the business to his sons as the family has done for generations.

Long-term, the biggest threat to the company’s survival, Abry said, is not drought, storms, or subsidence. Rather, it’s a declining population and economic stagnation.

“If New Orleans does well, we do well, because people fix their houses up,” he said. “But if the city of New Orleans continues to lose population, it creates a vacuum.”

Email Jonah Meadows at Jonah.Meadows@ theadvocate.com.

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LEGISLATURE 20 26

Governor’s agenda forsession lookslighter this year

BY TYLER BRIDGES Staff writer

Gov.Jeff Landry rode herd on fellow Republicans in the state Legislature during two regular sessions and four specialsessions in 2024 and 2025

The results, to name afew: Harsher prison terms. Lower income taxrates but higher sales taxes. Weaker antipollution regulations for chemical plantsasa means to boost investment. Tighter controls on lawsuits filed by people claiminginjuries in auto accidents. Acopy of the TenCommandments in each classroom

In the three-month regular session that begins Monday,however, allevidenceindicates that Landry has limited ambitionsfor the legislature this year.

INSIDE

ä Likely top issues of this legislativesession, Page 4

ä Our opinions team breaks down what theyexpect to see, Page 5

ä Forcomplete gavel-to-gavel coverageand more, follow us at the advocate.com |nola.com

One sign:Landry has said little abouthis agenda andonly recently sat down with the legislative leadership to outlinehis plans.

Another sign: Landry has not followed thetraditional practice of governors, Democratsand Republicans alike, of building support for his agendabymeetingwith civic leaders andreporters duringthe preceding weeks in each of the state’smedia markets.

Landry’soffice declinedtocomment, saying the governor would lay out his agenda during his speech on the first day the legislature meets.

“It will be amild session,”said Bernie Pinsonat, aveteran pollsterand political consultant. “It will be alot of ho-hum stuff, like fixing local problems. They have stuff they don’twant to do —like carbon capture They’ll kill those bills. The governor feels like he’sdone enough on insurance. Idon’t expect any big policy fights.”

One reason, Republican legislators said, is that they have done so much toshift Louisiana to the right after eight yearsofbeing stymied by aDemocratic governor,John BelEdwards

“We’vedonesomany things in thelast24 months,” saidHouse Speaker Phillip DeVillier, R-Eunice. “It’sgood to take astepback

ä See SESSION, page 3R

Continued from page 1R

and see which policies are working.”

Another reason why Landry has a lighter agenda, lawmakers and political analysts added, is that the governor wants to stay out of political fights that would further sap his popularity.

He is already facing criticism for being very vocal late last year about who ought to coach LSU football and run the university’s athletic department, and more recently for serving as President Donald Trump’s special envoy in his efforts to seize Greenland. Some lawmakers say constituents are asking whether the governor is focused on their needs.

Expect the unexpected

To be sure, an unexpected issue could always flare up, particularly on race.

Last year far-right conservatives pushed an antiDEI bill through the House that Black Democrats called “offensive, “divisive” and “racially charged.”

The Senate Republican leadership, acting at the behest of their Democratic colleagues, killed the bill by not giving it a hearing.

Lawmakers are also awaiting a ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court on whether the current six congressional districts are legal.

Senate President Cameron Henry, R-Metairie, noted that several legislators have filed redistricting bills in case the high court invalidates the current map before the legislative session ends on June 1.

The issue could be “contentious,” Henry said.

Republican legislators have said they would want to draw a new map to flip a Democratic congressional seat to Republicans.

Last year, the hottest topic was the push by business interests and insurance companies to make changes, over the objections of Democrats and trial lawyers, that sought to reduce lawsuits and payouts to people injured in car accidents. Landry predicted the various bills approved by lawmakers would reduce insurance rates by as much as 10%.

DeVillier and Henry predicted only minor modifications this year to give them time to determine how last year’s changes will affect people.

DeVillier said he expected that lawmakers would double the funding available for the popular fortified roof program to $30 million.

One sign of the lower temperature on insurance issues: Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple said he and Landry recently met to discuss the measures passed during the past two years and the impact on premiums.

Just before last year’s session, Temple complained that he hadn’t been able to get Landry to talk with him for 11 months. Legislators said they welcome the lighter agenda this year, describing themselves as worn out by the governor’s forceful style and from the constant need to be in Baton Rouge. They note privately that serving as a legislator is supposed to be a part-time job, and the pay hasn’t been raised since 1980 Local issues

One issue that will generate plenty of fire is the push by local residents against injecting carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases deep underground in a process known as carbon capture sequestration. Residents near many sites of proposed carbon capture wells are increasingly concerned that the activity will pollute water and rural lands.

“There’s a lot of pressure from the public, more so than last year,” said Rep

cal year 2029-30.

Meanwhile, Landry, DeVillier and Henry have all expressed interest in a special session late this year to further reduce the state income tax rate.

Moller questions if this is possible, especially since a half-cent sales tax increase approved by legislators in 2024 is scheduled to expire in 2030.

‘Affordability’ agenda

Because Republicans hold a two-thirds majority in both the House and the Senate, Democrats have limited influence.

ing House Bill 5, which would allow parish governments or the voters in that parish to block the authorization of permits for carbon capture there.

Brett Geymann R-Lake Charles. “Each time a project potentially locates in an area, that area gets activated There’s also pressure from the other side not to do anything It will be very interesting to see how things play out in the committee.”

Geymann chairs the House Natural Resources Committee, which will hear the anti-carbon capture bills.

State Rep Mike Johnson, R-Pineville, who is the speaker pro tempore, is expected to take the lead in giving voice to those local concerns, which are especially prevalent in such parishes as Beauregard, Livingston, Allen and Rapides.

House Bill 7 by Johnson would prohibit companies from using eminent domain laws to take private property for carbon capture projects.

“Our constitution says you can only expropriate private property for a public necessity, such as schools, highways, drainage, electricity lines,” Johnson said. “Carbon capture is solely for a private profit.”

Under his bill, Johnson added, “You have to negotiate if someone is willing to sell it. It’s not anti-industry.” Johnson is also sponsor-

“If the population of a parish doesn’t want the carbon capture industry, it’s not good for the parish or the industry to operate there,” Johnson said.

Will Green, president and chief executive officer of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, said his organization, which has long wielded power in Baton Rouge, will oppose the efforts of Johnson and others to stop carbon capture projects

“If we fumble that ball, Texas will pick it up,” Green said. “Mississippi will pick it up. Florida will pick it up.”

Budget questions

Henry seems to have settled the biggest educational issue by saying senators won’t support Landry’s request to double the cost of LA GATOR, the program that allows children to attend private schools with taxpayers’ money It’s too expensive, Henry said. He said his focus will be on keeping spending down, given the budget challenges ahead. Lawmakers will be approving the budget for fiscal year 2026-27, which begins on July 1.

Jan Moller, director of Invest in Louisiana, a progressive-leaning budget advocacy group noted that state budget officials are forecasting a $329 million shortfall in fiscal year 202728, a $614 million shortfall in fiscal year 2028-29 and a $977 million shortfall in fis-

Rep. Kyle Green of Marrero, who heads the Democratic House Caucus, said their top priorities will be an “affordability” agenda that aims to raise the $ 7.25-per-hour minimum wage and reduce the pay equity gap faced by women. Republicans have shown little appetite for these measures. Louisiana Progress is

pushing to make small but significant changes for cash-strapped people, including lower fines for those who let their car insurance lapse, tighter controls on businesses that impose hidden fees on purchases and easier ways for people to cancel online subscriptions.

“The costs for almost every aspect of daily life — food, health care, consumer goods, housing, insurance — are going up, and wages are largely failing to keep pace,” said Peter Brown, the executive director of Louisiana Progress.

HOTTOPICS

When theLouisiana LegislatureconvenesonMonday,itwillconsider hundreds of billscoveringall sortsofissuesthataffectthe state.

Basedoninterviewswithlegislative leadersand areviewofpre-filedlegislation,these issues arelikelytosee themostattention —and potentiallythe most intensedebates

COMPILED BY MATTHEW ALBRIGHT,ALYSE PFEIL, MEGHAN FRIEDMANN and DAVIDMITCHELL| Staff writers

or their local elected officials

CARBON CAPTURE

After the legislature last year putsomenew limits on carbon capture and sequestration, some lawmakers want to tryagain this year to limit the controversial technologyand give local governments or voters the righttorejectit.

Industryopposed similar bills last year over fears that patchwork regulations would hinder the burgeoning technologyand endanger billions of dollars in capital investmenttothe state.

But Rep. MikeJohnson, R-Pineville,and Sen Bill Wheat Jr R-Ponchatoula, are back with new attempts at bringing the questiontothe people

SCHOOL VOUCHER FUNDING

Gov. Jeff Landryisasking the legislature to almost double funding forLAGATOR, the state program that gives parents taxpayermoney to payfor private school tuition or homeschooling.Landry’sbudget request would grow the program from $43.5 million this year to atotal of $88 million.That could payfor another4,000 to 5,000 students to participate; just under 5,600 received themoneythis school year

Last year,the state Senate rejected Landry’sbid to boost funding for LA GATOR, his signature education program. And Senate President Cameron Henry, whohas said he is concerned about the program’scost growing unsustainably,has again voiced skepticism this year

Henry

The governor and other supporters sayLAGATOR gives parents more control overtheir students education andhelps getkids out of failing schools.The program had nearly 40,000 applicants for the current year But skeptics worrythe program will givemoneytoparents whoweregoing to send their children to private schools anyway.And others point out that, in the state’sprevious voucher program, participating students had lowertest scores than public school students.

HOMELESSNESS

Gov. Jeff Landryisbacking abill aimed at reducing homelessness across the state. Under the proposal, unauthorized camping on public property —sleeping in public spaces —would be acrime.The legislation would also set up ways to assist people whoare homeless with addiction treatment, mental health treatment,and finding shelter,among others.

Other bills are seekingtobar pipeline companies’ ability to expropriate landfor new carbondioxide deliverypipelines.And some legislators want to block carbon capture in Lakes Maurepasand Pontchartrainand threestate wildlife management areas near them

Carboncapture and sequestration is the process of permanentlyinjectingclimate change-inducing gases underground. Industry supporterssay the technologyissafe, with five decades of analogous use in oildrilling,and providesa keytocontinuing Louisiana’sfossil

REDISTRICTING?

Loomingoverthe session is the U.S. Supreme Courtcase Louisiana v. Callais. Louisianahas asked the U.S. Supreme Courtto overturnpartofthe Voting Rights Act that allows race tobeusedasafactor in drawing voting districtstoremedyhistorical discrimination in the votingprocess.

Anytimebetween nowand July,the Supreme

BUDGET QUESTIONS

As akey partofthe legislativesession, lawmakers will need to balance various state needstodrawupLouisiana’sbudget for the next fiscalyear,which beginsJuly1

With the state prison population on the rise after thestate passed aslewof‘tough-on-crime’ laws in 2024,legislators will face pressure to increase the corrections budget. Corrections officials have asked for another $82 millionnext year to accommodate risingcosts Meanwhile,the state is expected to have to payanother $42 milliontoadminister SNAP , thefederal food stamp program,due to a provisionofPresidentDonaldTrump’sOne

BigBeautifulBill Act.And in May, just before thesessionends, Louisianans will head to the polls to vote on whether to make ateacher payraise permanent. If theyvote against it, the Legislaturemay have to find anotherway to comeupwith the funds, or teachers couldlose thetemporarystipends theyhavereceived over the past several years.

ButSenatePresident Cameron Henrythinks one of the biggest budget issues this year will be in higher education: the state will have what to do aboutuniversities that are perennially in the red, he said.

fuel-based industries while mitigating climate change.

Onceseen as arelatively low-key environmental issue that drewbroad legislative supportina state traditionally friendly to oil and gas, the technologyhas riledconservative rural Louisiana as billions of dollarsinstorage andpipelineprojects have begun to roll out in Louisiana’sheartland.

Last fall, Gov. Jeff Landrydeclared a moratorium on newproject applications as the state considers more than 30 already in the queueand has fast-tracked six of them.

Courtcouldissue adecisioninthat case Should an opinion come down during the legislative session, there’sachance it will prompt the Legislature to redrawLouisiana’s congressional map —a process that would almost certainly be deeply contentious and take center stage.

In anticipation of apossible ruling,some state lawmakers have already filed bills that wouldallowthem to redrawLouisiana’ssix

PHARMACY BENEFITMANAGERS, DRUG COSTS ANDMORE

Rising prescription drug costs and the convolutedprescription drug supplychainare likely to again spark debate this year

Gov. Jeff Landryand some of hisalliesinthe Legislature have lambastedpharmacy benefit managers, companies that act as “middlemen that negotiate drug prices.

Landryhas accused the pharmacy benefit managers of artificially drivingupprescription

UNIVERSITYFUNDING AND PROGRAMS

Somelegislators want to takea hardlook at the structure and funding of Louisiana’suniversity systems, as several state schools face declining enrollment and structural budget deficits.

Some lawmakers argue the state’ssmaller institutions that are losing students and money needtoscrutinize their operational costsand the kinds of programs theyoffer —particularly before askingthe state formore money.

Theyalsowant to takeaclose look at the Board of Regents, which sets statewide goals and policies for higher education.

Rep. John Wyble, R-Franklinton, has sponsored abill that wouldprohibit university boards fromspending state moneyondegrees that the federalgovernment considers “lowearning outcome programs.

Leaders of some higher education institutions have arguedtheyare underfunded, making it difficult forthemtocompete.The scrutinyfollows themerger of the University of NewOrleans into the LSU System after years of budget woes.And it comesasthe flagshipLSU campus, where enrollment is booming,restructures in pursuit of atop-50 rankingfor university research.

congressional districts this year

Anew voting mapcould impact thenumber of Republicans Louisiana sends to Congress. Currently there are four Republican U.S. House members; that number could increase to either five or even six underadifferentmap and would come at the expense of one or twoseats now held by twoBlack Democrats. That mathwould also factor into which party controls Congress.

drug costs to pad profits and of pushing smaller local pharmacists out of themarketbygiving better business termstomajor drug retailers,like CVS.

This year,one of Landry’slegislativeallies, state Rep. MikeEchols, R-Monroe,a fierce critic of pharmacy benefitmanagers and staunch ally of independent pharmacists, said he plans to back legislation that would prohibit benefitmanagers from owning their ownretail pharmaciesand do away withacap on punitivedamages for managersthat manipulatethe market

WORKFORCE TRAINING

Gov. Jeff Landryand Louisiana’sworkforce agency want to put the state’sworkforce training program —and federal funding forthose efforts—underone state board, ratherthan the current setupof15different regional boards.

Louisiana Works SecretarySusie Schowen has said that, currently,federalworkforce training dollars getfunneledtothe various boards, causing Louisiana’semployers to navigate the policies of 15 different programs.The goal is to make workforce training servicesconsistent across the state and to have more flexibilityinallocating the federal workforce training money. The effort comesafter the U.S. DepartmentofLabor underPresident Donald Trumpencouraged states to seek waiversoffederal laws that block “innovation” in worker training programs

COMMENTARY

BEHIND THE HEADLINES LEGISLATIVE SESSION

What to expect when theLegislature gavels in

As Louisiana lawmakers prepare to head back to the state Capitol March 9, columnists Stephanie Grace, Will Sutton,QuinHillyer and Faimon Roberts sat down to talk about this year’sregular legislativesession andwhat are likely to be some of the biggest agenda items,aswell asthe obstacles to getting thingsdone.

Grace: Let’sstart by talking about some issues we’reall watchinginthe coming legislative session.

Roberts: I’m particularly interested in the fight over carbon capture, which pits some very Republican legislators in rural areas against the state’sindustrial establishment and pro-business legislators. This year,we have anumber of bills that have beenfiled, probably the biggest one comingfrom SpeakerPro TemMike Johnson, aRepublican from Pineville, who hasfiled abill trying to give local governments control over whether carbon capture wellsorpipelines are permitted within their parishes. This is similar toa bill from last year that did not make it outofcommittee, but that bill came from arank-and-file legislator from VernonParish,Chuck Owen. So here comethese bills again. They may not have great prospects in theLegislature, but the debate over carbon capture is simply not going away

Grace: On the other side, these projects areimportant to the state’seconomic development efforts to attract some of these big businesses that we’vebeen getting. Roberts:Yes, industrial processes specifically.Acouple of years ago, when thefederal government gave Louisianaexpedited permitting authority over carbon capture, stategovernmentwas elated.But with the insurgency against carboncapture coming as it does from very Republican districts, there has been just areal pushback in some of these rural parishes where the carbon would be sequestered Grace: In an unusual alliance with environmentalists…

Roberts: Imean, the environmentalists must be just pinching themselves with delight to see theirRepublican neighbors now pushing back over things like property rights and potential foraccidents, and what happens if the carbon seepsupward into water supplies or pollutes land and stufflikethat.

Hillyer: I’m watchingwhether Gov.Jeff Landry,who has been known to really play hardball on other issues,isgoingtoplay hardball on his requestfor $88 millionfor theLAGATOR scholarship program, when state Senate President Cameron Henry is dead set againstgiving anymore than $43.5 million.

It boggles my mind thatyou have a program that is similar to ones that have worked in other states, where it is generally seen as conservativepolicy,and you have aputatively conservativestate Senate president who has 40,000 families wanting in and he is only willing to let 7,000 of them get the scholarships. To me, Henry’s opposition makes no sense. It also makes no sense to me that Landry would request the money to doublethe numberofscholarships without actually fightingfor it

Grace: We know mostofthe peoplewho are nowgettingthese scholarships came from the old voucher program that was discontinued. So it’s morekeeping kids in these private schools, as opposed to allowingnew kids to join

Hillyer: The bad thingabout opposing it is he’s opposing the ability of lessaffluent children to start taking advantage of some of theoptions that current recipientsare getting. And remember,thisisnot just a regular voucher program.You can use this to getall sortsoftutoring help, to get computers, to get lots of different things, so this could benefit people who are not in privateschools right now who want to explore different options.

reach the legislative session,but the faculty is up in arms about the letting go of [LSU HealthSciences Center Chancellor] Steve Nelson, whowas very popular and had alot of accomplishments. Ithink that might be the tip of theiceberg, because between thegovernor intervening in the LSU football coach thingand being heavyhanded withregard to UNO, this is just somethingtowatch

Grace: Andthe LSUpresident search.

Roberts: This has been politically toxic, but we do need to reconsider ourhigher education system.What’sapproaching forcolleges and universities, and they’re all aware of this, is the upcoming demographiccliff. The fact is, there are just going to be fewer high school seniors for theforeseeable future. That meanseach college is in greater competition for each applicant. And it’s true, thestate just can’tkeep funding them to thesame level if they’re not serving the public like they once did.

expanding that program

Moneymatters

Grace: Let’stalk about the other big thing the Louisiana Legislature has to do every year,which is pass abudget. It seemslike there’salot of money now,but there are someconcerns going forward. One is coming out of the federal government, cuts in Medicaid that will trickle downtothe states.

Another is, frankly,tax cuts; we have gone to aflat 3% incometax and there is a desire to bring that lower.Inorder to make that work, the Legislature passed another temporary sales tax, but that will expire in acouple years. And there are new demands formoney to incarcerate the extra people whoare locked up because of the criminal justice legislation that waspassed two years ago, things like that. So what do you think we’re looking at with the budget?

Roberts:Henry’sobjection seemstobe basedontwo points. One, that once you expandit, it just keeps expanding. And the second is that he said he had not talked to other legislators for whom this is an importantissue. AndI’m wondering about the dynamic between the governor andthe Legislature here.Can thegovernor make this an important enoughissue for enough legislators that they’ll back himonit?

Grace: One thingthat’s really interesting about watching Henry is that it’sclear he has got his finger on the pulse of his members. We’ve seen that when he has opposed things Landry has wanted before

Sutton: The conservative advocacy groups have been pushing really,really hard for this. It seems they have had an audience of one: Landry

Hillyer: Iwould think the parents of 33,000 children who otherwise qualify,who are deniedthe opportunity, would speak up. I certainly think that they should speak up. Colleges,universitiesfacescrutiny

Sutton: Ifind it interesting that it seems like there’sinterest on behalf of some legislators to take alook at arevamp of highereducation, and in particular looking at theUniversity of New Orleans’ troubles and saying “This can’thappen again,” and telling other universities that are statefunded —not at the levels that they think they should be —that something’sgot to change. This is abig warning flag, Ithink, for theinstitutions and their leaders, and also for the various boards of higher education that we have, because they’re part of systems. Do we needall of those leaders, all of the board members and large staffs, if we’re nothaving enoughcash on hand, and we’re not seeingthe results? AndIwould think that would be an easy case to makewith voters.

Hillyer: I’m curious to see if there is abacklash against some of the fiefdom-building that thegovernor and his agents have been doing with thesystem.Right now,there’s clearly abacklash among theLSU medical faculty.Idon’tknow if that backlashwill

Grace: You’re right,this has come up over theyears, but not to where change happens. It’s because it goes through the Legislature, and these institutions are in members’ districts, and it’s often the biggest thinginadistrict, thebiggest employer.So legislators really fight to protect the college or university in their district. Another issue Iamalways looking at is propertyinsurance. We’ve had somereally big legislation in recent years. We saw alot of reformsthat Insurance Commissioner TimTemple wanted that were kind of free market,with theidea being that if you reduce someregulations and burdens on insurers, more of them will come.

Butnot alot of people really are seeing much relief. So this year,aswe’re waiting to see if some of these “reforms” start working, what people seem really focused on is the one change that has had an effect so far,which is helping people get fortified roofs on their homes. It can have areal effect on the cost of their insurance, and also on homeowners’ ability to stay in their homes after adisaster

People are really bought in. Even Temple, who was maybe alittle bit skeptical of helping people fund it,isnow on board. So thequestion is, is theLegislature going to look at putting moremoney into the grant program that helps people get fortified roofs? Because they’re still very expensive.

It seems that lawmakers understand that this is athing they can do that might actually get thephones in their offices to stop ringing from constituents whoare upset about their insurance.

So Ithink probably there will be an effort to get moremoney into the state lottery program to serve moreofthe people who have applied.

Roberts: AndifIcould borrow Quin’sargument on the LA GATOR scholarships, Ithink theevidence of the need is the demand. We had astoryinour paper that said there have been 34,000 applications since thestate went to alottery system in 2024, and there have been about7,000 grantsawarded, and the upfront costs are too high for even someofthe people who get thegrants. So Ithink there is an imperative there to go back and take alook at

Hillyer: We have, Ithink, very legitimate needs, which are LA GATOR and fortified roofs. Youtake those as recurring expenses, even if you only go up alittle on each of them, and that takes away asignificant part of the surplus from the last two years. Right now,other than forjustice and imprisonment, Ithink the governor’sbudget is fairly flat, and Iwould expect this Legislature to be cautious.

Grace: They are aconservative Legislature; they would like to lower taxes more. And so, when universities are looking at funding, forexample, Ithink lawmakers are looking at it through that lens, of being able to pay forwhat you have, not have programsthat are not sustainable.

Hillyer: Let me just say that if they actually want to cut taxes, it would be close to abominable to cut incometaxes more without cutting the sales tax. Right now, Louisiana has the single highest average sales tax, combined state and local, in the country When you have the highest tax rate, whether it’sproperty,incomeorsales, you are losing competitive advantage. And in the case of sales taxes, you are burning the poor morethan the rich.

Grace: Iagree with that. They actually raised the sales tax last year in order to pay forthe lower incometax. What they often do with sales taxes is they makethem temporary.Sowewill be having another conversation about this ahead of 2030, when the rate is now set to drop somewhat. Sutton: And congressional redistricting is also out there. There have already been bills filed to change districts in the state. Icertainly have been of the thought that nothing significant would be happening in timefor midterms, but apparently,some folks think that there may be an opening whenever the U.S. SupremeCourt weighs in on the Callais case, which is achallenge to Louisiana’scurrent map featuring two Black majority districts, and apparently they might be prepared to makesome moves.

Grace: If we’re talking about that toward the end of the session, people will have already voted.

Sutton: So would people get their votes back?

Grace: Idon’tsee how they can makea change at that point, but apparently there are people whothink so. There are some ills ready to movejust in case, so we will see.

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HOME BASES

New La. program shifts pregnancy appointments from the waiting room to the living room

BY EMILY WOODRUFF Staff writer

Over the course of a typical pregnancy, a woman is supposed to see her care team roughly 14 times. But for some moms, checkups requiring time off from work, transportation to appointments and help with child care can get pushed to the bottom of the priority list

As a result, blood pressure trends might go unnoticed. A screening test for diabetes might get put off. Issues that could be treated early on snowball into conditions that can influence the health of a newborn and mother

In Louisiana, that pattern is not uncommon. One in four women in the state don’t receive any care in the first trimester. Roughly 1 in 13 babies are born to a mother who is seen for the first time when she arrives at the hospital in labor

A New Orleans health company is trying to intervene much earlier by moving prenatal care from a doctor’s office to their living rooms.

Nest Health, an in-home primary care service founded by former Health Secretary Dr Rebekah Gee in 2021, launched Nest Origin this month, which will deliver in-home and virtual prenatal care by certified nurse midwives in the New Orleans metro area for Medicaid patients. The goal is to help women get to their recommended prenatal visits by eliminating some of the barriers that derail care.

“Pregnancy is a stress test for women’s health, not the starting line,” said Gee. “If we want healthy babies, we have to support healthy women long before pregnancy and long after birth.”

A ‘maternity desert’

Louisiana is a difficult place to find maternal care to begin with.

Twenty-three of the state’s 64 parishes are considered “maternity deserts,” meaning there is no hospital or birth center offering obstetric care and no obstetric clinicians.

Louisiana ranks among the highest states in maternal mortality, and state reviews have found that most pregnancy-connected deaths are

Ochsner uses new therapy to treat melanoma

Ochsner MD Anderson Cancer Center at The Gayle and Tom Benson Cancer Center in New Orleans is the first institution in Louisiana to provide an adult patient with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes therapy, or TIL, for advanced melanoma.

Advanced melanoma is classified as stage III or IV metastatic melanoma and is a form of skin cancer that has spread from where it originated in the body. TIL is a form of immunotherapy that uses a patient’s own immune cells to fight cancer

FranU celebrates new president in March

Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University will inaugurate Dr David Bellar as its fifth president March 23.

The university will host a weeklong celebration, “Inauguration Week,” with prayer services, community events and formal ceremonies.

Bellar joins FranU after a nationwide search with 40 candidates. He started July 14, 2025. New Orleans to host summit for lung cancer

The third annual African American Lung Cancer Patient & Caregiver Summit in New Orleans is set for April 23-25 at the Marriott Warehouse Arts District. The weekend-long event will focus on “survivorship, emerging treatments, clinical trials, environmental and clean-air justice, public policy, AI in care, mental wellness, financial navigation, caregiver support and patient advocacy.”

The event is free for lung cancer patients and caregivers and includes meals, hotel accommodations and travel and learning materials.

Tulane’s Chad Roy elected to microbiology fellowship

The American Academy of Microbiology has elected Dr Chad Roy, along with 62 peers, to the Fellowship Class of 2026.

ä See NOTES, page 2X

preventable. According to a 2025 Louisiana legislative auditor report, one-quarter of pregnant women in Louisiana did not receive prenatal care in the first trimester in 2023. Among Medicaid beneficiaries, three quarters did not have timely access to prenatal care, meaning care did not begin in the first trimester or follow recommended schedules. More than 6 out of 10 Louisiana births are through Medicaid.

For many Medicaid patients, keeping up with appointments can be difficult. Transportation barriers were often mentioned, according to the audit.

“Mom often doesn’t put herself first,” said Yanti Turang, senior director of clinical operations at Nest. “And how the system is structured, it’s really hard to get to all of those visits.”

ä See HOME, page 3X

HEALTH MAKER

Tulane graduate talks medical technology

New blood test can detect colorectal cancer

BY MARGARET DeLANEY

Staff writer

Originally from Northern California, Dr Sam Asgarian came to love New Orleans while volunteering for cleanup post-Hurricane Katrina.

His goal was always to become a primary care provider wanting to practice medicine at a community level Asgarian was in the first medical school class at Tulane University after Katrina in 2007.

Asgarian spent some time in Boston for his residency before recognizing his passion was for preventive care and early detection of diseases and risk factors. That shifted his medical career from clinical practice to new technologies.

But his love for New Orleans never left him.

“We’re in Nashville now. It’s as close as we could get to New Orleans,” Asgarian said.

He is now the vice president of clinical development for screening for Guardant Health, a biotechnology company based in Palo Alto, California, working to get new health products “in the hands of providers across the country,” he said.

A colorectal screening blood test, Shield, developed by Guardant received approval in July 2024 from the Food and Drug Administration as a primary screening tool for colon cancer for adults 45 and older

The approval was based on findings from a study in 2016 that involved nearly 8,000 people, in which the test detected colorectal cancers in more than 83% of participants found to have colorectal cancer in colonoscopy exams

However, its sensitivity for detecting precancerous growths in the

colon was much lower than colonoscopy exams — only about 13%.

What are the early beginnings of a new blood test for colorectal cancer?

Over 10 years ago, Guardant Health was founded to try to help oncologists treat cancer better after someone had been diagnosed. They came up with the Shield blood test.

The idea was centered around using signals in the blood to learn more about a tumor across different types of cancers, then giving physicians results that give them the best idea on how to treat that cancer

Those tests (on tumors) have been in the market for a long time. Oncologists use them. They’re very helpful. They save so many patients’ lives.

About six years ago, the idea was, “Well, if we know so much about tumors and these tests are working, can we use this same technology to find cancer before it’s been diagnosed?”

The idea was to start with a cancer, like colorectal cancer, that really needs a blood-based test. It currently doesn’t have one — and that the technology could work and it could help save lives.

Colorectal cancer is one of the cancers where, if found early it has a 91% chance of survival for the patient. If you find it late, though, it’s a 13% chance of survival.

We enrolled over 20,000 individuals in a large study — a lot of them came from Louisiana. A lot of different clinics and sites from Louisiana enrolled these patients.

The test worked. It found cancer before it was diagnosed. The blood test worked as well as other colorectal cancer screening tests — colonoscopies and stool-based tests.

Do you expect the SHIELD blood test to replace the colonoscopies or stool-based tests?

We’ve seen colorectal cancer screening be important because of those survival changes between stage one and stage four

The goal has always been get 80% of Americans who are eligi-

ble screen for colorectal cancer

We, as a society, always hit like a ceiling, around 60% people don’t go. There are tens of millions of people that are due for screening that haven’t been screened. Even in Louisiana, the Department of Health notes that 40% of people in the state that are eligible for being screened have never been screened, meaning they haven’t gotten the colonoscopy They haven’t gotten the stool-based test

Our initial goal out of the gate, is to convince these people that previously had put this off to get tested. Maybe they put it off because it’s inconvenient. Maybe they put it off because of the anxiety that comes from a colonoscopy or some of these other tests that are not as convenient. Maybe we can get them screened, and maybe we bump the overall screening rates. In the future, we can give people more options and see which one they choose. And really, as long as people are getting screened, that’s the best possible outcome for us as a society

Where is this blood test currently avail-

able?

We were very fortunate that right out of the gate, Medicare allowed for reimbursement.

After FDA approval, companies like ours need to work on insurance companies to get new technologies to be covered. As of right now, all Americans 65 and older have access to the test.

We started to see those elderly individuals, those seniors, start to lean in using the test.

The Guardant Shield blood test is now covered by Medicare, Veterans Administration Community Care Network, TRICARE for active-duty military, and the list is growing. Louisiana Medicaid does not yet cover the test. We do see colorectal cancer starting to become more of a younger disease. We want those potential patients to have access to our test as well.

The trickle effect is currently happening. We hope, this year, to get more employer plans and commercial insurers to start to cover this test as well.

What’s next for Guardant and its technologies?

We looked at other areas where people are not getting screened and a blood test could really be convenient for them. Lung cancer is one of those.

Colorectal cancer today is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in the country it’s actually number one for adults under 50. However, the number one leading cause of cancer death in the country is lung cancer, even though we’ve been working really hard to get people to stop smoking and be healthier

We’ve already enrolled over 10,000 people in a new study looking at a blood test for lung cancer

Again, Louisiana has been great, and we’ve used sites in that area. We hope to have something for the FDA to review soon for lung cancer

Then it really opens the world up beyond cancer for this test. Can we help primary care doctors find liver disease? Lung disease? Kidney disease? All before it turns into cancer

Email Margaret DeLaney at margaret.delaney@theadvocate. com.

Family navigates life with twins’ autism

Push comes to make some conditions their own diagnosis

BY LAURA UNGAR Associated Press

AYER, Mass. — Connor Murphy walked in circles around his dad, then flopped down on the kitchen floor, got up and walked in circles again.

His dad turned the 9-year-old’s repetitive behavior into a chance to connect. “Want me to pick you up?” Matthew Murphy asked, lifting, tickling and spinning with his son.

Continued from page 1X

Fellows of the American Academy of Microbiology, an honorific leadership group and scientific think tank within the American Society for Microbiology, are elected annually through a highly selective, peer-review process, based on their records of scientific achievement and original contributions that have advanced microbiology

The Academy received 145 nominations this year and elected 63 to the 2026 Fellowship Class.

Urologist joins Ochsner LSU Health team

Ochsner LSU Health – Regional Urology in Shreveport announced the addition of Dr Christopher Stage, a board-certified urologist with over 20 years of experience, in February Stage specializes in advanced, minimally invasive treatments for con-

ditions like kidney stones, prostate issues and urinary incontinence. EMTs reunite with cardiac arrest survivor

In January Dale Kruse experienced a sudden cardiac arrest while at home with his wife. She quickly called 911. Dispatchers alerted Acadian Ambulance and the Natalbany Volunteer Fire Department, a town north of Hammond in Tangipahoa Parish. First responder EMTs found Kruse unresponsive, without a pulse, and not breathing. They began chest compressions and applied an AED. Acadian Ambulance EMT Jeffrey Bailey paramedic Jessica Crouse and paramedic Kiyah Heffker then arrived and began advanced life support measures.

Kruse regained a heartbeat and began breathing on his own in less than 20 minutes. He was taken to the hospital for ongoing care and has since returned home. Everyone involved in Kruse’s care reunited with him in February

Health Notes is an occasional listing of health happenings around Louisiana. Have something you’d like to share? Contact us at margaret. delaney@theadvocate.com.

Such spontaneous moments are common in the Murphy household, which revolves around the needs of Connor and his twin brother Ronan, who both have profound autism.

“They’re going to need 24/7 care for the rest of their lives,” their father said. “Life will be a challenge for them, and we have to prepare them as best we can.” Autism rates have been rising for decades, and two of the main reasons for the increase have, in a strange twist, taken some of the focus off helping people with round-the-clock needs. The diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, adopted in 2013, is now very broad, including many people with low support needs. Also, better awareness of the condition has helped many more children get diagnosed than in the past, and most of those cases are relatively mild.

At the same time President Donald Trump’s administration is promoting unproven and debunked claims about what causes autism, which experts say muddles efforts to understand the condition and fuels misinformation that threatens public health, even as officials funnel more money into research.

There’s now a growing push to separate profound autism — in which people need constant care for life, have a certain level of intellectual disability and are nonspeaking or minimally verbal into its own diagnosis. The hope is that it would help ensure that people like Connor and Ronan get the support and services they need and that research includes them.

In the United States, an estimated 1 in 31 children have autism spectrum disorder Researchers estimate around a quarter have “profound autism,” a term introduced in 2021 by a group of experts, the Lancet Commission, to describe people most disabled by the developmental condition. But some in the autism community worry that creating a separate diagnosis would reduce attention on the broader spectrum and the individual needs of everyone on it.

Andy Shih, chief science officer for Autism Speaks, said no matter where people fall on the debate, “there’s absolutely no doubt that we need to elevate awareness about the needs of this group.”

The Louisiana Health section is focused on providing in-depth, personal accounts of health in the state This section looks at medical innovations, health discoveries, state and national health statistics and reexamining tried and true methods on ways to live well.

IEatFit LiveFit

Luck ofthe char: Thecharred cabbage recipe youdidn’t knowyou needed

nNewOrleansandbeyond,cabbages famouslyflyfromfloatsduringSt Patrick’sDayparades.Mostofusalready haveafewreliablewaystocookthem, andthey’regoodones.Buteverynowand then,it’sworthlettingcabbagestepout ofitsusualroleandintosomethingalittle moreunexpected.

ThisbolddishfromSabalayerssmoky, caramelizedcabbagewithnuttyhazelnut muhammaraandcreamytahinifora vibrant,flavor-packedplate.

CharredCabbagewithHazelnut MuhammaraandTahini

Makes4plates(8servings)

2quartswater

½cupplus3tablespoonsextravirgin oliveoil,divided 2tablespoonsplus1teaspoonkosher salt,divided ½cuporangejuice

½cupricewinevinegar preferablyseasoned

2tablespoonssugar

2clovesgarlic

1jalapeño,seedsandpith(membrane aroundtheseeds)removed,sliced 1staranisepod 1lemon,zested

1mediumheadgreencabbage 1cupMuhammara(recipefollows) ¼cuptahini

¼cupchoppedhazelnutsforgarnish Handfulofmicrogreensforgarnish Muhammara Makes3cups

1batchMatbucha(recipefollows) 1¼cupshazelnuts,toasted 3tablespoonsAleppopepper 1teaspoonpomegranatemolasses

3/4 cupextravirginoliveoil

Inafoodprocessor,blendMatbucha, hazelnuts,Aleppopepperand pomegranatemolassesuntilnutsarefinely chopped,pausingtoscrapeasneeded. Whilestillblending,streaminoliveoil andprocessuntilsmooth.Bringtoroom temperaturebeforeserving.Refrigerateup tofourdaysorfreezeinportions.

Matbucha Makes2cups

3redbellpeppers

5tablespoonsextravirginoliveoil,divided ½yellowonion,thinlysliced 1clovegarlic,thinlysliced ½teaspoonkoshersalt 1½teaspoonsAleppopepper ½teaspoonsmokedpaprika ½teaspoongroundcoriander ¼teaspoongroundcumin

3tablespoonswhitewinevinegar 115-ouncecanpeeledwholetomatoes 1½teaspoonssugar

Broilorgrillpeppersoverhighheat, turning,untilfullyblackened(10–15 minutesorlongerasneeded).Cool,peel awaycharredskin(avoidrinsing),remove stems,seedsandmembranes.Roughly chopandsetaside.

Heat2tablespoonsoliveoilinawide, high-sidedpanorDutchovenover medium-low.Cookonionandgarlicuntil translucent,5–6minutes.Stirinsaltand spices;toast

untilfragrant.Add vinegarandcook untilthickened. Reduce heat to low. Add tomatoes, sugar and peppers, using aspoon to roughly break apart the tomatoes.

Simmer gently, stirring occasionally. After 1to1½hours, when the Matbucha is thick, dry and deeplyconcentrated in flavor, remove from heatand stir in the remaining 3tablespoonsextra virgin oliveoil. Cool completely beforeblending into Muhammara.

BacktotheCabbage Inadeeppotjustlargeenoughto snuglyholdthecabbage,combinewater, ½cupoliveoil,2tablespoonssalt,orange juice,ricewinevinegar,sugar,garlic, jalapeño,staraniseandlemonzest.Bring toaboil,reducetomediumandsimmer 10–15minutestoinfuse.

Trimtoughoutercabbageleaves andhalvelengthwise.Tastebrothfor seasoning,thencarefullylowercabbage intopot.Reduceheattolow,coverand cook30minutes.Rotateandcontinue cookinguntilknife-tenderwithslight

MollyKimball,RD,CSSD,isaregistereddietitian withOchsnerHealthandfounderofOchsnersEatFit nonprofitinitiative.Formorewellnesscontent,tuneinto Molly’spodcast,FUELEDWellness+Nutrition,andfollow @MollykimballRDand@EatFitOchsneronsocialmedia. Emailnutrition@ochsner.orgtoconnectwithMollyor scheduleaconsultwithherteam.

BY THENUMBERS

resistance,1to1½hourstotal,checking every5–10minutesafterthefirsthour. Removecabbagewithaslottedspoon toarimmedbakingsheet;coolslightly. Strainandreservebrothifdesired.Heat broilerwithrackinupper-middleposition. Keepingstemsintact,halvecabbage againlengthwise(quarters).Drainexcess liquidandremoveanyleavesthatfall away.Arrangewedgescurvedsidedown. Drizzlewith2tablespoonsoliveoiland sprinklewithremainingsalt.Broil10–12 minutes,rotatinghalfway,untildeeply charredattheedges. Toserve,spreadabout¼cup Muhammaraoneachplate.Topwitha cabbagewedge,drizzlewitholiveoiland 1tablespoontahini.Garnishwithhazelnuts andmicrogreens.

PERSERVING:190calories,14gramsfat, 1.5gramssaturatedfat,110mgsodium,14 gramscarbohydrate(9gramsnetcarbs),5 gramsfiber,7gramssugar(0addedsugar), 4gramsprotein.GF,LowCARB,VEGAN, LOWSODIUM.

Findtheserecipesandmorein“TheEatFit Cookbook,”availableforpurchaseatlocal retailersoronlineatEatFitCookbook.com. BesuretousepromocodeADVOCATEat checkoutfor10%off

LOUISIANAHAS HIGHESTINCIDENCE OF PROSTATE CANCER IN NATION

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men, with an estimated 333,830 new cases and 36,320 deaths projected for 2026for the disease, according to the American Cancer Society In the U.S.,there are approximately 116new prostate cancer cases per 100,000 people annually.Louisiana has the highest prostatecancer incidence rate in the countryat 147.2 cases per 100,000 —arate that has been steadily rising since 2014, accordingtodata from the National Cancer Institute.

Theseparishes had the highest rates, in cases per 100,000, of prostate cancer from2018 to 2022, in descending order:

n West Feliciana Parish with 218.6 cases per 100,000;

n Iberville Parish with 182.3;

n Bienville Parish with 179.7;

n West BatonRougeParish with 179.4;

n Vermillion Parish with 176.5;

n Iberia Parish with 173.8;

n East Baton RougeParish with 173.6;

n East Carroll Parish with 172.9;

n East Feliciana Parish with 166.3;

n Tangipahoa Parish with 166.2;

n St. Martin Parish with 166;

n Jackson Parish with 165.3;

n and Lincoln Parish with 165.1

These parishes had the lowest rates, in cases per 100,000, of prostate cancer from 2018 to 2022, in ascendingorder:

n CameronParishwith 101 cases per100,000;

n Evangeline Parishwith 102.7;

n Union Parish with 106.9;

n Winn Parish with 108.2;

n Vernon Parish with 109.4;

n Grant Parish with 109.7;

n Franklin and La Salle parishes with 111;

n St. Bernard Parish with 113 9;

n Tensas Parish with 115.2;

n Terrebonne Parish with 117.5;

n Washington Parish with 121.1;

n Livingston Parish with 122.8;

n Sabine Parish with 122.9;

n Bossier Parish with 123.7;

n and La Fourche Parish with 124.8

Data represents an annual average forall stagesofprostate cancer.

Up to 34 weeks

Under Nest Origin, most routine prenatalcare up to 34 weeks happens at the patient’shome. Between six and 10 weeks of pregnancy,acertified nursemidwife conducts an initial assessment lasting about 45 minutes. Patients receive ablood pressure cuff, scale and ahandheld device to monitor fetal hearttones. Lab work, gestational diabetes

screening, sexually transmitted infection testingand genetic screeningcan be performed in the home. Theprogram partners with LSU Health for anatomy ultrasounds at 20 weeksand for obstetric consultations if higher-risk conditions develop. Around 34 weeks, care transitions to ahospital-based team for delivery planning. After delivery, mother and baby getanother visit within afew days. Theprogram includes postpartum visitsfrom amidwifefor the first sixweeks. The program is just getting started, with the first appointment

scheduledfor early March. The group expects about100 patients in the first year, andiscurrently only working withAmeriHealth Caritas as the Medicaid managed care partner,with hopes to expand to Aetna.

In-homevisitinggains steam

There is evidencesuchprogramscould be impactful in New Orleans.Another in-home visiting program, Family Connects, has conducted1,600 visits after birth to families in Orleans Parish. In surveys, the program is universally praised by participants, said

Dr.Jennifer Avegno, director of the New OrleansHealth Department.

“Theyfeelsupportedand like the resources they’re getting are supervaluable,” said Avegno “Many of themstayintouch with their nurses even after the formal time of the visit is done.”

Thecost for Medicaid patients who used the program went down about28% compared to thosenot enrolled, asavings of about $1,500 per patient, said Avegno.

Thereisalso legislative support for house calls. Lawmakers voted to require mandatory commercial

insurance coverage forthe visits starting in January 2027, and Avegno saidtheyare close to getting Medicaid coverage statewide. Nest will be tracking outcomes over thelongterminpartnership with auniversity.Early goals are lowering the high number of C-sections and babies whoneed NICUcare.

“We’re hoping that whenmom does go to deliver at oneofthe hospitals thatshe’s just in ahealthier state,” said Turang.

Email Emily Woodruff at ewoodruff@theadvocate.com.

Awareness Colon Cancer

Colorectalcanceristhesecondleadingcauseofcancerdeath intheUnitedStates.Buthere’sthegoodnews:Coloncancer isoftenpreventable.

WithMarchbeingColorectalCancerAwarenessMonth,nowis agoodtimetopromotethekeystoprevention,whichinclude adoptinghealthylifestylehabitsandregularscreenings.

Tolearnmoreaboutriskfactorsforcolorectalcancer, talktoyourdoctor.Formoreinformation,visit ochsner.org/cancerscreeningsorscantheQRcode.

Coloncancerandcolorectalcancerareclosely relatedtermsthatrefertocancerofthelarge intestine.Theyareoftenusedinterchangeably.Colorectalcancer startsinthecolonortherectum.Thesecancerscanalsobecalled coloncancerorrectalcancer,dependingonwheretheystart.

Thesecancersarenormallyseeninolderadults,thoughitcanhappen atanyageandhasbeenontheriseamongyoungerpeople.

Mostcolorectalcancersstartasagrowth,knownasapolyp,onthe innerliningofthecolon.Somepolypscandevelopintocancerover time,whileothersdonot.

Ifcancerformsinapolyp,itcangrowintothewallofthecolonor rectumovertime.Oncecancercellsareinthewall,theygrowinto bloodvesselsorlymphvessels.Fromthere,theycantraveltonearby lymphnodesortodistantpartsofthebody.

Eachyear,anestimated150,000Americansarediagnosedwithcolon cancer.Earlydetectionisthekeytoreducingthenumberofcases.

Ascreeningprocedurecalledacolonoscopyisthegoldstandardfor detectingcoloncancer.Itisrecommendedtostartscreeningatage45for peopleataveragerisk.

Youngeradultswhohaveafamilyhistoryofthediseaseorsymptoms suchasrectalbleedingandabnormalstoolsmayalsobeadvisedto haveacolonoscopy.

Acolonoscopyisatesttoexaminethecolon.Itallowsadoctortoseethe insideofthecolonusingaflexibletubewithlenses,atinycameraandalight attheend.

Thedoctorwillbeonthelookoutforabnormalitiessuchaspolyps,whichare smallclumpsofcellsthatformontheliningofthecolon.Mostareharmless butcandevelopintocancerovertime.

Onegreatbenefitofhavingregularcolonoscopiesisthatpolypscanbe identifiedandremovedduringthescreening,removingtheriskofcancerin thatlocation.

Somepeoplemightdismisscolorectalcancersymptomsbecausetheyoftenmimicthose ofotherhealthconditions.Sometimessymptomsdonotoccuruntilcolorectalcancerhas advanced,whichiswhyscreeningissoimportant.

Symptoms to be aware of include:

Changesinbowelhabits.Diarrheaand/orconstipation,whetheroccasionalor constant,maybeasignofcolorectalcancer.

Abdominaldiscomfort.Beonthelookoutforsymptomsincludingpersistent cramps,gas,pain,feelingunusuallyfullorbloated,orfeelinglikeyourbowelsaren’t totallyemptyafteryougotothebathroom.

Rectalbleeding.Callyourdoctorifthereisbloodinyourstool.Thiscanrangefrom brightred,brickredtoblackandtarry

Weaknessorfatigue.Anemiaoralowredbloodcellcountcanalsobeindicators.

Unexplainedweightloss.Thisunintentionalweightlossmaybeaccompaniedby nauseaorvomiting

Unusualstools.Lookforanydifferencesinyourstool,suchascolororshape.Be especiallyawareofthinpencil-likestools,whichcouldindicatethatsomethingmay beblockingyourbowelmovements.

Thebestwaytopreventcolorectalcanceristogetregularscreeningsandtoknowyour riskfactors.

Lifestylemeasures and changescan also lower your risk fordeveloping thedisease.Theyinclude:

Maintainingahealthyweight

Startinganexerciseprogram

Eatingahealthydiet

Limitingalcohol

Risk factorsyou cannot controlinclude:

Apersonalhistoryofcolorectalpolypsorcolorectalcancer

Apersonalhistoryofinflammatoryboweldisease,orIBD

Afamilyhistoryofcolorectalcancer

Coloncancerstatisticsandsymptomsaresimilar formenandwomen.However,womencanhavea hardertimereadingthesignsofthediseasebecause theycanmimicothersometimescommonissues womenexperience.

Thosecanincludecramping,whichpremenopausal womenmightbetemptedtodismiss,orrectal bleeding,whichmanywomenofchildbearing ageattributetohemorrhoidsthatcandevelop duringchildbirth

Butiftheseissuesnormallyassociatedwiththe menstrualperiodlastlongerthanusual,orifthey’re accompaniedbyrectalbleeding,unexplainedweight loss,orothersymptoms,it’stimetoseeadoctor Whilemenandwomenfacesimilarriskswhenit comestocoloncancer,womenmustdistinguish earlysignsofthediseasefromcommon gynecologicalsymptoms.

Consultwithyourprimarycarephysicianif youexperienceanyofthesesymptoms.

Museum whirlwind

LafayetteScience Museum’s partnership with UL keepsenergyalive

BY JOYHOLDEN Staff writer

On aFebruary morning in Lafayette, middle schoolers from Math, Science andArts Academy West in Plaquemine wandered pastfossils of mastodons and saber-toothed tigers at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Science Museum. Agroup of seventh grade girls chattedbesidethe massive remainsofanimals that once walked through theAcadianamarshes.

Theexhibit,“Prehistoric Louisiana: AJourney through IceAge Acadiana,” was designed by UL paleontology students and features mastodon bones, jaguar fossils, asaber-toothed tiger and an American lion skull.

JenniferHargrave, the current director of the museum anda paleontology professoratUL, proudly shows off her students’ work,which explains facts about thediscoveries.

“I’ve involved the different student groups so they get their volunteer hours, gettodooutreach,talktothe community,share their research and their passions,”Hargrave said. “That’s been agreat thing to do, becauseeverybody thinksdifferently.”

As achild, Hargrave wanted to be a paleontologist. She has since been on digs on all seven continents. Although she lived in Natchitoches andgraduated from UL, she said she didn’texpect to end up digging in themud in south Louisiana, butshe’sglad tohelp provide opportunitiestoher students —experiences that she didn’thave when she was in college.

Kevin Krantz, the current facilities manager at the museum and former director,says the museum getsfield trips from surrounding area schools frequently—one dayMSA West and the next Sacred Heart.

Krantz has worked with the museum in some capacity for18years,and he has seen it grow from an empty space that hosted travelingexhibitstothis full-scale, 10,000-square-foot science museum.

From city to university leadership

In 2020, Krantz’sstaff waslaid off when theLafayette Consolidated Governmentunder former mayor Josh Guillory closed themuseum during theCOVID-19 pandemic. Due to the large cost of running the museum, the city was considering not reopening it

That’swhen UL stepped in.

“Wehad to beginagain andkindof start over,” Krantz said, “and that’s where the partnership with theuniversity came in.Wealreadyhad acooperative endeavor agreement with the School of Sciences, in particular the

Geoscience department.”

That relationship allowed UL’s geosciences departmenttoassume operational control of the museum.

In 2021, the agreement between the two entities started,and by 2022, the transition was complete. The Lafayette Consolidated Government owns thebuilding while the university runs the museum. Both parties agreed to a five-year contract

Hargrave becameinvolved in the museum in 2016 through the School of Geosciences at UL. The partnership withthe city thatstarted in 2013 resulted in an exhibit space, apaleontology lab and arepository space (where fossils are kept).

“The School of Geoscience was changing the exhibits every two to three years, bringing in different dinosaurs or different giant mammals from theCenozoic. That really drew a lotofattention to themuseum,”Hargrave said. “Everybody likestogosee dinosaurs.”

Hargrave moved into aleadership role when the university/city museum partnership began on alarger scale. Aplace of learning anddiscovery

“The Prehistoric Louisiana:AJourney through IceAge Acadiana” exhibit focuses on Louisiana fossils, and thediscovery and lab work is ongoing. The exhibit focuses on Louisiana fossils, with ongoingdiscoveriesand lab work continuing on-site.

Volunteersand UL students are there daily in the laboratory,studying fossils,cleaningbones andpreparing specimens for display MaryLandry, aretired volunteer whohas helped at themuseum since 2017, is known as the“Tooth Fairy” in the lab because of her meticulous cleaning of ancient animal teeth Landrypicks and cleans atooth until it shines. On this particularWednesday,she was working hard on ajaguar tooth that was found in aChurch Point

LONG STORy SHORT an Rishe

Ising in the shower As in loud.

And proud.

My morning routine is to hit play on my “liked songs” playlist —an ever-evolving list that runs the gamut. Iwent through and counted them —231 songs.

They range from the first songs Iloved (think Elton John, James Taylor,Dan Fogelberg) to oddballs that Ihappened upon in strange ways. Like “Vuma,” asong Idiscovered last summer as Iwas preparing music before alittle dinner party Ihosted for some students visiting LSU from Africa. My mother made homemade chicken and dumplings, my ultimate comfort food, for dinner.I wantedour guests to have some comfort too. So, Icreated aplaylist of contemporary and traditional songs from their countries —in doing so, Idiscovered “Vuma,” whichI’ve kept in rotation since. Idon’tknow every word, but Iunderstand it anyway

And every timeI hear that song, Ithink of those young women from Africa. When Ipress play,the list shuffles. Irecognize the song by its opening notes —and the version of myself it holds.

The music moves like astrange road map.

There’sSimon and Garfunkel, who my older cousins introduced me to when Iwas 11.

There’sCarole King. When Iwas 12, my friend Keith Long wonher “Tapestry” album on WJDX in Jackson. His family already had the album,sohecalled and asked if Iwanted it for $5. Idid.

Ayear later,Iwon aGlen Campbell Live at Carnegie Hall on WQST

There’sDonna Summer and Olivia Newton-John —Iloved them both in the eighth grade when I stayed home from school for two weeks with the chickenpox.

There’s“Les Mis,” who Isaw with Mary EllenHoran in Los Angeles. Iwalked out of the theater different than Iwalked in.

There’sJimmy Buffett, who makes me think of Michelle Weaver Jones and the summer of 1991. VanMorrison reminds me of my old friend, John Gabel.

There’sthe Gypsy Kings, who Michelle Foster used to play at her dinner parties in D.C.

My husband introduced me to The Nylons in his red Mustang convertible on our first date.

There’sClay Parker and Jodi James’ “Nothing at All” from right here in Baton Rouge. When Iheard them sing that song at The Red DragonListening Room, Iknew it would be with me fora long time.

There’sMon LaFerte, who I heard in arestaurant in Mexico City.Awaitress wrote down the name for me

Each song on that playlist carries aperson —oraplace or a season.

Ican’tseparate the music from who handedittome, or who Iwas whenIfirst heard it and knew immediately —that Iloved it.

“Someone Saved My Life Tonight” by Elton John wasthe first record that was mine.Mymom bought it for me because Ihad been brave when Dr.Lee gave me ashot. Afterward, Mom took me to Dan’sRexall Drugs to pick out arecord.

Iremember the sales clerk, a cool teenager,did her best to get me to buy an album of his music but the album didn’thave the song Iwanted. So, instead, Iwent home with the 45 of “Someone Saved My Life Tonight.”

INSPIRED DISCUSSIONS

SCUSSI S

ASK THE EXPERTS

Meet the nun at the helm of Hotel Hope

Place an emergency shelter for women and children in New Orleans

BY BLAKE PATERSON Staff writer

From the street, Hotel Hope looks like any other mid-century modern motel, with its clean lines and vibrant neon sign. But through its front gate lies an oasis for unhoused families.

Since opening in the former motel on Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard in 2018, Hotel Hope in New Orleans has served as a safe haven for hundreds of mothers and children in need of emergency shelter The nonprofit provides food, clothing and case management services, with the goal of getting families back on their feet and into permanent housing.

With the rising cost of rent and shortage of affordable housing, that mission has grown more difficult in recent years, Sister Mary Lou Specha, Hotel Hope’s executive director, said in a recent interview

It costs around $1 million per year to run Hotel Hope, and while the organization receives some state and federal funding, it relies on generosity of volunteers and donors to keep its doors open.

To that end, on April 9, the organization will host its fourth annual Hope Fest fundraiser at the Audubon Clubhouse by Dickie Brennan & Co. with a silent auction, live music and food. Information on tickets and sponsorships are available online at hotelhope.org/hopefest/.

Sister Specha tells us more about Hotel Hope and how volunteers can get involved to support its mission.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity

Tell us more about Hotel Hope.

We’re a shelter for unhoused women and their children It’s a place where moms can come, mitigate the crisis they’re in, and then we assist them into getting into permanent housing. We provide food, clothing, shelter, transportation and have social workers that can connect them with mental health, behavior health or drug treatment resources.

What we’re doing is really providing a kind of a short stop stay to re-

MUSEUM

Continued from page 1y

ally get some assistance provided, so that they’re able to then become self-sufficient.

What is the dynamic of some of the families Hotel Hope serves?

A lot of our moms were children during Katrina. The majority of what we see are people with some undiagnosed trauma or post-traumatic stress that are suffering with not a lot of resources.

Most of the time, you’re not going to see a mom with children underneath the bridge. They’re usually in places where they’re hiding. A lot are in their cars.

How has this work changed in recent years?

Since Hurricane Ida, rents have increased astronomically It’s hard to raise a family on the minimum wage of $7.25 an hour That’s $30,000 a year, and most of your income is going to rent.

We provide rent assistance for three to six months, and then they’re on their own When we first opened in 2018, we were able to put people into a house in 34 days. Now, that takes around 75 days because the availability of housing is limited.

How can the public support Hotel Hope’s mission?

We have information on our website at hotelhope.org/getinvolved/ on how the public can get involved. Volunteers can sign up to cook a hot meal for dinner or sit at our front desk to buzz people into the courtyard. They can also donate online.

Tell us about your path to New Orleans I was born and raised in Chicago and entered the Sisters of the Presentation from Dubuque, Iowa, in 1986. I worked at a university for about 10 years.

One of my student leaders said we needed to go to New Orleans to help after Katrina. So in December of 2005, I brought 20 students down, and we worked with Catholic Charities to rebuild houses. It inspired me, when I was changing ministries, to look here. I came down in 2008. I was the executive director of Café Reconcile.

One of the things that was really

her students find fossils buried in the mud When bodies of water shift or are drained, fossils long buried in mud are revealed

Q&A WITH SISTER MARy LOU SPECHA

lacking were shelters for families, especially moms with children. In 2009, a faith-based coalition got together and came up with the idea of Hotel Hope.

After leaving Reconcile, I got involved and became the board chair And in 2013, I said, “If we’re really going to do this, someone has to drive the bus.” They asked me to become executive director, and my religious community agreed, so I took the role.

I’m not the founder, but I really work to try to get the founding spirit enacted.

How has your faith informed your work?

My grandma was really poor but when I was growing up, people would come to her door when they were hungry and she would give them food or she would help them with clothes. That laid the foundation of faith in action.

I had a profound conversion when I was in my 20s, in the sense that

ing exposure for the museum through billboards, word of mouth, promotional materials and involvement from schools.

I understood God’s unconditional love for me. If you understand that, you can’t keep that for yourself. You have to give back and share that love.

thought it would be great to bring them to the science museum,” said Megan Edwards, the Jr Beta Club sponsor at MSA West.

RISHER

We don’t do a lot of proselytizing, but showing somebody love and compassion gives them the opportunity to take that into their life and pay it forward

Continued from page 2y bayou.

“All of this is just for fun,” Landry says as she gently brushes the tooth, “but the opportunity to be able to do it is the whole thing.” Hargrave says that the prehistoric Louisiana exhibit is her favorite in the museum because it features fossils found in Church Point, Jefferson Island and Avery Island. Although Louisiana doesn’t have dinosaur fossils, the state was home to giant mastodons, jaguars, American lions, saber-toothed tigers and other massive creatures that once prowled the marshes.

While many paleontologists perform their digs in dry, arid places, Hargrave and

At UL Hargrave teaches a “Museum Techniques” course, and the final project results in students creating an exhibit. “I am a scientist, and I’m going to present the facts, which doesn’t always make for a good exhibit,” Hargrave said. “But having students in there, they think differently than I do It’s a really great collaboration.”

Moving forward

The contract between the university and city government is in its last year What happens next has yet to be decided.

Krantz says being under the umbrella of the university provides more advertis-

“There are resources that we have available to us that really benefit us in the way of exhibits,” he said. “We benefit by virtue of the teamwork from within the university, not just being under the university umbrella.”

As the contract’s future is decided, Hargrave says the mission remains the same: putting science in front of the next generation.

On that February morning, the seventh graders from Plaquemine lingered beside the mastodon bones, pointing and whispering about creatures that once roamed Louisiana.

“Since this is a math, science and arts academy I

The students were visiting Lafayette for the statewide Jr Beta Convention.

After working with middle schoolers, Edwards has enough experience to know better than to set her expectations too high.

“I didn’t expect that they would like it,” she said, “but they really did They talked about how much they enjoyed it after the trip. A few of the eighth graders even want to return with their science teacher.”

For many of them, it was the closest they’d ever come to Ice Age history and perhaps the first time they imagined uncovering something themselves.

I didn’t fully understand the lyrics. I just knew the song made me feel something big and important. I took it home and played it over and over I’m still not tired of that song. Friends call many of my favorites “sad songs.”

I don’t. They let me feel sadness without getting stuck there. Music gives shape to what I can’t always name. So, when I press play each morning and step into the shower, I’m not just listening to music. I’m hearing my cousins in their living room. Keith Long on the phone offer-

ing me “Tapestry” for $5. A radio DJ announcing my name on WQST My husband in a red Mustang telling me to “listen to the words of this next song.” I see a waitress in Mexico City scribbling down a title. My mother handing me a 45 at Dan’s Rexall. I didn’t discover most of these songs alone. Someone somewhere handed them to me. Maybe that’s what the playlist really is — 231 reminders that we don’t become ourselves by ourselves. The music still moves forward, even when it reaches back. And so do I.

Email Jan Risher at jan. risher@theadvocate. com.

BY CLAIRE GRUNEWALD

Staff writer

Around Baton Rouge, a number of mailbox-sized free libraries can be found in neighborhoods and around businesses, but in recent months, some of those boxes are now being assembled to fill empty stomachs.

Instead of free books, the Whole Heart Pantry provides residents with free recipes and ingredients to make healthy, hearty meals like chicken pot pie or Creole white bean soup. Whole Heart Health founder Whitney Andrus, who is a nutrition coach and personal trainer hopes that the free pantries will allow her to address food insecurity while also teaching food education.

“It’s to combine the education with access, because education without access is a barrier,” she said.

Andrus, of Denham Springs, launched Whole Heart Health in 2025 after working in local classrooms to teach students about ageappropriate nutrition. Over the past year, the nonprofit has grown to provide nutrition education, community events and access to meals to build healthy habits in children and families.

The “Manna Meals” are what make Andrus’ mission unique. Each bag contains a full meal with protein, fiber, vegetables and a recipe card a $10 donation fills two bags or stocks 15 items.

“I felt like I can’t go talking about how to eat healthy when most people can’t even access food, or they don’t have access to

fresh vegetables, fresh meats,” Andrus said

The meal bags were a solution

Every week the recipes change, but Andrus says the chicken pot pie recipe is one of the most popular offerings. The pantries also contain single food items like applesauce, cereal and canned goods

“Who wants to eat a can of flavorless mixed vegetables? So how do we take that food that may be donated, or people don’t know what to do with, and create

something kind of magical with it?” she said.

The mission behind the Whole Heart Health’s meals is to create a culture of access with education — not one without the other Whole Heart Health recently built customized pantries in Central, Gonzales and the town of Livingston, but it also stocks a pantry in Denham Springs and at the Red Shoes community fridge in Baton Rouge.

But the number of Whole Heart Pantries is increas-

ing across the city as the outdoor grab-and-go pantries have become more popular

There’s currently a wait list with over 15 people requesting pantries in Point Coupee, St. Helena and Lincoln parishes. Andrus is also in the midst of planning “around the world” fundraising dinners with menus that pull food inspiration from different countries Andrus hopes these dinners will help to expand Whole Heart Health’s mission and encourage people

to experience meals they may not normally cook or order themselves.

Launching Whole Heart Health and its pantries is a culmination of Andrus’ different professional and personal experiences.

Prior to starting the nonprofit, Andrus founded Half Belly Health, which provides coaching and nutrition help for those who have undergone weightloss surgery — or for anyone looking to cultivate a healthy relationship with food.

But her experience hasn’t always involved food and nutrition. Andrus graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a bachelor’s degree in interior design. She also has sold advertisements for a phone book, worked with marketing for small businesses, worked in fitness centers and for a meal prep company

“I feel like every point on my journey has prepared me for this,” Andrus said. Along with applying professional experiences to creating Whole Hearth Health, Andrus herself has gone on a health journey with changes in weight, surgery and having to fix her relationship with food. For as long as she can remember, Andrus has seen how diet culture can be toxic among all ages The World Health Organization reported that, in 2021, 16 million people experienced eating disorders, including almost 3.4 million children and adolescents And a 2022 study from Current Opinion in Psychiatry found that between 5.5% and 17.9% of young women and 0.6% to 2.4% of young men will have been diagnosed with a clinically-significant eating disorder by early adulthood.

Andrus wants to flip that narrative and do her part to create a safe space with her work.

“That’s how this all started,” she said. “If we’re going to be a safe space on the internet, it’s going to be safe space for everyone no matter what kind of access to food or information they have.” Find more information on how to support Whole Heart Health at www.wholeheart. health/partners.

Email Claire Grunewald at claire.grunewald@ theadvocate.com.

Child care models energizing Main Street

BY ANNE VILEN Contributing writer

When LeyAn n GehlenWampler, of Medicine Lodge, Kansas, gave birth to her son last year, she faced a common dilemma in rural communities: She needed to work to pay her living expenses, but the cost of child care — if she could find it would be more than she could earn in most jobs. The ideal solution, she thought, would be to take care of baby Kaysyn herself and get paid to take care of other children too, but the child care center where she once worked had closed. She thought about applying for a state license as a family child care home, but, “My house is too small, and there’s no way we could afford the startup costs on our own,” she said.

Then, opportunity knocked

Recruited by Julie Warner, an early childhood consultant for the city who had once been a family child care provider herself, Gehlen-Wampler opened her Shining Stars family child care home in Medicine Lodge Daycare, a model that could reshape child care in rural communities.

The Medicine Lodge Daycare flex-plex is a cluster of small, fully equipped child care businesses in a mainstreet building. Crucially, although Medicine Lodge Daycare occupies a commercial space in the heart of downtown, the building was renovated into five separate rooms with separate entrances and outside playgrounds ideal for five independent family child care providers, each caring for a small group of mixed-age infants and toddlers.

“That’s where the innovation is,” said City Administrator Brian Withrow The space, owned by a nonprofit, complies with state regulations for child care centers, but is occupied by licensed family child care providers who don’t need to meet the more rigorous standards for child care center administrators.

Through a mix of local, state and federal grants, the town also paid for furniture, curriculum materials, licensing support and even the first year of liability in-

surance. “It’s the only way I could have opened,” Gehlen-Wampler said. “Here I also have a supportive community of other providers to turn to. This opportunity has truly been life-changing for my family.”

It’s also been life-changing for the town’s businesses and families said City Council member Matt Forsyth. “What it means for downtown is huge It keeps Main Street alive in a small town where most main streets are dying I’m a business owner myself.

I’ve had trouble finding spots for my own kids, and this is going to allow everybody to have a spot for their children and know that they’re well taken care of in this great facility.”

Housing model for child care

The “plex” concept seems simple: Build or convert small homes — typically one- or two-bedroom units — and lease them at belowmarket rates to licensed family child care providers. In reality, implementing the concept is more complicated. States have different regulations for and even definitions of family child care; many explicitly or implicitly require that family child care providers live in the residence where they care for children.

Kansas is one of just seven states (the others are Alaska, Missouri, Idaho, Mississippi, Nevada and Wisconsin) that allow family child care providers to operate in nonresidential settings such as schools, businesses, or hospitals, according to Opportunities Exchange, a nonprofit

working to transform early education programs so that they can be sustainable and also high quality This allowance paved the way for the state to allow the Medicine Lodge businesses to operate under family child care licenses with fewer restrictions than those regulating larger child care centers.

A center has to have a director who doesn’t care for kids, multiple teachers, commercial insurance and expensive building upgrades like sprinkler systems, according to Julie Lyon, a consultant who helped shepherd the development of a child care triplex in nearby Greensburg, Kansas.

“It’s cost-prohibitive for a small town,” Lyon said.

By contrast, Greensburg’s three single-family units cost $417,028 in total to build. The city of Greensburg and its partners used American Rescue Plan Act dollars, grants from regional foundations and the child care coalition, and local development funds to cover construction, sidewalks, playgrounds, furnishings and materials.

An added bonus: If the community someday needs more housing instead of child care, each unit could be converted to a rental home, increasing the town’s affordable housing stock.

Work-life balance

For Kasha Unruh, a mother of three and longtime caregiver, the flex-plex model was the only viable path to opening a licensed family child care home.

Her mortgage agreement pre-

vents running a business in her own home. But in October, with support from Lyon and the city, she opened her family child care program in the Greensburg triplex. She now cares for seven children — including two of her own — and because the program isn’t in her actual home, enjoys a work-life balance that is rare for home-based child care providers.

After a city rent subsidy, Unruh pays just $300 a month for the space. She covers her own insurance, utilities and licensing fees, while the nonprofit owner handles building maintenance and ensures the facility meets licensing requirements. The lower overhead lets her keep child care affordable: less than $150 per week per child — far below the U.S. average.

Shared community, solutions

One of the biggest advantages of placing multiple providers together is the built-in community

In both Medicine Lodge and Greensburg, providers can collaborate on vacation schedules, hire a shared substitute teacher for the day and use the same research-based, multiage curriculum designed by a retired local educator

The towns also offer backend administrative support — something typically available only in larger commercial centers. Consultants help providers write business plans, file taxes and develop sustainable operating strategies.

Lyon manages a provider substitute pool that serves the whole county and has become a recruitment tool to bolster the child care supply Two of the three substitutes she hired later opened their own home-based child care businesses.

To encourage long-term stability, the local economic development commission also created a $5,000 retention bonus for providers who keep their businesses open beyond the first year. Ninety percent of recipients spent the money on critical business needs like insurance, transportation and building repairs, according to Lyon.

Micro-centers

While the flex-plex model is

FAITH & VALUES

working well in Kansas, another small-scale child care model allows greater flexibility and possibility, said Louise Stoney the co-founder of Opportunities Exchange. “If you want child care supply in rural areas, we have to think differently, and we have to think small, and we have to make small possible,” she said.

Micro-centers, like flex-plexes, are operated by family child care providers caring for small groups of up to 30 children in mixed-age classrooms. But, they operate in commercial spaces, often spaces that are provided freeof-charge by an employer, city, or housing development. The model is based on Chambliss Center for Children in Chattanooga, Tennessee, which operates 24-hour care serving infants through 12-yearolds in microcenters located in local schools.

“The most essential thing for sustainability for a child care program is full enrollment every day every seat,” according to Stoney To achieve that in small towns, it needs to be regulated the way family child care programs are — allowing for mixed ages of children and not requiring a supervising teacher with an advanced degree. Stoney has worked with policy makers in places like North Dakota and Indiana to “rightsize” their licensing, zoning regulations, even building and fire codes to allow family child care providers to expand into microcenters that operate outside their own homes and closer to where people work.

In Indiana, the Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning streamlined its licensing categories to support a Micro-Facility Pilot program that launched in early 2025. Six existing child care centers applied to open smaller satellites in rural or small town libraries, schools and shopping centers.

The new regulations are tailored to smaller settings; they allow children to bring their own lunches and snacks, support mixed-age groups and draw on the resources of the larger micro-facility hub for staffing and administrative support.

Quarries that built ancient Rome to be used again

Distinctive travertine to be used for churches, temples and mosques

BY NICOLE WINFIELD and FRANCESCA PRIMAVILLA Associated Press

TIVOLI, Italy Long ago, when Romans wanted to build a new temple, they would head to the nearby quarries of Tivoli, chisel out blocks of porous rock called lapis tiburtinus — now known as travertine — and float the cargo downstream on rafts to craftsmen in town

That’s how they made the Colosseum 2,000 years ago. That’s how they made St Peter’s Basilica and Bernini’s great colonnade hundreds of years later

Today, the same quarries that built Rome with their distinctive pock-marked travertine are still being dug out to build a new generation of churches, temples and mosques around the world — as well as banks, museums, government buildings and private homes. While other countries have versions of the sedimentary limestone, Roman travertine is unique because it is quarried underground in the sulfuric springs and basins around Tivoli. Made up mostly of calcium carbonate minerals, Roman travertine was formed hundreds of thousands of years ago by deposits of calcium, sulfur and other minerals, and shows the region’s history of volcanic eruptions, forests and fossils in its striated layers It is prized by architects for a number of reasons: It’s strong, plentiful and can withstand any number of climactic and environmental assaults. Depending on how and where it’s cut, it has a variety of looks: rough or sleek, from a warm white with irregular black holes to sandy beige with gray, brown or even greenish

veins.

A new temple in travertine

For four generations, the Mariotti Carlo SpA stonecutting firm has been carving travertine to order, fulfilling some of the world’s most distinctive architectural commissions: the Getty Center in Los Angeles, the Bank of China headquarters in Beijing, the Great Mosque in Algiers, Algeria, to name a few

On a recent workday, pieces of a temple being rebuilt by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints widely known as the Mormon church, are lying neatly on the floor of Mariotti’s Tivoli warehouse — hunks of travertine carved from the nearby quarries and cut in made-to-measure puzzle pieces that will be assembled

on-site in New York City

After providing the travertine for the Latter-day Saint temple in Rome, Mariotti was chosen by the church’s architects to restore the temple on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. The temple sits across Broadway from Lincoln Center and the Julliard School, both built with Mariotti-cut travertine decades ago when the rock first reached the U.S. market.

“Travertine is a classic stone known all over the world. It’s a bit like carrying the light of Rome everywhere, because the way travertine reflects light is very special,” said Fabrizio Mariotti, head of the family business.

A quarry that Bernini loved All around the Tivoli quarries, the air is heavy with the stench

of sulfur and the constant pounding, clinking and cracking of giant jackhammers blasting ancient rock into pieces.

At the Degemar quarries, drilled down to 30 yards under sea level, bright blue ponds of sulfur springs pool the travertine residue as flat-bed trucks haul stone slabs weighing 33 tons up to street level. It was here that Gian Lorenzo Bernini, the great Baroque sculptor and architect, sourced the brilliant white travertine for the 284 columns and 88 pillars of the colonnade embracing St. Peter’s Square, as well as his other Catholic and Roman marvels.

Bernini spent so much time here selecting his rock that he had a home overlooking the quarry which still stands today

The quarry’s current head, Vincenzo De Gennaro, reminds visitors that Bernini’s tower still features the coop for the homing pigeons that would transport the orders to the quarry from Rome for the measurements of rocks that were needed.

Nowadays, the quarry is filling orders much farther afield: the new airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the new headquarters of China’s governing party in Shenzhen, among others.

“It is special, a special stone because it is a living stone, a stone that is born in a cocktail of mineral waters,” De Gennaro said as he dodged earth movers and walked among the sulfur pools.

A 2,000-year guarantee

Lest anyone question travertine’s durability, they need only look to Rome, he said.

“There is the concrete experience of a civilization dating back thousands of years that stands in the light of day and has been shining undisturbed for 2,000 years,” he said. “That is the guarantee.”

Marco Ferrero, professor of civil engineering at Rome’s La Sapienza University, said part of travertine’s appeal is that it harks back to ancient Rome “and therefore also to the magic of the classical world.”

He said it embodies Rome’s spirit in many ways: Travertine is solid, resistant and noble but not showy like its cousin marble, which doesn’t fare as well over time when exposed to the elements.

“We can make this comparison: Marble speaks to us in beautiful Italian, in literary Italian, while travertine speaks to us in Roman dialect,” he said. “It is truly the stone of the Romans. And like Roman cuisine, which is made up of simple dishes, often using discarded ingredients, travertine is a genuine and traditional stone.”

SUNDAY, MArch 8, 2026

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. Attention!

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

wuzzLes

English treachery

Today’s deal is from a match between a team from England and a team from Turkey It is not clear to bid game on the NorthSouth cards, but aggressive game bidding is an important aspect of team play. The Turkish North-South did well to stay out of three no-trump, which should fail on the lead of either red suit. Five clubs has excellent chances. Declarer wins the opening heart lead, crosses to the ace of clubs, and leads a spade to the king and ace. The defense cashes one heart trick and shifts to diamonds. Declarer takes his ace and draws trump. The queen of spades and another spade will see the jack appear and declarer can claim his contract.

super Quiz

Take this Super Quiz to a Ph.D. Score 1 point for each correct answer on the Freshman

The most

of the Hawaiian Islands.

Answer________

2. This, the world’s second-largest island, is sometimes also referred to as Papua.

Answer________

3. This large island is located off the east coast of Southern Africa.

Answer________ 4. The largest European island.

Answer________ 5. The largest of the

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 table, declarer tried to play the contract just that way When he led a spade to his king, however, English expert Justin Hackett ducked his ace! South led a spade to dummy’s 10 and East’s jack. East cashed a high heart and shifted to a diamond. Declarer won, drew trumps ending in dummy and led the queen of spades. He “knew” that East held the ace of spades, so he discarded a diamond when East played low To declarer’s horror, Hackett won with the ace and led a diamond for down two. Great play!

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Socialize, communicate and express your feelings and intentions. Sharing with potential contributors will help turn your aspirations into something tangible.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Update documents, tidy up your finances and take care of your private affairs. Getting together with old friends will ease the burden of doing your part to make a difference.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Share your feelings with someone special A change of routine or rearranging your schedule to spend more time

with someone you love will be like a lifestyle upgrade. GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Take care of matters personally. If you rely on someone else to do things for you, you will be disappointed. It’s up to you to bring about positive change.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Relay facts; if you imply something that isn’t exact, you will face negative feedback. Don’t take unnecessary risks with your health or physical well-being LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Put your emotions aside and your best ver-

sion of yourself on display Let your charm and generosity shine through, offering positive suggestions and insight. VIRGO (Aug 23-Sept. 22) You’re sitting in a good position. Communication is key to getting what you want. Partnerships look promising, and a change of scenery will offer a unique perspective regarding the possibilities.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) You’ll excel if you put in the time and effort. You have plenty to gain if you research, budget and pursue what makes you feel and look your

best. A commitment seems inviting.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Spend time at home, relax and enjoy the company of loved ones. Expressing your feelings will help you find out where you stand and who’s likely to help you reach your goal.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Be careful what you say and to whom. Personal and physical improvements will encourage better health, a fresh start or a new look.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Look for opportunities in your field of expertise, and something inter-

esting will surface. Don’t expect everyone close to you to be on board with the changes you want to make.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Preparation is the key to making the right choice and following the path that offers the best return. A lifestyle change that raises your income may not be worth the emotional stress attached.

The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact.

© 2026 by NEA, inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

1. Oahu. 2. New Guinea.3.Madagascar. 4. Great Britain. 5. SouthIsland. 6. Manhattan Island. 7. Newfoundland. 8. Hispaniola.9.Ireland 10. Java. 11. Borneo. 12.Ellesmere Island 13. Sumatra. 14.Honshu. 15. Iceland

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: Youlook ridiculousif you dance;You look ridiculous if youdon't dance. So you might as well dance. —Gertrude Stein

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