The Acadiana Advocate 04-03-2026

HOLY THURSDAY

Bishop Douglas Deshotel and other clergy members in the Lafayette Diocese arrive at St John Cathedral for the Chrism Mass on Thursday. Chrism Mass is a major Holy Week liturgy during which sacred oils are blessed and consecrated for use during the year, and priests renew their commitment to the priesthood

Trump fires AG Bondi

BY ALANNA DURKIN RICHER, ERIC TUCKER, MICHAEL BALSAMO and MICHELLE L. PRICE Associated Press

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump

said Thursday that Pam Bondi is out as his attorney general, ending the contentious tenure of a loyalist who upended the Justice Department’s culture of independence from the White House, oversaw large-scale firings of career employees and moved aggressively to investigate the Republican president’s perceived enemies.

The departure followed months of scrutiny over the Justice Department’s handling of files related to the Jeffrey

ä See BONDI, page 5A

gates of the pen before releasing their dogs at Uncle Earl’s Hog Dog Trials in Winnfield on March 21

Bill to let DAs change judges advances

BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN Staff writer

Louisiana district attorneys could soon be able to have new judges assigned to criminal cases when defendants opt not to have jury trials.

A bill that would make that change is the latest in a series of proposals rankling defense advocates, who say the new rules would stack the decks to favor prosecutors.

Proponents of the legislation, including state Attorney General Liz Murrill, argue House Bill 381 is needed to keep defendants from “judge shopping.” But defense attorneys say it would give prosecutors the power to do exactly that.

The bill comes as lawmakers also consider proposals that aim to allow district attorneys to force jury trials, on the one hand, and make fewer misdemeanor defendants eligible for jury trials, on the other HB381’s sponsor Rep. Josh Carlson, R-Lafayette, told the House Administration of Criminal Justice Committee Wednesday that defendants should not be able to keep their cases before favorable judges after waiving jury trials.

He was quickly backed by Murrill, who said HB381 aims to “prevent judge shopping in criminal cases and manipulation of the criminal justice system.”

If the bill passes, a defendant who waives his right to a jury trial would have his case randomly reassigned to another judge in the

ä See JUDGES, page 5A

It’s dogs vs. hogs at

Winnfield event

Hundreds gather to watch Catahoulas corral feral hogs

BY AIDAN McCAHILL Staff writer

At the edge of a sand arena, two Catahoula leopard dogs hang suspended in midair, legs cartoonishly churning as they’re held by two squatting men It’s a hot and dusty Saturday afternoon at the Winnfield Fairgrounds in the third week of March. Bees, barefooted children and “hog dog” trainers from as far as France and Australia swarm the surrounding wooden bleachers. A gate swings open and a feral hog trots out. The men let go. The dogs, Goose and Max, hurl themselves with abandon.

For four minutes, the barks don’t stop as the canine duo plant themselves within 2 feet of a beast

twice their size, attempting to keep it from moving, or at “bay.”

“Talk to me baby, talk to me!” yells their owner, Randy Dorrell, a ritualized chant that seems more for him than his dogs. Several times, the hog lunges and bites, but like NFL cornerbacks, Goose and Max flip their hips and retreat to avoid the charge, then resume the doubleteam pressure. When the hog attempts to break the bay, the dogs sink their teeth into the tough skin and briefly hold on. If the hog runs free for too long, or the dogs break eye contact, judges watching from above subtract points.

Goose is a seven-time world champion in hog baying and, despite being 9 years old, still has the mix of boldness, athleticism and focus that has kept him at the top of the sport since he was 10 months old.

But it’s day six of Uncle Earl’s

ä See DOGS, page 4A

Saharan dust storm

turns Greek sky red

ATHENS Greece A powerful storm front that lashed Greece over the past 24 hours brought gale force winds and flooding that left one man dead and turned the sky over Crete a deep red.

The sky’s surreal red hues were reminiscent of apocalyptic scenes over Crete where the storm that hit the island with gale-force winds combined with a Saharan dust storm.

On the mainland, Greek media reports said a 55-year-old man died after becoming trapped under a car as he was swept by surging waters in the town of Nea Makri, some 16 miles northeast of the Greek capital Athens.

Fire Department official Yiannis Tsingas told state radio that fire engines responded to some 500 calls for assistance including cutting felled trees, pumping water out of flooded homes and rescuing 33 people trapped by the high floodwaters.

German artist sentenced for carnival display

MOSCOW A German artist who created carnival displays mocking Russian President Vladimir Putin was sentenced in absentia on Thursday to 81/2 years in prison by a court In Moscow Jacques Tilly was convicted on charges of spreading false information about the Russian military and insulting religious feelings.

Carnival parades in Germany are famed for their floats mocking a wide variety of domestic and global political figures, and Putin has frequently been a target Tilly, 62, has been designing and building floats for Düsseldorf’s Carnival parade — one of Germany’s best-known since 1984. In recent years, his designs have depicted Putin scrubbing himself in a bathtub filled with blood and painted in the colors of the Ukraine flag, while another featured a red-faced Putin biting into Ukraine, which was decorated with the words “Choke on it!”

Sunken Danish warship found after 225 years

COPENHAGEN, Denmark More than 200 years after being sunk by Adm. Horatio Nelson and the British fleet, a Danish warship has been discovered on the seabed of Copenhagen Harbor by marine archaeologists.

Working in thick sediment and almost zero visibility 49 feet beneath the waves, divers are in a race against time to unearth the 19th-century wreck of the Dannebroge before it becomes a construction site in a new housing district being built off the Danish coast.

Denmark’s Viking Ship Museum, which is leading the monthslong underwater excavations, announced its findings on Thursday, 225 years to the day since the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801.

“It’s a big part of the Danish national feeling,” said Morten Johansen, the museum’s head of maritime archaeology

World’s oldest known tortoise still alive

LONDON Reports on April

Fools’ Day of the death of the world’s oldest living land animal — a 193-year-old tortoise called Jonathan were greatly exaggerated. Jonathan is still kicking — albeit slowly on the island of St. Helena.

“It was a hoax,” Anne Dillon, head of communications on the island, told The Associated Press on Thursday “I can just assure you that he is very much alive.”

News of the Seychelles giant tortoise’s demise spread rapidly on social media on Wednesday

An account on X, falsely claiming to be by Joe Hollins, a veterinarian who had worked with the reptile on the island in the south Atlantic Ocean between Africa and Brazil, said he was heartbroken to announce the death of the “gentle giant” that “outlived empires, wars, and generations of humans.”

The post quickly accumulated nearly 2 million views through Thursday mostly an outpouring of condolences.

Trump says he’ll sign order to resume pay

BY KEVIN FREKING, JOEY CAPPELLETTI and COLLIN BINKLEY Associated Press

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Thursday he will soon sign an order to pay all Department of Homeland Security employees who have gone without paychecks during the record-long partial government shutdown that has reached 48 days.

Despite that unilateral move announced in a social media post, the funding lapse for some DHS needs is likely to stretch into next week as the House contemplates passing a Senate plan it had previously rejected to fund the bulk of the agency, though not its immigration enforcement operations.

Trump used a similar maneuver to resume pay for the Transportation Security Administration after many employees had called out from work, resulting in long delays at airport security lines for travelers. Trump’s latest intervention is expected to apply to other non-law enforcement employees at the department, including many employees at the Federal Emer-

gency Management Agency, U.S Coast Guard and the agency responsible for coordinating federal cybersecurity efforts.

Trump said their families “have suffered far too long.”

“Nevertheless, help is on the way for our Brave and Patriotic Public Servants who have continued to work hard, and do their part to protect and defend our Country,” Trump said.

There was no legislative resolution Thursday after both the House and Senate met for just a few minutes in pro forma sessions. Nonetheless, the Republican leadership and Trump have coalesced around a plan to fully fund DHS as part of a two-step process. The agreement puts the congressional leaders on the same page for ending the impasse after they had pursued separate paths that resulted in Congress leaving Washington last week for its spring recess without a fix.

During the brief sessions, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., put aside the House plan to fund the entire department for 60 days. Then the House met briefly

without taking up the bipartisan Senate plan that had been worked out with Democrats, though Thune is looking toward eventual passage.

“I don’t know the particulars around what the House will do with it,” Thune told reporters. “My assumption is, at some point, hopefully, they’ll move it.”

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, and Thune, announced Wednesday that they would return to the Senate measure, which funds most of DHS with the exception of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Border Patrol. Republicans will try later to fund those agencies through party-line spending legislation that could take months to finish.

Neither outcome is guaranteed, and the strategy could potentially still face opposition from the GOP’s own ranks even though Trump has given his support.

Johnson’s embrace of the twotrack plan marks a sharp reversal from less than a week ago, when he derided it as a “joke” and said he was “quite convinced that it can’t be that every Senate Republican read the language of this bill.”

BY R.J RICO Associated Press

Tiger Woods expressed astonishment as he was handcuffed after crashing his SUV last week in Florida, according to body camera footage released Thursday that also shows deputies removing two pills from Woods’ pocket.

Separate footage from the back of the patrol car shows the handcuffed golfer hiccuping, yawning and repeatedly appearing to nod off during the 15-minute ride.

Woods told authorities he was looking at his phone and changing the radio station when his speeding Land Rover clipped the back of a truck and rolled onto its side on a residential road on Jupiter Island. No one was injured in the March 27 afternoon crash.

“I looked down at my phone, and all of a sudden — boom,” Woods told an officer as he knelt on a lawn prior to his arrest. Bodycam footage shows Martin County sheriff’s Deputy Tatiana Levenar then conducting a roadside sobriety test and telling Woods: “I do believe your normal faculties are impaired, and you’re under an unknown substance, so at this time you’re under arrest for DUI.”

“I’m being arrested?” Woods responded

“Yes sir,” Levenar said. After handcuffing Woods, authorities searched his pockets and found two white pills.

“That’s a Norco,” Woods said after an officer pulled out the pills, referring to a painkiller that contains acetaminophen and the opioid hydrocodone. Authorities would later confirm Woods was in possession of hydrocodone. In the bodycam footage, Woods told Levenar that he had not drunk any alcohol and that he had taken “a few” medications earlier in the day, though Woods’ words are muted in the released video as he describes some of the drugs.

At the sheriff’s office complex after Woods was escorted into the “DUI room” where drivers are tested for being under the influence, Woods said, “I’m not drunk. I’m on a prescription medication,” according to a supplemental sheriff’s office report released Thursday

Tips /Stories: NEWSTIPS@THEADVOCATE.COM

225-388-0289• Mon-Fri9-5; Sat10-5; ClosedSun Advertising Sales: 337-234-0174•Mon-Fri 8-5

Classified Advertising: 225-383-0111 •Mon-Fri 8-5

Subscribe: theadvocate.com/subscribe

E-Edition: theadvocate.com/eedition

Archives: theadvocate.newsbank.com

BY MARCIA DUNN AP aerospace writer

CAPE CANAVERAL Fla. NASA’s moonbound

astronauts have reason to celebrate, and not just because their launch went so well. Their toilet is now working.

The so-called lunar loo malfunctioned as soon as the Artemis II crew reached orbit Wednesday evening. Mission Control guided astronaut Christina Koch through some plumbing tricks to fix it.

The three Americans and one Canadian are on track to bust out of orbit around Earth on Thursday night and zoom to the moon for a lunar fly-around. It will be Mission Control’s first translunar injection since Apollo’s swan song in 1972.

Mission managers gave the “go” late Thursday afternoon for the engine firing. “We love those words, and we’re loving the view,” Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen said.

To set the mood, Mission Control’s wake-up music for the crew was “Green Light” by John Legend featuring André 3000 The song segued into the 3-2-1 of the astronauts’ thunderous liftoff, followed by a medley of greetings from NASA teams around the country

“We are ready to go, and that was awesome,” pilot Victor Glover said.

While awaiting their orbital departure, the astronauts savored the views of Earth from tens of thousands of miles high.

Koch told Mission Control that they can make out the entire coastlines of continents and even the South Pole, her old stomping ground.

“It is just absolutely phenomenal,” radioed Koch, who spent a year at an Antarctic research station before join-

ing NASA. Mission Control managed to bump up the Orion capsule’s cabin temperature. It was so cold earlier in the mission 65 degrees Fahrenheit — that the four astronauts had to dig into suitcases for long-sleeved clothes.

Commanded by Reid Wiseman, the mission is due to end with a Pacific splashdown on April 10. NASA is counting on the test flight to kickstart the entire Artemis program and lead to a moon landing by two astronauts in 2028.

Before that happens, Orion’s toilet may need some design tweaks.

Located in the floor with a door and curtain for privacy, the capsule’s lone toilet is based on an experimental commode that launched to the International Space Station in 2020. That station potty barely saw any use and has been out of order for years.

Known as the universal waste management system, the compact toilet uses air suction instead of water and gravity to remove waste, similar to earlier space toilets. It’s also designed to better accommodate female astronauts.

Koch and her crewmates had to resort to a bag and funnel system for urinating until she got the toilet working overnight. Any toilet even a fitful one is better than none if you ask any of the six surviving Apollo astronauts.

NASA’s Apollo capsules were too small to accommodate a toilet, so the all-male crews relied on bags to relieve themselves throughout the lunar journey

These so-called Apollo bags were repurposed during NASA’s later space shuttle flights; they served as backup whenever the shuttle toilet acted up.

CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Iran firesonIsrael andGulfneighbors

Trumpclaims threat from Tehran nearly eliminated

BY JON GAMBRELL, DAVID RISING andMIKE CORDER Associated Press

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates

Iran fired more missiles at Israel and Gulf Arab states Thursday,demonstrating Tehran’scontinued ability to strike its neighbors even as U.S. President Donald Trump claimed the threat from the country was nearly eliminated.

Iran’s attacks on Gulf states along with its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz have disrupted the world’s energy supplies with effects far beyond the Middle East. That has proved to be Iran’sgreatest strategic advantage in the war.Britain held acall with nearly three dozen countries about how to reopen the strait once the fighting is over.

Trump hasinsisted the strait can be taken by force —but said it is notupto the U.S. to do that. In an address to the American people Wednesday night,he encouraged countriesthat depend on oilfrom Hormuz to “build some delayed courage” and go “take it.”

Before the U.S. and Israel started the war on Feb. 28 with strikes on Iran, the waterway was open to traffic and 20% of all tradedoil passed through it Iran responded defiantly to Trump’sspeech, in which theAmerican president claimed U.S.militaryaction hadbeensodecisivethat “one of themost powerful countries” is “really no longer athreat.”

Aspokesman for Iran’s military,Lt. Col. Ebrahim Zolfaghari, insisted Thursday that Tehran maintains hidden stockpilesofarms, munitions and production facilities.

He said facilities targeted so far by U.S. strikes are

“insignificant.”

Just before Trump began his address —inwhich he said U.S.“core strategic objectives are nearing completion” —explosions were heard in Dubai as air defenses worked to intercept an Iranian missile barrage.

Lessthan ahalf-hour after thepresidentwas done, Israel said itsmilitarywas also working to intercept incoming missiles.Sirens sounded in Bahrain, hometothe U.S Navy’s5th Fleet, immediately after the speech.

Attacks continuedacross Iran on Thursday,with strikesreported in multiple cities.

Iran state media reported that strikes on the B1 bridge, whichwas still under construction, killed eight people and wounded 95. The outlet, citing authorities in Alborz province, saidthe victims had gathered under the bridge and along the riverbank forNatureDay,which Iranians celebrate by gathering outside.

BY KONSTANTINTOROPIN

Associated Press

WASHINGTON Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has asked the Army’stop uniformed officer,Gen. Randy George, to step down, the Pentagon said Thursday,as the United States wages awar against Iran.

APentagon official,who spoke on condition of anonymity to discussthe sensitive matter,confirmed that George has been asked to take early retirement from

PRESS FILE

Army ChiefofStaffGen RandyGeorge has been asked to retire.

thepost of Armychief of staff, which he has held since August 2023. The ouster of George is just

thelatestofmorethana dozen firings of topgenerals and admirals by Hegsethsince he first took office last year CBS News was first to report the ouster George is agraduate of West Point Military Academy and an infantry officer who served in the first Gulf Waras well as Iraq and Afghanistan. He also served as Defense Secretary LloydAustin’stop military aide from 2021 to 2022, during theBiden administration, before taking on top leadership roles in the Army.

More than 40 countries eyestrategytopress Iran

Summitdiscusses ways to facilitate reopeningofstrait

BY JILL LAWLESS Associated Press

LONDON Britainaccused Iran on Thursdayofholding the world’seconomy hostage as diplomatsfrom more than 40 countries held talks on ways to press Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, avital oil route that has been choked off by the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.

TheU.S.didn’tattendthe virtualmeeting, which came after U.S. President Donald Trumpmade clearthat he thinkssecuringthe waterway is not America’sjob Trump has alsodisparaged America’sEuropean allies for failing to support the war andrenewed histhreats to pull the U.S. out of NATO.

U.K.Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said thetalks, which focused on political anddiplomaticrather than militarymeans, showed “the strength of our international determination” to reopen thestrait. The 41 countries represented came fromall continentsexcept Antarctica, areflection of the global tremorsfromawar that has sparked shortages of fuel andfertilizerand higher prices for food far beyond the Middle East

“Wehaveseen Iranhijack an international shipping routetohold the global economy hostage,” Cooper said at the startofthe meeting. Cooper said “unsustainable” spikes in oil and food

prices were “hitting households andbusinessesinevery corner of the world.”

Shipping slowstotrickle

Iranian attacks on commercial ships, and the threat of more, have halted nearly all traffic in the waterwaythatconnectsthe Persian Gulf to the rest of theglobe’s oceans, shutting acritical path for the world’sflow of oil and sendingpetroleum prices soaring.

There have been 23 direct attacksoncommercial vessels in theGulf sincethe war beganonFeb.28, and 11 crew members have been killed, according to shipping data firm Lloyd’s List Intelligence. Traffic through the strait has slowed to atrickle, with whatremains dominated by sanctions-evading tankers carrying Iranian oil, Lloyd’s List Intelligence said in a briefing Thursday.Itsaid

amurky operation under whichIranvetswho can pass continues to operate as Tehran maintains its chokehold over the key waterway In atelevised address on Wednesday night, Trump saidcountries that depend on oilflowing through the StraitofHormuz “must grab it and cherish it” —because the U.S. would not. No country appears willing to try and open the strait by force while fighting rages andIrancan target vessels with anti-ship missiles, drones, attack craftand mines.

FrenchPresident Emmanuel Macron said opening the strait by force is “unrealistic.” The reopening of the strait “can only be done in coordinationwith Iran,”through negotiationsthatwould follow apotential ceasefire, Macron told reporters Thursday during avisit to South Korea.

Hog Dog Trials, and anything short of a perfect score of 10 in this elite atmosphere — even the smallest moments of weakness means certain elimination

Finally, the hog strikes Goose in the side and takes him to the ground. For a brief moment, the Catahoula loses eye contact. He’s dinged 0.1 point, and Dorrell, throwing a fistful of sand in frustration, decides to call it off. The old champion was hurt but not injured, Dorrell said after Better to save his energy for later when he’ll have a second chance with Blueman, another merlecolored teammate.

Populist roots

Just shy of an hour’s drive north of Alexandria, Winnfield emerges from the Kisatchie National Forest’s piney woods. Out of that tiny timber town — where the population has shrunk from 8,000 in the 1960s to fewer than 4,000 today — arose a brash, legendary brand of left-wing populism that dominated Louisiana politics for much of the 20th century Winnfield is home to three Democratic Louisiana governors: brothers Huey and Earl K Long, and Oscar K. Allen. And while the Kingfish’s story is better known, his younger brother “Uncle Earl,” has an almost equally legendary history, from orchestrating his own release from a mental hospital to run for a third term as governor to his affair with Bourbon Street stripper Blaze Starr Cass Moss, a 94-year-old Winnfield native who met Earl Long a few times as a teen during his political heyday, recalled the brothers as “almost city slickers.”

“They were far from farm boys,” he said. Still, as a man of the people, Earl Long was known to appreciate a hog hunt the old way, with baying dogs to track and stall, a bulldog to catch, and a knife to finish. Around Winnfield, more than one person described

perfect score earning another, longer round against a meaner hog Jake Locianao, a 42-yearold Beaumont, Texas, resident who has been attending since he was 12 and now runs the show, said during peak years, Uncle Earl’s Hog Dog Trials will bring 10,000 people over the course of the week. This year, he estimates about 4,000 attended. While the stands never quite filled up Saturday, the surrounding fairgrounds were packed with RVs, food trucks and vendors hawking everything from patriotic hunting gear and dog collars to homeopathic pain-re

9 a.m., a group of men in camouflage huddled together while Locianao blared the competitors’ names over a microphone.

“Rico and Blue — let’s go boys! I got 20 and 30 on Rico and Blue. I need 30. Going once. Twice. Sold,” he said. “Piranha and Hand Grenade. I got 50, I need 60!”

It’s the start of the Calcutta auction, where both attendees and competitors buy in on dog teams. Categories across the week range from youth, amateur and pro for both single- and double-dog teams Anyone who picks a team that finishes first, second or third gets a slice of the pot.

ish Sheriff Joshua McCalister and Gregory “Snotty” Graves, also helping run the show Below the press box lay the pig pen, where teenagers rounded up over 70 hogs.

Slick Willy, who lives north of Houston and has competed about 10 times a year since leaving the competitive barbecue circuit in 2005, describes his dog’s training regimen as mostly hands-off.

“You got a little practice pen at your house,” he said. “As the dog gets better, you get a bigger pig, then a bigger pig.”

The only other challenge is finding out if they can perform under the pressure of hundreds of spectators.

“The reality is, man, they’re either gonna do it or not,” said Dorrell, adding that about 90% of what it takes to win boils down to genetics. “We have about 40 to 50 years of breeding specifically for this.”

What folks in the hog dog world actually breed for is a bit of an oxymoron, a mix of “ignorance and concentration,” according to Graves. If they’re too smart, they’d

never get close to a hog in the first place, he said.

The competitions are popular in Texas and across the South, where feral hogs — an invasive species first brought to America by Spanish explorers — run rampant through agricultural fields.

In Louisiana, they cause over $90 million in agricultural damage each year

Due to concerns over animal cruelty, hog baying is illegal in Florida and many Northern states. Even in Louisiana, it’s a legal gray area, though the laws specifically exempt Uncle Earl’s from the vague provisions.

Fans say the sport is no different than any rodeo event, adding that the hogs would otherwise be shot and left for the buzzards. Instead, those at Uncle Earl’s — mostly trapped on farmland in northern Louisiana — are fed daily and receive vet care. The trade-off is a few minutes of pure terror

While bites and injuries do occur for both animals, containment, rather than violence, is the point. Dogs get dinged for being too aggressive and are disqualified for gnawing on a hog for more

than five seconds.

“It’s not an act of just putting the dogs in there and expecting them to get railroaded,” said Brandi Watts, one of the judges. Conversely, “if you damage the hog, you damage your stock,” she added.

Handlers and owners also face risk, routinely climbing up arena walls or hurdling pigs to avoid getting their legs swept out from under them. Before noon, a hog busted through a gate, which swung open and smashed a young handler Jake Robertson, between the eyes. He was knocked out cold and rushed to a hospital in an ambulance. Despite a broken nose, jaw and a concussion, Robertson somehow returned before the day was over

“It takes a lot more than that to throw me back, I reckon,” the 18-year-old from Downsville said. “My face was hurting, but I had a lot of fun.”

‘The hog got up and left’ By the end of the weekend, Goose and Blueman had tied for fourth place in the professional two-dog division — still enough to keep Goose ranked No. 1 in the world. After Sunday Winnfield would again lose half its size. A short drive from the Fairgrounds, Earl Long’s grave sits where his home once stood, marked by a statue of the old governor midwave. There are rumors Starr regularly visited the grave. Debby Carpenter, 79, has watched the statue from her porch across the street for years. She recalls families often laying out on blankets and picnicking there.

“People don’t come out there like they used to,” she said. “I miss seeing the kids running up and down.” At the nearby political museum, you can press a button and still summon Uncle Earl’s voice.

“The Times-Picayune had fell in a ditch,” he says. “Now a fella came along and it had a hog in there. He said you can judge a man by the company he keeps and the hog got up and left.”

Epstein sex trafficking investigation and failed efforts to meet Trump’sunwavering demands for criminal cases against his adversaries. As Trump’sown frustrations mounted, he began privately discussing firing Bondi, people familiar with the matter say

“Pam Bondi is aGreat AmericanPatriot and aloyal friend,who faithfully served as my AttorneyGeneral over the past year,”

Trump said in astatement. He added, “Welove Pam, andshe will be transitioning to amuch needed and important new job in the private sector,tobeannounced at a date in the near future.”

Trump named Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, one of his former personal lawyers, as the acting attorney general. Three peoplefamiliar with themattertold The Associated Press on Thursday that he has privately discussed Lee Zeldin, the head of the EnvironmentalProtectionAgency, as apermanent pick. In her own statement, Bondi called thejob “the honor of alifetime” and said she wouldbeworkingover the next month to transition the position to Blanche.

Bondi came into office 14 months ago, pledging that she wouldnot play politics withthe JusticeDepartment. But she quickly setout to do Trump’sbidding, heaping lavish praise at congressional hearings and White House events,firing prosecutors deemed insufficiently loyal to the president andopening investigations into his political foes. Theintense turmoilcontributed to the resignations of hundreds of employees, with the norm-breaking actions stirring concernthatthe department wasbeing wielded as atool to advance Trump’spersonal andpolitical interests.

“Pam Bondi oversaw an unprecedented weaponization of the Justice Department that brought our nation’srule of law to its knees,” said Sen. Adam Schiff,a California Democrat.

Bondi rejected accusations that she politicized the Justice Department andsaid hermissionwas to restore the institution’scredibility after overreach by President Joe Biden’sDemocraticadministration, which included two federal criminal cases against Trump.

Bondi’s defenders havesaidshe worked to refocusthe department to better tackle illegalimmigration and violent crime and brought much-needed change to an agency they believe unfairly targeted conservatives.

Protecting thepresident

Bondi’spublic embrace of the president, however,marked a sharp departure fromher predecessors, who generally took pains to maintain an arm’s-length distance from the White Houseto protect the impartiality of investigations and prosecutions. Bondi postured herself as Trump’schief supporter and protector,praising and defending himincongressional hearings and placing abanner with his face on the exterior of JusticeDepartment headquarters.

She called for an end to the “weaponization” oflaw enforcement that she said occurred under the Biden administration, even though Biden’sattorney general, Merrick Garland, and Jack Smith, the special counsel who producedtwo cas-

Association of CriminalDefenseLawyers,saidreassigning cases can take 30 to 60 days. She argued HB381 would cause delaysand clog dockets.

same court unless the district attorney waived the reassignment. The law would only apply to district courts with at least three criminal judges. Defense advocates challenged the notion that the change would promote fairness, noting that criminal cases are already randomly assigned to judges. They also said the change would create extra work for the courts by putting cases before new judges unfamiliar with the evidence presented.

For the state to have the power to decidewhether a case tried by ajudge gets reassigned, “that is forum shopping, and that is forum shopping by the districtattorney,” said SarahWhittington, advocacy director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana.

Kelly Carmena, who spoke on behalf of the Louisiana

In aterse exchange with the Administration of Criminal Justice Committee’s chair,state Rep. Debbie Villio,Carmena said it would be difficult to advisea client whether to proceed with a judge trial without knowing whowas handling thecase.

“Sounds alot likeforum shopping,too. But Ithink youmade thecase for why thebill’snecessary,” said Villio,a Republican from Kenner

The two also sparred over whether thebill would affect many defendants, with Villio contending it was rare fordefendants to forego jury trials.

Villio’scommittee sent HB381 to the full House in a9-3 vote.Three Democrats —Rep.Vanessa LaFleurof BatonRouge, state Rep. Pat Moore of Monroe and Rep. Alonzo Knox of New Orleans

es against Trump, have said they followed the facts, the evidence and the law in their decision-making.

Bondi’scritics, meanwhile, said she was the onewho hadpoliticized the agency

“You’ve turned thePeople’sDepartment of Justice into Trump’s instrument of revenge,” Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, thetop Democrat on theHouse Judiciary committee,saidata February hearing.

Bondi delivered acombative performance but fewsubstantive answers at that hearing, as she angrily insultedher Democratic questioners with name-calling andpraisedTrump for theperformance of thestock market —“The Dowisupover 50,000 right now!” and openly alignedherself as in sync witha president whom she painted as avictim of past impeachmentsand investigations.

Even Republicans began to challenge her,with theGOP-led House Oversight Committeelast month issuing asubpoenatoher to appear for aclosed-door interview about theEpstein files.

—voted against thebill.

This year,the Legislature is alsoconsidering Senate Bill 97 by stateSen. Jay Morris, R-WestMonroe, which would allow voters to decide whether district attorneysshouldneedto approve when defendants opt out of jury trials. That change would require aconstitutional amendment.

AndHouseBill52, authored by Villio, would amendLouisiana lawso thatdefendantsaccused of misdemeanors would only be entitled to jury trials if thecrime’spossible penalty exceeded a$2,500 fine or 6 months imprisonment.Currently,the threshold penalty is a$1,000 fine or six months’ imprisonment.

Under thatbill, prosecutorscould also agree to cap penalties in advance to avoid jury trials

The full House hasyet to takeupHB52, but theSenate passed SB97 in a26-11 vote. It, too, nowneedsapproval from theAdministration of Criminal Justice Committee.

police at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021; environmental, civil rights and ethics enforcers; counterterrorism prosecutors; and others. Fumblingthe Epstein files She struggled to overcome early stumbles over theEpsteinfiles that angered conservativeseager for government bombshells about the case, which haslong fascinated conspiracy theorists. She herself had fedthe conspiracy theory machine with asuggestion in a2025 Fox News Channel interviewthat Epstein’s“client list” was sitting on her desk for review.The department later acknowledged that no such document exists.

Bondi was ridiculed over amove to hand out binders of Epstein files to conservative influencers at the White House, only for it to be later revealed that the documents included no new revelations. And despitepromisesthatmorefiles were going to become public,the Justice DepartmentinJulysaidno more wouldbereleased, prompting Congress to pass abill to force the agency to do so. Ultimately,the department said it hadcomplied with itsobligationsbyreleasing millions morerecords.

UnderBondi’sleadership, the department opened investigations into astring of Trumpfoes, including Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, NewYork Attorney General Letitia James, former FBI Director James Comey and former CIADirector John Brennan. The high-profileprosecutions of Comey and James were short-lived as they were quickly thrownout by a judge who ruledthatthe prosecutorwho brought thecaseswas illegally appointed.

Trump repeatedly praised and defendedBondi publicly but also showed flashes of impatience with his attorney general’sefforts to meet his demands to prosecute his rivals. In oneextraordinary social media post last year,Trumpcalled on Bondi to movequickly to prosecute his foes, including James and Comey,telling her, “Wecan’tdelay any longer,it’skilling our reputation and credibility.”

Bondi oversaw the exodus of thousands of career employees boththroughfirings and voluntary departures —including lawyers who prosecuted violent attacks on

JessMichaels,anEpstein survivorwho traveled to theU.S.Capitollastyear to pressfor thefiles’ release, said she wasoptimistic when Bondi took officebut lost faith after Bondi distributed the binders at the White House.

“I think she had this opportunity to be ahero and to really do right by survivors of sexual violence andtrafficking, andshe chosenot to,” Michaels said by phone. “It is outrageous, the volumeofmiscalculation she has made.”

The Epstein files fumbles led to astunning public criticism from White House chief of staffSusie Wiles,aclose friend of Bondi’s, whotold Vanity Fair that the attorney general “completely whiffed.”

The Justice Department’s release of millions of pages of Epstein files did little to tamp down criticism, prompting aHouse committee, with the support of five Republicans, to subpoena Bondi to answer questions under oath.

Bondi, who defended Trump during his first impeachment trial, washis second choice to lead the Justice Department,picked forthe role after former Rep. Matt Gaetz of Floridawithdrewhis name from consideration amid scrutiny over sex trafficking allegations.

BRIEFS FROM WIRE REPORTS

Long-term mortgage rate highest in months

The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate climbed for the fifth straight week, reaching its highest level in nearly seven months, another setback for home shoppers in the midst of the spring homebuying season

The benchmark 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate rose to 6.46% from 6.38% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday One year ago, the rate averaged 6.64%. The last time the average rate was higher was Sept. 4, when it was at 6.5%.

Meanwhile borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners refinancing their home loans, also rose this week. That average rate rose to 5.77% from 5.75% last week. A year ago, it was at 5.82%, Freddie Mac said.

The U.S. housing market has been in a slump since 2022, when mortgage rates began to climb from pandemic-era lows. Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes were essentially flat last year, stuck at a 30-year low They have remained sluggish so far this year, declining in January and February versus a year earlier

Mortgage applications fell 10.4% last week from the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association Much of the decline stemmed from fewer applications for mortgage refinancing loans.

Tesla sales rise after brutal year of boycotts

NEW YORK — Sales of Tesla vehicles rose in the past three months in a possible sign recovery is afoot after a brutal year of boycotts over Elon Musk’s politics but still fell short of expectations.

The company Thursday said sales rose 6% to 358,023, the first time in three years it posted a first-quarter increase from the year-earlier period.

The sales in the three months through March were 6% lower than the 381,000 that financial analysts had expected, according to a survey by researcher FactSet. They were also way off their first-quarter peak going back to 2023. The company sold 423,000 vehicles in the first three months of that year, nearly a fifth higher Chinese maker BYD recently reported it had made 2.26 million electric vehicles last year versus Tesla’s 1.64 million to become the new record holder

White House wants to cut CFPB by two-thirds

NEW YORK The Trump administration has scaled back its plans to dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, laying out a plan for an agency that would be significantly smaller than it was under President Joe Biden but still bigger than the one President Donald Trump envisioned right after he took office. Under the new plan, the bureau’s headcount would be reduced from 1,700 authorized employees before Trump’s second term to roughly 550 staffers. The administration originally intended to shrink staff to around 200 employees. The plan is opposed by the CFPB’s employee union and would likely require the approval of a federal judge. The new plan for the bureau was laid out in a memo and court documents this week in a lawsuit between the CFPB’s employee union and Russell Vought, Trump’s budget director and acting director of the CFPB.

Congress cut the CFPB’s operational budget by a little less than half in the One Big Beautiful Bill signed by Trump last year

The proposed cuts at the CFPB would be broad-based if implemented Roughly five out of six positions in the bureau’s supervision division, the part of the bureau that oversees bank’s compliance with federal banking and consumer protection laws, would be eliminated. Enforcement staff would drop by roughly four-fifths as well.

Stocks recover from early losses

BY DAMIAN J. TROISE Associated Press

NEW YORK — Stocks shook off an early stumble to finish with slim gains on Wall Street Thursday and close out their first winning week since the start of the Iran war

The early decline for stocks was driven by a surge in oil prices following a national address late Wednesday from President Donald Trump. He vowed the U.S. will continue to attack Iran and failed to offer a clear timetable for end-

ing the conflict in the Middle East. Oil prices eased slightly during the day, but still remain elevated well above $100 per barrel.

Crude oil prices have been the main force behind the sharp swings for stocks globally Shipping traffic has been severely curtailed in the Strait of Hormuz, where a fifth of the world’s traded oil passes through during peacetime.

The U.S. only relies on the Persian Gulf for a fraction of the oil it imports, but a disruption anywhere affects prices everywhere.

Airlines and other travel-related companies were among the biggest losers Thursday. United Airlines fell 3% and Carnival shed 3.5%.

Several big technology stocks gained ground to help counter losses elsewhere in the market. Intel jumped 4.9% and Advanced Micro Devices rose 3.5%. Treasury yields remained relatively steady in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to to 4.30% from 4.32%. Wall Street is worried that higher energy prices are adding to

already stubbornly high inflation. Rising fuel prices take a bigger chunk out of consumers’ wallets in several ways. Directly, gasoline prices in the U.S. have surged 36% from a month ago to average $4.08 per gallon, according to AAA. Indirectly, rising fuel prices tend to make a wide range of services and goods more expensive. Flights become more expensive as airlines raise ticket prices to offset rising fuel costs. Consumer goods become more expensive as shipping and transportation costs rise.

McDonald’s tries simpler approach

BY DEE-ANN DURBIN Associated Press

After two years of tweaks to its value menu, McDonald’s has a new strategy: keep it simple.

The fast-food giant’s budgetfocused McValue menu will have 10 items that each cost under $3 starting April 21 The breakfast items include hash browns or a Sausage McMuffin A small order of fries or a McDouble burger are among the options the rest of the day

Some of the items already cost less than $3 in some parts of the U.S., but others don’t. The standardized selection will replace McDonald’s current McValue menu, which lets customers choose from a limited array of $1 items if they purchase a regularpriced item. The shift to simpler value menu messaging and more flexibility follows similar by moves by rivals of McDonald’s In January, Taco Bell launched a Luxe Value Menu, which also features 10 items that cost $3 or less

BY BERNARD CONDON Associated Press

NEWYORK — A drone maker backed by President Donald Trump’s two oldest sons is trying to sell to Gulf countries while they are under attack by Iran and dependent on the U.S. military led by their father

The sales drive by Florida-based Powerus which announced a deal last month to bring aboard Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr — positions the company to potentially benefit from a war that their father began

“These countries are under enormous pressure to buy from the sons of the president so he will do what they want,” said Richard Painter, a former chief White House ethics lawyer under President George W.

Panera Bread introduced its first value menu in February, with 10 items priced at $4.99 each.

Wendy’s revamped its Biggie Deals value menu in January It now features $4 Biggie Bites, a $6 Biggie Bag and an $8 Biggie Bundle. KFC recently added $5 bowls to its U.S. menu.

Value menus are designed to offer customers more affordable options, even as fast-food companies also bring out higher-priced items like McDonald’s Big Arch burger or Burger King’s limitedtime Peppercorn BLT Whopper

Chains have emphasized value for several years to win back customers who were frustrated by food price inflation. Historically, prices for food away from home rise 3.5% per year but in 2023 they rose 7%, in 2024 they rose 4% and in 2025 they rose 3.8%, according to government figures.

“In all retail, including quickserve restaurants, ‘value’ has become a promotional expectation,” said Roger Beahm, an emeritus professor of marketing at Wake Forest University’s

Bush “This is going to be the first family of a president to make a lot of money off war a war he didn’t get the consent of Congress for.”

Powerus co-founder Brett Velicovich told The Associated Press that the company is making sales pitches that include drone demonstrations in several Gulf countries to show how its defensive drone interceptors could help them ward off Iranian attacks.

“Our team is doing many demos across the Middle East right now for our interceptors,” Velicovich said in an text exchange. “We have very incredible tech that can save lives.”

He declined to name the countries or give more details.

The Trump brothers’ deal with Powerus could give them sizable

School of Business.

In June 2024, McDonald’s introduced a $5 Meal Deal; it will add a $4 Breakfast Meal Deal on April 21. It debuted the McValue menu in January 2025, and last fall it brought out Extra Value Meals, which promise a 15% discount for a bundled meal compared to buying items individually “Value matters more than ever to our customers, and we take that responsibility seriously,”

Alyssa Buetikofer the chief marketing and customer experience officer for McDonald’s USA, told The Associated Press. Buetikofer said McDonald’s has improved customers’ perceptions of value and affordability since 2024. But the company decided to revamp its McValue menu after customers said they wanted more flexibility and better value in the morning. Half of the items on the under-$3 menu are breakfast items.

Scott Rodrick, a McDonald’s franchisee in California, praised the new strategy He thinks ordering will go more smoothly be-

cause customers will have fewer questions about the deals.

“The value proposition is super clear no deep explanation or mental gymnastics needed to understand where value is on my menu board,” Rodrick said.

Rodrick said the changes received broad support from franchisees and most U.S. stores will be offering them. Around 95% of McDonald’s U.S. stores are owned and operated by franchisees, who set their own pricing.

Fast food’s juggling act — investing in value through promotions and discounts while raising prices on some premium items appears to be paying off, according to Revenue Management Solutions, a restaurant consulting company

But the term “value” is at risk of overuse, Beahm said. Over time, the surprise-and-delight of a deal loses its appeal, and customers forget what they used to pay for certain products, he said. “If everything is always positioned as a value, then can anything really be a value?” Beahm said.

equity stakes. Their father, as commander in chief, launched the strikes with Israel against Iran over a month ago that began the war, the impetus for why these Gulf countries now need protection.

Powerus denied there were any conflicts when the Trump brothers’ stake was first announced. Velicovich emphasized its determination to help the U.S catch up with Chinese and Russian drone makers and beat them.

“We are at war, my friend, we are in an arms race and America will lose if we don’t build fast,” said Velicovich, an Army veteran who had come under fire from the same Russian drones now being used by Iran. He added, “We should be thankful anyone is trying to invest in American manufacturing now

That idea transcends politics.”

The president’s oldest sons have expanded their business interests beyond hotels and golf courses since their father took office again.

This latest Trump venture has its sights on $1.1 billion set aside by the Pentagon to build up a U.S. manufacturing base for armed drones to fill a hole left when the Trump administration banned such imports from China. The Trump Organization, where the two sons are executives, didn’t respond to a request for comment, but has dismissed claims of conflicts of interest in the past. The sons have said they didn’t get credit for their restraint in expanding their businesses in their father’s first term so have decided not to hold back much this time.

Trumpunveils 100% tariff on drugs

Ordertargets companiesthatdon’t reachdeals with administration

BY WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS Associated Press

NEW YORK President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday that couldslap longthreatenedpharmaceutical tariffs of up to 100% on some patented drugs from companies that don’t reachdealswith his administration in the coming months. Companies that havesigneda “most favored nation” pricing deal

andare actively building facilities in the U.S. to onshore production of patented pharmaceuticals and their ingredients will have a0% tariff. Forthose that don’thave a pricing deal but arebuilding such projectsinthe U.S.,a 20% tariff willapply butwill increase to 100% in fouryears.

Asenior administration official told reporters on apress call that companies still have months to negotiate before the 100% tariffs

3Mass. troopers pleadnot guilty in deathofrecruit

BY MICHAEL CASEY Associated Press

WORCESTER, Mass. Asupervisor and two instructors with aMassachusetts State Policetactical unit pleaded not guilty Thursday in the death of arecruit who suffered aconcussion duringa sparring session and blunt force injuries aday later in what investigators called an “unapproved and unsafe” boxing match.

Enrique Delgado-Garcia, 25, died at ahospital on Sept. 13, 2024, aday after undergoing a“medical crisis” and becoming unresponsive during adefensive tactics exercise in the boxing ring, authorities said at the time. Charges in these types of cases are exceedingly rare.

DavidMeier,an investigator appointed by Massachusetts’ attorney general, announced in February that the supervisor and the instructors in the police academy’sdefensivetactics unit were beingcharged with involuntary manslaughter and causingseriousbodily injury to aperson participating in training. The supervisor also was charged with perjury in connection with her grand jury testimony Meier had saidunsafe sparringsessions ledtothe trainee’sconcussion, adding he sustained “multiple blunt force injuries to the head

andmassive brainbleeding” aday later after academy staff failed to stop atraining boxing match.

Lt. Jennifer Penton,the supervisor and asergeant at thetime she was charged, along with Troopers Edwin Rodriguezand David Montanez, entered not guilty pleas to all charges before Worcester Superior Court Judge J. GavinReardon Jr Afourth trooper,Casey LaMonte, faces arraignment April 14.

In apacked courtroom, Penton, Rodriguez andMontanez stood together and responded “not guilty” as the charges were read. Across thecourtroom, relatives of Delgado-Garcia watched quietly.Ahandful of people outside court help up signs showing the trainee’sface andthe words, “Justice For Enrique.”

The three defendants were releasedonpersonal recognizance under several conditions including having no contact with potential witnesses in thecase.

Outside court, thefamily’s attorney,Mike Wilcox, said Thursday was “a difficult and long day” for DelgadoGarcia’srelatives, some seen holding back tears.

“They’ve been patient. They have been gracious through allthis. They have shown nothing but class,” Wilcox said.

Some claims against Justin Baldonitossed

NEW YORK Afederal judge in NewYorktossed outactor Blake Lively’ssexual harassment claims Thursday against actor Justin Baldoni over their roles in the movie “It Ends With Us,” but he left intact two retaliation claims. The written ruling by JudgeLewis J. Liman in Manhattan came after Lively sued Baldoni last December,alleging sexualharassment among over adozen claims against Baldoni and other parties.

Atrial is scheduled to start on May 18.A brief phone conferencewas conducted after Liman issued his ruling. On the call, lawyers discussed the processofjury selection for the trial

kick in —120 days for bigger companies, and 180 days for everyone else. The official, speaking on condition of anonymitytopreview the executive order before it was issued, did not identify any companies or drugs that were in jeopardy of getting hit with the increased tariffs but noted theadministration had already reached 17 pricing deals with major drugmakers, 13 of which have signed. In theorder,Trump wrotethat

he deemed suchactions necessary “to address the threatened impairment of thenational securityposed by imports of pharmaceuticals andpharmaceutical ingredients.” It arrivedonthe first anniversary of Trump’ssocalled Liberation Day,whenthe president unveiled sweeping new importtaxesonnearly everycountryinthe world that sent the stock market reeling. Those “Liberation Day” tariffs were among the du-

ties the SupremeCourt overturned in February Some warned of consequences of thecomingtariffs announced Thursday.Stephen J. Ubl, CEO of pharmaceutical company trade group PhRMA, said taxes “on cutting-edge medicines will increase costs and could jeopardize billions in U.S. investments.” He pointed to America’salready large footprint in biopharmaceutical manufacturing and noted medicines sourced from other countries “overwhelmingly come from reliableU.S. allies.”

9arrestedinrap labelkidnapping

Pooh Shiesty, 8 others accusedin contract dispute

BY JAMIE STENGLE Associated Press

DALLAS— Federal prosecutors on Thursday accused rapper Pooh Shiesty and eight others of robbing three men at gunpoint and kidnapping them earlier this year in Texas following acontract dispute involving rapper Gucci Mane’srecordlabel. TheU.S.Attorney’sOffice in Dallas declined to name thevictims andan indictment only refers to them by theirinitials.One victim, R.D., is described as theowner of 1017 Records, the label belonging to Gucci Mane,whose legal nameis Radric Delantic Davis “The victimsinthis case cametoDallas to conduct legitimate business andthey weremet with firearms and

violence,” Ryan Raybould, the U.S. attorney forthe Northern District of Texas, said at anews conference Thursday Publicists for Gucci Mane didn’t immediately respond to emailedrequests forcomment The allegedconfrontation happenedJan.10after the threevictimsflew to Dallas for what they thought was a business meeting, according to the federalindictment filedinthe Northern District of Texas. Prosecutors said Pooh Shiesty,whose legalis name Lontrell Williams Jr., arrangedthe meeting, allegedly to discuss the terms of his contract with 1017Records “Oncethese threemen wereinside the recording studio, Williams Jr.and eight co-conspirators—several of whom traveled from Memphis, Tennessee —executed acoordinated, armedtakeover,” said Raybould, who described Pooh Shiesty as

of robbing three men at

following acontractdispute involving Mane’slabel

the “ringleader of the conspiracy.”

He said eight of the nine were arrested Wednesday. In Tennessee, theFBI in Memphis said Wednesday that it went to ahomeinthe suburb of Cordova to serve court-ordered warrants.

Property records show it is owned by Pooh Shiesty Once thethree victims were inside the studio, Pooh Shiesty allegedly produced an AK-style pistol and forced one of them to sign a releasefromthe recording contract.

Baldoni and production companyWayfarer Studios hadcountersued Lively and herhusband, “Deadpool”actor Ryan Reynolds, accusing them of defamation andextortion.

Thejudge dismissed Baldoni’s claims last June. In his ruling,Liman determined that Lively was an independent contractor rather than an employee.Onthat basis, he said she was not entitled to bringsexual harassmentclaims underTitle VIIofthe Civil RightsAct of 1964.Thatlaw prohibits employment discrimination on various grounds, includinggender In an analysisofthe sexualharassment claims,the judge said Lively’sclaims had to be viewed in thecontext of the movietheywere working on.

contactthe

office of

&Associatesat504-468-1100 or contact@bohannanlaw.com 182917-April2-3,2t $182

possession of

Promissory Note originally in favor of Gulf CoastBankand Trust CompanyexecutedbyCarlos D’Bran,Jr.,dated January 4, 2013, in theoriginalloanamount of $151,210.00, please contactElizabeth CrowellPrice by mail at 1602 W.

Pope revives Holy Thursday ritual of foot-washing priests

By The Associated Press

ROME Pope Leo XIV washed the feet of 12 priests in the traditional Holy Thursday ritual, restoringa tradition his predecessor had broken by including laypeople and nonChristians in ceremonies at prisons, juvenile detention hallsand centers for asylum-seekers.

The priests included 11 ordained by Leo last year,along with the Rev Renzo Chiesa, the directorofthe Rome Diocese’sprimary seminary Leo poured water from agolden pitcher over the priests’feet before drying them with awhite cloth and bestowing akiss,inwhat the pontiff in his homily called a“gratuitous and humble gesture” that demonstrates “the true omnipotence of God.”

“Indeed, through this act,Jesus purifies not only our image of God –from the idolatry and blasphemy that havedistorted it –but also our image of humanity,” Leo said in his

homily inside theArchbasilicaofSt. JohnLateran,the official ecclesiastical seat of the pope as the bishop of Rome.

“For we tend to considerourselves powerful when wedominate, victorious when we destroy our equals, great when we are feared,”said the pontiff, who has been outspoken against war.“In contrast, as true God andtrueman,Christ offers us theexample of self-giving, service and love.”

The Holy Thursday foot-washing ceremony is ahallmark of every Holy Week and recalls the footwashing Jesus performed on his 12 apostlesatThe Last Supper together before he was crucified. Francis revolutionized the ritual for the Vatican byinsisting, from his first Holy Thursday as pope in 2013, that it include women and people of other faithsamong the 12. Previously, popes performed the ritual on Catholic men onlyatthe Rome basilica.

Leo’sdecision to restore the prominent place of priestsduring the ritualisbothareturntotradition anda gesture consistent with what seemstobehis effort toencourage Catholic clergy and reinforce his appreciation of their service.

Pope Francis often criticized priests and what he called the “clerical” culture that places priestsona pedestal,above thelaity.Francis believed such an attitude was responsible for the abuses of power and authorityepitomized by the clergy sexual abusecrisis.

Leo, though, has spoken out about the need to protect priests’ rights. He devoted his April prayer intentions to priests in crisis, those who have losthope because of loneliness, exhaustionordoubt

“Let them feeltheyare not mere functionariesorlonelyheroes, but beloved sons, humble andcherished disciples, and pastors sustained by the prayer of their people,” Leo said.

BY JENNIFER MCDERMOTT and ALISWENSON Associated Press

The EnvironmentalProtection Agency proposed Thursday to includemicroplasticsand pharmaceuticals on alist of contaminants in drinking water forthe first time, astepthatcouldlead to newlimits on those substances for water utilities.

EPAAdministrator LeeZeldin said they are responding to Americans whohave worried aboutplastics and pharmaceuticals in their drinkingwater

The gesture also aims to hand a win to Health

Secretary Robert F. KennedyJr.’s MAHA movement, which for months haspressured Zeldinto furthercrack down on environmental contaminants.

The EPA’sContaminant Candidate List identifies contaminants in drinking water not regulated underthe Safe Drinking Water Act. The agency is publishing the draft of thesixthversionofthe list, whichopens a60-day public comment period. It expects to finalize the list by mid-November

“I can’tthink of an issue that hitsclosertohomefor American familiesthanthe safety of their drinking water,” Zeldin said at EPA Headquarters. Studies have looked at the prevalence of microplastics in drinking water andinpeople’shearts, brains and testicles. Doctors and scientists are still assessing what it meansinterms of human health threats, but say there’scause for concern. There is also growing worry about pharmaceutical drugs that get into the water supply because humansexcrete them and

conventional wastewater treatment plantsfailtoremove them.

The EPAusesthe list to prioritize research, funding and regulatory decision making, but rarelymoves pollutants off the list to set limits for how much is allowed in public drinking water.The EPAsaid in Marchthatitwill notdevelop regulations forany of the nine pollutants fromthe list it most recently examined.

“It’s thebeginning of avery long process that routinelyends in nothing,” said Erik Olson,a senior attorney at the Natural Resources DefenseCouncil who workson drinking water protection Still, some who areurging the government to do more to stop plasticpollution say theannouncement is agood start.

“Including it in thelist wouldbe the first step toward eventually regulating microplastics in public water supplies andhopefullythis is notthe last step,” saidJudith Enck, aformer EPAregionaladministrator who now heads up Beyond Plastics.

Dr.Philip Landrigan, director of the Global Observatory on Planetary Health at Boston College, said that while theEPA is moving in therightdirection,ifthe United States doesnot rein in the accelerating growth in plasticproduction, which leadstoplasticpollution, it will makelittle difference. The U.S. is participating in talks on a treatytoaddressthe global crisis of plastic pollution, but strongly opposes limitsonplasticproduction Food &Water Watch says the listing is important but it ultimately falls short of their callfor monitoring. EPAuses the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule to collect data for contaminants that aresuspectedtobepresentin drinking water

The American Chemistry Council, an industry group, saiditsupportsmonitoring of microplastics in drinking water andresearch to better understand potentialimpacts, as long as the monitoring is standardized and consistent nationwide

Police: Video shows official stealing

Election will fill former School Board member’s seat

BY CLAIRE TAYLOR Staff writer

Broadening outreach

Desormeaux

Chad Desormeaux, the Lafayette Parish School Board member from Carencro who resigned Wednesday, was caught on video at a Carencro Super 1 Foods store self-checkout. He was not scanning some of his items valued at under $500, police said, and he was issued a misdemeanor summons to appear in court.

An election will be held to fill his unexpired term. He submitted his letter of resignation on Wednesday Desormeaux was elected in October 2023 to the District 2 seat, replacing Tommy Angelle, who could not run again because of term limits.

During the 2023 election, Desormeaux was a business development and operations specialist. He previously worked in the oil field industry and traveled around the country for work until about 12 or so years ago, when he said he wanted to be more involved in the community. He said he would represent the city with “class and dignity” during his campaign for the School Board seat.

Carencro has been his home for around 20 years. He is the father of four Desormeaux has an active TikTok page and he has previously said he and his family were involved in outreach programs like Love Our Schools. He also coached youth sports at Carencro Area Youth Sports Inc. and was a member of its board.

Contact Claire Taylor at ctaylor@theadvocate. com

Faith House expands with location next to Sheriff’s Office

BY JA’KORI MADISON Staff writer

A resource for domestic violence survivors in Lafayette is expanding to a bigger space in the heart of downtown.

Faith House Acadiana held a ribbon-cutting on Wednesday to mark the reopening of its Family Justice Center at 416 W. Main St., relocating to a larger space next to the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office.

The new facility is part of an ongoing partnership with the Sheriff’s Office allowing Faith House to operate out of a sheriff-owned building and improve access to services and coordination with law enforcement.

“I am proud to be entering into this partnership with Faith House and the Family Justice Center so they can broaden their outreach to survivors and their families,”

Sheriff Mark Garber said.

Kristen Boutte, director of Prevention and Development at Faith House, said the Family Justice Center provides a multidisciplinary team of professionals working together, under one roof, to effectively respond to domestic violence. The core concept is to provide one place where victims can go to talk to an advocate, plan for their safety interview with a police officer meet with a prosecutor, receive civil legal assistance and get information on shelter

“This gives people a place to go if they’re not in immediate danger, or if they have somewhere to stay but still need support,”

Boutte said. “They don’t have to be in hiding or in crisis to walk through our doors.”

Instead of navigating multiple agencies separately survivors can access many services in one location, particularly those who may not need emergency shelter or relocation but still need help navigating abusive situations. The opening comes at a critical time.

In February alone, Lafayette police responded to 212 domestic-related calls, which shows how frequently officers are called to situations involving violence at home.

In recent weeks, several incidents across Acadiana have highlighted how

See FAITH HOUSE, page 4B

TOP 20 UNDER 40

ä In partnership with The Acadiana Advocate, the705 is recognizing its annual Top 20 Under 40 Acadiana Leadership Award honorees, presented by Advancial Federal Credit Union. Honorees will be recognized at a banquet April 10 at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s Student Union Ballroom For tickets, visit bit.ly/20under40for2026

‘It’s really amazing work with amazing students’

For The Acadiana Advocate

Krystal Romero is an outreach representative for the Louisiana Department of Justice and a registered nurse at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center. She is a native of Lafayette. What are one or two of your greatest business and/or community achievements?

My two greatest community achievements occurred in 2023. In April, I organized a couple of fundraisers for Patrick Hardy, a friend who had spent years fundraising for St. Jude before his

one of my greatest community achievements has been helping individuals access the resources they need and narrowing the gap between challenges and solutions. I have guided students and community members toward opportunities that support their academic, personal and professional growth. This commitment to resource accessibility has allowed me to make a tangible difference in the lives of those I serve. My leadership within the Louisiana Educate Program has fostered a stronger

sense of belonging among students. By creating supportive structures and programming, I have helped students feel connected, valued and empowered to succeed. Building this inclusive environment has not only improved retention and performance but also strengthened the broader community I consider this work a meaningful achievement because it reflects both my dedication to individuals finding their

By hobbling FEMA,White Houserisks next Katrina

The Federal Emergency Management Agency helps Americans prepare for and recoverfrom disasters when statesand localitiesare unable to cover the financial and operational burdens.

But as disasters have become more frequent and severe, the Trump administration has been working to dismantle the agency and its resources, arguing that states should assume more responsibility.Through personnel cuts, elimination or alteration of grantprograms and new formulas that will restrict aid in thefuture, President Donald Trump’scampaign to make FEMA “go away” is setting the U.S. up for another catastrophe at the level of Hurricane Katrina. The strategy to dismantle FEMA has been multipronged. For starters, the administration is actively curtailing recovery and mitigation funding, with the most immediate impact felt in the restriction of federal disaster money.First, the administration dis-

mantled apopular grant program that paidfor disaster mitigation projects. Then it attached conditions to FEMA’s grants requiring state and local recipients to confirm they hadhelped enforce federal immigration law or risk losing all federal funds administered by theDepartment of Homeland Security

Both movesare currently being challengedin court because Congress appropriated the money and the executive branch cannot arbitrarily change the conditions.

Even with aid in place, the administration has made it more difficultfor FEMA to do its job.

So far,Trump has cutmore than 2,000 positions at FEMA through layoffs or early retirements. The number of peoplewho have been let go also includes the agency’s leadership. Acting administrator Cameron Hamilton was firedin early May after testifying before Congressthatthe agency should not be eliminated,and David Richardson stepped down in Novem-

berafter various controversies, including his response to the July Texasfloods. At the beginning of 2026, DHS announced more potential layoffs, with theagencyset to cancel multiyear contracts. A massive winterstorm that hit the Midwest, Northeast andSouthern states ledtoatemporary pause in the layoffs, but discussions on contract cancellations within the agency have nowresumed If that wasn’tenough, new recommendations to reshapethe agency would result in the loss of more than 12,000 positions. These recommendations come froma January 2025 executive order that created the FEMA Review Council. Per the order,the council’spurpose is to determine whether the agency needs“improvements or structural changes.”But Trump andhis now-former DHSSecretary Kristi Noem both stated earlyonthatthe real purpose was to “eliminate” FEMA, andNoem’s replacement, Markwayne Mullin, is notlikely to go against the president’swishes.

The council’sjourney has been a

Statecan’t afford to ignore warningsigns of seniors

When AI-assisted conversational tools were quietly deployed across multiple senior-serving environmentsinmetro New Orleans —including two senior housing communities, an additional elder site and dozens of low-income older adults living independently —the truth surfaced faster andclearer than anyone expected. Seniors across Louisianaare deteriorating quietly,and the state ispaying amassive financial penalty forpretendingnot to see it. Over just 64 days, older adults produced hundreds of real-timeemotional, behavioral and stability-related signals revealing what no stateagency, Medicaid program or public health systemiscurrently tracking:Louisiana has almost no meaningful visibility intothe day-to-daywell-being of its aging population. The technology detected early decline. Seniors lived the struggle daily.Louisiana’soversightsystems missed it entirely.And that absence of visibility is not neutral —itis costing the statemillions every year.

warningsigns that modern toolscan detect days or weeks in advance.

The state’saging and Medicaid systems still rely heavily on paperwork, outdated incident reports, occasional wellness checks, overburdened staff, stretched caregivers and residents self-reporting issues.

real roller coaster.Its recommendations were due on Nov.16. According to The NewYork Times, that deadline wasapparentlyextendedbecause thedraft report’scontentdid notmeet the administration’s approval. Noem was allegedly so unhappy that she was in the process of cutting the 100-page report down to 20 pages. But the real twistcame in December. The council was settovote on therecommendations when everything was unceremoniously canceled after CNN publishedan exclusive detailing thecontents of aleaked draft The main issue withTrump’s strategy is that shifting disaster costs to the states doesn’taccount for whethertheycan actually afford them. The National Association of Countieshas found that current FEMA reimbursement delays haveled local governments to eitherimplement austerity measures or seek temporary funding through loans or bond issuance. Eliminating aidentirely would hurt thesecommunities, especially ruralareas that lack the funding or staffing to maintainthe

operational capacity thefederal government once provided. Thankfully,FEMA hasbroad support in Congress,and there are efforts to keep it alive.The FEMA Act of 2025, bipartisan legislation advanced in theHouse, seekstoprotect theagency’sindependencewhile addressing some of itsmostcommon criticisms, like adifficult grant application process andcash-aid disbursementsthatare often slowand time-consuming. Abipartisan group of senatorsisalso gathering support fora plantorestructure FEMA Butunless these bipartisan efforts in Congress can rescue FEMA,Trump may gethis way andmakethe agency “go away.” By crippling FEMA’s capacity and shifting disaster costs to states, theadministration’s “federalretreat” risks acatastrophic failure in disaster response —one that would have been easytopredict. Matt Sedlar is aclimate analyst at the Center forEconomicand Policy Research,a think tank basedinWashington.

As an education leader, Iviewthe economic landscape of Louisiana not just through spreadsheets, but through thefutureofour students. Iamproud that ourstate is finally succeeding in securing development projectsthat are landing in communitiesacross our region.

Across three different senior environments, older adults revealed apattern of distress that nevershowsupinformal documentation. Seniorsdescribed persistent loneliness that directly predicts hospitalization risk, food insecuritythatnever reaches case files and addiction struggles that remain hidden until crisis.

In many cases, the earliest signsof mental health decline wentcompletely undetected. Frontline workers are overwhelmed, understaffed andtrying to do the impossible without real-time visibility They were not negligent; they were abandoned by outdated processes.

Meanwhile, the consequences of these missed signals show up unmistakably in emergency rooms, psychiatric admissions, EMS transports, long-term care placements, Adult Protective Services investigations and evencoronerreports. Louisiana isn’tpreventingcrises. Louisianaispaying for them.

If policymakers in Baton Rouge want to understand why Medicaid costscontinue to spiral, the explanation is painfully straightforward: The state waitsfor seniors to break, then spendspremiumdollars on avoidable emergencies.

Asingle fall can cost $15,000 to$40,000. Apsychiatricstay can run$6,000 to $12,000. Detoxepisodes exceed $4,500. Avoidable hospitalizationscommonly range from $18,000 to $32,000. These are notrare outliers. They are the predictable and expensive result of missingearly

The AI-assisted tools did what thesystem could not; they provided continuous distress trendlines, early frustration markers,food insecurity spikes, relapserisk signals, trauma-activation patterns, navigation confusion, emotional instability indicators and multiple early de-escalation moments. They produced real-time insights without adding tasks to staff already carrying unsustainable workloads. If this much need emerged from asmall sample of just over 60 older adults, the statewide implications are staggering. Louisiana has thousands of seniors in subsidized housing, tensofthousands on Medicaid waivers,hundreds of senior-living sites and countless older adults aging aloneacross ruralparishes.

Behavioral health needsgounreported every day

The state has no real-time distress monitoring system of any kind. If two months of data revealed hundreds of warning signs, the true statewide volumelikely reaches tens of thousands every quarter

This is notmerely abehavioral health challenge or ahousing concern. It is a statewide public healthemergency that Louisiana has never measured, managed or prepared for Louisiana now faces achoice: Continue pouringmillions into preventable crises or act decisively by adopting real-time distress monitoring, detecting emotional declinebefore crisis, preventing avoidable emergencies, modernizing oversight and bringing visibilitytoaging services

If Louisiana wants to protect seniors and reduce costs, real-time monitoring cannot remain optional. Hospitals have ICU monitors, airplanes have control systems and cars havedashboard indicators. Louisiana seniors currently have nothing. That must change.

Real-time insight into senior well-being is notaluxury —itisinfrastructure. Overdue, essential andunavoidable. The price of ignorance is too high. AndLouisiana has alreadypaid enough.

Eno Edetisthe founder of MyBestFriend, Inc

For that reason,I believe we must reconsider the pushback against the“secret”negotiations and nondisclosure agreements, or NDAs, utilized by Louisiana Economic Development. The result of these standard businesspractices hasbeen amassive investment wave, reportedly as large as $76 billion. While residents have valid questionsabout environmental impacts— questionsthat must be understood,answered and addressed by regulators— attacking the negotiation processitself is dangerously shortsighted.

How quickly some may forget that our state has added jobs and population at the slowest rate in the South over the lastdecade. Economic stagnation is not aneutral position; it is adecline

In central Louisiana —and Ibelieve it’s probably true for most areas of the state —wewant economic growth to arrive as quickly as possible.IfLouisiana wishes to reverse its sluggish trends and stem itspopulationout-migration, we must accept ahardreality: In high-stakes economic development, discretion is not aconspiracy —itisa competitive necessity

As an educator,Isee the human cost of this stagnation annually.Weinvest deeply in our students, equipping them with skills and degrees, only to watch many of them export thattalentacross state lines in pursuit of better opportunity. This “braindrain” is adirect result of aprevious failuretocompete aggressively

Corporations demand confidentialityduring site selectiontoprotect tradesecrets, prevent stock volatility and avoid speculative land inflation.

If Louisiana unilaterally demands full transparency beforeadeal is signed, we aren’tchanging the game;weare forfeiting it. Companies will simply take their billions —and thehigh-paying jobs that

accompany them—toTexas,Alabama or Tennessee. These competitorstates understand thatsilenceisoften the keytosecuring newcareers for their residents.

We believe in, andactively defend, the value of sunshine laws. However the recentarguments made about LED suggesteda binary choice: total transparencyortotal secrecy.This is afalse narrative

Current laws areworking to provide public commentand input at the appropriate time

We believe thatour state and local leadershaveagoodtrack record of seeking to secure investments with discretion, andthenproviding ample time for environmentaldue diligence before permits areissued. This distinction is keyfor an economy that is on the precipiceofmuch-neededjob gains.

We have long lamentedour lack of growth andthe loss of our brightest talent.

Now,facing a$76 billionpipeline of opportunity spanning from north to centraltosouth Louisiana, we are debating the opticsofmeetings rather thanthe value of results.

Louisiana faces achoice: Do we want to seesustained levels of job growth thatattract andretain people? On behalf of ournonpartisan policy organization, we support LED’saggressive approach to jobcreation to secure this lifeline forour state. If anything, it’s long overdue.

Heather Spillers Poole is the chancellorofCentral Louisiana Technical Community College and immediate past chairofLeaders fora Better Louisiana.

COMMENTARY

ISSUE OF THE WEEK THEMIDTERMS

With the midtermelectionsonthe horizon, both parties are tryingtogaugethe mood of voters.While Republicans worry many are fed up with the policies of President DonaldTrump,there are pitfalls forDemocrats as well.Trumphas been skilled at highlighting areas wherethe opposing party is out of step with the majority of Americans.With Trumpnot on the ballot, what will be animating voters as theygotothe polls and what messages will help turnout voters? Here are twoperspectives.

Theidea-free gladiatorial season,or, themidterms

NOMINEE, n. Amodest gentleman shrinking from the distinction of private life and diligently seeking the honorable obscurity of public office. —Ambrose Bierce, “The Devil’sDictionary” Candidates in this year’selections will soon be bouncing around like corn being popped. By November,the nation might long for arebirth of political reticence. In 1876, although Rutherford B. Hayes was Ohio’sgovernor and the Republicans’ presidential nominee, he doubted eventhe propriety of attending Ohio Day at the Philadelphia celebration of the nation’scentennial.Fifteen decadeslater,ambition is no longer demure. But what arecandidates ambitious to do? As politics has become more tribal, it has becomemore gladiatorial, and the satisfactionsofcatharsis —the expression of animosities —have supplanted expectationsofagendas for governing.

withouthim on the ballots in 2026, will hisvoters bestir themselves?

Trump, himself ahighly caffeinated creature, has been caffeine for the electorate: astimulant, who in 2024 upended the axiom that higher voter turnout is better for Democrats. Lastspring, David Shor,adata scientist, calculated that if more people had voted, Kamala Harris would have fared even worse. Trumpwould have won the popular votebyalmost five points instead of 1.4 points.

Democratsbewarned— Trumpknows theweakspots

George Will

Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan,aliberal with aconservative disposition (he thought conservatism is adisposition), once said, “Liberals are people who would like to see things improved, and conservatives are people whowould like to see things not worsened.” Today,many voters at both ends of theideological spectrum primarily want thesamething: to see the other side lose. Theoretically, people vote, then the resultshave consequences. Actually,today,voting is its own consequence: catharsis.

In this era of presidential dominance, voters thinking (if they do) about midterm congressional elections might wonder, what’sthe point? Adam J. White of the American Enterprise Institute writes that presidents use Congress inertia to justify their own assertiveness, “butthis gets the situation backwards. Thedefining fact of our era is: Congress won’tact, becausePresidents will.”

Today’spresidential dominance serves Republicans because their party’s raison d’être is nothing but subservience to thepresident. The Economic Innovation Group’sSarahEckhardt, Connor O’Brien and Ben Glasner reportthat in 2024 Trump received alarger portion of the vote than in 2020 in 90% of counties. But

Trump,however,will never again be on aballot. So, what is the foreseeable political residue of Trump, who, in his Louis XIV (“L’Etat, c’est moi”)mood, has said, accurately,“IamMAGA”?

AEI’sTimothy P. Carney has examined Pennsylvania and discerned arealignment —the working class becoming more Republican, upper-middle-class suburbanites becomemore Democratic —that is notsymmetrical:

TheDemocrats’ gains are largely from former Republicans switching parties out of disgustwithTrump.The Republicans’ gainsinclude many former blue-collar Democrats, but “more disaffected nonvoters coming out of political inactivity tovote for aonce-in-a-lifetime candidate.” Hence theasymmetry:

“Many of those former Republican voters are now firmly country club Democrats, while many of those working-class voters neverquitebecame Republicans —they weresimply Trumpvoters.”

Thus, whenTrumpdisappears, “the countryclub will still be very Democratic but the working-class Whites will go back to being missing Whitevoters.”

Now,never underestimate the Democrats’ ability to make asow’sear out of a silk purse. As an Israeli diplomat once said of the Palestinians, they never missanopportunity to miss an opportunity.Ifmany Democratic candidates try to pumpup deflatedhysterias —democracy is dying, the planet is frying —they can make themselves resemble a(to recycle a phrase) basket of deplorables. Failure is achoice.

Email George Will at georgewill@washpost.com.

Sure, the“No Kings” marches drew millionsrightly protesting Donald Trump’sassaultsonour democratic institutions. ButDemocrats must dig deeper and ask how Trumpcould actually win another term after trying to overturn the 2020 election results with aviolent attack on the Capitol. It wasn’tasthough most Americansadored him. Gallup’s approval rating for Trumponelection eve was asad 46%.

Trumpcarried the 2024 vote by playing theDemocrats on three issues that aggravate evenmoderate Americans. They are open borders, thedemonization of law enforcement and racial, ethnic and other preferences embodied in theDEI (diversity,equity and inclusion) movementbeing adopted by companies, schools and government agencies.

Trumpweaponized the mostinflammatorystatements coming from the fringe left. With themidterms on the horizon, he’sdoing it again with bait meantto provoke Democratsinto taking radical positions.

It helped them little that in 2024, Joe Biden had, in fact,secured the border Buthewaited until theend of his term after tolerating caravans of migrants surging intothe U.S. The U.S.-Mexico border had just seen arecord million migrant encounters in one year.The hesitancy left the strong impression that Biden acted only under political pressure. On immigration, Trumpseems intent on antagonizing Democrats with military-stylespectacles of migrants being roughed up, including many whoare fully documented. Gone wasthe sensible plan to deport those convicted of crimes and deal with otherwise law-abiding workers lacking papers in amore humanemanner

Andsowhat did Democrats do? They voted towithhold funding forthe Immigration and CustomsEnforcement agency until certain reforms were made. ICE enforces immigration law inside the U.S. Denying it the money to operate sounds alot like “defunding thepolice,” aslogan that cost Democrats seats in Congress and perhaps thepresidency While Republicans are in power,the desired changes won’tbemade. But as

long as Democrats cater to their radicals, they won’t winenough races to take that power away.Meanwhile, Trump has shrewdly downshifted on the ICE excesses in the cities, letting them fade from the news. As forracial and ethnic preferences, Trumphas crusaded against DEI. White males especially resent them, not without reason, and many others consider DEIincompatible with amerit-based democracy Biden wentoverboard on making race abasis forhires. His low point wasannouncing early on that his next Supreme Court nominee would be ablack woman.When the timecame, he named Ketanji BrownJackson.

Thing is, Jackson was asuperbly qualified candidate —magna cum laude from Harvard, clerkships fortwo federal judges and one supremecourt justice, service on both atrial court and appellate court, plus experience in private practice. By announcing that his choice had to be aBlack woman, Biden excluded Whites, Latinos, Asians and all men from acandidate pool in which Browncould wellhave prevailed on her own merits. Trumpgoads the left’sidentity-mongers to double-downonracial arguments —and entertained the racist right —by demonizing individual Blacks, notably individual Black women Social media flamethrowers will push Democrats to take positions hostile to moderate voters. Remember,partisans, their reward is getting attention. Your reward should be winning elections. To recap: Trumpwould not have won in 2024 had Democrats not helped him He exploited their refusal to secure the border earlier,fixation on identity (above all, that inexplicable obsession on transgender issues) and hostility toward law enforcement. That put Trumpover the top despite aclose popular vote and weak Democratic opponent. Democrats, Trumpknowsyour vulnerabilities. He’salready exploiting them to survive the midterms, which, without, he’sbasically toast.

Froma Harrop is on X, @FromaHarrop. Email her at fharrop@gmail.com.

Amazon reportedly seeks to buy Globalstar

Covington-based satellite telecom would seek to rival Starlink

BY RICH COLLINS Staff writer

Amazon is reportedly in talks to buy Covingtonbased satellite telecommunications company Globalstar, a deal that has the potential to reshape the northshore firm’s role in a space arms race between two of the world’s tech giants.

The Financial Times first reported Wednesday that Seattle-based Amazon is negotiating a purchase of Globalstar for up to $9 billion as it seeks to build a satellite business that will rival Starlink, a network of 10,000 satellites owned by Elon Musk’s company SpaceX Amazon is owned by Jeff Bezos, who also has a space company, Blue Origin. The development comes at a time of significant growth for Globalstar, which operates a network of satellites that power voice communications, data transmission and asset-tracking services for consumers, businesses and governments.

In 2022, Apple announced a partnership with Globalstar whose satellites power the iPhone’s Emergency SOS connectivity service. Apple has since invested more than $1.5 billion in the company In 2023, former Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs, a Silicon Valley luminary was named Globalstar’s CEO.

Over the past 12 months, Globalstar’s stock price has more than doubled. Following reports Wednesday of the potential sale to Amazon, its shares rose 12.3% in premarket trading. Globalstar and Amazon did not respond to requests for comment.

Tulane University Economist Peter Ricchiuti said the deal has “long been rumored and makes sense.”

“Globalstar’s coverage covers the globe, except for maybe a few penguins,” Ricchiuti said. “That’s a valuable and enviable position to be in.”

West Coast to Northshore Globalstar has been headquartered in Covington since 2010, but it began in

MELTON

Continued from page 1B

people of the community to grow both academically and personally I enjoy helping them navigate challenges, celebrate their progress and discover their potential. Every conversation, collaboration or selfimprovement feels like an investment in their future. Seeing people gain confidence and take ownership of their success is the most rewarding aspect of what I do. You lead a program supporting 150+ students with individualized coaching and support.What’s one barrier you see first-generation students face most often? And how do you help them overcome it?

ROMERO

Continued from page 1B

What’s your favorite thing about what you do for a living?

My favorite aspect is the direct impact on people’s lives. Whether I am providing bedside care at Lourdes or connecting individuals and communities with resources through the Louisiana Department of Justice, I am privileged to advocate for and support Louisianans during both everyday moments and times of crisis.

You’ve served through

supporting moth-

FAITH HOUSE

the early 1990s on the West Coast when semiconductor manufacturer Qualcomm and defense contractor Loral partnered to create a satellite communications service.

The partners launched their first satellites in 1998, but high costs and slow adoption of satellite phone technology led to a bankruptcy a few later In 2004, Denver-based private equity firm Thermo Capital Partners purchased Globalstar’s assets and, a few years later, moved its headquarters to Covington to take advantage of lower operating costs and Louisiana’s digital interactive media incentives and tax credits.

The move was celebrated a major economic development win for the state.

Thermo’s managing partner, Jay Monroe, is a Tulane graduate with a history of investing in and leading tech companies. He has served as Globalstar’s chair since 2004 and was CEO from 2005 until 2020.

For the next decade or so, Globalstar operated largely out of the spotlight, operating a network of low-orbit satellites that power connectivity for hikers, first responders, offshore energy workers and others without access to cell networks or standard phone service. In 2022, Globalstar caught the attention of the larger tech, telecommunications and aerospace industries when it partnered with Apple.

The company’s stock value has risen 265% since last March, when Jacobs joined

One barrier that I’ve noticed with the students that I’m serving is that a lot of times they don’t see themselves in the individuals, rooms or spaces that they’re being served in. And that’s one of the reasons why I’m very passionate about the work I’m doing and the time I take with each student. Many of them come from different walks of life. Some of them have had adverse childhood experiences, and when you enter a space where not everyone may have had that experience and you don’t know what the expected norm is, it could be very overwhelming. You can get discouraged and want to leave. In my line of work, I take time to get to know

ers and families, while now leading as Outreach Representative for the Louisiana Department of Justice How has your front-line experience shaped the way you lead people and programs?

Through my front-line experience, I’ve learned that every person has a unique story It’s always good to treat everyone with dignity and respect without judging their situation. You never know the circumstances that have led someone to where they are. I’ve also learned that, even when you cannot solve someone’s problem, listening matters. Making people feel seen and valued makes a difference. Leadership is not always about having

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, and other politicians in Covington to celebrate the opening of a new satellite control center in Globalstar’s 66,000-square-foot office building near Interstate 12 and North Causeway Boulevard. At the time, the company said it has about 160 employees in Louisiana and 400 worldwide.

“Credit for all this goes to Jay Monroe,” Ricchiuti said. “He has believed in the company and its stock through some very dark times.”

Hurdles still to clear

According to industry experts, Amazon is pursuing Globalstar because it is trying to build a network of more than 3,000 satellites to rival Starlink, which has roughly three times that many in operation.

Amazon, so far, has launched more than 200 satellites as it builds the network is has dubbed “Leo.” Globalstar has 180.

Ricchiuti said the deal still has to clear several hurdles before it is finalized. Globalstar’s relationship with Apple, which owns 20% of the local company, could potentially complicate things.

While it’s too soon to say what the sale would mean for Globalstar’s local presence, it would spell the end of local ownership of yet another publicly traded company in a state that has lost a steady stream of them over the past 30 years.

“If completed, another public company would be gone,” Ricchiuti said. “It’s now down to just a handful.”

each of my students, meet them where they are, and do anything I can to keep them. Because the longer you can retain a student, eventually they will obtain their four-year degree, and that’s the primary goal. While working in the Louisiana Educate Program, I’ve had a lot of students graduate over the years whom I still communicate with to this day Some of them are engineers. Some of them are teachers. They’re doing amazing things in the world. They’re serving their communities back in New Orleans, and some of them also remained in Lafayette and stayed after their degree programs. It’s really amazing work with amazing students.

the right words. It is about how you make people feel. And that is what they will remember most.

LOTTERY

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2026

Continued from page 1B

dangerous those situations can become, including a case involving a Youngsville mother and a 6-yearold child who were killed, as well as an attempted murder-suicide and another violent assault involving a machete.

“We’re trying to remove as many barriers as possible,” Boutte said. “When services are easier to access, people are more likely to reach out before things escalate.”

Need for support

In February, the organization provided more than 1,000 advocacy services, along with hundreds of legal advocacy and attorney services Survivors also relied on assistance with protective orders, transportation and referrals to community resources, reflecting the wide range of support needed beyond emergency intervention.

Boutte says these cases reflect an alarming pattern of violence that escalates quickly and sometimes can lead to death.

“One of the biggest challenges is that survivors have to go to different places for help,” Boutte said.

“That can be overwhelming and even dangerous. Here, we’re able to connect them with what they need right away.”

Boutte said the process typically begins with a call to a 24-hour crisis line, allowing staff to assess a survivor’s immediate needs and safety before connecting them to the center Once inside, survivors are guided through available resources based on their situation, whether that includes protective orders, counseling, support groups or assistance with basic needs.

All services provided through the Family Justice Center are free and confidential. By centralizing services, advocates hope to intervene earlier, before situ-

ations escalate into more serious or deadly outcomes.

“When we measure the success, for us, it is when someone is walking through the door,” Boutte said. “That first step is huge and that’s why this relocation with a space dedicated to the public matters.”

The collaboration also supports the Sheriff’s Office mission to reduce repeat incidents of violence by connecting survivors with resources that promote longterm safety and stability

“We sincerely thank the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office for their leadership and partnership. Their support in allowing us to use one of their facilities to deliver services underscores a shared mission to enhance safety, trust, and access to resources for our community,” said Faith House Executive Director Billi Lacombe.

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

Jay Johnson answered the question immediately, and then he paused.

Right now, he has no interest in becoming a Major League Baseball manager. He didn’t need to hesitate to reach that conclusion. But his thoughts on his future as it relates to the subject — whether he’d leave college for pro ball and follow in Tony Vitello’s footsteps — needed some extra thought.

“That’s at this time. Again, I haven’t been,” he said before taking a moment “I haven’t been offered an MLB job, is what I’ll say.”

Never during his conversation with reporters on Wednesday did Johnson rule out the possibility of a jump to the major leagues Before Vitello who left Tennes-

see — which faces LSU for a three-game series in Knoxville, Tennessee, beginning on Friday (4:30 p.m., SEC Network) — for the San Francisco Giants last fall, no college coach had made the leap to becoming an MLB manager without any experience coaching or playing in pro baseball.

If Johnson decided to leave college for the big leagues, he’d be following the same path as Vitello.

“It’s what made the Tony Vitello hire such a shock to people,” ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan said. “The Giants didn’t just hire a college coach. They hired a college coach who had no experience in professional baseball.

“And around the industry, there were a lot of people who looked at it and said, ‘Boy, that’s very interesting. That’s a little bit risky They must think that this is

a special type of leader,’ and, well, we’re about to find out.”

The start of Vitello’s tenure in San Francisco has had its ups and downs.

The Giants were 2-4 before their game Thursday night against the New York Mets. They were swept by the New York Yankees in their opening series, held to one run in three games before bouncing back with two wins over the San Diego Padres on the road.

And much like his time in Tennessee, Vitello has had his share of soundbites since he arrived in the big leagues.

“I can’t talk down to guys anymore, they’re my age,” Vitello quipped during an in-game interview on Fox “Or it feels like they’re close to it.” San Francisco has 155 games left to

BY TOYLOY BROWN III Staff writer

“What guys are out there?”

That was the question LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry posed to Heath Schroyer, the newly hired senior deputy athletic director Ausberry told reporters Monday that he wanted to lean on Schroyer’s basketball expertise to help decide on what avenue they should take with the men’s program. Before Schroyer left his position as athletic director of McNeese State, he coached college basketball for 12 years at four schools.

The next stage of the conversation centered on the need to rejuvenate the fan base. Ausberry said “apathy” had seeped in after a fourth consecutive season of missing the NCAA Tournament and a third bottom-two finish in the Southeastern Conference in four years. The only person the athletic department and the board of supervisors knew would energize people was former coach Will Wade.

“He fits what LSU is, he always did, I always felt it,” Ausberry

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

Harlem Berry couldn’t feel the speed. He was, though, close enough to see it back in September, when he watched from the sideline as coach Lane Kiffin’s fast-paced offense started to wear down the LSU defense.

Berry remembers that Ole Miss’ tempo forced linebacker Whit Weeks to vomit through his facemask and onto the field between plays. That clip circulated online not long after the Rebels beat the Tigers last season, and it popped back into Berry’s head last week, when LSU kicked off its first spring practice under Kiffin.

“This is a real fast offense,” he said Thursday It didn’t take long for Berry — a sophomore running back from New Orleans and former five-star recruit — to learn that lesson. He’s one of a handful of incumbent offensive players who decided to return to LSU through the coaching change that ended Brian Kelly’s tenure and started Kiffin’s.

So far, Kiffin has led the Tigers through five spring practices. He’s using the time to implement changes both stylistic and schematic none bigger, perhaps, than the speed at which the offense is supposed to operate.

No FBS team ran more plays in 2025 than Ole Miss, which finished the season ranked second nationally in total offense and 10th in scoring. LSU, on the other hand, ranked near the bottom of the FBS in all three of those categories. That’s one of the reasons Kiffin landed the job.

“It’s our job to set the tempo,” Kiffin said Tuesday “We get hired as coaches not just to draw up plays. We’ve got to set the tempo by the way that we work, by the standards that we have, by the habits that we develop.

“We show them. And then I believe that trickles down.”

Take the rushing attack, for example. LSU couldn’t control the pace of its

said. “I thought Will would be the one that brings energy back when he left here. Look at LSU basketball as a whole. You don’t see many banners. You look at the Dale Brown era. We had some hit and misses there. You know, John Brady went to a Final Four. But really, it wasn’t a rich basketball history That’s the culture we’re trying to

4:30

6

UConn, South Carolina meet again

BY DOUG FEINBERG AP basketball writer

PHOENIX Dawn Staley and Geno Auriemma have met on women’s basketball’s biggest stage the past few years with a national championship on the line.

Now they’ll play a game earlier as South Carolina and UConn tip off in the Final Four on Friday. UCLA and Texas play in the second national semifinal game of March Madness.

The Huskies and Gamecocks played last season for the title and UConn came away with an 82-59 rout for the school’s 12th national championship UConn also beat South Carolina during the 2024-25 regular season.

“This is a different South Carolina team than the one we played last year,” Auriemma said. “Our two wins against them last year don’t really mean anything going into tomorrow The way (the championship game) was played has no bearing on tomorrow They have added some really key pieces I think they’re a much better team than they were last year.”

The Gamecocks also feel last season’s games are in the past and don’t have much bearing on Friday’s rematch. The two teams didn’t play during the regular season for the first time in more than a decade.

“I just remember getting beat by 20, honestly,” South Carolina guard Raven Johnson said. “We got new players in This is their first time experiencing the Final Four I think Coach Staley, the other coaches, are doing a good job of keeping the main thing the main thing and keeping us ready when the moment is here.”

UConn has continued winning since the championship game, going 38-0 this season so far. They enter the Final Four undefeated for the ninth time and are riding a 54-game winning streak. Sensational sophomore Sarah Strong, who was honored as the AP Player of the Year on Thursday, is a big reason why

South Carolina coach Dawn Staley celebrates cutting down the net after South Carolina beat TCU in the Elite Eight on Monday in Sacramento, Calif.

Last

ride for Fudd

Azzi Fudd is trying not to think about how her UConn career will end this weekend either with another championship or a loss. She’s focused on staying in the moment.

The All-America guard will be a potential lottery pick in the WNBA draft in a few weeks.

“I feel like I’ve been kind of in denial thinking about how this is my last weekend I know, but I haven’t really accepted that yet,” said Fudd, who was the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four last year. “I’m really just trying to enjoy every single moment.

I’m trying not to think about that. I mean, I feel like this program has left such an impact on me, I can’t even begin. I don’t know I don’t

ä UConn vs South Carolina.

6 P.M. FRIDAy, ESPN

know I have no idea (smiling).” Fudd has been healthy this season and has been one of the faces of the tournament. She’s averaging 17.5 points while shooting 48.5% from the field, 45.5% from the 3-point line and 95.5% from the foul line.

“If we win tomorrow and if we win Sunday, Azzi will be crowned one of the greatest of all time. If we don’t win tomorrow and we don’t even get a chance to play on Sunday, she’s going to feel like this was a disappointing year for her,” Auriemma said. “I try to make it that it’s November don’t think about January Hey, it’s January,

don’t think about March. Let’s just enjoy what we’ve got right now.”

For the Hall of Fame coach, getting to the Final Four was all that Fudd had to really do “Once we won, once we beat Notre Dame to get here, to me Azzi’s job was done,” he said. “What happens here the next game, that’s all just bonus. ’Cause getting here is the hard part, you know?”

Not playing like freshmen

UConn’s Blanca Quinonez and South Carolina’s Agot Makeer have raised their play in the NCAA Tournament. Quinonez is averaging 17.3 points in the NCAAs — second to Strong. She also averaging 4.8 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 1.3 blocks. Auriemma has been impressed with her confidence.

“Her belief in herself I think is one of the things that separates her I think a lot of kids today, they don’t necessarily have that belief. They don’t necessarily have that level of confidence,” Auriemma said. “They walk around like they do, but they really don’t. Hers is real. I think it’s infectious, you know?”

Staley sees similar characteristics in Makeer, who had a careerhigh 18 points in the Elite Eight win over TCU.

“For us, Gotti thinks highly of herself and her talents, which she should,” Staley said. ‘I think that is the thing that propelled her to play like she’s playing, is she thinks very highly of herself.”

Both Quinonez and Makeer missed time this season with injuries. UConn’s young star had shoulder issues and Makeer had ankle problems and a concussion. Now they are healthy and playing well.

“I feel like my mindset changed. Starting in the SEC Tournament, I just started approaching games differently,” Makeer said. “And I feel like it wasn’t just one-dimensional thinking. I just wanted to go and do whatever I can to get the team to win. So just in this tournament, I’ve just thought whatever I can do to get this team a win is what I need to do.”

UCLA and Texas get Final Four rematch

BY JOHN MARSHALL AP sportswriter

PHOENIX UCLA’s bid to play for a first NCAA championship came to a harsh end with a blowout loss to eventual national champion UConn in the women’s Final Four The Bruins are back, along with the rest of last year’s Final Four teams, and hope to have better luck in the desert.

Standing in the way is Texas, the only team to be the beat them in what was otherwise a dominating season.

“For us, it’s just coming out ready to go,” UCLA guard Gabriela Jaquez said on Thursday “The main thing is being ready to play, coming out to get every loose ball, play as a team, just playing like we know how to play.” The Bruins (35-1) spent most of the season pushing around opponents, winning by an average of 20.9 points per game fifth nationally — on their way to a school record for wins. The Longhorns (35-3) became the bully when the teams met Nov 26 at the Players Era Championship in Las Vegas.

Texas’ physical guards harried the Bruins into a string of turnovers to lead by 20 at halftime and staved off UCLA’s late charge to win 76-65. UCLA also had a hard time getting the ball to All-American center Lauren Betts, who had a season-low eight points on just eight shots.

“Coming out with a certain level of aggression is important and I’m going to make sure I do that,” Betts said.

UCLA rebounded to beat Duke by 30 the next day, kicking off a school-record streak of 28 straight wins that included four double-digit

ä UCLA vs Texas. 8:30 P.M. FRIDAy ESPN

wins in the NCAA Tournament.

The Longhorns kept rolling, opening the season with 18 straight wins before consecutive setbacks at No. 5 LSU and No 4 South Carolina. The losses frustrated Texas coach Vic Schaefer, but his irritation peaked a month later with a 16-point loss at Vanderbilt that had him saying his team was “soft” and “had no heart.”

The Longhorns responded by dominating every team they went against after that, winning 12 straight games by an average of 26.5 points per game That included a 17-point win over South Carolina in the SEC tournament title game and four straight NCAA Tournament blowouts in which they allowed an average of 49.4 points per game.

Texas, in the Final Four for the fifth time, is seeking its first national championship since going undefeated in 1986.

“Right now they’re playing as good as any team I’ve ever had,” said Schaefer, in his fifth season as Texas’ coach.

Limiting turnovers

A huge key in Friday’s second Final Four game will be whether UCLA can handle Texas’ pressure.

The Longhorns hounded the Bruins into 20 turnovers, converting those into 18 points.

UCLA had similar problems taking care of the call against Duke in the Elite Eight, turning it over 12 times to trail at halftime for the second time this season. The Bruins rallied from the eight-point deficit to win 70-58 but finished with 18 turnovers.

practice on

the Women’s Final Four on Friday in Phoenix.

The Longhorns have big, physical guards who put constant pressure on ballhandlers, a big reason they force 22 turnovers per game.

All-American impact Another key will be the performance of the teams’ two first-team AP All-Americans. Betts had a dominating season, averaging 18.5 points and 7.6 rebounds while shooting 60.1% from the field to be named an All-American for the second straight season a year after becoming the program’s first women’s All-American.

She’s the fourth player in NCAA history with at least 600 points, 300 rebounds, 100 assists and 70 blocks in a season. Texas junior Madison Booker has the size of a forward at 6-foot-1, but the skills of a guard, making her a brutal matchup for any opposing team. Booker averaged 19.3 points on 51.6% shooting, 6.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists and led the team with 83 steals. She’s the only player in women’s NCAA history with at least 1,500 points, 900 assists, 600 rebounds and 350 steals.

Theegala, Rai to return to Zurich Classic tournament

The team of Sahith Theegala and Aaron Rai is returning to the Zurich Classic, tournament officials announced Thursday

This will be the fifth consecutive year that Theegala and Rai have competed at the event, which will be played at TPC of Louisiana April 23-26. It’s the second consecutive year Theegala and Rai have teamed together They finished in a tie for 18th in last year’s Zurich.

Theegala has been on a hot streak of late. He has recorded four top 10 finishes in his last four tournaments, including a tie for sixth in the Arnold Palmer Invitational and a tie for 10th at the Houston Open. He currently ranks 19th in FedExCup points and No. 71 in the World Golf Rankings.

Mickelson cites injury, pulls out of Masters

AUGUSTA,Ga.— Three-time champion Phil Mickelson withdrew from the Masters on Thursday, citing a personal health matter with his family that kept him out of all but one of the five LIV Golf events this year

“Unfortunately I will not play in the Masters Tournament next week and will be out for an extended period of time as my family continues to navigate a personal health matter,” Mickelson posted on social media.

Tiger Woods said Tuesday he was taking an indefinite leave to seek treatment after his arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence in a Feb. 27 crash in Florida. It will be the first time neither Woods nor Mickelson will be at the Masters since 1994.

UConn’s Strong named AP Player of the Year

PHOENIX Sarah Strong of UConn was named The Associated Press women’s basketball Player of the Year on Thursday after leading the Huskies to an undefeated season, setting the stage for a run to the Final Four Strong became just the fifth player to win the award in her sophomore year, joining Oklahoma’s Courtney Paris (2007), UConn stars Maya Moore (2009) and Breanna Stewart (2014), and USC’s JuJu Watkins, who won it last year The AP started giving out the award in 1995. It’s the 13th time that a Huskies player has won the award with Paige Bueckers being the last to do it before Strong in 2021. Strong received 25 votes from a national media panel.

Vanderbilt’s Ralph named AP Coach of the Year

PHOENIX Shea Ralph of Vanderbilt was named The Associated Press women’s basketball Coach of the Year on Thursday after turning the Commodores into one of the top teams in the nation.

Ralph led a team that returned just one starter to the most successful season in school history

The team went 29-5, with 13 of those wins coming in the regular season against a rugged Southeastern Conference schedule The Commodores finished tied for second in the conference, which matched the best finish in program history They earned a 2-seed in the NCAA Tournament and reached the Sweet 16.

Ralph received 23 votes from the 31-member national media panel that votes on the AP Top 25 each week.

LSU signee remains on amateur leaderboard

LSU signee Raegan Denton scrapped her way to an even-par 72 on Thursday, keeping her high on the leaderboard going into Saturday’s final round of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur

The Australian is at 5 under 139, in a tie for sixth place after two days at Champions Retreat Golf Club in Evans, Georgia, just outside Augusta. The top 30 and ties from the 72-player field advanced to Saturday’s final round at Augusta National Golf Club. Denton is six strokes back of Asterisk Talley, who finished as runner-up last year

LSU sophomore Rocio Tejedo shot a

Erathhurdler wantstokeep

winningand earn bragging rights

BY NEAL MCCLELLAND Contributing writer

Thebig goal forErath senior Sean Herrington, besideswinning another state championship, is simple —earning bragging rights over rival and close friend Terry Matthews of Acadiana Renaissance.

“I lost the indoor state title to my really good friend, Terry,and even though Ididn’tmind losingtohim, it kind of gave me motivation so I could beat him this outdoor season,” Harringtonsaid.

“I’m No. 1inthe state (outdoors) right now,inthe 110hurdles and the300 hurdlesand Iwould like to keep that up through therest of the season, and if Ibeat Terry in the process and at state Iwon’tbe disappointed.” Herrington has been spectacular in the outdoor season. Heset aschool record in the 110 hurdles and is just afractionofasecond off setting the 300 hurdles mark

SPRING

Continued from page1C

games last year in large part because it struggledtorun theball. More than 120 FBS teams rushed for more yards per game in 2025 than the Tigers did. Theirtop two ballcarriers finished withonly505 and 491 yards on the ground

Both of those runners —junior Caden Durham and Berry— decided to return to LSU. Kiffinand his staff needed to add depthbehind them, so they signed four transfer running backs: Dillin Jones from Wisconsin, Raycine Guillory from Utah, Stacy Gage from UCF and Rod Gainey from Charlotte. None of them have played in Kiffin’ssystem before, so they’re all using spring practicestoacclimate themselves to its fasterpace. KevinSmith —the running backs coach who followedKiffin from Ole Miss to LSU —wants them to work with asenseofurgency.Inportions of practice open to reporters, he’srun through drills himself, tucking aballand crashing through aset of tackling

SOFTBALL

Continued from page1C

made thingsinteresting after Troy racedout to a5-0 lead. With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Smith came off the bench to hit a two-run homer to right field.

Otto then hitano-doubt, tworunblast to left to force the Trojans to pull starting pitcherAbby

JOHNSON

Continued from page1C

play this season. Afew games in Apriland March don’tmean a whole lot in the bigger picture. However,Vitello’sexperiment is something Johnson will keep an eye on.

“I think it’scool. Ithink it’s awesome,” Johnson said. “I’m followingitclosely.That was my team. I’m from northern Californiaanyway “I’m very interested to seehow it goes.” Vitello’ssuccess, or lack thereof, won’tnecessarily determine Johnson’schances of becoming a major league managersomeday Johnson’srésumé is arguably stronger than Vitello’s, with two national championships in three years and having developed a trio of top-three MLB draft picks over the past three seasons. And even if Vitello’s hiring was unique, it followed an offseason trend of MLB teams taking highrisk bets on new managers.

Aweek before Thanksgiving, the Washington Nationals hired Blake Butera —a 33-year-old Metairie native —astheir new manager.His appointment made him the youngestmanager in thebig leagues since1972. Craig Stammen, an MLBrelief pitcher who retired as aplayer in 2023, was hired in November as thePadres’ manager despite having minimal coaching experience.

“I don’tknow this to be true. Andfrankly,I’m alittle hesitant to say it,” Passan said. “But when the Giants hired Tony Vitello, the first thing Ithought to myself was, ‘Boy,the (Los Angeles) Dodgers and their domi-

while also seeking theschool record in the200.

Butbeating Matthewsisonhis mindaswell.

In fact,they have afriendly wagerastowho willwin this year

Since Erath and ARCA are in the same district and region, the rivals will meet at the district meet and theregional meet

“Yes, he’smyfriend, but since we’rein the same district, same region, in same state, really for the rest of the year, Ijust want totry and beat him,” Harrington said.

Meanwhile,Vermilion Catholic senior Zoei Thibodeaux and freshman Kelsey Bomersbach have been burning up the track in the hurdlesand relays.

“I’ve done prettywell this year

I’ve placed in the top three in just abouteverythingI’ve run so far,” Thibodeaux said. “Butmygoal is to finishinthe top three(at) state andmake it on thewall at school.”

The senior credits alot of her success to her dad,Cody

“He’salwaysworking with me and pushing me to be my best,” she said Bomersbach has also been impressive in hersecondvarsity season, having competed last year as an eighthgrader when she finished third in the indoor hurdles andsecond in theoutdoor hurdles.

“There is alot of pressure competing in my age, but it’salso very exciting to be competing in my age,” she said. “I think my secret hasbeen stayingpositive even if I’d have abad day. Iknow Ican just put him behind me and move on to the next race.”

Anotherathlete who madeabig leap is North Vermillion sophomore Gage Wise,who finished second in the100 meters and in thelong jump.

“I just kept grinding because I had to break that fourth-place barrier,” Wise said.“AndI knowthat if Ikeep grinding, I’m just going to getbetter and better.”

WADE

Continued from page1C

overall record of 105-51, aSweet 16 appearance and an SEC regular-seasontitle in 2019.Wade, who was fired by LSU forcause in 2022 after an NCAA investigation, also displayed abravado that resonated with the sensibilities of LSU supporters.

“It takes abig personalityto coach in the SEC, and especially underthe spotlight of LSU,” Ausberry said at the news conference. “Wewant coaches who embrace theexpectationsand want them. Will is here forthe challenge.”

What also made Wade the perfect hire in the eyes of Ausberry Schroyer and LSU president Wade Rousse was the built-in familiarity. All three have arelationship with the Tigers’ coach.

Ausberry was asenior administrator in LSU’sathletic department during the entirety of Wade’sfirst stint. Rousse and Schroyerhired Wade at McNeese in 2023. They all preached how those tight connections breed alignment,which ledtostrong resultsatMcNeese.

dummies. That hands-on approach is new forsomeLSU players —but not forstaredgerusherPrincewill

Lovell for Cunningham, who walked two but ended the threat with two flyouts. The Cajunsslippedto20-17 overall and 3-7inleague play while the Trojansimproved to 23-12 and 5-5. Game two of the series is slated for 6p.m. Friday UL starting pitcherSage Hoover yielded an infield single off her glove to lead off thegame. Twoouts later,Cunningham hit the

nance are making organizations look at every single possibility of getting (an)edge or value, or one up.’Because winning in a universe where they exist, you have to takerisks.

“If we’re not going to be able to outspend them, andthey’ve shown an incredible abilityto develop players, where are some areas that we might be able to getalittle bit of an extra edge?”

In some respects, Vitello is a trailblazer for Johnson andelite college coaches like him. But he’s also notthe firstcoachto have managed at boththe collegiate and MLB levels.

Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy was the coach at Arizona State from 1994-2009 andled theSun Devils to four College WorldSeries appearances. Bobby Winkles won three national championships at ASU before managing the California Angels andOaklandAthletics in the1970s. Dick Howserwas the coach at Florida State for oneyear before becoming the manager of theYankees and aWorld Serieswinning manager for the Kansas City Royals in the 1980s.

Andcontractually,ifanMLB team ever wanted to hire Johnson, the club wouldn’tneed to buy out his contract at LSU. Johnson’snew deal, which he signed in July,includesa $7 million buyout if another college were to hire him before August. There is no mention of MLBnor probaseball in that section of the contract.

“That’sall they’re looking for:

Who’sa winner?”Passan said

“And if you’ve won at LSU, if you’ve wonnational championships, and if you’ve won SEC titles, andifyou’ve won these glossy items that say alot about your skills, then chances are an

Umanmielen,who’s oneoffour newTigerswho played forKiffin at Ole Miss. “I’ve justbeen trying to tell the

blast to left center Troy addedaninsurance run in thefifth when MakaleyBoswell walked,stole second andscored on Preston Ivey’s RBI double off reliever Lexie Delbrey. UL’s offense didn’t do much damage until the final four outsofthe game. UL hadrunners on cornersand one out in the first, but theTrojans’ defense foiled thedouble-steal ploy

ON DECK

WHO: LSU (20-10, 4-5 SEC) at Tennessee(19-10, 3-6) WHEN: 4:30 p.m.Friday WHERE: LindseyNelson Stadium

ONLINE/TV: SEC Network

RADIO: WDGL-FM, 98.1 (Baton Rouge); WWL-AM, 870 (New Orleans);KLWB-FM, 103.7 (Lafayette)

RANKINGS: LSU and Tennessee are not ranked by D1Baseball

PROBABLE STARTERS: LSU —RHP Casan Evans (2-1, 5.00 ERA); Tennessee— RHP Landon Mack (3-2, 3.89)

PREGAME UPDATES: theadvocate. com/lsu ON X: @KokiRiley

WHATTOWATCH FOR: LSU has trailed by at least fiveruns in its past twogames.The Tigers were down 7-0 to Kentucky before coming back to win 17-10, and theytrailed Southern6-1 on Tuesdaybefore blowing out the Jaguars, 16-6.Tennesseetook down AustinPeayonTuesday, 134, bouncing back from aseries of crushing defeats to Vanderbilt.The Volunteers gotwalkedoff three times in the series sweep.

KokiRiley

opportunity is going to come along at some point.”

Noneofthis means that Johnson’sdeparture forthe Chicago White Sox,Philadelphia Phillies or Seattle Mariners is aformality

Alongwithstating he wantsLSU to be “thebest program in the country forever,” he was quick to

“The way Ilook at this is what we hadatMcNeese, we did it on aregional scale,” Wade said. “We can take that sameformula with moreresources and moresupport just because of the financial aspect of it all… andmovethat to LSU,and we can makeusa national force.”

With theCowboys (2023-25), Wade ledthemtothe regular season and Southland Conference Tournament championships to earn an NCAA Tournament berth in each of his two seasons there. In his single season with NC State, the team went 20-14 and 10-8 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Wade hashad six20wincampaigns in his past seven seasons.

While thesuccessspeaksfor itself, Schroyer doesn’twant one other factor to be forgotten in why he has confidence in Wade. That’shis character “Will Wade treats people that can’thelp him better than anybody I’ve ever been around with his stature,” Schroyersaid. “He is aphenomenal human being. Youknow, all the stuff that you might read or hear,I’m just telling youbehind (thescenes), he is an unbelievable humanbeing.”

watching from the sideline as adefensive player.”

Before LSU’snew-look offense can play at Kiffin’spreferred pace, it needstofigure outhow to run the ball, and before it can figure out how to run the ball, it needs to set afirst-team offensive line. The Tigers are expected to hold position battlesatboththeir guard spots andatright tackle in preseason camp. On Thursday,inthe 20 minutes of practice open to reporters, LSU had Maryland transfer Aliou Bah and Ole Miss transfer Devin Harper at the guard spots in aquick red zone drill. Returning sophomore Weston Davis was at right tackle. Berry and Durham are expected to form a1-2 punch at running back. They’re still along way away from solidifying their roles in Kiffin’soffense.

But what they do knownow is that things are changing —and thattheyneed to condition themselves before they canmakethe adjustment.

guys on the offensive side that they better buckle up,” Umanmielen said, “because it’sgoing to be alot of fun forsure, especially

TheCajuns then gotsingles from MiaNorwood andKennedy Marceauxinthe fifth, but three fly-outssurrounded those hits to squash the attempt at arally to trail 5-0 heading into the bottom of thesixth inning. Hooverended up allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits, two walks and two strikeouts in fiveinnings and 98 pitches.

In thetop of the sixth, UL relieverJulianne Tiptonyieldedan

point out some major differences between pro andcollege baseball.

“It’sacompletely different game, though; it’sa different world,”Johnson said. “Ifpeople think college football andthe NFL aredifferent, like (MLB) and (college) and what goes on, it’sthe moon.”

MLB, in Johnson’sestimation, is geared toward rewarding individual success morethan team success. Given the competition for sparse jobsamongplayers and the game beingplayers’ livelihoods, Johnsonwould preferto workina leaguewhere it would be easier to promote aculture that is about theteam first

He also saidhebelievesthat MLB front offices, which are generally run by Ivy League graduates who are well-versed in baseball analytics, piece together the lineup each day instead of the manager.That dynamic is something he probably wouldn’tbeafan of

“You can ask Jake Brown how coachJohnson would feel if somebody was telling him what lineup we were doing,” Johnson said.

But the college game is still, at least arguably,closer to MLB nowthaneverbefore. Like in MLB, moneyhas become aprominentfactorincollege baseball. Thetransfer portal and NIL have made it more difficult to cultivate the kind of team-first environment that Johnson has tried to promote.

“I bet, and Idon’tknow this to be true,but if you ask coach Vitello,” Johnson said on theMik’d Up podcast with Mikie Mahtook andJared Mitchell on Wednesday,“all of the volatility (in college sports),all of that probably (played afactor)inhim deciding to go (to MLB).”

“This is different,” Berry said, “but we embrace it, and we’re working. We’re just trying to get in the best shape we can.”

RBI single to lefttoBoswell and a HuffmanRBI groundout. Troy starter Abby Lovell gave up atwo-run, pinch-hit home run to Emily Smith in the bottom of the sixth. She ended up giving up withfour runs on nine hits,three walksand twostrikeouts over 61/3 innings and 101 pitches.

Email KevinFoote at kfoote@ theadvocate.com.

College players have become moreprominent in theMLB draft Paul Skenes, Dylan Crews and Kade Andersonare just ahandful of college stars who have seen their stocks rise because of their collegiate success.

“I think the hiring of acollege coach to be abig-league manager is part of alarger evolution in the relationship between college baseball and Major League Baseball,”MLB commissioner RobManfred said in an interviewwithKNBR, alocal sports radio station in San Francisco. “The college programs, many of them, are really high quality They produce players that we draftinincreasing numbers everyyear

“So Idon’t think there’sanything unusual about the development that somebody whohas been tremendously successful at thecollege levelwould geta major league job.” Johnson and Vitello have exchangedwords sincethe latter coach left for San Francisco. Johnsonfirstcongratulated him on getting the job and complimented him on the work he did at Tennessee. Vitello eventually responded, saying “something to the effect of,‘I’m notgoing to miss seeing youfor awhile,’ ”before Johnsoncame backwith awitty observation.

“I was like, well, you just traded us forthe Dodgers.”

But the only trade stuckinLSU fans’ minds is whetherJohnson would deal the Tigers in for ashot at becoming an MLB manager For now,hesays he has no interest. The circumstances around him, however,are built to test his patience.

“We’ll see. Things change,” Johnson said. “But, right now,this is where I’m happy.”

The same but different BaileyZimmerman (“Fall in Love,” “Where It Ends,”“Rock and aHard Place”), consideredone of country music’sfastest-rising stars, bringshis “Different Night Same Rodeo Tour” to the Raising Cane’s River Center Arena at 7p.m. Friday. Tickets startat$45.35 at ticketmaster.com.

LIVING

23 fairs, festivalshappening in andaround BatonRouge andAcadianathisspring

It’s that perfect timein Louisiana —winter’schill has passed andsummer’sscorching temperatureshaven’tarrived just yet.Spring is the time to get outside and enjoy the state’sbeauty,culture and community

The following is acalendar of fairs and festivals in the Baton Rouge and Acadianaareas happening now through the endofMay

Don’tsee your event listed? Email the info to red@theadvocate.comand we’ll make sure to addit.

FRIDAY-SUNDAY, APRIL3-5

LOUISIANA LAONEW YEAR

CELEBRATION: WatThammarattanaram Temple, 7913Champa Ave., Broussard. Lanexang Village celebrates with live music, abeauty pageant, parades, sand castle building,kidsactivities, and several vendors selling clothes, jewelry,music and food from Southeast Asia. (337) 378-9469.

STAFF FILEPHOTO By SCOTT THRELKELD Strawberries from Carona Farmsare displayedfor sale during the 53rdPonchatoula Strawberry Festival at Memorial Park in Ponchatoula on April 12.

THURSDAY-SATURDAY, APRIL9-11

LOUISIANA RAILROAD DAYS FESTIVAL: DeQuincy Railroad Museum grounds, DeQuincy Celebrating the heritageof the railroad industry. Includes

aparade, food booths, craft booths, nonselling booths, carnival rides, Miss/Jr. pageanton Thursdaynight, gospel music on Fridaynight, and all-day musiconSaturday. https:// ä See FESTIVALS, page 6C

BY JUDYBERGERON

Staff writer

Legal Tour” as theAustin, Texas, nativecelebrated his18th birthday in July Tickets go on sale to the public starting Fridayat raisingcanesrivercenter com. Limit eight tickets per person. Myers, whose musical styleleansintoblues, rock, soul andcountry,released his second album, “Heavy On The Soul, last week through Records Nashville/ Columbia. Early releases from the recordinclude “Message to You,” “Leaving Carolina, Through a Screen,” “Come On Over,Baby” and“TwoTrains (feat. Marcus King).”

His2025 debut album, “The Se-

June 11 in Sidney, Maine, and wraps with aNov.21 stopinFort Worth,Texas. Myers’ other nearby concert will be Oct. 3 in Brandon, Miss. Supporting acts along the wayinclude Brent Cobb, Lanie Gardner and Benny G. “Inciting heartthrob-levelpan-

Baton Rouge-based brass

band The Michael Foster Project will open the spring season of Live After Five on Friday, April 10, at Rhorer Plazain downtownBaton Rouge.

The band blends jazz, funk, Latin, pop and hip-hop.

The six free outdoor concerts this season will run from 5p.m. to 8p.m. each Friday

“This spring’sLive After Five lineup is ahigh-energy Louisianashowcase that will bring great vibes and broad appeal to downtown each week,” J. Hover,managing director,saidina newsrelease.

Thelongest-standingconcert seriesinthe city also will feature: n April 17: Baton Rouge Blues Fest kickoff featuring Garry Burnside, son of legendary bluesartist R.L. Burnside;plus Doussan Garrett Benoit LeBlanc,aLouisianablues/rock supergroup formed by the four respective band leaders

Severalbands announced to headline Live AfterFive n April 24: Nathan&The Zydeco Cha Chas, legendary Louisiana zydeco trailblazers delivering accordion-driven, dancefloor-filling Creoleparty music n May 8: The Rumble, a Grammy-nominated NewOrleansfunkband blending Mardi Gras Indian tradition, brass and deep groove; plus, N’TUNE,a dynamic party band serving up crowd-pleasing hits, soulful vocals and nonstop dance energy ä See LIVE, page 6C

FRIDAY

LIVE MUSIC: CaneRiver Pecan CompanyPie Bar, New Iberia, 5p.m.

DUSTIN SONNIER: CafeSydnie Mae, Breaux Bridge, 6p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Naq’s-n-Duson, Duson, 6p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Jim Deggy’s Brick Oven Pizza&Brewery,Lafayette, 6p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: CharleyG’s Seafood Grill, Lafayette,6 p.m.

SAYLOR BRASSEAUX: Adopted Dog Brewing, Lafayette, 6p.m.

NICKI NEEDHAM: SHUCKS!, Abbeville, 6:30 p.m.

ALEX TOUCHET: Silver Slipper, Arnaudville, 7p.m

ALPHONSE ARDOIN ANDTHE ZYDECO KINGS: Hideaway on Lee, Lafayette, 7p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: The Barrel of Broussard, Broussard, 8p.m.

SATURDAY

DON FONTENOTBAND: Fred’s, Mamou, 8a.m.

CAJUN JAM: MoncusPark, Lafayette,9a.m.

SATURDAY MORNING JAM

SESSIONS: The Savoy Music

FESTIVALS

Continued from page5C

larailroaddaysfestival.com/. FRIDAY-SUNDAY, APRIL10-12

PONCHATOULASTRAWBERRY

FESTIVAL: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday, 9a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday and 9a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday, Memorial Park, 301 N. Sixth St. Livemusic including Paperchase, Kings of Neon Mothership, ThomasCain, Rouge Kreweand Swampland Revival. Food and drink booths featuring strawberry as well as savory treats. Parade rolls at 9:30 a.m. Saturday. Plus, contests, rides and more. https://www.lastrawberryfestival.com/. BOOKS ALONG THE TECHE

LITERARYFESTIVAL: various venues, New Iberia. Focusing on Great SouthernWriters, this year with Rick Bragg and highlighting Iberia Parish authors and others whowrite about the unique cultureof Louisiana. Cooking demos, workshops on writing, book fair, receptions, poetry music, children’s activities Cajun dance lessons and more. https://booksalongthetecheliteraryfestival.com/ or (337) 606-5977.

BOUDIN FESTIVAL: 125 Lions Club Road, Scott. Live entertainment and music, local food vendors, queen’s pageant, children’s pageant crafts, fireworks, Sunday family dayand SundayMass on the festival grounds. scottboudinfestival.com.

SATURDAY,APRIL 11

BATONROUGE MARGARITA

FESTIVAL: noon-6 p.m., Court

To Table Kitchen &Bar, 7477 Burbank Drive.Margarita tasting contest, liveDJ, food vendors, beergarden and a trip giveaway. The winning barorrestaurant gets $1,000. Aportion of the proceeds supports children’s charities. Nonsampling admission $25.79; sampling admission, $55.92; VIPsampling,$72.97. eventbrite.com.

FRIDAY-SATURDAY, APRIL17-18

BATONROUGE BLUES FESTI-

VAL: Along North Boulevard, downtown. Celebrating the blues and all the genresit inspired, this year’s headliners will be KennyNeal, Chris Thomas King, Chris LeBlanc, Jovin Webb and Jonathon “Boogie” Long. Free admission, but VIP tickets also available. The festival’s first dayoffers ahalf-dayofshows on two stages. www.brblues.org.

FRIDAY-SUNDAY, APRIL17-19

EL FESTIVAL ESPANOL DE

NUEVAIBERIA: Bouligny Plaza/Steamboat Pavilion, 102 W. Main St., NewIberia Celebrat ingthe founding of New Iberiabythe Spanish with gala, “Running of the Bulls” dog-friendly 5K/1mile fun run, parade,paella/tapas/ jambalaya cook-off, Spanish dessert bake-off, Spanish re-enactment, Spanish family genealogy displays livemusic, arts and crafts show, Spanish dance lessons, visiting royaltypaella eating contest, children’s tent and Mass. (337) 349-7343.

LA FETE DU MONDE: Behind the Louisiana Cajun BayouTourist Center, Raceland. Also known as the Lockport Food Festival, the event offers authentic Cajun food, amusement rides and games for all ages, livemusic, dancing and apageant.

SATURDAY,APRIL 18

CAJUN TWOSTEP FESTIVAL: 1211 Service Road, Kentwood Hosted by social media sensation StaleKracker,the high-energy celebration of bayouculturefeatures the

food Grill, Lafayette, 6p.m

LIVE MUSIC: Jim Deggy’s Brick

Oven Pizza&Brewery,Lafayette, 6p.m

LIVE MUSIC: Prejean’s,Broussard, 6p.m

SUGAR JAMFEATURING

DUSTIN SONNIER: Sugar Mill Pond, Youngsville, 6p.m

KIPSONNIER: SHUCKS!, Abbeville, 6:30 p.m.

JOSH TAYLOR: TapRoom, Youngsville, 6:30 p.m.

Center,Eunice,9 a.m.

CAJUN JAM: TanteMarie, Breaux Bridge, 11 a.m. MUSIC MOSAIC —AYEAROF SOUND AND PLACE —SPECKLERS: Children’sMuseum of Acadiana, Lafayette, noon CAJUN FRENCH MUSIC JAM: Vermilionville LivingHistory Museum&Folklife Park Lafayette, 1p.m.

KEITH FRANKAND THESO-

LIEAUZYDECO BAND: WarehouseFiveThree Five/Rhum Room, Lafayette,6 p.m VOID PLUS PHANTOM, INTERCEPTOR, LABYRINTH AND ETERNITY.: Feed NSeed, Lafayette, 6p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: CharleyG’s Sea-

DAMON TROY: Silver Slipper, Arnaudville, 7p.m

GARRETT ROSEN COMBO: Whiskeyand Vine,Lafayette, 7p.m

K.C. JONES +LEAH GRAEFF: HideawayonLee, Lafayette, 7p.m

4-HORSES: La PoussiereCajun Dancehall, Breaux Bridge, 8p.m

GENO DELAFOSE &FRENCH

ROCKIN’ BOOGIE: Lakeview Park,Eunice, 8p.m

NICK BEGNAUD: The Barrel of Broussard, Broussard, 8p.m

GROOVE UNIT: Toby’s Lounge, Opelousas, 8:30 p.m.

THREE THIRTY SEVEN: Rock ‘n’ Bowl de Lafayette, Lafayette,

Henderson,

on Preston Cangelosi’sface as RileyAvants holdshis hair during last year’sDenham Springs Spring Festival in the Antique Village.

SCCALouisiana State Championship crawfish cook-off, all-you-can-eat seafood, live Cajun and zydeco music, activitiesfor kids andlocal vendor booths.thecajuntwostep.com.

WEDNESDAY-SUNDAY, APRIL22-26

FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DE LOUISIANE: downtownLafayette. It’s the 40th year for this cultural celebration featuring music from around theworld, gourmet food, handcrafted artworksand more. Free admission. https://www festivalinternational.org/

THURSDAY-SATURDAY, APRIL23-25

ÉTOUFFÉEFESTIVAL: 370 Main St., Arnaudville. Thefamilyfriendly celebration offers a pageant, carnival rides, live music, and booths. Check out the5Krun, étoufféecook-off, auto showand bingo for all ages. 5p.m.-10 p.m. Thursdayand Friday,and 11 a.m.10 p.m.Saturday.arnaudvillecatholic.org.

FRIDAY-SUNDAY, APRIL24-26

ITALIAN FESTIVAL: Next to the CityHall, U.S. 51, Tickfaw. Italian food,livemusic, carnival rides and games from Gold Star Amusement, parade at 10:30 a.m.Saturday, tomato toss. https://www.theitalianfestivalorg.com/

SATURDAY,APRIL 25

SPRING FESTIVAL: Antique Village, North Range Avenue, downtownDenham Springs. Hundreds of vendors,games, kiddierides, food booths, antique shopping, art exhibits, OldCityHall exhibits and music at the OldTrain Station. denhamspringsantiquedstrict.net.

SUNDAY,APRIL 26

FLAVORS OF LOUISIANA: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. CapitolPark Museum, 660 N. FourthSt., Baton Rouge. This is anew culinary and cultural event celebrating food, music and community, with an “Anything Over Rice” cook-off, tastings,livemusic and aLouisiana vendormarketplace. Tickets start at $5 for museum members and$10 for general admission, available for purchase at www.capitolparkfriends org/fola.Proceeds support the Friendsofthe CapitolPark Museum.

FRIDAY-SUNDAY, MAY1-3

CRAWFISH FESTIVAL: Parc Hardy,1290 Rees St., Breaux Bridge. This world-famous festivalhas been around since 1960. Dancing to the sounds ofCajun, zydecoand swamppop music on three stages, crawfish cooked all sorts of waysbyfood vendors, dancecontest, crawfisheating contest, crawfish races, Cajun dancelessons, crawfish etouffee cookout,

9p.m

SUNDAY

THE SUNDAY PEOPLE: Whis-

key&Vine, Lafayette, 11 a.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Tante Marie, Breaux Bridge, 11 a.m.

JAMBALAYA ACOUSTIC MUSIC

JAM: Tom’sFiddle &Bow, Arnaudville, 12:30 p.m.

BALDUDIMANCHE— ŒUVAL: Vermilionville Living History Museum &Folklife Park, Lafayette, 1p.m

CAJUN JAM: BayouTeche Brewing, Arnaudville, 2p.m

LIVE MUSIC: Charley G’sSeafood Grill, Lafayette, 6p.m

CEDRIC WATSON: Hideaway on Lee, Lafayette, 7p.m

MONDAY

PATRICIO LATINO SOLO: Cafe Habana City,Lafayette, 11 a.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Charley G’sSeafood Grill, Lafayette, 6p.m

BLUEGRASSJAM: Cité des Arts, Lafayette, 6:30 p.m.

TUESDAY

KID’SCAJUN JAMNIGHT: Buck &Johnny’s, Breaux Bridge,

6p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: CharleyG’s Seafood Grill, Lafayette, 6p.m.

TERRYHUVAL &FRIENDS: Prejean’s Restaurant,Lafayette, 6p.m.

GREENLIGHTSESSIONSOPEN

MIC: The Jefferson Street Greenroom, Lafayette, 7p.m.

WEDNESDAY DULCIMERJAM: St. Landry VisitorCenter,Opelousas, 10 a.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Park Bistro, Lafayette, 6p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: CharleyG’s Seafood Grill, Lafayette, 6p.m.

WANTED WEDNESDAY KARAOKE NIGHT: The Barrel of Broussard, Broussard, 6p.m.

PAUL PIAZZA: TapRoom, Youngsville,6:30 p.m

MADELEINEKELSON AND REMI GOODE: NUNU Gallery

Arnaudville, 7:30 p.m

CAJUN JAM: Blue Moon Saloon, Lafayette, 8p.m.

THURSDAY

LADIESNIGHT WITH DJ DONOVANINTHE MIX: Cowboys Nightclub, Scott, 6p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Naq’s-n-Duson, Duson, 6p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: CharleyG’s Seafood Grill, Lafayette, 6p.m.

ACADIANA TALENT SHOWCASE —PARTY ON THE PATIO: DowntownLafayette, 6:30 p.m

GLENN HIMELDUO —MUSIC

MASTERS: Buck &Johnny’s, BreauxBridge,6:30 p.m

TROUBADOURS: SHUCKS!, Abbeville,6:30 p.m

THE HAS BEANS: Hideawayon Lee, Lafayette, 7p.m.

KENT AND JAMES’ JAMBOX FEATURINGKENT BEATTY, JAMESADKINS, MICHAEL SCOTTBOUDREAUX,AND MORE: Blue Moon Saloon, Lafayette, 8p.m.

KARAOKE PARTY—PANDA

ENTERTAINMENT: Black Bull, Youngsville,8p.m.

CompiledbyMarchaund Jones.Want yourvenue’s music listed? Email info/ photos to showstowatch@ theadvocate.com. The deadline is noon FRIDAY forthe following Friday’s paper

Anotherentry in ‘Hosts who soundsuper funtobearound’

Dear Miss Manners: Iamretired andhave millionsof dollars. Trust me.

you lovingly bake something forour gardeners?”

because you are too rich to need anything is not agood look.

parade, arts &crafts booths and carnival. bbcrawfest.com.

THURSDAY-SATURDAY, MAY7-9

BOGGY BAYOUFESTIVAL: 4473 Heritage Road, Pine Prairie. Livemusic, food, arts and crafts vendors, carnival rides, aparade and mutton bustin’ Proceeds go directly to Prairie ManorNursing Home, helping provide itemsand support for its residents. www.boggybayoufestival.com.

RAYNE FROG FESTIVAL: 300 Frog FestivalDrive, Rayne.Parade, carnival rides, livemusic, frog etiquette eating contest, frog legquantityeating contest, frog croaking contest, arts and crafts, diaper derby pageant,frogderby, queen contest, frog jumping contest, kidsareawithfreeactivities, and afrogkissing booth https://www.raynechamber. net/coming-soon-03.

FRIDAY-SUNDAY, MAY8-10

COCHON DE LAIT FESTIVAL: 1832 L’Eglise St., Mansura. Plenty of the namesakedish, the famous cochondelait (French forroast suckling pig),along with music, arts & crafts, queens’ pageant, rides and food vendors. cochondelaitfestival.com.

THURSDAY-SUNDAY, MAY21-24

JAMBALAYA FESTIVAL: LamarDixon Expo Center, 9039 S. St Landry Ave.,Gonzales. Carnivalrides,games, livemusic, jambalaya cook-off, food vendors, and arts and crafts. jambalayafestival.net.

FRIDAY-SUNDAY, MAY22-31

CAJUN HEARTLAND STATE FAIR: 444 Cajundome Blvd., Lafayette. This kick-off to summer features rides, food, craft vendors, free attractions and family-oriented games. Admission is $5 Sunday-Thursday and before7 p.m. Friday-Saturday, $10 after 7p.m. FridaySaturday. cajundome.com.

SATURDAY,MAY 23

LUNCHBOXCOMEDYFESTIVAL IV: 10 a.m.-10 p.m.,Cabin & CourtyardEvents, Gonzales. Event will feature25-plus comedians, 20-plus vendors, four full comedy shows,live band, reptile petting zooand hotdog eating competition All-daypass, $25; VIP pass, $40. eventbrite.com.

SATURDAY-SUNDAY, MAY23-24

BATONROUGE SOUL FOOD FESTIVAL: 11 a.m.-8 p.m.,Main Library at Goodwood, 7711 Goodwood Blvd. Featuring blues, soul, R&B, gospel and Christian music, along with a vendors’ village, ajudgedsoul food cooking contest, and new this year —amustardgreens and cornbread eating competition. Free. https://hitcitydigital. wixsite.com/brsoulfoodfest.

We tell people who are coming for dinner: DO NOT BRING ANYTHING. In fact, I have amemo that makes it incredibly clear that this is exactly what we mean.But some a-holes bring somethinganyway.The response from meisvery unpleasant,and then my husband getsall uncomfortable.

Judith Martin MISS MANNERS

We do not need crap brought by guests. We have afull-timechef, and we have planned every aspect of the meal. When someonebrings something, it goes straight to the shed where our gardeners have their lunch. Itell people, “If you insist on bringing food, it is going straight to thegardeners. Why would

Or people bring ONE BOTTLE of wine, which is absolutely useless. We entertain; unless you are bringing acase, you are wasting your timeand ours. In the old days, we would end up with twodozen INDIVIDUALbottles of wine. What am I supposed to do with those?

Getmypoint? NO GIFTS meansNOGIFTS. Why can’tpeople follow aclear and direct request?

Gentle reader: For the same reason that, even though Miss Manners does not much care foryou, she would never say it. Because it is rude.

Certainly it can be annoying when people bring unwanted itemsto aplanned dinner party, but screaming NO GIFTS

TODAYINHISTORY

By The Associated Press

Today is Friday,April 3, the93rd day of 2026. There are 272 days left in the year

Todayinhistory: On April 3, 1996, Theodore Kaczynski, the Harvard-educated mathematician known as the Unabomber,was arrested at aremote Montana cabin by FBI agents.From his off-the-grid location, Kaczynski waged a17-year bombing campaign that killed three people and injured 23 others, permanently maimingseveral of his victims. (He died in prison on June 10, 2023, at age 81.)

Also on this date: In 1860, thefirst PonyExpress mail delivery rides began, one heading west from St. Joseph, Missouri, and one heading east from Sacramento, California. In 1882, outlaw Jesse James was shot and killed in St. Joseph, Missouri, by Robert Ford, amember of James’ gang.

MYERS

Continuedfrom page5C

Bowen, OldDominion, Tim McGraw and Willie Nelson, among others.”

In 1936, Bruno Richard Hauptmann waselectrocuted in Trenton, NewJersey,for the 1932 kidnapmurder of 20-month-old Charles Lindbergh Jr

In 1944, the U.S. SupremeCourt, in Smith v. Allwright, struck downa Democratic Party of Texas rule that allowed only White voters to participate in Democratic primaries.

In 1968, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr delivered what was to be his final speech, telling a rally of striking sanitation workers in Memphis, Tennessee, “I’ve been to the mountaintop. …I’ve seen the Promised Land. Imay not get there with you. But Iwant you to know tonight that we,asapeople, will get to the Promised Land!”

(The following day,King waskilled by an assassin’s bullet at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis.)

In 2009, agunman opened fire on aroom where immigrants were taking aU.S. citizenship exam in Binghamton, New

But perhaps you are putting her on. She certainly hopes so. Because she prefers not to believe that anyone whocalls her guests names, is openly unpleasant to them,routinely makes her spouse uncomfortable and thinks their employees undeserving of lovingly madebaked goods could possibly be real. Either way,she is going to go find an INDIVIDUAL bottle of wine and drink it. Look, she found ause forit.

Sendquestions to Miss Manners at herwebsite, www.missmanners. com; to heremail, dearmissmanners@gmail. com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.

York, killing 13 people before taking his own life. In 2022, shooters opened fire in California’scapital city of Sacramento, killing six people and wounding 12 as bars closed forthe night in the city’sdowntown. (Three suspects were arrested in connection with the shootings; one died in jail in 2024.) Today’sbirthdays: Actor Marsha Masonis84. Singer Wayne Newtonis84. SingerTonyOrlando is 82. Singer-songwriterRichard Thompson is 77. Actor AlecBaldwin is 68.Actor David Hyde Pierce is 67. Actor-comedian Eddie Murphy is 65. Celebrity chef CatCorais59. Olympic skiing gold medalist PicaboStreet is 55.Actor Jennie Garth is 54. Actor AdamScottis53. Football Hall of Famer Jared Allenis44. ActorCobie Smulders is 44. Singer LeonaLewis is 41.ActorcomedianRachel Bloom is 39. Modeland actor Paris Jacksonis28. Actor Elsie Fisheris23.

With 1.2 billion-plus global streams to date, Myers gained career traction on Spotify,and recently was chosen for Spotify’sRadar program.It’s“an initiative created to spotlight up-andcoming music talent, giving them an opportunity to broaden theirfanbase and supporting them on their path to superstardom,” the release also states. Other artists who have participated in theRadar program includeReneé Rapp, Peso Pluma, Sexyy Red, Zach Bryan —who will be performing in LSU’s Tiger Stadium on Saturday night —and more than 900 others. Visit www.tymyersmusic. com formore information.

Email Judy Bergeron at jbergeron@theadvocate. com.

LIVE

Continuedfrom page5C

n May 15:Big Sam’s Funky Nation, an explosive New Orleans powerhouse led by trombone giant Big

SamWilliams; plus,Ambush ReggaeBand, an oldschool rootsreggaeband bringing deep grooves and nonstop island vibes

n May 22: Rouge Krewe Party Band, aversatile group delivering high-energy favorites,dance hits and crowd fun. For updated information, follow the series on Facebook, Instagram or at down townbr.org/live-after-five. Email Judy Bergeron at jbergeron@theadvocate. com.

ARIEs (March 21-April 19) Take a closer look at your personal relationships and what you can do to nurture and protect what matters most to you. Change requires thought, energy and the support of those closest to you.

tAuRus (April 20-May 20) You may crave change, but you must consider the consequences. Your emotions will skew your perception, causing you to make bad decisions. Personal growth and selfimprovement are called for.

GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Concentrate on honing your skills and connecting with people who have as much to contribute as you. Speak up and carry out your plans Positive thoughts and actions will pay off.

cAncER (June 21-July 22) Social events won't disappoint. Get out and strut your stuff, and you'll attract attention. Partnerships are on the rise and will have an impact on how and where you live.

LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) Take better care of yourself, your reputation and your relationships. Avoid participating in gossip or revealing secrets that aren't yours to disclose. Choose to keep busy and stay out of other people's business.

VIRGo (Aug. 23-sept. 22) An unexpected change or encounter will change your plans Keep the momentum flowing, make new acquaintances and do your best to stick to your budget.

LIBRA (sept. 23-oct 23) Look at the big picture, but keep your plans simple, affordable and realistic. The aim is to avoid costly mistakes while reach-

ing the finish line on time and without regret or stress.

scoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Dodge any unnecessary conflicts by maintaining a cool, calm and positive attitude. Not reacting to emotional meddling will require discipline and a smart choice of words. Choose love over hate.

sAGIttARIus (nov. 23-Dec. 21) An opportunity to enhance your lifestyle may tempt you, but you must weigh the pros and cons before you make a commitment. When it comes to a residential move or home improvements, hidden costs are likely. Play it safe.

cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Keep your eyes open and your mind alert, and protect your physical well-being. Stick close to home, get your facts straight and take on only what you know you can handle.

AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Pay attention to money management. Take a pass on offers that sound too good to be true. Upgrade your resume or qualifications to ensure you can maintain your status quo.

PIscEs (Feb. 20-March 20) Kick loose, socialize and have fun. Love is in the stars and can impact how or where you live. A positive change is heading your way. Don't skip a beat; prepare to launch.

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

FAMILY CIrCUS

Sudoku

InstructIons: Sudokuis anumber-placingpuzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. Theobjectistoplace thenumbers1 to 9inthe emptysquares so that each row, each column andeach3x3 boxcontainsthe samenumber only once. Thedifficultylevel of theSudoku increasesfromMonday to Sunday.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

Bridge

By PHILLIP ALDER

Ronaldinho, aBrazilian soccer star, said,“The hardest opponentsfor me are the defenders who are tough in the way they play —whereyou can’t see away through.”

Declarer at the bridge table is trying to seeaway through thebestthat theopponents can do to trytostop him from making his contract. However, occasionally he can call on his opponents forhelp.

In this deal, South is in four hearts. West leads the diamond three. East wins withhis king, cashes the diamond ace and shifts to alow club. How should declarer continue?

After South opened one no-trump, North used afour-level Texas transfer to gethis partner to play in four hearts This allowed the opening lead to come around to the strong hand, rather than through it.

Probably South’s first thought is to takethe finesses in each blacksuit. But thereisasafer plan. What didWest lead from in diamonds? It was surely from queen-third or queen-fourth. If so,when declarer ruffs adiamond on the board, he eitherestablishes his diamond jack as atrick or sets up an endplay.

South, after winning the third trick with his club ace, should ruff adiamond high on the board and draw trumps ending in hishand. Then he leads the diamond jack.Yes,Westcoverswith his queen, but declarer calmly discards a black-suitcard fromthe dummy. If West returns aspade, Southtakes twospades, six heartsand twoclubs. If Westleadsbackaclub,declarerwinsone spade, sixheartsand threeclubs.South’s opponent comes to hisrescue.

©2026 by NEA, Inc., dist.ByAndrews McMeel Syndication

Each Wuzzle is awordriddle whichcreates adisguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: NOON GOOD =GOOD AFTERNOON

Previous answers:

word game

InstRuctIons: 1. Words mustbeoffourormore letters. 2. Words thatacquire fourletters by theadditionof“s,”suchas“bats” or “dies,” are notallowed. 3. Additionalwords made by addinga“d” or an “s” may notbeused. 4. Proper nouns,slangwords, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are notallowed.

toDAy’sWoRD ADMonIsH: ad-MON-ish: To express warning or disapproval to Average mark19words Time limit 40 minutes

Canyou find 31 or more words in ADMONISH?

yEstERDAy’sWoRD— MEDIAn

will lift up my eyes to thehills, from where comesmy help. My help comesfromthe Lord, which made heaven and

Acadiana Forecast