The Times-Picayune 03-17-2026

UAEBRIEFLY CLOSES AIRSPACE; ISRAELI ATTACKSINLEBANON

Moreno forced to focusonS&WB

City plaguedbyrepeatedwater linebreaks

BY BLAKE PATERSON

Staff writer

Mayor Helena Moreno didn’t plan to spend so much time on the Sewerage &Water Board so early in her tenure. When she chaired her first S&WB meeting in January,she remained mostly tight-lipped about her vision for the agency.And in an interview aweek lateratWashington Mardi Gras, Moreno said that

ä S&WB releases action plan forwater system,saysfunding is needed. PAGE 5A

people demanding changes at the S&WB and other agencies needed to manage theirexpectations.

“People are like ‘What’sthe big reformfor Sewerage &Water Board?’ and ‘What about the Regional Transit Authority?’”Morenosaid.“I’m like,‘OK, letmejust figure out how

to get all the lights on.

ButMoreno’splans were scrambled at 2:54 a.m.March 9, when she woke up to atextmessagefrom theS&WB’sinterimgeneral superintendent, alerting hertoamajor water main break Uptown. It was the third suchbreak in lessthan two months,flooding carsand homes and shuttering businesses. On Thursday,another water mainburst open,flooding thearea near Tulane University as

Area officialsworking to redevelopWestEnd Park

Plansfor land taking root afterdecadeoffalse starts

BY LARA NICHOLSON Staff writer

On the westernmost side of West End Park, overlooking the harbor’sflotilla, sprawling greeneryand boathouses, aplot of land has sat abandoned and fenced off for two decades.

Jaggedwooden structures jut from Lake Pontchartrain where Fitzgerald’sseafood restaurant onceserved up fried shrimp and fish, and weeds have overtakenthe concrete that was oncethe parking lot. Within thefence, boats, trailers and construction materials are scattered

BY HALEY MILLER Staff writer

Louisiana higher education lead-

“The West End once housed amultitude of commercial activities. Allowing this resource to sit, unused and underdeveloped, is a disservicetoour city and its residents.”

AIMEE McCARRON,New Orleans City Council member

across theproperty

Butafter nearly adecade of false starts, New Orleans and Jefferson Parish officials sayplans to redevelop the plotare finally taking root

under Mayor Helena Moreno’sadministration, despite longstanding criticisms from someresidents. New Orleansofficials have renewedtheir interestin working withJeffersonParish to bring thesite back into commerce after Hurricane Katrina destroyedthe businesses there and revitalization efforts stalled. As parish leaders prepare acooperativeendeavor agreement for their respective councils to approve, state Rep. Stephanie Hilferty,R-Metairie, has abill in theLegislature to

ä See PARK, page 4A

ers asked legislators on Monday to consider giving them more money as many regional universities struggle financially—but some lawmakers argued it’stime for those schools to take ahard look at whether budget cuts are necessary instead.

thecampus’ popularBook Festival was underway The recent spate of breaks has forced Moreno, whotookoffice Jan.12, to confront head-on the issues at theS&WB, including its aging, decrepit water mains, which have seen less attention in recent years than have itsdrainage pumps and power So far,Moreno has sought to use

herposition as mayortoput pressureonS&WB Executive Director Randy Hayman to move more quickly.She publicly criticized his leadership last weekafter he failed to provide her with specifics on aplan to prevent future breaks. And she sent in DeputyChief Administrative Officer Steve Nelson —the former S&WB general superintendent —tohelp Hayman’s team figure out next steps. Hayman in avideo posted on social media Thursdaydetailed

Judgehalts changes to vaccine program

RulingsaysKennedy likely violated federalprocedures

BY MIKESTOBBE

Associated Press

Afederal judge on Monday temporarily blocked federal health officials from cuttingthe numberofvaccinesrecommended for every child, andsaidU.S Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.likelyviolated federal procedures in revamping akey vaccine advisory committee.

The decision halted an order by Kennedy —announced in January —to end broadrecommendations forall children to be vaccinated against flu, rotavirus, hepatitisA,hepatitis B, someforms of meningitis and RSV

It also stopped ameeting of aKennedyappointedvaccine advisory committee, which was settoconvene this week in Atlanta.

The judge’sorder,however,isnot the final word. The blocks are temporary, pending either atrial or adecision for summaryjudgment.

Federal health officials indicated they planned to appeal.

“HHS looks forward to this judge’sdecision being overturned just like his other attempts to keep theTrump administration from governing,” said Departmentof Health andHuman Services spokesperson Andrew Nixon.

The order issued Monday is the latest development in alawsuit filed last July by the American Academy of Pediatrics and someother medical groups. The lawsuit in federalcourt in Bostonoriginally focused on Kennedy’sdecision to stop recommending COVID-19 vaccinations formost children and pregnant women

The lawsuit wasupdated as Kennedy took more steps that alarmedmedical societies, causing the plaintiffs to ask

ä See JUDGE, page 5A

“It will be extremely tight,” she said.

Officials with the Board of Regentssay the currentbudget is $869 millionshort of what it considers full funding for higher educationinLouisiana. Theboard

“Wehavehundreds of programs that we’ve closed,” Commissioner of Higher Education Kim Hunter Reed said duringaSenate Finance Committee meeting.“But if you saytous, ‘We’renot going to be able to provide additional dollars, and you have to flourish within yourmeans —not just survive within your means’ —then we have to do acouple of things.”

is requesting $119 millioninadditionalstate general fund money for fiscal year 2026-27. Reed said enrollment fluctuations, growing athletics department budgets and inflation have contributed to strainedresources at someinstitutions, but didnot specify which schools are faring theworst.

She called the circumstances a “perfect storm”for manyschools. “Regional institutions are generally seeing enrollment shifts, population declines and challenges of that sort,” Reed said.“Notgoing to sugarcoat it,wedefinitelyhavesome institutions that are struggling.”

ä See CUTS, page 5A

Bombs explode in Nigeria, killing scores

MAIDUGURI,Nigeria Bombs exploded in at least three locations in northeastern Nigeria’sBorno state Monday night, killing and injuringscores of people, the emergency services toldThe Associated Press, citing possible suicide bombings.

Explosions were heardinMaiduguri,the Bornostatecapital where Nigeria’shomegrown jihadi Boko Haram extremists have waged an insurgency for more than adecade.

The blasts occurred at the entranceofthe University of Maiduguri TeachingHospital and two localmarkets, known as Post Office and the Monday Market, according to Sirajo Abdullahi, head of operations at Nigeria’s National EmergencyManagement Agency,orNEMA, in Maiduguri.

“There are casualties andthey arestill managing thecausalities at thehospital,” Abdullahi said “Wecan’t give theactual figure until we count.”

No grouphas yetclaimedresponsibility forthe suspected bombings.

The Nigerian military said in a statement earlierithad repelled attacks by suspected Islamic militantsinthe early hours of Mondayonthe outskirts of Maiduguri.

Man exonerated after 19 yearsfor robbery

NEW YORK Aman who spent nearly two decades in prison for aroughly$550 robbery was exonerated and freed Monday, after prosecutors said they now agree he didn’tcommit the crime.

“It cost me 20 years, but they said they correcteditnow.So that’s allthatmatters.SoI’m good with that,” Kenneth Windley,61, said as he left aBrooklyn courthouse, at libertyfor thefirst time since 2007.

Ajudge threwout hisconviction and dismissed his case entirely,atthe request of both prosecutors and Windley’slawyers. Prosecutors said new evidence— including confessions from two other men who were convicted of similar robberies —supportedhis long-standing claim of innocence.

“This case is really acautionary tale of how things can seem one way but, withoutcareful analysis, not be what it purports to be,” BrooklynDistrictAttorney Eric Gonzalez,aDemocrat, saidafter shaking Windley’s hand outside court.

“Had we knownwhat theevidence was, this case should have never happened,” he said, adding that he hadapologized privately to Windley KennedyCenter votes to shut down for 2years

WASHINGTON The Kennedy Center’sboard of directors voted on Monday toshutdownoperations for two years following this summer’sJuly 4celebrations. Thewidely expecteddecision comes in the wake of numerous resignations and cancellations during President Donald Trump’ssecond term, although Trump himself has cited the need for repairs as areasonfor the closure.

“We’regoing to ensure it remains the finest performing arts facility of its kindanywhere in the world,” Trump told reporters at the White House before the board met Monday

The board also voted to install Matt Floca as CEO and executive director,replacing Trump ally Richard Grenell, who oversaw far-reaching changes at the venue that prompted an outcry from many artists and exacerbated the operation’sfinancial challenges.Trump praised Grenell on Monday,saying he had beena longtime friend, and wishedFloca “good luck with everything.”

CORRECTIONS

n An article Sunday about the impact of the Iran war on Louisiana’sports misstated the location of the Port of South Louisiana. It is upriver of the Port of New Orleans n Astory on Sunday,“Academyteaches about drainage,” misstated the first name of ahigh school student, Daniyah Smart. TheTimes-Picayune regrets the errors.

Warrages on multiple fronts

UAEbriefly closes airspace; Israeli attacks in Lebanongrow

BY BASSEM MROUE, JAMEY KEATEN and SAMY MAGDY

Associated Press

DUBAI, United ArabEmirates The United Arab Emirates briefly closed and then reopened its airspace Tuesday,temporarily halting flights in acrucial travelhub, as the country’smilitary saiditwas facing incoming attacks from Iran.

Thetemporary disruption came as war in the Middle East continued to rage. TheIsraeli military early Tuesday reported asalvoof Iranian missilesassirens sounded south of the Sea of Galilee. No injuries were reported. TheU.S.and Israel hadpummeled militarytargets in Iran’s capital aday earlier, with Israel stepping up bombardments of Iran-backed militants in Lebanon

according to authorities and news reports Monday Explosions also soundedinTehran and outlying areas soon after Israel’smilitary announced it had launchednew strikes on Iran’s capital.

ATehranresident said while driving he witnessed an airstrike turn apolicestation to dust and heavily damage shops and cars. The man,who spoke on condition of anonymity forfear of retaliation from the government, said it “felt like the end of the world.”

More details werenot immediatelyavailable withinformation coming out of Iran severely limited by internetoutages, round-theclock airstrikes and tight restrictions on journalists.

More than 1,300 people have been killedinIran, according to the Iranian Red Crescent.

claims that Iran waslooking fora negotiated end tothe war

CO IN T MI EAST NFLICT HE DDLE AS

Fears of aglobal energy crisis loomed even as asmall number of ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz, avital waterwaythroughwhich afifth of the world’soil normally travels Iranian strikes on commercial shipsinand around the strait have slowed shipping to atrickle, dramatically increasing oil prices and pressuringWashington to do something to ease the pain for consumers andthe global economy.

Brentcrude, the international standard, remained over $100 a barrel. President Donald Trump said he haddemanded thatroughly ahalf-dozen countries send warships to keep the Strait of Hormuz open. But his appeals brought no immediate commitments.

Speaking of thestrait, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said:“Fromour perspective it is open” —just notfor the United States, Israel and its allies. Araghchi also rejected as “delusional”

Sincethe United States andIsrael attacked Iranmore than two weeksago,Tehran has regularly fired drones and missiles at Israel, American bases in the region and Gulf Arab countries’energy infrastructure

UAEbrieflyclosesairspace

The UAE shut down itsairspace early Tuesday as itsmilitary reporteditwas “responding to missile and drone threats from Iran.”

The closure was soon lifted, the state-runWAM news agency quoted the UAE’sGeneral Civil Aviation Authority as saying.

Authorities said “the situation stabilized,”allowing flightstoresume.

The snap announcementshowed thebalancing act Emirati authoritiesface in trying to keep their longhaul carriers Emirates and Etihad flying as Iranianattacks continue to target thecountry.OnMonday, an Iraniandrone attack set afuel tank ablaze at Dubai International Airport, the world’sbusiest for international travel

In Israel, an intercepted Iranian missile attack sprayed shrapnel Monday through Jerusalem’s Old City,hitting the rooftop of the GreekOrthodoxPatriarchate, just

yard) from the Churchofthe Holy Sepulcher,built on what is revered by many Christians as the site of Jesus’ crucifixion, burialand resurrection.

Shrapnel also fell near the WesternWall, theholiest site whereJews canpray, andwithinthe Al Aqsa Mosque compound, the third-holiest site in Islam. Missile strikes on Jerusalem have been rare in thepast.

Israelstrikes

Massive explosionswere heard in Beirut MondayasIsrael launched new attacks on the Lebanese capital, sayingitwas striking infrastructure related to the Iran-linked Hezbollah militia.Hezbollah began firing rockets into northern Israel after U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran began Feb. 28.

The Israeli armyhas issued evacuation orders formanyneighborhoods in Beirut as well as southern Lebanon.

Israel’s strikes have displaced more than1millionLebanese —or roughly 20% of thepopulation,— according to the Lebanese government, which says some850 people have been killed. Some Israeli troops have pushed into southern Lebanon, andthere arefearsIsrael is preparing alarge-scaleinvasion.

In southern Lebanon, seven people were killed in Israeli airstrikes,

Israel has carried outsome 7,600 strikesonIran, knocking out85% of its airdefensesand 70% of Iran’smissile launchers, Israeli military spokesperson Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani said. In Israel,12peoplehave been killed by Iranian missile fire. At least13U.S.military members have been killed.

Trumpseeks allies’help

The virtual shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz is unnerving the world economy,driving up energy prices, threatening food shortages in poor countries, destabilizing fragile states andcomplicating efforts by central bankstodrive downprices forconsumers.

On Monday,Trump said “numerouscountries” have toldhim “they’re on the way”tohelp police the Strait of Hormuz. But he also suggested somecountries’ reluctance showed alack of reciprocity in defense agreements with the United States.

Europeans have been critical of the U.S. andIsrael forfailing to provide clarity on their objectives in the war.

“The levelofenthusiasm matters to me,” Trumpsaid. He didn’t specifythe countries, but has previously appealed to China, France, Japan, South Korea and Britain.

Officialssay Cuba suffersislandwideblackout

BY MILEXSY DURÁN and

DÁNICA

COTO Associated Press

HAVANA Officials in Cuba reported an islandwide blackout Mondayinthe country of some 11 million people as its energyand economic crisesdeepen andits power grid continuestocrumble

The Ministry of Energy and Mines on Xnoted a “completedisconnection” of the country’selectrical system andsaid it was investigating, noting there were no failures in the units that were operating when thegrid collapsed. It was the third major blackout in Cuba over the past four months.

TomásDavid Velázquez

Felipe,a 61-year-oldresident of Havana, said the relentless outagesmake him think thatCubans who can shouldjustpackup andleavethe island. “What little we have to eat spoils,”

he said. “Ourpeople are tooold to keep suffering.”

Cuba’s aging grid has drastically eroded in recent years, leading to an increase in daily outages and islandwide blackouts. But the government alsohas blamed its woes on aU.S. energy blockade after President Donald TrumpinJanuarywarnedoftariffs on any country that sells or providesoil to Cuba.The Trump administration is demanding that Cuba re-

lease political prisoners and move toward political and economic liberalizationinreturnfor alifting of sanctions. Trump also has raised the possibility of a“friendly takeover of Cuba.”

On Monday,hesaid he believes he’ll have the “honoroftaking Cuba.”

“I mean, whether Ifree it, take it.Ithink Icould do anything Iwantwith it,” Trumpsaid about Cuba, calling it a“veryweakened nation.”

Last protesterheldinimmigration detentionafter crackdown released

BYJAKE OFFENHARTZ and KENDRIA LAFLEUR Associated Press

ALVARADO,Texas APalestinian woman who was the last person still in immigration detention after the Trump administration’s 2025 crackdown on pro-Palestinian activists was released Monday on $100,000 bailafter ayear in custody

LeqaaKordia, a33-yearold from the West Bank who has lived in New Jersey since 2016, had been held in aU.S. immigration detention center in Texas since last March. Kordia was among roughly100 people arrested outside

Columbia University during protests at the school in 2024.

“I don’tknow what tosay I’m free! I’m free! Finally, after one year,” Kordia, with abeaming smile, told reporters after emerging from the detention center

An immigration judge had ordered her released on bail three times. The government challenged the first two rulings, but Kordia was freed Monday afteritdid not challenge the third. She wasrecentlyhospitalizedfor three days following aseizure after fainting andhitting her head at the privately run detention facility.

“Weare overwhelmed withreliefand gratitude at therelease of our beloved Leqaa Kordia,”said Hamzah Abushaban, Kordia’scousin, in astatement from herlawyers. “This past year hastaken an unimaginable toll on Leqaa and our entirefamily.”

Kordia said she waslooking forward to going home andhugging hermother “so hard.”But she also said she would keep fighting on behalf of people still being held at the detention center

“Thereisa lotofinjusticeinthis place,” she said. “There is alot of people that shouldn’tbehere the first place.”

The U.S. Embassy in Cuba wrote on XonMonday that “there is no informationon when power would be restored.”

“Cuba’snational electrical grid is increasingly unstable and prolonged scheduled

andunscheduled poweroutages area daily occurrence across the country,” it wrote. “Take precautionsbyconserving fuel,water,food, and mobile phone charge, and be prepared for significant disruption.”

HELP@THEADVOCATE.COMor504-529-0522 News Tips /Stories: NEWSTIPS@THEADVOCATE.COM

Over half of U.S. in path of extremeweather

Countryfacing winds, blizzards, triple-digit heat

BY SETH BORENSTEIN, SARAH BRUMFIELD and JOHN SEEWER Associated Press

WASHINGTON Chaotic

weather,fromsurpris-

ing heat in California to the threat of storms rolling into the East Coast, put over half the U.S. population in the path of extreme conditions

Monday

Storms across the nation’s eastern half forced airlines to cancel roughly 4,000 flights nationwide Monday, and many schools closed early in the mid-Atlantic states, where high winds were in the forecast.

Blizzards buried parts of Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota while torrential rains flooded homes and washed out roads in Hawaii.

In Washington, the House and Senate postponedvotes, andfederal agencies told workers to go home early

But by late afternoon, the expected rough weather had failed to develop and atornado watch expired.

Airport delays and cancellations piled up Monday in

someofthe nation’slargest airports— including those in New York,Chicago and Atlanta.

The private weatherservice AccuWeather calculated that more than 200 million people were underthreat Monday of some kind of dangerous weather. Those range from extreme heat and wildfire advisories to floodand freeze watches from theNational Weather Service

The storm system that dropped snow by the foot in theMidwest barreled toward theEastCoast with the potential for high winds and tornadoes, theweatherservice warnedMonday

“Windisthe primary threat, but within any of these areas of strong wind there could be some embeddedtornadoes,” said Evan Bentley,a meteorologist with the weatherservice.

The biggest threat stretched from Maryland to the upper edge of South Carolina

In New York City,four people,includinga child, diedMonday afternoon after afire in athree-story apartment building spread during heavy winds. Blizzard conditions continued in theUpper Midwest and Great LakesonMon-

dayafter the storm walloped partsofWisconsin and Michigan with several feet of snow.

Since Saturday, nearly 3 feet hadfallen in thenorthern Wisconsin town of Mountain.

Anotherround of snowand gusts on Monday could bring another foot of snow across Michigan’sUpper Peninsula.

Aheat dome over the Southwest will push temperatures well into the triple digitsinArizonamost of the week, much earlier than normal.

California is starting to

feel like summer too. The San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramentowill seetemperatures pushing toward90by midweek.

“This is technically still winter,”LAMayor Karen Bass said Monday.“This is not normal for March, obviously,but it is asign of how climate change is impacting our city.”

Whiletemperaturesare expected to reach 100, the threat of wildfires around Los Angeles is relatively low because winds will be light Phoenix is expected to have five straight days of

tripledigit temperatures this week —only once before, in 1988, has the city recorded a 100 Fday in March, DePodwin said.

“This is aheat wavethat we have not seen before in recorded history in the Southwest,”saidAccuWeather meteorologist DanDePodwin.

Dry andwindy conditions werecharging the largest wildfire in Nebraska’shistory.Three fires in the state have consumedmorethan 1,140 square milesofmostly grassland.

“Mother Nature is throwing adoozyatus,” Gov. Jim

Pillen said Monday Unrelenting rains triggeredlandslides,washed away roads and flooded homesand farmland in Hawaii over the weekend.

All of Hawaii’sislands had spots withmorethan15inches of rain while parts of Maui wereoverwhelmed with double that amount, the weather service said. While the worst of the storm has passed, more heavy rainisexpected later this week. Maui Mayor RichardBissensaidthere were no reports of injuries or deaths andcrews were assessing damage. Forecasters said the East Coast stormswere expected leave sharply colder weather in its wake. The storm will stick around parts of the Northeastuntil Tuesdaymorning. By then, wind chills below freezing were expected to reach the Gulf Coast and the Florida Panhandle with warnings in effect across the Southeast and in part of Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, andTexas,forecasters warned. To thenorth,rainwas expectedtochange over to snow behind the cold front withheavy snow possible in thecentral Appalachiansof West Virginia.

Utah womanfound guilty of murderingher husband

KouriRichins wrotechildren’s book on grief afterman’s death

BY HANNAH SCHOENBAUM Associated Press

PARKCITY,Utah AUtah woman who wrote achildren’s book about coping with grief after her husband’sdeath was convicted Monday of aggravated murder in his death by poisoning him with fentanyl.

Prosecutors sayKouri Richins slipped five times the lethal dose of thesynthetic opioid into acocktail that Eric Richins drank in March 2022 at theirhome outside the ski town of Park City They say Richins was $4.5 million in debt and falsely believed thatwhen her husband died, she would inherit his estate worth more than $4 million. They also say she was planning afuture with another man she was seeing on the side.

Richins stared at the floor

Families

KouriRichins, left, accused of poisoning her husband in March2022,listens to closingarguments MondayinThird District Courtin Park City,Utah.

andtookdeep breaths as the judge read the verdict. Family memberson both sides of thecase leftthe courtroom huggingand crying. She wasalso convicted of other felony charges,including an attempted murder charge in what authorities alleged was another effort to poison her husband weeks earlier on Valentine’sDay with afentanyl-laced sandwich that made him break

out in hives and black out Jurors also found Richins guiltyoffraudulently claiminginsurancebenefits after his death.

Richins’ defense attorney saidEricRichinswas addicted to painkillers and had askedhis wife to procureopioids forhim.Kouri Richins, however,toldpoliceearlier in avideothather husband had no history of illicit drug use.

“She wanted to leave Eric

Richins but did notwant to leave his money,” said SummitCounty prosecutor Brad Bloodworth.

Richinshad pleaded not guilty to all charges

The mostserious charge —aggravated murder —carriesasentence of 25 yearsto life in prison. What was scheduled to be afive-week trial was cut short last week when Richins waived her right to testify, and her legal team abruptly rested itscasewithout calling any witnesses. Richins’ attorneys said they were confident thatprosecutorsdid notproduceenoughevidence over thepast three weeksto convict her of murder “Theyhaven’tdone their job, andnow they want you to makeinferences based on paper-thin evidence,”defense attorneyWendy Lewis urged the jury on Monday Prosecutorssaid Richins, a real estate agent focused on

flipping houses, wasdeep in debt andplanning afuture withanotherman.She had opened numerous life insurance policies on her husband without his knowledge, with benefits totaling about $2 million, prosecutors alleged.

They showed thejury text messages between Richins and Robert Josh Grossman, the manwith whom she was allegedly having an affair,in which she fantasized about leaving her husband, gaining millions in adivorce and marrying Grossman.

The internet searchhistory from Richins’ phone included “what is alethal. dose.of.fetanayl(sic),” “luxury prisons for the rich America” and “if someone is poisned (sic) what does it go down on the death certificate as,” adigital forensic analyst testified.

Bloodworth replayedfor thejury aclip of Richins’ 911 call from the night of her

husband’s death. That’s“not ‘the sound of awife becomingawidow,’” he said, quoting thedefense’s opening statement. “It’sthe sound of awife becoming ablack widow.” Lewis respondedthatthe prosecution “looks at facts oneway andsees awitch,but if youlook at those facts another way,you see awidow.” The defense focused on trying to discredit the prosecution’sstar witness, CarmenLauber,ahousekeeper for the family who claimed to have sold Richins fentanyl on multiple occasions. Lewis argued Lauber did notdeal fentanyl and was motivated to lie forlegal protection. Lauber said in early interviewsthat she never dealt the synthetic opioid, butlater said shedid after investigators informed her that Eric Richins died of afentanyl overdose, the defense noted.

ByThe Associated Press

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti The families of two Haitian journalists who were reported kidnapped last week pleaded Monday for information aboutthem, with many fearing that gangs had killed them.

Junior Célestin of Radio Television Megastar and OsnelEspéranceofRadio Uni FM were reporting in downtown Port-au-Prince on Fridaywhentheyweretaken, according to Radio UniFM. The area is largely controlled by apowerful gang coalition known as VivAn-

sanm, which theUnited States has designated as a foreign terrorist organization. Gangs control an estimated90% of Haiti’scapital as well as swaths of landin the country’s central region.

Rosemanie Erneste, Espérance’swife, told reporters shehasn’theardfrom him since Friday. “I am asking, if he is dead, don’thide it from me,” she said,and begantocry.“If he is alive,let meknow.”

She calledonthe government to act.

“Thereare alot of victims,” she said of gang violence. “It’stime for this to end.”

She also had amessage for VivAnsanm:“Iamasking for grace. Let him go, please.”

JocelynPerez,the executive director of Radio Uni FM, joined the families in requesting information about the journalists in a broadcast Monday

“Weneed to knowifyou are alive,” shesaid. “If they are alive, what are thesteps we should be taking?”

Perez alsocalled on international humanrights organizations to help, adding: “Journalists arenot actors in theconflict, but messengers serving thepopulation.”

create an economic development district that would redirect tax revenues back to the property

“The West End once housed a multitude of commercial activities,” New Orleans City Council member Aimee McCarron said in a statement “Allowing this resource to sit, unused and underdeveloped, is a disservice to our city and its residents.”

The Jefferson Parish Council will vote on a resolution to support the economic development district at its meeting Wednesday

If successful, the plan could also prove to be one of the first tangible examples of Mayor Helena Moreno’s promise of regional cooperation, which she’s made a priority at the start of her term. Any changes to the property require buy-in from the state, which owns the land; the city, which manages it; and Jefferson Parish, which has about a third of the land within its jurisdiction.

“The current mayor has stressed working together with urgency, and to be smart and look at our partners in a collaborative way,” said Moreno’s chief administrative officer, Joe Giarrusso, who spearheaded the effort while previously serving as a member of the New Orleans City Council. “The mayor didn’t need a lot of nudging to understand the importance and how to be reasonable to get across the finish line.”

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has prohibited any construction over the lake so as not to disrupt the outflow of water at the 17th Street Canal Pump Station next door

The two parishes have been in talks for most of the last decade, and in 2021 approved an agreement to move the project forward But legal and procedural hurdles, as well as some opposition to the agreement’s terms from the previous administration, delayed them from taking action, according to Giarrusso.

“The previous administration wanted terms that hadn’t been earlier agreed to and that were not favorable to Jefferson Parish,” Giarrusso said.

But with Giarrusso now working as Moreno’s second-in-command, and McCarron, his former policy and budget director during his council tenure, taking the helm for the council district, the stars appear to be aligning for the redevelopment.

Hilferty passed legislation in 2024 that removed some of the obstacles for redevelopment and prohibited any new residential development on the site. Under her new legislation, the district would levy a sales tax of up to 2% on businesses built on the site, which a board of commissioners, made up of Jefferson and Orleans representatives, would use for maintenance and upkeep for the area, as well as improvements to West End Park, she said.

Some residents, however, argue that commercial development will cause noise, parking and environmental issues for West End and Bucktown and would prefer to see it developed as green space or another public use instead, which they voiced at public meetings last year. Charles Marsala, a vocal opposition leader and a director of West End Lake Shore Park Civic Association, said he would like to see the site instead be used for a bird sanctuary, pickleball courts or additional parking.

“We don’t see politicians talk about the negative sides of this,”

Marsala said

He has also cited an effort to place West End Park on the National Register of Historic Places, although the New Orleans Historic District Landmarks Commission decided in November to make no recommendation on the issue after city officials raised concerns it could impede redevelopment and park restoration efforts.

Giarrusso said many of the concerns are “nearly universal” with any development, and that the redevelopment proposal has received broad support from the community, including boathouse owners.

“Part of the reason the region suffers is because we allow the opposition of the minority to drag down what so many other people want,” Giarrusso said in response to opponents’ criticisms. Stanton Murray, owner of Mur-

ray Yacht Sales and president of the nonprofit public benefit corporation Friends of the West End,

said the general opinion among residents and business owners, while mixed, is supportive of commercial redevelopment as long as it stays smaller than the previous commercial footprint before Katrina. Friends of West End won’t be taking a stance, he said.

West End was once considered “the Coney Island of New Orleans” in the late 19th and early 20th centuries with amusement rides and its own streetcar line. In the 1910s, the city converted the land to present-day West End Park, which over the following decades developed as an entertainment district with a beach volleyball court, seafood restaurants and nightclubs like Augie’s Del Lago and Jaeger’s until Katrina devastated the area in 2005.

“There’s a lot of nostalgia in that area, because we all remember it from before Katrina,” Jefferson Parish Council member Hans Liljeberg said. “It’s a great area, and right now it’s behind a chainlinked fence and it’s been sitting there for over 20 years.”

Since then, construction efforts have been mostly concentrated on the pump station and harbor until recently

Today, there are 796 residents living in condominiums, apartments and boathouses in the area surrounding West End Park, according to Murray, as well as 770 slip tenants.

“This would be the crown jewel in any other city, but it’s kind of an afterthought here,” said Troy Gilbert, executive director of the Chef’s Brigade and former Friends of West End board member “This is absolutely an underutilized asset for both parishes and the region. Finally the two parishes have decided, ‘Let’s actually work together and hold hands and bring these two areas back to their former glory.’”

Email Lara Nicholson at lnicholson@theadvocate.com.

S&WB releases action plan for water system

BY BEN MYERS Staff writer

The New Orleans Sewerage & Water Board on Monday evening released an action plan to secure its water distribution network, following four major pipe ruptures in less than two months that flooded homes and caused boil-water advisories. The plan, which is largely unfunded, calls for urgent repairs to high-risk water mains, replace-

MORENO

Continued from page 1A

several immediate steps to address leaks and said additional funding would be needed. A plan the S&WB issued late Monday suggested it could cost up to $680 million to replace the system’s oldest water mains.

At the same time, Moreno is seeking approval from the state Legislature for a proposal that would give the City Council more control over the S&WB, a reform she argues is needed to make the agency more accountable.

“I cannot have this be the norm,” Moreno said Friday. “That’s why all of us have to come together me, the Legislature, the City Council — to force (the S&WB) to come up with a plan.”

Silas Lee, a New Orleansbased pollster and political adviser, said Moreno should have the support of residents on her plan to give the council more control of the S&WB, pointing that the agency’s dismal approval ratings.

“People want accountability and improvement in services,” Lee said.

Moreno said that under its current governing structure, the S&WB isn’t accountable to anyone.

“I don’t have control over this particular agency,” Moreno said.

The mayor serves as president of the 11-member board, while a City Council member holds another seat. The board also consists of

JUDGE

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Judge Brian E. Murphy to take steps to address those policy changes too For example, the plaintiffs amended the lawsuit to stop the scaling back of the nation’s childhood vaccination schedule. They also asked the court to look at Kennedy’s actions concerning the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which advises public health officials on what vaccines to recommend to doctors and patients. Kennedy, a leading antivaccine activist before becoming the nation’s top health official, fired the entire 17-member panel last year and replaced it with a group that includes several anti-vaccine voices Murphy, who was nominated to the bench by President Joe Biden, said Kennedy’s reconstitution of ACIP likely violated federal law He ordered the appointments — and all decisions made by the reformed committee put on hold. The ACIP was scheduled

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If the Legislature does not award the requested higher education funding, Reed said, the Board of Regents will be working with university systems to evaluate which programs can be cut and how they can specialize as institutions. She said leaders could trim degrees that are offered at multiple schools in the same system, for example.

“That is the kind of exercise that we would have to step through if we’re not

ment of the oldest large water mains and a broad assessment of the entire system.

The costs over the next two years are likely in the hundreds of millions of dollars, though assessments are needed to come up with precise estimates. Billions more will be needed to secure the system in the long term.

Replacing 34 miles of large water mains that are over 100 years old which is just a fraction of the 1,600-mile transmission system —

could cost as much as $680 million, according to the S&WB. The plan identifies eight urgent repairs where leaks have been spotted within the last year Some of those repairs have begun, but the S&WB says it needs $3 million to complete them. Those locations are: n South Claiborne and 3rd Street

n Filmore Avenue and Cartier Avenue

n 4800 block of Florida Avenue

n Downman Road and Dwyer

Road

n Burgundy and Deslonde

n South Dupre Street and Howard Avenue

n Chef Menteur Highway and Industrial Boulevard

n South Carrollton Avenue and Birch Street.

A 2003 S&WB consultant study pegged the cost of replacing 60% of the water transmission system at $2.8 billion, with consultants noting even then that water mains “are beyond or nearing the end of

five citizen members nominated by local colleges and universities and appointed by the mayor

Two representatives of the city’s Board of Liquidation, City Debt and two customer advocates, also appointed by the mayor, round it out Its funding is determined by the City Council, and it is regulated by state laws.

The Bureau of Governmental Research, a New Orleans-based good government group, agrees that the governance is flawed Either the S&WB needs to be abolished and folded completely

to meet this week to discuss COVID-19 vaccine safety, among other issues, but that gathering was postponed, of-

ficials said.

“ACIP as currently constituted cannot meet,” said Richard Hughes IV, an attorney representing the AAP “How can a committee meet without nearly the entirety of its membership?”

Jason Schwartz, a Yale University vaccine policy expert who has studied the committee, called the halting of an ACIP meeting for legal reasons “unprecedented” in its 62-year existence.

Hughes called the judge’s order “a momentous step toward restoring sciencebased vaccine policy,” and he was echoed by leaders of several doctors’ groups and public health organizations.

When Trump administration officials overhauled the childhood vaccine schedule, they said it wouldn’t result in families losing access to them or cause insurers to stop covering them But it left many Americans confused, as doctors’ groups, public health organizations and many states continued to recommend licensed vac-

able to get there,” Reed said.

Some lawmakers said that kind of change may be necessary

“I think that time is now, I really do,” said Sen Gerald Boudreaux, D-Lafayette. “I think that’s where we are.”

Some lawmakers pressed Reed about budget crises at Louisiana’s smaller public universities, referencing shaky finances at the University of New Orleans — which led the school to be reintegrated into the LSU system — and the University of Louisiana at Monroe Some argued they were caught off guard by the scale of the problems.

into city government, or it needs far greater autonomy, BGR wrote in a 2023 report.

“There’s a lot of cooks in the kitchen, but nobody has direct and influential oversight,” said Becky Mowbray, BGR’s CEO.

A lone Moreno appointee, Jonathan Stewart, is up for consideration at the council’s Governmental Affairs Committee this week, to replace Janet Howard.

The council has veto power over S&WB rate hikes and must sign off on any tax proposal before it goes to voters. A state law

cines, said Dr Andrew Racine, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Several doctors’ groups said the changes were not based on good evidence, and advised doctors and patients to follow guidance that was previously in place. Health officials in 30 states have rejected at least some of the new recommendations.

The judge’s order should bring clarity, Racine said.

“If anyone has any questions about what’s the appropriate vaccine schedule for their children, the best thing to do is to talk to their pediatricians,” he said.

Schwartz said he expected federal health officials to keep expressing “their deep skepticism regarding the importance of vaccination” and to keep embracing “unsupported vaccine safety allegations.”

After the ruling, one of Kennedy’s appointees to the committee, Dr. Robert Malone, urged the Trump administration to keep pursuing Kennedy’s vaccine policy changes.

“A district court order is a delay, not a defeat,” he wrote Monday on Substack.

“We find out our colleges are not just struggling; they’ve been struggling,” said Sen. Glen Womack, RHarrisonburg.

Reed said quarterly financial reports submitted by each institution will help keep the Legislature and the public abreast of the financial situations at Louisiana’s colleges and universities.

“When the situation happened with UNO, we had no knowledge of the information, and we looked to the systems to say, ‘We’ve got to do a better job of having real-time data,’ ” Reed said.

passed in 2023 also gave the council authority to mediate billing disputes. But the council doesn’t have a say in how the S&WB spends its money Moreno’s proposal for the S&WB will be hashed out in House Bill 573, authored by state Rep. Stephanie Hilferty, R-Metairie. The language in the bill is expected to morph through-

their design life.”

“SWBNO has been unable to fund a program of this magnitude, leading to yearly maintenance consisting of fixing major leaks,” the plan released on Monday said. About 7% of the system was replaced in recent years with a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant, but several of the projects bid under that program didn’t receive funding. The S&WB is seeking $27.5 million to complete those projects.

out the session, but Moreno said the goal is the same: Give the council more control over the S&WB.

“Bottom line: There would be an entity that could finally, in a very transparent way bring them to the table, have them show up, and they would have to then ultimately start performing better,” Moreno said.

Moreno spoke by phone with Gov Jeff Landry on Wednesday before meeting with his staff in Baton Rouge. She said she doesn’t expect pushback from state leaders, who she characterized as tired of hearing about the S&WB’s woes.

Moreno on Friday wouldn’t say whether she thinks Hayman is the right person to lead the S&WB. But she’s keeping close tabs on his performance.

“This is a very important and high-priority situation for me. So how it’s handled by the executive director is something that I’m really going to be watching,” she said.

The former chief executive of the Philadelphia Water Department, Hayman was selected to lead the S&WB in April in a split board vote.

Moreno said she expects city agencies to work with “urgency,” and when there’s a “problem persisting, do all possible to find solutions, to try to fix it.” She said she didn’t see that

out of the S&WB, at least initially She made those frustrations clear last week when she took the extraordinary step of sharing an email exchange that she had with Hayman, blasting his lack of a game plan as unacceptable.

“We can’t move forward on fixing this problem until we get a very specific plan, and also a very specific funding request,” Moreno said.

After the first water main break in January, Moreno said she was miffed that her own communications team had to explain what happened to the public.

“There was silence from the Sewerage & Water Board,” she said. Since then, Moreno said she’s seen improvement among the S&WB’s communication team. She also gave high marks to the S&WB’s interim superintendent, Kaitlin Tymrak, for her efforts to keep the Mayor’s Office and City Council members in the know (Tymrak was the one who woke Moreno up via text on Monday.)

But Moreno said Hayman needs to do more to keep city and state leaders abreast of what’s going on.

“Mr Hayman still needs to work on that, on keeping us in the loop,” Moreno said. Email Blake Paterson at bpaterson@theadvocate. com.

BRIEFS

FROM WIRE REPORTS

Drop in oil prices helps stocks climb higher

NEWYORK A drop in oil prices on Monday helped send the U.S. stock market to its best day since the war in Iran began.

The S&P 500 climbed 1% for its biggest gain in five weeks The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 387 points, or 0.8%, and the Nasdaq composite jumped 1.2%

The driver for markets once again was the price of oil A barrel of benchmark U.S. crude fell 5.3% to settle at $93.50, easing some pressure off the economy after topping $102 earlier in the morning. Brent crude, the international standard, fell 2.8% to $100.21 per barrel after earlier getting as high as $106.50

It’s a reprieve, for now at least, after oil prices spiked from roughly $70 before the United States and Israel began their attacks on Iran. In response, Iran has nearly halted traffic through the narrow Strait of Hormuz, where a fifth of the world’s oil typically sails from the Persian Gulf to customers worldwide. That has oil producers cutting production because their crude has nowhere to go.

Meta to spend up to $27B on Nebius AI

Meta Platforms Inc. will pay as much as $27 billion over the next five years for access to artificial intelligence infrastructure from cloud provider Nebius Group NV as it spends aggressively to compete with the industry’s top frontier models.

Nebius, a so-called neocloud that operates data centers and has a strategic partnership with Nvidia Corp., will provide Meta $12 billion of dedicated capacity starting in early 2027, the Dutch company said in a statement Monday Meta also committed to buying as much as $15 billion in additional capacity that the cloud provider is building for third-party customers.

The outlay represents one of the biggest single contracts that Meta has signed, underscoring the Instagram and Facebook owner’s push for more computing capacity to power the development of AI products. Last year, it signed a separate $3 billion deal with Nebius.

Meta and some of its largest tech peers are expected to spend some $650 billion in 2026 to build data centers and purchase other infrastructure in anticipation of an AI services explosion in the coming years Meta has made AI the company’s top priority, and is investing heavily to compete with rivals like OpenAI and Google. It has also inked multi-billion dollar partnership agreements with Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices Inc. for AI infrastructure since the start of the year Meta is developing its own chips in-house.

3,800 workers strike at meatpacking plant

GREELEY Colo. — About 3,800 workers for the world’s largest meatpacking company began striking Monday in Colorado, and if they don’t get a new contract soon, already costly beef could become even more expensive for U.S. consumers. As the sun rose, hundreds of strikers picketed outside the Swift Beef Co. plant in Greeley owned by JBS USA and one of the largest slaughterhouses in the nation. Walking back and forth in the morning cold, bundled in blankets, some yelled “huelga!” Spanish for “strike.” Others carried signs saying “please don’t patronize JBS.”

The first walkout at a U.S. beef slaughterhouse in four decades follows accusations from union officials that the company retaliated against workers and committed other unfair labor practices. The union also said the company offered less than 2% more a year in wages, which is less than inflation in Colorado.

The union says its workers perform some of the

ficult and dangerous jobs in the country and

and

BUSINESS

NOLA.COM/BIZ

Storms cancel more U.S. flights

TSA remains under pressure from partial government shutdown

BY RIO YAMAT and MARGERY A. BECK Associated Press

Thousands of flights across the U.S were canceled or delayed Monday as powerful storms swept across the eastern half of the country and a partial government shutdown affecting airport security screeners dragged into a second month

The disruptions come at an already challenging time for air travel, in part because the shutdown that began Feb. 14 has strained staffing at some security checkpoints At the same time,

airports are crowded with spring break travelers and fans heading to March Madness games, the annual NCAA men’s and women’s college basketball tournaments. Flight delays and cancellations piled up Monday at some of the nation’s largest airports, including those in New York, Chicago and Atlanta. The storm system that dropped snow by the foot in the Midwest was barreling toward the East Coast with dangerously high winds and the potential for “producing strong and long track tornadoes,” the National Weather Service warned Monday

More than 3,900 flights scheduled to fly into, out of or within the U.S. on Monday have been called off, according to flight-tracking site FlightAware. Roughly 8,200 other U.S. flights were delayed.

Kelly Price, who was trying to get home to Colorado after a fam-

ily vacation in Orlando, Florida, said her Sunday night flight wasn’t canceled until early Monday

“By that time the only place for us to sleep was the airport floor So we’re all tired and frustrated,” she said. The nationwide cancellations included more than 500 in and out of Chicago O’Hare International, 350 at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International and over 260 at John F. Kennedy International Airport, according to FlightAware.

Earlier Monday, citing severe weather, the Federal Aviation Administration ordered ground stops at Hartsfield-Jackson and Charlotte Douglas International Airport, along with ground delays at JFK and Newark Liberty International Airport. The storms are also unfolding just as airport security screeners missed their first full paycheck

over the weekend. The current partial government shutdown affects only the Department of Homeland Security, which includes the Transportation Security Administration.

Democrats in Congress have said Homeland Security won’t get funded until new restrictions are placed on federal immigration operations following the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis earlier this year

It is the third shutdown in less than a year to leave TSA workers temporarily without pay

Once the government reopens, employees will have to wait for back pay

Some airports have reported longer security lines because of staffing shortages as more TSA workers take on second jobs, can’t afford gas to get to work or leave the profession altogether

STRETCHING AT THE PUMP

As gas prices go up, changing the way you drive can help with costs

BY ALEXA ST JOHN AND KIKI SIDERIS Associated Press

DETROIT When gas prices spike, filling up gets more painful But consumers can do something to stretch their fuel just a little farther: Change the way they drive.

“It’s a hard one to swallow right? You gotta put gas in to go about your day and get to work and pick the kids up from school,” said Michael Crossen, Consumer Reports’ manager of auto testing.

Here are seven tips from experts for drivers looking to use less gas: Drive slower, or use cruise control

Vehicles are designed for maximum efficiency around highway speeds, said Sean Tucker, managing editor for compact and full-size vehicles at Kelley Blue Book.

“Stick to 65 mph on the highway,” Tucker said. “Today’s cars are geared to be most efficient at that speed, and you lose quite a bit of fuel efficiency the faster you go.”

Some estimates suggest slowing down increases gas mileage as much as 14%.

“If you have a hard time doing that, cruise control is your friend,” Tucker said. This maintains a set vehicle speed, which cuts the need to press on the gas pedal and avoids fluctuations like jerky acceleration or hard braking.

Experts also recommend coasting to stoplights, whether there is a red light ahead or a green light that is likely to change soon.

Limit idling

Use a vehicle’s automatic start-stop ignition experts say This shuts off the engine at stoplights or when idling, and restarts it once the accelerator is pressed.

“If you’re stuck in traffic and you see it bumper to bumper for a while and you have start-stop, don’t turn that off,” said David Bennett, AAA senior automotive manager “Allow the engine to turn on and off as it’s needed.”

That’s especially true for when drivers don’t need to blast air conditioning while waiting for long periods of time.

Reduce car’s drag, drop extra weight

Many drivers have roof racks on top of their vehicles or bike racks on the back.

It takes extra fuel to push that structure through the air experts have found it can cost several miles per gallon.

“If you’re not actually using those devices, it’s like dragging a parachute behind your car,” Crossen said. “Any other type of accessories that basically cause drag, you want to lose those.”

If you’re carrying heavy items in your

back seat, trunk or truck bed, and you don’t need them, leave them at home.

Check tire pressure and more Experts say it’s important that tires are properly inflated, based on what the vehicle’s manual recommends.

Checking tire pressure every other fill-up is one suggestion.

“Lower-inflated tires will increase the resistance on the road, so properly inflated, the vehicle is going to drive a little bit smoother and be able to accelerate properly,” Bennett said. Expect an impact on gas mileage by as much as 10%, estimates say Auto shops might also be able to make some simple changes to improve a vehicle’s fuel economy

“If you’re finding that you are not getting close to what you’re supposed to, then you need to go to the mechanic,” Tucker said. For example, they might replace the air filter or oxygen sensors that tell the engine how rich to make the fuel mixture.

Consider carpooling and combining trips

Figure out a carpool if you can, and you’re effectively splitting costs with the other participants.

And be more thoughtful in planning and organizing your driving to make fewer trips overall.

“Don’t make unnecessary stops. Don’t drive all the way across town just to save a dollar on eggs,” Crossen said. “Plan your

$10.5 billion proposal would

BY MICHELLE CHAPMAN

A proposed megadeal in the self-storage business would create a $57 billion company overseeing square footage, if it were combined in a single location of a small city such as Cupertino, California, or Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Public Storage said Monday that it will buy National Storage Affiliates in an all-stock deal worth about $10.5 billion, creating a company with 327 million square feet of storage at nearly 4,600 locations in the U.S Public Storage said it wants to

expand its presence in areas like the Sun Belt and other regions that are likely to grow in population. The deal, if approved, would combine the largest and the fourth-largest U.S. self-storage companies by market capitalization. Extra Space Storage and CubeSmart are the next two largest companies. Public Storage, which has been based in Glendale, California, said this year that it is relocating to Frisco, Texas, near Dallas.

trips. Don’t drive if you don’t have to.”

What fuel are you buying,

Some cars require more expensive premium gas, and that’s what they should get, experts say But sometimes drivers are filling up with premium when their vehicle doesn’t need it — and will do just fine on cheaper regular gas, they say

Regardless of your octane choice, you can be mindful of the quality of your gas. Consider whether a local station carries what’s called “Top Tier gas” — gas developed with additives aimed at clearing carbon deposits from your engine During periods of high prices or shortages, it isn’t a requirement, but it’s good for vehicles long-term.

Apps such as GasBuddy are great resources to compare local gas prices or prices along a driver’s route back home.

Experts say to also start thinking about getting gas when you’re around half a tank. That gives you some flexibility to watch for lower prices.

Consider a hybrid

The average age of a vehicle on the road these days is about 12 years and newer vehicles are more fuel-efficient than older ones. Not everyone can afford a new vehicle, but when it’s time, shoppers can consider a hybrid if they’re not ready to go fully electric. And if you’re ready to get off gas entirely, EVs — including plenty of used models — are out there.

of a share of Public Storage common stock or partnership units for each National Storage share or unit that they own. This represents $41.68 per share. Shares of National Storage jumped nearly 30% at the opening bell, while Public Storage’s stock fell less than a percent. Before the transaction closes, Public Storage and limited partners in National Storage’s operating partnership will form a joint venture that includes 313 properties on

and Puerto Rico with an estimated

High court to hear arguments in immigration case

Feds seek to end protections for migrants from Haiti, Syria

BY LINDSAY WHITEHURST Associated Press

WASHINGTON The Supreme Court will hear arguments over the Trump administration’s push to end legal protections for people fleeing war and natural disaster from countries around the world, including Haiti and Syria

The court declined, though, to immediately lift the protections for hundreds of thousands of people Monday, allowing them to live and work in the U.S. legally amid the administration’s wider crackdown on immigration.

The case will be heard in April, a fast schedule for the nation’s highest court, with a decision expected weeks or months later

The conservative-majority court has sided with the Trump administration on the issue before and allowed the end of temporary legal status for a total of 600,000 people from Venezuela while

lawsuits play out, exposing them to potential deportation. The court did not explain its legal reasoning, as is common on its emergency docket.

The Trump administration filed emergency appeals after lower courts stopped the immediate end of the program for 350,000 people from Haiti and 6,000 people from Syria.

The administration asked the court to lift those decisions, hear arguments and issue a broad ruling that would block courts from intervening when Homeland Security decides to end protections.

The Justice Department argued that the Department of Homeland Security has sole power over the program, which was designed to be temporary

“Lower courts are again attempting to block major executive-branch policy initiatives in ways that inflict specific harms to the national interest and foreign relations,” Solicitor General D. John Sauer wrote in court documents.

But immigration attorneys argued that both countries are still largely in crisis and people can’t return safely

The Supreme Court will hear arguments over the Trump administration’s push to end legal protections for people fleeing war and natural disaster from countries around the world.

“Without a functioning government, Haiti is a nation in turmoil. Rape, kidnapping, and murder are rampant, while food, housing, and medical care are scarce,” attorneys wrote, pointing to reports that four Haitian women were recently found dead months after they were deported from the U.S. Lupe Aguirre, director of the International Refugee

Assistance Project, said Syrians are relieved they will stay protected for now, but disappointed the court agreed to hear the case before it has fully worked its way through lower courts. Courts in New York and Washington, D.C., have agreed to delay the end of protections, with one finding that “hostility to nonwhite immigrants” likely played a role in the deci-

sion to end protections for Haitians. During his presidential campaign, Trump amplified false rumors that Haitian immigrants were abducting and eating dogs and cats.

Appeals courts left the decisions in place. A total of about 1.3 million people fleeing armed conflict, natural disasters and political instability in countries around the world have

been granted temporary protected status. Federal authorities have said conditions in the affected countries have improved and denied racial animus played any role.

The protections for Haitians were first granted in 2010 after a catastrophic earthquake and have been extended multiple times amid ongoing gang violence that has displaced more than a million people, according to court documents.

Protections for Syrians were first granted protected status in 2012, during a civil war that lasted for more than a decade before the fall of President Bashar Assad’s government in late 2024. Congress created TPS in 1990 to prevent deportations to countries suffering from natural disasters, civil strife or other dangerous conditions. The designation is granted in 18-month increments by the Homeland Security secretary It allows people to legally live and work in the U.S., though it does not provide a path to citizenship. DHS has moved to terminate the program for people from multiple countries since Republican Donald Trump returned to the White House.

Afghanistan says 400 killed in Pakistan strike on hospital

BY ABDUL QAHAR AFGHAN, MUNIR AHMED and ELENA BECATOROS Associated Press

KABUL,Afghanistan Afghani-

stan accused Pakistan of targeting a hospital for drug users in the Afghan capital late Monday saying the airstrike had killed at least 400 people. It marked a dramatic escalation of a conflict that began late last month and has seen repeated cross-border clashes as well as airstrikes inside Afghanistan. International calls for a ceasefire have gone unheeded. Pakistan dismissed the accusation that it had hit a hospital, saying its strikes, which were also conducted

in eastern Afghanistan, did not hit any civilian sites.

Afghanistan’s deputy government spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat, in a post on X, said the airstrike had hit the hospital at about 9 p.m. local time, destroying large sections of the 2,000-bed facility He said the death toll had “so far” reached 400 people, while about 250 people had been reported injured.

Local television stations posted footage on X showing security forces using flashlights as they carried out casualties while firefighters struggled to extinguish flames among the ruins of a building. Fitrat said rescue teams were working to control the fire and recover the

bodies.

The strike came hours after Afghan officials said the two sides exchanged fire along their common border, killing four people in Afghanistan, as the deadliest fighting between the neighbors in years entered a third week.

Afghan government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid condemned the strike on X, accusing Pakistan of “targeting hospitals and civilian sites to perpetrate horrors.”

In a post before the death toll rose into the hundreds, he said those killed and injured were patients at the hospital.

“We strongly condemn this crime and consider such an act to be against all accepted principles and a crime

Spain’s king acknowledges ‘much abuse’ in conquest of Americas

BY SUMAN NAISHADHAM Associated Press

MADRID Spain’s monarch said Monday the Spanish conquest of the Americas included “much abuse” and “ethical controversies,” striking a conciliatory tone amid a yearslong row between Spain and Mexico over colonial era abuses committed by the Spanish crown centuries ago. King Felipe VI made the remarks while speaking with Mexico’s ambassador to Spain, Quirino Ordaz, during a visit to a museum exhibition in Madrid about the role of women in pre-

Columbian Mexico. About the centuries-old Spanish conquest, Felipe said: “There are things that, when we study them, we come to know them, and well, with our current values, they obviously cannot make us feel proud.”

“But they must be understood in their proper context, not with excessive moral presentism, but with an objective and rigorous analysis,” he said The Bourbon king’s symbolic remarks came after years of a diplomatic spat between Spain and Mexico over the Mexican government’s demands that Spain

apologize for its 1519-1521 conquest of Mexico, which resulted in the death of a large part of the country’s pre-Hispanic population.

Colonial Spain ruled one of the largest empires in history with colonial holdings spanning 5 continents at its peak between the 16th and 18th centuries. That included much of Central and South America.

Mexico City was the seat of Spain’s colonial power in the Americas after the Spanish and their Indigenous allies toppled the Aztecs in 1521. Mexico City was built over the ruins of the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan.

against humanity,” he posted Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s spokesman, Mosharraf Zaidi, dismissed the allegations as baseless, saying no hospital was targeted in Kabul.

In a post on X before Afghan officials gave a death toll, Pakistan’s Ministry of Information said the strikes “precisely targeted military installations and terrorist support infrastructure including technical equipment storage and ammunition storage of Afghan Taliban” and Afghanistan-based Paki-

stani militants in Kabul and Nangarhar saying the facilities were being used against innocent Pakistani civilians.

It said Pakistan’s targeting was “precise and carefully undertaken to ensure no collateral damage is inflicted.”

The ministry said Mujahid’s claim was “false and misleading” and aimed at stirring sentiment and cover what it described as ”illegitimate support for crossborder terrorism.”

The strike came hours after the U.N. Security Council called on Afghanistan’s Tali-

ban rulers to immediately step up efforts to combat terrorism. Pakistan accuses Kabul of harboring militant groups, particularly the Pakistani Taliban, which it says carry out attacks inside Pakistan. The Security Council resolution, adopted unanimously didn’t name Pakistan but condemns “in the strongest terms all terrorist activity including terrorist attacks.” The resolution also extends the U.N. political mission in Afghanistan, UNAMA, for three months.

‘Slammer’ testifies in fraud trial

Man serving time in hit on informer

BY JAMES FINN Staff writer

For years before he died in a hail of bullets, Cornelius Garrison mentored the man who would help take his life.

The veteran “slammer,” whose living came from crashing cars into big-rig trucks in New Orleans, met Ryan “Red” Harris in 2011 after a couple of Harris’ rela-

Parade riders banned for life

Video surfaces showing minors making Nazi salutes

BY LARA NICHOLSON Staff writer

Organizers of the St Patrick Parade of Jefferson imposed a lifetime ban on some riders in Sunday’s parade after a video surfaced of them making hand gestures resembling Nazi salutes to the crowd, parade organizers announced Monday.

The Parade Committee Board issued a public apology for the incident, saying they “view these actions as unacceptable and contrary to our goals of staging a family friendly event that may be enjoyed by all members of our community.”

Organizers said the riders’ actions were both against parish ordinance and parade rules.

Parade Chief Administrative Officer Brian Hebert said the banned riders, who were not named, are all minors. He declined to say how many were banned.

Video circulated on social media after the parade showed several young riders beating their chests and swinging their arms straight into the air while laughing atop a float, apparently mimicking Nazi salutes.

“Riders on the unit were videotaped using hand gestures that are deemed both shocking and offensive to the general public,” parade leaders said in a statement sent through the parish Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng said in a statement Sunday that “we do not tolerate hate” and that an investigation would be conducted by the parish and parade organizers into the incident. She cited an ordinance prohibiting indecent, shocking and offensive behavior by parade riders.

The 55th annual St Patrick Parade of Jefferson rode through the streets of Metairie at noon Sunday along Severn Avenue, Metairie Road and Focis Street.

Sunday’s incident follows a string of controversies to befall New Orleans-area parades this year During Carnival season, two riders were kicked out of Krewe of Tucks after hanging Black and White Barbie-like dolls from their necks over the edge of a float using beads.

On Fat Tuesday, a Zulu rider struck a 4-year-old child with a bottle of alcohol, resulting in three staples on the child’s scalp Forty-one riders were removed

tives rode along for one of Garrison’s exploits. Nearly 20 years his senior, Garrison agreed to bring Harris along as a “spotter” when he hit the roads. Garrison manned the wheel.

“(Garrison) showed it all to me so I could go start it on my own,” Harris said. “So eventually, that’s what I did.”

The mentorship between two native New Orleanians took a bloody turn one night in 2020. Garrison, who had been informing a widen-

After a wreck, the two men would direct passengers to attorneys who could help them file injury lawsuits particularly one up-and-coming lawyer, Vanessa Motta, Harris testified Monday in federal court. The money from allegedly bogus insurance payouts poured in. Harris eventually started driving, too.

ing federal probe into the sprawling staged-accident scheme and was named in a federal indictment four days earlier, was gunned down on his mother’s Gentilly doorstep, shot 10 times. It took four years for police to finger a suspect in Garrison’s death. When they did it was the younger “slammer.”

Harris pleaded guilty last year, accepting a 35-year prison sentence and telling prosecutors that he engineered the hit on his longtime mentor with Sean Alfortish, a disbarred attorney who was

engaged to Motta to silence Garrison Alfortish and another associate, Leon “Chunky” Parker, await an August trial on murder, fraud and other charges.

Motta, in her blockbuster fraud trial this week, faces no charges tied to the federal witness’s slaying. Prosecutors and defense lawyers alike have taken pains during the trial to avoid delving into the circumstances of Garrison’s death. Yet Harris’ testimony Monday highlighted how the killing

Jimmy Walsh, Joe Namath’s agent, wins Hibernian award

Irish Catholic fraternal organization honors 85-year-old

BY JENNA ROSS Staff writer

For decades, Jimmy Walsh made headlines as Joe Namath’s agent.

“The man behind Joe Namath’s deals,” The New York Times declared in 1975. “The man who helped make Joe Namath an icon,” the New York Post proclaimed in 2020.

But on Tuesday night, Walsh will be honored in New Orleans for his lesser-known roles. Son of an Irish

janitor Father of seven. Regular at Mater Dolorosa Catholic Church. And longtime member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians of Louisiana. As that Irish-Catholic fraternal organization celebrates 150 years in New Orleans, its leaders have named Walsh its Hibernian of the Year The 85-year-old attorney rode Saturday in the Irish Channel St. Patrick’s Day Parade sporting a sash, a green hat and a wide smile.

“It’s an honor,” Walsh said, one he’s “not sure that I deserve.”

“He’s a good businessman and a fine attorney,” said his friend James McKay, a former judge and past president of the national Hibernian group. “And famous — more famous

than any of us. But he’s a very downto-Earth individual, very humble, very unassuming.

“I’m not sure what took the organization so long to make him Hibernian of the Year, but it was worth the wait.”

The title caps a career fueled by luck and hard work — “and he would acknowledge them both equally,” said his son John C. Walsh. A career that took off after the Jets won the Super Bowl in 1969, turning its quarterback into a hot commodity A career that, with cheeky advertisements and TV deals, changed what an athlete could accomplish commercially

BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff writer

BY MICHELLE HUNTER Staff writer

Author:Booktobe thefinal word on Huey Long’s assassination

BY ROBIN MILLER Staff writer

Jack B. McGuire’sgoal for his new book, “Killing the Kingfish,” is to be the final word on the assassination of Huey P. Long But is it?

“I believe it will be,” the Mandevilleauthorsaid at abook release talk and signing Monday at the Louisiana State Archives.

“But that won’tstop other people from writing about it. They’re writing things about it on the internetright now.”

Still, McGuire said he believes his six decadesof research, which tookhim down every conspiracy theory path, has led to abook with the definitive answer to the cause of Long’sdeath

“Dr.Weiss shot him,” the author said.“Thereisno

SLAMMER

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has loomed over the trial now in its third week, as multiple witnesses have testified to Garrison and Harris’ overlapping roles in staging accidents and funneling passengers to Motta’sfirm.

Harris as part of his2025 plea agreement acknowledgedsetting up ameeting betweenParker,the alleged trigger-man, and Alfortish to orchestrateGarrison’s slaying.Healso admitted to enlisting his then-girlfriend, Jovanna Gardner,tosend Garrison text messagesto coerce him into meeting Parker on the night of the killing.Earlier that night, he acknowledged seeing Parker with agun, ski mask and gloves.

FILINGS

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remaining assets to satisfy creditors, unlike aChapter 11 reorganization, where a debtor remains in business while paying off debt.

The case has been assigned to U.S. Bankruptcy Judge MeredithGrabill.

In early January,McGlinchey Stafford surprised the local legal community by announcing that its equity members, agroup of senior attorneyswho owned the firm, had voted to dissolve.

Avariety of factors contributed to thedecision, including the recent departure of several high-profile lawyers with the firm, delinquent collections, internal disagreements and steep overhead costs in far-flung offices, according to sources familiar with the situation and statements made by the firm’sleaders. Managing member Michael Ferachi and atrustee appointed by the courtto

BANNED

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from afloat in Krewe of Carrollton for allegedly aggressively throwing beadsatNew Orleans policeofficers, andagroup of riders in Krewe of Thoth were also removed for allegedly throwing beads aggressively at attendees holding up antiICE signs. So far the Mardi Gras

doubt in my mind.”

McGuire knows his conclusionwill rankle some Long assassination enthusiasts who have formed their own theories, but his book is based solely on facts.

Author Robert Mann,a former senior aidetosenatorsRussellLong andJohn Breauxand LSU communications professor,complimented McGuire on not onlychasing down conspiracies butaddressing every book that’sbeen writtenon the subject.

“I think that was abrilliantapproach that you took tothoroughly examine every other scenario and demolish it,” Mann said. So,why,after almosta century,will this book which McGuire believes will be adefinitive work —becontroversial?Mann probably summarized it

‘It’sfraud’

ChiefU.S.DistrictJudge Wendy Vitterhas repeatedly instructed jurors not to weightestimonyabout Garrison against asecond injury attorney on trial, Jason Giles. Giles is primarily accusedofsuing on behalf of plaintiffs sent tohim by DamianLabeaud,another convicted “slammer” who testified last week

Wearing orangeprison garb and ankle shackles, Harris sat feet from Motta in court as he testified to the skills Garrison taught him, life as a“slammer” andhow he andhis mentorworked withMotta andAlfortish to quicklyget lawsuits filed on behalf of passengers. He was not directly questioned aboutGarrison’skilling.

Harris estimated that he and Garrison did “over 80” wrecks together.Har-

oversee liquidatingthe firm’sassets,Metairieattorney Bill Babin,have declinedto comment on the case.

Assets andliabilities

JPMorgan ChaseBank is McGlinchey’slargestcreditor and is owed morethan $2.5 million by the firm, includingmore than$813,000 on a2024 loan,nearly $825,000 on alineofcredit from mid-2025 and more than$847,000 in letters of credit issued to twoproperty owners for office space in Bostonand New York City Chaseisa securedcreditor,meaning it will getpaid first once thefirm’sassets areliquidated. McGlinchey also has more than $10.5 million in unsecured debt

More than half of that debt, some$6.5million, is owed for office space in high-risebuildings around the country. The firm’sNew York City landlord is owed nearly$803,000. Its Cleveland, Ohio, landlord is owed $690,000. Local property owners

incidents have resulted in heated meetingswithcity officialsand aproposed lawin thestate Legislature to impose fines against riders for reckless throwing.

TheNew Orleans City Council could also impose finesagainst krewes for this year’sincidents, which are usually decided in April or May

Email LaraNicholson at lnicholson@theadvocate com.

bestbypointing out how past authorshavewritten aboutthe subject basedon their admirationorlack thereof for Long.

The former Louisiana governor-turned-U.S. senator diedonSept. 10, 1935, in Our Lady of the Lake Hospital two days after he was shot in the executive corridor of thenewly constructedLouisiana State Capitol. Baton Rouge physician Carl Weisswas pegged as his assassin.

McGuire said some writers have theorized that Weiss punched Long’sbottom lip, triggering the bodyguards’ rain of bullets, one of which hit Long. Others say Weiss wasn’t carrying agun at all, and thebodyguards retrieved thegun from thedoctor’scar in the parking lot and placed it by his body as acover-up.

ris’ 2024 indictment did notcharge himwithevery wreck theystaged, he acknowledged.

The twomen became close. Garrisonevendated one of Harris’ close friends, Juanisha Winchester, after she joined aroad trip that ended in astaged wreck. Themen later referred her where theysent almost all their passengers: The Motta Law Firm. Mottasued on Winchester’s behalf andshe secured abig payout, Winchester testified last week. Harrissaid he andMotta were friends and even met each other’sfamilies. Buthe also sometimes struggled to manage her expectations, he said. She would admonish him for notincurring more damage to avehicle lest it sink her legal case, he said. Other times, she would become aggravated when cases faced legalhang-ups,

are owed even more. Mike Wampold, whose II River MarkCentre was home to McGlinchey’s Baton Rouge office, is owed some $942,000. The Pan American Life Center in New Orleans, where thefirm was located formorethan15years, is owed nearly $700,000.

Wampold, through his attorney,declined to comment Other unsecured creditors include 165 McGlincheyemployees, who are owed more than $1.5 million in wage claims,and 195 vendors that did business withthe firm. Some of those vendors are large, withsix-figure claims for computer software agreements andinsurance policies. Otherare small.A northshore bakery is owed $60,000 for king cakes.A New Orleans florist is owed nearly$800 for floral arrangements

McGlinchey,through the bankruptcytrustee, will hope to settle some of those debts by collecting on its accountsreceivables.The firm has $7.8 million in outstanding accounts thatare fewer

AWARD

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Acareer that’s notover, yet. “You don’twork, you die,” Walshsaid with a chuckle.

James Charles Walsh was born in New Jersey to immigrant parents. His father came to the United States in the 1920s from County Mayo, Ireland. But it was his mother’ssidethatendeared himtothe quarterback Namath. Walsh’sgrandmother Erzebet, or “Elsie,” helped raise him,speaking to him in Hungarian,his first language. Namath, too, is Hungarian. The two discovered this shared heritage as UniversityofAlabama students, on aboys’ trip to Florida, over breakfast

Still othersbelieve Weiss was part of an assassination plot cooked up among an Anti-Long crowd at the DeSoto Hotel, now theLa Pavillon Hotel, in New Orleans before Longwas assassinated. McGuire donated records fromthat Anti-Long meetingtothe Louisiana State Archives. McGuirebought the papers from acollector,all filesfrom Brig. Gen.Louis Francis Guerre’sinvestigationinto the assassination. Guerre headedthe Louisiana State Police at the time.

The papersare on display in exhibit cases for now and will be available to the public for research purposes.

And, yes,some of the papersdodiscusspossible assassination scenarios.

“There are665 papers in the Guerre Papersinthe State Archives, and I’mdo-

he said.

“I told her,‘there’sgonna be some badones’ —somebody could’ve saw us getting out of the vehicle,” he said.

“Anything could have happened. It’sfraud; it’sall bad.”

‘Vanessa knew’

Harriscontinued funnelingcrash passengers to Motta and Alfortishafter “branching off” from Garrison,hetestified. He said he staged wrecks for Motta as recently as 2023, though theyincreasingly avoided doing so with big rigs, pivoting to wrecks with regular cars as scrutiny mounted.

“It was pretty much like the conversations we had with the18-wheelers,” Harris said. “I’d just tell her I’d be back with another one. She’d tell me to makesure Ihit ’em rightand that the

than 90 days oldand $1.6 million that are olderthan 90 days

Court records show it also has $4 million in “workin progress,” or legal work it was doing at thetime of the bankruptcy filing, though it is unclear how it will be able to collect on any of that money because all of the attorneys that worked forthe firm have sincegonetowork at other firms

Other firm assets include $4 millionininventory and morethan $1.5million in cash.

‘Inundated with calls’

The firm had 17 offices in 11 states andemployed 300 people, including 150 attorneys, at the time of the filing. Filings suggested the enormity of workinvolved with unwinding allthe cases and relationships entangled in afirm of that size.

Onecourt pleading,filed March9,saysalmost immediately after Babin was appointedastrustee, he was “inundated with emails and phone calls from former McGlinchey attorneys

to Tuscaloosa. He’d called them all, he said, and they’d all made excuses. Aftermidnight, feeling low, he was walking down the stepsfrom the airplane when he spotted Namath.

Namath hadsneaked out of the dorm after curfew to give him aride.

“Thatcemented our relationship,” Walshsaid. “Whatever Joe needed, Iwas going to be there to help him.”

nating 339pages to those files,”McGuire said. “That conference took place on July 20 and21. Some people saythatCarlWeiss waspart of it, but there’s no waythat he couldhave been there. He andhis wife,Yvonne, hadtaken their3-year-old son to Opelousasduring thattime.”

Opelousaswas home to Weiss’ in-laws,specifically hisfather-in-law,powerful Anti-Long Judge Benjamin Henry Pavy, whose district Longwas seeking to gerrymander.Yet anothertheory places Weiss at the Capitol to confront Long’s action against Pavy

“I do believe thatCarl Weiss went to the Capitol thatnight to confront Huey Long, and Ibelieve all the evidence would indicate that he did shoot Long.

Some people sayhewasn’t

policy washigh.” Motta’sdefense attorney, Sean Toomey,repeatedly questioned Harris’ assertion that his client knew wrecks involving Harris were staged. He cited an FBI memo from after Harris’ arrest in which agents wrote that Harris told them Motta had never paid him directly,and that she did notadmit to knowing that accidents werestaged.

Throughout the trial, Toomey has argued that while she nowacknowledges the wrecks were staged, Motta at the timewas unwittingly duped into bringingbogus cases by the older Alfortish.

In afieryback-and-forth, Harris repeatedly said he “can’t control”whatFBI agents putintheir notes from their initial interview and that he was“here to tell the truth.”

trying to locate the original Last Wills and Testaments (of their clients) that were stored by the debtor.”

“Further,the Debtor has offices filled with client files in multiple locations and in storage that need to be sorted and multiple computer servers anda vast computer network containing client files,” the filing said.

Thepleading askedGrabill for approval to keep paying several McGlinchey employees to help administer the process, noting that “the former debtor employees have institutional knowledge that is unique .and that will help the Trusteetoaccess information quickly and efficiently.”

On Monday,Grabill approvedthe request on an interim basis, freeing up someofthe firm’s money to keep theemployees on the payroll. Ahearing to consider the fullapplication is scheduled fornext week.

Email StephanieRiegel at stephanie.riegel@ theadvocate.com.

ing young talent and developing alove forlicensing.

On aflight to New York in 1979, the red-hairedattorney spotted the raven-haired New Orleans fashion maven Yvonne LaFleur.When the flight was divertedfrom JFK Airport to Newark, he approached her: “May Ioffer youa ride into New York?”

political,but Carl Weiss was political,” McGuire said. McGuire added that Weiss’ son, Carl Weiss Jr., filed for an IRS deduction of $250,000 after donating his father’sgun to the Louisiana State Archivesonthe grounds thatitwas the gun that belonged to his father who used it to shoot Long. As for the discussions of assassinationsatthe AntiLong conference in New Orleans, McGuire said Guerre took no action.

“Nothing wasevercarriedout, so he didn’tpursue it,” the authorsaid.

“Killing the Kingfish” was published by the University Press of Mississippi. It is available at Cavalier Books in DenhamSprings. Email Robin Millerat romiller@theadvocate. com.

Continued from page1B

was waiting to board abus home to Algiers whenJunior Antoine saw McClure walking by and excitedly pointed him out to his brother,police said.

Maurrio Antoine told his brother to kill McClure, but thethen17-year-oldwas reluctant, according to authorities. That’swhenMarruio Antoinepulleda Glock .40-caliberpistolfromhis bag, handedittohis littlebrother and ordered him to act,Gretna police said.

The brothers followed McClure past the bus station and onto awalking trail under the elevated West Bank Expressway in Gretna. They hid behind themassivesupport pillars andstalkedMcClure forabout ahalf-mile untilhereached the70block of the lower West Bank Expressway,where there were fewer street lights, investigators said.

JuniorAntoine then ran toward McClure and opened fire,Gretna policesaid. McClure was pronounced dead at the scene.

The brothers went back to theterminaland boarded their bus home in what investigatorscalleda “joyous” mood DetectivesidentifiedJuniorand MaurrioAntoine as suspects in the case using video from the crime scene and bus, according to police. They werearrested about two weeks after the shooting and indicted with second-degree murder TheAntoines agreed to plead guilty to alesser charge of manslaughter before Judge E. Adrian Adams of the 24th Judicial District Court. Adams sentenced both to 40 yearsinprison with credit for time already served, accordingtocourt records.

Email Michelle Hunter at mhunter@theadvocate. com.

active with the Hibernians, named after the Latinword forIreland.

“She told me hername,” Walsh said, “and Isaid, ‘That’sawonderful, wonderfulname forlicensing.’”

Six months later,inNew Orleans forthe Sugar Bowl, Walsh ran into LaFleur again. She wasmarriedbut agreed to getdinner. “I fell madly in love with her,” he said. It was lucky,hesaid, thatheknewplenty of lawyers: “First thing we’re going to do is get you divorced.”

Irish immigrants founded the Ancient OrderofHibernians in the 1930s in New York and Philadelphia, to defend their churches and clergy fromanti-immigrant groups. Locally,the order raises money to feed families, aid veterans and assist immigrants, said McKay alongtimeappeals court judge, now retired. Sincehejoinedinthe 1990s, Walsh has donated and volunteered, opening up his home to Irish dignitaries, said Matt Toups, secretary of the state board.

“Anything the Hibernians need,” Toups said, “Jimmy’s always there.”

The following year, Walsh’scar broke down on his drive back to Alabama this time for lawschool. So his sister bought him aplane ticket, his first.

Buthecouldn’t finda friend to drivehim the60 miles from Birmingham

When, years later,the league ordered Namathto get rid of his thick mustache, he called Walsh. Walsh crafted adeal with Schick Electric, worth $15,000, for acommercial. It was ahit, andthey returnedtoWalsh to run it on other networks. For moremoney,ofcourse. Then theJets won the Super Bowl, and Walsh got “calls from all over,” from General Mills to Bristol Myers. In another spot, forBeautyMist pantyhose, the camera slowly pans a smoothpair of legs, finally revealing Namath’ssmiling face.

Walsh co-founded the New York City lawfirm Buskin, Kopelsonand Walsh,scout-

The pair went on to have seven children and three granddaughters.(The youngest of those grandchildren, Walsh said, is “just adynamo.”)

Now, Walshdrives LaFleur to herUptown boutique each morning. He attends Mass everyday.And he’s been

Benson, Paula

Blanchard, Louis Burnett, William Cantrell, June

Duhy,Claire

Heffley, Lynn

Lee, Gay Lombard, Brenda

Reilly,Joan

Rouprich, James

Toups,Elaine

Toups,Wayne

EJefferson

Garden of Memories

Cantrell, June

NewOrleans

JacobSchoen

Reilly,Joan

Lake Lawn Metairie

Burnett, William

St Bernard

St Bernard

Duhy,Claire St Tammany

Audubon

Heffley, Lynn West Bank

Mothe Pounders,Olga Toups,Elaine

Toups,Wayne

Obituaries

Benson, Paula Maureen

PaulaMaureen Benson, anative of New Orleans and longtime resident of Dallas, passed away peacefullyonMarch 6, 2026, after acourageous fight with cancer

Agraduate of Archbishop ChapelleHigh School and NicholsState University, Paula went on to build asuccessful career at Northwest Airlines, and then as an HR Professional for several Big 4firms. In her spare time, Paula enjoyed spending time with family, friends, and traveling. She especially loved the food of herNew Orleans hometown, never turning away a roast beef Po-Boy or an entire evening at acrawfish boil. Most of all, Paula enjoyeda lifelong love of singing as amember of several choruses and choirs. Her joy was never more evident than when she was singing for the Lord.

Paula was preceded in death by her father Robert Watson Benson, mother HelenLeaumont Benson, and brother James Michael Benson. She is survived by her brothers, sister,many niecesand nephews, and lifelong friends who willalways remember her warmth, love, laughter, and sharp wit. Paula's legacy lives on in the hearts of all who knew her Amass for Paula will be held on Saturday, April 18, 2026 at 1:30 PM at St. Dominic Catholic Church, 775 HarrisonAve, New Orleans, LA 70124. Interment will take place at afuture date.

Claville LouisBlanchard, Jr., age79, of Amite passed awayonSaturday, March 14, 2026, at North Oaks Medical CenterinHammond, Louisiana.Louis was born in New Orleans to ClavilleLouis"CL"and Antoinette Zuppardo Blanchard on January 29, 1947. He was anative of Gentilly and later made hishome in Amite,Louisiana. Between 1983and 2000hespent part of each year in Telluride, Colorado and inrecentyears alsoenjoyed time inMilbridge, Maine. He was a1965graduateof St.Aloysius and was a member of the Plumbers and Steamfitters Local Union #60. LouisestablishedBlanchard Mechanical Contractors,Inc. in 1982. Louisissurvived by hiswifeof59years, Sharon Howard Blanchard;daughter, MichelleBlanchard Dees and husband Brian, Amite, son, Donald Blanchard and wifeKeri, Amite, and daughter,RenéeBlanchard Carpenter and husband Frederick, Amite; 11 grandchildren, Amy Woodard(Trent),Gonzales, Patrick Dees(Jessica), Amite, Daniel Dees (Brianne),Hammond, Danny Edwards Jr Hammond, Baylor Blanchard,Telluride, CO,ZacharyEdwards (Bailey), Hammond Kaleb Hebert, Colorado Springs,CO, Carter Blanchard, Jackson, MS,Benjamin Dees, Amite,Anna Blanchard,Suwanee, GA and SamBlanchard, Fayetteville,AR; 10 great-grandchildren; sister, MaryLynn Blanchard Crumb, Kenner; 10 nephews and 1niece. He was preceded in death by his parents; sister,Debbie Wild O'Regan; nieces, Hala Hegab and Bonnie Punch; and nephews,Josh Punch and Matthew Dubreuil. Pallbearerswill be Danny Edwards, Jr BaylorBlanchard, Zachary Edwards, Kaleb Hebert, CarterBlanchard,BenjaminDees and SamBlanchard. Visitation at McKneely Funeral Home,Amite from 5:00 PM until8:00 PM on Tuesday, March 17, 2026.A Mass of Christian Burial to celebrate hislife will be held at 11:00AMon Wednesday,March18, 2026atSt. Helena Catholic Church.Services conducted by Fr. Reuben Dykes. IntermentAmite Cemetery, Amite, LA.

Burnett, William Ronald

years in losing his wife and suffering adebilitating stroke, he focused on the joysinhis life his daughters and granddaughters Emma and Lucille Porteous. Of allhis life accomplishments, he was most proud of his girls. Ron is lovedand missed by many, and hisfamily wouldliketoextend a warm thank youtothe staff at Inspired Living,his amazing caregiverAmber Avila, and Anvoi Hospice, who ensured his dignity until theveryend.Those who knew Ronwillrememberhim in crimson red and ahoundstooth hat, and his spirit willliveforeverin thewords of thegreat Bear Bryant: "Ifyou want to walk theheavenly streets of gold,you gotta knowthe password, 'Roll, Tide,Roll!' We love youand will miss you, Dad,until we meetagain. Relatives and friends of thefamily are invitedtoattend services at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd, NewOrleans, LA,onFriday, March 20, 2026. Visitation is from10:30 A.M. until noon, witha Memorial Mass beginning at noon. Interment will follow at All Saints Mausoleum in Metairie Cemetery.To view and sign thefamily guestbook, please visit www.lakelawnmetairie.co m

June M. Cantrell passed away on March11, 2026 at theage of 90. Shewas born in Harahan, LA to thelate Fredrick Montaldo andthe late Anne Parfait. Sheis thebeloved wife of Melvin J. Cantrell for29years and thebeloved mother of Brenda Leggins(Melvin), Paul Beebe(Janice), John Beebe, LindaCumvaa (Thomas),Barbara Beebe, andthe late PaulinaBeebe. Sheisalsosurvivedbyher brother, Fredrick Montaldo, 20 grandchildren, several great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces, nephews, andother rela‐tives. June wasprecededin deathbyher sisters: ShirleyMontaldo, Anna MayRyan, andLouise Beebe. Services will be held at Garden of Memo‐ries FuneralHome& Ceme‐tery,4900 AirlineDr., Metairie,LA70001 on Wednesday, March18, 2026. Visitation will begin at 10:30 am with aprayer service starting at 1:00 pm followed by burial.Toorder flowersoroffercondo‐lences,pleasevisit www gardenofmemoriesmetairi e.com.

breath. She enjoyed reading,sewing,cooking family recipes,gardening,and being involvedinher grandchildren's lives. Servicestobeheldfor family and closefriends at St.Bernard Memorial Funeral Home, 701 W. Virtue St., Chalmette,LA, on Thursday,March 19th, Visitation from9:00 AM11:00 AM followedbya Funeral Service beginning at 11:00 AM. Clairewillbe greatlymissed. To view and sign the FamilyGuestbook, please visit www.stbernardmemo rial.com

Heffley,LynnDukes

AudubonFuneralHomein

Slidell.A funeralservice will begininthe chapel at 4:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in hermemoryto oneofher favorite chari‐ties,CysticFibrosisFoun‐dation,Alzheimer's Associ‐ation, American Cancer So‐ciety, or acharity of your choice.Memoriesand con‐dolences maybeex‐pressedatwww.Audubon FuneralHome.com

Pounders, Olga AnnKillian

In lieu of flowers please consider adonation to the American Cancer Society or the Louisiana SPCA.

WilliamRonaldBurnett passed awaypeacefullyon March 8, 2026, surrounded by the love of hisfamily. Ron,or"Captain,"ashe was affectionately called by many, was born in New Orleans, Louisiana,on November 9, 1941, to Ira Henryand Elizabeth Louise Burnett. RaisedinMobile, Alabama, he became adiehardUniversityofAlabama footballfan.Hegraduated from Livingston State College (now University of West Alabama) where he was aproud memberof TauKappa Epsilon Fraternity. He is preceded in death by his parents, his brotherKenneth,and his wifeKathleen. Ron's careerwith Crawford& Company brought him to Atlanta, Georgia, and thenlaterto NewOrleanswhere he met the love of his life KathleenBurnett (née Mercante). Together,they raised two lovingdaughters, AimeePorteous (Tommy) and Elizabeth Burnett. He spent his life devoted to his family, his Catholic faith, andvolunteerwork in the community.Heremaineddedicated to his alma materaspresidentofthe alumni association and as an active fraternity alumnimember, frequentlyattending campus events.Heenjoyed being an amateur photographer,especiallytakingpicturesonMardiGrasday in the French Quarter and on hislong-anticipated retirementtrip to Ireland. His volunteereffortsinthe New Orleans' community and board member work willalsonot be forgotten Despite the difficulties he faced over the past 14

ClaireEganDuhy passed away peacefullyonthe morning of March 11, 2026, at theage of 95. Clairewas thelovingand devoted wife of 71 years to her husband, Samuel Matthew Duhy. Beloved mother of Glenn (Sandy) Duhy and Gregory Duhy. Dedicated grandmother to Elizabeth (Earl)Leidinger,Catherine (Ricky) Kreps, Jennifer(PJ) Chutz, Michelle(Justin) Austin, and Glenn Duhy, Jr. Doting great-grandmother to Ethan Austin, Lily and Margot Leidinger, Rosalie andRawlins Kreps, and Paislee and Preslee Chutz. She is precededindeath by her loving husband, Sam, her parents, William and Beatrice Egan,along with her twosisters, Blanche and Joyce, and her grandson, MatthewDuhy. She is survivedbymany family and friends, including brothers, William (Nora) and Robert (Sue) Egan,along with daughterin-law,Lisa(John) Duhy McLaughlin, and beloved caretaker, MinnieRuiz. Clairewas extremely wise and sharp until her last

It is with heavyhearts that we sharethe passing of ourbeloved mother, Lynn DukesHeffley,who passedpeacefully at home on February 28, 2026, at the ageof79. Sheleavesbe‐hind herlovingchildren, AnitaHeffley Becker (John) andWilliam “Bill” Heffley III (Natalie); hercherished grandchildren, TylerRus‐sell (Emma), Colton Becker (Hutchinson),Sydney Becker (Anthony), Sarah Becker,Kaleb Heffley,and Lexi Heffley (Nick);and twobeautiful great-grand‐children,Ameliaand Grayson. Shewas pre‐cededindeath by herhus‐band of 54 years, William “Bill” Heffley,whomshe lovingly called herKnight in ShiningArmor.She was also preceded in deathby herparents,Cliffand Betty Dukes; herbrother,Allen Dukes(Lynn);and hersis‐ter, Cheryl DukesBontje (Kasper).She leaves be‐hind many beloved cousins, nieces,nephews lifelong friends, andex‐tended familywhomwill miss herdeeply.Her family relocatedtoSlidell, Louisiana, from Michigan in theearly 1960s whenher father beganworkatMi‐choud. Shegraduated from SlidellHighSchool in 1964, where sheproudly cheered on theTigersasa cheer‐leader.Throughouther life, sheremainedconnected to herclassmates, attending many reunionsand enjoy‐ingher membership in the SlidellHigh50’sClub. She continuedher educationat Southeastern Louisiana University,earning aBach‐elor of Business Adminis‐trationin1968. During her time at SLU, shewas active in campus life,including hersororityand servingas afraternitysweetheart. In early1969, shemet the love of herlifeona blind date.Whatbegan as asim‐pleintroductiongrewinto abeautiful marriage,true partnership, anda deep friendship that lasted 54 wonderfulyears.Together, they builta life filledwith love,laughter, family, and asuccessfulbusinessthey nurturedsidebyside. Lynn wasfun-lovingand adven‐turous.Her genuinelaugh andwarmsmile brought joytoeveryoneshe met. Sheloved to travel,visiting manyplacesabroadand across theUnitedStates, sometimescamping under thestars andother times enjoying alittlepampering —but always making new friendsalong theway.She hada remarkable memory forpeopleand neverforgot abirthday, even thoseof friendsfromgrade school Lynn wasalsowonderfully creative andentrepreneur‐ial. Alongwithher mother, sister,and sister-in-law, she co-created acatering business that many still fondly remember today. Shebecameespecially knownfor herstunning wedding cakesand her naturalabilitytomake everycelebration feel beautifuland special. A simple trip to thegrocery storewas rarely quick. She inevitably raninto“some‐one” sheknewand stoppedtochat—oftento themildimpatienceofher children who just wanted theerrandtobequick.But that wasLynn’sgift: she made people feel seen, welcomed,and at ease Shehad away of connect‐ingwithothersthatmade everyconversationmean‐ingful.Lynn filledour lives with laughter,encourage‐ment,creativity, uncondi‐tional love,and somehow managedtomakeeventhe simplest daymemorable Hergenuine easy smile, warmth,kindness, andjoy‐fulspiritwillliveoninthe many friendsand family that knew herand loved her. We,her familyand lovedones, will carry for‐ward sharingher stories, herlovefor making every‐thingfeel special, andpray to create alifethatiswor‐thyofher legacy.Relatives andfriends areinvited to attend avisitationonSat‐urday, March21, 2026, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at

Gay Rita Jastram Lee, of Hammond, Louisiana, passed away on Saturday, March14, 2026, at the age of 89. She was born on July 10, 1936, in NewOrleans Louisiana, thedaughterof thelateLloyd Jastram and OrleaEnniger Jastram. A devotedparishionerof Holy Ghost Catholic ChurchinHammond, Louisiana, shewas acherished member of thecommunityand abeloved motherand grandmother. Aresident of Hammond for over twenty years, Gay wasalso aformer resident of Kenner,Louisiana, and Picayune, Mississippi. Throughouther life, she demonstrateda steadfast love anddedication to her family. She took great joy in spendingtimewithher childrenand grandchildren.Gay had apassion for clothingand fashion. Sheloved playing games, celebratingholidays, and wasa bigfan of LSUand theSaints. Gay wasa sweet soul andeveryone that knew herloved her. Shewill be deeply missed by so many. Gay is survivedbyher children, William Hugh "Bill" LeeIII, Karen LeeArnouville (Chris), Linda LeeLaMonte, andFelicia Kay LeeBrown (Troy); grandchildren, Virginia, Nicole,Jacob, and Hannah; step-grandchildren,Kristina andKenneth; great grandchildren,Chloe Paul, Lantz andIvy; several step-great grandchildren; sister,JeanneHingle; and numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, and many friends. In addition to her parents, Gay waspreceded in death by herhusband, William Hugh LeeJr.; stepgrandchild, Korie; sister andbrother-in-law, Renelda andJoe Marchand; andbrother-inlaw,Norwood Hingle Familyand friends will be received at HolyGhost Catholic Church, 600 North Oak Street,Hammond, Louisiana 70401 on Thursday, March19, 2026, from 9:00 am untilthe Funeral Mass begins at 11:00 am. In lieu of flowers, donationsmay be made in Gay Lee's memory to Catholic Charitiesat www.donate.catholicchar itiesusa.org.Arrangements have been entrusted to Harry McKneely &Son Funeral Home and CrematoryofHammond andPonchatoula. An online guest book is available at www.harrymckneely.com.

Brenda AnnLombard peacefullyenteredeternal rest on February 14,2026. Shewas born 3/25/1945 in NewOrleans,Louisiana. Shewill be remembered for herunwavering devotion to herLordand savior Jesus Christ,extreme intelligenceand herspirit for life andprayer.

Olga AnnKillian Pounderspassedaway peacefully on March12, 2026, at theage of 82. Born in NewOrleans,Louisiana on March12, 1944, Olga wasthe youngestdaughter of John D. KillianofSt. Louis, MO andElizabeth Graf KillianofNew Orleans, LA.She wasa beloved mother,grandmother,sis‐ter, andfriendwhose life wasmarkedbyintelli‐gence, grace, andcreativ‐ity. Raised in NewOrleans alongside hersiblings, Eliz‐abethKillian Davis, Ken‐neth Killianand John Kil‐lian,Olgaexcelledfroman earlyage.She attended Sa‐cred HeartSchool,where shegraduated as valedic‐torian of herhighschool class, andlater earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of NewOrleans Heraffection forSacred Heartremainedlifelong; decadeslater,she was listed amongthe Classof 1962 honorees celebrated at thealumniassociation’s 50threunion.Throughout herlife, bookswereamong Olga’s earliest andmost enduring loves. As achild, shereadher waythrough theentirecollectionofher elementary school library so quicklythatthe school grantedher specialper‐missiontobegin reading from thehighschool shelves. Even then,itwas clearthather curiosityand intellectreached far be‐yond theordinary. As a teenager,Olga’sinterests expanded into thetechni‐calworld as well. In 1958, shewas listed in Popular Electronicsmagazineas Olga AnnKillian of NewOr‐leansstudyingradio code andtheory; an interest she learnedfromher father.It wasanearly reflection of theinquisitive mind that wouldlater guideher into the fields of administration andprogramming.Asa Girl Scout, Olga earned theor‐ganization’s highesthonor of hertime, theFirst-Class Award; laterrecognized as theequivalentoftoday’s Gold Award. Olga also had alifelongloveofdance studying from theage of eleven throughtwentyfour.The graceand dedica‐tion shedeveloped throughthose yearsof dancestayedwithher and became part of the quiet confidencewithwhich she carriedherself throughout herlife. Olga beganher professional life as asec‐retary,but shewas never contenttostoplearning. Over theyears,she ad‐vanced to become an ad‐ministratorand program‐merfor LykesBrothers Steamship. Later, she served as administratorof acampuswideUniversity of NewOrleans informa‐tion technology help desk, overseeing operations that supportedstudents, fac‐ulty,and staff. Hercareer reflectedthe same quali‐ties that definedher in everysetting:steadiness, competence,curiosity,and quietexcellence. Olga shared a47-year marriage with AnthonyJackLord Pounders, until hisdeath in 2014. Olga spentmostof herlifeinNew Orleansand her finalyears in Baton Rouge. Herhands were rarely still.Olgaloved sewing andspent many yearsinleadershipwithin theNew Orleanschapter of theSmockingArtsGuild of America. Shealsoenjoyed crochet, travel,calligraphy, andphotography.She de‐lightedingames of pa‐tience andstrategy, espe‐cially solitaireand Mahjong. Whetherwitha needle,a book,a camera, or adeckofcards,Olga broughtfocus,care, anda discerning eye. Olga is pre‐cededindeath by herhus‐band,Anthony Jack Lord Pounders, herparents John D. Killianand Eliza‐beth Graf Killian; her brother, KennethKillian, andher grandson,Luke Cire.She is survived by her children,Anthony Jack PoundersJr. (Wendi); Jacqueline AnnPounders Cire Jacobs (Kurt),and Adam Pounders(Enny); her sister,Elizabeth Killian Davis, herbrother,JohnKil‐lian,and hergrandchil‐dren,Abigail Fontaine (Kyle),ArcherPounders, Shep Pounders, Elizabeth Cire,Caspian Jacobs,and AriadneJacobsand great granddaughters Lillian Fontaine andLilaFontaine. Shewillalsoberemem‐beredwithlovebyex‐tended familyand dear friendswhose liveswere brightened by herwisdom, wit, andsteadyaffection Olga will be remembered forher sharpmind, capa‐blehands,and steadfast

Better accountability needed,but giving governorsmore poweroverjudges notthe rightway

The separation of the powers of government branches is afoundational American ideal. So is respect for the willofthe people

That’swhy we are troubled bya newproposal currently pending before theLouisianaLegislature. Senate Bill 123, sponsored by state Sen Jay Morris, R-West Monroe, is aconstitutional amendment that, if approved byvoters, would hand theexecutive branch the ability to suspend or remove elected judgesand district attorneys if two-thirds of senators agree.

Like many bills, this onedefies easy narratives. The impetus for the bill —public frustration over incompetence and lackofaccountability within the state’scriminal justicesystem —isjustified.

Recently,those issues were thrown into sharp relief by former LouisianaSupremeCourt Justice Chet Traylor,who resignedfromthe Louisiana Judiciary Commission,the body that investigates complaints against judges andrecommends discipline to the SupremeCourt.

“Judgesneed to be aboveboard andaccountable as their actions determine theway our citizensviewour government,” Traylor wrote in aletter to Gov.Jeff Landry announcing his resignation. He also said some judgesare “incompetent or so arrogantthat they thinkthey are above the law.”

Traylor’sfrustration, coming as it does from acourt insider,isnoteworthy. In manycases, confidentiality rules prohibit judges fromcommenting on cases,and thetight judicial fraternity has often closed ranksaround its ownwhen problems arise But the mechanism that would be created by SB123 is flawed. The billsays judges could be removed for “malfeasance, gross misconduct, or incompetence.” The trick,ofcourse,will be in the definition of those terms, whichMorris haspromisedtoprovideina companionbill.

We feel leaving that up to the executive branch is abad idea and risksundermining the very principle of the separation of powers. Critics have noted, rightly,that thiscould have the effect of making judges susceptible to the political whims inthe state Capitol,atroubling arrangement for those taskedwithimpartially interpreting the law

We are similarlytroubled bythe suggestion that this power should extend to district attorneys. It is perhaps no surprise that this suggestion comes at atime when Republicans in Baton Rougehavefeudedwith theDemocratic district attorney in New Orleans over what they seeas his excessive leniency Prosecutorial discretion is asacred power entrustedto district attorneys by the voters; to make that subjecttothe leaningsofthe state’s chief executive and lawmakersinBaton Rouge is adangerous precedent.

So while we recognizethe realityofthe problems addressed by Morris’ bill, we cannot get behind it. Increasing transparency and accountabilitywithinthe justicesystemisa worthy aim;makingitsubject to more politicsisnot the waytodo it.

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

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

TO SEND US A LETTER, SCANHERE

Letuscontinuetohonor legacy of A.P. Tureaud

Born on Feb. 26, 1899, in New Orleans, A. P. Tureaud, Sr.rosefrom humble beginnings to become one of Louisiana’smostformidable civil rights attorneys. Educated at Bayou Road Public ElementarySchool, Dunbar High School in Washington, D.C., and Howard University School of Law,Tureaud returned home withasingular mission: to dismantle legalized segregation through the courts Overhis career,hefiled morethan 100 civil rightslawsuits challenging discrimination in public education, housing, transportation, parks,and public accommodations. Beginning in 1946 withthe case againstLouisiana State UniversityLaw School, Tureaud methodically forced open the doors of higher education. His advocacy extended acrossparish lines, filing school desegregation suits in Orleans and other parishes,pressing for the hiring of Black police officers in New Orleans,and challenging exclusioninCityPark, Audubon Park, municipal facilities, airport restaurants, and public transit. Today,his legacy resonates strongly

in the 7thWard. In 2022, NewCorp, Inc. renovatedand rededicated the A. P. Tureaud Civil Rights Memorial Park at St. Bernard Avenue and A. P. Tureaud Avenue. The bronze sculpture, “A. P. Tureaud at the Gates,” depicts him prying open iron bars —anenduring symbolofcourage and resolve. The site servesasthe gateway to NewCorp’s7th Ward Revitalization Project, focused on arts and culture, economic development,health and wellness, workforce training, and green affordable housing. His legacy challengesustoask: What gates remain closed in our time? And what courage will it require to open them? As we honor his life,let us not relegatehis work to history.Let us carry it forward —inpolicy,inplanning, in partnership, and in purposeful action. The path to justice is never easy,but A. P. Tureaud showed us that it is possible And in New Orleans’ 7th Ward, we continue to walk thatpath.

VAUGHN RANDOLPH FAURIA CEO,NewCorp PAMELA A. BROOM 7th Ward Revitalization Manager NewCorp, Inc

Another Republican making stuff up. I’ll have to challenge Duke Truby, whoclaimsinhis Feb. 26 letter that the great majority (75-80%) of this newspaper’sreaders are conservatives or Republicans. Huh? In fact, print reach in NewOrleans is more than 500,000, while in Baton Rouge/ Lafayette, it’sabout 315,000. Orleans Parish is aDemocratic stronghold so it is unlikely that its two-thirds of total readers tend to agree with Truby But that’snot the point. He wants to see only letters that agree with his party.Hehas plenty sources for that. The newspaper,like all media, is entitled to its editorial opinions. I find the letters afair mix, including manythat are Truby-style. That’s fine until they start just making stuff up because they want it to be true. FAYE LIEDER NewOrleans

It was easy to enjoy Mardi Gras house parties without the thought of toxic lead in thepunch bowl. In a twisted way,I’m glad VeriteNews waited until after AshWednesday to report theseverity of lead in New Orleans’ tap water.Anew hazard does little to improve retention,feelings of safetyortourism Under normal circumstances, the value of an op-ed stemsfrom an expert who can list statistics or draw from their decades of experience. Ordinarily,this serves an important public function. These are not normal circumstances, however.Acrisis is afoot.

I’m alarmed by thelack of awareness even among localsand transplantsof10+ years. Someone needs to spell it out Thus, Iwill say what the experts are prohibited from saying; Lead will permanently disable your children. Lead will lower test scores. Lead will make you crazy.Lead will kill you very slowly.You shouldn’tdrink the tap water.Why isn’tthe city desperately urging people to stop drinking it? Tell your friends.

BRIAN LUCAS NewOrleans

Ihave spoken to manywho find this report shocking. Experts, however, shouldn’tbeshocked. Public health practitioners would know old cities like New Orleansand Savannah suffer from severe lead exposure due to outdated infrastructure and code enforcement. Experts would also know the city’smajority Black-status increases this likelihood as well, as we see in Flint, Michigan. Despite theurgency, the health departmentand mayors’ office have yet to issuewarnings. Even after 30-feet water main breaks, we shouldn’tbeissuing boil water advisories. We should be aggressively urging residents to avoid the tap water,period. It’s perhaps an attempt to push culpability onto the Sewerage &Water Board, as though there was no way of knowing it could be this bad.

After 1975, there wasanextensive academic effort by manydifferent American institutions to try and accurately understand what the hell went wrong with America’sinvolvementinthe civil warinVietnam-at the cost of 58,000 lost young American lives. And it looked like those lessons wereactually learned until 2003 when President George Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney launched the “Take Down Saddam military campaign/war Iguess 1975 to 2003 avoiding repeat mistakes is successful in today’slight-speed world. But now, 2026, after ridiculing the Bush/ Cheney war,President Donald Trumphas ordered an ill-advised operation/war against Iran in the hopes of ending up with anew regimethat doesn’tshout, “Death to America.” The history of the prior twoforeign misadventures did not end wellfor America. Iwouldn’texpect this current one to do so either ALEXCHAPMAN Ville Platte

Politicalparties on perilous ground

As Donald Trump’sRepublicans look askance as he launches what looks to some like another long-term warin theMiddle East, and as the anti-Trump Democratshold up HomelandSecurity funding in what looks to some likeprioritizing illegal immigrants over U.S. citizens, one is tempted to ask,what’s going on with America’s political parties? Something close to self-harm, you might answer.And yet it is apparent that the U.S. parties, theoldest and third-oldest in the world,are not in as much trouble as manyold parties abroad. In Britain, both Conservatives and Labour are trailing theproimmigration restriction Reform Party in polls. In France, Emmanuel Macron’s centrist allies struggle to form amajority in the NationalAssembly.InGermany, theSocial Democrats are in third place, and the Christian Democrats are hardpressedbythe upstart Alternativefor Germany.And so it goes. One hundred yearsago, in thedisillusionment over the enormousdeath toll of World WarI,parties labeled as liberal, favoring free trade, market capitalism and some welfare state, largely disappeared. Britain’sLiberal Party,governing from 1906 to 1922, fell to thirdplace in 1923, behind nationalist Conservatives and socialist Labour Weimar Germany saw riotingcommunists, assassinations of political moderates, Nazi street gangs, andmilitarist putsches, culminating in Hitler’s takeoverin1933. Anticlerical parties, founded to limit established churches, fell to Mussolini’s march on Rome in 1922 and as Hitler’sPanzer troops marched into Parisin1940.

America’stwo political parties had greater staying power despite upheavals. Economic upheaval andWoodrow Wilson’sdisability drove Democrats down to 34% in the 1920 presidential election, but withtheir whiteSouthern base and growing strengthamong immigrants, they remained competitive. Similarly,the Great Depression, which began in 1929, proved disastrous forRepublicans, who fellto37% in 1936. But with their base among rural and small-townNorthern Protestants, they remained competitive, andafter Franklin Roosevelt was nolonger on theballot, they won seven of thenext 11 presidential elections.

Today,both parties are under stress. In the 1990s, as baby boom leaders came to the fore,Democrats started

winningmost presidential elections, andRepublicans started winning most seats in theHouse. In their competition,theyconverged on issues, as Bill Clinton led Democrats to takesome lessons from Ronald Reagan, and Newt Gingrich and George W. Bush led Republicans to learn some lessons in turn. In retrospect, theturn of the centurywas akind of golden age for the parties. Since then, they’ve changed.

Democrats havemoved left on cultural issues from abortion to transgender rights, while Republicans under Trump have repudiated Reagan-Bush stands on trade, foreign policy and entitlements. Neither is in as much trouble as many traditional European parties. But bothare treading on perilous ground.

Trump’strademark issues helped himwin over noncollege grads who never supported earlier post-1990s Republicansand even made inroads, in 2024 at least, among Hispanics and Black people. Buthis insistence on relitigating the 2020 election cost Republicans Senate majorities for four years, andhis insistence on imposing, on shakylegal bases, inflation-stoking tariffs for which there is little popular demand hascosthis party crucial support.

Democrats have problems of their own.Theirparty has always been a collection of outgroups, which at its strongest form anational majority but which can become weighted down by theunpopularity of stands insisted on by representatives of what journalists call “thegroups.” So manyoftheir politicianssee nochoice but to takeunpop-

ular and irresponsible stands such as “defund thepolice” and “abolish ICE.”

Many Democratshope to avoid damaging cultural issues by promising economic benefits. Butthe problem there is that theUnited States already has agenerous welfare state and aprogressive tax system that extracts more from therich and less from the less affluent than Europe does.

AndasPhil Grammand two economistcolleagues have pointed out, government transfer programs provide enough economic benefits that there is little economic difference between the lowest 20% of earners and the middle 20%. The default political strategy is to provide “healthcare” —actually, moregenerous health insurance. But as we’ve seen, most voters don’twant to losetheir present arrangements they opposed Obamacare when Barack Obama was in office and opposed Obamacarerepeal when Republicans were —and they’re skepticalofpromised improvements.

Things may seem bleak today,with one party,inthe words of talk radio host Erick Erickson, hostage “toone man’s ego,” the other “to abunch of bat-crap crazy progressives.”But compared to acentury ago, when European countries were reeling from the slaughter of and disillusionment after what was then called the Great War, our political parties and the electoral democracies they seek tomanage are in perilous but not deadly shape.

Michael Barone is on X, @MichaelBarone.

NeutralGroundpanels revive civildisagreement

When have we seen ourselves at our best? InWorld WarII, most Americans pitched in as they could witha greater purpose in mind.

More recently,Super Bowl preparations showed how New Orleanians can achieve great things when working together withshared purpose. When it happens, we know it. We celebrate it. But it slips away so easily Who would have predicted, just afew years ago, how our civic discourse coulddeteriorate so badly?

up forour citizenship means standing up forcivility in public discourse, even when someonedisagrees withus.

To change this dynamic, several New Orleanians created The Neutral Ground.We’ve featured semiannual public panels about controversial local topics:educational savingsaccounts, incarceration, tax incentives for business investment.

‘Not necessarily in thefixing business’

Evenlongarms get tired. When that happens, it might be time to letgo.

That’sthe place longtime 21st JudicialDistrictAttorney ScottPerrilloux finds himself: Threedecades serving as the topprosecutor in Livingston, Tangipahoa and St. Helena parishesare enough. Perrilloux, 63, will leave office in January,capping an extraordinary career leading prosecutions in threeparishesthat run from urbantorural, swampy lowlands to pineywoods, rich to poor.Heand those under his charge have prosecuted everything from the most heinous of murders to the most mundane of traffic violations.

He’s seen it all.

Last week, Iwrote about Chad Scott, aformer DEA agentwho is nowinfederal prison. Perhaps unsurprisingly forsomeonewho is incarcerated, Scott views the justice system, specifically the federal part of it, as “broken.” Perrilloux is notsopessimistic. He remains abelieverinthe system, if abit jaded about what it can do andwhatitcannot. He hasseen plenty of changes,plural. But real change, singular? That’smoreelusive. First, what’sdifferent? The obvious answeristechnology In his threedecades,Perrilloux hasseen emailgofrom a newtool to ubiquitous communication. Cellphones have gone from novelty to necessity.Social media is a keyelement of everyinvestigation. Collecting andanalyzing DNA evidence is now routine. Court recordsystems have been digitizedand consolidated.

Cameras arenow everywhere: on buildings, traffic lights, doorbells and police uniforms. Each of these advances has been, in its own way,good for law enforcement and prosecutors. They’ve created new lines of evidence andinvestigationtechniques that have made catching andbuilding cases against criminals betterand more precise. They’re notcheap,of course,and Perrilloux hashad to demonstrate some financialcreativity to payfor them, but overall, they’re good things. But when it comes to making areal difference, that’sa harderquestion.

“I don’tknowthat it’schanged awhole lot,” Perrilloux said of the job’sbiggerchallenges. His second-flooroffice in the Tangipahoa Parish Courthouse overlooks the small city of Amite,where the issuesthat drive crime— addiction, poverty andalack of education— persist.

“In ’97, it wasprobably the same as it wasin ’67, youknow, andprobably the same as it was in ’37,”Perrilloux said.

None of the technological changes, the extra evidence, the DNA, the cameras or anything else have done much to address those root causes. Nor have tough-on-crime policiesor criminaljusticereform,which, he notes, tend to run in cyclical patterns based on whether people aremoreworked up about crimeorthe high costofgovernment.

Our political sphere is awash in zerosum, win-lose rhetoric.Rather than seeking to understand and showing respect,wesee instead “my side” at all costs. Anything the otherside says is wrong, mainly because the other side said it. Those habits are the opposite of those underlying our greatest achievements.

We begin to think that our beliefs define us, and that to give even acalm audience to the other sideisakind of betrayal. In “The Virtue of Happiness,” psychotherapist JoelWade writes that, even in good marriages,ahigh percentage of conflicts go unresolved.The test of agood marriage is not “dowe always agree,” but “do we handle our disagreements maturely?”

For thinking people, some of our beliefs change over time. Our citizenship and its responsibilities do not. Standing

published.

Thepanels represent two or more sides of the issue, arguing intelligently and vigorously but modelingrespect, humor and mutual understanding.

In our first panel, Caroline Roemer expressed skepticism about education savings accounts, while former state Sen. AnnDuplessis expressed theview that we need to keep experimenting and taking chances with regard to choice. Apair of boxing gloves lay on the table in front of them.They laughed. Both could make theother’sargument for them, then explain why they still disagreed.

In an incarceration panel, Aaron Clark-Rizzio laid out thefour purposes normally used in justifying incarceration, from which the panelists could expose textured views on where precisely they disagreed. In the panel on tax incentives for business, thepanelists found they agreed as often as they disagreed. There was alot of “if this were true, I would agree with you.”

Here’swhat our panelistsdidn’tdo: they didn’tquestion each other’smotives or integrity.They didn’tlose their temper,interrupt each other or ridicule theopposing views. Andbecause of what they didn’tdo, they were more effective. Asuccessful democracy hinges on acertain forbearance. We influence government action by voting, which in turn hinges on persuasion, not force. If we forget how to talk with each other, democracy is at risk. Most of us grew up withgood examples of spirited, but civilized, exchange. Today,this behavior is too rare. That’swhy The Neutral Ground is committed to modelingit.

John Landrum is on the board of The Neutral Ground. The Times-Picayune is apartner in the Neutral Ground. The group’snext panel will be March 19 at 6p.m.atTulane University’s Myra ClareRogers Memorial Chapel, 1229 Broadway St.The moderator will be Laitram Industries special counsel Nathalie Simon and the panelists will include Amy Trepagnier,personnel director for the CityofNew Orleans; Karl Connor, CEO of theConnor Group; Byron DeCoteau, state civil service director at Louisiana State Civil Service; and Andy Kopplin,CEO of the Greater New Orleans Foundation.Interested attendees can register for free at https://bit.ly/ngcivilservice

That’snot to saythere are no bright spots. The proliferation of drug courts, including in Perrilloux’sdistrict, has helped. But drug problems remain severe amid the failures of a 40-year-old “warondrugs.”

He also points to the social changesdriving improvements to howlaw enforcement polices minorities, including an emphasis on deescalation. He notes, however,thathis district, where allthe judgesrun at-large, has never elected aBlack judge despite asizable Black population.

Perrilloux’sreflectionunderscores oneofthe tensions of being an elected districtattorney. On the campaign trail, prosecutors promise to be tough but fair,toworktokeep communitiessafe.

But theyreally have very little powertoaffect these sorts of changes. They don’tpass laws; theydon’t run social programs. Local districtattorneys in Louisiana run on areferralsystem, whichmeans cases cometothem afterthey’ve already been handed by law enforcement.

“We’re notnecessarily in afixing business,” Perrilloux said. “A lotofthe time,we’re in ‘just going to clean up the mess’ business.” And there arealways plenty of messes to clean up.

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

DEATHS continued from spirt. Sheleavesbehind the exampleofa life well read, beautifullymade, and deeply loved. Donations are welcomeinlieuof flowersatthe following links:CancerServicesof Baton Rouge(supports cancerpatientswith needed supplies andser‐vices): https://fundraise. givesmart.com/f/3vdj/n?

vid=1pa1ps or Mary Byrd Perkins Cancer Center (cancer treatmentcenter) https://app.betterunite com/marybirdperkinscanc ercenter-makeagift/ donate?a=0 Visitation will beheldonTuesday,March 17, 2026, from 10:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. at MotheFu‐neral Home,2100 Westbank Expy, Harvey,Louisiana.A funeral Mass will beginat 1:30p.m., with burial to fol‐low at Westlawn Memorial Park, 1225 WhitneyAve, Gretna, Louisiana. Thefam‐ily invitesyou to share thoughts, fond memories and condolencesonlineat www.mothefunerals.com

Joan Guerin Reilly, (86), ofNew Orleans, passed awayonMarch 13, 2026 in New Orleans. Joan was borninNew Orleans, LA to RobertLeonard Guerin and HelenaSilbernagel Guerin onJuly26, 1939. Shewas a graduateofSacredHeart HighSchool.She married Harry PeterReillyJr.in 1958. Shewas ahousewife who devotedher life to her husband,children, and wonderful grandchildren. She wasa devout catholic who generously offered her time andtalents to several organizationsatSt. Lawrencethe Martyr and St. Angela Merici Church She enjoyedspendingher timewiththe ladies of SALAatSt. Angela Merici She is preceded in death byher parents, Robert and Helena, herbrother Robert (Bobby)Leonard Guerin Jr

andson KeithReilly. Sur‐vived by herhusband of 67 years HarryReilly. Kevin (Joan)Reilly, Jeff (Stacie) Reilly, andRenee’ (John) Tetlow. Patrick(Rebecca) Reilly, Meghan Reilly, NicholasReilly, Matthew Tetlow, andPeyton (Caitlin) Reilly.Funeralser‐vices will be held on Wednesday,March 18,2026 atSt. Angela Merici Church at825 Melody Dr,Metairie, LA70005.Visitationfrom 10-12 andserviceswill begin at 12. Fr.BeauChar‐bonnetwillbeofficiating.

Rouprich, JamesJ.

James Jude Rouprich, 86, passed awayonMarch 12, 2026,inDaphne, AL. He was amuch-loved husband, father, grandfather, brother,uncle and friend. He was bornonApril 14, 1939,inNew Orleans, Louisiana,toOuida and Ashland Rouprich. James was preceded in deathby his parents, sister Jackie and his beloved wife, JoAnn, whom he had longed to join again. He is survived by his daughter, Rachael (Mark) Schuler of Charlotte, North Carolina; his son, Randall Rouprich and former daughter-in-law, Elizabeth Rouprich of Greenville South Carolina;and his two granddaughters, Sara and LaurenSchulerof Chicago. Afuneral massisscheduled forMonday,March23 at 11AM at Christ the King CatholicChurch, 1505 Main Street,Daphne, AL Visitationwillbe10AM10:45AM at the Immaculata Center, 1601MainStreet. Hewillbe interred at Alabama State Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Spanish Fort,AL. In lieuof flowers, please donateto the charity of your choice For fullobit and online condolencesplease go to www.hughesfh com.

Elaine B. Toupspassed awayonSunday, March15, 2026 at theage of 96 Beloved wife of thelate OrinL.Toups.Fatherof BretJ.Toups (Darnelle) Grandmother of Matthew B.Toups andMaura T. Karayane(Michael).Proud great-grandmother of LoganA.Karayane. Daugh‐ter of thelateAgnes and Frank Bischoff Sr.Sisterof Agnes Bischoff, andthe lateFrank Bischoff, Jr., EmeldaBischoff, Edward “Buddy”Bischoffand Emile Bischoff. Sheisalsosur‐vived by ahostofnieces, nephews andcousins.A lifelongresidentofGretna, Louisiana;Elaineworkedat BellSouth TelephoneCom‐panyfor over 30 years. Elainewillbemissedbyall who lovedher.Relatives and friendsofthe family are invitedtoattend the FuneralMassinthe chapel ofMothe FuneralHome, 2100 Westbank Expwy Harvey, LA,onFriday, March 20, 2026, at 11:00 am. Visitation will be held from9:30until 11:00.Inter‐mentwillimmediatelyfol‐low at Westlawn Memorial ParkCemetery. Family and friends mayviewand sign the online guestbook at www.mothefunerals.com

Belovedand loving hus‐bandofBeryl G. Toupsfor 48wonderful years. Sonof the late Joseph Toupsand Helen Toups. Loving and devoted father of KimM Toups.Hewillbesadly missedbyhis grandpuppy, Reesie Noel Toups. Wayne isthe brotherofDarlene Boudreaux (Chris)and Kirk Toups.Heisthe Brother-inLaw of Alfred Gaudet (Kathleen)and Dean Gaudet. He is theuncle of Chris Boudreaux(Tanya), DarrenToups (Meka),Kyle Toups andthe late Christy Boudreaux andCharles Boudreaux.Heisalsosur‐vived by hisAunt and Uncle,Shirley andLouis Dufrene.Wayne served in Vietnam while enlisted in the United States Army.He workedfor BilliotPestCon‐troland SouthPort, Inc. Wayne enjoyedgoing to the casinosand watching football andbaseballontv. Healsoloved spending timewithhis family. Family and friendsare invitedto attendthe Visitation at Mothe FuneralHome, 7040 Lapalco Blvd., Marrero, Louisiana on Thursday March 19, 2026, beginning at8:30AMuntil 10AM. AFu‐neral Mass will be held at the funeralhomeonThurs‐day at 10AMfollowedbya Graveside Serviceat12PM atSt. Joseph Cemetery,949 MenardStreet,Thibodaux, Louisiana.The familyin‐vites youtoshare thoughts, fond memories and condolencesonlineat www.mothefunerals.com

SPORTS

Lace ’emup, folks

ä Jacksonville at LSU, 5P.M. FRIDAy,ESPN

The pizza delivery guy has been generously tipped to “fast break” a large supreme to your frontdoor.Your favorite sports-watchingbeverage (I make no judgments) is properlychilled And you’ve finagled your company’s AI search engine to help you craft awinning bracket. Hopefully after the NCAA tournaments, those skills can help you find another job. But what do you care aboutthat now? March Madness is upon us, from the First Four starting Tuesday in Dayton, Ohio, to the Women’sFinalFour in Phoenix and the men’sinIndianapolis. So, forget about work, sleep, and healthy eating. You’ve got49weeksof the year for that. These are the best three weeks of the sports year,and it’s time forMarch Madness from AtoZ:

A is for the women’stournament all-nameteam:Azzi Fudd, UConn (no relation to Elmer); Cearah Parchment, Illinois; Snudda Collins, TexasTech (from Brookhaven, Mississippi,she will playatthe PMAC at 7:30 p.m. Friday

against Villanova); Rusne Augustinaite, Clemson; Fadima Tall, Princeton (she’s 6-foot-1, so you decide). Themen’s team comeslater in ourshow.

B is for ESPN’s JayBilas,who picks Arizona to beat Michigan State for the men’stitle

C is for Charleston,the only NCAA women’s tournament first-timer, led by the Barbot twins, Taryn andTaylor.The Cougars are a30-pointunderdog to Duke but they’re in

D is for the schools double-dipping in both tournaments, 29 in all, including TexasTech andVillanova

E is for EliteEight,the only round of the NCAATournament where LSU coach Kim Mulkey doesn’t have awinning record (5-8). Still, that’sTHIRTEEN trips to the regional final. By the way,

she’s22-0inNCAAfirst-rounders at LSU andBaylor.

F is for Flau’jaeJohnson,LSU’srapping, Euro-stepping, jump-shot draining leader.The seniorguard started her career with an NCAA title. Can she finish it the same way?

G is for Baton Rouge’s MarkGrant,who blewout his kneeinlate Decemberbut is againfitfor hisfourth year as lead director for the entire NCAA Tournament. He can alsofind TruTV on your cable or satellite lineup in asnap.

H is for the IndianaHoosiers.Fifty years ago they beat Alabama and Marquette in the 1976 NCAA Mideast Regionalatthe Pete Maravich Assembly Center and went on to finish 32-0, still the last undefeated men’steam

I is for IanEagle,who took over the FinalFour mic in 2024 from Jim NantzFour.We’ll hear Jim’s“Hello, friends” at The Masters,though.

J is for Southern’s JocelynTate.She scored with1.2 seconds left to beat Alabama State for the SWAC title, putting the Jaguars in back-to-back

BY WILSON ALEXANDER Staff writer

It’salmosttimefor LaneKiffin’s

first spring practice at LSU. LSU hits the field again March 24, thefirst of 15 spring practices over thenextmonth.It’llbethe

first time Kiffin leadsthe team through practice after he left Ole Miss, making this acritical period as the Tigers trytocontendfor aspotinthe College Football Playoff during his debut season. In these practices, Kiffin and his staff have to mesh with aroster that they overhauled in ashort periodoftime, especially on offense. While afew players followed him from OleMiss, most of the 43 transfers havenever played for these coaches. Kiffin will have to geteveryone on thesame page in ahurry,something he hasexperience with from histransfer-heavy approach at Ole Miss.

Let’slookatthe most important questions that Kiffin and his staff will have to answer once the Tigersget on thepractice field again.

BY

WILSON ALEXANDER Staff writer

It’salmost time for Lane Kiffin’sfirst spring practice at LSU LSU hits the field again March 24, the first of 15 spring practices over the next month. It’llbethe first time Kiffin leads the team through practice after he left Ole Miss, making this acritical period as the Tigers try to contend for aspot in the CollegeFootball Playoff during his debut season. In these practices, Kiffin and his staff have to mesh with arosterthatthey overhauled in ashort periodoftime, especially on offense. While afew players followed him from Ole Miss, most of the 43 transfers have never played for these coaches. Kiffin will have to get everyone on the same page in ahurry something he has experience with from histransfer-heavyapproach at OleMiss. Let’slook at the most important questions that Kiffinand his staffwill have to answer once the Tigers get on the practice field again.

When will Leavittbecleared?

When lastweheardfromKiffin,he said newLSU quarterback SamLeavitt would throw in certain situations this spring, but he “probably” would not take part in full-team drills. Leavitt is still working his way back from surgery after he suffered afoot injury last season at Arizona State. Even though he won’tbefull-go in the spring, his recovery timeline is one of the most important questions of the offseason.

WhowillstepupatQB?

In the meantime, LSU will evaluate Southern California transfer Husan Longstreet and Elontransfer Landen Clark. This serves two purposes: the coaching staffwill be abletoget a sense of their potential, and one of them

7p.m.

3:45 p.m.

5p.m. NIT: Liberty at GeorgeMason ESPN2

5:40 p.m. NCAA: UMBC vs.HowardTRUTV

6p.m.NIT: Wyoming at WichitaSt. ESPNU

7p.m. NIT: Davidson at Oklahoma StESPN2

8p.m. NIT: Stephen F.Austin at Tulsa ESPNU

8:15 p.m. NCAA: Texas vs. NCStateTRUTV

9p.m. NIT: South Alabama at AuburnESPN2

10 p.m. NIT: UNLV at UC IrvineESPNU

WOMEN’S COLLEGE LACROSSE

3:30 p.m. yale at Syracuse ESPNU COLLEGESOFTBALL

11 a.m.Cent.Arkansas at Arkansas SECN

5p.m. UNC-Wilmington at DukeACCN GOLF

5:30 p.m. Los Angeles vs.Atlanta ESPN

8p.m. Jupiter Links vs. Boston ESPN MLB SPRING TRAINING

noon St. Louisvs.Washington MLBN

3p.m. San Diegovs. Seattle MLBN NBA

7p.m. Cleveland at MilwaukeeNBC

9p.m. PhiladelphiaatDenverNBC

NHL

6:30 p.m.Minnesota at ChicagoTNT

9p.m.Tampa BayatSeattle TNT

MEN’S SOCCER

12:45 p.m.Bodø/Glimt at Sporting CP CBSSN

2:45 p.m.Wrexham FC at Watford CBSSN

6p.m.Portland at Vermont CBSSN

8p.m.Los Angeles FC at Alajuelense FS1

10 p.m.Monterrey at Cruz Azul FS1

WOMEN’S SOCCER

10:50 a.m.Mexico vs. Jamaica FS2

1:20 p.m.U.S.vs. BermudaFS2

3:50 p.m.Canada vs. Nicaragua FS2 TENNIS

10 a.m. Miami-WTA/ATP TENNIS

Skenes shines in theWBC spotlight

Former LSUpitcher dominated in theU.S. 2-1victory over the DominicanRepublic

BY RONALD BLUM AP baseball writer

MIAMI Paul Skenes pitched with poise through pressure, dispatching aseriesofstars on a night of great stakes in asold-out stadium with millions watching on TV

This was the type of game he never sees with the Pittsburgh Pirates and he may not experience on aregular basis until 2030.

The former LSU star dominatedthe DominicanRepublic’slineup of All-Stars for 41/3 inningsinthe America’s2-1 semifinal victory Sunday night, allowing his only run when Junior Caminero hit ago-ahead home run in the second on a1-2 sweeper at the top of thestrike zone.

“The D.R. is the toughest lineup I’ve ever faced, for sure,” Skenes said.

The NL Cy Young Awardwinner last year in his first full seasonatage 23,Skenes mixedsix pitches among 71 offerings that included afastball averaging 97.6 mph. He allowed six hits and finished the tournament 2-0 with a1.08 ERA and a.226 opponents batting average

“You can make the argument he’sthe best pitcher in the game,” U.S. managerMark DeRosa said. “Specialpresence, special man, wants the moment, wasn’ttoo bigfor him.Controls his emotions, makes pitches.”

Skenes retired his first five batters before Caminero homered, then hit Geraldo Perdomo with a pitch and allowed Ketel Marte’s single in the third, when right fielder Aaron Judgethrew a 95.7 mph strike to third, cutting down Fernandez Tatis Jr.for the

inning’sfinalout “A moment like that where I canthrowaguy outand help out Paul Skenes, who is electric as he is, Iwas excited about that,”

Judge said Skenes strandedthe bases loaded in the fourth when Austin Wells flied out.Hehad been giventhe lead when Gunnar Henderson and Roman Anthony homeredinthe top half.

“He’svery smart. He likes playing withthe mind of the hitters,” saidJuanSoto, who went 0for 2against Skenes. “Wehave to thinkalot when we face him.

That’s why Ithink he’ssospecial.”

Skenes hasa 1.96 ERA in 55 ca-

reer starts,striking out386 while walking 74 in 320 2/3 innings. The 6-foot-6 right-hander has not come closetothe playoffs on Pirates teams that finished76-86 in 2024 and71-91 last year Pittsburgh enters this season with seven straight losing records and 27 in 30 years that includeda record20ina row from 1993 to 2012. The Pirates haven’t reached the World Series since winning the1979 title Skenesisontrack to be eligible forfreeagencyafterthe 2029 season,havingearned extra major league service time by finishing among the top two in voting forthe 2024 NL Rookie of theYearaward, whichhewon

Thatprovision was added to the collective bargainingagreement in 2022. If he stays healthy and keeps pitching likethe way he has been,helikely would command arecord contract forapitcher Giventhe Pirates lack the revenue of large-market teams, they could considertrading him for prospects before he reaches freeagency Skenes tends to not look too far ahead. He marveled at the Dominicans’ batting order that includedeight All-Stars combining for27selections.

“Before and after,”hesaid, “but can’tget toocaught up on that.”

WBCcrowds‘better than theWorld Series’

BY RONALD BLUM

AP baseball writer

MIAMI On anight when AllStars and future Hall of Famers thrilled fans and each other until the final out, Aaron Judge proclaimed the World Baseball Classic had grown intothe sport’sbiggest event.

“The WorldSeries Iwas in the crowd here, the crowd we had when we played against Mexico, it’sbigger andbetter than the World Series,”the U.S captain said after a2-1 semifinal win over the Dominican Republic that came down to Sunday night’sfinal pitch. “The passion that these fans have, representing their country,representing some of their favorite players, there’snothing like it.” American tradition emphasizing understatement on ateam led by Judge and Bryce Harper was showcased against Latin flair on aside featuring Juan Soto and Vladimir GuerreroJr. When Junior Caminero homered against Paul Skenes to put the Dominicans aheadinthe second inning, he celebrated with an overhand bat flip. In the sixth tournament of an event that started in 2006, the game featured starting lineups featuring 17 All-Stars totaling 56 selections among the20starters. They had won five MVP awards, one Cy Young, five Rookies of the Year and three batting titles Before acrowd of 36,337 at IoanDepot park, theU.S.overcame the deficit on fourth-inning home runs by Gunnar Henderson off Luis Severinoand Roman Anthony against Gregory Soto.

Anthony,at 21 the youngest American player,had bought aticket for the 2023WBC final in Miami and watched from the seatsasJapan beat the U.S. 3-2. “Coming to the WBC here, you dream of representing this country and being herethe next time around,” Anthony said. American relievers allowed twohits over 42/3 scoreless innings, capped by Mason Miller topping100 mph with 13 of 22 pitches. Miller’s last appeared to be low for ball four to Geraldo Perdomobut plateumpireCory Blaser emphatically signaled

strike three. “Just agame we’ll remember forever,right?”

U.S. manager Mark DeRosa said.“We understood thiswas going to be atalked-about game, probably one of the most watched games of all time.” Dynamic defense wascommonplace. With the U.S.trailingbyarun in the third, Judge threw a95.7 mph strike from right field to third base to cut downFernando TatisJr. for the inning’sfinal out. Judge then made adivingbackland catchtorob Soto,his former

Alabama’sNo. 2scorer arrested on drug charge

TUSCALOOSA,Ala. Alabamaguard

Aden Holloway was arrested on a felony drug charge Monday, just days before the start of the NCAA Tournament, authorities said. Holloway,21, was arrestedafter agents with theWestAlabama Narcotics Task Force searched aresidence near Alabama’scampus and “recovered more than apound of marijuana, paraphernalia and cash,” Tuscaloosa policespokesperson StephanieTaylor told TheAssociated Press.

“The student has been removed from campus pending further investigation by theUAOffice of Student Conduct,”the school said. Holloway was arrested on afirstdegree charge of marijuana possession, not for personal use, which is a Class Cfelony,and failure to affix a tax stamp.

NBA to vote on adding Las Vegas and Seattle

In asignificant first step, the NBA will hold avote next week to move forward with adding expansionteams in Las Vegasand Seattle, according to ESPN

Should 23 of the 30 team governors vote in support of the move, the NBA can focus solely on adding teamsinthose markets and begin the bidding process. There would still be additional steps, but ESPNreports afinal vote could occur later this year whichwould pave the wayfor the new franchises to debut in the 2028-29 season.

The newteams would reportedly be projected to be valued in the $710 billion range.

“I think Seattle and Las Vegas are twoincredible cities,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said.

Michigan player says Kentucky offered $7-9M ANNARBOR,Mich.— YaxelLendeborg hasmademoremoneythan he ever dreamed was possible entering March Madness, allowing him to payhis mother’s bills and buyher anew ride Michigan’s6-foot-9, 240-pound pointforwardwas thetop prospect in the transfer portal last year and Kentucky wasprepared to make him the highest-paid player in college basketball.

“They started the number with $7 to 9(million),” Lendeborgsaid. “They were pretty much going off on the route like we’ll pay him anythingtoget here.”

Instead, he chose to play for Dusty Mayand theWolverines even though theformer UAB star said he would have earned about three times moremoney

Duke men enterNCAA tourneyasNo. 1inAP

Duke is the No. 1seed in the NCAA Tournament and No.1in the final AP Top25ofthe regularseason

New York Yankees teammate, in the fourth. Julio Rodríguez denied Judge a home run witha leaping catch at thecenter-fieldwallinthe fifth, 407 feet from theplate. “I was like, OK,maybe we got a shot here,”Judge recalled. “But hit it to aguy likeJ-Rod, who’s one of thebest if not the best center fielder in the game, he’s going make exciting plays like that in bigmoments.”

Shortstop Bobby Witt ranged to the right field side of the infield to snag Soto’sslowbouncer in the fifth, scrambled to back to touch second base andmade an off-balance throw to firstfor an inning-endingdoubleplay. Oneinning later,Witt threw out MannyMachado at first from the outfield grass.

Dominican starterLuisSeverino strandedrunnersatsecond and third in thethird inning when he struckout Judge and Kyle Schwarber,and Skenes escaped abases-loaded jam in the fourth when Austin Wells flied out. Wells doubled with one out in the seventh and the relatively slow-footed catcher was held at third on Perdomo’ssingle to Crow-Armstrong in center.David Bednar then struck out Tatis Jr.and Ketel Marteonbreaking balls below the strike zone Judge gavea postgame speech to teammates, looking aheadto Tuesday’schampionship against Venezuela or Italy.

“You get chills standing there on the line,hearingthemannounce all the names,” he said. “It was likeanAll-Star team they got over there.”

TheBlue Devils received50 first-place votes from a57-personmediapanel in The Associated Press men’sbasketballpoll releasedMonday, aday after they were named the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. No. 2Arizona received seven first-place votes,with Michigan, Florida andHouston rounding out the top five. The Wolverines, thebettingfavorite to win thenational championship, did not receive afirst-place vote in the poll. The final rankings will be released on April7,aday after thenational championship game.

Diaz returning to MMA in Rousey undercard

LOSANGELES— Nate Diazwill return to mixed martial artsfor the first time in nearly four years when he fights fellow brawler Mike Perry on the undercard of RondaRousey’s meetingwith Gina Carano. Most Valuable Promotions on Monday announced the latest addition to the Netflix card scheduled for May16atIntuit Domein Inglewood, California. Theboutis scheduled for fiverounds at the 170-pound welterweight limit Diaz,who turns41next month, hasn’tfought in acagesince September 2022, when he choked out Tony Ferguson in his final bout for theUFC. TheCalifornia native is best known for splitting two memorable fights against Conor McGregor adecade agoina rivalry that exponentially boosted both fighters’ star power.

SPRING

Continued from page1C

offseason.

WhowillstepupatQB?

In the meantime, LSU willevaluate SouthernCalifornia transfer Husan Longstreet andElontransfer Landen Clark. This serves two purposes: the coachingstaff will be able to get asenseoftheirpotential, and one of them should leave the spring as the projected backup quarterback. It’snot an ideal situation for the upcoming season that Leavitt is limited, but perhaps it helps LSU plan for the future.

WhichWRwillemerge?

Other than quarterback, no position underwent more drastic change.Phillip Wright is the only returningwide receiver, and he recorded one catch as afreshman last season. LSU brought in 12 other receivers,nine of whom are transfers. Kansas State senior transfer Jayce Brown, Florida junior transfer Eugene Wilson and Ole Miss sophomore transfer Winston Watkins will likely have significant roles because of their experience and production in apowerconference. But others, including Hawaii transfer Jackson Harris and Old Dominiontransfer Tre Brown, could put themselves in the mix.

Offensivelinebattles

It’ssafe to say twoofthe spots are locked up with junior left tackle Jordan Seaton and senior center BraelinMoore. Seaton was the top offensive lineman in the transfer portal when he left Colorado, and Moore returned to LSU instead of entering the NFL draft. One of the guard positions will probably be filled by Aliou Bah, atwo-year starter at Maryland. That leaves two more positions, and LSUcan letthe competition play out between Ole Miss transfer Devin Harper,Baylor transfer Sean Thompkins, sophomoreWeston Davis and others.

Arethe incumbents ready?

It was apriority forLSU to retain running back HarlemBerry and tight end Trey’Dez Green. Both

of them stayed after encouraging 2025 seasons, and now both need to take the next step so they can be heavily featuredinthe offense. For Berry,that means gettinga little morephysical and understanding blitz pickups. Green needstomake theeasy catches and keep working on his blocking. It’salso an important spring forrunning back Caden Durham after he withdrewfrom the transfer portal.

What aboutnew-lookDL?

LSU had areconstruction project on itshands up front with significantdepartures and the need to hirenew interior defensive line coach Sterling Lucas. Similar to last season, several contributors have come from the transfer portal, headlined by Ole Miss edge rusher Princewill Umanmielen. While thetransfers are going to take alot of snaps, the mostintriguing thing to monitor will be the development of LSU’shighly ranked freshman defensive linemen. Sophomoredefensive end Gabriel Reliford is also coming off season-ending shoulder surgery and expected to have abig role.

CanWhitWeeks regain form?

Starlinebacker WhitWeeksnever looked likehimself last season coming off an ankle injury that requiredsurgery.Heonly played in eight games, andone of those wasthe brief appearance against Florida before he was ejected for targeting. He finished his junior yearwith 31 tackles, 31/2 tackles for loss and onesack. LSU needshim to be at fullstrength again. Will he be after sittingout fiveofthe last seven games?

Is secondaryready?

LSU had to replace two of its best players in cornerback Mansoor Delane and safety AJ Haulcy,apairofone-year transfers whoimmediately improved the defense. Atcornerback, LSU is countingonthe development of former five-star DJ Pickett and junior PJ Woodland. Will anyone challengethem? At safety,it’s time forformer top 100 recruit Dashawn Spears to prove he can start. Boise State seniortransfer Ty Benefieldwill likely start somewhere, and Ohio Statesophomore transfer Faheem Delane couldbeafactor

LSUbreaksout, tops TexasA&M

BY JIM KLEINPETER Contributingwriter

On awindy and cold Monday night in Tiger Park, afrigid LSU offense warmed up.

The Tigers had eight hits, more than in their previoustwo games combined,tosnag adesperately needed 7-2 victory against Texas A&M to salvage thefinal gameof theseries and collect their first SEC victory LSU (19-9, 1-5 in SECplay) put the game away with afourrun sixth inning, highlighted by Maci Bergeron’stwo-run single, to back Tatum Clopton’scomplete game.Cloptonallowed one earnedrun with six strikeouts and five walks.

The Tigers grabbed alead for thefirsttime in the series when Alix Franklin hit her second home run of the season withtwo out in thesecond inning.

The Tigers expanded the lead to 3-0 in the fourth when Franklin was safeonafielder’s choice, moved to secondona single by Kylee Edwardsand came around to score when Ci’ella Picketthit asquibber to the left of second baseman TallenEdwards, who couldn’tget a handleinthe ball.

Edwards advanced to third and came home when Pickett bluffed asteal and drewcatcher Ariel Kowalewski’s throw to second.

Cloptonsurrendered an unearnedrun in the fifth. After a oneout single by KennedyPowell, Tori Edwards booted agrounder by Tallen Edwards to put runners on first and second.

Clopton walkedMya Perez, who had homers in each of the first two games, for the third time.A sacrifice fly to left got therun homebut Cloptonretired Kowalewski on an easy

score during thesecond half of Monday’satthe Smoothie King Center

PELICANS

Continued from page1C

Fears and Trey Murphy had 17 each, Karlo Matkovic had 13 points and 10 rebounds and HerbJones added 10 points to lead the Pelicans. Yves Missi startedinplace of DejounteMurray (illness) andhad 10

RABALAIS

Continued from page1C

women’stourneys forthe first time. Southern faces Samford at 6p.m.Thursday in aFirstFour game in Columbia, South Carolina. K is for Kalshi.com,the prediction platform (gambling site) that’soffering —get this $1 billion if someone goes 63-0 for aperfect bracket. Your odds, per NCAA.com, are 1in120 billion, but why not take ashot?

L is for the CalBaptistLancers Their 16th-seeded women face UCLA and their 13th-seeded men play Kansas.Let us pray

rebounds. Missi tied acareer-high with fiveblocked shots and added five assists and four points. Former Pelican NajiMarshall scored 32, No. 1overall draft choiceCooperFlaggscored 21, P.J. Washington Jr.had 18, and Max Chrisite added 12 to lead the Mavericks, who were completing a back-to-back after 130-120 victory at Cleveland on Sunday. ThePelicans led by 13 pointsat

M is for the best men’stournamentnames:Koa Peat, Arizona; Boogie Fland, Florida; Solo Ball, UConn; Thijs De Ridder, Virginia; andBoopie Miller,SMU

N is for NoCinderellas in last year’smen’stournament, as no 13-16 seeds won for the first time since 2017. That’sbecause the transfer portal is strip-mining the mid-majors’ talent.

O is for odds that amen’s 12 seed will beata 5. It’shappened57 times since 1985, so watch out Vanderbilt against McNeese. The Cowboys upset Clemson as a12last year

P is for Kansas’ DarrynPeterson, whose dedication has been widely questioned. He says he often suffers from body cramps.

grounder to Edwards at first.

halftimeand expanded the lead to 81-63 on adunk by Williamson early in the third quarter. Khris Middleton made consecutive 3-pointersto getthe Mavericks within 13 before New Orleans pushed the lead to 19 and held a103-86 cushionatthe end of thethird quarter. Dallas trimmed the lead to 12 points twice, but Williamson made abasket, Murphy made afree throw andBey addeda jumper for

ESPN’sSeth Greenberg says he doesn’tlike Peterson’sbodylanguage.Playon.

Q is for all the Queens(University) men, who made the tourneyintheir first year of Division Ieligibility.Inaway it could also be their last: Queens is merging with fellow North Carolina school Elon.

R is for the Miami(Ohio)RedHawks.They squeaked into the men’sfield after starting 31-0 before losing to UMass in the MAC quarterfinals. Miami plays aFirst Four game Wednesday in Dayton,one hour from its campus, against SMU S is for the scoringrecord LSU shoots for Friday: 100 points against Jacksonville would tiethe

CloptonheldA&M to two hits through six innings but got nicked forarun on abase hit by Micaela Wark. The Aggies loaded the bases after that but Clopton struck out KK Dement swinging to end the game

LSU goes on the road to South Carolina forits next SECseries beginning Friday

LSU gotthatrun back and more in the bottom of the sixth when Kylee Edwards walked before singles by Pickettand SierraDaniel. AveryHodge drew awalk to force in arun and Texas A&M replaced Kate Munnerlyn in the circle with Grace Marks. She walkedJaliaLassitertoforce in another run and then Bergeron broke it open with atwo-runsingle to left field.

Pelicans center yves

and Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington battle for the ball during the first halfofagame at the SmoothieKing Center on Monday.

a119-102 lead with less than six minutesremaining. The Mavericks opened a23-13 lead midway through the first quarter then went cold. Beyscored all 10 of his first-quarter pointsduring a13-0 run that gave the Pelicans a three-point lead. Dwight Powell made afree throw to end the run and Marshall’sfloater endeda nearly four-minute field goal drought

NCAA record for most 100-point games in aseason (15) set by Long Beach State 39 years ago. LSU is a 491/2-point favorite.

T is for TBS,which will televise the FinalFour.So, when you clickonCBS on April 6and see “FBI” instead of “NCAA,” that’s why.

U is for the UConnHuskies.If the menand women both win (couldhappen), it would give the school an even 20 NCAA basketball titles (13 women, seven men).

V is for LutherVandross and his version of “One Shining Moment” played after the NCAA men’sfinal. Never gets old.

W is for NC State coach Will Wade,who many Tigers

forDallasbeforeDerik Queen’s fadeaway beat thebuzzer and gave New Orleans a32-26 lead at the end of the first quarter

The Mavericks creptwithin one point early in the second quarter before Fears had eight points and an assist during an 11-2 run that gave the Pelicans a47-37 lead New Orleansexpandedthe lead to 18 points on two occasions and held a67-54 halftime lead.

fans fans hope will return to LSU. The Wolfpack plays Texas on Tuesday in Dayton.

X is usually for Xavier,but neither of its teams are in.

So we’ll go with players named Xavier: Xavier Booker of UCLA and Xavier Brown of UCF

Y is for you’reoutofhere.We’re talking about Alabama’s No. 2scorer Aden Holloway,who was arrested Monday for possession of marijuana. Iwonder if they can get Charles Bediako back on the roster?

Z is for the GonzagaZags They’re really the Bulldogs, but hey,what do you want? It’salong column.

Enjoy the madness, everyone. Call me whenthe pizza arrives.

NCAA WOMEN’S TOURNAMENT

Picking Huskies a popular choice

UConn looks like the safest pick to win the tournament

BY TIM REYNOLDS AP basketball writer

For those who will be entering an NCAA women’s college basketball tournament bracket pool this year, let’s begin with the ending:

You’re probably going to pick Connecticut to win March Madness. And almost everybody else in the pool will, too.

Do not overthink this. If you’re a fan of South Carolina, UCLA or Texas obviously excellent teams — then go ahead and pick one of those schools to win the national championship. If it happens, you’ll have a great chance to win the pool because everybody else will have picked UConn.

Here’s the trick to winning a women’s tournament pool: You’ve got to win the

weekend. It’s what separates those who get to brag from those who don’t.

By Week 2, the brackets will mostly look the same. It’s rare that a team seeded lower than No. 8 reaches the Sweet 16; only three such teams in the last five years (Miami in 2023, Creighton and South Dakota in 2022) have gotten there.

To win, find those early upsets. There are three No. 11 seeds that seem like they could fit the bill.

Let’s start with Fairfield. The Stags, champions of the Metro Atlantic, are 28-4. Sure, drawing Hannah Hidalgo and Notre Dame in Round 1 won’t be easy, but if the Irish are off their game even a tiny bit this one will get interesting.

Next, Rhode Island. Also 28-4, the Atlantic 10 champions face Alabama in Round 1. The Rams do not let you score And now, South Dakota State. It takes on Washington in Round 1. The Jackrabbits — come on, you have to love that name — gave Texas a relatively tough game in December and star forward Brooklyn Meyer is a problem. She’s the best player in the country that you’ve probably never heard of. And if you want a live longshot or two (or four), take a look at these teams: Fairleigh Dickinson has won 22 in a row, Idaho 18 in a row Murray State 15 in a row and Howard 14 in a row Key tips

n There have been 43 previous NCAA women’s tournaments. The champions by seed: 32 were No. 1 seeds, eight were No. 2 seeds and three were No. 3 seeds. No. 4 through No. 16 seeds need not apply If you’d like to

pick your alma mater (and it’s not a 1, 2 or 3 seed) to win it all, consider your bracket entry fee a charitable donation and don’t bother looking at the final results n At least one No 1 seed will get to the final.

There have been only three title games without a No. 1 seed: North Carolina (3) vs. Louisiana Tech (4) in 1994, Texas A&M (2) vs. Notre Dame (2) in 2011, and LSU (3) vs Iowa (2) in 2023.

The lowest-seeded teams to make a final: Western Kentucky (1992), Louisiana Tech (1994), Rutgers (2007) and Syracuse (2016) as No. 4 seeds, and Louisville (2013) as a No. 5 seed. We have to talk UConn

Before we get to the picks, take a second to appreciate what UConn has done this season.

A perfect 34-0 so far, six wins away from the 40-win perfect season, a 50-game winning streak going back to last season’s title run.

UConn has gone 70-3 in superstar forward Sarah Strong’s games with the Huskies, including a staggering 48-1 at home or on neutral courts. A potential UConn-Iowa State game n Strong vs. Audi Crooks — in Round 2 would be appointment television.

Azzi Fudd is deadly from 3-point land when open and not much worse when she isn’t. And KK Arnold remains vastly underrated; she’s only gone 103-9 in her UConn career

First-round winners

FortWorth1: UConn, Iowa State, Maryland, North Carolina, Fairfield, Ohio State, Colorado, Vanderbilt.

Sacramento 2: UCLA, Princeton, Gonzaga, Minnesota, Baylor Duke, Villanova, LSU.

Fort Worth 3: Texas, Virginia Tech, Kentucky, West Virginia, Rhode Island, Louisville, Tennessee, Michigan.

Sacramento 4: South Carolina, Clemson, Michigan State, Oklahoma, South Dakota State, TCU, Georgia, Iowa.

Second-round winners

FortWorth 1: UConn, Maryland, Ohio State, Vanderbilt.

Sacramento2: UCLA, Minnesota, Baylor, LSU

Fort Worth 3: Texas, Kentucky, Louisville, Michigan.

Sacramento 4: South Carolina, Oklahoma, TCU, Iowa.

Regional finalists

FortWorth1: UConn, Vanderbilt. Sacramento2: UCLA, LSU.

FortWorth3: Texas, Louisville Sacramento 3: South Carolina, Iowa.

Final Four

UConn, UCLA, Texas, South Carolina. (Yes, the four No. 1 seeds.)

UConn beats South Carolina. Texas beats UCLA. And in the end, it’s UConn over Texas for the national title.

No. 1 seed Texas has smooth road to the Final Four

BY JIM VERTUNO AP sportswriter

AUSTIN,Texas— The Texas Longhorns roll into the women’s NCAA Tournament with a No. 1 seed and a friendly road map for a return trip to the Final Four They aren’t the overall No. 1 seed for March Madness. That’s UConn. But with a standout duo of Madison Booker and Rori Harmon, an emerging impact player in Justice Carlton, and the momentum of a romp through the SEC tournament, the Longhorns can make a solid argument they’re the team to beat as they chase the program’s first national title in 40 years.

“They’re good enough,” coach Vic Schaefer said. “We’re a veteran team in the right places. Our youth is mature now This is a team that can do it.”

Texas (31-3) opens play Friday against the winner of Wednesday’s First Four matchup between Missouri State (22-12) and Stephen F. Austin (25-9).

Should the Longhorns win their first two games on their home court, they’ll make just a 3-hour drive north to Fort Worth for the Sweet 16 and a regional final in front of what would likely be a very pro-Texas crowd.

“That’s a pretty big deal to me,” said Harmon, a fifth-year player from the Houston area. “I’m all about my family and traveling and what’s easiest for them.”

After a Final Four finish last season, the Longhorns are “extremely” hungry to win that elusive national title, Booker said.

“We want to be the last one standing,” she said.

Texas’ lone national championship came in 1986 when the Longhorns were the first national title winners to go undefeated Texas made the Final Four in 2003, then waited 22 years to return, only to get bounced by a thumping loss to SEC rival South Carolina.

The Longhorns were determined to get back there. The league coaches made them preseason favorites for the SEC title. They didn’t get that, but won their first league tournament crown The season started with consecutive wins in consecutive days over UCLA and South Carolina, and closed with that rollicking win over the Gamecocks.

“I’ve seen us peak a lot in the past few games, even in practice,” Harmon said. “The challenge is to play even better.”

Carlton delivering standout moments Booker, a pre-season All-American, led Texas with an 18.9-point average this season and was the MVP of the SEC Tournament. She and Harmon, a fifth-year point guard who averages 6.2 assists, are the engine that drives Texas in the locker room and on the court.

But’s it’s been Carlton’s scoring potential that gives them the occasional turbo boost. She scored 10 points in the first quarter of a win over Georgia, 12 in the first quarter of a win over Kentucky, and nine in the first quarter of a win over Oklahoma.

In the SEC tournament title game, Carlton knocked South Carolina on their heels with 13 points in the first quarter on 6-of-7 shooting. The Gamecocks never recovered. Texas needs more of that. Carlton has started 23 consecutive games and her production has been up and down. She averages 8.7 points and four rebounds, but hasn’t posted consecutive double-figure scoring games since December

After playing just three minutes in Texas’ last four NCAA Tournament games last season, Carlton enters this one with the confidence that she can light up the basket in an instant.

“I do really enjoy that punch-first mentality,” Carlton said after the SEC championship game. Schaefer’s stings, zings and praise The regular season wasn’t as easy as the Longhorns’ record suggests The toughest moments and criticism often came from their own coach.

Schaefer benched Harmon for most the fourth quarter in regularseason losses at LSU and Vanderbilt After an 18-point loss in Nashville on Feb. 12, he went on a postgame rant that questioned his team’s heart and called the Longhorns “probably the softest team I’ve had in years.”

Texas hasn’t lost since and Schaefer has softened around the edges a bit. The 65-year-old has been to the Final Four three times, but has yet to win a championship.

“They just keep winning I think we’re playing our best basketball,” Schaefer said. “You know, none of us are perfect and we all have our days, but these kids are special.”

LSU assistant coach Mitchell headed to Rutgers

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

Coach Kim Mulkey will now have to fill two openings on her LSU women’s basketball staff this offseason.

Mulkey said Sunday that assistant coach Daphne Mitchell is leaving the Tigers so she can work at Rutgers under Gary Redus the former LSU assistant who took the Scarlet Knights’ head coaching job last Sunday

Neither Mitchell, nor Redus, will accompany LSU for its NCAA Tournament run. Mulkey said she doesn’t expect either of their absences to affect how the Tigers will prepare for their upcoming postseason matchups.

“Daphne and (Redus) are our recruiters, OK?” Mulkey said. “I have one person that does scout reports. And that’s Bob (Starkey). So, Bob will do what he normally does, and on the floor coaching, you’ll just move Seimone (Augustus) to fill in for (Redus) on passing drills and probably move maybe Joe

(Schwartz) down here with Bob.” Mitchell worked primarily with LSU’s post players. She joined Mulkey’s Baylor staff in 2015, then followed her to Baton Rouge in 2021 She played her collegiate basketball at Georgia Tech from 2004-08 alongside Redus’ wife, Tiffany Mulkey told ESPN 104.5 FM on Tuesday that she expected Mitchell to follow Redus to Rutgers. Redus joined Mulkey’s staff in 2022, then quickly emerged as one of the top recruiters in the country He helped the Tigers land two No. 1 freshman classes — first in 2023 and again in 2025 Now he’s working at Rutgers under former LSU president William Tate and former LSU athletics administrator Keli Zinn, who’s now the Scarlet Knights’ athletic director Mulkey said Tuesday that she encouraged Redus to leave the Tigers ahead of the NCAA Tournament. “As I told him,” Mulkey said, “‘You can’t be married to two wives.’ I said, ‘Get out of here, go

to work, get your staff in place, get your kids that are

tor, I can’t be selfish and ask him to stay with our team because this could be a long three- or four-week process with the playoffs. You need to be working.” Mulkey last filled an opening on her staff in 2024, when she hired

NCAA MEN’S TOURNAMENT

Here’s hoping for a return to upsets

BY TIM REYNOLDS AP basketball writer

There was a time when the NCAA men’s college basketball tournament was wildly unpredictable.

Hard as it may seem to believe, there was one season where a No. 4 seed, two No. 5 seeds and a No. 9 seed all reached the Final Four And a year later a No. 11 seed got to the national semifinals as well.

Ah, 2023 and 2024 feel so long ago. Last year’s tournament, for those who love upsets, was a complete and utter dud. Excluding the First Four games, teams seeded No. 11 through No. 16 went 3-24. The regional finals had three No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchups, and the other was No 1 vs. No. 3. The result? For the first time since 2008, all four No. 1 seeds made the Final Four and Florida went on to capture the national championship.

This likely meant those who spend little time agonizing over their brackets — you know, the types who just pick the higher seeds the whole way through and fill the entire thing out in about a minute and a half probably did well last year

We have sad news to report: They might do well this year too.

The top seeds this season are Florida, Duke, Michigan and Arizona. It would be a sensational Final Four if they all got to the national semifinals. But can history repeat itself and four No. 1 seeds get there for the second straight year?

Time to find out.

Key tips

n One of the oddest stat nuggets ever: No team seeded No. 5 has ever won the NBA title, the NCAA men’s title or the NCAA women’s title. In

this field, St. John’s, Vanderbilt, Wisconsin and Texas Tech surely did not want to hear that. (Also, did the tournament committee even watch the Big East final between St. John’s and Connecticut?)

— We point this out every year, but as a general reminder: Teams with 10 or more losses coming into the tournament have gone on to win the title only three times (N.C State in 1983, Villanova in 1985 and Kansas in 1988.) That stat alone would knock out about half of this year’s field. Watch the travel. It’s not easy to get ready for a first-round game

and

Charles

prepare for their broadcast before an NCAA college basketball game between Kentucky and Indiana in Lexington, Ky., on Dec. 13.

Vitale, Barkley to call first games together in NCAA Tournament

BY JOE REEDY AP sportswriter

Dick Vitale previously declined a standing invitation from CBS and TNT Sports to call an NCAA Tournament game.

An assist from Charles Barkley is finally making it happen this year

Vitale and Barkley will call Tuesday night’s second First Four matchup in Dayton, Ohio, between Texas and N.C. State on truTV with Brian Anderson and Jenny Dell. It will be the second game this season that Vitale and Barkley have worked together, after the Indiana-Kentucky game in December

“This is happening because he (Barkley) worked a game on ESPN. Now I’m doing back the favor and giving them a game on their network,” Vitale said. “I had been offered chances in the last few years.

Sean McManus (the retired chairman of CBS Sports) would call and say, ‘You shouldn’t end your career without doing an NCAA game, and we’ll let you do it on CBS.’ I appreciated it so much, but I told him the one thing I wanted on my resume was that I worked my entire career at ESPN. He was surprised but said he respected that.”

Vitale served as a studio analyst for ESPN’s NCAA Tournament coverage from 1980 through 1990 CBS took over the entire tournament in 1991 and began its partnership with TNT Sports in 2011. Barkley has been a studio analyst for the NCAA Tournament and Final Four on CBS and TNT Sports since 2011. This is the first year he has appeared on ESPN; “Inside the NBA” airs on the network while being produced by TNT Sports.

“One of my goals for 10, 12 years was to call a game with Dick, and they (their bosses) would never let us do it,” Barkley said. “It was awesome to do Indiana and Kentucky, and I think it’s going to be even better this time. I’ve said this before, other than the Olympics, March Madness is the most impressive thing I have been a part of. It’s incredible.”

The longtime friends jelled quickly during the Dec. 13 game at Rupp Arena, which Kentucky won 72-60. The stakes will be higher for this game, though, with the winner facing sixth-seeded BYU in a West Region first-round matchup in Portland, Oregon.

Vitale said the Kentucky game with Barkley was one of his five greatest moments since becoming a television analyst in 1979. He called ESPN’s first college basketball game on Dec. 5, 1979.

“The thing is, it’s a lot of quick things that you aren’t prepared for,” Vitale said. “We just react to the situation. That’s what I like: It’s not scripted at all.”

Barkley — who has contributed to Vitale’s Pediatric Cancer Fund — also appreciates that Vitale has come back to the airwaves after four fights with cancer in three years.

“One of the reasons I want to work with him is because we’re all so lucky because of basketball, and there’s never been a bigger cheerleader of college basketball than him. Basketball has given me everything in my life, so it’s pretty special,” Barkley said. “Sunday was exciting because the bracket was announced, but Tuesday is the official kickoff when the games begin.”

on short notice. Those teams that have long, long trips (St. John’s to San Diego, UCLA to Philadelphia, Villanova to San Diego. etc., trips that all are just a bit shorter than Hawaii’s 2,600-mile flight to Portland for Round 1) might look a little rusty to start.

n Always root for the fun matchup UConn vs UCF in Round 2? For those who followed college football’s short-lived Civil ConFLiCT game (a totally made-up thing by UConn when it decided, for reasons that still puzzle basically everybody that UCF was its football rival), how can you not want to see

this matchup?

n The last preseason No. 1 team in the AP Top 25 to cut down the nets in the men’s tournament was North Carolina in 2009. Purdue was the preseason No. 1 this year, so apologies to the Boilermakers, but history says what it says.

The Miami issues

If you’re Miami, you shouldn’t be happy right now Doesn’t matter which Miami you are, either Miami (the Ohio one) gets a First Four game after going undefeated until its conference tournament.

And Miami (the Florida one) is

the “home” team in St. Louis against Missouri.

Of course, Miami was also the “road” team in the College Football Playoff title game in its home stadium against Indiana So it all evens out. Or something.

First-round winners

East: Duke, TCU, St John’s, Kansas, USF Michigan State, UCF UConn.

South: Florida, Clemson, McNeese, Nebraska, North Carolina, Penn (by far, our biggest upset pick), Texas A&M, Houston. West: Arizona, Villanova, Wisconsin, Arkansas, BYU, Gonzaga, Miami, Purdue.

Midwest: Michigan, Saint Louis, Texas Tech, Alabama, Tennessee, Virginia, Santa Clara, Iowa State.

Second-round winners

East: Duke, St John’s, Michigan State, UConn.

South: Florida, Nebraska, North Carolina, Houston. West: Arizona, Arkansas, BYU, Purdue.

Midwest: Michigan, Texas Tech, Virginia, Iowa State.

Regional finalists

East: Duke, Michigan State. South: Florida, Houston. West: Arizona, Purdue. Midwest: Michigan, Virginia.

Final Four

Duke, Florida, Arizona, Michigan. All the top seeds get there, again.

Duke beats Florida. Michigan beats Arizona. They played a classic last month and Duke won it The Blue Devils beat Michigan for the 1992 national title as well. But this time, Go Blue over Blue Devils. Michigan wins it all.

Davis savors March Madness return

BY STEVE MEGARGEE AP sportswriter

Cruz Davis’ only previous taste of March Madness came three years and two transfers ago.

The Hofstra guard can’t wait to get back on college basketball’s biggest stage in more of a starring role.

Davis leads Hofstra into the NCAA Tournament as the Coastal Athletic Association player of the year Hofstra (24-10) is the No. 13 seed in the Midwest Region and faces Alabama (23-9) in a firstround game Friday at Tampa, Florida.

This will mark his first time playing in the NCAA Tournament since getting eight minutes off the bench for Iona against eventual national champion UConn in 2023.

“Don’t take that time for granted,” Davis said. “You don’t understand how hard it is to get back in the tournament. It’s really a grind to be able to get in there. Getting in there is a blessing.”

Davis took a circuitous route to get back there at last. He followed coach Rick Pitino from Iona to St. John’s after that 2023 NCAA Tournament appearance, but he played only four games there due to injury before transferring again. Davis chose Hofstra for the opportunity to learn from coach Speedy Claxton, a former NBA guard.

“He was an NBA player,” Davis said “He could help me achieve my dreams of being there.”

Davis scored 14.4 points per game his first year at Hofstra, but the Pride struggled to a 15-18 record.

Before this season, Claxton and associate coach Mike DePaoli told Davis he could be a conference player of the year and could score 18-20 points per game. The 6-foot-3 guard lived up to those expectations, averaging 20.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists while helping Hofstra earn its first NCAA Tournament bid since 2001.

Last year, Davis spent the postseason watching former Iona teammate Walter Clayton Jr lead Florida to a national title. Davis and the other players from that Iona team still communicate regularly in a group chat.

Now Davis’ former teammates can see him try to make his own impact on March Madness. Davis scored 36 points in a victory at Pitt and 24 in a win at Syracuse this season.

“That gave us a lot of confidence

and showed us we’re a really good team,” Davis said “If we defend, we know we can beat anybody.” Davis is one of many players from one-bid conferences to keep an eye on this week in the NCAA Tournament. Here’s a look at some others:

Terry Anderson, High Point

Opening game: Thursday vs. Wisconsin at Portland, Oregon.

Notes: After playing eight minutes in an NCAA Tournament first-round loss to Purdue last season, Anderson has taken a much greater role this year The 6-6 forward has collected 16 points and 6 rebounds per game. He averaged 18.7 points in three Big South Tournament games, including a 25-point, 12-rebound performance in a semifinal win over UNC Asheville.

Dominique Daniels Jr., Cal Baptist

Opening game: Friday vs. Kansas in San Diego. Notes: Daniels scored Cal Baptist’s last nine points with a trio of 3-pointers in the Lancers’ 6361 Western Athletic Conference championship game victory over Utah Valley The 6-4 guard was named the WAC’s player of the year and the most outstanding player of the league tournament. Daniels averages 23.2 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists. He has

scored at least 21 points in nine of his last 10 games, including a 41-point outburst in a semifinal win over Utah Tech.

Thomas Dowd, Troy

Opening game: Thursday vs. Nebraska at Oklahoma City

Notes: Dowd is averaging a double-double with 14.8 points and 10.1 rebounds per game He had 25 points and 19 rebounds in a double-overtime victory over San Diego State earlier this season. The 6-8 forward was the most outstanding player in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament and had 23 points and 13 rebounds in the championship game. He has 17 double-doubles this season.

Dontae Horne, Prairie View A&M

Opening game: Wednesday vs. Lehigh in First Four at Dayton, Ohio. The winner faces Florida on Friday in Tampa, Florida. Notes: Horne has scored at least 25 points in 10 of his last 12 games, a stretch that includes a 46-point performance. He is averaging 20.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists. He had 23.3 points per game in the Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament and was named the event’s most outstanding player This is Horne’s first year at Prairie View A&M after he spent one season each at Texas State and Georgia Southern.

Old souls

From blacksmithing to needlepoint, young people are embracing ‘grandma hobbies’

BY KAITLYN HUAMANI AP technology writer

LOSANGELES— By age 23, Emma

MacTaggart was already noticing how rare her free time was — and how it was seldom screen-free.

She was working long hours in investment banking and once she was finally able to log off after work, she would turn to her phone. Along with her roommates, she decided to hunt for a hobby that would replace that habit. They became “hooked” on needlepoint, she said, a practice she had briefly learned from relatives as a child, but one that she hadn’t picked up in years. And she hasn’t turned back since “It was a really therapeutic way to kind of distract yourself from either work or stress, but also just do something with your hands instead of doomscrolling,” she said. “We became completely obsessed.” MacTaggart is part of a throng of young people who are turning to analog hobbies and activities as a means of escaping technology and reconnecting with childlike creativity and exploration. Somewhat ironically, this analog movement has been galvanized by its trendiness on social media.

Some of these hobbies knitting, gardening and, of course, needlepoint have been ascribed the term “grandma hobbies” online, referring to the older demographic that’s often been associated with them. But many other offline, tactile hobbies, like pottery, origami and even blacksmithing, have gained traction online with GenZ and millennials recently

A younger crowd embraced such hobbies in 2020 when the pandemic left many with more free time. But “grandma hobbies” have persisted beyond a pandemic fad and some seem to be picking up steam in their popularity online.

While she said she may not consider herself a crafty person, MacTaggart, now 26, founded the needlepoint business What’s the Stitch and runs popular social media profiles of the same name. After seeing growing interest in her content, she began to build up her business and now sells needlepoint canvases, accessories and digital designs. The flair MacTaggart puts into her creations is a touch of cheeky humor and, occasionally, profanity

“It is such a historically buttoned up craft, so it’s fun to put a young spin on it,” she said ‘Like a video game’ Jaime Kurtz, a professor of psychology at James Madison University whose research focuses on happiness, said many of these activities can also help to reduce anxiety and stress, and provide a sense of accomplishment since they require focus and can be challenging.

Where to find

BY MATTHEW HAINES Contributing writer

It’s simply a matter of fact: There would be no New Orleans without the Irish In 1850, for example, records indicate that between 20-25% of the city consisted of immigrants descended from the Emerald Isle.

Over the years, thousands of them built the city’s levees and canals. St. Patrick’s Church, St. Alphonsus Parish, and a lineup of Irish bars that would make any city proud are a testament to the cultural influence those immigrants have had on the Crescent City

“Irish immigrants are an essential part of our history,” said Mark Bruser, owner of Parasol’s and The Channel, two Irish Channel neighborhood bars that team up to host epic St Patrick’s Day block parties.

“This is our annual reminder to celebrate their many contributions.”

It is documented that New Orleans’ first St. Patrick’s Day was celebrated in 1806. The festivities were attended by Louisiana’s governor and other state dignitaries, and included 17 boisterous toasts with inebriated invitees cheers-ing to everything from George Washington to the king of Spain to the Irish shamrock.

Over 200 years later, the baton has been passed. Irish-themed

BY LACEY PFALZ TravelPulse (TNS)

cocktails, music, as well as limit-

less quantities of frozen Irish coffees, whiskeys and beer dot the city

Those searching for a taste of the old country won’t have to look far

Spirited cocktails

Mixologists downtown have unleashed their creativity designing

St. Patrick’s Day-themed drinks. The Court of Two Sisters, for example, has a line-up of six holiday cocktails including the Drunk Leprechaun with Jameson Irish Whiskey Blue Curacao and pineapple juice topped with rainbow candy, a green maraschino cherry, and a pineapple cube.

If you find yourself yearning for something refreshing at the French Market, the Market Cafe is changing its allegiance for the season to offer green, boozy Irish Market Lemonade. Or cross the Quarter and head to newcomer Succotash to grab The Five Leaf Clover with Jameson, pineapple, house Champagne-matcha syrup and lime all topped with ginger beer

Downtown hotels are in the spirit, as well. The Bourbon Bar at the Bourbon Orleans Hotel is going fully green with an Irish Channel Grasshopper and a St. Paddy’s Rum Punch. They’re even tapping into island life (though definitely not the Emerald Isle) with a Piña Verde alternative to the Piña Colada.

ST.PATRICK’S

Continued from page1D

U-Bar at the Cambria Hotel matchesthis effortwith three seasonal cocktails of their own, including an Irish Maid with small-batch whiskey,St. Germain elderflower liqueur,lemon juice, simple syrup and cucumber slices. And Holmes in the Hyatt Centric is throwing an entire St. Patrick’sDay party with live music by The Burren Flowers from 3p.m. to 6p.m.along with an Irish foodmenu and agreen cocktail called Verdi Heat with cucumber-jalapeño tequila. AjoltofIrish coffee

New Orleans is atown that takes pride in its iced andfrozenIrish coffees. Of course, Molly’satthe Market and Erin Rose are a must. But Finn McCool’sin Mid-City has aversion that is arevelation. They also have an iced option, and both of these are availableevery day and night. Though,if you go on St. Patrick’sDay at 3p.m., they will be accompanied by Irish music by Guitar Joel.

For an Irish coffee experience that is especiallylocal, Seven-Three Distilling uses their own locally produced Irish-American whiskey to make akiller Irish coffee called the Irish Channel Revival with PJ’scold brew and Irish creme; and their own St. Roch cucumber-infused vodka for the Shamrock Stroll with lemonade and edible green glitter garnish.

Guinness,green beer galore Ryan’sand Fahy’s. Mick’s and Boondock Saint.Those are just the tip of the iceberg as there is no shortage of Irish bars to tuck into on St. Paddy’sDay.OnMagazine and Third streets, Parasol’sand The Channel have teamed up for all-day block parties on both Saturday and Tuesday For those that want a crowded, lively party,thisis

HOBBIES

Continued from page1D

“Hobbies are really important, and alot of us have lost them, or we just don’tprioritize them enough, or we think we’re too busy,” Kurtz said. “But just finding little bits of time to carve out to do these kinds of things is a really wise use of time.” Clara Sherman, who cofounded the company So Bam Fun to “reinvigorate” the game of mahjong with ayounger generation, said when she plays the game with friends,she’s ableto reach a“zen state.”

“You kind of feel like you’re existing in this little bubble of just myself,my friends and this game we’re all enjoying together,”she said. “Itjust really does allow you to shut off the rest of the world.”

Some young hobbyists are not looking to escape their phones through their activity of choice,but are interested in how modern technology can enhance their

By The Associated Press

Today is Tuesday, March 17, the76th day of 2026. There are 289 days left in the year.This is St Patrick’s Day

Todayinhistory: On March 17, 1992, White SouthAfricans voted 68.7% to 31.3% to end over 40 years of apartheid in anational referendum. (Voters of all races were allowed to vote two years later in the general election that resulted in Nelson Mandela becoming president.)

Alsoonthisdate: In 1762, New York held its first St.Patrick’sDay parade.

In 1776, theRevolutionary WarSiege of Boston ended as Britishforces evacuated the city

In 1950, scientists at the University of California, Berkeley,announced that they had created anew radioactive element they named “californium.”

CANCUN

Continuedfrom page1D

TODAYINHISTORY

In 1959, the nuclear-powered USS Skate became the first submarine to break through the ice and to surface at the North Pole.

In 1969, Golda Meir took office as primeminister in Israel, beginning aterm that would last through five crucial years in the nation’shistory In 1992, atruck bombdestroyed the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina, killing 29 people and injuring morethan 200; the Islamic Jihad Organization claimed responsibility

In 2003, edging to the brink of war, U.S. President George W. Bush gave Iraqi President Saddam Hussein 48 hours to leave his country.Iraq rejected Bush’sultimatum, saying aU.S. attack to force Saddam from power would be “a grave mistake.”

In 2010, Michael Jordan becamethe first ex-player to becomeamajority owner in the NBAasthe league’sBoard of Gov-

download thedestination’s “Guest Assist” appfor emergency assistance and services.

ernors unanimously approved his $275 million bid to buy the Charlotte Bobcats from Bob Johnson. In 2016, SeaWorld Entertainment said it would stop breeding killer whales and making them perform crowd-pleasing tricks, bowing to years of public pressure. Today’sbirthdays: Civil rights activist Myrlie EversWilliamsis93. Singersongwriter John Sebastian (The Lovin’ Spoonful) is 82. Author William Gibson is 78. Actor Patrick Duffy is 77. Actor Kurt Russell is 75. Actor Gary Sinise is 71. NBAexecutive Danny Ainge is 67. Actor Rob Loweis62. Rock musician Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins) is 59. Olympic soccer gold medalist Mia Hammis54. Singer-TV personality Tamar Braxton is 49. Singer-songwriter Hozier is 36. Actor John Boyega is 34. Olympic swimming gold medalist Katie Ledecky is 29.

throughout the destination, arefunctioning without disruptions.Nointerruptions to travel or visitor services have been reported.”

the place to be with frozen Irish coffee, green Jell-O shots andgreen beer!

In the French Quarter, Kerry’sIrish Pub is featuring Irish music all weekend longincludingall day on Tuesday,from open until the wee hours of the morning.

In theBywater,the Crescent &CloverCeltic Band will be playing at Markey’s from 3p.m. to 5p.m. And in Mid-City,just blocks from Finn McCool’s party,The Holy Ground opens at noon with freeswag andshots of Tully whiskey untilsupplies run out, and then greenbeer and mimosas allday and night

Many ways to celebrate Thereisno shortage of ways to partyonSt. Patrick’sDay.The Downtown IrishClub makesits annual march through the French Quarter at 6:30p.m. Tuesday,starting on Frenchmen Street, winding along the

experience.

Isaiah Scott, abirdwatcher,artist and content creator, saidthe app eBird is akey part of his experience. It allows birders to log and track their observations while also contributingtoscientific research and conservation

It’s easy to say his generation is “glued to their phones,” Scott said, but that access to technology also “opens so many doors to get involved in hobbies thatmay have been forgotten aboutor (are) just difficulttoget into otherwise.”

Scott, who is based in Savannah,Georgia, said bird watchingisakin to the Pokémon games he loved growingup: “It feelslikea video game,but in real life.” Traveling to different regions is like unlocking anew map,he said, andrackingupa high number of species seen is like achieving ahigh score. Scott has seen about800 different species himself.

Beyondproviding him with an enriching hobby, birdwatching set Scott, 22, on amission to “protect and toconserve our natural

riveralong Decatur and Tchoupitoulas streets into the Central Business District. And on March22, thebig Louisiana Irish-Italian Parade hitsVeterans Memorial Boulevard in Metairie to throw Irishvegetables, beads and more. On Tuesday,mixologist extraordinaire Alex Utter’s Suzy Q’scocktail pop-up is hosting aSherry &Aquavit crawfish boil at Bayou Rose, 525 Dumaine St.,in the French Quarter.The eventwill run from 2p.m. to 6p.m. with crawfish, seltzers,ice luges andsherry cocktails (Irish themedfor St.Patrick’sDay,ofcourse). For the perfect way to close out St. Paddy’sDay, Flogging NOLA performsat the Broadsidefrom 6p.m. to 9p.m. The best of the Broadside’sspacious MidCity venue is that there is plenty of room to dance. Sláinte!

world.”Hefoundedthe nonprofitRookeryand Roots Conservancy andrecently purchaseda 16-acreparcel of landinRincon,Georgia,tosafeguard wildlife habitats. The purchase was made possible in part becauseofthe platform he’s built online.

Old-school art findsnew life

Exposure to global audiencesonline hashelped other analog hobbyists build and operatethriving businessesthanks to their social media popularity.Anna Weare, for one, is afull-time blacksmithand farrier,but she’salso known online as AnvilAnna.

While the statement noted there wereisolated incidents of violenceinthe state, all were responded to and did not impact tourists. “Quintana Roomaintains activetourism security protocolsincoordination with federal,state,and local authorities, ensuring stability andcontinuous attention in high-traffic areas.”

The U.S. Embassy in Mexico issued anew alert for travelersheading to Mexico for spring break on March 2, warning that crime from kidnapping to robbery or assault can happen anywhere, even in tourist zones.

The Embassy encourages travelers to be cautious, register with the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program and view the state-bystate travel advisory guide for Mexico, along with a few other helpful tips,like carrying your validpassport withyou.

TheEmbassy also encourages travelers to drink responsibly and seek medical attention if they feel ill, monitor their credit and debit card accounts for unauthorized transactions,protect personal possessions (don’tflaunt visibly flaunt wealth)and tell friends or family about travel plans so people know where they are.

Additionally,travelers should use official airport taxi stands or app-based transportation services like Uber.Drive only during the daylight hours, and avoid being out at night

Those heading to Quintana Roo, including Cancun, Tulum,Cozumel or Playa delCarmenshould

Mexicoiscurrently at a Level 2: Exercise Increased Cautionadvisory level, according to the U.S. State Departmentand Quintana Roo remains at itsLevel 2 advisory also,whichhas not changed since August 2025.

“Regarding the safety of Cancun or anytraveldestination, we always inform ourclients that they need to do what they are comfortable with,” said Kari Dillon, owner of Marvelous Mouse Travels. “With that said, I personally spent 19 days in Cancun in January this year andfeltassafe there as anycityinAmerica and wouldhave no hesitation personally traveling there today.The incident in PuertoVallartalastmonth has increased fear about traveling to Cancun.However,the distance between Cancun and Puerto Vallarta is significant. Personally,I equate it to something happening in California is not going to prevent me from traveling to Chicago.”

Travel advisers’thoughts Travel advisersare weighing in.

“In all my years of traveling there, Ihavenever felt unsafe,”saidAutumn Trussell-Murray,owner of Abundant Travel —Dream Vacations. “No destination is without risk, including righthere in the United States. Smart travel means being aware of your surroundings and the situations you put yourself in.”

Alot of advisers focus on staying smart, aware of yoursurroundings, and cautious when traveling— whichthey’dadviseanywhere, notjustinCancun Precaution seems to be the biggest recommendation from advisers, as Kristen Andrade explains.

“I’ve traveled to Cancun soloasafemale countless

spired by her content to pick up the hammer themselves, Weare said “people want longevity,and this craft has been around for so long for areason.”

Many crafters and hobbyists also feel astrong sense of community among their peers.

times, exercising basic safety measures suchas staying alert, only leaving the resort with an organized and vetted group, and avoiding dark alleyways or inappropriate places,” explained Kristen Andrade, director of operations and travel adviser development at Favorite Grampy Travels/FG Luxury Travel. “It really comes down to basic self-responsibility,more so than Cancun being inherently ‘dangerous.’ Ihave no issues encouraging women, families, or solo travelers to head to Cancun and have a great vacation!” Jennifer Morris, owner of Let’sGoLux Travel, encourages travelers to feel confident by booking with reputable transfer companies, stayatresorts recommended by advisers and go off-property with reputable tour operators, avoid carrying anything prohibited in Mexico, like vaping paraphernalia and be aware of surroundings at alltimes.

“As atravel adviser for 23 years, ‘Is Cancun safe?’ is one of the mostcommon questions Ireceive,” said Morris. “I understand why travelersask;headlines regarding crime in Mexico are frequent. However,itis important to recognize that crimeexists everywhere, includinginour owncountry.One thing Ihave learned over the years is that the hotel zones are heavily monitored. We have to remember that tourism drives their local economy. “Is Mexicocompletely risk-free? No destination is,” Morris continued. “Not Cancun. Not Miami,Not New York City.But it is a safe, well-established tourist destination when you travel responsibly. And as atravel adviser,itisour job not to ignore the risks but to understand them and help our clients to navigate them the best way we know how to.”

mire their penmanship. Landing also created the Verse &Sip Mail Club, where she sends out an original poem and an accompanying tea monthly to acouple of hundred people across the globe. She hopes her online contentwill provide viewers witha similar sense of joy and calm as reading ahard copy of apoem over acup of tea would.

“I am trying to create slower moments on platforms thatare based on really quick, short attention span kind of videos,”she said. “These kind of stop you in the scroll.”

She had already been working successfully with aslewofclients when she started posting videos on TikTok and other social platforms, where she’sgot international reach and enthusiasm.Wearethinks some of the shine on blacksmithing andother centuries-old practices could be due to fatigue over ahyperdigitalized world and poorly madeproducts. The waitlist to snag Weare’scoveted onepiece spurs, which arerecognized for their durability and rarity,isabout ayear long.

“People, now more than ever,are realizingthat things made in factories or mass produced, theywear outsoquickly,” Weare, 27, said. Whether they’re buying products she madeorin-

KristieLanding created Verse &Sip, aplatform and collective for poets and poetry lovers, and she posts videos online of letter writing, letter locking, wax seals and origami, among other paper crafts. Landing, 34, said she constantlygets questions froman“active community” of viewers about the type of paper she uses or where she bought her tools, but they’re also interested in connecting with each other She recently started apen pal matching service after receiving an abundance of comments from followers who expressed that they would like to have someone to swap letters with particularly someone who would appreciate the care they put into their physical communications, or just ad-

Many hobbyists told the AP they don’tsee their activity of choice as afad or a temporary trend, but rather as part of amore intentional embrace of the analog world. As far as themoniker of “grandmahobbies” goes, MacTaggart, forone,welcomes the label.

“I joke with my friends that Ihave been agrandma my whole life,” she said, “so it’sonly fitting that this is now my career.”

PIscEs (Feb. 20-March 20) Don't hesitate; if there is something you want, make your move. Don't promise more than you can deliver or let excessive behavior damage your reputation.

ARIEs (March 21-April 19) Stay focused on what you must do to maintain your lifestyle The more information you have, the easier it will be to make wise choices and sidestep trouble. Use your brain instead of your brawn.

tAuRus (April 20-May 20) Do your part and make a difference. How you reach out to people will determine how much help you receive in return. Avoid excessive behavior.

GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Proceed with caution. Letting your emotions take the lead will cost you if you go overboard. You have far more to gain by letting your actions speak for you.

cAncER (June 21-July 22) Temptation will get the better of you if you aren't careful. Consider the consequences before you exaggerate, indulge or overspend. The right choice will encourage financial and personal growth.

LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) Secrecy is a must when dealing with financial matters. Protect yourself, your rights and your health and economic well-being from anyone who doesn't fully support you.

VIRGo (Aug. 23-sept. 22) When opportunity knocks, open the door. If you hesitate, you will get left behind. A change

is within reach; all you must do is recognize the signals and respond to it.

LIBRA (sept. 23-oct 23) Engage in events that interest you. The information you gather will help build a foundation for something that excites you. Follow your instincts and make things happen.

scoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Homeimprovements will make life easier if you stick to your budget. Speak from the heart and clear up any issues that may stand between you and someone you love and respect.

sAGIttARIus (nov. 23-Dec. 21) Avoid sharing personal information or secrets that someone can use against you. Listen to what others say, but don't believe everything you hear. Protect your assets.

cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Shy away from conversations that are too personal. Sharing information that makes you feel uncomfortable will lead to trouble. Focus more on advancing professionally and boosting your bank account.

AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Protect your reputation. Don't mix business with pleasure. Indulgent behavior and temptation are prevalent and can easily test your willpower if you lack discipline.

The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2026 by nEa, inc., dist. By andrews mcmeel syndication

Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

Sudoku

InstructIons: sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. Theobject is to place the numbers 1to9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. Thedifficulty level of thesudoku increases from monday to sunday.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

By PHILLIP ALDER Bridge

Stonewall Jackson,the Confederate general who died of pneumoniaatonly 39, said, “Alwaysmystify, mislead and surprise the enemyifpossible.” That certainly applies to bridge players, especially when the declarer.(It is usually dangerous for adefender to misleadhis partner.)

In this deal, South is in four hearts. Which cardshould declarer play at trick one after West leads the spade ace and East drops the four?

SouthknowsthatEasthasjustplayeda singleton (unless West made an unusual overcall in afour-cardsuit). But West does not know that. Suppose South plays his spade seven. Then West will know it is safetocash his spade king, because Eastwould not have dropped the four from 10-4-2. And the same applies if South follows suit with his 10.

Instead, Southmust play his two. Then West will wonder if East started with 10-7-4.

Yes, West might still get it right, thinking that Eastwould have raisedtotwo spades with three trumps and forgetting that the auction suggests East has avery weak hand.

ButWest will be nervous about leadingthespadekingattricktwo,lestSouth ruffitand later get acritical discard on dummy’s spade queen.

If West continues spades, the defenders take twospades,one spade ruff and the club king to defeat the contract. If West doesanything else,the contract makes.Ifdeclareristryingtodisruptthe opponents’ signals, he shouldcopy their methods.Heshouldplaylowtotrytodiscourage acontinuation, or vice versa.

©2026 by nEa,inc., dist. By andrews mcmeel syndication

Each Wuzzle is awordriddlewhich creates adisguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: nOOn gOOD =gOOD aFTErnOOn

Previous answers:

word game

InstRuctIons: 1. Words must be of fourormore letters. 2. Words that acquire fourletters by the addition of “s,”such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed.3 additional words made by adding a“d” or an “s” may not be used. 4. proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit wordsare not allowed

toDAy’s WoRD LAnGuoR: LANG-ur: Weakness or weariness of body or mind.

Average mark10words

Timelimit 25 minutes

Can you find 20 or morewords in LANGUOR?

yEstERDAy’s WoRD —AVARIcE

beloved, Ibeseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain fromfleshly lusts, which war against the soul;” 1Peter 2:11

dIrectIons: make a 2- to 7-letter word from the letters in each row. add points of each word, using scoring directions at right. Finally, 7-letter words get 50-point bonus. “Blanks” used as any letter have no point value. all the words are in the Official sCraBBlE® players Dictionary, 5th Edition.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

ken ken

InstructIons: 1 Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 thorugh 4 (easy) or 1 through 6 (challenging) without repeating. 2 The numbers within the heavily outlined boxes, called cages, must combine using the given operation (in any order) to produce the target numbers in the top-left corners. 3 Freebies: Fill in the single-box cages with the number in the top-left corner. HErE is a

WiShinG Well