The Times-Picayune 05-31-2026

DECADESOF CORROSION

Dischargebellsare seen at PumpStation 7inNew Orleans on May15. The station, operated by theNew Orleans Sewerage& Water Board, is located near the railroad underpassonMarconi Drive.

BY BENMYERS Staff writer

It’sthe photo thatkeeps Sewerage &Water Board officials upatnight. Taken at Drainage Pump Station 7inLakeview,itshows the jagged edges of two huge, bell-shaped pipes eaten away by rust and detached from support pilings sticking out of the Orleans Canal.

It’sarare glimpse of thedischarge bells that help funnel stormwater collected on city streets intoLake Pontchartrain. The bells are usually submerged in water,where they must remain for the pumps to work When the photograph was taken in 2012, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had lowered the canal for a construction project, exposing decades of corrosion Ever since, water board officials have worriedthat one or more of the 14-foot discharge bells at Pump Station 7and six other major pumping stations will reach apointwhere the corrosion knocks apump out of commission, leaving water to pool in city streets andpotentially flood cars andhomes. S&WB officials in recent months have displayed the photo in presentations to demonstrate the need for new funding. The discharge bell corrosion could

NewOrleans Sewerage& Water Board General SuperintendentKaitlin Tymrak talksduring atourofPump Station 7inNew Orleans on May15.

lead to pump failures at any time, officials have said. The risk of failureisever-present,but there’slittle informationavailable to forecast

See STATIONS, page 12A

Tall ship life helpscadetslearn theropes

Sailorsget hands-on experience on mighty vessels

BY DOUG MacCASH Staff writer

Young sailors scrambled like seafaring spiders up aweb of rope ladders strungfrommasts stretching 15 stories high abovethe Eagle,aU.S. Coast Guard tall ship. Perched in the rigging above the deckwas an exuberant way to say hello to the city of NewOrleans, which had just come into sight on Thursday morning, afew miles up theMississippiRiver. The 90-year-old Eagle is theCoast Guard’smost treasured vessel. The 300-foot barque is afloating antique, athrowback to aromantic erawhen power was provided by the wind, and navigation was based on the sun and stars.

1C

It’salso atraining vesselwhere future Coast Guard officers literally learn theropes,try their hand at guidance techniques thatdate back centuries before radar and GPS, and otherwise become “salty,” as theship’sCapt. Kristopher Ensleyplayfully put it.

The Eagle has joined ahistoric gathering of tall ships from variouscountries, moored alongthe French Quarter wharves.The Crescent City is thefirst stop for Sail 250, afive-city tall ship tour celebrating thecountry’s semiquincentennial. Through Sunday,sail ship enthusiasts arewelcome to tour the picturesque flotilla from 8a.m. to 5p.m., at no charge.

One lessonthe Eaglecadets learned Thursdayis that south Louisiana weather can never be trusted Those clinging to the yardarmshooted and hollered as theywere suddenly doused with spring rain

See TALL SHIP, page 11A

Nearly 200K have left Medicaid in Louisiana, numbersshow

BY TYLER BRIDGES Staff writer

Nearly 200,000 people have left the Medicaid rolls in Louisiana over the past 12 months, raising this question: Are theybetteroff because they are nowcovered by private insurance? Or arethey now without health insurance at all?

Having more people covered by health insurance —either by Medicaid or an employer-sponsored plan —means more people are getting treatment fromdoctors and nurses for preventive careand chronic illnesses. Thatmatters, especially in Louisiana, since thestate typically ranksas the unhealthiest in the country But whether the dropinenrollment is viewed positively seems to depend on aperson’sphilosophical views.

Gov.JeffLandry, Health Department Secretary Bruce Greensteinand keyRepublican state legislators count the reduction as asuccess, saying it’s asign that fewer people in Louisiana are dependent on government.

“People who are eligible are getting the services they need, andpeople whoare not eligible

Either fewergoing without care or becoming less dependent, expertssay ä See MEDICAID, page 8A

FEMA says it’s readyfor hurricaneseason

Butturmoil, proposed changes worrysome

BY MARK BALLARD Staff writer

WASHINGTON Given the recent chaos at the Federal Emergency Management Agency and last year’sreorganization at the Governor’sOffice of Homeland Security &Emergency Preparedness, some arefretting aboutwhathappens if oneof the two predicted hurricanes or tropical storms comes ashore in Louisiana this summer “Wedon’tknow if FEMA is prepared,” U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy,R-Baton Rouge, said Friday.“There are vacancies andstaff turnover in thesameleadership positions, including multiple changesatthe

ä See FEMA, page 10A

U.S. Coast Guard cadets climb to tend to sails as the USCGC Eagletallship navigates up the Mississippi River to New Orleanson Thursday.

By

BRIEFS FROM WIRE REPORTS

Crash kills 5 in Virginia, including family of 4

A family of four from Massachusetts who were killed when a bus crashed into multiple vehicles in Virginia were traveling to a wedding with a carload of homemade desserts for the celebration.

The family wedding will go forward Sunday in South Carolina but it also will be a time to mourn the loss of Dmitri and Ecaterina Doncev and their two children, Emily and Mark, a relative said Saturday

“A son, a father — the whole family — everyone that has been dear to us,” Carolina Bublik said.

The Doncevs were killed when a motorcoach caused a chainreaction crash with vehicles that had slowed down for a work zone on Interstate 95 in Stafford County about 2:35 a.m. Friday, authorities said.

The bus struck a Suburban, which then hit an Acura carrying the Doncev family, police said. Priscilla Mafalda, 25, of Worcester, Massachusetts, was in the Chevrolet SUV and also died.

More people were treated for injuries, including one who was in critical condition, though most were discharged, Mary Washington Healthcare said

The bus driver, Jing S. Dong, 48, of Staten Island, New York, was charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter and additional charges were likely, Virginia State Police said

Meteor over Mass. sparks explosion reports

Reports of an explosion from people across New England Saturday afternoon sent police agencies and others scrambling to understand what caused a double boom that shook buildings in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

The American Meteor Society said that the booms heard about 2:30 p.m. were actually caused by a meteor about 3 feet wide entering the atmosphere around the New Hampshire border with Massachusetts, north of Boston.

Robert Lunsford, the fireball program monitor with the society, said the group received dozens of reports from Delaware to Montreal with people either hearing the double boom, feeling the ground shake or seeing the fireball — which he said looks like a shooting star in the daytime sky

“It was definitely bigger than a normal fireball, about a yard wide,” he said.

But Lunsford said it’s unlikely the meteor struck the ground.

“We would need more information about the trajectory, the speed and other aspects to know for sure if it hit the ground, but if it didn’t burn up, then it would have landed in the ocean,” he said. “Most of them do burn up before they hit the ground.”

Revelers visit Pink Soup Festival in Lithuania

Vilnius,LITHUANIA A festival honoring Lithuania’s iconic cold beet soup brought tens of thousands of visitors Saturday to its capital city, which was fully decked out in pink.

The colorful three-day Vilnius Pink Soup Fest featured a synchronized “Pink Break” lunch of revelers from across the globe all sharing in the beet soup, known as šaltibaršciai, sitting at long tables. Organizers estimated that more than 6,614 pounds of the fermented milk drink kefir, a key ingredient, would be consumed over the three days and more than 100,000 people would attend the event.

Lithuanians devour the refreshing soup during the Baltic country’s short summer Beside beets and kefir, the ingredients include boiled potatoes, eggs, cucumbers and dill

The festival attracted an international crowd, including tourist Connor Holmes, who came from the United Kingdom after he found the event online and thought “it was completely ridiculous in the best possible way.”

“Before I knew it, I was building a suit of pink knight armor, carrying a spoon instead of a sword, and decorating my shield with eggs, dill and potatoes,” he said. “At that point, coming to Vilnius and seeing all this craziness myself felt like the next logical step.”

U.S.: Ship seeking to break blockade struck

Officials say vessel trying to reach Iranian port

BY KONSTANTIN TOROPIN Associated Press

WASHINGTON The U.S. military stopped a merchant vessel trying to break through its blockade of Iranian ports by firing a missile into its engine room, the U.S. Central Command said on Saturday The Gambia-flagged cargo ship Lian Star ignored more than 20 warnings from U.S. forces overnight as it tried to enter an Iranian port, the military said. The ship remained adrift in the Gulf of Oman and U.S. forces have not boarded it, said a U.S official with knowledge of the situation, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations.

With the latest action, U.S. military has stopped six ships trying to breach the blockade. One was allowed to proceed Another 116 ships have been redirected, the military said.

The U.S launched the blockade on April 17 in response to Iran effectively closing the strait after the war in the Middle East began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Feb. 28. A fragile ceasefire has held since April 7. Now the region awaits word on whether a deal can be reached to extend it by 60 days while talks would be held on Iran’s disputed nuclear program.

Events in the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway between Iran and Oman, have shaken the global economy Shipments of significant amounts of oil, natural gas and related supplies like fertilizer are largely stranded, increasing the strain

on consumers and food producers.

The U.S. blockade seeks to limit Iran’s own shipments and further weaken its access to cash, creating more pain for its long-weakened economy

U.S. President Donald Trump met with advisers on Friday but has yet to decide on whether to move ahead with a deal to extend the ceasefire and reopen the strait. Iran has said the deal had not been finalized.

Commercial traffic has quietly continued to flow through the strait, despite Iran’s assertions that it must approve any transits, though at a much lower volume than before the war

“Any violation of these regulations will place the security of their passage at serious risk,” Iran’s joint military command said Saturday in a statement carried by state TV, warning that any military vessels trying to interfere with that would be targeted.

Iran has even charged tolls for transit as high as $2 million, which experts have called a violation of a principle of international maritime trade: freedom of peaceful navigation.

Qatar’s deputy prime minister, Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan bin Ali Al Thani, said on Saturday said that the Gulf nation opposes charging fees to transit, “but for certain times when they say they are going to use it for mine clearing or some usage of the fees for a temporary time, this is something that is negotiable, and it could be something that will help the transit of the Strait of Hormuz to be back to normal stage.”

The U.S. official previously told The Associated Press that the U.S. has not found or destroyed any mines in the strait

WHO chief visits epicenter of Ebola outbreak in Congo

Cases outpace response in region

BY JUSTIN KABUMBA and MARK BANCHEREAU Associated Press

BUNIA, Congo — The head of the World Health Organization on Saturday visited eastern Congo’s Bunia, a city at the heart of an outbreak of a rare type of Ebola, where the virus is spreading faster than the response despite better-organized health facilities and new aid arrivals

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stressed the importance of building community trust, ensuring safe burials to prevent the spread of the outbreak and urged countries to reconsider travel bans and border closures, saying they “discourage transparency.”

“The Democratic Republic of Congo has faced Ebola before, 16 times, and has ended every outbreak. This is the 17th. That history gives me real confidence,” Tedros said during a news conference Saturday alongside Congo’s health minister

The health organization said Friday latest official figures showed 906 suspected cases and 223 suspected deaths Neighboring Uganda has confirmed nine cases and one death, the Ugandan Health Ministry said Friday

The Bundibugyo virus, the current species of Ebola, has no approved treatment or vaccine.

Medical aid donated by the European Union arrived in Bunia in Ituri province on Thursday More shipments are expected in the coming days. The U.S. announced $80 million in additional aid on the same day, bringing its total commitment to more than $112 million.

Response efforts at Bunia’s Rwampara and General hospitals appeared more

Israeli forces launch attacks near ancient castle site in Lebanon

BY AHMAD MANTASH Associated Press

ADLOUN Lebanon Israeli air force and artillery strikes were reported on Saturday near the strategic mountain site of a Crusader-built castle in southern Lebanon as fighting raged in villages close to the city of Nabatiyeh.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported airstrikes and artillery shelling near the Crusaderbuilt Beaufort castle that is about 9 miles from the Israeli border and overlooks wide parts of southern Lebanon. The strategic castle was held by Israeli troops for 18 years until they withdrew from Lebanon in May 2000.

Separately, an Israeli airstrike on the Gaza Strip killed a nurse, the latest death since last year’s shaky ceasefire.

Israel’s military issued evacuation warnings for more than a dozen villages in southern Lebanon, a day after Lebanese and Israeli military officials held their first direct talks in decades at the Pentagon. The situation in southern Lebanon was discussed during a meeting on Saturday between Lebanon’s president and prime minister who later said in a statement that they will intensify their contacts to make Israel stop demolition and bulldozing of homes and historical sites as well as its evacuation warnings.

Later on Saturday Prime Minister Nawaf Salam used a televised speech to criticize Israeli airstrikes and its invasion of Lebanon. He accused Israel of “implementing a policy of total destruction of cities and towns” and of carrying out mass displacements.

He said Israel is trying to “uproot Lebanon’s memory and erase the people’s history,” adding that the government will do all it can to achieve a ceasefire, an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon and the return of displaced people to their homes.

Salam said the direct negotiations are not guaranteed to produce results and

Director-General of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, center arrives Saturday in Bunia, Congo.

organized, with additional staff, protective gear and medical supplies, though patients continue arriving around the clock, according to an Associated Press reporter

The response has not kept pace with one of the fastest-spreading outbreaks on record, Doctors Without Borders, or MSF, warned on Saturday “Never before has an Ebola outbreak recorded so many cases so soon after its declaration,” Dr Alan Gonzalez, MSF’s deputy director of operations, said in a statement. “Nobody knows the true scale and severity of this outbreak.”

Gonzalez called for an immediate expansion of testing, faster deployment of aid workers and sustained access for medical supplies

The dangers faced by health workers have been heightened by anger among residents over the stringent medical protocols for handling the victims’ bodies, which clash with local burial rites. Residents have launched at least three attacks against health centers.

“We are not here to tell people what to do, we are here to listen,” Tedros said Saturday “Building trust takes time, and it starts with listening.”

at the same time they don’t mean a surrender for Lebanon. “They are currently the least costly option,” Salam said. Another round of talks are scheduled to take place in Washington on Tuesday Israel will not gain security and stability through the “scorched earth policy,” Salam said. Israeli troops have been advancing for days in villages close to Beaufort castle, including Yohmor and Zawtar al-Sharqieh, near the city of Nabatiyeh, after they crossed the strategic Litani River, which the Israeli military has used as a de facto boundary The incursion is the deepest by Israeli troops since the withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000.

Large areas to the south are under Israeli military control, despite an April 17, U.S.-brokered ceasefire.

The National News Agency reported airstrikes on different parts of southern Lebanon, including in the village of Ansar that killed three people. A drone strike on a road linking the village of Ebba with Nabatiyeh wounded two Lebanese soldiers, the army said in a statement.

Hezbollah, meanwhile, said its fighters fired rockets at northern Israel’s largest city, Kiryat Shmona, on the border with Lebanon. The group said its attack was in retaliation for airstrikes that killed civilians in Lebanon. Hezbollah later said it also fired rockets toward the northern city of Safed.

Among those killed in southern Lebanon on Friday was Qais al-Bakir, his pregnant wife and their six children. The Syrian family died in an Israeli airstrike on the coastal village of Adloun, north of the city of Tyre.

The family, which belonged to Syria’s minority Alawite sect, had fled to Lebanon from the central province of Hama after the fall of Bashar Assad in Syria in December 2024. Some members of Assad’s Alawite sect have been subjected to revenge attacks by members of Islamist groups who removed the former president from power

Rescuers free 4 trapped in a flooded Laos cave

Search continues for 2 missing men

BY JINTAMAS SAKSORNCHAI Associated Press

BANGKOK — Rescue work-

ers in Laos said Saturday they have safely evacuated four villagers trapped in a flooded cave for 10 days, the day after another one was successfully extracted. Two men remain missing.

Lao and Thai rescue groups posted about the successful operation on social media, along with photos of the men lying on stretchers, wearing oxygen masks and being wrapped in foil blankets.

The villagers had reportedly entered the cave last week to look for valuable minerals before being trapped by flash flooding that blocked their way out

One other villager escaped in time and alerted the authorities to the seven left behind.

for them to leave with divers who had gone in to deliver food and water They said they will continue their search for the two who remain missing.

A video posted online by a Thai rescuer at the scene, Chakkit Taengtang, showed the men being assisted one by one out of the cave’s entrance, bodies covered in mud. After they got out, some collapsed on the ground and were hugged by a group of rescuers who cried in joy

The first of the trapped group was safely evacuated on Friday According to rescuers, that operation took about 30 minutes. Videos showed the moment he emerged from the water alongside a diver, catching his breath before struggling to crawl through a narrow, flooded passage and rising unsteadily to his feet.

Five of the villagers were found alive Wednesday They were identified by their first names as Khamla, Mued, Ee, Ing and Laen. Rescue teams from Laos and neighboring Thailand were joined by Japanese and Malaysian colleagues. Indonesian, French and Australian specialists also reportedly arrived at the site in a rugged area in the central province of Xaisomboun, about 75 miles north of the capital, Vientiane. Several of them had taken part in the complicated 2018 cave rescue in northern Thailand of 12 schoolboys and their soccer coach. Rescuers are also preparing to search for the two villagers who remain missing. Kengkaj Bongkawong, head of the Thai rescue group Metta Tham Rescue Kalasin, said Friday that the team plans to explore an area deeper inside the cave, about 20 to 25 yards beyond where the survivors were found. However, he cautioned that the section is heavily flooded.

Ukraine keeps up assault on Russian oil sites as Kyiv expects strikes

By The Associated Press

Ukrainian drone strikes caused fires at more Russian oil facilities overnight into Saturday, Russian officials said, in what appeared to be the latest attack on Moscow’s vital oil industry

Authorities in Russia’s Rostov region said falling drone debris sparked a fire that damaged an oil depot and tanker in the port of Taganrog, while officials in the neighboring Krasnodar region reported a fire breaking out at an oil depot in Armavir for the same reason.

“Another facility of Russia’s oil industry has been reached — Armavir,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on X, referring to the Krasnodar attack, and noting that Arma-

vir is “500 kilometers from our state border.”

“We are rightfully bringing the war back to where it came from,” he wrote. Ukraine has expanded its mid- and long-range strike capabilities, deploying drone and missile technology that it has developed domestically to battle Russia’s 4-year-old invasion. Attacks on Russian oil assets that play a key part in funding the invasion have become almost daily occurrences. For its part, Russia has used its long-range ballistic missiles to damage Ukraine’s power grid and hammer its cities. The Ukrainian capital is bracing for further heavy bombardments after what the Russian Foreign Ministry said earlier this week would

be upcoming “systemic strikes” on Kyiv Zelenskyy said Thursday that he’s being “very persistent” in pressing the United States to provide his country with more Patriot air defense missiles that can counter devastating Russian ballistic missile attacks.

The attacks on Russian oil infrastructure came a day after a Russian drone that was part of an attack on Ukraine struck an apartment building in eastern Romania, injuring two people in the NATO member country The incursion added to concerns that the war could spread across the alliance’s borders, and drew strong condemnation across Europe.

Meanwhile, Russia’s state-

tack left a hole in the wall of a turbine hall, Rosatom CEO Alexei Likhachev said

owned nuclear energy company Rosatom said Saturday that a Ukrainian drone struck the Russian-con-

trolled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. There was no damage to key equipment, but the at-

Presidentvents aboutjudge in KennedyCentercase

Courtblocked renovations, putting Trump’s nameonbuilding

BY COLLIN BINKLEY Associated Press

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump on Saturday branded the federal judge who blocked his renovation of the Kennedy Center as “an anti Trump Hater” and predicted that the nation’s premier performing arts center he wanted to shutter for atwo-year overhaul will “soon be closed, probably never toopen again.” In alengthy post on his Truth Socialplatform, Trump fumed about the Friday decision from U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper who also ordered Trump’sname removed from the center Clearly angered by his latest legal setback, he said it was “impossible for me to be treated fairly,” tying Cooper’sruling to earlier losses, including the Supreme Court’srejection in February

of hissweeping tariffs. His post aimed to make the case for the project even as he says he’sgiving up on it.Hours after Cooper’sdecision, Trump said hewas backing awayfromthe renovations and making arrangements to relinquish control to Congress of what, until the Republican president’ssecondterm,had been known as theJohnF.KennedyCenter for thePerforming Arts.

In another post on Saturday,Trumpinvokedthe Kennedy Centerepisode as he addressedaspate ofmusicians backing outofacelebration for thecountry’s 250th anniversary.

“Cancel it,” Trumpwrote, “just like Icanceled my involvement withthe failing andunsafe to be in Kennedy Center,because aHighly Conflicted, Crooked Federal Judge, said that Ishouldnot be allowed to spend my time and money in order to MAKE THE CENTER GREAT AGAIN.”

TheWhite House did not immediatelysay whether Trumpwould keepserving as thecenter’sboard chair.

Trump’ssignalthathe’s

PresidentDonald TrumponSaturday branded the federal judgewho blockedhis renovation of the John F. KennedyCenter for the PerformingArtsas‘an anti Trump Hater’ and predicted that the venue he wanted to shutter for atwo-year overhaul will ‘soon be closed,probably nevertoopen again.

retreatingfromthe center gave hope to artists who had been alienated by his takeover,said Norm Eisen, aformer White House ethics lawyer whoisinvolvedina lawsuitchallenging Trump’s Kennedy Center plans

“I have already heard from artists and fromaudience membersalike who are excitedabout the Kennedy

PhysiciansaysTrump in

BY COLLIN BINKLEY Associated Press

WASHINGTON Donald Trump’sphysician says the president is in “excellent health” and is “fully fit”to serve as commander in chief after amedical exam Tuesday at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center

Areport from Dr.Sean Barbabella,released late Friday,says Trump underwent aCTscan and other heart imaging, along with cancer screenings and other preventative assessments carried out by 22 specialists Trump, 79, said after the three-hourvisitTuesday that everything checked out “PERFECTLY.”

The president weighed in at 238 pounds, up 14 pounds from amedical examin

Center returning to nonpartisan normality,”Eisen told The Associated Press in a text message on Saturday “It’searlydaysyet but as and when the court’sorder is implemented, including Trump’sname coming off the building and theBoard otherwise complying with thelaw,I’m optimistic that theCenterwillbegin thelong

journey back.” Without offering evidence, Trump suggestedthatCooper’swife, lawyer AmyJeffress, was to blame in part for the ruling. The president noted that Jeffress, apartner at the Hecker Fink law firm, is aformer federal prosecutorwho servedasa counselor to Attorney General Eric Holder during the adminis-

tration of Democratic President Barack Obama. Cooper was nominated for the bench by Obama. Trump also noted that Hecker Fink is representing former PresidentJoe Biden in alawsuit againstthe Department of Justice to block therelease of audiorecordings and transcriptsfrom the Democrat’sinterviews with aghostwriterthat were obtainedinaninvestigation into Biden’shandling of classified documents from his time as a senator and as vice president. Trumpasserted that the Kennedy Center,named for the late Democratic president and opened in 1971, was “rusted,rotted,and ratand bug infested” and that the “newBuilding would have been incomparable.” Cooper said in his ruling that the center board’s March 16 vote to close the venue was“ill-informedand seemingly preordained” withnoregard forits legal obligations. The administration had announced the work would begin in Julyand last approximately two years. Cooper’sruling halts those plans for now

‘excellent health,’ ‘fully fit’ to serve

April 2025. His doctors gave him guidanceonhis diet, physicalactivityand weight loss, but concluded his “cognitive and physical performance are excellent.”

With his 6-foot,3-inch frame, Trumphas abody

massindex of 29.7. An index of 30 is considered by doctorstobeobese. The report also documented bruising on Trump’s hands, explained as “minor soft tissue irritation related to frequent handshaking,”

and said it was “a common and benign effect of aspirin therapy.” Amongthe recommendations was aswitch to low-dose aspirin.

Lastyear the White House said Trump was diagnosed

with chronic venous insufficiency,afairlycommoncondition for older adults that causesblood to pool in the president’slegs. Thereport from his latest exam noted “slightlower legswelling”

but said there was “improvementfrom last year.” His doctor reported nothing abnormal, saying Trump demonstrated strong cardiac, pulmonary,neurological and overall health.

BY JESSE BEDAYN and COLLIN BINKLEY Associated Press

WASHINGTON An upcoming celebrationofAmerica’s250th anniversary, “The Great American State Fair,” recently had several musical guests back out partly over the event’s ties to President Donald Trump. Now,Trumphimselfisslated to headline the festivities, the organizerssaid Saturday

“I understandArtists are getting ‘the yips’ having to do with their performance,” Trump postedtohis social media platform Truth Social Saturday,adding that he was thinking of bring-

ing “the man who some say is the GreatestPresident in History (THEGOAT!), DONALD J. TRUMP, to take theplace of thesehighly paid, ThirdRate‘Artists.’”

The group organizing the June fair on Washington’s National Mall, Freedom 250, confirmedthe billing in astatement, writing, “we areexcited to announce that President Trump will personally kick off this historic celebrationonWednesday, June 24.”

Trump’ssocial media post twice referenced himholdingarally “Wednesday,” without aspecific date. The White House did not immediatelyclarify the discrepancy

Danielle Alvarez, a spokesperson for Freedom 250, emphasized the broaderfairthatisscheduledfrom June 25 through July 10 includes an array of exhibits, family friendly attractions, musical performances, flyoversand more.

Trumpwas dismissive of theacts that backed out, suggesting in afollow-up postthat thesolution is to “Cancel it.”

“Weshould have agiant MAKEAMERICA GREAT AGAINRALLY,for 250, insteadofhavingoverpriced singers, whonobody wants to hear,whosemusicisboring, and yet who do nothing but complain,”Trump said on social media.

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Trumpplans to appeal orderontariffrefunds

President’simport taxesstruckdown by SupremeCourt

BY MAE ANDERSON Associated Press

NEW YORK Businesses big and small have started receiving tariff refunds after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that President Donald Trump lacked the constitutional authority to impose higher import taxes on goods from nearly every other country

The process could grind to ahalt, however,afterthe Trump administration said Friday that it intended to appeal afederaljudge’sorder to allow all companies that paid the invalidatedduties to seek refunds, not just the ones that filed lawsuits.

Until the Department of Justice informed the judge of its plannedappeal, the refund system overseen by U.S. Customs andBorder Protection had been working fairly smoothly.Refunds reached the bank accounts of the first successful applicants on May12, about three weeks after importers and their customs brokers could start submitting claims through an online system,according to CBP Applications for refunds totaling $85billion —more than half of the $166 billion the agency estimated the government owes to companies that paid the tariffson imported goods —were accepted for processing as of May 22, CBP reported in alegal filing earlier in the week It said it had so far directed the Treasury Department to issue $20.6 billion in refunds.

The administration revealedits appealpreparations while objecting to ademand by Judge Richard K. Eaton for CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott to appear in the U.S. Court of International Trade to answer questions about how long it would take to repay all 330,000 importers that might be eligiblefor

refunds. The judge scheduled aJune 9hearingonwhy he shouldn’trequire thegovernment do whatever it takes to speed up the process.

Justice Department lawyers asked Eaton to allow one or two of Scott’sdeputies to appear inhis place, arguing that as ahigh-rankingpresidential appointee, the CBP chief could not be compelled to testify.They also argued that Eatonexceededhis authority when he determined in March that the Supreme Court’sruling entitled “all importers of record” torefunds

“For that reason, defendants intend to appeal the court’suniversal injunction,” thelawyers wrote, adding that CBP would continue to move “as quicky as it can to process refunds in aphased approach” for businesses thatfiled legal complaints asserting their rights to refunds

In awritten reply,Eaton said he needed to hear directly from Scott whether the government wouldreturn all of the money it collected between when Trump put what he called“reciprocal”tariffs on most countries in April 2025 and when the Supreme Court struckthemdownin late February

“It is undisputedthat the remedyfor this unlawful collection is for the United Statesgovernment to refund the unlawfully collectedduties,” the judge wrote. Refundscominginphases

More than 1,000 companies, including large ones likeCostco, Goodyear Tire, banana and pineapple distributor Dole Fresh Fruit, and department store chain Kohl’s, filed lawsuits to recoup their tariff costs. The judge said Wednesday he intendedtoallowcases he put on hold while CBP figured out how to handle refund claims—they numbered 485 in mid-March —toproceed.

Customs and Border Protection is handling refund claimsinphases, focus-

The Trumpadministrationsaid Friday that it intended to appeal afederal judge’sorder to allowall companies that paid the invalidated tariffs imposed by President DonaldTrump to seek refunds, notjust theones that filed lawsuits.

ing first on paymentsthat weren’t finalizedbefore the Supreme Court handed down its 6-3 decision. CBP officials have said those later payments were more straightforward to process.

Importers are requiredto make estimated tariff payments when goodsenterthe U.S. The declared itemsthen enter aprocesscalled “liquidation,” in which CBPdetermines how much in import taxes was owed. The decision becomes final after 180 days unless the payer conteststhe bill.

In Friday’sfiling, the Justice Departmentsaid the agency did not have the technological ability or the legal authority to recalculate liquidatedaccounts without “importer-specific orders”in each lawsuit.

Pricecutspromised

Some national retail chains said they plannedtouse theirtariff refunds refunds to lower customer prices on some items. Walmart Chief FinancialOfficer JohnDavid Rainey told analysts lastweekthatthe company would implement price cuts even though the maximum

Venezuelan opposition leader callsfor presidential elections

By The Associated Press

CARACAS Venezuela ‘s former opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzálezcalled on Saturday for presidential elections as the five-month mark of interim President Delcy Rodríguez’sadministration approaches in the wakeofthe U.S. military intervention that ousted Nicolás Maduro in early January

The 76-year-old former diplomat was recognized by several countries as the legitimate winner of the July 2024 elections amid apostelection crisis and street protests as the opposition alleged fraud. Electoral records that showed González’svictory over Maduro were deemed credible by internationalobservers.

In amessage postedonsocial media,González stated that it is time to “build the conditions forholding presidential electionsthat serve as citizen instruments for change” and contribute to there-institutionalization of the country and lay the foundations for astable government.

Hismessagecomes just shy of thefive-monthanniversary of Rodríguez assuming power onJan. 5, following the arrest of Maduro and his wife,who are being prosecutedinthe UnitedStates.

Maduro’s formerallyRodríguezwas recognized as president by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, and the two countries have since made progresson aseries of agreements that

include the lifting of sanctionsand negotiationsinthe oiland energysectors, as well as the normalization of diplomatic relations.

Neither Caracas nor Washington has given any indication that electionsare imminent in Venezuela. The U.S hasrecognized Rodríguez as Venezuela’ssole head of state, allowing hertoreestablishties withWestern banks and morefreelywork withU.S. investors

According to González, an electoral process must have “independent referees, national and international observation and political pluralism, amongother conditions,with the release of political prisoners and “an end to the persecution” being nonnegotiable.

refund it might be eligible forrepresented less than half of 1% of Walmart’s $483 billion in annual U.S. sales.

Costco intends to return the tariffcosts that it passed on to members, CEO Ron Vachris said. Howmuch of itsrefund the big-box retail chain redistributes, when andinwhatform, depends on factorssuch as the size of the refund, when it arrives, and developments in alawsuit seeking tariff compensation forCostcocustomers Vachris toldinvestors Thursday

Consumers could first see refunds from shipping companies such as FedEx, UPS andDHL, whichacted as customs brokers when they deliveredproducts ordered from overseas. The companies charged either the sellers that shippedthe packages or the buyers who received them and turned the tariffs theycollected over to CBP

All three promised to return anyrefunds they get to the customers that paid the import taxes. Last week, FedEx said it was “working to swiftly process refunds and

return them to the shippers and consumers who originally bore those charges.”

Usingthe refunds

The Supreme Court invalidated only the country-bycountry tariff ratesTrump setbyciting the1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Others he imposedunder different rationales remain in effect. Trump also has moved to introduce new tariffs since the

court’sFeb. 20 ruling.

Somesmaller companies told The Associated Press that the tariff refunds they’ve received so farwould go toward paying remaining or futuretariffs or getting back on solid financial footing after more than ayear of uncertainty andadditional costs. Jay Foreman, CEO of toy companyBasic Fun, said he receivedabout $450,000, or 7% of histotal claim, overtwo consecutive days. He took the repayment as apositive sign but saidthat after having less than $10,000 refunded since then,the process seemed like a“total slow roll.”

“It’stime to releasethe funds back into the economy, especially given how much we and others need these funds to support our businessesand fund ouroperations,” Foreman said.

Men’sgrooming brand Manscaped hasreceived about 30% of the $12 million in refunds it applied for, President KevinDatoo said He said the San Diego company deferred investments andtook on debt to paytariffs on imports from Indonesia, China andelsewherein Asia last year

“Weneed to shore up the balancesheetbecause there’sstill awhole second chapter here,” Datoo said.

Capitol rioters clamor for payouts from fund

BY MICHAEL KUNZELMAN Associated Press

WASHINGTON David Johnston was a licensed attorney when he illegally entered the Capitol with a mob of President Donald Trump’s supporters on Jan. 6, 2021

More than five years later, the South Carolina man is offering to help fellow “J6ers” apply for payouts from the Trump administration’s nearly $1.8 billion new fund for people claiming to be victims of a weaponized government.

He’ll do it for a 10% cut of any award, capped at $5,000 apiece.

“I think the narrative is changing” about how the history of that day is being told, Johnston said in a video he posted to social media. “I think good things are happening for us.”

Hundreds of Trump loyalists pleaded guilty to storming the Capitol, admitting under oath that they broke the law Now pardoned by Trump, many hope to capitalize on their crimes by tapping into the $1.776 billion settlement fund designed to compensate the Republican president’s allies who believe they were politically prosecuted.

A bipartisan backlash to the fund and a legal roadblock have not dimmed the celebratory response from Jan. 6 rioters clamoring for a share of the taxpayer money Some are staking claims even though the government has not established an application process and a judge has frozen the fund’s formation, at least temporarily.

The fund’s critics see it as

another vehicle for Trump and his allies to whitewash the events of Jan 6, retroactively justify the mob’s assault on a pillar of American democracy and reward some of Trump’s most loyal followers.

Jason Riddle, a military veteran from New Hampshire who was sentenced to 90 days behind bars after pleading guilty to riot charges, publicly rejected a pardon from Trump. Likewise, he said it would be “ridiculous” for him or any other Jan. 6 rioter to get government compensation. “I’d love money, but I can’t accept that. That would bother me for the rest of my life,” he said. “We weren’t innocently persecuted just because of who we are or who we vote for We were persecuted for committing criminal behavior in the Capitol of

Marchers support Turkey’s deposed opposition leader

By The Associated Press

ISTANBUL Tens of thou-

sands of supporters of the deposed leader of Turkey’s main opposition party marched through central Ankara on Saturday Ozgur Ozel was removed from his post at the head of the Republican People’s Party, or CHP, by court order on May 21 Many people consider the ruling to be a politically motivated bid to neutralize the opposition.

Crowds earlier gathered in Guven Park in the heart of the Turkish capital to hear Ozel deliver a speech condemning his removal. They then joined him on an impromptu march to the mausoleum of Turkey’s founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

“They are attempting to replace the CHP’s elected chairman and appoint a trustee,” Ozel told supporters. “Today is the day to restart our march to power I wish this were an internal party matter This is not an internal matter for the CHP This is a matter between (President) Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the nation.” The appeals court ruling overturned a 2023 party congress vote that appoint-

ed Ozel as CHP leader The court decision replaced him with his predecessor, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, sparking outrage among party supporters.

Ozel, 51, succeeded the 77-year-old Kilicdaroglu after 13 years of mostly ineffective opposition to Erdogan.

Ozel has framed the court case, which centered on alleged irregularities in the congress vote as the latest legal attack on the CHP. Criminal cases across the country, mostly alleging corruption in CHP-run municipalities, have seen hundreds of elected officials and party members detained.

The government insists that Turkey’s courts are impartial and act independently of political pressure.

As people were gathering in Guven Park, Kilicdaroglu was holding a rival gathering at the CHP headquarters in Ankara, which police stormed last Sunday to remove Ozel and his supporters.

Addressing a much smaller crowd, Kilicdaroglu condemned the previous party administration for overseeing widespread corruption

the United States.”

Plenty of other “J6ers” do not share Riddle’s reluctance.

A Florida man who posed for photos with then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s podium argued on social media that he deserves to be compensated for the cost of his infamy A rioter from New Jersey described by prosecutors as a Nazi sympathizer hailed the fund as “good news not just for J6ers but all victims of weaponization.” A Texas man who received a seven-year prison sentence for storming the Capitol with a metal tomahawk celebrated the fund as “payback” for “victims of Biden’s tyranny,” referring to Democratic President Joe Biden.

Oregon resident Pamela Hemphill, sentenced to 60 days in jail for her conviction, rejected a pardon from

Trump but has drafted a written claim for compensation from the fund. Unlike scores of rioters who claim to be victims of a government weaponized by Democrats, Hemphill blames Trump for her legal troubles. Her claims letter says she is seeking $5 million in compensation.

“I wouldn’t have been through all of this if Trump hadn’t lied about the election being stolen,” she said during a telephone interview “It’s a direct result of his lies that I was even there that day.”

It is an open question whether anyone convicted of a Capitol riot-related crime could be eligible for payments from a fund created to resolve Trump’s lawsuit against the IRS over the leak of his tax returns.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has not ruled out that possibility Blanche

said there are no limits on who can apply, but he noted that the fund’s five commissioners — all yet to be named — will decide who deserves to be compensated and why based on factors such as “what the person did, his sentence, how much time he was in jail.”

“That’s up to the commissioners,” Blanche told The Associated Press on Thursday when asked about his position on whether violent Jan. 6 defendants should be eligible for payments.

“You have to define something and then stick to it. That’s something I’ve been hesitant to try to do, because it’s very fact-intensive,”

Blanche said “Me sitting here and talking in hypotheticals is something that I don’t think is fair to the process.”

It is unclear whether Congress would block payments to Jan. 6 defendants. Senate Republicans who are angry about the settlement have said they want to place parameters on the fund as part of a Department of Homeland Security spending bill. They abruptly left town earlier this month after a tense meeting with Blanche and will return on Monday with the situation unresolved.

A federal judge in Virginia has frozen the fund’s establishment and temporarily blocked any processing or paying of claims. The judge issued that ruling Friday in one of at least three lawsuits challenging the fund.

Brendan Ballou, a former prosecutor who tried several Jan. 6 cases before leaving the Department of Justice

last year sued on behalf of two police officers who helped defend the Capitol from the mob. Ballou views the fund’s creation as part of a broader Trump campaign to undermine democratic institutions and rewrite the history of Jan. 6.

“And if the president is successful in that effort, if he’s able to get people to either forget or condone that day he knows that he can get people to accept any attack on democracy,” Ballou said.

Nearly 1,600 people were charged with Capitol riotrelated federal crimes. More than 1,200 were convicted and sentenced before Trump issued mass pardons and ordered the dismissal of all pending Jan. 6 cases. Trump also freed far-right extremist group members who were imprisoned for plotting to attack the Capitol to keep Trump in office after he lost the 2020 presidential election to Biden. The self-described “J6 community” isn’t the only pro-Trump constituency angling for cuts of the money Meshawn Maddock, who was charged as being a fake elector for Trump in Michigan before a judge dismissed the case last year, said she and her husband, state Rep. Matt Maddock, “absolutely” plan on making a claim. She believes the fund’s use of taxpayer money is justified because it “paid for the prosecution and investigation of the years that I was being hunted down.”

“I want vengeance and I want retribution,” Maddock said.

DOJ seeks recusal of judge from Ga. election case

BY KATE BRUMBACK

Associated Press

ATLANTA The U.S. Department of Justice is asking a judge to recuse herself in a fight over Georgia election records, arguing that she attended an event honoring Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who prosecuted President Donald Trump, raising questions about the judge’s ability to be impartial.

A federal judge in 11th Judicial Circuit rec ei ve d a “private reprimand” after a court investigation found that the judge had sex in the courthouse with a high-ranking uniformed police officer within earshot of staff, attended a partisan event and then initially lied to deny the allegations.

The court’s investigation did not publicly identify the judge or the court location within the 11th Circuit’s jurisdiction, which includes Alabama, Florida and Georgia. The Justice Department is relying on media reports that identify U.S District Judge Eleanor Ross in Atlanta as the judge in question.

The Associated Press

has not independently confirmed the judge’s identity

A person who answered the phone in Ross’ chambers Friday said the judge was unavailable and referred questions about the allegations to the court’s media

office which said, “Judge Ross has no comment right now.” Federal judges are appointed for life but can be subject to disciplinary action, including censure. They can only be removed through impeachment by Congress. Ross was nominated in January 2014 by thenPresident Barack Obama a Democrat, and she was confirmed by the Senate in November of that year

Hegseth tones down warnings about China

But official says U.S remains committed to Pacific security

BY DAVID RISING Associated Press

SINGAPORE U.S. Defense Secre-

tary Pete Hegseth assured Pacific allies on Saturday that Washington remained committed to the region, but toned down previous comments calling China a threat.

Speaking to a group of world leaders, diplomats and top security officials at the Shangri-La defense conference in Singapore, Hegseth said that the region “has profound implications for U.S. security and prosperity” and that Washington’s priority was to “achieve a lasting and favorable balance of power in

MEDICAID

Continued from page 1A

are not costing the taxpayers any more dollars,” said state Sen. Patrick McMath, R-Covington, who chairs the Senate Health and Welfare Committee.

Others believe, however, that too many people falling off the Medicaid rolls are now without health insurance, and that is causing havoc for them.

the Pacific.”

It was his second time addressing the forum, hosted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies Last year, he raised the ire of Beijing by warning of rapidly developing threats from China, particularly its aggressive stance toward Taiwan. He said China is no longer just building up its military forces to take Taiwan, it’s “actively training for it, every day.”

This year, however, the meeting comes only about two weeks after President Donald Trump visited Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing, following which Trump called Xi a “great leader” and said that they were going to have a “fantastic future together.”

Hegseth, who was with Trump in Beijing, said the two leaders

High healthcare stakes

“Some of the individuals who were dropped — they didn’t know until they went to the doctor and called my office,” said state Sen. Regina Barrow, D-Baton Rouge. “Most of them have been placed back on immediately But some don’t know to call their member to get their services back.”

The starting point for the debate is Gov. John Bel Edwards’ decision when he took office in 2016 to have Louisiana accept the Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. That decision essentially meant that people who had low-paying jobs without health insurance would now receive it through Medicaid thanks to federal government subsidies

“Seven years ago, I made the easiest big decision I’ll ever make by expanding Medicaid to working families across our state,” Edwards said in 2023. “That decision to bring our federal tax dollars home to Louisiana has given more than 500,000 people access to care and is helping to keep our rural hospitals open.”

Landry said Wednesday that 100,000 fewer people in Louisiana need Medicaid today because they have gotten jobs with insurance, but his staff could not provide documentation to back that claim.

While nearly 200,000 fewer people receive Medicaid compared to a year ago, Louisiana has only 13,000 more nonfarm jobs over that time, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The state unemployment rate has ticked up from 4.3% to 4.4% over the past year

Conservatives nationally have decried Obamacare, and Republicans in Congress have made repeated attempts to repeal the program.

“The economy is not necessarily explaining this drop in Medicaid,” said Courtney Foster, a senior policy adviser at Invest in Louisiana, a progressive nonprofit in Baton Rouge. “My worry is that people are going without insurance.”

Only two other states have seen a bigger drop in Medicaid enrollment since President Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025, according to the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families.

had agreed that China and the U.S should “build a constructive relationship of strategic stability, based on fairness and reciprocity, reaffirming that while our nations will vigorously protect our respective interests, we can secure practical, mutually beneficial agreements where our interests align.”

However, he said it was still an American priority to ensure that China is not allowed to dominate the Indo-Pacific.

“There is rightful alarm regarding China’s historic military buildup and the expansion of its military activities in the region and beyond,” he said.

“We share a clear-eyed assessment of that security environment and a mutual understanding that a Pacific dominated by any hegemon would unravel the regional balance

of power and undermine the equilibrium we all seek to preserve.”

Later in the day, Chinese Maj. Gen. Meng Xiangqing praised Hegseth’s remarks about the meeting between Xi and Trump, saying the consensus the leaders reached “should provide strategic guidance for China-U.S. relations over the next three years and beyond.”

“During his meeting with President Trump, President Xi Jinping made it clear that such constructive strategic stability should be a positive form of stability centered on cooperation, a healthy form of stability in which competition remains within reasonable bounds, a normal state of stability in which differences are managed and kept under control, and a lasting form of stability that offers the prospect of peace,” he said.

U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, part

of a congressional delegation to the conference, accused the Trump administration of “cozying up” to China.

“I worry that this administration is being distracted into wars that they’ve started in other parts of the world at the expense of our commitment here in the Indo-Pacific,” the Illinois Democrat told reporters on the sidelines.

“I am concerned that it seems like our president is entering into, you know policies where he’s doing what Beijing wants him to do,” she added.

After the meetings between Xi and Trump, the American president raised questions about Washington’s willingness to defend Taiwan, calling a new $14 billion arms package that he has yet to greenlight “a very good negotiating chip for us” with China.

at Georgetown’s Center for Children and Families.

“Even a short-term loss of healthcare exposes that family to potentially expensive costs — let’s say from a child breaking an arm on the playground — that could bankrupt them,” Alker said.

Who gets Medicaid

Answering questions in an interview and through email, Greenstein said his department has instituted a more rigorous review of eligibility that has caused over 100,000 people to fall off the Medicaid rolls.

The Louisiana Department of Health is working with the Office of Motor Vehicles to determine if people enrolled in Medicaid in Louisiana now live out of the state, Greenstein said.

Landry followed Edwards in office in January 2024 with a mission to reduce government spending on entitlement programs Over the past 12 months, the number of people on Medicaid has dropped from 1,610,066 to 1,411,267, according to the Louisiana Department of Health. That’s a reduction of 198,799, or about 12%.

As part of that decrease, those enrolled through Edwards’ Medicaid expansion had dropped to 398,215 through April, accounting for about 70% of the overall decline

Also as part of the overall drop, nearly 50,000 children are no longer eligible for Medicaid in Louisiana.

Past history shows that many of them will now be without insurance, said Joan Alker, executive director

The department has also reviewed records to determine whether people on Medicaid who have not filed any type of claim over the past 30 months should continue to be eligible, Greenstein said. The department is working through Louisiana Works to ask Medicaid recipients on a quarterly basis whether their wage exceeds the federal income limit to remain eligible, Greenstein said.

In each case, the department asks the person on Medicaid to verify that they are still eligible. People who don’t respond or who do respond but cannot show they remain eligible are dropped from Medicaid.

“We reach out to members in whichever way they have opted to receive information from LDH: mail, email or text message,” Greenstein said.

Asked whether the Landry administration is making less of an effort than the Edwards administration did to contact people before dropping them, Greenstein said, “We’ve streamlined it, and we also do more outreaches.”

Concern or celebration?

Barrow said legislators need to hold hearings to review what’s behind the drop in nearly 200,000 from Medicaid and the possible impli-

cations.

“It will put more of a strain on the healthcare system and hospitals to deliver services,” she said, as uninsured people seek treatment in emergency rooms. This costs the state more money McMath, however said any legislative hearing ought “to celebrate the accomplishments that the Louisiana Department of Health is having.”

He added, “The underlying goal of Medicaid is to provide quality health care services at an efficient cost to the state. But the overarching goal should be to implement policies across the board that move people from dependence to independence.”

Foster, however, fears that the number of people without insurance is rising, but that policymakers haven’t grasped this fact because the latest figures are not up to date.

According to KFF, a leading health policy nonprofit based in San Francisco, the most recent numbers are from 2024 and show that Louisiana’s uninsured rate was 7.6%, lower than the na-

tional rate of 8.2%, thanks to Edwards instituting the Medicaid expansion. Neighboring states governed by Republicans — Mississippi, Texas, Arkansas and Alabama — all had higher uninsured rates than did Louisiana.

Jim Richardson, a retired LSU economics professor who has tracked state spending for decades, said having more uninsured people could cause problems because treating them in emergency rooms means higher costs for Louisiana taxpayers.

“That’s always an issue, if people are not on Medicaid get sick and then become a medical necessity,” he said “You can’t turn them away There has to be a way to pay for that.”

“Having fewer uninsured people allows the hospitals to generate additional revenue and keep the doors open, not only for the poor people but also for people on Medicare and private insurance,” Reynolds said. Greenstein sees the overall drop in enrollment as a positive, at least for now

“Anecdotally we’ve heard from employers that they’re continuing to hire new employees who are now receiving health insurance, and we are not hearing of increased rates of uncompensated care occurring in Louisiana hospitals,” he said. Unlike Barrow, McMath said he’s not receiving concerns from people no longer on Medicaid, who tend to operate on the margins of society

“I hear from my constituents on a daily basis about their problems, as do my other colleagues,” he said. “Not once has this eligibility issue come up with a phone call, a text or an email.”

Jeff Reynolds, who served as deputy secretary of health under then-Gov Bobby Jindal and Edwards noted that the Medicaid expansion under Edwards kept all of Louisiana’s 49 rural hospitals open, in contrast to Mississippi, which didn’t expand Medicaid and saw rural hospitals close. Reynolds, who now serves as executive director of the Louisiana Rural Hospital Coalition, said a reduction in Medicaid enrollment is beginning to hurt his clients.

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director level. Additionally, there was distrust of its mission by the President and the first Secretary of Homeland Security We have to hope after the poor response to the flooding in Texas that they understand America needs a prepared and mission-focused FEMA.”

“Hurricane Season starts Monday,” said U.S. Rep. Troy Carter Sr., D-New Orleans, also noting massive layoffs at FEMA and the lack of a full-time leader

“Right now, we are at-risk of weakening FEMA and leaving Louisiana communities even more exposed when the next storm hits. That is unacceptable.”

coordinated by GOHSEP, handle evacuations and power outages and the initial response when a storm comes ashore. FEMA comes in a few days later with search and rescue help, then with financial aid to help house the homeless, pay contractors to remove debris and reopen roads, as well as providing immediate needs such as diapers, food and clothing.

Louisiana already has prepositioned 390,528 meals ready to eat, enough for three days, and 693,252 16-ounce containers of water, Mahfouz said. In addition, 702,400 sandbags and 97,389 tarps are on hand.

The forward staging area is Esler Field, Alexandria’s regional airport run by the Louisiana National Guard.

regional director with whom Cooper had worked when he headed GOSHEP under Republican Gov Bobby Jindal and was chief of staff to Democratic Gov John Bel Edwards.

“These actions that FEMA has taken since Markwayne Mullin came aboard tells you that they’re taking this hurricane season seriously,” Cooper added.

“Oh, we’re ready for hurricane season,” Fenton told CBS News on Wednesday

“This is something we do every year It’s in our DNA.”

ashore near the Cameron Parish community of Creole, according to CBS. FEMA did not attend a conference earlier this year because its funding was shut off over a dispute about funding aggressive enforcement of immigration laws. Homeland Security also oversees the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The National Hurricane Center expects fewer storms eight to 14 for the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season than the 14 named storms that are usual. One to three could become a hurricane. But the waters of the Atlantic Ocean are unusually warm, which could mean a large hurricane with catastrophic winds and high storm surges is possible. At least two of these weather events could come ashore in Louisiana.

Louisiana’s preparations

Maj. Gen. Thomas C. Friloux, who is in charge of the Louisiana Military Department — which oversees the Louisiana National Guard and, as of last year, GOHSEP — and Louisiana National Guard Brig. Gen. Jason P. Mahfouz, who heads GOSEHP, addressed a Louisiana Legislature Select Committee on Homeland Security on Tuesday, whose members were raising pretty much the same concerns as Cassidy, Carter and others.

“We’re prepared and we’ll always be prepared,” Friloux said.

Generally, local and parish emergency managers,

GOHSEP staged statewide exercises from April 14 to April 16, which included 414 participants from 38 agencies in 29 parishes, Mahfouz said.

Turmoil at FEMA FEMA is facing questions about how quickly the agency can respond following a year of job cuts, funding uncertainty, and President Donald Trump repeatedly saying the agency should be eliminated.

Since Trump took office in January 2025 for a second term, FEMA eliminated more than 5,000 employees, leaving just 12% of personnel to deploy for disasters to assist survivors and handle operations and recovery work.

“FEMA Region 6 has no permanent regional administrator, and the people of Louisiana are among those most at risk because of it,” U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields, D-Baton Rouge, said Friday, referring to the FEMA administrative office that oversees Louisiana disasters. “As one former FEMA official said, the agency is losing decades of institutional knowledge

at the most critical time For families in this district, that loss creates a real possibility of slower response times, delayed delivery of critical resources and a federal government that is simply not ready when people need it most.”

That direction recently changed with the March 24 appointment of Markwayne Mullin to replace Kristi Noem as the head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which oversees FEMA, said Mark Cooper, the Baton Rouge consultant who was a member of the task force appointed by Trump to take a deep dive into FEMA operations.

“They’re certainly better prepared than they were last year,” Cooper said. For one thing, FEMA has started bringing back staffers who left the agency last year About 200 have been rehired, so far, according to the agency’s website.

As a Republican senator from Oklahoma, Mullin backed a fundamental reorganization of the agency — rather than elimination

CBS was covering a drill inside FEMA Headquarters’ National Response Coordination Center FEMA staff, as well as officials from other federal agencies, such as the Department of Interior, and private organizations such as the American Red Cross, rehearsed what they would be called upon to do during a hurricane

But FEMA is organizing a face-to-face meeting beginning June 8 with emergency management directors from hurricane-prone states, according to Victoria L. Barton, a FEMA associate administrator. Usually, the conferences are done electronically This time, FEMA officials and the directors are meeting in person to discuss preparedness and responses.

that would address the cost concerns by shifting much of the federal government’s responsibilities to the states. The FEMA Reform Council in May recommended changes in FEMA protocols that would deliver money to the states faster

Those suggestions are still a couple of years from being fully implemented, if accepted by Trump.

In the past couple of weeks, Trump nominated Cameron Hamilton to lead FEMA. He still must be confirmed by the Senate.

And Mullin named Bob Fenton, another member of the president’s council, as the agency’s chief administrator Fenton had been a FEMA

The practice scenario involved a hypothetical Category 2 hurricane coming

Email Mark Ballard at mballard@theadvocate. com.

Formorethan70years, CornerstoneChemical Company, LLChas been part of thefabricofJefferson Parish,helping driveindustryand economicactivity whileevolvingtomeetthe needsofachangingworkforce.Today,asCornerstoneEnergyPark(CEP)continuestomodernize itsinfrastructureand position the site for long-term, sustainableoperations, itsleaders continue to prioritize thehealthofits employees

TheCornerstone Wellness Programand onsite medicalservices invest in thelong-term health of Cornerstoneand CEPsitecompany employees by focusingfirstonawarenessandprevention,andsecond oneducationandbehaviorchanges,alltoassistemployeesinachieving theirhealthgoals

“Weviewhealthasafoundationalpartofboth personal well-being andworkplace success,”said Courtney Crochet, Occupational Health Nurseat Cornerstone.“Employees that have thetools and supporttotakecareofthemselvescontributetoa happier, healthier, andmoreproductive workplace. In herrole, Crochetdrivesonsitewellnessprogram developmentwithanemphasis on chronicdisease prevention throughthe WellworksWellnessPortal, exercise challenges andinformative health screenings.Crochet hasover15years of diversehealthcare experienceacrossclinical, corporateand industrial environments.Throughouthercareer,shehasdemonstratedexpertise in occupational health nursing, injury case management,criticalcarenursing and emergencyresponse, regulatory compliance and workforce wellness.

Priortoher role at Cornerstone, Crochetworked with industrial organizationssupportingemployee health programs andworkplace safety initiatives acrosspetrochemicalandmanufacturingoperations Sheholds certificationsinindustrial firefighting, confined spacerescue, hazmattechnician, andemergencymedicalresponder,whichexpandhercapabilities beyond traditional nursing.

TheCornerstone Wellness Programprovides employees with accesstoresources andinitiatives thatsupportmentalandphysicalhealth,whichinturn hasbeenshowntoboostemployees’overallwellbeing. Cornerstonehas seen benefitsofthisvoluntary well-

ness programthrough decreasedabsenteeism,lower injury rates, andlower overallhealthcarecosts Cornerstoneemployees areencouragedtotake an active role in theirhealththrough thecompany’s WellworksWellnessPortal, whichawardspointsto employeesbased on voluntaryactivities. Employees canaccumulatepoints,andpotentiallyearnrewards astheycompleteactivitiesdesignedtoimproveoverall health,wellness, andfitness.

At home,employeesare encouraged to participate inorganizedactivitiessuchasCornerstone’sWalking Club Program, whichinspireshealthy competition amongcoworkers aiming to achievethe most steps walked andcounted in total. An onsite full-service WellnessCentergivesCornerstoneemployeesaccess to free weights, cable machines,treadmillsand other fitness equipment, offeringoptions foremployees to adaptworkoutstotheir schedulesand fitness needs. Cornerstonealsooffersyearlywellnessphysicals thatincludeinsurancepremiumdiscountstoemployeeswhoopttosubmittheirrecentbiometricscreening intheWellworksPortal.Diagnosticslikethesecanhelp employeesraiseawarenessofhealthconditions,which in turn,can help thecompany negotiatelower rates for health insurancepremiumsfor both thebusiness andemployees

“Cornerstone’s investment in providingannual wellnessphysicalsisonewaywe’rehelpingtoaddress commonhealthchallengeslikediabetesandhypertension,”Crochetsaid.“Knowingwhereparticipants’lab work stands,and educatingthemonresults,plays a keyroleinpersonalhealthawarenessandmakingthe necessary changestoimprovehealthand wellness.” Cornerstonealsofeaturesanonsite24/7Fresh Market Storewithaconstantvariety of fresh foodslikesalads, sandwiches,fresh fruits,snacks andheartyheat-and-eat entreesmadedaily by award-winningchefs AtCornerstone,thecultureofwellnessthecompany workstofostereachday

Thunder boomed over the brown water of the river, but they stayed in place, riding out the cloudburst, soaked to the skin.

Not all of their duties are quite so daring. Cadet Bailey Downey, 18, said serving aboard the antique ship was “like a semester at sea with a lot of cleaning.” Her daily chores often include scrubbing the wooden decks straightening the berth and “buffing the bark,” aka polishing the ship’s many brass fixtures until they shine.

The three-masted ship isn’t just a training “laboratory,” as Ensley called it, it’s a symbol of America’s heroic maritime history

The Eagle, once called the Horst Wessel, embodies victory The sturdy steel boat was built in Germany in 1936 during the ascent of the Nazis. After Germany was defeated in World War II, the Americans seized the ship and made it our own Lt. Cmdr Rachel Ault pointed out that from the beginning, the ship was designed as a training vessel.

The ropes cadets pull today are just like the ropes the German cadets pulled. Considering the Eagle is now training the next generation of American military officers, Ault said she considers the old ship a continuing symbol of freedom.

The French Quarter awaits Powered by its diesel engine, the Eagle arrived at the Julia Street dock at roughly noon Thursday, nudged by a tugboat appropriately named the Mardi Gras. Naturally, the cadets and crew members were eager to venture into the storied French Quarter One young woman confided that New Orleans was definitely the most exciting stop on the ship’s itinerary Her goal was to hear live music, and she was happy to learn that a place called Frenchmen Street was within walking distance.

Despite the rather dreary weather, an astonishingly large crowd arrived at the

Thursday

had already come aboard the Argentine ship

according to the young man

counting heads at the top of the gang plank Like the Eagle and the other sailing vessels, the 70-year-old Libertad was a training ship manned mostly by cadets.

Fascinatingly the Libertad, which is just slightly bigger than the Eagle, includes a mini hospital, complete with a doctor’s office, dentist’s office, operating room and a lab for testing the ship’s drinking water According to the tour guide, the Libertad crew would be given the liberty to enjoy the Vieux Carre as they chose, with the proviso that they appear at roll call at 6 a.m.

The largest and youngest of the sailing ships is the 350foot Peruvian Navy’s training ship Union, built just 10 years ago. It has a small museum touting products and customs of the country and an altar where Mass is

ManningFamilyChildren’shelps teen overcome yearsofseizures throughspecialized Epilepsy care

At 19-years-old,Mallory Murphy is knownfor herinfectioussmile,competitive spirit androleas an assistantcoach for herhighschoolbasketball team.Whether she’scheeringfromthe sidelines or sinkingthree-pointersatpractice, Mallory’s energy andconfidence shinethrough.But what many people don’tsee is theyears-longmedical journeythatwas happeningbehindthe scenes. Mallory’shealthchallengesbegan almost immediatelyafter birth. At just oneweekold shestruggled to breatheduringa feedingand wasdiagnosed with RSV(respiratorysyncytial virus),a virusthatcan be especially dangerousfor babies becauseitaffects thelungs andbreathing passages.Her conditionquickly became critical andshe wasadmittedtothe PediatricIntensive Care Unit (PICU) in St.Tammany Parish where sheremainedhospitalizedfor weeks.

“She required resuscitationthree times,”said hermother,Janna.“Irememberall thebreathing machines andhow oftenstaff hadtocomeinto suctionand clearher airway.”

Eventually,Mallory became strong enough to breathe on herown andreturnhome. But her family soon noticedadditionaldevelopmental concerns.By10monthsold,Mallory wasnot crawlingortalking.“Ijust felt somethingwas off,” Jannasaid.

Mallorywas enrolled in Louisiana’s EarlySteps program, whereshe received physical occupational andspeechtherapy to help hermeet developmentalmilestones. By preschool, she waswalking andtalking,but shecontinued to

celebrated daily

A sailor’s life

Moored on the side of the Union was the smallest of the tall ships, the 130-foot Gladan from Sweden. Built in 1946, immediately after World War II, the Gladan preserves some of the charmingly primitive characteristics of ships of yore.

Cadets are crammed into tight quarters, with some sleeping in hammocks suspended from ceiling hooks. Two toilets serve the entire ship, and the single shower is meant to be used for no more than 1 minute per day by each of the 52 sailors. As a crew member joked, there would be no luxurious “Hollywood showers” aboard the Gladan Navigator Tim Löv proudly pointed out that his position, from which he guides the craft, is completely open to the elements, come what may That could be a chilly up near the Arctic Circle, though on Thursday, as the sun finally emerged, the unshaded station was beyond balmy

A clipper ship in heaven

Together, the cluster of tall ships looked especially splendid on the riverfront. To 21st-century eyes, their great masts reach skyward like a forest of cellphone towers. Fluttering flags of all colors adorned the anachronisms from stem to stern. Folks had traveled from Slidell, Houston and elsewhere to take advantage of the rare experience. Nobody enjoyed it more than Kelly Loveless, who’d flown in to attend Sail 250. Despite coming from landlocked Bethany Oklahoma, Loveless said she’d been enchanted by antique sail ships since childhood. So much so, she laughingly said, that when she dies she doesn’t want a mansion in the sky, she wants “a clipper ship in heaven with an all-male crew.”

Loveless said she’d only toured one vessel so far, but the event was already “better than expected.” Her only complaint was that she hadn’t yet found a proper commemorative souvenir

need classroomaccommodations throughan Individualized EducationProgram (IEP). Despitethe challenges,Mallory thrived socially anddeveloped alovefor sports,especially basketball.But everythingchanged againwhen shewas 10 yearsold.While riding in thecar with hermother, Malloryexperienced herfirstseizure

Shewas rushed to theemergency department and referred to achild neurologist for follow-upcare.

What initially seemed like asingleisolated seizurequickly escalatedintoa frighteningdaily reality. “Mallory wasexperiencing allthree typesofseizuresthroughoutthe day, especially beforebedtime,” Jannasaid. Theseizure included convulsive seizures,which involve loss of consciousnessand shaking; absence seizures, whichcan look like staringspells; and drop seizures,which cancause sudden muscle weakness anddangerous falls.

Within ashort time,Mallory wasexperiencing as many as 15 seizuresevery day. Determined to findanswers, Jannaconnected with pediatric neurologist Dr.DaniellaMilleratManning Family Children’s Epilepsy Center Theunpredictabilityofthe episodes dramatically changedMallory’s life.Janna left herjob to care forher daughter full-time, while Malloryeventuallytransitionedfromtraditional school to homeschoolingfor safety reasons

UnderDr. Miller’s care, Malloryunderwent extensiveneurologicaltesting over thecourse of severalmonths, includinganovernight electroencephalogram (EEG), whichmonitors

electrical activity in thebrain.The testing revealedthatMallory wasalsoexperiencing seizuresthroughoutthe nightwhile sleeping “Learningthatthe seizures were happening when shewas sleeping wassoscary forus,”Janna said.“We movedher bedintoour room so we could monitorher better.”

Dr.Millerworkedclosely with thefamilyto carefullyadjust Mallory’smedications in search of theright balancetocontrol theepilepsy.Over time,three differentmedications helped reduce herseizuresfrom15per daytoabout twoper day.

Butthe family andcareteamwantedmorethan improvement—theywantedseizure freedom.

On July 29,2019, Dr.Millerintroduced Epidiolex, an FDA-approved cannabidiol-based prescription treatment used forcertain seizure disorders. Themedicationprovedlifechanging. Malloryhas nothad aseizure since.

Today, Mallorycontinues to receivefollow-up care from Dr.Millerevery sixmonthsatManning FamilyChildren’s.Ongoingepilepsycareremains importantaschanges in growth,hormonesand brainchemistrycanaffectseizurecontrolovertime.

“The care offered to families at Manning Family Children’s is phenomenal,” Jannasaid.

“Our experiencehas been exceptional. Malloryagrees

“I love Dr.Miller,”she said.“Sheanswersour questionsand is so nice.I feel like shereallytakes good care of me.”

ForJanna,the supportand communication from Dr.Millermadeall thedifference during

some of thefamily’shardest moments. “Asa mothergoing throughwhatweexperienced, I wouldcallher office everyday,and shealways made sure to call me back,” Jannasaid. “She wasincrediblythoroughwithher testing, andI couldn’t have askedfor better communication.” Nowseizure-free, Malloryfocuses on the things sheloves most.A junior in high school,she serves as theassistant coachofher basketball team andenjoysspendingtimewithfriends.She wasalsorecentlyhonored as MardiGrasQueen in theWalmart SlidellMardi Gras parade,which recognizesstudentsinspecialeducationprograms “I felt so specialbeing chosenasthe Mardi Gras Queen,”Mallory said Forher parents, seeing Mallorythriveis somethingtheyoncefearedmight neverhappen. “Wefeltafraidall thetimebeforethe seizures stopped,”Janna said.“Even though it’s been so long sinceher last seizure, Istill sometimes wonder,‘what if?’ Mallory’sstory highlights theimportance of earlyintervention, specializedepilepsy care anda medicalteamdedicated to supporting both patients andfamilies.

Today, insteadoffocusingonher diagnosis, Malloryisfocused on herfuture— andher next three-pointer.

Formoreinformation aboutthe Epilepsy Center at ManningFamilyChildren’svisit www.manningchildrens.org.

when or if it might happen. Detailed inspections have notbeenconducted since the 2012 photo was taken, according to the S&WB. There also aren’tany plans to replace the bells, at least not any time soon, because there’snomoney to do so.

“Wehave just been in a reactive state and will continue to be so at this point until we can get an infusion of funds,”saidS&WBGeneral Superintendent Kaitlin Tymrak as she stood on the bank of the Orleans Canal, afew feet away from the submerged bells, duringa recent tour of Pump Station 7. “Some things are goingto be more risky than others. Certainly,the consequence of this is high.”

The rusty discharge bells are asymptom of the S&WB’schronic condition: Majorinfrastructure problems are lurking within the utility’sdrainageand tap water systems. The S&WB sewer system is in better shape after hundreds of millionsofdollars in upgrades over the last twodecades, but that system too will need upkeep in the coming years. Decades of underinvestment have aspiraling effect, with maintenance backlogs growing more expensive and harder to address as years go by.And withnomoney in handto pay for it all, S&WB leaders areincreasingly warning about potential equipment failures, with severe consequences for residents unlucky enough to be located close to whatever piece happens to break.

“If we don’tproperly fund our stormwater management system, we cannot continue to exist here,” S&WB board member Tyler Antrup said at ameeting earlier this month.

‘Figuresomething out’

Pump Station 7, which was constructed in the early 1900s, drains parts of MidCity and Lakeview with three major pumps. It also receives some of the stormwater from the St. Louis Canal, which drains Treme andthe CentralBusiness District. Afailure duringa storm, Tymrak said, would create “a very difficult situation with some significant flooding in those areas.”

In addition to Pump Station 7, Tymrak said the bells at six other stations, serving every partofthe city outside of New Orleans East and Algiers, were constructed around the same time and are likely corroded, too.

Neighboring areas could suffer if just one of the Pump Station 7pumps go down. That happened during the August 2017 flood, when one of the pumps was outof serviceand caused additional runoff into the northern part of Lakeview,according to an exhaustive consultant analysis. That area, which is served by adifferent pump station, suffered significant floodingdespite receiving a modest amount of rain, the analysis showed. The S&WBcommissioned

designs for newdischarge bells at Pump Station 7afterthe catastrophic flooding, but they were shelved. The $12million to $15 million cost exceeds whatthe S&WB has to spend on repairs forthe entire drainage system in asingle year

Tymrak saiddetailed underwaterinspections at Station 7will be scheduled within thenext year.All seven stations with steel discharge bellsneedinspections, she said, but that wouldlikelycostmorethan $2 million. Even that amount is prohibitive “Wewant to do these broader investigations and endupbeinghampered,”

Tymrak said. If inspectionsshow that immediate action is needed, Tymrak said “we’regoing to have to figure something out.”

What S&WB canafford

Theconsultant analysis after the2017 flood laid bare the S&WB’smany systemic failures, nonebigger than the lack of reliable power fordrainagepumps. The agency responded by constructing a$350 million

the top priority

“I don’t think Iwas comfortable with anycomponent of oursystems,”Korban said. “The reality is, decisions camedowntowhat we could afford. How much money do we have, andwhat are the top of the top priorities? That’show we had to do business.”

cluding drainage,but hasn’t provided details.

power complex with acombination of city,state and federal funds.

The complex, which is built around anew Entergy substation, came online late last year andiscurrently providing more thanenough power to runthe drainage system

New Orleans’ drainage woes transcend power,however.The analysis of the 2017 flood by ABSGroup found infrastructure failures throughout thesystem Notably,itpointed out that corroded discharge bells prevented pumps from running at full capacity.

ABS Vice President DarrellBarker,addressing City Council members in 2018, also pointed to “a very pervasive culture” within S&WB that allowed priorities to slide because there was never enough funding.

Former S&WB Executive Director Ghassan Korban, wholed theagency from 2018 through the middle of 2025, said the Pump Station 7dischargebells and numerous other vulnerabilities worried him during his tenure. But he saidthe entire pumping system was in dan-

ger of malfunctioning without anew electricity source, so

Fundingcliff

S&WB officialssay their hands are tied,withbarely enoughfunding fordayto-day operations and just afew million dollars for repairs every year.Three property taxes for drainage annually combine forabout $75 million, leaving a$50 millionshortfall for what the system needs, according to an S&WB consultant.

The shortfall could widen after next year,when one of the three drainage taxes expires. If voters don’trenew it, about aquarter of the existing drainage revenue would be wipedout starting in 2028. With the potential funding cliff looming, the S&WB and MayorHelenaMoreno’sadministration are attempting to workout how to pay for drainage in the future.

The S&WB wantsa new stormwater fee paid by all property owners, including universities, churches and othertax-exempt property owners whorepresent about 40% of the city’scombined property value. Administrationofficials agree tax-exempt owners should pay into the system, but theysay it could unfairly benefit higher-value property owners.The administration prefers amultipurpose “parcel fee” to payfor a rangeofinfrastructure, in-

Any new fee will need approval from voters and winningthemover could require an extensive public outreach campaign. Rebecca Mowbray,executive director of the Bureau of Governmental Research, the nonpartisan policy shop, said she’sworried that time is running out before the drainage tax expires.

“Weneed ourpublic and elected officials to settle on plans quickly and start educating the public,” said Mowbray All the while,the corrosion continues, as pump operator Darrell Hayward witnessed during his time working at Pump Station 7from 2013 to 2021.

Rusted holes occasionally opened up in above-water portions of the discharge bells and other parts of the station during his time, he said during arecent interview

“Sometimesitbreaksoff in thefront,sometimes it breaks off in the back,” Hayward said. “Wedon’treally know about it until you damnnear hear the pump whistling.”

Haywardsaidwelders would patch those holes, but nothing was done to check the underwater portions. He likened corrosion to “cancer of metal” thatdoesn’tstop until all the metal is gone. Regular inspections would have been an obvious step “in the regular world,” he said.

“That is not the Sewerage &Water Board world. The Sewerage &Water Board world is backward,” Hayward said. “You do not fix it until there’saproblem.”

LOUISIANAPOLITICS

Republicansmay be able to keep majorityinLa.

Butthe fightisn’t over as Trumppopularity slumps,polls say

Mark Ballard

WASHINGTON– The Louisiana Legislature approved abillonFriday that turns Democratic U.S.Rep. Cleo Fields’ 6th Congressional District into one that favors White Republican candidates. Though theU.S. Supreme Court specifically found Fields’ Blackmajority district unconstitutional, Louisiana is relatively latetoefforts by Southern legislators to flip minority-majority seats, usually represented by Democrats, to configurations that favor Republican candidates for theU.S. House.

Even before Friday’s28-10 Senate vote in BatonRouge, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton washitting conservative media, saying he was “absolutely convinced” Republicans would maintain their majority in the House that he leads. Johnson’ssecond in command, as long as the GOP holds 218 of the House’s435 seats, is Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson.

Mathematically,enough Democratic seats have now been redrawn thatRepublicans should maintain their U.S. Housemajority in November’smidterm elections. But bipartisanelection handicappers also say Republicans shouldn’thang that“Mission Accomplished” banner just yet Partially,that’sbecause poll after poll shows that Trumpand his GOP legislative agenda are unpopular nationally among Democrats and even some moderate Republicans.

Anational Fox News survey releasedMay 20 shows voters are

increasingly pessimistic about Trump’shandlingofkey issues, including the economy,immigrant deportations, and military attacksonIran

Apoll from TheAssociated Press/NORC Center released May 20 found63% of Republicans approved of Trump’shandling of the economy,which is down from 78% at thestart of his second term.

ACBS News poll on May 18 showed 54% of White voters withoutacollegedegree, abase for Trump, are critical of Trump’s performance —upfrom 32% in February 2025.

AUnidosUS survey of 3,000 registered Latino voters released Wednesdaychartedfast-dwin-

dling support among the Hispanic voters who backed Trumpin2024. Trumphad strong support among 72% of Republican voters in January and only 57% now,according to aWall Street Journal poll released last week.

Republicans hold 217 seats, with one independent caucusing with them. Democrats hold 212 seats.

The Cook Political Reportwith Amy Walter counted 23 open Democratic seats, five of which are likely to change parties, and 39 open Republican seats, four of which are likely to change. Generations of gerrymandering leave therest of the House membersin relatively safe districts.

Republicans’ best-case scenario is picking up 11 of 16 seats spe-

cifically redrawntoelect GOP candidates.

For Democrats, the best case is Republicancandidates picking up seven seats from the new maps in Texas, Missouri, Louisiana, Tennessee andFlorida and the Democrats prevailing in the six GOP seats that were redrawn in California and Utah to favor Democratic candidates, according to Cook’sPolitical Report. Cook’scommentary reflects two setbacks forTrumplast week. Acourt in Alabamastalled that state’seffort to rid itself of asecond Democratic congressperson. AndinSouth Carolina, the state Senaterefused to immediately redraw congressional districts to dumpDemocratic U.S. Rep.

James Clyburn. That means, at least fornow,Republicans won’t be able to turn two moreseats now being represented by Democrats.

Trumpsucceeded last weekin ousting Republican incumbents he opposed —U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Kentucky showing the president still holds sway with MAGARepublicans. And the courts also helped Trump’seffort to keep aGOP majority in the House.

In Washington, afederal judge refused to sideline Trump’sexecutive order making mail-in ballots moredifficult. ATennessee judge rejected appeals of congressional mapsredrawn to split Black Democratic voters in Memphis into different districts that included enough suburban and rural White Republicans to ensure aGOP representative would replace the only Democratic congressperson in Tennessee. And in Florida, ajudge endorsed the newly drawncongressional district mapsthat flipped four seats to Republicans.

Reacting to court rulings, Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson, D-Baltimore, indicated he may have changed his mind about allowing that state’sGeneral Assembly to redistrict before 2030, when the next Census charts population shifts and growth. Maryland and possibly Illinois are making moves towards redrawing congressional lines to favor Democratic candidates.

New York and NewJersey officials are angling to put measures on their ballots that would allow those blue bastions to redraw their mapstofavor moreDemocratic candidates. Sabato’sCrystal Ball noted that “the tally is still alittle bit in flux.”

Email Mark Ballard at mballard@theadvocate.com.

Johnsonnavigates thin partylineonimmigration bill

BY KEVIN FREKING Associated Press

WASHINGTON Aroughly $70 billion bill to fund immigration enforcement through the remainder of President Donald Trump’sterm was supposed to be an easy lift for Republicans. But progress stalled over concerns aboutthe inclusion of White House ballroomsecurity funding in the package and the creationofa $1.8 billion fund to finance claims of government mistreatment Thestumblehas notonlydelayed actionona top GOP priority but also is raising questions about other parts of the party’slegislative agenda, including whether Republicans can enact another catchall, party-line bill referred to in Washingtonparlance as “Reconciliation 3.0.” Republicans have spent recent weeks laying the groundwork for such abill, which they hope will serve as afinal sales pitch to voters

going into the midterms.

SpeakerMike Johnsonand Majority Leader Steve Scalise,bothofLouisiana, have beenmeetingwithcommittee andcaucus chairs to screen forproposalsthat have strong buy-in from the rank and file. They are aimingtofollow up on last summer’sbig taxand spending cuts bill with ameasure that wouldincrease Pentagon spending by hundreds of billions of dollars andwould include cuts elsewhere to help payfor it,whichtheyare couching astackling government waste and fraud.

It’sahigh-stakesgambitin an election year. Successwill reinforce the GOP’smessage of being abletodeliver on legislative priorities. Failure will underscore someofthe Republican fractures under Trumpthatcouldleave voters seekinganalternative.

Johnson, R-Benton, navigated the House GOP’sslim majority in passing Trump’s tax andspending cutsbill

last summer.The vote was 218-214. At the time, Republicanscould affordtolose threevotes from within their ranks. Theylost just two.

They’ll have athin margin of error again, but Johnson saidhe’seven more confident of successthis time around.

“It will be just as beautiful, butnot as big, so it’ll have less provisions and less things to get everybody to yes on,” he said.

Rep.Jodey Arrington, chair of theHouse Budget Committee, said Republicans arejust as motivated as they were last year on the taxcuts bill.

“This one, Ithink you’ll have potentially money to support ourtroops in conflict,” said Arrington, of Texas.“Ican’timagine aRepublican not wanting to support our troops and militarycommunityinatime of conflict.”

TheTrump administration has called on Republicans to provide $350 billion to defense througha reconcilia-

tionbill.

But Rep. Brendan Boyle, thelead Democrat on the House BudgetCommittee, saidRepublicans will have a moredifficult path than they did with Trump’sbig tax and spending cuts bill.

“I think it will be for acouple of reasons. First is the president’sapprovalrating. He was at amuch higher level ayear ago than he is right now,” saidBoyle, of Pennsylvania.“Number 2, we aremuch closer to theNovember midtermelections. So, if you’re one of adozen or acouple dozenHouse Republicans whoare really vulnerable in aswing district, youhavetothink even more carefully about voting for something thathas even morehealth carecutsinit.

The tax cuts bill thatpassed last summer reduced spending on Medicaidbymore than $900 billionoveradecade. It also reduced spending on nutrition assistance by about $187 billion over adecade, ac-

cording to the Congressional BudgetOffice.

Senate Majority Leader JohnThune calledathird reconciliation bill to get around the filibustera“potential option,” hardly aringing endorsement.

“Wehaven’tmade any commitments on that, but we’re hearing people out,” said Thune, of South Dakota.

Sen. ThomTillis, of North Carolina, said lawmakers shouldknowwhatwillbein the bill before the legislative processbegins. That way, it’s less likely to unravel.

“If it just becomes another exercise where you’re notreally sure what’sgoing to be the end product, then Ithink it’sa mistake even to pursue it,”Tillis said. “Weought to be smart about it if we do a third one, but it is kind of a moonshot.”

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, of Alaska, saidshe worried about the strategy

“A third reconciliationmay or may not happen. I’m just

being direct,” she said. The House is expected to be in session for about 24 moredays before it breaks for its August recess. That leaves littletime to pass a budget blueprint in both chambers, which is the first hurdle forpursuing partyline taxand spending bills. Committees would also have to wrapuptheir work advancing their portions of the legislation. Another hurdle could be Trump’s treatment of current senators whose votes he will need forany packageto becomelaw.Trumpendorsed opponents of two senators who faced stiff primary challenges and eventually lost Sens. Bill Cassidy,R-Baton Rouge, and John Cornyn, RTexas. Cassidy has already shown more willingness to buck the president. Fresh off his primary loss, he voted last week to advance abill that seeks to force Trumptowithdraw from hostilities with Iran.

EDUCATION

Virtualtutoringprogram expandinginLa.

BY MARIE FAZIO Staff writer

Every day in schoolsacross Louisiana, students are tutored by college students who could be located thousands of miles away

Called Ignite Reading, it’s avirtual tutoring program that matches undergrads with elementary school students who need help in reading. Created during thepandemic by the teacher-recruitment organization Teach For America, the national program is one of many providers of intensiveor “high-dosage” tutoring that Louisiana brought in to help students recover from COVID-related learning loss.

This past school year,about 420 Ignite tutors worked with students across Louisiana. This fall, the program is set to expandto severalmore schools, with nearly 570 tutors expected to support students.

The program’searly resultsappear to be promising.

Last year,64% of New Orleans students who received Ignite Reading tutoring met or exceeded their growth goals, according to data provided by Teach for America. Third graders who received tutoring increased their reading scoresbyanaverage of 3percentile ranks.

The academic gains are in line with recent national researchthat has found that virtual tutoring can be just as effective as inperson instruction.

Ge’ron Tatum is aformer classroom teacher and principal of Phillis Wheatley Community

School in New Orleans who now serves as executive director of Teach For America Greater New Orleans. He spoke to The TimesPicayune |The Advocate about Ignite, includinghow it can boost studentlearningwhile also recruitingfuture teachers. This interview has been condensedand edited for clarity

What is Ignite’sorigin story?

It was founded during COVID as aresponse to all the distance learningthat was taking place and thelearningloss that we needed to figure out how to come backfrom. It was founded in Phoenix as avirtual tutoring programfor students.Wequickly realized there was an opportunity to scale that because we needed that capacity across thecountry —everyone wasexperiencing the exact same thing. In 2023, we brought it to the

New Orleansarea in three schools, one in Jefferson Parish and two in New Orleans. It has been shown to be agood option in schools that need additional educator capacity,differentiated learning and opportunity to build theacademic growth, but also thebelonging and the deeply personal near-peer relationship with acollege student in theway that they learn best. What does it looklikeatschools?

Each school has aveteran teacher as asite leader.Most use DIBELS (a test of basic reading skills) or someother assessment to determine which studentsneed tutoring.Right now,our schools offer it to students who are either on the cusp or below thebenchmark. Rather than an after-school tutoringprogram, instruction happens during theday as aregular school program.That’s extremely

important —and research proves it —that if tutoring is embedded in the day,then kids are adding additional learning timeduring theday and growing awhole lot faster Ignite is not tutoring-in-a-box with built-in curriculum. We pride ourselves on being deeply embedded with whatever curriculum the school uses. We train our fellows in how to utilize that curriculum andteach it to students. So thesame thing the kids will see in their (English) class, they’re going to see with their tutor Who are the tutors?

Teach for America’ssuperpower has alwaysbeen recruiting talentand we do that samework with Ignite. We recruit college studentsfrom across the entire country to support kids everywhere.

The tutorZooms in on the computer.Each tutor works with one to three students whomight be in thesame classroom but they’re each on their own computer screen with headphones and a microphoneworking with their tutor,who is somewhere else.

How willIgnite expand next year?

Across the state forthe 2025-26 school year,wehave 12 TFAIgniteSchool Sites. Our hope in this expansion is to add two to four new school partners, while also increasing the number of tutors serving at ourcurrent schools.

Ourprojection is that we will grow from 440 Ignite tutoring fellows across the state to approximately568 Ignite tutoring fellows.

Nationwide, there’sabout 3,500 fellows. Next year,that number

WE’RE ASKING EXPERTS ACROSS THESTATEHOW TO TACKLE THEBIGGEST CHALLENGES FACINGLOUISIANA SCHOOLS.

will grow to 4,300. Howisthe program funded?

Eventually,wewant to become true partners where we fundraise 50% of the cost and ask schools to invest the other 50%. Right now, we fundraise the majority of the cost of Ignite and our schools pay somethrough state funding that supports high-dosage tutoring.

Senate Bill 27 (by state Sen. Patrick McMath, R-Mandeville) would add another $15 million and support tutoring through 8th grade.

Our schools are eligible forthat money because Teach forAmerica is an approved high- dosage tutoring vendor,sothey’re able to utilize those funds to support Ignite.

We want to eliminate as much burden on schools as possible and we’re advocating forthose dollars from the state to support highdosage tutoring. Is there anything else people should know about Ignite?

We see Ignite as adual- purpose program and fellowship.

We are deeply grounded in making sure that kids are proficient readers by third grade. We set a bold goal that by 2030 we would be apart of doubling the number of kids whocan read proficiently by thirrd grade. Ignite is away forustodothat. What we’re also seeing is that Ignite is apipeline into the classroom.Teach forAmerica has always been about showing up forthe moment, and we are alwaysgoing to be atalent engine because that’swhat our work is grounded in: talent sourcing, talent development, talent matching.

THE GULF COAST

Biloxi beachbuildinggetting newlifeasa hotel

It wasoncea nightclub,breakfast hotspotand more

BY MARYPEREZ

The Sun Herald

Welcome to Hotel Biloxi, opened this week and just in timefor summer getaways in downtown Biloxi.

This hotel is the latest project of the Nicaud Group, whichoperates restaurants, lodging and other hospitality businesses under the Secret Coast Stay Eat Play brand. What was the Fillup with Billups breakfast spot —and before that aBacchus restaurantand Venues nightclub —atthe corner of U.S. 90 and Caillavet Street, is now an 11-room boutique hotel. Biloxicontractor Shaun Parker andarchitect Jason Harrell of New Orleans, who also designed the Bungalows and other projects for the Nicaud Group in PassChristian,flipped the building.

The back is now the front, giving guests ahideaway in the middle of the downtown action.

The 12th room at the hotel looks just like the others from the outside, with akeypad entry.When guests use their keycardinthis door,itopenstoaspeakeasy called The Meeting Room, said owner Jourdan Nicaud,and features Champagne cocktails and beer from 9Toes Brewery in Pass Christian. The door only opens when drinks are being poured and there’s room for more in the space

“Wemade it real moody,”Harrell said. The small spaceispainted dark, so guests can hide out there or take their cold drink out into the adjacent courtyard,where lights overhead and furniture and games make it fun, private and secure downtown space.

The hotel website and reservation line went live May 21, and the hotel opened last weekend Roomswithbonuses

The rooms were designedtobe bright and comfortable, combining

touches of old Vegas meetsScottsdale, with its modern styleand earthy,cooldesigns forBiloxi’s warm environment.

The conventional layout of the hotel rooms is enhanced by decorative tile floors instead of carpetingand

builtby

alocal woodworker.“He made all of the beds by hand,” Nicaud said. Eachroomalsohas amural painted by local artist Robert Waldrop.

Parker andhis crew built spaciousbathroomswith alot of storage,a hugevanityareaand a private shower andtoiletroom to make getting ready faster

Live oaktrees shelterthe hotel from thestreets andcreate the feel of atreehouse for the rooms and balconies on the second floor

The roomsaverage about $150 anight, and one ADA-compliant room is available, Nicaud said.

Location is everything

Hotel Biloxi is right in the middleofthe action in downtown, a counterpoint to the large casinos, right off theinterstate and aplace where guests can walk andwander to restaurants and fun.

Across U.S. 90 is the Beau Rivage Resort and Casino and Hard Rock

Casino Biloxi with games, entertainment and restaurants. Across Caillavet Street is Keesler Federal Park, hometothe Biloxi Shuckers MinorLeagueBaseballteam and itsCoronaPremierTiki Bar beyond the right field wall. DowntownBiloxi is coming alive, Nicaudsaid, and within walking distance of thehotel is the Amtrak train platform, Ground Zero BluesClub, theharbors where guests cancheck see the boatsand take aride on the Biloxi Shrimping Trip.The balconies on the hotel will provide a colorful view to theantique cars driving past during Cruisin’ The CoastinOctober

With its 11 rooms, the hotel is multifaceted so it’sanoption for acouple or theright size to be rented out by abridal party or a group of friends who want to stay together for the weekend, take in agame, maybe ride the train into NewOrleansfor the dayand visit the casinos.

More on theway

While Hotel Biloxi is complete, the Nicaud Group has several other projects on the way. Also in downtown Biloxi, Le Magnolia Hotel is going through the final city approvals fora bedand-breakfast hotel that will blend the historicMagnoliaHotel with an expansion. “As soon as it’s approved, we’re going to break ground,” Nicaud said.

Shaun Parker Construction was also selected to convert arestaurant in downtown BaySt. Louis into amulti-story BayPlayOld Town Arcade.

“Wehopetoopenbythe endof the year,” Nicaud said. In Pascagoula, the Nicaud Group is turning the large, empty ice house lot into anew development. “Wehavethe first building going up,” Nicaudsaid, with the goal to have that building done by the end of the year.They are working on securing ahotel and other businesses forthe site, he said, as they continue to provide more places for South Mississippi to stay,eat and play

Survivors, lawmakers seek accountability in Epstein case

BY STEPHEN GROVES Associated Press

WASHINGTON For nearly a year, public demand and increasingly outspoken calls from the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s sexual abuse have driven Congress to mostly set aside party politics and search for accountability Yet even after interviews with some of the highest-ranked officials to ever appear before a congressional investigation, including a former president, lawmakers have little to show in terms of criminal culpability for Epstein’s crimes or a definitive acknowledgment of government failure.

Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California, who sponsored legislation to force the release of case files on Epstein, told The Associated Press he is still asking, “Why there has not been a single investigation of people who have allegedly abused or committed financial crimes?”

Lawmakers hoped to get some answers to those questions during a transcribed interview Friday with Pam Bondi, President Donald Trump’s former attorney general who oversaw the release of the files.

But the interview left Democrats fuming at Bondi’s decision to defend the Trump administration’s handling of that material, as well as her refusal to answer questions about the Republican president’s involvement. Democratic lawmakers also singled out Republican Rep. James Comer, chair of the House Oversight Committee, saying he has allowed administration officials to dodge tough questions from Congress.

For survivors of Epstein’s abuse, including several who traveled to Washington to confront Bondi, it was a frustrating development at a time when many are weary of pleading their case before government officials. They say the Department of Justice’s chaotic release of the files, which included nude photos and personal information of potential victims, has only added to a wider failure by the criminal justice system to believe or protect them.

“The government’s refusal to acknowledge the failures that were there have led to so much harm,” said Annie Farmer “And I think

whenever you’re thinking about things from a perspective of justice or healing, without acknowledgment, it’s really hard to move forward.”

The committee’s investigation has been remarkably bipartisan at many moments, with Democrats and Republicans joining to issue subpoenas and force witness testimony Besides Bondi, lawmakers have interviewed former Democratic President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Trump’s commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick. That effort shows lawmakers are willing to cross political lines when there is overwhelming public pressure to act. Dozens of women have accused Epstein, a wealthy and well-connected financier, of sexual abuse and rape, including in the years after he reached a deal with federal prosecutors in 2008 to dispose of a federal investigation in exchange for pleading guilty to state level sex offense charges in Florida.

Epstein, who was found dead in a New York jail cell in 2019 while facing sex trafficking charges, was accused of paying underage girls hundreds of dollars in cash for massages and then molesting them.

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His case has captured the public imagination as an example of how the rich and powerful escape accountability for wrongdoing. Lawmakers took up the cause last year after the administration failed to meet promises to provide transparency on the case.

Despite the investigation originating in the United States, the reckoning over Epstein has been relatively mild in the country compared with Europe. There, senior figures in governments including the United Kingdom, Sweden, Norway and Slovakia have all been forced to step down over their ties to Epstein.

In its investigation, the House committee spoke to some of Epstein’s closest associates, including his former financial client Les Wexner, his lawyer Darren Indyke and his accountant Richard Kahn. The Clintons, Lutnick and others were also called to testify

All have said more or less the same thing: They knew nothing about Epstein abusing underage girls.

Still, the release of Epstein files has had consequences. At least eight American academic and business figures have been forced from positions of power, including

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former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers from teaching at Harvard University and Kathy Ruemmler from her post as the chief legal officer at Goldman Sachs.

Bank of America and Epstein’s estate have reached multimilliondollar settlements with women who have accused the institutions of facilitating Epstein’s sex-trafficking operations.

Comer, R-Ky., said last week that the names of three people allegedly involved in abuse had come up in an interview with Epstein’s former personal assistant, Sarah Kellen. The congresswoman plans to interview six more people with connections to Epstein in the coming weeks, including billionaire Bill Gates, private equity investor Leon Black, the former CEO of Barclays Bank Jes Staley and Ruemmler

“The government has failed the survivors. There’s no doubt about that,” Comer said, adding, “What we’re trying to do is connect all the dots and see if there is a way to hold people accountable.”

But it has stung lawmakers to see a reckoning over Epstein for figures such as Britain’s former Prince Andrew at time when the administration has tried repeatedly

to move past the issue.

“A prince has been taken down and here in the United States, our Department of Justice, which is sitting on millions of files, is refusing to act,” said Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., pointing to unreleased case files that the Justice Department is withholding on the grounds that they are duplicative or illegal to make public.

“That is not a failure, that is a choice,” Stansbury said.

Survivors and Democratic lawmakers have also taken issue with the administration’s decision to move Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime confidant and former girlfriend, to a minimum-security prison camp. She is serving a 20year sentence for luring teenage girls for Epstein to abuse.

Scattered across the country and busy with lives of their own, survivors of Epstein’s abuse have made repeated trips to Washington to push for government action. After years of fighting in court and sharing traumatic stories privately, they have become increasingly outspoken in their quest for accountability

“It is very taxing to be continually focused on this case,” Farmer said. She added that even if the government’s response has not met her hopes, she has seen a wider cultural movement to address sexual predation.

To Marina Lacerda, another survivor, “Accountability is kind of hard right now But we are looking for saving the next generation.”

But they also want the administration to listen to their stories. Pressing for the president’s ear, several victims spoke this month at a hearing just miles away from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida that was organized by Democrats on the House committee. For some of the survivors, the return to South Florida was also an opportunity to finally be heard. Jena-Lisa Jones told the panel that she was 14 years old when she was abused by Epstein in Palm Beach. She implored the lawmakers:

“Find a way to bring closure to the story of Jeffrey Epstein to allow survivors and this country to finally begin to move forward so that one day and I pray soon Jeffrey Epstein’s name is no longer something we are forced to hear every single day.”

Lawyer: Sheriff cooperating in probe

St. Tammany official accused of attacking critic

BY WILLIE SWETT and MISSY WILKINSON Staff writers

A day after St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Randy Smith was accused of attacking a man in a steakhouse near Madisonville, an attorney for Smith said the sheriff is cooperating with Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill in her investigation of the matter Murrill launched the probe late Friday, after receiving a report from the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office about the incident, which surfaced after Robert “Bobby” Couvillion, a frequent online critic of the sheriff, said the longtime sheriff had punched and kicked him in the bar at Keith Young’s steakhouse.

New Orleans-based defense attorney Eric Hessler, who, along with Metairie lawyer Jeff Hufft, is representing Smith, said, “We are investigating the matter ourselves and we are cooperating with the AG’s investigators.”

He declined further comment.

Yearlong residencies prepare teachers, leaders say

It helps retention, boosts talent

BY MARIE FAZIO Staff writer

Clare Melerine was teaching her third graders about the Cold War rivalry between the U.S. and the Soviet Union one recent afternoon when she abruptly called out: “Mirrors on.”

The students at Joseph Davies Elementary School in St. Bernard Parish sat up in their seats. When Melerine began chanting — “First one that gets to space wins the space race” — the students knew to repeat after her It’s a strategy that Melerine learned at the University of New Orleans, where she graduated this month, and honed over the past year as a teacher-in-residence at Davies Elementary

“Students love it,” she said, “and I love it.”

Louisiana was one of the first states to require aspiring teachers like Melerine to complete a yearlong residency, which is longer and more rigorous than the typical student-teaching stint. The requirement, which has been in place for about a decade, aimed to reduce the alarmingly high turnover rate among new teachers by giving them more pre-service experience and coaching.

Today the residency model is not only popular with beginning teachers like Melerine, who say they appreciate the intense preparation — it’s also become a critical talent pipeline for school districts like St. Bernard Parish, whose low pay and a rural setting can make it hard to recruit teachers.

Residency programs give schools a low-cost way to train and try out educators before hiring them, which is why some school districts compete for residents like Melerine, offering bonuses on top of the state stipends they receive.

At an event at UNO last month, representatives from local school systems and charter schools tried to convince student-teachers to do their required residencies with them. Along with branded pencil cases and notebooks, one recruiter offered more than double the state’s $3,300 stipend.

“It’s kind of become a bidding war,” said Melissa Nunez, coordinator of teacher education programs at UNO.

For students like Melerine, the yearlong residency is the final step before becoming a full-time teacher.

At UNO and other traditional university-based teacher preparation programs in Louisiana, students take three years of education courses. Beginning their senior year the college students are placed in K-12 classrooms alongside state-certified mentor teachers. The residents gradually take on more classroom duties until,

Many questions about the steakhouse incident remained unanswered on Saturday, including whether Smith was detained after the incident and what charges, if any, he might face.

As of Saturday afternoon, the sheriff had not been charged in connection with the incident and remained in control of the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, according to a spokesperson for the department.

“We cannot comment any further as the AG’s office has been asked to investigate the incident and it is therefore an open investigation,” sheriff’s department spokesperson Suzanne Carboni said on Saturday A spokesperson for Attorney General Murrill’s office said they had no updates on Saturday Northshore District Attorney Collin Sims declined to comment. Couvillion, a St. Tammany Parish

KEEPING IT COOL

Thirteen New Orleans Recreation Development pools opened Saturday for the 2026 summer season, including Lemann Pool on the Lafitte Greenway. The pool reopened for the first time since 2020 after years of closure tied to vandalism, maintenance issues and staffing shortages. Lafitte Greenway Partnership handed out goggles and refreshments to families as they arrived to the community pool

Outdoor NORD pools are open Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m to 2 p.m. during the summer Richard Johnson, 12, gets his new goggles tightened by JD Oyetubo, of the Lafitte Greenway, at Lemann Pool.

Dutch, New Orleans trade flood control lessons

Global network key resource for maintaining systems

BY ALEX LUBBEN Staff writer

Marc Walraven, who has been instrumental in operating the Netherlands’ flood control infrastructure, wore his cowboy boots while he was in New Orleans. The organization he helped found, I-STORM, a network through which engineers share

information about major flood protection infrastructure, takes Walraven all over the world.

“I never thought I would buy them,” he said of the boots.

They’re not exactly the Dutch style. But when he saw them for sale in Austin, Texas, he said he “dared to do so.” To him, the boots represent a long-term, cooperative relationship with the U.S.

I-STORM has played a crucial role for New Orleans, which has benefited from the Dutch expertise when it comes to flood control infrastructure. The Dutch and their method of adapting in a lowlying country have had a strong

influence on the design of New Orleans’ system, especially the nearly 2-mile-long storm surge barrier near Lake Borgne. But increasingly, Walraven said, the Dutch are learning from New Orleans, too. In May, Walraven and colleagues were in the city, visiting with representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the flood protection authorities in the New Orleans region to discuss best practices for operating and maintaining massive flood control systems.

That kind of international cooperation is the raison d’être for I-STORM, the organization which

Walraven, a senior adviser at the Rijkswaterstaat, the Dutch department of public works and water management, founded in the mid-2000s after meeting with English colleagues of his, who manage Britain’s storm surge barrier on the Thames. The meetings during the day, he said, were useful But he found a sense of deep recognition with his U.K. counterparts at the bar in the evening — “where we were drinking Guinness. Well, a lot of Guinness,” said Walraven.

“We thought we should

ä See FLOOD, page 2B

High-end pieces from La. family dynasty up for auction

BY COURTNEY PEDERSEN Staff writer

Items from the collections of

two matriarchs in Lake Charles’ Stream dynasty, including Fabergé flowers, Cartier clocks, Tiffany & Co. jewelry and Diego Rivera paintings, will soon be up for auction.

For decades, Louisiana’s Gray Stream family has been known for entrepreneurial achievements in landholdings, conservation efforts, energy and timber businesses, philanthropy and world-renowned art and antique collections.

Two particular women in the family, Matilda Geddings Gray (March 18, 1885-Feb. 26, 1971) and her niece Matilda Gray Stream (March 23, 1924-Oct. 14, 2023), amassed large collections throughout their times.

Their pieces are now being sold by international auction house Christie’s, with proceeds, which could be hundreds of thousands of dollars or more, going to their descendants.

“The two Matildas, not only did they appreciate beauty, but they were also risk-takers,” Christie’s Americas Deputy Chairman Capera Ryan said “Matilda Geddings Gray was buying Fabergé before anybody in America really knew what Fabergé was, so she was collecting these objects at a time when a lot of people were not even familiar with Fabergé. So to have these pieces come to market is a very exciting moment in the global art market.”

A Treasured History: The Stream Family Collection will

SMITH

Continued from page 1B

resident who regularly criticizes Smith on social media, alleges that Smith attacked him while he was sitting at the bar of the popular steakhouse. He accused Smith of kicking and punching him.

“I’m beat up pretty good,” Couvillion said in an interview on Friday from a hospital in Covington, where he was being treated. He said he had cuts on his face and bruises on his body. He said five people had to pull Smith off of him, and that sheriff’s deputies later responded to the scene.

A Madisonville-area fire depart-

FLOOD

Continued from page 1B

cooperate one way or another, so let’s do so,” he said. “I never would have expected that it would become this big international network.”

‘Went too far’

That’s exactly what it has become. I-STORM now works across about a dozen countries. Through the network, engineers across the globe can request a peer review of their flood control infrastructure, as New Orleans has done. The advice shared can range from softer skills — how to effectively communicate flood risk to the literal nuts and bolts of maintaining a flood control system. Walraven said I-STORM helped verify the legitimacy of a manufacturer of a particular part that was ultimately used to repair one of New Orleans’ flood gates.

The Dutch have valuable expertise to impart. They now spend $1.4 billion annually through the Delta Program, its major flood control initiative And they’ve been in the flood control game for almost a millennium. Since the Middle Ages, in their own Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt river delta, the Dutch have shaped their landscape to control water. They still have polder windmills, now more tourist attraction than flood control mechanism, that are the Renaissance-era windpowered forerunners of the kind of pumping stations New Orleans now relies on. The Netherlands and New Orleans have much in common when it comes to flood protection. Both are low-lying, and parts of each would be submerged below water if not for major feats of engineering. But the Dutch created their flood control system first Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, but the Dutch’s defining storm hit in 1953, which killed more than 1,800 people. Be-

quality and provenance.

Geddings Gray built her collection and then mentored her young niece, bringing her along to become a visionary and collector in her own right, Ryan said. In fact, Geddings Gray was friends with Diego Rivera and introduced Gray Stream to him and Frieda Kahlo, where she sprouted friendships with them both.

“We’re selling a precious little Diego Rivera that was in the collection, which I think is really special, because she actually knew Diego Rivera,” Ryan said.

The auction also includes a 49.91-carat diamond ring, which Ryan said is affectionately known as a tugboat diamond.

TEACHERS

Continued from page 1B

under the supervision of their mentors, they lead most lessons.

Davies Elementary Principal Tiffani Glapion said residencies give prospective teachers a much better understanding of the job than student teaching, which in the past might have lasted only a few weeks.

“There’s so much they were missing,” Glapion said. “But now that we have this yearlong program, they’re seeing it all from beginning to end.”

About a decade ago, Louisiana’s state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education began requiring teacher-preparation programs to include a residency year The change came after a state survey found that new teachers felt vastly unprepared to enter the classroom and many left after their first year

district for at least two years after their residencies.

In the classroom

Since August, Melerine has gotten hands-on experience analyzing student data, planning lessons, making photocopies and other tasks that are expected of full-time teachers.

At the start of the school year, Melerine mostly observed her mentor teacher, Jodi Crifasi. Eventually, Melerine taught a few lessons each week, she said.

Crifasi would observe from the back of the room and write feedback in a notebook, which the pair would pass back and forth. The veteran gave Melerine guidance on lesson pacing, advising her to move on if she noticed students’ attention drifting, and classroom management, emphasizing the importance of following through after warning students about consequences.

be available through a live auction on June 10 in New York City and an accompanying online sale open for bids through June 17 at Christie’s.

“I just think it’s a really special moment because it’s one of the great American stories of collecting, and you have these two women from Louisiana who were collecting on an incredible scale with incredible thought and an incredible eye, and buying the best of the best,” Ryan said. “Now is the opportunity for Christie’s to share that story with the world of these two incredible women, who were such visionary women in their collecting, and they took risks, and they knew what they liked, and they had an eye for beauty.”

Ryan said that at Christie’s and overall in the auction world, there is a trend of people wanting to collect items that are “new and fresh,” rare finds with great

ment was dispatched on Friday at 4:36 p.m. in response to a reported assault at Keith Young’s steakhouse on Friday, said Joey Sanders, a spokesperson for St. Tammany Fire District No. 2.

The department sent an engine truck and two responders, who evaluated one person for injuries at the scene, before passing them on to Acadian Ambulance, Sanders said. The department cleared the scene at approximately 5:02 p.m.

Couvillion said in an interview on Saturday he had filed a police report with the Louisiana State Police and with Murrill’s office. State Police deferred questions to Murrill’s office and declined to make a copy of the report available.

This is not the first time Couvil-

Some other sale highlights are a Cartier ruby, emerald and diamond bird brooch; a Fabergé silver-gilt mounted nephrite mantel clock; an Edgar Degas sculpture; and a necklace of 19 jeweled and enameled silver and gold egg pendants.

All of the pieces will be split between two types of auctions, according to Ryan.

“There’ll be so many pieces that are going to be sold in a live auction on (June 10), where there’s actually an auctioneer conducting an auction, and it’s a live auction that anybody can attend,” Ryan said. “Then the online auction is just like any other auction online, where you can go on, and you can place bids online, and that goes on from June 2 through 17.”

The collection will also be available for the public to view from June 5 through June 9 at Christie’s in New York.

lion has tangled with Smith. In 2019, Smith’s office arrested Couvillion for cyberstalking, a misdemeanor, accusing Couvillion of sending threatening messages to a Covington-area resident.

Couvillion alleged that Smith targeted him because of his public criticism of the sheriff, something Smith denied. It’s not immediately clear how the case was resolved.

St. Tammany Parish Council member Joe Impastato said he didn’t know exactly what happened at Keith Young’s on Friday

But he said he didn’t like that Couvillion’s posts about Sheriff Smith often included personal attacks.

“I don’t condone physical violence. But I also don’t condone personal attacks on social media on

Louisiana was among the first states to adopt such a policy, which more than half of states have since enacted, according to the Education Commission of the States.

Some critics questioned the cost of the program, which includes a $3,300 state-funded stipend for residents and a $2,000 stipend for mentor teachers.

But early findings indicated that teachers who entered the workforce after a residency program had slightly higher rates of retention, according to an Institute of Education Sciences review of Louisiana’s data.

Today, most Louisiana districts have embraced the model, saying it helps them fill vacancies and mold incoming educators.

At the recruitment event in April, officials from St. Bernard Parish Schools offered to pay UNO’s student-teachers $5,000 if they did their residencies in the district.

St. Charles Parish Schools offered $7,500, but only if the aspiring teachers committed to stay in the

anybody I hate it,” Impastato said.

St. Tammany Parish President Mike Cooper said in a statement that it was too early in the investigation for him to comment, but said, “I have full confidence that this matter will be promptly and thoroughly examined.”

Multiple other state and local elected officials contacted on Saturday declined to comment.

Long tenure

Smith was first elected sheriff in 2015, and has been reelected twice since then, most recently in 2023. Before becoming sheriff, he served for six years as the Slidell police chief.

During his tenure, Smith has touted low crime rates in the unincor-

Birds take flight near the IHNC-Lake Borgne Surge Barrier in New Orleans on Jan. 21. The 2-mile surge barrier was influenced by Dutch expertise, along with I-STORM, an organizational network through which engineers across the globe can request a peer review of their flood control infrastructure.

fore that storm, the country was already aware that its flood infrastructure could not protect the country from a massive storm. In the 1930s, studies indicated that the Dutch would be swamped in a storm of the size that ultimately hit the country, but World War II delayed upgrades to its flood control system. When the Dutch did so, they created one of the first modern flood control systems one that New Orleans would emulate after Katrina hit. New Orleans’ Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction System — the $14.5 billion system of pumps, levees and surge barriers that helps to limit the impact of storm surge on the region — is largely inspired by the system the Dutch built. But recently the flow of information has turned upriver, in a sense,

from New Orleans back to the Netherlands.

“Katrina made us aware that we can’t deliver full protection,” Walraven said. “When Katrina happened here, the Dutch government and our organization realized that we went too far in promising safety against flooding.”

‘Up to politics’

The framing of New Orleans’ flood control system as a “risk reduction system” — one that reduces risk rather than provides full protection — was a crucial insight for the Dutch, according to Walraven.

“I think the Dutch feel very much protected,” he said. “But we’re now more aware that we have to stress personal responsibility as well. They have to think about evacuation. Katrina was the incentive for us to become aware of that.”

During a news conference while Walraven was in New Orleans, Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East Regional Director Jeff Williams stressed the importance of his agency’s partnership with the Dutch.

“It’s a constant, ongoing learning process,” Williams said.

He said when a system is being designed, it’s hard to know how it will age, what kind of maintenance will be required down the line, and what challenges may come with actually operating it.

“We learned maintenance from them,” said Williams. “They learn about some of the new technology that didn’t exist 50 years ago from us.”

The Dutch have a clear-eyed relationship to climate change and the future of their coastline. Walraven and the Dutch understand full well

By the end of the year, Melerine had progressed to teaching and planning all lessons, as well as handling transitions between classes, lining kids up for lunch and supervising bathroom breaks.

“I felt super prepared,” she said. Glapion said it’s sometimes difficult to recruit teachers to come to St. Bernard Parish, whose teachers are among the lowest paid in the state. But often residents are swayed by the high-end facilities, rebuilt after Hurricane Katrina, and hands-on attention from administration, she said.

That was the case for Melerine, who will return to Davies Elementary this fall as a full-time third grade teacher

A St. Bernard native who wanted to become a teacher from a young age, Melerine said she’s looking forward to being back in the same classroom and watching the students she taught this year progress to fourth grade.

“It’s truly a dream come true to be able to be here after getting to know everyone so well,” she said. “It truly worked out so perfectly.”

porated parts of St. Tammany Parish, saying in 2025 it had reached a five-year low

He also has come under fire for his handling of some high-profile cases, like the 2017 death of Nanette Krentel in Lacombe. In 2024 a federal jury ordered his office to pay $185,000 in damages after one of his deputies aimed a taser at a 14-year-old boy Recently, Smith and Cooper have clashed over funding for the parish’s jail and courthouse security

Smith is asking St. Tammany voters on June 27 to renew for 10 years a 4.31-mil property tax that funds deputies’ salaries and benefits. The tax raises $13.6 million a year and has been in place since 1978, according to promotional material.

that the system they’ve built is not prepared to withstand future sea level rise, and they’re readying to build “adaptive storm surge barriers.” What those will look like isn’t yet clear

“That’s something we are now going to discover in the next one, two decades,” Walraven said. “The studies that are now taking place in Galveston Bay, or Copenhagen, or Singapore, or New York — they are designing systems that will have to answer these types of questions and develop new ideas for future design.”

What is clear is that the upgrades will be costly The Dutch plan to spend $31 billion or more on improvements through their Delta program through 2050.

New Orleans’ flood control system is designed to withstand a 100year storm surge, or a storm with a 1% chance of occurring each year

The region is pushing for a study on how to improve the system so that it can withstand a 200-year storm surge, seen as crucial for keeping the city afloat amid more intense storms as the climate heats. The Dutch also recognize that adapting to a changing climate may involve giving some land back to the sea. They envision different scenarios — they might raise their levees and build more pumps, but they might also abandon low-lying areas in favor of fortifying their cities. They have already done so in certain flood-prone areas. What to protect and what to abandon? Walraven says that “will be up to politics.”

Athay, James

Bachemin,Beverly

BilbeJr.,Edward

Boudreaux, Donald

Breen,Judy

Carroll Sr., Bobby

Carver II, John

CaseyJr.,Dennis

Dildy, Barbara

Dragon, Jeanne

Evans, Gail

Friend Jr., Shirley

Gilly,Beverly

Grashoff, Ellen

Grevemberg Jr.,Alvin

JakesSr.,Brian

McAuliffe,Edwin

McIntire, Claire

O'Hare,Carolyn

Russo Jr.,Andrew

Schule, Stephen

Segue,Esther

Sellen, Diane

Shall, Doretta

Short, Edward

ShowsJr.,Henry

Sonier,Pauline

EJefferson

Leitz-Eagan

BilbeJr.,Edward

Sellen, Diane

Shall, Doretta

NewOrleans

Boyd Family

Carroll Sr., Bobby

Charbonnet

Segue,Esther

JacobSchoen

McIntire, Claire

Lake Lawn Metairie

Athay, James CaseyJr.,Dennis

Dildy, Barbara

Dragon, Jeanne Friend Jr., Shirley Grevemberg Jr.,Alvin

O'Hare,Carolyn

Russo Jr.,Andrew

Majestic Mortuary

Bachemin,Beverly

St Tammany

Bagnell Son

Grashoff, Ellen

EJ Fielding

Boudreaux, Donald

Carver II, John

JakesSr.,Brian

GraceFuneral

Breen,Judy

Gilly,Beverly

late EdwardM.and Joan H. Athay.Heisthe brother of Martha Cranford (Mike)of FuquayVarina,NCand uncle of Jay Horton (Dennice) of Everett, Washington and many cousinsboth on the east and west coast. Athaywas anative of Lexington, NC and agraduate of Lexington Senior High School in 1970; attended WesternCarolina Universityand earned both aBachelor of Arts and Master'sdegrees in English from Loyola University. He worked for the Arthur Young Accounting Firm in Washington, DC and Louisiana LifeMagazine

He later owned the Captain's Quarters Antique StoreinNew Orleans whereheshared his lifelongpassion forantiques, historical homesand architecture

He is reunited with his true love, his husband, Dr. BillyKrajcirik, who preceded him in death. Memorial serviceswill be announcedata later date. In keeping withEd's generous spirit and lifelongdesire to contribute to the greater goodhis final wish was to donatehis body to medical education and research.Inlieu of the usualremembrances, memorial donationsare suggested to theNational World WarIIMuseum, 945 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Bachemin,Beverly Marie

BeverlyMarie Bachemin ofLos Angeles, California passedawaypeacefully on April 21, 2026, aftera twoyearstrugglewithillness She wasbornonJanuary 20, 1940 to Myrtle Casmier Bacheminand Edward Leonard Bachemin in New Orleans,Louisiana.Beverly attended McDonough#37 and Albert WickerElemen‐tarySchools. Shegradu‐atedfromSt. Mary's Acad‐emy High School in the FrenchQuartersin1957. In 1959, shegraduated from Straights Business School withanassociate degree inbusinessadministration. In 1961, Beverlyrelocated toLos Angelesand worked inthe garmentbusiness for oneyearbeforemoving toWashingtonD.C.tojoin the U.S. Department of Labor.Beverly livedin WashingtonD.C.for sixty plusyears andworkedin various topmanagement positions with theDepart‐mentofLabor.Beverly en‐joyed travelingaround the world as part of herjob and also with friendsand familyfor vacations. She enjoyed classicalmusic She played an organand a babygrand piano. Shewas precededindeath by her parents,her sister Olanda BacheminShannon,and her twobrothers, Cordell Stevens Bachemin andEd‐wardFeltonBacheminof New Orleans, Louisiana. She will be sadlymissedby familyand friendsinLos Angeles,WashingtonD.C., and here in NewOrleans Louisiana.Relatives and friends of thefamilyare all invited to attend aMemor‐ial ServiceonFriday, June 5,2026 at 11:00amatSt. MartindePorresCatholic Church,5621 ElysianFields Ave., New Orleans, LA 70122. Visitation will begin at 10:00 am.Inurnment at Mt. Olivet Cemetery.Pro‐fessional arrangements entrusted to Majestic Mor‐tuary Service, Inc. (504) 523-5872.

West Bank Bilbe Jr.,Edward Charles 'Charlie'

Mothe

Short, Edward

ShowsJr.,Henry Obituaries

Athay, James Edward 'Eddie'

James Edward "Eddie"

brother, Dennis Bilbe

Charlie is survivedby his devotedsons: Michael Charles Bilbe (Sharon), David Bilbe (Charlene), and Mitchell Bilbe (Denise). He was theproud and loving "Poppy"toSarah Bilbe Cutrera (Brandon), Caroline Bilbe (Adeem), James Bilbe (Sam), Jane Ellen Bilbe,AnnieBilbe, PeterBilbe,and Teddy Bilbe,all of whombrought him immeasurable joy. He was also agreat-grandfather to Miles Bilbe and AndrewCutrera. He is survivedbyhis siblingsLynn DeBlois, CeciliaFugetta(Terry), Francine Foglesong (Dan), and Kenneth Raymond (Donna). He was abeloved brother-in-law to Janet Weber (John) and Marcel Poursine (Sharon) and was preceded in death by his sisterinlaws, Denise Boudreaux and Alice Sutherland (Gary). Charlie was also "Uncle Charlie" to countless nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews, all of whom he loveddearly.

Charlie took tremendous pride in his long career as an elevator constructor, aprofessionthat reflected his intelligence, toughness, and unmatched workethic.Hebelievedin doing thingsthe right way, showing up every day, and providing forhis family throughhonest hard work. Evenafter retirement, he never sloweddown, carrying thatsame dedication and determination into a second careerasa real estate agent.Heenjoyed meeting people,staying busy, and continuingto workalongsideand for others long after many wouldhavesteppedaway.

Family and friendswill remember Charlie most for his devotiontothose he loved. He never missed an opportunitytosupport his children and grandchildren,whether celebrating their athletic achievements, academicaccomplishments, or simply being present forthe momentsthatmattered most. Beneath histoughexterior was an enormous heart,a deep generosity, and a steadfast loyaltytofamily and friends.

Charlie was an imposing figure;hehad away of making people feelcared forand protected.Hewas dependable in every sense of theword— theperson others couldalways count on whentheyneeded help, advice, or simply someone to stand beside them.

Edward Charles Bilbe,Jr. willbedeeplymissedand lovinglyremembered by all who had theprivilege of knowing him. His family willforevercarry with them memories of his character, his strength, and theexample he set througha life welllived Relatives and friends are invitedtoattend the visitationatLeitz-Eagan Funeral Home,4747 Veterans Memorial Blvd. in Metairie,LAonMonday, June 8, 2026 beginning at 9:00 AM with aMemorial Mass to follow at 11:00 AM in Leitz-Eagan Funeral Home's chapel. Interment willbeinSt. Louis Cemetery No.3

Fond memories and wordsofcondolences may be shared at www.leitzeag anfuneralhome.com

Boudreaux,Donald Joseph

Edward Charles Bilbe, Jr.,"Charlie," born on December 5, 1940, passed awaypeacefully at home in theearly morninghours of May23, 2026,atthe age of 85. Anative of New Orleans, Charlieliveda life centered around family, loyalty, hard work, and quiet strength. He was preceded in deathbyhis belovedwife of62years,Diane Marie Poursine Bilbe; his parents, Norma Huertin and Edward Charles Bilbe, Sr. ;and his

career as an entrepreneur. As theowner of Boudreaux's Jewelers and areal estateinvestor,he was known not only forhis business acumen, butfor his integrity,loyalty, and commitment to supporting his community. He willberemembered forhis tireless work ethic and boundless energy. Whether opening hisstore early, working late,or staying activeathome and thefamily riverhouse,Don was always in motion. He lovedthe outdoorsand livedanactivelife hunting,fishing,and playing tennisand golf well into his lateryears, often joking with asmilethathehad recently shot less than his age.

Don was equallyknown for his generosity, humility, and quick humor.He took prideinsetting an example forthose around him—work hard, do your best, and take careofothers—and he was always willing to help anyone in need.

HisCatholic faith was central to his life,guiding his serviceasPresident of CatholicCharitiesofthe Archdiocese of New Orleans and theNew Orleans Chapterof Legatus, as well as his annual retreats to Manresa Jesuit Retreat House.

Aboveall,Don'sgreatest pride was his family. He is survivedbyhis children: Karen Boudreaux, Brian Boudreaux (Leslie), David Boudreaux, Marcy Boudreaux St. Martin (Michael), Christy Boudreaux Wheeler (Randy), Donald Boudreaux, Jr., Thomas Boudreaux (Bridgette), and Daniel Boudreaux (Kelly). He was blessed with 18 grandchildrenand 12 great grandchildren. Known affectionatelyas "PawPaw,"hecherished time with his grandchildren and greatgrandchildren,who lookedforward to his visits—oftenunannounced,always welcome. He had aremarkable way of connecting with others, and it was nearly impossibletogoanywhere without being stopped by someone eager to greet him—especiallyafter Mass.

To hischildren, he was a hero—steady, present,and always there when it mattered most Funeral serviceswillbe held at E.J.Fielding Funeral Home,2260 West21st Avenue,Covington Louisiana, on Wednesday, June 3rd,withvisitation from11:00am to 1:00pm followedbyMass at St. JosephAbbey, 75376 River Road,St. Benedict, Louisiana, at 2:00pm and burialthereafter. In lieuofflowers, the family requests donations to Catholic Charitiesofthe Archdiocese of New Orleans in honorofDon's lifelong commitment to faith and service.

DonBoudreaux liveda fulland meaningful life defined by faith, hard work, generosity,and love for family.His legacy willlive on in allwho knew and lovedhim.

E.J. Fielding Funeral Home has been entrusted with funeral arrangements. Please sign the guestbookat www.ejfieldingfh.com.

Donald"Don" Joseph Boudreaux, age 92, of Covington, Louisiana, passed away peacefully on May 25, 2026. He was adevotedhusband to his belovedwife,Judith "Judy Boudreaux, who preceded him in death, and thecornerstone of afamily that meant everything to him.

BorninNew Orleans on November 14, 1933, to Gilmoreand Jeanette Boudreaux, he was oneof several siblings, including his brothers, Louis Boudreaux (1935-2000) and Gilmore Boudreaux, Jr (1939-1987), and his sister, Suzanne Boudreaux Scully, who survives him, Don grew up with thestrong workethic, competitive spirit, and deep faith that defined his life.A gifted athlete, he excelledinbasketballand track at St Paul's HighSchool in Covington, laterearning inductioninto theschool's HallofFame. He continued his basketball career at LoyolaUniversity, where he formed lifelong friendships. Don proudly served in theUnited States Army before building asuccessful

BobbyGeneCarroll,Sr. was born on May5,1942, in Ft. Adams, MS to theunion ofBernard andEllaCarroll Bobby departed this life on Friday, May22, 2026, at the age of 84, surrounded by his loving wife Beverly. Bobby accepted Christ as his personal Savior in 1973 and faithfullyservedthe Lordthroughouthis life.He was adevoted member of St. John InstitutionalMis‐sionary BaptistChurch under theleadershipof ReverendThomasN Bessix. He waseducatedin the OrleansParishSchool Systemand wasknown for his strong work ethicand dedication. Throughout his career,Bobby worked as a Certified Forklift Driver,a Parking LotAttendant, and successfully operated his own landscapingbusiness. Bobby also honorably servedhis countryasa Vietnam Veteraninthe UnitedStatesArmy. He leavestocherish hismem‐ory to hisdevoted wife, Beverly KeifferCarroll,chil‐dren: BobbyCarroll Jr (Precious), EbriaKeiffer Sr (Tamara)and Jarrod Keif‐fer (Michelle). Grandchil‐dren, Bernard, Jada,Albert, Dominique,Ebria Jr., Ja'wanand Ebriana. He is precededindeath by his parents,Bernard andElla Carroll,his wife Helen FountainCarroll,son Jef‐feryFountain, sisters, Odessa Carroll-Gibbs and DianneCarroll.Relatives and friendsofthe family are invitedtoattend aCel‐ebrationofLifeService on Monday, June 1, 2026, at St JohnInstitutional Mission‐ary BaptistChurch,2538 Jackson Ave, NewOrleans, LA70113 for11:00 a.m. Visi‐tationwillbegin at 10:00 a.m.PastorThomasN Bessix. Intermentwillfol‐low at Mt.OlivetCemetery, 4000 Norman MayerAv‐enue,New Orleans, LA 70122. Guestbook Online: www.anewtraditionbegins com (504)282-0600. Linear BrooksBoydand Donavin D.BoydOwners/FuneralDi‐rectors

John O. Carver II, born March19, 1937, in Gulfport, Mississippi, passed away on May20, 2026, at the age of 89. He spent hisadult life in NewOrleans,a city whose energy matched his ownand whichheproudly calledhome.

strength,humor, andresilience. John is preceded in death by hischerished wife Joy, andbyhis grandson Blake, both held forever in hisheart Aservice honoring John'slifewill be held at TheVillage Lutheran Church,29180 US 190, Lacombe, LA 70445 on Saturday, June 6th. Please join us for the funeral service beginningat11am with areception following. In lieu of flowers, please considera donation to The Village Church Thefamilyalso extends aheartfelt thankyou to Stephanie for the wonderfulcareshe providedto John in hisfinal months. E.J. Fielding Funeral Home hasbeen entrusted with funeral arrangements. Please sign the guestbook at www.ejfieldingfh.com

Casey, Dennis M.

JudyBallard Andrews Breen died on 5/25/26. She waspreceded in deathby her parents, Claibourne Andrews, Jr. and Patricia Hecker Andrews. She is survivedbyher husband, Robert F. Breen, and two daughters; KateDunbar Breen ,and Ashley Breen Vezina (Craig). She also has one sister, Jean Maresch. Mass will occur at St. Joseph's Abbey Church on 6/8/26. There is aone o'clock visitation, followed by a2 o'clock Mass, and then intermentinthe St JosephAbbey'sCemetery

John wore many hats over theyears. He graduated from LSUNOwith adegree in Engineeringand went on to ownseveral successfulbusinesses, eachreflectinghis drive ingenuity, andlargerthan life spirit.Johnwas nota quietman —hefilledevery room he entered. His boomingvoice, bold opinions,and unmistakable presence made himunforgettabletoeveryonewho crossedhis path. Nobody everforgot thebig,bald headed man —and he wouldn't havehad it any otherway Faithplayeda central roleinJohn'slife. He was deeply involvedinthe Lutheran churchand devotedcountless hours to serving on manyboards andcommittees. Hiscommitment to hischurch communityreflected his values—service,fellowship, andshowing up for others

After retirement,John andhis belovedwife,Joy, embraced life on theopen road,travelingthe country together in theirRV. Those years of adventure —exploringnew places, sharingstories,and simply enjoying eachother'scompany —wereamongthe most cherished of hislife. Their 60 years of marriagewere marked by devotion, laughter, anda bondthat remained unshakable. He is survived by his daughterLoriBruno (John), his son David Carver (Kendra), and his grandson Christian Carver (Isa), eachcarrying forward pieces of his

Michael Casey Jr., 45, wastaken from us far too soon on May 22, 2026. Born on February 2, 1981, in NewOrleans,LA, he wasthe oldest child of Dennis Michael Sr.and Iris Jean Casey andthe older brothertoKelly Jean Dennis wasthe devoted andproud father to his threechildren,Dennis Michael III,Katherine Kelly, andEmma Marie.Dennis grew up andresidedin Bucktownuntilhis passing. Raised on boats and thewater,helearned early thevaluesoffamily, hard work, andservice to others. He proudlygraduated from Archbishop Rummel High School in 2000, before entering thefireacademy Dennis joined theEastbank ConsolidatedFire Department in theSpring of 2002, and hasdedicated thelast 24 years of hislife in service of Jefferson Parish.Hewas amember of JeffersonParish Local 1374 Union. He was also a longtime memberofLATF1 (Urban Searchand Rescue). Dennis wasnot only adedicated firefighter,but he was also an avid outdoorsman whoenjoyed huntingand fishingsince early childhood. Dennis wasa pillar in hiscommunity, andheleaves behind notonlya distinguished professional legacybut also theenduring example of alifelived with purpose, tenacity, independence, andlove. Dennis is survivedbyhis children Michael, Katherine,Emma and theirmother,Kristin WahlCasey; his father, Dennis Sr.; his sister,Kelly (Emery); hisbeloved cousins, whoweremore like sisterstohim, Danielle Casey Dorseyand Katie Casey Brisbi; hisgrandmother, AudreyL.Casey; numerousaunts, uncles, cousins, nieces,and nephews; and countless friends, whom he truly loved. Dennis waspredeceased by hismother, Iris; hisgrandparents, Addis F. Casey Jr.(Jacklyn Casey), Florine S. Bullard, William Bullard(Mary Bullard) of Florida. We are deeply grateful for theoutpouring of love andsupport we have receivedduringthis difficult time.Special thanks to theSt. Angela Merici communityand the EastbankConsolidatedFire Department. We appreciate all of yourprayers and support duringthistimeit hasmeantsomuchto us.His loss is beingfelt throughout ourfamily, the firedepartment, andthe entire community. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, beginningat9:00am at Lake LawnMetairie Funeral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd,followed by aService at 1:00pm. Full Fire Department Honorsand Intermenttofollow,at Garden of Memories,4900 Airline Drive.Please visit www.lakelawnmetairie.co mtoleavea fond memory underhis obituary to be printed in abook for the family.

Barbara Barbier Dildy, age 93, passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by her family on Sunday, May 17, 2026. Beloved wife of Gary Andrew Dildy, Jr., M.D. for 68 years and beloved mother of Gary Andrew Dildy, III, M.D., David Joseph Dildy (Rita), John Robert Dildy (Marigny), and Michael James Dildy (Nina). Also survived by grandchildren Andrew Dildy, Sophie Dildy, Anna Dildy, James Dildy, and Caroline Dildy, as well as her Barbier cousins. Barbara was born on May 12, 1933, at Touro Infirmary in New Orleans. Daughter of the late Joseph J Barbier and Gladys Hinshelwood Barbier and predeceased by her cousins August J. Barbier, Jr. and PatriciaBarbier Simmons. Barbara graduated from St. Mary's DominicanHigh School in 1951 and received a Bachelor of Science from LSU in 1955 and aMaster of Education from Loyola University in 1958. Barbara participated in several organizations, including Alpha Xi Delta Sorority Orleans Parish Medical Society Auxiliary, and Faculty Wives Club of the LSU Health Sciences Center. Barbara was an active parishioner at Mary, Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Mandevillefor over 25 years, serving as Eucharistic Minister, Youth Faith Formation Educator and Handbell Choir member. She often remarked that her greatest blessings were her joyful relationships with family, the education of her children and grandchildren, and devotion to her Catholic faith. As an educator, she had a profound influence on her sons' respective educational endeavors. The family expresses special gratitude to caregivers Sharon Porter and Ruthie Cambre as well as the staff of The Blake at Colonial Club. Visitation will be at Holy Name of Jesus Church, 6367 Saint Charles Avenue in New Orleans on Monday, June 8, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. followed by aFuneral Mass at noon, which will also be accessible via livestream at https://www.youtube.c om/c/HNJChurchNewOrlea

ns. Aprivate interment will follow at Saint Joseph Abbey Cemetery, Saint Benedict, Louisiana. In lieu of flowers, the familyrequests donationstothe Holy Name of Jesus Parish and School Capital Campaign or Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans.

Jeanne Lowe Dragon, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, friend, and cherished member of her community, passed away peacefully on May 28th, 2026, at the age of 64. Jeanne was born on April 9th, 1962, in New Orleans, Louisiana. She lived alife of faith, marked by kindness, strength, and devotion to those she loved. Most important was her love and devotion to God and her family, especially her four grandchildren. She was known for her warm heart, generous spirit, and the joy she brought to familyand friends throughout her life. Her joy for life was reflected in her expressions, laughter, smile, and her gift of talking and storytelling with family and friends. Throughout her life, Jeanne enjoyed being active in many ways including boating, swimming, riding bikes, camping, motorcycle rides with her husband Lance, and "eat/ shop" outings with her family and friends. She loved family gatherings, cooking, traveling, and spending time with friends, but above all she loved our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. After moving from Airline Park in Metairie, La. to Tickfaw, La., Jeanne became an active member of Eagle Heights Community Church. For 22 years, she

years, servedher churchfamily and community, including volunteering for Our Daily Bread. Jeanne isprecededin death by her parents, Robert J. Lowe and Betty G. Lowe; in-Laws, Joseph, Sr and Vera Dragon; brothersIn-Law, Joseph Dragon, Jr. and DarrenDragon. She is survivedbyher husband of 46 years, Lance Gerald Dragon; her daughter, Angelique Dragon Mora (Luis "Champ"); her grandchildren, Lance Michael Dragon, Sailer Mora, Ava Mora, and Cruz Mora; her six siblings, Cathy Blanchard(Wayne), Robin Tenhundfeld (Jerry), Margaret Richards (Timothy), MaryBrown (Robert), Robert Larry" Lowe (Jeanne), and Sarah Smith (Shelby); brothers-In -Law, Derek Dragon Sr (Laurie) and Audie Dragon; and her numerous nieces and nephews. There are also many extended family members and dear friends who will miss herdeeply.

To know Jeanne wasto love her,and so many lives were made better by having Jeanne in them. In lieu of flowers, please donate to Our Daily Bread Food Bank of Tangipahoa Parish, www.ourdailybread hammond.org

Relatives and friends are invitedtoattend the funeral servicesatLake Lawn MetairieFuneral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd in New Orleans, on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. Visitation will begin at 10:30 AM with aservice following at 1PM. Jeanne will be laid to rest in Lake Lawn Park immediatelyafter the chapelservice has concluded.

To viewand sign the family guestbook, please visit lakelawnmetairie.com

Evans, Gail Arner McDonough

Gail Arner McDonough Evans died at her residence in Franklin, Louisiana, on Wednesday morning, May 20, 2026.

Gail was born in Miami, Florida, but spent her childhood in Kingston, Jamaica, where her father's workwith Pan American Airways took the family. She attended the Miss Harris Florida School and later graduated from Coral GablesHigh School in Coral Gables, Florida. She came to New Orleans in 1957, and never left. She receivedher B. A. Degree from Sophie Newcomb College,where she wasa member of Alpha Delta Pi Sorority, and herJuris Doctorate Degree from Tulane University Law School in 1963, where she was the sole female member of her graduating class. She was admitted to the Louisiana Bar in 1964 and later recognizedasone of the first 100 women lawyers to have graduated from Tulane LawSchool. Gail enjoyeda long career in private practice with her late husband, Birch Pedigo McDonough, who preceded her in death on December 24, 2008.

Gail was amember of the Orleans Cluband Le Petit Salon and participated in several Carnival organizations. She was a founding member of the Audubon StreetSocial and Educational Society and an active participant in the Krewe of Cork. She was a member of Trinity Episcopal Church and volunteered at the annual Rummage Sale; she volunteered with the Mental Health Association of GreaterNew Orleans and servedonthe Board of Directorsfor the Poydras Home.Gail was alsoa devoted supporter of WYESTV, where she became deeply involvedinthe station's auction tradition. She helped coordinate the WYES Auction and was instrumental in establishing WYES ArtCollection Twelve, bringing together her love of art, community, and public television. She servedthe effortinmany capacities, including an advisor, art consultant, art collector and presenter.

Gail had arare gift for connecting with people and forming instant, warm friendships. She was agracious hostess anda gourmet cook who took great pleasure in bringing people togetherover a

people toget good meal, lively conversation and aglass of wine. She loved acelebration and had aflair formaking any gathering feel special —whether entertaining at home, enjoying Carnival traditions, or even helping turn an ordinary street partyinto something elegant,chandelier and all. She was also aspirited card player, especially at Bourré and Bridge. In recent months, Gail was especially grateful to have met her great-grandson, Birch Arthur McDonough, a joy that meant agreat deal to her and to the family.

Gail is survived by her husband, James Parham Evans III; her sons, David Berkeley McDonoughand Christopher Sean McDonough, both of Atlanta, Georgia; her granddaughter, Catharine Berkeley McDonough, and great-grandson, Birch Arthur McDonough, both of St. Louis, Missouri; and her grandson, Miles Tredway McDonough, and his wife, Isabelle, currently stationed in Stuttgart Germany during his U.S. Navy deployment. She was the mother of thelate Kevin James McDonough, who preceded her in death on December 24, 1983. She was the daughter of the late Murlin Clifton Arner and Othello Clements "Bo" Arner.

Amemorial service will take place at Trinity Episcopal Church, Jackson Avenue at Coliseum Street New Orleans, Louisiana, on June 26th, 2026 at 2:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Kevin J. McDonoughFund at Isidore Newman School, 1903 Jefferson Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70115.

Arrangementshave been entrusted to the care of Ibert's Mortuary, Inc., 1007 Main St., Franklin, LA, 70538, (337) 828-5426.

Shirley Carter Friend, Jr. of Metairie, Louisiana, passed away peacefully on May 21, 2026, surrounded by family. He was 97. Shirley was born in Berlin, Germany in 1929 and was the son of Shirley Carter Friend and Katherine Breazeale Wheless. He was raised in Natchitoches and Shreveport

In 1946, Shirley attended Tulane University as part of the NROTC program and received his bachelor's degree. He was an officer in the US Navy and served on the Admiral's Staff on an aircraft carrier during the Korean War. Following his military service, Shirley received his law degree from Tulane and was amember of theMoot Court Board He was also awarded a master's in law fromYale University in 1956.

While at Tulane, one of Shirley's friends invited him to visithis family in Norway. It was there that Shirley met his future wife KirstiFretheim. They were married in Borre, Norway in 1955 and celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in Norway last summer.

The two made their home in Metairie. Shirley began his career at Lemle &Kelleher. He later joined Texaco where he continued his long and successful legal career. In 2024, the Louisiana Bar Association recognized Shirley as a70 year honoree, reflecting a legal career dating to 1955. Following his retirement in 1996, Shirley and Kirstienjoyed traveling and spending their summers in Norway.

Shirley was alifelong member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church where he served on the vestry for many years, also as senior warden. He enjoyed teaching Sunday school to high schoolers, taking his class to night court as part of his special style. Nothing was more important to Shirleythan his family and friends. Over the years he and Kirsti celebrated every occasion with love and enthusiasm, and they brought everyone together at any opportunity. He was an avid and engaging storyteller and endlessly inquisitiveinconversation. Wherever he went Shirley made friendseasily and treated everyone with the same warmth and enthusiasm.

Shirley is survived by his wife, Kirsti; children Christoffer (Meredyth), Katherine, and Carter (Eileen); grandchildren Avery, Christoffer (Kimmy), Carter (Josh), Connor, and Cameron; sister-in-law

Cameron; Elin; and many cousins, nieces, nephews and extended family.

Afuneral service will be held on Friday, June 5th at St. Paul's Episcopal Church at 6249 Canal Blvd. in New Orleans. Visitationbegins at 10:00am, service at 11:00am. Areceptionwill follow at the church. Instead of flowers, the family kindly asks for memorial donations to be sent to St. Paul's Episcopal Church.

Gilly, Beverly

Beverly Spizale Gilly, born May 14, 1936, in New Orleans, Louisiana, went to be withour Lord on May 19, 2026, and to be reunited withher latehusband of 50 years, Maurice E. Gilly. She is survived by her beloved children: LindaKnoblauch (Chris), Donna Guillot (Richard), and David Gilly (Jamie). Also survived by 8 grandchildren: Angela Ledet (Daniel), Stevin Lacoste(Jennifer), Jordan Knoblauch (Lauren), Jennifer Guillot, Andrew Guillot, Michael Gilly (Madeline), Mady Gilly, and Makayla Parker,. She is survived by 3great grandchildren: Elliana, Isaiah, Finnley Ledet, and afuture great grandchild to be born in December. Also survived by several nieces and nephews. Preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Marie (Christina) Spizale and her siblings and their spouses: Vincent Spizale (Jenny), Marie Maffe (Karl), June Brelet (Orin) and Joseph Spizale (Grace). Also,preceded in deathbyher grandson, Justin Knoblauch and great grandson, NoahLedet. Beverly retired from Port of New Orleans Credit Union after over 25 years of service. She was along time resident of Chalmette, LA. After Hurricane Katrina, and after losing her husband only 4months later, she moved to Walker, LA where she was surrounded by her best friends from her Chalmette neighborhood. Much later she moved to Covington, LA to be closer to her children. Many thanks to the entire staff of Avanti Senior Living of Covington for taking excellent care of and loving our mom. Thank you to Total Blessings Sitting Service for providing such kind, caring, professional 24 hour sitters in our mom's last days. They gave her, and us, so much peace. Lastly, so much love to Dr Ronald Segura and Nurse Practioners, Brandi and Jamie, for trying to alleviate her pain. Our family will never forget the time and effort everyone poured into our mom. She will be missed and loved forever, until we meet again. Visitationwill be held from 10:00 am until 12:00 pm on Thursday, June 4, 2026 at the Grace Funeral Home (450 Holy Trinity Drive, Covington) AFuneral Mass will be celebrated at 12:00 pm on Thursday, June 4, 2026 at the Grace Funeral Home. Graveside Services will be held Privately at Southeastern Louisiana Veterans Cemetery in Slidell.

Ellen "Maw Maw" Lennox Grashoff passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on May 17, 2026, at theage of 100. Born on August 27, 1925, to Julius Jacob LennoxSr. and Ellen Cline Lennox, Ellen was born and raised in New Orleans and lived a remarkable life centered on faith, family, friendship, and love. She was preceded in deathbyher beloved husband, GeorgeW "Cricket"Grashoff Sr., her son, George W. Grashoff Jr., her son-in-law, Lawrence F. Chisholm, and her brother, Julius Jacob Lennox, Jr. Ellen is survived

Lennox, by her children,Gayle Perry, Terry Chisholm, and Gary Grashoff (Elizabeth). She also leaves behind 15 grandchildren and 30 great -grandchildren,all of whom brought her immense joy andpride throughouther life. Ellen was married to the love of her life, Cricket, for 50 years. Their story began as young neighborhood sweethearts, and their love endured through the challenges anduncertainty of World War II while Cricket served in Germany. They created alifetime of cherished memories, filling their lives with laughter and joy andmany longlasting friendships. The love they shared left alasting impression on everyone fortunate enough to know them. Knownaffectionately as "Maw Maw"to generations of family and friends, Ellen cherished time spent with loved ones on her backyard patio, where she enjoyed reading, conversation, and caring for hermanybeautiful plants. She was especially fond of hermonthly "wine parties" with neighbors, gatherings that reflected her warmth, hospitality, and gift for friendship. Ellen was adevoted Catholic which was acornerstone of her life. She shared this with her family through her example, love, and steadfast devotion Her faith guided her throughouther century of life and was among the greatest gifts she passed on to those she loved. She shared aspecial bond with eachofher grandchildren and greatgrandchildren.She made it apriority to stay closely connected through regular phone calls andbyattending their activities, celebrations, andmilestones. Herlove, encouragement, and steady presence created memories that will be treasured for generations. Avisitation will be held at St. Luke the Evangelist Catholic Church on June 3, 2026, beginning at 9:30 a.m., followed by Mass at 11:00 a.m. Acelebration of Ellen's life will take place at St. Luke immediately following Mass. Burial will follow at Lakelawn Metairie Funeral Home & Cemeteries. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you honor Ellen's memory by enjoying aglass of wine with apieceofchocolate —something she would surely appreciate —and by making adonation to The Little Sisters of the Lamb (https://communityofthela mb.org/help-the-little-sisters/) or St. Luke the Evangelist Catholic Church (https://saintlukeslidell.or g/give).

Grevemberg Jr., Alvin Charles 'Chip'

Mr. Alvin Charles "Chip" Grevemberg, Jr., age 72 years, passed away on Thursday, May 7, 2026, at St TammanyParish Hospital in Covington,LA. Mr. Grevemberg was the beloved son of the late Alvin Charles Grevemberg, Sr. and Patricia Saxon Grevemberg, brother to the late Lyle Saxon Grevemberg Matthews, and uncle of Jude B. Matthews and Noah N. Matthews. Mr. Grevemberg's education began at Holy Name for grammar school, then Sam Barthe for highschool, class of 73. He received his Bachelor of Science in Geology from the University of New Orleans. He worked as ahydrogeologist in both private and public sectors. Chip began playing drums as achild and went on as ayoung man to play in anumber of bands, most notably The LIFT which performed in the Greater New Orleans, Pensacola, and Atlanta areas. An album was produced in 1974 and is considered aclassic in progressive rockcircles. Chip also began sailing as a child at his dad's side at the Southern Yacht Clubof New Orleans. He joined the Southern Yacht Clubasa Junior Member in 1972 and continued beinga member for 53 years. As ajunior and senior member, he was an award-winning racer in the Rhodes 19 and Handicap class for most of his life. Relatives and friends are invited to attend thefuneral at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home Chapel, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd. (in Metairie Cemetery) on Saturday, June 6, 2026, at 1:00 pm. Visitation will begin from 11:00 am until

gin 01:00 pm. Interment will follow in Metairie Cemetery. To sign and view the Family Guestbook, please visit www.lakelawnmetairie.co m.

Jakes, Brian Peter

Brian Peter Jakes, Sr., age 86, of Mandeville, Louisiana, entered into eternal rest on Wednesday, May 13, 2026. He was born on September 27, 1939, in Syracuse, New York. He is survived by his loving wife of 30 years, Beverly Jane Gidman Jakes; children,Brian Peter Jakes, Jr., Brian Patrick Jakes (Tosha), Kelli Rae Jakes; stepchildren,Trish Liscomb (Todd), Suzie Talbot (Tim); 14 grandchildren, Jaimie Bailey (Evan), Kaitlyn Jakes, Luci McCumsey, Bella McCumsey, Caroline McCumsey, JackRogers, Brooke Rogers, Bradlee Rogers, Madison Talbot, Alaina Talbot, Lindsey Stanley, Haylie Stanley, Blake Liscomb, Holly Hoover; and 1great-grandchild, Scarlett Bailey. He is also survived by his twin sibling, Brenda Sweetapple, andmanyextended family members and friends who were touched by his guidance and kindness. He was preceded in death by his parents, William Ewart Jakes and Edna Strong Jakes; sibling, William Ellsworth Jakes, and former spouse Luci Spallino Jakes. Brian Jakes was adevoted husband, father, grandfather, veteran,businessman, and community leader. His life was marked by service, leadership, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to improving the lives of others throughout Louisianaand beyond. Brian served as Chief Executive Officer of SELAHEC beginning in 1993 and dedicated decades to advancinghealthcare access andcommunity health initiatives across the region. He previously served as Associate Director for the South Louisiana region AHEC Program Office for the LSU School of Medicineand remained deeply involved with LSU throughouthis life. He most recently served as Board Chair of the LSU Health Foundation. Arespected civic and healthcare leader, Brian served as President of St. Tammany National Bank for 10 years andheld numerous leadership roles, including Board Chair of Highland Park Community Hospital, Chair of the Louisiana Public Health Institute, Chair Emeritus of the LouisianaCommittee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), and founding member of Support Our War Heroes. He also served as apublic arbitrator for FINRA. Brian's passion for education and mentorship was evident in his extensive involvement with LSU School of Medicine admissions, where he served on both the New Orleans Admissions Committee and the Rural Scholars Track Admissions Committee. In recognition of his dedication,hewas named an Honorary Alumnus of theLSU Medical Alumni Association in 2006. He was aproud graduate of Ohio University where he was Beta Chapter PresidentofDelta Tau Delta Fraternity, and completed graduate studies at the University at Buffalo. Brian honorably served his country as a United States Army Captain veteran and later as aColonel with the Louisiana State Guard. He also served as past chair of aLouisiana Governor's Advisory Council and as a West Point admissions liaison officer. His distinguished military support and advocacy earned him the ESGR Lifetime AchievementAward. Beyond his professional accomplishments, Brian was knownfor his love of family, curiosity, warmth and love of history. He was an avid World War II history enthusiast whocould spend hours reading, discussing, and sharing stories from that era. He

greatly enjoyed traveling, especially taking cruises, exploring new places with family and friends, and spending time at his Destin condo. He also loved going out to dinner, especiallyat Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. He also enjoyed sharing meals, conversation, and laughter with those closest to him. Brian willberemembered for his wisdom, steady leadership, generous spirit, love of family, and deep dedication to his community and country. His legacy of service and compassion willcontinue to inspire all who knew him. In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Mr. Jakes may be made to LSU Health Foundation or The American Heart Association.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend the funeral services on Monday, June 1, 2026, with visitation beginning at 9:30

AM at E. J. Fielding Funeral Home, 2260 West 21st Avenue, Covington, Louisiana. Services will follow at 11:30 AM. Interment will follow at Southeast Louisiana Veterans Cemetery, 34888 Grantham College Drive, Slidell, Louisiana. E.J. Fielding Funeral Home of Covington, Louisiana,ishonored to be entrusted with the funeral arrangements. The Jakes family invites you to share thoughts, memories, and condolencesbysigning an online guestbook at https:/ /www.ejfieldingfh.com.

Edwin "Ed" Lionel Zander McAuliffe, 97, devoted, father, grandfather and great grandfather (affectionately known as "Grampa") and loving husband of 62 years to his high school sweetheart Patricia "Pat" Keiffer McAuliffe, peacefully departed from us on May 7, 2026, surrounded by his loving family. He was born on August 14, 1928, in New Orleans and raised in Old Metairie, (in the same neighborhood where Pat was raised) to Daniel "Mac" and Catherine "Kitty" McAuliffe, who immigrated from Ireland.Ed graduated from Metairie High and from Loyola University with adegree in business. Upon graduation from Loyola, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps where he achieved rank of Captain. Later,Ed worked beside his fatherin various entrepreneurial business endeavors and then ran aGulf Oil service station in New Orleans. Taking aposition with Gulf Oil corporate, after stops in Little Rock and Baton Rouge, Ed and Pat eventually moved to Houston where he spearheaded the company's merchandising and incentive travel program for Gulf Oil jobbers and dealers. Ed spent afulfilling career planning and coordinating national and international travel each year for hundreds of Gulf Oil employees to Europe, Bermuda, Hawaii and manydestinations in between. Once settled in Houston, Ed and Pat immersed themselves in their community, Church, Boy Scouts and their kids schools,but the center of their focus was raising their four children -the joy of their life. Ed shared his love of travel with Pat and his family travelling the world together. Hisfamily will always treasure the family trips whether traveling in the back of their station wagon to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico in the summer, camping in apopup camper, goingsailing on Lake Travis and Galveston Bayorona cruise across theAtlantic. Ed's selfless love was always directed at Pat, his four children, grandchildren and his entire extended family. Pat was the apple of his eye, and he adored her. Ed and Pat were inseparable, and they had truly had a"story book" marriage that we all aspire to have. Ed, the epitome of aSouthern gentleman, was always thinking of others and making everyone feel like they were the most important person in the room. Known for his infectious laugh and drywit, he had away of connecting with people.Ed treated everyone with love and respect, showed a genuine interest in others and had an excellent memory for remembering details about the people he

met.Hewas apositive glass halffulltype of person, even in his final days with his caregivers. Ed was so many thingsand almost too many to list: An EagleScout, aCaptain in the Marine Corps, a Scoutmaster, Sunday schoolteacher,anavid reader, asailor,a creative and design-oriented person,a talented photographer, an earlyadopter of technology, one of the first people to own an Apple MAC computer when it was first released. Even at age 97, Ed usedhis iPad, a iPhone, Instagramand Facebookaccountswith the skill and understanding of someone 70 years younger. Mostimportantly, Ed possessed atremendouslystrong Catholic faith and ledbyquiet example for his entire family. He never missed Mass, and heand Pat wouldfind the nearest Catholicchurch while traveling the world to attend SundayMass. Over several decades, he attended the Jesuit Manresa Retreat House outside of New Orleans for amen's retreat with hisfather-in-law Popsieand other family members, where he made many lifetime spiritual memoriesand connections In 1990,Pat and Ed packeduptheir life in Houston and movedto Dallasto"retire"closeto Erika and two of their grown children.They ended up starting awell-respected marketing company with their daughter, Kim, The McAuliffe Group, which they ran for 10 years. Laterinlife, Ed and Pat movedtoThe Tradition on Lovers Lane, where they kindled many new and deepfriendships in a very short period,who became like asecond family tothem.

After Pat's passing in 2016, Ed was blessed asecond time with aloving and caring companion in Gloria Hart, who also resides at The Tradition. Whether having aglass of wine at happy hour with otherresidents or dinner with friendsinthe dining room or traveling with Gloria's family to their getawayin East Texas, they enjoyed one another's company. Their friendship and love, afterlosing theirown spousesofover 50 years, wasa true blessingtoEd and to our entire family We willalwaysbeforever grateful to Gloria formakingEd's life fulland happy. Ed is survived by his fourchildren, Kim McAuliffe (Hal Price), Daniel J. McAuliffe,Michael D. McAuliffeinDallasand MarkE.McAuliffe (Liz) in Bryan,TX. He is also survived by seven grandchildren and fourgreat grandchildren, ErikaOrbin (Nathan)and their children Molly and Jackson, MatthewP.McAuliffeand his fiancé Salvatore Gargiulo, Jude McAuliffe, JonathanMcAuliffe Patrick McAuliffe,Mac McAuliffeand hisdaughter Aubrey and LukeMcAuliffe (Taylor)and theirson Cole. Ed was preceded in death by his wifePatriciaK McAuliffe,his parents, Daniel J. and Catherine W. McAuliffe, and histwo brothers, Ernest and Kenneth McAuliffe.There willbea visitation at 6:00 p.m., followedbya Rosary at 7:00 p.m. Thursday, May 28, 2026, in the chapelat Sparkman Hillcrest Funeral Home,located at 7405 West Northwest Highway, Dallas, Texas 75225. A Mass of ChristianBurial for Ed willbeheld on Friday, May29, 2026at1:00 p.m. at St. Rita Catholic Church, located at 12521Inwood Road, Dallas, Texas 75244. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in memoryof Edwin L. McAuliffecan be made to TheJesuit ManresaRetreat House (www.manresala.org).

McIntire,ClaireLeonard

Claire LeonardMcIntire, 71, of NewOrleans,LA, passedawayonMay 25, 2026, in New Orleans, LA Clairewas born in Worces‐ter,MAtoEarlW.Leonard and Margaret T. Leonardon July27, 1954. Shegradu‐atedfromDoherty Memor‐ial High School in 1972 and receivedher bachelor’s de‐greeinElementaryEduca‐tionfromWorcester State College in 1976. Claire taughtelementaryschool primarily grades 2and 3in Florida,Texas,Maryland, Washington, Illinois and Louisiana.She hada spe‐cialrelationshipwith teachingthird gradeat TrinityEpiscopal School in

NewOrleans from 2001 to 2011. In 2005 shewas the recipient of TheIonaD RichardsonTeaching Award,nominated by her peersasbestexemplifying excellenceina school where superb teaching is the norm.She wasa kind caring, andcompassionate teacher andwas beloved bystudentsand parents alike.After herretirement fromteaching, sheserved onthe school's Boardof Trustees forsix yearsfrom 2015 through2021. Claire met herhusband,William K.McIntire, in high school and their firstdatewas at the junior prom.Claireand Williammarried on June 25, 1977, andmoved throughoutthe United Statesduringhis navalca‐reer.OnMay 11, 1988, they welcomedtheir daughter, Amy,intotheir lives. Amy arrivedvia aNorthwest Airlines747 from Seoul, South Koreaand wasthe joy of Claire’s life.She cherished herroleasa mothertoa wonderful daughter. Claire waspre‐deceasedbyher parents and herbrother Michael Leonard.She is survived by her husband of 48 years, WilliamMcIntireand their daughter, Amy, both of New Orleans. Sheisalso survivedbyher sisters, Ann MarieStoicaand her husband DavidofPaxton, MA, Mary Beth Leonardof Worcester,MA, numerous cousins,brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law and niecesand nephews throughoutthe country. The familywillreceive friends at JacobSchoen& Son FuneralHome, 3827 Canal St NewOrleans,on Tuesday,June 2, 2026, from 10amto12pm. Entomb‐mentwillfollowatOur LadyofLourdes Mau‐soleum, St.Vincent No.2 Cemetery, 1950 Soniat St., New Orleans. Ashort re‐ception will take placeat the funeralhomefollow‐ing.Inlieuof flowers, con‐sider adonationtoTrinity Episcopal School,1315 Jackson Avenue,New Or‐leans,LA70130. Arrange‐ments by JacobSchoen& Son FuneralHome. Condo‐lencesmay be left at www schoenfh.com.

O'Hare,Carolyn Bourgeois

Carolyn Bourgeois SandersO'Hare was born in NewOrleans on July29, 1937, to Octave Joseph BourgeoisSr. and Lottie Guillot. She passed away peacefully in her sleep with her husband of thirtyfour years at her side on May 22, 2026. She was precededin death by her parents, her first husband, Lester H. Sanders Jr her twin sister, Marilyn Faust,and her siblings, CharlotteLyles and OctaveJ Bourgeois, Jr.She is survivedbyher husband, J. Michael O'Hare herson, ChristopherL Sanders,his wife, Kim, grandchildren, Peyton Kohlschmidt(James) and Parker Sanders, stepdaughter, CherylO'Hare Bersch Rico, and stepgrandchildren, Heather Blanchard,Gretchen Bersch, Sean Bersch and Zachary Guidry. Following her graduation fromHolyAngels Academy, Carolynattended LSUBaton Rouge for twoyears where she was a member of PhiMu Sorority.She was employedbyNOPSI/Entergy forten years before continuing her educationat UNOwhere she earneda bachelor'sdegree in educationfollowedbya masters of education.After just afew years of classroom teaching,she was named principal of Jefferson Elementary School fortwenty-five

years. Carolyn'sinterest in technologyled her to an IBMpilotprogram which provided twenty computers loaded with appropriateeducational software for kindergarten through fifth grade,which created one of thefirst elementary school computer labs in JeffersonParish. Through partnershipswithShell Oil Companyand Lockheed Martin she receivedfunds to provide professional computer trainingfor her teaching staff. Success in acquiring othergrants madeitpossible for her to enlargethe computer networkand havecomputers in allthe classrooms. Theseand other efforts throughher years with JeffersonElementary brought significant recognitionand many awardsto theschool.

During their thirty-four years of marriage, Carolyn and Mike enjoyed numerous tripsacross thecountryand western Europe After retiring they spent nearly twenty years weekendingattheir weekend retreat in TimberRidge Pass Christian. Carolyn was an outgoing personwho never met astranger.She was kind, caring,and always ready to lend ahand.Through her workatJefferson Elementary she inspired generations of students and teachersalike.She will be missed by allwho were blessed to knowher.

Serviceswere heldon Friday, May 29, 2026, at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home.Interment was at Lake Lawn Park Mausoleum.

Louisianahas lost aHall ofFamer,standoutplayer atFortier High School,leg‐endarycoach at Brother MartinHighSchool,and of the best joke tellers to ever takethe hardwood Coach” Andrew J. Russo Jr.,age 85, passedpeace‐fully from this worldon Thursday,May 21, 2026. His lovingwife, right-hand and inseparablelifepart‐ner of more than 52 years, JudyRusso,was at his side. Whilehelived thelast 40years of hislifeinKing‐wood,Texas,his home turf was theCityofNew Or‐leans,where he wasborn onJune 7, 1940. Aftergrad‐uatingwitha B.S. Degree in Education,in1965 from the UniversityofSouthwestern Louisiana,hereceiveda MasterofEducation from NichollsState University,in 1978. He used hisskillsasa teacher to buildanillustri‐ous career as aheadbas‐ketball coachand lateras a VP of Salesand Market‐ing in thefood serviceand refrigeration industry.He issurvivedbyhis wife, JudyRusso;his son, Rhett Russo,and Rhett’smother, SharonGrebe;his grand‐children, Sebastianand Francisca Russo;and his niece,AshleySchieldsSax (Mike). He wasprecededin death by hisparents,An‐drewRusso,Sr. andRose‐marie Russo;his sister Karen Schields (Arnold Skip”);and hisstepson Michael Silvia,survivedby his wife,Heidi.Weinviteall who knew andloved Andy tojoinusinhonoringhis memoryonFriday, June 5, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. in the chapelatLakeLawn MetairieFuneralHome, 5100 PontchartrainBlvd. in New Orleans. Thevisitation willbegin at 10:00 a.m. until servicetime. Thein‐terment will follow in MetairieCemetery. In re‐membrance of Andy’s life and love,the familyasks thatany charitable dona‐tionsbemadetoBrother

InLovingMemoryof

DOROTHYCLEMENTLAQUE

June1,1935-November2,2016

Mom,Loving andmissingyouso muchalways! Onyour91st HeavenlyBirthday YouandDadplease continuetowatch overusuntilwe allmeetagain

Lovealways,Terry,Jeff,Bert,Patti,Grandchildren, GreatGrandchildren,Family&Friends

Martin High School of New Orleans,www.brothermart in.com. To view andsign the online guestbook and/orviewthe livestream ofthe service, please visit LakeLawnMetairie.com.

Schule,Stephen Christopher

Stephen Christopher Schule of Chalmette, LA passedawayon Wednesday, May6,2026 at the age of 47. He was born on September 21, 1978 in NewOrleans,LAand grew up in Chalmette, LA.

He graduatedfrom Chalmette High School in 1999 and went on to attend NunezCommunity College whereheearned two associate'sdegreesinBusiness Administration andin Process Technology (PTEC).

He workedasa roofer after high school and, after receivinghis PTEC degree he worked at Exxon Mobile andChalmetteOil Refineries.

Stephen was actively involved in recreational sportsasa child, andlater he passedhis passion downtohis children and got them involved in recreational sportsaswell. He also likedmusic and taughthimself to play the guitar andhad an artistic sidewith akeenlove of drawing

He is preceded in death by hisgrandparents, Shirleyand Frederick Schule Sr.and Alma and AlbertBarrau

He is survived by his parents, Frederick Schule Jr.and SandraRushing Schule;his siblings, Frederick Schule III,Scott Schule (Alex), and Jason Schule (Erica);his children, Tyler Schule andMorgan Schule (Nick); and his grandchildren, Arabella, Thomas,Delilah,and Autumn.Heisalso survivedbyhis former fiancée whoremained aclose friend, LeilaRobinson, as well as numerousaunts, uncles,cousins, nieces, nephews, and other loving relativesand friends.

Thefamilywould like to thank thedoctors and nursesatUniversity Medical Center for thecare andcompassion they showed Stephen in hisfinaldays.

Familyand friends are invited to attenda Celebration of Life at St Bernard Memorial Funeral Home, 701 W. Virtue St, Chalmette,LA70043 on Saturday, June 6th, 2026, from 11:00 AM until1:00 PM.A Memorial Funeral Service willfollow In lieu of flowers, please considermakinga donation in Stephen's honorto theLouisiana SPCA (https: //www.louisianaspca.org/ ).

Esther Mary Segue, a nativeand lifelong resident ofNew Orleans, LA,en‐tered into eternalrestat the ageof89onSaturday, May 16, 2026. Shewas the beloved wife of Virgil Gabriel SegueSr. (de‐ceased) andthe loving mothertosix children, Aaron J. Segue(Charmaine Rock) Emile A. SegueSr., PamelaE.Miller,Dr. Vy‐ooneT.Lewis (JohnLewis), LisaM.Gittens (Maximo Gittens Sr.) andEricC Segue.Mrs.Segue is the daughterofthe late Lous Bijou Sr.and Camelia Lers‐son.She hasoutlivedall of her siblings andissurvived bya host of grandchildren, great grandchildren, great great grandchildren. niecesand nephewsand a hostoffriends.Her fa‐voritepasttimewas writ‐ing poems. Shehad previ‐ously been employed for years with Fairgrounds Racetrack (New Orleans) Jefferson Downs Racetrack (Kenner)and theNatchez Steamboat (New Orleans) Relatives andfriends of the familyare invitedtoattend a Mass of ChristianBurial atSt. Raymond/St.Leo The Great Catholic Church,2916 Paris Avenue,New Orleans LAonTuesday,June 2, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. Visita‐tionat10:00 a.m. Interment - Mt.OlivetCemetery, 2060 Caton Street,New Orleans, LA. In lieu of flowers, pleasemakedonations to St. Jude Children’s Re‐searchFundinMrs.Es‐ther’smemory. Please sign the online guestbook at www.charbonnetfuneralho me.com. CharbonnetLabat-Glapion Directors, (504) 581-4411.

Diane Camaille Sellen passedaway peacefullyon Thursday, May21, 2026, at the age of 90. She was born in NewOrleans,Louisiana, on November 19, 1935, and spent most of herlifein RiverRidge. Diane wasanamazing cook, enjoyed traveling, andnevermet astranger. Shebegan hercareerasa teacher at Parkway Presbyterian Preschool andlater joined Tulane Medical Center,where she workedasanExecutive Assistant until herretirement. In 1997, she earned herBachelorofArtsdegree from Tulane University, an accomplishmentofwhichher family wasespecially proud Sheissurvivedbyher husband, Michael Henry Sellen;her daughters, Sherry Buhler Janssen and Laura Buhler Saenz (Steve); herson,Harold Francis Buhler III (Lorie);

See more DEATHS, page

OPINION

OUR VIEWS

Hope for thebest but preparefor theworst as hurricane season starts

As another hurricane season beginsthisweek, we’re cautiously optimistic.

The NationalOceanic andAtmospheric Administration is predicting below-normaltropical activity in the Atlantic, thankstothe expected development of El Niño conditions. NOAA forecasts eight to 14 named storms, including three to six hurricanes,one to threeofthem major storms reaching Category 3strengthor above.Anaverage season has 14 namedstorms, including seven hurricanes, with threebecoming major.

Also at least somewhat reassuringisthat the Federal Emergency Management Agency seems to be on more stable footingthanitwas this time last year FEMA’s future shape is still very muchinplay, but President Donald Trumphas backedoff his earlier intention to do away with theagencyand put full responsibility for disaster recoveryon the states, despite the possibilitythatsmaller states such as Louisiana mightbeoverwhelmed by acatastrophic event.A presidentialreview council examining potential reforms recently issued areport that calls forkeepingastrong federal presence to deal withthe worstdisasters, and also proposessome ideas that could make recoverymovemorequickly in thefuture.

While the agency remains without apermanent leader, Mark Cooper,adisaster-response veteran who served as former Gov.John Bel Edwards’ chief of staff and amemberofthe presidential task force, said Louisianansshould take comfort in the fact that theacting administrator,Bob Fenton, is aFEMAveteranwho has spenttimeonthe ground inLouisiana after prior hurricanes. Cooper also noted thatTrump’s nominee for the permanentpost,Cam Hamilton, hastalkedofthe importance of FEMA’s ongoing role. All that said, we must reiterate, as we do everyyearatthis time, that thebest strategyisto hope for the best but prepare for the worst. NOAA’sforecast is no guaranteethatthe season willbe quiet, and as everyoneinthese parts knows, it just takes one unlucky turnof events to cause widespreaddeathand destruction.

Local agencies and other groups across our area have been issuing their annual reminders to stock up on supplies and haveaplantoget out of harm’sway should that be necessary.We hope all of our readers heed their adviceand take some time this week to make achecklist, sign up for localalertsand compile vitalpersonal documents, medications, proof of petinoculations and anything else they might need should they have to leave in ahurry Living with the threat of extreme weather is one price we pay for all the joys life in South Louisiana can bring, but that doesn’tmean there’snothing to be donetolessen our vulnerability. We urge everyonetoremember that it’s always better to be overprepared thancaught flat-footed.

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

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

TO SEND US A LETTER, SCANHERE

Real issues behind franchiseforestidea

At first blush, aplan to give 140,000 acres of Kisatchie National Forestto Grant Parish’sgovernment and school board is ridiculous. Farcical, even.

The idea thatthe leaders of Grant, withroughly 22,000 residents, arein any way equipped to handle such atransfer, much less maintain and operatemorethan 200 square miles of forest, beggars belief. Nonetheless, the idea found itsway intoa draft of federal legislation proposed by U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy,atleastuntil the locals weighed in.

Grant Parishmanager SissyPace told this newspaper’sAlex Lubben that the parish simply “does not have the resources to even begin to maintain the forest.” Kisatchie may appear serene, but national forestsrequiresubstantial management, she noted

So it’sgood that, after soliciting some public feedback on adraft of the proposal —including from thelocal officials to whom the massive tract would have been bestowed —Cassidy dropped it from his legislation in what he called an example of listening to localfeedback.

The idea didn’toriginate in thehallowed halls of theU.S. Senate, however Cassidy’sdraft was done at thebehest of Grant Parishresident Charles Carpenter,who blames federal rulesfor holding Grant Parish back.

Per what Carpenter toldLubben, his proposal on Kisatchie was aimed at preserving theforestwhile also benefiting the local entities. Some of what is now national forest, he argued, could be used for solar power thatcould help generaterevenue. Local ownership could alsobeusedfor other revenue-generating uses, he said,

though he noted he did not want drilling, carbon capture or adata center

Instead, Carpenter envisioned something moreestablished.

“I’mtrying to save the forest for the future by reimagining it as McDonald’s,”hetold Lubben.

The image should draw a(golden) arched eyebrow or two, but it risks distracting from the issues Carpenter was tryingtoaddressand that Cassidy put in his draft

Those are real and notlimited to Grant. They hit any parish with alarge federal installation, even harder in ruralones.

The problem boils down to this: Land owned by the federal government is essentially out of commerce and not subject to local property taxes, even when communities provide some local services,such as law enforcement, as Grant does in Kisatchie. The feds do provide asmall payment, but it is apittance. Grant Parishisabout 665 square miles, or 425,000 acres. The Kisatchie segment in the parish is about 140,000

The Kisatchie National Forest is Louisiana’sonly national forest, located in seven parishes in the state’snorth and central regions. Acontroversial proposal would have transferred about aquarter of it to Grant Parish.

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acres, or 218 square miles. That means that roughly one-third of the parish is mostly off limits for economic activity that benefits the parish. Add in the federal prison complex in Pollock and even more land is off the table. That makes it even harder than it normally is to lure major economic development or increase revenue. Carpenter’splan, while abit outlandish and rightly rejected by locals, is at least an attempt to resolve this.

It’sworth mentioning that his proposal also noted that federal inmates are counted in the U.S. Census, which affects Grant in such away that certain federal awards are off the table. Cassidy did file legislation to fix that problem, and rightly so. All of these are legitimate problems that deserve serious policy solutions. Those solutions, however,donot include handing over one of Louisiana’s natural jewels to the local police jury

Not even special sauce could make that idea palatable.

EmailFaimon A. Roberts III at

Overflowinginbox adelight andachore

Readers may think we don’tread allofthe letters we receive,but Ican assure you that we do.And in busy weeks, that can be quite achore Still, we’d rather that than the alternative. Whenreaderswrite to us aboutour content, we know what we’re coveringiswhat matters to you.

WhenLouisiana is in the national spotlight, we can getletters from around the country While we primarily publish opinions from Louisianaand the Gulf Coast, sometimes perspectives from afar areinteresting andoccasionally worth sharing with ouraudience.

Lately, Louisiana hasbeen in the news for several reasons —from a Supreme Court case involvingvoting rights to ahotlycontested Senate election to fights over telemedicineuse for abortion bills. These issues all attract a

wide range of views from all quarters. We try to publish as many letters as we can,but generally we can only publish around 30 or so aweek. Thatmeanswemay have to reject more letters than normal in high-volumeweeks. And while we try to publish the timeliest letters first, there are occasions when events overtake the issues you are writing about. We try not to have asignificant lag in the time between when we receive aletterand when it is published, but sometimes that’sunavoidable.

Generally,ittakes about twoorthree weeksfor aletter to go through our process. There’snoneed to resend the same letter againifyou don’tsee it publishedbefore that time frame. It’s likely moving through our system.

Turning to ourletters inbox, we had another bannerweek with 97 letters re-

ceived between May 14 and May 21. Since this period included the May 16 primary elections, it’snosurprise that was the topic most of you wanted to talk about. We got 19 election-related letters, and 14 of those dealt with U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy’sdemise. Then the topic of utility bills continued to generate letters, with seven letters. No other topic drew more than three letters. It’sexciting when we see topics trending among our readership. Online, we can monitor that almost by the minute.Itdoes help us to know where we should direct our resources. But I still like it when readers weigh in after alittle thought. To me,sending aletter requires more investment than clicking alink.

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

COMMENTARY

Is remedial La.education programarealsuperStar?

Louisiana may have agreat thing going with an education program called Star Academy, and Iapologize for suggesting otherwise.

The story here isn’tthe apology but the program, so let’sdispense quickly with the former.Inan earlier columninsupport of LA GATOR scholarships, while Iwas criticizing state Senate President Cameron Henry’sopposition to the scholarships, I rather puckishly suggested his own logic could be used to move money to LA GATOR from Star Academies across Louisiana.

science equipment and much, much more —to make coursework far more interesting to pupils.

Quin Hillyer

Inoted that Star “might be the greatest thing since the first time someone put mint and chocolate together,” but that aWall Street Journal article had strongly questioned its efficacy.I should have done further research.

Star Academies, run by the Crescent City’sNOLA Education LLC, are used all across the nation, including 62 programs in 49 Louisiana schools. Their mission: Help struggling middle-school studentscatch up academically rather than drop out. Star uses numerous hands-on“modules” terrariums, anatomical models,

Designed as “schools within schools,” the Star package includes concentrated teacher training, at least monthly visits and other support from Star specialists and individualized attention for the students. The program’s three main, measurable goals are to increase school attendance, reduce disciplinary problems and improveeducationalperformance.

TheWall Street Journal said Star’sprograms “haven’t undergone evidence-based scrutiny” and citedseveral disputes about the positive statistics reportedbyStaritself.

Apparently, Louisiana disputes nothing. T.H. Harris school in Jefferson Parish, for example, reported that its Star students improved inthe Louisiana Educational Assessment Program by 15.9 pointsinlanguage arts, 14.1 in math, 13 pointsinscience and, in the composite average score, by atotal of 106.7% just from the 2022-23 school year through the 2024-25 year

At Ferriday Junior High in Concordia Parish, attendance rose slightly,language scores improved significantlyand correct answers in amath program rose astonishingly from 51% to 96%.

Cade Brumley,the Louisiana Superintendent of Education, saidall statistics provided by Star within Louisiana are accurate, as compiled from official state data. He also faulted The Wall Street Journal for “not an appropriate use of data” because “itwas suggesting that Star was responsible for the entire population of those schools,” rather than just theStar studentsthemselves

In Louisiana, Brumley said that while some schools implement Star better than others, still, overall, “If you look at the actual studentsSTARisserving, they are seeing attendance gains, behavioral improvements and academic improvements.”

Brumley’sassessmentmerits respect. Hisstewardship coincides withLouisiana schools earning national accolades, with themost recentscorecard ranking theBayou State first among all states in reading growthand secondinmath improvement from 2022 to 2025. He saidanim-

portantpartofthe improvement comes from remedialattention to failing schools andstudents.

“We’ve flexed alot of muscle in providing support for Recovery School Districts,”hesaid. “We have used Starasthat support on multiple occasions.” And: “Wherewehaveheard from educators, they have beenvery positive and theywanttoreplicate” Star elsewhere in their school systems.

Star providesdataindicating major successes in other school districts acrossthe country,as attested to by schoolsystem officials in those locales. Camden City schools in NewJersey reporthuge improvements in math. Schools in Nevada “exceeded benchmarks by an averageof 93%.” And at the “nontraditional” ExploreAcademy in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, discipline improved and math scores skyrocketed.

“Wesaw thatwehad marked gains in student attendance,” saidCathi Swan, the school’s director,ina May22phone interview.“Students that didn’tusually like to come to school for any reason,now really didn’twantto miss school in this (new) environment” created by Star. Impressed by the results, Ar-

kansashas added13moreStar sites.

Earnest Brown, acircuit judge in Pine Bluff who handlesjuvenile cases,toldmeheloves Star’s effects. Noting thatthe Explore Academy brings in children who have truancyproblems or otherwise “were at risk of falling into trouble,” Brown said, “I am big on prevention and intervention. (Star) is an excellent tool to prevent kids fromcoming to the juvenile court system.”

In Mobile, Alabama, The Pathway school’s 2011 announcement of its adoptionofStardrew positive attentionfrom the daily Press-Register. Fifteen years later, Pathwaystill usesit, and retiring principalAlvin Dailey, said, “I’ve seen through the years thatthe students in my program can do two grade levels of work in oneschool year.”

Maybe Stardoesn’twork everywhere. But the success storiesare numerous, and the anecdotal enthusiasm from school officials is palpable. No wonder Louisiana usesitin62places. Maybe it’sevenbetter than chocolatemint.

Email Quin Hillyer at quin hillyer@theadvocate.com

Letlow should look to thesetwo as Senate role models

State Treasurer John Fleming, who has waged what is essentially an insurgent campaignfrom theinternet, has thrown alot at U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow,the clear front-runner in Louisiana’sJune 27 Republican Senate primary runoff. Recently,one of his digital projectiles made me stop scrolling. It was aphoto of Letlow bookended by acouple of women who have long served in the upper chamber in Washington.

into thatcategory is absurd on its face. His contentionthat he’sthe truerTrumper runs smack dab into the president’s endorsement of Letlow instead of him. Even more, it defies Letlow’s public puffing up of the president,a worshipful ongoing performance that rivals any cabinet-meeting accolades from members of his administration.

Trump’smost fervid fans in the Senateare voicing qualms on those.

Stephanie Grace

“If you vote for Letlow,” the tweet said, “you will be sending just another Murkowski and Collins.”

Well, Ithought. That certainly is atake.

Lisa Murkowski, the veteran senator from Alaska, and her longtime colleague SusanCollins of Maine are known outside their own states mostly for being a very particular brand of Republican. The vanishing, independent kind. Even more than Fleming and Letlow’svanquished opponent, incumbent Bill Cassidy, what they shareisthe title of “most likely Republican tonot do what Donald Trump wants.” For Fleming to dump Letlow

Letlow claimed in the primary’sfirst round that Cassidy’svote to convict Trump for inciting the vicious Jan. 6attack on the Capitol showed he didn’thave the “judgment” to continue serving, and that it meant Cassidy would not work with Trump. Never mind thatCassidy spent nearly every waking moment between the 2024 election and his defeat on May 16 doing exactly that. Since she made the runoff in mid-May,she endorsed not only Trump’sgaudy White Houseballroom, which he first saidwould be free but now wants to get taxpayers to put abillion dollars toward, but also the Department of Justice slush fund that would benefit some of the violent riotersheunleashed on Congress back in 2021. Evensome of

Amore credible take on Letlow’scampaign came recently from Newell Normand, the former Republican sheriff of Jefferson Parish who now hosts atalk show on WWL radio. Normand accused her of signing a“blood oath” to the president whose desire to punishCassidy launched and continues to fuel her candidacy Hismessage directly to her: “You owe Donald Trump, and you will make whatever vote Donald Trump tellsyou to make. but for him, you’re anothingburger.”

Not that he’simpressed with his remaining alternative. “I’m not sure John Fleming and Julia Letlow are that far apart,” Normand said, addingthat bothwere “spooning and cuddling up to Donald Trump.”

Youmay not like his language, but compared to Fleming’saccusation, Normand’sanalysis is more in line witheverymessage Letlow’ssent during thecampaign. If elected, there’snoreason to think shewouldn’tbeon Team Trump throughthe end of his secondterm in two years.

ASenate term, though, is six

years. At just 45, Letlow could possibly be there far longer than that. Andwithout Trump’stowering, distorting, ever-dividing influence, it’sfairtowonderwhat type of senator Letlowwould be in thelong run. Despite what Fleming alleges, she’sgiven us no indication she’d emulate Murkowski or Collins. Butmaybe she should rethink

that. Both have,onoccasion, voted their principles. Both, sometimes, treat the idea of evaluating issuesontheir ownmerits as aduty,not an act of disloyalty Both, like Cassidy,havebeen known to leverage their willingness to deal with the other party to bring resourcestotheir own states.

And both, to date,have earned the appreciation of their constituents. Murkowski once lost aRepublican primary aftershe was targetedbyAlaska’s TeaParty faction (rememberSarah Palin?) andthenwon the seat anyway as awrite-in candidate. Collins surviveda tough challenge to getreelected in 2020 despite Trump’sunpopularity in Maine, although herluckmay finally run outthis year Fleming’smove— about the only onehehas —istochip away at Letlow’selectoral support by telling primary voters that she’s something she’s not, whichinthis caseisatall like Murkowski and Collins. But when youthink long term, there arefar worse role models. Email Stephanie Graceat sgrace@theadvocate.com.

Should BlackathletesshunLSU,other schools?

The NAACP and the Congressional Black Caucus are in lockstep with Out of Bounds, a movement stronglyurging Black college and college-bound athletes to deny their services,skills andtalents to universities in states where state Legislatures are deliberately moving to dilute Black voting power.That includes Louisiana. It’sapowerful concept. But it has aloosey-goosey focus, and it asks alot of some of our youngest, most promising Black talent. The effort asks that Black athletes look at what’shappening with redistricting and voting rights and pivot. Go elsewhere, they say.Somewhere. Anywhere but schools in states where Black people are losing political power as Republicans push to drawnew congressional maps basedonthe Supreme Court’spolitical gerrymandering decision in theLouisiana v. Callais case. In an awful 6-3 ruling, the Court saidrace cannot be considered when drawing congressional district maps, but relying on politics is perfectly OK. If enough young Black athletes

go along with the NAACP request, LSUathletics would look alot different.

Will Sutton

There are more than 400 LSU athletes across various sports, including football, basketball, baseball, softball, gymnastics and volleyball. Amajority of those whoplay in revenue-generating sports, such as basketball and football, are Black.Ifall of them went along with theprogram, Idon’tthink LSU football and LSU’sbasketball programs would be as successful this year ornext— andthose young peoplewould findthemselves with substantially less favorable financial situationsatother universities.

Rather than LSU, theNAACP suggests Grambling StateUniversity or Southern University. Butaren’tthey Louisiana-funded schools, too? I’ve gotanaffinity for GSU and SU, but there’sno way an LSU-qualityathlete can get what they might earn at LSU. Not everybody gets$4-$6 million guaranteed, like some college athletes, butthat’snot realistic at HBCUs. Thedays of the best

Black athletes going to HBCUs and bouncing to pro sportsare over.I’m ahuge HBCU fan, but that’sreality

Another reality: The University of Michigan, the University of North Carolina, Ohio State Universityand other major NCAA universities would be happy to have them —and pay them.

On theofficial OutofBounds website, the NAACP asks athletes to declare that they won’tallow themselves “to be used to enrich institutions in states that are working to silence Black voters.”

The group suggests several alternatives: n delay commitments n ask athletic directors, coaches where they stand on voting rights n request public commitments opposing voting dilution n visit and consider HBCUs n use NIL opportunities to elevate voting rights, fair maps, investments in HBCUs n encourage peers not to be used, separating athletic opportunityfrom political power

The NAACP isn’tdemanding commitment to each item, only those chosen by each athlete. Sign here and send, they request.

If you delay,however,you may not play.Or, you’ll likely get less. Youcan ask; they decide whether to answer,and what they can say without support from thechancellor,president or the system.The best mostADs and coaches might say is, “Ifitwere up to me, ….”

Visit and consider schools that can’tgive you 1/10th of what a powerhouse school can?

Absolutelyuse any chance to advocate forvoting rights, fair mapsand HBCU investment, but it won’tbeinyour contract.

Peer pressure works to adegree, but,touse the mostcommon vernacular,it’ll likely be every man for himself

That doesn’tmean there shouldn’tbesuch an effort. I’m in favor of amove like this. But Ithink afocus on asingle state, or even asingle school, might be better.Which one? Choose the worst offender(s). Perhaps an institution that graduates the fewest Black athletes, or aschool in a system or astate with the lowest level of HBCU funding. Since the Out of Bounds announcement, theCBC has sent letters to morethan 250 compa-

nies that had pledged support fordiversity,equity and voting rights in recent years. Somecompanies have been backtracking. Amazon, Apple and Google were among those getting letters. The NAACP wants these companies to condemn diminishing Black representation and voting rights. They wantcompany executives to meet with state legislators to express concern. Good move. But will they do it?

SomeBlack athletes can afford to get with the program.All it takes is the right one, two, three or four to makeanimpact, astatement. Think Ruby Bridges, Leona Tate, Gail Etienne and Tessie Prevost, the New Orleans Four whointegrated city schools. But Black athletes like former LSU basketball players Angel Reese and Flau’jae Johnson, now WNBA stars, and former LSU football players Jayden Daniels and Malik Nabers, now NFLstars, would have to reduce their income. Iwouldn’twant to be the one telling the Black mamas whythey have to do this.

Email Will Sutton at wsutton@ theadvocate.com.

yesterdaywas averyhot and humid day, conditions that will be repeated today. Expect amostly sunnytopartlycloudy, hot and humid daywithalight breeze. Temperatures thisafternoon will rise to the upper 80s to low90s.Heat index values, however, will be in the mid- to upper 90s,possibly

The family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to Diane's wonderful caregiving team for their support, compassion, and kindness. We are forevergrateful. Family and friends are invitedtocelebrate Diane's life at Leitz-Eagan Funeral Home, 4747 Veterans Memorial Blvd.in Metairie on Saturday, June 6, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. The family invites you to share your thoughts, fond memories, and condolences online at www.leitz eaganfuneralhome.com.

DEATHS continued from JCFA for over 12 years, where she was deeply lovedbyboth the teachers and students whose lives she touched each day. Dee cherished herfamily above allelseand found great joy in spendingtimewithher children and grandchildren. She was preceded in deathbyher parents, Clebert and Oville Aucoin, and her brother, Carl Aucoin. She is survived by Raymond Shall; her children, Peyton Martiny (Steven), Lauren McCulloch (Will),Ellen Restrepo (Alex),and Yvonne Sartin; and her treasured grandchildren, Molly and Charlotte Martiny, William, Henry, and George McCulloch, MaxRestrepo,and Barry SartinIII. She is also survived by her siblings, Danny Aucoin,Barbara Heitmeier(Larry), Lynn Richoux (Alan), and Madeline Read,along with many nieces, nephews,extendedfamilymembers, and dear friends. Family and friends are invited toattend avisitation on Friday, June 5, 2026, from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30a.m. at St.Francis Xavier CatholicChurch, 444 Metairie Rd.,Metairie,LA 70005. AFuneral Mass will begin at 10:30a.m., followed by burial at Greenwood Cemetery Dee willberemembered for herstrength, kindness, love of family, and the lasting impact she made on those fortunate enough to know her.She will be deeply missedand lovingly remembered always. Fond memories and words of condolencesmay be sharedatwww.leitzeag anfuneralhome.com.

Edward O’Neal

Doretta "Dee" Aucoin Shall, 73, of Metairie, Louisiana, passed away peacefully on Friday, May 22,2026, after acourageous battle with cancer. Born on November 28, 1952, in New Orleans, Louisiana, Dee was the beloved daughter of Clebert and Oville Aucoin She was aloving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend whose warmth and kindness touched everyone who knew her. Dee attended Martin Behrman High School and graduated with the Class of 1970. She worked for

Edward O’Neal Shorten‐tered eternalreston Thursday,May 7, 2026, at the ageof90. Belovedhus‐bandofthe late IreneAnn Ordoyne Short. Sonofthe lateHaroldShort and Birdie Cooper Short. Father

of Melissa Scheu, Michael Short andthe late Eddie Short,Jr. (survivedbywife Melinda McGovern). Grand‐fatherofBrandon,T.J., Taylor(HazelMargaret Short)and Savannah (PatrickCusimano).Greatgrandfather of Nola Scheu. Edwardwas born in Mar‐shall,Texas andresided in Terrytown forover50 years.Heservedinthe UnitedStatesAir Force from1954 through1958, and spent18monthsover‐seasinthe Philippinesand Japan.Hespent 22 yearsas a ChiefOperatoratAl‐lianceRefinery Sohio Chevron in Plaquemines Parish, 29 yearswithGulf BPOil,11 ½ yearswith HassieHunt Trust, approxi‐mately1 year with “HOMCO” (Houston Oil Field Material Company and severalyears parttimeand otherwisewith H.L.Packard as aContrac‐tor in theoil field. Funeral service will be privately heldata laterdate. Mothe FuneralHomeisassisting the familyduringthismost difficult time.The family invites youtoshare condo‐lences, fond memories and thoughtsonlineatmothe‐funerals.com.

Church Algiers, LA on Monday, June 1, 2026 at 11 a.m.Visitationwillbeheld atchurchfrom9 a.m. until masstime. Interment WestlawnMemorialPark Cemetery, Gretna,LA. Mothe FuneralHomes en‐trusted with funeral arrangements. Thefamily asksthatyou keep Capt Henry’s memory aliveby celebrating life thesame way he always did—with laughter, love,and good company (Jesiah), and Eric(Donna). Paulinecherished her grandchildrenand greatgrandchildrenand shared especially close relationships andcherished bonds with Lacey (David and Gabriella), Scott (Heather, Emily, andHannah),whose love broughther immense joy. Shealso lovingly treasured Maya (Ron; Noah Addy), Patrick, Megan, Heather,Hailey(Brett; Liam), Thomas,Dylan, Brooke, andEthan, celebratingeachofher grandchildrenand great-grandchildrenintheir ownspecial way. Paulineespecially loved watchingtheir adventures andmilestonesshared throughher digital picture frame, whichshe proudly displayedand whichfilled herdays with joy, laughter, andpride Shewas preceded in death by herparents and sisters, Elizabeth Finn and Gerri Lonatro. Pauline'slove, strength, encouragement, andwillingness to lend alistening ear touched thelives of many. Though she willbe deeply missed, hermemory andthe love she shared will forever remain in the hearts of herfamily, friends, and all whohad theprivilegeofknowing andworkingwithher We love you,Mom,and we will miss you everysingle day. Though ourhearts ache in yourabsence,your love surrounds us still. You'reour hero and the wind beneath ourwings, we wouldbenothingwithoutyou,and we thank God for yourlove that will forever guideusand give us strength.Though you are no longer beside us,you will forever live in our hearts. Please watch over us all untilwemeetagain. https://www.dignityme mor ial.c om/obituaries / fu lle rt on-c a/pau lin esonier-12888908 her granddaughter, Isabella Camille Saenz; her stepdaughters, Lara Sellen (Keith)and Angela Sellen; her stepsons, Patrick Sellen (Sherri) and Danny Sellen; and four stepgrandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Ernest and Leah Camaille; her first husband, Harold Buhler Jr.; her son, Jeff Buhler; her sister and brother-in-law, Doris and George Bywater; and many dear friends

HenryGiles ShowsJr. of Algiers,Louisiana passed awaypeacefully after a long, courageous battle withheart conditions and paralysis.Surrounded by his lovedonesinprayer and song,heslippedaway peacefullyathis home After attendingBehrman HighSchool,Capt. Henry wentontoworkonpush‐boats on theriver before becominga RiverBoat Pilot in 1974. Capt. Henry spent hislifeworking with his handsand always look‐ing to solveproblems. A tinkererbynature, if there was anything that needed a workingtouch,hewould bethere to handle it.This included hisnatural affin‐

ityand love forthe water. Hestarted from humble beginnings fishingatthe local pond with theloveof his life,Pamela, to later jumpstartinghis career as a deckhand on pushboats. Heworkedhis wayupto captain,eventuallybeing elected as aRiverboat Pilot.Asa pilot, he spent his days guidinglarge cargo shipssafely through the mighty Mississippi River.Commissionedinto the NewOrleans Baton Rouge SteamshipPilots (NOBRA) on July 1, 1974, he wentontoserve 45 won‐derfulyears before retiring onDecember31, 2018. Even beyondhis exemplary workasa pilotonthe river, healsoservedasthe Presi‐dentofNOBRA’s Boardof Examiners from 2002 to 2009. Capt. Henryworked hardand wasalways known forthe life he breathedintoevery dayon the river. Knownbymany for hisnickname“Grumpy” due to hisraspy anddeep voice,his true personality was quitethe opposite.He would always carry asmile onhis faceand joke around,tryingtobrighten the dayofwhoever was around himonthe water. Thishappiness extended beyondevenhis work life where perhapshewas mostknown andadored. Heloved life andenjoyed spreading that feelingto anyonearound him. Anat‐uralborncomedian, he could lightupany room withlaughterand joy. He shinedbrightlyand always wantedhighspirits for everyone. Even during his finalbattlewithillness, he remainedpositiveand con‐tinuedbringingsmilesto the people he lovedmost. Capt. Henryissurvivedby his loving wife of 59 years, Pamela, as well as his daughters Tonya(Gustavo) Caceres,Tammy Rooney and Tiffany(Noel) Spicuzza; andhis 6grand‐childrenJustin(Rachel) Brady,Landon(Sarah) Cac‐eres, Maicey Rooney,Noel SpicuzzaIV, Bethany Rooney,and Brendan Spicuzza. Sonofthe late MargueritePitre Autin (late Larry)and thelate Henry G. Shows, Sr.Brother ofthe late RonnieWilker‐son.Brother-in-lawof Willie Bradford Brown, Jr (Karen) andGodfather of Willie Bradford BrownIII (Nicole)and uncle of Jason Brown (Paige)and Briscoe Brown (Ann),and many other nieces andnephews Relatives andfriends of the familyare invitedtoattend the FuneralMassatHoly Name of Mary Catholic

In Loving Memory of PaulineHughesSonier, February 19, 1947 -May 12, 2026. PaulineHughesSonier, age 79, passed away peacefully on May12, 2026, with herdaughter Rhonda andDan by herside.

Anative of NewOrleans, Paulinewas born on February 19, 1947, and was agraduate of Redemptorist High School, Class of 1964. Shewas the beloved daughterofLeola Pope andRaymond Hughes andthe stepdaughter of Larry Pope Throughouther life,she wasknown for herkindness, unwaveringfaith, anddeep love forher family.

Paulinefound joyin life'ssimple pleasures and enjoyed avariety of music, movies, books, andcollectingrosaries. Shededicated more than 40 years of her career to accounting spending many of those years with theUniversity of NewOrleans andCarrier Corporation in Houston, Texas. Shewas respected notonlyfor herworkethic andprofessionalism, but also for thegenuine care, compassion,and friendship she extendedtothose around her.

Paulineissurvived by herloving children, Rhonda(Dan),Patrick "Bubba" (Pam), Robin

SPORTS

Newcoach just start of Dumars’ offseason work

The New Orleans Pelicans have their head coach. Now what?

That’sthe question Joe Dumars will have to answer as he entershis second season as theteam’sexecutive vice president of basketball operations.

ES FI NG

Dumars hired Jamahl Mosley lastweek. The task now is to find theright mix of players for Mosley to coach Dumars has shown he isn’tafraid to make drastic changes. As soon as theseason ended, he had aspring cleaning of sorts, parting ways with everybodyfrom assistant coaches to equipment managers. Manyofthe decisions weren’tpopular among the fan base.

Dumars’ goal is to reset theculture for afranchise withalong history of losing.

The Pelicans finished 26-56 thisseason, the third-worst record in an 82-game seasoninfranchise history.Itwas aseason that included him firing head coach Willie Green after just 12 games before turning the team over to James Borrego as interim coach.

Now the team belongs to Mosley,who was introduced on Tuesday.Mosley,saying what you’d expect acoach to say duringhis first day on the job, had this tosay about the roster he’sinheriting:

“The roster is big time,” Mosley said. “I think ithas such versatilityand such depth and guys that are able todosomany things.”

Butit’sthe things this current roster can’tdothat will need to be addressed.

n Rebound.

n Protect the paint.

n Shoot 3-pointers.

n Defend.

Oh, and don’tforget theone other thing Dumars saidthe team needs.

“I would add more toughness to this team,” Dumars said. “Wehave to be able

ä See WALKER, page 4C

The New OrleansSaints are going to look and sound alot different next season. Their alpha leader,Demario Davis, is now playing in New York.

Three other former team captains —Cam Jordan, Alvin Kamara and Taysom Hill —have not been with theteam this offseason, with all three of their futures in limbo.

That’sa combined 15 Pro Bowls, two All-Pro selectionsand numerous team records gone from the locker room —atleast for now

Their absence has created anotable void of leadership, experience and vocal authorityinthe locker room.Atthe sametime, it’screated opportunity,a chance for new leaders to step forward.

One of the mostinteresting —and perhaps vital —aspects of this offseason forthe Saints is identifying which players fill the leadership void leftbythe potential departure of the Big Four “At the end of the day,leadership doesn’thave to be just three or four guys or whatever it may be,” Saints coach Kellen Moore said. “There’sabunch of guys that (can) lead. It’salot of funtosee these guys kind of find their different (leadership) elements that they bring to this (team).”

The 2026 iteration of the Saints debuted Thursday as offseason workouts began in preparation forYear 2of

Consistent offense,solid pitching keep Cajuns’seasonalive

BYKEVIN FOOTE

Staff writer

STARKVILLE, Miss. When ahead coach shuffles the lineup, he leaves himself open to criticism if the alterationsdon’t work But when everythingworks out,all the coach can do is smile.

UL coach Matt Deggs was smilingbig afterSaturday’s 10-4victory overLipscomb in the first elimination game of theStarkville Regional at Dudy NobleField.

“It was agreatday,” Deggs said. “I thought it was agreat responsebyour boys (aftera 12-2 loss on Friday). The changes, I’dbeen messing with that in my head alittle bit and went ahead and pulled thetrigger on ittoday.”

The Cajuns improved to 40-24 for theprogram’sseventh 40-win season since2013 and 18th overall. The victoryalsomade it 17 straight regional appearances in which UL haswon at leastone game aftergoing 0-2 in the 1998 BatonRouge Regional.

“That wasthe goal, 40 wins,” Deggs said “It wasn’tadvancing in theregional. It was gettingto40, because it’shard to do now.It means alot.There’sa standard to uphold in this program.”

UL next will face the Mississippi StateCincinnatiloser at 2p.m. Sunday in another elimination game. TheMississippi StateCincinnati game Saturday night ended after press time.

Thealterationthatproducedthe biggest impactwas movingMark Collinstothe 2-hole. The Opelousas Catholic product responded by going 3-for-4withahomer and fourRBIs.

“Thecoaches had alot of faith in me,” Collins said. “I was just glad Iwas able to go out there and do my job and help us get started early.”

Josh Lim, whogot ahit lateinFriday’s loss to Cincinnati, came through with two hits and an RBI.

1:30

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San Diego at Chicago CBSSN TENNIS

ATP/WTA: French Open TNT TRUTV

4 a.m. (Mon.) Roland Garros — Live Tennis

4 a.m. (Mon.) ATP/WTA: French Open TNT,TRUTV

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FRENCH OPEN

Reigning champ Gauff falls

BY ANDREW DAMPF Associated Press

PARIS A minor car crash

couldn’t sidetrack Coco Gauff before she began her French Open title defense.

It took a player who could match the American’s court coverage in long baseline rallies to mark the end of the road for Gauff in Paris. That player was Anastasia Potapova, who produced a 4-6, 7-6 (1), 6-4 victory over Gauff in the third round on Saturday “She was able to finish the points and I wasn’t,” Gauff said. “Just not capitalizing on certain shots.”

The match was played before mostly empty stands inside Court Philippe-Chatrier as French fans stayed away to watch the Champions League soccer final.

Gauff’s second Grand Slam title came with a victory over topranked Aryna Sabalenka in the final at Roland Garros a year ago. Before her opening victory over Taylor Townsend on Tuesday, Gauff was involved in a car accident on the way to the tournament grounds. She wasn’t injured, but the car wasn’t drivable anymore.

The 30th-ranked Potapova, who was born in Russia but now represents Austria, improved to 3-2 in her career against Gauff. She’s having quite a clay season after reaching a final in Linz, Austria, and the semifinals of the Madrid Open as a qualifier.

The fourth-ranked Gauff was coming off a run to the Italian Open final She was beaten in Rome by Elina Svitolina — another player who can match her on long rallies.

“I lost the same way in Rome as I did here,” Gauff said “You never want to lose the same way back-to-back times.”

When Gauff shanked a forehand wide on Potapova’s first match point, Potapova fell on her back and covered her eyes as she stuck her feet up in the air in celebration. Gauff waved to the crowd and quickly walked off court when it was finished.

“Coco is such a champion. I respect her so much,” Potapova said. “I’ve been fighting for the last point and here I am.” It wasn’t a matter of mistakes

for Gauff — she hit three doublefaults to her opponent’s eight and had 46 unforced errors to Potapova’s 56. It was more that Potapova controlled more in the longer rallies and wore Gauff out.

Osaka’s fashion statement

Earlier, Naomi Osaka beat 18-year-old American opponent

Iva Jovic 7-6 (5), 6-7 (3), 6-4 after nearly three hours — in her 100th Grand Slam match — to set up a round-of-16 meeting with topranked Aryna Sabalenka. Sabalenka beat Daria Kasatkina 6-0, 7-5. For her second straight match, Osaka wore a metallic gold bomber jacket over a sequined gold playing dress during her walk-on.

But this time her outfit was offset by a bronze train that stretched all the way down to the red clay on Court Suzanne-Lenglen.

“It’s a surprise every time,”

Osaka said of her fashion choices.

“For me, it would be weirder to wear a normal tennis kit, almost, at this point. It’s the fun of it. For a long time, I didn’t have fun for a

little bit. And you guys know that period of time in my life,” Osaka added, referring to how in 2021 she withdrew from the French Open because of issues with anxiety and depression. “Now I just want things to be fun, and I want to make it exciting for myself.”

Osaka’s outfits are planned a year and a half in advance and require at least four fittings.

“We have so many fittings throughout the year because your weight can fluctuate or the fabric can change a little bit,” she said. “There is a lot of effort that goes into it.”

Heat wave ending

For the seventh straight day of the tournament, it was hot and humid, with the temperature rising to 93 degrees. The heat is expected to break for Sunday and the second week.

In men’s action, Alejandro Tabilo ended the run of 17-yearold Frenchman Moise Kouame with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (9) victory Tabilo next meets Felix Auger-Aliassime, who beat American oppo-

nent Brandon Nakashima 5-7, 6-1, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (1). At No. 4, Auger-Aliassime is the highest-seeded player remaining in the top half of the draw after Jannik Sinner’s loss two days ago.

Juan Manuel Cerundolo followed up his stunning victory over top-ranked Sinner with another five-set victory beating Martin Landaluce 6-4, 6-7 (7), 7-6 (4), 6-7 (4), 7-6 (8) in 5 hours, 58 minutes the longest French Open match in six years. Cerundolo will next meet 2021 Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini, who required 5 hours, 13 minutes to defeat Francisco Comesana 7-6 (3), 5-7, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (13). Flavio Cobolli beat Learner Tien 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 and will next meet American Zachary Svajda, who defeated Francisco Cerundolo 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-3. Another American advancing was Frances Tiafoe, who came back to beat Portuguese qualifier Jaime Faria 4-6, 6-7 (2), 7-6 (4), 6-1, 6-2 in his second consecutive five-setter. He next meets Matteo Arnaldi.

Unsung American rolls into fourth round

BY ANDREW DAMPF Associated Press

PARIS Unsung American tennis player Zachary Svajda is just as surprised as anyone that he’s into the second week at the French Open. After all, he had won only one tour-level match on clay before competing in the main draw at Roland Garros for the first time. He had never even played on a red clay court until two years ago. “I’m definitely shocked,” the 85th-ranked Svajda said after beating established clay-courter Francisco Cerundolo 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-3 to reach the fourth round on Saturday. “It hasn’t kicked in yet. It’s crazy I’m just taking it all in.

“I knew I would get good on the clay I thought maybe in a few years, but I never expected right now,” added the 23-year-old Svajda who took a set off Novak Djokovic at the U.S. Open last year. Svajda’s last match before the French Open was a 6-2, 6-2 loss to 580th-ranked Max Hans Rehberg in the first round of qualifying for

6-3

Saturday

the Geneva Open. So when Svajda finished off the 26th-ranked Cerundolo after slightly more than three hours on Court 14, he dropped down to the clay on his back and covered his face. In October, Svajda’s father and

coach, Tom Svajda, died of cancer Saturday was his dad’s birthday “The emotions were insane. When I fell to the ground, it was just so special. I know he’s proud of me,” Svajda said of his father, who was a teaching pro at

Sorsby’s bets total at least $90K, court docs show

LUBBOCK, Texas Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby has made thousands of bets totaling at least $90,000 while in college, including at least 40 bets on Indiana football when he was a Hoosiers freshman in 2022, according to court filings before a scheduled hearing in the transfer player’s lawsuit seeking to have the NCAA restore his eligibility for what would be his final season this fall.

Sorsby, who transferred to Texas Tech for a reported multimillion dollar-deal after playing for Cincinnati the past two seasons, was ruled ineligible after he acknowledged wagering on sports. A hearing is scheduled Monday in district court in Lubbock County, Texas, on Sorsby’s lawsuit filed May 18 seeking a temporary injunction against the NCAA.

Ream named captain of USMNT for World Cup

FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. — Tim Ream was surprised, his voice filled with emotion. On the verge of becoming the oldest U.S. player to appear in a World Cup, the 38-yearold defender was picked by coach Mauricio Pochettino to captain the Americans next month.

Ream was not aware he was going to be appointed captain until Pochettino made the announcement during a news conference on an indoor field at the new U.S. National Soccer Training Center A St. Louis native who plays for Charlotte in Major League Soccer, Ream will be 38 years, 250 days on the day the U.S. plays its opener against Paraguay on June 12, older than defender Fernando Clavijo when the U.S. was knocked out by Brazil in 1994.

A’s place starter Severino on IL with shoulder strain WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Athletics placed starter Luis Severino on the 15-day injured list with a strained right shoulder on Saturday after he left his previous start after only one inning.

Severino said after Friday’s 8-2 loss to the Yankees that he felt tight in his throwing shoulder every time he threw a pitch during warmups before the second inning, leading to his early exit. The A’s made the move Saturday to shut him down for at least two weeks, recalling right-handed pitcher Michael Kelly from Triple-A Las Vegas to take his place on the roster

The 32-year-old Severino is in the second season of a three-year, $67 million deal with the A’s. He is 2-6 with a 4.16 ERA in 12 starts this season.

White Sox place slugger Murakami on injured list

CHICAGO Chicago White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami is expected to miss four to six weeks with a Grade 2 right hamstring strain.

Manager Will Venable shared details on Murakami’s injury and a revised timeline for the first baseman’s absence from Chicago’s lineup after the White Sox placed him on the 10-day injured list before Saturday’s game with Detroit. The 26-year-old Murakami, who entered the day tied for the AL lead in home runs with 20, underwent imaging revealing the severity of his condition.

Pacific Beach Tennis Club in San Diego. After winning the opening two sets, Svajda’s legs started cramping as the temperatures in Paris again soared above 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

“I didn’t want to show it too much, so I just tried to shorten the points a little bit more. He started to up his game, play well,” Svajda said. “When I lost the third and fourth, I told myself, ’Just keep trusting, keep believing, and you never know what could happen.’

“There was great atmosphere out there. The crowd really helped me.”

Svajda’s previous best Grand Slam result was reaching the second round of the 2021 U.S. Open. He next faces 14th-ranked Flavio Cobolli for a spot in the quarterfinals after the Italian eliminated American player Learner Tien 6-2, 6-2, 6-3.

Svajda has been celebrating his run in Paris in French style, posting a photo of himself on TikTok wearing a beret and holding a giant croissant.

“It’s so much fun,” he said. That one is going viral.”

Murakami has been a huge addition for the resurgent White Sox, who signed the Japanese star to a two-year, $34 million contract in December

King’s ex-husband, ally of women’s pro tennis, dies GRASSVALLEY Calif. Larry W. King, the former husband of Billie Jean King who partnered with her on the creation of the WTA Tour and the “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match, died Friday He was 81. King died at his home of prostate cancer, said his wife, Nancy Bolger King.

Larry King and Billie Jean King met at Cal State-Los Angeles and married in 1965. Together Larry and Billie Jean King founded World TeamTennis, after Billie Jean was long interested in a team format for the sport. Larry designed the colorful courts and revamped scoring system that helped popularize the sport. He played a major role in a breakthrough for women’s

in

Cole positionsself to winfirstPGA title

BY STEPHENHAWKINS

AP sportswriter

FORT WORTH,Texas Eric Cole put himself in position for his first PGA Tour victory, starting fast and finishing withaseason-best round for his first 54-hole lead.

Cole birdied four of his first eight holes on the way to a7-under 63 on Saturday in the third round at the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial. His only bogey wassandwiched by birdies on the back nine.

By matching the best round of the tournament, Colegot to 12-under 198and one stroke ahead of Ryan Gerard, who finished his round of 68 with back-toback birdies. Mac Meissner (67) and reigning U.S. Openchampion J.J. Spaun (68) were two strokes back. Spaun birdied with ablast out of agreen-side bunker at the428-yard 15th hole after bogeys on two of his previous three holes.

Hogan’sAlley firmed up in the heat of a90-degree day after rain earlier in the week, and it is expectedto be even warmer Sunday The scoring average for the third round was 71.2, after

being underpar each of the first two days “I kind ofknewgoing into it that it was going to be a harder course, firmerconditions,” Cole said. “Getting off tothat start and realizing howmuchharderthe course was today was great.”

PGATourrookie Jordan Smith, who enteredthe day leadingat10 underwitha one-strokelead,had four bogeys withoutabirdie in a round of 4-over 74 to dropto atie for 19th place. He had three consecutivebogeys at Nos. 5through 7after only one bogey in hisfirst 40 holes before that This is the 120thPGA start for the 37-year-old Cole, whose parents were both former professional players. His mother,LauraBaugh, was the LPGA rookie of the year in 1973 andhad 70 top10 finishes over a25-year LPGA career.Bobby Cole, from South Africa, wononce on thePGA Tour Cole last played in the final group in the finalround at the 2025 Sony Open, when he finished fifth. His PGATour debut was in 2021.

“It’snot goingtobeaneasy day tomorrow.I know that from myexperience,” Cole

said. “I knowthat it’s going to be difficult,but that’swhy Ipractice really hardand that’swhy Itry and do everything the way Idosothat Icould be as preparedfor whatever tomorrow brings.”

Hischip-in from 27 feet off the edge of the green at the196-yard par-316th came afterthe bogeyatthe par-4 15th. He birdied the 439-yard 14th hole after an approach shot inside 5feet.

Cole wentinto Saturday tied for 25thand five strokes off the lead.

Gerard had three bogeys and threebirdies until his impressive finish. After a tap-in birdie at the399-yard 17th, he hit his approach to 6 feet at the424-yard closing hole while playing in the final threesomeofthe day

“Felt like Iwas just kind of grinding it out prettyhard all day. Felt really confident with howI’vebeen playing, I just didn’tfeel like Iwas hittingitasclose as yesterday and wasn’tleaving my ball in thegreatest spots,” Gerard said. “Soit’sone of those, everyshot really matters, any time you get achance to capitalize on an opportunity you’ve got to take advantage of it.”

Hurricanes finally get StanleyCup breakthrough

BY AARON BEARD AP sportswriter

RALEIGH,N.C. The on-ice celebration was underway for the Carolina Hurricanes after securing their first trip to the Stanley Cup Final in two decades. Rod Brind’Amour hugged and congratulated his players, all while reminding them there was another series ahead. Then came veteran forward Jordan Martinook.

“All right, Marty,you got us here,” Brind’Amourtold him.

“One more,” Martinook replied, on cue. “Yep, one more.” It took eight seasons under Brind’Amour —the captain on Carolina’sCup winner in 2006 —topunch through an Eastern Conference final roadblock by closing outthe Montreal Canadiens in five games Friday night. So this moment was one to savor, particularly for five players —Martinook, captain Jordan Staal, forwards Sebastian Aho and AndreiSvechnikov,and defenseman Jaccob Slavin— who have been here through the pain of three previous exits in this round going back to 2019 in Brind’Amour’sdebut as head coach.

“It’shard to really describe,” Staal said as he sat at his locker.“It’sbeen alot of grinding, alot of ups and downs. I’m just so happy to be where we’re at and just excited for the opportunity ahead.”

Carolina’srise began with

ä Hurricanes at Knights. 7P.M.TUESDAy,ABC

Brind’Amour being elevated to head coach in 2018 after seven seasons as an assistant.Atthe time,the Hurricanes were mired in anineyearplayoff drought They haven’t missed the postseasonsince. Andthe quintet has been there throughout that Brind’Amour-led climb Results were immediate. Carolina tookout the reigning Cupchampion Washington Capitalsinaseven-game first-round series, then went on tomake an unexpected trip to the Eastern Conferencefinalbeforebeing swept by Boston. It wasastart, both of sustained successand recurring frustration. TheHurricanes returned to theEastern Conference final againin2023, thistime with home-ice advantage againstthe Florida Panthers. But theywere swept again by four one-goal margins, includinga four-overtime epic in Game 1. Then last year,the Hurricanes returned for arematchthatquicklywent awry.They lost Games 1and 2ina performancethat frustrated anormally rowdyand exuberant home crowd, fell into an 0-3 series holeand exited in fivegames. That dropped Carolina to 1-12 in that roundunder Brind’Amour,unable to turn

years of consistent regularseason success into abreakthrough playoffmoment. It’s all part of “scar tissue” Martinook mentioned Friday night, shared by the quintet with Brind’Amour as well as holdoverslike assistant coach Jeff Danielsand longtime video coach Chris Huffine.

“They’ve really grinded out and did it theright way,” Brind’Amour said, “and took alot of, Ithink, flack for getting this far and not getting pastit. Unduly.I don’tthink that was right, because they playedashardastheycould They gave it everything theyhad, and that’sall you can ask.”

This year,the Hurricanes swept Ottawa andPhiladelphia in the first tworounds, securing an 11-daybetweenrounds break —the longest in the playoffs in more thana century. They emerged with a horrid start against the Canadiens, who pounced for four first-period goals in a6-2 win that harkenedbacktopast conference-final troubles. Insteadofstumbling, the playoff-testedHurricanes ascended.

NikolajEhlersgave them a3-2 overtimewin in Game 2. They won Game 3bythe same OT scoreonSvechnikov’sroad winner,with Ahoscreening Jakub Dobes at the top of the crease. And they gottotheir smothering game Staal likenedtoa “machine” from there, winning 4-0onthe road before Friday’s6-1 home win.

LSUtrack finishes strong first round

BY TOYLOY BROWNIII Staff writer

LSU track and field team competed on Day 4 of theNCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field East first round on Saturday at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky

The Tigershad 36 athletes (17men, 19 women) and49total entries competing over thefourdays of competition.The top 12 in each event advanced to theNCAA Outdoor Championships, which will be from June 10-13 in Eugene, Oregon. Here’s all thathappened forthe women’steamon Saturday,which will be representedin11different eventsinEugene. The LSU men’steam finished competing on Fridayand will also have 11 different events accounted for Trackevents

100-meter dash

Sophomore Shawnti Jackson finished fourth with atime of 10.90 seconds, advancing to the NCAA Championships

Junior Tima Godbless ad-

vanced after finishing 11th in 11.10.

Freshman Athaleyha Hincksonnarrowly missed advancing after tying for 12th in 11.11.

110-meterhurdles

Senior Adeyah Brewster advanced to the NCAA Championships after finishing eighth in 12.92.

Senior Salieci Myles finished 22nd in 13.57 and will not advance. Southern’sTashina Alase advanced after posting the second-fastest time of the day.The redshirt junior finished in 12.74.

200 Jackson finishedninth in 22.84, advancing to the NCAA Championships SeniorKelizaSmithnarrowly missed the cut after finishing 13th in 22.94.

Junior Aniyah Bigam finished 17th in 23.05.

Sophomore Nasya Williams also didn’tadvance after finishing 21st in 23.22.

400

Freshman SkylerFranklin advanced after placing ninth in 50.83.

Freshman Kennedi Burks finished 17th in 51.47 and will not join her in Eugene.

5,000

The Associated Press

OKLAHOMACITY Emma Clarke’sleadoff home run in thebottomofthe ninth inning lifted Tennessee to adramatic 2-1 victory over Texas Tech in awinner’s bracket game on Saturday at the Women’sCollege World Series. Clarke’shomer to deep centerfield,combined with some excellent defense and stellarpitching from the Lady Vols’ AllAmerica pitchers, sent Tennessee to the national semifinals with a2-0 record. No. 7seed Tennessee (49-10) will play either Texas, Alabama or Nebraska on Monday with the chancetoadvance to thechampionship series. Eleventh-seeded Texas Tech (58-8) will play UCLA on Sunday in an elimination game Tennessee starting pitcher Karlyn Pickenstook ashutout and a1-0 lead into theseventhinning Taylor Pannell, atransfer from Tennessee, scored the tying run on asacrifice flyfrom pinch hitter Desirae Spearman. Pannell was originally called out at home on the throw from center fielder Sophia Knight, but video replay showed that catcher Elsa Morrison missed the tag. Sage Mardjetko (16-2)relieved andwalked the first

batter to load thebases. The inning endedonadiving catch by left fielder Alannah Leach In the fifth, Tennessee’s Taelyn Holleyhomered to left field on aone-strike pitchfrom NiJaree Canady for the game’sfirst run. Knight made the defensive play of the game in the sixth inning. AfterMia Williams doubled with one out, Mihyia Davis singled up the middle andKnight threw outWilliams at homewith aperfect one-hop throw to Morrison.

Kaitlyn Terry (24-2) gave up Clarke’shome run. Thirty-six of the42national champions at the WCWS started off 2-0.

Sophomore Edna Chepkemoi finished12thin15:53.25 to keep her season alive. Freshman Abigael Chemnagei won’tgotoEugene after finishing 21st in 16:03.45.

4×100 relay LSU will be at the NCAA Championships after finishing third in 42.48. The team was comprised of Hinckson, Godbless, Bigam and Jackson.

4×400 relay LSU is heading to Eugene after finishing fifth in 3:27.50. The runners were Ella Onojuvwevwo, Rafiatu Nuhu, Burks and Jackson.

Fieldevents

Discus

Redshirt sophomore Princesse Hyman finished fifth witha throwof188 feet, advancing to the NCAA Championships. Redshirt sophomoreLeah Acosta didn’tadvance after finishing 16th with athrow of 176-0. Freshman Jillian Scully finished 21st with athrow of 170-3.

Highjump

Sophomore Zoe Peacock finished14thwith ajump of 5-91/4

CAJUNS

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“I don’twant Josh Lim to get lost in all of this,” Deggssaid. “I thought he had atremendousday.”

The other hitting stars for UL were Blaze Rodriguez at4-for-5 with an RBI and three runs scored, and Colt Brown at 3-for-4 witha solo homer The Cajuns finished with 14 hits to six for the Bisons.

The offense wasn’tspectacular in anyone inning, butitwas relentless with runs in each of the first five innings.

Moving Collins right behind the leadoff hitter paid dividends right away whenhehit atwo-runhomer in the first inning. Collins then delivered atwo-run single in the second inning.

“That kid right there, he’s goteverything that takestoplay in the big leagues,” Deggs said of Collins “He comes out of asmall school north of town and he’slearning You’re starting to seesome of that come together.And Ithought him and Blaze would be reallygood together and it worked out that way.”

Brown got into the actinthe third with aone-out solohome run to left. An inning later, Lim got a leadoff single and scored on Rodriguez’s RBI single.

“It was huge for us coming off anight like last night where we

didn’thave hardlyany run support at all,” Brown said. “I thought we dida good job just responding and having tough ABs all daylong, and showing us that we can do this.”

The Cajuns scored two more runs in the fifth when Brown and Drew Markle led off with singles and scoredon aLim run-scoring single andthenatwo-outwild pitch.

UL starting pitcher Ty Roman was the beneficiary of the consistent offense,although he struggled with his command over three innings of work.The left-hander allowed two runsonatwo-run homer to Jordan Thomas in thethird. He also allowed three hits and three walks withfour strikeouts in 67 pitches.

Parker Smith provided some stabilitywithtwo shutout relief innings while surrendering only one

hit, one walk and striking out two over 39 pitches.

UL’s thirdpitcher,Hayden Pearson,gave two runs, one unearned, on two hits anda walkin12/3 innings and 23 pitches.

Sawyer Pruitt finished off the Bisonswith 22/3 scoreless innings.

The UL defense alsowas solid, turning double plays in the seventhand eighth innings to squash any Lipscomb comeback hopes.

Deggs plans to start senior lefthander Andrew Herrmann in Sunday’selimination game.

“I’m going to start him andsee what happens,” Deggs said. “We’ll see if he gives us one or 12. You don’tknow withhim.”

Email KevinFooteat kfoote@theadvocate.com.

DUNCAN

Continued from page1C

theMoore era. Signs of the leadership transition wereevident everywhere.

During defensive drills, Kaden Elliss worethe green dot helmet and called out the plays to his defensive teammates. That duty belonged exclusively to Davis for theprevious eight seasons.

Veteran edge rusher Chase Young set the toneduring 7-on-7 drills by running thelengthofthe field in pursuitofthe ball carrier on multiple plays. In past years, Jordan manned thelead-by-example Energizer Bunnyrole.

On the other side of the ball, Tyler Shough leftlittle doubt who was in charge. The secondyear quarterback commanded thehuddle, spurred teammates from drill to drill and encouraged them when things didn’tgo well.

“The reality is Demario is the best leader that I’ve ever seen in my entire life,” center Erik McCoy said. “His voice is almost irreplaceable. But it does give an opportunity and achance for alot of the other guys that might have been alittle bit quieter beforehand to step up and showcase who they are, their personalities, their leadership skills.

“I’msure that one guy can’tfill his role, but twoorthree can.”

McCoy,deep snapper Zach Wood and safety Justin Reid are the only team captains back from the eight-man group froma year ago. Now, anew group of young veterans likely will make up that group. On offense, the leading candidates areShough, McCoy,Juwan Johnson, Chris Olave and David Edwards. On defense, the leadership likely will be acollective effort led by Reid, Elliss and veteran linebacker Pete Werner

“We’re going to have to build our team froma leadership standpoint through agroup of people instead of one or two people,” Saints defensive coordinatorBrandon Staley said, singling out the back seven of his unit.

“It’sa great opportunity for that group of guys to cometogether, because that’show it’sgoing to have to be.”

How much of this leadership turnover was intentional from theSaints’ brain trust and how much was coincidental is unclear

Kamara remains under contract, although his roster status is uncertain after the Saints

signed Travis Etienne to be their lead back. The club pursued Davis in free agency and has extended acontract offer to Jordan, although the terms of the offers are unknown, making it difficult to read the earnestness of the Saints’ intentions.

Despite the uncertainty,it’s still possible that Jordan and Kamaraare part of the 2026 team. Jordan’slocker has been cleared out but remains conspicuously empty despite the overflow crowd of rookies and free agents on the roster.Clarity forKamara could come in the days ahead as aJune 1deadline looms.

Regardless, the Saints are excited to see anew group of leaders emerge, led by Shough.

“Tyler didn’thesitate as he was starting last year; he took the role and was breaking down the team and speaking words of wisdom to the guys,” Wood said. “That wasanatural thing for him,and obviously good timing because we lost alot of vocal leaders this year.” It should be noted that the transition can sometimes be difficult to navigate. The last timethe Saints lost such adistinguished group of leaders in one offseason, it didn’tgowell.

In 2014, the Saints moved on from veterans Jabari Greer, RomanHarper,Malcolm Jenkins, Lance Moore, Will Smith, Darren Sproles and Jonathan Vilma and struggled to fillthe leadership void. With its structural core fractured, aSaints team that started the season with Super Bowl aspirations fell into disarray and stumbled to adisappointing 7-9 finish.

In an effort to rectifythe situation, the Saints eventually re-signed Harper,Jenkins and Moore, but the damage was done. Former Saints coach Sean Payton called the leadership purge one of the biggest mistakes of his tenure in New Orleans.

The Saints are confident they can avoid asimilar fate this timearound. They believe they have morethan afew good men ready,willing and able to assumethe leadership roles left open. Make no mistake, though: They are big shoes to fill.

“It’slike the circle of life,” Wood said. “Itwas knownthat after the gameDemario was going to have somewords, so now that’sdefinitely opened up the floor.It’sanopen mictoall the other guys. I’mlooking forward to seeing whothat next guy will be to fillthe void and be that guy, the voice of the team.”

to compete every night. We cannotget banged around, pushed around. We havetobephysical and compete every night.There were some nights we did it,but too many nights we didn’tcompete at ahigh enough level for me. Youcan’tget past that in this league.

“Wehave talent. But if you think you’re just going to roll talent out on an NBA court and that’sall you need to do to win, that’s not going to happen.”

The hiring of Mosley,who was known for his defense in his five seasons as head coach of theOrlando Magic, should solve things on that end of the court. Especially if he can get players not known for their defensive prowess to buy in. But defense alone won’tsolve the other things that have held the Pels back.

Dumars spent his firstseason in New Orleans assessing the teamand knows thereis work to do. Running it back with the sameteamisn’tanoptionfor a franchise that hasn’treached 30 wins the past two seasons.

“Unless you’re achampionship team, you might tweak one or

two things,”Dumars said. “When you’re where we are,you have to be open to everything. And that’s where Iam. Iam open to whatever comes acrossmydesk. Whatever phone calls Iget, I’mopen to it to listen and see ifthis is theright thing for us at this moment.Idon’t think you can closeoff anything where we are right now.

One player who seems to be off limits is Zion Williamson.When Dumars took over last year,he madeit clear that Williamson is the cornerstone of thefranchise Dumars’ thoughts on thata year later are the same.

“Wehaven’t changed our opinion on Zion,” Dumarssaid. “I’d love to seeJamahl coachZion. I’d love to seehim get Zion to defend and do all thethings that he said. Let’s see what we havehere. Williamson helped his caseby playing in 62 games this season, thesecond-most games he’splayed during his seven NBA seasons. While Williamson will continue to be the centerpiece, it’sthe pieces around himthatwill be key. Those pieces havetofit. ThePelicans’ only draft pick is late in thesecond round at 58th overall. Dumars didn’trule out making amove to getinto the first round of the June 24 draft. “Wedefinitely have achanceto do so,” Dumars said in April.

Whether it’svia the draft or free agency or trade, some much-needed changes almost certainlyare on theway ThePelicansranked25th in defensive rating thisseason and 21st in offensive rating. Mosley will count on assistants Dale Os-

bourne (defensive coordinator) and Bret Brielmaier(offensive coordinator) to improve those numbers. Theyare twoofthe first fourassistants he’shired. They were with him in Orlando and are making the move to New Orleans,along with GodSham-

mgod andRandy Gregory.More of his staff fromOrlando could be on the way as well.

“Whenyou’vedone something as astaff thathas worked, you want those same people with you to say‘Here’s howitworked, Mosleysaid. “They know the ins andouts andthe things you’re going to bump into.You’vebeen through hard times together.You go from22(wins) to 34 to 47 to 41 to 45 wins with agroup, so you’ve seen it (work).”

Mosleyand his coaching staff arealreadyonthe same page. Mosleyand Dumars are too, which is why he took the job after just getting fired by the Magic threeweeksago.

“Wesee things so similarly whenitcomes to accountability andholding people’sfeet to the fire,” Mosleysaid. “That’sso important to growand build a championship organization.”

The Pelicansare along way away frombeing achampionship team. But can Mosley at least get themtrending in the right directionasa consistent playoff team like he did with the Magic?

WhatDumars does the rest of this offseason will go along way in determining that.

EmailRod Walker at rwalker@ theadvocate.com.

Late rush of draftwithdrawals reshapes collegehoops rosters

BY MARK LONG Associated Press

College basketball rosters are close to being set for nextseason.

Nearly adozen potential firstround picks withdrew fromthe NBA draft and opted to return to school, including several high-profile guys just before the Thursday deadline.

Former Baylor big manTounde Yessoufou removed himselffrom NBA consideration and committed to St.John’s. Alabama’sAmari Allen, Arkansas’ Billy Richmond, Illinois’ Andrej Stojakovic,Michigan State’sJeremy Fears andVanderbilt’sTyler Tanner also decided to spend another year in college.

Former Iowa State forward Milan Momcilovic, meanwhile, pulled out of the draft and immediately becamethe top available prospect. Arizona, Kentucky, Louisville and St. John’sare reportedly in pursuit

With the draft prospects set, here’salook at how teams inthe final Associated Press Top25poll have fared since Michigan beat UConn in the national title game:

1. Michigan (37-3)

In: J.P.Estrella (Tennessee),Jalen Reed (LSU), Moustapha Thiam (Cincinnati), atop-five recruiting class.

Out: MorezJohnson,Yaxel Lendeborg, Aday Mara Unknown: How much will the reigning nationalchampions tweak their style of play to feature dynamic guards Elliot Cadeau andTrey McKenney?

2. UConn(34-6)

In: Najai Hines (Seton Hall),Nikolas Khamenia (Duke).

Out: Alex Karaban, Tarris Reed. Unknown: Talented guardSolo Ball is expected to sit out the 2026-27 season following wristsurgery and be ready the following year

3. Arizona(36-3)

In: Derek Dixon (North Carolina), JJ Mandaquit (Washington), fivestar recruit Caleb Holt.

Out: Jaden Bradley,Brayden Burries, Anthony Dell’Orso, Koa Peat

Unknown: Motiejus Krivas andIvan Kharchenkovreturning should give Arizona asolidfoundation for aquick rebuild.

4. Duke (35-3)

In: John Blackwell(Wisconsin) Drew Scharnowski, atop-five recruiting class

Out: Cameron Boozer,IsaiahEvans, Nikolas Khamenia.

Unknown: How big of ajump will returners Cayden Boozer,Caleb Foster,Patrick Ngongba and Dame Sarr make?

5. Illinois(28-9)

In: Stefan Vaaks (Providence), a top-10 recruiting class.

Out: Keaton Wagler,Kylan Boswell. Unknown: Andrej Stojakovic’sreturn is significant, but replacing Wagler and Boswell won’t be easy

6. Purdue (30-9)

In: CadenPierce(Princeton), a top-10 recruiting class.

Out: Trey Kaufman-Renn, Fletcher Loyer,BradenSmith.

Unknown: How long will it take for Pierce, an Ivy League player of the year,toacclimate to theBig Ten aftersitting outlastseasonwhile recovering from ankle injuries?

7. Houston(30-7)

In: Delrecco Gillespie(Kent State),Corey Hadnot(Purdue Fort Wayne), DedanThomas (LSU)

Out: Chris Cenac, Kingston Flemings, Emanuel Sharp, Milos Uzan.

Unknown: Wasguard Mercy Miller’slate-season surge asign of things to come?

8. Iowa State(29-8)

In: Jaquan Johnson (Bradley), Ryan Prather (Robert Morris), Tre Singleton (Northwestern).

Out: Milan Momcilovic,Joshua Jefferson, Tamin Lipsey

Unknown: The Cyclones have been close in recent years butare still looking to advance past the Sweet 16 for the first time since2000.

9. Florida(27-8)

In: Potentially Denzel Aberdeen (Kentucky), who is seeking another year of eligibility.European sharpshooters DomenPetrovic (Slovenia)and Arturas Butajevas (Lithuania) should make the Gators tougher to double in the paint

Out: Xaivian Lee, Micah Handlogten.

Unknown: The Gators shouldbethe preseason No. 1with starters Rueben Chinyelu, Alex Condon,Boogie Fland and Thomas Haughback

10.St. John’s (30-7)

In: Avery Brown (Columbia), Quinn Ellis (Europe), Donnie Free-

man(Syracuse),Tounde Yessoufou (Baylor).

Out: Zuby Ejiofor,Bryce Hopkins, Dillon Mitchell.

Unknown: Landing Freeman and Yessoufou should help Hall of Fame coach RickPitino and theRed Storm getback to the Sweet 16.

11.MichiganState (27-8)

In: Anton Bonke (Charlotte), atopfiverecruiting class.

Out: Carson Cooper,Jaxon Kohler

Unknown: Former Florida Atlantic transfer Kaleb Glenn returns after missing last season because of aknee injury and should help take some of the pressure off standout pointguardJeremy Fears.

12.Tennessee (25-12)

In: Dai Dai Ames (Cal), Jalen Haralson (Notre Dame), Juke Harris (WakeForest), Terrence Hill (VCU), TylerLundblade(Belmont),Miles Rubin (Loyola Chicago).

Out: Nate Ament, Jaylen Carey, J.P.Estrella, Ja’Kobi Gillespie,Felix Okpara.

Unknown: Coach Rick Barnes, whose Volunteers ranked 11th in the SEC in offense last season, signed five transfers who averaged at least 15 pointsa game. Philosophical change, or can theyplay his style of defense?

13.Arkansas(28-9)

In: Cooper Bowser (Furman), Jeremiah Wilkinson (Georgia), a top-fivesigning class that features Jordan Smith.

Out: Darius Acuff, Trevon Brazile, Nick Pringle, Meleek Thomas.

Unknown: Getting Thomas and Billy Richmond back wasapipedream Losing both would have been crushing for the Razorbacks, so Richmond’sreturn is awelcomeone.

14.Nebraska(28-7)

In: Kadyn Betts (Montana), Taj DeGourville (San Diego State), Boden Kapke (Boston College), TrevanLeonhardt (Utah Valley),Sam Orme (Belmont), Damon Wilkinson (South Dakota State).

Out: SamHoiberg, Jamarques Lawrence, RienkMast.

Unknown: All-Big Tenselection

Pryce Sandfort andthe league’s sixthman of theyear,BradenFrager,shouldhelp coach Fred Hoiberg continuethe best stretch in programhistory

15.Iowa(24-13)

In: Ty’Reek Coleman(Illinois State), Andrew McKeever (Saint Mary’s).

Out: TavionBanks, BennettStirtz

Unknown: TheHawkeyes have a solid foundation with Kael Combs Alvaro Folgueiras, Cooper Koch and Cam Manyawu back, but can they collectively replace Stirtz?

16.Alabama (25-10)

In: Cole Cloer (N.C. State),Jamarion Davis-Fleming (Mississippi State),Drew Fielder (Boise State), BrandonGarrison(Kentucky), a top-15 signing class.

Out: Taylor BolBowen, Houston Mallette, Labaron Philon, Aiden Sherrell,Latrell Wrightsell. Unknown: Will Aden Holloway return followinghis arrest on felony drug charges?

17.Virginia(30-6)

In: Jurian Dixon (UCIrvine), Christian Harmon (Arkansas State).

Out: Malik Thomas, Jacari White.

Unknown: The Cavaliersare still looking for portal help, but thebulk of the load will fall on returners

Thijs Ridder,Johann Grunloh, Sam Lewis andChance Mallory

18.Gonzaga (31-4)

In: Massamba Diop (Arizona State), Isiah Harwell(Houston), possiblyEuropean pro Jack Kayil.

Out: Tyon Grant-Foster,Graham Ike, Emmanuel Innocenti, Adam Miller, Braeden Smith.

Unknown: Braden Huff (left knee) is expected to be fully healthy after

missing thefinal few monthsofthe season. Huff, guards Mario SaintSupery andDavis Fogleand Diop should givethe Bulldogsachance to reach the Sweet 16 for thefirst time since 2024.

19.Vanderbilt(27-9)

In: T.O. Barrett (Missouri), Berke Buyuktuncel (Nebraska), Bangot Dak (Colorado), Ace Glass (WashingtonState), SebastianWilliamsAdams (Auburn).

Out: DevinMcGlockton, Duke Miles, Tyler Nickel, AK Okereke, Jalen Washington.

Unknown: Tyler Tanner will have a lot of new teammates. Howquickly can they gel?

20.Kansas(24-11)

In: Leroy Blyden (Toledo), Keanu Dawes (Utah), Christian Reeves (College of Charleston), atop-five signing class thatincludes the nation’sconsensus No. 1recruit forward TyranStokes from Seattle. Out: Flory Bidunga,Melvin Council, ElmarkoJackson, Jamari McDowell, Darryn Peterson, Bryson Tiller,Tre White.

Unknown: The Jayhawks are counting on Stokesplaying more regularly than Peterson did in his one-anddone season.Who complements him is thebig question.

21.Texas Tech (23-11)

In: Cruz Davis (Hofstra), Damarion Dennis(Wyoming), Dra GibbsLawhorn (UNLV), incoming freshman DakariSpear

Out: Donovan Atwell, Luke Bamgboye, Jaylen Petty, LeJuan Watts

Unknown: JT Toppin’sfuture is among college basketball’sbiggest questions. Toppin toreaknee ligament in February andcould spend afull year rehabbing.

22.Texas (21-15)

In: AmariEvans (Tennessee), ElyjahFreeman (Auburn), Isaiah Johnson (Colorado), Mikey Lewis (Saint Mary’s), David Punch (TCU).

Out: Nicolas Codie, Declan Duru, Camden Heide, JordanPope, DailynSwain, Chendall Weaver,Simeon Wilcher Unknown: Longhornscoach Sean Miller landeda solid portal class featuringJohnson andPunch, has center Matas Vokietaitis returning and atop-20 recruit in Austin Goosby.Are they enough to offset theloss of Pope and Swain?

23.Louisville(24-11)

In: Flory Bidunga (Kansas), Gabe Dynes(USC), Alvaro Folgueiras (Iowa),KarterKnox (Arkansas), De’Shayne Montgomery(Dayton), Jackson Shelstad (Oregon),top high school center ObinnaEkezie. Out: Mikel Brown, Mouhamed Camara, Ryan Conwell, Sananda Fru, J’Vonne Hadley,Isaac McKneely, Kobe Rodgers, KhaniRooths,Vangelis Zougris.

Unknown: The Cardinals hope to offset the loss of five starters by signing thetop-ranked portal class.

24.Miami (26-9)

In: Quin Berger (Bucknell), Brent Bland(Saint Peter’s), Somto Cyril (Georgia),Nick Dorn(Indiana), DeSean Goode(RobertMorris), Acaden Lewis (Villanova).

Out: Salih Altuntas, Noam Dovrat, TreDonaldson, Jordyn Kee, John Laboy,Treyvon Maddox, Timotej Malovec, MalikReneau, Ernest Udeh, TruWashington.

Unknown: Cyril led theSEC in blocks last season and should provide an inside presence as theHurricanes trytoreplacefrontcourtstandouts Reneau and Udeh.

25.Wisconsin (24-11)

In: Trey Autry(George Washington),EianElmer (Miami, Ohio), VictoryOnuetu(Hofstra)

Out: Aleksas Bieliauskas, John Blackwell, Riccardo Greppi, Jack Robison.

Unknown: The Badgers lost more than they gained, most notablywith Blackwell leaving for Duke.

Marquettecoach Smartrelents on transfer portal

Down season led to coachadjusting philosophy on transfer players

BY STEVE MEGARGEE Associated Press

MILWAUKEE Nowthat he finally has started signing players from the transfer portal again, Marquette coach Shaka Smart expects to continue doingitevery year “I would be shocked if there’s ever aspring where we don’t takeany in the future,” Smart saidThursday during amedia session previewing the start of summer workouts next week.

Smart didn’tadd any Division Itransfers for four straight years before landing former Louisville forward/center SanandaFru andformerSt. Thomas (Minnesota) guardNolan Minessale this offseason. Marquette was the only powerconference program that hadn’t signed at least one Division I transfer during thatfour-year stretch.

The philosophy change came afterMarquette went 12-20 last season, snapping astring of four straight NCAA Tournament appearances.

“Weadded twotransfers,” Smartsaid. “Ifyou look at that relative to the rest of our league or alot of people that we play against, that’savery small number.Ithink that depending on the spring, that number could be bigger.Itcould be right around there.”

This wasn’tthe first time Smart had pursued transfers since arriving at Marquette.

Smart’sfirst Marquette team hadfour transfers, including 2023 Big East player of the year Tyler Kolek and 2023 first-round draft pick Olivier-Maxence

Prosper

But after that 2021 roster overhaul, Smarthadn’tsigned any otherDivisionItransfers until now.The only transfer he had added from2022-25 was Zach Wrightsil, who came from NAIA programLoyolaNew Orleans in 2022.

Smart didn’tneed to use the portal because he hada group of quality players who stayedfor multiple seasons while helping Marquette make annual NCAA Tournamentappearances, includinga Sweet 16 berth in 2024.

“The reason we decided to do that after the ’21-22 season, my first season, (was) we

just looked at our team,and at thattime we felt like we had areally good group of young guys in our freshman and our sophomore class,” Smart said. “(Wefelt) that what would give us thebest chance forthemto evolve andgrow anddevelop into really what they ended up developing into was if they had that type of runway,without bringing guys in ahead of them or on top of them.That also can affect retention, when youbring otherguys in. Man, they really rewarded us for that.”

The turning point camewhen aseniorclass featuring Kam Jones,David Joplin andStevie Mitchell left in 2025. Without anytransfers to make up for those graduationlosses, Marquette went backward last season.

Smart said he knew as the season progressed that he’d need to adjust his approach to roster construction. He then discovered how much recruiting transfers hadchanged since 2021.

“At that time, they couldn’t visit because of COVID,” Smart said. “Now alot of them choose not to visit because they decide so fast. Some of that is due to thefinancial component of it becausetheydon’t want to lose an opportunity,either.It’swarp speed.It’scommunicating over Zoom, andthere’s way, way more agent involvement than there was at that time, which is not abad thing. It just is.”

Marquette is counting on Fru and Minessale to blend well with its incoming freshmen and areturning nucleus led by Big East freshman of the year Nigel James as the Golden Eagles attempt to bounce back.

Fru,a 6-foot-11 forward/center from Germany,averaged 9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 1.2 assists while starting 29 gamesfor Louisville last season Minessale had 19.8 points, 4.6 rebounds and4.3 assists per gameatSt. Thomas. Smart said the 6-5 guard rooted for Marquette while growing up in the Milwaukee suburb of Brookfield, Wisconsin.

“Itwas still important forus that we brought guys in here whocould positively affect the people around them from arelationship standpoint,” Smart said. “Wealso wanted guys with acompetitiveness aboutthem anda levelofcareand concern for all the things that go into winning, which youdon’twant to take for granted. We feel like those two guys have those things.”

OUTDOORS

Todd Tarifa, left, gives instructions on turning and body position to Amanda Caruso, center, and Charles Camp at BREC’s Farr Park Equestrian Center in this 2017 file photo On June 10, the state’s Wildlife and Fisheries will host a youth

safety course at the Wildlife and Fisheries headquarters on Quail Drive in Baton Rouge. For more information or

email Taylor Brazan at tbrazan@wlf.ls.gov

Safety first on ATVs

BY JOE MACALUSO Contributing writer

Louisiana’s hunting seasons came to an end last Sunday the end of the spring squirrel season — but preparations for the next hunting season are never far away

BY TERESA M. WALKER AP sportswriter

LEBANON, Tenn. — The question Denny Hamlin hears the most is whether he gets nervous before a race. His answer usually is no. That changes at Nashville Superspeedway where Hamlin is looking for his first victory

“I’ve been so close over the last few years,” Hamlin said Saturday of racing at Nashville. “But I love the racetrack. I definitely do and certainly feel like it’s been a very raceable race track over the last couple (races) since they’ve worked the resin in and whatnot. So it’s, um, I’m a little nervous going into the weekend truthfully.”

tional Park is the least expensive.

Great Smokey Mountain National Park in eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina has, at $40, the cheapest full-day bike rentals.

If you want to see the complete list, Google the “2026 Most/Least Expensive National Parks for Camping.”

Protect those feet

Tanya Walker gets some help adjusting the strap of her helmet from instructor Todd Tarifa during a 4-H seminar at the BREC’s Farr Park Equestrian Center Task force formed to make young riders more aware of the dangers

That’s why come June 10, a broad-based assembly of folks will launch the Louisiana Youth ATV/UTV Safety Task Force. With hunting seasons a little more than three months away, state and local agencies will gather law enforcement and health care professionals and educators from all corners of our state to help keep future hunting seasons safer for young folks

Why? Because young folks use ATVs (four-wheelers) and utility vehicles more during the hunting season than any other time of the year Sure, in rural and farming areas, the young are more prone to using these vehicles throughout the year but hunting season is a much busier time.

The target is to make youngsters more aware of safely using these vehicles. Education will be the main tool, but so will awareness of the dangers.

On June 10, the doors at state Wildlife and Fisheries headquarters on Quail Drive in Baton Rouge will open at 8:30 a.m. with the program set to begin at 9:15 a.m. Wildlife and Fisheries communication director Taylor Brazan is handling the program and said seating will be limited and asked for advance registration via email: tbrazan@ wlf.ls.gov

The program comes in the middle of the recently declared June 8-14 Louisiana ATV Safety Week. It’s a public safety initiative bringing together transpor-

Junior Southwest Bassmasters AMELIA — Age-group results from the Junior Southwest BassmastersDenham Springs’ May tournament held from the Amelia public landing with anglers, their hometowns (when available), number of bass weighed in parentheses (five-bass limit), total weight in pounds and big-bass winners: 15-18 age group: 1, Blake LeRay Brusly (4) 3.45 pounds. 2, Anthony Tapia Jr., Bourg (3) 3.19. Big bass: Tapia, 1.71 pounds. 11-14 age group: 1, Noah Roblin, Denham Springs (5) 6.66. 2, Ryder Owens, Denham Springs (5) 6.43. 3, Keegan Felder, Denham Springs (3) 4.17. Big bass: Jaxon Harper, Livingston, 1.96. 7-10 age group: 1, Blake Harper, Livingston (1) .79 Adult division: 1, Caleb Roblin, Denham Springs (5) 6.66. 2 ,Randall Richardson, Denham Springs (5) 6.43. 3, Kevin Lapeyrouse, Walker (5) 6.31. Big bass: Steve LeBlanc, Brusly, 2.0.

tation, agriculture, wildlife, health care and community personnel who have seen the importance of reducing and preventing ATV/ UTV crashes, injuries and fatalities for young operators. And, yes, there have been fatalities.

“This initiative is about bringing people together with one common goal protecting Louisiana’s youth,” Wildlife and Fisheries secretary Tyler Bosworth said. “Through collaboration, education and community engagement we hope to create a stronger culture of ATV and UTV safety across our state.”

Road trips

Hiking groups across our great land take time every May to tell about the adven-

tures awaiting us in our national parks.

Personal favorites include Great Smoky Mountain, Dinosaur Rocky Mountain, Shenandoah Valley and Louisiana’s own Jean Lafitte national parks.

With that comes a list of the 15 most-visited parks. It details the most and least expensive for campers and outlines the average daily costs of things like tent camping, permits and park fees along with meals and the local prices of gas and other fuels.

The website casino.org funded the list and says Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park costs $439 for a weekend, making it the most expensive park for campers. At $218 for a weekend, Arkansas’ Hot Springs Na-

A reminder for summer’s vacationers and hikers: Ankles (not knees or feet) are the most common injuries suffered by hikers and it’s not even close.

Furthermore, slips and falls cause near 50% of all leg injuries, and the ankles are at risk because hikers “underestimate how much strain long distances, uneven terrain, and fatigue put on their feet.”

Blisters are a big problem, too.

The point of this is, if you’re planning a hike into the great outdoors, make sure to buy well-fitting boots that are able to withstand the type of terrain you’re planning to hike. Also, make sure you know surfaces and distances and to break the boots in before you hit the trail.

And, another suggestion. If you and your family are anywhere hear Springfield, Missouri, then set aside one day to tour the Wonders of Wildlife Museum. It’s next to the original (and extraordinarily spacious) Bass Pro Shops. This museum and aquarium is an eight-time winner of America’s Best Aquarium Award.

There’s more that because it honors the dedicated conservation efforts by fishermen and hunters for more that 100 years in the preservation of our country’s outdoors. It’s worth the time and the ticket price.

Inshore categories. Weigh-in June 11-13, 4-6 p.m. Fishing begins June 10. Benefits Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital & others. Email: swollfest@cox.net. Registration website: swollfest.com.

JUNE 13 — NSCA REGISTERED

SPORTING CLAYS: Bridge View Gun Club, Port Allen. FISHING/SHRIMPING

Hamlin ranks second in the points race and has 61 career Cup wins. He has three top-six finishes here including third twice with the latest last year He has two wins this year with his last the All-Star race at Dover

The Cracker Barrel 400 on Sunday night will be the sixth Cup race at the 1.33mile, D-shaped oval, which also is NASCAR’s largest all-concrete track.

Now 45, Hamlin knows he is running out of opportunities and won’t hide how much he wants to take home Nashville’s signature trophy: a Gibson guitar

“I really really want to win here pretty badly,” Hamlin said.

Nashville marks the start of the second half of the Cup Series schedule with drivers leaving here with 12 races remaining before the Chase for the Championship starts in September

Ryan Blaney won here a year ago for his first victory of 2025, and he comes into this race third in the points race. Blaney said he doesn’t feel any sense of urgency right now, especially returning to a track that was good to him a year ago.

“It’s hard to believe we’re already halfway through the regular season,” Blaney said.

Daniel Suarez has spent part of the week celebrating his win at the Coca-Cola 600 last week and was in Los Angeles on Friday for the premiere of his new documentary That meant a red-eye flight to Nashville as he switches his focus back to racing while currently 10th in the standings.

Suarez knows his Spire Motorsports team won a big race. He sees more work to do with his No. 7 Chevrolet.

“I’m really pushing my team to continue to push in these areas to continue to improve because every single team out there is going to continue getting better,” Suarez said. “So we have to continue to move the bar higher and higher.”

Remembering Kyle Busch

Reminders of the twotime Cup Series champion who died May 22 are everywhere at the superspeedway His No. 8 has been atop the scoring tower,

painted on the infield grass and round stickers with both his number and his name are plastered on everything from race cars to laptops.

Battling a car

Ross Chastain is looking for his first victory this year and stands 23rd in the points standings He had a colorful answer Saturday when asked if 13 races have helped his Trackhouse Racing team and others running Chevrolets figure out how to race with the body changes made to the car for 2026.

“Have you seen those videos online where they grease up a watermelon, throw in the air and see if they can catch it? That’s what it feels like,” Chastain said. “We’re trying. No, not where we need to be yet. Working hard.”

Driver change for 2027

Corey Heim will race full-time for 23XI Racing on the Cup Series in 2027, taking over the No. 35 car currently driven by Riley Herbst. Hamlin, co-owner of 23XI Racing, joined Heim for the announcement Saturday providing a stark contrast with his experience compared to his new driver Heim turns 24 in July “Holy cow,” Hamlin said of the age difference.

“I think when I was his age I was still running eighth place in limited late models. While it seems like he’s been on this trajectory for so long to be in this position, still far ahead of where I was at this point. It’s wild. I mean I’ve been in the Cup series pretty much since he’s been born.” Hamlin to start on pole Hamlin will start on the pole Sunday night after spotty showers canceled qualifying Saturday It’s the second straight race that rain has prompted officials to cancel qualifying, and the track was put on a hold with weather severe enough to tell fans to clear the grandstands. Rain also is in the forecast for Sunday With qualifying canceled, that left the starting lineup set by the NASCAR rulebook. Hamlin will start on the pole for the second time this year in the No 11 Toyota with Joe Gibbs Racing, and he will be joined on the front row by points leader Tyler Reddick in his No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota.

Fisheries headquarters, Quail Drive, Baton Rouge.

THURSDAY-SATURDAY

CATHOLIC HIGH ALUMNI

FISHING RODEO: Fourchon Marina, Port Fourchon. Adult & Youth divisions. Inshore, Rig & Offshore divisions. $50 & $100 Redfish Stringer, Mangrove Snapper, Red Snapper, Speckled Trout & Offshore Grand Slam calcuttas Check-in/registration party Thursday, 5-8:30 p.m. Weigh-in Friday, 4-6:30 p.m. & Saturday, 3-6 p.m. Website: catholichigh. org/alumni. Call CHS Alumni Relations (225) 228-0831.

ONGOING STATEWIDE TOURNAMENT & ANGLERS RODEO/S.T.A.R.: Through Sept. 7, Coastal Conservation Association’s summer-long fishing event. Tagged redfish, coastal/offshore species categories & youth division. CCA membership required. Website: ccalouisiana.com/star AROUND THE CORNER

JUNE 8 — RED STICK FLY FISHERS PROGRAM: 7 p.m., Bluebonnet Regional Library, 9200 Bluebonnet Blvd., Baton Rouge. Open to the public. Email Brian Roberts: roberts.brian84@ gmail.com. Website: rsff.org

JUNE 10 — BUGS & BEERS: 6:30 p.m., Skeeta Hawk Brewing, 455 N. Dorgenois St, New Orleans. Casual fly tying. Open to public. Email A.J. Rosenbohm: ajrosenbohm@ gmail.com. Website: neworleansflyfishers.com

JUNE 10 — JUNIOR SOUTHWEST BASSMASTERS MEETING: 7 p.m., Seminar Room, Bass Pro Shops, Denham Springs. Boys & girls agegroup bass tournaments for ages 7-10, 11-14 & 15-18 anglers. Special event: June 20-21, Lake Concordia. Call Jim Breaux (225) 772-3026. JUNE 10-13 — SWOLLFEST FISHING RODEO: Grand Isle Marina, Grand Isle. Offshore &

SHRIMP: Spring inshore season open; all outside waters open. OPEN RECREATIONAL SEASONS: Private recreational red snapper; gray triggerfish; flounder; lane, blackfin, queen and silk snappers & wenchmen among other snapper species; all groupers except closed for goliath & Nassau groupers in state/ federal waters.

CLOSED SEASONS: Greater amberjack; bluefin tuna; gag, goliath & Nassau groupers in state/federal waters. Commercial greater amberjack season closed.

LDWF UPDATES

REOPENED: Pearl River Wildlife Management Area & shooting range.

CLOSED: Hope Canal Road/ boat launch (Maurepas Swamp WMA, levee construction)

May22:

May24:

SCOREBOARD

Game 2—Teams TBD 8p.m. Friday, June 5 x-Game 3—Teams,TBD,7 p.m.

Golf

Charles SchwabChallenge

Saturday At Colonial CountryClub Fort Worth, Texas

Purse: $9.9million Yardage: 7,289; Par: 70

ThirdRound

Eric Cole

67-68-63—198 -12

Ryan Gerard64-67-68—199 -11

Mac Meissner66-67-67—200 -10

J.J. Spaun

Russell Henley

64-68-68—200 -10

66-66-69—201 -9

Hideki Matsuyama 66-65-70—201 -9 Alex Smalley65-67-69—201 -9 Michael Brennan 67-66-69—202 -8

Nicolas Echavarria 66-71-65—202 -8

Mackenzie Hughes66-67-69—202 -8

Michael Thorbjornsen 66-65-71—202 -8

Ludvig Aberg66-68-69—203 -7 C. Bezuidenhout

68-68-67—203 -7

67-65-71—203 -7

3,

5, Colorado

May26: Vegas 2, Colorado 1 FINALS (Best-of-7; x-if necessary) Carolina vs.Vegas Tuesday, June 2: Vegas at Carolina, 7p.m. Thursday, June4:Vegas at Carolina, 7p.m. Saturday, June6:Carolina at Vegas, 7p.m. Tuesday, June 9: CarolinaatVegas, 7p.m.

x-Thursday, June11: VegasatCarolina, TBA

x-Sunday, June 14: Carolina at Vegas,TBA x-Wednesday, June 17: Vegas at Carolina, TBA College softball

NCAA Div.IWorld Seriesglance At Devon Park Oklahoma City,Okla. Double elimination x-if necessary Thursday’s games Game 1— No.3Texas Tech 8, No. 5Miss. St. 0 Game 2—No. 2Tennessee 6, No. 1Texas 3

AkshayBhatia

Doug Ghim65-69-69—203 -7

Brian Harman 65-66-72—203 -7

Justin Thomas 69-67-67—203 -7 Gary Woodland 65-69-69—203 -7

A.J.Ewart 70-63-71—204 -6

Ben Griffin 68-68-68—204 -6

Andrew Putnam 64-70-70—204 -6

Jordan L. Smith 65-65-74—204 -6

Chandler Blanchet 68-68-69—205 -5

LeeHodges 64-71-70—205 -5

John Keefer 71-67-67—205 -5

MattKuchar 67-68-70—205 -5

ZacharyBauchou 71-66-69—206

Coody71-67-68—206

Fisk

Horschel

Purse: $2.8million Yardage: 6,822; Par: 70 ThirdRound Kota Kaneko, Japan65-65-65—195 -15

R. Gouveia, Portugal63-70-63—196 -14

Yanhan Zhou, China 62-70-65—197 -13

J. Luiten, Netherlands 69-64-65—198 -12

D. Bryant, UnitedStates64-70-65—199 -11

Joe Dean, England69-64-66—199 -11

Calum Hill, Scotland 65-65-69—199 -11

A. Johnston, England67-62-70—199 -11

R. Sterne, South Africa68-65-66—199 -11

B. Wiesberger, Austria 66-69-64—199 -11

R. Cabrera Bello,Spain 64-66-70—200 -10

Gregorio De Leo, Italy 68-66-66—200 -10

B. Rob-Thmpsn,England64-68-68—200 -10

TomVaillant, France 67-65-68—200 -10

D. VanDriel, Netherlnds 68-65-67—200 -10

Filippo Celli, Italy 67-68-66—201 -9

Manuel Elvira,Spain 68-65-68—201 -9

Grant Forrest, Scotland 69-65-67—201 -9

J. Girrbach, Switzerland70-66-65—201 -9

.l Hillier, New Zealand69-67-65—201 -9 Alexander Levy,France65-67-69—201 -9

JamesMorrison,Englnd66-67-68—201 -9

Felix Mory, France 67-66-68—201 -9

M. Steinlechner, Austria 65-68-68—201 -9

Sepp Straka, Austria 67-66-68—201 -9

I.CanteroGutierrz, Spain 68-68-66—202 -8

MJ Daffue, South Africa67-70-65—202 -8

Ewen Ferguson, Scotland 67-68-67—202 -8

A. Garcia-Heredia, Spain 68-65-69—202 -8

E. Lopez-Chacarra, Spain 67-69-66—202 -8

KevinNa, United States67-68-67—202 -8

DavidRavetto, France 69-67-66—202 -8

M.l Schneider, Germany64-68-70—202 -8

M. Armitage, England70-66-67—203 -7

Martin Couvra, France 68-67-68—203 -7

M. Jordan, England 66-69-68—203 -7

Y. Premlall, South Africa66-68-69—203 -7

Antoine Rozner,France69-67-67—203 -7

Ugo Coussaud,France71-64-69—204 -6

O. Guillamndgy, France 68-66-70—204 -6

A. Halvorsen, Norway 65-70-69—204 -6

JC Ritchie,South Africa68-67-69—204 -6

A. Bergstrom, Sweden 69-65-71—205 -5

S. Crocker, UnitedStates65-70-70—205 -5

RikuyaHoshino, Japan 70-66-69—205 -5

Nathan Kimsey,England66-69-70—205 -5

Oliver Lindell, Finland66-70-69—205 -5

J. Skov Olesen,Denmark 69-67-69—205 -5

Renato Paratore,Italy 69-68-68—205 -5

B. Stone,South Africa69-68-68—205 -5

H. Townsend, Sweden 70-67-68—205 -5

C. Adam, Scotland 69-68-69—206 -4

WenyiDing, China69-66-71—206 -4

Y. Katsuragawa,Japan 68-69-69—206 -4

Francesco Laporta, Italy 67-70-69—206 -4

A. Quayle, Australia 70-67-69—206 -4

S. Garca Rodrigez, Spain 65-69-73—207 -3 Tobias Jonsson, Sweden 64-68-75—207 -3

R. Langasque, France 69-65-73—207 -3

MarcWarren, Scotland 72-64-71—207 -3

H. Du Plesss, South Afrca69-67-72—208 -2

Ross Fisher, England72-64-72—208 -2

S. Forsstrom, Sweden 72-65-71—208 -2

Snedeker70-68-70—208

Sahith Theegala

R. Johnston, UnitedStates70-67-72—209 -1

Edoardo Molinari, Italy 68-69-72—209 -1

L. Bjerregaard, Denmark 64-72-74—210 E

Tennis

French Open Saturday At Stade Roland Garros

Wednesday, June 3 Game 1— Teams TBD,7 p.m. Thursday, June 4

Kitzbuhel, Austria

Paris Purse: €28,900,000 Surface: Redclay Results SaturdayfromFrenchOpen at Stade Roland Garros(seedings in parentheses): Men’s Singles ThirdRound Flavio Cobolli (10),Italy, def. Learner Tien (18),United States, 6-2, 6-2, 6-3. Zachary Svajda, United States,def.Francisco Cerundolo (25),Argentina, 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-3. Matteo Berrettini,Italy, def. Francisco Comesana, Argentina, 7-6(3),5-7,6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (13) AlejandroTabilo, Chile, def. Moise Kouame, France, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(9) Juan Manuel Cerundolo, Argentina, def.

Martin Landaluce, Spain, 6-4, 6-7(7),7-6 (4), 6-7(4),7-6 (8). Matteo Arnaldi, Italy, def. Raphael Collignon, Belgium, 6-4, 6-7(5),5-7,6-4, 7-6 (4). Frances Tiafoe (19),UnitedStates, def Jaime Faria, Portugal, 4-6, 6-7(2),7-6 (4), 6-1, 6-2. Felix Auger-Aliassime (4), Canada,def. Brandon Nakashima (31),UnitedStates,5-7 6-1, 7-6(4),7-6 (1). Women’s Singles Third Round Maja Chwalinska, Poland, def. Maria Sakkari, Greece, 1-6, 6-3, 6-2. Diana Shnaider (25),Russia,def. Oleksandra Oliynykova, Ukraine,7-5,6-1 Naomi Osaka (16),Japan, def. IvaJovic (17) United States,7-6 (5), 6-7(3),6-4. Aryna Sabalenka (1), Belarus, def. Daria Kasatkina, Russia, 6-0, 7-5. Anna Kalinskaya(22),Russia,def. Camila Osorio, Colombia, 6-3, 0-6, 6-2. Diane Parry,France, def. Amanda Anisimova (6), United States, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(3) Anastasia Potapova (28),Russia, def. Coco Gauff (4), United States, 4-6, 7-6(1),6-4 Madison Keys (19),UnitedStates,def.Victoria Mboko(9),Canada, 6-3, 5-7, 7-5. Men’sDoubles First Round Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela,Mexico,and AlejandroTabilo,Chile,def.Juan Manuel Cerundolo and Mariano Navone,Argentina walkover Men’sDoubles Second Round LucasMiedlerand AlexanderErler (14), Austria, def. RajeevRam and Benjamin Kittay, United States,7-5,4-6,6-4. Mate Pavic, Croatia, and Marcelo Arevalo (7), El Salvador, def. John Peers, Australia, and Robert Galloway, United States,6-4 3-6, 6-3. Evan King, United States, and AndreGoransson, Sweden,def. Diego Hidalgo, Ecuador, and PatrikTrhac,United States,7-6 (2), 7-6 (4). Pierre-HuguesHerbert and QuentinHalys, France, def. Christian Harrison, United States, and Neal Skupski (4), Britain,6-4, 7-6(7) Women’s Doubles Second Round Andreja Klepac, Slovenia, and Magali Kempen, Belgium, def. IngridMartins,Brazil, and Solana Sierra,Argentina, 6-2, 6-2. BeatrizHaddad Maia,Brazil, and Liudmila Samsonova,Russia,def. Sara Sorribes Tormo, Spain, and Marie Bouzkova,Czechia 6-1, 6-4. Zhang Shuai,China, and Elise Mertens (3), Belgium, def. TamaraKorpatsch,Germany and Nicole Fossa Huergo, Argentina, 6-1, 6-1. UlrikkeEikeri, Norway,and QuinnGleason (15),UnitedStates,def.Irina Khromacheva, Russia, and Anastasia Detiuc, Czechia,6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-1. Olivia Nicholls, Britain, andTerezaMihalikova(10),Slovakia,def.Magda Linette, Poland, and Yuliia Starodubtseva, Ukraine, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. Eudice Chong, Hong Kong, China, andVeronika Erjavec, Slovenia, def. Storm Hunter, Australia,and Caty McNally (12),United States, 6-2, 1-6, 6-3. Nadiia Kichenok,Ukraine,and Makoto Ninomiya, Japan, def. EriHozumi,Japan, and Fang-Hsien Wu (16),Taiwan, 0-6, 7-6 (6), 6-2. Vera Zvonareva, Russia, and LauraSiegemund (11),Germany, def. Fiona Ferroand Diane Parry,France, walkover Mixed Doubles Second Round IrinaKhromacheva, Russia,and Jakob Schnaitter, Germany, def. Austin Krajicek, United States,and Giuliana Olmos, Mexico, 2-6, 7-6(3),10-6. Mixed Doubles Third Round NikolaMektic, Croatia, and Asia Muhammad, United States,def.Olivia Nicholls and Henry Patten(6),Britain, walkover. Anna Danilina, Kazakhstan, and James

ShirleyLee prepares to-goorders at Miss Shirley’sonMagazine Street on May14.

Miss Shirley’ssecondact

NewOrleans icon hasbeencooking here for50years with no planstostop

BY POET WOLFE Staff writer

Those who dine at Miss Shirley’s Chinese Restaurant for the first time don’t need an introduction to know who Shirley Lee is.

She stands only slightly taller thanthe bar tables inside her New Orleans restaurant. Regulars benddown to hug her; children reachup. Few kids leave without an extra powdered beignet or alollipopfrom her stashbeneath the register. Between conversations,she shufflesinto the kitchen in astriped apron,glasses perched atopher head,tofold dumplings and or plate generousportions. Lee does not stop moving. Shehasn’t for more than 50 years.

Herone attempttoretiredidn’tlast

ShirleyLee, center,and her daughter Carling Lee, right, speak to acustomer picking up ato-go order at Miss Shirley’sonMagazine Street.

long. After selling herlongtime Metairie restaurant, Royal China, in 2021, she turned her dining room into anew

gathering place, inviting regulars each week for lunch and dinner.But that ended within ayear when Miss Shirley’s

opened in the Irish Channel. Crossing parish lines had brought her back home. Culinary matriarchs have played abig part in NewOrleans, from Leah Chase to Ella Brennan—women whose restaurants preserved, elevated and revolutionized local dining.

Lee is part of anew generation of matriarchs rootedinculture, tradition and grit. Yether presence in the community stretches farbeyond therestaurant’s walls. On arecentWednesdayafternoon,Lee made herway downMagazine Street carrying grocery bags heavywithcabbage. Shepausedoccasionally to pet dogs andgreet familiar faces about an hour before the dinner rush. Behind the register,she pulled out apostcard from achild who had just boarded his first flight, along with several Mother’sDay cards. One showed ababy footprint outlined messily in crayon. Another was covered in scribbles and called her “the best shef in the werld.” Somecalled her “ma.”

ä See SHIRLEY, page 7D

BY KEITH SPERA Staff writer

In the first five monthsof2026, New Orleans welcomed New Edition, Nine Inch Nails,Journey,the Lumineers, Robert Plant and Santana. Additionally, the Caesars Superdome hosted thethousand musicians of Rockin’1000 as well as the Hondo RodeoFestwith Creed and Jason Aldean. And the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented its usual abundance, includingthe Eagles, Stevie Nicks, Rod Stewart, JonBatiste, Lainey Wilson, theIs-

leyBrothers, Teddy Swims, Tyler Childers, David Byrne andEarth Wind &Fire. Buteven as the city slowsdown for summer,abevy of big concerts are booked for the back half of 2026. Here’salook at the coming musical highlights. ORCHESTRANOIR

JUNE 6, ORPHEUM THEATER Formed in Atlanta in 2016, Orchestra NoircelebratesAfrican American composers andperformers from classical,jazz, blues, hip-hop, R&B and other genres throughorchestralperformances. Orchestra Noirmakes itsannual

YEBBA

Culture 2000 Tour visit to New Orleans for aJune 6show at the Orpheum Theater.Tickets startat $80.

JUNE 11, HOUSE OF BLUES Hailing from West Memphis, Arkansas, theR&B singer Yebba was signed to pop star Ed Sheeran’srecord label and earned abest traditional R&B performance Grammy for her “How Deep Is Your Love” collaboration with New Orleans’ PJ Morton. She’salso collaborated withDrake,Sam Smithand Mark Ronson. Her second full-lengthalbum, “Jean,” came outinMarch

ROB49

Tickets for herHouse of Blues show,shouldany remain,start at $44.

JUNE 13, SMOOTHIE KING CENTER Add rapper Rob49tothe short list of New Orleans-born artists able to headline theirhometown SmoothieKingCenter. The “49” in Robert Thomas’ stage name is reportedly atribute to the 4th and 9th Wards, where he grew up. He dropped outofSouthern University to pursue acareer in music. Though he’sonlyreleased one fulllength album, 2025’s“Let Me Fly,” he’sfeatured on aslewofmixtapes and singles, including “Vulture Island V2” withLil Babyand “Mama” with Skilla Baby and

Asimpleplan to enjoy aLa. summer

Ican still remember sighing over ablank page each autumn when my grade school teachers asked ustowrite essays on thetheme, “What I Did This Summer.” Big vacation tripsweren’t practical for my large Louisiana family,sowemostly stayed at home, and none of our childhoodpastimes seemed worthy of a 500-word composition for English class.

With age, I’ve begun to think that maybethere’ssome alternate virtueinanessay onemight write in late spring, cheerfully titled,“What I’ll Do This Summer.” I’m still partial to the idea that theseason shouldn’tbe planned too much, especially at atime whensomany other parts of our lives are copiously curatedfor the sake of social media. But lookingahead can be fun, and as journalist Bon Greene usefully remindedreaders some years ago, one’ssupplyofsummers isn’tinfinite “Summer —the possibility of summer, summeraswe first knew it —iswhat it is precisely becauseweare aware its duration is not limitless,” Greene pointed out. So,maybe, to savorits gifts, we should pencil in afew pleasures of theseason, however humble or fleeting After arecent trek to California to celebrateour daughter’s graduation, my household will be staying closeto home for most of the summer,though theremight be at least one brief stay at the beach

Even for homebodies, some of theseason’sbrighter gifts still remain at easy arm’sreach

There will be at least one drive— possibly, two —to an ice cream parlor for what I’ve come to call the Aunt Clara Memorial Scoop. Clara, my father’ssister, wasfamously taken on her first andonly trip to an ice cream store, where she surveyed dozens of flavorsbeforedeciding on asingle serving of vanilla

Awarysoul, she feared theunfamiliarprospect of pistachio, coconut and cherries jubilee, so shefell back on asafe standard.

We’ve carried Clara’s story as acautionary tale about caution itself. Summer,more thanany otherseason, should be about experiment, so I’ll plantoleave my comfort zone of peanut butterchocolate androckyroad in coming weeks, maybe even walking on the wild side with banana caramel or coffee crunch

Some other summer plans:

I’d like to brush up on local birdsongs, sinceI’vegottenrusty when it comes to sortingout the ballads of the sparrows, catbirds and wrens thatprovide thesummer soundtrack on our patio.

At least once this summer,I’d like todrenchmyself within the arc of alawn sprinkler,a rite of baptism I’ve not yet outgrown. Maybe Ican alsofit in an earlymorning hike on alocal trail, beatingout thesun before theday starts to blaze That’smysimple strategyfor heedingGreene’sadvice. “Keep an eye on summer,” hefamously urged.“Savor everyday,every summernight.”

Email Danny Heitman at danny@dannyheitman.com.

Hollywoodpines forbox office glorydaysas‘Twister’ turns30

BY HAILEY BRANSON-POTTS LosAngeles Times

(TNS)

LOSANGELES There’sascene in the movie “Twister” in which Philip Seymour Hoffman’s character,blasting hard rock music and driving atrickedout, storm-chasing bus called “Barn Burner” toward afast-forming funnel, hollers out: “It’sthe wonder of nature, baby!”

This monthmarks 30 yearssince “Twister” pulled audiences into the cinematic “suck zone” (Hoffman’scharacter’sterm for when atornado, well, “sucks you up”). And for Hollywood, the movie was awonder indeed, “sucking up anysummerbox-officedollars thatare nottightly screwed down,”as former Times film criticKenneth Turan wrote on its opening day,May 10, 1996.

“Twister”had what was then the biggest nonholiday weekend ever in May, showing in 2,414 theaters nationwide andgrossing more than $41 million domestically on its opening weekend about $87 million today,when adjusted for inflation.

Hollywood’s struggles

Nowadays, abig opening weekend is a relief in Hollywood, whichisinthe midst of aproduction crisis.

Over the four-day Memorial Day weekend—traditionally thekickoff for the summer blockbuster season thebiggest earner was Disney’s“The Mandalorianand Grogu,”whichpulled in an estimated$100 million in the U.S. andCanada,where it played in 4,300 theaters, according to the film performance tracker Box OfficeMojo. Globally,it

earned $163 million.

Itsperformance exceeded studio predictions but “stopped short of shattering expectations,”mycolleagues Samantha Masunaga and Meg James reported.Its opening weekend was on par with the 2018 openingof“Solo: AStar Wars Story,” which, theywrote, was considered a disappointment.

“Still, as cinemas struggle to recover from pandemic-era shutdowns, afilm thatgenerates more than $100 million in its opening weekend is typically seen as asuccess,” they wrote.

Film shoot days have fallennearly50% in the LosAngeles region since2019, according to reporting in The Timesthis month by Masunaga andStacy Perman Over the lastfouryears, the local motion pictureindustry has lost some 57,000 jobs.

“The Mandalorian andGrogu,” which used statetax credits to film in California, is thefirst “Star Wars” movie to be madeentirely in theLos Angeles area.

Thetown‘Twister’ saved “Twister” was filmed in Oklahoma, whereits 30thanniversary celebration was big news

Thousands of people cametothe midMay celebration in teensy Wakita,Oklahoma —population 300 or so —where much of the movie takes place.

Linda Wade, 76,runs the “Twister” TheMovie MuseuminWakita, which is filled with movie propsand memorabilia and housed in aspace that was used by film crews.

Ispoke withWade on aTuesday afternoon this month, and she already had been visited that day by storm chasers

from England, France, Germany,Ireland and Scotland.

Wade said Hollywood saved her little town. In 1993, astorm with baseballsize hail wipedout the local wheat harvest, depressing incomes and leaving the towntoo poor to remove damaged buildings.

Moviemakers used the abandoned, dilapidated structures as on-screen tornado debris, tore them down after filming wrapped up, then paid to restore buildings and damaged roads. Localsworkedasextras andraved about the Hollywood catering, said Wade, who’sknown as areal-life Aunt Meg(abeloved character in themovie). And everyone adored the lead actor,Bill Paxton, who likedtotoss afootball with Wakita kids.

“We’re in our third generation of fans,” Wade said. “The parentswatched it. And their kids are watching it. And now their kids are watching it.”

Amarketing juggernaut

Filmmakers timed its release for the tornado season in the Great Plains and Midwest,whenlocal TV broadcasts regularlyare interruptedbysevere weather alerts andterrifying footage of actual tornadoes —the perfect tie-in to on-air chatter and newspaper writeups about the film.

Among those in the theater audience in Stillwater,Oklahoma, that summer of ’96 was 8-year-old me.OnJune4, Iwrote in my little diary: “Wewent home, changed and took baths and went to seeamovie called‘TWISTER!’ It was exelent [sic]! …Then we drove home in atornado watch!”

Joyfultidings

n ABounty of Bonnets

An early start launched the 70th anniversary activity for The Historic French Quarter Easter Parade with arally of 8:45 am at Tableau by Dickie Brennan &Co.

The restaurant is pacesaway from Jackson Square and served as the site for breakfast. Pastries, savory and sweet, bagels, afresh fruit tower, and such libations as mimosas, coffee and tea, nourished the lovely lot

Ember,David, Sonnet and Lyric Mandell

The ladies, who arrived in their splendid Easter attire, carried decorated baskets that held throws in beribboned cotton bags. Later,the throws were given to onlookers in the parade crowd. After breakfast, and with Easter energy, the in-attendance gentleman helped the ladies (along with their throws) into mule-drawn carriages for thestart of the 9:45 am parade. All had to dodge rain drops.

Once the roll got underway,excitementincreased as the ladies handed out plushbunniesand goodies to the crowds, who greeted them with gratitudeand enthusiasm. Thecarriages then returned to Tableau in time forthe parade cohorts to attend Mass at St. Louis Cathedral. They received aspecial escort to the cathedral.

After the service, the ladies promenadedaround Jackson Square, handing out Easter treats to those nearby andposingfor photographs.After the click, click, they returned to Tableau to start theluncheon fun.

The members’ multicolored Easter baskets, whichcame in avarietyofsizes and were embellished with flowers, were placed around the restaurant to serve as decorations. So were matchingumbrellas. Ahighlight of the annual event,the hat contest, created excitementasselectionsweremade in three categories. Amotherdaughter twosome in Ember and Sonnet Mandell copped,respectively,Best Chapeau and Best Overall Ensemble. Debbie Smith won for Best Basket. She incorporated the colors of her dress, white, blueand green, in theplanning of her basket, which was further prettified with lace. “I was honored,” said Debbie when she was announced as the category winner.“Iwanted to make it (my basket) special.” Everyone relished afine meal of turtle soup or salad, aGulf fish choice or chicken Pontalba, and acrème brûlée dessert with seasonal fruit.Lifting shiny cutlery were Amy Carbonette Cioll and R. Nick Cioll III with her sister, Madeline Carbonette;Ember Mandell and spouse David with daughters Sonnet and Lyric; SaundraLane with Jennifer Banquer,BethanyBoice,and Leslie Robinson;and,joined bybrother Louie Sciortino, Maryanne Warwick and Brian.

Also, Jane Cagan Miller with PatWilliamson,AnneGarvey, and MaryJane Darnet; Amyand Jason Gray with daughter Alexis; Connie andMat Baer with Debbie Smith and EllenArtopoeus; Nikki and William Plunkett with Maryand William Gladney; and Kathrynand Gaye Winters with Bobbie Bartee. Eggs-cellent company!

n Cuisine Kudos

The New Orleans Wine &Food Experience honored Ammari brothers Marv,Zeid, and Ricky (posthumously),owners of Creole Cuisine Restaurant Concepts,as the recipients of the 2026 Ella Brennan Lifetime Achievement in Hospitality Award. They were recognized “for their unwavering dedication to theNew Orleans community,and for transforming compassioninto action through the founding of Creole CuisineCares.”

Guided by their strong Christian faith and growing up in ahome where giving was important, the siblings are first and foremost afamily business and consider “their 1,700-plus members of Creole Cuisine as extended family.” Twoof their many restaurants are Broussard’s and The Original Pierre Maspero’s, both in the FrenchQuarter “I am so happy to be here tonight,” said master of ceremonies Ian McNulty in his welcoming words at theRitz-Carlton, the event’svenue. He then acknowledged former honorees in attendance, hailed the hospitality industry,and talked about the Ammari family,stating their “deep passionfor their work.” Lebron “LBJ” Joseph of WGNO-TV added more felicitous and incisive remarks, as did others. From the stage, key people and sponsors werealso thanked Then, the honorees were called forward with Marv saying that they were humbled by the honor,adding, “Wedid

Nell Nolan SOCIETY

Contact: nnolan@theadvocate.com

n Chromatic Caper

The 23rd annual Cocktails forKID smArt unfolded in The Cannery with Ochsner Health as thePresenting Sponsor and “A Splash of Color” as the theme. Helped by Helm Paint &Decorating and led by designer TiffanyLin,event committee members created paint-can structural centerpieces. Further decorative attractions were floral arrangementsmade from paint samples and aPixie Dust Biodegradable Glitter station that added touches of sparkle. And fun.

During the patron hour,local producer,trumpeter and emcee Juice provided the musical entertainment, which was followed by that of NesbyPhips for themain event. All the while, the International School of Louisiana’sCircus Arts studentsperformed.

Oneofthe manyhighlights wasthe live auction that showcased, among manyenticements, the work of featured artist Devin “Cypher” Dennis;aweek-long stay with wine excursions in California’sSonoma Valley; and four days in Telluride, Colorado, with exclusive tickets to Telluride Table events. In turn, the top bidders were MichaelMimeles, Erin and JP Hymel,and Katie and Robert Lay. For the “ART” appetite, The Cannery catered with additional food donations from Only Flans and St. James Cheese Company.The 275 attendees feasted in fine fashion.

Notable names were those of co-chairs Erin Hymel, Ragan Gankendorff and Nancy Rebold,aswell as Melanie Tennyson,the above International School’sCEO and head of school, who received the Work of Art Award

Still others were KID smARTExecutive Director Elise GallinotGoldman, co-founder Allison Stewart,board chair Krystal Hardy Allen, Dana Bledsoe of Ochsner, MikeScott,TimGold Lawrence “LAW” Parker,Heidi Keisling,BrookeWyatt, LaurenTempleman, Camille Patti, and hundreds more, whowere decked out in color,“the bolder the better.”

Zeid Ammari, Ian McNulty,Lorraine Streckfus, MarvAmmari

not do this (Creole Cuisine Cares and feedingthe needy) for reward. It’s all aboutlove, from the heart.” He continued with the importance of therole of hospitality in thecommunity.Zeid, who followed,expressed appreciation for those whosupporttheir endeavors and thevalueofteamwork. Chefs whocontributed to the dinner were Thierry Connault (of thehosting RitzCarlton), Jonathan Hostetler,James Musser, Jeff Bouillon,Tommy Cvitanovich, Eric Straley,Jason Caronna, and SusanSpicer, aformer honoree. Libations were numerous, and a

brace of specialtycocktails, Vanilla EspressoMartini and New York Sour, added more choices. The centerpieces were gold circles encasing alarge candle. Music added alively fillip, thanks to thetalent of trumpeter Jeremy Davenport. Oneofhis final numbers was “Pennies from Heaven,”but an earlier one hit a merry mark. It was “The WayYou Look Tonight.” One guest smiled and tweaked thetitle, saying —indeference to the nature of the award —itshould be “The WayYou Cook Tonight.”

As

During

Here

AT THE TABLE

Note: Make the

1/2

artichoke

1can (14-ounces) arti-

in water,drained

cup pitted Kalamata olives or black olives

2cups chopped romaine

1. Combinedressing ingredients in asmall jar and shake until well mixed. In alarge bowl, place chicken, cucumber,tomatoes, onion, artichoke hearts, feta andolives. Pour dressing overand toss lightly butthoroughly.Top with layer of romaine. Coverand re-

frigerate 2hours before serving.

2. To serve, toss salad to incorporate lettuce.

Eggplant Mozzarella

Bake

Recipe is byTeresa B. Day

Yields6servings 1pound ground Italian sausage 1onion, chopped 2garliccloves, minced 8ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced 1(6-ounce) cantomato paste 1medium eggplant 2tomatoes,sliced 1(8-ounce) ballfresh mozzarella cheese

1teaspoon Italian seasoning blend

1tablespoon fresh basil, chiffonade

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.

2. In largeskillet or Dutch oven, sautésausage, onion, garlic and mushrooms

3. Oncesausageiscooked through, foldintomato paste until fully incorporated

4. Grease acasseroledish. Spoon meatmixture into the dish and spread to cover the bottom.

5. Slice eggplant into 1/4-inch rounds and lay them in thepan to cover themeat.

6. Slicetomatoes and layoverthe

eggplant.

7. Slice mozzarella with athin or serrated cheese knife, about 1/4inch rounds.

8. Lay theslices over thetomatoes.Sprinkle seasoningblend over the cheese.

9. Bake for20-30 minutesoruntilcheese is browned and bubbly Serve warm topped with fresh basil strips.

Roasted Summer Vegetables Over Couscous

RecipeisbyTeresaB.Day

Yields 4servings

1teaspoon salt

2tablespoons olive oil

1teaspoon kosher salt

1teaspoon black pepper

1tablespoon Steen’sCane or balsamic vinegar

2largetomatoes, cored

1medium red onion

2medium zucchini or yellow squash

1cup slicedmushrooms

1red or yellow bell pepper

1packagecouscous

2cups chicken or vegetable broth

3tablespoons prepared pesto

Sliced fresh basil leaves plus sprigs for garnish

1cup fresh feta cheese crumbles

1. Heat oven to 500 F.

2. Line abaking sheet with parchmentpaper

3. In asmallbowl, whisk together oil, salt, pepper and vinegar

4. Slice tomatoes, onion and squash into 1/4-inchrounds. Seed and cut bell peppers into strips.

5. Place vegetables and mushroomsinalarge bowl.

6. Pourthe dressing over the vegetables andtoss to coat.

7. Spread thevegetablesonthe prepared baking pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

8. Prepare couscousaccording to package directions, replacing the water with chicken or vegetable broth.After it’s done,stirinthe prepared pesto.

9. Spoonthe couscous into alarge serving bowl, top with roasted vegetablesand feta. Garnish with basil and servewarm.

Floating Islands

Sometimes simple is good. Take floating islands, for instance, adessert that often appeared on many restaurant menus yearsago in

New Orleans. Pastry chefs continue to reinterpret this dish, which is nothing more than creamycustards on which puffs of meringue float. But oh, how this cooling dessert pleases the palate, especially after aheavy,rich meal

This is agreat dessert to make for small dinner parties, or when children are visiting, as they are enchanted by the islands of meringue floating happily on the custard. And the best part is, they can be madeahead of time. The custard is also delicious over angel food or pound cake.

Recipe from “Cooking up aStorm: Recipes Lost and Found from The Times-Picayune of NewOrleans,” edited by Marcelle Bienvenu and Judy Walker Makes 6to8servings

6cups milk

1 2 3 cups sugar

6largeeggs, separated 2tablespoonscornstarch

2teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1. Preheat the oven to 360 F. Pour 1inch of warm water into abaking pan and set aside.

2. Heatthe milkinaheavy saucepan until warm.

3. With awhisk or electric mixer, beat together 2⁄3 cupofthe sugar, the egg yolks, and the cornstarch in amedium mixing bowl, and then add the mixture to the milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly,until thick enough to coat aspoon. Remove from the heat and pour into amixing bowl. Stir in the vanilla.

4. With an electric mixer,beat the egg whiteswith the cream of tartar in amixingbowluntil stiff. Slowly add the remaining 1cup of sugar,beating well until glossy Drop the egg white mixture by spoonfuls into the panofwarm water and bake the islands for20 minutes to set.

5. With aslotted spoon, transfer theislands to thesurface of the custard mixture and refrigerate foratleast 2hours before serving.

6. To serve, scoop up each island and someofthe custard, and putin dessert bowls.

Swallowing insultsassister-in-law dishes outdinnercriticisms

Dear Annie: My sister-in-lawhas turned every family gathering into acourtroom, and somehow I am always the defendant.

For years, Ihave hosted holidays, birthdays and Sunday dinners because Igenuinely love having family together.Icook, clean, set the table and try to makeeveryone feel welcome. But my sister-in-law has ahabit of correcting me in front of everyone. If the turkey is dry,she announces it. If Iforget someone’s favorite side dish, she sighs dramatically If my children are noisy,she says, “Well, in our house, we hadrules.” If Ibuy adessert instead of making one, she says, “Oh,Ididn’tre-

alize we weredoing store-bought this year.”

Theworst part is that she says all of this with asmile, so if Iobject, Ilook oversensitive. My husband tells me to ignore her because “that’sjust how she is.”

ButIamtired of swallowinginsults along with my own mashed potatoes. At our last family dinner, she arrived late, brought nothing, criticized the meal and then posted aphotoonline calling it “a nice little attempt at Thanksgiving.” Everyone laughed except me.

Iamconsideringtelling my husband that Iamdonehosting if he will not back me up. Idon’twant

to divide thefamily,but Ialso don’twant to keep inviting someone into my home who treats me like hired help with adefective gravy boat

How do Ihandle arelative who hides rudeness behind humor,and ahusband who thinks silence is thesame as keeping thepeace?

Roasted Before Dessert

Dear Roasted: Your sister-in-law is not “just joking.” She is serving insults with agarnish of smiles.

Your husband needs to understand that keeping thepeace should not mean using you as the family doormat. Tell him plainly, “I am happy to host when Iam treated with respect. If you want your sister here, Ineed you to back me up.”

The next timeshe critiques your dinner,smile and say,“How kind of youtonotice. You’re welcome to host next year.” Then pass thepotatoes and let the silence do theheavy lifting. Dear Annie: Ihave afriend who has alwaysbeen alittle competitive, but lately it has becomeexhausting. Every timeI share good news aboutmychild, she immediately brings up something her child has done better.Ifmyson scores agoal, her son scored two. If my daughter gets an award, her daughter got one last year and “didn’teven have to try.”

At first,Ilaughed it off. But now Ifind myself not wanting to share anything at all. Idon’twant to compete with her,and Icertainly

don’twant our children to feel like they are in someimaginary race. Imiss the days when we could simply be happy foreach other.How do Istay friends with someone whoseems unable to celebrate anyone’ssuccess but her own family’s? —Tiredofthe Trophy Talk

Dear Tired: Areal friend claps when your child shines; she does not turn every momentinto a scoreboard. Keepsharing less with her,cheer loudly foryour own child and remember that her need to compete says farmore about her insecurity than your child’ssuccess.

Send yourquestions forAnnie Lane to dearannie@creators. com.

TheMississippi-bornrapper pulls into town as part of his The World Is aParking Lot Tour

THEHUMAN LEAGUE

JUNE 17, SAENGER THEATRE

British synth-pop band The Human League scored ahuge hit in the early 1980s with “Don’tYou Want Me.” Hear that and other hits when The Human League is joined by Soft Cell and Alison Moyetat the Saenger.Tickets startat$60.

SISTER HAZEL

JUNE 19, HOUSE OF BLUES

For more than 30 years,the band from Gainesville, Florida, has churned out Southern pop rock highlighted by the 1997 single “All For You.”

POUR MINDS

JUNE 20, JOYTHEATER

Born in Houston and now based in Atlanta, Drea Nicole and Lex P host the popular Pour Minds podcast. Theirlive appearance at the Joy Theater is sold out.

THIEVERY CORPORATION

JUNE 20, HOUSE OF BLUES

Unlike many acts in the electronic music genre, Thievery Corporation strives to stage atruly live performance, with acast of instrumentalists and singers contributing to the multi-culturalblend at the core of the compositions.

JOEJACKSON

JUNE 21, JOYTHEATER Piano player,singer andsongwriter Joe Jackson and his band arrive as part of the Hope And Fury Tour.Tickets start at $63.

ILANAGLAZER

JUNE 24, JOYTHEATER

The comedian whosecredits rangefromthe series “Broad City” to the Hulu special “Human Magic” to the socio-political video podcast “It’sOpenwithIlana Glazer” holds courtatthe Joy.Tickets start at $52.

ESSENCEFESTIVALOFCULTURE

JULY3-5, CAESARS SUPERDOME

The roster for three nightsof concerts in theSuperdome includes Cardi B, Latto, Kehlani, SZN4 andMichelle Obama,who will talk about her book “The Look,” on Friday,July 3;Patti LaBelle,Brandy&Monica,Josh Levi andLeon Thomas on Saturday,July 4; and Babyface, Public Enemy,George Clinton &Friends and Doug E. Fresh on Sunday, July 5.

TORI AMOS

JULY12, SAENGER THEATRE

Pianist, singer and songwriter

Tori Amos continuestocreate with abestsellingchildren’sbook, “Tori andthe Muses,”and her 18thstudioalbum, “In Times of Dragons.”

Bartees Strange opensfor Amos at theSaenger.Tickets startat$60.

ELMIENE

JULY18, CIVIC THEATER

British-Sudanese singer Elmiene’slocal stop for the Sounds for Someone Tour is sold out

XGAMES NEWORLEANS 2026

CHAMPIONSHIP CONCERT

JULY24-25, SMOOTHIE KING CENTER

The MoonPay XGames championshipweekendinNew Orleans includes two nights of concerts at theSmoothieKingCenter. On Friday,July24, the showfeatures MetroBoomin’ and J.I.D. The Saturday, July 25 event hasSubtronics plus Bunt.Concert-only tickets are $80 per night.

LORDHURON

JULY25, SAENGER THEATRE

Lord Huron was foundedasa studio project in Los Angeles in 2010 by BenSchneider. He later recruitedadditional musicians to flesh outthe performing version of the band. The Army, The Navy opensfor Lord Huron at the Saenger.Tickets start at $60.

BRYANADAMS

JULY31, SMOOTHIE KING CENTER

From “Cuts LikeA Knife” through “Summerof69” and beyond, Canadiansinger-songwriter Bryan Adams has cranked out a series of rock radio-ready singles. He bringshis Roll with thePunches Tour to New Orleans on July 31 with special guestsPat Benatar and Neil Giraldo, the husband-andwife duo with along list of rock radio hits of their own. Tickets start at $63.

ELLA MAI

AUG. 7, SAENGER THEATRE

R&B singer/songwriter Ella Mai is on the road supporting her third studioalbum, “Do YouStill Love Me?” Her Saenger Theatre stop is sold out.

EAGLES OF DEATHMETAL

AUG. 10, HOUSEOFBLUES

The Eagles of DeathMetal —not to be confused with the regular Eagles—rock theHOB as part of the band’s20th anniversary tourfor thealbum “Death By Sexy.”

BENSONBOONE

AUG. 23, SMOOTHIE KING CENTER

Benson Boone brings his jump-

suitsand acrobatic flips to the Smoothie KingCenter as part of his Wanted Man Tour.Tickets start at $64. General admission, standing-room-only floor tickets are $347.

BUDDYGUY

AUG. 25, SAENGER THEATRE

The Louisiana-born blues legend is on atourcommemorating his 90th birthday.Plenty of tickets remain forhis Saenger show,starting at $60.

DEVO

AUG. 25,THE FILLMORE

The New Wave band with the stacked red hatsbrings itsMutate Don’t Stagnate Tour to the Fillmore. Tickets start at $64.

CHANCE THERAPPER

SEPT.9,THE FILLMORE

The Chicago rapper is on the road celebrating the 10th anniversary of his “Coloring Book” mixtape. Tickets start at $64.

BRUNOMARS

SEPT.16, CAESARS SUPERDOME

Ridinghighonthe success of “The Romantic,” his first solo album of newmaterialina decade, Bruno Marswill fill theSuperdome in September.Arrive early enough to catch opening acts Anderson .Paak as DJ Pee .Wee andRaye, the throwback British singer-songwriter who dazzled at the Gentilly Stage on the opening day of the 2026 New OrleansJazz &Heritage Festival. At press time,few tickets were available for theDome show other than verified resale tickets. Limited/side viewseats in section 139 of the Dome’splaza level were $386 face value.

CRESCENT CITY BLUES& BBQ FESTIVAL

OCT.9-11, LAFAYETTE SQUARE

This free annualfestival downtown is one of severalpresented by thenonprofit New OrleansJazz &Heritage Foundation.

HAYLEY WILLIAMS

OCT.10, CHAMPIONS SQUARE

The Paramore singer’ssolo career has stepped up to anew level with The HaleyWilliams Show. Tickets to her Champions Square show are soldout. Per Williams’ wishes,tickets can only be resold for the original pricethrough Ticketmaster’sFace Value Exchange.

PARCELS

OCT.10, SAENGER THEATRE

Formed in ByronBay,Australia,in2014, Parcels hasgoneon to rack up over abillionstreams of its songs. Tickets for the band’s October stop at the Saenger start

at $72.

$UICIDEBOY$

OCT.14, SMOOTHIE KING CENTER

$uicideboy$, the nihilistic punkrap duo from New Orleans, embarked on its first Grey Day Tour in 2019.The 2024 edition sold more than600,000 tickets forits 60 shows. Scott“$crim” Arceneaux Jr.and Aristos “Ruby Da Cherry” Petrou bring theirGreyDay Tour 2026 to New Orleans with special guests Destroy Lonely,$lim Gucci, Black Kray,DRAIN, and Shakewell. Tickets start at $76. Standing room only floor tickets are $253.

SNARKY PUPPY

OCT.22, JOYTHEATER

Formed by friends fromthe University of NorthTexas’jazz studiesprogram in 2004, Snarky Puppy has evolved intoagenre-defying jazz/R&B hybrid. The band’s2026 “Somni” tour concludes at the Joy Theater in NewOrleans; tickets start at $52.

CECE WINANS

OCT.24, SMOOTHIE KING CENTER

CeCe Winans’Come Worship! Tour features special guests Charity Gayle, Red Worship, and Terrian. Only the Smoothie King Center’sfloor and lower balcony will be open. Tickets start at $64.

SAOSIN

OCT.30, HOUSE OF BLUES

Post-hardcore band Saosin marks the 20th anniversary of its self-titled debut album with atour that stops at the House of Blues.

HAWTHORNEHEIGHTS

NOV. 8, HOUSE OF BLUES

Aquarter-century after forming in Dayton, Ohio, post-hardcore/ emorockbandHawthorne Heights is on the road marking the 20th anniversaryofthe “IfOnlyYou Were Lonely” album.

WE BELONG HERE

NOV. 13-15, WOLDENBERG RIVERFRONT PARK

Thecurated electronic dance musicfestival that has mostly poppedupinNew York and Floridamakes its NewOrleans debut over three days andnights alongside theMississippi River BUENAVISTA ORCHESTRA

NOV. 17, HOUSE OF BLUES

Thanks to the 1999 documentary “Buena VistaSocial Club,”that ensemble became the worldwide representative fortraditionalCuban music.Buena Vista Social Club trombonist,composer, arranger and orchestra leader Jesús “Aguaje”Ramos now leads the Buena Vista Orchestra, whichcarrieson

in the spirit of its Cuban music predecessor

KURK VILE &THE VIOLATORS

NOV. 18, JOYTHEATER Indie rock Kurt Vile is on the road supportinghis 10th studio album,the band’snew “Philadelphia’s Been Good to Me.” Tickets forhis Joy stop start at $47.

USHERRAYMOND

andCHRIS BROWN

NOV. 20-21, CAESARS SUPERDOME In 2025, Chris Brown sold out the Superdome on his own. So it’s no surprise that by pairing up with fellowcontemporary R&B star Usher forThe R&B Tour,he’sable to sell out twonights at the Dome this fall. The duo is the first act to logmultiple nights at the Dome since Taylor Swift sold out three in 2024. At press time,veryfew R&B tickets remained, with the cheapest priced at $146. Tickets in the “pit” area, surrounded by the stage runways, start at $843.

PJ MORTON

NOV. 27, ORPHEUM THEATER PJ Morton brings his Saturday Night |SundayMorning Tour to the Orpheum Theater for his annualBlack Fridayperformance. Tickets start at $52.

BILLYSTRINGS

DEC.4,SAENGER THEATRE

DEC.5,SMOOTHIE KING CENTER

Temporarily sidelined by abackstage skateboardingaccidentthat resulted in abroken legand postponed concerts, Billy Strings, the Eddie VanHalen of bluegrass, wouldn’tstay downfor long. Looking to mix things up, he booked back-to-back nights at atheater andanarena.The purchase of a ticket forthe Smoothie King Center show was required to buy a ticket for the Saenger show.The Saenger is sold out. Smoothie King Center tickets start at $56.

Looking ahead to next year 2027 NEWORLEANS

JAZZ &HERITAGEFESTIVAL

APRIL 22-25 and APRIL 29-MAY2

The Fair Grounds will once again host an overload of music and culture fromNew Orleans and beyond. The lineup will likely be revealed in December or early January

NIALLHORAN

APRIL 29, SMOOTHIE KING CENTER

One Direction alumnus and “The Voice” judge Niall Horan is slated to bring his Dinner Party Live on Tour to New Orleanson April 29.

New River Books features rows of books that are surrounded by pieces of art, children’s books and asection of VHS and DVDs.

BOOK IT!

BY CHERÉ COEN | Contributing writer

I’m asucker for independent bookstores and will veer off the highway when traveling through the South to peruse shelves for more books. Of course, I don’tneed more books, but who’scounting?

Thereare so many wonderfulindependent bookstores in the South Mississippialone hasmore than itsshare —so take this as asign to addmore titles to those to-be-read lists during summer travels. Here’sahandy road map to getstarted.Below are10 bookstores tovisit, from Texas to Virginia.

n Murder by theBook Houston, Texas

2342 Bissonnet St.

The big question is what to choose at Murder by the Book in Houston, one of the nation’s oldest and largest mystery specialty bookstores. The store packs in more than 25,000 new and usedbooks, first editions, collectibles, gift items, mysterymagazines and more, plus hosts numerous book signings by mystery authors every year.Some of the guests includeMichael Connelly, Patricia Cornwell and Louisiana’sown James Lee Burke and Robert Crais.

n TheBookNook Brenham, Texas

108 S. Douglas St.

Shopping for stickers in The Book Nook rivalsgreat reading material —we’re talking awall of stickers and more —but don’tget too distracted, for the bookselection is extensive as well. It’salso easily organized into genres, so visitors may head straight to their favorite authors. The bookstore hosts book clubs and other events, and its location downtown provides awarm community space

n Square Books

Oxford,Mississippi

160 Courthouse Square

At the corner of the Oxford Square lies atrue landmark,abookstore created in 1979 by Lisa and Richard Howorth, the latter aformer

president of theAmerican Booksellers Association Famous andkinda-famous authors have graced the threshold of Square Books, which offers book signings on aregular basisand is oneofthe sponsors of the Thacker Mountain Radio show.Climb the store’sstaircase and look back at the myriad author photoslining the walls. It’sthe reason Square Books won Publisher Weekly’s2013 Bookstore of the Year Award Square Books includes three offshoots: the 3,500-square-foot Square Books, Jr., devoted to children’s selections; OffSquare Books that features lifestyle topicssuchascooking and gardening;and Rare Square Books with collectible, vintage and first edition books. n TurnrowBookCo. Greenwood,Mississippi 304 HowardSt.

Since 2006, Turnrow Books has beeninviting authors intoits HowardStreet store in theheart of Greenwood, as well as hosting community events and art exhibitions. We’re talking events withthree Booker Prize winners, four Pulitzer Prize winners, two National Book Awardwinners,one Newbery Medal winner,one Caldecott Medal winner and threeJames BeardAward recipients. Recently,the bookstore suffered adevastating fire butreopened its store and cafe in March. Turnrowremains the place tobuy books

on the Mississippi Delta and by Mississippi authors, of which there are many.

n LemuriaBooks Jackson, Mississippi

202 BannerHall, 4465

Interstate 55 North

Signed books by authors, first editionsclub, book events and more arewhat people will find at Lemuria Books, locatedoff Interstate 55 northofdowntown Jackson. The staff is helpful, and the email newslettersare a great way to learnofongoing events (thebookstore turns 50 this year, so there will likely be many). Lemuria is located within BannerHall, and there’sacafe downstairs, so grab abook and settledown with anice cup of Joe.

n Pass ChristianBooks

Pass Christian, Mississippi

300 E. Scenic Drive

Pass ChristianBooksoffers theideal marriage of coffee and reading,but it takes the experience one step further. Restata tableinsideorout withyour latte and Mississippi author tome,and enjoy the pastoralwaters of theGulf right outside their doors.

It’sasmall space in downtown Pass Christianbut a lovely one, with tables on theground floor and asitting area in aloft space that allows for even better views of the Gulf. Booksrun the gamut, but mostly focus on the MississippiGulfCoast with a nice selection of Mississippi authors.

n Page &Palette Fairhope,Alabama

32 S. Section St. Fourgenerations throughout 50 years have been involved withPage &Palette, an independent bookstore located in the heart of Fairhope on the Gulf Coast. Visitors can find aselection of Alabama andGulf Coast writers and enjoy book signings andevents suchasstory time, open mics and book discussions. Inside, customerscan trylocally roasted coffee in Latte Da or acraft cocktail with aliterary twist in The Book Cellar.The shop also has aused book section.

n JimReedBooks Birmingham,Alabama

2021 Third Ave. North

It’snot just abookstore in the heart of Birmingham, it’sanexperience. Inspirational columnist,humorist, podcaster and author Jim Reed runs this storethat’s

chock-full of books and antiques. Author AllenJohnsonJr.,oncepinedthat“To call Reed Booksan‘oldbookstore’ is abit like saying the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel has agood paintjob.” Plan to spend sometimehere.

n TheReading Room Chattanooga, Tennessee 3210B Brainerd Road

The name says it all —an establishmentdesignedto provide aunique space to read. But there’ssomuch more.

Visitors can explore the floor-to-ceiling shelves of books sourced from the ChattanoogaPublic Library Foundation, where aportion of the sales is donated back, but also sip locally brewed beer,house-madecocktails andotherlibations. The storefrequently features artwork and live music.

TheReading Room is located in theOlde Town sectionofBrainerdand

open fromnoontomidnight Thursdays through Sundays. n OldNew RiverBooks Cambria, Virginia 596 DepotSt.,N.E

The formergeneral store alongside Cambria’s railroad tracks and depot serves double duty.The bottomfloor at Old New River Booksisfilledwith rows androwsofbooks that are surrounded by pieces of art, thoseincrediblycomfy chairs found in bookstores, children’sbooks we grew up with(“Nancy Drew,” for instance) and asection of VHS and DVDs —which, according to owner Ken Vaughan, is popular with students at nearby Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. At theentranceintothe main building that houses Cambria Station Antiques on three floors is an arch of books that stretches over your head, perfect for selfies.

“I love kids.Icould just kidnap them,” Lee laughed.

She has watched childrengrow up,following the arc of theirlives from first boyfriends to graduations to walks down the aisle. Many of them she met shortly arriving in Louisiana.

‘Livingday by day’

Leewas 15 when sheimmigrated from Hong Kong to New York

There, she met her now-husband, Tang, who was workingasawaiter at adim sum restaurant. He began travelingback andforthbetween NewYork andLouisiana,where he worked and learned to cook.Eventually,Lee moved to the South with him and worked in the service industry

Neither wanted to workfor anyone else. So the couple borrowed money from their parents and opened Royal China. Lee was 18.

The newlyweds movedout of their apartment and slept on the restaurant floors to make ends meet. With both of their families still in China, they only had each other and “lived day by day,” Lee said. She still cannot fully explain how they got through it.

“I think at that time, maybe people were more mature than now,” she said. “I know we all just grew up by ourselves.”

Buildingaloyal community, however, came naturally. Lee credits her goodmemory. She remembered everything from the broader details —theirnames, what they looked like,where they sat —tothe smallest preferences: tea or water,lemon or no lemon, sweetened or unsweetened.

Her daughter,Carling, who helps run Miss Shirley’s, also pointedto one of Lee’sfirst employees, Miss Gerry, as someonewho showed her mother how to build rapport, especially when she spokelittle English. She described Miss Gerry as a“classic waitress” from the South who moved slowlyand called customers “baby,” all while carrying apitcher of iced tea.

“I do really think that’swhat shapedmymom’s personality,” Carling said.

One of Lee’sregulars at Royal China, Mike Kerrigan, was among the many who developed afriendship that extended beyond the restaurant. Lee would go to his house to watch the Super Bowl every Good Friday and cook Chinese food for his family when Royal China closed. Shewould go on to host his son’srehearsal dinner up-

stairs at Miss Shirley’s. Now, when thefamilyorders takeout, Lee always throws in an extra eggroll or dim sum.

“She’sjust ahard worker,ahard grinder,” he said. “You don’tget that type ofworkethic or those kinds of fortunes by being lazy, and lazy she’snot.”

Anew chapteronMagazine

Leaving behind her regulars was what made retirement hardest for Lee.

After morethan 50 years of working seven daysaweek,she and her husband sold Royal China so they could spendmoretime

withfamily.They traveled and visited relatives in China, but the ache of leavingher restaurant never faded.

“I cried,” Lee said, turning to Carling. “Remember that?I criedon the phone from China. Ididn’twant to sell it. Ididn’twant to give it up.”

Sitting across the table, Carling responded, “Weall cried.”

Saying goodbye to theirlife’s work was just as hard forCarling, who’d often stop at Royal China andsip on an iced tea while talking withcustomers. When it closed, she felt lost.

“I missed my home base,” she said.

When her parents returned fromtheir travels, she remembered peoplewereconstantly at their house for dinner,requesting specialties like egg drop soup that were made free of charge. Carling realized hermother never truly retired —she just essentiallyran arestaurant out of her kitchen.

That’swhenshe knew something needed to change.Carling, areal estate attorney,discovered the building thathoused Jung’sGolden Dragon II wasfor sale and told her parents, “Weshould just do it no matter what.”

Miss Shirley’sopened in December 2022, but in the months leading up to that,whennot even the menus were prepared, Lee was ready to invite customers inside.

“The main reason foropening this restaurant was because she missed herpeople andwantedtoknowwhat everyone was up to,” Carling said. “She keeps tabs on people.”

Miss Shirley’sgave the Lee family moreculinary freedom than in the yearspast. RoyalChina opened in an era whenmost diners were farmorefamiliarwith Americanized Chinese fare than traditional dishes. Today,the dining scene has grown far more diverse, allowing restaurateurslike Leetocookfood that feels true to her upbringing.

“Our livelihood doesn’tdepend on it anymore,” Carling said, “And Ithink thatisanalleviating feeling that brings morejoy and happiness to the vibe of the restaurant.”

Above all, Miss Shirley’sbrought Lee back to the community she missed,inthe placeshe loves most.Nothing couldmakeher leave. This is home, even in the afterlife.

“I’ll stay here,” she said. “When Idie,I’m going to Metairie Cemetery.”

TRAVEL

ROWING ON THERIV ER

BY JANRISHER Staff writer

Twelve Louisiana women loaded into avan in Clarksdale, Mississippi, on May 1, carrying, amongother things, alifetime of warnings about the Mississippi River

My brother, aMississippi Baptist preacher who has preached funerals formen who died in small boats there, later told me that had he known Iwas en route to canoe the Mississippi, he would have stopped me. The river is dangerous. Unpredictable. Most of us had heard some version of that our entire lives.

It’sall true. Nonetheless, there we were about to canoe the river Catherine Comeaux of Lafayette organized the trip for 11 women from Acadiana and me —three days paddling with Quapaw Canoe Company,the Clarksdale-based outfitter founded by John Ruskey,aman who has spent the better part of 40 years living on, mapping and advocating for the Lower Mississippi. Most of us weren’texperienced campers, much less river paddlers. But somewhere between middle age and menopause,many women start sayingyes to things that once seemedscary or impossible.

On the drive up, friends and Istopped at The Tomato Place in Vicksburg for lunch,then continuednorth on Highway 61 to McCarty’s Pottery in Merigold.

Once in Clarksdale, we dined at Levon’sand caught the Black Keys outside Red’sLounge. They were playing in the tiny club on their way to Jazz Fest.

It was that kindoftrip.

On themorning of, we met at Quapaw’s, armed with little information about what would happen next.

We knew the cost —$550 per person, which covered transportation, canoes, life jackets, dry bags, guides and meals.

We were told to bring our own tents, sleeping bags, hats, two pairs of shoes and bug spray,which cool weather made unnecessary

That morning, we received atext saying river conditions were ideal. We had options about how far we wouldcanoe— 18 miles or 50 miles.

serve for religion. At Quapaw HQ, he provided river details as the crew loaded ourbitsand bags intothe two giantcanoes —which was an amazing feat of strengthand Tetris.

We loaded up in arickety bus anddrove25minutes to theriver.

There,Ruskeypickedup astick and drew amap of the riverinblack dirt as he talkedabout blue holesand leveebreaksand an Amazon-like tributarychannel we mightpaddleintoifthe current allowed. He mentioned bear tracksfroma trip twoweeksearlierand suggested silenceonce we gotinside

As he talked, thebirdsong was overwhelming andthe moment felt otherworldly

Then he ripped offhis shirt and jumped in the river.With atwo-minute paddling lesson,wewereoff.

The river was, as Ezell describedit, “asgrand andmassiveasIthoughtit would be —but also unexpectedly gentle.”

Henriette Guilliot,who hadpaddledthe Mississippi three times before, found herself struckagain by its scale.

“It feels so vast and collective of allofNorth America,” shesaid. For those strange days, paddling down this massive riveralongside giantbarges became away of life

Exploring islands felt like acombination of the apocalypse andHuckleberry Finn. Bizarrecombinations of debris dottedthe barren landscape that wasat the river’smercy —from a perfectly good soccer ball that mayhave gotten away in Minnesota to agiant refrigerator anda tiny plastic cowboy

Ceili Haleand Heather Crosse,the othertwo guides, seemed as comfortable on the riverasRuskey —and whenwepulled onto an island, they had hot bacon, eggs and coffeewaiting before most of us had ourtents down.

On thesecondnight, as the Flower Moon rose over the water,the guides played and sangonthe sandbar.

mostofuseventually

On thatmorning, Patty Prather crawled out of her tent before dawn and found the moon sitting low on the horizon over theriver.

“I felt like Icould have walkedinto thegoldenmoon if Ibut crossed the water,” shesaid. She watched it set, then turned to find thesun breaking through thewillows behind her, aflock of Canada geese lifting off the water intothe newlight Beautyaside,not everything about the tripwas transcendent Tenmilesin, Ruskeydemonstrated the dishwashing method: scrub withsand, rinseinthe Mississippi, dry in thesun.I am nota germaphobe,but it wasa lotto takein. Still, Tara Gros —onher first canoe trip, first night in atentand first time to eat watermelon off aboat oar —calleditone of the best weekends of herlife Angi Davis managed three days without coffee through sheer strategic avoidance. Diana Heinen, who drew a firm line at getting into the river herself, creditedthe camp potty chairher friend brought as thetrip’sunsung hero. The rest of us were forbidden to use it and had to make do in thewilds Whatthe riverdoes,it turns out, is make therest of life seem negotiable

Later,Michele Ezellsaid what many of the rest of us were thinkingthatmorning:

“I really hoped and prayed for aweather pattern to find its way to Clarksdale so the Monopoly gods would gift me witha get-out-of-jail-

The group, with Ruskey, decided to do the more ambitious 50-mile journey, a decision that was not unanimous.

free card. Iregrettedwhat Ihad signed up for.”

She wasnot alone.

She also described Ruskey, whois62, well.

“I put allmytrust in the manwho lookednothing like

what my 56 years of inland rules of trust had built,” Ezell said.

Ruskeyhas skinny legs andwhite, scraggly hair.He lovesthe riverwith the kind of devotion most people re-

We woke to more music the next morning —prothonotary warblers, redwinged blackbirds andspecies Icouldn’tname. Listening made me realize that, somewherealong theway,I have becomeaperson who stopsfor birdsong.

Iamtold this happens to

“Nature hasaway of making allthe problems in our everyday lives seem small and almost disappear,” Heinensaid. Davis saidshe came home wishing she could find the words to explain to herlate husband what she had just done The Mississippi River deserves every bitofthe respectwe’ve beentaught to give it. But with experienced guides, planning and favorable riverconditions, it also offers something most of us neverimagined possible:a chance to move through one of America’s great landscapes from inside it Dirty dishes aside, Irecommendthe experience— with theproperplanning, care andskilledguides. Quapaw Canoe Company runs guided trips on the Lower Mississippi yearround. Details at quapawcanoes.com Email Jan Risheratjan. risher@theadvocate.com.

By ChristopherElliott

already doing.I’ve emailed. I’ve contacted the CEO.Everyfew months, Iget an update emailsaying they’re “reviewing the case.”

response:“Asupervisor is working on it right now.”I’ve tried their WhatsApp line during office hours,but the virtual assistant just tells me to contact them during office hours —whichI’m

Six months afterthe cancellation, an agent told me to request acurrency conversion and assured me it would be expedited. They said to wait afew days forthe voucher in Canadian dollars. Iwaited. Nothing.The next month, another agent said we were “in the queue. Ayear later,I had enough. Isent another emailsaying I’dacceptthe voucher in U.S. dollars—I realized the currency difference wasminimal anyway.I just wanted my husband’svoucher It’snow been over 15 monthssince Aer Lingus said it processedJorge’svoucher.I received mine.Why nothis? This wassupposed to help us travel after dealing with adeathinour family. Instead, it’sbeen nothing but frustration. Can you helpusget Jorge’svoucher?— Beatrijs Albarran, Buffalo, New York

Aer Lingus should have issued your husband’s voucher immediately after you had to cancel your flights. AccordingtoAer Lingus’ own policy,vouchers are issued in the

samecurrency as the original booking. Youdidn’tneed to exchange your vouchersfor Canadian dollars to makeabooking from aCanadian airport. Butifyou wanted acurrency conversion, and Aer Lingus said you could do it, that should have been handled as astraightforward request not a15-month ordeal.

The airline’sbehavior here is inexcusable. It issued your voucher but kept giving you therunaround on your husband’svoucher.Telling you repeatedly that “a supervisor is working on it”isa classic delay tactic. Andthose automated “we’re reviewing your case” emails? They’re designed to make you thinksomething is happening when nothing is. Youkept great records of every phone call, every WhatsApp attempt,everyemail. That paper trail is exactly what consumer advocates need to help resolve cases like yours. Youeven escalated to the CEO, which shows persistence. Youmight have triedsome of the customer servicemanagers. I

publish thenames, numbers and email addresses of the Aer Lingus executivesonmyconsumer advocacy site,Elliott.org. The Department of Transportation has strict rules about refunds. While your case involved avoluntary cancellation and the issuance of aflight credit, the principle remains the same: airlines must process these requests promptly

Afew years ago, Iwrote about another Aer Lingus customer who had trouble with avoucher that didn’twork. The airline eventually made it right after my advocacy team intervened, but it took four years to resolve the case. That story suggests apossible pattern: Aer Lingus sometimes promises vouchers but fails to follow through. Icontacted Aer Lingus on your behalf. Within days, the airline finally tookaction.

Amanager issued your husband’svoucher in U.S. dollars, as you requested. Initially,a customer service representative

suggested you buy anew ticket and submit aclaim forreimbursement —which you correctly refused. Why should you pay out of pocket when the airline already owes you the money?

“Weapologize to this customer forthe delay in issuing their voucher,” an Aer Lingus spokesperson told me. “Aer Lingus is liaising directly with this customer to resolve the matter,and we hope to welcomethem on an Aer Lingus flight soon.” Remember,ifyou’re dealing with an airline voucher issue, document everything. Keeprecords of every conversation. Don’taccept vague promises. And if you hit awall, escalate to the executives. Companies respond differently,sometimes morepositively, when someone is watching.

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

Danish recycling artist brings trolls indoors

BY JAMES BROOKS Associated Press

ISHØJ, Denmark For more than a decade, Danish recycling artist Thomas Dambo has scattered wooden troll sculptures around the world.

He has created almost 200 in 19 countries.

Now the poet and former hip-hop artist is bringing a collection of fairy taleinspired creations in from the cold for his first museum exhibit.

“The Garbage Man,” at the Arken Museum of Contemporary Art on the outskirts of Copenhagen, tells the story of a group of mischievous trolls who secretly move into the museum, take it over and redesign it.

“They build and leave a giant human made of trash as a lesson for the humans to behave better and don’t put their trash where everybody else lives,” Dambo said at his studio near the Danish capital.

The 46-year-old artist started spreading his trolls back in 2014, when he built two sculptures for a Danish music festival.

Two years later, he hid six giant trolls in wooded areas around Copenhagen.

The project went viral, drawing millions of viewers online.

“I was like, if I tell a story that combines them all, then when I’ve done this (for) 10 years, I will probably have made over 100 sculptures and I have made the world into my stage,” he said.

Twelve years on, Dambo has made almost 200. The artist and his team build about 25 new trolls annually “Long Leif,” the tallest at 43 feet high stands in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota.

Usually, Dambo’s work is as much treasure hunt as exhibit. His fairy-tale creations are tucked away in forests, mountains, jungles and grasslands around the world, discoverable using an online “Troll Map.” There is “Little Lisa” hidden in a German forest, and “Happy Kim” lounging in a South Korean botanical garden.

Children clamber and adults gasp as they find the trolls. Dambo estimates about 5 million people visit his works annually

“The sculptures bring people out to experience things that they would otherwise have been too lazy or maybe not creative enough to go and visit,” he said. “My trolls, they bring people to all these small, little corners of the world.” Each of Dambo’s trolls has a unique name and design. In the Arken exhibit, is on show until Nov 29, his new works are based on friends he had when growing up. They have “personalities of a late teenage, young 20s type of group of boys that are causing havoc, and the type of gang that would break into a museum and fill it up with trash,” Dambo said. Trolls often appear in Scandinavian folklore, but Dambo said he chose to work with the mythical creatures as a vehicle to convey messages on waste and recycling.

The recycling artist’s sculptures are made almost entirely from waste and discarded materials, such as wooden pallets, old furniture and whisky barrels. He said a museum exhibit means he can experiment with materials that wouldn’t

survive outdoors, including discarded electronics, cardboard and clothes, lots of them.

In one corner, a troll named “Dyna Dee” dozes on a nearly 20-foot mound

of discarded clothing from a local recycling organization.

Dambo hopes museum visitors will leave with an urge to buy less.

“It’s not really about re-

cycling, it’s about you probably have enough clothes in your cabinet to wear for the rest of your life,” he said.

“This is not my recycling project, this is my stop buying stuff project.”

By The Associated Press

Today is Sunday,May 31, the151st day of 2026. There are 214 days left in the year

Todayinhistory:

On May 31, 1921, atwo-day massacre erupted in Tulsa, Oklahoma, as Whitemobs began looting and burning the affluent Black district of Greenwood over reportsaBlack manhad assaulted aWhite woman in an elevator; though the exact number remainsunknown, as many as 300 Black Tulsans were killedduring the riot.

Also on this date:

In 1790, President GeorgeWashington signed intolaw the firstU.S.copyright act.

In 1889, over 2,200 people in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, died when the South Fork Dam collapsed, sending 20 milliontons of water from Conemaugh Lake rushingthrough the town.

In 1949, former State Department official and accusedSoviet spy Alger Hiss wenton trial in New York, charged with perjury (the trial ended with ahung jury,but Hiss wasconvicted in asecond trial.)

In 1970, amagnitude 7.9earthquakestruck the Ancash region of Peru;the quake,combined with the landslide ittriggered,killedan estimated 67,000 people.

In 1977, the 800-mile-longTrans-Alaska oil pipeline was completed after three years of construction.

In 2005, Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein confirmeda Vanity Fair magazine report naming former FBI official W. MarkFelt as theWatergate scandal informant previously known only as “Deep Throat.”

In 2009, Millvina Dean,the last survivorof the 1912 sinking of the RMS Titanic, died in Hampshire, England, at 97

In 2014, Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, the only American soldier heldprisonerinAfghanistan, was freed by the Talibaninexchange for five Afghan detainees fromthe U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. (Bergdahl, who’d gone missing in June 2009, later pleadedguilty to endangering his comrades by walking awayfrom his post in Afghanistan;his sentenceincludeda dishonorable discharge but no prisontime.)

In 2019, alongtime city employee opened fire in amunicipal building in Virginia Beach, Virginia, killing 12 people on three floorsbefore police shotand killed him; officialssaid DeWayne Craddock had resigned by email hours before the shooting Today’sbirthdays: Actor-filmmaker Clint Eastwood is 96. Football Hall of Famer Joe Namath is 83.Actor TomBerenger is 77. Actor-comedian ChrisElliott is 66.Actor Lea Thompsonis 65.Musician Corey Hart is 64. Rapper Darryl “DMC” McDaniels is 62. Actor Brooke Shields is 61. TV host Phil Keoghan is 59. Jazz musician Christian McBride is 54. Actor Archie Panjabi is 54. Actor Colin Farrell is 50. Singer Normani is 30. Tennis player Iga Swiatekis25.

Be friendly-ish to departingco-worker

ceased had morefriends than they knew

Dear Miss Manners: Ateacher Ihave worked with for the last 13 years is retiring at the end of the school year.Teachers have been asked to submit a4x6 card withamessage to her for an album. She will most likely be having aretirement party as well. She has treated me very meanly over the years. She is capable of being very nice one minute, and cold —sometimes even cruel the next. When she is nice, you could never tell that she has another side, which she always shows tome when no one elseisaround.

Oh,all right. Youdon’thave to go to theparty.You don’teven have to makeanexcuse, although it might be useful to makeanother engagement when you know the date, in case you are questioned. On thecard, you can write, “I hope you enjoy your retirement.”

Please tell me themannerly requirements with regard to thenote and anything else related to her retirement.

Gentle Reader: She is leaving! Youwill not have to endure her hot-and-cold (or perhaps lukewarm-and-freezing) behavior again. So there is no cost to your being gracious. Except,ofcourse, in giving up thesatisfaction of letting her know that she mistreated you.

Isn’tthat worthmaintaining your dignity and preserving thepeace until she disappears?

Dear Heloise: Ijust read ahint about avoiding ants in acat’sfood bowl by settingthe bowl on apan of water

It reminded me of ourcruise through thePanama Canal years ago. We learned that during the construction of the canal, the local hospitals placed thebed legs on pans of water to discourage ants from crawling up to thepatients.

Andyes, you do. Youwouldn’t want her to missthe school so much that she tries to return.

Dear Miss Manners: My in-lawswill attend the visitation of someone they’ve never met, andstay from beginning to end, only because they barely know arelative of the deceased. They will also go to thecemetery or mausoleum for the funeral itself, then return to thechurch for themeal —but if the luncheon is served at the homeofa family member, they go home.

Ifind this odd and ghoulish.What is the proper etiquette for attending funerals?

GentleReader That is an odd form of recreation, Miss Manners admits.

Butasfunerals are open unless specifically labeled private, it seemsharmless. The bereaved may be puzzled, but will realize that it is possible that the de-

background).Ihave quit buying certain brands because of this.

Dear Miss Manners: Iampart of agroup of parents of four graduating fifth graders whoare organizing agraduation party

We have invited grandparents and family members and somefriends to attend. We are jointly paying forcatering and other miscellaneous expenses. Is it expected that each parent from this group gives agifttoall four fifth graders?

Gentle Reader: Up to all of you. But surely you have enough to do in organizing the party without having to quiz your children about what each of the others would like but doesn’talready have, do the shopping and wrapping because the child isn’tdoing it, deal with the unlabeled packages that the guests may bring, and keep track of which parents gave what to each child to makesure they are properly thanked.

Send questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com; to heremail, dearmissmanners@ gmail.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners,Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City,MO64106.

Unfortunately,mosquitoes bred in the water,which caused deadly malaria outbreaks. So, it’sa good idea to use water pans, but makesure to change out the water frequently —Raul K., in Oak View, California

Readingthe fine print

Dear Heloise: Ihave been reading “Hints From Heloise” for decades and have benefited from hundreds of household hints

Ihope food manufacturers and their employees also read the column. Ihave worn glasses mostofmy life, and my eyes haven’tgotten better with age.

Ican’tread instructions in small print on product labels with colors that aren’t distinct (i.e., black lettersona green

Black print on awhite or lightcolored background is best. Pleasetake pity on us senior citizens. —Renee, via email Renee, Ihave thesame problem, which is why Icarry asmall magnifying glass in my purse. Irecently bought anew mouse for my computer,and the letters on the instruction pamphlet wereso tinythat Idoubt that even people with perfect eyesight could have read them

—Heloise

Accessible shopping

Dear Heloise: Ihave asuggestion forgrocery storemanagers and shelf-stocking employees.

When stocking shelves, please don’t leave your carts in themiddle of the aisle. Isee this all the time, and it’shard to navigateashopping cart around it. Frequently,I’ve had to shovethe stocking cart out of the way if the employee isn’taround or skip theaisle altogether and go elsewhere.

The same goes for people wholeave their shopping carts in the middle of an aisle while they wander around looking

at items. Especially at big-box stores, Isee people pulling their carts from the side, which makes it even harder to pass them.Let’smake shopping easier foreveryone! —Paul H., in Torrance,California Now, is that toohard?

Dear Heloise: To Bobbie, in California, whostated that people needn’texpect athank you from agiftrecipient, Idisagree. This has becomeacommon practice of our younger generations. Writing a thank-you note isn’tanarduous chore. It does twothings —itlets the giftgiver know that the giftwas received, and it showsappreciation forthe gift. As my mother would say,“Now, is that too hard?”

An easy solution is to include aselfaddressed, stamped thank-you card with the gift. If athank-you note doesn’tget sent, no moregifts forthat person! Jackie S.,inRapid City,South Dakota Jackie, Iagree. Stop giving gifts to someone whodoesn’thave the manners or kindness to say “thank you” in asmall card or by telephone.— Heloise Send ahinttoheloise@heloise.com.

TALKING BUSINESS LABI chair on what state needs to attract, retain companies 3E

AROUND THE REGION La.has until summer’s end to spend $20M on rural health initiatives 4E

Divine RE IN VE NT IO N

From eventspacestorecordshops,entrepreneurs arefindingnew uses forstate’s oldchurches

ABOVE: Developers, city officials and family gather with Cameron Theyard,fourth from right, for agroundbreaking ceremonyAug.28, 2025, in Lafayette.Theyard’s newevents venue,The Wilyard, will celebrateits grand opening in July

PROVIDED PHOTO

RIGHT: The former Our LadyofLourdes ChurchinNew Orleans, dormant for two decades, has been transformedinto The Josephine, an event space operated by Dickie Brennan &Co.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By DAVID

GRUNFELD

BY RICH COLLINS Staff writer

CameronTheyard wasn’timpressed. He was looking at an online real estatelisting last year as he and his partners were searching for alocation to build anew wedding venueinhis Lafayette hometown. Someone had sent alink to an empty churchina historicarea, but all he could seeinthe photos was peeling paint and broken windows.

Then he visited theplace.

“The entire layout was perfect for what we wanted to do, from the courtyardoutside to the space on thesecond floor for abridal suite,” said Theyard, who launched his own wedding photography business five years ago. “I could see all thepossibilities, and Iwanted to get started right away.”

This July,when local officials join Theyard’steamatThe Wilyard foraribbon-cuttingceremony for the $1.2 million project,they will be celebrating the state’snewest church-turned-wedding venue. Odds are it won’tbethe last.

LasVegas conference highlights hottrends, localexperts say

BY STEPHANIERIEGEL

Staff writer

More than 20,000 real estate professionals gathered in Las Vegaslastweekfor theannual International Council of Shopping Centers convention, anetworking, deal-making, schmooze fest that brings together brokers,investors and retailers from around the country Jonathan Walker,ofBaton Rouge-based Maestri-Murrell, was among the dozens from Louisiana who attended the two-day conference, which is held at the Las Vegas Convention Center but alsoincludespoolside socials andcorporate cocktailparties at nearby casino hotels,where some of the most productive work gets done. In the years since Walkerstarted attending theconference, he’s noticedsome changes. Adecade ago, ISCS attracted larger crowds and frequently resulted in bringing big-name tenants home to the local market. In thepost-COVID worldof e-retail,it’smoreabout making contacts and strengthening relationshipsthat might pan out down theline. That said,Walkerand otherlo-

cal brokers who made the trip say the energy was good and the mood more upbeat than last year or the year before. The overarching takeaway,they said, is that the retail segment is still alive and well, with demand for space outstripping supply and interestinsouth Louisiana markets —especially from quickservicerestaurant chains —remaining high.

“The I-10 corridor is strong from Lake Charles to Lafayette, Baton Rouge and Metairie,”Walker said. “Everybody wants at leastone store in each of thosemarkets.”

ä See RETAIL, page 2E

As attendanceatreligious services declines nationwide,and with mostofLouisiana’smajor cities losing population, somesacred buildings statewide are falling out of use and into disrepair.The ArchdioceseofNew Orleans alone closed 27 churches three years after Hurricane Katrina and merged or closed another dozen parishes twoyears ago. These empty,and oftenhistoric,buildings are creating opportunities fornew owners to bring themback intocommerce or community service.

Severalentrepreneurs have retrofitted churches as turnkey spaces suitable for hosting marriage ceremonies, wedding receptions andotherspecial events. Others have turned them into restaurants, shops, music venues, offices and homes —often navigating red tape to qualify forhistoric restoration tax credits to pay for expensive renovations.

Preservationists are cheering the trend.

CHURCHES

“Every neighborhood used to have achurch, and now we don’thave enough attendance to support all of them,” said Heather Veneziano, director for historic preservation at Tulane’s School of Architecture and Built Environment. “That means there are opportunities to figure out what each community needs,how people want to come together and how spaces can respond to that.”

Afamiliar setting

Wedding and events venues are one of the most logical uses for former church buildings, and in New Orleans —one of the country’s most popular destination weddinglocations —several commercial and nonprofit spaces are competing with existingchurches for ceremonies and receptions.

DaveHurlbert and Scott King unintentionally created awedding hot spot in 2010 when they bought the once-dilapidated former Holy Trinity Church building in New Orleans’ Faubourg Marigny and converted it into the Marigny Opera House, anonprofit performing arts center.Inthe years since, the spacehas hosted hundreds of community events and launched its own professional dance company —but weddings have been a much-needed source of revenue.

Thevenue got apublicity boost after Solange Knowles, sister of pop star Beyoncé, got married there in 2014.

In 2018, New Orleanian NathalieJordi and aBrooklyn-based real estate developer created another popular wedding location in the same neighborhood when they opened the Hotel Peter and Paul, a$24 million historic renovation project that transformed the campus of alate-19th-century Catholic church complex into a71room boutique hotel. The hotel fills the former schoolhouse, rectory and convent, but the former church building now hosts concerts, yoga classes, fashion shows, art markets and other events.

“Wewanted to maintain it as alocus of community while bringing it back to its former grandeur,” Jordi said. In 2015, in the Lower Garden District, Chris Jones and his future wife, Jessica

RETAIL

Continued from page1E

High occupancychallenges

One of the recurring themes of the conference wasthe lack of newretail space,attendeessaid

Though more people across the country are shopping online, with e-commerce now accounting for more than 20% of all purchases, the vast majority of sales are still made in person and there isn’tenough shopping center space to accommodate growing tenants.

High prices for building materials, elevated interest rates, pricey insurance premiums and workforce shortages have driven the cost of construction to levels that have essentiallychilled all new activity

“We’re not seeing new ground-up stuff —anywhere,” Walker said.“Tenants cannot afford to pay the rates developers need to charge them to justify the cost of the build.”

As aresult, tenants are staying put, expanding onsite if possible. Some, mostly discount chains,are taking over older spaces vacated in recent years by big-box stores like Bed Bath &Beyond or Conn’s.

“Purple Cow,TJMaxx, Rainbow,those discount retailers are some of the few that are really growing, taking over second-generation boxes,” said Noah Loveland, aretail broker with Elifin Realty Coffee anddrive-thrus

Another big takeaway fromthe conference is the growth in the quick service restaurantsector,especially

PROVIDED PHOTO

Adam Plaunche and JamesFogle playguitars at the Baton RougeMusic ExchangeinBaton Rouge. The musical instrument retailerisone of three businesses insidea former churchonAcadian Thruway. The space also is home to theMidCityBallroom concerthall and PopShop Records.

Walker,completed afouryear renovation of ashuttered Gothic Revival-style building they’dpurchased from theUnitedMethodist Church afew years earlier.

“Wewere likethe dogthat caught the car when they accepted our offer,” he said. “All of asudden, we were the caretakers of this historic building.”

The space, which needed more than $1 million in repairs andrenovations,has hostedroughly500 weddings and other events over the lastdecadeinaddition to being home to alocal congregation on Sunday mornings.

Other New Orleans churches-turned-event spaces include Livaudais Hall in Central City and theJosephine, which debuted last fall after alengthyrenovation.

TheJosephine, which is adjacenttoa soon-to-open Trader Joe’slocation, has helped bring commercial activityback to along-dormant Uptown intersection. Oneof the business’s investors is JohnGeorges, owner of TheTimes-Picayune |The Advocate.

Challengingrenovations

Reviving these former sacredbuildings isn’tfor the faintofheart.

Often,by thetime a church,synagogue or other religious structure hasgone out of service, it’ssuffering fromdeferred maintenance, said Veneziano, the Tulane professor. And because many of the buildings were constructed before modern heating, ventilationand air conditioning systems existed, they’veoften been retrofittedpoorly,and theirwiringand plumbing are likely

those that sellcoffee drinks with adrive-thru.

Amongthe rapidly expanding brandsthatlocal experts say are lookingfor more space across south Louisiana are Dutch Bros Coffee, which sells energy drinks and nitrogen-infused coldbrews along with traditional lattes and iced coffees;and 7Brew, another drive-thru coffeechain that boastsmorethan 20,000customizable options.

In recent years, both Dutch Bros and7 Brew have expanded intothe state, with outlets in Baton Rouge and Lafayette, thoughnot the Greater New Orleans area —atleastnot yet.Experts said both companies are looking for space in the state’slargest metro area and could announce new drive-thruslater this year.

“Dutch Bros, 7Brew and Starbucks are allcompeting for the same space,”Loveland said.

Othertypesofserviceoriented retailers like Take 5Oil Changeare also growing, looking for outparcels on smaller padsthat might notbeable to accommodate atraditional fast-foodoutlet with asit-down restaurant.

“McDonald’sorChick-fil-A wouldnot be able to fit on a half-acre parcel in asupermarketparking lot,”Walker said. “Some of these newer generation drive-thrus can, so you’re seeing renewed interest in those spacesand more infill.”

Changing tenant mix

While traditional department storesand many midcentury-stylemalls continue to struggle, regional supermalls like LakesideinMetairie and lifestyle centers like Town Centre in Baton Rouge

out of date.

Jordi and her team at the HotelPeter and Paul learned all thatfirsthand as theybrought the circa 1860 church building up to code by,among otherthings, installing newair conditioning, bathrooms, ramps, a sound system and afire suppression system

The partners decidedto keep thepatina of the old church’swalls —created by morethan150 years’ worth of layeredpaint— but even thatcreated more work when they had to hire artists to paint new walls tomatch theold ones.

Similarly, the renovatorshad to find specialty sub-contractors to remake window frames and other architectural elements that matchedthe craftsmanship of earlier eras, according to Lloyd Schoen, lead superintendent on the project

For these reasons and more, redevelopers of old sacred buildings almost alwaysapply for historic tax credits —which can trigger 20% federal rebates and staterebates worth up to 25% in urban areas and up to 35% outside cities —toreducecosts.But using credits often means theyare required to keep thebuilding’s original floor plan,limiting its potential uses.

“It’sa delicate dance,” Veneziano said.

Gettingcreative

As moreempty sacred buildings become available, Veneziano said their owners will need to thinkofnew ways to use them, perhaps takingacue from thedeveloper in northernSpain who converted aformer church into an indoor skate park. Thereare already exam-

are thriving.

Veteran broker Beau Box saidone of his takeaways from ICSC this year was that “retail is strong as an asset class in spiteofwhat people read andthatstrip centers andpower centersare doing fine.”

Another trend, attendees said, is the continuedshift in the tenant mix at retail strips from shoe stores and drug stores, say,tomore serviceoriented retailers likenail salons and oil change outlets

“Experiential”-styletenants like Pilates and yoga studios alsocontinue to expand intostripmalls,with ever-newtwists on health and fitness like cryotherapy and stretchstudios, Walker said.

As for whether therewas anybuzz aboutahigh-end retailer moving into Canal Place to take some or all of the space vacated earlier this spring, when Saks Fifth Avenue moved out, several local realestate experts contacted for this story said they hadn’theard anything. They also said they’re not expecting any major new tenantstomoveintothe market this year withan excitingnew concept. But they expect thenext six to 12 monthstosee existingchains andrestaurant groups continuing to expand along familiar,in-demand corridors acrossthe state.

“In Metairie, it’sCauseway andVets. In Baton Rouge, Perkins andSiegen, or Burbank and Lee,” Loveland said. “Ifnorthshore, Highway 190, andinLafayette, Kaliste Saloom. Those areas are hot.”

Email StephanieRiegel at stephanie.riegel@ theadvocate.com.

ples in Louisiana of different uses.

In Baton Rouge,realestate agentand musician James Fogle converted the former Mountain Faith Ministry church on Acadian Thruway intoa music store, record shopand live venue called MidCity Ballroom that’sbeen active for nearlya decade.

“Weadded soundproofing out of respectfor the neighbors,” he said.

adjacent buildingslikeconvents and orphanages have been redeveloped as hotels, apartments and condos withone high-profile project on the horizon.

nightclub or strip joint,” he said. “They couldn’tbelieve someone would just buy the place to make it into agenteel arts center.”

“When we posted our plan to revitalize the building,peoplestartedreaching out, saying they gotmarried thereand sending us pictures. It wascool to see that people had used the building for good and sacred things. Now we’re bringing it back to do thesame thing.”

CAMERON THEyARD,owner of The Wilyard

Afew miles away,Sanctuary Home and Gifts sells home decor and sorority itemsinanold Baptist church building.

Another Baptist church in Shreveport is being converted intoacivil rights museum

In New Orleans, Vessel restaurant, the offices of Perez Architects and aholistic wellness center all occupy former churches, while ahistoric synagogue on Jackson Avenue is now an apartment building.

Several nonprofitsand arts organizations around the city and statehave converted former churches into eventspaces andcommunity centers, while church-

Veneziano thinks there’s room formore.

“We’re going to havealot of empty buildings that need anew life, and Ithink addressing community needs through these spaces would be amazing,” she said.

Changing attitudes

Communities have not always been receptive to the proposed new uses for the old churches that have helped define their neighborhoods forgenerations.

Hurlbert encounteredresistance to his vision forthe Marigny Opera House when he first proposed it more than adecade ago.

“People were suspicious we were going to make it a

Afew years later,Marigny Opera House has become alocal institution. One reason, Hurlbert thinks, is that communities arewarming up to the idea of reusing rather than losing old church buildings.

Still, Veneziano said developers have to respect the buildings’ histories, remembering that community members may have attended weddings, funerals and other significanteventsin them

That’swhat Theyard in Lafayette is counting on.

“When we posted our plan to revitalize the building, people started reaching out, saying they got married there and sending us pictures,” he said. “It was cool to seethatpeople hadused thebuildingfor good and sacred things. Now we’re bringing it back to do the samething.”

Email RichCollinsatrich. collins@theadvocate.com.

TALKING BUSINESS

ASK THE EXPERTS

Local brands owner lauds La.’s efforts to grow industries

BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff writer

Scott Ballard began his career more than 30 years ago as a Smoothie King franchisee. Over the years, he and his brothers, Paul and Steve, acquired more locations and added more brands, including PJ’s Coffee, deepening their knowledge of the food service sector in the process.

Today, the brothers own Ballard Brands, a fast-casual dining company based in Covington that owns PJ’s Coffee and WOW American Eats, as well as several smaller brands The company operates more than 200 restaurants in 30 states and has revenues of $40 million, not including sales at franchise-owned outlets.

The Ballard brothers also co-own Ballard Hospitality, a logistics company that provides “lifestyle services,” including food, housing and laundry, to disaster relief sites and camps. Amid an industrial building boom across the state with new LNG and artificial intelligence data centers under construction, Ballard Hospitality is killing it at the moment, with revenues that will likely approach $100 million by year’s end, though that figure varies widely from year to year Besides running two companies, Scott Ballard is heavily involved at the intersection of business and policy, serving as chair of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry He’s also a member of the LSU Board of Supervisors and a past chair

In this week’s Talking Business, Ballard opens up about what Louisiana needs to do to become more business-

friendly, where he sees progress and what keeps him up at night.

Interview has been edited for length and clarity

What is the biggest challenge of growing food companies in Louisiana?

Keeping them in the state. That’s mainly because when you get to a certain size, recruiting the top executives to Louisiana is difficult. You saw that with Popeyes and Smoothie King, which left decades ago Other chains that started here, like Raising Cane’s, have kept corporate offices but moved their operations center to Dallas, where the quick-service restaurant sector is based It’s tough, but I think it’s changing, and we’re committed to staying here.

How? What’s improving that would keep them and other companies here?

Some of the recent changes to our tax code and to legal reform have helped. From a business perspective, companies want low risk and a stable tax base. Our tax law is convoluted. Most companies grade us poorly on that. Companies also want to know crime is OK We lost a lot of opportunities because of public safety concerns. We are fixing that now We need to keep working on it.

What else do you hear from companies when you meet with them? What do they want that they are not getting here?

Our law, our civil code is perceived a problematic. It

has always been complex or corrupt — or at least perceived as such. Right, wrong or indifferent, we need to change certain parts of it and follow the lead of Texas, Tennessee, Arkansas and even Mississippi, which have all made changes to meet the needs of businesses and started creating business-friendly climates What have LABI’s priorities been this session?

Early childhood education is a big one You want to help families in poverty? Make sure you take care of early childhood education.

The state has been focused on that for a while. I think that is why you’re finally starting to see test scores improve slightly It’s start-

Q&A WITH SCOTT BALLARD OWNER OF BALLARD BRANDS

ing to pay off.

We also want to start paying teachers more. When you pay your teachers better, the workforce gets better

The governor has done a very good job making sure we are bringing manufacturing jobs here, like with the Hyundai steel mill in Donaldsonville LABI is working to help attract more companies like that.

Tort reform was a major thing last year that we are always fighting for Insurance rates are another big issue and workers’ comp. There are providers charging 10 times more to treat work-related injuries than Ochsner or LCMC.

Why is it not consistent?

We need to get a handle on the outliers. They are driving our workers’ comp rates through the roof.

Is LABI still the all-powerful voice of the business community it once was in Baton Rouge?

Yes, I think we’re very powerful. I think we are less political today than maybe we used to be, and I think that is a good thing.

But our membership is strong — from small companies like mine to Shell and Exxon. We did have a little dip a couple of years ago and we had to retool. But today we are strong.

Often pro-business, pro-industrial policies come at the expense of the environment in a state where climate vulnerabilities are very real. How do you square that?

Whether you think it has an effect or not, the emotional effect of people think-

ing our climate is not good is not good. Things like the recent climate study (covered internationally by The Guardian) definitely hurts the perception that this is not a good place to do business. I don’t mind the truth but you also need to give the other side and offer solutions, give hope.

One thing that is helping with the perception people have about us is the job the governor and Louisiana Economic Development are doing to make this state more business-friendly

Susan Bourgeois is doing a phenomenal job as LED secretary You can see the difference. The state has a plan and is executing on that plan. They understand that if you are going to bring companies here you have to support them. You have to have a trained workforce they can hire. What keeps you up at night?

Education and crime used to keep me up at night, but I really feel like we’re moving in the right direction making strides in both of those areas. Workforce remains our biggest challenge, so I spend a lot of time thinking about that. The other thing that keeps me up at

AROUND THE REGION

State has to quickly invest $20M

BY RICH COLLINS Staff writer

A federal program created last year to support rural healthcare providers could also result in a $20 million windfall for Louisiana’s health tech startup companies.

State leaders have announced the launch of the Rural Tech Catalyst Fund, a collaboration between Louisiana Economic Development and the Louisiana Department of Health designed to “strengthen rural healthcare systems, expand access to quality care and accelerate healthcare technology deployment across Louisiana’s rural communities.”

“Rural health has a business model challenge,” said Josh Fleig, LED’s chief innovation officer, in an interview Wednesday “Providers need volume and rural places don’t have it. We’re looking for solutions.”

Fleig

The new program, unveiled at a May 27 news conference at the State Capitol, is funded by the Rural Health Transformation Program, a more than $50 billion federal investment created last year by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which calls for $10 billion to be distributed annually to all 50 states for the next five years. The legislation came after nearly $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid programs raised alarm among rural healthcare providers, which often rely on government programs to pay their bills.

Louisiana could receive roughly $208 million annually for the next five years for a variety of rural healthcare-related programs. But about 10% of that total is being directed to funding for health tech startups headquartered or working in the state

The new fund, overseen by LED’s Louisiana Innovation division, will support ventures developing new care models, creating new healthcare infrastructure and pursuing other advancements.

dates, from which 10 to 25 ventures will be selected. The agency is authorized to make grants or investments or a combination of the two.

Fleig said the emphasis this summer will likely be on grants attached to milestones, such as building capacity, piloting a service in rural location, and refining research and development. Qualifying companies will have a year to spend the money

“Quarter one, you might have to find a pilot partner in a rural location to integrate your product or service,” Fleig said. “Next quarter, you might need to reach a certain number of customers. And you have to spend the money; you can’t just bank it.”

The Rural Tech Catalyst Fund could unlock up to $20 million annually for five years depending on how much LED is able to distribute each year The minimum grant or investment size is $250,000 The maximum a company can receive over five years is $3 million.

The initiative will be managed through Louisiana Innovation, a roughly year-old division of LED that oversees the state’s earlystage technology investment and startup support efforts. Last year, it invested more than $50 million in Louisiana startups.

The only catch? LED has to move fast to distribute the first $20 million by the end of the federal fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30.

“We need companies that have a product or service that can be deployed in the next 180 days,” Fleig said. “This program is not meant for pre-seed people who have a dream and a PowerPoint deck.”

At Wednesday’s news conference, Health Department Secretary Bruce Greenstein said the state will have strict financial accounting policies in place as agencies work to deploy funds.

“We don’t often talk about having to spend money quickly,” he said. “We’re usually as stingy as possible, but in this case, we do have a shot clock on it being obligated, not necessarily spent.”

couraging companies to apply immediately

“This new program is exciting but it’s a different pace than any of us has seen,” Fleig said. “This administration is all about speed to market, and there are challenges spending that much money that quickly

‘Many needs’

The initiative aims to help healthcare providers, entrepreneurs, investors, universities and technology companies address challenges facing Louisiana’s roughly 1 million rural residents.

The agency published an online application on May 27 and is en-

Qualifying ventures can’t be older than 10 years or have raised more than $50 million. The program isn’t limited to Louisiana startups, but out-of-state ventures have to be working in the state.

“It could be chronic disease care, rural patient access, telehealth or drone deliveries of medical equipment,” Fleig said. “There are many needs.”

LED has already quietly been gathering interest and has compiled a list of almost 100 candi-

Email

LEDCEO ROUNDTABLES

CEORoundtablesisaninitiativedesignedtoconnect Louisianabusinessleaderswiththeirpeers,and facilitatediscussionsonbestpractices,management strategiesandgrowthchallenges.

“IWOULDDOTHIS ONEEVERYYEARIF ALLOWED.IWOULD ENCOURAGEANYONE THATISABLETOAPPLY.” –BryanMcGehee,CEO, GATRCoolers

“IFYOU’RELOOKINGFORAPLACETOGETREALADVICE, LEARNFROMOTHERS’SUCCESSESANDCHALLENGESAND GROWALONGSIDEOTHERLOUISIANABUSINESSLEADERS, CEOROUNDTABLESISABSOLUTELYWORTHIT.” –WilliamDalton,CEO,FireflyMarketingSolutions

Thecostofa collegedegreeisa taxonyourfuturenet worth

Michelle Singletary

One of the most concerning parts of carrying student debt isn’tjust the interest and principalbalance. It’sthe time lost. Education debt is athief of time. In wealth building, the earlier you start saving and investing, the more you can have for your later years

THE COLOR OF MONEy

Whenyou spend your 20s, 30s and even 40s servicing aheavy load of loans, you are losing themost powerful years of compound growth.

By the time borrowers clear their education loans and finally feel financially ready to save, they’ve missed an early window to get started on building wealth.

Apair of reports released last week by Gallup and the Lumina Foundation put into perspective the cost of acollege education for current students, alumni and those without adegree.

The data shows acatch-22 forthe American worker.Most people about 73% —believe getting acol-

Staff report

SouthLouisiana businesses and nonprofit groups recently announced the following promotions, new hires and resignations.

NewOrleans

Thorpe

Disaster resilienceand recovery nonprofitSBP has hired Leigh Thorpe as its firstchief advancement officer to oversee fundraising and marketing efforts Thorpe was most recently vice president of partnership and advancement for the National Urban League has previously worked at the United Way of Southeast Louisiana and The National WWII Museum.

Adams &Reese has pro-

lege degree isjust as vital for success today as it was 20 years ago. For many jobs, the credential is a gateway to employment. Yetmany people feel locked out because of cost. Only 1in4adults without a degree thinks college is within financial reach, astaggering 10 percentage-point drop since 2023. For those who pressed forward, theburdenoftaking on debt to get an education is impacting other life choices.

According to the Education Data Initiative, the average annual cost of attendance for the 2022-23 academic year was $27,146 for instate students at public four-year universities, totaling $108,584 over four years. Out-of-state students averaged $45,708 annually,for a four-year total of $182,832. Students at private, nonprofit universities paid an average of $58,628 per year,for acumulativeinvestment of $234,512.

In the2022-23 academic year, 79% of first-time, full-timeundergraduate students received some sort of financial aid, according to data from the College Board, a figure that includes non-repayable

moted Linda So il ea u to chief human resources officer,where she oversees more than 600 attorneysand staff across thelaw firm’s 20 regionaloffices.

Soileauhas worked forAdams &Reese since 2001 after starting her human resources career at TDC Energy in 1990 andlater workingfor Southern Abstractsand Columbus Properties.

BatonRouge

Ochsner BatonRouge named several new specialists to its staff at Ochsner Medical Complex-The Grove.

Marie Barker is anurse practitioner who specializes in cancer care at thehereditary andhigh-risk clinic Dr.Adaku Adebamiji is achil-

By Amanda McElfresh amcelfresh@theadvocate.com

Thisstory is brought to youby Gallagher.

Ashurricane season begins, South Louisiana businesses areonceagain preparing forthe uncertainty that comes with living and workingalongthe Gulf Coast.While tropical weatherisapart of life in the region, the experts at Gallagher know thatpreparation canmakeasignificantdifference in howquickly companies recover. Over the past fewyears, Gallagher hasrefined its approach to catastrophiceventsby using analytics,expertise, detailedmethodologies and structured teamstorespondto disastersmorequickly and thoroughly.The successofthatapproach has beenseentime and again, from hurricane damage in Florida tosevereflooding in North CarolinatowildfiresinCalifornia,among other events

“The whole intent wastoget theadjustmentprocessmoving morequickly andget moneyflowing to clients.Wehaveseenit workoverand overagain duringthe past five years,”said Charlie Dirks, Regional Claims AdvocacyLeader in Gallagher’s Southeast region. “Noteam is ever overwhelmed. Everything is data-focused in terms of knowing whatisanacceptable levelofvolume and whenweneed to deployadditional teams. Clients getthe expertiseand individualized attention theyneed, and thatleadstoexpeditedclaimsand payments.”

A faster, morecoordinated approach to catastrophe claims

The foundationfor Gallagher’s response tonatural disasterslies in itsCatastrophic Analytics and Modeling Teams, known as CAT. Dirkssaid the teamsweredevelopedafter Gallagher realized that it could anticipate thousands of claimseach year particularly in the Southeast,ashurricanes become morefrequent.

Dirkssaid the CATteamsfocus solelyonclaims reporting. Prior to the formation of the teams,Gallagher analyzed data about storm strength, anticipated number of claims,typesofdamageand vulnerable locations

“When we have acatastrophicevent and an immediate spikeinvolume,weneed acertain number of people to report hundredsof additional claims,”Dirkssaid.“We usethat data to identifyand train thepersonnel we

grants and scholarships. The average borrower takes about 20 years to pay off student loans, according to the Education DataInitiative. With costssohigh and the aftermath entailing decades of financial strain, many borrowers aredelaying life milestones, such as homeownership and retirement savings. This creates aripple effect across the broader economy, as agenerationofyoung adultsdelays building wealth. More than80% of borrowers withoutstanding student debt worry about making their payments. These delays are occurring even among borrowers withsmaller loans. About 1in3graduates who borrowed less than$10,000 report having delayed at least one major life event.

Youmay be thinking: $10,000 is not thatmuch money.But even thatamount of debt for astudent coming from alow-income household can impact other financial decisions, according to Courtney Brown, vice president of impact and planning at the Lumina Foundation.

It’s about financial fragility,

PEOPLE IN BUSINESS

dren’sgastroenterologist who diagnoses and treats gastrointestinal, liver-related and nutritional disorders in infants.

And Dr.David Osafo is ahematologist-oncologist whospecializes in malignant tumors and cancerous and noncancerous blood disorders.

Pelican Credit Union has promoted Dawn Matthews to vice president of retail,where sh ew ill lead retail operations andhandle lending and operations sy stems oversight Matthews joined Pelican as aloan officer at the DenhamSprings branchin2012 and has since been promoted through jobsinbranch operations and member experience.

need longbeforeastorm occurs. Then, when we do have an event, we start activating and deployingteams as soon as possible.”

Dirkssaid Gallagher uses the same approach with other aspects of its business. Forexample, six-personadvocacy teams were created, and anew team is activatedfor every 350anticipatedclaims

Gallagher first began developing the CAT model after Hurricane Idain2021. It was put to the test in September 2022, when HurricaneIan struck Florida between Naples andTampa “The system worked perfectly.Everything wasaccurate and efficient,”Dirkssaid. Forexample, one claim wasreported on September 29,2022.

When aGallagher advocate learned therewas still no claim number on October 10,2022, the team went to work thatsame dayand spoke with the client’sunderwritingfirm.A flood adjuster inspected the propertythe very next day, and linesofcommunication opened. The clientreceived a $50,000advance on November 16,and the claimwas settled formorethan $431,000 on December 21, 2022.

Dirkssaid 90 percentofGallagher’s Hurricane Ianclaimswerecompletely paidwithin nine months.One year later, fewerthan 30 claimswerestill ongoing, generally because repairswerestill underway

“Sometimes,successful advocacy is as simple as taking the time to network or research and thenpush the right buttons,” Dirkssaid. “Webuildour process to include both the personal aspect of communication andfollowthrough, alongwith subject matterexpertise.”

Specialized teams respond efficientlytomajor events

The Gallagher approach wasproventobe successful throughout late 2024 and early 2025,when multipledisastersstruck. In September 2024, Hurricane Helenemade landfall in Florida’sBig Bend region before slowly inching north and causingmassive floodinginTennesseeand North Carolina

Then,inearly October,Hurricane Milton came ashorenear Siesta Key, Florida.That wasfollowedbymajor wildfires in California beginning in January 2025.

Dirkssaid aseparate Gallagher team is

Brown said “People withsmaller loan balances are often lowerincome, they’re more financially stretched,” shesaid. “Whenyou don’thave alot of resources, that smallloan,that payment is competing withrent, withchild care, withfood.And so it does feel riskytotakeonsome other milestone, whether that’sa mortgage, have achild buyacar Youdon’twant to add yetanother monthly payment.”

There are those who will fiercely debate that college may notbe worthitanymore. According to a May 2024 Pew Research Center survey,29% of U.S. adults thought afour-year college degree was not worththe cost. Close to half say the cost is worth it onlyifsomeone doesn’thave to takeout loans.

It’snot particularly useful to claim college isn’tworth it when we knowthatmany employers screen outapplicants without adegree.

In anothersurvey released earlier this year,Gallupand theLumina Foundation found that about half of employers believe most jobs in their organizationsrequire acollege degree to succeed.About

The Louisiana Bankers Association elected new officers and board members at its 126th convention.

Jason Smith, president and CEO of Bonvenu Bank in BossierCity, was picked as the 2026-27 chair

Brooks Lewis, of Citizens Bank and Trust Co. in Plaquemine, waspickedas chair-elect.

Kip Bertrand, of Washington State Bank, becomes treasurer

three-quarters of employers say they would prefer candidates to have an associate or bachelor’s degree, even forjobs whereit’snot required Awoman recentlyapproached me at church seeking adviceabout herfinances. She was asingle mom. She hadbeen struggling with credit card debt andother loans. Andshe was worried aboutthe money shewould need to borrow to gether children through school Onekid wasalreadyincollege, another heading there in thefall— both of them out-of-state.

“Can youafford that?” Iasked.

“No,” shesaid.

“So, it’s OK forthemtobecomfortableifitmakes you financially uncomfortable fordecades?”

The Lumina andGallup findings show Americanshaven’t lost faith in thevalue of adegree, butthey are rightlyterrifiedofthe cost. Adegree is supposed to be an investmentinyourfuture, nota mortgage on it

Email Michelle Singletary at michelle.singletary@washpost. com.

And ShannonScott, of Bank of Louisiana in Metairie, is the at-large member

Other new directors elected by delegates to the convention include Charles Plaisance, of StateBankand Trust in Golden Meadow; Elizabeth Hefler, of Hancock WhitneyBankinNew Orleans; and John LeBlanc of Metairie Bank and Trust Co.

assigned to each event, preventing overload and allowing Gallagher to focus solely on the needs of asmall groupofclients.Those teams canalsobesubdivided,depending on individual specialties and experience.

“In general, the most experienced people areassigned to the clients with the most severe losses,”Dirkssaid. “However,the teams meet every daytotalk about the issues they areseeing and discusspotential solutions Thathelps us expeditethe handling of individual problems thatariseduring the lifeofa claim. We don’tget boggeddownwith asingle issue thatslows down the entireprocess. We’reable to find asolution and keep everything moving.

Dirkssaid Gallagher has received significant positivefeedback from carriersand clients forits expertise, timely responses and detailed knowledgeofthe claims process.

“Weknewthatifwecould build aprocess to handle the worst-casescenarios,wecould deliver thatprocessanywhereinthe country forany type of event. Thathas proventobe the case,” Dirks said. “Once we had the analytics,itbecame about getting buy-in around the country,which we have done. We’reable to helpthem validate or verifyaspects of a claim, which leads to expedited payments Becauseeverythingisdata-driven and well-documented, there’snot atremendous amountofback and forth. We seetimeliness as the normal wayofdoing business.

Buildingaresponse strategy beforeastorm arrives

The Gallagher model emphasizes not only rapid claim reporting,but alsoproactive communication with adjusters, contractors and mitigation teams.Inthe best-casesce-

Acadiana

MCBankannounced the additionofseveral executivesinthe Acadiana market. Bill Fenstermaker,chair and CEO of C.H. Fenstermaker &Associates and aformer IberiaBank board chair,was named to the MCBank board Hayes Berthelot wasnamed Acadiana market president. PatTrahan,a former Lafayette market president for IberiaBank, and Brandon Boudreaux have also joined the Acadiana banking team. And MikePelletier,who spent 17 yearsaschiefhuman resource officer forIberiaBank, hasbeen named MC Bank’ssenior executive vice president andchiefhuman resources officer

Do you have personnel changes to shareorother ideas for our business coverage? Drop us aline at biztips@theadvocate.com.

to catastrophe claims

nario,thatpreparation begins long beforea storm is on the horizon. Dirkssaid some of the most importantsteps businessowners cantakeare to have aclear plan in place, digital accesstoinsurance policies and financial documentation, and communication strategies,especially if personnel arescattered.

“It becomes very difficult if you’re trying to create aplan and executethatplan all at the same time, particularly in the aftermath of adisaster,” Dirkssaid. “Everything we do at Gallagherisabout avoiding that. Our plans arewell-established, so it becomes amatter of building in specific details.Thatbecomes easier when we have identified the keypeople to speak with and have aline of communication with them.”

Another keycomponentofdisaster preparation is working with mitigation vendorswell ahead of time. Gallagher recommends thatbusinessessecurecontracts with at least one reputable provider ahead of hurricane season. Thatmeans mitigation companies canassess properties in advance and develop plans to respond quickly if damageoccurs.

“If youhaveacontract in place, it guarantees thatyou will be on the vendor’s priority list and thatresources will be deployedto you,”Dirkssaid.

While no systemcan eliminate risk entirely,Gallagher has proventhatpreparation can provide peace of mind, and astrategy rooted in data,experience and collaboration can significantly improve outcomes. If astorm does strikethe Gulf Coast region this year, Gallagher teams will be able to serveassoon as it is possible to do so

“We’re proud thatwecan leverage our resources and expertiseanywhereinthe country anytime thatweknowwewill seeanincreaseinclaims,” Dirkssaid. “We’ve learned alot of good lessons and have put thoseinto action time and again. We’ll be ready to do it again when the time comes.”

Gallagheriscommitted to servingLouisiana. Combiningclient-centricservice with global resources. Atrusted partnerfor businesses andindividualsseeking insurance, risk management andconsultingsolutions. Passionate service, strategicinnovation and ethicalbehaviorformthe basisofhow Gallager does business.Findout moreat AJG.com/Louisiana

ONE BIG QUESTION

What’s on your summer reading list?

BY JONAH MEADOWS Staff writer

School’s out. Humidity is on the rise. Hurricane season is just around the corner And it’s the perfect opportunity — whether at a shady park, on a sandy beach or in an air-conditioned living room — to sit back, relax and dig into a good book. So this week, in our occasional One Big Question feature, we asked south Louisiana business and nonprofit executives from a range of backgrounds: “What’s on your summer reading list?”

The answers included classics from their youth and tomes that have sat on the bookshelf for years to wide-ranging histories and justreleased thrillers.

The following answers have been edited for clarity and length

KIMBERLY BOUDREAUX

CEO, Catholic Charities of Acadiana

I had the opportunity to meet Pope Leo earlier this month and it was an incredible and profound experience to meet the Holy Father in person. Inspired by that visit, I’m excited abou t spending time with his recently released encyclical, “Magnifica Humanitas — magnificent humanity which addresses artificial intelligence and human dignity in an automated world

It’s his first encyclical, so it’s a major statement piece for our new pope, and I’m looking forward to spending time reflecting on how we, as a community and as people, will safeguard the dignity of human life in this new era and looking for insights Pope Leo shares in this regard.

MEGHAN DONELON

Commercial banking group manager, First Horizon Bank I’ve been listening to Julia Lou-

is-Dreyfus’ podcast “Wiser Than Me,” and in an earlier season, she interviewed Amy Tan. I read Tan’s book “The Joy Luck Club” when I was probably in upper middle school and I haven’t revisited it since. But after listening to that interview, I really want to revisit it, and I’m going to this summer I didn’t realize the book is comprised of four mother-daughter relationships, and it mirrors the structure of a mahjong game.

My sister is dying to teach me how to play mahjong, and I told her we would do it this summer so it all feels like a very relevant time to revisit it. I really liked the “Joy Luck Club” the first time I read it, but I don’t think I fully understood it the way

that I hopefully will as a 40-yearold.

PHILLIP MAY

CEO, Entergy Louisiana

I’m reading two books this summer One is “Numbers Don’t Lie” by Vaclav Smil It’s about trends and the data behind that.

Two reasons why I like it: one of them is I can digest it quickly with my constantly contextshifting mind, and the second is it helps you understand these trends and emphasizes the need to get behind the data and really understand things, as opposed to skimming the surface and not seeing what’s intricate underneath there.

The other book is “A Short History

Beyond.

Beyond isn’t aplace —it’samindset. Andit’sa belief that haspowered us forover80years.Weare Jones Walker LLP,afirm driven by an entrepreneurialspirit, a deepsense of community, andafierce determination to deliverexceptional serviceand valuefor our clients.

Since1937, our firm hasbeencommitted to working with communityleaders to develop business opportunitiesacrossthe state. We aresteadfast in continuing our dedicationtogobeyondinadvising clientsand supporting initiativesand organizations that make Louisiana abetterplace to live andwork.

William H. Hines

Managing Partner bhines@joneswalker.com

504.582.8000

201St. CharlesAvenue NewOrleans,LA70170-5100 joneswalker.com

of Nearly Everything” by Bill Bryson. This one starts at the beginning of the universe and talks about how things come together I feel like it gives you a better perspective on how the world works today, because essentially the cumulative buildup of that history and those connections.

PARKE MCENERY

Principal, The McEnery Co.

The volumes of “New Orleans Architecture” (compiled by Friends of the Cabildo). Right now I’m on the University section.

I’ve had these books in our offices and our house for years and picked them up and put them down, but my wife and I just finished renovating a 1908 build,

and I’ve been particularly interested in early-20th-century architecture. I love these books. Being in real estate, I love the history and the stories that come with the buildings. I think that’s one of the cool, unique things about New Orleans.

Particularly right now, I think I’m learning a lot in looking at our long-term history and how it’s applicable today We’ve been a city of a lot of highs and lows, and I think we’re approaching a high, I really do.

PETE NOVEMBER

CEO, Ochsner Health System

I’m in the middle of finishing “Move Fast & Fix Things” by Frances Frei.

Then, I am going to go back and reread “Dare to Lead” by Brene Brown. Frei and Brown are both fantastic leadership coaches and speakers on culture and how to be a successful leader, so both of those are great learning books for me, as I spend every day trying to improve myself and get better I’m about halfway through “Call Sign Chaos” by Gen. Jim Mattis, and I’m going to start a book by Rick Atkinson, “The British Are Coming,” which is about the Revolutionary War.

Then I’ve got a book I’m about a quarter of the way through by Geoffrey Best called “Churchill: A Study in Greatness ” It’s a really detailed account of Churchill’s life. I’ve read a lot of different books on leaders during World War II, and I learn a lot about history and then apply it in terms of leadership and how I think about the world. Then, because I usually throw in a fun thriller to read, I’ll probably read the new Jack Carr thriller, “The Fourth Option.”

Email Jonah Meadows at jonah. meadows@theadvocate.com.

Drivingregionaleconomicgrowththrough legalknowledge,strategic guidance, and industry-focused relationships.

Ourfirm is confidentinLouisiana’s economic future.Asone of thestate’s largest lawfirms, we counselbusinesses navigating complex transactions andregulatory landscapes across theenergy,healthcare, and technology industries,amongothers.

Louisiana’s oiland gas industry remainsacornerstoneof growth,whileemergingmarkets fornatural gas, lithium, andbiofuelscreatenew investment opportunities. We strongly believeinleveragingAItosupport thedevelopment andsuccess of Louisiana businesses,withdatacenter construction underscoring itspotential forlarge-scale economicgrowth. As healthcare continuestoadvance, we also seeexponential growth forits digitalsector.

With strong momentum andexpanding opportunities, Louisiana is poised forsignificant economic growth andweare proudtohelpleadthe wayforward

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LOUISIANA

EARLY TREATMENTS

younger gymnasts, Little Leaguers are getting care for injuries sooner

BY MARGARET DELANEY

Staff writer

In the U.S. today, more than 600,000 children participate in gymnastics. Bella Bonnet is one of them: A 13-year-old from New Orleans, she began her gymnastics career at 5. Now she trains 33 hours a week hoping to become one of the state’s elite gymnasts. But as the competition gets tougher, more of these young athletes are getting injured. An average 86,000 gymnastics-related injuries are treated each year in American hospitals, doctors’ offices, clinics and ambulatory surgery centers. Some of these were acciden-

tal injuries, others were from overuse. One overuse condition increasingly seen in gymnasts is osteochondritis dissecans, or OCD, which develops in joints and worsens with repetitive use. The joint disorder occurs when a small portion of a bone within a joint begins to separate from its surrounding region. It’s most common in the elbow but can happen in the knee as well. When she was 10, Bonnet started to feel pain in the inner bend of her elbow Gymnasts are constantly putting compression and pressure on their arms and elbows — catapulting into

vaults or flipping off beams.

The joint disorder, not uncommon in young gymnasts, is brought about by either underdevelopment or overuse of the cartilage covering the elbow

In one year, Derek Neft, Bonnet’s coach at All Star Gymnastics in Harvey, said he saw up to eight gymnasts being treated for the joint disorder

“It depends how much they’re developing in their gymnastics, like the internal and external rotation of their arms,” Neft said. “It depends how much work they’re putting on that arm.”

With OCD, the cartilage begins to crack and loosen. When

ä See TREATMENTS, page 2X

Lafayette oil rig worker becomes nurse in free program

Free 15-month course aims to help with workforce shortages

BY MARGARET DELANEY Staff writer

Going back to school is scary At least, that’s what Ryan Roberts thought as he parked his car at the

University of Louisiana at Lafayette two years ago before an interview with its new accelerated nursing program.

“It was the longest walk to that building,” Roberts said. “Not knowing if it was the right thing for me.”

For 30 years, Roberts hopped between a fleet of international exploration rigs

Then, COVID-19 hit and changed his life.

The Acadiana native worked to integrate physicians and nurses into the fold. It ignited his passion for healthcare.

“I’ve always wanted to enter as a nurse way back yonder,” Roberts said “COVID reshaped personal and professional priorities.”

Ochsner’s accelerated program in partnership with UL allowed him to do just that. The 15-month registered nurs-

ing program is free and welcomes students who already have bachelor’s degrees. Students commit to working at Ochsner Lafayette General for three years after graduation.

“It’s accelerated, but it’s not abbreviated,” said Dr. Lisa Broussard, the dean of College of Nursing & Health Sciences at UL.

Students leaving the program receive a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. Thirty students have completed the program since

2024, with a 100% passing rate on the National Council Licensure Examination, a standardized test to determine whether a nurse is ready to begin practicing.

In May, 20 more students began the program, expected to graduate in August 2027.

“This is very much geared toward a student that has some experience and is really in a good place to be able to engage in a really

ä See PROGRAM, page 3X

HEALTH MAKER

La. doctor develops night-shift energy drink

BY MARGARET DELANEY Staff writer

Dr Thomas Jeider is an emergency medicine physician and a night-shift warrior for more than 12 years in Baton Rouge. He thought healthcare workers deserved better than sugary energy drinks. So he decided to build it.

Every night-shift worker knows this struggle. It’s 2:47 a.m. There’s a critical patient incoming. The energy drink crashed two hours ago.

“After years of overnight shifts in the ER,” Jeider said. “I knew the dirty secret of conventional energy drinks: they’re built for gym bros and gamers, not for professionals whose performance actually matters.” Jeider made Night Shift Energy two years ago with flavors grapefruit, blueberry and citrus tea. In June, he’s releasing three more: raspberry, strawberry and orange. What inspired you to start your own brand of energy drinks?

I love the ER. You get to see so many like, cool crazy scary situations.

I’ve learned to love and create the whole business. The marketing requires so much creativity That kind

Dr Thomas Jeider

of creativity doesn’t really exist in medicine, at least in the ER. It’s been super fun to learn.

I had this idea a couple years ago. I was working a stretch of nights. The one thing that I would do to wake up is go running I love running the LSU Lakes.

On my run, I was thinking about how the night before was nonstop, seeing patients all night long.

I was thinking there was such a huge “us versus them,” night-shift versus day-shift people. A nice sort of rivalry Working nights, we’re all about helping each other out. Teamwork. Grit Resilience. It sucks, but, like, it’s awesome.

I thought I could make a drink that combines as many or as little of all my

PROVIDED PHOTOS

Dr. Thomas Jeider created Night Shift Energy two years ago to provide night-shift workers a better energy drink.

favorite ingredients and products that I used over the years. Maybe the energy drink will last longer than most energy drinks?

Maybe I can make it so there’s less sugar compared to most energy drinks?

Maybe I can add ingredients that can be healthy for my team and fellow shift workers?

How did you bring your idea to life?

The drink industry is hard. It takes a lot of time, tons of marketing. I coach my kids’ basketball teams, and I work a lot in the ER. There’s very little recognition toward how hard it is to work nights. It’s very hard to understand. I set up different re-

Blood test said to predict dementia in women 25

Tribune News Service

LONDON A blood test can predict the risk of dementia in women up to 25 years before symptoms appear, researchers say Experts in the U.S. found that higher levels of a protein called p-tau217 — which is linked to the brain changes seen in Alzheimer’s disease — were an accurate predictor of people developing cognitive problems and dementia.

Peers have welcomed the study and said blood tests to pick up Alzheimer’s disease early were being developed at a pace. In the new study, a team from the University of California, San Diego examined data for 2,766 women in the Women’s Health Initiative Memory Study, a large U.S.

TREATMENTS

Continued from page 1X

this happens, a patient experiences pain and swelling. Sometimes, the joint may even lock, which limits an individual’s range of motion.

“We X-rayed it, monitored it and it healed itself,” said Amanda Bonnet, Bella’s mom. This conservative approach, an elbow-hinged brace or sleeve worn 23 hours a day, is an important step to consider when treating young athletes, according to Dr Misty Suri an orthopedic surgeon and program director for the Orthopedic Sports Medicine Fellowship Program at Ochsner Health.

“Not every child needs surgery,” Suri said. “It’s a big deal for a parent to trust me with their kid and their kid’s future in sport.

Sometimes, surgery is needed to repair or remove the fragments of cartilage that has chipped away and even patch the hole with a bone graft from somewhere else in the body

A year after she first noticed the pain, just before Thanksgiving, Bella was on the bars when she heard a crack.

“It got to a point that when I bent my elbow, it just kept popping,” she said.

An MRI told Suri that a conservative approach would no longer work for the young gymnast. She needed surgery A week after the cartilage fragments were removed,

study that enrolled women aged 65 to 79 in the late 1990s and followed them for up to 25 years. All the women had no signs of cognitive impairment at the start of the study.

Blood samples collected at the start were analyzed, and again years later to measure p-tau217.

“Our study suggests we may be able to identify women at elevated risk for dementia decades before symptoms emerge,”

Dr Aladdin Shadyab said. “That kind of long lead time opens the door to earlier prevention strategies and more targeted monitoring, rather than waiting until memory problems are already affecting daily life. Ultimately the goal is not just prediction, but using that knowledge to delay or

prevent dementia altogether.”

During the 25 years of follow-up, researchers noted the women who developed memory or thinking problems, including dementia.

Those who had higher levels of p-tau217 in their blood at the start of the study were much more likely to develop dementia later in life, they found.

As levels of the biomarker increased, so did dementia risk — meaning those with the highest levels generally had the biggest risk.

However, the team also found that risk was not the same for everyone, with test differences seen for different ages of women, ethnicity, hormone therapy use and genetic factors known to affect dementia.

These areas need further

research.

“Blood tests could transform how dementia is diagnosed and research we’re funding aims to make a blood test routinely available on the NHS for symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease within the next few years,” Michelle Dyson, chief executive officer at the Alzheimer’s Society in the United Kingdom, said. “This study suggests that there may be a correlation for women between having a higher level of the ptau217 biomarker earlier in life with an increased risk of developing dementia 25 years later These findings are promising, but of course more research is needed to understand whether early identification of biomarkers can affect whether people will go on to develop demen-

Bella Bonnet was back to gymnastics.

“We had to slow her down a little,” Amanda Bonnet said. “Pace herself so she healed fully.”

During five weeks of physical therapy, the goal was to ready her for a big meet that February

“We had to begin with that in mind and really be very strategic and intentional with how we progress that process,” said Roman Carothers, Bella’s physical therapist.

She started swinging from the bar again just 20 days after surgery She started tumbling about five days after that.

Four weeks after surgery, she felt ready to compete. Now, she has semiregu-

lar appointments with her physical therapist and surgeon to make sure she stays on track.

Baseball joint stress

Throwing injuries in youth baseball, meanwhile have become so common that they now have a nickname: “Little League elbow.”

According to studies published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, first-round high school draft picks are five times more likely to have had elbow surgery than 20 years ago, when pitch counts were first put in place.

Dr Leslie Sisco-Wise, an orthopedic surgeon at Ochsner Health New Orleans, said repeated pitching can damage the growth plate or

tear the same ligament involved in Tommy John surgery, an injury best-known among professional athletes.

The elbow joint grows until about 16, and many athletes will work their skills and hone their craft while their elbow joint remains undeveloped.

“Now, unfortunately, we want to be stronger, harder, faster, better And so, we’re keeping these young athletes in baseball year-round, which is putting a lot of stress on their elbow,” Sisco-Wise said. “If you catch ‘Little League Elbow’ when a player is younger, the problem is treatable.”

Most leagues have a “pitch count” rule, so that each player is individually monitored. Current pitch counts

What ingredients did you focus on? What are their benefits?

Caffeine has been studied so extensively I wanted a good healthy dose of caffeine, instead of those drinks that taste good but don’t have that much caffeine. Caffeine is very bitter, though. So, drinks have to have masking agents to get rid of that flavor

The caffeine, the onset, happens within an hour

That’s when it starts to peak.

Dynamine, a derivative caffeine, is rapid-acting and gets working faster and reaches a higher peak level before regular caffeine. Then, L-theanine is a longer-lasting caffeine. With those combined, it actually delays the metabolism and breakdown of caffeine. It helps to provide longer-lasting caffeine. L-theanine helps to really work to combat that jittery sensation commonly associated with caffeine.

search, finding different flavors and ingredient combinations that are both healthy, effective and taste good. That was a very fun process. It was a 100% customized blend of ingredients. It took a while. I would get my samples from a lab shipped to me in all these jars, like a chemistry lab.

In the drink, there’s also a five descender mushroom complex, an extract of five different types of functional mushrooms that, over time, boost the immune system. Ginseng, a root plant, that relieves stress, vitamins for immune boosting, extra magnesium for sleep and more are also included.

years before symptoms

tia later on.”

She add that “dementia research is making huge progress and bringing great hope, and the Alzheimer’s Society will continue to invest in pioneering research to ensure people get the diagnosis, treatment and support they deserve.”

Dr Sheona Scales, director of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said, “Women are twice as likely to be affected by dementia, but we do not understand why there is this difference This study adds to growing research exploring whether blood-based biomarkers could identify who may be at higher risk of dementia decades before symptoms develop.”

“This is an impressive study that uniquely has been able to analyze blood

samples from women followed up for up to 25 years,” Masud Husain, professor of neurology at the University of Oxford, said.

“The findings show that the level of p-tau217 in the blood provides an index of the risk of developing dementia in the future These results add further support for growing evidence that testing p-tau217 in blood might be an important way to screen for people who are most at risk of dementia, years before a diagnosis is made.”

“Blood-based biomarkers like p-tau217 are especially promising because they are far less invasive and potentially more accessible than brain imaging or spinal fluid tests,” added Dr Linda McEvoy, senior author of the study

limit a pitcher’s the overall workload, reducing the chance of pitching under fatigue.

Of all the injury risk factors involved with pitching, fatigue has the highest correlation with injury: A study found that a pitcher who regularly pitches while feeling arm fatigue is at 36 times more risk of injury

The trouble can start when youth athletes, particularly

baseball players, play in different leagues, not to mention at-home practice.

“Coaches have such a large responsibility to keep an eye on their athletes. They stop many of these elbow injuries in the bud before it gets to be bad,” Suri said. “They’ve got a big role in all this.”

Email Margaret DeLaney at margaret.delaney @theadvocate.com.

EatFit Live Fit

Well-beingisn’tlimitedtowhat weeatorhowwemove,it’salso reflectedinhowweshowupfor ourselves,forthepeoplearoundusandfor theworkthatmatterstous.That’swhywe aresharingstoriestoinspirehealthyand happylives.

Throughour“InspiringStories”series, weshareindividualswhoselivesreflect differentexpressionsofwellness.This week,singer-songwriterRobinBarnes–oftencalledNewOrleans’Songbird–is oneofthemosttalented,graciousand generouspeopleIknow.

MeetRobin RobinBarnesisoneofthoserarepeople whosepresencefeelsthesame,whether she’sonstageoroff.Hervoiceissilkyand velvety,carryingthesameeaseasher energy.She’skind,humble,openandone ofthehardest-workingpeopleI’vemet.On stage,she’sunmistakablewithfeathered headdressesandflowing,sparkleddresses. Sheisapresencethatfillstheroombefore sheevensings.

Offstage,she’sjustasfullyherself: workoutclothes,hairpulledup,no makeup–andfullypresent.Bothversions arereal,andbotharewhollyRobin. Herhusbandandhertwodaughters arehercenter.Andhermom,“Mama Barnes,”haslongbeenoneofherbiggest influences.Therewasatime,though,when shecameclosetosteppingawayfrom allofit.

“Ialmoststoppedsinging,”shetold me,inaninterviewformyFUELED Wellness+Nutritionpodcast Atthatpointinherlife,shewasin arelationshipthat,fromtheoutside, lookedstable.Buttherealityfelt different.Herscheduleconsistingof nights,weekendsandtraveldidn’tfit neatlyintosomeoneelse’sexpectations.

–Eat FitInspiring Stories –

Robin Barnes: staying in hervoice

Overtime,thepressurebuilt.

Robinsaidshewouldbeasked, “Whenareyougoingtostopthis? Whenareyougoingtogiveupthis hobby?”Shesaidshestartedtobelieve it.“Ithought,whenwegetmarried,I’ll stop,”saidRobin.

Itwasn’tadramaticmoment.It wasgradual–adjusting,tryingto makeitwork,slowlymovingaway fromsomethingthathadalwaysbeen partofher.Therelationshipended beforeshehadtomakethatdecision. Lookingback,sheseesthatmoment clearlynow.

“Ipromisedmyselfthatwouldbethe lasttimeIeverletanyonehavecontrol ofwhatIwantedtodo.

BarnesgrewupinGentillywith afamilywheremusicwaspartof everydaylife.Shestartedperforming young,playingtambourinewithher dad’sband.Shewasalsoacompetitive golferwithrealpotential(andstill quietly,abitofaringerifyou’reever pairedwithheratatournament).There wereotheroptions,otherpullsonhertime andherfocus,butmusiciswhereshekept comingback.

Yearslater,herhealthforcedanother shift.Afterreturningfromtour,she developedaseverekidneyinfectionthat leftlastingdamage.Atonepoint,even walkingwasdifficult.Sheremembers talkingtohermomabouthowharditfelt justtogetmovingagain.Buthermother urgedhertogetupand“movethatbrass.” Soshedid.

BY THENUMBERS

Between 2012and 2019, there were 43,654new cases of ALS in the United States —including 583 newcasesin Louisiana.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS,isaprogressiveand fatal neuromuscular diseasewith no cure. In 2010, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registrylaunchedthe congressionallymandated National ALS Registryto“determine the incidence and prevalence of ALS within the United States, characterize demographics and identify potential risk factors.”

The registryreleased its firstanalysis of state-levelALS incidence estimates for all 50 states in 2025. These data are important forstate and local health officials to understand theburden of ALS in their jurisdictions. Louisiana had 1.36 newcases of ALS between 2012 and 2019, just below the national averageat 1.44 newcases per 100,000people

PROGRAM

Continued from page1X

rigorous, very accelerated program,” Broussardsaid Fluctuatingworkforce

When Karen Wyble started as an ICU nurse in 1992, she was told there was a nursing shortage. Decades later,it’sstill an issue.

“One of the things Ican tell is the fact that there’s always anursing shortage,” Wyble said.

Registered nurses in the U.S. are leaving the profession within thefirsttwo yearsofpracticeatrates as high as 33%, according to

Robinputoutacallonsocialmedia, sayingshe’dbeatCityParkforawalkand couldusetheaccountability.Tenpeople showedup.

Thatwasmorethanadecadeago,and itwasthestartofwhatisnowMoveYa

MollyKimball,RD,CSSD,isaregistereddietitian withOchsnerHealthandfounderofOchsnersEatFit nonprofitinitiative.Formorewellnesscontent,tuneinto Molly’spodcast,FUELEDWellness+Nutrition,andfollow @MollykimballRDand@EatFitOchsneronsocialmedia Emailnutrition@ochsner.orgtoconnectwithMollyor scheduleaconsultwithherteam.

These states had the highest ALS incidence rates between 2012 and 2019: n Vermont with 2.25 newcases per 100,000; n Minnesota with 2 newcases per 100,000; n NewHampshire with 1.86 new cases per 100,000; n Massachusetts with 1.85 newcases per100,000; n SouthDakota with 1.84 newcases per100,000.

These states had the lowest incidence rates of ALS between 2012 and2019: n Alaska with 0.65 newcases per 100,000; n Hawaii with 0.87 newcases per 100,000; n Nevada with 0.96 newcases per 100,000; n California with 1.12 newcases per 100,000; n Alabama with 1.19 newcases per

theOnline Journal of Issues in Nursing. In2024, 15% of RNsworking andresidingin Louisiana said they planned to leave their current nursing position, aslight increase from 2023. After COVID, and the mass exodus of healthcare workers —especially nurses —Wybleand theteam at OchsnerLafayette General needed to look at how they trained nurses. They identified atension point in the beginning of a nurse’scareer: the transition from student to full-time worker With thethree-year employment requirement attached to the freeacademic program, Ochsner has

bucked the nursing turnover ratewithin thefirst year

“We’vebeenable to unravel that statistic to where we keep our nurses,”Wyble said. “This was definitely an investment that has shown for bothorganizations to be asolid win.”

When Ochsner looked for an academic partner,UL welcomed it with open arms.

“It was just the natural fit that we wouldpartner with each other,” Broussard said. “We’re always looking for more students, more highquality students, andpartnerships in an academic practice.”

Roberts worried over financing his career change. The university’s partner-

Brass–anonprofitRobinfoundedthat offersfree,community-basedworkouts acrossthecityincludingrunclubsand dance-basedclasseslikeZumbaand BounceYaBrass.Differentformats, differentinstructors–allcenteredaround movement,accessandsimplyshowingup Now,Robinisinadifferentseason. Amotheroftwoyoungdaughters,her scheduleisstillfullwithperformances, travel,filmingandrecording.She’soften upby5a.m.,thoughsomedaysstarteven earlier.Andmanynightsdon’tenduntil wellpastmidnightafterperformances. Itrequiresstructure,clearboundaries andbeingselectiveinwaysshedidn’t alwayshavetobebefore.Shestillsaysyes toalot.Butnoteverything Robinrecentlyreleasedherfirstfulllengthalbum,LouisianaLove–aproject rootedinherfamily’shistoryandLouisiana heritage.Forgenerations,herfamily’s storieswerepasseddownverballythrough conversationandstorytelling.Nowthey’re capturedinawaythatlasts. Herdaughters,ages5and3,arepart ofthisstory–they’refeaturedonatrack called“DeySayRun.”Theirvoices–so pure,almostcrystalline–layeredalongside herownrich,soulfulsound.It’sthekindof songthatcatchesyouoffguard,stirringup emotionwhenwe’releastexpectingit. WhatstandsoutaboutRobinisn’tjust whatshe’screated.It’showclearsheis aboutwhosheis,whatmatterstoher, whatstoryshewantstotell–andhowshe wantstotellit. Thankgoodnessshedidn’tstopsinging. Andeverythingthatexistsnow–the music,themovement,thelifeshe’s buildingwithherfamily–reflects thatdecision. TohearthefullinterviewwithRobin Barnes,tuneintoMolly’spodcast, FUELEDWellness+Nutrition.

Newcases of ALSinAmerica

Therateofnew ALScases,per 100,000, in each statebetween 2012 and2019.

Source:NationalALS

100,000

It is unclear whynorthernstates like Vermont, Maineand Massachusetts had higher incidence of ALS,but researchers suggest it maybelinked to the locations of larger ALS research and treatment centers in the country (likeMassachusetts General Hospital).

ship withOchsner Lafayette General paid forhis academic expenses in full. His first interview was “one of the best” he’dever had.

ALSregistration is voluntary, leading to larger margins of error when it comes to comparing states directly However, researchers continue to investigate this newdata and compare it to the risk factors of ALSbut “have not identified anycompelling origins of the disease.”

“I felt they left no stone unturned,” Roberts said. “That was very important to me to change directioninmycareer.Topivot and know that it was goingtorequire alot

of my time anda lotoffamily support to do so.” Roberts is nowamedical and surgical nurse at Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center

TheLouisiana Health section is focusedonproviding in-depth, personal accounts of health in the state.This sectionlooks at medical innovations, health discoveries, state andnational health statistics and reexamining tried and true methods on ways to livewell.

Health editions will also profile people whoare advancing health for the state of Louisiana. Do youhavea health story? We want to hear fromyou. Email margaret.delaney@ theadvocate.com to submit health questions, stories and more. WE WANT

Astrokeoccurswhenabloodvesselinthebrain“clogs”up,deprivingbraintissueofbloodandthenutrientsitneeds. BEFASTisahelpfulacronymtorememberwhengettinghelpforsomeoneexperiencingastroke,becauseeverysecondcounts.

Istheperson unabletomaintain properbalance?

Istheperson’s visionaffected? Aretheeyes deviatedtooneside?

Doesonesideof thefacedroopor isitnumb?

Isonearm weakornumb?

Stroke facts:

Isspeech slurred?

Ifapersonshowsanyof thesesymptoms,evenif thesymptomsgoaway, call911andgetthemto ahospitalimmediately.

Fromsymptomstotreatments,it’simportanttoknowthefactsaboutstrokes.

Astrokecanhappenatanyage.Aquarterofstrokesoccurinpeopleyoungerthan65,andasmanyas10%ofstrokepatientsareyoungerthan45.

Strokesaffectthebloodvesselsintheneckorbrain,whichiswhythey’realsocalledbrainattacks.

Somepatientsdescribethepaintheyexperienceduringastrokeastheworstheadachethey’veeverhad.Butnotallstrokesaresignaledbya headache.

About85%ofstrokescanbetreatedwitha“clot-busting’’drugcalledtissueplasminogenactivator(tPA),butitmustbeadministeredwithin threehoursoftheonsetofthestroke.InOchsnerspecializedfacilitiessomeoftheworstkindsofstrokescannowbetreatedupto24hoursfrom whenthesymptomsbegan.

Upto80%ofstrokescanbeprevented.

Whenalovedoneexperiencesastroke,itcanpushyouintounfamiliarwaters. Thesesixessentialtipscanhelpyounavigatenewresponsibilities.

Becomestrokesmart

Committolearningallyoucanaboutstrokesandtreatments.

Gettoknowthecareteam

Establishaconnectionwiththedoctorsandnursesoverseeingyourlovedone’scare.

Advocateforrehab

Acornerstoneofstrokerecoveryisawell-structuredrehabilitationprogram.

Writeitalldown

Documenteveryaspectoftreatment.Viewappointmentsummariesandtestresultswiththe MyOchsnerapp.

Createasafeplace

Preparingasafelivingenvironmentforthepatientisessentialafterahospitalstay.

Helppreventanotherstroke

Lifestylemodifications,includingexerciseanddiet,canreducetheriskoffurthercomplications.

ProgramssuchasOchsnerTeleStrokecanbealifelinetopatientswhodosufferastroke. TeleStrokeallowsdoctorsatdozensofhospitalsinLouisianaandMississippitoconsultOchsner vascularneurologistsviavideotechnology.Thisaccesstospecialistshelpskeeppatientssafeand reducestheneedtotransferthemoutoftheircommunities.

Controlyourbloodpressure. Highbloodpressureisamajorrisk factorifleftuntreated.

Askyourdoctoraboutatrialfibrillation(Afib), anothermajorriskfactor.Afibsymptomscan includeheartpalpitations,lightheadedness, dizzinessandshortnessofbreath.

Stopsmoking.Ochsner’sfreeSmokingCessation Programcanhelp.Learnmoreatochsner.org/quit. Limitalcoholuseoravoiditcompletely. Manageyourcholesterollevels. Getregularexerciseandfollowahealthydiet. Gettreatmentforcirculationproblems.

Controldiabetes.TolearnhowtheOchsnerDigital Medicineprogramcanhelpyoumonitoryour diabetesfromthecomfortofyourownhome, visitochsner.org/digitalmedicine.

LOUISIANA

GRIEFIS CHANGING

Cremationor burial? Memorialnow or later?

BY JONPARKS Contributing writer

When the Rev.MarcBoswellheard that his wife’s grandfather haddied in early January this year,heimmediately knew that the funeral ar ra ng ements would be complicated.

“The winter storms made travelimpossible,and the family is spread out all over the place,” he said.

The familydecided to wait nearly two months to have the memorial service, allowing time forplans to evolve and everyone to make travel arrangements

“I’ve planned myshare of funerals over theyears,” said Boswell, pastor ofSt. Charles Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans.

“But that kind of two-month wait would have been almost unheard of afew years ago.”

The family’sexperience reflects anationwideshift in the practices and rituals surrounding the loss of a loved one. While thedeathcare industry—funeral homes, mortuaries and

crematoria —once led the way in these trends, many changes in recent years have forced themtoadapt andinnovate.

Technology is akey driver in theseshifts. The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 brought rapid changesto the profession

Periodic surges in deaths overwhelmedfuneral homes, andfuneral directors scrambledtomeet the needsofmany more families than usual —all while adapting to making arrangements online or over the phone.Many had to install newequipment and learn how to livestream services.

“Thatwas an incredibly stressfultimefor thoseof us in the industry,” said ShannaBryant of Seale Funeral Home in Denham Springs, and SoutheastDistrict Governor of theLouisiana Funeral Directors Association.

Bryant saidthat one commonmisconception is that funeral professionals are detached from the families they serve. “Inreality,this work is

deeply personal,” she said. “Wewalk alongside families during some of the hardest days of theirlives, and we feel the weight of thatresponsibility.”

Otherchanges—likethe rise in cremations —have been buildingfor decades. Accordingtothe National Funeral Directors Association, at least63% of Americanschose cremation over traditional burialin2025. That percentageisexpected to hit82% by 2045. This trend was well underway before the pandemic, notes Marvin Schaffer Jr owner of theSchaffer Family Funeral Homein Rosedale

“This hashad aprofound impact,especially on family-owned funeral homes like ours,” said Schaffer

“Many people are choosing to have their loved one cremated and hold private services somewhere else. We’re having to learn how to provide the same care to these familiesthatwewould with atraditionalburial.”

For decades,American mourning rituals were centered around funeral homes or houses of worship. The shift from traditional and communalgatherings is steady,astheyincreasingly choose highlyindividu-

alized celebrations with smaller groups.Atthe same time,morefamilies arenot to have amemorial or commemoration at all.

“Nationally, about60% of all cremated remains are never publicly memorialized,”says Poul Lemasters, adeathcare industry attorneyand consultantbased in Cincinnati.

Family members simply take the asheshome to put on the mantelor theshelf and in some cases, never even come to get them.

Lemasters says that in Los Angeles alonethere are tens of thousands of unclaimed cremainssitting in storage in funeral homes

“Those public rituals are really important,” says Sarah Tipton, alicensed professional counselor in Baton Rouge whofrequently counsels people experiencing loss. “If peoplenever have any kindofpublic acknowledgment , it’slikely theynever experienced the closure that comesfrom burying or celebrating their

ä See GRIEF, page 2Y

JanRisher

Before we married, my husband always had atelevisionon. Not necessarily at avolume he could hear from anotherroom, but on —inthe kitchen, the living room, the bedroom,his office. Constant background.

Company,maybe?

Or just the comfortofaworld thatkeepstalking whetherhe’s listening or not.

Afterwemarried, the number of televisions in our lives diminished. We don’thaveone in the living room or the kitchen. He hasnever complainedabout this directly,though I’m quite sure he hasnoticed andsomewhere, it registers.

Whathekeptwas his studio, where atelevision runs all day while he paints. He doesn’tmuch carewhatitshows. He’ll pull up YouTube andlet one thing follow another, which is how,nearly two yearsago,something called Balrodfound him.

The channelappeared the way YouTube things do —uninvited andcourtesy of the algorithm. My husband watched one video, thenanotherthe next day, and thenanotherafter that. Nearly two yearslater,hestill watches. My husband andIhaveknown each otherfor 35 years. Icannot think of anothertime he maintaineda daily devotion to any programthe wayhehas to Balrodand its centralfigure,a nomadic Iranian shepherd named Jahangir Balrodisa mountainous regioninIran. The videos can last anywhere from30minutes to an hour.Theyare posteddaily, crudely edited, with subtitles thatmyhusband describes as “terrible.”

The videos showthe daily life of Jahangir —a small, tireless man —ashetends his sheep andgoats, grows sunflowers and forages acrossthe ZagrosMountains. According to the channel’s description, his sonReza films everything. His wife Maryam appearsoften.

The channeldescription promisesan“unforgettable journey into the heartofnature and the challengesofnomadic life,” but what my husband found in it was something both more simple and complicated thanthat.

“Do youhaveany ideahow hard thatlittle manworks?” he will say, appearing in the kitchen while we’re eating dinner. “Todayhebathedevery sheep. He pickedeach oneupand bathed it.”

Or: “Today there was abig snowstorm, andhemadea herculean effort to take acorns to his goats.”

Or,simply: “He never complains.”

Itoldhim he couldn’treally knowthat, giventhe subtitles andthatweare only seeing a sliverofJahangir’slife.

He allowedthis, thendefended Jahangir anyway.

Whatstrikesmyhusband most, Ithink, is notthe hardship but the sufficiency. Jahangir climbs threekilometers to reach his herd. He finds a piece of discarded tin on the road andbrings it home to make a door —the same satisfaction, my husband says, as someone in our world picking up takeout on the way home. He hasanold truck. And yet, as he drinks tea by the fire at the endofa long day on topofa mountain, my husband says, he might as well be Bill Gates in aprivate jet.

Eighty or

BR native founds communityfor childlesswomen

BY JOYHOLDEN Staff writer

Baton Rouge native Sandy Langhart Michelet, a Louisiana State University alumna, is aspeaker,senior HR leader and author of “My Family Tree Stops

With Me.” After years of trying to have children with her husband, Michelet founded The Childless Life, aglobal community supporting women who are childless not by choice, focused on connection, identity and redefining legacy

This interview has been edited forlength and clarity

What are the origins of The Childless Life community?

My husband and Igot married in 2000, and I wasn’tsure if Iwanted kids. Iwasn’tagainst it, but it was just something that Ihad never really thought about. We started trying about ayear and a half in, and you know,a year would pass, then another year would pass, and another and nothing would happen.

Ihad areally rough night one night and got up the next morning, and Idid aFacebook post to family and friends. Isaid what’sgoing on in my life —that Icould never have children. Iwrote that holidays

are childless not by choice, and the author of ‘My Family Tree Stopswith Me.’

are very difficult. Church is very difficult. Iwrote aboutwhy Ifelt somuch guilt,shame and isolation becauseIfelt at the time that Iwas theonly childless person on the planet. My husband actually knewhow much Iwas struggling, and he talked with acounselor friendof his,and she said to Google the word “childless, which Ihad never heard. Istarted researchingthat andreadingasmuch as I

could, andIstarted connecting with other childlesswomen

After the Facebook post, Ihad alot of people reach out to me through comments, but then Ihad probably about 30 people private message me,saying they werealsogoing through this grief. Afriendofmine said, “You need to start ablog. So Istartedthechildlesslife.com website Then, Istarted the private

Facebook group with the same name,The ChildlessLife, anditisagroup with screening questions to getin. My goal was100 women. Well, it’sbeen nine years, andIhave3,500 womenfrom around the world.

How have thewomen in The Childless Life community supported one another?

Mother’sDay just passed, and womenwere asking, “How do you get through Mother’sDay?” Andwomen sharedwhat they did.

There’s so many amazing things about this community,and one of them is thatI’vewatched these women’sjourneys of healing andgoing through the phasesofgrief

Now Ilove when Ican seenew people coming into the group, and they’ll saysomething that hurt them, and these women that have been in the groupfor alongtime,fly outofnowhereand become so protective of each other Ihave women in the group who areintheir early 20s.Some of them are just finding out,and then I’ve got women who are in

GRIEF

Continued from page1y

their 50s, 60s, 70s, andthen 80s whodidn’ttalk about it when theywere going through it.

What inspired youtowrite your book?

Ithought thatIneeded to do something bigger, and thenthe book came about.

In the beginning, when I was trying to connect people,Ihad people whowere saying theydidn’tknow howtoget through the holidays.Ithought, letme write something for you, andIwould write stuff.

Ijuststarted putting these stories together. I wantedtobeable to getall of my wordsout, but then Ialsowantedtobeable to hand somebodysomething andsay Itruly believe in my heart of heartsthat this could bring yousome peace. If this could help in anysmall minor way,I letthemknow, “You’re not alone. You’ll still feel like you’re still going through allthese things, but you’re notalone.”

In what ways do youthink The Childless Life community and your contributions are working toward thesolutions of Childless Not By Choice women?

Ithink there will always be Childless Not By Choice

RISHER

Continued from page1y loved ones.” The practical reasons people are leaving traditional mourning practices behind areunderstandable:embalming and burial costs add up quickly,and making funeral and travel arrangements onshort notice is stressful

twice ayear;whenthey do, Jahangir shares the meat with othernomads. He takes the acorns he needsfrom the mountain andthen plants some —not on his land but on the mountain itself, so there will be more next year.He learnedthis fromhis father “I don’tthink this is unique to an Iranian goat herder,” my husband told me. “I think it’s just howpeople live when they live like that. Simple can be wonderfulifyou don’t have something sitting on top of youreminding youthat otherpeople have more.”

women.This is the moment where Ihavekind of put aline in the sand where I’m like,“We’re going to talk aboutthis until people don’twanttohear aboutitanymore.” My entire goal is Iwant women to realizethey’re notalone,numberone,and thennumbertwo, thatthey can have afreaking awesome, an incredible life thatjustlooksdifferent from what theyexpected They plannedtohave children —tograduate, getmarried,gotoschool andhavechildren.Lives take adifferentturn, but thatdoesn’t mean thatit’s aconsolationprize life My life is extremely full. Iamextremelyhappy,and Ihavegonethrough allof the phases of grief, probably 75 times. Ihavebeen for years in the acceptance phase. Iwantwomen to realizethatlife is available I’m nota therapist. I’m nota counselor.I’m not anyofthose things, but Iamaperson whowent through it andhas gotten through it. Ijustwantto bring hope to people Email Joy Holdenatjoy holden@theadvocate.com.

But Tipton and others note that these changes may carry agreater cost —toour mentaland emotional health.

“Grieving is hard, but we have to experience it if we want to findhealing,” says Gretchen Varnell, acertified funeral celebrant withGreenoaks Funeral Home inBaton

Rouge Varnell oversees ag rief support program for widowsand widowers, and shesayssocial media hasopened new waysto expressgrief. Even still, the grieving process shouldn’tbecut short. “The practices and rituals will alwayschange, but we can’t just ignore grief. It’snot going away,” Varnell said. “We have to findnew ways to express it so we can experience the healing thatcan only come with time.”

Thenomadic aspect interestshim too—the way Jahangir’sfamily solvesthe problem of heat andcoldnot with technology but with movement. Whenthe season turns, they don’tadjustthe thermostat. They move the house.

Email Jon Parks at jon@ jonparks.net

Afew weeksago,giventhe tensionsinIran,the channel went dark.Bythen, Jahangir had becomeenough of afixture in ourlivesthatfriends and family hadstarted asking abouthim too—how he wasdoing, what he’d been up to Whenthe videos stopped, theconcern spread accordingly.Myhusband mentioned

daily thathehoped Jahangir andhis family were safe. He saiditthe way we say it aboutsomeoneweknow, whichIsuppose, after nearly twoyears of watching aman climb amountain every day, is notentirelywrong. My husband was so happy when the show returned, even without subtitles. On weekends,I’vetaken to watching alongwith him. My husband sayslearning more aboutJahangir’s life makes him more grateful— thathecan’t watch thatman search amountainside for wild green onions andthen complain abouthaving to go to the grocery store. Apparently,the family is making alittle money based on the success of the program.Ithas nearly70,000 subscribers. As Iwrite,avideo posted nine hoursearlier has7,210 views. The episode opens: Hello,good day. Thank youfor being aguest of the authentic triballifestyle.We hope thatthis companionship will be interesting for you. Jahangir’s son wrotethat welcomeasatestamentto his father’slife What aworld—thata nomad in the Zagros Mountains is the onereminding us of the importance of care andcompanionship.

EmailJan Risher at jan. risher@theadvocate.com.

Audubon Aquarium plant wall is a ‘living, evolving entity’

BY BEN MYERS Staff writer

Sterile workplaces, institutional spaces and government buildings started undergoing a gradual transformation about two decades ago, as office managers recognized the soothing effects of plants on the human psyche. And in some cases, they did more than just add a few house plants on waiting-room end tables. Entire walls that once hosted bland corporate artwork became professionally designed plant ecosystems, requiring novel irrigation systems and horticultural upkeep.

In New Orleans, the “living walls” sprouted in the Audubon Aquarium atrium entrance as part of a $41 million renovation during the COVID-19 pandemic Unveiled to the public in 2023, towering walls totaling more than 800 square feet are filled with more than 3,000 plants, purposefully arranged to give the feel of a wild habitat It’s a fitting greeting for visitors embarking on a tour of rain forests, jungles, coral reefs and other habitats.

“It’s a way of using space that otherwise is just blank. You can hang art there But you can also hang 3,640 plants,” said Troy Whitfield, the aquarium’s senior horticulturalist, as he pointed out the various ferns, spider plants, philodendron and other species.

Horticulture marries the science of growing plants with the art of presenting them, Whitfield said, and the science has always come naturally to him. Now he’s refining the artistic half as some of the initial plants start to die off and need replacing. Whitfield is eyeing some flashier colors with anthuriums and richly scented orchids.

In addition to being filled with organisms, the wall is

also “living” in that it constantly evolves About 15% of the plants on the wall have been installed since the original installation

One of Whitfield’s staff members recently suggested crotons and Justicia, which have been added to the mix

“Every horticulturalist that comes through here has an effect on the wall,” Whitfield said.

Seeing how original designs shape-shift over time is a pleasure for Matthew Hills, an architect with Pennsylvania-based Ambius, a national landscaping firm that specializes in vertical gardens like the one at Audubon Aquarium. Hills said he’s designed about 100 living walls over the last 15 years, and he recently visited a few from

several years ago while visiting family in San Francisco.

“It’s super cool to see,” Hills said. “After five, six years those plants mature into very big, dense plants,

and they start to mix together with the other species on the wall, and it just continues to evolve and look different.”

Hills’ clients usually provide him with rough sketch-

es, which he then matches with curated species selection and irrigation design to fit the space. Corporate clients sometimes want a tidy look incorporating a brand

logo. For the aquarium, Hills aimed for a wilder presentation to pair with the aquarium’s aesthetic.

“We chose a more organic look, very patchy, with different plants spread apart in blocks,” Hills said. “There’s a lush tropical environment throughout the aquarium that we tried to mimic.”

The aquarium design is among the larger though far from the largest — of Hills’ designs. The plants are set out in trays, with an automatic irrigation system that trickles from top to bottom. Thirstier plants that dry out more quickly are near the base, and those needing less at the top. The aquarium atrium, which had multiple wall spaces to fill presented a couple of unique challenges. One of the walls is more than 30 feet high, and the very top isn’t accessible for routine pruning and other maintenance, so the aquarium had to settle for fake plants at that height. That wall also slants out at a 20-degree angle, presenting a challenge for irrigation, which works best while dropping straight down. Hills adjusted by putting special wedges behind the plant trays keep them aligned.

“It still appears to be on an angle, but all the trays are actually pushed out and kept on a vertical plane,” Hills said.

The trays are useful because they’re easy to switch out, he said, and he’s looking forward to seeing what the aquarium’s horticulturalists do with the walls over time.

“I’m happy that people take it upon themselves to maintain it, change the species,” Hills said. “The green wall is a living, evolving entity.”

Email Ben Myers at bmyers@theadvocate.com.

Amputee football players find community

Rwandan team heals together

BY EVELYNE MUSAMBI and IGNATIUS SSUUNA Associated Press

KIGALI, Rwanda The players struck their crutches against each other as they chased a soccer ball, as well as a larger dream of competing at the global level. Children shrieked in joy as they watched a goalie dive to block an attempt with her remaining hand

Amputee football, a seven-a-side version of the game in which players roam the field on crutches and goalkeepers have one arm, has grown steadily in Rwanda over the past decade Players say they have found a community on the field after embracing a sport some never imagined they could play For many, it offers not only physical rehabilitation but also a sense of belonging.

In the capital Kigali amputees play to foster healing and social cohesion after traumas that include the country’s darkest period: the 1994 genocide, in which about 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were massacred by the majority Hutu population over a 100-day period.

Nyiraneza Solange was born two years after the genocide and lost her leg at the age of 5 after falling and developing an infection She said the resilience shown by people who lost limbs during the genocide attracted her to amputee football.

She was encouraged by the former coach of the country’s first amputee football team, who told her she could use her crutches to play She quickly left any fear behind.

“I don’t even think about I don’t have a leg,” said Solange, explaining that she feels free while playing and has overcome the stigma that accompanies being an amputee. Rwanda is estimated to have more than 3,000 lower-limb amputees. Some are victims of the genocide Others are survivors of road accidents or illness.

Louise Kwizera, the vice president of the Rwanda Amputee Football Federation, said the sport enables players to learn to trust again, building unity in a society that “was once divided.”

“In communities affected by conflict or trauma, the playing field becomes a place of peace. People who may have different pasts come together as teammates,” Kwizera told The Associated Press.

Rwanda hopes to take part next year in the second women’s amputee football World Cup, an invitational event expected to be held in Poland or Brazil. Rwanda was represented by only a single player at the first edition of the competition in 2024.

The sport, governed by the World Amputee Football Federation, is played in more than 50 countries. Rwanda now has five women’s professional teams and 10 for men.

Haitian women’s amputee football team manager Fred Sorrels, who visited Rwanda to help develop the local program, said he was rooting for the East African country to host a World Cup. But the country’s sports ministry said

it has yet to make a formal bid.

Sorrels said he has seen the benefits of the sport.

“It’s a win psychologically and mentally for these ladies to have an opportunity to experience wholeness and wellness again,” he said.

Gilbert Muvunyi Manier, the Rwandan sports ministry’s director general of sports development, called the sport a “powerful tool” for healing, reconciliation and social cohesion.

Players acknowledged limitations in strategy

“It’s hard to save the ball when it goes to the side with the receding hand,” goalkeeper Nikuze Angelique said. Like Solange, she described a sense of community found on the field.

As players took selfies after a game, Angelique said she is hopeful they will reach the World Cup.

“It will be a dream come true,” she said.

Taiwanese town embraces slow life with snail races

BY SIMINA MISTREANU and TAIJING WU Associated Press

FENGLIN, Taiwan — The Taiwanese town of Fenglin has grown a reputation as a place where life moves slowly and people can catch their breath.

Rather than push against this rhythm, the town of around 10,000 has chosen to embrace it and make it part of its identity Enter the snails

Fenglin has been putting on snail races as a way to celebrate its focus on a slower, sustainable lifestyle that values healthcare, longevity and community connections while bringing in more tourists in the wake of a strong earthquake in 2024 that dampened travel in surrounding areas.

“The earthquake two years ago had a relatively big impact on tourism because people are worried an earthquake may happen again,” said Hsu Lu, a 32-year-old resident.

“Many people have left Hualien because of earthquakes,” Hsu said, referring to the surrounding county and the site of frequent quakes.

Snails are one way to bring tourists back, even if slowly Focus on quality of life

Fenglin has associated itself with snails since 2014, when it joined the Cittaslow international network of small cities focused on quality of life and locally sourced foods. Cittaslow’s symbol is a snail carrying an assortment of buildings on its back.

The designation of a slow city seemed to fit Fenglin, whose population has shrunk threefold over the past few decades. Today, it is also an example of Taiwan’s “super-aged” society, with more than 20% of its residents older than 65.

To help reinvigorate local tourism after the April 2024 earthquake which killed 19 people and injured more than 1,100, Fenglin residents decided to host a snail race the following month, said organizer Cheng Jen-shou.

“We thought that our event could

attract people, and that would be a small help,” he said.

This year, the town held the third edition of the race over the May Day holiday

Several dozen enthusiastic residents and tourists attended the event, which featured six snail races spaced out over two days

The winners from each race competed in the final, but not before posing in front of their audiences while slowly being pulled on a piece of plywood across a green carpet as their fans cheered them on.

Snail race attracts dozens Li Cheng-wen, a 70-year-old retiree from Fenglin, brought several snails to the race. He caught them in his vegetable garden snacking on his leafy greens, and instead of killing them as some farmers do, he decided to raise them as pets, he said. He feeds them slices of bananas, papaya and vegetable

leaves and showers them daily

“As to the criteria for choosing snails for the race, I usually select those that are very active and pleasing to the eye,” Li said.

Kevin Hong and Tiara Lin also brought a sightly snail to the race. The couple traveled all the way from the southern city of Kaohsiung, about a five-hour drive away,

together with their 2-year-old daughter Murphy and their giant African snail, Aquaman.

The couple had signed up Aquaman for a previous race in 2024, but just as they were headed for Fenglin, Lin went into labor. Now the whole family returned to cheer on Aquaman.

Brother Snail, recurring champion

Despite being larger than most of its homegrown competitors — which had been picked out from local gardens or the side of the road — Aquaman was rather slow

Once the race started, it and nine other snails were placed near the center of a round table covered with a thin vinyl sheet. The first to reach the edge of the table was crowned the winner.

The absolute champion was Guage, or Brother Snail. Its owner, 39-year-old Tanya Lin from Hualien, had been raising the snail since 2024, when it also won one race.

This year, Brother Snail crossed the 13-inch tablecloth in 3 minutes and 3 seconds. That performance earned it the top spot on a tiny stadium and a prize of organic sweet potato leaves.

An alternative

Besides the snail race, the local government has been trying to attract tourism by offering guided e-bike tours with stops at historic tobacco barns, Japanese colonialera buildings and a Hakka-minority museum. The idea of a slower pace of life was compelling enough to attract university students Annette Lin and Tanya Liu, who rode the train for about 30 minutes from Hualien on Saturday to check out the snail race and Fenglin’s slow vibes.

The friends found the competition unique and enjoyed Fenglin’s leisurely pace but only as a respite from the busy city life.

“I think for travel or a trip, it’s a great choice,” Liu said. “But maybe living here would not really be my dream choice.”

SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2026

directions: Make a 2- to 7-letter word from the letters in each row Add points of each word, using scoring directions at right. Finally, 7-letter words get 50-point bonus. “Blanks” used as any letter have no point value All the words are in the Official SCRABBLE® Players Dictionary, 5th Edition.

word game

instructions: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

todAY's Word — recitAL: rih-SY-tul: A concert given by an individual musician or dancer

Average mark 39 words

Time limit 60 minutes

Can you find 57 or more words in RECITAL?

ken ken

instructions: 1 -Each rowand each column must contain thenumbers 1through4 (easy) or 1through6 (challenging) without repeating 2 -The numbers within the heavily outlinedboxes, called cages, must combine using thegiven operation (inany order)toproduce the target numbersinthe top-left corners. 3 -Freebies: Fillinthe single-boxcages withthe numberinthe top-left corner

instructions: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 gridwith several given numbers. The object is to placethe numbers 1to 9in theempty squares so that each row,each column and each 3x3 boxcontains the same number only once. The difficultylevel of the Conceptis Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday

directions: Complete thegridso that numbers 1–132 connect horizontally, vertically or diagonally

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

goren Bridge

Easy once you think of it

South had nine top tricks and needed a tenth. The obvious play was a club to the king, but South judged that unlikely to succeed after West’s vulnerable twolevel overcall. South wanted to prevent East from gaining the lead so he did not play the ace of hearts at trick one. This was not without risk, as West might have had a seven-card heart suit. South won the queen of hearts continuation as East completed a high-low with the 10 and nine. South drew trumps and had to decide what to do. Assuming East’s high-low in hearts to be honest, West had started with two spades and six hearts. He was not likely to have started with four diamonds as that would mean that East had passed as dealer with an eightcard club suit.

South cashed the king of diamonds and led a diamond to the ace He led dummy’s remaining heart, and instead of ruffing, he discarded his last diamond! West won a cheap heart trick but he wasn’t happy about it. Rather than yield a ruff-sluff, West cashed the ace of clubs and led

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) A change will energize you. Opening conversationswithpeopleofinterestwillhelp you discover someone or something that has a positive impact on your life and prospects

CANCER (June 21-July 22) A secretive approach to what’s happening in your life will stop outsiders from interfering. Ask more questions, show interest in what others do and take the attention off yourself and your intentions.

another club. South claimed his contract. Note that if West had a third diamond to lead, South would have ruffed, crossed to dummy in trumps, and discarded a club on the good eight of diamonds. Nicely played!

Tannah Hirsch welcomes readers’ responses sent in care of this newspaper or to Tribune Content Agency inc., 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, Ny 14207. E-mail responses may be sent to gorenbridge@ aol.com. © 2026 Tribune Content Agency

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Don’t sit at home alone when you have so much to offer. Set up get-togethers. Initiate talks and social events that mix projects or pastimes you enjoy Your leadership abilities will shine through. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Take a back seat and observe. Gather information and knowledge that help you understand what others expect or want from you before you engage in negotiationsorcommittosomething prematurely LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Gather information, talk to experts and be direct about what you want to do next. Refuse to let stressful situations build up. It’s better to handle matters swiftly than to let them fester

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Move about. Visual effects will have an impact on your perspective and encourage you to do what’s right and best for yourself. Anger is a waste of time. Put your energy where it counts.

SAGITTARIUS(Nov.23-Dec.21)Achange will be invigorating if you don’t take on more than you can handle physically or financially Whether you fix up your surroundings or start a new hobby, it will pump you up and make you feel good about what you accomplish. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Listen and observe. Your loved ones’ grievances require your attention if you

want to avoid being blamed for an oversight on your part. Set a budget for home improvements that will make your life more convenient.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20-Feb.19)Don’twaste time and energy on revenge when looking for and taking advantage of opportunities needs your attention. Finding a new way to use your skills will promote greater cash flow

PISCES (Feb 20-March 20) Take time out to do something that makes you happy Refuse to let the decisions and changes others make disrupt your plans. Distance yourself from anyone who puts you down or criticizes how you do things.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Say no to temptation. Your best interests will come from investing more time and money in yourself, your future and your long-term goals. TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Channel your energy into looking and feeling your best. Designate more time to family, friends and pampering yourself. Declutter your space to make room for new hobbies.

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

SCORING: 24 to 30 points —congratulations, doctor; 18 to 23 points—honorsgraduate; 13 to 17 points —you’replenty smart, but no grind; 5to12points —you really shouldhit the booksharder;1point to 4points —enroll in remedial courses immediately; 0points who reads thequestions to you?

Saturday's Cryptoquote: Lifeislike an icecream cone; you have tolickitone dayata time.— Charles M. Schulz

1. Chicago. 2. New York.3.Detroit.4.New Orleans. 5. Las Vegas.6.Seattle. 7. Denver 8. Philadelphia. 9. Honolulu. 10. Boston. 11.Boise 12. Miami. 13.Hartford. 14. Phoenix.15. Atlanta. Crossword