The Acadiana Advocate 03-10-2025

HERITAGE ON PARADE

Israel cuts off electricity supply to Gaza UL FALLS IN RUBBER MATCH

Louisiana wildlife chief to take top job at ICE

BY ALYSE PFEIL | Staff writer

Madison Sheahan, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, is leaving to take a top role in Immigration and Customs Enforcement in President Donald Trump’s administration, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced Sunday morning. Sheahan will serve as deputy director, Noem said.

“It’s no surprise that President @realDonaldTrump has tapped Madison Sheahan to help lead the Immigration, Customs, and Enforcement Agency,” Gov Jeff Landry said in a post on social media platform X “I look forward to working with Madison in her new role.” Landry said the department’s deputy secretary, Tyler Bosworth, “will be

Raises for La. teachers would come at a cost, critics say

Vote on constitutional amendment is March 29

BY ELYSE CARMOSINO | Staff writer

Louisiana residents will vote March 29 on a constitutional amendment that may seem cut-and-dry: Permanently raise teacher pay by $2,000 and support staff pay by $1,000. Louisiana teacher salaries are much lower than their counterparts in other states, and, despite years of promised raises, they’ve only received one-time stipends the past two years. Gov Jeff Landry has strongly expressed support for increasing educator pay, saying in November that doing so would be “a much-deserved win for our unsung heroes.”

“The truth is, we have the money to pay our teachers properly,” he said, “if we make the changes to unshackle ourselves from the bad decisions of the past.”

But there’s a trade-off: If voters approve the constitutional change, known as Amendment 2, to free up money for teacher pay it would mean diverting millions of dollars that help fund education efforts throughout the state each year, including early education programs and scholarships for aspiring teachers.

“This is not free money,” said Jan Moller, executive director of Invest in Louisiana, a nonpartisan research and policy think tank that opposes the proposed amendment. Though state leaders have said they will likely be able to find other funding for some of the affected programs, it remains unclear which ones would receive that money and which risk being cut or reduced if the amendment passes.

Madison Sheahan, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, is leaving to take a top role in Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

ä See SHEAHAN, page 4A

Desalination plant producing drinking water affected

BY MELANIE LIDMAN and SAMY MAGDY Associated Press

TEL AVIV, Israel Israel cut off the electricity supply to Gaza, officials said Sunday, affecting a desalination plant producing drinking water for part of the arid territory. Hamas called it part of Israel’s “starvation policy.” Israel last week suspended supplies of goods to the territory of more than 2 million Palestinians, an echo of the siege it imposed in the earliest days of the war Israel is pressing the militant group to accept an extension of the first phase of their ceasefire. That phase ended last weekend. Israel wants Hamas to release half of the remaining hostages in return for a promise to negotiate a lasting truce.

Hamas instead wants to start negotiations on the ceasefire’s more difficult second phase, which would see the release of remaining hostages from Gaza, the withdrawal of Israeli forces and a lasting peace. Hamas is believed to have 24 living hostages and the bodies of 35 others.

The militant group — which has warned that discontinuing supplies would affect the hostages — said Sunday that it wrapped up the latest round of ceasefire talks with Egyptian

ABOVE: The Northside Senior High School dance team and band participate in the African American Heritage Parade as it rolls down MLK Memorial Parkway on Sunday RIGHT: A float rider taunts the crowd with her prime throw teddy bear on Sunday BELOW: Northside Pack 100 Cub Scouts hold their banner as they walk in the parade. PHOTOS By ROBIN MAy ä See GAZA, page 4A

Musk calls on U.S. to quit NATO

Billionaire Elon Musk threw his weight behind a U.S. exit from NATO, saying on his social media platform that it “doesn’t make sense for America to pay for the defense of Europe.”

The senior adviser to President Donald Trump was responding to a post on X early Sunday that asserted the U.S. should “Exit NATO *now*!”

“We really should,” the Tesla Inc. co-founder and chief executive officer said.

On March 3, Musk wrote on X he agreed with a suggestion by a conservative commentator that the U.S. should leave both NATO and the United Nations.

Musk’s comments comes at a time when the future of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which will mark its 76th anniversary in April, hangs in the balance.

NBC reported on Thursday that Trump had discussed with aides calibrating U.S. engagement with NATO in a way which favors members of the alliance that spend a certain percentage of their GDP on defense.

Speaking to reporters the same day, Trump said he told NATO allies that if they’re not going to pay their bills, he won’t defend them.

“It’s common sense, right?”

Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “If they don’t pay I’m not going to defend them. No, I’m not going to defend them.”

Within NATO, Europe — which largely disarmed after the Cold War is reliant on the U.S. for communications, intelligence and logistics as well as strategic military leadership and firepower.

European Union leaders met in Brussels for an emergency summit last week with a view to massively increase defense spending.

Authorities: Armed man shot by Secret Service

WASHINGTON — An armed man believed to be traveling from Indiana was shot by U.S. Secret Service agents near the White House after a confrontation early Sunday, according to authorities.

No one else was injured in the shooting that happened around midnight about a block from the White House, according to a Secret Service statement. President Donald Trump was in Florida at the time of the shooting

The Secret Service received information from local police about an alleged “suicidal individual” who was traveling from Indiana and found the man’s car and a person matching his description nearby

“As officers approached, the individual brandished a firearm and an armed confrontation ensued, during which shots were fired by our personnel,” the Secret Service said in a statement. The man was hospitalized. The Secret Service said his condition was “unknown.”

Sheriff: Atlanta teacher’s body found in lake

ATLANTA The body of an Atlanta teacher and coach who vanished last month while boating on Georgia’s Lake Oconee has been recovered from waters not far from where his fiancee was found dead shortly after their outing, a sheriff told news outlets Sunday Sheriff Howard Sills of Putnam County told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Gary Jones’ body was found on Sunday afternoon in about 45 feet of water on the popular tourist lake southeast of Atlanta.

The discovery was made not far from where the body of Jones’ fiancee, Spelman College instructor Joycelyn Wilson, was found a day after the two went missing on Feb. 8, the newspaper reported. It comes a month to the day that Wilson’s body was recovered in the vicinity of where Jones’ empty two-seater fishing boat and his sneakers were found floating.

Sills said Jones’ body was found by Wisconsin searchand-recovery expert Keith Cormican, who was brought in by Jones’ family over the weekend and used sophisticated underwater sonar in his effort, the newspaper reported.

Trump downplays tariff concerns

Businesses worry about uncertainty, prospect of higher prices

BY ZEKE MILLER AP White House correspondent

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — President

Donald Trump is dismissing business concerns over the uncertainty caused by his planned tariffs on a range of American trading partners and the prospect of higher prices, and isn’t ruling out the possibility of a recession this year

After imposing and then quickly pausing 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada that sent markets tumbling over concerns of a trade war Trump said his plans for broader “reciprocal” tariffs will go into effect April 2, raising them to match what other countries assess.

“April 2, it becomes all reciprocal,” he said in a taped interview with Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures.” “What they charge us, we charge them.”

Asked about the Atlanta Fed’s warning of an economic contrac-

tion in the first quarter of the year, Trump seemingly acknowledged that his plans could affect U.S growth. Still, he claimed, it would ultimately be “great for us.”

When questioned whether he was expecting a recession in 2025, Trump responded: “I hate to predict things like that. There is a period of transition because what

we’re doing is very big. We’re bringing wealth back to America.

That’s a big thing.” He then added,

“It takes a little time. It takes a little time.”

On Wall Street, it was a tough week with wild swings dominated by worries about the economy and uncertainty about what Trump’s tariffs.

Trump brushed aside concerns from businesses seeking stability as they make investment decisions. He said that “for years the globalists, the big globalists have been ripping off the United States” and that now, “all we’re doing is getting some of it back, and we’re going to treat our country fairly.”

“You know, the tariffs could go up as time goes by and they may go up and, you know, I don’t know if it’s predictability,” the Republican president said.

Trump last week lifted the Mexico and Canada tariffs on American car manufacturers, and then virtually all imports to the U.S., but kept them on goods from China.

More tariffs are coming this week, with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick telling NBC’s “Meet the Press” that 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports will take effect Wednesday Lutnick said Trump’s threatened tariffs on Canadian dairy and lumber though would wait until April.

“Will there be distortions? Of course,” Lutnick said “Foreign goods may get a little more expensive. But American goods are going to get cheaper, and you’re going to be helping Americans by buying American.”

Russia strikes Ukraine forces via pipeline

BY JOANNA KOZLOWSKA Associated Press

LONDON Russian special forces walked inside a gas pipeline to strike Ukrainian units from the rear in the Kursk region, Ukraine’s military and Russian war bloggers reported, as Moscow claimed fresh gains in its push to recapture parts of the border province that Kyiv seized in a shock offensive

Ukraine launched a daring cross-border incursion into Kursk in August, marking the largest attack on Russian territory since World War II. Within days, Ukrainian units had captured 386 square miles of territory, including the strategic border town of Sudzha, and taken hundreds of Russian prisoners of war

According to Kyiv, the operation aimed to gain a bargaining chip in future peace talks and to force Russia to divert troops away from its grinding offensive in eastern Ukraine.

But months after Ukraine’s thunder run, its soldiers in Kursk are weary and bloodied by relentless assaults of more than 50,000 troops, including some from Russian ally North Korea. Tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers are at risk of being encircled, opensource maps of the battle-

field show

According to Telegram posts late Saturday by a Ukrainian-born, proKremlin blogger, Russian operatives walked about 9 miles inside the pipeline which Moscow had until recently used to send gas to Europe. Some Russian troops spent several days in the pipe before striking Ukrainian units from the rear near Sudzha, blogger Yuri Podolyaka claimed.

The town had some 5,000 residents before the fullscale February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, and it houses major gas transfer and measuring stations along the pipeline, which was once a major outlet for Russian natural gas exports through Ukrainian territory

Another war blogger, who uses the alias Two

Majors, said fierce fighting was underway for Sudzha, and that Russian forces managed to enter the town through a gas pipeline. Russian Telegram channels showed photos of what they said were special forces operatives, wearing gas masks and moving along what looked like the inside of a large pipe.

Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed Saturday evening that Russian “sabotage and assault groups” used the pipeline in a bid to gain a foothold outside Sudzha. In a Telegram post it said Russian troops were “detected in a timely manner” and that Ukraine responded with rockets and artillery

“At present, Russian special forces are being detected, blocked and destroyed. The enemy’s loss-

ICE arrests Palestinian student who helped lead Columbia protests

BY JAKE OFFENHARTZ Associated Press

NEW YORK Federal immigration authorities arrested a Palestinian graduate student who played a prominent role in last spring’s anti-Israel protests at Columbia University, according to his attorney. Mahmoud Khalil was inside his university-owned residence Saturday night near Columbia’s Manhattan campus when several Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents entered the building and took him into custody, his attorney, Amy Greer, told The Associated Press. Greer said she spoke by phone with one of the ICE agents during the arrest, who said they were acting on State Department orders to revoke Khalil’s student visa. Informed by the attorney that Khalil

was in the United States as a permanent resident with a green card, the agent said they were revoking that too, according to the lawyer

The arrest appeared to be among the first known actions under President Donald Trump’s pledge to deport international students who joined the protes ts against Israel’s war in Gaza that swept college campuses last spring. His administration has claimed participants forfeited their rights to remain in the country by supporting Hamas, a terror organization.

Khalil served as a negotiator for students as they bargained with university officials over an end to the tent encampment erected on campus, a role that made him one of the few student activists willing to share his name and

identity

The authorities declined to tell Khalil’s wife, who is eight months pregnant, whether he was accused of committing a crime, Greer said. Khalil has since been transferred to an immigration detention facility in Elizabeth, New Jersey

“We have not been able to get any more details about why he is being detained,” Greer told the AP “This is a clear escalation. The administration is following through on its threats.”

A Columbia spokesperson said law enforcement agents must produce a warrant before entering university property but declined to say if the school had received one ahead of Khalil’s arrest. The spokesperson also declined to comment on Khalil’s detention.

Messages seeking comment were left with the State Department, the Department of Homeland Security and ICE.

es in Sudzha are very high,” the General Staff reported.

A third Russian war blogger argued that the attacking force lacked the logistical backup to succeed.

“Food, water, ammunition, communications, charging electrical devices, power banks, the approach of the main forces, evacuating the wounded Two or three groups in the rear without all this — that’s a disaster,” the blogger, who describes himself as a soldier with the call sign Thirteenth, wrote on Telegram.

The Associated Press could not independently verify the accounts.

The Russian Defense Ministry reported Sunday that its troops had taken four villages north and northwest of Sudzha, with the closest lying some 7.5 miles from the center of the town. The claim came a day after the ministry reported the capture of three more villages near Sudzha.

Ukraine did not immediately comment on the Russian claims.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump said in an interview that aired Sunday that Ukraine “may not survive” as he continued to withhold American arms and intelligence in an effort to force Kyiv into peace negotiations with its invader In an interview with Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures,” Trump was asked about a warning from Polish President Andrzej Duda “that without American support, Ukraine will not survive” and whether he was “comfortable” with that outcome. He replied, “Well, it may not survive anyway.” He added, “But we have some weaknesses with Russia. You know, it takes two.” In other developments, French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu said Sunday that France will use profits from frozen Russian assets to finance an additional $211 million in arms for Ukraine, the latest in a series of military aid deliveries funded through the assets.

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ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ALEX BRANDON

President Donald Trump waves Friday before departing on Marine One from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By EFREM LUKATSKy People protest against President Donald Trump’s policy concerning Ukraine on Saturday in front of the U.S Embassy in Kyiv Ukraine.

Khalil

‘Bloody Sunday’ 60th anniversary marked in Selma

Event marked amid concerns for the future

BY KIM CHANDLER and SAFIYAH RIDDLE Associated Press

SELMA,Ala. Charles Mauldin was near the front of a line of voting rights marchers walking in pairs across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama on March 7, 1965.

The marchers were protesting White officials’ refusal to allow Black Alabamians to register to vote, as well as the killing days earlier of Jimmie Lee Jackson, a minister and voting rights organizer who was shot by a state trooper in nearby Marion At the apex of the span over the Alabama River, they saw what awaited them: a line of state troopers, deputies and men on horseback. They kept going. After they approached, law enforcement gave a two-minute warning to disperse and then unleashed violence.

“Within about a minute or a half, they took their billy clubs, holding it on both ends, began to push us back to back us in, and then they began to beat men, women and children, and tear gas

men, women and children, and cattle prod men, women and children viciously,” said Mauldin, who was 17 at the time Selma on Sunday marked the 60th anniversary of the clash that became known as Bloody Sunday The attack shocked the nation and galvanized support for the U.S. Voting Rights Act of 1965

The annual commemoration pays homage to those who fought to secure voting rights for Black Americans and brought calls to recommit to the fight for equality For those gathered in Selma, the celebration comes amid concerns about new voting restrictions and the Trump administration’s effort to remake federal agencies they said helped make America a democracy for all Speaking at the pulpit of the city’s historic Tabernacle Baptist Church, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said what happened in Selma changed the nation. He said the 60th anniversary comes at a time when there is “trouble all around” and some “want to whitewash our history.” But he said like the marchers of Bloody Sunday, they must keep going.

“At this moment, faced with trouble on every side, we’ve got to press on,” Jeffries said to the crowd that

included the Rev Jesse Jackson, multiple members of Congress and others gathered for the commemoration.

Members of Congress joined with Bloody Sunday marchers to lead a march of several thousand people across the Edmund Pettus Bridge. They stopped to pray at the site where marchers were beaten in 1965.

“We gather here on the 60th anniversary of Bloody Sunday when our country

is in chaos,” said U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell of Alabama. Sewell, a Selma native, noted the number of voting restrictions introduced since the U.S. Supreme Court effectively abolished a key part of the Voting Rights Act that required jurisdictions with a history of racial discrimination to clear new voting laws with the Justice Department Other speakers noted the Trump administration’s push to end diversity, equity and inclusion efforts

Pope thanks volunteers for ‘miracle of tenderness’

BY NICOLE WINFIELD and SILVIA STELLACCI Associated Press

ROME Pope Francis thanked volunteers Sunday for the “miracle of tenderness” they offer the sick, as he continued his treatment for double pneumonia and doctors reported some positive news.

After more than three weeks in the hospital, the 88-year-old pope is responding well to treatment and has shown a “gradual, slight improvement” in recent days. Francis on Sunday followed the opening day of a weeklong spiritual retreat in the Vatican for Holy See officials by video conference. He could see the officials, but they couldn’t see him in the Gemelli hospital, the Vatican press office said. Francis also participated in Mass at the hospital’s private chapel.

For the fourth consecutive Sunday, Francis didn’t appear for his weekly noon blessing, but the Vatican distributed the text he would

have delivered if he were well enough. In it, the Argentine pope thanked all those who were caring for him and others who are sick and experiencing a “night of pain.”

“Brothers and sisters, during my prolonged hospitalization here, I too experience the thoughtfulness of service and the tenderness of care, in particular from the doctors and health care workers, whom I thank from the bottom of my heart,” read the message from Gemelli

hospital.

“And while I am here, I think of the many people who in various ways are close to the sick, and who are for them a sign of the Lord’s presence. We need this, the ‘miracle of tenderness’ which accompanies those who are in adversity, bringing a little light into the night of pain,” he wrote.

The pontiff, who has chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed as a young man, has remained in

stable condition, with no fever and good oxygen levels in his blood for several days, doctors reported.

The doctors said that such stability “as a consequence testifies to a good response to therapy.” It was the first time the doctors had reported that Francis was responding positively to the treatment for the complex lung infection that was diagnosed after he was hospitalized on Feb. 14.

But they kept his prognosis as “guarded,” meaning that he’s not out of danger The Vatican said that the medical update from Saturday remained valid Sunday

In his absence, the Vatican’s day-to-day operations continued alongside celebrations of its Holy Year, the once every quarter-century Jubilee that brings millions of pilgrims to Rome. On Sunday, Canadian Cardinal Michael Czerny, who is close to Francis, celebrated the Holy Year Mass for volunteers that Francis was supposed to have celebrated.

and a rollback of equal opportunity executive orders that have been on the books since the 1960s. In 1965, the Bloody Sunday marchers led by John Lewis and Hosea Williams walked in pairs across the Selma bridge headed toward Montgomery

“We had steeled our nerves to a point where we were so determined that we were willing to confront. It was past being courageous. We were determined, and we

were indignant,” Mauldin recalled.

He said the “country was not a democracy for Black folks” until voting rights. “And we’re still constantly fighting to make that a more concrete reality for ourselves.”

Kirk Carrington was just 13 on Bloody Sunday and was chased through the city by a man on a horse wielding a stick. “When we started marching, we did not know the impact we would have in America,” he said.

Dr Verdell Lett Dawson, who grew up in Selma, remembers a time when she was expected to lower her gaze if she passed a White person on the street to avoid making eye contact. Dawson and Mauldin said they are concerned about the potential dismantling of the Department of Education and other changes to federal agencies. Support from the federal government “is how Black Americans have been able to get justice, to get some semblance of equality, because left to states’ rights, it is going to be the White majority that’s going to rule,” Dawson said.

“That that’s a tragedy of 60 years later: what we are looking at now is a return to the 1950s,” Dawson said.

Firefighters knock down Long Island brush fire

By The Associated Press

NEW YORK Firefighters in New York knocked down a dwindling brush fire in a wooded stretch of Long Island on Sunday as officials warned that high wind gusts could leave the region vulnerable to additional blazes.

Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency a day earlier after four separate fires broke out across large swaths of Long Island’s Pine Barrens region, prompting closures to the highway and evacuations of a military base.

As of Sunday, all visible flames had been knocked down, including the last remaining fire burning in the hamlet of Westhampton, according to Suffolk County Fire Coordinator Rudy Sunderman. He said at a Sunday news conference that crews were working on containment lines

around the fire to prevent further spread Authorities said the fire had not grown since early Sunday Still, officials were cautious as wind gusts of up to 30 mph were expected Sunday, according to the National Weather Service, “We’re concerned because the winds are still blowing, that might spark up again,” said Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine. Romaine thanked firefighters who worked through the night, adding that more than 80 volunteer fire departments battled the blaze, which burned about 600 acres. Two firefighters were hospitalized for injuries and released, according to Sunderman. The cause of the fire remained under investigation. Dozens of detectives were interviewing 911 callers and using drones.

BY AMANDA SEITZ Associated Press

WASHINGTON Most of the 80,000 federal workers responsible for researching diseases, inspecting food and administering Medicare and Medicaid under the auspices of the Health and Human Services Department were emailed an offer to leave their job for as much as a $25,000 payment as part of President Donald Trump’s government cuts Workers cannot start opting in until Monday and have until 5 p.m. on Friday to submit a response for the socalled voluntary separation offer. The email was sent to staff across the department, which includes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, and the National Institutes of Health as well as the Food and Drug Administration, both in Maryland.

The mass email went out to a “broad population of HHS employees,” landing in their inboxes days before agency heads are due to offer plans for shrinking their work-

forces. HHS is one of the government’s costliest federal agencies, with an annual budget of about $1.7 trillion that is mostly spent on health care coverage for millions of people enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid. The agency oversees health insurance for roughly half the country through Medicare for older adults and Medicaid for disabled and poor Americans.

There was no immediate comment Sunday from HHS.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s health secretary, has hinted at plans at deep cuts to the staff. Last year, he promised to immediately clear out 600 employees at the NIH, the nation’s biomedical research arm. He has not gone that far, but in an interview last month shortly after being sworn in last month, Kennedy said he wanted to remove some workers from the public health agencies. “I have a list in my head,” Kennedy said of potential firings at the agency He said some workers “made really bad decisions” on nutrition guidelines.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MIKE STEWART

From left, U.S Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-Ny; U.S Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif.; the Rev. Al Sharpton; the Rev. Jesse Jackson; and NAACP President Derick Johnson march Sunday across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Ala., during the 60th anniversary of the march to ensure that African Americans could exercise their constitutional right to vote.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By FRANCISCO SECO

Locals and tourists walk Saturday along a main street near St Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

SHEAHAN

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detailed to handle the responsibilities of the Secretary until Madison assumes her official role.”

On Sunday morning a spokesperson for Landry was not able to confirm when Sheahan will leave the state department and begin

RAISES

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Critics have also voiced concern that the pay hikes wouldn’t be protected by the state’s education funding formula, pointing out that the amendment would instead shift responsibility to individual districts to provide the raises They also note that the money would essentially make the stipends teachers received permanent but would not additionally increase their pay

So, voters must decide at the polls on March 29: Should the money be spent on teacher pay or should it continue to fund existing education programs? What’s at stake?

For decades, Louisiana has financially backed many education projects through money the state receives from three separate trust funds protected by the state constitution.

Two of the funding pools were formed in the wake of a 1986 settlement in which the federal government agreed to give Louisiana a percentage of the money generated from offshore development. Louisiana residents later voted to use the money as an education trust fund.

The third pool is the Education Excellence Fund, part of a trust created from a settlement in the late 1990s be-

her job with ICE. Noem on Sunday also announced that Todd Lyons will serve as acting director of ICE Lyons, who held previous roles with ICE in Dallas and Boston, last month was elevated to run the immigration agency’s enforcement and removal operations.

“Todd Lyons and Madison Sheahan are work horses, strong executors, and ac-

tween the state and tobacco companies.

Together, the three funds have generated roughly $2 billion for the state since they were created, according to the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana. Last year, the funds generated $68 million that was split between K-12 schools and higher education.

During a special session in November, the Legislature unanimously passed a bill that would eliminate the three funding sources from the state constitution, leaving about $2 billion to pay off a portion of teacher retirement system debt The Legislature then voted to pass a second bill, authored by Rep. Tony Bacala, RPrairieville, that would require school districts to use the debt-payment savings to give raises to teachers and support staff.

Voters must approve Amendment 2 next month for those changes to take effect.

Summarizing the argument for the amendment, PAR wrote that it would save the state about $1 billion in interest payments and end the “the annual financial uncertainty” for educators by funding permanent pay increases.

Cade Brumley, the state’s superintendent of education, expressed unequivocal support for the amendment, saying he believes the tradeoff is worth it if it helps the state retain and attract qual-

countable leaders who will lead the men and women of ICE to achieve the American people’s mandate to target, arrest and deport illegal aliens,” Noem said in a statement. During an interview on “Face the Nation” that aired Sunday Noem said the two appointments will “allow us to partner with local law enforcement officials to make sure that we are truly fol-

lowing through on enforcing the law, and if you break our law there’s going to be consequences.” Reuters initially reported Sheahan’s new role last month, but officials did not confirm it until Sunday Sheahan, who is in her late 20s, worked for Noem when she was governor of South Dakota. She was executive director of the South Dakota Republican Party when

Landry picked her to run Louisiana’s wildlife agency in late 2023 She was 26 at the time. Cracking down on illegal immigration and ramping up deportations has been a top priority for Trump over the course of his presidential campaign and in the early part of his second term. Trump has been reorganizing ICE after the num-

ber of deportations did not meet his administration’s goals. The acting director of ICE, Caleb Vitello, was reassigned last month to a role overseeing field operations. In Louisiana, Sheahan opened the first bear hunting season in 35 years, extended some open seasons after the January snowstorm and moved to eliminate catch limits for two types of shark.

This month, Louisiana residents will vote on a constitutional amendment that would permanently raise teacher pay by $2,000. But critics say that approving the raises would come at a cost to other education initiatives.

ified teachers.

“There’s nothing more important than a classroom teacher for kids’ academic success,” he said.

But opponents say it is misguided to eliminate a protected source of education revenue.

“Now you’re leaving it up to the vagaries of the Louisiana Legislature, not just next year, but every year thereafter” to find funding, Moller said.

Last year, the funds provided about $10 million for early childhood education. They also supplied $4.5 million to assist with student testing, $3 million to improve struggling schools and $1.2 million to help school districts with teacher recruitment and retention.

The Louisiana Policy Institute for Children has warned that the funds’ removal would leave nearly 1,600 children without access to early education programs, worsening the state’s child care crisis.

Brumley said the state could possibly backfill funding for “significant endeavors” like early childhood education. However, Landry’s recently proposed budget for next fiscal year is based on current revenues and does not account for changes if the trust funds are eliminated, officials said Some school system leaders are worried about losing funding

The Baker school district in East Baton Rouge Parish receives roughly $53,000

annually from one of the trust funds. Superintendent JT Stroder said the money pays the salary of a staffer in the district’s early childhood program. If the funds go away, so will that position, he said.

“It won’t be a good thing,”

Stroder said “Losing any money that impacts instruction in public K-12 education is a bad idea.”

Teacher concerns

Some who say teachers deserve a permanent raise have also expressed concern about the amendment.

Unions and budget experts said because the raises won’t be built into the state’s school-funding formula, where it would remain a permanent part of the state budget, educators would rely on districts to allocate the money They also say lawmakers could later decide to put the money to other uses.

“We cannot rely on good intentions alone when it comes to our teachers’ and support staff’s paychecks,”

Larry Carter president of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers, the state’s largest teachers’ union, told lawmakers in November In a statement last year, union leaders said they support “the spirit of the bill,” but said the pay raises would be better protected if they were embedded in the funding formula.

The bill contains a stipulation that if the savings a

district accrues through the plan are not enough to fully fund the raises, it will not be required to honor the salary hike and the state will cover the difference in the education funding formula. Between four and 43 school systems are expected to need additional aid, which could cost between a few million to tens of millions of dollars a year according to simulations run by the state education department.

Bacala and Sen. Rick Edmonds, R-Baton Rouge, who co-authored the bill, did not respond to a request for comment. Critics also say the move would shift responsibility for the raises from the state to districts. In the past, the state’s funding formula increased teacher pay by 2.75% annually to keep up with the cost of inflation. The state ended the annual increases during the Great Recession, when Louisiana faced a budget deficit.

“It’s kind of taking the state out of the business of providing teacher pay raises and foisting that responsibility more onto the locals,” Moller said, adding that the Legislature should fund “teacher raises annually through the formula — something the state did for years.”

Email Elyse Carmosino at ecarmosino@ theadvocate.com.

mediators without changes to its position.

Israel has said it would send a delegation to Qatar on Monday in an effort to “advance” the negotiations.

Israel had warned when it stopped all supplies that water and electricity could be next. The letter from Israel’s energy minister to the Israel Electric Corporation tells it to stop selling power to Gaza The territory and its infrastructure have been largely devastated, and most facilities, including hospitals, now use generators. Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassam said that Israel has ”practically” cut off electricity since the war began and called the latest decision part of Israel’s “starvation policy, in clear disregard for all international laws and norms.” The desalination plant

was providing 18,000 cubic meters of water per day for central Gaza’s Deir al-Balah area, according to Gisha, an Israeli organization dedicated to protecting Palestinians’ right to freedom of movement. Executive director Tania Hary said that it’s expected to run on generators and produce around 2,500 cubic meters per day, about the amount in an Olympic swimming pool.

Israel’s restrictions on fuel entering Gaza have a larger impact, Hary said, and water shortages are a looming issue, because fuel is needed for distribution trucks.

Israel has faced sharp criticism over suspending supplies.

“Any denial of the entry of the necessities of life for civilians may amount to collective punishment,” the U.N. human rights office said Friday The International Criminal Court said there was reason to believe Israel had used “starvation as a

method of warfare” when it issued an arrest warrant for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last year The allegation is central to South Africa’s case at the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of genocide.

Israel has denied the accusations, saying it has allowed in enough aid and blaming shortages on what it called the United Nations’ inability to distribute it. It also accused Hamas of siphoning off aid.

The leader of the Iranianbacked Houthi rebels in Yemen, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, warned Friday that attacks against Israel-linked vessels off Yemen would resume within four days if aid doesn’t resume to Gaza.

The Houthis described their earlier attacks as solidarity with Palestinians there.

The ceasefire has paused the deadliest and most destructive fighting ever between Israel and Hamas, sparked by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. The first

phase allowed the return of 25 living hostages and the remains of eight others in exchange for the release of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

Israeli forces have withdrawn to buffer zones inside Gaza, hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians have returned to northern Gaza and hundreds of trucks of aid entered per day until Israel suspended supplies.

The White House on Wednesday made the surprise confirmation of direct U.S. talks with Hamas.

On Sunday, envoy Adam Boehler told Israeli broadcaster Kan that Hamas has suggested a truce of five to 10 years while it would disarm. The militant group has previously called disarming unacceptable.

A senior Hamas official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss contacts with the U.S., said that the group had expressed its long-standing position that it would lay down its arms

in return for a “fair and just solution” that includes an independent Palestinian state.

Boehler also told CNN that “I think you could see something like a long-term truce, where we forgive prisoners, where Hamas lays down their arms, where they agree they’re not part of the political party going forward. I think that’s a reality It’s real close.”

When asked if he would speak with the militant group again, Boehler replied, “You never know.”

He added: “I think something could come together within weeks,” and expressed hope for a deal that would see all hostages released, not only American ones Boehler has said four of the five American hostages in Gaza are dead, with Edan Alexander alive.

Hamas’ attack in October 2023 killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, inside Israel and took 251 people hostage. Most have been released in ceasefire agreements or other arrangements. Israel’s military offensive has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians in Gaza mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t say how many of the dead were militants. With the cutoff of supplies to Gaza, Palestinians are reporting sharp price increases for dwindling items during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

“Since the ceasefire began, the situation has improved a little. But before that, the situation was very bad,” said Fares al-Qeisi in the southern city of Khan Younis. “I swear to God, one could not satisfy their hunger.”

Hamas on Sunday didn’t mention the talks, but reiterated its support for a proposal for the establishment of an independent committee of technocrats to run Gaza until Palestinians hold presidential and legislative elections.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Ex-central banker to replace Trudeau as Canada’s PM

BY ROB GILLIES Associated Press

TORONTO Former central

banker Mark Carney will become Canada’s next prime minister after the governing Liberal Party elected him its leader Sunday as the country deals with U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war and annexation threat, and a federal election looms Carney 59, replaces Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who announced his resignation in January but remains prime minister until his successor is sworn in the coming days. Carney won in a landslide, winning 85.9% of the vote.

“There is someone who is trying to weaken our economy,” Carney said. “Donald Trump, as we know, has put unjustified tariffs on what we build, on what we sell and how we make a living. He’s attacking Canadian families, workers and businesses and we cannot let him succeed and we won’t.”

Carney said Canada will keep retaliatory tariffs in place until “the Americans

show us respect.” Carney navigated crises when he was the head of the Bank of Canada and when in 2013 he became the first noncitizen to run the Bank of England since it was founded in 1694. His appointment won bipartisan praise in the U.K. after Canada recovered from the 2008 financial crisis faster than many other countries.

The opposition Conservatives hoped to make the election about Trudeau, whose popularity declined as food and housing prices rose and immigration surged.

Trump’s trade war and his talk of making Canada the 51st U.S state have infuriated Canadians, who are booing the American anthem at NHL and NBA games. Some are canceling trips south of the border and many are avoiding buying American goods when they can

The surge in Canadian nationalism has bolstered the Liberal Party’s chances in a parliamentary election expected within days or weeks, and Liberal showings have been improving steadily in

IS-linked rebels in Congo kill 9 villagers

BY JUSTIN KABUMBA Associated Press

GOMA, Congo Islamic

State-linked rebels attacked a village in conflict-battered eastern Congo killing at least nine villagers, a local official and residents said

Sunday

The Saturday attack in the village of Ngohi Vuyinga in North Kivu province’s Lubero territory also displaced dozens and several houses burned down, according to Samuel Kagheni, a local civil society leader Rebels with the Allied Democratic Forces, an IS affiliate in the region, attacked the villagers with guns and machetes while they were at their farms, Kagheni said.

“Yesterday’s toll could rise because there were even some missing people,”

he said.

Eastern Congo has been battered by decades of violence, with more than 100 armed groups vying for control of the region’s rich minerals. Among them are Rwanda-backed rebels who recently captured two major cities in another part of the region. The violence has resulted in about 7 million people being displaced, making it the world’s largest humanitarian crisis

The latest attack renewed safety concerns among locals who accused the government of not doing enough to stop the conflict.

“The peaceful population is still being killed, but there is no intervention on the government side,” said César Kambale, a youth leader of the nearby Vuyinga village

opinion polls.

“We have made this the greatest country in the world and now our neigh-

bors want to take us. No

Single-engine plane crashes near Pa. airport

All 5 aboard are taken to hospitals

BY CHRISTOPHER WEBER Associated Press

A single-engine airplane carrying five people crashed and burst into flames Saturday in the parking lot of a retirement community near a small airport in suburban Pennsylvania, and everyone on board survived, officials and witnesses said.

The fiery crash happened around 3 p.m. just south of Lancaster Airport in Manheim Township, police Chief Duane Fisher told reporters at an evening briefing. All five victims were taken to hospitals in unknown condition. Nobody on the ground was hurt, the chief said.

Brian Pipkin was driving nearby when he noticed the small plane climbing before it suddenly veered to the left.

“And then it went down nose first,” he told The Associated Press. “There was an immediate fireball.”

Pipkin called 911 and then drove to the crash site, where he recorded video of black smoke billowing from the plane’s mangled wreckage and multiple cars engulfed in flames in a parking lot at Brethren Village. He said the plane narrowly missed hitting a three-story building at the sprawling retirement community about 75 miles west of Philadelphia.

A fire truck from the airport arrived within minutes, and more first responders followed quickly “It was so smoky and it was so hot,” Pipkin said “They were really struggling to get the fire out.” A dozen parked cars were damaged, Fisher said.

By The Associated Press

ENNIS Texas One man died and three of his family members were injured when their RV flipped over several times at the Texas Motorplex during a strong thunderstorm that caused widespread damage in an area about 25 minutes south of Dallas on Saturday Strong winds of up to 90 mph ripped the roof off a Days Inn along Interstate 45, damaged homes throughout Ellis County and toppled at least seven semitractortrailer trucks on Interstate

35. The strong storms also knocked out power to nearly 20,000 people, but didn’t generate any tornadoes. About 2,000 remained without power Sunday afternoon, but service was expected to be restored by the end of the day Some quarter-sized hail also fell in the area. The 42-year-old man who died was T.J. Bailey from Midlothian, Texas. His wife and two sons were inside an RV that rolled over at the racetrack, Ellis County Justice of the Peace Chris Macon told The Dallas Morning News. Bailey’s family mem-

bers were treated at a hospital for injuries that were not lifethreatening. The boys were released, but their mother remained under observation at the hospital Sunday Macon said he’d never seen such strong and sustained winds in his lifetime of living in Ellis County “I can honestly say, I’ve known the wind to blow, but never like that for that long of a period of time,” he said. Ennis Mayor Kameron Raburn said Saturday that the city is beginning to pick up debris and work on recovering from the storm.

THE CANADIAN PRESS PHOTO By ADRIAN WyLD

Liberal Party of Canada leadership candidate Mark Carney delivers a speech Sunday as he’s introduced during the Liberal leadership announcement in Ottawa, Ontario. Carney will be Canada’s next prime minister

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By SUZETTE WENGER

First responders work the scene Sunday after a plane crashed in Manheim Township, Pa.

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Mamou gunfire last straw for musician

Mardi Gras violence

left 2 dead, 12 injured at concert

BY JOANNA BROWN Staff writer

It was a crowded Mardi Gras weekend in Mamou — a town of a little under 3,000 people that receives thousands of additional visitors during one of the busiest seasons in south Louisiana People flock to Mamou from surrounding parishes to experience traditional courir de Mardi Gras runs, a Lundi Gras fais do-do and Mardi Gras concerts and festivities that highlight the zydeco and

Creole folkways the community is known for The small town is part of a constellation of southwest Louisiana rural communities that show up big this time of year, celebrating the music, food and joy that make Acadiana special. But on March 4, the festivities turned deadly when dozens of shots rang out during a zydeco concert.

A witness to Tuesday’s shooting said she had never seen the event so packed, and reports indicate that thousands of people crowded to see zydeco artist Chris Ardoin perform with his band, NuStep Zydeko. Ardoin’s 13-year-old son was also there, standing alongside his father on stage when shots rang out As people screamed during the shooting, the aftermath of which left bodies on the

CALDER

BY JA’KORI MADISON

Staff writer

The end of Mardi Gras signals the beginning of the Lenten season, which calls for an abundance of seafood options as participants fast and reflect until Easter

Local churches, restaurants and other organizations will be working hard for the next couple of months to provide those who observe meatless Fridays with a selection of catfish, salmon, crawfish, shrimp and other seafood.

Fish frys and Lent specials can be found around Acadiana. Remember to call ahead at restaurants or check their websites for offers Fish frys

n St. Pius X Catholic Church: 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. every Friday during Lent except for Good Friday $10/plate with fried fish, potato salad and coleslaw. Customers can drive-thru or dine-in at the Parish Life Center, 600 Kaliste Saloom Road, Lafayette.

n St. Edmond Catholic Church: 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. every Friday during Lent except for Good Friday $12/plate with fried fish, potato salad, coleslaw and bread. Drive-thru only. 4131 W. Congress St., Lafayette.

n St.Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church: Starting at 5 p.m. every Friday during Lent except for Good Friday $9/plate with 3 pieces of fried fish, coleslaw, potato salad and bread. Pickup only 610 Raintree Trail, Lafayette

n St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. every Friday during Lent except for Good Friday $15/ plate with fried catfish, French fries coleslaw and a roll Drive-thru purchase only. 610 N. Main St., Breaux

In character

PROVIDED PHOTO By CHRIS ARDOIN Zydeco musician Chris Ardoin was performing onstage alongside his son when shooting broke out during a Mardi Gras concert. He and his son were unharmed.

Sara Simon, of Orchard Works, shows off a variety of hand-carved magic wands on sale at a booth in the Cajundome.

PHOTOS By ROBIN MAy

Trinida Sparaciozo, left, as Catwoman and Bailey Dauzart as The Riddler mingle with their favorite characters Saturday during the Louisiana Comic Con at the Cajundome in Lafayette.

Anna Warren cosplaying as Sigma strolls the aisles of vendors.

Lucas Martrain, 13, right, interacts with a costumed Dan Borne at Louisiana Comic Con.

NIH funding is vital to our country’s long-term competitiveness

Cancer Heart disease. Dementia Each year, millions of American families face these and other terrifying, life-changing diagnoses and their single best hope for a healthier future lies in medical research and innovation. Most funding for medical research in the U.S. comes from the National Institutes of Health, and most of the NIH-funded research is conducted at medical schools like LSU Health and our teaching hospitals including University Medical Center and Manning Family Children’s. Through federal funding from the NIH, our academic scientists have made groundbreaking advances like improving survival rates of children with leukemia, dramatically reducing the death rate from heart disease and stroke and nearly eliminating HIV transmission from mother to child. These remarkable improvements in the health of our nation positively affect not only our physical health but our fiscal health as well. Beyond its lifesaving benefits, medical research generates thousands of well-paying, skilled jobs, new products and technological advances that touch all our lives. Our nation’s investment in NIH funding to universities across the country is an efficient way to ensure our country’s long-term competitiveness in industries like biotechnology medical device manufacturing and pharmaceutical development. It is with NIH support that the U.S. leads the world in medical research, innovation and quality of care, even as other countries challenge our historical leadership position.

Our patients want cures and deserve nothing less. LSU Health, along with other medical schools and teaching hospitals across our great nation, must remain a nexus for innovation, discovery and superior health care. Medical research has been and must remain a national priority if we are to offer hope to our patients and their families who anxiously await the next medical miracle.

STEVE NELSON chancellor, LSU Health New Orleans

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ARE WELCOME. HERE ARE OUR GUIDELINES: Letters are published identifying name and the writer’s city of residence.The Advocate | The Times-Picayune require a street address and phone number for verification purposes, but that information is not published. Letters are not to exceed 300 words. Letters to the Editor,The Advocate, P.O Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0588, or email letters@theadvocate.com.

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YOUR VIEWS

Defenders of life must oppose restarting death penatly in La.

The Louisiana Conference of Catholic Bishops has consistently defended life from conception to natural death, and we remain deeply aware of the pain and grief that victims and families suffer, especially those who have lost a loved one through the crime of murder or crimes of violence.

As we continue to pray for the victims and their families, we pray that the state will not usher in a culture of death by facilitating death warrants and consider that mercy can be the highest form of justice. No method of execution is acceptable, including nitrogen hypoxia (asphyxiation).

As a result of the recent efforts to restart the protocols for executions, the Louisiana Conference of Catholic Bishops issued the following statement:

“We are saddened by the recent notice to restart the process for the issuance of death warrants to execute human beings in Loui-

siana. This only contributes to the culture of death. We promote a culture of life, not death, in this great State we love. As bishops, we will continue to promote life from conception to natural death and work to end the execution of another human being.”

MOST REV GREGORY M. AYMOND Archbishop of New Orleans

MOST REV MICHAEL G. DUCA bishop, diocese of Baton Rouge

MOST REV J. DOUGLAS DESHOTELS bishop, Diocese of Lafayette

MOST REV FRANCIS I. MALONE bishop, Diocese of Shreveport

MOST REV ROBERT W. MARSHALL bishop, Diocese of Alexandria

MOST REV GLEN JOHN PROVOST bishop, Diocese of Lake Charles

VERY REV SIMON PETER ENGURAIT diocesan administrator, Houma-Thibodaux

Landry following Trump’s dangerous example

So, Gov Jeff Landry’s Fiscal Responsibility Program decided to temporarily suspend its work because of questions as to whether it could legally hold its meetings in secret. The commission was created within the Office of the Governor by executive order and directed all agencies and departments to cooperate in the implementation of the order

That Landry would attempt to emulate the lawless behavior of President Donald Trump’s and Elon Musk’s DOGE should come as no surprise: Landry as state attorney general did, after all, give legal cover to Trump in his attempt to overturn President Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential election.

The preamble to Louisiana’s open meetings statute states, in part, “It is essential to the

maintenance of a democratic society that public business be performed in an open and public manner...”

Landry’s penchant for lawlessness, whether it is ignoring open meetings laws, undermining open records laws or illegally impeding the First Amendment rights of an LSU law professor who was critical of the governor and Trump, demonstrates his unfitness to lead this state and the continued violation of his oath to “support the constitution and laws” of the United States and Louisiana.

As Landry and the president continue to consolidate power and trample over the rule of law, we should be prepared for more attacks on our rights as citizens and attempts to hold government accountable.

JAMES TAYLOR Baton Rouge

Our representatives don’t seem to care about budget harm

Recently the House voted to advance a budget that would hurt Louisianans. Now, the Senate is positioning itself to ram the budget through the legislative process without considering how it affects constituents.

Congress is teeing up to pass the budget through reconciliation, which would fast track the bill. It’s legislation through blunt force, rather than debate and consensus. Perhaps reconciliation is the preferred way to govern because House Speaker Mike Johnson knows what they propose hurts the people they claim to represent.

While there are wealthy Louisianans who will benefit from tax cuts, they are outnumbered by the rest of us. The majority of tax cuts will go to people who make over $157,000 a year Statewide, 86% of us earn less than $annually In Rep. Julia Letlow’s district, 90% of us make less than $150,000. How will we pay for this tax break for our wealthiest colleagues? By dismantling

programs that far more of us need. One in 3 Louisianans depends on Medicaid, which is likely on the chopping block.

I’ve heard the justification for the budget bill is that this is what we voted for Even if true, I assume Trump supporters voted to pay less than $7 for eggs, and not lose coverage that they need in the name of a welfare check to the wealthy

While I agree that the federal deficit needs to be reined in, I abhor the methods Johnson and my representative, Letlow, have used to reach this goal.

This proposed budget actually balloons the deficit. An effective way to tackle the deficit would be to limit tax cuts for the top 20% of earners, rather than take a hatchet to programs that Louisianans depend on. I implore Sens. Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy to consider the people that will be affected by their actions during reconciliation.

Article on school vouchers provided facts, raised issue of parent involvement

As a concerned grandfather of two granddaughters (ages 8 and 5) in favor of school choice programs, I read this article, “Despite lofty promises, Louisiana’s private-school vouchers fall short,” twice one day and then again the next, just so I could truly take in all the information you have provided. Thank you for writing this.

I will begin first by saying that I have always believed a child’s education starts at home by the parents, and in some cases grandparents, to prepare them for their initial encounter with an actual school. Without this familial pre-education, the child is already behind.

Secondly, I have some issues with Tulane economist Doug Harris’ negative take on the original 2012 voucher program, which was designed for disadvantaged poor children. It is my opinion that the reasons why these children were slow to improve was specifically that they were disadvantaged from the start. They didn’t have a hill to climb, they had to climb an educational mountain.

From your school voucher article: “Principal Buffie Singletary said voucher students typically arrive at the school far behind, with limited reading skills, making it difficult to catch them up. ‘It’s just really hard,’ she said.” Per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, Louisiana is 1 of 3 states (Louisiana, Mississippi and New Mexico) that lead the country in unwed mothers, with over 50% of babies born to unmarried women. Nearly twothirds of these mothers are well under the age of 25 Basically, children having children.

The problem isn’t the voucher system or, in most cases, the school itself, be it public or private, but the lack of parental involvement in pre-education before the child even begins school.

CHARLES COLLINS Avondale

Pope Francis not even-handed in his criticism

Pope Francis has rebuked President Donald Trump for his policy of deporting immigrants who illegally entered our country His claim is that the action is inhumane and counter to Christ’s teachings.

It seems odd that this selfsame pontiff failed to chastise Joe Biden for his unwavering support of abortion. Is that not against Christ’s teachings?

I sense a bit of hypocrisy here. And I wonder if the Pope is a Democrat.

CHARLEY IRELAND Robert

AMANDA RICHEY Baton

Rouge

STAFF FILE PHOTO

ST. PADDY’S DAY

A leprechaun, a frog and an alligator all walk into a bar on St Patrick’s Day.This has a classic joke setup with a Louisiana twist Who can come up with the funniest punchline for THIS one? Have fun!

So, what’s going on in this cartoon? you tell me Be witty, funny, crazy, absurd or snarky just try to keep it clean.There’s no limit on the number of entries

The winning punchline will be lettered into the word balloon and run on St Patrick’s Day, March 17 in our print editions and online. In addition, the winner will receive a signed print of the cartoon along with a cool winner’s T-shirt! Some honorable mentions will also be listed. To enter, email cartooncontest@theadvocate.com.

DON’T FORGET! All entries must include your name, home address and phone number Cell numbers are best.

The deadline for all entries is midnight Thursday, March 13.

Good luck, folks! — Walt

Louisiana is under dire threat, and politicians are making things worse

We’re only six weeks into Trump 2.0 and Louisianans are facing two of the biggest threats ever to their health, livelihoods, property and futures.

The No. 1 threat is President Donald Trump

The No 2 is the Republican members of our congressional delegation

It’s all so the very rich get even richer

Here’s why Louisiana faces arguably the highest and most costly environmental risks of any state.

We have been ranked the most polluted state overall, the third worst for industrial toxins and their associated health impacts and the fourth worst for life expectancy

If those problems don’t make Louisiana an unattractive place to live or start businesses, the climate costs certainly do.

Our coastal zone, the state’s economic hub, is sinking at one of the planet’s fastest rates as the Gulf of Mexico is rising at one of its fastest rates. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says we could see 2 feet of sea level rise in just 35 years, while researchers report the worst-case projections for both issues could mean five to seven feet by the end of the century But wait, there’s more.

The record heat in the Gulf caused by climate change has led to more Category 4 and 5 hurricanes costing record billions in damages. Indeed, Louisiana’s Coastal Master Plan claims its projects could prevent as much as $11 billion in damages every year by 2073. Of course, that’s only a percentage of the expected damage; it won’t stop billions more.

That’s the reason property insurance has become unaffordable for many, threatening the building and mortgage industries.

Now, the proper responses to these threats are obvious

We could enjoy healthier, longer lives by reducing toxic pollutants at their primary sources — the petrochemical industry We could lighten climate impacts for the next generation by cutting fossil fuel emissions, the main cause of climate impacts.

But since Day 1 of this term, Trump has done the exact opposite. He has un-

leashed the most brutal rollback of environmental protections of any president in history

He has gone to war on programs to reduce fossil fuel emissions. He has falsely declared a national energy emergency, pledging to kill regulations on permitting and the production of toxic emissions to help boost oil and gas production even as the nation now leads the world in those areas. He is illegally canceling congressionally approved grants that help our economy transition to green energy and help states to install electric vehicle charging stations, and is even cracking down on teaching the science of climate change in public schools.

Mimicking communist-style thought control, Trump ordered federal agencies to wipe their web pages of research and news about climate change. And he has cheered as Elon Musk, his unelected, untitled assistant, unleashed arbitrary, dangerous and likely illegal staff reductions at federal science agencies. One of those is NOAA. This is the agency that warns us of approaching hurricanes, tornadoes, thunderstorms, blizzards and freezes, and provides critical information to help farmers determine

when to plant and harvest crops.

All these actions will increase the risks to Louisianans’ health, property, livelihoods and futures.

In the past, members of Congress whose districts were victimized by cuts like these would rise in objection — even to their own party’s president.

But what’s been the reaction from Louisiana’s GOP members?

They simply tug their forelocks and grunt obeisance to Trump, tacitly giving approval for actions that harm their constituents to increase corporate profits for business owners and stockholders.

This is how a plutocracy works.

The goals of Trump’s actions are clear Increase profits for his wealthiest backers by reducing regulations and programs protecting the public That could show a reduction in the federal budget to justify his proposed $4.5 trillion tax cut mostly for those plutocrats — even though it will add $2.8 trillion to the deficit our children will owe.

Maybe you should ask your representatives who they are working for Bob Marshall, a Pulitzer Prize-winning Louisiana environmental journalist, can be reached at bmarshallenviro@ gmail.com.

Vague policies don’t protect free speech

Until recently, I served on the faculty at LSU’s Manship School of Mass Communication — my alma mater I was proud to return to the university that shaped me, where I learned to ask hard questions, think critically and engage with people who saw the world differently than I did.

When I was a student at LSU, some of my professors — informed by their research or professional experiences — spoke freely about their views. Some were conservative; some were liberal. In political communication classes, many were practitioners who had run campaigns, worked in government or advised elected officials.

Of course, I knew their views. How could I not? But their perspectives didn’t “indoctrinate” me If anything, they sharpened my thinking, exposed me to competing arguments and instilled a respect for open discourse. In fact, my professors could take either side of an argument to challenge us in class. That is how you refine your thinking. They intentionally invited guest speakers from both sides of the aisle, ensuring that students heard different perspectives and had to engage with ideas they might not have considered

That is what higher education is supposed to do.

At the direction of Gov. Jeff Landry, the LSU Board of Supervisors has revised the university’s free speech policy — curbing the rights of professors in the name of “neutrality.” Under the new rules, faculty members cannot express political views in their classrooms unless it is directly related to the subject matter

The policy is intentionally vague, making it unclear what is and isn’t allowed. That ambiguity is by design. It creates a chilling effect. Professors will now self-censor out of fear that a single complaint could threaten their jobs.

Let’s be clear: This is not about protecting students from bias. It’s about controlling what ideas are heard on campus. If Landry were genuinely concerned about free speech, he would not be policing faculty speech while claiming to protect student expression. He wouldn’t create a culture of fear among professors while pretending to champion intellectual diversity He wouldn’t be using the state’s power to dictate what can and cannot be discussed in a university setting.

This policy is part of a broader trend sweeping through conservative-led states, where politicians exploit the language of “freedom” while actively suppressing it. They claim to fight for the First Amendment while using the government to silence views they don’t like. They argue that students should be exposed to a wide range of perspectives — unless those perspectives challenge their agenda.

The real danger here isn’t that students will be shielded from political opinions. It’s that they will be denied the very education that prepares them for civic life. A democracy cannot function without critical thinkers, without citizens who can weigh arguments, challenge assumptions and engage with people who disagree with them. That’s what universities are supposed to cultivate. I learned to think critically at LSU because my professors weren’t afraid to speak their minds. I worry that future students won’t have the same opportunity And that’s exactly what Landry wants.

Alyson Neel is a 2010 graduate of the LSU Manship School of Mass Communication, where she also served on the faculty in 2023-2024.

Alyson Neel GUEST COLUMNIST

Bob Marshall

PROVIDED PHOTO

Canals carved by oil and gas companies over the past 100 years, like these in Plaquemines Parish, have eroded into open water, contributing to a coastal land loss.

‘Dancing cop’ dies from ALS at 58

BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff writer

BY GABRIELLA KILLETT Staff writer

A former New Orleans Police Department sergeant affectionately known as the “dancing cop” has died after developing ALS.

Leroy-Joseph “L.J ” Compascio Smith, 58, died Feb. 21. He’d been diagnosed with ALS, a neuromuscular sickness commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, in late 2023 and had lost all movement in his arms. The disease hadn’t yet affected mobility in his lower limbs, and death, Smit

L.J. a late dancing Luna year used light forcement Times-Picayune that brea youn of police.

Former NOPD sergeant remembered for dedication, compassion FILE PHOTO New Orleans police Sgt L.J Smith dances at the Fair Grounds during the 2017 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Smith, whose dance moves went viral, died after a battle with ALS He was 58.

Despite being cut short by a few hours because of the threat of severe weather Mardi Gras 2025 was significantly bigger than last year’s Carnival celebration, according to local hoteliers, restaurant owners and hospitality leaders.

Occupancy in the 26,000 hotel rooms downtown and in the French Quarter averaged nearly 87% from Feb. 28 through Fat Tuesday, according to New Orleans & Co. On Saturday night, the weekend’s peak, occupancy averaged 95%.

And that’s not including data from the city’s roughly 6,000 short-term rental units, which, presumably, would drive average occupancy rates even higher

During the five-night celebration in 2024, by comparison, hotel occupancy averaged 81% and never reached 90%.

“The numbers are pretty high, especially when you

pancy numbers are not as strong as they were in the immediate years before the COVID-19 pandemic, when Mardi Gras revelers regularly took up 95% or more of the city’s hotel rooms during the five-day weekend.

In the years since, the city has yet to return to pre-pandemic visitor levels, though hotels and restaurants report that business is continuing to steadily improve.

Still, pulling off a successful Carnival season was particularly important this year, given the public safety challenges and potential image problems the city faced after the Jan. 1 ramming attack on Bourbon Street.

In the weeks after the attack and leading up to the Super Bowl on Feb. 8, city, state and federal leaders revamped security plans for the French Quarter and Mardi Gras parade routes. They protected streets and sidewalks with bollards and barricades, beefed up law enforcement presence and deployed a host of new crime-fighting technology to keep people safer them feel safer said it paid off. were concerns goLeger said. “So positive to see was effective get in the way of out their Mardi

Gras tradition and having a good time.”

While hotel occupancy numbers were strong overall, several French Quarter and boutique hotels outperformed the market average.

At the six French Quarter hotels owned by the Valentino family, occupancy averaged 95%, up several points from 2024, according to Chris Valentino, chief operating officer for the company

Hotel St. Vincent in the Lower Garden District was 100% occupied, as in 2024, owner Zach Kupperman said. And the hotel performed better financially, with 14% higher room rates than last year

Most of the hotel’s guests were tourists who flew into town for Mardi Gras, not regional, drive-in visitors.

Jayson Seidman, who owns the Columns and the Henrietta hotels on St. Charles Avenue as well as Fives Bar on Jackson Square, saw a 20% uptick in revenues this Mardi Gras over last at all his businesses.

“If only we as a city could figure out how to prog around the first and second weekends of Mardi Gras, then it would be a major win for the city,” he said.

security before graduating, until he “heard the call to do

NOPD ese me cated city during his 27 years with the department. ing low munity impact countered,” multiple during force. ized Public the reau Superintendent, to was for “ensuring were within the said.

Ardoin said. Ardoin, his son and band members were all uninjured.

Ardoin, a native of Lake arles and a resident of Lafayette, had just returned from a hiatus of outdoor performances. In July 2021, he was shot in the back during performance at Louisiana Mudfest in Colfax in Grant Parish.

After Mardi Gras’ gunfire, Ardoin said on Facebook that he will no longer perform at outdoor venues. s done. Today it drew for me,” he said in a Facebook Live video posted llowing the shooting “I love music, but I love life more.”

rms, he doesn’t secure onstage. festival environoversaturated, don’t know who’s what.” live in fear,” he said. “But when I get onstage, I should be thinking about how I’m gonna make people happy today I’m gonna get people dancing today

“I never thought in a million years, with me playing music this long in my life, I would actually get onstage and look around for a hiding place in case some kind of shooting breaks out.”

Bryson Bernard, the Lafayette R&B artist who created the viral “Cupid Shuffle,” said, “Every week, we walk into a mystery” when it comes to working events as a professional musician.

paved the way for so many officers who followed in his footsteps, setting a standard of integrity, inclusivity, and dedication,” Harper said. “But perhaps what made L.J. truly unforgettable was his infectious spirit. Known across the city for his incredible dance moves, he was the community’s ultimate ‘hype man,’ bringing joy, energy, and a sense of unity wherever he went.”

L.J. Smith was born in New Orleans’ Lower 9th Ward to a Baptist family as dren.

youngest ye

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The 43-year-old said he is “semiretired” and will perform only at venues that meet his security requirements. The Ardoin family looms large in the history of Louisiana zydeco — Ardoin’s grandfather Bois Sec Ardoin was an early influence in the development of zydeco from Creole “la la music.”

Anger, sadness

5:05a 0.811:59a 0.36:04p 0.6 11:59p 0.3

5:04a 1.510:00a 0.36:00p 1.3 9:58p 0.6

L.J. Smith left the church for a while before returning to his faith. He loved gospel music and, of course, to dance. Susan Smith remembers her brother holding dance contests at every family member’s birthday party He was also a poet and a painter.

“L.J.’s middle name should have been danceaholic,” Susan Smith said. That’s how L.J. expressed himself.” L.J. Smith also has two godchildren to whom he was always giving “sound advice,” Susan Smith said.

“I’m sad and heartbroken for Chris and his family and his band,” Grammy-winning zydeco artist Chubby Carrier said. “I’ve never had to witness what Chris has on a couple of occasions. That’s not what zydeco is about “There’s a blood line between the Ardoins, the Carriers, the Delafoses we all play this music that’s in our want come ” loves together

“That man’s been shot. That man’s been through a lot. And I don’t think anybody cares — just book a different band, and hopefully nothing happens. That’s not fair to the zydeco culture. It’s the individuals. What do we do as artists? We supposed to set up our instruments and then monitor people to see if someone’s about to fight?

“Chris is probably the most talented guy I know, and I hate to see that for him I hate to hear his voice, to see his son having to deal with that.”

‘How is this OK?’

Police have been tightlipped since Tuesday’s shooting, in which Lafayette Renaissance Charter High student Alaya Christian and Cecilia High School student

EASY 5: 2-9-15-20-32

LOTTO: 2-8-17-27-31-39

Ticket sales to viewing stands along the parade route on St. Charles Avenue were up 12% this year over last, according to Michael Valentino, whose hotel company manages four sets of stands on the parade route downtown. Sales of the roughly 2,800 spots in the stands were evenly split between tourists and locals, Valentino said. “People are increasingly looking for a comfortable, controlled environment to watch the parades versus being out on the street,” he said. “So, the stands did really well this year. It was a robust Mardi Gras.” Restaurants also benefited from a robust Carnival season, fueled, in part, by enthusiastic local diners on “Friday Gras,” a day of celebratory brunches and lunches that kicks off Mardi Gras weekend.

“The Friday before Mardi Gras represents our single busiest lunch of the year in our French Quarter properBrennan, up over 2024. “We find it encouraging and exciting to see so many locals out supthe French Quarter on special days like this one.”

Tourists weren’t the ones driving Mardi Gras business this year Locals also contributed to the coffers, according to some metrics.

Bryson Green were killed and 12 others were injured.

Three additional people were injured in a Lundi Gras shooting the night before in Mamou.

The Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Office and Louisiana State Police are assisting in the investigation, Mamou Police Chief Charles “Pat” Hall said Wednesday in a statement. KRVS “Zydeco Stomp” radio host Herman Fuselier said thousands of people gathered across Acadiana for zydeco shows through Mardi Gras without incident, including Keith Frank’s performance at the AgArena in Opelousas on the day of the Mamou shooting. Fuselier has a message for zydeco fans and supporters: If you see something at a show, say something to the authorities.

“If not, there will be another Mamou, and another one after that,” he said. “If you need an assault weapon to have fun, stay home.”

As the executive director of the St. Landry Parish Tourist Commission, Fuselier is involved with the world’s largest zydeco festival the Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Music Festival, held annually in Opelousas.

“It’s a sin and a shame that Chris has to cut back on culture that his family has been sharing for 100 years,” Fuselier said. “As a kid, he played at Carnegie Hall with his grandfather dad, uncles and siblings.”

Email Joanna Brown at joanna.brown@ theadvocate.com. of

SHOOTING

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Ty’rell Castille, 19, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office said. Castille was found hiding at an apartment complex in south Montgomery County, the Sheriff’s Office said. He was booked into the Montgomery County Jail on two counts of first-degree murder among other charges. He is awaiting extradition, the Sheriff’s Office said. The shooting in Mamou has left the Lafayette area reeling. Lafayette Renaissance Charter High student Alaya Christian and Cecilia High School student Bryson Green were killed. It occurred one day after a shooting at a Lundi Gras gathering in which three people were injured. Email Chad Calder at ccalder@theadvocate. com.

fries and white beans. Call (337) 277-4817 to purchase tickets. Clayton Boudreaux Memorial Park, 4340 Catahoula Highway, St. Martinville.

POWERBALL: 2-4-1623-63 (13) Unofficial notification, keep your tickets.

GETTING IT DONE

Shores battles through five innings to help Tigers clinch series

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

Few players on LSU’s team this season are more important than Chase Shores.

The redshirt sophomore right-hander entered the year as the third starter the Tigers desperately needed, considering their struggles in finding someone to fill that role last season.

Combine that roster demand with his talent — standing at 6-foot-8, with a fastball up to 99 mph — and LSU had a player who could potentially transform its rotation.

“He’s really hard to get those extra base hits against,” LSU coach Jay Johnson said. “And when he limits free passes, there’s always a way out with him.”

But Shores missed all of last season recovering from Tommy John surgery And in the four starts he’s made since his return, the results have been mixed

Shores allowed two earned runs and nine hits in five

BY SCOTT RABALAIS Staff writer

Olivia Dunne wrapped up the home portion of her five-year LSU gymnastics career Friday night with the Tigers’ recordbreaking 198.575-197.175 victory over Georgia, relegated to the role of spectator and moral support rather than competitor The All-American gymnast and social media superstar revealed Thursday that she has a fractured kneecap that would keep her out of the Georgia meet and could prevent her from competing again this season, something she has only done seven times to this point in 2025. Still, was it worth it to her coming back?

Absolutely she said in this interview from before the meet, as she talks about her LSU career, getting to serve as grand marshal of the Endymion Mardi Gras parade, and what the future may hold for the 22-year old Hillsdale, New Jersey, native after LSU and gymnastics:

innings on Sunday in LSU’s 11-5 win over North Alabama at Alex Box Stadium. He surrendered just one extra base hit but only had four strikeouts.

The victory clinched another series sweep for the Tigers. “I just thought he kept his composure. I mean, he’s got great stuff,” Johnson said. “He’s not easy to hit. And he’s a definition of a bend (but) probably not going to break pitcher.”

The result was an improvement from his last outing against Sam Houston State when he gave up four earned runs in five innings. But he allowed two more hits on Sunday than he had the week before.

“The runs is the only thing that I really care about, to be honest with you,” Johnson said. “And like I said, I think he’s tough to score on.” The two runs he surrendered came in the third inning

ä See SWEEP, page 3C

UL drops series to Dallas Baptist

Injuries mounting for Cajuns as SBC play approaches

BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

right

Tell us about your knee injury? I have an avulsion fracture of my patella. I’ve been dealing with pain all season, and it got to the point where I needed imaging It made me really sad that I didn’t have the opportunity to compete in the PMAC one last time. Tiger fans have made the experience what it has been for me, made the impossible possible.

Considering you only got to compete a few times (most recently Jan. 24 at Arkansas), do you still think coming back for a fifth year was worthwhile?

One hundred percent. I have no regrets I competed in three events in one meet for the first time in my college career — bars, floor and beam (Jan. 11 in the Sprouts Collegiate Quad). To be able to do that was so cool It’s an experience I’ll cherish the rest of my life. I can’t wait to bring my family back one day to LSU, my future children, and show

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

GREENVILLE, S.C – Coach Kim Mulkey said it again on Saturday: She isn’t a huge fan of conference tournaments. For teams like hers, which have always earned top NCAA Tournament seeds, they carry too much risk and not enough reward. The 2025 Southeastern Conference Tournament served up Mulkey a fresh reminder of that reality Early in the third quarter

STAFF PHOTO By BRAD KEMP UL coach Matt Deggs talks to his players during a mound visit in the Cajuns’ series loss to Dallas Baptist on Sunday.

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU pitcher Chase Shores delivers a pitch against North Alabama in the top of the third inning on Sunday at Alex Box Stadium. Shores allowed two earned runs and nine hits in five innings in LSU’s 11-5 win over North Alabama.

ANALYSIS

Season in a nutshell

LSU’s rebounding woes continue in regular-season finale vs. Texas A&M

BY TOYLOY BROWN III

Staff writer

Derek Fountain put his hands to his face in disbelief before jogging to the LSU men’s basketball locker room at halftime

Jordan Sears, who had his way against bigger defenders, couldn’t get downhill with 10 seconds left in the first half.

The point guard pitched it to Mike Williams at the top of the key with three seconds on the shot clock. The sophomore’s subtle head fake allowed him to get near the free-throw line and make a crisp pass to an open Fountain on the right block.

The 6-foot-9, fifth-year senior didn’t use the backboard and blew an easy layup.

Despite possessing a 32-30 halftime lead over No. 22 Texas A&M (22-9, 11-7 SEC), the miss was an omen of things to come for LSU offensively. The Tigers scored a season-low in their 66-52 loss to the Aggies in the final game of the regular season on Saturday at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center LSU (14-17, 3-15) also shot a season-low 30% from the field

While scoring woes were more pronounced in its last game, it has been an issue throughout the season.

The challenge of getting the

ball through the net can be traced back to the season-ending ACL injury of Jalen Reed. He averaged 11 points per game and was the most reliable low-post option for the Tigers and a burgeoning playmaker as he demanded double teams. The junior’s absence after getting hurt in the eighth game of the season irreparably altered LSU’s offensive ceiling as its other inte-

rior options were either too inexperienced or lacked strong lowpost skills.

More injuries befell LSU, closing the regular season without freshman Vyctorius Miller and redshirt freshman Corey Chest who missed their second and third consecutive game because of injury, respectively “Vyctorius and Corey still have yet to return to practice,” LSU

GOLF ROUNDUP

Warriors’ Curry reaches 25,000 career points

Curry became the 26th player in NBA history to score 25,000 career points, reaching the milestone during the third quarter of the Golden State Warriors’ 115-110 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Saturday night. Curry, who turns 37 next Friday, surpassed 25,000 with a 3-pointer at the 8:32 mark of the third quarter then received a warm ovation when recognized during a timeout with 5:42 to go. He finished with 32 points — pushing his total to 25,017 — on 8-for-22 shooting and converted all 12 of his free throws.

“It was a surprise actually I knew I was coming up on it but I didn’t think about it until I heard it in game,” Curry said.

coach Matt McMahon said. “Corey has missed quite a few games now It was the back injury in Oklahoma, and now he’s got a foot injury Vyctorious, it’s the same ankle that cost him games in early SEC play rolled it at Mississippi State. And has yet to return to practice, so once again, he’ll also be off tomorrow, be in treatment, both of them obviously, and see where they stand on Monday.”

Miller, the team’s third-leading scorer (8.9) and Chest, the team’s leading rebounder (6.6), each had stints of starting and performing well for the Tigers.

Rebounding was central to Texas A&M’s dominance in the second half. The Aggies entered leading the nation in offensive rebounding rate and finished the game with 14 offensive rebounds and 17 second-chance points.

LSU needed its bigs Robert Miller and Daimion Collins to be a physical presence in collecting boards, but both fouled out in less than 15 minutes of play

Poor defensive rebounding isn’t a new phenomenon for LSU or one that only occurs when its best available frontcourt players are in foul trouble. The Tigers have been one of the worst defensive rebounding teams in the country, currently 347th in defensive rebounding rate, according to KenPom.

The Tigers’ disappointing finale aligns with the overall regular season. However, they must move on and prepare for its SEC tournament game against No. 25 Mississippi State at 6 p.m. Wednesday in Nashville, Tennessee.

Takeda wins her second LPGA title

The Associated Press

SANYA, China Rio Takeda shot a blistering 8-under 64 on Sunday to win the LPGA’s Blue Bay tournament by six shots ahead of Minjee Lee of Australia, the second LPGA title for the young Japanese.

The 21-year-old Takeda finished on 17-under 271 for the four rounds on China’s southern island of Hainan. She opened with rounds of 69-69-69 before carding the 64. Lee closed with a 67 to finish on 277 with Japanese Ayaka Furue a further shot back after a 68 to finish on 10-under 278.

Takeda won her first LPGA title four months ago, taking the Toto Japan Classic in a six-hole suddendeath playoff.

Jeeno Thitikul, the LPGA’s No. 2-ranked player, closed with a disappointing 74 and was 13 strokes off the pace. She finished on 4-under 284. It was also a disappointing tournament for Ruoning Yin of China She is ranked No. 4 but finished with a 73 and was 19 shots off the winning pace.

Bay Hill

HENLEY TAKES BAY HILL FOR BIGGEST CAREERWIN: In Orlando, Florida Russell Henley delivered a late charge that would have made Arnold Palmer proud, capped off by chipping in for eagle on the 16th hole to rally with a 2-under 70 at Bay Hill on Sunday for the biggest victory of his career Henley trailed Collin Morikawa by three shots with five holes to play in the Arnold Palmer Invitational when it all changed with a pair of two-shot swings. Morikawa missed the green on the par-3 14th hole and took bogey, while Henley hit his tee shot to just inside 10 feet for birdie, cutting the deficit to one shot. Nothing was more stunning than the par-5 16th hole, however

Morikawa laid up from a fairway bunker and hit wedge to 18 feet. Henley went through the green to thick rough and had to chip from more than 50 feet away

down the slope to a front pin on a green that was yellow, looking as though it barely had any grass.

It was racing toward the hole when it smacked into the pin and dropped for eagle, giving him the lead for the first time all day when Morikawa failed to convert his birdie putt.

Henley finished with two pars and Morikawa, who closed with a 72, couldn’t catch him.

“I was just so nervous. I can’t breathe right now,” Henley told NBC off the 18th green “It’s so hard and difficult around this place. I just tried to stay really tough this week.”

He made it tough on himself at times, particularly when he made a mess of both par 5s on the front nine to take bogey on each of them, and then starting the back nine with a bogey from the fairway

But the 35-year-old from Georgia made up for it in a big way, particularly the chip-in for eagle that he called a good break. It’s likely the ball would have run some 10 feet by the hole, if not run off the green Breaks like that are what wins tournaments.

“This game is just so hard,” he said. It was another close call for Morikawa, the two-time major champion whose game is back in order and now is missing only a trophy that he hasn’t hoisted in 17 months.

He began by holing a bunker shot for birdie on the first hole. He was in the lead all day, in control all day, in what had been a sleepy final round on a brutal test of fast, firm conditions.

And then suddenly he wasn’t.

“Hats off to Collin. He played super steady,” Henley said. “Sometimes golf is just mean like that.”

Corey Conners opened with 15 straight pars, made one birdie in his round of 71, and finished two shots behind. The consolation prize for the Canadian was earning the one spot available this week in the British Open this summer at Royal Portrush. Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley set a tournament record

with a 29 on the front nine, only to stall and match the tournamentlow 64 to tie for fifth.

Defending champion Scottie Scheffler didn’t make enough putts or enough birdies for the week. He closed with a 70 and tied for 11th.

Scheffler now heads two hours up the road to the TPC Sawgrass as the two-time defending champion at The Players Championship. Henley finished at 11-under 277 and earned $4 million from the $20 million purse. It was his fifth career win on the PGA Tour, though never against a field this strong. He was more than up to the task as his game has become consistently good over the last three years. The victory moves him to No. 7 in the world, and he looks the part of a top-10 player European Tour

HILLWINSTHREE-MAN PLAYOFFTO CLAIM

JOBURG OPEN TITLE: In Johannesburg, Scottish golfer Calum Hill made par on the second playoff hole to outlast South African rivals Jacques Kruyswijk and Shaun Norris and win the Joburg Open on Sunday

The extra holes took place to the backdrop of thunder and lightning at Houghton Golf Club, with all three players parring the first playoff hole the par-4 18th — to go back up to the tee.

Norris, who led overnight by four strokes, dropped out of contention after hitting his second shot into water from a fairway bunker before Hill left his birdie putt from off the green just short, tapping in for par Kruyswijk needed to roll in a par putt from 3 feet to extend the playoff, but pushed it right. Hill, ranked No. 286, clinched his second European tour title the first being the Cazoo Classic in 2021. He shot 8-under 62 to set the clubhouse target at 14 under and was joined in the playoff first by Kruyswijk (66), who was seeking a second victory in three weeks after winning the Magical Kenya Open last month, and then Norris after his two birdies in the last three holes to complete a round of 70. Norris, bidding for a wire-towire victory won the Alfred Dunhill Championship in December

Browns, DE Garrett agree to record 4-year contract

Myles Garrett is staying in Cleveland after the Browns gave him a record four-year contract extension that makes the four-time AllPro edge rusher the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history

A person with knowledge of the details told The Associated Press that Garrett’s deal includes $122.8 million guaranteed, an average annual salary of $40 million with a total value of $204.8 million. The person spoke Sunday on condition of anonymity Garrett had asked for a trade last month but the Browns were adamant about keeping the 29-yearold star in Cleveland.

Garrett’s contract raises the bar for other non-QBs, including Bengals All-Pro wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase and Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons. Cincinnati already has stated plans to make Chase the highest-paid non-QB in the league.

Loucks returns to Florida State as hoops coach TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Luke Loucks is returning to Florida State to take over as the coach of the Seminoles. Florida State announced the hire on Sunday The 34-year-old Loucks is replacing Leonard Hamilton, who is stepping down at the end of this season. A Clearwater native, Loucks played at Florida State from 200812. He averaged 7.1 points and 3.3 rebounds as a senior and was part of a Seminoles team that defeated Miami, Duke and North Carolina on consecutive days to win the ACC Tournament title in March 2012. Loucks had been an assistant coach for the NBA’s Sacramento Kings since 2022. He also has worked for the Golden State Warriors, helping the team win NBA titles in 2017 and 2018, and Phoenix Suns.

Giants re-sign fan favorite DeVito to a 1-year deal

The New York Giants officially have a quarterback under contract on their roster

The team announced late Saturday it re-signed Tommy DeVito, an exclusive rights free agent whose one-year deal is worth $1.03 million.

He started eight games for the Giants since joining the team as an undrafted free agent in 2023 out of Illinois.

Backups Drew Lock and Tim Boyle are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents, leaving DeVito alone atop New York’s quarterback depth chart — at least for now The Giants are expected to target a veteran in free agency with Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson possibilities.

N.C. State fires Keatts a year after ACC title run

It was less than a year ago that Kevin Keatts and N.C. State took over March, taking a wild ride to the program’s first Atlantic Coast Conference title in nearly 38 years followed by an improbable run to its first Final Four in even longer And now, Keatts is out of a job. N.C. State fired coach Keatts on Sunday, an abrupt end to an eightyear tenure that saw the program’s fall this year prove too much to overcome even when framed against last season’s remarkable finish. The announcement came a day after the Wolfpack closed a 1219 season and failed to qualify for the ACC Tournament as the reigning champion. Keatts’ base contract ran through April 2030, which had included a two-year extension automatically triggered with last year’s postseason milestones.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By yANG GUANyU

Golfer Takeda Rio holds the trophy during the awarding ceremony after the final round of the Blue Bay LPGA tournament on Sunday in Lingshui, South China’s Hainan Province.

PHOTO By PATRICK DENNIS

LSU guard Curtis Givens drives to the basket as Texas A&M guard CJ Wilcher defends in the second half of their game on Saturday at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center

on a pair of one-out run-scoring singles, but things could have snowballed for Shores in a bad way after the Lions loaded the bases after both scores Shores got a strikeout and forced a pop out to himself to escape the inning.

He also wiggled out of jams in the first and fifth innings as North Alabama (3-11) had a runner in scoring position in each inning

“There’s no other option, honestly.” Shores said. “Just pound the zone and try to get out of the inning for my team.”

After recording most of his outs through the ground the last two weeks, Shores only induced two groundouts against North Alabama. Nine of the 15 outs he garnered came on fly balls.

“It was just the location the (pitches) were called,” Shores said. “If it was a higher location, there would probably be a pop up on that one.”

As Shores kept on working his way out of mini jams, LSU’s offense continued to roll against North Alabama’s pitching

The big inning for the Tigers’ attack came in the sixth when LSU (16-1) scored six runs on a grand slam and two singles to take an 11-2 lead.

Singles from Brown and redshirt junior Tanner Reaves and a hit by pitch to start the inning had loaded the bases for freshman Derek Curiel. Curiel then walked his third of the day — to drive in a run before junior Daniel Dickinson hit a single off the end of his bat that trickled down the third base line. The base hit allowed the inning to continue and scored the second run. It also kept the bases loaded for senior Josh Pearson who blasted a ball over the Diamond Deck in right field and onto the roof of the Marucci Performance Center

DUNNE

Continued from page 1C

them the banners from the time when I was at LSU.

What do you think the emotions of the final meet would be like?

The best word is grateful. For five years, through thick and thin, LSU Tiger fans have had my back and loved me through it all, whether I was healthy or hurt Right now I’m hurt, so it’s a bittersweet experience. But I’m taking in every second.

Tell us about being grand marshal of Endymion.What kind of experience was that for someone from New Jersey?

It was the best experience of my life. It was so cool and nothing could have prepared me for that. The way the culture is in Louisiana and the way everyone wants to have a good time and is so happy made it the coolest experience. D-D (former LSU coach D-D Breaux) told me I had to do it. I had never been to Mardi Gras

NCAA

Continued from page 1C

SEC Tournament. The No. 3-seeded Tigers didn’t reach the title game. But they did pick up a double-digit victory over the No. 11-seeded Gators setting a program conference tournament scoring record in the process. They also fought through a tight semifinal loss to No. 2-seeded Texas, finding confidence that even a depleted version of themselves can still compete with the top teams in the country

The Longhorns are the No 1 team in the Associated Press Top 25 poll, and they have one of the 12 best scoring offenses in the nation. Yet they could score only 56 points on 32% shooting against LSU, a team that dealt with their fair share of adversity throughout the tournament.

Flau’jae Johnson (shin) didn’t play in either of LSU’s games, and Mulkey spent time away from her team before its quarterfinal win over Florida while she grieved the loss of a loved one back in Louisiana. Then Morrow injured her foot

“I’ve won a bunch of conference tournaments,” Mulkey said. “Everybody loves to win. Everybody loves to get a trophy But at the end of the day, I’ve also been in those tournaments where I had injuries. Those kids couldn’t go on and play in the most important tournament, the NCAA Tournament.”

All indications are that this LSU team will not have that problem. All three of its stars can play in the Big Dance, and now, they may

The blast was Pearson’s first career grand slam.

“I was just looking for a pitch up in the zone that I could drive,” Pearson said. “And he hung me a changeup first pitch, and I saw it out of the hand and put a good swing on it.”

Milam, Brown and Jones all finished the day with multiple hits. The Tigers were 7-for-11 with runners on base.

“I thought it was a very workmanlike performance from the hitters,” Johnson said.

LSU’s attack started with four runs in the first inning on a tworun home run from junior Jared Jones, a run-scoring single from sophomore Jake Brown and a stolen base attempt from Brown — he was caught stealing at second base that allowed sophomore Steven Milam to score from third.

Jones’ homer was his sixth of the year. LSU wouldn’t score again until the fourth inning when Milam hit his fourth homer a solo shot that gave the Tigers a 5-2 advantage.

“We all knew the home runs would come with the weather and things like that, but our approach doesn’t really change,” Pearson said. “Just try to hit line drives at the middle of the field and just take balls and crush mistakes.”

Following Shores, junior righthander Connor Benge entered in relief and threw a scoreless sixth inning before handing the ball off to redshirt sophomore righthander Jaden Noot Noot struck out two batters in a flawless inning prior to freshman left-hander Cooper Williams walking two batters and giving up an unearned run in the eighth. Junior right-hander Chandler Dorsey allowed two unearned runs before recording the final out in the ninth inning.

LSU faces Xavier on Tuesday at Alex Box Stadium before Southeastern Conference play starts over the weekend. First pitch is at 6:30 p.m. and will be available to stream on SEC Network+.

because it’s during our season.

But you do what D-D says.” (Note: Dunne’s boyfriend, former LSU and current Pittsburgh pitcher Paul Skenes, did not attend Endymion because Pirates pitchers and catchers reported to spring training Feb. 12.)

You have taken a very public stance on two major issues this year, filing suit against the framework of the pending House settlement designed to create revenue sharing for college athletes and regarding the controversial changes to gymnastics scoring in 2025.You have also created something called The Livvy Fund to help female college athletes find NIL opportunities.What do you hope your legacy in this respect will be?

I hope in women’s sports that there is always an opportunity to talk about issues bigger than just you. I had a platform to do that and I felt it was right. I feel I need to speak out on certain things, hence the tweet on the judging. I knew I had to speak out on women’s sports, especially with the revenue model starting next (academic) year Women’s sports is in jeopardy, and I don’t think a lot of people

Friday,

even team up with a reenergized group of role players to compete for a trip back to the Final Four, a journey that will begin inside the Pete Maravich Assembly Center Against Florida, LSU’s bench chipped in 28 points — the most it’s scored since Feb. 9. Kailyn Gilbert added 10, and Mjracle Sheppard kicked in 12 to pair with two steals while starting for the first time this season.

The Tigers role players didn’t provide as much scoring against Texas. But the defense they played in the second half after Morrow exited the action and Mikaylah Williams picked up her fourth foul made life tough on the Longhorns, who have now had two of their three worst shooting days of the season come in games against LSU Texas led 36-32 when Williams subbed out of the game at the 2:28 mark of the third quarter

While she sat, the group of six players who saw the floor in her absence — Sheppard, Gilbert, Last-

LSU’s suffocating offense too much for Minnesota

No. 4 Tigers sweep

Gophers in Round Robin weekend series

BY JIM KLEINPETER Contributing writer

Suffocating is a term more readily used for defensive performance in sports. The No. 4 LSU softball team is showing how it applies to offense.

The Tigers smothered Minnesota from start to finish and top to bottom of the lineup in a 10-2 victory Sunday in the LSU Round Robin at Tiger Park.

LSU finished the 4-0 weekend with its third consecutive fiveinning mercy rule win and 10th of the season while improving to 23-1.

“The offense set out (in preseason) with words on what type of offense they wanted to be and one of them was ‘suffocating’,” LSU coach Beth Torina said. “They’ve done a good job of applying pressure at all times and in different ways, whether a big swing or a bunt or how they run the bases.”

The Tigers (23-1) rocked Minnesota starter Sydney Schwartz with seven runs in the first two innings and three in the fifth against the third Gopher pitcher Camerson Grayson to end the game as eight of nine starters had at least one hit.

McKenzie Redoutey got it started with a clutch two-run single in the first. Danieca Coffey had a runscoring double in the seventh and No. 9 hitter Avery Hodge had her second triple in two days, scoring the winning run when Jalia Lassiter launched a ball over right fielder Nani Valencia’s head. Even LSU outs were loud. Lassiter

scorched a line drive to first baseman Maggie Werner with the bases loaded that resulted in a double play Jadyn Laneaux hit into another double play with a liner to left field. Tori Edwards was then thrown out at the plate trying to score.

“It’s just a combination of everything this team has put in,” said Hodge, the Oklahoma transfer, who had a bases-loaded triple the night before. “We’ve been working really hard to be where we’re at. With each at-bat we’re trying to get better and better It’s buying in to what we’re facing and seeing, going all in for that pitch.” Torina emphasized the effort considering the competition.

“They did it against a really good arm; their off-speed pitcher (Schwartz) is really dirty,” Torina said. “It’s nice to see them live up to that against a really good arm. They knew the off speed was going to be a factor It was a good op-

know that. Beyond that, in my time here at LSU and with NIL, I found that you’re more than your

Tear Poa, Jada Richard, Sa’Myah Smith and Jersey Wolfenbarger managed to shave a point off the Longhorns’ lead, giving Williams a chance to reignite the Tigers’ offense and drive LSU in front by the time she checked back in at the 6:42 mark of the fourth.

“They competed with the No 1 team in the country today without Flau’Jae, without Morrow and (with) Mikaylah sitting a lot,” Mulkey said. “I’ll take that any day.”

LSU, however never quite figured out a way to find open shots — with or without Morrow and Williams. Since Mulkey took over the program, it’s never scored fewer points in a game than it did on Saturday The Tigers also missed eight free throws — a recurrence of a problem that stood in the way of their hopes of upsetting the Longhorns in the regular season. That day, LSU clanked six freebies and lost 65-58.

But the Tigers’ win over Florida, coupled with the fight they displayed in the loss to Texas, showed them what’s possible.

In that game, Morrow scored 36 points more than any Tiger ever has in the SEC Tournament.

Now she’ll have about two weeks to make sure her foot can handle the rigors of the NCAA Tournament, the postseason action that LSU was prioritizing all along, well before it took another eventful trip to the conference tournament and returned (mostly) unscathed.

“To me, it’s too long,” Mulkey said. “If you have conference tournaments, do we really need all 16 teams in the conference tournament? I don’t know.”

sport. That’s hopefully something people pick up and I can help them with. The NIL space can be quite intimidating to ap-

Continued from page 1C

for a 3-0 early cushion. Humphreys led off the second with a solo homer to make it 4-0, but Hess settled down after that bomb.

The sophomore right-hander retired the side in order in the third and fourth. In the fifth, he walked the leadoff hitter and then Chayton Krauss hit a shot to shortstop that was misplayed. Poole took full advantage with a two-run double and Michael Dattalo’s RBI single chased Hess at 7-1.

“He did great,” Deggs said. “We were tipping pitches from behind the dish. Once we got it fixed, he threw up a couple of zeroes. It was a couple innings too late after that. They’ve got a good coaching staff and a good ball club that picks up on things like that. We’ve got to be better.”

Offensively, UL did a good job of setting the table with leadoff guys getting three hits and a double. But only Brooks Wright scored in that stretch on a Owen Galt sacrifice fly in the fourth.

Dallas Baptist starter Rian Schwede got to 4-0 on the season after only allowing one run on six hits, no walks, two hit batsmen and striking out four in seven innings and 94 pitches. The Cajuns got to see collegiate debuts from two freshman hurlers in Aiden Grab and Matt Osteen. Grab gave up a walk and a hit batsman, but collected a strikeout in a scoreless inning.

portunity to try some things, and it worked out.”

LSU pitcher Sydney Berzon held down the Gophers despite giving up 10 hits, the second most in her career Taylor Krapf hit a solo homer in the fourth and the Gophers (11-12) got five hits in the fifth but could score only one run. Berzon (9-0) also had a strong defense behind her Hodge made a nice play for a force-out at third in the fifth and started a double play in the third by snagging a line drive and firing to first base.

“It was a good offense we faced,” said Berzon, who finished with three strikeouts. “They were coming out pretty hot with a win before us. They’re good swingers. It was a matter of staying calm, one pitch at atime,notfocusedonanythinggoing on around me, throwing each pitch.

“You can see all the effort we put in as a defense all through preseason. It’s starting to show.”

proach. There is no blueprint. I started The Livvy Fund to create NIL deals for people. A lot of the women on our team are now doing posts for Accelerator (energy drink), one of my brand partners. Being able to give them an opportunity to do that and to help female athletes capitalize on NIL while they can is a big deal to me. I think people just expect men’s sports to lead. It’s been an honor

What is next for you after LSU and after gymnastics?

I think there will be a lot more free time day-to-day to pick and choose what I want to do. I’m going to the Kentucky Derby (in May) so I’m very excited about that. I’m going to keep working with Sports Illustrated. I don’t know what the future holds, but I’m excited and passionate about The Livvy Fund and growing it beyond LSU, to help female athletes nationwide.

For more LSU sports updates, sign up for our newsletter at theadvocate.com/lsunewsletter

Osteen yielded one infield single with a strikeout in a scoreless frame himself.

“Yeah, I was pleased with both of them,” Deggs said of the two debut pitchers. “It was good to see both of them go out there and compete. I thought they both did fine. I thought (reliever Drew) Kirby did good too He hung a fastball (for homer), but he settled in and did pretty good.” Even bigger than the loss is UL’s current injury situation. Neither Chase Morgan nor Blake McGehee pitched this weekend.

“Blake is fine,” Deggs said. “Just wanted to give him a little rest this weekend. We’ll know more on C-Mo tomorrow He’s going to take some pictures tomorrow and we’ll see on that.”

Shortstop Drew Markle injured his hand Friday and will be out for a while. Luke Yuhasz also suffered a hand injury Saturday, but played.

“Luke’s playing hurt today,” Deggs said. “He got hit in the hand (Saturday). I don’t know what the status is on that. He’s just tough.”

Also center fielder Brooks Wright was replaced with a wrist injury

“We’ll find out on that,” Deggs said. “Yeah, it’s starting to add up. We’ll figure it out.” Connor Cuff came off the bench to hit a solo home run to right in the ninth. Even that was a bit discouraging, but it was the 13th home run for the club this season — and all 13 have been solo homers. Email Kevin Foote at kfoote@theadvocate.com.

STAFF PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

LSU gymnast and social media influencer Olivia Dunne greets the crowd as the Krewe of Endymion parade rolls on March 1 in New Orleans. Dunne served as the grand marshal.

AP PHOTO By DAVID yEAZELL

LSU head coach Kim Mulkey makes a traveling gesture during a game against Florida on

in Greenville, S.C.

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU first baseman Tori Edwards drives the ball for a double against Minnesota in the fourth inning of their game on Sunday at Tiger Park

Scott Don Bosco Mitchell as Quasimodo in a promotional photo for the Sullivan Theater’s Production of ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame.’ PROVIDED PHOTO

THE BELLS TOLL

Baton Rouge’s Sullivan Theater to open 2025 season with ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’

BY SERENA PUANG | Staff writer

hat makes a monster and what makes a man?

This is the question the Sullivan Theater’s newest production will answer with “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.”

The volunteer-run community theater in Central is opening its 2025 season with the musical which takes plot inspiration from the novel with the same name by Victor Hugo but has some of the music from the Disney movie. Director Heath McNeese said that it will get people thinking about the labels they’ve attached to people.

Q&A ‘THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME’ Sullivan Theater 8849 Sullivan Road Baton Rouge l Show runs March 14-23 with a 7:30 p.m curtain Thursday to Saturday and a 2 p.m. matinee on Sundays. l Tickets $35 for adults and $25 for students and children, available for purchase at sullivantheater.com/ tickets

“Looks are deceiving,” he said. “If we judge people by physical characteristics or ability, then we aren’t seeing them as a complete human.”

ä See 'HUNCHBACK', page 6C

SHADES OF SUCCESS

Calendar, awards gala to honor women of color

sulting

director for the Port of South Louisiana

n Sudan Britton, former multimedia journalist and now a communication/grants director

n Sydney Simone, TV news anchor and founder of the “College Playground” podcast

n Tyra Banks, program devel-

of Nurture Lactation Support, LLC

n Dr Erica Joseph, adult psychiatric/mental health nurse

practitioner and owner of Transformative Health, LLC

n Ariyal Fabre Lewis, attorney and author

n Dr Christianne Ricard,

ä See CALENDAR, page 6C

Studies show treatment of periodontitis may lower dementia odds

Is there a link between gum disease and Alzheimer’s disease?

In a 2020 analysis led by the National Institute on Aging, (NIA), scientists suggest that bacteria that cause gum disease are also associated with the development of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, especially vascular dementia. The results were reported in the Journal of Alzheimer’s disease.

A 2016 study performed jointly by the University of Southampton and Kings College London also reported a link between gum disease and greater rates of cognitive decline in individuals with early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Professor Clive Holmes, senior author from the University of Southampton, stated at its conclusion, “These are very interesting results which build on previous work we have done that shows that chronic inflammatory conditions have a detrimental effect on disease progression in people with Alzheimer’s disease. Our study was small and lasted for six months so further trials need to be carried out to develop these results. However if there is a direct relationship between periodontitis and cognitive decline, as this study suggests, then treatment of gum disease might be a possible treatment option for risk of Alzheimer’s.” Periodontitis, or gum disease, is common in older individuals and is likely more common in Alzheimer’s disease because of the reduced ability to take care of oral hygiene as the disease progresses. The increased levels of antibodies to periodontal bacteria are associated with increased levels of inflammatory molecules elsewhere in the body, which in turn has been linked to greater rates of cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease. In the Southampton study, researchers set out to determine whether periodontitis is associated with increased disease severity and/or with subsequent escalation of cognitive decline in individuals developing the disease.

Porphyromonas gingivalis is the most common culprit of gum disease. Studies suggest that plaques of beta-amyloid protein, a major hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease, may be produced as a response to this infection.

The NIA analysis revealed that older adults with signs of gum disease and mouth infections at baseline were more likely to develop Alzheimer’s during the study period. Among those 65 years or older, both Alzheimer’s diagnoses and deaths were associated with antibodies against the oral bacterium P. gingivalis, which can cluster with other bacteria such as Campylobacter rectus and Prevotella melaninogenica to further increase those risks. Researchers note that the Southampton study should be replicated with a larger cohort, as the precise means by which gum disease may be linked to cognitive decline are not

ALZHEIMER’S

Ever-younger patients appearing with kidney stones

Dear Doctors: Our son had some of the symptoms of appendicitis. His lower right side was aching, and he was throwing up. At the emergency room, it turned out that he was passing a kidney stone. He’s only 13 years old — isn’t that much too young? How does he stop from getting more?

Dr.

Elizabeth Ko Dr Eve Glazier

ASK THE DOCTORS

Dear reader: It’s true that the average age for developing a first kidney stone is typically in the mid30s and ranges into the neighborhood of age 50 to 60. However, a growing number of physicians say they are now treating increasingly younger patients. This is occurring in our own practices, where we see more kidney stones in the 20 to 50 age population than we do in people who are 50plus. And, yes, we are also seeing young adolescents, like your son, with this painful condition. For those who are not familiar a kidney stone is a bit of hard debris that forms from the solid wastes that are dissolved in the urine. These include salts, urea, minerals and other inorganic compounds. If the balance between solid waste to liquid in the urine falls too low, crystals can form. Over time, they bond together and develop into hard,

‘HUNCHBACK’

Continued from page 5C

In the book, the protagonist, Quasimodo, is deaf, partially blind and has multiple physical disabilities, like a curved spine The movie elides Quasimodo’s deafness and blindness while maintaining his physical disabilities, but each production of the musical has to make decisions about his portrayal. In some productions, deaf actors play Quasimodo. In many others, non-disabled actors inhabit the role. Since casting the play, McNeese said that he made conscious choices given the actor who would be playing Quasimodo.

“From the beginning on stage, it’s made very clear that the people onstage are performers,” said McNeese. “There’s not the suspension of disbelief. We make it very clear that people are putting on this production for the audience.”

The actor who plays Quasimodo, Scott Don Bosco Mitchell, is not disabled and does not pretend to be. The production makes it clear that his hunchback is a prosthetic.

The musical itself is a blend of Hugo’s novel and the Disney movie soundtrack. The Disney version is unsurprisingly much lighter and kid-friendly than its source material.

“Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz, who wrote the lyrics and the music for the Disney movie, wanted to do more with the story that tended more towards the darker side, like more of the book, and Disney like gave them a limit,” McNeese said.

This Broadway musical version was Menken and Schwartz’s opportunity to lean into the darker themes, write more music, and change the ending so not everyone lived happily ever after This means that the show is not as child-friendly as the Disney version, and parental guidance is strongly recommended.

“The Hunchback of Notre Dame” is typically staged in a big theater, which the Sullivan is not, but this show will pave the way for the Sullivan to do bigger shows in the future.

“We’ve been a box setup

TREATMENT

Continued from page 5C

fully transparent and other factors may play a part in cognitive decline alongside oral health Gum disease is an infection caused by bacteria that get under the gum tissue. Toxins from bacteria and the body’s response to infection can begin to destroy the gums and bones that support the teeth.

CALENDAR

licensed therapist and mind-

stonelike objects. Kidney stones can be as small as a grain of sand and, while quite rare, may grow to as large as a golf ball. Stones can sit in the kidney undisturbed and unnoticed for years. But if they move into the ureter, which is the tube that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder, problems can arise. Tiny stones can pass through the ureter undetected. Stones up to about 5 millimeters, which is roughly the diameter of an adult ureter, may also be able to pass through, but can cause significant pain. The ureter has no flex, and the rough exterior and irregular size of a kidney stone can slow its passage. Stones can also become stuck. This blocks the flow of urine and forces it back into the kidney The

PROVIDED PHOTO

Dave Freneaux as Claude Frollo in a promotional photo for the Sullivan Theater’s Production of ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

until now All of our sets have had walls and this is the first time we’ve used the entire space here,” said Dave Freneaux, chair of the Central Cultural Foundation, which helped found the theater “It’s a more grandiose show than we’ve ever done, so this is kind of our proof of concept that we can do big things in a small space.”

Freneaux has built all the sets for the theater’s shows until now, but for this show, he’s focusing on portraying the musical’s villain, Claude Frollo. The sets for this show take up practically all of the available space. The cast for the production, like all of the Sullivan’s shows, is composed of volunteers. This production includes the Sullivan’s largest cast to date, and some of the volunteers have grown up doing theater since they were young Tristan Olivier, who plays Clopin Trouillefou, the unofficial king of the Roma people, is also the understudy for Quasimodo. Olivier is a senior in high

According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, an estimated 42% of U.S. adults aged 30 years or older have periodontitis, with about 7.8% of those adults having severe periodontitis The American Dental Association recommends the practice of good oral hygiene daily, including brushing properly at least twice a day, using toothpaste, flossing, eating a healthy diet that limits sugary beverages and snacks, and visiting a dentist regu-

at Drusilla Place Catering, 3482 Drusilla Lane, in Baton Rouge, and will include dinner and dancing. For gala tickets or a calendar, go to theshadesofsuccess.net and click on “Store.” Tickets are $85, single; and $600, table of eight. Calendars cost $20 and feature the women’s

school and started theater in elementary school.

“It’s actually always been my dream show,” Olivier said of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.”

But others started theater in adulthood, as is the case with Matthew Walker, who plays Captain Phoebus De Martin. He started acting as an outlet after a breakup, and he said that he treats rehearsal as an opportunity to learn from his more experienced castmates. Like the other volunteers at the theater, Walker has to incorporate the show’s rehearsal times three hours Monday through Thursday and four hours on Sundays — with his work schedule as part of the marketing team for the Rotolo’s brand.

“I balance it by not concentrating on anything else,” he said. “My house is a mess. I need to do my laundry I need to do my dishes.”

Email Serena Puang at serena.puang@ theadvocate.com.

larly for prevention and treatment of oral disease. Treatment for periodontitis includes professional cleaning, gum grafting, laser gum surgery and root planing.

Dana Territo is an Alzheimer’s advocate and author of “What My Grandchildren Taught Me About Alzheimer’s Disease.” She hosts “The Memory Whisperer.” Email her at thememorywhisperer@ gmail.com.

increasing pressure causes pain in the groin, back and belly It can also lead to infection. Treatment can include medications to help pass the stone and to manage pain, antibiotics to treat infection and medical procedures to break up or remove larger stones. And, unfortunately, having had a kidney stone increases the risk of a repeat. The reason why ever-younger patients are getting kidney stones is not yet clear However, our modern diet, high in added salt, is a leading suspect. Data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that children and young adults now far exceed the recommended sodium intake of 2,300 milligrams per day This skews the mineral balance in the urine, which, in

turn, increases the risk of certain types of kidney stones. Not drinking enough water and being overweight also increase that risk. Changing your son’s diet may help reduce the risk of developing more kidney stones. This includes limiting salty and ultra-processed foods, going easy on animal proteins, eating calcium-rich foods, staying hydrated and maintaining a healthy weight. And be sure to alert your family doctor to this incident, as they can offer guidance specifically tailored to your son. Send your questions to askthedoctors@mednet.ucla. edu, or write: Ask the Doctors, c/o UCLA Health Sciences Media Relations, 10880 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1450, Los Angeles, CA, 90024.

By The Associated Press

Today is Monday,

March 10, the 69th day of 2025. There are 296 days left in the year

Today in history

On March 10, 1959, thousands of Tibetans rebelled against occupying Chinese forces, surrounding the Dalai Lama’s palace to protect him from potential harm. Fierce fighting between Tibetans and Chinese forces ensued in the following days, causing the Dalai Lama to flee Tibet for India, where he remains in exile today

On this date:

In 1496, Christopher Columbus concluded his second visit to the Western Hemisphere as he left Hispaniola for Spain.

In 1864, President Abraham Lincoln assigned Ulysses S. Grant, who had just received his commission as lieutenant-general, to the command of the Armies of the United States.

In 1876, Alexander Graham Bell’s assistant, Thomas Watson, heard

Bell say over his experimental telephone: “Mr Watson — come here — I want to see you” from the next room of Bell’s Boston laboratory; they were the first words ever conveyed by telephone.

In 1913, abolitionist and Underground Railroad “conductor” Harriet Tubman died of pneumonia in Auburn, New York.

In 1969, James Earl Ray pleaded guilty in Memphis, Tennessee, to assassinating civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr (Ray later repudiated that plea, maintaining his innocence until his death.)

In 1993, Dr David Gunn was killed outside the Pensacola Women’s Medical Services clinic by antiabortion activist Michael Griffin; it was the first killing attributed to a doctor’s role in providing abortion care.

In 2019, a Boeing 737 Max 8 operated by Ethiopian Airlines crashed shortly after takeoff from the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, killing all 157

PIscEs (Feb. 20-March 20) Tone down the rhetoric and bypass involvements that entail excessive behavior. Avoid situations that are risky or volatile. Do your best to get along with your associates.

ARIEs (March 21-April 19) A passionate approach to life, love and the pastimes that bring you joy will improve your disposition and encourage friendships. Step away from controversy and toward what makes you smile.

tAuRus (April 20-May 20) Stop waiting for others and procrastinating. Refuse to let time pass you by; be the one to make the first move, engage in something new and exciting or step into a leadership position.

GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Be careful what you say or offer. If you fall short of fulfillment, someone will hold you to your promises or make you look bad. Stick close to home.

cAncER (June 21-July 22) Take a serious look at your lifestyle, consider what brings you joy and what you'd like to walk away from. Let go of or change the dynamics of situations that are too demanding.

LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) Research will pay off. Personal changes will offer clarity and revision and give you a purpose that makes life worth living. Love, personal gains and self-improvement are within reach.

VIRGo (Aug. 23-sept. 22) Take the time to discover what's available to you. Put your energy into what most fascinates

you and fine-tune what you discover to help you achieve your goals.

LIBRA (sept. 23-oct. 23) Create a safe place to think and develop what you want to do next. Look at the big picture and make choices that leave you feeling comfortable.

scoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Implement activities that get you moving and stir up feelings that push you to follow your dreams. Go on a learning expedition, discover the ins and outs of what you want to pursue and take a wholehearted approach to doing something that makes you feel alive.

sAGIttARIus (nov 23-Dec 21) Not everyone you meet today will be on your side. Listen carefully and decipher what's valid or fits into your plans before you give in to persuasive manipulation.

cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Push forward aggressively and turn your back on meaningless and time-consuming situations. Protect your space, reputation and peace of mind. Let go of what's holding you back.

AQuARIus (Jan 20-Feb. 19) Take the plunge, and don't look back. Focus on what's ahead of you, be open and receptive to new beginnings and learn all you can to bring about the changes that make you happy.

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: u EQuALs B

CeLebrItY CIpher

For better or For WorSe

And erneSt

beetLe bAILeY

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

LAGoon

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.

Saturday’s Puzzle Answer

TimeS CroSSword

THe wiZard oF id

BLondie

BaBY BLueS

Hi and LoiS CurTiS

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

Bridge

By PHILLIP ALDER

IngridBergmansaid,“Akissisalovely trick designed by nature to stop speech when words become superfluous.”

At the bridge table, if you find a lovely, extra,contract-fulfillingtrick,especially in a grand slam, your partner will give you a metaphorical kiss. In this deal, South barrels into seven spades. After West leads the heart queen, how should declarer continue?

If South had used a second dose of Blackwood and learned that two kings were missing, he would have stopped in six spades and ruined a good story. (If you use Roman Key Card Blackwood, it is a good idea to treat an immediate response of four no-trump as regular Blackwood, not RKCB. To use RKCB in opener’s suit, make a forcing raise, then bid four no-trump on the second round.)

When in a grand slam, count winners. Here, South has only 12: six spades, two hearts, one diamond and three clubs. Where might a 13th trick come from?

There is only one sensible chance: hearts. That requires a 4-3 heart break and three dummy entries: two for the heart ruffs in the closed hand and one to return to the dummy to cash the established heart. What are those entries?

They must be one heart and two clubs. So, after winning the first trick on the

board, declarer must not touch trumps. He must immediately cash the second heart winner (discarding a diamond from hand) and ruff a heart. Then he draws trumps, plays a club to dummy’s queen, ruffs another heart, leads a club to the ace, and pitches his second low diamond on the last heart.

© 2025 by NEA, Inc., dist. By

Andrews McMeel Syndication

Each Wuzzle is a word riddle which creates a disguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: NOON GOOD = GOOD AFTERNOON

Previous answers:

InstRuctIons: 1. Words must be of four or

today’s thought

“And they come to you as the people comes, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear your words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goes after their covetousness.” Ezekiel 33:31

marmaduKe

Bizarro

hagar the horriBle

Pearls Before swiNe

garfield

B.C.