The Times-Picayune 02-22-2025

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TODAY’S PARADES maps, 3B

LUCKY DOGS

Lawsuit challenging execution methods reopened

Two Louisiana inmates scheduled to die in March

BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN and JOHN SIMERMAN Staff writers

A federal judge has reopened a long-running court case that could put Louisiana’s plans on hold to execute death row inmates Jessie Hoffman and Christopher Sepulvado next month.

U.S. District Judge Shelly D. Dick, the chief judge in Louisiana’s Middle District, agreed Friday to reopen a lawsuit initially filed in 2012 that challenged the state’s execution methods. The decision came in response a request from attorneys for death row inmates who sought to urgently reopen the case — and who are ultimately seeking stays of execution for Sepulvado and Hoffman. When the suit was first filed, Hoffman and other death row inmates challenged the state’s execution methods as Louisiana sought to execute Sepulvado by lethal injection. The plaintiffs succeeded in delaying his and all

ä See LAWSUIT, page 4A

Federal layoffs ripple through La.

BY BLAKE PATERSON Staff writer

Chante Powell struggled to choose among several job offers last year as she looked for the next step in her career In December, she settled on a new position as an auditor at the National Finance Center that would let her return to her native Louisiana.

The little-known federal agency, headquartered in New Orleans, processes payroll for nearly 700,000 federal workers. Powell’s job was to review financial statements and root out waste, fraud and abuse. That is, until Valentine’s Day, when she was called into a conference room and handed a letter

“The Agency finds, based on your performance, that you have not demonstrated that your further employment at the Agency would be in the public interest,”

ä See LAYOFFS, page 6A

Residents of state homeless shelter in Gentilly speak out

Some say facility comfortable but not without challenges

BY SOPHIE KASAKOVE Staff writer

On a mid-January morning, Lloyd Lepley woke before dawn to find police lights flashing up and down the Pontchartrain Expressway underpass, with officers telling him and other people sleeping there that it was time to go. Lepley was wary at first of Gov Jeff Landry’s plan to bus him and others without homes to a Gentilly warehouse, and was skeptical that

officials would make good on their promise to connect people there with long-term housing. But after a year of living on the streets, Lepley said he couldn’t pass up the chance to get a roof over his head. Now, a month after Landry’s administration enacted that unprecedented effort, Lepley and three other shelter residents described the facility as relatively comfortable, though not without its challenges. Drug overdoses — none fatal — have been an issue, Lepley said.

And 27 people had found a home as of Wednesday — which makes Lepley and others cautiously optimistic that it will soon be their turn.

“I think everyone here will be housed. The governor can’t let this fail he did this,” said Lepley, motioning toward the steel warehouse. “If it fails, it looks really bad for him.”

Lepley and others spoke to a reporter this week as they walked to or from the shelter on France Road in Gentilly, which state officials have closed to the media. It’s one of the first times since residents were bused there that they have spoken publicly about their experience.

The number of residents matched with homes — 21 of whom have already moved in

ä See

— is

STAFF FILE PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

A warehouse in Gentilly was converted into a homeless shelter where Gov. Jeff Landry and Louisiana state officials sent unhoused people living downtown.

SHELTER, page 4A

STAFF PHOTOS By SOPHIA GERMER

Gregory Curtis feeds tiny pieces of a lamb chop to His Majesty XXXII, King Petey Benson, as he is held by his owner Gayle Benson during the Mystic Krewe of Barkus royal luncheon at Galatoire’s on Friday. Established in 1993, the Mystic Krewe of Barkus is a nonprofit organization benefiting animal charities. The Barkus parade marches through the French Quarter at 2 p.m Sunday.

Her Majesty XXXII, Queen Ruthie Sable, wears a crown during the Mystic Krewe of Barkus royal luncheon at Galatoire’s on Friday.

His Majesty XXXII, King Petey Benson, shows off his crown during Friday’s luncheon.

1 injured in Holocaust memorial attack in Berlin

BERLIN An assailant seriously injured a man in an attack at Berlin’s Holocaust Memorial on Friday police said, and German media reported that it was a stabbing. A man later was seen surrendering to officers, though police did not immediately confirm they had arrested a suspect. There was no immediate indication of a motive for the attack, which comes two days before Germans vote in a national election on Sunday

About three hours after the attack, as police cars surrounded the vast grounds of the memorial, an Associated Press photographer witnessed a man claiming to be the culprit surrender to officers, but there was no immediate police confirmation of an arrest. Police held the man face-down to the ground as they took him into custody

The attack took place about 6 p.m. at the memorial, a

of 2,700 gray concrete slabs near the Brandenburg Gate in the heart of Berlin. The victim was seriously injured and taken to a hospital, Berlin police said. German newspapers including Tagesspiegel said he was stabbed, citing police sources.

ICE official reassigned amid frustrations

WASHINGTON The top official in charge of carrying out President Donald Trump’s mass deportations agenda has been reassigned amid concerns that the deportation effort isn’t moving fast enough.

Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement Friday that Caleb Vitello, the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was “no longer in an administrative role, but is instead overseeing all field and enforcement operations: finding, arresting, and deporting illegal aliens, which is a major priority of the President and Secretary (Kristi) Noem.”

The statement made no mention of why Vitello, a career ICE official with more than two decades on the job, was reassigned or who his replacement will be. But White House officials have expressed frustration with the pace of deportations of people in the country illegally

The decision comes a little over one month into the new administration, showing how important immigration and carrying out mass deportations are to the Trump administration.

ICE — specifically, its Enforcement and Removal Operations arm — is the key agency tasked with carrying out the Republican president’s pledge of mass deportations of people in the country illegally during his second term.

Chess grandmaster selling jeans for charity

NEW YORK Top-ranked chess player Magnus Carlsen is turning his controversial denim into some greens — for charity.

The Norwegian chess grandmaster announced this week that he is auctioning off the Italian luxury brand jeans that started a dress code dispute at December’s World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships Carlsen ultimately quit the New York competition after accepting a $200 fine while refusing to change his pants. While the tournament’s governing body agreed to loosen the dress code, Carlsen is parting with his infamous britches.

Chess fanatics and #JeansGate followers now have the chance to own Carlsen’s pair of size 32 regular fit Corneliani jeans. The auction is scheduled to end March 1 Listed as preowned but in “good” condition on eBay, the pants’ highest offer was $8,200 as of the morning of Feb. 21.

Proceeds will go to Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, a national youth-mentoring charity that carries out its mission through local chapters across 5,000 communities nationwide. According to BBBSA President and CEO Artis Stevens, they will be used to “bring mentorship to even more youth through chess clinics, community events, and more, equipping them with the skills and confidence to navigate life’s challenges.” BRIEFS

Hamas pledges to probe release of wrong body

BY AREEJ HAZBOUN Associated Press

JERUSALEM Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed revenge Friday for what he described as a “cruel and malicious violation” of the ceasefire agreement after authorities determined that a body released by Hamas was not an Israeli mother of two small boys, as the militant group had promised.

The incident raised new doubts about the future of the fragile ceasefire deal, which has paused over 15 months of war but is nearing the end of its first phase.

In the short term, though, there were indications that the deal’s next step — the release of six living Israeli hostages on Saturday in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners — would proceed as planned.

Hamas suggested in a statement Friday that a mix-up of remains might have occurred after Israel bombed the area where both the Israeli hostages and Palestinians were present The group said it would “conduct a thorough review.”

In other developments, U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that he will not try to muscle through his plan for the United States to take over and rebuild the Gaza Strip into a tourist destination, displacing Palestinians. The plan was welcomed by Netanyahu but universally rejected by Palestinians and Arab countries.

Hamas’ military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, said it would go ahead with the release of the six Israeli hostages Saturday.

Hamas turned over four bodies Thursday as part of the ceasefire deal. They were supposed to have been those of

Shiri Bibas, her sons, Kfir and Ariel, and Oded Lifshitz, who was 83 when he was abducted during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas that ignited the war Israeli authorities said they had positively identified the remains of the two boys and of Lifshitz. However, the fourth body was determined to be that of an unidentified woman from Gaza.

“We will work with determination to bring Shiri home together with all our hostages — both living and dead — and ensure that Hamas pays the full price for this cruel and malicious violation of the agreement,” Netanyahu said. “The sacred memory of Oded Lifshitz and Ariel and Kfir Bibas will be forever enshrined in the heart of the nation. May God avenge their blood. And so we will avenge.”

Hamas said it had “no interest in retaining any bodies,” adding that it had “demonstrated full compliance with the agreement” in recent days and remained “committed to all its terms.”

“We reject Netanyahu’s threats, which serve only to manipulate Israeli public opinion,” Hamas said, calling on mediators to ensure the continued implementation of the ceasefire. The group also called for the return of the unidentified remains.

Netanyahu’s vow for revenge was rejected by the aunt of the Bibas children, who said Israeli officials had failed to protect them on the day of the attack and then abandoned them in captivity

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, we did not receive an apology from you in this painful moment,” Ofri Bibas Levy said in a video statement released Friday by a group representing the families of hostages. “We are not seeking revenge right now We are asking for Shiri.”

U.S. envoy praises Zelenskyy after Trump censures him

BY ILLIA NOVIKOV Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine President Donald Trump’s envoy to Ukraine and Russia said on Friday that he had held “extensive and positive discussions” with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about the three-year war with Russia and praised the Ukrainian leader as an “embattled and courageous leader of a nation at war.”

Retired U.S. Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg — who traveled to Kyiv on Wednesday and whose planned news conference with Zelenskyy on Thursday was changed at the last minute to a simple photo opportunity — struck a positive tone after what he said on the social platform X was “a long and intense day” of talks with Ukraine’s senior leadership. His comments marked a departure from recent rebukes of Zelenskyy by Trump and other senior U.S. officials that appeared to indicate an abrupt deterioration of relations.

Trump called Zelenskyy “a dictator without elections” and warned him that he’d “ better move fast ” to negotiate an end to the war or risk not having a nation to lead.

The possibility that vital U.S military aid for Ukraine was in doubt darkened the mood in Kyiv as Ukrainian forces struggle to hold back Russia’s bigger army on the battlefield. European governments, uneasy about being sidelined so far in talks between senior U.S. and Russian officials, have jumped to shore up Zelenskyy and at the same time avoid a breakdown in transatlantic relations.

Polish President Andrzej Duda, whose country has been a vocal supporter of neighboring Ukraine, said Zelenskyy phoned him on Friday Duda said he told Zelenskyy “to remain committed to the course of calm and constructive cooperation” with Trump.

“We consistently believe there is no other way to stop

the bloodshed and achieve lasting peace in Ukraine except with the support of the United States,” Duda said he also told Zelenskyy “I trust that goodwill and honesty form the foundation of the U.S. negotiation strategy,” Duda said on X. “I have no doubt that President Trump is guided by a deep sense of responsibility for global stability and peace.”

The European Union’s top defense official said Friday that the bloc plans to send a strong message of support to Ukraine next week with a new aid package to mark Monday’s third anniversary of the war EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius said senior members of the bloc’s executive branch are weighing how, “in a very urgent way, to send a very strong message to Ukrainians and to the world that we are standing together with Ukraine.” European policy commissioners, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and other top EU officials are traveling to Kyiv on Monday Russia has pressed on with its invasion even as talks with the U.S. take place, striking civilian targets almost daily

On Friday, Russian forces dropped three powerful glide bombs on Kostiantynivka, in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, killing one man and injuring two others, regional Gov Vadym Filashkin said. Another Russian glide bomb damaged homes and injured five people in the northeastern Kharkiv region, Ukraine’s Interior Ministry said. The public quarrel between Trump and Zelenskyy began after Russia and the U.S. agreed Tuesday to start working toward ending the war in Ukraine and improving their diplomatic and economic ties. With that, and a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump abruptly reversed the three-year U.S. policy of isolating Russia.

BY JEFFREY COLLINS Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Condemned South Carolina inmate Brad Sigmon has chosen to die next month by a firing squad, a method of execution that has not been used in the U.S. in 15 years.

Sigmon is scheduled to die on March 7 On Friday, he became the first South Carolina inmate to choose the state’s new firing squad over lethal injection or the electric chair

Only three inmates in the U.S. have been executed by firing squad since 1976. All were in Utah, with the last one taking place in 2010

Sigmon, 67, will be strapped to a chair and have a hood placed over his head and a target placed over his heart in the death chamber Three volunteers will fire at him through a small opening about 15 feet away.

Lawyers for Sigmon asked to delay his execution date earlier this month because they wanted to learn if the prisoner in South Carolina’s previous execution, Marion Bowman, was given two doses of pentobarbital at his execution on Jan. 31 and look over his autopsy report

The justices rejected his delay and court records Friday have not indicated

if Sigmon’s lawyers have received Bowman’s autopsy report yet Sigmon didn’t pick the electric chair because it would “burn and cook him alive,” his attorney Gerald “Bo” King wrote in a statement.

“But the alternative is just as monstrous,” King said. “If he chose lethal injection, he risked the prolonged death suffered by all three of the men South Carolina has executed since September three men Brad knew and cared for — who remained alive, strapped to a gurney for more than twenty minutes.”

Sigmon said South Carolina keeping so much secret about how it conducts lethal injections led him to

decide on what he knows will be a violent death, his lawyer said.

“He does not wish to inflict that pain on his family, the witnesses, or the execution team. But given South Carolina’s unnecessary and unconscionable secrecy, Brad is choosing as best he can,” King said. Sigmon was convicted in the 2001 baseball bat killings of his ex-girlfriend’s parents at their home in Greenville County. They were in separate rooms, and Sigmon went back and forth as he beat them to death, investigators said. He then kidnapped his exgirlfriend at gunpoint, but she escaped from his car He shot at her as she ran but missed, according to prosecutors. Condemned S.C.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By OHAD ZWIGENBERG

People gather at a vigil in Tel Aviv, Israel, hours after Hamas militants turned over four bodies to Israel, three of which have been identified by Israel as hostages Ariel and Kfir Bibas, and Oded Lifshitz, while the fourth, they said, is that of an unknown person.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By ERIK VERDUZCO

Judge allows USAID staffers to be pulled off job

BY ELLEN KNICKMEYER and LINDSAY WHITEHURST Associated Press

WASHINGTON A federal judge on Friday cleared the way for the Trump administration to pull thousands of U.S. Agency for International Development staffers off the job in the United States and around the world.

U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols declined to keep in place his temporary block on the effort to remove all but a small fraction of USAID staffers from their posts, as part of an administration plan that would also give those abroad a 30-day deadline to move back to the U.S. at government expense.

His ruling comes in a broad lawsuit filed by unions on behalf of workers, especially those at risk of being stranded abroad. The suit describes the Trump administration stalling needed medical evacuations for USAID staffers and spouses overseas, cutting some contractors off from emergency communications, and leaving staffers to flee political violence in Congo without support or funding.

The lawsuit more broadly challenges the constitutionality of the administration attacks on USAID, saying eliminating an agency would require congressional approval.

“At present, the agency is still standing,” Nichols wrote in his ruling. “And so the alleged injuries on which plaintiffs rely in seeking injunc-

tive relief flow essentially from their members’ existing employment relationships with USAID.” Nichols found that the unions’ challenge must be dealt with under federal employment laws rather than in district court.

President Donald Trump and the cost-cutting Department of Government Efficiency tied to billionaire Elon Musk have moved swiftly to shutter USAID, asserting without evidence that its work is wasteful and out of line with the president’s agenda.

Multiple lawsuits from groups representing USAID workers and nonprofits and businesses are challenging the job cuts and the sudden shutdown of the agency overall, as well as a freeze on foreign assistance. Another court order has temporarily blocked the halt to funding Nichols said he had been “very concerned” about workers in high-risk areas left overseas without access to emergency communications. But has since been reassured by the Trump administration that they would still have access to two-way radios that allow 24/7 communications in emergencies, as well as a phone app with a “panic button.”

He said the government’s statements persuaded him “that the risk posed to USAID employees who are placed on administrative leave while stationed abroad — if there is any is far more minimal

Senate GOP approves budget framework

BY LISA MASCARO, KEVIN FREKING and MATT BROWN Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Republican senators pushed a $340 billion budget framework to passage early Friday, chugging through an all-night session and Democratic opposition in a step toward unleashing money the Trump administration says it needs for mass deportations and border security that top their agenda.

The hourslong “vote-arama” rambled along in a dreaded but crucial part of the budget process, as senators considered one amendment after another, largely from Democrats trying to halt it. But Republicans used their majority power to muscle the package to approval on a largely party-line vote, 52-48, with all Democrats and one GOP senator opposing it.

“What we’re doing today is jumpstarting a process that will allow the Republican Party to meet President Trump’s immigration agenda,” Senate Budget Committee chair Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said while opening the debate. Graham said President Donald Trump’s top immigration czar Tom Homan, told senators that the administration’s deportation operations are “out of money” and need more funding from Congress to detain and deport immigrants. With little power in the minority to stop the onslaught, Democrats instead used the all-night debate to force GOP senators into potentially embarrassing votes including the first one, on blocking tax breaks to billionaires. It was turned back on procedural grounds. So were many others.

“This is going to be a long, drawn-out fight,” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York warned. Hours later, Schumer said it “was only the beginning” of what could become a monthslong debate.

The package is what Republicans view as a down payment on Trump’s agenda, part of a broader effort that will eventually include legislation to extend some

than it initially appeared.”

Pregnant women worry

The Trump administration has stalled medical evacuations for as many as 25 USAID staffers and spouses in the later stages of high-risk pregnancies overseas, according to testimony in lawsuits and a person familiar with the cases. The person was not authorized to speak publicly so spoke on condition of anonymity USAID “will undertake all measures as appropriate to ensure the safety and security of current employees,” deputy administrator Pete Marocco said in a court filing Thursday

The administration says it is taking all required care of staffers as it terminates USAID programs and aims to recall thousands of workers and their families abroad.

The American women and

their spouses, however, say they have been left in substandard medical care in posts in unstable countries, fearing for their lives.

“Everyone says I need to wait and see what happens” with Trump administration decisions, a USAID staffer, whose pregnancy is complicated by high blood pressure, said in a court filing from her posting in an undisclosed country in Africa.

The woman’s affidavit and others from staffers were filed with courts anonymously because of repeated warnings from the Trump administration that USAID staffers risk dismissal if they speak publicly

“I have a due date that does not allow me to just wait and see what happens,” the USAID staffer wrote. “If I cannot medevac as planned, I will be in a life-threatening situation.”

In another case, a pregnant spouse of a USAID worker was left hemorrhaging in a foreign hospital bed to await delivery her husband said in another affidavit. The intervention of a U.S senator, who was not identified in the the affidavit, secured the government’s agreement to pay for a medical evacuation. But doctors say the approval came too late in her pregnancy for her to safely take a long series of flights back to the U.S., even with medical escort.

The State Department did not respond to requests for comment on workers’ allegations that the government was stalling or refusing medical evacuations.

Other uncertainty abroad

In lifting his order temporarily blocking the Trump administration order that would put thousands of USAID staffers on leave, Nichols allowed the administration to start the clock on a 30-day deadline for USAID workers abroad to travel home at government expense.

Lawyers for employee groups presented Nichols with accounts saying that the Trump administration had left workers without direction or funding when political violence in Congo forced their evacuation.

USAID officials paid for two meals and offered the evacuated Congo-based employees an opportunity to look at boxes of donated clothing once they arrived in

Washington, said the staffers, who were not identified in court documents.

Administration officials otherwise have left the evacuated staffers to rack up tens of thousands of dollars in uncompensated hotel bills, with no guidance on whether they should stay in Washington, go elsewhere or whether they still will have a job, the lawsuit charges. USAID workers still overseas describe their lives as in chaos and lacking guidance from the government, including USAID failing to pay electricity bills.

Staffers told the courts in written testimony that they fear being left without time or the means to sell their homes or pay off angry landlords owed money

Lifesaving programs offline

Current and former USAID officials say the funding freeze and staff reductions have kept even lifesaving programs worldwide offline despite Secretary of State Marco Rubio granting waivers. That includes programs such as a two-decade-old AIDS and HIV program — called the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR credited with saving more than 20 million lives in Africa as well as a disease-outbreak response that normally would be trying to prevent further spread of recent Ebola cases in Uganda, according to two officials for those programs.

Judge cancels trial for NYC mayor Eric Adams

BY LARRY NEUMEISTER and MICHAEL R. SISAK Associated Press

$4.5 trillion in tax breaks and other priorities. That’s being assembled by House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, in a separate budget package that also seeks up to $2 trillion in reductions to health care and other programs.

Trump has preferred what he calls one “big, beautiful bill,” but the White House is open to the Senate’s strategy of working on the border package first, then turning to tax cuts later this year. As voting began, the president signaled his go-ahead, posting a thank you to Senate Majority Leader John Thune “and the Republican Senate, for working so hard on funding the Trump Border Agenda.”

Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky cast the lone GOP vote against the framework.

What’s in the package

The Republican Senate package would allow up to $175 billion to be spent on border security, including money for mass deportation operations and building the U.S.-Mexico border wall, in addition to a $150 billion boost to the Pentagon and about $20 billion for the Coast Guard.

But there won’t be any money flowing just yet, as the process has several steps ahead. The budget resolution is simply a framework that sends instructions to the various Senate committees Homeland Security, Armed Services, Judiciary to hammer out the details. Everything will eventually be assembled in another package, with another vote-a-rama down the road.

Sen John Barrasso, RWyo., the No 2-ranking Senate Republican, said GOP lawmakers are acting quickly to get the administration the resources they have requested and need to curb illegal border crossings. “The budget will allow us to finish the wall. It also takes the steps we need toward more border agents,” Barrasso said. “It means more detention beds It means more deportation flights.”

NEW YORK A federal judge on Friday cancelled the corruption trial for New York City Mayor Eric Adams and appointed counsel to advise him on how to handle the Justice Department’s controversial request to drop charges against the Democrat.

Judge Dale E. Ho’s written order means he won’t decide before mid-March whether to grant the dismissal of the case against the embattled mayor of the nation’s largest city

At a hearing Wednesday, Acting Deputy U.S. Attorney General Emil Bove cited an executive order by President Donald Trump outlining his criminal justice priorities as he defended the request to drop charges Adams confirmed at the hearing that he accepted that charges could later be reinstated, a feature of the request to dismiss charges that has led critics to suggest that the mayor would be required to carry out Trump’s plans to round up New Yorkers who are in the country illegally if he wanted to remain free from prosecution.

The request is “virtually unreviewable in this courtroom,” Bove argued.

Adams was indicted in September and accused of accepting more than $100,000 in illegal campaign contributions and travel perks from a Turkish official and business leaders seeking to buy influence while he was Brooklyn borough president. He faces multiple challengers in June’s Democratic primary He has pleaded not guilty and has insisted on his innocence.

At Wednesday’s hearing, Ho raised the possibility that he could appoint a lawyer to advise him on future steps.

He did so on Friday when he said he’d appointed Paul Clement, a former U.S. solicitor general and acting U.S. attorney general, as amicus curiae to present arguments on the government’s request to throw out the charges

Ho said he wanted all parties and Clement to address the legal standard for dismissing charges, whether a court may consider materials beyond the motion itself and under what circumstances additional procedural steps and further inquiry would be necessary

He also said he wants to

know under what circumstances, dismissal can occur without the ability to reinstate charges or with the ability to reinstate charges. He scheduled briefs to be filed by March 7 and, if necessary, oral arguments to occur on March 14.

Late Thursday three former U.S. attorneys — from New York, Connecticut and New Jersey — submitted a letter urging Ho to “hear from parties other than the government and the defendant in deciding about the appropriate next steps.”In

court on Wednesday Adams’ lawyer, Alex Spiro, said no appeals court has ever sided with a judge who rejected an unopposed motion to dismiss a criminal case. Until about 80 years ago, such requests were granted automatically, without a judge weighing in.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JOSE LUIS MAGANA Flowers and a sign are placed outside the headquarters of the U.S Agency for International Development, or USAID, Feb 7 in Washington.

other executions, in part because Louisiana could not obtain proper drugs for lethal injection — then the state’s only approved execution method.

Dick, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, dismissed the case in 2022 after thenAttorney General Jeff Landry argued it was moot, since the state was unable to get the lethal injection drugs and was not executing anyone. Dick’s decision however, allowed the plaintiffs to refile the case if circumstances changed “This case has always been about Louisiana’s execution protocol,” Dick wrote in her ruling Friday “It is still about Louisiana’s execution protocol. And now that the protocol appears viable, there is an actionable case and controversy.”

After Landry became governor, he successfully pushed the Legislature last year to add nitrogen hypoxia and electrocution to the state’s list of approved execution methods. Last summer, plaintiffs in the federal case asked that the case be reopened, but Dick did not immediately issue a decision

The case took on new urgency last week after Landry announced the state was ready to execute death row inmates using nitrogen gas. State judges quickly signed death warrants for Sepulvado and Hoffman, scheduling their executions back-to-back for March 17 and March 18, respectively

A Rapides Parish judge signed a third execution warrant that he soon revoked, after the condemned man’s attorneys claimed he hadn’t exhausted his appeals.

Dick had signaled in a 2022 ruling that new execution methods would likely revive the case. She cited her past ruling in Friday’s decision.

SHELTER

Continued from page 1A

up from the 12 residents who had been housed last week. There are 154 people still living at the shelter

Mike Steele, a spokesperson for the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, said that social workers have helped many residents get identification and other documents needed to apply for housing. That process was delayed by January’s historic snowstorm.

“Hopefully that spike continues to climb,” Steele said.

Shelter leaders said their goal is to house most residents before Workforce Group’s contract ends, which could happen as soon as March 11. The state has the option to extend its contract and lease for the property for another 30 days at a total cost of up to $17.5 million.

State officials said they are considering opening a smaller facility for remaining residents if everyone isn’t housed by the time the lease expires.

The governor’s push to resolve New Orleans’ homelessness crisis has morphed from state officials relocating homeless residents to a single, partially obscured area under the U.S. 90 bridge to tapping the Workforce Group, a state contractor, to oversee the temporary shelter Workforce then signed a lease with business owner Kevin Kelly to use the warehouse which Kelly in turn leases from the Port of New Orleans — and selected Stacy

“If Attorney General Landry is somehow successful in the future at accomplishing that which has yet to be accomplished by the legislature — an alternative means of execution in Louisiana, Plaintiffs and Defendants will have an entirely different execution protocol over which to litigate,” she wrote in 2022.

Cecelia Kappel, director of Loyola University’s Center for Social Justice, who is representing the plaintiffs, noted that Alabama remains the only state to have used nitrogen gas to put people to death, so far deploying it four times She said the results have been “grotesque and horrifying.”

“We’ve been challenging the state’s methods of execution for almost 13 years,” she said Friday “The state is rushing forward with executions at warp speed We still don’t know what the protocol will be to execute them.”

Hours after Dick reopened the case, Landry and state Attorney General Liz Murrill slammed the decision. Murrill pledged to challenge it at the New Orleans-based U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.

“While I am not surprised by this ruling, I believe it is egregiously wrong as a matter of law,” Murrill said in a statement “Federal jurisdiction is not a Phoenix that can rise up through the ashes of a case.”

Landry posted on X that Dick’s ruling was “not shocking” and criticized her as a “liberal activist judge.” He accused her of waiting “until the eve of execution to rule on this defective motion.”

And Landry argued that Dick sided with the inmates over victims.

“I took an oath to uphold the laws of Louisiana, and I will continue to fight for Justice for the victims,” the governor said. “These criminals on death row committed some of the most cruel and heinous crimes imaginable.”

Landry and Murrill have vowed to ensure death row inmates are executed, which they say will bring justice to victims’ families.

But the news about a new protocol and the upcoming execution dates also prompted the death row plaintiffs to file new court motions

pushing for a speedy case reopening.

Though Landry’s office released a general summary of the execution protocols, state corrections officials this week denied a request from The Advocate | The TimesPicayune for the official execution protocols, claiming the records are not public.

In doing so, Department of Corrections officials cited two state statutes. The first exempts from public release a wide swath of law enforcement, DOC and attorney general’s office records.

The second statute makes certain information about executions confidential, including identifying information about “any person, business, organization, or other entity directly or indirectly involved in the execution of a death sentence.” That includes the identity of anyone who provides supplies used in the execution.

While such information always had some protection from release, the Legislature last year strengthened the confidentiality provisions when it passed a law prohibiting such records from being released through any court proceeding That law has not yet been tested.

The protocol summary the state did release says that when the state carries out a death sentence, an inmate will have access to a spiritual adviser, and that designated relatives and members of the media will witness the execution.

It also says medical monitors will track the vital signs of the inmate being put to death. A mask will be fitted on the inmate, and “pure nitrogen gas will be administered to the inmate through the mask for a sufficient time period necessary to cause the death of the inmate.”

Louisiana has not executed anyone since 2010, when the state killed Gerald Bordelon at his request.

But Hoffman and Sepulvado may be next.

Horn Koch, long known for her work with New Orleans’ homeless population, to head up a longerterm housing initiative.

The state has continued to fence off areas formerly occupied by homeless residents in recent weeks.

Earlier this month, Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development crews began erecting tall metal fences all along the Pontchartrain Expressway underpass.

Landry’s efforts have triggered a lawsuit and criticism from local leaders who cast it as harmful to the city’s own work to house peo-

ple. City Council member Lesli Harris said after multiple visits the facility was ill-equipped to handle its nearly 200 residents. State officials have disputed her claims.

She said Thursday she remains concerned about the “the lack of essential wraparound services” at the shelter among other issues. State officials have said that residents have been connected with addiction treatment, medical, and counseling services

“I want to ensure that every individual has the resources they need to succeed,” she said.

Lepley, Jarvis Tillman, Justin Lamb, and Herbert Simmons, who are all awaiting long-term housing at the France Road site, shared a measured take this week on the state’s effort. They said the shelter is wellmaintained and well-staffed. They said they are served three meals each day, and that they have areas to shower and do their laundry Lepley said the space has moments of chaos that staff, despite their best efforts, struggle to control: There are drug overdoses, and frequent outbursts from resi-

Sepulvado was sentenced to death in 1993 after being convicted of murdering his 6-year-old stepson, Wesley Mercer District Attorney Charles Adams of the 42nd Judicial District requested Sepulvado’s death warrant, and Judge Amy Burford McCartney signed it on Feb. 11. She set Sepulvado’s execution date for March 17.

Sepulvado’s legal team argues Sepulvado has been recommended for palliative care and is already dying. The 81-year-old is the oldest person on death row Meanwhile, Judge Alan Zaunbrecher signed Hoffman’s death warrant, scheduling his execution date for March 18, the day after Sepulvado’s. Collin Sims, the district attorney for St. Tammany and Washington parishes, sought the death warrant.

Hoffman sits on death row for the 1996 execution-style killing of Mary “Molly” Elliott, a 28-year-old advertising executive. Prosecutors accused Hoffman of raping Elliott before killing her There are 57 people on death row Not all are eligible for death warrants because they have not yet exhausted their legal appeals, a process that typically takes years.

Lately, advocates have sparred with Murrill over just who is currently eligible. Murrill has argued that a handful of prisoners have exhausted their appeals, and that some others no longer have valid post-conviction claims to argue.

Murrill argues that former New Orleans Police Department officer Antoinette Frank may be among them. But District Attorney Jason Williams’ office, citing the court record, say she has still legal cards yet to play Frank was convicted and sentenced to die for the killing of two members of a VietnameseAmerican family during an armed robbery inside their restaurant in New Orleans East.

dents experiencing mental health challenges.

On Monday just before dinner

Lepley found a friend, whose cot is near his, falling over, her face turning blue. He frantically kept her awake while staff rushed to get naloxone, the drug that reverses the effects of opioid overdoses.

The shelter is “a good thing for all of us, but at the same time there are some scary moments,” said Lepley

Eleven people have overdosed since the shelter opened, said Steele. Medical staff has been onhand 24/7 with naloxone, and none of the incidents has been deadly By the time Jarvis Tillman arrived at the shelter, he said, he had worked with case managers for months to find an apartment. After he submitted an application for a place in New Orleans East on Monday, his move finally seemed close to becoming a reality

“People have the option to come and go if they want to, but they stay in there because they want their place,” said Tillman on Monday as he soaked up the sunshine on a plastic folding chair in a grassy area outside the marina next to the shelter

Officials had rushed to move people like Tillman into the shelter ahead of hosting the Super Bowl, Tillman said, but he questioned if they would show them the same urgency with moving them into permanent housing.

“We want to make it look good, like putting a Band-Aid on a wound,” said Tillman of officials’ cleanup efforts. “And what happens next?”

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIE KASAKOVE

Jarvis Tillman sits outside of 5601 France Road in New Orleans, which Gov. Jeff Landry and Louisiana state officials are using as a homeless shelter

STAFF PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

Shelly D Dick, chief judge for the Middle District of Louisiana, has agreed to reopen a lawsuit filed in 2012 challenging the state’s

New Orleans Forecast

Trump fires three immigration judges in N.O.

BY GABRIELLA KILLETT Staff writer

The Trump administration has fired three federal immigration judges in New Orleans, part of a wave of terminations across the U.S. of the judges who preside over petitions for asylum, deportation and other civil immigration matters.

The Executive Office for Immigration Review in Washington fired two probationary judges and the assistant chief judge in New Orleans’ court on Feb. 14, according to two sources familiar with the situation. Judge Megan Jackler, who served as the court’s assistant chief judge, as well as probationary judges Lanny Acosta and Kerrie Crockett received termination letters from Sirce Owen, the office’s acting director

“EOIR has determined that re-

LAYOFFS

Continued from page 1A

it read. Powell, who said she had yet to receive a performance evaluation, was shown the door “I just got a new place, just to get hit out of the blue with this,” she said. “This has caused so much anxiety.”

Powell is one of thousands of workers in the U.S. who have lost their jobs in recent weeks as part of a sweeping effort by President Donald Trump’s administration to dramatically reduce the size and cost of government.

Trump earlier this month ordered agencies to “initiate largescale reductions in force” with the goal of “eliminating waste, bloat and insularity” in the federal government He deputized billionaire tech entrepreneur Elon Musk to oversee cost-cutting efforts through the newly created Department of Government Efficiency

Trump also ordered agencies to lay off nearly all their probationary workers, who generally have less than one year on the job and have yet to gain civil service protection. There are around 220,000 workers in the federal government with less than one year of experience, according to data from the Office of Personnel Management.

A database maintained by The

taining you is not in the best interest of the Agency,” the letters state.

“You are required to return all government property immediately.”

The memo thanked the judges for their service and directed them to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the U.S. Office of Special Counsel to lodge any appeals.

The New Orleans immigration court handles civil cases in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Unlike judges in U.S. district courts or courts of appeal who are appointed to lifetime terms by the president, immigration judges are appointed by the U.S. Attorney General and do not have similar job protections.

A judicial administrator in the New Orleans court directed a request for comment on the terminations to the Executive Office for Immigration Review Kathryn

New York Times said that as of Friday, at least 19,340 probationary workers had lost their jobs, though many agencies haven’t reported their total cuts.

It’s not clear how many Louisiana-based federal employee have been fired. But employees at several federal agencies who live or work in the state have said they lost their job in recent days. That includes workers at the National Finance Center; the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Southern Regional Research Center in New Orleans; the Southwest Louisiana Wildlife Refuge; the Kisatchie National Forest; and the New Orleans federal immigration court. Around 10% of the more than 19,300 federal employees in Louisiana who are not serving in the military or the postal service had served for less than a year as of May 2024, the most recent data available. Trump and other officials have said the goal of cutting the federal workforce is to reduce excessive government spending and to ensure that the federal bureaucracy enacts the policies of the new administration Still, the firings have bewildered federal employees like Powell. If their mission is to reduce government waste, she said, it doesn’t make sense to get rid of auditors like her tasked with detecting fraud.

“If you’re looking to right the ship in the federal government, why would you get rid of the audi-

Mattingly a spokesperson for the office, said the office would not discuss personnel matters Jackler and Acosta couldn’t be reached for comment and didn’t respond to messages. Crockett declined to discuss the terminations when reached by phone.

The firings come as the Trump administration has taken steps to sharply reduce the size of the federal workforce. The terminations of the New Orleans-based judges were part of the administration’s broader move to fire 20 immigration judges, which came without explanation. On Feb. 14, 13 judges who had yet to be sworn in and five assistant chief immigration judges were dismissed without notice, according to Matthew Biggs, president of the International Federation of Professional & Technical Engineers, which represents federal

tors?” she said.

U.S. Rep. Troy Carter, D-New Orleans, said the firings threaten the “cogs of the wheels that run the government” and that in the past, protecting jobs for federal employees in Louisiana at the NFC had been a bipartisan effort that he undertook with U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson.

“No one is opposed to rooting out waste, fraud and abuse, but I don’t think this unilateral approach of just shutting down whole departments that do, in fact, provide critical functions for our nation is a wise way to do it,” he said. Scalise’s office did not respond to a request for comment. Neither did any of Louisiana’s other federal lawmakers.

The National Finance Center headquartered at The Beach at UNO, locally employs around 800 people, and processes around $3 billion in payroll every two weeks. The USDA, which oversees the agency, didn’t respond to a request for comment regarding the cuts at the NFC.

Clyde McShan II, a former director at the NFC, said the agency always ran “lean” and questioned whether the agency could withstand getting cut.

“I don’t know how many people they can lose and still get that job done,” he said.

Cuts have taken place at a wide range of federal agencies and departments. Mackenzie Kleinpeter a wildlife biologist and oil and gas

workers. Two other judges were fired earlier under similar circumstances, he said.

Lawyers for immigrants in New Orleans said the terminations will exacerbate a backlog they were hired to help reduce, and the decision to fire Jackler surprised Jaesa McLin, an immigration attorney with the New Orleans firm Riguer Silva. In an interview McLin described Jackler as an efficient judge and said that she would hold hearings in empty courtrooms on other judges’ off days to move along their dockets. New Orleans immigration court conducts many types of hearings though it often takes years for most people to get on a judge’s docket. The federal backlog of immigration cases is more than 3.7 million. McLin said the New Orleans court just opened its 2028 calendar to scheduling.

specialist at the Southwest Louisiana National Wildlife Refuge, was laid off last week. She said her position came at no expense to taxpayers and was funded by fines and fees paid by oil and gas companies.

“There was no thought put into it.” said Kleinpeter who said three of her colleagues were also terminated. “They just cut everyone they could because probationary employees can be fired for any reason.”

WWL Louisiana said that around 10 to 20% of the workforce at the USDA’s Southern Regional Research Center in New Orleans were fired as part of the layoffs.

One worker, a military veteran who served in Afghanistan and Iraq, said he was fired from his job Monday at the Kisatchie National Forest. He declined to be name out of fear of retaliation. His supervisor penned a letter to the head of the U.S. Forest Service pleading for him to be rehired, adding that without him, the forest wouldn’t be able to maintain its status as one of the top lumber producers in the country

The worker also said he wasn’t sure if he would be eligible for unemployment benefits, given that his letter said he was fired for performance. A spokesperson for the Louisiana Workforce Commission didn’t respond to a request for comment on the potential for job benefits.

The USDA fired about 2,000 pro-

“Now we only have six judges,” she said. “That definitely does not help (the) backlog.”

Andrew Rankin, an immigration attorney in Memphis who works as the vice-liaison to Memphis’ immigration court through the American Immigration Lawyers Association, said he is concerned about how terminations at federal immigration courts, already overburdened with high caseloads, will operate going forward.

He worries that judges that may be appointed in the future may not weigh evidence fairly or that the remaining judges will rush through cases in a manner that doesn’t respect his clients’ right to due process.

“How are you going to complete more cases when you have more cases per judge if you don’t erode respondents’ due process rights?” Rankin said.

bationary, “non-firefighting” employees from the Forest Service across the U.S., according to statement from the department.

“We have a solemn responsibility to be good stewards of the American people’s hard-earned taxpayer dollars and to ensure that every dollar spent goes to serve the people, not the bureaucracy,” the statement read.

The fear of layoffs spurred turmoil at the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi this week, according to a worker with the U.S Naval Research Laboratory stationed there who had not lost their job but declined to be named for fear of retaliation.

The worker said staff scrambled on Thursday to back up data and share contact information after their leadership in Washington, D.C., tearfully informed them on a video call that probationary employees there were likely to be terminated That message was later rescinded, the worker said, though they were told that a massive downsizing would still happen at some point.

“All I know is we’ve got an impending conflict with China and Russia that will be a naval fight, and while we’re busting our asses to maintain naval superiority, they’re threatening to downsize the whole lab,” the worker said. The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

NOLA.COM | Saturday, February 22, 2025 1bN

Attack memorial in New Orleans moved

Tribute to Bourbon Street victims now at Presbytère

BY MARCO CARTOLANO Staff writer

An emotional memorial that sprung up on Bourbon Street after a tragic New Year’s Day ramming attack killed 14 and injured dozens more was moved by State Police

early Friday to the Presbytère on Jackson Square. The tribute was spontaneously erected by mourners and artists to remember those plowed down by radicalized U.S. Army veteran Shamsud-Din Jabbar who federal law enforcement officers say used

Report: NOPD gaffe cost city funding

Failure to report data results in less money for crime victims

BY JOHN SIMERMAN Staff writer

Near the end of 2023, New Orleans crime commissioner Tenisha Stevens sent a dispiriting letter to advocates for victims of domestic violence in the city Federal funding for crime victims was being sharply reduced for New Orleans, from $2.4 million to $1.5 million. The money coming from Washington to Louisiana under the program had shrunk from $20 million to a little over $15 million, Stevens wrote. But there was another rea-

delayed the New Orleans Police Department’s ability to properly report crime figures to the state. Adding a failed attempt to upgrade the New Orleans Police Department’s data system — to the tune of about $425,000 — New Orleans Inspector General Ed Michel

BY MICHELLE HUNTER Staff writer

his F-150 to carry out a premeditated terror attack.

Marking the intersection of Bourbon and Canal streets, the memorial featured crosses and messages from people all over the world. It quickly became a symbol of the community’s response to the killing spree. Mayor LaToya Cantrell said city officials had been in touch with victims’ families before moving the installation before the first big parading weekend of Carnival, when large crowds were expected to descend on Bourbon Street and the French Quarter Several family members confirmed the city reached out to them before the memorial was disassembled.

Heather Genusa, who survived the attack but lost her fiancé, Brandon Taylor, said the news was also shared in a private text group. “I don’t feel like the memorial should be where the person died,” she said “It would be more

Jefferson Parish pauses recycling

BY LARA NICHOLSON Staff

West Bank.

OSHUN: The Krewe of Oshun rolls Friday through the streets of New Orleans with the theme of ‘Children’s Literature.’ The krewe Oshun is named for the yoruba goddess of love and intimacy The peacock is the krewe’s symbol, and hand-decorated fans are its signature throw.

RAISE A GLASS

He was booked in Jefferson Parish with charges of second-degree murder, armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, said Capt. Jason Rivarde, spokesperson for the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. Carto is accused in the Aug. 17 shooting death of Andrew Davis IV, a 21-year-old father from Slidell. Carto has been the focus of a Crimestoppers campaign that included an increased reward of $10,000 “Even though it will not bring my son back, I’m so happy they arrested him

so they won’t keep hurting other mothers,” said Tamara Arnold, Davis’ mother Sheriff’s Office investigators allege Carto conspired with co-defendant Dekias Stevenson, 21, and his brother, Demone Carto, 28, to lure Davis to Stevenson’s apartment under the guise of a marijuana deal

But the group actually intended to rob Davis, investigators said. When Davis arrived at Stevenson’s complex in the 1000 block of Manhattan Boulevard in Harvey, Stevenson and Lavanta Carto entered his vehicle, the Sheriff’s Office said. Once inside, Davis was shot in the face, neck and back.

A fourth suspect, Joshua Tumbar, 28, drove Stevenson

from the murder scene and dropped him off at a family home in Marrero, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Stevenson; Tumbar; and Janisha Hymes, 22, Stevenson’s girlfriend, were arrested in the days following the homicide. A Jefferson Parish grand jury indicted Stevenson with second-degree murder Tumbar and Hymes were charged with obstruction of justice. Hymes is accused of deleting digital evidence in the case to aid her boyfriend, according to authorities. Tumbar was also charged with being an accessory after the fact to second-degree murder for helping Stevenson flee the scene, authorities said. Prosecutors have not for-

mally charged three other suspects arrested in the case: Demone Carto, booked with conspiracy to commit armed robbery; Aishea Stevenson, 46, Stevenson’s mother; and Itrecia Stevenson, 41, Stevenson aunt

The women were booked as accessories to murder for allegedly trying to help Stevenson avoid arrest after the homicide, according to authorities.

It was not clear Friday whether a Crimestoppers tip led to Lavanta Carto’s arrest. He was being held at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center in Gretna. No bail information was available.

Email Michelle Hunter at mhunter@theadvocate. com.

Continued from page 1B

this week tallied the cost of the city’s crime-reporting failures at more than $1.1 million in 2023 alone, in a letter to NOPD Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick released Thursday

“Indeed, the NOPD failed to submit even limited summary crime data in at least one year, leading to a significant decrease in federal formula grant support to local government entities, nonprofits, and crime victims,” Michel wrote.

Michel said he couldn’t put a clear number on the total damage.

The money that might have gone to victims in Orleans Parish is being distributed elsewhere in the state, perhaps for years to come. Crime data went into a funding formula that is adjusted every decade. The next update is slated for 2031. At current rates, the lapse could cost the city more than $5 million.

Michel’s report comes after The Times-Picayune did an analysis of the lost funding in October

At issue is a lump sum the federal government allocates each year from a fund set up in 1984 under the Victims of Crime Act to provide services and support, generated by federal court fines and fees. Those revenues have waned in recent years.

The Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement distributes the state’s share. In New Orleans, it flows through Stevens’ Office of Criminal Justice Coordination, which sends it to local organizations that apply for it.

New Orleans got $4 million in the three years leading up to the pandemic, but that amount was cut in half from 2021 to 2023 as the national fund began to shrivel The city’s failure to upgrade its crime reporting sys-

tem

and Oliver Thomas, according to records.

Michel wrote that he was encouraged by more recent steps by the city to gain compliance with the Louisiana Incident-Based Crime Reporting System, a subset of the FBI’s national system. He pointed to a $4.6 million contract signed in June between the city and Mark 43 Inc. The city could be certified for the data reporting system by the end of next year Michel wrote. The NOPD released a statement Thursday in response to a request for comment on Michel’s letter

“While NOPD’s current police reporting system is not compliant with (the new record system), we have reported 2021, 2022, and 2023 crime data to the (state commission) using the Louisiana UCR portal,” Officer Reese Harper wrote.

“As we continue to work toward compliance, our state and federal partners are aware of our status and progress. In conclusion, NOPD reports and accounts for all required crime types, including all violent crimes such as homicide, nonfatal shootings, and armed robberies.”

Officials with the state commission did not immediately respond to requests for comment Friday on Michel’s letter, which he issued Thursday

STAFF PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

CORK: The Krewe of Cork parade rolls Friday through the French Quarter Marking its 25th anniversary, the walking parade celebrates food, wine and fun.

Louisiana State Police officers on Friday load one of the crosses that became a part of the memorial for victims of the Bourbon Street terrorist attack. The memorial was moved to the Presbytère on Jackson Square.

MEMORIAL

Continued from page 1B

honorable to see it in a museum.”

Genusa doubts she’ll ever be able to visit Bourbon Street again, and busy

streets trigger the trauma of that night. She also doesn’t want the memorial’s presence to take away from anyone going out to have fun on the popular tourist drag.

Margaret Dauphin, the mother of victim Drew Dauphin, said Gov Jeff

Landry’s office called to inform her Though she hasn’t seen the tribute, she wants it to be preserved. “One day, I might want to see it,” she said.

Email Marco Cartolano at Marco.Cartolano @theadvocate.com.

CARNIVAL MAPS

LaPlace man accused of shooting brother

Argument turned physical, police say

BY MICHELLE HUNTER Staff writer

A dispute between brothers ended with gunfire Tuesday night, sending one to the hospital and the other to jail after he was found in a stolen vehicle, according to the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Glenn Irvin, 37, and his 55-year-old brother were at a family residence on Carrollwood Drive in LaPlace when the disagreement erupted.

The brothers’ mom had a house rule barring uninvited guests from the home, according to St John Sheriff Mike Tregre. Irvin violated the rule, leading to an argument that turned physical, Tregre said.

Irvin is accused of arming himself and shooting his brother He then left the residence, authorities said.

Irvin’s mother drove her wounded son to Ochsner Medical Complex in La-

Place. He was then taken by ambulance to University Medical Center in New Orleans, where he was in critical condition Thursday, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Irvin was arrested about 8 a.m. Wednesday in a vehicle that had been reported stolen a few hours earlier from a home in Edgard, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

The vehicle’s owner told deputies she’d started the car about 6:30 a.m. to let it warm up and left it running while she went back inside her home. When the woman returned, the car was gone, authorities said.

Deputies pulled Irvin over in the stolen vehicle at a gas station on Belle Terre Boulevard in LaPlace, the Sheriff’s Office said. He was arrested and booked with aggravated second-degree battery, theft of a motor vehicle, misdemeanor theft and obstruction of justice.

Investigators found the gun they believe Irving used in the shooting on a canal bank on Greenwood Drive in LaPlace. A passerby spotted the weapon and called authorities.

RECYCLING

Continued from page 1B

Residents using the drop-off sites will be asked to provide a driver’s license or utility bill to verify residency before recycling will be accepted.

Services in limbo

Curbside recycling services in unincorporated Jefferson Parish and Jean Lafitte have been in limbo for the past year after the Parish Council voted down a five-year contract with Ramelli Waste, citing rising service fees and underuse.

New Orleans Area Deaths

Ancar, Murray

Bordenave Jr., Curtis

Crawford, Brenda Delo, Denise Gray Jr., Jerry Hartlin, Wayne Ikerd, Carol Joseph, Edwin Smith,Alvin New Orleans

DW Rhodes

Ancar, Murray Bordenave Jr., Curtis Professional

Joseph, Edwin St Tammany EJ Fielding

Hartlin, Wayne

Ikerd, Carol Honaker

Crawford, Brenda

Obituaries

Ancar, Murray Michael

The parish council instead approved two contracts with Glass Half Full and REALCYCLE as a stopgap measure to operate the parish’s two drop-off sites on the weekends.

By the time those agreements ended in September, the east bank drop-off site saw a weekly average of 349 users per week, while the West Bank site averaged 126 users per week.

The parish temporarily relaunched the sites, this time with Glass Half Full and Ramelli, in November following a brief lapse in service.

The council recently approved a request for proposals to find an operator for the drop-off sites, who the parish will contract for the next two years with the option to renew annually for up to three years afterward.

It’s unlikely curbside recycling will ever come back on a parishwide basis, at-large council member Scott Walker said Friday

“Nobody is beating down our door to provide curbside recycling to every home in Jefferson Parish,” Walker said.

Residents seeking curbside recycling services can purchase a subscription from Ramelli Waste for $15 per month, REALCYCLE starting at $15 per month or Glass Half Full starting at $20 per month.

The city of Gretna also cut its curbside recycling services for residents when it renewed its garbage contract last year Jefferson Parish and Gretna join a nationwide trend of local governments nixing their recycling programs as staffing shortages and growing costs become insurmountable.

Email Lara Nicholson at lnicholson@ theadvocate.com.

Murray Michael Ancar passed away at his home on Thursday, February 13 2025, just one day shy of his sixty-ninth Valentine’s Day birthday The fourth and youngest child born to the union of loving parents Clarence Ancar Jr and Vi‐vian Christophe Ancar, Murray was born on Tues‐day, February 14, 1956, when Valentine’s Day and Mardi Gras occurred on the same day. He was a native and a resident of New Or‐leans He began his school‐ing at Corpus Christi Gram‐mar School, and graduated from St Augustine High School in 1974. An accom‐plished tax accountant and Chief Financial Officer, Murray graduated in ac‐counting Summa Cum Laude from Xavier Univer‐sity of Louisiana in 1978 and received a Master of Business Administration from Tulane University in 1980. He was also an ad‐junct professor of account‐ing at Southern University of New Orleans prior to Hurricane Katrina during his spare time. Murray en‐joyed spending time with his family and friends watching and cheering for our home teams, The New Orleans Saints and The Pel‐icans. He also had a deep appreciation and enthusi‐asm for music His favorite past time, was grilling and boiling seafood (which he learned from his father Clarence) Our family gath‐erings will not be the same without him. Murray was a loving brother a caring uncle, and a friend to many. He was always ready with a joke, encour‐agement and sage advice He leaves to cherish his memory siblings, Brenda Ancar Lear, Yolande Ancar Adams, and Clarence Ancar III. Nieces and nephews, Greer Adams, Winston Lear Jr (Kim) Ashley Ancar (godchild), Kristin Ancar Gerdes (Louis III), N’dia Lear (godchild), Bailey Lear, Aiden Mc‐Cormick, Ellis Gerdes, com‐panion Linda Williams, and special family friends Mur‐ray was preceded in death by his loving parents Clarence Ancar Jr and Vi‐vian Christophe Ancar grandparents, Lucille So‐rina, Clarence Ancar Sr and Anita C Ancar and sis‐ter-in-law, Paulette Ellsworth Ancar While we were not ready for his de‐parture, we take comfort in knowing that he is reunited with his parents and is in the hands of our Lord We send him off with love and gratitude for the gift of his life. Relatives and friends of the family are invited to attend Murray’s celebra‐tion of life to be held at Corpus Christi-Epiphany Catholic Church, 2022 St Bernard Avenue, on Mon‐day February 24, 2025. Visi‐tation and Recitation of the Rosary at 9 am. Mass of Christian Burial at 11 am Interment at

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

4B ✦ Saturday,February 22,2025 ✦ nola.com ✦ TheTimes-Picayune

Cemetery Mau 4000 Norman Mayer Ave., New Orleans La 70122 In lieu of flowers, the family request contributions be made to St Augustine High School 2600 A.P. Tureaud St., New Orleans, La 70119 in memory of Murray Ancar Arrangements en‐trusted to Duplain W Rhodes Funeral Homes 3933 Washington Ave New Orleans, LA 70125. Please visit www rhodesfuneral com to sign the online guestbook, share memo‐ries, and condolences to the family

Bordenave Jr., Curtis Theodore 'Curt'

Curtis “Curt” Theodore Bordenave, Jr passed away on Friday, February 7, 2025, at the age of 78 in his hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana His recent battle with serious medical is‐sues showed his courage in facing life’s challenges Despite having health is‐sues, Curtis came out a hero and stayed strong until the very end. Curtis is survived by his wife, Mary Delphin Bordenave and his seven siblings: Michele Bordenave Braden, Patrice Bordenave Haydel, Gregory Bordenave (Linda) Barry Bordenave (Desiree), Michael Bordenave (Julie) Gwendolyn Bordenave and Timothy Bordenave As a man, Curtis proclaimed his goal to become a success‐ful, happy individual with a fun-filled life which in‐cluded music and family His dreams were fulfilled when he married Mary Del‐phin Bordenave and be‐came a board member of the Creole Heritage Center at Northwestern State Uni‐versity. He was a statewide electrical contractor by profession and a success‐ful entrepreneur When Curtis met the love of his life, Mary Delphin Borde‐nave it was love at first sight In earlier years, they enjoyed spending time rid‐ing the motorcycle to‐gether throughout the French Quarter She was his love and companion from then and throughout his entire life’s journey Relatives and friends of the family are invited to attend a Visitation to honor the life of Curtis “Curt” Theodore Bordenave, Jr. at Duplain W. Rhodes Funeral Home, 1020 Virgil Street Gretna, Louisiana on Mon‐day February 24, 2025 at 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm. On Wednesday, February 26, 2025 a Funeral Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Augustine Catholic Church on Cane River Isle Brevelle Louisiana at 1:00 pm. Visi‐tation will begin at 11:30 am, with rosary at 12:30 pm. Interment: St Augus‐tine Catholic Church Ceme‐tery. Repast to follow Arrangements by Duplain W Rhodes Funeral Home, 1020 Virgil Street Gretna Louisiana 70053. Please visit www rhodesfuneral com to sign the online guestbook share memo‐ries, and condolences to the family

Crawford, Brenda

Brenda Crawford, 76, of Slidell, Louisiana passed away on Friday, February 14, 2025, in Slidell. Funeral Services will be held on Monday, February 24, 2025, at First United Methodist Church, 433 Erlanger, in Slidell, Louisiana The visi‐tation will begin at 9:00 am followed by the funeral service at 11:00 am. Burial will be in St Joseph Abbey Cemetery in Covington, Louisiana Brenda was born in New Orleans, Louisiana to Elden and Doris In 1970, Brenda grad‐uated from St. Mary’s Do‐minican College with a double major (Speech Pathology and Education) and she received her mas‐ter’s degree (Speech Pathology) from LSU Med‐ical School in 1977. In 1991 Brenda moved to Slidell, and in 1992 she married Dick (Richard) Crawford in Slidell. Brenda was pre‐ceded in death by her mother and father, and her sister. She is survived by her husband of 32 years; her son, Daniel Walton Ko‐biernicki II (Rebecca);

and in 1992 she married Dick (Richard) Crawford in Slidell. Brenda was pre‐ceded in death by her mother and father and her sister. She is survived by her husband of 32 years; her son, Daniel Walton Ko‐biernicki II (Rebecca); nephew, Michael, niece, Donna stepbrother Frank Williams, and stepsisters, Linda McWilliams, Mary Jo Chadwick Ruby Kennon and many nieces, nephews great-nieces and great-nephews Brenda's career in speech pathology spanned nearly 40 years, 20 of which were with the Orleans Parish School Board specializing in work‐ing with physically, emo‐tionally, and mentally chal‐lenged students. She went over and beyond her duties and often took her student patients on memorable field trips such as swamp tours and wildlife refuges She also enjoyed assisting the teaching staff with or‐ganizing stage plays for the students After retiring from the school board, she worked for several private allied health companies specializing in helping pa‐tients with swallowing dis‐orders Brenda was always the life of the party, orga‐nizing family get-togeth‐ers She remembered everyone's birthday and made sure there was a party usually including some of her baked pies She loved fishing, garden‐ing horseback riding and going to the Florida gulf coast beaches and did those activities many times every year with her husband, Dick. Brenda was loved by her family and friends, and she will re‐main forever in our hearts

Please visit www honaker forestlawn.com to sign guestbook Arrangements by Honaker Funeral Home, Inc., Slidell, LA.

Denise Ann Delo, age 67 years, passedaway February 15, 2025, in her home, of end stage endometrial cancer. She was born on November1,1957 in New Orleans, LA, lived in Gretna for 65 years, and lived in Metairiefor the past 2years. Denise was preceded in death by her parents, Stephen Deloand Joyce Moncada Delo, brother, Daniel MDelo, aunts Katherine Delo Carr (Ernest), Helen DeloBand, Carole MPerez and Vilma M. McLaughlin. She is survived by her siblings StephenM Delo Sr. (Ann) of Baton Rouge, LA, and Gretchen JDelo, nephews StephenDelo, Jr. (Shawnee), Matthew Delo (Cheyannne) and ChristopherDelo, great nephews Stephen Michael "Tripp" Delo, III and Garrison, and uncles Joseph Moncada Jr. (Georgia) of Sacramento, CA and Melvin Moncada (Linda) of Lacombe, LA She was lovedand supported by her sister" Audrey Lupiba. Denise attended St. Anthony School in Gretna, Archbishop Blenk High School where she was in the speech club and began herlove of writing, which landed her as the editor of the high school newspaper. She graduated from LSU Baton Rouge with adegree in Journalism and wrote for the LSU Reveille Newspaper.

In her professionalcareer, she workedfor AHP Perot Health and traveled all overthe countryasa claims adjuster. She returned home after many years and beganworking for Humana Health. Denise also resided with our motherinher aging years and assistedincaring for her. For this, we are forever grateful, as mom was able to remaininher home. She wasdeeply faith filled and aparishioner of St. Anthony in Gretna for most of herlife. She lovedNOLA and lo forward stivalseason each attend Swinging Oaks City French Quarter Festival enjoyed Broadway shows att Saenger.She was as dominos playeraswell Scrabble competitor talented cross stitch Her favorite place to was on the beache Florida. Above all, she an LSU TigerFootbal as well as Saints Football fan. With grateful appreciation, re was vided Julie (Juj Darre Kendrell Frank, Que Henderson, Regina (Ling Rodriguez in her Metairie home. We wouldalso to recognize her Oncology and Palliative care team at OchsnerBenson Cancer Center, especially Dr.

er grateful, as mom was able to remain in her home. She was deeply faith filled and aparishioner of St. Anthonyin Gretna for most of her life. She loved NOLA and looked forward to festival season each year, to attend Swinging in the Oaks at City Park, French Quarter Festival and enjoyed the Broadway shows at the Saenger. She was asharp dominos player as well as Scrabble competitor and talented cross stitcher. Her favorite place to relax was on the beaches of Florida. Above all, she was an LSU Tiger Football fan as well as Saints Football fan. Withgrateful appreciation, loving care was provided to her by Julie (Juju) Darrensburg, Kendrell Frank, Que Henderson, and Regina (Ling Ling) Rodriguez in her Metairie home. We would also like to recognize her Oncology and Palliative care team at Ochsner BensonCancer Center, especially Dr. Valente, Allison Caillouet, NP and Kori DiGiovanni RN. Visitation will be held from 9am-10 am followed by aFuneral Mass on Monday, February 24, 2025 at St. Joseph Church_1802 Tulane Avenue, New Orleans, Louisiana. In lieu of flowers, please donate to The Cajun Navy Relief at cajunnavyrelief.com

Jerry Allen Gray Jr.

passed away on January 21, 2025, in Granbury, Texas. He was proceeded in deathbyhis mother Earlynn Robin Gray, he is survived by his father, Jerry Allen Gray Sr., daughtersMorghan Gray, Mallory Ottinger, and Denelle and Chip Hebert and his sisters Tina Gray and Kathy and Kyle Gardner. He is also survived by his nieces Kassidy, Kathryn, Kimberly, Kristine and Karlie, and nephew Brayden.

Jerry was born on December 10, 1961, to Jerry Sr. and Earlynn Gray and raised in Slidell, Louisiana. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering, with honors, at LSU in 1983. He married Patrice Dunnell in May 1983. Jerry proudly served in the United States Navy. Jerry and Patrice raised their daughters from coast to coast during his service. Upon retirement,Jerry and his red Jeep hit the road and traveled throughout the United States. He loved to hike and traveled to many of theNational and State Parks.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend afuneral Mass in the chapel of St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church, located at 1050 Robert Blvd, Slidell, Louisiana on Saturday, March 1, 2025. Visitation begins at 9:30am with Mass at 11:00am.

Hartlin, Wayne Arnold

y s Garry Hartlin (Suzanne Hartlin) and nieces nephews, cousins, and wonderful lifelong friends. He was preceded in death by his parents Helen Rita Hartlin and William Arnold Hartlin Wayne grew up in the Ot‐tawa Valley until he moved to Louisiana with Kathrine in 1996 where he resided in Mandeville, Louisiana Over his lifetime he was in‐volved in many lines of work including WhiteWater River Guide, Net‐work Engineer and Retail Management. Wayne was also involved in his son's soccer teams as a coach at Pelican Park and attended many football games where his sons played in the band. Wayne loved to train for running marathons and riding his bike. Through Wayne's bat‐tle with leukemia it was important for him to fur‐ther research a cure for leukemia by participating in several clinical research trials He will be missed by all who knew and loved him The family would like to thank the many health‐care workers at MD Ander‐son for their compassion and support over the last several months In lieu of flowers in memory of Wayne Hartlin, contribu‐tions may be made to MD Anderson Cancer Center P.O Box 4486, Houston, TX 77210-4486 or www mdanderson.org/gifts. Dr Maiti Leukemia Research If you need information on memorial funds or wish to learn about other ways to support MD Anderson please call 800-525-5841 or email giving@mdanderson org Relatives and friends are invited to attend the funeral services at E J Fielding Funeral Home, 2260 W. 21st Avenue Cov‐ington LA 70433. There will be a wake on Tuesday evening, February 25, from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m and a visitation on Wednesday, February 26, beginning at 12:00 noon followed by a service at 2:00 p.m. E.J Fielding Fu‐neral Home has been en‐trusted with funeral arrangements The Hartlin family invites you to share thoughts, fondest memo‐ries, and condolences on‐line at E J. Fielding Funeral Home Guest Book at www ejfieldingfh.com

tion of Retarded Citiz She lived a long, happy, beautiful life despite hav‐ing down’s syndrome and was almost always sur‐rounded by her loving fam‐ily and friends A nearly 20year resident of the Op‐tions Group Home in Ham‐mond, Carol’s life was full of many wonderful, incred‐ible experiences. She will be lovingly remembered and dearly missed by her family and friends In lieu of flowers contributions may be made in Carol’s memory to Options Pre‐mier Services for People with Disabilities at option‐s4u.org/ways-to-give/ or by mail to 19362 West Shel‐ton Road, Hammond Louisiana, 70401. Relatives and friends are invited to attend the funeral services on Carol’s favorite day of the year—her birthday Sunday, February 23, 2025 at 2:00 p.m at E J. Fielding Funeral Home 2260 West 21st Avenue, Covington, Louisiana, with visitation beginning at 1:00 p.m In‐terment will follow in Pinecrest Memorial Gar‐dens. E J. Fielding Funeral Home of Covington Louisiana, is honored to be entrusted with Ms. Ikerd s funeral arrangements. Her family invites you to share thoughts, memories, and condolences by signing an online guestbook at www ejfieldingfh.com

J

Edwin J. Joseph, age 80, entered eternal rest on Sunday, February 9, 2025 He was preceded in death by his parents August Joseph, Sr. and Thelma Joseph Williams and 1 brother, August Joseph, Jr Edwin leaves to cherish his memory his wife, Carolyn Davis Joseph; 2 children Darineish Davis and Kevin (Vera) Brown; 2 stepsons, Darriel and Joshua Davis; 1 sister, Gwendolyn J Franklin; 1 aunt Shirley Grimes, 21 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews other relatives and friends His Celebra‐tion of Life Service will be private. Please sign the Guestbook online at www pfsneworleans.com Ser‐vices entrusted to the car‐ing staff of Professional Fu‐neral Services, Inc. “Fami‐lies First” 1449 N. Clai‐borne Ave., New Orleans, LA 70116, 504-948-7447.

Smith, Alvin Lowell

Alvin Lowell Smith,86, passed away on February 15, 2025. Born on October 18, 1938, in New Iberia, Louisiana, Alvin lived alife defined by leadership, passion, anddedication to his community and loved ones. Arespected businessman andbroadcaster, Alvin retired as the Presidentand CEO of the Chamber of Commerce, where he worked tirelessly to support economic growth and strengthen local businesses. He also served as Vice President and General Manager of Infinity Broadcasting, leaving alasting mark on the media industry, and becoming hostofLegends and Legacies on KMJ-AM radio, where he shared the stories of remarkable individuals and preserved their contributions for future generations. Beyond his career in business and broadcasting, Alvin was deeply committed to community service. He served as Presidentofthe Rotary Club, wasa board of director of Fresno First Bank, and was also aboard member of many other organizations, always striving to make apositive impact in his community. Alvin was adevoted husband, father, and grandfather whocherished time with his family and friends. He is survived by his lovingwife of 64 years, Janette, and his children: Steven, Scott and his wife Gerri, Richard andhis wife Kristi, and Chantel and her husband Lenhard. He was aproud grandfather to 11 grandchildren,who will always remember his wisdom, kindness, and humor. Aservice to celebrate Alvin's life will be held at CornerstoneChurch on Wednesday, February 26, at 10:00 AM. In lieu of flowers, donations canbe made to alocal charity of your choice. Alvin's legacy will live on through thelives he touched, thestories he told, and the community he helped build. The show must go on.

Wayne Arnold Hartlin passed away on Sunday, February 16, 2025. He was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, on January 27, 1961. He is survived by his loving wife, Kathrine Joan Hartlin; his children, Bryce Wayne Hartlin and Brandt Cole Hartlin. He is also sur‐vived by his brother, Garry Hartlin (Suzanne Hartlin) and nieces, nephews, cousins and wonderful lifelong friends. He was preceded in death by his y pa pa g in several clinical research trials. He will be missed by all who knew and loved

Carol Martha Ikerd age 71, of Hammond, Louisiana, passed away on Saturday, February 15, 2025. She was born on February 23, 1953, in New Orleans Louisiana She is survived by her sis‐ter Patricia Ikerd Swindler; and many extended family members and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, James Elliott Ikerd and Mildred Loise Summers Ikerd; brother-inlaw Leon Eugene Swindler III. Carol grew up in St Bernard Parish and at‐tended an activities work‐shop with ARC (Associa‐tion of Retarded Citizens) She lived a long, happy beautiful life despite hav‐ing down’s syndrome and was almost always sur‐rounded by her loving fam‐ily and friends. A nearly 20year resident of the Op‐tions Group Home in Ham‐mond, Carol’s life was full of many wonderful, incred‐ible experiences She will be lovingly remembered and dearly missed by her family and friends In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Carol’s memory to Options Pre‐mier Services for People with Disabilities at option‐s4u.org/ways-to-give/ or by mail to 19362 West Shel‐ton Road, Hammond, Louisiana, 70401. Relatives and friends are invited to attend the funeral services on Carol’s favorite day of the year—her birthday Sunday, February 23, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. at E. J Fielding Funeral Home, 2260 West 21st Avenue, Covington, Louisiana, with visitation beginning at 1:00 p.m. In‐terment will follow in Pinecrest Memorial Gar‐dens E. J Fielding Funeral Home of Covington, Louisiana, is honored to be entrusted with Ms Ikerd’s

Gray Jr., Jerry Allen

Joseph, Edwin

Delo, Denise

Ikerd, Carol Martha

FDA: Ozempic, Wegovy shortages resolved

Shortages of Ozempic and Wegovy that have been in place for more than two years have been resolved, as supplies of the popular diabetes and obesity treatments continue to improve, federal regulators said Friday

The drugmaker Novo Nordisk can meet current and future demand in the U.S., according to the Food and Drug Administration

But patients may still see some supply disruptions as the medications move from the manufacturer to distributors and then to pharmacies.

The injectable drugs have been in shortage since 2022.

Compounding pharmacies and other entities that have been allowed to make and distribute offbrand copies of the drugs during the shortage will have to wind down production in the next few months, according to the FDA.

In December, the agency said the same thing when it declared that shortages had ended for Eli Lilly and Co.’s Zepbound and Mounjaro. Zepbound is approved to treat obesity and Mounjaro is approved for diabetes. They use the same active ingredient, tirzepatide.

Sales have soared for the drugs in recent years. But the shortages and challenges with insurance coverage have made it difficult for many patients to get the drugs.

Ford recalls Explorers, Aviators over seat belts

Ford is recalling about 240,000 Explorer and Lincoln Aviator SUVs due to a problem with seat belt anchors that were improperly secured. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a loose seat belt or seat belt buckle may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Ford said it is not aware of any reports of accident or injury related to the defective seat belt assemblies.

The Explorers and Aviators in question are model years 2020 and 2021. The recall includes about 216,000 Explorers and 24,000 Aviators.

Owners of the vehicles in question are expected to be notified by Ford in late March and will be instructed to take their vehicles into a Ford or Lincoln dealer for inspection. If the anchor bolts are found to be improperly secured, the components will be replaced for free.

Tesla recalling more than 375,000 vehicles

Tesla is recalling more than 375,000 vehicles due to a power steering issue.

The recall is for certain 2023 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles operating software before 2023.38.4, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The printed circuit board for the electronic power steering assist may become overstressed, causing a loss of power steering assist when the vehicle reaches a stop and then accelerates again, according to the agency

The loss of power could required more effort to control the car by drivers, particularly at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash. Tesla isn’t aware of any crashes, injuries, or deaths related to the condition.

Stocks tumble amid concerns

Companies, consumers worry about Trump’s policies hitting economy

BY STAN CHOE Associated Press

NEW YORK U.S stocks fell sharp-

ly Friday after reports showed that worries among consumers and businesses about President Donald Trump’s policies may be hitting the U.S. economy

The S&P 500 posted its worst day in two months. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Nasdaq composite also tumbled.

The losses accelerated through the day following several weaker-

than-expected reports on the economy One suggested U.S. business activity is close to stalling, with growth slowing to a 17-month low The preliminary report from S&P Global said activity unexpectedly shrank for U.S. services businesses, and many in the survey reported slumping optimism because of worries about Washington.

“Companies report widespread concerns about the impact of federal government policies, ranging from spending cuts to tariffs and geopolitical developments,” said Chris Williamson, chief business economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence. “Sales are reportedly being hit by the uncertainty caused by the changing political landscape, and prices are rising amid tariff-related price hikes from suppliers.”

A separate report said U.S. consumers are also preparing for higher inflation, in part because of potential tariffs that could raise prices for all kinds of imports.

They’re broadly expecting prices to be 4.3% higher 12 months from now, which is a big jump from their forecast of 3.3% inflation last month, according to a survey by the University of Michigan. That fits with preliminary data in the survey earlier this month.

Among U.S. households, though, a divide is evident underneath the surface. Expectations for inflation are rising for political independents and Democrats, while falling slightly for Republicans.

To be sure, the U.S. stock market is still up for the young year so far and is not far from its all-time high set earlier this week. Virtually no

one on Wall Street is forecasting a recession any time soon. But Friday’s reports raise concerns about what’s been a remarkably resilient economy, and the losses on Wall Street were widespread.

Stocks of the smallest companies, whose profits can be more closely tied to the strength of the U.S. economy than big multinational rivals, fell more than the rest of the market. The Russell 2000 index of small stocks posted a market-leading plunge. Within the big companies of the S&P 500 index, 3 out of every 4 stocks fell Everything from Big Tech stocks that have been bid up amid the artificial-intelligence frenzy to airlines to metals companies dropped. Nvidia sank 4.1%. United Airlines lost 6.4%, and Newmont Mining fell 5.7%.

January home sales fall

High mortgage rates, prices freeze out would-be buyers

BY ALEX VEIGA Associated Press

LOS ANGELES — Sales of previously occupied

U.S. homes fell in January as rising mortgage rates and prices put off many wouldbe homebuyers despite a wider selection of properties on the market. Sales fell 4.9% last month from December to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.08 million units, the National Association of Realtors said Friday Sales rose 2% compared with January last year marking the fourth straight annual increase. The latest home sales, however, fell short of the 4.11 million pace economists were expecting, according to FactSet Home prices increased on an annual basis for the 19th consecutive month. The national median sales price rose 4.8% in January from a year earlier to $396,900.

“Mortgage rates have refused to budge for several months despite multiple rounds of short-term interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist “When combined with elevated home prices, housing affordability remains

a major challenge.”

The U.S housing market has been in a sales slump dating back to 2022, when mortgage rates began to climb from pandemicera lows Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes fell last year to their lowest level in nearly 30 years. The average rate on a 30-year mortgage briefly fell to a 2-year low last September but has been mostly hovering around 7% this year, according to mortgage buyer Freddie Mac. That’s more than double the 2.65% record low the average rate hit a little over four years ago.

While mortgage rates have been easing in recent weeks, the decline hasn’t been enough to change the affordability equation for

many prospective home shoppers. Home loan applications fell 5.5% last week from the previous week to the lowest level since the start of the year according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Rising home prices and elevated mortgage rates, which can add hundreds of dollars a month in costs for borrowers, have kept many prospective home shoppers on the sidelines, especially first-time buyers who don’t have equity from an existing home to put toward a new home purchase. They accounted for 28% of all homes sold last month, matching the share in January 2024, but down from 31% in December The annual share of first-time buyers fell last year to a record-low 24%. It’s been 40% historically

Soft drink companies differ on diversity programs

and groups that promote business growth, he said.

en and LGBTQ+ people.

BY DEE-ANN DURBIN Associated Press

PepsiCo confirmed Friday that it’s ending some of its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, even as rival Coca-Cola voiced support for its own inclusion efforts.

In a memo sent to employees, PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta said the company will no longer set goals for minority representation in its managerial roles or supplier base The company will also align its sponsorships to events

Laguarta wrote that inclusion remains important to PepsiCo, whose brands include Gatorade, Lay’s potato chips, Doritos, Mountain Dew as well as Pepsi The Purchase, New York-based company’s chief diversity officer will transition to a broader role focused on employee engagement, leadership development and ensuring an inclusive culture, he said.

Since President Donald Trump returned to the White House last month, U.S government agencies, companies and schools have rushed to reevaluate policies and programs they adopted with the goal of reducing discrimination against members of minority groups, wom-

Trump ended DEI programs within the federal government and has warned schools to end DEI programs or risk losing federal money PepsiCo’s rollback came as CocaCola reaffirmed support for its DEI efforts.

In its annual report, Atlantabased Coke warned that its business could be negatively affected if it is unable to attract employees that reflect its broad range of customers. “Failure to maintain a corporate culture that fosters innovation, collaboration and inclusion could disrupt our operations and adversely affect our business and our future success,” the company said.

Coca-Cola has set a goal of having

women in 50% of its senior leadership roles by 2030. Coke has also said that it wants race and ethnicity representation that reflects national census data at all levels of the company in the U.S. Robby Starbuck, a conservative activist who targets corporate DEI programs, applauded PepsiCo’s actions on Friday In a post on X, Starbuck said Coca-Cola “should be very nervous about continuing with their woke policies.”

PepsiCo joins a long list of companies that have reigned in diversity equity and inclusion programs in the wake of Trump’s election victory and before that, a 2023 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that outlawed affirmative action in college admissions.

ASSOCIATE PRESS FILE PHOTO By NAM y. HUH

Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes fell 4.9% in January as rising mortgage rates and prices put off many would-be homebuyers despite a wider selection of properties on the market.

ANOTHER VIEW

Fighting over cost, size of government

For the first time since Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society, the size, scope and operations of government have become hot topics. Those who support Elon Musk’s “department of government efficiency,” or DOGE, and those who detest it, have moved these issues long seen as tedious and boring — onto the front burners of a scorching public debate.

The fight over the size and cost of government is something America has needed for decades, but to best serve the public interest, both sides need to put country above politics

So far, that’s not happening Like everything else, it’s become part of a partisan death match. Government reform, when done, must be done right — within the law and in logical sequence. The goal must be competent, honest management of taxpayer dollars

President Donald Trump and Musk have made the first moves. They now need to level with the American people that after the cuts are made, efficiency and accountability will require painstaking reorganization and management oversight. If they keep moving too fast and loose — disrupting operations, firing people indiscriminately and then rehiring some of them the benefits for taxpayers won’t stick. It could kill the opportunity to really make government smaller and better

Recently, a friend mused to me that Musk, by putting too many spinning tops on the table at one time, risks losing what Trump wants most: control. When one top spins off the table, others will follow, and then what? More court battles and chaos?

Don’t forget that most of DOGE’s proposed cuts still have to get through Congress Will the congressional appropriations process reflect the administration’s costcutting agenda? What happens when senators and representatives start begging to save funding for their states and districts?

What’s the path forward?

President Jimmy Carter and Vice President Al Gore tried tackling sluggish bureaucracy in their day but with limited success. There wasn’t enough public pressure to counter vested interests that were standing guard over the status quo. Their fellow Democrats were afraid of offending public employee unions, and Republicans were afraid of cutting programs that constituents and contributors wanted.

One of the few members of Congress who actually did something about balancing the budget and cutting wasteful spending was Republican former U.S. Rep. Bob Livingston of Louisiana, who chaired the House Appropriations Committee in the 1990s.

As the party of activist government, why haven’t Democrats done more to make government work better? Why can’t they identify bureaucracies that need eliminating, reorganizing or modernizing? When actual boondoggles are uncovered, and the numbers check out, why can’t Democrats join DOGE in doing away with them?

And as the party of less government, why didn’t other Republicans make government operations a bigger part of their agenda? Why didn’t they go into each department and look under the hood? They’re now rubber-stamping DOGE’s efforts without questioning what will work and what won’t. Their job should be to discipline the process, not let it get out of hand.

A pox on both their houses.

The Trump administration erred in abruptly firing 18 inspectors general. Presidents can lawfully fire inspectors if they provide Congress a 30-day notice and explain the reasons for doing so, but the administration didn’t follow that procedure. Trump could have saved a lot of trouble, and prevented legal wrangles, by simply doing so. It would also have given the DOGE process more legitimacy.

Inspectors general, by the way investigate and audit federal agencies, and hunt for waste, fraud and abuse. The administration should not have fired any of them — much less all of them — without examining the job each was doing These watchdogs can provide much-needed independent, nonpartisan monitoring of federal spending. The good ones should have been empowered to do more, not thrown out.

When cutting jobs, remember that bath water isn’t worth saving, but babies are.

The big question: What will each federal department look like after DOGE is finished? Will they be streamlined and efficient, smaller and more innovative? Or, will they be crippled and dysfunctional?

Let’s face it: Plenty of agencies should be abolished and plenty of programs, designed to pursue ideological agendas, are bound to be eliminated when party control switches But a poorly managed agency that has an essential function needs to be fixed, not ravaged. Rubble without results isn’t the answer.

Ron Faucheux is a nonpartisan political analyst, pollster and writer based in Louisiana. He publishes LunchtimePolitics.com, a nationwide newsletter on polls and public opinion

Senators failed us in vote to confirm RFK Jr.

As a concerned constituent, I contacted our two U.S. senators, John Kennedy and Bill Cassidy more than once to express my deep concerns about Robert F. Kenndy Jr and his dangerous ideas.

My letter said that as a child in the early 1950s, I was very aware and concerned about polio. Who had not seen pictures of humans encased in iron lungs or wearing leg braces? I recently read that the last person living his entire life in this contraption had died. After the polio vaccine, I never gave polio a thought. Twice I had measles. I have never been so sick since. It is highly contagious and dangerous, especially to the unborn, also very preventable. As a science teacher I learned that my students had never heard of measles, mumps or chickenpox. Why? Because they had vaccines against these diseases. My sister had chickenpox as a child. Unfortunately, later in life

she developed shingles. She now has PHN and is in constant pain for which almost nothing can be done. If she’d had a vaccine I was vaccinated against COVID and never got it, but it killed many in my community I believe in science and vaccines. They are lifesaving and safe Kennedy has no medical background and has a history of being anti-vaccine. I begged my senators not to confirm RFK Jr for the good of all, Republicans and Democrats. My pleas were ignored. Cassidy, a doctor knows better but voted against our best interests because of politics. As for John Kennedy, he says “call someone who cares,” because obviously he does not. These people do not respond to my calls or emails. Surely, we can find two elected officials who will represent the people and not just advance their political careers.

NADINE CART Church Point

Why won’t Congress do its job?

I feel compelled to urgently report a missing entity Congress, as an integral part of the United States government, is apparently MIA. There are senators and representatives occupying positions and drawing salaries in Washington, but I can find no independent actions being performed. They have

evidently been replaced by puppets controlled by some force outside the constraints of the Constitution. What has happened? Why aren’t they insisting on their position as the third co-equal branch of government? Do we have any hope? PAUL MAJOR Livonia

Trump handling immigration like we should have

I’m tired of people misrepresenting what President Donald Trump is doing in regard to immigrants. He is getting rid of the murderers, rapists and criminals in general who have broken the law We should want them gone anyway

We don’t put up with American citizens breaking the law, so why should we put up with them doing it?

A lot of our citizens would be alive today if they weren’t in the country in the first place. We still have plenty of decent im-

migrants who can contribute to our workforce, so why so upset about getting rid of the bad ones?

The Democrats are always twisting the facts to make them look like they haven’t created this mess in the first place. We wouldn’t be in this mess if they would have kept the border closed. A lot of people would still have their loved ones, and we wouldn’t have spent a fortune of our tax dollars on their upkeep.

GUYANN MAXWELL Baton Rouge

We need cuts to pork barrel projects more than agencies

President Elon Musk and Vice President Donald Trump have promised to “rein in out-of-control federal spending and reshape a lazy workforce.”

The nonprofit Citizens Against Government Waste has published a collection of pork barrel spending every year since 1991. The book features lawmakers from both sides who the authors say are responsible for spending earmarks known as “Community Project Funding,” which direct federal dollars to specific pet projects in members’ home states and districts. The group found 8,222 earmarks in the past fiscal year which cost $22.7 billion.

My question is what will President Musk and Vice President Trump do about these pork-barrel perks while looking senators and representatives in the eye and cutting their pet projects to save federal dollars as they state that this is their promise to the American people?

ELWYN BOCZ Lutcher

Our president’s behaviors are immoral and wicked. In his “Make America Great Again” plan: Faith takes a back seat to fear Truth takes a back seat to propaganda. Plans take a back seat to slogans. He peddles blame as his political currency We Americans have fallen victim to fear, ignorance and greed. I am disappointed. Where is courage? Where is character? Where are the adults? What have we become?

The Statue of Liberty hangs her head in shame. Our children are watching.

SUSAN TATJE New Orleans

Ron Faucheux

SPORTS

BY LUKE JOHNSON Staff writer

Before his Super Bowl run with the Philadelphia Eagles, New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore spent a forgettable 2023 season with the Los Angeles Chargers under then-head coach Brandon Staley.

The Chargers fired Staley after a brutal loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in 2023, then passed over Moore as his replacement to hire Jim Harbaugh instead

Though their first partnership didn’t pan out, it didn’t prevent them from joining forces again, this time with Moore sitting in the head coach’s seat. According to a league source, Moore is hiring Staley to be his defensive coordinator with the 2025 New Orleans Saints.

The hiring is the first Moore has made on the defen-

on Dec. 14, 2023, in Las Vegas. Staley will

sive side of the ball, and it comes at a crucial time with the NFL scouting combine set to begin next week. After running some variation of Dennis Allen’s scheme for the previous 10 seasons, Staley may very well want to stock his defense with a different kind of player than the ones the Saints coveted under Allen.

With Staley now in the fold, New Orleans likely will fill out its defensive coaching staff quickly Of the coaches from last season’s staff, only defensive line coach Brian Young has not been hired elsewhere yet Staley, who spent last season in an assistant head coach role with the San Francisco 49ers, was once considered one of the NFL’s premier young defensive coaches.

ä See SAINTS, page 2C

LSU still missing definitive point

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

Not even three weeks ago, Last-Tear Poa was stuck outside coach Kim Mulkey’s rotation. Now she’s starting at point guard at least for the time being. With a 79-63 win over Georgia in the rearview mirror and only three regular-season games left to play, the LSU women’s basketball team has picked up 26 victories and cemented itself as a national title contender, yet it still hasn’t quite settled one important question: Can either Poa or Shayeann DayWilson become the No. 7 Tigers’ clear-cut lead ballhandler?

“It’s what I have,” Mulkey said. “Neither has really established herself or separated herself, so it will, I’m sure, vary the rest of the year.” Though Poa started the game against the Bulldogs on Thursday Day-Wilson wound up playing 13 more minutes. The inverse

was true in LSU’s previous contest, a loss to No. 2 Texas. Day-Wilson started that game but ultimately took a backseat to Poa, who ended up logging 26 minutes — the most action she’s seen against a Southeastern Conference opponent this season.

That spike in playing time was noticeable. Poa had played only 10 minutes across LSU’s previous six games combined. She was “unavailable” to play on Jan. 26 against Texas A&M, according to an SEC Network broadcast, and suspended for the Tigers’ Jan. 30 win over Oklahoma Mulkey said, because she violated a team rule. That night, Mikaylah Williams sealed an LSU win with a late 3-pointer, and Mulkey said Day-Wilson was “our point guard.”

The senior transfer had tied season-highs in points (nine) and assists (nine) against the No. 16 Sooners while grabbing four rebounds and draining an important shot from beyond the arc late in the fourth quarter

ä See LSU, page 3C

Tigers pitcher shines again in

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

Kade Anderson arrived at LSU somewhat under the radar Tommy John surgery as a junior forced the left-handed pitcher to sit out his senior year of high school. But before he even reached campus, let alone returned from his injury, LSU coach Jay Johnson knew he’d be a weekend starter

“Whether that’s this year or next year I don’t know,” Johnson said in January 2024. It turns out he knew what he was talking about. Anderson, now the Tigers’ No. 1 starter, has had a hot start to this year In the sophomore’s second start on Friday against Omaha, he tossed 51/3 innings, struck out eight batters and surrendered only three hits. The Mavericks were unable to get a man in scoring position until the sixth inning. His outing was the driving force behind LSU’s 4-2 series-opening victory at Alex Box Stadium “For five innings, there hadn’t been much better pitching on that mound ever,” Johnson said. “And think about what I just said.” Only two runners reached base through ä Omaha at LSU NOON SATURDAy ESPN+

BY SPENCER URQUHART Staff writer

Former Los Angeles Chargers coach Brandon Staley stands on the sideline during a game against the Las Vegas Raiders

New Saints coach Moore hires old boss as defensive coordinator

PHOTO By PATRICK DENNIS

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BASKETBALL

3 p.m. HBCUL: Robinson vs. Gaither NFLN

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Michigan extends contract of basketball coach May

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan has agreed to a multiyear contract extension for Dusty May who this season became the first basketball coach in school history to win his first 13 home games.

The school announced the move on Friday two hours before tipping off against rival Michigan State. May, a Bob Knight protege, made it clear he is happy with the 12thranked Wolverines and had no interest in being the next coach at Indiana. Hoosiers coach Mike Woodson is stepping down after the season.

In May’s debut season, Michigan has won 20 games for the first time in four years.

at Sydney FS2 MEN’S SOCCER

11:30 a.m.PL: Chelsea at Aston Villa NBC 3:30 p.m. MLS: Minnesota United at LAFC FOX TENNIS 2 p.m. Rio ATP Semifinals Tennis WOMEN’SVOLLEYBALL 12:30 p.m.Team Shondell vs.Team Collier CBS

4 Nations Face-Off shatters expectations

BY STEPHEN WHYNO AP hockey writer

Canada won the 4 Nations Face-

Off by beating the United States for the championship in an overtime thriller capped off by Connor McDavid’s memorable goal that will be on highlight reels for decades to come.

In the grand scheme of things the NHL, its players and the sport of hockey all came out as winners.

The 4 Nations was a one-off tournament with no past and no future, a trimmed-down version of a World Cup of Hockey staged because the best players in the world waited so long for something of its kind. With tens of millions watching across North America it exceeded all expectations, with play on the ice better resembling a Stanley Cup Final or the Olympics than the All-Star Weekend festivities it replaced “It was much more popular than even we would have imagined it was getting so much attention from our whole continent,” 4 Nations MVP Nathan MacKinnon said. “The 4 Nations caught on fire. I’m sure everyone didn’t really know what to expect. Obviously questions about it being an All-Star Game, things like that. Obviously people didn’t really know the players’ mindsets coming in, and rightfully so. You never really know But guys took this very seriously when you represent your country.”

Given that a generation of players from McDavid and MacKinnon to Americans Auston Matthews and Jack Eichel never got a chance to represent their countries in so-called best-on-best play as professionals, it was clear in their minds they were taking it seriously For many fans, it took seeing the opening game — Sidney Crosby’s no-look pass to MacKinnon for a goal 56 seconds in and

LEGACY

Continued from page 1C

sit out his sophomore season but returned his junior year at defensive end and earned all-state honorable mention as a senior

The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Martin switched positions in college to cornerback, tallying 69 tackles, five tackles for loss, 10 interceptions and 23 passes defended during his four years at Langston.

“I didn’t have any offers coming out of high school,” Martin said. “I didn’t cry, I didn’t fold, I didn’t complain. I stuck with the program and just kept pushing. (Langston) is the team that took a chance on me. I’ve just been loyal to them from the start and been there all four years.” Martin is the lone player from Langston in this year’s Legacy Bowl. He credits his experience at defensive end in high school

SAINTS

Continued from page 1C

The 42-year-old got his NFL start under then-Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio in 2017. He spent three seasons with Fangio, two in Chicago and one in Denver, before taking over as the Los Angeles

the frantic pace at which Canada and Sweden were skating up and down the rink — to believe this was going to be worth watching.

Then people watched.

ESPN said the game had 9.3 million viewers in the U.S. higher than any NHL game on its networks and the second-most watched over the past decade.

Sportsnet reported 10.7 million people across Canada watched Thursday night — over a quarter of the country’s population — after the six round-robin games averaged 4.6 million viewers in North America and 10.1 million tuned in to the first U.S.-Canada game.

In a series of social media posts, former NFL player J.J. Watt raved, “It’s just incredible how much of a home run 4 Nations has been for the NHL and hockey in

general” and said friends who had never watched the sport before were reaching out asking about plans to watch and what to eat during it.

“Definition of growing the game,” Watt said. “Much, much respect for how much effort, energy and passion (players) poured into this tournament. That’s what’s made it so special. The best in the world going all-out for pure pride.”

The next chance they will get is a year away at the 2026 Olympics in Milan, the return of the players to that stage after the NHL skipped in 2018 and pulled out at the eleventh hour in 2022 because of pandemic-related scheduling problems.

Commissioner Gary Bettman billed the 4 Nations featuring the U.S., Canada, Sweden and Fin-

“I stuck with the program and just kept pushing (Langston) is the team that took a chance on me. I’ve just been loyal to them from the start and been there all four years.”

TRAVIS

MARTIN, cornerback

for helping him play cornerback in college.

“My strengths at cornerback actually come from playing defensive end,” Martin said. “Me being physical in the trenches got to me being overly physical at cornerback, but that just comes from me playing defensive end and transitioning. It was a learning experience.”

Martin will play for Team Robinson on Saturday, which is named for legendary Grambling head coach Eddie Robinson. The team is coached by Alabama A&M coach Sam Shade and Jackson State coach T.C. Taylor

“I think with (Martin) being a lo-

cal guy, you can see the passion,” Shade said. “The energy to be able to come back home and compete in a college all-star game the magnitude of this one.

“The competition is good. Me and coach Taylor talk about iron sharpening iron, and that’s what you want to happen. That’s what’s happening with our guys, and they’re making each other better this week.”

Other Team Robinson players with Louisiana ties include Grambling quarterback Myles Crawley and Southern long snapper Braxton Blackwell.

“(Myles) Crawley has had a good week,” Shade said. “Really all the

Rams defensive coordinator in 2020. The Rams finished that 2020 season ranked No. 1 in both scoring and total defense, fueling Staley’s rapid ascent as a head coaching candidate The Chargers hired him in 2021. Staley couldn’t replicate that success with the Chargers, who never finished better than 20th in scoring or total defense during his time there. He comes to New Orleans after working under some of the brightest minds in football, including Kyle Shanahan last year in San Francisco, Sean McVay in Los Angeles, and Fangio in Chicago and Denver But it took Staley a while to ascend the coaching ladder Staley a former college quarterback at Dayton, spent 10

land as an appetizer for Milan. The level of play — and the result set the stage perfectly for the Americans to again challenge Canadian hockey superiority, with the Swedes, Finns, Czechs, Slovaks, Germans and maybe even the Russians also in the mix for Olympic gold.

“I’ll always remember this feeling when it’s next year,” U.S. winger Brady Tkachuk said after losing 3-2 in the final. “Everything happens for a reason and I think this year, this moment can really motivate us going into next year.”

For now, Canada remains unbeaten over the past 15 years in tournaments with the NHL’s top talent involved, extending its winning streak to four, with a title at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey and gold medals at the 2014 and 2010 Olympics before this.

Crosby has been a part of all of this, plus an unbeaten run at the 2015 world championships, and played through injury at the 4 Nations because of how special the occasion was.

“Every opportunity you get to wear the Canadian jersey and compete in this event, it’s something new, but I think you saw the hockey that was on display,” Crosby said. “It was pretty incredible. Happy for this group. We came together in a short period of time and found a way to get it done.”

In the leadup to the final, Canada coach Jon Cooper said anyone expecting it to be more like an AllStar Game “was sorely, sorely mistaken.” It was, in fact, a collection of All-Stars, but the final product was anything but.

Even before Canada’s players and coaches got their gold medals and trophy, it was clear the event put together over the past year-plus attracted new fans to the NHL and the sport of hockey better than anyone could have anticipated.

quarterbacks we feel good about. Crawley is the bigger guy, so we feel like there are some throws he’ll be able to make sometimes that other guys might not be able to make.”

The Legacy Bowl matchup between Team Robinson and Team Gaither will be broadcast by the NFL Network.

“For some of these guys, it might be the last football game they play,” Shade said. “We want them to have a great experience and leave it all out there on the field. There’s been a lot of NFL talent evaluators, scouts and different people, so they’ve definitely been on the stage.”

“The experience has been lovely,” Martin said. “I’ve gotten to connect with multiple guys on the team, and I’ve talked to a lot of championship coaches. When my opportunity is called, just answer Show the coaches why there are people at HBCUs that will play at the next level.”

years coaching at mostly lowerlevel college football programs including stops with Division III schools John Carroll and St. Thomas, and Hutchinson junior college before he caught his NFL break, coaching linebackers for Fangio’s 2017 Bears team.

Email Luke Johnson at ljohnson@theadvocate.com.

The Wolverines were leading the Big Ten entering their first of two scheduled games against the 14thranked Spartans.

Nebraska cancels 2026-27 football series vs. Tennessee LINCOLN,Neb Nebraska canceled two nonconference games against Tennessee as part of a plan to recoup lost revenue from reduced seating capacity during major renovations of Memorial Stadium in 2027, athletic director Troy Dannen announced Friday The Cornhuskers and Volunteers had been scheduled to meet in Lincoln on Sept. 12, 2026, and in Knoxville on Sept. 11, 2027. Nebraska replaced Tennessee on its schedule with home games against Bowling Green in 2026 and Miami in 2027. The Huskers also scheduled an additional matchup with Northern Iowa in 2027. All previous meetings between Nebraska and Tennessee came in bowls, most recently in the 2016 Music City Bowl.

Jaguars hire their new GM Gladstone from Rams JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Jaguars hired Los Angeles Rams executive James Gladstone as their general manager Friday, reuniting him with new coach Liam Coen. Gladstone held the position of director of scouting strategy in L.A. since 2019, working alongside Rams general manager Les Snead during the draft process. He’s been with the Rams since 2016 and was viewed as a key member of the scouting department. Coen and Gladstone spent four years together with the Rams (2018-20, 2022), watching and learning from Snead and coach Sean McVay In Jacksonville, Gladstone will join a group of firsttimers trying to revive a franchise that has lost 18 of its last 23 games.

New York Yankees drop ban on beards after 49 years

TAMPA. Fla. — The New York Yankees dropped their ban on beards Friday, 49 years after it was imposed by owner George Steinbrenner, in a move aimed to improve player recruitment as the team tries to win its first World Series title since 2009.

Current owner Hal Steinbrenner, son of The Boss, announced the change Friday before the team’s spring training opener He called the ban “outdated” and “somewhat unreasonable.”

George Steinbrenner announced the facial policy during spring training in 1976, mandating no long hair or beards — mustaches were allowed Players complied but some pushed boundaries by going unshaven or letting hair fall over their collars.

Andreeva upsets Rybakina to reach the Dubai final

DUBAI United Arab Emirates Teenager Mirra Andreeva became the youngest player to reach the Dubai Championships final after beating Elena Rybakina 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 on Friday The 17-year-old Andreeva trailed 3-1 in the third set before winning the last five games to reach her second tour final. She won in Iasi, Romania, last July Andreeva is the youngest player in the top 100, and her run this week has put to meet Clara Tauson in the Dubai final. Clara Tauson, the Dane who knocked out world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka,

AP PHOTO By CHARLES KRUPA

Fans of Canada celebrate during the first period of a 4 Nations Face-Off game against Finland on Monday in Boston.

Effort irks Uhlman as Tulane drops first game

BY GUERRY SMITH Contributing writer

Connor Rasmussen’s line drive with the bases loaded in the eighth inning appeared ticketed for the outfield turf and at least one run as Tulane tried to come all the way back from a 7-0 deficit on Friday afternoon

Loyola Marymount shortstop James Bose had other ideas.

Leaping high, he speared the ball and doubled off Michael Lombardi at first base, ending the Green Wave’s final threat before the Lions (5-1) added four insurance runs in the ninth for a series-opening 12-4 victory at Turchin Stadium, handing Tulane (4-1) its first loss.

Rasmussen, who represented the tying run, came within an inch of winning his battle with closer Cole Stucky, who entered having throwing 41/3 hitless innings in three appearances. Instead, it was another missed opportunity on a day when the Wave left at least one runner on base in every inning

“It was a breaking ball up in the zone, and I put a good swing on it,” Rasmussen said. “Their shortstop made a heck of a play. Tip your cap. We just talked there’s a couple of pitches in baseball that swing a game, and that was one of them.”

Tulane coach Jay Uhlman was ticked off by the second out on the play Lombardi leaving first base was the last of multiple blunders that contributed to the loss.

“Lombardi’s run doesn’t mean anything,” Uhlman

said. “If anything, it’s wait until it bounces three times and goes to the left fielder We got outplayed, we got outcoached, and we got outhustled.

This one started off badly for Tulane when ace Luc Fladda (0-1) elevated a pitch over the plate and gave up a three-run, first-inning bomb over the scoreboard in left field by Loyola Marymount cleanup hitter Beau Ankeney It got worse when freshman Tanner Chun made two consecutive errors in right field during the third inning as the Lions piled on four more runs for a 7-0 lead.

With the Wave trailing 4-0, Chun dropped a routine fly that would have been the second out. The next batter Devan Ornelas, cleared the bases with a triple that reached the right-field wall, then he scored himself after Chun fumbled the ball as he tried to retrieve the ricochet.

Uhlman spread the blame for that one, pointing to freshman center fielder Jason Wachs’ lack of hustle and poor communication Chun exited for pinch hitter Theo Bryant in the bottom of the fourth Bryant then replaced Wachs in center field while Brock Slaton entered in right field

“It was a compound effect of a lack of competitive spirit and effort,” Uhlman said “At that point where we were score-wise, I wanted to make a statement. We chased the ball around and threw it around, so I had to do something.”

Fladda recovered to throw eight strikeouts for the second consecutive start, exiting with one out in the sixth, but the damage was done.

“I can handle getting beat,” Uhlman said. “But the effort part to start that game wasn’t where it needed to be.”

Tulane rallied for three runs in the fifth off starter Kenji Pallares (2-0), who peppered the plate with 94 mph fastballs through the first four innings. Rasmussen singled in a run, and Slaton drove in two with an opposite-field single.

The Wave pulled within 7-4 on Matthias Haas’ sacrifice fly in the seventh before loading the bases in the eighth on a double by Andrew McKenna, a walk by pinch hitter Nate Johnson and an infield single by Lombardi.

Bose made a diving stop to prevent a run from scoring on that one, then turned in an even better defensive gem to rob Rasmussen of what would have been his third hit.

The teams will finish the series with a doubleheader on Saturday because of expected rain on Sunday The first game will start at 1 p.m. with the finale beginning 45 minutes after the opener ends.

“There’s no quit in our team and our offense,” said Rasmussen, who is hitting .444. “We had multiple chances to get back in that game. You never want to lose the opener of a series, but we have the opportunity to come out and win two games tomorrow.”

Mulkey expects Morrow back against Kentucky

BY REED DARCEY

Staff writer

Aneesah Morrow missed a game for the first time in her collegiate career on Thursday when the LSU women’s basketball team beat Georgia 79-63.

Coach Kim Mulkey said that Morrow has no structural damage in her left foot. She’s battling a little soreness left from a contusion she suffered Sunday in the No. 7 Tigers’ road loss to No. 2 Texas. LSU does not expect her to miss more time.

“She got stepped on in the Texas game,” Mulkey said, “if you guys remember, and she took herself out and put herself back in. It was just a contusion, and it’s just sore. What better time to rest than tonight because the last three (games) are tough as nails.” Without Morrow, LSU’s scoring was more evenly distributed than it usually is Thursday Five contributors

Continued from page 1C

But Day-Wilson has since missed 15 of the last 16 shots she’s taken, scored only four total points and turned the ball over as many times (nine) as she’s assisted an LSU bucket Over the Tigers’ last five games, she’s ceded playing time to both Mjracle Sheppard — the sophomore defensive ace who earned nearly 30 minutes in back-toback games against Missouri and No. 15 Tennessee — and Poa the veteran who reappeared inside Mulkey’s guard rotation in a top-five showdown with the Longhorns.

scored in double figures including Jersey Wolfenbarger, the 6-foot-5 forward who Mulkey moved into the starting lineup in place of Morrow. She finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds after hitting 8 of 12 free throws.

Starter Sa’Myah Smith also scored 11 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to post her fourth double-double of the season.

LSU converted only 38% of its shots through three quarters, but its production at the free-throw line (15 of 22) and on the offensive glass (19 rebounds) helped it begin the fourth quarter with a double-digit lead, then glide to a 16-point win

“God works in mysterious ways,” Mulkey said. We’re fixing to play a team that’s just as tall as (Smith and Wolfenbarger), and so maybe them playing tonight will give them that confidence when we play against Kentucky because Kentucky has really tall players.”

putting on us.”

The job description changed for LSU’s game against Georgia. The Tigers, Mulkey said, needed to wall off the paint, preventing the Bulldogs from dribble penetrating and creating open looks around the rim. Georgia scored 36 of its 63 points in the lane but earned only eight trips to the free-throw line.

“Defensively (Day-Wilson) could possibly keep them out of the paint a little better than Poa,” Mulkey said, “even though Poa will take charges.”

Is NIT a realistic destination for LSU?

BY TOYLOY BROWN III Staff writer

Why is LSU men’s basketball still worth watching?

That’s a fair question for fans to ask.

The hope of this regular season leading to an NCAA Tournament appearance is practically a fantasy as the Tigers prepare to face No. 2 Florida at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center at 5 p.m. Saturday

Improbable is the nicest way to describe LSU’s chance of reaching the Big Dance, which it last reached during the 2021-22 season.

New NIT selection rules

Morrow a senior on pace to finish her career with the third-most rebounds in NCAA Division I history, suited up for all 66 contests DePaul played across her first two years, then appeared in each of the first 64 games LSU played over the last two seasons.

This year Morrow is averaging 18.1 points on 49% shooting and 14.4 rebounds per game a career high and the top mark in the country She has posted 24 double-doubles, seven more than any other Division I player

“Could she have played?” Mulkey said about Thursday night. “Sure, but for Aneesah Morrow to do what she’s got to do, not just these next three games, but then you go to the SEC Tournament, potentially could play three in a row if you make it to the championship there.

“She’s got a tough body, but just rest it Just let the bruise get better.”

LSU (14-12, 3-10 SEC) is 15th in the Southeastern Conference standings, and ESPN’s Bracketology projects 12 teams from the conference to make the NCAA Tournament as of Friday The record for the most teams to make the tournament from one conference is 11, which was done by the Big East in 2011.

The simplest way for the Tigers to make the tournament is to miraculously win the SEC Tournament.

The more likely but also unrealistic way for coach Matt McMahon’s team to go dancing is by getting an at-large bid. To have a decent argument to be chosen by the selection committee, LSU must win at least three of its remaining five regularseason games — its lowest-ranked opponent left is No. 21 Mississippi State and reach at least the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament.

Stacking that many wins may be a tough ask, especially because the Tigers have the strongest remaining strength of schedule, according to ESPN.

That leads to the most realistic path toward postseason play with the National Invitation Tournament.

LSU made the NIT last year as an automatic qualifier as it was one of the top two SEC teams in the NET to miss the NCAA Tournament. LSU fell 84-77 to North Texas in the first round.

The Tigers have a chance to earn an automatic bid again this season, even with a new selection process.

This season, there will be exempt bids for 16 teams in the 32-team NIT The SEC and the Atlantic Coast Conference each will have two teams given automatic bids. The other 12 exempt bids will be given to one team in each of the best 12 conferences that is decided by KenPom rating. All exempt bids will be rewarded to the teams with the highest KNIT score from each conference. The KNIT is the average score from seven ranking systems: ESPN Basketball Power Index (BPI), Kevin Pauga Index (KPI), NET, KenPom, Strength of Record (SOR), Torvik ranking and Wins Above Bubble (WAB) ranking. Regular-season conference champions who aren’t chosen for the NCAA Tournament can get an exempt bid to the NIT if they have an average score of at least 125 across the ranking systems. The rest of the field are atlarge teams decided by the NIT’s selection committee comprised of former coaches, athletic directors and a commissioner LSU’s NIT path

If 12 SEC teams make the NCAA Tournament, LSU must have no worse than the second-best KNIT score among the bottom four conference teams to automatically make the NIT

The Tigers are in better spirits after winning their last two games, beating South Carolina (10-16, 0-13) and Oklahoma (16-10, 3-10). Overtaking the Sooners will take a measure of hoping they continue trending down as they are in the midst of a fivegame losing streak.

If the Tigers don’t end the year better than Oklahoma, they can still make the NIT if they have a solid resume for an at-large bid or the SEC ends up getting 13 NCAA bids. An NIT appearance wasn’t LSU’s original goal. If it comes to fruition, it won’t be an accomplishment the program will want to brag about, either But LSU has a chance to play more basketball, which is always good for the growth of players on the current roster It also can supply momentum entering the 2025-26 season.

the transfer portal after an uneven 2023-24 season and enrolled at TCU, where she’s now scoring more points, shooting at a higher percentage and assisting on more shots than she did in her lone year with the Tigers.

LSU hoped it could find a better fit for its system this season with either Poa or one of the transfers it signed to replace Van Lith.

But with only three games separating the Tigers from the postseason, Mulkey said she still hasn’t found a clear answer at point guard.

“I felt like Poa had a better understanding of that atmosphere, that big stage,” Mulkey said. “She played in the national championship game for us, and all I needed her to do in that game was get us in an offense with the kind of pressure that Texas was

Poa has been making those defensive plays since Alexis Morris defended the point of attack and orchestrated the LSU offense all the way through the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Once she exhausted her eligibility the Tigers tossed the keys to Hailey Van Lith, who transferred to LSU in part because she wanted to play point guard. But Van Lith reentered

Instead she’ll likely let the matchup dictate which ballhandler gets more run moving forward, like she has in each of LSU’s previous two contests.

“It’s just the gut feeling you go with,” Mulkey said. “I’m confident in both of them. I don’t like a two-quarterback system, but guess what? We’re 26-2. You just keep plugging away You’re a possession or two away from being undefeated.” LSU

STAFF PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

South Carolina guard Jamarii Thomas loses the ball as LSU guard Jordan Sears, right, and forward Robert Miller defend Tuesday at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center

THE VARSITY ZONE

Oh, yes they did

Led by eighth grader, SSA ends St. Thomas More’s Div. II stranglehold

BY MIKE GEGENHEIMER Contributing writer

Late Thursday

The last time St Thomas More was not crowned the Division II champion, Caroline Todd was 6 years old. The last time an y team had s co re d four or more goals against the Cougars in the postseason, Todd was 4 But on Thursday night, Todd, the only eighth grader on St. Scholastica’s roster, scored two goals to bring down the seven-time reigning champions 4-1. She was also named the game’s Most Outstanding Player “I couldn’t have done it without all my teammates,” Todd said. “They pushed

me through everything. This team is so close. It just brought us all together to win. It was more than just soccer It was a team thing.”

After playing to a scoreless tie during the regular season, the two best teams in Division II knew what they were getting coming into the game. Both sides fought to a 0-0 tie through the first 39 minutes before STM’s Kate Guillory broke loose for a one-on-one play against the SSA goalkeeper Guillory juked to the left and buried the ball into an empty net.

But SSA (16-4-6) responded almost immediately Less than a minute later, still in stoppage time, Ariana Taylor chased down a long ball over the top where she poked the shot past the charging Cougars keeper

for the equalizer It was the first goal STM (19-3-5) allowed in the past seven contests.

When many teams may have gone into halftime dejected after a last-minute goal, Taylor breathed life into the Doves with a momentum-swinging play

“After I saw that goal all my mind was saying was, ‘I can’t let it end like this. This can’t be what determines the game,’ ” Taylor, a senior, said. “As soon as they scored I said I had to do something, something has to change, and when I saw the opportunity I had to seize it.”

With the game tied again, SSA was looking for a spark to get it past the stingy Cougars back line. That’s where Todd stepped in. In the 57th minute, Todd

received a ball at the top of the box where she turned and fired a shot into the back of the net for her first goal. hat sparked a sevenminute stretch that would ultimately win SSA the title. Five minutes after Todd’s goal, Carlie Perrin provided the shot of the game when she chipped the STM goalkeeper on a free kick from 35 yards out. Two minutes after that, Todd again struck gold for her team-best 22nd goal of the season.

“One thing I told the girls is that we’re not going to take (STM) for granted,” SSA coach Glenn Benjamin said. “They’ve shown they can win championships, but maybe it’s our time The girls were confident coming off the last game and we got it done.”

St. Paul’s ready for familiar foe in D-I state

nal for the fourth time. The Wolves also won a 2017 final showdown to hold a 3-1 all-time advantage.

BY JOSEPH HALM Staff writer

St. Paul’s is back in the state final, and it’s facing a familiar opponent. The sixth-seeded Wolves will battle fourth-seeded Catholic-Baton Rouge in the Division I state championship match at 5 p.m. Saturday at Strawberry Stadium in Hammond.

“We’re hitting our stride,” St. Paul’s coach Sean Moser said. “We’re healthy We’re fit as can be, so we’re looking forward to the challenge.”

The Wolves (21-5-3) are making their 13th final appearance in the past 15 years. St. Paul’s has claimed 11 state titles in school history (eight during the current streak), with the last coming in 2023 via a 2-0 win over Catholic.

To reach the final, they had to knock off another familiar opponent as St. Paul’s rallied for a 3-1 semifinal win over Jesuit, the Blue Jays’ only loss of the season.

Now, the Wolves have a chance for revenge as the Bears (16-3-3) knocked St. Paul’s out of the playoffs last season with a 1-0 semifinals loss. Catholic lost to Jesuit 1-0 in last year’s final.

In fact, the two teams have a ton of playoff history over the past five seasons. In 2020, the Wolves beat Catholic 2-0 in the final. The following season, the Bears returned the favor to claim the state title.

Now, the two teams are facing each other in the fi-

“I really respect (Catholic coach Jonathan Brunet) and what he’s done, and that’s why I’ll schedule him twice a year,” Moser said. “We’ll do a preseason scrimmage and then play them again in December They play the game the right way We’ve seen each other often in the preseason, and now, we’re playing the final.”

The teams played to a 2-2 draw in a scrimmage this season. The Wolves start three sophomores while also playing six seniors. Four of those seniors — captains Bryce Bordes, Liam Murphy and Grayson Vogt along with Liam DannelsSmith were on the state title roster two years ago. Bordes leads the team with 30 goals including two in the semifinals. DannelsSmith is next with 14 goals and 13 assists followed by Holger Padilla-Aviles (12) and Marc Jones (10). The Wolves have posted 17 shutouts with 107 goals scored compared to just 21 allowed. Every field player has scored a goal. It’s that depth that Moser said could be a key against Catholic adding that the Wolves also need a better start in the final after falling behind early against Barbe and Jesuit this postseason. “We’ve played a lot of games this year,” Moser said. “Everyone has been getting a lot of time, and the level doesn’t drop when guys come off the bench. That’s been a big thing.”

BY CHRISTOPHER DABE Staff writer

Mount Carmel juniors Stella Junius and Josie Randol have played soccer together most of their lives. Over time, they created a connection on the field that is evident to anyone who has seen them play

“A lot of our attack goes through them,” said Mount Carmel soccer coach Alexi Petrou, who has had them on his team since they were in eighth grade. “They know where each other is going to be without looking up.”

The pair has teamed for several goals and helped No. 4 Mount Carmel (22-4-3) advance through the playoffs. The Cubs will face No. 2 C.E. Byrd (19-3-4) in the LHSAA Division I state championship set for 7:30 p.m Saturday at Strawberry Stadium in Hammond.

“I don’t even know if that’s a thing but I feel like our minds are connected,” Junius said. “I know wherever she’s going to make a run and for me not to go through. Or if she’s going to pass to me, I know where to go or to back away and give her space. It just works.”

The pair showed their connection when Randol assisted on a goal that Junius scored in overtime of a 2-1 victory over No. 1 St. Joseph’s in the state semifinals last week in Baton Rouge. Randol delivered a pass from the right side to Junius near the top of the penalty box. From there, Junius drilled a shot to the top left corner of the goal frame.

“I always know where Stella is because, I don’t know, we have this thing,” Randol said as she pointed to her head and then to Junius as if to show the mental connection they have from playing soccer together for so

“I saw that she was coming this way, so I was like, ‘Oh, I’m going to try and shoot it,’ ” Junius said. “I took a shot and thankfully it went in.” Randol, who recalled a no-look pass from the left side to Junius for a goal against Dominican in January, is the team scoring leader with 19 goals and 16 assists. Junius has 17 goals and 10 assists, followed by senior Hana Hammond with 12 goals and 11 assists. All three are team captains Senior Adie Sheeley and sophomore Elle Vodanovich have been key players on a defense that has posted shutouts in 16 of 29 matches.

Hammond, who scored the tying goal late in regulation against St. Joseph’s, saw the winning goal unfold in front of her

“I watched the ball to go Josie and I was like, ‘Play to Stella,’ ” Hammond said. “Stella took a one-touch and it was beautiful.”

Junius and Randol developed a lasting bond by attending St. Pius X together and by playing on the same club teams for so many years.

“We do everything together,” Randol said. “So I feel like, especially on the field, we have such good chemistry

“Every time I’m with her, I know that if I pass her the ball, she’s going to do something good with it.”

Junius has scored overtime goals in the past two matches. She scored in the 1-0 quarterfinal victory against Northshore.

many years. “I knew she was right there.” Junius received the pass and had a defender coming at her from the left side.

The match against Byrd will be the second between the teams this season. They played to a 1-1 draw in January Could this match reach overtime? Perhaps a chance for the two longtime friends to team up for another crucial goal.

Contact Christopher Dabe at cdabe@

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

St. Scholastica midfielder Caroline Todd gets a hug from teammate Kailey Perilloux, left, after Todd’s goal in the second half of the Division III state title game on Thursday in Hammond. Todd scored two goals in SSA’s 4-1 win over St. Thomas More.

STAFF PHOTO By JOSEPH HALM

St. Paul’s Holger Padilla-Aviles boxes out Jesuit’s Ford Frischhertz during their semifinals match on Feb 15. The Wolves will play Catholic of Baton Rouge for the Division I state title. The game is set for 5 p.m. Saturday in Hammond.

Unbeaten LSU softball rolls to dozen wins

BY JIM KLEINPETER

Contributing writer

LSU right fielder McKen-

zie Redoutey caught some bad breaks as a hitter in the first weekend, but she has been making up for it since.

Redoutey knocked in five runs with three hits to help the No. 6 Tigers take their first two games of the LSU Invitational, 10-1 over Penn State and 9-3 against Southern Mississippi on Friday at Tiger Park.

The Tigers (12-0) also got good pitching from Sydney Berzon, Emilee Casanova and Jayden

Heavener

Berzon threw a five-inning complete game in the opener, and Heavener made her first relief appearance to finish up for Casanova against Southern Miss, striking out five of the seven batters she faced.

Redoutey hit a two-run double in the first inning of the opener and clubbed her first homer in the first inning of the nightcap. She added a run-scoring double later against Southern Miss to raise her average to .393.

One of three returning starters in the LSU lineup, Redoutey had two hits and one RBI in 12 at-bats the first weekend.

She has gone 11 for 21 since with 10 RBIs. Maci Bergeron and Tori Edwards also had runscoring singles for the Tigers.

Heavener entered the game when Southern Miss scored a

run on a base hit by Mikaila Fox to cut LSU’s lead to 5-3 in the fifth inning.

Heavener struck out Claire Ginder who represented the tying run, on a 3-2 count to end the inning. She retired all seven batters she ended up facing.

Casanova pitched well but was nicked for a pair of unearned runs in the fourth. She struck out four, walked two and allowed eight hits

LSU cruised through the first game with help from the Nittany Lions, who committed four errors to either allow runs to score or extend innings. JBerzon allowed five hits, struck out five and walked one to improve to 5-0

The Tigers staked Berzon to a 4-0 lead in the first inning. Redoutey’s two-run double charged the rally, and Jadyn Laneaux capped it with a sacrifice fly The first six Tigers reached base, and the first run scored on a throwing error by Penn State center fielder Natalie Lieto. LSU collected seven hits and seven walks.

Danieca Coffey was on base in all four of her plate appearances with two hits and two walks while knocking in a run.

Avery Hodge had a run-scoring single, Jalia Lassiter a sacrifice

fly and Edwards a bases-loaded walk as LSU scored five times in the third inning. The other runs came in on an error and a wild pitch.

Berzon allowed only one runner

Chio continues dominant stretch for LSU gym in win

BY SCOTT RABALAIS

Staff writer

The big news for LSU gymnastics Friday night was having 27time All-American Haleigh Bryant back in the all-around competition. The big result for LSU gymnastics was another beyond-heryears performance from freshman Kailin Chio.

Chio won her fourth straight all-around title, as well as tying for first on vault and uneven bars, as the No. 3-ranked Tigers gutted out a 197.200-197.075 win at No. 9 Kentucky

The win was big for LSU in a couple of respects. The Tigers erased their season-low score of 196.600, which will help their season long National Qualifying Score (NQS) average. The dual meet win also kept LSU (8-2, 5-1 Southeastern Conference) on pace to win at least a share of its first SEC regular-season championship since 2018. The Tigers return to Baton

TIGERS

Continued from page 1C

the first five innings against Anderson. He didn’t run into any trouble until the sixth, when a pair of walks and a one-out single drove in Omaha’s first run. Anderson surrendered another single to load the bases before he was replaced by Dallas Baptist transfer and right-hander Connor Benge. The first batter he faced hit a sacrifice fly that scored a second run, cutting LSU’s lead in half. Despite his dominance through five innings, Anderson wasn’t happy with his outing. He said that his inability to locate his fastball is why he ran into trouble in the sixth.

“I feel like there’s a lot of room for improvement, honestly,” he said. “As a starter you’re trying to go into the seventh, eighth inning.”

Rouge next Friday to take on George Washington in the Podium Challenge at the Raising Cane’s River Center First vault is at 6:30 p.m. LSU finishes its SEC schedule at home March 7 against Georgia and March 14 at Auburn. LSU opened on uneven bars with Bryant anchoring the lineup. It was her first time performing on bars since injuring her elbow on vault in December in the Tigers’ Gymnastics 101 exhibition meet She scored a 9.85, while Chio, Ashley Cowan and Lexi Zeiss tied UK’s Delaynee Rodriguez for first with a 9.875. After one rotation, the Tigers led 49.325-49.175. LSU moved over to vault on the second rotation. The Tigers came into the meet ranked No. 1 nationally in that event but didn’t have their best performance, carding a 49.200. LSU had to count one of two 9.725s from KJ Johnson and Amari Drayton, but got bailed out in the end as Chio closed with a 9.925 and Bryant anchored with a 9.90. Chio tied for first on vault with UK’s Isabella Magnelli.

After Benge escaped the sixth, freshman right-hander Mavrick Rizy threw a scoreless seventh. Omaha (1-4) made him work he threw 20 pitches — but Rizy’s sinking fastball got him a strikeout and two weak groundouts to the left side.

“He’s really difficult to deal with and hit,” Johnson said of Rizy “We’ll see about tomorrow, but we’ve got him out in a spot where we should be able to use him tomorrow too.”

LSU (5-0) failed to stretch out its lead in the seventh, forcing freshman right-hander Casan Evans to hold onto the Tigers’ two-run lead in the eighth and ninth. He struck out three batters without allowing a hit in the eighth before recording two more punch-outs in the ninth to earn his first career save. In four total innings, Evans has nine strikeouts and no hits allowed.

The LSU bullpen has not surrendered an earned run this season. The relievers have given up one

Halfway through the meet, LSU extended its lead slightly to 98.525-98.325.

The Tigers moved over to floor for the third rotation, matching Kentucky on beam with 49.325s that allowed LSU to maintain its two-tenths lead going to the final rotation. LSU kept Aleah Finnegan in the floor rotation, though the 2024 NCAA floor champion stepped out of bounds for the fourth straight meet and got a 9.775 with a one-tenth deduction. Bryant got a 9.90 in the anchor spot, LSU’s only score above 9.875 in the event, helping the Tigers maintain their two-tenths lead (147.850-147.650) going to the final rotation. While Kentucky finished with a strong 49.425 on floor getting a winning 9.95 from Creslyn Brose, the Tigers did enough on beam to hold on for the win. Chio got a 9.925 in the second spot, covering a 9.775 from Kylie Coen to finish second behind Magnelli. Finnegan anchored with a 9.90 to clinch the meet for LSU.

extra-base hit and two walks.

“The talent is easy to see. Anybody could walk in and look at the radar gun and look at the secondary pitches and go like, ‘Wow, like, this guy is special,’ “ Johnson said about LSU’s freshman pitchers. “But I know them as people, have known them for a long time. And they’re ready, they’re ready for those spots.”

LSU built its 4-0 lead in short spurts. The Tigers scored a pair of runs in the second on a runscoring single from sophomore Jake Brown and a groundball double play hit by Indiana State transfer Luis Hernandez that scored senior Michael Braswell. Hernandez hit a double that scored Brown in the fourth. Sophomore Steven Milam then poked a sacrifice fly to shallow right field to drive in a run in the fifth.

“At the end of the day, it just goes back to the strike zone,” Brown said “and it’s just getting a pitch that you

Newman loses district title to Country Day

Greenies eye playoff run after strong finish

BY CHRISTOPHER DABE Staff writer

Country Day ended the regular season Friday with a 62-40 victory over Newman that clinched a district tournament championship and secured a likely No. 3 seed for when the basketball playoffs begin next week.

But there is more for the Cajuns to achieve.

“Our goal was to win a district championship and then hopefully get a high enough seed to get two home games and then go to the final four,” Country Day coach Mike McGuire said.

Consider the first two parts of that plan — the district title and the high playoff seed completed.

Playoff brackets are set to be released Tuesday Country Day (206) expects to have a bye into the second round with a chance to also host an LHSAA Division III select quarterfinal in the week of Mardi Gras.

“Our goal is to win the state championship,” said sophomore Kellen Brewer, who scored a team-high 14 points and defended against Newman’s best player, Randy Livingston Jr Country Day, which last won a state title in 2019, never trailed as freshman Curtis McAllister scored seven of the team’s first nine points and junior Brennan White made two 3-pointers, both in the first half.

Seniors Andrew Nelson and McAllister Callejo also made 3s in the first half, and the lead grew as sophomore Zachary Borego made one after halftime.

“The last few weeks our team chemistry has been really good,” White said “Way better than at the beginning of the season. And I feel like that’s really important when it comes to winning games.”

The past two wins for Country Day, both played at Cohen High School, avenged earlier losses.

The semifinal win Thursday against Sarah Reed came after Country Day lost the previous game between the schools Feb. 7. And the win against Newman was the first for Country Day since 2021.

Newman won the previous four games, including one in the playoffs last season.

“The first game (against Reed), they got a lot of outside shots,” McGuire said. “This time, we didn’t play zone; we went straight man. And we did a good job in our press. Our press was effective last night and tonight.”

Newman (18-6), a No. 4 seed in the latest power ratings, returned only Livingston (14 points, eight rebounds) and senior Payton Foster (10 points, six rebounds) from the team that won a third consecutive state title last season. Newman coach Randy Livingston Sr said his team “didn’t respond well to adversity” after Country Day built a large lead in the early going.

“It was some of our guys’ first time playing in this type of environment and we just didn’t respond to it,” Livingston said. Country Day, which lost in the quarterfinals the past two seasons, hopes to clear that hurdle this time.

“They’re all hungry,” McGuire said. “They haven’t been to the final four They want to get there. It’s been a good year for us.”

Country Day this week also welcomed back 6-foot-3 junior Hermon Dyson from an injury that caused him to miss more than four weeks of games. He had six points and six rebounds.

can drive and taking what you can’t.

We knew a guy like today is going to throw a lot of off-speed (pitches) whenever there’s runners on base to try to induce a double play

“So it’s just really pushing him up in the zone trying to get something you can hit hard. And if you can’t do it, just don’t swing.”

LSU’s struggles at the plate came to light in the final three innings, stranding the bases loaded in the seventh and leaving a runner on third in the eighth.

The Tigers finished the day with seven hits, but six of them came from Hernandez, Brown and freshman Derek Curiel. Hitters one through seven in the lineup, besides Curiel, went a combined 1-for-15.

LSU was just 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position as a team.

“There were just a couple of atbats where I think we got a little bit out of our plan,” Brown said,

Contact Christopher Dabe at cdabe@theadvocate.com

“where we were maybe chasing a little bit, weak contact.

“Turn the scoreboard off, like it’s not a 4-2 game. It’s you are at-bat. And when you can focus on that, that’ll make us a lot better.” Johnson believes the offense started pressing and getting out of its plan once Omaha cut the LSU lead to two.

“They haven’t been pushed,” Johnson said of his batters. “They pushed each other pretty good, but fall scrimmages against each other when you do it over and over and over again has value, but it’s not the same as (tonight).

“I think we were really close to being really good today, and then it just kind of got away from us.” LSU returns to Alex Box Stadium for a doubleheader against Omaha on Saturday First pitch for

past second base. The Lions got their only run on consecutive doubles by Maddie

Gordon and Haylie Brunson in the fourth inning. Berzon allowed a leadoff single in the fifth but struck out the next three batters to end the game via the mercy rule.

LSU gymnast Kailin Chio finishes the vault against Oklahoma on Feb 14 at the PMAC.

STAFF PHOTO

By MICHAEL JOHNSON

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU designated player Maddox McKee rounds second base against Penn State in the second inning on Friday at Tiger Park.

PIscEs (Feb. 20-March 20) Channel emotional energy into your daily routine. Engage in physical activity that lets you blow off steam and directs positive vibes into your life. Decline any offer that doesn't suit your budget.

ARIEs (March 21-April 19) Use your energy wisely. An active and well-planned agenda will help you avoid frustration. Lookforopportunitiestospendtimewith someone you want to know better.

TAuRus (April 20-May 20) Timing is everything. Refrain from letting anyone dictate how or where you utilize your energy. Trying to cram too much into one day will lead to uncertainty.

GEMInI (May 21-June 20) You are best to document what transpires. Someone will try to rewrite history if you offer an assessment that needs to be more precise. Offering something efficient and within budget will help you gain acceptance.

cAncER (June 21-July 22) Focus on what's essential and learn to say no to those taking advantage of your kindness and generosity. It's OK to help others, but help yourself first. Say no to drama and yes to using your energy to thrive.

LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) Generosity is honorable, but before offering your time, money or expertise, consider if someone's exploiting you. How you communicate your expectations will make a difference.

VIRGo (Aug. 23-sept. 22) Emotions will be scattered, causing problems with relationships and domestic matters. Push

dramaasideanddealwiththerealissues. Set boundaries and say no to tempting nuances.

LIBRA (sept. 23-oct. 23) Apply pressure when necessary, but do so in a manner that appeals to the people you want to be involvedinyourplans.Takingshorttrips and getting together with old friends will help turn any negatives you face into positives.

scoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Don't drag your feet when you can accomplish so much. Get out, network, socialize and charm your way into the hearts of those you want to be around. You will discover plenty through conversation.

sAGITTARIus (nov. 23-Dec. 21) Stop, look, listen and evaluate situations before you agree to something ambiguous. Refuse to let your emotions step in and lead you astray.

cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Live up to your promises and have no regrets. Following a path that encourages prudence and worthwhile achievements will make you feel good about life, what you contribute and your prospects.

AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Be the one to lead the way. Set a good example and be clear about your expectations. Use your skills, knowledge and insight to your benefit and to convince others to stand by you.

The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2025 by nEa, inc. dist. By andrews mcmeel syndication

FAMILY CIrCUS

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

ToDAy's cLuE: G EQuALs P

CeLebrItY CIpher

For better or For WorSe

SALLY Forth

beetLe bAILeY

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

SherMAn’S LAGoon dooneSbUrY

bIG nAte

Sudoku

InstructIons: sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the sudoku increases from monday to sunday.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

THe wiZard oF id

BLondie

BaBY BLueS

Hi and LoiS

CurTiS

By PHILLIP ALDER

Carl Jung said, “Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.”

At the bridge table, though, the opposite applies. If you worry only about your 13 cards, your partner will be dreaming of getting a new “third opponent.”

This deal requires vision. How should South play in six hearts after West leads the diamond jack?

North’sJacobytwo-no-trumpresponse showed four-plus hearts and game-forcing values.

South starts with 11 top tricks: two spades, six hearts, two diamonds and one club. Probably his immediate reaction is to hope that the club finesse is working. Then he might think about eliminating diamonds and spades before trying to duck a club to West for an endplay.

However, declarer can do better. He should win the first trick with his diamond king, draw two rounds of trumps, play three rounds of spades (ruffing the last in his hand), return to dummy with a diamond, and call for the last spade.

Here, when East discards, South throws a club. West takes the trick but is endplayed. If he leads a club, it is into declarer’sace-queen.Orifhedoessomething else, South ruffs in the dummy and sluffs his club queen. If though, East follows to the fourth spade, declarer ruffs, crosses to dummy with a trump, and ducks a club, hoping West will win the trick. But if East takes it

thought “But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” Hebrews 3:13

marmaduKe

Bizarro

hagar the horriBle

Pearls Before swiNe

garfield

B.C.

dIrectIons: make a 2- to 7-letter word from the letters in each row. add points of each word, using scoring directions at right. Finally, 7-letter words get 50-point bonus. “Blanks” used as any letter have no point value. all the words are in the Official sCraBBlE® players Dictionary, 5th Edition.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

ken ken

InstructIons: 1 Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 thorugh 4 (easy) or 1 through 6 (challenging) without repeating. 2 The numbers within the heavily outlined boxes, called cages, must combine using the given operation (in any order) to produce the target numbers in the top-left corners. 3 Freebies: Fill in the single-box cages with the number in the top-left corner. HErE is a

WiShinG Well

Scrabble GramS

Get fuzzy

jump Start

roSe

crackerS

DuStin

Drabble

Wallace the brave

breWSter rockit

luann

DETAIL: Spirit animals for the porch Page 7

BACKSTORy: A Union general with a mixed rep Page 10

family and Carnival ties lure a New Orleanian back after decades

Tell us about your spaces

HOME | DESIGN | GARDEN | REAL ESTATE

Right where she belongs

After a yearlong Carrollton renovation, Sandy Furano is right where she wants to be, back home in New Orleans. She and her husband, Dave, love her hometown, which holds, among other charms, a wealth of family and celebrates her strong ties to Carnival. See Jyl Benson’s story on Page 12.

ably envision a pair of stately lions. We’ve got those. But in New Orleans, a sharp eye can also find pairs of mermaids, swans and even porch pigs. See them in In Detail on Page 7.

Karen Taylor Gist

If you close your eyes and picture animal statues on the steps leading up to a front porch, you prob-

A comparatively new Garden District home looks much older, offering historic style with modern comforts. Victor Andrews gives us a peek inside the elegant space, for sale with an asking price of $2.5 million, on Page 8.

The InsideOut home and garden section is published every Saturday by The Times-Picayune Questions about InsideOut should be directed to the editor

INSIDEOUT EDITOR: Karen Taylor Gist, kataylor@theadvocate.com

CONTRIBUTINGWRITERS:

Victor Andrews, Jyl Benson, Dan Gill, Hannah Levitan, John McCusker

COVER DESIGN: Andrea Daniel

COVER PHOTO: Chris Granger

TO BE FEATURED: Send information and photos to insideout@theadvocate. com

GREEN THUMB

Leaf drop isn’t always a bad sign. PAGE 4

IN DETAIL

Porch-perfect guard critters. PAGE 7

ONE IN A MILLION

Stately home with modern comforts for $2.5M. PAGE 8

BACKSTORY

A reviled Union general had a good side. PAGE 10

InsideOut’s mission is to give readers peeks inside the many different ways that people in the New Orleans area live. We profile spaces that are opulent, or just offbeat; sophisticated or simple; functional or lighthearted; historic or brand-spanking new And anything in between Please help us by sending information and JPEG photos of your home, or specific spaces inside it, to insideout@theadvocate.com. We love gardens and outdoor spaces, too. And we’re waiting to hear from you.

COVER STORY

Carnival and family pull a native back home. PAGE 12

INSIDE STORY

Costuming pros share their tips. PAGE 17

INSIDE INFO

Home and garden happenings. PAGE 18

REAL ESTATE TRANSFERS

Recent transactions in the metro area. PAGE 19

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GREENTHUMB

I recently received some photos of azalea bushes with the question, “What is wrong with my azaleas?” The pictures showed foliage that did not look normal. Many of the leaves were yellow, most were green, but many had a decidedly purple tint. The colors reminded me of Mardi Gras.

Fortunately, despite their appearance, there was nothing wrong with the shrubs. The purple tint to the foliage is a reaction to cold. The leaves of many types of azaleas will take on a purple or burgundy tint during cold weather. Azaleas are not alone in this. Junipers and nandinas also have foliage that turns color due to cold. The leaves will turn green again as the weather warms up later on.

The yellow leaves were something else. They are an ambiguous symptom in plants. Like a fever in humans, yellowing leaves often indicate a problem, but there are so many causes that the symptom does not indicate what is actually wrong. Yellow leaves can be a sign of improper watering, insufficient light, insect or disease problems, nutrient deficiencies and sick roots, just to name a few.

There are also situations where yellow leaves do not indicate a problem. Yellow leaves have been showing up on a wide variety of landscape shrubs over the past few months. As I look around now, I see yellow leaves showing up on azaleas all over the area. Although the condition may look alarming, in most cases, it is not.

Normal aging process

Here in the Deep South, we tend to use many broadleaf evergreen trees and shrubs in our landscapes. These plants, such as gardenia, azalea, Southern magnolia, cherry laurel, Indian hawthorn, camellia, hollies, ligustrum, sweet olive, banana shrub, cleyera, viburnum and others, do not lose all their leaves during winter and are green

In normal leaf drop, it’s the older leaves away from the tips of the branches that fall off. Azaleas generally drop leaves from December to February.

year-round. This allows our landscapes to look green and attractive even in the depths of winter.

Leaves on these plants do, however, eventually grow old, die and drop from the plant. Before old leaves drop, they often turn color Depending on what variety of azaleas you are growing, the old leaves may turn yellow, orange or red.

The affected leaves are the ones located farthest from the ends of the branches. This makes sense, as the newest leaves would be those closest to the growing point at the tips of branches, and the oldest leaves would be those located farther away from the growing points. As many as one-third of the leaves on a plant may be dropped at one time, sometimes more.

This dropping of old, worn-out leaves generally occurs sometime between November and May, depending on the type of plant. Azaleas generally drop leaves from December to February, while hollies do it in March or April just as or before new growth appears. Gardenias experience leaf drop in fall and again in spring, and Southern magnolias yellow and drop leaves in April or

STAFF FILE PHOTO By BILL FEIG

Dan Gill GREEN THUMB

PROVIDED PHOTO

GREENTHUMB

Beads don’t hurt trees, but paradegoers should be wary around others’ yards

BY DAN GILL

Contributing writer

The trees along all the major parade routes get swamped with beads during Mardi Gras. Many of the beads stay in the trees for years. Does this damage the trees? Should homeowners remove the beads after Mardi Gras? — Brad

Thanks for your question. It gives me the opportunity to discuss public plantings and personal landscapes that may be impacted by Mardi Gras.

Beads that you see caught in the branches of trees do not pose any major physical issues. They generally are loosely draped and will not bind or girdle branches. And they look festive during the Carnival season. But, after Mardi Gras, the beads may look out of place and trashy When possible, it’s nice to carefully remove the beads to improve the appearance of the trees.

I once saw people pulling

down on crape myrtle tree branches trying to get beads. Then, with a sickening crack, the branch broke. The tree may have put 15 years of effort into growing the branch that was destroyed by someone trying to get beads. Please be aware of this when you are tempted to grab beads in trees. Tree branches are irreplaceable. In addition, many municipalities invest money and resources into planting and maintaining beds of shrubs on neutral grounds. Avoid trampling the plantings and damaging the shrubs as you enjoy the

parades

Trees still can be adorned with beads from weeks to even years after parades pass by.

GARDEN TIPS

CAMELLIATIME: The Camellia Club of New Orleans Camellia Show is Saturday at the University of New Orleans Sen. Ted Hickey Grand Ballroom in the University Center, 2000 Lakeshore Drive. Enter blooms from 7 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Public viewing is from noon to 4 p.m., and the plant sale is from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

PRUNE NOW: Hardy fruit trees should be pruned now.

Finally, have you ever been jealous of people who live right along the major parade routes? It sure is convenient. But they also have to put up with a lot during the parades. One of the issues is damage to their landscapes. Try to avoid tramping through people’s yards and flowerbeds or walking on ground cover plantings.

My daffodils have not bloomed in three years.The first year I planted them, they did bloom. Every year, they come up looking healthy and increasing in

ä See ADVICE, page 6

For more information on pruning fruit trees and their general care, including variety of recommendations for our area, the LSU AgCenter has an excellent online publication called “Louisiana Home Orchard.”To view it, do an internet search using the title and hit the link. Prune colddamaged citrus trees when they send out new growth and you can clearly see what is alive (sprouting) and what is dead.

MORE MULCH: Keep beds

mulched to a depth of 2 to 3 inches to control cool-season weeds in beds. Use leaves, pine straw (I like to use the chopped kind around bedding plants) or other available materials. Remember to keep mulches pulled back 8 to 12 inches from the foundation of slab houses and pillars of raised houses to reduce the risk of termites.

CALLA LILIES: you may find blooming calla lilies available in pots at area nurseries in spring.The white-flowered Zantedeschia aethiopica is the most reliable, long-lived perennial here.you may also want to try some of the varieties that bloom in other colors, like pink or yellow, and have spotted leaves. Plant calla lilies into beds that receive morning sun and afternoon shade.They grow well in soggy soil and can be used in aquatic gardens and around ponds.

STAFF FILE

PHOTO By BILL FEIG

May. As startling as it is to see one-third, or even more, of the foliage on a plant turn yellow during this period, it is usually normal.

This leaf drop is not uniform from year to year or from plant to plant. One year leaf drop may be significant on a plant and the next year very minor In a single bed, some of the plants may be dropping more leaves than others of the same type.

Do not let this variation confuse you; it is quite typical. Stressful weather conditions, such as excessive winter rainfall or extreme cold, may cause more leaf drop to occur some years, but the dropping of older leaves is still no cause for concern.

Wait to fertilize

Do not fertilize these plants now to correct what you initially may have seen as a problem. Fertilizer will not stop or prevent normal leaf drop, and because the shrubs are still dormant, it will not be efficiently used by the plants.

Fertilization is appropriate in March, just before or when plants begin to grow. Bushes often look a little skimpy after shedding their older leaves.

GREENTHUMB

Viburnum, like other evergreens such as camellias, azaleas, sweet olive and gardenias, may be experiencing normal leaf drop this time of year

New growth in spring encouraged by fertilizer will help plants that lost a lot of leaves look fuller

This yellowing of leaves is sometimes confused with a nutrient deficiency disease called iron chlorosis, especially in the case of azaleas and gardenias. In iron chlorosis, the symptoms appear because the plant is not getting enough iron, an essential element for plants.

Unlike the dropping of older leaves, the symptoms of iron chlorosis are most noticeable on the youngest leaves located at the ends of the branches. The leaves become yellowgreen to yellow, while the veins of the leaves stay green. This creates a very distinctive green vein pattern on a yellow-green-to-yellow background. In severe cases, the

new growth may be yellowishwhite with brown edges.

Iron chlorosis is not uncommon in the New Orleans area south of Lake Pontchartrain. In the slightly alkaline soils common on the south shore, plants that prefer an acid soil condition may have difficulty obtaining iron.

A few commonly grown acid-loving plants that may show this problem include azaleas, gardenias, some oaks, camellias, banana shrub, pines, blueberries, hollies, starbush and cleyera. The solution is to fertilize the plants with iron in a form readily available to plants, treat the soil with an acidifying agent or, preferably, do both.

If a plant is severely iron chlorotic, it should be treated now with a fertilizer rich in chelated iron, such as Liquid Iron, following label directions. To make the iron in the soil more readily available, the soil should be treated with an acidifying agent such as sulfur, iron sulfate (copperas), aluminum sulfate or a liquid soil acidifier

So, leaves turning yellow can occur due to a wide variety of issues. Unless something suggests otherwise, however, the yellow, orange or red leaves you may see on broad-leaf evergreens now through late spring will probably be the normal dropping of old leaves.

volume, but no buds or blooms.What could be the problem? — Janice

Unfortunately, some types of daffodils do not rebloom well in the Deep South. King Alfred is a popular yellow daffodil that will not repeat bloom down here. There is nothing you can do if you planted a variety that will not reliably bloom.

There are varieties that university trials and gardening experience show will grow here and bloom year after

year. Fortune, Carlton and Unsurpassable are goldenyellow-flowered varieties. Ice Follies is white and pale yellow I’m sure there are others, but these four varieties have a proven track record.

If the plants are in a shady spot, not enough sun in winter will reduce or prevent flowering. Daffodil bulbs should be planted in a location that gets plenty of sun during their winter growing season to bloom well.

When do you fertilizer fig trees and pear trees? What kind of fertilizer should I use and how much? — Bob Fertilize those fruit trees in February Use a general-

purpose fertilizer or a fruittree fertilizer following package directions. All fruit trees, including citrus, apples, peaches, blueberries, persimmons, plums and grapes, may be fertilized now Reduce the amount of fertilizer you apply to citrus trees badly damaged by January freezes.

Dan Gill is a retired consumer horticulture specialist with the LSU AgCenter. He hosts the “Garden Show” on WWL-AM Saturdays at 9 a.m. Email gardening questions to gnogardening@agcenter.lsu. edu.

FILE PHOTO By CHUCK COOK

INDETAIL

STAFF PHOTOS By JOHN McCUSKER

Porch pals

Sometimes the front porch needs a little fauna to mix in with the surrounding flora. Sure, we have stately lions, but we don’t limit ourselves. Spotted here are carved mermaids, elongated hounds that may, or may not, evoke the Egyptian god Anubis, swans with their graceful necks decked in Carnival beads. And a glorious pair of pigs.

— Karen Taylor Gist

ONEINAMILLION

Greek revival on Prytania Street mixes historic style with modern comforts

BY VICTOR ANDREWS Staff writer

The stately Greek revival home at 2809 Prytania St. is a youngster in the neighborhood. Actually, by Garden District standards, this 25-year-old is more of an infant — but it exudes grown-up style and elegance in its more than 4,800 square feet of space. With four bedrooms and more than five baths, this two-story dwelling built in 2000 is an exceptional find for $2.5 million.

And the locale is steps from the excitement of Uptown parades and world-class cuisine and is perched on the edge of one of the city’s most historic destinations.

The mature landscaping, behind the towering ancient oak and the iron fence, belies the youthful nature of the home, as do the classic lines of its style. But behind the leaded glass front door and sidelights is a finely crafted residence that takes full advantage of vintage style and mixes it with contemporary comforts.

A broad receiving hall, anchored by warm-tone wood floors, is framed by a pair of rooms currently used as music and dining spaces. Each of the rooms has wide openings flanked by inset columns. Floor-

A broad front porch is an effective welcome mat for those venturing into the home on Prytania Street.

ABOVE: With a central island for cooking, the kitchen is handy yet slightly cordoned off from the rest of the living area. Dark counters balance the gleaming white cabinetry, with black and stainless appliances providing a bit of shine. LEFT: Elegant meals are de rigueur in the home’s dining room, which boasts elegant tone-ontone wainscoting and floor-length windows.

length windows onto the front porch provide abundant light, and wainscoted walls lend character

Continuing past the stairs, the home opens to a great room that earns its name. A quartet of windows and a glass door look out over the back of the home, while a substantial fireplace keeps watch over a pair of built-in cabinets and shelves.

Almost a continuous space, the adjacent kitchen is large with gleaming white cabinets, obsidian-colored counters and a large island with a professional-level gas cooktop. Sinks in two areas provide plenty of

places for meal preparation.

A butler’s pantry leads to the front dining room and to the bright breakfast area, which also looks out over the rear portion of the home’s property

A window-filled hall leads to an office, which conceals a clever Murphy bed, offering an additional sleeping space next to a full bath. Through the office also lies a large den with closet space for relaxed family times and easy access to the backyard.

The four bedrooms are upstairs.

The primary bedroom includes a spa-like bath and

PROVIDED PHOTOS

The music room faces the dining room and provides a cozy spot for piano playing or conversation. The stairs to the upper floor are conveniently situated, with a powder room tucked beneath.

ONEINAMILLION

Late night cocktails or a morning cup of coffee are prime uses for the balcony off the primary bedroom.

access to a private balcony overlooking the pool. The large sleeping chamber features a lofty trayed ceiling and plentiful windows.

Bright and spacious, a hallway leads past a sweeping makeup station with angled mirrors on one side and a glass door leading to the balcony on the other

Next up is a standing shower, soaking tub with arched window and double vanity, with a separate water closet.

Outside, the broad balcony can accommodate multiple seating areas, including space for chaise lounges

Three additional bedrooms are all en suite.

The bricked backyard has the ambiance of a Europeanstyle garden, framed by raised planters and an impressive brick wall topped with urns and featuring an ornate spouting fountain that fills the spa area of the pool.

With many built-in spots for relaxation and recreation, the azure-bottomed pool is set in the brickwork. A covered patio provides shade, with several other spots allowing sun worshipping or al fresco dining.

The home includes gated parking with a private drive

One in a Million is an occasional series featuring upscale homes for sale in the metro area.

The home’s central great room is a wide space washed with natural light from the quartet of windows and the glass door that leads to the backyard. A fireplace separates a pair of built-in cabinets and shelving units that provide space for storage and display.

accessible from Conery Street around the corner Also, there is a full home sound system.

The home is listed by Adrienne LaBauve, of EXP Realty, (504) 344-0877

A covered patio provides year-round access to the backyard, with options for sociable seating, dining and outdoor cooking.

BACKSTORY

FAME & INFAMy

BY JOHN McCUSKER

Contributing writer

The Civil War produced its share of heroes as well as scoundrels. Consider the curious case of Union Gen. Benjamin Butler

He was dubbed “The Beast” in 1862 by Confederate New Orleanians humiliated by the Union occupation he led, and his name has lived in infamy here for generations. There is a good chance you’ve heard one particularly compelling story about him

After Butler and his solders arrived in early May 1862, local women started a campaign of harassment. Officers were spat upon, cursed at and even mobbed by groups of shouting, hoopskirted society women. Just two weeks in, Butler, fearing the harassment might escalate into a more substantial show of defiance, found his solution: General Order No. 28.

The order was carefully crafted to imply that these impolite women could

be treated as prostitutes and face consequences accordingly.

“As the officers and soldiers of the United States have been subject to repeated insults from the women (calling themselves ladies) of New Orleans, in return for the most scrupulous noninterference and courtesy on our part, it is ordered that hereafter when any female shall, by word, gesture of movement, insult or show contempt for any officer or soldier of the U.S., she shall be regarded and held liable to be treated as a woman of the town plying her avocation.”

White New Orleans was appalled. The Southern press was apoplectic. But the harassment of Union soldiers ended.

Looking at his history

Was Butler’s reaction all just about those angry women, or did something else help inspire such deep feelings?

A glimpse at Butler’s biography offers some perspective.

A year before Butler’s posting to

New Orleans, he witnessed the horrors of slavery for the first time while stationed in Virginia. To the Massachusetts lawyer and businessman turned general, it was transforming. Drawing on his legal skills, he created the contraband policy that ended the practice of returning those who escaped slavery to their enslavers.

To the enslaved who fled plantations and reached the Union lines, it was a backdoor mechanism for emancipation that liberated thousands of people in Virginia and Louisiana in the years before the Emancipation Proclamation. The policy financially devastated planters, who had much of their wealth tied up in human capital.

Butler’s next move was to swear in a unit of free men of color, the Native Guard, into the Union Army. Within a few weeks, former slaves would also be mustered into the service. Locals may have been even angrier about these developments than they were over General Order No. 28.

‘Didn’t care what people said’

“When people talk about him as ‘beast,’ what exactly did they expect him to do in New Orleans, far from the center of power, at this very first effort to control and occupy Confeder-

PROVIDED PHOTO By LIBRARy OF CONGRESS A magazine portrayal of Gen. Benjamin Butler facing down the mob in New Orleans in 1862.

BACKSTORY

The unfinished U.S. Custom House is shown in 1864. In 1862, it served as Gen. Benjamin Butler’s headquarters, although it wasn’t completed until 1881. The large structure at the foot of Canal Street features Greek and Egyptian Revival styles.

ate territory with very limited communication from Washington ... and a multitude of problems?” Elizabeth D. Leonard, Colby College professor emerita, asked in her recent book, “Benjamin Franklin Butler: A Noisy, Fearless Life.” The biography includes a detailed chapter on Butler’s six-month stay in New Orleans.

“He was a bossy martinet. I’m not going to sugarcoat it, but to say that was not what New Orleans needed, I think, is a mistake,” Leonard said. “He did have a strong, willful personality, but he also had the brains to do it, and he was an excellent bureaucrat. There is a part of him that really didn’t care what people said. That was a valuable character trait in that setting.

“So everyone remembers General Order No. 28, but a lot of people don’t remember that he protected New Orleans from yellow fever Which is a pretty substantial achievement. It’s just a pattern in the way his story has been told.”

History also has overlooked, among the things, Butler’s postwar advocacy for freedmen and Black soldiers. As a member of the U.S. Congress, he authored the KKK Act to protect the hard-won rights of Black Americans. Supporting their enfranchisement would remain central to Butler for the remainder of his life.

SITES IN THE CITY

Despite having such an oversized legacy in New Orleans, there are but two remaining structures closely associated with Butler

The Custom House, the massive structure featuring Greek and Egyptian Revival styles occupying the foot of Canal Street, served as Butler’s headquarters. It was a work in progress then and would not be completed until 1881.

At the other extreme is a small carriage house on Julia Street now enveloped in a contemporary, blocklong, multistory residential building. The carriage house was once part of the Campbell Mansion, which occupied the corner of Julia Street and St Charles Avenue. With its detailed, Italianate façade, double front stairway, columned porch and side galleries, the Campbell Mansion was a thing of beauty when it was completed in 1857.

The carriage house is all that remains of the demolished Campbell Mansion on Julia Street and St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans. The mansion briefly was Gen. Butler’s home.

Butler displaced the Campbell family over the summer of 1862, relocating from the St. Charles Hotel. The Campbell Mansion would achieve later local renown as the original location of the Hummingbird Grill, for generations an all-hours diner with good food and an often wide array of characters inside. The mansion was demolished in 1965, but the carriage house was spared.

Was it the former home of a hero or a scoundrel? When it comes to Butler, history’s answer is all in the eye of the beholder

— John McCusker

STAFF PHOTO By JOHN McCUSKER

PROVIDED PHOTO By LOUISIANA DIGITAL LIBRARy

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A painting of Sandy Furano’s grandmother and Krewe of Iris founder Aminthe Marie Laudumiey Nungesser hangs in the living area

By CHRIS GRANGER

Her grandmother started the Krewe of Iris. Now she’s back in town, in a Carrollton renovation

BY JYL BENSON Contributing writer

One afternoon, Sandy Zollinger lost her wallet at the San Francisco Tennis Club.

She went downtown to retrieve it at the office of Bill Graham Presents, a celebrated concert production company, where she learned that the man who had the wallet in his possession, Dave Furano, was president of the company.

“He was this rock ’n’ roll guy,” she said.

The rock ’n’ roll guy asked her out to dinner at a Chinese restaurant, after which fortune cookies were presented.

“You and your wife will be happy in your life together,” the fortune curled in the man’s cookie read. Furano quietly stuffed the fortune in his pocket.

ä See CARROLLTON, page 14

STAFF PHOTOS

The open great original back porch;

ABOVE: A Krewe of Iris flag hangs from the front porch overlooking the Carrollton neighborhood LEFT: An outdoor fireplace and dining area are located on the back porch, near the pool and hot tub Screens can be lowered at the touch of a button to shield the porch from mosquitos.

A SPECIAL CONNECTION TO CARNIVAL

Sandy Furano has some especially deep connections that make her practically Carnival royalty Her maternal grandmother, Aminthe Marie Laudumiey Nungesser, founded both the krewes of Iris and Venus.

“It’s incredible to think of her courage,” Furano said. “When she founded Iris in 1917, women didn’t even have the right to vote. That she became an organizer for women’s professional and social empowerment is incredible.”

A fine oil portrait of Nungesser hangs in the Furano home’s parlor. Nungesser’s antique Federalist-style mirror is in the entry foyer, next to a closet stuffed with Carnival costumes and a rack covered in fanciful hats. Furano will take to the streets March 1, parading with Iris as it rolls for the 66th time. Iris is the oldest and largest all-female Carnival organization in New Orleans. Her grandmother started gathering friends into what would, in 1922, become the Krewe of Iris with the advent of the group’s first ball.

Nungesser guided the Carnival organization named for the goddess of the rainbow and the messenger of the gods in classical Greek mythology for over three decades.

The 1949 ball, which

ä See SPECIAL, page 16

reat room and dining area off the kitchen includes French doors that open onto the back porch and pool. The space was crafted by enclosing the porch; the Furanos added another porch behind it.

A gas lantern shines a little light on the Mardi Gras decorations that are front and center at the home of Dave and Sandy Furano.

CARROLLTON

Continued from page 12

Three months later, they were married at St. Maria Goretti Church in New Orleans, the city where Zollinger was born and where her family still lives.

On Aug. 16, Sandy and Dave Furano will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary

A pull to come home

The handsomely framed slip from the fortune cookie now hangs near the fireplace in their newly renovated Carrollton neighborhood home.

After decades of living the California dream, the Furanos returned to New Orleans. Sandy Furano had toyed with the idea for years, and in 2023, she found a circa 1895, two-story, four-bay Craftsman double 3 miles from where she grew up on Baronne Street, near Pascale’s Manale restaurant.

“The draw was just so strong,” she said. “I have so much family and such deep roots here.”

Her father, Louis Zollinger, was a prominent real estate developer, and she has over 50 cousins in the area.

“Our children and grandchildren are still in California. They think this is crazy, but Dave is on board. We choose to

A peaked ceiling with skylights and a Currey chandelier provided plenty of light in an upstairs hallway, which holds posters, tickets, buttons and more memorabilia from Dave Furano’s career in the music production industry. He worked with stars including Bob Dylan, the Grateful Dead, The Band and Crosby, Stills, Nash & young

be here. This is where we want to be,” she said. “We love the energy, diversity and culture.”

“Sandy stayed with me out in California for 40-something years,” said Dave Furano, a retired music executive and partner in the Rock & Brews Restaurant Group, “and now we have this homecoming to New Orleans. I love it here.”

Part of the allure is an especially close connection to Carnival. Sandy Furano’s maternal grandmother founded both the krewes of Iris and Venus.

A painstaking renovation

Renovations took a year, and the couple spent that time living in an apartment next door to keep the project on track.

“I interviewed seven contractors: six men and a French woman, Sandra Thomasetti. She was my last interview. She was the one,” said Sandy

Barstools at the kitchen island are covered in reclaimed cork from Lee Industries. It looks like leather, but Sandy Furano says it wears like iron. Countertops are a silver quartzite.

STAFF PHOTOS By CHRIS GRANGER

Furano, who has a background in design and a 35-year career as home furnishings manufacturer Lee Industries’ West Coast representative She had a vision for what she wanted the 4,000-square-foot home to be.

“I wanted openness inside and a cantilevered carport coming off the second floor so we could put the air-conditioning units up there,” she said.

The plan required the assistance of architect and structural engineer Chris Johnson.

A rear porch was enclosed on the first floor to create open living and dining spaces adjacent to the open kitchen. A new rear deck and porch are level with the house, and a dramatic swimming pool has a large hot tub.

The absence of grass keeps maintenance minimal. Softness is imparted by American holly trees planted along the fence to the sides and rear of the yard. An abundance of comfortable, upholstered rocking armchairs from Lee Industries provides seating in front of a whitewashed brick outdoor fireplace.

“At first, Dave said he did not want a fireplace,” Sandy Furano said. “But we use it all the time. We pretty much live out here.”

Upstairs, a second-floor porch was added at the front of the house to overlook the street from two of the three en suite king-size guest spaces.

Another porch, this one equipped with an inviting custom-made king-sized swing bed, runs across the rear of the second floor behind the primary suite and upstairs sitting room.

“Dave gets up before me,” said Sandy Furano. “I have a coffee maker and a refrigerator up here, so he doesn’t need to go downstairs for his morning coffee.”

Comfort first

The home’s original long-leaf pine floors were restored, and a warm honeyed shade was stained throughout the home.

“It was my friend Rusty Hayden, who owns Riverside Lumber, who convinced me

ä See CARROLLTON, page 16

The primary bedroom opens into the sitting room-office with a coffee bar. Dave Furano often has music videos playing in the room.

plan. living room,diningroomw/averyspacious kit &breakfast bar,quartzcounters, opening ontoanideal lrgdeck. Gorgeous hdwd flrs thru out&beautiful details. The antique frenchdoorinlivingroomopens into the side

permonth, PrimeLOCATION!!Steps to TULANE & LOYOLA &FRERETCorridor.Highceiling Each unithas itswasher&Dryer! Back porch, terrace, andcourtyard. Totallyrenovated,fully furnished! 2Meters.

A giant oak tree stands in the front yard of Dave and Sandy Furano’s renovated New Orleans home.

Glass-front cabinets hold barware and more in the kitchen, where family photos mix with a Clementine Hunter painting, at left.

CARROLLTON

Continued from page 15

to restore the original floors,” said Sandy Furano. “‘You will never regret it,’ he said. ‘You will be walking on history.’ I also kept the original windows everywhere I could. I wanted a lot of windows so I could have a California quality of light.”

The light, natural-colored furnishings throughout the home carry over the breezy California feel

“I am not a traditional furniture type,” said Sandy Furano. “I’m not a contemporary furniture type, either. I wanted things to be comfortable and easy.”

A downstairs guest en suite features a painted concrete floor

SPECIAL

Continued from page 13

commemorated the 19thcentury performer Lillian Russell, was the first New Orleans Mardi Gras ball to be televised.

In 1941, Nungesser

Sandy Furano sorts through her Carnival costume closet in the foyer. Easy access allows one to pop on a costume and rush out the front door

founded the Krewe of Venus, the first women’s krewe to parade. Named after the Roman goddess of love, this pioneering krewe showcased a dozen impressive floats highlighting the theme “Goddesses.” As Venus took to the streets, Nungesser proclaimed, “It’s time for the women to have the fun of parading, too The men have had control for too long.”

While accounts say most spectators embraced the Krewe of Venus, a few male hecklers threw rotten tomatoes and eggs at the floats. Despite this, krewe members were thrilled with their groundbreaking procession, and Venus continued to parade until 1992.

In 1959, Iris paraded for the first time with Irma Brechtel Mellaney as its captain. Today, Kristin Danflous is the captain. When it rolls at 11 a.m. March 1, it will include 3,600 members and 35 tandem floats.

— Jyl Benson

STAFF PHOTOS By CHRIS GRANGER

STAFF

PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

INSIDESTORY

Local costume pros open the doors to their Carnival closets

BY HANNAH LEVITAN Staff writer

In the back of Emily Foley’s Bywater shotgun home, racks of rhinestones, feathers and glitter lie in wait, ready to dazzle each year when Carnival season arrives.

In New Orleans, costuming is a cornerstone of Mardi Gras culture, where the most bodacious ensembles aren’t just for float riders but for revelers on the neutral ground, too.

And for locals like Foley, an artist who specializes in creating elaborate clown costumes, curating Mardi Gras outfits is an art.

“I don’t know many other places in the world that have their own costume sense,” Foley said.

But what makes a quality costume closet?

If you ask Claudia Baumgarten, owner of Miss Claudia’s Vintage Clothing & Costumes on Magazine Street, every closet needs the following: a clown costume, a metallic bodysuit, a velvet cape, purple accessories and a few items with French flair.

Her store is busy yearround, but when Twelfth Night hits and Carnival season commences, customers start flooding in, on a mission to add more accessories to their Mardi Gras costume closets.

Meet the pros

Baumgarten arrived at her store around noon, 10 days into Carnival season, wearing glittery, purple eye shadow to match her purple jacket and scarf. Already, the shop was filled with partygoers trying on bejeweled blazers.

Two beaded headpieces — one zoo-themed and the other with flames — had just arrived at the store. They’re just a few of the unique finds that make their way to Miss Claudia’s.

The 20-year-old store’s inventory is made up of ornate

which doesn’t carry prepackaged costumes.

During Carnival season, her shotgun home becomes her studio where she exemplifies the DIY elements of Mardi Gras. Her light-filled living room is where she designs, cuts and sews her pieces.

pieces from years past, new accessories and original creations from local artists. For many, it’s the one-stop shop for everything Mardi Gras.

Baumgarten has many regulars from several of the city’s female krewes such as Muses and the Pussyfooters, of which Baumgarten is a member. She tends to spot many of her store’s costumes along the parade route each year.

Her personal collection, which she said fills several

armoires, cedar chests, storage space and boxes under her bed, is extensive. She still has some of the first vintage pieces from when she opened her store.

“You never know what’s going to come up, and I do a lot of (theater) performances, so I’m like, this is going to be useful,” she said.

Miss Claudia’s also fosters emerging creatives like Foley, who started working at the shop five years ago. Inspired

by vintage fabrics, she began designing clown hats and collars, filling a niche in the shop,

As Mardi Gras approaches, Foley’s costume racks — brimming with sequins, wigs and extravagant accessories — will once again be in full use, ready to bring their contents

See COSTUMING,

STAFF PHOTOS By HANNAH LEVITAN

Artist Emily Foley has many costume clothing racks at her Bywater home.

Emily Foley repurposes vintage fabric to create accessories.

INSIDESTORY

Longue Vue to host listening party

The gardens of Longue Vue, 7 Bamboo Road, will be the site for the initial sharing of music from “The Parish Record” album when Andrew Duhon presents “A Needle Falls in the Forest” at 5 p.m March 7.

Listeners can bring their own refreshments, chairs or blankets. Light fare will be available for purchase at Edith and Edgar’s Garden Café.

Tickets start at $25. Visit longuevue.com for information.

Master Gardeners host spring seminar

Lawns and blooms will be the focus of a half-day Spring Sip, Sow and Mow seminar March 13 by the St. Tammany Master Gardener Association in conjunction with the LSU AgCenter at the Castine Center in Pelican Park in Mandeville.

Presenter Will Afton, county agent for St. Tammany Parish, will be joined by Christine Coker, Mississippi State University extension specialist, who will discuss resources for fruit and vegetable gardens.

Rinalda Rocquin, nutrition and community health agent from St. Charles Parish, and Layne Langly, nutrition and

The limbs of a tree are wired to shape the bonsai. Beginners in bonsai are invited to grab a brew and join an upcoming Bonsai Bar class. The next one is Saturday at Oak Street Brewery

community health agent of the Southeast region, will demonstrate canning basics.

Table talks include native plants, fleur de lis tea, vermiculture, red roselle hibiscus and zen gardens.

Registration is required; the event begins at 9 a.m. at 63350 Pelican Drive. Tickets start at $25. Visit stmastergardener.org.

Workshop combines bonsai and brews

Beginners interested in learning the ancient Asian art of bonsai can grab a brew and a friend and head out to one of several upcoming classes in the metro New Orleans area.

Bonsai Bar puts horticulture together with craft brew culture to provide fundamental

skills and techniques. Teachers will provide the core concepts to pot, prune and design a bonsai tree.

Upcoming sessions include:

n Feb. 22: Oak Street Brewery, 8201 Oak St., New Orleans

n March 12: Port Orleans Brewing Co., 4124 Tchoupitoulas St., New Orleans

n March 21: Chafunkta Brewing Co., 69123 Sky Brook Road, Mandeville

Additional sessions are planned.

Cost starts at $85. For information, visit bonsaibar.com.

Volunteer projects abound at City Park

A variety of cleanup days and initiatives are on tap at City Park to improve and maintain the extensive urban green space. Those coming up during the week of Feb. 22 include:

n Litter Abatement Campaign: 9 a.m. Tuesday. Volunteer Center

n Big Lake Native Plant Trail Restoration Project: 9 a.m. Friday. Big Lake Native Trail near 7 Friedrichs Ave.

Register for the programs and find out more about what to bring at friendsofcitypark. volunteerhub.com.

Have a home and garden event coming up? Send it to events@theadvocate.com.

COSTUMERS

Continued from page 17

to life on the streets of New Orleans.

Building your own closet

A costume rack, closet or even room isn’t just for the fashion-obsessed. Almost everyone in New Orleans eventually collects an array of costume pieces that can be pulled out for any party, second-line or parade.

When it comes to planning Mardi Gras outfits, Foley recommended revelers plan a month out, though she tries to start her personal costume planning early Some years, she has fabrics picked out even before the holidays. Other years, she furiously throws outfits together if she’s busy with commissions.

When tourists stop by to inquire about the boisterous celebrations, Foley said it’s hard to describe. “You kind of have to explain that it’s a vibe, not a costume.”

And for her, creating a vibe takes a while, but it’s a part of New Orleans that she said she appreciates, especially when she’s able to pass Carnival traditions along to others.

Foley suggested people

Claudia Baumgarten, owner of Miss Claudia’s Vintage Clothing and Costumes, wears a vintage Mardi Gras headpiece.

venture outside their neighborhoods to get inspiration for their next outfit.

“Go to places that breed New Orleans creativity.”

Keeping it organized

You don’t need to spend a ton of money to develop a sense of style. New Orleanians often collect items over the years, scouring thrift stores and estate sales, to perfect costumes.

Once they build a collection, Foley recommended organizing closets at least once a year.

If you have older pieces, it is best to avoid wire hangers. They bend clothing and cause the stitching to flare up, Foley said. Instead, stick to felt or thick plastic hangers.

Proper storage makes all the difference in maintaining a piece’s integrity, Foley said. That means you should also brush out your wigs before and after use.

WEST BANK/JEFFERSON

But her greatest costume closet tip is to be resourceful. Above all, Mardi Gras is about fostering creativity and embracing the city’s unique sense of self-expression.

STAFF PHOTO By HANNAH LEVITAN

FILE PHOTO By JEFF STROUT

NEW ORLEANS

TRANSFERS ISSUED FEB. 7-12

DISTRICT 1

LOYOLA AVE. 1022: $70,000, Mary Decuers Fontana to Meagan Elizabeth Fontana.

MAGAZINE ST. 906-08-12-16-18, 1922: donation, no value stated, Arlene and Joseph Meraux Charitable Foundation to National WWII Museum Inc.

RELIGIOUS ST. 1525: $969,000, 1525 Religious LLC to Cynthia Fayard Revocable Trust.

ST. CHARLES AVE. 1750: $280,000, Earl J. Oubre Jr. and Mary T Oubre to Francisco Lopez IV revocable trust and Marie Jeanne De Lassus Lopez revocable trust.

DISTRICT 2

ARGONNE BLVD. 6160: $1,633,000, Anne Thayer Antor and Heather Brosco Reece Joint revocable trust to Kayla Grace Hansel and Nicholas Hansel.

BIENVILLE AVE. 3420-22: $275,000, Bienville Broads LLC to Glenn F. Mahiya.

BIENVILLE ST. 4414: $799,000, Ashley Barkley Grossman and Louis M. Grossman to Eric Claude Cusimano and Meryl Virginia Hahne Cusimano.

BURGUNDY ST. 427-429: $330,000, Beverly Hendrix Lott, Dominique Bourg Hacker, Michael John Wilkinson and Pamela Wilkinson Bourg to Michael Felix Giorlando.

CONTI ST. 2911: $469,000, Andrew Hugh Dale and Elizabeth Dale to Paige Nicole Lindelow.

DAUPHINE ST. 913-915: $1,415,000, Charles D. Knight revocable trust and John S. Stambaugh revocable trust to 915 Dauphine LLC.

IBERVILLE ST. 2721-21A-23: $150,000, Allah Mae Bridges Lumpkin to Skyline Landsolutions LLC.

MARSHAL FOCH ST. 6975: $1,165,000, 6975 Marshall Foch LLC to Joshua Ford and Samuel Rokkala.

ROYAL ST. 1018: $440,000, Sharon R. Childs Trust to James R. Cameli and Lonia Casteel Cameli.

VICKSBURG ST. 6233: $408,000, Michael J. Damare to Scott Anthony Blasi.

DISTRICT 3

ALLEN TOUSSAINT DRIVE 2730-32: $28,000, Gertie E. Washington to 309 Baronne Street LLC.

BEECHWOOD COURT 8641:

$275,000, Anthony J. Collins Jr. to Lordeas Turner Braxton and Phedra Braxton.

BRUXELLES ST. 2923-25: $230,000, Daphne Ruello Lesage to Cory Cortez Clairday and Eric Clairday Cortez.

BURGUNDY ST. 901-03-07, 3205-07, CHARTRES ST. 2523-25-27, LOUISA ST. 901-03-07, MUSIC ST. 5228, PIETY ST. 827-29: donation, no value stated, Arthur V. Robertson and Linda A. Robertson to Blake Robertson.

CHARTRES ST. 2707: donation, no value stated, Brenda G. Labiche Brown to Anna M. Brown Hurtt.

DAUPHINE ST. 4739: $295,000, Sandra Stewart Robinson to Stephen Craig May, Cherry Fisher May and Emma Camille Fontenot May.

DESLONDE ST. 924: $290,000, Gooden Lake Catfish LLC to Glenn D. Washington Jr.

ESPLANADE AVE. 405: $5,500, George F. Mangini, Regina Mangini Allen and Theresa

tary Trust to Cheryl Ann Gerber and Mark Joseph McGrain.

URQUHART ST. 4219: $1, Zachary J. George to Dewey Raybon and Matthew Raybon.

WEAVER AVE. 7300: $170,000, Michelle Melancon and Miriam Cager Jones to Charlene Jones McKee.

DISTRICT 4

ANNUNCIATION ST. 2928-30: $325,000, Bulbous Environmental & Logistics Inc. to Deborah Lee Moses.

CONSTANCE ST. 2334: $750,000, James A. Smith and Jennifer Gauthier Smith to Hannah Wyman and Shawn Michael Christian.

CONSTANCE ST. 2820-22: $499,000, Kathryn Denison LeSaicherre to Anna Nicole Fudge.

FIRST ST. 2716-2718: $160,000, Chester Peter Thompson Jr., Gregory Beco, Ramon T. Kindle, Raymon Kindle and Sandra Every to Zianka Every Cayette.

FOURTH ST. 509-11: $530,000, Alaina Elizabeth Albertine to John Daniel Abernathy and Phoebe Alyse Hathorn Abernathy.

ST. MARY ST. 1329: $1,500,000, Penelope C. Treece to Michelle Edelman Dornier.

ST. CHARLES AVE. 2511: $290,000, Stephen Gerard Storey to Lauren Merten and Peter Merten.

SIXTH ST. 432, TCHOUPITOULAS ST. 2901, 2917: $1,470,000, Succession of Julien F. Guenther and Tenie M. Guenther to Semreh Club Inc.

SIXTH ST. 939-41: $925,000, Martin Pospisil and Taylor Schmidt

Mangini Oshea to Howard Shyken.

FRENCHMEN ST. 1837: $25,000, IPF22 LLC to Roxanne Lemoine Butler and Russell J. Butler.

HAYNE BLVD. 10900: $115,297, Sanders Property Holdings LLC to Brian T. Carr.

LESSEPS ST. 1310-12: $435,000, Zachary J. George to Dewey Raybon and Matthew Raybon.

LESSEPS ST. 1500: $130,000, Federal National Mortgage Association to Coley Purvis.

NEW YORK ST. 2223: $290,000, Erica Davis Wilson and Jonathan A. Wilson to Christopher J. Robinson and Kalliann Gant Robinson.

PLEASURE ST. 225-60: $174,000, Anita Watts Mereadel and Chanel Mercadel to Janez Eli.

ST. ANTHONY ST. 1019: $117,000, Andrew Paul Gerber Testamen-

REALESTATETRANSFERS

ORLEANS

Continued from page 19

Pospisil to Rachel Anne Sonn Roberts.

SIXTH ST. 1016-20: $350,000, Christina Weil Von Seherr Thoss and Lawrence Arnold Weil to Dupre Mayer LLC.

S. JOHNSON ST. 2708-2710: $12,500, Higher Ground Development LLC to Christopher Merlin McMillian and Linda Reed McMillian.

THIRD ST. 1721-23: donation, no value stated, Brian T. Harrison and Connie Darden Harrison to Beau Daniel Harrison.

DISTRICT 5

ABALON COURT 400: $515,000, Erin E. Bohacek to Jason Thomas Schulte.

ATLANTIC AVE. 524: $425,000, Avant Garde LLC to Dwayne C. Briscoe Jr.

BRUNSWICK COURT 104:

$255,000, Elegant Houses LLC to Keiera K. James.

ENGLISH TURN DRIVE 2:

$1,200,000, Danny Ray Hardman and Jacqueline Moran Hardman to Doris Strang revocable trust.

HOMER ST. 618-20, HUNTLEE

DRIVE 718: donation, no value stated, Central Property Rentals LLC to C&J Property Rentals LLC.

PACIFIC AVE. 521: $730,000, Bargeboard LLC to Erin Oshea Harrell and Kevin Nicholas Harrell.

DISTRICT 6

ANNUNCIATION ST. 3931:

TONIVANZANDT

504-913-8665 toni@reverealtors.com

$775,000, Gardner Development LLC to APG II LLC.

ANNUNCIATION ST. 4021-23:

$570,000, 4027 Tchoupitoulas LLC to Sarah Knox Cunningham.

AUDUBON ST. 1504: $615,000, Alexander Hanton Agnew, E. Hanton De La Houssaye Agnew, Samuel Gerard Agnew and Thomas James Agnew to Dale Edward Ritenour and Kimberly Ann Davis.

AUDUBON ST. 377: $1,265,000, Andrew Orestano and Karen A. Sanford to Alexis McCraw Armstrong and Walter Nolte Armstrong Jr.

BROADWAY ST. 308-310:

$330,000, Edwin Shorty Jr., Ferdie A. Nobile and Lilly Brignac Nobile to 308 Broadway LLC.

CALHOUN ST. 1549-1551:

$1,400,000, Paul Christopher Smith to Nicole Vigna Lambert and Stuart Lambert.

CLARA ST. 4649-4651: $280,000, Robert W. Knapp Jr. to Aaron Huber and Robert A. Cagle Jr.

HENRY CLAY AVE. 801, UNIT 204:

$126,000, Loula L. Landry Family LLC to Amy Perkins Hernandez and Carlos Hernandez III.

LOUISIANA AVE. PARKWAY 390507: $400,000, Anand & Anand Properties LLC to Lap LLC.

LOYOLA AVE. 4608, 4607:

$425,000, Margaret Elizabeth Martin to Maria Aprile Sawczuk.

LYONS ST. 719: $100 and other good and valuable consideration, Marissa Comeaux Moore and Michael R. Moore to Ryan Gay and Stephanie Graebert Gay.

ST. CHARLES AVE. 3915: $280,000, Evelyn Loyce Honses Gaubert and Ryan Christopher Gaubert to Craig Christian Leimkuehler

4827PrytaniaSt., NOLA70115 504-300-0700 LicensedinLouisiana

600PORTOFNEWORLEANS UNIT6F•ONERIVERPLACE/FRENCHQUARTER

and Joan Corgiat Leimkuehler.

S. FRONT ST. 5898, 5900, 5910: $100 and other good and valuable consideration, Robert’s Gumbo Shop LLC to Blue Orleans LLC.

TCHOUPITOULAS ST. 5917: $272,500, Ronald D. Polito to Lauren Lemaire Lynch and Matthew Arlen Lynch.

UPPERLINE ST. 822-24: $350,000, Emile Joseph Victor Jr. and Gerard Michael Victor to Luzem LLC.

WALNUT ST. 189: donation, no value stated, Ernestina Morton Epley and Randal K. Epley to Anna Morton Epley Birch and Oliver D. Birch.

DISTRICT 7

APRICOT ST. 8124: $465,000, Barry J. Mayeux to James A. Normand and Kristina E. Normand.

BENJAMIN ST. 7724: $440,000, Allison Skopec Raymond to Shea Stahnke Beaton and Travis A. Beaton.

BURDETTE ST. 2509: $475,000, Sarah Schurman Eberly to Dennis Yiu.

DRIFTER LANE 5: $345,000, Edward G. Assaf to Carl J. Buzzeo and Jennifer Buzzeo.

FERN ST. 2030: $422,500, Emily Stafford and Megan Chiasson to Madeleine D. Burns.

PRITCHARD PLACE 8428: $575,600, Vanessa L. Ward to Emily Weissman Schindler and Olive A. Curreri Trust.

SYCAMORE PLACE 8309: $1,025,000, Marlowe Ward Bober and Robert Bober to Christopher Montana and Shanelle Evens Montana.

EAST JEFFERSON

n TRANSFERS FOR FEB. 8-13

HARAHAN

MACQUE DRIVE 145: Daryl J. Roy to New Orleans Property Ventures Inc., $240,000.

JEFFERSON

JOYCE AVE. 28: Daniel J. Herry to Kathleen Byrnes, $140,000.

SUNDORN ST. 3009: Roy J. Becker Jr. to Ama Investment Group LLC, $120,000.

KENNER

FAYETTE ST. 2709: Ponchatoula Properties LLC to Estella Ramos, $85,000.

AUGUSTA ST. 2705-07: Kaylene Scott to Two Thousand Seven Hundred Five Seven Augusta LLC, $180,000.

FLORIDA AVE. 4133: Silvio Gurdian to Gt Real Estate Investments LLC, $100.

FLORIDA AVE. 4133: Silvio Gurdian to Silvio Gurdian, $225,501.

ILLINOIS AVE. 1946-48: Brenda F Shaffer to Neighborhood Homebuyers LLC, $112,000.

MADRID AVE. 36: Kristine A. Graff to Katherine Nicopoulos, $250,000.

SHARON ST. 2417: Patriot Response Group LLC to Patriot Response Group LLC, $799,900.

TOBY LANE 4917: Gilson R. Araujo to Maria M. Albers, $420,000.

METAIRIE

BROCKENBRAUGH COURT 534: Todd J. Rudloff to Nicholas A.

$2,600,000 6Beds,5.5Baths, 6,751SqFt Theeleganceof classicalarchitecture combinedw/the conveniencesof moderncomforts

$595,000 3Beds,2Baths, 1,727SqFt NestThermostat, energyefficient wndows,pineflrs tanklesswaterheater &more.

$2,500,000 Elegant2Bed, 2.5Bath,2,639SqFt CornerUnitw/ BreathingPanoramic. ViewsofIconicFrQtr.& MississippiRiver

4937LISAANNDRIVE BARATARIA

$275,000 3Bed,4Bath,2,640SqFt.

920POEYFARRESTREET UNIT104•WAREHOUSEDISTRICT

$599,000 3Bed,2Bath,1,800SqFt.

HAPPY MARDI GRAS

Leggio, $547,000.

CLEVELAND PLACE 4109: Christopher J. A. Melohn to Graham S. Bonnot, $439,500.

GARDEN ST. 4517: Samia Lelis to Ashley H. Cambre, $380,000.

HASTINGS ST. 4437: Denise Burandt to Elizabeth Perilloux, $280,000.

HOMESTEAD AVE. 1240: Rosalinda Garcia to Max W. Oertling, $535,000.

LONDON AVE. UNIT 111 222: Terri E. Calhoun to Igor Jovanovski, $82,000.

LUCILLE AVE. 1316: Pamela A. S. Kennett to Jordan Gonzales, $290,000.

METAIRIE ROAD 1710: Bancroft Property Investments LLC to Gervais LLC, $100,000.

MISSOURI AVE. 2408: Crystal A. Santini to Alfred Y. K. Hew Jr., $275,000.

MORALES ST. 4513: Carmen C. Sanchez to Anthony J. Puccia Jr., $339,900.

PERRY DRIVE 4717: Rosario Scannavino to Scott M. Armstrong, $394,000.

RIVERSIDE DRIVE U479 6220: Riv Enterprise LLC to Stamant Family Properties LLC, $32,000. S. WILSON ST. 1346: Theresa W. Augustine to P2p LLC, $25,000. ST. MARY ST. 4637: Helen E. Lacombe to Quinlivan Homes LLC, $165,000.

VETERANS MEMORIAL BLVD. 6901: Ashton M. Steudlein to Denise Burandt, $75,000.

RIVER RIDGE

BOCAGE PLACE 9200: Scott A. Cambre to Perk Builders Inc., $215,000.

WEST JEFFERSON

n TRANSFERS FOR FEB. 8-13

AVONDALE

CHERRYGROVE DRIVE 3600: Dsld LLC to Ernest L. Brown Jr., $262,420.

BARATARIA

LISA ANN DRIVE 4907: Mike P. Breaux to Morgan Pena, $240,000.

GRAND ISLE

CEDAR LANE 114: Trevor Clardy to Bkd Ventures LLC, $137,800.

WEST

Continued from page 20

GRETNA

CRICKET COURT 1548: Miguel F. Balbuena to Esraa Gouda, $205,000.

DIPLOMAT ST. 539: Rosa Bermudez to Rowley A. Daigle, donation, no value stated.

EVERGREEN DRIVE 941: Jean P. Miles to Ma G. R. Ramirez, $167,200.

GULF DRIVE 908: Tfh Properties LLC to Hummel Construction LLC, $82,000.

OXFORD PLACE APARTMENT 110 2425: Hoang Lam to Donna Blackmore, $98,000.

RUE ST. MICHAEL 715: Hcld LLC to Donald L. Spencer, $319,900.

SMITHWAY DRIVE 31: Steven Shelley to Jacob E. Porter, $255,000.

WESTMEADE DRIVE 469: Loren J. Tuminello to Waheeb M. Awwad, $225,000.

HARVEY

YETTA AVE. 443: Lisa L. Thomas to Voss Group LLC, $84,000.

MARRERO

CARDINAL DRIVE 2620: Corey Lerille to Corey Lerille, $75,000. DELTA POINTE DRIVE 2501: Gregory A. Thomas to Austen E. Henriquez, $266,000.

EDEN ROC DRIVE 5221: Trevor C. Massung to Jacob Grav, $214,000.

GENTRY ROAD 7304: Doris L. Wilkerson to Linda Brown, $90,000.

LEE ST. 1000: Kim G. Brady to Trinity Miller, $210,000.

MADEWOOD DRIVE 19: Abner J. Haydel Jr. to Rachel P. Leblanc, $313,500.

WATERGATE WAY 2616: Ashley N. Charles to Mark Plaisance, $295,000.

WAGGAMAN

DANDELION DRIVE 926: Coast Builders LLC to Ariel D. Martin, $346,400.

W. TERRAN LANE 9563: Micheal R. Colly Jr. to Chandler August, $391,000.

WESTWEGO

ANNE DRIVE 145: Daja Realty LLC to Vaughn Powell, $206,000.

REALESTATETRANSFERS

ST. TAMMANy

n TRANSFERS FOR JAN. 30 TO FEB. 4

ABITA SPRINGS

EMERYWOOD DRIVE 75024: Glenn A. House and Nicole C. House to Ronald Phillips and Angela Phillips, $807,000.

FAIRWAY DRIVE 73477: Succession of Blaine P. Conrad and Tracy M. Conrad to Alexander J. Conrad and Lucinda M. Conrad, $305,000.

HILLCREST SUBDIVISION, PORTION OF GROUND: Joan Rogers to Tamlandp Inc., $400.

LITOLFF SUBDIVISION, LOT 6D, SQUARE 12: Treadaway Properties LLC to Josh F. Novak and Rocio O. Novak, $374,900.

QUIMET DRIVE, LOTS 58, SQUARE 4: Equity Trust Co. to Trux Air Conditioning Inc., $11,000.

RED GAP ACRES SUBDIVISION, LOT 26, SQUARE 2: Marcel J. Champagne and Karen T Champagne to Kevin E. Adams, $90,000.

S. DUNDEE LOOP 3092: Edward Paul Louque to Meika H. Louque Blount, donation, no value stated.

COVINGTON

BARRINGTON DRIVE 1219: DSLD Homes LLC to James Enk and Amanda Enk, $387,340.

BARRINGTON DRIVE 1175: Carmina Calo Figueroa to Walter J. Hughes and Sandra M. Hughes, $337,000.

BERTEL DRIVE 120: Kevin Kolz to Evangeline Business Park

LLC, $387,999.

COVINGTON POINT SUBDIVISION, LOT 132: Beverly F. Perkins and Della Perkins Scholl to Jeffrey W. Scholl, Stephanie Scholl and Dorothy C. Scholl, donation, no value stated.

FLOWER ESTATES, LOT 238: Kathleen M. Achee Favaloro to Matthew C. Lafleur and Jill Marie G. Lafleur, $125,500.

FOURTH ST. 70349: Sharron A. Naquin to Vuong Min Vo and Yen Thi Nguyen, $191,800.

GABRIEL DRIVE 2142: DSLD Homes LLC to Carol B. Barturen, $319,455.

HULIN ROAD 19468: Daniel Cameron Guidry to David C. Appe, $80,000.

HUMMINGBIRD ROAD 55: Harrison Custom Homes LLC to Four T Management, $1,360,000.

LAKE RAMSEY ROAD 15230: Brian T. Bernos to Kyle E. Todd, $172,000.

MILITARY ROAD 74045: Seth E. Cureington and Elizabeth G. Cureington to Romero J. Marcello and Leslie G. Becker Marcello, $1,200,000.

OAKLAWN DRIVE 32: Suzanne B. Graham to Samuel Blair and Lauren Blair, $1,470,000.

RIVER CLUB SUBDIVISION, PHASE 2A, LOT 178: Matthew E. Daigle and Casey S. Daigle to Stoop Construction LLC, $95,000.

RIVERLAKE DRIVE 13267: Michael F. Mire and Regina P. Mire to Andrew P. Crawford and Amy M. Crawford, $558,000.

S. CORNICHE DU LAC 717: Claude D. Sordelet Jr. and Karen W Sordelet to Stephen L. Laubscher Sr. and Andree’ St. Pe Laubscher, $336,000.

S. TAYLOR ROAD 21011: Roger Runnels II to Mary M. Aanstoos, $250,000.

SAM COURT 2501: Gina Jolicoeur and Jocelyn J. Jolicoeur to Christopher D. Nave and McKenzie C. Bankston, $335,000.

SEVENTH ST. 70269: Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. to Devin Caffarel, $172,000.

SIXTH ST. 70496: Habitat For Humanity St. Tammany West Inc. to Lacy N. Nettles, $238,900.

TCHEFUNCTE DRIVE 140: Marie Celeste to Charles Hurme, $464,500.

THIRD ST. 70476: Stephanie A. Lachney to Jacob Paul Dupre and Elisia Page Dupre, $220,000.

W. 11TH AVE. 211: Ron Lee Enterprises Inc. to John A. Bleich and Amy R. Bleich, $1,060,000.

W. 19TH AVE. 808: William R. Burrall to Patel Medical Property

LLC, $35,000.

W. 21ST AVE. 2315: Travis Chelton Clement to Courtney K. Serio, $205,000.

W. 32ND AVE. 203: Tae Hwan Oh to West 30’s Redemption Co. Inc., $118,000.

W. NINTH AVE. 318-20: Karen A. Roy to 147 Properties LLC, $226,000.

WATERCROSS ESTATES, PHASE 2, LOT 14: Watercross Development LLC to Three In One Construction LLC, $78,000.

FOLSOM

FREDS ROAD 13157: Cleophus C. Wells to Jack Garrett, donation, no value stated.

LA. 1077 78297: Preservation Properties LLC to Live Oak

ä See TAMMANY, page 22

$462,000.

Continued from page 21

Missionary Baptist Church, $75,000.

LA. 1078 12685: Carolyn T. Wood to Dino D Chouest and Triche D Chouest, $475,000.

LARRY BAHAM DRIVE 83424: Glen M. Baham to Rita L. Baham, donation, no value stated.

NEAR FOLSOM, PORTION OF GROUND: Katherine M. Moise to Vincent H. Silva III and Cherrell N. Silva, $120,000.

LACOMBE

PUTT MORAN ROAD 31629: Succession of Robert James Reid to Frank Joseph Reid, donation, no value stated.

SHADY PINE ROAD 61489: Phuong Pham and Travis Lee Morgan to Viva Properties LLC, donation, no value stated.

TRIBUTE DRIVE 65381: D. R. Horton Inc.-Gulf Coast to Arlendra Weary Zenon, $297,000.

MADISONVILLE

E. LA. 22 127, UNIT E-11: Paul E. Barretto to Wyman I. Dunlap Jr. and Debra Lynn Henninger Dunlap, $310,000.

ENGLISH OAK DRIVE 605: William D. Evans and Cassie M. Evans to Vincent C. Moore and Katherine N. Futch Moore, $365,000.

GUSTE ISLAND ESTATES, LOT 260: Corey J. Migliore and Hailey G. Migliore to Michael Posey and Mariam Posey, $415,000.

GUSTE ISLAND ESTATES, LOT 354: GMI Construction Inc. to Todd R. Bolin and Lindsey S. Bolin,

REALESTATETRANSFERS

HELEN DRIVE 35: Kevin M. Norlin and Wendy E. Norlin to Charles G. Dietrich and Marguerite L. Dietrich, $262,500.

HIGHLAND OAKS 212: Barbara Garwood Karpa to Stephen C. Amato and Amanda L. Amato, $211,000.

NEAR MADISONVILLE, PORTION OF GROUND: Charles J. Maestri Sr. to Starfish & Sand One LLC, $135,000.

ST. ANN ST. 301: Allen D. Fruge and Bonnie D. Fruge to Alison Hopper, $385,000.

SWEET PEA COURT 1604: Jenkins Homes LLC to Carlos Arturo Gonzalez and Rebecca S. Gonzalez, $100 and other good and valuable consideration.

MANDEVILLE

ABITA AVE. 70423: Christopher J. Robinson and Kalliann E. Gant Robinson to Monica T. Chauvin, $207,000

AZALEA COURT 4077: Smith B. Benson and Amy A. Benson to Andrew P. Vollenweider and Samantha M. Baldassaro, $372,000.

BEAU CHENE DRIVE 563: Chandler

R. Craig Jr. and Suzanne C. Craig to James W. McWhirt and Trudy W. McWhirt, $570,000.

CAMDEN COURT 10: Joseph R. McCabe and Mollie M. McCabe to Evan J. Bailey and Jaimie J. Bailey, $450,000.

COLBERT ST. 706, UNIT 706-C: Diane L. Pratt to Glenda Hobson Hunter, $200,000.

LA. 22 5280: Osman Rodas and Penelope T. Rodas to Riverfront Village LLC, $1,300,000.

LAKESHORE DRIVE 2407: Romero J. Marcello and Leslie B. Marcello

to Everett G. Robert Jr. and Laurie M. Hicks, $1,785,000.

MADISON ST. 1625: Lizette Monlezun and Michelle Monlezun Reimsnyder to Wingate B. Jones and Shannon W. Markward, $337,500.

RUE CHINON 956: Tracy Kehoe Bridges, Michael Kehoe II, Michael F. Kehoe Estate and Judy S. Kehoe Estate to BPI Capital Holdings LLC, $280,000.

TCHEFUNCTA CLUB ESTATES, PHASE 3A, LOTS 866, 867: John J. Rabalais LLC to Dudley R. Downing and Vonda P. Downing, $1,150,000.

TETE L’OURS DRIVE 660, UNIT 146: Elroy J. Leveque and Jennie H. Leveque to Frank A. Marengo Jr. and Jessica G. Marengo, $350,000.

TRACE LOOP 250: Thomas P. Ingrassia Jr. and Donna B. Ingrassia to Austin M. Barragan and Amelia M. Taranto, $263,000.

PEARL RIVER

LA. 41 74721: Carl D. Singletary, Kenneth M. Singletary, Cheryl Singletary Cebulski and Tamela Singletary Kozior to Louana Abney Sterling, $23,000.

NEAR PEARL RIVER, PORTION OF GROUND: Kelley R. Barber to Tracy A. Davis, $30,000.

NEAR PEARL RIVER, PORTION OF GROUND: James W. Porter and Karen F. Hayes Porter to JP & KP WA LLC and Tamprop Inc., $250.

NEAR PEARL RIVER, PORTION OF GROUND: Tracy A. Davis to Alexander M. Klobas, $29,000.

NEAR PEARL RIVER, PORTION OF GROUND: State of Louisiana to Joshua D. Sager, $68,434.

PINE ST. 36408: John W. Lindsey Jr. and Deette S. Lindsey to Mi-

chael E. Conrad Jr., $100,000. STALLION RUN 109: Kenneth R. Kreeger Jr. and Amanda Behre to Jason Cobb and Penny Cobb, $40,000.

SIXTH WARD

LA. 435 31083: Edward M. Hankel Jr. to Nicholas J. Hankel, donation, no value stated.

NEAR SIXTH WARD, PORTION OF GROUND: Donald P. Aleman and Judy H. Aleman to Mary A. Calvo, $14,300.

SLIDELL

ANITA PLACE 111: Daniel Lynn and Jessica Figuera Lynn to Darrel L. Koerber and Laurie E. Boudreaux, $285,000.

BELLWICK DRIVE 3376: D. R. Horton Inc.-Gulf Coast to Luke D. DeSousa and Katelyn M. DeSousa, $260,615.

BEVERLY HEIGHTS SUBDIVISION, LOTS 17-19, SQUARE 6: Andrew J. Morgan Sr. to Andrew J. Morgan II, $750, donation.

BROWNS VILLAGE ROAD 37502: Gean Earl Page to EJE Investment LLC, $475,000.

CAMPANA LANE 34337: DSLD Homes LLC to Mary Dowden and Matthew Wortmann, $263,500.

CAPELLA COURT 62757: DSLD Homes LLC to Darrin Spansel and Ronna Spansel, $256,705.

CARA MAE ST. 40385: D. R. Horton Inc.-Gulf Coast to George W. Payne III and Brenda R. Payne, $265,000.

CARA MAE ST. 40399: D. R. Horton Inc.-Gulf Coast to Christian Lee Anderson, $279,900.

CROYDON ST. 3753: Chau Nguyen and Duc Linh Dao to Hong Dao, donation, no value stated.

DOUBLOON DRIVE 101: Ryan Neil Williams to Richard J. Ammerman Sr., $404,500.

DRIFTWOOD CIRCLE 101: Jeremy L. Lejeune to Richard Z. Hall and Kristen N. Drohman Hall, $213,500.

E. HILLCREST DRIVE 37492: Brandon J. McCabe to Robert L. Savell, donation, no value stated.

E. LAKESHORE VILLAGE DRIVE 339: D. R. Horton Inc.-Gulf Coast to Contrice Shotell Martin, $245,075.

E. LAKESHORE VILLAGE DRIVE 479: D. R. Horton Inc.-Gulf Coast to Taylor S. Terrell, $240,000.

GRAND SUBDIVISION, LOT 141: Steve J. Morgan, Angela M. Odom, Raymond C. Morgan Jr., Michael A. Morgan and succession of Raymond Clifford Morgan to Infinite Investment Ventures LLC, $13,000.

HEADWATERS DRIVE 2532: Whitewater Properties LLC to James K. Hurst, $205,000.

HEADWATERS DRIVE 2548: Patricia H. Jenkins to Daniel Rodriguez and Wendy Aranky Rodriguez, $210,000.

JAY ST. 2212: Matthew Lloyd Yarborough to Ethan J. Gonzales, $170,000.

LAKESHORE BLVD. 1080: Michael Dirnbauer and Christina C. Dirnbauer to Thomas J. Walmsley and Luu T. Walmsley, $1,050,000.

LENWOOD DRIVE 455: Damien C. White to Matthew Kloepfer, $238,000.

LIVE OAK LANE 34075: Avery Scott Sr., Tierra Adams and Nicholas J. Glover Jr. to Corey M. Broussard, $195,000.

MAPLE AVE. 57349: Michael A. Vicknair to Mike R. Canizaro and Patricia W. Ducote, $179,000.

NEAR SLIDELL, LOT B-1: Jeffery S. Reid and Pamela Reid to Jane Trudell Reid, donation, no value stated.

NEAR SLIDELL, PORTION OF GROUND: Black Oak Holdings LLC to Due North Development CDL LLC, $2,100,000.

NEAR SLIDELL, PORTION OF GROUND: Christopher G. Penton to Brandon J. Penton and Alexis M. Penton, $30,000.

NEAR SLIDELL, PORTION OF GROUND: Alana M. Peltier to Patrick M. Meyers II and Molly Manieri Meyers, $27,000.

PINE ST. 1218: United States of America to Farhad Kaviani, $130,000.

PINE ST. 38141: Humberto A. Flores to Laura Duran Silva, $10,000.

PONTCHARTRAIN DRIVE 4694-B: Betsy Burk revocable trust to

TAMMANY,

Toxic co-worker ruins retirement job

Dear Annie: I retired early from a stressful job about a year ago and now work part-time in an office with one other full-time secretary who started at the same time I did She pushes most of the work onto me while she spends most of her day on her cellphone or shopping online. When my work is done, I sometimes use my phone for personal tasks, too, to pass the time since the office can be very slow

When I started, she made it clear I’d be responsible for answering all calls, emails, faxes and foot traffic, so I handle everything while she avoids work. She’s delusional about her own phone use and even claimed in front of our boss once that I’m on my phone all the time, “just like (her) kids.” I just held my tongue in disbelief because I rarely use my cellphone at work.

Here is the issue, and I have never done this before Recently at work, I glanced at my phone and noticed a friend of mine who owns a business was broadcasting a live video on social media. Wanting to catch it, I put in one earphone that connected to my cell while still an-

TAMMANY

Continued from page 22

Ralph W Harris, $259,000.

PONTCHARTRAIN DRIVE 401: Marion P Favre to Frank and Biljana Real Estate LLC, $310,000.

PONTCHARTRAIN DRIVE 4845: Courtney D. Kitchens to Siarra Gremillion, $210,000.

PORTSMOUTH DRIVE 322: Scot R. Farrar and Sharon A. Ledkins Farrar to Jaun Pinkins, Elroy E. Pinkins and Cynthia G. Pinkins, $209,500.

ROE DRIVE 60831: D. R. Horton Inc.-Gulf Coast to Daniel W. Bruce and Maggie Hartley, $289,900.

SPRUCE CIRCLE 135: Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to Patrick M. Mocklin, $10.

STEELE ROAD 320: Clarence R. Hammond and Dajanea R. Pollard to Agoge Holdings Group LLC, $282,340.

TERRY DRIVE 20: Thomas P. Kaminski Jr. and Diane S. Becker

swering office calls.

The doorbell rang a minute or two later, so I removed the earphone to answer the door. In the 30 seconds it took me to return, my co-worker had destroyed my headphones. The tiny metal speakers were detached and dangling from wires hanging out of the ends, and the ear cushions were gone!

She acted like it was a mystery, claiming the parts must’ve “just fallen off,” but you can see the glue marks where the ear cushions were broken off. The headphones are now unusable.

What should I do? My co-worker is close to our boss, even spending time with her outside of work, so I feel stuck putting up with her behavior. But this time, she crossed the line by even touching my property, let alone destroying it! This woman is in her late 40s but acts like a middle-schooler!

She and I will sometimes get along fine, bring each other tokens or gifts etc., but then she does things like this or is just hostile out of the blue. We barely talk because she’s always on personal calls, yet she micromanages everything I do. I dread going to work and feel like she’s a backstabbing control freak. I can barely tolerate even a halfday shift with her So much for my

Kaminski to Diane S. Kaminski revocable trust, $1 and other good and valuable consideration.

WAKE RESERVE ROAD 5420: Angel Jevon Colon and Tricia Ann

peaceful retirement job! Unfortunately, I get paid very well, and the job is so much calmer with more flexible hours than the job I retired from. Should I even bother talking to the boss, given how close they are? I feel stuck. — Trapped in a Toxic Office Dear Trapped: Your co-worker’s behavior is absolutely unacceptable. But because she and your boss are friends, you’re right — and smart — to want to tread lightly. Continue to keep track of these indiscretions and try addressing them with her directly At the very least, it’s more than reasonable to ask her not to touch your personal belongings. If nothing changes, consider taking things to your HR rep first or your boss if you don’t have one. It’ll go over better if you focus not on your co-worker’s character, but instead on wanting to better balance the office duties, emphasizing that your main concern is keeping things amicable in the workplace. If all else fails, seriously consider how much more of your retirement you want to sacrifice for money and flexible hours. No paycheck is worth constant stress and aggravation.

Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com.

Colon to Lowell M. Coil and Mary B. Coil, $402,000.

WILLIAM TELL ST. 3232: Danielle G. Thomas, Briana E. Gordon, Bruce E. Gordon and Holden E. Gordon to Patrick L. Jedlick,

By The Associated Press

Today is Saturday, Feb. 22, the 53rd day of 2025. There are 312 days left in the year.

Today in history

On Feb. 22, 1980, the “Miracle on Ice” took place at the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York, as the United States Olympic hockey team upset the Soviet Union, 4-3. (The U.S. team went on to win the gold medal two days later with a 4-2 victory over Finland.)

On this date:

In 1784, a U.S. merchant ship, the Empress of China, left New York for the first trade voyage of an American ship to China.

In 1959, the inaugural Daytona 500 race was held; although Johnny Beauchamp was initially declared the winner, the victory was later awarded to Lee Petty

In 1997, scientists in Scotland announced they had successfully cloned an adult mammal for the first time, a sheep they named “Dolly.”

In 2010, Najibullah Zazi, accused of buying products from beauty supply stores to make bombs for an attack on New York City subways, pleaded guilty to charges including conspiring to use weapons of mass destruction. (Zazi faced up to life in prison but spent nearly a decade after his arrest helping the U.S. identify and prosecute terrorists; he was given a 10-year sentence followed by supervised release.)

Today’s birthdays: Actor Paul Dooley is 97. Actor James Hong is 96. Actor Julie Walters is 75 Basketball Hall of Famer Julius Erving is 75. Actor Kyle MacLachlan is 66. Actor-comedian Rachel Dratch is 59. Actor Paul Lieberstein (TV: “The Office) is 58. Actor Jeri Ryan is 57. Actor Thomas Jane is 56. Actor-singer Lea Salonga is 54. Singer James Blunt is 51. Actor Drew Barrymore is 50.

$80,000.

SUN/BUSH

KATIE LANE 81390: Eric M. Johnson and Alicia Chace Johnson to

Midge Taylor Schouest, $612,000. WATTS ROAD 78469: Darrin C. Spansel and Ronna K. Spansel to Gabriel J. Lanaux and Kaylie A. Ward, $185,000.

Annie Lane

DEAR ANNIE

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