Workers and volunteersunload oyster shells tobuild areef near the Theogene B. Melancon Boat LaunchonMonday in Leeville. During phase one of the reef building,59tons of oyster shells from restaurants were used to begin the CoalitiontoRestore Coastal Louisiana and ‘NFLGreen’ installation.
Disappearing town at forefrontofcoastal land loss crisis
BY JOSIE ABUGOV Staff writer
As Phyllis Melancon drives down La. 1toward the Gulf of Mexico,her husbandTimmy points to where lost landmarks used to be: abait shop, achapel, their family home Forthe couple in their late 60s,married when they were 14 and 15, each site evokes stories of family members andold friends in the town of Leeville, which has lost nearly all itsland and peopleoverrecent decades.
“Since the last storm, there’snomore gas stations, no more restaurants,” Phyllis Melancon said of 2021’s Hurricane Ida.
Leevilleisatthe forefront of Louisiana’scoastal landloss crisis, which has robbed the state of land the size of Delawareover thepastcentury among the highestrates in the
world. In 2021, Ida destroyed what was left of the small fishingvillage. Today,around three people live in Leeville. Theproblem haslongbeen apriority for the state,and nowthe NFL is lending ahand ahead of nextweekend’sSuper Bowl. On Monday,a group of special operationsveterans left thebustlingpre-Super Bowl streets of New Orleans for the quieter landscape of Leeville, where water laps against the highway
Trump pauses tariffs
BY JOSH BOAK,ROB GILLIES and FABIOLA SÁNCHEZ Associated Press
WASHINGTON President Donald Trump on Monday agreed to a30-day pause on his tariffthreats against Mexico and Canada as America’stwo largesttrading partners took stepstoappeasehis concerns about border security and drug trafficking. The pauses provide acool-downperiod after a tumultuous few days that put North America on the cusp of atrade war that risked crushing economic growth, causing prices to soar and ending twoofthe United States’ mostcritical partnerships. “I am very pleased with this initialoutcome, and the Tariffs announced on Saturday will be paused for a30day period to see whether or not afinal Economic deal with Canada can be structured,”
BY MISSY WILKINSON Staff writer
The teams havelanded. The Vince Lombardi Trophy has been paraded around town. The Caesars Superdome is lit up and ready.And though New Orleans has been testedbybotha terrorist attack and ahistoric snowfall in recent weeks, city leaders saidMonday they are excited and ready tohost arecord-tying 11th Super Bowl. At the Super Bowl LIX kickoff news conference at the ErnestN.Morial Convention Center,Saints owner Gayle Benson, Mayor LaToya Cantrelland a
Aft er th e two-hour drive down La. 1, ex-NavySeals, restaurant workers, Chalmette High School students and other volunteers installed an oyster reef and planted marsh grasses as part of an initiative involving thenonprofit Coalition to RestoreCoastal Louisiana, government agencies, global corporations and the NFL’s sustainability program. The effort
ä See LEEVILLE, page 4A ä
Mel Sumer catches aplug of spartina grass at the Coalition to RestoreCoastal Louisiana and ‘NFL Green’oyster shell installationinLeeville.
Zydeco dance hall legend Williams dies
BY JOANNA BROWN Staff writer
When SidWilliamsopenedElSid O’sZydeco and Blues Club in Lafayette in 1984, he helped launch musicians —including members of his ownfamily —who would go on to become some of the genre’smost innovative and successful ambassadors.
Afteralmost40years servingasa centralfigure in the area’szydeco scene, Williamsdied Sunday at the age of 73. He was anative of St. Martinville,
host ofbusiness andcivic leaders said the city willprovideafestive—and secure —experienceinthe lead up to thebig gameonSunday
“The NFL was unshaken, standing with thecity of NewOrleans after Jan.1,” Cantrell said. “They wanted to make surethe soul andspiritofNew Orleanswas unshaken as well.”
“Let this beareal testament not only of our faith, but howweare stronger and united in ensuring that Super Bowl LIXwill be thebest ever,” she added.
Eventsrelated to the game will take placeacross New Orleans over the next week. Some,like the SuperBowl
Experience at the Convention Center, are aimed at fansinNew Orleans and from elsewheredescending on thecity, while other parties and ceremonies willfeature strict invitelists with Alist guest attendees.
On Monday night,the first major event was set to takeplace in theSuperdome, which was preppedtohost some 30,000 fansand hundreds of members of the national andinternationalpress for Monday’sOpening Night.
“All the stretching has been done. All
ä See SAFE, page 4A
PHOTOSBYBRAD WEIMER
See TARIFFS, page 6A
PROVIDED PHOTO
Sid Williams opened El SidO’s Zydecoand Blues Club in Lafayette in 1984.
Mayor LaToya Cantrell speaks Monday as New Orleans kicks off Super Bowl week.
STAFF PHOTO BY BRETT DUKE
Official: Pa.crash left ‘expansive’ impact zone
PHILADELPHIA The impact area where amedical transportation plane crashed in Philadelphia was notably “expansive,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Monday after viewingthe site withinvestigators and city officials.
Duffy said he wasstruck by “how expansive it was. And the issues that fire and policewere dealing with. Again, this is avery populated area.”
The crash Friday evening killed all six peopleonthe Learjet 55 air ambulance, including agirl who hadbeen receiving medical treatment at Shriners Children’sPhiladelphia hospital. Aseventh person inside avehicle was killed on the ground
MayorCherelle Parker said two more people who were hurt on the ground have been identified, bringing the total to 24.Four people remained hospitalized Monday,two in critical condition.
Parker said footage of the crash has made her “think about what couldhave been, had agas line been hit.”
Jet Rescue Air Ambulance said the plane had been taking Valentina Guzmán Murillo, 11, and her mother,Lizeth Murillo Osuna, 31, home to Mexico. It plummeted within aminute of taking off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport. Jet Rescue identifiedits team members as Dr.Raul Meza Arredondo,41; the captain,Alan Montoya Perales, 46;the co-pilot, Josue de Jesus JuarezJuarez, 43; and paramedic Rodrigo Lopez Padilla, 41. Valentina had recently completed treatment for acondition not easily treated in Mexico, hospital officials have said.
Judge extends blockon Trump funding freeze
WASHINGTON Ajudge in the nation’scapital kepta temporary blockonaTrumpadministration plan for afreezeonfederal funding Monday after some nonprofit groups said they’re still struggling to getpromised grants and loans.
U.S.DistrictJudgeLoren L. AliKhan extended an ordershe issued last week that paused a sweeping plan to freeze potentiallytrillions in federal spending. While the memo outlining it has since been rescinded, the Republican administration has said some kind of funding freeze is still planned as part of his blitz of executive orders.
Asecond judge in Rhode Island hasalso blocked anyfederal spending pause in aseparate lawsuit filed by nearly two dozen Democratic states In the Washington lawsuit, several groups reportedbeing unable to access promised federal funding evenafter the memo was rescinded.They ranged from childcare in Wisconsin to disabilityservices in West Virginia to asmall business research project on neutron generation and detection.
“For many,the harms caused by the freeze are nonspeculative, impending, and potentially catastrophic,” AliKhan wrote California highway reopens after wildfires
LOS ANGELES The PacificCoast Highway reopened Monday nearly amonth after it wasclosed when flames from the deadly Palisades Fire ripped through hillside Los Angeles neighborhoods, destroying properties all the way down to the beach.
Traffic along the scenic shoreline route began moving again at 8a.m. with just one lane in each direction and limited speed from Santa Monica northwesttothe Ventura County line.
“Essential traffic onlyis strongly encouraged,” Los AngelesCounty Supervisor Lindsey Horvath said in astatement. Cleanup and utility repairs continue, andHorvath warned that “this will not be the same PCH as before the fires.”
Proof-of-residence or entry passes are still required to enter the Palisades burn zone. The highwaypartially reopenedSunday morning on the northernmost section in Malibu.
Reopening of the remaining section in the Pacific Palisades area was delayed as Los Angeles officialsmade adecision to keep the checkpoints in place overconcerns of public safety and looting.
MANUEL BALCE CENETA
PHOTO
ASSOCIATEDPRESS
AUnited States Agency for International Development contract worker sits Monday in front of the USAID office in Washington holding amessagereading ‘Save USAID’ writtenona pieceofpaper
Trump, Musk move to dismantleUSAID
Action ignitesbattlewith Democratic lawmakers
BY ELLEN KNICKMEYER, ADRIANA GOMEZ LICON and FARNOUSH AMIRI Associated Press
WASHINGTON The Trumpadministration and billionaireallyElonMusk movedto shutteranagencythat providescrucial aid tofund education and fight starvationoverseas, sparking ashowdown with congressional Democrats who blastedthe effortasillegaland vowed acourt fight.
In one of the most dramatic efforts to push back on President Donald Trump’s bid to slash and reshape the federal government, some Democrats sought Monday to enter the agency’sheadquarters. They wereblockedbyofficers from even broaching the lobby,and Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he was theacting administratorofthe agency despite it being an independent body for six decades.
WhileTrump has spentthe first three weeks of his newpresidencymaking broad changes to the federal government, thefast-moving developments at USAID have emergedasaparticularly controversial flashpoint with Democrats who argueitsymbolizesthe massivepower Musk is wielding over Washington.
Trump told reporters Mondaythatshutting down USAID “should have been done along time ago.” Asked whether he needs Congress toapprove such ameasure, the president said he did not think so.
Congressional Democrats, cheered by afew hundred supporters, vowed to act outside USAID headquarters, where federalofficers and yellow tape blocked both employees and lawmakers from entering hours after Musk declared, “We’re shutting it down.”
“This is aconstitutional crisis we are in today,” Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy said.
Added Maryland Democrat Jamie Raskin: “Wedon’thave afourthbranch of government calledElon Musk. And that’s going to become real clear.”
Showing the extraordinarypowerof Musk and his budget-slashing Department of Government Efficiency,thousands of USAIDemployees have been laid off and programs shut down around theworld in the two weeks since Trump became president and imposed asweeping freeze on foreign assistance.
The U.S. is the world’slargest provider of humanitarian aid, and the moves have upended decades of U.S.policy that put humanitarian, development and security
assistance in thecenter of effortstobuild alliances and counter adversaries such as China and Russia. Trump, Musk and Republicans in Congress have made the U.S. foreign assistance program aspecial target,accusing it of waste and advancing liberal social programs.
The U.S. spends lessthan 1% of its budget on foreign assistance, asmaller share overall than some other countries. Trump accused theBiden administration of fraud, without giving any evidence and only promising areport later on.
“They went totally crazy,what they were doing and themoney they were giving to people that shouldn’tbegetting it and to agencies and others thatshouldn’t be getting it,itwas ashame, so atremendous fraud,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
Lawmakers sought to enter USAID offices in Washington, saying they wanted to speak to any staffers remaining about the dismantling of the agency.DepartmentofHomeland Security officersand men identifying themselves as USAID employees blocked them. “Elon Musk’s not here,” one toldthe lawmakers.
Sen. Chris VanHollen, of Maryland, called it an “illegal power grab” andsaid it was “a corrupt abuse of power that is going on.”
“It’snot only agifttoour adversaries, but trying to shut downthe Agency for International Development by executive order is plain illegal,” he said.
Democrats saidcourt challenges already were in the works and pledged to try to block approval of Trump’sState Department nominations until the shutdown is reversed. Democratsare in the minority in the House and Senate after last November’selections, leaving them with reduced leverage.
Musk announced the closing of the agency early Monday as Rubio was outof the country on atrip to Central America.
Rubio toldreporters in SanSalvador that he was now the acting administrator of USAID but had delegated his authority to someone else. In aletter to lawmakers obtained by The Associated Press, Rubio designated Peter Marocco, apolitical appointee whose short stint at USAID in the first Trump administration generated unusual staff protestsfor pushing program cuts and investigations that ambassadors and other senior officials complained slowed work to acrawl.
In his remarks, Rubiostressed that some and perhaps many USAIDprograms would continue in the new configuration but that the switch was necessary because the agency had become unaccountableto the executivebranch and Congress.
Rebels whoseizedCongo city declareunilateralceasefire
BY CHINEDU ASADU and JUSTIN KABUMBA Associated Press
GOMA, Congo— The Rwanda-backed reb-
els who seized eastern Congo’skey city of Goma announced aunilateral ceasefire in the region Monday for humanitarian reasons, following calls forasafecorridor for aid and hundreds of thousands of displaced people.
TheM23 rebels said the ceasefire would start Tuesday.The announcement cameshortly after theU.N. health agency said at least 900 people were killed in last week’s fighting in Goma between the rebels andCongolese forces.
The city of 2million people is at the heart of aregion home to trillions of dollars in mineral wealth and remains in rebel control. The M23 were reported to be gaining ground in other areas of eastern Congoand advancing on another provincial capital, Bukavu.
But the rebels said Monday they did not intend to seize Bukavu, though they
earlier expressed ambition to march on Congo’scapital, Kinshasa, athousand miles away
“It must be made clear that we have no intention of capturing Bukavu or other areas. However,wereiterate our commitment to protecting and defending the civilian population and our positions,” M23 rebel spokesman Lawrence Kanyuka said in astatement.
There was no immediate comment from Congo’sgovernment.
The rebels’ announcement came ahead of ajoint summit this week by theregional blocs for southern and eastern Africa, which have called for aceasefire. Kenya’sPresident William Ruto said the presidents of Congo and Rwanda would attend.
Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven advanced economies, or G7, urged parties in the conflict to return to negotiations. In astatement on Monday,they called for a“rapid, safe and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for civilians.”
WASHINGTON,D.C.,
Salvagecrews recoverengine, largeportion of jet
BY DAVID R. MARTIN, MICHAEL R. SISAK and CLAUDIA LAUER Associated Press
ARLINGTON, Va.— Salvage
crews have recovered an engine and large pieces of fuselage and are working to retrieve awing from the wreckage of acommercial airliner involved in last week’smidair collision near Washington’sReagan National Airport, officials said Monday
They also recovered more human remains from the Potomac River, although they declined to offer specifics, reiterating only that 55 of the 67 victims have been found and identified since the crash Wednesday Authorities have said the operation to remove the planewilltakeseveral days and they will then work to remove the military helicopter involved. The crash between the American Airlines jet and an Army helicopter over Washington D.C., was the deadliest U.S. air disaster since 2001. More than 300 responders were taking part in the recovery effort at any given time, officials said. TwoNavybarges were also deployed to lift heavy wreckage.
Washington,D.C., Fire Department Assistant Chief Gary Steen tolda news briefing that officials are confident all of the victims would be found.
Divers andsalvageworkers are adhering to strict
protocols andstopped moving debris at timeswhen human remainswerebeing recovered, said U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Col. Francis Pera. The “dignified recovery” of remains takes precedence over all else, he said.
Portions of the two aircraft that collided over theriver Wednesdaynight near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport an American Airlines jet with 64 people aboard and an ArmyBlack Hawk helicopter with three aboard —are being loaded onto flatbedtrucks and will be taken to ahangar for investigation. Crews hoped to recoverthe jet’scockpit on Tuesday,Pera said. The crash occurred when the jet, en route from Wichita, Kansas, was about to land.The BlackHawk was on atraining mission. There were no survivors. On Sunday,family members were taken in buses with apolice escort to the Potomac River bank near where the two aircraft came to rest after colliding. The plane’spassengers included figure skaters returning from the 2025 U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita and agroup of hunters returning from aguided trip. Army Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O’Hara, 28, of Lilburn, Georgia; Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, 39, of Great Mills, Maryland; and Capt. Rebecca M. Lobach, of Durham, North Carolina, were in the helicopter
Crews pull partofthe wreckageof an American Airlines jet on Mondayinthe Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airportin Arlington, Va
BY
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO
Emailsshowtiesbetween Saints,N.O.Catholicchurch
BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff writer
Hundreds of newly disclosed emails betweenthe New Orleans Saints and the Archdiocese of New Orleans
detailthe extent to which two of the team’stop executives helped to shapethe church’s public relations strategy around the clergy sex abuse crisisasthe scandalwas coming to light six years ago.
The emails, which were obtained by WWL Louisiana, The Associated Press, The New York Times and The Guardian, center on crisis communications advice officials with the Saints organization gave Archbishop Gregory Aymond in 2018,as he was preparing to release alist of priests and deacons accused of sexually abusing children.
Aymond’srelease of that list, which originally contained 67 names and has growntomore than 80,and the ensuing flood of claims, eventually led the archdiocese to file for federal bankruptcy protectioninMay 2020.
Since then, more than 550 abuse survivors have filed claims against some 330 former priests, deacons and nuns.
The Saints’ role in helping the church manage fallout from the scandal has been previously reported by The Times-Picayune and other outlets, butthe reports on the emails suggested that the assistance went further than the team previouslyacknowledged.
Among the new details in storiespublished on Monday from the mediaoutlets was the disclosure of an email from Greg Bensel, Saints senior vice president of communications, to Dennis Lauscha, the team’sgeneral manager.According to the reports, Benselwrote to Lauscha that he “Had a cc wLeonCannizzarolast night that allowed us to take certain people off the list,” referring to then-Orleans Parish District Attorney Cannizzarro and what the media reportsinferred was an abbreviation for a conferencecall.
In response to the reports, the Saints organization said, No Saints employee had any responsibility for adding or removing any names from that list or any supplementallist.”
Cannizzarro also deniedany role in “removing any names from the list,” according to The Associated Press. He did not respond to arequestfor comment on Monday
The reports said emails also showed Lauscha drafted talking points for Aymond before his interviews with local journalists in relation to therelease of thelist. In addition, around the same time period, thereportssaid Bensel tried to use his connections with localmedia to influence coverageofthe brewing scandal.
According to The Associated Press,Bensel urged the city’stwo newspapersatthe time, The Times-Picayune and The New Orleans Advocate, to “work with” the church, telling them, “We
need to tell the story of how this archbishop is leading us out of this mess.”
In astatement provided to the media outlets Kevin Hall, publisher of Georges Media, which owns thenewspapers, said the paperwelcomes engagement from community leaders butthatoutreach “doesnot dilute ourjournalistic standards or keep us from pursuing thetruth.”
“No one gets preferential treatmentinour coverage of the news,” the statement said. “Over the past six years, we haveconsistently published in-depth stories highlighting the ongoing serious issues surrounding the archdiocese sex abuse crisis, as well as investigate reports on this matter by WWL-TV and by The Associated Press.”
TheAdvocate,whichpurchasedThe Times-Picayune in 2019, reported extensively on the clergy abuse crisis in the years before the release
of Aymond’slist. Specifically, The Advocate reported on how Deacon George Brignac was allowed to participate in Masses and other ministries despitehaving been removed from ministry decades earlier over abuse allegations. The Advocatealso reported on allegations of clergy abuse involving Jesuit High School,among dozens of other stories on the local abuse crisis.
Saints owner Gayle Benson has previously acknowledged that the Saints provided free public relations advice to help manage the church crisis in its early days but downplayedthe extent of the team’sinvolvement
Saints respond
The news outlets published reports based on the emails all before 7a.m. Monday,as the Saints andBenson welcomed the NFL and fans from around the country to New Orleans for the Super Bowl.
Benson is aclose friend of Aymond and adevout Roman Catholic,who hasdonated millions of dollars to the local church and its charitable organizations.
In itsstatement overthe weekend provided to the media outlets, the Saints suggested that the coordinated release of the news reports was intentionally designed to embarrass the team at atime when the eyes of theworld are on New Orleans.
“It is unfortunate that the media has used the occasion of Super Bowl week to exploit the disclosure, in violation of court order,ofleaked emails for the purpose of misconstruing awell-intendedeffort,” the statement said.
Naseem Amini, aspokesperson for The Times, said the newspaper “reported the news as soon as feasible, after thorough editing, review and fact-checking.”
Astatement fromThe Guardian spokesperson
Minhee Cho said the news organization won’t“discuss pre-publication conversation with subjects or sources” and that they stand behind their reporting. The Associated Press and WWL Louisiana did not respondtoemailsfromThe Times-Picayune requesting comment on why their reports were timed simultaneously for thestart of Super Bowl week in the city At amedia briefing Monday afternoon at the Caesars Superdome, where Benson sat on the front row,NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell called Benson and the Saints “great corporate citizens,” who have been transparent about their role in trying to help the Catholic church.
“I’m confident that they are playing nothing more than a supportiveroletohelpthe church be more transparent,” Goodell said in response to aquestion aboutthe media reports of the emails.
The release of the emails comes as the local Roman Catholic Church is in the midst of its five-year Chapter 11 bankruptcy and settlement talks between the church and abuse survivors are at asensitive point.
The two sides remain far apart in how muchitwill take to settlethe case,with the church offering $62 million and the survivors seeking nearly $1 billion. The bankruptcy case is one of the longest, most contentious and costliest of the nearly 40 church bankruptcies that have been filed over the yearsaschurchleaders have tried to settle, once and for all, the claims related to abuse.
WASHINGTON The Senate on Monday confirmed fossil fuel executive Chris Wright to serve as energysecretary, a key post to promote President Donald Trump’sefforts to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market.
Wright, CEOofDenverbased Liberty Energy,has been one of the industry’s
Wright
loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He says more fossil fuel productioncan lift people out of poverty aroundthe globe and has promised to help Trump “unleash energysecurity andprosperity.”
The Senate approved his
nomination, 59-38. Eight Democrats —including both senators from Wright’s home state of Colorado voted in favor The centerpiece of Trump’senergy policy is “drill, baby,drill,” andhe haspledged to dismantle what he calls Democrats’ “greennew scam” in favor of boosting production of fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas and coal that emit planet-warming greenhouse
RubiovisitsEl Salvador to press forcrackdown on migration
BY MATTHEW LEE and JUAN ZAMORANO Associated Press
SAN SALVADOR U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was visiting El Salvador on Monday to press afriendly government to do more to meet Trump administration demands for amajor crackdown on immigration amid turmoil in Washington over the statusofthe government’smain foreign development agency Rubio arrived in San Salvador shortly after watching aU.S.-funded deportation flight with 43 migrants leave from Panama for Colombia That came aday after Rubio delivered awarning to Panama that unless the government moved immediately to reduceoreliminate China’s presence at the Panama Canal, the U.S. would acttodo so Migration, though, was the main issue of the day as
it willbefor the next stops on his five-nation Central American tour of Costa Rica, Guatemala and the DominicanRepublic after Panamaand El Salvador President DonaldTrump’s administration prioritizes stopping people from making the journey to the United States and has workedwith regional countries to boost immigration enforcement on their borders aswell as to accept deportees from the United States.
Oneideabeingfloated is to negotiate aso-called “safe third country” agreement with El Salvador that would allow non-Salvadorean migrants in the U.S. to be deported to El Salvador Officialshave suggested this might be an option for Venezuelan gang members convicted of crimesinthe United States should Venezuela refuse to acceptthem. Human rightsactivists have warned, however, that
El Salvador lacks aconsistentpolicy for thetreatment of asylum-seekers and refugees and that such an agreement might not be limited to violent criminals.
Manuel Flores, thesecretary general of the leftist opposition party Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front, criticizedany such plan, saying it would signal that the region is Washington’s“backyard to dump the garbage.”
Thedeportation flightRubio watched being loaded in Panama City was carrying migrants detained by Panamanian authorities after illegally crossing the Darien GapfromColombia. The State Department says such deportations send amessage of deterrence. The U.S. has provided Panama with financial assistance to the tune of almost$2.7 million in flights andtickets since an agreement was signed to fund them.
gases.
“President Trump shares my passion for energy,” Wright said at his confirmation hearing last month, promising that if confirmed,
he would “work tirelessly to implement (Trump’s) bold agenda as an unabashed stewardfor allsources of affordable, reliable and secure American energy.”
That includes oil and natural gas, coal, nuclear power and hydropower,along with wind and solar power and geothermal energy, Wright said.
By The Associated Press
Twodays after nonprofit groups sued the federal government over astop-work order targeting programs that provide information and guidance to people facing deportation, theU.S. Justice Department reversed course andorderedthat funding to the programs be restored. The four federally funded programs educatepeople in immigrationcourtsand de-
tention centers about their rights andthe complicated legal process. The Justice Departmentinstructedthe nonprofits on Jan. 22 “to stop work immediately” on the programs, citing an executive order targetingillegal immigrationthat President Donald Trumpsigned theday of his second inauguration.
Acoalitionofnonprofit groups filed afederal lawsuit Friday challenging the stopwork order and seeking to immediately restore access to the programs. The Justice Department rescindedits stop-work order for all four programs Sunday afternoon. The nonprofit organizations,which had expressed concernthat the absence of the programs leftpeople to navigate the system on their own, had worried that due process rights would be violated and the backlogged immigration courts would be further bogged down. Fundingrestoredfor programs
STAFFPHOTO BY BRETT DUKE
NewOrleans Saints owner Gayle Benson, left, and team Vice President Greg Bensel sitJan.
6inSt. Louis Cathedral in NewOrleans.
Aymond
the pregame warm-ups have been completed. It is now time for the city of New Orleans to perform,” saidWalt Leger,president of New Orleans &Co., the city’stourism marketing agency.“The world is at our doorstep.”
The kickoff caps more than six years of planning that brought infrastructure enhancements,citywide beautification projects and a$560 million Superdome renovation. In recent weeks, construction crews and other workers have sprinted to put finishing touches on road and beautification projects, including amassive street resurfacing project in the French Quarter On Monday,large banners were being hung from the
LEEVILLE
Continued from page1A
will extend beyond Monday, as thenonprofit is tryingto secure funding for alarger reef.
Taking abreakfrom reef building,the more than 150 volunteers ate fresh oysters from only afew miles away
The
first part of the project began in December, when dozens of volunteers gathered to divide 59 tons of oyster shells from restaurants into mesh bags —the smaller units that compose the reef.
“I’m kind of speechless,” Megan Champagne, the coastal zone management administrator for Lafourche Parish, said. “We’ve never had such abig agency collaboration.”
Emma Willis, asenior at Chalmette High in her school’senvironment club, said the project brought to her attentionthat people are trying to address the coastal crisis in Louisiana. Before, she only knew that the land was disappearing.
The new ”living shoreline” will not bring back Leeville. No oneisunderany illusions about that.
Butthe faded community near Grand Isle is still a popular fishing spot, and its remaining land helps provide protection for locations farther inland. The reef will assist on both of those matters.
“Weget theability to do a living shorelineproject and also bringawareness to the nation of everything that we do,” Glenn Ledet, executive director of the state’sCoastal Protection and Restoration Authority,said.
Besides protecting the shoreline, it will invigorate the aquatic ecosystem around the Theogene B. Melancon Boat Launch, named for the first person to open aboatlaunch in the town, his great-grandson TeeTim Melancon said. Alongside the veterans and coastal organizations, some of the families who hailed from —and then ultimately fled —the small Cajun town also observed thereefinstallation, evoking complicated
WILLIAMS
Continued from page1A
and his dance hall at 1523
N. St. Antoine St. is oneof the region’sonly remaining original zydeco clubs.
dilapidated Plaza Tower on LoyolaAvenue, andartists were putting the finishing touches on murals aimed at welcoming visitors to the city Following the terror attack on New Year’sDay,the final plans also included for
emotions.
“Every storm since we were born,wewentthrough them all,” Phyllis Melancon said ahead of the event.
“And then this last one, Ida, was the worst out of the 67 years that I’m alive. She was the worst that you could have, because the others we cleaned,paintedand repaired withlittle. This one, there was nothing left to repair.There was nothing to comeback to.”
Ida washed away the home they had lived infor decades, elevated above the bait shop that PhyllisMelancon ran.TimmyMelancon said thesame happened to hisgrandfather’shouse of 100 years and his uncle’s house of nearly 80 years. “And we didn’tcry,” Timmy Melancon said. “Not once, nothing. We justwent onwithour lives. We were raised likethat.” They had endured so much already,Phyllis Melancon said. When HurricaneKatrina hit Leeville in 2005, the house she grew up in with her parents and seven siblings was severelydamaged
“And thenRita (a few weeks later) and it washed away,” she said After each storm, the couple, who did not have insurance, would clean upand start again.
‘Livelihooderodesaway’
The onslaughtofstorms led to the dwindling population of Leeville, which sits beyond the levee system 8miles from the Gulf. But Leeville itself is disappearing, too. Land that once held citrus groves and cotton fields is not much more than anarrow street Parts of Leeville have dropped around 4feet since 1900, said Windell Curole, who led the South Lafourche Levee District for four decades.GoldenMeadow where theMelancons relocated, is not much different. Curole said a1982 study found the highway in Golden Meadow 1.3 feet abovesea level. Now,the same spot is 0.3 feet abovesea level.
Curole lives north of Golden Meadow in Cut Off, but he hasstrongLeeville ties —his great-great-grandfather,Pierre Lee, gavethe
anewly hardened French Quarter security zone.
At apublic safety news conference on Monday,Gov Jeff Landryand otherofficials detailedsome of the security plans. NFL chief security officer Cathy Lanier described herteam’s“secu-
town its name.Over the past 100years, Leevillehas lost around 90% of its land, Mike Biros, theCoalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana’s restoration programs director,estimated.
Land sinking, called subsidence, is driving the disappearance. The levees constraining the Mississippi Riverprotect communities from flooding but deprive the delta of sediment to rebuild land and sustain itself. Subsidence is thebiggest factor in the region’s land loss,Biros andCurole stressed, but there are others too.
Global sea level rise,faster in thewarm Gulf waters, heightens the problem and is projected to worsen. Salt water encroaching from the Gulfdestroys the delicate wetland ecosystem, and canalsdug foroil andgas exploration accelerate saltwater intrusion, Biros noted “Naturally,your income, your livelihood erodes away,” TeeTim Melancon said.“Youcan’tlive off the land if the land’snot there.”
Asafehaven
The pattern of rebuilding and relocating has been passed down throughthe generations. The town was founded by survivors of the 1893 Cheniere Caminada hurricane, which destroyed the small fishing community of Cheniere Caminada and killed around 2,000 people.
For thefounders, Leeville was asafe haven, Bren Hasse, the director of the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program, said.
“It was higherground; it had lots of wetlands around it for buffer,” said Haase, the former headofthe state’s coastal protection agency Located betweensomeof the most abundant estuaries in the world, Leeville boasted lifelong fishers and shrimpers, like the Melancons. Afew decades later, it became the oil capital of Lafourche after abig find in the 1930s.
TimmyMelancondescribed an ecosystem where the two industries —oil and fishing —complemented each other,ifnot environmentally than communally
rity umbrella” as “the safest place to be this weekend,” pointing to an “unprecedented” level of cooperation between multiple agencies tasked with keeping the big game safe. She and her colleagues, including New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick, FBI special agent in charge Stephen Cyrus, Louisiana State Police Col. Robert Hodges and HSI special agent in charge Eric DeLaune,ran through security measures that have been upgraded since the attack: 350 National Guard troops and more than 2,000 law enforcement officers on the ground, ahardened French Quarter perimeter with checkpoints and searches, and15,000-pound barriers on and around Bourbon Street.
“The biggest show on earth is goingtogoonwith-
and economically
“Every gas station had a little deli and breakfast in the morning because everyone needed to passthrough Leeville on theway to work,” he said.
Leeville is oneofthe last stops on the way to Port Fourchon, which accounts for around 15% of the country’soil supplyand helped provide the local fishing industry with reliablebusiness. In 1999, Mike Tidwell, atravel writer with The Washington Post, hitchhiked aboard fishing boats in the area, chronicling how land loss endangeredcoastal communities for apopular book, “Bayou Farewell.”
Back then, Tidwell said, Leeville wasa functional community.There was Griffin’scafe, Phyllis Melancon’sbait shop and acadre of working shrimpers and crabbers. Lots of land had already been lost —the town looked nothing like the childhoodhomes of theelder Melancons —but “there was some bustle there,” he said.
The Leeville population is abit under dispute. Curole said acouplehundred Cheniere Caminda survivors
out ahitch,” Landry said.
The governor also defended issuing an executive order that allows firearms in anewly fortified French Quarter securityzone, while banning ice chests and explosives.
“Where concealed carry is in place, theplaces are a lot safer,” Landry said.“We went to greatlengths though the executive order we put together to balance the freedoms andconstitutional rights enshrined in this state while making sure we had enough security to protect our citizens.”
Earlier in the day,heappeared with Cantrell and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem at the Bourbon Street memorial to the 14 victims of the attack.
State Police troopers occupied the FrenchQuarter in heavy numbers on Mon-
likely settled in the town.
Phyllis Melancon said that at one point, apopulation sign in the townsaid 3,600, but TimMelancon said there was no way it was that high.
Curole recalled thepopulation beingaround60inthe mid-20th century
The town’srelatively small population wasboosted by thesteady stream of industry workers, fishers andcampowners passing through.
“I miss meeting people that would cometothe shop,” Phyllis Melancon said.“Near thewater, having our shop, that’swhat I miss —the people.”
In 2011, the elevated expressway from Leeville to Port Fourchon opened,and it will eventually extend to Golden Meadow.Thismeans that people driving to the port and Grand Isle can bypass the near-empty town.
“It’sa working coast,and we have retreated from that but continue to work there, so we have to travel further,” Curole said. “But it was also part of our culture being right there near the resource, and that made us a little bit differentinthat you
day.OnBourbon Street, Louisiana National Guard members were stationedat every intersectionbyearly afternoon. Some stood, while others sat atop massive metal barriers newlystationed at the curb, waiting to be installed over bollards that gleamed in the sun.
National Guard Staff Sgt. Steven Epperson, afreight conductor wholivesinNew Orleans East, said he’d responded forHurricane Laura in 2020 and the 2016 floods in Baton Rouge, and was ready forthis assignment.
“I will makethe most impact on this mission, just because of what we’re out here doing,” said Epperson, 39,who hailsfromShreveport. “This is whatI signed up for.” Staff writer John Simerman contributed to this report.
couldbedirtpoorbut then you eat freaking well.”
‘It’salmostwho Iam’ Fourth generationborn andraisedinLeeville, Tee TimMelanconand Jerry Martin left their hometown for better opportunities. In their 40s and 50s, respectively,they both work at Edison ChouestOffshorein Galliano, around 20 miles from where they grew up. ForTee TimMelancon,he didn’tsee opportunities for himself if he stayed and followed his parents’ path.
“You looked at your parents —they were barely paying the bills; there was nothing new for you if you stayed,” he said. “It’saculture you’re losing as well. It’saway of living. It’salmost who Iam.”
Martin’smom and stepfather are two of the approximately three people still living in Leeville. Andtheir presence in the desolate town upsets him.
“They don’tleave for storms. They stay there and they weather it,” he said. “It makes me kind of nuts. Like, what are you guys doing? Youcan’twin this fight.”
Grammy winner Stanley Dural Jr., also knownas Buckwheat Zydeco, was a frequent performer at El Sid O’sinthe early years of hiscareer. Williams’ younger brother,Grammynominated zydeco musician Nathan Williams, launched his act whenhestarted playing Friday nights at the club with his band, Nathan &the Zydeco Cha-Chas. The Williams’ family musical legacy also includes Sid Williams’nephew,who fronts Lil’ Nathan and the Zydeco Big Timers. Over the years, Sid Williams’ star rose alongside the famous acts that he helped to promote.Hespoke about Cajunand Creole culture on an Acadiana episode of “PartsUnknown” in 2018, with food and travel documentarian Anthony Bourdain. Madonna Broussard, the James Beard Awardnominated chef at Laura’sII in Lafayette,wrote Monday on Facebook that a“pivotal moment in my culinary journey occurred when Mr.Sid arrivedatmyrestaurant with Anthony Bourdain and aCNN film crew on a Sunday.Ihave consistently conveyed my appreciation, whenever Ihad the opportunity to see him. Rest in Zydeco Paradise.”
Williams were “filled with humor and downhome wisdom that made him abusiness success and cultural icon.”
Scott Billington, aGrammy-winning American roots music producer,said, “Sid was aremarkable man in so many ways —always upbeat, always open and friendly,alwaysoptimistic, always thinkingofhis next move. He built asmall empire.”
Sid Williams was also a philanthropist. For several decades,starting in 1986, he led an annual Thanksgiving food drive at El Sid O’s, helping to feed thousandsof Lafayette residents during the holidays. Artists and cultural figures took to social media to express shock and sadness at thenewsofSid Williams death. Herman Fuselier,regional music historian and tourismdirector for St. Landry Parish, wrote on Facebook that his visits with
According to filmmaker Robert Mugge, who worked with Sid Williams on anumber of music documentaries, Sid Williams was the “founder of one of the great dynasties in Southwest Louisiana music.”
“In my experience, Sid was acharming, entertaining, conscientious, often maddening, and hugely successful guy,and I’ll never forget him,”Mugge wrote on Facebook on Monday
“I predict that the legend of Sid Williams will live forever in Southwest Louisiana.”
STAFF PHOTO BY BRETT DUKE NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell speaks during anews conference Monday at the Caesars Superdome.
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TARIFFS
Continued from page1A
Trump posted on social media. “FAIRNESS FOR ALL!” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeauposted Monday afternoon on X that the pause would occur “while we work together,” saying that his government would name afentanyl czar, list Mexican cartels as terrorist groups and launch a “Canada-U.S. JointStrike Force to combat organized crime, fentanyl and money laundering.” The pause followedasimilar move with Mexico that allows for aperiod of negotiations over drug smuggling and illegal immigration. The 10% tariff that Trump ordered on China is still setto go into effect as scheduled on Tuesday,though Trump planned to talk with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the next few days. While the trade war feared by investors, companies and political leaders now seems less likely to erupt, that doesn’tmean the drama over Trump’stariff threats has ended. Canada and Mexicobought some additional time, but Trump could easily renew his tariffs and already plans to announce taxes on imports from the European Union. All of that leaves the global economy uncertain about whether acrisis has been averted or if apossiblecatastrophe could still be coming in the weeks ahead.
Trump on Saturday had directed25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada, with another 10% tariff on Canadianoil,naturalgas and electricity.The U.S. president had repeatedly previewedthese moves, yet they still managed to shock many investors, lawmakers, businesses and consumers. Multiple analyses by the TaxFoundation, the TaxPolicy Center and the Peterson Institute for International Economics showedthat the tariffs could hurt growth, lowerincomes and push up prices.But Trump repeatedly insisted —despite prom-
ises to curb inflation —that tariffs were necessary tools to get other nations tostop illegal immigration,prevent fentanyl smuggling and treat the United States, in his mind, with respect Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announcedthe monthlong pause on increasedtariffs against one another after what Trump described on social media as a“very friendly conversation,” and he said helooked forward to theupcoming talks.
“I look forward to participating in those negotiations, with President Sheinbaum, as weattempt to achieve a ‘deal’ between our two Countries,” the president said on social media.
Trump said the talks would be headed by Secretaryof State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Secretary ofCommercenominee Howard Lutnick and highlevel representatives of Mexico. Sheinbaum said she was reinforcing the border with 10,000 membersofher country’sNational Guard and that the U.S. government would commit “toworktostopthe trafficking of high-powered weapons to Mexico.”
In 2019, when Mexico’s government also avoided tariffs from Trump’sadministration, the government announced it wouldsend 15,000 soldiers to its northern border
But for much of Monday the outlook was worrisomely different for Canada, only for an agreement to come together
Asenior Canadian official said Canada was not confidentitcould avoid the looming tariffsasMexico did. That’sbecause Canada feels as if the Trump administration hasbeen shifting its requests of Canadamore than it did for Mexico. The official spoke on condition of anonymity,having notbeen authorized to speak publicly AskedMondayafternoon what Canada could offer in talks to prevent tariffs, Trump told reporters gathered in the Oval Office: “I don’tknow.”Hemused about trying to make Canada the 51st state, part of
ongoing antagonism despite decades of friendship with Canada in apartnership that has ranged from World War II to the responsetothe 9/11 terrorist attacks.
The U.S. president also indicated that more import taxes couldbecoming againstChina: “Ifwecan’t make adeal with China,then the tariffs will be very,very substantial.”
WhiteHouse presssecretary Karoline Leavitttold reporters that Trump would speakwith Xi in the next couple of days and that the White House would provide areport on the discussion.
Financial markets, businessesand consumerson Mondaywerestill trying to prepare for the possibility of the new tariffs. For example, Stew Leonard Jr president and CEO of Stew Leonard’s, asupermarket chain that operates stores in Connecticut, New York andNew Jersey,said his buyers were considering stocking up on Mexico’s Casamigos tequila ahead of the tariffs and switching from Canadian to Norwegian salmon.
Stock markets sold off slightly,suggesting some hope that theimport taxes that could push up inflation and disrupt global trade and growth would be shortlived. Trump even inquired Monday how the financial markets were doing as reporters were leaving the Oval Office.
The situation reflected a deep uncertainty about aRepublican president who has talked with adoration about tariffs, even saying the U.S. government made amistake in 1913 by switchingto income taxes as its primary revenue source.
Kevin Hassett, director of theWhite HouseNational Economic Council, said Monday that it was misleading to characterize the showdown as atrade war despite the planned retaliations and risk of escalation.
“Read theexecutive order where President Trump was absolutely,100% clear that this is not atrade war,” Hassett said. “This is adrug war.”
Newchair leadsethicsboard
Landry names five appointees to 15-membergroup
BY ALYSE PFEIL Staff writer
Amakeover to the state board that’sresponsible for enforcing campaign finance, nepotism and conflict-of-interest laws for Louisiana public officials is well underway after Gov. JeffLandry appointed five new membersand named anew chair to the 15-personboard. Landry announcedFriday that
Boustany to fill Lafayette City Court judgeship
Seat wasvacated by deathof Jules Edwards
BY CLAIRE TAYLOR Staff writer
Assistant District Attorney Roya Boustany will be the next Lafayette City Court judge for Division A. Boustany,who is afelony prosecutorwiththe 15th JudicialDistrict Attorney’sOffice,was the only candidate whoqualified from Jan. 29-31 to be placed on the March 29 ballot, according to LafayetteParish Clerk of Court Louis Perret. Shewas automatically elected without opposition Boustanywill fill the seatleft vacant by the unexpected Oct. 15 death of Judge Jules Edwards III, who was 66. Edwards’ termexpires Dec. 31, 2026, Perret said
See JUDGESHIP, page 4B
Credit card debt hits high
Delinquentpayments in Acadiana reach 15-yearrecord
BY ADAM DAIGLE Acadiana business editor
More consumers in the Lafayette area have fallen behindoncredit card payments and takenonmore debt than ever, according to federal data. Data from the Philadelphia Federal Reserve indicates therate of total borrowers in the area with severaldelinquent creditcard debt reached 14.7% at the end of 2023, the most recent data available. It’sthe highest rate since 2008, when the rate reached 15%, more than 2% higher than the national rate. Othercategories, including the shareofborrowers who reached at least 75%oftheircredit limit, are also at the highest levels on record as many Americans have fallen more into debt. Additionally,the shareofborrowers making minimum creditcard payments has reacheda12-year high Credit card performance shows signs of consumer stress, the Fed announced last week. The share of
Jason Amato will chair theLouisianaBoard of Ethics.
Amato, alifelong resident of Lutcher,served on the Board of Aldermen there foreight years and later on the St. James Parish Council for 16 years.
He worked in operations at the Shell ChemicalPlant in Geismar for morethan30yearsbefore retiring recently.In2023, he sought aHouse seat representingparts of St. James, Ascension and Liv-
ingston parishes in the Louisiana Legislature but lost that race to former Ascension Parish Sheriff Jeff Wiley Along with Amato, Landry last month also appointed to the ethics board:
n John Crigler, aretired 6th Judicial District judge, who served the parishes of Carroll, Madison and Tensas in that rolefor 26 years. Crigler livesoutside St. Joseph and still serves as ajudge part-
time, overseeing cases on an ad hoc basis.
n Vanessa Guidry-Whipple, aformer chief judge at the 1st Circuit Court of Appeal, based in BatonRouge Guidry-Whipple retired in 2022 after serving there forthreedecades.
n Rickey Nowlin is an engineer and abusiness owner.Heserved as Natchitoches Parish president from 2012 to 2020 and represented Natchitoches Parish in the Louisi-
ana House from 2008 to 2012. He was formerly amember of the Republican State Central Committee.
n Kenneth“Mike”SmithSr. is aformer Democratic statesenator from Winnfield who served in the Legislature from 1996 to 2008. TheLouisianaHouse also appointed anew member to the ethics board last month: former state Rep. Mike Huval. TheBreaux Bridge Republican served in the House for13years until 2024. At aHouse committee meeting
ABOVE: Parishioners read the church dedication during the rededication celebration of Greater Union Baptist Church on Sunday in Opelousas. The church was burned down by arsonist Holden Matthews in 2019.
RIGHT: Members of the choir sing ‘Trust in God’ during the rededication celebration.
STARTING ANEW
NY passes lawfollowing Louisianaindictment
Measurekeeps doctors’ names off abortion pill prescriptions
From staff and wire reports New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed abill into law Monday strengthening the Empire State’s pro-abortion rightsshield laws by protecting theidentitiesof doctorswho prescribe abortion pills to patients in stateswhere abortions are illegal Themeasure camethree days after agrand jury in West Baton Rouge ParishonFridaycriminallyindicted New York doctor Margaret“Maggie” Carpenter
after she prescribed mifepristone, an abortion medication, online to apregnant PortAllen teenager.The girl’s39-year-old mother,who prosecutorsallege coerced the teen to take the medicine to terminate her pregnancy,turned herself in to policeFridayaftershe,too, was indicted. Both Carpenter,55, and the teen’smother were charged with criminal abortion by means of abortion-inducing drugs, afelonythatcarries apossible one-to five-yearprisonsentence.
In NewYork,the new law took effect immediately on Monday, allowing doctors there to request their namesbeleftoff prescription bottles for abortion pills, and instead list their health care practices.
New York lawmakers had previously adopted ashield law that, among other things, empowers stateofficials to not cooperate with attempts by other states to sue or prosecute physicianswho send abortion pills to people in cities and states with abortion bans. Hochul pledged to thwart any extradition efforts by Louisiana authorities to bring Carpenter to this state to face criminal charges. It was the first abortion indictment in Louisiana, officials said, and appears to be the first time adoctor has been charged for sending pills to anotherstate since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. The case sparked national headlines Friday and provoked a
back-and-forth between Hochul and Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill. Hochul, aDemocrat,rebuked the chargesas “outrageous” and declared she would “never,under any circumstances” sign offonrequeststo extradite Carpenter.Murrill chastised Hochul for supporting the doctor,calling it “sick and barbaric.”
The landmark case is being prosecuted in the18thJudicial District, which includes West Baton Rouge. The Advocate isn’tidentifying the victim’smother because her daughter is aminor.Efforts to reach the mother at her apartment in Port Allen on Monday were unsuccessful. Staff writer Matt Bruce contributed to this story
ä See ETHICS, page 4B
Welcome, SuperBowl fans,tothe wonderfulstew that is La.
Super Bowl week has finally arrived, andthe result of months of planning andpreparationto make New Orleans —and our beloved Caesars Superdome —shine is on full display. Fans comingfromall parts will immediately beenveloped by the hospitality that is ahallmark of our state. We hope they come away with an appreciation of all Louisiana hastooffer.Wewelcome you, Eagles fans, but we’d putupany po-boy against your best cheese steak. And we welcome you, Chiefs fans, butyou’ll soonrealize, we’ve gotalot to showyou “Show Me”staters. Yes, aSuper BowlinNew Orleansisjust different. Youcan see it in the logo, designed by NewOrleans artistTahj Williams to evokethe traditions of Mardi Gras Indians.You’llbe able to hear it in thepre-gameshow featuring Louisianaartists,including JonBatiste, LaurenDaigle and Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews. And of course, you’ll be able to tasteitasLouisiana chefsand restaurants pull outall the stops in their Super Bowl food and drink menus. While Super Bowl fans arefocused on fun, we also know the game brings anational spotlight on some of the issues withwhich ourstate struggles. Our coastal land loss crisis thankfully will get attention as the NFL’s sustainability program is partnering on aproject in Leeville to plant marsh grasses and install an oysterreef And as this year marks the 20thanniversary of Hurricane Katrina,manywill be lookingto measure the progress of thecity’srenaissance, including that of the Superdome itself, which was the site of so much tragedy in 2005. Most pressingly,after the New Year’sDay terrorist attackonBourbon Street, security issues haverisen to thefore. We were more than pleased to see officials announcean enhanced security zone for the busiest part of the French Quarter Starting Wednesday,checkpointswill be set up at eachentry to the Quarter.Largebags will be searched, with no coolers or ice chests allowed. Other zones operated by theU.S. Department of Homeland Security andthe NFLwill be set up around the Superdomeand otherSuperBowl venues. We are proud of theway local, state and federal officials have cometogether on security forthe Super Bowl. We wantall the visitorsand local fans to enjoy the game anda city thatisall about leavingyour cares behind. Andwhile the FrenchQuarter and downtown offerplenteous attractions, do be sure to explore thewhole metro area,asevery neighborhood offers charms aplenty.
Though New Orleans has hosted the Super Bowl arecord 11 times, tying with Miami, each time feels unique. No matter how many times you’ve been to New Orleans, thecity can find newways to delight. So enjoythe game, fans, and we hope y’all come back soon
LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR ARE
WELCOME. HERE AREOUR
GUIDELINES: Letters are published identifying name, occupation and/or title and the writer’scity of residence The Advocate |The Times-Picayune requireastreet address and phone number for verification purposes, but that information is not published. Letters are not to exceed 300 words. Letters to the Editor,The Advocate, P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge LA 70821-0588, or email letters@ theadvocate.com.
OPINION
Supportsenatorswho follow conscience on Trumpnominees
Iwould rather have asenator who votes his or her conscience than because of pressure from their party As astaunch Democrat,Ihave disagreed with many of Sen. Bill Cassidy’spositions and votes on issues. However,Irealize what agold mine he has been for thestate of Louisiana and this country.His willingness to work in abipartisan manner has resulted in manypositive benefits for our state. Now he is playing a critical role in cabinet confirmation votes.
LouisianaRepublicans and anyone who voted for Donald Trumpisin for arude awakening. Trumpisnot really interested in helping Americans or furthering the Republican platform.Heisinterested in only one thing—revenge against the people who he perceives did him wrong during the past four years. His tariffs will hurt Americans,
upset theeconomy and possibly could result in atrade war with Mexico and Canada. Andfor absolutely no reason. His purge of FBI agents whodid their job by prosecuting Jan. 6rioters is chilling. The bombingofinsurrectionistsinSomalia was out of left field and shows he is willing to sacrifice our armed forces with little thought or planning. Iurge Sens. Cassidy and John Kennedy to stand firm in their beliefs and use common sense in their votes for these cabinet appointments to critical positions that will define our country for years to come.
Ihope both Louisiana Republicans and Democrats will support our two senators in their votes of conscience and support the best candidate for thejob. Make Louisiana proud.
MAYLEE SAMUELS Baton Rouge
Bidenshowedhow to follow Constitution,beliefs
The letter writer who asserted that former President Joe Biden can’tbea“devout Catholic” becauseheis“pro-abortion” seems to be confused about what those descriptions entail.
Adevout Catholic is one who faithfully believes and practices theteachingsofthe Catholic Church. Since Catholicismteaches that abortion is morally wrong, a devout Catholic would be expected to avoidhaving an abortion in his or her own life. While the Catholic Church encourages its members to set avirtuousexample for others by following itsteachings, it is not so dictatorial as to requireits memberstodemand that those who have different moral standards follow Catholic teachings.
Apresident who is elected by,and therefore represents, ourdiverse American population needs to be judicious enough to understandthe constitutional meaning of “freedom of religion,” regardless of the spiritual value system he himselfhas personally chosen to follow The same principle holds true for agovernor misguidedly at-
tempting to legally require that all public classrooms in the state post acopy of the TenCommandments indicating his chosen belief system. The recentguestcolumnist Kelly Shackleford illustratedasimilar confusion when he addressed this issue. The desire to keep religious and legal matters separate is notmeant to be interpreted as “secular outrage” or an expression of “aggressive hostilitytoreligion.” Rather it’saneffort designed to create the space necessary for everyone to have thefreedom to followtheir own individual conscienceinspiritual matters, andprevent political leadersfrom forcing their personal moral values on others regardless of how well-intentioned they might be. This is theprecise reason that America’sfounders, whothemselves had diverse religious beliefs, endeavored to clarify in the First Amendment that all Americans are entitled to this basic humanfreedom regardless of their positionin society
SUE GISCLAIR Baton Rouge
Local sports writers were surprised that Aaron Glenn chose to sign with the Jets rather than the Saints. Could Mickey Loomis, the longest-tenured general manager in the NFL, be the problem? He has put this team in so-called “salary cap hell” foryears. For 2025, we are projected to be almost $70 million over the cap (dead last) and are $48 million in dead money over the cap (dead last). He kept Marcus Davenport and let Trey Hendrickson walk into free agency (35 sacks in the last twoyears with the Bengals and athree-timepro-bowler). He let Zack Baun walk into free agency after playing mostly special teams during the three years he washere. In Baun’sfirst year with the Eagles, he had 151 tackles and was up fordefensive player of the year Loomis hired Dennis Allen to replace Sean Payton, and then after afew losing seasons, he comically tried to justify it by comparing Allen to four of the alltimegreatest coaches ever: Bill Belichick, Bill Walsh, Chuck Noll and Tom Landry.Ishedelusional? That alone should be enough to consider replacing him We can’tattract top-namecoaches, nor can we sign top players in free agency, because of how he keeps kicking the can downthe road year in and year out. To Gayle Benson, how much longer will you waitbefore you face the reality that your GM is the common denominator forthe sorry state your football team is in?
ARTHUR LECOMPTE Destrehan
Louisiana has twomembers of the House of Representatives whoare Democrats. Cleo Fields, D-Baton Rouge, and Troy Carter,D-New Orleans. Fields did not vote on the Laken Riley Act for somereason. However,Troy Carter voted against this bill. The Laken Riley Act called forthe deportation of any illegal alien found guilty of asex crime. How could anyone vote against this bill? Iwould love the newspaper to ask Carter the reason for his vote.
LARRYLANGEVIN Kenner
History,dynasty andfuture
clashinJefferson councilrace
Special elections are usually sleepy little affairs, intense but tightly contained.
But aspring special election for Jefferson Parish Council is shaping up as afascinating political battle between the old, the new —and quite possibly the future On the parish’swest bank, three candidates have signed up to run in one ofthe five Parish Council districtsinthe March 29 election. The District 1seat,which representsmost of Gretna and Terrytown andall of Lafitte and Grand Isle cameopen when its previous occupant, Marion Edwards, retired lastyear
Unlike in many Louisiana parishes, council seats in Jefferson arepowerful positions. The council memberoften holds sway over who is awardedcontracts, and the district offices getdiscretionary funds to spend everyyear
When Edwards announcedhe would step down, Ricky Templet wasthe first tojump in.
Templet, who turns 62 this week, is afamiliar face, having represented District 1onthe council from2012 to2020. He also served as an at-large council member from 2020-2024. Templetisdeeply connected to Gretna’s entrenched power structure,which stretches back acentury or more.
Also runningisTim Kerner Jr., the 34-year-old mayor of the town ofJean Lafitte.Kerner has deep roots in local politics. His father and grandfather both served as mayors of the town. For awhile, it looked as if the two might square off in an old-fashioned Republican suburban showdown. Kerner has referred to Templet’sstyle as “disconnected and ineffective leadership,”and Templet has said Kerner is full of “empty rhetoric.”
And then came awild card.
OnThursday,the second day of qualifying, Andrea Manuel —aBlack Democrat who, by the way,also teaches Spanish —jumped in. The59-year-old life coach told reporter Lara Nicholson that she got into the race becauseher districtisa“melting pot.”
She’sright about that. The minority populations on the West Bankhave
been growing steadily for years. In 2021, when theParish Council approved the decennial redistricting plan, District 1was 39% White, 26% Black and 17% Hispanic.
In other words, Gretna and Terrytown couldbecomethe closest thing in our area toabattleground.
Manuel is not entirely new to politics. Sheserves on the Democratic State Central Committee and she ranfor state rep in 2023, finishing second to White Republican Vincent Cox for a west bank seat. Even with the demographic trends in her favor,she faces astifftest
Thedistrictisstill dominated by tradition-boundvoters.One hasonly to look at Gretna —the biggest chunk of the council district —where the regular city election is being held the same day as the specialcouncil election. Of seven offices up for grabs in the city, onlyone had more thanone candidate qualify.The mayor,police chief, and four of thefive council members were all elected unopposed.
In therace for police chief, Brett Lawson was the lone qualifier to take over thejob his father hasheldfor the past two decades. When the younger Lawson takes office, he will be the city’s fourthpolicechiefsince1925, all from just two families.Suffice it to say, tradition is strong there.
Also makingithard for Manuel is theold maxim that newcomers don’t fare wellagainst seasoned political machines, especially in local races where
namerecognition is key
Or do they? Manuel needs only to look up Interstate 10 to Baton Rouge for apotential blueprint
There, high school football coach Sid Edwards, aRepublican, jumped into the race for mayor-president almost on awhim. Edwards had no political experience, no fundraising apparatus and, at times, seemed at alossfor the fundamentals of campaigning. He was also at ademographic disadvantage. Even many conservatives believed aRepublican couldn’twin thatrace, especially since he faced two well-funded and well-known Democrats, one atwo-termincumbent.If one of the Democratsgot intoarunoff, the thinking went,that person would cruisetovictory over an overmatched Edwards. Twomonths later,Edwards is settling into the mayor’soffice. Can Manuel pull off the sametrick in Jefferson? It’s impossible to say. The dynamics of the district are different from those in BatonRouge. Still, even if she makes arunoff, it would be significant
Regardless of the outcome, however, the demographic trends are unlikelyto change. That means more candidacies like Manuel’sare likely on the horizon. That will makeWestBank politics veryinteresting to watch well beyond this spring’selection.
Faimon A. Roberts III can be reached at froberts@theadvocate.com.
Every president at some point during his administration chafes atthe independence of the Justice Department. None have moved as swiftly or definitively as President Donald Trump to put the department firmly underhis thumb. With brutal efficiency,Trump’s underlings moved to execute that plan during hisfirst week back in office. Now,with the firing of career lawyerswho workedon the legal cases against the president, the new administration has crossed a dangerous red line: retaliating against prosecutors for doing their job. Trump’saides didn’thidetheir punitive motive —they flaunted it. “You played asignificant role in prosecuting President Trump. The properfunctioning of governmentcritically depends on the trust superior officials placeintheir subordinates,” James McHenry,the previously obscure department official now serving as acting attorneygeneral, informed the prosecutors. “Givenyour significant role in prosecuting the President, Idonot believe that the leadership of the Department cantrust you to assist in implementingthe President’s agenda faithfully.”
protectmigrants. These actions have no precedent During the George W. Bush administration, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales ordered the firing of seven U.S. attorneys, seemingly for political reasons, with questions about whether they were “loyal Bushies.”An uproarunderstandably ensued, with congressional investigations and areportbythe department’sinternal watchdog.
The move was foreshadowed by Trumpand his allies both during the campaign and after hisreelection. Yet its execution is nonetheless shocking. Career lawyers enjoy civil service protections against being summarily fired, particularly on the basis oftheir political views, whether real or perceived. The top career experts in the department’sranks —lawyers with decades of experience in publiccorruption, civil rights, environmental enforcement were shunted to anewly formed workinggroup to go after citiesthatdareto
But it’simportant to remember: Thesewere political appointees of the president, serving at his pleasure. By contrast, theseactions wereanassault on career prosecutorswho serve from one administration to thenext.Theydo notpledge fealty to any president but rathertothe Constitution and thelaw Whereinall this is theattorney general-designate, Pam Bondi? These firingsconveniently occurred before her inevitable confirmation. Did Bondi, herself acareer prosecutor,agree with or authorize them? If so,this should disqualify her from serving as the nation’schief lawenforcement officer.If not, sheshould reverse theseactions forthwith.Unlikely,Iknow.Bondi is a Trump ally,his lawyer during thefirst impeachment Lastweekbrought therevelation thatthe interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, the office that brought the Jan. 6prosecutions,has launched an internal investigationinto theconductofthose probes.
Edward R. Martin Jr.isthe fox appointedtooversee thehenhouse. His résumé reveals no evident prosecutorialbackground normuch in the way of criminal law experience No matter:Martinhas the credentials that apparently count.Heisa former
chair of the Missouri Republican Party and aclose associate of conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly.Heisa fervent election-denier —inarally the day beforethe insurrection, he called on “die-hard true Americans” to workuntil their “last breath” to “stop the steal” —and astaunch defender of theJan.6 protesters, who likened the ensuing riot at the Capitol to “Mardi Gras in DC. Now,Martin has ordered up what he calls the “1512 project,” an emergency investigation into prosecutors’ use of an obstruction statute known as Section 1512 in their pursuit of anumber of the Jan. 6defendants.The Supreme Court ruledlastyear that the law was basically limited to document destruction and couldn’tbeusedagainst protesters who triedtoobstructcertification of the 2020 election results. “Obviously,the use was agreat failureofour office,” Martin said in an email to staff, adding that “we need to get to thebottom of it.”
Oh, please. This was not some secret plot by rogue prosecutorsbent on misusing thelaw.Beforethe Supreme Court decision, all but one of 15 trial judgesand twoofthree appellatejudges had upheld prosecutors’ ability to use the statute in this way
Maybe the 1512 project is all just for show, part of Martin’sbid to securethe D.C. attorney jobpermanently.But it’s all of apiece, thefirings of the prosecutors and the probe intothe supposed “great failure.” Prosecutorsmustfall in line,orelse —and thereisgrave reason to worry about what that “else”could entail. Punitive transfers, vindictive firings and criminal investigations areonthe horizon. Complacency in theface of a first week like this one would be foolish. Ruth Marcus is on X, @RuthMarcus.
On Feb. 1, the Democratic National Committee gathered in suburban Maryland to elect a new chair.Every indication suggests they still don’tfully appreciate what happened to them in the 2024 election. The twomain contenders were Ken Martin, head of the Minnesota state Democratic Party, which is actually knownasthe Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, and Ben Wikler,chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party.Martin ultimately got the nod, after acampaign in which alot of the discussion involved internal party matters, such as the distribution of resources, and not the details of Democratic positions on various hot political issues.
It’s on the big issues that the broader party is currently foundering, and there is no evidence they’ll find their way anytime soon.
The fundamental question they face is how to focus and moderate their instinct to fight every single thing President Donald Trumpdoes. The reason is obvious and simple. If some—perhaps many—ofthe things the president does are popular,then across-the-board Democratic resistance will serve to makeDemocrats unpopular.Some Democrats see the problem and wanttopick their spots to criticize, but others can’thelp themselves.
“There are going to be people that are going to respond to everything that Trumpsays and wanttoform somesort of narrative,” Democratic Rep. Marc Veasey of Texas told The Washington Post. “I do think that we have to be careful on which fights we pick with him and what we choose to respond to. Otherwise, he is going to wintoacertain degree if we’re not really carefulinthat area.”
On the other side, another House Democrat, Rep. Pat Ryan of New York, argued that in Trump’sfirst week in office, Democrats “set the termsofthe fight ahead,” by which he meant an ongoing billionaires vs. the people battle. He advocated constant political warfare. “Ifpost2016 was like asort of street fight —alittle bit sloppy,alot of wild swinging —then Ithink 2025 has to be morelike the close-quarters combat that Ilearned in the Army,”Ryan told Politico Playbook, “which is like amix of jiujitsu and judo and afew other things where you’re using your enemies’ mistakes against them.”
What about those times, like now,when many Americans support what Ryan’s“enemies” that would be President Trumpand his supporters —are doing? The answer is not clear.We’ll see. As this goes on, the Democratic Party’smedia/intellectual base is deeply worried. In an essay headlined, “The Right Is Winning the Battle forHearts and Minds,” The New York Times Thomas Edsall —employing classic Times language —noted that, “The full-scale assault by the conservative movement on liberal domination of the nation’sculture has begun to deliver key victories.”
The Right has moved beyond old strengths like talk radio to new strength in podcasts and social media, Edsall said, to challenge the Left’s domination of “academia, the literary world, the press, television, and streaming video.” That’snosmallset of strengths on the Left, and no one should ever suggest that the Right has anything to match it. Nevertheless, Edsall suggests that the Lefthas been misusing its strengths forthe wrong purposes, quoting a professor whosaid, “The big story from 2010 on is not Republicans growing moreeffective at messaging but Democrats growing increasingly out of step with the median voter as they catered ever morearound the preferences of knowledge economy professionals.”
As all this talk goes on, inside the Democratic Party and its supporting groups, there’sone morething to consider.Ashestarts just his second week in office, President Donald Trump is on aroll. On top of abarrage of executive actions, mostnotably on the border and immigration, Trumpscored avictory over the weekend when the socialist president of Colombia, GustavoPetro, unexpectedly refused to acceptplanesfrom the U.S. bringing deported illegal immigrants back to their homecountry Trumpimmediately responded with athreat of immediate retaliation —tariffs, visa holdups and more. Within an hour,Petro caved. Trump looked strong, and his adversaries looked weak. The episode appeared to vindicate everything Trumphas been saying —and Democrats have been denouncing —about his strategy to deport illegal border crossers, especially those whohave committed additional crimes. Will it profit Democrats to engage in political jiu-jitsu against that? Probably not. The party still has to figure out how to address the new president’s successes.
Email Byron York at byronyork@yorkcomm. com.
Faimon Roberts
Ruth Marcus
Former Jefferson Parish Council member Ricky Templet, Jean Lafitte MayorTimothy Kernerand Democratic State Central Committee member Andrea Manuel qualified for the Parish Council District 1election on March 29.
Byron York
LSUfires back in legalbattle
1st Circuit Court of Appeal to undo it.
The state appeals court hadnot acted on LSU’s request as of early evening Monday.Levy’snext scheduled class lecture is Tuesday afternoon.
made in your class during the first week of the Spring Semester2025.”
BY ALYSE PFEIL Staff writer
The legal battle has intensified over LSU’sdecision to suspend atenured law professor who used profanity while criticizing Gov.Jeff Landry,with the university urging ajudge to “diffuse the public fiasco.”
The professor,Ken Levy, sued to be put backinthe classroom, and state district court Judge Donald Johnson on Thursday ordered LSU to do so. The university’sattorneys in afiling Friday arguedthe orderwas legally unsound, and on Monday asked the
ETHICS
Continued from page1B
Throughits attorneys, LSUalsoargued thecase itself is “wildly premature and without merit.”
It said thedisagreement was “simply an employment dispute in the early stage of an administrative processwhere the employee’srights are fully protected.”
Free speechbattle?
After the first week of class this semester,the university suspended Levyfromteaching with full pay. In aletter addressed to Levy,itcited apending “investigation into student complaints of inappropriate statements
this yearopened up five appointeesfor Landry,one forthe House, andone for theSenate.
LSU, which is being representedbyFaircloth Melton Bash& Green, in courtdocuments said thecomplaints pertained to “inappropriate, vulgar,and harassingstatements.”
According to the petition filed on Levy’sbehalf Levy said “F*** the governor” in front of students “in ajoking manner.” He also told students he was aDemocrat and gave his “rather colorfulopinion” on the outcomeofthe November presidential election.
Jill Craft, whoisrepresenting Levy,has said the professor was removed from teaching in violation of hisacademic freedom, free speech and due process rights The fact that Levy was
suspended from teaching on account of whathesaid in the classroom is unconstitutional and “chills the rights of academic freedom,” she argued.
The university,however, said Levy’scharacterization of the questionable statements is “inaccurate” andthat“an audiorecordingofthe lecture reveals that his statements were farmore inappropriate than hissterilizedversion.”
“Tenureensures due process prior to termination,” the university said in court filings. “Itdoes notcreate arighttoseek judicial relief prior to a final administrativedecision nor createaright to perform certain job duties,such as lecturing students.”
Email AlysePfeilatalyse pfeil@theadvocate.com.
Funerals Today
Moss,Rose St.Patrick Catholic Church in Lafayetteatnoon
Obituaries
Longman, Beverly
Beverly MillerLongman passedaway on Thursday, January30, 2025, at the Calcutta Housein Lafayette, LA surrounded by her loving family.
The LouisianaSenate has yet to appoint amember to onevacantethics board seat.
Last year,the Legislature passed alaw expanding the state Board of Ethics from 11 to 15 members. The expansion, together with boardterm limits,
JUDGESHIP
Continued from page1B in December on his board appointment,Huvaldescribed himself as alawmaker who worked across party lines whenever possible.
The governor a nd theLegislature have broad latitudetoappoint whomever they would like.
Beforelast year,Board of Ethics appointees had to be made froma slate of nomineesvetted andselected andbypresidents of Louisiana’sprivatecolleges. That procedure, intended to lessenpolitical influence on the board, hadpreviouslybeen in place since the late 1990s.
Edwards was elected City Court judge in 2022, defeating Boustany andformer Lafayette Police Chief Toby Aguillard. Boustany is expectedto take office sometime in February,according to a news release from Kelly Mouisset,citycourtclerk and administrator Theearliest date on which Boustany can be sworn in is Feb. 10, Mouissetsaid, citing Louisiana Secretaryof StateNancy Landry Retired Judge Vanessa Harris will continue to fill thevacantpositionuntil Boustany takes the oath of office.
DEBT
Continued from page1B
revolving card balancesto total card balanceshas continued its rise since the end of the pandemic. In Acadiana, the rate of borrowers with severely delinquent credit card debt was behind the state rate of 16.8% and the lowest among the state’snine metro areas. Monroe (19%) and Shreveport (18.1%) had the highest rates. Louisiana’srate was higher than all southern states except Mississippi (17.9%), according to data.
The U.S. rate reached 12.4%,the first time to top 12% in nearly15years Among buyers in the La-
fayette area, those with subprime credit ratings or lower incomes are getting squeezed the most, accordingtodata.
Amongborrowerswith nonprime credit scores, 44.2% are severely delinquent, the highest share on record. Among non-White borrowers, that share was 24.1%,also the highest on record. Among low-to-moderate-income borrowers, the share was 20%.
The share of borrowers whoreached at least 75% of theircredit limit atthe endof2023reached 32.3% in theLafayette area, the highestonrecordand in line with the U.S. rate of 26.7%, which was thehighest since theRecession Amongborrowerswith
Leaders of two goodgovernment advocacy organizations, the Public Affairs Research Council andCouncil fora Better Louisiana, have raised concerns about removing these guardrails and increasing the politicization of thestate ethics board
Separately,the Legislature last year also passed alaw permitting the governor to appointthe chair of state boards and commissions when at least half of its membership comesfromgubernatorial appointees.
Manyofthe gover-
Boustany is agraduateof theUniversityofLouisiana at Lafayette and Southern University Law Center.She was alaw clerk for Judge Clayton Davis in Lake Charles anda public defenderinthe 16th Judicial District.
She returned to Lafayette in 2014 to serve as an assistant district attorneyin the 15th Judicial District
nonprime creditscores, 78.1%are at 75%oftheir credit limit or higher, also the highest on record, according to data. AmongnonWhite borrowers, 45.6% reachedthatrate, also the highest on record and 15% higher thanin2021 when federal stimulus payments were issued.
Email Adam Daigleat adaigle@theadvocate.com.
LOTTERY
SUNDAY,FEB.2,2025
PICK 3: 5-4-3
PICK 4: 3-5-4-7
PICK 5: 1-4-2-2-5 Unofficialnotification, keep your tickets.
nor’s board chairand board member appointments must be confirmed by the state Senatebefore the end of the 2025regular legislative session.
Landryfaces charges by theethics board from when he was attorney general. He allegedly failed to disclose free private flights provided by apolitical supporter in 2021.
That caseispending, and settlement talksare ongoing.
Email AlysePfeilatalyse pfeil@theadvocate.com.
Attorney’sOffice where shehandled cases rangingfromtheft to capital murder
Email Claire Taylor at ctaylor@theadvocate. com.
Sheissurvivedbyher children, Douglas C. Longman, Jr. and his wife Kitty, Stacey (Longman) and her husband Hon, Thomas Frederick, and Scott Longman andhis wife Melissa. Known as Memaw, she is survived by seven grandchildren, Conrad Longman III andhis wife Jessie, Merritt (Longman)and her husbandJoseph Hesterly, Thomas FrederickJr., and hiswife Caitlyn,Paige (Frederick) and her husbandSean Gossen, Alex Longman, Elizabeth (Longman)and her husbandJonathan Groff, and Rebecca (Longman)and her husbandZaron Garza; eight great grandchildren, Douglas Longman IV "Tripp" Frederick, Landon Frederick, Camille Frederick, SimonGroff, Lydia Groff, Mary Kathryn Hesterly and Haven Garza; her brother,Harris J. Miller, and her cherished schnauzer, Schnapps. She waspreceded in death by her belovedhusbandof68 years, Douglas C. Longman Sr.; her parents, A. Clifton "Beck" andOla Young Miller; her siblings Dr.A.C. Miller, R.H."Bobby" Miller, Theresa MillerSeale, JosephG.Miller; andher great granddaughter, Alexandra Marie Gossen. Shewas born in Eunice, LA andgraduatedSt. Edmund's HighSchool in 1948 whereshe was crowned thefirst Homecoming Queen. Following highschool, she attended SacredHeart College in GrandCoteau
asecretary at Ardoin's Funeral Home for 15 years. Blessed with good health, she wasable to lead an active life for all of her 93 years. Shewas a charter member andorganizerofthe Moosa Memorial Hospital Pink Lady Auxiliary, opened the first gift shop at thehospital and, alongwith herhusband, volunteered at the MilesPerretCenterand Games of Acadiana. Beverly was amember of theSt. Landry Cow Bells and amember of St. Alphonse Altar Society in Maurice,LA. Shewas a long-time parishionerat both St. Anthony's and St. Alphonse's. Herfamily wouldlike to thankChrissie Albert for her gracious friendship and kindness and for keepingher looking like abeauty queen,Priscilla Goudeau for her unwaveringcompanionship andfor serving as her faithfulshopping andcasinosidekick, and thestaff at TheVincent Senior Living andthe staff at EuniceManor for their care.Finally, thefamily wouldlike to thankthe staff of the Calcutta House for theirexceptional care and compassion. At therequest of the family, avisitationwill be heldatArdoin'sFuneral Home in Eunice on Saturday, February 8, 2025, from 10:00 am until time of services. Arosarywill be prayedat11:00 am. AMass of Christian Burial will be heldat1:00 pm on Saturday, February 8, 2025, at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Eunice. Burial will follow in theMt. Calvary Cemetery in Eunice, La. with Father HamptonDavis, Celebrant. In lieuofflowers, the family requests that donationsbemade to the Calcutta HouseatHospice of Acadiana. Ardoin's Funeral Home of Eunice, 1301 West Laurel Ave,(337)457-3371 is in charge of arrangements.
SPORTS
an autographfor ayoung fan during softball fan dayactivities
MENTAL APPROACH
NewULsoftballcoach moldingher team’s mindset
BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer
New UL softball coach Alyson Ha-
betz always has been fascinated with the mental side of sports.
But after sitting outa year and watching thegame from thestands or the broadcast booth, examining that side of softball became an evengreater priority.
ä Seton Hall at UL, 6P.M.THURSDAY,ESPN+
As Habetzbegins herfirstseason at UL at 6p.m. Thursdayagainst SetonHall at LamsonPark, it’s timetotransfersomeof her conclusions to the field
“Being away from the game and still having relationships with those Alabama players and thembeing able to call me, Ithink Ilearned alot aboutwhat’s important to them —the athletes on the field,”Habetz said.“It mademerealize how important the mental game is
“I gained and did alot of research in the offseason on it.I’m fascinated by it. It’sakey part to ourgame.” Especiallyfor thehitters,it’slargely centered around apositive attitude in tense moments.
“It’sa game of failure how much they beat themselves up and how much failure plays apart in them not being able to recover from that in their nextatbat because they’re perfectionists and they’re pleasers andthey playagame of failure,” she said. “That doesn’tgo
BENJAMINR.MASSEY/UL COMMUNICATIONS
UL softball coach Alyson Habetz and KaylaFaltermanwill both be leaders of the transition with anew head coach.
well together.”
Habetz has instilledinher players’ minds the attitude shewants them to have eachday “I tellthemevery day, ‘I want you to be able to play free,’ ”Habetz said. “I
don’teverwantyou to strut to thebatter’sbox saying, ‘I’ve got to get ahit’ or ‘I’vegot to do something here. Iget to Iget to showoff my talents, Iget
BY REED DARCEY Staff writer
Playing man defense against theLSU women’sbasketball team bucks conventional wisdom. Most opposing teams choose instead to spend most of their time in azone look, trading open shots on theperimeter for less space inside the 3-point arc. That calculus doesn’talways work.Just ask coach SamPurcell,whose Mississippi State squad visited the Pete MaravichAssembly Center on Sunday and lost 81-67. In certain stretchesofplay, the Bulldogstried azonedefense. But Mikaylah Williams, Flau’jae Johnson and the No.6 Tigerswereshootingtoo well from beyond the arc for it to succeed. “So,you gotta pick your poison,”Purcell said. LSU drainednine 3-pointers against Mississippi State two days after it buried 12 in awin over No. 15 Oklahoma. In each game, the Tigers took at least 20 shots from beyond the arc.
ä LSU at Missouri, 6:30 P.M.THURSDAY,SECN+
Across coach Kim Mulkey’s first three seasons at LSU, they hitthatthreshold of attempts in only fourregular-season games against Southeastern Conference teams. This year,LSU already has done it three times Three of its five best3-point shootinggames against regular-seasonSEC competition over thelast fourseasons are now contests played in 2025 —ayear in which the Tigers might justbemoredangerous from beyond the arc thanthey have been so far under Mulkey. “It makes us better,” the LSU coach said. “It opensup things alot for your post play If youcan hitperimeter shots, then it’s not so crowded in that paint.Wesee zone (defense) in just about every game, andI’m like, ‘OK, stay in it.We’re gonna hit those shots.’“ LSU still isn’tconsistently
BY RODWALKER Staff writer
ä Eagles vs. Chiefs, 5:30 P.M. SUNDAY,FOX
New Orleans may not like Roger Goodell, but Roger Goodell likes NewOrleans. The NFLcommissioner held his annual Super Bowlnews conference Monday at the Caesars Superdomeinthe locker room of the NewOrleans Saints. This week, that locker room will be occupied by the Philadelphia Eagles, whowill take on the Kansas City ChiefsonSunday in Super BowlLIX. It’s the 11th Super Bowlhosted by New Orleans, which was the first of manytopics Goodell addressed in his 45-minute question-and-answer session. Here are the top five things Goodell addressed:
WhyisNew Orleans agood SuperBowlhost?
Goodell: Lots of reasons. This community has such away of putting an event on. The people here wrap their arms around the event and makethe event better,because of their attitude, because of whothey are, because of their pride in this community.Their resilience. That starts with the people. The folks in this community are extraordinary.The workthat’sbeen done by this community on this stadium is amazing. To see what they have done with this facility is off the charts. We realize that this is aplace that is sorta perfect for theSuperBowl.
Thecountryhas been hit with severaltragediesto start2025, starting with the Bourbon Street attacks and continuing to the fires in Los Angeles to two plane crashes.What is the NFL’s role in helping citiesget through those tough times?
Goodell: Ithink it’sanunderstanding of our place in society,frankly.That’s evolved over aperiod of time where the people expect the NFLtorespond in a positive way.And to take the opportunity to observe the tragedy and mourn that and also be able to share amoment and be able to inspire people. Ithink in each tragedy, you see that in those communities, people come together and help one another.We are able to use our platform in away where we can show compassion, show the first responders, show how people help each other.I think it’sinspiring.
Diversity,equity and inclusionhas been ahot topic lately.What will your legacy be when it comes to DEI? Goodell: Ireally don’thave much of a chance to reflect. I’mnot at that stage. I’malways looking at what we have to do tomorrow.I am proud of it in this sense: Ibelieve our diversity efforts have led to making the NFLbetter.It’sattracted better talent. We think we are better when
FEB. 9•NEW ORLEANS
Counting down to the big game with alook backatSuper Bowl moments in NewOrleans: EAGLES’ FIRSTSUPER BOWL MARRED BY BEVYOFTURNOVERS
The Philadelphia Eagles had gone 11 years without awinning season prior to 1978, and theyreached
go so well for the Eagles, whohad troublecontaining the Raidersoffense and turned the ball over five timesina 27-10 defeat. Eagles quarterback Ron Jaworski was intercepted threetimes by Raiderslinebacker RodMartin. The Eagles wouldn’t returntothe Super Bowl until 2005, losing to the NewEngland Patriots. Fortunes finally turned in the Eagles’ favorafter theydefeated the Patriots 13 years later for their first SuperBowltitle. The Green BayPackers were leading the New England Patriots at the halfway mark after a 27-point first half and went on to win 35-21.
STAFF PHOTO BY BRAD KEMP
UL softball coach Alyson Habetz, left,signs
at Lamson Park.
STAFF PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON
LSU guard Flau’jae Johnson blows akiss to the fans afterhitting a3-pointer against Mississippi State in the first quarterSunday at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center
On TV BASEBALL (CARIBBEANSERIES)
4p.m. Puerto Rico vs. Domin. Rep. MLBN
9 p.m. Japan vs.Venezuela MLBN
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
5:30p.m. Marquette at St. John’sFS1
6 p.m. Notre Dame at Florida St. ACCN
MinnesotaatPennSt. BTN
La Salle at VCU CBSSN
7:30
8 p.m.Georgia
St.Bonaventure at Loyola CBSSN
BayloratTexasTech ESPN2
Indiana at Wisconsin PEACOCK
Oklahoma at AuburnSECN
9 p.m.Michigan St. at UCLA PEACOCK
10p.m. Boise St. at UNLVCBSSN
Arizona at BYU ESPN WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
9:30p.m. Colorado St. at NewMexico FS1
Iowa forwardHannah Stuelke, left,tries to stealthe ball fromSouthernCal center Clarice Akunwafo duringthe second halfSunday in Iowa City, Iowa. Iowa knocked off then-No. 4USC 76-69.
Southern Caltumbles to No.7
USCdropped after loss to Iowa;LSU movestoNo. 6
BY DOUG FEINBERG AP basketball writer
Southern Cal’ssecond lossof the season dropped the Trojansto seventh in The Associated Press Top25women’sbasketballpoll
Monday
The previously No. 4Trojans were shocked in Iowa when the Hawkeyes beat them 76-69Sunday on aday Caitlin Clark’s jersey was retired. USC’sonly other loss came at home to Notre Dame in November UCLA, South Carolina and Notre Dameremained the topthree teams in the rankings.The Bruins received all 32 first-place votes in the poll from anational media panel, picking up the one that the
Gamecocks garnered last week. The Bruins beat Minnesota 7953 in their lonegame lastweek to remainasthe onlyunbeaten team in thecountry.South Carolina knocked off then-No.18Tennessee and Auburn.The victory over the Tigers onSunday cameona day when the Gamecocksretired thejersey of A’ja Wilson. Texas, UConn and LSU moved up to Nos. 4-6, following the Fighting Irish. Ohio State, TCU and Dukeremained eight through 10.
Rising Wildcats
No. 11 Kentucky has its best ranking in four years behind firstyear coach Kenny Brooks. The Wildcats (19-2), who last were ranked this high in 2021, have their bye week before hitting a tough stretch of the Southeastern Conferenceschedule to close the regular season.Theystill have games leftagainst SouthCarolina, LSU, Texas andTennessee.
The only twolosses this season came against North Carolinaon
Dec. 5and Texas A&M on Jan. 23.
Conference breakdown
With no new teams in the poll this week, the SEC remained atop the standings with eight teams ranked. The ACC had seven. The Big Tenwas next with five. The Big 12 has four ranked teams and the Big East one.
Gamesofthe week
No. 9TCU at No. 12 Kansas State, Wednesday.First place in the Big 12 will be on the line when the Horned Frogs visitthe Wildcats. Both teams are 9-1 in conference play
No. 5UConn at No. 19 Tennessee,Thursday. These twowill renewtheir rivalrywiththe Huskies visiting the Lady Vols. It will be the first time that UConn sees Tennessee coach Kim Caldwell’s pressing style. No. 2South Carolina at No. 4 Texas, Sunday.The Longhorns will try and avenge a17-point loss in Columbia last month. South
Carolina has aone-game lead in thestandings on theLonghorns Kentucky and LSU.
LSU footballexpected to add Rattay to staff
LSU football is expected to hire former Oklahoma State quarterbacks coach TimRattay as an offensive analyst, multiple sources told The Advocate on Monday,as it fills spots on its staff.
Rattay,aformer Louisiana Tech quarterback, coached the position at Oklahoma State forthe past five seasons until he wasfired amid a complete overhaul under head coach Mike Gundy
Before he went to Oklahoma State, he was thequarterbacks coach for the Washington Commanders in 2019 and spent six seasons at Louisiana Tech. He overlapped there with LSU offensive coordinator Joe Sloan.
Rattay,anArizona native, set Louisiana Tech records for single-season and career touchdown passes.
Browns star defensive end
Garrett requests trade CLEVELAND— Star defensive end
Myles Garrett has requested a trade from the Cleveland Browns with the hope of better positioning himself to play in aSuper Bowl.
That’saccording to astatement he sent to media outlets.The Browns finished last in the AFC North with a3-14record and general manager Andrew Berry said last week that he would nottrade Garrett.
Garrett is under contract with theBrowns fortwo more seasons underafive-year,$125 millionextension he signed in 2020.
Garrett, The Associated Press NFL defensive player of theyear last season, is afinalist for the award again. His 14 sacks ranked second in the league.
Foxheaded to San Antonio as partof3-team trade
De’Aaron Fox is on his way out of Sacramento and headed to San Antonio.
Fox is one of the centerpieces of a trade that three teams —the Kings, Spurs and Chicago Bulls —agreed to on Sunday and finalized Monday Two-time All-Star Zach LaVine goes fromChicago to Sacramento, Kevin Huerter goes from the Kings to theBulls andZach Collinsleaves the Spurs for the Bulls.
Also involved in thetrade: Jordan McLaughlin goes from Sacramento to the Spurs, Sidy Cissoko goes from the Spurs to the Kings and TreJones leaves the Spurs for Chicago.
The Kings also get six future draft picks —three first-rounders, three second-rounders.
The NBA’s trade deadline is Thursday afternoon.
Florida State’sHamilton to step down after season
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. Longtime Florida State basketball coach Leonard Hamilton is stepping down at the end of the season.
Hamilton, who is being sued by several former players over allegations he failed to deliver on name, image and likeness promises, announced his decision Monday following ateam meeting. The 76-year-old hascoached the Seminoles for23seasons, winning an Atlantic Coast Conference tournament title in 2012.
BY AARON BEARD AP basketball writer
Auburn and Duke remain 1-2 atop TheAssociatedPress Top 25 men’scollege basketball poll for the third straightweek,while Maryland is back in the rankings for the first time in nearly two years. Bruce Pearl’sTigers (20-1) held the No. 1ranking for the fourth consecutive week in Monday’s poll and the third in arow as the unanimous choice. Auburn has claimed 246 of 248 first-place votes over the past month while remaining unbeaten in arugged Southeastern Conference with nine rankedteams.
Auburn’sonly loss came to Jon Scheyer’sBlue Devils(19-2) who enterthe week with the nation’s longest winning streak at 15 games afterrolling past rival North Carolina
The two teams offered theonly stability after 15 teams in last week’sAPTop 25 lost last week, with three of those losing twice.
Thetop tier
Alabama moved up aspottoNo. 3, followed by Tennesseejumping four spots to No. 4inanSEC-heavy top tier.Houston climbed one spot
to No. 5despite an overtime loss to now-No. 13 Texas Tech to end a33game homewinning streak. Florida was next at No. 6, followed by Purdue, Iowa State, Michigan State andTexas A&Mto round out the top 10
Rising
Texas Tech (17-4) had the biggest jump among last week’s ranked teams, risingnine spots to 13th after beating TCU at home and then beating the Cougars despite coach Grant McCasland and forwardJTToppin being ejected early
Two-timereigning national champion UConn climbed six spots to No. 19 after winning at Marquette, while Missouri jumped five spotstoNo. 15 after beating MississippiState. In all,10teams moved up from their positions last week. That included Rick Pitino’sSt. John’s team rising three spots to No. 12, the highest ranking for the program sincefinishing the 1999-2000 season at No. 9.
Sliding
Mississippi State had the week’s biggest tumble,falling eight spots to No. 22 after home losses to Alabama and Missouri.
Iowa State joined the Bulldogs in atwo-loss week, fallingfive spots afterlossestoArizonaand Kansas State. No.16Kansasand No. 23 Illinois also fell fivespots,pushingthe list of sliding teams to 10.
Welcome
No. 18 Maryland, No. 20 Arizona and No. 24 Michigan were the week’sthree new additions. Kevin Willard’sTerrapins (17-5) jumped into thepoll at No. 18 after pushing its winning streak to four games, astretch that includes winning at then-No. 17 Illinois and beating then-No. 17 Wisconsin at home last week. That gave Maryland its first poll ranking in nearly twoyears, the last coming with aweek at No. 21 in late February 2023. Arizona (15-6) returned to the poll for the first time since November The Wildcats opened the year at No. 10 and peaked at No. 9, but they’reback in afterwinning11of 12 —including against Iowa State after Caleb Love hit ahalf-court shot to force overtime. Michigan (16-5)has twoprevious stints in the pollthis season, peaking at No. 14 in early December
The Seminoles also won the 201920 regular-season conference title beforethe pandemichaltedpostseason play But the NIL lawsuit has taken center stage thepast two months. Hamilton says he is leaving with “no regrets.”
Ump Hoberg fired by MLB for sharing gambling info
NEW YORK Umpire Pat Hoberg was fired by MajorLeague Baseball for sharing his legal sports gambling accounts with afriend who bet on baseball games and for intentionally deleting electronic messages pertinent to the league’s investigation.
MLB opened the investigation last February when it was brought to its attention by the sportsbook, and Hoberg did not umpire last season.
While MLB said the investigation did not uncover evidence Hoberg personally bet on baseball or manipulatedgames,MLB senior vice president of on-field operations Michael Hill recommended on May 24 that Hoberg be fired. Commissioner RobManfred said Monday he upheld Hill’s decision.
ASSOCIATEDPRESS PHOTO BY CHARLIE NEIBERGALL
Ex-ULgradassistant invigoratesChurchPoint hoops
BY MIKE COPPAGE
Contributing writer
Joshua Moreau never intended to coachhigh school basketball.
A year ago, that was the last thing on Moreau’smind as he attended the NCAA basktball Final Four.He had spent the past five years as a team manager and graduate assistant at UL and was looking to land ajob as acollege assistant.
Church Point High School football coach and athletic director Rob Pool contacted Moreau around thattime and offered him the head coaching job with the Bears. Then-UL coach Bob Marlin encouraged Moreau to accept the position at what’sknown as “a football school,” and he did.
“When Ifirst took the job, people were saying that the school doesn’treally back basketball,” said Moreau, who has guided the Bears to a16-8 record andthe No 13 power rating in Division III nonselect this season. “Church Point has awinning mindset, so whynot make it abasketball school, too?”
The Class 3A Bears opened eyes with their performance at the St. Thomas More Sunkist Shootout, taking down Class 5A Brother Martin and Barbe. Afew days earlier,there was awin over 5A Acadiana.
Church Point played powerhouse Newman closely,losing by eight points.
“It’sbeen good,” Moreausaid “The community has shown alot of love. So far,welost acouple of games we should’ve won.Weupset some big teams people didn’tthink we’d compete against.
“There is alot of roomfor improvement. We were tied withtwo minutes left against Teurlings and Newman, and it slipped away.”
The Bears recently began District 4-3A play with a65-54 win at 17-6 Mamou, reportedly the first time Church Point won in the Green Devils’ gym since the 1980s.
“Italwaysfeels good to walk into somebody’shome court and
win,” Moreau said.“The gym was packed,and it was really loud. It felt great to shutthem up.”
Moreau set three team goals when he was hired at Church Point —goundefeated at home, win the district andwin astate title. The lattertwo goals arestill attainable for theBears andtheir young coach.
“We’re agritty,defensive team,” he said.“Making tough plays, diving onthe floor, getting alot of points off the press in transition. Wehave acouple of shooters who will fall into the corner and get a 3-pointer that kills theopponent’s momentum.”
Junior Jarrison Reese is 110 points away from reaching the 1,000-point threshold in aspan of 12 months. He is averaging 23.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, 5.8 assists
and 4.2 steals. “He is theleader,” Moreausaid of Reese. “He’sreally fast and really skilled with theball. He gets past the double team with good passing.”
AJ Chachere (11.9 pts, 3.0rebs), Ty’riek Henry (11.4 pts, 9.3 rebs, 3.2 steals, 2.1 assists) and LaBryan Jason (6.1 pts,8rebs, 1.5 steals) are standout players. Football stars Jaheim Moore and Tyrese Boast bring physicality and athleticism. Chachere hiteight 3-pointers in a winoverLaGrangeand hashad a few 30-point games, said Moreau, whoaddedthatthe 6footjunior “can heat up at any moment.”
Henry (6-2, Sr.) hadone outing where he scored 18 points and grabbed18rebounds. Jason (6-1, Sr.) is an undersized center who constantly sacrifices his body
LSU
Continued from page1C
shooting ahigh volume of 3s. In SEC play,it’sboth taking andmaking the 12th-most 3-pointersinthe league per game and converting them at arate of 31% —better than only four conferencerivals. The differencethis season is the efficient shooting the Tigers have received from their two star guards.
Williams has hit 19 3-pointers through nine gamesagainst SEC opponents, matching thenumber of long-rangeshots shehit in 16 contestslast year.She’s also now converting 41% of the 5.1 3-pointers she’stakingper game in 2025
—upfrom29% on 4.1shots in 2024
Johnson is also starting to finda groove from beyond the arc. She’s now hit six long-range shots over her last two games after she hit
Continued from page1C
onlyfour across her first seven in SEC play
On Thursday, 3-pointershelped LSUgainanedgeoveranOklahoma team that scored 100 points.
On Sunday,those shots were the Tigers’ most efficient source of offense. They hit 39% of their twopointfield-goal tries, yet45% of their 3s. Mississippi State couldn’t keep up.
“(Williams) is asmooth operator,” Purcellsaid,“because her ability to go in transition with a left to right push cross. If you backpedal, she can pull up on you on adime,and then her strength and her shoulders whereshe could post you up —itjust separates her “She was just able to find her pocket, and right when we were about to make it (close), she made abig shot. She’saheck of aplayer.”
All of Williams’scoring numbers arebetter now thanthey were aseason ago. In league
play last year,she scored 12.1 points per gamewhile shooting 43% from the field and 29% from 3-point range. This season, the sophomore from BossierCityis scoring18ppg whileshooting 50% from the field and 41% from beyond the arc.
On Sunday,Williams and Johnson combined to score 42 points on 14-of-28 shooting. They each hit four 3-pointers on acombined 14 attempts. Williams also assisted four shots. She setupone of them with a cross-court feed to Johnson, who was standing open in the right cornerafter herdefender got lost in the paint. Williams crossed over,planted her feet, madesure to keep her eyes up and lofted a pass over the defense to Johnson, who buried the corner 3.
“I think she just found her consistency,” Johnson said.“It’s beautiful to watch.”
BOYS BASKETBALL
Tuesday’sgames
3-5A —Sulphur at Acadiana, Carencro at New Iberia, Sam Houston at Lafayette, Barbe at Southside
3-4A –LaGrange at Eunice.
4-4A —Northside at Comeaux, David Thibodaux at North Vermilion, Teurlings at Rayne.
5-4A —Beau Chene at Opelousas, Breaux Bridge at Livonia.
4-3A —Iota at Church Point, Crowleyat Mamou, Northwest at Pine Prairie.
5-3A —Abbeville at Erath, Kaplan at Acadiana Renaissance,Central-BR at St Martinville.
6-2A —Lafayette Christian at NotreDame Welsh at Lafayette Renaissance,Lake Arthur at Midland.
7-2A —Houma Christian at Catholic-NI, DelcambreatFranklin, West St. Mary at Loreauville.
5-1A —JSClark at OpelousasCatholic, North Central at Sacred Heart, St. Edmund at Catholic-PC, Westminster-LAF at Vermilion Catholic, Westminster at Berchmans.
6-1A —Highland Baptist at Gueydan.
6-C –Reeves at Northside Christian.
6-B –Lacassine at Episcopal of Acadiana. Wednesday’sgames Church Point at Port Barre, St, Edmund at North Central, False River at WestminsterLAF Friday’sgames
3-5A —Acadiana at Barbe, Lafayette at Carencro, New Iberia at Sulphur, Southside at Sam Houston.
3-4A –Leeville at Eunice.
4-4A —Comeaux at St. Thomas More, Westgate at David Thibodaux, North Vermilion at Teurlings, RayneatNorthside
5-4A —Beau Chene at Livonia, Breaux Bridge at Cecilia, OpelousasatCrescent City
4-3A —Church Point at Pine Prairie,Crowley at Iota.
5-3A —Acadiana Renaissance at Abbeville, Erath at St. Martinville, VB Glencoe at Kaplan, Ville Platte at Northwest.
6-2A —Lafayette Christian at Welsh,Lake Arthur at Lafayette Renaissance,Midland at NotreDame. 7-2A —Franklin at Catholic-NI, Delcambreat Loreauville.
5-1A —JSClark at St. Edmund, North Central at Westminster, Berchmans at Opelousas Catholic.
6-1A —Ascension Episcopal at Gueydan, Highland Baptist at Vermilion Catholic, Westminster-LAF at First Baptist Christian.
whether it’slayingout foraloose ball or drawing an offensivefoul. He leads the team in charges taken.
“I’ve been telling theguys that the goal is to be playing our best basketball at the end of the year,” Moreau said. “We’ve been improvingeveryday.I’d just liketoget up alittle higher in the power ratings into the top 10.
GOODELL
Continued from page1C
get different perspectives, people of different backgrounds Whether it’swomen or men or people of color.Wemake ourselves stronger and we make ourselves better when we have that. Ithink it’ssomething that will have atremendous impact on this league for many years. We winonthe field with the best talent and the best coaches, and Ithink the same is true off the field.
The NFL expanded its season from 16 to 17 games in 2020.Therehas been speculation about going to 18 games.Where does that stand right now?
Goodell: We haven’thad any formal negotiation sessions about an extension. There is alot of work to be done. We committed in 2011 when we signed the collective bargaining agreement that players would not only have asay in that, but they would actually be able to prevent it from happening or support it happening. We were able to do that when we moved to 17 games back in 2020. Ithink it’salarge part in the safety of our game. The data around safety has been extraordinary.Concussions are at ahistorically low level this year.The way we train. All of those are factors. We know that fans love
6-B –Bell City at Episcopal of Acadiana. Saturday’sgames Woodlawn-BR at Southside,Marksville at St Thomas More, Berchmans at JS Clark. GIRLS BASKETBALL
Tuesday’sgames 3-5A —Sulphur at Acadiana, Carencro at New Iberia, SamHouston at Lafayette, Barbe at Southside 3-4A –LaGrange at Eunice. 4-4A —Northside at Comeaux, David Thibodaux at North Vermilion, Teurlings at Rayne, St.
“You want to avoid (seeds) one through four and hopefully get ahome game. Being able to win tough road games and neutral site games is important. We’vebeen stacking wins and getting better.” Church Point was thelowest seed (No. 28)inlastyear’sDivision II nonselect playoff bracket and lost at No. 5Northwest in the opening round, 65-57.
ON THE WEB
Join the Saints Insider podcast livefrom Radio RowatSuper Bowl LIXfrom 10 a.m.-noon Tuesday. Host Zach Ewing will be joined by special guests to talk about the NFL, the Saints and much more all week.Watch liveonthe NOLA. com home pageoronthe Saints on NOLA.com YouTube channel.
football and want more football, but we have to be sensible and smart.
This is New Orleans’ 11th Super Bowl. It has been mentioned in the past that a Super Bowl could be played outside the country. Is that something that could still happen?
Goodell: Idothink there is potential someday we are going to have an international franchise. If we do, it would not surprise me at all if the Super Bowl was played there. This is agreat example of it being here in New Orleans. It’s great for the New Orleans Saints to be the host of the Super Bowl and have the world’sattention. And Ithink the same would be true if we had an international franchise and to play aSuper Bowl there to support that franchise.
Email Rod Walker at rwalker@ theadvocate.com.
hearing the input of those who would call, it was so mental.” Senior outfielder Maddie Hayden already has felt the benefits of Habetz’sapproach during January scrimmages.
matter if you strike out or hit a home run,you’realways goingto be loved, valued and appreciated as aperson first, andI think that’s really important,” Falterman said. “Ithas really allowedour team to really think, ‘Yeah, we’ve got it. We’re fine. We’re good.’ ” Email Kevin Foote at kfoote@ theadvocate.com. UL
“I see that across the board, in coaching as well,” she said, “but when Itook astep back and watched it on TV and watching theway they do things andthen
to get the game-winning hit right here.’ “‘Get to’ means I’m free to do that and I’m excited aboutit. And I’m confident. ‘Got to’means‘Ihave to’,which is anxiety —high anxiety, lowperformance.” That undesirable result is what she witnessed so often during her first year out of the game after joining coachPatrickMurphy’sstaff at Alabama in 1998
“I catch myself sometimes when we’re scrimmagingordoing live at-bats in ahigh pressure moment for even asecond, if Istart feeling pressure, Ijust hear coach Alyson’s voice ‘You got it’ and instantly Ijust feel that peace inside,” Hayden said. “You know what, Idohave this. That’sthe biggest thing for me. Thefreeness that coach Alyson brings to us every day.” Senior outfielder Kayla Falterman, who is known for her upbeat approach, also has felt Habetz’s message in preseason practices.
“She tells us all the time that no
STAFF PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON
LSU guard Mikaylah Williamspulls up to finish ashot as Mississippi State guard Denim DeShields speeds by in the fourth quarter on Sundayatthe PMAC.
PROVIDEDPHOTO
BY ERIC NARCISSE Staff writer
When St.ThomasMore’sKatie Breaux was promoted from assistant to head coach of the girls soccer program, she admitted there would be “some slight changes” made.
However,Breaux was adamant that the “overall philosophywould be similar” because “we’re awinning program becauseofthatphilosophy.”
One would be hard-pressed to finda soccer program that hasenjoyed more success than the Cougars, who have won the Division II state championship the past seven seasons.
And Breaux, who was assistant on all those state titles, has had a front row seat to this year’s dominatingrun, whichincludes a16-2-5 record.
Breaux said the Cougars, who willhost South Terrebonne at 6p.m. Tuesday in aDivisionIIregional-round playoff game, have everything needed to extend that streaktoeight.
“Wehave alot of depth,” Breaux said.“We are relying on more than just two or threeplayers. We are very much aunit. We play as a team.”
Considering their dominance over the years, Breaux and the Cougarsare trying not to put anyadditionalpressureon themselves by focusing on the streak.
“Weknow that we are goingfor eight in arow,” Breauxsaid. “But we are trying not to think about that. We don’twant to make it about that (the streak). We know the expectations, but we want it to be about thejourney.Our goal is at the end, when we look back, Iwant us to have had funalong the way.”
And for Breaux, having more fun starts with the Cougars “celebrating smaller things.”
“Our motto is chasing greatness,” Breauxsaid. “Greatness is often association with winning, but it isn’tonlydefinedbyresults. Winning is partofthe goal,but so is having fun, enjoying the moments and treating each other with kindness.”
The Cougars still have star power with prolific goal scorers Aubrey Cassidy and Kate Guillory,but players such as Ella Crochet,SydneyBabineaux,Katherine Bell and Madeline DeCuir
SCOREBOARD
Wednesday No. 14 Vermilion Catholic at No. 3Northlake Christian, 5p.m. Wednesday Area girls pairings Division I No. 17 Southside at No. 16 Barbe, 2p.m. Saturday No. 6Lafayette High 8, No. 27 LiveOak
No. 28 Beau Chene 0 No. 3Teurlings 8, No. 30 New Orleans Military &Maritime 0 No. 11 New Iberia 7, No. 22 Parkway 1 No. 18 West Ouachita 4, No. 15 North Vermilion 2 Regional matchups No. 16 South TerrebonneatNo. 1St. Thomas More, 6p.m.Tuesday No. 11 New Iberia at No. 6Ben Franklin, 5p.m. Wednesday No. 19 Sam Houston at No. 3Teurlings 7p.m Thursday Division III No. 16 PatrickTaylor 1, No. 17 Kaplan 0 No. 8Acadiana Renaissance 8, No. 25 Grant 0 No. 5St. Louis 8, No. 28 Opelousas 0 No. 12 Sterlington7,No. 21 St. Martinville 1 No. 13 David Thibodaux 2, No. 20 Minden 0 No. 10 St. Michael 8, No. 23 Erath 0 No. 15 Cecilia 2, No. 18 Leesville 0 Regional matchups No. 9South BeauregardatNo. 8Acadiana Renaissance, 6:30 p.m.
Pro football
Clippers,9 p.m
Super Bowl LIX
Sunday’s game At New Orleans Kansas City vs.Philadelphia, 5:30 p.m. (FOX) College basketball
Men’s stateschedule
Sunday’s games Tulane 59, Tulsa 56 Monday’s games Lamar at Southeastern, n Texas-Rio Grande Valley at Northwestern State, n Jackson State at Southern, n Stephen F. AustinatUNO,n Houston Christian at NIcholls, n Alcorn State at Grambling, n Men’s national scores
EAST Lehigh 94, Colgate 68
Women’s state schedule
Sunday’s games LSU 81, Mississippi State 67
Monday’s games No games scheduled. Tuesday’s games No games scheduled. Women’s national scores
EAST CoppinSt. 66,Md.-Eastern Shore61 Morgan St. 64, DelawareSt. 49 SOUTH Howard 68, SC State 41 NorfolkSt. 88,NCCentral 52
Golf
PGA Tour Statistics
Through Feb. 2 FedExCup Season Points 1, Hideki Matsuyama, 770. 2, Sepp Straka, 586. 3, Nick Taylor, 570. 4, HarrisEnglish,510 5,Sungjae Im, 473. 6, Collin Morikawa, 400. 7, JustinThomas, 338. 8, JhonattanVegas 337. 9, Nicolas Echavarria, 327. 10, Thomas Detry,319. Scoring Average 1, Rory McIlroy, 68.503. 2, Webb Simpson, 68.573. 3, C.T. Pan, 68.823. 4, Bud Cauley, 69.073. 5, James Hahn, 69.323. 6, SeppStraka, 69.691. 7, Matt Kuchar, 69.844. 8(tie), Alex Smalley and Hayden Springer, 69.897. 10, Gary Woodland, 69.913. Driving Distance 1, Rory McIlroy, 336.6. 2, Aldrich Potgieter, 328.7. 3, Gary Woodland, 324. 4, Tim Widing, 321.7. 5, AlejandroTosti, 320.9. 6, Jeremy Paul, 320. 7, Rico Hoey,319.2. 8, Ricky Castillo, 317.2. 9, TomKim, 317.1. 10, Norman Xiong, 316.8. Driving Accuracy Percentage 1, Takumi Kanaya,80.61%. 2, Collin Morikawa,77.59%. 3, Ben Kohles, 76.79%. 4, Brice Garnett, 76.16%. 5, Sepp Straka,75.88%. 6, Aaron Rai, 75.00%. 7, Russell Henley, 72.67%. 8, Lucas Glover, 72.08%. 9, 2tied with 71.43%. Greens in Regulation Percentage 1, 10 tied with .00%. Total Driving 1, Rory McIlroy, 20. 2, Kensei Hirata,34. 3, Kevin Roy, 40. 4, DanielBerger, 48. 5, Gary Woodland, 50. 6(tie), Rico Hoeyand Taylor Pendrith, 72. 8, AlejandroTosti, 74. 9, Henrik Norlander, 81. 10, K.H. Lee, 88. SG-Putting 1, Francesco Molinari, 1.841. 2, Kevin Tway 1.763. 3, BrendonTodd, 1.455. 4, JamesHahn, 1.441. 5, Brandt Snedeker, 1.433. 6, Jesper Svensson, 1.334. 7, Trey Mullinax, 1.267. 8, Adam Schenk, 1.231. 9, Sami Valimaki, 1.188. 10, LeeHodges, 1.161. Birdie Average 1, Collin Morikawa, 6.5. 2, Adam Scott, 6.25. 3, Sepp Straka, 6. 4, Russell Henley, 5.92. 5, Patrick Cantlay, 5.83. 6, Cam Davis, 5.79. 7, Matt Fitzpatrick, 5.63. 8, Sam Burns, 5.58. 9, 3 tied with 5.5. Eagles (Holes per) 1, Rory McIlroy, 24. 2, David Skinns, 42. 3, Justin Thomas, 43.2. 4, Corey Conners, 45. 5, AlejandroTosti, 48. 6, Jackson Suber, 49.5. 7, Cam Davis, 50.4. 8, 6tiedwith 54. Sand Save Percentage 1, 10 tied with .00%. All-Around Ranking 1, Rory McIlroy, 226. 2, Collin Morikawa, 294. 3, Sepp Straka, 313. 4, Patrick Cantlay, 371. 5, Cam Davis, 379. 6, KeithMitchell, 404. 7, Alex Smalley,416. 8(tie), LeeHodgesand Shane Lowry,428. 10, Austin Eckroat, 432. LPGA Tour Statistics Through Feb. 2 Scoring 1, ALim Kim, 67. 2, Nelly Korda, 67.5. 3, Linn Grant, 68.25. 4(tie), Jin Young Ko and Minjee Lee, 68.5. 6, LydiaKo, 68.75. 7, Lauren Coughlin, 69. 8, Rio Takeda, 69.25. 9, Leona Maguire, 69.5. 10, 4tiedwith 70. Driving Distance 1, Bailey Tardy, 278.88. 2, ALim Kim, 275.38. 3, Nelly Korda, 270.75. 4(tie), Linn Grant and Elizabeth Szokol, 268.63. 6, HaeranRyu, 267.38. 7, Angel Yin, 266.63. 8, Rio Takeda, 263.38. 9, Patty Tavatanakit, 261.13. 10, Alexa Pano, 260.88. Greens in Regulation 1, Megan Khang, .86%. 2, Pajaree Anannarukarn, .85%. 3(tie), Lauren Coughlin, Linn Grant and Rio Takeda, .83%. 6(tie), ALim Kim and HaeranRyu, .81%. 8(tie), Jin Young Ko and Rose Zhang, .79%. 10, Nelly Korda, .78%. Putts per GIR 1, Leona Maguire, 1.65. 2, MinjeeLee, 1.67. 3, Jin Young Ko,1.68. 4, Yuka Saso, 1.7. 5, ALim Kim, 1.71. 6, Nelly Korda, 1.73. 7(tie), Pajaree Anannarukarn and Rose Zhang, 1.74. 9, Bailey Tardy, 1.75. 10, Cheyenne Knight, 1.76. Birdies 1(tie), ALim Kim and Nelly Korda, 24. 3(tie), Linn Grant and Leona Maguire, 20. 5(tie), Jin Young Ko and LydiaKo, 19. 7(tie), Bailey Tardyand Rose Zhang, 18. 9, 2tiedwith 17. Eagles 1, Minjee Lee, 2. 2, 8tiedwith 1. Sand Save Percentage 1(tie), ALim Kim, HyoJoo Kim, Cheyenne Knight, Lydia Ko and Nelly Korda, 1.00%. 6 (tie), Celine Boutier, AyakaFurue, Jin Young Ko and Patty Tavatanakit, .67%. 10, Hannah Green, .60%. Rounds UnderPar 1(tie), Pajaree Anannarukarn, Linn Grant, ALim Kim, Jin Young Ko,Nelly Korda, Rio Takeda and Rose Zhang, 1.00%. 8, 10 tied with .75%. Champions Tour Statistics Through Feb. 2
have been equally vital to their success.
“Weknow what Aubrey and Kate can do withthe ball, but there are afew other playersthatI feel get lost and don’tget the recognition they deserve,” Breaux said. “Their physical presence makes adifference.”
One pleasant surprise for the Cougars hasbeensophomore goalkeeper Rowan Dehart.
“Unexpectedly,Rowan had to come up and play varsity,” Breaux said. “She has been our goalkeeper sincethe first week of December, andshe’s done a good job. She went from hoping to get into agame to having to be the goalkeeper fora seven-time state champion. Her confidence is building.”
And Dehart will continue to be an integral part of the Cougars moving forward as theylookto remain the top team in Division II.
“I definitely think we’re theteam to beat in the state,” Breaux said. “I feel like that is the attitude of people. Iknow if Iwas on the other side, I’d be looking to knock us off.”
Charles SchwabCup Money List 1, Ernie Els, $340,000. 2(tie), Alex Cejka, Miguel Angel Jimenezand Bernhard Langer, $150,000. 5(tie), Steven Alker and Jerry Kelly $93,000. 7, KenTanigawa,$77,000. 8(tie), Stephen Ames, Doug Barron, Stewart Cink and Justin Leonard, $58,000. 12 (tie), Thongchai Jaidee, Tim O’Neal and VijaySingh, $42,333. 15 (tie), Darren Clarke, Fred Couples, Steve Flesch and RodPampling, $35,000. 19 (tie), KenDuke, David Duval, Ricardo Gonzalez, Mark Hensbyand SteveStricker, $27,200. 24, 2tied with $23,500. Scoring 1, 11 tied with Driving Distance 1, Padraig Harrington, 308.2. 2, David Bransdon, 301.3. 3, Cameron Percy, 300.8. 4, Ricardo Gonzalez, 298.6. 5, Tim O’Neal, 297.4. 6, Scott McCarron, 296.2. 7, Greg Chalmer, 295.5. 8, Retief Goosen, 293.9. 9, Robert Karlsson, 293.5. 10, SteveAllan, 293.3. Driving Accuracy Percentage 1, SteveFlesch, 95.24%. 2(tie), Scott Dunlap, Jerry Kelly and Justin Leonard, 92.86%. 5 (tie), Darren Clarkeand JayHaas, 90.48%. 7, 4tied with 88.10%. Greens in Regulation Pct. 1, Jerry Kelly,88.89%. 2(tie), Steven Alker, Alex Cejkaand SteveFlesch, 87.04%. 5(tie), Ernie Els, Mark Hensby, Thongchai Jaidee and BernhardLanger, 85.19%. 9, KenTanigawa,83.33%. 10, Brett Quigley,81.48%. Total Driving 1, Darren Clarke, 44. 2(tie), Richard Green and Boo Weekley,46. 4, Stephen Ames, 48. 5, Alex Cejka, 49. 6(tie), StephenAmesand BernhardLanger, 52. 8, Heath Slocum, 54. 9, Scott Parel, 56. 10, 2tied with 62. Putting Average 1, Olin Browne, 1.606. 2, Y.E. Yang, 1.632. 3, Ernie Els, 1.652. 4(tie), Doug Barron and Stewart Cink, 1.675. 6, SteveStricker, 1.69. 7, BernhardLanger, 1.696. 8, Fred Couples, 1.7. 9, David Duval, 1.707. 10, MiguelAngel Jimenez, 1.718. Birdie Average 1(tie), Ernie Els and KenTanigawa,6.67. 3, Doug Barron, 6. 4(tie), Alex Cejka, Stewart Cink and David Duval, 5.67. 7, 10 tied with 5.33. Eagles (Holes per) 1, 26 tied with Sand Save Percentage 1(tie), KenDuke, JayHaas, ThongchaiJaidee and BernhardLanger, 100.00%. 5, Darren Clarke, 85.71%. 6(tie), David Duval, Retief Goosen, MiguelAngel Jimenezand Justin Leonard, 83.33%. 10, 3tied with 80.00%. All-Around Ranking 1, Steven Alker, 91. 2, Padraig Harrington, 94. 3, Ernie Els, 106. 4, BernhardLanger, 128. 5 (tie), Alex Cejkaand RichardGreen, 151. 7, Stephen Ames, 157. 8, MikeWeir,171. 9, Matt Gogel, 173. 10, Miguel AngelJimenez, 176. Transactions
STAFF PHOTO BY BRAD KEMP
St.Thomas More’sAubreyCassidy,right, keeps the ball away from St. Joseph Academydefender Liv Lawrence during amatch earlier this season.
Pass down these family ‘heirlooms’ with easy propagationprocess
GARDEN NEWS
Figs are one of the most common fruit trees you’ll find growing in Louisiana backyards. And for many of these fig trees, there’saname and face and a personal back story behind them. That’sbecause figsare apopular passalong plant. That means they weregrown using cuttings taken from older trees or those belonging to family and friends
Whether you want to start anew fig tree to continuethe lineageofa beloved heirloom specimen or share cuttings with fellow gardeners—orif you are simply interested in trying your hand at plant propagation— the process is easy And winteristhe perfect time to do it, according to Michael Polozola, LSU AgCenter fruit and nut specialist.
“Figs are forgiving,” he said. “You can do it most of theyear, but you’re going to have the best results during their dormancy in December,January and February.”
The first step is to locatea healthy mother plant.
“You want one that you’ve been fertilizing regularly, that you’ve been pruning so it’s growing vigorously,” Polozola said. “Ensure that it’sgetting water, especiallyduring dry periods so that you have consistent,good, vigorous growth.”
Next, you’ll need to cutoff a piece of atree branch. Look at the newer growthatthe ends of the branches and try tofind asection that is the diameter of apencil to slightly thicker somewhere around the size of apermanent marker
“A little bit bigger is goingto have more carbohydrates. It’s going to be stronger and root better for you,” Polozola said Just don’tgotoo big. Thicker cuttings can struggle to root,as can older parts of the branch farther down that have agray or tan coloring.
Now,get your pruners ready. Count at leastfourtofive buds down from thetip of the branch you’ve selected. These buds are where the roots for your new tree will eventually form. Make acut just below a bud at an angle. And voilà: You should have acutting that is a few inches long. Youmay want to repeat this process afew times to give yourself more than one cutting toworkwith.
Some people like to remove theterminal budatthe very tip of the cutting, Polozola said,as it is believed to slow rooting. But it’snot necessary
‘RED VELVET’
ASwine Palace production l Feb.7-9 and 12-16 in the ShaverTheatre in LSU’sMusic and Dramatic Arts Building Sundaymatinees begin at 2p.m.All other performances begin at 7:30 p.m. l Tickets are $9-$32. l There’salso a pre-opening,pay-what-you-can performance on Feb.6 l Visit lsu.edu/cmda/theatre/index.php for more information.
SwinePalacetells thestory of aBlack actorwho changedtheatricalhistory in ‘Red Velvet’
BY ROBIN MILLER Staff writer
The year is 1833, and Edmund
Keane tops the theatrical A-list.
Critics have even labeled him the “greatest actor of his generation,” but labels have no meaninginmoments of life and death. This is one of those moments.
Astarisborn
Keanehas collapsedonthe Theatre Royal Covent Garden stage while performing thelead in “Othello,” so the theater has asked young American actor Ira Aldridge to step in and finish the show Aldridge was brimming with talent and charisma. The moment he substituted for Keane as Othello marked thefirst time in history a Blackactor played Shakespeare’s Moorishmilitarycommander. This happened as the British were rioting in the streets over the abolition of slavery
Swine Palace will tell Aldridge’s story when it opens LolitaChakrabarti’sdrama, “Red Velvet,” Friday, Feb. 7, in LSU’sShaver Theatre.
Acontroversial idea
“He became this cultural phenomenoninEurope,” director G.D. Kimble said. “It was this revolutionaryidea that aBlack actor could play Black parts like Othello. It was an oddly controversial idea, but Aldridge was this amazing pioneer in the historyofthe theater business, and his story isn’ttold enough.”
Aldridge, played by Craig Ester, isn’tahousehold name in theatrical history,but maybe he should be. The actor pursued acareer on stage at atime when slavery was raging in the American South.
He was born in New York, began his professional acting career with theAfrican Company and emigrated to England in 1824.
“This story focuses on two very
specific moments in time,” Kimble said. “First, there are the days surrounding Aldridge’sdebut at the Covent Garden Theatre in 1833. It was amassive event that reverberated throughout the rest of his career.But we also meet him years later in the 1860s as an older man reflecting on that time in his life.”
Return engagement
“Red Velvet” is Kimble’sthird time directing at LSU. The LSU graduate is also an adjunct professor of African American drama at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York.
Along with Ester,agraduate student in theLSU School of Theatre from Detroit, Kimble’scast includes fellow graduate student Maura McErlean of Hershey,Pennsylvania, in the role of Ellen Tree.
“Ellen Tree was areal person, too,” McErlean said. “She was
ä See ‘RED VELVET’, page 6C
STAFFPHOTO BY ROBIN MILLER
Craig Ester,left, is Ira Aldridgeand Daniel Daigle is Pierre LaPorteinSwine Palace’sproduction of ‘Red Velvet.’
LSU AGCENTERPHOTO BY OLIVIA MCCLURE
Makesure cuttings have at least four to five buds
Backstagechitchatcan be quitetricky
Dear Miss Manners: My wife and I sawatheatrical production that was written by,and starred, a friend of afriend. This person used to live in our city.Our mutual friend suggested we convey their greetings after the show
My wife was very reluctant to do so, but Iwas not. The star was incredibly happy to see us and to receive our friend’sgreetings. We chatted foralong time about the production, joined by other cast members who also knew our mutual friend. They all said it was apleasure to see somebody from home. The productionitself was truly wonderful, so it felt great to be able to tell those involved firsthand how much we enjoyed it and what the experience meant to us
To anyoneinasimilar situation, wondering what to do, Isay go for it!
Martin MISS MANNERS
Gentle reader: Your wife had acase of backstagefright,which is understandable. What if shehadn’t liked the show? Backstage etiquette is noteasy. Honestcriticism is rude, andinsincere praiseis—well, insincere. (It should be noted, however,that insincerity is not themajor moral transgressionsome make it out to be.Inmanycases, it is preferable to thefull unloading of everythought and feeling,no matterhow harmful.)
Youwere fortunate in being able to offer honest praise. But how shouldyou handle cases where the show is so awful that youjust cannot chokeout kind
words? Miss Manners has resorted to “That was something!”ora simple “Wow,” with hand over heart Onetime, with aparticularly egotistical playwright who would have prowled for more, she got away with, “You must be so proud.”Later,someone who had overheard this said that Miss Manners was due aTony Award for delivering that line.
Dear Miss Manners: Ihave been to several weddings over thelast few years, and I’ve noticed a trend. Do the groomsmen have no responsibilities to thebride and groom before, during or after the ceremony these days?
Other than giving aquick speech or toasttothe happy couple, thegroomsmen are not to be found anywhere. Not helping the groom,fetching things, gathering
‘RED VELVET’
Continued from page5C
married to CharlesKean
who was also an actor and a character in the play.They worked at the Covent Garden and played every leading couple in the Shakespeare canon until her husbanddied
Then she retired.” Long before her retirement, Tree would play Othello’swife Desdemona for two nights in the Covent Garden. The play doesn’toffer an explanation as to why Aldridge’sdebut run lasted only two nights, but it doesn’tmatter,because he changed the course of the-
Continued from page5C
Stick your cuttings about an inch deep —atleast one or two buds should be buried —inpotting mix in small containers. And that’s it! Just keep the cuttings watered and protected from freezing temperatures, and within ayear, they shouldsprout afew branches and reach afoot or so tall. Be sure to upsize the containers as needed Figs are native to the warm Mediterranean region. They willgenerally survive Louisiana winters.
“Above Alexandria, eventually we’re going to get cold weather than can kill them down to the ground,” Polozola said. “An established plant willcome back and be fine. It’sthose first fewyears you have to really make sure that they’re healthy so they come back.” Growing acold-tolerant variety such as the Hardy Chicago can help, too. But Hardy Chicago can be harder to find than common varieties such as Celeste,
CHEF
Continued from page5C
Company,which offersspice blends likeCitrusMambo
ater.Still, playing Aldridge wasn’teasy for Ester
Preparingfor apart
He startedreading the actor’sbiography before rehearsals. Otherthanthat, the only other background material available to Ester were portraits of Aldridge in keyroles.So, he had to build Aldridge’s stage character from theground up.
“Atacertain point, you have to know the history to be informed, but thenyou have to put it downand just play the character and let himspeakfor himself,” Estersaid. “And this play sees Ira at two points in his life, one when heisinhis 20sand the other as an older man.
He was brave,and he was loved. Peopleflocked around him,and he had this passion for what he did.
Then there’sTree.
“The information we have about Ellenisfar less than what we have aboutIra,” McErlean said. “But Ithink that gives me the opportunitytouse what theplay has givenmeabout her. This play is so smartly written by Lolita Chakrabarti.”
While the public rioted outside, ayoung Black actor was playing alead Shakespearian role on stage, changing the course of theater
Email RobinMiller at romiller@theadvocate. com.
Polozola said LSUhorticulturistsdeveloped several figvarieties in the1950s and’60s with Louisiana’s heat and humidity in mind. These releases includeLSU Purple,LSU Gold, Champagne, Tiger and O’Rourke. There are many other kinds of figs out there. Somepeople even havefig trees that are descendants of unique varieties their grandparentsorgreatgrandparentsbrought over fromEurope.
andBayou Bite. “His culinary expressions of fine dining meetscomfort food create phenomenal dishes that every guest can delightin. We look forward to working with Chef Mike
“There’sa lot of family heirloomsout there that are worth propagating and sharing with your family and friends,” Polozola said. Likeall living things, fig trees don’tlast forever “That’swhy taking cuttings is important —tokeep that line going,”Polozola said. “Eventually you’re going to get an old tree that’s going to rot from thecenter They don’tcompartmentalize rot well. But we can always take new cuttings and start new trees.”
formanyyearstocome,” theinn posted on Facebook Monday
TheSt. Francisville Inn is located at 5720 Commerce St., St.Francisville.
family members forthat amazing sunset picture, holding doors open, or anyother last-minute tasks that may come up during thefestivities.
Ifind this odd and unsettling. I’ve found myself stepping in to hold thegroom’s beverage while he is in candid pictures with friends and family,orhelping the bride navigate anarrow flowerlined pathway in her long dress. I’ve even helped elderly family memberstotheir seats.
Aren’tthese things the groomsmen should be tasked with doing?
Gentlereader: Do the bridesmaids know aboutthis?
Miss Manners hears so many sad tales from exploited bridesmaidsthat the position sounds less like an honor than aform of indentured servitude —but one in which those serving are dunned
Dear Heloise: In regard to theidea of having adog for security reasons, there is an alternative option. For anyone who cannot have a dog for whatever reason, there are electronic devices that mimic abarking dog. All you have to do is install amotion-detection device outside your front door.Assoon as anyone approaches, they will hear loud barking coming from within the house. Youcan order one online. Occasionally,ours goes off withnoone there, but it’s usually just amomma bird flying back to her nest on our front porch. —MaryFlowers, OrangeCounty,California Holidayphoto cards
forexpenses. But come to think of it, she never hears such complaints from groomsmen. If they are not saddled with excessive tasks and expenses, so much the better However,they represent the bridegroom,who should instruct them to do minor hostly jobs including those you mention, as wellassocializing with any stranded guests. As with bridesmaids, the time to mention expectations is before they sign on.
Sendquestions to Miss Manners at herwebsite, www missmanners.com; to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail.com; or through postal mailtoMiss Manners, Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City,MO 64106.
get to enjoy them all year, and there’snoguilt about throwing them away! —K.P., in Louisiana
Astash of cash
Dear Heloise: You wrote about having astash of cash for emergencies. After my mother-in-law died, my husband and Iwent through her house to makesure that nothing valuable was missed. In her china cabinet under somedishes, I found an envelope with six crisp $100 bills in it. There is no telling how long it had been there, and Ialmost missed it! Obviously,the cash had been forgotten long ago. —LibbyKinder, via email
Protecting toothbrushes
Dear Heloise: When the holiday season is over, and it’s time to pack up, I’m always in aquandary about what to do withmy Christmas photo cards. This year,Idecided to save them to my digital frame. I
Dear Heloise: After reading several ideas on how to protect your toothbrush from bacteria in the bathroom,I have the ultimate solution: Close the toilet lid before flushing! Another idea forkeeping
TODAYINHISTORY
By The Associated Press
Today is Tuesday,Feb. 4, the 35thday of 2025. There are 330 days left in the year Todayinhistory
On Feb. 4, 1997, acivil jury in SantaMonica, California, found O.J. Simpson liable for thedeaths of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman, ordering Simpson to pay $33.5 million to the victims’ families.
On this date:
In 1789, electors unanimously chose George Washington to be thefirst president of theUnited States.
In 1801, John Marshall took office as chief justice of the United States, aposition he would hold for a record 34 years.
In 1945, President Franklin D. Roosevelt,British
PrimeMinister Winston Churchill and Soviet leader Josef Stalin began awartimeconference at Yalta.
In 1974, newspaper heiress Patricia Hearst, 19, waskidnapped in Berkeley,California, by the radical Symbionese Liberation Army.
In 1976, morethan 23,000 people died when asevere earthquake struck Guatemalawith amagnitude of 7.5.
In 2004, Facebook had its beginnings as Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg launched “Thefacebook.”
In 2013, British scientists announced that the skeletal remains they had discovered during an excavation beneath aLeicester, England parking lot were, beyond reasonable doubt, the remains of 15th century monarch King Richard III.
bathroom smells at bay is to burn awooden match. It works like acharm!Remember to wet it before discarding it in the trash can, and if you have small children, keep the matches out of reach. —Maria Teresa Blanco, via email
Bugs in flour/grains
Dear Heloise: When my late husband, Don,and Imoved to Hendersonville, North Carolina, Ihad aproblem with tiny bugs getting into anything that contained grains. Apest control person told me to freeze anything containing grains as this would prevent any problem from developing. I’ve followed his advice and had no further issues. Like the person who wrote to you about this problem,I do keep flour and other goods in either plastic, metal or glass containers. Thanks foryour great column! —L.R., Hendersonville, North Carolina Sendahinttoheloise@ heloise.com.
In 2021, avoting technology company,Smartmatic USA, sued Fox News,three of its hosts and two former Trumplawyers —Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell —for $2.7 billion, forallegedly conspiring to spread false claims that the company helped “steal” the presidential election. (The case remains ongoing.) Today’sbirthdays: Former Argentinian President Isabel Peron is 94. Former Vice President Dan Quayle is 78. Rock singer Alice Cooper is 77. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is 72. Football Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor is 66. Country singer Clint Black is 63. Boxing Hall of Famer Oscar De La Hoya is 52. Singer Natalie Imbruglia is 50. Rapper Cam’ron is 49. Singer-songwriter Gavin DeGraw is 48.
Judith
Hints from Heloise
The three smaller figtrees are about ayear old.The larger one at right is about 3years old
STAFF PHOTO BY ROBINMILLER
Craig Ester,left, plays Ira Aldridgeand MarinaDeYoe-PedrazaisBetty Lovell in Swine Palace’s production of ‘Red Velvet.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Takeyourtime, or you'll miss something that can set you back. You will flourish if youquestion everything and look foropportunities. It's all about choice, astuteness and follow-through.
PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Simplify your life.Walkawayfrominstabilityandfocus on what you can achieve. Get involved in pastimes that ease stressand give you something to look forward to.
ARIES (March 21-April 19) Emotions will complicateyourdecision-making. A change may be necessary, but uncertainty will throw your timing off if you don't act. You can slow things down, but you must refrain fromappearing indecisive.
TAURUS(April 20-May 20) Follow the money.Keep your thoughts to yourself and barrel ahead until you feel comfortable with the results.Speed and accuracy are compulsory to getting your way.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Learn all youcan, double down and strike while the iron's hot. Control situations, and you'll deter others from taking you for granted. Use your charm, do your research and proceed with compassion.
CANCER (June 21-July 22) You are the glue that holds everything together. Use your imagination, and you'll develop solutions that will help you gain respect. Change may not be welcome, but it will be insightful and beneficial.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Put your best foot forward.Howyoulookandpresentyourself to others will determine how events
unfold. Sport asmile and loving attitude, and the reception will be overwhelmingly in your favor.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Incorporate change into your routine. Follow your heart, and you'll discover something about yourself and the people you encounter.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Opportunity knocks; open thedoor and letitin. Today is notthe timetohesitate;take control and make things happen. Network, charm and share your vision with someone you want to work alongside.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Let your feelings, intuition and experience guide you. Refuse to letthe jibber-jabber you encounter get in your way. Participate in networkingfunctions,talktoexpertsand put your energy toward your goal.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Refuse to drag your feet when there is much to do. Lettingsomeonesidetrackyouwillcause anxiety andregret. Look for opportunities and forge ahead instead of waiting for approval.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Achange will spark your imagination. Discovering whatmakes youhappy and implementing it into your routine will encourage lively new connections. Being open about what you want will put your mind at ease.
Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created fromquotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands foranother.
TODAY'S CLUE: GEQUALS J
CeLebrItY CIpher
For better or For WorSe
SALLYForth
beetLe bAILeY
Mother GooSe And GrIMM
SherMAn’S LAGoon dooneSbUrY
bIGnAte
Sudoku
InstructIons: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers1 to 9inthe empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. Thedifficulty level of the Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.
Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer
THe wiZard oF id
BLondie
BaBY BLueS
Hi and LoiS
Bridge
BY PHILLIP ALDER
When you play Chicago and everybody passes, it can be fun to have agoulash (or ghoulie). Each player sorts his hand: spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs. The cards are stacked, cut once, and dealt in groups. (I like 4-3-3-3/3-4-3-3/3-3-4-3/3-33-4, but some people prefer 5-5-5-5/5-5-55/3-3-3-3.)Longsuitsabound,andbidding must be adjusted because most suits will break something-zero.
This dealoccurred during one of my playclassesafterapassout.Southopened four spades. West, the most cautious player in the group, characteristically passed. He should have overcalled four no-trump, showing atwo-suited hand. This would presumablyhave resulted in afinal contract of five hearts by East after five clubs -five diamonds (both red suits) -five hearts. No doubt Southwould have doubled and the likely result would have been down one.
The play in four spades was fascinating. West led thediamond ace and East discarded the club two. South ruffed, cashed the spade ace, and continued with the spade queen, throwing diamonds from the board. Eastwon and shifted to the heart king, which declarer brilliantly ducked. South took the next heart trick with his ace and played three more rounds of spades, giving East the lead when he had only clubs left. He had to bringthe dummytolife, anddeclarer’s three remaining hearts evaporated. Contract made!
Did you see East’s resource? Under the spade ace, he should have kept the spade two. Then when South led the fifth spade, trying for the endplay, East would have beenabletounderplaywithhistwo,leaving South on lead, forced to lose three more heart tricks and go down two.
Each Wuzzle is aword riddle which creates adisguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: NOON GOOD =GOOD AFTERNOON
Previous answers:
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 REVERENT: REV-er-ent: Giving or expressing veneration; worshipful.
Average mark17words Time limit 20 minutes
Can you find 21 or more words in REVERENT?
YESTERDAY’S WORD —DELICT
Puzzle Answer today’s thought “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:” Colossians 1:14
loCKhorNs
Thereisonly waytoberight with God. It is through the blood of Jesus and His sacrificefor
sins. G.E. Dean
marmaduKe
Bizarro
hagar the horriBle
Pearls Before swiNe
garfield
B.C.
PiCKles hidato
mallard
BUSINESS
BRIEFS
Google seeks to overturn Play Store verdict
Google went to appeals court Monday in an attempt to convince athree-judge panel to overturn a jury’sverdict declaring its app store for Android smartphones as an illegal monopoly and block the penaltiesimposed by afederal judge to stop the misbehavior Video game maker Epic Games, which brought the case alleging Google’sPlay Store has been abusing itsstranglehold over the Android app market, countered with arguments outliningwhy both the verdict and punishment should be affirmedtofoster more innovation and lowerprices.
In anearly hourlong presentation in San Francisco’s9th Circuit Court of Appeals, Google lawyer JessicaEllsworth explained why the company believes the judge overseeing amonthlong trial in 2023 improperly allowed the market in its case to be defined differently than it hadina similar antitrust trialrevolving around Apple’santitrust trial in 2021. Ellsworth also asserted the trial shouldn’thave been decided by ajury in the first place because Google exercised its consent to that process anddemanded the case be decided by ajudge instead, as had the trial by Apple.
SoftBank, OpenAI setup joint company to push AI Japanesetechnology giant SoftBankGroup and OpenAI stepped up their AI partnership Monday, setting up a50-50 held company called SB OpenAI Japan. SoftBank Chief MasayoshiSon and OpenAI ChiefSam Altman appearedatanevent in Tokyo, talking up their collaboration and inviting Japanese companies to join. Son said the AI service Cristal couldbeused by companiesfor planning, marketing, emails and figuring out old sourcecodes. Cristal will first roll out in Son’s own SoftBank Group companies, which include Arm, asemiconductor and softwarecompany and PayPay,anelectronic payment service. SoftBank said it plans to spend $3 billion ayear to integrate Cristal across its companies.
Crypto prices, including Trump’smeme coin, fall Cryptocurrency prices tooka hit from the prospect of atrade war betweenthe U.S. and its major trading partners, with some well-known digitalassetsand President Donald Trump’sown memecoin taking big hits.
The price of bitcoin started falling from about $105,000 shortly after Trump announced plans Saturday to start putting large tariffs on goods from Canada, Mexico and China.
The world’smost popular cryptocurrency fell to about $92,000 Sunday nightbefore rebounding back over $100,000 Monday afternoon following Trump’sannouncement of apause on the tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods.
Bitcoin proved more resilient than other cryptocurrencies Ethereum, dogecoin and other popular cryptocurrencies have seen significant price drops since the tariff announcements. Trump’smeme coin was trading at about $19 Monday,which is about 75%below the all-time high it reached right afteritwas launched on the eve of his second inauguration.
Tariff threatssinkWallStreet
BY STAN CHOE AP business writer
NEW YORK Thethreat of apun-
ishing trade war sent Wall Street on aroller coaster Monday.After initially falling sharply on worries about President Donald Trump’s tariffs, U.S.stocks pared their losses after Mexico saidithad negotiated aone-month reprieve.
The S&P 500 ended up falling after Asianand European indexes logged worsedrops. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Nasdaq compositealso sank.
The U.S. stock market had been on track foramuch worse loss at the start of trading on worries abouthow much pain U.S. companies would feel because of the tariffs. The S&P 500 was briefly
down nearly 2%, and the Dow dropped as many as 665 points.
Some of the heaviest losses hit Big Tech and other companies that could be hurt most by higher interest rates that could result from theU.S.tariffsannounced on importsfrom Canada, Mexico and China. The fear hanging over Wall Street is thatTrump’stariffs couldpush up prices forgroceries, electronics and all kinds of other bills for U.S. households, adding upward pressure on a U.S. inflationratethat’slargely been slowing since itspeakthree summers ago. Stubbornly high or acceleratinginflation could keep the Federal Reserve from cutting interest rates, which it began doing in September to give the U.S.
economy aboost. Profits for U.S. companies, meanwhile, could face downward pressure from slowing global trade. But U.S. stocks pared their losses after Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said tariffs on her country’sgoodsare on hold for amonth following aconversation with Trump. TheDow even turned briefly turned higher in the afternoon for asmall gain. After the U.S. stock market closed for the day,Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeausaida conversation he had with Trump also ledto a30-day pause. Much of Wall Street had been hoping Trump’stalkoftariffs through the presidential campaign was just that, talk, and an opening point for negotiations
Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft whoturns 70 this year,dissects the
thoughtprocess in ‘Source Code: My Beginnings.’The
is the
HARD-WIRED
Microsoftfounder BillGates explores themaking of hisinternaloperating system in newmemoir
BY MICHAEL LIEDTKE AP technologywriter
As he preparestoturn70 later this year,Microsoft
founder Bill Gates’ new memoir explores how hischildhood quirks, upbringing, friendships and experiences coalesced into shaping his internal operatingsystem.
In “SourceCode: My Beginnings,” the first installment of atrilogy retracing his journey from an often misunderstood kid to apolarizing technology titan to an influential philanthropist, Gates dissects his brain’sunusual wiring, delves into the emotional traumaof hisbestfriend dyingwhile they were both in high school, andrevisitsthe birthofTrafO-Data, astartup thathe launchedinAlbuquerque, New Mexico, with another childhood friend,Paul Allen.
Traf-O-Data, conceived to create software for the groundbreaking Altair computer made Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems, becameMicrosoft in 1975 —a
year it booked $16,005 in revenue while Gates andAllen were making $9 per hour
By 1977, Microsoft had become successful enough to embolden Gates to drop out of Harvard University.In 1979, he had decided to move Microsoft to the Seattle area wherehegrew up. Although Gates stepped down as Microsoft’sCEO 25 yearsago,the Windows operating system and other software created under his reign remain the main pillar in acompany that now generates $212 billion in annual revenue, boastsa $3.1 trillion market value, and accounts for most of Gates’ $100 billion personal fortune.
“Source Code”endswith Gates’ drive back to Seattle in 1979, meaning it doesn’ttouch upon his 1994 marriage to Melinda French, nor their 2021 divorce.
“I am being reflective, which is not my normal mode, but it’s kind of time,”Gates said during an interview about the book with The Associated Press. “As we went back and
got teacher’scomments or people Iworked with at Harvard, it was fascinating. Ihad confused myselfinto thinking Igot straight A’sinninth grade.”
Gates’ mind is now being blown by the recent advances in artificial intelligence —a technology being planted into Microsoft’ssoftware as part of its partnership with ChatGPT creator OpenAI.
“When Ifinally see ChatGPT-4, where the OpenAI guys show me avery early version, Iamjust blownaway completely,” Gates said. He views AI as an “amazing and scary” technology that should be rigorously monitored.
“You should be nervous. We have to acknowledge that AI is almost uniquely dangerous because it’sunboundedinterms of how good it will get and it’s happening within ageneration,” Gates said. “Hopefully, the politicians andthe technologists will share witheach other,and we can shape this thing. We better getontop of that now.”
with U.S. trading partners instead of apermanent policy.Monday’s swivels on Mexico and Canada leave open the questionofwhether Trump is using tariffs as merely atool for negotiations.
But when traders came into Monday morning thinking tariffs were imminent, fear rose quickly about the potentialfor an escalating trade war that could damage economiesworldwide,including the United States.
“Living in the Midwest, Imight feel the trade war soonest and most,”said Brian Jacobsen, chief economist at Annex Wealth Management, because of how much crude oilflowsover the northern U.S. border to make gasoline. “Our refiners can’teasily switch away from Canadiancrude.”
Investors puttingtheir faithinTesla, Elon Musk
BY BERNARD CONDON AP business writer
NEWYORK For Elon Musk fans, it’sthe half a trillion-dollar bet. That is howmuch the stock market value of Tesla has rocketed since the presidential election, avertiginousclimb uninterrupted in recent days despite adisappointing financial report that would have sunk the stock of nearly any other company Investors are wagering that President Donald Trump will help Musk’scompany more than hurtitwith his plans to take an axe to reams of Washington regulations and wield tariffs to get his way with key trading partners. Less regulation? Fantastic. Trade war?No biggie.
“It’sgoing to be agolden age for Tesla and Musk,” said Wedbush Securities financial analyst Dan Ives, adding after an investor conference call Wednesday,“This is the most bullish I’ve ever heard Musk.” Investing in Tesla has long been agamble. Odds were against Musk creating asuccessful electric car company,never mind growing it to become the world’smost valuable automaker —and in the process makinghimself the world’srichest person. But this latest bet seems particularly risky Musk said the true value of his company lies in afuture of Tesla robots, thousands of them possibly by the end of the year,and in unsupervised, driverless vehicles. He promised in Tesla’sinvestor conference call to start offering such robotaxis in June in Austin, Texas, and across the country by the end of next year Besides the business, Tesla shareholders must always keep one eye on the CEO himself. Lately,that’smeantweighing Musk’sforay into politics.
In Europe,amajor market forhis cars, Musk has endorsed the far-right Alternative for Germany and called British Prime Minister Keir Starmer an “evil tyrant” who is running a“tyrannical police state.”
On Inauguration Day in the U.S., Musk made astraight-arm gesture during aspeech that many interpreted as Nazi salute. He scoffed at the criticism, but the backlash was fierce nonetheless. In Germany,animage of Musk making the salute was projected onto his massive Tesla factory outside Berlin in protest. In Italy, acommunist youthgrouphung an effigy of Musk upside down in the same square in Milan where the fascist dictator Benito Mussolini was strung upside down, too.
“How many of these Tesla buyers agree with Musk?” said Felipe Munoz, asenior analyst at auto researcher Jato Dynamics. “I don’tsee the point of alienating potential customers.”
