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.
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.
“It’sjust aroad,” Timmy Melancon said. “That’sit.” 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 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
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’s two largest trading 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,” Trump posted on social media. “FAIRNESS FOR ALL!”
Canadian PrimeMinister Justin Trudeau posted Mondayafternoon on Xthat the pause would occur“while we worktogether,” saying that his government would name afentanyl czar,list Mexican cartels as terrorist groups and launch a“Canada-U.S. Joint Strike Force to combat organized crime, fentanyl and money laundering.”
The pause followed asimilar move with Mexico that allowsfor aperiod of negotiations over drug smuggling and illegal immigration. The 10%
New York Gov.Kathy Hochulsigned abill into law Monday strengthening the Empire State’spro-abortion rights shield laws by protecting the identities of doctors who prescribe abortion pills to patients in states where abortions are illegal. The measure came threedaysafter
Mel Sumer catches aplug of spartina grass at the Coalition to RestoreCoastal Louisiana and ‘NFL Green’oyster shell installationinLeeville.
ä See LEEVILLE, page 5A
The legal battle has intensified over LSU’sdecision to suspend atenured law professor whoused profanity while criticizing Gov.Jeff Landry,with the university urging ajudge to “diffuse the public fiasco.”
The professor,Ken Levy,sued to be put back in the 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, andon Mondayaskedthe 1stCircuit Court of Appeal to undo it.
The state appealscourt had not actedonLSU’s request as of early evening Monday. Levy’snext scheduled class lecture is Tuesday afternoon. Through its attorneys, LSU also argued the case
agrand juryinWest Baton Rouge Parish on Friday criminally indicted New York doctor Margaret “Maggie” Carpenter aftershe prescribed mifepristone, an abortion medication, online to apregnant Port Allenteenager.The girl’s39-year-oldmother, whoprosecutors allegecoerced the teen to take the medicinetoterminate her pregnancy, turned herselfintopolice Friday after she, too, was indicted. Both Carpenter,55, and the teen’s mother were charged with criminal abortion by meansofabortion-inducing drugs,a felony that carriesapossible one- to five-year prison sentence.
In New York, thenew law took effect immediately on Monday,allowing doctorsthere to request their names be left off prescription bottles for abortion pills, and instead list their health care practices. New York lawmakers had previously adopted ashield law that, amongother things,empowers state officials to not cooperatewith attempts by other states to sue or prosecute physicians who send abortion pills to people in cities and states with abortion bans. Hochul pledged to thwart any
ä See SHIELD, page 4A
NewYork Gov. KathyHochul pledged to thwartany extradition efforts by Louisiana authorities over prescription of abortion medication.
PHOTOSBYBRAD WEIMER
BRIEFS FROM WIRE REPORTS
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.
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.
CORRECTIONS
A storypublished Saturday about avehicular homicide arrestonHoo Shoo TooRoad in Baton Rouge incorrectly said the incident occurred on Jan. 26; the correct dateisJan. 19.Also, the story misspelled the last name of the driver,Blake Haydel. The Advocate regrets the errors.
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
BYCHINEDU ASADU and JUSTIN KABUMBA
Associated Press
GOMA, Congo— The Rwanda-backed rebels 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.”
Salvagecrews recoverengine, largepiece 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 Mondayfrom the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Va
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO
ASSOCIATEDPRESS PHOTO BY MANUEL BALCE CENETA
AUnited States Agency for International Development contract worker sits Monday in front of the USAID office in Washington holding amessagereading ‘Save USAID’ writtenona pieceofpaper
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.
Senate confirms fossil fuel CEOChris Wright as energy secretary
BY MATTHEW DALY Associated Press
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
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
LEE
BYMATTHEW
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.
lawsuit Friday challenging
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,
STAFFPHOTO BY BRETT DUKE
NewOrleans Saints owner Gayle Benson, left, and team Vice President Greg Bensel sitJan. 6inSt. Louis Cathedral in NewOrleans.
Wright
Aymond
tariff that Trump orderedon China is still set to go into effect as scheduledonTuesday,though Trump planned to talk with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the next few days.
While the trade war feared by investors,companies andpolitical leadersnow seems less likely to erupt, that doesn’tmean the drama over Trump’stariff threats has ended.Canada and Mexico bought 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 apossible catastrophe could still be coming in the weeks ahead.
Trump on Saturdayhad directed 25%tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada, with another 10% tariff on Canadian oil, natural gas andelectricity.The U.S. president had repeatedly previewedthese moves, yet theystill managedtoshock many investors, lawmakers, businesses and consumers.
Multiple analyses by the TaxFoundation, the TaxPolicy Centerand the Peterson Institute for International Economics showedthat the tariffs could hurt growth, lower incomes and push up prices.But Trump repeatedly insisted—despitepromises to curb inflation —that tariffs were necessary tools to getothernations to stop illegal immigration, prevent fentanyl smuggling and treat the United States, in his mind, with respect.
Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced the monthlong pause on increased tariffs against one another after what Trump described on social media as a“very friendly conversation,”and he said he looked forward to the upcoming talks.
“I look forward to participating in those negotiations, with PresidentSheinbaum, as we attempt to achievea ‘deal’ between our two Countries,” the president said on social media.
Trumpsaidthe talkswould be headed by Secretaryof State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Sec-
SHIELD
Continued from page1A
extradition efforts by Louisiana authorities to bring Carpenter to this stateto face criminal charges. It was thefirstabortion indictment in Louisiana,officials said, and appears to be the first time adoctor has been charged forsending pills to another state since
LSU
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itself is “wildlypremature and without merit.”
It said the disagreement was “simply an employment dispute in theearlystageof an administrativeprocess where the employee’srights arefully protected.”
After the first weekof classthissemester, the university suspendedLevy from teaching with full pay. In aletter addressed to Levy,itciteda pending “investigation into student complaints of inappropriate statements made in your classduringthe first week of the Spring Semester 2025.”
LSU, which is being represented by Faircloth Melton Bash &Green, in court documents said the complaints 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 colorful opinion” on the outcomeof the November presidential
retary of Commercenominee Howard Lutnick and highlevelrepresentatives of Mexico. Sheinbaum said she was reinforcingthe border with 10,000 members of her country’s National Guard and that theU.S. government would commit “to work to stop the 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 soldierstoits northern border
But for muchofMonday, the outlook was worrisomely differentfor Canada,only foranagreement to come together
Asenior Canadian official said Canada was not confident it could avoid the loomingtariffsasMexico did. That’sbecause Canada feels as if theTrumpadministration has been shifting its requests of Canada more than it did for Mexico. The
officialspoke on conditionof anonymity, having not been authorized to speak publicly AskedMonday afternoon what Canada couldoffer in talks to prevent tariffs, Trumptoldreporters gath-
ered in the Oval Office: “I don’tknow.” He mused abouttrying to makeCanadathe 51ststate,partof ongoing antagonism despite decades of friendship with Canada in apartnership that has rangedfrom World War II to the response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
TheU.S. president also indicated that moreimport taxes could be coming againstChina:“If we can’t make adeal with China, then the tariffs will be very,very substantial.”
White House press secretaryKaroline Leavitttold reporters that Trumpwould speak with Xi in the next couple of days andthatthe White House would provide areport on the discussion.
Financialmarkets, businesses and consumers on Mondaywerestill trying to prepare forthe possibility of the new tariffs. For example, Stew Leonard Jr president and CEO of Stew Leonard’s, asupermarket chain that operates stores
the U.S.SupremeCourt overturnedRoe v. Wade in 2022. Thecase sparked national headlines Friday andprovokeda back-and-forth between Hochul and Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill. Hochul,a Democrat, rebuked the chargesas “outrageous” and declared she would “never,underany circumstances” sign off on requests to extradite Carpenter. Murrill chastised Hochul for supporting the
election
Jill Craft, who is representing Levy, has saidthe professor was removed from teaching in violation of his academic freedom, free speech and due process rights.
Thefact that Levywas suspended from teaching on account of what he said in theclassroom is unconstitutionaland “chills therights of academicfreedom,” she argued Theuniversity,however, said Levy’scharacterization of the questionable state-
doctor,calling it “sick and barbaric.”
The landmark caseisbeing prosecuted in the 18th Judicial District, which includes West Baton Rouge.
The Advocateisn’tidentifying the victim’smother becauseher daughter is a minor. Effortstoreach the mother at her apartment in PortAllen on Monday were unsuccessful.
Staff writer Matt Bruce contributed to this story
ments is “inaccurate” and that “an audiorecording of the lecture reveals that his statementswerefar more inappropriatethan his sterilized version.”
“Tenure ensures dueprocesspriortotermination,” the university said in court filings.“It does not create a right to seek judicial relief priortoa finaladministrative decision nor create aright to perform certain job duties, suchaslecturing students.
Email AlysePfeilatalyse pfeil@theadvocate.com.
in Connecticut, New York and New 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 thatthe import 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 wereleaving the Oval Office.
The situation reflected a deep uncertaintyabout aRepublican president who has talked with adoration about tariffs,even saying theU.S. government madeamistake in 1913 by switching to incometaxes as its primary revenue source. Kevin Hassett, director of the White House National EconomicCouncil, said Monday that it wasmisleadingtocharacterize theshowdownasatrade wardespite the plannedretaliations and risk of escalation.
“Read the executive order where President Trump was absolutely,100% clear that this is not atrade war,” Hassett said. “This is adrug war.”
Butevenifthe ordersare focusedonillegal drugs, Trump’sown remarks have often been moreabout his perceived sense that foreign countries are ripping off the United States by running trade surpluses.
On Sunday,Trumpsaid that tariffs would be coming soon on countries in the European Union.
On Monday afternoon, he suggested awillingness to keep using tariff threats because the size of the U.S. economyasthe world’slargest madethem effective.
“Tariffs are very powerfulboth economically and in getting everything else you want,”Trump told reporters. Tariffs for us, nobody can competewithusbecause we’re the pot of gold. Butif we don’tkeep winning and keep doing well, we won’t be the pot of gold.”
President DonaldTrump, flanked by
Bessent, left, and Commerce
Lutnick,speakswithreporters
willextend beyond Monday, as thenonprofit is trying to securefunding for alarger reef Taking abreak from reef building, the morethan 150 volunteers ate fresh oysters fromonly afew miles away
The first part of the project began in December, when dozensofvolunteers gathered to divide 59 tons ofoyster shells from restaurantsintomeshbags— the smaller units that compose the reef.
“I’m kind of speechless,” said Megan Champagne, the coastal zone management administratorfor Lafourche Parish. “We’ve neverhad such abig agency collaboration.” Emma Willis, asenior at Chalmette High in her school’senvironment club, saidthe project broughtto her attention that people are trying to address the coastal crisis in Louisiana. Before, sheonly knew thatthe land was disappearing.
The new “living shoreline” will not bring back Leeville. No one is under any illusions about that.
But the faded community near Grand Isle is still a popularfishing spot, and its remaining land helps provide protection for locations farther inland. The reef will assist on both of those matters.
“Weget the ability to do a livingshoreline projectand also bring awareness to the nation of everything thatwe do,” said Glenn Ledet, executive director of the state’s Coastal Protection andRestoration Authority Besides protecting the shoreline,itwill invigorate theaquatic ecosystem around the Theogene B. Melancon Boat Launch, named for the first person to open aboat launch 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 the reef installation, evoking complicatedemotions.
“Every storm since we were born,wewent through them all,” Phyllis Melanconsaidahead of theevent.
“And thenthis last one, Ida, wasthe worst out of the 67 years that I’m alive. She was the worst that you could have, because the others we cleaned, painted and repaired with little. This one, there was nothing left to repair.There was nothing to come back to.”
Ida washed away the home they had lived in for decades, elevated above the bait shop that Phyllis Melancon ran. Timmy Melancon said the same happened to his grandfather’shouse of 100 years and his uncle’s house of nearly 80 years
“Andwedidn’t cry,”Timmy Melancon said. “Not once, nothing. We just went on with our lives. We were raisedlike that.” They had endured so much already,Phyllis Melancon said. When Hurricane Katrina hit Leeville in 2005,the house she grew up in with her parentsand seven siblings was severely damaged.
“And then Rita (a few weekslater). anditwashed away,” she said. After each storm, the couple, whodid nothave insurance, would clean up and start again.
‘Livelihooderodesaway’
Theonslaught of storms led to the dwindling popula-
tion of Leeville, which sits beyond the levee system 8miles from the Gulf. But Leeville itself is disappearing, too. Land that once held citrus groves andcotton fields is not much more than anarrow street.
Parts of Leeville have dropped around 4feet since 1900, saidWindell Curole, who led the South Lafourche LeveeDistrictfor four decades. Golden Meadow, where the Melancons relocated, is not much different. Curole said a1982 study found the highway in Golden Meadow 1.3 feet above sea level. Now,the same spot is 0.3 feet abovesea level.
Curole lives north of Golden Meadow in CutOff, but he has strong Leeville ties —his great-great-grandfather,PierreLee,gavethe town its name. Over the past100 years, Leeville has lost around 90% of its land, Mike Biros,the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana’s restoration programs director,estimated Land sinking, called subsidence, is driving the disappearance. Thelevees constraining the Mississippi River protect communities from floodingbut deprive the delta of sediment to rebuild land andsustain itself. Subsidence is thebiggest factor in the region’s land loss, Biros and Curole stressed, but thereare others too. Global sea level rise, faster inthe warm Gulf waters, heightens the problem and is projected to worsen. Salt water encroachingfrom the Gulf destroys the delicate wetland ecosystem, and canals dug for oil and gas exploration accelerate saltwater intrusion, Biros noted.
“Naturally,your income, your livelihood erodes away,”Tee TimMelancon said. “You can’tlive off the land if the land’s notthere.”
Asafehaven
Thepattern of rebuilding and relocating has been passed down through the generations. The town was founded by survivors of the 1893 Cheniere Caminada hurricane, which destroyed thesmall fishing community of Cheniere Caminada and killed around 2,000 people.
For the founders, Leeville was asafe haven,Bren Hasse, the director of the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program, said.
“It was higher ground; it had lots of wetlands around it for buffer,” said Haase, the former headofthe state’scoastal protection agency Located between some of themost abundantestuar-
ies in theworld,Leeville
boasted lifelong fishers and shrimpers, like theMelancons. Afew decades later, it became the oil capital of Lafourche after abig find in the 1930s.
Timmy Melancon described an ecosystem where the two industries —oil and fishing— complemented each other, if notenvironmentally than communally and economically
“Every gas station had a little deli andbreakfast in the morning because everyone needed to passthrough Leeville on the way to work,” he said.
Leeville is one of the last stops on the way to Port Fourchon, which accounts for around 15% of the country’soil supplyand helped provide thelocal fishing industry with reliable business. In 1999, Mike Tidwell, atravel writer with The Washington Post, hitchhiked aboard fishing boats in the area, chronicling how land loss endangered coastal communities for apopular book, “Bayou Farewell.”
Back then, Tidwell said, Leeville was afunctional community.There was Griffin’scafe, Phyllis Melancon’sbait shop and a cadreofworking shrimpersand crabbers.Lotsof land hadalready been lost —the town looked nothing like the childhood homes of theelder Melancons— but “there was some bustle there,” he said.
The Leeville population is abit under dispute. Curole said acouplehundredCheniere Caminda survivors likely settled in the town. Phyllis Melancon said that at one point, apopulation sign in the town said 3,600, but TimMelancon saidthere was no way it was that high. Curole recalled the population being around 60 in the mid-20th century
The town’srelatively small population was boosted by the steady stream of industryworkers, fishers and camp owners passing through.
“I miss meeting people that would come to the shop,” Phyllis Melancon said. “Near thewater,having our shop, that’swhatI 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 workingcoast, and we have retreated from that but continue to work there, so we have to travel further,” Curolesaid. “But it was also part of ourculture
being right there near the resource, and that made us alittle bit different in that you could be dirt poor but then you eat freaking well.”
‘It’salmostwho Iam’
Fourth generation born and raised in Leeville,Tee TimMelancon andJerry Martin left their hometown for better opportunities. In their 40s and 50s, respectively,they both work at Edison Chouest Offshore in
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 stepfa-
ther are twoofthe approximately three people still living in Leeville. And their presence in the desolate town upsets him.
“They don’tleave for storms. They stay there and they weather it,” he said. “It makes
Email Josie Abugov at josie.abugov@theadvocate. com.
PHOTO BY BRAD WEIMER
BRIEFS
Google seekstooverturn 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 apunishing 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 inner workings of
thoughtprocess in ‘Source Code: My Beginnings.’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.”
ASSOCIATEDPRESS FILE PHOTO BY JAEC.HONG
his
memoir is the first installment in atrilogy.
Musk tightens grip on federalgovernment
Democrats raisealarms
BY CHRIS MEGERIAN Associated Press
WASHINGTON— Elon Musk is rapidly consolidating control over large swaths of the federal government with President DonaldTrump’s blessing, sidelining career officials, gaining access to sensitive databases and dismantling aleading sourceof humanitarian assistance
The speed and scope of his work has beennothing short of stunning. In alittle more than two weeks since Trump took office, the world’srichest man has created an alternative power structure inside the federal government for the purpose of cutting spending and pushing out employees. None of this is happening with congressionalapproval, invitinga constitutional clash over the limits of presidential authority Musk has been named as aspecial government employee, which subjects him to less stringent rules on ethics and financial disclosures than other workers. Trump has given Musk office space in the White House complex where he oversees ateam of people at the so-calledDepartment of Government Efficiency.The team has been dispersed throughout federal agencies to gather information and deliver edicts. Some of them were spotted on Monday at the Department
Ukraine strikes Russianoil refinery again
BY ILLIA NOVIKOV
Associated Press
KYIV,Ukraine Ukrainian long-range drones struck one of Russia’s biggest oilrefineries forthe second time in three days, a senior Kyiv officialsaid Monday,asUkraine tries to slow the Russian army’s push along parts of the front line and the third anniversary of the war approaches.
TheattacklateSunday hita refinery in theVolgograd region,which is oneofRussia’s10biggest refining facilities, processing close to 6% of the country’soil, an official in Ukraine’sSecurity Service told The Associated Press.
Russian authorities acknowledged only abrief fireatthe Volgograd refinery during the drone attack.
Ukrainian defenses are creaking under a monthslong Russian drive to occupy more land, especially in Ukraine’seastern industrial heartland, before the possible start of peace negotiations steered by U.S. President Donald Trump. Ukraine, though heavily dependent on Western military aid, has been developing its own armsindustry,including drones that canflyincreasingly long rangeswith bigger payloads.
of Education, whichTrump hasvowed to abolish.
RepublicansdefendMusk as simply carrying out Trump’sslash-and-burn campaignpromises. Trumpmade no secret of his desire to put Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur behindthe electric automaker Teslaand the rocketcompany SpaceX, in chargeofretooling the federal government.
“Eloncan’t do and won’tdo anything without our approval,” Trump toldreporters in the Oval Office on Monday.
TheRepublican president also played downsconcerns about Musk’sconflictofinterests as he flexes hispower over the bureaucracy even though his businesses face regulatoryscrutinyand have federalcontracts.
“Where we think there’sa conflict or there’sa problem, we won’t let himgonearit, but he has some very good ideas,” Trump said. Democrats, for theirpart,
accused Musk of leading a coup from within the government by amassing unaccountable and illegal power
“Wewill do everything in our power in the Senate and the House to stopthis outrage,” Sen. Chris VanHollenofMaryland said.“And in themeantime, since we don’thave many Republican colleagues who want to help us, we are doing everything we can withour colleagues through the courtstomake sure that we uphold the rule of law.”
The apex of Musk’swork so far came on Monday at theWashingtonheadquartersfor theU.S. Agencyfor International Development, or USAID, where yellowpolicetapeblocked accessto thelobby and hundreds of employees werelocked out of computer systems. Musk said Trump had agreed to let him shutter the agency
“It’s not an apple with a worm in it, what we have is
Crews deployedonGreek island amid quakespike
BY DEREK GATOPOULOS Associated Press
SANTORINI, Greece— Authorities deployed emergency rescue crewstoGreece’s volcanic island of Santorini on Monday as hundreds of people scrambled to leave after aspikeinseismicactivity raised concerns about apotentially powerfulearthquake. Schools on four islands were also to shutter through Friday Precautionswere also ordered on several nearby Aegean Sea islands —all popularsummer vacation destinations —aftermorethan200 undersea earthquakes were recorded in the area overthe past threedays
“Wehave averyintense geological phenomenon to handle,” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said from Brussels, where he was attending aEuropean meeting. “I want to ask our islanders first and foremost to remain calm, to listen to the instructions of the Civil Protection(authority).”
Mobile phones on theisland blared with alert warnings about the potential for rockslides,while several earthquakes caused loud rumbles. Authoritiesbanned accesstosomeseasideareas, includingthe island’s old port, that are in close proximity to cliffs.
“Thesemeasures are precautionary,and authorities will remain vigilant,” Civil Protection Minister Vasilis Kikilias said late Sundayfollowing an emergencygovernment meetinginAthens.
“Weurge citizens to strictly adhere to safety recommendations to minimize risk.”
While Greek experts say the quakes, which have
reachedmagnitude 4.9 are not linked to Santorini’svolcano, theyacknowledge that thepattern of seismicactivity is cause for concern.
Government officials met with scientists throughout the weekend and on Monday to assess thesituation, while schoolswerealsoordered shut on the nearby islands of Amorgos, Anafiand Iosfor the entireweek.
Thefrequency of the quakes, whichcontinued throughout Sundaynight and into Monday, hasworried residentsand visitors.
Residentsand visitors were advised to avoid large indoor gatherings and areas whererock slidescould occur,while hotels were instructed to drain swimming poolstoreducepotential building damagefrom an earthquake.
LandmarkofBaton Rouge is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. We are committed to theprincipal of equal employment opportunity forall employeesand to providing employees with awork environment freeofdiscrimination and harassment.All applicants willbeconsidered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity,national origin, and veteran or disability status.
just aball of worms,” Musk said of theworld’s largest provider of humanitarian, development and security assistance.“You’ve got to basically get rid of thewhole thing.It’sbeyond repair.”
Musk hasalsoturnedhis attention to the General Services Administration, or GSA, which manages federal government buildings.An email sent last week from the Washingtonheadquarters instructed regional managers to begin terminating leases on roughly 7,500 federal offices nationwide. The initiative is being led by Nicole Hollander,according to an agency employee whorequestedanonymity to discuss internal matters. Hollander describes herself on LinkedIn as an employee at X, Musk’ssocial media platform “Thishas gone beyond the pale. This is out of control. This is not anormalsituation,” said Keya Chatterjee, executive director of Free DC, alocal advocacy organization. She participated in aprotest on Monday outside the Office of Personnel Management,which is one of the lesser-known federal agencies key to Musk’sagenda.
Musk’sworkhas unnerved federal employees who are beingnudgedtoward the exits. On Sundaynight, con-
cerns swept through the workforce that they could be locked out of internal human resources system,denying them access to their own personnel files that showed pay history,length of service and qualifications. Supervisors in someagenciesencouraged employees to download their records, called an SF-50, to personal computers so that theycould prove their employment history in the event of disputes.
Musk has been tinkering with things his entire life, learning to code as achild in South Africa and becoming rich with the online payment companyPayPal.Hebought the social media platform Twitter alittlemore than two years ago, renamed it Xand slashedits workforce while turning it into his personal political megaphone.
Now Musk is popping open the hood on the federalgovernment like it’sone of his cars or rockets.
“The Silicon Valley playbook to disruptthe status quo —bydisregarding and disobeying rules that you don’t like —isinfull effecthere,” said RobLalka,anexpert on entrepreneurship andinnovationinbusiness at Tulane University
“No one outside of the staff doing the work ever asked to have access to the payment files,”saidRichard Gregg, who spent four decades working forTreasury and oversaw the payment system as fiscal assistant secretary
It’sunclear what Musk wants to do with the payment system. He’sclaimed that he could trim $1 trillion from the federal deficit “just by addressing waste,fraud and abuse.”
“That’sthe biggest data hack ever in the world,” Sen. Tammy Baldwin, aWisconsin Democrat, told reporters in Madison.“Iamoutraged about it.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer,aDemocrat fromNew York, said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent must revoke Musk’saccess to the payment system.
“Wemust halt this unlawful anddangerous power grab,” he said on CapitolHill Agroup representingretirees and union workers sued Bessent and the Treasury Department on Mondayto get them to stop sharing personal and financial information with DOGE.
One of the most significant steps wasgaining access to the U.S. Treasury payment system, whichisresponsible for 1billion payments per year totaling $5 trillion. It includes sensitive information involving bank accounts and Social Security payments.
ASSOCIATEDPRESS PHOTO BY SUSAN WALSH Elon Musk arrives on stagetospeakonJan. 20 at a presidentialinauguration event in Washington.
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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 the15-personboard.
Matherne’s to buy back Highland Road store
2other locations plannedfor Baton Rouge
BY TIMOTHY BOONE
Business editor
Matherne’sMarket is returning to the Highland/Kenilworth area, nine years after it sold itssupermarket there to Robért Fresh Market.
Asignposted in the windowof the store at 7355 Highland Road over the weekendannounced Matherne’shad appliedto sell liquoratthe store under the name of Matherne’sMarketat Kenilworth.
Ernie “Tony” MatherneJr. said Matherne’sisinthe process of buying back the Kenilworthlocation. The plan is to operate three stores in BatonRouge. Theother twolocationsare downtown and in Nicholson Gateway, across from LSU. The supermarket also has storesinLaPlace and Paulina.
Matherne’shas been in business for more than 35 years and is known for its daily plate lunches of fried chicken and catfish,
ä See MATHERNE’S, page 2B
Mangets20 yearsin killing
Edwardssentenced in shooting death on McClelland Drive in 2021
BY MATT BRUCE Staff writer
Aman convicted of a2021 killing remained adamant it was not him as he was sentenced to decades in prison. Joseph Paul Edwards was ordered to spend 20 years in state prison during ahearing Thursday inside the 19th Judicial District Courthouse. His imprisonment stems from the killingof Dwight RonnellJones Sr., a32-year-old man gunned down along McClelland Drive on March 16, 2021.
“This has been ahard fouryears for me,” said the victim’smother, Virlea Jones Clark. “I have constantly been in therapy.I wouldn’t want anyone to loseakid. Your children are supposed to bury you; you’re not supposed to bury your children.” When Clark expressed
Landry announced Friday that Jason Amato will chair the LouisianaBoard 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
aHouseseat representingparts of St. James, Ascension and Livingston 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:
Crigler lives outside St. Joseph and still serves as ajudge parttime, 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
n John Crigler, aretired 6th Judicial District judge, who served the parishes of Carroll, Madison and Tensas in that role for 26 years.
abusiness owner.Heserved as Natchitoches Parish president from 2012 to 2020 and represented Natchitoches Parish in the Louisiana 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
ä See ETHICS, page 2B
NATIVE HABITAT
Camouflaged in the antenna
SaturdayinBaton Rouge.
LSUpolicearrestteenaccused of rape at dorm
CRIME BLOTTER staff reports
An 18-year-old manwas arrested by LSU police Monday,accused of raping afemale student at aresidence hall on the campus. Ali Jaffar was bookedintoEast Baton Rouge Parish Prisonona count of third-degree rape. According to the arrest affidavit, officers were dispatched about3 a.m. Jan. 18 to the North Hall dormitory,where they found the victim and transported her to campus police headquarters. The victim, who knew Jaffar
from previous encounters at a bar,told police he gave her aride from Mike’sbar in Tigerland to her dorm,where he forced himself on her Police said they found bloodstained sheets and other evidence of assault in the dorm room. The victim identified Jaffar to police through his Instagram username, before later identifying him in aphotographic lineup. Vandals break intoTara High School building
The East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office is looking for three suspects they say broke
into and vandalized Tara High School. The suspects entered the school in the MidCity South area through awindow about 10:38 a.m. Jan.19, stealing $800 worth of property and causing over $1,000 in additional damage, officials said. Detectives said they broke into avending machine and took the contentsofit. The three people were seen on surveillance video and appear to be males.
Anyone with additional information on the suspects is encouraged to contact Capital Region Crime Stoppersat(225) 344-7867 or the Sheriff’s Office robbery and bur-
glary division at (225) 389-5064. Five peoplebookedon suspicion of DWI
Five peoplewere booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison between Saturday and Monday on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. Those booked and the counts against them are: n Jarvis Grayson, 26, of New Iberia, acount each of driving while intoxicated, driving avehicle under suspension for certain prior offenses, reckless driving
Zydeco dancehalllegendSid Williams dies
Acadiana mourns passing of El SidO’s owner
BY JOANNA BROWN Staff writer
When Sid Williams opened El Sid O’sZydeco and Blues Club in Lafayettein1984, he helped launch musicians— including members of his own family —who would go on to become someofthe genre’s most innovative andsuccessful ambassadors.
After almost 40 years serving as acentral figure in the area’szydeco scene, Williams died Sunday at the age of 73 He was anative of St. Martinville, and his dance hall at 1523 N. St. Antoine St. is one of the region’sonly remaining original zydeco clubs.
Grammy winnerStanley Dural Jr., also known as Buckwheat Zydeco, was afrequent performer at El Sid O’sin the early years of his career Williams’ younger brother, Grammy-nominated zydeco musician Nathan Williams, launchedhis actwhenhe started playing Friday nights at theclubwithhis band,Nathan &the Zydeco Cha-Chas. The Williams’ family musical legacy alsoincludes Sid Williams’ nephew, who fronts Lil’ Nathan and the Zydeco Big Timers. Overtheyears,SidWilliams’ star rose alongside the famous acts that he helped to promote He spoke about Cajun and Creole culture on an Acadiana episodeof“Parts Unknown” 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 inmyculinary journey occurred when Mr.Sid arrived at my restaurant with
Anthony Bourdain and aCNN film crew on aSunday. Ihave consistently conveyed my appreciation, whenever Ihad the opportunity to seehim.Restin Zydeco Paradise.”
Sid Williams was also aphilanthropist. For several decades, starting in 1986, he led an annual Thanksgivingfood drive at El Sid O’s, helping to feed thousands of Lafayette residents during the holidays. Artists and cultural figures took to social media to express
shock and sadness at the news of SidWilliams’ death. Herman Fuselier,regional music historian and tourism director for St. Landry Parish, wrote on Facebook that hisvisitswith Williams were “filled with humor and downhome wisdom that made him abusiness success and cultural icon.”
Scott Billington, aGrammywinning American roots musicproducer, said,“Sidwas a remarkable man in so many ways —always upbeat, always
open and friendly,always optimistic, always thinking of his next move. He built asmall empire.”
Accordingtofilmmaker
Robert Mugge, who worked with Sid Williams on anumberofmusic documentaries, Sid Williams was the “founder of oneofthe great dynasties in Southwest Louisiana music.”
“In my experience, Sid was
Tank andthe Bangas wins firstGrammy
Band awardedin best spoken word/poetry category
BY KEITH SPERA Staff writer
Tank andthe Bangas, the genre-blending New Orleans band that intermingles R&B, funk,jazz, hip-hop and spokenword, finallyhas its first Grammy Award.
During thepre-broadcast portion of Sunday’s67th Grammy Awards, the Bangas’“The Heart, the Mind, the Soul” was voted the BestSpokenWord Poetry album. Bangas vocalist Tarriona “Tank”Ball wrote poetry andparticipated in spoken word “battles”before the band’sformation. She has incorporated her poetrybackground into the Bangas’ output and has nowwon aGrammyfor it
ETHICS
Continued from page1B
Tank and the Bangas earned aBestNew Artist nomination at the62nd Grammy Awards. The band’s“Red Balloon” was nominated for Best Progressive R&B Album at the 65th Grammy Awards. But Ball and her bandmatescame away emptyhanded those years. They fared much better Sunday Three other winners Sunday havestrong ties to New Orleans Jazz pianist Sullivan Fortner,a New Orleans native and graduate of the New OrleansCenter forCreative Arts, later earned degrees from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and the Manhattan School of Music. He was a longtime memberofbands led by vibraphonist Stefon Harris andtrumpeter Roy Hargrove. Fortner releasedhis debutalbum as aleader,“Aria,” in 2015. On Sunday,Fortner won BestJazzPerformance
ethics board last month: former state Rep. Mike Huval. The Breaux Bridge Republicanserved in theHouse for 13 years until 2024. At aHouse committee meeting in December on hisboard appointment, Huvaldescribed himself as alawmaker who worked across party lines whenever possible. The Louisiana Senate has yet to appointa member to one vacantethics board seat. Last year,the Legislature passed alaw expanding thestate Board of Ethics from 11 to 15 members. Theexpansion,together withboard term limits, this year opened up five appointees for Landry,one for the House, and one for theSenate. The governor and the Legislature have broad latitude to appoint whomever they would like.
KILLING
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gratefulness her son’skiller had been brought to justice, Edwards interjected, “I’m not the one.” District Judge Will Jorden handed down a20-year sentence that prosecutors and defense attorneys agreed upon as part of a negotiated plea deal Edwards, 45, was indicted forsecond-degree murderand facedamandatory life sentence if convicted. On the day of his trial Nov 18, he pleaded guilty to alesser charge of manslaughter,unauthorized use of amotor vehicle and two counts of convicted feloninpossession ofa weapon. Jorden imposed 20 years
for manslaughter and gave Edwards five years for each of the weapons counts, along with two years for theunauthorized useofa vehicle. The judge ran the sentences concurrently meaning Edwards will serve out his prison stint for all of the charges at thesame time. Family members remembered Jones as afather of five children who wasraised in the church. At last week’ssentencing hearing, Clark told the judgethe mother of Jones’ first three kidsalso passed away.She and other relatives stepped up to help raise Jones’children. Edwards stood insidethe courtroom wearinga prison jumpsuit with aface mask covering his face. He refused when Clark asked him to removethe mask so
forhis collaboration with singer Samara Joy on the song “Twinkle Twinkle Little Me.”
The Samara Joy album that included “Twinkle Twinkle Little Me,” “A Joyful Holiday,”won forBest Jazz Vocal Album. Fortner is featured on several songs on that album but wasn’tlistedasa nominee. His album with singer Kurt Elling, “Wildflowers Vol. 1,” was also nominated forBest Jazz VocalAlbum Fortner’sown “Solo Game”was nominatedas Best Jazz Instrumental Album but lost to “Remembrance” by Chick Corea and Béla Fleck. Lucky Daye, whose “Algorithm” was nominated for Best R&B Album, was born DavidBrown in New Orleans. He moved to Texas, then Atlanta following Hurricane Katrina, and is now basedinLos Angeles. He launched hiscareer in Atlanta by competing on season four of “American
Before last year,Board of Ethics appointees had to be made froma slate of nominees vetted and selected and by presidents of Louisiana’sprivate colleges. That procedure, intended to lessen political influence on the board, had previously been in place since the late 1990s. Leadersoftwo goodgovernmentadvocacy organizations, the Public Affairs Research Council andCouncilfor aBetter Louisiana,haveraised
she could see his expression.
“I forgiveyou forwhat you did to my child. Ijust wish you and my child could’ve resolved whatever issue you guyshad going oninsteadofyou doing what youand whoever else did,” she said.
The fatal shooting was one of 149 homicides during arecordyear of violence in Baton Rouge in 2021.
Tendays after Jones’ death, Baton Rouge police spotted Edwards driving a vehicle that was reported stolenina January2021 carjacking. When officers triedtostophim, Edwards peeled off and jumpedout of the stolenvehicle in the 1800 block of North 26th Street, according to his arrest report. He was carrying some-
Idol.” He went on to write or co-write songs for Mary J. Blige, Boyz II Men, NeYo,Keith Sweat and Beyoncé while also guesting on dozens of songs.Hereleased his debut full-length album, “Painted,” in 2019. His 2021 EP “Table For Two” won the Grammy for best Progressive R&B Album, an award for nontraditionalR&B singers.
On Sunday, Daye’s “That’sYou”won for Best Traditional R&B Performance.
Jon Batiste’sAlbum of theYear Grammy Award in 2022 represented the highest profile win forany musician fromthe New Orleans area.
NeitherBatiste nor any otheract with localties made the list of 2025 nominees in themajorcategories.
Batiste’sdocumentary “American Symphony” earned two nominations, including best musicfilm. “ItNeverWent Away,” a
concerns about removing these guardrails and increasing the politicization of the state ethics board.
Separately,the Legislature last year also passed alaw permitting thegovernortoappointthe chair of stateboards and commissions when at least half of its membership comesfrom gubernatorial appointees.
Many of thegovernor’sboardchair and board member appointments must be con-
thing as he ran from police, but no longer had theitem on him when officers captured him on Washington Street, police said.
Officers searched the getawaypathand found two guns Edwards dumped as he ran. Prosecutors said one of the guns proved to be the weapon that killed Jones.
Investigators also used surveillance footage from the crime scene and found aT-shirtworn by the shooter when they searched Edwards’ house, prosecutors said.
Chaundra Robinson, Jones’ aunt, remembered him as aladies’ man with abeautiful smile and a charming personality
“I feel robbed,” Robinson said. “He wasn’tsick. He didn’tdie fromnatural
song in the film by Batiste andDan Wilson,won for Best Song Written for Visual Media.
He’ll be back in his hometown to sing the national anthem at Super Bowl LIX in the Caesars Superdome on Sunday
The odds favored aNew Orleans, or at least aLouisiana, winner in one other category
Four of the five nominees in the Regional Roots Music Category were native to south Louisiana: Big Chief Monk Boudreaux &the Golden Eagles featuring J’WanBoudreaux,the New Breed Brass Band featuring Trombone Shorty,The Rumble featuring Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr.and Sean Ardoin &Kreole Rock And Soul. Butthe fifth nomineein thecategory,the Hawaiian artist KalaniPe’a, ended up taking home the trophy
Email Keith Spera at kspera@theadvocate.com.
firmedbythe state Senate beforethe end of the 2025 regular legislative session.
Landry facescharges by the ethics board from when he was attorney general. He allegedly failed to disclose free private flights provided by apolitical supporter in 2021. That case is pending, and settlement talks are ongoing.
Email Alyse Pfeil at alyse. pfeil@theadvocate.com.
causes. He was taken from us. He was taken from his children and that’swhat saddens me the most. His kids will never get to know firsthand whotheir father was.”
Prosecutors did not indicate amotive for the shooting and Edwards did not give astatement during Thursday’shearing.
Kreshaun Jones, the victim’s brother,said neither Edwards nor the deceased would be able to mentor their children, attend funerals for loved ones or attend special occasions with family members.
“At what point do we open our livesand realize is it worth it?” he asked.
Email Matt Bruce at matt.bruce@theadvocate. com.
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 Williamswill live forever in Southwest Louisiana.”
Email Joanna Brown at joanna.brown@ theadvocate.com.
MATHERNE’S
Continued from page1B
afull-servicedeliand a selection of fine wines,liquors and craft beers. New Orleans-based Robért bought the grocery store from Matherne’sin February 2016 and made extensive renovations to the property,adding a boiled seafood area, aCC’s Coffee House, an expanded bakery and an area that sold fresh pizzas and barbecue. Robért hadeyedthe Baton Rouge marketfor years before opening the Kenilworth store. In 2008, the state Bond Commission approved GoZone bond money to build a location at Perkins Road and Acadian Thruway.But the store was never built anda Trader Joe’ssupermarket ended up on the site.
Robért, which was founded in 1994, operates five stores in NewOrleans and Metairie.
This is the second local supermarket to change hands this year.Inearly January,Calandro’ssold its Perkins Road location to Oak Point Market. The grocery store has since been rebranded as Oak Point Market-St. George. Email TimothyBoone at tboone@theadvocate.com.
BLOTTER
Continued from page1B
fourth offense, hit-and-run, resisting an officer,failure to seek assistance and no proofofautomobile insurance. n Delondaria Ball, 43, of Baton Rouge, one count of driving while intoxicated and expired registration.
n Derrick Byrd, 35, of Natchez, Mississippi, one count of driving while intoxicated, second-offense recklessoperation of avehicle, no seat belt and possession of alcohol in vehicle.
n Jennifer Harrelson, 26, of Baton Rouge,one count of operating while intoxicated n Samuel Ethridge, 18, of Baton Rouge, one count of driving while intoxicated, first offense.
cation,
your
PROVIDED PHOTO
Sid Williams, 73, died SundayinLafayette. He owned El Sid O’sZydeco and Blues Club in Lafayette, which helped to launchthe successofstars suchasBuckwheat Zydeco, Nathan &the Zydeco Cha-Chas and Lil’ Nathan and the Zydeco Big Timers.
STAFF FILEPHOTO BY LESLIE WESTBROOK
Attendees danceasRoddie Romero performs during atribute concerttoStanley ‘Buckwheat Zydeco’ Dural Jr.onSept. 23,2018, at El Sid O’sZydeco and Blues Clubin Lafayette.
Evelyn Sanchez Aucoin
departed this life Friday, January 31st at the young age of 86. She was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister and cherished friend to many. Evelyn was born in Baton Rouge, LA on December 5th,1938, daughter to the late Catherine Sanchez Paszkowski and Leon Paszkowski. Evelyn was survived by the love of her life William "Billy" Aucoin whom she was married to for 67 years, her identical twin, Beverly Sanchez Landry, daughter Tamara Anglin and husband Randy son Jeffrey Aucoin and significant other Dawn Dugas, grandchildren Jennifer Anglin, Brittany Meyers and husband Adam, Braeden Aucoin, Julia Aucoin, great grandchildren Dayton, Jude and Ali Meyers. Evelyn is also survived by her special sisters -in-lawPatsy Cambre and husband Glynn, Elaine Vince and husband Tommy. Evelynwas a1957 graduate of Baton Rouge High School, ahomemaker, member of the Merry Workers Dance Club and Associatemember of the American Legion Lodge #38. She enjoyed dancing, talking on the phone, taking care of her grandkids, visiting with friends, taking group vacation bus trips. Pallbearers will be David Sharp, Dayton and Jude Meyers, Glynn Cambre Jr., Randy Anglinand Adam Meyers. Visitation willbeat Greenoaks Funeral Home, 9595 Florida Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA on Wednesday, February 5th, 2025. from 10 a.m. to 2p.m. services to follow. Burial and graveside service at Roselawn Memorial Cemetery. The family would like to givea heartfeltthanks to the staff of Audubon Hospice.
Cater, Betty Lynn
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Betty Lynn CateronFebruary 2, 2025 at the age of 88. Betty Lynn, or "Meemaw"as most knew her, wasborn onFebruary 4th, 1936 to Thomas and BillieReed. Betty Lynn,a cherished life-longresidentof Centreville, MS, was known for her kind spirit, musical ability, love of her church, and her wit. She had apassiontohelp those in need, particularly children's charities.She wasendlessly devoted to her home church Centreville United Methodist where shespent her Sunday mornings playing piano, organ,and singing in thechoir.
Shegenerously shared her musical talents by playing piano and the organ at hundreds of weddings and events throughout her lifetime, experiencing great joy with each occasion. She had alove for hercats, hertacky sweaters,her stashof sweets, andcorny jokes. You never knew what you were in for during avisit withMeemaw Aterrible housekeeper, anotoriouslymessy vehicle,and aknack for "hiding gifts" never to be found for giving when planned, she was one of akind! She never failed to call and sing sillysongs to hergrandchildren on holidays,send out greeting cards loaded with stickers, or offeran empatheticear with sage advicewhentimeswere hard.She gave thebest hugs, had the most infectious laugh, andradiated joy when surrounded by family and closefriends
She worked in the Centreville Clinic for many years andenjoyed seeing thelocal townspeople and meeting newcomers. Later in life she spent most of
spent her days with afluffy cat in her lap playing solitaire, completing crossword puzzles, watching Wheelof Fortune,and trying to keep up with her many family members. She was precededin death by herparents Thomas and Billie Reed, first husband and children's father John Brandon James, second husband Harry Burnell Cater, son William Reed Bill" James, Grandson JamesGabriel "Gabe"Taylor, great grandson Brandon Taylor, and siblings Tom Reed, Mary FrancesDillon, Virginia Nell Rogers, Billy Hugh Reed, and Patricia Wade. She is survivedbyher children VirginiaAnn Taylor, Jonnie Lynn Poole, John Comfort James (Lynn), daughter-in-law Linda James, her brother Nathan Keith Reed (Kathy), 5grandchildren, 4greatgrandchildren, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. Her warmsmile,loving arms, steadfast faith, and sense of humor will be greatly missed as we mourn the loss of our matriarch but find comfort knowing she wasjoyfully greetedinto Jesus' embrace as she enteredthe gates of heaven. Visitation and funeral serviceswill be held at Centreville United Methodist Church. Visitationscheduled for WednesdayFebruary 5th from 6:00- 8:30 PM and Thursday February 6th from 10:00-11:00 AM,with funeral following at 11:00 AM. Graveside services and burial to immediately follow at Evergreen Cemetery in Woodville,MS under the direction of Newman Funeral Home.
Jerome
Jerome Michael“Jerry Dupuy,bornJanuary 14, 1947, to Lawrence Fredrick DupuyJrand Mildred Comeaux DupuyinPlaque‐mine,passedawaypeace‐fully at hisfarminLiberty, MS on January31, 2025 Jerry wasa longtime resi‐dent of Port Allenwho marriedhis high school sweetheart,FernRoshto (deceased),and starteda family.Hestarted hisca‐reer as aboilermaker in Local 582, then moved on to ownmultiplebusi‐nesses,including Shoots andSparklesPawnShop andCheersBar in Port Allen. Afterretiring, Jerry andhis wife,Marcella “MeMe”,started Circle D Farmswhere he wasable to enjoythe outdoors,rais‐ingcattle, hunting deer andfishing, which were true passions of his. Visita‐tion will be at WilbertFu‐neralHomeinPortAllen on Tuesday, Feb4th,from5 to 8:30p.m.and againon Wednesday, Feb5th,with recitation of theRosaryat 8:30a.m.and visiting con‐tinuinguntil Rite of Christ‐ianBurialat10a.m cele‐brated by Rev. MilesWalsh Burial will follow in Grace MemorialParkinPlaquem‐ine. Jerry is survived by wife,MarcellaMcGlothen Dupuy; histhree children Michael“Lyron” Dupuy, ChantellDupuy Crosby and husband Randall, Bronwyn Dupuy Creighton; twostepsons,Jason Caillouetand Andrew Caillouetand wife Leslie;grandchildren,Tori, Lance, Tanner,Colby,Jory, Brady, Alayna,Corey Megan, Krista, Lundon, Joshua,Gavin,and Caleb; 18 great-grandchildren; siblings,Freddie Heuvel, Martha Spedaleand hus‐band “Speedy”,Nancy Chapmanand husband Gary;sister-in-law,Patty Dupuy; andnumerous nieces andnephews.Jerry wasprecededin deathby hisparents;and siblings, KevinDupuy andDale Dupuy;lifelongfriend, Leon Callahan; andbeloved dog, Ruby. Pallbearerswillbe hisgodson, Jody Chapman and hisgrandsons,Colby Creighton, Jory Creighton, TannerCrosby, Brady Creighton, GavinCaillouet, andLance Dupuy. Hon‐orarypallbearers will be his great-grandsons, Lan‐donCrosby, Cooper Braud andGideonHughes. Please sharememories at www wilbertservices.com.
Ferachi, Suzann Scruggs Elizabeth
The epitome of strength, love, and selflessness, passed away peacefully on January 28, 2025, at the age of 82. Born in Oklahoma City, to Martha and Frank Scruggs, she was thecherished eldest of six siblings. As ayoung child, Sue moved withher family to Dallas, and later to Shreveport,where she spent her early school years. Her family later moved to Lafayette, where she attended Our Ladyof Fatima High School. It was during her senior year that she was presented as a debutante with theLes BrigandsdeLafitte. She went on to attend the UniversityofSouthwestern Louisiana, where she became aKappa Delta, before transferring to LSU. It was there that she met the love of her life, Vincent Anthony Ferachi, and their love story blossomed into abeautiful, lifelong partnership for 55 years. Together, they raised a family founded on love, generosity, and devotion. She later graduated from Southeastern Louisiana University. Throughout her life, she was the epitome of selflessness. Her love for her family was boundless, and she poured her heart into everything she did. Whether it was her children, grandchildren, or those lucky enoughtobe called her friends, she gave of herself without hesitation or expectation of anything in return. Her generosityknew no bounds—she was theperson you turned to in times of joy and sorrow alike,always there with alistening ear and comforting words. She was hardworking in every sense of theword, dedicated not just to her family but to every endeavor she pursued. She worked side by sidewithher beloved husband,Vince, at Capitol City Produce, where their partnership wasn't just in building afourth-generation family business, but also alegacy rooted in relationships, family and service. She is preceded in death by her husband, Vince Ferachi, parents Frank and Martha Scruggs, her brothers Mark KennedyScruggs and Frank McGraw Scruggs, her sister Melissa Scruggs Weston and her husband Jay, brother-in-law William Stancliff, brother-in-law Hugh McDonnold, brotherin-law Gerald Ferachi, and her mother and father-inlaw, Vincent Cand Jennie Ferachi. She leaves behind children Michael David Ferachi and his wife Amy, Paul Joseph Ferachi and his wife Candi, Lesley Ferachi Gremillion and her husband Guy, Jennifer Ferachi Kelley and her husband Keith, honorary son Russell Saia, and her beloved grandchildren Mary Claire Ferachi, Prentice Ferachi, Harrison Ferachi, Christopher Ferachi, CameronFerachi and wife Rainey, Keegan Ferachi and wife Baylee, KennedyFerachi, Carter Ferachi, Camille Ferachi, Jackson Gremillion, Emma Gremillion, Davis Kelley, and Ava Kelley. She is also survived by her loving sisters Charlotte Scruggs Tait and Patti Scruggs Stancliff, brother-in-law Norman Ferachi and his wife Beth and sister-in-law, Rita Ferachi. Her legacy lives on through her family, friends and Capitol CityProduce employees, who will forever carry her love, kindness, and wisdom in their hearts. She was deeply loved by her dear friend and caregiver Wendy Johnson and was grateful for theloving care provided by Loise, Rita, Thelma, and Miss Jay. The family also wishes to acknowledge thecare provided by Fr. Cleo Milano and nurses Anne and Jennifer with Pinnacle Hospice. In lieuof flowers, amemorialization tributemay be directed to the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank in her honor https://brfoodbank.org/?f orm=InTribute. Visitation will be from3:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 16 at Rabenhorst East.The Rosary will begin at 4:30p.m. Aservice celebrating her life will be held on Monday, February 17 at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church at 10:00 a.m.; which will be preceded by visitation at the church beginning at 9:00 a.m. Internment alongsideher beloved husband will occur immediately following mass at OLOM
Columbarium. She was an unwavering source of love and support,a friend to many, and abeloved matriarch whose influence will never fade. As we say goodbye to this remarkable woman, we know she will forever be withusin spirit,guiding us withher love, just as she always did in life. Rest in peace with Dad,Mom- Your love will live forever in the heartsof your family and all who are blessed enough to know you and be loved by you.
KeatingSr. Robert Quic 'Bob'
Robert "Bob" Quic Keating, Sr. was Born July 6, 1932, and passed away January 31, 2025. He was a native of Robert, Louisiana for 18 years and lived the remainder of his life in Baton Rouge. Bob joined the Millwright Local 720 in 1950, which is nowknown as Local 729 and was member for 75 years until his death. He was employed by Nichols Constructionat Dow Chemical for40years. Bob was drafted into the U.S. Army on October 1, 1952, and fought in the Korean War where he served for 17 months and was discharged in July of 1954 as an E3. Bob was preceded in deathbyhis parents, Martin Robert Keating and IdaLucille Keating, sisters Gertrude Austin, and Edah Keating; brothers, Horace, Dewit, V.B. (Vernal), Arnold, Andy and Otto Keating. He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Eloise Z. Keating; three daughters and sonsin-laws, Alta and Phil Laciura, Karla and Gerald Ashford,and Charlotte Geoghagan and one son, Robert Keating, Jr.; eight grandchildren, Cole and CyndiLaciura, Wilfred and Shelby Laciura, Mathew and Tierney Ashford, Shaun and Haley Ashford, Holden Keating, Jenee' and Kyle Musso, William Geoghagan, Zachary and Jaelyn Geoghagan. Seven great- grandchildren Bentley and Melanyia and Allie
Bentley Melanyia Musso, Beau and Allie Laciura, Walker James and Knox Ashford andJohn Parker Laciura. Pallbearers will be Cole Laciura, Wilfred Laciura, Mathew Ashford, ShaunAshford, Jenee' Musso, Holden Keating, William Geoghagan and Zachary Geoghagan. Visitation will be held Wednesday February 5, 2025, at Rabenhorst Funeral Home East from 9am until Funeral Service at 11:30am conducted by Rev. Bryant Keating, Rev. Wayne Austin and Rev. Gerald Ashford. Entombment will follow at Resthaven Gardens of Memory
Kellerman,John Anthony 'Jack'
John "Jack" Anthony Kellerman passed away peacefully at his home on Wednesday, January 29, 2025. Born on May 31, 1968, he was aresident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Anative of Morganza, Louisiana, he attended Catholic High of Pointe Coupee andlater graduated from LSU in Landscape Architecture in 1992. With apassion for design, he became acofounder of Kellerman Kitchen and Bath with his brother, Kurt. Even though in life Jack faced many health challenges, he was always faithful, caring, wildly creative, talented, quick witted, and optimistic. His unique talents allowed Jack to connectwith many people, whether it was through gardening, music, woodworking, or design. He wasa parishioner of Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church and was humbled to receive the 2018 Mercy Men's Club Award for his many contributions to the church and school. And although Jack's achievements go far beyond, he considered his greatest success to be hismarriage of 34 years to his wife, Suzanne, and the family they built together. He is survived by his wife, Suzanne Guerin Kellerman, and his beloved children, Norma Anne Kellerman, Yvonne Kellerman Hogan (Paul), Marshall Joseph Kellerman, Carmen
Kellerman, Elizabeth Kellerman,and Catherine Renee Kellerman. He was beloved "Papa Jack" to grandsons Walter and William Hogan who brought immeasurable joy to his final years. Jack is also survived by his mother, Carmen Vancherie Kellerman, and siblings, Susan Yoshida (Ty), Brett Kellerman (Elaine), Eric Kellerman, and Kurt Kellerman (Ramona). He is preceded in death by this father, Dr. Harry Kellerman. The Kellerman family would like to thank Dr. Joseph Albergamo and the hospice Life Source team for their unwavering love and support. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked for donations to Our Lady of MercyChurch and the National MS Society. Funeral arrangements will be held at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church, February 6, 2025, with visitation from 1pm-3pm followed by funeral mass at 3pm. Burial will follow at the Our Lady of Mercy Garden of Peace.
AresidentofStFran‐cisville,Molly McGraw died Saturday February 1atthe ageofsixty-seven.Molly wasborninMonahans, Texasand grew up in Marksville andBaton Rouge, where shegradu‐ated from LeeHighSchool. Afterearning agraduate degree in ClassicalArchae‐ologyfromIndiana Univer‐sity,Molly worked on exca‐vationsatthe agorain Athens,Greece, andlater held apositionatthe Van‐couver Museum of Anthro‐pology.After scoringinthe topone percentonthe Law School Admissions Test, Mollycompleted alaw de‐gree from theUniversityof California,Berkeley, and hada long career as a practicing attorney.She representedPiccadillyCor‐poration forseveral years, startedher owntitle com‐pany,and laterworkedfor thefirm Navratil,Hardy andBourgeois in Baton Rouge. Abeautiful woman with aremarkableintel‐lect,Molly wasa passion‐atelover of thearts, anda charming andengaging personality. AfterHurri‐
Aucoin, Evelyn Fay
McGraw,Molly Lynn
Dupuy,
Michael'Jerry'
OUR VIEWS
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.
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.”
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.”
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
LETTERS TO
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.
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
DEATHS continued from
cane Katrina, shemoved to StFrancisville, where she cultivateda circle of dear friends.Her absenceis deeply felt,and she is missed. Mollywas amem‐ber of GraceEpiscopal Church.She is survived by a daughter,CoraFuller, of Spokane,Washington. Visi‐tationwillbeatGrace Episcopal Church in St FrancisvilleonThursday, Feb.6,2025 from 12pm until service at 1pmconducted byFr. CraigDalferes. Burial willbeinGrace Episcopal Church Cemetery,St. Fran‐cisville. Sharesympathies, condolences andmemo‐riesatwww.CharletFune ralHome.com
Minarik, Laurie
Laurie Powell Minarik, beloved wife, sister, teacher, and friend,passed awaypeacefullyon January 29, 2025, at the age of 62, after acourageous 19-month battle with esophageal cancer. She was surrounded by family at home. Born to the lateWilliam "Billy" Powell and Sarah Powell, Laurie is survived by her husband of 39 years, Robert "Bob" Minarik; her brother, Johnny Powell, his wife Victoria, and their children, Luke and Grace; her fatherand mother-in-law, Charles and Valdyne Minarik; and her brother-in-law, Darren Minarik, his wife, Suzanne, and their children, Harper and Graham. Laurie developed apassion for dance at ayoung age, which shaped her lifelong career. Sheearneda bachelor's degree in dance from LSU in 1984 and continued her studies in New York and California.She owned and operated the Baton Rouge Ballet Academy from 1989 to 1997 and danced professionally with the local modern dance company In the
Company of Dancers.She alsocreated thedance program at McKinley Senior High School,where she taught from 1989 to 2018, inspiring generations of students. Laurie grewupin University Acresand attended Robert E. LeeHigh School. She lovedriding her horse through the neighborhood and surrounding pasturesand trails (now Woodstone and Woodgate subdivisions) and met her futurehusband while doing so—she on horseback, he on amotorcycle. They dated for nine years beforemarrying in 1986. In lieuofflowers, donations to the Mary Bird Perkins CancerCenter would be greatly appreciated. The family expresses deep gratitude to the doctors and nurses who provided compassionate care. Aprivate service will be held, with acelebration of life plannedfor alater date.
Norman Carl Patterson Jr, age 87, anativeof Atlanta, Georgia, and a longtime resident of Denham Springs and Baton Rouge, passedaway on January 30, 2025. He retired from Exxon Chemical.He was agraduate of Baton Rouge High School,and Louisiana State University. He was alongtime member of First United Methodist Church, where he served as Youth Director.Although he was aMethodist, he marrieda Catholic girl, andraised four Catholic children.He spent many years serving as acamp counselor, a youth football coach, and a little league umpire. Norman is survived by his children, Bryan Patterson and wife Julie,Baton Rouge,Brent Patterson and wife Benet', Concorde, NC,Blake Patterson and Anne Belleau, Baton Rouge, Brook Patterson Schwartzberg and husband Alan, Geismar; sister,
Nancy Patterson Matherne, Mount Pleasant, SC, brothers in law, Danny Young and wife Sandy and Jimmy Young and wife Jan, Baton Rouge, sister in law, AnitaAdams, and husband Jeff, and grandchildren, Doctor Savana Patterson, Mona Patterson, and Nicholas Patterson. He is preceded in deathbyhis wife of fifty-two years, Susan Gail Young Patterson, parents, Norman Carl PattersonSr and Rebecca Waldrop Patterson. Visitationwill be held at Resthaven Funeral Home, 11817 Jefferson Hwy, Baton Rouge, Louisiana on February 6, 2025 from 5:00 pm -7:00 pm. Visitation will resume on Friday, February 7, 2025 from 9:00 am until funeral services at 10:00 am with graveside services to follow at Resthaven Gardens of Memory.
Washington, Bishop FrankL.
Bishop Frank L. Washington entered eternal rest on Saturday, January18, 2025, at the age of 89. The memories of Frank will be honored in a viewing on Friday, February 7, 2025 from9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m at Banks Community Outreach Baptist Church, 2908 69th Avenue Baton Rouge,La. Celebration of Lifeservices will follow at 11:00 a.m. Interment to be held at Louisiana National Cemetery. Services has been entrusted to WilsonWooddale Funeral Services.
Patterson, Norman Carl
‘FOOTBALLGENIUS’
BY MATTHEW PARAS Staff writer
Every time KellenMoore was asked about possibly coaching the New Orleans Saints on Monday,the Philadelphia Eaglesoffensive coordinator smiled and gave asimilaranswerthat he undoubtedly had plenty of time to prepare.
The questions came in allsorts of different ways, addressing the reports over the last week that have named him theleading candidate for the NFL’s last coaching vacancy.Ineach instance, Moore politely stuck to his script—offeringananswer that didnot offend but tried not to create headlines either.
But to be clear,Moore wants thejob, right?
“It’sbeen an incredible experience (with) Mickey and thatleadership group, having acoupleofopportunities to meetwith those guys,” Moore said, referring to Saints generalmanager Mickey Loomis. “The thing’sset up in away that allowsustofocus on this game, and then we’ll see how it progresses from there.”
“Kellen is agreat leader,a great communicator,a tireless worker and agreat person. He’sgot alot of great qualities about him.He’s been fantastic as our offensive coordinator.I’m hoping Iget to keep him, but we’ll see as this process plays out.”
NICK SIRIANNI, Eagles coach
That, moreorless, was thesame answerMoore gave throughout thenight. But if other candidates pulling out of considerationhas affected Moore’s thought process— or if he’s notready to becomeaheadcoach —hedidn’t say so whileheinstead triedtofocus on the fact that he and theEagles are preparing for Sunday’sSuper Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Moore said Monday that he’snot worried “about asingle thing” other than focusing on theSuper Bowl. Still amid the electric scene of the Super Bowl’s openingnight at theCaesarsSuperdome, with fanspacked in thestands
anda swarm of people on thefield’s sidelines, Moore’splayers andfellow coaches endorsed Moore to become the Saints’ next coach —ifthat’swhat happens.
Theformer Boise State quarterback has been an NFLcoordinator for the last six seasons, but it’sthis season his first withthe Eagles —that has him seeminglyonthe doorstep of landing his first head coaching job
“Kellen is agreat leader, agreat communicator,atireless worker and a great person,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. “He’sgot alot of great qualities abouthim. He’s been fantastic as our offensive coordinator.I’m hoping Iget to keep him, but we’ll seeasthis process plays out.”
Due to NFL rules,the Saintscannot hire Moore until after theSuperBowl. That, in themeantime, creates an awkward dance for the team and Moore. If Moore is the Saints’ selection,hehas to go aboutbeing preparedtoform a coaching staff —all while handling his duties as theEagles’ play-caller
BY REED DARCEY Staff writer
Playing man defense against the LSU 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. Thatcalculus doesn’t always work.Just ask coach SamPurcell, whoseMississippi 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 Tigers were shooting too well from beyond thearc foritto succeed.
“So, yougotta 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 shotsfrombeyondthe arc.
Across coach Kim Mulkey’s first three seasons at LSU,they hitthatthreshold of attemptsin only four regular-seasongames against Southeastern Conference teams. This year,LSU already has done it three times Threeofits five best 3-point shooting games against regular-season SECcompetition over thelast fourseasons are now contestsplayed in 2025 —ayear in which the Tigers might just be moredangerous from beyond the arc thanthey have been so far under Mulkey. “Itmakes us better,”the LSU coach said. “It opensup things alot for your post play If youcan hit perimeter shots, then it’s not so crowdedinthat paint.Wesee zone (defense) in just about every game, andI’m like, ‘OK, stayinit. We’regonna hit those shots.’ “ LSUstillisn’tconsistently
New Orleansmay not like Roger Goodell, but RogerGoodelllikesNew Orleans.
The NFL commissioner held his annual SuperBowlnewsconference Monday at the CaesarsSuperdome in the locker room of the New Orleans Saints. This week,thatlocker room will be occupied by the Philadelphia Eagles, who will take on the KansasCity Chiefs on SundayinSuper Bowl LIX. It’sthe 11thSuperBowlhosted by NewOrleans, which was the first of many topics Goodell addressed in his 45-minute question-and-answer session. Here are the top five things Goodell addressed:
WhyisNew Orleans agood Super Bowl host?
Goodell: Lots of reasons. This community hassucha way of putting an event on. The people here wraptheir armsaround the eventand make the event better,because of their attitude, because of who theyare,because of their pride in this community.Their resilience. That starts with the people.The folks in this community areextraordinary.The work that’s been done by this community on this stadium is amazing. To seewhattheyhave done with this facility is off the charts. We realize thatthis is aplace that is sorta perfect for the SuperBowl.
The country has been hit withseveral tragedies to start 2025, starting withthe Bourbon Street attacks and continuing to the fires in Los Angeles to two plane crashes.What is theNFL’s role in helping cities getthrough those tough times?
Goodell: Ithink it’sanunderstanding of ourplace in society,frankly.That’s evolvedovera period of timewhere the people expect the NFL to respond in a positive way. And to take the opportunity to observe the tragedy and mourn that andalso be able to share amomentand be able to inspire people.I think in each tragedy,you seethat in those communities, people come together and help one another. We areable to use ourplatform in away where we canshowcompassion, showthe first responders, showhow people help each other.Ithink it’sinspiring. Diversity,equityand inclusion has been ahot topic lately.What willyour legacy be when it comes to DEI? Goodell: Ireally don’thave muchofa chance to reflect.I’m not at that stage. I’m always looking at what we have to do tomorrow.I am proud of it in this sense: Ibelieve ourdiversity efforts have ledto making the NFL better. It’sattracted bettertalent. We think we are betterwhen getdifferent perspectives, people of different backgrounds. Whetherit’swomen or men or people of color.Wemake ourselvesstronger andwemake ourselves betterwhenwehavethat. Ithink it’s something thatwill have atremendous impact on this league for many years. We win on the field with the best talent and the best coaches,and Ithink the same is
On TV BASEBALL (CARIBBEANSERIES)
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MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
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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
in
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.
WR Kupp doesn’t likethat Rams want to trade him LOS ANGELES Wide receiver Cooper Kupp says the Los Angeles Rams are attempting to trade him after eight seasons with the club, and he doesn’tlike the move. The Super Bowl 56 MVP and 2021 AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year essentially bade farewell to the city where he hasspent his entire career “I don’tagree with the decision and always believed it was going to begin and end in LA,” Kupp wrote. “Still, if there’sone thing that I have learned over the years: there are so many things that are out of your control,but it is howyou respond to these things that you will look back on and remember.” Kupp is under contract forthe next two seasons as part of athreeyear,$80.1 million contract extension.
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 Farewell (for now) Oregon
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
Iowa. Iowa knocked off then-No. 4USC 76-69.
Raptorsfanscontinuetrend of booing U.S. national anthem
BY IAN HARRISON Associated Press
TORONTO— Fansata Toronto Raptors
game continued an emerging trend Sunday of booing the American nationalanthem at prosporting events in Canada.
Fans of the NBA’s lone Canadian franchise booed the anthem after similar reactions broke out Saturdaynight atNHL games in Ottawa,Ontario, and Calgary,Alberta, hours after U.S. President Donald Trump made his threatof import tariffs on America’snorthern neighbor reality
After initially cheering forthe 15-year-old female singer,fans booed throughout “TheStar-Spangled Banner” performance. At the end, mixed boos and cheers could be heard before the crowd eruptedin applause for the Canadian anthem, “O Canada.”
Fans also booed Sunday night when Agasha Mutesasira began herperformance of the American national antheminVancouver, British Columbia, when the NHL’s Canucks hosted the Detroit Red Wings.
“I mean, it’stoo bad, right? It is what it is,” Red Wings forward Patrick Kane,
who was born in New York, said after Detroit’swin. “I guess youcan maybe understand it from this side but seems like it’sathing that’sgoing around the league right now.”
Trump declared an economic emergency Saturday in order to place taxes of 25% on imports from Canada and Mexico and 10% on imports from China. Energyimported from Canada, includingoil, natural gas and electricity, wouldbetaxed at a10% rate.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexico’spresident ordered retaliatory tariffs on goods from America in response.
Raptors forward Chris Boucher,a Canadian citizen, was asked after his team’swin over the Los AngelesClippers whetherhe’deverexperienced something like that.
“No, no, no,” he said. “But have you ever seen usgetting taxed like that?”
JosephChua, aToronto resident who wasatthe Raptors game, said he’sgoing to be feeling the tariffs “pretty directly” in his work as an importer
Still, he said he doesn’tthink booing is “the right thing to do in this situation.” He chose to stay seated instead.
“I have abunch of American family,friends that live in the states that
are Americans, we travel to America all the time, but Ithought chanting, ‘Canada,’ would be amore appropriate stance,” said Chua, who was deliberately wearing his red Canada Basketball cap. “Usually Iwill stand. I’ve always stood during both anthems. I’ve taken my hatoff to show respect to the American national anthem, but today we’re feeling alittle bitter about things.
“Wewerealreadytalking aboutwhat businesses are Canadian, specifically, what are American, specifically,what toavoid. When Igogrocery shopping, I will definitely be trying to avoid American products and groceries.”
U.S. national anthem boos in Canada are rare, but not unheard of especially when tied to world events. In the early 2000s, fans at games in Canada booed to show their disapproval of the U.S.led war against Iraq.
Clippers star Kawhi Leonard, who won an NBA championshipwith the Raptors in 2019, and coach Tyronn Lue declined to comment on the booing. Lue, however,sang along to “O Canada.” He said he just likes the song.
“I heard it alot of times being in the playoffs here,soIknowitbyheart,” he said.
LSU
Continued from page1C
shooting ahigh volume of 3s. In SEC play,it’sboth taking and makingthe 12th-most 3-pointers in the league per game and converting them at arate of 31% —better than only four conference rivals.
The difference this season is the efficient shooting the Tigers have received from their two star guards Williams has hit 19 3-pointers through nine games against SEC opponents, matchingthe number of long-range shots she hit in 16 contests last year.She’salso now converting 41%ofthe
5.1 3-pointers she’staking per game in 2025 —upfrom 29%on4.1 shots in 2024. Johnson is also starting to finda groove from beyond the arc. She’snow hit six long-range shots over her last two games after shehit only four across her first seven in SEC play On Thursday,3-pointers helpedLSU gainanedge over an Oklahoma team that scored 100 points. On Sunday,those shots were the Tigers’mostefficient source of offense. Theyhit 39%oftheir twopoint field-goal tries, yet 45% of their 3s. Mississippi State couldn’tkeep up “(Williams) is asmooth operator,” Purcell said, “because her ability to go
in transition with aleft to right push cross. If you backpedal, shecan pull up on you on adime,and then herstrengthand hershoulders where she could post you up —itjust separates her “Shewas just able to find her pocket, and right when we were about to make it (close), she madeabig shot. She’saheck of aplayer.”
All of Williams’ scoring numbers are better now than they were aseason ago. In league play last year,she scored 12.1 points per game while shooting 43% from the field and 29% from 3-point range. This season, the sophomore from Bossier City is scoring 18 ppg while shooting 50%
KEVIN SHERRINGTON
The Dallas Morning News (TNS)
DALLAS From what we can tell, Mark Cuban didn’t have anything to do with the trade that will define the career of the general manager he hired.Nico Harrison acted on his own. For that matter,the Adelson family may have forked over $3.5 billion for theMavsalittle more than ayear ago, but Patrick Dumont didn’tgive Cuban so much as aheadsup that Luka Doncic was out the door
Dumont supposedly laughed when Nico proposed it, by the way,thinking it ajoke.
Of all the things Nico’s called these days, “funny” isn’tone of them.
Anyway,ifyou’re looking for others to blame for the worst sports weekend in local lore, Cuban’snot yourman He told 660 AM’sMark Davis he found out Doncic was aLaker after the deal was done. When he got the news, former Mav Chandler Parsons, now a fixture on FanDuel’s“Run It Back,” texted Cuban.
“I’m so confused,” he wrote.
“That makes two of us,” Cuban reportedly replied. From other reporting, our Brad Townsend got only “MFFL” after asking Cuban’sreaction. Better than the response Igot, which was crickets.
New Year’sgoal: Improve relationship with past/present owners in market.
Even if Cuban’snolongercalling theshots —or hearing about them ahead of time —the Mavs remain close to his heart. And wallet. As he noted on the “AllIn” podcast in October,he remains aMavs minority owner.Shouldthe Adelsons ever get the lieutenant governor to cave, Cuban told the podcast a“Venetian-style” casino with a new arenainthe middle of downtown would have a valuation of $20 billion.
“I own 27% of that,” he said. Pretty good reason not to risk his investment, then, by going full-metal jacket on the trade.
Seems like Cuban showed remarkable restraint when he told Davis, “Nicobelieves in defense. The bright side is we’ll have 3ofthe top 5 shot blockers in the NBA We can be atop 5defense and still agood offense.”
This was all the nostalgia he could muster: “What we will miss is Luka’send-of-game heroics.”
Of course, we’ll miss alot more than that, as Iwrote in thehours after therelease of the news. Cuban knows that,too.Hespent agreat deal of his tenure
trying to find asuperstar to pair withDirkNowitzki only to watch one after anotherturn him down. Enough to make you think it was personal. Then one day awunderkind from Slovenia falls into his lap and alters the course of thefranchise, not to mention international relations. For all the rags-to-riches stories and cross-culture investments and high-falutin’ rhetoric, Cuban ruled more by heart than science. He should have started afull-blownmakeover after the 2015-16 season ended with athird straight one-and-done. Donnie Nelson, the Mavs’ GM, if in name only,wanted to break it down. Let Dirk move on to aplayoff team and finish his career on ahigh note. Donnie’scase was so compelling, Iwrote it. Didn’tendear myself to any MFFLers, either Bottom line: Cuban couldn’tbring himself to let Dirk go, even if it was the smart thing to do. Since then, alot has happened, not all of it afairy tale. Cuban hired Nico, an NBA newbie, as his first real GM. Cuban’swords, not mine. He didn’tstep on the new guy’stoes as much as he did Donnie’s, though he still stuck his nose where he shouldn’t. The sale effectively cut off Cuban’snose while making the Mavs’ org chart conventional. As governor, Dumont left allbasketball calls to Nico. Adecision universally applauded, too, especially after Nico put together an NBA Finals team on the fly last season. The Mavs, flush with cash andpromise,looked like amodel franchiseuntil Nico’sfacelift.
By the way: No matter what you may read or hear from theconspiracy-mongers, Dumont isn’tmelting down the organization so he can take it home in his carry-on. Peoplefrom Vegas don’tspend $3.5 billion on something just to blow it up. Bad economics. Adam Silver isn’tsanctioning amove from one of the nation’slargest markets to aplace that can’tguarantee it’ll supportanNBA team half as well. Vegas would get an expansion team, not Dallas. Besides, the Adelsons’ intent is to reap the windfall of avirgin market They can afford to wait. Nico made this crazy move because he’s not afraid to stick his neck out, as the deal for Kyrie Irving proved. He believes in defense more than he believesinLuka’s longterm prospects. His points have some validity,just not enough to justify dumping a25-year-old icon.
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 set up one of them with across-court feed to Johnson, who was standing open in the right corner after her defender gotlost in thepaint.Williamscrossed over,planted her feet, made sure to keep her eyes up and lofted apass over the defense to Johnson, who buried the corner 3. “I think she just found her consistency,” Johnson said. “It’sbeautiful to watch.”
ASSOCIATEDPRESS PHOTO BY FRANK GUNN
From left to right, Toronto Raptorsforwards Bruce Brown,Scottie Barnes and Chris Boucher react as fans boothe United States national anthem beforeagame against theLos Angeles ClippersonSundayinToronto
JOHNSON
Middle mencould decide SuperBowl
There’snobetterway to spoilaplayinthe NFLthese days than with strong pressure throughthe middle
BY DAVE CAMPBELL AP pro football writer
Once Josh Allen backpedaled from the shotgun snap after the Buffalo Bills had just gone ahead of Kansas City,this crucial twopoint conversion play late in the third quarter of the AFC championship game quickly turnedinto chaos.
Allen retreated to the14-yard line, sized up thepressure anddesperately darted right as two pass rushers converged. ChrisJones, the star of the Chiefs defense,fittingly finished the strip-sack. Over those few unfortunate seconds for Bills left guardDavid Edwards, Jones provided yet another vivid example of why he’s been a first team All-Pro for three years in arow With astraight-forward bull rush, Jones overpowered Edwards from his defensive tackleposition and single-handedly destroyed the pocket around Allen. Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis, after pushing righttackleSpencer Brown backmorethan 5yards, shrewdly veeredleft to keep Allenfrom scrambling around the end and then deftly shed the block with ajump backinside.Karlaftis helped corralAllen low, while Jones hit him high to dislodge the ball.
There’snobetter way to blow up aplay in the NFL these days than with strong pressure through the middle.
“It’sthe most direct path to the quarterback,” NFL Network analyst and formeroffensivelineman Brian Baldinger said. “The evolution of the quarterback position and the ability of these guys to either extend playsorjust become a runner,it’schanged the way people have to rush these guysnow.If you can collapse the pocket on the inside, you can make it alot harder on them.”
The outcome of Super Bowl LIX on Sunday between KansasCity and Philadelphia might well hinge on which team can better protect the interior against the fierce pass
rushlurking on theother side.The Eagles, led by ProBowl pickJalen Carter,accounted forthreeofthe top eightinteriorpass rushersin theleague thisseason, as ranked by Pro FootballFocus.
Jones got thehighest overall grade for interior defendersin 2024 and also was ranked as the best pass rusher at his position in PFF’sindependent analysis.
“He’sgot verylight feet for a bigguy.He’svery big, size-wise. He’sgot tremendous hands, and hisfeet and his hands are always moving. He’svery slippery.It’s hard to get hands on him, and he’sexcellent at getting his hands off you.He’sconstantly gaining ground whilegetting to your edge,”Baldinger said.“He just knows when thosekey moments are and how to win those moments.”
As aresult, interior offensive linemen have becomeincreasingly morevaluable.
Left tackle always has been a premium position for thevital role of blocking the right-handed quarterback’s blind side,and as thequalityofpass rushersspread acrossthe league, aright tackle whoalso could consistently hold hisown againsta dominant player on the edge became equally importanttohave. Thereare 32 tackles in theNFL with contracts carrying an annual average value of $10 million or more, according to salarydatacompiled by Over The Cap. Butthe guards and thecenters arecatchingupinvalue.There are 20 guards and six centers whosecurrent dealsaverage at least$10 million per year,according to OTC, beginning with Eagles
Barkleynot concernedwithrushing record
BY DANGELSTON AP sports writer
PHILADELPHIA The framedphotos hang on the wall at the farend of the Philadelphia Eagles’locker room, above the sofa ina space used as alounge area.
The picture on theleft is of Saquon Barkley,anaction shot from agameagainst theCommanders. Under the frame,there’sastrip of masking tape inscribed with “THE CHOSEN ONE.” On the right, anotherBarkley snapshot from agame against the Rams, and under it the tape reads,“OUR SAVIOR.”
An offensive lineman constructed the shrine, somewhat in jest, butalso to paytribute to the greatest season by arunning back in Eagles’ history
Maybe —arguably,atleast —in NFL history
The best individual season can be debated on anysports talk radio show.Barkley can only boost his credentials with his perfor-
GOODELL
Continued from page1C
true off the field.
The NFL expanded its season from 16 to 17 games in 2020. There has been speculation about going to 18 games. Where does that stand right now?
Goodell: We haven’thad any formal negotiation sessionsabout an extension. There is alot of work to be done. We committed in 2011 when we signed the collective bargaining agreement thatplayers would not only have asay in that, but they would actually be able to prevent it fromhappeningorsupport it happening. We were able to do that when we moved to 17 games back in 2020. Ithink it’sa large part in
manceSunday in the Super Bowl against theKansas City Chiefs.
The numbers are already staggering, startingwith his 2,005 yards rushing and his seven (postseasonincluded)touchdown runs of 60-plus yards. He is oneofonly twoplayers in NFL history with at least400 yards rushingand five touchdownsinasinglepostseason.
Theother? Terrell Davis.
Barkley is 30 yards shy of breaking the NFL season rushing record,postseason included, set byDavis in 1998 with theDenver Broncos.Barkley has 2,447 yards (442 in theplayoffs);Davis had 2,476 yardsand led the Broncos to the SuperBowl title.
“The only thing that makesit special,” Barkley said, “is winning aSuper Bowl.”
Barkley could be the differencemaker for the Eagles this year aftertheir 38-35 loss to Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs two years ago. Barkley watched some of thatgame on the plane ride home
the safetyofour game. The data around safetyhas been extraordinary.Concussions are at ahistorically low level this year.The way we train. All of those are factors. We know that fans love football and want more football, but we have tobesensible and smart
This is New Orleans’ 11th Super Bowl. Ithas 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 potentialsomeday 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’sgreat forthe New Orleans Saints to be thehost of
from Arizona,the siteofthat Super Bowl, where the former New York Giants star spent several days making various media rounds promotingthis and that but certainly not playing.
“That stuff is fun, RadioRow and all that,” Barkley said. “I like this alittlebit better.”
Barkleyand the Giantshad actually been knocked off that season by the Eagles in the NFC divisional round, the only timein his six seasons in NewYorkhe made the playoffs.Barkley might have been morelikely to wear a Travis Kelce jersey on theplane ride home than to ever consider cheering Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown and the rest of the hated NFC East rivals
“OfcourseI wasrootingagainst them,” Barkleysaid. “There was nopartofmethat wanted them to win.”
Twoyears later,Barkley is an MVP finalist in his first season with the Eagles and playing in the Super Bowl
ON THE WEB
Join the Saints Insider podcast livefrom Radio RowatSuper Bowl LIX from10a.m.-noon Tuesday. Host Zach Ewing will be joined by special guests to talkabout the NFL, the Saints and muchmore all week.Watch liveonthe NOLA.com home pageoronthe Saints on NOLA.comYouTube channel.
theSuper Bowl and have the world’sattention. AndIthink the same would be trueifwehad an international franchiseand to play aSuper Bowl there to supportthat franchise.
EmailRod Walker at rwalker@ theadvocate.com.
at age 25 next month. The Chiefs could move Thuney back to his natural spot if D.J. Humphries is deemed healthy enough to return to left tackle
For theEagles, Dickersonwas selected for his third straight Pro Bowl. Center Cam Jurgens got his first suchhonor afterstepping in this season for retired stalwart JasonKelce.Right guardMekhi Becton, a2020 first-round draft pick by theNew York Jets, was aformer tackle whosigned with Philadelphia andquickly took to his newposition. Dickerson started the NFC championship game at center because Jurgens was dealing witha back injury. Then Dickerson hurt his knee, forcing Jurgens back into duty
“These guys are playing through pain. Ijust can’t sayenough about howmuchIrespect these guys of what they have to do withtheir bodies,” Eaglescoach NickSirianni said. “I don’tthink anyone knows thehalfofit, whatthey have to do to play the long season.”
left guard LandonDickerson. Creed Humphrey of the Chiefs is theleague’shighest-paid center
Just like with the defensive linemen they’ll be trying to fend off, this SuperBowlwillbea showcase of some of the best interior blockers in thegame—whose success has been aided by revered veteran offensive line coaches. Kansas City’sAndy Heck is in his 12th season with the team and 21st as an NFL coach. Philadelphia’sJeff Stoutland is also in his 12th season with the team, spanning three head coaches, andhis 41st year of coaching.
Humphrey andleft guard Joe Thuney,who recently moved over to left tackle to help shore up an unsettled position, gave theChiefs apair of first-team All-Pros. Right guardTrey Smith wasa Pro Bowl pickwho’ll be aprize free agent
MOORE
Continued from page1C
Increasingly,the latter has becomeahot topic in theNFL as fans have wondered whether coaching candidates can truly multitask ahead of crucial games for their teams. Some Detroit Lions fans were incensed, for instance, thattwo days after the team’splayoff loss to the WashingtonCommanders, offensive coordinator Ben Johnson leftto become the Chicago Bears next coach. Days after that, the New York Jetshired Lionsdefensive coordinator Aaron Glenn to fill their coaching vacancy In Detroit, Johnson’sunit had an uncharacteristic performance with fiveturnovers.Glenn’s unit also gave up 38 of the Commanders’ 45 points. That characterizationmay not be fair to Johnson or Glenn, but NFL coaches have had to deal with the stigmainrecent years. Moore said he isn’tdistracted.
“It’sjust pure focus on this,” Mooresaid. “You don’thave to
The teamswith morevulnerability in the middle play at their own peril. Take the Vikings as another example, withinterior pass protection thathas beenaproblem for the past several years. Their 14-winseason wentupinflames when theywereblown outin Week 18 by the Detroit Lions and in their wild-card round playoff game by the Los AngelesRams. Quarterback Sam Darnoldwas swallowed up by the rush in those games, starting up the middle The Chiefs and Eagles are here because they’ve kept that from happening.
“Howmanypressures yougave up and how manysacks you gave up, those are the stats that we all know,” Sirianni said. “Sometimes you only get focused on for the negative thing. But Ilove offensive linemen.I’ve alwaysloved offensive linemen because of that selflessness theyhave.
“They’re protectors,right? They’re there to protect and serve otherpeople.”
Moore’sfocussofar hashelped the Eagles land in the Super Bowl. With the key signing of starrunning back SaquonBarkley in free agency,Moore has overseen an Eagles’ rushing attackthathas ledthe NFLthis season. He also has formed an offense that has looked quite different than his previous stops in Dallas and LosAngeles, where he wasmore of apass-happy coordinator But Mooresaidcoaching is part of adapting to your players. AndMoore’splayers havesaid that the coordinator is able to do just that.
“He’s agreat football mind,” Eagles tackle Lane Johnson said. “I think he’s afootballgenius and his best days are ahead of him, too.”
Are those days with New Orleans? Good luck getting an answer out of him
“It’sobviously been agood process,” Moore said.
Email Matthew Parasatmatt. paras@theadvocate.com
on Monday
STAFFPHOTO BY BRETT DUKE
NFLcommissioner Roger Goodell speaksduring anewsconferenceat the Caesars Superdome
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOBYASHLEY LANDIS
Kansas CityChiefs defensivetackle ChrisJones, left, hits Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen to cause a fumble during the second half of the AFC championship game on Jan. 26 in Kansas City,Mo.
THE VARSITYZONE
District 4-5A coulddeliver
twoNo. 1vs. No.2battles
Whenever you get aNo. 1vs. No. 2matchup in any sport it’s usually agood thing. In District 4-5A boys basketball, it could happen more than once over the nextfew weeks.
Coaches Derrick JonesofCatholic High and Brandon White of Liberty don’t hesitate to tell you their thoughts.
have all won recentLHSAAtitles too.
The rankings and the records arereminiscentofthe mid-1990s when the Baton Rouge area fielded its share of top classification powerhouse teams before the select/nonselect era began in the 2000s.
BY ROBIN FAMBROUGH Staff writer
Lessthan amonth ago, anumber of soccer schools either postponed or outright canceled nondistrict matches after several days of rain.
Episcopal was arare local exception
The Knights loadedabus and came back home with adoubleheader sweep of Metairie Park Country Day.Now,25days later,Episcopal hosts the Cajuns foraboys/girls DivisionIVregional playoff doubleheader
Wasfacing apotential playoff foe agood thing or abad one?
Episcopalboys soccer coach Kiran Booluck says it couldbeboth. Or perhaps anonfactor
“Both teamsgot to see how they matchup, whichcan be good,” Booluck said. “We’reinthatday and age where there are so many ways you can watch another team, I’m not sure it really matters.
“This is avery different team than the one Ihad last year.This year is arebuild forus. Ourseeding is true to whoweare now. We takeevery gameasa it comes and see what happens.”x
Booluck’ssixth-seeded Knights (14-6-1) host No. 11 Country Day (9-11-0) at 5p.m.Tuesday to kick off the doubleheader at Episcopal. Thethird-seeded Episcopalgirls (15-4-1) takeonNo. 14 Country Day (10-7-3) at about 7p.m.
The Episcopal boys are the reigning DivisionIVLHSAA champions. But with alineup that includes nine newstarters the Knights have retooled theirdefense andmidfield foraplayoff run that could include amatchup with Ascension Episcopal, theteam they beat in the final last year NorthlakeChristian also is on the sameside of thebracket. Newman in the top seed.
The Knights won 1-0 over the Cajuns last month. TheEpiscopal
girls, the Division IV runner-up the past twoseasons, recorded a 2-0 victory Country Day Tuesday’sdoubleheader at Episcopal helps jumpstart abusy week of playoff soccer in theBaton Rouge area that includes 20 matches.
TwoDivisionI boys matchups —St. Amant at Denham Springs on Wednesday and Dutchtown at Baton Rouge High on Thursday —are among the notable games to watch.
They think 4-5A is the toughest boys basketball league in Louisiana’s Class 5A ranks. Catholic (26-1) was No. 1inthe Division Iselect power rankings last week, ahead of Liberty (16-1) at No. 2as the teams prepare to meet at 7p.m. Friday in a4-5A opener Of course, Zachary’sJon McClinton feels the same way.And who could blame him. TheBroncos (21-3) were the LHSAA’s No 1Division Inonselect team last week. Yetanother 4-5A team, Central (19-2), sitsatNo. 2. Catholic, Liberty and Zachary
Therewere packed gymnasiums virtually every night as local teams foughtthrough two roundsofdistrict play in those days.There wouldtypically be an upset or two.
At the time, district play meant more. Your placement on the playoff bracket was determined solely by district finish. The additionofpower rankings was a game-changer.Now that power rankingsdetermineplayoff seeding, districtplay is minimized. The teams, including those in 4-5A, opttoplay one round of district games.
As we approach the start of 4-5A and also 5-5A —led by two other teams in theDivision I nonselect top five, No. 3Denham Springs and No.5 East Ascension
—the tension rightfully ramps up. Teams will look to runthe district table. Of course, that won’tbeeasy.InDistrict 4-5A you start with four teams leading theway in their respective divisions. No one will lose much ground in terms of power ratings,thanks to how successful theteams are. Butsomeone is going to win and the other team will lose in each major matchup. How does that tweak placement in those power rankings? We’ll see. There’salso the matter of Scotlandville and Woodlawn, who could play thespoiler role in 4-5A Icannot offer advice to the coaches other than, “Good luck.” It’sa great playoff primer for all teams ButIdohave some words of wisdom for fans. Buyyour tickets early.This should be afabulous February.
Email RobinFambrough at rfambrough@theadvocate.com
BY RASHAD MILLIGAN Staff writer
Former LSU football player
Greg Brooks Jr.ispublicly speakingout in the media after filing a lawsuit last year against the football program. The former LSU safety is filing a lawsuit against hisformer college football program because of what he believes was mistreatment that led to his permanent physical limitations.
“Now,people cannot understand me,” BrooksJr. told“Good Morning America” with astuttered and slurred speech Monday
In August 2023, Brooks Jr claimed he started to feel dizzy had aheadache and was nauseous. He also alleged he passed outbefore vomiting in front of his coaches and athletic trainers.
Brooks claimed theathletic trainertold him he hadvertigo, and he was cleared to return to practice. He reported thesymptoms on adaily basis, but it wasn’t until39daysafter thesymptoms started that the team made an appointment with aneurologist who discovered his brain tumor
“The one call Ireceivedwas, ‘I need youtoget here,’ “his father, Greg BrooksSr.,told “Good Morning America.” “‘Your son is having emergency surgery tomorrow morning.’
“He’satLSU,one of the best colleges in the USA. Iwould have never thought his best interest wouldn’thave been at heart.”
The Brooks family believed the surgery was theonly option at the time, and according to the lawsuit, theyclaim the surgeon wasn’t
qualified to do the procedure. Thebrain surgery resulted in BrooksJr. sufferingmultiple strokes and suffering severe and permanent injuries, according to the lawsuit.
“Honestly,Ithought it was fake,” Brooks Jr.said. “Like, Iwas in disbelief. Like, anightmare that I couldn’twake up from.” BrooksJr.,23, is nowcancerfree, but he’shad to relearn how to eat, write and speak.
“I just wantyoungathletes in the same spotI was [to knowthat] if something is hurting, tellthem,” Brooks Jr.said.
Email Rashad Milligan at rashad.milligan@theadvocate. com.
Booluck
Fambrough
STAFF FILEPHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON
McKinleyforward Jamond Jacobs, center, grabsthe ball from Liberty guard Devin Houston, right, during the East Baton Rougeboysbasketball tournamentchampionship on Dec.30atWoodlawn HighSchool.
LSUgym learns from ‘growing pains’
BY SCOTT RABALAIS Sports columnist
Someone asked Aleah Finnegan how muchgymnastics is mental compared to physical at her level.
The 2024 Olympian laughed
Notebook
“It’sall mental,” she said The gymnastics LSUput on display in Friday’s198.000197.175victory over Missouri, just thesecond score of 198 or higherfor any teamthis season, was proof the 2025 Tigers have what it takes to repeat as NCAA champions.
But LSU’s196.875-196.600 loss the previous week at Arkansas also shows how important it is thatthe Tigers work on theirconsistency as they head back on the road Friday to face Alabama (8 p.m., ESPNU).
“These guys know how to physically do their gymnastics,” LSU coach JayClark said. “There’snot a lot of learninggymnastics at this point. It’sdoing it day in and day out, preparing mentally to compete in the mindset you want to be in. That’sdifficult for some, easy for others. Sometimes we go through thesegrowingpains.”
LSUgymnast Aleah Finnegan beginsher floor exercise routine against MissourionFridayatthe Pete Maravich Assembly Center
The Tigers held ateam meeting after returning from Arkansas,
eagertoput the “growing pains” of that loss behind them and learn from it.
“We’re looking to improve in all areas of competition,” Finnegan said. “There’sstill alot of work to do.”
Bryant,Johnson update Clark said senior All-American Haleigh Bryant performedacompetitive vault Sunday in practice for the first time this season and had no ill effects.
Bryant injured the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in her elbow Dec. 16 during LSU’sGymnastics 101 exhibition meet. She missed LSU’sseason opener against Iowa State and has been limited to balance beam andfloor since, but Clark indicated she could soon reenter the lineup on vault.
“She doesn’thave alot of numbers in the tank, so Iwant to stop short of saying we’ll seeher compete (on vault) this week,” he said.
“But nothingflared up.Hopefully being judicious with herwill help us when we need it in the back third of the season.”
Clark said senior KJ Johnson,who returned to thelineuponvault after suffering asprained ankle three weeks ago, is close to being
able to return on floor, where she shared the 2024 Southeastern Conference title. The same for freshman KaliyaLincoln,who so far has also only done vault.
“We’re moving in the right direction,” Clark said of Johnson and Lincoln. “It’saslow process.”
LSUholds in rankings
The Tigers remained No. 3inthe national rankings this week based on their season average.
LSU’sscore against Missouri lifted the Tigers’ season average from 197.275 to 197.420. LSU is behind only Oklahoma(197.730) and Florida (197.456) and just ahead of No. 4Utah (197.204).
Florida, whichlost Jan. 17 at LSU 197.550-197.450, beat Georgia 198.125-196.825 the next week.
The Tigers are ranked first nationally on vault after aseasonbest 49.550 against Missouri. LSU is second on uneven bars, third on floor and fifth on balance beam.
Freshman Kailin Chio is ranked third nationally on vault (9.905), while Finnegan is seventh (9.895). Bryant is tied for 10th on floor (9.908).
ASSOCIATEDPRESS PHOTOBYDAVID ZALUBOWSKI
DenverNuggetsforward Hunter Tyson reaches for the ball as NewOrleans Pelicans guardsJordan Hawkinsand Trey Murphydefend in the first half MondayinDenver. This game endedafterpress time. Forafull storyvisit theadvocate.com
CORRECTION
Sunday’s listing for the Thursday, Feb.6,Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commissionmeeting had an incorrect location. The correct location is the Homer Hitt Alumni Center,University of New Orleans campus, 2000 Lakeshore Drive, NewOrleans.Themeetingis scheduledtobegin at 9:30 a.m.
Thomas Detry,319. Scoring Average 1, Rory McIlroy, 68.503. 2, Webb Simpson, 68.573. 3, C.T. Pan, 68.823. 4, BudCauley 69.073. 5, James Hahn, 69.323. 6, Sepp Straka, 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,Tom Kim, 317.1. 10, Norman Xiong, 316.8. Driving Accuracy Percentage 1, Takumi Kanaya,80.61%.2,Collin Morikawa,77.59%. 3, BenKohles,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, SamBurns, 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, 6tied with 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
Green 60%. Rounds Under Par 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%. ChampionsTour Statistics Through Feb. 2 Charles SchwabCup MoneyList 1, Ernie Els, $340,000. 2(tie), Alex Cejka, Miguel AngelJimenezand BernhardLanger, $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, CameronPercy,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, ThongchaiJaidee and BernhardLanger, 85.19%. 9, KenTanigawa,83.33%. 10, Brett Quigley,81.48%. Total Driving 1, Darren Clarke, 44. 2(tie), RichardGreen and Boo Weekley, 46. 4, StephenAmes, 48. 5, Alex Cejka, 49. 6(tie), StephenAmes and BernhardLanger, 52. 8, Heath Slocum, 54. 9, Scott Parel, 56. 10, 2tiedwith 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 tiedwith 5.33. Eagles (Holes per) 1, 26 tied with Sand Save Percentage 1(tie), KenDuke, JayHaas, Thongchai Jaidee and BernhardLanger, 100.00%. 5, Darren Clarke, 85.71%. 6(tie), David Duval, Retief Goosen, Miguel Angel Jimenezand Justin Leonard, 83.33%. 10, 3tiedwith 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 Angel Jimenez,
STAFF PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON
LIVING
Getting figgy with it
Pass down these family ‘heirlooms’ with easy propagationprocess
ASwine Palace production l Feb.7-9 and 12-16 in the ShaverTheatre in LSU’sMusic and
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
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
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
STAFFPHOTO BY ROBIN MILLER
Craig Ester,left, is Ira Aldridgeand Daniel Daigle is Pierre LaPorteinSwine Palace’sproduction of ‘Red Velvet.’
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!
Gentle reader: Your wife had acase of backstagefright,which is understandable. What if shehadn’t liked the show?
words?
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
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 page1D
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-
FIGS
Continued from page1D
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,
Continued from page1D
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
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 Martin MISS MANNERS LSU
McCLURE
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
better or For WorSe
beetLe bAILeY
Mother GooSe And GrIMM
SherMAn’S LAGoon
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
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.
Each Wuzzle is aword riddle which creates adisguised word, phrase, name, place, saying,
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?
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 our sins. G.E. Dean
marmaduKe
Bizarro
hagar the horriBle
Pearls Before swiNe
garfield
B.C.
PiCKles
hidato
mallard
RESOLUTION
Authorizingthe MayorPresidenttoenter into a professional services agreementbetween the City of BatonRouge Parish of East Baton Rouge, on behalf of the OfficeofCommunity De‐velopmentand Bayou RougeEnvironmental & Planning,a registered SEDBE, foranamountup to $150,000 forgrant planning,including sup‐port forthe development of OCD’s5-yearConsoli‐datedPlanand authoriz‐ingthe executionofall documents in connection therewith. By Community DevelopmentDirector.
RESOLUTION
Authorizingthe Mayor Presidenttoenter into a professional services agreementbetween the City of BatonRouge, Parish of East Baton Rouge, on behalf of the OfficeofCommunity De‐velopmentand HGA (Hunt Guillotand Associ‐ates)for an amount up to $300,000 forgrant technicalassistanceand administration services andauthorizing theexe‐cution of alldocuments in connection therewith. By Community Develop‐ment Director
RESOLUTION
‐gram,for the2024-2025 grantperiod; andautho‐rizing theexecution of all documentsinconnection therewith. By Human Services Director RESOLUTION Authorizing theMayorid g y Presidenttoexecute a cooperativeendeavor agreementwiththe LouisianaBlack History Hall of Fame,granting theuse andoccupancy of City-Parishimmovable property knownasLot 13, Block252, a60ftby 50ftcorneratS.14th Street andMyrtleStreet andprescribing condi‐tionsand limitations, for atermnot to exceed ten years. By Councilwoman Coleman. ORDINANCE Amending theCodeof Ordinances of theCityof BatonRouge,and Parish of East BatonRouge Title2 (Streets, Alleys Sidewalks, Battures and Sewers), so as to add Chapter11(Regulation of BroadbandFranchise Fees), relative to areasof theCityParisheligible forGUMBO 2.0funding in conformancewithLa. R.S. 51:2370, et seq. By Councilman Gaudet and Councilman Kenney
Patricia E. Baranco 991 Maximilian St Lot 8 PT (South 34 Ft.ofLot 8) Sq.247, Suburb SwartSubdivi‐sion -Council District 10Coleman Gail SandsRhines 1885 Oregon St.(House, AllAuxiliary Buildings, & AllAbandoned Vehicles), Lot7 &PT8 (Lot 7& S ½ of Lot8), Sq.301, SouthBaton RougeSub‐division -Council District 10 -Coleman
LauraR.Williams 180 E. Polk St Lot6,Sq. 34, SouthBaton Rouge Sub‐division -Council District 10 -Coleman
Londia Weatherspoon,Jr. 2545 YazooSt.,Lot 27, Sq 5, Valley Park SubdivisionCouncilDistrict12Racca 125840-FEB4-1T $194.17
PUBLIC NOTICEREQUISITION11297637 OFFICIAL PUBLIC NOTICE OF THE REGULARZONINGMEET‐ING OF THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL OF THEPARISHOFEAST BATONROUGE ANDTHE CITY OF BATON ROUGE Notice is hereby givento allcitizensofthe City of BatonRouge,Parishof East BatonRouge andto allother interested per‐sons,ofthe introduction at theregular meetingof theMetropolitanCouncil of theCity of Baton Rougeand Parish of East BatonRouge,heldon January29, 2025, of the proposed ordinances,the titles of whichare set forthhereinafter,and that public hearingwill be held thereonbythe Metropolitan Councilat 4:00 P.M.,Wednesday February 19, 2025, in the CouncilChambers(Room 348) on thethird floor of theCity-Parish Govern‐mental Building in this City,these proposed or‐dinances beingentitled as follows:
ORDINANCE University Club Planta‐tion Revocation,10thFil‐ingA requesttorevoke a 1,077sfofpublicright-ofwayportion of Harveston Way, locatednorth of TigerCrossing Driveand east of NicholsonDrive between lots 704 and705 of theUniversityClub Plantation,10thfiling Subdivision(CouncilDis‐trict3 -Gaudet) RV-1-25
ORDINANCE Amending theCompre‐hensiveZoningMap of theCityofBaton Rouge andParishofEastBaton Rouge, as containedin andmadepartofthe “UnifiedDevelopment Code “, as amendedso as to change thezoning on thepropertylocated at 1443 GardereLaneTo rezone property from Commercial Alcoholic Beverage (restaurant) (CAB-1)toHeavy Commer‐cial One(HC1) locatedon
Rescinding anddirecting theclerk of courttocan‐celthe Notice to Attend recorded on July 10, 2024, at Original 353 of Bundle 13321, andOriginal354 of Bundle 13321 andthe De‐cision andOrder recorded on August 30, 2024, at Original 33of Bundle 13330 In TheMat‐terof"City Of Baton Rougevs. TheEstateof Leslie T. McCoyand The Estate of Carrie McCoy"Condemnation Proceed‐ingNo. 11394 (9200 Scot‐land Ave.,Lot 1& 2, Fra‐ternityPlace Subdivi‐sion). Reason forrescis‐sion:A more detailed property description is needed.By: Department of Development RESOLUTION Rescinding anddirecting theclerk of courttocan‐celthe Decision and OrderrecordedonDe‐cember 21, 2020, at Origi‐nal858 of Bundle 13075 In TheMatterof"City Of BatonRouge vs.Lionel Christof,Jr."- Condem‐nation ProceedingNo. 10221 (831 South16th Street,Lot 5, Square 2, Enterprise Subdivision) Reason forrescission: Property wassoldand newowner have applied fora remodelpermit. By: Councilwoman Coleman CONDEMNATION INTRO‐DUCTIONS Samuel Stewart& Glad‐iesMathews Stewart 2164 MasonAve Lot9+ (Lots9 &10),Sq. 7, MonteSanoHighland FarmsSubdivisionCouncilDistrict5 -Hurst Larry Holliday &The Es‐tate of ShirleyA.O’Daniel 5342 Bank St.(Houseand AnyAbandoned Vehi‐cles), Lot240 BrookstownPlace Subdi‐vision -Council District 5 -Hurst Trevor C. Matthews 3125 CrestaireDr.,Lot 44, CrestaireSubdivisionCouncilDistrict6 -Dunn Jr Mary ChaissonBrous‐sard 5065 FairfieldsAve (Dwelling With Rear Garage andPavilion Area), Lot9 &W ½ of Lot 10, Sq.12, East FairfieldsSubdivi‐sion -Council District 7Harris
RESOLUTION 3OF2025
theeastsideofGardere Lane,north of GSRI Av‐enue,onpropertynow or formerly knownasLots 10 and11ofPlantation PlazaSubdivision.Sec‐tion 73, T8S, R1E, GLD, EBRP,LA(CouncilDistrict 3– Gaudet)Case1-25
ORDINANCE Amending theCompre‐hensiveZoningMap of theCityofBaton Rouge andParishofEastBaton Rouge, as containedin andmadepartofthe “UnifiedDevelopment Code “, as amendedso as to change the zoning on thepropertylocated at 8125 JeffersonHigh‐wayTorezoneproperty from Transition (B1) to LightCommercialOne (LC1)located on the northsideofJefferson Highway, southofBran‐donDrive,onproperty noworformerly known d
y as Lot10-A-1and Lot10B-1ofCountry Club Colony Subdivision. Sec‐tion 83, T7S, R1E, GLD, EBRP,LA(CouncilDistrict 11 -Adams)Case2-25
ORDINANCE Amending theCompre‐hensiveZoningMap of theCityofBaton Rouge andParishofEastBaton Rouge, as containedin andmadepartofthe “UnifiedDevelopment Code “, as amendedso as to change thezoning on thepropertylocated at 5652 WinbourneAv‐enue and3256 Blackwell DriveTorezoneproperty from Single Family Resi‐dential(A2)toTwo-Fam‐ily(A2.9)located on the southsideofWinbourne Avenue,eastofBlackwell Drive, on property nowor formerly knownasLot 5Band Lot5-C of Black‐well PlaceSubdivision
REQUISITION 11297636
NOTICEOFINTENTION TO DECLAREADJUDICATEDTAX PROPERTY
SURPLUSAND TO SELL SAME UNDER THEPROVISIONS OF LSAR.S. 33:4720.10 ET SEQ ANDLSA-R.S. 33:4712.
“Noticeishereby given that the Metropolitan Councilhas received a request to declarethe following listed property surplus and no longer needed for publicpurpose. These properties have previouslybeen adjudicated to the Parish of East Baton Rouge for unpaid taxes. Anyone wishing to offer ahigher price for the property or wishing to oppose the property being declared surplus, or wishing to oppose the sale must file awritten offer or writtenopposition with the CouncilAdministrator, c/o The Parish Attorney’sOffice, Room 905, Governmental Building, 222 St.LouisSt.,Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 70801, by 2:00 P.M. on February 19, 2025.Anyone wishing to offer an amountgreater than the minimum bid indicated below forthe property shall bring acertified check or moneyorder payable to the Parish of East Baton Rouge in the amount of the deposit indicated below.Ifmorethan one person is interested in any particular piece of property,all parties who have submitted the required deposit shall be allowed to submitadditional verbal bids at the Auctionthat willbeheld on the first floorofthe Governmental Building at the SecurityDesk at 3:00 p.m. on February 19, 2025.The Metropolitan Councilat4:00 p.m. on February 26, 2025,inthe Council Chambers(Room 348),after apublichearing, shall decide whether to declarethe property surplus and whether to accept the high bid. For additional information, contact the Parish Attorney’sOffice, Property section at 389-3114.
Authorizing the Metropolitan Counciltodeclarethe followingproperties previouslyadjudicated to East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, surplus property,and to authorizethe sale of said properties to the indicated persons, theiragents or assigns for the consideration mentioned (Minimum BidAmount), or to the highest offeror who submitstheiroffer withacertified check or moneyorder in the amountindicated:
Lot 12, Victoria Gardens
(certified funds):$
Lot 2, Square5,South Baton Rouge H2Bravo Construction LLC East Washington
ARESOLUTION PROVIDING FOR CANVASSING THERETURNS ANDDECLARING THERESULTS OF THE SPECIAL ELECTIONHELD IN THEPARISH OF WEST BATONROUGE, STATEOFLOUISIANA, ONSATURDAY, DECEMBER7,2024 AND TO PROMULGATE THE RESULTS THEREOF
BE IT RESOLVED by the ParishCouncil, actingasthe governing authority(the“Governing Authority”),of the Parish of West Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana(the Parish)that:
SECTION 1 Canvass.This Governing Authority doesnow proceed in open and public session to examine the official tabulations of votes cast at the special election held by the Parish on SATURDAY,DECEMBER 7, 2024 and said Governing Authority doesfurther proceed to examine and canvass the returns and declarethe results of the specialelection.
SECTION 2 Procès Verbal.A Procès Verbal of the canvass of the returns of said electionshall be made and acertified copy thereof shall be forwarded to the SecretaryofState, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, who shall record the same in his office; another certified copy thereofshall be forwarded to the Clerk of Courtand Ex-Officio Recorder of Mortgages in and forthe Parish who shall record the same in the Mortgage Records of the Parish; andanother copy thereof shall be retainedinthe archives of this GoverningAuthority
SECTION 3 Promulgation of ElectionResults.The results of said electionshall be promulgated by publication in the manner providedbylaw
SECTION 4 Election Cost.The estimatedcostofthe election as determined by the Louisiana Secretary of State was $6,000. The Foregoing ResolutionWas Considered,And, AfterPublicDiscussion, AMotion To ApproveWas Made By Council Member Kirk Allain, WhichWas SecondedByCouncil Member Gary Joseph.
ABSENT:0(None) And the resolution was declaredadopted on this the 9th day of January,2025.
/s/ Michelle Tullier,Council Clerk/s/ Jason Manola, President PROCÈS VERBAL AND PROCLAMATIONOF THECANVASS OF THEVOTES CAST AT THESPECIAL ELECTION
HELD IN THE PARISHOFWESTBATON ROUGE, STATEOFLOUISIANA, ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2024.
BE IT KNOWN AND REMEMBERED that on January9,2025 at Five-thirtyO’clock (5:30) p.m., at itsregular meeting place, West Baton Rouge Governmental Building, 880 NAlexander Avenue, Port Allen,Louisiana, the West Baton Rouge Parish Council, actingasthe governing authority (the Governing Authority”),ofthe Parish ofWest Baton Rouge, State of Louisiana (the“Parish”) and being the authority ordering the special electionheld thereinonSaturday,December 7, 2024, did, in openand public session, examinethe official certified tabulations of votes cast at the said election, and did examine and canvass the returns of the said election, therehaving been submitted at said election the following proposition, to wit: PARISH OF WEST BATON ROUGE, STATEOFLOUISIANA
PROPOSITION (RENEWAL) (Parishwide)
Shall the Parish of West BatonRouge,State of Louisiana(the “Parish”) be authorized to renew the levy and collection of a five (5.00) mill tax on all the property subject to taxation in theParish (an estimated $753,000 reasonably expected at this timetobecollected from the levy of the tax foranentireyear), foraperiod of ten (10) years, beginning with the year 2025 and ending with the year 2034, for the purpose of acquiring, constructing, improving, operating and/or maintaining recreationalfacilities and programsinand for the Parish?
LOUISIANADEPARTMENTOFELECTIONS ®ISTRATION
ORDINANCE Amending theCompre‐hensiveZoningMap of theCityofBaton Rouge andParishofEastBaton Rouge, as containedin andmadepartofthe “UnifiedDevelopment Code “, as amendedso as to change thezoning on thepropertylocated at 5655 Government Street To rezone property from LightCommercial (C1) to CommercialAlco‐holicBeverage(restau‐rant)(C-AB-1)located on thenorth side of Govern‐ment Street,eastof CloudDrive,onproperty noworformerlyknown as aportion of Harry CloudProperty of theS.B i p y JonesTract.Section 82 T7S, R1E, GLD, EBRP,LA (Council District 7- Har‐ris) Case 4-25 125847-FEB 4-11-18-3T $201.10
sourcesProgram (LCRP) Pursuant to Section306 (d)(14)ofthe Coastal Zone Management Actof 1972,as amended (CZMA),the public may submit commentson proposed projects to OCMConsistency Sec‐tion,P.O.Box 44487,
NOTICETheDepartmentofNat‐ural ResourcesOffice of CoastalManagementis currentlyreviewing the followingproject forCon‐sistency with theState andLocal CoastalRe‐sourcesManagementAct of 1978,asamended (La. R.S. 49:214.21-214.41), and theregulations of the LouisianaCoastal Re‐
/s/Michelle Tullier,Council Clerk
proclaimand announce theresultsofthe followingproposition submittedatthe specialelection held by the Parish held on Saturday,December7,2024, allasdescribed andset outinthe above Procès Verbal: Proposition DULYPASSEDbya majority of the votes cast.
THUS DONE
Creativity, communityand cosplay
By Amanda McElfresh| amcelfresh@theadvocate.com
Thelocalcreativespiritwillbeonfulldisplay at theMainLibrary at Goodwood on Saturday,February8,asthe East BatonRouge Parish Librarybringsbackthe MidCityMicro-Con
Theday-longevent willfeature up to 50 vendorsselling everything from handmade goodstoanime-themed items. Multiple food trucks will serveJapaneseand Cubancuisine,hand-roastedcoffee andmore.
Thehighlight of theday will be aseriesofworkshops andinteractive events,including thefollowing:
•10:30 a.m.:Drawing workshop with KeithCartoonmanDouglas
•11:00 a.m.:Speculative poetry reading hosted by DavidC.Kopaska-Merkel
•12:00 p.m.:Animecharacter design workshop with NathanielA.J Landry andEllemnop
•2:00p.m.: BreakA Nib! With Pratima, ahands-onzineworkshopfor participants to create theirown mini-publication
•2:30p.m.: CosplayShowand Tell,where participants will show off theircostumesand sharetheir personal tips andtricks
“The workshopsare designed forpeopletocometothe library, learna skilland walk away with adeliverable,” said BrandonReilly, coordinator for adultcommunity programming, special projects andoutreach for EBRPL. “Whenwewereselecting ourvendors,wealsoasked them to have somethinginteractive to do with people at theirtables. As acommunity organization,wewanttoconnect people to experiences.”
Some workshopsmay requireadvance sign-updue to limitedspace Visitwww.ebrpl.co/MCMC2025tolearn more or register forspecific activities Reilly addedthatMid City Micro-Conisnot designed to promoteany particular publisher or author,but rather to supportcreators andfans from multiple genres,particularly comics, animeand fantasy.
“One of themainthingswetried to focusonthisyear, both in our
speakers andvendors,isuplifting marginalized voices,” Reilly added. “Weintentionally sought outpeopleinthe industry whocomefrom backgroundsthatare maybe notaswell-representedastheyshouldbe. If they have aproject or skilltoshare, we’retryingtoinclude them and help them getthe word outabout theirwork.”
Theevent’s featured author will be Alex Jennings,who penned The Ballad of Perilous Graves.Jenningswillspeak at 12:00p.m.about creativity andhis ownwriting process. He will sign booksafter histalk. Then,at 2:00 p.m.,attendees canparticipate in ascavenger hunt to findsigned copies of Jennings’books andother prizes throughout thelibrary Jennings willalsohelpfacilitateadiscussionfromcosplayers. In cosplay, people createelaborate costumes to representtheir favorite fictional characters.Thisyear’sMid City Micro-Conwilloffer an opportunity forlocalstoshowoff theircreations, talk abouthow they made thecostumesand sharewhattheymeantothem.
“Evenifsomeone doesn’t want to participateinthe cosplayshowand-tell,westill invite them to dressupwhentheycome,”saidAllison Gianelloni,EBRPL communityprogramming librarian. “It’salot of fun to walk around andsee thedifferentcostumespeoplecomeupwith. It’s been oneofthe best partsofthe dayduringpreviousevents, so we’re lookingforward to seeing it againthisyear.”
MidCityMicro-Con is open to people of allagesand will feature kid-centricactivitieslikefacepaintingand balloonanimals.Gianelloni said oneofthe best aspectsofthe eventisthatitcreates aspace for people from differentbackgrounds to sharecommoninterests
“Peoplewalkawaywithnew friendsand memories of great experiences,” shesaid. “It’sa greatplace to make connections. Ilovetohear storiesfrompeopleabout howmeeting others at thelibrary enhanced theirlives.”
The2025Mid City Micro-Conwilltakeplace from 10:00a.m.to4:00 p.m. Saturday,February8 at theMainLibrary,7711GoodwoodBoulevard,Baton Rouge. Visitwww.ebrpl.com formoredetails
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